Ch. 161..170

Chapter 161 Everyone Has the Right to Know the Truth

With just one sentence, Vivian was instantly stung into silence.

Her silence satisfied Julia.

"Why aren't you saying anything, Vivian? Tell me, what do you think will happen if I tell Adrian about this?" "Julia!"

Vivian became excited instantly, and I could even hear her footsteps hurrying away. She tried to calm Julia down and said, "If there's anything, we can discuss it. Please don't be impulsive, okay?" Upon hearing this, Julia smiled with satisfaction. She had indeed made the right bet.

"I'm not being impulsive, Vivian. I just want Adrian to know the truth. Everyone has the right to know the truth, don't you agree?"

"Julia..." Vivian's pace slowed, her tone filled with pain. "Are you blaming me for recent events? I'm sorry for not contacting you. It's not intentional. My father ordered me to cut ties with you, or else he would confiscate all my pocket money." "So, you really stopped being in contact with me? Do you remember what you promised me before? You said that when you became Mrs. Blackwood, you would repay me. Is this how you repay me?"

"I'm sorry, I wanted to repay you, but..."

"Alright then, if you want to repay me now, I want two million. Transfer it to me now."

"What? Two million?"

"What's wrong? Do you think it's too much?" Julia took two steps forward and stared at the Blackwood family's gate. "Since the Morrison family got on board with the Blackwood family, two million is just a small sum for you, right?" "Julia, please calm down and listen to me. This matter..."

But Julia was too agitated and didn't want to listen to her babbling.

"I want two million, and if you don't transfer it within five minutes, I'll go inside the Blackwood family and expose Eva's secret."

After saying that, Julia hung up Vivian's call directly.

Standing at the villa's gate, she felt a sense of relief when she recalled how scared and nervous Vivian had looked just now.

She thought she would have to come and beg Eva for mercy, but things took a sudden turn.

Vivian had indeed handed her a very good leverage.

If possible, she could fully utilize it to control Vivian in the future.

In the past, she had always flattered Vivian, but even with all the flattery, she didn't gain much from her.

A few minutes later, a huge sum of money was transferred into her account.

Julia glanced at it and found that Vivian had transferred one million.

She wrinkled her brows at the reduced amount.

Before she could find Vivian, Vivian's call came in.

After answering the call, Julia immediately took the lead.

"Why is there only one million?"

"Julia, I'm sorry, but I only have one million on me right now. Can I give you the rest later after I get it from home?"

If the reason is that he doesn't have enough cash on hand, Julia thought she could accept it.

Among these socialites, there was actually very little cash that she could control.

If it's for this reason, Julia could accept it.

With one million, the crisis at home should be temporarily alleviated.

As for the rest of the money...

As long as Adrian doesn't find out about Eva's pregnancy, she can keep this leverage, right?

Sensing that Julia seemed calmer after taking the money, Vivian softly spoke to her, "Julia, are you currently at the Blackwood family's entrance? I'll come find you there, alright?" "Sure."

Julia readily agreed, "I haven't seen you in a long time, I've missed you."

Vivian replied, "...Then wait for me there, I'll be there in a moment."

Julia found a shady spot and sat down to wait.

In no time, Vivian's car arrived. After the car door opened, Vivian quickly ran up to Julia, showing a cautious smile.

Then she glanced at the Blackwood family's gate not far behind Julia and cautiously asked, "You didn't go in, did you?"

Julia looked at Vivian in front of her and compared her to the refined and well-dressed Vivian. In these few days, she felt like a destitute in comparison.

The thought of herself becoming like this because of Vivian, yet Vivian still had to come see her only after listening to her threats, increased Julia's resentment.

"What's wrong? Miss Morrison afraid that I went in?"

Vivian's expression changed, but she forced a smile again.

"Julia, don't be mad at me anymore, I had no choice."

"Oh, you had no choice before, but now you can come out?"

Seeing Julia reveling in her misfortune, relentlessly stepping closer, Vivian wanted nothing more than to slap away this demeanor, but her leverage was in Julia's hands.

If she rushed in to find Adrian or blabbed something in front of the Blackwood family's gate, everything would be ruined.

So Vivian could only swallow these grievances and continue to squeeze out a smile.

"Can we talk in the car, please?"

However, Julia didn't move, standing still, staring at her.

Vivian swallowed her pride and reached out to hold Julia's hand. "I heard that your family has been having some trouble recently. Why don't we get in the car and talk about your family's situation? Maybe there's something I can help you with, alright?"

Thinking about her parents and younger brother at home, Julia reluctantly nodded.

"Fine then."

After bringing her into the car, Vivian glanced at the Blackwood family's gate and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

For the last few days, Adrian hadn't been hitting on her.

Something seemed to have gone terribly wrong between them.

And where this problem came from, Vivian knew too well.

His mood seems to be getting worse and worse, and the two of them are delaying their divorce, Vivian's heart even has more than a little other speculations.

Is it possible that Adrian actually..... likes Eva?

Just thinking about this possibility makes Vivian feel chilled.

Adrian didn't even know that the person who saved him in the beginning was actually Eva, but he could still like her, if he knew that the person who saved him was Eva, what would happen then?

Not to mention the fact that Eva is now pregnant.

It seems that Julia's side, she has to stabilize well, this matter must not be leaked out.

I don't know when the two of them will get divorced.

If Adrian's side couldn't get off the ground, she'd have to go back to Eva.

"What are you thinking?"

While out of her mind, Julia's voice brought her back to her senses.

"Vivian, are you thinking about how to get rid of me? Or are you trying to count me out? Let me tell you, I've been fully prepared about Eva's pregnancy for a long time, if you dare to lay a hand on me, then someone will immediately tell Adrian about her pregnancy."

 

Chapter 162 A Life-Saver

"You misunderstand." Vivian held her hand, in a manner that the two of them were good sisters, "How could I possibly be counting on you? Originally, after your accident, I wanted to go and help you, but Adrian kept ignoring me, so I was too

upset to empty my mind to think of anything else."

Hearing this, Julia heard the point.

"Adrian he ignored you?"

No way, how could Adrian ignore her? Wasn't she Adrian's savior?

There was no way Adrian would ignore Vivian even if he ignored anyone, right?

"Well, he basically doesn't pay much attention to me now, I'm worried if he doesn't want me anymore."

Julia, who was still very proud of herself and thought that she could use Eva's pregnancy to pin down Vivian, her face changed hard after hearing this news.

If Adrian really ignored Vivian, or there was no longer anything between him and Vivian.

Then the handle she thought she had, didn't seem to be of much use.

It was so hard for her to rely on this to easily pinch Vivian and get a million dollars.

How could this be?

"The two of them aren't divorced now?"

Vivian shook her head, "I'm not sure what's going on between them right now, I can't reach him."

"Won't you go to the Blackwood family and look for him?" Julia suddenly suggested, "Things are like this, if you don't go to Adrian, do you want to wait until Eva really takes it as the real Mrs. Blackwood before you regret?" Hearing this, Vivian was stunned.

"I ......"

She did want to go to Adrian, but she was more afraid that her actions would anger Adrian.Vivian had actually gone to the company to find Adrian, but he refused to meet her and was frequently absent from work. "He's frequently absent, so that means he still goes there, right? If I were you, I would definitely go and wait for him there," Julia suggested.

Vivian remained silent.

Julia sneered, "What are you thinking? You're the one who saved his life. He won't do anything to you."

Julia's words seemingly boosted Vivian's confidence.

And, most importantly, she had not seen Adrian for a long time.

