“Weren’t we supposed to text first?” Emily opened the door, only to freeze in shock. Justin? What was he doing here? “Text? Who were you planning to text?” Justin asked casually.Emily stood frozen for a few seconds, her mind struggling to catch up. When she realized what was happening, she immediately tried to slam the door shut. But how could her strength compare to that of a grown man? With minimal effort, Justin pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Justin, it’s late. Don’t you think barging into my room is inappropriate?” Emily snapped, frowning with anger in her eyes. Justin ignored her completely, wandering around the room as if it were his own. He checked behind the curtains, under the sofa, and every other corner, as if inspecting for someone. Sean wasn’t here? They weren’t sharing a room? Justin had spotted Sean in the parking lot earlier that afternoon with Emily. Standing by the door, Emily glared at him with clear displeasure, silently wi
“The changes are done, Mr. Yates. Please take a look,” Emily said in a businesslike tone. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Sean. Emily set her laptop down and walked to the side, deliberately turning her back to Justin before answering. “Yes, yes, I got it. Stop nagging and go to sleep. Goodnight.” Justin’s gaze followed her the entire time as she took the call, waiting for her to return. “Sean?” he asked knowingly. Emily silently cursed. “If you already know, why ask?”“So, you’re with Sean? What, he can’t afford to take care of you? You still have to work?” Justin’s tone was sharp with sarcasm. “Emily, is this how low you think of yourself? Throwing money at him to stick around? The Smith family isn’t exactly poor. Seems they’re not very generous with you, though.” He ignored the design and instead seemed more interested in prying into her personal life. “Mr. Yates, my personal life is none of your business,” Emily said firmly, her face cold. “We’re done,
Sadness and disappointment gripped Emily’s heart, twisting and pulling as if relentless hands were tearing it apart.She stayed motionless, frozen in her work, letting the heavy emotions consume her entirely.She chalked it up to the lingering pain of heartbreak.“Once these feelings fade away, I’ll rise again, stronger,” she told herself. She had already decided to leave Justin behind, and she wouldn’t look back, not in this lifetime. *Justin drove to the train station alone, quickly picking up Emma and taking her to the hotel. He then booked her a separate room. “Justin,” Emma pouted, displeased. “I didn’t come all the way to Bay City to stay in a room by myself!” “Be good. You’re not in great health. Don’t get any funny ideas.” “Fine…” Emma replied with a dramatic sigh, her voice filled with disappointment. As she walked toward her room, she glanced back at him every few steps, dragging her feet like a child who’d been scolded. After seeing her settle in, J
At the gynecology department, the doctor adjusted her glasses and reviewed the lab results before smiling warmly at Emily and Sean.“Congratulations to both of you. You’re one month pregnant, and it’s twins! Morning sickness is completely normal and should ease up in a couple of months. Stick to a light diet…” The doctor continued explaining, but Emily’s mind had already gone blank. Pregnant! Twins!Emily was stunned. She wasn’t even sure how she walked out of the consultation room. By the time she came back to her senses, she was already in the hallway. She was pregnant.A month ago, Justin had been very persistent in seeking physical intimacy with her. During those encounters, they hadn’t taken any precautions. “But isn’t the chance of this happening supposed to be really low?” she thought. She had read countless stories online about how difficult it was for people to conceive. How did she end up getting pregnant so easily?“No. I can’t have these babies,” she silen
No one responded to Emily’s thoughts. The embryos were still tiny. She registered, scheduled the procedure, and the nurse efficiently completed the arrangements. The procedure was set for 3 p.m., and she was instructed to fast until then. Sean, determined to stay by Emily’s side, decided not to eat either. Seeing there were still a few hours until the appointment and with no food allowed, Sean suggested Emily rest in the car. As they reached the hospital entrance, they ran into Zac, who was walking toward them. “Emily? What a coincidence running into you in Bay City,” Zac greeted her naturally. “Are you feeling unwell?” He glanced at Sean, giving him a polite nod. “Hi, Sean.” “Hello, Zac,” Sean replied with a slight bow of his head. “Just here for work,” Emily replied casually, brushing it off. “I’ve had a bout of gastritis, so I came to get it checked out.” Her pale complexion, worsened by skipping breakfast and the morning’s procedures, made her excuse beli
At the hospital, Emily lay on the operating table, prepped for the procedure as the anesthesia began to take effect. The overhead surgical light beamed down on her face, its glare piercing her eyes. She rarely cried, but now tears slipped silently from the corners of her eyes, soaking into her hair.*On the plane, Justin had just taken his seat. The aircraft hadn’t yet taken off when an unsettling restlessness gnawed at him. His eyelid twitched, and his chest tightened with inexplicable unease, as though something bad was about to happen. He thought back to the night before, pulled out his phone, and sent Emily a text.“Stay away from Sean. If you’re short on money, I can give you some. Stop working.” Immediately after, he transferred one million into her bank account, ensuring it was enough so she wouldn’t refuse out of spite. With that done, he switched his phone to airplane mode, and the plane took off. *In the operating room, Emily closed her eyes as the proce
