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Chapter 13
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The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: MISSING✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧“What are you looking for, sir? A men’s design? Is it for you?” the saleslady assisting me asked as I browsed through the phone cases on display. I had just bought a new phone and was now searching for a case to go with it.I shook my head. “No, it’s for a girl. What design do you think would suit someone who’s... uh, seventeen? It’s a gift.” I had already mentioned the phone model, so she wouldn’t have to worry about that—just the design.“Well, it depends, sir. What does she like?”I paused, thinking, and then shook my head again. “I’m not sure.”“How about we choose based on color? Do you know her favorite?”I wasn’t certain about that, but I remembered she was wearing a pink shirt when we first met at a party. “Let’s go with pink. The lighter one,” I told her. She nodded and turned away briefly to look for something she could offer me. While her back was turned, I spotted a phone case in light pink, adorned with a ribbon design on the
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: WHERE'S POPPY?✿ SUMMER ✿Just an hour after my brother Faith and Chloe left, Uncle Ryan and Aunt Wynter arrived to drop off Meng and Sunny, their children, with Sunny being the youngest“Hey! The Disney Princesses have arrived!” My brother Hope greeted them with a laugh. Uncle Ryan was also with them, along with Moy, but only the two girls were dressed up for our girls-only date. They agreed to join us since they knew Aunt Baby would also be coming, though she was still on her way.“Hope, give it a rest. It’s too early for you to be borrowing a face from the dog. Just attended my Krav Maga lesson yesterday, and I’m telling you, even if you’re Daddy’s favorite nephew, I’m not cutting you any slack,” Meng boldly told him, causing Moy and their parents to chuckle. Moy is Meng's twin brother anyway.“Come on! I just wanted to introduce you all to our new sibling. Meet Sugarpop, our evening princess!” He gestured to Poppy beside me. Everyone turned their attention to Popp
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: FOUND POPPY✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧I DIDN’T have difficulty requesting the security department for a temporary lockdown because they recognized me when I showed my ID. They found out I was the owner’s son, so they granted my request to review the CCTV footage to locate Poppy. I decided to lock down the mall first to ensure Poppy wouldn’t be able to leave. Since the security team didn’t know what Poppy looked like, I joined them in monitoring the screens to search for her.While I kept my eyes glued to the screen, I also kept calling Poppy’s phone, as I already had her number saved. But even I couldn’t get through to her.After a few moments, I spotted Poppy’s familiar figure on the screen. I recognized her by what she was wearing—white jeans, a cream-colored collared blouse, and sneakers. She was with Sunny, and they had just entered and exited the women’s restroom.“There she is,” I pointed out Poppy to the security team so they could help me track her movements. Togethe
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: NEGLECTED CHILD✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧I stared at Poppy after she said that. She can’t read? It all made sense now. It was clear why she seemed confused earlier when I called her. It explained why she struggled with using the cell phone. Someone who knows how to read can follow and explore a gadget by reading the prompts. But Poppy, she had no idea what was written there.This also seemed to be why she got lost earlier. She couldn’t read the signs indicating which floor she was on, even though there were visible signages above. But why? Why couldn’t she read? Had her parents not educated her?The thought tightened my chest. I felt a strong urge to confront Chloe right then about her sister’s situation—why they had allowed her to grow up without learning to read at seventeen. Another troubling question was whether she knew how to write as well.“Poppy.” I took her hand and squeezed it gently. “Can you write?”She wiped her tears before shaking her head. “N-No, I can’t.”
