Chasing Light: The Ultimate Push-Pull Crematorium

Midsummer in New York, the air was thick with the sweltering sound of cicadas.

Sixteen-year-old Elena Jiang, holding her fluffy princess dress hem, was hiding behind the rockery in the back garden of the Jiang mansion to slack off. Today was her grandfather's seventieth birthday, and the front hall was crowded with guests. The various hypocritical pleasantries made her feel suffocated.

"Elena, hiding here again?" A warm voice came.

Elena turned her head and saw her second brother, Mark Jiang, looking at her helplessly.

"Mark, I don't want to go and deal with those old men." Elena pouted, complaining naively.

"The Foster family members are also coming today; are you sure you don't want to see them?" Mark walked over, reaching out to rub the top of her head. "I heard the patriarch of the Foster family, who just returned from abroad, is a rare figure to see."

"The Foster family? Is it the Foster family that is a long-time friend of Grandpa's?" Elena blinked, a vague image surfacing in her mind.

"Yes, Julian Foster. By seniority, you have to call him Uncle."

That was the first time Elena heard the name "Julian Foster."

Half an hour later, when the mahogany doors of the front hall slowly opened, Elena stood behind her grandfather and saw the man for the first time.

He wore an extremely sophisticated deep black suit, his posture upright like a pine tree. Amidst the clamor of the room, he carried a coldness that kept people at a distance. Gold-rimmed glasses covered those deep, narrow eyes. His nose was high, and his thin lips were slightly pursed. His whole person exuded a sense of abstinence and noble Buddha-like nature.

"Julian, come, meet your Grandpa Jiang." Old Mr. Foster introduced him with a smile.

Julian Foster nodded slightly, his voice deep and magnetic, like the G-string of a cello sweeping across the heart. "Mr. Jiang, I wish you happiness as vast as the Eastern Sea and a life as long as the Southern Mountain."

Elena was stunned.

At this age of first love, she had seen countless wealthy sons, but she had never seen anyone who could blend "indifference" and "elegance" so perfectly.

"This must be Elena, right?" Old Mr. Foster looked at the girl hiding behind her grandfather and beckoned with a smile. "Quick, call him Uncle."

Elena's heart skipped a beat. She moved forward slowly, her voice as thin as a mosquito's buzz, yet carrying a hint of trembling that even she hadn't noticed. "Uncle."

Julian lowered his eyes, his gaze lingering for a moment on the girl's youthful face, which already showed signs of stunning beauty. He took an exquisite brocade box from his secretary and handed it to Elena.

"First meeting, a small gift."

His fingers were long and cold-white, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against the back of Elena's hand during the exchange.

At that moment, Elena felt a weak current instantly run through her entire body.

The wind of that summer blew the most secret string in the girl's heart.

Elena thought she was probably sick.

This sickness was called Julian Foster.

Four years is enough time for a seedling to grow into a small tree, and enough for a young girl's admiration to become paranoid.

From sixteen to twenty, Elena Jiang's world almost revolved around Julian Foster.

For him, she gave up the art she originally wanted to study and enrolled in the business school of Julian's alma mater; for him, she learned to brew various complicated famous teas, only because Julian had a habit of drinking tea; she would even appear punctually in the lobby of the Foster Group every Friday afternoon, holding a bouquet of flowers of unknown colors, just to catch a glimpse of him when he got off work.

The entire wealthy circle of New York knew that the pampered little princess of the Jiang family had her eyes on the cold-hearted Buddha of the Foster family.

"Elena, don't go; Julian Foster has no heart." Her best friend, Sarah Lin, watched Elena carefully selecting a tie again and couldn't help but advise, "You've chased him for four years. Besides treating you as a junior, has he ever given you any response?"

Elena's movements paused, and a hint of stubbornness flashed in her beautiful peach-blossom eyes. "He hasn't rejected me; doesn't that mean I have a chance?"

"That's because he's considering the face of both families! Those love letters and gifts you send him—which time didn't he have his secretary take them?"

Elena bit her lip and didn't speak.

Indeed, Julian had never said a harsh word to her. He was always so gentle and elegant, so restrained and polite.

But this "politeness" was often more hurtful than rejection.

Elena decided to make an end of it on her twentieth birthday.

The birthday banquet was held at a hotel under the Foster family. Elena wore a fiery red strapless short dress, which complemented her snow-white skin, making her look like a blooming red rose.

That night, Julian arrived as promised.

He was still that cold and noble self, holding a priceless jewelry box.

"Elena, happy birthday." He stood at the intersection of light and shadow, his gaze as calm as water.

Elena didn't take the box but instead grabbed his sleeve directly, leading him to a secluded spot on the balcony.

"Uncle, I don't want a gift." Elena looked up, her gaze carrying a desperate madness. "I want you."

Julian's brow furrowed very slightly. He looked down at the girl who had grown up, his voice still steady. "Elena, you've had too much to drink."

"I haven't had too much!" Elena's voice carried a sob. "Julian Foster, I've chased you for four years, one thousand four hundred and sixty days. All my social media posts, all my thoughts are about you. Can you really not see it?"

Julian was silent for a moment.

The moonlight fell on his cold-white profile, making him look even more unattainable.

"Elena Jiang," he finally spoke, his tone carrying a heartbreaking distance, "you are the daughter of the Jiang family, and I am the head of the Foster family. In my eyes, you will always be that junior who needs to be taken care of. This 'liking' is just an illusion created because you haven't seen the world outside yet."

"An illusion? I've loved you for four years, and you tell me it's an illusion?" Elena's heart felt as if it had been stabbed hard by a sharp blade.

"When you are twenty-five, or thirty, you will be grateful for my rejection today." Julian turned around, his voice so faint it was almost inaudible. "Go back and rest early. Happy birthday."

He left decisively, without even looking back.

Elena stood on the windy balcony, watching that tall back disappear from her sight.

At that moment, she suddenly felt very tired.

That kind of tiredness was a sense of powerlessness seeping from her bones.

So, one person's persistence was truly nothing in the face of another person's restraint.

She had acted in this one-man show called "Secret Crush" for four years, and in the end, she only got back the word "illusion."

Elena laughed, her tears falling uncontrollably.

"Julian Foster, I'm not chasing anymore."

She spoke softly to the empty night sky.

Truly, I'm not chasing anymore.

Elena Jiang was a woman of action.

When she said she wasn't chasing anymore, she truly disappeared completely from Julian Foster's life.

The thermos that used to be delivered every day, rain or shine, was gone; the figure holding flowers in the lobby of the Foster Group had vanished; even Julian's WeChat dialog box, which used to be stuffed with various childish emojis, had fallen completely silent.

One week, two weeks, one month.

Julian sat in his office, looking at the last message on his phone screen from a month ago—a picture of a sunset Elena had sent, with the caption: "Goodnight, Uncle."

He took a sip of tea; the tea had already grown somewhat cold, and the bitter taste spread across his tongue.

"Mr. Foster, Miss Jiang hasn't... come by lately." Secretary Mark carefully observed his boss's expression.

Julian's hand flipping through documents paused, his tone flat. "She's grown up and has her own life; it's normal."

