RYANI am tired. I am really tired of the constant trouble I have been fighting with ever since Lexi returned to the country. If it wasn't this, it would be that. There hasn't been a day of resting. Either I am dealing with this or with that.Just when I thought Lexi was warming up to me, dirty news was revealed on the internet about us. My pictures and our pictures have been flying all over the Internet, and Lexi didn't want to believe that I wasn't the one behind them. Yes, I wanted her. Yes, I wanted my company back, but I wouldn't stoop so low to do something as embarrassing as that. She didn't believe it. I could see the disappointment and pain in her eyes as she looked at me. The last time I saw this was four years ago when she signed the divorce papers. I could remember those eyes because they had been engraved in my head ever since. "Whoa! I don't think you can ever win her back," Casper let out, taking the cocktails from the bartender who was standing in front of us and pu
RYANLike a madman, I zoomed off to Jasmine's house. Thankfully, it was already dark and safer to break the traffic rules without having to pay any fines. I was able to reduce the journey from fifty minutes to thirty minutes because of the speed I drove the car. I dashed out of the car and stormed toward Jasmine's door without closing the door of the car.Impatiently and angrily, I thumped on her door. I could hear a response from inside, but that wasn't what I wanted. I need to see her horrible face and teach her a lesson she will never forget in a hurry.Again, I punched her door fiercely. Another response came, but harsher this time. Just as I was about to knock on the door one more time, the door opened and an unfamiliar face came into view. Her expression was hard, but it instantly became soft when she saw me.For a reason, I could discern that this person knew who I was because why would her expression change the moment she realized I was at the door? But I didn't even know he
JASMINEYeah, I cried. I couldn't believe that he loved her. I knew he had been chasing after her, but I didn't presume he would affirm that he truly loved her. It felt as though my heart was being pierced repeatedly with needles when he called Lexi the woman he loved. Why...? Why does it have to be Lexi...? Why can't it be me? Why does everything have to revolve around that good-for-nothing, female? Why is she the lucky one? Why am I always unfortunate?Angrily, I stormed to my bedroom and snatched the phone lying on the bed. I was about to make a phone call when that bastard, Ryan, came to display his foolishness in my house. My blood boiled and balls of fury rolled over me as I stared at Emily's number, listening to the phone ring and anticipating her to pick it up. Unfortunately for her, she picked up the call at the fourth ring."Hey, Jasmine! What's up?" She asked over the phone. The timbre of her voice increased the anger surge within me. If only I could see her right now and
GeneralThe banging sound prompted the security alertness. The two security guards, situated at the entrance, stepped out of the gate and were surprised when they saw a car that had bumped into the car. One of the men rushed to the side and pulled the car door to open it. Luckily, it wasn't locked, so they were able to pull it open."I need to see Lexi. Please, let me see Lexi," Ryan slurred, staggering out of the car and slamming the door.The security men's eyes widened by the action. He was here to see Lexi? What was his business with her? At first, his face didn't seem familiar to them until it became clearer, and that was when they remembered that he was the same man Lexi had a scandal with. He was the one whose picture was flying all over the media with Lexi's.Seeing him at the mansion caused their brows to crease. They wondered if the news circulating on the internet was true."M... Mr. Ryan," One of the men called, shocked."I want to see Lexi. Let me see Lexi." He shoved t
GENERALRyan staggered backward when his eyes locked with Lexi's mother's fierce eyes. He swallowed hard as he blinked while swirling to all sides."What the hell are you doing in my house?" Mrs. Alexandra shouted at the top of her lungs, glaring at him sternly.Ryan's gaze was fixed on her. His lashes flickered a few times and broke into another round of tears suddenly. Bending, he covered his watery eyes and cried profusely."Mother-in-law, please forgive me. I want my Lexi back. Please, let her come back to me," he apologized in between his tears.Mrs. Alexandra's body stiffened at his sudden outburst. Her face flushed, and she felt flattered by his words. However, before she could fall for that, she hissed and snapped at him, "Don't call me your mother-in-law. I am not your mother-in-law. I would rather marry my daughter than give her to a horrible man like you." Ryan kneeled on the floor and wrapped his hands around Mrs. Alexandra's legs. "Please, mother-in-law. Let me see her t
GeneralRyan sat up and realized that he was in the middle of the road with a lot of spectators standing beside the road and watching him. Some had empathy in their eyes, while others had disdain in theirs.Cars drove past him speedily. He was stupefied and confused. How did he end up here? Well, it wasn't time to think about the deed that had been done. He stood up and hurriedly ran to the pedestrian way. However, as soon as he got there, he was shrouded by the reporters who were amongst the crowd."Mr. Ryan Middleton, can you tell us how you ended up sleeping in the middle of the road? Rumor has it that you take hard drugs; is it true? Could it be that the effect of the hard drugs made you presume that the highway is your bedroom? Can you explain how you end up in this situation?" Different questions were hurled at him nonstop.Ryan was still in shock and didn't even know the right utterance to make. The crowd was many, and they weren't giving him any escape route. "Please, answer
GENERALZoe's and Emily's eyes and mouths dilated. They stared at Ryan, who was kneeling on the ground for a few seconds, and scoffed in disbelief. "My brother has really lost it. He has gone crazy," Emily mumbled, shocked."I don't think he is in his right state of mind. I am sure that wench has bewitched him," Zoe chipped in worriedly, fears vivid in her eyes. Her eyes darted from Ryan to her grandmother and vice versa. She rushed to her grandmother, settled on the space beside her, and held her arms.Inching her face closer to hers, she said in a pleading tone, "Don't listen to him, grandmother. I am sure he is not in the right sense. That woman must have done something bad to him. My son will never beg to go back to that leech." Ryan's eyes darkened with uncontrollable anger as he raised his head and looked at his mother. Even though he had never given it a huge thought, he hated his mother, and he blamed her for everything. He couldn't help but wonder what she had against Lexi.
