Ch. 1101..1110

Chapter 1101

Chapter 1101

Melissa chuckled, pursing her lips as she thought. "It's easy. It'll work as long as we treat them well."

"How do we do that?" asked Jesse.

She had already formulated a plan for that.

They had worked hard to run the small supermarket for years. Although they were not wealthy, their standard of living was considered above average in the city.

In addition to their old house in the alley, they had purchased a brand new condo in the city center.

Her plan was to leave the supermarket and the old house to Lina while they would live in the condo with their son. As long as they had some savings, everything would be fine.

Lina's income would be guaranteed as she would take over the supermarket and have a place to live since they were also giving her the old house.

Moreover, the house was located in a great area with a school nearby. Its value would increase over time, and it would be convenient for them when they had children.

Melissa smiled as she touched the deed. "I'll do my best as long as it's for my daughter... Sigh. I think this should be enough to make Zeke stay!"

Jesse nodded and praised his wife for her wisdom.

Lina was their darling daughter, and if Zeke could take good care of her, Jesse would be relieved.

The next day, while Zuko was sorting out the stock, he received a call from Fred. He had been investigating Gia's whereabouts as instructed.

As soon as Zuko answered, Fred greeted him with friendly laughter. "Mr. Hamerton!"

Zuko frowned. "What?"

"Didn't you order me to work for you?" Fred lowered his voice. "I've been investigating Gia's whereabouts!"

Zuko was stunned and asked with his deep voice, "What did you find?"

"Something unusual about her, indeed!" Fred said. "There's a phone number that shows up frequently on her phone bill, and it's from Centrolis! I checked the number, and I was surprised to find that it belongs

to..."

"Who is it?"

Fred paused before continuing. "The person's name is Melvin Thompson. He seems to be related to Nicholas Thompson of the Thompson Group..."

Zuko's face turned serious, and his grip on the phone tightened.

Fred asked, "Mr. Hamerton, I also found that although Melvin is old, he's quite the playboy. There were even rumors about him with a porn star a few years ago! Do you think Gia became his sugar baby for money?"

Zuko bit his lip softly, deep in thought.

It wasn't about being a sugar daddy or not, but it had something to do with Pammy.

"Did you find anything else?" Zuko asked.

"Not at the moment," Fred answered honestly, but he assured him, "I'll report to you as soon as I find anything else!"

"Okay, thank you." Zuko thanked him in a flat tone before ending the call.

After contemplating for a while, Zuko called Toph.

The brothers met at a nearby dessert place at the corner of the street. However, to Zuko's surprise, Toph was accompanied by Renee. Zuko furrowed his brow and silently questioned Toph with his eyes, asking why he had brought her along.

Toph responded with a blink of his eyes. "I didn't want to leave her alone!"

"When did you become so soft?" Zuko asked.

"Didn't you set a great example for me, brother?" Toph retorted.

The brothers exchanged a knowing look, their eyes filled with understanding.

Renee asked softly, "Zuko, Toph, what are you guys up to?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing!" Toph laughed. "We were... discussing things."

Naturally, she didn't understand the meaning behind the Hamerton brothers' "discussion". She looked at both of them, feeling lost.

Zuko cleared his throat. Since his brother had brought her along and Renee was aware of the situation, there was no need to hide anything from her.

He spoke directly. "I received a call from Fred today. He said Gia has been in contact with Melvin."

Renee's face froze. "Could she really be..."

"We can't jump to conclusions yet. This is just a hypothesis." Zuko remained calm. "Let's assume that Gia is Pammy, and she already knows about her true identity." Toph and Renee looked at Zuko intently, their full attention focused on his words.

"If she's Pammy, it doesn't make sense that she hasn't returned home and is in frequent contact with Melvin. After all, nothing compares to going back to her parents. "Furthermore, the Thompsons are a powerful family, and she's their only daughter. If she returns, she can live like a princess immediately. Why would she deceive her parents by being with Melvin?" Renee and Toph exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

"So, let's consider another hypothesis. Let's say Gia doesn't know about her true identity yet." Zuko continued. "In that case, it's clear that Melvin is using her for his own benefit."

Toph expressed doubt. "If she's not Pamela... where did he get the DNA sample?"

"That's another question." Zuko's expression turned cold. "The most important thing now is to prove that Gia isn't Pammy."

