I poured the rest into Edith's glass, nearly spilling it over the brim. She quickly took two sips.I watched, my heart racing.There was no virus or germ on my end—I hadn't even taken a sip.But what about the drug she'd spiked in my drink? I had no idea what it was—or its effect.Yes, I was feeling uneasy. But then again, if anything happened, it would be her own fault. She did this to herself!While she answered Edward's call, I texted Cherry, asking her to call me in ten minutes with an excuse—something urgent at the company. I had about five or six minutes left.Edith was still fuming. She gulped down more orange juice and continued her tirade. "Do you ever look at yourself and feel disgusted by the failure you've become?"You had a hand in your sister's death. You sent your own dad to jail. I heard you cornered your stepmother."And now you want to divorce a man who's done nothing but remain faithful to you. What do you think you'll gain from all this? Do you see how alone
Edward got out of his car just in time.Since he was here, I thought I was no longer morally compelled to go after Edith."Your sister is in trouble. Go look for her!" I said.He seemed confused. "What? Edith told me to come here for you! She said you've both been drinking.""I didn't drink! And more importantly, don't worry about me. Your sister is in trouble! She's driving when she shouldn't!"Edward could tell I was serious. Alarmed, he pulled out his phone.She didn't answer.A severe expression shadowed his face as he ran back to his car.After watching him leave, I drove off as well.What happened to Edith was no longer my concern. I had informed her family. My responsibility ended there.-Unfortunately, things escalated quickly. Well past midnight, long after I had fallen asleep, my phone rang.I groggily picked it up, and Edward's voice immediately howled through the receiver. "What did you do to my sister?! What did you do?! Why did you end up fine after dinner wh
Well, well, well! I decided to let him believe whatever he wanted for as long as he pleased. That way, when I finally revealed my evidence, it would hit him even harder."I'll show you what really happened very soon," I said. "Where are you all now? At home? Or the hospital?""The hospital."The Kennedys owned a private hospital. If anything were to happen to Edith, the family would have insisted on keeping it under wraps. They would only trust their own doctors.I bought a bouquet and rushed to the hospital.-As I stepped out of the elevator into the corridor, I spotted Edward and overheard snippets of his conversation with his lawyer.I caught the word "rape."So, it was true. The Kennedy heiress had been sexually violated.No wonder her brother was so furious with me.I felt a fleeting pang of regret. But then I reminded myself of how much Edward had hurt and slandered me. I told myself not to be too soft. Even if I hadn't let Edith drink that orange juice and had simply
It was too late. I had passed my phone to Edward.Sally leaned in, curiosity etched on her face.Edward's expression darkened.Sally's shock deepened, and she turned to her daughter, stammering, "You… What did you… What have both of you—""Explain this right now, Edith Kennedy!" Edward bellowed at his sister. "What the hell happened last night?!""I-I…" Edith stammered, tears streaming down her face.Edward had lost it. He stormed toward her, shoving the screen in her face. "Don't look away! You were the one who drugged her! You lied! You fucking lied to everyone!""I didn't! I didn't lie!" Edith wailed. "I didn't say it was her! You're the one who thought so! Don't blame me!"She turned to me, her fury intensifying. "What the hell is wrong with you, bitch?! I've already been punished in the most painful way possible, so why are you doing this?! You want me to kill myself, don't you?!"I frowned and replied innocently, "Your brother was the one who forced me to make a statemen
"Who told you that?" I replied calmly, grinning. "I didn't know! I just saw how much you liked the drink and let you have mine too. That was me being nice!""Y-You're evil!" Edith stuttered.She turned to Edward and howled, "Is this the kind of woman you like? An evil, heartless bitch?!""Shut up! You started all of this, and now I'm dragged into it because of you! You're a moron!" Edward shot back."I was doing it for you! If it weren't for how obsessed you are with her, would I even have come up with a plan like this?!" Edith shrieked, tears and snot streaming down her face.Edward laughed scornfully. "You stooped so low and committed a crime, and that was somehow for my sake?!""Yes! It was all for you!" Edith snarled."I just wanted her to be with you! Then maybe she wouldn't leave you so easily! Or, better yet, if you got her pregnant, she couldn't leave you because of the baby!"At the very least… the two of you have been together for six years and even registered as civi
