Ch. 1371..1380

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1371

Sweet Relationship

When Solomon arrived at Frontier Bay after work, dinner had begun without him.

Dinner was a small affair with only a handful of attendees.

Since Sebastian and Sasha were not present, it was held in the dining room. Even from afar, Solomon heard the faint sounds of bright laughter and cheery banter.

‘Mrs. Minamoto, we’d be pleased if Mr. Minamoto can come along next time. After all, we are all close relatives. Sasha’s mom is Mr. Minamoto’s younger stepsister. Your family should visit us more often,” Rufus said with a beam.

“That’s right. We are all one big family, so you don’t have to feel shy or embarrassed,” Jackson chimed in to show his support.

In truth, they all shared a very special relationship with each other.

Since Heather was adopted by the Blackwood family, they displayed their generous hospitality by extending an invitation to her older stepbrother.

Aoi was touched to hear their welcoming words.

“All right, I will tell my husband about it when I get home. I can’t thank you enough for your invitation,” she replied with a grateful smile.

Similarly, Himari was also delighted at Rufus and Jackson’s invitation. “It looks like our families have gotten even closer.” Quickly, she stood up and poured a glass of wine for Rufus.

Pleased by Himari’s politeness, Rufus sang praises about her courteous mannerisms.

When Ichika and Wendy emerged with the dishes, a frown graced the former’s forehead when she saw the scene before her.

Nonetheless, Ichika did not dwell on it any longer because a tall man making his way to the dining room had caught her attention.

“Darling, you’re back!” Ichika’s eyes lit up with joy. Swiftly, she placed the dishes down and hurried toward the man.

When the others heard Ichika’s enthusiastic greeting, they whirled around and saw Solomon’s arrival. They were all pleased to see him too.

Himari was still trying to gain Rufus’ favor when she noticed Solomon and Ichika’s intimate display of affection.

Immediately, a dark expression loomed over her face.

“Darling, dinner has been served. Are you going to take a shower before your meal? If you want to do so, I’ll go upstairs and run you a bath first,” Ichika eagerly asked as she clutched Solomon’s briefcase in her arms.

Upon Solomon’s arrival, Ichika had forgotten all of her earlier worries. Right now, she only had eyes for Solomon.

Hearing that, Solomon paused.

Although he had grown used to Ichika’s affection, Solomon found himself growing awkward as they were in the public eye.

“I’m going to have dinner first. Why don’t you go and keep my briefcase?” Solomon said casually as he averted his gaze from her bright brown eyes.

Immediately, Ichika agreed without hesitation.

With that, he headed to the dinner table while Ichika went upstairs to put his briefcase away.

“Solomon, you are finally here. Come and take a seat! We’ve been waiting for you.” Rufus beckoned him over with a hearty wave and gestured at the two empty seats.

Given Rufus’ broad smile and enthusiastic welcome, one might think that he was greeting his own son.

One of the seats was next to Rufus’, while the other was next to Aoi’s.

Seeing this, Solomon smiled and took a seat.

Now that the central character of that night’s dinner had arrived, dinner continued on a high note. Even Aoi looked much more amiable than before.

“The atmosphere you have here is so lively. I’m glad that my daughter married into your family,” Aoi remarked.

“Mrs. Minamoto, you can rest assured that your daughter is in good hands. We won’t mind if your elder daughter marries into our family too. Haha…” Rufus joked.

Similarly, Sharon and Jackson laughed along.

However, Aoi did not join in their laughter.

Before she could reply, Himari tugged on Aoi’s sleeve with a shy look. Flustered by everyone’s scrutiny, Himari quickly lowered her head.

Himari’s bashfulness caused Aoi, Rufus, and Sharon to fall silent.

After several moments, Jackson’s booming laugh shattered the silence. “It looks like she’s flustered. Doesn’t this mean that she has taken a liking to our family?” He chuckled in an easy-going manner.

Finally, Sharon snapped out of her daze. “That’s right. Mrs. Minamoto, if you don’t mind, you can look for a potential suitor for her. There are plenty of handsome and eligible bachelors in our family.”

Likewise, Rufus nodded in agreement.

When Aoi saw their eager expressions, she merely responded with a reluctant smile.

Why did Himari express her agreement at this particular juncture? Isn’t she aware of their status?

After all, Himari was the daughter of the prestigious Minamoto family. Without the Hayeses’ support, no one in the Minamoto family would approve of this marriage. Furthermore, the only suitable candidate in the Hayes family was already married.

Seeing Aoi’s reluctance, everyone refrained from mentioning the topic again.

Solomon steered clear from the conversation too. All this time, he had been focused on the empty seat next to him. Promptly, Solomon rose to his feet and headed out.

“Where is he going?” Sharon asked.

“He must have gone to help Ms. Ichika move the sake. It was specially imported all the way from Jetroina. Since it’s dark outside, he must be worried for her safety,” Wendy replied with a joyful beam.

Even Wendy had grown fond of Ichika as the latter was a caring woman.

“It looks like they have a rather sweet relationship,” Sharon said.

“Yes.” Wendy nodded. Suddenly, she thought of something and asked, “Mrs. Blackwood, Vivian was begging for her aunt to stay the night and keep her company. If Ms. Ichika stays the night here, what arrangements should we make for Mrs. Minamoto and Ms. Himari?”

Sharon mulled over Wendy’s question before she answered, “Since Solomon is present, he can send them home. If they face any difficulties, you can head over and offer a helping hand.”

Sharon lived up to her role as a matriarch and made the appropriate arrangements for her guests.

