This room was essentially soundproof. Mark closed the door behind them before he placed Cecilia on the soft bed.

It was then that Cecilia finally exploded.

“Mark! What do you want? Do you still want to sleep with me?”

Mark quietly stared at her with an unfathomable gaze as he watched Cecilia’s chest heave with rage.

After a while, he decided to turn up the temperature inside the room.

While waiting for the room to warm up, the two of them shared a suffocating silence.

After all these years, this might be the first real argument between the two of them.

In the past, whatever quarrel they had was resolved by Mark’s unilateral suppression of the issue.

This time was different. Standing in front of the heater, Mark contemplated how he should phrase his next words. After a long time, he finally turned around and said to her, “I did let Cathy stay in Czanch. But, Cecilia, I’ll quit. I have already prepared my resignation.”

Cecilia knew that if they weren’t able to talk this through tonight, he would never let her go.

She pulled the quilt closer to her and crumpled its corners.

“So, will you stop seeing her and keep your distance from her in the future? Can you leave that child alone? If you say yes to these questions, then I will forgive you here and now. Then, our wedding will be held as scheduled.”

Mark gnashed his teeth and looked away.

He still had lingering feelings of guilt toward what had happened to Paul. On top of that, Paul’s child was completely innocent.

He took a deep breath and finally faced Cecilia.

“I won’t meet them unless it’s necessary.”

As soon as he said that, the disappointment became quickly evident on Cecilia’s face.

Mark had always been handsome even though he was tired. Many women yearned for him, but they were all unsuccessful.

Before, he said that he only wanted her and her alone, and back then, she believed him.

ALL she wanted from him was a relationship where both of them were equals.

However, after years of suffering and anticipation, she couldn’t even get a promise out of him.

Tears began to well up in her eyes.

After taking a deep breath, Cecilia looked Mark straight in the eye and emphasized each word, saying, “Mark, that’s Cathy! She was the mother of that little girl you once held in your arms and your past lover, someone whom you’ve had sex with! Well, what did you do? You should take care of her child! Are you kidding me? What? You want me to bear with it? Can’t I just marry someone else? Why do I have to keep humiliating myself Like this?”

Not to mention that Cathy almost killed her at that time.

Yet, over the years, her love for Mark had never wavered, not even once.

But at this moment, after repeated disappointments, she was starting to lose affection.

She began to harbor the idea of leaving him.

Right now, she was doubting whether his love for her was actually as deep as she had initially thought. Because if that were the case, then how come he would treat her like this? He was such a ruthless man! He knew how much she cared about their relationship.

Seeing the pained look on her face, Mark stepped forward and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, wanting to give a comforting pat.

But then, Cecilia slapped his hand away, shouting, “Don’t touch me!”

Her voice sounded harsh and venomous.

Mark swallowed hard. He tried leaning forward to kiss her lips, but Cecilia turned her face away.

With a tone as cold as ice, she told him, “Mark, is that how you see me? A dispensable woman? A sex partner? You indulge me whenever you’re in a good mood, but you push me away whenever you don’t need me.”

As Mark heard these words come out of Cecilia’s mouth, his countenance darkened.

Gazing at Cecilia’s troubled expression, Mark battled with his rising frustration.

“Do you view me that way? Am I just someone who wants intimacy from you in your eyes?”

“Didn’t you assume that?” Cecilia shouted in her heart.

She felt a wave of discomfort, her throat ached. She looked away in a sulk.

“I’m heading back to my room.”

Cecilia shifted a bit, and Mark’s hand instantly rested on her shoulder.

Mark’s gaze grew intense. He muttered in a hoarse tone, “Rest here.

I’m going to check on Edwin.”

Cecilia felt extremely downhearted.

Edwin arrived with a big smile, but his joy turned to disappointment when he spotted Mark holding another child. Edwin was taken aback and didn’t dare to inquire while she struggled to find the right words to clarify the situation.

Mark was away for around thirty minutes before he returned.

Cecilia was lost in thought, perched on the edge of the bed.

Mark observed her quietly for some time, then positioned himself near the heater without uttering a word.

The room was filled with an eerie silence.

This bedroom held their most cherished sweet memories.

When Cecilia’s eyes were getting teary, Mark’s phone chimed. He gazed at the phone and eventually picked it up. His tone was very gentle and loving.

“Laura?”

It was that lovely girl whose parents were Cathy and Paul. Mark and Laura had a brief conversation over the phone.

