Ivan's eyes widened, his face was written shocked all over it, his palm ball into a fist as anger surge through him."Who is he?" He asked in a calm voice."Who is the fucking bastard you're opening your legs to." Autumn wasn't shocked by the slightest, this was the same man who accused her of an affair and didn't believe their child was theirs.Autumn tried to turn away, but Ivan's grip was unyielding. He grasped her arm, his fingers digging into her skin as he forced her to face him. His eyes, once warm and loving, now burned with a desperate intensity."Baby, please," he whispered, his voice laced with a hint of desperation.Autumn's eyes widened in shock, but her primary focus was on escaping Ivan's suffocating hold. She tried to wriggle free, but he refused to release her."I-I'm sorry, Autumn," Ivan stammered, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Please, give me another chance. You don't need to lie to me about your affair."Autumn's gaze narrowed, her eyes squinting as if asking
Iris stood at the edge of her hospital bed as the nurse ties up her patient gown from the back. The nurse finished adjusting her gown and goes straight to attending to the monitor before returning to Iris who was already in the hospital bed. The nurse stretch out her hand requesting for Iris to give her hand so she can attach the hypodermic needle to her veins.Iris locks eyes with the nurse and yawns."I don't need that, your job is done here." Iris said not wanting to feel the painful prick of a needle in her veins."But I'm ordered to.." before the nurse could finish her words Iris glares at her, shutting her up."I said your job is fucking done, listen to me if you still want to keep it." Iris threatens as the door Opens almost immediately revealing doctor Dexter.Her eyes widened, and tears sprang to them at once. Dexter, alerted to her distress, stepped forward and gently took her face in his hands, his gaze fixed on the trembling line of her lips."What happened?" Dexter's att
Guilt washed over Ivan the moment his eyes registered the patient gown Iris wore. He should never had ignored her calls and because of him she was in this state once again. His eyes meets with her doctor Dexter, they were always simmered with intense hatred but he never understood why. If it wasn't for Autumn, Iris would not have been here and he wouldn't have grown accustomed to seeing the doctor's face. "Leave us." Ivan ordered. The silence that followed was loud and clear. Ben and Dexter sought to stay but Sydney being the peace make convinced the two to give the couple alone time. Ben looked at his daughter, he doesn't know how long she would hold on to Ivan and he felt bad for her. He felt his wife's warm pat, hovering over her back. "They'll be fine, let's respect their wishes." Sydney reassured her husband who just gave up but Dexter took a while before he was successfully evacuated. The two were finally alone, Ivan searched for Iris face but she avoided his gaze. He walke
As Ivan relished Iris in bed, Autumn had witnessed her husband's love for Iris, the second time. She hated it but tears swarmed her eyes and clouded her vision. It was always Iris and never her. Her own parents even chose Iris without no second thinking, there was never a time she was the first choice. When was she finally going to be someone's first choice? She wiped her entire face, smearing the little makeup she had done. A handkerchief hang in the air, hovering across her face. Her eyes trail to the person pushing it towards her. A chill went down her spine, she has never confronted him since her previous life and she never thought she would see him so quickly. Memories of how he claimed her child was stillborn flooded there thoughts. He must have had a hand in killing her because of his affair with Iris. That meant he killed her unborn baby too. The thing that disgusted her the most was her father's younger step brother was having an affair with his niece, it made h
Derek Ashton didn't want anything to do with Autumn, he just said that he did because he wanted to piss off his nephew. For a long time He saw her as nothing but his nephew's puppet. She did what was told and never went against her husband disrespect. Everyone dragged her name to the mud any chance they got. Although he despises his nephew and the rest of his family, he could not help but feel bad for her. She was a mirror of his own past, no matter how much he tried to rid of such thoughts he could not extend the hate he had for his family to her.A smile spread on his lips as he watched Ivan hold on to Autumn tightly, Autumn looked visibly confused as Derek chuckles lightly."My apologies Ivan, I'm not trying to take your wife away from you." Derek paused glancing quickly at Autumn who's lips were a bit parted. He immediately averts his gaze back to his nephew. "But if you're this scared to lose your wife, maybe you should start focusing on her, she might just catch someone else's
Before anyone could react Autumn immediately takes her leave to the nearest exit. She didn't take note of Derek trailing behind her. When she was finally outside, she shortly glanced at Derek."Are you serious about divorcing Ivan?" Derek asked as Autumn nods."I am, but unfortunately I can't. My father in law would rather die than let us split. But in the meantime Ivan suggests we open our marriage so he can legally sleep with my sister as he wishes." Autumn mutters as if she was to cry but she couldn't, she didn't see the need to cry anymore for something so vain."An open marriage?" Derek echoes scratching below his chin."You think I'm pathetic don't you?" Autumn asked Derek who shakes his head."Of course not." He paused. "Will you be taking a lover for yourself then?" Derek asked which made Autumn a bit stunned."My husband refuses that I take one for myself, he believes I should perform my duties as a perfect wife. I can only endure such tribulations until the perfect time com
