Ch. 1601..1610

Chapter 1601

Jay said resolutely, "Grandpa, share the findings with our government and let them serve mankind. This is the life purpose of a doctor. I would think that Grandma would want her research findings to be passed

down from generation to generation."

Grand Old Master Yorks waved his hand and said, "Give me some time to think about it."

Jay left.

As he came out of Grand Old Master Yorks' room, Jay looked at the restored Tourmaline Estate. The layout and appearance of the building were as per its previous appearance. The lush trees and wide asphalt avenues gave the whole place life.

The reconstruction of Tourmaline Estate was led by Angeline herself. Jay's heart ached when he thought of how much hard work Angeline had put in just to make him happy.

He thought to himself, 'How did I lose such a wonderful woman?'

Jay dragged himself to Fragrant Vessel Court.

Fragrant Vessel Court had an antique feel to it as the building retained its original appearance. The only thing that was different was the trees, flowers, and

plants.

Angelina had planted many jacarandas, kapok trees, and trumpet creepers.

A gratifying smile appeared on Jay's face. Angelina's landscape design was similar to what he had done in Green Plum Town.

Their hearts were linked as one.

Jay opened the door of Fragrant Vessel Court and saw a huge framed ink painting on the wall of the living room. Inside, there was another row of small lattice picture frames that displayed the various masterpieces drawn by Angeline.

He thought of their first encounter and their innocence when they fell in love, to the despair of life and death, and finally... the lifelong companionship.

In an instant, tears filled Jay's eyes. If it had not been for the trip to Mount Pearl, Angeline would have never parted ways with him.

Jay sat on the sofa and recalled those sweet memories of him and Angeline.

"Angeline, where are you?" Jay cried out, his heart in a million pieces.

Heavenly Stairway Town.

The town was famous because of a romantic legend.

According to the legend, there was a pair of lovers who lived here a long time ago. The girl's parents refused to accept the boy as one of their own. In a rage, the girl eloped with her beloved. They ended up in this deserted place to live a life of isolation.

As they got older, their love story was spread by tourists who inadvertently found this place, and it became known as Heavenly Stairway Town.

Angeline chose to stay in Heavenly Stairway Town because she had been here when she was young. There were many memories made here.

In a rental room.

Angeline was lying on the bed in pain. Her muscles were aching all over, but she gritted her teeth and refused to scream out loud. Her face was soaked with sweat, and her stubborn but perplexed eyes revealed just how much pain she was in.

Mrs. Yorks wiped away her sweat gently and said, "Angeline, scream it out if you're in pain. I know that you're in pain..."

Angeline said while out of breath, "Aunt Crystal, I'm not a good-for-nothing."

Mrs. Yorks feared up when she heard that. Chloe Yorks had hurt Angeline deeply. What Chloe did to her was still haunting Angeline.

Therefore, after Angeline was paralyzed, she was unwilling to stay in bed or accept any of the doctor's advice. She was fighting with her body.

The doctor asked her to rest in bed, but she worked out like it was a matter of life and death. She kneeled when she could not stand up and lay on her stomach when she was out of energy. 1 She was fighting against her illness with stubbornness.

Although she never screamed out in pain, she lost significant weight in just a few days. Mrs. Yorks and Shirley knew how difficult it was for her.

Chapter 1602

Chapter 1602

It was up until she no longer had the strength to toss and turn. She was no longer fighting back as she lay on the bed, her breathing thin as silk.

She stubbornly exhausted herself and weakly told Sis Shirley, "I may not have much time left, Sis Shirley. I'll have to tell you a couple of things before I die."

Shirley knelt before the bed, her face drenched in tears. "Lil Angeline, please don't think that way. You'll be fine. How about I call Jay over, okay?"

Angeline refused her firmly. "No. Don't let him know about my current condition. If I die, don't let him see my remains and tell him that I passed on peacefully. That way, he'll feel much better.

"Also, Sis Shirley, I'm truly sorry I can't keep you company."

After finishing her sentences, Angeline lost consciousness.

Shirley wailed aloud, lamenting to the heavens, while Mrs. Yorks kept her composure. She placed her ear on Angelina's heart and said, "Shirley, she's not dead. Her breathing is steady as well. Her anxiety must've triggered all kinds of unrealistic hallucinations."

Shirley was immediately relieved.

After the intense shock, Shirley's stomach felt slightly abnormal, as if contractions would occur at any time.

