"Are you seriously thinking about going to the States?" Carrie stared at Sarah in disbelief. Their lunch had been momentarily interrupted when Sarah suddenly mentioned wanting to follow Troy.Sarah shifted her gaze, her expression anxious. She set the spoon in her hand down on the edge of her plate."I honestly don't know what else to do. It's been three days now, and I can't get in touch with my own husband. I have no idea if he's okay." Sarah's big eyes began to mist over as she fought back tears."Drink this first." Carrie handed Sarah a glass of guava juice, hoping it would help calm her down.Sarah took the glass and sipped it slowly."Have you tried contacting any of his family or someone else over there?" Carrie asked again."I have." Sarah's voice was hoarse, and Carrie looked at her friend with sympathy as she waited for Sarah to continue. Meanwhile, Carrie resumed eating her lunch."I called his grandfather. But... It seemed like he was hiding something. I wasn't allow
"Who are you really?" Derrick asked, eyeing the man in the light brown suit with suspicion.The man chuckled. "Relax, there's no need to worry about being kidnapped. Besides, what makes you think you're important enough to be kidnapped?"Derrick grunted in frustration but deep down, he knew the stranger had a point."I'll explain everything in the car," the man continued.Derrick gave the man a wary look but ultimately decided to go along. The hardships he was facing left him with little choice.'Maybe the pay is good,' he thought as he stepped into the white SUV.Derrick watched the scenery pass by as they drove north. His thoughts drifted to Kendall and their child, who hadn't eaten since morning.He wondered how he had ended up back with Kendall. He should have gone back to Sarah, but he knew that Sarah would never take him back. Troy Peterson was no match for him. Derrick had felt sorry for Kendall when she showed up crying, looking almost like a street beggar, with a thin
"Money? Is this really money, Derrick?" Kendall's eyes widened as she saw the bills spill out from the brown envelope."What did you think it was? French fries?" Derrick snapped, irritated."Now we're talking! I can finally buy some skincare and nice clothes," Kendall added as she eagerly gathered the bills that had scattered on the floor."Don't even think about it! And don't be wasteful! This money is for food and rent. Set some aside for emergencies. Chloe is still young. If she suddenly gets sick, we need to have some savings," Derrick warned, glaring at Kendall."Derrick, you haven't changed. You're still stingy!" Kendall muttered as she walked over to the cupboard to store the money in the envelope.Derrick could only sigh in frustration, watching Kendall's behavior, which always managed to get under his skin.That night, Derrick decided to drink tea and eat leftover rice with the crackers on the table. Meanwhile, Kendall bought takeout for herself and Chloe.Derrick thoug
"What's the matter? Or if you're hesitant, never mind. I'll be on my way!" said Derrick, turning away.Sarah glanced at her watch briefly."Okay, fine. Just take me there quickly!"Derrick smiled at Sarah's response. He took the car keys from Sarah and quickly got into the driver's seat. Meanwhile, Sarah chose to sit in the back seat."Why are you driving yourself? Where's your driver?" Derrick asked as he sped up, knowing she was in a hurry."I assigned Joshua to pick up Gillian," Sarah replied briefly without turning around. She sent a message to Carrie, letting her know she might be a bit late."You should have a personal driver. Don't drive yourself. It's dangerous if something like this happens again, especially if you're coming home late at night."Sarah didn't respond to Derrick's remark, but she silently acknowledged that he might be right. Maybe she would reconsider."We're here," Derrick said as they arrived at the lobby of Sarah's company."Thank you. Just leave the
"Have you got Troy's wife's personal phone number yet?" Diego spoke to someone over the phone.A few hours ago, the doctor asked again about Troy's closest family members, but Diego still hadn't been able to obtain Sarah's phone number. Then, one of his trusted men contacted him."Good. Send it to me right away!" Diego replied.Diego quickly saved the phone number of the woman named Sarah. He wanted to contact her immediately, but he was worried that Sarah wouldn't believe him.Diego approached Troy, who was still unconscious. According to the doctor, Troy's internal injuries were starting to heal, and he had passed the critical phase. They were just waiting for him to wake up.Diego asked the doctor for permission to take a few photos of Troy."Maybe with these, she'll believe me," he muttered after thanking the doctor."Sir, the company needs you right now. Another investor has pulled out. The company is on the verge of bankruptcy." Someone approached Diego.Diego cursed unde
"What's wrong, Gillian? Who do you want to send away?" Sarah looked at her daughter in confusion as she suddenly ran into the living room."I don't want to see him again. I'm scared!" Gillian cried out again.Sarah finally understood when she turned to see Derrick standing on the porch with a sad expression. Sarah felt sorry for Gillian being so scared, but she knew she had to address the trauma her daughter was still dealing with.Slowly, Sarah approached Gillian."Sweetheart, that's your father."Gillian shook her head rapidly."I don't want a mean daddy. He's a bad person. Get Prince inside, Mommy. He might hurt him too!" Gillian's cries grew louder and more frantic, clearly audible to Derrick.It wasn't easy to erase the trauma that had taken hold of Gillian since two years ago. Sarah couldn't stand to see the sudden paleness on Gillian's face.After instructing all the housekeepers and babysitters carrying Prince to go inside, Sarah decided to step outside to talk to Derri
