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Chapter 21
Isabela stood in front of the dressing mirror, the morning light shining through the geuse curtain, sprinkling fine golden spots on her pristine wedding dress
The makeup artist had just put on her pearl earrings when Rhett walked in, holding a cup of steaming honey water.
“Worried?” he smiled as he handed her the cup, his fingertips still carrying the scent of the operating room disinfectant.
Isabela shook her head, her gaze sweeping over the yellowed photo on the dressing table.
Back!
ack in college, she stood in front of the library, with a shy smile.
That was something that found after flipping through the alumni records, be carefully framed it and placed it on their bedroom nightstand
The butler suddenly knocked on the door and said, “Ms. Payne, there’s an urgent delivery for you.”
Rhett frowned when he took the package, “No sender information.”
The two of them were a bit confused. In a foreign land where they didn’t know anyone, how could someone be sending them things?
Unwrapping layer by layer of pure white packaging, the velvet jewelry box shimmered with a deep blue light in the morning sun.
Isabela’s fingertips had just touched the lid of the box, and her heart sank suddenly–this touch was too familiar.“”
Alexander’s stone necklace lay quietly on the velvet, the 40-53–carar main stone reflecting a dreamy pinkish–purple halo, just like the breathtaking beauty on the auction screen that year.
“This is…” Rhett picked up the card from the box.
“It should have been yours.”
The fountain pen pierced through the paper, leaving a long scratch with the final stroke, as if the writer had paused here for a long time.
The air in the dressing room froze.
Isabela stared at the light spots flowing inside the gem, and she saw herself from five years ago
The shirt splashed with red wine, Elaine’s proud smile, Darren’s cold “deal”
“Do you want to go back?” Rhett gently put his arm around her shoulder and asked softly.
The sun suddenly became too bright
Isabela closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she had a smile on her face: “Denate it to the foundation, it will be perfect for buying new school uniforms for the girls in the mountainous areas,
The moment she closed the jewelry box, Rhett suddenly got down on one knee and put another necklace on her.
The silver chain hung a small sunflower crystal, reflecting a dazzling light under the lamp
“I was ready a long time ago,” he kissed her fingertips, “I was plan
planning to give it to you when throwing the bouquet.”
Outside the window, there were sounds of quests laughing. Isabela looked down at the man who stayed up late making a cake for her and defended her from gossip, and suddenly rears poured down like rain.
This is the life she had been looking forward to for a long, long time. From now on, every day, she was definitely happy and content.
“The makeup took a while,” Rhett wiped away her tears with his thumb, “such a beautiful bride like you shouldn’t be crying, it’ll cry away your luck.” “Was Dr. Walter superstitious?”
“Alter I met you,” he said as he carefully lastened the necklace clasp, 1 started believing in all things mystical”
At the wedding banquet, the champagne tower reflected the light of the crystal chandelier.
When Isabela was toasting with Rhett at the table, the screen in the banquet hall suddenly switched to financial news.
The Cressey Group announced their annual charity plan, investing one billion to establish a foundation for helping impoverished mountain areas.
in the picture, Darren was loolding sharp in a suit, giving a speech at the signing ceremony.
Compared to five years ago, he already had fine lines at the comers of his eyes, and his left hand’s ring Linger was empty.
Chap 27
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When asked about the inspiration, he paused and said,
“An old friend taught me, the real strong ones.
The sound was suddenly cut off by the emcee, Rhett’s cousin shouted into the microphone, “The bride and groom should cut the cake now!
The crowd cheered and surged towards the center, Isabela took one last glance at the screen….
Darren held up the champagne and gestured to the camera, with the morning sun of Debrim rising slowly outside the floor–to–ceiling window.
The sunlight on her wedding dress was just perfect.
After the honeymoon, Isabela went back to her hometown alone.
The phoenix tree in the old house is taller than I remembered, with bright marks from my childhood still on the bark.
She squatted at the tree root, dug open the soft soil with a shovel, revealing a rusty biscuit tin that had long been buried
There was a yellowed diary in the box, with the first page marked with “Darren” in fluorescent pen, but the ink had faded.
She flipped to a random page in the middle…
“Today when I was helping him organize the files, I found out that he also liked to eat mint candies. I secretly put two packs in his drawer, hoping he wouldn’t think it was Elaine who put them there..”
The ink got blurred by water stains, don’t know if it’s from the rain or tears back then.
“Mom buried it for you.” Carla stood behind at some point, holding freshly picked gardenias in her hands, “The year you graduated from college, you cried and said you didn’t want it.”
Isabela ran her fingers over the curled edge of the paper and suddenly noticed fresh handwriting on the last page
“Sorry it took me ten years to see it.”
The handwriting showed through the paper, but the strokes were a bit shaky, just like the pen on the wedding card
The wind rustled through the parasol tree, sounding like the noise of flipping through books in the library when I was young
Isabela put the diary back in the iron box, along with the ID badge she had when she worked at the Cressey Group, and buried it back in the ground
“It’s all in the past,” she whispered, not sure if she was talking to her mother, the plane tree, or the girl who had once buried her secrets here.
That night, the financial channel replayed Darren’s interview.
The reporter asked, “Is the “deceased person‘ you mentioned related to the foundation’s name? We saw in the registration Information that it is called the Fella Project..
The man in the camera was looking down and adjusting his cufflinks. The platinum cufflinks were engraved with delicate patterns
“It’s just a coincidence,” he said, and when he looked up, Isabela outside the screen passed her breath.
Those eyes that once made her tremble, now filled with complex emotions she couldn’t understand, “Wish all the wounded can wait for the sunrise.”
n off the necklace the foundation received? For
Rhett wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head. “Should we auction the kids in the mountains.