Mrs. Yorks was an experienced person, so she noted," I think you're about to give birth, Shirley. We have to make some preparations in advance."

Shirley looked at Angeline, who was tortured by her illness, and thought it was indeed not the right time to have a baby.

However, whatever one was terrified of would always come first.

After Angeline lay heavily sick in bed for a week, she had entirely accepted that she would now be permanently paralyzed for the following second half of her life. Just then, Sis Shirley's water broke. Mrs. Yorks was panicky as she exclaimed, "What do we do? Shirley, it's dangerous for the child once your water breaks. You'll have to go to the hospital in town as soon as possible."

Once Angeline heard that Sis Shirley was in danger, she mustered up the strength that came out of nowhere to sit up. It was as if she could no longer feel the pain in her body as she staggered into the living room after putting her clothes on.

"I'll get a doctor. Take good care of Sis Shirley, Aunt Crystal."

Mrs. Yorks stared at Angeline in much astonishment and disbelief as she floated about like a ghost.

However, due to the critical situation, Mrs. Yorks and Angeline both had their hands full. They hurriedly pack the necessities needed for Sis Shirley to deliver, and once the ambulance arrived, Angeline and Mrs. Yorks accompanied her to the hospital.

In the hospital, Sis Shirley was quickly pushed into the delivery room, and they could hear her painful screams.

Angeline hovered outside while hugging her arms.

Mrs. Yorks held the frail and thin Angeline in her arms as she comforted, saying, "Don't be afraid, Angeline. Your sister will be fine."

Angeline was obviously overwhelmed, yet she stubbornly replied, "I'm not scared, Aunt Crystal."

Mrs. Yorks stretched out her hands to tidy up Angelina's hair that looked like a chicken's coop. She had not gotten out of bed for seven days now, and just when Mrs. Yorks thought that she would never again b e able to get up, Angeline had stood up miraculously when Sis Shirley was about to give birth to her baby.

When she gave it further thought, it was Angelina's own love and sense of responsibility that got her through this hurdle.

Mrs. Yorks was utterly moved. Angeline was such a good kid. If she were her daughter-in-law, she would love Angeline to bits.

Why did she have to end up being the daughter-in-law of that evil wench, Chloe Yorks?

When the baby's cries were heard, Angeline showed a smile on her face.

"She did it. My sister gave birth."

She started hopping around like a child.

The doctors and nurses walking around the hospital were all looking at Angeline attentively. She was still in her pajamas and windbreaker while her long hair was messy, greasy, and stuck together. Meanwhile, Mrs. Yorks shared the joy of being promoted to a grandmother.

Chapter 1603

Chapter 1603

Not long after, the nurse walked out holding the baby.

"It's a boy." The nurse smiled.

Mrs. Yorks ecstatically hugged the child over and wept with joy. "The gender doesn't matter. He's my perfect little grandbaby."

When Angeline noticed that Sis Shirley had not come out, she agitatedly grabbed the nurse's hand. "Where's my sister? How is she?"

The nurse smiled and said, "Don't worry. The mother is fine. She's just inside for a couple more examinations."

Angeline was then relieved, and she turned her attention to the child. Inside the thick swaddle blanket, a small head was exposed. His hair was thick, black, and shiny, and his face was slightly on the long side. He had long and narrow eyes that were somewhat slanting upward.

Angeline pouted and said in disappointment, "Mrs. Yorks, the baby looks too much like Cole. He doesn't have my sister's features at all."

Mrs. Yorks chuckled. "Angeline, since the baby looks like Cole, he'll look more and more handsome in the future. And don't you worry, if my Cole gives Shirley a

hard time, I won't let him off the hook so easily."

Angeline smiled and placed her arm around Mrs. Yorks' neck. "I've always known that Aunt Crystal is the fairest and most reasonable person."

Half an hour later.

The nurse pushed Shirley out in a wheelchair.

In the blink of an eye, they suddenly had a lot of work to do.

The baby needed to take a bath, get breastfed, change his diapers...

Shirley's body was frail from the start, and she got weaker after giving birth. She barely had the strength to breastfeed the baby.

Angeline still worked hard to help out in her sickly state. When Mrs. Yorks looked at the seemingly tireless Angeline, she smiled and said to Sis Shirley, "I finally understand why the people around Angeline trea her kindly. It's because she treats the people around her even better."

