That night Josephine slept on the long couch. Carlos didn't come back, only a guard dressed as a soldier came in with food, a bowl of clean water, a new toothbrush, a small towel and comb for Josephine, and a small bucket.The next morning after waking up feeling achy all over, another guard in the same uniform came in with breakfast and a plastic cup filled with milk and coffee, another basin filled with clean water, and a new small towel.He took out Josephine's used dinner and the basin of water last night, without saying anything.Josephine quickly ate her breakfast, finishing it all even though she had no appetite. She has to keep the energy to fight, after all. After breakfast, Josephine brushes her teeth and washes her face, then puts her hair in a messy bun on her head.She keeps her toothbrush well. She once watched a movie where one of the hero characters could escape from enemy custody with just a toothbrush. The end of the toothbrush handle can be used as a stabbing tool,
Carlos fell to his knees. The back of his calf was bleeding. With a look full of fear, Josephine saw Carlos' bodyguards being apprehended one by one by men dressed all in black.One of them seized the weapon in Carlos' hand. Josephine's and Carlos' eyes widened at the same time as they saw Nicholas holding a gun, which was still smoking and emerging from behind the men dressed in all black."NICHOLAS!" roared Carlos angrily.Nicholas smiled sweetly. "Hello, Carlos. Sorry, I shot your calf. I think my shooting ability has decreased because I lacked practice. The bullet should have lodged in your head. I didn't expect it to be missed so far," Nicholas said lightly."Bastard! How did you get here? You should be in hell!" shouted Carlos furiously. "I told them to burn the crypt!"Nicholas shrugged in a mocking fashion. "Hell refused me. They didn't want to accept me because I came without you. So I came back because Anita decided to come get me.""Anita? But she--""The daughter of your m
Nicholas was relieved to finally be able to explain everything to Josephine. Even though he was surprised by Josephine's reaction to Anita Graham, Nicholas was also very happy because Josephine clearly showed her jealousy."Never contact her outside of business again," Josephine said fiercely.Nicholas grabbed Josephine's chin and kissed her again. "Of course Baby. My business is with her father, so there's no need for me to call Anita."Josephine smiled. She wasn't really mad, just curious. After all, she really believed in Nicholas and she also listened to Nicholas' conversation with Carlos earlier.Nicholas and Josephine decided to go straight back to the apartment so they could meet the kids soon.Sky, Rain, and Flower, could sense that something important and possibly dangerous was being faced by their parents, even though Anna and Lynn refused to tell them.They were already getting restless and were pressing even harder on Anna and Lynn to tell Josephine and Nicholas the truth.
Josephine couldn't stop pacing in front of the room where Flower was being examined. Three doctors, including Lynn, are inside.Two hours ago, when Anna and Lynn were getting ready to leave Josephine's apartment, suddenly Flower, who was sleeping, vomited and then fainted.Josephine, Nicholas, and Lynn rushed Flower to the Sparrow Clinic, while Anna stayed at the apartment to look after Rain and Sky.Flower has been in a stable condition for the last few months, receiving a leukemia treatment discovered by Inggrid Adams, Nicholas' mother, which is then being used as a cancer treatment method at the state-of-the-art Sparrow Clinic while waiting on her bone marrow.Josephine had been regularly monitoring her condition and she had been fine all along, so, due to her busy schedule and lots of things going on, Josephine had become a bit inattentive."I forgot that Flower wasn't as healthy as Rain and Sky. She was always fine after we arrived at Metronine and I brought her for treatment and
"Are you sure this test didn't go wrong? Will the result be different if I do it again, or need to do tests at another hospital?"Josephine placed her palms on Nicholas' chest, feeling his heart beating very fast."Honey, calm down, don't get emotional," Josephine said softly. "Didn't Lynn say that the match between the donor and the parents is estimated at only 0.5%? Even though I am not suitable to be a donor for Flower."Nicholas stared at the results of his compatibility testing with Flower, feeling disappointed. He put his hand over Josephine's on his chest."I feel useless," Nicholas muttered.Lynn patted Nicholas's shoulder gently. Nicholas's reaction was a natural reaction that was usually shown by parents who were disappointed because they couldn't be the donor for their own child."What about my men? How many people have already been tested?" Nicholas asked again. "I spread the news to the entire branch and they are willing to help.""121 people at the Sparrow Clinic, 56 peo
"Are you serious?" asked Josephine in disbelief.Janeth nodded in a firm tone. "Yes, Josephine, I'm serious. I wanna help."Josephine and Nicholas exchanged looks. About an hour earlier, when Josephine and Nicholas were about to leave the Jade Mansion, Janeth suddenly came out of the house and called Josephine. It turned out that while Josephine and Nicholas were talking to Ussop, Janeth was in the house and was listening to their conversation.She came quietly to her house and cried inside, then saw Josephine and Nicholas coming, but she didn't dare come out to meet them and only listened to their conversation. She decided to leave after Nicholas and Josephine were about to leave."Janeth, originally Nicholas and I came here to ask for your help, in an effort to get a bone marrow donor for Flower. However, seeing the current state of the family, I don't think it's appropriate for me to ask for your help," Josephine said in a concerned tone. "I think, you too must be more or less, bla
