After hanging up the phone, Rosalie examined the house.It was a two-story standalone building. From the outside, one couldn't see through the glass to the interior. However, from the inside, one could see the outside clearly.She knocked on the glass and realized it was different from ordinary glass. Sometimes, she saw houses in certain Melrinen neighborhoods that seemed unsafe because of all the glass; one could easily smash it to gain entry.Although private property was highly protected in Melrine and breaking in was a felony, there were always people who might take desperate risks. If someone wanted to break in, it would be quite easy.However, this house was different. It seemed to have specially designed glass that felt unique to the touch, yet it was transparent. This type of glass would likely resist even a hammer, and if she guessed correctly, bullets would struggle to penetrate it.The house, decorated in a minimalist style, was clean and tidy. Suddenly, she noticed two
The gentle morning sunlight filtered through the room's window and shone softly on Vincent's pale face.He awakened from his slumber, opening his eyes as his consciousness gradually became clear. Turning his head, he saw Rosalie sitting in a chair, her slender figure delicate and small.She was asleep, seemingly having stayed by his side and taking care of him the entire night. There was a faint blush on the tip of her nose, and she was enveloped in soft morning light.Vincent parted his lips, wanting to wake her, but his gaze was involuntarily fixed on her, and he swallowed the words he was about to say.Her long hair cascaded softly over her shoulders like feathers dancing in the air. The sunlight streamed through the window, caressing her smooth skin. She seemed to be draped in a layer of delicate golden silk, making her features appear even more tender and enchanting.Her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she encountered confusion in her dreams. Sunlight filtered through her
Upon seeing the words "honey" and "baby," Vincent frowned slightly.Rosalie had a husband and a baby? So, she was already married.She looks to be in her early twenties, which was relatively young. Yet, she was already married and had a child.For some reason, he felt a sense of loss, but soon after, he found it ridiculous. What did he have to feel lost about? He didn't even know her.Vincent wanted Rosalie to sleep a little longer, but her husband seemed very worried about her. If he didn't reply, he might call the police.So, Vincent picked up Rosalie's phone and clicked to reply. [I didn't sleep well last night. I want to sleep a little longer; I'll call you later.]Sebastian quickly replied, [Alright, go ahead. I'll wait for your call.]Vincent looked at the text and suddenly felt a surge of annoyance.-Rosalie opened her eyes. It was probably noon already. She sat up from the bed and rubbed her eyes.She glanced at the alarm clock; it was 12 PM.Rosalie immediately got
"Seb, thank you for helping me take care of my baby. I don't know how to thank you enough.""Don't stand on ceremony with me. I should be doing this in the first place as the father of the child."Rosalie's face stiffened at his words.Noticing Rosalie's silence, Sebastian went on, "Rose, are you still thinking about Theodore? Do you still want him to be the father of your child?"Rosalie said, "Seb, things between Theo and I are over. Don't worry about us. I'll do what I promised you. I only brought up divorce before because I was too sad. I won't bring it up again in the future.""It's alright, Rose. I'm not blaming you. I fully understand how you feel.""Let's leave it as it is for now, Seb. We'll talk more after I get back. I'm hanging up.""Alright, Rose. Goodbye."Both of them hung up. Vincent took a mouthful of alcohol and turned to glance at Rosalie, who was spacing out with both hands resting on the kitchen counter.Vincent arched a brow as he leaned back casually o
Rosalie replied, "You had a bad dream last night and kept calling Youngie's name."Vincent's grip tightened over the spoon he was holding so hard his knuckles popped up."Who's Youngie?"Rosalie was sure Youngie was his girlfriend or someone special to him. All she knew was that he looked to be in much pain when he called out Youngie's name in his nightmare.That look of pain seemed as though the girl named Youngie was no longer around.Vincent remained seemingly emotionless, but his gaze shifted as he said indifferently, "The next time I have a nightmare, keep away from me and leave me be.""Oh, okay."Rosalie was about to sit down when realization dawned upon her.Why would there be a next time?She chuckled awkwardly. "It's good that you're fine now. I'll leave right after lunch. Don't worry, there won't be a next time."He saved her and got injured. She was worried that something might happen to him, so she stayed the night to keep watch over him.Since he was fine, she
She didn't know this man well, despite him saving her and her feeling grateful toward him.Even so, it didn't mean that he could raise such a ridiculous request."My motive is simple. Ten thousand dollars and a week of your time." Vincent leaned back casually against the chair and said, "Or you could just give me ten billion dollars."Rosalie said solemnly, "I don't have ten billion dollars.""If you don't, then let's make it ten thousand dollars and a week of your time. If you can't afford either option, I'd have saved you in vain and I'll kill you."His voice sounded like a rumble in the night, dangerous and with a tinge of wickedness.He felt like a serpent hidden in the night, silently attacking his next victim in a way that made one shudder in fright.Rosalie suddenly felt uneasy. She didn't know if it was in hindsight or because this man changed way too fast. He had just blocked a bullet for her at the risk of his life.After coming here, he even let her drive his car off
