027 | Chapter Twenty-Seven - Congratulations to the Master and Madam on the arrival of their son and daughter!

—Is it time to go through postpartum confinement again?

After learning that Diaz was not in mortal danger, Xiaoyue's condition improved significantly, and she even gradually stopped needing her antidepressants.

Because she finally understood that in the face of life and death, those unintentional mistakes seem particularly insignificant.

It's not that she doesn't hate, nor that she has truly moved on.

Instead, she hopes that Diaz can remain healthy throughout this process, facing it together with her and the children.

The biting winter winds are gradually coming to an end, and the earth is covered by a fresh sense of hope. Even though there is still a hint of coldness, you can feel a brand new atmosphere taking over.

Two weeks have passed.

Xiaoyue suffered a postpartum hemorrhage during childbirth, so her recovery period had to be extended. Diaz hadn't left the brothel since that day, and even when Sain came to earnestly persuade him to rest, he was ruthlessly rejected.

"Vincent... has it been since I got pregnant that you haven't had a proper night's sleep?" Xiaoyue watched as Sain sighed and closed the door, then turned to the man in her arms, his strong arms tightly wrapped around her waist, like a large, affectionate dog refusing to leave.

"You've already fainted from exhaustion so many times, can you finally listen to me and get some rest this time?" Xiaoyue gently stroked the stray hairs on his forehead, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction and peace.

"I'm a godfather of the underworld, I don't need to sleep. Compared to that..." He raised his head, his brown eyes filled with a cunning light, and said in a low, husky, and magnetic voice, "I love you, wife."

This blunt confession instantly turned her ears red. She had originally wanted to say something accusing, but those words silenced her completely.

From that day on, the man really did say "I love you" three times a day, and he wouldn't be satisfied until he heard a reply. He had been doing this for two weeks without missing a single time.

"I……"

"I...I also..." Xiaoyue's eyes began to drift to the side, her cheeks gradually flushed, and her throat felt like it was being pressed down by a heavy stone, unable to utter a sound.

Diaz looked at her with amusement, then drew closer and closer...

Getting closer and closer—

Only when he kissed her lips with a forceful and firm attitude, prying open her hesitant lips and teeth, plundering all her fragrance, and watching her breath become disordered, would he pull away with satisfaction and coax her in a low voice: "...Say it."

"You know what I want to hear."

As he spoke, he gently kissed the corners of her lips and the side of her neck. Even though his touch was not rough at all, it was irresistible, and she was completely captivated by his affectionate seduction.

"I……"

Xiaoyue pursed her lips, her delicate and luscious appearance a color that Diaz had "personally" applied. Her blushing cheeks were deepened, and her breathing had lost its rhythm.

Seeing Diaz lean closer again because of her hesitation, she widened her eyes in panic.

"I love you too!"

"...Husband." She responded softly, but almost bit her tongue because of shyness.

But when the words came out, a feeling of relief welled up inside me... It seemed that because of these words, we could finally be so open and natural as ordinary people to express our feelings to each other.

Diaz was very satisfied with the reply, gently pecked her lips, and chuckled softly.

"I never thought I'd have a day like this," he added.

"Saying 'I love you' so bluntly and shamelessly, if the other bosses knew, they'd probably laugh their heads off, right?" Although Diaz said this, there wasn't a trace of regret in his eyes. Instead, he looked at her tenderly as if he had found a treasure. "But... I'm happy to."

"You need to be mentally prepared, Xiaoyue..." His eyes were filled with a sweetness so intense it could drip honey, and his low, husky voice was incredibly alluring.

"Since you've forced me to say such things, you'll never escape me in this lifetime."

"wrong."

"Even if I die... I'll crawl to your side, I won't leave you for a single step."

The moment he finished speaking, he pulled Xiaoyue into a tight embrace, as if he wanted to pour out all his emotions while controlling his strength, afraid of making her uncomfortable.

Just then, the local phone on the bedside table rang. He answered it reluctantly after a few seconds, his brow furrowing.

"Okay, I got it."

After hanging up, Diaz stood up and walked towards the door, sighing resentfully like a dog whose bone had been stolen.

"The nursery said the twins were hungry and asked me to take them." He looked at Xiaoyue reluctantly, then continued, "Two more little brats have joined the fight over my milk, sigh—!"

"I finally found out I'm not sick anymore, but I still can't hug my woman." As if unwilling to give up, he deliberately spoke in a high-pitched tone.

Then, with a flourish, she left those words behind, slamming the door behind her without looking back.

Xiaoyue, who remained in the ward, chuckled. The happiness in her heart was like a ray of sunlight shining through the window, warmly nourishing her entire body.

After leaving the ward, Diaz strode towards the nursery, taking out his phone as he did so. His expression, which had been gentle and docile just moments before, was instantly replaced by a cold one.

"That woman still hasn't been found?" His voice was low and impatient. "Seven months have passed, and his mother still hasn't been found?"

"Disappeared...? Did I raise you bunch of trash just to hear this kind of talk?" Diaz stopped in the central courtyard, his tone filled with surprise and dissatisfaction. He glanced back at the depths of the corridor and deliberately lowered his voice.

"Whether she's dead or alive, drag that woman Mary to me."

Those brown eyes seemed to be covered by a black vortex, their fierce color boiling in the pale light.

"And that 'Olima,' find out all about that guy."

"The guy who never shows up at the negotiating table..."

"There's definitely something fishy going on." He quickly gave the instructions, then hung up the phone, put on his fatherly expression, and headed towards the nursery.

