He kept his grip on her waist as he smiled, pulling her into a hug.Bethany froze, surprised at first. Her heart leaped with joy, a hope blooming in her chest that her son had recognized her and finally returned to her.She bent down, cupping his face with trembling hands, caressing it. “Your face… it’s so soft! You... remember me?” Her voice cracked with emotion.But his expression shifted suddenly, turning from happy to serious.“What? What is happening?” she asked, confused.He screamed with an exaggerated tone, “I call you Mom, and I get a treat! Thank you for your patronage!”Bethany’s breath hitched as he abruptly broke away from her embrace and ran off toward Chantel, who stood by the door holding what looked like a bottle of dog treats.Chantel strolled inside with a grin that spelled trouble. Jason rushed up to her, and Chantel tossed a treat into the air. He caught it effortlessly.“Yay! Good boy!” Chantel cheered, resting her hands on her knees.“Yay! Chantel is the best!”
Bethany stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest as Dean leaned in closer, his lips brushing hers. The world around her blurred into nothingness—until her gaze shifted and landed on Jason standing a few feet away.Her breath hitched. The boy’s wide eyes stared at her, filled with an emotion she couldn’t place. Panic? Disgust? Confusion? Whatever it was, it made her chest tighten. With a sudden push, she broke away from Dean.“Jason!” she called, rushing toward him and ignoring the other two men in the room. She bent, reaching out to him with trembling hands.“You’re back. I missed you so much,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “How about we go home together? Would you like that?”Jason stepped back, his small hands clutching the leg of Fred, who stood protectively beside him.“Dad, can we go?” Jason’s voice trembled as he pressed himself further behind Fred. “I don’t like her!”The words struck her like a physical blow. She blinked, trying to process them. What? He did
NEXT MORNINGThe sun rose, and Fred walked out of bed at 7:00 a.m. sharp, like a robot. Within ten minutes, he got dressed and took a look at himself in the mirror, a smug expression playing on his face. Memories of the previous night replayed in his head, satisfying him to the core. He recalled how Dean had begged for help after he seduced Bethany. Bethany was his, and she would always be his. It had taken him two years to plan his mission, and it wouldn't be complete without Bethany. If Dean got in the picture, his plan would be ruined.Fred took his wallet and headed out to his car, planning another scenario to trap Bethany. Just then, Jason called out his name."Daddy! Please don't leave me!" Jason ran up to him and wrapped his arms around his legs. Fred chuckled and carried him in his hands."Why do you have to do this all the time? Get ready for your teacher, or you don't want to be homeschooled?" Fred asked.Jason pouted, "I wanna go with you and tease that woman. She might h
Bethany took one last good look at Dean before yanking her hands away from Fred's grip.Her eyes darted toward him as she summoned the courage to speak. "You might want to attend the meeting alone," she said firmly.Fred was taken aback by her audacity. How dare she leave him? Worse, how dare she leave with Dean?"So… where are you going?" His loud, angry voice cut through the tense air.With a sophisticated sigh, she replied, "I’m taking him to the hospital. You can start the meeting without me!" And with that, she left his office.MERCY HOSPITALBethany sat in the waiting area, ready to check on Dean and perhaps still make it to the meeting. It was the first time she had openly rebelled against Fred at work.Even though angering him wouldn’t endanger Jason, the fear of Fred’s bad decisions—driven by his thirst for revenge—lingered in her mind."Dean, please come out," she whispered under her breath.Moments later, Dean emerged and sat in a chair next to hers.A warm smile curved her
“What a ridiculous thing to say, Fred!”Bethany’s eyes widened, her disbelief amplifying the echo of his words in her ears. For a man like him—so self-assured, so calculating—he truly lived by the most absurd playbook she’d ever encountered.Crossing her arms, she pursed her lips. “Oh! Okay. Is this your grand plan? For someone so smart, this is the most idiotic idea I’ve ever heard.”Fred’s jaw tightened, his fingers crumpling the documents in his hands. The sharp sound filled the room, each crackle underscoring his mounting frustration.Bethany’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. Watching him crumble felt like a small victory.“You thought you could fool me,” she began, her voice rising with confidence. “Do you remember? You made me miss the funeral of my supposedly ‘dead’ son! You signed those court papers, Fred. It’ll be such a shame if you didn’t because that would make it—what’s the word? perjury!”From across the room, Fiona growled, her fiery glare fixated on Bethany.“Excu
