Forbidden Passion

After dinner, Edward didn't stay long before leaving. Phoebe saw him out, and the two stood at the front door. Edward looked at her with deep eyes. "Phoebe, I hope you'll seriously consider what I just talked to you about," he said.

The awkwardness that had just dissipated in Phoebe's heart returned. She lowered her eyelashes and stared at her shoe tips. "Edward, actually I..."

"I'm leaving." Edward leaned in to hug her, cutting off her words. "Go inside and think it over before you talk to me."

Edward patted her shoulder before gently letting go, turned around, got into the driver's seat, and drove away from the villa.

Phoebe stood by the roadside, watching the car's taillights disappear around the corner.

She stood at the door for a while, just about to turn back inside when she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure at the corner. Without hesitation, she started running towards it.

The bodyguards inside the door didn't know what was happening. They just saw Phoebe dash past like the wind and quickly followed her.

Phoebe ran fast. She had been wearing slippers to see Edward off, and after running a short distance, her slippers fell off, but she didn't stop to pick them up. "Stop!" Phoebe shouted sternly.

The person in front heard her shout and ran even faster, disappearing almost instantly. Phoebe reached the corner, but the person was already gone.

She stood by the roadside, hands on her hips, panting heavily. The bodyguards caught up and looked down the path. "Ms. Ziegler, what happened?"

"I saw someone I know." Phoebe panted. If she had only guessed from the surveillance video last night, she was now certain that Donovan was alive.

Another bodyguard picked up Phoebe's slippers and placed them at her feet. "Ms. Ziegler, put your shoes on first."

"Thank you." Phoebe slipped on her shoes, noticing her feet hurt a bit. She looked towards the corner. "Come with me to check it out."

"Yes, Ms. Ziegler."

The two bodyguards accompanied Phoebe as they moved forward. The villa area was very quiet, and the streetlights cast a faint glow, making their shadows appear particularly long. They reached the corner but didn't see anyone hiding in the greenery. In the end, they had to return.

"Ms. Ziegler, your acquaintance is quite mysterious. Aren't they afraid of scaring your kids?" One of the bodyguards, Keith Hughes, joked.

Phoebe pinched the bridge of her nose. "Maybe they're not right in the head. I told you this afternoon that our family situation is special."

The other bodyguard, Louis Jackson, reassured her, "Ms. Ziegler, don't worry. You hired us, and we will ensure your family's safety."

"Let's head back," Phoebe said, clearly frustrated. She even wished she could drag Donovan out and beat him up. He was clearly alive, so why was he playing ghost and not showing himself? The three figures disappeared down the empty path. Donovan, wearing a baseball cap, emerged from the shadows. He quietly watched Phoebe's receding figure, deep in thought.

After a moment, he turned and walked into the villa. A subordinate was waiting for him at the door. "Mr. Ziegler, here are the photos you requested."

Donovan took off his baseball cap and tossed it on the shoe cabinet, took the photos, and walked into the living room. He poured himself a glass of whiskey from the coffee table. The subordinate came over, added a few ice cubes to the crystal glass, and stood by waiting awaiting further instructions.

Donovan picked up the glass, the amber liquid catching the light and highlighting his long, slender fingers.

He took a sip to quench his thirst from the earlier run, then began to look through the photos. Most of them showed Ruby and Evelyn playing with the four kids. One photo showed Ruby surrounded by colorful bubbles, with many children around her. She was smiling innocently.

Seeing this photo, Donovan's eyes were full of sarcasm.

Ruby, this scheming woman, had nearly caused his death and still had the nerve to freeload at Phoebe's house with her illegitimate child. Unbelievable!

"I asked you to investigate Ruby's life over the past few years. How's that going?" Donovan felt his anger rise just at the sight of Ruby's face.

He flipped the photo's face down on the coffee table and took another sip of his drink to calm himself.

The subordinate said, "Mr. Ziegler, I hired a private investigator, but the time frame is extensive. The investigator needs more time to compile a thorough report." Donovan swirled the liquid in his glass, his gaze icy. "Tell him to hurry up."

"Yes, sir."

Donovan waved his hand, and the subordinate understood, turning to leave the villa. The living room became silent, with only the occasional clink of ice against the glass.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed as the crystal glass shattered on the floor, sending shards flying everywhere. Donovan, sitting on the sofa in a fit of rage, grabbed the photos on the table, tore them into pieces, and flung them into the air. The fragments fluttered down, scattering across the room.

Donovan looked at the images on the fragments, his face dark with anger. He would never let Ruby, that sinister and vicious woman, get away with what she had done.

And Edward, that hypocritical scumbag!

Donovan's chest heaved violently. He had spent three years investigating the people who had framed him in Starfall City. Besides Darlene, there was also Edward.

Donovan had always believed he and Phoebe had a deep bond with Edward, having grown up together. Therefore, when Theodore married Phoebe, he had always disliked Theodore and felt indignant on Edward's behalf. Now he realized Edward was the truly malicious one.

Edward seemed deeply in love with Phoebe but was scheming against both him and Phoebe behind their backs. He was worse than an animal.

He had returned this time to expose Edward's true nature and let everyone know that Edward was a complete bastard.

Phoebe returned home, her cheeks flushed and sweat glistening on her forehead. Evelyn, who had just cut some fruit, noticed immediately. "What have you been up to?" Evelyn asked.noveldrama

"I went for a night run with Keith and Louis. It's so hot out. I'm going to take a shower first." Phoebe's emotions were in turmoil, afraid she might accidentally reveal too much to Evelyn, so she quickly slipped upstairs. Evelyn called after her, "Didn't you sign up for a fitness class near the office? You paid for it but never went, and now you're running around the neighborhood in the middle of the night?"

Phoebe ignored her and hurried upstairs.

She suspected that the person spying on Evelyn outside the community that day was also Donovan. If that was the case, then Donovan must be nearby.

But if Donovan was alive, why wouldn't he show himself?

After her shower, Phoebe went downstairs. Hubert, Boris, and Noomi, tired from playing, were watching cartoons on the sofa. She walked over and sat next to them. Ollie leaped onto the sofa and sprawled in her lap.