Although she was young, Hope knew the difference between comfort and hardship. In this home, even though they weren’t her blood relatives, everyone treated her kindly. She felt safe here. She could play in the garden without constantly preparing to flee with her family. If they sent her back, she would be alone, wandering the streets. She would never see her family again, especially since she hadn’t completed her mission.As despair sank in, Hope pleaded, “I know I was wrong. I won’t do it again, I swear. Please, let me stay here. I promise I won’t hurt anyone.”She could even accept that Orion might never play with her again, as long as she could stay.“It’s too late for that. I don’t believe you,” Orion said, moving closer to Nina. Last time, he had pleaded on Hope’s behalf. This time, it was the opposite. He shook his head at his parents. “Mom, Dad, please don’t let her stay. I’m afraid she’ll hurt my sister again.”This had happened once, and it could easily happen again.
Quincy’s hand hung in midair, hesitant to reach for Lydia, fearing he might hurt her. “Please, don’t leave. I swear, I’ll never go back there again, no matter what they say or do. I just want to be with you.”“And what about our child?” Lydia grabbed his hand, placing it on her stomach, which was flat and empty.The pain in Quincy’s eyes deepened. Lydia’s heart ached, but she forced herself to continue. “Tell me, where is our child? Can you bring them back? If you could, I wouldn’t care about anything else, not who you’re with or what you do. I’d just want my child back.”For a woman, a child was her life. She would rather face any harm herself than let her child suffer even the slightest misfortune.“Lydia, please don’t talk like this. I only love you. If you’re angry, you can hit me, yell at me or anything. Just don’t say things like that.” Quincy knew that these words wounded her as much as they did him. Lydia had already endured the physical pain of losing a child, and now sh
Mrs. Clinton offered an awkward smile, knowing it wasn’t her place to interfere. After all, this was a matter between husband and wife, and as an outsider, she could only go so far in either encouraging reconciliation or separation. All she could do was fret in silence.“Lydia.” Quincy strode to the doorway. “Maybe some time away will be good for you. When you’re ready to come back, just let me know, and I’ll come get you.”“Are you just dense, or do you think I’m a fool?” Lydia laughed bitterly. “I said I’m leaving for good. I’m not just taking a little break to come back and play house with you. Dream on!”For her, they were done. There was no going back, just like the child they had lost, it was beyond repair.Lydia walked downstairs, dragging her suitcase. Quincy wanted to help, but his hand only grazed the edge of her coat, and in an instant, it slipped away from him. All he could do was watch as Lydia got into a car and drove away, vanishing from his sight.Mrs. Clinton tr
“It’s not happening. Lydia is the only woman I’ll ever have as my wife. I won’t look at anyone else,” Quincy asserted firmly.He hoped that by making his stance clear, his parents might finally back off. He also thought Tiffany would have the decency to realize she was unwelcome.But he had misjudged her.Tiffany kept her eyes glued to him. “Quincy, I don’t mind if you can’t let go of her right now. We’re both young and have plenty of time. I believe that, sooner or later, you’ll come around.“And if anything, the fact that you can’t forget her shows your loyalty. When you finally accept me, I know you’ll be just as devoted to me. We’ll have a great life together.”Her words struck a chord with Mrs. Perez, who took Tiffany’s hand, beaming with approval. Lydia might be a wealthy heiress, but the Perez family wasn’t so desperate that they needed to sell their son’s happiness for money. She wanted Quincy to find someone who truly loved him, someone who would make him happy in a stabl
If Quincy kept listening to his parents, he would be a fool. He would not give them another chance to damage his relationship with Lydia. “Mrs. Clinton, see them out,” he ordered firmly.“Quincy! I’m your mother. How can you just throw me out like this?” Mrs. Perez’s face turned pale with shock and anger.Tiffany’s eyes filled with tears as she played the victim. “If you don’t want to see me, I’ll go. But please don’t take it out on your parents. They really love and care about you, or else they wouldn’t be so involved in your life.”Which parent doesn’t love their child? Quincy had never denied this before. But after drinking that drugged tea, his perspective shifted. Yes, they loved him, but not enough. Their love was overshadowed by their desire to control him and dictate his life. Otherwise, how could they have been so ruthless?“Mrs. Clinton, I won’t say it again. See them out.” With that, Quincy turned and walked back into the house, leaving Mrs. Clinton to face the three
If Tiffany and Quincy had engaged in a romantic encounter, Mrs. Perez was confident she could pressure him into marriage. After all, Quincy had just lost a child. If Tiffany were to get pregnant now, how could he remain indifferent? And even if she didn’t conceive, they could always pay off a doctor to forge a pregnancy test. By the time Quincy discovered the truth, the marriage would already be sealed. Would he really divorce her over it?“No,” Tiffany replied, biting her lip and shaking her head. Despite the effects of the drug, she had tried everything and still couldn’t seduce him. Quincy’s heart was clearly set on Lydia. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have resisted so steadfastly, refusing even to touch her.Mrs. Perez’s expression darkened. “I used a heavy dose. There’s no way it didn’t have any effect. What on earth happened between you two?”Tiffany flushed and briefly recounted what transpired. Mrs. Perez sucked in a sharp breath.Lydia had clearly bewitched him to the point