"But," Mark hesitated, "I heard the Jiang family is arranging blind dates for Miss Jiang lately."

The pen in Julian's hand made a sharp ink mark on the white paper.

He looked up, his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses as deep as ink. "Blind dates?"

"Yes, Mr. Jiang senior seems to think Miss Jiang has reached the age for marriage. The other party is the second son of the He family in New York, Ethan He, a top student who just returned from the Ivy League and is quite handsome."

Julian didn't speak.

The office was quiet for a while, in a way that was somewhat eerie.

After a long pause, he finally spoke coldly: "Ethan He? That playboy whose private life is messy and who changes girlfriends faster than clothes?"

Mark was stunned. Although Ethan He's reputation wasn't top-tier, it certainly wasn't at the level of "messy private life"; in fact, within the circle, he was considered a gentle and elegant gentleman.

But he didn't dare to contradict, only nodding submissively. "Yes... perhaps the rumors are incorrect."

Julian closed the document, rose, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside was the bustling neon of New York, yet Elena's face, always smiling and looking up to call him "Uncle," involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

He shouldn't interfere.

This was a decision he had made himself.

He told her it was an illusion; he had pushed her away.

Now that she was being obedient and letting go, he should feel relieved.

But why did his chest ache faintly, as if something important was being brutally gouged out?

"Mr. Foster, tonight's charity gala..."

"Cancel it." Julian's voice was cold enough to freeze.

"But Old Mr. Foster specifically instructed..."

"I said cancel it."

Julian turned his head, the gloom in his eyes making Mark shiver.

He had never seen his boss so out of control.

Julian Foster, who was always known for being calm and restrained, seemed to have something crazily collapsing beneath that layer of abstinence.

The Cloud Top Restaurant, one of New York's highest-standard Western restaurants.

Elena Jiang had specifically dressed up today. A light purple French-style long dress set off her temperament as gentle yet with a hint of feminine charm.

Ethan He, sitting opposite her, was indeed as refined and polite as rumored.

"Miss Jiang, I heard you like French art very much?" Ethan smiled as he cut a piece of steak and handed it to the empty plate in front of her.

"Mmm, I studied oil painting for a few years when I was a child." Elena smiled politely, but her gaze was somewhat drifting.

To be honest, this kind of blind date was very boring.

But she had to come. If she didn't find something to do, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to stop herself from thinking about that cold man.

"If there's an opportunity, we can go to Paris together to see an art exhibition." Ethan's gaze was sincere.

Just as Elena was preparing to respond with a few polite words, a slight commotion suddenly came from the restaurant entrance.

Elena instinctively turned her head.

She saw the man who couldn't be more familiar walking in with long legs. He was followed by several business people in suits, seemingly there to talk about business.

Julian Foster.

Elena's heart contracted sharply, and she immediately lowered her head, pretending to focus on eating.

However, despite not looking up, she could feel his strong presence as he approached step by step.

Julian's footsteps clearly paused as he passed their table.

"Mr. Foster?" the business partner beside him reminded him with some confusion.

Julian ignored him, his gaze fixed intently on the man opposite Elena—Ethan He.

It was a gaze scrutinizing an enemy, cold and sharp.

"Isn't this Julian?" Ethan recognized him and stood up with a smile to greet him. "What a coincidence, meeting here."

Only then did Julian turn around slowly, sweeping a cold glance over Ethan, and finally, his gaze landed on the top of Elena's head.

"Elena." he spoke, his voice frighteningly deep.

Elena had no way to avoid it and could only stiffly raise her head, revealing a professional smile. "Uncle, what a coincidence."

This "Uncle" was called out distantly and politely.

Julian's pupils contracted.

"A blind date?" he spat out two words coldly.

"Mmm." Elena nodded, admitting it openly. "Grandpa said I'm not young anymore and should have more contact with outstanding men."

She deliberately emphasized the words "outstanding men."

Julian's face instantly darkened several shades.

"Outstanding?" He sneered, his gaze lingering on Ethan for a second, his tone carrying unconcealed mockery. "When did the Jiang family's taste become so poor?"

Ethan's face stiffened, but as a scion of a prominent family, he maintained his poise. "Mr. Foster, I'm not quite sure I understand those words."

"If you don't understand, go back and ask your family about your 'great achievements' abroad, Young Master He." Julian stepped forward, standing directly beside Elena.

That familiar, cold, woody fragrance instantly invaded Elena's senses.

"Elena Jiang, come with me." Julian reached out, directly grabbing her wrist.

"Julian Foster, are you crazy?" Elena stood up in shock, trying to shake off his hand. "I'm on a blind date!"

"This kind of rotten peach blossom isn't worthy of wasting your time."

"Then who is worthy? You?" Elena glared at him with red eyes. "Julian Foster, you've already rejected me; what right do you have to interfere in my business now?"

Julian's grip was frighteningly strong. He stared at her, his eyes churning with some kind of madness that even he couldn't control.

"By the right that I am your uncle."

He practically spat out those words through gritted teeth.

Then, in front of everyone, Julian forcefully pulled Elena and left the restaurant without looking back.

Leaving Ethan He alone at the table, his face incredibly ugly.

Julian Foster dragged Elena Jiang all the way to the parking lot outside the restaurant.

He roughly pulled open the car door, stuffed her into the back seat of that black Maybach, then sat in himself, locking the doors from the inside.

"Julian Foster, what on earth do you want to do?" Elena's face was flushed with anger, and she pushed hard against the car door. "This is kidnapping!"

"Kidnapping?" Julian sneered, his tall body approaching her, trapping her between the seat and his chest. "Elena, do you have any idea what kind of person Ethan He is? You'd rather find him than look at me once more?"

"Look at you, talking nonsense again." Elena sneered, stubbornly raising her head to meet his gaze. "Who was it that said my chasing him was just an illusion? Who was it that told me to talk about these things after I'm twenty-five? Since my current liking is an illusion, then me going on a blind date and looking for 'true love' is exactly what you wanted, isn't it?"

Julian was left speechless.

He looked at the girl's small face, which was filled with stubbornness and distance, and his heart felt like it was stuffed with a tangled mess.

"Even so, it shouldn't be Ethan He." He forced himself to maintain his last shred of sanity, but his voice was incredibly hoarse. "If you want to date, I can help you look for someone more suitable."

"No need to trouble you, Mr. Foster." Elena reached out to push his shoulder. "You can get out now."

Julian didn't move.

His gaze appeared exceptionally deep in the darkness, and his breathing became somewhat heavy.

"Elena, you've been... very obedient lately." He suddenly spoke, his tone actually carrying a hint of grievance that even he hadn't noticed. "When you said you weren't chasing anymore, you truly disappeared completely."

"Otherwise? Stay there and annoy you?" Elena turned her head away. "Julian Foster, I'm very busy; please don't interfere in my business anymore in the future."

The temperature in the car seemed to drop suddenly at this moment.

Julian stared at her intently, his long hand slowly rising, wanting to touch her cheek, but it froze in mid-air.

He was afraid.