LEXIA lot has happened in just two days since we returned from Korea. From the scandal to Ryan coming to cause a scene in my house and my mother spreading his news over the internet just to conceal the rumor about her daughter. Even though it was annoying and sickening, I was glad the rumors about me and Ryan had been buried and long forgotten by the citizens. The only person in trouble at the moment was Ryan, and they had been asking him to explain how he ended up waking up in the middle of the highway.Descending from my car, I snatched my bag from the seat, locked the door, and walked toward the elevator. "Good morning, ma'am," Sarah greeted, her voice echoing behind and propelling me to tilt my head in the direction. It had been two weeks since I last saw her, which made her seem different to me."Huhuh, Sarah. Am I the one who is punctual today, or are you the one who is late?" I asked, creasing my brows in a questioning manner. She chuckled and lowered her head instead of resp
GENERALIsabelle ran out of the classroom when she sighted the chauffeur. "Uncle!" She shouted, running toward him. The chauffeur tilted his head in the direction of the voice and smiled brightly when he saw the young girl running toward him."How was school today, Isabelle?" He asked, holding her hand and taking the lunch box and backpack from her. "It was fine, uncle. It feels good to be in school again," she answered heartily, leaping and reciting a nursery rhyme as they walked to the car.Getting into the car, she hopped into the back seat, and he assisted her to do her seatbelt. Afterward, he went back to his seat to begin the trip.However, before he could do that, Isabelle stopped him. "Excuse me, uncle," she said. The chauffeur's hand froze. He left the key he was about to turn in the ignition and tilted his head to give her the attention she requested. "Is there any problem, Isabelle? Do you want me to do something for you?"Clamping her mouth, she shook her head. "Can yo
LexiDriving into the car park, I turned off the ignition and stepped out of the car. I walked into the elevator, and a ding sound ripped through the air as it reached the floor where my office was located. The moment I stepped out, a loud sound filled the air, startling me and causing me to take a few steps backward. Widening my eyes to look in the direction of the sound, I realized that it was a party popper. Before I could comprehend what just happened, I heard, "Welcome back to work, President Lexi. And congratulations on your recovery," my staff said in chorus, and that was when I saw everyone's faces. Aside from the staff from other departments, the office area is filled with staff from the Presidential Department.My heart tingled with admiration and excitement. I loved that. They all clapped their hands afterward. Donald sauntered out of their midst, holding a bouquet of red roses. "Welcome back to work, Lexi," he mumbled, handing over the flower to me.I narrowed my gaze as
GENERAL"Can you hear me?" Lexi asked again when he didn't answer her previous questions. She stood up and held his arm, her brows raising and her eyes widening.Since he couldn't talk because of the oxygen fixed in his nose, he blinked his eyes and nodded to her question.At the same time, Zoe and Emily ran over and intentionally pushed Lexi away. Thankfully, she was able to maintain her composure with the help of the bed. She knew the two witches were just trying to frustrate her and make her act like a madwoman, but she would forgive them today and deal with them another time."My son!" Zoe called. "Brother!" Emily spurted out, holding his arm. The duo smiled, looking at Ryan, whose gaze was focused on Lexi."How are you feeling?" Zoe retracted her gaze from him and moved it to Emily, "Go and inform the doctor that he's awake," she ordered.Nodding, Emily left the room and returned almost immediately with the same doctor who attended to Lexi. As soon as he saw Lexi, his brows cre
GENERALAnger coursed through Zoe's veins as she heard what Lexi said. It was as though she was slapped hard in the face. Her face turned crimson red with lines of anger scribbled on her facial features. She gritted her teeth and took steps forward. "What! What did you just say? How dare you call me by my name?" She shouted, her veins popping out due to anger.Lexi chuckled nonchalantly, "What was I supposed to call you with? Your daughter's name? Zoe is your name, so I will call you by that. Or... What were you expecting me to call you?...." She paused, raised her brows, and glanced at her quizzically. When she finally thought of something, she erupted into laughter, covering her mouth with her hands, "Don't tell me you are expecting me to call your mother? Oh my goodness! Have you forgotten that you are not my mother? You reminded me many times back in the days," She taunted with her words, ignoring the murderous glares emitting from them. She was less concerned. She loved it. Tha
