Harrison winced from the bite, but his gaze hardened, and he bore the pain.Shirley's strength drained away as her world spun, and she crumpled to the ground, her eyes unfocused and hollow. "What do you really want? If you have a problem, take it out on me. What kind of coward goes after a kid like Kelly?"“A kid?" Harrison scoffed, crouching to tilt Shirley's chin upward. His rough fingertips grazed her flawless skin as his eyes turned frosty in a heartbeat. "Haven't you heard? Your darling daughter's all grown up now, and she’s even a mom herself. Just like you, she's got a kid with no dad in the picture!"Shirley's face blanched, and she knocked Harrison's hand away with a sharp flick. "No! You're talking crazy. That can't be true. Kelly couldn't possibly...""Why couldn't she?" Harrison's gaze cut through her like a knife, and Shirley's face twisted with distress. She shook uncontrollably, staring at Harrison in disbelief. "You're lying!""Lying to you? Do you know that Charle
"You want me to burn in hell?" Harrison's icy stare bore into Shirley as she fought for her life. "If it's hell we're headed to, then you're coming with me!""Ellis!"The door swung open swiftly, and Ellis stepped in, his face devoid of emotions. He stood by the door, all business. "Sir, what do you need?""A syringe. If she won't eat, we'll hook her up to a glucose IV. Let's watch her try to die now."With those words, Harrison spun on his heel and strode out, leaving Shirley's room. Behind him, Shirley's voice tore through the air, wild and desperate, "Harrison, you're killing me! If you don't finish me off today, I swear I'll end you if I ever get the chance!"The door clicked shut, and only Harrison’s icy eyes remained in view. Shirley's threat seemed to hit him hard. A sharp pain grabbed his chest and made him double over, his face draining of color.Ellis stepped out just in time to see Harrison had not walked away yet. He was crouched down, frozen in place."Sir!"Someth
Harrison noticed Shirley's arms, and his brow furrowed. "Her arm!" He gestured to the makeup artist to cover them with makeup too.The makeup artist worked quickly, and once done, asked, "Mr. Smith, does this meet your approval?"Harrison narrowed his eyes, nodded, and commanded, "Let's head out."Once the room cleared out, Harrison gripped Shirley's chin. "Look at you. Even if you refuse to eat, I can still make sure you shine. Today's the big preview of White Night. Get moving, and don't you dare be late."Shirley shuddered from head to toe. She jerked away from Harrison's grip, staggered to her feet, and whispered fiercely, "Don't touch me!"Harrison just smirked. "Alright, my hands are off!" He clapped his hands, and Shirley's agent hurried in. "Sir!" He then turned to Shirley with a nod. "Ms. Shrill, if you would."Like a puppet on strings, Shirley was escorted out of Springwood Garden by her agent.The preview was set at Century Film Plaza, a massive theater in a mall owne
"Ms. Shrill, are you feeling guilty? There's talk that you abandoned your daughter to focus on your career. Is that true?”"Ms. Shrill, of course we care about your movie, but I’ve been a fan of yours for over two decades. You even inspired me to join the media. It hurts to see that the image you’ve cultivated was all a facade. You had a child out of wedlock and abandoned her. Doesn't that betray the fans who've stood by you?"The weight of the accusation pinned Shirley down. Her face was a ghostly white. "I...""Ms. Shrill, being your fan means liking you despite your flaws, right? How could you hide something so big from us from the start? This isn’t how you build trust with your audience!" A female fan stood up, her voice booming despite not having a microphone. Her words carried the conviction of a true believer.Before today, none of her fans really wanted to believe the rumors, but Shirley's dodgy behavior made everyone feel let down. "How can you do this to your fans who've
The murmurs in the room swelled into a cacophony that could not be tamed. Shirley's face lost even more color with each whisper and jab. She had barely eaten anything in days, and her stress was through the roof.Her agent rushed to her side, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?" he asked. Shirley, propped up by her agent, shot back with an icy stare, "Happy now?"The agent fell silent, his eyes searching Shirley's for something unsaid, but he left it at that.He signaled the host, ready to whisk Shirley away. The host caught on fast. "Okay, folks. That's it for the Q&A. The preview's about to start, and rumor has it the director's gunning for the big leagues with this one. The film's a masterpiece in the making, so everyone—""Do you think you can just slip away?"A girl in the crowd stood up. Her hat was removed, revealing a familiar same bold makeup style.Her expression was almost a sneer directed at Shirley from her elevated seat.The cinema lights were still on, spot
Harrison froze mid-stand at Ellis's words, then shot him a look that could freeze lava. "Where's Kelly?""Grant's guys are tailing her. We can't just barge in!""Excuses, excuses. Can't you outsmart them somehow?""Sir, Grant's crew are the cream of the crop!”Ellis felt a shiver of dread. "Just give me a moment, sir. I'll come up with something."After Ellis left, Harrison crushed his cigarette, his gaze sharp with a dangerous edge.Well, this was getting interesting.He was eager to see how long Grant could keep his guard up around Kelly.Shirley's eyes fluttered open the next afternoon, her mind foggy. For a moment, she felt like she had brushed shoulders with death itself.Her eyes fluttered open to the sterile white of a hospital room, the sharp scent of disinfectant hanging in the air.She sat up in a heartbeat, yanking the IV from her hand. She was ready to bolt from the bed when the door swung open.A man strolled in, clad in a white lab coat. He was conspicuously em
