When Mitchell caught up, Heather had already turned into the restroom.No more than two minutes inside, Heather heard Mitchell's phone ring faintly from the other side, then the sound of him answering it quickly."I'll meet you in the little garden."The footsteps receded, gradually fading into the distance.Heather had attended countless dinners here and was well-acquainted with the layout. Hearing "the little garden", she immediately knew where Mitchell was headed.She slipped out of the restroom, heading toward the far end of the hallway where a storage room was located. Peering through a small gap in the open window, she saw Mitchell hurrying to his destination.Bethany was already there, waiting, and she rushed into Mitchell's arms.Mitchell showed no resistance, pulling her close with a familiarity that made it seem like he was trying to melt her into his bones."You're tempting me again. Have you already forgotten about the other night when you couldn't get out of bed?"
After returning to the bedroom, Heather found herself slipping into a daze, her mind foggy as she drifted into a heavy sleep. At one point, she sensed Mitchell had returned. She could feel his gaze lingering on her for what seemed like an eternity while she lay still. A short time later, his phone rang sharply, and after a few more rings, he hesitated for a moment before getting up and leaving.The next morning, Mitchell didn't even bother to come back. Vanessa pushed a plate of breakfast in front of Heather, her expression filled with motherly affection. "Mitchell said something came up at the company, so he had to leave in a rush this morning. If you don't mind, stay with me here at the manor. It might be less boring."Heather froze for a moment, looking at Vanessa's calm face. If it weren't for hearing her conversation with Mitchell last night—regarding her knowing about his affair—Heather might have actually believed Vanessa was just being caring. But now, both of them felt
On the way back, Mitchell's phone kept flashing.While Heather wasn't paying attention, Mitchell took the chance to check the messages. They were from Bethany.[Mitchell, what do you think we should name our baby? Can you come over later and help me pick one?]Mitchell quickly typed a warning in response.[We'll talk about names later. Don't say anything in front of Heather that could give us away. If she finds out about us, you won't want to deal with the consequences!]Even though Mitchell said that, Heather could still tell from his relaxed demeanor that he didn't seem bothered by Bethany's pregnancy. After all, Mitchell had told her long ago that he liked children.Heather noticed her phone light up as well. She glanced down to see a friend request from Bethany. She knew it was meant to provoke her, but she accepted it anyway.As soon as the request was accepted, Bethany's message came through.[Heather, aren't you curious who the father of my child is? I can't believe you'
During the days Mitchell was away, Heather found a bit of peace.She took the opportunity to remove everything that belonged to her from their home. Heather had secretly bought a small apartment in Kennethville, a place where she could temporarily store her belongings. As she cleared out the house, the memories she shared with Mitchell slowly vanished.The night before the wedding, Mitchell unexpectedly returned home, holding a photo that looked familiar to Heather. At that moment, she was finishing up packing the last of her things. When Mitchell walked in and saw the now-empty house, he almost thought he had walked into the wrong door. But when he saw Heather sitting in the living room, covered in dust and looking like a little kitten, a sense of relief washed over him."How did you get yourself so messy? And what happened to all the stuff?" he asked.Heather hadn't expected Mitchell to return so suddenly. She froze for a second when she heard his question. But after these
Mitchell's expression shifted from shock to fury. He grabbed Bethany's wrist tightly, his jaw clenched as he demanded, "Why is it you? Where's Heather?"Bethany gasped, trying to pull her hand free. She feigned confusion, her voice dripping with faux innocence. "Mitchell, what are you talking about? We already got our marriage certificate, so of course I'm the bride. Everyone's watching. Don't make a scene."But Mitchell ignored her attempts to calm him. His gaze was fixed on the wedding ring on her finger. It should have been Heather's ring, but now it was on Bethany's hand.Mitchell's grip tightened as he forcibly yanked the ring off her finger. Heather's ring, which should have fit her delicate finger, was now cutting into Bethany's, leaving a red mark from just this brief moment.The people in the audience, all of whom were from Kennethville's elite, started murmuring as they watched the scene unfold. Vanessa caught her husband, Ryder Bennett's, eye and stood up, walking towa
Mitchell rushed through every room of the house, searching frantically in every corner, but there was no sign of Heather anywhere."Heather… Please, Heather, don't joke with me. We still have a wedding to finish…"Mitchell repeated her name over and over, but each empty call only drained the hope from his heart. It all seemed to disappear with each unanswered cry. He had already noticed something strange earlier—Heather's belongings were gone. All the things that belonged to her—their couple's items, the framed photos on the wall, the gifts they had exchanged over anniversaries, and all the little reminders that Heather had ever been there—were all missing.Last night, he had sensed something was off when he came home, but he hadn't paid attention to it.On the dining table, two plates of spaghetti he had made the night before sat untouched. The photo of him and Heather, their first official picture together after they had become a couple, was carelessly thrown on the table. The
