Harry would not forgive Anthony, even if he saved him this time. Outside the pit… Anthony was focused on keeping balance, so much so that he accidentally held Charmine’s hands. Charmine jolted at the contact, but none of them let go as they were pulling up the stretcher. His powerful hands held onto her fair hands tightly, and she felt like…a feather. She felt so gentle and light, and she did not know how to fall. Feeling the softness in his hands, Anthony’s heartstrings were tugged as his entire heart skipped a beat. The two of them spontaneously exchanged glances, but the moment she met Anthony’s gaze, Charmine looked away as if nothing happened. They continued to pull the rope up. Anthony said nothing, too. He mustered every bit of his strength and made sure Charmine did not overexert herself It did not take long before the stretcher was lifted from the pit. Dior was like a weak little girl, cuddled in Harry’s arms, much to Charmine’s bewilderment.Since when wa
Entering the room, Charmine and Chris spotted Anthony laying in bed. The usually powerful, enigmatic Anthony was left in a weak state, face lost of its color. The doctor, meanwhile, was treating his snake-bite wound left by the cobra. Anthony’s right arm was affected as well. His arm hung loosely by the side with tubes inserted to extract the poisoned blood out of his system. His dark-red blood that oozed out into the tubes looked like they were dripping from a small tap. The extracted blood was contained in a bow. Charmine felt her heart aching at the sight. Chris was horrified at the sight, and his tiny heart sank. He walked to Anthony’s side and sobbed worriedly, “Daddy, are you going to die?” Anthony looked up at him darkly and listlessly muttered, “I’m not.” When the bowl was filled up, the doctor pressed on the wound and reported, his relief palpable, “Luckily, the poisoned blood was contained just in time after he was bitten. He’s alright now. I’ll prescribe some
Charmine’s behavior toward Anthony would slowly change.Meanwhile… Dior and Harry were getting treated in one room. The two of them were laying in beds opposite one another, and they both had a cast on their leg. Dior tilted her head to look at Harry’s handsome face. She thought of how secure she felt when he hugged her, and her eyes gleamed nostalgically. With their bond growing better, he would be hers entirely in no time! When that day would come, she would be able to sleep by his side officially, able to place her arms around his muscular, sexy torso. She no longer had to sneakily touch his chest to feel good about it. Excited at the thought, Dior completely forgot about her wound and continued to look at Harry, seemingly starstruck as she looked right into him. “Harry, does your leg still hurt?” she asked. “Can you keep quiet?” he snapped. Dior halted, she pouted, “Can’t you be kinder? Yes, I dragged you down that slope, but as I said, I’ll be responsible for it
Harry turned to look at Dior as she got to her bed, but at that very moment, she was staring at him, too.Her eyes were clear like stars in the sky, twinkling with admiration and adoration. His eyes darkened. He should ask a lady like her to leave. Dior jolted as she noticed him looking at her. It was pure coincidence, see, as she had been gazing at him so lovingly when he turned. She took a while to react before she asked, “You’re awake?” Gazing at her, Harry opened his mouth to speak when his phone next to him rang. With just a glance, he noticed the caller ID stated that it was Sonia. Harry squinted his phone but could not help hovering his finger above the ‘answer’ option. Instantly, however, he recalled how she got into the luxury call of another man. His eyes clouded with silent fury, Harry moved his finger and pressed the reject button instead before tossing his phone away. Dior looked at him and asked, “Why didn’t you answer?” Harry looked at her darkly and s
“Alright, alright, I’ll massage your temples.” Dior was fully focused. “Hold on.” Meanwhile… Sonia, finally able to leave her boyfriend’s side for a while, had been around the area for a few days and had time to visit Harry’s grandmother. With two bags of expensive things at hand, she knocked on the door. “Grandma, are you home?” The village chief inside the house walked toward the door and opened it, pausing as she was met with Sonia. “Sonia? You came, too?” That stunned Sonia. “‘Too’?” “Yeah, Harry is home.” “What!?” Sonia’s expression changed. “Harry is inside?” What was he doing in Mount Village? Was it because he knew she was coming, and he was chasing after her? Was he still so stubborn and in love with her? This somehow pleased Sonia. Heh. She knew he was just acting with that arrogant woman in front of her. “Yeah. Are you not here looking for him?” asked the village chief, stunned. If Harry had not broken up with Sonia, why would he come with Dior? I
Dior was instantly irritated. She glared at Sonia and sassily retorted, “Who are you to question him? What right do you have to question who Harry is with? Ma’am, don’t forget that you broke up with Harry long ago! What now? Did your rich boyfriend dump you, and you now want to get back with him? I’m sorry, but my man doesn’t like old shoes!” Harry’s eyes darkened at Dior’s words. “You—!” Sonia glared at Dior angrily. “Who are you? Since when do you have a say in the matter between Harry and I?” “Funny! I should be the one asking you the same question!” Dior scoffed at her. “Please look at yourself. I’m his girlfriend now! Who are you, pointing your finger at me?!” Sonia was so triggered that her face turned pale. She thought Harry was with this mean woman just to trigger her, yet even after Dior had dragged her to filth, he did not even speak for her stead? In the past, he would have fought anyone who talked to her like this, but it seemed that… Sonia looked at Harry inc
The color drained from Sonia’s face as she felt her head buzzing. Biting her lip, she willed her tears from spilling before she turned to leave, covering her mouth as she did. Another second spent in this house would only suffocate her. “How weird…and arrogant!” Dior limped over slowly to shut the door behind Sonia. Of course, her giddiness from Harry’s words never vanished as she wobbled to his bedside, eyeing him in wonderstruck. “Harry, was what you said true?” Harry looked up coldly and glanced at her emotionlessly. “Go and get some rest. Stop annoying me.” Dior pouted. Why was he giving her the cold shoulder again? Was he not remarkably kind to her just moments ago? He even admitted that she was his girlfriend, so why the aloofness? Was he pissed off by that cheap woman? Dior was baffled. It was not easy for her to have come to this stage with Harry, and she would not let that woman stop them from getting together. One day, she would make that woman so angry that
Anthony’s footsteps sounded stable as ever. Apart from his pale face, he did not look like he was almost dying a moment ago. Chris went over to support him caringly, saying, “Daddy, Mommy didn’t do it on purpose. We’ve been eating spicy food here the whole while, you see.” Anthony nodded and looked at Charmine, thoughtfully commenting, “You don’t have to redo it; I can eat it.” Charmine had been worn out throughout the day, and Anthony did not want to cause her more trouble. The fact also remained that…she made this meal. Even if it was poisonous, he would finish them all without frowning. These were just chilis, anyway. As long as he could eat with her, so what if his stomach bled? Before Chris and Charmine could react, Anthony walked over to bring the dishes outside. He sat by the side to get the cutleries. He looked at Chris and said, “What are you standing there for? Bring your Mommy out to eat.” “Oh, okay!” Chris instantly took Charmine’s hand into his. “Seems like D
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