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
Autumn turned to face him, her eyes narrowing as she finally asked the question that had been lingering in her mind. "Why exactly are you doing this, Derek? What do you want in return for your help?" Her voice was laced with a hint of skepticism, as if she already knew the answer.Derek's expression turned calculating, his eyes glinting with a hint of ruthlessness. "When my ex-wife divorced me, she took 35% of my company away from me," he said, his voice dripping with resentment. "Ivan never signed a prenup, so if you're smart about it, you can take everything." The implication hung in the air like a challenge, and Autumn's eyes widened as she finally understood Derek's true motives.Of course, an Ashton wouldn't help her out of the goodness of their heart. They were notorious for their cunning and ruthlessness in business. "And I give you everything after," Autumn stated, her voice flat, as if she was merely acknowledging a fact.Derek nodded, his smile a thin, calculating line. "We
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
"You've been busy." Elliot's frame leaned against the white tile of the hospital's restroom. Iris was busy fixing her make up, dabbing a pint of gloss across her lips as she pouts her lips. She shrugged satisfied with the glossiness of her plump lips, she had to give it to Charlie for at least being so pretty. She didn't understand why Charlie didn't just seduce Derek from the beginning she was beautiful and now Iris had her face.She turned to Elliot who she finally noticed taking a space in the room."This is the lady's restroom." Iris smudge her index finger across her lips as she tried to set down the rest of her gloss."What are you doing?" Elliot asked, leaned back even more relaxed even though he was more stressed than ever."I'm fixing my make up? What does it look like I'm doing?" Iris said as Elliot groaned, his palm retreats to his face in frustration."You know what I'm talking about Iris. What business do you have with Derek Ashton? Are you reconsidering our alliance?" El
"It's best you don't tell Derek the baby belongs to him." Iris said as Autumn rose from her seat. It's been two weeks since she came disguised as Charlie and Autumn was sick of it. She was now eight months pregnant and was nearing delivery while her supposed babydaddy was coddling up to the two faced bitch that stood before her.Iris uttered the suggestion in the cafeteria and Autumn stood up with her protruding tummy sticking out like a sore thumb. Everyone in the cafeteria, mostly nurses feared she might give birth right at that moment. Autumn sucked in her breath wary of the eyes that summerged her. "And what should I do with his child? Hide it's existence from the father?" Autumn gloated reaching for her paper cup."Abort it." Autumn paused gripping tightly to her cup at the utter mention of abortion. "Excuse me?" Autumn questioned looking avertly at Iris smug face.She was due to delivery and Charlie had the guts to recommend an abortion?"You did it with your first child with
"He has amnesia," the doctor said to Autumn, her voice calm but heavy with implication. Autumn bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears until they spilled over, streaming down her cheeks. Evette, who stood beside her, immediately pulled a napkin from her bag and handed it to her friend. Evette couldn't hide her surprise. This was the first time she had ever seen Autumn break down. At work, Autumn was known for her ruthlessness and unyielding demeanor. The sight of her crying now made Evette's chest ache. She must really love Derek, she thought. "How long will this last?" Autumn asked, her voice now firm as she quickly wiped her face. The moment of vulnerability was gone, replaced by her usual composed, no-nonsense expression. The doctor sighed softly. "It could last weeks, months, maybe even years. It depends on his recovery process, Autumn," she explained in a measured, comforting tone. But to Autumn, the words were anything but comforting. Autumn’s brow furrowed in frustration.