When she says goodbye to William who will leave the city tonight, it's already past 4. Even at this moment, she doesn't have the slightest knowledge about her being late to return home. By the time, she starts walking, the wind starts blowing around, and the hint of rain soon appears before her eyes. She hurriedly grabs her phone, decides to send a message for Uber. However, when she opens her phone and glances at the concerned messages from Damien, a rush of regret and panic makes her feel worse. She has forgotten such an important thing. The desire to slap herself hits her mind but before she can do it, the downpour has showered her within a second. She hurriedly rushes towards the café, taking a quick shelter. ' Such a worst timing!' She grunts disappointedly and sends a message to Damien. She apologizes, informing him that she lost track of time and now she is stuck here. Damien reads the messages immediately, making her wonder if he has been waiting for her reply. She rubs he
" She is stressed. She needs to drink more rest and drink plenty of water. She will be fine!" The doctor instructs Damien who looks visibly anxious. James who arrived at the hospital soon after Damien informed him to come here, watches Damien's expression. He is quite shocked but doesn't mention it. Damien showing concern and expression to Carol is nothing new but the genuineness is concerning. He looks genuinely anxious about Carol's wellbeing. " She was stressed. As expected! She has been through a lot after all?" James says, taking the prescription from the doctor. Damien wheels himself out of the doctor's room and enters the room when Carol is resting. She is still sleeping and her arm is connected to an UV drop. " Are you concerned about her?" James asks, closing the door. " She cried!" Damien says, his voice is cold. " Do you think she cried for that bastard?" James takes a glance at Carol whose eyes are still wet. The eyelids are red after crying. " I won't
Next Morning, Grace pulls her car over in front of her small studio that she owns. She has been a successful artist since she was in college and so far she has sold a large amount of masterpieces of her arts and paintings. The keys jiggle in her hand as she takes it out of her purse. Ever since her ex-boyfriend dumped her out of nowhere, she has been depressed. So she hasn't visited for a while. As she grabs her key to unlock the door, her attention goes to the long casting shadow on the door. Her face turns pale, almost freaking out. Her ex-boyfriend is stalking her to give him some money for a while. So it's quite creepy. But soon a voice comes, making her turn her back, " Grace!!! It's Me, Troy!" Grace's frightened expression turns into a furious one as she looks at Troy. He looks awful. The dirty clothes, hair, large eye bags and unshaved face. " What are you doing here?" She looks defensive and on alert. " Sorry! Sorry for coming unannounced. I am just... I need h
Sometimes even a steel bends over when it carries unbearable loads constantly. Carol keeps glancing at her, shocked, disbelief and somehow exhausted. She thought that changing the phone number would be more effective than blocking everyone. However, the cruel and ugly scene that has been revealed before her eyes, makes her angry and frustrated. She doesn't have any idea how those men found her phone number and why they're sending those pictures. But she doesn't have her laptop with her to investigate the situation properly. She can't take any sort of risks by replying to any of them. While her body is shaking with anger and frustration. Also, she just woke up after a long hard time, she feels like crying. Everything is getting on her nerves and she doesn't know how to handle things. She remains silent, throwing the phone on the patient bed. Her tired gaze shifts outside the window, staring at the bright sky with those flurry clouds. She keeps pinching her palm, uncertainty
" Carol! Do you want to swim? Let Mommy and Uncle teach you how to swim!" "Really?" The six years old Carol hugged her mother's knees tightly with excitement. The girl's eyes watched her mother's smile. But she didn't understand the meaning of that smile. It was wicked but to her, it was the most beautiful one. Her mother who never gave her love, smiling at her was something unimaginable. However in the next minute, " Hahaha!!!! Look at this thing. Trying to live. Die, You unwanted burden. I don't know how I carried a trash in my precious belly. Die!!!" The laughter from her mother suddenly brought darkness. Carol finds herself drowning in the dept of the ocean, bone-freezing, sleek black, like there is no dot of light. Black, only black, cold, suffocating and soul-crushing. " Help me!" She shouts, " You deserve to die!!! Die!!!" A voice follows. " No! Help me! Please help me!!!" She screams, trying to swim but finds herself being tied with a chair. Her eyes open
Earlier when Damien was informed about her fever returning and nurses requesting for further tests, he almost stormed inside. When he found her lying on the bed, breathing heavily, her flushed red face and neck, her puffy eyelids, tears strained.... Everything was a shock to him. Damien was raised like a beast who wasn't allowed to show any sort of emotions. He never smiles in front of his family. But at that moment, he found his reflection on her face. When he used to crawl under the blanket, trying his best to ignore his body temperature, that awful feelings of having a fever and having no one around. As he approached her, gently placing his hand on her face to feel the high temperature, his eyebrows knitted with the constant vibration sounds around him. He looked around, and then on the floor. After collecting the phone from the ground, he glanced at her. Seemingly she dropped it when she passed out. As he attempted to turn it off until she woke up, his attention went t
Who is Pamela? The question hangs within her. Maybe his mother, maybe his sister, maybe someone relative? He didn't say he had a lover. Or the marriage won't be valid if he has a secret lover. But whatever it is. It keeps digging a hole into her heart with thousands of questions. While she is thinking about it, her attention goes to Damien who suddenly stops. Although she is feeling a bit shy about a man helping her. But if she tries to say something and what if he says that he is her husband and it's already allowed for them to have their rights as wife or husband.? So, seeing him stop suddenly makes her look at him. And it causes her brow lift with surprise. He is flustered with something. She follows the direction of his sight and looks at herself. He is staring at the strap of her bra, literally turning pink. She just pulls off the sleeve, letting him free exposure on her shoulder. But he immediately shuts his eyes, looking away. ' It's just a shoulder!' She shrugs th
Sheila becomes shut immediately, her eyes widely open. She swallows hard, trying to laugh it off, " Faking power? You can't do anything!" " Well, Wait for a few seconds!" It hasn't even taken a second before the door open, revealing the director of the Hospital and Damien standing there with coldest expression that a person can ever see. Damien hurriedly wheels himself towards Carol who is trying to keep standing. ** Sit down! Everything is under control!** His expression turns soft one. She nods, watching her husband's expression changes into a coldest one. She flinches for real, because she never saw that expression before. " No question asked. I want both of them out of the hospital if you want me to keep sponsoring your hospital, Uncle!" Director Ferber shakes his head with quite disappointment, " Don't say that, Damien! It's our fault that we couldn't give you the best service here. We are doctor with oath of giving our best to our patients. Even if you weren't
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