I refuse to talk to, or even see, Marius for now. I can't be swayed by his pleas and promises. I have to be smarter to protect myself from experiencing the darkness I’ve successfully escaped from Carter. I focus part of my time and energy on the Whitlock Corporation, which I now renamed SMW Corporations. Another part is devoted to my self care and my cosmetic business. But the majority of my attention is spent on Sammy. Sammy's recovery from leukemia is the best thing I can ever hope for, probably the only thing making me believe that fate is finally being fair to me. The doctor said that Sammy still needs to be monitored to ensure the cancer cells won't reactivate, but he’s now healthy and safe.A month passes so slowly, and I find myself missing Marius. But I try to endure, hoping that his absence will make me fall out of love with him.During the last month, Nicole kept making several appearances on TV, giggling in interviews about how excited she is about motherhood. It makes
My heart pounds with exhilaration, but I have to take control. I push myself away from Marius, breathless. Marius attempts to slam his lips onto mine again, but I step back, jerking my face away. “No,” I say firmly. “You need to handle your situation with Nicole first. I’ll try to wait for you, but only when you’re truly ready.” Marius' face falls, his eyes filled with anguish. “But I can’t live another day without you and Sammy by my side.” My heart twists at his words, but I can’t give in. “I’m done living a stressful life. I won’t let you into my life again unless you settle your personal issues.” As I hop into the driver seat of my car, I glance back at Marius, who’s now staring blankly at a distant point, pacing back and forth. A sudden wave of fear crashes over me, bringing back the memory of the last time I left him like this—Marius was in a car accident, almost losing his life.I can’t let that happen again!Taking a deep breath, I call out, “Marius, let me give you a
POSITIVE. That’s what the pregnancy test shows. Conflicting emotions all tangle together in my chest. This is a blessing, but the timing can’t be worse. My relationship with Marius is hanging by a thread. I can't tell anyone about this just yet. Not when everything is so uncertain. So I tear the pregnancy test apart before flushing the pieces down the toilet. But how long can I keep this secret? I’ve always been in the public eye after becoming a Montgomery and acquiring the SMW Corporations. Everyone will soon notice my growing belly. I walk toward the garden, and my heart lights up as I see Sammy with papa by his side. They’re both smiling and giggling, completely lost in their game. But when papa notices my presence, he turns serious. "Tonight, Pierce Thorne will celebrate his 60th birthday. He personally invited us,” he says. My smile falters. Pierce only wants us there to flaunt his connections to the entire country. Plus, Betty, Marius, and possibly Nicole will be
The kiss between me and Marius has become an instant viral sensation on both the social and the mainstream media overnight. It overshadows Pierce’s birthday celebration, turning all attention to us. But it isn’t just me and Marius who are the talk of the town. Nicole, too, makes sure to stay in the spotlight. Nicole launches a self-pity campaign, giving interviews after interviews about how Marius used her and filled her with false promises, and how I stress her into miscarrying. But I refuse to let it bother me. Nicole doesn’t deserve my attention anymore. I’m happy, and that’s what matters.I stare at my finger, where the engagement ring Marius has put back on me last night sparkles. Now that I have accepted Marius' marriage proposal for the third time, I have to stick with it this time. I can’t just keep on changing my mind everytime an unfavorable circumstance happens.As for my pregnancy, I haven’t told Marius yet. But I will when I see him later today.Marius comes to visit m
“My baby,” I mumble as soon as I wake up on a hospital bed. My hand instinctively moves to my stomach, terrified that I may have lost my baby again. "The baby is safe," the doctor says.Relief washes over me, tears filling my eyes.Then, my gaze shifts to Marius, who’s sitting beside me. He’s smiling, but his eyes are shiny with unshed tears. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "I should have told you about my pregnancy sooner. I was just trying to find the right moment."Marius presses a tender kiss to the back of my hand. "It's okay. I understand. I’m just so thankful, so happy. This is amazing news, Hazel. This time, I won’t let anything bad happen to our baby."I smile as I press my lips on Marius’ lips. “Me either.”After I’m discharged from the hospital, Marius immediately places an indefinite restraining order against Nicole, who has become the center of media scrutiny. Marius is also ready to file a case against her, but Nicole’s parents beg him not to, promising to send Nicole out of
Mrs. Marius Thorne. I giggle at the thought as I look at Marius and my wedding portrait hanging on the wall of our new home. Our house isn’t as big or as luxurious as the houses of our parents, but that’s how I want it. We also have our own staff and bodyguards living with us to make us comfortable and safe. For the time being, Marius refuses to take on more divorce cases, insisting on spending time with me and Sammy, and to also help me plan our honeymoon abroad. Everything seems perfect. Almost too perfect.Then the doorbell rings, and unexpected and unwanted guests come in without me offering it - Imelda and Freddie, my former adoptive parents; and their son, Michael.My brow furrows in disbelief.How did they know where my new home is? Actually, the more important question is,..“How did you get out of jail?” I ask.Imelda beams, “Michael found a way to pay our bails.”My eyes dart to Michael, who’s also eerily beaming at me. He’s just a student. There’s no way he could have