After thinking for a moment, she gritted her teeth and said, "I understand now, Julia. I will go to the company right away. Thank you for reminding me." Julia then waved her phone at her.

"Don't mention it, just remember to transfer the remaining one million to my account, and also take care of my family's matters..."

This woman!

Vivian cursed Julia in her mind, but her face showed no hint of it.

As long as she could become Mrs. Blackwood in the future, these millions would be merely a small amount.

"Don't worry, Julia. I won't shortchange you the remaining one million."

Just one or two million, she thought. Once she fully captured Adrian's heart, she would personally send Julia to jail under the guise of blackmail. It's just a matter of time!

...

Eva returned to the rental house, and Emily greeted her.

"Why did you come back so soon?"

After saying that, Emily noticed the bag in Eva's hand and widened her eyes, "Is this all you packed? Just these few things?"

Eva smiled lightly, "Just these."

"What about your other stuff? Clothes and the bags you bought over the years, are you leaving them behind too?"

"What use are worldly possessions? Anyway, I'm leaving, and many of those things aren't even mine."

Many of them were gifts from Adrian during their time together.

Adrian truly enjoyed buying things for her, especially delicate little trinkets and objects.

He would bring back something when he went on business trips and buy something for her when he traveled abroad or saw something nice at an auction. Later, they even set up a space in the house specifically for Eva to display the things Adrian gave her.

After a while, it became full.

This time, when she left, she didn't take anything, not even the engagement ring in the bedroom.

During the Hansen family's bankruptcy, she didn't have any money at all, and everything she had was provided by Adrian.

Since she was leaving, it only made sense not to take anything.

"You shouldn't say that. Even if they are worldly possessions, they still cost money," Emily expressed her concerns.

Hearing that, Eva suddenly realized and cheerfully said, "You're right. If I had known, I should have brought more valuable things with me. At least I could exchange them for money later." Upon hearing this, Emily immediately changed her mind.

"Forget it, forget it. Since you're leaving, it's better to start anew."

"I understand that throwing away old things and starting a new life is normal. I'm just a little sad that you still have the mood to joke with me." Eva shrugged, "You said it's a new beginning, so why wouldn't I have the mood to joke?" "That's true, but after all..." Emily couldn't help but remember how Eva cried like a dog yesterday.

She softened her voice and said, "We're sisters, you don't have to pretend to be strong in front of me. If you want to cry, just cry."

Hearing this, Eva's smile faded a little. "Emily, I'm not as fragile as you think. Yesterday's sadness is already in the past. We need to move forward. Time keeps moving, the world keeps turning, and life goes on. Besides, I have a baby to take care of in the future. I don't have that much time to be sad, do I?"

Emily wanted to ask more, but seeing how strong her sister had become, she didn't want to reopen any wounds.

Even if it meant pretending to be optimistic, she could maintain it for a while. Eventually, she would genuinely become happy, wouldn't she?

Thinking this, Emily also smiled, "Well, you're absolutely right, philosopher. I should learn from you in the future." The two embraced while laughing.

After entering the room, Eva transferred her belongings into her bag. Emily watched her and asked, "Should we live together from now on?"

Before Eva could answer, Emily continued, "If that's the case, I'll definitely find a bigger house. Although the neighbors here aren't noisy, it's an old area, and safety conditions aren't that great. When you went out this morning, I looked at a few houses in the new district. They seemed pretty good. So when the time comes..."

Eva stopped packing and looked at Emily.

"Emily."

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"I don't plan on renting a house." Hearing this, Emily was momentarily stunned.

Then she quickly said, as if realizing something, "Don't worry, I know you'll need money to raise a child, so you don't have to pay the rent. I was actually planning on saving some money and moving to a better place myself. Consider it me being a freeloader sister."

"That's not what I mean. I really want to live with you, but... I'll be leaving in a couple of days."

"Leaving?" Emily's eyelashes trembled.

"Where are you going?"

"Abroad."

Although she didn't know where she would settle, her father was abroad, so she had to go find him first.

"You forgot? I promised Vivian something back then."

 

 

Chapter 163 No Turning Back

Even though she didn't sign that agreement in the beginning.

She was also worried that signing it would lead to unnecessary trouble later on. As for the conditions she promised, since she made the promise, she would do her best to fulfill them.

Obviously, Emily on the other side didn't seem to want the same thing as her. "Just mentioning it makes me think she's shameless. To use something she did to help you as a way to ask you to leave the country. If every person who helps others demands repayment in such a shameless manner, then it's better not to help in the first place." Compared to her anger, Emily's expression turned into one of shock and concern. Eva became much calmer. She just smiled helplessly and said, "There's no way around it. I owe them, after all."

Emily wanted to curse, but Eva stopped her.

"Alright, you know you're standing up for me, but things have already turned out this way. Let's stay calm, okay?"

"Hmm." Emily could only nod in frustration.

But thinking about Eva leaving, she still felt sad. "If you go abroad in the future, we won't be able to see each other frequently, right?"

Eva thought for a moment. "With transportation being so convenient nowadays, it's not impossible to meet anytime, anywhere."

"That's true, but... I will still miss you a lot. Even if we can meet, it won't be as often as when you're in the country."

Seeing her looking at herself longingly, Eva couldn't help but reach out and rub her head, about to say something when the doorbell rang.

"Who could it be at this hour? Usually, no one comes to see me. Eva, wait here, I'll go check."

Emily went to open the door, and Eva started packing her things again.

While tidying up, she saw the bright red divorce certificate and fell into silence. She remained silent until she heard two pairs of footsteps outside, accompanied by conversation. "Yeah, I didn't expect you to remember the address after just one visit."

Hearing the noise, Eva quickly put away the divorce certificate and placed it in the inner compartment of her bag. Then she looked up and saw Emily running back in. "Eva, Mr. Cooper is here."

Approaching the room's doorway, Michael politely stopped walking.

Michael? Eva put down what she was holding and stood up.

As soon as he saw her, Michael reached out and rubbed the back of her head, saying softly, "I thought I would see a crying little girl, but it seems you've really grown up."

Watching the interaction between the two, Emily pursed her lips slightly and said, "I'll go buy something. You guys can talk. I'll be back later." After saying that, she left directly.

Eva knew that Emily intentionally made room for them to chat.

"What would you like to drink?" Eva originally wanted to get up and pour Michael something in the kitchen, but she was stopped by Michael.

"No need." Michael held onto her wrist and brought her back. "I came today mainly to ask you about your thoughts for the future."

Eva lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on their intertwined wrists.

Although she had known Michael for so many years, Eva still felt uncomfortable with this kind of physical contact, even though it was through their clothes.

Luckily, Michael was a person who had good boundaries. After stopping her, he withdrew his hand in a matter of seconds. His movements and demeanor were completely natural, as if his actions just now were unconscious. Eva pursed her lips and knew it wouldn't be right to continue having negative thoughts. She didn't go back to the kitchen to pour water, but sat across from him and said softly, "I don't have any thoughts."

"Is it that you don't have any thoughts or that you haven't made up your mind?" Michael tapped lightly on the table with his fingertip, his voice carrying a sense of curiosity.

With a smile, Eva said, "Plus, I need to take care of my child, can't have no plans."

Hearing her words, Eva lifted her gaze and met a pair of warm, smiling eyes behind glasses.

"Would you like to help me?" Michael proposed.

Without thinking, Eva shook her head.

"No."

"So quick to refuse? Afraid my conditions aren't good enough?"

"It's not that." Eva shook her head. "Aren't you planning to stay in the country for the long term? I'll probably leave in the next two days."

Upon hearing this, Michael's expression tightened.

"Where are you going?"

