After lunch, Joanne sat on the sofa sleepily.

During pregnancy, she was easily sleepy after meals; just like a pig, which Chris joked about.

She felt being picked up when she was about to fall asleep.

She knew it was Brian instinctively, and slept peacefully in his arms, without opening her eyes.

It was past 3 p.m. when she woke up. Covered with the afternoon sunshine, the white carpet below the window looked nice and warm.

Joanne pushed her covers back and sat up. She found herself still familiar with that room even after a long absence.

She looked carefully and noticed that her belongings were still where they had been. Even the book she left unfinished was still open and resting face down on the beside cupboard, as if she would come back soon and continue with it.

Martha would have put away her belongings if it were not for Brian's special instructions.

All at once, Joanne felt her heart filled with softness and warmth, as well as a desire to cry.

It was hard to describe how moved and happy she felt.

"It's time for Joanne to wake up." Brian thought. He entered into the room, and found that she was sitting on the bed. He gave her the coat and said, "Put it on. I'll take you to the hospital."

Joanne recalled something on the way to the hospital, and looked at Brian confusedly. "I've wanted to ask you about this since Uncle Wilson left. You seem Weren't you surprised at all that he's Tory?"

"Tory told your brother the truth when he went to your apartment. Your brother told me about it on the phone last night." Brian suddenly slowed down his car and said sincerely, "Joanne, thank you."

Brian could hardly describe his feelings at that moment. She never gave up helping to look for Tory while she was misunderstood and reviled by others.

He felt grieved and moved, guilty and self-accused.

He said he would give the baby the best things all his life if it was a girl.

In fact, his daughter would certainly find someone after growing up and be loved forever. The only person he would try his best to love all his life was Joanne.

"You're welcome!" Joanne smiled and said, "It's a fresh experience, for me to accidentally find the key witness that way, for your father's case."

The doctors and nurses gave Joanne a check-up as soon as she arrived at the hospital. The process was nearly the same as the previous one, but they received the results immediately that time.

The doctor called Brian and Joanne into the office and said with a smile, "Congratulations! Mrs. Lambert is carrying twins. The babies are healthy so you needn't worry, but there's a problem-the mother is malnourished, which will affect the babies' growth and make it difficult for the mother to give birth."

Brian frowned and asked, "What can we do?"

"Considering that Mrs. Lambert was severely vomiting during pregnancy, I suggest a period of observation to you," the doctor said. "You can take extra nourishment if there is a remission. Take it easy, the babies are only two months old and won't be born until more than half a year later."

Then a nurse knocked and came in. She handed the doctor a portfolio and said, "Doctor Han, it was printed out."

Doctor Han gave the portfolio to Brian and said, "There's a picture of your babies in it, have a look."

Brian did not open it until he was in the car.

The so called picture was just a black-and-white image attached to the check-ups report, from which they could only see two shadows without clear profiles hugging each other tightly.

Brian felt that his heart was hit by something and became soft, with his eyes fixed on the little shadows, unable to look away.

He finally realized why Joanne would rather escape and suffer than have an abortion. She felt her babies earlier than he did, and magical interactions were established through a blood kinship between the babies and her.

From then on, he might not have easily agreed with the suggestion that Joanne would better have an abortion.

Joanne had seen the image after the previous check-ups, so she knew well how Brian felt then. She poked him in his arm and asked, "Promise you will support me?"

Brian suddenly held Joanne tightly in his arms, and said with a voice full of distinct joy, "From now on, I'll protect you."

Joanne kissed Brian on his cheek. "Thank you, honey."

Brian released Joanne while his eyes were still shining with excitement. Joanne was wondering whether she should calm him down, and at that moment he lowered his head and kissed her.

The kiss from Brian was lingering, gentle as well as chaste.

Only that could express his gratefulness and overwhelming joy.

Joanne was afraid of the passersby in the parking lot of the hospital, and tried to refuse. Brian held her in his arms and kissed her more devotedly, without giving her a chance to say a word.

Joanne had to lift her chin. Then Brian nibbled her lips. Unconsciously and unexpectedly, she opened her mouth, giving Brian the chance to win her over.

Gradually, Joanne accepted his gentle and irresistible kiss. Abruptly, she felt something, glanced outside and found that-a telephoto lens was aimed at them.

