Ch. 341..350

Chapter 341 I Promise You

"Now that you have asked all your questions," Eva looked at him with a calm expression, "now that you have all the answers you wanted, can you please leave me alone going forward?" Hearing this, Adrian suddenly looked up at her in disbelief. "Even if I had never seen that message and hadn't forced you to have an abortion, Would you still have pushed me aside?"

Eva smiled wryly, speaking softly. "If you didn't see the message, can you blame me? You're someone who always keeps his phone close, yet you repeatedly handed it over to her. Whatever happened, it's a consequence you should bear yourself. Adrian, do you remember that day when it was pouring with rain, and you were at the billiards hall while I was called over by a mocking message to bring you an umbrella? Do you know that right before going to the billiards hall, I had just received the report confirming my pregnancy?"

Adrian's hand by his side suddenly tightened, and his pupils dilated.

"Back then, I was so naive, thinking it was the perfect opportunity to share the good news with you. Even though our marriage was a sham, I was actually pregnant. Maybe if I told you, you would have accepted it, right? But it was a shame. It wasn't meant to be, and I ended up being brutally mocked."

He had never heard her say all of this before, and now, hearing it, Adrian felt an icy chill run through his body, like he was falling into an endless abyss.

Clearly, she had received good news and wanted to share it with him, but what she received was a mockery.

No wonder he saw her soaked in rain when she returned home that day. How desperate must she have felt?

What was even more terrifying was that on that same night, he had asked her for a divorce.

No wonder she sent such an important piece of news through a message; she probably didn't even dare to face him, even if she summoned the courage. Realizing this, Adrian was left with regret in his heart.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know back then..."

Hearing him apologize, Eva's heart didn't waver in the slightest. In fact, it seemed like she had been waiting for a long time, but the longer she waited, some things were probably diluted, right?

"What good is your apology to me now?" Eva looked at Adrian, her expression unchanged. "Adrian, if I were to give you another chance, would you still choose your savior, still ask for a divorce when you came back that day, and trustingly hand your phone over to her? Whether you were together or not for these five years, I no longer want to be involved in anything to do with you. I detached myself from you five years ago." Adrian remained silent.

The thought of taking care of their children together, after hearing those words that revealed her true feelings, no longer held the same intensity.

He had done wrong, so what right did he have to ask for her forgiveness?

"What kind of life do you expect for yourself with everything that's happened? So let me and the two children go, alright?" Adrian's thin lips pressed together, his voice filled with bitterness. He gazed at Eva intently, not giving a clear answer but also unable to refuse.

"If you agree, I would be eternally grateful to you." Adrian clenched his fist, grinding his teeth. "I can't bear to see you and the children in another man's arms. Is that what you want with Michael?" Certainly, Eva did not intend to be with Michael.

But what if she acknowledged that, would it put an end to Adrian's hopes? No, that's not likely. Adrian wasn't that kind of person. If she admitted it, he would likely go mad.

Realizing this, Eva could only reply, "I don't plan to be with anyone. I just want to be alone with the two children."

"In that case, why don't you let me help take care of them?" His tone was bitter, and speaking seemed difficult for him. "After all, I am their biological father."

"We're only connected by blood, nothing else." she responded nonchalantly.

Nothing more...

Adrian's ears echoed with Eva's words. He lowered his gaze and looked at her sitting in the wheelchair for a while before sighing bitterly.

Indeed, blood ties meant nothing. He hadn't fulfilled any fatherly responsibilities in these five years.

But upon hearing her say that she wouldn't be with any other man, Adrian finally felt relieved. If she didn't have anyone by her side, that meant he might have a chance in the future. However, her injuries were the most important thing right now.

After thinking back and forth a few times, Adrian quickly made the decision that was most beneficial for Eva.

"Alright, I agree with everything you said, but right now the most important thing for you is to recover from your injuries. The results are not out yet." Upon hearing this, Eva looked at him with surprise. Perhaps he agreed too quickly, and she found it strange that he didn't argue with her anymore.

Could it be that he gave up because she said she wouldn't be with anyone in the future?

Indeed, possessiveness is a trait of men.

It was true five years ago, and it was still true now.

She lowered her gaze, a cold smile flickering in her eyes.

Adrian didn't notice, and even if he did, he could only pretend not to know at this moment.

After the test results came out and confirmed that Eva's head injury was not serious, Adrian handled her discharge procedures.

After leaving the hospital, Adrian escorted her back home.

Initially, Eva had no intention of letting him enter the house, but as soon as she opened the door, he swiftly brought the two children inside, leaving her no chance to speak. Seeing her standing at the door without moving, he looked at her.

"Why aren't you coming in?"

He said it as if this was his home. Eva entered the house, speechless.

She suppressed the desire to drive him out in front of the children.

The nanny was hired by Michael, so they all knew him and treated him as the future master of the house. Now, instead of Michael, they saw someone else appearing here.

After the man spoke, there was a hint of surprise in his eyes. Due to her identity, she didn't dare say anything and could only quietly stand on the side, observing and offering help whenever needed. Adrian glanced at the nanny and then surveyed the surroundings before asking, "You live here with the kids usually, isn't it crowded?"

As if hearing something unbelievable, Eva looked around and asked, "Is it very crowded here?"

"Yeah, the space is too small. Besides the sleeping area, there's no place for activities." Adrian replied, his gaze still scanning the surroundings, seemingly dissatisfied with the place.

After a moment, he suddenly turned his head towards her. "Let's discuss it. I won't compete with you for the kids, but I want to provide you and the children with another place to live." Suppressing her temper, Eva replied, "No need, if we want to do activities, I usually take them out."

"You're busy running your company, right? You probably don't have much time to take them out to play." he insisted.

 

Chapter 342 I Don't Want Your Money

Hearing this, Eva fell silent. Adrian noticed her lack of response and looked at her, perhaps noticing something off in her expression. He explained, "Don't misunderstand, I'm not blaming you. I just think the kids are still young and should have more fun activities."

Eva couldn't help but say, "I understand what you mean, but what you're suggesting is simply not possible. Are you saying we should have entertainment places at home?" Unexpectedly, Adrian nodded. "Yes."

Eva had originally wanted to sarcastically remark that Adrian seemed to think that anyone could easily build such things. But when she remembered Adrian's wealth and the enormous fortune he had given her when she just returned to the country, she found herself unable to speak.

She was sure that if she agreed, he would immediately have someone arrange it.

"What do you think?" True to her expectations, Adrian asked when she didn't answer.

Feeling a bit impatient, Eva didn't want to discuss certain matters in front of the two children, so she turned to the nanny and said, "Could you please take them to see the schedule for tomorrow?"

The nanny, who had been standing there motionless, immediately understood and stepped forward. "Sure."

Afterward, the nanny took the two children away.

As soon as the children left, Eva immediately spoke up, "Didn't we agree at the hospital? You promised to leave me and the children alone."

"Yes," Adrian nodded. "I promised you that, but is there a contradiction with the suggestion I gave you?"

"No, I'm just not accepting your suggestion." Eva replied.

"Why?" Adrian asked.

"Why? Because I don't need it, and I don't have that much money to invest in such things, okay?"

