"Where have you been, Derrick? Kendall's kid has been vomiting all over the place! Just making a mess in the house!" Lorraine stood with her hands on her hips at the door as Derrick stepped onto the porch."What? Chloe's been vomiting? Chloe!" Ignoring Lorraine's words, Derrick ran inside."Why does he care so much about someone else's child? He never even bothers with his own nieces and nephews. He must be under her spell," Lorraine grumbled, shaking her head. From a distance, she saw Kendall walking casually back from the shop, smiling to herself."Are you out of your mind, laughing to yourself? Your kid is vomiting all over the place! The house is a mess. Go clean it up, quickly!""What? Who's vomiting?" Kendall asked nonchalantly."Good heavens! Chloe is vomiting. Did you hear me?" Lorraine shouted in frustration."Huh, Chloe?" Hearing this, Kendall hurried inside.Derrick was changing Chloe's clothes and rubbing the child's thin body when Kendall entered the room."What ha
Derrick's body moved back until it touched the cold wall of the waiting room. Kendall's conversation with the man on the other end of the line was still ongoing. Derrick clenched his fists tightly. He should have stopped Kendall from asking that man for money, especially since he was now Chloe's stepfather. But how would he handle the hospital bill? He still hadn't come up with the five thousand needed. He doubted that Sarah would be willing to lend him the money."Brian, shouldn't you care about Chloe? She's your biological daughter!" Kendall sounded frustrated."Huh? What? You're so heartless. Fine, whatever! But if you don't pay for Chloe's treatment, I will ask your wife for the money directly!" Kendall ended the call. Her face showed signs of restrained anger. She looked around, then quickly hid her phone back in her shoulder bag.'I should avoid a fight with Kendall for now. I need to set aside my pride and prioritize Chloe's recovery.' Derrick continued to stand beside the wa
"Please check again, sir! Are you sure it's fully paid? Maybe you made a mistake?" Derrick furrowed his brow."It's correct, sir. The payment was made about half an hour ago.""Who paid, sir?" Derrick looked at the administrative officer in confusion."It's recorded here under the name Mr. Brian Powell."Derrick felt his chest tighten again as the officer read the name of the person who had paid for Chloe's medical bills."Alright, thank you." Derrick's voice was quiet as he responded. His body felt weak, and he felt like a useless husband and father. But on the other hand, he was relieved that Chloe could go home.He slowly made his way back to the emergency room. At least he would try to take good care of Chloe. However, his heart ached when he saw Chloe sitting on a man's lap in business attire. The man, who looked to be in his forties, was gently stroking Chloe's head. A wide smile was also evident on Kendall's face. It was clear that she was happy."Brian. Why are you only
"Return the phone, or you can leave this house!"Kendall was stunned by the ultimatum from her husband."B-but, I need this phone for...""For what? To contact a man who isn't your husband?"Hearing this, Kendall quickly looked around, worried that Lorraine or her children might hear."What are you talking about? If someone hears this, it'll be embarrassing," Kendall protested, glaring at him."So you do feel shame, huh? Begging for phone credit from another man doesn't embarrass you? Contacting another man in public doesn't embarrass you?" Derrick's anger flared up. He took a deep breath to calm the rage that was building inside him."Now return the phone!" Derrick demanded in a quieter tone.Kendall still pouted."Did you hear me or not?" Derrick's voice, which had softened earlier, now grew stern again."Y-yes, but Derrick, you'll buy me a phone, right?"Derrick pulled out the phone from his pocket."Here, use this while I'm at home! But be warned, don't use it to contac
"Are you sure you want to apply for a job at that witch's company again? Didn't they reject you before?" Kendall handed a freshly ironed shirt to Derrick."Yeah, I'm hoping that this time Sarah and Troy will accept me. Even if it's just as a driver, I don't mind." Derrick finished getting dressed and checked himself in the half-length mirror."Please wish me luck, okay? A wife's wish for her husband is powerful, you know.""Sure, just don't forget to buy me a phone once you get paid." Kendall started to coax Derrick, wrapping her arms around his waist."Kendall, I'm trying to find a job here. If you keep hugging me like this, I might not end up going." Derrick turned so that he was now facing Kendall."Tonight, okay, Derrick? I want..." Kendall whispered.Since their argument over the phone the other day, their relationship had been a bit strained. The nightly activities they used to engage in almost every night had taken a break for the past few days. Both were too proud to make
"Derrick!" Seeing her husband arrive, Kendall stood up. She knew full well that Derrick didn't like Brian's visits."This is my sister's house. What are you doing here?" Derrick asked sharply, ignoring Kendall and staring directly at Brian."I just wanted to check on Chloe. I want to see if she's living a decent life here," Brian replied casually, his eyes scanning the cramped and cluttered living room of Lorraine's rented house since Derrick had moved in."What did you say? A decent life? Why are you only thinking about that now? Where were you before?" Derrick's voice was raised in anger."Derrick, please calm down. The neighbors might hear!" Kendall gently rubbed Derrick's back, trying to soothe him."What do you mean by that?" Brian responded, glaring back at Derrick.Kendall trembled as she saw the tension between the two men. She quickly scooped Chloe into her arms, holding her close."Where were you when Kendall and Chloe were abandoned on the streets? They were starving!
"We've found an investor comparable to Vincent," Diego said, dropping himself into the chair in front of Troy."Oh, really? Who is it? Do I know this investor?" Troy's face lit up with curiosity. He was eager to know who the investor was. He thought it was unlikely that someone would invest such a large amount unless they had confidence in the company. He suspected that the investor must be someone who was well-acquainted with Peterson Group."The owner of Callista Corp. They've known about Peterson Group's previous successes for a long time. That's why they're confident about investing with us."Troy nodded as he listened to Diego's explanation."When can I meet the owner of Callista Corp? Sarah and I need to get to know them first.""I'll arrange it as soon as possible. With this investor's involvement, I believe Peterson Group will return to normal. The merger with Johnson Corp hasn't made much of a difference." Diego lowered his voice as he spoke.Troy chuckled."My goal in
"Kendall, wake up! Get my breakfast and clothes ready!" Derrick hurriedly grabbed a towel, heading for the bathroom."Why so early? It's only five o'clock!" Kendall grumbled, still lounging on their thin mattress."What's with you? I have to take Gillian to school. She starts at six-thirty. Come on, make me some coffee!"Seeing his wife finally get up, Derrick quickly headed toward the bathroom, the only one in their rented house. Lorraine's three kids would be up soon to get ready for school too."Hey, it's rare to see you up this early! Don't take too long; my kids need to use the bathroom too!" Lorraine snapped as she cooked breakfast in the cramped kitchen."Lorraine, what are you cooking? Can you make some for Derrick too?" Kendall asked as she approached Lorraine, glancing around at the already cluttered kitchen."Where's Derrick off so early?" Lorraine asked, curious, as Derrick hadn't had the chance to answer earlier. She had just finished making pancakes."Today's Derri
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