Third person's POV
Derek's fingers dug tightly into the armrests of his chair. During the time Tabitha had been taken from him, he worried about what might have been done to her and the child.
Although he was aware of the rule that "merchandise" must be kept clean before delivery, he couldn't help but feel anxious.
When the host announced the first item for auction, his heart raced, and he breathed a sigh of relief when it had nothing to do with Tabitha.
It seemed as if he had imagined Matilda would save Tabitha for last.
His grip on the armrests tightened.
As time ticked by, the audience's enthusiasm for the early items was lackluster, their attention fixed on the finale. They had been promised something special, and they were waiting for it.
Forrest passed Derek water a few times, but he didn't take a sip.
When it came to the grand finale, Matilda made her personal appearance.
She wore a red, form-fitting dress and hig
Third person's POVDerek took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.Tabitha and Ayla, dressed in silver gowns, appeared grand, vintage, and exquisite.With silver chains as accessories, they had a unique beauty.Ayla's face was unobstructed.When her innocent and angelic face appeared on the large screen, many were captivated by her heavenly appearance.She wasn't drugged, her large eyes clear and bright.Adorned with crystal and feather headpieces, she looked like an exotic princess.Her innocent eyes didn't understand what was happening. She didn't cry but stared curiously at everything around her, like a curious fawn that had wandered into a den of wolves.Her tender pink lips were slightly parted, and Derek could read her lips from the screen."Mommy, Wilmot."Derek's fingers had already touched his weapon. At this moment, he wished he could draw it out and shoot Matilda on the spot.The r
Third person's POVMatilda was eagerly anticipating the sight of Derek's frustration and agony.The conditions she set were deliberately tricky. If Derek didn't pay, there would certainly be other men willing to bid.Thus, the initial unmasking fee was a must for Derek.The ten million was merely the starting price and, in reality, a clever way for Matilda to test the depth of Derek's wealth.She pondered to herself that if Derek could easily come up with the money, it would only buy a kiss, and the subsequent bidding for the right to use would undoubtedly require an astronomical sum. What would he use to continue competing then?On the other hand, if he saved the money for the later bidding, Tabitha would inevitably be kissed by other men.No matter how Derek chose, Matilda was determined to disgust him thoroughly and make him suffer in this cruel game.However, despite all her scheming, Matilda never expected that Derek had b
Third person's POVIn this social circle, it was well known that Baxter Rios was always keen on various entertainment activities and was notorious for his indulgence in them.The Rios family was wealthy and had a deep foundation that left many in awe. However, when it came to certain matters, Mr. Rios was known to be particularly stubborn.Derek was deeply concerned. He really didn't want to get entangled with the Rios family.He was well aware that once things got out of control, the elder of the Rios family, Spike Rios, would become an extremely troublesome problem.Standing in the corner, his brows furrowed and his eyes filled with worry, he occasionally looked warily towards the direction of the bidding.At this moment, Derek's hands unconsciously clenched and relaxed, his inner unease surging like tidal waves.At this time, only Mr. Rios was still continuously raising the bid, and just for the cost of unmasking, it had soared all
Third person's POVThe intense spotlight shone directly on Tabitha's face, highlighting her slender figure and accentuating the delicate depth of her features.Derek, who had always known of Tabitha's exceptional beauty, nearly lost his breath at the sight of her under the spotlight, his heart pounding with a mix of awe and admiration.Tabitha's eyes were adorned with silver contacts, a touch that transformed her entire aura, setting her apart from the woman he knew.The subtle shimmer of glitter on her exposed skin conjured images in Derek's mind of a mysterious mermaid stranded on the shore."Damn it, I should have kept bidding," Baxter muttered, his face a mix of annoyance and regret.The person beside him quickly offered consolation, "Mr. Rios, while the woman is indeed stunning, she's not an innocent young girl, as you can see from the age of her daughter. It's just a kiss; what does it matter? Once you have her in your grasp, you can d
