Samantha left the hospital room and called Stefan, "Hey Ste, how's Wanda doing?""She's been sent home. I've taken care of the online comments, and once things calm down, I'll take her out for a bit.""Good to hear. Lately, it seems like everyone's been in the hospital.""Who else is in?""Millie. She had surgery, and it sounds pretty serious. It's a shame. Pierce hasn't done anything for her; he just left her at the hospital. She didn't even tell her family and only hired a caregiver. I felt so bad for her, so I went to visit.""What kind of surgery? Is it serious?" Stefan sounded worried."I don't know. She won't say, and I didn't want to push her. It seems pretty serious. Ste, maybe you should go visit her. Millie had been with you for three years. Even if she didn't do much, she worked hard. Now, she probably really needs someone there with her.""If Wanda finds out…""Wanda would understand. She'd want you to go see Millie. Honestly, you and Wanda owe Millie. She's in this
Wanda took a long time to reply, and Samantha saw the screen was stuck on "Typing…"Finally, Wanda sent a short message, "I believe Stefan won't be fooled by her." Samantha rolled her eyes at the screen. It was typical of Wanda to avoid direct confrontation and keep her cool. But Samantha didn't care. As long as Wanda knew what was happening, Millie would face trouble later.Samantha didn't reply but called Pierce instead, "Pierce, where are you?""I'm almost at the hospital. What's up?""Wait for me at the entrance. I'll come find you."Samantha quickly went downstairs and soon saw Pierce's car.Pierce had gone back to the villa to get some food, thinking Millie might not like the bland hospital meals.Even if the food had to be plain, it should still be tasty and healthy.Just as Pierce was about to go upstairs, Samantha stopped him, "Pierce… I need something. Can you get me some sanitary pads?"Pierce frowned. "If you're in so much pain, maybe you should just go home and
"Pierce, just pretend you didn't see anything and don't tell Millie you were here. I'm trying to get on better terms with her. If she finds out, she might not trust me anymore," Samantha said, sounding worried."Don't worry, I won't tell her," Pierce replied."Let's go before Millie sees us," Samantha said, pulling Pierce out of the room and talking as they walked."When a girl is sick, she feels weak and upset. Millie and Ste were close for three years, so it makes sense she'd call him first when she's in pain," Samantha said, trying to explain."Millie called Stefan first?" Pierce asked, stopping."Yeah. The doctor checked her wound, and it seemed to be getting worse. She was in so much pain she meant to call you, but somehow called Ste instead," Samantha explained.Samantha told her lie unblinkingly. Pierce, who was good at reading people, looked at her closely. Her eyes seemed sincere, and it was hard for him not to believe her.Samantha was right; three years of dating wasn
"Why are you here?" Millie asked, frowning when she saw Samantha."I came to check on you. Pierce is busy with work and couldn't come," Samantha chirped."How do you know?""Pierce told me. Didn't he let you know? It's fine, though. I'm here to see you."Samantha's happy tone annoyed Millie."Pierce should have come to see you, even if he's busy. You just had surgery. I told him he should come.""No need. I can manage by myself," Millie said firmly."I'm going to sleep now. If you're okay, you can leave.""Alright, I'll come back and see you tomorrow morning."Samantha left with a satisfied smile, clearly pleased with herself.…The next morning, Millie woke up and saw Julian sitting next to her bed."Julian, what are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.She tried to sit up, but it hurt because of her wound, and she winced in pain."Don't move around," Julian said quickly, speaking gently. "Just stay still.""I was worried when you didn't come to the studio yesterday,"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? Don't you have something to say to me?"Millie felt confident; she had nothing to hide. But Pierce? Would he admit what was going on with himself, along with Samantha's attitude?Pierce pressed his lips together, refusing to admit he had visited yesterday, let alone bring her a meal.While she was here enjoying Julian's chicken soup, savoring every drop, she had no idea how disappointed Pierce felt when he left yesterday."I've got nothing to hide. Nothing to say," Pierce said.Millie almost lost it. Nothing to hide? Yeah, right.She suddenly didn't want to see him anymore."Just go. I don't need you here," Millie said, not hiding her anger."Yeah, you've got plenty of people to take care of you," Pierce replied coldly."That's right, I do. So why would I need you?" Millie snapped, getting more upset as she thought about how he didn't show up at all yesterday.Any good friend would've come right away. Even Stefan, who was usually heartless, ca
"Why?" Julian shouted, grabbing Pierce by the collar."You knew I liked her. Why did you go after her and take her away from me?" Julian was furious."You've got it wrong," Pierce said calmly. "We were married before you even showed interest in her. You're the one who was chasing after my wife.""Then why didn't you tell me right away? Was this just a game to you?" Julian's voice shook with frustration."I'm sorry," Pierce said. "Because our marriage was private, we couldn't tell anyone. I tried to warn you that she wasn't available. I told you she was already married."Julian was shocked. He had thought Pierce was just being biased before, and he didn't realize it meant they were actually married.Millie had never given him hope, and then she admitted she was with someone else. It was his own fault—he had been fooling himself.Julian's face was full of frustration, but he quickly calmed down.He took a deep breath and said, "I'm too late. I give up. I won't bother you while yo
