Gilbert rolled his eyes excessively. Then he snorted and looked at Dean with a sharp gaze. 'Yes, I'll take care of her. If needed, I'll cage Haisley. Are you satisfied?' 'You can't just cage her, what do you think she is? A cat?' Dean retorted, displeased. 'Yes, she's a naughty cat that can't be managed,' Gilbert said, looking at Haisley with a raised eyebrow. 'Her hair,' he said mockingly, 'is messy like it hasn't been combed for years, her fangs haven't been trimmed for a long time, not to mention her claws, they haven't been polished.' Dean hit Gilbert with the fork in his hand. 'Do you think Haisley is what? A cat, a human, or a shoe?' Dean asked sarcastically. Gilbert shrugged indifferently. 'Don't worry. She'll be fine here. We'll meet directly in America. Just a few more weeks, right? The semester is almost over,' Gilbert said, intending to reassure his cousin. 'Haisley, you behave well with G here, okay? If he's naughty to you, report it to me. I'll report it to Aunt so h
Dean's boarding call echoed once more. He reluctantly released his embrace on Haisley. His beautiful eyes mirrored Haisley's reddened ones; he didn't need a mirror to know. They locked eyes for a few moments before they both smiled. "Call me if you consider my request," he said, gently stroking Haisley's head. "And remember, we still have to be 'engaged' when we get back to America," he chuckled, a teasing tone in his voice. Haisley chuckled along. She felt Dean drawing his head closer, his thin lips pressing a heartfelt kiss on the top of her head. "Take care," he said after the warm kiss. "I'm leaving," he said, stepping back. He waved to Gilbert, who somehow had returned to stand beside him, before turning around and walking away, putting more distance between them. During his journey back to his apartment, Haisley became quieter. Gilbert noticed, but his friend didn't want to disturb Haisley either. Gilbert knew what had happened in the last moments before Dean boarded his fli
Gilbert reached out his right hand and gently stroked Haisley's head. "Is that what's bothering you?" Gilbert inquired. Haisley nodded her head. "How could he be so stupid to say something outrageous like that, G?" she asked, her anger exploding instantly. "Because he loves you, H." "Yes, but that doesn't mean he should hurt himself like that. Are there no other girls out there he could like? Many women would fall in love with him. He's handsome, he has a clear future, and more than that, he's a gentle and kind-hearted man. So why does he have to do all this, G?" she asked passionately. "The same question goes for you, H," Gilbert replied softly, not accusingly. "Why are you still holding on to Nathan when you know he likes your sister, he never notices you, and often behaves rudely, hurting you?" "Because I'm stupid and blind," Haisley replied softly. "Same goes for Dean, he's stupid and blind too. He's clueless," Gilbert replied mockingly this time. "But I'm trying to avoid a
Laurent, the owner of the café, was Gilbert's acquaintance. Gilbert was the one who got the job for Haisley from this forty-year-old man. Haisley didn't know what Gilbert said to him, but one thing was clear—Gilbert approached him with a face full of pleas, hands clasped in front of his face. Laurent then looked at Haisley and approached her. "Gilbert said he needed you. Is that true?" he asked. Haisley nodded her head. "He's not going to kidnap you, is he, Haisley?" he asked again with a probing look. Haisley chuckled, seeing Gilbert roll his eyes behind the man. But then, she nodded her head. "No, Sir. My parents are coming, and I need to greet them," Haisley replied politely. She still felt stiff around him even though he had told her to address him by his first name, as Gilbert and other employees usually did. "Go ahead. I won't deduct your pay because you've been working very diligently all this time," he said, which was met with an enthusiastic nod from Haisley. She bid farew
"At first, I thought Gilbert brought his girlfriend, considering your haircut..." The girl touched the end of Haisley's hair. "Since when did you cut it?" She teased. Haisley was about to answer, but Loretta quickly pulled her body. "Oh, Haisley, I really missed you," she said with a wide smile on her face. Haisley hugged her back and smiled. "How have you been?" Loretta asked again. She looked at Haisley, holding her face with her soft and fragrant hands. "You look thinner than I remember, or is it because of your new haircut? Is your college life that challenging?" she asked again. Haisley shook her head. "Not too much," she answered honestly. Because indeed, her college life wasn't that challenging; it was forgetting her love for Nathan that made it difficult. "Why did you guys come here?" Gilbert repeated the same question. Loretta shrugged. "I came to your house and heard from Nathan that you were picking up your parents. I didn't want to be seen as a disrespectful potential d
Mrs. Monica deliberately let Haisley sit on her right, and her husband sat on her left. Unwilling to let Haisley sit close to Nathan, Gilbert ended up sitting on Haisley's right, so Loretta sat on Gilbert's right and Nathan sat on his 'future wife's' right. "The waiter gave each person a menu. Mr. Samuel seemed engrossed in his own menu choice. So did Gilbert. 'Haisley, dear. What would you like to eat?' Mrs. Monica asked, lowering the menu from her face. "Haisley looked at the menu confused. She then looked at Gilbert for advice, which didn't escape Nathan's notice; he then made a decision that made people turn to look at him. Gilbert ignored his sister and pointed to a menu item for Haisley, which she nodded at. Everyone had stated their orders, only Loretta hadn't. "'I'm on a diet,' the girl said shyly. 'I'll just have a salad,' she said, closing the menu and handing it back to the waiter. "'Dessert?' the waiter asked. The girl shook her head again. "'You know, your youth shou