"That's easy. We just need to get her DNA sample!" Toph remarked.

Zuko scoffed. "But we're both men. How do we get close to her?"

Toph scratched his head. Just then, Renee smiled sweetly and spoke softly. "Did you guys forget about me?"

"You?" The brothers looked at the quiet and gentle girl simultaneously.

"That's right. As long as I can go to her university and pretend to be her junior... I can get her DNA sample!"

"That's right!" Toph slapped his thigh. "Renee is a girl, so she won't attract any attention. Besides, brother, didn't you establish that elite university under the Hamerton Group?" "Hmm? What do you mean?" Renee was taken aback.

Toph grinned. "My sister-in-law was bullied at university. Out of anger, my brother fired the lecturers and conveniently replaced all the investors!

"Lina, my sister-in-law, deserves the position of a trustee!"

Chapter 1102

Chapter 1102

Renee looked at the brothers in surprise, her eyes flashing with envy.

"Lina is so lucky," she exclaimed softly.

Zuko signaled his brother, and Toph instantly took her hand, speaking with allure. "I would do the same if similar things happened to you." "Toph..." She hesitated, biting her lip, and softly removed her hand.

In reality, she wanted to keep her distance from him. She was Melvin's daughter, the one responsible for harming the Thompsons.

How could she deserve to be with Toph?

Even if he didn't reject her, the Hamerton parents might not forgive her.

However, love was a strange thing. The more one tried to control it, the more it slipped away from their grasp.

She discreetly glanced at him, then quickly looked away. She rubbed her hands, gripping the corner of her shirt nervously.

"Oh yeah, about getting Renee to approach Gia..." Zuko paused. "Renee, I'll handle all your student passes and try my best to get you in the same building as Gia."

She nodded earnestly, snapping back to her senses.

"Don't worry, Zuko. I won't mess up." She smiled sincerely, "If she's really Pamela, I'll tell the truth as soon as I return to Jangasas!"

Zuko felt his heart tighten. He pitied the vulnerable girl in front of him even more.

Renee could easily take everything from the Thompsons like a piece of cake. She was clearly living in terrible conditions, and the Thompsons were the perfect stepping stone. But she didn't. She insisted on returning what didn't belong to her.

So how could Melvin deserve to be her father?

Toph was a little worried. "Renee, I heard that Gia is vicious. Please be careful when you approach her!"

"Vicious?" She was taken aback. "Who said that?"

"My brother!"

Zuko's face changed, and he coughed hard.

Renee chuckled when she realized. "Zuko, did you call Gia vicious because she bullied Lina?"

"Um... Of course not!" Zuko said seriously, "I'm not someone who gets overwhelmed by emotions."

Toph rolled his eyes and made a funny face at him. They laughed.

Two days later...

Renee successfully entered the university as a junior, one year before Gia.

Zuko's brilliant arrangement had them in classes on the same floor. That day, Renee intentionally went to the wrong classroom. She saw Gia sitting by the window, absent-mindedly flipping through a book. "Hi, may I know if anyone is sitting here?"

Renee quietly took the empty seat beside her.

Gia glanced at her coldly, not answering. She had been irritated for the past few days.

After returning from Southeast Aciatic, Lina stopped treating her as a friend. They stopped talking, becoming strangers.

It wouldn't be easy to destroy her now. Besides, she had Zuko. It was impossible to get close to her.

However, Melvin kept calling, asking about the situation.

Since he stopped using a middle person, he contacted her directly.

She tested him a few times, asking why he didn't have her pretend to be Pamela in Centrolis. She would do a better job, for sure! He would merely scoff.

So what if she could do a better job? How could he allow someone else to benefit from it!?

No matter how dumb and weak Renee was, she was his daughter. Moreover, it was much easier for him to control her!

Gia frowned, feeling as if the words in the book were floating. She had been staring at it but couldn't finish a single sentence. "Hey?" Renee leaned in to look at her. "Can I sit here?"

"Yes, yes!" Gia replied irritably. "Just sit if you want. Who's stopping you?"

Renee fell silent and sat beside her.

She saw the name "Gia Chapman" written in the book and looked at her face. She looked exactly like the picture Fred had sent.