Everyone gasped, trying to grasp the weight of the situation.Bethany feigned a horrified expression, clutching her chest in an attempt to gain sympathy. Yet, no one moved an inch."Why is everyone staring at me? I wanted to make him look bad, but why does it feel like he’s the victim?" she thought, panic creeping into her mind."Bethany..."Before Fred could speak, the tables turned on her as the murmurs turned into loud accusations.“How dare you accuse Mr. Fred?”“You weren’t so tired of him before. Now you’re trying to manipulate him?”“These are the kind of women who extort child support from their exes.”“She’s not even that beautiful to be groped!”Bethany froze in shock as the venomous words hit her like daggers. Anxiety prickled her skin as their voices grew louder. Unable to take it anymore, she bolted from the room.“What have you done, Bethany?” Fred muttered under his breath, watching her flee.6 PM – The BathroomIn the bathroom, Bethany sat on the cold floor, tears stre
Bethany stood there, staring at the Lexus parked neatly before her. The gleaming vehicle was everything she knew Fred would offer—grandiose, flashy, and entirely unnecessary. Did he think she could be bought like some favor? Her stomach twisted at the thought.Fred broke the silence with a casual grin, gesturing toward the car. "Drive this to the company tomorrow. Let the staff who laughed at you eat their words."She cut him off, her voice firm. "Stop it, Fred. Just stop." Her expression was stoic as she stretched out her hand toward him, holding the car keys.Fred raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "The panda?" he asked, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.Her resolve didn’t waver. "I don’t need it. And, Fred, you need to leave. Now."The playful gleam in his eyes dimmed slightly. His hands found their way into his pockets as he studied her, his gaze lingering. His hand briefly touched her chin, but she flinched away instinctively.Something flickered in his eyes—hurt, maybe,
FRED'S COMPANY12 PMAfter hours of fun at the park, Dean drove them both to the company. The plan had been to spend the whole day together, but Bethany insisted on returning early. Three hours at the park felt like an eternity. Once parked, Jason quickly opened the car door, still wrapped in Bethany’s coat, and flung himself out.“Oh my God! Jason, wait up!” Bethany exclaimed, getting down from the car.She turned to Dean, who was giving her a warm smile.“Thank you so much. Bye!” she said, hesitantly blowing him a kiss.Dean pretended to catch the kiss, placing it on his chest dramatically, and waved her off before driving away.Bethany chuckled to herself before noticing Jason standing still in one spot, staring at something intently.“What’s that, Jason?” she asked, walking over.Jason raised his head, his eyes gleaming as he held up the small panda plushie he found in her coat. “Baby Panda!” he yelled.A smile curled on her lips. She crouched to his level, reaching out to touc
Bethany clung tightly to Fred’s waist as the bike rode down the empty road. The night air rushed past them, cool against her skin, but she wasn’t sure if the shiver running down her spine was from the cold or the man in front of her.They had been riding for over an hour when Fred finally pulled over near a secluded bridge. The road was abandoned and dirty while the sound of calm rushing water echoed below.Bethany got down, helmet still secured on her head, while Fred did the same.With a heavy sigh, he raised his hands in the sky.. “What a view,” he murmured, lips slightly parted in admiration."I can’t see a thing!" she snapped, frustrated.Bethany sighed, still wearing her helmet. “Okay, kidnapper. Mind telling me why we’re in the middle of nowhere?”Fred chuckled as he took off his helmet, shaking out his messy hair. “You seriously don’t remember this place?”“Should I?” Bethany frowned.Then, he stepped closer, eyes twinkling with mischief. Without warning, he reached for her h
NEXT MORNINGBethany woke up at 7 am, her body automatically rising at the same time every day. She rubbed her temples, trying to alleviate the throbbing pain. Memories of the previous day flooded her mind.She got out of bed and began getting ready for work. The hotel had reopened, and she was eager to start her day. As she opened the wardrobe, she was surprised to see a collection of clothes in her size."Huh…." She stared at the clothes in disbelief.She selected a suit jacket and trousers and placed them on the bed. After taking a shower, she came out wearing a towel wrapped around her body.Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her. "You look hot!!" Dean's voice sent shivers down her spine.Bethany shrieked in fear and turned around to see Dean peeking out from the door. "Oh my God! What are you doing here?" She yelled, tightening the towel around her body.Dean's eyes roamed over her, his gaze making her uncomfortable. "What happened, sweetie? I can't come in!" He asked softly.
