I'm staring at the still unconscious figure of papa. Marius and I need him. And I don't know what I'll do if he never wakes up again. Suddenly, Pierce's face flashes in my mind, and anger flares within me. It's all his fault! He'll have his doomsday too! But for now, I must focus on saving myself and my family from him. Then, I'll execute his downfall.When I head back home, Marius isn't there. I ask the staff and the bodyguards, but none of them can tell me where he is. I try to call him, but he isn't picking up. And my worry begins to twist like a knot in my chest.Then, my phone rings. It's Leslie. -["Hazel, I'm with Marius. He's... he's drunk.”]-"Where are you?" I ask."We’re at Uptown Bar," Leslie replies.Quickly, I hop back in my car and drive away.Inside the bar, Marius is slumped on the table, almost paralyzed. Leslie is beside him, trying to help him to his feet. "Marius?" I call out gently, rubbing my palm on his back.Marius looks up, his eyes half-closed. But he does
This new evidence we have against Pierce Thorne will hopefully be the beginning of his true downfall. Marius and I watch the TV as the news shows Pierce being arrested again. His face is calm, almost smug, as if he’s above the law. Just like last time, the police can't keep him in jail ‘cause he manages to pay his bail again. He even dares to give a short interview to the reporters swarming him at the police station’s porch. "My son lost his direction when he married Hazel Montgomery. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up like Carter Whitlock—betrayed and depressed… and dead.”His words cut deep, wickedly assassinating my character, always finding a way to twist the truth. I clench my fists, trying to hold back the anger boiling inside me. Marius puts his arm around my shoulders, offering comfort. I lean into him, grateful for his support. No matter how much Pierce tries to destroy me, the proof I posted online has become our best shot to win our cases against him. However, our
I don't know if this will work, or I'll just waste my time, but I'm willing to try to hopefully end all our suffering.With my bodyguards close by, I walk into a high-end restaurant where there’s a VIP room exclusive for its patrons. Pierce is there, seated at the head of the table, his legs crossed as he leisurely sips his tea. I take a seat opposite him, and ask, "So, what offer do you have for me?" Pierce sets down his teacup, a smirk playing on his lips. "Simple. Drop your cases against me, and I’ll reinstate Marius as one of the board of directors in my corporation."Drop the cases? I can’t make this decision on my own—it’s papa’s choice. And I wonder, is Pierce’s freedom really worth Marius’ financial security? "I’ll wait for papa to wake up and talk to him about that," I reply. Then, I bring up another issue, "About the agreement of making Archie the sole heir of your wealth, I’ll agree. I just need to convince Marius–"I stop when Pierce raises his hand. "There’s no need. I
Papa is awake now! He survived the poison! Marius and I sit beside papa. Papa looks weak, his face pale against the white sheets, but the doctor has reassured us that the mercury is completely out of his system. He just needs time to fully recover. I also take the chance to tell him everything that happened while he was unconscious—about Pierce, the chaos.Anger builds in his eyes as he says, “Pierce is a dangerous man, just like Carter. He shouldn’t be walking free among us.” Then his gaze softens as he shifts it towards Marius. “Son, you can invest in my corporation if you want.”Marius hesitates, before he can respond, “That was my plan. But I realized that if I do that, the consumers may boycott your companies because of me. I don’t want to take that risk.”Papa nods in understanding. “If that’s your decision, I respect it. But if you need me to invest in your new business venture, let me know.”Marius smiles. “I will. Thank you, Mr. Montgomery.”“Stop being too business-like. Ca
MARIUS’ POV: Dad is now in jail and can’t post bail, which is an awesome feeling. The lies about Carter have done enough damage, and at least some of the hatred against me and Hazel has lessened. But the public still can't forgive me for swapping two identities without their permission, and it’s terribly affecting my real estate business. The pre-selling condo units and house and lot projects have started with some promise, but the numbers of sales are much lower than I’ve anticipated. Every day, I try to stay optimistic, telling myself that once the high-rise buildings and the houses are finished, more potential buyers will show interest. But, the thing is, I’m running out of money. The loans from different banks are piling up too, and the thought of asking Hazel or dad, Mr. Montgomery, for financial help again makes my stomach churn. I’m trying so hard to prove myself and to provide the best future for my family, but now I wonder if I’m just sinking deeper into a hole I can ne
Awkwardly, I help Mei Zhou steady herself, before letting go. I then clear my throat, searching for an escape. "I have to go home now. My wife is waiting for me.” Mei Zhou forces a smile, her eyes still holding that unsettling look. "Sure. I'll have my driver take you home.” I only accept the ride back to the office where I left my car. Then I slide into my own car to continue the drive back home. Once home, I’m greeted by the comforting sight of Hazel sitting on the sofa in the living area with Sammy on her lap and Archie in the crib. She’s animatedly reading a children’s book. Sammy listens eagerly, while Archie stares up at her with a sweet smile, as if he’s really understanding every word. The scene makes my heart swell with warmth and love when suddenly, my phone rings. To my surprise, it’s Mei Zhou. How did she get my personal number? I hesitate, but eventually answer. -["Hi, Marius. I just called to let you know that I'm also inviting your wife to the party later."]-Th
HAZEL’S POV: I almost stumble down when I see Marius kissing his new ‘business partner.’ The scene hits me like a freight train, dragging up the old pain of Carter’s betrayal. I rush out of the venue, avoiding the inquiring stares of the other guests.In the car, Marius tries to explain himself. I see his lips moving, hear the sound of his voice, but none of his words reaches my comprehension. He reaches out to touch me, but I recoil, feeling only numbness where there should be warmth. Then, my tears start to fall.I try to convince myself that it’s just a mistake, that Marius will never cheat on me. But the more I repeat it in my mind, the less I believe it. We arrive home, and I still haven’t said a word to him, can’t even bring myself to look at him.I go straight to one of the guest rooms instead of our bedroom, and lock the door. Marius knocks, “Please Hazel. Let’s not end this day without resolving this.”But I ignore him. The pain is too much, and the tears won’t stop. Su
Marius spends the rest of his days in his office, avoiding me. He doesn’t kiss me, doesn’t speak to me. He calls the house from time to time, but not my own cell phone. So out of pride, I let the staff answer and relay his messages to me. The whole time he’s gone, I can’t help but to imagine him being intimate with Mei Zhou. It’s hard to eat, hard to even play with Sammy. My tears also come, and when I realize I’m crying, it’s already too late. It’s almost midnight when Marius finally returns home, and he’s drunk again. Only this time, he can stand on his own. We stare at each other, waiting defiantly on who’s to be the first to speak.In the end, I just turn away from him, and head toward the guest room again. He doesn’t follow, and I don’t want him to coz we’ll surely end up arguing.I don’t know how long we can keep this up, but I’m not ready to lower my pride, especially because I'm not the one at fault.The following day, I learn from one of the staff that Marius left the hous