Emma.I glimpsed Gregory as soon as I woke up the next day. He was lying beside me, his icy eyes fixed on me so tenderly that I thought I wouldn’t be able to look at him for long. A smile played on my lips. Last night had been a mixture of feelings I couldn’t explain.During those years of marriage, it was the first time Gregory had given me all his love while we slept together.He leaned in and kissed me, then covered me a little more before getting up and saying:“Stay in bed.” He got dressed quickly, and I could feel the cold creeping into the room. “The weather in Spain is simply bitter. You’d better stay covered from head to toe so you don’t catch a cold.”“I would rather not spend the day in bed.” I threw the blanket aside and got up.That was when I looked back and noticed many strands of hair on my pillow. I froze for a moment, just staring at them as if they weren’t real. I tried to raise my hand and place it on my head, running my fingers through my hair as more strands fell
Emma.Cutting my hair wasn’t the same as losing an arm or a leg, but cutting it felt like I was losing an important part of my body. I knew it would grow back, that if I were lucky enough to live another year, it would be long again, just as beautiful as it was now. But seeing the scissors cutting through my locks and, right after, the clippers running over my scalp made me shed tears.No one should be forced to shave their head, but the illness wouldn’t leave a single strand behind, and I couldn’t bear to watch my hair fall out slowly without being able to do anything. I tried to be strong, to see the bright side—the one where there was hope of watching it grow back like a plant—but the pain I felt was inevitable.When I looked in the mirror, I saw Gregory’s reflection right behind me. His eyes shone with deep sadness, but he tried to smile to show that everything was okay. I never imagined I would feel bad seeing Gregory suffer, especially knowing that I was the reason for his pain.
Emma.The illness had given a truce.Gregory and I didn’t discuss the illness anymore during the days we spent in Spain. Everything was so perfect that I didn’t want to go back home to that reality where Mason, Edward, Ayla, and so many other people I no longer wanted to see existed.I cuddled up with him in bed, listening to his heartbeat, when his phone vibrated beside us. Gregory didn’t move. He was sleeping so deeply that even if there were noise, he wouldn’t wake up to answer. I stretched out my arm and picked up the device. On the notification tab, there was a message from Gregory’s lawyer saying he needed to return to sign the documents.Gregory stirred, and I immediately put the phone back. We didn’t have the habit of going through each other’s things. Gregory didn’t check my phone, and I didn’t check his. In the past, I wouldn’t have even dared to touch that device. I remember Gregory always keeping it out of my reach while exchanging intimate messages with Alya—or at least,
GregoryI still couldn’t believe that the inheritance I had fought so hard for was finally mine. The message I received that morning said I needed to sign the documents, and everything my grandfather had denied me would be passed on to me.I looked at Emma and felt that nothing seemed to make sense anymore. I would trade everything I had achieved to save her life. Even though I had fought bravely for that money, if Emma wasn’t with me to enjoy those benefits, nothing would be worth it.She asked me if there was something wrong, and cowardly I denied any information. I was still looking for a way to tell Emma the whole truth until I found that solution. I kept lying, deceiving her, knowing that when Emma found out, she would never forgive me.Anyone would understand that I had used her and the illness to gain Helena’s kindness, but I never once asked for the will to be changed. Helena was doing it more for my wife than for me, but Emma wouldn’t understand. It was because of that inheri
Gregory“Sir, we installed the cameras,” the head of security reported, entering my office to complete his task.“All of them? Are you sure?” I looked into his eyes, scrutinizing him. I couldn’t let anything slip by.“Positive, sir. If anyone enters the mansion, we’ll know.”I didn’t feel safe or at ease. Now that my grandfather gave me his entire inheritance, I could imagine Edward’s fury. His goal had always been to destroy me, even before our grandfather passed away. Now that the game had shifted, and the situation seemed to be in my favor, Edward wouldn’t just stand by watching me win.“Great!” I grabbed my briefcase from the desk and took one last look at my reflection in the mirror, noticing that I was ready to go take my place.Strangely, I wasn’t as happy as I thought I would be. The feeling of deceiving Emma burned inside me. I had already learned, in the cruelest way, the price paid for the wrong choices we make.“Keep an eye on Emma twenty-four hours a day. Don’t let her le
Gregory.I was able to see the exact moment they rushed to help Helena and take her to the hospital. If Edward intended to cause chaos, he had succeeded. I abandoned everything to go with her. In the past, I wouldn't have cared about leaving her in a hospital under someone else's care, but now I do. Helena was the only living family I had.The only one—because to me, Edward was nothing. He was born to make my life unbearable, and he was succeeding. He would only rest when he had taken everything from me and then some. I tried to forget all the confusion and help Helena. I knew that my presence would only worsen her condition, but I couldn’t leave her alone at that moment.When I got into the ambulance, she looked into my eyes and said, her voice trembling:“I always suspected that you and Emma didn’t truly love each other.”“Let’s save that conversation for later.” I turned my face away from hers. “You need to focus on your health now.”“Later, when, Gregory? When I’m dead? Do you pla
