Krystal's POV"Krystal, wait! We're not done talking yet!" exclaimed Richard in the background. I didn't wait a second longer, running straight out of the private room. Richard in the back tried to catch up with me, but I was quicker than him to enter the elevator and get off before he could catch up. When I got downstairs, I immediately sped my car fast ahead of Richard, who had just gotten off the elevator. He looked very panicked and lost his mind."It's useless to chase. Don't you know where Nikkie is?" I said, alone in the car. I drove faster towards Nikkie's apartment, and here I was.In front of Nikkie, who didn't dare lift her head, and Sharon, who looked worried and confused about what to do."I told you about the consequences if you violate the contract, didn't I?" I threatened Nikkie.Nikkie raised her head in a stiff motion, glancing at me with a look that was a mixture of fear and something like courage. I don't know. I think I saw it wrong."Which part of the contract
Nikkie's POV"Stop it, Krystal!" I opened my eyes, recognizing the voice that had just managed to stop Krystal's madness. Yes, it was Richard's voice. How did he get in? Since when was he here? Suddenly, my field of vision was covered by Richard's broad shoulders. Sharon, who hugged me from the side, quickly pulled me away to the dining room."Richard? How did you get in?" Krystal exclaimed in astonishment. Of course, didn't she say she had changed the password? Krystal asked again with unconcealed astonishment. "How did you know about this place?" Richard stared at Krystal with a fierce gaze. His body position was in an alert pose. "That's not as important as how you ran away from our conversation. This is why I always avoid you when you ask me to talk. You always run away before we even get to the bottom of things!" Richard exclaimed in annoyance.This is the first time I've seen Richard upset with Krystal. Usually, no matter how angry, Richard would be patient. There would alw
Krystal's POV"Fucking Richard! Nikkie, damn it! Damn Aaron! How dare all of you conspire to make a fool out of me! Do you think you're so great? Aaaa!" I cursed while driving after leaving Nikkie's apartment.My emotions were out of control, and I took it out on my crazy driving. I deliberately drove all the way out of town, looking for a quiet place where I was free to hit the gas.Driving like crazy during home office hours on city streets is just asking for trouble. Before I've even reached my maximum speed, I have to press the brake pedal again because of traffic. It would only stress me out more!"You're all assholes!" I cursed after getting tired of driving recklessly. I didn't know where I was, only that it was dark all around me.I pulled the car over carelessly in the middle of the road that stretched across the long desert. I lowered my head to the steering wheel, feeling like crying but unable to. My ego kept my tears from falling.The hunger that I hadn't felt for the
Nikkie's POV"Why are you always telling me to go back to Krystal? Don't you already know the reason I decided not to be with Krystal anymore?" Richard exclaimed with offense.I just stared at Richard's gray eyes without saying a word.Richard held both my up sleeves, the look in his eyes showing pain and anger mixed. "Tell me something, Nikkie. Why do you want me to go back to Krystal?" Richard demanded again. My head bowed deeply. My hand unconsciously stroked my stomach, which was starting to form curves. "Don't you love Krystal? After all, this child needs a complete set of parents to grow up properly," I said softly. Richard released his grip on my sleeves and then held his forehead while laughing softly."Oh my God, Nikkie. Are you jealous?" Richard asked in the midst of his laughter."I'm not jealous! I'm really thinking about this child," I lied. Yes, I lied. I just wanted to test Richard.Richard took a deep breath after running out of breath from laughing for a while."T
Nikkie's POV"What do you mean by asking like that?" Sharon, who was chopping bananas, stopped what she was doing and rushed over to me.She sat near me, looking at me with an expression of wonder mixed with worry. I let out a long breath, then shrugged my shoulders helplessly."You saw for yourself, didn't you? Krystal doesn't seem to be messing with her words. We've been plagued by these things for two days now," I said, expressing my concern.Sharon, in front of me, nodded in agreement. The expression on her face showed confusion. "You're right, Miss Nikkie. But it couldn't have been Mrs. Krystal, could it? It could be that we just had the misfortune of getting a nosy neighbor."I raised my eyebrows high, not entirely understanding Sharon's words. "What I mean is, it could be that Mrs. Krystal is no longer renting the entire seventh floor. That means anyone is eligible to rent a unit on this floor. From the gossip I've heard, it's a favorite apartment that has a long waiting list
Nikkie's POV"The intercom is fixed. You'll be able to see whoever is standing in front of your door again," Shawn said the following afternoon. I nodded and handed Shawn a glass of orange juice. Shawn had just finished fixing the problematic intercom. I wouldn't have even realized that the intercom was broken if it hadn't been for the series of prank interruptions over the past three days.Shawn drank the juice down, then wiped his lips. He glanced at me, then at Sharon, and his gaze turned to astonishment. Sharon happened to be passing in front of us carrying a basket of dirty laundry. "Hey, what's wrong with your faces? You two don't look good," Shawn commented. I smiled slightly, then shrugged helplessly."We're fine. Just sleep-deprived and a little stressed," I replied matter-of-factly. An answer that further confused Shawn. "What's really going on?" he pursued.I exhaled a tired breath. My head felt a little dizzy from lack of sleep, and it made my body feel weak.I glanced
