A few moments earlier. A knock on the door forced Gilbert, who had just come out of the pool, to reluctantly open it half-naked. He frowned upon seeing Loretta standing there. "Why?" Gilbert asked without opening the door wider. "Is Haisley still here? I want to invite her to dinner," Loretta said, peeking into the room. "She's not here; she's already back in her cabin," Gilbert replied bluntly. "But we'll pick her up later. We're going to have dinner together." "Where are you going to have dinner?" Loretta inquired. Gilbert scratched his eyebrow with his index finger. "I don't know. Maybe around here." Gilbert continued, "There's a seafood restaurant near the beach. Dean and I will pick up Haisley and eat there. Sorry, I didn't invite you two because I thought you might want a candlelight dinner with Nathan." Loretta looked at Gilbert in silence. Without much ado, Gilbert said goodbye to Loretta and went back into his bungalow. Shortly after, Dean entered their room and looked
Haisley shrugged. She chose to mumble thanks to the waiter who placed their orders on the table. Seeing Haisley sweetly smile at the guy who brought their dishes made Dean sneer again. "Okay, you're right, G. I really need to be careful with Haisley. When she was in England, many guys liked her. And that was under your supervision. What more here? No one's watching over her here," Dean squinted at Haisley. "Just look at the guy earlier; he's melting just from her smile. Especially Adit, who stares at Haisley every day. Be careful, Haisley, if you ever cheat on me, those guys who hit on you will get a curse from me." Dean threatened, but Haisley responded with a smile. "If that's the case, I should quickly get engaged to him. If necessary, get engaged at the hotel where he works. So that his friends know that he's taken." Dean said seriously. Loretta, who didn't understand what the three people in front of her were talking about, now looked at each of them in turn. "What are you tal
Hearing Nathan's statement didn't make Haisley happy; instead, it made her laugh out of anger. Yes, the girl laughed with a mocking expression right in front of Nathan. "What kind of confession is this, Nath?" she snorted ungracefully. "Do you think after hearing your words, I'll say thank you, rejoice, and then hug you with happiness?" she asked sarcastically. "I did have a crush on you, Nath. But I'm not a foolish girl who easily falls for crocodile tears!" Haisley yanked her hand away from Nathan's grip and was about to walk away, but Nathan pulled her back. "I'm not lying or bragging, Haisley," the man said coldly. Haisley lifted the corner of her mouth and looked at him sharply. "If you really don't want this engagement, if you really don't love her, why have you kept it by your side all this time? Why have you been so sweet to her all this time? "You don't treat me the same way. Compared to your kindness to her, you've been so mean and cruel to me. So, do you want me to beli
Haisley winced in pain and continued to grip Nathan's arm as the masseuse he had called arrived and began massaging his feet. Cold sweat appeared on his forehead. Nathan felt a bit guilty, but he was confident that Haisley would thank him later. "Apply this ointment to his feet three times a day. First, clean them with a warm damp towel," said the woman, whom Nathan estimated to be in her mid-fifties. Nathan nodded and handed money to the masseuse as he escorted her out. He returned to the living room and saw Haisley still lying down, pale-faced and sleepy. "Feeling better?" he asked while sitting next to Haisley and wiping the sweat from his forehead. Haisley got up from the bed and groaned when he put his feet on the floor. Nathan looked at him in confusion. "Where are you going?" he asked anxiously. "I need to go to the bathroom," replied Haisley curtly. Nathan chuckled and quickly scooped Haisley up in his bridal style. "I don't want you to fall and hurt your other foot, Hai
"There's no use in moving away. Eventually, you'll inch closer to me and seek warmth from my body," he said. Haisley snorted in disgust. "I won't do it," she said confidently. "If you don't do it, then let me do it." And Nathan really inched closer to Haisley. He embraced the petite girl with both hands and even entwined Haisley's legs with his, making it difficult for her to move. "Do you think I'm a pillow?" Haisley asked irritably as she tried to free herself. "You know you're more than just a pillow. Because you're warm, soft, and can make enticing sighs," he whispered in Haisley's ear, causing her to widen her eyes instantly. Haisley froze on her bed. Her heart could be said to be working out right now. Nathan's body scent, the fragrance of his shampoo wafting, made Haisley feel ticklish, wanting to touch him. But she tried to resist the urge not to do so. She tried to find a topic of conversation but was also confused about what they should talk about. Haisley took a deep
Almost half an hour of waiting, Haisley heard the sound of keys turning. She turned and saw Nathan smiling at her with two shopping bags in his hands. "Making you wait?" the man asked with a grin on his face. "I was looking for breakfast for both of us and some spare clothes," he said as he walked towards the kitchen. "Spare clothes? From where?" Haisley asked curtly. Nathan looked at her, shrugging. "The market," he replied shortly. Nathan then brought the food for both of them to the living room, complete with drinks. "Let's have breakfast first, then you can shower. It's okay if the clothes haven't been washed yet. Later in the afternoon, more clothes and groceries will arrive. I've asked the villa staff to do the shopping," he said casually. Haisley chose not to comment on anything. She preferred to finish her breakfast because she was genuinely hungry. After finishing her meal, Haisley left her dirty bowl untouched and chose to grab the black plastic bag that Nathan said conta
"Oh, please, Nathan. This is not the time for you to joke with me!" she snapped annoyed. Nathan shrugged. "Who's joking with you? I'm serious. If you want a kiss, I'll tell you everything," he said again. Haisley looked at him. Her curiosity was truly unbearable. She stared at Nathan, and it seemed like he could read her inner turmoil. Nathan then patted his thigh, asking Haisley to come closer. "I won't lie. One kiss, and I'll answer all your questions," he said in a tempting, soft tone. Somehow, Haisley rose from her seat and walked towards Nathan. She stood in front of him and looked at Nathan hesitantly. Nathan then extended his right hand, took Haisley's left wrist to bring her closer, and placed his left hand behind her thigh. He pulled her, so Haisley sat on his lap, leaning on both folds of her knees. "Will you answer all my questions after one kiss?" she asked hesitantly, answered by a serious nod from Nathan. Haisley still looked at him nervously. Her gaze was directed
"Don't lie to me, Nath," Desis Haisley said as she lifted her head and roughly wiped away her tears. She adjusted her clothes with trembling hands and stepped back away from Nathan. "Just because of what I did a moment ago doesn't mean I believe your sweet words," she accused harshly. Nathan was surprised and looked at the confused girl. "Haisley." Haisley raised her hand, pointing her index finger at Nathan. "Don't you dare say anything to me." The girl commanded loudly. "I don't understand why you're doing all this to me, Nath. I can still remember your rude attitude towards me when I followed you months ago," she said with a wounded tone. "Yes, you surely know why I was so eager to study in the same country as you. It's because I love you! You know that all these years I've only admired you! I just love you! Even though I know you love my sister, Crystal. But still, in every prayer, I hope you open your eyes and then look at me. "I'm not ashamed to say this because you already k
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