The only thing Mr. Ford truly cared about was the family’s reputation. As for his son, shipping him off overseas to fend for himself was enough. He intended to keep a close watch to ensure Eugene never found a way back.“That works for me,” Mr. Fay agreed. “But I’ll be keeping an eye on him too. If he shows up here again, this agreement is null and void. I have all the evidence saved.”Even without saying it, Mr. Ford understood. The Fords and Fays were evenly matched in influence, and the Fays had ties with Nash, so he would be crazy to turn this into a conflict.Once the Eugene issue was resolved, Lydia returned to her routine. However, she found herself frequently crossing paths with Quincy now. He never approached her directly or intruded, just silently appeared in her vicinity.After three days, Lydia couldn’t take it anymore. She pulled open his car door and got in. “Let’s go.”“Go where?”“To the courthouse, of course. I left work two hours early today, and it’s still open
“Wishing you both happiness,” the clerk said, swiftly completing the paperwork to cancel their divorce.As they walked out, Quincy held their marriage certificate, feeling the significance of the moment down to his core.“Lydia, let’s go on a second honeymoon,” he said, wrapping his arm around her waist. “How about the Maldives this time?”“And what about a wedding?” Lydia asked, looking up at him with a warm smile.Their eyes met, and both felt a sweetness fill their hearts. Their first wedding had left regrets due to their parents’ disapproval. Although Quincy’s parents still hadn’t come around, Lydia’s were now supportive, and she was carrying their new baby.“Oh, Quincy, I had a dream last night,” Lydia said, a little uncertain. “In it, a little boy called me ‘Mom.’”She didn’t know if the dream held any truth, but seeing such a sweet child felt like a good omen.“He even said he’d bring his little sister along to find me.”“Could it be twins? A boy and a girl?” Quincy’s fa
Mabel hated herself for it now. Why had she been tempted by those small favors from her aunt and gone along with her schemes? Now things had spiraled out of control, and there was no way to fix it.“I understand. I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Quincy said, ending the call. Turning to Lydia, he asked, “Are you coming with me or would you rather take a cab home?”“Let’s go together. No point in wasting time discussing it. Just focus on driving,” Lydia replied, quickly fastening her seatbelt.She wasn’t about to hold grudges against someone critically ill.When they arrived at the hospital, they rushed to the waiting area outside the operating room. Mabel was pacing in the hallway. The moment she saw them, she seemed to find her footing again. “Quincy, thank goodness you’re here! I was terrified you wouldn’t come.”“You should be saying that to Lydia. She’s the one who forgave you all,” Quincy pointed out.Mabel’s face flushed with shame. She bowed deeply to Lydia, apologizing ove
“Dad, don’t get too worked up,” Quincy said, noticing his father’s face turning red with anger. “People your age can easily stress themselves sick. Look at Mom. She’s in the hospital for that very reason.”If she hadn’t been so consumed with pointless meddling, she wouldn’t be on an operating table today.Mr. Perez nearly choked in frustration. “Is that how you talk to your father? Forget it. Let me speak to Lydia.”“She’s busy. Whatever you need to say, just say it to me. If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up,” Quincy replied, blocking the attempt.He wasn’t foolish. He could tell his father wanted to pressure Lydia directly. But there was no way he would let her face any of that alone.“This was all my decision. There’s no one else for you to blame.”“Fine. You’re acting like you’ve grown wings and flown beyond my reach.” Mr. Perez hung up, barely restraining himself from a full-blown rant. That son of his would be the death of him.On the other end, Lydia looked at Quincy wit
Unfortunately, Quincy wasn’t swayed by either her gentler approach or pressure.When Lydia walked in, Mrs. Perez almost thought she was there to confront her. But Lydia’s tone was detached as she spoke, “Mrs. Perez, all your hospital expenses have been paid. Rest and focus on recovering. When you’re discharged, I can help arrange for a good rehabilitation facility if you’d like.”After everything that had happened, Lydia couldn’t bring herself to call her “Mom” anymore. “Mrs. Perez” would have to suffice.Mrs. Perez was stunned. Lydia had actually come to see her?Just as he had done with his father, Quincy briefly informed her of the situation, then left with Lydia, leaving Mrs. Perez lying in bed, lost in thought.Mabel said softly, breaking the silence. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to say. You’ve gone way too far in the past. I know you’re my aunt, and you’ve done me some favors, but I can’t keep ignoring what’s right to blindly take your side.”Mabel feared that if
Mrs. Perez, furious, cursed at her, “I must have been blind to ever consider you as a potential daughter-in-law. Thank goodness my son doesn’t like you. If you’d actually gotten into our family, you would’ve turned our lives upside down!”“Well, you came to me first,” Tiffany shot back, pressing forward. “You made me the ‘other woman’ and even had me drink that ‘special’ tea. Who knows what effects that drink might have had on my health?”Since they were fully at odds now, Tiffany didn’t hold back. “I’ll give you two options. Either you make sure I marry Quincy or you give me a payout. You managed to drug him once, so you can do it again or give me a payout of ten million.”Mrs. Perez’s jaw dropped at the demand. “Ten million? You must be dreaming!”Such an amount would be enough to live off for several lifetimes. And even if her son had that much in liquid assets, which was doubtful, it was hard-earned money. She would never let Tiffany take it so easily.“No money? Fine, don’t b
