Damien glances at the watch Carol gifted him. He wheels himself out of the company. Nobody is here except the security guards. But there is no way he can leave the wheelchair. James left soon after informing him that he would talk to their friends about everything. So, he is alone. Dialing the number of his chauffeur, he heads into the garage. But his eyes widen when he notices someone standing at the garage exit. His heart beats faster, a heavy pressure lifting off his chest. **Are you surprised?** Carol signs while sitting on her bike. Damien wheels himself as fast as he can and grabs her wrist. Carol, who had just settled herself, finds herself being pulled into his embrace as he hugs her tightly. She can feel his vibration. It's warm and fast. He kisses her forehead and lips like a desperate man. She laughs, feeling ticklish. **What's wrong with you?** she asks, blushing. **I missed you so much!** he says, cupping her face and smothering her with kisses. She feels
"Everyone sounded remorseful and angry about it except for Ian!" James slides his car keys into his pocket and heads toward his apartment. Damien, on the other side of the phone, takes a deep breath. "It’s fine. He’s always been sensitive about this. We all just needed a scapegoat for our hatred and frustration," he replies in a deep tone. "Where’s your flight?" James asks as he enters his apartment. "This evening. Carol is returning from Miami this morning." Damien grabs a towel and strides into the bathroom. The sun has yet to rise, and he couldn't sleep well last night. "Is everything going alright?" James asks while opening the refrigerator. Carol has been handling all the honeymoon plans, so James has no idea what she’s organized. Usually, Damien relies on him to handle tasks like booking rooms or arranging visas. "Yes… she’s acting normal," Damien replies while running the shower and checking the water temperature. "I’ll call you later." "Okay." Placing the phone o
**How did it happen? Damien said you were already getting treatment?** Carol hands Lucy a glass of water before sitting in the chair. Lucy is already crying. **It’s my fault. I became greedy. I became reckless once I learned that Damien married you!** Carol’s eyes widen in surprise, but she remains silent. She had thought Lucy returned because she was getting better. **Now, I think what I did has caused me a great loss. I came back here as a spy for Mrs. Crawley. Damien knows it, too!** Carol freezes, her shock apparent. **What do you mean?** she asks, a knot forming in her stomach. **Damien allowed me to return because of his mother’s death. Do you remember when he left for a week and came back with me?** Carol nods slowly. **His mother was found dead. But Damien and everyone knew she was murdered. He hated her, but she reminded him of someone he used to adore.** Carol’s expression shifts from shock to calm curiosity. She has no idea what Lucy is talking about
Next Day,As soon as the sun rises, they head directly to City X for hiking and skydiving. With such an eventful day planned, neither of them wants to waste time lounging around. Damien is especially excited for the plans ahead. He surprises Carol with a cozy bed and breakfast, a warm shower together, and even helps her dry her hair afterward. He carefully combs her hair, watches as she applies her makeup, and even learns a few techniques to assist her in the future. Carol, proud of her attentive husband and his quick learning, allows him to choose her lipstick color and dress. However, the lipstick doesn't last long—someone couldn't resist her lips and wiped away the last trace. ---Carol and Damien are now hiking with a group of people who will also be joining them for skydiving. The group includes individuals from different countries, but due to her disability, Carol struggles to make friends. Thankfully, Damien acts as her interpreter, helping the group understand her sign lan
People deal with different challenges in different ways. Some take immediate responsibility for their mistakes, feel remorse, and attempt to fix things. Others, stubborn and unwilling to acknowledge their faults, remain unbothered and expect others to simply move on. Watching the clients terminate contracts one after another, Diego Granger does nothing but sit silently in the chair of the Chairperson. His calm expression fails to mask the anxiety and fear of going bankrupt within weeks. Until now, he has managed to keep the company afloat. But the current situation offers no reprieve. Even old friends, for whom he has been there during their lowest moments, stop communicating with him. It feels as if the page has turned with no hope left. They have forgotten everything he has done for them. “Sir! Ten of our employees resign since we couldn’t pay their salaries for the last three months,” Diego’s assistant says calmly, placing a stack of resignation letters on the desk. Diego’s u
**How do I look?** Carol signs, spinning around in a bikini in front of Damien who is sitting on the couch. Her pale skin glows brightly under the light. Damien's fingers curl into a tight fist, conflicted about his feelings. He wants to tell her to change because he doesn’t want her to go out in that, but he fears he’ll sound controlling.His eyebrows arch with a guilty thought. He doesn’t want to become the kind of man who cages her like a wingless bird.What he doesn’t realize is that, even without him saying anything, Carol can read his expression perfectly. She silently grabs another bikini and walks into the changing room.When she returns, she’s wearing a less revealing bikini. She walks towards him as he clenches his jaw and raises his chin. **Your eyes should be on me. Why are you staring at the ground?**Damien’s attention shifts to her new bikini—a blue swimsuit with a fluffy skirt.He realizes his silence must have made her feel bad. Standing up, he signs, **I’m sorry. I d
" Sis!" Alex knocks lightly on Brianna's door before entering the room. Brianna, who has been visiting her parents' house very often after Carol's stepdad ran away with the money, looks up at Alex, who is standing there with a helpless expression. "Aunt Carla is forcing Dad to take her in. Otherwise, she says she’ll let her kids go to foster care facilities!" Brianna sends her files to the HR department of her company and shuts her laptop. "She’s seriously doing that?" She clenches her jaw and looks at Alex. "Where is Dad?" "In the living room. Mom is begging him not to move them in. It’s already bad enough that Sam moved back in after being kicked out of his apartment. Now his kids are staying in my studio!" "Those pathetic losers! It’s all my parents’ fault—enabling their golden child, and now he doesn’t even have a job to support his own family. All pathetic!" "Young lady! What are you saying?" Brianna’s mother storms inside with one of her nephews and yells at her.