"How could she be missing? Have you looked for her yet?" Sarah suddenly stood up in panic."Yes, ma'am. Her teacher said Gillian left as usual when class ended, along with her friends." Lily's voice was just as panicked."Was Joshua late to pick her up? Where is he?" Sarah's breathing started to quicken."No, Joshua wasn't late, ma'am. He's still out looking for Gillian. The school is also searching the area around the school." Lily explained carefully.Sarah paced back and forth in her office. She even opened the door with a confused look on her face."Lily, get everyone to search for Gillian. I'm going to get help!""Yes, ma'am.""What's going on, Sarah? I heard you were really panicking." Carrie suddenly entered, having overheard Sarah's loud voice while passing by her office."Gillian, Carrie. Gillian is missing. Please help me, Carrie!" Sarah broke down in tears. Seeing this, Carrie immediately hugged her friend."You need to stay calm so you can think clearly. I will hel
"Kendall, open the door, quickly!" Derrick shouted, struggling to hold Gillian, who was in his arms. His daughter was beginning to blink her eyes."The effect of the sedative will wear off soon," Derrick muttered to himself."Is this Gillian? Oh my, she's grown up, and so beautiful too. The ransom for her would be huge!" Derrick ignored Kendall's comment as he entered, passing her as she stood near the door. He gently laid Gillian, still in her school uniform, on their thin mattress."Come here. I need to talk!" Derrick grabbed Kendall's hand, pulling her away from Gillian, leaving Chloe to sit beside her. The two-year-old was curious about Gillian's presence in their home. She was probably surprised to see someone so clean and neatly dressed, unlike the children she usually encountered around their neighborhood."What is it, Derrick? That hurts, you know!" Kendall yanked her hand away and rubbed the spot where Derrick had gripped her."I don't want to hear another word about ra
Arnold and Erica's faces became tense as they saw the doctor standing in the doorway."How is she, doctor?" Erica couldn't wait to hear about Irene and her baby."Congratulations, sir. You have a healthy baby girl," the female doctor said, and for a moment, Arnold and Erica breathed a sigh of relief.But their faces remained anxious, as they still hadn't heard about Irene's condition."How is the mother, doctor?" Arnold asked, his voice trembling."Are you her husband?" The doctor looked at Arnold intently."Y-yes, doctor," Arnold stammered, feeling guilty for never accompanying Irene to her hospital visits."Sir, Irene's condition is... critical. We are still trying to stop the bleeding. Please pray for her."Arnold was stunned by the doctor's words. He couldn't say anything as the doctor turned and left him and Erica in the waiting room."Oh God, what kind of husband am I? Erica... Erica... Irene is critical. What should I do?" Arnold shook Erica's body in frustration."All
"Irene, are you okay? Is Arnold taking good care of you?" Erica asked in a panic when Irene contacted her. Irene's voice sounded hoarse and rough, making Erica worried."When are you coming back to Jaketon? I want you to be here when I give birth.""Wait, where's Arnold? Is he still not paying attention to you?" Erica's concern grew. She rarely received calls from Arnold, except when there was a work-related issue that needed to be discussed."Arnold... he says he's very busy with work."Erica let out a heavy sigh. From Irene's voice, she suspected Erica was in trouble. But it seemed that the heavily pregnant woman was still keeping things to herself."Alright, Irene. I'll finish my work here. I'll try to come back before you give birth. You and your baby need to stay healthy, okay?""Thank you. Thank you!"After hanging up with Irene, Erica sent a message to Arnold, urging him to be more attentive to Irene. However, Erica did not answer Arnold's calls when he tried to reach her
Sarah squealed as Troy lifted her. Her husband's strong arms carried her bridal-style toward an enormous bed. The beautiful bed was surrounded by thin yet lovely curtains, and sprinkled with rose petals that filled the room with a fragrant aroma."The doctor said we're allowed now, ahem... so, it's okay, right?" Troy gently laid Sarah's body on the luxurious and comfortable bed.Sarah smiled, her face blushing as Troy hovered over her. His face was so close to hers."I've missed you too, Troy!" The beautiful woman wrapped her arms around Troy's neck, and he couldn't wait any longer. He began planting kisses on Sarah's face, which soon turned into passionate lip-locks that he couldn't get enough of.It was unclear who initiated it, but a few minutes later, they had both discarded everything that was on their bodies. Like their first night, they were eager to satisfy each other. The intense expression of love and the deep longing drove Troy wild. He didn't want to miss even an inch o
