[Did you like the gift I sent you yesterday?] the mysterious text read.Kisa frowned deeply, her heart pounding as a suspicion formed in her mind. Hesitantly, she replied: [Is this Shaun?][Heh, the recording yesterday was just a taste of my sincerity. Today's gift is something much grander. Have you got the guts to come?]Kisa's heart raced, as she realized Shaun knew she had recorded his conversation with Sara. He quickly sent her an address and a time. Kisa struggled to understand Shaun's intentions.She hastily typed a message, her fingers trembling: [What do you want?]But Shaun did not reply. Kisa stared at the address, her thoughts racing. It was a hotel address, even including the room number.Gilbert had not seen the content of her messages. Perhaps he wanted to respect her privacy, so he did not ask any questions and quietly ate his meal. Noticing that she had not touched her food for a while, he placed a Swedish meatball on her plate, his voice gentle."Eat up; it's g

Gilbert did not even bother to look at Sara.Kisa was suddenly reminded of her own desperate pleas for Gilbert's trust in the past, clinging to his sleeve. It was evident that Gilbert treated her differently from Sara. When he had looked at her back then, his eyes were filled with anger, disappointment, and a hidden layer of heartache. Now, as he gazed at Sara, his expression was calm and detached, as if she were nothing more than a stranger.Gilbert's indifference seemed to drive Sara into a fit of crazed laughter. She locked her eyes on Kisa, taunting. "So what if he's seen who I really am and learned about his grandma's death? You're the one responsible for his parents' deaths, and that's an undeniable fact. You'll forever be a sinner in his eyes, always! Neither of you will ever find happiness, never!"Gilbert's eyes turned ice-cold, but just in time, the police arrived and dragged Sara away. Kisa stood silently at the doorway; her hand held tightly by Gilbert as he smiled softl

Kisa tenderly wiped away the mud and grime from Gilbert's hands and face with a warm, damp towel. Finishing her task, she held his hand tightly and whispered, "It's over now. Everything's going to be okay. Ada's safe too. If you're exhausted, just close your eyes and rest. I'll be here, watching over you."Gilbert remained silent, but he dutifully closed his eyes. She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and left the room, her heart heavy with concern for her shaken daughter.Davian and George were comforting the children when she entered the room. Davian, anxiety etched on his face, asked, "Is Mr. Kooper alright?"Kisa shook her head. "His injuries aren't life-threatening, but he hasn't uttered a word." George's lips tightened, as if sensing something deeper. Kisa cast her gaze downward, asking, "When his parents were taken from him, was the scene anything like this?"Outside, a torrential downpour raged on, the thunder's roar and lightning's flash heightening the palpable unease.

Gilbert's eyes remained open, locked on her throughout the night, only succumbing to sleep as dawn broke.As his breathing finally steadied, she cautiously opened her eyes. In silence, she studied the striking face forever etched in her heart, her slender fingers delicately tracing the contours of his features in the air. After an eternity, she gently disentangled herself from his embrace and gingerly rose from the bed. As she opened the door, she could not help but steal one last glance at the man lying in bed. His slumbering face still bore a tormented expression, a shadow of anguish furrowed between his brows.'Perhaps, once I'm gone, his life will gradually find light,' she mused, her eyes brimming with heart-wrenching longing and sorrow.'May happiness find you for the rest of your life,' she whispered in her mind. Then, with a faint, trembling smile in his direction, she turned and silently left the room.She went to the children's room to check on them. The morning was still

The boy stood apart from the rest, a fearless soul despite being caked in mud and filth. His eyes burned with a cold defiance that seemed too intense for someone his age. On that fateful afternoon, his piercing gaze struck her numb heart like a razor-sharp arrow. Suddenly, she felt trapped in a bottomless, repulsive swamp, desperate to grasp at a ray of light. He was that longed-for beacon of hope.Jensen was rescued by Kohen, the younger brother of Hayes of the McCray family. Kohen had never brought an orphan into their home before, marking Jensen as an extraordinary exception. One day, Kohen grinned at Hayes. "This boy is fascinating. Train him for me, but be careful not to break him."Hayes, a mischievous glint in his eye, toyed with the knife in his hand, chuckling. "I'm not the heartless monster you imagine. I don't decide their fates. Here, survival depends entirely on their own skills and willpower." He tossed the knife to land at Jensen's feet, pointing at the other boys and