By saying this, she actually meant to refuse, but she didn't know if Adrian genuinely didn't understand or was pretending not to. He actually said, "I have it. I can have it arranged, and you and the kids can move in." This statement furrowed Eva's eyebrows. "This is different from what we agreed on."

Adrian looked at her. "How is it different? I'm just providing you with a house." As he said this, Adrian seemed to be pondering something, pausing for a moment before finally saying, "You say you don't have that much money, so why did you still have the lawyer return all those assets?"

"Do you really need to ask that question? It's not my money." Eva replied with a frown.

"How is it not? Since it's divorce property, it belongs to you."

Eva's brows furrowed.

"I don't want your money."

Why would she even receive divorce assets when their marriage was a sham?

"Alright, if you don't want the money, then fine. I'll have the house renovated tomorrow."

Eva began to realize that while he may have said he would let her and the children go, he wasn't going to just do nothing.

And there would probably be many more situations like this in the future, which was headache-inducing just to think about.

Through gritted teeth, Eva said, "When I said let us go, I meant for you to not appear in front of me and the children anymore, let alone give us things like a house."

Adrian acted as if he didn't understand her words. "You don't want the house? Do you mean you don't like it?"

"Adrian!" Eva angrily called out his name. "What exactly do you want to do? Weren't my words at the hospital clear enough?"

How could they not be clear? They couldn't be any clearer. But even if they were clear, he couldn't just give up like that.

He had to find a more indirect way to respond.. "It's just a form of compensation. Although you don't want to admit it, I am their father. I can provide them with a better environment to grow up in, and I won't compete with you for their affection.. I have even recorded audio as evidence, so why can't you trust me?"

"Furthermore, you may not want the things I give you, but have you asked the children if they don't want them either?"

Eva coldly declared, "They are my children, of course they listen to me."

Adrian remained undisturbed, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips as he softly said, "Tomorrow, I will have someone prepare the design plans. Once they are done, I'll show them to you as a reference. I'll only proceed with construction when you're satisfied. Today, just rest well, take care not to wet your wound, and try not to sleep on your stomach. IIt would be best if you took a few days off work to recover."

"Are you finished speaking?" Unfortunately, no matter how tender his words were, Eva's attitude towards him remained icy. "Thanks for the ride home, but if we're done here, please leave."

Faced with her cold indifference, Adrian remained unfazed and simply nodded calmly.

"Alright, I'll leave now."

Afterward, he didn't say anything more and quickly left.

As the door closed, the room grew quiet, giving Eva a strange sense of unreality. Perhaps it was because he used to pester her constantly, but now he had suddenly left so decisively, making Eva feel momentarily uncomfortable. There was silence for a while before the nanny pushed open the door and worriedly looked at her.

Thinking that the nanny was hired by Michael, Eva casually asked, "Have you been in contact with Michael?"

Both being experienced nannies for over ten years, they couldn't fail to grasp the meaning behind Eva's question. The nanny immediately responded, "Please rest assured, although Mr. Michael brought us here, we work for you, Ms. Hansen." "The employer is our true employer, and we have professional ethics. Unless there are special circumstances, we will not disclose any privacy of our employers."

"Thank you." Eva said, satisfied with her words. If every nanny had such high awareness, it would be great.

Seeing her satisfaction, the nanny also breathed a sigh of relief. Being a nanny for these wealthy individuals was a high-paying job, and she couldn't do anything that would harm others, especially since if there was a possibility for Mrs. and Mr. Michael to be together, they wouldn't have paid the rent for the house.

After leaving Eva's place, Adrian stood under a street lamp for a long time. He didn't say anything, so the driver didn't dare to approach and just parked the car on the side of the road, quietly waiting.

It was unknown how long it took for Adrian's gaze to shift towards him. The driver, who was always attentive to his movements, immediately drove the car to him and opened the door. "Mr. Blackwood." Adrian got into the car.

After the car started driving away, he called Jacob.

"Find a designer to help me design a house."

The driver, secretly listening to the conversation from behind, wondered. Design a house? Is he designing a house right after leaving Ms. Hansen's place, a house for Ms. Hansen and the children? He didn't need to think much because as soon as he heard Adrian talking about children's rooms and various recreational areas, the driver could be certain.

But when he heard further, the driver doubted whether he had misheard. A house with various entertainment facilities, and even a library, was he really building a house and not a mall? Could it be that Mr. Blackwood intends to open a mall in his own home?

 

Chapter 343 Giving Birth to His Child

Throughout the journey, Adrian mentioned almost every facility he could think of. Jacob, uninterested in Adrian's other comments, had begun recording and taking notes as soon as the topic of design was mentioned. "That's about it for now, anything else I think of, I will add later. Let the designer perfect the rest."

"Understood, Mr. Blackwood." Jacob had something to say, but Mr. Blackwood had already disconnected the call. It took Jacob a while to realize what just happened. Did Mr. Blackwood just talk about designing a house? A house? A house with so many facilities?

After hanging up the phone, the car stopped. "Mr. Blackwood, we have arrived."

"Hmm." Adrian responded distractedly as he got off the phone.

At this moment, all he could think about were various designs for the house, what was missing and what needed to be added later. It would be best if he could write it down himself when he was back home. During the earlier phone call, he had simply spoken his thoughts as they occurred to him.

He didn't have any experience as a father, so his knowledge was limited. It would be better to research and then write it down, and he had initially thought about finding someone to do it for him, but now he suddenly felt uneasy about handing them over to someone else to do. With just a few steps left, countless ideas were already racing through Adrian's mind.

So much so that he didn't even notice that there had been someone following him after his car stopped. Adrian was so lost in thought and quick in his steps that the person behind couldn't keep up and had to call out to him. "Adrian."

Adrian halted his steps, and the person behind caught up, gasping for breath as they stood in front of him. Seeing the person, Adrian's gaze turned cold. "What are you doing here?"

Hearing him say these words in a cold tone, Vivian felt that he had probably figured out that she had deleted that message behind his back. When they were outside the hospital room, she knew she was in trouble. And after they left, Adrian only needed to ask Eva. She certainly hoped that Adrian wouldn't ask, but from the way he was looking at her now, it was impossible to still think that.

He and Eva must have reconciled. Vivian had already thought about this being a possibility before she came. Even if he found out, she had a way to deal with it. So now, when she saw Adrian's cold gaze, Vivian immediately started crying and said, "Adrian, I have something to tell you."

Although she saved his life, Adrian couldn't tolerate the fact that she deleted Eva's message and even secretly asked Eva to have an abortion. "What else do you want to say?" "Do you already know about the message?" Vivian couldn't help but ask, although without any hope.

Sure enough, after she asked, Adrian continued to look at her icily. With his expression, she instantly had no doubt and quickly recited the speech she had prepared in mind.

"I'm sorry, Adrian. I was indeed wrong in doing that, and I shouldn't have kept it from you. But I had my reasons, you two were already in a fake marriage, and yet she not only slept with you but also got pregnant. And since I liked you so much, how could I accept that? So, I got lost and made the wrong choice for a moment, but it was all because I liked you too much."

After speaking, Vivian sniffled, struggled to control her emotions, and took a few steps closer before saying, "And the most important thing is, I only deleted that message. I didn't do anything to her. You see, she ended up giving birth to the children, right? If you want, I can treat the children as my own and raise them. I won't have children of my own in the future, okay?"