Sis Shirley nodded tearfully. She felt her heart aching. "But my little sister somewhat lacks in the luck department and just so happened to stumble upon a vicious mother-in-law."

Mrs. Yorks tried suggesting to Sis Shirley, "Shirley, since Angeline isn't in good health, why don't we hire a nanny? Let's not tire Angeline out. But since we don't have much money, I can ask Cole for help. I was wondering if you'd mind if I do?"

Shirley's complexion was rather pale, but she still smiled peacefully. "You don't have to ask for my opinion, Aunt Crystal. I never had the idea of preventing Cole from meeting his child. After all, I hope this child gets both of his parents' love and affection."

Mrs. Yorks breathed a sigh of relief.

She took Shirley's phone and dialed Cole's phone number.

After a few rings, Cole's somewhat stirred-up voice was heard from the other line, "Where are you guys now, Shirley? After sending you people to the North Renege Airport, Carson said that all of you sneaked away without him noticing. Why are you so unruly?"

"It's Mom, Cole." Mrs. Yorks' voice sounded tranquil and calm. "Forgive me for choosing to leave without saying goodbye this time. You know very well that if I didn't leave, I may never again pluck up the courage to leave that place that merely makes me downhearted."

Cole was slightly taken aback. "I don't blame you for it, Mom. But where are you now?"

Mrs. Yorks said, "The three of us are wounded by love, so we're merely bidding farewell to our former lives. I'll never tell you where we are."

Cole was in between laughter and tears. "Mom, I'm your son. Why don't you tell me? I promise you I won't tell Dad."

Aunt Crystal decisively refused. "I will not."

"Then, why are you even calling me?" Cole was getting curious.

"Mom needs money."

Cole said in a pique of anger, "No way. Aren't you completely isolating yourself from us? Why are you still asking us for money?"

"Do you think I want to call you and ask for money? Your son has been born. Do you want him to be well-fed? How about toys? And his clothes? Forget it. Since you're such an irresponsible daddy, I think we might as well give him away."

Cole was utterly stupefied. "Shirley has given birth? But it's not her due date yet."

Mrs. Yorks replied, "Something happened to Angeline and Shirley suffered from a shock, making her go into early labor."

Cole was scared witless. "What happened to Angeline?"

Chapter 1604

Chapter 1604

Mrs. Yorks was getting impatient and said, "We're done here. I'm quite busy. If you still have a bit of a conscience, Venmo me the money using this phone number. I'm hanging up now." "Mom, don't hang up. My son-"

Beep, beep!

Cole stared at the cell phone that was hung up, digesting the information his mother had just revealed to him. He ultimately came to a terrible conclusion-Angeline had fallen ill and it was a very serious illness. Otherwise, Sis Shirley would not have gone into premature labor from fright.

What made him even more uneasy was that the three women had no money on them. With Angeline's illness and Sis Shirley's early labor, how would they sustain themselves?

When Cole thought of this, he abruptly broke out in a cold sweat.

"Carson, immediately Venmo some money into Shirley's phone number."

"How much?" Carson asked.

"As much as possible."

Carson quickly took his phone out and started tapping away. Two minutes later, Carson looked up at Cole and apologized. "Young Master, I just signed up, so the transfer limit is capped at 299.99 dollars." Cole's facial complexion turned pale.

He quickly picked up the phone to call Jay.

On the other line, Jay was slightly startled to see Cole's caller ID.

He languidly answered the phone and heard Cole's obviously anxious tone. Then, he started acting as if he was in a leisure state.

"Did you receive news from Angeline, Master Ares?"

Jay frowned. He just knew that this guy was here sniffing for clues because he could not find Angeline either.

Overflowing with jealousy, he replied, "It's none of your business."

Then, he hung up the phone.

What right did he have to be concerned over his woman?

Cole brazenly called him once more. This time, he was no longer long-winded and went straight to the point." Don't hang up. I have something urgent to tell you."

Jay raised his wrist to look at his watch. "You have one minute. I have an emergency meeting to attend."

"Fine, fine, alright. My mother called me earlier. Do you want to know what she told me?"

Jay's face froze slightly. He straightened up his posture and turned his attention from the computer screen to the phone instantly.

"What did she say?"

"They've run out of money."

Coldness flashed across Jay's eyes. If Angeline had run out of money, why did she rather ask for Cole's help instead of his?

