Jeffrey was pacing through the hospital corridor, he was sweating through his skin, his heart hammering painfully against his ribs. Every tick of the wall clock hung on the wall felt like a drumbeat in his head. When he finally spotted the doctor emerging from the ICU, he ran over to him, almost pushing him down.There is something about hospitals that makes him weak in the knees."Doctor! How is he? Is Grandpa okay?" he asked, his voice raw with worry.The doctor’s face was a mixture of calm and fatigue. "Let's talk in my office," he said, motioning for Jeffrey to follow.Inside the office, Jeffrey sank into the chair across from the doctor's desk, barely breathing. On a normal day, he is a man of patience, but today is entirely different. "He suffered a panic-induced heart attack," the doctor explained, his voice even. "It seems like something triggered a massive spike in his blood pressure. Luckily, he was brought in just in time. But, I must say, we need to keep him under serious
The little café nestled on the corner of the busy street was the perfect blend of cozy and elegant. Soft jazz played in the background, and the scent of fresh coffee beans mixed with the sweet aroma of pastries. People were going round their normal business, winter is almost gone. Jeffrey sat by the window, dressed in a simple white shirt and dark jeans, yet somehow managing to look like he belonged on the cover of a high-end magazine. His dark hair was effortlessly styled, and the way he sipped his coffee, his long fingers wrapped around the cup, made several women passing by steal glances.But he wasn’t just paying attention to any, he had a lot on his mind.He checked his watch once, twice, and he hates waiting for long Anita stepped in, wearing a soft blue dress beneath her legs. Her makeup was flawless, but her eyes were puffy from crying. She spotted Jeffrey instantly and rushed over."I wish Grandpa would just wake up," she said, her voice cracking as she sat opposite him. "
Angelie ran out of the hospital gates, the doctor's words echoing in her mind. Pregnant? How? She hadn't been with anyone. Not Lucas, not Jeffrey, not anyone.Is this the immaculate conceptionThe sky was beginning to darken, but Angelie didn't notice. Her legs moved aimlessly, taking her down unfamiliar streets. She didn't have a destination, she just needed to breathe.Thousands of questions raced through her mind, but no answers came."ARGGHH!" she cried out, dropping to her knees in the middle of the quiet road, tears streaming down her face.Hours later, she returned to their room. She looked like a ghost of herself.The door swung open, and Flora nearly jumped."What happened to you?! I've been sick and worried! I regretted letting you go alone!" Flora exclaimed, her hands flying around dramatically.Angelie didn't say a word. She trudged to her bed, curling up under the duvet."Hey! You owe me an explanation! You’ve been gone for hours, and you come back looking like a soaked c
The silence was heavy, thick with tension as Grandpa Lu grabbed Fred by the collar of his jacket, his face red with rage."This is not the time to play pranks, Fred! Tell Jeffrey to come out now! You can't keep the guests waiting!" His voice boomed across the beach, drawing everyone's attention.Anita rushed over, her heels digging into the soft sand. "Yes! Grandpa is right! Remember, the doctor warned us not to trigger him. This joke is an expensive one! Tell him to come out already, I need to take the perfect picture before my make up begins to break"All eyes were now glued to Fred, waiting for him to admit it was just a poorly-timed joke. Lucas, chewing gum with zero care for the gravity of the situation, leaned against a pole, bored out of his mind. He was only here because Amaya had insisted.Fred swallowed hard. "Unfortunately, this is not a joke. We were attacked on our way here. They took Jeffrey with them."The words seemed to rip the very air apart. Grandpa Lu staggered ba
Angelie sat quietly, her hands playing with her skirt in a tense manner, as she finally found the courage to speak."I don't even know where to start," she said, her voice as low as ever. Damien watched her patiently, giving her all the time she needed. He knew she needed to feel safe first.And so, she told him everything.The marriage, how she had to accept Lucas. The sacrifices she made for her brother, Tim. The complicated entanglement with Jeffrey. And finally, the most confusing part of it all, the pregnancy she couldn't explain.Angelie let out a loud laugh as tears welled in her eyes. "I know it's all messed up. I don't even know why I'm telling you all this," she said, half-laughing, half-crying.Damien reached across the garden and took her hand firmly, removing her hair strands from entering her eyes."You don't have to apologize," he said. "And no… this doesn't change anything."Angelie looked at him, stunned."You deserve to be happy, Angelie. You deserve every good thin
"You will end up hurting yourself, sir."The voice was calm, deep, and unfamiliar. Jeffrey raised his head slowly from where he lay on the cold garden soil. His breath was heavy, and his arm had a steady stream of blood trickling down from the wound he sustained while trying to escape. Standing in front of him was a tall man, at least 6.5 feet, built like a bodyguard, with dark eyes that didn't blink much. He extended his hand, expecting Jeffrey to take it. But Jeff, fueled by defiance, ignored it."What exactly do you people want from me? Money? My blood?" Jeff barked, his voice fueled with frustration and desperation. "I won’t sit in this place, sleeping and waking up, and eating your food like a damn prisoner! For all I know, it's poisoned."The man didn't flinch."We can have the chef taste your food before every meal if that will give you peace of mind. But we will not harm you. You must stop trying to escape," he pointed to Jeffrey's arm, "or this will be the result each time."
