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
I’m leaving Marius, and I’ll bring my sons with me! Papa's house is the first place that comes to mind as I pack our belongings. When we arrive, I explain everything to papa. He understands and welcomes us. And I’m grateful for his unwavering kindness. He tries to talk to me though. “Running away won't fix things. Eventually, you will have to face your problems.”I know that. But for now, I need space away from Marius.Marius keeps calling my phone, but I’m not picking up. He has probably found out already that we left.A moment later, the doorbell rings, and Marius steps in as the staff opens the door. "Hazel, don’t do this. Let’s talk," he begs, desperation on his face. I look away, trying to choose which of my distressful thoughts I'd like to address first."You said you were d.rugged by Nicole when your viral s.ex photos came out online. So you're unsure if something happened between you two," I say, my voice trembling with pain and anger. "And now, almost the same thing with
MEI’S POV: The news of Marius and his wife’s ‘rumored’ divorce circulates online and on TV like wildfire. Both of them aren’t making any public comments or announcements about it. And none of them has actually filed for it. I didn’t realize that this is gonna be this easy. Now, all I gotta do is make Marius forget her and love me instead. The first time I saw Marius was on TV a few years back when he won the divorce case of my friend against her wealthy, abusive husband. From that day on, I knew I liked him due to his intelligence, charisma and good looks. Unfortunately, my parents were so strict in making sure I finished my college in Beijing first before entering a romantic relationship. And when I graduated, I found out that Marius Thorne had already married one of his female clients. So, I stop chasing my dream of getting to know him. However,... When the opportunity presented itself to me, I gladly grabbed it. My friend told me about Marius’ struggling real estate busines