Ethan had always been a powerful man, but at that moment, he was extremely humble. "I was picking out the bunnies for you last night, and I decided to get something for Erina while I was at it."Liv, I treasure you, and I care about our children as well. It's almost New Year's, so can you give me a chance to see the children?"He was especially concerned about the tender Willow. They had only spent a short time together in the village before Olivia left with Willow.Olivia sighed. "Alright, just don't do it again."He nodded in agreement. "I won't."Olivia poked at the stubs on his chin. "Go upstairs and wash up.""Sure." Taking her fingertips, he planted a kiss on them. "Have you really calmed down?""Yes, absolutely."It was only then that Ethan sighed in relief and went upstairs. Now, he felt like he was walking on thin ice around Olivia.He had finally contacted her again after a painstaking process, so he was sincerely worried that he might lose Olivia again.Pride and f
An ambiguous feeling swelled in Erina. It stifled her chest as she observed Ethan's nonchalant visage.Were they living together?She didn't tell Marina what she witnessed last night lest she upset Marina.Many things transpired within the household, so Erina was more mature compared to her peers. Not only was her EQ similar to that of a teenager, but she was also reticent and sensitive.She called softly, "Dad."Ethan closed the book and placed it atop the table.At that moment, Fabian pushed Marina over. He was slightly surprised by Ethan's presence. "Mr. Miller, are you close with Vanessa?""Yes. I'll show you the way to the operating room." Ethan stood to lead the group to the basement.There were so many things Marina wanted to say, yet he didn't give her the chance to do so.Soon, they reached the basement, where the door to the operating room was left ajar.Olivia was completely ready in an operating suit as she had sanitized herself beforehand.Only the light in the
Erina's fists rested beside her, and her cheeks were red.Ethan raised his gaze onto her and pulled her. "Not entirely. I have a story to tell you."Tears flowed down her cheeks. "What if I oppose your remarriage? It's true that you haven't been getting along with Mom all these years, but I heard that you've been alone the entire time. Can't you stay as you are right now?"Are you this desperate to build a new family with another person? I don't want that! I don't want you to have kids with another person. You can only be my father. Mine only!"Ethan stared right into her eyes. It had been a long time since they last met, but the obsession in her eyes was all too familiar.She took after Marina so much.Fortunately, he noticed it in time. It would've been a catastrophe if he had realized it later."Erina, calm down.""No!" Erina threw herself into his arms. Her tears showed no sign of stopping. "Dad, Mom and I love you. Don't abandon us! Please! I know she's done wrong things,
Ethan rushed to grab Erina. "Erina, you're your father's pride. If he were still alive, he'd surely love you."Erina wriggled so hard to break free from his grasp. Then, she slapped him. "Bastard! You're sorry to Mom, and you hurt your wife! I hate you, I hate you!" She ran away, and Brent followed. "Leave it to me, Mr. Miller."One of Ethan's hands covered his cheek. It didn't hurt, but he couldn't help the overflowing sorrow.Before this, he desperately wished to protect Kurt's family so much that he even brought his own family in harm's way.In the end, Fabian repaid the favor the other way round and Marina lost everything. Even Olivia, whom he vowed to protect, was marred with scars.Gradually, his knees knelt to the ground. Just how much of a failure his life was to fail to protect no one?Kelvin patted Ethan's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Mr. Miller. There's no win-win in life. No one can own everything. Actually, you're doing the right thing."Sitting on the mat,
Goosebumps prickled Marina's arms as trepidation slowly ate her up. "I don't quite get what you mean. Are you not going to give me an anesthetic shot?"Olivia smiled. "That's right."Marina thought that she had played it off as a joke, but Olivia took it seriously!Marina's features were stiff. "T-This has to be a joke. It's amputation! How could you not give me an anesthetic shot?"Obeying her instincts, she moved around but to no avail. Her wrists were tightly fettered.At the same time, Olivia had brought out the necessary tools.After the car crash, Marina was given an anesthetic shot for the surgery, so she didn't know how the surgery was supposed to work.Olivia played with a scalpel in her hand with clean moves. Instead of a doctor, she appeared more like a killer right now."Who's joking?" She chuckled in her original voice.Despite the long years of absence, her voice was etched in Marina's head."O-Olivia Fordham!" Marina shook her head in disbelief, convincing hers
Marina recalled something. When a hefty sum of money was needed for Jeff's operation, a helpless Olivia had to pawn her wedding ring for the money. At that time, she happened to run into Marina, who was picking jewelry.Olivia crouched to pick the ring up while Marina watched the forlorn sight as though it was an entertaining show.In a blink of an eye, seven years had passed.Now, the person standing high up there was Olivia."You're Vanessa? Did you approach me for revenge?" Marina lost the glow in her eyes. She had yet to realize the gravity of the situation."Correct," replied Olivia softly. "This is an osteotome. It's specially structured for precise accuracy and efficiency during bone-cutting."This is a rongeur, to hold the bones in place for the cutting. It helps with accuracy and stability too."And this is something you should know. A chainsaw." Like a saleswoman, Olivia introduced the tools to Marina professionally."We'll forgo the anesthesia. I'll cut your skin o
On the chopping board, Marina couldn't defend herself. Still, she was stubborn and insisted on surviving this. "Olivia Fordham, don't you forget that Ethan still owes me. If you hurt me, he's never gonna let you get away with it."Olivia let out a low chuckle. "If so, do you think he would've led you all the way here himself?"Marina was stunned. Ethan and Kurt grew up together. Could Ethan actually stay unbothered by Kurt's death?"Bet you're thinking about that man whom Ethan owes his life to. Yes, he is indebted to that person, but what does that have to do with you? You were merely that person's crush. You weren't even a couple."Let's say Ethan did give his word to look after you, did he not uphold his word well enough by sacrificing his marriage and family?"If I were you, I wouldn't have poured everything into a relationship for a man. It's stupid. In the end, you gained nothing from it and his patience thinned. He resents you more than I do. "Why would he possibly protec
Olivia started the surgery. The heartache overwhelmed Marina more than the physical pain did.Being both mentally and physically in pain, she thought that this was the end of her life.Olivia wasn't going to let her off that easily. "You know how many years I've been waiting for today? My beloved mother left me when I was young. She treated you so well and yet you didn't hesitate to hurt her and my father."Do you even know what I did just to save him? In the end, you took his life with a lift of a finger. Do you know how painful life was to me?"The more she talked about it, the more strength she exerted in her moves.Marina yelled so much that her voice turned hoarse. "Olivia, it was an accident. He's my father too. I didn't know!""You're calling him your father? How dare you! Why aren't you the one who died, Marina Carlton? Dad was so excited to welcome my baby to the world. He made them toys, showing signs of being willing to live on! It's all because of you. You!""Calm do