"Derek?" Rose was at a loss when she heard the busy tone on the phone.
"Laura, Derek hung up on me?" Rose hoped that Laura could give her an answer.
"This time, he won't help us. Let's think of another way." Laura made Rose sit.
Laura was willing to pay a big sum of money to find someone to solve the problem.
After the company system was hacked that day, they were still cheering for the departure of the hacker.
However, when they went to work the next day, all the data were still not accessible. It was transformed into little monkeys. They ran all over the screen and even fought in groups. The employees were almost driven crazy.
Laura almost drove Peter crazy. The man had aged overnight, but he still had no way to deal with the monkeys running all over the screen.
Laura lit a cigarette. She almost didn't smoke, yet this matter annoyed her. Rose and Derek were engaged at first, and they had two children. It was an absolute victory for her. Rose would become the hostess of the Scott family. By then, the Hopkinson family would gain a higher status.
But everything was ruined when Emily appeared. Laura crushed the cigarette butt. Why did Emily not die five years ago? Why did she come back to destroy Rose's happiness?
Laura didn't allow herself to be in a low mood for too long. After the smell of the cigarette dissipated, she was still a noble and beautiful madam.
She called Ash over. "We must deliver the goods soon. If we can't deliver them on time, we'll suffer from a huge loss from compensation and run out of cash!"
Ash also knew the severity of the current situation. He stayed in the company for the past two days and tried to look for a skilled hacker to solve the problem.
Soon, the upper-class families knew that the Hopkinson Group was attacked by a hacker. On one hand, they laughed at Ash. Since Bennett died, the Hokinson family also got weaker. On the other hand, they reinforced their companies' firewalls, afraid that their networks would be hacked too.
After all, all families have secrets.
At the Scott's.
For the whole night, Aaron was very depressed. Although he was usually very quiet, Derek and Ian, who were familiar with him, could sense Aaron's emotions.
Derek called Aaron's doctor. When he hung up the phone, Derek kept recalling the doctor's words.
Emily was the only bridge between Aaron and the world.
Derek thought about this and then took out a piece of candy from his pocket.
He quit smoking a long time ago. Since he had Aaron and Ian, he stopped smoking. When he was in a fret, he would eat candy instead.
Derek came to Aaron's room. He knocked on the door and walked in.
Aaron did not speak. He lowered his head and kept repeating the same action with his fingers.
Derek waited for a while, but Aaron didn't stop.
"Aaron, I know you like Emily very much and that you want to be with her. However, Ian and I love you very much. We have been waiting for you at home. Last night, Ian was crying. We all need you very much," Derek said gently.
Aaron stopped moving and looked up at Derek.
"Ian and I are your family, so we live together. However, even though you and Emily are not family, you can still be friends with her. You can meet her often, and sometimes, you can stay in her house," Derek tried to explain to Aaron.
After a while, Aaron nodded and he accepted Derek's explanation, which made Derek heave a sigh of relief.
"I will take you for a bath, okay?" Derek quickly asked when he saw that Aaron was in a good mood.
Aaron nodded.
Derek prepared the bathtub and put Aaron in the warm water.
'I seem to have forgotten something,' Derek thought for a long time, but he couldn't recall anything.
At this time, Ian angrily pushed open the door.
"Daddy, Aaron! Have you forgotten me?" Ian said angrily.
Derek instantly remembered what he had forgotten. "No. Today I said that I would sleep with you and Aaron. How could I forget?" Derek only remembered to comfort Aaron, forgetting that Ian was still waiting for him.
"Really?" Ian was still very angry. His face was red. Derek only remembered to sleep with Aaron. It was too hateful.
"Yes, I was just about to ask Charlie to bring you here," Derek quickly answered.
"Alright, I believe you." Ian climbed onto the bed and sat down with Aaron. "Aaron, I miss you so much. Did you miss me?" Ian looked at Aaron with his big eyes. Ian seemed to be saying, "Hurry up and say that you missed me too."
Under Ian's eager gaze, Aaron nodded.
"I like Daddy and Aaron the most," Ian said happily.
"Then who do you like better, me or Aaron?" Derek teased Ian.
Ian thought about it awkwardly for a long time. Finally, he said confidently, "I don't want to choose one. I like Daddy and Aaron equally, but I must be your favorite!"
Derek smiled. Because of Ian, Derek felt less worried.
He bent down and kissed Ian on the forehead. "You are right. Aaron and I love you the most."
Ian laughed proudly.
Aaron looked at Ian and also smiled.
Seeing Aaron's smiling face, Derek was completely relieved. Derek knew Emily was important to Aaron.
On the big bed, the father and sons snuggled together. Aaron and Ian lay down on both sides of Derek.
"Daddy, tell us a story." Ian hurriedly took out the book and asked Derek to read it.
Derek opened it and began reading. His voice was very gentle. Ian soon fell asleep. Derek gently closed the book and placed it on the bedside table.
Derek had just put the book away and turned around when he saw Aaron looking at him.
"Aaron, aren't you going to sleep?" Derek asked softly, afraid of waking Ian up. Ian had not slept well last night, so Derek didn't want to disturb Ian.
Aaron blinked. Just as Derek thought that Aaron would not answer him, Aaron spoke to him.
"Good night, Daddy." Aaron's voice was so soft that Derek almost could not hear it.
Derek was stunned. He tried to suppress the joy in his heart and remain calm.
"Good night, Aaron," he said tenderly, his voice trembling.
Derek wanted to call the doctor immediately, but he restrained his urge. He didn't want to scare Aaron.
He took a few deep breaths and then relaxed. He lay in bed and suddenly remembered Emily's smile. Her smile was so warm, like the sunlight in winter, making people warm.
'Aaron chose Emily. Her smile will probably make him open his heart to this world,' Derek couldn't help thinking.