Hazel’s blue eyes looked deep into Harden’s hazel ones, trying hard to see if he was going to lie. She knew how much he wanted her to stay away from Alex—she wanted that too—but if something bad happened to him, she wasn’t sure her fragile heart could handle it anymore.“Harden, is it about Alex?” she asked again, but this time, worry laced her words.“No… not really. There was an explosion in New York. I don’t want you seeing it and getting worried. You’re pregnant, and the doctor said your hormones aren’t stable. If you get too emotional, “you might lose the baby.”Hazel cut in, chuckling. “I understand, Harden,” she sighed, feeling relieved that it had nothing to do with Alex.“Come, let’s take a walk,” Harden said, causing Hazel to smile.“First, give me my phone,” she said. Harden handed it to her, though he was still worried she might search for news and find out what was really happening. He feared losing her again, knowing she was still madly in love with Alex.Hazel smiled,
The doctor and butler Thomas stood looking at Alex, unable to read his emotions—whether he was upset or indifferent. They watched him scoff as he stared out from the balcony for a few minutes. Then, with an expressionless face, he turned to them.“Take the body to the morgue. My assistant will send your payment for your services. Thomas, inform the subordinates. The funeral will be held this weekend,” he said, relaxing back onto the couch. Both men nodded and left Alex’s room.On their way downstairs, the doctor stopped butler Thomas.“If I may ask, what transpired between Mr. McCollum and his father for him to act so indifferent to his death?” the doctor asked, and Thomas sighed, glancing upstairs.“It’s a family matter. I can’t say,” he replied, and the doctor nodded.“I see,” the doctor said, leaving the mansion while Thomas walked toward the mansion phone.He dialed a number and held the receiver to his ear.“Hello, this is Alex McCollum’s mansion. I’m calling to announce the deat
The doctor hesitated, his eyes darting between Simon, Kayla, and the butler. Finally, after a heavy sigh, he spoke. “I sold him poison,” he confessed. The room fell into a stunned silence. Kayla’s face turned pale, her hand trembling slightly as she tried to comprehend what she had just heard. “What?!” Simon and Kayla both exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with disbelief. “You… sold him poison?” Simon repeated, his brow furrowed in confusion and anger. “Are you saying Gerald McCollum poisoned himself?” The doctor nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “Yes, it was immediate. It was not a slow-acting poison. He wanted to die right away, because he knew his time was limited. He said it was better than suffering a long, drawn-out illness,” the doctor explained, his voice heavy with guilt. Kayla’s legs felt weak as she leaned against the desk for support. “Why didn’t anyone know? Why didn’t he tell us?” she whispered, her voice breaking. Simon clenched his fists, h
The door to the detention room opened, and Martha turned to see two detectives walking in. “Take her away,” one of them said to his colleague, who approached Martha with two officers. “What? I didn’t admit to anything! You can’t—” “You’ll wait for your lawyer in jail,” the detective said, gathering all the documents and leaving while Martha struggled to free herself. Imagining herself in an orange jumpsuit, Martha couldn’t take it. In a desperate move, she grabbed the officer’s gun from his holster as they tried to take her away. “Madam, don’t do something you’ll regret,” the detective warned, watching her carefully. “I want my lawyer!” she demanded, pointing the gun at her own side. “Madam, don’t—” “My lawyer! I’m not going to jail!” she screamed, her anger rising as the detective sighed. “Your lawyer will fight for your innocence while you await trial, ma—” A gunshot rang out, and the room fell silent. The hallway was silent for a few seconds before the detective immediate
Simon, who saw the doctor leave hurriedly, rushed upstairs to deliver the news about Martha that he had received from the detective. As he opened the door, he saw Alex in his vulnerable state, shaking and murmuring. “Shit,” Simon cursed under his breath. The last time he remembered Alex having an attack, he couldn’t come out of it, even with his medication, until his wife helped him… Simon quickly moved to Alex’s side, cautious yet determined. He had seen Alex like this before, in a state of inner turmoil, fighting against his own mind. Memories of the last time surfaced—how it took hours before Alex calmed down, and only with Hazel’s help. Now, without her, Simon feared this episode could escalate. “Boss, you have to focus. Look at me,” Simon said softly but firmly, trying to ground him. He placed a steadying hand on Alex’s shoulder, but Alex’s trembling didn’t stop. Alex’s breath came in ragged bursts, his eyes unfocused, lost in memories that clawed at him, threatening to pu
It had been a week since the attack at Alex McCollum’s mansion. The cops were still searching for the assassin crew, while Martha remained in their custody, hospitalized.Hazel was now two months pregnant, and her morning sickness grew worse by the day. This made it impossible for Harden to leave her side, and she couldn’t chase him away because he was the shoulder she leaned on during this difficult time.It was sunrise. Despite the cold air conditioning in the room, Hazel felt hot. Her stomach was cramping as if it were her first day of a period. Her face was flushed, and her skin felt as hot as a tomato. She had been going to the bathroom multiple times.Harden squatted beside her, watching as she rubbed her stomach.“The doctor is on his way,” he said, rubbing her hands.“I’m scared, Harden. I don’t want to lose this child. I don’t know if God is punishing me for considering an abortion at the beginning. Please,” she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.“Don’t worry, you won’
