Vesper stared at him blankly, her expression filled with shock and unfamiliarity.
It suddenly occurred to her that perhaps she had never truly known the man standing before her.
She still remembered the first winter they were in love, the first time they passed by this orphanage.
The weather was freezing, the north wind whipping icy flakes of snow against their faces until they stung.
Joan was in the courtyard with the children, all of them rubbing their hands and stomping their feet to keep warm. Their little faces were red from the cold, but they were still laughing, playfully shoving one another, their eyes shining with a pure light.
At the time, Luke stood outside the courtyard gate, watching those children, a rare softness flickering in his eyes. He didn’t say a word.
He just turned, went to a nearby bun shop, and bought two huge bags of hot meat buns, handing them to the children himself.
Only later did she learn that Luke’s childhood was somewhat similar to that of these children.
He was also an orphan, raised in a rural welfare institution where he endured many hardships.
In winter, he didn’t have enough padded clothing and could only wrap himself in thin bedding to fight the cold.
During holidays, there were no hot meals—often, it was just cold steamed buns with pickled vegetables.
He had told her that seeing these children was like seeing his younger self, which was why he had agreed without hesitation to her proposal to sponsor the orphanage.
He had once held her hand, his gaze sincere. "Vesper, I know how hard it is to have no one to rely on. That’s why I want these children to feel some warmth, so they don’t have to suffer like I did."
Back then, his eyes held the light of empathy, and his voice was filled with genuine compassion.
It was this softness, hidden beneath his hard exterior, that had touched her and strengthened her resolve to build a future with him.
’I thought someone who had suffered would know better how to cherish things, how to understand the weight of kindness.’
But the man before her now had, in the cruelest way possible, personally torn that past tenderness to shreds.
"Luke," Vesper’s voice carried an imperceptible tremor—not from fear, but from profound disappointment.
"Have you forgotten what you said back then? You said you understood what it was like to have no one. You said you wanted the children to feel warmth. But now, you’re threatening me by threatening to destroy their home?"
The warmth on Luke’s face vanished instantly, replaced by an almost indifferent frankness. "That was then, this is now. Back then, I had nothing, so of course I could empathize with that suffering. But things are different now. I’m standing at the top, so naturally, I have higher ambitions. Vesper, I know you’re too kind. You won’t have the heart to let the children suffer."
Vesper looked at him, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Luke, you haven’t just betrayed our relationship; you’ve betrayed the version of yourself who once longed for warmth in the cold wind. You’ve become someone even you wouldn’t recognize."
"Vesper, people change, but my love for you will never change." Luke pulled a set of keys from his pocket and pressed them into her hand. "The house—I’ve already bought it back. Everything has been restored to how it was. Now, that home is just waiting for its mistress to return."
He grabbed her hand with an almost forceful grip and pulled her into the car.
"Vesper..."
Joanna Cornell called out, chasing after them.
The car window rolled down. Vesper met her worried gaze and gave her a slight shake of her head.
"Take care of the children, and take care of yourself."
Joanna understood. Vesper was saying goodbye to her.
Joanna’s nose tingled, and her eyes reddened. "You too. Take care of yourself."
...
Half an hour later, the car stopped at Repulse Bay.
Luke proactively and attentively opened the door, but Vesper’s expression remained placid.
The house had been restored to its original state. All the items she had thrown into the trash had been put back in their place.
It was as if nothing had ever happened.
"Luke, what’s the point of this?" she asked with her back to him, her voice as cold as if it had been quenched in ice.
Luke stepped forward and placed his hands gently on her shoulders, his voice carrying its usual tenderness. "You don’t understand company matters. Those shares are useless in your hands. I promise I won’t treat you poorly after we’re married. Just focus on being Mrs. Lockwood."
Like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, he produced a share transfer agreement and placed it in front of her.
Vesper turned around, a deeply sarcastic smile on her face. "You can’t get back water that’s been spilled, let alone something that’s been given away. Luke, don’t be too greedy. A person who wants everything will end up with nothing."
"Mrs. Lockwood needn’t worry about such things."
His smile was gentle, but his eyes held no warmth. His tone suddenly turned cold. "You can also choose not to sign. I just can’t guarantee whether Sunshine Orphanage will be able to survive."
"You’re despicable!"
Vesper violently swatted his hand away. Her knuckles were white, her nails digging so deeply into her palms that the surging anger and iciness in her eyes seemed ready to devour the man before her.
Luke’s hand froze in mid-air. The gentleness on his face faded slightly, but he still wore the look of someone certain of victory, as if he knew he had her right where he wanted her.
"Vesper, don’t blame me."
He reached out to touch her face, his tone wrapped in feigned grievance. "I’m just so afraid of losing you."
"Even now, you’re still lying!"
Vesper turned her head to avoid his touch, her voice laced with coldness and disappointment. "Are you really afraid of losing me, or are you afraid I’ll sell the shares and threaten your decision-making power at Zephyr?"
’In the end, he’s only ever loved himself. He just wants to cut off all my escape routes, to imprison me by his side and satisfy his selfish desire to control everything.’
Just then, Luke’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, his expression darkened, and he immediately declined the call. But a moment later, the ringtone stubbornly started again.
"Not going to answer? Maybe the young lady has something urgent to discuss."
Luke’s face tensed as he answered. It was unclear what was said on the other end, but a sinister look flashed across his face for a moment.
"Fine, I’m on my way now."
Before leaving, he said to Vesper, "Calm down and think about it. I’ll come pick you up tomorrow."
...
In a hospital room, Ivy Joyce was curled up in a corner of the bed. She clutched a pair of gleaming scissors in one hand and held the other protectively over her abdomen. Like a frightened bird, she eyed anyone who approached with fierce, wary vigilance, refusing to let anyone touch her.
It wasn’t until the door was pushed open and Luke appeared that all her defenses seemed to crumble in an instant. She dropped the scissors, stumbled barefoot into his arms, and her shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Luke, can we keep this child, please? I promise I won’t cause you any trouble, and I won’t try to compete with Sister Vesper for anything."
She looked up, her face stained with tears, her voice soft and subservient. "Doesn’t Sister Vesper refuse to let you touch her? I can give this child to Sister Vesper to raise. You should have a child of your own, after all."
’She knew exactly what Luke cared about most.’
Vesper’s refusal to be intimate with him had always been the thing that bothered him most.
She had gone to great lengths to win his body, but Luke couldn’t let go of Vesper.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have stayed hidden for two years, never daring to cause a scene in front of Vesper.
’She knew better than anyone how heartless this man was.’
Luke looked down at her, his eyes darkening slightly as he took in her pitiful, tear-streaked, begging expression. His well-defined fingers suddenly clamped around her chin, their strength forceful and undeniable.
"You’d be willing to part with it?"
"As long as I can stay by your side, I don’t care about anything else."
’Vesper wouldn’t let him touch her, and he couldn’t bring himself to force her. But he did need a child to carry on his line. Ivy had been with him for two years; she was obedient and sensible, and she didn’t dare stir up trouble.’
’Vesper loves children so much. She feels compassion for the orphans at Sunshine Orphanage; she would only cherish a child delivered to her doorstep even more, treating it as her own flesh and blood.’
His fingers loosened their grip slightly, but his tone was so flat it betrayed no emotion. "I’ll take you home. You rest and take care of the pregnancy. Don’t you dare cause a scene about the child in front of Vesper."