Feeling groggy, Iris blinked her eyes open. A sharp pain in her abdomen jolted her senses awake. She winced as the tight bandage constricted her swollen stomach, each breath pulling at the wound beneath. The throbbing pain was a cruel reminder of what she had sacrificed—and for what? In the end, she had nothing to show for it. Ivan hadn't even spared her a glance, leaving her feeling like a ghost in a crowded room. It was as if she were invisible, an afterthought in everyone’s mind. No one cared for her, and it was all Autumn's fault.As her vision cleared, the cool sterility of the hospital ward came into focus. The antiseptic smell invaded her nostrils, and she wondered briefly if they had brought her to Derek’s hospital. The effort to keep her eyes open left her feeling drained, as if the mere act of seeing sapped what little strength she had left. Her gaze flitted around the room until it landed on Ivan, sitting slumped in the chair beside her bed. Tears welled up and spilled down
The room is cold and Autumn's head felt as her head was continuously banged against the wall. It wasn't too long when her eyes opened wide and she found herself back in the cold solace of the hospital.Her skin crawls with goosebumps, she felt a small bandage at the side of her head. Her hands tries to massage the throbbing part of her head only to feel the mental shock of pain sparking against her head.The door slightly opens as Dexter and Charlie walks in together. On seeing that Autumn was finally awake, Charlie rushes to meet Autumn, pulling her in a warm embrace."Autumn, how long have you been awake?" Charlie asked, she let out a loud sigh recalling Autumn could not speak. She rummages through her purse, bringing out her phone and handing it over to Autumn.Autumn's shaky hand grabs the phone as she forced a slight smile and nods slowly typing. She shows Charlie the phone."I'm sorry about your birthday Charlie, I didn't mean for this to happen." Charlie shook her head."It's
Fear ran through Autumn's eyes, a definitive fear that Ivan noticed. He paused realizing the position he's in and slowly gets up. His hand palms his face. His annoyed face that's developed into a slightly pitiful look."Do you hate me so much that you had to do this?" Ivan's voice cracked in disbelief. Autumn turned away, disgusted at the sight of Ivan. She could not even react on the sudden news. She was pregnant and she had no recollection sleeping with anybody.Her throat felt dry as if Ivan was still holding on her neck, the stings were there the feeling of Ivan almost ending her life.Ivan extends his hand to Autumn, hesitant, she takes it holding his pitiful gaze as he pulls her up.He noticed she was bleeding due to removing the syringe earlier and furrowed his brows at her."I'm sorry Autumn." He apologized wearing a look of guilt. He leads her to her bed as she sits on the edge stop avoiding his sorrowful gaze.Ivan sat down in excruciating silence before looking back at Autum
A chilling feeling ran down Autumn's spine. Iris eyes was heavily similar to one that was manic. Her smile having a eerie feeling, not masking the burning hatred she must have for Autumn.A thought then came to Autumn, was Iris aware of who the father was?Was it Dexter?Autumn felt her heart drop to her stomach, her hand slowly reach to her chest as it paced in fear. Orbs of tears form against the socket of her eyes. Iris noticed this and smirked, feeling her lengthy speech finally made an impact on Autumn. As always Autumn would never change and that would be her downfall. She scoffed, sliding a strand of her behind her ear.She approached Autumn, opening her arms wide and encircling her whole in a forceful hug. In shock and confusion, Autumn could not even push her away as much as she hated it there was some sickening warmth in Iris's hug. To the point she wanted to throw up but she felt a bit comforted.Autumn hated that feeling, she was in the arms of the person that hated her th
A scoff could be heard from Iris, the corner of her eyes drawn to Dexter at the test results. Everyone in the room was thinking the same thing as her. Iris eyes stroll over to Dexter, her stare burning the back of his head."That can't be." Iris said her poorly hiding the malice in her tone."You had sex with him." Iris said pointing at Derek. "There must be some kind of mistake." Iris voice echoed in the room as Dexter finally my met her eyes, eyes that barely told of his sudden change of heart."I can do a test right now if Derek Ashton and the results will still be the same. Ivan is the father." Dexter said as Iris shook her head."Then why do neither of them remember making the baby? You saw it that night, they had an affair, Ivan cannot be the father." Iris said tightening her hold on Ivan's collar, her eyes were red and almost in the brink of tears."Ivan is this true? Do you believe that the child isn't yours?" Dexter immediately put Ivan on the spot. Ivan confused remained fr
The Uber's mirror reflected Iris frown, her face coiled in distaste at the news on her phone. Headline upon headline came up and the Ashton heir, and now by miracle Autumn had regained her voice. Iris puts her phone off sliding it face down as she turns her head at the window pane glass. That was supposed to be her, all the congratulations, all the praise and all the jab at Autumn being infertile and unable to give Ivan a child. Now things were different as a lip greeted her lips, she still had power over the narrative, Autumn wasn't carrying Ivan's child and whenever the truth comes out the Media will turn their backs against her, ripping her to shreds. The thought of that soothed her as she rode peacefully at the back of the Uber. Soon enough she arrived at her destination, holding her purse in her hand she shuts the door of the Uber behind her as she stood before the golden gates of Maverick's Ashton mansion. She's been here a couple of times and she was back once again after ge
"What did you just say?" Miriam slapped her hands on the table, the vibration rippling across it.Autumn looked away, picking up a macaron from a plate and chewing it in satisfaction before remembering the tension that filled the room.Her eyes moved to Miriam, who looked more upset than ever. Her face was so red that she seemed ready to explode at any moment."Autumn, apologize to Mother now. Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you should be rude," Iris spoke up, catching Miriam’s attention, who seemed to have calmed down a bit."I’d rather not. I didn’t insult her, did I?" Autumn asked as Iris stood up."You don’t need to use vulgar words to come across as disrespectful. Apologize to Mother," Iris warned once more.Autumn nodded, putting on a fake look of regret as she looked down at her plate, pouting. "You're right, Iris. I should apologize to Mother; it's the right thing to do, even though I'm not in the wrong. I would be setting a good example for you. Maybe you'd follow i
The ride home was quiet. Ivan's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, while Autumn sat with her head down, her hands hovering over her thighs. Unconsciously, her fingers dug into the hem of her beaded dress, pressing harder until her palm slowly turned red."Autumn."Autumn turned her head in Ivan's direction. "Are you okay?" he asked. She merely nodded and forced a smile. If anything, this was all Ivan's fault, but what could she do? Blame him? Tell him the child she carried wasn’t his, and that in a few weeks, she would be aborting it?"I'm just under a lot of pressure. Your father can be a lot sometimes," Autumn muttered in a low tone, feeling drained at the mere thought of Maverick's offer.Could she do it? Get rid of her child? She had always wanted to be a mother—something her own mother could never live up to. In her past life, when she found out she was pregnant, she was convinced Ivan would love her, and they would be different from her parents. But, just like her father,
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.