Adrian looked at her expressionlessly. "My own children shouldn't be cared for by others." "Adrian..."

Adrian clenched the hand hanging by his side into a fist, an ominous glint appearing in his pitch-black eyes. "If it weren't for you saving me... If it weren't for you saving me..." He gritted his teeth, but didn't continue with the rest of his words. Vivian could tell from his heavy words, the bitterness in his voice, and the chilling aura emanating from him.

There was always a sense that if it weren't for her saving his life, he definitely wouldn't let her off so easily. Considering his past methods of dealing with people, not only herself, but also the entire Morrison family behind her.

In theory, seeing him in such a state, Vivian should have backed off.

As long as she behaved and didn't approach him in the future, even though she made a mistake, she would still be Adrian's savior.

So, whether it's Adrian or the entire Blackwood family, they wouldn't dare to harm her in any way. They might even support the Morrison family in their endeavors, and the Morrison family could always rely on the Blackwood family as a strong backing.

But she was one step away from becoming the wife of the Blackwood Group's CEO, and now she's being told that it's not going to happen. How could she accept such a huge blow?

Suppressing his emotions, Adrian said, "I don't want to see you again."

Leaving behind these words, Adrian entered the house, leaving Vivian alone outside.

Vivian stood there in the wind for a long time, feeling as if her tears were about to be dried by the wind. The resentment towards Adrian and the hatred towards Eva in her heart grew stronger and thicker.

When she returned to the hotel, she felt cold all over and her hair was disheveled.

Just at this moment, Vivian's mother called her through a video call. Vivian was in a terrible mood and didn't want to answer initially, but when she saw her mother's video call, she felt an overwhelming sense of grievance and didn't even bother to tidy up herself before answering the call. Unable to contain herself, she burst into tears in front of the camera.

"Mom!"

Vivian's mother, in the midst of a beauty treatment with a face mask on, was surprised as she called her daughter.

She was taken aback to see her daughter crying so intensely and immediately became worried, asking hurriedly, "What's wrong, Vivian? Who bullied you?"

After Vivian sobbed her heart out, Vivian's mother finally understood what had happened.

"Mom, what should I do now?"

Vivian's mother looked at her through the video and said sternly, "This is due to being too lenient in the past, not taking decisive actions. Otherwise, why would things turn out like this today?"

Vivian could only sob.

"Should I go find her again and use our previous agreement to make her leave?"

"What's the use?" Vivian's mother scolded her, "You made a five-year agreement with her, and she has fulfilled her part. What can you say to her if you go find her now? She gave you five years, and you haven't changed anything." Vivian felt helpless, "Is it that I didn't want to change? Who could have known that Adrian would never get over her?".

"There's no other way now. You can only find a way to have his child!"

 

 

Chapter 344 Fragments of Memory

"Have his child?"

Vivian was dumbfounded by her mother's words. "Mom, what does that mean? How can I have his child? He doesn't even want to see me anymore. Do you know, today, the way he looked at me, it was as if he wanted revenge." Vivian's mother looked at her with disdain.

"What are you panicking about? Aren't you still my daughter? Why are you getting worked up over such a small matter? Anyway, no matter what, you are his savior, and that will never change. Even though such things have happened, he still can't do anything to you. But I really didn't expect Adrian to have such a strong sense of morality, if it were me..."

At this point, Vivian's mother paused, choosing not to continue her sentence, and instead shifted the focus to talk about Vivian.

"Compared to Eva, you don't have a child, do you? So, Adrian would undoubtedly choose her without hesitation. But what if you also had one? Along with the debt of gratitude, who do you think he would choose?" Vivian remained silent.

"Not to criticize you, but although you and him are not engaged, don't you understand the power having a child holds over a man? That's just how men are. If you got pregnant, he would marry you. If he doesn't, it's because his family is stopping him. Why don't you understand this?"

Vivian bit her lip, feeling so ashamed that she struggled to speak.

Vivian's mother waited for a long time, and seeing that she still didn't say anything, furrowed her brow and said, "What are you trying to say? I've been waiting for half the day."

"I... " Vivian hesitated for a moment, then lowered her eyes and said, "I... it's not that I haven't thought about it, but I never had the opportunity."

After realizing what she said, Vivian's mother was shocked. "What? Are you telling me that in these five years, you and him haven't... once?"

Though embarrassed, Vivian could only nod.

"So, in all these years, you've been by his side and never found the chance?"

"I haven't..."

"He hasn't made any moves on you?"

"No, not at all!" The more Vivian was asked, the more she felt unwanted. Angered, she interrupted her mother.

For a moment, Vivian's mother was speechless.

Because she simply could not fathom that Adrian was different from other men.

Yes, he was an outstanding man.

But even the most outstanding man still needs a woman, and her daughter was young, beautiful, and always around him. How could he not be tempted even a little? Was this man made of steel and concrete?

"You haven't... tried?"

Vivian blushed so hard that it seemed blood would drip from her face. "I tried."

"No response?"

"Mom, he wouldn't let anyone near him."

Upon hearing this, Vivian's mother realized that something was amiss.

Finally, Vivian's mother understood what was going on. "I didn't expect him to be so determined. This man is even more formidable than I imagined. If you can successfully marry him and capture his heart, you won't have to worry for the rest of your life."

"Right now, his eyes and heart are only on Eva. I don't even know who this Eva is. After all these years, why hasn't she gotten married? Normally, wouldn't a normal person find someone to marry right away?"

"Even if she's a normal person, those two children are Adrian's bloodline, Adrian's status. Do you think she would be willing to give that up?"

"If she didn't want to give it up, then why did she agree to leave for five years back then?"

"That's true. I never expected her to actually keep her promise. Well, don't worry about her for now. The situation there is already set and can't be changed. What you need to do now is take care of your own relationship with Adrian and preferably get pregnant within a few months."

"But I don't think he would be willing to see me now."

"I will create an opportunity for you. Just follow my instructions for everything else."

After looking at her mother, Vivian nodded.

It was late at night, but the light was still on in Adrian's study. He was hunched over the desk, holding a pen in his hand. The white papers in front of him were filled with dense writings and even some sketches. The usually tidy desk was now a mess, but Adrian paid no attention to it, continuing to work on his designs.

Time always flies when one is dedicated to their work. By the time Adrian had written down all his thoughts, the first light of dawn was peeking through the windows, and his eyes were starting to show signs of tiredness.

Although he hadn't slept all night, he was still full of excitement and didn't feel the slightest bit weary. He glanced at the time and knew that Eva and the children were probably still asleep. So Adrian carefully put away the incomplete design he had worked on all night, and then got up to close the window to prevent the wind from blowing it away.

After confirming everything was in order, Adrian went to freshen up. Last night, he had done nothing but work on his designs, neglecting to even take a shower. If he was going to see her later, he needed to tidy himself up.

Eva hadn't slept well all night, and when she woke up, there were dark circles under her eyes. The recent events had caused her to lose weight, making her face appear even smaller. The wound on her forehead was still slightly painful when she woke up.

Although the final examination results showed that it was nothing serious, Eva still felt a bit uncomfortable. Especially today, when she woke up, she felt that the pain from the wound was stronger than yesterday.

