Ivy held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she opened the door. A figure stood in front of her, and the dim light from the hallway revealed the face of Mrs. Jessica. Ivy’s eyes widened in shock as the older woman stood before her, a mix of exhaustion and sadness etched into her features.“Who are you? What are you doing here?” Ivy demanded, her voice sharp and filled with suspicion. Her voice was loud enough to carry down the hall. Within moments, Ryan and Luca rushed out of the study, concern written all over their faces. They stopped abruptly as they saw Ivy standing face-to-face with Mrs. Jessica. Relieved but still wary, Ryan and Luca hurried to help Mrs. Jessica, gently guiding her to sit on a nearby chair. Jessica’s eyes, though tired, were filled with emotion as they focused solely on Ivy. The older woman’s hand trembled as she reached out, wanting to touch Ivy’s face.But Ivy stepped back, out of reach, her expression confused and guarded."Your eyes… they’re th
The atmosphere in the room was tense as they gathered around Luca, who had just pulled out a stack of recordings and pictures from his investigators. His face was grim, and the weight of the evidence in his hands seemed to carry the burden of the truth that was about to be unveiled.Ryan and Ivy sat across from him, their eyes wide with disbelief. Mrs. Jessica, still recovering from her emotional reunion with Ivy, watched from the side, her face pale but determined."I can’t believe this," Ivy muttered, her voice barely audible as she stared at the damning evidence laid out before them. "All these years, we’ve been living with a deceiving woman…"Ryan’s jaw clenched, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the table. "Mrs. Rose… my mother. How could she?"Luca placed the photographs in front of them—pictures of Parker and Mrs. Rose meeting secretly, exchanging envelopes, and whispering in the shadows. The recordings played softly in the background, Parker’s voice clear a
The tension in the room was palpable as all eyes turned to Luca, waiting for him to lay out the plan. His sharp eyes flickered to Ivy, who sat in the arms of Mrs. Jessica, her biological mother, still recovering from the emotional weight of the last few hours. Ivy’s expression was a mix of uncertainty and fear, her fingers fidgeting with the fabric of her dress."Ivy, listen carefully," Luca began, his voice calm but firm. "You’ll call the guy from the number we traced. You need to act like you know him, like you’ve met before. Make it sound like you’re excited to see him again. He might not give in right away, but you have to be persistent. Keep him hooked until he asks you to meet up. Once he does, we’ll come with you, and that’s when we’ll get a hold of him."Ivy stared at him, wide-eyed. "Are you sure this will work?"Luca gave her a reassuring nod. "I know it’s risky, but it’s our best shot. This guy is connected to the people who have Iris. If we can make him believe that you’re
Mr. Kendrick sat in his dimly lit mansion, the once lively space now a suffocating prison of silence. His isolation had deepened over the past few weeks, with fewer visits from Ryan and even less from the rest of his family. The only company he had was the television flickering in front of him, though he wasn’t paying attention. His mind was occupied with regrets, secrets, and the feeling of being slowly cut off from his own life.As he sat there, his phone, which had been dormant for hours, suddenly buzzed with a notification. At first, Mr. Kendrick ignored it, assuming it was another meaningless email or social media alert. However, the buzzing didn’t stop. One notification became two, then three, then a flurry of alerts, each arriving faster than the last. His hand hovered over the phone for a moment. Curiosity gnawed at him. What could be happening? With a shaking hand, he finally picked up the phone and unlocked it. What he saw made his heart skip a beat.His hands trembled v
Ryan rushed his father into the emergency room, barely taking a moment to breathe as the doctors immediately attended to Mr. Kendrick. His father was pale, weak, and barely conscious, and the sight of him in that condition twisted Ryan’s stomach into knots. He paced the waiting room, checking his phone for updates, and trying to keep a level head despite the whirlwind of emotions crashing over him. Moments later, his phone rang—it was his mother, Mrs. Rose, and Ivy."Ryan, where are you? We can't find you or Dad!" Mrs. Rose’s voice sounded frantic. Ryan clenched his jaw. He knew this would be coming. "I took him to another hospital, Mom. Dr. Parker’s hospital."There was silence on the other end of the line, followed by a sharp intake of breath from Mrs. Rose. "Dr. Parker’s hospital? Why would you take him there, Ryan?"Ryan rubbed the back of his neck, trying to keep calm. "I didn’t know he was our family doctor, Mom. I’m still... struggling with some of my memory, remember?"Mrs. R
Mrs . Rose glanced over her shoulder, ensuring Ryan and Ivy had left the room with the doctor. Her husband lay unconscious in the hospital bed, his breathing shallow and his once-powerful frame now frail. Her heart pounded, but not out of concern for his well-being. It was fear—fear of being discovered. Quickly, she pulled out her phone and dialed Parker’s number. Her hand shook slightly as she waited for him to pick up. Finally, after a few rings, his deep voice came through the line.“Rose,” Parker said calmly, “what’s going on?”Mrs. Rose glanced nervously at her unconscious husband, lowering her voice to a whisper. “They’re running tests on Ken. I’m scared, Parker. What if they find the substance? What if they realize what I’ve been doing?”Parker’s voice remained steady, soothing her panic. “Relax, Rose. I told you before that the substance is untraceable. It’s designed to mimic natural deterioration, like stress and aging. They won’t find anything suspicious unless someone knows
Ryan’s hands trembled slightly as he slid the phone into his pocket, pacing in the hospital hallway. Luca stood next to him, concern etched across his face, while Ivy leaned against the wall, still on her call. Her conversation seemed calm, almost too calm for everything happening around them. Ryan kept glancing at Ivy, waiting for her to finish, but his thoughts were clouded with the disturbing messages he had been receiving ever since his father’s sudden collapse. The anonymous texts, the cryptic warnings—something wasn’t right, and it was driving him mad.Finally, Ivy ended her call and looked at him, her usual cold demeanor softening a little. “What’s going on, Ryan? You look stressed.”Ryan hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. “Luca, check the number that’s been sending me those anonymous messages. I need to know where they’re coming from. They’ve been popping up ever since all these problems started, and it can’t be a coincidence.”Luca frowned but nodded in agreem
The air in the small, enclosed room was thick with tension. Ryan sat on the edge of a chair, his fingers running through his hair as his mind replayed everything that had happened in the last few hours. Ivy stood in front of them, pacing as she recounted her conversation with the mysterious man she had been speaking to. Luca leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his face etched with concern. Ivy finally stopped pacing and looked at both of them. "It wasn’t easy at first, but I convinced him. He was hesitant, but when I showed him those pictures and videos... he couldn't resist. He thinks he’s going to meet up with the girl from the photos—he thinks it’s me."Ryan blinked, brought back to the moment by Ivy’s words. His mind had been elsewhere, haunted by the shocking discovery he had made on his father’s phone. The intimate photos, the betrayal—it was all too much to process. Luca, noticing Ryan’s distant gaze, nudged him. "Ryan, are you with us?"Ryan shook his head slightly, bringi
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