The ambiance of the room, surrounded by books, could only lend a sense of gravity between Tristan and his father. This is where his feet had led him after following his father."Dad, if—""You will continue with the wedding to Viviana," Benjamin immediately said this directly to his son, who couldn't believe it and shook his head."Seriously, Dad? How long will you insist on this? What's so hard to understand, I don't love Viviana and I don't want to marry her!" Benjamin tried to keep his cool. He put down the book he was flipping through in his hands, the noise it made when it hit the table echoed throughout the library."Do you see that book, Tristan?" Tristan's gaze fell on it."That's how thick-faced you are." Tristan clenched his jaw, holding back from saying something harsh to his father. He tried to understand him because the Bright Horizon was just that important to him, as it also played a big part in the memory of his late mother, so it couldn't be forgotten or surpassed by
Benjamin's breathing was rapid as he continued to drink his wine. He closed his eyes tightly, recalling the things he had done and said not only to his son but also to his wife. His jaw clenched, and he punched the table, then grabbed a chair and threw it."Arghhh!" he screamed. Only a few minutes later, his cell phone rang, and he saw a familiar number. He cursed again before answering it."Hello, Mr. Hilton.""Kristoffer," he replied listlessly."Days are passing, and I haven't heard anything about you. I might get itchy lips and spill your secret at the wrong time." Benjamin's grip on his cell phone tightened."I'm talking to my son, Kristoffer. It's not easy, especially since he doesn't really love your sister." From the other line, he heard Kristoffer's laughter."I could have just had Tristan killed for what he did to Viviana, but...""I thought I didn't want to be like you." Benjamin fell silent."Later at exactly 8:30 in the evening. I want you to meet me at Eater Restaurant."
Samantha was startled when she descended the stairs from her room and saw two men standing next to her mother, as if they were waiting for her."Good morning, Mom." She walked towards her mother and kissed her on the cheek, her gaze still fixed on the two tall and muscular men."Hm, Mom. Who are they?" she asked her mother."Sam, I thought of hiring bodyguards for you. I want to make sure that you're safe when you're outside," her mother replied."Mom, I don't need that. I'm grown up and can take care of myself. Besides, I'm not the one being chased by the press." Her mother touched her shoulder."Even so, Sam. It's better to be safe. And are you really sure about that? Why the sudden decision? You don't need to let this affect your work." Her mother's gaze fell on the folder she was holding."Mom, I think this is for the best. Besides, you're the one who wants me to stay away from trouble and I know this will help." This time, Samantha held her mother's hand, gave it a slight squeeze
"You must be kidding, Sam," Tristan said, lowering the folder he was holding, which contained Samantha's resignation letter."It's clearly written there, Tristan. I want to resign. I want to go back to studying. I am going to pursue my dream of becoming a fashion designer." Tristan clenched his jaw."No, you're not resigning. You will stay as my secretary, Samantha." Samantha kept her gaze on the table."I don't need your permission. I didn't sign any contract to be your secretary. I just wanted to formally inform you, so you can find a replacement for me. That's the only reason I came here," Samantha said, then turned away from Tristan. But before she could take another step towards the office door, she felt Tristan's hand on her arm, causing her to stop."Is that really the reason or do you just want to avoid me?" As Tristan removed his hand from her arm, Samantha bit her lower lip."Do you think I didn't notice that ever since the things happened at the engagement party, you hardly
On that day, he attempted once again to talk to Samantha, but he failed to find her in their mansion. It wasn't until the following day that he heard Samantha's mother talking to him on the phone, informing him that she was staying at his old apartment. So, on that same day, he decided to pay her a visit.Samantha that time was just sitting alone on the kitchen, while she's trying to let the cold water she's drinking to put all her heartaches away, until she heard a knocked on the door. He let out a sigh and stood up from his seat, walking towards the door and opening it. Tristan's sad eyes greeted him, momentarily leaving him stunned. But he quickly regained his composure and held onto the door, intending to close it. However, Tristan stopped him and entered his apartment."Tristan, what are you doing here? Can you please leave now?!" Samantha said angrily, not being able to take it anymore when Tristan showed up unexpectedly like that.Samantha quickly closed the apartment door, af
Viviana swivels her chair around to face a man who is now standing in front of her, holding a brown folder."Did you do what I asked you to do?" she asks, smiling and taking the folder with him. She opens it up and sees what's inside as a smirked expression crosses her feature. "That's everything I've got, Ma'am. It even includes various angles," he says. Viviana gives him a small nod, as she flashback in her mind what she ordered yhe man to do...."Ms. Branson? What made you want to meet up today?" From her chair, Viviana leans back and takes a small sip of the juice in front of her. Her fingers trail along the smooth plastic top of the drink before bringing the glass back to her lips. "Well... Why don't you take a seat, Daniel," Viviana replies after looking at her cup as she waits for him to sit on the chair opposite her. "Okay. So, what's the reason? Don't tell me there's no money to be made here, especially since I didn't tell my fellow reporters we were meeting. If they foun