Third person's POVHer words, laced with provocation and temptation, were like adding fuel to the fire, causing the flames of Derek's long-suppressed anger to burn even more fiercely.Matilda seemed to be walking further and further down a dangerous path from which there seemed to be no return.Forrest did his best to hold Derek back, preventing him from acting impulsively, while silently praying for Matilda.His demeanor was akin to lighting a stick of incense that foretold impending misfortune for her.He knew all too well that the higher she climbed, the harder her fall would be.Under Matilda's inflammatory rhetoric, the crowd began a new round of fierce bidding.This round was significantly more intense than before. The starting price was set at ten million dollars, but it doubled rapidly as if by magic, soaring to forty million dollars in the blink of an eye and continuing to rise like a rocket.The giant electronic scree
Third person's POVThe entire venue erupted into an uproar as if a bomb had been detonated, shockwaves rippling through the crowd.Minds raced with speculation—where had this ultra-wealthy individual come from, willing to spend a staggering three hundred million dollars on a woman?Was this person out of his mind?This was Derek's first time bidding, and Matilda, who had been eagerly anticipating a chance to mock him after the auction, was caught off guard by the swift turn of events.Three hundred million dollars—did he even comprehend the magnitude of such a sum?"Sir, we have very strict penalties on this ship for the act of bidding falsely," Matilda warned through gritted teeth, her tone laced with a hint of menace.Derek calmly lowered his head, quickly wrote out a check, and held it between his fingers with an air of composure. "Here's three hundred million dollars."There was a bank on the ship, operating aro
Third person's POVDespite the overwhelming sense of shame, Tabitha found herself with little choice in the urgency of the moment.Her only thought was to shield her face, unwilling to let anyone catch a glimpse.The long dress cascaded down like a waterfall, making her appear as a wounded mermaid, pitifully appealing.Derek strode forward with determined steps, swiftly leading her away from the venue.Forrest followed closely behind, carefully holding Ayla and matching their pace."Get the doctor over here right away," Derek commanded urgently."Yes, Alpha Derek," Forrest responded promptly.Derek's mind was a whirlwind of turmoil. His desire for Tabitha was undeniable, but not under the current humiliating and perilous circumstances.Moreover, he was uncertain about the exact nature of the drugs Matilda had administered to Tabitha and the potential harm they might inflict.As the doctor conducted a thorough exam
Third person's POVForrest's eyes widened in sudden realization, his voice tense as he spoke, "Alpha Derek, you don't mean the ship's owner is..."He cast a wary glance around, checking for any surveillance cameras.Derek nonchalantly extinguished his cigarette, his tone affirmative. "Relax, I disabled all the cameras around us as soon as we boarded. Yes, it's him. He's determined to see me dead."A salty sea breeze swept over them, raising goosebumps on Forrest's skin.He had only ever known to follow Derek's orders, completely unaware of the intricate web of schemes and calculations hidden beneath.What kind of difficult and perilous situation was Derek in?Besides the discord within his family, he also faced fierce competition and endless machinations in his professional life."Alpha Derek, how should we proceed now?" Forrest asked, his face etched with confusion.Derek's gaze was deep and dark, his voice as cold as i
Third person's POV"Whatever issues you two have, they're none of my concern, but you shouldn't meddle in my affairs." Leopold stared coldly down at Derek from his height.Seeing the tension between the two, Carson stopped watching the commotion and said, "Enough. Your reckless behavior won't help you see your true feelings. This isn't Derek's fault. If Gloria didn't want to leave, no one could take her. Instead of blaming your brother, think about why she's determined to leave you."Leopold slumped in dejection and said, "Why? I gave her so much money. She loved money, yet she still left me.""Are you really that dense? If a woman can be bought off with money, she doesn't truly love you. Her choice to leave despite not seeking money might mean she genuinely loves you. You've treated her as a plaything, making it hard for her to face such a relationship, so she left," said Carson.In matters of the heart, bystanders often see more clearly than thos
Third person's POV"I can offer advice on other matters, but I'm truly at a loss here. I was once a mother, and I wouldn't want to harm that little life either," Gloria said.At that moment, Jasper's voice came through, "This child probably can't be kept. If Tabitha is to take my medicine for six months, and if she's pregnant, I can't guarantee the child will be born healthy. It might result in birth defects. Ending the child's life now would spare it a lifetime of suffering."This was the same dilemma she had faced before, but back then, she had a reason to keep the child.But now...Tabitha yearned to reach higher and farther. The pregnancy felt like another shackle binding her, holding her back."Tabitha, you've had a relapse. You know your body can't withstand chemotherapy again in the near term. Life is precious, but your health is paramount. Don't you agree?" Jasper said."Jasper, I know you mean well, but..." Tabitha replied.
