Ch. 1961..1970

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1961

As the men continued their search, they quickly captured the attention of the island's inhabitants. In the dead of night, no one noticed the ocean surface turning faint red, as though being tainted.

In the meantime, Lana was on a search for Matteo as well. Ever since Theo succeeded on the mission, she had already been on the lookout for him.

To her dismay, she had not expected Hugo's security to be so advanced. Even though her team was still fifty kilometers away from shore, the seawater there was also detected by the island's laser beams.

"That old son of a-”

Lana scolded in frustration.

She grabbed the nearest communication device and attempted to contact Matteo once again.

"Matteo? Matteo? Do you copy?"

There was no answer.

The only thing that greeted her was dead silence.

Lana paled at the lack of response. Scanning the pitch black waters in front of her, a shiver ran down her spine. After a brief pause, Lana ordered her team behind her, "Bring me my diving suit."

"Captain Warlow?"

The police officers following behind her were startled.

They were still a long way from the island. Not to mention that laser systems were defending the waters. If Lana were to dive into the sea, even though she might be able to maintain a safe depth, there would still be a huge risk of her triggering the security system. If that were to happen, her body would be one with the ocean, carried away by the tides.

Naturally, everyone disagreed with her plan.

Enraged by their unresponsiveness, Lana threw the communication device onto the ground with a clatter before turning to take her diving gears herself.

Just then, something caught the attention of one of the officers. He noticed some movement on the island through the binoculars.

"Captain Warlow, look! I think there's someone there!"

Without a word, Lana immediately went over to take a look.

There really were people on the shore. When Lana took hold of the binoculars, she could see the silhouette of a person dragging another person out of the water on the shallow end of fast west of the island. The outlines of the two people were partly shielded by the multiple boulders on the shore.

Could it be...?

Lana's heart skipped a beat.

Needless to say, it was Theo.

But who was the one who saved him?

Not even In a million years would it cross one's mind that it was Rosalie who saved Theo. When everyone on the island was keeping a lookout for Theo, only Rosalie figured out Theo's most likely hiding spot. She deduced that Theo would be hiding in the same place where he had to kill his companions during the training camp, the place where he emerged as the sole survivor.

It was a secluded space surrounded by steep stone walls.

Back then, Hugo had specially chosen that place to test Theo's skills.

Rosalie was not stupid. It took her almost no time at all to figure out where Theo could be hiding.

After all, with the island on complete lockdown, if the man had not escaped the island, that would be the only place he would hide in.

Thud!

With all her might, Rosalie dragged Theo into the basement and dropped him onto the ground. The moment his body hit the ground, Rosalie noticed the pool of blood gushing out of his abdomen.

In no time at all, his black shirt was drenched in red.

Rosalie stared at the motionless body in front of her wordlessly.

Although she wanted to rip the man into shreds, Rosalie tore the edge of her dress and wrapped the fabric on the wound as a makeshift bandage.

Roughly twenty minutes later, she took out the medications she had taken from her room and applied them to the injuries of the unconscious person on the ground.

Soon, the wound stopped bleeding.

Exhausted, Rosalie slumped onto the ground with a thump.

What followed after was absolute silence.

What was I thinking?

Truth be told, even Rosalie herself was perplexed by her actions. When she escaped her room through her window, her mind was consumed by the thought of killing the man and bringing his head to her father if she could find him.

Yet when she saw him, she could not bring herself to take his life.

Instead, she brought him back.

/... I'm going to ask him nicely, ask him why he did what he did.

And also, I'll ask him who he truly is. I can't get an answer if he's dead.

Yes. That's what I'm doing!

Rosalie was finally satisfied with the excuse she had given herself. That night, she did not go anywhere else. Neither did she do anything else except stay by Theo's side and wait for him to wake.

"Mmm..."

It was already dawn when Theo regained consciousness.

Theo tried to move his body on the ground. However, the pain from his injuries was too great. As a reflex, Theo parted his dry and colorless lips and groaned in pain.

The sound awoke Rosalie. She immediately snapped her eyes open.

After five minutes, the dark basement was lit up by the flashlight on someone's smartphone, still lying on the ground, Theo squinted his eyes at the sudden brightness. Slowly, Theo started to make out the person standing in front of him.

"It's you?"

Disappointment filled his gaze at the sight of Rosalie.

His reaction caused the suppressed rage in Rosalie's chest to flare up in an instant. In the blink of an eye, she stretched out her hand and grabbed the man by his collar.

"What's wrong? Unhappy to see me? Did you think you've escaped successfully?"

Rosalie spat out the words in contempt and disgust. She wanted nothing more at that moment than to rip him to shreds.

As a response, Theo merely glanced at her calmly without saying a word.

The edges of Rosalie's eyes reddened as she tried her best to keep her voice from cracking. With a burst of strength, she yanked the top half of his body off the ground and snarled, "Who on earth are you? Why did you steal from Father? What are your intentions?"

"Are you really that naive, Ms. Tilan? Since I'm stealing from him, of course I'm intending to deal with your father!"

"Deal with him?" Rosalie blanched at his words.

"So you're after his life. Are you a policeman? Or are you one of those who are seeking revenge from the Tilans? I'm going to assume the former. This device has to be a communication device with your supervisor, am I right?" Rosalie held up an earpiece between her fingers. "Tell me, what would happen if I were to tell them that I'm holding you captive?"

Theo remained silent.

His pace was so pale that it was almost as white as paper. Droplets of sweat covered his face.

For the first time, Theo eyed Rosalie with a look of hostility. "Be my guest. Do it. I dare you."

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1962

"Let me tell you this. If you click on this earpiece, I promise that the Tilan family will disappear from the face of this earth!” spat Theo calmly as he stared at the woman, articulating every single word clearly.