“I know you’re a good person, but Eugene, why waste so much time on me?” Lydia continued shaking her head. “There’s no future for us together.”She had no feelings for him beyond friendship. That was all they could ever be.“You still can’t get over Quincy.”“It’s not like that. It’s completely over between us.”“If it’s really over, then why not give me a chance? Lydia, you’re still young. Do you really plan to spend your life alone because of one worthless man?” Eugene pressed, refusing to back down.Growing up, he had always gotten what he wanted, and he was determined to have Lydia, too.Lydia didn’t know how to explain it to him. Maybe it was better to let him think what he wanted.She said nothing, effectively allowing him to believe he was right.“Lydia, you’re really not thinking clearly. If you had a child together and didn’t want to remarry for the child’s sake, I’d understand. But now, there’s nothing left between you two.” Eugene’s gaze dropped to her stomach.He w
"I’m definitely on your side. We can’t let Quincy stay blind to the truth, but you also need to think about your health. If you push yourself too hard and get sick, won’t that tear our family apart?" Mr. Perez continued to reassure her.He couldn’t bear it if his wife fell ill, especially if it was their son who had driven her to that point.Mrs. Perez was about to respond when an idea struck her. She quickly pulled him down to sit beside her. "I just thought of something. Quincy doesn’t want to see us now, but if I were in the hospital, say in the ICU, would he really ignore me?"“You can’t joke around with your health like that,” Mr. Perez replied immediately, rejecting the idea. The ICU was for serious cases, and he couldn’t let his wife fake such a thing.She slapped her thigh in frustration. “You’re so rigid. Does someone have to actually be sick to get into the ICU? As long as we have money, we can arrange anything we need.”All she wanted was to use the ICU as a ruse to bri
Hunter took a bite of the biscuits and ravioli she had made. The taste was surprisingly good. It wasn’t on the level of a Michelin-starred chef, but it had something even more special—the taste of home. And of course, there was the oatmeal. He took one spoonful after another, finishing the entire bowl. *Meanwhile, Vera still hadn’t found her brother. Disappointment weighed heavily on her as she prepared to leave. But just then, her phone buzzed. An anonymous message. She tapped it open and stared at the image attached. It was a watch. Alone, a watch meant nothing. But this watch was her brother’s. Vera immediately zoomed in on the photo, carefully inspecting the engravings inside. There they were—his initials. No mistake. This was his watch. Below the image, a location pin was attached. The place was nearby. Vera’s eyes filled with determination. If she had found nothing, she would have simply left. But now, she had recei
When Yelena woke up again, she was shocked to find that she wasn’t at the club. She sat up abruptly, looking around in confusion. Then, she got out of bed, slipped on her slippers, and pushed the door open. “Where am I?” “At my place,” Hunter replied casually. He was working in the living room when he saw her wake up. “You slept for a long time. I couldn’t just leave you alone at the club, so I brought you back here.” Seeing the uncertainty on her face, he added, “It’s already late. Just stay here for the night. I’ll take you back tomorrow.” Yelena nodded. There was no other choice now. “There’s food in the fridge. If you’re hungry, heat something up. There are also snacks in the drawer—take whatever you want.” “Alright.” She really was hungry. She opened the drawer, grabbed a few small bread rolls, ate them quickly, and then went back to her room to rest. *The next morning, Yelena woke up early. Thinking about everything Hunter had done—treatin
Yelena quickly lowered her arm, letting her sleeve fall over the mark to cover it. “It’s nothing. Here’s your cocktail. Please enjoy.” “Yelena.” Hunter grabbed her wrist without warning. He pulled up her sleeve, revealing the deep, ugly scars on her arm. His brows knitted together instantly. “Who did this to you?” The force behind it was brutal—downright inhuman. Yelena remained silent. Who else could have done this besides Liam? But she had agreed to this. She had willingly accepted Hunter’s request and entered Liam’s world. She had no right to complain. Her silence gave Hunter all the confirmation he needed. “Liam did this to you, didn’t he?” Yelena nodded. “It’s nothing. The wounds have already started healing. They look worse than they feel. Give it some time, and they’ll fade.” “Wait here.” Hunter stood abruptly and walked away. Yelena had no idea what he was doing, but since he told her to wait, she didn’t argue. A few minu
