Ch. 771..780

Chapter 771

A few days later, Jack wanted to return to Dartan to manage the affairs of Helt Corporation and, simultaneously, visit the two children. Before leaving, he called Cooper. During this period, Genevieve had been receiving WhatsApp messages from Harry.

Frustrated, Harry questioned the reason behind Genevieve's cold treatment. Is she angry because I did not visit her?

Genevieve only replied to Harry after Jack left the country. She mentioned the injury he caused and implied that Harry and his mother should treat her to a meal.

Fearing that his mother would not show up, Genevieve asked him to make the reservation without mentioning her name.

Genevieve showed up at Xedells on the day of Bruce and Sylvie's wedding. The netizens and media were all waiting anxiously for their arrival. Eventually, Bruce and Sylvie announced that the wedding had to be postponed because of work, which entailed a slew of reprimands against the couple.

After arriving at Camphor Hotel, Genevieve saw Harry at the entrance.

He was standing there in a gray sweater and pants, mindlessly scrolling through his phone. A few strands of hair could be seen protruding from his sideburns, accentuating his cuteness and youthfulness.

He looked up and noticed Genevieve entering the hotel. His eyes twinkled, and he strode toward her before uttering with his clear, captivating voice, "Genevieve."

Genevieve hummed in response. Thinking about his relationship with Armand, Genevieve could not resist the surge of anxiousness within her heart.

While on their way to the elevator, Harry, upon noticing her troubled look, asked, "Genevieve, are you not feeling well?"

"There's nothing to worry about." Genevieve smiled. "Is your mom here?"

"Yes, she's in the private room." Harry pressed the button for the sixteenth floor after entering the elevator. "My Mom is an easygoing person. She'll be delighted to meet you." Knowing that she managed to gain Harry's trust and fooled the latter into thinking it was an appreciation dinner, Genevieve was swarmed with guilt.

She had used Harry to achieve her ulterior motive in entrapping Mrs. Hompton.

After all, she was not fond of involving the younger generation in the feud.

Arriving in the private room, Genevieve said softly, "I feel like having the toasted bread and garlic bread from Snackers. Can you help me get some?" "All right, sure." Harry nodded.

He turned around before quickly turning back and passing Genevieve a bag. "Genevieve, can you help me carry this in?"

Genevieve nodded and retrieved the bag.

Seeing that Harry had entered the lift, Genevieve pulled out her phone and texted Armand. Then, she kept her phone and entered the room.

The private room was mediocre in size and adopted a classical, traditional design.

Genevieve's attention quickly fixated on the round table. A wealthy-looking woman sat at the table. She had dark hair, covering her neck and reaching her shoulder. Her gracefulness further radiated through her white, silky skin.

If Genevieve didn't know who she was, she might have thought the woman was in her thirties.

The woman looked up and saw Genevieve. The woman took a sip of tea, unaffected by Genevieve's abrupt appearance. "You used my son to meet me. What a move!"

"If I were to invite you personally, you wouldn't have shown up." Genevieve walked toward the table and glared at her. "Am I right, Charice?"

Maintaining her calm composure, the woman replied, "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

The next moment, the door to the private room was pushed upon.

It was Armand. Noticing a stranger in the room apart from Genevieve, he pulled down his face mask and asked, "Genev, why did you invite Mrs. Hompton here?"

Chapter 772

Shocked, the woman's pupils dilated. However, she did not sound affected when she said, "You're not dead?"

Genevieve pointed at Charice and told Armand, "She's Mrs. Hompton, and also Charice."

Armand was dumbfounded.

Armand was brought up by Isabella ever since he was young. While he subsequently found out who his mother was, his memory of her was murky at best, given that his recollection was from a worn-out, yellowish photograph of his mother.

Obviously, the woman before him looked different from the photo.

Knowing that Genevieve must have discovered something, Armand said softly, "Jack said that she died in an accident."

"She faked her death." Genevieve walked toward him and hugged his waist. "After knowing that Charice is not dead, I've been investigating her whereabouts. I figured that there must be some misunderstanding between her and Cesar."

Armand did not expect this to be the information Genevieve had been hiding from him.

With an aching heart, he kissed Genevieve. He pulled out his phone and played a recording for Charice. "This is the conversation I had with Jack."

Genevieve learned about the misunderstanding between Cesar and Charice from the conversation.