"Are you scared?" Vincent said as his eyes narrowed. "In that case, you can eliminate this option, because you're scared to die."He put down his gun. "You're now left with two options. One is to give me one billion dollars and another is to give me ten thousand dollars and one week of your time. Ms. Young, you'll have to choose between these two options. Leaving this place isn't an option you can take."Rosalie didn't expect to see this side of his, but then again, she didn't know him well enough and naturally didn't expect him to be someone like this.When he saved her, blocking her from the bullet at the risk of his life, she thought he just looked scary. She didn't expect it to go beyond just appearances."Can I find someone to take care of you? I can find the best nanny or a professional doctor.""I don't want any of them. I want you." Vincent's face looked pale, but his aura remained imposing. Rosalie asked anxiously, "Why must you insist on me taking care of you?""I'm
The mention of Youngie's name made Vincent's eyes go dim. A vicious look flashed past his eyes.He grabbed her face and spat out through gritted teeth, "Don't talk about her!"He used so much force it felt as though he could crush her face to pieces.Youngie seemed very important to him indeed, Rosalie thought.Vincent suddenly released her face, clutched his chest, and took a few steps back.Rosalie reached out to hold him, but at the thought of what he just did to her, she retracted her hands, still feeling slightly miffed."We're not done with lunch yet," Vincent said as he stumbled to the dining hall.Rosalie exhaled out loud, almost losing her balance.After a long time, she finally managed to compose herself and crouched down to pick up the things on the floor and stuff them back into her bag.She glanced at Vincent and saw him walking to the dining hall. She walked cautiously to the door, intending to open the door and leave.But the moment she tried to push the handle
After that camping trip, the relationship between Theodore and Rosalie seemed to have reached a new level of understanding.Though they were no longer husband and wife, they interacted like close family.Theodore found a good burial site to lay Justin to rest.Even though only a few fragments of Justin's bones remained, he still deserved a proper burial in a place with good geomancy.The burial was kept simple. There was no formal funeral. Only Rosalie and Theodore brought Justin's remains to the cemetery.Rosalie held the small box in her arms, reluctant to part with it. Theodore gently placed his arm around her shoulders. "Rose, let him rest in peace."Tears welled in Rosalie's eyes as she gazed at Theodore. She opened the box, revealing the few remaining fragments of Justin's bones, and gently caressed them. "Justin, I will come visit you again."Theodore glanced at the bones inside the box and frowned slightly. Something seemed off. There were supposed to be seven bone fragments
"That's right, you're not silly—you're just a little dummy," Theodore said teasingly. He didn't actually think Rosalie was silly. He was only joking with her.Rosalie knew that as well, so she wasn't upset. She turned and lay on her side to face him. "Theo, we got along so well when we were kids, and you always took care of me. I liked you ever since I was little. Later, when I was able to marry you, I was really happy.""I was happy to marry you, too. But I was the foolish one. Rose, you're not a little dummy—I'm the big fool here."If he hadn't been so foolish, things wouldn't have turned out the way they did. When it came to love, he was utterly clueless.Even a genius with a high IQ could be completely ignorant in certain areas. It often took countless detours before finally coming to a realization.Love, in particular, was the easiest thing to get wrong—especially when viewed from one's perspective."But we're still family, and we have a child together. The bond between us will
The sun gradually set, casting an orange glow over the tent and the grass. The family of three sat around the campfire, enjoying the joy of camping and admiring the beauty and tranquility of nature.Rosalie and Theodore had arrived in the morning, and they had spent the entire day together. They chatted, took walks, and explored the surrounding area.Neither of them had taken out their phones to pass the time, yet the hours flew by, and before they knew it, night had fallen.The three of them sat by the fire and enjoyed barbecued meat together. By the time they finished eating, the fire had begun to die down. The sky was now pitch black.Rosalie lay on the mat spread out on the grass, staring up at the sky. The twinkling stars above shimmered like glowing diamonds.In the quiet of the night, the occasional crackling sound came from the extinguished embers of the campfire.It was a soothing sound, one that didn't disturb the beauty of the night.Rosalie formed a circle with her index fi