Tiffany took a step back, holding her phone high above her head, mouthing, “Pay up.”In that moment, Mrs. Perez accidentally bumped into the bedside kettle. It crashed to the floor, sending scalding water splashing everywhere, hitting both of them.“Ah! Did you do that on purpose?” Tiffany hissed, seething with anger.With no one else in the room, Tiffany was ready to vent her anger, but just then, the door swung open.Lydia entered with the doctor, stopping in her tracks when she saw Tiffany. She then glanced at Mrs. Perez lying on the bed. A complex mix of feelings washed over Lydia, though she had long since stopped being surprised by Mrs. Perez’s actions.“My daughter-in-law!” Mrs. Perez called out frantically, “Grab her phone! She’s live-streaming, trying to ruin our family!”Hearing Mrs. Perez call Lydia daughter-in-law made Tiffany’s expression twist with resentment. Why did Lydia deserve that title? Mrs. Perez had once called her daughter-in-law too, but now she was t
As they walked out of the hospital, Lydia made a call to the police. It was time to settle the full account of everything Tiffany had done.Suddenly, a car pulled up in front of her, the window rolling down to reveal Quincy’s concerned face. "My mom didn’t give you any trouble, did she?”“Not at all. She’s full of regret and wants my forgiveness, but I can’t let go of what happened,” Lydia replied, opening the door and getting in. She filled Quincy in on everything that had happened in the hospital room.After hearing it all, Quincy took her hand. “From now on, we’ll each live our own lives. I’ll visit on holidays, but I’ll go alone. You don’t need to see her if you don’t want to.”He would return out of family obligation, but there was no reason for Lydia to bear the burden.Lydia heard the care and love in his words and readily agreed.Once they had settled things with Tiffany, they let their families know and boarded a plane to Aceland. Throughout the flight, they sat close, L
When Karina stepped into the room, one of the men, his gaze hazy from drink, chuckled and said, “Well, so this is the beauty they sent over?”Karina forced herself to stay calm and replied politely, “Good evening, gentlemen. Here’s the drinks you ordered.” She began placing the drinks on the table one by one, hoping to finish quickly. Before she could finish, another man grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him. “Come, have a few drinks with us, sweetheart.”Karina’s heart raced as she pulled her hand away with force. “Sir, I’m just here to deliver your drinks. I don’t entertain guests.”The men burst into laughter. “What bar do you think you’re in? There’s no such thing as not entertaining here. Don’t play coy, sweetheart. Sit with us, and you’ll be rewarded handsomely.”Fear surged through Karina as she instinctively stepped back, trying to maintain some distance. “I’m really just here for work,” she said, her voice trembling. “Please respect me!”But the men, emboldened
The woman leaned closer to Karina, lowering her voice. “You ruined my fun. The manager and I were having a great time, and you interrupted us. You need to make it up to me.”Karina’s frustration flared. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. The door wasn’t fully closed, and I was only there to talk about resigning.”But the woman wasn’t about to let it go. “I don’t care. You need to make it up to me. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee your night will go smoothly or that you’ll get to leave this job without issues.”Anger surged through Karina. “You’re being unreasonable! I didn’t do anything wrong!”The woman sneered. “In this bar, what I say goes. If you don’t cooperate, I have plenty of ways to make sure you can’t stay.”Karina knew arguing with her in this chaotic environment would only make things worse. But the idea of being bullied like this made her seethe. Taking a deep breath, she tried to stay calm. “What do you want me to do?”The woman’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “It’s simple. Ha
A strikingly glamorous woman sat perched on the manager’s lap, the two locked in a tight embrace, passionately kissing. The scene was nothing short of intimate, their connection palpable.Karina stood awkwardly at the door, caught between stepping in and retreating. She coughed lightly, trying to get their attention.Hearing the sound, the manager gently pushed the woman aside and turned toward the door. His expression showed no embarrassment; instead, he appeared slightly annoyed. “Karina, why didn’t you knock before coming in?”Karina forced a smile, her discomfort evident. “The door wasn’t fully closed. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’m here to talk about resigning.”The manager adjusted his clothes, gesturing for the woman to sit aside. He raised his brows slightly. “Resign? Why the sudden decision to quit?”Karina bit her lip nervously. “It’s for personal reasons. I really can’t continue working here.”The manager leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. A f
