ã€ŠBillionaires with Benefitsã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1: 1. Adorable Virgin Husband

    ¡°Enough with the call, hurry and get ready to make me a grandchild!¡± The chuckling voice of the middle-aged man on the other end of the phone made a sweet smile etched on the lips of a beautiful woman with long blonde hair who was leaning on the headboard of the bed, resting from a tiring day¡¯s activities.

    ¡°Ugh, gross ....¡± The young woman replied, blinking for a moment, letting her thick and curly eyelashes go up and down. Her neat white teeth were visible as she laughed as she bid farewell and good night to her father.

    ¡°Good night, Paula!¡±

    ¡°Night, dad!¡±

    Paula put the cell phone on the table after ending the call. She snorted at the thought of her father¡¯s words just now.

    ¡°Making baby?¡± she muttered to herself, repeating her father¡¯s words while laughing at the situation right now. ¡°Huh? Ridiculous.¡±

    She took a deep breath to relax her body. Well, a while ago was her wedding ceremony. Of course, it¡¯s not wrong if her father expected something like that. What else would the bride and groom do on the first night together?

    However, of course, he would be shocked to death if he knew his daughter was alone on the wedding night. How come? In this world, where was there a ridiculous wedding night like Paula¡¯s? Shouldn¡¯t this be the night when husband and wife make love and share kisses?

    .....

    She looked at the ivory lingerie lying in the open suitcase. The lingerie that she bought a few days ago, especially for tonight.

    Her slender fingers picked up the beautiful lingerie from the suitcase. A look of disappointment crossed her face. It felt like having prepared a presentation slide for a business meeting with a potential investor, but the client does not come without saying a word. Vain? Yes, a waste of time and a waste of money.

    She let out a long sigh and then threw the lacy transparent lingerie back into the suitcase. She looked really annoyed and very disappointed at her husband¡¯s treatment which could be considered harassment.

    Paula hoped that tonight she could have the perfect wedding night she imagined. She wanted to say goodbye to her virginity after some years of being a celibate girl because her father did not allow her to have extramarital sex.

    Like other young people, Paula was curious about what it would be like to be a real woman. Why did her friends love it so much and didn¡¯t hesitate to do it with a lover or even a stranger they just met at a nightclub? After that, they would talk about experiences and tell what luck or misfortune they experienced while spending the night with their new date. RIP I-don¡¯t-kiss-and-tell.

    Guess what, how could her curious young soul not be tempted to do the same? However, the strong reins in the girl did not allow her to get out of control. She finally decided to stay patient until she got married and had a legal partner as her parents wanted.

    Instead of worrying about unimportant things, Paula chose to do some work. Sitting alone in a hotel room, in front of a laptop with a pile of work, accompanied by a cup of black coffee ... to be more precise, half a cup, because the other half was already in her stomach.

    After fixing up her long ponytail, Paula re-examined the budget plan for opening her cake shop and cafe outlet sent by Monica, her assistant. Her eyes narrowed, reviewing the marketing costs that seemed less effective. Perhaps, she would choose online marketing through social media and the endorsement system through influencers to keep it on budget.

    About two hours later, the tiring work was finished. After sending Monica an email, she turned off the laptop and took a sip of the remaining coffee left in the cup.

    Then, she grabbed a brush and toothpaste and headed to the bathroom to do her nightly routine. After changing into a comfortable satin pajama, she laid back on the double king-sized bed which was soft and seemed too wide for one person.

    Poor Paula. Where did her husband go?

    Who knows. Once they were in the hotel room, her husband immediately left her without even saying goodbye. However, Paula didn¡¯t want to look for her husband because, to be honest, she didn¡¯t know where her husband used to go, didn¡¯t know his friends, didn¡¯t know his cell phone number ... on top of it, she couldn¡¯t remember her husband¡¯s face.

    William. The only child of Alex Montgomery, a billionaire friend of her father. The only heir of Montgomery Enterprise. That was all she knew about her husband.

    It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t care, She just didn¡¯t have time to get to know him. This wedding was planned so suddenly. Meanwhile, She had been very busy these past few weeks with research on the bakery she was starting.

    Two months ago, a week after Paula¡¯s graduation, her father told her that she would marry William. ¡°Sorry for the short notice, considering the condition of Lisa, Alex¡¯s wife, who is currently sick. Lisa wants to see her only child get married as soon as possible,¡± her father explained, hoping his daughter would understand the situation. However, he was aware that a sudden arranged marriage was something unnatural. It was something that actually couldn¡¯t be explained with ¡®sorry for the short notice.

    ¡°I promised Alex, we will be an in-law when we have a son and daughter,¡± her father said while eating his dinner.

    ¡°Hmm, but ... don¡¯t you think that you should consider my opinion?¡± she objected still, despite never really falling deeply in love with someone.

