Author's point of view... As Robert and Izzy returned to the Erickson mansion, the atmosphere inside the car was thick with unspoken emotions. Izzy sat quietly, her heart still reeling from the events of the previous day. Even though Robert had rescued her, the weight of her ordeal lingered. Her body was safe, but her mind hadn’t yet caught up. Her heart raced as memories flashed, but she fought to push them away, wanting to find comfort in the present. She even noticed that her hands were shivering slightly. As the car sped away, she recalled the phone call that Michael had received. "Who was that woman, he was talking to?" her forehead revealed a frown as her mind automatically dazed. Robert glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He could sense her inner turmoil, the tight grip she held on her emotions. He couldn't describe why but his hand slowly reached out and grabbed her shivering ones. Izzy was puzzled and turned her head to look at him in surprise. However,
Robert’s eyes widened in confusion at first, thinking she was talking about last night. But as she continued, he realized she meant so much more. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my family,” Izzy said, her voice steady but full of emotion, no matter how hard she tried, her eyes pooled up. Robert was stunned. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond. All he remember was Izzy slapping him after misunderstanding him yesterday then why was she behaving like she knew everything that he had done for her. Izzy wasn’t done, though. She knelt before him, her hand on her chest. “I promise with my life,” she continued, her words hanging in the air, Robert pursed his lips in shock “I promise that I will be loyal to you for the rest of my life...and will...” She hesitated, her voice faltering as she struggled to find the right words. She wanted to say that she will serve him wholeheartedly but paused in track as she thought it through, Robert will definitely take those
Author's point of view... The hospital air was thick with antiseptic and tension. Izzy's heart raced as she walked down the narrow corridor, Robert’s presence looming beside her, calm and intimidating as ever. Despite his dark aura, he was like a strong support beside her. No matter how much she controlled her nervousness, she couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had settled deep within her chest. Her mind kept replaying every painful moment leading up to this. It had been so long, she hadn't seen Dave for so long and after what happened to Daniel, her heart was in a turmoil. She fighters back the tears threatening to roll down. The sight of her broken family haunted her thoughts, the flashes of her father, Isaac, lying unconscious, and her brother, Dave, barely clinging to life, tormenting her mind. As they approached the hospital room, Izzy’s breath hitched. She hadn’t seen her father or Dave in days, and fear gnawed at her insides. Robert took her to the VIP ward, s
Author's point of view... "Hello...Mrs. Brown" Robert began and Izzy felt her body going numb. He was so respectful even after Lissa's vulgar behaviour. Izzy's gaze stuck on his handsome face. God...! What is he going to say next? Her thoughts running in the endless possibilities. “I am Robert Erickson,” he finally said, his voice deep and smooth. “Izzy’s husband.” Izzy almost choked and cough out when those words finally settled in her ears. Izzy's husband!! What...!! Seriously...! Lissa’s knees wobbled as though the words struck her physically. Her face paled, and she stumbled back. Izzy could see the sheer disbelief in her stepmother’s eyes, a woman who had always belittled her, now rendered powerless by the presence of her new reality—Robert Erickson, the man with an unshakeable reputation, was "her" husband...!! "What...!! How...When...How could it be?” Lissa stammered but Robert cut her words off before she could pour out her doubts. "If you excuse us, we woul
Author's point of view... Robert's cold, commanding presence filled the room as he walked in and stood beside Izzy, his gaze fixed on Lissa, who shifted nervously under his scrutiny. "Mrs. Brown," Robert began in his usual, low, intimidating tone. Izzy instantly yanked to stop him but it proved to be some futile attempt. After all, where could she get the guts to stop the one and only Robert Erickson? Robert hushed her with his cold stare and continued talking to Lissa. "Did you know how much it costs for this VIP room for just one day?" Lissa blinked, caught off guard by the question. She didn't know anything about it. "I... I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. Robert scoffed; of course, she didn't know. "Do you have any idea," Robert continued, his eyes narrowing, "how much it costs to arrange the best doctors in the world to treat someone?" Lissa’s forehead creased, her mind racing. She felt the weight of his words but clung to her belief. "I...