Then again, it made sense. How could a normal person possibly empathize with a lunatic? If Yelena could understand Liam, that would make her just as twisted. *For the next few days, Yelena stayed home to recover. During that time, Liam came back a few times, bringing her flowers and food. Like a child showing off a treasure, he placed the food in front of her. “Yelena, these are your favorite honey crullers. I got them fresh from the bakery. Try them and see if you like them.” “I’m not really hungry.” She didn’t want to eat anything he gave her. She couldn’t even stand looking at him. But she had made a promise. So, she had to force herself to stay. Liam’s expression darkened. “Are you really not hungry, or do you just not want to eat what I give you?” For someone like him, once he had lost his temper once, the second time would only come faster and smoother. With a heavy thud, he slammed the honey crullers onto the table. “Yes, I hit y
If Liam had been a normal person, Hunter never would have sent her here in the first place. But of course, Yelena could only think that. She wasn’t suicidal enough to say it out loud. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “I was really just messaging an old classmate. If you don’t believe me, go ahead—check my phone.” She wasn’t worried. Whenever she contacted Hunter, she deleted each message immediately. She had even forged an entire fake conversation just in case Liam ever got suspicious. So, no matter how thoroughly he checked, there would be nothing for him to find. Liam narrowed his eyes. “Is that so? Then why do I still feel like you’re lying? Women like you—nothing but liars, every last one of you.” Then, he struck her again. Yelena screamed. The pain was relentless, merciless. She had no idea how long it lasted—only that by the time he finally stopped, she was barely breathing. Her body slumped against the floor
Suddenly, footsteps sounded behind Yelena. She spun around, her heart hammering in her chest. Liam was walking toward her, a faint smile on his lips—but the coldness in his eyes told a different story. Memories of his past cruelty flashed through her mind, sending a shudder down her spine. She forced herself to stay calm. “Who are you messaging?” He was getting closer. So close that when he finally stopped, they were nearly pressed against each other. Then, without warning, his fingers clamped around her chin, gripping tighter and tighter. Pain shot through her jaw, and Yelena winced. “No one. Just an old classmate. I ran into her a few days ago while I was out.” “Oh? Is that so?” Liam’s voice softened, almost gentle. To anyone watching, he might have seemed like a kind, easygoing man. But Yelena knew better. He would never let her off that easily. And sure enough— In the next second, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her hea
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.“Haven’t I been just fine lately?“Or do you think my hand isn’t injured enough? If that’s the case, go ahead—do it yourself. “You already know I wouldn’t fight back no matter what.” Without warning, Yelena stretched out her injured hand, an act that instantly enraged Liam. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He snapped. “I was just making a casual remark. Is that really what you think of me? I already told you—I’m not going to lay a hand on you.“It wasn’t intentional before, and you know it. We both do. Stop acting like you’re above all this when we both know who sent you here.” Yelena felt a pang of sadness. They had spent so much time together, yet this was how he treated her—always choosing to hurt her. “I know—I wasn’t someone you chose, and none of this was intentional. But after all this time we've spent together...“I thought maybe I was a little different to you. But I guess I was wrong. Nothing has changed at all.
“Why do you even care about what happens to other people? Haven’t I made myself clear enough already?“Whose card is this—yours or mine?” His assistant immediately apologized upon hearing Caleb’s tone. “I hope you won’t hold this against me. I really wasn’t thinking clearly at the time—I should have considered this more carefully.” Caleb didn’t bother responding. After hanging up, he focused entirely on investigating Vera’s brother. *Meanwhile, Vera was deeply worried. If things had been somewhat under control before, now they were completely off track. The situation on both sides was far more complicated than she had anticipated. “Don’t worry. That’s exactly how it is. If you don’t want to go in person, I can go for you—but it won’t be cheap,” the private investigator said.Since Caleb had warned her about the private investigator, Vera started testing him, probing for inconsistencies. And sure enough, his story had too many holes. “Why are you so sure my b
As Caleb spoke, he looked at Vera with a hint of helplessness. After all, her hand had been injured because of Luna. “Don’t feel guilty about this. Honestly, it’s nothing to me.“And I’m not the type to carry burdens over things like this.“Besides, it’s been so long. If this had happened back then, I might have cared. But now? I just don’t think it matters anymore.” Vera’s voice was steady and sincere. But Caleb’s expression darkened. “Why would you say that? Why do you think it doesn’t matter? Do you really see me as just the same as everyone else?” For some reason, at this moment, Caleb took it personally. Vera couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course not. You’re different from the rest—so obviously, I wouldn’t see it the same way.“You’ve helped me so much. The least I can do is acknowledge that, instead of stubbornly nitpicking about what’s right or wrong, don’t you think?“Besides, whatever happened between you and Luna, that’s none of my business. It’s in