Adella was startled when she saw Sande standing outside her door as she checked the intercom. As she unlocked and opened the door, she briefly wondered what had brought Sande there, but her confusion deepened when Sande brusquely shoved past her without saying a word."Please, make yourself at home," Adella quipped sarcastically as she closed the door. "What's with the attitude?" she asked, turning toward Sande."Why did you really ask to catch up last night?" Sande shot back, her tone sharp. "And think carefully before you lie."Adella folded her arms and lifted her chin in defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said coolly. "I just missed my friend and wanted to see her. Is that a crime?"Sande let out a bitter laugh. "A crime?" she repeated in disbelief, eyes fixed on Adella. "You have the nerve to ask me that, after what you pulled?"Adella's expression remained calm, though her tone dripped with mock innocence. "What exactly did I do?" she asked. "Did I steal som
Lex was stunned when he opened the door to greet Sande, only for her to collapse into his arms, sobbing as if her world had fallen apart. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her, gently stroking her hair while trying to make sense of what could have happened to shatter his fierce, strong girlfriend like this. Her tears quickly soaked through his shirt, but he carefully nudged the door shut with his foot, then scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the sofa. There, he settled her in his lap, holding her close as she continued to cry. She had mentioned visiting Adella earlier, but now he knew something must have gone terribly wrong to break her down this way. Sande was the toughest person he knew, and whatever had happened with Adella must have been devastating."Let it all out, sweetheart," Lex murmured softly, rubbing her back in soothing circles. "I'm here for you."After five minutes, Sande's sobs finally began to subside. She wiped her tears and sniffled, her ch
Lex rolled off Sande and lay beside her, pulling her close as he kissed her forehead before tugging the covers over them both. Her eyes were shut, but he could tell she wasn’t asleep, and that made him smile.“Do you feel better now?” he asked softly.Sande opened her eyes and tilted her head to meet his gaze, smiling warmly. “Much better,” she replied."Good," he said, though his tone carried a hint of uncertainty. "Because there's something I want to ask you."Curiosity flickered in Sande's eyes. "What is it?""We've been together for over two years now," Lex began, his voice wavering slightly. "And I was wondering... have you ever thought about the future?"Sande furrowed her brow, a little confused. "The future? What about it?"Lex hesitated for a moment before continuing. "We’re not getting any younger. I think... maybe we should start thinking about what comes next, you know? Planning for the future."Sande sat up, her movements prompting him to follow suit. She cupped his face,
Eds noticed that Sande repeatedly declined the incoming call on her phone without even checking who it was. Though Eds had a hunch about the caller's identity, she didn't want to pry. When the phone rang yet again, Sande finally answered, pressing it to her ear."What part of 'I don't want to talk to you ever again' didn't you understand, Adella?" Sande snapped, her voice sharp with anger. "I have nothing more to say to you."Eds watched as Sande's irritation quickly escalated into fury, culminating in her slamming her fist against the table."Don't you dare go near Lex!" Sande commanded fiercely. "No!"Eds, well-acquainted with Sande's temper, had seen grown men shrink back in fear from her wrath. She imagined that Adella was fortunate not to be standing in front of Sande right now—she might have taken a swing at her."I'll file a restraining order if I have to," Sande threatened in a low, dangerous tone. "Stay away from me!" With that, she abruptly hung up, turned off her phone, and
Mallucia's bag slipped from her fingers, hitting the ground with a thud beside her feet as her eyes shifted between Lucas and Brynn. Her mind raced, wondering if she was caught in some bizarre dream, praying that this was all just a prank. But it wasn't. The scattered clothes around the room confirmed that this was real. Her boyfriend was cheating on her with her friend. The rumors were true.A sudden burst of laughter escaped Mallucia, startling the two on the bed. They stared at her, confused, as if she had lost her mind. But she wasn't laughing because any of this was funny; she was laughing at herself for being so naïve. How could she have believed Lucas was different, when he was just another asshole? She had left a man who would have died for her, only to end up with a selfish bastard like Lucas Middleton.The image of Sinjin's hurt expression when she rejected his proposal flashed in her mind, causing her to clench her fists. She should have said yes. By now, she would have b
"Ma'am, there's someone here to see you," Fred announced as he approached Camilla, who was meticulously trimming the stems of the roses laid out on the table before her. The flowers had been freshly picked by the maids from the garden, and Camilla was preparing to arrange them in a vase."I'm not expecting any visitors, Fred," she replied without lifting her gaze from her work. "Who is it?""Miss Mallucia Goldstein, Ma'am," Fred answered.Camilla's head jerked up in surprise, and the pruning scissors slipped from her hand. "Mallucia?" she asked, incredulously."Yes, Ma'am.""Let her in," Camilla instructed.With a bow, Fred turned and exited the room. Camilla returned to her task, though her mind briefly wandered, wondering why Mallucia had come. It had been months since they'd last seen each other, though Camilla remained in touch with Mallucia's mother."Good afternoon, Aunt," Mallucia greeted as Fred ushered her in."Afternoon," Camilla responded, gesturing to the sofa. "Sit."Mall
