"Would you like a drink?" Although she wasn't thirsty, seeing Jordan's attentive care for the twins, Clara agreed. Especially since Jordan was offering her current favorite drink. Clara was surprised he remembered her preference. "Thank you," she murmured. Clara took the drink from Raffaele, though a row of beer bottles stood before her. Jordan assumed Clara enjoyed the drink, but while he was occupied with the twins, no one suspected Clara would replace Jordan's offering with a bottle of beer when they weren't looking. Clara wasn't usually a drinker, but she craved it intensely. She glanced at Jordan before taking a sip, their closeness causing her to smile as she drained the clear green glass bottle. Unconsciously, she enjoyed it and wanted more, regardless of the consequences. "Mommy, wake up!" Lucas's small cry startled her, but Clara was already asleep, overcome by the alcohol... THE NEXT MORNING... "Mommy, why aren't you awake yet?" The twins' whimpers roused Clara, but
"Lara... Lara..." The apartment door was pounded loudly, diverting the focus of the small family enjoying their breakfast. Clara stood up from her chair and went to open the door. "Raisa..." "Why are you so slow to answer? Have you forgotten me as a friend?" Clara was truly annoyed by Raisa's rude outburst. But her arrival this morning made Clara curious. "Sorry, I was busy cooking, what's up?" Instead of answering, Raisa barged in uninvited until she reached the dining room and saw a pair of twins with Jordan, all looking grim. "Raisa, have a seat. Won't you join us for breakfast?" Clara spoke kindly. "Let me talk to Jordan for a moment." Raisa's voice and gaze seemed cold. The man who was Clara's husband glanced at his wife briefly before answering Raisa. "Why not just stay here? There's no one else..." "In private, this is very important." Her answer was so forceful, Clara muttered, 'What kind of conversation do they want to have?' However, Clara didn't expect Jordan to ag
6:05 AM Jordan woke up to find himself in bed with a woman, both of them naked. "Oh my God I couldn't have done that to her, could I?" he muttered, his head throbbing with a pounding headache. He struggled to sit up, gathering his scattered clothes from the floor. After dressing, Jordan hurried out of the room, careful not to wake the woman he assumed was still fast asleep. As the door closed behind him, Raisa smiled and chuckled. "What an amazing night, Jordan. I'm sure you'll remember this." In the luxurious VIP room of the seven-star hotel, Raisa lay lazily under the covers. A smile spread across her face as she got out of bed, imagining the perfect features of the man who had spent the night with her. "I don't care if Jordan is married, he's mine," she smirked. She quickly dialed Jordan's number, but it went straight to voicemail. "Damn it" Raisa kicked at anything within reach, venting her frustration. But she was quick to think, "Maybe the CCTV footage from this room can be
“Thank goodness, I thought you wouldn’t come.” The woman with shoulder-length hair who greeted Jordan was Raisa. Raisa’s face and body were undeniably perfect, but Jordan was not at all interested in her. “Don’t mention anything about last night…” Raisa remained relaxed, “Why the rush? You haven’t ordered a drink yet. Isn’t this your time off?” Jordan’s expression remained flat and serious as he spoke. “You call this time off? Don’t you remember the schedule? We have a lot of work to do this year-end. You need to finish all the administration for the year-end closure until it’s done.” “But…” Raisa planned to persuade him, but Jordan was firm, giving an order. “Get ready, we’re going to a meeting with the Vlora Business group, a high-class community of elite individuals.” Hufft! Raisa felt like she had lost her purpose, but she was still grateful that last night hadn’t affected her work at Jordan’s company. Slowly, her spirits rose. This meeting could be a self-promotion opportuni
As Clara peeked into the kitchen, she saw a woman standing with an apron tied around her waist. Clara tiptoed closer to the woman. “Raisa? You’re cooking and doing the chores? Isn’t the maid here?” Raisa responded with a smile, without stopping her activities. Clara felt awkward with Raisa’s busy schedule, even Louis commented. “Lately, I rarely see you, where have you been all this time?” Raisa nodded, her eyes meeting the innocent boy’s gaze. "Why? Do you miss me?" Lucas suddenly hugged her and rubbed her back. “Auntie, you must be tired after working so hard.” Again, his cute words made Raisa smile, “Not really, I’m just trying to be independent without bothering your Mommy.” “I don’t think Mommy minds, but seeing your dedication, I’m sure she’s happy.” Once again, the compliment didn’t erase her smile. “Oh, you’re just coming home now? Where have you been all day?” Lucas and Louis were indeed chatty, a long conversation ensued. They didn’t even want to try Raisa’s cooking,
"No I have to take care of her. But what will I do with Raisa? Should I marry her?" "What are you doing?" The door creaked open, and Clara entered, carrying a cup of beverage. She placed it in front of Jordan. Jordan adjusted his sitting position. He had been thinking about how to tell Clara about Raisa's pregnancy, but he didn't know where to start. If he kept it to himself, he would be mentally stressed. "Do you have some free time?" Clara asked cautiously. "Why?" His tense tone made Clara a little hesitant. "The food in the fridge is all gone, so I just want to go shopping. Can you accompany me for a while?" Raisa actually felt stupid; things that should be readily available at home were not something she could manage. Unexpectedly, Jordan grabbed the car keys in front of him and stood up. "What are you waiting for? Let's go." "Are you willing?" Clara hesitated. "What if I'm not?" Clara smiled. She followed her husband's steps and told Lucas and Louis to stay at home with t
Jordan was restless. Clara hadn't answered his calls at all. Raisa, too, was puzzled by Clara's sudden change in demeanor. "It's okay, maybe she's busy. Career women are always busy, after all," she said, trying to console him. Jordan ignored her advice and was about to leave. "Wait, you're just going to leave like that?" Raisa questioned, her eyebrows raised. Without wasting time, she grabbed two cups of drinks, returned, and sat across from Jordan. "Have this first. This is African coffee, often called Liribika coffee. It's a high-quality coffee with trees taller than Arabica. I'm sure you'll enjoy it." Jordan accepted the warm coffee and took a sip. "Don't rush. Are you afraid your wife will be angry seeing us so close?" Jordan sighed. "I don't know... Why do you want to know?" "Of course, aren't we getting married soon?" "Ssshh..." Jordan hissed, but Raisa quickly put her finger on his lips. "Don't tell me you're not planning to marry me after knowing I'm carrying your baby?"