Mitchell felt a sharp, relentless pain in his chest, guilt weighing down on him so heavily that it seemed like it would crush him. But no matter what, he had to find Heather. As long as he didn't say it was over, their relationship wasn't truly finished.He gathered what little strength he had left and dialed Heather's number. But again and again, the call went unanswered.In desperation, he tried reaching her through WhatsApp, but to no avail. Heather had blocked him on every contact.Mitchell stared at his phone, feeling completely helpless, a wave of panic threatening to take over. Where could Heather have gone? Heather's father, Ian Longstaff, had remarried after her mother passed away and had a new child. Heather had even been deceived by Ian's new wife and almost ended up in a dangerous situation in a remote area. After being saved, their relationship was colder than ever, and Heather would never turn to Ian for help.Mitchell spent hours tracking down contact det
Mitchell had thought everything was perfectly planned, especially since he hadn't fallen out of love—he was just having a little fun with Bethany. He believed it wouldn't cause any issues. Vanessa kept talking, her words incessant. "Bethany's pregnancy is safe. She's carrying the Bennetts' bloodline, so your father and I agreed to keep her for now. Since Heather decided to leave without telling you, it means there's no turning back. You and Bethany are legally married, and now she's pregnant with your children. You should stop looking for Heather.""No!" Mitchell shot back, his voice filled with urgency. He snatched the phone out of Vanessa's hands. "I won't stop looking for her. She only blocked me, but she wouldn't block you..." The phone rang for what felt like forever, and then, finally, Heather's ethereal voice answered. "Hello?" Mitchell's body shook with emotion, his blood staining Vanessa's phone. His voice was hoarse and trembling. "Heather, it's me..." But th
Under Mitchell's leadership, Bennett Corporation slowly but surely took control of half of Kennethville's economy. He began expanding the business internationally, with the first stop being Buleesia. The old rumors about Mitchell's desperate search of Heather had all but disappeared—no one dared bring them up anymore.In fact, people now praised his devotion to Heather, as if they had completely forgotten about the affair he had right before his wedding, or the fact that he had gotten another woman pregnant.With enough power in his hands, the slanderous whispers faded away. Mitchell felt the weight of that power firsthand, but it didn't bring him any joy. Or rather, since the day Heather left, he had lost the right to be happy.He had wronged Heather, and according to the promises he had made, he was supposed to live a life of loneliness, far removed from happiness.For a long time, Mitchell didn't pay attention to where Heather had gone. He only learned, in passing, that her ne
After returning to Buleesia from Kennethville, Heather no longer had to deal with the disturbances from those who had once claimed to be her friends. Life gradually returned to a peaceful rhythm.Meanwhile, back in Kennethville, Mitchell remained in a state of numbness after Heather left. He existed like a soulless shell, moving through life without purpose.Vanessa was torn between anger and sympathy. The poised woman she used to be now cursed like a street hag wherever she went.When Ryder walked into Mitchell's hospital room, he saw the pitiful sight of both Mitchell and Vanessa. It sparked a fury in him. He grabbed Mitchell by the collar and yanked him out of the bed, landing two sharp slaps across his face. Blood dripped from Mitchell's lip as Ryder's angry voice echoed in his ears."Mitchell, look at yourself! Do you think acting like this will make Heather come back? She wouldn't even spare you a second glance now."If you keep going down this path, you'll just become a j
Vanessa, waiting outside, had an uneasy feeling rise in her chest the moment she saw Colin walk in. So, when Heather and Colin decided to leave, Vanessa didn't hesitate for a second and blocked their path."Heather, you're leaving already? Is this person your friend?"Heather's patience with Vanessa was a little more than with Mitchell, but that was only in comparison to him. Ever since that night at the Bennetts' manor, when Heather had heard their conversation in the study, she couldn't bring herself to be kind to Vanessa anymore. Facing Vanessa's rude question, Heather responded coolly, keeping it strictly formal, "My issues with Mitchell are over. And this is my boyfriend, Colin."Colin greeted Vanessa politely, but Vanessa wasn't in the mood to respond. Instead, a trace of resentment began to build in her, and her voice carried a hint of irritation."Heather, you and Mitchell broke up less than two months ago, and you already… Can't you see how much he's suffered these pas
