Tabitha's POV
"Tabitha, you are always so stubborn. Can't you grow up a bit?" Holly asked me.Her face was tense, disappointment written all over it.She kept scolding, her tone full of dissatisfaction, "You two had gone through the rejection ceremony already. Now that he's with Daphne, you need to face reality. Stop clinging to the past."I felt a twinge of pain in my abdomen, my temples throbbing.I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Had she ever considered me as her daughter?!Forcing myself to calm down, I looked Holly straight in the eye, asking word by word, "So in your eyes, it's me who's incessantly pestering Derek? Everything's my fault?"She answered without hesitation, "Isn't it? I heard you two are still living together. Tabitha, you're no longer his mate. This isn't right. Show some respect to Daphne."I felt a deep pain as if ants were gnawing at my insides.Holding back my tears, I managed to put on a smile, saying, "So tTabitha's POVI took a deep breath, swallowing the blood that surged up my throat again."Mrs. Sutton, from now on, we're done. Just take me as a stranger when you meet me again," I announced word by word.After I finished speaking, Holly slapped me across the face."Tabitha, listen to yourself! Where have all your manners gone?" she shouted.Clutching her chest, she glared at me. "How did you become like this?"Mark hurried over to support her, siding with her without hesitation."Tabitha, she's doing all this for your own good. Don't you know she has a heart problem? How could you anger her like that? Come and apologize to her now."Daphne walked over and held Holly's arm too. "Ms. Hartley, I know you blame me for taking Derek away, but you shouldn't have upset your mother like this! Mom, are you okay?"I was the one who got smacked. How could they accuseme now?!Holly's slap was so strong that it disheveled my hair.Blood dri
Tabitha's POVI was super curious about how Derek was gonna smooth talk his way out of this one with everyone watching.He fixed his gaze on me, but what came out of his mouth was, "I don't the engagement to get called off."Daphne swallowed hard, looking up at him in glee. "Derek, does that mean... you choose me?"Derek gave a nod.Thrilled, Daphne ran over and latched onto his arm."Derek, I know you love me. Dad, Grandpa, you both heard it loud and clear, right?"Alpha Justin's icy demeanor seemed to thaw a bit. "A gentleman always keeps his word. I hope you won't let me down," he said."My daughter will be in your care from now on." Mark patted Derek's shoulder.His answer was within my expectations.Yet even though I knew it from the get-go, when I heard it personally, I still couldn't help feeling devastated.I pulled my hand out of Derek's grip, uttering, "I respect your choice."I then walked away with my head held
Tabitha's POVThe moment I saw Holly, one thought crossed my mind: she was like a bad penny.As I turned to leave, she quickly caught up with me, gasping, "Tabitha, wait. I have something to tell you."I didn't stop, instead, I quickened my pace.A nurse's anxious voice sounded behind me. "Mrs. Sutton, slow down!"I stopped in my tracks, and Holly, who had also managed to catch up with me, panted, "Tabitha, finally."Without makeup, her face was pale and weak, and even her lips were slightly purple.I said in a flat tone, "Mrs. Sutton, haven't I told you we're done?""Tabitha, just five minutes, please," she pleaded.The nurse beside us advised, "Miss, just say yes. Please don't upset her anymore."They had put me in an impossible situation, forcing me to agree."Fine, just five minutes," I sighed.I walked back to my ward, and Holly dashed in behind me.We sat on opposite ends of the sofa. After a moment of awkward si
Tabitha's POVHolly paused for a sec, then she furrowed her brow, wearing a look of disappointment."Tabitha, I get you might be displeased with me. But please don't take it out on Daphne," she pleaded.With that, she bowed to me, rendering me slack-jawed.Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, "I'll spend my whole life making it up to you. Just leave Daphne out of it. Let her be with Derek!"Just when I thought my symptoms had stabilized, Holly's words hit me like a freight train, sending me into a rage.I got so much to say, but the lump in my throat stopped the words from coming out.I gritted my teeth, trembling all over out of fury.With a bang, the door swung open, and a group of people came in.Mark, seeing the scene, immediately flared up and marched over, fixing his glare at me like he wanted to eat me alive."What the heck are you doing, Holly?" Mark sternly helped her up.Before I could get a word in, Mark blurte
Tabitha's POVMy eyes slowly focused, and the first thing I saw was the collar of a crisp white shirt.My gaze drifted up, settling on a man's strong jawline. Turned out it was Derek.Just like that, any hope I had fizzled out.Well, it made sense. Dad was still out cold in the hospital. How could he possibly show up here?"Why were you bleeding from your nose earlier?" Derek's voice snapped me back to reality.I didn't expect that of all things, he would start with that.Just when I was pondering how to reply, I caught a whiff of some unfamiliar shower gel on him.I couldn't help but think of what might have happened between him and Daphne last night. Feeling a tightness in my chest, I struggled out of his embrace."I bumped my nose before, and Holly hit it right on that old wound," I calmly replied.Derek gazed at me, like he was trying to catch me in a lie.I met his gaze head-on, asking, "What? You don't believe it? Didn't y