Wendy agreed to Sharon’s instruction without a second thought. Just as she prepared to inform Vivian of the news, Wendy heard a feminine voice echo in the air.

“We can stay here too. This way, it won’t be too much of a hassle.”

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1372

Greedy

Her statement left Wendy and the rest at a loss.

Nevertheless, Wendy could not refute because the Minamotos were their distinguished guests. “All right,” Wendy agreed with a smile. “Please excuse me. I’ll go ahead and prepare the rooms right now.”

By the time Solomon and Ichika finished moving the sake, the arrangements had been fixed.

How could Himari be so discourteous? This isn’t even her home. Even if she’s a guest, it doesn’t excuse her lack of propriety.

When Ichika learned of this news, she fumed in anger. Ichika spent the rest of dinner with a petulant pout on her face.

Immediately, Solomon noticed Ichika’s displeasure. Once dinner ended, he made his way to her. With a low voice, he said to her, “Don’t worry about it. Sasha and the rest will not mind. Later, I’ll head home and bring you your personal belongings.”

“Huh?” Hearing this, Ichika looked up. “D-Darling, you’ll be home alone. Will that be all right?” Ichika asked hesitantly.

Clearly, everything happened because of her. But judging from Ichika’s tone, she had no intentions of staying here. Instead, she wanted to return home and keep her husband company.

Ichika’s question left Solomon speechless. He lowered his head and glanced at her worried gaze. Wordlessly, Solomon heaved out a heavy sigh before he spun on his heel and left.

Meanwhile, Wendy was changing the bedsheets of the guestroom upstairs.

Unlike Hillside Villa, Frontier Bay had plenty of rooms to accommodate several guests.

Despite its immense size, Wendy chose the second floor as the Minamotos’ temporary residence. The third floor was reserved solely for Sebastian and his family.

Suddenly, Wendy heard someone making their way upstairs.

“Wow! I want to stay on the third floor. Mom, look at the gorgeous view up here. There’s even a balcony and swimming pool. We can go swimming tomorrow!”

Following the joyful voice, Wendy heard the sound of high heels clicking against the wooden floor as the person ran upstairs.

Oh no… In haste, Wendy scurried out of the room to stop the intruder.

“You aren’t allowed to go upstairs. That’s where Mommy and Daddy live. Hurry up and come back down! If you don’t, they will be very mad if they find out!”

Before Wendy could open her mouth, a small figure had rushed out of the hanging garden to the foot of the stairs. There, the little girl placed her hands on her hips and yelled at the intruder on the third floor.

The little girl was none other than Vivian.

Wendy paused when she saw Vivian. At the same time, she couldn’t help but smile in amusement.

Vivi appeared at the right time.

Himari was roaming around the third floor when she heard the child’s voice. Immediately, she stiffened and came to a screeching halt.

Himari quickly changed her approach. “Are you Vivi? Your house is gorgeous. I couldn’t help but look around,” Himari explained as she looked at Vivian.

Despite that, Vivian gave her no mercy.

“That doesn’t mean you can enter the third floor. My daddy has mysophobia. He hates it when someone goes to the third floor. He also doesn’t like strangers touching Mommy’s stuff! He built the swimming pool for her. The flowers on the balcony are also Mommy’s favorites. You’d better come down right now!” Vivian glared at Himari. “If Daddy learns of this, you will have to face the consequences of your actions!” Vivian said as a final warning.

Vivian had said nothing but the truth. In this villa, the third floor was off-limits to everyone except Sebastian, Sasha, and their three children. No one else was allowed to enter it as they pleased.

Left with no choice, Himari heeded Vivian’s warnings and returned to the second floor.

Her face was flushed with embarrassment.

“Mrs. Minamoto, Ms. Himari, please accept my sincerest apologies. She’s still young and naive. Usually, no one ever goes up to the third floor. Hence, Vivi tried to stop Ms. Himari,” Wendy quickly rushed out of the guestroom and apologized profusely.

“It’s all right. Himari shouldn’t have wandered into their personal bedrooms.” Mrs. Minamoto was utterly ashamed by her daughter’s rude antics.

Fortunately, no one took Himari’s actions to heart. After the incident, Aoi and Himari made their way to the guestroom, which Wendy prepared for them earlier.

When Himari entered the guestroom, she noticed the room’s elaborate design right away. Yet, it could not hold a candle to the breathtaking designs she had seen on the third floor. The stark contrasts prompted Himari to seethe in envy.

“This place is much more magnificent than Ichika’s home. Why do they get to marry into such wealthy families?” Himari complained.

“Weren’t you the one who rejected the marriage in the first place?” Aoi snapped in reply.

She was in a foul mood as Himari’s rude mannerisms and actions had left her embarrassed.

On the other hand, Himari refused to admit her wrongdoings. Instead, she glared out the window with a spiteful look. “I wasn’t the one who didn’t want it,” Himari retorted as she looked at the garden. “Ichika snatched it away from me. Mom, since the Hayeses are rolling in dough, maybe I should marry someone from their family too.”

“Y-You!” Aoi was so angry she couldn’t muster a proper response.

Coincidentally, someone knocked on their door, interrupting their conversation.

“Mom, I brought your pajamas here. Are you inside?” Ichika called out from the other side of the door. She had made a quick trip home to collect Himari and Aoi’s toiletries.

Quickly, Aoi opened the door to let her daughter in.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1373

Fight Amongst Sisters

When Aoi opened the door, she saw Ichika with two huge bags in her hands. They were filled to the brim with Aoi and Himari’s personal belongings.

