Andrew's POV“Damn!” I felt so upset and angry that someone could actually bypass my entire security team and attack my house right under my nose!If they could infiltrate my own house, then nowhere was safe! With anger surging through me, I threw a glass against the wall in rage.I heard a knock and had to take a deep breath to calm my raging emotions before granting the person permission to enter.Alfred walked in, and I didn't waste time asking, "Tell me everything in detail.""Master, I was in my room when I heard the security emergency alarm. I stepped outside only to be told by the security team that Mistress was attacked by a masked man. I called you immediately after I got the information.""How did the masked man get into the mansion? Shouldn't there be a guard in charge of the east wing of the mansion where Sheila's room is located? Why was there no security guard on sight when the masked man attacked her?" I asked impatiently, trying to get to the root of the matter."Dant
Sheila's POV The sound of my phone ringing loudly by the bedside woke me up. I yawned and reached out for it, wondering who could be calling at this time.I looked at the wall clock and gasped. Oh no! It's already 9 a.m.; I must have overslept because of the medicine Dr. Augustine gave me.I grabbed my phone, which had been ringing non-stop, and checked who was calling. My heart nearly skipped a beat; it was the hospital.I shuddered and quickly answered the call. “Hello.”“Hello, good morning. Is this Miss Sheila Grayson?” a soft, gentle voice asked in a professional tone.“Yes, this is Sheila Grayson. Did something happen to my mother?” I asked anxiously, sitting up immediately.“Your mother is fine, but she wants to see you. I'm Nurse Tabitha, your mother's assistant nurse. She's been refusing her medications, insisting she wants to see you. We tried calling the Graysons' home, but no one answered. I got your number from your mother.”“Okay, I'll get ready and be there in thirty m
Andrew's POVAfter ending the call with Alfred, I loosened my tie and tried to relax. If Sheila knew what I went through last night while she was sleeping, she wouldn't argue or try to annoy me.Just as I was about to close my eyes for a few seconds break, my office phone rang. I groaned and picked it up reluctantly."Sir, Mr. James is here to see you," my secretary, Ivy, said."Okay, send him in."I adjusted my tie again and waited for my private investigator. We had a lot to discuss.Shortly after, James walked into my office. "James, welcome. Have a seat. How was your trip?""It was good. I came as soon as I could. What's going on, Andrew?"I sighed and began explaining everything to him. He listened carefully as I told him everything Dante had told Alfred and me, up to the point where he started convulsing and we took him to the hospital."How is he now? Did the doctor find out what's wrong with him?" James asked."The doctor said he ingested a slow-acting poison and it will take
Andrew's POV I ignored the call, unwilling to pick up. Why was he calling me? What did he want? He kept calling, making me scowl. If it weren't for wanting to continue watching the video, I would have turned off my phone. I wanted nothing to do with Stevenson. I had heard reports about how badly he treated Sheila and her mother. Even though I didn’t want to intervene in their family matters, his attitude towards Sheila disgusted me. When he heard I was supposedly going broke, he didn't hesitate to hand Sheila over as a substitute bride. It was as if I was doing him a favor by taking Sheila away. Wanting to get it over with, I picked up the call. "Hello, what is it?" I asked in an unfriendly tone, forgetting about pleasantries. “Good evening, Mr. Andrew. Did I call at a bad time?” he asked, immediately noticing my tone. “What do you want?” I asked again, ignoring his question. He cleared his throat and began. “Mr. Andrew, I was surprised to hear you weren’t actually disinherite
Sheila’s POV"I will happily choose Sheila over and over again instead of your precious daughter, Stevenson. SHEILA IS MY WIFE; deal with it!"Hearing these words made my heart race. Was it from disbelief? Excitement? Happiness? I couldn't tell for sure.Did Andrew really mean what he said? I had never been told that I was better than Phoebe. Growing up, I always put myself second to Phoebe because she was often praised as the golden child, while I was often reminded that I was just a mistake, born from an affair.Other than my mother, someone actually prefer me over Phoebe?"Come in, Anna. I really need that cup of coffee right now."Andrew's words brought me back to reality when I realized he had mistaken me for Anna. I thought about running away, but my feet wouldn't move.Just as I was about to flee, I turned and saw Anna behind me with a cup of coffee, looking confused about why I was just standing at the door of An
Stevenson’s POV"That bastard! He had the guts to hang up on me!"I grabbed the nearest thing on my desk, a glass artifact, and threw it at the door in anger. How could that jerk talk to me so condescendingly!"Oh goodness, darling, you almost hit me!"I turned and saw Fiona at the door. She looked at the broken glass on the ground, carefully stepping around it before coming into my study."Sorry, my dear. I hope you weren't hurt?" I asked, concerned that my outburst might have injured her."I'm fine, darling. What's the problem? What got you so worked up?" she asked, sitting down. I took a deep breath and sat down to explain."It's Andrew Walker. That bastard raised his voice at me when I told him to divorce Sheila and marry Phoebe. Can you imagine? Doesn't he realize I'm doing him a huge favor by offering Phoebe to him?""Calm down, darling. What exactly did he say?" Fiona asked calmly.I sighed. "I told him Phoebe was supposed to be his bride, not Sheila, and that he should divorce
Sheila's POV I got out of the car and stared at the house I once called home, but it never felt like home. Memories of how badly I was treated here threatened to flood my mind, but I pushed them aside and took a deep breath. "You can do this, Sheila," I muttered to myself as I stood on the front porch of my father's house, my hand hovering over the doorbell. "Is everything alright, Mistress?" Alfred asked. I cleared my throat and turned to him. "I'm fine. Just wait in the car with the guards. I won't take long." "Okay, Mistress." I took another deep breath, adjusted my clothes, and rang the bell. Within a short while, the front door opened and I saw Gia. "Sheila! It's you," she said excitedly and rushed to hug me. I smiled at her. "How are you doing, Gia?" Gia was one of the few maids who was willing to talk to me when I was still living with my father. We weren't really close friends, but she was friendly toward me, which was enough. "I'm really not doing so great.