Sally demanded, "Divorce that witch this instant, or don't ever call yourself my son!""You can't abandon your own sister over a woman who doesn't even care about you anymore! At least I did all of that for you! How could you treat me like I mean nothing?!" Edith cried.A barrage of anger rained down on Edward. Even I winced at the relentless noise.At that moment, my phone rang. It was Soren.I turned and headed toward the door."You're not going anywhere, Taylor! Delete the video, or don't even think about leaving!" Sally roared.I couldn't help but feel amused. "You really think I didn't make multiple backup copies? Your son could smash my phone to pieces, and it wouldn't change a thing!"Edward had smashed my phone the other day, hadn't he? Thanks to him, I'd had to buy a new one.Sally was stunned.Before I left, I heard her shout, "If you spread that video, the Kennedys will never let you go! I swear it!"I retorted, "If your son agrees to end this, no one else has to k
Soren had tossed the ball at me!I should have been mad at him for deflecting the question back at me, but instead, I breathed a sigh of relief and laughed."Ha! I was joking! Did you take it seriously? I know you're the kind of upstanding guy who repays kindness with even more kindness. And let's not forget—I saved your life. Twice!"He chuckled softly before stating plainly, "It's more than just repaying your kindness, Taylor."My mind went blank. Oh God, why did I bring this up?* Regret? I had plenty of it.After a moment of panic, I blurted out, "Er, what did you say? I was in an elevator, and the signal cut out for a second!"He chuckled quietly—as if he could see right through my evasion. But he didn't call me out on it."Nothing urgent, don't worry. Good luck later, alright?" he said.Relieved that he'd chosen to play along, I felt my heart settle. "Thanks! I'll take all the luck I can get!"The call ended as I stepped out of the hospital.I pressed a hand to my chest
When it was time for debates, Edward's lawyer focused solely on refuting every point Ash made. There was no sign of cooperation whatsoever."I thought the defendant would be more cooperative," Ash muttered under his breath to me. "But right now, their strategy seems to hinge on emphasizing how happy your relationship was. The judge might be swayed to their side this time. If that happens, we might need a second trial…"A second trial? That would mean at least three more months! No—I couldn't bear to wait even one more day.I raised my hand, interrupting Edward's lawyer. "Sir, I'm not feeling well. May I request a short break?""The court approves a ten-minute recess.""Thank you."As I passed by the defendant's seat, I leaned in and whispered, "We need to talk."Edward scowled but followed me out.Once outside, I showed him the video again. "Are you really willing to risk me showing this to the police? Do you want your sister to go to prison?"Edward stared at my phone, his li
I stiffened.Soren had changed. He was different from how I remembered him, and that was why he felt so unpredictable to me now.I composed myself and looked back. Silas was still asleep.I straightened my clothes and stepped outside.Soren stood on the balcony, maybe hoping the cool breeze would calm him. Bullet circled his legs, tail wagging.I approached him hesitantly. He didn't turn around. Instead, he said, "Let's get married, Taylor."I was stunned. My mind went blank.What the hell?! Just like that? He decided to throw this at me, all of a sudden?Soren turned to face my bewilderment with calmness. "This is the best arrangement moving forward.""Because of Hale?""Why else?" He smiled. "I wouldn't mind if it were for love too.""You… still love me after all these years?""Don't you?"This wasn't how we used to talk. I was struggling to adjust.Soren had once been mild-mannered, gentle, and patient. Now, every conversation felt like a quiet battle of wits, where he
I was amused. "What do you want for compensation? It's not like we didn't have a good time back then."It took Soren raising his eyebrows for me to realize I might have sounded more suggestive than I intended."Wait, hold on. I didn't mean—""I want those good times again," Soren interrupted, his voice firm.I couldn't believe my ears. "You what?!"Did he have no sense of decency or control? It was still broad daylight! Silas was sleeping right nearby!"I said," Soren suddenly loomed closer, his gaze turning lascivious, "I want those good times again, mm."My hair stood on end. I tensed and shrank into the wall. "Soren, we are st— Mmm."I knew exactly what he meant, but before I could even finish warning him, he closed the remaining distance and pressed his lips against mine. He pulled my wrists forward, circling them around his waist.It felt like we were cuddling. I couldn't fight him—I was trapped between him and the wall.Soren's kiss started soft and curious, as though h
"W-What are you doing?" I stammered, my voice trembling.He stayed silent, his tall, imposing figure advancing and forcing me into a corner.I couldn't retreat any further. His grip on my arm held me in place."What are you doing? Can you not grab me like that?" I tried to sound firm, though my voice betrayed me.Soren didn't respond, merely looking down at me with a near-indifferent expression. Beneath his calm demeanor, though, I sensed a flicker of anger—something unsettling in his eyes.We moved like this—me backing away, him pressing forward—until I was cornered, my back against the wall.I frowned, my heart pounding in my chest."Why did you stop? Aren't you going to back off anymore?" he finally asked, his voice dripping with an almost smug satisfaction, like a cat that had finally cornered its prey.Humiliation burned my cheeks, the sting of his teasing cutting deeper than I wanted to admit.Even a mouse would bite when cornered, and I was no meek, helpless creature.
