Allison was busy going through her phone in the hospital ward, trying to kill the boredom surrounding her, when she suddenly heard the door open. She looked up, and her eyes met her mother’s. Isabel stepped inside with her usual calm expression, closing the door gently behind her.For a second, neither of them spoke. Isabel walked over and placed her handbag on the chair before sitting down beside her daughter.“Mother,” Allison greeted, putting her phone aside and straightening up a little.Isabel returned her greeting with a soft nod, her sharp eyes scanning her daughter’s face, as though trying to read her emotions. After a short silence, Isabel spoke first.“How’s Henry doing?” she asked in a quiet tone.Allison sighed, her face pulling into a tired frown. “The doctor said his heart was a bit weak from too much running around. That’s what made him collapse, but... they assured me he’s getting better.”Isabel gave a small nod, her fingers lightly tapping against the armrest. “That
Isabel nodded slowly. “You heard me. First, he gave Claire 5% of the company shares, and now he’s planning to hand over the manor too. Can't you see the handwriting on the wall?”Allison’s throat tightened. Her hands curled into fists on her lap. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. How could this be happening? How could Emma, after all these years, still manage to take everything away from her? And now her daughter too was being pushed right into the place Allison had tried to hold onto for herself and for Henry.It wasn’t fair. None of it was.The jealousy twisted painfully inside her. "Emma always takes everything," Allison muttered bitterly. "She always does.”Isabel’s gaze lingered on her daughter, as if she were staring at a reflection of her own past. She could see it all written across Allison’s face — the sharp glint of hatred, and that silent burn of anger… Isabel knew that feeling all too well.When she married Mathew, stepping into the life Emma’s mother had lef
Allison stormed back and forth across the hospital room angrily. The more she thought about it, the more furious she became. Her mind replayed David’s voice over and over — the way he’d spoken to her, like she was the villain in all of this.“How dare he?” she hissed under her breath. “After everything I’ve done for him! After everything I’ve given up to be with him! He thinks he can threaten me — scare me into apologizing to Emma? To that woman and her brat?”Isabel sat quietly on the chair as she watched her daughter paced around in anger.“Allison…” Isabel finally spoke. “Trust me, it wouldn’t hurt to just —”But before Isabel could even finish talking, Allison cut her off. “Apologize?” she asked. “You too, Mom? So now you’re siding with them? When I need you the most, when I need my own mother to stand by me — you’re here telling me to apologize?”Isabel opened her mouth to speak, but the words faltered under the weight of her daughter’s bitter glare.“I don’t need your advice i
Allison smiled, thinking that her manipulation had worked on Christian. The moment she saw the falter in his steps, she knew the hook had sunk in deep. Gathering her courage, she stepped closer, her voice sweet and calm."Listen, maybe we could cooperate," she suggested, her lips curling into an almost innocent smile. "We both want something, Christian. You want Emma, and I want David. Why don’t we help each other? That way, it’s a win-win for both of us."She paused for a moment, waiting to see any sign of agreement from him. When he didn’t respond, she leaned in a little closer, lowering her voice to a soft, tempting tone."I even have a way of helping you. A way to ensure Emma completely belongs to you."Allison felt pleased with herself, thinking the game was already in her hands. Christian had always been sharp, but even the sharpest men fell for the right kind of persuasion — and she thought she had found the perfect bait.But in the next second, her confidence shattered.Chris
Allison lay on her bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. The ticking sound from the clock was the only noise in the quiet room, and it felt like it was making her more nervous with each tick. Her mind kept thinking about the same scary thought again and again.Would Christian really send that DNA report to David?She squeezed her eyes shut, her chest tight with panic. Christian's voice from the previous day still echoed in her head, cold and sharp: "Twenty-four hours, Allison.”But the hours were slipping away too fast. She had given it a thought to just apologize and get it over with, but the fear of humiliation had held her back.Now, her nerves were on the verge of snapping.Finally, Allison forced herself out of bed. She washed her face, dressed up, and made her way to the hospital. She felt so exhausted after she got home from the hospital last night and now, she was heading back there.The moment she stepped out of the elevator and turned the corner toward Henry's room, sh
One week later…“Sweetheart, try to eat a little more,” Emma urged softly.Claire lazily pushed the food around her plate, barely nibbling on her toast. “But I’m already satisfied.”Emma brushed a strand of hair from her face, her voice gentle. “I know, honey. Just a few more bites for me, okay?”Claire sighed but nodded, slowly picking up her fork and chewing a few more peas.Just then, a knock came at the front door.Claire’s eyes brightened instantly. “Is it Uncle Chris?” she squealed.Emma raised an eyebrow, surprised at how fast her daughter’s mood changed. Sure enough, Christian stood there, dressed casually but holding a small paper bag, a soft smile spreading across his face.“Hey,” he said as soon as the door opened. “How’s my favorite girl doing?”Claire waved from the dining table. “Uncle Chris!” she chirped.Christian walked in and placed the paper bag on the table. “I brought some fruit candies for you, Captain.” He looked over at Claire's plate, noticing she hadn't fin
