It was time for my monthly day out. Mom had already been transferred from the intensive care unit to a regular ward, and she was awake and lucid. I sat by her bedside and peeled an apple."It's all my fault for dragging you down, Clary." She leaned against the bed, which I'd raised at an angle with the controller. Her gaze was filled with heartache as she looked at me."I only have a home with you around. How can you say you're dragging me down?" I comforted her gently."I don't want to undergo treatment anymore. Take me home." She looked at me fixedly, her tone a little pleading."Don't say that. The hospital is already searching for a kidney that's suitable for you," I said.The money I'd gotten from Donovan was more than enough to cover Mom's surgery fee and subsequent caretaking. She wanted to say something else, but I cut her off and turned on the TV. "Don't overthink this, okay? Let's watch some TV."I continued peeling the apple, not paying attention to what was on TV. It
Donovan stared at Mom, his gaze complicated. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "Why should I believe you?""I still have your father's vow saved in my husband's phone. Also, your father's driver was the one who brought him to my husband to get the money. You can speak to him and see whether my words check out," Mom said. Then, she pointed a trembling finger at the bedside table, indicating for me to open the drawer.She'd kept Dad's phone and lighter with her all these years. After I handed her the phone, she scrolled through it for a while before passing it to Donovan.He took it and stared at the screen, his gaze becoming even more complicated. After a long while, the phone slipped out of his hand. He mumbled, "This can't be. It's impossible. Why didn't I ever hear Mom mention anything about Dad's gambling problem?"This revelation seemed to deal a huge blow to him. His chest heaved, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. He wiped the blood from the c
Donovan watched me like a hawk for the next few days, even locking me in the room with him. He expressed his remorse countless times, getting on his knees and groveling at my feet. Then, he would tell me how much he loved me.I felt like I was stuck with a maniac. One day, I calmly said, "I won't leave you. Can you let me out of this room?"He asked tentatively, "Really?"I nodded, which made him smile. "I want to have your cooking, Clary."Great. It was exactly what I wanted.Mrs. Walden was surprised to see me appear in the kitchen, but it was brief. She read the room and left. Meanwhile, Donovan stayed to help me. He helped wash the vegetables.He wrapped his arms around me from behind as I chopped the vegetables and nuzzled his head against my neck. "Let's start a family together, Clary. We'll be happier than ever with a child."When I didn't say anything, he tightened his hold on me. "I know you still love me. Why else would you cook and wait for me to return every night? I
Donovan ran in after the policemen. He hastily took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around me, carrying me out of the bathtub. Then, he kicked the men in black. One kick didn't seem to do it for him—he kicked them continuously, showing no intention of stopping.The policemen lowered their guns and said sternly, "Please stop, Mr. Slater, or we'll have to take you away, too. Please take the victim away from here."I leaned into Donovan's arms weakly as he said, "Clary…"My face was twisted from the pain that coursed through me; I felt beads of sweat trickle down my face.He said anxiously, "You'll be fine, Clary! I'll take you to the hospital now and get you the best doctor!"After leaving the villa, he placed me on the stretcher. The police brought Wendy out at the same time. She suddenly broke free of them and ran to Donovan, clutching his sleeve as she cried, "We're married, Donovan! You can't stand by and watch as they take me away!"He flung her aside, looking contemptuous.
After heading to the hospital, I went to the payment counter to arrange for Mom to be discharged. Then, I went to her ward to help her pack."Am I being discharged?" she asked."Yeah. I checked and found out that Meyer Clinic in Merania is internationally renowned for treating kidney conditions." I packed a few sets of clothes for the trip.Mom suddenly grabbed the bag from me and held it close, looking stubborn. "I'm okay with being discharged, but I'm not going to Merania.""Don't be silly, Mom. Give me the bag," I said patiently."Stop wasting money on me. Leave it for yourself so you can have a good life." She refused to let go."Don't worry about money, Mom. I have more than enough to pay for your treatment and for us to live out our lives.""How did you get the money?" She looked me in the eye.I faltered, then smiled awkwardly. "I earned it from my job, of course. What's wrong?""Did Donovan give you the money?" she asked grimly.I considered this. I knew Mom wouldn't
