LOGINA chill spread rapidly from the palms of my hands. Before I even realized it, I was clutching my stomach. The image of the dead rat, its body left to rot, lingered in my mind.Nausea rose in the back of my throat, not because of my pregnancy hormones, but because disgust and terror had struck me at the same time. The thought that someone had managed to slip that box into Dylan's shopping bag without him noticing was enough to send a chill down my spine.Dylan rose from his chair. I followed him and grabbed his arm, which had grown tense. The veins stood out against his slightly tanned skin.“Get rid of that thing immediately, along with everything we bought earlier. I don't want it contaminating the house,” Dylan ordered firmly.The gentle expression of the cocky man who had brought me Olaf-shaped cotton candy just minutes ago was gone. The man standing before me now was the head of the Danforth family, ready to tear apart anyone who dared disturb his peace.“Yes, sir.”The driver hur
I tried to ignore the message. Instead, I decided to leave my phone behind wherever I went, hoping to keep my mind at ease. I spent the entire day with the maids. Sometimes we baked cakes, sometimes we picked flowers from the garden to fill the vases, and other times we simply sat by the pool and chatted.Back in our old house, I had never been close to the servants. Rather than respecting me as the lady of the house, they had often ignored me and let Jessy do whatever she wanted to me.Jessy.How was my mother-in-law doing?The last time Dylan told me about it, the lawsuit he had filed had successfully landed his mother behind bars. But could the law in this country really put someone like Santoso and Jessy in prison?I had no idea. I could only hope those two were truly behind bars now. But then, who was watching me? One of Santoso's men? Was that even possible?A weary sigh escaped my lips. As I stepped inside the house, I heard Dylan's car pulling into the driveway. I moved to the
Fear crept in slowly, eroding the warmth that had just filled my chest. Vallen had once told me not to dwell on negative thoughts during treatment because a peaceful mind could help make my body stronger.But for some reason, I had never been able to forget the harsh reality I was facing.My arms tightened around Dylan, as if letting him go would make him and all the happiness I was experiencing disappear.Dylan could always sense a change in my emotions almost immediately. His hand, which had been gently stroking my back, paused for a moment. He loosened his embrace and lifted my chin.“What's wrong, Anna?” he asked, his eyes filling with concern. “Are you okay, sweetheart? Is something wrong with your body? Are you feeling uncomfortable?”I quickly forced a faint smile and shook my head, hoping to dispel his suspicions.“I'm fine, Dylan. There's nothing wrong with me. There's just something on my mind,” I said, looking into his restless eyes as he studied me intently.“What is it?”
I thought Dylan would forget about my question in the chat, but apparently, he remembered it while we were lying in bed together.The man in his pajamas rolled toward me. His hand gently brushed my stomach before he kissed it.“I’ve been curious about your question from earlier this afternoon. What’s going on, Anna?”Dylan propped his head up with one hand. I glanced at him briefly before turning my gaze back to the ceiling.“There was someone who seemed to be following me this afternoon. I don’t know who he was. I’ve never seen him before. I thought he might have been one of your men.”“Did he do anything to you?” Dylan asked quickly.I shook my head. “No. He just gave me a faint smile, then drove away in his Mercedes.”Before Dylan could say anything, I interrupted him. “Someone also sent me a message. I don’t know who it was, but he...” I trailed off and sat up, reaching for the nightstand.As soon as my phone was in my hand, I quickly showed him the message, no longer hiding anyth
“At least the regular checkups and temporary treatment you’ve been receiving have had a positive effect on your condition,” Vallen said from across the table. He smiled warmly at me. “Someone once told me that a happy heart can make the body healthier. I think that’s true.”His words brought an unconscious smile to my face. I felt the same way. Now that there were no more problems disrupting my marriage, I could finally focus on the intensive treatment that had begun once I reached the third month of my pregnancy.Sometimes, I still wondered how my body had managed to hold on this long. But after hearing what Vallen had just said, I found myself agreeing with him.“If your test results continue to show improvement, we can consider postponing chemotherapy until after you give birth,” Vallen said. “But everything depends on your condition and how your illness progresses.”“I’ll do my best to stay healthy.”He patted the back of my hand. “Good. But don’t let your determination to survive
Morning sunlight filtered through the gap in the still-closed curtains. I stretched and rolled toward Dylan, who was still asleep. Slowly, I propped myself up and studied his peaceful face.His breathing was steady, prompting me to reach out and touch his rising and falling chest. I could feel his heartbeat beneath my palm, along with the warmth of his skin spreading through my hand.I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Nine in the morning. A small, amused smile crept onto my lips. Dylan and I had made love earlier that morning before deciding to get some sleep. Remembering what I'd done a few hours ago made my cheeks burn.Seriously, where had I found the courage to do that to Dylan?I covered my face for a moment and shook my head. I was so embarrassed whenever I remembered the look on his face. He must have been shocked to discover that I had such a wild side.When I lowered my hands, I saw Dylan's eyes slowly flutter open. His dark, gentle gaze immediately met mine. Before I
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
-ANNA-"I agree to divorce you.""Good. I'm glad you've finally changed your mind," said Dylan Danforth, my husband, who was currently sitting beside his lover, who also happened to be my stepsister, Lea G. McCallaway.The blonde woman with striking blue eyes ran a hand across Dylan's chest. Then s
I stared at the food I'd prepared with a satisfied smile.The servants who hadn't bothered helping me all morning simply watched with amused expressions. Some of them had even started placing bets on what would happen to the dishes spread across the table.There were only two possibilities. They wo
"Anna, do you really think a pathetic stunt like this will make Dylan change his mind about divorcing you?" Lea sneered, her gaze sweeping over me with open judgment.I swallowed hard.A mocking smile curved her lips. "Do you honestly think Dylan has ever wanted you?"The question cut through my ch







