Hermosa felt the world spinning around her. Her legs weakened, nearly giving out beneath her. Her mind went blank—she couldn't believe what she had just heard.Alexander's child? Impossible..."Do you know how much I hate her?" Melissa suddenly burst into hysterics, wildly flailing her arms in the air."You were already dead, yet she had to appear and steal Alexander away from me! She deserved it!" she screamed, her eyes brimming with pain and despair."Do you have any idea what Alexander did to me because of that wretched woman? He locked me in a dungeon, let those disgusting men violate me, and tormented me every single day! Every day, I had to endure countless men... You can't even begin to imagine that kind of suffering!"Her voice had grown hoarse, her face a mix of tears and sweat, completely lost in the depths of her harrowing memories."Do you know how much it took for me to escape? I took a drug that stopped my heart from beating. A slightly higher dose, and I would've been d
Alexander's Office"Alexander, let Phoebe go right now!" Gavin burst into the office like a storm, his chest heaving violently, his eyes burning with urgency and fury.He could hardly believe that Alexander could be so ruthless. Phoebe was pregnant, yet he had locked her up in such a horrid place. If he weren't afraid of harming her, Gavin would have already blown that wretched place to pieces."I'm sorry, sir, we really couldn't stop him. He forced his way in," the bodyguards behind him stammered, their faces filled with fear."Let her out now! Do you hear me?!" Gavin ignored the bodyguards completely and roared at Alexander, his voice filled with undeniable urgency.Alexander smirked with disdain, his gaze mocking as he looked at Gavin like he was nothing more than a pathetic fool. "Weren't you so capable before? Didn't you say you'd blow that place up?"Gavin was completely enraged by his ridicule. In his fury, he lunged forward, grabbing Alexander by the collar and hoisting him up
The next morning, as Phoebe slowly awakened from her slumber, an unsettling feeling washed over her. Instinctively, she glanced around, only to realize she was no longer in that cold, oppressive, enclosed room.Everything here was different—warm, comfortable, and inviting. The bed beneath her was as soft as clouds, and beside it lay several neatly arranged maternity outfits, each exuding a gentle, soothing scent.The sudden change filled her with confusion, her mind a tangled mess.Sitting on the edge of the bed, she ran her fingers over the delicate fabric, trying to piece together what had happened. But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't make sense of it.She changed into one of the outfits and walked to the door. As expected, it was locked tight. No matter how much force she applied, it wouldn't budge.With a sigh, she returned to the bed, her brows furrowed in deep thought. A mixture of wariness and bewilderment flickered in her eyes. She had slept so deeply that she had
"Hermosa, what are you doing here?"A deep voice suddenly sounded from behind. Melissa's body trembled violently, as if she had been caught red-handed in an unspeakable secret.She hurriedly hid her phone behind her back, her fingers trembling slightly. Her voice involuntarily rose, tinged with undeniable nervousness. "Alex, y-you...when did you get here?"Alexander approached her steadily, a gentle smile on his face. "I just arrived. When I didn't see you in the dressing room, I got worried that something had happened to you, so I came looking. I didn't expect to find you here." Tilting his head slightly, his eyes filled with concern, he asked, "Are you overthinking things again?"Melissa secretly breathed a sigh of relief—he hadn't overheard her phone call.She nodded lightly, her voice soft and sweet. "Mm, Alex, I was just feeling a little nervous, so I came out to get some fresh air.""You look beautiful today." Alexander com
Melissa turned pale upon hearing Hermosa's words, the color draining from her face in an instant.In a panic, she clutched desperately at the hem of Alexander's coat, her nails digging so deeply into the fabric that it nearly tore. Gone was her careful imitation of Hermosa's voice—her sharp, shrill cry shattered the solemn silence of the church."No! That's not true! Alex, I am the real one! She's the fake—she's Melissa!"Her voice was filled with terror and desperation, like a cornered beast howling in despair."Hermosa"trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks, each drop carrying the weight of sorrow and pain. "How could you be so vicious? This isn't even the first time—you've tried to frame me twice now. I am your sister! How could you do this to me?"Her eyes were filled with disbelief, her voice choked with emotion, as though she were questioning fate itself—why was it so cruel? Why had her own sister turned agai
As the guests gradually dispersed, the church was left in disarray, filled with an unbearable tension. Alexander stood motionless, an aura of chilling menace radiating from him as he issued his command in an icy tone:"Break all ten of her fingers."His voice carried a frigid cruelty, like a messenger from the depths of hell, sending shivers down everyone's spine.Melissa nearly fainted at his words. Her face drained of all color, and terror engulfed her like a relentless tide.She screamed in panic, her voice hoarse with desperation. Even now, she clung to a sliver of hope, refusing to admit the truth. "Alex, she's the fake one! She is! You should be questioning her, not me!"But her feeble protests meant nothing in the face of Alexander's fury.Before she could finish speaking, several towering men closed in on her like ravenous wolves, seizing her with an iron grip. Melissa thrashed wildly, but she was nothing more than an insect caught i