Rosalie's chest heaved. After hearing that, fury, hatred, and a murderous look appeared on her face.

However, she still could not make herself press it.

"Disappear? Haha! You've got some nerve, huh? If the police is that capable, you wouldn't have let the Tilan family dominate Southeast Astoria for so many years. Do you think that you can kill my father with just that? You're too naive!"

Releasing the earpiece, she squatted there and scoffed coldly.

Theo looked at her.

"Why don't we try it out? Let's see if anything will happen to your father this time.”

After staring at him for a minute, Rosalie released her grip. She shoved him to the floor forcefully and stood up.

If someone had dared to speak to her like that in the past, she would have definitely scoffed in disdain and killed the person directly.

However, when she saw the calm look in his eyes, she suddenly lost her cool. For some reason, an indescribable feeling of anxiety gripped her heart.

It happened when dawn first broke.

Rosalie had just dragged herself back to the room, feeling utterly exhausted. She bathed and was about to dry her hair.

All of a sudden, a whirring sound came from outside, as if the entire sky had been invaded by an unknown organism. The deafening noise caused the walls of Tilan Palace to tremble.

What's that?

She dashed out of her room.

To her surprise, after she went out, she saw a dense mass of black dots in the sky rushing toward the Island.

"Oh my God! What's that? Someone, come right now!”

Everyone was terrified and shocked.

Standing at the corridor, Rosalie was utterly flabbergasted by the scene.

Upon a closer look, she could see clearly that those were fighter jets zooming toward them rapidly.

Fighter jets! Not helicopters!

Whoosh!

With a loud whoosh, the fighter jet at the front of the troop zoomed past the top of Tilan Palace, flying dangerously close to the surface.

While everyone underneath screamed in terror, it fired a small missile.

Boom!

A deafening boom sounded from Tilan Palace's iconic penthouse, cutting across the morning sky.

It was horrifying.

Rosalie stared at it, dumbfounded. In the end, someone rushed over and dragged her away.

"Why are you still standing there, Ms. Rosalie? Do you want to be killed by them?”

It was Samson.

Rosalie was dragged down the stairs to hide for a long while. Looking at the debris flying across the garden, she asked, "Who are they?”

"They're probably here to save Theo.”

"What did you say?” Rosalie raised her head abruptly. "Theo?”

Samson nodded. "Ms. Rosalie, the Tilan Palace might be in grave trouble. E-Earlier, I heard your father and Zylan arguing at the penthouse... It seems like Theo's background is not so simple...”

"Not so simple? What do you mean? W-Who is he?”

"I heard your father saying that he's the son of Tilan Palace's rival, who's that man from the Hayes Corporation...”

Samson did not know how he managed to say that.

He had become completely numb after hearing that. Even at that moment, he still found it quite unrealistic.

The news was simply too shocking.

/ heard that the President of the Hayes Corporation is now the head of the Jadesons and dominates the entire country. How unbelievable! That dude is actually the son of such an impressive man.

Samson did not feel too pleased about that.

When he raised his head and glanced over, he realized that Rosalie had no reaction at all-just like him when he first heard the news.

Samson did not say anything.

Boom!

Another loud noise sounded.

Both of them glanced over in terror and discovered that the iconic statue, which had stood at the entrance of Tilan Palace for decades, had been broken into half. It landed in the middle of the palace's hall.

It was a scene of utter destruction.

Rosalie could not say anything else.

Meanwhile, Hugo crawled down from the penthouse pathetically, his face covered with blood. When he raised his head, he saw that numerous fighter jets had already surrounded the palace.

In fact, they had surrounded not only the palace, but also the entire island.

Before he came down, he had already received news that many warships had arrived on all sides of the island's sea territory.

Those were warships! A person like him, who ruled the underground, would never possess something like that. Regardless of how much influence he had in the underground, he would still be completely overpowered in a battle with the military.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1963

Thud!

Hugo sat on the ground, his face filled with despair.

Seeing that Hugo had given up resisting, the fighter jet with a symbol of a blue flame stopped circling in the sky and landed slowly.

Soon, it stopped amidst the pile of rubble. Everyone saw an elegant and dignified man walking out of the cabin.

The Hayeses ruled the corporate world, while the Tilans ruled the underground.

No one in the Hayes Corporation had heard this saying before, including Sebastian, who used to rule it.

He had always deigned to mention things that were unworthy of being shown in public.

However, Hugo actually dared to target Sebastian.

Sebastian strode toward Hugo, who was lying on the ground pathetically like a thought. Two handsome youths followed behind him.

When he and his sons arrived there, their powerful aura sent a chill running down everyone's spine.

"Where's my son?" This was the first question that Sebastian asked.

Hugo's face paled immediately.

"I... I..."

"Listen carefully. If anything bad happens to my son, everyone in the Tilans will have to follow him to the grave. I'll destroy the empire that the Tilans have built. Think carefully."

Sebastian had not been out in public for a long time. Compared to his younger self, he was much more restrained.

However, at his age, the calmer he sounded, the more terrifying the consequences would be. It could not even be compared to the past, when he was still younger.

Hugo's face was completely pale. He wanted to say that he did not know where Sebastian's son was.

However, he was afraid that he would die if he said that.

Just when he felt a chill run down his spine, a girl's voice sounded behind them. "He's here!"

Her scream caused everyone to look over.

“Matteo!"

When the two youths standing behind their father saw that, a look of joy flashed across their eyes. They started running toward the girl.

They were none other than Kurt and Ian.

After they arrived at Southeast Astoria, their Investigation brought them there and they contacted Lana. Upon discovering what happened the previous night, they quickly informed their father. This was what led to this scene in the morning.

However, they found it weird that Sebastian did not seem surprised by this.

Ian went to receive his younger brother. He saw how Matteo, who used to be so strong and cheerful, could now barely stand after being tortured. In fact, his handsome face had now turned completely pale.