In comparison to Himari, Ichika is much more sensible and caring.

Aoi’s mood brightened when she thought of this. She took the bags from Ichika’s hands and ushered her into the room.

“Ichika, where is Mr. Akiyama? Didn’t he send you here?”

“He did. I told him to return home first. Since he has work tomorrow, I didn’t want him to stay up too late,” Ichika replied.

The mere mention of Solomon caused her to beam from ear to ear.

When Aoi noticed Ichika’s blissful smile, she couldn’t help but feel happy for her daughter too.

Contrarily, Himari felt a stab of envy and hatred. How could Ichika be so happy? It’s so unfair!

“Ichika, despite your love, your husband doesn’t even reciprocate your feelings. Was it worth getting married when your love is one-sided?” Himari sneered.

“What did you just say?”

Instantly, Ichika’s mood took a drastic turn.

Aoi whirled around and glared at Himari in anger. “Himari, what on earth are you saying? Watch your mouth!”

“I’m only telling the truth. Mom, we came here to see if Ichika is happily married. Yet, you saw it with your own eyes. They don’t even share a room. That night, he didn’t even touch her when we forced them into the same room.”

“You—”

“Moreover, her husband is the only one who refused to spend the night here. It’s all because he’s still secretly in love with the woman who owns this villa. That’s why he didn’t have the courage to remain here with Ichika!” Himari continued ruthlessly.

Himari had become deranged.

Even in front of Aoi, she divulged all the secrets without holding back.

Himari’s outburst left Aoi utterly dumbfounded.

On the other side of the room, Ichika’s face had turned deathly pale. It was as if all the blood had drained from her cheeks. When she heard Himari’s cruel words, her entire body shook with rage. Promptly, Ichika dashed forward and slapped Himari across the cheek.

Slap!

The slap rang so loud that it could be heard outside.

Outside, Sharon and Wendy were taking care of the two children. When they heard the sound, both women jolted in shock before rushing toward the guestroom.

“Himari, you’ve crossed the line! Get out of this house immediately! You are not welcome here!” Ichika was so enraged that she nearly burst into tears.

With reddened eyes, Ichika glared at her crazed sister and ordered her to leave.

Get out? I’m her older sister! I can’t believe she had the audacity to order me around.

Ichika’s slap added fuel to the fire, and Himari felt her anger increase tenfold.

“Ichika, I can’t believe you had the guts to hit me! You even asked me to leave this place! Do you know that your marriage was once mine? I can’t believe you are acting all high and mighty after stealing my man!” Himari shrieked like a banshee and lunged toward Ichika with her hands outstretched.

However, Himari’s yells did not faze Ichika. When she saw Himari lunging toward her, she merely lifted her skirt and prepared to defend herself.

Hmph! I’m not afraid of her at all.

The sight of her daughters getting into a fight nearly drove Aoi up the wall. “Stop this at once! How could both of you act like this when you are guests in someone else’s house!” she cried out.

Hearing this, Ichika decided to heed her mother’s advice as she released her skirt and let her guard down.

All of a sudden, Himari’s hand landed on her face with lightning speed.

Bang!

The blow caught Ichika entirely off-guard as she lost her momentum and stumbled backward. Himari’s vicious hit caused her to collapse to the floor.

“Oh my God, Ms. Ichika, what happened to you?”

“Ichika, are you all right?”

Wendy and Sharon opened the door just in time to see Ichika falling to the ground with a loud thud. Startled, they quickly rushed forward to help Ichika back to her feet.

“Ichika, how do you feel? Are you all right?” When Sharon caught sight of Ichika’s reddened and swollen face, she felt her blood boil in fury.

Although the pain caused Ichika’s eyes to well up with tears, she refused to burst out crying. In an attempt to maintain her family’s reputation, Ichika merely smiled and said, “Aunt Sharon, I’m fine. Himari and I were just fooling around.”

“But—” Although Sharon wanted to say something else, she held her tongue when she saw Ichika fighting back tears.

Nonetheless, Sharon’s expression darkened. It was clear that her mood had taken a drastic turn.

“Wendy, go look around the house for some ointments to treat Ichika’s face,” Sharon ordered in a cold voice.

“Right away.” Immediately, Wendy rushed off to carry out Sharon’s instructions.

Finally, Sharon helped Ichika back to her feet.

Aoi was caught between a rock and a hard place. Although she wanted to clarify the situation, she didn’t know where to start. In the end, Aoi stood to the side as she grimaced awkwardly.

“Mrs. Blackwood, they—”

Before Aoi could offer an explanation, Sharon said, “Mrs. Minamoto, squabbles between sisters are not uncommon. However, they aren’t petty children anymore. They should know how to mind their words and actions. In the past, my daughter used to fight with Sasha too. But because I never kept them in check, I ended up losing my daughter.”

“What?” Aoi was stunned when she heard this.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1374

The Protective Husband

“She passed away?” Aoi asked.

“That’s right. She was too pampered and grew up without discipline. As a result, she did many bad things and ended up losing her life as retribution for her misdeeds.” Sharon sighed, though her expression remained calm. Years after the incident, she was finally able to talk about it without getting emotional and could even admit that her daughter’s passing was retribution. It was a sign that she had finally moved on.

Aoi’s look was a mixture of embarrassment and apprehension. She immediately directed a glare at her eldest daughter. “Did you hear that?” she said sharply. “You’ve gone too far, hitting your sister like that. I want you back in Jetroina with me tonight. Your father will hear of this, and he’ll make sure you get some discipline.”