Sheila's POVI closed my eyes, waiting for the impact of the slap. I had long grown too accustomed to Fiona's punishments and slaps that I didn't even bother to avoid it. However, it never came."Who are you? Get your hands off me!" Fiona yelled angrily.I opened my eyes and saw Alfred standing in front of me, firmly holding Fiona's hand as she struggled to break free."Are you okay, Mistress?" Alfred asked.I nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."Only then did he roughly release Fiona's hand and glare at her. "The next time you try to lay a finger on my Mistress, you will have more to worry about than your hand."I never expected Alfred to sound so cold toward Fiona. He had always been respectful towards me, but this was the first time I was seeing this side of him.Fiona's eyes flashed with fear, but she quickly hid her emotion. "And who the hell are you to barge into my house like that?""I'm Alfred, Mr. Walker's butler. I have been assigned to protect my Mistress from any sort of miscreants,"
Simeon's POVMia nodded. "Yes, I still have it. The nuns always said it was valuable, that it could fetch a lot of money. They thought it meant my family was wealthy. I held on to it, hoping that one day, I could find my family and with their assistance, help all the children at the orphanage. Unfortunately, I didn't get my wish as I never found them."The room seemed to hold its breath. Mrs. Lannister looked at her husband, her hands trembling as she whispered,"Could we see it? The pendant?" Her voice sounded urgent, almost pleading.I couldn't help but wonder why she was so interested in Mia's pendant. Before Mia could respond, Molly scoffed from across the table.“Are you really going to believe her cock-and-bull story?” she asked sharply. “It sounds like something straight out of a children's storybook. It's obvious she’s just fishing for sympathy.”Gwen chimed in, her voice dripping with disdain. “Aunty is right. She’s probably just trying to get something out of you, Mrs. Lanni
Simeon's POVDinner continued, but the uneasy feeling in the air was hard to miss. Andrew's father kept glancing at Grandpa, clearly curious and waiting for him to say something. It was obvious he was eager to find out about the big announcement Grandpa had been hinting at for a while. Andrew’s father leaned in slightly, his voice low but insistent. “What is it you wanted to announce, Father?” he asked, his tone betraying his impatience. Grandpa didn’t flinch. He simply leaned back in his chair, his hands folding in front of him, as if savoring the moment. “I’ll tell you after dinner, and when Andrew gets here,” Grandpa replied firmly, leaving no room for argument. Andrew’s father, clearly not satisfied with the answer, still attempted to probe further. “But—” Molly, sensing the displeased look on Grandpa's face, shot her husband a warning look. She leaned toward him and whispered something in his ear. His jaw tightened, but after a moment, he leaned back in his chair, his p
Sheila's POVDinner was served, and though the table was filled with smiles and laughter, the atmosphere was far from perfect. We all sat around, pretending we belonged in this picture-perfect family, but deep down, we all knew the cracks were visible to anyone paying attention.Grandma, always the one to keep the peace, cleared her throat. "Mia, are you enjoying the meal?" she asked with a smile, her eyes filled with gentle curiosity.Mom smiled back warmly. "Yes, it’s delicious. Everything tastes great."But from across the table, Gwen muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear, her words dripping with sarcasm. "Well, of course, she would like the food. She probably never eats anything like this anywhere else."The room fell silent for a moment. Everyone heard it, and I could feel the tension rising as Gwen’s brother, sitting next to her, unsuccessfully tried to stifle a laugh.Grandpa shot Gwen a stern look, his voice low but firm. "Gwen, be very careful with your words."Simeo
Sheila's POVA few days later... “Maybe you should carry the blue purse,” Mom suggested, inspecting my choices. “It’s elegant but not too much for a family dinner.” I nodded. “You think? I was leaning toward the black one, but I don’t want to look too... serious.” She chuckled. “No, sweetie. The blue one is perfect for tonight.” The sound of a car horn interrupted us, signaling that Simeon had arrived to pick us up. I exchanged a quick smile with Mom before we made our way to the car. “Good evening, ladies,” Simeon greeted us warmly as we climbed in, offering a charming smile. He immediately turned to Mom. “You look absolutely stunning, as always, Mia.” Mom smiled at the compliment, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Thank you, Simeon,” she replied warmly. “You also look handsome.” Simeon flashed a grin, his usual playful self, then turned to me. “And Sheila, you’re looking lovely as well. I must say, you’re both a sight to behold.” I laughed lightly. “Drop the act, Sime