As she got up, Eva wondered if she accidentally got water on the wound while taking a shower yesterday, causing it to get infected again. She was thinking about this when suddenly, her head was hit with a sharp pain, so brief that she could hardly grasp it. At the same time, some childhood scenes flashed in her mind. The scenes were short and very vague.

It was a blurry image, as if she was struggling in the river, on the verge of sinking. This scene was unfamiliar to Eva, extremely unfamiliar. She couldn't recall such a scene from her memories, but the girl in the image seemed to be quite young. Could it be... In a flash, Eva suddenly thought of something. After falling into the water when she was young, she fell seriously ill and lost a period of memory. Could this be from that lost memory? Eva reached out and held her head, gently shaking it.

Afterwards, she pondered for a long time but couldn't remember how she had fallen into the river or how she had gotten out. When she was found, she had fainted by the riverside. If it hadn't been for her classmates arriving in time, she might have fallen even further into the river.

After returning home, she started running a high fever for a long time. By the time she had fully regained consciousness, she couldn't remember anything at all. And now, it seemed that this should be from that lost period. What's going on? Was it because she hit her head that her memories were coming back? But how could it be just a fragment?

 

Chapter 345 Stubbornly Persistent

Eva, however, could only recall this tiny fragment. Whenever she tried to delve deeper in her thoughts, her head would become a bit fuzzy, and she couldn't remember anything else. She sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought for a long time, but the image remained the same.

Seeing that it was getting bright outside the window, Eva had no choice but to give up and get up. After she left the room, she coincidentally ran into the two little ones who had already dressed themselves and came out on their own. Good habits should be cultivated from a young age. Eva's rule for them was to pick out the clothes they needed to wear for the next morning before going to bed, and then they had to change into them as soon as they got up, without any delay or risk of catching a cold.

At first, the two struggled with this rule, but once they got used to it, they followed it smoothly. However, Eva still worried and walked up to inspect the clothes they were wearing.

The temperature in the country was very low now, and it was easy to catch a cold if they weren't dressed warmly enough. Children have weaker immune systems, so it would be troublesome if they got sick.

After a quick check, and ensuring that both the little ones were properly dressed for warmth, Eva finally relaxed.

"Mommy." Ruby suddenly tugged at Eva's finger. "Mommy, can we have grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast?"

Hearing this, Eva paused and then said, "Okay, I'll make them for you."

"No, I don't want mommy to make them." Ruby held onto her arm and softly said, "I want the kind they sell at the food trucks."

Eva was puzzled. "Why do you want to eat from a food stall? Is it because mine don't taste good?"

Puckering her lips, Ruby hadn't spoken yet when Dylan next to her said, "Mommy, she wants to eat junk food from outside and other food from the fried shrimp sandwich stall."

"Dylan!"

So that's it. Making grilled cheese sandwiches alone was quite simple, but it was a bit too late at this time. Normally, Eva wouldn't let the children eat these kinds of things, but under Ruby's gaze, Eva finally nodded. "Let's go." After getting everything ready, the three of them walked out the door.

As Eva stepped out of the elevator, she couldn't help but wonder if Adrian would come again today, especially after their clear conversation in the hospital yesterday. Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly heard two children calling out to Uncle NightA.

Snapping back to reality, Eva saw Adrian striding towards her, reaching out to take the kids' backpacks directly from her hands. Eva instinctively tightened her grip on the backpack straps. Sensing resistance, Adrian's gaze faltered for a moment, but he effortlessly took the backpacks from her hands in the next instant.

Eva bit her lip and asked in a lowered voice, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to show you a design book." he replied.

"A design book?" It was still early, not even time for work yet. What kind of plans was he going to show her?

"Come in to the car and I'll explain." Adrian said.

With that, he held the backpacks and the two kids followed suit. Eva stood still, watching the scene unfold before her eyes. She didn't expect him to be so persistent. Then again, Adrian had always been persistent when it came to her. When they were little and had a disagreement, if she ignored him, he would intercept her on the way to school, blocking both sides of her escape in the small grove, frowning and glaring at her fiercely.

"Didn't you hear me call you this morning?" he had fumed. She didn't feel like responding. "So, Eva, you've learned to ignore me now, huh?"

Eva stubbornly retorted, "What's wrong with ignoring you? Who do you think you are? Are you some noble person? Just because you call me, I must agree to your demands?" Enraged, she pushed him away, but after just a few steps, he tightly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Where are you running off to? Let's talk it out."

If he couldn't intercept her at school, he would simply go directly to her house. And because of their childhood friendship, whenever the household staff saw him, they would naturally greet him with smiles and let him in, even if Eva consistently told the butler not to let him in.

The butler would just smilingly say, "Are you fighting again? It's normal for kids to quarrel. You'll make up later."

"I don't want to make up with him anymore. Butler, you must not let him in, or I'll be angry." Eva would argue.

"Open the door and let me in, otherwise she'll stay angry until the end of the month." Adrian would say. And every time, the butler, at the time, always listened to Adrian and opened the door without hesitation. Eva always suspected that Adrian had bribed the butler.

"Mommy?" The voice of the child snapped Eva back to reality. She realized that she had been standing still for quite some time, and the two children had already gotten in the car. Helpless, she walked over.

Once inside, Eva purposefully chose a seat far away from Adrian. He quietly withdrew his gaze. "You came downstairs this early, have you had breakfast?"

"Uncle NightA, Mommy is taking us to have deep-grilled cheese sandwiches."

Deep-grilled cheese sandwiches? Adrian subtly furrowed his brows and asked, "At a street stall?" "Yeah!"

Perhaps finding it hard to believe, Adrian turned his gaze towards Eva and said, "Eva, is that true?"

Eva nodded, "Yes, I promised the kids yesterday."

Eva cast a glance at him. She hadn't initially intended to pay him any attention, but upon seeing the peculiar look in his eyes, she couldn't help but speak up, "What's wrong? Embarrassed to eat grilled cheese sandwiches at the stand?" After her words, she even sized him up, "Your appearance indeed doesn't seem like that of someone who would eat grilled cheese sandwiches at a stand. Shall we get out of the car?"

"No." Adrian quickly placed his hand on her knee, a gesture that Eva, surprisingly, didn't find inappropriate given their divorced status. "I will support you and the children in whatever you want to do, no matter what it is."

"Is that so?" Eva replied with a sarcastic smile. "You don't have to inconvenience yourself, Mr. NightA."

This title made Adrian furrow his brows and say, "Eva, don't call me by that name anymore."

"What's wrong? Weren't you the one who picked that name? And now you don't want me to call you by it?"

"You know my name."

"So what?"

Eva casually looked out the window.

Adrian pursed his lips and, in the end, decided not to say anything. He handed her a draft of his design.

"Take a look."

As they were cooperating, Eva reflexively assumed it was work-related when she saw the stack of papers and accepted it without hesitation.

At the same time, she couldn't help but think, he won't keep using work as an excuse to approach me, will he?

Will he have a new idea every day? How long can he keep it up?

When she opened it and saw the content on the paper, Eva was stunned in place. She was taken aback because she initially thought it was work-related, but it turned out to be architectural designs, precisely the ones he mentioned before he left last night.