Justin didn’t see any issue with having two women in his life. After all, in their circles, it was common for CEOs and business owners to have more than one woman by their side. However, his obsession with Emily’s body only deepened his guilt toward Emma. The group exited the VIP terminal and headed straight to the underground parking garage, with Zac and Sam following behind. By the car, Emma clung to Justin, her voice soft and hesitant. “Justin, are you heading back to work again?” Justin, thinking about how he was secretly keeping Emily, couldn’t help but feel another pang of guilt toward Emma. “No, I’ll take you home first,” he replied with a gentle smile. Emma’s mood instantly brightened, and she beamed at him. Zac stood off to the side, watching their overly cozy interaction, and smirked.With a small scoff, he said, “Well, Sam, we’d better head out before we end up as third wheels for your boss.”Emma lowered her head, looking uncomfortable. Justin shot
Justin had already booked Emily’s return flight. Someone would pick her up at the airport, and Villa One was ready for her to move back into. He sent the message, but after a few moments, it failed to deliver. A small notification popped up: Message not delivered.Blocked?Instead of anger, Justin let out a light chuckle. Typical Emily. Switching tactics, he called her using a work phone number. The phone rang only a few times before Emily answered, her voice polite yet distant. “Hello, who’s this?” “I’ve booked your flight. Make sure you come back alone. Don’t—” Justin began, his tone as commanding as ever. He was about to add “don’t come back with Sean. I don’t want to see the two of you together,” but a sweet voice interrupted him. “Justin, dinner’s not ready yet, and I know you didn’t eat on the plane. Here, have some milk. I just warmed it up for you.” Emma appeared with a mug of milk, offering it to Justin with a soft smile. Emily had assumed the call was f
Zac jogged off in a hurry, not daring to stick around and witness more of Justin’s embarrassment.Justin, having failed to sneak into Haley’s room, had no choice but to sulk back to the guest room the housekeeper had prepared for him.*The next morning, Haley came downstairs for breakfast. She hadn’t slept well—staying up late to work, only to get riled up by Justin all over again. The dark circles under her eyes were impossible to hide, no matter how much concealer she applied.She stepped into the dining room and spotted Justin already sitting at the table.“Morning, sis!” he chirped.He looked every bit the picture of youthful energy, dressed in a clean athletic tracksuit, his expression bright and full of life. He really did look like a high school senior.Haley took one look at his well-rested, cheerful face and felt an unexplainable surge of irritation rise in her chest.She didn’t say a word. Ignoring him completely, she walked to her seat and sat down. Her gaze swept t
After dinner, Haley returned to her room to get some work done. There were a few reports she still needed to read through, so she made herself a cup of coffee for a quick energy boost.She had just stepped inside and closed the door when a sudden force hit from behind, pushing through the door and into her back. She stumbled forward, nearly spilling the coffee all over herself.Her brows furrowed in irritation. She turned around—only to see Justin already halfway into her room, the door swinging shut behind him.He froze, looking immediately guilty. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” he blurted out.His voice carried that youthful warmth, clear and gentle like an 18-year-old boy. His lowered gaze and sheepish expression were tinged with a kind of helpless remorse that made it hard for Haley to stay angry.She stepped back, putting distance between them. Her tone turned cool. “What are you doing in here?”Justin took that as permission to step fully inside and shut the door behind him
At that moment, Justin furrowed his brows and stared at Haley with confusion, as if trying hard to place her face. After a long pause, his eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. He pointed at Haley and exclaimed, “Sis!”That one word stopped Zac in his tracks. He blinked. Did Justin… just slip into little brother mode?And he wasn’t the only one thrown off. Chase and Alex stood frozen, mouths slightly open. Alex placed a hand on Justin’s forehead, then leaned in to check again.No fever.So why was he calling their mom sister?And now… what were they supposed to call him?Haley's gaze locked on Justin, intense and searching. She scanned him from head to toe, as if looking for a clue—anything to explain this strange behavior. But she found nothing.Justin, noticing her silence, instantly wilted. His lips curled into a small pout. “Is it because I’m useless? Is that why you’re ignoring me, sis?”“Sis?” Haley turned slowly toward Zac, her voice low, suspicious. “What is that abou