To protect Charice, Cesar faked her death to send her overseas. However, he did not expect Charice to get into an accident while she was leaving the country. While Cesar was still alive, he never gave up on looking for Charice.

Charice relaxed her brows but remained glacial. "So what if he had his reasons? It is undisputed that he ruined my life!"

It didn't matter if Cesar did it to protect her. That night, Charice pleaded with Cesar to give her back her child and to think from her perspective. Nonetheless, he ruthlessly told her he had never loved her before, shattering her heart into fragmented pieces. The damage was irreparable, causing her to lose whatever feelings that she once had for him.

For the past decade in Dartan, Charice's hate toward Cesar grew deeper and deeper as the years went by. All she wanted was to seek vengeance against him and let him feel the pain that tormented her. Yet, she returned to the country only to find out that Cesar was dead.

Genevieve turned around and stared at Charice. "Even if Cesar wronged you, I would understand if you were just going after the Faulkner family. But why did you use Jack?"

"He thought you were dead and wanted to commit suicide back then. Then, you told him that Cesar wronged you and to seek revenge, causing him to kill Cesar's three wives and others from the Faulkner family..." Genevieve gritted her teeth, almost losing her ability to speak.

Jack blamed himself because of Charice's supposed death.

Many nights, Genevieve witnessed the nightmare that Jack had to endure. In his sleep, he mourned Charice's death with a pale, bloodless face.

In seeking revenge, he became an executioner and tainted his hands with the blood of others.

But this was part of Charice's plan.

"He did this of his own volition. I did not ask him to do anything." Charice poked Armand and uttered in a casual, monotonous voice, "You've merely borrowed my womb to come to this world. It was Isabella who brought you up, and you have nothing to do with me."

"But Jack..." Charice's frowned with disdain. "I was raped, and he is the child of that filthy rapist! I had no choice but to give birth to that b*stard!"

Genevieve could not believe that Charice uttered such an atrocious remark.

Again, the door was pushed open, and Jack walked in. He looked calm, and it was unclear if he had heard the conversation.

Genevieve turned back and saw Jack. Her heart sank, and she looked toward Charice. She started shivering and shuddering.

Chapter 773

Genevieve rested in Armand's arms as he held her hands tightly.

Meanwhile, Jack's cold glare swept across Armand's face.

He did not ask Genevieve how her alter ego disappeared nor questioned Armand why he was not dead.

In the end, his eyes were fixated on Charice. "I have always hoped that you're still alive so that I won't live miserably or have any more nightmares... It's been so long, but I'm glad to be able to see you again," he said in a calm tone.

Genevieve could not imagine how difficult it was for Jack to say those words. With tears in her eyes, she retorted, "Charice, you don't deserve to be a mother!"

She continued, "Did you really think that Cesar desired to separate you from your children? Had he not done that, both you and Mando would have been dead. Yet, you resented him for giving Mando away to Isabella. When Isabella discovered the truth, she attempted to kill Mando. Yes, you're Mando's mother, and that's an indisputable fact. However, he's also a unique individual who has his own life to lead. Why must he bear the consequences of your mistakes? What gives?" Genevieve broke down and bawled her eyes out.

Then, she pointed at Jack and pursued the matter further. "What about him? What does Jack owe you? You're putting all the blame on him just because you've experienced a mishap? You hated them for ruining your life. Hence, you used Jack and escaped to Xedells after faking your death. Later on, you married Nigel and bore him a son. How could you love that child of yours but shower them with hatred?"

Genevieve had suspected Charice's evil plan and set up a trap in the hope of exposing her viciousness while intentionally keeping Jack in the dark.

To her surprise, he showed up at Charice's request.

"Samantha used Cooper as her pawn because it was unbeknownst to her that the latter was her son. She thought that Zachary had abandoned her and started anew with his own family. Who would have known that she was actually sabotaged by Old Mr.

Faulkner? When she found out about it, she was devastated to the point that she took her own life, but you..."

Genevieve's lips were trembling. It was so hard for her to fmd the right words to say. "You kept claiming that Cesar did you wrong, and you wanted to take revenge on him. Yet, you treated both of your children like animals!"

Armand lowered his head and kissed away the tears on Genevieve's face. "Don't cry, Darling."

He knew that Jack's life was a living h*ll, but he did not expect Charice to mistreat him so badly. She had never acknowledged him as her son, let alone loved him like one. In fact, she made him a killer. Regardless of what Genevieve said, Charice was unfazed.

