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...! 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...! 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... 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... 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... 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 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...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