"Abroad," Eva replied calmly.

Michael's finger bones tightened slightly, then relaxed after a moment.

"Just as I suspected. I thought you would stay."

"You knew I was going abroad?"

"Your father is overseas. How could I not know?" Michael said, smiling. "Interestingly enough, I saw your uncle before I returned to the country."

This news was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for Eva.

"You met my father? Why didn't you tell me earlier? How is he doing now?"

Michael's fingertip paused, then he said, "Your uncle didn't want you to worry."

"What do you mean?" Eva's expression turned serious. "What happened to my dad? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing happened," Michael said softly. "Just a small problem at work. Your uncle is capable, and he will solve it quickly."

"Why doesn't he tell me on the phone then?" Eva's eyes turned red in an instant. "He always says everything is going well and never tells me anything. I'm his daughter, but he... he always..."

"Eva, don't think like that. It's precisely because your uncle loves you that he chose not to tell you. If... you're really worried about him, why not go abroad with me?"

Hearing this, Eva was taken aback.

"But didn't you plan to stay in the country for your development?"

"Yes." Michael nodded. "I did plan to stay in the country for my development, but after conducting some investigations recently, I realized that the domestic market has been almost fully divided. If I focus on the domestic market, I'm afraid it will be a loss."

Eva knew that market research was necessary before settling in. She hadn't stayed in The Blackwood Family in vain for so long.

"So, I plan to spend only part of my time in the country, with the main focus being abroad. My company happens to be near your uncle's company. Do you want to go see him? Perhaps, your sudden visit can give him a nice surprise." However, Eva stared at him.

"Why are you proposing this to me? Aren't you Adrian's friend? You..."

Before she could finish speaking, Michael tapped her forehead.

"What nonsense are you thinking? Adrian and I are friends, but we're not friends anymore because of you? What's the matter? Are you no longer willing to recognize me as your friend after divorcing him?"

"That's not it," Eva rubbed her forehead, feeling frustrated.

"Then stop complaining and pack your things. My flight is tonight."

"So soon?"

"Yes, there's a meeting tomorrow."

"Well, think about it thoroughly if you want to go with my plane," Michael said. Eva sat there in silence for about a minute before nodding. "Alright, I'll go with your plane." Upon hearing this, Michael's voice lowered slightly as he pursed his lips. "Once you go abroad, it'll be difficult to turn back."

 

 

Chapter 164 Don't Forget About Me

Eva's smile was faint, and the dim lighting in the room softened her facial features. Strands of hair fell over her beautiful eyes, obscuring her expression.

Only her gentle voice remained. "I don't have any other path to turn back to, and I have never thought about going back." The atmosphere suddenly became somber. Michael silently watched her for a while, then sighed and couldn't help but ruffle her head. "Alright, let's not dwell on sad matters. After all, they are in the past."

Eva echoed, "Yes, it's all in the past, and there's really nothing left to think about." Thinking too much won't change anything....

When Emily returned, she heard that Eva would be leaving with Michael that night. She froze in place, her eyes gradually turning red.

She forced back her tears and put on a brave smile. "The flight is tonight? So soon? Have you packed everything?"

"Yes, I've packed everything."

"Is there anything missing? Let me check for you." Emily turned and walked straight into the bedroom.

Eva followed behind, watching her rummage through things but finding nothing out of place. "There's nothing missing. You forgot, I only brought a small bag from the Blackwood family, not even any clothes."

It meant that even if something was missing, it wouldn't be at her house, so there was no need to pack. "Look at me, I'm the one who might have forgotten something. Then I'll make you some snacks. The journey to another country will be long, and now that you're pregnant, you will get hungry easily. I'll make a few of your favorite snacks for you to bring on the plane."

Eva pulled Emily back and said, "No need to fuss. We'll have airline meals at that time, and I'll just eat what they serve."

However, Emily insisted, "The food on the plane can't compare to what I make. Besides, I'll make some pastries that taste good even when cooled down. You never know when you'll get a chance to eat them again."

Hearing this, Eva felt that it made sense and said, "Alright then, I'll accompany you." After that, Emily made several types of pastries for her.

Emily was skilled in baking, and with Eva's sweet tooth during pregnancy, she couldn't help but sigh as she watched the delicate little pastries being packed into a box. "They are all my favorites. Emily, you really care about me."

Emily scornfully replied, "Of course, if it weren't for you going abroad, I wouldn't have made them for you to eat." Mentioning going abroad, both of them fell silent once again.

After a while, Emily choked up and asked, "After you go abroad, do you not plan on coming back?"

"You can wait for me indefinitely. I'll make sure to come back someday," Eva responded softly.

"Come and see me," Eva smiled and said, "Alternatively, after I settle down, you can come and develop your career abroad too. There are many handsome guys overseas. By then, you can find a foreigner and have a mixed-blood child. The child will surely be beautiful."

"Oh, really?" Emily daydreamed. "Then when the time comes, you have to be responsible for introducing them to me. Don't keep the good ones for yourself, prioritize me."

"You can have them all."

"I reluctantly agree."

The two of them chatted like this, sometimes with substance, sometimes without. In the evening, Michael came.

"The car is downstairs. Are you ready?"

Eva nodded. "I'm ready."

"What about your luggage? Let me help you carry it."

"No need, really. I have very little luggage. I can handle it myself."

Michael looked at her helplessly. "Eva, we've known each other for so many years, there's no need to be so polite with me."

"It's not about being polite to you, it's just..."

At first, Michael didn't believe it. But when Eva brought out her baggage, he finally understood that Eva was really not being polite to him. Because she only had a small bag.

Michael looked at her for a while, then finally reached out his hand. "Let me help you."

Eva was puzzled. "Do I really need the help? It's just a small amount of stuff."

However, Michael took the bag from her without saying anything more. Eva remained silent for a while before speaking.

Emily joined them in the car and they went to the airport together.

After arriving at the airport, Emily endured the whole day but eventually let her true feelings show. She hugged Eva tightly and burst into tears.

"Eva, I warn you. You must not forget me. If you dare to forget me, I will buy a plane ticket and come bother you."

Eva's eyes also turned slightly red as she hugged Emily.

"I won't forget anyone, especially not you."

"Then promise me, I am your best friend. Even if you go there, you can't have a better friend than me."

"Alright, I promise."

"And if you have handsome male friends, you can't keep them to yourself. You must introduce them to me." "Alright, I know."

"I will come to visit you when I have the chance."

"Yes, I will wait for you there."

Michael watched the two sisters interacting, and a warm smile formed on his lips. His assistant, who was watching nearby, glanced at the time and walked discreetly to Michael's side, reminding him in a low voice, "Mr. Cooper, time is running out."

Upon hearing this, Michael's smile cooled slightly, and he gave the person a cold, sharp look.

That person instantly felt a chill in his neck and took two steps back, no longer daring to speak. Mr. Cooper... No one could afford to provoke him.

After all, he was a madman.

However...

He looked towards Eva and couldn't help but purse his lips, his gaze becoming more probing.

None of them would have imagined that this madman, Michael, would go so far for a woman.

When Eva returned to her home country, she was still very gentle towards this woman. Eva and Emily hugged each other for a long time, but Emily eventually pushed her away, sniffled, and said, "Alright, we can't embrace each other anymore. The plane is about to take off, so you should leave quickly."

After speaking, Emily pushed her.

Eva wasn't expecting this and took a few steps back. Then, her waist tightened. It turned out to be Michael, who was standing beside her, quickly embracing her to prevent her from falling.

"Alright, I'm leaving. I won't watch you go in, or else I'm afraid I'll cry again."

