Ethan POVIn the hospital room, Hailey was quietly sleeping. The sunlight streaming through the blinds cast a serene and beautiful glow on her face.Shifting my gaze back to the hallway, I saw a stern, formally dressed man. His suit was immaculate, and the light in his eyes as he adjusted his glasses was one I despised.I wanted to turn and walk away, but I couldn't. I had to deal with this man, Duncan, to solve this mess for Hailey.This was going to be a serious conversation. I could feel the tension in the air, each word cautiously released from our mouths."Your numerous private actions have caused unnecessary complications when I'm handling matters for Mr. Edward," Duncan said in a businesslike tone. "I need to have an open and honest conversation with you.""I thought it would be Edward or Uncle Tommy giving me trouble," I muttered.He nodded. "It was supposed to be them, but Hailey persuaded them otherwise. She believes in you, which I've always opposed."That was one of
Hailey POVWhen I woke up, the symptoms I had previously overcome began to resurface. My head was buzzing, and the dizziness made me want to vomit several times.I couldn't take on too much burden. The doctors had warned me repeatedly.My vision was a bit blurry, but I knew I had to see Edward. I remembered trying to calm Edward's anger toward Ethan. I wasn't sure if Edward's emotions had eased because as soon as I tried to say a few words, I passed out...Edward must be very worried about me. I took a deep breath, propping up my weak body, and slowly made my way to Edward's room.As I approached the room, I heard voices inside."We've located Leo." Ethan's steady voice carried through the room, and for a moment, I almost mistook him for Duncan discussing work."I still find it hard to believe." Edward's voice followed. He did not participate in the discussion of Leo. Instead, he focused entirely on Ethan. "Who would have thought? When you came to America from Idalia as a child,
The arrival of the police made Leo even more unstable. I wasn't sure if he realized what he was doing, as his expression was like that of a sleepwalker, yet his hand was getting closer to Elisa.Elisa's neck was nicked by Leo's knife, and blood trickled down her neck. Screams immediately shattered the tranquility of the night, echoing in the empty warehouse.Her clothes were disheveled, her face full of fear, her eyes panicked and helpless, her body trembling uncontrollably from extreme terror. Ethan took this opportunity to pull me out of the warehouse, where we met the police who were ready to spring into action.At that moment, my judgment was to leave the matter temporarily to the police. I thought it was a reasonable decision. Leo had cornered himself, and his evidence of guilt didn't even need me to have Duncan send it to the court. The police had already arrived, and the prosecutors would be eager to take action.If things went smoothly, Leo would vanish like a boiling table
Hailey POVThe facts I could ascertain were these. Ethan and Elisa had no secret connections, nor was there any evidence of Ethan's instigation toward Elisa.When I created a distraction for Leo, Elisa sensed a certain signal from Ethan.It was hard to describe specifically, but it was a certain characteristic of Ethan's. Those who fell into his gaze were in a state of relaxed intoxication, unable to resist entrusting all important decisions to him. When he nodded, it was the right decision. Even without a nod, his silent consent was the greatest affirmation.I could not criticize Ethan for suggesting Elisa take a fatal step. He did it for me.There were all kinds of protectors in the world. Lily would support and encourage me with her soft heart, and Duncan, being considerate and gentlemanly, always found the best solution to problems, ending everything within the stipulated time.What about Ethan?He was a silent executioner, and those subtle clues had long revealed everything
When I received the hospital notification, even though Ethan would be back soon, I couldn't wait and called Ethan."Hey, sweetheart. I need your help," not only did I hear Ethan's of course, but also a loud howling of the wind, and I faintly heard the sound of waves crashing against the rocks. But every road from home to Lily's house was not coastal.Hesitating for a moment, I stammered, "Are you busy? Maybe I haven't disturbed your important matters."Ethan answered almost without thinking. "You are the only important matter, sweetheart. I can't think of anything more important than you."I heard a very soft sorry, guessing Ethan was covering the phone when he said it. Within a few seconds, there was a muffled sound of a car door closing, and the sound on the phone became clear and clean. Ethan said, "I ran into Nicola. He's with a few Idalian friends.""What's going on?""Nothing, I guess. Back to the point, sweetheart, do you need help?""Uh..."During the fifteen minutes Et
Three days of relentless work didn't spare me from the surgeries that followed, but I reached out to my boss, seeking a break to head home early. Tomorrow was Valentine's Day, and I needed to carve out time to pick out a special gift for my husband.Seeing me choose a men's watch valued at around thirty thousand dollars, the saleswoman quipped, "Oh, you must love your boyfriend very much. I can tell.""Actually, I'm buying a watch for my husband. We've been married for two years," I corrected with a smile.Surprised, the saleswoman remarked, "You look so young."Grateful for the comment, I swiftly made my way home with the elegantly wrapped present. Driving back, I couldn't resist stealing glances at the gift box, envisioning Leo's reaction. Perhaps this time, his excitement would shine through, setting the stage for a romantic evening.Leo had been distant for months, likely due to my demanding job. Despite the lack of affection, his support and k
Leo lounged on the couch. "You're back early today," he remarked."If that red car hadn't snagged my spot, I'd have been home even sooner. Had to sort that out first," I grumbled, mentioning Elisa's car.Leo's eyes narrowed a bit, and he stuttered, "Probably just someone who parked in the wrong place.""It'd be nice if they thought about that," I said, searching through my bag. I pulled out a wrapped watch, and despite Leo's hopeful gaze, I tossed it in the trash.His face froze. "What did you throw away, Babe?""Some garbage," I said curtly."What is it?" he pressed."I said, some garbage," I replied firmly.Leo sat up, his expression turning cold. "Valentine's Day is tomorrow, and you're pitching a fit now?""You smell like you just had sex with a prostitute, you know?" I asked."Are you crazy?" he yelled, leaping to his feet. Pointing at me with a ringed finger, he shouted, "Hailey, how dare you talk to me like
The man's actions caused me to be in a panic. I tried to take my phone back, but he placed a finger on my lips, signaling for me to remain quiet."Hello?" His voice was deep and calm when he answered the call"She's not convenient to take the call at the moment. You can just tell me what you want to talk to her about," the man said calmly. He sounded like he was provoking the person on the other end of the line.I quickly pounced towards him and didn't even care if I looked like I was throwing myself into his arms. He was way taller than me, and since I couldn't take my phone back, I tried to cover his mouth and signal him not to say anything else.The soft and wet touch from my palm allowed me to feel that the man was smiling. He wasn't holding back at all. He tilted his head and kissed my hand gentlemanly.I was taken aback by what he was doing.Then, he bent down. I was already in his arms, so we were even closer. If someone looked at us,