جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

Six years later—Cindale.At the prestigious The Crown Platinum Hotel , an unusual wedding was taking place. There was no groom—only a bride.The groom, Benjamin, had been in a car accident three months ago and had since fallen into a vegetative state. Doctors claimed he wouldn’t last even a month.Benjamin was the youngest son of Old Mr. Schmidt, the head of the Schmidt family. Despite exhausting every possible method to save his son, the old man had failed to wake him up. In the end, he turned to one last resort—marriage for good luck.As the most powerful family in Cindale, the Schmidts had plenty of options. Finding a woman whose birth chart matched Benjamin’s wasn’t difficult.But what woman would willingly marry a man on the brink of death—one who even had a child from a previous relationship? And become a stepmother?Everyone present at the wedding had come to watch the spectacle unfold.“Old Mr. Schmidt must have gone senile. His son is sick and instead of hiring doctors, he’s

“What did you just say?” Brad’s face turned ashen.The two bodyguards behind him: “……”This woman was something else. According to her, Mr. Spader was gay.The worst part was, they couldn’t even laugh out loud about it. She was too wicked!Amanda immediately backed down, putting on a sheepish smile.“I didn’t say anything. I was just saying… you’re really handsome. I wasn’t complimenting you per se, just… reminding you that all my aunts and cousins adore men like you.”Her voice grew quieter under Brad’s sharp gaze.She had survived death once, but deep down, she was still a woman who adored pretty men.Brad gave her a long, penetrating look.Was that… her way of praising him?Hmph. A woman like this, clearly full of sweet talk. Totally unreliable.“Take good care of Benjamin. If anything happens to him… I’ll sell you to human traffickers.”He issued the threat coldly.The old man had clearly lost his mind. Did he really think something like this could wake Benjamin?Amanda glared at

“Whoa! Mark, your stepmom’s here. She’s so scary!”One of the boys looked at Amanda’s fierce expression and was so frightened he nearly cried.Amanda noticed the dirt smeared across her son's small face. A cold glint flashed through her peach blossom eyes—sharp, aggressive, and dangerous.All three kids were stunned into silence.“Apologize to Mark!”Her sudden roar shook the room, and the atmosphere instantly turned still and tense.The little girl standing nearby burst into tears. “Hmph! I’m not apologizing to a blind brat! He’s not just blind—he’s mute too! I’ve never heard him speak!”“Shut up!”Amanda glared at the three children, her expression murderous.Is this how they’ve been treating Mark all this time?Heartache surged through her chest.“Apologize. If you don’t, then all three of you are going to eat dirt before you leave.”She towered over the three eight- or nine-year-old kids like a queen holding court.Gently, she pulled out a tissue and wiped the mud off her son's fa

Delphine shot a cold glare at Erin—that woman always tried to play peacemaker.Did she not know exactly what kind of people her grandson and two grandchildren were?Now that they were bringing this matter to the old master, things might not turn out in her favor.She had done it on purpose!But Amanda was far too arrogant. Someone needed to put her in her place—and who better than the old master? As long as he didn’t side with her, how long could she last in the Schmidt family?This was also a good opportunity to observe where the old master stood on things.A bride brought in just to ward off misfortune really thought she was something?The night was deep and still, only occasionally disturbed by the sound of footsteps.The group made their way toward Rosewood Garden, where the old master resided.No one noticed the moment when Benjamin, lying on his bed, suddenly opened his eyes, then slowly closed them again—so fast it was almost an illusion.On the way there, Mark glared and said

The old man looked a little sorrowful and shot him a glance. “You old gossip… Even at your age, you’re still so nosy. Go keep an eye on Jadeview Park. Make sure nothing goes wrong.”“Tomorrow morning, send some things over to Amanda. The young madam of the Schmidt family shouldn’t be treated shabbily.”The butler smiled and nodded before leaving with a grin.The old man always had his own plans. He was just waiting to watch the drama unfold.Back in her room, Amanda held her son in her arms. Mark had been holding up all day, and the moment he touched the bed, he fell asleep.Only then did Amanda have a moment to breathe. Standing by the large bed, she looked down at the man lying there. His features were finely sculpted—sharp brows, a high nose bridge, a prominent philtrum, and lips that were inexplicably sensual.She couldn’t help but wonder why her eldest had ended up with Benjamin.And who was the man from that night? She had no memory of it at all!Amanda stared blankly at her son