Yvonne’s chest heaved, her lips slightly parted as if to speak, but the words refused to come. Micheal’s intense gaze locked her in place. “If you’re not ready to be my woman, don’t make me fall in love with you,” he said, his voice low and firm. “There will be no escape if that happens. Absolutely none.”Yvonne blinked rapidly, her lashes trembling as she processed his words. “I’ll… keep that in mind. But we’re too close. Could you step back, please?” she stammered, unable to control the pounding of her heart.Like a true gentleman, Micheal took a few steps back, his expression returning to its usual calm. But Yvonne was far from composed; she looked flustered, almost as if she had just run a marathon.“We could have talked without… all that closeness,” she managed to say, her voice a bit shaky.Micheal’s response was cool and straightforward. “That’s the consequence of all your teasing. I’ve controlled my urges to avoid making things uncomfortable between you and my children.”“Ur
The ride to Yvonne's home was steeped in an eerie silence. Yvonne, lost in her thoughts, stared out the window, refusing to process the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her.Micheal, on the other hand, mentally chastised himself. Why had he let things go so far?He had planned to make her feel special, to help her see how much more she was beyond the shackles of her emotions with David. Yet, in a moment of vulnerability, he’d spilled his own bottled-up feelings.He hadn’t intended to warn her about teasing him along with his children, but his words had spiraled out of control. Now, he feared she might distance herself from him and his children—a thought that filled him with dread.If she pulled away, his children would regress, transforming from the mature, smart kids they were into emotional wrecks. They would throw tantrums, banding together to worry him to death, especially with Lily's fragile heart. The stress could easily land her in the hospital.What had he been thinking?
A few days later, Yvonne happily trotted alongside Lily and Jack as they sorted their toys in their new home. The twins, accustomed to sharing a room due to Lilian's health, were delighted to arrange their belongings in their new, smaller room. Although it was cozier compared to the spacious master bedroom they had in their main home, their eyes sparkled with appreciation as Yvonne assisted with the placement of everything, eagerly offering suggestions that the children immediately accepted.Micheal had given up his room for the children, opting instead for a luxurious inflatable bed in a corner of the large living room. The rest of the space was thoughtfully arranged to accommodate the children’s studies, with a comfortable sofa at the center, facing a large plasma screen for their cartoon time with their father. Despite everything looking good, Micheal felt a pang of embarrassment at the thought of inflating and deflating his bed every day.As the men helping with the furniture bega
A few days passed peacefully, with Yvonne growing increasingly attached to Lily and Jack as their house now stood beside hers. Micheal had relaxed many of his restrictions and even allowed the kids to sleep in Yvonne's room when they begged him for it.However, Yvonne's relationship with Micheal remained at a standstill, though she found herself unable to ignore his presence as easily as she once did. Ever since that night, she had become acutely aware of him as a man—not just a random person she could pretend didn't exist. She noticed how elegant he looked, even in casual clothing, and how his commanding demeanor was softened by the attentive way he observed his surroundings. When their eyes met, he would quickly look away, but the impact of those moments lingered.Yvonne couldn't stop the thoughts of how close he had come to kissing her from surfacing in her memory. She recalled his words, the feel of his touch on her skin when he tilted her chin to make her look at him. His every w
Curious and anxious about what Amy had to tell her, Yvonne stood outside her apartment building, waiting. A dreadful feeling gnawed at her, sensing it was something serious, though she couldn't pinpoint what it might be.Less than 35 minutes later, Mark's car pulled into the visitor parking space in front of the building. Yvonne quickly walked over, a shawl wrapped around her shoulders for warmth. As she approached, the grim expression on Mark's face and the conflicted look on Amy's made Yvonne’s worry intensify.“Come on, let’s go inside,” Yvonne urged. They made their way up to her apartment, where toys were scattered in every corner of the room. The sight warmed Amy’s heart, strengthening her hope that Yvonne would quickly move on from David—or so she thought.The truth Amy had kept from Yvonne was not only about David's betrayal but also about the lies Micheal had told. She vividly remembered the night she and Mark had returned home after unexpectedly running into Yvonne and Miche
Yvonne stared at David's face in the picture. It was filled with love and affection for Sammy, a look she couldn’t recall being directed at her in a long time.Despite this, she held the phone firmly, her demeanor composed, unlike Amy, who had broken down for her sake. Yvonne was in shock, trapped in a state she couldn't escape. The rest of her actions were on autopilot.She seemed unaffected, not ready to shed a single tear over the news she had just heard, and she thanked Amy for letting her know. Amy’s worried inquiries were met with Yvonne’s calm assurance that she was fine. She even managed to see Amy and Mark off with a composed expression, escorting them to their car and wishing them goodnight.When she returned to her room, Yvonne locked the door behind her and lay down on her bed, her face blank. She remained that way until the following morning, unable to think or process any information. It was like being in a comatose state.Though aware of her surroundings, she couldn’t r
