The man froze for a moment. Staring at Willow's nearly perfect figure, he wore a lewd grin as he said, "You're just delivering yourself to me. I won't say no to that.""If you dare to touch me, I'll make sure you rot in jail!"Willow glared fiercely at the man. Her demeanor made the man panic for a bit.Stephanie quickly pinned Willow down and said, "Mr. Koch, she's just trying to scare you!"Seeing things spiral out of control, Willow mustered all her strength to push Stephanie away.She then gave Stephanie a big slap, sending her sprawling onto the floor.Clutching her cheek, Stephanie stared up in disbelief. She said, "You dare hit me!"Taking advantage of the man's momentary shock, Willow dashed for the door. Before she could escape, the man grabbed her, and they began to struggle."Where do you think you're going?""Help! Help me!" Willow screamed at the top of her lungs.Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the room. "Open the door!"Bang! Bang! Bang!With a loud "cr
A piercing scream erupted.Seizing the moment, Willow bit one of the bodyguards fiercely and swiftly broke free. She stumbled and made a dash for the door.She collided with Theodore, whose expression remained as stern as ever, though he was anxious.Willow was stunned before being enveloped in his strong embrace.The familiar scent gave her a brief sense of safety. As Theodore pulled her closer, her eyes welled up with tears she struggled to hold back.Had he not arrived in time, she couldn't imagine how badly things might have turned out."Well, well, Willow!" Gina was furious as she said, "You even brought people to help you! I can't believe the prestigious Bassett family is involved in such schemes and causing trouble for my daughter!"Theodore's gaze grew colder. He asked coldly, "Madam Gina, are your eyes failing you?"Gina was fuming. "I'll deal with you shameless scoundrels myself!"Seeing the enraged Gina charging at them like a vengeful spirit, Willow was terrified.
Theodore's eyes were icy cold.Stephanie's face hardened. "Reporters? You called the reporters?"She gaped at Sonia in disbelief. They had agreed to keep today's events under wraps, but Sonia was determined to get back at Willow, even if it meant dragging Stephanie into the mess.Quentin noticed Stephanie's reaction and knew his suspicions were right. "What's this got to do with me? I—" A sharp slap landed on Sonia's face, cutting her off. She held her cheek, staring at Quentin with disbelief. "Did you just slap me?" It wasn't the first time Quentin had struck her over Willow.In the heavy silence that followed, Willow felt Theodore's grip tighten on her shoulder. Showing no emotion, Theodore said, "It seems like the Strands have someone with some sense after all. Mr. Strand, we'll stay out of your family issues."With that, Theodore carried Willow and left."Who gave you the right to leave? Stop right there!" Gina ordered."Mom, stay out of this and take Stephanie home!" Qu
Willow was brought back to Bassett Villa, and, before she could even react, Theodore lifted her out of the car. Erica and Cedar were anxiously waiting in the living room. When they saw Willow being carried in, they both feared the worst."Is Willow alright?" Erica asked."Willow, are you okay?" Cedar asked."She's fine." Theodore's firm voice echoed throughout the room. "Mom, please take Cedar home."The trio was momentarily caught off guard, particularly Willow. However, Erica soon regained her composure. Feeling relieved, she said, "Okay. Since everything's fine, we'll leave you both alone."Cedar was about to say something, but Erica quickly led him away. The night had settled in deeply, and silence cloaked the sprawling villa."Put me down," Willow said quietly.Theodore complied and set her down."About what happened today, thanks for—""Who gave you the guts to meet Sonia alone?" Theodore demanded.Willow was caught off guard. "I was just trying to convince her to bac
Theodore's rage erupted. The emotions he had kept bottled up for so long finally broke loose.Willow clenched her jaw to bear the pain shooting through her lower body, her voice tense as she asked, "Why should I believe you?"After the false fire accusation, Tobias's death, and the loss of her child, what reason did she have left to trust Theodore?"I will never trust you again!" Willow shouted.Theodore's gaze hardened, a frigid glare taking over. "What did you say? Repeat it.""I lost my child, and the murderer is still out there. I will never trust you again!"The cold glint in Theodore's eyes wavered, and the anger that had been simmering just beneath the surface finally broke through. The silence made each second of eye contact drag on painfully long."Is having a child the only way we can start over?" he asked.Willow froze in place. Seconds later, her eyes widened with shock and terror. "Theodore, are you out of your mind? Let go of me!"Theodore resembled a furious lio
After leaving Bassett Villa, Theodore had nowhere else to go. So, he spent the night in the garage.It was hard to gauge how much time had passed, but he finally started to unwind when he noticed the light in the master bedroom on the second floor switch on.…The next day, Willow slept in until noon, when a knock at the door interrupted her rest. "Ms. Jett," called out a maid.Willow's head was still hazy from sleep, and she struggled to open her eyes. Through her blurred vision, she saw a figure standing by her bed, gently reaching out to check her forehead."Oh dear. You've got a bit of a fever, don't you?"Willow drifted back to sleep in her groggy state, losing track of time. She vaguely felt someone wiping her down gently, and her fever gradually began to subside.When Willow woke up again, it was nighttime. Kathy was there, checking the thermometer and letting out a relieved sigh. "At last, your fever's gone."Willow leaned back against the headboard, feeling utterly e
