Sheila’s POV I walked into the new hospital, a basket of fruit in my hands, feeling a rare sense of happiness. I was going to see Mom. The air was cool, and the bright, clean halls of the hospital looked spotless. Knowing she was in a comfortable room, resting well, made everything seem a little brighter.As I pushed open the door to her room, I saw her sitting up in bed, a small smile playing on her lips. The sight of her without the usual lines of pain etched into her face filled me with relief.“Mom,” I said softly, walking over to her with the basket. “Look what I brought you.”She looked at the basket, her smile widening. “Sheila, my dear, you’re spoiling me.”I placed the basket on the table beside her bed and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “You deserve it, Mom. How are you feeling?”Her eyes shone with a warmth I hadn’t seen in a long time. “Better than I have in years. This place… it’s so peaceful. How were you able to afford this place? it looks quite expensive.”“It wasn’t
Andrew's POV"Mr. Walker, the projections for the next quarter look promising, but we need your input on the final adjustments," one of my foreign investors said during the zoom meeting.I nodded, glancing at the charts on the screen. "I agree, but let's consider diversifying the portfolio a bit more. We don't want to put all our eggs in one basket, especially with the current market volatility."Another investor chimed in, "Good point, Mr. Walker. But what about the new tech investments? Should we scale back or push forward?""We push forward," I replied without hesitation. "Technology is the future. If we want to stay ahead, we need to invest now, while the opportunities are ripe."There was a brief pause on the other end as they considered my suggestion. "Alright, we'll adjust the plan accordingly. Mr Grey, anything else we should consider?"As the both of them discussed, my thoughts unintentionally drifted to the night Sheila
Phoebe's POV"I’m so angry with my dad right now!" I vented to my friends who had come over for a visit. "I told him I wasn't interested in the arranged marriage with his foreign business partner and that I wouldn’t agree to it, but he even went as far as freezing all my debit cards!”My friends exchanged worried looks, trying to comfort me. “You really need to calm down, Phoebe. Maybe there could be another way of explaining to your dad about this?”“There's nothing I haven't done to change his mind! I've begged and begged, threatened to end my life, done everything I could think of, but he just wouldn't bulge!” I yelled angrily.Muna then asked, "Who’s this foreign investor your dad wants you to marry? Isn’t he worried that the investor might take you away to another country, and we might never see you again?”“Antonio Ricardo,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “He’s apparently a billionaire Spanish tycoon my dad wants me to marry.”
Sheila's POVAndrew was already at the breakfast table when I walked into the dining room. The morning light streamed through the windows, making everything look so peaceful. He was dressed for work, casually flipping through some papers while a servant poured him a fresh cup of coffee.“Good morning,” I said, taking a seat across from him.“Morning,” Andrew replied, looking up with a smile. “Are you ready for your day with Grandma? She's quite excited about it.”I shifted in my chair, feeling a bit nervous. “I guess so. Are you sure you can’t come with me?”He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I’d love to, but I’ve got a lot to do at work today. Besides, it’s you she invited, not me. You’ll be fine.”I sighed, eyeing the breakfast that had just been set before me. “I don’t know. Your grandfather will be there, right? And you know he’s not exactly fond of me. It’ll be awkward without you. What if they ask about us, or the scandal with Alan? What if—”Before I could continue, Andrew
Sheila's POV Soon I arrived at the family house. The mansion stood tall and grand, just like I remembered. As I walked up to the door, I spotted Grandma in the garden to the side of the house.“Sheila!” she called out, waving me over. She was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and had dirt on her hands from working in the garden. “Welcome, my dear. Do you mind helping me with these flowers?”I smiled and walked over. “Goodday, Grandma, I didn’t expect to find you here.”“Where else would I be on a beautiful day like this?” she replied. “Come, grab a trowel and dig in. Would you like to change first or-”She hadn't even finished asking when I knew down beside her, and we started planting flowers together. The rich, dark soil felt cool under my fingers. “Grandma, why don't you have the servants do this?”“Oh, I could,” she replied, her eyes twinkling. “But I enjoy doing this myself. There’s something special about working with your hands. Moreover, I consider this garden and the flowers, my b
Phoebe’s POV I gazed at my reflection in the full-length mirror, unable to suppress the smug smile that curled my lips. The gown—my gown—was everything I had dreamed it would be and more. It shimmered with the lightest movement, the pearls and crystals catching every glint of light in the room. A one-million-dollar masterpiece, paid for by none other than my soon to be husband, Antonio Ricardo. As I admired myself, the door to my dressing room opened, and Mom stepped inside. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of me. “Phoebe,” she breathed, her voice tinged with awe, “you look breathtaking. That dress… Antonio certainly knows how to treat you well.”I turned from the mirror, allowing the full skirt to fan out around me, and faced her. “I know, right?” I couldn’t keep the pride out of my voice. “Antonio spoils me rotten, Mom. Anything I want, it’s mine. He doesn’t even hesitate.”Mom moved closer, adjusting the veil that flowed down my shoulders with a gentle touch. “That’s
Phoebe’s POV"We need to talk."I turned to face Antonio, the man I was supposed to call my husband. He stood there, his eyes dark and emotionless, as if I hadn't just caught him cheating on me. There wasn’t a hint of guilt or regret—just an icy stare that made me feel like the intruder in my own marriage.Instantly, I felt so angry within me, and before I could stop myself, I stormed towards him. My hand moved faster than my thoughts, connecting with his cheek in a loud, resounding slap. The force of it stung my palm, but the satisfaction of seeing his head whip to the side was worth it. For a brief moment, I expected a reaction—anger, shock, anything—but when he slowly turned his head back to face me, his expression was even colder, if that were possible. He nodded slightly, almost as if acknowledging the slap as nothing more than an annoying inconvenience."Of course, we need to talk!" I began, my voice shaking with anger. "You—""Hush!" Antonio cut in with a sharp, commanding to
Phoebe's POVHis words sent a shiver down my spine, and my heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst. His dominance, his control—it was suffocating, and I felt the weight of it pressing down on me. But I couldn’t let him win, couldn’t let him think he had broken me."I’m not just a commodity," I said, my voice slightly shaking. "I’m not a toy you can play with. I’m leaving this place, and I’m done with this charade of a marriage."He stared at me for a long moment without uttering a word. Then, to my surprise, the coldness in his expression melted away, replaced by that same amused smirk. He stepped back and gestured toward the door. "Then leave."I was taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor. One moment he said he owned me, and the next, he said I could go.I hesitated, wondering if this was one of his games, but I didn’t wait to find out. I grabbed my suitcase and headed for the door, wanting to get as far away from him as possible.But as I reached the front door, I saw