After saying that, Emily turned her back, waved her hand casually, and left without looking back.

Eva stood there, unwillingly watching Emily's figure disappear.

It was until Michael's gentle voice came from above her head.

"Little girl, let's go."

Eva snapped back to reality and nodded gently.

"Okay."

As the plane ascended to its highest altitude, Eva sat by the window, looking down at the city that had already drifted away. Adrian's New York was dazzling, and the distant lights resembled flickering stars on the ground. The longing in Eva's eyes gradually faded away.

Goodbye, New York.

Goodbye, everything from the past.

Goodbye, Adrian.

 

Chapter 165 Cute Kids

Five years later.

On TikTok's livestream, in Little Sun's food cooking room.

"Welcome everyone to Little Sun's food livestream. Today, we're going to make two seafood dishes."

In the livestream, two exquisitely cute little kids dressed in cartoon outfits were in front of the camera, handling shrimp.

Ruby Hansen was carefully picking out the shrimp veins with a toothpick, but her small hand slipped, causing the shrimp to fall to the ground. "Ruby Hansen!"

Ruby Hansen got scared and quickly bent down to find the shrimp. After finding it, she looked at Dylan Hansen, who was slightly taller than her, with a face full of grievances. Her black eyes looked innocent as she said, "Brother, I'm sorry." Both of them were five-year-old kids. Ruby Hansen was naive and innocent, while Dylan Hansen had a maturity beyond his age.

Although he still had a childlike appearance, it was not difficult to see that he would definitely be charming to thousands of girls when he grew up.

"Brother." Ruby Hansen saw that Dylan Hansen was ignoring her, so she reached out her tender fingers and tugged at his clothes, acting spoiled. "Brother, forgive Ruby, okay? Even if Ruby only eats two shrimp for dinner, she'll give the rest to you!"

"You dare to bring that up? Who was it that ate a plate of shrimp by yourself a few days ago and ended up with a stomachache? Today, you're not allowed to eat shrimp anymore!" Dylan Hansen said with an expression that left no room for negotiation.

Upon hearing this, Ruby Hansen pouted her small mouth, but she didn't dare to have any objections. "Alright then, alright then. If Brother says I can't eat, then I won't eat."

After saying that, Ruby Hansen lowered her head and gently poked her own finger, looking pitiful.

laughter broke out among the audience in the live stream room as they witnessed the interaction between the two siblings.

In the chat, someone typed, "Dylan, give Ruby a break. She already suffered from a stomachache after eating shrimp last time."

Another message followed, "Silly Ruby, when will you understand your brother's good intentions? He does it for your own sake. Look at how pouty your mouth is. Come to Auntie's arms quickly."

The viewers in the live stream room were all fans of the adorable siblings. Whenever they went live, people would come to watch their interactions.

As the audience continued to comment, one message caught their attention.

"NightA has joined the live stream."

NightA was a wealthy individual known by the regular occupants of the little ones' live stream room. He was extremely generous, always showering them with valuable gifts each time he visited. Immediately upon entering the live stream, NightA started sending gifts to the two children. In a matter of moments, he had already spent a substantial amount of money.

Dylan stood in front of the phone screen, watching the gifts pouring in. With a serious expression on his small face, he said, "Uncle NightA, my mommy said you shouldn't send gifts anymore." This had been mentioned by his mother earlier, stating that their live stream was meant to share their daily lives, and there was no need for people to spend money on gifts.

But this person named NightA insisted on sending numerous gifts every time he visited, no matter how they tried to dissuade him. Dylan felt a bit down.

On the other hand, Ruby's face lit up with a smile when she saw the gifts. She clumsily made a heart gesture towards the camera and exclaimed in a soft, childish voice, "Thank you, Uncle NightA! Uncle NightA is so cool!"

In the U country, in the capital city, in a quiet and spacious study, a man sat at his desk. His gaze was dark and intense, his thin lips and dark hair added to the coldness that emanated from him.

However, the live stream of the two adorable children played on his phone screen, creating a sharp contrast.

After sending the gifts, the little boy in the video furrowed his brows seriously and said, "Uncle NightA, my mommy said you shouldn't send gifts anymore." Meanwhile, the little girl beside him cleverly blinked and blew a kiss towards the camera, even making a heart gesture.

"Thank you, Uncle NightA! Uncle NightA is so cool!" The little girl's voice was soft and sweet, and even her movements seemed a bit clumsy. But for some reason, it effortlessly touched the soft spot in his heart.

In an instant, the man's lips, previously as cold as ice, curved slightly, as if the ice had started to thaw. Comparing the two children, he found himself favoring the little girl.

Unlike her brother, she didn't sternly advise against sending gifts but expressed her gratitude with a heart gesture every time. If he had a daughter...

Lost in thought, Jacob's office door was knocked.

His assistant entered and reminded him, "Mr. Blackwood, the meeting is about to start. We need to leave." Jacob's gaze lingered at the corner of Adrian's lips for a moment before he finally stood up.

At the moment when his smile was about to fade, he suddenly realized the familiar babyish voice coming from his phone.

Their Mr. Blackwood was watching the live stream of those two adorable kids again.

The situation was somewhat mysterious.

A year ago, he accompanied Mr. Blackwood to the U.S. for a meeting. After the meeting, Mr. Blackwood went to a jewelry store to buy a gift for his own mother. During this shopping trip, he encountered two elderly ladies, but these two ladies were quite special.

Surprisingly, they were watching a live stream of cute kids while selecting jewelry.

Jacob could understand if the old ladies were doing something peculiar, but what he didn't understand was why Mr. Blackwood stopped in his tracks upon hearing the kids' conversation. He stood beside the two old ladies, listening and observing for a long time.

In the end, he even approached them for advice, asking how to interpret something.

This change shocked Jacob.

After that, watching the live stream of these two adorable kids became a regular occurrence for Adrian.

Whenever the little darlings went live, Adrian would stop whatever he was doing and go to give them support.

If he was in a meeting, he would enter the live stream, show his support, and then watch the replay later.

At first, Jacob thought that Mr. Blackwood just found these two kids cute and interesting, which is why he behaved like this. He believed that the interest would fade after some time. However, he never expected that this behavior would continue for more than a year.

Mr. Blackwood had not gotten bored of it yet.

According to his cousin Brent, who used to be Mr. Blackwood's assistant, Mr. Blackwood had been divorced before, and he was the one who drove his wife away. Jacob couldn't help but wonder.

Could Mr. Blackwood's current fondness for watching kids' live streams be related to his ex-wife?

Could it be that something unspeakable happened between him and his ex-wife, which led to Mr. Blackwood only being able to watch other people's children on live streams now?

But all of these were purely speculative thoughts in his mind. He dared not mention them openly.

Lost in his thoughts, Jacob suddenly heard the sound of the kids cheering from Mr. Blackwood's phone. "Mommy's back!"

"Mommy!"

Originally, Adrian was planning to close the live stream and leave for the meeting. But upon hearing the two little ones' words, he froze in his actions and sat back down in his seat. On the relatively small screen of his phone, he could vaguely see a blurry figure entering through the door.

Although the woman's figure was indistinct, the moment Adrian caught sight of her, his heart skipped a beat.

 

 

Chapter 166 An Astonishing Resolve

The corner of the screen only captured a blurred image of the woman, probably only for a few seconds, before her slender figure disappeared. Accompanying that was the sound of the two little cuties running towards the woman.

"Mummy."

"Mummy, you're back. You had a long day, Mummy."

The two little darlings asked the woman with care and concern, but they were too far away to hear her voice clearly.

