Two months later At exactly six a.m., the alarm Sinjin had set on his phone went off, making him groan as he blindly reached out, grabbed it, and turned it off to avoid waking Eds. He placed the phone on the bedside table and sat up, rubbing his hands over his face before swinging his legs onto the floor.Having finally gotten rid of the cast, with the doctor assuring him he was fully healed, Sinjin had also done away with his crutches and wheelchair. As he lifted his arms above his head for a stretch, he opened his eyes, expecting the familiar darkness he’d grown accustomed to, but was surprised when he could make out the wall across from the bed.He switched on the bedside lamp and brought his hands to his face, letting out a shout when he realized he could see. Jumping to his feet, he rushed into the bathroom and stopped in front of the mirror, staring in disbelief at his reflection. His hands rose to his face again as the reality hit him.He could see! He was healed!Without wast
A week later Sinjin paced back and forth in his home office, grappling with how to persuade Eds to stay. He sensed she was preparing to leave and had postponed their conversation as long as possible. Unable to turn to Sande for help due to their current estrangement, his only option was to seek assistance from his sons.He knew Eds would be upset if he discussed their marital problems with the boys, but he felt helpless to change her mind. Sinjin turned from the window, walked to the door, opened it, and stepped out of the office, closing the door behind him.It was Saturday, and the boys were home because Kyle, who had taken leave months ago to care for Troy, was now away on a business trip to Thailand to compensate for his absences. Sinjin found them in the family room, engrossed in a video game, and paused to watch, not wanting to disrupt their play."Hey, Dad, want to play?" Troy asked."Uh, yeah, sure," Sinjin replied. "But, um... can we talk first? There's something important
A week later Kyle walked into Haven's Brew and Bakery during his lunch break and was pleased to find it empty. He had noticed that the busiest times were in the morning and occasionally when school let out, so he made it a point to come during lunch when Eds was usually free.He spotted Madison behind the display case, placing a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies and muffins, and greeted her with a smile."Hi," he said."Hi, Kyle," Madison replied. "Here to see the boss?""Yeah. Is she in?" Kyle asked.Just then, a squeal from Eds' office caught his attention. He was about to rush behind the counter to check what was wrong when Eds burst out of the office, laughing and trying to evade someone."No, stop!" she called out, still laughing.Kyle was puzzled about who she was with, but his confusion turned to shock when he saw Sinjin approaching with his hands raised in a peace gesture. Kyle couldn't believe his eyes—a blind man walking as if he could see."Santillan?" Kyle called out,
Over the following weeks, Kyle made every effort to get the boys to call him "dad," but they stubbornly stuck to using his name, which frustrated him. His attempt to eliminate Sinjin had failed, and each time he passed by Eds' shop, he was irritated by the sight of her laughing with Sinjin.What truly set him off was seeing them dancing and singing together in her shop, with customers cheering them on and recording the moment to post online. The video quickly went viral, amassing ten million views in just 24 hours.It was the same video that Troy and Tristan were watching on their phones, the volume loud and disruptive, while Kyle tried to concentrate on work. It grated on his nerves."Turn it off," he demanded."What?" Tristan asked, confused."I said, turn the damn thing off!" Kyle snapped."We're watching it," Troy responded, his tone defiant.Kyle shot up from his seat at the kitchen counter, marched over to the boys in the living room, and ripped the phones from their hands, hurl
Tristan unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his shoulders, his eyes dropping when he noticed the horrified expression on Eds' face. To his surprise, instead of recoiling, she grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet and dragging both him and his brother out of the room."Sinjin!" Eds called urgently as she hurried down the stairs. "Sinjin!"Sinjin emerged from his home office, his curiosity piqued by the alarm in Eds' voice. His eyes widened in shock as he noticed the bruises marking the boys' bodies, who were beside her, trailing closely."What on earth... How did this happen?" Sinjin crouched down, his voice filled with concern. "Who did this to you?" he asked the boys."No one," they replied in unison."That's all they keep telling me," Eds said, frustration lacing her words. "I called Kyle, and he said Troy was being bullied at school, but I didn’t believe him. Then I told Tristan to take off his shirt, and look! Their bruises are identical." She gestured at the boys as she expl
Kyle's eyes widened when he checked the intercom and saw Simon standing alone at the door. His heart sank slightly, as the boys weren't with him. He hurriedly unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway."Where are the boys?" Kyle demanded, his voice edged with irritation. "It's my turn to have them."Simon stood firm, holding up an envelope. "The boys are sick. Mrs. Santillan sent me to give you this."Kyle snatched the envelope, ripping it open. His brow furrowed as he unfolded the paper—a court-issued restraining order. His blood boiled."What the hell is this?!" Kyle spat, thrusting the paper toward Simon. "She can’t stop me from seeing my sons!"At that moment, the elevator doors slid open, revealing Sinjin. He strolled toward them, catching the tail end of Kyle’s outburst."Maybe she can’t stop you," Sinjin remarked coolly, bending to pick up the discarded paper. "But the court can. And it just did."Kyle's face reddened, his fists clenched. "You bastard! This was your plan a
A month later Breaking News: Global Shockwaves as Sinjin Santillan's Jet Crashes into Ocean: Tragic Incident Stuns the WorldAnchor: "Good evening. This is Starline News, and I'm Jayce Hammond. Our top story tonight: 'Global Shockwaves as Sinjin Santillan's Jet Crashes into Ocean: Tragic Incident Stuns the World.' We now go live to June Littleton for the latest updates."June Littleton: "Thank you, Jayce. I'm June Littleton reporting for Starline News. In a devastating turn of events today, the world has been left in shock following the crash of a private jet owned by the renowned entrepreneur Sinjin Santillan. The aircraft, en route from Los Angeles to Tokyo, went down in the ocean under still-unknown circumstances, sending shockwaves across the globe.June Littleton: "Santillan, widely known for his influential role in various industries, was on board the jet when the incident occurred. Preliminary reports suggest that the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control shortly befo
"Mrs. Santillan, are you alright?" Dr. Carmichael inquired, her brows knitting together with concern as Eds stared back at her, silent and unmoving."I can't be pregnant," Eds blurted out suddenly, her voice tinged with panic. "I can't be pregnant."Dr. Carmichael hesitated. "I thought... it might be good news for you, considering... after your husband's passing."Eds’ eyes narrowed. "If you were in my shoes, would you be happy?""Maybe... just a little," Dr. Carmichael admitted softly. "A part of me would find comfort, knowing his baby was growing inside me. Whether boy or girl, I’d have something of him to hold onto." She paused, her voice turning solemn. "I understand, Mrs. Santillan. I lost my husband and unborn daughter on the same day. There were moments I didn’t want to go on."Eds looked at her with surprise. "How did you manage?""With the help of my friends and family, I found my way back. I returned to being a doctor, and though the pain never fully goes away, it gets bett