Yet, from the beginning to the end, the only thing he offered her was clandestine happiness within the confines of that apartment.

He never even acknowledged their relationship publicly.

*

Mark sat inside the car.

As the car halted near the apartment building, he placed a call.

In truth, he shouldn’t have come but he couldn’t resist making this special trip, even keeping it hidden from his personal secretary.

Cecilia declined his offer.

Mark ascended the stairs and unlocked the door to the apartment.

He had already arranged for it to be cleaned beforehand.

Everything remained unchanged, except for the absence of that one person.

Mark, known for his scheming nature, had never felt such deep desolation and longing to see someone in his entire life.

He sat on the sofa throughout the night.

Recalling the intensity of their past connection, he remembered how she would lie in his embrace and affectionately call him Uncle Mark. @

There had never been a girl as pure and uncomplicated as her.

Everyone around him seemed seasoned and sophisticated.

Individuals like him had long lost their innocence, but in his early forties, he found himself entangled in a love affair with a young woman. He cherished her, yet he didn’t wish for her to be entwined in his dangerous world.

His world held too many perils.

However, she lacked the means to protect herself, so he had to divert his attention to safeguard her.

Subsequently, following that incident two years ago, she appeared disheartened, and he also began to feel that they were ill-suited for each other…

They had been separated for over two years, and he had believed that he had moved on, but Waylen had unintentionally reopened his old wounds.

As it turned out, he hadn’t truly gotten over her.

The first rays of morning sunlight streamed into the apartment.

Mark rose and prepared breakfast. Subsequently, out of habit, he made his way to the bedroom, intending to wake the girl and share their usual meal together. She had a hearty appetite but was undemanding. She always had a fondness for junk food.

However, the bedroom was empty.

The fragrance of her hair had long dissipated from the bed.

Mark walked out of the bedroom with a heavy heart and ate breakfast alone…

Peter called, informing him of a meeting scheduled for ten o’clock.

Mark responded casually, “Postpone it until tomorrow. I’m in Duefron. I want to see Rena and Alexis.”

Peter understood the situation all too well.

He sighed, recognizing that Cecilia was the sole person in Mark’s life whom he had failed.

Mark indeed went to visit Rena.

He brought toys that Alexis adored and arrived early.

Fortunately, he managed to avoid encountering Waylen, as the man had departed on a business trip early that morning.

However, Rena was perceptive. She felt a slight unease upon seeing Mark.

Observing the loving expression on Mark’s face as he spent time with Alexis, Rena couldn’t help but think of Edwin.

In a hushed voice, she inquired, “Uncle, have you ever considered starting a family?”

Mark smiled. “What? Are you here to persuade me on behalf of your grandmother?”

Rena remained silent and prepared coffee silently.

After a while, she softly said, “I’ve noticed how fond you are of children.”

Mark lifted Alexis and planted a tender kiss on her cheek. “I have Alexis, and that’s enough.”

Alexis returned the affectionate gesture, holding Mark’s handsome face in her small hands. Speaking softly, she remarked,

“Edwin is handsome too. He has brown hair and smooth skin, just like me.”

Mark furrowed his brow and inquired, “Who is Edwin?”

Rena placed the coffee on the table and cradled Alexis in her arms. “He is a child from the Fowler family.”

It wasn’t a falsehood.

Without dwelling too much on it, Mark forced a smile.

He had come here to inquire about Cecilia, yet Rena remained tight-lipped, refusing to utter a single word regarding her.

Mark thought Rena was astute.

While conversing with Mark, Rena tossed a phone to Alexis.

Alexis glanced at Mark and then at her mother.

Rena smile, and Alexis instantly grasped her intention.

With determination, Alexis began typing on the phone.

“Auntie Cece, I miss you.”

“Mom isn’t feeling well. Can you come and drive me to school?”

Afterwards, Alexis tossed the phone onto the sofa.

Mark voiced his disapproval. “It’s not suitable for such a young child to play with a phone.”

Rena discreetly checked the messages and smiled. “She was just checking her kindergarten homework. Waylen always insisted that she do it on her own.”

