"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
Madelyn stood up unsuspectingly and said, "Alright, I understand."When she left with the nurse, she noticed that something was off after walking for a while. They were not heading toward the blood test lab at all.The corridor was quiet, and the lights were dim. Madelyn stopped in her tracks and questioned the fake nurse, "You're not a nurse from this hospital. Who the hell are you?"The fake nurse knew she had been exposed. She immediately turned around and ran toward the other emergency exit. Madelyn gave chase and found out that both emergency exits were locked. When she returned to take the elevator, the elevator continued to go up. However, it got stuck halfway. She was stuck in the elevator.Madelyn banged on the elevator door and shouted, "Is anyone there!? Open the door!"'No wonder the fake nurse used the stairs. The elevator was broken. Who was she anyway? Was it Yvonne? It couldn't be her. She was still having her surgery. She couldn't have reached her so fast,' Madely
Liam was standing in the rain, and though it hadn't been long, he was thoroughly drenched.Blake quickly pulled him close, her voice laced with concern. "Are you crazy? It's pouring rain! What if you catch a cold?"Liam's look was subdued, his face showing signs of fatigue. "I'm okay. This is for you; I didn't want you to have to come out in this weather."As Blake took in his forlorn appearance, her heart softened suddenly. 'Am I losing my mind?' she thought."Now you'll have to pay more attention to me, Blake... I was just so scared of losing you. I've put everything I have into getting you to agree to marry me; the idea of you walking away is unbearable."Overwhelmed with emotion, Blake locked eyes with him. "Did she teach you to say that too?" she asked, her hand moving on its own to brush away the raindrops from his hair.A maid nearby, observing the scene, rushed over with a blanket and an umbrella. However, Grace, fully grasping the gravity of the moment, halted her. Ackno
Cecilia said, "It's fine. Let's give them a week. Rearrange the flight and all the plans for the trip. This is Blake's first time getting married and going abroad for honeymoon. I want to make sure she has a good time."Susan nodded. "Okay, Ms. Samford."Not long after Cecilia left, three editors who used to work for Olivia's company entered her office. All of them spoke in panic, "Ms. Blue, what should we do? Ms. Samford already knows everything. If the legal department finds out about it, will we go to jail?"Olivia remained calm as she said, "Don't panic. Just focus on your work.""But we got into this company through you. What if they say we got into this company through the back door and then fired us?"Olivia sat at her desk, supporting her forehead with her hands. She was obviously panicking. "Don't worry, I'll handle this."You guys can leave now."Olivia did not expect this matter to be exposed so soon. She wondered how Cecilia found out about it. 'Could it be that she'
StartReading Literary was the last place Cecilia wanted to be. But she made an exception this time.Olivia had just finalized a cooperative copyright deal with another website company. Several editors from her own company were there at StartReading Literary. As she entered the office, she saw all the editors from StartReading Literary sitting upright, not daring to make a sound.She also saw her office door was wide open. She frowned as she walked into her office and was surprised to see an unexpected gust.Olivia put down the documents in her hand. "Ms. Samford, what brings you here?"With her legs crossed and Susan standing behind her, Cecilia stared at Olivia, who was in front of her.Cecilia sneered and stood up. She ran her fingers along the desk. "StartReading is actually the last place I want to be. I came here because I found out that you enjoy meddling in other people's affairs. Otherwise, you wouldn't even qualify to see me."Olivia instantly looked wary. She remained s
Liam stood up. He watched as Blake, who looked weary, walked away. "Blake, what do you want me to do so you'll like me?"Blake did not stop walking. Instead, she took even bigger steps and left.She went to the Harper residence, which surprised everyone.Grace asked, "Blake? Why did you come back here? Where's Liam? Why didn't he come back with you?"Blake stuttered, unable to find the words. She just made up an excuse, saying, "It's nothing. I just wanted to come back."After Hannah and Yael left the wedding last night, they went back to the research institute.As for Simon, he went to the farm to manage the business.After Blake went to her room, Grace became worried. She followed her and saw her sitting with a blank expression in the room, not knowing what to do.When Blake saw Grace, she quickly adjusted her mood. "Grace, why are you here?""I came to check on you. Blake, what's wrong? Did you have a fight with Liam? You just had your wedding yesterday, and you're already