Before long, the two little darlings returned to the screen. "Uncle, aunt, brothers, and sisters, our mommy is back. We'll end the live stream here for today,"

Dylan Hansen explained to the screen after returning. His twin sister started making heart gestures towards the screen again. Though the people in the live chat felt a bit disappointed, as the two little darlings only streamed once or twice a week, they still said goodbye to them.

The screen went black, indicating that the host had ended the stream. Adrian stared at his phone for a moment, feeling blank.

Jacob's voice came through again. "Mr. Blackwood, we don't have much time left if we don't leave now." The next second, Adrian turned off his phone and silently walked outside.

Jacob and the newly hired assistant, who recently joined due to the company's workload, were standing by the door. Since there was more than one assistant needed, they both greeted Adrian immediately. "Mr. Blackwood."

"Hello, Mr. Blackwood."

Adrian nodded expressionlessly, his face devoid of emotion, and walked past them. The other two followed closely behind. Adrian took large strides, while the other two stayed not far behind.

The newly hired assistant, a recent graduate, was learning from Jacob and became curious when she noticed the two of them falling slightly behind.

She asked with curiosity, "Jacob, was Mr. Blackwood watching that cute darling's livestream again just now?"

Jacob nodded and whispered, "Yes, I could hear the voices from outside the door earlier."

"I secretly watched it last time too, Jacob. Have you seen those adorable darlings?"

Jacob nodded. "I've seen them."

"Really?" The intern felt a sense of camaraderie and approached Jacob, speaking in a low voice.

"Jacob, have you ever noticed that those two children resemble Mr. Blackwood?"

Jacob's expression changed drastically, and he immediately warned in a low voice, "Don't spread nonsense."

"Huh?" The intern was frightened by his serious expression.

"If Mr. Blackwood hears you say that, he will definitely be furious."

Perplexed, the intern asked, "But why? Doesn't Mr. Blackwood really like those two children?"

Jacob glanced at the slender figure in front of them and explained, "You just joined the company, so you don't know. There was a woman who came with a child claiming that she had Mr. Blackwood's baby. After examining the child, the staff realized that the child looked a lot like Mr. Blackwood."

"Blackwood looked very similar, but upon further investigation, it was discovered that the woman, in order to deceive Mr. Blackwood, actually took the child she gave birth to for plastic surgery. The child still hasn't fully recovered in some places, it's truly pitiful."

The intern remained silent.

Taking a child for plastic surgery?

Has the world gone mad? To resort to such extreme measures to achieve one's goals?

"Doesn't she know there's something called DNA in this world?"

"Criminals committing crimes also don't know if they'll eventually get caught, they all hold on to the hope of luck. Anyway, never say these words in front of Mr. Blackwood again." The intern felt a bit frustrated.

She wanted to say that the two children on the livestream didn't look like they underwent plastic surgery. Even the most refined individuals who had undergone plastic surgery would lose their natural aura, but these two children were so sharp-witted...

However, even if they looked similar, Mr. Blackwood couldn't possibly have two children of that age. After all, how could it be possible for a woman to give birth to Mr. Blackwood's child and not bring them to meet him? Just thinking about it felt absurd.

So she decided to ask about something else.

"But has Mr. Blackwood never suspected that those similar children might not be a result of plastic surgery, but actually his biological children?"

Upon hearing this, Jacob let out a scornful laugh.

"What do you think Mr. Blackwood is? Even if he's heavily intoxicated, he wouldn't lay a finger on an unfamiliar woman. That kind of self-control is not something just anyone can do."

Thinking of something, Jacob added another sentence.

"Forget about strangers, even Miss Morrison, who has been with Mr. Blackwood all these years, called a confidante, and even someone who saved Mr. Blackwood's life, he wouldn't touch her even if he's drunk." Having been Mr. Blackwood's assistant for so many years, Jacob had personally witnessed his self-control.

After witnessing it, the only way to describe it was astonishing self-control.

The intern widened her eyes in surprise. "Not even Miss Morrison? That's truly astonishing self-control!"

She had seen Vivian, that woman was gentle, beautiful, and generous. In the intern's opinion, Vivian completely met the standards of a man's ideal partner, the unforgettable kind of ethereal beauty. Yet Mr. Blackwood could resist even her.

Thinking of this, the intern remembered a gossip that had been circulating in the industry and asked hesitantly, "Jacob, I heard that Mr. Blackwood has an ex-wife? How is his self-control when it comes to his ex-wife?" Upon hearing this, Jacob's face revealed a hint of regret.

"I don't know about that. When I took over for my cousin in this job, Mr. Blackwood was already divorced. But from what I've observed, it seems that his self-control is quite strong."

Wood has already divorced. But I guess Mr. Blackwood feels the same way about her, after all, they've been married for such a long time without getting pregnant."

"Oh, I see." The intern rubbed her chin, gossiping in her mind.

"But my cousin told me that Mr. Blackwood's ex-wife was incredibly beautiful."

"How beautiful? Is she prettier than Miss Morrison?"

"I haven't seen her, but my cousin said she is a hundred times, a thousand times more beautiful than Miss Morrison."

The intern's eyes widened at this exaggerated compliment.

"It seems like your cousin really likes Mr. Blackwood's ex-wife?"

"Yeah, I heard she treats her subordinates exceptionally well and is also very competent at work."

The intern thought for a moment. A woman who could become Mrs. Blackwood must be extraordinary.

With this in mind, she looked ahead and started imagining what kind of woman could stand by Adrian's side.

Unfortunately, before she could form a rough image, a chilling voice came from ahead.

"What are you whispering about? Don't feel like working anymore?"

Upon hearing this, Jacob and the intern, who were whispering to each other, were startled by Adrian's voice and hurriedly walked apart to catch up with Adrian's pace. The intern was also brought back to her senses by his cold voice.

She had actually believed that someone as cold-hearted as Mr. Blackwood could also experience love. She was truly delusional.

 

 

Chapter 167 Showered with Many Gifts

Suburbs.

In a house that wasn't too big nor too small, with a decor that leaned towards European style. "Mummy! Mummy!"

After ending the live stream, the two little treasure immediately snuggled up to Eva, one on each side, their small hands reaching out to embrace her, greedily drawing the unique scent of shower gel that belonged to Eva. The woman crouched down, hugging Ruby, with a slender figure and a pair of clear and cool eyes, long eyelashes like raven feathers, exceptionally bright.

"You ended the live stream?" Eva spoke, her voice like a clear spring, clean and bright.

"Yes." Ruby Hansen rubbed her cheek against Eva's neck and chin, coquettishly humming.

Dylan Hansen glanced at his sister before speaking in a relatively mature manner, "Mummy, that person showered us with many gifts today."

That person?

Eva paused for a moment.

"NightA uncle again?"

Dylan Hansen nodded, pursed his lips, and said, "I told NightA uncle what mummy said, but he didn't listen at all."

Upon hearing this, Eva reached out and ruffled Dylan Hansen's hair, giving a faint smile.

"Let it be, let him shower gifts if he wants."

Not wanting to dwell on this issue for too long, Eva quickly changed the subject, "Are you hungry? What do you want to eat today?"

As a food lover, Ruby Hansen immediately started listing her favorite dishes.

"Mummy, today I want spicy prawns, and also the dessert after dinner..."

Eva turned to Dylan Hansen and asked, "Dylan, what would you like to eat?"

Dylan Hansen's voice sounded muffled as he replied, "Mommy, anything is fine."

His thinking was simple. If he named a dish, Mommy would have to make an extra one. Although he wanted to help, Dylan and Ruby Hansen were too young, so Mommy rarely let them into the kitchen.