She gasped and pushed Brian away. "There are reporters!"

Brian smiled as if he did not hear what she said, and held Joanne in his arms again. "Just ignore them."

Joanne was immersed in the endless kiss

When Brian released Joanne, the camera with a telephoto lens was still madly taking pictures of them.

In the public's opinion, Brian and Joanne, the couple who used to be the envy of the unmarried, had turned against each other and started new relationships. The reporters definitely would not miss a single shot, since photos of their kisses could cause a great sensation.

Joanne looked at Brian with doubts. "Did you ask them to come?"

"They've been tailing me for over a week," Brian said, then asked, "Do you think I'm fond of wasting my money and I hired them to do that?"

Joanne felt more confused. "Then why do you ignore them? Rowdy won't let it go at that, once he sees the photos." It was very likely that there would be a furious storm on the internet.

"It's in my plans." Brian fastened the seat belt for Joanne. "Get ready, we're going home."

Joanne used to be in Brian's car many times before. But she recognized that he was driving more slowly that time, and he drove at the same speed when on the way to the hospital.

Joanne asked subconsciously, "When did you begin driving so carefully?"

Brian controlled the wheel with ease and said, "There are four people in my car, I couldn't be more careful."

Joanne smiled, as if her heart was filled with honey, with sweetness throughout.

If her babies could hear, she wanted to tell them: Your father begins protecting you even if you're not born yet.

After arriving home, Joanne found that the help, including Martha, were busy working in and outside the house, with serious looks on their faces. She looked at Simon, puzzled.

Simon said, "Young Master told us to apply some anti-skidding measures with the stairs and the bathrooms."

Joanne then looked at Brian. He only said, "Just in case."

Other than that, Brian also cared about Joanne's meals, and found custom made recipes to ensure both good taste and sufficient nutrition, from which the babies and the mother would profit.

It may have been either due to Brian's care, or because of the babies' hearing what he said: Joanne did not throw up that night.

Brian went to work as usual the next day. Freya to visit Joanne.

After returning from abroad for half a month, Freya had a brighter face and better spirits. Joanne thought it was the result of love, and joked, "How could you have the time to visit me, shouldn't you be with my brother?"

"Staying together all the time makes me sick! Hey, I don't want to talk about him right now!" Freya said, "You should tell me where you were the night before last. You really made me busy looking for you anxiously."

"My brother wanted me to have an abortion the next day. How could I tell him where I was?" Joanne hugged Freya to comfort her. "It won't happen again."

She had returned home, and could rely on Brian even if there were any problems.

"Only you could be threatened by the so called Rowdy." Freya said with disdain, "If I were you, I would have him pummeled till he can't be recognized by his mother!"

Joanne,""

Freya stared at Joanne's underbelly, changed her fierce look to a gentle smile and said, "It's amazing that you're actually pregnant."

That time the year before, Chris proposed that Joanne married Brian. That happened while Joanne dared not to show her love for Brian, which was a secret she carefully hid.

Then, they were close to a happy ending.

Brian and Joanne were destined to be a couple.

"Don't you and my brother have a happy ending?" Joanne replied and thought of what Freya said just then. "Did you argue with him?"

"Not really." Freya rubbed her fingernails, and said with depression, "My father no longer pushes me to take over his company, and I can do what I want, like being a model. But your brother doesn't agree with me."

Joanne thought for a while and asked, "Did he tell you the reasons?"

"He just said 'It won't work if I say no!'" Freya made a threatening gesture and said, "If I were a dog, I would jump and bite him!"

Joanne smiled at once and said, "I know why, do you want to know?"

Freya lifted her chin with interest. "Just tell me."

"My brother thought you would definitely be popular as a model. And you'll catch the attention of the media as well as all sorts of people, including men." Joanne stopped for a while and added, "He's not so diffident as to be afraid of you being pursued by others. He may not want his girlfriend to be talked about by too many people."

"I think being a model is my career. All I want is to work hard, not reaching my fame by fair means or foul. Why would others judge me?" Freya said as if she were unfamiliar with that world.

Joanne shook her head. "Freya, you're too naive."

Freya,""

Joanne shrugged her shoulders and said, "You'd better go and seriously talk about this with my brother. He will explain it to you."