Chris left with Kathryn, followed by Taylor and Tally, leaving only Markus, Victor, and Byron behind. Victor shot Markus a glare, cursing, "Just you wait until I get my hands on you, you useless prick!"His pent-up anger decided to show its face then and there, making Markus and Byron's expressions turn ugly. Lucky for them, Victor wasn't the kind to lose himself in public, so they were safe for now in the airport. Still, Byron felt like saying something to Markus as Victor left, but in the end, he said nothing before turning to leave himself.Joseph called out to Markus right after Byron left. "Sir."His voice was tense, too, as he didn't expect something like this to happen between Markus and Tally.Markus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let's go then.""Yes, sir!"Meanwhile, Victor made several phone calls in his car, setting out his plans for the Johnson family. "Yes. Make sure you watch the board so they don't do anything to her.""You got it, sir." Speaking to him on
Markus massaged his temples, gritting out, "Do we have any joint ventures or projects with the Johnson Group?""You're not thinking to—""The Johnson Group must fall into Tally's hands!""Do you think she has what it takes to manage it?""Yes, I do!" Markus had a newfound faith and trust in Tally's capabilities. Though she appeared innocent and sometimes silly, she always managed to come out on top, whether it was in Albert Group or Skyline Group's marketing department. There was surely something special about her if such was the case.Byron nodded. "Alright."Even without Markus' instruction, Byron knew they had to do everything they could to keep Johnson Group on their side. They could never permit Randall's situation to lead to the Johnson Group's downfall. Otherwise, Tally would harbor hatred for Markus for the rest of his life.Markus had never felt so panicked in his life, ever."Honestly, look at the mess you've done!" Byron groaned, shaking his head.Even though
Throughout all these years, her father's every endeavor was undertaken with her best interests in mind. The Johnson Group was unlike most other businesses—it was a conglomerate.There were several other shareholders besides her father, all with substantial shares in their hands. Right now, there was no question that these people were threats to her and her father.Taking a deep breath, Tally stood up. "Have you settled everything on this end?""Yes, miss. We've weeded out everyone related to Mr. Hunt." Taylor nodded.Tally heaved a sigh of relief. She wanted nothing to do with Markus anymore.She prepared to leave the hospital with her assistant. Though it was late at night now, she could no longer have that carefree attitude like she used to. In fact, she didn't even know what to expect now at the office.The moment she reached the office, a smartly dressed woman in a bob cut approached her."Good evening, Ms. Johnson. My name is Irina Mitchell."Irina? Tally eyed her cautio
Kathryn scowled. "I can still care for myself.""But, Madam, it's imperative to exercise extra caution right now," Nalia insisted.She was the first maid who bore no ulterior motives or ill will toward Kathryn since the latter's arrival in Sunshine Bay. There used to be other household staff who aligned with Mia, but they had all been dismissed.Chris walked in and held Kathryn's hand. "Come on then."Nalia beamed at them, knowing she had nothing to worry about with how much Chris doted on Kathryn.Another maid whispered behind Kathryn, "Madam's figure is fantastic. Just look at how slender her arms are, even though she's pregnant!"Nalia agreed. "Everyone is different, after all."Most pregnant women would gain weight as their pregnancies progressed, but Kathryn was different. Despite some weight gain, she still looked quite proportionate.…Upstairs, Kathryn wearily made her way to the bathroom. "I'm going to take a bath."Chris gently helped her out of her clothes.As she
Kathryn protested, "I can do it myself."It was just bathing and showering. She knew to be more careful.However, Chris' tone grew stern. "I said no. If you take a bath or shower unassisted from now on, I'm firing those maids."Was he threatening her with their staff's livelihood?Kathryn wrinkled her nose. "You meanie.""Not as mean as a trickster like you."Kathryn grew beet red at that, recalling how Chris had searched all available nooks and crannies for her, only to realize she had been by his side all this while. Pregnant, too.Chris couldn't hold back anymore. He leaned in to kiss his wife deeply on the lips before tapping her nose. "No more lying to me."His trust in her was too deep. How else would he have gotten fooled so easily by her?"I wouldn't dare!" Kathryn recalled how she and Tally had nearly lost their lives back then. They couldn't handle something as strenuous as that a second time.Chris nodded happily. "Let's hope that's true."It really was.Chris we
"I will. Get some sleep now." Chris gently kissed Kathryn's forehead, cuddling her to sleep.Kathryn was worried about Tally and couldn't keep the exhaustion at bay anymore. She had exerted too much during their time in Fernland.Soon, her breathing evened as she sank into deep sleep.…Tally spent the entire night in a meeting, only replying to Kathryn's text message the next morning. "Don't worry. I've got everything under control. You focus on resting up."Tally couldn't help but sigh, contemplating her friend's genuine concern, even though the latter was pregnant. Despite wanting to shower Kathryn with attention, Tally had to conserve her energy for the greater challenges ahead.After replying to Kathryn's message, Victor called. Tally hesitated before answering, recalling how diligent and serious Irina had been throughout the night."Yes?"Victor asked gently, "Do you want me to pick you up for breakfast or deliver some over?""Neither, thanks.""I can drop some off if
