The next day, Mae awoke to find an empty bed beside her. Panic oovercame her groggy mind as she sat up, frantically searching the room. Still disheveled and half-asleep, Mae stumbles out of the hospital room as her heart pounded in her chest.She rushes down the corridor with panicked steps, her eyes darting from side to side as she scanned the still quiet hospital. And then, she saw her – Jane, standing at the entrance to the NICU, her gaze fixed on the glass window separating her from her baby.Relief washed over Mae as she approached her cousin, her steps slowing to a calm pace. She reached out and gently touched Jane's shoulder, "You okay?" She asked. Jane turned to face Mae, her eyes almost telling her everything that is going in her mind. Without saying a word, she nodded, a small but genuine smile tugging at her lips. Mae glanced at Jane's peacefully sleeping baby, who was gently thumb-sucking in her sleep."So, she's finally got her name tag. Zoe... It suits her, really," Ma
"No... Jane... Please don't..." Dean cried, his voice laced with unbearable pain as he knelt before her. His hands clung to hers, his tears wetting her fingers."Please... I'm begging you... Don't let me go... I need you..." He pleaded, resting his head on her knees, his heartache pouring out in sobs.Jane's own tears welled up, betraying the strength she tried to maintain as she witnessed Dean's anguish. It was the first time she had seen him so vulnerable, and it tore at her heart in ways she couldn't explain.The moment Jane laid eyes on Dean, she knew she wanted him to father her future children. Her love for him was all-consuming, leading her to cling to him, unwilling to let him slip away, even feeling jealous when he returned to his wife.However, Jane now understood the immutable bond between a husband and wife. She realized that she could never occupy the place in his heart already claimed by his wife. Their union was sanctified before witnesses at the altar, and Jane was jus
The very next day, Mae arrived at work and immediately busied herself at her desk. As her job involved designing the company's publications and website, she turned her computer on to check her recent designs.Although she didn't really want to leave Jane at the hospital, Jane insisted that Mae should dedicate herself to work since Jane was recovering after all.While Mae was lost in her thoughts, her attention was interrupted by the sound of Sev and Calix walking towards Calix's office, which was close to Mae's desk.As soon as the two reached Mae's desk, Sev immediately focused his attention on her."Good m—mama Mia! What happened to you?! Did you fall in love or something?" Sev teasingly remarked, well aware of Mae's feelings for Calix, who stood beside him."Shut up, Seven," Mae retorted, rolling her eyes."No, seriously! Why are you wearing something so... girly? Urgh..." Sev teased, pretending to be disgusted by his usually boyish friend wearing an off-shoulder top with her hair
Mae struggled against Kai's unwanted advances. She summoned all her strength and determination to push him away and with a sudden burst of energy, she managed to slip from his grasp, her heart pounding with adrenaline as she sprinted away as fast as she could.She had no choice but to leave her heels by the roadside as she ran as though her life depended on it. Her breath coming in ragged gasps as she fled from the menacing presence of Kai and his men.She could hear the sound of footsteps behind her, the pounding of boots against the pavement as Kai's men gave chase. But to her relief, their pursuit was halted by Kai's laughter, amused by Mae's daring escape.Kai's laughter echoed through the night as he bent down to retrieve Mae's abandoned heels, his amusement evident in the gleam of his eyes."Haha! I like her!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine amusement and intrigue.His men watched on, bewildered by their boss's unexpected reaction. They couldn't understand why their
As Maeve walked away, the car door opened and closed, accompanied by footsteps hurrying after her."Maeve! Mae! Please wait!" Calix pleaded, grasping her arm to halt her."What do you want?" Mae asked blankly, causing Calix to flinch.He never imagined Mae would change so drastically in such a short time. Was it because of what happened that night? Had he hurt her so deeply that she'd resign from his company?Calix preferred to hear everything from her."You're going too far. If this is about what happened that night, then I'm sorry..." He apologized, still holding her, attempting to prevent her from fleeing.Unexpectedly, Mae chuckled and removed Calix's hand from her."This has nothing to do with it. I simply want to go abroad, that's why I'm resigning," she explained, her voice almost flat."But why?" He inquired again, trying to coax the truth from her.Mae sighed and decided to reveal some of the truth."I've been with you and Sev almost my entire life. I want to do something for
Sev had watched it all unfold, seeing Calix turn a blind eye to Mae's feelings time and again. Despite Mae's efforts to show she cared, Calix just couldn't see it.But now, Sev found himself rooting for Mae. Her decision to leave the company felt like a big step, a way for her to value herself and maybe make Calix realize what he was missing.Maybe Calix never saw Mae as someone he could be with because she was always one of the guys. But even though she acted tough, her love for Calix was clear to anyone who cared to look.Sev couldn't help but admire Mae's loyalty. For years, she stuck by Calix's side, turning down other people because she only had eyes for him. And maybe, Sev thought, leaving was the best thing she could do for herself, a way to show she deserved better.But Sev on the other hand also felt like he did not want to let her go. And the last thing he knew, he was already running after her. "Mae!" He called out. Mae immediately halted midway before she reached the ele
As night fell, Mae returned home and began packing her belongings, making sure to gather all the documents she needed. As she reached for her phone to double-check her flight time, a notification suddenly appeared, catching her attention.Her eyes widened as she read the message. Hurriedly, she grabbed her wallet, took her phone, and called a taxi to Calix's condominium.The moment she arrived in front of his door, Mae hesitated for a moment before giving it a firm knock. The door immediately swung open, revealing Calix with a wide grin on his face."Why the hell are you smiling? What's this about putting a bounty on my head?!" Mae ranted, showing him her phone.Mae's face was on a website owned by Calix's company. Above her picture was a reward of five hundred thousand for anyone who catches her and brings her to Calix."Don't deny it!" Mae warned, but Calix only chuckled, raising his hands as if surrendering."I'm not denying anything. That website is just a trick to bring you to m
Mae arrived at the airport just as they began boarding. Her heart still pounded from all the running she did after oversleeping when she got home from Calix's. She immediately settled in as she found her seat and also felt relieved as the other passengers did the same, thinking she wasn't that late after all. With a sigh, she decided to take a nap, hoping to relax before the flight.Just as she started to drift off, Mae was startled awake by a flight attendant gently tapping her shoulder."Excuse me, miss," the flight attendant said kindly, "I'm sorry, but you're not supposed to be seated in economy. You're supposed to be in the VIP section."Mae blinked in surprise, her confusion evident. "But I only booked an economy seat," she replied. "Are you Maeve Delgado?" the flight attendant asked, double-checking.Mae nodded, confirming her identity.The flight attendant then presented Mae with a VIP ticket bearing her name. "Someone booked this VIP ticket for you," she explained, a hint of