The family car drove steadily down the highway, which was beginning to fill with vehicles that late afternoon. The sky had turned golden, the sunlight streaming through the windshield, forcing the driver to squint slightly.In the back seat, Reno sat beside Rebecca, hugging his new robot toy. Wanna, on the other side, was busy opening her small bag, while Sindy only stared out the window, her mind still in chaos.At first, the trip felt normal. But a few minutes later, something strange happened. The wheels of the car began to tremble. The driver reflexively gripped the steering wheel tighter.“What’s going on?” he muttered softly, almost inaudible.Rebecca, seated behind, turned her head. “What’s wrong?”Before he could answer, the car suddenly jolted violently. The driver lost control, the front wheel struck a pothole, and all the passengers were thrown forward.“Oh my God!” Wanna cried out, her body shoved ahead.Reno screamed, clutching his toy tightly. “Mommy!”The car swerved le
4 p.m.The Wilson family mall always looked magnificent. From the outside alone, people could immediately tell it was not just an ordinary shopping center. That day, Wanna invited Rebecca along with Reno and Sindy to go shopping together.“Come on, Rebecca, don’t be shy. You also need to have some relaxing time. Besides, Reno must be happy to come along,” Wanna said while holding her grandson’s enthusiastic hand.Rebecca smiled. “Of course, Mom. Reno has been noisy since earlier, insisting he wanted to come.”Reno hopped a little, his eyes sparkling. “Mommy, I want to buy that robot toy over there!”Wanna chuckled. “Alright, my grandson, Grandma will surely buy it for you.”Sindy walked beside them, wearing sunglasses. Her smile was faint, as if trying to cover up her unsettled feelings. Still, she tried to appear calm. “Reno is way too excited. Unlike me, I’m still sleepy.”Rebecca glanced at her sister-in-law. “Did you stay up late last night, Sindy?”Sindy quickly brushed her hair.
The atmosphere in the hospital that night felt tense. The emergency room lights were glaring, and the sound of hurried footsteps from doctors and nurses echoed through the hall.Samuel stood in front of the operating room with his arms crossed. His face looked calm, though his eyes never left the unopened door. Beside him, Bani waited anxiously.A few minutes later, a doctor came out with a serious expression. “Sir, the patient is in critical condition. We have performed emergency measures, but she is in a coma. We will continue to monitor her condition.”Samuel only gave a brief nod. “Continue the treatment. Do not let her lack anything.”“Yes, Sir,” the doctor replied, then returned inside.Bani turned slowly. “Sir, what should we do next?”Samuel took a deep breath, his voice firm. “I do not want any mistakes, two men guard in front of her room. Do not give her a chance to escape if she regains consciousness.”Bani nodded quickly. “Understood.” He gave a signal to the two bodyguard
Samuel lay relaxed on the sofa in Karina’s apartment living room. His eyes were half-closed, his face deliberately kept pale so that Karina would believe he had not fully recovered.Karina walked quickly to the kitchen, opened the medicine cabinet, and poured water into a glass. Meanwhile, Samuel slowly reached for his phone from his pocket. His thumb moved swiftly, typing a short message to his assistant.Message sent. Samuel placed the phone back, then closed his eyes pretending to sleep when Karina’s footsteps drew near.“Samuel, wake up for a moment,” Karina said softly as she sat on the edge of the sofa. She put the glass and the medicine on the table. “Drink this first, so your dizziness eases.”Samuel slowly opened his eyes, as if weak. “What medicine is this?”“Vitamins and painkillers. Don’t worry, nothing dangerous,” Karina quickly replied.Samuel reached for the glass with trembling hands, pretending to struggle. Karina immediately moved closer, supporting his back.“Slowly
Sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains. Zasco slowly opened his eyes, his body feeling both heavy and light at the same time. He stayed still for a moment, trying to process the situation. The blanket covering his waist slipped slightly, making fragments of last night’s memory return bit by bit.He turned to the side of the bed. His face hardened, eyes narrowing. The woman from last night was no longer beside him.“She’s gone?” he muttered softly.Zasco closed his eyes again, trying to recall. Vaguely, he saw the shadow of a woman—her body, her voice, even the scent of her perfume lingering in his nose. Most disturbing of all, he remembered clearly how that woman touched him, how her body moved on top of him.Zasco exhaled sharply. “Damn it. How could I possibly enjoy all of that? I’ve always been disgusted by a woman’s touch.”He sat up, resting his back against the headboard. His hands clenched into fists, frustration mixed with confusion.“That woman, who is she really?
At seven in the morning, Rebecca sat in the small study on the second floor of the Wilson Mansion. The fresh morning air drifted in through the open window, yet her mind was full of things that needed to be arranged. She stared at her phone screen, took a deep breath, and pressed Kevin’s name—her assistant.The line rang a few times before Kevin’s voice finally came through.“Hello, Mrs. Rebecca. Good morning,” Kevin greeted warmly.“Morning, Kevin,” Rebecca replied softly. “I want to tell you something. For the next three days, I’ll be on leave. So you’ll have to handle all work matters for now.”Kevin was silent for a moment before responding. “Alright, Ma’am. I understand. Is there any particular priority I should focus on right away?”Rebecca rubbed her temples, then glanced at the files on her desk. “Yes, there is. The project with Mr. Zasco will remain under my responsibility alone. Don’t you ever interfere with that part. I’ll handle it once I return. In the meantime, focus on