“Indeed, our family’s reputation is at stake,” Elizabeth retorted, her patience wearing thin. “And no, I’m not obliged to recognize you, Miss Swan. Celebrities are public figures; your arrogance is an embarrassment to the entertainment industry.”
Isabella Swan, known for her influential status and young dual awards, was unaccustomed to such insolence. “How dare you speak to me like this?” she hissed.
Elizabeth, holding her son, stood firm, undeterred by Isabella’s stature. “Unlawfully seizing someone’s property is an invasion of privacy. I can take you to court for it.”
Young William, perturbed by Isabella’s rudeness, piped up, “Auntie, returning what isn’t yours is a crime.”
Amused by her son’s earnestness, Elizabeth smiled and kissed him. “Well said, my little man. Even a toddler knows that.”
Elizabeth considered the imperious celebrity might be on the verge of an aneurysm from her son’s innocent barbs.
However, Isabella’s reaction was unexpected. She stared at William as if seeing a ghost, her anger forgotten. “Is it possible for him to look so alike?” she muttered, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Elizabeth, sensing a shift in the woman’s demeanor, tightened her grip on her son. “Miss Swan, if you’re done, could you please move aside? We’re heading home.”
William obligingly nestled into Elizabeth, presenting Isabella with the back of his head.
“I apologize for my earlier brusqueness. I mistook you for an overzealous fan,” Isabella said, her tone transforming into one of amicability. “Here’s your phone back, and again, I’m sorry for my earlier rudeness. This money…”
She pulled out her wallet, but Elizabeth, her expression cooling, declined. “It’s not necessary. It was just a misunderstanding.”
With that, Elizabeth walked away, the unsettling feeling of being watched by Isabella following her until she entered her apartment.
Once inside, with the door securely closed, Elizabeth’s heartbeat finally steadied. “It can’t be that coincidental, can it?”
She had decided to keep her child after discovering her pregnancy amidst the turmoil that followed her assault. With no close family left, she chose to raise the child on her own, a decision she never regretted.
Now, faced with the possibility that her son’s father might not be the lowly gambler she had assumed, Elizabeth felt a flicker of doubt. But recalling the despicable man her step-sister likely hired, she dismissed the thought. “It must be a mistake,” she reassured herself.
“Mom, what’s wrong?” William, sensing his mother’s distress, touched her forehead with concern. “Did that bad man hurt you?”
“I’m fine,” Elizabeth reassured him with a smile, her gaze lingering on her son’s delicate features as her thoughts wandered.
...
In the opulent and well-maintained apartment, the uniform gray and black tones lent an air of gloom to the atmosphere.
“Mr. Night, it has come to our attention that the boy has returned to the country. Wind Entertainment has been eager to secure the copyright cooperation for Endless Night, and they have been creating momentum on their official microblog, stating that they are already in talks with the author regarding cooperation,” the assistant reported, preparing and sending the materials regarding Endless Night to the email. However, the author’s information was scarce. “I have contacted the boy’s assistant, but their attitude is ambiguous. No matter how favorable the conditions we offer, they seem to have reservations.”
“Unable to obtain the author’s information?” Edward Ferrars flipped through the email, scanning it quickly, but found no information he sought, his stern brows furrowing in displeasure.
The assistant, feeling the displeasure through the phone, hurriedly explained, “Mr. Night, the other party is just too mysterious…”
“Endless Night” was one of the few literary works that perfectly blended suspense and romance, with rich connotations revealing the true meaning of the interplay between good and evil.
It was well-known that the author of “Endless Night,” known as “the boy,” was enigmatic, never accepting any interviews. The public speculated that the author was likely a man with extensive life experiences.
Edward Ferrars responded with a nonchalant “Hmm,” “Contact the author of ‘Endless Night’ as soon as possible. We must secure the cooperation copyright this time, and the conditions are open to them.”
Otherwise, the person at home would certainly cause endless trouble.
As the assistant had anticipated, the elderly lady, concerned for the family lineage, was indeed anxious about the future, so much so that she daily struggled to sleep. In a desperate move, she urgently summoned Edward Ferrars back to the family estate, staging yet another dramatic scene.
