Without thinking, Luca pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as she sobbed against his chest. He stroked her hair, whispering soothing words as she let out all the pain she had been holding in. As her sobs quieted, Ivy looked up at him, her eyes filled with a vulnerability he had never seen before."Stay with me," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.Luca hesitated, knowing what she was asking. He knew he should leave and give her space, but the connection between them was too strong. He couldn't walk away from her, not now."Ivy..." he began, but she silenced him with a kiss, her lips soft and desperate against his. It was a kiss filled with need, with all the fear and pain she had been carrying. Luca responded, his hands tightening around her as he kissed her back with equal fervor.Before he knew it, they were in her bedroom, the door closing behind them. Ivy's hands fumbled with his shirt as she pulled him closer, needing to feel his warmth, his comfort. Luca he
The soft hum of the air conditioning provided a steady background noise in Dr. Parker's office, but the tension in the room was anything but calming. The sterile, clinical atmosphere clashed sharply with the clandestine whispers and stolen glances that passed between Dr. Parker and his long-time mistress. They were playing a dangerous game, one that had been carefully orchestrated for years, and tonight, the stakes were higher than ever.His mistress paced the length of the office, her heels clicking sharply against the tiled floor. Her elegant appearance—dark hair pulled into a sleek chignon, and a tailored dress that hugged her figure—belied the turmoil brewing beneath the surface. She paused in front of the large mahogany desk, her eyes narrowing as she turned to face Dr. Parker, who leaned casually against the desk, his shirt slightly untucked from the passionate encounter that had just taken place.“You should have finished him off when he collapsed,” she hissed, her voice lo
Her lips curved into a cold smile, the excitement of their impending success momentarily pushing aside her frustration. “Then let’s do it. The sooner we’re rid of him, the sooner we can take control of everything.”Dr. Parker returned her smile, though he was tinged with a sense of caution. “We will. But remember, honey, we have to be smart about this. One wrong move and everything we’ve worked for could come crashing down.”Her smile faltered slightly, the weight of his words settling over her like a dark cloud. “I know,” she murmured, her earlier confidence wavering. “But I’m just so tired of waiting. We’ve come so far, and I’m ready to see the end of this.”Dr. Parker reached out, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’re almost there. Just a little longer, and everything we’ve dreamed of will be ours.”She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear. “You promise?”“I promise,” Dr. Parker replied, his voice steady. “Now, go home and get some rest. We’
The man nodded approvingly, his lips curving into a small smile. “Good. We can’t afford any mistakes, especially now. Mr. Kendrick’s condition is deteriorating, and it won’t be long before we have full control.”Bella’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she closed the folder and slid it back into the drawer. “I’ve waited so long for this moment. We’ve both sacrificed so much, but it’s finally paying off.”The man walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “And we’ll make sure it stays that way. No one will take this from us. Not Mr. Kendrick, not Ivy, not Ryan—no one.”Bella leaned into his touch, feeling a surge of confidence and validation. “What’s our next move?” she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.“We wait for the right moment,” he replied, his deep voice resonating with calm authority. “Once Mr. Kendrick is out of the picture, the board will be easier to handle. We’ll secure our positions, make sure the assets are transferred, and then—”“Then, we own it all,”
“Bella,” he said quietly, his voice cutting through the silence. “We need to talk.”She straightened up, sensing the seriousness in his tone. “What is it?”He hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering with something she couldn’t quite place. “There’s been a development. Something we didn’t anticipate.”Bella’s heart skipped a beat, a cold sense of dread settling over her. “What do you mean? What’s happened?”He stepped into the office, closing the door behind him as he walked over to her. “We might have a problem,” he said, his voice low. “I just got word that Ryan is starting to wake up. He’s regaining consciousness.”Bella’s eyes widened in shock, her mind racing as she processed the news. This wasn’t part of the plan—Ryan was supposed to be out of the picture, incapacitated, unable to interfere. But if he was waking up…“What do we do?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her earlier confidence faltering in the face of this unexpected development. Her brother’s expression ha
Luca stood beside her, his presence a calming force. “He looks better,” he said softly, his eyes fixed on Ryan.Before Ivy could respond, the door behind them opened, and Dr. Parker entered the room. His expression was as professional as ever, but there was a coldness in his eyes that Ivy had never noticed before.“Good morning,” Dr. Parker said, his voice smooth as he approached the bed. “I’m glad to see you both here. Ryan’s condition has stabilized overnight, but we’re still monitoring him closely.”Ivy nodded, trying to read the doctor’s face. “Do you think he’ll wake up soon?” she asked, her voice hopeful.Dr. Parker’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s difficult to say,” he replied, his tone carefully neutral. “He’s been through a lot, both physically and mentally. His body needs time to recover.”Luca’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the doctor, a sense of unease creeping into his mind. Something about Dr. Parker’s demeanor felt off as if he were hiding something. But Lu