Staying any longer might lead to more problems."You came at an inconvenient time. I'm about to head for a check-up, and you've seen enough. Please leave…"Millie was trying to get Stefan to leave when Wanda walked in and stopped her.Millie thought Wanda would make a fuss, but instead, Wanda came in with a bunch of expensive supplements and was really nice."Wanda… let me explain," Stefan said, sounding worried.He felt a bit awkward. Even though he felt he had good intentions, he thought maybe he shouldn't be there.Wanda just smiled and seemed fine with everything."You should have told me you were coming to see Millie," Wanda said kindly. "I care about her too. I wouldn't have stopped you; I would have come with you to visit her.""Are you okay?" Wanda asked Millie. "If I hadn't been picking up Stefan, I wouldn't have found out he was here visiting you. Both Stefan and I are worried about you. We want you to get better so we can all relax.""Yeah, if you're okay, then Wand
"Can anybody really help me with this?" Millie wondered.Pierce helped her into the bathroom and started to pull down her pants."No, no, you don't need to do that!" Millie said, feeling embarrassed."Your cut is on your lower stomach. Bending over will hurt. Let me help you. Besides, given what we've been through, there's no need to be shy," Pierce said with a slight smile.Even though Pierce was right—they had been through so much together, from him helping her after she lost her virginity to her assisting him with his needs—Millie still felt a deep sense of shame."If you're embarrassed, just close your eyes. Remember, you helped me when I was hurt," Pierce said gently."I… I'll do it myself," Millie said, trying to be independent despite the pain.Her face was bright red with embarrassment. Even though she kept telling Pierce to leave, he wouldn't budge. "I can't leave. What if you fall and hurt yourself?" Millie was frustrated and finally gave up.Pierce smirked as he
"Someone's been killed!" The crowd that had gathered outside to watch the commotion panicked, screaming and scattering in all directions. In the chaos, a stampede broke out as people trampled over each other in their desperate attempt to flee.Millie reacted first, grabbing Sharon's hand and trying to pull her away. But before they could move, a cold and threatening voice rang out behind them, "Stand where you are! I'll kill anyone who dares to move!"The entire room froze in fear. Everyone stood still, trembling all over.Wanda's face turned pale as she tightly clutched Samantha's hand. In a quivering voice, she whispered, "Samantha, what do we do? Guns… They have guns!""Don't panic. They won't dare to kill us," Samantha replied, trying to feign calmness. "My brother is Pierce Atkinson of Atkinson Group, and her husband is Stefan Leach of Leach Group. You're only here for money, right? Just name your price. Don't kill us."The man with the gun sneered. "Mrs. Leach? I've heard
"Millie, you're the real MVP here. If it weren't for you, Pierce wouldn't care whether I lived or died. That's why I'm treating you to dinner today. I made a reservation at a Michelin restaurant to properly thank you," Sharon said with enthusiasm."Alright, I'm on my way," Millie replied.Sharon was always mindful of boundaries. She wouldn't get close to her best friend's husband, not even by association.When Millie arrived at the mall, she called Sharon. However, Sharon didn't answer her phone. Just as Millie was about to redial, she noticed a crowd gathered around a jewelry store nearby. Among the voices, she suddenly heard Sharon's."It wasn't me! I didn't even touch her bag. You've got the wrong person!" Sharon shouted.Millie rushed over and found her being restrained by none other than Wanda and Samantha.Samantha was gripping Sharon's arm, refusing to let her leave. She kept yelling loudly that Sharon had knocked over Wanda's bag and caused an expensive emerald bracelet
Millie looked at Pierce and couldn't help but lament on missing out on the perfect "genetic material".Meanwhile, Pierce's face remained cold. "Millie, once bitten, twice shy. You're the most spineless person I've ever met. "Get out. I don't need you to take care of me."Left with no choice, Millie slinked out of the room, feeling defeated. Then, she called Tobias and asked him to look after Pierce instead.After that, she called Sharon to report her failed plan.Sharon exclaimed over the phone, "What? I can't believe that he didn't touch you even after all that. Is there something wrong with his brain? I mean, I understand that he's a righteous man, but this is over the top!"Millie sighed and replied, "I don't get it either, but I'll respect his principles. Anyway… how does one apply for a donor from a sperm bank?""Are you really going for it?" Sharon inquisitively asked."I just want to look into it. Pierce and I have been married for nearly four months, and in another eig
