The next day, Anna went to Nina’s house to meet Nina and her mother before visiting the hospital together. She supported her sore waist with a hand on her hip the entire way.“Nina, Nina. You don’t know how much I’ve sacrificed for you!”Anna walked up the stairs, the pain from her sore waist causing her to sigh at every step.Nina lived in an old, run-down neighborhood. The staircase was old and rusty from age and in urgent need of repair.Anna looked carefully before taking every step, worried that the staircase would give way and cause her to her fall.She followed the address Nina gave to the school, found her way to Nina’s house, and pressed on the doorbell.“Anna!” Nina opened the door, she seemed depressed.“What’s wrong?”“Nothing! Come on in.”The inside of the apartment was clean. There was not a speck of dust in sight, but the air was filled with the overpowering scent of herbal medicines.Melissa Baker, Nina’s mother, sat on the sofa clicking through the channels on the tel
Melissa’s emotions were out of control again. Dr. Hart hurriedly ordered the nurses to push her down on the table then they injected her with a tranquilizer. Melissa grew quiet, leaned on Nina’s chest, and fell asleep. Dr. Hart immediately seized the chance and arranged for some examinations to be done.“Anna, my mom is like this. When she’s sick, she’ll say anything! She even said she wanted to kill me…” Nina bowed her head, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.“Nina, I won’t take this against her! I just felt like she mistook me for someone else.”“She’s not conscious anymore. She doesn’t even know what she said or what she did. She’s in a blur most of the time,” Nina sighed.“Don’t worry too much, we’ll look at the results and see.” Anna patted Nina’s shoulder comfortingly. In the VIP ward.Melissa lay on the bed quietly with countless machines on her body. Her breathing was stable as she had an expression of calm peace while she slept. Nina sat at her bedside and stare
Anna accompanied Nina to the hospital the whole day.At night, her father called her home to take care of Chloe. Nicole and he had a cocktail party to attend.Anna was infuriated, “Don’t we have a maid at home? I don’t know how to take care of someone.”“A maid is a maid, you’re her sister! Your sister is pregnant now, shouldn’t you help take care of her?” Her father grew upset too.“Daddy, you have to know who is the father of her unborn child! I’m already tolerating her the best I can, why do I even have to take care of her?”“It’s all in the past, you have to look forward to the future! Come home, now!” Daniel finished and hung up the phone.Anna clenched her phone tightly in her fists, wishing she could fling it away to vent her anger. “I’m human too! In their eyes, I’m like an emotionless robot. They never considered how I feel!”Her family was like this, previously Bryan was like this, and now even Liam treated her this way.Nina walked towards her, “Anna, that’s because you hav
Chloe saw a man lurking suspiciously outside the gate and shouted. The man hurriedly hid behind a large tree.“Who’s there! Come out, now! I’m calling security!” Chloe shouted in fear.The man appeared from behind the tree, motioning for Chloe to keep her voice down.“Chloe, it’s me, Daddy! Shush! Don’t shout! Don’t let anyone else see us!”Chloe’s eyes widened in shock, expression full of disbelief as she stared at the man in front of her.Even though the sky was already dark, beneath the dim street lights, she could clearly see the middle-aged man’s face.His hair was messy and disheveled. Stubbles covered his face like small black needles, his clothes were dirty and torn. He looked like a beggar. “I don’t know you!”Chloe turned to run but the man reached out and covered her mouth with his palm then tugged her into the trees behind him.“Don’t call out, don’t shout! I’ve been mapping out the area for the past few days, I know the guards don’t patrol this area at this time.”Chloe
“You want me to be her bridesmaid?”Are they out of their minds?Anna couldn’t keep calm anymore, “I have nothing to do with their marriage. Don’t bring me into this!”Daniel’s expression darkened but he tried to keep his voice calm and neutral, “Anna, I know this is hard for you! But we need to show the public that we are a happy, loving family. That there’s no bad blood between you and Chloe because of Bryan.”“Didn’t you promise you will try to get along with Chloe?”“Getting along is different from making me the object of public ridicule!” Anna’s anger was growing, her displeasure written on her face.“Anna is saying that she hasn’t forgotten Bryan yet. Her acceptance and forgiveness is all an act! She said she’ll give us her blessings but deep down she doesn’t think so at all!” Chloe piped up.Anna’s gaze was as sharp as a knife. She looked as if she could cut through Chloe’s body and see right through to the heart. Chloe hid behind her father in fear, whining to gain sympathy, “D
Chloe pressed a palm over her mother’s mouth.“Mom! Lower your voice!”Nicole nodded, her expression harrowing. She lowered her voice and whispered, “He came to see you?”“Yes! I’m so scared! Mom, what should we do?”Nicole was flustered too as she paced around the room nervously.“Don’t panic, don’t panic. Tell me, how did he appear? And why did he want to see you?”Chloe sucked in a deep breath and reiterated the days’ happenings to her mother. “Mom, you need to think of a way! I gave him a thousand dollars, and the card is already expired but I lied saying there’s money inside. I couldn’t have chased him away otherwise!Once he realizes there’s no money in the card, with his personality, he won’t forgive me!”Nicole’s face turned pale as a ghost, “He knows you’re marrying into the Dawson family, he’ll definitely stick to you like a vampire!”Nicole was at a loss too, the more she thought about it, the more panicked she felt, “Why would he come here? How could he come here!”After sh
Liam made a call to James, ordering him to take care of the situation.Then, he stalked her, driving behind her leisurely.When Anna reached Fitzrovia Hills, Liam was right behind her.Anna turned around and saw him alighting from his car. He was wearing a black suit, though handsome as always, to her eyes, he looked more like the Grim Reaper than anything else. “You just got home?”She glanced towards his car; it wasn’t the flashy sports car he used to drive.“You followed me!” Anna suddenly realized; this car had been driving closely behind her the whole way.Liam didn’t even look at her, pressed the password to open the door, “Come in, quick.”His voice was soft but carried a commanding air that allowed no room for disagreement. Anna walked past the door quickly, followed him past the garden and into the villa. “Why did you follow me?” Anna stared at his tall frame suspiciously. “What evil trick are you planning again?” Liam turned and glanced at her, lips pressed softly togeth
The next day Anna went to the hospital to visit Nina, once again supporting her sore hip with a hand.Liam said he planned to make it so she couldn’t leave the bed, warm the bed for him 24 hours a day. If this went on, his words would come true soon.Nina saw Anna looking uncomfortable and asked her worriedly, “Anna, what’s wrong? Are you sick?”“No, no. I’m fine.” Anna smiled awkwardly.“But you’re walking funny. No, I better register you for an examination!” Nina hurriedly pulled Anna out of the door, Anna waved in protest.“Nina, I’m fine! Don’t worry!”Anna wriggled her hips to demonstrate she was fine. She forced the pain down and smiled.“How’s your mom? Is she still asleep? What did the doctor say?”Nina looked at her mother who was sleeping on the bed and sighed, “She woke up for a while, then fell asleep again. That’s good, I guess. She hasn’t been sleeping well lately.”“She didn’t throw a tantrum again when she woke up and found herself in a hospital, did she?”Nina shook he