Afterward, Haley let it go. She was consumed with thoughts of how to escape from Justin and never returned to the rehabilitation center.Years passed, and she wondered if Mr. Yates Sr. resented her for staying away. Setting her paintbrush down, she pulled herself out of her memories. This painting wasn’t going to get finished today. Leaving the studio, she thought she would check on the kids. But just as she stepped out, she saw Helen heading out the door with ‘Alex.’ Walking down from the third floor, Haley called out, “Alex, did you finish your homework?” ‘Alex’ was about to answer, but Helen quickly clamped a hand over his mouth and loudly replied, “Of course, he did! I checked it myself. We’re heading out now, sis!” Not giving Haley a chance to respond, Helen practically sprinted out of the house with ‘Alex,’ as if someone were chasing her. *As usual, Helen ushered ‘Alex’ into the hospital room, then paced nervously in the hallway, her unease growing. Something
“Can I go in and see him?” Justin’s voice was quiet, with a hint of weakness in his tone, and his expression looked troubled. “Of course,” Zac replied, though he didn’t look much better himself. Justin entered the room, and a few moments later, Zac stepped out, leaving two bodyguards behind. Returning to his office, Zac was greeted by Helen’s sharp words. “You swore to me that Justin wouldn’t be back! And yet, he almost caught us!” “Calm down,” Zac said, trying to appease her. He handed drinks to Helen and ‘Alex.’ “Look, I didn’t know he’d suddenly return. But you were quick on your feet, so he didn’t notice anything. Besides, doesn’t this prove I kept my promise? I didn’t tell Justin a thing about you or Alex.” “Fine.” Seeing Zac’s sincere apology and his decent track record of keeping his word, Helen decided to let it slide this time.“Alright, enough with the flattery. Just drive us home,” she said, taking the drink he offered. After all, why not take advantage of a
Tears welled up in Justin’s eyes as he smiled and nodded. He promised to win Emily back, but now, time wasn’t on his side. He wouldn’t be able to let his grandfather see that day.His phone buzzed, pulling him out of his thoughts. Glancing at his phone, he missed what Mr. Yates Sr. said next. The words on the display of the brainwave translator quickly disappeared.It was a call from Haley. A flicker of joy passed through his exhausted features as he answered immediately. “Where?” she asked flatly, devoid of emotion. “You’re coming?” Justin’s voice quickened. “I’ll send someone to pick you up right now.” “No need. Just give me the exact address. I’ll drive myself.” “Lichfield Hospital, 16th floor, Room 35. I’ll meet you at the entrance,” he replied, hanging up. Turning to his grandfather, his voice wavered with emotion. “Grandpa, Emily will be here soon. I’m going downstairs to meet her. She’s coming to see you.” *Haley had told him there was no need to come down and
In the hospital room, Mr. Yates Sr. seemed to sense something. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked toward the foot of the bed. "Emily... my dear..." His voice was still faint and unclear.Justin gestured toward the translation device on the bedside table.Haley noticed and walked over with a gentle smile. “Mr. Yates, I’ve come to see you. I’m sorry… I’ve been so busy with my art exhibitions lately that I haven’t visited.”Earlier in the elevator, Justin had explained the situation to her, and she followed his lead seamlessly.Mr. Yates Sr. tried to nod, but even that simple motion was beyond his ability now. His eyes glistened, and a tear slipped down his weathered cheek.The translation device displayed: “It’s so good to see you! You’ve achieved your dreams and become a painter. I’m so proud of you.”Haley nodded with a bittersweet smile, her tears threatening to fall. “Yes, I’ve made it.”The next line appeared on the screen: “How have you been these past years? I’m sorry
Stella glared fiercely. “What did you take from Dad? It must’ve been something valuable to make you kill him!”“Don’t accuse without evidence!” Heidi, usually composed and kind, stood protectively in front of Justin. Her voice was firm and commanding. She couldn’t let Harry’s family slander her son in such a critical moment.“Dad died while Justin was with him. That’s evidence enough!” Stella snapped, her tone dripping with hostility.“You’re talking nonsense! If you think you can pin this on Justin without proof, you’re dreaming!” Heidi’s anger flared. “There are cameras all over the hospital. If you want to accuse him, bring real evidence. You won’t smear my son’s name with baseless claims!”Stella refused to back down. “Everyone knows Zac and Justin are thick as thieves. Even if Justin did something, Zac would cover it up for him!”Zac, standing nearby, frowned at the accusation. He may be close to Justin, but neither of them would ever harm someone like Mr. Yates Sr. His expre
There was no visible blood near Justin’s head, nor any obvious injuries on his body. “Could it be internal damage?” Haley wondered, her brows furrowed in concern. She nudged his limbs gently with her foot, trying to rouse him. “Justin, are you okay? Don’t you dare pull a fast one on me!” Haley glanced back at the distance between her car and where Justin had fallen. Surely, she hadn’t hit him, right? Earlier, after leaving the inpatient ward, she had been sitting quietly in her car, letting her mind wander. Mr. Yates Sr.’s sudden passing hadn’t left her completely unaffected, though she knew it must have hit Justin far harder. When she saw the funeral home vehicle and the other cars leaving one after another, she finally started her engine—only to find Justin still lingering. “Hey, wake up!” she crouched down and lightly patted his face. Mumbling to herself, she added, “Still not waking up? Don’t tell me you’ve actually passed out.” Standing up, she glanced around b