She took a sip of tea and smiled. "I admit that I'm not a good mother to them, but what about you? You put in so much effort to orchestrate this grand plan in order to scheme against me and let them discover the truth. So? Jack loves you, but did you choose him in the end? If you hadn't found me, I'd have remained dead in his heart. You're the one who pierced right through his heart with a blade and then rubbed salt on his wound."

Charice's words stirred up an emotional turmoil within Jack. "I'm perfectly fine even if Genev doesn't love me. There's no need for you to attack her with your sharp tongue."

Jack continued with a sneer, "Did you think that I'd be enraged after witnessing all these? My beloved mom, you've been dead to me for as long as I could remember. I've gotten rid of those people who bullied you, and I did that for your sake. Therefore, I no longer owe you anything. It's fine if you don't want to acknowledge us as your sons. Do you think that Armand and I desire your recognition so badly? Do you really think that you've got everything under your control?"

Charice was completely taken aback by Jack's brutal words. She turned as pale as a sheet.

Jack narrowed his eyes and chuckled coldly. "I'm not lending a helping hand to Faulkner Group because it's not related to me at all. On the other hand, Armand refused to make any move because he couldn't care less about the company. You're the only foolish one right from the very beginning. Marrying into the Homptons and having a son doesn't guarantee you a blissful life. If the two of us were to take action against Nigel, it shall be the end of him."

Chapter 774

Apart from consoling Genevieve, Armand said nothing.

Jack was absolutely right. Both of them were more powerful than anyone could ever imagine.

If he wanted to, he could easily make the Homptons disappear from the face of Xedells within a day.

Jack removed the amulet he had been wearing since he was young and tossed it at Charice. "Since you've changed your name, I'll take it as you've passed on. You know, I'm a mad man... You'd better not lay a finger on Genev. Otherwise, I don't know what I'll do."

With that, he turned around and left.

Armand went after the man and stopped him outside the elevator. "Genev did all these to prevent us from killing each other. I'll never forgive you. Nonetheless, I'll let bygones be bygones."

Armand knew Genevieve's intention in doing all that. Hence, he tried to be the better man.

"I don't need your forgiveness nor sympathy. It disgusts me!" Jack said scornfully.

Once the doors of the elevator opened, Jack entered immediately.

Through the gap between the doors, he stared into Armand's eyes and smirked. Right before the doors shut again, he commented, "Armand, I didn't expect you to be so weak, to the extent that you resorted to suicide upon finding out the truth."

Armand did not respond to him. He merely waited till the elevator doors shut completely before returning to the lounge.

That evening, he reserved a suite for Genevieve to put up a night at the hotel.

Worried that she might be hungry, he requested permission from the hotel to use their kitchen to make oatmeal and bagel for her. When he brought the food back to the room, Genevieve was nowhere to be found.

He tried calling her, only to realize that her phone was on the couch. Her jacket, too, was left behind.

Armand searched the room and noticed that the bathroom lights were switched on. There was also the sound of running water. He walked to the door and knocked on it. "Darling, are you taking a shower?"

A silence ensued.

Armand opened the door and entered. He then found a drenched Genevieve sitting in the shower while leaning against the cold wall and staring blankly into space.

His heart ached to see her in such a devastating condition. All he could do was sit down quietly beside her and keep her company.

Moments later, Genevieve rested her head on his shoulder. She said between sobs, "Although Jack is quite vicious to have murdered many people, he has never once hurt me. On the contrary, he loves me a lot. He even loves Lucian and Mandy too. I just wanted to find out about Charice's death. I didn't expect that it would lead to this dreadful outcome with Jack knowing everything... Mando, did I make a mistake?"

She raised her head and gazed at the man. Her face had turned ghastly as she allowed the cold shower to wash all over her.

Armand hugged her and gently stroked her wet hair.

She broke down again in his embrace. "Mando, I love you very much, and I want to stay with you forever. However, Jack has remained loyal to me right from the start. He has done a lot for me, but I've disappointed him..."

Genevieve grew up with parents who doted on her and protected her all the way. Since she was young, they had showered her with immense love and care. As such, she had never lacked attention. However, never in a million years would she have known that there would be two more guys who would give her never-ending affection.

She never regretted her decision in choosing Armand, but at the same time, she could not help feeling sorry for Jack.