Emma stepped out of the car, standing still for a moment as she faced the entrance of the restaurant. As she stood there, she couldn’t shake the cold feeling inside her chest.Her eyes moved slowly over the old signboard hanging above the door — a place she knew all too well. The restaurant her father had chosen for this so-called “family dinner meeting.” She couldn’t help but wonder; Why this place, of all places? Why did he choose this particular restaurant? When she heard the name of the restaurant, she had initially wanted to decline, but reasoned that she had already given her word that she would be here.It was here — five years ago — where one of the numerous incidents that happened between her and David that changed everything.She could still remember that day as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. Allison had played her game so well, spinning her lies about Emma hurting her — all over a simple skirt. Emma had tried to explain herself, her voice shaking, her words de
David stood at the entrance of the restaurant, his eyes quietly following Emma as she walked in, her hand tucked gently into Christian’s.The sight left a sharp, bitter taste in his mouth, one he hadn’t been prepared for. When Allison had told him about the family dinner — about how Mathew wanted to gather everyone, and that Emma would be there — his first thought wasn’t this. His first thought was simple: worry.He’d felt that worry crawl under his skin the moment Allison mentioned Emma. He knew Allison too well and knew she might cause trouble for Emma. That, more than anything, had been why he accepted the invitation.When he’d seen her standing alone at the door, for a brief second, he had noticed her fingers tremble. He didn’t need anyone to tell him why. He knew exactly what was going through her mind at that moment, because the same memory had crossed his.This place… this restaurant.Back then, he had tried to make her smile. He had even cooked for her, hoping to fix things be
Allison was having a great time by the swimming pool. She sat on a lounge chair beside the clear blue water, sipping a glass of chilled sparkling wine. The sun was warm on her skin, the air calm and still, and everything around her felt peaceful. Life had been going so well lately.David’s health had improved a lot. He wasn’t coughing constantly like before, and his energy was slowly coming back. He had even resumed walking short distances without help. What pleased Allison even more was that there still had been no mention of Emma this or Emma that in the past few weeks. It was almost as if Emma had vanished from their lives. David had also started visiting her and Henry more often. He spent time with them and always dropped off enough money—more than enough, in fact. Their bills were covered, her spa appointments paid for, and there was even extra to shop and spoil herself a little.Allison smiled to herself and closed her eyes. The weather was perfect, and the peace around her fel
Emma and Sophie had spent most of the night talking and laughing.They had caught up on a lot, from work stress to small victories and happy memories. Emma was sipping on her second glass of wine when Sophie finally told her something important."Actually, my boyfriend has been in New York for a while now," Sophie said casually. "Family business. But he’s finally back. So... I thought maybe you could meet him tomorrow. What do you think?"Emma’s eyes lit up with a smile. “I’d love that. I’ve been dying to see who you’ve fallen head over heels for.”Sophie giggled. “You’ll like him, Emma. He’s charming... and very sweet.”Emma leaned back on the couch, the idea making her heart feel a little lighter. She was genuinely happy for Sophie. After everything they’d both been through, finding someone decent felt like a miracle.The next morning, as Emma got ready for work, Sophie called out from the kitchen, “Don’t forget, lunch with me and the love of my life today. We’re meeting at Deluca’s
Emma sighed, knowing she couldn't pretend or hide her feelings from the one person that knew her too well."Sophie… I’ve been through a lot. That kind of heartbreak changes you. Love? Love is a luxury I can’t afford anymore."Sophie remained silent, listening with quiet intensity. Emma looked up, her voice soft but steady."Christian is good to me. He’s amazing with Claire. He’s kind. Loyal. I’ve known him forever. I trust him, and I think that’s more than enough."She took another sip of her wine, her eyes lowered. "I just want peace. Stability. No more heartbreaks or pain. No more chaos. If being with him brings me that, then I’ll take it."Sophie finally spoke, her voice calm but filled with concern. "Emma, I know everything you’ve been through. But... was it necessary to take your relationship with Christian to another level? The man has been by your side ever since, regardless of your relationship with him. I don't think—"Emma exhaled slowly, placing the glass on the table. Her