Tabitha's POVThanks to the Suttons, I could finally leave Derek's side.Though we were in the same company, as an ordinary employee in the Sales Department, I barely crossed paths with him.The only bummer was, after leaving the Secretary Department, I couldn't get close to those secretaries, which totally went against my reason for joining the company.Now, I had to count on Lucian, hoping his trip turned up more useful dirt.Just as I was deep in thought, a sigh reached my ears. "Damn, why's it always me handing in the planning proposal?"I turned around and found it was Emma, a colleague from Group C where I worked."What's wrong?" I wondered.With a frustrated look, she told me, "It's time to submit the planning proposal. But our group was at the bottom last month. I can't even bring myself to step into the Secretary Department. If I run into Alvin, I'll definitely be scared out of my wits.""Is Alvin that scary?" I asked, all curiou
Tabitha's POVI was so unlucky these days. Nothing went smoothly.I went to the Secretary Department, and when I came back, my colleagues mobbed me. They accused me with particularly harsh words.Trying my best to remain calm, I said, "I didn't even see Mr. Greenwood in person. All I did was hand the proposal to the Secretary Department. How could I possibly upset him?""Nothing ever happened when any of us submitted the proposals. Yet he's upset this time. Drop the act. You can't get away with this," they kept blaming me. Obviously, they were gonna throw me under the bus.So, this was the so-called workplace, where scheming phonies gathered.Sonia said with a stern face, "Tabitha, your probation period is three months. If you want my signature, you know what to do. Right?""Yeah." I knew what she meant; they wanted me to take the blame.The elevator doors opened, and Alvin walked out.Upon seeing him, Sonia turned nervous at once.A
Tabitha's POVIn fact, deep down, everyone knew I had nothing to do with the failure of the proposal.Yet I refused to cooperate, which annoyed Sonia.She'd give me a hard time if I didn't quit.I was just a newcomer, whereas my colleague had worked here for years. Of course, they wouldn't offend Sonia because of me. So, they tacitly isolated me.They wanted to force me to quit in this way.Since they weren't gonna treat me as a friend, of course, they wouldn't be nice to me."My, my. Tabitha, still water runs deep indeed. You're so good at pretending. I thought you were meek, yet it turns out you've got some balls to mess with Ms. Mendoza.""Think about it. She gets to be part of us by pulling strings. Of course, someone's backing her up. We're nothing in her eyes."I looked at Emma slowly. "You know that? Then who gave you the nerve to disrespect me? Aren't you worried there'll be consequences?"In the next second, everyone in the
Third person's POVTabitha closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to calm her emotions. After a while, she opened her eyes again and asked, "Were you also involved that night on the boat?""Yes," Derek replied without hesitation."Is Wilmot your man?" Tabitha's voice carried a hint of doubt.Derek paused for a moment, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, before slowly answering, "Yes, I was just too worried about you, so I had him go to protect you.""Then do you know what we..." Tabitha's words were cut short as Derek suddenly slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a stop on the side of the road.He turned to look at Tabitha, his eyes filled with sincerity and urgency, and said, "Tabitha, I am very clear about what happened that night. He was there to help you."Tabitha did not believe Derek's words. Her eyes were filled with anger and disappointment as she shouted, "Wilmot disappeared as soon as he came back. Forrest told me last night that he was dying. Was that y
Third person's POVDerek never expected that as soon as Tabitha returned, he would receive a call from Gloria.On the other end of the line, Gloria's voice came through, "Tabitha wants to see you."Hearing this, Derek's heart sank, and he sighed, thinking to himself, 'I knew it. I couldn't hide it from her.'On an evening with snowflakes drifting down, the sky was shrouded in gloom, and the snow fell gently, covering the entire world in a silver-white veil.Tabitha wrapped her coat tightly and saw Derek again.Since her staged death, Tabitha had only seen Derek through news reports.Now, as she approached him, she was surprised to find that he had become much thinner, his figure appearing particularly frail.Derek was dressed in a black coat, leaning quietly against the car. In just a minute, snowflakes began to fall on his head, accumulating a thin layer of white snow.Tabitha took a deep breath, calming her emotions, and then walked towards Derek.Looking at Derek, her eyes carried
Third person's POVGloria held Helios on her lap, skillfully peeling a grape and feeding it to him, her experience with children evident."Feeling better now that it's out," she said, watching the child play quietly nearby.Tabitha casually inquired, "Why did you hold back on the day we met, only to tell me today?"Gloria had her excuse ready, responding, "You had just returned to the States, and I didn't know your situation. I was afraid it would cause you trouble."Tabitha peeled a few more grapes before setting them aside when Helios indicated he'd had enough.She then looked at Gloria and said slowly, "You weren't afraid of causing me trouble. You were afraid I would leave, weren't you?"Gloria was taken aback, about to argue, but Tabitha saw through her, "Every time you lie, you subconsciously avert your gaze, fearing I'll see through you."Gloria, in a fit of exasperation, covered her face with a blanket, "You two are tru