    ¡°Yes, if you have a boyfriend, you just have to break up with him, no?¡± her father replied, laughing. He knew the unique character of his only daughter. She didn¡¯t believe in love, only cared about the business. Currently, she only dodged his request to test how important this matter to him was. ¡°And ... I will surely invest a hundred grand for your bakery.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? A hundred grand?¡± Paula screamed in joy. She didn¡¯t believe what her father said right now. ¡°I thought you would never care about my startup.¡±

    ¡°I always care about you, young lady!¡±

    ¡°As long as this marriage has many benefits, I will have no reason to reject,¡± she concluded, finally agreeing to the arrangement. ¡°Okay, I will leave for Tokyo tomorrow morning. Please make sure that you will transfer the money to my bank account before the wedding.¡±

    ¡°Ok, Daddy will take care of everything for you. Make sure you come home at least three days before D-day.¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡±

    Well, why should she argue? After all, her father always gave her the best clothes, the best toys, the best food, and the best school, so naturally, her father would also choose the best husband for her. At least, it was supposed to be like that.

    ***

    The sound of a ringing alarm from a cell phone woke Paula up. It¡¯s already seven in the morning. She immediately did her morning routine.

    While enjoying the fresh warm water splashed on her body, her cell phone rang, and she left the bathroom immediately to pick up the call, which turned out to be from Monica. Her assistant told her the meeting with one of the investors was rescheduled.

    ¡°Okay, then tomorrow at eight am, okay! Thank you,¡± Paula said while marking the date and time on the agenda.

    She had just hung the call up when suddenly a scream came from the door.

    ¡°Aaaaaaarrrgh...!¡± a dark brown-haired man shouted in shock. Moments later, he awkwardly closed his emerald eyes and turned his back. That¡¯s when Paula realized why he was screaming. She was standing completely naked beside the bed.

    ¡°Ow, ow! Sorry.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Do you have no shame? How could you do something like that in front of a stranger?¡± William, Paula¡¯s husband, scolded her. His face was as red as tomatoes. Either out of shame or anger. He looked at anything but his wife, despite her beautiful body being neatly wrapped in a hotel white bathrobe.

    ¡°Sorry, I thought there was no one in this room. And ... you¡¯re my husband, not a stranger,¡± Paula said in a flat tone while drying her hair with a dry towel. ¡°Also, if you were really embarrassed or even angry with me, you should have just shut your eyes instead of staring at my beautiful body for a few minutes,¡± she added casually with a smirk plastered on her face.

    William¡¯s eyes that had been away from his wife now turned to her again, trying to defend himself. His mouth opened to say something, but he didn¡¯t manage to do that.

    Feeling guilty about her husband¡¯s adorable response, Paula tried to soothe his feelings, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. It¡¯s natural to like a beautiful and sexy naked woman-¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± William snapped, cutting her words. By now, his face was completely red. She knew that her husband was upset.

    Being aware of the unfriendly situation, she was kind enough to get him a bottle of mineral water from the minibar and handed it to him. He gladly took it and immediately drank half the bottle. After that, she asked him a not-so-important question, ¡°Why did you come back? I thought you would leave for good.¡±

    At first, Paula wanted to ask where her husband was last night, but she didn¡¯t because she was sure he would never answer honestly. If it wasn¡¯t a secret, he would say a word, no? ¡°Did you leave something behind?¡±

    William shook his head, ¡°I just wanted to pick you up. We¡¯re going home today. Pack your stuff up asap.¡±

    That¡¯s how it was. Today, Paula went home to William¡¯s ... her husband¡¯s, not to her father¡¯s anymore. She was Paula Montgomery ... no longer Paula Anderson.

    ¡®Well, anywhere is fine. As long as I can work well,¡¯ she muttered to herself. After all, she was aware that a wife should live under one roof with her husband, immediately after the marriage ceremony.

    While driving towards the house, Paula studied her husband¡¯s face in silence. She wanted to tease him because she knew that he also stole glances several times. When their eyes accidentally met, that¡¯s when his face turned completely red.

    Paula chuckled, then asked, ¡°Mr. Montgomery, are you a virgin?¡±

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2: 2. Seductive Wife

    William hit the brakes suddenly. He was very surprised by the indecent question coming from Paula¡¯s lips. ¡°What do you mean? Do I look like a timid virgin boy?¡± he asked with a bright red face.

    Paula giggled and shook her head. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her husband who seemed furious. He was different from her other male friends.

    Paula had dated several men. They would have been embarrassed if they were still virgins at William¡¯s age. After all, a 25 years old man who never touched a woman was a very rare species this time.

    However, on the other hand, Paula was glad to know her husband was still a virgin. That meant they were equal. A virgin for a virgin. She imagined that their experience would be a pleasant one because they had to learn a lot from each other. However, her ego didn¡¯t allow her to look more awkward than her husband when they had their first night together despite they were both virgins.

    The newlywed couple went to their love nest in silence. Paula stole glances at her husband sometimes. Meanwhile, William didn¡¯t look at her at all. He was really angry and upset.

    The car stopped at a newly built small house. William turned out to have his own house, living separately from his parents. His house was not the big one. The building area might be around 150 square meters, consisting of two floors. Despite its size, the house looked luxurious because it was dominated by glass walls. At the front, there was a small sweet garden with an additional fish pond in the corner.

    .....

    When she opened the door, Paula was quite impressed with the minimalist interior design that added a simple yet elegant impression. In the living room, there was a beige long L couch which was the right size for three people to sit and one to lie down. In front of him, there was a small table made of glass and a plain dark brown fur rug that looks harmonious with the milk chocolate curtains. There was also a TV attached to the wall, so the living room can be used as a family room at the same time. This condition was very suitable for them since they do not always have guests.