FLASHBACK: 2 YEARS AGODEMAY SUPERMARKET Dean crouched behind a car, his gaze fixed on Bethany as she loaded bags of items into her car. He took a look at a photo of her on his phone and caressed the screen. "Don't worry, love... We'll be together soon!" he whispered, his voice filled with longing. Soon, he called a number and said. "She's trying to pack her things in the car. Be a stranger now and help her!" He hung up the call, and immediately, the man he hired had already arrived there and was helping her. "Until you're under my roof, I'll always be your watchman!" He said with a grin across his face.Just then, Natalie startled him, and he turned around to see her glaring at him with her hands on her hips. "You're doing this again. Stalking that innocent woman?" She said, concern laced in her words.Dean rolled his eyes and bit his lip as his gaze landed on Bethany's curvy body. "Nah, bro. If she was that innocent, she wouldn't have lured me in!" Natalie's expression twi
5 MINUTES LATERDean entered the sitting room with a smile on his face. He raised his gaze to see Bethany and Natalie staring out the window, watching the horses."Well... I'm back! You can leave!" Dean said in a low tone.Natalie nodded and was about to leave when he held her hand and whispered in her ear, "Tell her anything, and they will be dead!"She flinched, pulling her hand away from his, and kissed her teeth before walking out."So... you like the horses?" he asked, watching them together.She replied weakly, "Yeah.""You know... I could stare at your beauty all night long. If you listen to my demands now, there's a possibility I would reopen the hotel!"She raised her gaze and replied impatiently, "Really? Can you do that now? I hope you aren’t pulling my leg!""I can never, Bethany. Trust me, the hotel will be back in my hands. This is my way of showing loyalty and honesty!"Her gaze softened, and she asked, "So... what's the offer?"*****7 PMHer day was spent in Dean's ma
Fred tilted his head to see Dean standing before him with a grin on his face that was annoying to the core."I see you're already sulking in your loss. How did the raid of the hotel go?" Dean taunted.Fred clenched his hand into a fist and stood up to face him.But then Dean chuckled and put a finger on his chin, "Oh, I'm sorry. You couldn't be at the office because you'll be angry at your elimination!""Shut your fucking mouth. Who the hell let you in here?" Fred questioned, his face contorted with anger.Dean clicked his tongue and didn’t answer until his gaze met Bethany, whose innocent eyes were piercing into his.He said softly and started to take a few steps towards her, "Beth... You shouldn't be here!"Fred blocked his path and sneered, "Get back. If you go near her, I swear I'll kill you."He licked his lips and averted his gaze to Fred, "Haven't you hurt her enough? Does she need to be dragged into every one of our messes? You don't deserve her...""Hey..." Before Fred could
Suddenly, the last button was pressed and automatically he had been eliminated from the group.Fred was dumbfounded, his mind racing as he tried to process Natalie’s sudden change of heart. He couldn’t believe his step-sister could do something like this to him.Though she came from a family known for backstabbing and betrayal, Natalie had always been different—even more so than her twin brother, Dean.Could this be connected to what she said earlier in the hospital? Should he believe her?Dean snapped him out of his thoughts, jabbing his finger into Fred’s shoulder. “Finally… the little rat ate a bad snack and now has come crawling to me!”Fred felt disgust rise in him at Dean’s words, but he didn’t for a second take his eyes off Natalie, who had already removed her gaze from his.“Natalie… Why did you press that button?” His voice cracked as he took a step toward her, desperate for answers. But before he could get close, Dean shoved him back.“Stay away from my sister! You’ve brain
NEXT MORNING9 PMBethany was still shaken by what had happened yesterday. It was a hard choice to go to the office, but it wasn't up to her. She had to keep moving forward, even if it felt like the world was collapsing around her.She stepped out of her house and then noticed Ariel standing by her car, checking the trunk across the road.Confused, Bethany approached her a few steps forward and called out, “Do you need any help?”Ariel didn't respond. She continued inspecting her trunk with a focused look.Bethany muttered under her breath, “Your loss,” and turned to walk back to her car. But just as she was about to open the door, she saw Jason jump out of the car, dressed for school. He walked toward Ariel and appeared to be rubbing his stomach, almost as if he were hungry. He spoke to her, but Bethany couldn’t make out the words. Then, she saw Ariel yelling at him and he entered back into the car.Furious, Bethany stormed over and cleared her throat, placing her hand on her hip.
They glanced at each other for a moment, tension thick between them, before returning to their problems.Bethany bent to pick up her phone, her shaky hands fumbling as she clutched it tightly against her chest. Fred dialed a number with swift precision, his jaw tight as he spoke into the phone.Fred exhaled sharply, breaking the silence. “I know I said 48 hours,” he barked, his voice low and urgent, “but I need to get out of here. Now.” His words resounded in the small space, leaving Bethany frozen in her corner, her wide eyes darting toward him.Suddenly, the elevator doors parted with a soft chime. Standing in the doorway was Natalie, her blonde hair perfectly styled, an apple in her hand. She took a slow bite, her lips curling into a smirk.“You two didn’t even last an hour..amateurs,” Natalie said, her voice dripping with mockery. Her sharp heels clicked as she stepped aside, gesturing for them to exit. Fred shot her a glare as he brushed past, not bothering to respond.“A than
FRED'S HOMEChantel paced around the living room, waiting impatiently for Fred to return so they could discuss everything she had planned for their wedding.She had tried calling Kate multiple times, but her calls went unanswered. Avery was unavailable too—off to meet her husband.Where was the whole family when there was a wedding to plan?Frustrated, she took her phone and dialed his number again, but he still wasn’t picking up.In a fit of rage, she threw her phone to the floor and screamed, “That bastard! How dare he not come home?”A sudden thought struck her, and she gasped. “Oh my God! What if he’s with that slut? Oh no! If I don’t get pregnant, she won’t either!”“ It can't happen! It will never happen! " Determined, she rushed out to her car, intent on heading to his office.*****THE ELEVATORBethany had been trapped in the elevator for almost 20 minutes, and her mind was racing.She banged on the elevator walls, yelling, “Help! Somebody, get me out of here! Get me out!”Fr