Remembering that she'd once sent the voice note to Lucas which he didn't at all believe, Stella began shaking inside. “You- You, so what!? It was your father who wanted to teach Heidi a lesson, not me. Besides, I don't know about any Todd Lewis. Who is he?”As she said each word, she took some steps away, putting some distance from Lucas and praying Blake would arrive soon to save her from his son's wrath.“I'm not here to question you. You will pay for attempting to tarnish Heidi's reputation.”Then he nodded to the bodyguards. Two of them stepped forward and seized Stella in both hands.Stella screamed, “You're framing me, Lucas Harrison! Let me go! I don't know any Todd Lewis! That voice note has long been dead!”“Be quiet. Todd Lewis mentioned your name.”“No!” Stella wanted to continue arguing, but a sharp pain tore through her stomach.Instantly, her expression turned pale and sweat poured down her face.“L- Let me go!” She writhed in pain, wrapping both arms around her stomach
…At Phoenix City's First Hospital.Blake paced back and forth in front of the operating room. Once again, he had dragged Lucas along, demanding more explanation.Lucas's phone kept beeping inside his pocket, but because of the enormity of the situation, he couldn't bring out his phone.As for Tracy, she sat in a corner, biting her fingernails, her eyes fixed on the OR door, her heart pumping with uncertainty.None of the men noticed her nervousness as they were both engrossed in their thoughts.Tracy broke the silence after a while. “Poor Stella, isn't she pitiful? She wanted to reveal the baby's gender today but this had to happen.”It was as if she was speaking to the air. No one glanced in her direction.Tracy let out a sigh. “I hope she's alright. With that amount of blood, I just hope something bad does not happen. Stella's so pitiful-”“Be quiet!” Blake shut her up. “Will you let me think straight?”“Oh, I'm sorry.” Tracy ducked her head. “You don't need to be here.” Lucas sa
…At Mystic Island.Sitting on a lounging chair across the rift, Heidi watched the blue waves silently, the serene feeling enveloping her, a stark contrast to the uneasy feeling inside her.“Ms. Olsen…” Isla sat beside her, swiping through the tablet in her hand. “Mr. Malcom has finally agreed to meet us. His assistant scheduled the meeting to be tomorrow. Isn't it unfair?”Tomorrow?Heidi thought it would take a week or more to convince the owner of the island for a meeting.They'd been there for three days, and not a bit was she worn out.Meeting the owner too soon would be the same as concluding the deal earlier than she'd anticipated.“Why aren't you happy, Ms. Olsen?” Her silence bothered Isla who looked at her with worry in her eyes. “Are you perhaps, homesick?”Heidi chuckled. “Home is the furthest thing in my mind, Isla. You know that.”Isla had on a conflicted look, detecting the meaning behind Heidi's words. “Is it a better idea to stay away from home, Ms. Olsen? Instead of
Steve shielded Heidi, using his body to block the sand from getting to her. Isla and Kate coughed rapidly from the dust.“Who the hell is that!?” Kate yelled, rubbing the sand off her eyes.The car's engine raved and it died down slowly. Whatever scumbag was inside that car was surely there for trouble.Steve let go of Heidi, wiping the dust from her hair. “So it's three nice chicks and a gentleman.” A young man alighted the car, seemingly in his early or mid-twenties. Steve put on a displeased look. “Young Man, you should display some manners while encountering strangers.”“I just drove my car. This Island's mine because it's my Dad's property. Who are you to tell me how to behave?”It turned out it was just a rude kid.Heidi was wrong in thinking he was in his twenties. He must be a teenager, from his appearance and look. “So you are Mr. Malcom's son?”“Yeah, I am!” Said the guy, toning down his harsh tone as the question was directedly from one of the girls. “And let me guess, y
As a straightforward man, his actions sometimes amazed her, and sometimes, his actions only awoke the discomfort in her.Heidi found herself avoiding his gaze, fiddling with the hem of her blouse, her eyes darting more than normal to the white ceiling.“You're nervous,” Steve said it as a matter of fact, his voice, the only prominent sound inside the room, serving as a soothing remedy to ease one's nerves.Yet, Heidi's nerves were wrecking inside at the moment.Faced with such an open proposal, she was left in a tight spot, fearing to let out an answer that could hurt his feelings- that could hurt both their feelings.“I can see you're not yet ready to tell me your decision. Probably, you haven't arrived at it yet.” “Take your time, Heidi.” He touched her arm. “I don't intend to coerce you. You can tell me your answer at your convenience. I'll be patient.”Heidi blew out a sigh when he left, going to God-knew where.She lay back on the couch, fanning herself with both hands.Despite
“Haha! Mr. Harrison, you must be joking! I have never dreamt about the GK Group ever purchasing this Island.”The man sitting across from Mr. Malcom, murmured something, signing some documents.“Eh? You're right!” Mr. Malcom clapped, laughing like a maniac. “Many other companies wanted the Island, but the price they're all offering is ridiculous. My mind is only at ease with the GK Group acquiring it, because I know you will do justice to this place, Mr. Harrison.”By then, Heidi's shock was replaced by the rage building up inside her, her fingers balling into hard fists.“Ms. Olsen!” Isla gasped, also listening to the conversation. “Th- The GK Group. They're here before us. H-How did they…”Isla trailed off, her voice holding the same questions in Heidi's mind.The questions she needed not to be told the answers of. “It's quite a surprise how the Spies in the AG Group work so swiftly,” she gritted out, her eyes throwing daggers at the back of the man sitting across from Mr. Malcom.
“Of course, there's a way for you to get this Island.” The deep voice of a man sounded behind them. “And it's an easy one,” he said in a tone of amusement. “Here, you can have it.”Heidi turned around to be faced with the most arrogant man on earth.She looked from him to the extended stack of documents in his hand, her anger rising multifold.Lucas Harrison went on, oblivious to the tsunami of emotions inside her. “But everything comes at a price. If you want this Island, sign it.”He showed her another document with the heading “Mediation Certificate” boldly engraved at the top.Again, the stupid mediation certificate. Sign it.In the same haughty tone he'd commanded her to sign the divorce papers, he wanted her to sign the mediation certificate, in return for the ownership of the Island.“Lucas- Lucas-” Heidi was breathless for a while, pointing a shaky finger at him. Under the tense atmosphere, a flicker of hope flashed in his eyes as he extended the certificate.Isla took a few
He'd been conned,Right under his nose.Lucas stood rooted to the spot. He shouldn't be surprised by Mr. Malcom's greediness, what surprised him was Heidi's heartlessness. With the triumphant look she gave him, it meant she was really in the game, ready to contend with him.Even as the yacht arrived and took her away, he couldn't control himself from gawking at her, surprised at how he'd only known so little about her in the past.And each time she revealed a new character, he only found himself falling deeper.His attention fell on the already-soaked and unrecognizable pieces of papers.The mediation certificate was gone. The offer he'd also thought Heidi couldn't resist was gone as well.He could follow inside the yacht, but he must deal with Mr. Malcom first.…“You're so good, Ms. Olsen!” Inside the yacht, Isla couldn't stop praising Heidi. “That was brave and dangerous. Those documents must mean a lot to Lucas Harrison, who knows how many billions he has spent to purchase this I