"Clara, you haven't even said anything after yesterday's problem. I never thought of betraying you," Jordan insisted, trying to defend himself as Clara returned home. However, she glared at him with piercing eyes. "So what am I supposed to say?" she retorted, her voice devoid of emotion. "I'm not joking, Lara, I need your approval." Clara took a deep breath, "So you're forcing me to allow you to marry her?" she asked sarcastically. "Do you feel no guilt after betraying me behind my back?" "Clara, listen to me..." "Shut up" Clara didn't even give Jordan a chance to speak. Her gaze was sharp, as if piercing through his eyes, making him sweat even more. "But Clara..." "You still have the audacity to ask me to approve your marriage?" Jordan remained unfazed. But Clara was not a weak woman who would cry, even though the betrayal hurt deeply. She felt it was pointless to stand there and decided to leave. However, she had only taken a step when Jordan's words reached her. "... I've m
"Doctor, we have a gunshot wound victim! Code red!" A nurse, breathless and frantic, burst into the doctor's consultation room."Right, I'm on my way. Cover for me."The nurse immediately obeyed the doctor's sharp command.The doctor arrived to find a woman lying pale and still, blood staining the sheets. Her family, huddled behind the observation window, looked on in panicked silence."Her heart rate's plummeting. Get her on oxygen, stat!""Yes, Doctor!"The doctor emerged, facing the distraught family. "Excuse me, who are you...?"A man, massaging his temples, spoke quickly. "I'm Alessandro, her husband. How is my wife, Doctor?" His voice was thick with panic."Please, try to remain calm. She's receiving treatment, and while her condition is critical, we're doing everything we can.""Can't you give me a proper diagnosis? I just want my wife to live, Doctor." His eyes welled up.The doctor offered a strained smile. "We'll do our best, but we can't make any guarantees…"Three d
Mischa let his henchman revel in his moment of triumph, then retreated. "Wait! You haven't been paid yet."Mischa's steps faltered. He smiled, raising an eyebrow. "How much do you want?""One hundred thousand dollars."Without hesitation, Mischa produced the cash. "However-" Before the man could snatch the money, Mischa continued, "Forty thousand will do for today! After all, haven't you got a new toy to play with?" He tossed the money at the man's feet.The man grumbled, protesting. "But this isn't what we agreed on! You don't know how hard I fought to get past those CCTV cameras-""Ahh, that's irrelevant. Go. If you don't want the money, give it back. This is the last time I'll pay you.""Can't you show some mercy-"His plea was ignored. Mischa walked away, the man trailing behind.Meanwhile, Giselle, still bound and terrified, frantically tried to break free. She scraped her hands against the rough wall, her skin bleeding. She had to escape, to find a way out...."I'll give Gis
Louis grabbed his chin viciously and received fierce stares from him. "Why—" Mischa still thought, if I tell the truth, would everything change?"Actually—" when Mischa tried to speak, Louis interrupted him. "I'll hear your words if it makes sense!""I-I just want the baby in my womb to have a father. Even if he is not your flesh and blood, do you just hope that you will consider him your son?""What?" Louis reacted in shock and squeezed his hair roughly, "Enough Mischa! Don't go any further, this is already a great insult to me and my family." Deep expressions of disappointment were clearly visible on his face. She couldn't believe it, and Mischa instead made her a cover for her disgrace. Really, a very heartless woman! "Forgive me Louis, I mentioned this reason for the sake of our relationship. Ever since Netty was by your side, you didn't even glance at me at all...""Unfortunately I'm too stupid to trust people like you so easily. If I had known from the beginning, I wouldn't
Louis wasn’t driving himself home. He’d opted for a cab, pulling up in front of a bar he hadn’t visited in ages. Stepping inside, the place was a whirlwind of young, reckless revelers and dancers grooving to the thumping DJ music. He weaved through the crowd, grabbing a drink the moment he spotted an empty stool.“Louis! What the hell are you doing?” Lucas appeared, his voice sharp, as he caught sight of his twin brother knocking back shots of hard liquor.“Louis, have you lost your mind? Your wife’s waiting at home, and you’re here, getting plastered?”Lucas tried to snatch the shot glass, but Louis held firm, his voice surprisingly calm. “Why the rush? Let’s relax and drink this stuff until we’re happy. Don’t worry about the cost.”This was getting out of hand. Louis wasn’t usually a drinker; this change was unsettling. Lucas needed to get him out of there before the alcohol did more damage. “Damn it! How do I even contact Mischa? My phone’s still in the car.”“Still want to wa