Ian raised his head abruptly and glared at the woman who had brought Matteo out.

"What did you do to him?"

Rosalie trembled in fear.

Are they... twins? But this boy looks so much fiercer than Theo. With that look in his eyes, it seems like he wants to rip me apart.

"I... I..."

"Don't worry. The Tilans didn't do anything to him. He got injured by the lasers when he infiltrated the penthouse. Last night, when he was stealing something, he got injured by my traps. Mr. Hayes, I didn't touch your son at all," explained Hugo, who had finally mustered some courage. He raised his head and tried his best to look calm.

When Sebastian saw that his son was fine, his expression became more relaxed.

However, standing there expressionlessly, he suddenly changed the topic. "What about my cousin?"

"Who?"

"The male celebrity, from whom you removed two of his kidneys. I heard that his kidneys are In your precious daughter's body. Am I right?"

He turned around and glanced at Rosalie, who was still standing there.

When Rosalie and her father heard that, they stood there paralyzed in shock.

Kidneys? Rosaline got uremia a year ago and got two kidneys transplanted into her body. So those kidneys come from that male celebrity? Oh my God!

Hugo felt like he had fallen into a bottomless pit.

Meanwhile, Rosalie lowered her head and glanced at her stomach dumbfoundedly. After a while, she raised her head and looked at Matteo, who was being supported by his brother.

She realized that his eyes were filled with a murderous look, as if he wanted to crush her right there and then.

"Don't move, Matteo. Calm down."

"I want to kill her! Kill her!" roared Matteo at the top of his lungs. His eyes were bloodshot and his fingers were balled into a fist.

He was absolutely terrifying.

Rosalie staggered backward.

No, this isn't real. This isn't...

Everything turned dark.

When she woke up, peace had resumed in Tilan Palace. Meanwhile, she was lying on her bed.

"Are you awake?"

Samson had not left. When he saw that she was awake, he quickly poured a glass of water for her.

Rosalie stared at him in shock. After a while, she asked, "How are things outside?"

Samson lowered his head.

"Not that great. Your father has been arrested by the police. The police have also taken control of this place. The members of the Tilans have either been arrested or sent away. You're the only one left," said Samson, his voice filled with pity.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1964

Rosalie was still unable to say a word despite the quiver of her lips.

Ten minutes later, she, with her hair strewn all over the place, was helped out of bed and brought downstairs. There, a heap of ruins was all that was left of the once gloriously-lit Tilan Palace.

There was not a soul nor any lights in sight at all.

All that remained were broken pieces of tiles that were shattered by the cannon fire. Given the widespread devastation, she wouldn't even have recognized the place if not for the familiar cedar tree that was left standing.

In fact, she began to wonder if she had accidentally ended up in the wilderness.

"Ms. Rosalie, why don't we pack and leave? I have heard that Mrs. Tilan and the others have left for Archulea. If you want to join them, I'll take you there," Samson, who was behind her, advised.

In truth, he, too, could have left with them. However, when he saw how the fleeing members of the Tilan family left the unconscious Rosalie to fend for herself, he decided to stay back.

After all, he couldn't bring himself to leave her after spending a lot of time by her side.

While Samson waited, he was caught by surprise when Rosalie, whose family had just fallen from grace, finally shook her head after standing in the garden for a long period of time.

"I'm not going. You should go by yourself. There's no need to worry about me."

"But-"

"Samson, I thank you for choosing to stay back with me in the end. As for the past... I apologize for how I treated you. After you leave Southeast Astoria, I'll give you a sum of money so that you don't have to work as an assassin anymore. Instead, you should find an ordinary job and live out the rest of your life in peace."

When he saw that she, who had always been proud and spoilt, could still make such meticulous arrangements for him despite the dire circumstances, Samson stood bewildered.

"W-What about you? What do you plan to do next?"

"Me?"

Wearing only a night dress, Rosalie looked up at the night sky with puckered lips before breaking into a smile.

"I have not decided yet. Perhaps I'll just go sightseeing."

"Sightseeing?"

Samson didn't understand what she meant.

What does she want to see?

Obviously, he didn't dare to inquire further. Since she refused to go, he decided to leave first. Before he did, he left her a car together with some maps and notes.

They contained his detailed plans for her on where she could go.

Much to his surprise, she didn't go anywhere in particular after leaving the island that night.

All she did was visit the places she had always been keen on seeing while she was sick, such as scenic historical cities or the desert that had always intrigued her.

As there were plenty of sites to cover, one year had passed when she was finally done.

It was during that same period that the faraway Jadeson family of Jadeborough finally held the long- awaited engagement banquet.

It was exceptionally lively that day with guests coming from everywhere, including the Hayes family, Solomon's family, the Wand family, the Minamoto family, and lastly, the extended Jadeson family.

What had surprised everyone was the presence of Master Shin of Aquene Temple.

Given the festive atmosphere at Oceanic Estate, the triplets were filled with joy.

After the banquet, Matteo was leading Natalie to the observation tower to set off fireworks when he received a sudden call.

"Hello, is that Theo?"

Matteo remained silent for a long time.

The voice over the phone continued, "I know it's you, Theo, but don't worry. I'm not calling to cause any trouble. I just want to inform you that Ms. Tilan has passed, and she has donated the two kidneys to a university student with a clean history."

The voice emphasized the word "clean."

Matteo's mind went blank in response.

"What are you trying to tell me? What do you mean by 'donated'? Is she dead?"

"Yes. Didn't you hear me the first time? I said that she has passed away. Are you satisfied now, Theo? Not only has she returned them to you, but that university student is also an acquaintance of yours. His name is Tobias Turner."

Once Samson had finished, he ended the call.

When Matteo subsequently tried to call back, the number was no longer available.

