Quincy had no desire to drink the tea. He wanted to take what he came for and leave. However, the firm look in his mother’s eyes, mixed with a silent plea, held him back. He still needed to bring the herbal tea ingredients back to Lydia and explain everything. She deserved to know the truth about their lost child. And then there was his mother. Regardless of her actions, she had raised him for over twenty years.His throat tightened as he picked up the cup and downed the tea in one gulp. “Let this cup of tea be the end of it,” he thought.Once finished, he grabbed the jar of herbs and headed for the door.“Quincy, where are you going?” Tiffany’s voice trembled as she stood, but before she could finish her sentence, she staggered, her cheeks flushing deeply.At the same time, Quincy, who had made it to the entryway, clutched his head and collapsed onto the couch. His legs knocked into the coffee table with a loud scrape. His lower abdomen felt like it was on fire, an unbearable
Quincy coldly pushed her away, and Tiffany fell back onto the bed with a muffled groan. If he hadn’t held back a bit, she might have ended up on the floor instead of the bed. “I told you already, I’m not interested in any other woman,” Quincy said, his voice icy as he left the words hanging in the air.He walked toward the door and gripped the handle. His brows furrowed as he turned it, again and again, but the door wouldn’t budge. It seemed to be locked from the outside.Behind him, he heard soft sobs. He turned back and, seeing that Tiffany might also be a victim in all of this, his expression softened slightly. “You can take a cold shower if it helps.”Tiffany looked up with teary, red eyes. “I don’t have any clothes to change into.”Quincy paused, sighed internally, and said, “...Then never mind.”There wasn’t anything he could offer her to wear, and giving her his own clothes would be inappropriate.Meanwhile, Lydia was outside the building, having climbed several flights
Lydia lowered her head and, with a click, turned the doorknob. Just as she opened the door, Tiffany, overwhelmed by the effects of the drug, collapsed into Quincy’s arms. Quincy had been caught off guard. He had only meant to help her, but Tiffany, standing behind him, suddenly made a move, catching him by surprise. Without warning, she lunged, causing both of them to fall onto the bed.As she reached for his lips, Quincy’s eyes darkened, and he tilted his head just in time, causing her kiss to land awkwardly on his chin. He frowned, pulling away, but at that exact moment, the door swung open.He looked up, stunned, and saw Lydia standing there.She took a step back.“Lydia, wait! Nothing happened between us!” For the first time, the usual calm on his face cracked as he stumbled to his feet.But Lydia recoiled even faster. The sadness on her face was overwhelming, and without a word, she turned and left.Quincy tried to run after her, but Tiffany held onto him tightly.He
Meanwhile, Hope had been trying her best to impress Nina and Nash. Orion really liked her, and though Nina had initially planned to place her in an orphanage, Hope clung tightly to her arm. "Aunt Nina, can I come to your home now?" she asked, eyes pleading."It’s not just our home. It's your home, too," Orion corrected. "You can stay as long as you want. My mom and dad are really nice, and our little sister is super cute."Some kids were shy around strangers, but not Gemma. She always greeted people with a smile, never fussy or afraid."Mm-hmm," Hope nodded eagerly, grabbing Orion’s hand. "It feels so good to have all of you with me."Originally, Nina and Nash had planned to stay in the city for a few days, but now with Hope, they decided to head home sooner. Before they left, they asked the kids, “Orion, Hope, do you two want to go to the amusement park?”"Yes!" Orion nodded enthusiastically. He had been before, but this time would be different. Not only would his parents b
"Yes, now that Orion has a new friend, we might even have more time for ourselves," Nash said, his fingers tracing up Nina's hand in a way that was both warm and ticklish.Nina's cheeks flushed, and she gently pushed him away. "Stop that. The kids are right outside. What if they hear us? It’d be so embarrassing." She knew Orion was clever—too clever. If he overheard anything, she would be mortified and wouldn’t even know how to explain."The hotel's got great soundproofing," Nash replied with a playful grin. "And the TV’s on, too. But if you’re worried, I can just turn it up a little more."Before Nina could protest, he grabbed the remote and nudged the volume up a few notches. He rolled over and kissed her, and under his touch, Nina quickly melted. They stayed entwined until the early hours, finally breaking apart, thoroughly exhausted. Nina turned off the TV, lying on the bed, feeling too drained to move. She wanted to wash away the lingering heat, but exhaustion kept her stil
Nina wasn’t sure where Hope was originally from, so she made sure to get a little bit of everything for her. “Try a little of each. If you find something you like, you can go back for more. As long as we don’t waste anything, you can get as much as you’d like.” “If you picked it, Aunt Nina, then I’ll like it all,” Hope said with determination. And she meant it. She cleaned her plate completely, not even leaving any sauce behind.Once everyone was full, Nash drove them to the amusement park. At first, Hope seemed a little reserved, but after a few rides, she started to let loose and really enjoy herself. “Orion, I really love the carousel! Can we ride it again?”“Last time, I rode the big horse while you rode the little one. Let’s switch this time,” Orion said, taking her hand.Since they were both still young, they spent most of their time in the children’s area, trying out all the rides they were tall enough for. Finally, they went on the Ferris wheel as a family. When they r
Hope quickly stashed the bottle back in her bag and settled on the floor, trying to look casual. “Hope, what were you doing?” Orion asked as he came over, ready to play.Hope, still just a six-year-old, wasn’t exactly skilled at hiding her emotions. She avoided looking him in the eye, turning her head away. “Nothing. I’m just a little sleepy and thought I’d rest,” she mumbled, closing her eyes.Orion shrugged, sitting beside her. “Okay, go ahead and nap. Where’s Mrs. Watson?”“She went to get some dessert. I was hungry,” Hope replied, pulling a blanket over her face. Orion adored his little sister. If he ever found out that Hope had done something to hurt her, he would never speak to her again. But she felt like she had no choice. If she didn’t do this, she might never see her own family again. After all, she hadn’t done anything to hurt Orion’s parents, and she hadn’t harmed him either. As for his sister, she was just a baby, too young to even talk yet. Besides, if something
“Mom, I want to go to the hospital with you!” Orion shouted as he ran after Nina.Hope instinctively tried to grab him, but Orion was running too fast, and her hand grasped at nothing but air.At the door, Nina paused and turned around. “Orion, your dad and I are really busy right now, and we can’t keep an eye on you. Please stay home. Mrs. Watson is here to take care of you. That’ll make us feel a bit more at ease.”Orion was a well-behaved child. Even if he came to the hospital, he wouldn’t cause any trouble and might even help take care of Gemma. But the hospital was crowded and chaotic, and she and Nash would be incredibly busy. What if Orion ran into trouble? It was safer to leave him at home.“Alright, Mom. But as soon as Gemma’s fever breaks, please tell me right away,” Orion said, reluctantly stopping as he realized the situation. He waved at his mom, hoping his sister would get well soon.Hearing the door close, Hope approached with her doll, her face lighting up. “Hey,