He was somewhat irritated. "If they've run out of money, why don't they just come home?"

"My mother said something happened to Angeline!"

Jay's pupils shrank in horror as he roared at him." What happened to Angeline?"

"I don't know since my mother didn't bother to elaborate. She merely said that something happened to her, and Shirley suffered from a shock that made her go into early labor," said Cole. Every nerve in Jay's body grew tense, and every cell was overflowing with nervousness.

What kind of lives were these three women living?

"Did they say where they were?" Jay was filled with expectations. He hoped that Mrs. Yorks, someone wiser and older, would treat this matter sensibly and make the best choice for themselves.

Cole replied, "My mother said that they were three women wounded by love and had made up their minds to bid farewell to their previous lives. She doesn't even want me anymore, so naturally, she didn't tell me where they are now."

Chapter 1605

Chapter 1605

Jay felt his blood running cold, and even the tips of his fingers were shivering.

Angeline wanted to bid farewell to her past completely? Did she mean utterly abandoning him and their children?

How hurt could she possibly be that the once so optimistic and cheerful Angeline was now despondent toward the world?

Cole continued to chatter incessantly, "I'm trying to transfer some allowance to them, but our Venmo accounts are capped at 299.99 dollars. I tried calling them back, but the other line is busy. I'm guessing that their phones are now rejecting any calls, so unless they take the initiative to get in contact with us, we can't contact them."

Jay was not at all surprised that Angeline had set her phone to reject all incoming calls. It was just that he still felt a faint sting in his heart.

Whenever he thought about how Angeline had drawn a line between them, he felt his heart sobbing with sadness.

"Master Ares, we're running out of ideas here. Haven't you always been smart and wise? I'll be leaving this

matter to you now."

Jay was still overflowed with the grief that Angeline had bestowed upon him, and he was not at all in the mood to listen to Cole's voice.

"Hello? Master Ares?"

Ultimately, Cole had no other option but to hang up the phone.

Inside the hall, Grand Old Master Yorks, Chloe, and Spencer looked at Cole eagerly. Their expressions were filled with expectations as they all had people they cared about and they wanted to know the other party's current situation.

Cole shrugged his shoulders and tried to keep them in suspense. "Why are you guys looking at me?" The fact was, he was not at all in the know of the three's situation. He also wanted to know more about Angelina's situation.

Spencer angrily rebuked, "Stop keeping us at bay. When is your mother coming back?"

Cole grabbed a cherry from the fruit platter and shoved it in his mouth. "Why do you even think that my mother is coming back?"

Spencer made a solemn vow, "Running away from home was a decision she made on a hot-headed whim. She'll come home once she has calmed down. She's a middle-aged woman now, yet she's still running away from home like a young teenager. Isn't it embarrassing?"

Cole rolled his eyes at his dad. "You're wrong, Dad.

Mom will never be coming back in this lifetime. She said very clearly on the phone that she's bidding farewell to her past life, and she's even willing to give up on me, her darling son, completely." Spencer crushed the teacup in his hand. "She said that?"

Cole nodded. "Yep."

Spencer's face turned distorted, and he began panicking in his heart.

Meanwhile, Grand Old Master Yorks was concerned about his little grandson. "Cole, did Shirley give birth to a healthy boy? That's nice, and you're a father now. You have to give the child a name..." Cole retorted, "Don't waste your efforts, Grandpa. I don't even know whether I'll be able to meet my son, ever. Do you think Shirley will give us the honor of naming him?"

Grand Old Master Yorks' expression turned darker.

Chloe merely cared about Jay, so she asked, "Isn't Jay angry about Angeline running away from home?"

Cole sneered at her and said, "Angry? More like angry with himself. He's fuming at himself for losing such a great wife. I've warned you about this, Aunt Chloe. But you've truly outdone yourself this time and made your son utterly miserable. When I called my cousin earlier, as soon as he heard that Angeline was sick and had n o money for treatment, he was scared out of his wits. I've never seen a man like him so terrified before."

Chloe drooped her head and sighed. "What a useless man. Is this all worth it for a single woman?"

Cole stood up and stretched his waist. "I'll not waste any more of my time talking to you people. It's useless anyway. Keep doing what you're doing, and one day when you've killed them, perhaps you'll give up that ridiculous prejudice."

Cole's advice was akin to a wake-up call to Grand Old Master Yorks.