Frozen at his feet on the observation tower, Matteo racked his brains for the person named "Tobias." Finally, he remembered that it belonged to one of his classmates at the police academy who had been chosen for their mission one year ago.

During their training camp at Tilan Palace, he had expended a significant amount of strength to keep Tobias alive.

Unfortunately, by the time Lana rescued him from the bottom of the ocean, Tobias' two kidneys had suffered irreparable damage due to his grievous injuries and from suffocating in the seawater for an extended duration.

In the end... Is this karma?

Matteo, with his fingers balling into fists, could feel something heavy weighing down on his heart, causing him to feel breathless.

"Matt?" Natalie called out to him as she gave him a tug.

One year older now, she, sensing something amiss, had come over to his side.

After remaining silent for a long while, he lowered his eyes at Natalie before gradually kneeling down in front of her.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm not."

"Are your eyes hurting from the chill of the cold breeze? If they are, you should close them and let me rub them for you. After that, it won't hurt anymore."

As the eight-year-old Natalie comforted Matteo with her tender voice, a tiny pair of hands was already stroking his beautiful eyes.

Matteo's eyelashes fluttered for an instant before he finally gave in and closed his eyes.

When Natalie saw his reaction, she tilted her head in thought. All of a sudden, she leaned in and gave his eye a peck.

When I was young, that was how Daddy kissed me. After that, the pain will go away.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1965

In the end, Matteo decided to visit Tobias, and was also updated on recent events by Lana, whom he hadn't seen in a while.

While leading him to the ward, Lana related, "He was indeed informed that a kidney donor was found. However, this is the first time I have heard that they were donated by Hugo's daughter."

The injuries that Tobias suffered were very grave indeed.

Back then, out of the five she had chosen from the academy, only Tobias and Matteo made the cut to be sent to Tilan Palace.

In the end, no one had expected Hugo to be so cruel as to hire eight mercenaries and order them to fight to the death, with the goal of choosing the last man standing.

As a result, Matteo, in order to complete his mission, had no choice but to kill everyone else and grievously hurt his fellow classmate.

Fortunately, Lana had arrived at the nick of time to save Tobias.

Back at the ward, Matteo arrived at the door with Lana.

One year had passed since he last saw Tobias, who had gone through a kidney transplant. The latter, lying in bed in good spirits, broke into a smile at the sight of Matteo.

"Theo, you're here."

"Mmm-hmm."

Matteo nodded as he threw Tobias' body a concerned glance, especially at the latter's waist.

"How do you feel? Are they compatible?"

"Huh?"

His words stunned the other two in the ward.

Compatible? What a strange question. If they weren't, how could the transplant even be completed?

When both of them gave Matteo a quizzical glance, they noticed that his gaze continued to be fixed on Tobias' waist. It felt as if he could see through Tobias' skin and look directly at the kidneys.

As it was the hospital's protocol to keep the donor's identity a secret, Tobias had no idea where the kidneys came from.

When the two of them came out a few minutes later, Lana brought up Rosalie.

"Actually, Rosalie, who was long suffering from uremia and relied on kidney dialysis to survive, didn't know that the kidneys she received belonged to your uncle. The entire encounter was probably just a bad coincidence."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. When we questioned Hugo, he wasn't aware of the matter too. Moreover, he treated his daughter just like a pawn. Her mother was his first wife and also a member of the Southeast Astorian royal family. After her death, the only one who could maintain relations between the royal family and the Tilans was Rosalie.”

When Lana provided a summary of Rosalie's background, her voice was filled with pity and regret.

Without a doubt, that girl was innocent. The only thing she did wrong was being born into the Tilan family, who raised her into an arrogant and wilful girl. But behind that spoilt character of hers, no one knows how much she has suffered.

Subsequently, Matteo headed home.

"Where did you go today?"

Matteo was surprised to run into Sebastian who was seldom at home at that hour. When Sebastian, who recognized the gloomy look on Matteo's face, asked him about it, Matteo hesitated.

"I... I went to see Captain Warlow, Daddy. I still want to be a police officer. Just like them, I can fight crime and uphold justice in every corner of the world," Matteo, staring at Sebastian, pleaded with conviction.

This was the third time he had appealed to his father about the matter. Ever since he returned, his family, especially his mother, had refused to discuss the matter due to their fear of losing him.

Meanwhile, Sebastian's swept his gaze across Matteo's face before checking his height. It then dawned upon him that the twenty-year-old Matteo was now as tall as he was.

In the end, he asked, "Have you thought through it?"

Matteo nodded without reservation. "I have. Look, Ian and Susan are now engaged. Once they have graduated from Atlantius, they will likely join Hayes Corporation.

"As for Kurt and Vivi, there's even less need to worry about them. Upon graduation, they will return to Oceanic Estate to take care of you and Mom.

Therefore, I'm in the best position to join the police force. Also, I want to become just like Grandpa and Uncle Devin. Daddy, isn’t that what you wish for me prior to this?"

Matteo looked sincerely at his father, his eyes filled with passion and determination. The look on his face made it hard for anyone to refuse him.

Naturally, Sebastian agreed in the end but on one condition.

Matteo was to give Natalie a call or send her a message every day.

"Ever since Nat watched the video of her dad being harmed, she isn't willing to talk to anyone else other than you. Even your mom has failed to get her to speak. Hence, I'm worried that she would turn into a second Ian if you leave," Sebastian commented with his brows furrowed tightly.

As Matteo's eyes darkened at the words, a sense of anguish struck him momentarily.

Back then, no one had expected the sudden turn of events, for Lana and Ian had made sure Brandon's case had been entirely covered up.

Subsequently, due to the perpetrator's arrest, his subordinates sent Natalie, who was in school at that time, the video of how her father was humiliated and had his kidneys harvested. They probably had likely done so out of revenge.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1966

Subsequently, Nat was sent to the hospital and stayed there for a week. By the time she was discharged, she was no longer willing to speak.