Justin hadn’t collapsed because Haley’s car had hit him. Instead, he had seen her driving toward him, and the emotional toll of everything—the strain from work, lack of rest, and his grandfather’s passing—had left him dazed and disoriented, triggering the fainting spell. Not long after falling, he had heard Haley calling his name. *When they arrived at the funeral home, Haley called out, “Wake up. We’re here.” Justin opened his eyes, took a moment to gather himself, and stepped out of the car. Without further interaction, he politely said, “Thank you,” and disappeared into the funeral home’s main entrance. Haley didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she stared at the somber, lifeless courtyard of the funeral home, an inexplicable heaviness settling over her. She had never experienced the loss of a loved one, but she knew that if it were her family—if it were Chase or Alex—she would be devastated. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind: Chase and Alex were also, by blood,
The car pulled up in front of Villa One, and Haley instructed, “Get out.”Justin slumped weakly against the passenger seat, his head lowered as he stared at his hands. In a pitiful tone, he said, “Give me a minute. I think I have low blood sugar. I’m feeling lightheaded.”Haley rolled her eyes silently. “Who was that speaking so energetically just now? Don’t try to pull that act with me. Get out. You’re home.”Justin remained seated, giving Haley a pitiful look. “I didn’t have lunch or dinner. This morning, I only had a bite of something. My stomach hurts,” he said, clutching his abdomen and bending slightly, his expression full of discomfort.Haley sighed. “Everyone has stomach issues these days. It’s not like you’ve got stomach cancer. What’s the big deal?” she silently remarked.“You’re just hungry. Go inside and eat something,” she replied dismissively.Justin nodded weakly. “I know. I just need to sit here for a while to gather my strength before I go in. You haven’t had din
As Mrs. White spoke, her face lit up with the unmistakable grin of someone deeply invested in her son’s love life. Mr. White took the phone from her, sat down beside her, and grinned just as widely. “That little rascal finally figured out how to chase a woman.” As a father, he was proud. But after the initial excitement, a hint of worry crept in. “Wait, no. I need to call him. I need to find out exactly what’s going on.” What if Zac didn’t know how to handle things properly? As a father, it was his duty to guide his son through this! But before he could dial, Mrs. White swiftly pressed down on his hand, stopping him. “They’re getting along just fine. Why would you call and ruin the moment? Do you want to be a third wheel?” “So… we’re not asking?” Mrs. White thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up. “We’ll text instead!” “Good idea.” *Meanwhile, Zac was completely focused on enjoying grilled skewers with his wife and nephews. He had no idea his cousi
For the past few days, Chase had been completely wrapped up in tracking down the person who had tried to harm his mom. He had hardly slept, let alone had any fun. Now that they had identified the real culprit, there was no way he was just going to head straight home. “I’m not eating. Let’s just go home.” “No way. After that much ‘exercise,’ you’re not hungry?”Helen’s face immediately flushed red. She shot a glare at Zac. What nonsense was he spouting in front of the kids?! Luckily, Alex didn’t pick up on the double meaning. He was just excited. “Yay! That means we don’t have to go home! Uncle Zac, you’re the best! I like you the most!” One sentence was all it took for Zac to start grinning from ear to ear.Smugly, he glanced at Helen and raised a brow, as if to say, “See? Even Alex is on my side.” Helen’s glare instantly shifted to the backseat. This little brat—whose side was he really on?! In the end, she had no choice but to give in. She called Evelyn a
“Child support,” Justin repeated under his breath, as if still processing the words.He had children now. He was a father. And like any father, he had a responsibility to provide for them. Just like the chairman of B&J Corporation, who had his own family, Justin had a family now too. But… Chase and Alex were already five. Did that mean they no longer needed vaccinations? He had missed five whole years of their lives. Five years. There were countless milestones he could have been part of, yet he had missed them all. That couldn’t happen again. From now on, he wouldn't allow himself to be absent from any part of their lives. He had to be there. Of course, what Justin meant by "seeing the kids occasionally" and what Haley understood were two very different things. Haley thought "occasionally" meant once or twice a year. Justin meant "occasionally" as in every single day. As in—he would see them multiple times a day. Haley, still lying on the bed,
Justin’s grandfather left the shares specifically for his great-grandsons. That could only mean one thing—he had met the boys. Justin's eyes grew misty again. Haley remained still, her back still turned to him, her voice laced with cold indifference. “You don’t need to thank me. The kids have nothing to do with you.” Yes, he was their biological father, but he had contributed nothing beyond his DNA. He hadn't been there, hadn't raised them, hadn't even known about them. So as far as she was concerned, they weren’t his. “Haley, I… I’m not trying to take them from you. I—I don’t want custody… No, that’s not what I mean, I do want them—” Justin, usually sharp and articulate in business, was completely tongue-tied in front of her. He sounded like a clueless, stammering kid, struggling to get the words out right. His desperation was obvious, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. Haley suddenly sat up, her voice sharp and unwavering. “Chase and Alex are my children.