 

Chapter 346 It's Me and My Ex-husband

Looking at the densely filled content on the paper, Eva was left feeling only shock in her heart.

It was his handwriting, there was no mistake.

But overnight... Thinking of the eye contact just now, Adrian's dark circles seemed more severe than her own, even though his appearance was still impeccable. After a cursory glance, Eva closed the drawings and handed them back to Adrian.

Adrian was somewhat stunned.

"You... did you read it?"

Eva nodded with indifference.

Hearing her response, Adrian still had some doubts and didn't take the drawings back. "So quickly, did you really read it in its entirety?"

Eva maintained her calm tone, "Yes, I did."

Adrian looked at her.

Although she said she finished reading it, her perfunctory attitude and indifferent tone clearly indicated that she didn't take this design seriously.

He pursed his lips, feeling somewhat dissatisfied, but still spoke up, "Is it that this design doesn't meet your expectations?"

Instead of directly answering his question, Eva smiled lightly at him, "Could you please find someone else to do this design for me?" Adrian pressed his lips together and stared at her fixedly.

For a moment, he didn't know if she couldn't tell it was his design or if she was purposefully trying to provoke him with these words. After contemplating for a moment, Adrian remained silent and handed the design to the two children to look at.

Eva straightened her posture and looked at them too.

To her surprise, she thought he would explain that he was the one who made that design. She never expected him to stay silent.

However, in the next moment, Ruby became his good helper. Ruby suddenly looked at the densely packed design and curiously asked, "Wow, Uncle NightA, did you draw this?"

If Ruby weren't only five years old, Eva would really think that she did it on purpose. Adrian seemed pleased with this question and slightly curled his lips.

He reached out and gently touched Ruby's head, whispering, "Yes, I did it."

"Wow." Although Ruby wasn't quite sure what he drew, seeing the intricate content made her think it was impressive. "Uncle NightA, you're amazing."

Being praised by his own daughter was quite an experience. Adrian's mood at this moment was like walking on cloud nine, feeling as light as air, all because of his daughter's praise. "This design has almost everything in it. If you were to live in a house like this, would Ruby like it?"

"I would love it!" Ruby answered loudly.

Dylan secretly glanced at Eva. Eva sighed and turned her head to look out the window, not intending to look any longer.

If Adrian ever wanted to take their children from her, Eva felt that he wouldn't even need to compete for Ruby. Just a gesture from Adrian, and Ruby might follow him. The thought of her raising their children so hard, only to be surpassed by this father who had only seen Ruby a few times, made Eva feel bitter.

However, even if she felt so upset, she hadn't shown it in recent times. She was Ruby's mother and couldn't afford to argue with a child.

The driver pulled over not far from a breakfast bar and turned his head awkwardly, saying, "Mr. Blackwood, we probably can't go any further." Hearing this, everyone looked ahead.

Up ahead, there were two streets, one was a main road, and the other led to a nearby market. On both sides of the road were shops, and since they didn't do business in the morning, they left that area in front of their doors for setting up stalls. There were many vendors calling out to sell various things. Where there is a seller, there is a buyer, and most people go to the market at this time.

It wouldn't be a problem to drive in, but when they wanted to leave later, it would probably waste a lot of time. If they were just here today for breakfast and not in a hurry for school, they could drive in.

Just as Eva was about to speak, she heard Adrian in front saying, "Let's get off and walk in." He stole her lines. She looked at the back of his head with some dissatisfaction. "Let's go."

Adrian collected the backpacks of the two children and got out of the car with them.

The driver immediately said, "Mr. Blackwood, I'll wait for you in the car." Adrian nodded in response. Seeing this, Eva had no choice but to get out of the car as well. After getting out, she glanced at Adrian's expensive suit and said, "Are you sure you want to wear your precious suit to go to the street stall with us?" Adrian glanced back at her.

"Is there a problem? You are quite eye-catching yourself." he replied.

Upon hearing this, Eva instinctively glanced down at her attire.

In fact, she was dressed quite simply for work, wearing black pants and a light blue sweater, layered with a beige long coat. It was a straightforward and simple outfit. "Don't believe me?" Adrian smirked. "Take a look around."

Only then did Eva turn her gaze towards their surroundings.

As soon as they got off the car, a crowd of people's eyes gathered on them.

Some were sizing her up, some were sizing up Adrian, and there were even those who were sizing up the two kids.

"No need to think about what to wear. Even if you showed up here with a piece of cloth draped over your face, those people would still look at you." Adrian suddenly said. Upon hearing this, Eva was taken aback.

"Let's go."

Adrian held one child and took the other's hand, walking ahead.

Eva instinctively followed his route, only realizing after a couple of steps.

Was he complimenting her with what he just said?

Sure enough, when they appeared at the breakfast bar, they attracted a lot of attention.

A handsome man and a beautiful woman, coupled with two adorably cute children, made almost everyone's eyes turn towards them.

People are always unable to resist attractive things, even though they might not have any thoughts in their hearts, their eyes and gazes would occasionally shift towards them. A glance, another glance, and a few more glances were all pleasing to the eye.

Even The shopkeeper, due to the cuteness of the children, gave them two deep-grilled cheese sandwiches and asked, "Are you two a couple?"

Eva was about to deny it when she heard Adrian say, "You have a good eye."

The shopkeeper instantly grinned from ear to ear.

"That's what I said, if it wasn't for you looking so handsome and beautiful, you wouldn't have such good-looking children."

He spoke with a particular accent and tone that Eva couldn't identify.

With Adrian's words in mind, Eva smiled at The shopkeeper and explained, "Actually, we are not a couple."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"He has a wife."

The shopkeeper froze, and even Adrian's smile in his eyes solidified.

"He has a wife but he is pursuing me, and I rejected him."

The shopkeeper displayed a look of shock.

"And those two children?"

Eva smiled lightly. "They are from my ex-husband and me."

 

 

Chapter 347 Complete Love

The store owner was overwhelmed by the immense amount of information and felt shaken. As he looked at Adrian again, his gaze became strange and filled with meaning. Adrian looked at her with a somewhat helpless expression on his face.

Did she enjoy playing this game, or was she just trying to mock him?

After buying the food, the store owner offered them some small chairs. However, because it was on the side of the road with a constant stream of people, there was a lot of dust and all the tissues left behind by previous customers were scattered around the chairs. This alone made it difficult to find a place to sit.

Not only was Adrian dumbfounded, but the two children were as well. They didn't expect the hygiene conditions to be so poor.

Especially when the store owner called for them to come sit there.

Ruby, who was about to come over, saw this scene and dared not approach. Instead, she looked up at Eva, feeling a bit helpless. "Mommy."

Seeing this, Eva felt it was an opportunity and smiled slightly, squatting down in front of her. "Ruby, didn't you say you wanted to come and eat grilled cheese sandwiches? There's a spot over there, shall we go sit there?"

"But Mommy..." Ruby pouted her lips, feeling a bit wronged. "The ground over there is so dirty. Those people just throw all their tissue papers on the ground."

"Ruby, not everyone has had the same education as you since birth. Even if they received the same education, people can change as they grow up. That's just how the world is. Just because you emphasize manners, doesn't mean others will too. So, unless you're prepared to deal with it, we'll just eat the food we make at home in the future, okay?"