Samantha adjusted her hoodie on top of her head. After their conversation earlier with Tristan, she couldn't resist staying in the apartment, so her feet brought her here on High Line elevated park, which offers a unique and serene atmosphere with beautiful views of the city.She walk along the landscaped pathways. She told her two bodyguards to just follow her, but still keep their distance because she didn't want them to draw more attention and make her more noticeable to the people around. She could feel the coldness in her heart with every step she took. She wanted to blame herself every time she remembered how tears welled up in Tristan's eyes. She wanted to slap herself because she knew she was the reason for his pain. Her thoughts were interrupted when one of her bodyguards approached her, while she noticed Ronald becoming more vigilant of their surroundings."Ma'am, we need to leave now. Ma'am Nathalie called, she said we should take you back to the mansion," Alexander whispe
"How did you manage to fool our family into believing that everything is normal between you two?!" Samantha's mouth hung open, as a couple of tears streamed down her cheeks. "Mom..." she whispered once again. "Fine, I'll make you explain, Sam. Tell me that I am wrong. Tell me that the press is only saying what they believe to be the truth. I want to hear from my daughter, what's real!" Samantha looked at her mother, as she continue to sobbed. "It's real. We are in love, Mom. I love Tristan." Her voice cracked as she spoke. Her mother didn't reply anything, she's just too shocked. And Samantha is scared to know how her mother will react upon realizing the full truth. "W-What?! Seriously, Samantha?" Nathalie looked at her daughter, trying to process the information she's just told. "How many times have I asked you about that? How did you manage to hide it from me multiple times?" Samantha didn't know what to say. Her lips moved a few times, but her tongue seemed stuck to the roof o
Samantha could hear the waves crash against her earlobe. Her skin seems hugging the coldness that's whispering in her surroundings. "Evelyn, where we actually are? Just make sure you have no hidden anger towards me that you are gonna drown me on the sea." Evelyn chuckle while she's acting as Samantha's support while walking and making sure that her friend will not going to removed her blindfold. "Nah, you can trust me for this, Sam!" Evelyn even giggled. After some time, they already stopped from walking, Samantha then sense that Evelyn already removed her hands from her shoulder. The silent of the surroundings made her heart race. "Evelyn? Should I remove it already?" She asked with a shaky tone, but Evelyn didn't answer her anymore so she decided to slowly removed the blindfold on her eyes. As she opened her eyes, the beauty of the night sky and the lights coming from the decorated lanterns was what greeted her eyes. But her eyes soon focus into one spot. It's a heart shape can
"Tristan, what should we do now?! My daughter's in danger," Nathalie said, panic seeping through her voice, while Evelyn is trying to calm her down. Benjamin then, is already calling some men to come and help to find where Viviana kept Samantha. "I c-can't afford to let her get killed!" Tristan jaw clenched, he quickly picked his car's key and jacket."Tristan, where are you going?" Benjamin asked his son. "Dad, I can't just wait here. I need to do something!" Tristan was about to step out of the mansion when his phone rang, and to their surprised when Tristan answer the video call, it's not only Viviana they see, instead she's with Kristoffer also. "Kristoffer?!" Nathalie can't believe what she's seeing. She even trusted Kristoffer to take care of her daughter, but now he's actually one of the kidnappers. "How dare you, Kristoffer?! Where did you take my daughter!? What have you done with her?!" "Oh, easy, Aunt Nathalie. She's there still breathing." The camera was being zoomed
"How could you do that to me, Viviana?!" Viviana quickly followed Tristan inside their home. "T-Tristan, babe... Please, let me explain.""Damn you! Explain what? Your lies? Maybe you can still fool me if ever I didn't follow Samantha to Kristoffer's house and I didn't hear and see all your lies. You are pregnant, huh?" He spat the last words like they were a curse word.Viviana froze for the second time, she's afraid, too scared that Tristan might just leave her, but she's more than angry, because if only Samantha didn't go there, maybe he won't follow her and discover the truth."So, from the start you are just fooling me? You fucking made me believe that we are really having a child!" Her hands curled into fists as she looked at the other side of the living room. "Tristan, I'm sorry okay? T-That's the only thing I can do to make you marry me." Viviana tried to grab his arm but Tristan pulled away and stepped backward. "And to get my wealth?" Viviana shook her head even it's too