What Sharon had said served as a wake-up call for her, and she was ready to send her intractable daughter back to Jetroina at once.

Himari paled. “No, Mom, please don’t tell Dad.” Cowed, she tried to plead with her mother, “It was wrong of me to slap Ichika. I was just upset by her words… And she hit me too.”

“Don’t justify your actions with excuses!” Aoi snapped. I’m done with putting up with your shenanigans!

A short while later, Solomon, who had reached home, received a call from Rufus, telling him that his in-laws would like to return to Jetroina immediately.

“I think it’s best that you arrange for them to leave as soon as possible, Solomon,” Rufus said with some hesitance. “Ichika’s sister… She, uh, got pretty violent and hit Ichika.”

Solomon’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Ichika was hit? Why?”

“I’m not sure. There was a quarrel that escalated. By the time Wendy and Sharon arrived at the scene, Ichika was already hit. All I have to say is, her sister is really nothing like her. I don’t even have a word to describe someone like that. Did you know that woman had even asked to stay in Sasha’s room?”

The silence from the other end of the line was steeped in cold fury. What Rufus said, especially the last part, had completely ticked off the man.

Two hours later, Solomon was seeing Aoi and a reluctant Himari off at the airport.

“I’m so sorry, Akiyama,” Aoi apologized guiltily. “You must have heard what happened. Please don’t think ill of Ichika. She’s not to blame. The fault is entirely her sister’s.”

She would hate it if her son-in-law got upset with Ichika because of this. Her worry, however, was redundant since Solomon knew better, and he was completely on his wife’s side for this.

“Certainly.” He smiled thinly at Aoi and handed her two boxes containing expensive sets of jewelry as a parting gift.

Before the latter could breathe a sigh of relief, Solomon spoke up again, “There’s something I ought to clarify. Ichika is the only reason I agreed to this marriage, and it has nothing to do with her family. In other words, the union between the Minamotos and the Hayes family wouldn’t have happened if it were someone else besides Ichika. I hope you realize that.”

His voice grew more chilly as he continued.

Aoi was stunned, while Hamari, who was standing beside her, flushed in mortification.

It was indeed a brutal remark coming from Solomon, a metaphorical slap to Himari’s face. Just hours ago, she had disparaged her sister and accused the latter of robbing her of the opportunity to marry Solomon. And now, the man in question was straightforward in his declaration that he would not have married anyone else besides Ichika, proving once and for all that Himari had never even stood a chance.

With a defeated look, Himari boarded the plane with her mother, who could not help but berate her again.

“You really disgraced our family today,” Aoi said, her expression stony. “If it’s marriage that you’re after, it can be easily arranged. Once we are back, I’ll start the preparations for you to marry into the Tsurka family.”

“Mom…”

Back at Frontier Bay, Ichika was waiting restlessly in the villa for Solomon’s return.

Wendy brought some ice over and tried to comfort her, “Ms. Minamoto, please don’t worry. Mr. Solomon knows what he’s doing. He won’t make matters more complicated.”

Wordlessly, Ichika took the ice and applied it on the side of her face that was swelling due to Himari’s doing. She lowered her head, her long lashes quivering and still damp with tears.

While she had no doubt that her husband would be able to handle the matter, she was more worried that he would think less of her after what had happened tonight. Will he be disappointed in me for causing such a commotion? I ought to have shown more manners… He’ll think that it’s tomfoolery that’s unbecoming of someone from a good family.

The thought was enough to make her feel crestfallen. Dreading and looking forward to Solomon’s return in equal measures, Ichika was jerked out of her brooding at the sound of an approaching vehicle a few hours later.

She immediately rushed to the door, her heart beating loudly in her chest. Is that him? Is he back?

Upon confirming that it was indeed Solomon’s car, she quickly went out to greet him.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1375

Making Her Pay

Ichika’s steps faltered when she saw Solomon exiting the car. As much as she wanted to go over to him, she was suddenly overwhelmed with uncertainty and nervousness.

By then, the day was already breaking. Under the dawn’s light, Solomon could see his wife standing at the door with red-rimmed eyes and a swollen face. The urge to rush to him was clear in her expression, but for some reason, she was holding herself back. Instead, she only stood rooted to the spot, wringing her hands together and looking like a scared animal.

Sighing, Solomon walked over. “Does it hurt?”

“No…” Ichika murmured. Despite her words, fresh tears quickly gathered in her eyes at his display of concern. Unable to help herself, she blinked, and the tears began to fall.

It was a pitiful sight that unexpectedly made Solomon’s heart ache. He had never felt that way toward anyone, and yet, at this very moment, he was willing to do anything to stop the girl’s tears.

He sighed again inwardly. What a silly girl. There’s no way that face of hers doesn’t hurt. She doesn’t have to hold anything back in front of me.

In the end, however, he said nothing.

Wendy approached him with a concerned look. “Mr. Solomon, please don’t blame Ms. Minamoto. She’s still young. Not to mention that her sister provoked her…”

Solomon hummed in acknowledgment before leading Ichika to the car and driving back home.

Once they were back, Ichika was pleasantly surprised to see that her husband was not reproachful toward her as she had expected. Rather, he treated her even better than usual. Not only did he run her a bath, but he also applied some cream on her face to ease the swelling. He even waited until she had fallen asleep before leaving her side.

Touched by his gestures, Ichika was put at ease, and her apprehension had finally dissipated.

After making sure that his wife was asleep, Solomon went to his own bedroom and sent a text: Get rid of Giichi Minamoto’s eldest daughter.