“Okay, okay, fine. One million dollars, at least to help with Mr. Collins’s expenses. Please, he has no one else,” Kira pleaded. “Publish them, and—” “Wait! Are you guys so stingy that you can’t pay a reporter a million dollars to—” “We’re not criminals, Kira. Go ahead, publish what you want. But remember, we already know everything. If you manipulate the facts to favor yourself, so that my boss or the company gets hated, I won’t just come for you. I’ll come for your mother,, that little baby Kamala, and your sick father. All of them,” Simon said coldly. Kira gasped, her face turning pale. “How do you know about my—” “Think twice,” Simon cut her off, then turned and walked away. As he exited the restaurant, he bumped into someone. Their eyes met, and Simon’s expression shifted to one of shock. “Godfrey?” Simon called out in disbelief.The cell room was loud from the scream of the person being tortured, Alex white office shirt was already stain with blood from pulling out the f
Night had already fallen as the McCall private jet soared toward Honolulu International Airport. Hazel, who had been sleeping for hours, finally stirred, her body feeling more relaxed than it had in days. She yawned, stretching, before noticing Harden watching her with a smile. “You’re awake,” he said softly, his voice warm. Hazel blinked in confusion, her brows furrowing as she glanced around. “An airplane? What am I doing on a plane?” she asked, turning toward Harden, her blue eyes filled with questions. “Harden?” she repeated, her voice rising slightly. “What am I doing on an airplane?” Harden smiled calmly. “I promised to take you to my grandmother’s poetry museum, remember?” But Hazel didn’t seem reassured. Her expression remained skeptical. “Harden?” she called his name again, still trying to piece everything together. “We’re on our way to Hawaii. I wanted to fulfill your wish of staying far away from Alex,” Harden explained gently, but Hazel only sighed, turning her back
The baby kept sucking at her mother’s breast while Hazel and Alex stared at each other, as if time had stopped around them.Immediately, Alex removed his coat and covered his wife, who was dressed in palm-woven clothes.“Alex,” she whispered.“Let’s get out of here,” Alex quietly said as he carried his sleeping baby.The little girl held Hazel’s hand tightly, as if she didn’t want her to leave, making Hazel smile.“I must go,” Hazel whispered, smiling at the girl, who began to tear up.At that moment, a hunter rushed towards them, speaking Hawaiian.“What’s he saying?” Alex asked, and the girl quickly translated.“Run. Chief coming. Babies die,” she said, making Hazel look at Alex in alarm.“We must leave. The chief is coming, and twins are forbidden in their village,” Hazel explained.Alex scoffed, then suddenly noticed that Hazel was barefoot.“Both of you, come here,” he commanded his guards. “Carry the babies,” he said, then bent down and lifted Hazel into his arms.“Follow,” the
Hazel clutched her belly, gasping as another wave of pain shot through her body. The young girl’s eyes widened in panic as she watched Hazel struggle to stay upright.“Mother! Father!” the girl screamed, running out of the hut.Within seconds, the woman and the hunter rushed inside, their expressions tense.“Her water broke,” the girl said breathlessly.The woman’s face hardened with urgency. She quickly moved to Hazel’s side, supporting her as she trembled.“Lay her down,” the woman instructed, speaking in their native language.Hazel whimpered, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her body was exhausted from months of recovery, but she knew there was no stopping what was about to happen. Her babies were coming.The hunter rushed outside, calling for the village healer.“I will get the midwife!” he said and took off running.Inside the hut, Hazel gritted her teeth, trying to steady her breath. The woman wiped her forehead with a damp cloth.“You’re strong. Just breathe,” she said
The woman and the hunter looked at each other. He sighed, then bit his lips. “If the chief finds out, they will kill one of the children,” he said, making the woman bite her lips in worry. “I’ve been trying to reason with him about how much it will affect our population and community if we keep killing twins. They are born special,” she said, and the hunter nodded. “Let’s help her. She’s not of our clan. She and her babies should not be punished,” he said, making the woman sigh. “We don’t know where she comes from. Her injury is severe. We can’t take her back to where you found her because she’s running from something. We—” “My farmhouse,” he interrupted, and the woman nodded. “I will take my wife and daughter so they can help care for her until she heals,” he said, and the woman agreed. “Let’s do that now,” she said, and they both nodded in agreement. Inside the central city hospital, the bloodied man who had just arrived at the emergency center watched in a blur as doctors a