The atmosphere in the car grew unbearably tense. Neither of us said a word.The only sound was Silas' steady, rhythmic breathing. He looked especially peaceful, fast asleep in his father's arms.Over half an hour later, the car pulled up in front of Amanda's building.I stepped out and reached for Silas, but Soren refused. "He's really heavy. I'll carry him up for you."I instinctively pushed back. "Huh? It's alright, I can do it myself."It was still daytime, meaning Amanda was definitely at work. If Soren went upstairs, it would be just the two of us. After all, Silas was already asleep.I recalled the ambiguous moment in the car and had a gut feeling he might try something.I wasn't trying to be dramatic. I simply hadn't figured out what the future held for us yet. I didn't want my hormones to push me into a weak moment, leading to something I wasn't ready for.Unfortunately, Soren didn't care. He just walked off with Silas and headed straight for the entrance.I stared aft
I just smiled, unsure how to respond."But it's all good now. The house feels a lot livelier." Soleil grabbed my arm and pleaded, "Please don't leave. Ren's been waiting for you all this time and won't consider anyone else."I blushed, unprepared for the conversation to take such a sharp turn.I stole a glance at Soren, who sat across from me.To my surprise, he was looking at me as well.My heart raced as our gazes met, and I quickly looked down, focusing on my food.-We had woken up early that morning, and Silas had enjoyed himself thoroughly. After lunch, he began rubbing his eyes, ready for a nap.I whispered to Soren, "He's a little tired. I think I should get him home."Soren checked his watch—it was 1:00 p.m."Alright. I'll drive you two back." With that, he rose from his seat and informed his parents.Lisbeth looked reluctant. "We've got plenty of rooms here. Why don't you two stay?"I could tell how much they wanted us to remain. In fact, they probably would've do
Soleil dragged me along without giving me a chance to refuse.Soren stood at the door and waved when he saw me. "Grandpa's asking for you."Before I could respond, Soleil asked, "Where's my little nephew?""He's with Grandpa," Soren replied.Soleil darted inside immediately, while Soren and I followed side by side."What does he want to tell me? Did he seem angry?" I whispered."Don't worry, he's not. He loves Hale. He was thrilled when Hale called him Great-grandpa just now!"Soren's eyes sparkled as he looked at me, like something bright had fallen into them. It was a familiar expression that reminded me of how nervous I'd felt when we were madly in love.By the time we entered the room, Soleil already had Silas in her arms.Once again, the little fellow managed to charm his aunt, playing along despite not even knowing who she was. It proved once more that blood truly is thicker than water.Seeing William leaning against his bed, I walked over and greeted him respectfully.
"Your brother's taken him to meet your grandfather," I replied."I see. Why aren't you with them?" Soleil asked."I'm worried I might anger your grandfather by being there," I admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. "After all, I kept Hale's birth a secret from you all."I grabbed Soleil's hand and asked, "Do you know what your parents think about this? Honestly, I'm really worried, but your mother seemed so friendly with me, so...""Please! What else could they think?" Soleil patted my hand and led me to a bench. "Ren worked himself to the bone while you were gone. I'm serious! Days and nights of relentless focus."She leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. "Candy chased after him like a madwoman, even confessing to him in public several times. But Ren ignored her completely."He got so fed up he told her grandfather he had no feelings for her whatsoever and never would, so she should find someone else."Candy was so furious she cried her eyes out. That was the l
I finally managed to ease all the tension that had built up.Soren walked over and asked gently, "I'm going to take Hale to meet Grandpa, so… Do you want to come along?"I looked at him, already knowing it probably wasn't a good idea.William had made it clear he didn't approve of Soren and me being together. He had someone else in mind—someone he considered more suitable to be Soren's wife. That was why I had agreed to step aside.Yet here I was, not only bringing a child into their home out of the blue but also about to present him to his great-grandfather.What would William think? He'd probably see me as manipulative, a woman who had schemed her way into their family."I don't think that's a good idea. I wouldn't want to upset your grandfather by accident," I replied softly, my thoughts clear."Alright then. I'll leave you to it.""Okay."After informing his parents, Soren carried Silas off to meet William, leaving me behind.An awkward silence settled over the room.Lis
They teared up from the excitement of meeting their grandson, unable to stop playing with him."Look, dear! He looks exactly like Soren when he was little! Oh my God, they look so much alike!" Lisbeth's voice trembled with excitement, a stark contrast to her usual calm demeanor.Even Marlon, typically stern and commanding, had the same reaction. He stared at Silas, who was nestled in Soren's arms, for a while before nodding and saying, "You're right, but Soren seems smarter."Soren sounded displeased. "Come on, don't be so harsh on him."Lisbeth laughed, dismissing her husband's remark as she gently coaxed, "Hello, my little precious. I'm your grandmother. Would you let me hold you, please?"Silas had been meeting too many strangers since we returned to the country, so he seemed a little caught off guard.He looked at me and said, "Mama…"Lisbeth followed his gaze, her eyes landing on me. Her initial joy subtly faded.Soren seized the moment. "Mom, why don't you play with Hale