His man in Jetroina gaped at the message. Isn’t Giichi Minamoto his father-in-law? Why would he want to get rid of his sister-in-law?

Another text from his boss soon followed: If I remember correctly, there’s a Nogita family in Terrandya. See to it that she marries into that family.

The man’s eyes widened in shock at the latest instruction.

The Nogita family used to be prestigious, but it had been steadily on the decline over the years, to the point where even the ordinary local folks would think twice about marrying into such a family.

Not only had the family come down in the world, but the Nogita men were also notorious for their vices. It was not too long ago that one of the Nogitas’ sons was even arrested for soliciting prostitutes.

Needless to say, Solomon’s order baffled the man, who had no idea what Himari had done that caused such a reaction from his boss. What he did know, however, was that it had been a long time since his boss issued such an order. Ever since Solomon assumed his identity as a Hayes, he had dropped his guileful acts and acted much like an honorable businessman. He had not resorted to conspiring someone’s utter downfall in a very long time.

Until now, that is. The subordinate hastened to do what he was told.

When Himari got off the plane the next morning, a piece of scandal about her had already been spreading online like a wildfire. It was a photo of her in a VIP lounge of a nightclub along with several other rich girls, enjoying the erotic services of a few male escorts.

Comments from the netizens were overwhelmingly negative, and people on the streets were also gossiping about her and the girls’ lavish and sinful lifestyle.

“Is that Himari Minamoto? Wow, one would think that someone from an upstanding, prestigious family would have more shame than that.”

“Rich people and their vices… Frankly, it’s a disgrace.”

Though leaked by Solomon’s subordinate, the photo itself was authentic. It was indeed Himari, who was a regular at the nightclub.

Despite the strict upbringing of the Minamoto family, she had nevertheless grown to become a conceited and arrogant individual.

The family rules stipulated that the Minamoto children must avoid making public appearances and act virtuously. Ichika, for example, followed the rules and tended to stay away from the limelight, choosing to stay at home besides going to school and taking part in outdoor hobbies. This resulted in her becoming the naive, innocent person she was then.

Himari, on the other hand, was always eager to be the center of attention, and she was not above flaunting her wealth and status to achieve that.

As a matter of fact, she had been to places and done things even more wild and ludicrous than engaging in questionable acts with male escorts in a nightclub, all the while keeping her family in the dark.

When this piece of scandal broke out, many others soon followed. Articles of all kinds circulated online, exposing the misdeeds that Himari had done in the past.

By the time she became aware of what was going on, the entire Terrandya was in upheaval, sending her family into rage and humiliation.

Giichi, in particular, was shaking with fury. Once he saw Himari, he slapped her hard without preamble. “Vile, good-for-nothing child!” he seethed. “How dare you do such things behind our backs!”

The slap was hard enough to send Himari tumbling and collapsing on the floor in a position that was ironically similar to her sister’s the night before.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1376

Unexpectedly Impressive

Ichika, too, saw the news the next day.

Fraught with concern, she immediately called to check on her family. Unfortunately, her calls went unanswered, which only worried her more. What’s going on? Where’s Mom?

“Ichika,” Solomon called from downstairs. “Where are you?”

“Oh!” She hurried down in her pajamas. “Sorry, Darling. I was preoccupied with something and haven’t started making breakfast yet… Let me do that now.”

In Jetroina, it was customary for the wife of the newlyweds to take care of her husband by preparing meals. Solomon, however, did not seem to care about such traditions.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll just have something at the office,” he told her gently. “Are you preoccupied with what happened to your sister?”

“Yeah…” Ichika chewed her lip in slight distress. “There must be a misunderstanding. My sister… She’s not like that, I’m sure. My family didn’t raise us to be like that.”

She was saying this not only to defend Himari but also to maintain her family’s honor. After all, her upbringing had taught her that the Minamoto family name was everything and that she should never let anything or anyone tarnish it.

Solomon’s expression was unreadable. “Ichika,” he said slowly, “You have to learn to see the true nature of one’s character. Unfortunately, not everyone in this world is as nice as you make out to be.”

“Oh…” His wife blinked, looking at him with bewildered eyes.

She waited to see if her husband had more to say, but the man simply left it at that. He got up and headed toward the door, ready to set off for work.

“What’s your plan for the day?” he asked casually.

“Vivi and Matteo don’t need me at Frontier Bay, so I might just stay at home today,” Ichika said, tilting her head in incomprehension. “Why do you ask?”

“In that case, why don’t you come to the office with me?” her husband offered. “My secretary is on leave today. I could use some help in the office.”

Ichika perked up immediately. “Really? I would love to!” A smile blossomed on her face as she nodded profusely.

With the scandal involving Himari momentarily forgotten, she headed to the office happily with her husband. By the time the matter surfaced again, it was a few days later. When she eventually managed to get a hold of her family, it was to the knowledge that Himari was married into the Nogita family.

Shocked, Ichika shared this news with her husband at once. “Darling, guess what? My father just arranged a marriage between my sister and someone from the Nogita family in Terrandya! But why would Dad do that? Everyone knows that the Nogita family has a bad name.”

“Is that so?” Solomon muttered as he continued browsing his work emails on his computer.

“Yeah… It’s the strangest thing,” Ichika said, confused. “I thought my parents had wanted her to marry into the Tsurka family… I wonder what made them change their mind?”

Little did she know, the person who was responsible for this was sitting right in front of her, nor was she aware that he did it solely because of her.