The hospital waiting room smelled like antiseptic and stale coffee. Angelie sat on the cold plastic chair, her fingers clenched around the fraying strap of her handbag. Her eyes hadn’t left the doctor’s office door since he’d gone in with Tim’s latest test results. Her twin brother was down the hall, unconscious again. Pale. Fading.“Angelie?”She stood so fast the strap snapped off her bag. She didn’t even look at it.Dr. Harrow’s expression told her everything before he said a word.“It’s progressed faster than we hoped,” he said gently. “Tim’s kidneys are failing. Completely this time. We need a transplant. Soon.”She blinked. “How soon is ‘soon’?”He hesitated. “Two weeks. Maybe less.”Angelie felt the ground slip out from under her. “We don’t have that kind of money.”“I know. But there’s a donor. A private one. The procedure would happen at St. Nicholas. They can do it quickly if the financial part is handled.”“How much?”“Three hundred and fifty thousand.”She felt like he’d p
Jeffery’s name still hung in the air like a gunshot.Angelie’s fingers stiffened around the hem of her coat. She looked at Lucas, searching his face for a hint of bluff. A twitch. A lie. But he looked entirely too pleased with himself.“You said he wouldn’t be a problem,” she said slowly.Lucas shrugged, shutting the door behind her. “Plans change.”“How soon is he back?”Lucas turned toward the grand staircase, loosening his tie like her presence was an afterthought. “A few days. Three, maybe. Long enough for us to file the license and start making the press rounds.”Her stomach flipped.“You’re pushing this,” she said, suddenly aware of how fast everything was moving. “You want him to see it, don’t you?”Lucas stopped halfway up the stairs and looked down at her. “I want him to know he lost.”“That’s not what this is about for me,” she said, jaw tight. “This is about saving Tim.”He tilted his head. “Then we’re both getting what we want. Isn’t that the foundation of a good marriage?
"You will end up hurting yourself, sir."The voice was calm, deep, and unfamiliar. Jeffrey raised his head slowly from where he lay on the cold garden soil. His breath was heavy, and his arm had a steady stream of blood trickling down from the wound he sustained while trying to escape. Standing in front of him was a tall man, at least 6.5 feet, built like a bodyguard, with dark eyes that didn't blink much. He extended his hand, expecting Jeffrey to take it. But Jeff, fueled by defiance, ignored it."What exactly do you people want from me? Money? My blood?" Jeff barked, his voice fueled with frustration and desperation. "I won’t sit in this place, sleeping and waking up, and eating your food like a damn prisoner! For all I know, it's poisoned."The man didn't flinch."We can have the chef taste your food before every meal if that will give you peace of mind. But we will not harm you. You must stop trying to escape," he pointed to Jeffrey's arm, "or this will be the result each time."
Angelie sat quietly, her hands playing with her skirt in a tense manner, as she finally found the courage to speak."I don't even know where to start," she said, her voice as low as ever. Damien watched her patiently, giving her all the time she needed. He knew she needed to feel safe first.And so, she told him everything.The marriage, how she had to accept Lucas. The sacrifices she made for her brother, Tim. The complicated entanglement with Jeffrey. And finally, the most confusing part of it all, the pregnancy she couldn't explain.Angelie let out a loud laugh as tears welled in her eyes. "I know it's all messed up. I don't even know why I'm telling you all this," she said, half-laughing, half-crying.Damien reached across the garden and took her hand firmly, removing her hair strands from entering her eyes."You don't have to apologize," he said. "And no… this doesn't change anything."Angelie looked at him, stunned."You deserve to be happy, Angelie. You deserve every good thin
The silence was heavy, thick with tension as Grandpa Lu grabbed Fred by the collar of his jacket, his face red with rage."This is not the time to play pranks, Fred! Tell Jeffrey to come out now! You can't keep the guests waiting!" His voice boomed across the beach, drawing everyone's attention.Anita rushed over, her heels digging into the soft sand. "Yes! Grandpa is right! Remember, the doctor warned us not to trigger him. This joke is an expensive one! Tell him to come out already, I need to take the perfect picture before my make up begins to break"All eyes were now glued to Fred, waiting for him to admit it was just a poorly-timed joke. Lucas, chewing gum with zero care for the gravity of the situation, leaned against a pole, bored out of his mind. He was only here because Amaya had insisted.Fred swallowed hard. "Unfortunately, this is not a joke. We were attacked on our way here. They took Jeffrey with them."The words seemed to rip the very air apart. Grandpa Lu staggered ba
Angelie ran out of the hospital gates, the doctor's words echoing in her mind. Pregnant? How? She hadn't been with anyone. Not Lucas, not Jeffrey, not anyone.Is this the immaculate conceptionThe sky was beginning to darken, but Angelie didn't notice. Her legs moved aimlessly, taking her down unfamiliar streets. She didn't have a destination, she just needed to breathe.Thousands of questions raced through her mind, but no answers came."ARGGHH!" she cried out, dropping to her knees in the middle of the quiet road, tears streaming down her face.Hours later, she returned to their room. She looked like a ghost of herself.The door swung open, and Flora nearly jumped."What happened to you?! I've been sick and worried! I regretted letting you go alone!" Flora exclaimed, her hands flying around dramatically.Angelie didn't say a word. She trudged to her bed, curling up under the duvet."Hey! You owe me an explanation! You’ve been gone for hours, and you come back looking like a soaked c