Armand grew up with his father by his side, whereas Jack's existence was purely an accident. The latter wanted to protect his mother, but she had never truly loved him. As a matter of fact, she hated him to the

core.

Armand cupped Genevieve's face and gently kissed her from her brows to her cheeks and then on her lips.

He kissed away her tears and muttered, "I'm grateful toward Jack for taking good care of you and the children in those four years. However, he was too selfish and ruthless in his methods to get you. I don't hate him, but I'll never forgive him for what he did to me. I can give him anything except you and my two kids.”

Chapter 775

Genevieve caressed his face as tears glistened in her eyes.

She knew Armand did not have it easy. After all, both she and the children were the biggest part of his life which kept him going.

Without us, how could he survive all these and continue living?

At that thought, Genevieve leaned forward and kissed him. The woman channeled all of her unspoken words into that one passionate kiss while she hugged him and secretly vowed not to let him go again. Armand was worried that Genevieve would catch a cold. After the kiss, he quickly grabbed a towel to wipe her dry and put on a bathrobe for her. Subsequently, he carried her to the living room, where he served her some oatmeal and a bagel.

Like a cat, Genevieve snuggled up against her man as he fed her.

A few mouthfuls of food later, she felt much better.

She ran her fingers over the dark stubble around his lips and asked, "What did you say to Jack when you ran outside to catch him?"

"I told him that I was going to drop the matter." He took a bagel and fed her. "I was afraid that Jack would do something impetuous. It turned out that my fear was totally unnecessary, for he was more composed than me."

If I were to put myself in his shoes, I might not have been able to get a grip once I found out that my mother had been deceiving me throughout my entire life. Knowing that she has never loved me would have hurt an awful lot.

Genevieve did not ask where Jack was headed thereafter. Instead, she sat there and continued eating her food.

To her, Jack was an arrogant, prideful, and vicious person who loathed receiving sympathy from others even if he ended up with nothing.

Genevieve did not have much of an appetite. She felt full after eating half a bowl of oatmeal and a bagel.

As such, Armand finished the remaining food before carrying Genevieve into the bedroom and helping her blow her hair dry. Afterward, they went to bed together.

"I've instructed Steven to pick Lucian and Mandy up from Dartan." He caressed her face and said under his breath, "I'll always be with you, now and forever."

Genevieve murmured a reply in the affirmative before diving into his embrace, where she felt safe and secure.

Meanwhile, Lilian wheeled herself into a luxurious restaurant that had been entirely booked by someone. A melodious classical piece, "For Elise," was played in the background. That person was none other than Jack who was dressed in a black turtleneck top. He had his eyes shut while sitting upright in front of the piano, seemingly enjoying the music. Lilian moved closer to the stage and admired him from below.

At that moment, she recalled the very first time she met him. He was a gentleman who always wore a polite smile on his face. His appearance and gestures made him look very classy and regal, like a prince. Lilian was attracted to his extensive knowledge, intellect, and mannerism, so when Jack proposed to her, she said yes without second thoughts.

Few would be able to compare to his looks, intelligence, and shrewdness.

When the song was over, Jack gradually opened his eyes and turned to Lilian. "Was it nice?" he asked with a grin.

Lilian did not respond to him.

On their wedding day, Jack invited a classical orchestra to play that canonic tune. She had always thought that it was because of his fervent appreciation for classical music. It turned out that it was his way of reminiscing the love of his life.

Truth be told, he only knew how to play that one song. It was the only one that he had ever loved.

Jack walked down the stage and wheeled Lilian to a table by the window. Then, he beckoned the waiter over.

As soon as the waiter left with their orders, Jack rested his chin on his palm and stared at Lilian. "You've been hiding all these while. How did you know that I'd be here tonight? What brings you here?"

Lilian switched on her phone and placed it on the table. "Genevieve told me that there's a tracker installed in your watch."

Jack glanced at the map displayed on the phone screen. Then, his gaze fell on the silver watch on his left wrist as he let out a chuckle.

"This was a present from Genev. I've been wearing it all the time."

That was the first gift that Genevieve had given him, and it was very memorable for him. Whenever he checked the time, he felt like she was just by his side.

Unbeknownst to him, Genevieve had been tracking his whereabouts all this while.

Chapter 776

When the waiter served them two hot cups of coffee, Jack was so sweet to add milk into Lilian's. "Could you share with me the deal you made with Genev when you abducted her?"

