LOGINAdriana answered calmly, "Yes.""I wonder if I'll have the opportunity to get to know Chris?"Adriana didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned to look at Chris.Chris stared coldly at the phone screen."Sorry, Sophia. I'm not interested in making friends."After saying that, he looked away and turned his attention back to Maeve in the crib. The moment Sophia had appeared, his dislike toward Francesco deepened even further."Do you have some misunderstanding about me? I truly am just curious about you. I simply want to get to know the friends around you."Sophia's tone was sincere. But Adriana genuinely couldn't figure out what she and Chris had that was worth Sophia getting to know.Sophia was the daughter of an Mitalian financial dynasty. She had been born into elite circles, and the families suitable for someone like her to marry into were ones like Francesco's—aristocratic descendants with generations of influence.Even European princes and princesses were among her a
Chris's gaze swept across the laptop screen, landing on the business proposal. His expression darkened slightly.After learning that Adriana had decided to start a business with Bella, he had offered to help her.But she had rejected him.She hadn't even been willing to discuss the details of the startup plan with him.Yet now, Francesco was using her laptop, reading through her proposal, and making comments on it without hesitation.He had always known that what he had lost to Francesco was not merely his health. But after their divorce, he had thought that at the very least, he still had a chance to compete. Now it seemed he had only been fooling himself.They were both people who had hurt Adriana before, yet she was far more forgiving toward Francesco and far more willing to let him get close. When facing him, all she gave him was polite concern and deliberate distance.Adriana didn't know what was going through Chris's mind and broke the silence."Chris, the doctor said we
Francesco looked up at her, his eyes filled with bright admiration."If you had started your own business earlier, you'd probably be a major force sweeping through both the financial and technology industries by now. Spending every day buried in a laboratory doing experiments is a complete waste of your talent."Adriana rolled her eyes at him. "Can you actually look through it properly and give me some useful advice?""How can you get angry just because I'm praising you?" Francesco muttered under his breath before lowering his head and starting to annotate the document from the beginning.Seeing this, Adriana pressed her lips together and didn't argue back.Francesco's slender fingers tapped across the keyboard from time to time as he made changes, speaking as he worked."Let me know when the company officially opens. I'll bring my team over and ask to work with you."Adriana immediately refused."No. Don't interfere with my startup, and don't send me resources."Once the comp
Luther noticed the awkward atmosphere and quickly stepped in to smooth things over with a laugh."Sophia, Adriana doesn't like crowded places. Why don't we just stay home and play cards?"Sophia slammed the cards onto the table, her red lips pressed into a thin line."I'm tired. I'm going back to my room."Bianca immediately followed after her and said softly, "Sophia, I'll keep you company."Francesco's gaze shifted to the lonely Luther."I'll leave you to it. Get some rest early."Luther waved his hand and sank back into the single chair."Don't worry about me. Go."He watched as Francesco's taillights disappeared into the darkness, then lazily leaned against the chair.Francesco and Adriana… those two really were something. They had each married twice, divorced twice, and now somehow found their way back to each other again.But Sophia was so decisive and ruthless in the business world. How had she become so irrational and clingy when it came to feelings?Then again, Fra
But Bianca had said they weren't Francesco's children. Of course, Bianca's words could be trusted—or not."Are you sure they're yours?"Francesco's expression shifted slightly. He opened his phone gallery, pulled up the photos he had taken that day, and showed them to Luther.Luther only glanced at them once before all his doubts disappeared."Based on the timeline, you and Adriana were already divorced back then, and your relationship was strained. How could she have gotten pregnant with your children?"A meaningful smile appeared on Francesco's face."The relationship between Adriana and me isn't something outsiders can understand. And no one has ever been able to break what exists between us."Luther's face fell."What a shame. I was actually planning to pursue Adriana. Looks like I have no chance now."Francesco's expression darkened. His sharp gaze turned toward Luther, his tone serious and warning."Don't have any thoughts about Adriana. Otherwise, don't blame me if I s
Alex noticed the shift in Chris's emotions, and a trace of worry flashed through his eyes.Ever since Chris had been deceived and hurt by his own older brother, Dean, his personality had become more stubborn and extreme. Once he set his mind on something, he refused to let go.Alex was afraid that Chris would repeat the same mistake and push himself into another hopeless situation with no way out."Whether it's you or Adriana, neither of you came by this peaceful life easily."Back then, their marriage had been turned upside down by Joan's appearance, causing a storm that shook everyone around them. In the end, both sides had suffered.At one point, he had believed the two of them would never speak to each other again for the rest of their lives. Yet somehow, they were now able to coexist calmly.For Chris, that was undoubtedly a good thing.Chris replied coldly, "Exactly because it wasn't easy, we have to hold on to it tightly."He had only eaten half the bowl of noodles. He p
Seeing the wicked glint at the corner of Francesco's eyes, a sense of foreboding rose in Adriana's chest.She lifted the binoculars. The moment the cross-river bridge came into view, she saw a figure climb over the unguarded end of the bridge and plunge into the river below.Even from a distance,
Grandma Rosie had once told Adriana she dreamed of Adriana's parents, Roger and Samantha, imploring her to take care of Adriana. To be entrusted is to be faithful. Adriana's sense of responsibility toward Chris likely stemmed from the influence of Grandma Rosie throughout her childhood.She crouc
"What do you think?"Joan let out a haughty snort, stepping back half a pace—right onto his polished leather shoes."When we were abroad, we could still meet often. But now that we're back, it's nearly impossible to see each other."Dean's usual calm, composed demeanor shifted; a playful, almost
In the blink of an eye, the day of Grandma Rosie's memorial arrived. Adriana got to the cemetery early, confirming the arrangements with the staff.Dew clung to the grass beside the graves, soaking her pant legs as she walked. She settled on a bench to dry off, lifting her gaze to a sea of headston