Autumn smeared her red lipstick to even on her lips. She made a bit of a touch up and dropped the lipstick on the wooden frame of the cabinet.Memories of how Ivan had slapped her a few days ago crossed her mind.She finally phoned Derek who was all well too excited to answer her calls like he'd been waiting for her. He didn't even give her time to say hello, he just called her name and all she could do was stutter a yes.He didn't want to talk to her on the phone and promised they would eventually meet in person and talk.Autumn hoped she won't be seeing him tonight. D.O.N corps was hosting a party for the employees and her husband had informed her to look pretty tonight. In his words he didn't want her to look as if he doesn't take care of her.He had already prepared her dress and jewelry beforehand and had it delivered to her at home since he was being held at work.Autumn took her time getting ready with the help of the maids in the house hold. Ever since Autumn was reborn she's
The car ride between Autumn and Derek was silent. Autumn bit her lips thinking hard on how to start a conversation with him. Maybe a little thank you for the dress would suffice but anytime she tried to open her mouth it was as if she was unable to vocalize her thoughts into words.Derek had noticed, he thought she must have been nervous and smirk to himself at her diffident demeanor.Autumn's phone rang, interrupting the tense atmosphere. She pulled out her phone to see Iris's name. It was odd; she never would have expected a call from Iris in a million years. It would have been more plausible if Ivan had called her. She watched the phone ring, her brows furrowed in confusion, as her pulse rose in fear, until the call finally went to voicemail.Derek's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed Autumn's demeanor shift. "Your husband?" he asked, his voice low and curious. Autumn's gaze drifted back to him, her eyes clouding over as she shook her head. "It's my sister, Iris," she said, her
Derek's footsteps echoed loudly in the polished hallway of Fraser Media Company, each step firm with determination. The sound seemed to reverberate in his mind, stirring fragments of memories he couldn't fully grasp. One of Charlie's bodyguards, tall and expressionless, escorted him without a word, leading him to her office with a precision that made the encounter feel almost ceremonial. By the time they reached the heavy oak door, Derek's emotions were a chaotic mix: disgust, confusion, and a simmering annoyance. Charlie's recent behavior gnawed at him. If her claims were true, she could have simply filed for divorce. Yet she’d clung to him, claiming to love him for years, making it nearly impossible for Derek to sever their twisted bond. The bodyguard opened the door with a professional nod, stepping aside as Derek entered. His eyes immediately landed on Charlie's back, her silhouette framed by the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the bustling city. She turned slowly, he
Autumn dropped to her knees abruptly, clutching her stomach with one hand. A guttural moan escaped her lips, loud and raw, mimicking the sound of someone in unbearable pain. Iris froze, her legs trembling as the scene unraveled before her eyes.The door to the apartment complex swung open, and Derek stepped out, wearing only a crumpled dress shirt that looked like it had been hastily thrown on.Iris's gaze darted between Derek and Autumn, her wide eyes betraying the shock and disbelief coursing through her.“Derek, she's lying! I don’t have a knife!” Iris hissed, her voice sharp, but Derek wasn’t listening. He rushed to Autumn’s side, dropping to his knees. His arms encircled her trembling frame, pulling her into a protective embrace.“Derek, I swear! She was perfectly fine just seconds ago!” Iris persisted, desperation seeping into her tone.But Derek’s focus was fixed on Autumn as she wiped her tears with trembling fingers, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Slowly, Derek lifted hi
Autumn's throat went dry. She hadn’t expected her sister to catch on to her, but that didn’t matter. What mattered now was how much Iris knew. Her gaze swept over Iris, studying her from head to toe. It was uncanny—almost disorienting—how much Iris resembled Charlie. But there was always something unsettling about Iris, an eerie presence that lingered whenever she was nearby. That’s why Autumn had never fully accepted the idea that Iris was dead. Something about it had never felt right.“It’s been a while now,” Autumn said, her voice calm but laced with an edge. “Do you know you can go to jail for identity theft? Well, if it’s still called that, considering what you did is... rather extreme.” Iris chuckled, a sharp, scornful sound. Her lips curved into a mocking smile, her glare slicing through Autumn like a blade. “It’s not theft if it was handed to me by Elliot,” Iris retorted. “Besides, I’m just helping Charlie. You know, until she gets back—if she gets back.” Autumn’s eyes wid