    The kitchen was also nice, such a pleasure to the eye. The kitchen island and bar table was made of brown marbled ceramic, adding to the impression of relief and elegance in the kitchen. Four wooden chairs with padded seats and backs were lined up straight along the bar table. The space in the middle was also quite spacious, making it possible for two people who wanted to use the kitchen at the same time.

    In the corner of the kitchen, near the kitchen island, there was a large refrigerator with a capacity of six hundred liters, black colored one. It was nice since the room had a brown theme. A microwave, an oven, and a rice cooker were also neatly arranged on a shelf next to the refrigerator.

    It was very easy to imagine that the realtors were doing a promotion, they used words like luxurious residence for a modern and dynamic young couple. The impression shown in the living room and kitchen, made Paula want to immediately see the interior of the room.

    There was one master bedroom downstairs and two rooms upstairs. She didn¡¯t know which room she would stay in. She preferred the first floor because the room seemed nice.

    However, how disappointed Paula was. She was really surprised when William told her to sleep in a separate room. Not in one room like a real husband and wife. ¡°Why don¡¯t we share the same room, Will?¡±

    ¡°And why should we share a room?¡± Will asked back. ¡°We are strangers.¡±

    Paula was very disappointed with Will¡¯s strange behavior. Starting from leaving her alone on their first night at the hotel, to telling her to stay under one roof but in separate rooms.

    ¡°We were strangers, and now, we are husband and wife.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit. We were, we are, and we will remain strangers for good.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so, you¡¯re not interested in having sex with me, yes?¡± Paula snapped. Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Look, I¡¯m breathtakingly gorgeous, no? Men want me. Could it be that you are ....¡±

    Paula¡¯s face drew closer to William¡¯s. Their distance was so short that he could feel her hot minty breath. He couldn¡¯t help but step back and lean closer to the wall. She was determined to not give up.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± William snapped in anger and panic. If he hadn¡¯t shouted at his wife, he would have clung to her by now. Just like what his wife said, he did think that his wife was indeed so beautiful.

    Paula snorted in annoyance and said, ¡°Okay. It¡¯s up to you if you don¡¯t want to share a room. I don¡¯t care.¡±

    Paula did say so. However, she was determined to not give up that easily. She was curious about the man she was currently marrying. Was he a straight guy or was she married to a guy from another team by mistake?

    The sun was still shining bright. Paula still had plenty of time to tidy up her room upstairs and figure out her plans. If she told her parents or her in-laws about this, perhaps the problem would end soon. However, of course, she was not the type who would always come to her parents and ask them to solve the problems she faced.

    This was not a big deal. It¡¯s just that she had never been rejected by men. Her former exes even frankly wanted her. They were even willing to beg and promise many things for her to have sex with them.

    Meanwhile, William refused her presence. Of course, she had no idea. She was even more curious about his real reason.

    It¡¯s time for dinner. Paula ordered the food as she did this afternoon. It¡¯s not that she couldn¡¯t cook. She was just too busy. The fridge was also empty. Her husband only had frozen foods in the freezer. Tomorrow she was planning to go shopping so that she can fill the refrigerator with fresh stuff.

    Paula looked at her husband who seemed more interested in the food on his plate than her despite the fried noodles she ordered didn¡¯t taste too special. She realized that he was doing this on purpose to avoid having a conversation with her. Honestly, he wouldn¡¯t be able to state the reason why he turned down such beauty as his wife. She shouldn¡¯t be rejected.

    The dinner was silent. The two of them even washed the dishes separately like in the dorms. No words, no chat. After that, they both returned to their respective rooms without saying good night or goodbye.

    However, this was all temporary. Because actually, Paula was preparing a surprise for her husband. She was planning to expose her cute face and her attractive body by wearing the lingerie that she didn¡¯t have a chance to wear last night. Tonight, she¡¯s determined to seduce her husband and get what she wants as soon as possible.

    Paula went down to the first floor, to the place where the master bedroom was. She knocked on the door with an incredibly confident smile. The owner of the room screamed when he saw what was served in front of him.

    ¡°Oh my God! You¡¯re crazy, aren¡¯t you!¡± he shouted, closing his eyes at the appearance of the sexy half-naked woman-his lawful wife-the only woman he allowed to touch.

    ¡°What the hell, Will! Don¡¯t be so silly. I¡¯m your legal wife!¡± Paula protested, offended. How come? Her husband¡¯s response was very disappointing. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like a stranger, please! Then why did we get married yesterday? What was the marriage for? What was the meaning of your vows?¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± William asked, still averting his eyes from the beautiful sight in front of him.

    ¡°Your wife is already wearing this kind of super sexy lingerie and ... you are asking what do I want?¡± she protested with pursed lips. ¡°I want you, of course?¡±

    ¡°Go away!¡± he shouted, still shutting his eyes. ¡°I will never touch you, Paula! I don¡¯t want you!¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t flinch, stared at her husband. It was obvious that his mouth and body were out of sync. She smiled as she felt like she was going to raise the victory flag in no time.

    To increase her chance, she stepped further and further into the room, ignoring her husband¡¯s warnings to leave. Knowing what was currently happening, he panicked even more.