"I'll just pay the bills, just wait me here?" Samantha smiled and nodded at Kristoffer. She can feel the furious gazed of Viviana towards her. She can actually hear her fingers tapping on the tap of the table. "If you are not really going to rest room, then we should go," she heard the words coming from Tristan. Its been half an hour since she's trying to control her hand from trembling because of undeniable nervousness. "No, I really want to, but I just really don't have a good feelings making you wait here." Samantha finally met Viviana's sight, who's not surprisingly still lingering on her. "Viviana..." Tristan whispered like the tone of his voice is fulll of tiredness. "Fine! I'll be back here quickly. Tristan, just sit there, and wait me, okay?" Viviana said while standing up from seating, and even looked back at Samantha with a warning look before walking into the hallway that leads to the rest room. When both of their lovers already out of the picture, Samantha could fee
"Tristan," Viviana approached Tristan and hugged him. She needs to act like a good wife again and not to trigger his anger towards him since their marriage is in a verge of failure because Samantha seems to be entering the picture again, especially now that Kristoffer also told her that before this month end, Samantha will be back here in New York and she doesn't like that news.She knows very well that Tristan is still in love with Samantha, and she won't let them be happy. "I-I'm happy that you are back. Look, I am sorry about our last fight. You don't have to stay away from me babe, especially that it's only a few months before I give birth." She gives him a small smile and caresses his cheek lovingly.Tristan stares at her silently for sometime and then sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose. He looks tired, and Viviana knows that it's because of his hidden purpose at London. "I'm tired, Viviana. I want to rest." Despite the anger simmering inside of her, she still managed t
Samantha slowly opened her eyes, finding herself inside an unknown place she can't really recognize. Soon enough she realized that she's like in an apartment. She got up from lying on the bed, thinking how she somehow ends up here."Sam..." Her eyes widened as she heard a very familiar voice, the same time she saw Tristan standing by the door of the bedroom. Samantha quickly got up from the bed and find her purse and wear her shoes again. She's about to leave the room when Tristan approached her."Sam..." He hugged her, holding tightly on her waist. "Tristan!" She pushes him away. "What are you doing?! Let me go!" When their eyes met she immediately felt like he's hurt. His face shows that he wants to hold her more. Her heart beat more faster as Tristan held her hands, but she just pushed his arms.She's too shocked to opened her eyes and see him here, like all of this feels like a dreams. She doesn't know how to react, but her feelings can't deny that he's still have an effect on
"I hate him, Kris! But I hate your girlfriend more!" Viviana raised her voice, she's calling her brother, after Tristan left her and telling him about Tristan knowing the truth already that Samantha goes back to New York to witnessed their wedding. "Can you calm your ass, Viviana?" "Calm down? How can I calm down when he seems interested to know the reason why the fucking Samantha go there that time? What if... What if Tristan find her and leave me? I... I'm scared. I don't want any of this! You should have hide that girlfriend of yours and not let him see her," she said while sniffing. Kristoffer doesn't want to see his sister hurting especially because of Tristan because it made his blood boiled. He could do anything just to make her sister happy and no one could prevent him from doing that. "Stop crying, Viviana. I will make sure that Tristan is going nowhere near her and he can't just treat you like you are not his wife." Kristoffer told her with a serious tone and a cold voi
Viviana's bedroom was a sanctuary of luxurious fabrics and adorned with extravagant things, that cast a soft glow upon her surroundings. It was within this lavish haven that Viviana stood, her phone resting on a marble tabletop, its screen displaying Kristoffer's name.She pressed the speaker button, allowing her to still hear his voice, as she gazed upon her reflection in a grandiose mirror. The mirror, framed with ornate golden carvings is reflecting perfect body shape.Kristoffer's voice echoed from the phone, with a confident tone. The timbre of his voice reverberated through the room. "Of course, she can't do that to someone like me, Viviana," he proclaimed, there's an arrogance seeping into his words.She raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk dancing upon her lips as she turned away from the mirror, fixating her gaze on an exquisite vase of orchids. "Psh! You are too confident, Kris," she taunted, her voice tinged with amusement. "Are you sure she's not just using you to cover
"Tristan?" "What are you doing here? And I didn't invite you to come inside already!""Samantha's there during our wedding right?" Evelyn, didn't expect that from Tristan. She doesn't know how Tristan knew it. But then she need to stick on her promise as what Samantha request her to do and that's not to tell anyone about it."W-What are you talking about? How could Samantha possibly there that moment, do you think she'll come back here just for you?""Tristan, you ruined my best friend's life. You are the reason why she suffered from humiliation." "Please, Evelyn... Don't hide it anymore. Tell me, tell me why she was there during that time? Did she plan to stop our wedding because the truth is she still loves me, right?" Tristan's voice quivered with a mixture of desperation and hope. He was searching for answers, clinging onto the possibility that Samantha's presence meant something more than what he had initially believed.Evelyn bit her lip, her eyes darting around the room as if