“My grandmother wants to see you,” Daley said.“Is Vickie awake?”“Yes, she wants to see you now.”“I'm on my way,” I said, hanging up. I told this good news to Liv. She was also happy that Vickie had come back to life.By the time I got back to the ward, there were already several strong men on either side of the corridor. I saw Mark standing next to Frade. Daley and his men were on the other side. As I walked down the corridor, a cold, nervous feeling came over my feet.A nurse was standing outside the door. Daley said to her, “This is Eva. My grandma has asked to see her.”The nurse nodded and opened the door. I walked in. Next to the bed stood another nurse, who slowly rocked Vickie's bed up. When Vickie saw me, she waved weakly at me.“Come, child,” her voice was as light as a feather.“I'm so glad to see you safe,” I said as I walked up to her. Her face was pale and haggard. The golden eyes were covered with a faint mist, losing their golden lustre.“We came as soon as we heard
“What do you mean by getting rid of her?” I asked cautiously.“You know.” Vickie gently scratched her neck.“No, Vickie,” I said. “I would never hurt her. She's my sister.”“But what if she wants to hurt Frade, or you?”“How do you know she'll hurt Frade?” I sighed. “Maybe you're thinking too much.”“Oh, young lady.” Vickie shook her head, “I've lived longer than you, and I've always believed that people who are dead don't come back to life. Unless she's not dead at all. That Mia must have a purpose when she shows up at this time.”“But why did you want to kill her? I don't understand.”“Just dealing with trouble,” Vickie said sternly. “This woman has turned two brothers against each other, and this time her presence may cause even more trouble.”“Even without Mia, Frade and Daley would have fought over the power.” I glanced at Vickie. “You know that. You just simply don't like Mia, but you wouldn't kill her.”Although I don't like this sister much, I never want to hurt her.“My gut t
“Liv, do you remember when I told you that there was a woman in Las Vegas who thought I was Elena? That woman was Rose.” I had to confess, “I'm asking you to look into this because I suspect Mia is Elena. I met Rose in person.”“So you got something out of Rose, but you weren't going to share it with us.” Mark squinted at me. “Why?”“I just want you to put the investigation on hold,” I said, “Since she's my sister, I was wondering if I could look into this myself. I swear, if I find anything, I'll let you know. But not yet. I need to reach out to that Rose again and find some hard evidence.”“Eva, do you also suspect that Mia came back for another reason?” Liv asked. “But I think you're trying to protect Mia, which I don't understand.”“She's my sister,” I could only say. “She's my sister until I find out everything. Please, leave the rest to me.”Liv glanced at Mark, who hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing. But I knew his patience wouldn't last.“When are you going to meet Ro
“Nonsense!” I glared at her. “What does that have to do with me?”“Because Jeff likes you.” Mia sneered, “Don't you think it's like looking in a mirror when we're face to face? And you know what? I had heard your name from Jeff many times before I met you, especially in bed. What do you think Liv would do if she knew that her husband had been fantasizing about her best friend?”“That's not true.” I stepped back and touched the corner of the table. “You're lying.”“If you want me to tell you the truth, why don't you believe me?” Mia sits in a chair and pulls out a pack of cigarettes from her purse.She lit the cigarette in her mouth with a lighter and a ring of white smoke came out of her mouth.“Why don't you sit down?” Mia pointed to the old couch in the living room with her cigarette in her hand. “I don't want to see you pass out on the floor.”“I went up to the sky club years ago to be a dancer, and I met Jeff one night, and I became his mistress. He told me that he had a wife, but
“What do you want?”“I want your life!” Mia glared at me with burning eyes, “I used to keep asking myself if I did something wrong to make my parents abandon me. Why can your life be bright and beautiful, while I am as bad as a pool of sewage? This is not fair at all!”“My life is not as perfect as you think,” I told her patiently, “This is Mikeal's revenge on our mother. Not only did he kill our mother, but he also made my life miserable. I've lost more than you. Mia, we're all victims.”“But why me and not you?” Mia hissed.“Mia, if you were me, you would suffer the same way,” I said, “Mikeal used me as a marriage tool to marry Ron. Ron cheated on me with Gina, and they conspired to sentence me to death. I also lost a baby. So I lived the rest of my life for revenge. Mia, I know I can't make up for what you've been through. But I hope we can all live happily ever after.”What happened to Mia broke my heart, and I have to admit that she suffered more than I did. Maybe she's not a bad
“What are you looking for?” Daley looked at me calmly. He had just finished his shower and a white towel was wrapped around his lower body. A drop of water ran down his hair to the forehead.“Nothing, I'm just looking for pliers,” I lied.“Pliers? What do you need pliers for?” He gave me a suspicious look.“Because I want to open the diary,” I said hastily. “My mother's diary is locked. I need tools to open it.”“There's nothing on the desk that you want,” Daley said. “If you don't mind, I can see what kind of lock it is. Maybe you don't need pliers to open it.”So I went into the bedroom to get my mother's diary and gave it to Daley. He looked at the little lock in the diary and found a pen and stuck it in the middle of the lock. He twirled the pen a few times before the lock fell to the floor.“See, that's easy.” Daley handed me the diary.As I opened this diary, I was secretly glad he didn't notice that I was checking his phone. When I opened it, however, the pages were hollowed ou
I went to the hotel, and as I put my feet on the soft carpet in the hallway, the old memories began to flash through my mind like a movie.My entanglement with him began when I stepped through the door.The door opened, and Frade appeared in front of me. He was wearing a dark blue shirt, and the top button was untied to his chest to reveal strong muscles. He leaned against the door, a glass of orange liquid in one hand.“Come in.”I walked into the room under his direct gaze. As the door closed, I suddenly felt a strange heat behind me, like a centipede climbing up my spine. I stood at the window and was afraid to turn around, because I was afraid to see the blazing heat in his green eyes.“Sit down.” His voice was less than three steps behind me. I took a deep breath and tried to hold back some of the panic.His face always makes me inexplicably nervous. My body's blood cannot help but want to boil when hearing his voice.“Please sit,” he said.I couldn’t let him read my mind, and I
“I think we should kill her here.”“I think we should take turns f.ucking her before we kill her because my d.ick is already hard.”Two men's gruff voices rang in my ears. My vision was black. Something was blocking my eyes. I tried to call for help, but my mouth was taped shut. My hands were tied and I couldn't move. I just twisted my body a little, and a fist slammed into my stomach.“Don't move, or the next punch will hit you in the face.” The man smiled lewdly and squeezed my breasts roughly.I pulled back, and a hard object pressed against my back, leaving me no place to hide. The air smelled of leather and sweat, and if I had guessed right, they had tied me up in a car.The car door popped open and the man beside me grabbed my arm. I heard a woman's shrill voice on my right.“What the hell are you doing in the car? Get her off so I can scratch her face.”The man grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the car. My feet were on the gravel. The man tore the strip of cloth that covered
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