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

the drive way, a white Bentley glided to

emerged from the car’s backseat, wearing a smile. “Rena, Lexi mentioned that you

suddenly froze, her gaze

Likewise, Mark stood motionless.

gaze grew intense, and he momentarily

in ways he

Cecilia, his eyes filled with a mixture of

overtaken Cecilia,

while exuding an air of maturity and charm through her tasteful

signified her transition from a

a profound realization that his longing for her

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

however, seemed to be

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

exchanged greetings, acknowledging

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

affectionate gesture, Rena reciprocated the kiss and reassured Alexis, “I’ll be there to pick you up in the afternoon, my

detached herself from Rena’s embrace, firmly clutching the maid’s hand, and obediently

and declared, “I shall prepare some fragrant tea

grasped her arm and appealed,

offered a gentle smile and responded, “You two carry on with

his voice barely above a whisper as

her head, Cecilia silently complied, entering the

as soon as she crossed the threshold, he firmly grasped her wrist, compelling her

door closed, enclosing them in

Mark, who positioned his arm above her head. The faint scent of tobacco emanating from him momentarily distracted her, causing

both parties lost in their own

her voice

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

abruptly met

to cascade down her cheeks with

dared

presence. The aftermath of their breakup had inflicted immense

bore

eyes shifted briefly towards the door before returning to lock onto her face.

“What concern is it of you, Mr. Evans? If I had chosen not to return surely I must have been occupied elsewhere…

Occupied…

revealed an

hand reached out, tenderly grazing her face, evoking a

her teeth chattered

Have you found someone else?” he

pallor swept across Cecilia’s

she clenched her teeth and replied, her words

instant, Mark’s

his grip on

you please release me now? Mr. Evans, you are a man

Cecilia… Once upon a time, you used to call

naivety, I failed to understand things

her hand on his chest, exerting gentle pressure as she pleaded, “Rena will be here soon. Release me, I implore you. Let us maintain a

relinquished his

on the doorknob, she clenched her teeth, summoning her strength to open the door. Behind her, in a raspy voice, he murmured, “Cecilia, are you truly forsaking me? We can resurrect our former bond. You may refer

had always owed

he would offer his blessings. But before that, he wanted to look after

prepared to

head ever so slightly, her restraint palpable, before finally

the

Czanch, intending to surprise him, only

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

the chip

Fear had gripped her.

had believed he would spare no

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

then she had finally

she would still hold a place in his heart. But as she emerged from the dilapidated cottage, it was not

then dawned upon her that she was not

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

woman in his arms, his

then did she realize that the woman was… one of his

Mark. And those women possessed

him,

could 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

her gaze, still

Why?

observed her for a prolonged moment before

had welled up in

not try

with sorrow, as she softly uttered,

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

couldn’t bear it

him, but she evaded his grasp and uttered in a restrained tone, “Tomorrow morning… I’ll

his gaze fixed upon

as the door

bathroom counter, a used pregnancy test stick lay, two

she had contemplated informing him

that they were ill-suited for

still lingered as she

gracefully upon the sofa in the living room, two cups of

smiled and asked, “Have you

sob and cried

Rena, her countenance bearing the

harbored an ardent love for Mark all

man, and she could not forgive herself

allowed Cecilia to lean

atmosphere permeated the air as

Cecilia, let alone to Rena… In

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

He prepared to depart…

the last time I asked if you had considered starting a

halted in

he had pondered the prospect of

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

what did it matter

not

Softly, Mark responded, “No.”

the way… Grandma is here. She is en route to

Mark turned around.

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