Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an orange glow over the secluded villa, Alex stood at the large windows, watching the scene outside, his mind racing. Simon had gone to gather a security team, leaving Alex and Hazel alone for the moment. He turned when he heard Hazel’s soft footsteps approaching. “You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world,” she said, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to do this alone, Alex.” He turned, his expression softening as he looked at her. “It’s not just about protecting us, Hazel. If they’ve gone this far—burning down the company, attacking people close to me—they’re desperate. I need to end this, or they’ll keep coming.” Hazel met his gaze, determination sparking in her eyes. “Then we’ll end it together.” He sighed, cupping her face. “You’re the strongest person I know. You’ve gone through a lot because of me, but this… this is different. I don’t want you anywhere near what’s coming.”
Inside the dark room, all the lights were off, and only the moonlight spread its pale glow across the space. Harden sat there, staring into the void, replaying the image of Hazel turning away from him, as if she’d never promised to stay away from Alex. He knew she was weak when it came to Alex, acting like they had never discussed moving on from him. Harden clenched his fists, rubbing his head.“I’m not letting this go like we didn’t talk about it, Hazel. Alex can’t have you anymore,” Harden muttered, frustration and anger clouding his expression.Meanwhile, far away in Hawaii, AS03 had just received the news of AS02’s death after a fight with Alex.He couldn’t believe that a five years old boy he was sent to assassinate his mother is now back, taking them down one by one. It pained him more to know that he had been paid to carry out the job when he was eighteen, his first successful job. Now Alex was seeking revenge, as if he had intended the killing himself.AS03 bit his inner cheek
The sound of birds chirping echoed gently inside the spacious bedroom, coaxing Hazel from a deep sleep. She stirred, turning from side to side before slowly opening her eyes. The first thing she noticed was the emptiness beside her—Alex’s side of the bed was cold. Confused, Hazel sat up, rubbing her eyes before sliding out from under the covers. The cool morning air sent a shiver down her spine as she padded across the room to the bathroom. “Alex?” she called out, her voice reverberating softly against the tiled walls. Silence. He wasn’t there. A slight frown creased her forehead as she turned and walked out of the room, the soft patter of her bare feet moving down the elegant, wooden staircase. Each step was deliberate, the polished wood glistening under the warm glow of the morning sun filtering through the large windows. Hazel stopped at the last step, pausing as a peculiar stillness greeted her. “Alex, baby, where are you?” she called again, her voice tinged with worry. She cr
The standoff was electric, the three of them caught in a storm of past betrayals and present dangers. Hazel took a shaky breath, glancing between the two men who represented two parts of her life one that had been, and one that was. “This has to end, Harden,” she said, her voice strong despite the quiver in her chest. “We can’t keep going like this. We were just friends, stop acting like we dated.” Harden’s eyes filled with a mixture of pain and acceptance, and he nodded slowly, stepping back toward his car. “I just needed to hear it from you.” With one last glance, he got into his SUV and drove away, leaving the air heavy with unspoken words. Hazel felt Alex’s arm wrap around her waist, grounding her as the tension finally began to melt away. But as they stood there, watching the car disappear down the road, Alex knew this was far from over. Harden’s obsession was dangerous, and he would need to be ready for whatever came next. “I’ll protect you, Hazel,you and our baby is m
