Gina hit me so hard on the head with a heavy stick that I nearly fainted. Gina put her hands around my neck. I almost choked. I tried to free myself from her hands, but she suddenly became as savage and powerful as a mad cow."You ruined me," Gina said viciously. "I'm going to kill you."Gina squeezed my neck tighter and tighter as my legs struggled to move. When I could hardly hold on. I put my hand into the shoe with the military knife. I tried once and almost touched the hilt. On the second attempt, the knife finally came out, and I slashed it at Gina's neck.She screamed and touched her neck, and I kicked her in the stomach. Then her body fell to one side, and I got up as soon as I could.Then I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I looked down and saw a circle of blood on my clothes. This must have been from the fight with the fake Liv. But I couldn't care less about the pain, because Gina grabbed the thick stick and swung it at me again.This time I fended off the stick with my arm
"What did those bastards do to Liv?" I clutched the armrest of the wheelchair."When I got there, they were going to cut her up like a piece of wood with a chainsaw." Mark glanced at the bandage on his hand. "Now they'll never be able to use electricity again. Unless hell needs lumberjacks.""Are you all right?" I asked Mark. "Are you badly hurt?""It's nothing compared to what happened to your friend," Mark said, rising to his feet. "My work is done. Can I go home and sleep now?""Go home and get some rest," Frade said. "Tomorrow will be your day off."Mark tapped Frade on the shoulder and gave me a meaningful look before he left. I guessed what he meant.Then Frade wheeled me into the VIP room and we went to Liv's bed.Liv is lying on a hospital bed. She was terribly thin, her cheeks sunken. A transparent oxygen mask was placed over her nose and mouth. Although she could not speak, her eyes were still looking at me."I'm sorry, Liv," I said as I shook her hand.Liv looks at me, and
It was pitch black before my eyes. The pillow pressed against my nose and I couldn't breathe. My hand gripped a pair of stout arms, and I tried with all my might to move them away, but the man was stronger than I thought. My nails went into his arm muscles, but he was unmoved. I gradually lost consciousness.Just as I was about to faint, the pillow on my face suddenly revealed a tiny gap, and I tried to breathe. I took the pillow away and threw it on the ground. I saw two men fighting in front of me.Frade grabbed a vase from the table and smashed it on the man's head. The glass clashed against his head and the man fell to the ground immediately. Frade dropped the vase and ran to my bedside to hold me."Are you okay?""I'm fine." In fact, if he had come a minute later, I would have literally suffocated."Who is he?" I asked."Let me see." Frade went over and pulled off the man's mask. I got out of bed and followed.The man had a deep scar on his brow. I remember this man. He was the b
The next morning, Frade sent someone to the hospital to take Liv and me to Vickie's estate.The hospital will send a professional nurse to check on me and Liv every day.In fact, I have almost recovered. But Liv was injured and she is still recovering. She had been able to walk from her room to the garden by herself, and sometimes I would see Mark beside her.I stood in the hallway and looked out the window at Liv and Mark, who were walking through the garden. I watched Mark walk Liv slowly down the flowery path. My heart suddenly felt a little touched. They look like a good match."Miss Green." A man's voice pulled my thoughts away from Liv and Mark. I turned and saw Kohl, Vickie's servant."Can I help you?" I asked."Mrs. Logan would like to invite you to morning tea," Kohl said politely."Now?" I wondered. If I was right, it was past my morning tea. "Is she in the garden?""No, she's waiting for you in her room," said Kohl. "Mrs. Logan would like you to go now."It was my third day
His eyes were all red. His breath reeked of alcohol. He approached me with the document in his hand. A transparent plastic file contains a person's case report information. My name is in the patient column. It was six months ago."I saw the video from Santa Maria Hospital," he said, word by word, "I saw us together. It turned out that we not only knew each other, but we were close. But you told me you didn't know me at all. Why?"The truth will be found out one day, and the deep-buried secret will be found out sooner or later. I unconsciously stepped back until my back hit the wall. How do I explain this to him?"Tell me." His voice was full of authority. "How can you lie to me?""We have nothing to do with each other," I said calmly. "Those videos don't mean anything."He stared at me, as if his eyes were piercing through me. His breath became heavy, like a lion about to explode."If those videos don't mean anything," he said, taking a piece of paper from his pocket and spreading it
Frade is gone, but his scent is still in the room. My body began to cool down, and all desire disappeared with his departure. I couldn't stay in the room alone. I couldn't forget the intimacy I had with him.So I rushed out of the room and knocked on Liv's door. When she opened the door to meet me, I finally couldn't help crying. Liv put her arm around me and sat me down on the couch. She kept handing me tissues to wipe my tears. After I had calmed down a little, she said to me."Eva, are you all right?" She said, wiping the tears from my eyes with a tissue. "Tell me what happened.""I'm in pain." My voice was hoarse after I cried. "My heart is dead.""Oh, silly," Liv whispered. "Who hurt you? Tell me.""It was me, I killed myself." I hugged her."Calm down." Liv kissed my forehead, her hand caressing my back. "I'm right here with you."I lay in her arms until the tears ran dry. I looked out of the window in silence. Liv let me lean on her, and she kept me company until I said somethi
