“The client requested natural conception.” At night, in a luxurious villa, Adela lay naked on the bed. The room was dark. She stared at the blurry patterns on the ceiling, her palms already drenched with sweat. The sound of water flowing from the bathroom gradually stopped. Adela struggled to breathe, her heart pounding as if it were about to jump out of her chest. This was her first time, but she wasn’t here as a lover. She was here as a surrogate mother. The bathroom door was pushed open. From the narrow gap came a warm yellow light. A man, wrapped in a towel, stepped out. Adela couldn’t see his face clearly, only sensing that he was a tall and imposing figure. …… Adela initially thought this was just a transaction—she needed money to fend off the ruthless men who came knocking because of her father’s gambling debts. But what she didn’t expect was for her fate to become entangled with this man. He was a man of absolute power and dominance, yet every time she was on the brink of despair, he was the one who held her up. More importantly, as time went on, Adela began to uncover the truth about her own identity. Her real family—her true origins—were deeply connected to this man. Their destinies became even more intertwined, especially after she gave birth to their child…
Voir plusRichard’s frown deepened at Diana’s question. "If Dexter liked Marah, I wouldn’t stand in their way. But that brat clearly—"He cut himself off, his expression darkening as he recalled the scandalous headlines during his hospitalization—Adela and Dexter visiting him together, sparking rumors.Back then, he’d suspected Dexter had feelings for Adela. Furious, he’d been ready to beat some sense into the boy if necessary. Thankfully, Dexter had seemingly moved on, focusing on his studies.Now, with all three "children" under his watch, Richard had noticed Dexter’s gaze no longer lingered on Adela the way it once had. That, at least, eased his mind.But tonight, when Marah pressed Dexter about his "type," Richard’s first thought was: Does she have feelings for him?Observing Dexter’s reaction—icy, borderline hostile—confirmed one thing: He would never be a suitable match for Marah.For her own good, Richard would intervene. Again.Diana, sensing his simmering anger, chose not to push furth
Diana’s words forced Marah to shut her mouth. If she kept pushing, Richard might actually start suspecting something.She stole a glance at him. He sipped his soup calmly, as if completely indifferent to the earlier conversation.The calmer Richard seemed, the more uneasy Marah felt. He usually defends me. Why didn’t he say a word tonight?Biting her lip, resentment simmered in her chest.After dinner, Layson and Adela went upstairs first.Adela immediately buried herself in the study, sketching out design concepts for the evening gowns. Layson listened to her briefly, told her to focus, then headed to his own study.The moment he opened his laptop, Barnes called.Putting the phone on speaker, he set it on the desk. Barnes’ professional tone filled the room. "Boss, the investigation you requested is done."Earlier, a business partner who’d been at the mall had called to report an incident involving Adela. He’d been dining at the same restaurant with his wife when he saw Juliet confron
Juliet’s face—or at least the half that wasn’t red from the slap—turned ghostly pale the moment Liam Walton’s name was mentioned. The waitstaff exchanged knowing glances.Slapping someone with that much confidence? This woman must have serious backing. Still, Juliet had brought it on herself by picking a fight with customers first. Several servers stepped in to mediate, but Juliet only bit down hard on her lower lip, glaring at Evelyn with barely contained rage. It took everything in her not to snap back.The weight of the restaurant’s stares bore down on her, humiliating. Adela had already let go of her arm and sat back down, flashing her a mocking smile. "Miss Brown, maybe think before you speak next time. Plenty of witnesses around now."Juliet stomped her foot, shooting Adela one last venomous look before storming off. "Let’s see how long your smug act lasts," she hissed. "Unless you’ve got bodyguards on you 24/7—"Evelyn bristled, ready to fire back, but Adela shook her head. "Do
Evelyn was accompanied by a woman in her thirties or forties, who was helping her push a stroller. Evelyn had recovered her figure well and was leisurely selecting fabrics.“Evelyn, what a coincidence to see you here,” Adela greeted with a smile, holding Ralph's hand as she approached Evelyn, who was dressed in a casual dress.Since their last collaboration on a fashion show, Adela and Evelyn had grown closer.“Adela, you're here too. Who is this child?”Seeing such a delicate and charming child, Evelyn's eyes were filled with affection. She crouched down and gently touched Ralph's hair. “He looks so well-behaved. Is he Mr. Norman's child?”She knew that Layson had a child, but had never seen him in person. Layson protected his child well and had never publicly revealed his appearance.Evelyn was aware that Adela had given birth to Layson's child, but since it was a private matter, she wouldn't mention it in public. Hence, she asked if the child was Layson's.Adela responded openly. A
Adela had planned to go straight back to her room for a nap, but Marah glanced over and sneered, “Adela, even if Layson has gone public with your relationship, you’re still just boyfriend and girlfriend. Don’t you think you should be more mindful of your behavior in public?”“Oh? And what exactly did I do that offended your delicate sensibilities?”Adela nearly laughed out loud. Layson himself didn’t say anything, nor did Mr. Norman or Mrs. Norman, so what gave this woman the right to lecture her? And she was just leaning on her own man in their own house—what, was that illegal now?Marah sat with perfect posture, her eyes full of disdain. “You should know that real socialites are held to high standards. The way you acted earlier? At best, it’s unrefined.”Adela rolled her eyes and decided not to engage. “I’m not a socialite,” she said lazily, and headed straight upstairs—leaving Marah fuming alone in the living room.Completely insane, she thought, shaking her head.After taking a se
Adela worried that Cici might faint from fear, so she didn't bother saying anything to Zach. She quickly pulled Cici away, using the excuse that the driver was already waiting outside.Both women were wearing flat shoes and walked briskly, soon leaving the cruise ship.Once seated in the car, Adela let out a sigh of relief. "What a morning! We haven't even had breakfast yet. Want to grab something together?"Seeing Cici shake her head, Adela didn't insist and asked Barnes to take Cici home first.After restarting the car, she casually asked, "Has Layson gone to the office?""Miss, the CEO is still at the Norman residence," Barnes replied.Adela ran her fingers through her hair. "Oh, he must be waiting for your car."She then closed her eyes to rest. Having woken up early, she felt a bit tired but didn't feel like napping again in an unfamiliar place.Back at the Norman residence, she found Layson sitting at the dining table, calmly eating breakfast. He was always expressionless, espec
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