Third person's POV"Tabitha, I need to find a place to give you a check-up before I can give you the medicine. Are you available recently?" Jasper asked.Tabitha was hesitant. Jasper noticed her unease."Tabitha, is there something on your mind?"Tabitha bit her lip and said, "I... might be pregnant."Jasper's eyes fell on the twins by Tabitha's side.His lips twitched, "You mean you're pregnant again?"Tabitha felt a surge of helplessness. Except for Kyrian, who she had conceived intentionally, the twins were accidentally conceived when Derek had a high fever and was not thinking clearly, and this time was even more absurd...The doctor had said it was hard for her to conceive, yet she had become pregnant these two times."I've been feeling nauseous lately, just like my morning sickness before. I'm worried...""Alright, let's get an ultrasound first. This town can do ultrasounds, but not MRIs. We'll confirm the p
Third person's POVTabitha shook her head repeatedly, "No, it's not possible, I can't be pregnant!"Seeing Tabitha's look of shock and fear, Gloria sensed that things were more complicated than they seemed."Tabitha, don't worry. Maybe it's just the nausea from our overnight journey. The doctor did say it's hard for you to conceive. Don't scare yourself," Gloria comforted her.Tabitha's palms were sweaty as she kept thinking about what to do if she really was carrying Wilmot's child.She didn't like Wilmot at all. That night had just been an accident.During their journey, Tabitha was unusually quiet.They passed through several islands along the way but couldn't find anywhere that sold pregnancy tests.Tabitha grew increasingly anxious as her nausea worsened.Even Gloria began to worry that Tabitha's illness might have relapsed, as neither pregnancy nor a relapse would be good news.Tabitha knew that if her illne
Third person's POVRolf was extremely anxious and would have chased after them if not for the distance."This can't go on. Our people can't fire to stop them, and with one in the sky and one at sea, it's easy to run into danger."Derek hadn't planned to stop Tabitha, so he could only watch helplessly as Lucian docked the boat on a small island."This island is covered in dense forests, making it unsuitable for helicopter landings," noted Derek, who then ordered, "Use rope ladders to ascend the trees, and keep another helicopter on standby. Lucian must be prepared."As soon as Lucian reached the shore, he quickly took the two children from Tabitha's arms and urged, "Come on, follow me!"Tabitha and Gloria followed Lucian into a pre-dug tunnel."Even though they can't find us for now, we can't hide forever. Once they surround the island, we'll be trapped," said Tabitha.Wiping sweat from his forehead, Lucian whispered, "If my gue
Third person's POVAyla suddenly reached out and removed Lucian's mask, giving him a light kiss on the cheek, "Lucian..."This was the first time Tabitha saw Lucian's face. She had expected some birthmark or scar, but his face was clean, with sharp features and striking good looks.Oddly, Tabitha felt he resembled Derek a bit.Lucian quickly put his mask back on and said, "Let's go, to avoid further trouble."Tabitha snapped out of her daze, thinking it must have been the poor night light, and held Gloria's hand as they boarded the speedboat.Unbeknownst to her, the island had numerous cameras and small, insect-like HD capture devices hidden in trees and bushes, which could move flexibly and transmit Tabitha's and the children's movements to Derek.Derek had already received information about Tabitha and Gloria's planned escape.Now, Derek watched the fleeing figures on the screen.Alvin asked worriedly, "Alpha Derek, ar
Third person's POVGloria specially came to see Leopold off before his departure.In front of the helicopter, she put her arms around his waist, looking reluctant to part."When will you come to see me?" she asked."Missing me already? Last night didn't satisfy you?" Alpha Leopold teased with a smile.Gloria wondered how such a refined face could utter such words.After being with Leopold for so long, she knew he was different from Derek, who was rule-abiding and secretly passionate.When Leopold was in the mood, he could even place his hand on her thigh under the table while discussing business."Will you miss me?" Gloria asked suddenly.Leopold thought she was just being affectionate and stroked her nose. "I'll miss you the most at night," he said.His answer was never what she wanted to hear.Gloria smiled and said, "Then I won't miss you. It's too tiring."Leopold was about to say something else
Third person's POVIn this game of love, whoever falls for real first is the loser, and she lost.So every word and glance from Leopold felt like a sharp thorn.They had clearly defined their relationship long ago. She couldn't blame others, only herself for breaking the rules.Talking about money yet falling in love was like cheating in a card game."Why are you looking at me like that? If you think the money is insufficient, I can add more.""It's already quite a lot."Gloria suddenly smiled and sat on Leopold's lap, hugging his neck as usual.She was more certain than ever that leaving was the best way to end this relationship.Before that, she mustn't let Leopold sense her intentions.Gloria's eyes flickered with coquettishness as she said in a soft voice, "Triple the amount, and I want it now.""Little money-grubber." Leopold gave her a light peck on the nose and took out his phone to transfer the mone
Third person's POVLeopold forcibly took Gloria away.Gloria asked coldly, "What do you want?"Leopold ignored her question and asked, "Where's your room? Let's go in and talk."Gloria nodded to indicate the direction. Leopold led her into the room."Exactly what do you want... mmm..."The moment the door closed, Leopold closed in, his thin lips accurately capturing Gloria's. "I've missed you," he said.Gloria was stunned. She had expected Leopold to have some important business.Lately, she had been reviewing the contracts she handled, worried there might be issues that prompted his long journey.But the moment Leopold kissed her, she thought, 'Is this man crazy?'"Let go of me!"She pushed him away with great effort.Although some time had passed since her miscarriage and her body had mostly recovered, it didn't mean the pain in her heart had healed.What on earth did this man want, being so