The scene about the Pills/Vitamins and James and Ethan's conversation was mentioned in CHAPTER 2 - Shattered Heart ***DON'T FORGET TO ADD THE STORY TO YOUR LIBRARY, #Comment #Like #SUPPORT #SherahHawke #EthanFarwell Feel free to check my other stories here: Hey, Stranger! Goodbye My Love & Alpha's Last Chance
The next evening...At JFK Airport’s arrivals terminal, Sophia and her parents stepped off the plane with heavy steps and haunted expressions. Her forced return was a bitter pill to swallow—Australian authorities had grilled her relentlessly, questioning her prolonged stay and the illegal jewelry she had smuggled into the country.The intricately crafted pieces, made from exotic African seeds designed to resemble beads, were strictly forbidden under Biosecurity regulations for their potential to introduce dangerous pests and diseases that could devastate Australia’s unique ecosystem. With her sudden exit from Australia, Sophia lost everything she had built there; she knew that if she hadn’t left, the authorities would have detained her, and this time Ethan could no longer help her since every detail of her case had been documented and escalated to the proper channels.Clutching her bag with a mix of dread and resignation, she navigated through the bustling crowd, each exhausted step we
The pregnancy test box felt heavy on Sherah’s bag and for the duration of her journey to the restaurant, she couldn’t stop glancing at it. She was lost in her thoughts, dreaming that what if… What if everything about her and Ethan was true? Her pregnancy would be something they’d celebrate for weeks. Unknowingly, she starts caressing her belly.But her daydreaming was soon interrupted by the continued buzzing of her phone. She checked her phone thinking that it was Eliot looking for her as she was already running late. To her surprise, it was Sophia who sent another photo to her. This time it is a bouquet of red roses, Ethan was in the background smiling and the photo came with a taunting caption: “With my future husband.”Sherah’s stomach churns as if every fiber of her being is repulsing what she is seeing, and for the second time, she asks the driver to pull over. The driver scoffed, clearly unhappy that he needed to stop again.“Miss, I don’t want to be rude, but I already wai
Harlene’s brow furrowed on the scene in front of her. She couldn’t help but feel jealous but could handle her emotions better this time.“Harlene,” Eliot muttered in concern. He could see the hurt in her eyes and despised being the reason for it. Sherah lowered her head in shame to be seen in such a position.“I think we should go to a different restaurant,” Eliot suggested, with a faint smile on his face, “Let’s try Asian cuisine.” He suggested while glancing at Harlene and then at Sherah.Harlene wanted to ask why, but seeing Sherah’s terrified look, she understood that something bad had happened before she arrived.Eliot rose from his seat and walked towards Harlene. “I’m sorry you saw that. I’ll explain everything to you later.” He whispered apologetically while lightly holding Harlene’s hand as if assuring her he didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. Sensing the awkwardness in the atmosphere. Eliot changes the topic.“Before we leave, let me formally introduce you. Sherah, this is m
Back at their table, Harlene and Sherah settled back into their seats, their faces a mix of relief and anxiety.Sherah leaned in and whispered, "I’m pregnant," and Eliot's face lit up as he immediately congratulated her. Just then, Sherah’s phone buzzed, almost making her jump off of her seat. Her phone displayed a call from Ethan. Her eyes widened, and she glanced nervously at Eliot and Harlene. "Why is he calling me?" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did he already know?" she added, panic edging into her tone. Harlene reached over and squeezed her hand gently. "Of course not—it’s just a weird coincidence," she said assuringly. Eliot then leaned forward, offering quietly, "Do you want me to answer the call for you?" Sherah shook her head firmly, her voice steadier now as she replied, "No, I'll let it go to voicemail. Let's have dessert." The moment hung in the air, heavy with unspoken worries.But soon, they shifted their focus to the comforting idea of sweet treats
Inside the bustling corridors of New York Medical Hospital, Eliot navigated the sterile hallways with a box of freshly baked muffins and brewed coffee. He found Harlene in her office, tucked away from the frantic pace of the emergency ward. With a gentle smile, he knocked to get her attention."May I enter, Dr. Campbell?" he asked politely while showing the box of muffins and a cup of coffee to her.Harlene cheeks turned red, and she immediately gestured for him to enter. He set the cup down before her. All smiles while asking, “Morning, Harlene. How are you settling into the new office? Are you finding your rhythm here?”Harlene looked up from her stack of patient files and returned his smile, though her eyes betrayed a hint of fatigue. “I’m doing alright, Dr. Carlisle."Both of them chuckle as they are acting too formal in front of each other. "It’s a lot to take in, but I’m gradually adjusting,” she replied, taking a sip of the coffee. After a brief pause, her tone softened as s