Ichika left the study, still pondering the events that had happened to her sister. Solomon, on the other hand, was feeling rather pleased with himself.

His good mood lasted until he saw the texts in the Whatsapp group chat he was in.

Old Mr. Jadeson: So it’s true that someone tried to poison the people in the research institute? But why?

Devin: I have no idea. The institute had been fine even when Eddie pulled those stunts. I don’t understand why something like this would happen now.

Sabrina: Hubby, why don’t you go there to check on things?

The group remained silent after that last message.

Solomon’s brows knitted together. Though he wanted to comment, he was unsure if he was in the position to do so because he saw himself as an outsider in the group. The only thing he could do was remain on the sidelines and see how things would unfold.

Unexpectedly, a message from Ichika popped up in the group chat.

Ichika: Could it be a mishap? Zinc is sometimes used in forensic chemistry as a preservative for biological evidence. Maybe someone was using it to preserve something and caused an accidental poisoning.

The group fell silent once more.

Solomon cast a glance at the door. He could imagine Ichika in her room, carefully reading the messages and earnestly doing what she could to help.

His eyes twitched.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1377

Losing Control

Just then, a text from Sebastian came in: It’s likely. We should get that looked into.

Sasha: Wow, Ichika! That’s so impressive! We didn’t even think of that possibility. Good job!

This was immediately followed by a text from Sabrina containing no fewer than ten thumb-up emojis and a smiley face.

Devin: That makes sense, actually. Good job.

Solomon raised a brow at the multitude of compliments showering down on Ichika, and a smile crept up his lips without his knowledge.

Half an hour later, he heard light footsteps approaching his study. As he expected, it was his wife, who was carrying a bowl of soup.

“Darling, I made some supper. Would you like some?” She smiled at him sweetly, her eyes bright and her tone joyous.

This time, Solomon was aware of the smile he was wearing as he nodded.

Two days later, the results of the investigation were out. Ichika’s speculation turned out to be true. The poisoned engineer, Hugh Giibson, had somehow gotten his hands on some preservatives that contained zinc, which he then used on the meat he brought from home in hopes of getting them to last longer. As a result, he ingested an overdose of zinc and got himself poisoned.

It ended up being a classic case of much ado about nothing.

Sebastian was slightly annoyed and embarrassed to have taken this matter so seriously. Amused, his wife was quick to comfort him.

“Come on, don’t be so grumpy. It’s a good thing that it turned out to be something so trivial,” Sasha said placatingly. “You should be happy that everything’s fine.”

Sebastian huffed but said nothing, which Sasha considered as an agreement to what she said. She chuckled inwardly. He can be such a child sometimes.

Just when everyone thought that the matter was concluded, the couple received an unexpected visit from Bertram Anderson, the director of the research institute.

On behalf of the institute, he thanked them for their help in the investigation and apologized for causing such trouble in the first place.

Not only that, he had come bearing a gift—an exclusive invitation for the couple to visit Aurora Island.

Sasha’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Wow, seriously? Aurora Island?”

It was where the institute’s scientists conducted their most revolutionary research and experiments, some of which had led to changes in the island’s surrounding atmosphere. As a result, one could observe some stunningly beautiful aurora lights on the island, which was hence aptly named as such.

Despite being one of the most fascinating places in the world, Aurora Island was strictly off-limits to outsiders, and a chance to go there was considered by many a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

Sasha was determined to seize the golden ticket. “Sebby, let’s go, shall we?” she wheedled in a saccharine-sweet voice, hanging on to her husband’s arm and peering up at him through her lashes. “I heard the place has amazing sights. I want to go, please?”

Sebastian was powerless in the face of her beseeching look, though he tried to maintain a facade of aloofness in front of the director.

“It’s a classified location, isn’t it? Are we allowed to go?”

“Certainly.” Bertram smiled. “The island is off-limits to the world, but such a rule doesn’t apply to you, Mr. Jadeson. You are welcome to go whenever you like.”

It was the ultimate privilege granted to the man, yet at the same time, what Bertram said was true. There was nowhere in this country that would deny entry to Sebastian since he was a Jadeson.

To Sasha’s delight, her husband eventually accepted the invitation to go to the island. She shared the news in the Whatsapp group chat at once.

Sasha: Guess what? Sebastian and I are going to Aurora Island!

Sabrina: What Aurora Island?

Devin: It’s where the research institute carries out its experiments, which frequently cause light anomalies in the air and result in aurora lights. I heard they are quite beautiful.

In a matter of seconds, Sabrina, who had been holed up at Oceanic Estate for the past two months, made an executive decision.

She texted: I demand that you take me with you!

Upon seeing the message, Devin and Sebastian both had identical expressions of exasperation, a fact unbeknownst to the two men.

Old Mr. Jadeson: That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll make a call.

True to his word, Jonathan replied a short while later to confirm that he had gotten the research institute to accommodate for both Sabrina and Devin.

Old Mr. Jadeson: The more, the merrier.

As Sasha and Sabrina were excitedly chatting about travel preparations in the group chat, another message popped up.

Ichika: Sha, is it okay that I go as well?

Solomon, who saw the message, frowned in displeasure. What is she thinking? She can’t just go around making requests like that.

It was the first time since their marriage that he became angry at Ichika.

Though he was on relatively good terms with the members in the group chat, he could not shake off the feeling that he did not belong in their circle.

He considered himself as the outsider of the group. Hence, it had embarrassed him when Ichika made such a request in what he deemed to be a casual manner.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1378

Helpless

Solomon stood up abruptly, intending to find Ichika right away.