Mrs. Monica shook her head. 'When a man still clings to his partner and looks for other women out there, it's not because he has a reason to stay. They use the word 'bored' as a substitute for 'going to come back.' Because in the end, when his boredom disappears, he will return to where he truly belongs. 'And honestly, he doesn't want to leave. He wants to gain benefits for himself. Never mind that he hurts the woman accompanying him. Because why? Because he's a bastard. And in the end, the woman who becomes his outlet is often called cheap. 'And even cheaper, if the woman who becomes the mistress begs to hold on. Even now, the homewrecker is worse than the official wife. They act as if they are queens and the official wives are parasites. But in reality, it's the opposite. 'So Haisley, if a man hurts you, leave! Don't be a cheap woman begging for his love. Out there, there will be a superhero waiting for you. A man riding his white horse, waiting for the princess to return to her
Reluctantly, Haisley lifted her head, looking at him just as sharply. "It's none of your business when or why I cut my hair. Seeking attention?" Haisley snorted in annoyance. "Yes, I deliberately seek attention. I even intend to beautify myself and improve my appearance so that I can look sexier and attract many men's attention here. "Do you remember what your mother said earlier, that I should date many men? Well, I will do it. Then after that, you will call me a cheap woman. And you know, I don't mind hearing that. So now, let go of my hand. I want to sleep," Haisley snapped, yanking her hand away, but Nathan's grip was tight, making it not easy for Haisley to break free. "Nathan!" Haisley growled in frustration. "What about Dean?" he asked, his mouth tightly closed. "Are you planning to date many men behind his back? Are you planning to betray him?" he accused, angrily. Haisley lifted the corner of her mouth. "I've told you my affairs have nothing to do with you," she hissed. "
A few years later, shouts were heard in the backyard of Chayton's residence. A heavily pregnant woman sat on a chair, watching her children jumping on the four-meter-diameter round trampoline, laughing. Occasionally, she yelled, asking her kids to be careful and not to fall. She felt the side of her seat compress and saw her mother-in-law sitting there, placing warm milk in front of her. "G said he's going to fly straight to America," the woman whispered. Haisley turned to her mother-in-law and smiled. Since her brother-in-law made the startling announcement about his choice to convert, she knew her mother-in-law was disappointed. Although in the end, her mother-in-law accepted her son's decision. "Gilbert is an adult; he knows what he's chosen," said his father-in-law in support of his youngest son who chose to convert. "You must be confident in your choice, G. You're not doing it just for a woman, right?" the father asked. Gilbert looked at his family and shook his head. "G has
Haisley fell silent again. She and Nathan had discussed this before the kidnapping happened, but they hadn't informed their families yet. "Nathan asked me to live in England and continue my studies," Haisley said, making Abigail furrow her brow. "Nathan will support me because, clearly, my scholarship can't be used anymore since I've left campus. At first, I said I didn't want to, what's the point of studying if, in the end, I stay at home taking care of the kids. But Nathan said that 'no one regrets having learned', so yeah, I'm starting over." Haisley explained, looking at Abigail with curiosity. "You still don't want to continue your studies? Your brain is clearly smarter than mine, Abby." Abigail shrugged. "I also have plans to go there. I'm just not sure which major to take. I haven't found a passion that drives me to choose a specific field. Maybe later, I'll consult with Itan." Haisley chuckled at her friend's words. "Why are you laughing?" Abigail asked curtly. "I don't know
The next day, Nathan and Haisley's families were planning to return to the hospital. Still, Gilbert objected because Nathan wanted to go home since he opened his eyes in the early morning. Nathan told Gilbert that he didn't want to make Haisley wait for him at the hospital for too long and preferred to rest at home. Gilbert eventually conveyed his brother's request to the morning visiting doctor. Fortunately, the doctor agreed, and in the morning, after completing the paperwork, Nathan, Gilbert, and Haisley returned to Flavia's villa. They received a warm welcome at the villa owned by Haisley's friend. Her family was just as enthusiastic as they were the night before when they gathered at the hospital. If the previous night they allowed Nathan and Haisley to rest, this time they didn't. Everyone was clearly very curious about what Nathan experienced during the abduction. With Haisley sitting by his side and their hands intertwined, Nathan recounted the entire ordeal to his family.