Iris lay in the bed, the dim light casting eerie shadows on the walls, deepening the sense of isolation that had become her constant companion. Her body, weakened by the confinement and the minimal rations she was given, felt heavy and unresponsive. The baby within her moved slightly, a faint reminder of life, but even that small comfort was overshadowed by the relentless despair gnawing at her soul.The single hand that was free from the restraints rested limply by her side, a minor concession that allowed her some semblance of humanity in this hellish prison. The other hand was tied securely to the bed frame, the rough rope biting into her skin whenever she tried to shift even slightly.The door creaked open, a sound that usually signaled the arrival of her captors or the cold nurse, but this time, it was different. Iris was only half aware of the intrusion, her exhaustion weighing down her eyelids as she drifted in and out of a restless sleep.A figure moved silently into the ro
Flashes of images flickered behind her closed eyelids—disjointed, fragmented memories that didn’t quite make sense. A man’s face, his features blurred and indistinct, hovered in her mind’s eye, and then a woman, her voice soft and comforting, calling Iris’s name. Iris… Iris…The voice was familiar, like a half-remembered dream, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t place it. The images came and went, like the flicker of an old film reel, each one more elusive than the last. The man’s face appeared again, this time with a tender smile, but it faded before she could grasp its significance.Iris clamped her free hand over her ears as if she could block out the relentless assault of her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the images to stop, but they persisted, a cruel reminder of the life she couldn’t remember."Mum… Mum, is that you?" she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her despair. But the only response was the hollow echo of her voice in the empty r
Months had passed since Parker waited in vain for Ryan to come to his rescue. As the cold reality set in, the hope that had once flickered inside Parker’s heart dimmed until it was nothing but a distant memory. The prison walls around him felt like they were closing in, suffocating him with the weight of his past mistakes. Every day, he wondered if his son would ever come, but no sign of Ryan emerged. He had gambled on the wrong side of history, and now he was paying for it with every lonely second that ticked by.Meanwhile, Mrs. Rose Kendrick, once a woman of unmatched power and deceit, was locked away in her world of doom. She had seen the writing on the wall long before now. When the truth came to light, when all the lies she had crafted so carefully unraveled before her eyes, she knew no one was coming to save her. The empire she had tried to manipulate for herself and her lover Parker had crumbled. Her final days were filled with silence, the kind that came not from peace but
Ryan paced the length of his father’s study, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. He held the hospital reports tightly in his hand, his knuckles white from the grip. The reports confirmed his worst fears—the man he had called his father for his entire life wasn’t his biological father at all. Dr. Parker was. The revelation had shaken him to the core, and he knew he couldn’t keep this secret any longer. He had to tell Mr. Kendrick.Taking a deep breath, he walked over to where Kendrick sat in his leather chair, his eyes already filled with concern. Kendrick had noticed Ryan’s turmoil the moment he entered the room, but he hadn’t pressed him to speak."Dad," Ryan began, his voice trembling slightly. He rarely ever called him anything but ‘Dad,’ but now, with this new information, it felt like a lie. Still, it was all he had ever known. "I received something today. It’s… complicated, and I don’t know how to explain it."Kendrick raised an eyebrow, worry etching deeper into his
The atmosphere in the house was finally calm, or so it seemed. After everything they had been through—the betrayals, the conspiracies, and the almost impossible escape from danger—Iris, Kendrick, and Jessica were relieved to be back home. The past few days had been nothing short of a nightmare, but now, with Ryan by her side, Iris felt like she could finally breathe again.Ryan had transformed into the kind of husband Iris had always dreamed of. He was attentive, caring, and endlessly devoted, especially when it came to their newborn. Late-night feedings and diaper changes—Ryan was right there with her, helping in every way he could. The chaos and distrust that once clouded their relationship were gone, replaced by a bond forged through hardship and love.One afternoon, as Iris cradled their baby on the living room couch, Ryan returned from the front door, holding a small package. There was no return address, just his name scribbled hastily across the front. He furrowed his brow as