But right then, someone voiced out in the group.

Sasha: Ichika, let me ask Mr. Anderson if you can come. I need to get his approval since it’s the research laboratory.

Ichika: All right. Thanks, Sha.

Even though Ichika did not receive a confirmation, she was delighted with the answer.

She was eager to see the aurora with her own eyes.

She had only seen it on the internet and it was beautiful.

However, that was not the only reason she wanted to join them. Envious of the merry atmosphere in the group, she had always wanted to get along well with them.

Just as she put down her phone happily, someone pushed the door open from the outside.

“Darling?”

She stood up immediately, startled by the man who had barged in without knocking on the door.

“What do you think you were doing? Who told you to make such a request?”

He had turned into an entirely different person.

Solomon stood at the door, his expression utterly stern and his gaze pierced through Ichika’s heart like a cold blade.

Ichika was scared stiff.

She recoiled in fear, and tears started welling up in her eyes.

“Darling, did… did I do wrong? I’m sorry… I just… I just want to see the—”

“Do you think you can say anything you want? Are you aware of your status? What right do you have to request such a thing from them? Have I been too nice to you recently?”

Solomon flew into a rage all of a sudden.

He looked so fierce that it made Ichika tremble incessantly in fright.

The color drained from Ichika’s face as her mind went blank.

She could no longer hold back her tears.

What does he mean by my status? Do I not deserve to go to the island with them just because I’m a Jetroinian? Even though we’re married, he still sees me as an outsider. He never treats me as one of them.

With that thought in mind, Ichika started bawling her eyes out.

“What is my status? Am I not your wife? Why can’t I make that request? Akiyama, you never wanted me to be part of your community. You’re worried that I will be a burden to Sha, aren’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

A terrifying look contorted Solomon’s face.

Ichika held her tongue. She bit her lip tightly as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Solomon cut her a cold glare and stomped out of the room.

With that, silence was restored in the room.

Staring at the closed door, Ichika jumped into her bed and cried out loud in agony.

Why is he treating me like this? I’ve been doing my best. I understand he still has Sha in his heart. But why can’t he just look at me? Is he not going to accept me forever?

Ichika hid under her blanket and could not stop crying. At that moment, Akiko’s previous words echoed in her mind. It was the first time she had felt so helpless in life.

In fact, she was only twenty years old, and it was indeed outstanding of her to have come this far.

Meanwhile, Solomon returned to the study room.

He sat down in front of his table and stared right at the computer screen. He froze for a long while, not knowing what to do.

All he knew was that his heart was filled with frustration, and he could not calm down.

What did I say to her?

He could not even recall what he had just said as rage had completely replaced his rationality.

He sat dumfounded in his seat for a long time.

Eventually, he turned off his computer and went back to the bedroom.

The following day when he woke up, he glanced at the clock and noticed it was already eight.

Why did no one come to wake me up?

He was momentarily stunned. He jumped down from his bed and walked into the bathroom.

Strangely, there was no one in the bathroom. Usually, Ichika would wake him up gently at this hour of the day,

She would even get his toothbrush and towel ready in the bathroom.

Yet, none of that happened today.

His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the empty bathroom.

“Mr. Solomon, are you up? Breakfast is ready.”

Just then, Wendy’s voice came from outside.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1379

His Mind Went Blank

His face paled as he recalled what happened the previous night. Without hesitation, he got out of the bathroom and went to open the door.

“Wendy, what are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Solomon. Vivi insisted on seeing Ms. Minamoto, so I had no choice but to bring her here. Ms. Minamoto went to see her off, so I stayed to prepare breakfast for you,” Wendy explained to Solomon apologetically.

I see. So she only went to see Vivian off.

Solomon let out a sigh of relief upon hearing that.

Returning to the bedroom, he started freshening himself up diligently. And by the time he almost finished eating, Ichika came back.

“Ms. Minamoto, you’re back.”

“Yes. Vivi is at the school already. Wendy, thanks for preparing breakfast for my husband.”

Ichika, dressed in a purple dress, got out of the minivan. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun. At first impression, she looked extremely adorable.

Wendy was already waiting for her in the garden.

Upon hearing Ichika’s words, Wendy flashed her a smile. “I should be the one thanking you. I keep troubling you with Vivi. Oh, you bought groceries too?”

“Yes, I walked past the market and saw my husband’s favorite broccoli. I even bought some meat. I’m gonna cook for him today.” Ichika grinned.

Inside the villa, Solomon felt as though someone had slapped him in the face.

At that moment, his heart was filled with guilty and remorse.

He could not believe he had got mad at her for such a small matter.

And to his befuddlement, Ichika acted as though nothing had happened. She even went to the market to buy groceries to cook for him.

Solomon turned his gaze away and went back inside.

After a while, he heard familiar footsteps behind him.

The young woman stopped at the door.

“Darling, good morning,” she greeted him gently with caution.

Solomon, wearing a formal coat, turned around and stared at Ichika, who seemed nervous.

“I’ll arrange two housemaids to come over. Just leave it to the housemaids in the future.”

“Huh?”

Upon hearing that, Ichika widened her eyes, and they began to turn misty.

“Darling, am I not good enough?” She almost burst into tears again.

Solomon was surprised.

Not at all. That’s not what I meant. I merely want…

He immediately realized what he had done wrong. Ichika came from a country where women were honored to take care of their men when they got married. Hence, hiring a housemaid would mean that the wife was not doing a good job.

“Not at all. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m just worried that you’re tired, so I wanted to hire two more people to help you out. You can leave works like cleaning and shopping to them,” he explained in frustration.