Hazel heard the line drop as Diana rushed to check the news. “Diana, Diana,” Hazel called, but the line kept cutting off. She sighed sadly, finding it hard to cry for them, yet it hurt her heart to see their story end like that. “Madam, your lunch is ready,” the butler returned to inform Hazel, who only nodded as she sat on the couch, looking downcast. At the hospital, Diana broke down in tears as she read the news. She couldn’t hold back her emotions, feeling as if she was responsible for Steven’s drastic decision. “No… no!” she cried out, drawing the attention of a doctor and two nurses who rushed to her. “Nurse Diana, are you alright?” the doctor asked, but Diana kept crying. “Please call Nurse Camila; she’s her friend. She can calm her down,” one of the nurses said. “It was her ex-boyfriend who killed himself and his ex in California,” another nurse whispered, but Diana wasn’t listening. She kept crying, blaming herself for not giving Steven another chance. Camila
Simon couldn’t believe that his old friend, whom he had met just once and exchanged numbers with, had reached out to him for help.“Calm down. I’ll call you back because right now, I’m in the middle of work,” he said, hearing the desperation in his friend’s voice.“Okay, please do call me. I’m really in need, Simon,” his friend replied before hanging up.Simon sighed, walking toward Hazel, who had just picked out a luxury brand shoe and bag. Together, they left the store.They drove to a phone shop, where Simon went in to purchase a new phone for Hazel.While waiting in the car, Alex looked at Hazel.“So, you’re not talking to me anymore, hmm?” he asked. Hazel turned to him, frowning.“Why wouldn’t I speak with you? Why are you accusing me? I didn’t say—”“I’m not accusing you, Hazel. I’m just saying you haven’t spoken to me since your call,” Alex said, his tone softening.“Does that mean I’m ignoring you? You’re accusing me, right now, Alex, and—”“Baby,” Alex interjected, surprised
At Diana’s residence, Hazel knocked on the door, and a moment later, it opened to reveal Diana, her face swollen from crying. “Hazel!” Diana exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug. “I brought you something,” Hazel said gently, gesturing for the guard to set the items down. Diana wiped her tears and smiled faintly. “Thank you. I didn’t expect you to come.” Hazel held her hands. “Of course I would come. You’re not alone, Diana. You have people who care about you.” Diana’s lips trembled, and she nodded. “I thought it was all my fault. If only I’d done things differently…” Camila came out smiling awkwardly. “I’m sorry, meet my friend and colleague, Camila” Diana introduced for Hazel to smile at Camila who smile back. “ when she said she knows Alexander McCollum wife I chuckled but now I believe.” Camila said for Hazel to smile. “Nothing special though” she said as she held on Diana before they sat down while Camila left to make a cup of tea for Hazel. “Don’t blame you
Hazel hugged the governor’s wife after dinner. As they walked to their car with their guards following behind, Hazel glanced around nervously. Alex, noticing her uneasiness since their moment on the balcony, gently helped her step into the car before climbing in after her. Hazel sighed, relaxing her hands on her protruding stomach.“If someone is pregnant, do they get to see things?” she asked hesitantly.Alex pulled out his phone. “I’m calling Dr. Frankie,” he said, not sure how to answer her.He held her hand while waiting for Frankie to pick up.“Sir Alex,” Frankie greeted.“Do pregnant women hallucinate?” Alex asked directly.“Yes, Sir Alex. A lot of pregnant women seem to have hallucinations,” Frankie explained.Alex sighed in relief and hung up, turning to Hazel.“He said yes, so don’t worry,” Alex reassured her, placing his palm on her protruding stomach.Hazel smiled but still looked concerned. “Alex…” she called softly.“Yes love?”“Since Harden left, he hasn’t made any moves
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,
The two people became confused about what to do as Hazel kept crying in pain. Immediately, Grace grabbed the mansion phone to call Doctor Frank while Alex carried Hazel, rushing out of the mansion. At that moment, Hazel burst out laughing.“I got you,” she said, making Alex frown even more.“It’s a prank, baby. I’m fine. I just wanted to see how worried you’d be,” she said, laughing, but Alex didn’t find it funny. Grace held her chest and sighed in relief.“It’s funny to you? You…”“Babe, come on. It’s a prank. I’m perfectly fine, my love. Don’t frown at me like that, Alex,” she said, smiling, but Alex didn’t respond. Instead, he dropped her down and walked back into the mansion.“Madam, it’s not as funny as you think it is. We were…”“Come on, Grace, you both are unbelievable. I said it’s a prank,” she said, walking into the mansion.“Alex, baby. My heartbeat. My love,” she called out, but Alex didn’t respond.She walked into his study and saw him sitting silently on his couch.“I wa