Chapter 1103

Chapter 1103

After confirming that she had found the right person, Renee smiled and politely asked, "This is a public elective class, but I didn't bring my textbook... Do you mind if I take a look at yours?"

Gia glared at her and shoved the book she was holding in her direction. She didn't care to look at it anyway.

Renee smiled gratefully and thanked her. Then, out of the blue, she let out a scream.

"What are you doing?" Gia was taken aback. "What's wrong now?"

"Oh no, this isn't my yearbook!" Renee pretended to panic. "So this isn't my class... I should have called you senior!"

Gia rolled her eyes, feeling even more annoyed.

Everyone at this university was wealthy, but it seemed that the wealthy kids lacked intelligence. Just like the person standing in front of her. How did she even get into university if she couldn't even distinguish her classes?

Renee stood frozen in panic, clutching the corner of her shirt with teary eyes.

Gia felt a sense of satisfaction seeing how timid Renee appeared. The second-generation rich may have money, but they were dumb. Despite not having money herself, she was much smarter than them. It always felt good to see someone beneath her, especially when that person held a high status and came from a privileged background but lacked capability in certain aspects.

Gia stood up, crossing her arms and adopting a condescending tone. "Hey! Are you new here?"

Renee nodded, biting her lip.

"We're not accepting new students now, so how did you manage to get in?"

Renee had prepared an answer for this question, ensuring it was flawless. "I... I didn't do well academically, but my family owns over 50 mines that need management. My parents couldn't handle them, so they forced me to obtain a certificate before returning to inherit our family assets. But I failed to get into a university. They could only pay a lot to send me here as a guest student."

"A guest student?" Gia felt even more superior upon hearing that.

'So, she is just a guest student!'

And what about Gia? She had gotten in based on her own abilities, securing the second-highest score in the exams. Lina, of course, claimed the top spot. Gia's face turned grim. The thought of Lina infuriated her.

However, this second-generation rich girl seemed genuinely honest. She appeared like an easy target, and it would be a waste not to take advantage of her.

"Alright, stop crying." Gia handed her a tissue. "Which building and class are you supposed to go to? I'm sure you remember that, right?"

"Um, well..." Renee pretended to struggle with her memory for a while, making it seem like a difficult task. Finally, she recalled with apparent effort, "I should be in Building 8, Class 302!" "This is Class 301. Your classroom is just across the hall."

Renee widened her eyes and looked outside in an exaggerated manner. After confirming multiple times that the classroom across was indeed 302, she turned back to give Gia a bright smile. "Thank you, senior! Thank you so much!"

Gia frowned. She didn't want to be associated with someone so embarrassing.

Meanwhile, as Renee left, the students in the class started discussing her enthusiastically.

"Isn't she the precious Ms. Rene, whose family owns mines?"

Gia perked up and listened attentively.

"I heard she's good at everything except academics!"

"Hahaha..."

One of the young men exclaimed, "But if I could marry her, my family business would triple!"

Another girl sighed. "I wish I could marry her too! My dad's company is facing financial difficulties, and seeing him worry takes away my appetite!"

"Wouldn't all their problems be solved if they got their hands on those 50 mines?"

"Hey, I'm just joking! We're both girls. How could we get married?"

"Hey, I heard she has a brother. If you marry her brother, wouldn't that save your family business?"

Gia didn't pay attention to the rest of the conversation but clearly heard that part.

'So, Ms. Rene has a... brother?'

Chapter 1104

Chapter 1104

Gia clenched her fists, a confident smile appearing on her face. Thoughts filled her head after realizing that Ms. Rene had a brother.

Renee came from a big family business, and if Gia could be with the son of that family, Zuko would mean nothing to her.

Taking a deep breath, Gia had a strong desire to compete with Lina in everything, even when it came to men. She wanted to surpass and step on her. Smirking with satisfaction, she picked up her book and hurriedly left the classroom.

In Further Mathematics class, which was known to be challenging, even for many boys, Renee found enjoyment. She understood the subject before the lecturer even explained it, effortlessly grasping concepts like calculus.

However, her understanding only remained on paper, as she struggled to answer questions when called upon. Her panicked state brought tears to her eyes, entertaining her classmates, much to the lecturer's annoyance.

After class, Renee secretly tore up her draft, sensing that something was about to happen. As expected, Gia approached her, carrying two cups of coffee.