"Alright." Theodore nodded. "I'll give the child a name, but this is an important matter—I need to think it through carefully."Since this was Rosalie's wish, he was naturally willing to fulfill it.Rosalie smiled and said, "Alright, let me know when you've decided on a name.""I will. I'll tell you as soon as I decide." Theodore raised his hand and gently stroked Rosalie's head.Steve stumbled as he ran toward his parents and threw himself into Rosalie's arms. His movement was a bit forceful, but Rosalie still managed to catch him in time.Seeing this, Theodore immediately took Steve from Rosalie's embrace.He said seriously, "Steve, Mommy is pregnant now. You can't throw yourself at her like that—you might hurt her."Steve's dark, round eyes blinked as he listened to Theodore's words. Realizing he had done something wrong, he looked at his mother with a guilty expression."It's okay. I'm fine," Rosalie quickly reassured him. "Come here, let Mommy hold you." Rosalie pulled Steve back
A few days later, Theodore took Rosalie and Steve on a camping trip. They found a quiet spot, and bodyguards were stationed around for security.The scenery was breathtaking. In the distance, layers of mountains stacked upon each other, while lush greenery spread in all directions. Just a few dozen feet ahead, a clear stream flowed gently, creating a serene and natural landscape."Theo, let's set up the tent first," Rosalie said.They had decided to camp here for the night, as it was a perfect spot for stargazing."Alright, I'll have the bodyguards set it up.""Theo," Rosalie walked forward and said, "let's set it up together. No need to ask the bodyguards.""But it will be tiring. I can do it myself—you should sit and rest," Theodore said, not wanting her to exert herself."It's fine. I can handle it. Let's set up the tent together," Rosalie insisted.Theodore nodded. "Alright, we'll do it together."He bent down, opened the bag, and took out the tent. The two of them then started ass
Late at night, Rosalie woke up from yet another nightmare. This time, however, she did not scream. Instead, her eyes snapped open, and her breathing was rapid.Theodore immediately rushed to her bedside. "Rose, did you have another nightmare?"She hadn't had one in several days.Rosalie turned on the lamp, surprised to see Theodore by her bed. "Theo, why didn't you go back to your room to sleep?""I was worried about you, so… Rose, I just want to stay with you. Did you have another nightmare?""Theo, I...""What is it, Rose? Do you have something to tell me?"Rosalie shook her head. "Repeating those words over and over again doesn't really change anything. I just...""Theo." She gripped his hand tightly. "You must protect yourself well. Get more bodyguards.""Alright, I promise you. I will protect myself, protect the baby, and protect you. I will never let you get hurt again." He pulled Rosalie into his arms."By the way, Rose, I have something to tell you. Aurora, Angie, and Cynthia
Rosalie wondered if the baby would look more like her or Justin.Looking up at the azure blue sky and the white clouds floating in it, she could almost see Justin looking and smiling back at her.Steve raised his hand and caressed her face. She looked at him and smiled, and caressed his head. "Stevie, Mommy will always love you."She kissed his forehead gently, and he hugged her gleefully.Just then, a voice sounded from behind. "What are you two talking about?"Rosalie turned around to see Theodore walking toward them. He was wearing a suit, looking smart, a tender look on his face as he stood next to the mother-and-son pair."Nothing much, just getting some sun. We should head in soon," Rosalie said as she stood up with Steve in her arms.Theodore took over Steve with one hand and pulled Rosalie up with another."Let's head in together."He held Rosalie's hand and didn't let go. She didn't shake his hand off and nodded, letting him hold her hand.They walked into the villa.
Theodore brought Rosalie back to her room and she sat by the windows, exhausted."Rose, lie on the bed and rest for a while. I'll call you when it's time for lunch.""Theo, you don't look too good."His face was very pale."I'm fine. Perhaps it's because I didn't sleep well the past two days.""You should get some rest too. Don't just keep staying by my side."During this period, she would see Theodore by her bedside whenever she woke up from a bad dream. She gathered he hadn't been getting enough rest during this period."I'm fine. I'll wait for you to fall asleep before leaving."He helped RoslIe onto the bed and covered her with the sheets. Rosalie shut her eyes and exhaled out loud."Oh yes, Rose. There's one more thing.""What is it?" Rosalie asked."We found a girl called Nana.""Nana?" Rosalie sat up on the bed. "You saw her?"Theodore nodded. "When we found her in the villa, she kept saying that you're her mother and Sebastian is her father.""Sebastian adopted he
She and Justin's baby must have really wanted to survive, which was why it tried so hard to stay in her body.For all she knew, it was Justin staying by her side in another way.Rosalie caressed her stomach while covering her lips as she sobbed brokenly. This time, she didn't cry merely due to sorrow, but because she saw a ray of light amidst the hopelessness, and Justin's shadow within the light.Theodore gently patted her through the sheets. "Rose, you still have me and Steve. We'll stay by your side. I'll also take care of the baby in your stomach. I won't let him grow up without a father."Rosalie looked at Theodore, tears streaming down her face. She held his hand tight, words unspoken in her heart that she didn't know how to express.After being under observation in the hospital for two days, the doctors made sure that she was physically fine and Theodore took Rosalie home.Rosalie was ready to see Steve.She had been emotionally unstable and didn't dare to see Steve not b