Victor did think Tally might have wanted to abandon him at the altar, and the entire scenario did give the impression that Markus might have intended to abduct her. As for her father's sudden appearance in Fernland and his decision to take her away before Victor arrived, well … maybe it really was part of Markus' plans, as Irina had put it."I'm going to prepare for the upcoming meeting with Taylor. I'll have someone send you breakfast later," Irina said."Thank you," came Tally's calm reply.Unable to tell what was on Tally's mind, Irina nodded and left.Once Tally was alone, she shed the mask she had put on, letting her sorrow show. She had long known she couldn't bear losing her father. In fact, a life spent without his presence terrified her.It was a terrible thing to have to prepare for, really.A knock suddenly came on the door."Come in," Tally said, expecting whoever Irina had sent to get her breakfast to be outside.Her heart leaped into her throat when she noticed
Tally nodded firmly. "Thank you.""Silly," Victor said fondly, shaking his head."Come on, let's eat. I'm starving."Victor beamed at her. The two then dug in.Having expended so much of her energy last night had made Tally realize her work here was worlds apart from being in the Skyline Group. It was a world of politics and backdoors here, one that she needed to master. Tally had truly grasped just how difficult a position her father had been in for years, all in a single night.She finished three servings of eggs, all the bacon and sausages, and a whole kiwi.Victor finished the rest. Irina returned to find the two in the midst of their meal. She smiled quietly, glad her earlier effort did not go to waste.When Victor exited the room, Irina swiftly reported last night's meeting result to him.Victor nodded in approval. "Very good. Can you resolve everything within a month?"Irina nodded, realizing that she had an entire month dedicated to helping Tally win over the Johns
After leaving the Hunt residence, Tally made her way directly to Victor's company.Worried she might lose her way, Drew had been waiting downstairs in anticipation of her arrival.When Tally saw Victor, her face lit up with joy."You should've seen Mr. Hunt Senior's expression earlier. He looked like he wanted to eat me alive." Tally couldn't help but laugh.Victor reached for her hand as they sat down on the couch together. "Were you scared?" he asked.As Tally sat down, she casually looked back and noticed a framed photograph on Victor's desk.Out of curiosity, she picked it up and examined it. But with just one glance, she froze in surprise."When... when was this taken?" she asked. Her shock was evident as she turned to Victor.The picture was taken back when they were at Beverly Peak, during his hospital stay after being bitten by a wolf.She remembered looking after him until she herself fell asleep.In the picture, her eyes were closed, her expression peaceful.Victor
What made it even more absurd was that Elijah bought into it, too.Tally couldn't believe Elijah couldn't see through Markus' façade. He actually bought into Markus' excuse that his behavior was all because of her.And now he was acting like he'd rather die than leave her."Fucking hell," Tally muttered inwardly. She wondered who came up with this messed-up plan for Markus.Clearly, Tally couldn't quite grasp how Markus' mental state could deteriorate like this. However, given his history of going insane, this outrageous plan didn't seem entirely implausible.He was perfectly fine when he was with Albert Group, so how did he end up like this back at Skyline Group?Tally just couldn't figure it out.Elijah shot her a sharp look, gritting his teeth as he said, "You, leave!"Zane hesitated, saying, "Sir, but…""Just let her leave!" Elijah insisted.Elijah's words were punctuated by short, hurried breaths.Tally nodded, saying, "Mr. Hunt Senior, you're indeed the more rational o
Elijah and Zane glanced at each other. Then, their stares turned sharper as they both fixed their eyes on Tally.Tally swallowed nervously. "Why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?""You're not even married to Victor, so why are you calling yourself a married woman?" Elijah snapped, his anger evident.Tally remained silent.Observing Elijah's furious expression, she nonchalantly rummaged through her bag, retrieving the marriage certificate and wedding invitation.Then, she handed them over to Zane.Zane took the documents and swiftly flipped them open. His eyes widened in disbelief as he read through them.He promptly handed both documents over to Elijah.As Elijah took them and examined them, his expression darkened significantly upon seeing Tally and Victor's marriage certificate.He was shocked when he saw that their wedding date was today, along with the printed timestamp.In that instant, Elijah's breathing grew heavier.He glared at Tally with an