Then, Cathy grabbed the phone and whispered, “Laura’s running a fever.

Mark, could you help find a reputable doctor for her?”

Mark’s brow creased. Why would Laura suddenly become feverish?

Cathy spoke gently.

“Could you come over for a bit? Laura likes you deeply and wishes for your company.”

Without hesitation, Mark responded, “I’ll arrange for a doctor to see her.”

Mark then made a call to a doctor.

All this time, Cecilia observed with a detached gaze.

Once Mark finished the call, she questioned him calmly, “Mark, do you plan to look after them forever? It’s not your duty, and that child is not yours.”

Approaching her, Mark’s hand brushed Cecilia’s hair tenderly.

voice, saying, “However, that child belongs to

to my self-centered desires

Cecilia’s eyes grew wide.

you shouldn’t let personal

Cecilia

conscience? Paul, the child, or Cathy? Are you merely using that child as an excuse to let Cathy stay in Czanch, and what’s

words left Mark

never considered such a

“Fine. I believe you.”

from now on? Mark, I’m not as remarkable as Rena, who can wait for

want to wait. If you can’t manage it, then

deeply

given

he couldn’t meet this request, she would let

formed into tight

usually kind expression turned stormy, yet he kept his anger

give me some time to sort

about to respond when his phone interrupted with

in annoyance, but he

voice came through, explaining that Laura was struck with severe pneumonia, her temperature soaring to

unbuttoned his shirt and spoke in a

“I’ll be right there.”

to Cecilia, “I’ll head there to check

with a serene

belongs to Cathy. Doesn’t that child have

heart wasn’t vast enough for

would only bring her

quiet moment, Mark admitted, “I owe

shirt and assured Cecilia to rest, promising to take her and Edwin back to Duefron tomorrow

away from

departed. Soon after, the sound

Cecilia’s face.

She wouldn’t permit herself to weep for

Restlessness kept her awake.

dressed in

of early spring crept into the night, carrying with it

window, peering at the glow

in that spot for quite

anything. Her mind was blank. Later, she made her

flower-shaped frame adorned the

picture displayed Edwin, Mark,

hand on Mark’s shoulder, both beaming with

a burning sensation in

quickly flipped the frame face down, unable to

her at work with appointments she had pleaded to delay until then, and she

during the late hours of the

Laura was undergoing surgery.

anxious, lingered outside the operating room. Upon seeing Mark, she uttered with uncertainty,

no attention to

a medical supervisor approached Mark to brief him on the

explained that the child had developed severe pneumonia due to a cold and advised the parents to be

met Cathy’s only after he had completed his conversation with the medical

the care of Paul’s parents. That way, you

gaze held Mark

new family?” Lifting her injured hand,

woman with a broken

inevitability of

constant presence was

the wall, he lit a cigarette, his voice

It’s not about your broken hand. It’s about

held a

believed she and Mark were a great fit, but he didn’t share

she had Laura, and

with Mark and instead waited silently, resembling worried parents. The doctor mistook Cathy for Mark’s wife

over her carefully in the future. We can’t allow

gratitude to the

Laura straight to the VIP ward. Mark was about to

see how others believe

gaze was

the memory of

hadn’t let that

of Cecilia, Mark intentionally harmed Cathy’s

this child, Mark would

his way

was two years older than Edwin, bearing a

stirred awake at the crack of

soft as a kitten’s purr, she

he assured her, “You’re safe. Laura, you’ll feel

Her countenance remained tranquil and

conversation with the doctor, his phone

it was Zoey calling

got home, so he

discovered that she had drifted off to sleep, and all her vital signs were

to

at the doorway, lost in

“The Thomas family is wealthy. It might be beneficial for Laura to live with Paul’s parents. Take some time to

into a slight smile. She knew he

and Cathy were not acquaintances. Without uttering a

his arrival, Cecilia and Edwin were nowhere to be

your son has developed appendicitis

left

Cecilia’s phone number. Once she answered, he inquired with a

burst into tears and engage in a heated argument with

in a composed manner, shared the location and then abruptly

didn’t utter

frustration engulfing him. At that moment, he was at a loss for words, unsure

alter the fact that she was left alone

made his way

the hospital ahead of him. Drenched in sweat,

“At last, you’re here.”

complexion was ghostly as he paced toward

*

lingered in the

bowed her head,

stood to one side,

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