I woke up immediately. The telephone is in my hand. I glanced at Liv in bed. She was still asleep. So I whispered on the phone, "I just woke up.""Who are you with?" The caller demanded."Liv, my good friend.""Come and see me, little rose," he said. "I have a present for you."I wanted to tell him that I didn't care about presents, and that it would be nice if he would let me sleep an extra hour. Looking at the empty cans on the floor, I can't remember how many beers we had last night. Maybe Liv and I had three rounds last night. Before leaving the room, I went to the bathroom to wash my face with water and then rinse my mouth with mouthwash. I didn't want to look too embarrassed when I saw Daley later.The door was unlocked and opened with a little push. There was a light in the sky and the room was dark. The curtains of the French windows were drawn to either side, and a shallow ray of sunlight fell on Daley. He was wearing a black suit with his back to me and his hands in his pock
"What else do you know?" Daley looked at me intently. "Who told you about my recruitment? Was it Frade?""Tell me, are you going to kill Frade?" I stared at him."Tell me, if you had to choose again, would you choose Frade or me?" He asked."Why do you care so much about that answer?""Because I love you." His voice softened, "I risked my life to bring back women who had been trafficked to pudding, and I have broken my rules over and over again because of you. I even went to Cartier headquarters to have a custom wedding ring made for you. I wanted to surprise you. But you hurt me.""I never meant to hurt you." I lowered my head in shame.“I want to give you the best of everything in the world,” Daley said, pulling a beautiful ring box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal a large sapphire ring. “I just want you to be happy.”"No, Daley," I said quickly, in case he was about to kneel down and propose. "I'm afraid I can't bear the weight of your love.""Because of Frade?" He looked sa
A week later, the trip to Mexico didn't go well. Mexicans were angry at Mickle's claims that the wall had been expanded. The Mexican president and Mickle met in secret for three hours. I don't know what they talked about.After the meeting, he got on a plane and left Mexico. But he left me behind, and I knew exactly what he was doing.I was not surprised to see Daley in front of me as the representative of Mexico. Instead, I had the urge to punch him, but I held back.During my stay in Mexico, Daley was responsible for receiving me as the Mexican representative. The night we met, he took me to a fancy restaurant in Mexico City.“I had no idea that the famous Daley was already a member of council.”I looked across at Daley. The last time we parted, he looked pale. But now, beneath his mask of calm lies a kind of ineffable pride.“Do you have to talk to me like that?” Daley smiled at me, “It's been a long time since we were alone together and I miss you so much. I think we should celebr
“Why do you always have to decide before you tell me?” Frade asked, smoking hard on the couch. “Didn't I tell you to consult me before you made any decisions?”“Because this time there is no room for negotiation.” I stood in front of him, looking at him like that. My heart felt extremely painful. But I had to tell him about my decision. We have to face the truth eventually.“Mia was dead.”Frade's face froze for a few seconds. “She's dead?”“She escaped from the sanatorium, frantically searching for her father and questioning him as to why he had abandoned her. Mickle's bodyguard shot her for endangering the president. It happened right in front of me.”I have mixed feelings about Mia's death. Even though she was detestable, her death was like a razor blade slicing through my unsuspecting skin. It was instant, clear pain.Frade continued to smoke heavily. He didn't show much emotion about Mia's death. But I guess he felt the same way.He was in love with Mia. Her love was fake, but hi
I didn't expect Mickle to agree to meet with me as soon as I contacted him. But I had to go jogging with him, so I changed into a white sweatshirt and drove to his estate.We jogged side by side on a path near the estate, with two bodyguards following us. I can't remember the last time I ran in the morning. I was a little out of it at first, but after a while, I got my breath back.“Do you need a few minutes?” Mickle, who was wearing a black, short-sleeved tracksuit, turned to me. “Looks like you haven't exercised in a while.”“I'm fine,” I said.“I'll wait for you at the lake ahead,” he said as he continued to run.By the time I got to the lake, he was resting. A burly bodyguard offered him water, but Mickle gave it to me.“You need water,” he says.“Thank you.” I opened the bottle cap and took a sip. The bodyguard somehow took out another bottle of water and handed it to him.“It's a rare day for you to call me,” Mickle said, his face flushed but his tone calm. Judging from his stro