Quentin's face flushed immediately."That's enough." Willow cut Theodore off, her expression hardening with frustration. She turned to Quentin and said, "It's time for you to go."Quentin tightened his fists, but let them fall in defeat. "Alright. I'll go. Please look over the agreement and contact me if anything doesn't sit right. Once again, I'm really sorry.""Kathy, show him out." Theodore's icy voice cut through the room.Quentin paused for a brief second before walking out. As the sound of his car faded into the distance, an uneasy silence settled over the room. The tension in the room was so heavy it felt almost unbearable.Willow rose to her feet."Where are you going?" Theodore called out."To my room. I need some rest.""And if I hadn't come home, were you going to bring him in there too?"Willow jerked her head up. "Does insulting me make you feel better?""Insulting? I'm not the one meeting up with my ex in our home the minute I step out the door. So, who's crossi
Willow locked eyes with Theodore. He tilted her chin up, but she didn't flinch. She stood her ground like a thorny rose, silent but strong. She didn't have to speak. Her eyes said it all—she wanted to leave.Theodore's grip on her face tightened, drawing a small whimper from her. A fierce possessiveness clouded his gaze. "Don't even think about breaking up."Willow's brow knitted in frustration as she tried to pull away, but Theodore forcefully shoved her back onto the couch. His icy stare sent a shiver down her spine, causing her eyelid to twitch. She clenched her fists, but his grip was unbreakable.Through gritted teeth, she hissed, "Theodore, don't make me hate you."A shadow crossed Theodore's expression, and his hold on her weakened. Willow broke away instantly, moving quickly to the far side of the couch to put as much distance as she could between them. The way she plopped down was heavy with unspoken frustration.The silence in the room was stifling as if even the clock
"What choice do you think I need to make?" Theodore stepped closer. His tone was filled with displeasure. "What are my choices?"Willow hesitated for a moment but maintained her composure as she voiced her concerns. "We need to face reality, Theodore. I will take Yasmine back to Portumville, and you're tied to the Bassett family. Who knows what will happen in the future?""So, you're giving me a heads-up so I can find someone else sooner?""I—""Should I be thanking you then?" Theodore's anger flared. "Willow, this is what's on your mind after everything we've been through? What do you take me for? What do you take yourself for?""I…" Willow found herself speechless."Are you doing this on purpose?""No, I'm not." Willow tried to explain herself, but for once, her words failed her.Theodore's eyes burned with frustration. Seeing her struggling to justify herself only fueled his anger more. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close.Willow let out a startled muffle, but it was
Willow noticed something odd and asked, "When did you two get so close? Cedar, you even know what game Jessica likes?"Cedar casually replied, "She posted about it on Instagram."Willow's expression changed to one of realization. "Oh, right. I remember now."After saying that, she looked at Jessica with a raised eyebrow and proudly said, "See how thoughtful Cedar is? He remembered such details and even brought the game you wanted. I wonder which lucky girl will end up with him."Jessica forced a smile and awkwardly shoved the game console under the pillow as if it were something unpleasant to touch.Yasmine raised her head. "End up with him? What does that mean?"Willow patiently explained, "It means who will marry Uncle Cedar.""It must be Ms. Sweeney!" Yasmine pointed to the bed next to her and blurted out, "Uncle Cedar saved her. She said she'll marry him to repay the favor."Willow's face was filled with shock while Jessica quickly waved her hand. "No! I never said that. Wh
At the City Hospital, since both Willow and Jessica needed to stay in the hospital, Terence decided to use a bit of his authority to arrange for them to share a room."So what are your plans? Are you not going back to Portumville?" Jessica asked."I still have to go back. The company headquarters is there. Have you ever seen a president of a public company who never goes to the office? Joywell is still growing. I can't leave," Willow explained."So when are you planning to go back?"Willow hesitated. "I'm still thinking."Balancing a career and family was tough. One had to give way to the other."There's nothing to think about. You wouldn't want to give up Joywell's prime opportunity, and you wouldn't want to keep flying back and forth to see Yasmine. Just have Theodore go with you to Portumville then."Jessica, with her independent mindset, often focused on herself and didn't always consider the practicalities of others' situations.Just then, a knock came at the door. "Come i
