"After the surgery, I'll be fine. I'll be like I was before," said Yvonne.Her sparse hair was singed by fire, her hands, her neck, and even the skin visible to the naked eye bore burn marks.Zach had no interest in Yvonne's physical appearance. He asked, "So, Ethan didn't survive the crash that day?"'The day of the plane crash...' Yvonne, lost in thought, seemed to remember something. Zach noticed the change in her tone."When the plane was hijacked, Ethan gave me the only parachute. The plane crashed into the sea before I could escape. I don't know what happened to him after that."Zach was adept at reading people's true intentions. He could tell whether Yvonne was lying, and it was clear to him she was. However, he did not expose her lie.Yvonne watched as Zach's shadow faded. She hesitantly looked up, only to find that he had already gone down the stairs.The bodyguard approached Zach and asked, "Sir, what do we do with them?"Zach gave a look and the bodyguard nodded in u
"Zach, what on earth can I even say to you?"Yvonne was brought downstairs with only her eyes showing beneath her headscarf. She felt really scared when she saw the maids and her mom tied up like her. As the door opened, letting in a breeze, the sharp smell of gasoline filled the air.Zach, in his anger, seemed determined to burn them all alive.Frida begged, "Please, don't hurt Yvonne."Tears started streaming down Yvonne's cheeks, especially when she realized that Zach wanted to kill her again. She remembered the terrifying fire incident that had nearly scarred her for life, and now, she was scared out of her mind.Kai quickly looked over when he heard the name 'Yvonne' and saw someone in a wheelchair. He was not sure if it was her, but that did not matter. What mattered was saving everyone in the room.Kai could not believe how far Zach would go for Maddie. They were talking about the lives of over a dozen people. If they all died because of this, Zach could never make it righ
Kai, feeling disgusted, wiped the blood off Yvonne's face. "Clean up your wounds and come to the hospital. You'd better not break your promise, or no one will be able to help you this time."He then climbed into Zach's car."Zach, did you skip your meds today? You're acting so recklessly. I mean, why aren't you taking care of your marriage instead of getting mixed up in all this dangerous stuff? Maddie was worried about you, which is why I'm here. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known about your wild behavior."As Kai noticed Zach silently cleaning his hands, his irritation grew. "Maddie's usually right about these things. You sneaking out at night? Definitely up to no good."Zach, trying to rest, closed his eyes. "You're being noisy."Kai chuckled. "I'm just looking out for you, man." He grabbed Zach's wrist, checking his pulse. A moment later, he moved it away. "You seem okay, just a bit stressed. Try to chill out a bit. And hey, clean off that gasoline smell before we get back. Madd
After the doctor left, Madelyn's eyes fluttered open. She saw Zach talking to the caretaker at the door.When Zach came in, Madelyn, her head still spinning, sat up in bed. She dodged his hand as he reached out and, while looking away, said, "Go wash off that smell, okay?"Zach covered her with the blanket. "You skipped dinner, so I got someone to make oatmeal for you. It's almost ready. Try to eat more next time, alright? I'll be back after a quick shower."Madelyn stayed silent.Zach left his suit on the bed before heading to the shower. Weakly, Madelyn got out of bed and grabbed the suit. She sniffed it and caught the smell of gasoline. She was right. She knew Zach had been out in the middle of the night, probably on some risky mission.Feeling upset, Madelyn threw the suit aside and went to her art studio to call Kai.Kai was on his way home when he received Madelyn's call.When he answered, Madelyn's worried voice came through. "Do you know where Zach went? Why did he smell
Madelyn quickly fell asleep, unaware of the events that would unfold later that night. However, she experienced a scary dream.In her dream, she saw Zach in a fiery place, clutching a gun. He was covered in blood, and at his feet lay bodies: Hayson, Jasmine, Ethan, Evelyn, Yvonne, Frida, and Forrest. Dalton was crawling on the ground.In her dream, Madelyn yelled, but Zach seemed unable to hear her. She watched, feeling helpless."No, please don't do it—"She woke up, her heart beating super-fast.Margaret came in from the next room, looking worried. "Ms. Jent, you're up! You slept a lot, and it's nearly dinner time. Mr. Jardin called to check on you. He was worried you were sick because you hadn't woken up. He's coming over now, and he's really concerned about you."Madelyn was surprised at how long she slept. She rubbed her head, feeling sleepy, and said, "Maybe I overslept because I couldn't sleep well last night."Zach hurried home, worried about Madelyn. When he saw she was
"Stay back. Don't come near me!"The person's voice sounded scratchy. They were a bit late in warning her, though.Struggling to see in the dark, Madelyn flicked on her phone's flashlight. She gasped upon seeing someone in a hospital outfit with skin covered in burn marks, causing her phone to slip from her hand in shock.Hearing a crash, Zach rushed into the women's restroom without a second thought.Before Madelyn could snap out of her daze, Zach had already started pulling her out."You okay?" Zach looked her over real quick.Still freaked out by the burned person, Madelyn nodded. "I'm alright. They looked so hurt... It freaked me out. Let's head back, okay?" she mumbled, the image sticking in her head like a bad dream.Even though Madelyn did not buy into ghost stories, she could not shake off the spooky face she saw.In the restroom, Yvonne, a sobbing mess with foul-smelling stains on her hospital gown, was found by her helper.Yvonne felt humiliated. She remembered a tim
Kai noticed Lana's upset stomach and chatted more to distract her, gently rubbing her abdomen.Lana, sitting on his lap, felt much better. "Don't stop talking," she said."I tried to stop him last night," Kai said. "Had I been late, Yvonne might not have made it here today.""He wanted to kill her? Why? Yvonne's his ex-wife. That's horrible!"Kai grinned. "Wife? He saw her as just a tool. I thought Zach was tough, like he couldn't love anyone. But now, he's got a soft spot. Just talking about Maddie made him think twice. The old Zach would've been way harsher with the Youngs."Lana was amazed. "I never knew he was that scary. It must be tough being with him, but why did you help her get better?"Kai stopped writing and pinched Lana's cheek gently. "You're really smart, figuring things out quickly."Lana's cheeks turned pink. "No teasing, okay? Just tell me what's up.""Last night, I chatted with Yvonne about Ethan. I think she's hiding something about the plane crash. She might
Kai asked, "Is everything okay?"The nurse gave a quick nod. "All good. I'm off to fetch the meds." In her mind, she pondered, 'That medicine hasn't seen the light of day in ages. Why's it being used for this patient?'Just then, a voice called out, "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Jardin!"Kai glanced up, his eyebrows raised slightly, as he heard voices outside."Ah, what a surprise!" As Zach and Madelyn walked in, he poured two cups of water, sliding one toward Madelyn. "Here, I added some brown sugar to this one. It'll help warm you up."Madelyn smiled in thanks."So, what brings you here today?" Kai knew they usually had a reason.Madelyn turned to Zach. "You go handle your stuff."Zach, needing to step out but reluctant to leave Madelyn alone, decided it was best that she stay here.The evening sun set, reflecting the recent mix of warm and chilly weather. Zach, wanting to keep Madelyn cozy, shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders."Stay put for a bit, okay? Don't