FLASHBACK: FIVE YEARS AGOBethany set the plate of food down on the dining table, her hands trembling slightly. Spaghetti and meatballs—Fred’s favorite. She knew it wasn’t the best meal for him before work, but she needed something from him.She glanced at the digital clock, tapping her foot impatiently. “Why is he taking forever? Sweetie, are you turning into a woman?” she called out mockingly.Sighing, she sat at the table, waiting. When Fred finally emerged, she blinked in surprise. He was wearing a pristine white suit—one she had never seen him wear before.“So? What do you think? Extravagant, right? I know, I know!” he laughed, twirling in place.Bethany pursed her lips. “Wow! You just pushed the word ‘bride’ right out of my mouth!”“Come on, Bethany. Be serious for once. My dad’s visiting the office today. I need to impress him and be on my best behavior.”Bethany bit her lip and stepped toward him, tugging on his collar. “Yes, baby. You rock that beautiful, sexy suit.”Fred smi
OUTSIDE THE HOSPITALJohn was dragging Sarah’s hand outside as he came to a halt and pulled out his phone.Tired and frustrated, Sarah yanked her hand away and growled, “What the hell is wrong with you? What do you think you’re doing? And did you see that woman inside? Who wears a green shawl over a red dress? That’s a crime on its own.”Ignoring her, he fidgeted with his phone and kept dialing. His hands were shaking.“Why isn’t he picking up? Call him on your phone.”Sarah groaned and tried calling Dean, but the line wouldn’t go through. John was clearly panicking now. He ran a hand down his face and muttered, “We have to warn Dean. He shouldn’t be anywhere near the streets.”Frustrated, Sarah grabbed his collar and yelled, “For Bethany’s sake, tell me what’s going on! I thought Dean was scared of you. So why are you afraid of him?”John hesitated before answering, “Because… I’ve seen this before. Ten years ago, when he was in high school, he took my phone and connected himself to e
FLASHBACKFifteen-year-old Bethany was washing clothes, occasionally glancing at her mother, Jill, who was playing the role of a philanthropist—helping other women. They would come to their house, and Jill would hand them good clothes and money. But despite her mother's generosity, Bethany couldn't help but wonder why they still lived in near-poverty. Her mother wore expensive outfits, yet her father and she barely had enough to get by."Do a good job and come back for more. Don't you dare make me look bad. I trust you, sweetie!" Jill called out, waving goodbye to the women before turning toward Bethany.Bethany set the clothes aside, crossing her arms over her chest. She watched her mother approach, admiring the confidence she exuded."My pretty baby... You're going to inherit everything I have, and I couldn't be happier!" Jill beamed.A smile formed on Bethany's face. "Mom! Can I try on one of your dresses? I love how they feel on my body!"Jill arched a brow, her expression unread
**AT THE HOSPITAL** Fred tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for two things—Dean to be caught and Bethany’s condition to stabilize. He stood up from his chair and glanced over at Jill, who was busy applying makeup. She hadn’t changed one bit. How could she be so carefree when her daughter was in the hospital? Suddenly, the doctor approached. “Mr. Fred?” Fred tilted his head, his voice laced with worry. “Doctor! How is she? Is she okay?” The doctor sighed. “She’s stable, but her memories are groggy. The last thing you should do right now is remind her of her past, present, or future.” “Can I see her?” Jill interjected, taking what felt like ages to get to her feet. “Yes… yes, you can. But remember, follow the rules if you want her to recover properly.” “Okay… thank you, doctor.” Fred gave a warm smile, then walked toward the ward without sparing Jill a glance. Inside, Bethany lay on the hospital bed, IV drips attached to her fragile frame. Taking a deep breath, Fred
Fred's eyes softened as he processed Bethany’s words. Who are you?His brows furrowed, and he stepped closer. “You don’t know me?” he asked softly.Bethany gazed into his eyes, tilting her head. “No… Are you the doctor?”Jill let out an awkward laugh while tucking Bethany in. “Oh yes, honey, he’s the doctor. But you ought to know me! High school… your home… your parent figure?”Bethany responded without hesitation, leaving both of them stunned. “I… really don’t know who you are. Can… can I see Maria?” she asked weakly.Jill and Fred exchanged glances before Fred exhaled slowly, palming his forehead.