As they exited the highway, it was already noon. Nash first took the family to the city's largest shopping mall, where they strolled around for a while before heading up to the rooftop restaurant for lunch.Suddenly, a sharp fire alarm blared through the mall.“There’s a fire. We need to get out, now,” Nash quickly said as he scooped Orion into his arms and grabbed Nina’s hand tightly. The three of them hurried toward the emergency exit. When they arrived, it was already packed with people, all pushing and shoving, desperate to get out. No one wanted to be the last.Nash tightened his grip on Orion, holding him even closer. The thought of getting separated sent a surge of anxiety through him, especially with Orion being so small. There was no way he could push through the crowd of adults on his own. If he got knocked down, a stampede could have disastrous consequences.Orion seemed to sense the seriousness of the situation, wrapping his arms tightly around Nash’s neck as they p
There was no way Nina could let the little girl go off on her own. Such a young child, if she were to encounter danger or be taken by traffickers, her fate could be tragic. She gently picked the girl up again, wiping the tears from her small face. “Tell me, sweetheart, what’s really going on at home? Why did you say you don’t have a mom and dad?”The little girl’s voice trembled as she spoke, “My dad’s gone. Everyone says he’s never coming back. Then my mom left me, too. I don’t know where she went. No one takes care of me anymore. I almost starved to death at home.” With every word, Nina’s heart sank deeper. By the end, she understood. The girl’s father had passed away, and her mother, seeing her as a burden, had abandoned her. The child couldn’t recall her address or phone number, and she didn’t even know her own name.“They just called me ‘Little One.’ My parents never used my real name,” she said, her eyes red and swollen from crying. “Am I stupid? Maybe if I were smarter,
Nina nodded, “Alright, let’s do that.”"You really want to take me home? I'm not dreaming, right?" The little girl pinched her arm hard in disbelief.With a sharp yelp, a bruise instantly formed on her small arm.Nina quickly bent down to stop her, “Sweetheart, don’t hurt yourself.”"I wasn’t trying to hurt myself. I just... I was scared this was a dream, and that once I woke up, I’d be back on the streets. But now I know it’s real. You’re really here, and I finally have a home." The little girl happily threw herself into Nina's arms, crying again. But this time, her tears were not from sadness, but from joy. "I really have a family now—an uncle, an aunt, and a brother.""That's right. We'll take good care of you from now on," Nina said gently, stroking the girl's back.In that moment, she thought of her own daughter, Gemma, back at home. How could this little girl’s mother have been so heartless? Abandoning her child in a foreign country, leaving her with no hope, was unthinka
However, everything was just a facade. Beneath it all, Hope harbored a deep jealousy, though she hadn't yet found the right moment to act.Meanwhile, over on Quincy’s side, Lydia was spiraling. She felt completely drained, emotionally and physically. Curled up under the blankets, tears streamed down her face, soaking into the fabric. Quincy noticed every tear, and each one broke his heart a little more.Quincy wasn’t doing well either. For days, he had been consumed by guilt and helplessness, unsure of what to do. Just as he was lost in thought, someone approached him. Quincy looked up, surprised to see it was Nash.Nash nodded, glancing toward Lydia's hospital room. He had already heard about everything that had happened."How’s Lydia?" Nash asked.Quincy’s expression turned bitter. He tried to force a smile, but it was clear he didn’t have the strength for it anymore. "Not good. She doesn’t even want to see me. She kicked me out.""Lydia’s definitely been set up. When I find ou
Mrs. Perez used the special herbal tea to cause Lydia to lose her child. Despite the nightmares that plagued her every night afterward, she convinced herself it was worth it. After all, anything was better than having that woman marry into their family."Watch your mouth," she snapped at Mr. Perez, glaring at him. "When I call our son later, you better not let anything slip, or I swear, you'll regret it!""Whatever, do as you like. I'm staying out of this," he muttered, shaking his head.Five minutes later, Mrs. Perez dialed Quincy’s number."Are you coming home for dinner tonight? I’ve invited Tiffany and her mother over. You remember Tiffany, right? She’s my old friend’s daughter. Great girl! She’s highly educated, just got back from overseas, and, most importantly, she comes from a good family. Why don’t you come and meet her?"Whatever Quincy said on the other end brought a wide smile to Mrs. Perez’s face. "Two days from now? That works too! As long as you’ll meet her. I’ll se
It was only after Lydia came to her senses that she realized she had unconsciously walked toward the window. Her hospital room was on the seventh floor, and the window had no safety bars. Anyone who leaned out too far, with the wrong kind of thoughts, could easily fall to their death. She had unknowingly wandered right up to the edge of something irreversible.But Lydia still felt nothing. There was no fear, no panic, no relief. Just emptiness. She couldn’t even remember what she had been thinking or why she had walked to the window in the first place.Quincy opened his mouth as if to say something but hesitated, swallowing his words. Instead, he offered, “Are you hungry?”“I brought your favorite chicken soup from the restaurant you love, and some soy milk. Try it, see if it still tastes the same.”The aroma of the chicken soup filled the room, steam rising from the bowl. Lydia used to love it. Quincy still remembered, even after all this time.She quietly ate while Quinc
Quincy turned back to Lydia, his expression softening. "I have something to take care of tonight. If you need anything, just call me, alright? I'll be back as soon as I can."Lydia’s lips moved, as if she wanted to ask where he was going, but in the end, she didn’t say a word.Quincy left the hospital and headed straight to a four-star hotel. Mrs. Perez had reserved a private dining room there earlier, and Quincy was the last to arrive. As he stood outside the door, he could hear the laughter and lively conversation from within. He clenched his fists, his eyes darkening as he recalled what Nash had told him the other day.“Your housekeeper, Mrs. Lucy, took leave recently, right?” Nash had asked. “Before she left, I had a word with her. If you spoke to her too, you should know who was around the day Lydia fell ill.”That conversation had sent a chill down Quincy’s spine, sparking a suspicion he didn’t want to believe. Deep down, he had probably suspected this person all along, but
As Mrs. Clara asked her question, the entire room fell into an awkward silence. Mrs. Perez’s face tightened with surprise. As she saw the changing expressions of Mrs. Clara and Tiffany, she scrambled to come up with an explanation. But before she could speak, Quincy bluntly stated, “I’m already married.”Tiffany dropped her utensils and her eyes were wide with shock. After a moment, her eyes filled with tears. Mrs. Clara stood up in anger. "Why didn’t you tell me your son was married?" she demanded.Mrs. Perez quickly shot Quincy a sharp glare. "It’s not like that. There’s a woman who’s been clinging to Quincy, but they ended things a long time ago."Mrs. Clara scoffed, clearly unimpressed. That kind of excuse might fool others, but not someone as experienced as her. If things were really over, why wasn’t that mentioned right away? Even if what Mrs. Perez said was true, Quincy would still be a divorced man. No matter how good his credentials were, was she really supposed to