Tired of standing and walking around the bedroom, she sank into the single couch by the foot of the bed and stretched out her legs. She almost forgot that Stephanie hasn't always been a part of her life.They met in the store where she went shopping for her prom dress. Aria was there and they had got acquainted with her and her twin brothers. Aria invited them to her send-off party.When Aria left, Stephanie filled up the vacant seat with her easy-going attitude. Honestly, Natalie never missed Aria for once because Stephanie was just there. They went to the same grad school and spent a lot of time together until she was claimed.Stephanie is engaged to her brother's business associate and best friend, Spencer Robert. The two live together, and Natalie had visited her countless times before Oscar told her to stop leaving the house without taking permission.She had to just stop leaving at all because he would send four guards and a driver to go with her. That's not the kind of freedom
Archer's words sliced Natalie's heart. How could he conclude her reaction like that? If she summed up his behavior for the past so many years that she didn't know a thing about what he was feeling like that, then they wouldn't be having that conversation.She felt traumatized by what she heard. Archer was running away because he couldn't stand what Angelika made him do. He was trying to find himself. He hates himself for doing something so wrong no matter what the situation must've been.He feels filthy and guity, that was why he left. She had always known that he couldn't have left without saying a word to her just because he fought with Oscar. This shows that there's more to that fight with Oscar.He doesn't share his troubles with her or his mother because he doesn't want them to get hurt or worry about anything. He was just looking out for them. He is a coward for thinking that way. She deserves to know, doesn't she? He's not the only one who should be hurting and enduring so much
Archer stared at the structure of Georges Furniture, thinking about the great efforts of the formal controllers of the wealth accumulated over making the best home appliances with the right wood, materials, resources and hardwork.They built massive wealth and had taken over accordingly, openly and honestly. He understood then that the Jezebel in the Bible, the wife of king Ahab, reincarnated or she probably has more descendants than the Bible taught and was made to believe.He had been standing at the street corner, watching two upcoming street artists perform by the walkway. Before the performance ended, it was darker and that was when he came to stand in front of the company, sure that no one would make out his face in the dark.He opened the bag and fetched the black overall, then wore it. He zipped up the front of the overall, kicked his sandals off and pushed his legs into the red boots, wore the hand gloves and masked his face with a masquerade face shield. He tied the dagger
Archer knew that the only way to escape the room is only through the door and that is pointing to fighting the armed guards. It was either he defeated them or they defeated him, either way, it's life or death.He turned off his flashlight, swiftly put it back into his pocket and snapped the zipper of the overall up, not ready to leave anything behind, no traces at all. He drew his dagger and went to stand behind the door.He counted with his mind's eye a total of six guards. There were two who carried guns and were ready to shoot at the slightest sight of him. If the others had guns, he didn't see, but he would watch out.Three seemed to walk around the back of the building, turning lights on as they went. The other three came directly to the storage room. He sighted one of them close up, gun pointing forward as another kicked the door open.Before the guard could reach the light switch, Archer threw himself full weight on him and hauled him toward the one who had his gun aiming at hi
When Diane saw the young man that exchanged words with the guards as she was coming out from Julius Chambers where she had gone to announce that dinner was served, she observed that he was coming out from the cottage.The estate was so lit that even lizards could be seen creeping up any wall. The only dark insignificant place is the boathouse and its surroundings which includes partly the cottage. The first person that came to mind was Natalie. If he was someone sent by Oscar or his mother, then Natalie would be in danger if she wasn't already.Diane was already close to the cottage before she remembered that Archer had left the house, prepared for a mission that she can't fathom. What if the man had brought news about him? Was he dead?Her heartbreak increased as she doubled her pace, half running into the house until she collided with Archer's door and the door swung in, she almost slipped on the blood on the floor, but she caught herself with the door."What happened? Archer!" She