    ¡°You!¡± William looked away for a moment. Seeing the breathtakingly beautiful scene in front of him, William turned back. ¡°Go!¡±

    ¡°Will, I¡¯m your wife. Do you want me to be left alone upstairs? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s such a waste?¡± Paula persuaded him again. This time with no emotion, as if she was forcing a child to eat the delicious treats that were served.

    ¡°You have no shame, indeed. I bet you are no longer a virgin,¡± William accused, his face burned like a brand. He was facing the wall. However, actually, in his eyelids, he could only imagine his wife¡¯s stunning appearance that he had glimpsed earlier. ¡°Are you a sex maniac?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to know? Why don¡¯t you check it?¡± Paula said seductively. She was now stripping the thin cloth that was left on her body. She did it so calmly as if it was no big deal. This was what bothered his mind. How could there be a woman who behaved like her?

    Holding out her arms, Paula said, ¡°Look! Now you can check whether I¡¯m a virgin or not.¡±

    The surge of his desire suddenly increased exponentially. Even though he didn¡¯t see directly what Paula was doing, his third eye-as a normal man-was able to know what Paula had just done.

    Sweat dripped vigorously on his forehead. It was obvious that he was holding back, lust stirred strongly inside him. His sanity severely begged him to endure. However, his primal instinct forced him to surrender and accept the offer.

    Moments later, William could no longer think straight. He didn¡¯t know anymore what was right and what was wrong. All he knew was just one, a normal guy would say yes to this tempting beauty.

    Unfortunately, William was a normal one. Will he be the real man tonight? Or will he be able to resist his seductive wife even though his desires are currently burning?

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3: 3. First Night

    William¡¯s whole body was wet with sweat. He seemed to be forcing himself to defend and dodge Paula¡¯s attacks.

    His eyes were now not only looking in another direction but also shut tight because he didn¡¯t want to give up. As much as possible he drove away the sexy and beautiful sight from his mind. Unfortunately, he just couldn¡¯t.

    William¡¯s heart beat faster. His blood rushed as if driven by a pumping machine. There was no doubt for anyone who saw that at this time he wanted to immerse himself inside her.

    However, William¡¯s pure conscience said something else. He had to stick to what he believed in. He had promised himself that he would not touch his wife.

    That¡¯s why, at this moment, William was saying the one thing he had previously kept secret from Paula. The thing that should make any woman stay away from him. ¡°Sorry, Paula! I can¡¯t touch you. I already have a girlfriend-the one I truly love.¡±

    Silence. Paula flinched. She lowered the arms that had intended to hug him.

    ¡°I married you because my mom was sick,¡± William explained. He managed to reduce the intensity of his desire that had almost exploded earlier.

    .....

    He recalled there was a lover who was waiting and believed in his promise. He promised to marry his lover despite his parents not agreeing. He promised to marry later when the situation was under control.

    Now, William was very sure his wife would give up and leave him. However, there was no sign that his wife would soon leave his room. She didn¡¯t even take the cloth for a more decent appearance.

    Paula¡¯s next words shocked William even more. ¡°Is that the only reason you refuse to touch this?¡± Paula asked in a low tone, her hands pointed at her breasts.

    ¡°What did you mean by the is-that-all question?¡± William¡¯s heart was pounding fast again. That man felt that stronger aggression would attack him soon. However, he didn¡¯t know what it was. ¡°That is indeed my reason.¡±

    Paula smirked. ¡°Then we can still do it in secret, no?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± William couldn¡¯t stand her eye-popping response.

    ¡°You¡¯re a man. No one will know whether you¡¯re a virgin or not. As long as you don¡¯t tell your lover, she won¡¯t know!¡± Paula insisted. She didn¡¯t intend to give up at all.

    Annoyed, she folded her arms over her stomach, supporting her beautiful round breasts for William to see. When she did that, William turned his sight to her. Of course, in an instant, his desire was on fire again.

    William groaned softly in anger and pleasure at the same time. The show in front of him was draining his sanity. That tall man who was gifted with a rock-hard body immediately mustered all his strength to walk to the bed and pulled the thick white blanket off the bed. He then approached his wife and covered her body with that white cloth. Of course, his action made her feel rejected for the umpteenth time.

    William¡¯s panting breath was still clearly audible to Paula¡¯s ears. His face looked very tormented by her appearance.

    ¡°Will, I didn¡¯t intend to marry you for jokes. So at least do your role as a husband,¡± Paula said, looking up at his face as he wrapped the blanket around her naked body. ¡°Please ....¡±

    To be honest, William¡¯s ears stung to hear all of Paula¡¯s words which sounded very logical and innocent. However, he had to persevere. ¡°Paula, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Will, I¡¯ve been celibate for too long due to my dad¡¯s rules. I can¡¯t bear to wait any longer. What can I say to my friends, Will?¡± Paula whispered very seriously. ¡°I kept my virginity until I finally got married. I think, after marriage, this hell will end. But why should I get a husband like you, Will? This is so unfair. ¡±

    ¡°Paula-¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me to have sex with other men by bearing the status of your wife?¡± Paula looked up. Her teary eyes looked at him with pleading eyes. A look of disappointment crossed her face. ¡°A wife who is hungry for pleasure, seeking a one-night stand outside?¡±

    William was stunned. Holding her shoulder, unable to lift even a finger. What now? Everything he did felt wrong. Why did this woman make it seem like he was an irresponsible husband for abandoning his wife?