Author's point of view... Lissa was dumbfounded as the revelation hit her like a thunderstorm but no matter what, that stubborn woman didn't melt. Though she apologised to Izzy, that apology didn't come from her heart. She hated Izzy and that hate was not something that could be lessen in days. Izzy was sad more than shocked. Claudia was her brother's wife. Though they weren't in a good relationship, Izzy respected Claudia so as to respect her brother's decision of life. But when she heard Michael's confession, she felt a pang of heart ache settling in her chest. Daniel was a pure man with a golden heart. Helping everyone, smiling away all the tensions of life. He was like a sunshine and at last, he died in the hands of a woman he dearly loved. Izzy sighed but didn't utter a word. After revealing everything, Dan dragged Michael out of the room and soon after, Izzy and Robert walked out as well. As they left the hospital, Izzy thought they were heading back to the mansion,
Author's point of view... When Nola heard Robert's words, she wasn't pleased. She was the most talented designer in the world and people die to get an appointment from her and here her boss was questioning her choices of dressing. She was furious. But just as she wanted to object, she saw the look on Robert's face and decided against it. He wasn't unsatisfied with her choice but was overly possessive about his little wife. It was true though, Izzy was extremely beautiful that even her Hearst flutter when she first saw her dressed. Taking few deep breath, she decided to bring out the least attractive dresses from her collection. Robert didn't want Izzy to look so stunning in the banquet as he didn't want others to see her. After a while, Izzy walked out of the salon in the less attractive dress, her shoulders slightly slumped. The dress was dull, with long sleeves, and despite the warm weather, she had no choice but to wear it. The vibrant energy she had felt just moment
Author's point of view... "I don't want anyone to see you..." Robert said, as usual, seriously but there was also a hint of flirting in his tone. Izzy’s heart skipped a beat. There it was again, his possessiveness. But as much as she was unsettled by it, she couldn’t deny the warmth that spread through her chest. She was his...! What kind of feeling is that? She wondered. And even though his ways were harsh, there was a strange comfort in knowing he would do anything to protect her from his world. Wasn't this what every girl wanted in her husband? Wait...! What the...!! She looked at him, eyes widened in surprise. Did she just accepted him as her husband? How could she even think that?? Izzy fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat, patting her flustered cheeks. This man is confusing her too much, getting bolder and bolder in his actions. She felt hot all over and bit her lower lip. She never imagined that Robert would turn into someone so flirtatious. It was like turnin
Author's point of view...Just then, the kitchen door creaked open, and Lissa stepped out. She looked pale, her face carrying the weight of guilt and shame that had built up over years. She stopped a few steps away, her gaze glued to the floor. Izzy felt a tug of empathy at the sight of her aunt, who had always been hard on her. But now, seeing Lissa’s pained expression, Izzy understood the complicated truth. Slowly, Lissa took a deep breath and, with trembling hands, sank to her knees in front of Izzy. Her voice was barely a whisper, choked with tears. “Izzy… I don’t deserve your forgiveness, not after the way I treated you. I was so blinded… by jealousy, by my own misunderstandings. I thought—I thought you were Isaac’s mistake, something that reminded me of a betrayal that never even happened.” She covered her face, breaking down. “Stella… your mother… she gave us everything. And I repaid her by hurting her daughter. I’m so ashamed.” Izzy’s heart ached at the rawness in Liss
Author's point of view... The next day, they received an invitation for a family banquet from the Sintclair family. The old patriarch of the Sintclair family had arranged this banquet just for Izzy to introduce her as his granddaughter. After being dressed up, Robert drove them to the Sintclair family mansion, nestled among vast gardens and surrounded by elegance that hinted at generations of stories. Izzy’s nerves tightened as the towering mansion loomed closer, her hand instinctively reaching for Robert’s. He looked over, his eyes warm and steady. “Don’t worry, Izzy,” he murmured, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’m here, every step of the way.” She nodded, offering a small, grateful smile. “Thank you… I don’t think I could do this alone.” They stepped inside, and she was greeted by a room filled with unfamiliar yet strangely welcoming faces. She felt the weight of their gazes, curious, surprised, even delighted. She heard whispers of, "Doesn’t she look just li
Author's point of view... Getting back to the city, Robert immersed himself in his work. It was his way of dealing with grief. Though Izzy was always by his side, they rarely had anything to talk about. They eat together, live together, and sleep together, but there is still a distance between them. After a few days, Robert arranged for Izzy to return to her studies. Though she was so surprised, she was happy to be able to continue her studies. She took a specialization course in psychology. It was her dream to become an efficient Psychologist just like her mother and with her mother's professional books at her assistance, she was destined to exceed in everything. It had been six months since Izzy started college, and she had to stay in her college dormitory as the college she chose was far from the city. Robert missed her so much. He often drove all the way, for hours, to her college just to see her and hug her. Though she wasn't allowed to step out of the dormitory, who
