"Rose, did you need something?"Theodore didn't directly answer her question, but it was true. Cynthia was his junior."I need to fill out my preferences for my university entrance exams. Do you have any suggestions regarding majors?"Theodore continued working with his head down as he replied, "Choose something you're interested in.""Then, I'll choose...""Sorry to interrupt," said Cynthia from the office doorway. "Mr. Spencer, Mr. Johnson is online and waiting for you."Theodore hummed in response and closed the file he was holding. "I'll be right there."As he walked past Rosalie, he said, "I'm a bit busy. Let's talk later.""Oh, okay," Rosalie replied, looking somewhat disappointed as she lowered her head.Noticing the lack of movement behind him, Theodore stopped and turned around. Eventually, he approached Rosalie and grasped her shoulder."What's wrong?""It's nothing. You should go attend to your business," Rosalie said, fearing she would delay him further."Tell m
"Rosalie, how many times do I have to remind you? We're not divorced yet!""What..."What does it matter if they were divorced or not?That was what Rosalie wanted to say. But seeing her husband’s dark expression, she knew continuing to argue would only worsen the situation. She wondered when he had become so unreasonable.Suddenly, her stomach churned violently. Rosalie quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the car door, and rushed out before retching uncontrollably. Theodore quickly followed and knelt beside her.Rosalie clutched at her chest and took a few deep breaths. Fortunately, she hadn't eaten anything in the morning, or she surely would have thrown up even more."It's been days. Haven't you been taking your medicine?" Theodore asked as he gently stroked her back.Worried that he might suspect something, Rosalie turned her head and pretended to be angry. "It's all because of you! That sudden stop you did made me uncomfortable. I'm already prone to motion sickness."Th
"Oh, okay."Rosalie didn't say much about Theodore's answer. This was his home, and he could stay if he wanted to. Although it was such a normal thing, there was a faint sense of joy in Rosalie's heart.During lunch, Rosalie didn’t have much of an appetite. Seeing that she was mostly eating vegetables, Theodore kept putting meat on her plate."Why are you only eating vegetables? Have some meat."Even the sight of meat made Rosalie feel nauseous, but she forced herself to eat it to avoid suspicion. Fortunately, she had taken some anti-nausea medicine that was specifically for pregnancy symptoms beforehand. So, she could endure it for a while."What kind of job do you want?" Theodore suddenly asked.Rosalie looked up at him in confusion. "What?""Didn't I say I'd arrange a job for you after you graduate? What do you want to do?""Oh... It's fine. I'll find a job on my own.""You'll find one yourself? Aren't you going to work at SK Enterprise?""No." Rosalie smiled bitterly. "We
After Theodore left, Rosalie called the university and inquired about Sebastian's condition. Learning that he was in the hospital, she immediately rushed over after obtaining the address. Finding Sebastian's ward with the door open, Rosalie walked in to see the doctor examining him.When Sebastian saw Rosalie, he smiled faintly. "Hello, Ms. Young."Rosalie hurried over. "Doctor, how is he?""Mr. Carter has two broken ribs," the doctor replied."What?!" Rosalie was anxious after hearing the doctor's reply. "Is he in any danger?"Sebastian was about to reassure her that he was fine, but seeing her anxious expression, he inexplicably felt at a loss for words and swallowed his response.The doctor shook his head. "Don't worry, it's not that serious. We've set his ribs, but he still needs to stay in the hospital for observation overnight."Rosalie breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Thank you."With a final nod, the doctor left the ward.Rosalie sat on the chair next to the be
"Go on a walk with me outside," Sebastian said."Huh?" Rosalie thought she had misheard. "Where do you want to go?""Not out of the hospital, just around the vicinity, okay?""Of course. But isn't it too simple? You really just want my company on a walk?""What's wrong? Are you unwilling to do that?""No, I'm fine with it. But can you walk?""I can. My legs aren't broken."Sebastian got out of bed, but after taking just a few steps, he suddenly clutched his chest, his brows furrowing slightly.Rosalie hurriedly supported him. "Let me find you a wheelchair.""No need, I want to walk."Seeing Sebastian's stubbornness, Rosalie didn't argue further and helped him walk out of the hospital room. As they turned the corner of the corridor, they met a couple walking towards them.Rosalie's face paled in surprise when she saw them — it was Theodore and Cynthia, what a coincidence!Theodore was supporting Cynthia, who looked extremely exhausted and unwell.When Theodore noticed Rosal
Rosalie thought Sebastian would ask her questions. Considering the awkward and complex situation they had just experienced, anyone would be curious. But Sebastian remained silent, sitting beside her without uttering a word. Rosalie didn't want to answer such questions either, so his silence was appreciated.After a long silence, Rosalie spoke first, "Mr. Carter, I didn't know you were the major shareholder of Ashwick University."Sebastian hummed softly. "Skycrest Enterprise has invested in many schools.""Skycrest Enterprise?" Rosalie was taken aback by his reply. "You're Skycrest Enterprise's...?"Sebastian extended his hand and smiled. "Let me reintroduce myself. I'm Sebastian Carter, Skycrest Enterprise's CEO."It was only then that Rosalie realized how deeply Sebastian had concealed his identity.Skycrest Enterprise was a major conglomerate, coveted by countless individuals who sought the best benefits. Like SK Enterprise, it was a multinational corporation with substantial