According to Vickie's will, her body will be transported back to Italy for burial. So Frade decided to hold a simple farewell ceremony for Vickie in the manor. After the ceremony, he would be in charge of sending Vickie's body back home with Mark.Vickie was right that no Sicilian would refuse the dying wish to return home. This time, they offered to open their arms to the Logan family to show their deepest sorrow.The place of the farewell ceremony was chosen in the hall of the manor, and all the participants were dressed in black as a sign of mourning. Black-and-white photographs of Vickie's life were placed in the centre of the hall. As her body was temporarily placed in the hospital morgue, guests had to mourn over her picture in silence.Each of the guests held a white chrysanthemum in their hands and placed it in front of the tablet. In the photo, she looked at everyone with a smile on her face, her eyes looking at everything indifferently.Frade greets guests who have come to p
In the room, Vickie is lying on her bed, a private nurse holding a clear plastic tube attached to a ventilator up her nose. Since a trip to Italy, Vickie has grown weaker. Mark told me that she was taken home in an ambulance from a private hospital after she landed.“Why don't you take her to the hospital?” I asked in a low voice.“She's determined to go home,” Mark said. “No one can change her mind, and you know it.”“The patient needs to rest. Please leave the room,” the middle-aged brown-haired nurse said politely.Mark and I left the room just as Frade and Vickie's doctor came out of the other room. That was the room where they had been discussing Vickie's condition, and Frade's sullen face didn't look good.It's terrible.“Mark, please help me get Dr. Hans out of here.” Frade's voice was hoarse and tired, and the stubble on his face seemed to have grown overnight, making him look even gloomier.“Are you all right, darling?” I stroked his cheek and looked at the man in front of me
A middle-aged woman in a plain grey T-shirt and light blue jeans sat on the living room sofa, her hands on her closed knees, her eyes downcast. The coffee in front of her was steaming, and it was obvious that she hadn't touched it.“Hey!” I whispered. “I'm Eva.”“Hi!” The woman stood up at once. She looked at me a little stiffly. “My name is Joe. I'm a friend of Joan's. We're all in the same union.”“How did you find me?” I motioned for her to sit down.“Joan gave me your number,” said Joe, “And we found your place. I'm sorry to bother you so late. Joan needs your help.”“You didn't come alone?” I asked curiously.“I have another colleague with me,” Joe said truthfully. “He's waiting for me outside.”“Is he here to ensure your safety?” I looked at her. “Since your friend is worried about your safety, why are you looking for me? So, what's the matter?”“We just...” Joe looked down sheepishly. “Just in case. But Joan says you're a trustworthy person. You're not like your father.”“I hel
During my stay in the hospital, I received many greeting cards and gifts from strangers. They piled gifts for the baby in front of the hospital or at the nurses' station, and a few fanatical fans even pretended to be nurses sneaking into the ward to see the baby. Fortunately, the fanatics were spotted by the doctor on duty and called the police, who quickly took them away.To prevent this from happening, Frade picked me and my baby up from the hospital in the middle of the night and took us back to the manor. Frade also put guards around the manor to keep out outsiders, leaving Mark in charge of all security, and Liv came to accompany me.Frade was on the move for us to leave the United States. This time he didn't entrust anyone but himself. He didn't tell me that he had met with those people. But from his tired face after each return, I can guess that our departure would become a distant dream.When Vickie learned of Frade's plan, she decided to go to Italy herself, because most of t
“What does a newborn baby get him?” I stared at Ian. “He's already president.”“The president just wants to show his concern for you,” Ian explained patiently. “This baby is his granddaughter. You're family.”“What an official statement,” I said. “Just this once. I need at least three months off for the rest of the year. During that time, neither I nor my baby could be seen in any media.”“Deal,” Ian readily agreed.“I'll give you some time to get ready,” Ian said. “I'll let you know when the president is arriving at the hospital.”After Ian leaves, Frade gently places the baby in her own crib, where she falls fast asleep without crying or fussing. Frade walks to the bedside, his eyes brimming with anger. I knew he was unhappy with my decision, and as I prepared for his wrath, he just lowered his voice and said, “Why did you agree to his request?”“Because I can't say no.” I looked at him. “Ian's right. Mickle is the baby's grandfather. I have no reason to say no to him visiting his g
“Do you have to go to the inauguration?” Frade asked as he peeled the apple. “The doctor told me your due date is coming up.”The skin he cut off with a knife was attached to the flesh of the apple, and less than two-thirds of the whole apple was left in his hand. I stared at the silver knife in his hand and asked, “Do you have a problem with apples?”“I hope this knife didn't cut apples, but...”“Stop,” I reminded him. “Watch your mouth.”“I don't want you to go to a crowded place,” Frade said, handing me a peeled apple. “In that case, all eyes are on the new president. If you're not feeling well or...”“Ian will have a nurse with me,” I said. “Besides, I only promised to be at the inauguration, and as soon as it's over, I'll be home.”“I'm going with you,” Frade said, “Or I won't trust you.”“Sure,” I readily agreed. “I'll tell Ian and get him to set you up.”“All I have to do is stand next to you.” Frade walked to the bed and brushed my cheek, then put a hand on my belly.“She's mo