In less than 14 minutes, the door was forcefully opened by the building's technical management team. As soon as the door gave way, Micheal and the others rushed inside, and from the entryway, they could see Yvonne lying on her bed.The bedroom door was ajar. Yvonne looked extremely pale yet serene, unmoving, though her lashes quivered, indicating she was aware of the commotion.Micheal's heart pounded in his chest as he took large strides toward her. Amy followed closely behind, while the men who had assisted, along with the security guard, stayed by the doorway, ready to act if necessary.“That’s the same outfit she wore last night,” Amy whispered to Micheal as they entered the bedroom.Micheal leaned over Yvonne, his voice gentle. “Can you hear me?”Yvonne could only blink.“I think she’s paralyzed from shock. Babe, blink again if you can hear me,” Amy said, moving closer to check Yvonne's pulse.Yvonne blinked in response, tears welling in her eyes and slowly trickling down her che
“Daddy, where is Miss Yvonne?” Lily asked anxiously as soon as Micheal stepped into the house.Yvonne hadn’t been discharged yet. The doctors were still monitoring her, unable to determine exactly what was wrong. She didn’t speak, simply staring up at the ceiling, and attempts to feed her were futile. Though she could stand and use the washroom when necessary, she remained largely unresponsive.Every kind word Micheal offered brought tears to her eyes. When she eventually fell asleep, her body burned with fever, and she struggled as if tormented by her dreams.It was a delicate situation, and Micheal couldn’t bear to leave her side. He managed to keep in touch with his children through video calls, gently coaxing them to go to bed by promising to update them about Yvonne’s condition. When he returned home the next morning, he found Jack and Lily waiting for him at the doorway, still in their pajamas. Despite their bodyguards’ best efforts, the children had refused to get dressed for
Micheal hadn’t moved from the same spot in hours. He had just tucked the kids into bed and slipped quietly onto the terrace outside their room.The night was still. The air held a gentle chill, the kind that slipped beneath the skin and settled deep in the bones. Birds chirped softly in the distance, and the wind rustled the trees, but even that felt far away—like he was underwater, drowning in everything he wished he’d done differently.She was gone.Yvonne had left him.She hadn’t said much—her words were soft but sharp, laced with pain. He could still hear her voice, low and trembling: “You should’ve told me. All this time, you knew something, didn’t you?”He had tried to explain, to reach for her hand, but she’d pulled away. Her eyes, once filled with cautious affection, now brimmed with something heavier—betrayal.And just like that, the air had left the room.An hour later, he was back in his study.Micheal paced the floor barefoot, his shirt rumpled, sleeves rolled to his elbow
The quiet hum of the ceiling fan was the only sound that filled the room for a long while. Yvonne sat propped up against her pillows, a warm blanket tucked around her legs, and her mother seated close beside her on the edge of the bed. The soup bowl sat in Anna’s lap, and she offered spoonfuls to her daughter between soft words and careful glances.“To say your father is trying would be an understatement,” Anna said gently, brushing a stray curl from Yvonne’s cheek. “He’s doing everything in his power to hold himself together… and to redeem himself the only way he knows how.”Yvonne gave a soft nod, accepting the next spoonful.“David was arrested. But… they had to release him,” Anna continued with a sigh, her voice growing brittle. “There just wasn’t enough evidence. Not yet. But your father—he’s not letting this go. He’s digging. Talking to people. Trying to make something stick. He wants to see that man locked away.”Yvonne let out a breath, slow and even, the soup lingering on her
To say Yvonne was surprised to be carrying a child would be an understatement. She and Micheal had been wild when it came to intimacy.It was impossible to deny—she had gotten addicted to his touch, to that other side of him that contrasted so sharply with the calm, patient father and composed CEO he presented during the day.Micheal was a passionate man in many ways, and Yvonne had grown to crave them all. He was attentive, tender, yet strong—always able to meet her desire with a fire of his own. There wasn’t a single memory with him that left her feeling regret or discomfort. And yet, they had been careful.She always took the morning-after pill, even when he held her afterward and stroked her hair with words that left her heart warm and content. It never crosses her mind that their relationship is deep enough to hope for a child together, especially when their deal was nothing but a dignified nanny until the children’s love and affection changed that notion in her heart.She remem
