Alex Ye had once imagined that their baby might be like Lizzy: soft, sweet, and utterly adorable, like a heart-melting marshmallow. However, their baby and Lizzy, the marshmallow, were nothing alike.Ella was not the type of baby who craved affection. Even before she could talk or walk, she rarely smiled or showed interest when adults tried to play with her. If Michelle tried to engage her, she'd give a minimal reaction. But if it was Alex or Lizzy, she'd simply close her eyes and pretend to sleep.In front of a baby, not everyone is treated equally.Thus, both Alex and Lizzy felt a bit defeated.Eleanor Ye, however, was quite surprised by Ella's demeanor. She remarked to Alex, "You were just like this as a baby. When your dad and I tried to play with you, you wouldn't even look at us."So, Alex realized that the baby's temperament was inherited from him; he was the root cause of it all.Even though Ella wasn't particularly sociable, it didn't stop Alex and Lizzy from showering her wi
Gradually regaining consciousness, Michelle felt a buzzing pain in her brain, as if it was about to split open.Yesterday, she caught a cold and to make matters worse, her boss was pushing her for drafts, demanding they be turned in before midnight. She had no choice but to down two cups of Americano, not daring to take any cold medicine, and began to work on the draft.After finally finishing, Michelle quickly swallowed a few cold tablets and collapsed into bed without even taking a bath.When she woke up, her head was aching severely, and she thought she might have a fever.As she was thinking, she felt a soft little thing snuggling in her arms, also nuzzling against her neck.The little thing murmured unclearly, its voice sounding somewhat weak: "Mommy, Lizzy is uncomfortable."Michelle: ????The word "Mommy" fully awakened Michelle, and she was completely shocked.When did she have a child that could already talk?A person who has been solo for twenty years, unexpectedly becoming a
In the author's original outline, there was no mention of Lizzy's birth mother. This woman didn't even warrant a name. It seemed the character was hastily introduced by the author without a preconceived name in mind. Given the context of the outline, Michelle deduced that her character should know who Lizzy's father was, yet the secondary male lead was unaware of Lizzy's existence. This discrepancy perplexed Michelle. The only explanation she could fathom was that she, within the story, intentionally kept Lizzy's existence a secret from him. Yet it puzzled her that she'd then so casually seek out the male protagonist later on. Michelle typically refrained from critiquing the drafts provided by her superiors. Everyone has their own vision. She wouldn't impose her ideas onto her boss's work, so she simply let the inconsistency slide. As she rummaged through the house, Michelle couldn't find any fever-reducing medicine suitable for Lizzy, let alone basic cold medicine. Her mood grew comp
With a nonchalant tone, Eleanor remarked to Michelle, "We should conduct a paternity test." If the child had unmistakably resembled Alex, she might have let it go. But the child bore no distinct resemblance to him, making it difficult not only for her to believe but also to convince both Alex and the Ye family. Michelle wasn't surprised by Eleanor’s suggestion; it was inevitable. However, the last thing she wanted now was a face-off with Alex. Hence, she replied, "Agreed, but let's postpone it." With a facade of maternal concern, she continued, "The child is ill and needs to recuperate." Eleanor merely hummed in agreement. Internally, Eleanor pondered, 'How does a paternity test interfere with the child's rest?' But she chose to keep these thoughts to herself. Michelle was increasingly anxious to leave the Ye residence, suspecting that the man who had stepped out for a date (or perhaps a matchmaking meeting) was due back soon. Just as she was about to bid her farewell, Eleanor fixed
With a gentle laugh, Eleanor said to her son, Alex, "The little one beside her is Lizzy Xia—she's your daughter." Alex immediately recalled the "friendly advice" the butler had offered him earlier. It seemed the old man truly did have his best interests at heart. On the outside, Alex appeared unaffected, a portrait of composure. But inside, he felt as if he were weathering a storm. He took a brief look at his "daughter." He thought, 'She doesn't resemble me in the slightest. If you're going to play such a trick on me, at least bring a child who looks a bit like me!' He was speechless and bewildered by the ongoing charade but knew he had to maintain his poise. Moving his gaze from the child's face to the woman beside her, he said in a deep voice, "It's been a long time." Facing him, Michelle took in the tall, handsome man before her—mature and composed. Yet she didn't recognize him, even though he was supposedly the father of her child. After a moment of stunned silence, Michelle ech
Upon hearing Alex’s suggestion for a paternity test the next day, Michelle didn’t hesitate. “Alright, let’s do it tomorrow then.” She had no doubts about the results; Lizzy was Alex’s child. Eleanor’s face, however, had lost its earlier color. Just moments before, she had adamantly proclaimed that there were things her son “would never do,” only for him to essentially refute her words directly. Eleanor felt as if she had been publicly contradicted, and now, no matter how she looked at Alex, irritation bubbled up. It irked her, especially considering how fervently she had just defended him. She hadn't imagined her son could be this type of person. There was now a hint of disdain in her gaze towards him. Before Alex’s return, Eleanor had initiated a brief investigation into Michelle. While the information wasn’t particularly exhaustive, she had managed to gather some basic data about her age, education, and work history. What surprised her was that Michelle, despite her young age, had
In truth, Alex had considered the possibility that Lizzy was his child. However, the odds seemed slim. For starters, she bore no resemblance to him. Moreover, Lizzy’s demeanor gave no hint of such a reality. Based on these factors alone, it was challenging for Alex to believe that Lizzy could be his daughter. In fact, at one point, he even suspected that Michelle and Lizzy were part of some elaborate scheme contrived by Eleanor to deceive him - a trick that she was entirely capable of executing. The previous night, Michelle had asked if he hoped Lizzy was his daughter. It wasn't so much that he hoped against it; rather, the thought had never seriously crossed his mind. The revelation that Lizzy was indeed his flesh and blood caught him entirely off guard. Outwardly, he remained composed, but inwardly, he was in utter turmoil. Over the years - no, decades, really - Eleanor’s propensity for mischief had only sharpened. But her teachings for the young Alex had always been virtuous. From
Michelle felt that perhaps Alex had misunderstood her intentions. "No, not perhaps. He had definitely misunderstood," she thought. Gently, Michelle said, "Mr. Ye, I actually have no plans of getting married." Alex responded, "Don't worry. I'm not the kind of man who shirks his responsibilities. I'll fulfill my duties as a husband and a father." She looked at him, her expression slightly troubled, as if she was wrestling with something. "Mr. Ye, it's truly not necessary," Michelle whispered. She genuinely didn't entertain the thought. Wouldn't he prefer just paying her off? After pondering a moment, Alex assured her, "I'll handle things on my family's side. You don't need to worry." "I'll take care of everything, ensuring you won't face the slightest grievance," he added. Michelle's face remained expressionless. "I'm done pretending," she thought. She said to him earnestly, "When I say I don't want to marry you, I mean we are not a good fit.” Such a frank refusal left Alex mom