"This is for you, Ms. Rene," Gia said, her intent clear to Renee.

"Thanks," Renee replied, aware that Gia was likely there because of the students' discussions. Unbeknownst to her, those students were actually arranged by Zuko to play their parts.

Taking a sip of the coffee, Renee suddenly coughed and spat it out. It tasted extremely bitter to her.

"It's so bitter. It's horrible!" Renee exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Gia found the coffee to be great and couldn't understand why Renee found it bitter.

"Senior..."

"Ms. Rene, you don't have to call me that. Just call me Gia!" Gia responded, smiling brightly.

Renee maintained a flat expression and silently observed Gia, realizing that her overly friendly smile was targeted at the son of a boss who owned 50 mines.

With her innocent doe eyes, Renee gazed at Gia and asked, "Do you know my brother?"

"No," Gia replied, not only because she didn't know him but also because she hadn't heard of such a wealthy family in Jangasas. However, she understood from her classmates' discussions that they must be powerful.

"I have a brother who's even more handsome than celebrities. And he's still single!" Renee remarked.

Gia couldn't help but find Renee's words amusing. The woman was being more generous than necessary.

Without hesitation, Renee suggested, "Senior, my coffee is horrible. Can I drink yours?"

Gia felt troubled by the request since she had already taken a sip, but Renee's persistent innocence made her hand over her cup to Renee.

"Thanks, senior!" Renee exclaimed, taking Gia's cup of coffee. She then ran out of the classroom without looking back, leaving Gia stunned. Still in a daze, Gia stood motionless as she watched Renee's hasty departure. Suddenly, her phone vibrated, breaking her from her thoughts. "Are you dead?" A cold voice came from the other end.

Startled, Gia lowered her voice and asked, "What's wrong, Mr. Thompson?"

"My daughter is in Jangasas right now... Why didn't you tell me!?" Melvin's voice sounded frustrated.

Confused, Gia scoffed and replied, "That's too much, Mr. Thompson. I don't even know what your daughter looks like!"

"Renee, that damned girl..." Melvin criticized. "And that bastard Toph! They went together! They even got bodyguards at the hospital before leaving! I can't even get close to that woman's ward now!" Feeling annoyed, Gia replied, "Mr. Thompson, I don't have time to hear about what's happening in your life..."

Fuming with anger, Melvin took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. Just as Gia was about to hang up, she heard him mumbling, "Renee, that damned girl... Damned girl!"

'Renee? Ms. Rene?' Gia's heart started racing as she considered the possibility.

Could it be a coincidence? Renee took her coffee. What was she up to?

"Hey, are you dead!?" Melvin scolded. "You can't do anything right!"

Gia's voice trembled. "Mr. Thompson, don't scold me first... I think I might've seen the Renee you're talking about!"

...

Renee discarded the coffee she had taken from Gia and kept only the lid. Zuko and Toph pulled over in their car to pick her up.

"I got it!" Renee exclaimed, smiling at Zuko and Toph. She handed them the item in a transparent bag.

"I watched Gia drink this with my own eyes and took this from her," she explained. "Let's go straight to the hospital for the test!" Toph frowned, expressing concern. "But we don't have Uncle Nicholas and Aunt Linda's..."

"We don't need them." Zuko chuckled. "Let's use Renee's. She and Pammy are cousins, so their DNA must have similarities!"

Chapter 1105

Chapter 1105

"That's right! You're so smart, brother!" Toph's eyes lit up, and he almost threw himself at Zuko, wanting to give him a hug. However, Zuko looked at him with a frown and lifted his hand to block him with a look of disgust on his face.

"What!" The second grandson of the Hamertons felt wronged. "We always hugged when we were young. Did you forget that?"

"What nonsense are you talking about!?" Zuko glared at him. "Stay away from me!"

"I don't wanna!" Toph grinned and kept trying to shove himself toward his brother.

It was inevitable that the brothers would end up in a fight, which made Renee laugh. Only then did Zuko realize it.

This bastard did it to his brother just to make his girlfriend happy! Did he put on an act for her?

"Okay, stop it!" Zuko asserted his authority as the elder brother. "The most important thing now is to run the test at the hospital! There's a hospital in Jangasas that I'm familiar with. We know each other, so it's convenient."