The tension in the hospital room hung heavy as Iris took a deep breath and prepared to explain everything. The faces of those around her—Jessica, Ryan, Kendrick, and Ivy—were etched with a mixture of concern, curiosity, and shock. Ryan, especially, seemed anxious, as though every word Iris spoke would shift the very foundation of what he believed to be true.“I found out I was pregnant,” Iris began slowly, her voice steady but filled with emotion, “on the same day that Mrs. Rose asked to see me. She called me out of the blue and said she needed to talk. I thought it was something important about the family, but when I got there…” She paused, her gaze shifting to Ryan before continuing. “She told me to leave you, Ryan. She wanted me gone so you could be with Bella.”Ryan’s jaw clenched at the mention of his mother’s betrayal, but he remained silent, allowing Iris to continue.“I was devastated,” Iris admitted, her voice cracking slightly. “I didn’t know what to do, and on my way back t
The tension in the room had begun to settle after the police escorted Mrs. Rose and Dr. Parker out in handcuffs. The silence that followed felt like the calm after a storm, but there was still an air of unease.Mr. Kendrick stood in the center of the room, his expression heavy with guilt and regret. He turned toward Jessica, who stood with her arms crossed, looking as though she wasn’t quite sure what to make of him yet. Ivy and Iris, standing side by side, had barely spoken a word since everything unfolded.Kendrick cleared his throat, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m sorry,” he began, his eyes filled with sincerity as he faced Jessica and the twins. “Jessica, Iris, Ivy… I know words aren’t enough to make up for the years I’ve spent apart from you all, the lies, and everything else that’s happened. But please believe me when I say that I’ve regretted every single moment I wasn’t with you.”Iris remained silent, her face pale from shock, while Ivy’s gaze flickered between Jessica a
The room was suffocating. Ryan sat up straighter in his hospital bed, his eyes narrowing as Luca entered, his expression grim. The air felt thick with anticipation as everyone waited for the news. Luca cleared his throat and looked directly at Ryan. “The anonymous messenger? It was Sarah—your house help,” he said quietly. Ryan’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Sarah?” He glanced at Ivy, then back at Luca. “What do you mean? She’s just a housemaid. Why would she—" “She’s been traced and caught,” Luca interrupted his voice firm. “We got her while she was trying to flee the country. She’s been feeding information to your enemies, Ryan. She’s been working with Mrs. Rose.”The room went still. Ivy gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, and Kendrick’s face drained of color. Mrs. Rose stood frozen, her eyes wide in disbelief as all eyes turned toward her.“What… what are you saying?” Ryan’s voice was low, but it shook with barely restrained anger.“She confessed everything,” Luca continued, h
The silence that followed Mr. Kendrick's confession was deafening. Everyone in the room seemed frozen, processing the weight of his words. Mrs. Rose’s face was a mixture of shock and rage, her hands trembling as she gripped the back of a chair for support. Ryan and Ivy exchanged uneasy glances, while Jessica stood still, her expression unreadable, though her eyes glistened with the pain of memories that had long since scarred her.Kendrick took a deep breath, his voice thick with regret as he continued. "I was in love with Jessica," he admitted, his eyes locked on the floor as if unable to meet anyone’s gaze. "We were both so young, and I couldn't resist her. But I was already married to Rose. There was no way I could marry Jessica. I was the heir to the Kendrick family fortune, and it would have been a scandal—a disgrace—to have an affair and a child out of wedlock."Rose scoffed, her voice laced with venom. "So instead, you chose to keep me in the dark and raise the child of your
The tension in the room was so thick it felt as though it could suffocate them all. Mrs. Rose stood frozen, her heart hammering against her chest as her eyes darted from Jessica to Kendrick and then to her children. Her worst nightmare was unraveling before her eyes, and there was no escape. Kendrick, too, was motionless, his face a mixture of disbelief and confusion. His eyes met Jessica’s, and a flood of memories rushed back—memories he had buried for years. He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat."Je… Jessica?" Kendrick’s voice was barely above a whisper, his shock palpable. Ryan, standing by his father’s bedside, turned to Kendrick, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Dad, do you know her?"Jessica stood tall, her eyes blazing with the fire of long-buried resentment. She ignored Ryan’s question and locked eyes with Mrs. Rose, whose face was now dripping with cold sweat. Rose’s hands trembled as she took a step backward, her composure slipping with every second."No…
Mrs. Rose paced anxiously around the hospital room, her heels clicking against the cold tile floor. She glanced at her watch for the hundredth time, her impatience growing by the second. Where were Ivy and Ryan? What were they up to? Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the door open. She turned swiftly, only to see Ryan step into the room, followed closely by Ivy. Relief washed over her for a split second, but it quickly faded as she saw the grim looks on their faces. Something was wrong.“Where have you two been?” Mrs. Rose demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ve been looking all over for you!”Ryan didn’t respond immediately. His face was hard, his jaw clenched. Ivy, too, seemed distant, her eyes fixed on the floor as if she couldn’t bear to meet her mother’s gaze.Before Mrs. Rose could demand answers, a weak cough sounded from the hospital bed. Her husband, Mr. Kendrick, had woken up. Slowly, he turned his head toward her, his eyes filled with anger and betray