"Honey, are you awake?" Troy gently caressed Sarah's face. She blinked, just waking up from her sleep. Sarah turned onto her side to face Troy."What time is it?""It's six in the morning. We're still going to the office today, right?"Sarah sat up. "Of course. You're going to the office too, right?""Yes, darling. Oh, by the way, how's the breastmilk stash for Kingsley? Do we have enough?""More than enough," Sarah replied, hurrying to the bathroom to freshen up. Unbeknownst to her, Troy quietly followed her into the bathroom, which she had forgotten to lock. Ever since giving birth to Kingsley, Sarah usually remembered to lock the door."Troy!" Sarah squealed, surprised to see Troy standing behind her just as she was undressing.Troy's heart raced at the sight of his wife's body, which he hadn't touched in almost two months. This morning, Troy felt bold enough to approach Sarah, especially after the doctor confirmed yesterday that she had fully recovered. She had also complete
"Are we going home now, honey?" Irene asked as she sat up on the gurney. The IV needle had just been removed from her hand. Her face still looked pale."Just a moment," Arnold replied curtly without turning to look at her, making Irene take a deep breath to ease the pain that kept gnawing at her. Since Erica left, Irene noticed that Arnold had been pacing back and forth, trying to call someone on his phone. She guessed he was trying to reach Erica, but she wasn't answering.Irene sat silently, waiting for Arnold, who was still pacing in front of her. Theresa, who had promised to return, ended up not coming back."Alright, let's go home. Can you walk?" Arnold asked as he watched Irene, who was struggling to get down from the gurney with her weak body."Excuse me, ma'am, please use this wheelchair. Your body is still very weak." An ER staff member offered a wheelchair. Irene, who had just stood up from the gurney, slowly sat down in the wheelchair. The staff then pushed the wheelchai
"Yes, congratulations again on your wife's pregnancy. If the observations go well, she can go home this evening."Arnold only nodded at the doctor's explanation. He remained silent even after the doctor left the room. What he had just heard was completely unexpected."H-honey, aren't you happy that I'm pregnant?" Irene asked in a trembling voice. Her chest felt tight, unable to find any trace of happiness on Arnold's face after hearing about her pregnancy. Instead, she saw confusion and surprise. Irene tried to suppress the sadness and disappointment she felt."Is it because it's not Erica who's pregnant?" Irene asked again, this time steeling herself to hear Arnold's response."Don't overthink it. Mom and Dad will be thrilled. I'll go out for a bit." Arnold quickly left Irene and headed to the waiting area in front of the ER.'It's only his mom and dad who are happy. Arnold isn't.' Irene clutched her chest, which felt overwhelmingly tight, trying to hold back her tears. She strug
Diego hugged Carrie tightly. His heart was finally at ease. The different traumas they had both been struggling with had finally been overcome.The same was true for Carrie. Since she had been secretly seeing a psychiatrist a month after marrying Diego, the trauma from her past had gradually faded. The beautiful woman with reddish hair had slowly been able to forget the painful memories of her past after several months of treatment. However, she was reluctant to be upfront with Diego about her recovery. She also felt too proud to make the first move or ask Diego not to leave her in bed."Where are you going, honey?" Carrie clutched her husband's strong arm one night while they were being intimate. But Diego still got up and left her."Sorry, Carrie. I-I just can't..."Carrie was stunned by her husband's rejection. She couldn't understand why Diego kept choosing to satisfy his desires in the bathroom."Should I just tell him that I'm better now? Shouldn't he realize that I'm no lon
"Why are you in such a hurry, honey? Weren't you supposed to stay here for three days?" Irene had been watching Arnold eat quickly since he left the bedroom. Her husband hadn't said much since then. The sweet words or loving gestures that should be present between newlyweds were completely absent for Irene. It was as if Arnold had already forgotten what happened last night.Arnold didn't answer. He only glanced briefly at Irene, who was sitting across from him. A few minutes later, he got up, grabbed his car keys from the table, and said, "I'm leaving. Don't wait for me!" Without waiting for Irene's response, Arnold hurried out to his car. He only gave a brief glance at Irene, who was watching him leave with an unreadable expression. But Arnold didn't care. His mind was entirely focused on Erica. He felt guilty about his first wife.'Erica, forgive me. What did I do last night? What if Irene really gets pregnant? It will be difficult to divorce her later.' Arnold ran his hands thro
Irene was still sobbing, her back turned to Arnold. She lay there, trying to endure the pain, not just physically but also emotionally. Without realizing it, Arnold had mentioned Erica's name at the end of their bedroom session, which made Irene's pain multiply tenfold.Arnold quickly fell asleep from exhaustion beside Irene. He felt relieved that the desire he had been harboring since that morning was finally satisfied. Although it was Erica he truly wanted, Irene was still legally his wife.After crying her heart out, Irene tried to get up and clean herself. Slowly, she sat at the edge of the bed, reached for her clothes, and put them on again.She remembered her mother-in-law's request earlier that morning. Drew had called her and spoke over the phone."Irene, you need to get pregnant as soon as possible! We know Arnold hasn't touched you yet. You have to make him sleep with you!" Drew's words over the phone had shocked Irene."Mom... how do you know... that I haven't been... t