"Both of you, come with me," he said with a nod of his head, walking towards another black Jeep Gladiator, as dark as the other two jeeps that had roared away, leaving their tire tracks in the sand. Clasping each other, with Nathan limping, they entered the leader's car. "You were never part of this capture," the man said with his deep voice, immediately nodded by Haisley and Nathan. "You never met us," he continued, receiving another nod from Haisley and Nathan. After that, no one spoke. Haisley and Nathan's hands were intertwined, their bodies swaying with the car's movements on the uneven roads. Haisley looked out the window. Although she didn't pay much attention to the road when they departed, she knew that the path they were on now was different. And actually, the dock they had just left wasn't the same as when Haisley departed. Was this a secret route? A path known only to a few? Were the people who just saved her elite forces? Were they government troops? Or special forces
"They will take you to the dock, which will then take you to where Loretta is. The man who will pick you up later is not my henchman. So, you have to be cautious," Antony warned. "The two men with you now will give you some items." The man next to him then took out a small box from his shirt pocket, opened it, and took out a small round object about the size of a headset's knob, no bigger than a thumb. "This is a GPS and a mic. Place this object where it can't be seen," the henchman said with a mischievous smile. "Maybe in your clothes." He chuckled, making the driver laugh heartily. "And this, although small, is very sharp." The man handed Haisley a metal object. "If you press this," he pressed his thumb on a point, and then a sharp-edged knife quickly appeared. "This knife can accidentally hurt you, so be careful and use it wisely." He said as he placed the object next to the previous black item. "Uncle's people will monitor you. With the GPS, we'll know where that man is taking y
"Wh-who are you?!" Loretta asked in the midst of her pain. "Ramon! Ramon! Where are you, you bastard!" she shouted loudly. Loretta looked at the darkened cabin where Ramon should have been behind the ship's wheel. She trusted the man who had tormented Nathan all day to be the captain of the ship they were on. "We've neutralized Brother Ramon from the beginning!" said the uniformed man, walking closer to Loretta, who had turned pale and looked in pain, taking handcuffs out of his pocket. The other two men working for Loretta had already been instructed to kneel, and the two other men in black uniforms handcuffed their hands behind their backs. "How did you get here?" Loretta asked, trying to buy time as the police put handcuffs on her. Unlike her two henchmen, Loretta's handcuffs were placed in front, allowing her to still hold her bleeding leg. "You'll know the chronology later," the policeman said, pulling Loretta's arm to make her stand. Unbeknownst to Loretta, the ship they had
They walked with firm steps that made the ship's floor creak under the weight of their large bodies. One of the big men grabbed Nathan's arm from behind and made him stand up, causing Nathan to groan in pain. Haisley tried to hold onto Nathan, but her arm was also held by another man whose body was just as large as the one holding Nathan. Nathan appeared to walk with a limp, occasionally hissing in pain. Something was wrong with his leg, and Haisley could sense it even though she didn't know why. "What have you done to Nathan?!" Haisley shouted at Loretta, who stood between her and Nathan. The woman turned, tilting her head and then looking in Nathan's direction. "Nothing," she replied flatly, shaking her head. Then her mouth opened wide, and she looked at Haisley with a guilty expression. "Maybe I've made a few of his ribs move. A little crack in the rib bones, and his leg won't kill him, right?" she asked cheerfully, continuing her steps. Nathan was now at the front of the deck,
Five minutes, could Haisley sneak out of Flavia's villa? What should she say if someone catches her? Haisley shook her head. Quickly, she walked out of the room. Sneaking as she put on her sneakers and headed towards the front gate because the villa didn't have a back gate. A guard seemed to be at his post. Haisley tried to come up with a plan so that the tall, sturdy man wouldn't suspect her. She walked closer and saw the uniformed man immediately stand and inquire about Haisley's needs. "The guest inside is asking for you to come in, he said there are instructions to be given." Haisley said to the man, who she knew was only slightly older than her husband. The man nodded without much suspicion and then left his post. Thus, Haisley could leave the villa without being suspected. She stepped out and chose to hide in a dark area while waiting for the car mentioned by the caller to arrive. The two men who had earlier claimed to be police officers and took Nathan away now stopped the
"We have successfully located his whereabouts." The local man pulled out his phone from his pocket and showed the screen to everyone in the room. "Ramon's gang has a hidden base on a small island. There's a concealed building behind the forest that they've been using as their headquarters. We need to cross the strait to get there, and it will take hours," the informant continued. "We have agreed to raid the base when we are sure that everyone is there. Forces have been mobilized. The police, along with the navy and ground forces, are working together for this massive capture. Pray that your brother Nathan is in good condition." The man said, nodded at by several heads in the room. They intended to share this information with Haisley so that she could be more at ease, knowing at least they had information about Nathan's whereabouts. Gilbert went to the room where he knew Haisley was with her two friends. However, after knocking on the door several times and receiving no response, he c