"Sir, the doctor has arrived," came the respectful voice of the subordinate outside the door."Mm, let him in," Alexander responded coldly. Clad in a black robe, his commanding presence was powerful and intimidating.Several doctors entered, carrying a collection of clinical instruments."Examine her," he ordered, his eyes dark and unreadable."Wait.""Sir, do you have any further instructions?" one doctor asked, hesitantly."Cover their eyes.""Uh..." the subordinate hesitated. Blocking their vision would make the examination impossible."Sir, if we can't see, we can't perform the examination properly," one of the doctors pointed out."Fine, proceed." After a long pause, Alexander replied in an icy tone.The doctors followed his orders without delay, quickly starting their examination. Alexander watched each instrument in use, his expression becoming increasingly complex. Emotions he rarely showed flashed in his eyes.After half an hour, his hard expression grew even darker. Looking
The Next MorningAlexander had lingered on her for a long time, finally releasing her after what felt like hours. He hadn't actually done anything overly intimate, merely kept her close, peppering her with kisses.His lips rested gently on her lower abdomen, his hand softly caressing her, seemingly captivated by the life forming there. There was no way he felt nothing, though he was firm in his decision: he wouldn't keep the child.He cared for Phoebe, that much he could admit, but she wasn't fit, in his mind, to bear his child.With his decision made, he planned to keep Phoebe by his side, while Melissa would receive his name, a title, and the warmth of companionship.His movements startled Phoebe, and she instinctively tensed. She kept her eyes closed, afraid to see his expression, sensing only the danger in his touch.She worried—what if he suspected something? What if, while dreaming, she inadvertently gave herself away?"Phoebe, if you don't open your eyes..." he laughed softly,
Phoebe was eager to know his answer.If he would end up marrying Melissa, Phoebe thought she would eventually have to sever this connection.Loving someone unrequitedly was truly exhausting. She wasn't alone anymore—she now had a tiny life growing inside her, someone who needed her care.She didn't want to put herself through such heartache, nor did she want to become a scorned mistress.Besides, this ongoing entanglement between them wasn't fair to Melissa either.But still, Phoebe wanted to know… did he love Melissa?If he did, why couldn't he just let her go? She could never understand that. If he didn't love Melissa, then why marry her? He didn't seem like the kind of person who would be pressured into anything."..." Alexander froze at her question, parting his lips to answer, but no sound came out. Looking into her clear, beautiful eyes, he hesitated.For once, he found himself speechless.A strange frustration rose in his chest. Would he still marry Melissa? He should have answ
The man in the silver-gray suit stood tall and striking, his perfect features and deep eyes drawing gasps of admiration from passersby.Phoebe snapped back to reality, lowered her gaze, and turned to walk away, pretending she hadn't noticed him.She quickened her steps, eager to leave."Phoebe," a deep voice called from behind her.Hearing his voice, her hurried steps stopped involuntarily. She wanted to keep walking, but her legs felt as heavy as lead. She could hear each step he took as he approached her."Why do you try to run every time you see me?" he asked with a hint of mischief. "Is it because you don't want to see me?"She felt awkward. Her obvious reaction must have shown him how much she wished to avoid him."What a coincidence, running into you here," she said with a forced smile, her gaze dropping."It's not a coincidence. I came here specifically to find you." His intent was clear."What?" She looked at him, shocked.Why was he here? And how did he even know where to fin
The Café.The café exuded elegance, with a soothing ambiance and soft background music enhancing the atmosphere.But Phoebe couldn't enjoy it; she sat uneasily, her emotions a tangled mess. She had no idea why Melissa had asked to meet her here.From the car ride to the café, Melissa had been silent, simply staring at her with an unrelenting gaze that made Phoebe feel uncomfortable—even a bit creeped out. She felt like she couldn't sit still and wanted to break the awkward silence.Honestly, she wanted to leave.She was painfully aware of her awkward position: Melissa was the woman Alexander intended to marry, while she was his hidden lover, a kept woman in the shadows.Melissa's eyes swept over her with disdain as she elegantly sipped her coffee. Finally, she broke the silence with a deliberately slow and even voice, "Phoebe, you look well lately."It seemed Melissa had noticed Alexander's recent attentions toward her.Melissa had assumed that night with Alexander would draw him clos