Evelyn's POVSimeon and I both turned toward the voice that had just spoken from the doorway, and to my surprise, it was my father, standing tall with my mother beside him. I smiled, my heart swelling with happiness that they had come to see me, and was about to greet them when everything shifted in an instant. Before I could process what was happening, my father angrily walked to Simeon and slapped him across the cheek. My breath caught in my throat as I gasped in shock, unable to believe what I had just witnessed. "Father!" I exclaimed, horrified by the sudden slap. My mother immediately came to sit beside me, and placed a calming hand on my arm, her voice low and firm. "Don't get involved, Evelyn," she whispered, her gaze not leaving my father. "Let your father handle this."I watched as my father began to scold Simeon, his tone harsh. "Why do you insist on disturbing my daughter's peace? She's married to Andrew now, Simeon. You have no place in her life. Why don't you let her b
Simeon’s POV I left Sheila’s room after the unexpected dinner invitation from Grandma, and headed back to Evelyn's room. I wondered if Andrew had already gone to see her. I knocked lightly on Evelyn’s door before pushing it open. To my surprise, she was awake, her face pale under the soft light of the room. She lay in bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, a distant look in them as though she was lost in thought. I walked over and sat beside her. “How are you feeling?” I asked softly. Evelyn blinked, slowly turning her head to meet my gaze. “I’m fine,” she replied warmly. “I just… can’t feel my legs,” she added softly, almost like she was saying it to herself more than to me. “I tried asking the nurse that attended to me, but she didn't say anything about it. Did the doctor tell you anything?” I averted my eyes, unsure of how to proceed. The doctor’s words had been clear, and I knew I had to tell her the truth. But I wasn’t sure if I could bear seeing her crumble under the wei
Simeon’s POV I stepped into the room, letting the door close softly behind me. “Sheila,” I said softly, drawing their attention. Sheila turned her head, a small smile forming on her lips. “Simeon. Hi.” Mia also turned and stood up to hug me warmly. “Simeon,” she exclaimed and held my hand, bringing me closer to Sheila. “How are you feeling, Sheila?” I asked, stepping closer. “I’m fine now,” she replied, her voice steady but subdued. “Thanks to you.” Mia turned to me, her eyes brimming with gratitude. “Thank you, Simeon,” she said earnestly. “For saving my daughter... for saving me. If anything had happened to my daughter... I don’t think I would have survived it.” I shook my head lightly. “Nothing will happen to either of you. And it wasn’t just me. Andrew deserves just as much credit. He mobilized his men and put everything into the rescue.” At the mention of Andrew, Sheila’s smile faltered. Her expression grew distant, her gaze dropping to her hands. I sighed qui
Andrew's POVI stepped back as Sheila’s mother burst into the room, calling her name with tears in her eyes. She enveloped Sheila in a tight hug, her voice shaking with relief.Without saying a word, I quietly turned and stepped outside, easing the door shut behind me to allow them their mother-daughter moment. I leaned against the doorframe, letting my head rest lightly against it as I closed my eyes. The ache in my chest felt heavier than I’d expected. I knew Sheila would reject me. In fact, I’d prepared myself for it—or so I thought. I knew I’d hurt her deeply, more than I could ever make up for. But even with all that knowledge, hearing her say those words... “I can’t accept your love.”...it cut deeper than I imagined. Her question kept replaying in my head, like a haunting echo I couldn’t silence. “Did you realize your love for me now because Evelyn confessed her love for Simeon?” The truth was indeed hard to tell. It had taken Evelyn’s confession to rip away the blinde
Sheila's POV When I opened my eyes, the bright white walls and the sterile smell of disinfectant immediately told me where I was. The hospital.....I was in the hospital.I tried to move, but a sharp pain throbbed in my head, forcing me to groan softly. Turning my head carefully to the side, I saw someone seated beside me. Their arms were folded on the edge of the bed, and their head was bowed down, resting on their forearms. The figure looked tired, as if sleep had come to them after a long, restless night. My vision was blurry, making it hard to see who it was. I blinked a few times, but it didn’t help much, so I used my hand to gently wipe my eyes. Once my vision cleared, I reached out and lightly touched the person’s arm. The figure stirred, jerking up in an instant. Andrew’s face appeared, his features haggard and his hair slightly disheveled. He looked like he hadn’t slept properly in days. As soon as he saw me, he started shouting in his half-asleep state. "Doctor! D