Cordy couldn’t help lamenting at how unfair the gods were—why did Lucas still look so attractive when he was clearly so disheveled?!"I'm warning you, Cordy—don't make a sound while I'm sleeping," he snapped tempestuously, before cursing. "Fuck!"Cordy didn’t know why he was being grouchy—what was so upsetting about being woken up?She went through the same thing, but she wasn’t at all upset. Unbeknownst to her, Lucas had almost gone the entire night without sleep.Cordy had no idea what mischief her hands were up to after she fell asleep, with her fingers crawling all over his body… Any man would be in shambles!Even so, Lucas bore with it the entire night; it was morning when he succumbed to his drowsiness and fell asleep.However, the doctors doing their rounds entered just as he closed his eyes. He had to work so hard to restrain himself from flipping out!Next time, he would never allow his conscience to get the better of him. He certainly asked for it!As he pulled
Patrick’s text popped up right then. [Where are you, Cordy?] [Why were you unconscious?!] [The staff at your hotel informed me that you were taken to the hospital last night! What happened?]Cordy could sense Patrick's agitation from his rapid-fire questions. She texted back: [I'm at the hospital right now because I had a serious fever yesterday. I'm fine now.] [Which hospital? I'll be right there.][I'm getting discharged now.][I’ll give you a ride.][I'm going back to North City right after.][I happen to be going there too. I'll come with you.]Cordy was speechless—the man really stuck to her like a bubble gum. He sent her yet another clingy text: [Just let me come to you, Cordy. I'm worried if you're going alone.]Cordy finally gave in. [Are you done with your business here?] She had no idea why Patrick came to the capital, and actually had the feeling that he might have come to meet her and watch the exhibition in passing. Still, she remembered that Patrick was
Lucas had a smug look on his face. "Aha! So you're admitting to it?"Stumped, Cordy turned pale; however, she quickly decided to change the subject. Since she couldn’t beat him, she simply gave up, not wanting to suffer him any further."Where were you going? Why were you in such a rush?" she demanded.Lucas, however, was suddenly dumbstruck.Cordy frowned—wasn’t he supposed to be perfect at debates? How did such a simple question stump him?He eventually sighed and muttered, "I…I needed to pee.""Aren't you heading in the wrong direction?""I was still dazed from sleep, okay?" he snapped, his voice a little loud just."Why are you getting so upset?" Cordy was angry too—it seemed they just had to argue with every other exchange. "I…" Lucas was stumped again while Cordy pressed him, "Are you kidneys really that good? Go relieve yourself already!"Lucas flushed; as he left, he snapped in displeasure, "My kidneys are perfectly fine!"With that, he turned around and ran int
Cordy and Lucas rode the same car back to the hotel.Neither of them spoke along the way, staying silent as if they were two strangers sharing a cab.They kept their distance when they returned to the hotel as well, heading inside one after another.Even as they got in the elevator, they looked like they would rather die than talk to each other.Arriving on her floor, Cordy arrived at her room and was about to open the door when Patrick suddenly opened it, exclaiming, "Surprise!"Cordy was left stunned even as fresh flower petals rained down on her.The man was supposed to be more mature than this! Why was a political elite behaving like a little boy around her?!Seeing that she was speechless, he asked tentatively, "Don't you like it?""Nope."Patrick's tone turned wounded. "I was thinking that it'd be a waste to throw those flowers I bought the other day, so I plucked every petal to prepare a gift celebrating your discharge from the hospital."Cordy actually imagined him
Cordy denied it right then. "Nope."John's personality was not as rotten as his. "Yeah, I thought so too." Patrick sighed in relief then. "At least you won't hook up with him and dump me because of who he looks like.""I would never," Cordy said bluntly—that was never going to happen.With that, Cordy and Patrick returned to her room and had lunch together before getting in the hotel's car to get to the airport. They both had first-class tickets, but Cordy was not sitting with Patrick because their tickets were not booked together. Patrick waited for the one who would sit with Cordy so that he could ask to trade seats.However, both him and Cordy were stunned when they saw who it was.It had to be the mother of all coincidences! -Naturally, it was none other than Lucas.Why on earth would he go to North City instead of staying at the capital? Cordy actually wondered if he was tailing her.On the other hand, Lucas's expression darkened when he saw Cordy as well, looki
Cordy sighed grumpily. "He refused to.""Then, how about I change seats with you?" Patrick suggested.Cordy blinked.Why did she not think of that?!Thank goodness Patrick was sharp!"Okay." Cordy agreed to it right then.Patrick eagerly got up and went straight to Cordy's seat.When Lucas turned to see Patrrick sitting down beside him, his expression clearly darkened. Patrick was suddenly in a good mood, since he had been quite annoyed by Lucas' conceited bearing, but he clearly won this round.Cordy was in a good mood as well. Still, she never did expect to have her mood so heavily affected by such a trivial man.The plane soon took flight toward North City.While Lucas was reading a local paper and appearing quite serious about it, Patrick asked, "Can you read Zidonian?"Lucas ignored him, but Patrick ignored his indifference and pressed, "You might be able to understand and speak it, but it doesn't make you literate." "My father is from the capital," Lucas growled im