He had to do something to keep the Yorks from being torn apart.

At this moment in Imperial Capital.

Jay's thoughts were in a whirl of confusion.

He originally hoped that Angeline might return after she calmed down. However, now that he heard of Angeline's incident, he could not sit still any longer.

He walked around the room as all kinds of terrible thoughts popped up in his head. What on earth happened to Angeline? Did her anxiety worsen? Or perhaps...

When Jay thought of her death, a wave of cold sweat broke out on his back. His whole body was like a deflated balloon as it slid down to the ground.

Chapter 1606

Chapter 1606

"As long as you're safe, Angeline, Jaybie is willing to let the gods shorten his life..." He even became superstitious.

In the evening, Jay walked out of Grand Asia in despair.

When he returned to Carefree Garden, Jenson and Baby Robbie stood by the door, watching him quietly like a pair of statues.

"Daddy seems to be in an awful mood." Baby Robbie pointed out sorrowfully.

Jenson replied, "Be more confident. It's not seemingly, he truly is in a bad mood."

"Daddy," the two children called out to him in unison.

Jay managed to squeeze out a pale, feeble smile at them. He stretched his hands out to pat them perfunctorily.

"Where are all your sisters?" Jay asked in a low-spirited manner.

"Still shopping."

Jay walked into the living room and slumped onto the sofa.

Jenson and Baby Robbie looked at one another. Then,

Baby Robbie said in distress, "Daddy can't go on being this way."

Jenson replied, "Daddy is just worried about Mommy. Is there any way you can reach her, Baby Robbie?"

Baby Robbie gave it a thought. "I can try."

Baby Robbie and Jenson walked toward Jay, and due to Jenson's cold temperament, he was at a loss at how to comfort his father.

Baby Robbie pulled Jay's hand over and repeatedly promised, "Don't worry, Daddy. I'll make sure Mommy comes back as soon as possible."

Jay looked at Baby Robbie. He looked utterly helpless and defeated at the moment. "Do you have any good ideas?"

Baby Robbie took out his phone and clicked on the voice chat. Then, he said to his mommy, "Where are you now, Mommy? Baby Robbie can't sleep every night as I only think about you." His voice was soft and cutesy, and when he deliberately acted coquettishly, his cries were simply adorable.

Jay and Jenson could hardly look at Baby Robbie...

They were both categorized as masculine men, so Baby Robbie's feminine style gave them slight goosebumps. "That's it?" Jenson said, feeling disdainful.

Baby Robbie noticed Jenson and Daddy's contempt toward him and threw the phone on the coffee table angrily.

"You guys don't believe in me?"

The three men sat around the coffee table, six eyes staring at the phone in a fixated manner. They were expecting Angeline to respond.

Time was slowly ticking away...

Jay stood up. "I'm going to make dinner."

Jenson said, "I'll help you, Daddy."

Now that there were more people in the family, their workload for preparing three meals a day was heavier. Before getting Angeline's approval, Jay was reluctant to hire a housekeeper for the children. He was afraid that Angeline would be upset.

When Jay and Jenson were walking toward the kitchen, Baby Robbie's phone rang.

Jay and Jenson proceeded to turn their heads abruptly as Baby Robbie picked up the phone.

"What is it, Baby Zetty?"

When they found out it was a call from Baby Zetty, there was a disappointed expression on Jay and Jenson's faces. They proceeded to walk into the kitchen.

Chapter 1607

Chapter 1607

"Daddy, Baby Zetty said they're not coming home for dinner," Baby Robbie shouted at the kitchen after hanging up the phone.

Jenson replied, "Got it."

At this time, Baby Robbie's phone rang once more, and when he saw the familiar caller ID, he was so astonished that he grabbed the phone and ran toward the kitchen.

The transparent glass door was locked from the inside, and Baby Robbie proceeded to bang on it, pointing his finger at the phone excitedly.

Jay and Jenson assumed that he was on the phone with Baby Zetty, so the cold father and son duo turned a blind eye to Baby Robbie's exaggerated reaction.

"Hello. Where are you now, Mommy? Baby Robbie misses you so much." Baby Robbie had to raise his voice on purpose.

Jay opened the glass door and stood in front of Baby Robie, his pupils appearing stunned. At that moment, the blood in his body started to boil. He froze in place from the excitement, and he could not figure out what he should do next.

Jenson was the one who hinted at Baby Robbie to turn

on the loudspeaker...

