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 the

drive way, a white Bentley glided

smile. “Rena, Lexi mentioned that you weren’t feeling

suddenly froze, her gaze

Likewise, Mark stood motionless.

anticipated seeing her here. His gaze grew intense, and

transformed in ways he never

filled with a mixture of

had overtaken Cecilia, altering her

had now acquired a slender figure while exuding an

had undergone signified her transition from a girl into

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

visage as he softly uttered, “It has been a while,

to be more overwhelmed than

to find her voice, she managed to summon her strength and responded, “Mr. Evans, indeed, it has been quite

greetings,

Alexis, her daughter, and requested the assistance of the trustworthy driver and maid to escort

Alexis, “I’ll be there to pick you up in the afternoon, my

clutching the maid’s hand,

and declared, “I shall prepare

somewhat dependent on Rena, grasped her arm

offered a gentle smile and responded, “You

voice barely above a whisper as he suggested, “Shall

Cecilia silently

firmly grasped her wrist, compelling her

them in

her back against its surface, Cecilia found herself cornered by Mark, who positioned his arm above her head. The

prolonged silence ensued, both parties lost in their own

like an eternity, Cecilia, her voice quivering, finally broke

his voice as he responded, “I waited for you throughout

met

tears, poised to

she dared not

shed tears in his presence. The aftermath of their breakup had inflicted immense suffering upon her and crying in front of

too, bore

to lock onto her face. Softly, he

Evans? If I had chosen not to return surely I must have

Occupied…

eyes revealed an

tenderly grazing her face, evoking

her teeth

found someone else?” he queried in a

swept across

teeth and replied, her words tinged

instant, Mark’s eyes

his grip on

Evans, you are a man of charm and I’m certain there is no shortage

Cecilia… Once upon a time, you used to call me

my youthful naivety, I

pressure as she pleaded, “Rena will be here soon. Release me, I implore you. Let us maintain a modicum

his

to open the door. Behind her, in a raspy voice, he murmured, “Cecilia, are you truly

always

she found her true love, he would offer his blessings. But before

would be prepared to grant

before finally uttering

the events of

Czanch, intending to surprise him, only to be ensnared by

hours, she endured thirst and denied even the simplest bodily needs. Bound

kidnappers had demanded the chip in

Fear had gripped her.

would spare no effort to rescue

the phone, he’d merely uttered,

then she had

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

upon her that she was

for her well-being,

woman in his arms, his gaze filled

she realize that the woman was…

numerous women worshipped Mark. And those women possessed a sensuality and

before him, her

barely bring

words

her gaze, still

Why?

on the sofa, he had quietly observed her for a

up in her

not try to make him

sorrow, as she softly uttered, “Alright. Farewell,

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

couldn’t bear

girl who held affection for him, but she evaded his

his gaze fixed upon her

as the door closed, she

a used pregnancy test stick

she had contemplated informing him of

he had declared that they were ill-suited for

her heart still lingered as she recollected the

emerged, Rena sat gracefully upon the sofa in the living room, two

Rena gently smiled and asked,

a sob and cried out,

her countenance bearing the weight of

all along,

harbored affection for this man, and she could not

to lean against

the air as

could not explain to Cecilia, let alone to Rena… In any case, he had failed

care of her. I will return to

He prepared to depart…

if you had considered starting a family. Now… I wish to pose the question

in

truth, he had pondered the

Cecilia, he had entertained the idea,

what did

not

Softly, Mark responded, “No.”

the way… Grandma is here.

Mark turned around.

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