Sometimes walking away from what can turn into toxic is a wise decision. Whether you doubt it or not. Carol who has been depending on her own intelligence and hard work to live her life fullest, certainly knows that after every single incidents, her trust for Damien is hanging on a thin thread. One more discovery of his secret, the thread will collapse. Carol can stay with him, like she stayed with Troy. For Troy's all red flags, she puts her pink glasses on to blind herself. She accepted him as life partner. She accepted him as her new normal. But Damien is certainly staying in a different place in her heart. She loved him, she wanted him not because she could easily accept him. Because she wanted him as her Man from the depth of her heart. So, before she will entirely lose her love and trust in him, she will remove herself from the position. It may look like overreacting, dramatic or a lame movement. But she wants to protect the love she has for him. Carol sits next to Da
It's almost midnight. The coldness of the city somehow bites his skin. Damien hasn't heard anything from his bodyguard, who is supposed to call him every fifteen minutes. But there is none. He messages Carol, but she doesn’t reply either.Right now, all he can hear is his heart racing against his chest and the sound of his unsteady, rapid breathing. He doesn't even wait for James to drive. He doesn’t care if the world knows he is fine. After all, the only thing he cares about in this world is Carol.He almost gets into an accident twice but somehow manages to balance himself. It feels as if he is racing against his heart and soul.The one-and-a-half-hour road ends in forty-five minutes. Damien exhales and inhales to steady his breathing before getting out of the car. The lights are on. He can smell something familiar wafting through the house.He hurriedly walks in. The door is already unlocked.As soon as he steps into the dining room, he sees Carol’s back. She is wearing the same pa
" Yes" Or " No!" Either way, he will lose her entirely just by one response. The Carol right in front of him isn't wearing a pink colored glass or a rose-colored either. She is testing him, she knows everything yet she wants to hear everything from him. Damien feels the cold sweat gathering around his brows and nose. His palm is sweating as well. He doesn't know what will happen if he says yes. What if she tries to run away? Will he be able to catch her before she tries it. He can't afford to lose her. Not even in the wildest dreams. He must be with her. His world, his solace, his happiness. She must be his forever. ** I don't like wasting time. Please respond!** She says, her expression bitter and disdainful. Muscles feather in his jaws, as he looks up at her. A chilled sensation crawls under his skin when his eyes meet her blank gaze. ** Yes.. You were!** He finally speaks, leaving her burst into tears immediately. She covers her face, trying to stop making a sound but
**Divorce me!** Carol's expression holds no emotion as she signs. Damien, without thinking twice, signs back, **No way! I don't want to!** His reaction is so strong it stuns Carol into silence. **I should've known that,** she thinks but signs, **Go home. This house goes on sale tomorrow.** Turning to leave, she adds no further explanation. Damien grabs her hand and pulls her closer. **Let me explain. Let's not leave without clarifying everything! I am really—** **Have you ever loved me?** she interrupts, her eyes filled with pain. **You know what? I can’t even look at you right now. The person I love so much has lost his significant other because of me. Do you think I’ll ever be okay with that?** **Carol! Please—** **Even if—** she cuts him off, **you ever loved me for a single moment, I can’t trust it. There might be mistakes. I’ll talk to a detective tomorrow. I’ll investigate further. You don’t have to go through it all.** He shakes his head desperately. **Let’s jus
Carol stops by the roadside, staring at the messages she has sent. All of them are marked as delivered, but none have been read. Tears stream down her face as she breaks into sobs. She doesn’t want to leave him, but she feels powerless. She can’t remember much about her life, and now she’s the reason for his beloved woman’s death and for his injury. She can’t face him.She isn’t upset that he tried to confine her; she’s upset because he might be telling the truth. Maybe he really does love her. But how can she accept his love, knowing she caused someone he cherished to die? She’s fine with being a replacement, but won’t he always see her as the murderer of the woman he loved?She sobs, burying her face in her hands. He hasn’t read her messages. It seems he has given up for good.She doesn’t know how long she has been crying when her phone vibrates. Hoping it’s from Damien, she wishes for once he’d say goodbye with a smile. But her eyebrows rise in surprise when she sees the sender's n
Carol's exhausted body shifts slightly as she turns to look at Eunice and Sarah, who are standing next to her bed. The movement sends a wave of soreness through her limbs. William walks in shortly after, deep in conversation with a nurse about something she can’t hear.Her eyes slowly settle on Eunice, and she tries to lift her hand to communicate, but the pain is too much. Tears begin to stream down her face, her lips quivering with pain and heartache. Eunice notices Carol staring at her, her hands trembling. Without hesitation, Eunice grabs Carol’s hands and signs carefully.**Everything is alright! Damien’s surgery went well. The doctors are hopeful. It was a brain injury, so it’s complicated, but they believe he will recover.**Eunice signs messily, worried that her misuse of words might unsettle Carol even more.Carol nods, her eyelids growing heavy. She doesn’t feel like moving. Everything feels colorless, painfully cruel, and suffocatingly silent. The silence she once enjoyed n
Carol stands by Damien's hospital bed, her fingers gently wiping his hands with a damp cloth. The rhythmic beeping of the machines fills the room. It has become a constant reminder that life still clings to him. The nurse has just finished redressing his wounds, the scent of antiseptics hanging in the sterile air. It's been three days since the accident, and since then, she has made it her mission to be here, taking all the responsibilities, from the company to the hospital. Damien’s face is pale, almost unnaturally so, framed by the stark white bandages wrapped around his head. His chest rises and falls steadily, but the stillness of his body is unnerving. The doctors have said his condition is serious — a head injury that could have gone far worse — but they remain cautiously optimistic. Carol clings to their optimism like a fragile thread, afraid that letting go of hope would cause everything to shatter. Although at first they said it wasn't that life-threatening now it appeared
Carol is still in disbelief that his parents are too cruel and self-centered to see how much he's suffering. She thought only her parents were cruel people. But it just proved that people are way too selfish to love someone unconditionally.Sitting on a chair, holding his hand, Carol rests her head on the edge of the bed. The soft hum of the monitoring machine reminds her that he is still alive. His hand is warm as usual. But that hand doesn't gently squeeze hers with the sensation of love.Carol can't help but cry silently. Before the world, she shows no emotion, no agony, but when she is alone, she can't help but cry."I am sorry for everything! I don't want to leave the life I had with you. I don't want to lose that happy me when I was with you. I know that I started disliking you for all the lies, but I can't imagine how I will spend the rest of my life alone! Just wake up. I won't... I will never mention anything. Just wake up. I won't leave you at all!" she thinks between her so
It’s 4 a.m., and the mansion is suffocating under the weight of tension. For the past two hours, Damien spirals further into desperation. He has reviewed the CCTV footage hundreds of times, stared at his phone, willing it to ring, and interrogated every single staff member under his roof. His once-controlled demeanor is gone, replaced by bloodshot eyes and trembling hands clenched around his phone. The room feels oppressive, charged with his frustration and fear. James walks in quietly, his expression tense as he takes in the sight of Damien, sitting hunched on the sofa. The phone is practically fused to his hand, his knuckles pale from gripping it too tightly. “Damien,” James starts, careful to keep his voice steady, “I’ve investigated everyone. Even the hidden backup cameras didn’t catch anything suspicious.” Damien doesn’t look up. His voice comes low, gravelly. “Where is that nanny?” James hesitates, his jaw tightening. “Carol gave her a paid vacation. She left yesterday
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