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 glided to a

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

froze, her gaze

Likewise, Mark stood motionless.

gaze grew intense, and he momentarily lost his

in ways he never

filled

remarkable transformation had overtaken Cecilia, altering her

a stunning beauty, she had now acquired a slender figure while exuding an

metamorphosis she had undergone signified her

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

he softly uttered, “It has been a

to be more overwhelmed than

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

exchanged greetings,

driver and maid to escort Alexis to kindergarten. Alexis, displaying obedience, planted a kiss on Rena’s cheek and bid her farewell, saying,

reassured Alexis, “I’ll be there to pick you

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

her throat and declared,

on Rena, grasped her arm and appealed,

responded, “You two carry on with

barely above a

head, Cecilia silently complied, entering

crossed the threshold, he firmly grasped her wrist, compelling her into

enclosing them in

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

both parties lost in their own

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

his voice as he responded,

met

up with tears, poised to cascade

dared

not to shed tears in his presence. The aftermath of their breakup

bore

towards the door before returning to lock onto her face. Softly, he inquired,

smile graced Cecilia’s lips as she responded, “What concern is it of you, Mr. Evans? If I had chosen not to return surely I must have been occupied elsewhere… What right do you have to meddle in my

Occupied…

eyes revealed an enigmatic

her face, evoking a shudder throughout

her teeth chattered

you found someone else?” he queried in a

pallor swept

intently at him, she clenched her teeth and replied, her words

instant, Mark’s eyes

his grip on

you please release me now? Mr. Evans, you are a man of charm and I’m

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

my youthful naivety, I failed to

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 modicum of

relinquished his hold on

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

always

offer his blessings. But before that,

prepared to grant her every

raised her head ever so slightly, her restraint palpable, before finally uttering in

the events of

journey to Czanch, intending

in a darkened room for 36 agonizing hours, she endured thirst and denied even the simplest

kidnappers had demanded the chip in

Fear had gripped her.

had believed he would spare no

she had heard his calm voice over the phone, he’d merely uttered, “Sorry, I do not

then she had

she emerged from the dilapidated cottage, it

dawned upon her that she was not the sole victim of

for her well-being, yet he had utilized the chip to save another

beheld him cradling that woman in his

she realize that the woman was… one of his

women worshipped Mark. And those women

before him, her

could barely bring herself to

The first words he uttered upon seeing her were, “Cecilia,

her gaze, still filled

Why?

had quietly observed her for a prolonged moment before

welled up in her

try to make

voice filled with sorrow, as she softly uttered,

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

bear

innocent girl who held affection for him, but she

there, stunned, his gaze fixed upon her before

as the door closed,

bathroom counter, a used pregnancy test

had contemplated

that they were ill-suited

her heart still lingered as

Rena sat gracefully upon the sofa in the living room, two cups of fragrant tea

the tears welling up in Cecilia’s eyes, Rena gently smiled and asked, “Have you concluded your

sob

beside Rena, her countenance bearing the weight of

harbored an ardent love for Mark all along,

still harbored affection for this man,

allowed Cecilia to lean against her

atmosphere permeated the air as

matters he could not explain to Cecilia, let alone to Rena… In

whispered, “Take good care of her. I

He prepared to depart…

last time I asked if you had considered starting a family.

halted in his

pondered the prospect

he had spent with Cecilia, he had entertained

what did it

not voice

Softly, Mark responded, “No.”

Grandma is here. She is en route

Mark turned around.

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