Today, I intentionally cooked early in the morning. After dropping Gillian off at school, I planned to meet Uncle Benny and some company shareholders.Uncle Benny had scheduled the meeting at one of our branch offices, so thankfully, I wouldn't have to see Derrick or Kendall, who were at the head office."Hello!" a voice rang from outside. Who’s visiting this early? The voice sounded familiar.Then I heard the noise of kids in the living room.I walked to the front to see who had arrived.My eyes widened seeing Lorraine and her husband, Jack, with their three kids already sitting at the dining table. They were shamelessly having breakfast with Derrick, Ruth, and Gillian.The hell?! They were getting more and more brazen.Luckily, I had already eaten breakfast in the kitchen. I stood there, stunned, watching these uninvited guests eat without a care. All the food I had cooked this morning was gone.I knew Lorraine wouldn’t clean up after her kids."Gillian, let’s go. We’ll be l
"Sarah!""Yeah, Mom?""Where have you been? I'm hungry. My head is spinning looking at this mess. Lorraine's kids are so naughty." Ruth, who had just woken up, came out of her room and approached me."I've already cleaned the house, Mom. Please be patient. The food will be ready soon.""Lorraine is so irresponsible, leaving her kids here," Ruth muttered.Ruth was rather strange. She wouldn't dare say things like that in front of her own daughter.But no matter what, I had a moral duty to continue respecting her.After finishing the cooking, I invited Ruth to eat together at the dining table. She must be really hungry by now."Mom!" Lorraine's loud voice came from outside."When entering someone's house, it’s better to greet and say hello. Don't just yell," I muttered as I enjoyed the still-warm lunch."Hey, this is my mom's house. I can do whatever I want. You're just a guest here. Don't tell me what to do," Lorraine snapped, glaring at me."Relax, Lorraine. Your face is alr
Without waiting a second longer, I tried to unlock Derrick's phone. And... it really unlocked.My eyes widened when I saw a message from Kendall at the top. I opened it immediately, and it was just one unread message.[Okay, see you tomorrow, Derrick.]This seemed like a reply. It meant they had been texting before. But it looked like Derrick had deleted the earlier messages. My husband was being cautious.I let out a frustrated sigh. My suspicions weren’t confirmed yet, but I wasn't going to stop here. I would uncover all Derrick's lies."Honey, turn off the lights. It's late."I jumped at Derrick's voice. Slowly, I put his phone back in its place and turned off the light. I lay down beside Derrick, who was already back in dreamland.-This morning, my usual routine awaited me: cooking, cleaning the house, and taking care of Gillian and Derrick.Maybe starting next month, I'd hire a housekeeper to have someone focus on looking after Gillian. I didn't want her to be neglected
"Hi, I'm Kendall." The woman extended her hand to me. Her long nails were painted bright red."I'm Sarah." I finally shook her hand."You're really beautiful, Kendall, just like your mom when she was young," Ruth praised, making Kendall smile proudly.Actually, Kendall did have a pretty face and fair skin. She was tall and slim. Unfortunately, she had used her good looks to flirt with married men.Did Derrick know the guest was Kendall?I heard a car pulling into the driveway. It seemed Derrick had just come home. I was very curious to see Derrick's reaction when he saw Kendall."Hello everyone." Derrick's voice called from outside."Hello." We all answered together."Huh, what are you doing here, Derrick?""Kendall...?"Derrick and Kendall seemed surprised and pointed at each other.They clearly didn’t expect to meet here.The woman, with her heavy makeup, looked delighted when she saw my husband."I'm glad you two know each other," said Ruth, beaming."Kendall is Sonia'
"I never expected that your dad owns this company, Joy," Albert said, sipping his favorite latte."I also didn’t expect you to help develop my dad’s company, Albert," I replied while stirring my favorite lemon tea. Its refreshing aroma filled the air."What blows my mind is this. After years of working together, I only now found out that Albert is my high school buddy," Bradley added.We laughed. What an extraordinary coincidence that three high school friends had reunited after so many years."Well, I’ve never attended a board meeting before," Bradley said."But from now on, you’re my assistant, Brad! That’s an order," I declared."Yes, ma’am, CEO."Albert had a thorough understanding of my company’s growth. His dad, Mr. Ian Williams, had been instrumental in the company’s success."Albert, I need you to assist me for the next few months. Can you do that?""Sure, beautiful. Anything for you," Albert said, winking."Hey... she’s a married woman," Bradley cut in."What? You’r
"Hi, everyone.""Hi, Sarah," Ruth answered.I greeted Ruth, who couldn’t take her eyes off my shopping bags. Lorraine was staring at them too. She must have noticed the branded bags I was carrying.I pretended not to care and placed all my shopping bags on the dining table.Derrick followed me into the bedroom. "Where did you get the money to buy all this stuff?" he asked, his face turning red."It’s my money," I replied firmly."Where did you get so much money? These are expensive things, right?" he asked again."What’s wrong with you? Yesterday you said I couldn’t buy nice clothes because I didn’t manage my money well. Now that I’ve bought them, you’re mad. You're the one who told me to look nice." I tried to stay calm.Derrick went silent."Derrick, come here!" Ruth called from the living room.They seemed to be having a serious conversation."This house is the only asset our family has, Lorraine. I don't agree with using it as collateral for a bank loan." Derrick’s voice
"Lorraine, you've been asked to come to the office tomorrow for an assessment," Kendall suddenly said as she entered through the side door while we were having dinner."Really?" Lorraine's face lit up."Thanks so much, Kendall.” “How did you get a call so quickly, Lorraine? You’re amazing, Kendall," Ruth chimed in."Didn’t Kendall say she knows a lot of bosses, Mom?" I added."Of course. When you work, you need to be sociable like me. I know managers, even directors," Kendall said smugly."See, Sarah? You should learn from Kendall. When you start working, spend more time learning from her," Ruth advised me.‘What?! Did I hear that right?’ I felt like laughing out loud just then."Yeah, Kendall is very friendly at the office. That’s why so many people misunderstand her," Derrick said, glancing at me.What was that supposed to mean?"You’re not only friendly, but pretty too, so it’s no wonder people get the wrong idea," Lorraine praised Kendall."Sarah, you should learn to dr
"Derrick, I want a divorce!" I said, my voice trembling.Derrick stared at me silently, then smirked."You have no one in this world, Sarah. What will you do without me? Just because you got a job, now you want a divorce? Your salary might not even cover your and Gillian's needs." Derrick spoke, his smile mocking."Let it go, Sarah. If Derrick wants to have Kendall, let him. What's important is that he doesn't divorce you. You can still live here." Ruth chimed in."I'd rather walk through the flames of hell than share a house with that bitch!" I snapped then went back to my room.This morning, I didn't prepare Derrick's needs like I usually did. My heart was already broken. My decision was firm; I wanted a divorce. There was nothing left worth fighting for here.I quietly packed some of Gillian's clothes and school supplies into a suitcase, along with some of mine."Sarah! Where are my clothes and pants?"Sarah!"Derrick yelled from his room while I was in Gillian's room."Fi
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