“We’ll be back, honey!” Jill forced a smile before dragging Fred out of the ward.Once outside, Fred yanked his arm away. “Stop controlling me!” he snapped.“I am not controlling you! But you had better fix this mess. What the hell is wrong with you?” She stomped her foot, her eyes blazing. “I knew you were no good—juggling two sisters like they were a pair of juggling balls. Do you have a
"Natalie! Natalie!!!" Natalie blinked multiple times, realizing she had been daydreaming about what she planned to do. But something didn’t feel right. She knew she had to do this, but she didn’t want to see her best friend taken away. "Are you okay, Natalie?" Fred asked for the umpteenth time. She pursed her lips and gazed at him, giving a slight nod. "Yeah… I'm fine." "Are you thinking about Bethany? If you are… don’t worry. She’ll be fine, back to her senses, and hopefully not all—" At the mention of Bethany, Natalie clenched her fists. "Really? I feel like you don’t want her to remember me… what we had as best friends!" Shaking his head violently, Fred scoffed. "Are you crazy?" He laughed. "I’m going crazy for my best friend! All I want to know is why you wouldn’t want her to remember her past!" Shocked, Fred leaned in. "Are we supposed to have this conversation?! Don’t you remember when Bethany wanted to kill herself because of her past? Or have you forgotten her
Bethany povAfter dropping my son, Jason, off at preschool, I headed to the hospital to get my results. I hoped this test would change everything. Since having Jason, my husband, Fred, had drifted away. Now he was talking about divorce. He said he’d only stayed this long for Jason's sake. Maybe, just maybe, if I got pregnant again, he’d stay.The test paper crinkled in my hand as I unfolded it, my pulse hammering. My last hope to hold onto him—NEGATIVE. I felt a wave of cold settle over me. It was my last chance, and it was gone.Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed Fred entering. He grabbed the paper from my hands, holding it just out of reach.“Looking for this?” he asked, voice cold and distant. “No—I'm not," I stammered, trying to grab it back, but he raised it higher. With a sneer, he tore it in half, letting the pieces flutter to the floor like ash.“You went for another test? I warned you, Bethany. It’s over. Stop trying to trap me.”"Why?" I whispered, voice trembling. "Wh
Bethany pov *2 YEARS LATER* NEW RET CEMETERY I stood silently at my son’s gravestone, barely breathing, eyes closed, trying to conjure the strength to be here, to face what I lost. With a shuddering breath, I knelt, brushing the cold stone with trembling fingers. In my hand, a rose flower—Jason’s favorite. “Jason… Mama brought you a flower.” I whispered, placing it gently on the grave. “Promise me you’ll wait for me on the other side. Don’t go anywhere… Mama will meet you soon.” The weight of the words sank into me, pulling me down. Mama will meet you soon. If there was a way out of the endless ache, this would be it. My life, once bursting with love, was now as barren as this frozen earth. Jason was gone, and his father, that bastard, Fred had taken everything else I held dear. The success I’d found in business felt hollow, a counterfeit comfort. Without Jason, life had no color, no taste—just a ceaseless, cold ache. A tear slipped down my cheek, landing on the stone wit