The pregnancy test report came out fifteen minutes after Blake did the test. She was indeed pregnant. She was even seven weeks pregnant.Blake had indeed been involved with Kevin while in Northern Myanmar over a month ago.She held the medical report while standing bewildered in the cold hospital corridor. Lights shone through the floor-to-ceiling window onto her body, but all Blake felt was the cold, which made her hands and feet numb.She was lost in her thoughts. 'I'm really pregnant. What should I do with this baby? I want it to be born more than anyone else. But now, everything has changed. This child shouldn't come into this world.'She wandered in the corridor. Suddenly, she saw someone coming out of another gynecological room.She thought, 'Some things are just destined by fate. When I long to see him, even catching a glimpse of him in a dream feels like a luxury, an unattainable wish. But now, when I don't want to see him, it seems he appears everywhere I go.'Kevin supp
Blake wondered, 'I'm now pregnant with Kevin's child. What should I do?'She woke up groggily when she felt someone carry her. She opened her heavy eyelids and asked, "What time is it now?"Liam responded, "It's four-thirty in the morning. It's still early; go back to sleep for a while more."Blake said in a hoarse voice, "I've made an appointment for an abortion at eight o'clock. Regardless of whether I'm really pregnant or not, I don't want to keep this child."She had thought about it all night and believed this was the best decision.Kevin was going to get engaged. Blake believed he would get married and Audrey would give birth to his children. There was simply no need for her to complicate things further.She thought, 'If I choose to be selfish and decide to keep this baby, and if people find out about it, my child will be treated as an illegitimate child. I don't even dare to imagine how badly the child will be treated.'If giving birth to the baby will bring it a lifetime
Blake continued, "What about you, Liam? Do you mind?"If you do, you can choose to divorce me. After all, I've wronged you. No one wants to marry a woman who's carrying someone else's child."Liam stepped forward on the shattered cup and hugged her tightly. "I don't mind. Blake, I love you, including everything about you. I don't mind your past. I just want to start over with you. I didn't tell you about the pregnancy because I was selfish; I wanted to keep you by my side."Blake, your child is my child. I want to raise the baby with you."Don't leave me, okay?"Blake did not know why, but she was not surprised by her pregnancy. However, she felt that there were still some things that she could not let go of, though she was unsure what those were.She was not as calm as she had imagined.She thought about her past events. Then, she indifferently said, "Liam, I don't want this child. Since I'm prepared to be with you, I won't keep this child. It wouldn't be fair to you."Liam di
On this romantic night, the moon was obscured by the clouds.Breathing heavily, Blake felt some pain in her abdomen. She asked to stop. "Liam, my stomach hurts. I think I'm going to have my period soon."Liam sobered up instantly. "I'll go get you some medicine."She peeked out from under the blanket as the bedside lamp turned on. She could clearly see Liam's naked upper body. Her face flushed as she averted her gaze. "It's fine. Just help me call the front desk and ask them to bring up a pack of sanitary pads. I'll go to the bathroom to deal with it."Liam replied, "Let's go to the hospital tomorrow for a check-up."Blake picked up her clothes from the floor and went to the bathroom. "It's okay. It's probably just my period."However, judging by the blood flowing out, it did not seem like menstrual blood to Blake. It looked like something else.Blake's voice came from the bathroom again. "I think we should go to the hospital."She sat on the toilet and watched the tall, slende
Blake had no bridesmaids, so she returned to the hotel room alone. As she stepped out of the elevator and was ready to use the room key card in her hand to swipe and enter the room, she suddenly saw a figure appear from the corner of her eye.She stopped her action and looked at the person who had left the wedding earlier.At that moment, Blake felt her breath catch, but it was only fleeting. She then quickly regained her composure and averted her gaze. She asked, "Didn't you leave? Why are you still here?"Kevin replied, "Congratulations."Upon hearing his congratulations, Blake felt a mix of amusement and discomfort. "There's nothing to congratulate. If anything, I should congratulate you. You're soon to be the mayor's son-in-law. In the future, we won't belong in the same social class anymore."I'm tired and came back to rest. You should leave now before Liam comes up and sees you here."Don't look for me again. I don't want him to misunderstand."Kevin responded, "Audrey and