Hazel looked at Dr. Frank with her eyes wide open as he kept rubbing her stomach until he officially confirmed he could hear two heartbeats.“Congratulations once again, Mrs. McCollum,” he said, helping Hazel up.“So, what is it, Frank? Is the baby healthy? You said two heartbeats—am I having twins?” she asked anxiously.Dr. Frank nodded, and Hazel teared up, covering her mouth with her hands.“Twins? Is it a boy and a girl, two girls, or two boys?” she asked, her excitement evident.Dr. Frank chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Well, it’s a boy and a girl.”Hazel gasped and covered her mouth again in excitement. “Please don’t say anything to Alex. I want to surprise him with it,” she said.Dr. Frank nodded. “Of course, ma’am. Congratulations once again.”He helped Hazel walk back to his office, where Grace and the guards were waiting.At the General’s villa, Gloria sat, looking around. The luxurious, old-money-style villa made her wonder who had invited her over.“Please come with me, ma’am
The sunshine streamed brightly through the curtains in the spacious bedroom, casting its warm rays on Hazel as she slept. Her elegant facial features twitched slightly under the light before her long lashes fluttered. Finally, she opened her eyes. Her luscious lips parted as she slowly came back to reality.Hazel yawned deeply, then sat up.“Good morning, madam,” a familiar voice greeted her, prompting Hazel to frown as she turned toward the figure.“Grace?” she exclaimed in surprise.Grace stood in her maid’s uniform, bowing her head respectfully.“Give me a hug, Grace. I’ve missed you so much,” Hazel said, her eyes welling up with tears. Without hesitation, Grace stepped forward and embraced her.“Please don’t cry, madam,” Grace said gently, rubbing Hazel’s back. “I wouldn’t know what to say to the boss if he walked in and saw you like this,” she added anxiously.“Don’t mind me; this pregnancy makes me so emotional,” Hazel said, wiping her tears. “It’s been months, Grace. How are yo
The doors to the dining room opened, and three men in black suits entered silently, their imposing presence casting a shadow over the room. Alex smirked, his tone ice-cold. “I mean, Mr. Lark, that your time has run out.” The assistant paled, his hands trembling as the men in black closed in. *Outside the Villa* A convoy of cars pulled up near the entrance to the McCollum estate. The general, sitting stiffly in the backseat of his car, glanced at his assistant. “I don’t think it’s wise to approach the villa uninvited,” the general said, his voice calm but firm. “Shall I write to Mrs. McCollum, then? Ask about her health and that of your great-grandchild?” the assistant offered. The general nodded, his lips curving into a rare smile. “Yes, do that. And… one more thing. Have you found her mother?” “Yes, sir,” the assistant replied. “She’s currently in the city.” “Invite her to the villa,” the general said, his expression unreadable. The assistant hesitated. “Are you sure, sir?
Simon immediately followed Alex’s instructions. As expected, Alex approved of the arrangements. The drive back to the villa was dead silent. Hazel held Alex’s hand tightly, watching him carefully for any unusual signs that might necessitate returning to the hospital. “When are the workers in the mansion coming back?” she asked, breaking the silence and earning a small smile from Alex. “They’re already back. I just want us to stay at the villa until you give birth,” Alex replied, his tone calm. Hazel sighed. “It’s lonely in the villa. At least in the mansion, the maids keep me company when you’re away.” Alex nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t trust them with you. They might accept money to hurt you. Let’s stay here until our child is born,” he said, lifting her hand to his lips and planting a gentle kiss. “And the scan?” Alex asked, watching Hazel closely. “You remember?” Hazel responded with a smile. “Of course. I dare not forget anything about you,” he said, making Hazel blush. “I