The harsh, sterile hospital lights cast a cold, icy glow over Phoebe, as if they were a layer of frost, unfeeling and relentless.She was being held up by several people, her feet barely touching the ground, kicking frantically in panic as they pushed her toward the operating table.Fear surged within her like a tidal wave, drowning her in an instant. Her voice trembled, filled with a desperate, tearful scream: "What do you want to do to me?"A subordinate, seeing her struggles, quickly stepped forward with a forced smile, trying to appear reassuring. He spoke softly, "Don't be afraid. We're just calling in a doctor to check on your baby, make sure everything's okay. It'll be over soon, I promise. We're not going to do anything to you."Phoebe's eyes widened in terror and doubt, her voice shaking as she questioned, "Is that true?"Her hands instinctively moved to protect her belly, her heart filled with concern for her child. She was terrified that t
Alexander's fury surged like a raging tide, threatening to consume him whole. The veins on his forehead bulged like furious, writhing serpents, each one a testament to the uncontrollable storm of emotions tearing through him.Melissa's face twisted with jealousy and resentment. She jabbed a finger at Alexander's nose, then burst into a shrill, maniacal laugh. "Ahaha! Anyone with eyes can see that you've fallen for that bitch. But you? You're as stupid as a damn mule, too cowardly to admit it. This is all your fault! Your distrust gave me the perfect opportunity. You put the woman you love on that operating table to have an abortion. Tell me, do you think she'll hate you to her very core? Since I can't have you, no one can! You two think you can be happy? Over my dead body! I'll make sure you suffer in agony for the rest of your miserable life!"Alexander's expression darkened instantly, his eyes turning into bottomless voids, so deep they seemed capable of swallowing everything. A sha
Hotel Lobby.Phoebe gestured frantically, but the receptionist still looked utterly confused. The frustration of the language barrier made her clench her fists, her knuckles turning pale."Miss, please change her room."A familiar voice spoke up behind her—in flawless Japanese. She whipped around.Alexander stood just a couple steps away, his suit jacket draped over one arm, tie slightly loosened.The receptionist swiftly handed over a new key card.Phoebe took it mechanically, throat tightening.Since when does he speak Japanese? And why does he always show up when I'm at my worst?"Check me out," she said suddenly, slapping the key card back onto the counter. "Take me back to my original hotel."Alexander raised an eyebrow. "You sure?""Now. Immediately."She made it sound like an order, her nails digging into her palm. The night breeze tugged at her thin blouse, sending a shiver down her spine.A weight settled over her shoulders—a warm suit jacket, carrying his faint aftershave. S
On the fourth day of her business trip, Phoebe finally stepped out of the hotel to clear her mind. Tokyo's neon lights blinked rhythmically along the streets, but she couldn't bring herself to appreciate the view. Her fingers kept brushing over the phone screen—no missed calls, no texts.A bitter smile tugged at her lips. She had been the one to run away—so why was she expecting anything at all?The bright white lights of a convenience store snapped her back to reality. Checking the time, she realized she'd been wandering the streets for over two hours. She turned to head back to the hotel, only to find herself lost in a maze of unfamiliar alleys. The Japanese signs may as well have been written in code, and when she tried calling her colleague, she was met with a dead line.A chill wind swept past, carrying with it a flurry of foreign words. Phoebe pulled her coat tighter and quickened her steps. As she passed a bustling izakaya, a group of drunk men leered at her. Heart racing, she
Phoebe lay still, listening to the fading sound of footsteps outside her door. It felt like someone had ripped open her chest. He actually left just like that?Tears soaked half her pillow. She stared into the darkness until dawn. In the mirror, her face was pale, with dark shadows under her eyes. Just as her fingers brushed the doorknob, she felt it—his presence on the other side.Alexander was still wearing yesterday's wrinkled dress shirt. His bloodshot eyes said everything: he hadn't slept a minute. He'd been sitting outside her door all night."Phoebe..." His voice was barely more than a rasp.She recoiled as if burned, brushing past him with her head down—but he grabbed her wrist. His palm was so warm it made her tremble."Let go," she said, her voice like ice.Instead, he pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her head. "What will it take for you to forgive me?"Phoebe fought to break free, her nails leaving red streaks on his arm. "Don't pretend," she choked out, tears