One by one, my business partners are pulling out their investments from SMW Corporations. If this continues, it’ll go bankrupt. It feels like Carter’s ghost is haunting me, throwing back at me what I’ve done to him. I try to talk things through with my investors, to convince them to stay, but they refuse. Until, one of them finally admits the truth. -[“Pierce Thorne convinced us to pull out, which only makes sense since the company’s sales are struggling.”]- So, this isn’t just business; this is personal.When Marius finds out, his fury is immediate and intense. He quickly calls his father“Dad, my wife is pregnant with your grandchild! And you’re stressing her out so much!” He growls.Marius then hurls his phone, and it crashes against the wall. I rush towards Marius, and wrap my arms around him from behind. Marius tenses at first, then slowly relaxes. “We’ve been through so much,” I whisper. “This isn’t enough to defeat us now.”Marius turns around, and places his hands on my
Our family conflict has to stop before it becomes irretrievable. And I’m willing to bend down just this once to fix our issues. I decide to host a small gathering to celebrate Archie’s birth. Our backyard is the perfect setting, cozy and intimate. I invite only a few friends and our parents, hoping this will be a step toward healing the rift in the family. It’s a risk, but I wanna try.When I first suggested the idea, Marius wasn’t too keen. He knew his father well. “Dad won’t lower his pride to anyone, especially if he feels he was humiliated,” he said. But after my insistence, he eventually agreed. He wanted to make me happy, even if he wasn’t convinced it would work.The gathering starts off well. Many of our friends, mostly Marius’, are delighted to meet Archie. Even Sammy is thrilled, staying close to his baby brother, his little hand often reaching out to touch his tiny fingers.But at the edge of the celebration, Betty and Pierce sit apart. They barely interact with anyone
Being the world’s richest and powerful couple is an honor, but comes with it the burden of attracting possible new jealous and evil individuals. To prepare for this, Marius and I put the country’s Chief of police and the General of the army on our payroll in exchange for their protection of our family’s well-being. Additionally, we befriend some politicians here and abroad by funding their projects and election campaigns. We also keep our contact with the hacker and the cosmetic artist. Though we’re not yet needing their help again, we’re sending them and their families’ gifts every once in a while - a way to show our appreciation for the skills and to keep them loyal to us. Everything is going well. Except,... My relationships with my former and my current mothers-in-law. They remain adamant in forgetting our pasts. Even so, we maintain our respect for each other unlike before. Plus, they always visit their grandchildren to spend some time with them. “Elmyra,” I begin, trying to
Charles Guo Committed S.uicide Behind Bars! - That’s the headline of every news outlet. I’m shocked that he’d do this to himself. But to make sure that this isn’t just a lie so that he can escape jail, I head to the morgue myself. And there he is - white and cold, with a chain mark on his neck. There’s a little guilt in me, but there’s also a huge relief. Suzy and the others who vouched for him in the courtroom are now in jail for lying, awaiting their trials. The second DNA results of Rain and his grandparents turn out to be positive, and the one Suzy presented to the court is proven to be fabricated. This, hiding Rain’s father’s death from the law, and hiring my former bodyguards to become their spies and kill my family, add to the charges she’ll be facing, making it difficult for her to pose bail. “P-please, Hazel… I’m sorry I chose my husband over you. He threatened me, that’s why I have no choice,” she cries, clutching the bars of her cell.I raise an eyebrow. “You didn’t
My tears continue to cascade from my eyes, as I chase after Marius, who’s on a stretcher and being rushed to the emergency room. “Ma’am, you can’t enter,” the doctor says as she shuts the door in my face. I sink to my knees and clutches my tightening chest. Oh God! Please, save Marius! Don’t take him from me! Hours pass, but the emergency doors remain closed. There’s no update about Marius’ situation so far. Betty has arrived too, panicking and sobbing, which only makes me even more apprehensive. The nurses help her to calm down by giving her some medications. Then I sit beside her, hoping to give and get comfort. But,... “If I lose my son too, I will kill myself, and will blame my death on you,” she says, coldly. I stop myself from responding. This isn’t the right time and place to argue. Finally, the doctor steps out of the emergency room, his expression grave. “The patient is in a coma and will be under monitoring. The bullet has pierced through his left lung, but it’s
