Author INA의 작품

"Natalie! Natalie!!!" Natalie blinked multiple times, realizing she had been daydreaming about what she planned to do. But something didn’t feel right. She knew she had to do this, but she didn’t want to see her best friend taken away. "Are you okay, Natalie?" Fred asked for the umpteenth time. She pursed her lips and gazed at him, giving a slight nod. "Yeah… I'm fine." "Are you thinking about Bethany? If you are… don’t worry. She’ll be fine, back to her senses, and hopefully not all—" At the mention of Bethany, Natalie clenched her fists. "Really? I feel like you don’t want her to remember me… what we had as best friends!" Shaking his head violently, Fred scoffed. "Are you crazy?" He laughed. "I’m going crazy for my best friend! All I want to know is why you wouldn’t want her to remember her past!" Shocked, Fred leaned in. "Are we supposed to have this conversation?! Don’t you remember when Bethany wanted to kill herself because of her past? Or have you forgotten her

Fred's eyes softened as he processed Bethany’s words. Who are you?His brows furrowed, and he stepped closer. “You don’t know me?” he asked softly.Bethany gazed into his eyes, tilting her head. “No… Are you the doctor?”Jill let out an awkward laugh while tucking Bethany in. “Oh yes, honey, he’s the doctor. But you ought to know me! High school… your home… your parent figure?”Bethany responded without hesitation, leaving both of them stunned. “I… really don’t know who you are. Can… can I see Maria?” she asked weakly.Jill and Fred exchanged glances before Fred exhaled slowly, palming his forehead.“We’ll be back, honey!” Jill forced a smile before dragging Fred out of the ward.Once outside, Fred yanked his arm away. “Stop controlling me!” he snapped.“I am not controlling you! But you had better fix this mess. What the hell is wrong with you?” She stomped her foot, her eyes blazing. “I knew you were no good—juggling two sisters like they were a pair of juggling balls. Do you have a

**AT THE HOSPITAL** Fred tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for two things—Dean to be caught and Bethany’s condition to stabilize. He stood up from his chair and glanced over at Jill, who was busy applying makeup. She hadn’t changed one bit. How could she be so carefree when her daughter was in the hospital? Suddenly, the doctor approached. “Mr. Fred?” Fred tilted his head, his voice laced with worry. “Doctor! How is she? Is she okay?” The doctor sighed. “She’s stable, but her memories are groggy. The last thing you should do right now is remind her of her past, present, or future.” “Can I see her?” Jill interjected, taking what felt like ages to get to her feet. “Yes… yes, you can. But remember, follow the rules if you want her to recover properly.” “Okay… thank you, doctor.” Fred gave a warm smile, then walked toward the ward without sparing Jill a glance. Inside, Bethany lay on the hospital bed, IV drips attached to her fragile frame. Taking a deep breath, Fred

FLASHBACKFifteen-year-old Bethany was washing clothes, occasionally glancing at her mother, Jill, who was playing the role of a philanthropist—helping other women. They would come to their house, and Jill would hand them good clothes and money. But despite her mother's generosity, Bethany couldn't help but wonder why they still lived in near-poverty. Her mother wore expensive outfits, yet her father and she barely had enough to get by."Do a good job and come back for more. Don't you dare make me look bad. I trust you, sweetie!" Jill called out, waving goodbye to the women before turning toward Bethany.Bethany set the clothes aside, crossing her arms over her chest. She watched her mother approach, admiring the confidence she exuded."My pretty baby... You're going to inherit everything I have, and I couldn't be happier!" Jill beamed.A smile formed on Bethany's face. "Mom! Can I try on one of your dresses? I love how they feel on my body!"Jill arched a brow, her expression unread

OUTSIDE THE HOSPITALJohn was dragging Sarah’s hand outside as he came to a halt and pulled out his phone.Tired and frustrated, Sarah yanked her hand away and growled, “What the hell is wrong with you? What do you think you’re doing? And did you see that woman inside? Who wears a green shawl over a red dress? That’s a crime on its own.”Ignoring her, he fidgeted with his phone and kept dialing. His hands were shaking.“Why isn’t he picking up? Call him on your phone.”Sarah groaned and tried calling Dean, but the line wouldn’t go through. John was clearly panicking now. He ran a hand down his face and muttered, “We have to warn Dean. He shouldn’t be anywhere near the streets.”Frustrated, Sarah grabbed his collar and yelled, “For Bethany’s sake, tell me what’s going on! I thought Dean was scared of you. So why are you afraid of him?”John hesitated before answering, “Because… I’ve seen this before. Ten years ago, when he was in high school, he took my phone and connected himself to e

FLASHBACK: FIVE YEARS AGOBethany set the plate of food down on the dining table, her hands trembling slightly. Spaghetti and meatballs—Fred’s favorite. She knew it wasn’t the best meal for him before work, but she needed something from him.She glanced at the digital clock, tapping her foot impatiently. “Why is he taking forever? Sweetie, are you turning into a woman?” she called out mockingly.Sighing, she sat at the table, waiting. When Fred finally emerged, she blinked in surprise. He was wearing a pristine white suit—one she had never seen him wear before.“So? What do you think? Extravagant, right? I know, I know!” he laughed, twirling in place.Bethany pursed her lips. “Wow! You just pushed the word ‘bride’ right out of my mouth!”“Come on, Bethany. Be serious for once. My dad’s visiting the office today. I need to impress him and be on my best behavior.”Bethany bit her lip and stepped toward him, tugging on his collar. “Yes, baby. You rock that beautiful, sexy suit.”Fred smi

