Charmine thus stood up and went to the changing room. The atmosphere was unusually tense. Anthony watched her as his hands clenched tightly. As she quickly got changed, Charmine then put on a windbreaker and zipped up before leaving. “I’m leaving now, for real.” Her tone was meant to trigger and threaten him. She thought he would stop her, not for him to follow behind her instead! “I’ll drive you.” Charmine halted. He would drive her? Send her straight to Guy? What was all this?! “No need! I’ll go myself. I can’t go there with you, following around!” With that said, she pushed the door open and left, leaving Anthony alone in the room. The room’s temperature seemingly dropped drastically at that moment. The sound of her heels grew further away before they finally vanished. He stepped forward, wanting to chase after Charmine, but he instantly recalled Charmine’s pain-contorted face just as his hand landed on the doorknob. Anthony paused where he stood. Hi
Charmine quickly declined as she spoke, “No need, just ask Mr. Granger to come out.” “Charmine, I know you’re angry at us. It’s our fault, but I didn’t have a choice. As long as you agree to marry into the Granger family, I’ll apologize to you however you like! You know, we only have one son, yet he’s so adamant to not marry even when he’s thirty years old right now. It’s so rare for him to fall for someone… It’s my fault, and I apologize. I hope you can understand my difficulties…” Grandma Granger’s voice was hoarse—she seemed to be in pain. Charmine merely scoffed, “If I understand you, who’s going to understand me? Do you know how hard it is for Anthony and I to have come to where we’re at today? Do you know how much courage I need to marry him? You want others to sacrifice things for your precious grandson? The Granger family is a well-reputable family, and you’ve all done great deeds for the country, yet you’re acting so sneaky in this situation? Do you think you even deserv
Guy did not further question Charmine as he laid on the operation table cooperatively. Due to Annabel and Chris’ illnesses, Charmine had been quite familiar with the medical instruments. Along with her natural talent, she had learned many things. She took a few catheters and inserted them to his wrist, fingertips, and ankles to get his blood samples. Following that, she took his blood sample to the device to further analyze and examine it. She even took some blood samples from her wrist and analyzed them as well. This process went on for two hours, and Charmine was too focused that it was as if the world had vanished behind her. She said not a word as she worked while Guy remained laying on the operating table. He did not come up nor did he disturb her. Seeing that she was so focused, his gaze grew more complex. Charmine would not have suffered if it was not for his grandmother. However, his grandmother did it for him, and it all started because of him. After a lo
Of course Anthony could not accept it; he had thousands of thoughts in bringing her back. The thought of the poison that still coursed through her veins and the pain on her face, however, made his large hands clenched. “Well, what do you want to say?” he scowled. “If not, I'm hanging up.” He could continue drinking once he hung up. This was the only way to repress those thoughts. Seeing that he was about to hang up, Charmine quickly said, “Hold on. Look at where I’m at.” As she spoke, she turned to the rear camera and showed him the resting lounge and the laboratory outside. There were all kinds of devices, and one could tell it was a research laboratory right away. Anthony frowned. “What are you doing there?” “I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to listen to?” asked Charmine with a mysterious tone. “Bad news,” came Anthony’s instantaneous reply. He only wanted to know if she had slept with Guy or not. Charmine acknowledged that. “I’ll tell you
“Let me drive, it’s safer.” Charmine’s eyes narrowed at Guy’s offer, but he had a point. It had been an afternoon, and who knew when her migraine would strike again. She sat in the backseat and said to him, “To Royal Banquet Bar.” Guy drove as told, albeit with a frown on his face. “Royal Banquet Bar?” He did not know where that was… Charmine then recalled that Guy was not someone who would frequent such places, thus she pulled up the GPS. “Show me the direction to the Royal Banquet Bar.” “Okay, your location is set. Please drive to…” the GPS replied. The car then drove forward accordingly. Charmine stared at Guy who was in the driver’s seat and frowned. He was a good person. It was a pity that such things happened; they would have been friends had it not happened. The car pulled over at Royal Banquet Bar. Charmine opened the door and said to him, “I’ll go pick up Anthony, wait for me here.” “Okay,” Guy agreed, though he seemed worried. Her migraine could s
Anthony scoffed. He did agree to her plan, but it did not mean that Charmine and Guy should stay so close together. He brought Charmine to the car parked at the side where Luke was in. Anthony merely glanced at Guy. “Mr. Granger should be able to find Violet Residence, no? If you can’t, follow our car.” With a wave of his hand, their car moved forward as he had his arm wound around Charmine. He made it clear that they were in a relationship. Charmine was speechless. He did not even want them in the same car? How would they live in peace in the following two months? Guy, luckily, did not hold it against him. He merely followed behind them quietly. Charmine was forced to be in Anthony’s arms. “You’re an adult,” she frowned at him. “There’s no need—” “What? You’re disappointed to not be in the same car as him?” challenged Anthony, his tone low as he did. Charmine quickly shook her head. “Of course not, I was simply asking. Don’t mind me.” That was unimportant. A