It wasn't until Matteo's rescue that she, at the sight of his grievous injuries, asked him, “Does it hurt?"

From that day onward, he was the only one whom she was willing to talk to.

After Sebastian walked away, Matteo went to school to personally pick up the children, in particular Natalie. He even made an effort to collect her at her classroom.

"Natalie Emmanuel, your cousin is here!"

Inside the empty classroom, the mute Natalie was indirectly neglected. After being arranged to sit In the last row, she cut a lonely figure waiting there.

The pitiful sight of her was enough to tug at anyone's heartstrings.

While standing outside the classroom, Matteo saw Natalie turn around in delight at the teacher's call. Her beautiful eyes were sparkling as brightly as the stars, eliciting a smile from his face.

Soon, he was on his way out of school with the three children.

Yoel asked, “Matt, is Vivi and the others still at home?"

Nina was curious. “Why are you asking about them?"

"She promised to take me to Warlock Church, where she'll buy me desserts and toys. After all, my parents don’t allow me to eat them because they're worried I'll spoil my teeth.”

Much to Matteo's surprise, even such obedient children had their own frustrations to deal with.

In response, Nina gave him a condescending look.

Observing the children through the rearview mirror, Matteo pursed his lips when he noticed Natalie, amidst the animated discussion between the other two, quietly fiddling with the silver whistle.

"Don't worry. If they have left, I'll take you there. Nat, do you want to come along?"

“Hmm?"

Just as expected, Natalie was particularly sensitive to him.

She was very similar to Ian back in the day, where he would block out whoever or whatever he resented. Furthermore, her condition seemed to be more serious than his.

Matteo suggested, “Shall we visit Warlock Church?

I'll be taking you there."

Natalie agreed obediently, “Okay."

As she looked at him with her beautiful almond- shaped eyes, he could see the delight brimming in them.

Matteo, briefly jolted by the sight, felt a stinging pain in his heart once he returned his attention to the front.

Upon their arrival at Oceanic Estate twenty minutes later, Ian and the others were really gone. Ian had mentioned that he had an upcoming exam, while Vivian and Kurt joined him since they were heading the same way.

That night, Matteo brought the three children out by himself.

Warlock Church was indeed bustling with activity. He remembered enjoying himself a lot when his mother brought him and his siblings there during their childhood.

Subsequently, Matteo led them to a lively street.

“If you see any food that you fancy, just let me know and I'll get them for you."

"Thank you, Matt."

At the sight of the busy night market, Yoel and Nina's eyes were already gleaming with excitement.

Holding each other's hands, they ran toward one of the shops selling snacks.

Glancing at Natalie, whose hand he was holding, he asked, "Aren't you going over?"

Natalie didn't reply.

After a brief hesitation, she grabbed Matteo's two fingers and pulled him toward the shop.

Soon, the three children came out with bags filled with snacks.

When someone familiar accompanied her, Natalie looked no different from an ordinary child. One would only realize that something was amiss after observing her for a long time and noticing that she didn't speak.

After spending the entire night having fun, Matteo finally took them home at nine when all of them were visibly tired.

Nina inquired, "Are you leaving soon too?"

Along the journey home, the sharp Nina, who was watching Matteo from the back seat, raised the sudden question, causing Matteo to be taken aback.

"What makes you think so?"

"The rest have already left. Besides, when you are being especially nice by taking US out, what else could it mean?" Nina insinuated.

Matteo was stunned by her words.

/ can't deny how smart she is. But why do I detect a sense of unhappiness in her tone? Nina obviously sounded more upset than before their trip.

Matteo sighed. "You're right. I am leaving. Therefore, you will have to look out for the two of them."

Nina retorted, “Why? They're not related to me at all."

Stumped, Matteo could feel the veins in his head throbbing in exasperation.

Her sh*tty temper is just the same as her brother's.

Ignoring her, Matteo turned to check on Natalie, who didn't seem to realize what was going on. At that moment, the latter was leaning on Yoel's shoulder and dozing off.

Matteo, with a wry smile on his face, simply shook his head in resignation.

When the children woke up the next day, Matteo had already left.

Sasha, who was worried that Natalie would be devastated if she didn't see Matteo, hurried to the latter's room before she woke up.

"Nat, are you awake?"

The moment the rays of the morning sun penetrated the windows and fell upon Natalie, who had just opened her eyes, Sasha was jolted by the image of her long-deceased friend flashing across her mind.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1967

With her dreamy eyes, Natalie stared at Sasha.

"Nat, I want to let you know that Matt has gone back to school. Nevertheless, he has left you a note saying that once you get full marks in your exams, he will give you a video call.”

Sasha then handed Natalie the note.

Just as expected, Natalie's face lost all color at the news until she saw what was written on the note.

Matteo: Remember to work hard in school, as I, too, have gone back to class. Hence, both of US should do our best together.

The message ended with a smiley face at the bottom.

After folding the note back meticulously, she tucked it underneath her pillow.

Even though Sasha was relieved by Natalie's response, a bitter sensation still burned in her eye.

All she could hope for was for time to heal all.

With that, life at Oceanic Estate fell back into a lull. It wasn't until the triplets graduated that their home was bustling with activity again.

Back at Atlantius, the exams were right around the corner.

While everyone was having a meal in the apartment, Vivian suddenly asked, "Ian, are you going back after graduation? I heard Uncle Solomon mention that Hayes Corporation is gradually increasing its investments in Southeast Astoria. Therefore, is he planning to send you there?"

Truth be told, Ian was responsible for the expansion of the company not just in Southeast Astoria but also Chanaea.