Toph and Renee looked at each other, smiled, and nodded. The three of them headed to the hospital.

It took less than two days to get the test results since they had submitted the sample. On that day, Toph asked to meet Zuko at the same cafe and showed him the test report as soon as they met. "Look at the number, bro!"

Zuko flipped directly to the last page: Similarity - 0%.

He was stunned, his heart sinking.

"I'm sorry, Zuko..." Renee felt guilty. "It's my fault. I thought Gia was Pamela. I-I should've gotten more information from my dad..."

"We're not blaming you!" Toph quickly interjected. "Renee, without you, it would have been impossible for us to get this far!"

"That's right." Zuko chuckled. "Now we can at least prove that Gia isn't Pammy."

"Then how did she get Pammy's DNA to my dad?" Renee asked.

Zuko's expression instantly changed, and he and Toph locked eyes, realizing something simultaneously.

Gia was not Pammy, but she had her DNA sample. Thus, the real Pammy must be someone around Gia, someone whom Gia could easily approach!

Could everything really be... what he thought?

Zuko stopped breathing and clenched his fists tightly, determination flashing deep in his eyes.

Toph asked cautiously, "Bro, maybe you should check with... sister-in-law?"

Zuko suddenly lifted his eyes to look at him.

At that moment, Lina walked over with a bag of snacks.

"You guys are really here!" Her smile was bright and sweet under the sun, and the dimples on her cheeks were extra cute. "Toph, Renee, our supermarket is right there! These are the new snacks. Try them!" Toph quickly responded and took the snacks, smiling at Zuko. "Bro, isn't it your 'working hour' now? Nobody is watching the store while the two of you are out!"

"Don't worry. I'm just delivering these snacks. I'm going back right away." Lina waved, still smiling. "You guys carry on. I won't be a bother!"

"Lina!" Zuko suddenly stood up, his lips moving as if he had many things to say that were stuck in his throat.

Meanwhile, an awkward atmosphere settled as Toph nervously watched the two of them.

Zuko suddenly grabbed Lina's hand. "I... I want to go back with you."

Although she thought he was acting strange, she didn't think too much into it. Instead, she advised with a smile, "You should stay and chat with them. There aren't many customers in the store today. It's good enough to have me there."

"Lina, I..."

Chapter 1106

Chapter 1106

Zuko scratched his nose, hesitating, before taking Lina's hand and heading to the store. The emotions he was experiencing at the moment were beyond words. It felt as if all the spices had been spilled and mixed together, something he thought only happened in literature.

Zuko had always believed that he was a person capable of controlling his emotions. However, at that very moment, he was overjoyed yet overwhelmed by an indescribable sadness and pain.

As they walked, memories flooded Zuko's mind. He recalled holding Pammy's hand when they were young, guiding her as she took her first steps. They had lost each other for 20 years, and he never imagined that she would come back to him in this way.

These thoughts echoed in his head as he recalled others' comments about Lina.

"Bro, I realized that Lina looks like Aunt Linda from certain angles!"

"Look at them, they've just met, but they act like sisters!"

"Zeke, I'm telling you, Jesse and Melissa raised an outstanding daughter like Lina. How could people like them do that?"

Zuko's heart raced, and without realizing it, he held Lina's hand tightly, causing her to cry out, "It hurts!"

Startled, Zuko snapped back to his senses. "Oh, I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"

Concerned, Lina rubbed her reddened hand and asked, "What's wrong with you? You don't look too good. Did something happen?"

Zuko took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts. "Lina, there's something I need to tell you."

Surprisingly, Lina replied with a smile, "What a coincidence. There's something I want to tell you too!"

He was taken aback, watching her laugh and pull him into the store while skipping. Once inside and away from prying eyes, they sat together behind the counter.

"What is it that you need to tell me?" Lina asked, her smile radiant as she leaned against Zuko's shoulder.

Zuko was touched by her words and the love she received from her adoptive parents. They had treated her as their own, and now they were transferring the house and store to her. It made him realize how deeply they cared for her, despite not sharing any blood relation.

He said, looking at her, "Lina, maybe it's time I tell your mom the truth. She has been treating me like a son-in-law, giving me orders and all. I feel bad about it. An old house and a store don't mean much to me. Though... I know it's everything your mom could offer."