As Theodore closed the door behind him, Terence turned to him with a concerned look. "Aren't you going to stay with her?""Let her be alone for a while," Theodore replied.Through the glass on the door, Theodore could see the frail figure lying on the hospital bed, and his heart ached for her."By the way, how's Jessica?"Terence responded, "She's fine. Cedar's with her. Thankfully, he noticed in time, and the sleeping pills weren't of a lethal dose."Joey had drugged Jessica with an overdose of sleeping pills. Then, she was left unconscious and tied up in a small storage room at an apartment in Marldosa Gardens.Following that, Joey hired someone from the black market to drive Jessica's car to Portumville, which caused the car's GPS to show up constantly on the highway.Terence couldn't help but ask, "Are Cedar and Jessica…""I don't know," Theodore replied flatly, "but it's not a bad thing.""Not necessarily," Terence said, crossing his arms. "It's fine for the heiress of Re
At the hospital, Willow's neck wound had been stitched up with four sutures. She had to stay in the hospital for observation.Terence was still in the operating room with Matthew. Over an hour had passed with no news. Yet, Matthew's family couldn't be reached at the moment.Theodore sat by her bedside. "Be careful.""I'm fine," Willow replied, leaning against the headboard. "How did you find out that Joey and I were at the riverbank?""Matthew called me." Theodore's voice was rough. He covered Willow with a blanket and began to explain the recent events."I had a DNA test done with Yasmine and confirmed Iris' claims. At least it proved that Joey was the one who took Yasmine back then. After that, I had Clark start investigating Joey."The first thing Clark did was track down the doctor who did the DNA test for Matthew and Yasmine, and sure enough, Joey was there meeting him."When Clark arrived, the doctor was already dead. His body was hidden in the garage at Marldosa Gardens.
Willow's words crushed Joey completely.Possessiveness? To others, her years of admiration and waiting were nothing more than laughable possessiveness."They're over there!" A voice suddenly rang out. Following that, the chaotic sound of footsteps echoed from the other side of the rocks.Willow looked up to see a tall, familiar figure rushing toward her. Without needing to guess, she knew how anxious the man must have been. Her nose tingled, and tears suddenly began to fall.As Joey glanced at the approaching police, she tightened her grip on Willow and dragged her backward. "Don't come any closer! Stay back!" she shouted.Theodore, who was more frightened than he had ever been, also roared, "Don't go any further! Let her go, Joey.""Let her go?" Joey laughed bitterly. "And let her reunite with your family? Dream on!""Joey." Willow managed to squeeze out the words through her pain. "Stop it, Joey."Even at this moment, she hoped Joey would have a change of heart and turn awa
Willow lay on the rocks as her neck bled and stained the collar of her white shirt. The scene was shocking. But compared to the pool of blood beneath Matthew, her injuries were nothing. Even though she desperately tried to escape, the distance she crawled was far from enough to save her life.Footsteps approached from behind; Joey had released Matthew and was walking toward Willow."Do you know what he just told me?" Joey's voice came from behind as Willow continued to crawl away.Joey didn't stop her, and she merely paced alongside Willow. For every step Willow took, Joey mirrored her, patiently recounting her conversation with Matthew."I asked him if he ever loved me. Do you know what he said?""He told me to let you go."In the wind of the river, Joey's laughter sounded particularly eerie. "Even at this moment, he only thinks of you. His loyalty to you is absolute, isn't it? I want to ask you a question."Suddenly, Joey squatted down and yanked Willow's hair, forcing her
"Leave right now?" Joey asked incredulously. She then burst into tears. "If only you had said this three years ago!""It's not too late now.""It is too late," Joey said as she shook her head. Willow felt herself being choked. She struggled for breath as the immense force pressed against her neck and pulled her toward the edge of the rocky outcrop with the raging river below."Joey!" Matthew staggered closer."Don't come any closer!"Willow felt a sharp pain in her neck as the knife's blade dug deeper into her flesh."Joey." She gritted her teeth against the agony and asked, "So Yasmine really was stolen by you, wasn't she?""You're still asking such questions at this point? Willow, you really are stupid.""Where's Yasmine?""Ha! What do you think?" Joey's laughter was manic.The rhetorical question sent Willow plummeting into despair as if reliving the anguish from three years ago. It felt like her heart and lungs shook violently, and every nerve of hers screamed in pain.
"We've known each other for so many years, and now, suddenly, I plan to leave Emperia. It's hard not to feel a bit reluctant," Joey said with a hint of nostalgia, her expression darkening as she turned to look at Willow.As the river breeze blew, Willow felt something unfamiliar about the woman in front of her, as if she had never known her at all."What's wrong?"Joey noticed the strange look in Willow's eyes.Willow steadied herself, hiding her immense shock and confusion behind her clenched fist, and casually asked, "When do you plan to leave? Have you decided where to go?""We're thinking of heading to Westwood first. Do you still remember we made a promise in college to go to Westwood for our graduation trip?""I remember.""But you suddenly decided to get married at that time and got busy with matters at Strand Real Estate.""Actually, you didn't have to worry about me. You could have gone without me.""Didn't you know? Matthew liked you, so when he heard you weren't goi