After all. Southeast Astoria was a region filled with business potential. Ever since the Tilans collapsed three years ago, Hayes Corporation, in its capacity as the largest business empire in Astoria, officially established its footprint in the region.

Since it was a matter of time before Ian was sent over, he admitted with a nod, "Mmm-hmm. Daddy, too, hopes for the same, other than Hayes Corporation, Eternal Group under the Jadeson will also be there.”

Vivian and Kurt were speechless.

Other than Susan, everyone in the house, including Lotus the dog, was speechless by his answer.

At the end of the day, Sebastian had created a business entity on behalf of the Jadesons, and that company was called Eternal Group. Nonetheless, it kept a low profile and never stole the limelight from Hayes Corporation.

Ian laughed awkwardly.

Kurt, turning his attention to the girl sitting beside him, suddenly asked, "In that case, do you want to go? If Eternal Group is established there, you can be by your brother's side, while your production company will also benefit significantly."

In truth, now that she was twenty-three and had graduated, she was more of a woman than a girl.

However, no sooner had he finished than Vivian widened her glistening eyes to glare at him.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

Kurt was rendered speechless.

"Are you planning to go to Gronga? I'm well aware that the top construction company there, PCT Development, has sent you an offer. Are you annoyed that I'm standing in your way? Is that why you're trying to get rid of me?"

When the living room plunged into a deathly silence, Ian and Susan tactfully put down their cutlery.

After that, they grabbed a dog leash and a packet of dog treats respectively before taking Lotus for a walk.

Given how terrifying it was whenever a woman was throwing a tantrum, both of them offered Kurt their condolences in their hearts.

Upon reaching the ground floor, Ian was startled by the sound of something smashing onto the ground from upstairs.

Susan asked, "Are you sure we don't need to talk to them? We might have to buy a whole new set of plates as a result."

"Why should we? It's not like we're going to continue staying there. Come on, let's get Lotus' documents in order. Otherwise, we might not be able to take it with us."

"Sure."

Susan's lips curled underneath the dim yellow light of the street lamp.

After fastening the leash on Lotus, she, with Ian holding her hand, led the dog as both of them strolled around their neighborhood.

Back in the apartment, Kurt was feeling aggrieved, as he never had the intention of going to PCT Development. That aside, what baffled him the most was Vivian's increasingly irritable temperament.

When Kurt woke up the next morning, he noticed a swelling on the corner of his eye, which was the result of a cut from one of yesterday's broken shards.

Just when he was about to head into the bathroom to deal with it so as to avoid any curious questions, he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in,” he answered in delight, thinking that it was Vivian.

In the end, the one who walked in when he opened the door was his sharply dressed brother-in-law.

"What are you..."

"We're about to leave. What happened to your eye?" Ian, who had come by to bid farewell, was briefly stunned by the bruise on Kurt's face.

"Did she really hit you?"

"No, I cut myself from a stray piece of glass. Why are you leaving so quickly? Aren't you still waiting for your certificate?"

"Uncle Solomon called to inform me that there has been some trouble. Since the person in charge has failed to quell it, and he's unable to leave, he decided to send me instead," Ian explained briefly.

Obviously, there was a complicated look in his eye as he stared at the wound on Kurt's face.

"I've noticed that she's been out of sorts lately. What happened to the both of you?" he asked with a grim look on his face.

Kurt said nothing, as there was fundamentally no problem at all. It was just that Vivian had reached the stage where she was forced to make a choice between her relationship and career.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1968

That woman... actually dominated the media industry in three years. In addition to setting up a production company while still studying, she also directed two movies where she won awards for her prop and costume designs.

That, in turn, meant that her career would skyrocket.

Unfortunately, it was obvious that Kurt didn't belong there. It was a city of architectural marvels, after all, so the local authorities wouldn’t further develop the place or tear any buildings down. That meant that as a recently graduated architect, Kurt had no way of building his career there.

The truth was that he graduated ages ago. When he was sixteen, he was sent to study there. Vivian, however, was still at the Royal Academy. He stayed behind for a year just to be with her, and now countless top construction companies were trying to recruit him.

If he were to leave and pursue his dreams, the love of his life would have to make a tough choice.

"It's fine. You should just go ahead. I will deal with the matter;' said Kurt to offer some comfort and to send them off.

Ian couldn't come up with a solution, so he had no choice but to grab his luggage and left the place with Susan. Still, he called his baby sister when he

reached the airport.

"Hi, Ian."

"Hey, so I'm leaving with Susan now, and you and Kurt will be alone here, stop being unreasonable, okay? He already pushed his career back by a year for you, so try to see things from his point of view, okay?"

Ian was trying to teach his baby sister a lesson at the time.

Vivian was already in a foul mood because she just had an argument. Hearing what her brother said on the other end of the line made her scowl even more.

"I never asked him to wait."

"Vivi!" said Ian sternly. He looked a little angry when he heard what Vivian said. "Don't be mean. Just talk nicely to him and don't assume you can get away with everything just because he loves you. Your career is important, but so is his.”

Ian was a little harsh when he scolded her because he wanted to her to wake up and see the bigger picture.

Kurt had always been the one making sacrifices for the relationship. While it was true that Vivian only attended that particular school for Kurt's sake, it was undeniable that his entire life had always circled around her.

He went to Yartran when he was ten and returned to SteelFort when he was twelve.

After that, he stayed in Clearwater for four years just to secretly protect her. He had been traveling back and forth between Yartran and Clearwater just to keep her safe.

He did all that for her from behind the scene. Even now, if Vivian had asked Kurt not to leave, Ian was certain that Kurt would stay.

Unfortunately, that would mean that Vivian would never learn just how talented Kurt was.

Ian hung up the phone after that.

Susan asked, "What did Vivian say? Will she talk to Kurt about this?"

Ian grumbled, "I don't know. That idiot has spoiled her for too many years, and it seems she has turned selfish."

