Despair engulfed Debbie: it was limitless and suffocating. She clung desperately to Mrs. Thomas’s legs, pleading for mercy, but to no avail – Mrs. Thomas had lost all semblance of sanity and was deaf to her cries. With a casual wave of her hand, Debbie was dragged away. Her piercing pleas and sobbing echo through the basement long after her figure disappeared.Once Debbie was gone, Mrs. Thomas, leaning on her cane, hobbled out of the basement to a room at the end of the corridor on the second floor. Darkness enveloped the room, save for the flickering red lights of candles illuminating an altar. Above it rested Bobby's portrait, a photograph of a handsome young boy with a bright smile, his eyes twinkling like stars against the night sky. Mrs. Thomas took down the portrait, her wrinkled hands tenderly caressing Bobby's handsome face as tears dotted the image. "Bobby, forgive me. It's my fault. Grandmother was foolish to trust Debbie. Are you angry with me? Is that why you won't com
Since returning to the Ellenstein Villa District, Patricia had kept a vigilant eye on online developments. She saw the video as soon as it was released.Moreover, the moment of Debbie being discarded at the mall entrance was also captured and uploaded online, though her identity was concealed with mosaic.The hospital quickly issued a statement about her situation, declaring that she had been stripped of all her duties and that her future actions would have no connection to the institution.Not long ago, Debbie, the rising star of the medical world, had shone brightly for only a few days before plummeting like a meteor, shattering completely.The stock price of the Watson family's corporation also suffered due to her scandal, plummeting wildly.Watching the video online again, despite having witnessed the incident once, Patricia still felt a sense of shock and fear.Had Martin not arrived in time, would she have faced the same fate as Debbie now?Although Debbie had brought this upon
After Patricia went downstairs, Martin took a bath, changed into comfortable home clothes, and went down to stand in the kitchen doorway. Leaning against the frame, he watched Patricia bustling about with a warmth in his heart that was hard to put into words. He found himself wishing things could always be this way. Why hadn't he cherished her five years ago? For the sake of his damned pride and promises, he divorced her, leading to the situation he faced now. A man not prone to regret, Martin felt it now for the first time regarding his decision to divorce Patricia.As Patricia finished stir-frying a few dishes and was about to carry them out, she turned to find Martin leaning in the doorway, startling her: "How long have you been standing there? You didn’t make a sound; you almost scared me to death."Martin offered a thin smile and took the dishes from her hands to place them on the dining table outside. Patricia handed him the other plates. Gratefully accepting them, Martin che
With her back to the door, Patricia was oblivious to Martin listening eagerly. She talked on the phone while heading upstairs. Something said on the other end of the call left her beaming, "It's not that I haven't contacted you; it's just that too many events have recently prevented me from doing so," she said.Already fuming, Martin overheard Patricia's next words, "Dinner? Sure, when?"Martin longed to hear more, but the sounds ceased. Turning around, Patricia had vanished. He hesitated, then decided to follow her upstairs and press his ear to the door, trying to eavesdrop. Unfortunately, despite how close he got, he heard nothing.Regretting his earlier decision, Martin thought he shouldn’t have soundproofed the doors so well—now his own defenses were working against him. After several unsuccessful tries, Martin gave up, suppressing the urge to kick the door and left with jealousy burning within.Completely unaware of Martin's eavesdropping, Patricia ended the call with Hunter h
Patricia was driving, mulling over her impending conversation with Samuel, when her phone rang again. She answered using the car's Bluetooth system, "Hello…"Samuel's deep voice filled the compact car's cabin, "Martin is following you. Lose him. I don't want him involved."Checking the rearview mirror at his warning, Patricia indeed spotted Martin's car. His Maybach was two vehicles behind, maintaining a cautious distance that would hardly be noticeable unless one was looking intently.Patricia sneered, "He's Charles' father; of course, he's involved. Why should I stop him from knowing?"Samuel's voice suddenly dropped, "If you let him know, I won't guarantee my next step. You'll regret it."The naked threat clenched Patricia's hold on the steering wheel, channeling her rage. Predicting her acquiescence, Samuel ended the call. Patricia glared in the rearview mirror, recalling the authority and influence Samuel wielded despite no longer managing the Langley Group. Earning his ire was
"A woman who has had a child with another man is no longer suitable for my son," Samuel scoffed coldly. "No, that’s not it, Fannie..." In urgent desperation, Patricia almost revealed Fannie's true identity, but before she could utter another word, Samuel interjected."That's one reason; another is I do not want Martin marrying a wife who only brings him trouble and needs constant protection.”“The Langley family may not require a marriage for alliances, but I still desire a woman who is his match—not in terms of money, but in competence, intelligence, means... You're a mother; I expect you to understand." Samuels harsh words fell.The former was just an excuse. His true desire remained the latter. Samuel did not wish for Martin to have a wife who would only cause him problems and leave him to clean up the mess.Patricia felt as if she'd been plunged into icy water, unable to catch her breath; her head reeled as though everything was exploding—pain, panic, and helplessness dominated h
Touched by her vulnerability, Martin felt an itch at the tip of his heart and forcefully resisted the urge to embrace her. He then threw the umbrella to the ground, lifted her in his arms, and forced her into the passenger seat, draping his jacket over her as a gesture of comfort."Go ahead and cry, but inside the car," he said firmly as she wept, "it's raining out, don't mistreat your body."Hearing his concern, Patricia halted her tears, looking at him with wet lashes, appearing as a forlorn rabbit. Martin felt the tickle in his heart again, fighting the impulse to pull her into his arms, he closed the car door firmly, circled around to the driver's side, and sat down. Taking a dry towel from the compartment, he tossed it onto her lap."Dry yourself off first. We're going home. Everything else can wait until we get there," he said with an authoritative, husky voice.Patricia, head empty and unable to think clearly, complied blindly. Earlier, the heartache had numbed her to the c
Seeing her silent, Gavin grew angrier, his words biting like saw blades, “If you don’t come back, I'll destroy all of your mother’s keepsakes." He threatened.Thinking of the keepsakes she treasured in her room, a sharp pain clutched Patricia’s heart as she warned through clenched teeth, “Those are my mother's things, dare to touch them and see what happens!” Gavin laughed mockingly, "You think I wouldn’t dare! You have one hour. If you don't show up, you’ll never see those things again." Without waiting for Patricia’s reply, he hung up abruptly. Patricia trembled with rage. Those were the last mementoes of her mother. After her mother's suicide, her father wanted to destroy all her belongings. Patricia had struggled fiercely to save half, locking them carefully in her room. Before her coerced marriage to Martin—standing in for Debbie who fled on the eve of the wedding—she hadn’t taken those mementoes, unsure how long the marriage would last. Later, she got pregnant, Debbie retu