Afraid of the fear that once he crossed the line, he could never go back.

Just then, Elena's phone rang.

It was Ethan He calling.

Elena answered the phone in front of Julian, her tone instantly becoming incredibly gentle: "Hello, Mr. He... I'm sorry, that was my uncle just now, he might have mistaken me for someone else... Mmm, I'm fine... Okay, see you tomorrow."

Hearing the words "see you tomorrow," Julian's sanity completely snapped.

He suddenly snatched Elena's phone and slammed it hard onto the center console.

"You're not allowed to see him!" he roared, leaning down to fiercely kiss the mouth that he both loved and hated.

It was a kiss full of aggression and punishment.

There was no tenderness to speak of, as if venting all the frustration, jealousy, and unease of the past month.

Elena was stunned.

She opened her eyes wide, feeling the familiar, cold taste between the man's teeth and lips.

He... was kissing her?

The cold and abstinent Julian Foster, who kept saying it was just an illusion, was actually kissing her?

When the kiss ended, Julian let go of her somewhat disheveledly, his breathing rapid.

He turned his head, not daring to look into her eyes, his voice trembling: "In the future... stay away from him."

Elena looked at his profile, her lips curling into a self-deprecating smile.

Julian Foster, you finally can't pretend anymore.

But it's not enough.

This bit of jealousy isn't enough to make you admit your humble and arrogant love.

Elena already had a crazier plan in her heart.

Since you like to play at restraint, I'll show you what complete loss of control looks like.

Since that absurd parking lot kiss, Elena Jiang's attitude toward Julian Foster hadn't improved; instead, it had become even more unpredictable.

She no longer went to the Foster Group to corner him, but she began to frequently appear in social situations Julian was bound to pass through.

Wednesday's art auction.

Julian sat in the first row, his expression cold. When a Song Dynasty blue and white porcelain piece was presented on stage, he was about to raise his paddle when he heard a crisp and familiar laugh from the back row.

"Mr. He, the color of this vase is really good; it would definitely suit you if placed in your study."

Julian's hand raising the paddle stiffened.

He turned his head and saw Elena wearing a dark green cheongsam, tilting her head and whispering with Ethan He beside her.

Ethan smiled like a spring breeze. "Since Elena likes it, I'll bid for it and give it to you."

Julian's gaze instantly became colder than that blue and white porcelain.

He suddenly raised his paddle, directly raising the price by five million.

The whole room gasped.

Elena, however, acted as if she hadn't seen him, continuing to chat warmly with Ethan.

Julian had a black face throughout and finally bid for the vase he didn't need at all at three times the price.

When the event ended, Julian blocked Elena's way.

"Elena Jiang, do you have to degrade yourself like this?" he asked through gritted teeth, his gaze landing on her hand holding Ethan's arm, wishing he could cut it off with his eyes.

"Degrade?" Elena smiled with her eyes curved. "Uncle, how can dating be called degrading? Mr. He is not only handsome but also understands romance, unlike some people who only know how to put on the airs of a senior all day."

"You—"

"By the way," Elena interrupted him, her tone light, "there's a private party tomorrow night. If Mr. Foster is interested, you can come and take a look. However, that's a gathering for young people; an 'old person' like you might find it noisy."

She deliberately emphasized the words "old person."

Julian watched her departing back, his fists clenching until they creaked.

This was already the third time this week.

Elena was using an almost cruel way to show him her "new life."

In those moments, he clearly felt the pain of his heart being torn apart.

This pain made him begin to doubt whether the "reason" he had maintained for four years had any meaning.

Returning home, Julian looked at the vase he had bought at an exorbitant price and suddenly felt like a fool.

He clearly could have embraced her.

But he had personally pushed her toward someone else.

"Mr. Foster," Butler Liu walked over and said softly, "Miss Jiang just posted on her social media."

Julian immediately picked up his phone.

The post was a photo of Elena with several boys. She was standing in the middle, surrounded by several tall and handsome male models, laughing wantonly.

The caption was: "Youth is about playing to your heart's content."

Julian suddenly slammed his phone onto the desk. Due to the excessive force, the phone screen instantly cracked into a spiderweb.

"Go find out where that party is tomorrow night."

His voice was as cold as a polar glacier.

This was a semi-open yacht party.

The sea breeze was slightly salty, the deck was brilliantly lit, and the heavy metal rock music was deafening.

Elena Jiang was dressed exceptionally sexy tonight. A sequined slip dress, the hem short enough to reach the base of her thighs, revealed a pair of straight, fair legs that made people dizzy under the lights.

She held a glass of Long Island Iced Tea, standing at the edge of the dance floor, swaying her body gently to the rhythm.

"Elena, want to dance?" a handsome rich kid approached, the amazement in his eyes almost impossible to hide.

Elena was about to refuse when her peripheral vision caught a cold, sharp figure walking in from the entrance.

Julian Foster.

He was still wearing that meticulous suit, looking exceptionally out of place among the crowd of oddly dressed young people. But the powerful, unignorable pressure he radiated instantly silenced the people around him.

Elena's lips curled into a wicked smile, and she turned her head to give the rich kid a sweet laugh. "Sure."

The two slid onto the dance floor.

To show off, the boy restlessly placed his hand on Elena's waist.

Elena didn't refuse; instead, she took the opportunity to lean into his arms.

From Julian's perspective, it looked like the two were intimately whispering in each other's ears.

At that moment, Julian felt the blood in his body flowing backward.

He didn't care about his status or the dignity of a senior; he strode into the dance floor and forcefully pushed the boy away.

"Ouch! Who are you?" The boy was pushed into a stumble and was about to curse, but after seeing Julian's murderous face, he instantly went silent.

"Get out," Julian spat out only one word.

The people around were startled by this turn of events and dispersed.

Julian stared intently at Elena, his chest heaving violently.

"Elena Jiang, do you have to make a fool of yourself here?" he lowered his voice, every word squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Make a fool of myself?" Elena met his gaze without fear, even brushing a stray hair by her ear. "I came to a party and danced a dance; how is that making a fool of myself? Mr. Foster, you're interfering too much, aren't you?"

"Come back with me."

"By what right?" Elena sneered. "Who are you to me? My uncle? If you're my uncle, then I'm telling you now, I'm not going back. If you want to control me with another status, then say it out loud."

Julian looked at her, his Adam's apple rolling violently.

Those confessions on the verge of being spoken, those feelings accumulated for four years, were screaming crazily in his throat.

But he still held back.

This almost self-torturing restraint was already carved into his bones.

"I'm doing this for your own good," he could only squeeze out that one sentence in the end.

"Heh, 'for my own good' again." The light in Elena's eyes extinguished bit by bit. "Julian Foster, I don't need this kind of 'good.' Since you can't give me what I want, then please get out of my life completely."

With that, she turned and left.

"Elena!"

Julian wanted to chase after her, but he was entangled by several business partners who came up to offer a toast.

He watched helplessly as Elena disappeared into the night, the huge sense of loss in his heart almost swallowing him whole.

He began to realize that in this game of cat and mouse, he was about to lose everything.

Because Elena truly didn't care anymore.