Patrick shrugged. "I'm just telling you. Don't upset Cordy, or I won't be kind.""You're nuts," Lucas snapped, and put on his headset and eye mask for some shut-eye.Patrick smiled evilly in turn.Did Lucas think Patrick would not be able to mess with him?!That said, the man did look good. Even as he took a nap, huffing, he was a little…'Alright, let's stop there.'Patrick turned away right then.Right now, he loved Cordy more.-Their flight arrived at the airport after two hours, and Cordy left with Patrick first.Lucas was behind them, but once Cordy and Patrick got out of the airport, they left right away. Cordy was convinced that they would never see each other again, especially since North City was a big place.In the capital, they had an intermediary in Maron and happened to stay at the same hotel. It was why they seemed inseparable.On the other hand, she would never stay at a hotel in North City, and since they did not have anything connecting them, they defini
Meanwhile, Cordy made her way toward Jay and sat with him, since she thought better of him in comparison to the others.Jay greeted her in turn, and they both made small talk.When his phone rang and he got to his feet, Cordy quickly moved to help him."I'm alright, thanks." Jay turned her down politely, and limped on his crutch to another corner.Although his life was saved thanks to the treatment abroad, his right leg was still crippled after that accident. Though it was fortunate that no limbs needed to be amputated, he was still denied a normal life.He returned to Cordy after answering his call, and she did not ask who it was—they were not that close. Still, Jay asked casually, "Do you usually watch variety shows?""Why?" Cordy asked in surprise. "I've just received a notice that North City Channel is planning to organize this variety show called Actors on Set. Actors and actresses would be invited, and I was invited as a judge too—their production team just called, bu
Soon, another nurse emerged from the delivery room with a small bundle. "Is the mother's family here?""Yes!" John exclaimed loudly."The delivery was successful," the nurse said. "The baby weighs eight pounds—""How is she?" John asked in agitation, not caring about the child."She's fine. The doctor is just helping her clean up and she'll be out soon," the nurse replied.As John breathed a sigh of relief, the nurse reminded him, "Aren't you the father? Here's your child."John took the baby off her arms, staring at her for a moment as the others flocked around him. "Oh, she's so fair!" Zoe could not help exclaiming. "That's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen.""Are you saying that your son's ugly?" Bob teased."To be honest, yeah," Zoe replied without thinking.Jay cleared his throat—even if it was a subjective opinion, it still hurt to have his own baby called ugly."Let me carry her," Zoe volunteered just then, and John did not hesitate to hand her his baby.As Zoe
"What?!" Zoe exclaimed in shock.Beside them, John's face fell despite being usually stoic.Still, even before anyone could react, he scooped Cordy up in his arms and left.Zoe did not hesitate to follow, but Jay reminded her, "We're the hosts, Zoe.""Don't care." Zoe was completely unconcerned. "Ask my mom and your sister to handle the guests. I'm going with Cordy!"Jay hesitated for a moment before deciding to follow since there was no reasoning with Zoe.Sam and Quinn also realized that something was out of place.As they pulled away reluctantly, Bob shouted from below, "If you're done kissing, we're going to the hospital! Cordy's going into labor!"Quinn hurried after them as soon as she hurt, but Sam caught her. "Slow down. We can catch up."In fact, most of the guests were leaving as well—it was as if the banquet for Zoe's son was actually intended for everyone else.The poor boy was certainly unlucky to have such unreliable parents!-As everyone rushed to the hospit
"I'm swelling from my pregnancy," Quinn explained. "It's not your fault."Sam was left staring at her for a while before asking, "So, what should I do?""I'll put it on when I slim down.""Oh." Sam was a little disappointed, since he had always dreamed of having her put on the ring he had custom made.But this was fine—they had all the time they needed, and the most important thing for him is that Quinn was marrying him!He rose to his feet just then, and everyone was cheering as soon as he did. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"Quinn blushed right then, and Sam could see that she was embarrassed.He did not want to make things awkward for her, even if he was quite eager at the moment.Heaven knows how much he missed that night's drunken fumble they had. In fact, during the times he remembered it in dreams, he had to wash his pants when he woke up.Still, just as he took Quinn's hand and started to leave, he felt a softness on his lips—Quinn was kissing him! Sam's heart pounded thunderous
