This was the place where she, Aino, and Sebastian climbed out of their car three hours ago.“Mommy, we…” Aino recognized the area immediately too.But, just as Aino was about to say something, Sabrina covered her mouth with her palm. “Don’t talk, sweetie.”She was worried the kid would accidentally betray her father again.Beside them, Holden saw Sabrina’s reaction and could not help sneering, “What do you want to stop your daughter from doing? You don’t want me to know that your husband got down from his car right at this spot too? Sabrina, is there anything that happens on this Island that I, Holden Payne, don’t know about?”Hearing his words, Sabrina’s heart sunk deep into the pit of her stomach.She suppressed her despair and asked, “Can you tell me where my husband is right now and whether he’s dead or alive?”Holden said, “If I told you, what would you do?”Sabrina said straightforwardly, without any intention to lie, “If he’s dead, my daughter and I won’t live alone in this worl
However, there was a hint of matured beauty hidden within her cool and calm demeanor.It caused her to somehow have a spicy, experienced vibe around her.The kind of spiciness that attracted people in.Then the crowd looked at the little girl beside her.The little girl was wearing a fiery-red sweater with long, bat-like sleeves. On her lower half, she wore a pair of harem jeans printed with cartoons. Her street-style clothes made her look like a foreigner. The little girl was holding a big teddy bear that was half her size in her hands. The big teddy bear was originally very cute, but upon closer inspection, the few staff members were shocked!Oh my God!Where were the bear’s eyes?Were all children’s toys designed so oddly now?Did they like teddy bears without eyes?Then they looked at the little girl’s face. Her cheeks were round and puffy, and her eyes were bright with tears. She did not look very happy, as her lips were pursed and her eyes rolled around in their sockets as she st
What was written on the menu was not the list of dishes, but a line of words.“Sabrina, don’t be afraid. Stay with Aino in Holden Payne’s East Hall. If anything happens, there will be people to protect you. Try to stay happy, and keep Aino happy too.”Sabrina was speechless. “…”She raised her head and looked at the waiter, but he had already left.Sabrina then looked at Aino.Aino was confused. “What’s wrong, Mommy?”“Listen to me. We’ll have fun and eat as much as we want, just be happy, okay, baby?” Sabrina and Aino exchanged glances.Aino was a bright kid.She immediately understood her mother’s hidden meaning.The kid whose eyes had been shining with tears since the moment they entered the hotel suddenly smiled.The little girl had wandered around from city to city with her mother for five or six years. She was well-trained in studying human behavior, and with a glance from her mother, Aino could tell that her father was fine. He was safe. “Mommy, I understand!” Aino nodded. A
Aino continued, “Baddie. I love it. Baddie, can I name my teddy bear Baddie too? It is okay if the two of you share the same name, Baddie?”Holden was speechless. “…”He felt as if he had fallen into a trap. He had been duped and hoodwinked.“Uhm…” Holden asked Aino with a stutter. “Little… Little princess…”“Call me Cutie Pie!” Aino said with a high and mighty tone. “There’s already a little princess in your household, that Minerva girl! She’s so ugly. When you say the words ‘little princess’ I’m reminded of an ugly girl like her, so I don’t want to be called Little Princess. Just call me Cutie Pie.”“Uhm… Cutie Pie, you… I… I share the same name as your teddy bear, but look… Your teddy bear is so ugly. It doesn’t have any eyes, so how can someone as handsome as me share the same name as an eye-less teddy bear. That’s too…”“Hmph!” Aino burst into tears again. “This is my favorite teddy bear. I bring it with me everywhere I go. You can’t say it’s ugly! You can’t!”With that, Aino jump
Sabrina was highly familiar with that pair of eyes. They were Nigel’s eyes.Opposite the Star Island International Hotel, there was a stall, and Nigel was sitting behind the stall.Obviously, he was the owner of the stall.Sabrina was speechless. “…”At this moment, she felt a well of mixed emotions in her chest.He was once the young master of the Connor Group, its young director, and one of the upper echelon members of society in South City. Even though the Connor Group was now on the decline, Connor's identity as the only maternal grandchild of the Ford family was enough for him to enjoy life as one of the most eligible young men in South City. When he was there, everywhere he went, people bowed and treated him with utter respect.But now, on Star Island, Nigel Connor was selling his wares at a roadside stall.A roadside stall!A well of mixed emotions rolled around in her chest, and the rims of her eyes turned red.She almost never cried for herself, but if someone selflessly sacri
“Of course! I’m the owner of East Hall. Here, I keep all of my promises.” Holden said.“Oh… Oh, I have a big horse to ride now.” Aino hugged her teddy bear and ran out to play in delight.Children still loved to play outside in the courtyard.Because it was big and spacious.Holden continued smoking his cigar. Then, he said to Sabrina, “A few puffs more and I’m done.” Actually, he just started smoking the cigar in his hand. Sabrina laughed out of the blue. “Why… Why are you so nice to my daughter? It seems like you… really like children?”“Why?” Holden tapped the end of his cigar. Then, he closed his eyes to consider her question.“I used to be alone all the time when I was a child. When I was around Aino’s age, all I wished for was my father to hug me, my mother to hold me in her arms, but they never did. He was always so cool and distant from me, and my mother told me…”At the thought of his childhood, a flash of hurt passed across his face.Sabrina said, “What did your mother tell
Aino remained in her seat on Holden’s shoulders, her little hands clutching onto his ears.She was just temporarily shocked. Once she saw the man’s face clearly, the fear dissipated immediately.She looked at the middle-aged man who just walked in with a mixture of dislike and haughty derision, and shouted, “Who are you! Don’t you know barging into someone else’s home is a criminal offense! You’ll be thrown in jail, you know!”The old man’s features were flat and pudgy, like a character from a comic book, not possessing an ounce of her father’s power and charisma.Even the ‘horse’ she was currently riding on had more power and charisma than this middle-aged man.Aino was not afraid of him at all.She squeezed her ‘horse’s’ ears, and ordered him in a voice that sounded fierce yet cute, “Horsey, kick out this little dwarf!”She looked as if she was the leader of Star Island instead of the man she was currently calling a dwarf. Holden was speechless. “…”Sabrina was speechless too. “…”E
He had almost been caught by Sebastian.However, Holden’s private investigations in South City were not fruitless.He had met Sabrina.Holden had fallen for that unyielding moment ever since he saw Sabrina stubbornly resisting, even after being caught and beaten to that degree.Did he fall in love with everyone related to her as well?Or maybe Holden had always loved children?Or were there any other elements present that he did not know about?Regardless, not only did Holden fall in love with Sabrina, he really liked Sabrina and Sebastian’s daughter.So, Holden would definitely not agree to marrying Selene.However, in the eyes of the Lynn family, Holden was not the one to decide if he would marry Selene or not.The Lynn’s family’s status on Star Island was incredibly high thanks to Old Master Shaw and the Poole family’s influence, so Selene felt like marrying Holden was beneath her.Holden should be more than elated to marry her.Yet, what Selene never expected was, when