Lilian had been with Jack for quite some time. Yet, she had never seen him so calm and composed, to the point that it terrified her.

She took a sip of coffee to ease her anxiety. "Genevieve told me to kidnap her and dump her at a motel. In exchange, I could gain access to the tracking device and know your location anytime, anywhere..." Upon hearing so, Jack connected the details with what he had overheard at the private lounge in the morning. Finally, he was able to figure out Genevieve's plan.

At the realization, he let out a wry and self-mocking smile.

If Genev doesn't love me, why did she need to go through the trouble to set things up in order to expose Charice's wickedness without letting me know? Her intention was to shield me from getting hurt. She even rebuked Charice for my sake. However, can I really say that she loves me? I actually don't have a place in her heart, and she hates having any physical contact with me.

Jack looked at Lilian's beautiful face and sighed. "I admittedly said to you once that your family was my springboard, but I've never hurt any one of the Helts."

A subordinate then handed an envelope over to him, which he placed in front of Lilian. "Take a look at it yourself."

She whipped out a stack of documentation and skimmed through them.

Her eyes widened at each turning page. Disbelief was written all over her face.

Jack ran his fingers across his watch and said indifferently, "After we got married, your grandfather had a private conversation with me. He told me that there were a lot of internal conflicts within Helt Corporation, which would put its development at a disadvantage. Your father's caliber was mediocre. Considering that he valued his relationship with his siblings, your grandfather was afraid that Helt Corporation would be ruined in his hands, so I made a deal with your grandfather. I'd help him reorganize Helt Corporation. In return, he'd make me the head of the company and grant me access to utilize any of its resources. He also hoped that I could take good care of you and ensure your safety for the rest of your life."

Jack was a man of his word.

No matter how livid he got when Lilian attacked Genevieve, he merely killed a few of Lilian's servants. He had no intention of hurting Lilian.

At most, he would send her to Dartan and restrain her within the manor.

After a slight pause, Jack continued, "I didn't kill your father. Nobody wanted you to know the reason behind his death, including your grandfather and me."

Since the very day that Lilian's father died and Helt Corporation fell apart, she turned a deaf ear to everything and insisted that Jack was the one who destroyed her family.

Right then, she started to recall many details that she had missed in the past.

Jack could have taken over Helt Corporation completely if he was insanely ambitious. He could have also wiped out the entire Helt family with a snap of a finger if he wanted to, but he didn't. Moreover, he has eyes everywhere. Even when he clearly knew that I was tracking his whereabouts, he just let me be instead of taking action against me.

Jack gave Lilian another document. "This is the share transfer agreement for Helt Corporation. Half of the shareholders were great friends with your grandfather. They will definitely stand by you. Hence, you don't need to worry about not being able to handle the company. The upper management team has been handpicked and trained by me personally these past few years. They will assist you in managing the corporation."

She looked at him, completely baffled. "You're returning Helt Corporation to me?"

"It has always been yours." Jack let out a smile that did not reach his dim eyes. "I needed this distinguished position to help me find the woman that I loved. At that time, I wanted to snatch her away even though she was married. I wanted her to be by my side all the time. When I finally had her, I realized she could never develop feelings for me. No matter what I did, she was always reluctant to stay with me..." A layer of exhaustion laced his tone. "I feel really tired."

Chapter 777

Lilian gazed at Jack's dejected face. She had never thought that a person as cruel, heartless, and crafty as him could actually love a woman so dearly.

It was just like how she had loved and trusted him without any hesitation.

His honesty appeased her resentment. Her heart would still skip a beat for him, just like how it used to be when she first saw him. However, she also felt bad for what he had to go through.

She put the agreement on the table and said softly, "Come back to Dartan with me. Helt Corporation needs you."

Jack smiled and shook his head.

"What if..." Lilian pressed her lips and looked straight into his eyes. "What if I said I needed you? Would you come with me?"

He saw a sincere declaration of love through her eyes and was stunned for a moment.

Then, he covered his face with both of his palms, chuckling and sighing at the same time. He felt that Lilian was just as pathetic as him; they were both fools for love.

Jack rose to his feet and bent down before her. Cupping her face, he kissed her on the lips.

The coldness of his lips startled her, and she shuddered.

