Mag-log in"Yes, I hope you'll think this through carefully." Stefan's voice trembled with emotion. "My mom did something wrong, and she deserves to be punished, but she's still my mother. As her son, I can't just stand by and do nothing…""So?" Renee cut him off. "Did you come here to declare war on me? To warn me, threaten me, and force me to let your mother go as if nothing ever happened?""Yes." Stefan shook his head. "I'm not asking you to forgive her. I…"He took a deep breath and finally said why he came."A debt owed by a father must be paid by the son. The same goes for a mother's sins. I'm here because I want to atone for her. Whatever anger you have, take it out on me. I won't complain."Renee froze before sneering. "What exactly are you trying to say? Can you just be clear?""Simply put, if you insist on going to the police, I'll take the blame for her."Stefan's voice was firm. "Back then, I also used some questionable methods during my fight with your brother. I'll tell
"Where are you going at this hour?" Asher asked worriedly.Stefan didn't answer. He turned around and walked toward the door.Late at night, at Everheart Manor, the huge living room was lit only by a dim lamp. Renee sat on the sofa and hugged her knees as tears silently fell.Quinton sat beside her and gently patted her back. "Renee, stop crying.""Quinton, am I a cruel person?" Renee choked out. "I know that if I call the police, Stefan will suffer. The children will be affected too.""You are cruel, but you're not being cruel to them. You're being cruel to yourself."Quinton took a deep breath and looked at her with heartache. "You give everything to your family. You can't bear seeing me suffer. You can't bear seeing the children suffer, and you can't bear putting Stefan in a difficult position. That's why you're hurting so much.""I really feel useless." Renee covered her face. "Things between our families have reached this point. I clearly know it was Francine who did al
Alexander opened his eyes and looked at Francine. His eyes showed mixed emotions."Maybe you're right. In the past, I too thought my feelings for you were nothing but responsibility and obligation. I thought I needed to play the role of a husband who loved his wife and the role of a great father. But today, when I realized I might lose you, I finally understood that you had already become an inseparable part of my life!"Francine froze. Her tears kept falling. "Alexander.""I won't let you face this alone." Alexander walked over and hugged her. "For all the mistakes we made, we'll pay for them together. No matter what the outcome is, I'll stay by your side."Francine broke down crying in his arms."I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I only truly realized now that I was wrong. I was really wrong. My jealousy and narrow-mindedness hurt you, Stefan, and the two children even more."Her words were not an attempt to gain sympathy. She truly realized from the bottom of her heart how horribly wrong
"Take it this far?"Renee looked at Quinton in disbelief. It was as if she had just heard something absurd. "Quinton, what are you thinking? She did something so horrible to you! I haven't even used violence against her. I've already shown enough mercy. How can that be called taking it too far?""But…"Quinton looked at Stefan. Thinking about how deeply Renee had once loved this man, how much she had sacrificed for him, and how they had now been forced into becoming enemies, his heart hurt."But the past is already the past. I don't want the pain from years ago to affect your life now and make you suffer even more. I only want you to be happy."Quinton treasured his current life, especially after reuniting with Renee. Having a nephew and a niece, and getting along well with Joanna, he had slowly let go of the pain he carried. In fact, he had almost forgotten the suffering of the past.But if Renee really sent Francine to prison, then she and Stefan would truly be over. The chil
Francine looked up. The moment she met Stefan's eyes, she completely broke down. "Stefan, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…""I'm not the one you should be apologizing to!" Stefan's voice trembled as he pointed at Renee and Quinton. "You owe them an apology. Compared to everything they've been through, your apology means nothing!""I… I…"Francine stood frozen in place. The woman who had once been so proud and untouchable now looked like a child abandoned by the entire world. She was fragile and helpless.Alexander watched Francine silently. He had never seen her look so vulnerable before, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions.He took a deep breath and walked up to Quinton before bowing deeply to him. "Child, I'm sorry. I failed to keep my wife at bay. Because of that, you suffered so much…""Your apology means nothing," Renee spoke coldly. "My brother and I don't want an apology. We want justice."Alexander froze. The Renee standing before him felt like a completely different pe
"Every year after that, I regularly gave that fisherman money. The amount of money meant nothing to a wealthy family, but to an ordinary household, it was enough for them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives," Francine said calmly.Francine had always been strong-willed. Even now, she still didn't truly believe she had done something wrong."Hah. Do you think giving money makes it right? Do you actually think you did something good?"Renee's anger had already turned into disbelief. More than anything, she thought Francine was shameless. "How could someone as shameless as you exist in this world?""Shameless?"Francine's expression turned cold. She clenched her fists. "If I truly wanted to be cruel, he would have died long ago!""You think leaving me alive was some act of kindness?" Quinton roared. "Sometimes living is worse than dying! That's called being alive but wishing you weren't!"Quinton stepped forward. His eyes were filled with hatred."Do you know what ki
Those two troublemakers were so bold! "Abigail Everheart, just you... wait and see. I'll get your brother back now. I think it's been too long since I taught you guys a hard lesson. You’ve become so bold and fearless!" Renee was so angry that she lost her rationality. She then clenched her fists in
Renee felt warmth bloom in her chest when she saw her son waiting for her. She bent over to hug Aiden, but he took a step back and put his hands on his hips sternly. "Mommy, you didn't come home last night. You misbehaved. Tell me the truth! Where did you go?""Umm, about that…" Renee felt a little a
After Stefan made sure Briar took her medication, he ordered her to stay in the resting area next to them.Briar didn't object to this, and merely headed back to the resting area with a blank stare. She sat down on one of the benches quietly, as if she was a mindless zombie.The man then turned back t
The police officer in charge of recording the interview could not help looking up at Renee. He frowned and reproached, "Your son has been missing for so long, and you still wouldn't report it to the police? Don't you think you're being too reckless as the parents? Thank god the child was clever enou