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: BLUEBERRY COOKIES✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧THE next day. Sunday, I visited Chloe's house again. I brought a flower bouquet for her and a batch of blueberry cookies that my mom baked, intended for Poppy. There were quite a lot, so everyone would get a taste.I hadn't planned on coming over today since I was just with Chloe yesterday. But after what I learned from Poppy, I felt I needed to visit more often to understand the real situation she’s facing in their home.When I arrived, Chloe was the one who greeted me at the front door. She smiled immediately upon seeing the flowers I was holding. The truth is, we had a chat last night after they got home, following Mr. Herald picking them up from my place. She noticed I had been unusually quiet while we were eating at the restaurant, after I found out about Poppy's situation. She asked me what was wrong. I played it off, saying I was just a bit annoyed because she took so long shopping yesterday. She seemed to believe me, and t
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN: TUTOR✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧SATURDAY, 7:30 A.M. — My mom, dad, Summer, and I made our way to Chloe’s mansion. I had decided to bring my mom along because we had agreed that she would be the one to ask Mr. and Mrs. Herald if we could borrow Poppy for a while. I wanted to be considerate of my fiancée’s feelings. The last thing I wanted was to hurt Chloe, especially now that she seemed to be growing suspicious of me after my visits last week.Originally, I had planned to visit them only three times, but after I gave Poppy some money, those visits became a daily thing. Without fail, I went there every day. Each time, I’d bring something for Chloe, but I’d also always have something for Poppy. And whenever I was there, I’d ask about Poppy, so it wasn’t surprising that even her parents had started to notice.Oh, and by the way, they still don’t know that Poppy has a cell phone now. The other night, around eleven, Poppy called me. I panicked a bit, thinking something had happe
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 20
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧I had no idea how long I had dozed off on Summer's bed. It was Poppy's voice that woke me up—I could hear her reciting the alphabet from A to Z. Summer was no longer beside her; she was sitting alone at the study table. Love and Hope were also no longer beside me.I couldn’t find my phone in my pocket, so I just raised my wrist to check the time on my watch. It was already 1:22 P.M. 'Why didn’t they wake me up?'“Faith?” I turned my gaze to Poppy when she called me. She was looking at me with a slight smile. “I already know A to Z,” she said proudly, her smile growing even wider.I smiled back and got up from the bed to approach her. I stood beside her chair and looked at what she had written. The first page was filled with "Aa," the second with "Bb," and the next with "Cc." She had written up to "Jj." Her handwriting wasn’t perfect, but it was still readable.“I told Summer I’d write all the way to Z, but she said I might get too tired, so I could finish the rest t
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 21
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧“What is it?” Summer asked hastily, her gaze still fixed on Hope. Even I was getting annoyed, feeling impatient with how he was dragging out his story. It was as if he was doing it on purpose.Hope leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his spread knees. His hands were clasped together under his chin, fingers intertwined. He paused for a moment, then turned to look at me with a thoughtful expression.“Faith, what would you do if you found out that Chloe shouldn’t have been your fiancée?” he asked, causing my brow to furrow.“What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes still locked on his—everyone’s attention was on him, while he kept his gaze on me.“Do you know why your engagement was moved up?” he continued. “It’s because Mr. and Mrs. Herald wanted Chloe to be your wife. But if you remember what Don Adolfo, our greatgrandfather, told us, he said that when we turned twenty-five, we would meet the match he chose for us. Do you know why? Because Sugarpop won’t turn e
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The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 63
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧I reclined on the couch, attempting to shake off the tightening knots in my stomach. My entire family was gathered in the living room, including Poppy. We all sat on the couch, anxiously awaiting news about the fake Lucio and the deception that had ensnared so many.A month had passed since the Samonte family was apprehended. The hearings had commenced, but today marked the first time the media would reveal the details of the case. Mr. Herald had been preoccupied with further investigations into the mansion and the company, uncovering a web of corruption tied to the imposter Lucio. The charges against them would multiply, thanks to slush funds that had come to light.Our faces were etched with tension as the broadcast began. The atmosphere was thick with unvoiced anxieties, each of us bracing for the next revelation.The news anchor’s voice sliced through the stillness, sharp and resolute. “Breaking news tonight as we delve into the truth behind the identity of the
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 62
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧We took Poppy home after the doctor gave us the all-clear. Aside from bruises on her skin—which, as we learned, were caused by the impostor, Lucio—she didn’t suffer any other injuries. Thank God.The doctor did warn us, though, that the bruises would deepen before they heal, so he advised us to do ice therapy on those areas and apply aloe vera regularly.The real Mr. Herald couldn’t join us just yet, even though he wanted to, since he has a lot to attend to right now. Among his priorities are the Samonte case and the company conflicts that arose once the truth about the impostor, Lucio, was revealed. He plans to go back to the mansion to straighten things out there before bringing Poppy back.He promised Poppy he’d visit her at home whenever he had free time, not only to spend quality time with her, but also to get to know Mom, Dad, and me better as her in-laws.“Poppy, I’m so sorry.” Summer was in tears as she hugged Poppy tightly as soon as we stepped into the hou
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 61