Reaching a decision that she can't keep living in bondage and must learn to trust Archer again because she can't live in fear for the rest of her life, Natalie went back to the mansion.She visited Archer countless times, not caring whether she was being watched or not! They can keep a book record of it for all she cares! Her frequency of the cottage continued until Oscar and his mother returned five days later.She was forced to stay indoors again. As usual, Archer refused to say a word about where he went or how he got shot, but she didn't push it. She only got a hint of the situation when Oscar called Archer to talk about what happened at Georges' Furniture when he was away.They sat down in the living room and was served drinks by Judith. She had pretended to be enjoying a show going on in the television, but she was looking at Archer through the corner of an eye, surprised at how strong he posed to be.Oh, well, he can't let Oscar know that he's hurt. For one thing Natalie was su
Natalie hesitated before she walked through the pocket doors, simply because her mind was preoccupied with clustering reasons why Angelika would call her into the library that seems so special to the men.As she turned the lights on and filled her eyes with the contents of the room, she didn't miss the details. She closed the door behind her and walked further into the room.The room was lined with books, floor to ceiling, on all four walls. With the shelves added, there was only room for a comfortably plump chair and hassock in the center of the floor, with a small table and floor lamp beside them.There was another table, bigger and older, and a porch beside the window. On the table were so many documents covered in dust and the moonlight casted shadows on them through the small and open window. There was a new file on the table as well and a reading light.The library was perfect and marvelous, but what really caught her attention wasn't in the library because there's nothing perf
She heard the noise and leapt up from the bed, heavy eyes suddenly wide open with immediate alacrity. She stood up from the bed and checked the time first.It was too late for anyone to still be awake except the guards taking their shifts. She wondered who was making the muffling noise beside her window.Her imaginations ran wild. What if Angelika has decided to send an assassin to eliminate her silently, once and for all? What if Oscar left to find someone who would kill her before morning? What if they planned everything to get her fingerprints on the pictures and documents of McCartney Wine, then kill her and put the blame on her?She had opened the window to watch the moon, and her mistake was to keep it open as she couldn't sleep, willing it to lure her to sleep while she thought about the past under the moonlight with Archer as she lay in bed.She sneaked toward the window and looked down to know if she would get a glimpse of the person before she met her end, but she saw nothi
When Natalie found out that Oscar is not into women, she had hoped there were other ways to end things between them. But he had to force Archer to come back to the family house so that he would humiliate him by shoving the fact that he and Natalie are married down his throat.Now everything has escalated to another war all together. If he must kill, then he just has to end her own life because it's all her fault. Archer wouldn't be suffering if she had stayed away from him. He doesn't deserve any of this!“Oscar, I attempted to kill you. It's all my fault, let me pay for my sins. I know you don't like him, but he's still your brother and remember that…”“Oh, fucking shut up, Natalie!” Oscar retorted, snatching a gun from one of the men on guard. “You mean nothing to me, but seeing Archer like this, I had to spare you until now. Don't you think watching him die, or killing him with your own hands would be very painful?” He flipped the gun in his hands.“It's nice to know that you are s
Natalie felt cold hands on her face, someone was touching her. Just as she opened her eyes, she was blinded by the cold water poured on her face by unknown hands in the darkness.“What is this? How did I get here?” Her voice reverberated in her ears as tears stung the corner of her eyes.“Hello, my lovely wedded wife!” A cocky voice laughed, and that taunted her because she knew who owned the voice.“Oscar?” She called out in shock as he came out from the darkness to where a single bulb shone brightly. She was in the dark as well, which made her wonder how many more people were in the dusty room.“It's been awhile, honey. Did you miss me too much?” He walked up to her and used his finger to send strands of her hair behind. Then he rubbed his thumb on her lips as if he really missed kissing her, only he never kissed her except the one that happened on their wedding day in front of the witnesses. “You're alive? How…” she threw her face away to avoid his touch. He loathed his closeness.