While he was sinking deeper and deeper.

A few days after the yacht party, a shocking piece of news spread through New York's wealthy circles.

The second master of the Foster family, who had always kept his distance from women, actually got into a physical fight with someone on the party dance floor, and the cause was actually for the Jiang family's little princess.

The top-floor office of the Foster Group.

Julian Foster sat behind his desk. The once clean and tidy surface was now scattered with various documents and already empty cigarette boxes.

He rarely smoked, only lighting one when his mood was extremely troubled.

"Mr. Foster, Miss Jiang... she's going to 'Enchant' tonight." Mark reported with a stiff upper lip.

"Enchant" was a famous lounge in New York. Although not as messy as a nightclub, it was a high-frequency place for single men and women to hunt for romance.

Julian extinguished the cigarette at his fingertips and laughed self-deprecatingly. "She truly can't stay idle for a moment."

"Mr. Foster, should I go and pick up Miss Jiang?"

"Pick her up?" Julian looked up, his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses filled with bloodshot veins. "With what status? As her uncle? That's the word she hates most right now."

Mark was silent.

In fact, everyone in the company had seen it: their boss had been absent-minded lately, losing focus in meetings, signing the wrong file names, and even calling him in the middle of the night to ask, "If a girl suddenly stops loving you, how do you win her back?"

How was this still the decisive business genius? He was clearly just a young lad stuck in the mire of his first love.

"Go prepare the car." Julian rose, casually picking up his suit jacket. "I'll go personally."

He couldn't wait any longer.

If he waited any longer, Elena would truly fly out of his world completely.

When Julian arrived at "Enchant," Elena was sitting by the bar, swirling a deep blue cocktail in her hand.

She wore a backless little black dress tonight, her shoulder blades faintly visible under the dim lights, breathtakingly beautiful.

Around her were several rich kids who were diligently trying to flatter her.

"Miss Jiang, this 'Polar Light' suits you very well." One of them smiled as he handed over a glass of wine.

Elena took it and was just about to drink when a long hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere and snatched the glass away.

"She doesn't drink cold drinks."

Julian's voice was as cold as ice, and he naturally sat in the empty seat beside Elena.

The rich kids recognized Julian Foster, their faces instantly changing, and they left awkwardly.

Elena didn't even lift an eyelid, continuing to sip the warm milk in her hand—which she had specifically asked the bartender to change earlier.

"Mr. Foster, tracking people is not a very honorable behavior." Elena put down the milk glass, her tone flat.

"Elena, stop it." Julian softened his tone, carrying a hint of humble pleading. "Come home with me."

"Home?" Elena turned her head, looking at him sarcastically. "The Foster mansion is your home, not mine. My last name is Jiang, not Foster."

"You know I didn't mean it that way." Julian clenched his fists. "Elena, what on earth do you want from me to forgive me?"

"Forgive?" Elena acted as if she had heard a joke. "You didn't do anything wrong; why should I forgive you? You rejected me because you don't love me; that's normal. I've let go now and am looking for someone who truly loves me; that's also normal. Julian Foster, what on earth are you struggling with?"

Julian was stumped by the question.

Yes, what was he struggling with?

He had clearly obtained the peace he wanted, the reason he had always maintained.

But why did he feel like he was going crazy?

She stood up and walked into the bar's restroom without looking back.

Julian stood in place, looking at that decisive back, his eyes gradually reddening.

He knew this was the last time she would give him a chance.

And he had already missed it for too long.

After returning from the "Enchant" bar, Elena Jiang sat in her empty room for an entire night.

She knew Julian Foster liked her.

If he didn't like her, he wouldn't have made such a scene at the blind date; if he didn't love her, he wouldn't have lost control crazily on the party dance floor.

But his love was mixed with too many trade-offs, too many concerns, and too much lack of confidence.

He was afraid. Afraid of rumors, afraid of the friendship between the Jiang and Foster families, and afraid that his own heart, which had grown accustomed to abstinence and calm, would be completely disrupted.

"Julian Foster, since you still don't dare to take the final step, I'll take it for you."

Elena looked at herself in the mirror, pale-faced but with determined eyes, her lips curling into a ruthless smile.

She dug out a small medicine bottle from the deepest part of her drawer.

It was an aphrodisiac drug she had previously bought from an illegal channel under the pretext of researching artistic inspiration—of course, that was just a self-deceiving excuse. In fact, during those most desperate days of chasing Julian, she had thought of using such extreme means countless times.

But in the end, she had always given up because she didn't want a "controlled" Julian Foster.

But now, she wanted a "real" Julian Foster.

She wanted to see what kind of soul was hidden beneath that layer of gold-rimmed glasses and high-end suits.

The next day, New York's largest business cocktail party was held at the Peninsula Hotel.

This was an extremely serious cocktail party, and Julian, as the president of the Chamber of Commerce, would bound to attend.

Elena was not on the invitation list, but with her status as the little princess of the Jiang family, she easily snuck in.

In the dressing room, she changed into a pure white slip dress. The fabric of the dress was extremely thin, clinging to her body like a cicada's wing; with even a bit of sweat, it would become semi-transparent.

She threw her head back and drank the liquid in the bottle in one gulp.

A wave of heat instantly rose from her abdomen, and soon, her breathing began to grow rapid, her cheeks stained with an abnormal flush.

Elena pinched her palm, forcing herself to maintain a shred of clarity as she walked toward the VIP lounge where Julian was socializing.

She knew she was gambling with her life.

If Julian truly remained indifferent, if he only saved her for that bit of pitiful sense of responsibility, then she would thoroughly admit defeat in this life.

Even if falling into an abyss, she wanted to take one look at the light that had always refused to illuminate her before she fell.

"Julian Foster," she murmured softly before pushing open the door, "don't let me lose too badly."

The cocktail party venue.

Julian Foster stood among a group of business giants, discussing the market trends for the next quarter with composure. He swirled a glass of pale amber champagne in his hand, his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses still cold and without temperature.

"Bang—"

The heavy mahogany doors of the banquet hall were suddenly slammed open.

Everyone turned their heads in unison.

They saw a girl, soaked through and with messy hair, stumbling in. The white dress on her body clung tightly to her graceful figure, her cheeks red almost to the point of dripping blood, her eyes blurred and unfocused.

"Julian Foster..."

Elena Jiang's voice was very light, yet it carried a sense of despair sufficient to tear a soul apart.

The champagne glass in Julian's hand instantly hit the floor, glass shards splashing everywhere.

"Elena!"

He rushed over almost instantly. Under the astonished gazes of the giants, he took off his suit jacket and wrapped the almost naked girl tightly in his arms.

"Why are you here? What happened?" Julian held her, feeling that the person in his arms was as hot as a ball of fire, her body still shaking uncontrollably.

Elena reached out with her burning hand, tightly clutching his tie and pulling him toward her.

She leaned into his ear, her hot breath carrying a sweet, cloying fragrance. "Julian Foster... I drugged myself."

Julian's body suddenly stiffened, and his pupils contracted sharply.

"You... what did you say?"

