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Chapter 20
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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
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 22
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧"It's okay, Poppy. We won't force you to share—""Daddy used to love me so much," Poppy whispered, causing Mommy to fall silent. Poppy lowered her gaze, fiddling with her fingers. "When I was little... he was always with me. We would always eat together. Whenever I was sick, he would be restless. When I was sad because I missed Mommy, he’d do anything to make me happy. B-But… ever since Mommy Jody brought Chloe to the mansion…" Poppy's voice hitched, "—he stopped paying attention to me. He was always angry with me. He’d always scold me even when I hadn’t… d-done anything wrong. And… from that point on, he stopped calling me his daughter. It was always Chloe. He didn’t want me to eat with them anymore, so I always ate last when they were done. And the food I got… it wasn’t like theirs. Theirs… it was always delicious. Mine… was just canned food. D-Dad got mad at me if I touched anything in the kitchen or fridge. And… w-when they would go out with Chloe and Mommy Jody
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: POPPY’s POV꧁ POPPY ꧂The Next Day.Sunday came, and even though I had stayed up quite late the night before due to all the studying, I still woke up early. After Summer and I finished studying, I continued my lessons using the learning apps that Faith had installed on my phone when I returned to the guestroom that Aunt Keycee had prepared for me. Fortunately, Faith had taught me how to use those apps, which is what kept me up so late.Even so, despite the lack of sleep, I managed to wake up early because my body is used to it. I'm accustomed to short and sometimes very light sleep. I don't know why, but ever since an incident that happened when I was five, I haven’t been able to sleep soundly, even now that I'm seventeen.Oh, by the way, I only recently found out that I was seventeen. When Faith asked me my age at the dining table in the mansion when we were all gathered together, I was caught off guard and didn’t immediately know how to answer. The last birthda
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 24
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧I was deeply engrossed in my work when the door to my office suddenly swung open, revealing Summer and Poppy. Startled, I quickly stood up from my chair, completely unprepared for their unexpected visit.“Surprise!” Summer exclaimed, her hand raised in the air with excitement. Poppy stood quietly beside her, a faint smile on her lips as she looked at me.“What are you two doing here? Shouldn't you be at home studying?" I asked, moving around my desk to guide them to the couch inside my office. They followed and sat down."We got permission from Mom and Dad to go out. We needed to buy some learning materials, so we had a little date at the street market," Summer explained, while Poppy glanced around my office with curious eyes. "Then I asked if she wanted to see where you work before heading back. She said yes, so here we are." She paused, then added quickly, "But don't worry, we know you're busy, so we won't stay long—oh, wait, my phone's ringing." She pulled her ph
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 25
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧“So, you said you were busy and had work to finish?” Chloe's voice had a hint of irritation, though it was clear she was trying to keep her cool. Her brows were furrowed as she stared at me. “Then why is Poppy here?”I took a deep breath before answering her. “She’s with Summer. They went out for a bit and stopped by the office.” Just as I finished speaking, the door opened, and Summer walked in, which made me feel a bit relieved.“Oh, Chloe? You’re here?” Summer’s eyes darted between Chloe and me, quickly grasping the situation. She moved over to Poppy, taking her by the arm, but kept her gaze on Chloe. “We’ll be going now, Chloe. We just dropped by because I needed something from my brother. But then Aunt Baby called, so I left Poppy for a moment. Anyway, we’ll head out. Bye!” She quickly led Poppy out of the office.As the door closed, leaving just Chloe and me alone, I heard her sigh, as if she had finally relaxed a bit. “I’m so sorry, babe.” She stepped closer
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 26
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧When I opened the door to my room, I immediately froze in place. My hand was still on the doorknob, and I didn’t move a step further after seeing what Chloe was wearing. Instead of putting on the pajama set I had borrowed from Summer for her, she was wearing one of my T-shirts. It seemed like she had rummaged through my closet.There shouldn’t have been anything wrong with that. But the issue was, she was only wearing the T-shirt, which reached down to her thighs, barely covering her underwear. Other than that, she wasn’t wearing anything below."Sorry, babe. I’m just not used to wearing other people’s clothes. But this T-shirt of yours is fine. I feel more comfortable in it," she said with a wide smile.Despite my hesitation, I forced myself to step inside and gently pulled the door shut behind me, though I didn’t lock it. I walked straight to the bed and settled on the edge, leaving enough space for her to join me. But instead of lying down beside me, she walked o
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 27
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧“Sir Faith?” I snapped back to reality, lifting my gaze to Colleen after she called my name. It had completely slipped my mind that she was standing in front of my desk, explaining the details of the new project. Yet, since she began speaking, it was as if I hadn’t heard a word.My mind was wandering because it was two weeks since Chloe and Poppy left the house, and we still hadn’t seen Poppy again. Every time Mom tries to contact Mrs. Herald to borrow Poppy, Mrs. Herald makes excuses, claiming that Poppy is busy, but never clarifies what she’s busy with.As for Chloe, she still drops by my office every afternoon before heading home, just like she used to. However, ever since I heard the hurtful words she directed at her sister, I’ve lost interest in her. She’s picked up on this and thinks it’s due to the incident from the night she stayed in my room, so she’s apologized for it multiple times.The truth is, I want to confront her about what she said to her sister, b
The Perfect Husband (Lee Brothers #1) Chapter 28
✧FAITH ZEICAN LEE✧It’s been over a week now that Poppy and I have been studying together online every night. Which also means I’ve been sleep-deprived for just as long. We start at 11 p.m. and go on until 1 a.m. The only reason I manage to last until 1 a.m. is because I load up on coffee before we start. Then, if I feel drowsy again, I make another cup just to push through and continue teaching Poppy.What’s great is that she’s slowly picking up how to read. She’s learned the alphabet. While she’s not very fast or fluent yet, she’s able to read letters to some extent. And most importantly, I’ve taught her how to write her own name.The only issue is, her parents still aren't allowing her to come back to the house. Chloe, on the other hand, has visited us several times this past week. She comes over even without an invitation from me. But it’s fine, since she’s my fiancée—for now, at least. And when she’s here, Mom and Summer sometimes ask her how Poppy is doing, and her usual respons
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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