After hanging up, Phoebe immediately turned off her phone. She sniffled, her nose sore from holding back tears. As she looked at her two sleepy children nestled in her arms, her eyes turned red again. Biting her lower lip, she forced down the wave of emotions and held them a little tighter."We're going home." Her voice was hoarse.Jeremy and Amy lifted their heads sleepily and shook them in unison."Mommy, aren't we waiting for Uncle?""No." Phoebe avoided their hopeful eyes.The children's shoulders slumped as they looked down."But Uncle promised to take us out for ice cream..." Jeremy mumbled.A cold wind swept across the empty office building entrance. Phoebe looked at their disappointed little faces, her chest tightening."What do you want to eat? Mommy will make it when we get home.""I'm not hungry," Amy said, burying her face in Phoebe's neck."Me neither," Jeremy echoed, though he kept glancing around. "Maybe Uncle's on his way. Can we wait just five more minutes?"Phoebe's
The office clock struck five. For the third time, Phoebe glanced down the empty hallway.She clutched her phone, scrolling through her contacts again and again. Five missed calls, no one in the office, and his phone still lying quietly in the drawer—where on earth had he gone?Her reflection in the glass window revealed a furrowed brow. They had clearly agreed to leave at four. Even if something urgent came up, he should've at least found a way to let her know.When the six o'clock dismissal bell rang, Phoebe finally grabbed her bag. In the rearview mirror, the neon sign of the kindergarten glowed vividly against the twilight.The car phone suddenly rang. The unfamiliar number made her hand tremble slightly."Phoebe."That familiar voice made her heart settle—only to twist a moment later. "You're at the hospital? Are you hurt?""It's Hermosa. Acute appendicitis,"he said, hospital announcements echoing faintly in the
The morning passed in a slow, steady rhythm, the hours slipping by almost unnoticed.By the time Phoebe returned to the office after lunch, the clock on the wall pointed to half past two.Alexander's lingering kiss still burned on her lips, leaving her ears warm and flushed. She instinctively smoothed her slightly tousled hair, and when her fingers brushed against her heated earlobe, a soft smile tugged at her lips.In the break room, the moment the hot water hit the tea leaves, a delicate fragrance wafted through the air.Phoebe cupped the warm mug in her hands, and through the rising steam, she could almost see him again—his fingers laced tightly with hers, confidently leading her through the office in full view of everyone.He never hid their relationship. That unabashed affection of his… it made even her tea taste sweet.When only a few unfurled leaves remained at the bottom of her cup, Phoebe rubbed her slightly sore eyes.
The next morning."Mom, are we going to Grandma and Grandpa's tonight?" Amy clung to the edge of the table, her eyes sparkling with excitement.Phoebe nearly dropped the plate in her hand. "Hmm?" She was sure she hadn't said anything about that to the kids."Uncle said so," Amy replied confidently, swinging her legs under the chair.Phoebe glanced out the window at the man polishing the car in the driveway. Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the plate. She'd thought he was just talking offhandedly—but he actually meant it? A wave of warmth rose in her chest, only to be washed over by a ripple of unease. Would her parents even be friendly to him? Her mother hadn't said much during their last phone call, but the sigh she'd heard through the receiver still echoed in her ears."Mom?" Amy tugged at her sleeve.Phoebe crouched down and gently smoothed her daughter's crooked collar. "Of course we're going.""Yay!" Jeremy jumped up from his chair with a loud clatter of utensils. "I ha
Alexander's deep voice rumbled against her ear, and Phoebe could no longer hold back the tears welling in her eyes. Warm drops slid down her cheeks as she stood on tiptoe and clung tightly to his neck, burying her tear-streaked face into the crook of his shoulder. Her slender shoulders trembled uncontrollably.Those three words were far too heavy—so heavy, they made her chest ache.He immediately wrapped his arms around her, gently stroking her back with the flat of his palm. Suddenly, Phoebe clenched her fists and began pounding his chest, each hit harder than the last."You bastard..." she sobbed into his shoulder. "You've made me cry so many times..."Yet even so, hearing his confession now, all those scars seemed to vanish into insignificance. Love was ridiculous like that—no matter how deeply wounded, the heart still surrendered without hesitation."Say it again," she whispered, lifting her tear-soaked face, her nose bright red.Alexander chuckled lowly and brushed her damp cheek
"Mom, you don't have a boyfriend, and Uncle is such a good guy. Can't he be your boyfriend? Can't he be our dad?""Yeah, Mom, just think about it!"Phoebe kept her expression neutral. This wasn't something that could be decided so easily.She wasn't about to let him off that easily. Especially after what Hermosa said earlier… What exactly did she mean by those words? And that look of surprise on her face—what was that about?Every time she thought about it, a heavy pressure settled on her chest. It felt like they were hiding something from her.She told herself not to overthink it. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop the wild guesses running through her mind.Maybe... maybe it was time to ask.And he owed her a real explanation."Mom?"Her thoughts snapped back to the present. The kids were looking up at her with hopeful eyes. They really cared about her love life, it seemed. And clearly, they liked Alexander a lot.Of course she knew what they were trying to do. But a