Zac straightened up and wiped the last traces of tears from the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand.“Haley’s fine,” he said. “Just a few minor injuries. You’ve been out for over two weeks. She healed a long time ago. Right now, she’s temporarily managing RC Corporation for you.“She went on a business trip to that island project you were working on. I heard the scenery’s amazing. Chase and Alex went with her.”“Managing?” Justin repeated, his voice faint.“Yeah,” Zac nodded. “She didn’t accept the assets or shares you left her. She’s just acting as president until you wake up and can take over again.”Zac hadn’t originally known all this. He had only overheard Haley explaining it to the family after she agreed to step in. He had been surprised, even though, in hindsight, it made sense. Justin had written up a will before the rescue mission, leaving everything to Haley. It was bold but not unexpected.Justin lowered his gaze, eyes dimming as he quietly muttered, “Temp
“The building at the heart of the island is a massive wedding chapel,” the staff member explained cheerfully. “The first floor is for the ceremony itself, the second for the banquet. The third floor is reserved for dressing and makeup, and from the fourth floor up, it’s all accommodations. The very top level is the bridal suite.”The more he spoke, the deeper Haley’s frown became. Something wasn’t adding up.“So this is an all-inclusive wedding venue?” she cut in.The man chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh, no, no. This place isn’t open to the public. Mr. Yates built it exclusively for his wife. Just the two of them. One couple. That’s it.”Haley was at a loss for words.Even Alex, the more clueless of the twins, caught on. His eyes sparkled as he tugged at Haley’s hand. “Mommy! Uncle Justin built this place for you! It’s so romantic!”Five years ago—around the time he and Chase were born—their dad had already been planning a wedding for their mom.Suddenly, Alex didn’t feel quit
At 8 p.m., Haley arrived right on time for Jacob and Miss Scott’s engagement banquet.Up on the stage, under the warm wishes of both families and to the sound of dreamy background music, the soon-to-be-wed couple exchanged rings. They followed it up with a string of romantic clichés about love at first sight. Then, under the applause of the guests, they shared a passionate kiss.Just as Sam had said, Haley didn’t need to do much—just show her face. She had no interest in watching the Yates and Scott families put on this show. The whole thing was clearly a political alliance, a calculated marriage meant to secure control over RC Corporation—the very company she was now temporarily leading.She set down her untouched wine glass, smoothed her gown, and quietly left the venue.The car headed toward Mistletoe Villa. Haley sat in the backseat, eyes distant. Sam was in the front passenger seat. Noticing her exhaustion, he pulled out a tablet from his briefcase and said,“President, t
Chase and Alex had settled into a daily routine of their own. Every morning, they accompanied Zac to the hospital to visit Justin. In the evenings, they went home together after work.The world kept turning. It didn’t slow down just because Justin had slipped into a coma.At RC Corporation, Haley was also adjusting. With Sam’s steady guidance, she was slowly getting the hang of the job. Day by day, her grasp of the responsibilities sharpened, and her confidence grew.Everything was moving forward.“President,” Sam said, stepping into her office. “Here’s the compensation proposal for the demolition site. It’s part of the land marked for the international project. The plan was finalized under the former president’s direction, and we just got the government’s approval. We need your signature to release the funds so construction can begin.”He handed her the file, efficient and precise as always. Sam never once got her title wrong. He took his role as assistant seriously.Haley glanc
Haley’s voice was steady and sincere. “It’s true—corporate management and project leadership aren’t my areas of expertise. But from what I understand, RC Corporation is currently working on a major international venture. The overseas partner is Prolux Corporation, based in Merika State.”She paused briefly before continuing. “Prolux Corporation’s CEO is Wilfred—my brother. I also hold shares in Prolux. I believe that makes me a strong bridge between RC Corporation and our international partner, and someone well-positioned to temporarily lead the company.”What?Wilfred was her brother?The shock hit the room like a thunderclap. Whatever doubts they had about her qualifications or lack of experience suddenly evaporated. With a backing like that? No one could ignore it.Compared to her powerful connections, Harry’s passionate speech felt like hot air. All skepticism faded. All except Harry voted in favor.For now, it looked like Haley had secured her position as president—solid a
After finishing his pitch, Harry looked around the room.“I believe that under my leadership, we can take RC Corporation to even greater heights. I’m not doing this for personal gain,” he added, his voice earnest. “My nephew suffered a terrible accident and is now in a vegetative state. I’m simply stepping in as acting president until he wakes up. When that day comes, I’ll hand everything back to him, no questions asked.”Harry silently remarked, “Wake up? A person in a vegetative state doesn’t just wake up in three to five years.”Once he got his hands on full control, that precious nephew of his would never wake up—at least not while he was in charge.Victory was within reach. Harry curled his lips into a satisfied smile, ready to accept the applause.But no one clapped.Instead, Haley’s voice rang out, calm and clear. “I have a document here. Before his accident, Justin gave specific instructions to his assistant, Sam. Should anything happen to him, all authority—his positio