Third person's POVDerek's face contorted with pain as he continued, "After Tabitha faked her death, I suspected what had happened. I was torn at the time, wanting to bring her back, but I also understood that doing so would only repeat past mistakes. So, I protected her within my control and waited silently. Gloria, I swear, I won't hurt her again."A hint of pleading appeared on Derek's face as he went on, "I'm asking for your help not out of selfishness. Tabitha's illness isn't fully healed, her body hasn't recovered, and with two children in tow, she wouldn't be able to protect herself if danger arises."Gloria had never seen Derek so humble.She remembered how Derek had always approached her with a condescending attitude four years ago.Derek continued, "You are Tabitha's friend, and your starting point should be considering her safety, right? If I wanted to harm her, I could just bring her back directly, so why would I go through the trouble
Third person's POVThe two children were a blend of their parents. The girl resembled Derek, while the boy took after Tabitha, which was quite different from their brother, Kyrian.Derek thought to himself that if Kyrian knew he had two younger siblings, he would be thrilled.But when he considered his relationship with Tabitha, he sighed deeply, filled with regret for his past actions.At that moment, Alvin approached swiftly and reported, "Just received news from the island. Noah is taking Ayla away, and Lucian's direction also leads to the island. He plans to take Tabitha away."Derek, with his hands behind his back and a furrowed brow, spoke with a melancholic expression, "Lucian intends to take more than just Ayla—Tabitha as well. She has always sought opportunities to leave me, and this presents her with an excellent chance.""What should we do? Should we stop him now? Otherwise, with his capabilities, if he truly takes Tabitha a
Third person's POVPlans... Tabitha's original goal had been to find her two children and Jasper.The children were found, but Jasper was without a trace.However, she couldn't search aimlessly without a target.Thinking of Derek's anxious appearance last night, it was clear he still had feelings for her.Gloria's text warning Tabitha to be careful of Derek came to Tabitha's mind again.Tabitha felt she had overlooked some subtle details. What exactly had she missed?It seemed a key point was missing, and once found, it would connect all the events."I don't know. I just wanted to find the children, but I didn't expect to court death. And Derek's attitude towards me is ambiguous. Outside this cabin, I don't know what awaits me," Tabitha said, her face full of entanglement.Seeing her struggle, Lucian took a big gulp of mineral water and mustered the courage to say, "Have you severed ties with him?"Tabitha nodded,
Third person's POVDerek had painstakingly built up Tabitha's trust by posing as Wilmot.He knew that if she ever discovered his true identity, her anger would be immense, and the trust he had spent half a year constructing would crumble entirely.Derek continued, "Send someone to discreetly protect her without revealing themselves. Ayla is still on the island. Tabitha will go to see her."Rolf nodded in agreement, "Understood."Derek added with caution, "Remember, Lucian has a strong ability to detect surveillance, so do not get too close."Rolf responded, "Yes, Alpha Derek. We will handle it immediately."Turning to Alvin, Derek instructed, "Investigate the identities of those deceased men thoroughly."Derek pondered whether Tabitha's survival had been leaked, perhaps when she was seen on the boat.The assailants had been ruthless, and if not for Lucian's timely arrival, Tabitha could have been in grave danger. He had
Third person's POVForrest's voice was laced with worry, "Ms. Hartley, where are you now?"Tabitha had already settled her wages with Forrest before sending the children to the island. She couldn't fathom why he would contact her at this juncture.She couldn't help but feel puzzled.Tabitha inquired, "What's wrong?"Forrest replied, "Wilmot's had an accident. You need to come see him."Tabitha was still trying to make sense of Derek's appearance at the bar when she heard about Wilmot's predicament, and her heart immediately filled with worry.She quickly asked, "What happened to him?"Forrest explained, "Wilmot was already ill recently, and he drank a lot tonight. He's suffered from alcohol poisoning and has been taken to the hospital. He keeps asking to see you, Ms. Hartley. Where are you? Can you come to see him?"Tabitha thought to herself that even if she knew her current location, she couldn't just tell anyone.
Third person's POVTwo more gunshots rang out, the shooter's aim dead on as two more men fell to the ground.Tabitha saw a tall figure standing deep in the alley, shrouded in a cloak, making it impossible to discern who it was.Tabitha's mind raced with questions. Was he a friend or foe?The man removed his hat, revealing the distinctive totem mask beneath.Tabitha stared in disbelief and uttered, "Lucian, why are you here?""Long story. Come with me," Lucian said, grabbing Tabitha's hand and leading her away.They didn't get far before Tabitha glanced back to see Derek and Leopold rushing out of a bar together.Surprise washed over Tabitha. How could Derek be here?Her blood seemed to freeze. 'When did he return?'Lucian pulled Tabitha into a dilapidated black car that passed right in front of Derek.Leaning against the car window, Tabitha gazed at Derek, lost in thought.'If Leopold had arranged to