"Forgive me! All of this is beyond my control. Please, don't keep torturing me with this guilt, Erica!" Troy's voice trembled. Erica's tears truly broke him. His heart ached and he was utterly confused.Erica's sobs had successfully unsettled him, making it impossible for him to think clearly. For a moment, he was at a loss for words until he spoke softly again."Tell me what I need to do to make amends. But please, don't involve Sarah in this. You know how important she is to me."Hearing Troy's words, Erica closed her eyes. The wound reopened, bleeding once again. She knew she would never be able to have Troy's heart. The love she felt was incredibly painful. As the only child of Michael Lewis, she had everything she needed, except for one thing money couldn't buy—true love. Why couldn't she have the kind of love that other women had? A love that brought happiness. A love where both needed each other."Erica..." At this moment, a sense of pity filled Troy's chest, making him feel
"Michael is ill and will be seeking treatment abroad. He mentioned that yesterday's reaction was just a moment of anger. So, the project will proceed as planned." Troy sighed in relief after finally answering Sarah's question.She nodded at Troy's response. Although deep down, something still felt off to her."Oh, how's our baby doing? When's the next check-up with Ivy?" Troy bent down and kissed Sarah's belly."Next month. According to her, the baby is healthy." Sarah stroked Troy's head as it rested on her lap. She gazed intently at her husband's face. For some reason, she felt that Troy hadn't fully answered her question. She could see the weight of something heavy on his face. Sarah sighed deeply several times."Let's go home. The kids are probably waiting for dinner together. Lately, you've rarely joined us for dinner." Sarah caressed Troy's face, which was adorned with soft stubble—something she particularly loved about her husband's face.Suddenly, Troy stood up and extende
"I promise I will make you happy with me. Will you?"Carrie almost gasped upon hearing the words Diego uttered. Even though she had once felt hurt by Diego, deep down in her heart, she felt very happy. Maybe it was time to let go of her ego. Maybe she could heal the wound by embracing this happiness.Carrie couldn't hold back her smile. She looked down, embarrassed that Diego might see her blushing face. She guessed that her cheeks must be flushed red by now.Suddenly, Diego's fingers lifted her chin, bringing them to look at each other again."Carrie, will you marry me?""Huh?" Carrie was taken aback. She truly did not expect Diego to propose."Carrie..." Diego spoke again, as if impatiently waiting for her answer."I-I... I'll think about it first." Finally, an answer came out of Carrie's mouth. But that wasn't the answer Diego was hoping for."I've been searching for you for years. Can you bear to make me wait again?" Diego's face turned pleading."Why are you so pushy?" Ca
"Don't lie to me! Who were you looking at over there?" Kendall's gaze was still fixed on the direction of the elite hospital's obstetrics waiting room. She was still very curious, as she thought Derrick seemed surprised after seeing something there."I already told you I saw the wrong person. Come on, let's go home! Poor Chloe, we've left her at home; she must be uncomfortable with Lorraine's kids." Derrick pulled Kendall's hand more firmly, urging her towards the main road."Derrick, this hospital is so prestigious, the costs must be really high. I never thought Rebecca could give birth in such a fancy hospital." Kendall seemed to have forgotten what she had asked Derrick earlier. While waiting for the bus, Kendall talked about the neighbor they had just visited."Maybe Rebecca has health insurance from her husband's company, just like we used to. Did you forget?" Derrick spoke while continuously looking to the right, hoping the public transportation they were waiting for would arr
'Troy? What time did he come home last night?' Sarah had just woken up because she needed to go to the bathroom. The time showed four in the morning. Beside her, Troy was still sound asleep, lying on his back. Soft snores escaped his lips.Sarah got up and hurried to the bathroom, then returned to bed and lay down. Her eyes couldn't close again. Lying on her side, she satisfied herself by gazing at her husband's face. The dark stubble forming on his strong jawline sent a warm thrill through Sarah's chest.Sarah gently ran two fingers along his handsome face, the face that many women adored. Perhaps she had to get used to seeing many women trying to get close to her husband.She had waited for Troy to come home last night, but even by midnight, he still hadn't returned. Could he really be meeting a client until that late? Who exactly was this client?"Ah!" Sarah gasped in surprise. Suddenly, Troy opened his eyes and caught the fingers that had been caressing his stubbled face."Get
"I need to talk to you about Troy. You'll be shocked by what I saw last night.""Huh? What?" Sarah immediately turned to Derrick. She followed her ex-husband's steps as he was getting ready to get into the car. Meanwhile, Gillian had already been sitting in the back seat.Sarah had clearly heard what Derrick whispered earlier. She was very surprised. Anxiously, Sarah glanced back into the house. She could still hear Troy talking to someone on his phone.Once more, Derrick looked at Sarah from behind the wheel. He gestured with his hand and mouthed the words, "Call me!" without making any sound. Then, Derrick slowly drove the car out of the gate.After Derrick left, Sarah stood still, trying to process the words he had whispered."Something important? About Troy?" she repeated softly, barely audible. Why did Derrick's words seem to connect with her recent unease? For the past few days, she had been feeling uneasy about Troy. She sensed that Troy was hiding something from her.Troy
"No!" Elena's shouts continued to be heard as Sarah neared her destination.Sarah kept walking quickly, not paying attention to her growing belly, until she reached the door to Troy's office."Sarah, please, I'm sorry, but Erica will scold me later."Hearing Elena's words, Sarah immediately turned to face Troy's secretary. She was puzzled, wondering why Elena was so afraid of being scolded by Erica. She stared at Elena with questioning eyes. After all, Erica was just a guest and business partner here."Are you afraid of Erica?" Sarah's brow furrowed.Elena nodded weakly, her face pale."Why?" Sarah looked at the short-haired woman intently."I-I'm afraid that if Erica gets angry, she might halt the project."Sarah widened her eyes."Oh my... to that extent? So, she's threatening everyone here to get what she wants?" Sarah shook her head."Don't be afraid." Sarah turned back and prepared to open the door. She took a deep breath, trying to guess what she would see inside.Sara
"Continue the project! My company will replace all the funds that have already been invested." Sarah spoke firmly and with great confidence."W-what do you mean?" Troy was startled, looking at Sarah with hope."Yes, terminate the partnership with Callista Corp, and work with my company instead. My company may not be as big as Peterson Group or Callista Corp, but don't forget, Johnson Corp has highly competent people within it." This time, Sarah spoke like a seasoned, authoritative, and elegant businesswoman. Seeing this, Troy was in awe of his wife."Oh, Sarah! I never imagined I had such an incredible wife." Troy hugged his wife again and led her back to sit on the sofa."Now, can I know what you plan to do? Honestly, I don't want you to sacrifice too much." The warmth of Troy's large hand on Sarah's cheek was comforting. For a moment, she enjoyed it without changing her expression before continuing to speak."Okay. Maybe, because you've often helped me manage the company, it mad
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