Helen turned to Haley, slightly stunned, her expression silently asking if this was real. Haley shrugged and spread her hands. “Same as earlier today—Chase was defending Alex back then too.” Helen let out a breath, half exasperated, half amused. But she wasn’t about to let the brothers off just because of Chase’s plea. With a swift motion, she smacked each of them on the backside twice. Their cries echoed through the room, making Justin, still hiding in the side bedroom, frown deeply. Was Helen being too rough? The boys were actually crying out in pain. Outside, Alex clutched his behind, giving it a quick rub. As soon as the sting faded, he was back to his usual energetic self. Helen never actually hit him hard—just enough to make a point. Compared to punching a sandbag, this was nothing. Chase, on the other hand, wasn’t used to this at all. He furrowed his brows slightly, feeling an unfamiliar discomfort.After all, this was the first time in his life he had e
When Helen finished changing and glanced out the window, she finally realized that the sky had already turned dark. Her eyes darted to the clock on the wall. “Eight o’clock?!” Her voice shot up several octaves, practically loud enough to shake the ceiling. “Zac White, look what you’ve done!” “My bad, my bad. We’ll go pick up the kids right now.” At this moment, Zac wasn’t complaining about his chest pain anymore. He quickly admitted his mistake, so much so that Helen couldn’t even find a reason to keep scolding him. Grabbing their bags and car keys, the two of them rushed toward Haley’s hospital room. At the door, Helen reached out to push it open, but Zac beat her to it. Instead of barging in, he knocked loudly—so loudly it was as if he was afraid no one inside would hear him. Helen shot him a suspicious look. “Why are you knocking so hard? It’s not like my sister goes to bed this early. Wait, is Justin in there?” Only now did she remember that Justin existed.
Helen’s face started turning red, and she gave him a light slap. “Be serious, we’re in the hallway.” “Oww!” The moment she touched him, Zac doubled over, groaning dramatically as if he were on the verge of tears. Helen didn’t buy it. “Oh, come on. It wasn’t that bad.” She had barely tapped him! “It really hurts! If you don’t believe me, take a look.” As he spoke, he shamelessly started unbuttoning his white coat right there in the hallway, determined to show her his "injury." Helen panicked and quickly reached out to stop him, pressing his coat closed. The two of them wrestled—one trying to undo buttons, the other trying to fasten them back. “We’re in public! If you really want me to check, wait until we’re home tonight.” She was in a rush to pick up the kids and had no time to argue with him here. “Nope. You have to look now. It’s probably bruised, and you need to help me apply medicine.” “Medicine? You’re a grown man! Can you stop acting so fragile?”
“Are Chase and Alex with you?” Evelyn asked.Haley glanced down at the two children in her arms and replied calmly, “Yes, they’re here with me.” “Is Justin at the hospital? Did he see them?” Evelyn asked. Haley hesitated for a moment, her eyes drifting toward Justin, who was standing not far from her. Then, she lied to her mother. “No, he’s not here. I heard he went to meet with a business partner this afternoon.” “Good. I’ll have Helen go pick up the kids.” “Okay.” After hanging up, Haley tossed her phone onto the bed without sparing Justin a second glance. She didn’t explain her plans for the children to him, nor did she feel the need to. Justin wanted to ask, but with Chase and Alex present, he held back. Haley lifted Alex from her lap, wiping away the tears on his cheeks before continuing her lecture. “Do you know who just called?” Alex sniffled. “Grandma…” “That’s right! You two snuck out without telling anyone. Do you know how worried she was?” She
This was the first time Alex had ever seen Mommy this angry. She had never been like this before. He was so scared! “I don’t want Uncle Justin anymore… Mommy~~ hic… hic.”Alex cried so hard that he started hiccupping uncontrollably. No matter how angry Haley was, seeing her little son in such distress broke her heart. She pulled him into her arms, gently patting his back to help him catch his breath. At the same time, she scolded sternly, “I’m calling home right now. Someone will come and take you both back!” Justin had more bodyguards stationed at the hospital than she did. She didn’t trust him. The only way she could feel at ease was by keeping the children safe at home, surrounded by family. Justin and Chase both wanted to speak, but Chase beat him to it. “Mommy, sneaking to the hospital was my idea. This has nothing to do with Alex. If you want to discipline someone, discipline me.” Justin wanted to step closer but hesitated. He watched as the three of them