Author's point of view... The day had begun with an air of hope, but it would end differently than anyone could have foreseen. It was a beautiful day, peaceful and filled with happiness scattering everywhere. Robert and Izzy stopped by to have a heartfelt meal with her and Nancy insisted on cooking it herself. Meanwhile, Robert took Izzy to roam around and she enjoyed playing in that beautiful scenery. Fresh air, fragrance of flowers and greenery. It felt like she was in heaven. "This is so beautiful..." Izzy exclaimed and Robert hugged her. "If you like it, we can visit more often in your holidays" "Hmm..." Izzy looked up and Robert smiled. Their cute conversation was interrupted by an affectionate call from Nancy."Kids... come here, the food is ready" When she called, Robert recalled his best days from the past when Nancy was with him, taking care of him, cooking for him. Though he can't get those days back, at least he have her now. He smiled and grabbed Izzy's hand to walk
Author's point of view... The very next day, Robert took Izzy to the Erickson estate in the country side. They had a vast land with so many farms and a lot of greenery, quite pleasing to the eye. As they drove into the countryside, Izzy’s eyes sparkled with delight. She took in the lush green fields, the quaint little cottages, and the open sky that stretched endlessly above them. There was a refreshing, earthy scent in the air, and Izzy felt as if she'd stepped into a fairytale.Her eyes lit up and Robert, who was in a deep thought, was so pleased to see her shine. He was silently sitting beside her, watching her with a gentle smile spreading across his handsome face. He’d never seen her this excited before, and it softened something within him. When they reached the village, they were greeted warmly by the locals. Though the villagers had little in terms of wealth, their welcoming smiles and heartfelt gestures more than made up for it. Erickson Corporation had implanted many
Author's point of view...! After saying whatever he wanted to say, Marco brushed his suit with his hands and walked over to the entrance. He stopped and stared back at Izzy as if filing his thirsty eyes with her one last time. She resembled so much of her mother, those beautiful pair of eyes and that adorable face, everything of Izzy, reminded him of his love, Stella. After admiring his long-lost daughter, Marco's gaze shifted back to Robert. And there was a change in his demeanor. The once soft and tender look was replaced with a harsh and cold one, but strangely, his gaze had a mixture of satisfaction and jealousy. He was indeed satisfied as his daughter was with a strong man, just like him but there was a pang of jealousy in his heart too. Izzy slowly clung to Robert's arms; her eyes were fixed on the stranger, who was supposed to be her father, though. If things were not what they are now, would she be looking at him with those scrutinizing gazes? He scoffed internally, pro
Author's point of view...! Marco looked down, guilt etched into his features. It was true. He was indeed a monster at that time. “Perhaps I did. But she was my life, and I will regret letting her go until my last breath,” he said, regretfully. "I want to take you with me, Izzy. I want to make up to you, to Stella. I want. To give you everything that I wasn't able to all these years..." "Enough..." William roared, "Take that kid with you...? Are you not satisfied that you destroyed my daughter? And now you want to ruin that innocent child...! I would never allow you to do that." The room fell into silence again. The old man was so angry that his entire body was shivering. "I will never allow you to take that child away?" William turned to his granddaughter and then to Robert as he declared in a commanding tone, "I am here to take my grandchild along with me today, she is my blood, the only thing that my daughter left behind..." the old man couldn't hold on any longer and bur
Author's point of view... As everyone settled into the grand sitting room of the Erickson mansion, the air was thick with anticipation. Marco took a deep breath, his usually hard gaze softened by sorrow and reflection. He stared at the floor for a moment, his voice low as he began. "Back then, I was the king. The one on the top where no one ever dared to look into my eyes." He said, though the words sounded as if he was proud of himself, his expression showed darkness that held inside his heart. He continued, "When you're at the top, people assume you have it all: power, respect, wealth. But the truth is, you are utterly alone," Marco stared, his gaze distant, caught in memories of the past. "I was strong, alive, yes, but I was not living. Until one day, I met someone who didn’t care about my status, my wealth, or my power. She was the first person who looked at me as simply a man. She dared to slap me across the face when I crossed a line, unafraid of who I was." He gla
Author's point of view... "Let's fight till the end..." Robert and Marco were like two huge bulls ready lock their horns. Their men were ready to start a fight on the spot. No one intending to back off. As Izzy noticed the thickness in the air, she shuddered and as if smacked back to reality, she instantly stood between them. Stopping them from fighting. "Please stop it..." she said to both while turning her head to Marco, she requested in a low tone. "Sir...I think you got the wrong person. I don't know you sir. My name is Izzy Brown and my father is Isaac Brown. My mother died when I was young and I never heard her talk about you or anything related to you..." "Isaac ...that bastard..." Marco gritted in frustration. "He was her bodyguard not her husband..." Izzy frowned. She was so angry that she wanted to push that man away and yell at him. She scoffed bitterly. Did he mean that her mother, the lady who lived her entire life, though smaller, in dignity had ch