Late at night, when Rosalie was dozing off, she suddenly felt someone pressing down on her. Startled, she screamed loudly."Ahhh...!"Theodore covered her mouth and hushed her. "It's me." He turned on the room light so Rosalie could see that it was really him on top of her. Breathing a sigh of relief, she glanced at the time to see that it was one in the morning."Why are you back?" she asked."Is it strange for me to come home?"With a tinge of alcohol on his breath, it seemed like Theodore had been drinking. He lowered his head and kissed his wife’s lips, deftly undoing her sleepwear."Ugh..." Rosalie pushed Theodore away with all her strength, hurriedly covering his mouth with her hand. "Let go of me!"Theodore grabbed her hand and pressed her down firmly on the bed. "What's with you? Don't want me to touch you?""Weren't you with Cynthia? Stay with her, then! Why did you come back here?!"Did this man think he could have it both ways? That he could come home and have his
"Come to my office at noon," said Theodore as he straightened his tie."Are we going to sign the divorce papers?" Rosalie asked directly.She hoped to sign the papers and get the divorce over with, sparing herself the unnecessary sadness of dragging it out.Theodore frowned at his wife’s anxious demeanor. "You'll find out when you get there."With that, he left the room. There was a sense of unspoken anger in his movements.Rosalie was doubtful, but she waited till noon. Unsure if she should go before or after lunch, she called Theodore.When the call connected, Rosalie immediately asked, "It's noon. Should I come to your office now?""Yeah. Come over," Theodore replied."Have you eaten?" Rosalie asked out of habit."Not yet.""How about I pack a lunchbox for you and bring it over?"She knew Theodore often got too busy to have lunch, or simply grabbed something quick. Sometimes, he even just had a cup of coffee instead of a proper meal. That’s why she occasionally made lunch
Blencalgo.Lying on the hospital bed was a coughing man, so thin he seemed like skin and bones. His eyes were deeply sunken, his face was pale, and his body was connected to many machines.All this while, Yerick had been under constant surveillance in the hospital.Today, Yerick wanted to see Theodore.Naturally, Theodore was unwilling to meet him, but Yerick had someone pass his message to Theodore: Did he want to find Sebastian?Upon hearing this, Theodore came.The bodyguard brought in a chair. Once Theodore sat down, he crossed his legs and leaned back against the chair. Staring coldly at Yerick, he said, "Yerick, it seems you don't have long to live."Yerick smiled. "That's precisely why I wanted to see you."Theodore furrowed his brows. "Where is Sebastian? Do you know?""I don't know where he is.""You don't?" Theodore said coldly, "If you don't know, then why did you call me here? To watch you die?"He had come here with some hope, thinking Yerick might know something, but to
Rosalie had overheard everything. Sebastian no longer had any information about Theodore or Steve.Now, with Sebastian so far from home and Theodore taking full precautions on his end, even if Sebastian had incredible abilities, what could he do?He was merely relying on her fear to threaten her. Now that she knew the people she cared about were safe, she had nothing to fear.Upon seeing Rosalie's expression, Sebastian likely guessed what was going on. He sneered coldly. "Very well. You think I can't do anything to them, huh? What about Nana? Do you think I can't deal with her?"At the mention of Nana, Rosalie's gaze wavered slightly.But in the next moment, she lifted her head and said, "Nana is your adopted daughter. If you do anything to her, it's on you. Don't even think about threatening me with anyone else."She had been threatened by Sebastian over and over again, but in the end, she always succumbed to him. Now that she knew Theodore and Steve were fine, she felt relieved. She
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a glow on Sebastian's pale face.The curtains fluttered in the breeze. The nurse walked to the window and closed it.The doctor stood by the bed, explaining the situation to Sebastian. "Mr. Carter, you need plenty of rest given your current condition."Sebastian was filled with resentment. He coldly asked, "Will my quality of life decrease in the future?"Sebastian emphasized the word "life," clearly indicating that he was referring to more than just his general existence.The doctor understood. "Mr. Carter, with proper treatment and regular check-ups, after enduring the long recovery period, your quality of life will be close to what it was before.""How long is this recovery period?"The doctor replied, "At least six months before you can resume marital relations."Upon hearing this, Sebastian clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. His eyes burned with fury.He hadn't expected Rosalie to pull such a stunt on him. She had been pretendin