Natalie walked up to the reception to drop off her keys as she had an appointment with the doctor. It isn't about her health issues, but she wants to go out and not stay stuffed like frozen food.She looked at the girl's badge before she called her attention. “Gianna,” she forced a smile at her. “Ma'am, do you need anything? You didn't have to come out here, you could have just pressed a button and I would…”“Hey, calm down and take a breath. I don't need anything else apart from air. I'm not some kind of foodstuff packed up in the fridge or cupboard. I have somewhere to go,” Natalie cut the girl off.“I'm sorry, but I was ordered not to let you leave your hotel room again. I just hope you understand, please.” Gianna walked across the counter to meet her.“I'm also sorry, but I can't take this anymore. Archer gave that order, right? I understand you all care about my safety, but it's more dangerous here.” Natalie placed her keys on the counter and turned toward the entrance of the h
Archer fixed his spy with a challenging gaze. He already knew from the beginning that Angelika had plans of her own, especially surprising her enemies with Oscar's return, but he did not expect to hear that she locked up his mother together with Natalie's parents and has been torturing them.He stamped his fist on his desk and stood up angrily. He had thought she would get the police involved and he only hoped to bail his mother, Mr and Mrs Hills out of the police custody and take them far away where she would never see them again just like he did Natalie.Now she's getting on his nerves and he's going for plan B. He can't sit back waiting for a perfect time to hit her back while his mother and the Hills' suffer. They don't deserve to be punished for being good people."How many shares are left with the Georges?" He asked, pushing his hands into his pockets."They still have thirty-five percent, we are already ahead of them. We have sixty already, and the remaining one is left with on
Natalie perched on one of the two-seater couches in the hotel room and wondered about the exclusive five-star hotel that Archer was able to get reservations for her and the McCartneys.She also overhead the receptionist discussion with another hotelier that there's a change of ownership. She's not stupid, and she hopes her suspicions aren't exactly what she's thinking because she trusts Archer would have let her in on everything going on in his life.She knows that he came back after ten years with nothing but a patched faded bag that contained his washed out clothes. He practically came back in rags and they went through a lot as nobodys, but look at her getting nice treatment in an expensive hotel in Manila, which happened because of him.She swayed when she tried to stand up and an unusual pain stabbed her heart. She was able to steady herself, standing strongly on her feet, but the pain didn't go away. That has happened once before, which she had ignored since it was gone just the
The dining room of the Georges estate grew uncomfortably silent when Angelika walked into the room. She suspected the reason for their sudden quietness, but she sat down, lowered her lashes to cover her eyes as she quietly started eating."What is this about?" She asked coldly when everyone continued stealing glances at her instead of eating."This has really affected you even though you pretend to be alright. Anyway, I was just telling everyone about today's board meeting." Elia spoke up, breaking the tension that hung in the air."What board meeting? I made it clear that no meeting will be held until I say so!" Angelika glared at the older woman."The fact that Oscar is gone shouldn't hold the company back and stop business from moving forward! So many changes are to be made and I have already permitted Julius to take over and continue from where Oscar stopped." Elia filled her in hotly."You must take me for a joke? Does Oscar mean nothing to you? Well, you chose the wrong woman to
Archer didn't go back to the Georges' estate. He had received a call on arrival in Hawaii. Mr. Adams had helped him meet the family that he had served when the family lawyer contacted him.He couldn't disclose this development to Natalie because he would have to explain the whole story to her and make her understand, and that would consume a lot of time. He didn't want to get her involved in his own mess too.Ten years ago, when he left the Georges' estate in anger, he met Eric in the shantytown that he first moved to, knowing that that was where people like him belonged and survived. Eric introduced him to one of his clients that had stomach cancer.The girl was about Natalie's age at that time and looked a lot like her. Knowing that she was going to die soon, her grandfather offered him an irresistible contract to marry the girl and stay with her for the short time that she's bound to spend on earth.He was hesitant to accept the mouthwatering offer, but his conscience nagged him si
Both Archer and Natalie heard Rohri's voice as she came up again and heard her gasped apology, but they weren't willing to break the kiss. They only stopped to breathe, but that was when the sailor and Rohri were long gone."It's fine, we will get over this." He assured her with one last deep kiss."I want to swim!" She was excitedly pulling off her clothes before he could give her a reply. "I got only this," he retrieved two of his big shirts from the small bag he packed and handed one to her.She snatched it, already in nothing but transparent bra and underwear, she threw it over her head and ran across the boat. Before he could change and go after her, she was already running around the seashore."I love the view from here, it's so quiet and peaceful and calm." She called out to him, squatting down to take fistfuls of sand in both hands."I love you more. Your excitement delights my heart." He replied, walking briskly toward her. His upper body bare, exposing his broad shoulders a
A geisha girl showed them to their rooms after they had met the old parents of Mr. Adams who seemed cheerful to have them. They had made them feel welcomed in a Hawaiian and Japanese tradition, but they still couldn't feel comfortable. They were shown into different rooms, but Archer can't have Natalie leave his side and she willingly let him lead her to his own room and was ready to share with him because she's too afraid to be on her own. Her legs just moved on their own volition, not because she knew that she was walking. She could as well be floating like some people in fantasy books.Natalie had been fighting back her nauseous feeling since she arrived at the place, so she ran into the bathroom and vomited everything she had eaten into the toilet, giving in to hysterics.Archer matched up to her and put his hand at the small of her back, his other hand patting her hair and pushing stubborn strands that threatened to fall into the water ware back."I killed a man, Archer. No one