He was still a little frustrated with his baby sister at the time.

Susan saw how angry he was, so she quickly cooed, "Don't be so harsh on her. She is simply reluctant to let go of her career. It's reasonable, isn't it? She's doing great, so it's only natural that she'd struggle with that decision."

"Then they can just get into a long-distance relationship. It's been years, so it's not as though they are still in the honeymoon period. Shouldn't they be sick of each other's faces, anyway?"

Susan was a little surprised. She couldn't believe that Ian got even more upset and said something like that.

She stopped short and turned to look at him. At that moment, she was so tempted to demand an explanation of what they were doing. What does that mean? He's heading to Southeast Astoria, and I am tagging along. Is this too much? Is he sick of my face?

She looked away while dragging their luggage along. The two of them didn't say another word even after they boarded the plane.

At the apartment...

Kurt treated his injuries, then went to the supermarket to buy some groceries.

That was his routine for the past year. He would design wallpapers now and then, but most of his time was spent taking care of Vivian. Hence, cooking every meal became an essential part of his life.

He came home with the groceries and cooked everything, but Vivian was still nowhere to be seen.

What's going on? Could it be... She's still mad at me?

Kurt got a little worried. He put everything aside, walked out of the kitchen, and grabbed his phone to make the call.

"Hello? Vivi?"

"What?"

As suspected, the woman from the other side of the line sounded annoyed, and her tone carried a hint of sorrow.

Kurt heard the pain in her voice, so he quickly asked, "Where are you? Why aren't you home yet? I cooked for you."

Vivian replied, "I'm not hungry. Just eat without me."

She replied in a depressed tone and was going to hang up right away.

That scared Kurt out of his mind.

"Listen to me, Vivi. What happened last night is my fault, and I'm sorry, so please don't be mad anymore.

I won't leave. I'll stay right here with you, and you don't need to worry about anything."

"Kurt... Maybe we should stay apart for now. My brother is right. I have been too selfish. You should go to Gronga and get your career going. After that...” Beep! Beep!

The line went dead all of a sudden.

All Vivian heard was her phone humming, so she checked her phone and was stunned for quite some time.

Why did he hang up? Did I say something bad again?

Vivian became even more upset. It got to the point where she even got disinterested in the video she was editing.

One of her colleagues saw what was up with her and asked, "What's wrong? Did you get into another fight with your boyfriend?"

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1969

The two colleagues were close because they hung out often and knew each other rather well.

Vivian, who had been slouching, nodded when she heard that question. "Yeah, he's leaving."

"Leaving? Where is he going? Why isn't he staying here with you?"

For the longest time, Vivian couldn't answer.

See? That is what everybody assumed would happen, so why am I not allowed to have those same thoughts? Isn't it normal for me to want to build my career and have him here with me all the time?

Vivian tilted her head back down. Sadly, she replied, "He's going to Gronga because the people there have been waiting for him to clock in for a while now."

"Huh?"

Suddenly, the light glowing in Vivian's colleague's eyes changed. He became more understanding.

"I guess that makes sense. Your boyfriend is the top student who graduated in architecture last year and is the prized student of his professors here. I heard that he recently got his Masters as well, so I guess you really shouldn't stand in his way."

"I'm standing in his way?"

"No, no. Sorry. That was a poor choice of words.

What I meant is that it would be a waste to keep his talents hidden. If he were to build a career, he would likely overtake Mikaela Weasley."

Mikaela Weasley was the most famous architect in the world.

Vivian was stunned. She stared numbly at her colleague and couldn't speak for quite some time.

Twenty minutes later, Kurt showed up right in front of her. He was like a tornado and come to her in a blink of an eye. He didn't even say a word before he held her wrist.

"Kurt?"

Vivian was scared. She stared blankly at the guy with bloodshot eyes, and her mind turned numb.

He was terrifying at the time, and she had never seen that side of him before.

"Come here with me. I need to talk to you about something," said Kurt. He had tried his best to calm himself down to prevent scaring her.

Unfortunately, even as he was holding her, his hand was still trembling. He also had to work especially hard to keep his tone even.

Vivian had no choice but to follow him along.

Bang!

As soon as they left the place, Kurt led her to a rather secluded area and pushed her against the wall. He was much taller than she was, so his shadow towered over her and engulfed her.

"What did you mean earlier when you said, via the phone, that we should stay apart for now?" asked Kurt in a coarse voice.

His lips were so pale that they scared her.

Vivian swallowed hard. She had never seen him like that before, so for a moment there, she couldn't think. She couldn't handle the stress.

"1-1 don't really mean anything by it. It's just... Didn't you say that you want to go to Gronga? I've thought about It, and you should go. You can build your career there."

"And?"

"A-And once your career has gained traction, we can get back together."

The pressure Kurt put on Vivian was too heavy, so she couldn't do much except answer fearfully and truthfully.

Fortunately, he seemed to have eased up after hearing what she said. The scary aura he exuded slowly faded as well.

"Have you forgotten who I really am?"

"Huh?"

Vivian blinked her big, round eyes in confusion because she was still reeling in her emotions. She couldn't understand what he was saying at all.

Kurt replied, "I am your guardian. Your dad saved me all those years ago and took me to SteelFort. That means that my only mission in life is to protect you."

Vivian couldn't speak.

For the longest time, Vivian was in a daze, and all she could do was stare at the young man who was two years younger than she was.

Her heart, however, was thumping wildly with passion. The second she heard those words, she felt as though something had filled her mind and soul.

There was nothing more touching than a heartfelt confession from the man she loved.

That was something Vivian was certain of.

The man she fell in love with had never said anything corny because he was cool and was a man of few

words. Whenever he wanted to show how much he loved her, he would do something for her. It was almost impossible to get him to say anything sweet.