Why was Guy pretending? A man like him could only fool young girls!Anthony gave Guy a pointed stare. “Remember, Mr. Granger, that my love and I are married. You’re staying here to treat her. Don’t have any ideas that you shouldn’t be having.” His warning sounded serious. With a frown on his face, Guy responded unpleasantly, “Rest assured, Mr. Bailey, I’m a man of my word.” With that said, he went straight into the room and said not a word to them anymore. Meanwhile, he instructed his assistant, “Bring some clothes and essential items to Violet Villa. Remember, don’t let my Grandma and Dior know about this!” If they knew he would be giving blood to Charmine every day, knowing them well, they would not agree to it. After all, his blood type was too rare… Outside his room. After Guy had gone into his designated room, Anthony walked to the second floor with Charmine. He did not want to spend any more second with Guy around. Nial followed behind them when he recalled so
Charmine met his gaze and answered rationally, “I only hope that he’s kept in optimal condition. Otherwise, I won’t be cured, now would I? If anything happens to him, the Grangers will make an enemy out of the Baileys, making things a whole lot more difficult than it needed to be.” Anthony scoffed. She made it sound as if it made sense, but he knew she did not want Guy to be in danger. Guy was someone special to her. However, thinking of her migraines, he had to keep it to himself. He could make him pay two months later. Nial ran a few tests in the laboratory while Charmine thought of what happened in the past few days. Perhaps the Jordans and Baileys did try to contact her within that period. However, when she left home early in the morning, her phone had run out of battery. “I’ll go get the power bank on the second floor,” she said. “Be right back.” Remembering that Guy was on the first floor, Anthony willingly removed his hold around Charmine’s waist. Charmine went
There was an unnoticeable glint in Sonia's eyes. She nestled herself further into Harry's arms as she added, "Let’s go to Pares. We'll come back after I give birth to the baby.""Alright."Harry stayed by Sonia's side as he watched over her, cared for her, and talked to her until she finally slept in his care.He stood up tiredly and walked out of the room to sit in the living room.Thuck!Something fell out of his pocket.He narrowed his eyes to the source of sound and spotted a USB.Since when did he have a USB in his pocket?With a small frown on his face, Harry curiously picked it up and noticed the front side of the USB glowing. Something was carved onto its surface, too.[Granger].Was it Dior’s USB? Why was her USB inside his pocket?Harry’s clear fingers held on the USB tightly. He thought for a moment before he took out a laptop, turned it on, and plugged in the USB.A moment later, the screen showed what seemed to be peculiar surveillance footage with a descriptio
Dior was still lost in her storm of thoughts when a shadowy figure zipped past her and ran toward Harry.When she spotted this familiar figure, she reacted quickly and held onto him."Let go of me!" growled Guy. "How dare he slap you and misunderstood you? I have to beat some sense into him!"Harry broke free and chased after Harry.Dior, despite having lost all hope and life in her, mustered the last strand of her will to chase after Guy and reeled him back. "Brother, don't," she muttered, "spare your energy…" Her sorrow clouded her eyes as she mumbled, "He’s the man I love. Even though he hates me, I won’t allow you to hurt him. As for the explanation…"Dior smiled ironically. "Whatever. That slap decimated every beautiful daydream I have about him, anyway."She no longer expected anything from him.He had no trust in her, so what would it matter if she finally got him? He did not even love her, and he did not trust her either.Dior smiled elegantly, but her eyes were fille
Dior looked forward to that new shift.She watched as Harry made his way into the restaurant silently, unable to deter her mind from the daydreams she had of him, of the new chapter of their story they would have.He would apologize to her, trying to redeem himself, and kiss her dearly as he embraced her. Later down the line, they would have a child of their own, too.Harry's long legs walked in strides, his dark gaze trained on Dior.The bright light shone on Dior’s delicately stunning face, and she also wore a red dress.He remembered her wearing this back in Mount Village.He could remember how alluring she looked back then, how they stayed in the same room, how she put down her ego to treat him with so much gentleness.Harry’s cold face mellowed down, but recalling a certain memory, the vague wistfulness in him vanished and he sat in front of her.Dior looked at him fondly, like she always would. "Long time no see."Her eyes burned brightly as if she wanted to drink in his