Richard's POV"I'm grateful you came on time. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there!" Nikkie's voice, which I missed, rang out as soon as I entered the apartment.I had expected to get a warm welcome from Nikkie after we hadn't seen each other for over a week. But what kind of scene was I looking at right now?"Why are you here, Shawn? Are you not working?" I asked Shawn directly. Shawn, sitting in the dining room, jumped in surprise at my question.Nikkie and Sharon also looked surprised. They turned their bodies around to face me. Sharon's behavior of immediately hiding Nikkie behind her suddenly caused my astonishment."Why are you all acting so strange? And you, Sharon. There's no need to act like that. I didn't bring Krystal with me," I said as I took my place next to Shawn. Sharon breathed a sigh of relief, then released her hug from Nikkie. Nikkie also acted strangely. She also seemed to exhale a sigh of relief."Welcome, Richard. You can wait a little
Krystal's POV"Did you manage to get that bitch Nikkie to miscarry? What did your goons report?" I asked Jeremy.Jeremy returned his cell phone to the nightstand, not immediately answering my question. I became impatient and quickly jumped out of the covers.Jeremy's face flushed as I rushed to him to take his phone."Oh my, my Lady. At least put something on. You're turning me on again just by looking at your naked body!" Jeremy scolded while restraining my body. I didn't care about Jeremy's teasing. All I could think about now was for that bitch Nikkie to miscarry. She doesn't deserve to be happy!"Let me go, I need to know how that bitch is doing!" I screamed in annoyance. Surprisingly, Jeremy didn't listen to me and hugged me even tighter. The innocence of our bodies and the lack of distance between us allowed me to feel something hard prickling my stomach. I quickly looked down to check, and my guess was correct.I glared at Jeremy. "What the fuck, why are you so horny!"
Nikkie's POV"Sick? What's wrong with Krystal?" I asked in surprise. The TV didn't mention any details about Krystal's illness. I remained pensive until the news ended and changed to a sports program.Richard turned off the TV to realize that I looked unfocused. I started to realize something was wrong when I saw that Richard didn't look surprised at all or even concerned at all."You must know something, right?" I urged Richard. Richard let out a long sigh, then stroked my hair with a helpless look."What's the point of caring for a bad guy like that?" asked Richard, looking less than pleased. I shook my head stubbornly, waiting for him to speak."Be honest with me. You weren't involved in Krystal's death, were you?" I urged frantically.Richard sighed. "From my reports, Krystal has been sick since before she entered the prison. The TV report was real. She suffered from a malignant disease in her reproductive organs due to her habit of changing partners."I frowned, a conjecture popp
Nikkie's POV"The bride enters the altar!" the MC exclaimed. This time, Calvin was assigned to be the MC in our wedding procession.As the name implies, it was an intimate wedding only attended by those closest to us. There were 4 of Richard's family members, including Richard's biological mother, Shawn, Calvin, Sharon, Blake, and the household assistants. The wedding preparation went quite fast because there were only a few people. The blessing and the party were held in the hall of Moonstone mansion. I stepped with Uncle Denise towards Richard at the end of the altar. This day was full of happiness, with smiles never fading from everyone's faces. I haven't seen Richard since last night, and I'm feeling nervous. How will Richard see me in my wedding dress?When Richard turned around and accepted my hand from Uncle Denise's, Richard's eyes were suddenly wet. He smiled, and the tears just fell.I'm sure that they weren't tears of sadness. We then said our wedding vows in front of the
Nikkie's POV"I don't know either. My coming to this place wasn't planned. I didn't know where to go after my mom died. I also didn't have a home anymore and only had my suitcase and the money from the sale of the house that my mom gave me before she passed away. I boarded a bus randomly, letting it take me wherever it wanted. Throughout the ride, I cried alone by the window. Then, when I was tired of crying, and my tears dried up without realizing it, I arrived in this city. I took it as a sign from my mother that I should stay here. I then spent two days in a cheap hotel and looked for affordable apartments and part-time jobs. I was lucky to find both right away.From the first day of work, I never stopped working. My days off were spent sleeping or doing laundry. Because, you know. I have to work to support myself," I laughed.Shawn looked at me with interest. "You know, you can stop working and be provided by Mr. Richard completely," he said with a serious face.I laughed amuse
