Beard Science

Because her precious Jeremy needed a lab rat, Harper shipped me off to Bendora Mental Health Institute after my surgery. I got electroshocked until I was drooling and twitching, and she? She just slapped her hand over Jeremy's eyes like, "Ew, babe, don't look." Jeremy scored a Research Award nomination off that mess. Harper celebrated with fireworks so loud they could've woken the dead. Meanwhile, I was lying there in the dark, staring up at the sky while they took my leg. To keep it quiet, Jeremy slapped on a prosthetic and threatened me if I ever opened my mouth. He told Harper I just got "a little banged up" in the trial. Numb, I boxed up my leg in a freezer box. Seven days later, at Jeremy's big gala night, guess who would unwrap it like a party favor? Yeah. Harper.

When I loved her, I didn't understand what true love was. When I lost her, I had time for her. I was emptied just when I was full of love. Speechless! Life took her to death while I explored the outside world within. Sad trauma of losing her. I am going to miss her in a perfectly impossible world for us. I also note my fight with death as a cause of extreme departure in life. Enjoy!

After getting reborn, I take the initiative to seek my mentor, Taddeo Pellegrini, out and agree to join the lifetime research project hosted by Cyranelle University. While Taddeo is delighted to hear my answer, he still double-confirms everything with me uneasily. "Patrizia, are you sure you want to fly to Elandor with me? The period of this research project is very long. There's a chance that you might not get to go home for the rest of your life. "Three days ago, Cristiano had specifically prepared that huge and grand proposal for you, didn't he? Isn't he the most influential Don of all of Norelia? Are you sure you want to give up on your identity as the Gallo family's Donna and go to another country with me instead?" I nod without hesitation. "Yes, I absolutely want this for myself." In my previous life, Cristiano Gallo kept drawing blood from me for my younger sister, Nina Luciani's sake. It resulted in my death in the hospital from the lack of blood. I had always been Nina's mobile blood bank, after all. Even when I died, I never left her side. Now that I've gotten a second chance in life, the first thing I need to learn is to live for myself. Hence, I accept Taddeo's academic offer and leave Istravia without any hesitation. This time, I choose to abandon my biased family as well as Cristiano, the man I've previously loved for a lifetime.

Our place was hit by an earthquake. I was crushed by a slab of stone, but my wife, leader of the rescue squad, abandoned me in favor of her true love. She said, "You're a soldier. You can live with a little injury. Felix can't. He's always been weak, and he needs me." I was saved, eventually, and I wanted to leave my wife. I agreed to the chip research that would station me in one of the National Science Foundation's bases deep in the mountains. My leader was elated about my agreeing to this research. He grasped my hand tightly. "Marvelous. With you in our team, Jonathan, this research won't fail! But… you'll be gone for six whole years. Are you sure your partner's fine with it?" I nodded. "She will be. I'm serving the nation here. She'll understand." The leader patted my shoulder. "Good to know. The clock is ticking, so you'll only have one month to say your goodbyes. That enough for you?" I smiled. "More than enough."

On our fifth wedding anniversary, my husband cancels a 100-million-dollar business deal to take me on vacation. While we're together, breathless and intimate, I'm about to tell him the news that our IVF finally succeeded when he answers his phone. His Valerian flows, smooth and effortless. "Of course I'm coming to tomorrow's prenatal checkup. That's our baby." "But won't your barren wife get jealous?" The woman on the other end speaks with a sultry lilt. Ethan Shaw traces his tongue along my neck as he responds, "What she doesn't know won't hurt her." My mind went blank, like lightning striking too close. I stuff the pregnancy report back into my pocket without thinking. "Honey, who's that?" Ethan pulls me close by the waist. "Just a business partner in Valeria. Time difference, that's why they're calling now..." I can't process the rest of his words. Ethan doesn't know I understand Valerian. Since he's clearly not excited about our child, I'll make sure this baby grows up without him as a father.

Christine and Mitchell love story. If Army, football stars, surgeons, glamorous actors and models, and honest politicians destroy your ability to suspend disbelief. It is a work in progress with several chapters completed and many more to come. Thanks to everyone the takes the time to read this, and to all of you that still like to dream. Post what you like or don’t like about the story.