Micheal’s mind churned as he replayed the grainy footage, his jaw clenched tight. The recovered videos from five years ago had given him something—but not enough. Not enough to piece together the full picture. Not enough to explain the nightmare that had haunted both him and Yvonne.In the feed, he could see himself staggering down a hotel corridor, disoriented, clearly intoxicated—or worse. He barely recognized the version of himself swaying, confused, squinting at the doors as if trying to find the room number he couldn't make out.Then she appeared.A woman stepped into frame, speaking to him softly. Her hand pointed at a specific room. Without hesitation, his silhouette obeyed, walking toward the door she’d indicated. She turned and walked away like her part had been played.At first, Micheal had been baffled. The footage stopped there—nothing out of the ordinary. But something didn’t sit right.Then it hit him.He rewound. Slowly. Frame by frame.And there she was again.Sammy.T
The house felt like a tomb. Silent, suffocating, and filled with ghosts of emotions Yvonne couldn’t name.She had locked herself in for days, refusing contact with the outside world. The mere thought of facing reality made her sick to her stomach—literally. Every meal her mother forced upon her barely made it past her throat before nausea clawed its way up, rejecting the sustenance she knew she needed.She was wasting away.Her reflection in the mirror had become a stranger—sunken eyes, hollow cheeks, a shadow of herself. And yet, she couldn't find it in her to care.Because how could she?How could she pretend to be okay when the one person she had given her trust—her safe place—was the very reason her world had collapsed?Michael.She had once whispered his name with reverence in her heart, with an aching sort of longing she never dared admit to him yet.Now?Now it felt like a curse.She should be grateful, right? Fate had played a cruel joke on her, but in the end, she hadn’t los
A few hours after David’s arrest—outside the police station.Sammy stood stiffly by the station’s entrance, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she watched the doors swing open. David stepped out, his expression set in a tight scowl, flanked by his lawyer.She had done all she could. After failing to secure help from the company’s legal team, she had arranged a private lawyer for him and stayed with him through the exhausting process. But it hadn’t changed much.Yvonne’s father had opened a case against David, and while there wasn’t enough physical evidence to detain him, the investigation was ongoing. David had been warned—he could be summoned at any time.Just as David took his first breath of fresh air, a furious voice cut through the tense atmosphere."You used my daughter."David barely had time to react before Yvonne’s father stormed toward him, each step fueled by pure rage. His cane tapped harshly against the pavement, his other hand pointing a trembling finger straight at
A lot had happened that day.Micheal had barely left the twins’ room when he received an urgent call from his personal assistant, Sandra. The moment he answered, her voice carried a mix of urgency and disbelief.“There’s chaos at the company, sir. Something big happened early this morning.”Micheal frowned, gripping his phone tighter. “What kind of chaos?”Sandra took a deep breath before delivering the bombshell.“It’s about David… He was arrested.”For a moment, Micheal said nothing, his mind processing the unexpected turn of events.Apparently, Yvonne’s father hadn’t been able to stomach the full scope of what his daughter had suffered. And unlike before—when he had turned his back on her—this time, he had taken action. He had wasted no time in seeking legal justice, making sure David paid for what he had put Yvonne through.The arrest had sent shockwaves through the company. Employees had been left speechless, watching in stunned silence as one of their highest-ranking executives
The Twins' Innocent ConfrontationAs soon as Micheal left the twins' room, Rebecca took a deep breath, regaining her composure. Now that she knew the truth, her purpose had shifted—this wasn’t just about being a temporary nanny anymore. She was genuinely ready to care for the children in Yvonne’s absence.With renewed confidence, she approached the twins, a warm smile gracing her lips."Let’s get you two ready for school."But the moment her words left her mouth, she noticed a familiar exchange of glances between Jack and Lily—silent yet unmistakably purposeful, like they were communicating without speaking.Then Jack turned his gaze to her, his small brows furrowed. His voice, though soft, carried an unmistakable weight of accusation."Why did you lie to Mommy?"Rebecca's heart skipped a beat. The innocent yet mature expression on their faces made her falter, the sheer seriousness of their demeanor contrasting with their adorable features.She swallowed, suddenly feeling exposed unde
A Father's RedemptionThe embrace lingered for a few precious moments, a silent exchange of love and reassurance before Micheal kissed the twins' foreheads. He pulled back gently, his hands cupping their small faces as he gazed into their wide, trusting eyes. Before speaking, he subtly wiped away the remnants of his tears, determined to steady himself."What I want you two to know is that your mother loves you so much," Micheal said firmly, his voice carrying the weight of his emotions. "She was super sad and sick when she thought she lost you two. So, have it in mind that she would never, under any circumstances, leave you again."Jack and Lily nodded, their tiny faces etched with a seriousness that melted Micheal’s heart. He would have smiled at their cuteness if not for the crushing despair that lingered in his chest. What he was about to say next mattered more than anything.He took a deep breath. "So, what I want to say is… if you two want to go to her now, she won’t say no. But