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Hayley still couldn't shake off the disbelief at her current situation as she remained in her bed that night, staring up at her ceiling, lost in thoughts. It was already past 9 pm and the occupants of the retreat seemed to have retired to bed and slept off, except her. She was consumed by her thoughts, her heart churning with several emotions as she reflected on the rumors that had been circulating about her. To compound her misery, Hayley's frustration only deepened when she watched that 'victim card' video of Cassidy online. Hayley was still in shock that Adrian's sister could do something like that to her. It's true what she observed; despite being twins, they both shared different personalities. At this point, Hayley didn't care anymore, though. She was exhausted from the turmoil Cassidy had caused, and this had driven her to the need to focus more on achieving her goal. Hayley was working her ass off now to ensure she won the program, and as soon as she was out of the retreat,
The following day, Leonardo prepared himself for a press interview scheduled for an hour later. As the CEO of the ACS Group, he was compelled to address the swirling rumors about Hayley's supposed embezzlement of company funds. The board of executives was already feeling confused and anxious about the situation. Many were frustrated with Leonardo for his prolonged absence, having returned only a few days prior. Some even conspired to remove him from his position, questioning his competence. But they should have known better. Leonardo was quick to identify those behind the conspiracy and chose to dismiss them immediately, intending to use it as a lesson for the others, who were also secretly working against him. The fallout from previous executive issues had already served as a warning, prompting the remaining executives to stay clear of trouble. They knew that Leonardo was a formidable and ruthless boss who did not rely on their support to steer the company back on course. His wealth
As Hayley prepared to leave for Rosalie's office soon, she tried to calm her unraveling nerves as she stood in front of the mirror, taking in her reflection. The strain of the recent rumors had visibly affected her, causing her to look somewhat haggard. In the past few days, she could barely sleep well, eat, or even think properly as she was still consumed by Rosalie's impending verdict.Madam Rosalie had promised to investigate and confirm if Hayley had told her the truth. Though Hayley was confident she hadn't lied to Rosalie, she worried that unforeseen complications could arise. Cassidy had it out for her and Hayley knew she wouldn't stop until she saw her evicted from the retreat. That was the sole reason she had made up those false rumors about her. She knew Cassidy was trying to get payback for Adrian.Exhaling exasperatedly, Hayley snapped to reality as she noticed someone walk into the cozy room that served as hers. She turned to face the other side and she saw it was Kimberl
"What?"Hayley thought she must have misheard Rosalie the first time. Confusion was evident on her face as she mirrored Rosalie's intense gaze.Her eyes fixed on hers, Rosalie nodded in affirmation as she tapped the documents on the desk. "I understand your astonishment, my dear. But it's all in here." Hayley blinked in confusion, struggling to comprehend the absurdity in her words. "What? What are you talking about?"All her life, she had always believed she lost her real parents in a fatal car accident many years ago, or at least, that was what Wendy had made her believe when she was a kid. As she grew older, she dismissed the idea of searching for her real parents, thinking it was pointless. But now, she felt a surge of confusion as she continued staring into the eyes of this woman who looked so much like her. What was going on?Rosalie attempted to explain. "Calm down, Nina. Let me explain, alright?"Hayley's heart raced wildly, her breaths coming in short pants like she was havi
Recognizing the determination in Madam Rosalie's voice, Hayley lifted her gaze to meet her captivating blue eyes. She observed Rosalie in silence for a moment, absorbing the revelation she had just received. Hayley was wrestling with the reality of her situation, piecing together her fragmented story. It made sense that Wendy’s vendetta had stemmed from someone else, but she never imagined that person would be her own father. The fact that this all occurred so many years ago only deepened her confusion and frustration. Why couldn’t Wendy just forgive and move on? Seeking revenge against her when all she had done was be the daughter of Wendy’s adversary was just utterly irrational.Taking a deep breath, Hayley attempted to compose her chaotic mind."I understand if you need some time to process this. Take all the time you need, my dear, I'm here," Rosalie said gently, her soft hand covering Hayley’s on the desk, pulling her from her thoughts. "But I want you to know how truly happy I a
Lillian seethed with rage, recalling what had transpired the day prior and how Leonardo had publicly shamed her on TV because of the rumors surrounding Hayley. Lillian felt a pang of thrill course through her, her mind spinning with conflicting thoughts as she grappled with the reality that had befallen her because of Wendy's relentless pursuit of revenge. These actions had cost her her hard work. As Lillian remained seated at the dining table, awaiting Wendy, who was busy in the kitchen, Lillian's mind couldn't help but wander to the phone conversation she had with her boss the previous day while they were watching the news. * Lillian's heart raced wildly upon recognizing the caller ID to be her boss in Clasold City, Director Dave. Glancing at Wendy, fear engulfed her as she mouthed. "It's my director. It's my director, Wendy," Lillian cried out, her voice trembling at the end. Surprise washed over Wendy's face and she shook her head skeptically. "Don't answer it." "He must have
"Leonardo, do you realize the gravity of what you've done? That was way too extreme, dude." Ivy stated firmly, clearly upset by Leonardo's recent actions at the press conference. "In trying to protect one, you profoundly hurt another."Leonardo had just returned to his home study after a hectic day at the office. He had a meeting with Massimo earlier, and with his board of executives as well. They were all pleased by his bold actions, well, except Ivy, whose concern for Hayley was palpable."Do you realize the dangers she'll face now after this? You think Lillian is going to be cool with this...?" Ivy was halted."I really don't care, Ivy!" Leonardo snapped, his frustration mounting as his eyes darted toward Ivy's.Locking eyes with Leonardo, Ivy fell silent for a moment, allowing him to express himself.Leonardo persisted resolutely. "Lillian deserved it. I warned her, not once, not twice... I don't care what happens to her. She dug this for herself... It's on her, I don't care." He
On their way back to Leonardo's residence, Ivy broke the stifling silence that had settled within them ever since they departed from the Anderson's Family house. "I honestly didn't expect you to do that, Leonardo. That was incredibly bold of you. I'm impressed, not going to lie..." Ivy remarked, her attention shifting to Leonardo, whose focus remained on the road ahead."It was a tough choice," he replied flatly, a pang of hurt piercing his chest. He swallowed hard before continuing, "But I followed your advice. I believed it was the right decision."She nodded. "It really was. I'm glad you prioritized your family," Ivy said with a warm smile. "It's only a matter of time before things fall back to the way it used to be. Everything will be fine, I'm happy for you.""I didn’t do it for Hayley, you know." Leonardo started as he made a right turn on the road. "I did it for myself...""Really?" Ivy’s voice held a note of surprise as she glanced at him."Yes. I'm exhausted by the constant
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