"-Your new boss," Adrian announced."What?!" Hayley exclaimed in shock and bewilderment. She stared at Adrian, unable to fathom what he had just said. "What do you mean he is my new boss?"Adrian chuckled softly, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at Hayley. "I know you're surprised, baby... he-"Hayley asked impatiently, cutting him off. "Adrian, please tell me this is a joke. Please." She looked at him, hoping for some reassurance.Adrian paused for a moment, his expression turning neutral before he responded. "I'm sorry to crash your hopes, baby. But no, this is not a joke. He is now a new executive in the company, in charge of the marketing department at MF Arts. I need you to guide him through the company policies before he gets accustomed to them." Adrian instructed with a small smile.Hayley couldn't believe her ears as she stared at Adrian, dumbstruck. She felt her mind spinning with disbelief. What the fuck was wrong with Adrian? She had been doing everything she could
"What is it now?" Adrian asked sharply, slightly annoyed as he answered the call after moving to the next room, a distance from Leonardo and Hayley."Hey, big brother. That is no way to talk to your twin sissy, is it?" Cassidy's playful voice sailed into Adrian's ears through the phone, causing him to sigh wearily. She added genially, "How are you doing?"He replied curtly, "I'm good. Thanks." He paused, waiting for her to get to the point, but she remained quiet. "Can you cut to the chase already? I'm busy," Adrian prompted impatiently.Cassidy hesitated for a minute before speaking in a small voice, "I just called to check on your well-being..." She trailed off."Yeah, right. Adrian knew there was more to it than just a simple check-up. His family members never called him unless it was to discuss important matters. They all knew he was a busy man who didn't have time for chit-chats. Adrian sighed heavily, urging her, "Spit it out now, will you? What do you want?"Cassidy fumbled ov
Hayley's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Leonardo, feeling a mix of confusion and fear. But she quickly hid her emotions behind a hard gaze now fixed on him. She clenched her teeth and gritted in anger, "You wouldn't dare."Leonardo forced a smile before responding confidently, "I could, but I didn't..." His voice softened. "For you, mi reina... I see how he looks at you, and it makes me jealous. But I control myself each time because I don't want you to hate me or feel guilty about my blatant actions. You know what I can do if anyone makes me feel uneasy... I created a fake identity to align with yours, so there would be no suspicion, as you wanted. Why can't you see how I truly feel about you, and that I'm trying to make efforts here? I'm doing everything at your pace. I even took this job here, stooped so low, just so I could be close to you."Hayley snapped, interrupting him. "Well, I never asked you to. I don't want you here, Leonardo.""I wouldn't have come if you hadn't
Revenge. Revenge.These words echoed in Leonardo's mind like a mantra as he recalled the tone in which Hayley had said it to him three days ago, coupled with the cold expression that had been etched on her face that day. Something about her had not only petrified him that day, but it had plagued him up until now as he gazed in a faraway look, his heart still heavy with the weight of her words.Leonardo was settled behind the office desk in his home study at Kleeton City. Though the computer screen that sat in front of him was turned on, Leonardo could barely focus on or concentrate as he couldn't shake off the guilt and disheartened feeling he felt, that had now blurred his vision as he stared at the screen, thinking about Hayley. He couldn't help but replay their last conversation in his head, the one that had been interrupted by Adrian's intrusion, three days ago at the department hall. "... I have no choice, Leonardo. Revenge-" Hayley had said with a hard expression, her eyes pie
As soon as he stepped into the club, his eyes roved the place and the first thing that caught his attention was the solitary blonde sitting by the bar counter, with her back turned against Leonardo. Unaware of his presence. Leonardo had a thing for blondes, but that particular lady was the most enthralling one he had ever seen in his entire life. Her perfect figure was well accentuated by the dress she had on, even though she was seated. Leonardo soon found himself ogling the woman intently, unable to look away and he didn't even hear when Massimo had excused himself. Leonardo already liked the blonde. At that moment he told himself he wanted her and he must have her tonight in his arms, tonight. He concluded as he approached her with confident strides. Unknown to him, the blonde was the woman he was to marry in the next two days. Leonardo took a sit beside her by the counter, intending to flirt with her. But his intentions were halted when he noticed her drunken state and her tear
"I don't think filing a restraining order against the father of your child is the ideal solution to your current situation. Especially now that your child has grown attached to him and feels safe around him." Taylor Devereaux, Hayley's trusted friend and therapist advised. "Besides, he means no harm, right? I'm not saying your request is wrong, but I suggest you reconsider and think about your daughter's happiness before making a final decision, Nina. Don't deny the innocent child the chance to know and be with her father." They were both seated in Hayley's office that Friday afternoon, discussing the issue at hand.Hayley looked at her fazed, reclining back in the swivel seat in despair after hearing Taylor's response to her request for a restraining order against Leonardo. Hayley heaved out a long, weary sigh, her mind racing with thoughts as she stared in a faraway look.Taylor watched her, urging her. "Don't act irrational. Think a moment to think this through."Hayley remained
