***** THAT SAME DAYBethany seethed with rage in her home, her anger fueled by Fred's latest stunt. She glanced at her phone and saw the incriminating pictures he had leaked to the media. Why did this have to happen all of a sudden? Everything was going smoothly before they came back to haunt her. Fred must be stupid to involve the media and humiliate her like this. What does he want from her? And with this scandal, was Chantel ever going to return her son after seeing the compromising pictures of her and Fred?Her phone rang, shrill in the silence. It was her boss from the finance company where she worked as a manager. Apparently, it was against company policy to be embroiled in a personal scandal. For all she knew, she had a lot of explaining to do.Suddenly, the doorbell rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. She went to open the door, her frown turning into an angry stare. It was Dean at the door."What are you doing here?" she asked immediately, her voice laced with annoyanc
NEXT DAY – 7 PM Bethany adjusted her black, sleeveless gown and let her fingers graze the soft fabric. Her reflection in the mirror stared back, her hair cascading over her shoulders, framing her exquisite features. Tonight was the one-year anniversary of Avery and her husband’s marriage—a milestone Bethany had missed two years ago. She smiled faintly, though the ache of those years apart from Fred’s family lingered. Avery had been more than just a sister-in-law; she was her confidante, the one who sought her advice and found comfort in her presence. It was time to see her again—her “water sister,” as they’d called each other in jest. Satisfied with her appearance, she grabbed her purse, her heart pounding lightly, and headed to her car. HART'S MANSION The towering Hart mansion loomed in the distance as Bethany pulled into the driveway. Memories she’d tried to bury clawed their way back to the surface. This was the place where she’d been humiliated, broken, before fleeing to F
Bethany punched Fred’s back, pounding her fists as he carried her over his shoulder. "Put me down, you jerk!" she yelled, her voice cutting through the night. Fred ignored her protests, his stride purposeful. When they reached his car, he finally set her down, trapping her between his arms, her back pressed firmly against the cool metal of the car. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she shouted, her chest heaving with rage. "Let me go!" Fred leaned in closer, his grip unyielding, his eyes bloodshot with fury. "What the hell do you think you’re doing? Who invited you, huh?" His voice was a sharp growl, laced with the disgusting scent of alcohol. Bethany winced, her nose scrunching. "You’re drunk! Let me go!" Fred’s hand caught her chin, forcing her to look at him as his voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "Two years, Bethany. Two fucking years, and you're already smooching some guy." His nose brushed against hers, the intimate moment clashing with the venom in his tone.
Bethany’s jaw tightened as she heard the familiar voice. It was KATE, FRED'S MOTHER. The woman who had been humiliating her in her own home for months, immediately after Fred was sent to a business meeting and placed her in the family house and treated her terribly. “Oh my God! What are you doing here?" Kate exclaimed, her tone dripping with mock surprise. She removed her glasses, biting her lip as if relishing the moment. "You never changed, sweetheart." Bethany’s stomach churned. the woman who had tormented her for months. while she was married to Fred. She had turned her home into a living hell constantly belittling her, pressuring her to get pregnant again, and planting doubts about Jason's paternity. Worse, Fred always took Kate's side, falling for her fake tears. Kate's smirk widened as she threw a bundle of cash to a group of boys loitering in the corner. "Boys! Thank you very much," she said dismissively, watching them scurry off like trained dogs. She turned back to Beth
Dean’s eyes widened as he stared at Bethany in shock. Yesterday, he had cracked a joke about them being a couple, even in front of Chantel. But this? This was taking things to a whole new level.Bethany stepped toward him, her movements graceful yet deliberate. She rested her head lightly on his shoulder, offering him a warm, almost teasing smile.“This is the man after my heart….Dean,” she said, her voice soft but steady.Avery, standing nearby, gawked at the two of them, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Wait... is this for real?” she asked, her voice laced with both surprise and amusement. “I can’t believe it—you actually found someone to love you, Bethany. And it’s Dean!” She laughed and stepped closer to them, clearly trying to process the scene before her.Bethany forced a smile. “Yes, Avery,” she replied with mock confidence. “It’s not so hard. I’m a single lady in the market, after all.”Beaming with excitement, Avery squealed and quickly pulled out her phone from the pocket of
Fred’s frantic question made his tongue twist as he avoided meeting Bethany’s piercing gaze. She stood firm, arms crossed, waiting for an answer.A smirk tugged at Fred’s lips, curling into a sly, almost triumphant smile. “If you ask me,” he said slowly, “he’s too uncomfortable to give you back.”Bethany’s patience snapped. “Could you stop it, Fred? This isn’t something to discuss outside the company walls!”But Bethany wasn’t ready to back down. She straightened her posture and replied, “He can answer here. He’s not afraid to face you, and he’ll accept the partnership offer.”Fred scoffed, leaning against his car. “Oh, sure. The girlfriend speaks for him now? Classic.” His smirk widened. “PS: Get ready….this girlfriend is about to land back in my lap!”He winked at Bethany before sliding into his car and speeding off.Bethany’s gaze dropped to the ground as questions raced through her mind. Has Fred always been this insufferable? Of course, he had always been an egocentric man, but t
SWISS HOTELBethany arrived at her office, hoping the issue was financial and not related to her personal life.She made her way into Malcolm's office and found him fuming, sitting in his chair and glaring at her.She greeted him with a forced smile to maintain her composure. “Good morning, Mr. Malcom. I thought I wasn’t allowed into the office for two days!”He stood abruptly, slamming his hand on the desk. “You disobeyed me!”Bethany flinched, raising her hands slightly in a calming gesture. “I can explain, Mr. Malcom!”He stormed toward her, pointing a finger aggressively. “So you did it? Go on, confess! Confess now!” Her brows furrowed in confusion as her lips parted. “Confess to what?”“To giving Dean’s files to Fred! I told you to stay away from Fred, and now you’ve leaked the secrets of Dean’s company!”Bethany was stunned by the accusation. It seemed absurd and baseless.She placed a hand on her chest, shaking her head. “I can’t believe you’re accusing me of stealing files. I
Her voice cracked, trembling as she struggled to process the man’s words. Her heart raced, pounding in her chest as fear and panic surged through her. “What… where are you?” she stammered, barely able to speak.“I accidentally pushed Jason down the stairs,” the man admitted, his voice shaking. “You need to come to their mansion—no one’s at home!”The air left her lungs. This wasn’t part of the plan—this was chaos. Her son was hurt. “I’ll be there… oh my God, I can’t believe this is happening!” she cried, rushing toward the door and leaving everything behind, including Dean's fainting voice. Fred's MansionShe stood before the massive gates, noticing they were wide open. Something felt off, terribly wrong, but she pressed forward. Sprinting to the entrance, she froze in shock.The entire family was gathered there—Fred, Kate, Avery, Chantel, and even her boss, Malcolm. In the center of it all was the kidnapper she’d hired, tied up and glaring at her.Her stomach dropped. It was a tr
"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