Ruby didn't know if she understood or not, but when she heard the last sentence, she vigorously nodded her head, eager to go home as soon as possible.

Adrian, who was watching nearby, couldn't help but smile. So, it was this little one who suggested to eat outside?

"How about we take the food back to the car and eat?" Adrian looked at Ruby's scrunched-up face and said.

Upon hearing that, Ruby immediately nodded obediently. "Okay."

"Let's go."

On the way, Dylan was very quiet. As a result, he almost went unnoticed.

Mainly because Dylan didn't know what to say. Uncle NightA was nice to them, but Mommy had a bad attitude towards him. He also didn't want to be their dad. Therefore, Dylan had been reserved in his attitude towards Adrian, unlike Ruby.

On the way back, Dylan was already prepared to let Eva hold his hand and lead him back. Unexpectedly, Adrian suddenly squatted down next to him and reached out his hand. "Come up." After saying that, his big hand supported Dylan's bottom, holding Dylan and Ruby on either side.

Probably afraid of falling, Dylan subconsciously reached out his little hand and hugged Adrian's neck.

In the past, Mommy always held Ruby more because Ruby was always the one causing a ruckus, and Dylan was willing to share the love for his sister with Mommy.

Mommy's physical strength was limited, so she could only hold one child. Most of the time, Ruby was the one Eva held while Dylan walked beside them.

Although he sometimes yearned for Mommy's embrace, he knew Mommy's physical strength was limited. She had to put Ruby down after holding her for a while.

In such cases, Dylan dared not ask Mommy to hold him.

But now, Uncle NightA could effortlessly hold both of them at the same time.

Eva had the same thoughts. Seeing Adrian effortlessly holding both children as he stood up, she had mixed feelings.

Before getting pregnant, her plan was to have just one child. Maybe it was because she lacked maternal love when she was young, so Eva wanted to give one child a complete childhood.

Having followed in the footsteps of her single-parent family, she even added another child. Although she always tried to be fair and just to both children, she knew deep down that she couldn't truly achieve equality between the two. Dylan was introverted and understanding, not only avoiding causing trouble but often thinking of her as well. Ruby, on the other hand, was different. She was mischievous, loved to play and eat, and was particularly fragile. She always wanted to be held and sought attention from Eva.

Today, she gave Ruby a bit more attention, which meant less for Dylan. Day after day, this pattern continued, and the amount of attention she gave Dylan decreased while he became more understanding. Eva felt guilty in her heart.

But now, seeing how Adrian effortlessly switched between the two children, she felt strangely relieved. Ruby's outgoing personality made her rely heavily on Adrian, even more than on Michael, who had been with them for five years. As for Dylan, although he didn't show it, given his introverted nature, he actually seemed to accept Adrian. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't even let Adrian hold him.

Eva used to believe that one person could give children complete love, but now the reality in front of her proved that what she alone could provide was completely insufficient. Eva's heart sank, and she quickly caught up with them. Afterward, everyone got back in the car, and Eva watched Adrian take care of the children, even feeding them himself. Although his actions seemed awkward, he was very serious and attentive, even doubting himself. It was like watching her own first experience of taking care of children.

Lost in her thoughts, Adrian suddenly turned around, and his pitch-black eyes met hers. Eva was startled and instinctively averted her gaze. Adrian clearly felt her eyes on him the whole time, even without turning around, but he didn't expect her to avoid his gaze as soon as he looked back. He pursed his lips, turned around, and continued taking care of the two children.

Before long, the car arrived at the school gate. Seeing Adrian getting out of the car with the children, Eva decided not to get out. He wanted to show his capabilities in front of the children, and since the children didn't reject him, she couldn't stop it.

After waiting for a few minutes, Adrian got back in the car. It surprised him that she didn't get out, as he thought she would go to work alone by subway after dropping off the children. Seeing him get back in, Eva's gaze fell on Adrian. "Take me to the company."

"Alright." Even if she didn't say so, Adrian would still have taken her, but he felt delighted that she took the initiative to ask. Her eyes seemed different too. Could it be that his recent efforts weren't in vain? She had noticed. Lost in speculation, Adrian heard Eva say coldly, "Do you really like the children?"

"Of course, after all, they are my children." He paused.

After a moment's pause, Adrian continued, "When I was livestreaming, I didn't know they were my children, but I liked them then already. You should be the most clear about that."

Yes, she was very clear, and she also received a lot of money from his tips.

"Mhmm."

She responded in a wooden tone and then asked, "You mentioned earlier that you just wanted to take care of them?"

 

 

Chapter 348 I Promise

Although she didn't understand why she suddenly asked this question, for Adrian, it was definitely a good start. "Yes."

Eva carefully considered her words, "I can let you take care of them, but I have conditions."

Indeed, his efforts were not in vain. Ever since they were little, he knew that Eva had a soft heart.

Adrian maintained his composure as he calmly asked, "What conditions are you referring to?"

"First, I will agree to let you take care of them solely for the sake of the two children. Allowing you to take care of them is solely because of the blood connection." "Alright." Adrian didn't even need to think about it, he directly agreed.

Hearing this, Eva was slightly surprised and thought of something, so she looked at him, "You can only be called Uncle, and you can't say in front of the children that you are their father. Can you agree to these conditions? If you can't, then..." "I promise."

Eva's words were completely cut off.

She probably didn't expect that he would go to such lengths for the children.

"I just want to fulfill my responsibilities."

As for the title...

Although ever since knowing that these two children were his own flesh and blood, he had envisioned the scene of the two little ones calling him "Daddy" with shining eyes. That scene would have been beautiful.

But unfortunately, his relationship with Eva five years ago was not good, and she had been raising the children on her own all these years.

He didn't dare, nor did he want the children to call him "Daddy" at this moment. It would probably make her sad, as if the two children she had worked so hard to raise called someone else "Daddy," even though he wasn't someone else. But this consequence would probably hurt her.

From her recent behavior, it was clear that she was truly concerned that he would take the children away from her.

It was understandable. She used to think there was still something between him and Vivian, so she worried.

But the situation with Vivian had been resolved, and what he needed now was time.

"Are you sure you won't..."

Eva still had some worries.

Adrian interrupted again, "If you really worry that I have ulterior motives, then we can sign a contract, how about that?"

Based on the current audio recordings, it seemed that it didn't give her a sense of security. Or perhaps, her sense of security was not enough.

If it wasn't enough, then he would make up for it until she felt secure enough.

"A contract?"

"Yes." Adrian nodded.

Eva pursed her lips. In fact, even if Adrian didn't mention it, she was thinking the same thing.

Only by signing a contract could she feel at ease.

Although she didn't know when their relationship had turned into this, it was a pity that some things couldn't be undone.

"Alright, a contract..."

"You set the terms, let me know when you've decided."

He was very cooperative, as if he would go along with whatever she wanted.

Eva didn't say anything more.

Adrian couldn't help but ask, "What about the design plan?""

He was referring to the house's design proposal, which he would definitely take care of if she agreed to let him take care of the children.

"You handle it on your own, I won't be involved." she replied.

After all, it wasn't her money being spent.

"Why?" he asked, puzzled. "I hope that you'll move into the house with the children."

