LOGINFather! You made it." Ashley rose from her chair with excitement, hurrying to pull him into a hug. “I was just asking about you from Mother.” “I had to attend a meeting, and I’m just coming from there,” he responded, his gaze settling on Nolan, who didn’t immediately meet his eyes. Layla had no issue with her calling them “Father” and “Mother,” but the way Ashley kept repeating it while staring at her made it obvious she was trying to make her feel like she had been there long before she was found. “Please, make yourselves comfortable. I will serve you,” Ruth urged the two men who had just stepped into the room. Adrian searched for a seat and found none except the one beside Nolan. He moved closer, adjusting himself to sit comfortably. Nolan’s heart was pounding so loudly that Adrian, seated next to him, could almost hear it. “I’ll just have the fruits. That’s enough,” Harthwore said. She nodded excitedly as she served him. “How was your meeting?” Nolan inquired. He was the la
Natasha didn’t know that Nolan was the one she had been married to all this time. She knows her daughter's story with him, but she had never imagined Ashley to be the woman who led to the separation of her daughter's marriage. She glanced at her daughter, who had a smile on her face, and it only made her more perplexed—she should have been hurting, yet the smile suggested otherwise. “Is everything okay?” Layla asked, the smile still on her face. She was giving her a sign not to act surprised, which she caught the message. Ruth reached for her hands in concern, her expression clearly showing shock. “Do you feel unwell?” Natasha quickly regained her composure. “I’m sorry about that. I suddenly recalled something important, which is why I paused. Please, lead the way.” Ashley and her husband were already on their feet, ready to greet her with warm smiles. They walked further into the room, reciprocating the same energy. “Mother, you’re welcome!” Ashley said as she stepped forwar
Work had been going really well for the Harthwore family; deals were being closed, and contracts were being signed. Layla was also getting connected and attending a few conferences. She had been the talk of the country since the opening of her gallery, and she hadn’t encountered any problems so far.Though the news of how Nolan's company had been performing lingered on her mind since she watched it, she refused to let it bother her.He had been struggling with his previous project, and Ashley had been offering a helping hand, but it remained stagnant. Even with her influence, they hadn’t been meeting people, as most of them claimed to be busy or out of the country.Today was the day—they had planned to have dinner and introduce Nolan as Ashley’s husband.It had been a hectic day for Layla, and she had lost the zeal to go there. Or maybe it was because she would rather not be in the midst of Ashley and her husband.It was obvious her mother, Ruth, was aware that she was Nolan’s ex-wife
What do you mean it's stress? You can't conclude that when you know it's nothing close to that.Ryan picked up his glass of wine and gulped down the whole whiskey. It was unlike him to drink this much. He barely takes a full glass, let alone three."Why do I feel like you're resigning as a doctor?""You're crazy!"Adrian burst out laughing; this was the way to cheer him up. He has never wanted anything more than to be a doctor."I am proud of my profession. I am even prouder because three years ago, I managed to save my sister."Adrian shifted, this was the part he's been wanting to ask. His curiosity piqued, and he didn't hesitate."Did she come home, or how did you find her?"This time, it was Ryan's turn to laugh at his statement. If she had come claiming to be their sister, Harthwore wouldn't have hesitated to arrest her.They lost her when she was a little girl, which not many people knew about, so coming to claim to be their sister would cause her trouble."I think heaven wanted
The security guard alerted the others inside as he ran toward her. He crouched beside her, lifting her head into his hands and shaking her gently. “Ma’am! Ma’am! Can you hear me?” She didn’t move. She didn’t respond. Panic crept into his voice. “Can anyone hear me? Please get Sir Ethan; she’s not waking up!”A few staff members came running, and right behind them was Ethan; someone had already rushed to get him from the office. He pushed through the crowd without hesitation, dropping to his knees in front of her. Carefully, he lifted her into his arms and carried her straight to his car.He laid her across the back seat, rushed into the driver’s seat, and sped off.The thirty-minute drive took only twenty.By the time he arrived at the hospital, his brother was already waiting outside. Ethan barely parked properly before jumping out and yanking the door open. Together, they lifted her onto a stretcher, and within seconds, she was rushed inside.Ethan remained outside, pacing restlessl
Staring out the window, Layla held her brush, watching as cars and pedestrians moved back and forth. The city felt unusually alive today—busy, yet strangely beautiful. She had spent most of her life indoors, playing the role of a housewife and never really experiencing something like this. Now, standing there, simply watching… it felt new, almost peaceful.The view from her office window was breathtaking, enough to keep her company.She exhaled softly, lowering the brush before turning toward the door. Slowly, she stepped out and made her way downstairs, where her brother was assisting her staff.“Good. We’re all set,” he announced.“I’ll go inform the boss,” one of the staff said, turning—only to spot Layla approaching. “Oh, there she is.”She stopped immediately.“Are they ready to leave?” Layla asked as she walked over, stopping beside the car.“Yes. Everything has been loaded. They’re heading to the airport,” Ethan replied.Layla’s gaze shifted to one of the staff members.“We did