Ethan stood in front of Sophia's hospital room, a bouquet of red roses in his hand, jaw tight with frustration. Silas and Rebecca had spent the entire morning feeding him a story about Sherah’s supposed vengeful attack on Sophia. They painted her as unhinged, violent, and incapable of letting go. A part of him doubted it, but they kept on guilt-tripping him using Sophia and their interrupted love story, urging him to protect their daughter no matter what.“Isn’t Sherah a member of their family too?” he said to himself as he entered Sophia’s room. He saw the bandage on her nose and a cast on her leg. She looks frail and delicate.Sophia stared at him with her pitiful puppy dog eyes she always uses whenever she wants attention and it worked. “Are you okay?” he asks as he places the red roses he brought on the bedside table.She nodded, then lowered her head and proceeded to cry.Ethan instantly moved closer to her worry written all over his face. “Do your injuries hurt? Do you want me
While walking to the OB-GYN department, Sherah’s stomach was in knots. She felt someone was watching her. She turned around but saw no one.Ethan was able to hide in one of the pillars.Eliot sensed her unease, held her hand, and led her inside, guiding her to a private wing where Harlene was already waiting.Ethan saw everything, and he was not happy about it. “Is Sherah…and Eliot...” He paused mid-sentence and covered his mouth. Inside the private wing.“Sherah,” Harlene greeted warmly, giving her a reassuring nod. “Come on in.”The room was comfortable and private—exactly what she needed. Sherah lay on the examination bed as Harlene prepped the ultrasound machine. The moment the cool gel touched her lower abdomen, a shiver ran through her.“Alright, let’s take a look,” Harlene said softly, moving the probe gently across Sherah’s belly.Eliot stood beside her, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. Then, after a few moments of scanning, Harlene’s face softened. “There it
~I’ve been on… dating apps…~~One-night stands~~I hope I'll get a baby out of it.~Sherah’s words haunted Ethan. He can’t handle the idea of Sherah being intimate with other men. He expects her to wait at least a year before getting into a new relationship but seems like she’s too impatient to start a new life without him.He held his forehead, racking his brains out on how to deal with it. He didn’t want Sherah to flaunt herself like a cheap whore, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it.He’s in deep thought when suddenly he receives a call from Silas. He didn’t answer the call and let it go to voicemail. After several minutes, he played the voicemail and Silas' words gave him an idea.Ethan gasped and then smirked as the voice message continued to play in the background. He found the perfect opportunity to take care of Sherah’s questionable dating plans.CONCURRENTLY…In the New York Medical Hospital Intensive Care Unit. The scent of antiseptic and fresh blood lingers
Fallon moved through her day like a ghost, efficient, poised, unreadable. By the time the sun dipped behind the cold New York skyline, she had locked herself inside Nathan’s private office, the room softly humming with surveillance feeds from Nathan's CLO office.She navigated through hours of recorded footage. Most of it was mundane: meetings, empty chairs, Nathan pacing during late calls. It was a safety measure, those hidden cameras, installed not to spy but to guard. Guard their secrets.Until something caught her eye.The timestamp was weeks old. The sound is grainy. The footage showed Ethan walking, tense, brisk, and demanding.“Two scoops of coffee, one scoop of cream, two scoops of sugar.”Fallon didn’t realize the words had left her mouth until they did.“Two scoops of coffee, one scoop of cream, two scoops of sugar…”She laughed softly.“You forgot to tell him the temperature.”Her voice dropped to a whisper.“It should be exactly 200 Fahrenheit, so the coffee will be strong
After the incident at the boutique, Sophia grew unexpectedly attached to Fallon.What began as gratitude slowly turned into dependency—an instinctive pull toward the calm, poised woman who had rescued her from her own spiraling fear. Fallon had barely said a word during that terrifying ordeal, yet her presence was steady, grounding. In the days that followed, Sophia clung to her like a shadow.She brought Fallon everywhere…To the mall, to wine tastings, and every last-minute errand involved in the exhausting orchestration of the Farwell-Hawke wedding. An event that doesn't even have a date yet.Fallon even accompanied her to pick out the centerpieces for the imagined reception tables, patiently sifting through color palettes and floral arrangements with a soft, distant smile.Oddly, not once did Ethan join them.Each time his absence was mentioned, Sophia would try to wave it off with a laugh or a shrug. But the shadow in her eyes always gave her away.Fallon didn’t mind.Not because
The classical music had long since stopped, but Sophia was far from recovered.Fallon and Nathan returned to the store, playing the role of concerned bystanders.Fallon’s performance was flawless—too flawless. She stepped into the fitting room, where Sophia sat half-naked in the corner, cowering, covering her ears, rocking herself back and forth.“I’m in a safe place.”“Safe place.”“I’m in a safe place.” She keeps repeating to herself like it is her mantra. “Are you okay, sister?” Fallon mumbled, pinching her elbow to suppress her laughter. “What happened? Let me help you.” Her voice was so sweet you could get diabetes.She then helps Sophia to put on her clothes. “Do you want me to call an ambulance or at least your parents?” Nathan asks through the hallway, his voice laced with concern, but his face is filled with amusement.“NO…”“NO… Don’t…” She yelled as she clung tightly to Fallon as if her life depended on her.Fallon held Sophia’s cold, trembling hand and began patting her b
