Howard: [I don’t even know anymore. Benjamin’s got a woman… is he actually showing off to us, brothers?]In the back courtyard, Robin was speechless. He stepped forward to glance toward the front yard. He was only supposed to investigate what had happened lately, but clearly, things had changed.Benjamin: [Anyway, I’ve got no time. My wife just went to bathe.]Howard: [Benjamin, you’ve fallen!]Benjamin sneered. Fallen? What did that even mean? Did they think he was some kind of monk?Fine, so he had lived twenty years without a woman. In Howard’s eyes—someone who lived like a libertine—it must have looked like he was indifferent to women.But now that he had tasted it, he realized—his wife was even more intoxicating than he had ever imagined.Benjamin: [Not chatting anymore. Time to eat with my wife.]Howard: […Someone tell me, is this really Benjamin? He’d never say something like that.]Robin: [I’m starting to doubt too.]Jacob: [I always thought he was useless!]Benjamin, just abo
“Amanda.”Benjamin ground his teeth, lowering his head to bite her lips—punishing, deliberate. He’d heard those words from her one too many times.“You are my wife. You don’t have the right to refuse me. I’ll show you exactly whether I can or not.”He drew in a deep breath, forcing down the fury simmering inside him.Amanda: “…” That wasn’t what she meant at all—she was just worried about his injured leg, afraid it couldn’t take the strain.But honestly… she also felt her husband was living quite pitifully.Still…Amanda’s mind heated, recalling Fanny’s words: If you want it, then do it. Life isn’t for overthinking!She didn’t hate Benjamin’s kiss. In fact, she liked it. So… did she also like Benjamin himself?Her long lashes fluttered, and suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, taking the initiative to press her lips against his.The already-restrained Benjamin: “…”He had been ready to give up. If Amanda didn’t want him, he would never force her.But now, she had come to hi
Mary looked at her daughter and said, “I’m exhausted. My children are proud and stubborn, my temperamental husband is violent, and he spends his days indulging outside. All these years, I’ve been barely holding this family together.”Tears welled in her eyes as she continued, “Since the day I married, I’ve never once done what I truly wanted. Every day has been about raising children and keeping house, dealing with everything here. Twenty-five years have passed. For the rest of my life, I want to live for myself. I don’t owe any of you anymore.”Stacey: “…”Amanda could understand Mary’s feelings. After all, she had been sacrificing for her children all along, and none of them were ever easy to deal with. That kind of exhaustion… it really could break someone.“Amanda.”A man walked in through the doorway. Handsome, refined, dressed in a white shirt, white casual pants, and white sneakers—elegant and otherworldly, as though he had stepped down from the heavens by mistake.“Hehe…” Aman
Benson also laughed and said, “Mary, Regina is right. Amanda has no way of curing Sheila. That’s why she came up with this clumsy excuse, claiming the medicine was switched. Who would ever believe her?”He arched a brow at Amanda, his words dripping with mockery as he met her icy gaze. “This is nothing but Amanda making excuses for herself—or perhaps trying to use Sheila’s illness to build her own reputation.”Another collateral elder of the Schmidt family chimed in, “Ted daughter-in-law, you know what kind of person this Amanda is. What good could that Evelyn woman possibly have raised?”Hearing his words, Amanda’s sharp, cold eyes suddenly cut toward him. She didn’t even know this man—it was their first meeting.The old patriarch’s generation had four siblings, and the Schmidt family was sprawling with too many branches.Meeting her piercing gaze, the man involuntarily shrank his neck back.Amanda let out a low laugh. “Heh… You all claim to be so well-bred, yet you only dare bray li
Mary saw Amanda’s expression change drastically and grew nervous. She had finally seen a glimmer of hope for her daughter’s survival—she couldn’t let that hope be crushed. Otherwise, Sheila’s life would be worse than death.“Amanda, what’s wrong? Can Sheila still be saved?” Mary anxiously searched her face for an answer.Amanda snapped, “This medicine isn’t what I gave you. The pills I prescribed aren’t this shade. Yes, they’re off-white too, but that’s the natural color of the herbs, not this chalky whiteness from added starch. Even the scent is different. When you gave Sheila her pills this morning, didn’t you notice?”“Ah—” Mary froze in shock. After a pause she admitted, “This morning when I gave them to her, I did hesitate for a second. But when I saw they were all white pills, I thought nothing of it and fed them to her. Who would have guessed… it would end like this?”Her body trembled; she collapsed weakly to the floor, sobbing. “What do we do? How could the medicine have been
Benjamin’s expression remained calm and steady as he looked at her, without saying a word.Lydia glanced at Amanda and said, “It’s Tod Master. He heard about Madam’s matter and rallied the Schmidt family members to gather downstairs at the company, causing a disturbance. They’re claiming Madam is a murderer, demanding she leave the company. The stock price has also dipped slightly.”In Benjamin’s pitch-black eyes, a sharp flash of murderous intent swept across. “Where’s Robin?”Lydia replied, “Robin received the call and has already gone back.”Benjamin looked at Amanda, his voice soft, “Come on, let’s go home.”Amanda arched a brow, smiling as she asked, “You’re not going to take a look? I heard your company’s stock has dropped a little.”That the Schmidt family was causing trouble wasn’t surprising. What was unexpected wa