Lina's eyes filled with warmth as she replied, "You silly man." She smiled while playing with his hair.

It was then that Zuko decided to reveal everything to Lina, to take her for a DNA test and share his past with her. He wanted to bring her back to Centrolis, to the world where she truly belonged. But hearing Lina mention that Melissa was giving her the old house and store created a dilemma for Zuko.

He had witnessed the hardships Nicholas and Linda endured all these years, yet he couldn't harbor any resentment toward Jesse and Melissa. If he told the truth, Lina would be the first one to be hurt. "Oh, by the way, Zuko," Lina interrupted his train of thought. "You mentioned there was something you needed to tell me. What is it?"

Chapter 1107

Chapter 1107

Zuko felt his throat tighten, and he licked his dry lips. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke up.

"I... I have a question I'd like to ask you," he said, his voice faltering.

"Mm-hmm, go ahead and ask," Lina replied.

"Lina, are you... happy in this home?" Zuko asked, his expression filled with uncertainty.

Lina was taken aback. She sensed that something was off about Zuko today, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. His eyes seemed more mysterious, and he sometimes appeared hesitant to meet her gaze.

Could it be that there were more secrets to his identity?

"What do you mean by that, Zuko?" she inquired, her tone cautious.

Zuko gently held her shoulders and pleaded, "Please answer my question honestly."

"Why would you need to ask that? Of course I'm happy!" Lina replied, her eyes searching his face for any signs of concern.

"But how would you feel if you had to leave them one day?" Zuko pressed on, his gaze intense.

Lina's eyes widened with alertness. "What are you trying to do? Are you suggesting that if I marry you, I won't be allowed to come home? Are there so many rules in your wealthy family? I won't marry you then!"

"No, no, that's not it," Zuko hurriedly reassured her, reaching out to hold her arm and then embracing her tightly from behind, afraid she might run away.

It would be a disaster if he failed to confirm her identity and lost her as his wife.

Lina patted his arm and turned around to face him. "Tell me exactly what you're trying to ask."

Zuko began to fabricate a story. "Well... I suddenly thought of a friend. He was separated from his family at a young age but was fortunate to be adopted by a loving family. Now, his biological parents want him back... He asked for my opinion, and I don't know what to tell him."

"I see..." Lina responded, her suspicions still lingering as she studied his face.

"Lina, would you return to your biological parents if you were in his shoes?" Zuko asked, hoping to gather more information. "His real parents are wonderful people who deeply love him. They were forced to give him up... They had no choice!"

He added, "Moreover, his biological parents are well-off. They could provide him with a luxurious life and a brighter future! So, what would you do if you were in his position?"

Lina furrowed her brows, her eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions. She took a moment to seriously contemplate before answering, "I don't know."

Her response took Zuko aback.

"I really don't know!" Lina clarified patiently. "It hasn't happened to me, so I can't decide for someone else! Besides, I can't even imagine leaving my parents and Dave... It would devastate me!" "Really..." Zuko muttered, feeling conflicted.

"Yes! Would you be willing to leave your family just like that?" Lina questioned, her tone gentle.

Zuko shook his head mechanically, indicating his hesitation.

Lina smiled warmly. "Exactly! I can tell that your family must be amazing since you're so close to your brother. It's just like my family!

"There's a saying, 'The unfortunate ones spend their whole lives healing their childhood, while the fortunate ones spend their childhood healing their whole lives," Lina shared, her arms reaching out to embrace Zuko. Happiness radiated from her face.

"Zuko, I consider myself fortunate," she said with a genuine smile, her expression as pure and sweet as moonlight shining through a window.

He looked at her, his thoughts filled with complexity, as he recalled her courage and indifference when confronting Fred.

Chapter 1108

Chapter 1108

Zuko reminisced about Lina's fearlessness in the face of Violet's bullying and her resilience when betrayed by Gia. He attributed her courage and determination to her family's unwavering support. With the backing of their parents, the children could soar like eagles in the sky, unafraid and uninhibited.

Zuko gently caressed Lina's face with his thumb, smiling warmly.

"Hey, were you testing me with all those words?" he asked.

"What? No!" She pouted. "Hmph, I thought you were trying to convince me to move to Centrolis and never return to Jangasas after marrying you!"