Dior examined the footage the moment she received it.True enough, it showed Sonia and George talking about their little deal. It also showed how Dior was telling the truth while they both ganged up on her.Dior’s frail heart felt as though it was rejuvenated once more, feeling as though blood was once more pumped into her heart. Her dull eyes devoid of hope regained their lost luster once more.Not thinking twice, she dialed Harry's number with this evidence, though he had to be busy, seeing as he did not pick up even after the phone rang for a long while.Just as she was about to hang up, Harry picked up the phone."What do you want?"On the other end of the call was the voice that she had missed for so long. His low, hoarse voice sounded so cold and emotionless.Hearing his voice brought Dior back to the image of his handsome face, and her heart skipped a beat.She tried her best to restrain her fluttering emotions as she tried to speak calmly, "Do you have time? I’d like to
At Mount Village…Inside the elegant bamboo house was Dior, dressed in a beige dress. She sat in the front yard as she took sips of her wine.The sunlight shone past the leaves and illuminated her, yet she exuded an air of loneliness.She swirled the glass and could not help recalling the moments she spent with Harry.In the beginning, she was attracted by his looks; he looked so gentle and elegant.She gave him money, kept him company, and continuously showed up around him in hopes of conquering him.Alas, she ended up in this state.The time she spent with him in Mount Village was the happiest time she had ever had. They had lived inside the bamboo house together, where he took care of her and claimed her to be his woman.They even laid inside the same room.Everything was so beautiful.Cursed was her luck, however, that it was just an illusion. He had been using her from the start, while he chose to stay with the woman who lied to him and even hurt him!No matter how mu
"Although Susan was unhappy, she should've voiced out her displeasure instead of bottling things. Cheating is wrong, regardless. Furthermore, if she wanted a career, she didn't have to stay home and depend on her husband."Grandma Bailey halted.Was that what Charmine truly thought of?Grandma Bailey thought Charmine would find Susan too aggressive unto herself.Charmine glanced at Susan again and apathetically commented, "She doesn't want to make money on her own, but she wants to be rich while complaining about her man not making time for her and taking care of her? If a woman has no ability of her own and also blames others for her miseries, all she's worth is to sit quietly at home and wait for her husband to come home. She also has no right to cheat! This is how the world works."Charmine patted Grandma Bailey’s shoulder and held Anthony’s hand, her words met with everyone's evidently surprised gazes and their silence.Grandma Bailey was shocked. Sure, Charmine sounded rathe
The colossal cruise started to drift away from the pier.Eric stood on the cruise and let the wind blow at him, loneliness and hatred still oozing from his being.He stared at the blue ocean ahead of him as Charmine's words rang in his mind unceasingly.'Will you really feel good after you've killed them?''You saw Susan suffering from a serious wound; would you still kill the one sibling you have left in the world?'"Forgive them and yourself.'Deliberating everything carefully, his lips curled into a bitter smile.It was true, after all, that Charmine understood him the most.Eric poured himself another drink and downed it with loneliness as he allowed the cruise to bring him wherever it would take him.…Susan was still inside the operating room when Charmine and the rest of the Baileys rushed into the hospital.Darryl stood before the room, his expression blank, his figure lonely and helpless.So many things had happened in half a day.He found out about his wife's inf
"No one's stopping you now. Eat!"Anthony clenched his hands tightly and took another glance at Charmine. He was more determined than before, and he was close to eating the pills in the bottle.Charmine, who was held hostage, gradually opened her eyes at that moment. Her gaze drifted toward Eric before she asked, her tone challenging, "Will you really feel good after you've killed them? You saw Susan suffering from a serious wound; would you still kill the one sibling you have left in the world?"Eric halted, and his eyes darkened.Charmine had just woken up, yet what she said…He cast a cold glance at Charmine. "It's my business, and it has nothing to do with you!"They were his family, and he did not want a family like this!Charmine looked squarely at him. "Eric, I don’t care if you used me or plotted against me all these years; I've treated you like a true friend, nothing more nor less. You were the only person who stayed by my side in the past five years, so I hope that you
Anthony's breath hitched when he saw Charmine.He clenched his fists and, without doubting himself, relented "I can agree to your terms, so let her go right away. This has nothing to do with her; you only hate me after all. As long as you let her go, I'll take the pill. Everything will end right away."Susan shook her head. "We'll die after eating the pill. I’m not taking that!"She had just reunited with Eric, and she did not want to die yet. She looked at Eric and begged, "Please let Anthony be, why don't you? He’s your brother, after all, and he doesn’t even know about your existence. If you’re really angry, just kill Charmine, and I'll make it up to you—"Anthony's expression contorted in sheer fury upon hearing Susan's plea, and he glared at her with murderous intent."This was all your fault, so what right do you have to make Charmine take your blame?!""What on earth are you going on about?" snapped Grandma Bailey. "Charmine has been kidnapped because of you, yet you want