I was drinking with Keith Rivers when he answered a call. Then, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and led me out of the private room. "I'll introduce you to a patron who's better than me. We'll both stand to gain from this if you can wrap him around your finger."I raise a plucked eyebrow and smile coquettishly. "Is there any man who's more outstanding than you are?"My feigned surprise pleased him. He stuffed a card into my hand when we arrived at another private room. "Make whoever is in there happy, and the hundred thousand dollars in this account is yours."I held the card between my fingers and waved it before him. "Remember to tell me the pin when we come out."I followed Keith into the private room. My breathing hitched when I laid eyes on Donovan Slater, the man who'd turned my world upside down. He'd made me go from heaven to hell.Donovan was taken aback for a split second when he saw me. "Clarissa Gray?"Keith was pleased to see we knew each other. He pushed me to D
Donovan had reported Dad's company for tax avoidance and purchasing cheaper materials instead of the high-quality materials promised.Dad had been busy closing business deals all over the country, so he hadn't been aware of this. When faced with the company's bankruptcy and sky-high compensation amounts for terminated contracts, he'd ended his life because he couldn't handle the pressure.Donovan had disappeared after the havoc he'd wreaked.I hated him, but Mom was in the intensive care unit. She was hooked to an oxygen tank, which was charged by the hour. I needed to pay her bills tomorrow, so I needed the hundred-thousand-dollar card Keith had given me.I poured Donovan another glass of wine and held it before him with both hands while smiling coyly. "Everyone comes here to loosen up and have fun, Mr. Slater. Let go of your troubles."Keith chimed in. "Exactly. I'll pay for everything you order tonight, Mr. Slater. All you need to do is enjoy yourself.""Enjoy myself?" Donovan
The following day, Donovan had someone complete all the necessary procedures for me. Then, he sent a driver to take me to his house.The butler led me to a room that seemed to follow the theme of a love motel. It didn't go with the rest of the villa. Still, I thanked the butler and shut the door so I could rest.I curled up on the bed and drifted off without realizing it. The sky had already gone dark when I woke up. My stomach still vaguely hurt, so I got up, wanting to get a glass of warm water.I'd just gotten to the door when someone tried and failed to open it from outside. Then, they started pounding on the door. As soon as I unlocked it, it was kicked open, making me fall to the floor.Before I could process the situation, Donovan stormed in, picked me up, and threw me onto the bed. He reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were bloodshot as he glowered at me."You've had too much to drink. Let me get you something for that." I wanted to get up, but he pinned me to the bed by grip
After heading to the hospital, I went to the payment counter to arrange for Mom to be discharged. Then, I went to her ward to help her pack."Am I being discharged?" she asked."Yeah. I checked and found out that Meyer Clinic in Merania is internationally renowned for treating kidney conditions." I packed a few sets of clothes for the trip.Mom suddenly grabbed the bag from me and held it close, looking stubborn. "I'm okay with being discharged, but I'm not going to Merania.""Don't be silly, Mom. Give me the bag," I said patiently."Stop wasting money on me. Leave it for yourself so you can have a good life." She refused to let go."Don't worry about money, Mom. I have more than enough to pay for your treatment and for us to live out our lives.""How did you get the money?" She looked me in the eye.I faltered, then smiled awkwardly. "I earned it from my job, of course. What's wrong?""Did Donovan give you the money?" she asked grimly.I considered this. I knew Mom wouldn't
Donovan ran in after the policemen. He hastily took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around me, carrying me out of the bathtub. Then, he kicked the men in black. One kick didn't seem to do it for him—he kicked them continuously, showing no intention of stopping.The policemen lowered their guns and said sternly, "Please stop, Mr. Slater, or we'll have to take you away, too. Please take the victim away from here."I leaned into Donovan's arms weakly as he said, "Clary…"My face was twisted from the pain that coursed through me; I felt beads of sweat trickle down my face.He said anxiously, "You'll be fine, Clary! I'll take you to the hospital now and get you the best doctor!"After leaving the villa, he placed me on the stretcher. The police brought Wendy out at the same time. She suddenly broke free of them and ran to Donovan, clutching his sleeve as she cried, "We're married, Donovan! You can't stand by and watch as they take me away!"He flung her aside, looking contemptuous.