When Baby Robbie pressed the loudspeaker button, they heard Angeline's voice.

"Mommy will be back soon, Baby Robbie. You have to eat and sleep well so that you have the energy to study. If you're feeling bored, try to keep some pets around to distract you. And also, help Mommy take care of your sisters from the military intelligence division."

She said everything in a single breath. From her tone, Jay could hear how unstable her breathing was. It was clearly related to her physical weakness.

Baby Robbie turned the conversation around. "We all miss you very much, Mommy, especially Daddy. His yearning for you is becoming disastrous now, and he has lost a lot of weight..." Angeline was silent.

Jay stretched his hand out abruptly, and Baby Robbie handed the phone over to him.

"Where are you, Angeline? I'll come pick you up."

Beep, beep!

Jay stared at the phone after Angeline had mercilessly hung up. He could no longer bear such a huge blow, and his complexion turned ashen. He looked at the phone for quite some time before returning it to his son and proceeding to walk into the kitchen gloomily.

Then, there were sounds of pots and pans falling from time to time in the kitchen.

Jay made dinner absent-mindedly, yet deep inside, he was rather panicky. He kept thinking about how Angeline had rejected him when he talked into the phone.

How much did she hate him exactly? She was even refusing to speak to him on the phone.

He had always known Angeline to be a person who was the epitome of loving someone even with their faults. Now, however, he was afraid that she hated him and everything else about him. Thinking about Angeline alienating him because of how spiteful his mother was toward her and how she utterly discarded her feelings for him so mercilessly, Jay's heart turned irritated.

On the other line.

Angeline was holding onto the phone in a daze for quite some time.

Mrs. Yorks came over and patted her shoulder, "Are you really planning on ignoring him for the rest of your life, Angeline?"

Angeline said, "It'd be best for me not to provoke him a t this time."

She seemed to have plenty of reasons to alienate him. She hated Chloe, yet Jay was her most beloved son. She could not guarantee that she would not use him as a tool to retaliate against Chloe in a fit of fury.

Just like back when they were in Mount Pearl. Jay obviously had not made a huge mistake. Yet, she still slapped him in the face. She felt a little pleasure from seeking vengeance after seeing Chloe's horrified expression.

Chapter 1608

Chapter 1608

However, she regretted it almost immediately afterward.

Jay's face was so important, yet she hit it without a second thought. She succeeded in getting her revenge on Chloe, but she ended up hurting Jay in the process as well.

She had wounded the man she loved the most, and this man was the person who had continuously spoiled her lovingly.

By slapping him in the face, she had also felt a stab in her heart.

Mrs. Yorks looked at Angeline's overly thin arms and thought that Angelina was preventing Jay from seeing her current unsightly appearance. She tried to gently comfort her, saying, "I've asked Cole to send me some money, Angeline. We can hire a nanny now so that you can take a good rest. Once your body recovers, Jay wouldn't feel so heartbroken anymore when he sees how healthy and round you look when you return to Imperial Capital."

Angeline glanced at her skinny self and nodded in a lonesome manner. "I really should eat more."

While Shirley was still in her postpartum period, Mrs.

Yorks went over to the nearby farm to get some free-range eggs and chicken. She would come home and make chicken dishes for both Shirley and Angeline.

Angeline often hugged Mrs. Yorks and acted coquettishly around her. "You're feeding me too well, Aunt Crystal."

Mrs. Yorks replied, "Nonsense. You're so skinny now. Even an outsider like me would be distressed just looking at you. Won't Jay feel heartbroken seeing you in this state?" Angeline placed a bowl of chicken broth on the table, yet she had no appetite for it.

She tried her best to resist her anxiety disorder. Even though it allowed her to gain back basic mobility, every night, the pain in her muscles made her wish she were dead.

Since it was challenging for her to get a good rest at night, she had lost an enormous amount of weight in the blink of an eye.

There were a couple of times when she could no longer hold on and began to self-harm. She used the pain of slicing her skin open to cover up the pain from her muscle fibers. The situation was the epitome of the saying, robbing Peter to pay Paul.

She often wondered how much longer could she stand living such painful days?

Sometimes, she felt that it was best if she were dead.

However, seeing Jay's unceasing text messages every single day and his unchanging words of love made her retreat. She ended up straying further from death.

If she were to die, what would happen to Jaybie?