Emma.An hour ago, Lia snatched the phone from my hands and disconnected every screen device in the house. She said the order had come from my husband. Her face was heavy, like someone hiding a big secret. Immediately, I fought against my nurse. I lunged at Lia so she would give me the phone back, and she didn’t resist.The news was there, with a photo of Gregory and Helena being placed in an ambulance.The company appointed Gregory as its new president today amid many controversies.“What the hell is going on here?” My tearful eyes reached Lia. “Is this what you were trying to hide from me?”It was unfair of me to blame Lia. She was only following Gregory’s orders. I wanted to run to him and demand the truth, but something held me back, telling me to stay because Gregory would soon show up.And it didn’t take long for him to appear. Half an hour later, Gregory was standing in front of me, his eyes filled with pain. He knew the mistake he had made and he also knew the consequences tha
Gregory.I drove as fast as I could to reach Emma. I couldn’t believe Helena would tell her my secret; I had asked my grandmother to be discreet, and she was good at keeping information. Not only that, but I feared that Emma would find out the truth that wasn’t from my lips.I knew where she was going, even though Emma hadn’t told me anything. Occasionally, I found myself surprised by how well I knew my woman. I knew exactly how Emma would act in cases like this. When she was angry, she always sought the shortest path to rid herself of her problems.I let out a sigh when I saw Lia at the reception desk, but she didn’t seem happy to see me at all. Her eyes widened, and she held her breath. Should I remind her that her boss — whether me or not anymore — was no longer the kind of man who pressured people? Here, Emma’s life was at stake — or rather, our marriage was. I needed to stop Emma from doing something crazy.“Where is she?” I approached, but Lia averted her gaze as if it were too
Emma.My heart now seemed to be pumping so much blood that I thought it would collapse under the pressure. My breathing was heavy, and my head spun endlessly with Gregory’s words. An impulsive cry tore through my throat.Lia’s appearance soaked my face. She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped my face.“I knew it wasn’t a good idea to leave you alone,” her hands trembled, and I could see how afraid she was. “I thought your surgery would only be in a few weeks.”But I couldn’t stop thinking about Gregory and everything I knew and heard. He said he loved me, and for a long time, I believed it. Gregory had shown in the most faithful way that what he said was true, but now none of it seemed to make sense. It was as if that love had never existed.I blamed myself for believing him.I felt bad for not being able to comfort Lia.She had grown so attached to me that she suffered at the thought of seeing me die. I should have refused Gregory’s help and walked away. That decision would have spar
Gregory.I drove as fast as I could to reach Emma. I couldn’t believe Helena would tell her my secret; I had asked my grandmother to be discreet, and she was good at keeping information. Not only that, but I feared that Emma would find out the truth that wasn’t from my lips.I knew where she was going, even though Emma hadn’t told me anything. Occasionally, I found myself surprised by how well I knew my woman. I knew exactly how Emma would act in cases like this. When she was angry, she always sought the shortest path to rid herself of her problems.I let out a sigh when I saw Lia at the reception desk, but she didn’t seem happy to see me at all. Her eyes widened, and she held her breath. Should I remind her that her boss — whether me or not anymore — was no longer the kind of man who pressured people? Here, Emma’s life was at stake — or rather, our marriage was. I needed to stop Emma from doing something crazy.“Where is she?” I approached, but Lia averted her gaze as if it were too
Emma.An hour ago, Lia snatched the phone from my hands and disconnected every screen device in the house. She said the order had come from my husband. Her face was heavy, like someone hiding a big secret. Immediately, I fought against my nurse. I lunged at Lia so she would give me the phone back, and she didn’t resist.The news was there, with a photo of Gregory and Helena being placed in an ambulance.The company appointed Gregory as its new president today amid many controversies.“What the hell is going on here?” My tearful eyes reached Lia. “Is this what you were trying to hide from me?”It was unfair of me to blame Lia. She was only following Gregory’s orders. I wanted to run to him and demand the truth, but something held me back, telling me to stay because Gregory would soon show up.And it didn’t take long for him to appear. Half an hour later, Gregory was standing in front of me, his eyes filled with pain. He knew the mistake he had made and he also knew the consequences tha