Weeks had passed since Fallon’s descent into chaos.With Madam Kingsley’s harsh method, Fallon picked up the shattered pieces of herself the way she always does, quietly, methodically.The change was slow, suffocating, and silent.Her thoughts had been trapped in a web of nightmares, haunting memories, and flickers of guilt she no longer knew how to name. But that phase is over now. Her silence had ended.Today is a new day for a new plan.She stood in front of the floor-length mirror, dressed in black with an elegance and grace that conveys sophistication. Her eyes no longer looked hollow, they looked focused. Ruthless. The bruise on her lip had faded, but the lesson had not. Nathan hadn’t spoken of it again, nor had she. Some things didn’t need repeating.Fallon applied her lipstick slowly. A blood-red shade that suited her new resolve. Then she lit a cigarette, a habit she adopted while picking up her shattered self.She then walked toward the room at the end of the hallway where
As days passed, Fallon began to lose her spark—the fire that kept her going started to dwindle.She started returning to her past self and longing for her husband and friends. Her actions left Nathan no option but to tell his mother about it. INSIDE Fallon's room...The curtains remained half-drawn. The once-bright space was now dulled by shadows, the light from outside filtered and gray.Fallon sat at the edge of the bed, still in the clothes she wore yesterday, her gaze unfocused as she stared at nothing in particular.The spark that once made Fallon dangerous, driven, unpredictable—it had thinned. Dimmed. Her posture slumped more with each passing day, the steel in her eyes softening into sorrow.She’d stopped bothering with the little rituals—her coffee grew cold in untouched cups. No more carefully planned vengeance. No more late-night whispers with Nathan about their schemes.MEANWHILE…In Nathan’s home office…Nathan stood by the liquor cabinet, pouring himself a drink with
Fallon sleeps restlessly on the bed, her limbs twitching, her breath shallow. Sweat beads on her forehead.She’s having a dream, or more to say, a nightmare. She is seated across from Ethan at an elegant table. He’s in a tailored suit, polished and charming—too charming. He’s smiling at her, but there’s something hollow behind his eyes.She reaches for his hand, but he retracts it.Ethan smiled faintly, “You knew this wasn’t real, right?” He pointed out.Fallon frowns—the lighting shifts, flickering like a faulty bulb. The surroundings distort—wine glasses melt like wax, and chandeliers bend unnaturally.“What are you talking about?” She asked, her voice cracking with every word. “You were just a distraction. A placeholder… until I didn’t need you anymore,” he explains, grinning. "Because she's back."He stands and walks away.At the far end of the restaurant, Sophia appears, her hand laced tightly with his. They kiss passionately. Fallon staggers backward, knocking over her wine gla
Ethan’s hands are clenched. His nose flared in irritation as he walked back to his office.He was just about to dismiss the earlier incident as nothing more than a coincidence, but Nathan’s words irritated him so much that there was a part of him wishing that Nathan was the person behind it, so he'd have a reason to punish him. He angrily and mindlessly strode the hallway to his office when he bumped into Sophia, who was holding documents for him to sign. She followed him into his office, watching intently as he reviewed the papers. She admired his calm focus, the way his fingers moved across the text. He noticed her staring and looked up. She blushed. He smiled faintly.By the time he finished, it was lunchtime. Sophia invited him to eat, and he agreed—but suggested they order takeout and eat in the conference room.They found Nathan, Oliver, the head of the finance department, and his secretary, Analise, already eating inside.Nathan waved and gestured to them. “Lovebirds! Come sit
Noel was busy photocopying important documents for the afternoon meeting when he heard Nathan's voice nearby, speaking in hushed tones on the phone to a woman.Fallon and Nathan were talking about their plans for tomorrow when Nathan felt someone’s presence near him. His eyes sharpened, and his movements became cautious."I’ve been so stressed lately. Can you come visit me here? I want to be with you every second of every day," he says playfully, abruptly changing the topic.Fallon laughs. She understood the sudden change in Nathan’s tone meant someone was nearby. “You’re disgusting.” She replied. Noel couldn’t hear the woman’s response, but Nathan’s tone was unmistakably affectionate."I know, I know… But what can I do? I miss you so much," Nathan said louder than necessary, just enough for Noel to hear. He knew Noel would tell Ethan everything he did.He was slowly planting whispers about Fallon. Each mention was deliberate, woven gently into conversation, like a memory everyone t
It was Nathan’s first day as the official Chief Legal Officer (CLO). He arrived early, arms full of carefully packed boxes, his blue eyes gleaming with excitement and purpose. As he stepped out of the elevator and crossed the marble floor toward his office, every head turned.Whispers stirred the air behind him like a rising storm.The female staff, in particular, exchanged curious, admiring glances and whispered about the tall, blonde stranger. Their excitement crumbled quickly when someone muttered the news that he was married and off-limits. Disappointment spread like a wildfire.Nathan didn’t care. Attention was nice—it fed his ego—but today, he had greater ambition.He intended to honor Grandma’s faith in him, slowly sink his roots deeper into the Farwell Group, and gradually lead it to its end. He was arranging the last few frames on his desk when Noel knocked and entered, carrying a small black box."A welcome gift," Noel said with a polite smile, setting down a bottle of deep