"Hand it over!" Brianna demands, her face tense as she thrusts her hand out toward her father, who is poised to leave the house.Her father's face pales at her directness, but he feigns innocence. "What are you talking about, Brianna? I told you before, we don’t need your money."Brianna rolls her eyes, her tone sharp. "Cut the act, Dad. We know you took Alex’s card!" She crosses her arms, her frustration evident. While she’s put up with their entitlement toward her and her finances, she refuses to let Alex’s future be jeopardized by their selfishness.Her mother, stepping into the room and adjusting her coat, frowns. "What’s with that tone, Brianna? You’ve been so rude to us lately."Brianna glares at her father. "I can’t help it. Stealing isn’t something I tolerate." Her voice cold and indifferent.Her father’s face flushes red, and he glares back, but says nothing."Who’s stealing now? Are you just trying to start another drama?" her mother snaps.Ignoring her mother, Brianna steps
2:30 a.m. Damien pulls into the hospital parking lot, his knuckles white as he grips the steering wheel. His chest feels tight, his breaths short and uneven. Sweat trickles down his pale skin, soaking the collar of his shirt. Exhaustion clings to him like a second skin, but the anxiety coursing through his veins is far more potent. He throws his suit jacket over his arm and bolts out of the car, not bothering to lock it. The hospital looms ahead, its bright lights a sharp contrast to the suffocating darkness of his thoughts. His phone buzzes in his pocket—a message from James with Carol’s room number. He doesn’t waste a second, heading straight for the inpatient ward. His heart pounds louder with every heavy footfall. Taking the stairs two at a time, his breath comes in ragged gasps. His mind races, replaying the call from the hospital over and over. "Mr. Crawley, your wife collapsed, and we need you here immediately." The words were enough to rip the ground from beneath him
James steps into the room, his eyes immediately drawn to the fragile figure of Carol. She’s hunched over in a chair, her hair disheveled and her face pale, clutching Aria so tightly it seems as though she fears the world might rip her daughter away. Two nurses hover nearby, their faces etched with concern, while the doctor stands to the side, flipping through a folder of reports. The air in the room is thick, tense, and suffocating. “What’s going on?” James demands, his tone firm yet tinged with worry. His eyes dart between Carol and the doctor. “Damien is on his way back. He told me to check on you two.” Carol doesn’t respond. Her body trembles visibly, silent tears streaming down her face. She clutches Aria even tighter, her lips trembling as she stares into the distance. James crouches in front of her, lowering his voice as he tries to get through to her. “Carol, please,” he says, his tone softer now. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.” But Carol remains silent, her anguish spilling ou
Carol just says goodbye to Damien before leaving Aria with Alex and the female nanny who takes care of her. She already feels low without him. The day passes with work; nothing major happens. Since there’s a time difference between her and Eunice, they don’t talk much. But her other friends reach out to her as usual. After dealing with numerous clients, workers, and other activities, she feels far more exhausted than usual. Damien's presence has always been like a 24/7 therapist, and his absence makes everything feel heavier, even for just one day. Later, after returning home, feeding Aria, and spending time on self-care, Carol calls Damien. Their conversation is sweet and comforting. As days pass, Carol notices something unusual. The new nanny, Heather, seems fine, but Carol starts feeling weaker than usual. Aria, who usually loves sleeping and rarely cries, begins crying at night. Confused and worried, Carol consults a doctor, but they find nothing physically wrong with Aria
Somewhere in a casino, Harris is sitting on the counter whilst he's staring at the debt receipt. " Harris! The only way you can pay all the debt and keep gambling if you can get your parents' property. Don't you think it's high time to take action!" The owner of the casino when Harris has been staying for a while, suggests. He is doing the job of a bartender while watching Harris being drowned in an ocean of debts. Harris, staring at the debt he has, looks at him with a frown, " That bastard has owned everything. I can't even return home because of my criminal records!" Anger crawls under his skin as his face reddens with fury." Well, there are lots of ways to get what you want. If you want help, we can help, you know!" He smirks, " With violence, everything is possible!" Harris's expression brightens. Clutching the receipt of his latest loss in gambling, he leans into the chair, " That's a good idea, I think! I am the rightful owner of those money. So I will get them back!" The
