"Troy! How are you, handsome?" A glamorous woman approached Troy, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a peck on each cheek.Troy, caught off guard by Julia Jackson's sudden arrival, was momentarily flustered. His eyes immediately darted to Sarah, who was sitting among the crew just three meters away. Julia and the other female celebrities had a habit of greeting everyone with hugs and kisses, whether male or female. It was a common practice among them."It's been a while, and you're looking even more handsome," Julia commented. "And... quite irresistible," she whispered.Troy shook his head at Julia's compliment, which only made him more uneasy. The beautiful actress, who would be his co-star in the upcoming commercial, continued chatting with him. Troy tried to listen, but his eyes couldn't help but keep glancing at Sarah from afar. His wife was watching him, but her expression remained neutral, which only made him more nervous. Sarah was very good at hiding her feelings.
"Where have you been?""Troy! You shouldn't be harsh with a woman!" Andy, not pleased with Troy's tone, immediately scolded him.Troy turned to face Andy, his anger rising as he saw Andy standing up for Sarah. Pointing his finger at Andy, Troy's voice grew louder with frustration."What are you implying? I've never been harsh with my wife. The real question is, why were you with my wife?""Troy, what's wrong with you? I can explain. There's no need to shout like this. It's embarrassing with everyone watching!" Sarah glanced around at the onlookers, noticing some even recording the scene on their phones."Sweetheart, I'm not mad at you. I was just panicking because I couldn't find you. My phone died, so I couldn't contact you," Troy said as he cupped Sarah's face, his eyes locking onto hers. He didn't care about the murmurs from the crew and others around them.Sarah, who had been tense moments ago, began to smile as she realized they were becoming the center of attention. She gen
"Why do you keep thanking Andy so much?" Troy asked with annoyance."Look, Troy. He already paid the workshop fees. I wanted to repay him but he didn't want to take it."Troy breathed heavily, frustrated by Sarah's explanation."It seems like he's looking for a fight!" Troy exclaimed while gripping the steering wheel tightly."What's wrong with you? He was just being kind, not looking for a fight!" Sarah looked at Troy, puzzled."But I don't like him being so attentive to you, darling!"Sarah was silent. Although she was annoyed by Troy's behavior, hearing her husband's reasoning just then warmed her heart. She smiled secretly while looking out the window. Then Sarah turned her gaze back to Troy, who was focusing on driving. His face was still tense."Okay, I'm sorry, Troy!" A gentle stroke on his firm back made Troy finally smile. When he was about to pull his hand back, Troy caught it and kissed her slender fingers several times."I don't like seeing you close to other men. It hu
"Have you thought about the condition that we talked about yesterday?" Drew immediately asked Arnold, who had just come down from his room. He was already dressed in his suit, ready to go to the office.Arnold didn't answer right away. He first looked around to see who was in the dining room. After making sure that only his father and mother were there, Arnold sat down in one of the chairs. Before speaking, he took a long, deep breath."What if I refuse that condition?""What? Refuse? I explained this to you yesterday. Your dad and I have already promised Irene's parents that you would marry her. We're indebted to her father. You need to remember that!" Drew started speaking again in a raised tone.Arnold glanced around. He was uneasy about Irene hearing their conversation."Shh, lower your voice a bit! Irene might hear, and that would be hard on her," Freddy tried to caution his wife."But I'm upset with your son." Drew looked at Arnold with frustration."But, Mom, what if I ca
"Do you mean two wives?" Erica asked, her voice beginning to rise."Y-yeah, my mom and dad have their reasons for making that request," Arnold stammered.Erica remained silent, her face clearly showing she was holding back her emotions. In reality, she was waiting for Arnold to explain the reasoning behind his parents' outrageous idea."So... without me knowing, my parents had already promised Irene's late parents that they would make sure we wed. Mom says we're indebted to Irene's father, and this is their way of repaying that debt," Arnold explained carefully. He felt slightly relieved because Erica didn't immediately explode in anger and was at least listening to him."Well, that's convenient for you!" Erica retorted sharply. Although she was deeply hurt, she tried to remain calm. She didn't want Arnold to know that recently, her feelings for him had begun to grow. She wasn't about to beg for his love.Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the waiters, who delive
"Why are you home so late, Arnold?"Arnold was startled to find Irene opening the door for him, especially since it was already two in the morning. After dropping Erica off at home, Arnold returned to the office. For some reason, he didn't feel like going home, so he only left the office around ten o'clock at night. However, he didn't go straight home. After spending a few hours at a café near his office, Arnold finally arrived home at two in the morning."I have a lot of work at the office. Why aren't you asleep yet?" Arnold furrowed his brow."How could I sleep when you haven't come home? You didn't even let me know you were working late," Irene replied as she poured a glass of warm water for Arnold.Arnold drank it all in one go."Irene, could you keep me company for a bit?" Arnold, who was initially hesitant, decided to talk to Irene."Um... talk? About what?" Irene seemed uneasy."Sit down," Arnold said, dropping himself onto the sofa. He glanced toward his parents' room an
"Therefore, I've decided to accept my parents' condition to take Irene as my second wife."Erica, who had been holding her breath to hear Arnold's decision, now found herself struggling to breathe. She couldn't believe Arnold would make such a decision.Angry? Of course, she wanted to be angry. But, would she be selfish if she couldn't make Arnold happy? She wasn't a perfect woman anymore. So, what should she do now? She couldn't possibly rebel. All this time, Arnold had never known her feelings."Erica, once again, I'm sorry!"Seeing Erica silent and expressionless, Arnold felt guilty and then took his wife's fingers and kissed them repeatedly."Yes, from the beginning, I left this decision to you. After all, our marriage was because of my father. It's okay. It doesn't matter if you really want to marry Irene. After all, I did this for my father." Erica tried her best to keep her tone as normal as possible. But she knew that soon, those tears would fall from the corners of her ey
"D-Drew?" Erica turned to Drew, who was looking at her with a cold glare."Erica was just helping me prepare lunch, not trying to show off," Irene explained, glancing at Erica with pity."What can she do? She's probably afraid of ruining her hands if she works in the kitchen," Drew grumbled again."Excuse me, I've lived abroad for years, on my own in an apartment, without any housekeepers. I did everything myself. So please, don't always underestimate me!" Erica spoke in a calm tone, trying to keep her composure. She was nearly provoked."Living abroad and living here, yeah, that's different!" Drew retorted, refusing to back down.Erica decided to remain silent after Irene signaled her not to respond anymore."Would you like to eat now?" Irene asked as she placed the last dish she had cooked that day on the table."Yes, of course. We need to talk about something important afterward," Drew said before heading off to her room to call her husband."Freddy!" Drew rushed into the ro
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