"I said, I drugged myself." Elena's tears slid down her flushed face, her voice fragmented and hoarse. "If you don't take me away, I'll just... find any man here to sleep with. Anyway, you don't care about me."

"Crazy! You're truly crazy!" Julian roared in a low voice, the veins on his forehead bulging.

He didn't care about the searching, shocked, and gossiping gazes around them. He picked Elena up in a horizontal carry and, like an enraged lion, rushed out of the banquet hall.

"Mr. Foster! The party isn't over yet..."

"Get out of the way!"

Julian kicked open the door to the hotel lounge, placed Elena on the sofa, and his hand trembled as he dialed Mark's number.

"Call a doctor immediately! Go to my apartment in the south of the city!"

"Uncle..." Elena coiled around him like a snake, her hand restlessly trying to unbutton his collar. "I'm uncomfortable... save me..."

Julian closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to maintain that bit of sanity that was about to turn to ash.

"Elena, do you have any idea what you're doing? You're joking with your own innocence!"

"I don't care!" Elena cried out loudly. "What I care about is you! Julian Foster, you coward! You clearly love me; why do you have to watch me suffer?"

Julian looked at her miserable yet enchanting appearance, and the high wall in his heart named "reason" finally collapsed with a bang at this moment.

He suddenly picked her up and strode toward the parking lot.

At this moment, let reputation, seniority, and the friendship between the Jiang and Foster families all go to hell.

He only wanted her.

The apartment in the south of the city.

This was an extremely secret residence; besides Julian Foster himself, even the Foster family elders didn't know about it.

Julian carried Elena into the bedroom and placed her on the large double bed.

The drug's effect had reached its peak, and Elena had completely lost her reason. She tore at her clothes, murmuring incoherently, her body rolling painfully on the sheets.

"Julian Foster... save me..."

Julian stood by the bed, gasping for air. His hands, which were always as steady as Mount Tai, were currently shaking violently.

He knew what he should do now—throw her into the bathtub for a cold shower, or wait for the doctor to arrive and administer a sedative.

But when he looked at Elena's small face, distorted by pain, and heard her shrill pleas, the defensive line in his heart completely collapsed.

He remembered her timid gaze when she first called him "Uncle" at sixteen.

He remembered her slyness when she secretly stuffed candy into his suit pocket at eighteen.

He remembered all the coldness and ridicule she had endured over the past four years to chase his back.

"I'm sorry, Elena."

Julian leaned down, tremblingly removing those gold-rimmed glasses that symbolized his reason.

He kissed her lips.

It was no longer punishment, no longer probing, but carried a tenderness that was almost like atonement.

When he truly possessed her, Julian felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment, yet it was accompanied by a heaviness as if falling into hell.

He had broken his rules.

The coldest and most noble Buddha-like figure in New York had finally fallen completely in the arms of the girl he had raised himself.

All night long, he asked for her tirelessly, as if wanting to vent all the suppression of the past four years at once.

In her daze, Elena felt his madness.

She cried, she laughed, tightly hugging his neck.

Julian Foster, if you truly love me, then let's go to hell together.

At dawn, the madness in the room finally ceased.

Julian held the exhausted and sleeping Elena, looking at the undried tear marks at the corners of her eyes, tenderly kissing them away bit by bit.

He had never felt himself to be so despicable.

Because he knew that after this night, that layer of disguised "uncle-niece" relationship between them would completely collapse.

And what would greet them would be overwhelming rumors and the thunderous rage of their families.

But he didn't regret it.

Even if he had to give up everything in the Foster family for this, he would absolutely never let go of this hand again.

However, Julian didn't know that at this moment, under the influence of the drug's side effects and extreme fatigue, Elena's consciousness was undergoing a desperate struggle.

What she saw in her dream was not Julian's deep affection.

But rather his expression, filled with guilt, helplessness, and even a hint of... being forced, when he carried her out of the banquet hall last night.

"He only did it to save me..."

"He just feels he has a responsibility."

In her dream, Elena sobbed uncontrollably.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the heavy curtains, slanting across the messy sheets.

When Elena Jiang opened her eyes, every bone in her body felt as if it had been taken apart and reassembled, aching intensely.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, those absurd, crazed, and even somewhat unbearable images from last night flashing through her mind like a fast-forwarded movie.

She turned her head and saw the man sitting on the sofa by the bed.

Julian Foster was already fully dressed. He was still that cold and noble self, but in the depths of those eyes, they were now filled with a tenderness even he hadn't noticed.

"Awake?" He walked over, holding a glass of warm honey water.

Elena didn't take it, but instead pulled up the covers, wrapping herself tightly.

"Julian Foster, about last night... thank you for saving me." Her voice was very cold, without a trace of temperature.

Julian's hand stiffened in mid-air.

"Saving you?" He chewed on those two words, his lips curling into a bitter smile. "Elena, do you think last night was just 'saving someone'?"

"Otherwise?" Elena looked up, staring straight at him, her eyes slightly red. "Because I drugged myself, because I threatened you that I'd find any man, so you had to sacrifice yourself to preserve the face of the Jiang and Foster families, to preserve your reputation as an 'uncle,' right?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Julian felt a bit flustered and reached out to touch her face.

Elena tilted her head to avoid him.

"Julian Foster, I'm not stupid. When you carried me out last night, I saw your eyes. It was guilt, it was pity, and even a hint of forced helplessness." Elena laughed self-deprecatingly. "I chased you for four years; the thing I want least is your pity."

She threw back the covers, enduring the intense pain in her body, and picked up the white dress on the floor that was already torn to pieces.

"From now on, we are even."

"Elena, where are you going?" Julian wanted to stop her.

"To a place without you, to find a man who truly loves me and doesn't want me just to be 'responsible'."

Elena decisively pushed him away and walked out of the bedroom without looking back.

Julian stood in place, looking at the stumbling back, his heart feeling as if it had been brutally hollowed out.

He wanted to tell her that every heartbeat and every demand last night originated from his suppressed, almost abnormal love of four years.

But he discovered that he couldn't say a single word.

Because Elena was right.

He indeed had too many concerns.

And these concerns, at this moment, became a blade that killed without drawing blood.

When Elena walked out of the apartment and the cold wind blew on her thin shoulders, she finally crouched by the roadside and cried aloud.

Julian Foster, you bastard.

Why didn't you lie to me?

Even if you lied and said you lost control last night too, I could have lied to myself for a lifetime.

But you were so clear-headed.

So clear-headed that even when loving someone, you had to calculate that bit of humble sense of responsibility.

On this day, Elena Jiang completely disappeared from New York.

Elena Jiang didn't leave New York.

She just moved out of Julian Foster's world completely and returned to the Jiang mansion.

She no longer went to the Foster Group building to wait for him, stopped following any of his social updates, and even changed his WeChat nickname from "Most Most Most Beloved Uncle" back to the most distant "Mr. Foster," and set it to "Do Not Disturb."

The girl who used to chatter incessantly on WeChat every day, sending various funny emojis and fragments of her life, seemed to have suddenly vanished into thin air.

Julian sat in his office, staring at the dialog box that hadn't been updated with a single message for ten whole days, feeling for the first time what "dead silence" meant.