Autumn froze at Derek's question. Her mind raced for an answer, but nothing coherent came to her. "We should take this inside, Autumn," Ethan suggested gently, watching the tension in her posture. Autumn shook her head, her resolve hardening. "No. Derek needs to hear this," she muttered with quiet determination, glancing at Derek, whose concerned gaze lingered on her. His expression wavered, confused and uneasy. "If I tell you the truth, Derek," Autumn began hesitantly, her voice low but steady, "you might hate me. Or worse, you'll think I'm crazy." Derek stepped closer, his brow furrowed deeply. "Will the truth make me hate you?" Autumn hesitated, uncertainty flickering in her eyes before her expression turned cold. "That depends on you," she replied flatly. Derek took a steadying breath, the weight of her words settling uncomfortably in his chest. "So... who’s back?" "Charlie Fraser," she answered bluntly. Derek blinked, his brows knitting together. "The Charlie Fras
Derek took the manual from Autumn, carefully examining the safety latch instructions. Without hesitation, he began rolling up his sleeves. Then, in one smooth motion, he folded his shirt and placed it neatly on a nearby chair. Autumn coughed awkwardly, her gaze darting to the far end of the room. Heat crept up her neck as she felt her face flush. She quickly backed away, giving him space. “I’m going to make lunch,” she mumbled, fleeing before Derek could reply. As she entered the kitchen, her heart pounded in her chest. She leaned on the counter, trying to calm herself. “He’s just here to help with the crib. Get a hold of yourself, Autumn,” she muttered under her breath. Determined to distract herself, she busied herself preparing lunch. Soon, the kitchen filled with the warm aroma of broth. Humming softly, Autumn ladled the soup into two bowls, placing them on a tray. A small frown crossed her face as she glanced at the portions. Will this be enough? she wondered, recalli
D.O.N Corps felt as if Derek had never left. Although his memories were gone, Derek returned as the ruthless CEO everyone knew and feared. The moment his presence graced the scene, indistinct chatter echoed through the halls like ripples in water. On his first day back, he wasted no time, calling back-to-back board meetings. Yet, to his surprise, the company wasn’t in disarray. Every issue he planned to address had already been resolved—Autumn had taken care of it all. For once, there was little for him to do. This unusual reprieve left the employees of D.O.N Corps grateful to Autumn, despite the grueling meetings she had subjected them to in his absence. As they filed out of the latest board meeting, whispers of appreciation filled the air. Evette, however, hurried to her office, keen to avoid Derek’s scrutiny. “Miss Evette,” Derek’s voice cut through the chatter. His stride, usually commanding, carried a hint of hesitation. Evette froze, her bag half-slung over her shoulder.
Cameras flashed from every corner as Iris dropped to her knees, the sound of the clicking shutters filling the air like a swarm of locusts. She wore a sleek black gown that clung to her curves. A black fascinator perched on her head, its delicate veil casting a shadow across her tear-streaked face, partly obscuring her features but not her pain.The moment she arrived at the police station, the paparazzi had swarmed her, hurling questions like stones about Elliot's arrest. Iris forced her chest to rise and fall dramatically, her breathing labored as her mascara streaked down her cheeks in inky trails. Her trembling hands clutched at the folds of her dress, the fabric twisting under her grip as she knelt on the cold pavement. To any passerby, she looked like a woman shattered by grief, you could as well liken her to a victim.But inside, Iris felt none of that. She felt alive.For once, the people of Havenport were paying attention—not to her, exactly, but to Charlie. And that was cl
Instead, he turned to Autumn, his features softening slightly. "Are you okay?" he asked gently, concern evident in his voice. Autumn barely acknowledged him, giving a small nod before turning to walk away. But Derek wasn’t done. He grabbed her hand, halting her in her tracks. Behind them, Ben was still ranting, his voice shrill like a barking dog. Derek turned, his glare silencing the man instantly. With a sharp order, he instructed the security to remove Ben. "I’ll handle her," Derek said calmly. The guards nodded, dragging a still-sputtering Ben away. With the commotion gone, Derek turned his attention back to Autumn. His hand still gripped hers as he leered closer, his other hand landing firmly on her shoulder. "Is that the father of the child?" Derek asked, his voice low but laced with an accusatory edge. "Why would you let that old prick knock you up? Were you driven by his wealth and decided to sleep with him?" Autumn’s head snapped toward him, her eyes narrowin
"It's just stress. Your baby is still kicking and healthy," the doctor informed Autumn, and the pent-up stress she had been feeling slightly eased. It had been three days since she discovered Iris was still alive and had gotten plastic surgery to look exactly like Charlie. Because of this, Autumn had a growing fear—more of a crisis—that any single person she encountered could be Iris. Even though Iris hadn't caught on that she was aware, Autumn was clearly still in danger, given Iris's alliance with Elliot. "Is it possible for me to travel a month from now?" Autumn asked as the doctor glared at her, judgment in her eyes. "No, you're in your third trimester. Any moment now, you could go into labor," the doctor said, concern written all over her face. "It's urgent. Can't you just write me a doctor's note and pardon me?" Autumn's tone was desperate. "So I can have my license revoked? I think not. You can't even travel until a month or two after giving birth," the doctor said, st