LOGINThe car was ready, but Vanessa wouldn't leave her room.Jerry went to the front desk for a spare room card and swiped the door open. Julian didn't go in. He merely raised his chin, his expression unreadable, and said, "Go call Keith. Have him bring Vanessa down.""Mr. Frost, is that really appropriate?"Julian's eyes sharpened to daggers. "What, are you feeling sorry for her too?""No, Mr. Frost…""Go get Keith."Vanessa refused to leave, but Julian had countless ways to make her.Keith entered reluctantly, a band-aid on a fresh wound on his face, limping slightly. As he stood before Vanessa, it was as if Julian was telling her: if she wouldn't leave, there were plenty of others to suffer in her stead.She met Keith's gaze. He said nothing, yet Vanessa rose immediately. She put on her coat, her lips pale and dry, and walked out like a soul-less shell. Jerry opened the rear car door. Julian was already seated on the other
Her whole body was clammy with cold sweat. A cool breeze swept through, chilling her to the bone and drying the sweat from her skin.Vanessa's throat was raw, her mouth unable to form words. Tears welled in her eyes but refused to fall. Facing Julian, only fear remained, eclipsing even her hatred. What he had done was tantamount to a death sentence for Vanessa."Don't look at me like that." Julian was equally incensed. One step later, and the child would have been gone; he couldn't even bear to imagine such an outcome. "I'm just trying to protect my own child. There's nothing wrong with that.""The child is in my belly. I decide what happens to it!"Finding her voice, Vanessa's rebuttal was explosive. "You have no right to dictate whether I give birth to this child! If you want a child so badly, why don't you have your wife give birth to one for you?"She was drained of strength, the anesthesia having just worn off, and she'd just endured a crushin
Uncertain whether Evelyn's accident was real or fake, Vanessa tried calling Adrian, but the line wouldn't connect.It was almost her turn for the surgery.This child absolutely had to be removed.Turning off her phone, Vanessa waited patiently, unaware that several hospitals in the vicinity were being searched. Keith, gasping for breath, found the building downstairs and rushed upstairs without a moment's hesitation. The last time he failed to find Vanessa, she had suffered such severe injuries. This time, he would find her even if it cost him his life.He rode the elevator to the upper floors, searched the corridor, and finding no one, he ran to the nurse's station. "Excuse me, is there a Miss Brooks scheduled for surgery today?""This involves patient privacy. Who are you to the patient?"At a time like this, Keith couldn't care about formalities. "I'm her husband. We had a fight, and she came here for surgery behind my back. Please, just
The night was pitch black, and Vanessa returned very late.Fortunately, Evelyn wasn't waiting for her downstairs. After taking her medicine upstairs, Vanessa booked a flight, planning to have the surgery elsewhere to keep it a secret from everyone. At this moment, this was her only option.This incident had hit her hard.Her body was already fragile, and the doctor had warned that the surgery was risky, potentially causing lifelong damage if anything went wrong.Vanessa didn't care. She wouldn't keep anything related to Julian near her.The ticket was bought; she'd leave at dawn. She didn't plan to say goodbye to Evelyn, only leaving a message that she'd be gone for a few days.Before the sky brightened, Vanessa headed to the airport, oblivious to the car following her.Keith followed her to the airport and called Jerry to report the situation."To the airport? Did you see where exactly she was going?""Not too far, with
Just two days later was Stacey's aunt's birthday, and Julian went with her to pick out a gift."Are you really not going?" Stacey's eyes flickered with a mix of hope and disappointment. For this kind of occasion, she truly wished Julian would accompany her. "Auntie really wants to see you.""My facial injury hasn't healed yet, so I won't go over and make her worry."His excuse sounded plausible, but in reality, it was avoidance. He tried his best to avoid meeting and interacting with Stacey's family, so there wouldn't be so many entanglements if they divorced later.Stacey understood, and didn't push him. With Julian's arm in hers, they headed to the parking lot. Halfway there, their path was blocked by an unfamiliar figure.The woman was wearing a long white dress, her black hair flowing over her shoulders, and her eyes held a thin, fragile helplessness."Julian." Even her voice was gentle, crafted to stir pity in any man.Julian fro
With an injured face, Julian hadn't attended any of the group's meetings lately, handing many matters over to Cliff.He went to Felix's for dressing changes and bandaging. Jeremy was there, receiving acupuncture, crying out in pain repeatedly. Felix, with a straight face, said, "Jeremy, your kidneys aren't in great shape. You'll have trouble in the future.""Felix, don't scare me.""Why would I scare you?"After pulling out the needles and putting them away, Felix finally walked over to Julian, bending down to examine the wound on his face. "Look at this poor guy," he mused. "Adrian is quite the brute, isn't he? Such a heavy hand?""Is this the first day you found out he's a brute?"Felix pursed his lips and went to get the medicine. "You know," he said, "I'm not that familiar with him. How would I know he'd do something like this?"Just as he was speaking, Adrian's call came through. It wasn't for Julian, but for Felix.He'd n
Having watched Vanessa leave, Evelyn returned to the room, standing before Adrian. Her emotions ran high. "Adrian, what did you say to Vanessa?"Adrian remained unruffled. He lifted his gaze, observing his mother with a deep, probing look. Compared to Cameron, Evelyn was someone who couldn't lie or
"She's not my sister, you know."Adrian said it with a casual lightness, leaving Evelyn's eyes red and her voice choked with sobs.Fortunately, the downstairs nanny announced that Vanessa had arrived.Evelyn wiped away her tears and went out. Only when she faced Vanessa did her emotions show a slig
Having arranged the meeting place, Julian personally escorted Vanessa to the agreed-upon location.Before entering, he deliberately took Vanessa's hand—a gesture asserting his claim, and also a way to elevate Vanessa's status.Adrian was already waiting inside. He rose, pulling out a chair for Vane
"What kind of talk is that? I'm reaching out to you simply because I miss you and want to grab a bite together," Adrian sighed on the other end of the line. "Fine. Since you insisted I ask Julian first, I’ll do just that. But if he gives the green light, you better show up."Before he could even fi







