Alex thought he had been too naïve. He had assumed Eleanor was simply being helpful due to her ample free time when she offered to assist with Lizzy's preschool preparations. Little did he realize, Eleanor was merely passing the buck. Alex glanced at Lizzy and met her expectant gaze, suppressing a chuckle. Lizzy was indeed at the age where she should be attending preschool and mingling with peers of her age. He was aware that Michelle didn’t want to deal with Lizzy's school matters, which left an unsettling feeling in his heart. But considering that over the years, it was Michelle who took care of Lizzy alone, it seemed only fair that now it was his turn. Pushing away those unsettling feelings, he said, "If Michelle truly doesn’t have the time, I can handle Lizzy's preschool admission." Hearing this, Michelle expressed profound gratitude. "Thank you so much, Mr. Ye.” She wished that all matters concerning Lizzy could be left to Alex, wanting to distance herself entirely. Michelle slo
Michelle was truly someone lacking in common sense, especially when it came to understanding the cognitive capabilities of children. "How much can a three-year-old, or at most three and a half, truly comprehend?" she pondered. Michelle tried hard to recall her own childhood. What was she doing at that age? Did she know what people around her were thinking? Unfortunately, her tumultuous childhood made it impossible for her to remember any specific events. Staring at the young face that was a spitting image of her own, Michelle saw the eyes welling up with tears, ready to spill over at any moment. "Oh my, such an adorable child, about to cry at the slightest provocation," she mused. "Can I really bear to see such a sweet child looking so forlorn?" There was a curious mix of amusement and sympathy in Michelle's heart, although she wasn't quite sure why the former was there. Holding little Lizzy close, she gave her a tender kiss on the cheek for the first time. "Why have you forgotten,
Michelle sent her draft to the other party around 3:30 in the afternoon. By the time she picked up Lizzy, it was not even 5 o'clock. Within the span of an hour, she had received over twenty messages from the other end. awerfadf: "Did you finish the draft so quickly? I'll check it now, hang on." awerfadf: "Finished reading. Good job, you're the one." awerfadf: "I'll send you the outline in a bit. Can you write 10,000 words for me daily?" awerfadf: "Sent you the outline. Check it." awerfadf: "Check the outline, dear." awerfadf: "????" awerfadf: "An hour has passed. Are you there, sis?" awerfadf: "If you're there, just reply!!" awerfadf: "If the price is too low, I can increase it!" awerfadf: "Please don’t run away on me!! I'm begging you!!" … Michelle scrolled through the flurry of messages, her eyes finally landing on the amount transferred to her account. Wow. Are all people in this world so lavish? Throwing money around so carelessly? Michelle's past rates weren't low.
Michelle felt like she had gone mad from all the writing she had been doing recently. How could she forget something so important? Especially after hearing this morning that Alex wouldn't be available over the weekend. She had kindly, almost delicately, offered to look after the child herself. Just the thought of it made Michelle wish she could travel back in time and shake some sense into her overworked past self. Lizzy, blissfully unaware of the whirlwind of emotions inside Michelle, beamed with joy at the idea of spending the weekend out and about. In the past, her mom was always too engrossed in work, often leaving her alone at home. Even when her mother was present, she was perpetually buried in her articles, hardly ever taking Lizzy out for fun. Now, the idea of spending time outside filled Lizzy with happiness. But where should they go? After a moment of thought, Lizzy sweetly said, “Wherever you want to take me, I’m happy!” Michelle was taken aback. This sounded just like t
The union between the Zhao and Ye families faced an abrupt end when an unexpected revelation surfaced – Alex had an illegitimate daughter. The Zhao‘s, particularly Isabella with her romantic notions, were much keener on the alliance than the Ye’s. In fact, Isabella had been at the forefront, ardently pushing for the two families to become in-laws. The Ye family, while not treating the potential union as a must-have, were quite irked when the marriage discussions fell through, primarily due to the presence of Lizzy. There were two key reasons for their anger: first, the perceived benefits of the union between the two families, and second, Alex's actions that seemingly tarnished the reputation of the Ye family. Thankfully, the talks had only been exploratory, so the dissolution wasn’t too embarrassing. Still, subsequent meetings between the two families were marked with slight awkwardness. When the elder Mr. Ye discovered the existence of his great-granddaughter, he reprimanded Alex f
Alex was not an arrogant man, and his decision to marry Michelle was one made after considerable thought. That night, when he acted improperly towards Michelle under the influence of alcohol, he recognized that he behaved reprehensibly and owed her responsibility. To fulfill his duties as a man, Alex faced numerous challenges, especially from his grandfather and his father, Sebastian. Alex had never been in love. In his school days, he was engrossed in various mathematical Olympiads and challenging problems. When he went to college, he began to manage the family business and love was the last thing on his mind. Could love ever be more intriguing than work? He often wondered. Now, at the age of 29, Alex was constantly prodded about marriage. If it weren't for Lizzy's presence, he would already be engaged to Isabella from the Zhao family, and their wedding wouldn't be far off. Even though his engagement with Isabella had been called off, he knew that in a couple of years, an alliance
Lifting her eyes to meet his, Michelle's voice held an unwavering calm, "Let's discuss. I could consider not moving out of the Ye residence, but I won't take care of the child." Alex pondered, assessing the situation. If Michelle wouldn't be taking care of Lizzy, was there any point in having her move back to the Ye residence? Meeting his gaze, Michelle retorted, "If I don’t look after Lizzy, do you really have any reason to keep me at the Ye’s house?" She paused, and then with deliberate emphasis said, "No. Reason. At. All." Distancing herself from past affiliations with Alex and Lizzy, she no longer addressed him with formal respect, opting instead for the more direct 'you'. Alex caught this subtle shift, realizing that Michelle genuinely had no interest in marrying him or returning to the Ye residence. He desired a marriage with Michelle. But did she want the same? Upon hearing her resolute stance, he responded, "There is every reason." Now, Michelle was at a loss for words. Sh
In shock, Michelle exclaimed, "Alex, are you even human? How can you bully a child?!" Alex found himself at the receiving end of Michelle's vehement outburst, but he dared not make a sound. After all, he was indeed the reason Lizzy was crying. Upon seeing Michelle, Lizzy's tears ceased almost instantly. Yet, she couldn't hold back her sobbing hiccups, coming in rhythmic waves, evoking both laughter and sympathy from anyone watching. Echoing Michelle's words without any hesitation, a visibly distressed Lizzy told her, "Yes, Daddy bullied me!" After saying this, the mistreated child extended her tiny arms towards Michelle, seeking comfort in an embrace. With her large eyes, she blinked pitifully, resembling a wounded young animal: vulnerable, helpless, and desperately seeking solace in her sister's arms. Michelle couldn't resist such a plea. With a soft sigh, she reached out and pulled Lizzy into her arms. Lizzy gently rested her head in the crook of Michelle's neck, wrapping her sma