Hazel could hear footsteps crashing through the underbrush behind her, men shouting orders as they gave chase. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in quick gasps. The chase was fast. Despite her big stomach, Hazel ran with the desperation of a woman fighting for survival. She could hear the voices of the guards behind her. As she ran deeper into the forest, the darkness swallowed her. The thick canopy of trees blocked any rays of sunlight. “Put on your lights!” she heard one of the guards scream. They hesitated at the edge of the forest, unable to follow her blindly into the darkness. But Hazel didn’t stop. She kept running and running because she would rather die than let Harden deprive Alex of his role as a father. Branches scratched her arms and face, but she cradled her stomach protectively as she weaved through the trees. She had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that she had to escape. She stopped and turned, her legs burning, her lungs aching—but
Alex frowned after seeing Simon and Grace’s red dot concentrated in one area, while Hazel’s was moving away. Immediately, he grabbed his phone and dialed his D team. “Follow my wife,” he ordered, then called Simon. The phone rang and rang, but no one picked up. He tried again and again, but still, no answer. On the last ring, someone finally picked up. “This is Inspector Austin. The user of this phone was involved in an accident,” the voice said. Alex frowned, standing up. “Which hospital?” he asked calmly, though he wasn’t calm at all. “New York Hospital,” the inspector replied. Alex hung up immediately, but before he could process the information, his phone rang again. “Boss, we missed the abductors. The jet already took off,” the captain of the D team reported. Alex’s frown deepened. “Jet?” he asked, looking at the red dot that began blinking due to a lost signal in the clouds. “Find who took my wife, idiot!” Alex screamed, hanging up. He slammed his fist on the table, dra
Grace was embarrassed. The look on Alex’s face made her immediately hide her phone. Alex scoffed, then sat back, watching as Grace swallowed hard.“I’m so—”“Is your salary not enough?” Alex asked, causing Grace to immediately bow her head.“I lost my previous phone, boss. I was planning to get a new one once I go out with Madam. I’m sorry, boss,” Grace immediately apologized.“I asked a question,” he said quietly.Grace raised her head, then immediately bowed again.“It’s more than enough, sir,” she said, bowing her head as she bit her lower lip.Alex nodded, then opened his wardrobe and brought out a new phone and a SIM card.He unboxed the phone, turned it on, and installed a personal tracker. Then he placed it on the table. He picked up his phone, activated the SIM card, and set it down. Looking at the still-embarrassed Grace, he spoke.“Fix this on my wife’s clothing, somewhere she can’t see it,” he instructed.Grace bowed and carefully picked up the SIM card.“Thank you, boss,”
The night was quiet. The butler and Grace looked at each other—what were they going to do with all this food and cake on the table? They knew their boss and madam were not coming downstairs anymore tonight. Grace looked at the butler, who sighed.“What a waste,” he whispered, and Grace nodded in agreement.“Is it okay if I package them and take them to the mansion? My colleagues will be excited to eat it. Since the boss isn’t there, they only eat regular meals,” she said.The butler nodded. “But keep the cake. The madam might want it,” he said, then helped Grace package everything while they cleaned up.Back upstairs, the room was warm and quiet. The only noise was the soft moans escaping Hazel’s lips as her neatly pedicured fingers traced against Alex’s skin.“Ah…” a breathy moan escaped her lips as Alex’s body moved in a slow, rhythmic way with hers.“Oh, Alex… goodness,” she gasped as his pace remained steady and torturous.“I love you,” Alex whispered as he pushed himself deeper i
The large governor’s dining room was eerily silent. Camila cleared her throat and smiled, but the look on Mrs. Governor’s face was far from pleasant.Harden scoffed, adjusting his suit.“With all due respect, Mrs. Governor, since my family is here, please do well to explain why I should be accused in such a manner,” he said, smiling at her.“My wife is angry about our current situation, and during the investigation, your name has come up frequently. She might have misunderstood something,” the governor said calmly.Mrs. McCall scoffed.“Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out to be true. After all, he’s the reason his father committed suicide,” she said, making Harden scoff even harder.Without a word, he stood up and left. Camila immediately rose from her seat as well.“Forgive our abrupt departure, Your Excellency,” she said before rushing after Harden.“Please, let’s eat, sir,” Mrs. Governor urged. “I understand how you feel, and right now, I feel the same way. He has hidden
Hazel frowned at the gift box in front of her. The last time she heard of Kayla, she was with an actor in Hollywood, and her mother had been sentenced to jail for the murder of Alex’s mother. She looked at the butler before nodding at him.“Open it,” she said.The butler nodded and began to open the box. Inside, he found a beautifully crafted old Italian-designed vase. Hazel’s frown deepened. The butler gently placed it on the table before taking out a letter from the box.“There’s a letter, madam,” he said.Hazel took the letter, unfolded it, and began reading.“Hey Alex,It’s been a while. I’m doing fine here. Martinez is taking good care of me. I hope Hazel is doing well too. I know she will never forgive me for the past.The vase you’ve been asking about since childhood—the one my mother told the maid to throw away, calling it old and disgusting—the one with your mother’s name on it…I know you might have forgotten about it. After my mother ordered the maid to discard or break it,