"Alright. At least you had a great time there. But I don't want it to repeat again. You are not living alone. You have a man." Desmond said, and Daniella smiled, seeing that he had bought her lies."No problem. It won't repeat again." She said and hugged him again. "I will go now and prepare breakfast for you." She added with a warm smile.As she turned to leave, Desmond pulled her back and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You need to rest, you just got back. I don't want you to start stressing yourself out." Daniella's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. Desmond was quite easy to be fooled. "I'm not weak, Honey. I can handle it. Don't worry about me."She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Desmond couldn't help but smile.As Daniella was cooking in the kitchen, the aroma of the food wafted through the air, making Desmond's stomach growl with anticipation. She was cooking his favorite food. Soon, she was done. She served the food and called Desmond.But when
After eating, he cleared the table and went to meet Daniella. He got into the room and found her crying. "You are crying?" He went and sat down behind her. "Are you crying because of the wedding?""You don't know what I'm passing through. I can't stand all the insults from my friends. They are calling me baby mama. Some are saying you will kick me out the way you kicked Anabel, and I can see it's true.""You don't need to be listening to them. You know what? I will inform my mom, and we will fix the wedding date.""Your mom? You know she hates me now. You can just fix the wedding and inform her later." Daniella said. She knew that Mrs. Elizabeth may not approve it."Don't worry about it. I will sort it out. Stop crying." He wiped her tears and kissed her forehead. "Thank you. I love you so much." "I love you too, baby." Desmond replied. "I will be going for Mayor's auction tomorrow.""But......" Daniella was about to talk, and he interrupted. "I know what you are about to say. It's
As he approached Anabel, she noticed him and leered at him."Hi, Anabel, How are you doing?" He greeted, and Anabel looked around, acting as if she were searching to know who he was talking to. "Are you talking to me?'"I'm talking to you, Anabel. How are you doing?" Desmond, repeated."Ohh! As you can see, I'm fine. I haven't come back begging you. What do you want?""Please, can we talk for a moment?" Desmond asked, trying to keep his voice steady.Anabel crossed her arms. Her gaze was cool but distant. "Talk about what exactly? Do we have any business?"Desmond hesitated, then gestured towards her rounded tummy. "I couldn't help but notice... Are you pregnant?" Desmond asked, and Anabel let out a dismissive laugh. "So you approached me to ask me if I'm pregnant. So you came to mock me?""No, I didn't say so. I was...curious. I saw your tummy, and it seemed like....""The last time checked, I was called a barren woman. What business does a barren woman have to do with pregnancy?""I.
"Don't you hear her? She said you should excuse her." Sylvester said when Desmond hesitated."I will go but I won't give up. I still believe you have something that belongs to me." Desmond said and turned to Sylvester. "And I won't allow you to take it. I'm watching you." He said and left with Daniella. Daniella was murmuring. She wasn't settled with what Desmond said.Anabel turned to Sylvester. "Thanks for acting along. You are so smart.""Anything for you." Sylvester replied. "Though i'm hoping you will give in to me soon. We can actually make a nice couple.""Yeah, but I still need time to think about it." Anabel replied. ..."I need to tell you something, Daniella." Desmond spoke up when they walked some distance away from Anabel and Sylvester "What is that?" She asked "Remember i told you i didn't come to bid on the auction. But now that Anabel is here, I know you will be moved to challenge her. I don't want you to compete with her. Once she's involved in any bidding, don't
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the auction to begin." The host began. "Our first item up for bid is a stunning diamond bracelet, and it's starting at five thousand dollars." The crowd murmured with interest, especially the women, as the host held up the exquisite piece of jewelry. Its diamonds were attracting the light and sparkling brilliantly. "Six thousand dollars." One of the women in the crowd raised her bidding paddle. "Ten thousand dollars." Anabel raised her bidding paddle with a confident smile. She didn't bother to look around to gauge people's reaction. Though she was expecting Daniella to react. She wanted to show Daniella what she was capable of. Daniella's heart flared up in jealousy as she saw Anabel bid. She took a deep breath to calm herself down but she couldn't. Desmond had warned her to avoid Anabel and never compete with her but she couldn't stand it. Unable to resist the urge to compete, she raised her paddle and called out, "Twelve thousand dollar
Daniella didn't know what else to do. All eyes were on her as if she committed a crime. Everyone was looking forward to see her pay."It's like she can't afford it." She heard on girl whispering to her friend."But why will she mention an amount she couldn't afford. She should pay up quickly." She heard the friend reply. Soon, the room began to heat up."I'm waiting for you, Miss Daniella. How will you pay?" The host asked. At this point, he was loosing his patience. "I'm sorry sir, Just a minute." She answered and quickly tested Desmond. "Please help me out and pay. This is so embarrassing. All eyes are on me."She sent the text and looked at his direction. Desmond got the notification and opened the message. He frowned and looked back at Daniella. He shook his head and began to type.Immediately, Daniella got a massage. She opened it and felt flabbergasted. Desmond texted that she should find a way and sort it out by herself, that It's non of his business."Miss Daniella. You are t