Eva looked at Dylan Hansen and sighed lightly. "Is Dylan worried that Mommy will work too hard? Don't worry, Mommy doesn't need to work tonight, only needs to cook one meal."

"No, it's not..." Though Dylan Hansen was more mature than Ruby Hansen, he was still just a little kid. Adults could easily see through a child's mind.

"Alright, Mommy will go cook. You both can do whatever you want for an hour, okay?"

"Thank you, Mommy. Mommy is the best." Without any worries, Ruby Hansen kissed Eva on the cheek and went back to her room to play with her dolls. After Ruby left, Dylan Hansen whispered to Eva, "Mommy, let me help you."

"Dylan, be good and play, okay?"

Finally, Dylan Hansen had no choice but to return to his own room.

After calling both children back to their rooms, Eva raised her hand to tie up her long hair, then put on an apron before entering the kitchen.

These past few years, she had been taking care of the children alone. When she first became a mom, she didn't know much, even struggled to fry an egg.

But for the sake of the children, Eva learned many things herself. She wanted to personally take care of them. She worked during the day but spent all her remaining time with them. Being a single parent, she wanted to compensate for the absence of another caregiver.

She used to not know how to cook, but now it was easy for her. Eva prepared the meat she bought, removing any unpleasant odor and marinating it.

Since marination took time, she went to attend to other tasks. During a break, she remembered something and headed to the living room to grab her phone for livestreaming.

Today's livestream had garnered many fans for her two little ones, with new videos receiving praise for how adorable they were. One of the most liked comments said, "May I ask how these well-behaved children were raised?" She smiled mischievously and replied, "This is my first time raising children, so I may not have any useful advice to offer."

After replying, she checked the earnings from today's stream. To her surprise, NightA had sent many gifts for her two darlings again. Combining the previous earnings with today's, the amount of money she had received was substantial. Eva had no shortage of money to raise her children. The livestreams of her two children

It was also their own interest and hobbies, as long as the two cherish it. However, they didn't expect their earnings from the livestream to be so high. Nevertheless, those viewers are quite cute.

She told everyone not to give her tips, but if they insisted, they could just send some free small gifts. However, there was this person named NightA who would always give tips, and the amounts were quite substantial.

After Eva logged out of the backstage, she found NightA's account. In fact, they had already followed each other for a while. NightA had given too many tips, so it wouldn't be right if she didn't pay attention to him. However, even though they followed each other, NightA's account never posted anything, and they were the only account on each other's following list.

It was as if... this account was specifically created to watch the livestream of her two little darlings. Moreover, despite following each other for so long, they had never spoken.

Eva had never encountered someone like this before, silently watching the livestream, silently giving tips, and not asking for anything in return. After finding the other person, Eva noticed that he was online, so she opened the chatbox. "Hello, I'm the mother of Dylan and Ruby. May I ask how should I address you? Can we chat?"

Mainly because of the money he had given as tips, she wanted to return it to him. After sending the message, the other person didn't reply. Eva guessed that he was probably busy, and coincidentally, it was time for her to marinate the meat. She put her phone aside and turned to continue her busywork in the kitchen.

...

In the meeting room, there were many international guests gathered. Adrian sat in the main seat, expressionless, listening to them vividly giving presentations that coordinated with the PowerPoint slides. Not far behind him, Jacob was earnestly organizing the materials, while the intern next to him was somewhat flustered, trying to take notes and record.

The intern's forehead was sweating, feeling overwhelmed by the pressure. She realized that she was still too inexperienced. This kind of meeting was truly a large-scale event for her. However, their Mr. Blackwood sat there, his face calm and indifferent, as if he were sitting in his own office, completely at ease.

She couldn't help but admire him and give him a thumbs up in her mind.

Suddenly, Adrian's phone, which he had placed in his pocket, silently vibrated twice. During the meeting, Adrian never checked his phone messages. It was the same today. So, the phone notification didn't bother him at all. However, after a moment, he suddenly seemed to think of something and took out his phone right in front of everyone.

The intern and Jacob widened their eyes at his action. Adrian opened the app and saw that it was a message from that livestream account. He raised his eyebrows slightly. Since they followed each other six months ago, the account had never sent him a private message or done anything to please him. Why would they suddenly initiate a conversation?

 

Chapter 168 Just like someone's childhood

Seeing the other person claiming to be the mother of two adorable kids, Adrian's gaze turned serious, and he didn't reply. He simply lowered his eyes, expressionless, and looked at the phone, without any additional movement. Meanwhile, the people in the meeting room discreetly shifted their gaze towards him because of his action.

Come on, even the person speaking in front of the projector was stumbling over their words.

The intern had never seen such a situation before and was so scared that they tightly gripped the pen in their hand, wanting to bury their head in the notebook.

Jacob was initially shocked, but then he remained calm.

This kind of thing had become commonplace for him, actually.

After all, there had been times in meetings in the past when he would pull out his phone right in front of everyone, simply because those two adorable kids happened to be livestreaming.

Although there were regulations in meetings that no one was allowed to play with their phones.

But he insisted on doing so, who would dare to say anything to him?

Everyone could only turn a blind eye and let it pass. After all, the entire company was his, right?

Just like now, Jacob cleared his throat and pretended that nothing had happened, saying, "Let's continue."

The next second, Adrian had already casually put away his phone, clasping his hands together and placing them on the table, with a cold and sharp look on his face.

Everyone: "......"

Being stared at by him with such a icy gaze, they might as well let him stare at his phone. At least then everyone wouldn't be so uneasy as they were now.

So, everyone began to regret and secretly hoped that Adrian would look at his phone again soon.

However, they were disappointed. The meeting continued for several hours without Adrian looking at his phone again.

When it finally ended, quite a few people were trembling and felt mentally exhausted, almost collapsing from the intense focus.

It was only when Adrian closed the materials, stood up expressionlessly, and left the conference room that everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, he finally left. God knows how torturous this meeting was."

"Same here, my goodness. It felt like my butt was on fire, I didn't even dare to move. Adrian's presence is so strong."

In fact, most of the people in today's meeting were not from the Blackwood family business. It was an international meeting, with many employees from other companies.

But as soon as Adrian showed up, everyone instinctively became fearful.

"How can anyone be stronger than someone who holds such a high position at a young age and has such a commanding style?"

While chatting, some people started to gossip.

"Let me tell you something interesting. I heard that our CEO is planning to put a woman in his room tonight."

As soon as they heard something unrelated to work, the gossip fire ignited within the group, and they eagerly leaned in to ask for details.

"What? Putting a woman in Mr. Blackwood's room? Is this serious?"

"I heard Mr. Blackwood has an amazing self-control, he's virtuous. What is our CEO thinking?"

"What else can they be thinking? Obviously, they have a problem with their own mind, thinking that other men are the same as them, so they want to use this method to please Mr. Blackwood." "Ha, be careful not to accidentally make things worse and end up angering Mr. Blackwood instead."

...

After dinner, Dylan Hansen collected the used bowls and chopsticks and took them to the kitchen, while Ruby Hansen went to the kitchen to get a glass.

Clean the cloth and then took off her shoes, wanting to step on the chair to help Eva wipe the table.

"Ruby, it's good that Mommy is here."

Eva took the cloth from her hand and at the same time, she picked up Ruby Hansen with one hand.

Ruby Hansen, who failed to wipe the table successfully, pouted dissatisfiedly. "But I want to help Mommy."

"Ruby, I know you care about me, but you are still young. Help Mommy when you grow up, okay?"

After saying that, Eva reached out and gently tapped Ruby Hansen's petite and fair nose.