"Yes, I would! To me, you're the most important person!"Mitchell didn't hesitate for a second before answering, his voice firm.At his words, Heather's lips curled into a bitter smile that cut through Mitchell like a knife. The sharpness of her expression stung him deeply. She showed him no mercy and gave an answer that was the complete opposite of Mitchell's."You wouldn't. You don't want to let me go, but you're addicted to the thrill Bethany gives you. If you didn't enjoy it, you wouldn't have been so happy when you found out she was pregnant."You're only saying this now because you know I'm leaving you. Deep down, your only regret is not hiding your affair better."If you could turn back time, I bet you'd keep Bethany as far away from me as possible—preferably so far we'd never cross paths. That way, you could have both of us."Mitchell's face turned as pale as a ghost, as though the deepest, most hidden thoughts inside him had been exposed.He clenched his fists, trying
With renewed determination, Mitchell no longer needed Vanessa's pressure. He took the initiative to request a full-body checkup and faithfully followed his medication and IV treatments every day.His condition slowly improved, but after just three days, he decided to discharge himself from the hospital. He had workers expand a greenhouse in the suburbs, working overtime to enlarge the space. Then, he instructed his assistant to purchase over a hundred pear trees and plant them inside. He even brought in a skilled craftsman to adjust the temperature, ensuring that the pear trees would continue blooming throughout this period. On top of that, Mitchell had a ring custom-made, planning to propose to Heather again the moment she returned. This time, he swore he would never betray her again.A week flew by in the blink of an eye. Mitchell spent the entire day shadowing Vanessa, eagerly awaiting Heather's call. He had already instructed Vanessa to let Heather know the location where
"Mitchell, you have to wake up. If you wake up, I'll swallow my pride and beg Heather to come see you." Vanessa's voice wavered, full of desperation. "But if you stay unconscious like this, you'll never get the chance to see her again..."Maybe it was Vanessa's words that finally got through to him. With a deep, strained breath, Mitchell struggled awake, gripping Vanessa's hand with what little strength he had left. "Mom... I want to see Heather..." Those words seemed to drain every ounce of energy from him. Destiny had tried to lure Heather back, yet even saying that Ian was gravely ill had failed to move her. Mitchell didn't know what more he could possibly do. Vanessa had always treated Heather like a daughter, and Heather, so soft-hearted, had always been so kind to her. Maybe this time, Vanessa really could convince Heather to return.Looking at Mitchell's anguished expression, Vanessa hesitated for a moment before agreeing to immediately call Heather, her resolve weaken
The woman was Destiny Longstaff. She was Heather's half-sister, born of a different mother. Vanessa had grown increasingly frustrated watching Mitchell waste away, consumed by thoughts of Heather. He looked like a shadow of his former self, a zombie going through the motions.Every attempt to pull him out of his misery had failed, and in desperation, she remembered Heather's younger sister, who was three years her junior. Destiny was the product of an affair Ian had while Heather's mother was still alive. After Heather's mother passed away, Ian married Destiny's mother, making Destiny Heather's half-sister.When Vanessa saw the photos, she noticed a faint resemblance—Destiny shared a few features with Heather, though the similarity wasn't striking. Without hesitation, Vanessa made a decision. She struck a deal with the Longstaff family, promising them certain benefits in exchange for Destiny's cooperation. Her job was to get close to Mitchell and help him heal from the emoti
Mitchell woke up groggily the next afternoon. The plates of spaghetti on the table had long since clumped together into an unrecognizable mess, and the floor was littered with overturned bottles of alcohol. The stifling summer heat amplified the pungent stench of stale liquor and souring food, creating an unbearable atmosphere. Yet, Mitchell seemed oblivious. He blended into the chaos of his surroundings, his hollow gaze reflecting the disarray within him. Day after day passed like this, a lifeless routine. There was still no news of Heather. Bethany, who had once loudly insisted on involving the police, had fallen strangely silent. Mitchell guessed Vanessa had made some kind of deal with her, though he couldn't bring himself to care. What he couldn't ignore, however, was the fallout. In Kennethville, Mitchell and the Bennetts' reputation had plummeted. Vanessa, fed up with his spiraling behavior, tried repeatedly to encourage him to pull himself together. When her effor
Bethany quickly lost consciousness from the blood loss.Mitchell stood by, his gaze cold and detached, not a trace of sympathy in his eyes. The only hint of emotion that flashed across his face was when Bethany exposed his deepest, most uncomfortable thoughts, leaving him momentarily embarrassed. He had already learned from Heather's messages that she knew about his affair long before Bethany had taunted her. But Mitchell wasn't about to apologize to Bethany, the so-called "cause of it all". He would do that in person with Heather, but Bethany had no right to pretend she was blameless.The maid, trembling with fear, made a few calls. Within minutes, Vanessa and the ambulance arrived at the villa.Ryder came along too, and when he saw the bloodstains covering the floor, his rage boiled over. He slapped Mitchell across the face with all his might."You idiot! Haven't you made enough of a mess these past few days? Now you want to kill Bethany along with the babies?!" Mitchell's fa