Right when Lilian was about to hug him, he moved backward and gently brushed her lips with his finger. "You see, there's no temperature on my lips. I'll never be able to fall for any other woman because she stole my heart a long time ago," he said in a low voice.

"Don't be silly. You're yearning for someone you shouldn't even think about. You should go back now." After leaving her with that, Jack grabbed his jacket and left the restaurant without giving her another glance.

Lilian watched him disappear from her sight.

As she touched her face and felt none of the warmth that he left behind, she teared up unwittingly.

A few days later, the news about Bruce's sudden death at the hospital went viral.

It was only then that everybody began to realize Bruce had been suffering from late-stage cancer for a long time with no hope of recovering. Apart from his relationship issues with Coco, the fact that he was blacklisted by the entertainment company also contributed to his severe depression.

In the past few months, Bruce had pulled himself together and focused on filming movies just so he would not disappoint his fans.

When his fans heard the bad news, they all cried. Some of them even initiated a witch-hunt against Coco and organized trips to her house to bash her up in order to avenge Bruce.

That was how Coco learned that Bruce was dead.

She recalled her past memories with Bruce. Regardless of what she did, he would spoil her most of the time. Back then, he agreed not to reveal their relationship to the public because she had not risen to stardom. He even exhausted his contacts to get the best resources to support her career. However, the ungrateful Coco framed him for domestic violence, resulting in him losing the court case. Yet, he did not utter a single bad thing about Coco even after being released from prison.

Coco went back to her house looking like a complete disaster. She scrolled through her old phone and saw their vacation vlogs, couple photos, and the video of his surprise proposal. "Marry me, Coco. I'll be a good husband to you and a good father to our future children."

At that time, she came up with all sorts of excuses to reject him. "You've just been awarded the best actor award. Your fans will be disappointed if they know that we're getting hitched." Bruce rebutted, "I'm an actor, not a celebrity. Why should I cover up my love life? Acting has always been my passion, but you've been my dream ever since the day I met you." There was a sparkle in his eyes when he talked about the future. "Babe, I want to marry you and be with you forever."

"Let's delay it a little while more. I'm not ready."

From the video, Coco noticed how heartbroken Bruce was when he heard her reply. Yet, he plastered a smile almost immediately and said, "It's okay. I'll give you more time to prepare yourself." He treasured her like a rare gem and doted on her lovingly. In an earnest tone, he professed his love for her, "Coco, I love you."

Chapter 778

I love you. I love you...

She paused the video at that precious scene and stared at the man's face intently. It suddenly dawned on her that she was so stupid to have indulged in a life of luxury and chosen to ignore a man who had given her his all, especially in the complicated entertainment industry.

Coco held her phone and wailed like a child for having lost the love of her life.

The next morning, Coco's assistant came to her place and knocked on the door.

Since no one answered, the assistant quickly opened it by using the spare key. Upon entering the house, she found Coco on the bed with Bruce's photo placed next to her still body.

Alas, the news of Coco's suicide due to sleeping pill overdose spread like wildfire.

Perhaps the impact of cyberbullying had weighed her down or perhaps she was consumed by guilt for what she had done to Bruce. Anyhow, the netizens were of the opinion that she deserved it. They still did not forgive her because she had destroyed Bruce at his best.

After settling Bruce's affairs, Armand accompanied Genevieve to the airport early in the morning.

On his way from the parking lot elevator to the main airport lobby, Armand checked his reflection in the mirror. Then, he turned and asked Genevieve, "Will my bloodshot eyes scare the children? Do I look old? There are wrinkles at the corners of my eyes."

Amused, Genevieve held his head and gave him a sweet kiss. "You've hardly aged. To me, you'll always be handsome. If you get all the girls infatuated with you to line up, I bet the line could encircle the earth at least one round."

Armand grinned and kissed her back. When the elevator doors opened, they walked out arm in arm.

They waited for a while before Armand spotted Steven and the two kids among all the returning tourists.

Amanda was wearing a light blue coat, and her signature long black hair was cascading down her shoulders. She looked so lovely with her big round eyes and pinkish cheeks.

Genevieve raised her arm and waved at the children. "Mandy!"

Abruptly, Amanda looked up, and her gaze met her mother's. Soon, she focused her attention on the towering man who was hugging Genevieve. He wore a pair of brown sunnies, looking reserved yet imposing.

Amanda broke free from Steven's grasp and dashed toward Genevieve.