"Natalie! Natalie!!!" Natalie blinked multiple times, realizing she had been daydreaming about what she planned to do. But something didn’t feel right. She knew she had to do this, but she didn’t want to see her best friend taken away. "Are you okay, Natalie?" Fred asked for the umpteenth time. She pursed her lips and gazed at him, giving a slight nod. "Yeah… I'm fine." "Are you thinking about Bethany? If you are… don’t worry. She’ll be fine, back to her senses, and hopefully not all—" At the mention of Bethany, Natalie clenched her fists. "Really? I feel like you don’t want her to remember me… what we had as best friends!" Shaking his head violently, Fred scoffed. "Are you crazy?" He laughed. "I’m going crazy for my best friend! All I want to know is why you wouldn’t want her to remember her past!" Shocked, Fred leaned in. "Are we supposed to have this conversation?! Don’t you remember when Bethany wanted to kill herself because of her past? Or have you forgotten her
Fred's eyes softened as he processed Bethany’s words. Who are you?His brows furrowed, and he stepped closer. “You don’t know me?” he asked softly.Bethany gazed into his eyes, tilting her head. “No… Are you the doctor?”Jill let out an awkward laugh while tucking Bethany in. “Oh yes, honey, he’s the doctor. But you ought to know me! High school… your home… your parent figure?”Bethany responded without hesitation, leaving both of them stunned. “I… really don’t know who you are. Can… can I see Maria?” she asked weakly.Jill and Fred exchanged glances before Fred exhaled slowly, palming his forehead.“We’ll be back, honey!” Jill forced a smile before dragging Fred out of the ward.Once outside, Fred yanked his arm away. “Stop controlling me!” he snapped.“I am not controlling you! But you had better fix this mess. What the hell is wrong with you?” She stomped her foot, her eyes blazing. “I knew you were no good—juggling two sisters like they were a pair of juggling balls. Do you have a
**AT THE HOSPITAL** Fred tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for two things—Dean to be caught and Bethany’s condition to stabilize. He stood up from his chair and glanced over at Jill, who was busy applying makeup. She hadn’t changed one bit. How could she be so carefree when her daughter was in the hospital? Suddenly, the doctor approached. “Mr. Fred?” Fred tilted his head, his voice laced with worry. “Doctor! How is she? Is she okay?” The doctor sighed. “She’s stable, but her memories are groggy. The last thing you should do right now is remind her of her past, present, or future.” “Can I see her?” Jill interjected, taking what felt like ages to get to her feet. “Yes… yes, you can. But remember, follow the rules if you want her to recover properly.” “Okay… thank you, doctor.” Fred gave a warm smile, then walked toward the ward without sparing Jill a glance. Inside, Bethany lay on the hospital bed, IV drips attached to her fragile frame. Taking a deep breath, Fred
FLASHBACKFifteen-year-old Bethany was washing clothes, occasionally glancing at her mother, Jill, who was playing the role of a philanthropist—helping other women. They would come to their house, and Jill would hand them good clothes and money. But despite her mother's generosity, Bethany couldn't help but wonder why they still lived in near-poverty. Her mother wore expensive outfits, yet her father and she barely had enough to get by."Do a good job and come back for more. Don't you dare make me look bad. I trust you, sweetie!" Jill called out, waving goodbye to the women before turning toward Bethany.Bethany set the clothes aside, crossing her arms over her chest. She watched her mother approach, admiring the confidence she exuded."My pretty baby... You're going to inherit everything I have, and I couldn't be happier!" Jill beamed.A smile formed on Bethany's face. "Mom! Can I try on one of your dresses? I love how they feel on my body!"Jill arched a brow, her expression unread
OUTSIDE THE HOSPITALJohn was dragging Sarah’s hand outside as he came to a halt and pulled out his phone.Tired and frustrated, Sarah yanked her hand away and growled, “What the hell is wrong with you? What do you think you’re doing? And did you see that woman inside? Who wears a green shawl over a red dress? That’s a crime on its own.”Ignoring her, he fidgeted with his phone and kept dialing. His hands were shaking.“Why isn’t he picking up? Call him on your phone.”Sarah groaned and tried calling Dean, but the line wouldn’t go through. John was clearly panicking now. He ran a hand down his face and muttered, “We have to warn Dean. He shouldn’t be anywhere near the streets.”Frustrated, Sarah grabbed his collar and yelled, “For Bethany’s sake, tell me what’s going on! I thought Dean was scared of you. So why are you afraid of him?”John hesitated before answering, “Because… I’ve seen this before. Ten years ago, when he was in high school, he took my phone and connected himself to e