    He sighed. His face was grim and confused. He couldn¡¯t make up his mind in such a short time.

    Paula who saw it also understood what William was still thinking. Then, she tried to offer a solution. ¡°I know you want to be a loyal lover, no? How about if we just do it with no feelings attached?¡±

    ¡°You mean ... like friends with benefits?¡±

    ¡°Friends with benefits! Yes, true!¡± Paula answered firmly. ¡°Let¡¯s do this as if we were just playing a game. It¡¯s a win-win solution. Okay?¡±

    ¡°But ....¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that, Will? We¡¯re a lawful couple.¡± Paula insisted on convincing William. ¡°When the time comes for you to go back to your girlfriend, we will get divorced, Will! I won¡¯t fall in love with you. I swear!¡±

    Now, William¡¯s defense had completely collapsed. All of Paula¡¯s arguments sounded plausible and tantalizing to him. But, he still hesitated to touch her.

    ¡°Is that true-¡±

    Unfortunately, Paula acted very quickly. Before William changed his mind, she grabbed his lips which were still open in amazement. At that moment, the one percent of his remaining defense was gone. His eyes closed, accepting-enjoying-all the sweet things she did to his body.

    Their minds were no longer where they should be, as was the blanket that had fallen perfectly on the carpet. The thick white cloth had completely removed from her body, mixing with the clothes William had been wearing.

    Now, both of them were drowning in a sea of ??hot breath, merging in intoxicating waves. They compete with each other while helping to reach the perfect ending. Before long, a scream of pain slipped slowly from her luscious lips, making him surprised and stopping his actions.

    ¡°Does it hurt? Should I stop right now?¡± William asked in a husky voice. He was sure he couldn¡¯t stop but he was afraid she couldn¡¯t bear the pain.

    Before he knew it, he wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. She smiled softly and shook her head. ¡°No, Will! I¡¯m happy to finally become a real woman tonight! Thank you.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± William asked out of worry. He had to make sure that she was willing to continue. He was determined to stop if she refused ... even though it would be depressing for him.

    ¡°Keep going, Will!¡± Paula said, biting her lower lip. ¡°I can bear the pain. Don¡¯t worry!¡±

    Slowly, while giving Paula more time to get used to his size, William continued thrusting and completed his role as a husband. Tonight, they consummated their marriage. They become a real husband and wife-with no love, though.

    ¡°Will-¡±

    ¡°What now? I can¡¯t stop even if you beg. Too late,¡± he growled. He was so nervous. The first time doing it was too much for him. He didn¡¯t even plan it.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better to avoid pregnancy since-¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t have any rubber right now,¡± he panicked. He couldn¡¯t bear it if she asked to stop right now.

    ¡°Just ... don¡¯t forget to pull out in time,¡± she reminded him. A smile plastered on her face. How adorable his expression made her want to laugh even more. ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure,¡± William said while groaning. ¡°I¡¯m not that silly.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4: 4. Friends with Benefits

    ¡°Will! Just a little more!¡± Paula exclaimed as William sped up his thrust quickly.

    ¡°Paula!¡± William¡¯s hoarse voice called out his wife¡¯s name in a long groan, along with Paula¡¯s howl that called for her husband¡¯s name in the sexiest way William had ever heard. The pinnacle of real pleasure.

    ¡°Oh, William! It was great .... Oh ...,¡± Paula praised her husband¡¯s skill in bed which was getting more and more honed day by day. ¡°You¡¯re a fast learner, huh!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you are adventurous too.¡± He slammed his body into her side, carefully, not to crush his wife¡¯s slender yet sexy body. Her body was indeed fragile compared to his.

    Paula smirked, a look of satisfaction crossed her sleepy face. She then crept up, leveling her face with William¡¯s broad hard chest. Her head was still dizzy from the immense pleasure. She leaned against her husband¡¯s shoulder. In return, William smiled and stroked the silky blonde soft hair lovingly, as a friend he said. Friends in bed who did lots of fun things.

    ¡°I love your smell! Strawberries ... hmmm ...,¡± William whispered as he inhaled a strand of Paula¡¯s long hair. ¡°It is my favorite fruit.¡±

    ¡°Oh? I like it as well! I like its taste and smell. The bigger, the better,¡± she whispered while seductively touching him.

    .....

    ¡°Wow, don¡¯t tease me! I don¡¯t have more energy left,¡± William complained. ¡°Hmm, or ... did you mean that I¡¯m small, do you?¡±

    ¡°Hmm... I don¡¯t know since I had never seen others,¡± Paula teased as she played her fingers on William¡¯s muscular chest and stomach, from the top, middle, and bottom, forming an abstract pattern, amusing and rekindling his desire.

    William was stunned and caught his wife¡¯s smooth and slender hand swiftly. ¡°Hey, Paula!¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°How do you eat a giant strawberry? Can you show me?¡±

    Paula frowned. He looked at William questioningly. A few seconds later he burst out laughing, ¡°You asshole! I know what you want me to do!¡±

    She then tickled her husband¡¯s armpit, causing him to scream, begging for mercy.

    ¡°You want to be punished, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Why not? It¡¯s Friday night,¡± Paula boldly challenged him, making him couldn¡¯t help but use the rest of his strength to do her again.