Gregory.I was able to see the exact moment they rushed to help Helena and take her to the hospital. If Edward intended to cause chaos, he had succeeded. I abandoned everything to go with her. In the past, I wouldn't have cared about leaving her in a hospital under someone else's care, but now I do. Helena was the only living family I had.The only one—because to me, Edward was nothing. He was born to make my life unbearable, and he was succeeding. He would only rest when he had taken everything from me and then some. I tried to forget all the confusion and help Helena. I knew that my presence would only worsen her condition, but I couldn’t leave her alone at that moment.When I got into the ambulance, she looked into my eyes and said, her voice trembling:“I always suspected that you and Emma didn’t truly love each other.”“Let’s save that conversation for later.” I turned my face away from hers. “You need to focus on your health now.”“Later, when, Gregory? When I’m dead? Do you pla
Gregory“Sir, we installed the cameras,” the head of security reported, entering my office to complete his task.“All of them? Are you sure?” I looked into his eyes, scrutinizing him. I couldn’t let anything slip by.“Positive, sir. If anyone enters the mansion, we’ll know.”I didn’t feel safe or at ease. Now that my grandfather gave me his entire inheritance, I could imagine Edward’s fury. His goal had always been to destroy me, even before our grandfather passed away. Now that the game had shifted, and the situation seemed to be in my favor, Edward wouldn’t just stand by watching me win.“Great!” I grabbed my briefcase from the desk and took one last look at my reflection in the mirror, noticing that I was ready to go take my place.Strangely, I wasn’t as happy as I thought I would be. The feeling of deceiving Emma burned inside me. I had already learned, in the cruelest way, the price paid for the wrong choices we make.“Keep an eye on Emma twenty-four hours a day. Don’t let her le
GregoryI still couldn’t believe that the inheritance I had fought so hard for was finally mine. The message I received that morning said I needed to sign the documents, and everything my grandfather had denied me would be passed on to me.I looked at Emma and felt that nothing seemed to make sense anymore. I would trade everything I had achieved to save her life. Even though I had fought bravely for that money, if Emma wasn’t with me to enjoy those benefits, nothing would be worth it.She asked me if there was something wrong, and cowardly I denied any information. I was still looking for a way to tell Emma the whole truth until I found that solution. I kept lying, deceiving her, knowing that when Emma found out, she would never forgive me.Anyone would understand that I had used her and the illness to gain Helena’s kindness, but I never once asked for the will to be changed. Helena was doing it more for my wife than for me, but Emma wouldn’t understand. It was because of that inheri
Emma.The illness had given a truce.Gregory and I didn’t discuss the illness anymore during the days we spent in Spain. Everything was so perfect that I didn’t want to go back home to that reality where Mason, Edward, Ayla, and so many other people I no longer wanted to see existed.I cuddled up with him in bed, listening to his heartbeat, when his phone vibrated beside us. Gregory didn’t move. He was sleeping so deeply that even if there were noise, he wouldn’t wake up to answer. I stretched out my arm and picked up the device. On the notification tab, there was a message from Gregory’s lawyer saying he needed to return to sign the documents.Gregory stirred, and I immediately put the phone back. We didn’t have the habit of going through each other’s things. Gregory didn’t check my phone, and I didn’t check his. In the past, I wouldn’t have even dared to touch that device. I remember Gregory always keeping it out of my reach while exchanging intimate messages with Alya—or at least,
Emma.Cutting my hair wasn’t the same as losing an arm or a leg, but cutting it felt like I was losing an important part of my body. I knew it would grow back, that if I were lucky enough to live another year, it would be long again, just as beautiful as it was now. But seeing the scissors cutting through my locks and, right after, the clippers running over my scalp made me shed tears.No one should be forced to shave their head, but the illness wouldn’t leave a single strand behind, and I couldn’t bear to watch my hair fall out slowly without being able to do anything. I tried to be strong, to see the bright side—the one where there was hope of watching it grow back like a plant—but the pain I felt was inevitable.When I looked in the mirror, I saw Gregory’s reflection right behind me. His eyes shone with deep sadness, but he tried to smile to show that everything was okay. I never imagined I would feel bad seeing Gregory suffer, especially knowing that I was the reason for his pain.
Emma.I glimpsed Gregory as soon as I woke up the next day. He was lying beside me, his icy eyes fixed on me so tenderly that I thought I wouldn’t be able to look at him for long. A smile played on my lips. Last night had been a mixture of feelings I couldn’t explain.During those years of marriage, it was the first time Gregory had given me all his love while we slept together.He leaned in and kissed me, then covered me a little more before getting up and saying:“Stay in bed.” He got dressed quickly, and I could feel the cold creeping into the room. “The weather in Spain is simply bitter. You’d better stay covered from head to toe so you don’t catch a cold.”“I would rather not spend the day in bed.” I threw the blanket aside and got up.That was when I looked back and noticed many strands of hair on my pillow. I froze for a moment, just staring at them as if they weren’t real. I tried to raise my hand and place it on my head, running my fingers through my hair as more strands fell