He used to always complain she was too loud, too annoying. But now, that silence was like a rusty saw, repeatedly pulling at his heart.

"Mr. Foster, Miss Jiang had someone send this back yesterday." Secretary Mark held a small gift box, his expression somewhat awkward.

Julian opened it and saw the extremely precious set of jewelry he had given her, as well as those jade earrings his mother had left behind.

There was also a note in the box, the handwriting elegant but cold:

[Mr. Foster, the previous gifts were too precious; as a junior, I feel unworthy of them, so I am returning them in full. — Elena Jiang]

"Junior..."

Julian chewed on those two words, laughing self-deprecatingly.

He used to love using those two words to suppress her, to create distance. But now, those two words had become a chasm he couldn't cross.

He had originally thought Elena was just startled after that night and was hiding away to throw a tantrum. He had even wickedly thought that when she had thrown enough of a tantrum and discovered he didn't loathe her because of it, she would come skipping back as before.

But he was wrong.

Elena wasn't throwing a tantrum; she had truly given up.

She no longer loved him.

This realization made Julian feel an unprecedented panic.

He picked up his phone, his long fingers rubbing the screen for a long time, and finally sent his first message in a month:

[Julian Foster: Elena, are you feeling better lately?]

Five minutes passed. Half an hour passed. Three hours passed.

There was no response from that dialog box.

Julian irritably loosened his tie and walked to the window. He looked at the bustling night view of New York, yet felt like a lonely ghost trapped on a deserted island.

How had he not noticed before that without Elena's harassment, his life could be so uninteresting?

He couldn't help but want to see her.

Even if just a distant glance.

Julian Foster had never thought in his life that he would one day be so humble.

Since being blacklisted from her phone and having his WeChat set to "Do Not Disturb," his only channel for obtaining information had actually become "staking out" outside the Jiang mansion.

To be able to enter the door legitimately, he even began to flatter Mark Jiang, whom he once most disdained.

"Julian Foster, did you take the wrong medicine?" Mark Jiang looked at the top-tier golf club lifetime membership card Julian handed over, his mouth twitching. "Didn't you used to hate this kind of 'social bribery' most?"

"Before was before." Julian was expressionless, but his gaze involuntarily drifted toward that tightly closed window on the second floor. "Did Elena come downstairs today?"

"She did. She made an appointment with a few friends to go for a picnic in the suburbs, saying she wanted to breathe fresh air, and by the way... go on a blind date." Mark Jiang deliberately emphasized the last few words.

Julian's originally calm face instantly cracked.

"A blind date? She's only twenty!"

"Mr. Foster, you have a short memory. Twenty is already an adult legally. Isn't finding a well-matched boy of similar age to have a normal relationship exactly what you've always hoped to see?" Mark Jiang sneered and got into his car.

Julian stood in place, the air pressure around him frighteningly low.

Of course he didn't hope for that.

He used to think he could magnanimously watch her be happy, but when that moment was truly about to arrive, he discovered the beast in his heart was crazily gnawing at his reason.

He immediately got into his car and coldly instructed Mark: "Find out where she's having her picnic."

The suburbs, on the lawn.

Elena was sitting on a picnic blanket, holding a sandwich, listening with little interest to a financial talent across from her boasting.

"Miss Jiang, actually I have a lot of research into art as well, especially classical oil painting..."

"Is that so? That's quite good." Elena smiled perfunctorily, her thoughts drifting far away.

She had been feeling somewhat fatigued lately, and even lost interest in the desserts she used to love most, only wanting to eat something sour and spicy.

Just then, a black Maybach stopped exceptionally conspicuously at the edge of the grass.

Julian Foster, like a monarch patrolling his territory, strode over with long legs. He was also carrying an extremely exquisite food container, looking out of place among the picnic baskets.

"Mr. Foster?" Elena frowned. "Why are you here again?"

"Just passing by." Julian sat down naturally beside Elena, completely ignoring the murderous gaze of the financial talent opposite him.

"This is sour fish soup from Chen's; I remember you mentioned it once before." He opened the food container, and the sour and spicy aroma instantly spread.

Elena originally had no appetite, but after smelling this scent, she involuntarily swallowed.

"Mr. Foster, we are having a picnic right now; isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to bring sour fish soup?"

"As long as you want to eat it, it's not inappropriate." Julian ladled out a bowl of soup, carefully blowing on it. "Drink some."

The financial talent opposite could no longer bear it: "Sir, may I ask who you are..."

Julian didn't even lift an eyelid, his voice cold: "Her uncle. You can leave now; the Jiang family has no intention of an arranged marriage with a man who can't even afford sour fish soup."

The financial talent's face turned red with anger, and he picked up his basket and left.

"Julian Foster, are you crazy?" Elena put down her sandwich in anger.

"I am crazy." Julian looked directly into her eyes, his gaze full of naked paranoia. "Elena, if you want to go on blind dates, I will check the files of all eligible males in New York. As long as there is one better than me, I'll let go. If not, you can only look at me for the rest of your life."

Looking at his rogue and overbearing appearance, the sour feeling in Elena's heart welled up again.

She lowered her head and silently drank that bowl of sour fish soup.

Actually, she wanted to say, Julian Foster, if you had been this crazy earlier, would we have had to waste those four years for nothing?

But she didn't say it.

Because she discovered that she now barely even had the strength to speak.

Over the next half month, Julian Foster's behavior became even more excessive.

Wherever Elena Jiang appeared, Julian's cold face could surely be seen within a ten-meter radius.

He no longer considered himself a "senior," yet he was exercising rights more overbearing than any senior.

At auctions, he sat behind her; any item she looked at more than once, he would bid for without a word. At cocktail parties, he personally guarded the bar; anyone who wanted to hand Elena a drink would be deterred by his chilly gaze.

For a time, it was whispered in New York circles: the Jiang family's little princess had been "marked" by the Foster family's cold Buddha.

"Elena, this Julian Foster of yours—is he planning to play at forced possession?" Sarah Lin teased while touching up her makeup in the restroom. "Look at that gaze of his; he wishes he could swallow you whole."

Elena looked at her slightly haggard self in the mirror and twitched the corner of her mouth. "He probably feels he hasn't played enough yet."

"Hasn't played enough? I don't think so." Sarah lowered her voice. "The day before yesterday, I heard my brother say that Julian Foster directly stated at a dinner party that whoever dared to mention the word 'blind date' in front of Elena Jiang was making an enemy of the Foster Group. This isn't playing; this is him establishing his title."

Elena didn't speak. She had been feeling a faint pain in her lower abdomen lately, and that uncomfortable feeling made her somewhat anxious.

Walking out of the restroom, Julian was indeed guarding the door again.

He held a thin shawl and, without allowing any discussion, wrapped it around Elena's shoulders.

"The sea breeze is strong at night; don't catch a cold."

Elena struggled a bit but couldn't break free, her tone somewhat frustrated. "Julian Foster, just how long are you going to keep making a scene? You're making everyone very embarrassed."