Two days later As always, Camilla ensured her husband's birthday party was a lavish event, despite his wish for it to be a more intimate family gathering. The guest list was packed with high-profile attendees, turning the celebration into more of a fashion parade, as everyone aimed to outshine the others. Mallucia arrived with her parents, greeted Brendan with birthday wishes, and inquired about Sinjin. Camilla mentioned that he had not yet shown up. Just as Mallucia was beginning to lose hope of seeing him, Sinjin finally appeared, accompanied by his wife and two others. Among them was Lex Parker, the Chief Human Resources Officer at his company, whom Mallucia instantly recognized.Mallucia had never met Eds in person, but from the photos she’d seen on Sinjin's social media, she knew Eds was stunning. It felt like a scene from a movie as everyone turned to admire the couple, which stirred Mallucia's jealousy. Eds was radiant in a sleeveless emerald green dress with a sweetheart ne
Sinjin rushed into Aria Falls Memorial Hospital, ignoring the reception desk as he made his way straight to the emergency ward. He froze when he saw his father and Sande waiting anxiously in the room. Moments earlier, Sinjin had just touched down in Elderstone when Rhett appeared with news that Edselyn had been hospitalized. Without hesitation, Sinjin had snatched the car keys from Rhett, jumped into the vehicle, and sped off without waiting to hear more details.“How is she?” Sinjin asked urgently as he approached them. “Where is she?”“They’re running some tests to figure out what’s wrong,” Sande answered.“What happened? She seemed fine when I left,” Sinjin pressed.“Well, we had a glass of champagne each, but I think she ate too many macarons and ended up with an upset stomach,” Sande explained. “She went to the restroom, and when I couldn’t find her, I went looking and discovered her unconscious in the guest bathroom.”“Unconscious?” Sinjin shot a glance at his father. “No one f
Two weeks later Sinjin stepped out of his car and shut the door, glancing at his father's house with a shake of his head before rounding the vehicle and making his way inside. The butler, Fred, had passed away months ago, and they hadn’t bothered to hire a replacement.Kyle had died in a car accident while fleeing from the police, and Lucas was arrested at the airport just as he was about to escape the country. Taron, his boss, along with the entire gang, had been sent to prison. Mallucia had found a wealthy French man to latch onto, and Sinjin ensured that Adella paid for hurting Eds by exiling her to Africa.He and Eds named their boys Emilio and Emeliano, and their daughters Annabelle and Phoebe.Striding down the hallway, he opened the door to the living room and stepped inside, shutting it behind him. His parents and sister were seated, watching his press conference, and he was relieved to find them all together.“Sinjin!” Camilla gasped, rising to her feet. “Oh, my baby!” She
Sande blinked once, twice, and then a third time, staring at Sinjin in disbelief. The man in front of her had blue eyes and dark hair, resembling her best friend's husband, yet Sande was uncertain if she was hallucinating."Dad?" the boys chorused, shock evident on their faces. An audience had gathered, all equally astonished at the sight of a supposedly dead man alive."Hi, boys. Missed me?" Sinjin grinned."Dad!" they exclaimed, rushing to hug him before Sande could intervene. They burst into tears as he enveloped them in his arms.Onlookers recorded the miraculous scene, still struggling to comprehend what they were witnessing. Sande approached Sinjin, stopping a few feet away. She noticed the faded bruises on his face and a small scar near his hairline that hadn't been there months ago."You're Sinjin Santillan?" she asked, needing confirmation."Hey, short stuff. You look good," he replied. "Married life suits you.""What's my middle name?" she pressed."Phoebe," Sinjin answered
Two weeks later Eds was sitting in the family room, watching TV with her boys, when Mrs. Bale entered to announce Camilla's arrival. She quickly instructed the boys to go upstairs, and they hurried off just as Camilla walked in with Emma by her side.Eds knew they were angry at her for refusing to attend Sinjin’s funeral, but she didn’t care. What bothered her more was the smug smile plastered on Emma’s face, leaving her uneasy as to why Emma looked so pleased."Hello," Eds greeted awkwardly. "Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything?""There’s no need for that," Camilla said coldly. "I’m here to take possession of my son’s house. I want you and your boys out of here in the next two hours."Eds stared at her in shock. "Excuse me? What right do you think you have to do that? This is my husband’s house, and you can’t just throw us out.""You insolent brat," Camilla hissed. "Your husband? Did you ever love my son, or were you just pretending all along?""I don’t need to prove my love
"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
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
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
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
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
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,