Louis’s words hung in the air, sharp as a threat. Mischa wondered if the woman with the long nails and platinum blonde hair was deliberately trying to drive a wedge between them. Giselle watched the woman discreetly. When Louis excused himself to make a call, Mischa casually pulled a cigarette from her purse and lit it, the acrid smell of tobacco instantly filling the room. Giselle coughed. "Excuse me, but this is a non-smoking area. There's a sign right over there."Mischa glanced at the sign Giselle indicated, then rolled her eyes. "And I care?"Giselle took a deep breath, composing herself. Just as Louis returned, Netty's doctor emerged from the room. "Doctor, how is my sister-in-law?" Giselle asked anxiously."She's still unconscious. We'll be monitoring her hourly. Please, try to stay calm."Louis was about to enter Netty's room, but Mischa stopped him. "Can't we just go home? You've already done so much…" Her plea hung unspoken in the air."No! Can't you see someone's life is
In her apartment, Mischa still couldn't sleep and kept shifting positions restlessly. Her eyes darted to the wall clock, then she mumbled, "It's already 2:00 AM." Slowly she sat up and leaned back against the pillow, blinking several times before glancing at her phone, which hadn't flashed since earlier. Her breath came out heavy, and her alertness heightened. Louis was going to meet Netty. "I have to make sure Netty keeps her distance from my husband." Mischa picked up her phone, planning to distract herself by opening social media. As she saw a post, her anxiety deepened when she noticed her husband's location was at the hospital! "This feels strange; I need to find out what he’s doing there." *** 2:05 AM "Ms. Netty needs type B blood. So we are currently looking for someone willing to donate..." Louis still remembered the doctor's words while talking to his sister Giselle, so he immediately went to see the doctor after making his decision. "Excuse me, doctor, I came to don
A social media post stopped Netty in her tracks. The photo showed a back – a very familiar back. She wanted to guess, but fear of being wrong gnawed at her. She checked the account’s owner, a name she recognized: "L Mischa." So familiar, but why the single 'L'? Could it be…? Should she guess it stood for Louis? Was it true, then? Were she and Louis meant to be? Before Netty could dwell further, a notification popped up. A new post from the same account, instantly showered with likes and supportive comments. "My guess is right, the 'L' stands for Louis. Is this the answer to my prayers? If we aren't meant to be, then help me find someone else, someone to help me forget his kindness and our memories." A text message arrived, advertising a part-time night shift job. "I guess this is it. Time to quit my old job and take this new one, even if it's just as a convenience store clerk, only six hours a day." Netty made up her mind. She told her family, grabbed her bag, and left to apply. S
Frustration, anger, and pent-up emotions boiled over after a failed plan. Louis vanished without a trace after that day, disappearing from circulation and ignoring all calls, both business-related and from his parents.His mind was consumed by the desire to apologize to Netty. If he went to her house and asked her family about her, would they tell him? But what if Netty wasn't home?He could barely imagine what would happen if he found out Netty wasn't home. Although he had called her several times, there was only a forwarding message.He spent his days alone, exhausted, without a confidante to vent the frustrations that had been building for days.Today, Louis unknowingly stopped near Mischa's family home. Before getting out of the car, he sat contemplating, murmuring, "I wonder how Mischa's doing?"Suddenly, he thought about the woman he admitted he didn't love at all. His expression was somber. Should he see Mischa now? Doubt clouded his eyes, but what would he say if he did?It
The whispers followed Giselle like a shadow. "They say she never got her mother's love, not even as a baby," one voice hissed. Another chimed in, "Really? Where'd you hear that?" Giselle’s cheeks burned. The judging stares felt like knives. But the whispers died down abruptly as a figure appeared – Alessandro, her husband. "Al-Alessandro..." breathed the gossips. Their attention shifted back to their shopping, the initial purpose of their visit to Giselle’s grocery store. Alessandro’s arrival transformed Giselle's frown into a radiant smile. Serving her customers, she was noticeably more relaxed. Alessandro, however, watched her with a tender gaze, a small smile playing on his lips. Netty, noticing this exchange, chuckled softly. Despite the storms they’d weathered, Giselle felt incredibly fortunate to have him. And now, cradled in her arms, their beautiful baby boy, Leon, completed their picture. Once the last customer left, Giselle