Zuko forced a smile. "Why would I do that..."

Lina looked at him seriously. "Zuko, I'm setting this rule with you! After I marry you, you can't stop me from going home!"

"Of course," he reassured her, holding her hand. "You won't have to go back and forth... By then, let's move your parents to Centrolis. If Dave works hard, he can get into the University of Centrolis. I promise that you and your family will be together forever."

She smiled and leaned into him like a contented lady.

Their tender moment was interrupted by the ringing of Lina's phone.

"Lina!" Jesse's panicked voice came through. "C-Come to the hospital now! Your mom..."

"What happened to her!?"

Zuko and Lina hurried to the hospital, with Lina making several calls along the way to find out about Melissa's injury.

Earlier in the morning, she had a confrontation with Mary while taking a stroll in the park. The argument had escalated into a fight.

As the scene unfolded, chaos ensued. With most people either at work or in school, only middle-aged and elderly individuals witnessed the altercation. No one dared to intervene as the two women exchanged blows, ending with them falling into a pond.

The pond contained artificial mountains and rocks. Fortunately, Mary suffered only minor injuries, but Melissa hit her head on one of the artificial mountains and started bleeding profusely.

The commotion attracted the attention of onlookers, predominantly elderly individuals. The situation only settled down after someone called for an ambulance.

Lina's worry was evident. As they arrived at the hospital, they encountered the emergency doctor leaving.

"We managed to stop the bleeding for now, but it took too long to get her here. She has lost a significant amount of blood and needs immediate surgery!"

Lina couldn't hold back her tears, and Zuko embraced her, feeling her trembling body.

"The patient has Type B blood, but we don't have enough in the blood bank..."

"Use mine!" Lina said tearfully. "I'm her daughter. I can donate blood!"

"Use mine, sister!" Dave interjected, fighting her over the decision. "I'm a man. It won't matter for me to donate a little blood!" "No, use mine..."

"Use mine!"

"No! Lina, no!"

Jesse's sudden outburst stunned everyone, including the medical staff. They stared at him in silence.

At that moment, the world seemed to fall into stillness.

Zuko observed Jesse's trembling lips, the sweat on his forehead, the fear in his eyes, and his pale face.

"What's wrong, dad?" Lina walked over and patted his back. "Why can't I donate blood to mom?"

Chapter 1109

Chapter 1109

"B-Because..." Jesse stuttered, struggling to find the words.

The truth would be revealed once they discovered Lina's blood type.

Lina was not their biological daughter.

A deep voice suddenly interjected, breaking the tense silence. Jesse lifted his head and saw Zuko's dark eyes, causing his heart to tighten.

"Lina, that's medical knowledge," Zuko said, his voice tinged with amusement. "There's a higher risk of graft-versus-host disease in blood transfusions between immediate family members.

"So not only can't you donate blood to your mother, but you can't do the same for Dave either."

Panic gripped Lina. "What do we do then?"

Zuko offered reassurance. "We can use mine," he said, giving her a comforting look. "I have Type B blood as well."

"He's right," the nurse confirmed. "Please come with me for a blood test. If it's a match, we can proceed with the transfusion immediately."

"Okay," Lina agreed.

Jesse was taken aback. "Zeke, how can we do that to you? Let me do it. My blood type is O. It's universal!"

Zuko turned to face him, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "It's alright. You're older, while I'm stronger. It won't be a problem for me to donate some blood." Jesse was at a loss for words. He suddenly found himself unable to meet Zuko's gaze. The deep, icy eyes seemed to pierce through all his pretenses.

The blood test results came back quickly, confirming Zuko's blood match with Melissa. The transfusion proceeded accordingly.

Lina leaned against the wall, feeling a sense of relief wash over her.

Zuko emerged from the procedure shortly after, applying pressure to his wrist with a cotton ball. With his other hand, he pulled Lina into a warm embrace. "Don't worry. Your mother is doing great," he whispered into her ear.

Lina nodded, finding solace in his embrace. Listening to his steady heartbeat made her feel immensely safe.

The surgery went smoothly, and just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, Mary, her head bandaged, stumbled out of another emergency room.

Spotting the entire family, she contemplated slipping away in guilt. However, Lina intercepted her.

"Aunt Mary!"