"Ladies and gentlemen," He began with a serious voice. "It appears our bidder for the bracelet could not pay. Therefore, as per the rules, she is hereby fined one thousand dollars."Daniella felt the weight of the room's eyes upon her, and the murmurs of the crowd grew louder. Her face was flushed with embarrassment.She could hear someone whisper. "I'm sure she can't even pay for the penalty fee."Deep down, Daniella knew that the person was saying the truth. The fact was that she didn't even have the money for the penalty fee, let alone fifty thousand dollars for the bracelet."Isn't her fiance supposed to be wealthy? Maybe he had gone broke." Another person added.Desmond began to feel embarrassed. Daniella was about to ruin his image in front of everyone. He knew how bad it would be if he don't react. He stood a chance of loosing investors if he doesn't act. They would think he had gone bankrupt. He had warned her earlier but she choose to drag his feet out.To avoid future shame
After the auction, Sylvester escorted Anabel out and offered to take her to a nearby hotel for a relief. "Maybe next time. I need to get back home." Anabel turned him down.."What about coming to my house? You know....you have never visited my house.""Is it necessary?" Anabel asked."I think so. You know.... we've been friends for a good time now. So i think it will be nice to spend some time together in my house. At least, you will know where I'm living." Sylvester replied."Alright, i think you are right. Just send me your address. I will check my schedule for this week and make out time." Anabel replied."That's great. I will send my address once I get back to the house." "So, I will be going now." Anabel said and headed to her car. Sylvester watched her enter and her driver drove away. Once she was out of view, he smiled, "Just a few steps to have you for myself." He said and walked up to his car....Anabel got home and her mind flashed back to Sylvester. She didn't trust Sy
A fresh wave of silence swept through the room. Desmond straightened slightly, looking at the man who had just given him the impossible task. Anabel remained silent. She didn’t fight it this time. He was their only hope. Sylvester, for once, had nothing to say. Desmond walked up to Sir Orton’s bedside. The room was thick with anticipation. Every movement, every breath, and every second felt crucial. He bent slightly, studying Sir Orton’s face, assessing his pulse with precision. He wasn’t a doctor, but his experience and instinct could tell him everything he needed to know. His brows furrowed slightly as he pressed his fingers gently against a specific pressure point on the unconscious man's body. He checked his pulse and opened his eyes with his fingers. “I need a new filiform needle.” He requested. The nurse checked the ones she had brought, but the specialist had used all of them. "I'm coming." She said and rushed out to get it. Anabel stood frozen, watching Desmond with despe
He walked near to Sir Orton's bed and started checking his body. Anabel watched as the specialist checked her dad's weak body. Minutes passed as he worked in silence, evaluating. Then, he finally spoke. “I need a filiform needle,” he requested and turned toward the nurse. She nodded quickly, rushing to retrieve it. Anabel barely blinked. She was watching every movement like her father’s life depended on it. And it did. Her father's life depends on whatever they were doing at that very moment. After a couple of minutes, the nurse returned with three packs of filiform needles and gave them to the doctor. Without hesitation, the specialist began to perform acupuncture on Sir Orton. The room was silent as the specialist struggled to save Sir Orton's life. And then...He stopped. The tension in his shoulders told them everything before he even spoke. They could tell he didn't succeed. He shook his head slowly, his expression unreadable at first. Then, he inhaled deeply and said the
Jethro stepped forward and looked at the doctor right in the eyes. "We don't need to continue fighting over this. Do the needful by allowing him. I trust the nurse. Desmond will not hurt my dad when he knows there will be consequences."“Don't say never. You have to know how you trust people. If something happens to Sir Orton under his care, guess who takes the blame? Me and the hospital. For this, I will not let that happen.” The doctor said, and the frustrated nurse tried to speak up again. “Doctor—” But the doctor quickly stopped her. "Will you keep quiet? Enough of this nonsense. I will not let an unlicensed man experiment on Sir Orton. We have protocols.”The nurse flinched slightly and went back to her shell. Then Dr. Maxwell leveled his gaze on Desmond with an unreadable expression. “Listen, young man. I don’t care what you have done before. A specialist is on his way, and that’s who will be treating Sir Orton. Not you.” Desmond exhaled quietly. He doesn't want to argue with t