Upon receiving the news of the elderly lady’s fainting, Edward Ferrars hurried into the estate and asked the servant, “How is grandma? Has the doctor seen her?”
Before the servant could respond, the elderly lady’s响亮 voice echoed from the staircase, “The doctor has seen her, and there’s no serious issue. It’s just that she misses you. The doctor said that if you and Isabella quickly give me a great-grandchild, this illness will surely be cured at once.”
Edward Ferrars lifted his eyelids, observing the woman assisting the elderly lady down the stairs. He discreetly stepped back, causing Isabella’s face to fall, her voice filled with grievance, “Jinxuan, do you really hate me that much?”
Without a word, Edward Ferrars turned to leave, prompting the elderly lady to exclaim, “Oh, my headache, my ungrateful grandson, you’re not even willing to have a meal with me, the old lady. You’re still showing me your temper. Oh, my dear departed husband, I can’t live like this.”
Isabella quickly supported the elderly lady, anxiously calling out to Edward Ferrars, who turned on his heel, “Jinxuan!”
Edward Ferrars frowned, striding back to assist the elderly lady while avoiding Isabella, his voice cold, “Grandma, I’ll accompany you and have a proper meal.”
The elderly lady was then satisfied, discreetly patting Isabella’s hand while leading Edward Ferrars to the dining table. She persistently filled his plate, finding various ways to praise Isabella’s virtues.
Edward Ferrars ate in silence, responding with monosyllables. As the meal neared its end, the elderly lady suddenly inquired, “Jinxuan, when are you planning to marry Isabella? It’s been five years since your engagement; you can’t keep dragging it on.”
Isabella looked at Edward Ferrars with anticipation, but the man did not avoid her gaze this time. Instead, he lifted his lips indifferently, “Are you not afraid of living a widowed life?”
Isabella’s face paled, and the elderly lady cleared her throat, “That’s a psychological condition; it can be treated.”
Edward Ferrars stood up, “Let’s talk about it after it’s treated. Grandma, I’m going to rest upstairs.”
Edward Ferrars did indeed suffer from a psychological condition, stemming from a severe betrayal in his early years that left him with a deep aversion to women. The only exception was five years prior when, under the influence of a drug, he had spent a night with Isabella.
However, upon waking, his aversion to Isabella only intensified.
Thinking of this, Edward Ferrars felt his body grow warm, a familiar restlessness surging through his abdomen. The man’s face darkened as he was about to head to the bathroom when his waist was suddenly encircled by a pair of soft arms. “Jinxuan, let’s try, I can do it.”
“Get off, you’re filthy,” Edward Ferrars resisted the urge to vomit, forcefully pushing Isabella away and rushing out the door. Isabella bit her teeth and chased after him, only to see his car disappear into the distance.
Isabella’s face turned from pale to red as she was repeatedly humiliated by Edward Ferrars. She could no longer hold back her tears.
Edward Ferrars, with bloodshot eyes, returned to Silk Manor, but he didn’t even have the strength to open the door. The potent drug left him collapsed at the entrance, parched and with a burning sensation in his lower abdomen, yet his manhood remained unresponsive.
The elevator door opened, and Elizabeth, seeing the man huddled at the door, paled, thinking he was unwell. She rushed over and patted his shoulder, “Hey, are you…?”
In the next moment, the world spun, and Elizabeth was thrown to the ground. The man, like a traveler in a desert finally sighting an oasis, eyes glowing green with hunger, gritted his teeth and said, “Get away!”
Elizabeth tried to kick his lower body, her face flushed with embarrassment, “You’re pressing on me and acting like a hooligan; how am I supposed to leave?”
Edward Ferrars instinctively clamped his legs around her troublesome knee, and their entangled figures suddenly froze. Elizabeth, her face flushed with anger, stared into the man’s equally shocked eyes, “You流氓!”
While Edward Ferrars, in a state of bewilderment, stared at her, “It’s actually happening!”