Only then did Ichika wipe the tears off her face.

“I’m not tired at all. This is what I love to do. But anyway, thanks, darling.”

After expressing her thoughts, she went into the kitchen with the groceries in her hands.

Solomon said nothing.

He was never defeated by any problem, not even the most complicated business matter in the company. Yet, a woman had managed to make him speechless.

Eventually, he headed toward the company.

There had been all sorts of meetings throughout the day. By the time he stepped into his office, it was almost time to get off work.

Sasha: Ichika, why aren’t you going anymore? I’ve talked to Mr. Anderson. He said it was merely a spaceport and there was no big secret. You can come if you want.

Sabrina: That’s right. The more the merrier.

Ichika: It’s okay. I forgot that I still got classes. Sha, sorry for the inconvenience.

It was the chat history that morning, where everyone was still talking about Aurora Island.

Only this time, to everyone’s surprise, Ichika suddenly took back her words. She apologized politely and then gave a reasonable excuse.

Solomon clenched his fist slightly.

A few minutes later, he clicked into the group chat.

Solomon: Will it really be all right if Ichika tag along?

Sebastian responded after two minutes: Of course, it’s okay. It’s just a deserted island.

His response was brief but straight to the point.

 

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1380

Take Care Of Your Wife

Seeing that, Solomon finally let out a sigh of relief.

No one knew how stressed he was as he waited for the answer.

Solomon: Then I’ll arrange for her to join. Please tell Sasha to look after her.

Sebastian: Why should my wife take care of your wife? Can’t you do that yourself?

Solomon was rendered speechless by that and did not reply.

It was a very strange feeling.

After all, they had been rivals all this while. Even though the situation had eased after Sasha married Sebastian and gave birth to a child, their feelings had never really changed.

Now that the man had said such a thing, Solomon could not take his mind off it the entire day.

However, he had to admit that he felt as though a burden had been lifted off his shoulders when the man said that.

Sometimes, it’s not difficult to let go of someone. But the scary part is how people view you. Even if you have let go, people might still judge you otherwise. Yet, now he’s addressing our wives in such a manner…

Solomon’s mood improved a lot when he got off work in the evening. He approached Luke and inquired about the weather on the island. He asked the latter to buy some warm clothes and prepare things that could be played on the island.

Things that can be played?

Luke could not wrap his head around it.

Does he mean stuff for Mr. Ian to play?

Two days later, it was finally time to depart.

“Darling… are we really going to the island? And are you really going with me?”

Even though Solomon had told Ichika the day before, she still came to confirm with him anxiously. And repeatedly.

After getting an affirmative answer from Solomon, she covered her face with both hands and jumped around in excitement.

Even Vivian was left bewildered when she saw Ichika’s behavior.

“Uncle Solomon, is Aunt Ichika a fool? She’s asked about it five times.”

“Yes. That’s why you’ll have to keep an eye on her this time. Don’t let her get kidnapped by the bad guys,” Solomon joked.

Oh God! Is she really that dependent on Uncle Solomon?

Vivian widened her eyes upon hearing that. Without delay, she ran off to find Ichika.

She wanted to give the latter a smartwatch so that she could get hold of her location.

Meanwhile, Matteo let out a sigh as he packed his luggage with Solomon. “Uncle Solomon, I feel bad for you. You were stuck with us when we were young, and now you’re stuck with your wife.”

Solomon did not know how to react to that.

Indeed, I have no choice.

With that, all of them departed together.

On the island, Sasha and Sebastian were busy preparing as well.

Since there were so many people joining this time, they had to make sure every one of them got taken care of. Even though Aurora Island was not far from their island, aurora usually only appeared at dawn.

Hence, it was necessary for them to stay there overnight.

“Sebby, how many tents should we bring? Will Sab and Ichika bring their own tents?” Sasha asked when they were packing the tents.

“Don’t worry about that. They’ll handle it themselves.” Sebastian did not even turn his head as he was studying the best direction to view the aurora.

Sasha was dumbfounded.

Is he serious? We’re considered half a host here. How could we expect the guests to handle such things?

Sasha did not feel right about it.

In fact, when they were preparing, a lot of messages came in.

Sabrina: Hurry! List down what you guys are bringing in case we miss out on anything.

Ichika: Sab, we’ve prepared hiking jackets for everyone. Other than that, we got food, a camera, a telescope…

Ichika even attached the photos of the items they had prepared as she replied.

Not wanting to lose to her, Sabrina attached all kinds of photos as well. There were tents especially for military use and even a canoe.

Seeing that, Sasha was utterly impressed, and she eventually appeared in the chat too

Sasha: I’m sorry. There’s nothing much on the island, so we didn’t prepare much.

Sabrina: Yes, we’re aware of that!

Ichika: That’s right. Sha, you don’t have to worry. We’ve got everything handled. By the way, we bought a lot of toys and swimming suits as well. Let me show you.

That was followed by another wave of photo sharing.

There were all sorts of toys, including adult toys. The amount was so overwhelming that Solomon almost muted the group.

Mr. Wand: Not bad. Everything seems to be well prepared. Have fun!

Old Mr. Jadeson: Yes. It’s been a while since everyone hung out together. Enjoy! Devin, Yariel, please take good care of your wives and children, okay?

Devin and Sebastian did not reply.

Mr. Wand: You too, Solomon. It’s Ichika’s first time going to that sort of place. Remember to watch over her.

The three men fell into dead silence.

Are we going there to have fun? Or are we going there as parents?