ANMELDEN“So it’s true. You’re not just after my money.”The man laughed loudly, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.“But the note you’re talking about... I have no idea what you mean.”“You’ll find out soon enough, Miss Mccallaway,” he said coldly.Without listening to another word, I ended the call.I stood frozen in front of the gate, my eyes fixed on the black Mercedes parked in front of me. He started the engine and drove away.My heart raced wildly in my chest, pounding so hard that my ears began to ring. My legs felt weak, forcing me to hold on to the gate for support.“Who is he...” I murmured. “How does he know my name?”I hurried back into the house, nearly stumbling along the way. The servants greeted me, but I ignored them. My mind was in too much turmoil.As soon as I reached my room, I locked the door and leaned my back against it.“That note... is it the same one Jessy was looking for? But what note is it?” I muttered, pressing a hand against my chest as I tried
ANNASince Dylan had gone somewhere without inviting me, I finally decided to go to the hospital alone. Even though what happened that time still lingered in my mind, I tried to act normally whenever I was around Vallen.Although now I knew that Vallen no longer looked at me the way he used to. His attitude toward me had changed, too. There was no warmth anymore, not even the slightest smile. But I still tried to ignore it and act as I always had with him, as a friend.As if I had never heard his confession.The examination room was familiar, as was the smell of antiseptic that always made my chest tighten. The needles entering my body, no matter how much I hated them. I did all of this just to keep going, for myself and for Dylan.Vallen sat across from me, holding the report from my latest examination. He glanced at me for a moment before giving me a faint smile.“You look better now, Anna.”His words made my cheeks grow warm. I lowered my head, clasping my fingers together in my la
Jessy was still gripping the front of my shirt tightly. Her breath reeked of alcohol, and her eyes were red and wild.“Where is the note, Dylan?! Don’t play dumb!”I stared at her in shock. “What note? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”“Don’t lie!” she screamed even louder. “Your father must have given it to you. That note belongs to me! This inheritance was unfair from the beginning. Everything was given to you, while I…”Jessy coughed. Her body sank to the floor until she was sitting there helplessly. She covered her face with both hands and began to cry.Even so, she continued rambling. About the unfair inheritance, and about the note. Her words became increasingly incoherent, mixed with anger and sobs.“Take care of my mother,” I ordered the servants who finally dared to approach. They helped me hold Jessy as she began to lose her strength. Slowly, her rambling faded. Her eyes closed, and her body went limp. She fell asleep while still clutching my shirt tightly.I let out
Santoso walked into my room with calm, casual steps, even before I had a chance to invite him in. For someone who had come uninvited, I found his attitude downright rude.I was still leaning against the headboard, my body feeling heavy, but I forced myself to sit up straighter.“Are you sure you want to receive a visitor right now?” Anna asked anxiously.“Yeah, it’s fine.” Santoso was still standing in front of me, silently watching us. “Besides, it’s too late to throw him out now,” I whispered.Anna immediately left my room. The door closed softly behind her.“Dylan,” Santoso greeted, his voice low and calm. “I heard the news. My condolences on the loss of your father.”“Thank you for coming.”He moved toward the window, then sat down on the sofa without being invited. He was so casual, as though this were hardly a formal visit. Somehow, that only irritated me more. He acted as if he could do whatever he pleased.“Your father was a great man,” he continued, looking at me with an unre
DYLAN“I’m sorry I couldn’t fulfill some of your wishes over the past few days,” I murmured, leaning back against the headboard. My body felt incredibly weak, even after waking up.Anna, who had brought me breakfast, merely nodded.“I promise I’ll make up for those five wishes in a single day,” I promised, reaching a hand toward her tired-looking face. Anna looked deathly pale. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, a sign that she probably hadn’t slept much last night.“I’ll collect on that promise later,” she said with a faint smile.“Yeah, you have the details, Anna,” I chuckled.Anna stirred the soup she had made for me before bringing a spoonful to my mouth. For a moment, I stared at the spoon. Once upon a time, I never wanted anything like this to happen between us. I had always built a thick wall to keep Anna out, but now I couldn’t let her go. Not even for a second.I ate the food Anna fed me. She smiled brightly.“Is Erna still here?”“They left with Betty this morning. Erna didn’t
After Jessy's strong protest, the living room fell silent once again. No one dared to discuss the contents of the will anymore.Fredick excused himself without offering even a little solution regarding the will he had just read. The last thing he said before leaving was, “This was Mr. Danforth's decision. I have no right to interfere with it.”His words silenced Jessy. The woman immediately retreated to her room.Meanwhile, Gerald handed the letter to Dylan. Before leaving, he said, “Come see me tomorrow. Everything you asked for is ready.”Dylan merely nodded weakly.The living room fell silent again. Everyone seemed to be trying to process the situation.The sound of Lea's high heels approached. Sure enough, she was standing in front of me now, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at me with an amused expression.“Wow, I never expected you to receive a share of Mr. Danforth's inheritance, too,” she sneered.I glanced at Dylan, who didn't react at all. He took a deep breath
"I'm fine, Father. I bumped my nose earlier," I lied.Fortunately, my father-in-law believed me without much question.Abraham glanced at the unmade bed behind me. His gaze softened. A faint smile touched his thin lips before he quickly pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket."Use this to wipe
"Vallen, just pretend you never saw any of this," I said calmly."Damn it, Anna, what do you mean? How am I supposed to stay quiet after seeing something this unfair? You're fighting a disease while Dylan...""Vallen, this is my marriage."The firmness in my voice silenced him on the other end of t
I didn't know how long I had been lying on the floor.When I woke up, my head was throbbing and my entire body ached. Slowly, I pushed myself upright and rubbed my face. When I looked down, I found several dried drops of blood on the floor.Not wanting to dwell on it, I got up and walked into the b
For nearly half the day, I lay in bed, curled up as I stared blankly through the open window. My body felt hot, and I was utterly exhausted even though I hadn't done anything physically demanding.Fortunately, Jessy wasn't home. She was probably working at her boutique. If she saw me lazing around