"The ones who are embarrassed are them, not me." Julian leaned down, staring at her from close range. "Elena, are you not feeling well? I see your face looks very pale."

"It's none of your business." Elena pushed him away and walked out somewhat unsteadily.

Because she was walking too fast, her foot slipped, and she fell directly backward.

Julian was quick to catch her in his arms, his palm protecting her lower back, his tone full of panic: "Elena!"

Elena leaned against his chest, only feeling a wave of dizziness, and a strong sense of nausea instantly surged up her throat.

"Ugh—"

She dry-heaved onto Julian's extremely expensive suit without any warning.

The whole room instantly went quiet.

Julian didn't care about his soiled clothes; he looked at Elena's paper-white face and, connecting it to her strange eating habits lately, a ridiculous yet heart-pounding thought exploded in his mind.

"Elena... are you..."

"Get away!"

Elena, like a startled little animal, suddenly pushed him away and stumbled out of the hall.

At that moment, Julian stood in place, the touch of her slender waist still lingering in his palm.

His reason completely stalled in that instant.

He needed an answer.

Elena Jiang returned home and locked herself in her room.

She tremblingly pulled out a pregnancy test stick she had bought early in the morning from her drawer.

Five minutes later.

Looking at those two bright red lines, Elena felt like her world had collapsed.

Pregnancy.

This word was an absolute disaster for her at twenty.

Moreover, the biological father of this child was Julian Foster. The man who had once pushed her away, only to turn back and pester her.

"I can't keep it... I absolutely cannot keep it."

Elena covered her mouth tightly, not letting herself make a sound.

If Julian knew of this child's existence, he would definitely marry her out of "responsibility."

That kind of marriage carrying shackles, that kind of bond created because of an accident, was not what she wanted. What she wanted was Julian's pure love that crossed all obstacles, not a compromise as compensation.

That night, Elena suffered from insomnia.

She looked at the starry sky outside the window, her hand involuntarily covering her flat lower abdomen. A small life was currently gestating there, a small life carrying Julian's and her blood.

That feeling of blood connection made her waver for a moment.

But soon, that fear of being pushed away again occupied the high ground.

Early the next morning, she received a message from Julian.

[Julian Foster: Elena, open the door. I'm downstairs at your house; I'll take you to the hospital for a check-up.]

Elena looked at that message, a hint of desperate ruthlessness flashing in her eyes.

He had indeed guessed it.

In that case, let her be the one to put a full stop.

She picked up her phone, her fingertips dancing rapidly across the screen.

[Elena Jiang: Julian Foster, I'm pregnant.] [Elena Jiang: Two months. I've thought it through; this child shouldn't come into this world. Tomorrow morning at ten, I'll go to Renai Hospital for surgery. Telling you is just because you're the biological father; you have the right to know, but that's all.]

After sending this message, Elena directly turned off her phone and threw it into the trash can.

She didn't want to hear his explanation, didn't want to hear his pleading, and even more, didn't want to see that expression of his filled with "guilt."

She wanted him to know.

He, Julian Foster, could push her away, but she, Elena Jiang, could also thoroughly destroy the only connection between them.

Meanwhile, in the car downstairs.

Julian looked at that message, his brain going blank for a moment.

Then, an unprecedented, almost destructive panic rose from the soles of his feet.

"Elena... how dare you..."

He suddenly pushed open the car door. Due to the excessive force, the door slammed hard against the lamp post beside it.

"Mr. Foster!" Mark cried out in surprise.

Julian acted as if he hadn't heard; he rushed like a madman toward the Jiang family's iron gate, even disregarding his image to try and climb the wall with his bare hands.

"Open the door! Elena, open the door for me!"

His roar startled the entire Jiang family.

Mark Jiang rushed downstairs in his pajamas, looking at the almost crazed man outside the door, his eyes full of shock: "Julian Foster, did you take the wrong medicine?"

"Let her come out! Let Elena out!" Julian's eyes were bloodshot, like a beast whose cub had been taken away. "She's going to kill my child... how dare she!"

Mark Jiang was stunned.

The coffee cup in his hand fell to the floor.

"Child?"

10:00 AM, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renai Hospital.

Elena Jiang sat alone on the cold waiting chair, surrounded by pairs of expectant parents supporting each other with joyful faces.

That out-of-place coldness made her look like an outsider abandoned by the whole world.

"Elena Jiang, please proceed to Consultation Room 3."

The voice from the broadcast sounded like a death sentence.

Elena stood up stiffly, every step feeling like she was walking on the edge of a blade.

Just as she was about to push open the door to the consultation room, a series of rapid and messy footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

"Elena!"

Julian Foster's voice carried a heart-wrenching hoarseness.

He rushed over and, one second before the door closed, gripped the door frame tightly.

The back of his hand was full of abrasions, his originally neat suit was now wrinkled beyond belief, and a layer of fine sweat beads covered his forehead.

"Come with me."

As soon as Julian spoke, his voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

Without allowing any discussion, he grabbed Elena's wrist, the force so strong it felt like he would crush her bones.

"Let go of me!" Elena struggled, her gaze cold. "Julian Foster, what are you doing here? To see if my surgery is successful?"

"I said, come with me!" Julian roared in a low voice, suddenly pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly.

At that moment, Elena felt him trembling.

The Julian Foster who always remained calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before him was actually trembling right now.

"Elena... I beg you." His voice was close to her ear, carrying a sobbing tone that was humble to the point of dust. "Don't do the surgery; don't kill him. As long as you keep him, I'll do anything. You can have my life."

"Have your life?" Elena sneered, yet her tears fell uncontrollably. "What use do I have for your life? Julian Foster, you love that well-behaved and obedient Elena Jiang, not this madwoman now. You're begging me here because of this child, right?"

"No! It's because I love you!"

Julian suddenly let go of her and, in front of everyone in the corridor, knelt directly on the cold floor.

"I love you, Elena. From the first time you called me 'Uncle' when you were sixteen, I was already incurably sick."

Julian looked up, his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses now filled with broken deep affection.

"The reason I pushed you away after that night was because I was afraid. I was afraid that a thirty-year-old man like me, covered in the smell of money, would destroy you. I was afraid you only couldn't distinguish between admiration and love because you were young. All my restraint was because I loved you too much—loved you enough to want to preserve everything of yours, even if the price was pushing you away."

Elena was completely stunned.

She looked at this arrogant man, who was now like a child who had made a mistake, kneeling at her feet in repentance.

"These two months, the reason I didn't dare find you was because I thought you truly loathed me. I was going crazy every day, thinking of you every day until my heart was about to break... Elena, please, give me one more chance. Not for the child, but for me."

Looking into his bloodshot eyes, the indestructible iceberg in Elena's heart finally collapsed completely at this moment.

"Julian Foster... you're truly a bastard."

She cried aloud, swinging her fists to hit his shoulder with force.

Julian let her hit him until she was too tired to cry anymore, then he carefully pulled her back into his arms.

"Let's go, we're going home."

He carried her out of the hospital, which was filled with the smell of medicine.

Sunlight fell on the two of them; although somewhat blinding, it also carried a warmth of something lost and found again.