"You're pregnant?" Melissa's tone was sharp, her words biting."No, I'm not." Phoebe denied it, a flash of panic crossing her face.If Melissa found out she was pregnant, Alexander would know soon, too, and she couldn't bear to imagine what would happen then. She was afraid."Don't lie. Your name is right here on this document."Phoebe's heart skipped a beat. What could she say to make Melissa believe her?"Phoebe, your ambitions really do run high, don't they?""No, it's not his child." Her face went pale as she rushed to explain."Lies." Melissa scoffed, convinced of the truth before her. The timing matched perfectly—it was impossible to deny it was Alexander's child."It's really not his child," Phoebe stammered, nearly on the verge of tears, desperately sticking to her story.Melissa studied her, sensing something odd. Why was Phoebe so adamant about denying that Alexander was the father?"Then whose child is it?""It's... someone else's," Phoebe managed, biting her lip.Melissa e
In the afternoon, Alexander's car pulled up at the school gate as usual, though today, a meeting had delayed him a bit.He had called Phoebe on the way there, but when she didn't answer, he assumed she was angry with him. Instead of getting upset, he found her childish behavior a little amusing.He chuckled softly to himself, all while continuing his tasks, mentally planning how to make it up to her once he saw her.He circled the school entrance, scanning for her, but didn't spot her. Frowning, he checked the time. By this hour, she should have already finished class. Why wasn't she out yet?He waited a bit longer, his gaze fixed, searching for any sign of her.Meanwhile, in the restroom, water rushed from the tap as Phoebe splashed her burning face with cold water.Her eyes were red from crying, and as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, the area where she had been scalded was swollen and inflamed.The cold water did nothing to soothe the pain. If that cup of coffee had been
Phoebe wandered around outside for a long time before returning to the apartment.The room was dark, and Alexander wasn't home. She didn't want to think about him, so she didn't bother turning on the lights. She took off her shoes, slipped on some slippers, and made her way to the bedroom in the dark.The memory of Melissa's angry face from earlier that day weighed on her heart. It made her feel awful, though she didn't blame Melissa—she knew she had no right to. After all, Melissa wasn't wrong.She sniffled, then climbed into bed, pulling the covers up around her.Her fingers brushed against something cold and smooth, and she pulled it closer, switching on the light to see what it was. It was Alexander's black suit.Had he been back?Thinking of him again, her calm mood evaporated, replaced by a renewed sense of frustration.Her eyes clouded with tears. She angrily tossed the expensive suit onto the floor and buried her face in the pillow, trying to sleep.She didn't care whether he
"Hermosa, let me explain.""Explain what?" He couldn't even bring himself to say it."Alex, why did you lie to me? You have to explain. I need to know the truth. Tell me!"Hermosa shouted. This was the first time she had gotten angry at Alexander since he regained his memories."Hermosa, calm down first."Seeing how agitated she was, Alexander softly tried to comfort her, wanting to hug her, but Hermosa pulled away."Tell me, where's my sister? Where did you hide her?"Tears immediately flooded her eyes. She wanted to know how else he planned to deceive her."Hermosa, this is something that can't be explained all at once."He tried to soothe her emotions."So, this means it's all true? You were really deceiving me?"Hermosa yelled in anger. Her emotions flared, and the next moment, she fainted.Seeing her collapse, Alexander panicked. "Hermosa! Hermosa!"He quickly scooped her up in his arms, calling
In the afternoon, Laura accompanied Phoebe to the hospital for a routine check-up. After two exhausting hours, they finally emerged.As they stepped out of the hospital, Laura spotted Wright walking towards them. She froze when she saw his bruised face, feeling a pang of guilt deep in her chest.Wright hadn't expected to run into them at the hospital. Due to the injury on his face, he'd been skipping classes the past few days, planning to return once he healed. Seeing the girl he liked in front of him while he looked so disheveled made him feel uneasy.But he quickly masked his discomfort with his usual cocky demeanor, squinting as he approached Laura and greeted her."What are you doing here?""I'm here to accompany Phoebe for a check-up,"Laura answered, biting her lip.Wright flashed a smile at Phoebe, offering a casual greeting. His eyes briefly lingered on her belly, and he thought to himself, Looks like Werner's chances just went
The next day, sunlight filtered through the thin clouds, casting soft, fragmented rays on the world. But Hermosa's mood was like the weather—unstable and filled with gloom.With a nervous heart, she walked toward the agreed meeting spot, each step feeling like she was walking on cotton—soft and aimless, filled with hesitation.She arrived on time and had barely sat down when her heart continued to race wildly in her chest, trying to calm her nerves. At that moment, a deep voice came from behind: "You're right on time."Hermosa's body tensed instantly, like a deer sensing danger. She instinctively wanted to turn around and see who was behind her, pulling the strings in this mysterious encounter.But before she could react, the voice continued: "No need to turn around. Just stay as you are."The words cut through the calm in her heart like a sharp knife, and she immediately became more guarded against this mysterious person.Hermos