Hayley's heart skipped a beat as she didn't see that question coming. Her words caught in her throat, and her heart palpitated, her gaze faltering."Be honest with me, Nina. That is the only way I can help you. Do you still love -"Hayley interrupted sharply with a hard gaze. "No... I don't," she denied undeterred.Their eyes locked, and Taylor could see past her hard exterior that she was lying."You're angry, Nina. You wish to move on. But before you can do that, you need to release that anger out of you... You need to let it out. You need answers to your questions. You want to know why he did what he did to you many years ago. You want to know if it was worth it. Am I correct?"Yes, she was. Taylor was very correct, but Hayley was reluctant to acknowledge her feelings. She was still consumed by the need to get her revenge.Hayley remained quiet, her gaze only hardening further."Why did you leave Clasold City six years ago? Was it because of him?" Taylor pressed, her tone sedate as
It was yet another blissful Saturday, and the early hours of that morning saw Hayley in the kitchen, busy baking cookies and preparing snacks for their special Girl-day-in that was just two hours away. Hayley had decided to set her predicaments aside for once and focus on spending quality time alone with Daisy. It had been ages since they hung out together, without any distractions.After Hayley's request to file a restraining order against Leonardo had been declined and rejected by Taylor twice, Hayley thought she might as well just forget and move on. She wanted to have a fun-filled Saturday indoors with her daughter. At least that was all she could do at that moment.Daisy was still asleep in her room when Hayley thought about surprising her by the time she woke up with the plans of a movie day - with her favorite movie and her favorite pastries and snacks.After neatly placing the raw pastries on the baking tray, Hayley delicately glazed the croissants with the egg mixture. Once s
ONE MONTH LATER.[Court in Session.]"With this compelling evidence provided, I find it incumbent that you both witness the insides of a prison cell for fifty years, Mrs. Wendy Forbes and Miss Lillian Lopez. You both are hereby sentenced to fifty years in prison, for the crimes of attempted murder and kidnapping. Sentence to be executed immediately," The prosecutor and judge delivered the verdict, her tone unwavering. She was a ruthless prosecutor, one who had zero tolerance for convicts. As the prosecutor, Alexa McKanne made to return to her seat, she halted in her tracks as a shrill noise pierced through the courtroom."Nooo!!" Lilian emitted a heart-wrenching cry, her sharp voice reverberating throughout the courtroom and catching the attention of everyone present.The gathering erupted in murmurs, prompting the judge to call for silence.Meanwhile, Hayley, who was seated next to Leonardo across from Lillian and Wendy, caught Lillian's glare filled with contempt. Despite the palpab
A brief wave of disbelief washed over Leonardo as he stared at Hayley in astonishment. "What?" he blurted out absentmindedly, a hint of excitement seeping into his voice.Hayley felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she observed his reaction, realizing this was the first time she had seen his response to her pregnancy news."Are you serious, baby?" Leonardo asked, his eagerness palpable as his gaze shifted to Hayley's abdomen, contemplating whether she was teasing him or if she truly meant it.A genuine smile spread across Hayley's face as she rolled her eyes at his question. "Yeah, duh...""Mi reina!" Leonardo exclaimed, a surge of pure excitement bubbling within him. He could hardly fathom it. His joy was boundless as he reached for Hayley's hand, holding it gently.Hayley reveled in his excitement, her eyes filled with affection as he began to speak."Hayley Forbes..."She interrupted him, shaking her head playfully. "No, it’s Nina or Hazel now. I can't go by that name anymore, Leona
Hayley hurried with overwhelming joy and excitement toward Leonardo's room, with Daisy beside her. Her elation was palpable as she realized that Leonardo was awake; she could hardly contain her eagerness to see him. At the same time, Leonardo engaged in conversation with his brother, Lorenzo, who had remained by his side since the women had departed an hour earlier following his awakening. Leonardo had undoubtedly been taken aback to see his family upon waking. However, his initial surprise gradually shifted to confusion when he noticed the absence of both his woman and daughter. However, they had reassured him that Hayley had stepped out briefly and would return shortly, while Daisy was in another room with Rosalie and Emily. With this information, his anxious heart began to settle as he accepted their reassuring words. After a further thirty minutes had elapsed without Hayley's return, Leonardo's concern began to intensify. Unable to contain himself, he called out to Lorenzo, who