"It's the children, not me, who you will have involvement with, and I will make that clear in the contract." she explained.

While they were talking, the driver suddenly stopped the car and awkwardly turned around to remind them.

"Mr. Blackwood, we have arrived at Ms. Hansen's company."

Upon seeing that they had arrived at her company, Eva immediately stopped what she was about to say and instead said, "Thank you for driving me to the office. I'll go in now. As for the agreement, I'll send it to you once it's done." "Okay."

After Eva got out of the car, she didn't look back and went straight into the building.

As she entered the elevator, she wondered to herself how she was suddenly able to be so calm about him?

Was it because of the children, or because she no longer cared, or because she found out that he didn't actually instruct her to get an abortion all those years ago?

Eva didn't want to pursue which reason it was anymore. As long as her two little ones could receive complete love, that would be enough.

She was worried that the two little ones would follow in her footsteps.

With these thoughts in mind, Eva arrived at her office and began working on the agreement between the two of them.

During this time, Tim came over and reported that a few new employees had joined the company, asking her to come over and interview them, considering the company's future development. So, Eva went.

After she finished handling things on her end, she would continue finalizing the agreement upon returning to her office.

There was absolutely no relationship between her and him, and if there was any, it would only be related to the children. Apart from that, they were just a pair of divorced strangers.

Eva drafted each clause of the agreement very strictly and even consulted her previous lawyer.

After a brief explanation of the situation to the lawyer, he quickly understood her intentions.

"Ms. Hansen means that you will retain sole custody of the children, and the male party will only bear the responsibility as a parent in name without legal custody?" "Yes, that's correct. Is it possible?"

"There shouldn't be a problem. Let me review the conditions you've written."

He quickly skimmed through the conditions Eva had written, then said, "There shouldn't be a problem. I will refine these for you, and then you can take a look." "Okay, thank you."

After hanging up the phone, Eva let out a sigh of relief.

If she were Adrian, she didn't think she would sign such an agreement because it was simply too unfair.

But who said the past five years had been fair to her either?

He could either accept this unfairness or distance himself from her and her children. She wouldn't force him to sign.

Lost in her thoughts, Mr. Hansen called.

Ever since she had the children and her father started a new family of his own, their contact had become less frequent.

So as soon as Eva saw that it was Mr. Hansen calling, she immediately put down her work.

"Dad."

"Eva?" Mr. Hansen heard her voice and smiled faintly. "How have you been recently? How is the company doing? Is everything going well?"

The morning haze that had hung over Eva dissipated, leaving only the warmth nurtured by family ties in her heart.

"Well, it's going smoothly, and we even secured an investment."

"Which company's investment?"

At the mention of this, Eva paused for a moment before saying, "It's a very established company. For this reason, we also hired quite a few new employees."

"Not bad, not bad. The boss of this company has good foresight. You excel in whatever you do, and he won't regret it in the future."

Mr. Hansen had unparalleled confidence in Eva.

They chatted about family matters for a while before Mr. Hansen hesitated and asked uncertainly.

"How have things been going between you and Michael recently?"

As soon as this question was asked, Eva immediately felt that something was amiss.

In the past five years, he had never inquired about her love life. Even when she and Michael were not together, he didn't ask and only waited for her to make her own choice. "What's wrong, Dad?"

 

 

Chapter 349 The Contract Can Be Signed Today

With his next words, Mr. Hansen became hesitant.

Feeling his hesitation, Eva sensed that something was wrong and had to ask him directly, "What happened?"

After all, he had never been concerned about her emotional state before. Could it be that she had revealed everything to him after opening up to her father about Michael recently?

"Eva," Mr. Hansen said, "It's not that I want to pry into your affairs, but... I feel it's necessary for you to know about this."

"Please, go on..." Eva said, feeling mentally prepared.

"Well, recently I heard that his father has been looking for a prospective partner for him."

Looking for a prospective partner?

Eva felt relieved. "Dad, so this is what you wanted to talk about. I thought..."

"What's wrong?" Mr. Hansen was also a sensitive person. "Isn't this matter important to you? You and Michael..."

Eva didn't continue the conversation.

Seeing her silence, Mr. Hansen had a vague sense of what was happening. After a long while, he sighed.

"I was worried that you would be wronged, but I never expected that you and him wouldn't end up together."

"Dad, Michael and I aren't compatible. It's been so long, and I can't keep holding him back."

"Yes, so many years have passed. If you're really not suitable for each other, then it's true that you shouldn't hold him back. But... he pursued you for so long, and you're sure about this? You're not going to reconsider?"

"There's nothing to consider anymore. The longer I think about it, the more I hold him back. Why should I? And just because he treats me well, does that mean I should be with him? The more he treats me well, the more it shows that he has feelings for me, and if I were to be with him just because of that, it wouldn't be fair to him."

In the past, she had indeed been moved by his kindness.

Thoughts ran through her mind, and she had even tried to like him. She made an effort, but it seemed that she couldn't do it. After all these years, she still couldn't develop any special feelings for him. All she could see was him as her brother. However, could she dare to say it? If Michael knew that she only saw him as a brother, he would probably be furious. So, she wouldn't say anything and let him be her brother, even if they couldn't be a couple.

"Ah," Mr. Hansen sighed after listening, "he treated you well before, but despite all these years, you two still haven't got together. I already knew it was impossible between you and him. I just didn't expect Michael to persist for so long without any response. I thought you would agree, but I never expected..."

Thinking of something, Mr. Hansen cautiously asked, "Did you meet any old acquaintances during your trip back home?"

"Just ask directly if you want to know," she replied.

Hearing this, Mr. Hansen smiled. "You're quite frank."

"Well, didn't you think that there must be a reason why Michael and I suddenly broke up?"

"Yes, I did."

"Do you think it's because of that person?"

They both knew very well who that person was without having to say it explicitly.

Father and daughter understood each other, so they didn't need to speak everything explicitly to know what they meant.

"Did you meet him?" Mr. Hansen finally asked the main question of today's phone call.

Eva smiled faintly. "Yes, I did."

She summarized recent events for Mr. Hansen to listen to.

As soon as Mr. Hansen heard it, he was shocked. "What? He already knows about the children? And he even wants to take care of them together with you?"

"Just together, but not with joint custody." Eva corrected.

"But if this goes on for a long time, are you sure he won't try to take the children away from you?"

"I'll have him sign a contract. What can he use to take the children away from me then?"

"Will he sign it?"

"If he doesn't, he won't get to take care of the children or even see them. What's the big deal?" Eva said nonchalantly. "Besides, if it ever comes to that, I'll send the children to live with you." Mr. Hansen immediately agreed. "You're right. If he dares to try anything, you send the children to me."

"Okay."

"But..." Mr. Hansen's tone was still hesitant. "Are you really not planning to develop a relationship with him anymore? Did you and Michael break up solely because of him?"

"How is that possible? Dad, you're overthinking it. Even if he wasn't in the picture, Michael and I couldn't be together. You should understand this."

Mr. Hansen thought carefully and said, "I guess so."

But he had asked all the questions he wanted to ask today, so he didn't continue to question her any further on the subject.

The two of them spoke about other things before hanging up the phone.

After hanging up, Eva fell deep into thought.