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧We dashed to the hospital, my mind spiraling through every possible scenario. The police officer hadn’t given Dad any details about what happened to Poppy, leaving me drowning in worry.The drive felt interminable, each minute dragging as we anxiously awaited news. When we finally arrived, we were met by a police officer in the hospital lobby."Here for Poppy Lee?" the officer asked us, his tone calm and reassuring. Mom responded with a nod. "She’s in the emergency room now. She’s been stabilized and is resting."I released a shaky breath, my heart still racing as we followed the officer to the ER. Beside me were Dad, Mom, Hope, Love, and Summer.As we approached, I saw Poppy lying on a bed, looking fragile and pale, surrounded by medical equipment that beeped and hummed softly. Despite the medical equipment, she looked peaceful, her chest rising and falling with each breath. But that wasn't all I noticed. Red marks were scattered across her arms. I stood frozen, ro
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 60
CHAPTER SIXTY: ARRESTED꧁ POPPY ꧂Those footsteps had always widened my smile as a child, a clear signal that he was home from work.I kept my gaze fixed on the door, waiting to see who the officer had summoned outside. After a few seconds, I gasped when I caught sight of a familiar figure. However, his face remained obscured by the officers surrounding him.The police stepped aside to let him through. As soon as he was unobstructed, my eyes widened even more, and my mouth fell open in shock. I heard Chloe inhale sharply when she saw him too; they shared the same face as Daddy.The moment he laid eyes on me sitting helplessly on the floor, he dashed over, dropped to his knees in front of me, and embraced me tightly, tears streaming down his face.“Poppy. My daughter…” he cried, his voice breaking.I was frozen, confused, and unable to react. I couldn't articulate what I felt as he repeatedly ran his fingers through my hair. Why did he call me his daughter? And why did he look so much
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 59
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE: FOOTSTEPS꧁ POPPY ꧂Chloe had me sit on the sofa, and she took a seat beside me. Daddy stood across from us, flipping open the brown envelope he had brought along. Inside, I saw him pull out a stack of papers. My hands started trembling from nerves, and it felt like my throat was closing up. Was this it? The day I’d dreaded for so long? Would they take everything from me and then... what? Were they planning to kill me?Lord, please help me.I kept whispering a prayer in my mind, just like Faith once taught me when we were falling asleep side by side. His words echoed in my thoughts: “Whenever you’re scared, whenever you’re anxious or unsettled… just pray.”With my eyes closed and hands clasped tightly, I prayed silently, only to be interrupted by Daddy’s voice. “Poppy.”I quickly opened my eyes. “Y-Yes?” The documents he’d taken out of the envelope were now laid out in front of me.“Since you don’t know how to sign, I’ll need your thumbprint.” He pushed a stamp pad
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 58
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧The world seemed to blur as I dialed the police, my heart pounding like a drum. Every second Poppy was missing felt like an eternity. When someone finally answered, I immediately explained the situation. I reported her missing so we could speed up the search, because if we didn’t act fast, I might just die from worry—she’d been gone for nearly an hour."She's about 5'3", long brown hair, hazel eyes. She was wearing a peach dress with a black coat tied around her waist," I explained to the officer when they asked for a description of Poppy.“We'll put out an alert and start checking the area. Do you have any idea where she might have gone, or if anyone could have taken her?”My chest tightened as my heartbeat quickened, the thought of her greedy family flashing in my mind. Frustration bubbled up inside me. “Her family,” I said without hesitation.I briefly explained to the officer why I suspected her family, and after understanding the situation, they assured me they
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 57
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN: IT'S CHLOETHIRD PERSON’s POV"Come inside first, Poppy," Summer gestured for her to enter the cubicle. "Just stay here for a bit, okay? I'll just check in for attendance real quick. Our room's nearby, I won't take long. I'll come back for you right away."Despite her hesitation, Poppy reluctantly nodded. Once Summer left, she quietly shut the cubicle door and waited. Only a few moments had passed when she heard the sound of footsteps and the laughter of girls entering the restroom. Some occupied the empty stalls, and Poppy could hear the loud slamming of doors."Hurry up! I really need to pee!" one of them shouted."Hold on! I just got in! I haven't even sat down yet!" another girl replied.Poppy listened quietly, but she jumped when someone banged on the door of the cubicle she was in. "Is someone in there?" a girl’s voice asked.The pounding echoed in Poppy's chest, her heart racing. Though she didn’t want to, she was forced to open the door. Embarrassed, she s
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 56
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧It’s Friday again, and Mommyla invited us over for another family dinner. Hope and Love couldn’t attend since they were both busy, so it was just me, Mom, Dad, Summer, and Poppy.After we finished eating, Aunt Baby took Poppy and Summer upstairs to her room, saying she had some clothes to give them—things she had only worn a few times but no longer liked. The rest of us stayed seated at the table, even though the meal was over. An awkward silence hung in the air until Mommyla turned to me.“Faith,” she said, her tone gentle but clearly leading somewhere. “How is Poppy adjusting to married life? Is she still finding her way?”“She’s doing fine, Mommyla,” I replied.“She’s eighteen now and fully entitled to her inheritance. Are there any issues we should be worried about? I remember hearing her parents wanted to remove her name from all the family properties once she turned eighteen.”A knot tightened in my stomach. “They haven’t made any moves yet, Mommyla. I don’t k
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 55
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧I FELT a surge of excitement as I closed my laptop and gathered my things. It was Wednesday, and taking a half-day off was a rare occurrence for me, but today was special because Poppy and I had plans.I glanced at my watch—it was 11:10 AM. Poppy’s tutoring session would end at noon, and I wanted to be home when she finished. She knew we were going out today since I had texted her earlier, but I hadn't told her where we were headed yet.When I arrived home, I saw Poppy’s tutor’s car still in the driveway, so I knew they hadn’t left yet. As I stepped into the house, I was met by Poppy and her tutor, who were just about to leave. The tutor was holding a box of cookies, and both of them were smiling, clearly having a pleasant conversation.The moment Poppy saw me, her smile widened, and I quickly returned it. As they stopped in front of me, Poppy eagerly introduced her teacher. “This is Teacher Nicole,” Poppy said, knowing I hadn’t met her before. When the tutor usuall