Yet, at that moment, he had declared that his mission in life was to keep her safe for all eternity...

Vivian got teary.

"I don't need you to protect me. You are not a man my dad hired. You are the man I love, and we are equals, so you should go to Gronga."

"But..."

"I'll go with you."

Vivian caressed Kurt's handsome face, which had turned pale once more, then tiptoed to plant a kiss on his soft lips.

Kurt was surprised.

The tall, muscular man was stunned in place for a moment before he shifted his gaze to the young woman who was kissing him. His mind turned blank immediately.

That was their first kiss.

The two of them had dated for years, but he had always seen her as the most precious treasure in the world. Not once had he ever crossed the line or let his lust get hold of him. At most, he would kiss her forehead softly.

He never thought that things would unfold that way.

Kurt lost his hearing because all of his blood had flushed to his brain, and all he could see was the woman who had tiptoed and was kissing him.

Mmm...

Passion filled Kurt's gaze, and the young, virile man finally reacted to the kiss. He reached out and pulled that little minx into his arms, then held her tightly before kissing her back even more passionately.

Vivian didn't say anything, but...

Huh? What am I doing? Ah! What have I done?

Vivian felt as though an explosion had gone off in her mind, causing an endless humming in it.

No one knew how much time had passed, but Vivian was on the verge of passing out from being out of breath when someone finally showed up. Kurt had no choice but to let Vivian go then.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1970

Blushing hard, Vivian pushed him aside.

It didn't take long before the two of them left the school's premises. They didn't go on a date or anything, though. Instead, they went to the production company Vivian founded because she recently received a new script and needed to discuss the matter with the other managers.

Kurt drove steadily to the office.

Vivian said, "The script involved is a documentary that highlights rural traditions all around the world, so it will be more challenging."

"Traditions?"

Kurt turned to her.

"Does that mean you'll have to travel to shoot the video?"

"If everything goes smoothly, then probably. The industry had never done something similar before, so I think I will come up with some events and competitions for everyone to bond in. That way, we can add a modern twist to the show, then broadcast it over several episodes. My guess is that It will be rather incredible," said Vivian with a hopeful smile on her as she read through the content.

She was undeniably talented. It was just an ordinary documentary, but she managed to find a way to turn it into a highly profitable project. If her dad was there, he would certainly compliment her on it.

Kurt, however, frowned deeply after hearing that plan.

If the footage had to be shot in different locations all over the world, then that meant Vivian wouldn't be staying put in one place. She would have to travel the world as well. She will travel to foreign, faraway countries all by herself...

The thought of it soured Kurt's mood, which had just gotten better.

It was as he guessed. When they reached the office, Vivian led her team into the conference room to discuss the matter. Kurt waited for about two hours, but she was still occupied.

/ guess their discussion is getting heated.

Kurt got up. He was going to head out to get some fresh air.

"Huh? Mr. Lopez, are you leaving? Is something wrong?"

An assistant working in Vivian's office bumped into him when he left the room, so she asked in a concerned tone.

Kurt glanced at her.

"Nothing is wrong. I'm just heading out for some fresh air."

"I see. It's because Ms. Hayes' meeting ran long again, isn't it? It's fine. A cafe was recently opened in the mall located right next door. Would you like to go for a cup of coffee? I can keep you company"

Even as an assistant, she was too nice to her boss' boyfriend.

Kurt hadn't even replied before someone from the administration department mercilessly dissed, "That doesn't sound right, Amy. Why would Mr. Lopez need your company to go get coffee?"

"Uh..."

"Besides, you're the boss' assistant, so shouldn't you go to that cafe and buy Mr. Lopez a cup? Why would you make him walk with you?"

Those words hit the bull's eye.

Amy blushed red immediately. She didn't even have the guts to say another word before she kept her head down and left.

Kurt was speechless.

"Mr. Lopez, what kind of beverage would you like? I'll go buy It for you. I'm sure Ms. Hayes' meeting will end soon. Please be patient just a little longer."

The person who chased the assistant away hurried to Kurt's side and asked him to wait a little longer. He even offered to buy him some refreshments.

Vivian truly is amazing. She founded an incredible company, and these people... they might be her employees on paper, but they love her and protect her.

Kurt smiled.

"There's no need for that. I am simply stepping out to make a call. Please proceed with your work and just ignore me."

"Ah, I see. Okay, then I'll get back to my desk. If you need anything at all, please let me know," said the manager from the administration department before chuckling and leaving.

I need to keep an eye out. It's obvious that the boss and her boyfriend have been arguing. She has always been cheery, but she clocked in lately with a scowl on her face. The boyfriend who had always followed her around was nowhere to be seen as well.

Those were the common thoughts that everyone in the office had.

That was also why Amy, the malicious assistant from earlier, tried to get in between them and cause trouble.

The manager returned to his desk soon after.

Kurt made his way to the exit as well. He fished his phone out of his pocket because someone had actually been calling him.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mr. Lopez. Are you free now? Ms. Mikaela Weasley is here in Atlantius, so would you mind dropping by and talking to her?"

No one could've imagined it, but the call actually came from the best construction company in the world, PCT Development. The Ms. Mikaela Weasley mentioned was one of the best architects out there.

Kurt was stunned in place.

"She is here?"

"Yes. She truly admires your work and was pleasantly surprised when she collaborated with you on the museum project in Gronga. Hence, she specifically came here to discuss the matter in detail with you. Please grant her this wish."

The most famous architect in the world had used the word "please" and referred to the meeting as a wish.

All that showed just how much she wanted to work with him.

Unfortunately, Kurt heard some noise from the conference room and guessed that the meeting was ending, so he turned her down.

"I am so sorry. Please thank Ms. Weasley for extending the invitation, but I won't be able to make it. Goodbye."

Kurt hung up soon after. He turned around and entered the office.