Michael's father is actually already looking for a partner for him? So soon... It seems that he has given up on me and wants to return to a normal life. Just like an ordinary person, going on blind dates, getting married, and having children.

Eva lowered her gaze, feeling happy for Michael.

After all the care he has given her, if he can find happiness, she genuinely feels happy for him.

In the afternoon, the lawyer sent her the finalized content, and after reviewing it, Eva didn't find any problems. She then emailed it to Adrian.

Adrian opened the email upon receiving it, and without needing to guess, he knew how strict her conditions would be.

Sure enough, upon opening it, it was all about him not having any rights to fight for child custody.

He didn't need to read the rest of the content, as they were all similar.

Owing her, Adrian only read a few lines and didn't continue reading; instead, he directly called Eva.

"I've finished reading the email you sent."

Eva glanced at the time. It had only been two minutes since she sent it. Even if she were to read it again, it would take a long time. Yet, he says he has finished reading it? "Did you read it at a glance?"

"More or less."

"And you've finished reading it just like that?"

"Yes." Adrian's voice was gentle. "When will you print it out? Or shall I print it out here, sign it, and send it to you?"

So proactive...

Eva was speechless.

"You should still read through the conditions and make sure you can agree before deciding."

"No need to read them." Adrian said, his voice low but steady. "As long as it's what you propose, I agree to it."

Since the moment he saw her, Adrian had already made the decision to give her everything, regardless of whether she wanted to come back to him or not.

"We can sign today. After signing, would you like to have a look at the design plans?"

 

 

Chapter 350 I'll be waiting outside for you

In the end, Eva hung up on Adrian in a daze.

She leaned against the chair in her office, her emotions in complete disarray.

The terms she mentioned were incredibly unfair for Adrian.

Because she wanted him to provide financial and emotional support for the children, but he wouldn't get anything in return. He wouldn't have custody rights, and the children wouldn't call him Dad. In a way, he would be raising someone else's child.

Although these two children share a blood connection with him, their surname is Hansen, and they won't call him Dad either.

Given his position, he could easily refuse, or even use his forceful methods.

Yet, he agreed to everything.

Eva reached up and held her temple, steadying her mind and warning herself.

"This is just his scheme, don't blindly trust him, and don't forget the pain just because the wound has healed. The past is all gone, Adrian is no longer the child he used to be." Eva repeated it to herself several times before regaining her composure.

Once she had steadied her mind, Eva focused on her work with determination.

At the end of the workday, Eva tidied up and went downstairs, only to see the familiar black car waiting for her at the front entrance, catching everyone's attention. Adrian stood by the car, drawing many gazes.

At this moment, as people were leaving work, almost everyone in the company recognized Adrian, causing them to stop and discuss why he could be there.

Walking behind those people, Eva immediately stepped back and hid in the corner as soon as she witnessed this scene.

Unbeknownst to her, Adrian, who happened to look in this direction, noticed her hasty retreat into the corner.

After taking refuge in the corner, Eva finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This person was truly speechless. They had agreed on something, yet he kept breaking the terms and showing up outside her company.

Did he want everyone to know about their relationship?

Lost in thought, Eva's phone rang, and seeing the caller ID, she instinctively silenced it, not wanting to answer.

But... wasn't he waiting for her?

Why would he call when he was waiting just fine? Did he see her earlier?

If he did see her...

Furrowing her brows, Eva reluctantly answered the call.

"Running away when you see me?"

Sure enough, as soon as she answered the call, Adrian questioned her.

No wonder he called her. He really did see her.

Leaning against the wall, Eva coldly asked, "Why did you come over?"

"I brought the printed and signed contract for you and wanted to pick you up from work."

"Wanted to?" Eva couldn't detect the slightest sense of 'wanting to' in him.

After she voiced her doubt, Adrian had to change his tone, "Alright, I mainly came to pick you up and incidentally bring the contract."

Taking a deep breath, Eva suppressed her anger and forced a numb smile on her face.

"Adrian, didn't we have an agreement?"

"Mhmm," he replied.

"So, what are you doing now? You showed me the design in the morning, said you would bring the contract in the afternoon, and what about tomorrow? Are you going to find various reasons to appear before me every day?" He didn't say anything on the other end, but judging by his expression, it seemed like he tacitly agreed with her words.

Eva felt an overwhelming helplessness and sighed, "I agreed to let you take care of the children because I considered them, not because I wanted anything with you. So, you don't need to pick me up from work and disrupt my life, understood?"

He answered in a muffled voice, "Understood."

However, Eva didn't relax because of this. She had a feeling that there was still something off in his words. Despite saying he understood and agreed, he would still do things his own way.

Sure enough, before she could say anything else, Adrian said, "But I feel like I haven't been disrupting your life."

Eva replied, "This does disrupt my life. Are you there?"

There was silence on the other end before he spoke again. "Whether I come to pick you up or not, you still have to take the children to school and come home from work. If I come, you can save on fuel money and breakfast expenses." The money for breakfast that morning was paid by Adrian.

"So, do I have to thank you?"

"No need," he said seriously. "It's only right for me to do something for the mother of my children."

Eva really didn't want to talk to him.

"Come out, I'm waiting outside."

Perhaps afraid of her refusal, Adrian added, "Don't keep the children waiting."

He accurately grasped her weakness.

But Eva didn't want to get into his car in front of so many people.

Adrian seemed to know what she was thinking and suddenly said, "If the agreement is established, there will be many opportunities like this in the future. People will eventually find out about the relationship between me and your children, it can't be hidden."

That was true.

"Understood."

Annoyed, she hung up his call and then turned and walked out, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, straight toward Adrian.

Seeing her, Adrian's thin lips curved into a beautiful arc, and he thoughtfully reached out to open the car door for her, like a peacock displaying its feathers.

To avoid drawing more attention from the company's employees, Eva quickly got in the car.

Just as the door closed, Eva happened to make eye contact with the driver who had turned around. Seeing her complicated gaze, the driver smirked at her, "Ms. Hansen." Eva nodded to him.

Adrian soon got in the car as well, and the car drove in the direction of the school.

Not long after Adrian got in, he handed over the printed agreement, already signed by him, to Eva.

"Jacob printed two copies, and I've signed them both. We still have time on the way to the school, so you can take a look to see if there are any issues."

Eva reached out to take the agreement. Initially, she didn't plan to read anything in the car, as it didn't feel right to read while moving.

But since Adrian said so, she intended to take a look anyway. After all, it was only a few pages.

Eva flipped through a few pages and had just read a few lines when a pair of large hands reached over.

"Forget it, it's not convenient to read in the car. Put it away for now and you can read it when you get home." he said.

Before she could react, the two copies of the agreement had already been put away by Adrian into a leather bag.

"What do you mean? Did you tamper with the agreement?"

At the sound of that, Adrian paused, probably not expecting her to say that, and sat still for a moment. "What?"

"Otherwise, why would you stop me from reading halfway?"

Eva stared at him suspiciously.

After a long silence, he finally said, "The car was shaking, it's not good for your eyes to read in the car."

Thinking that he had tampered with the agreement, Eva said, "Are you joking with me? Why didn't you say so from the beginning?"

Adrian looked at her seriously. "I really didn't think about it at first. Just read it when we get home."