Thereafter, Mark fell silent.

He remained seated for a while before preparing to take his leave. His mood was already sour.

Rena invited him to stay for another cup of coffee. Just as the sound of a car echoed in the courtyard, she smiled and remarked, “Alright, I won’t keep you any longer if you have other business to attend to. I’ll bring Alexis to visit Grandma in Czanch another day.”

Mark gently patted her head, turned around and departed.

him to

way, a white Bentley

emerged from the car’s backseat, wearing a smile. “Rena, Lexi mentioned that you weren’t

her

Likewise, Mark stood motionless.

her here. His gaze grew

in ways

his eyes filled with a mixture of

transformation had overtaken Cecilia, altering

while exuding

had undergone signified her transition from a

very moment, Mark was hit with a profound realization that his longing

remained locked on her visage as he softly uttered, “It has been

however, seemed to be more overwhelmed

she managed to summon her strength and responded, “Mr. Evans,

exchanged greetings, acknowledging

in an awkward position. She carefully scooped up Alexis, her daughter, and requested the assistance of the trustworthy driver

Rena reciprocated the kiss and reassured Alexis, “I’ll be

firmly clutching the

discreetly cleared her throat and declared,

somewhat dependent on Rena, grasped her arm and appealed,

responded,

his gaze towards Cecilia, his voice barely above a whisper as he

head, Cecilia silently complied,

he firmly grasped her

door closed, enclosing them in a small

his arm above her head.

parties

what seemed like an eternity, Cecilia, her voice quivering, finally broke the stillness,

scrutinize her, lowering his voice as he responded, “I

abruptly met his

up with tears, poised to cascade down her cheeks with every

dared not

of their breakup had inflicted immense suffering upon her

bore his own

before returning to lock onto her face. Softly, he

I had chosen not to return surely I must

Occupied…

revealed an

her face, evoking

teeth

repulse you? Have you found someone else?” he queried

swept

her teeth and replied,

instant, Mark’s

loosened his grip

Mr. Evans, you are a man of charm

a time, you used

my youthful naivety, I failed to understand

will be here soon. Release me, I implore you. Let us maintain a modicum of

his hold

a raspy voice, he murmured, “Cecilia, are you

had always

believed that if she found her true love, he would offer his

to grant her

so slightly, her restraint palpable, before finally

the

journey to Czanch, intending

endured thirst and denied even the simplest bodily needs. Bound to a chair, she suffered in

demanded the chip in Mark’s

Fear had gripped her.

spare no

his calm voice over the phone, he’d merely uttered, “Sorry, I do

she had finally been

his heart. But as she emerged from the dilapidated cottage, it was not his embrace that awaited her. Instead, she witnessed a

that she was not the sole victim of

claimed not to know her, showing no concern for her well-being, yet he had utilized the chip to save

cradling that woman in his arms, his gaze filled

did she realize that the

And those women possessed a sensuality and

stood before him,

barely bring herself to say

her accommodation, only entering her room late at night. The first words he uttered upon seeing her were, “Cecilia, let us put an end to

still filled with

Why?

quietly observed her for a prolonged moment

had welled up

did not try to make him

voice filled with sorrow, as she softly uttered, “Alright. Farewell, Uncle

time she referred to him as Uncle Mark, as well as the last time

couldn’t bear

held affection for him, but she evaded his grasp

there, stunned, his gaze fixed upon her

door closed, she

bathroom counter, a used pregnancy test stick lay, two lines distinctly

arrival, she had contemplated informing him

declared that they were ill-suited

heart still lingered as she

sofa in the living room, two cups

eyes, Rena gently smiled

a sob

Rena, her countenance bearing the weight

for Mark all along, but he had merely toyed

was that she still harbored affection for this man, and she could not forgive herself or him exactly

allowed Cecilia to lean against

permeated the air as

Cecilia, let alone to Rena… In any

whispered, “Take good care of her. I will return

He prepared to depart…

considered starting a

in

he had pondered the

with Cecilia, he had entertained the idea, for it had been

did it

could not voice those

Softly, Mark responded, “No.”

Grandma is

Mark turned around.

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