Peter couldn’t help but worry. “Will Cathy…”

“She wouldn’t dare.”

Mark’s actions had nearly pushed Cathy to the breaking point. As long as she wasn’t utterly reckless, she wouldn’t dare utter a word.

Peter nodded, waiting in quiet vigilance.

At nine o’clock in the evening, the phone rang again. It was the same voice. “Mr. Evans, your former flame, Cathy Wilson, is in our custody… Huh, you seem to be quite fortunate in love.

The women around you are all remarkably beautiful.”

Mark responded with a composed tone, “Don’t harm her.”

The man chuckled and brushed against Cathy, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he remarked, “If you wish to spare your first love from harm, you’ll have to pay a price.

Otherwise, who knows if she’ll meet the same fate as Paul’s wife.”

In a low voice, Mark inquired, “Where are you? How do we proceed with the exchange?”

After concluding the call, the man crudely fondled Cathy multiple times.

Casting a disdainful gaze at Cecilia, he jeered, “It seems that Mark favors this woman more.”

Cecilia stood stunned.

She couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that Mark had actually come here… for her.

Late at night, Mark arrived.

The driver parked the car outside, while the bodyguards and Peter remained in place. With the chip in hand, Mark entered the warehouse. The atmosphere choked him, the air thick with dust.

Mark scanned his surroundings.

His Cecilia was bound to a chair, tears welling in her eyes. She looked at him with unwavering trust.

Oh, naive girl.

Even at this moment, she still believed in him.

Mark’s heart ached in a way he had never experienced before. Yet, he didn’t focus on Cecilia; his concern was fixed on Cathy…

The strong man approached, brandishing a knife.

Six more individuals surrounded Mark, their eyes fierce like tigers.

Clad in black, Mark stood there, his presence both gentle and handsome, standing out amidst the hostile environment.

“Mr. Evans, what a romantic man you are!” the strong man mocked.

Gripping Cathy’s hair, he flung her forward, sneering. “Let’s get this over with.”

Mark held a chip in his hand.

‘Speaking softly, he said, “All the information about the project.”

The man was skeptical. Mark threw the chip to him and added, “You can inspect it first.”

Instinctively, the man caught it.

However, it wasn’t a chip at all; it was a small detonator. The moment he touched it, it exploded. Both the strong man and Cathy were blown back.

Everyone stood in shock.

Mark’s cruelty left them astounded.

Cathy lay in a pool of blood, her hand severely injured. She gazed at Mark with sorrow, unable to believe he would do this to her.

Without hesitation, he had risked her life for the sake of his beloved woman.

Almost instantly, the bodyguards rushed in, accompanied by some policemen.

Mark maintained a composed gaze on Cecilia.

And Cecilia reciprocated the look.

In her heart, she believed Mark would come over, embrace her, and untie the ropes that bound her. Yet, instead, he walked to Cathy, knelt down, and cradled her in his arms. With tenderness, he uttered, “Cathy, I’ll take you to the hospital immediately.”

Cathy was on the verge of losing consciousness due to the pain, but she clung to her last breath.

Her gaze locked onto the man before her and she murmured, “Mark, you are so merciless.”

Drawing near to Cathy’s ear, Mark whispered, “You shouldn’t have harmed her.”

Cathy closed her eyes ever so slightly.

Defeated in love by the innocent Cecilia and outmaneuvered by Mark, Cathy realized he had long embedded his people within the company, far surpassing Paul in strategy.

Resignation etched on her face, she asked, “Why didn’t you take the project at the beginning? Why giving it to Paul?”

Back then…

Mark’s eyes lowered, bitterness consuming him as he recalled how he had yearned to offer a haven to the young girl.

Yet his actions indirectly led to the demise of Paul and his wife.

One of Cathy’s hands lay broken, but it wasn’t enough. Mark had to personally witness the project’s success and personally integrate it into the aerospace industry… Only that would make Paul and his wife’s death meaningful.

Emerging from the warehouse, Mark carried Cathy in his arms.

Following behind, Cecilia’s tender voice called out, “Uncle Mark…”

Mark halted his stride, contemplating the next course of action.

After a while, he instructed Peter, “Locate a suitable hotel and get her settled in.”

Peter unfastened the rope on his own, ensuring Cecilia was unharmed. Witnessing her unscathed state, he felt a lump in his throat and comforted her, “Thank heavens you’re alright.”