Just like this, she became tangled in a tortured life where days felt like years.

At night, the baby went to sleep very early. Angeline dragged her exhausted body toward her bed and decided to take an early rest.

Her phone had been vibrating continuously, and she rolled over while lying on the bed. She weakly looked a t her phone, only to find that the text messages were from Jay.

Unlike the love letters in the past that were filled with the sweetest words, this one was written in a structured manner and was well-formatted.

[My darling Angeline,

[Do you still remember the moment we met? You grinned at me and planted a ray of sunshine in my heart. It was the moment the root of my love started growing. I vowed to myself that I would treat you well and give you the best things in the world. I've worked hard on my end, hoping that I could grow into your towering tree that could shelter you from all the winds and rains in this lifetime.

[Looking back, I've realized that my vows were too ignorant and frivolous. I've been your best companion and the person who pampered you the most, but I've also been your deepest, deadliest wound. My arrogance and domineering attitude still cannot change the structured flaws of this world. For example, I cannot change where I come from, nor can I change the identities of my biological parents. The harm they've inflicted upon you are also the nightmares that haunt my dreams for countless nights.

[Life itself is like never-ending practice, and there are joys as well as sorrows. When Jaybie is not by your side, I hope you will face all the winds and rains calmly. You have every reason to believe that rainbows will always come after a storm.

[Finally, Jaybie wishes to tell you that in my world, you're the wind and rain, and you're my blessing. There's only you for the rest of my life.

[I'll be waiting for you!]

The end of the text message wrote: [I love you forever-Jaybie]

Chapter 1609

Chapter 1609

Angeline buried her face into her pillow and drenched herself in tears.

She was somewhat ashamed because when Chloe humiliated her, she had easily given up on all ideas of love.

However, Jay had always stood firm, and he was resolute on never giving up on her in his life.

That night, Angeline grew so tired from crying that she actually had a good night's sleep.

Early the following day, Mrs. Yorks received a text message from Cole. As soon as she saw the contents, Mrs. Yorks exploded in a fit of fury and immediately called him.

The once oh-so gentle woman yelled out, "What on earth are you people doing in Imperial Capital?"

On the other line, Cole hesitated and said, "Ah, the decision was made by Grandpa after careful consideration. Grandpa said that he'd personally spend the rest of his remaining years chasing after his grandchildren and great-grandchildren to reunite us."

Mrs. Yorks sneered, "He's a confused old man. Why would Jay ever return to Yorks Stronghold, the place

that has caused him so much grief? Tell that old man if he wants Jay to go back, he'll first need to beg Angeline to return."

Cole replied, "Isn't that what Grandpa is doing? He's personally going to Imperial Capital to offer Angeline his humblest apology."

Mrs. Yorks sneered once more, "He wants to offer his humblest apology to Angeline? He's not even the one in the wrong. Even if he's confused, Angeline is not. Angeline knows it very well that the person who should be humblingly apologizing to her is Chloe Yorks."

Angeline was dressed in casual loungewear and had o n giant slippers as she stood by the bedroom door with utterly disheveled hair. She gave Mrs. Yorks a thumbs up and went into her bedroom to freshen up.

Very quickly, Angeline came back out.

As usual, the first thing she did was go into Sis Shirley's room and say hello to the little baby.

The child lay inside his stroller as Angeline danced in front of him.

Angeline gently touched the child's pinkish face, teasing him, "Do you want your aunt here to hug you? If you say my name, I'll hug you."

Sis Shirley was in between laughter and tears. "If he actually calls out to you, I'm afraid that you'll end up on the floor, terrified."

Angeline picked him up and rubbed on his head affectionately. Then, she sat on the head of the bed and chatted with Sis Shirley. "Shouldn't you give him a name, Sis Shirley?"

Shirley's eyes appeared lonesome. "I got pregnant before getting married. I've been wondering which surname I should be giving this child..."

Angeline said, "Sis Shirley, you can give him any surname you want, but you cannot give him the Yorks'. They only want the child and didn't even bat an eyelid toward his mother. They're greedy and selfish, and I'll never want their wish to be fulfilled."

Shirley made her decision and said, "Little Angeline, the child's surname will be Severe. Go ahead and give him a good name."

Angeline gave it a thought and said, "Since all the Severe family's men have one-syllable names, let's call him Dawn Severe. I hope he'll be just like the morning light, gradually rising and brightening up the sky."