Carol leans against the doorframe, her tired eyes fixed on Eunice, who sits on the floor, rolling a toy car back and forth with Aria. The toddler’s laughter rings out, bright and carefree, clashing with the heaviness in the room. “You’re leaving?” Carol’s voice is soft, but the weight of her words fills the space. Eunice’s hand falters on the toy car for just a moment before she pushes it toward Aria again, forcing a smile. “Yeah. It’s a good promotion, Carol. And... I’ve always wanted to see the world outside.” Her smile wavers, not quite reaching her eyes. Carol steps further into the room, crossing her arms as she searches for the right words. “But... I’m not saying it’s the wrong decision, just... are you sure you don’t want to give it another try? Maybe James has been struggling with something—”“Don’t.” Eunice’s voice is calm but firm, slicing through Carol’s sentence. She turns away from Aria, who is engrossed in her toy, and looks at her friend. “Don’t go there, Carol. Not
As if the wind is knocked out of his chest, James Alexander sits frozen, watching Eunice cry in despair. Her tears streak down her face, her voice trembling with frustration. "This is it, James," she begins, her tone laced with exhaustion. "I’ve been trying to hold onto this relationship, but I’m the only one fighting for it. Do you even realize what that feels like?" James looks at her, his brow furrowing. "Eunice, I know I’ve messed up. I’m sorry, okay? I’ll do better." "You’re sorry?" She laughs bitterly, shaking her head. "You always say that, but nothing changes. I’m the one who calls you, the one who begs to meet, the one who says ‘I love you.’ What have you done, James? What effort have you made?" James opens his mouth but quickly closes it. He doesn’t have an answer. Eunice continues, her voice breaking. "I’ve never felt this tired in a relationship before. A few months, James, and I’m completely drained. This isn’t love. It’s one-sided torture." He leans forward,
The culprit was caught soon. In the meantime, the closeness had turned into a strong friendship. Right now, it's Damien's 27th birthday party. Everyone is enjoying themselves. A few clients have attended the party, unaware that the Crawley family has grown close to the Martinez family. While everyone enjoys the evening, Carol is chatting with her friends, telling them about a new friend she made, when the door swings open, pushed by two security guards. "Carol!" Millie practically runs toward her, ignoring everyone in the room. She hugs Carol tightly and gives her a few kisses on the face. "I missed you." Eunice looks upset but curious about this woman. Like Carol, Millie avoids social media and reporters, so people don’t know who Mrs. Martinez is. "Who is that?" Katie asks. "Must be the new friend she’s been talking about all morning!" Sarah chuckles. Carol takes a deep breath and looks at her friends. "She’s my daughter-in-law!" Her friends stare at her in stunned
Who knew one incident could change so much in life? For Damien Crawley, that moment arrives as he leans against the doorframe, watching his wife, Carol, chatting away on FaceTime with none other than Millie Martinez. Millie, wife of Paul Martinez—Damien’s business rival—speaks animatedly, her laughter filling the room. Carol protected their son, Julian, five days ago, and since then, both of them have been talking about everything in their lives. While Martinez is still trying to get on his nerves, here his wife is having such a sweet friendship with the rival's wife. Damien isn’t particularly annoyed but can’t help wondering why Carol is friends with her. He crosses his arms and clears his throat, but Carol barely glances at him before turning back to her phone. “It’ll be close-knit,” Carol says, her tone cheerful as she discusses Damien’s upcoming birthday party. “Your family, my friends, and a few of Damien’s friends. It’s small, so don’t worry about bringing too many peopl
Damien sprints into the hospital lobby, his heart pounding harder than it had during his last board meeting. His tie is loose, and he’s slightly out of breath. He scans the room like a hawk, his sharp gaze landing on Carol seated in a corner with a blonde-haired toddler in her arms. “Carol!” His voice echoes, startling a nurse nearby. He strides over, his face etched with worry. " Are you okay? What happened? Where is Aria?" Carol looks up, startled, and immediately begins signing with her hands: **Calm down, everything is okay.**Damien freezes, confusion replacing his panic. “Why are you signing? You’re not even anxious enough to forget how to speak!” He narrows his eyes at her, crossing his arms. “What did you do this time?” Caught, Carol stops mid-sign and bites her lip, her cheeks turning pink. “Fine,” she mutters aloud, glancing at the boy in her lap. “It’s not exactly what you think. I saved a kid.” Damien blinks, leaning forward. “A kid?” His voice rises an octave. “Wha