GENERALLexi darted her gaze between her parents. She found their reactions suspicious and scary. Her mind missed a beat. Has something happened to Ryan? "Mom...? Dad...? Where is Ryan?" She asked again, her eyes dilating in anticipation of what her parents' response would be. She just hoped that it wouldn't be bad news. She owed him a lot. She would have been dead before they got saved if he hadn't intervened and stalked enough time for them. The last thing she wanted to hear was that he was gone. "The doctor said that he was in a more critical situation, and it was only by a miracle that the bullet didn't get to his heart because it was just a tiny space between his heart and the spot the bullet pierced into. He has been operated on and is out of danger, but he hasn't opened his eyes since then," her mother explained calmly. There was guilt in her eyes. Even though Ryan had once maltreated their daughter, they couldn't help but feel indebted to him. It would have been a differ
GENERAL FLASHBACK TO 12 HOURS AGO Ryan sat in his car, resting his arm on the steering wheel and staring at the mansion in front of him. He was contemplating whether to enter or not. He was there to check on Lexi, but he was scared to step in because he didn't know the reaction he would meet. The memory of the humiliation he received at the hospital was still vivid in his head, and he wouldn't want to suffer the same thing again. "You just need to go. Isabelle isn't her daughter alone. She is also yours," he mentally told himself. Shutting his eyes for a few seconds, he sighed and opened them back. Just as he unlocked the door and was about to step out, he sighted Lexi running out of the house with an oversized gown that she clutched to avoid stepping on as she walked. His brows crinkled. Why was she running? Where was she going? She looked like she was in a haste, yet she didn't take a car with her. He suspected something and decided to discreetly follow her to find out what was h
GENERALSilence overwhelmed the atmosphere at the sound of the gunshot. Ryan glared at Jasmine, shocked and afraid. What was that sound? Where did it come from? "Mommy!" Isabelle cried out, her voice lingering in the air with a lot of worry mixed with it. Her voice jerked Ryan out of his reverie, and he looked behind him. That was when he realized what was happening. It turned out that the gunshot that reverberated in the room was real and Lexi had been shot instead. Blood gushed out of her side as she clutched it tightly with her hands. Her body shook. "Argh!" Lexi winced as her body hurriedly wallowed in the pool of pain. An excruciating pang of pain coursed through her like fire on dried leaves. Ryan blinked with his mouth widened, his eyes darkened, and tears rushed to his lids. What! Jasmine really did that...? "How dare you, Jasmine?" He growled. His voice resounded like thunder, sending fears down the spines of Jasmine and her men, but they were smart enough to conceal th
GENERALLexi flinched in fear as she felt a liquid substance splashing over her. Unlocking her eyes swiftly in fear, she was shocked to find Jasmine, standing over her and pouring water over her and her daughter. The craziest part of it was it wasn't clean water, and it was already emitting a stench odor. She almost puked as the horrible smell drifted into her nose. Thankfully, she had shielded Isabelle, which protected her from the water. "What are you doing, Jasmine? What water is this?" She yelled at her, hovering over her daughter. Her voice was shaky and pathetic. None of her words wafted into Jasmine's ears. She didn't stop pouring the water until she finished the one in the bucket. Then, she flung the bucket away. "What do you think I am doing? I am trying to wake you up. Is that a bad thing to do?" She responded to her with an indifferent expression. She was totally not bothered and nonchalant about her actions. "And you think waking me up this way is the best way? How
GENERAL "She is not picking up," Lexi's mother informed with concern in her voice, bringing her phone from her ear and staring at the screen, which was displaying her daughter's name.Mr. Alexandra's eyes skimmed over the clock that was glued at the top of the entrance. It was already 8 pm, and she hadn't gotten back since she left home. She didn't dress extra when she left in the afternoon, so they didn't think where she was going was far. They wondered if she was still with Donald, as she had said before she left the house.Mr. Alexandra picked up his phone and put a call across to Donald, who picked up on the second ring. "Hello, President Alexandra," Donald greeted on the other side of the phone the moment he picked up. For some reason, he found the call surprising, and he was curious. Did something happen to Lexi? It had been days since he last saw her because he had been busy at the office. Since the CEO wasn't around, he had to take over so that there wouldn't be any flop i