FLASHBACK: FIVE YEARS AGOBethany set the plate of food down on the dining table, her hands trembling slightly. Spaghetti and meatballs—Fred’s favorite. She knew it wasn’t the best meal for him before work, but she needed something from him.She glanced at the digital clock, tapping her foot impatiently. “Why is he taking forever? Sweetie, are you turning into a woman?” she called out mockingly.Sighing, she sat at the table, waiting. When Fred finally emerged, she blinked in surprise. He was wearing a pristine white suit—one she had never seen him wear before.“So? What do you think? Extravagant, right? I know, I know!” he laughed, twirling in place.Bethany pursed her lips. “Wow! You just pushed the word ‘bride’ right out of my mouth!”“Come on, Bethany. Be serious for once. My dad’s visiting the office today. I need to impress him and be on my best behavior.”Bethany bit her lip and stepped toward him, tugging on his collar. “Yes, baby. You rock that beautiful, sexy suit.”Fred smi
Bethany walked slowly, her heels clicking softly against the pavement as she halted, her eyes darting around for Natalie. Funny enough, Natalie had promised to be with her. Yet she was nowhere in sight. A deep sigh escaped Bethany’s lips as she clenched her fingers. *Why does everything feel so wrong?* Fred always handled everything, but if he could lie about their son’s death, then he was capable of lying about anything. “But…I’m his mother. How could I not know the truth?”She was lost in thought when a voice jolted her back to reality. "Are you going to keep standing there?" Dean’s voice was sharp, impatient. "You’re his mother, aren’t you?" Bethany inhaled deeply, forcing herself to stay composed. "That’s not what I asked you to say. Do as you're told." A chuckle slipped past Dean’s lips as he leaned against the hospital wall, folding his arms. "Really? Now that you have my secret, you want to use it against me?" A smirk curled on Bethany’s lips as she turned to fa
Fred creased his brows, worry etched on his face as he yelled, “Natalie got kidnapped?!”Bethany's mouth fell open. “Oh my God! What happened?” she repeated in shock.The voice on the other end hesitated before correcting itself. “Wait… did I say Natalie? I meant to say your wife… Chantel has been kidnapped!”That stutter set off alarm bells. Clicking his tongue, Fred replied coolly, “Really? Are you willing to let her out for five million dollars?”The voice wavered. “Yeah… yeah… that’s already too—Um… I mean, you can send it to her account! I’m sorry… I mean, my account!”A chuckle escaped his lips, but his sneer carried more disdain than amusement. “Why don’t you tell her to go to hell because I would never, in my life, bail her out for a cent?”Disgusted, he hung up and scoffed, “I can’t believe that bitch is trying to get attention. Haven't I already landed in a mess because of her?”Bethany nodded violently. “Yeah… you have!” Then, with an urgent gesture, she pointed toward the
She couldn't believe her eyes. The letter stated:"The blood sample that was given by Miss Bethany is no match to Jason's. She's not the mother of the child. We'd like you to prevent this occurrence from happening because it might damage the hospital's reputation!""Oh my God!!!" Bethany screamed as she staggered back and dropped the letter.Fred's eyes widened as he saw the letter fall to the floor."Bethany... why did you check it?" He breathed and Dean appeared.Bethany's hands trembled as if she had been electrocuted, her words fumbling, "I... what are... are they saying? I'm not his mom?!"Dean's brows creased into a deep frown as he realized Bethany had seen the letter.Fred stepped closer, attempting to reach for her, but Bethany spun around, her voice shaky, "It... says... says I'm not his mom!"Before anyone could react, she collapsed to the floor, unconscious.******WARD 109Natalie adjusted her nurse's mask and cautiously entered the ward where her children lay. It had bee