Shirley said, "That's great."

Angeline embraced the child and rocked him gently. She said softly, "Our little Dawn is now the Severes' little prince. He's loved by his grandpa and grandma, as well as his aunt and uncle. He'll surely grow up healthy and strong."

When Angeline carried the child over to the window, with the incandescent light behind her, she noticed that Dawn's skin appeared extremely sallow.

Chapter 1610

Chapter 1610

Angeline realized that something was wrong and said to Sis Shirley somewhat nervously, "Sis Shirley, both you and Cole are quite fair-toned. Why does the child look so yellow? Perhaps it's jaundice?" Mrs. Yorks came in after talking on the phone. When she heard Angelina's words, Mrs. Yorks had a bad feeling in her stomach. "Could it be hepatitis?"

Sis Shirley said, "No wonder he has been crying so much these days."

Angeline and Mrs. Yorks carried the baby to the town hospital. However, the conditions of the mountainside hospital here were somewhat unfavorable, and even the doctor advised them to take a trip to a bette hospital.

The baby was still too young, so Angeline and the others dared not take such a risk. On that same day, they packed their bags and hired a private cab to immediately rush back to Imperial Capital.

On their way there, Angeline was finding a hard time calming down. Her eyes were filled with intense hesitation and helplessness.

Sis Shirley slept inside the car since a new mother's body was still frail, but it did not dismiss the fear in

Angeline's heart.

"Little Angeline, if you don't want to return to Imperial Capital, we can go to other cities."

Angeline insisted, saying, "It's true that the last thing I want right now is to return to Imperial Capital and deal with those complicated people and things. But Imperial Capital's medical facilities are the best in the country. Besides, Heavenly Stairway Town is the closest to Imperial Capital, so we cannot delay Dawn's state of illness."

Mrs. Yorks took Angeline's hand over and patted it. She lovingly persuaded her, "Angeline, listen to Aunt Crystal, okay? It's easy to ask for priceless treasures but hard to wish for wonderful lovers. You shouldn' give up on a good person like Master Ares for someone like Chloe Yorks. Moreover, you're not even afraid of death, so why should you be afraid of Chloe?"

Angeline was stunned, and her charming face turned crimson. She whispered, "Aunt Crystal, did you find out about..."

"I know you can't sleep well at night, so you're torturing your body. Angeline, you're obviously living such a painful life, but you've been secretly enduring it with gritted teeth. You're so strong, so how are you still afraid of her?"

With tear-filled eyes, Angeline said dispiritedly, Tve been driven to the state of desperation by Chloe, but the only option I had was to accept it. I despise my cowardly self, and I want to fight back. But I'm also afraid that Jaybie will be placed in a difficult position."

Mrs. Yorks had also experienced Angeline's despair. As such, she taught her personal experience to the currently troubled Angeline. "Angeline dear, if a person loses the ability to love themselves, how can they love another? Before you even think about Jay, you should at least treat yourself better."

Angeline's gaze fell on her heavily accessorized arms. More than dozens of wounds underneath were marks of self-harm she had done when she was tortured by her disease that was worse than death itself when it was late at night.

She was profoundly reflecting on Mrs. Yorks' words.

Indeed, she was about 44 pounds thinner now, and she looked as skinny as a sheet of paper.

She could barely manage herself well, so how could she have the energy to love another?

She was once again lost in confusion regarding her future.

At Mount Pearl.

Grand Old Master Yorks had decided to go to Imperial Capital to win back his grandson, Jay's, heart. Before leaving, Judy abruptly appeared in front of the grand old master and started begging, "Patriarch, please take me with you. I don't have any more relatives, and you guys are the only ones I have now. Wherever you go, I'll go."

Grand Old Master Yorks felt like he was in a pickle. After all, Jay and Angelina had ended up where they were today because of Judy. However, he could not bear to refuse poor Judy.

Ultimately, Chloe made up his mind for him. "Dad, Judy is Zechariah's daughter. And I believe you owe him kindness due to the past, so perhaps you'd like to make up for it through your benefactor's daughter." She was counting her chickens before they hatched. Since Grand Old Master Ares was the person who brought up Jay, he had used the carrot-and-stick approach on Jay to make him marry Rose Doyle, a woman he did not like.

Jay could make an exception for Rose, so he naturally could also make an exception for Judy-so long as the grand old master was willing to throw his hat into the ring.