"Do you have to leave tonight?" Lana asked, absentmindedly staring into her bowl."In a couple of days," Kai replied."Can't you stay? I don't want you to go," Lana said, hoping to keep Kai by her side.Kai remained silent for a moment before finally speaking, "It's different this time. The mission is critical, and they need me to complete it.""Alright, I support you. You're the best. When you come up with a groundbreaking cancer treatment, both the baby and I will be so proud of you," she said with a warm smile.Kai grinned and caressed her hair gently. He said, "Then wait here for me, okay? I worry about you being alone at home. The hospital is close to the research institute, and I'll visit whenever I can.""I understand. I'll wait here for you," Lana said.After dinner, Kai washed the dishes before retreating to his room for a bath. When he was done, he left a single bedside lamp on. Just as sleep began to claim him, he heard the door creak open. Lana, clad in maternity paj
"For the past three months, Lana has thought of me as Andrew. But I've never felt the joy of truly having her," confessed Kai.It was rare for Kai to open his heart to anyone, even to Zach. Initially, Kai considered Zach a mere pawn against the wealthy Jardin family. Now that Hayson was gone, only Zach remained. However, Zach's hatred for Hayson was not any less potent than Kai's own. Since Zach had killed his own father, he could be ruthless to anyone. However, the one soft spot he had was for Madelyn."So what's your plan?" Zach asked.Kai sighed, "I'll take it one step at a time. Better for her to live in the present than to wallow in memories that bring her pain."Kai remembered how Lana kneeled at the Stewart residence, hoping to catch a glimpse of Andrew. But he was long gone, and everyone knew it."Do you remember the wager we made four years ago?" Kai asked as he placed his hands in the pockets of his coat and looked toward Zach. His once carefree eyes had lost something i
Serena blinked her innocent eyes, momentarily taken aback, "Me? Is something the matter?"Kevin responded, "You'll find out soon enough, Ms. Smith."Within a short span of twenty minutes inside the private lounge, a complete dossier on Serena was delivered to Zach. As Serena entered the lounge, she found a man in a tailored black suit, oozing an alluring but restrained aura, engrossed in some documents. She did not know where to rest her gaze, so she tried to act natural. Flicking her long hair behind her ear, she asked, "Mr. Jardin, I heard you wanted to see me?"Zach retrieved a photo from the pile of papers and tossed it in front of Serena. As the photo drifted down, he commented, "Nice work on your face."Serena's smile instantly froze on her face, "H-how did you get a photo of me from before?"'I had made sure those pictures were destroyed.' Serena thought. Staring at her past self in the picture, she felt as if a bomb had gone off in her head, yet she forcefully subdued the
Kevin was taken aback by the transformation in Zach since the accident that befell Madelyn.Two hours later, Kevin walked into Madelyn's room with a file bag in hand and said, "Sir, I've brought everything you requested."Zach, after carefully wiping Madelyn's hands, covered them with a blanket. He said, "From now on, take charge of the company matters. Don't come to me with every little thing—only the major contracts needing my signature. You've been with me long enough; you know what to do."Kevin eyed Zach, his disbelief clear. "You're walking away from everything? You built it all from nothing." His gaze shifted to Madelyn, still and silent on the bed. "Is this permanent? What if she doesn't wake up?""I owe her that much." Zach's voice was gentle, his touch tender on Madelyn's face. "Now, go. Don't disturb her rest any further."Kevin nodded after a pause. "Understood, sir." He couldn't help but think, 'Mr. Jardin's lost it.'True to his word, Zach left his empire behind, de
Mya was consumed by guilt. She questioned if the situation could have been averted had she not passed the note to Madelyn.As Kennedy escorted her out of the hospital, Mya wiped away her tears and suddenly shoved him, her face flushed with anger. "This is your fault. If you hadn't insisted on me giving Madelyn that note, she wouldn't be in this mess.""Give her back!" Mya cried out in despair.Kennedy's eyes were heavy with regret as he murmured an apology, "I'm sorry, Mya. I never thought things would turn out this way."'She must have seen those emails I sent.' He wondered if his emails had been the catalyst."Sorry? You knew, Kennedy! You knew Madelyn was sick. Why did you have to upset her? Ethan is gone, so what? Couldn't you have waited until she recovered to tell her? Now the doctors aren't sure she'll even regain consciousness. What am I supposed to do? She's my only friend. Please, keep your distance. This is on you."The raised voices drew a nurse's attention, leading t
The stark truth hit Zach hard, demanding he face it despite its severity."I don't care what it takes, I want you to cure her," Zach demanded, his voice tinged with desperation."It's not that simple. She's resisting the treatment, refusing to wake up. At this rate, even a miracle wouldn't be enough to save her," Kai responded, weary resignation filling his eyes."Fine. If the medical treatments here can't help, then I'll take her abroad. Surely someone out there can do something," Zach shot back, stubborn hope clouding his judgment.Kai had to admit that Zach seemed to have lost his grip on reality. "Perhaps there's one last resort," Kai mused cautiously.Avoiding any disclosure of Madelyn's true background and the mysterious Hawk family, Kai sought the advice of Agustin.He began, his voice laden with urgency, "Agustin, that's how it stands. If you could perhaps share something about Alicia Wood, it might jolt her awake."Still recovering from surgery, Agustin sat in his hospi
A reporter asked, "Ms. Smith, the international news reported that Ms. Jent's artwork was just awarded the gold prize in Libertyville. What are your thoughts? Do you think your art could surpass hers?" a reporter asked.Ignoring the question, Serena donned her sunglasses and walked away, flanked by her bodyguards. She snapped, "Make sure those reporters who just asked those questions won't show their faces around me again.""Yes, Ms. Smith."'Madelyn Jent? The Jent family was nothing now. How is she an heiress? She only depended on that freeloading Zach of hers!' Serena thought to herself. She found herself feeling superior, almost triumphant, thinking about the Jent family's downfall."Make sure this afternoon's papers please me. I don't want to see that wretched name in them," Serena warned."As you wish, Ms. Smith."When Serena returned home, her mother, Zoe Parker, looked at her transformed face with dismay because it reminded her of someone from the past. While sitting on th
The headline in the newspaper wrote that "Madelyn Smith Seeks Mentorship with Leonardo Monet for Upcoming Exhibition."Kevin stared at Serena's picture on the newspaper, who had undergone plastic surgery to closely resemble Madelyn. He gestured toward a painting behind Serena and remarked to Mr. Jardin, "Look at these paintings. They look familiar, don't they?"Zach squinted and said, "You're referring to the paintings behind her? They look like the ones from Madelyn's album."Kevin confirmed, "Ms. Jent always carried that album around; it was dear to her. After she left Ventrocloud High, she said it went missing. I never suspected Serena might have it."Zach also remembered flipping through Madelyn's art album. She told him that the places that she drew were all real and that they were places she wanted to go to. It seemed that the lost album was now in Serena's hand."How foolish of her," Zach said. "Is everything ready to go?"Kevin nodded and replied, "We've gathered all the