Iris blinked several times as her vision slowly came into focus, the haze in her eyes gradually clearing. She could see familiar figures hovering around her bed, their faces tense with concern. She struggled to piece together the fragments of her memory, and then it hit her—Ryan.“Ryan,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Ryan, who had been pacing at the foot of her bed, immediately rushed to her side. His heart raced as he took her hand gently, gazing into her eyes with a mixture of relief and anxiety."Hey, honey. How are you feeling?" he asked softly, his voice laced with worry. Iris's brows furrowed in confusion. “What happened, Ryan? Where am I?” She glanced around the sterile white hospital room. "Where's our baby?.”Ryan froze, his hand still clasping hers. "Our baby?" he asked, his voice faltering. He didn’t know what she meant.“Yes,” Iris nodded weakly, her hand instinctively moving to her stomach. “She took her away from me.”Ryan leaned closer, his eyes narrowing with
Ivy hesitated for a moment, the words on the tip of her tongue, but her emotions kept holding her back. She glanced at Iris, whose face was already filled with shock and pain from all she had learned. How could she add more to that? Just as she was about to speak, the door to the hospital room swung open, and a nurse wheeled in Mrs. Jessica.Jessica looked frail but alert, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on Iris. Her expression softened, and she gasped, tears welling up in her eyes."My daughter," Jessica whispered, her voice breaking. “My sweet, sweet Iris.”At that moment, everything else faded away. Ivy's confession stalled in her throat as Jessica reached out her hand toward Iris, trembling. The reunion was so overwhelming that even Ivy, who had built up a wall around her heart, felt the warmth of the moment as tears pricked her eyes."Mom?" Iris whispered, her voice fragile, a mix of joy and disbelief.Jessica reached out her hand, her fingers brushing Iris's cheek.
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
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…
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 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 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 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
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