Daley and I went outside the hotel and I found three black cars parked in front of us. We got into one of the Mercedes and Daley gave the driver an address before the car slowly pulled out of the hotel."Where are we going?" The car pulled out of the city, and through the gray windows I could see the dark road. The car was moving smoothly and Daley was looking straight ahead."You'll be there soon," he said.About 20 minutes later, the car was outside a seemingly abandoned factory. I remember this place. Frade brought me here before. Jorah died here. But unlike before, this time there was a special guard outside the factory. A monitor is installed outside the iron door. I think Daley arranged all this, but why did he bring me here?The guards, after identifying Daley, let the car into the factory. The driver pulled into a grassy area of the factory, and Daley and I got out. I saw the lights on in the abandoned factory, and from a distance I could see people moving around inside. The p
I pull up a chair and sit down in front of Gina, who stares at the electric baton in my hand with terrified eyes. Her forehead was covered with sweat and her red lips were blurry from the tape. By this time, Gina had lost her arrogance. She was like a cat shivering in a cage. Fear of the unknown awaits her.I will never forget the moment when my sister stabbed me with a dagger. Maybe I should have replaced the electric baton with a dagger."Go ahead," I said coldly. "You have plenty of time."I could have guessed what she was doing. But I still wanted to hear her own confession, like the police always do. They always give prisoners a chance to confess. This creates the illusion that the prisoner will be forgiven if he confesses."If I tell you the truth, will you let me go?" Gina is still trying to bargain."I will consider letting you live." I gave her an uncertain and hopeful answer.She looked down at the ground, as if wondering where to begin. Prisoners are clever at filtering out
"It's time to meet my brother," Daley said, looking at me with a tentative look in his eye. He walked in front and I followed him. A gust of cold wind poured in from the exit, and I shivered immediately as I was surrounded by fatigue. My feet were stepping up the steps, and as I approached the exit, my heart felt as if it had been seized by something.I kept taking deep breaths to ease the tension. The moment I looked up, I saw Frade standing right in front of me. His face was still pale under the yellow light, and his hospital gown was changed into a long dark blue coat. A pair of green eyes staring ahead. His man, Mark, stands behind him with several bodyguards. I noticed that the men had guns at their waists. Their faces were grim, their eyes locked on Daley.I got a bad feeling. Are they gonna fight?"Hello, my dear brother." Daley stepped forward and stood in front of Frade. "I'm sorry I couldn't visit you in person at the hospital. You seem to be recovering well.""B.astard!" Fr
"First of all, let me be clear," said the old woman, looking at her two grandchildren at the same time, "Frade, when you were in the hospital, I had Arthur picked up in pudding. Although you had been in charge of the Logan family, the doctor said you might never wake up, so I and the other elders of the family agreed that Arthur would take over the family. Whatever mistakes he has made, I have decided to forgive him."The old woman took a sip of whiskey and then said, "But God always likes to play tricks on people. My dear grandson Frade has woken up. It's a medical miracle. I'm afraid even the doctor can't explain why. Don't get me wrong, my grandson. I was so happy to hear that you had woken up.""I want you to announce your decision as soon as possible," Frade said deadpan."Someone can't wait," Daley said sarcastically. "Are you afraid of losing the right to run the family?""Maybe I should just shoot you. It would be easier."“That's enough,” the old woman scolded her two grandso
"Does that answer mean anything to you?" I looked into his green eyes. His masculine aura was aggressive in the dark."You show up in my room, and then Arthur says you're his fiancee." Frade stares at me. "You better tell the truth."One of his hands was pressed against my neck, and I could feel the heat and power of his palm. Everything is so familiar, but I must hold down my boiling blood. My heart can't beat for him anymore. The wound that had just been stitched up could not withstand another tear."Tell me, how did you get into my room? Were you checking to see if I was dead for your fiance?"My heart felt like it was being splashed with cold water. He thought I was going to the hospital to make sure he was dead. What a ridiculous question. His words shattered the illusions I had in my heart. But that's just as well. Let him think I'm Daley's eyes. Yes, I went to visit him in the hospital just to hurt him.I'm sure even if he asked Mark, he wouldn't have got the real answer. Mark
Just as I was wondering if I should tell Daley about the information on the flash drive, his phone rang. Then he went to another room to answer the phone. I eat breakfast with my head down.Maybe I should keep it a secret for now.When he came out of his room after the call, I had just finished breakfast. He had a gift for cooking. The French breakfast was better than what I had at the Michelin restaurant."Thanks for breakfast." I smiled at him. "Have you ever made breakfast for anyone before?""No, you're the only one who's ever enjoyed my breakfast," Daley said as he finished his coffee. He picked up the black coat hanging from the chair and put it on."I just got off the phone with the chief of Police. According to the reliable information he passed on to me, your father has sent a lawyer to the police station to drop the murder charge against you. But it's a complicated process, and it takes a little bit of time to sort it all out," Daley said, “But the good news is, now you can
After I calm down, I think I should have a talk with Daley. Maybe I was too excited. I had to let him know that I didn't mean to withhold information about the flash drive from him, and I had to let him know that I didn't like the way he was making decisions for me, and I didn't like the way he was telling me what to do, especially in front of my father.Before I opened the door, I mentally rehearsed the words I had already thought of to apologize. I'm sure he will understand me after listening to my explanation. We'll think of a better way.But it was all in my head, and when I actually opened the door, Daley wasn't outside at all. He left without telling me. I didn't believe him, so I went to the bathroom and the closet to check it out. He really left. I felt empty inside, but that emptiness was quickly replaced by anger. I didn't see his message on my cell phone. He didn't even tell me where he was going.I didn't want to be alone in the room, so I walked out into the garden downst
"I came home from the police station to find someone searching my house," Liv said. "Someone must have been looking for something.""It was the police," I said. "I snuck back to your apartment after the police took you away. I think they were looking for the flash drive.""It's a good thing they didn't find the secret safe.""Liv, I need you to bring me the flash drive. Can you do that?" I lowered my voice."I think I can do it," Liv said, "But now I'm in my mother's house, in a town. I don't think I can go back to my home for the time being. Because after I left the police station, I found that the police were following me. They may want to use me to find you. The police have been asking me at the station about your whereabouts, and they won't stop until they get the information they want.""I don't think the police will be following you any more because my father has asked the police to drop the charges against me.""Is that true?" Liv asked, surprised."At least that's what I've be
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