Semua Bab Hey, Stranger!: Bab 111 - Bab 120

ALICIA watched her son's receding figure walk outside the manor. After a few minutes, he had not returned. Her maternal instinct was telling her to follow him outside. She stood up and discreetly left George beside Albert. When she got outside, she witnessed how her son got down from the second-floor balcony using the vines. "Lucian," she muttered. Startled, Lucian hadn't had time to speak when his mother marched towards him, seeing the bandage on his left hand and the tear on his suit jacket. Alicia frantically asked, "What happened to you? And whose room did you come from?" Caught in the act, he could only tell her the truth. "Oh, Lucian. I'm happy to hear you want to apologize to her, but this is not the right time. The Ripley family is still grieving." Lucian could only lower his head as his mother removed the leaves from his clothes. He felt like a child again needing his mother's help to tidy himself. "I think it's better to remove your suit jacket," she suggested while point

THE NIGHT after Catherine was laid to rest, Latton, together with her cousins, Lucius and Xavier, and her brother Derek, who brought Dolan along hit the bar. Latton drank her heart out. She wanted to yell at the top of her lungs, but she couldn’t. She was so shaken by the severity of the events that happened in just a week. She wants to shed more tears for Catherine, but it seems like all her tears already left. Until now, she still couldn't accept that her father's affair might be the reason why Catherine died. She could only hope that that was not the case and that the last of her mishaps would be her father’s affair with her high school bully, or so she thought. She drank her liquor while discreetly glancing at Dolan who was sitting opposite her, and she felt better just knowing he was near her. Throughout the night, she focused all her attention on him to forget everything that happened even for a short time. THE NEXT DAY After drinking heavily last night, Latton was awakened b

“I’m sorry, Dolan,” Latton said as they drove away from the Merle café. “I just want to treat you out and instead of making up to you, you got hurt because of me,” she added, she lowered her head, hands clenched tightly, and soon tears fell on her hands and she sobbed silently. “Latton it's fine. It didn't hurt that badly, the punch was not even that strong. My lips are not even swollen anymore, but that slap you gave him for sure hurts a lot,” Dolan states jokingly as he holds her left hand with his right hand while driving. She laughs in between sobs. Then she wipes her tears. “How about we take a drive-thru and eat in the car or the park instead?” He asks. She nods merrily. The dismay, sorrow, and rage she felt before dissipated instantly. Shortly after, they bought food at different fast food places: Subway, Yellow Cab, McDonald's, KFC, and Starbucks. By noon, Dolan drove to a nearby park, sat at one of the picnic tables, and started placing the mountain of junk food on the t

DOLAN drove Latton back to Ripley Manor. The ride was filled with deafening silence. Latton’s face was burning red, and she was trembling in rage. Her palms are sweating, and her eyes are teary. “Latton,” Dolan mumbled softly. She remains staring blankly outside. “I’m sorry,” he added. She ignored his words and then asked coldly, “Anything else I need to know?” He nods. “When Derek asked me to sedate you, he put guards outside your door so no one else could disturb you. Despite that, Lucian visited you, he climbed to the balcony, and he’s the one that put a rose on your ear. I also heard him apologize numerous times. I think he really likes you, Latton," he revealed. Her eyes widened, her lips started trembling, and a faint smile flickered on her lips. Shortly, they arrived at the Manor and Dolan couldn't stop apologizing. "It's fine Dolan. It's an opportunity and you grabbed it. You're not the first one my father used to manipulate me. I'm not mad at you, I'm just upset. I ju

MALENA was sitting in the living room browsing through her social media when suddenly a post caught her attention. It's a post about the Circle of Hope charity ball that will begin later that day. Soon she remembers that Lucian once invited her to attend that event with him, but she gave him a lame excuse not to go with him as she hates those types of gatherings. Her brows furrowed instantly, "Would he be there?" She asked herself. She soon dialed a number to confirm her suspicions. After the call ended, her face distorted in anger as she also discovered that Latton Ripley would attend the gathering. "Those two cannot be happy together. If I'm unhappy, so will they." She declares as her grasp on her phone tightens in rage. "Men like Lucian can't be happy." She added as she bit her nails, thinking of something to sow discord between Lucian and Latton. - Eight in the evening, and the Circle of Hope’s charity organization’s 35th anniversary began. It was held at an event place that co