"Rose, what are you doing?" Sebastian's eyes were practically glued to her.Rosalie propped herself up and brushed her long hair aside. "Do you not like it? Then I'll change into something else."Just as she was about to get out of bed, Sebastian grabbed her wrist. "Wait a moment."Rosalie looked at him with a smirk. "What is it?""I like it when you dress like this." His voice was hoarse. "What made you decide to wear this tonight?""I just felt like it. And I've been thinking about a lot of things.""Is that so?" Sebastian sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard as he gazed at her. "What have you been thinking about?"He gently pushed the strap of her black lace camisole off her shoulder."Things have already come to this. The only thing I can do now is make my life a little easier. As long as you promise me not to hurt Theodore or my child again, I'll do whatever you want," Rosalie said.Her obedience and submission made Sebastian feel like he was dreaming. He cupped her face
"She's just a five-year-old. She's done nothing wrong. Whether I like her or not, you were the one who adopted her, so you have an obligation to take care of her. You cannot simply abandon her like this," Rosalie said. Sebastian sat beside her. "Aren't you afraid that I might go mad and kill her? Yet you still want me to continue looking after her?""I can take care of her," Rosalie said. "Didn't you say before that you adopted her to make our so-called family complete? If Nana doesn't come back, then this family will never be whole.""Are you saying that you fully acknowledge her as your daughter now?"Things had already come to this point. Whether she wanted to or not, she had to accept it. Rosalie nodded. "Yes, I do."She was indeed a mother, and she couldn't help but think about what she would do if Steve were in such a situation. That thought alone made her determined to help Nana.Sebastian kissed her on the cheek. "I'll think about it. I have some matters to attend to—I'll be i
Rosalie had nothing more to say to Sebastian, nor did she wish to continue arguing."If that's how you see things, then there's nothing I can do. I can't change your way of thinking," she said.Sebastian let go of her hand. "Rose, I risked my life to save you. If I hadn't shielded you with my body, you might already be dead. If you don't feel grateful, fine, but now you're blaming me instead? Do you have any idea how disheartening that is?""Thank you for saving me," Rosalie said coolly. "I truly owe you one.""What kind of attitude is that?" Sebastian snapped. "They say that true feelings are revealed in times of crisis. I risked my life to protect you, and what did I get in return? You mock me with sarcasm. How many men would do what I did for you? If it weren't for me, you would have—""Sebastian," Rosalie interrupted him, unable to hold back anymore. "You killed my husband, kidnapped me, made me endure an earthquake, and then saved me. And now you want me to thank you? Should I be
The bodyguard maintained his formal smile. "Mrs. Carter, Mr. Carter is waiting for you. You should go now."Rosalie stood up, ready to leave, but just then, a weak voice came from the bed. "Mommy.""Nana." Rosalie immediately sat back down and held Nana's hand tightly.Nana slowly opened her eyes. "Mommy, it hurts."Sensing something, Nana felt tears well up in her eyes and stream down her face."Nana, everything will be alright." Rosalie's heart ached."Mrs. Carter," the bodyguard reminded from behind, "you should go now. If Mr. Carter becomes impatient, he might blame Nana."He deliberately said this.Rosalie leaned closer to Nana and whispered, "Nana, I'll be back soon. Don't be afraid. There are people here to protect you."Rosalie didn't believe her own words, but she had to go. She feared Sebastian would lose his temper and take it out on Nana. He was capable of anything. He had even abandoned Nana when danger struck—how could he possibly see her as his daughter? To him, Nana wa
The earthquake lasted for about a minute and a half. The impact had left the mountain in ruins within moments. A crack split through the mountainside, exposing tangled roots, while trees leaned precariously in all directions.Rosalie suffocated under the debris. She struggled to free one hand and desperately patted Sebastian's face."Sebastian? Sebastian?"Sebastian's eyes remained closed, and blood continued to pour from his wounds.Rosalie hadn't expected him to shield her like this at such a moment.If this had happened in the past, she would have been deeply moved. But now, when she thought about everything Sebastian had done to her, any trace of emotion instantly vanished.She truly wished Sebastian would just die.A man like him—finally, the heavens had dealt him justice!Rosalie turned her gaze toward Nana's direction, and tears gushed down her face.She gritted her teeth and tried to free herself, but the moment she struggled, the surrounding rocks suddenly collapsed, crushing
After resting for a while, they continued their climb up the mountain.Nana took the lead, using both her hands and feet to ascend. She climbed like a kitten, quickly putting several dozen feet between herself and her adoptive parents.Though a child's strength was limited, her energy seemed boundless. Nana left the two adults trailing behind.Rosalie followed, a faint smile appearing on her face. Although Nana wasn't her biological daughter, she was, in fact, a mother. After becoming a mother, seeing children always stirred her maternal instincts. When Nana first called her "Mommy," she instinctively rejected it because the child had been brought back by Sebastian. But later, she found herself wanting to cry.Sebastian noticed the smile on Rosalie's face. It seemed bringing this little girl back had been the right decision.Suddenly, birds in the forest screeched and took to the sky. The treetops began to sway as a gust of wind blew through, and the ground rumbled and trembled violen