Donovan watched me like a hawk for the next few days, even locking me in the room with him. He expressed his remorse countless times, getting on his knees and groveling at my feet. Then, he would tell me how much he loved me.I felt like I was stuck with a maniac. One day, I calmly said, "I won't leave you. Can you let me out of this room?"He asked tentatively, "Really?"I nodded, which made him smile. "I want to have your cooking, Clary."Great. It was exactly what I wanted.Mrs. Walden was surprised to see me appear in the kitchen, but it was brief. She read the room and left. Meanwhile, Donovan stayed to help me. He helped wash the vegetables.He wrapped his arms around me from behind as I chopped the vegetables and nuzzled his head against my neck. "Let's start a family together, Clary. We'll be happier than ever with a child."When I didn't say anything, he tightened his hold on me. "I know you still love me. Why else would you cook and wait for me to return every night? I
Donovan stared at Mom, his gaze complicated. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "Why should I believe you?""I still have your father's vow saved in my husband's phone. Also, your father's driver was the one who brought him to my husband to get the money. You can speak to him and see whether my words check out," Mom said. Then, she pointed a trembling finger at the bedside table, indicating for me to open the drawer.She'd kept Dad's phone and lighter with her all these years. After I handed her the phone, she scrolled through it for a while before passing it to Donovan.He took it and stared at the screen, his gaze becoming even more complicated. After a long while, the phone slipped out of his hand. He mumbled, "This can't be. It's impossible. Why didn't I ever hear Mom mention anything about Dad's gambling problem?"This revelation seemed to deal a huge blow to him. His chest heaved, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. He wiped the blood from the c
It was time for my monthly day out. Mom had already been transferred from the intensive care unit to a regular ward, and she was awake and lucid. I sat by her bedside and peeled an apple."It's all my fault for dragging you down, Clary." She leaned against the bed, which I'd raised at an angle with the controller. Her gaze was filled with heartache as she looked at me."I only have a home with you around. How can you say you're dragging me down?" I comforted her gently."I don't want to undergo treatment anymore. Take me home." She looked at me fixedly, her tone a little pleading."Don't say that. The hospital is already searching for a kidney that's suitable for you," I said.The money I'd gotten from Donovan was more than enough to cover Mom's surgery fee and subsequent caretaking. She wanted to say something else, but I cut her off and turned on the TV. "Don't overthink this, okay? Let's watch some TV."I continued peeling the apple, not paying attention to what was on TV. It
I dried my damp hair, sounding unfazed as I said, "Okay. When do you need me to leave?"Donovan's expression darkened as he looked at me. "Are you in that much of a hurry to leave me?""You're getting married, aren't you? Don't tell me you want me to live under the same roof as your wife." I found this amusing. He was such a jerk."This isn't my only property. You don't need to go anywhere—I'll drop by whenever I want.""That's not fair to your wife, though." I couldn't help thinking that Donovan had lost his mind. We lived in a modern society, yet he still wanted two women to serve him at the same time. My hatred for him grew."Her family needs my money, and I need her family's resources. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement." After that, he coughed. I handed him a glass of water.He didn't take it. Instead, he put his phone away and lay down.…When I woke up the next day, I saw that Donovan had already left. I looked at the strands of hair on his pillow, my expression t
The following day, Donovan had someone complete all the necessary procedures for me. Then, he sent a driver to take me to his house.The butler led me to a room that seemed to follow the theme of a love motel. It didn't go with the rest of the villa. Still, I thanked the butler and shut the door so I could rest.I curled up on the bed and drifted off without realizing it. The sky had already gone dark when I woke up. My stomach still vaguely hurt, so I got up, wanting to get a glass of warm water.I'd just gotten to the door when someone tried and failed to open it from outside. Then, they started pounding on the door. As soon as I unlocked it, it was kicked open, making me fall to the floor.Before I could process the situation, Donovan stormed in, picked me up, and threw me onto the bed. He reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were bloodshot as he glowered at me."You've had too much to drink. Let me get you something for that." I wanted to get up, but he pinned me to the bed by grip
Donovan had reported Dad's company for tax avoidance and purchasing cheaper materials instead of the high-quality materials promised.Dad had been busy closing business deals all over the country, so he hadn't been aware of this. When faced with the company's bankruptcy and sky-high compensation amounts for terminated contracts, he'd ended his life because he couldn't handle the pressure.Donovan had disappeared after the havoc he'd wreaked.I hated him, but Mom was in the intensive care unit. She was hooked to an oxygen tank, which was charged by the hour. I needed to pay her bills tomorrow, so I needed the hundred-thousand-dollar card Keith had given me.I poured Donovan another glass of wine and held it before him with both hands while smiling coyly. "Everyone comes here to loosen up and have fun, Mr. Slater. Let go of your troubles."Keith chimed in. "Exactly. I'll pay for everything you order tonight, Mr. Slater. All you need to do is enjoy yourself.""Enjoy myself?" Donovan
I was drinking with Keith Rivers when he answered a call. Then, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and led me out of the private room. "I'll introduce you to a patron who's better than me. We'll both stand to gain from this if you can wrap him around your finger."I raise a plucked eyebrow and smile coquettishly. "Is there any man who's more outstanding than you are?"My feigned surprise pleased him. He stuffed a card into my hand when we arrived at another private room. "Make whoever is in there happy, and the hundred thousand dollars in this account is yours."I held the card between my fingers and waved it before him. "Remember to tell me the pin when we come out."I followed Keith into the private room. My breathing hitched when I laid eyes on Donovan Slater, the man who'd turned my world upside down. He'd made me go from heaven to hell.Donovan was taken aback for a split second when he saw me. "Clarissa Gray?"Keith was pleased to see we knew each other. He pushed me to D