Tally was completely baffled by what was happening."I've been straightforward about my feelings for him," Tally complained under her breath.From her perspective, if something were to happen to Markus now, she shouldn't be blamed solely for her decision to get married. Victor nodded, saying, "Yeah, I know."Victor had always been aware of this. By now, Markus had become such a puzzle that Victor couldn't quite figure him out.Considering how clear Tally had always been about her feelings toward Markus, it was puzzling how he got himself involved in this mess.This time, Victor didn't accompany Tally to the Hunt Residence. He believed she could handle the Hunt family on her own.The atmosphere at the Hunt residence was incredibly tense at the moment.The moment Tally stepped inside, she could practically feel the frost coming off Elijah. His gaze seemed to pierce right through her.Zane's tone was far from pleasant as he said, "Um, take a look at this."With that, he passed
Tally was pretty happy a moment ago. But now, she was all worked up talking about the Hunts.Earlier on the road, Tally filled Victor in on the phone call she received from the Hunt residence.Victor's lips twitched as he heard the news. "So Markus left a suicide note and vanished?""Exactly. Can you believe the trouble he's stirring up now?" Tally shook her head incredulously.Tally was utterly exasperated with Markus by now. It had been a while since this whole thing started.She had to admit, these days had been incredibly "fulfilling" for her. It was so fulfilling that it almost left her reeling.And it wasn't just Tally struggling to keep up. Even Victor had been taken aback by how things were unfolding.He shot Tally a look of disbelief. "So you're going to the Hunt residence now?""Yeah, I'm going. I want those Hunts to know that I'm officially yours. Let's see if they have more shameless tricks up their sleeves."When it came to describing the Hunts, Tally summed it up
Tally was beginning to see where Markus got his persistent nature from. It ran in the family. It was as the saying went—like father, like son.No sooner had she ended the call, the phone rang again.Tally took a deep breath, reminding herself that today was supposed to be a happy day, not one filled with annoyance.But dealing with these people…After giving it some thought, she hesitantly answered, "Zane!""Ms. Johnson, you might want to come over to the Hunt residence."Tally asked, "What's going on now?"She was almost out of patience with these people.Zane explained, "Mr. Markus left behind a suicide note."Tally's expression froze in disbelief.A suicide note? Tally couldn't comprehend what was happening. She wondered if Markus was pulling another one of his stunts.It had only been less than an hour since Elijah arranged his marriage, and now he went ahead and left a suicide note."Where is he?" Tally raised an eyebrow.With everything happening so quickly, it all f
Looking at her identification papers, Tally let out a sigh of relief.Fortunately, Tally had some knowledge of her father's habits. Otherwise, guessing the password for the safe, which belonged to her comatose father, would have been a daunting task.When Irina called, Tally answered, "Hey, Irina.""Guess what? Markus is engaged!""What?" Tally was shocked.Irina shared her surprise."This time, it seems Mr. Hunt Senior might genuinely have it out for you. We haven't even made a move, and suddenly they're announcing Markus and Sarah's engagement.""Sarah?" Tally was even more surprised.It was only today that they found out who had been secretly admiring Markus. Before they could even step in, Elijah had taken the initiative.It seemed like all these years, Elijah appeared unconcerned, but he actually knew everything.But if he was dead set on hating her, then so be it. Tally couldn't care less.On the other hand, if Elijah truly desired for her and Markus to be together all
Elijah said, "Very well, then."Thinking about his troublesome son, Elijah wondered how he hadn't noticed Markus' extremity in his romantic pursuits before.Elijah was so angry that he couldn't catch his breath.Giving Markus a fierce look, he tried to hold back. Despite that, he couldn't resist putting in one final word, "No matter how much you want to be with Tally, I won't allow it."This time, there was no room for negotiation.At Elijah's words, Markus' eyes turned cold. "I'm afraid you have no say in this.""You..." Elijah's breath hitched as he heard Markus' retort. In a fit of rage, he grabbed a teacup and hurled it toward him.At that moment, Elijah felt an overwhelming urge to lash out at Markus.Elijah insisted, "Regardless of your decision, you and Sarah are officially engaged starting today."His tone was unusually firm.At this point, Elijah wasn't asking for Markus' opinion. He was simply informing him.Regarding Tally becoming Elijah's daughter-in-law, Elijah
Kathryn was confused when Jessica suddenly shoved her into the car and promptly closed the door. With her hand still gripping the door handle, Kathryn looked up at Jessica and suggested, "Uh, how about dinner tonight?"Upon hearing Kathryn's dinner suggestion, Jessica paused before nodding and responding, "Let's talk about it later. I'll give you a call."Jessica seemed really busy, and Kathryn could tell from the way she talked that she was in a rush.Kathryn couldn't help but feel for Jessica as she watched her close the car door and hurried off toward the nearby office building, waving goodbye as she went.Kathryn found herself wondering who Jessica was in such a rush to meet.Kathryn couldn't resist stealing a glance back as the car pulled away. In that brief moment, Kathryn's heart skipped a beat as she saw Jessica walking alongside Lloyd. They were heading toward the glass doors of the building.Before Kathryn could double-check what she saw, the car had already turned.