"Oh dear—are my little brats hungry?"

"Let's go find Mom."

No one expected that the fearsome East Coast Godfather would speak to his own child in such a sweet and contrasting tone, but the nurses almost huddled in a corner, not daring to approach him rashly.

When Diaz wheeled the twins into the ward, Xiaoyue was sitting on the edge of the bed scrolling through her phone. This was the first time she had seen her children in two weeks. A deep, soul-deep connection quickly enveloped her, but at the same time, she felt a mix of guilt and awkwardness.

When she finally saw her child face to face, her eyes welled up with tears again, which flowed silently like a spring, yet warmed her guilty heart.

"They're so beautiful... Vincent." She wiped away her tears and reached out, pleading, "Let me hug them."

Diaz first picked up the girl and handed her to Xiaoyue, seemingly wanting to observe her condition first, while reminding her, "Don't forget the wound, don't hold her for too long."

But when that soft, sweet-smelling newborn falls into your arms, the satisfaction and emotion are indescribable.

"If it's a girl, what would you like to call her?" He looked at Xiaoyue's touched face, his expression gradually relaxing. He picked up his son and played with him in his arms. "It's up to you to decide."

When this "choice" falls on her shoulders, it's a direct affirmation for Xiaoyue. Looking at her daughter in her arms, her eyes always well up with tears and her nose tingles.

Has the time finally come when she can finally have "control"?

At that moment, she remembered the name Diaz had written in his suicide note and smiled slightly.

"...How about we call her Marlene?" Xiaoyue looked up, seemingly seeking his final approval, while Diaz's eyes softened, and he gave an uncharacteristic smile.

"...Diaz Marlene," he murmured softly, his smile deepening with appreciation and affirmation. "Well done, my wife."

Upon hearing his agreement, Xiaoyue was immediately enveloped in a feeling of happiness. She hugged Marlene even tighter and gently called out, "Marlene, from now on you'll be called Marlene! My little cutie."

But the twins, who were already starving, had lost their patience and started crying loudly. Diaz sat down next to her with her son in his arms, seemingly at a loss.

Although I already had experience taking care of Mark, I was still a little overwhelmed when both children started crying at the same time.

"What...what should we do, honey?"

"How are you going to feed him? Do you want me to make him some formula first?" He looked at Xiaoyue, clearly flustered. "Since he's my child, it's okay if he doesn't drink breast milk, right?"

Xiaoyue was actually a little unsure, but when she heard the baby cry, her maternal instincts kicked in. She had a similar experience with Mark, so her breasts quickly began to swell and she felt a little uncomfortable.

"Otherwise... I'll let Marlene try it first, and then switch to my son after she's had her fill." She looked at Diaz, expressing her opinion, and pulled open her clothes, bringing her nipple close to Marlene's little mouth that was searching for milk.

Breastfeeding is an almost instinctive action. After feeling the nipple, Ma Lin began to suckle. However, after nearly two weeks of separation, she seemed uncomfortable with her mother's nipple and kept making whimpering noises. Xiao Yue patiently squeezed her breasts to stimulate milk production.

Seeing this, Diaz, though it was inappropriate, reacted immediately. A burning, sharp pain shot through his groin; his Adam's apple bobbed repeatedly, and he patted his son's bottom intermittently, his eyes glazed over.

"……Hold."

Finally, he silently withdrew his gaze, cursed under his breath, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down.

Diaz focused his attention on his son, lost in thought. "This kid does look a lot like his father..."

"He's not exactly handsome, but he has a big frame; looks like he'll be tall someday." His hand gently glided across the child's soft skin, softly squeezing his son's hands and feet, his eyes filled with pride and love. "You said..."

"How about I call him 'Ma Long'?" He didn't turn to Xiao Yue because he could already hear Ma Lin suckling at her breast, making those soft and satisfied sounds. He was afraid that if he turned to look at her now, his little brother would start to stand up again.

He hadn't touched this woman for a full six months... and now just seeing her sitting next to him was enough to make him painfully hard.

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyue turned her head, thought for a moment, and nodded in satisfaction, agreeing: "I think this name is very good."

"Marlon and Marlene..." She held Marlene in one hand, making sure she could drink milk peacefully, and reached out to Diaz with the other hand, gently taking his fingertips in her hand. "We have two more children now, honey."

Her voice was gentle and happy, but his shoulders jolted violently the moment they touched. He then turned his head sharply, a ferocious expression on his face, a smile mixed with gritted teeth, and said in a low voice, "You woman..."

"I've been holding back for so long, and you're still laughing like this..." He moved closer to Xiaoyue, a distance that made it hard to back away, yet also made one feel tense.

"You said..."

He effortlessly cradled Malone in his arms, their breaths almost mingling, their lips touching, his deep voice sounding like some kind of seduction.

He gently kissed her lips, reluctantly pulling away, and spoke again at very close range—

"This damn postpartum period, how much longer do I have to stay in it?"

In the sunlit private hospital room, the two sat side by side, their figures dappled with light, creating a picture of happiness on the wall.

This time, Xiaoyue was certain that she had truly married the right person.

She had once suspected that she had Stockholm syndrome, but after so long, she gradually became certain that her feelings for Diaz were neither dependent nor forced.

Rather, it was through getting to know each other and clashing that his softness and scars shaped him into who he is today. Whether he's swearing or acting rudely, he's incredibly protective of her, and his almost forceful decisions are a manifestation of his fear of rejection.

Her falling in love with Diaz was not inevitable.

It comes from choice.