However, Cecilia remained fixated on the spot where Mark had departed, utterly stunned.

retreating figure filled her with

him and said in hushed tones, “Miss Wilson’s right hand is disabled. She’ll have to train her left hand for

cigarette and

murmured, “She can

intimate partner. This way, anyone attempting to harm those he valued would have to go through her first. She would serve as a shield for him and those

could do

Peter remained silent.

inquiring with a bitter smile, “Why are you afraid? You always know me, don’t you? What’s the word

cruel man had his

about

robust and responsible bodyguards

hotel suite, Cecilia couldn’t hold back

during her breakup with Harold, she didn’t

believed that her infatuation with Harold constituted love. However, experiencing the bittersweet love with Mark made her realize how shallow her previous understanding

lost her appetite and

when she caught the scent of greasy food. Hastily, she rushed to the bathroom and threw up everything she had just eaten. This was unusual for her, as she

hand on her

month ago, where passion

Could she be pregnant?

her head and saw her extremely pale reflection

possibility of pregnancy, she decided she would have to buy a

know if she carried Mark’s child. If she

he want

vigilant bodyguard stationed at the door intercepted Cecilia, offering a polite warning, “Miss Fowler,

explained, “I’m feeling unwell. I need to

found themselves in

downstairs but assigned two guards to accompany

the pregnancy test kit and clandestinely tucked it into her pocket before hastening back to her

two crimson lines materialized

mix

She was pregnant.

was pregnant with Mark’s

faint footsteps. She

belly,

had passed since they last saw each other, she felt as

trembled, wanting to tell

But Mark spoke first.

his slender fingers gently tracing the armrest. It seemed like he struggled to find the right words before finally saying, “You’ve seen it, Cecilia. It’s dangerous

she wasn’t afraid of

for me if you stay? Can you bleed for me like Cathy? Cecilia, what I

“Do you

admire her,” Mark

the creases on his trousers, he calmly stated, “I disabled her right hand.

words, he was urging

lips continued to tremble as she failed to grasp his underlying

Cecilia, you are undeniably charming but you can only be an amusement for me, a distraction. I’m destined to lead neither an easy

in a harsh voice, he declared,

words,

She thought she understood.

for him to let go of what he already Possessed. He valued fame and power and she wasn’t the right

Cathy the right one

asking that question.

of greatness and he had made that clear to her. How

the dim light overwhelmed their last silhouettes,

him gently,

gaze fixed on her, she averted her eyes and quivered her lips, “Please go

slowly stood up, pausing as if he wanted to pat her head, but eventually thought better of it. It wasn’t until he held the doorknob that

their love that had

the failure of their

eventually find the right man, while someone like him deserved to be consumed by the power struggle. He considered

Mark departed.

door creaked open

carpet, her face buried in her hands

to Duefron, she didn’t dare to

Road and

only toss all the ingredients into

up from dreams where her ‘Uncle Mark’ had returned. In her dreams, he would gently carry her to bed and playfully scold her

were

never

woke up from a nightmare and found her belly

about the child kept her from going

her family know she was pregnant, let alone with Mark’s child. She hid wherever she could, with no credit

grew plainer by the

to support herself with low-paying

she began to haggle over the price of a cup of

caught glimpses of

contrast

memories together seemed more and more like vivid

leaving Cecilia, Mark had developed a bad habit. He often checked his phone but her messages were

family several times during holidays but his status prevented him

her whereabouts and was told

Zoey would serve late night snacks to Mark whenever he was home. He didn’t particularly enjoy it but he ate it all, as if he was

former self, the Mr.

felt a sense of incompleteness in his

enjoy spending time with Charlie and Flora

together, they

girl’s whims won’t last long. Perhaps she’s traveling the world

friends would

the end, their conversations about Cecilia would culminate with

only one to taste the

about to get married and

to

fiance, Flora walked and conversed with Mark casually. However, she sensed that he seemed

Flora was about to inquire but her attention was caught by a

figure was tall and looked like someone she

Mark and asked, “Mr. Evans,

long-lost

indicated by Flora, he spotted a woman whose back bore a resemblance to Cecilia. However, she was dressed plainly and appeared to be six months

that moment, the woman was carrying a substantial stack of

inquired of Peter, “Is the elevator

responded softly, “The elevator is for guests. The

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