"What did you just say?"Shirley froze. "You mean the Smiths don't know Harrison's in Brookville?"Sean's eyes narrowed, turning sharp in an instant. "So you do know my Uncle Harrison!"Shirley's expression froze. "You said you could help me out. Does that mean you’ll take care of Harrison?"Sean's gaze lingered on Shirley as a sly grin spread across his face.Shirley did not really get Sean or what he was all about. However, that grin of his sent a shiver down her spine.Biting back frustration, Shirley thought, 'How could I forget? You're still one of the Smiths.' How could he ever want to help her?Sean smirked. "Not necessarily, Ms. Shrill. What kind of help are you looking for?""Help me escape from Harrison!""Oh?" Interest flickered in Sean's eyes. He crossed his arms and leaned back against a low cabinet, nonchalantly drumming his fingers on the sleek surface."Ms. Shrill, weren't we supposed to talk business? Is that all the earnestness you've got?" Sean scoffed. "Yo
Shirley collapsed onto the bed, her face ghostly pale. Her lips quivered as she stared at Sean.She thought bitterly that all the Smiths were the same."Oh, right!"Sean spun on his heel and sauntered back, his sudden return snapping Shirley to attention with wary eyes. Leaning against the doorframe with an easy grin, Sean could not help but laugh at her stiff posture. "Ease up, Ms. Shrill. I just swung back to give you a heads-up about something!"Shirley's lips were pressed tightly together, her face a mask of distress.Sean quirked an eyebrow, a playful yet menacing tone in his voice. "You know, this may be a hospital, but it's not a free-for-all. If you're planning to take off, Ms. Shrill, do me the courtesy of a heads-up. Otherwise..." He let the threat hang in the air, unfinished, but Shirley felt its weight all the same. "You're just like Harrison! A monster!""Monster? Now that's a fun word. Uncle Harrison would get a kick out of that. Just take care of yourself, Ms. Shri
"Sean, stop messing around. Let go of me first," Liliana tugged at Sean's arm, realizing how tightly he was holding her. "You're choking me."Only then did Sean loosen his grip slightly, though he still did not let her go. His forehead rested against hers, and he panted softly. "Liliana, do you remember what you said to me in the fire?"Liliana's face turned red, and she awkwardly turned her head away. "N-No, I don't remember. What did I say? I don't think I—mmph..."Before she could finish, Sean kissed her, swallowing the rest of her words with that one stubborn kiss.Liliana raised her hands and smacked Sean on the shoulder, trying to push him away. "Sea—mmph, what are you doing? Let me go..."She shoved him hard, and Sean stumbled back, clutching his chest. Liliana's face went pale, and she rushed over. "Sean, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did I hurt you somewhere?"Nonetheless, Sean took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her again. That feeling of holding her tightly
Noelle raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say that."Then, she added, "That knot in Liliana's heart can only be undone by Sean."What happened back then had always been a shadow between the two of them. Noelle had noticed it these past few days. Though Liliana stubbornly claimed she no longer cared, she clutched her phone every single day, obviously waiting for a call.Liliana's social circle was small. Noelle and the others knew everyone she knew. Who else could she be waiting for but Sean?Charles furrowed his brows. "If Liliana can't have the best, then she's better off with nothing."Noelle could not help but laugh. "Alright, alright. I know you're still holding a grudge against Hayes and Savannah."Honestly, Noelle shared the sentiment. "Savannah really crossed a line with how she handled everything."Charles reached out and gently pinched Noelle's knuckles. "That's not what I meant."Noelle chuckled, exasperated. "I know."Outside, the sound of a car engine drew their attentio
Sean shoved Hayes away. "Dad, if you're just like Mom and trying to stop me from being with Liliana, then don't even bother. If I can't marry Liliana in this lifetime, I won't marry anyone else."With that, Sean lay down decisively. Hayes frowned. "Sean, this isn't about what we want anymore. It's about Liliana and Charles now."Truthfully, Hayes did not have many opinions about Sean and Liliana's relationship. He was always too busy with the company to pay attention to such things. Even the events from four years ago were only now becoming clearer to him."If you insist on marrying her, I won't stop you. But from what I can see, the problem lies with Liliana and Charles."Sean's gaze sharpened as he clenched his fists. "That's impossible. Liliana already forgave me back when the fire happened. She promised that if we both made it out, she'd marry me."Hayes sighed. "Your mother… She misunderstood Liliana and said some harsh things. Just rest for now. Once you're better, we'll go