After returning from the hospital, Julian Foster took Elena Jiang directly back to his private villa in the suburbs, not the Foster mansion.

This was his most private territory, where no one had ever stepped foot.

"From today on, you live here."

Julian placed Elena on the soft sofa, his tone unquestionable, yet his movements were as gentle as if he were handling a fragile piece of porcelain.

"What about my things?" Elena asked, her voice still somewhat hoarse from crying.

"Assistant Mark has already moved everything over." Julian squatted in front of her, his large hands gently covering her abdomen. "Elena, I won't force you to do anything, but you must stay within my sight."

This was a kind of "forced cohabitation," but it was filled with an almost abnormal level of indulgence.

In the following days, the cold and noble Julian Foster seemed to have transformed into a completely different person.

He pushed all his work to the villa, and even during video conferences, he would keep Elena within his line of sight.

"Mr. Foster, the project in London..."

"Wait a moment."

Julian interrupted the senior executive's report on the screen, stood up, and walked to the balcony. He wrapped a thick blanket around Elena, who was dazing off.

"It's windy outside, don't catch a cold."

The senior executives on the other end of the screen were all dumbfounded. Was this still their decisive and ruthless CEO?

Elena looked at him, her gaze complicated. "Julian Foster, you don't have to do this. I'm not that fragile."

"In my eyes, you've always been this fragile." Julian kissed her forehead, his voice low and magnetic. "I've missed four years of your life; I want to make up for all of it now."

At night, Julian would always hold her to sleep.

He didn't do anything else, just hugged her tightly from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder, his breathing steady and warm.

"Elena, do you still hate me?" he asked in the darkness.

Elena didn't answer, but she didn't push him away either.

She could feel the deep insecurity hidden beneath Julian's powerful exterior. He was afraid she would leave again, afraid this was all just a dream.

One day, Sarah Lin came to visit.

Seeing Julian personally in the kitchen wearing an apron, meticulously stewing soup, Sarah's jaw almost hit the floor.

"Elena, I think Mr. Foster is truly possessed." Sarah whispered. "Do you know? The outside world is saying he's gone crazy for a woman."

Elena looked toward the kitchen, where the man's tall figure looked somewhat out of place in the steam, yet it was exceptionally reassuring.

"Maybe he's not possessed," Elena said softly, a faint smile finally appearing in her eyes. "He's just finally learned how to love someone."

However, the peace was soon broken.

Grandpa Jiang and the Foster family elders finally learned about their cohabitation.

A storm was brewing, but this time, Julian Foster stood firmly in front of Elena, shielding her from all the wind and rain.

The heavy gates of the Foster mansion slowly opened, and a suffocating atmosphere permeated the hall.

Grandpa Jiang and Old Master Foster sat in the high seats, their faces grim.

"Julian, do you know what you're doing?" Old Master Foster slammed his cane on the ground, his voice full of anger. "Elena is the granddaughter of the Jiang family! You're her uncle! This is a scandal that will ruin the reputation of both families!"

Julian Foster stood in the center of the hall, his hand tightly holding Elena's. His expression was calm, but his gaze was as firm as a rock.

"I know exactly what I'm doing," Julian said clearly. "I love Elena, and she is carrying my child. I will marry her."

"You... you unfilial son!" Old Master Foster was so angry his breathing became ragged.

Grandpa Jiang looked at Elena with disappointment in his eyes. "Elena, is this what you want? To be with someone who could be your elder?"

Elena took a deep breath, stepped forward, and looked directly at her grandfather. "Grandpa, for four years, I've chased after him. I've been hurt, I've cried, and I've wanted to give up. But now I know that he loves me just as much as I love him. This isn't about age or status; it's about two souls finding each other."

"Love?" Old Master Foster sneered. "Julian, you're the head of the Foster family. You should know that love is the most useless thing in our world."

"If love is useless, then my life is meaningless," Julian's voice was low but carried a chilling weight. "If you insist on opposing us, I will resign from all positions in the Foster Group and leave the Foster family with Elena."

The hall fell into a dead silence.

No one expected Julian to go this far. For a woman, he was willing to give up everything he had built over the years.

"You're threatening me?" Old Master Foster's eyes narrowed.

"It's not a threat, it's a choice," Julian pulled out a document from his pocket and placed it on the table. "This is my resignation letter. I've already transferred all my personal shares to Elena. From now on, she is the largest shareholder of the Foster Group. If you want to kick her out, you'll have to kick out the entire company's future."

This was Julian's ultimate move—his four-year deeply hidden humility and calculation, all for this moment.

He had spent four years building an empire, not for himself, but to have the power to protect her when this day finally came.

Grandpa Jiang sighed, his gaze softening as he looked at the two of them. "Julian, you've really thought this through."

"I've thought about it for four years, every single day," Julian looked at Elena, his eyes full of tenderness.

In the end, under Julian's absolute power and unwavering determination, the two families had to compromise.

As they walked out of the Foster mansion, the evening sun bathed them in a golden glow.

"Julian, why didn't you tell me you had prepared all this?" Elena asked, her eyes moist.

"Because I wanted to give you a world where no one could hurt you," Julian pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. "Elena, from now on, you don't have to chase the light anymore. Because I will be your light, forever."

Six months later.

The grandest wedding of the century was held on a private island in the Mediterranean.

The entire island was covered in white roses, Elena Jiang's favorite flower.

Elena wore a custom-made wedding dress, her slightly protruding abdomen adding a touch of maternal radiance to her beauty.

Julian Foster stood at the end of the flower-strewn aisle, his eyes never leaving his bride for a second.

As Elena's father handed her hand to Julian, the man who was always cold and composed actually had tears in his eyes.

"I, Julian Foster, take you, Elena Jiang, to be my wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."

Julian's voice was steady and solemn, like a sacred vow engraved in his soul.

"I, Elena Jiang, take you, Julian Foster, to be my husband..."

As they exchanged rings and kissed under the cheering of their friends and family, the four years of chasing, the pain of push and pull, and the fear of the future all vanished in this moment of pure happiness.

That night, on the balcony of their villa overlooking the moonlit sea.

Julian held Elena from behind, his hands gently stroking her belly.

"The baby kicked," he whispered, his voice full of wonder.

"He's probably excited for the wedding too," Elena leaned back against his chest, feeling the warmth and heartbeat that now belonged entirely to her.

"Elena, thank you for not giving up on me," Julian kissed her earlobe. "Thank you for chasing me for four years, and for giving me the chance to chase you for the rest of my life."

"I was just chasing the light," Elena turned around, her arms around his neck. "And I finally caught it."

"No," Julian looked into her eyes, which were brighter than the stars. "You are the light. You are the only light in my world."

In the intertwining of light and shadow, they shared a kiss that tasted of forever.

The story of the "Ultimate Push-Pull" finally concluded with the most beautiful "HE" (Happy Ending).

From sixteen to twenty-four, from "Uncle" to "Husband," their love had crossed the boundaries of time and status, becoming a legend in New York's elite circles.

And for Julian and Elena, their real life of "Extreme Favoritism" had just begun.

(The End)