As she observed Arthur sitting in front of her, Linda realized that he looked much older than he had in the photos she'd seen online.When she saw his hand trembling while holding the jug, she immediately took it from him. "I'll do it."Arthur nodded. "Okay." As he watched her pour the juice, he slowly began. "I knew Stephen wouldn't let me get in touch with you anymore after he found you. I thought I would never see you again ...""If you hadn't supported me back then, I wouldn't have survived until the day I'd reunited with my brother. I've always remembered your kindness."Arthur waved his hand. "It's nothing to do with kindness. It was what I should have done as your grandfather. You don't have to be so polite with me."Hearing how naturally Arthur called himself her grandfather, Linda felt inexplicably upset. With a frown, she diverted the topic. "There's something I'd like to ask. Why did you send me abroad? Wasn't I still an infant at that time? I still had my family too.
However, Ariel didn't receive any replies from Stephen. She thought her hint wasn't clear, so she headed to Oceania Villa the next morning. By the time Stephen came downstairs, Ariel had already made breakfast for Britney and was sitting by the dining table. "You're up?" Ariel shot him a gentle smile. Stephen approached them. Looking at Britney playing with the toast, he said, "Go and play upstairs if you're done eating. Don't play with food." Britney put down the toast obediently and tugged at the hem of Ariel's clothes. "Play with me, Aunt Ariel." "You go up first," Stephen ordered in a deep voice. It wasn't until then that Ariel understood his intentions. "I want to talk to your dad about something. I'll come to you soon, okay?" Ariel coaxed Britney softly. The little girl nodded. Ariel lifted Britney off the chair and watched her run up the stairs. When Ariel turned around, she met Stephen's frosty gaze. Her heart skipped a beat. "Don't play boring tricks like this
On the night of Thanksgiving, the moon was full and bright, glowing against the dark sky. Before Yvonne left the house, she promised Elvin that she would try her best to come back early and celebrate the day with him. Yvonne showed up at the club on time. Upon entering, she heard from the waiter that the club had been block-booked by the Anderson family today. Her first thought was that Carmen had tricked her, and she turned around and wanted to leave on the spot. "What's with the rush to leave when you're already here?"Yvonne looked up toward the source of the voice.Carmen was holding a glass of red wine and leaning against the balcony railing with a smile. Meanwhile, Philip stood beside her, exuding a naturally imposing temperament. Yvonne was displeased. How could she have forgotten the fact that Carmen had once worked with Philip?"Allow me to take you up, Ms. Miller," the waiter said respectfully, stretching out an arm in a gesture of invitation. Yvonne knew it woul
Carmen led Yvonne to a parlor. Upon sitting down, she asked, "Are you blaming me for tricking you into showing up at the Andersons' banquet?"Yvonne hummed in acknowledgment.Carmen laughed. "You're so straightforward! I like it!"Carmen had been in the business industry for a long time and had encountered too many hypocritical people. Seeing how honest and upfront Yvonne was, Carmen couldn't help but like her even more. "Actually, Mr. Anderson Senior isn't trying to take the kid away from you. He was just testing how you'd react to it." Carmen brewed a pot of coffee and said calmly, "You already know that Stephen is supposed to marry Ariel. Mr. Anderson Senior only acknowledges Ariel as his granddaughter-in-law. As for you, the child you have with Stephen can be considered the greatest threat to their marriage. "It's true that Mr. Anderson Senior likes that kid, but he'd also be willing to give up on him for Ariel's sake. I heard from Madam Hazel that he's strictly forbidden
A tattooed arm and a rosary—the only person Yvonne could think of was Mark.He'd made her live the darkest ten years of her life. Yvonne didn't feel that she'd done anything bad to Emerald Group, nor had she offended Mark. However, Mark didn't seem to have any intention of letting her go. Even if she'd left Emerald Group, she was still under his control.Everything that had happened to Hopeful Faith and the mining area had been all his doing. If Mark was the person Tara had been referring to in her sketchbook ...Yvonne's heart sank. If that was the case, then Yvonne's relationship with Mark wasn't as simple as just having a conflict of interest."Aunt Yvonne!" Britney called, pulling Yvonne back to reality in an instant. Before Yvonne could react, the little girl had pounced into her arms. "Aunt Yvonne, did El come with you? I want to play with him!" As she spoke, Britney raised the pumpkin pie in her hands. "This is delicious. I want to share it with El." Britney's bri
"Mr. Stephen, the banquet is about to start," a waiter informed him respectfully. Hearing that, Stephen temporarily set aside the idea of giving Linda a call. He put his phone away and entered the club. The banquet was set on the balcony, emanating a unique ambiance. Fine wines and delicate dishes had been prepared, complemented by the night breeze and beautiful view of the moon. As the Andersons settled into their seats, Charles and his wife arrived a little later, with Conan sitting in the wheelchair. Before, Conan had never been given a chance to eat at the dining table. As far as he could remember, he'd only had meals in his room. This was his first time attending the Andersons' family banquet, so he couldn't help but feel a little awkward and uneasy.It had been Camille's idea to bring him over tonight. Conan was no longer the same as before. No matter what, he was an Anderson. He couldn't possibly continue to hide from Stephen on occasions like this. Moreover, consider
As the banquet drew to a close, Britney got tired and fell asleep in Stephen's arms. Hence, Philip told them to go home first. Instead of taking Ariel to Oceania Villa, he sent her back home. As soon as Ariel got out of the car, she shivered from the chilly night breeze. "Wear more layers when you go out at night next time," Stephen said in a deep voice. Ariel spared a glance at the coat he was wearing and smiled bitterly. "Okay."If it had been Yvonne, he would have probably let her wear his coat instead of telling her something like that.Then, Ariel stood in the wind and watched the Maybach drive away. She hugged her arms, unsure what made her feel colder—the night wind or Stephen's iciness toward her. After returning home, Ariel took a hot shower. When she came out of the bathroom, she noticed her phone was vibrating. Seeing that it was a call from Katie, she answered it at once. "Katie, why are you only calling me now? Didn't you get the messages I'd sent you?"Ariel
When Yvonne finally put Elvin to sleep, it was late at night. She returned to her room and checked the time difference before switching her phone to private mode and calling Gwen. Soon, Gwen's voice came from the other end of the line. "So you finally remembered me?" She sounded a little angry. Yvonne smiled sheepishly. "I think about you every day, Gwen. I didn't call you often because I was afraid of disturbing you."Gwen snorted. "Unless the sky falls, you wouldn't even be bothered to look for me." "What are you talking about?" Sensing the displeasure in her tone, Yvonne immediately guessed that someone had ratted her out. "Did Curtis tell you about what happened at the border?" "Yes. If he hadn't told me, perhaps the next news I'd received would have been about your death."Yvonne choked for a moment. "You're still as sharp-tongued as before." "You were well aware Thomas had been sent there by Mark. Why did you still go and mess with him? Even if the mine makes less m