    Fun, powerful, and hot. Neither of them was bored. Only passion manifested in erotic sighs made the atmosphere of the room even more intense with passion.

    They repeated it several times until they were completely exhausted. They finally fell asleep like babies until morning.

    When the sun rose high, William was awakened by the smell of coffee and butter that filled the room. Never again had he smelled this delicious aroma in the morning since he left his parents¡¯ house. In his spare time, his parents often cook for him.

    ¡°Morning, William! Breakfast is ready!¡± Paula greeted cheerfully. She wore a maroon apron as a cover for her naked body. It¡¯s such eye candy for William¡¯s half-open eyes.

    ¡°The smell is good. Are you cooking by yourself?¡± William asked, opening his eyes lazily.

    ¡°I¡¯m free and want to try a pancake recipe that uses buttermilk,¡± Paula replied casually. ¡°But, because there is no buttermilk, I use fresh milk mixed with lemon. I guess it turned out well. Give it a try!¡±

    Paula handed him a plate of five stacks of pancakes topped with blueberry sauce, whip cream, and melted butter. His eyes popped out with pleasure while gazing in awe at his wife.

    ¡°This is incredibly soft and delicious!¡± William praised the pancakes as he chewed on them. ¡°It reminds me of Aunt Carissa¡¯s pancakes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that true? I want to meet her, please!¡± Paula asked enthusiastically. She fixed her slightly loose ponytail. Her sexy gesture fascinated him.

    ¡°Sure. We can meet Aunt Carissa ... as long as ....¡± William glanced at his wife with a seductive mischievous look.

    ¡°As long as what?¡± Paula asked curiously. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it! You give me conditions.¡±

    ¡°Uhm, can we do it again after breakfast?¡± William smiled as he devoured the rest of the pancakes on his plate as fast as he could. ¡°I need to burn excessive carbs.¡±

    Paula laughed and shook her head slowly. ¡°Shit! Now, you get addicted to it, no? Do you remember how hard it was to persuade you?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± William frowned, pretending to be petulant. ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, that¡¯s fine!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! Who can turn down a hot guy like you?¡± Paula commented with amusement.

    Quickly, William added the remaining pancakes to his plate and doused the meal with a generous amount of maple syrup. He didn¡¯t forget to add whip cream and cream cheese to add more calories.

    ¡°How come you eat that much and don¡¯t get a single fat on your body?¡± Paula asked, looking enviously at her husband.

    ¡°The important key is exercise! I love going to the gym before getting married,¡± he explained confidently.

    Paula nodded. ¡°How about now?¡±

    ¡°Now? Hmm, why do I bother to go to the gym? I can dump my extra calories at home in a more pleasurable way.¡±

    William then stood up and approached his blonde girl. The man bent down to lift his wife and said, ¡°Here we go, as a replacement for weight lifting.¡±

    Paula burst out laughing. ¡°Then, I also want to go to the gym later. I want to get in shape and grow muscles here and there.¡±

    Those were Paula¡¯s last words because the only thing that could be heard after that was gasping for breath and seductive words that came out of the sweet lips of a husband and wife who were enjoying heaven on earth.

    ***

    That¡¯s how William and Paula lived a normal life like any other married couple. He didn¡¯t expect to enjoy his wife¡¯s suggestion of a mutually beneficial relationship that she offered. This gave a new color to his daily life. His days became more and more exciting. He even looked forward to going home and spending more time with his wife.

    William¡¯s plan to make Paula hate him and stay away from him failed miserably. The two of them have now become close like friends. Helping each other with office work and house chores. Of course, they also helped each other with fulfilling their needs-their sexual desires.

    One day in the morning, William woke up earlier than Paula because of a call on his Skype. The sun wasn¡¯t even shining yet. William knew that the video call must have come from someone in the GMT+9 zone.

    Of course! It was a call from Lea, the lover he loved with all his heart.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5: 5. His Lover

    ¡°William ....¡± The video call revealed a beautiful woman with round eyes. Her skin was light and clean. Her oval face looked puffy, it was certain that she had just cried for god knew how long. It was clear she had a big problem.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lea?¡± William looked worried. He looked to his left side, where Paula was still asleep. Not wanting Lea to know what he was doing with his wife, he got out of bed and took his cell phone out of the room. ¡°Please tell me, honey! Don¡¯t cry, baby.¡±

    ¡°I canceled all my study plans. I am not going to continue my doctoral degree here. My professor moved to another university.¡± Again, Lea sobbed without finishing what she was talking about. ¡°If I transfer to another professor, it¡¯s violating the scholarship¡¯s policy, and just cancel it. I can not afford the tuition fee.¡±

    Lea continued to cry, pausing her story by leaving William¡¯s curiosity behind. After a while, Lea continued her story again. ¡°I¡¯m going home this September, William. I don¡¯t speak Japanese, so I can¡¯t work part-time. Besides, what about my parents and my younger siblings at home if I¡¯m not well-established here myself? I can¡¯t possibly send them some money.¡±

    Lea¡¯s sadness scratched William¡¯s feelings. He lived happily here, while Lea struggled to live in a foreign country. ¡°Honey, what if this time you just accept financial assistance from me?¡±

    ¡°No, William. I don¡¯t want to be called a gold digger again by your mom.¡± Silence. Lea wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ve sent job applications to several companies. I¡¯ve decided to go home, William. Besides, my younger siblings need me at home. Maybe this is fate. A blessing in disguise.¡±

    Lea ended the video call immediately after saying goodbye. William put down the phone with mixed feelings. Lea would come back home earlier. While he still hadn¡¯t explained about his marriage. What would he say later to her?

