Empty. That’s what the hallway is, provoking my heart to hammer against my chest. Marius pulls me inside our suite and locks the door."Someone may have mistaken our suite for theirs," Marius says.Though I hope he’s right, there’s a nagging feeling that refuses to loosen its grip on me. I try to steel myself, reminding myself that I’m here to unwind, not to be more distressed.When Sammy finally wakes up, I throw myself into the rest of the day's activities, determined to shake off the unease.We head to Tokyo Disneyland. A giddy sense of wonder rushes through me as Sammy squeals with delight on the rides. I feel like a child again, experiencing something I’ve never known. My adoptive parents always left me behind during their vacations only taking their biological son with them, claiming I needed to focus on my studies for a better future, even during summer breaks. Now that I’m a mother, I’m grateful that Sammy can experience this, to have fun and create memories that’ll fill
My heart pounds in my chest as the dreamlike haze refuses to lift. No, this isn't a nightmare; it’s a horrifying reality! Carter is still alive! B-but, how did he survive such an explosion?!Desperation surges through me as I writhe against Carter’s iron hold, my muffled cries for Marius turning into silent prayers."You're mine, so is Sammy. No one can ever have you,” he hisses. As Carter attempts to lift me from the bed, I manage to loosen his hand just enough to scream, "Marius!" Marius stirs. The moment he comprehends the scene before him, his eyes widen in alarm. Quickly, Carter releases me and lunges at him. And the room erupts into chaos as they clash.My first instinct is to protect Sammy, so I dart to his bed, scooping him up into my arms. Sammy wakes up then wails, prompting me to hold him tighter.For a moment, I just watch Marius in horror, can’t think of anything to do to help him.I can't just stand here! I have to do something!I bolt towards the telephone on the be
CARTER’S POV: Sammy’s babysitters stand fearfully and guilty at the edge of the room. "Hazel has probably read my love letter to her by now. Bring her to me too, and I'll give your families back to you,” I say.Without words, the babysitters hurry out of my ‘hideout’ to fulfill my demand.I turn my attention to Sammy who makes my heart swell with love and joy. His initial fear of my scarred appearance fades away, replaced by the familiar giggles and playful energy we once shared. The thoughts of Marius, having this moment, ignites a smoldering anger within me. He has no right to act like Sammy’s father. It’s only my right alone.My family will be complete again, and I’ll help Hazel rebuild my… I mean, our company.I kiss Sammy’s forehead, then whispers, "You'll see your mother soon, and we'll be very happy."I gently lay Sammy down on my bed as he drifts to sleep, covering him with a blanket. He’s my carbon copy; every contour of his face is me. But when I look at myself in the cr
MARIUS’ POV: This has to be the place. Standing outside Carter and Hazel’s old apartment door, I glance over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of the undercover officers and my disguised bodyguards as passersby. When they give me the signal, I knock on the door. I wait, straining to hear any sign of movement from within. But there’s nothing. The babysitters are possibly being cautious. Or possibly Carter is inside, holding them hostage. The lock requires both a password and biometrics, so I’m left with kicking the door with all my might to get in. It swings open after several kicks, slamming against the wall with a resounding thud.I rush inside. The officers and my bodyguards follow suit. But it’s empty. There’s no sign of anyone having been here recently.“Damn it,” I hiss, fists clenching.Did I make a mistake? Carter has several apartments, but this is the only one he allowed Hazel to use during their marriage. “We’ll check the security footage, see if we can find any clues a
HAZEL’S POV: It's time to go and save my Sammy! I wait until I’m certain Marius and papa are gone. Then, I open my eyes and spit out the sedative pills I’ve hidden beneath my tongue. The babysitters’ surrender is a ruse, orchestrated by Carter to lure Marius and papa away from me. That’s written as my instruction on how to get to him at the back of the note I found in Sammy’s crib. I consider telling Marius and papa the truth, but I’m scared that if I do, Carter will find out before we can capture him. I can’t risk the possibility of never seeing my Sammy again. The mansion is full of bodyguards and staff, all under strict orders to keep me safe, but contained. So I have to be very careful with my every move. Slipping out of the bedroom, I navigate the corridors, avoiding the main areas where the bodyguards and staff will be most vigilant. I then make my way to the back door where I spot one of the bodyguards’ cars. Its heavily tinted windows provide the perfect cover. I hop i
There’s nobody to blame here, but me! I let my desperation cloud my judgment. But dealing with my mistakes won’t do me any good. What I need now is to find a way out! Sitting in front of a vanity mirror, I can’t control my tears from streaming down my face. The makeup artist sighs loudly, her patience wearing thin. "Just because I'm cashing out a big payment for this, doesn't mean you have the right to make my job harder."My hands clench in my lap, and hiss back, "Then leave me alone! If you don't, I may do something to you that you'll regret!"The makeup artist falters. "I-I can't. J-just let me do my job, and be done with it."My eyes suddenly land on the makeup artist's phone, placed on the bedside table. And an idea crops up in my mind. I abruptly sit up, and begin hurling objects around the room in a fit of rage. Perfume bottles, brushes, and even flower vases flow through the air, clattering against the floor.When I’m close enough, I snatch the phone and quickly hide it in
No matter how much I despise him, I can't bring myself to kill him! Carter is stunned, staring at me. I fired the shot, but it went past him, hitting the wall behind him. And I hate myself for leaving him unscathed when I already had the chance to end it all for good!I collapse to the floor, tears streaming down my face. The thought of Sammy flashes in my mind. If I don't have him, I may have taken my own life to escape this torment instead!Carter slowly kneels down beside me, his expression softening. He then gently takes the gun from my trembling hands. I flinch at his touch but am too drained to even resist.Then Carter wraps his arms around me, whispering in my ear, "Thank you, and I'm sorry."Though he sounds genuine, his words are meaningless if he continues to keep me and Sammy as his prisoners.Carter scoops me into his arms and carries me upstairs to my bedroom. "I need some time alone. Leave," I say, not looking him in the eyes.Without argument, he leaves.I curl up
I refuse to speak, let alone glance at any of the Whitlocks' faces. It makes my stomach churns to pretend that I’m happy being around them.Sammy has already been taken to his room by the maids. I attempt to excuse myself from the dining table to be with Sammy, but Elmyra…"Please, Hazel, join us," she insists with a brittle smile.I can only sigh, I’m too exhausted to argue. I’m not in need of welcoming anything that’ll only drain my little-to-nothing strength, so I stay. Surprisingly, Elmyra proactively cooks the dinner. I’ve never seen her near the stove or even touch any kitchen utensils before. I hope the meal will taste as bad as her attitude, so Reeve and Carter won't enjoy it.Elmyra sets the pot of the beef stew on the table with that same brittle smile she’s been wearing since arriving here, which irritates me. Her fakeness continues as she first and only serves me, letting the men scoop their own portions. As we eat, Elmyra turns to Carter. "I’m so happy you’re alive, C
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