The latter was afraid that she might trip, so she bent down with open arms and signaled Amanda to run slower. Surprisingly, Amanda stopped right in front of her instead of giving her a big hug. She lifted her head and stared at the man. "Carry me," she stretched out her arms and requested.

A smile curved on Armand's lips. He then carried her up and planted a kiss on her soft and supple cheeks.

Amanda could not wait to remove Armand's sunglasses. After seeing his face, she gasped in astonishment before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him several times coquettishly. "Daddy, you look better in real life than in photos!"

Armand's heart melted instantly upon hearing his own daughter addressing him dearly for the first time in almost five years.

He could not stop smothering her with kisses. "Did you miss me?"

"Yes, I've missed you super duper much!" she exclaimed sweetly. "I've been missing you since your first phone call. From then till now, I've always believed that you're still alive. I just know it." Armand guffawed and asked, "Why so?"

"Because..." She rolled her eyes cheekily and flashed him the brightest grin. "You love me the most! Since you had never carried me before, I bet you wouldn't leave me."

"That's so true." Armand's gaze was exceptionally gentle toward his little one. "I love you and Lucian the most."

Amanda turned her upper body and proclaimed smugly to her brother, "See, Lucian, I told you so! Daddy is alive and kicking. Do you believe me now?"

Lucian was so shocked and bewildered to see Armand appearing before him. However, he recollected himself swiftly.

Armand squatted down to stare at the little boy who looked and behaved almost the same as him. Then, he stretched out one arm and invited Lucian, "Come, give me a hug."

Chapter 779

Since Lucian was unaccustomed to being close to others, he hesitated for a while before throwing himself into Armand's arms.

Carrying both children effortlessly in his arms, Armand kissed Lucian on the forehead and said gently, "Thank you for looking after your younger sister."

Pouting, Amanda turned to him and whined, "He didn't look after me. All he did was bully me. Not only did he pull my hair, but he also added something spicy to my orange juice!"

Lucian pursed his lips, momentarily dumbfounded. "That happened so long ago. Besides, you were the one who started it."

"I didn't! You were the one who bullied me!"

Armand stared at them wordlessly as they started arguing. In fact, they probably would have gotten into a tussle if he had not been carrying them. Nonetheless, he could not help feeling amused by their behavior.

Siding with either of them won't do any good, so it's better to remain silent.

"Now that you have a father, both of you have clearly forgotten about your mother. Why don't the three of you go home together, then? I'm just the odd one out," Genevieve remarked coldly.

Amanda leaned over and kissed Genevieve, then said in her piping voice, "I love you the most, Mommy! It's just that we missed Daddy a lot because we haven't seen him in ages, so don't get jealous about that, Mommy."

Armand laughed. "What do you feel like eating when we get home? I'll make everything you want to eat."

Hearing that, Genevieve snorted. "Does that mean you won't make the dishes I want to eat anymore? What a heartless man you are!"

"I'll cook everything you want to eat too."

"Mommy! Mommy! Let's find some difficult dishes and ask Daddy to prepare them. If they taste bad, you can make him kneel for as long as you want. How's that?" Amanda suggested.

Genevieve broke into a grin and pinched the little girl's cheek playfully. "I've never seen anyone try to cause trouble for their father like you."

"I'm helping you to bully Daddy," Amanda replied solemnly.

Still carrying the kids in his arms, Armand strode out of the arrival hall. "Okay. In that case, the three of you should look up plenty of delicious dishes, and I'll try to make them all for you," he said with a laugh. After Genevieve got into the car, she waited until Armand fastened her seat belt before saying jealously, "You kissed the kids, but you didn't kiss me. Am I not your little darling?" Armand leaned in and gave her a deep kiss, then kissed the corner of her lips as he pulled away. "Of course you are. My one and only," he murmured with a low chuckle. Tugging at Steven's shirt, Amanda said in her babyish voice, "Look, Mr. Sullivan! They're bullying you by showing off their affection in front of you."

Steven merely stroked her head in response. I'm already used to it by now.

While in the car, Amanda listed the dishes and desserts she felt like having. Armand had Genevieve jot them down, then took them to buy the ingredients once they arrived at the shopping mall near Regality Gardens.

Steven had no wish to intrude on their long-awaited family reunion, so he excused himself and left.