Listening to her, Ruby Hansen opened her big round eyes. Wearing a milky white pajama, she was as soft and fluffy as a freshly cooked sponge cake. She seemed to be seriously thinking about Eva's words, and only nodded seriously after thinking it through.

"Well, when I grow up, I will definitely help Mommy with a lot of things."

"Okay, it's settled between Mommy and Ruby. Go and play by yourself."

"Then, Mommy, kiss kiss." Ruby Hansen pointed at her own forehead.

Eva couldn't help but smile, bent down and planted a kiss on the little baby's smooth forehead. Ruby Hansen then turned around and left satisfied.

When Dylan Hansen came out of the kitchen, this was the scene he saw, and a touch of envy flashed in his eyes.

He took small steps to walk up to Eva's side, but remained silent.

Eva lowered her head to wipe the table and found Dylan Hansen standing by her feet, looking at her with expectant eyes, but his lips were pursed, like a little adult.

Eva was stunned for a moment, and after a while, she leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"Go inside and play with your sister."

Dylan Hansen, who had been a bit upset, visibly brightened up after receiving Eva's forehead kiss. But even if he was happy, he only slightly raised the corners of his lips before leaving. Watching his figure, Eva couldn't help but think of someone.

This child, Dylan Hansen... really resembles someone's childhood.

That person was like this when he was young too. He wouldn't openly show his happiness. If you didn't pay attention, you couldn't even tell his emotions.

Indeed, certain genes have a profound influence.

Actually, Eva never thought she was pregnant with twins. It wasn't until later on, when she went abroad with her father, that she had her check-up and established her medical records. Afterwards, the doctor informed her that she was pregnant with twins.

Then, she put in a lot of effort to give birth to Dylan Hansen and Ruby Hansen.

Dylan Hansen had an introverted and reserved personality, rarely spoke, and often furrowed his brows, just like his father.

On the other hand, Ruby Hansen was completely outgoing and active, with a passion for food. From birth, she ate more than anyone else and had bright eyes and a loud cry.

Eva even suspected that her cravings during pregnancy were all because of them.

Although they were born just a short time apart, Dylan Hansen became the older brother and Ruby Hansen became the younger sister.

Whether it was because of Dylan's title as the older brother or his nature, he always took special care of Ruby. In any case, the birth of these two brought warmth and companionship to Eva's lonely life. At the thought of this, a beautiful smile curled up at the corners of Eva's lips.

Her phone rang, and Eva glanced at it to see that it was a call from her best friend, Emily. Since she was washing dishes, Eva put the phone on speaker and entered the kitchen, talking to Emily as she worked. "Are you free?"

On the other end, Emily stretched lazily, yawned, and then replied, "Not really."

"If you're not busy, why did you call me?"

"I just wanted to ask you how you're considering coming back to the country?"

 

Chapter 169 Deep Discussion

Upon hearing this, the smile on Eva's lips faded slightly. She turned off the faucet and put on her dishwashing gloves. "Look at you, every time I mention coming back to the country, you fall silent."

Emily was clearly annoyed by her silence. "I really don't understand what you're thinking. So many years have passed, even if you had an agreement with her back then, it should be over by now, right?" Eva remained silent.

Emily continued, "The industry isn't doing well abroad now. It's booming in our country, and the company that invited you is one of the best in the nation."

"It's such a good position. If it weren't for your exceptional skills, they would have been snatched away long ago. Do you know that they even called me and asked me to persuade you? Their company doesn't want to miss out on excellent talent."

Finally, Eva couldn't help but chuckle. "So? Did their company promise you any benefits in return? That's why you're so eager to convince me?"

"Don't suspect me!" Emily huffed, "Am I that kind of person? I'm considering the high salary and better future prospects in that profession for you, that's why I came to persuade you. It's definitely not because they promised me any benefits, even though the benefits they promised me are indeed quite good."

"So, what benefits did they promise you?"

Emily sighed, "Well...they didn't promise me much, just a small favor. If you join and successfully work there for a year, they'll give me a bonus based on your annual salary."

Eva laughed, "The Davis Group is indeed generous."

"Yeah, The Davis Group is very impressive. And I heard their CEO is young, handsome, and still single. This time, he specifically sent you the invitation. Last time, he even wanted to meet you in person, but you weren't interested at all." "I'm so busy with work, and I have to take care of the two little darlings at home. When do I have time to..."

"So much time to meet with a man?"

"That's right." When mentioning her two little treasures, Emily softened a lot.

"What about Ruby and Dylan?"

"They're both in the living room."

"Even if you want to take care of everything yourself, you don't have to do everything by yourself. At least find someone to help you with cooking."

"I still want to cook personally. As for the housekeeping, didn't we hire a maid?"

"But cooking alone consumes a lot of your energy."

"Emily."

Eva suddenly called her name with a quiet yet powerful voice. "Which mother doesn't consume energy? But as long as I'm willing and feel happy myself, then everything is worth it, isn't it?"

Upon hearing this, Emily fell silent for a moment before saying, "According to your perspective, you're right. But I haven't been a mother yet, so I can't understand you. Let's discuss this topic in detail after I get married and have children in the future."

Eva smiled and didn't say anything further.

However, Emily didn't let her off so easily.

"Alright, you're not going to the Davis Group because of that agreement with Vivian, right? Seriously, the Davis Group isn't even in New York. What are you afraid of?"

Emily persistently pestered Eva, leaving her no choice but to say, "It's not because of her."

"If it's not because of Vivian, then what is it? I really can't think of any other reason."

"It's because I want to start my own company, Emily."

"Huh?" Emily thought she misheard, "Start a company?"

"I was originally planning to tell you later when it's more concrete. After all, it's still in the preparation stage, and I don't even know if it will become a reality."

"Ah ah ah ah." Emily screamed on the other end of the phone.

Eva was glad that she had turned up the volume beforehand, otherwise her eardrums would have suffered.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier that you want to start a company? If you had told me earlier, I wouldn't have asked you to go to the Davis Group. What high-paying job, specially reserved for you? Opening your own company is much more liberating!"

"It hasn't been finalized yet. If I said it and then it didn't succeed, wouldn't it disappoint people?"

"What is there to be disappointed about? I wouldn't be disappointed. Throughout your life, what have you wanted to do that has failed, Eva? You can do it!"

Emily continuously cheered her on, and Eva's lips curled up as she listened.

"Thank you for your praise, but I've also failed many times. Just keep trying, right?"

"Then work hard, and when your company succeeds, I'll come over and secure a high-level position."

"Alright, I'll save a position specifically for you, okay?"

"That's more like it, don't give it to others."

The two of them continued to chat aimlessly, and when Eva finished washing the dishes, Emily hung up the phone.

After tidying up the kitchen, Eva prepared to take a nap.

Before her lunch break, she reminded herself.

After giving a few instructions to the two children, she went to the bedroom to rest.

Before falling asleep, Eva checked her TikTok account and noticed that NightA had not replied to her message. She didn't think much of it and quickly put her phone down to rest.

Eva only had twenty minutes for a nap, and every minute was precious to her. Soon after lying down, she quickly fell asleep.

In the presidential suite, when the server came to deliver the meal, she couldn't help but glance a few more times at the man sitting on the sofa, exuding an aura of wealth and power. After Jacob instructed her to place the food on the table, he dismissed the server and then called Adrian.

"Mr. Blackwood, lunch is ready here."

"Mmm."

Though he replied with a low voice, he remained seated on the sofa, focused on his work. Jacob watched him silently, understanding that Adrian was a workaholic who preferred not to be interrupted while working.