    .....

    At William¡¯s request, his marriage to Paula was deliberately not exposed to the public. Only family and close friends were invited to the wedding. Outside too, William and Paula never showed affection. So, he was still lucky because almost no one knew about his private life.

    William thought he would still have three more years to work things out between his family and Lea. However, fate said otherwise. Everything unexpectedly accelerated.

    ¡°A call from your girlfriend?¡± Suddenly Paula showed up and asked him in a sleepy voice. It startled him. She looked at her husband with half-opened eyes. Her slender fingers covered her yawning mouth. She almost fainted from inhaling the bad morning smell of her mouth because she hadn¡¯t brushed her teeth.

    William turned to his wife and nodded. For some reason, he felt nervous as if he had made a mistake-cheated on her. They had promised not to involve feelings in this marriage. But somehow, he was still feeling awkward with the situation.

    ¡°Lea will come back in three months.¡± William gulped, staring at Paula with bloodshot eyes.

    ¡°For a visit? For good?¡± Paula asked. She knew how inconvenient the situation was.

    ¡°For good. Initially, she was planning to take her Ph.D. in Japan as well. But, things happen,¡± William explained further so Paula could grasp his current problem.

    ¡°Did she know about our marriage?¡± she asked again. William didn¡¯t answer with words, he only shook his head as a response.

    Paula felt her husband¡¯s anxiety at this time as well. She came closer and hugged him tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can just explain everything we planned. If she truly loves you, she will understand, no? After all, you do everything for your mom.¡±

    Paula¡¯s soothing words made William feel a little calmer. However, for some reason, he felt that things would be out of hand. It would not be easy as it said, of course.

    ***

    The thrilling September has arrived. A well-proportioned beautiful woman walked out of the airport with a tired but smiling face. Her long wavy dark hair that was tied in a loose ponytail looked a bit messy because the long thirteen hours trip made her fall asleep on the plane.

    She was sad because she had to return to the state earlier than planned. However, on the other hand, she felt happy because she would soon meet her lover whom she loves very much. The man she loved was now waving his hands at her and waiting for her with a wide smile plastered on his face.

    ¡°William, I miss you!¡± she screamed in joy while running to hug her lover.

    ¡°Me too, Lea!¡± William returned Lea¡¯s hug very tightly. Pairs of eyes looked at them until they both felt uncomfortable and decided to leave the airport immediately.

    ¡°Jeez!¡± Lea said, laughing heartily. ¡°They were staring at us like we were a couple of dorks!¡±

    ¡°Huh, yeah!¡± William replied as he grabbed Lea¡¯s suitcase and took her to the yard where he parked the car. ¡°Who cares? I missed you so much.¡±

    At Paula¡¯s suggestion, William did not say a word about what happened while Lea was living abroad. He had to choose the right time to discuss the real situation with Lea.

    When the two of them arrived at Lea¡¯s house, William helped to put Lea¡¯s things into the house. Her three younger sisters came to greet them with joy. The eldest was studying psychology at a private university in town. The other two were still in grades twelve and ten. The three of them collected the gifts Lea promised. But of course, Lea rebuked them. ¡°Guys, you can do it later! Please behave well and bring us some drinks!¡±

    The youngest girl grumbled. ¡°You just came home after six years abroad and now you stick to your boyfriend instead of taking care of us! Don¡¯t you think that you should visit mom in the hospital first before being lovey-dovey with him?¡±

    ¡°Hush! Stop nagging and bring us some drinks and snacks! I will visit mom later.¡±

    Lea pinched her youngest sister¡¯s cheek. However, her other sisters also showed a similar protest.

    ¡°Lea, I¡¯ll go home first,¡± William said because he felt he was disturbing family time. No matter how much he missed Lea, surely her sisters need her more.

    ¡°Oh, why is that?¡± Lea objected in deep regret.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we still have a long time, Lea!¡±

    Lea was reluctant to let William go. But, she had no choice after all.

    ¡°Fine. You better prepare a special date for me. The romantic one,¡± Lea demanded while hugging her lover tightly.

    ¡°Sure. I will call you later.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6: 6. The Consequence of Marriage

    ¡°Oh, how come you already got home?¡± Paula asked as William opened the door. Because of the noisy frying oil sound, she didn¡¯t even hear his car drive into the yard.

    Unfortunately, Paula¡¯s question was answered with a burst of laughter.

    ¡°Oh, look at you!¡±

    Her husband laughed so hard he rolled over on the couch.

    ¡°Shit! What¡¯s wrong with you? I asked you nicely, why do you laugh at me?¡± Paula ranted as she flipped the food on the pan.

    While continuing to laugh, William pointed at Paula and said, ¡°Oh, Paula! You look like an astronaut, you know!¡±

    Paula studied herself. Right now, she was indeed wearing baking gloves, a thick jacket, and also a helmet. The chopsticks she used to flip the fries looked like ninja weapons.

    .....

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t help. I¡¯m afraid the fried tempura will explode. Prevention is always better than cure!¡± Paula replied nonchalantly.