Karina froze for a moment, staring at Wilfred's earnest eyes. A wave of mixed emotions swirled within her. She was indeed under immense financial pressure. The entanglements with Kieran and the Stone family had left her utterly drained, and every penny counted. Yet, her pride made it hard for her to accept charity, even from someone like Wilfred. Lowering her head, she softly said, “Thank you for your kindness, Dr. Wilfred, but I can’t accept your money. I’ll work hard and solve this on my own.” Wilfred frowned, stepping closer. He gently tilted her chin upward, compelling her to meet his gaze. “Karina, I understand your concerns. But working in an environment like this, exhausting yourself, and exposing yourself to danger isn’t the solution. It could harm your health and reputation. “I’m not offering charity. I see you as a friend, and I want to help you through this tough time.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she bit her lip. “But I don’t want to owe yo
He didn’t recognize Wilfred and dismissed him as some young guy trying to play the hero. “Want to play hero? Take a look at yourself first. Get lost, or I’ll call the manager and have you thrown out!” To him, customers were ranked in tiers, and as a VIP who could afford an Ace of Spades, he considered himself in a league far above the average patron. Wilfred’s gaze flicked over him, filled with disdain as though he were looking at a fool. Even the thought of engaging with him felt like a waste of effort. Wilfred turned to Karina and said calmly, “Go get the manager.” “Got it, I’ll be right back.” Karina, understanding the urgency of the situation, didn’t hesitate and dashed toward the bar. Seeing her run off, the man felt his pride take a massive hit, as though he had been publicly humiliated. His face twisted in rage as he swung a fist toward Wilfred. But Wilfred wasn’t just anyone. He had training, and dealing with a drunkard was no challenge at all. The thought
Karina’s expression darkened instantly.Yes, she needed money, and she genuinely wanted to earn it, but she had not fallen to the point of trading her body for cash. She stepped back, keeping her tone polite but firm. “Sir, I’m just a server here. My job is to sell drinks—nothing more.”“Don’t play innocent,” the man sneered, his gaze filled with undisguised contempt. “If you’re working in a place like this, doesn’t that mean you’ll do anything for the right price? Look, I’m not asking for free. If you make us happy tonight, I’ll buy everything on your cart. Don’t believe me? Go ask your manager if he’s heard of Mike Taylor.”Karina forced an awkward smile, grabbing the cart and trying to leave. She had no intention of compromising herself, but she also couldn’t afford to escalate the situation.However, the drunk man, seeing her attempt to walk away, grew angry. He shot to his feet and grabbed her arm, muttering profanities under his breath. “I’m giving you face by choosing you,
In the end, Karina decided to call the police.The officers arrived quickly and brought both of them to the station. After understanding the situation, they began by addressing Kieran. “I have a sister too, so I understand your feelings,” one of the officers said. “But your sister is an adult, and you need to respect her decisions. Plus, you’ve caused a significant disturbance for her neighbors, and this qualifies as a public nuisance.”“I’m really sorry, Officer. I got too emotional because my dad is sick, and I wanted to persuade her to come home,” Kieran replied, his tone remarkably convincing. If Karina hadn’t witnessed his other side herself, she might have believed his performance too. The officer then turned to Karina. “Miss, when a parent falls ill, it’s a serious matter. Even if there are issues within the family, the focus should be on resolving them. You can’t avoid it forever.” Karina quickly came up with an excuse. “It’s not that I don’t want to go back, but I
Karina was more than willing to rest. It had been a while since she felt this exhausted, the kind of tiredness that made her want to stay still for days. After grabbing a cup of instant noodles from the cupboard and finishing it off, she took a quick shower and climbed into bed, ready to sleep for as long as her body needed. But just as she was drifting off, loud knocks on her door startled her awake. The banging grew louder and more insistent. At first, she thought it might be a delivery, but when she opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of Kieran sitting in a wheelchair. Instantly alert, her first instinct was to slam the door shut. “Karina, is that it? You see me and don’t even want to say a word?” Kieran’s hand shot out to block the door. He was strong. No matter how hard Karina pushed with all her might, she couldn’t close the door. Her resistance only seemed to fuel his anger. Grabbing her wrist tightly, Kieran said, “I’m here to talk, that’s all. Let m
The young man smiled faintly but then asked, “Do you know how old I am?” Karina paused, caught off guard. Though unsure why he was asking, she played along. “Twenty?” Looking no older than eighteen, she had deliberately guessed a little high. With his rapid cell division slowing his aging, she figured he might appear a couple of years younger than his actual age. But his smile deepened. “I’m thirty-five. I might even be 10 years older than you.” Karina’s eyes widened in shock. He explained that he was the CEO of a publicly traded company. Because he was already in his thirties yet didn’t age, his family was pressuring him to seek treatment. He was also increasingly uneasy about his condition. “I can’t keep living like this forever. What if I end up becoming some kind of monster?” Hearing this left Karina disoriented. She couldn’t believe it. He didn’t look a day over high school age. For the first time, she truly grasped the saying: appearances can be deceiving.