"Are you sure? Janeth really fits as a donor for Flower?" asked Josephine with wide eyes.Lynn smiled broadly and nodded firmly. "I even had two tests to be sure. That's why it took me a while."Janeth hugged Josephine with emotion. "Flower will get better soon, Josephine," Janeth said happily.Josephine hugged Janeth tightly. "Oh Janeth, you want to really do it? Be a donor for Flower?"Janeth nodded vigorously. "Of course. I'll do it. It's not just for Flower or for you, but it's for me. At the very least, doing this means starting a new, better life for me."Josephine looked at Janeth with pleasure. "Thank you, Janeth, thank you very much."Nicholas approached Josephine and Janeth, then hugged them both. Lynn smiled at the sight in front of him.He was surprised when he saw that Janeth's test results matched Flower's and to be even more convincing, he asked his colleague to re-test, with the same result.Lynn didn't expect that the person who would become a suitable donor for Flo
One year and eight months later.Flower looked worriedly at her reflection in the mirror. She spun around, then looked down at the bottom of her dress.Janeth who was putting earrings in her ears turned and looked at Flower in surprise."Hey, little lady, what are you doing? You've been circling in front of the mirror for more than twenty minutes," Janeth said amused.Flower turned to Janeth and pouted. "This dress makes me look pale, auntie J. See, my lips look white because of the reflection of this dress," said Flower.Janet laughed. She waved and Flower immediately approached her. Janeth hugged Flower tightly."I'll dress you up a bit, but don't flirt with Mrs. Prim's handsome grandson at the ball, will you?"Flower chuckled until her dimples showed. "It's not me who's flirty, auntie, but he's the one who teases me a lot.""You don't just dress up, he teases you diligently, especially when I dress you up. Your father might lock me up in his shark tank because he thinks I'm teachi
"Italy?"Josephine's eyes widened. Nicholas nodded with a smile. "Yeah. You know, our beach--La Luna, we haven't been there for a while. I think a week or two would be nice."Josephine chuckled. "What are you planning, honey?""Hey, what? I'm just taking you on a honeymoon."Josephine laughed and hugged Nicholas. She rested her head on Nicholas' chest and enjoyed his husband's heartbeat, which sounded calm and steady."Let's have our honeymoon at La Luna, honey. I want to go alone with you," said Josephine gently.Nicholas stroked Josephine's hair slowly. "Baby, let's retire for now and settle down wherever we want. I'll leave Genesis completely to Summer and Autumn, while you can entrust Farline to Flower. I guess, we've done enough and for now, let the children do the work." Let's give everything to them to take care."Josephine nodded and hugged Nicholas tightly. "Yes. Let's retire and live wherever we like. Maybe two months on La Luna beach, two months here, the next two months in
"I can't say no, can I?" asked Josephine softly.Sky lowered his head, unable to meet his mother's eyes. Flower and Rain also lowered their heads, even Nicholas. The spacious room was cold and silent.Josephine was silent, deep in thought. He knew that eventually one of his six children would decide to continue Nicholas' work and it had to be done.She remembered the conversation she had with Nicholas a few years ago, when the first triplets decided to study at different universities in different countries."I will train one of my four confidants, to take control of the Gold Dragon," said Nicholas at the time. "Who do you think is the most suitable?"Josephine looked at Nicholas in surprise. "You don't intend to pass the Gold Dragon down to one of your children? Shouldn't that clan be passed down?"Nicholas shook his head with a smile. "I'm about to abolish that tradition, since I saw that among the first triplets no one was interested in doing so.""How do you know that no one is int
"Daddy, you can't be like this," Flower complained, glaring at Nicholas. "You're a mobster and you're afraid of getting hospitalized?"Nicholas pouted. "Don't confuse my work with my illness, doctor," Nicholas snapped. "Anyway, it's just an influenza.""Come on, dad, admit it. You're afraid of needles, right?" urged Flower with a wink.Josephine laughed seeing the father and daughter argue. She took Nicholas's hand and squeezed it gently."He don't need to be hospitalized, Flower. Your daddy isn't afraid of needles, but he doesn't like the smell of disinfectant and how the nurses are going around checking him every hour," said Josephine.Nicholas took Josephine's hand gently and kissed her palm with a smile. "Your mommy really understands me, Flow."Flower pouted and sighed. "Mommy, you always spoil him. At the hospital, the equipment for examining and caring for him is more complete than when daddy is treated at home. I and my fellow doctors can also examine daddy freely there," said