The little café nestled on the corner of the busy street was the perfect blend of cozy and elegant. Soft jazz played in the background, and the scent of fresh coffee beans mixed with the sweet aroma of pastries. People were going round their normal business, winter is almost gone. Jeffrey sat by the window, dressed in a simple white shirt and dark jeans, yet somehow managing to look like he belonged on the cover of a high-end magazine. His dark hair was effortlessly styled, and the way he sipped his coffee, his long fingers wrapped around the cup, made several women passing by steal glances.But he wasn’t just paying attention to any, he had a lot on his mind.He checked his watch once, twice, and he hates waiting for long Anita stepped in, wearing a soft blue dress beneath her legs. Her makeup was flawless, but her eyes were puffy from crying. She spotted Jeffrey instantly and rushed over."I wish Grandpa would just wake up," she said, her voice cracking as she sat opposite him. "
Jeffrey was pacing through the hospital corridor, he was sweating through his skin, his heart hammering painfully against his ribs. Every tick of the wall clock hung on the wall felt like a drumbeat in his head. When he finally spotted the doctor emerging from the ICU, he ran over to him, almost pushing him down.There is something about hospitals that makes him weak in the knees."Doctor! How is he? Is Grandpa okay?" he asked, his voice raw with worry.The doctor’s face was a mixture of calm and fatigue. "Let's talk in my office," he said, motioning for Jeffrey to follow.Inside the office, Jeffrey sank into the chair across from the doctor's desk, barely breathing. On a normal day, he is a man of patience, but today is entirely different. "He suffered a panic-induced heart attack," the doctor explained, his voice even. "It seems like something triggered a massive spike in his blood pressure. Luckily, he was brought in just in time. But, I must say, we need to keep him under serious
Angelie was admiring herself in the mirror, adjusting the fitted gown below her knee that clung perfectly to her body. Today, she had promised herself to step out of her shell, to reclaim the confidence she had buried for too long. Her reflection smiled b ack at her,a beautiful woman rediscovering her worth.Flora burst into the room, halting mid-step, her mouth opening and closing like a fish."No way, girl! You are about to make all heads turn... damn, you are hot!"Angelie chuckled lightly."You like?""I love! Gosh! More of this, no more hiding like a nerd! Your body is on fire."The words wrapped around Angelie's heart like a warm hug. This was the word she needed."Let's go," she said, grabbing her bag, her chin up.As they stepped into class, all heads turned; her presence made a statement."She looks like a goddess," someone muttered.Angelie felt the heat rise to her cheeks, but held her head high, confident; she was owning it today.Across the room, Sonia clenched her fists
Angelie tried her best to stop the tears from down her cheekt, but she couldn't. Her hands trembled as she whispered, "Please take me somewhere private, and calm."Damien didn't ask any questions. He simply nodded and gently guided her through the corridors. Luckily, he knew of a quiet, hidden spot within the school,a small garden with a stone bench, always quite. It was his sanctuary, a place where he found solace, and now it would be hers too.Once there, he let her sit down. Without a word, he stepped aside, giving her space to cry it all out. He knows that feeling.Angelie wept for what felt like an eternity. The pain she had buried deep inside her poured out, without holding back. He sat silently nearby, giving her the respect of silence, he would be patientFinally, after what seemed like hours, she spoke, her voice hoarse due to her tears. "Have you ever loved someone so much you felt like your heart would explode?"Damien nodded slowly. "Yes. More than you can imagine.""What
A disgusted look was plastered across Jeffrey's face. Lucas and Lizzy were so engrossed in their moment, moaning loudly within the soundproof office walls, they hadn't even noticed his entrance.Jeff couldn't believe the level of shamelessness unfolding before him."How shameless can one be?" Jeff's voice thundered, drawing their attention.Lizzy wished the ground would open and swallow her at the moment; she hastily grabbed her clothes from the floor and ran out of the office, her face burning with embarrassment.Lucas, however, showed no ounce of shame. He zipped up his trousers lazily and smirked."You want to join the show, brother?" Lucas sneered."How shameless can one be? No courtesy for the office or any iota of respect."Lucas shrugged, that devilish grin never leaving his face. "Said the man who can't let go of his brother's wife. Talking of courtesy, nothing stops you from knocking. You just cut off my enjoyment."Jeff clenched his fists. He knew exactly what Lucas was tryi