Jethro was confused about who they were talking about and how the person was related to what was happening. His father was dying, and they were busy talking about an irrelevant person. “And what exactly does this so-called Vanessa have to do with the situation at hand?” He asked. His sharp gaze was fixed on Sylvester. “Why is her name even coming up right now when we are talking about my father’s life?” "I didn't start the topic. He started it." He said, pointing at Desmond. "Why did you go on to explain when you know it's not necessary at this moment? Because while you are busy throwing accusations, you haven’t once provided a single solution. You have done nothing but stand there and talk against Desmond. So tell me, Sylvester, what have you done today to actually save my father?” Sylvester opened his mouth, about to respond, but Jethro didn’t let him. He turned to Desmond instead, exhaling sharply before making his decision. “Desmond, at this point, I don't care about what
"This is what I can do. I can help him recover. Yes, I'm not a doctor, but I can handle this type of case. Let's forget about what we had before. Let's forget the past. Pretend that you never knew who I am, and let me help the dying man." "I wonder why you are begging to help my father. You are supposed to leave, but it's clear you have some dirty plans." "Don't say that. I'm begging because it will hurt me most if I don't save your father when I can. My conscience will hurt me till I die. You have to understand my fear." Desmond said, and Sylvester laughed. "I will advise you to stop begging and leave. I had thought a reasonable person was coming, not knowing it was you. You want them to allow you to treat her father? Sylvester scoffed, stepping forward with a smirk. He turned to Anabel’s mother and Jethro, gesturing toward Desmond. “So what, should we just let him kill him?” Anabel snapped her gaze to Sylvester and glared fiercely. “Shut up! Don't say that about my father!”
Anabel didn't see that coming. She wasn't expecting him. Yes, the nurse said Desmond, but why would it be the Desmond she knew?" The Desmond she had tried so hard to forget?There he stood, tall and composed, his dark eyes scanning the room with quiet intensity. He still carried that commanding presence, that confidence that seemed so effortless. Her fingers curled into fists. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Her mind reeled, struggling to make sense of this cruel coincidence. Then, suddenly, she noticed something. Desmond had frozen. For the first time since he entered the room, his steady composure was interrupted. He was staring at her and her mom, even at Jethro and Sylvester. It was clear he wasn't expecting to meet all of them in the same room. He hadn’t seen this coming either. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.She could see it in him. The tension. The uncertainty. He hadn't expected to see all of them. Not there. Not like that. Ana
The nurse hesitated before replying. "I have his number. I can call him now and he will come. But the problem is that the doctor is not in support of of it. I can’t do that without the doctor’s approval. If I go against him, I could lose my job." The nurse humbly replied. She dosen't want anything that will bring disagreement between her and the doctor in charge of the case. She is a minor, and she have no say. Her own was to obey and run errands. "I understand what you are saying and your fear. But you can't let things go wrong when you can do something. That’s my father lying there. I think I have every right to decide who treats him. I won't involve you. Anything that happens will be upon my head." The nurse smiled and looked up to him, "Yes, he's your father, but he is under care. He is currently under the support of the machine issued by the hospital. Your right is limited here. He’s not in your house. This is a hospital. We follow protocol. I can’t just call someone because
Suddenly, the sound of the beeping machine changed. It was as if Sir Orton was battling life and death. At this point, Sylvester's reassurance meant nothing. Anabel’s heart dropped immediately. The change in sound sent a wave of panic through the room. She knew that something was going terribly wrong.“Daddy!” she cried. Her voice was breaking as she rushed to his bedside.Jethro reacted immediately. He didn’t wait. He bolted toward the door and pulled it open so hard it nearly slammed against the wall. With the way he was rushing, all the staff who saw him could tell that something was wrong.He stormed into Dr. Maxwell’s office without knocking and blurted out, “Doctor! Something is wrong with my father. The sound of the beeping machines changed! You need to come right now!"Dr. Maxwell dropped the medical report he was reviewing and followed Jethro at a fast pace back to the room.When he entered, he scanned Sir Orton’s condition. He checked his body and noticed that he was getting
Back in the hospital, Anabel was standing beside her father’s bed, while her mother sat close. She has her tear-streaked face turned toward her husband. Jethro was standing near the door, with his jaw clenched.Soon, the door opened, and Sylvester stepped inside. He walked in smoothly, exuding a perfect blend of concern. There was a softened edge to him, as if he had carefully crafted the image of a man stepping in to provide comfort and support.Anabel turned at the sound of his entrance. "Oh! Sylvester, you are here already.""Yeah, I have to come immediately I ended the call." He replied."Who is he?" Her mom asked, looking at him suspiciously. She has never seen him before.“Mom, Jethro,” she said, addressing her family, “This is Sylvester.”Lady Orton lifted her head slowly, staring at the man before her. Jethro straightened slightly with a guarded expression.Anabel continued, trying to keep her voice steady despite the emotions clawing at her chest. “Sylvester is my business pa