Gavin slowly raised his hand, the same hand that had once struck her with force.Now, it was as gentle as the willow fluff in spring.He carefully brushed his rough fingers against her soft, yet burning, face—an expression of tenderness as if he were touching the most precious treasure in the world, or soothing a deeply wounded creature.His gaze involuntarily wandered, resting on her trembling body. The guilt inside him flooded like a burst of water, overwhelming him with its intensity.Had he been too harsh with her? Each of her slight trembles felt like a sharp dagger stabbing into his heart, tormenting him.His touch became even softer, his long fingers moving slowly across her face, first brushing over her furrowed brow, trying to smooth away the fear-induced wrinkles.Then, they traced down her small nose, as though sketching a delicate work of art. His fingers lingered on her eyes, gently wiping away the tears that threatened to
Meanwhile, at Wright's home, Laura remained trapped in the terrifying memories of the film, unable to escape...Wright stepped out of the bathroom, ready to go to bed, when the doorbell rang.He was puzzled. Who could be visiting him this late?Not bothering to put on a robe, he wrapped a cloth around his waist and went to answer the door, still naked.As soon as he opened it, a blast of cold air hit him. He looked up and saw a man of striking presence standing there."Can I help you?" Wright asked, his voice cautious.Gavin's cold, dark gaze swept over Wright's half-dressed body, and his face twisted with fury. Without warning, he swung his fist at Wright.Caught off guard, Wright was struck hard. His brain buzzed, and before he could react, he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.With a violent kick, Gavin slammed the door open, storming inside.Room by room, he kicked open the doors with force, each one shaking with t
Wright reached out to hug her, but Laura struggled, trying to push him away."No. No.""Laura, what's wrong?"Her reaction puzzled Wright. His brow furrowed in confusion, his expression full of disbelief. But beneath the confusion, a wave of worry surged within him, sending his heart into a frantic turmoil."No, no, I'm your sister!"Whatwas she talking about?A thousand thoughts flashed through Wright's mind, like tangled threads that he couldn't untangle. He instinctively opened his mouth to ask something, but the confusion bottled up inside him, and he couldn't speak."Don't be afraid. I'm Wright."Wright suppressed the growing panic inside and tried to make his voice gentle, comforting, as he cautiously approached her.But the closer he got, the stronger Laura's reaction became. She acted like a frightened animal, desperately fighting back. Her sharp nails scratched his face, leaving a few bloodied marks.Af
"Gavin, why do I never see Laura around lately? Is she busy with her studies?"During dinner, Phoebe set down her fork and gazed at Gavin's handsome and elegant profile, finally unable to hold back her question.The last time she saw Laura was just a brief encounter, and since then, she hadn't seen her once. Something felt off, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was."...?"Gavin fell silent, clearly unaware of Laura's situation."Don't you care about your sister at all?"Phoebe complained, frustrated.What kind of brother was he? Gavin treated her so well, but he seemed so indifferent toward Laura. That really bothered her. She just couldn't understand it.Logically, a brother should care for his sister, so why didn't Gavin seem to care about Laura at all?Especially that day when Laura looked at him with such fear—Phoebe found that really strange.In the past, even though Gavin didn't seem to pay much a
The warm sun shone brightly as Hermosa and Alexander shared lunch in a cozy restaurant. Suddenly, Alexander's company called with an urgent matter, and he quickly drove her back to the X villa before rushing off to his office.Hermosa moved gracefully, the sound of her heels echoing through the empty hall as she opened the villa's front door. At that moment, a servant's voice rang out: "Miss, your letter.""A letter?"Hermosa raised an eyebrow, her voice filled with confusion."It just arrived,"the servant replied respectfully.A hint of suspicion rose in Hermosa's mind. Could it be from my foster parents? But that doesn't seem right. They always call. She extended a slender finger, taking the letter from the servant and examining it closely. The sender's name and address were both blank, leaving her with an unsettling feeling."Who brought this?"she asked, lifting her gaze to the servant."I'm not sure. When I went outside
On the other side, Phoebe found herself unable to decline the task of designing a wedding dress. She had considered resigning, but was told that without her, the project would fall apart entirely. Out of a sense of responsibility, she reluctantly decided to stay.After a few days of deliberation, she resolved to grit her teeth and see it through.The preliminary work was already done, but the latter stages would be more demanding. She needed to take Hermosa's measurements before beginning the actual construction of the dress.Once it was nearly finished, Hermosa would need to try it on again for final adjustments to ensure the gown was flawless.By her estimate, they would only need to meet four or five times in total.All she had to do was treat Hermosa like a stranger.She kept telling herself: "Just get through these days, and it'll all be over."Phoebe comforted herself with this thought.When she met Hermosa again, she exp