“Okay.” Isabela turned off the TV and hugged him tightly
Outside the window, in their wedding house garden, the newly planted sunflowers were swaying in the moonlight.
I thought those unforgettable memories and pains would eventually fade away as time passed.
She finally broke free from all the shackles on her body and started to move forward slowly
Now the person I love is right by my side, my career is also thriving, and my mother has decided to come abroad next month to live with us
Such wonderful days, that’s what she has always wanted to pursue
From then on, she cherished everything around her and lived the rest of her life filled with love.
Chapter 1
On a day of torrential rain, my husband abandoned our son–who was on his way to take the SAT–and drove off without a backward glance
All because his young secretary was pregnant.
a terrible car accident.
Our son couldn’t get a cab, so he had no choice but to run in the pouring rain. He ended up in a ter
ΠΠ
By the time I got the call and rushed to the hospital, he was already gone.
While I was still sobbing uncontrollably, my husband Dominic called.
“Babe, help me apologize to our son, will you? Beatrice is pregnant–I had to rush over to her.”
“I drank too much that night, but still, the baby’s mine. I have to take responsibility”
“You’ve always wanted a daughter, haven’t you? Once the baby’s born, she’s yours to raise
H
When I didn’t respond, he added, “She’s just a young girl–she doesn’t know how to be a mom. I’ll need to stay with her for a few days!
I wiped my tears away and replied calmly, “Okay,”
After taking care of my son’s funeral, 4 drafted a divorce agreement and made a phone call.
“You’ve always wanted to go after the Carter family, haven’t you? I won’t stop you anymore.”
The person on the other end didn’t believe me at all
“Ms. Vanderbilt, I’m a tycoon in Slivershade. Don’t play games with me. You’ve secretly protected the Carter family for twenty years. There’s no way you’d suddenly step away like that
My tone remained calm. “I’m divorcing him.”
There was a brief silence on the other end, then a sudden burst of excitement.
“You’re not kidding, are you?”
“Back then, so many people from Slivershade’s elite circle fought to marry you, but you turned everyone down and insisted on marrying into the Carter family in Hello. You even helped a carp like Dominic become the richest man in Helio city. And now you’re willing to walk away just like that?”
I didn’t offer any explanation. I simply said, “You don’t need to low the reason. Just know that from now on, I won’t be involved in any of the Carter family’s affairs.”
The man
man let out a satisfied laugh. “I’ve been waiting for this day. Dominic’s been so full of himself these past few years, thinking he actually has what it takes. If you hadn’t been protecting him behind the scenes, I’d have crushed him ages ago.”
“Since you’re getting a divorce, I’ll make sure to give him a proper gift at tomorrow Carter Group anniversary celebration.
Just as I hung up, Domine came home after three days he left home,
The moment he stepped through the door, he headed straight for our son Alexander’s room. Finding it empty, he turned to look at me sitting on the couch.
“Why isn’t Alexander home?”
“It’s fine for him to relax after the SATs, but there’s no need to be out this late. My son shouldn’t be marming wild-
I glanced at the red marks on his neck and said coldly, “And now you remember he’s your son?”
Dominic frowned, about to scold me, but then something seemed to click, and his tone softened.
“Is he still upset about the other day–about me leaving him halfway to the test?”
alk to him when he gets back. He’s always listened to me. He won’t hold a grudge.”
Yes, Alexander always listened to him.
He knew how much Dominic cared about academic success, so he studied late every night, always ranking first in his grade.
The day before the SATs, he’d said with confidence that he’d get into Harvard and make his father proud.
But the father be cherished most… was the one who abandoned him on the most important day of his life, leading to his death. Chapter 1
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I didn’t even want to imagine how devastated Alexander must’ve been when Dominde kicked him out of the car.
Theld back my tears and cholod out, “You won’t be seeing your son again.”
Dominic’s face darkened. “You’re his mother–stop playing along with his tantrums,”
Then he casually tossed a fancy gift box beside me, as if throwing a bone.
“That pregnant girl’s clingy. She won’t let me leave.
“From
now on, I’ll only be home one day a work. Don’t bother me, alright?”
He caused our son’s death and didn’t even show a shred of remorse. All he cared about was looking after his pregnant mistress–and still, he expected me to be understanding?
Looking at the arrogance in his eyes, I couldn’t understand how I’d ever loved this man for twenty years
I placed the divorce agreement I’d prepared on the table.
“Sign it. Then you can take care of your little pregnant girl without distractions.”
The moment he saw I was the one initiating the divorce, Dominic’s face flashed with disdain.
“Looks like I’ve spoiled you all these years. You’ve forgotten your place. Without me, your whole family would starve
“His smug expression made me want to laugh.
He really thought the Carter family’s rise was because of bim?
He thought I had depended on him?
I couldn’t even be bothered to argue. I simply said, with calm conviction, “This marriage is over.”
When he saw I wasn’t backing down, Dominic lost his temper.
“What the hell is wrong with you? You know full well our son would never agree to this divorce!”
“You want to leave? Fine. Then let our son tell me himself.”
With that, be stormed into the bedroom and slammed the door
In the past, whenever Dominic got angry, I would always soothe him, give in to him.
But not this time
I signed the divorce papers without hesitation and left, once and for all
The next day, I picked up my son’s ashes from the funeral home, ready to take these to the Vanderbilt family tomb in Slivershade.
That was when Dominic called.
*You can be mad at me all you want, but don’t drag my son into it and stay out all night. Today’s the Carter Group’s thirtieth anniversary. I’m planning to name him as my successor Bring him here now.”
I looked down at the urn in thy as and replied steadily, “Alright, I’ll bring him right over.”
Chapter 1