"This isn't our first project, is it?" Rain asked with a frown.Two of his men lowered their heads, avoiding his anger."Why is there still an error for a problem like this?" asked Rain annoyed."I admit my mistake, Mr. Rain," said Steven Bohn bravely. "The supplier of the floor we used to use suddenly informed us that the floor specifications we requested were not available due to a shortage of basic materials, so they offered a replacement at the same price. I had no idea that the replacement floor was not according to the original specifications."Rain sighed. "Take apart all the floors that have been installed and return them to the supplier. Find another supplier who can give us what we want, even if the price is higher. I don't want this project to have any flaws or defects, because the person who asked me to do this project is a very close and meaningful person to me. I don't want him to be disappointed!" Rain said firmly, then turned around and returned to his room.In the caf
"Hold him, Flow," Sky called while holding the kid down with his feet. "He'll run away again if you don't hold his hand!"Flower snorted and took the small creature's hand that was trying to rebel."Come on, it's just a shower, why are you guys so unruly," Flower complained half angry. "Where did Rain go, why is he taking so long? Doesn't he know that these stray cats are getting bored?""Mommy help, help us, moooommmmyyyy ...!""Gosh, Summer, people will think I'm torturing you if they hear you scream like that," Flower said angrily."I don't like showers!" Summer shouted."Me too!" added Autumn."You too, Forest?" Sky asked fiercely.The little boy called Forest turned his head quietly while patting the water with his chubby hands. "I like baths. I just don't like you guys.""Jeez," Flower moaned.The three children in the big bathtub started to misbehave again, but before Flower and Sky could run out of patience, Rain came driving a plant sprayer.He started the engine and a large
"Mom, why are you so pale? Are you sick?" asked Flower with a worried tone. She put her bag on the single sofa and approached Josephine who was lying straight on the long sofa while covering her eyes with her arms.Josephine lowered her arms and looked at Flower who was still wearing her middle school uniform."Flower, are you home already? I didn't hear you come in," said Josephine in a languid tone."I came in through the back door, because Madam Luan said you weren't feeling well since morning and lay here," Flower said. "What are you doing, mom? Do you have a fever?"Josephine smiled and stroked Flower's hair. "It's okay honey, just a little unsteady and nauseous. I think it's from a lack of sleep the past few days. You know, ever since Uncle Rocco came back to Italy for his honeymoon, I did all the research myself and the other day there was a bit of a problem at the distribution center so I have to go back and forth all day from the laboratory to the warehouse," said Josephine l
"He ... You mean, Lucas?"Lindsay nodded shyly."You and him..." Janeth didn't finish, only raised her eyebrows, waiting for Lindsay to say something.Lindsay sighed. "I think I've managed to forget him and bury my feelings and memories about him, all these years. It's not easy for me. Even though you never met me at that time, I'm sure you know that I have to undergo psychiatric therapy too. One of them is to let Lucas go.""Yes, I know. I think you really need that. Your obsession with Lucas has hurt a lot of people at that time," said Janeth."Yeah, I'm aware of that. However, Lucas came back and kept coming, even though I never wanted to see him. Last week when he came, I finally decided to see him because I really wanted to end things with him, but ...." Lindsay hung up her words."He won't let you go?" continued Janeth with a smile.Lindsay blushed, took a breath, and nodded. Janeth laughed and hugged Lindsay."I'm so happy for you, Lindsay. At least I can rest easy now, because
"You're getting thinner," Lucas said sadly. "Did you eat well during this time?"He stared at the woman in the dull blue prison uniform in front of him. Lindsay is still beautiful with her hair cut short, even though her face is getting thinner and her eyes are dim.Finally, after Lindsay repeatedly refused visits during the nearly six years he was in this correctional facility, she also agreed to accept Lucas."What do you want, Lucas?" Lindsay asked quietly. "Why do you keep coming even though I keep rejecting you? Aren't you bored?"Lucas has never missed visiting Lindsay in the last five years. Every two months he would come, leave the food he brought with the warden because Lindsay never wanted to see him.Lindsay's cellmates were about to enjoy the food and after walking around for a while instead they were excitedly looking forward to Lucas' visit because it meant there was good food available.Lindsay stared at the floor, not daring to meet the eyes of the man she once loved,
"It's not for me to judge who I'm dealing with," James said softly. "After all, you're still young. You don't know anything about the real world. You taking a decision like this, is a great big step. Your heart is good, only clouded by your parents' manipulation. Your mind is clear, only clouded by your sister's bad influence. When all the ugliness is gone, you dare to regain your purity. That's great!"Janeth listened to James' words with her head down. James' deep voice was pleasing to the ear and what he said was soothing to her heart.James reached out and took Janeth's chin, moving her up so their eyes met. "Cheer up. I'll wish you all the best. Tomorrow is the day, so you need to be completely healthy and ready."Janeth's eyes blinked slowly and her hand lifted, holding James' hand on his chin, then, Janeth brought her face closer to James and planted a kiss on the man's lips.James was stunned, frozen in the warmth of Janeth's ripe lips crushing his. He could feel the desperati