Nikkie's POV"Besides, you might think that way. Mr. Richard is a forgiving person. Shouldn't he forgive Mrs. Krystal based on that trait? Even if they can't get back together, Mr. Richard should never think of cutting off the core pleasure of his ex-wife's life: the money. Their company."Shawn stopped talking when the waiter arrived with our order. The thin, flavorful smoke of the food that would typically instantly whet my appetite now meant nothing. My mind was filled with questions."Are you saying that Richard was the mastermind behind exposing the rottenness of Krystal's company?" I asked after the waiter came back downstairs.Shawn nodded. "I did it all. But I was carrying out the orders given by Mr. Richard. The message was obvious, which was to destroy Goldman Inc. until it could not rise again."I was stunned by Shawn's words. "But why? Doesn't Richard love Krystal? I honestly didn't even think Richard would follow through on his words to divorce Krystal," I said, astonish
Nikkie's POV"Miss Nikkie! Hold on!" a man exclaimed in an absolute tone. Goosebumps ran down my spine, recalling the time I was almost kidnapped when I was going to buy flour when I was still living in Krystal's apartment."Miss Nikkie! Have you forgotten me?" this time, the man even dared to pull my arm. Gosh, did he forget that we were in a supermarket full of people? Even now, there were already several pairs of eyes looking at us with suspicious glances.When I remembered that I wasn't alone this time, I glanced at the man who dared to pull my arm. He was a tall man with big eyes that reminded me of a CCTV camera."Shawn?" I asked incredulously. Shawn nodded with a smile. There was a trace of relief on his face that made me wonder why he looked relieved.Until I remembered that Shawn was usually not far from Richard, I glanced around, then out the window. But I didn't see Richard or his car parked in the self-service parking lot. "I'm alone, came here by car. No, Mr. Richard her
Richard's POV"Since you mentioned it, I've been thinking about it. You're right; Krystal's male mistresses all have something in common with me!" I exclaimed in disbelief. My eyebrows knitted together, an oddity crossing my mind. "But I don't understand; what do you mean by Krystal loving me so much? Just because I have some things in common with those men?"Calvin explained again. "From a study I read, it was explained that love is complicated. The way each person loves another person and expresses their feelings is unique and different from one another.Some of them cannot distinguish love from obsession to the point that they commit deviant acts.But I won't talk about deviant acts here."Calvin paused momentarily as he overtook a car in front of us."There seems to be an emptiness in Mrs. Krystal's soul that makes her look for an outlet outside the home. It could be loneliness or an unhealed childhood wound.Or it could be that Mrs. Krystal is wrong for thinking that she doesn't
Richard's POV"Did you try to find out from the real estate agent? Shouldn't it be traceable to the person who bought the house?" I suggested to Shawn an idea that came to my mind this morning."I've already done this method first. But this house was sold about a month ago by Miss Nikkie's mother. The payment was made in cash, making it even more difficult to check through the bank," Shawn said on the other end of the line.My eyebrows furrowed at this oddity. "Why is Nikkie's mom selling the house all of a sudden? Is she in dire economic straits?" "I found out through the nurse you assigned to look after Miss Nikkie's mother. The answer is they are not experiencing economic hardship.The nurse mentioned that Miss Nikkie's mother had mentioned that she wanted to move to the countryside, which is why she is selling her house now," Shawn explained.I let out a long breath. Who would have thought that Nikkie's mother would move to heaven? "Why can they still live there when the house h
Krystal's POV"What are you going to do now, Krystal? You can't run a company, and now you're officially a widow!" Grandpa exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.Why does everyone always ask me the same thing? Do they think I have 1001 solutions to every problem?I nibbled on my thumbnail, feeling depressed at seeing the divorce papers lying on the table. Grandpa wasn't helping at all, just pacing around, making me even more dizzy! I held my nose, which had been bleeding a lot lately. Ever since I hit Richard's car that time, I'd been feeling unwell.Unfortunately, I didn't have time to go to the hospital to get my health checked. Why? Of course, because of my current status as a police fugitive!Grandpa suddenly stopped pacing when he got a call from who knows who. Shortly after, he turned his body to face me. The look of anger he had shown me lately no longer frightened me.Usually, he would immediately spout out curse words. But now, Grandpa seemed to have run out of words and could
Richard's POV "Let's head back," Shawn commanded Calvin. The three of us quickly entered the car and drove away from Nikkie's hometown.It was already late when Calvin dropped me off at home. I felt like my energy had been sapped, and I didn't have the power to do anything else."Tomorrow, take a day off. I'm not going to the office either," I told Calvin as I was about to get off.Calvin had been with me all day and even late into the night. These days, he didn't even have a day off as he was busy assisting me with various matters."Yes, Mr. Richard. Good night," Calvin said before walking away with Shawn. I staggered towards the front door. I don't know why it felt like the front door was so far away to reach.Halfway there, the front door suddenly opened. The figures of Grandma and Aunt Karina, wearing quilts on their shoulders, immediately came into my view."Oh, Richie. What's going on? Why do you look so messy?" the two women immediately ran to meet me. My tears fell again when