Mary's lips twitched, and she offered a forced smile as she looked at Lina.

"May I ask why you have a grudge against my mom that led you to do this?"

"It's not what you think, Lina. Please let me explain-"

"This isn't the first time you've fought with her!" Lina's agitation got the better of her. "And you were the one who started the rumor about me not being my parents' real daughter, right? Why would you do that!?' Mary stood frozen, overwhelmed by Lina's outburst. She dared not utter a word.

Zuko gently grasped Lina's shoulders, applying a soft squeeze. He gave her a reassuring nod. "Lina, your mother is being taken to the ward. Go take care of her. I'll handle this."

Lina glanced at him, biting her lip, before nodding in agreement.

Dave and Jesse accompanied Melissa to the ward to check on her condition.

Now, Zuko and Mary were the only ones left in the expansive hospital corridor.

Fear coursed through Mary. This man had always been distant and cold, and now she had hurt his mother-in-law...

Was he going to seek revenge for his mother-in-law by forcing her to stay?

He had spent time in prison!

Did he have a knife tucked away in his pocket?

If he decided to stab her today, it would be the end for her!

Chapter 1110

Chapter 1110

Mary let out a scream, collapsing against the wall. Startled, Zuko wanted to go and help her, but she kept avoiding him, trembling in fear.

"I-I'm sorry!" she stuttered, apologizing, "I didn't mean to! I promise I won't say it again, never again!"

Zuko furrowed his brows, sensing that Mary knew something more. He slowly crouched down, his gaze turning icy, and spoke each word deliberately. "Mrs. Nash, are you hiding something from me?"

"Huh?"

"Did you and my mother-in-law have another argument about Lina's birth?" Zuko asked, his intuition guiding him.

Mary's face turned pale as she lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.

Zuko continued, his eyes narrowing. "If I'm not mistaken, you met my mother-in-law and mocked the fact that Lina was adopted, which led to the fight between you two."

After a moment, Mary timidly nodded.

Zuko's expression grew stern. "Why did you say that?"

"Z-Zeke..." Mary instantly gave in. "I had a selfish motive. I wanted to introduce my daughter to you and didn't want the Jenners to benefit... That's why I told you that they took Lina!

"But Zeke, what I said is true! You know, Lina's birth certificate is forged!"

Zuko's expression darkened. He felt like he was navigating a maze, getting closer to the exit. Mary's words only accelerated his progress.

"After Jesse returned from Centrolis that year, he had a meal and drank with my husband. He got drunk and revealed a lot... He said that the ship they were on, the Latitude, sank on their way back, but they managed to take Lina off the ship midway, escaping the disaster...

"Zeke, all of this is absolutely true! Jesse spoke the truth while drunk, which is why I'm so certain!"

Zuko remained impassive, his silence resembling an iceberg.

Mary struggled to get up from the floor, calling out "Zeke" tentatively. When she received no response, she quickly fled as if her life depended on it.

Zuko stood up slowly and walked to the window.

The summer day in Jangasas was hot and humid, with an impending sense of a coming storm. The weather forecast warned of an approaching typhoon, urging everyone to be prepared.

He remembered the day when Pammy went missing-it was also a day of strong winds and heavy rain.

He also recalled the only maritime accident in nearly 20 years-the sinking of the Latitude.

Pammy was on that ship.

Zuko closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

His phone vibrated, indicating a call from Toph. "Hello, bro. Have you taken Lina for the DNA test?"

Zuko didn't respond immediately. When he finally spoke, his reply was concise. "I know what to do."

There was a brief moment of confusion on the other end. "Are you sure... she's Pammy?"

Zuko chuckled softly.

There was no doubt. From the very beginning, fate had bound them together, and they would never be separated.

Zuko walked slowly toward the door of the hospital ward. Melissa had already woken up, and Lina had been by her bedside, filled with worry and taking care of her.

Now that the truth had been revealed, he hesitated.

"If you and Renee are safe, go back to Centrolis first. Don't let Melvin suspect anything. As for how to handle him, we'll strategize later," he whispered.

"I understand. Let's not mention this for now. But bro, I still think we should verify it to be sure."

Toph added, "Oh, by the way, Mom used to say Pammy has a crescent-shaped birthmark. Hehe... now you can check it for yourself!"