Blood gushed from the wound, staining Pierce's gray trousers a darker shade as it spread. "Pierce? Pierce!" Millie's voice grew sharper as she rushed toward him. Pierce's face had turned noticeably pale as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His body burned with unfulfilled desire, yet the intense pain sent waves of cold through him. The alternating heat and cold left him drenched in sweat. "What are you doing?" Millie asked, her voice trembling. "You've underestimated me," Pierce said, freeing one hand to firmly grasp her chin. "This is my final warning—either you stay by my side wholeheartedly and become Mrs. Atkinson for life, or stop provoking me. The cost of toying with me is not something you can afford." "Pierce, I'm sorry… Please don't hurt yourself anymore," Millie pleaded. "I told you, that drug won't kill me," Pierce said through clenched teeth. The pain in his leg wasn't enough. Though the agony momentarily suppressed his desire, it surged back wit
When Pierce said those words, he raised an eyebrow, exuding a devilish charm that was impossible to resist. Millie couldn't help but think that if he hadn't chosen the path of righteousness, he would have been the most evil villain.Pierce was the type to be either wholly good or entirely wicked.Before long, not a drop of wine was left in the carafe.Millie's heart raced with uneasiness. She was unsure of what Pierce's unpredictable behavior meant. He had known about her plan, so why did he still drink the wine?When Pierce stood up, the effects of the drug kicked in immediately. His whole body radiated heat, and his gaze turned hazy. Those strikingly captivating upturned eyes now seemed to be filled with unrestrained passion. Millie, who hadn't even drunk any wine, felt an intoxicating dizziness just from meeting his gaze."Take me to the bedroom," Pierce murmured. His voice put an inexplicable hold on Millie. She couldn't resist and just did as he said, stepping forwa
The title on the cover was: "Sperm Procurement Plan". As Pierce skimmed the document, he saw two options stated—Plan A: Natural conception; and Plan B: Sperm donation and IVF.The document stated that from the moment Millie conceived, the child would have nothing to do with him. His child wouldn't have a share of any inheritance, appear before him, take his last name, or call him "Dad"."Millie…" Pierce silently clenched his fists and uttered Millie's name through gritted teeth.At that moment, Tobias decided to slip away, albeit he did so awkwardly. Even he thought that Millie had gone too far this time. How did she even come up with something as outrageous as to keep her child but not her husband? What did she take Pierce for?In fact, Tobias was very puzzled as to why Millie was always so keen to get divorced.…Sharon stayed at the villa for three days before Pierce arranged a new place for her. It was even better than her previous dwelling, with ten years of rent paid up
"You know, they say men in their 30s have intense physical needs. Pierce is about 27 or 28, so he's at the peak of his needs. If he's not getting some at home and not sneaking around outside, how much frustration must he be bottling up? Has he been handling it all by himself?" Sharon wondered aloud.Millie choked on the water she was sipping.Sharon pressed on, "Doesn't he have any desires? And what about you? Don't you want him? Aren't you tempted by his body?"Millie's face turned bright red. "What are you talking about? I've realized that men are the most unreliable things on earth. We can only rely on ourselves.""You're not wrong there," Sharon began. "Men are indeed unreliable. But what about children who share your blood? Since you don't trust men, why not keep the child but not the man? You can have a child of your own."Just look at Pierce—his height, looks, intelligence, and character are all top-notch. His sperm quality is probably impeccable! Life drags on and gets lon
"We're best friends, Sharon. Don't worry about troubling me," Millie said.The commotion outside had quieted down. Millie wanted to open the door and take a look, but Pierce lightly knocked on it before she could do so."It's a bit of a bloody scene outside. I've got to say it's not a pretty sight. I'll have it cleaned up first. You can come out later, okay?" he said."Alright. Are you okay?" Millie asked."I'm okay," Pierce responded.Millie finally breathed a sigh of relief."What's this? Were you worried about him?" Sharon suddenly teased, leaning over.Millie quickly denied it. "Of course not! It's just that he came here because of me. If he got hurt, I'd feel guilty.""To be honest, Pierce seems to care about you a lot. He got here so fast. That's the main reason I called you. Isn't he so much better than Stefan?" Sharon praised."They're all the same—neither of them is any good," Millie replied in exasperation.Soon, Pierce called them from outside. Everything had been
"The gun can't kill anyone! It can only cause minor injuries." Someone had figured out that the gun was a deception.Millie had gotten the gun from Thomas. If it could severely injure people, they would all be arrested by the police."Millie, you should go…" Sharon said. Then, she lunged forward and hugged the bodyguard at the front, wanting to buy Millie some time to escape. However, the door was locked from the outside and couldn't be opened in a short time. Besides, Sharon had a small physique too and couldn't buy that much more time for Millie.When Millie saw that the bodyguard was about to hit Sharon on the spine with his elbow, Millie's heart raced. She quickly rushed over to the bodyguard and blocked him from hitting Sharon with her arm.Suddenly, there was a cracking sound, and Millie's face paled in pain. For a moment, she didn't know if she had a fracture or a dislocation. Either way, her right arm was limp and numb. Was her arm crippled now?"What are you waiti