Sean spat out a mouthful of blood. One hand gripped the bedsheet tightly, his gaze turning darker than ever."What do you mean by that? What do you mean she doesn't want to marry me? She promised me. She said that as long as I was willing to walk out of that fire with her, she'd be with me. You're lying to me, aren't you? Tell me you're lying to me."Sean's bloodshot eyes locked on Savannah's. "Tell me."Savannah was momentarily stunned by the sheer force of Sean's gaze. This was the first time she ever felt fear in front of her own son. "Sean, I…""Where's Liliana?" Sean demanded."Sean," Hayes called out as he pushed open the door and stepped in. "That's no way to speak to your mother.""Then how should I speak to her?" Sean's voice turned icy."Did you know it was Joanna who drugged me nine years ago? And while I was under the influence, I forced myself on Liliana? I misunderstood her, and as a result, she had to hide in the countryside for years."Four years ago, it was me
The operating room door swung open, and Liliana spun around. She saw Saxon step out. Not caring about anyone else’s opinions, she grabbed his hand. "Mr. Holt, how's Sean?"Saxon looked down at their hands, noting how soft and warm hers was. He met her eyes and nodded. "The patient is out of danger now. He should wake up by tomorrow."Hearing that, Liliana let out a sigh of relief and then suddenly fainted."Liliana!"Charles rushed over and wrapped Liliana in a tight hug, but his eyes quickly darted to Hayes and Savannah. "Now that Sean is safe, Sean's fate is no longer Liliana's concern, nor ours," he declared, speaking for the Hoffman family.With those words, Charles carried Liliana away. Saxon was tugged along by Linda. "Saxon, you should check on her. The young lady seemed off to me. She's been hiding her pain. Besides the wound on her shoulder, I think she breathed in a lot of smoke."Saxon's eyes shimmered for a moment. "Yeah, I'm aware."Liliana had been pushing through
"Charles, you…""Stop it!" Hayes was taken aback by Savannah suddenly slapping Liliana. He did not particularly like or dislike Liliana, but she was part of the Hoffman family, and their family commanded much respect. Besides, Noelle was still Charles's wife, and they had to be careful about their actions.Hayes turned to Charles. "I'm sorry, my wife acted without thinking. But what in the world happened today?"Hayes had been told that his son was hurt, but he did not know the details. When he arrived and saw Liliana was there and injured too, Hayes and Savannah could not help but think that Liliana must be connected to Sean's injury.Charles gave a sharp look. "It was Joanna's doing.""Joanna? No, that can't be!" Savannah was shocked to hear the name Joanna, and she quickly objected, "Joanna is such a sweet girl, she couldn't possibly...""Oh, sweet indeed!"Liliana, who had been silent until then, finally spoke. She narrowed her eyes and stood up, ignoring the pain from her w
"Liliana!""Get up quickly!" Liliana used all her strength to pull Sean up from the ground. "Can you walk?""Uh-huh!" Sean had been hit by a falling piece of wood on his leg when he tried to push Liliana out earlier. That was why he could not get out in time and could only hear Liliana's loud calls from outside.He had wished so badly for Liliana to leave quickly, but she had come back for him.Sean bit down hard and pushed himself up.Even if it was hard to walk, he had to try because Liliana wanted him to stand.Liliana slung Sean's arm over her shoulder, noticing his injury. Her eyes were red with tears. "Sean, hang in there. If we both make it out today, I'll forgive you. You can ask me to do anything.""Really?" Sean's eyes sparkled, and he smiled. "Liliana, I don't want you to do anything." In his heart, he added, ‘I just want you to marry me.’"The fire is licking at our heels, and you two are still dawdling," came Charles's icy voice from up ahead. In a flash, he was be
"Sean, where are you? Didn't you just say you love me?" she cried out. "How can you leave me like this, saying you love me and then j-j-just giving up? What am I supposed to do now?"Sean, you took our child from me. How could you think I'd just forgive you? If you don't make this right, I swear I'll never forgive you," Liliana yelled outside, her voice filled with madness. Inside, the plant was engulfed in flames. Shaking from head to toe, Liliana's screams slowly turned into a whisper. She clenched her hands tight, staring blankly at the fire. "If you're gone, what's left for me here?""Liliana!"Charles rushed over and saw Liliana moving toward the flames. He grabbed her and pulled her back. "What are you doing?"Liliana looked up, dazed, and saw Charles. She quickly stood up and grabbed his hand. "Charles, please. I'm begging you. Help me save Sean, please!"Charles's brow creased as he looked at the fiery red inferno, his fingers tensing. "Liliana, the fire's too big. Sean mi
Liliana shoved Sean aside and covered him with her body, taking a knife stab from Joanna. "Ugh..."Pain whitened Liliana's face, and blood dripped onto Sean's face. Reacting quickly, Sean rolled over, picked Liliana up in his arms, and seized Joanna's neck, twisting it hard until it cracked. Joanna's eyes bulged in disbelief as she stared at Sean."You..."She had not thought Sean would actually snap her neck. Her eyes were wide open, one hand clutching a knife, and the other holding a lighter.With her last breath, she tossed the lighter.A loud bang followed, and flames started to spread from that spot.Sean's eyes darkened as he carried Liliana and dashed for the exit. However, how could he outrun the swift spread of the fire while burdened with Liliana's weight?Liliana's eyes widened as she saw the flames creeping up behind them. She pushed Sean, urging him, "Go now, or it'll be too late!"However, Sean's eyes turned a deep red with emotion. "Liliana, I won't let go of you