Emma stood near the arrival gate, her eyes scanning every figure that emerged. Her heart raced with anticipation. It had been years. Years since she last saw Sophie.And then, there she was.Tall, elegant, and striking in her simple cream coat and black jeans, Sophie walked with the kind of grace that naturally drew attention. Emma gasped softly, the years falling away like dust.Their eyes met. Without thinking, they both ran to each other like two magnets pulled by a force stronger than time."Sophie!""Emma!"They crashed into each other's arms, hugging so tightly as if afraid one might vanish again. Tears pooled in Emma's eyes, and she squeezed her best friend even tighter."You have no idea how much I missed you," she whispered.When they finally pulled away, Sophie tilted her head and gave a teasing smile. "Wait, Emma... are you crying?"Emma playfully smacked Sophie’s arm and turned her face slightly. "Oh, shut up. I'm not crying.""Really?" Sophie said, and turned to quickly w
"Claire, don’t forget to put your lunch bag in the car," Emma called out from the kitchen as she zipped up her bag."Already did, Mom!" Claire shouted back from the living room, hopping around with her little pink backpack.Emma suddenly heard the front door open. She assumed it must be Claire, already heading to the car to wait for her.She smiled faintly and wiped her hands on a towel.Just as she turned to grab her keys from the counter, she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind. She stiffened slightly, caught off guard."Good morning," Christian murmured softly into her hair, his breath warm against her neck as he planted a soft kiss on her neck.Emma closed her eyes for a moment. "Hey... you're early.""Wanted to see you before I headed out to work," he said, his arms holding her a little tighter. "How’s work been these past few days? I'm sorry I've been so occupied with work these days."Emma smiled. "It’s fine, I understand. Work has been okay. I mean,
After finishing their drink, Max leaned back in his chair and checked the time."Oh man. I have an early morning meeting," he said, pushing his chair back and reaching for his jacket. "Gotta head home now."David gave him a short nod and a half-smile. "No worries. Thanks for tonight.""You guys take care," Max said as he patted Felix on the shoulder and gave David a nod. A few seconds later, he exited the dimly lit lounge and headed for the parking lot.Felix turned to David, who had been relatively quiet for the past ten minutes, staring into the near-empty glass in front of him."I'm going to use the restroom quickly," Felix said, standing up. "Wait for me here. I'll drop you home."“I'd rather wait outside. I could use some fresh air anyway."“Alright. That sounds cool. I'll be with you shortly.”Felix walked off without thinking much of it. The night had just been…uneventful so far— especially when he had gotten the message an hour earlier, before they headed to the bar, about Gav
Dr. Allen adjusted his glasses as he removed the stethoscope from David’s chest. A small, satisfied smile curled his lips as he read the vitals on the monitor beside the bed.“Well, I must say,” he began, scribbling something on his clipboard, “you’ve responded remarkably well to treatment, David. Much better than expected.”David, still seated upright in his hospital bed, gave a faint smile. “That means I’m finally getting out of here?”Dr. Allen chuckled. “That’s exactly what it means. I’m officially discharging you today.”David sighed in relief. It had been weeks of pain, rehabilitation, and heavy silence. The idea of leaving those sterile hospital walls felt like finally breathing after being underwater.“However,” Dr. Allen added, his tone firm, “there are some things you must avoid for now if you want to make a full recovery. No carrying anything heavy, no sudden strenuous movement, no driving yet, and definitely no alcohol.”David raised both hands in surrender. “Got it. No he
"I'm just tired, Sophie," Emma admitted, leaning her head back against the wall. "I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. Everything feels like it's spinning, and I can't catch my breath."Emma sat on the edge of her bed, her phone pressed tightly to her ear. Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, though she tried to keep it steady.Sophie, on the other end of the line, responded gently. "Emma, calm down, okay? Take a deep breath. Everything will be fine."Emma let out a hollow laugh. "You always say that. But things aren’t the same as before, Sophie. Ever since you moved overseas, everything changed. I feel like I lost one of the few people who actually understood me."Sophie sighed. "I know. I miss you too, Em. But you have to stay strong. For Claire, at least. She needs you more than anyone. You have to find a way to completely move on. Let go of him."Emma's voice grew quieter. "I have, Sophie, I have. I just….I honestly wasn’t thinking straight when I sent those messages to
David stood motionless in the middle of the hospital parking lot, watching the tail lights of Christian's car disappear into the distance, taking Emma with them. His heart felt like it had been ripped apart and left open in the cold. The wind picked up again, fluttering his shirt, but he didn’t feel it. Not really. Not when the weight of those messages he had once thought were filled with hope had now become a cruel reminder of what he had lost.Slowly, he turned away, each step heavier than the last. He didn’t know where he was going, didn’t even care. His body just moved, his feet dragging him forward, down streets he didn't recognize, past people he didn't see. All the while, his mind played the memory of Emma's voice again and again."I thought I was texting Christian."Those words. That mistake. That accidental plea for help that had revived the hope in his heart only to crush it completely.By the time David became aware of his surroundings, he had already left the hospital gro