If it hadn't been past lunchtime for too long, Jacob wouldn't have arranged for the meal at that moment.

A few minutes passed, and Jacob ultimately couldn't resist reminding him.

"Mr. Blackwood, if you don't eat soon, the food will get cold."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Adrian shot him a sharp glance resembling an arrow. Jacob was instantly intimidated and dared not move. Without saying anything else, he turned and left the room.

Adrian pursed his lips and continued with his work. It took quite a while before he finished the task at hand. Jacob, seeing this, hurried over to clean up after him. He noticed that Adrian had forgotten his phone when he stood up, so he handed it to him.

"Mr. Blackwood, your phone."

Taking the phone, Adrian thought of that message. Since the heartless woman had left him five years ago, his life had been nothing but work. The remaining time was spent watching this lively pair of little darlings' livestream. As to why, even he couldn't explain it clearly. Perhaps he found the kids adorable, and their laughter and words could dispel the darkness in his heart.

 

 

Chapter 170 Stomachache Attack

And why would this woman contact him at this time? He could probably guess the reason. She must just want to return the money he had given as a reward.

If it was such a meaningless reason, why should he bother? The money he had given out would never come back. The only thing he had gotten back was from that one time five years ago....

Thinking of returning to the room five years ago, those few checks he gave her and his mother's bank card, all put together right in front of him, shining brightly. Whether it was what he gave or what she demanded, not a single penny was spent.

She returned everything to him without reservation, as if declaring that from that moment on, they would each go their separate ways, and she owed him nothing.

Even though five years had passed, every time he thought of this matter... Adrian still had a heavy aura around him.

A merciless woman.

The lunch was left out for too long, resulting in a peculiarly bad taste.

Jacob watched as Adrian only took a few bites before putting down his chopsticks.

"Mr. Blackwood, we have another meeting in the afternoon. Please have a little more to eat."

But Adrian responded only with the sound of his bedroom door closing.

Jacob stood there, looking at the remaining dishes on the table, sighed lightly, and then made a call to have the staff remove them.

By the end of the afternoon meeting, Adrian had grown even deeper.

When leaving the meeting room, Adrian rubbed his slightly throbbing temples and asked in a deep voice, "Do we have any plans for the evening?"

Jacob shook his head, his expression somewhat worried.

"Mr. Blackwood, we have no plans for the evening. You can go back to the hotel and rest now. Is your stomach alright?"

Adrian's expression remained indifferent. "What could possibly be wrong?"

However, his unfavorable complexion had already revealed his physical discomfort. Worrying about Adrian, Jacob started contemplating what kind of meal to order for him in the evening.

On the way back, Adrian closed his eyes to relax, probably due to exhaustion.

Jacob was organizing the documents from today's meeting in the car. When he felt overwhelmed, he turned his head to take a look at Adrian.

His complexion was not good.

It wasn't great during the afternoon meeting, but now it was even worse.

Could it be a stomach problem?

After this thought crossed Jacob's mind, he became instantly anxious. He wanted to ask but was afraid of disturbing Adrian's rest. After thinking it through, he decided to keep silent.

He could only message the intern who had gone out to handle some other matters in the afternoon. She had already returned to the hotel and was asked to prepare Adrian's stomach medicine in advance.

Just as they were about to reach the hotel, Jacob unexpectedly received a call from the head of their cooperating company.

"Brent, are you about to arrive at the hotel?"

"We're almost there. Is something wrong?"

The other person laughed deeply, sounding like a cunning old fox.

"No, nothing. I've prepared a surprise for Mr. Blackwood at the hotel. Let him enjoy it."

"A surprise?"

After a tiring day of meetings, what surprise could they possibly prepare at this late hour? Not to mention that Mr. Blackwood seemed to be experiencing stomach issues. Jacob remained speechless and sighed after ending the call. He glanced at Adrian and felt a sense of helplessness.

When they reached the hotel and entered the elevator, Jacob finally relayed the conversation from the phone to Adrian, whose expression had turned grim.

After hearing the relaying, Adrian remained expressionless, and his breath became somewhat unstable.

Unbeknownst to Jacob, he was genuinely contemplating.

He had no idea what surprise the other party had prepared for their Mr. Blackwood. Could it be a gift? But Mr. Blackwood already had so much wealth, he didn't lack anything. All those previous collaborations...

In this situation, because they were eager to collaborate, many people sent gifts, such as various vintage wines and gemstones.

But little did they know, when Mr. Blackwood discussed collaboration, it was purely about the business capabilities and not about the gifts received. Therefore, all those gifts that were sent over were returned in the exact same condition. The collaboration was almost finalized, only the contract needed to be signed, yet the other party still insisted on the gift-giving ritual. It was truly baffling.

Lost in his thoughts, Jacob had already followed Adrian to the hotel room.

Jacob immediately took out the room card and swiped it for him.

"Mr. Blackwood, please."

Adrian pursed his thin lips and walked in. However, as soon as he entered the foyer, he came to an abrupt halt.

Seeing him standing still, Jacob curiously asked, "Mr. Blackwood, what's wrong?"

Just as he finished speaking, the tall figure in front of him took a few steps back and exited the room. Jacob: "?"

"The smell isn't right," Adrian said, his breathing unsteady.

"Huh? What smell?" The assistant immediately leaned in and took a whiff, but couldn't detect anything.

Adrian's forehead was already perspiring, and he could only say with a stern face, "Go in a bit more."

Jacob didn't sense the problem and continued moving forward, sniffing carefully. He said, "Mr. Blackwood, it seems like there's nothing wrong."

Adrian regarded him with a skeptical gaze. "...Take a few more steps inside."

"Alright."

If the boss gave the order, how could he dare not follow? He could only continue stepping forward. Adrian stood outside the door, his gaze cold and indifferent, as if waiting for something.

After taking a few steps, Jacob started feeling uneasy and turned around to seek Adrian's guidance through his eyes.

Adrian raised his chin slightly, signaling him to keep going.

Jacob could only proceed.

In fact, up until this moment, he was still clueless about what was happening. Wasn't the room perfectly fine? What could possibly be wrong?

Could there be an intruder?

Lost in thought, Jacob suddenly felt a darkness enveloping him, and a fair figure, emitting a strong fragrance, pounced on him, clinging tightly to his body. Before he could react, the blonde bombshell had already nestled herself in his embrace.

By the time Jacob regained his senses, he realized that he now had a stunning, golden-haired woman hanging onto him intimately.

Jacob: "???"

The blonde bombshell's hand hooked around his neck, pressing closely against him, her body revealing alluring curves, as she affectionately called out to him.

His face reddened, and he finally understood what surprise and gift the CEO of the collaborating party had referred to!

So, it was this woman right in front of him!

He also finally understood why Adrian had mentioned a different smell as soon as they entered the room.

At this moment, the intoxicating scent emanating from the blonde bombshell overwhelmed him.

"My dear!" the blonde bombshell affectionately called out to him.

"Let go of me, let go of me!" Jacob struggled to free himself from the fiery embrace.

The blonde girl pushed open the door. Adrian, who had been standing outside without entering, frowned slightly and took a few steps back, keeping his distance. His forehead had been sweaty before, but now even the tip of his nose had a thin layer of sweat, and his complexion was slightly pale.

Jacob exerted a great deal of effort to pull the girl away, then heard Adrian's cold voice saying, "Get rid of her quickly." Although Jacob was in a hurry, he could tell that Adrian's tone and condition were off.

While holding onto the girl's wrist, Jacob turned his head and glanced at Adrian, who was leaning against the wall, clutching his stomach, his face pale.

"Mr. Blackwood!"