Everyone waited patiently for the final outcome.Quinn's eyes were welling up with tears, threatening to gush if she so much as blinked.She did her best to hold back her tears—to be strong!Sam pursed his lips in turn, his Adam's apple bobbing.A long while passed, and it felt like a century for Quinn when she finally heard him say, "Yes."Quinn's tears started falling in happiness as Sam declared loudly, "I'll marry you, Quinn—it's what I've always wanted to do! I won't let you go even if you regret it eventually! You only get to be with me, and I'll never let any other man claim you! I'll become very overbearing… eventually!""I won't regret it," Quinn said, determined.She certainly would not regret marrying him!Zoe walked up to them with perfect timing just then, and Sam did a double take.He finally remembered that Zoe was the host of this luncheon and was going to leave with Quinn when Zoe whipped out a small red velvet box."You know what's in here, don't you?" Zoe a
However, Sam had already pushed Quinn away before she could tell him. But even if he did not love her or did not want to be with her, she would never stay with Ryan.She had been disappointed in Sam, wondering why he would give up so easily.Was she that unimportant to him?Therefore, if it were not for Zoe and Cordy showing her that video or telling her so much, she would never have known that he loved her for years…Sam's heart ached even as he looked into Quinn's tearful eyes.He reached out a hand, but soon withdrew it—would he not burden her?Even so, it hurt to restrain himself as he watched her, and he was actually getting the feeling that Quinn loved him…But she already had Ryan's child…Well, he was fine with that, as long as the child was Quinn's.But would she not mind?"I will marry you, Sam," Quinn said slowly and clearly then. "Not because you're a good man, not because you prepared so much for me, and not because of how much you prepared for me, but because I
Everyone in the hall was staring at Sam and Quinn, while Quinn took center stage, staring fixedly at Sam.He stood in the middle of the crowd, watching her silently.She in turn felt fear that he would turn and leave, just as she did not know if she had the courage to stand before him again and to declare her feelings for him in front of so many others.Nonetheless, amid the deafening silence, Sam suddenly walked toward the stage.His pace was slow as if his feet were made of lead, but he was also unusually determined.Quinn's heart raced uncontrollably right then!Everyone else was watching them nervously, especially Cordy and Zoe, with the latter being especially concerned that the cowardly Sam would bail.Fortunately, he was a man who showed responsibility. He would not leave Quinn alone and embarrassed.Hence, as everyone looked on, Sam stood before Quinn, his gaze flickering as their eyes met.He gulped ever so slightly, his emotions clearly ruffled even as he did his bes
The guests were encouraging, loudly asking, "Why?!""Because of a woman," Sam's recording replied."Who is it?""Quinn Summer," the Sam on the screen said slowly and clearly, leaving the Sam who was in the hall stunned.What the hell?! That was the proposal video he prepared before! Why did it show up here? Did Zoe make a mistake?!He knew it—leave anything to Zoe, and she would mess it up!He started striding toward the stage, intent on stopping the recording, when John and Bob intercepted him with a look of utter guilt while the recording continued. "Quinn is my wife, and we've been married for years, but I've never really loved her—not because I don't, but because I'm afraid to. I feel too insignificant in comparison to the one she loves, so I'd always hurt her… painfully and childishly. I regret that so much now, Quinn. How could I have abandoned you for so long because of my own jealousy? I'd rather hold you in my sleep every night, but my damned pride denied me that for y
At the banquet hall, Jay and Zoe were thanking their guests with their children in their arms.Then, Zoe announced excitedly, "Please give my best friend, who is also my son's godmother, a warm applause as she comes on stage!"Sam stood at a corner of the hall, watching as Quinn walked up the stage, only realizing just then that her belly was clearly swelling despite her baggy clothes.Time flies—he had not left that long ago, but she and Ryan already had a child.She was not worried about giving him a stroke, was she?He watched as Quinn took the mic and looked around below searching, seemingly searching.After a while, he thought she was looking at him, but by the time he looked up, she had already turned away.Maybe she was looking for Ryan before remembering that Ryan was not there?Nonetheless, Quinn spoke into the mic, saying, "I'm honored to be chosen as the godmother to Zoe's son, and she's been saying he'd be engaged to my child if it's a girl. I already love my godson
As their eyes met, Sam turned frantic and averted his. "Of course.""Really?" Quinn asked."Would I lie to you?" Sam asked a little grumpily."And you didn't bring her back?" Quinn asked."I'm on a schedule, and it'd be taxing for her if I bought her along," Sam said, making things up as he went along. "I'll bring her along when things are less busy.""Is she pretty?" Quinn pressed."What, have I ever picked an ugly one?" Sam snorted smugly. "You know I prefer curvaceous types, and there are plenty of those abroad.""Do you have a photo?"Sam was silent for a while and eventually said, "Yeah.""Can I see it?""What, does she have to pass your assessment?""Just curious about the girl who can tempt you to settle down," Quinn replied. "You'd be humbled." Sam hastily came up with an excuse."I won't," Quinn said, determined."You'll see her when I bring her home." Sam refused nonetheless."I would like to see a photo now.""No, she's not that photogenic. It'd be slander a