A week has lapsed,...And finally, the judgment day has arrived! Will fate back us up? Or will it vouch for Charles instead? Inside the courtroom, Charles looks calm, a complete turnaround from how he was when he’s in our basement. Sitting on the bench behind him is Amber, Rain and Suzy. I saw those three earlier, arriving separately. The media were all over them, throwing questions about the scandal surrounding their family’s odd relationships. They ignored them. And just like Charles, they all look calmer than how I was expecting them to be. When the trial begins, the first case that’s discussed is the m.urder of Rain’s biological father. Rain’s grandparents get on the witness stand. Their emotions rise as they state how they remember their son when he was still alive. “He just suddenly came home one day with groceries and shopping bags that we knew he can’t afford, given the salary he’s getting in Mr. Guo’s factory,” the father says. “Soon, he brought us a brand new house
HAZEL’S POV: It’s proven that Amber Stark can’t be trusted. But, what about Suzy and Rain Guo, will they side with me and Marius? Marius and I, disguised as Crystal and Chris, meet Suzy and Rain in a high-end cafe. “Give us the list of Charles’ illegal businesses, and we promise that all of his wealth will be yours,” I say. Suzy responds, “Believe it or not, my husband doesn’t have any illegal businesses, so there’s no way you can lawfully freeze his access to his wealth.” It seems like we can’t trust these two as well. If only our hacker can find these pieces of information, then we won’t need to bargain with them. But our hacker has limitations too. Suddenly, Suzy’s aura shifts! “However, I can give you the identity of Rain’s biological father. You can use his death against Charles,” she says. That’s a help, but that's not enough to freeze Charles’ assets. Charles may still be able to utilize his wealth to manipulate the authorities. After giving us the details of Rain’s
AMBER’S POV: Crystal Wu’s offer is tempting, but she and her husband can’t be trusted. Plus, Charles won’t be defeated that easily. I call Charles through my phone since he hasn’t come back home yet. When he picks up, he sounds a little more enthusiastic than usual. Even when he’s celebrating something huge, he isn’t like this. “Weird,” I murmur, then continue with a clearer voice. “Be careful. Crystal Wu is planning to destroy your finances, and she’s trying to use me against you.” His enthusiasm doesn’t falter. -[“I’ll be careful. Thanks for letting me know.”]- He then drops the call, and I can’t reconnect with him when I try to call him again. Frustrated, I send her a text message: -[Where are you anyway? I need s.ex!]- But, there’s no reply. I meet Rain and Suzy, who are having their lunch in the dining area. Then I tell them about Crystal Wu’s scheme. “She wants me to know all Charles’ illegal businesses, so the government can freeze all of his wealth just like what hap
HAZEL’S POV: It’s not easy to harden our hearts, but Marius and I must do it if we don’t want our enemies to get the better of us again. We already got access to our bodyguards’ and house staff’s past and current call and text message logs, and we identified five Guo’s spies in total. To stop them from continuously betraying us, we target their weaknesses - their loved ones. We gathered the traitors inside the study, and took their phones and their weapons. At first they’re confused until we explained why.“You’re spies of Charles Guo and you’ll pay for that big time,” Marius said coldly.Stunned, their faces paled and their bodies clenched. But none dared to deny it.“We have your family members, hidden in a place where you can’t contact or see them. If you want them to stay safe, you must follow every single thing we’ll demand from you,” I added with equal coldness.Alarmed, they tremble. One of them even kneeled down and begged,“Please, my family has nothing to do with my bet
“Take off all the CCTVs now!” I roar. Frantically, the maids and the bodyguards uninstall all the CCTVs in every corner of my estate. It may lessen the safety of my home, but I can’t risk giving my enemies more of our privacy! Once they’re done, I turn to Suzy and clutches her shoulders furiously.“I didn’t realize that there’s CCTV in that hospital room!” Suzy explains, trembling in fear. “Regardless! You shouldn’t have told the Thornes about our family’s affair!” I hiss, before pushing her onto the sofa. Then I turn to Amber, who’s fearfully hiding behind Rain. I wanna lash out at her too, but I stop myself. Even I didn't think that the CCTVs in my home used for our safety would be hacked to shove us into danger.Over the next few days, the mainstream and social media explode with news about our unconventional family relationships. We have become the laughing stock of the entire country. I can’t get out of my estate out of humiliation, can’t even accept an interview or a new
CHARLES’ POV: There’s nothing! Crystal and Chris Wu’s cellphones can’t provide anything that’ll connect them to Marius and Hazel Thorne! I turn to Rain and ask, “Are you sure you don’t know them?” Rain replies, “They invested one billion dollars to my new business venture, but I don’t know them personally. And I also don’t remember ever inviting them to my prenuptial party.” Irritation courses through me. “You’re so s.tupid to not meet your investors in person! I’m not gonna be surprised why until now you can’t build connections on your own!” “And now we can’t be sure if we can trust those two or not!” Rain shrugs, unbothered in showing his disinterest. I can’t believe that I’m squandering so much wealth for this d.umbass! If only I’m able to produce my own son, I would never let him exist! Amber approaches me and seductively rubs her palms across my chest area. “Honey, I’m scared. Everybody is talking about us now. Shall we just confess our affair?” she asks without any hin