NEXT MORNINGDante's POVI woke up feeling grumpy, my head throbbing with a familiar ache. The morning sunlight streaming through the window only intensified my irritation. My mom's meddling was the last thing I needed. Why did she always have to pry into my business? I thought I was the head of the family business, not her.Standing up from the plush bed, I opened the window to gaze out at the expansive pool below, its crystal-clear waters sparkling in the morning light. The sound of gentle lapping against the pool's edges was a brief respite from my anger.Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door, unusual since the maids knew better than to disturb me after 8 am. It couldn't be my mom; she never knocked. That left one possibility: Vanessa, the naive newcomer."Come in!" I yelled, my deep voice echoing through the room.Vanessa entered, dressed in a crisp maid's uniform, a tray of delicacies in her hands. Her bright red and black hair was tied back in a neat bun, and her green eyes spa

*Vanessa's POVI opened my mouth in fear as I saw the strand of red hair in his hand. What is happening? Am I dreaming? "There's no way my hair ended up in this room," I thought, my mind racing. I never cleaned his room, and I certainly didn't steal his drugs."Tell me... now! Why did you do it?" Dante yelled, his deep voice echoing off the walls, making my heart almost stop. His piercing gaze seemed to bore into my soul."I...," I began, but memories of Jade flooded my mind. Wait... did Jade set me up? I blinked rapidly, and my gaze met Jade's, who was laughing in the corner, her eyes gleaming with malice.The rage boiling inside me manifested in my actions as I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists, trying to break free from the guards. "You bitch... you set me up! How dare you? I saved you from that monster, and now you're shoving me under the bed!" I spat, my voice venomous.I couldn't get to her, but I heard her mocking laughter, fueling my fury. The nerve to betray me after I

Vanessa's povThe knife pressed against my palm as I deliberated my next action. Should I kill her for intimidating me or let her go? I raised the blade but stopped midway, throwing it to the floor. The noise didn’t even wake her. She was so intoxicated that not even an earthquake could rouse her. Regardless, I saw no reward or good outcome in killing her. I still needed to find my sister, and the last thing I wanted was to end up dead—or to make another enemy. At some point, I wanted to give up, but thoughts of my sister—how she was breathing, eating, drinking—rekindled my determination. I groaned and muttered before leaving, “Jade… you’re one lucky bitch.” ---### 8 A.M. I was in the bathroom cleaning the toilet of a room next to Dante’s when I heard screams and cries. What’s going on? Who are they torturing now? I barged through the door and froze. Dante sat on his little throne, Alessandro and Bella standing with their arms crossed, and Jade lay half-naked on the fl

**Vanessa's POV**I froze as warm blood splattered across my face, painting my vision in red. The man in front of me collapsed to the ground, a gaping hole in his head where the bullet had struck."Oh my God!"My gaze darted up to find my savior—Alessandro, his gun now pointed at Dante. Alessandro saved me… but why? After everything, after betraying me last time, why would he come back?Enemy or not, he was the only person here I could cling to, hide behind, and trust even a little.My body trembled in fear as my eyes scanned the scene. Finally, I bolted behind Alessandro, seeking refuge, every nerve in my body on edge.Dante’s cold, dangerous voice shattered the silence. "What did you just do?" He moved closer, his gaze fixed on Alessandro.Alessandro lowered the gun slightly, still gripping it tightly. "I did what I had to do."Dante’s voice sharpened. "Alessandro, have you gone soft? Why would you do this?"Alessandro's tone was raw, as if revealing something painfully close to him

Dante's povMy eyes narrowed, jaw clenched in rage. The slap echoed through the room, and for a moment, time stood still. Vanessa's defiance was replaced with a flicker of fear, but she stood her ground.'You dare to slap me?' My voice was low, menacing. 'You, a mere maid, think you can disrespect me?'I took a step closer, my movements deliberate, calculated. Vanessa's eyes widened as I grasped her wrist, my grip tightening.'You need to learn your place,' I hissed, my breath hot against her ear. 'And I'll make sure you do.'"I dragged Vanessa out of the room, her feet stumbling to keep up with my long strides. The maids watched in silence, their faces pale.'Where are we going?' Vanessa demanded, trying to wrestle free.I didn't respond yet I pulled her through the winding corridors, finally stopping at a door hidden behind a tapestry.'Inside,' i growled and shoved her into the dimly lit room.Vanessa stumbled, her eyes adjusting slowly. The room was sparse, with stone walls a

Vanessa's PovI screamed as the men closed in on me, my mind spinning. What the hell was Bella thinking, trying to hand me over to a group of quack doctors for some bizarre “surgery?”I darted toward the door, but Bella’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Stop it!” she snapped, then hesitated before quickly adding, “He’s back! Everyone, act like you’re treating her!”The men stumbled to put on the act, pretending to check me over as “patients.” Then, just as they got in place, the door opened.He was back—Dante. The air shifted, heavy and silent as he scanned the room with a cold, unreadable expression. His gaze flicked between me and Bella, and I could practically feel the questions in his eyes.Before he could speak, Bella jumped in, forcing a warm smile. “I… I realized I might’ve overreacted earlier,” she said, her tone calm. “So, I brought in doctors to help with her wounds!”I felt a surge of anger. Two-faced liar!Dante narrowed his eyes, glancing at the “doctors” in surgical gown