As Amanda sat in the shopping cart, she would point at the snacks she wanted, and Armand would help to get them for her. She also kept calling out to him every now and then. Instead of getting frustrated, he thoroughly enjoyed it.

"Daddy, shall we go to the beach tomorrow? I want to gather seashells," she told Armand.

He flashed her a smile. "I'll accompany you anywhere you want to go."

Delighted, Amanda raised her arms and cheered.

When they returned to the condominium, Armand carried all the ingredients to the kitchen, threw on an apron, and started preparing lunch.

Although Genevieve wanted to help him, he would not let her. "All you need to do is wait for the food to be ready."

"Okay, then." She gave him a quick kiss and added softly, "If I'm happy with the meal, I'll reward you tonight."

Armand felt his mouth run dry from that kiss.

Chapter 780

After a while, Lucian went into the kitchen, pulled a stool over and climbed onto it, then rolled up the sleeves of his sweater.

"I'll help you, Daddy."

"Sure," Armand responded with a grin. He washed a radish and cut one slice as a demonstration. "This is how you do it. Cut it into slices first, then into strips. Finally, dice the radish and put it into a bowl." After watching the process, Lucian nodded. "Got it."

"Be careful when you're using the knife. You don't want to injure your fingers," Armand cautioned as he handed him the knife.

"Okay."

Although Armand busied himself with the other preparations, he could not help checking on his son out of the corner of his eye. He saw the latter skillfully handling the knife in no time, swiftly cutting up the radish and filling a bowl full of the diced vegetable.

After that, Lucian also helped with marinating the beef. As his head was lowered, he suddenly said, "Daddy."

"Yes?"

"Will you leave us again?" Lucian's voice was soft but calm.

While Amanda was just happy to see Armand and did not bother about anything else, Lucian had always been bright and intuitive since he was little. I know a lot must've happened between the time when Daddy passed away in that aviation accident to reappearing suddenly and reconciling with Mommy.

Lucian turned to glance at Armand. "Do Mandy and I still need to return to Dartan?"

"No. I'll always stay with the three of you. You don't have to return to Dartan. I'll ask Mr. Sullivan to choose a school for you and Mandy," Armand replied gently.

The corners of Lucian's lips curved upward when he heard that. "Daddy, you owe me and Mandy a childhood."

Armand could not hold back his laughter. "Well, how should I make it up to you?"

I was disheartened because I thought Genevieve had left the country with Jack willingly back then. That's why I didn't bother to ask around about her, nor did I know that the kids were mine. I owe her a lot, and I wasn't by their side when the kids needed me.

"We'll let you know after we've thought about it." Perhaps because Lucian was Armand's flesh and blood, the boy was in much better spirits after talking with the latter.

The father-son duo continued chatting happily as they prepared lunch.

After playing with her building blocks for some time, Amanda ran to the refrigerator to get some strawberries with cream. She chose the biggest one and held it out to Armand.

While holding out one to Lucian, she deliberately withdrew her small hand, her obsidian-black eyes glinting as an idea popped into her head. "I'll feed you this strawberry if you agree to refer to me as your older sister. What do you say?"

Lucian shot her a glance and snorted coldly. "You're neither smarter nor taller than me, yet you have the audacity to ask me to refer to you as my older sister?"

Amanda pouted and said indignantly, "I'll grow taller sooner or later!"

Then, she rushed to the living room with a plate of strawberries and threw herself into Genevieve's arms. "Mommy, Lucian is bullying me! He said I'm short and an idiot! He's just a kid you found in the trash, isn't he?"

Lucian looked at Armand helplessly. "Daddy, you saw what happened. She really is short. I was only speaking the truth, but she goes around saying I bullied her."

Smiling, Armand replied, "She'll grow taller sooner or later."

Armand was busy cooking until a little past one o'clock in the afternoon. After preparing a delicious spread, he called the others to the dining table and proceeded to serve them all some beef pie. Scooping up a spoonful, he held it out to Genevieve.

Her eyes lit up as soon as she took a bite. She even asked Armand to take more for her. "Your cooking has improved. I want to have this tomorrow morning too!" "Okay. I made extra, so I'll heat it up for you tomorrow morning," Armand replied as he used his thumb to brush away some crumbs at the corner of her mouth.

"Daddy, why are you only feeding Mommy but not us?" Amanda was jealous after watching Armand dote on Genevieve. She put down her fork and refused to eat anymore.