Ixora gradually regained consciousness in the morning.As her eyes opened, she found herself in a hospital room. The realization struck her slowly. "Where am I?" she murmured, her gaze glazed as she surveyed her surroundings. "This place looks like a hospital."She blinked a few times to clear her vision, her eyes darting around without lifting her head. Then, they landed on a man resting his head on her bed. She gasped.It was Jerald. He was lying beside her.Ixora glanced around again, and it dawned on her that she was indeed in a hospital. Confusion filled her mind. What had happened? She remembered taking her sister to Spring Lake... Going into the water...Oh no. Going into the water!How did she manage to get out? Did Cherry also end up in the water? How long had she been in the hospital bed? And how did Jerald end up here? So many questions raced through her mind."Look who finally decided to join us in the land of the living," Jerald said in a hushed tone.Ixora turned her hea
The Brown twins, the Bella twins, and Berezira were discharged from the hospital. Jake held Cherry's hand, who in turn held Berezira's, while Jerald carried Ixora despite her protests that she could walk on her own.They reached the car, and Jerald gently settled Berezira in the backseat. Cherry and Berezira joined her, with Cherry seated in the middle. Jerald joined Jake in the front seat, and they drove off. Their destination was the hotel to gather their belongings before returning to Castle Lore.After some time on the road, Berezira and Ixora rested their heads on Cherry's shoulders, finding comfort as she caressed their heads. Jake occasionally glanced at the rearview mirror while keeping his focus on the road. At one point, he looked at Jerald and informed him, "There's a car following us, Jay."Jerald nodded, also checking the rearview mirror. "I noticed it as soon as we left the hospital," he whispered, mindful not to alarm the women.Jake smirked and steered the car in a dif
Episode 94: The Twins and the AssassinsAfter the Brown twins stepped out of the car, Jake went to the trunk and retrieved two pistols. He tossed one to Jerald. When Jerald looked at him with a questioning expression, Jake explained, "I confiscated it from the assassins I killed yesterday." Jerald nodded, discreetly hiding the small weapon in his back pocket. They quickly distanced themselves from the car, running far away to lure the assassins away from the women. Eventually, they stopped and waited.Four assassins dressed entirely in black, sporting sunglasses, emerged from the car. Each of them carried a long gun resembling a silencer, slung over their shoulders. They began walking towards the twins."You guys have been following us," Jake announced, raising his voice."The Master wants you, his Captive and his Slave back," one of the assassins replied.Jake and Jerald exchanged glances. Jerald spoke up, "How about we negotiate? If you go back to wherever you came from, we'll prete
It has been four days since their return from California. Ixora had almost fully recovered from her near-drowning experience, although she was still taking occasional prescribed medication to eliminate the edema completely."Just in case there is any fluid where it shouldn't be in her body," Dr. James had explained when he prescribed the medication, and they had expressed their gratitude.Despite Ixora's attempts to argue, Jerald had prohibited her from going to work during these four days. "I'm still on medication, Jay, but there's nothing wrong with me anymore," Ixora had pleaded with him. However, he remained adamant that she stayed at home to fully recuperate.Instead, Jerald took on the responsibilities of visiting others. He no longer treated Ixora as if she were a burden to be avoided, as he had done before their trip to California. Over the past four days, he had been visiting the twins' house, sometimes accompanied by Berezira and other times alone.Ixora had never felt so gr
Relieved, Jake responded, "Thanks, man. Mother would be so happy. I spoke with her yesterday, and she was asking when I'll be returning... when are we returning?""Tomorrow," Jerald answered matter-of-factly. He missed his parents dearly, especially his mother. After learning about the tragic fate of Ixora's mother, the longing to see his own mother had intensified.Silence settled between them, and they both understood its cause—the reason they had been putting off their departure. Jake never rushed Jerald to decide, and Jerald tried to postpone the inevitable. Yet, they both knew they couldn't live on borrowed time forever."Good morning, father. Good morning, Uncle Jake," Berezira's sleepy voice interrupted the silence as she shuffled out of her room.Jake and Jerald greeted her, watching as she disappeared outside through the back door. Jake looked at Jerald with an unspoken question.Jerald nodded in affirmation, answering the unasked question, "Of course, she's going with us. Th
They kicked off their day at the amusement park, diving into the thrill of the roller coaster, merry-go-round, and the ride in the dark.The Bella twins tossed maturity to the wind, joining Berezira in spirited screams during the intense rides, drawing curious glances from everyone in the park. The sight of two sets of twins so identical and stunning was a spectacle people had never witnessed before.On the roller coaster, they let out exhilarating screams, their eyes widening with each twist and turn. The merry-go-round brought smiles and laughter, even Cherry couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. In the dark ride, Cherry held Berezira's hand tightly while Ixora playfully tugged at her twin's clothes in the dimly lit room. Uncontainable screams escaped them when unexpected surprises popped up.After the amusement park, they headed for a beachside picnic. The men sported shorts and bare chests, while the women, overcoming initial embarrassment, embraced swimsuits with guidance from
Cherry leaned casually against the wall, a wicked smile playing on her lips as she observed her twin navigating the delicate task of explaining the onset of womanhood to a bewildered twelve-year-old.Ixora cleared her throat and made another attempt, "You haven't wet your panties, Zira. You are menstruating," she explained again to the girl, who had gone pale at the sight of blood in her underwear.Berezira turned fear-filled eyes toward Ixora, "What does that mean, Ma'am Ixora?" she asked again.Ixora sought help from her twin, but Cherry smirked, shaking her head in a 'you're-in-this-all-by-yourself' manner.Ixora sighed. She refocused on Zira, "It's called menstruation, Zira. It's absolutely nothing to be afraid of. Every woman experiences this once in a while, and it's perfectly normal."The girl shook her head sadly. "It's not normal, Ma'am Ixora."Biting her lips, she continued, "The only times I see blood come out of my body were back there... that awful place... whenever they
As Mostafa turned to look at his second-in-command, his smile vanished like the wind when he took in the expression on Armaadad's face."It's no good news now, is it, Armaadad?" He groaned, his impatience and anger evident.If Armaadad ever learned something from his master over the years, apart from wickedness and meanness, it's to go straight to the point."My lord, the assassins seem to have disappeared from the face of the world, but the truth is that they have been killed. All five of them."No expression crossed his Master's face except for the slight twitch of his jaw.Armaadad continued, "The message finally got in last night that it wasn't only the twin that was in California, My lord. The Captive and the Slave were there too."That was when Mostafa exploded. "So, my Captive and my Slave were found after months of searching but couldn't be captured!? Five assassins COULDN'T capture them!?" he raged.Armaadad scratched his ears. He too was angry, but it doesn't matter at the m