While Charmine tried to come up with a better reason, Eddie stepped up to the plate. “I clung to her in horror and out of reflex because a python appeared in my room out of the blue. Also, I’m asexual.” Charmine instantly turned to him, wide-eyed. He was brave enough to out himself like that, just to explain for her! Eddie reassured her with a look and said, “If you don’t believe me, I can show you my report!” He then went into the room and opened his luggage to take out the report. Everyone then eyed the report that stated, [Asexuality.] A person with no sexual feeling toward any gender. Everyone looked at Eddie in shock. This perfect-looking man was asexual! That meant there was nothing between Charmine and him… Charmine looked at Eddie. “I’m sorry to have involved you in this mess.” “It’s okay, I’m glad that’s out of my chest. Furthermore, you’ve helped me so much, and this is nothing in comparison to what you’ve done for me.” Eddie reassured her and said to Anthony
Faye orchestrated everything for everyone to see, and Charmine should have been the one receiving the brunt of it all, not her! What had she done wrong? Charmine was the one flirting with that man behind their backs! She was acting weird! Anyone would have thought so, and moments ago, they believed her. Why did they chide her all of a sudden?! Everyone sided with Charmine already, and she had no way of defending herself. She could only purse her lips and repress her emotions. Her eyes looked red and pitiable. Charmine glared at her coldly. “Faye, how many times do I have to say this to you: my relationship with Anthony isn’t something you can mess with! Even if we file for a divorce, you’re not even up next! Instead of putting so much effort on tricking me, why don’t you spend some time upgrading yourself?!” Her voice was clear and filled with mockery, and it made Faye clench her fists tighter that her nails dug into her palms. Her plan backfired, and Charmine was on to h
Everyone stared at the retreating Faye, at a loss for words. She did something wrong and still acted as if she was right? How unacceptable! It did not bother Anthony, however. All he thought of was how he misunderstood Charmine because of someone like Faye, and he was overridden with guilt. He held Charmine's hand and said gently, “Charmine, I’m truly sorry.” She planned everything for him, yet he did not trust her. Charmine looked at him and smiled with her ruby lips. “It’s okay. Just treat me nicer in the future.”“Okay.” Anthony wrapped his arm around her waist. Eddie crossed his hands in front of his chest, “Hmm… It looks like you’ve found yourself a good husband, Charmine.” Charmine glanced at him. “You don’t say.” “May I now walk around your villa without sneaking around?” asked Eddie. “Sure,” said Charmine. “The surprise is ruined, anyway.” Anthony hugged her. “To me, this is already a surprise.” Charmine met his gentle eyes shyly, and they both walked b
Faye never wanted to return to the bamboo forest for the rest of her life. Since she had a backer who could help her, she would fully utilize the chance she had. Faye clenched her phone tightly as her gaze grew diabolical. That night... After dinner, the Grangers left to go home, and Grandma Granger insisted that Grandma Bailey come with them. “Why don’t you come with us to look at how Yvonne is living?” That was also the reason why Grandma Bailey came to visit Violet Residence in the first place, so she nodded. “Okay.” Before she left, however, she advised both Charmine and Anthony, “Charmine, Anthony, stop doubting one another, okay?” Charmine nodded. “Okay.” “Don’t worry,” replied Anthony gently. Grandma Bailey looked around and, with Faye nowhere in sight, muttered, “Be careful around that woman. Don’t listen to her.” Anthony nodded. “Okay.” With that, Grandma Bailey left with the Grangers. Eddie leaned on the sofa and urged, “Let’s hurry, Charmine.” Anth
Seeing that Faye was ignoring them, Charmine glared at her coldly. “Remove the listening devices.” Faye, who just got to the staircase, stopped dead in her tracks as a glint of panic appeared in her eyes. How did she know? The listening devices were so small, and she could not have seen them! Faye turned toward them and looked innocent. “What are you talking about? What listening devices?” Charmine’s eyes darkened. She was not fixing that attitude of hers! She said coldly, “Are you too dumb, or do you think everyone is as dumb as you?” denounced Charmine. “If you didn’t plant listening devices, do you have super-powerful ears, then? Do you want me to ask someone to run the checks?” Charmine interrogated her and scoffed, “Before I get angry, you better remove them now!” Faye bit her lip. The devices were useless, anyway. “Fine!” She instantly ran up the stairs. Her behavior agitated Eddie. “How can this woman be so shameless? She did such a bad thing and acted as if sh
As Faye was about to walk into Charmine’s room, the door to the next-door study room suddenly opened. Faye’s body jolted, and she slowly turned back. Charmine stood before the door and glared at her coldly. “What are you doing?” Faye tried her best to stay calm, and she already came up with an excuse on the way. “I’ve done wrong today, so to make it up to you, I bought this pot of flowers to give you. Please don’t tell Anthony, alright?” Charmine scoffed. She did not believe a single word she uttered. She looked at the fresh flowers and, squinting at it, lifted her leg to kick at the pot. Instantly, the pot of beautiful flowers crashed against the floor and, strangely enough, a powder-like substance wafted out of the pot. Charmine glared at Faye coldly. “You’re not even sorry, Faye!” she hissed. How dare she give her a manmade musk flower! This could cause infertility if one sniffed it for a long period. Faye’s expression faltered as she cried inwardly. She knew?
Charmine then tried to think of whoever it was that could have made Faye do it when the operating room’s door abruptly opened. She stood up and walked. “How did it go?” The nurse looked at her. “It’s severe. I need to find Dr. Nial.” The nurse then rushed toward the lab room, leaving Charmine rooted on the spot. Severe? How? Was Faye not just poisoned? The nurse found Nial running tests on the flowers, and she hurriedly spoke, “We have a situation, Dr. Nial! The patient isn’t doing well.” Nial put down his work and frowned. “How come?” “It looks like kidney failure. Please come and have a look!” urged the nurse. Nial went with her. Before they went back in, Charmine quickly interceded them. “Why is it severe?” “The patient is poisoned severely,” explained the nurse, “and her kidney is failing.” Charmine was mystified. How could it be so severe? Nial said to her, “Let me have a look. Don’t worry.” With that said, he went in with the nurse quickly. Eddie cross
“Logically speaking, you and Faye were right next to one another. Why was she poisoned and you’re not?” added Nial curiously. Charmine frowned. It was indeed strange how she was spared from the poison’s aftermath and Faye was not. Unless… Charmine’s eyes lit up as a thought came to her. “Wait for me. I’m heading home!” She rushed out urgently. Eddie, seeing her rushing out and not wanting her to go alone, raced after her and drove her back home. Upon returning to Violet Residence, Charmine put on disposable gloves and went into Faye’s room to search around. About ten minutes later, she finally found the listening devices she found that Faye had removed. “Why are you looking for this?” questioned Eddie. “The flowers’ poison wouldn’t have caused such a severe reaction on Faye. Maybe this thing has poison on it, too,” theorized Charmine. After all, Faye only brought the devices and flowers into her room. Eddie gazed at Charmine, starstruck. She was that brilliant to
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