Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Xia Ziyan’s Return

Sylvia Lancaster never thought that in this world, she and Ethan Sutton would end up as an unhappy couple!

According to Simon Lancaster, she had suffered a great deal after marrying Ethan Sutton.

Sylvia Lancaster found this utterly unacceptable. ’This is just too ridiculous!’ she thought. In her past life, Ethan Sutton had been her loyal lapdog, helping her suppress and humiliate Melody Summers.

And the reason for her divorce from Ethan Sutton was, of all things, because she was pregnant with another man’s child!

Simon had said the child was the result of her being assaulted by robbers, but Sylvia felt that couldn’t be the truth. Her counterpart in this world hadn’t told Simon the whole story.

Sylvia thought, ’If the child really was from some unknown robber, as Simon said, then my other self would never have chosen to keep it. The risks and rewards wouldn’t be proportional. I would never do something so stupid.’

’Since she chose to keep the child, the father must be someone of status!’

Thinking of Flynn Adler’s contact in her WeChat list, she felt there was a ninety percent chance the child was his!

’She chose to risk keeping this child to leave herself a fallback plan with Flynn Adler!’

’If that’s the case, then it all makes sense...’

’Because she didn’t dare let her legitimate husband, Ethan Sutton, find out about her affair, she must have deleted her chats every time she contacted Flynn Adler. That’s why their chat history is blank.’

At this thought, Sylvia Lancaster sighed, a complicated feeling welling up inside her.

Besides that, what moved Sylvia the most in Simon Lancaster’s story was the part about her biological parents.

Simon said that she had once told him she was doing very well and that her biological parents loved her very much.

Sylvia recalled seeing her chat history with Lily Adler. Lily would transfer her money from time to time with notes like, "Pocket money for my darling Sylvia," and "For my baby to buy something she likes..."

It was clear that her biological mother, Lily Adler, truly loved her.

Unfortunately, by the time she arrived in this world, Lily Adler had already been taken away by the police. Barring any surprises, she would soon be executed.

Sylvia felt a faint pang of sadness, but she quickly consoled herself. ’It doesn’t matter if I don’t have my birth mother, Lily Adler. Having Elaine Hughes as my mother is enough!’

’Elaine Hughes’s love for me isn’t any less than Lily Adler’s!’

’Besides, in this world, Melody Summers has chosen not to return to the Lancaster family, which means I’ll be their only daughter!’

At this thought, Sylvia Lancaster’s spirits rallied.

She took Simon Lancaster’s hand and said, "Big Brother, I want to be discharged. The doctor said I’m recovering quickly and can recuperate at home. Can you check me out, please?"

For some unknown reason, the wound on Sylvia’s abdomen was healing remarkably fast, so much so that even the doctors were amazed.

With her memories from her past life, Sylvia knew that the extreme cold and snowfall would begin in two days. She couldn’t waste any more time in the hospital. She had to go home and plan a survival strategy with her whole family.

Simon Lancaster was a little worried to hear this. In the past, he would have definitely persuaded Sylvia to stay in the hospital a while longer.

But now, thinking of the sky-high hospital fees...

Simon Lancaster nodded and replied, "Alright. I’ll go handle the discharge paperwork right now! We’ll go home so you can recover!"

***

Meanwhile, after hanging up on Sylvia Lancaster, Melody Summers returned to the villa from the residential area, ready for dinner.

But as soon as she stepped into the living room, she saw someone unexpected.

Miss Lowell and her grandmother were sitting in the living room, along with her aunt, Grace Sutton, who hadn’t been home for days. Grace looked like she had just gotten back, a hint of exhaustion on her face. Everyone was sitting together, chatting happily.

And next to Grace Sutton sat a handsome young man in a military uniform.

His complexion was fair, with sharp brows, bright eyes, and a high-bridged nose. He stood as tall and straight as a pine, and the uniform on him, far from making him seem stiff, only added to his heroic air.

When Melody Summers saw him, she blurted out in pleasant surprise, "Ian Summers! What are you doing back?!"

Ian Summers heard Melody’s voice and looked up at her, his eyes also full of joy.

He walked over to Melody in a few strides, first giving her a tight hug, then excitedly taking her by the shoulders to look her over. "Let me get a look at you!" he said repeatedly. "It’s been over two years. How have you gotten thinner?"

Ian Summers was the only son of Grace Sutton and Colin Summers. He had grown up with Melody Summers, and the two cousins were very close. As children, they had run barefoot through every corner of Mount Anworth together.

Later, Melody went away to university while Ian joined the army, and the two were separated. Though they embarked on different journeys, their bond never weakened.

Looking at Ian Summers, Melody felt as if a lifetime had passed.

In Melody’s memory, the last time they had seen each other was in her previous life, during a final, tragic parting with their family.

Back then, their entire family, aside from the two of them, had died in a mudslide. Melody was overcome with grief, and when Ian heard the news and came home, he and Melody held each other and wept for a long time.

Afterward, Melody and Ian arranged the family’s funerals together. A few days later, the cataclysm struck, and Ian was urgently recalled to his unit to participate in disaster relief efforts across the country.

Melody looked at Ian and asked in surprise, "How are you back?"

In her last life, Melody hadn’t seen Ian again before she died. But in this life, he had somehow come home early.

Grace Sutton, standing nearby, heard this and said with a smile, "His unit was the one stationed at our factory while we were locked down for the rush order!"

The clothing factory where Grace Sutton worked had spent the last two months producing cold-weather gear according to government orders. Because of the frequent unrest following the natural disasters, lawless elements were constantly trying to seize state supplies, so the government had dispatched troops to guard the factories.

As it happened, the unit sent to guard Grace Sutton’s factory was Ian Summers’s own!

Grace continued, "The factory’s work was all completed today, so they’re starting a break. Ian’s commanding officer knew his family was here, so he specially granted him leave to come home and visit."

During these cataclysmic times, survival was difficult and accidents were frequent. People were dying in this disaster every minute of every day. Under such circumstances, military leaders also hoped their soldiers would have the chance to spend more time with their families. After all, no one knew if this meeting would be their last...

Ian Summers nodded and added, "But I only have two days’ leave. I have to go back the day after tomorrow."

At this, the smile vanished from Grace Sutton’s face. For once, the usually optimistic and cheerful woman wore a worried expression.

She really didn’t want to be separated from her child again. In a time of disaster, what parent could rest easy with their child out there, especially going to one dangerous place after another?

But she also knew this was Ian’s duty as a soldier, and she couldn’t stop him.

Miss Lowell and Grandma patted Grace’s hand comfortingly. Grandma then said, "It’s rare for the family to be together. Let’s call Winnie and Colin and have them come home early today. We’ll have a lively reunion dinner tonight as a family!"

Grace Sutton nodded at her words. She quickly composed herself, stood up with a smile, and rolled up her sleeves. "I’ve been eating and sleeping at the factory all this time and couldn’t get any decent food. Now that I’m finally home, I’m going to cook myself and make a few extra special dishes!"

With that, the family called Winnie Summers and Colin Summers. Hearing that Ian and Grace were home, they were both surprised and delighted, and said they would take leave to come back early.

After the calls, the family went into the kitchen together and got busy preparing a magnificent reunion dinner.