.Hayley returned to the hospital after delivering the lawsuit documents to the wardress at Wendy's prison. Approximately an hour prior, the prosecutor, Alexa, who was overseeing Hayley's case, had provided her with the papers following their meeting. Hayley then drove to the prison, where Wendy and Lillian were incarcerated, and handed the documents to the wardress, choosing not to visit any of them. That was the least of her concerns; her only interest in seeing them was during the court proceedings, where the judge would render his final decision. With a sigh of frustration, Hayley pulled herself back to the present as she made a right turn onto the highway, heading towards the hospital. She recalled that the love of her life remained unconscious when she left earlier, and a wave of anxiety washed over her as she wondered if he had awakened from the coma. Thoughts of Leonardo tightened around her heart, causing her anguish. Hayley eventually regained composure as she caught sight
Wendy collapsed on the ground, her head buried in her palms as she absorbed the news of Alison's sudden accident. It hit her like a thunderbolt, shattering her heart into pieces. Her daughter had been involved in an accident and according to what the wardress had mentioned, Alison had also fallen in a coma after the incident. Wendy swallowed, her face flooded with tears. Her heart ached painfully as she grappled with the reality. How could this be? How did this happen? She felt a pang of guilt constrict her heart tightly, knowing she was mostly responsible for the unfortunate circumstance that had befallen her daughter. If she hadn't gotten herself in trouble in the first place, none of this would have happened. With that, her cries intensified as she remained on the ground. "I'm very sorry, ma'am," The wardress tried to sympathize, her tone laden with pity. But that did little to console Wendy, whose thoughts were all over the place. Meanwhile, Lillian had also been shocked upon he
"What are you saying? He has a guardian! You can't take that action."Lillian's heart raced with anxiety as she absorbed the unsettling information relayed to her over the phone. Despite her efforts to maintain her composure, her hand trembled slightly as it pressed the receiver to her ear. Beads of sweat began to form on her temples, and her anger flared as the caller finished her statement.Her grip on the phone tightened, and Lillian shot back, her frustration palpable. "What do you mean by that? You can't do that! He has a mother! I am his mother!"She fell silent as the caller replied, a response that clearly unsettled her. Lillian started again. "Listen, you cannot do this to me. Ethan is my son. I’ll be out of here very soon. Just be patient, please." Lillian pleaded, a tear streaming down her cheek that she quickly brushed away.She listened closely to the caller's words until the line beeped, indicating the call had ended.Her heart shattered, and fresh tears flowed down her
Hayley headed out of the hospital as soon as she received the news about Freya's capture. Right after Lillian was apprehended, she had instructed an officer of the law to discreetly conduct a search for Freya, ensuring that she returned to the city in one piece so she could serve her fair punishment for her actions. Hayley was quite surprised by the speed of the development, however, that was the least of her concerns at that moment. A blend of satisfaction and annoyance brimmed within her as she headed out to the awaiting car, parked in the hospital lot. She had nearly forgotten Emily was trailing behind her until Emily's voice sailed into her ears, pulling Hayley from her thoughts. "Where are you going, Hayley? Who was it on the phone?" Emily pressed, her tone filled with concern. Realizing she hadn't shared the news with her, Hayley stopped midway and turned to Emily in an attempt to placate her confusion. "I'll be right back, Em. I need you to stay behind and watch my mother a
Hayley made her way to the restroom section of the hospital and leaned against the door once she stepped inside. Her heart raced, stirred by memories of her confrontation with Clara.Painful tears stung her eyes despite her efforts to remain composed and resolute. She felt she didn't deserve to cry. If anyone ought to shed tears, it should be Clara, not herself. She hadn't done anything wrong.With this resolve, Hayley sniffled back her emotions, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand before heading towards the sink to wash her face. She stared at her reflection in the mirror afterward, her chest heaving. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled before further questioning herself if she had been too harsh on Clara or if she truly deserved what she got from her. Her thoughts were disrupted as the door to the bathroom swung open, startling Hayley. Without moving an inch, Hayley caught a glimpse of the person who had just walked in through the mirror and saw it was Emily."Hey, ar
Meanwhile, Clara watched in silence as she absorbed the affectionate scene unfolding before her. Occasionally, her gaze would trail from the newfound couple to Hayley, who watched with enthusiasm and joy. Clara felt her heart pricked painfully, once again remembering that she and Hayley were no longer friends. And it was all her fault. She literally betrayed Hayley. Abandoned her when she needed her the most and turned her back to her in her times of trial and peril. She wondered if Hayley was ever going to forgive her for her actions.Sure, she had only acted out because she didn't like the way Hayley's deception affected Adrian. But recognizing Hayley's other predicament with Wendy and Lillian, she had now come to understand why Hayley had lied to them about her identity in the first place. She was obviously running from something and just didn't want to get entangled with her past again. It was unfortunate that Leonardo had just shown up to thwart those plans of Hayley.Reflecting