    ¡°Yeah, but you look so funny. I can¡¯t help chuckling until forever,¡± William teased her more.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t use safety stuff, my skin is threatened with hot oil. RIP my smooth skin!¡± Paula insisted as she lifted fries through a sieve.

    William was amazed to see the fried shrimp tempura, yellow sweet potato, pumpkin, and purple eggplant. All sliced ??thinly. The delicious smell of the tempura tempted his nostril, making him drool over the food.

    ¡°Hmm... what is this dish called?¡± William asked enthusiastically. His hands were ready to grab the pumpkin tempura. However, Paula swiftly dismissed it.

    ¡°Wash your hands first!¡± Paula rebuked. ¡°The ten-don can wait for you!¡± Paula snapped, mentioning the name of the dish she served at the dining table.

    William and Paula, who were now dressed neatly, enjoyed their lunch voraciously. Lately, Paula was often cooking at home. This made her husband lazy to eat out. He was always waiting for what new dish Paula would make for him.

    ¡°So delicious, huh! This is the first time I¡¯ve eaten ten-don,¡± William moaned in joy. ¡°It turned out to be like fried meat and veggies eaten with rice,¡± he praised the food again.

    ¡°You rarely eat Japanese food. The ones you eat are mostly ramen and sushi!¡± Paula teased and giggled. ¡°Lea was taking her master¡¯s degree in Japan. Then try asking her to cook for you.¡±

    Hearing Lea¡¯s name being mentioned, William suddenly felt bad. He suddenly lost his appetite.

    ¡°Oh! You haven¡¯t answered my question before. Why did you come home early?¡± Paula asked, taking a bite of her eggplant tempura. ¡°Don¡¯t you miss her? It¡¯s been a long time since she left the state, no?¡±

    William looked down, not wanting to answer Paula¡¯s question. He couldn¡¯t understand how Paula could ask about Lea so casually-nonchalantly-as if she hadn¡¯t done anything to his relationship with Lea.

    ¡°Hmm... yes. I think Lea still wants to spend some time with her sisters. So I was going home first,¡± William replied with a forced bitter smile.

    Paula nodded as she ate the food with chopsticks. ¡°Alright. Then, we have some time to play, no?¡± Paula whispered with a wink. Coquettish.

    ***

    ¡°Why do you stop?¡± Paula asked as her husband stopped after giving her climaxes. ¡°You don¡¯t want to finish what you started?¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes looked at her husband pleadingly. She knew this must be something to do with Lea.

    ¡°I know where this is coming from. Do you feel sorry for your girlfriend?¡± Paula asked, stroking William¡¯s sweat-drenched bangs.

    William rubbed his face. He got up from the side of the bed, got dressed, and headed straight for the kitchen to get some drinks.

    He took a sip of cold mineral water from the bottle and leaned his back on the chair. He snorted in annoyance. He felt more and more anxious from time to time.

    On the one hand, he couldn¡¯t possibly let Paula roam around doing one night stands with strangers just to satisfy her needs. What if their parents found out about this? He would be the one to be blamed.

    On the other hand, William felt very guilty for having had sex with a woman other than Lea. Even if that woman was his wife. But, for some reason, he felt like he was cheating on Lea.

    He saw it coming. But, really, the problems were taking a toll on him.

    ¡°William, do you feel guilty?¡± William¡¯s thoughts were broken when he heard his wife¡¯s voice. She was following him into the kitchen.

    William nodded with a sigh, revealing a troubled face. Paula took a chair and sat closer to him.

    ¡°William, you¡¯re not in the wrong relationship. We¡¯re a legal couple. Why are you feeling so guilty about that?¡± Paula¡¯s eyes stared at William seriously, as if scolding a child who felt guilty for choosing to study over playing with his friends.

    ¡°I feel guilty, Paula! I feel like I was cheating on her! I¡¯ve become an unfaithful lover!¡± William¡¯s voice rose. He didn¡¯t understand why Paula kept insisting that she had done nothing wrong.

    Paula was furious. ¡°William! Stop it! Think logically!¡±

    ¡°Y-¡±

    ¡°Who do you think should feel cheated on in this situation? I¡¯m your lawful wife! If you love another woman, then you are cheating on me!¡± Paula¡¯s eyes were red, inflamed, and burned. She gritted her teeth, disbelieving her husband¡¯s behavior. ¡°Legally, that¡¯s how it is. I have more rights over you!¡±

    ¡°Paula!¡±

    ¡°You should feel grateful that I was able to compromise this far! I¡¯m only asking for your inner and outer support, not your feelings!¡± Paula stood up violently, sending her chair back, falling backward, and making a slamming sound that was enough to make her heart beat faster. She immediately stepped off the side of the table, leaving William with a surge of anger.

    However, on the way back to her room, she stopped and said with a stern look on her beautiful face, ¡°If you feel guilty, act like a man. We¡¯re getting a divorce as soon as possible!¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t want to waste her time arguing with William. It was useless for her to follow William¡¯s way of thinking, which she thought was too emotional. Something that Paula did not expect from her husband.

    Meanwhile, William was left dumbfounded in the kitchen, trying to understand her words. Indeed, from the start, she treated their marriage like a business.

    William, who felt guilty, came to see her in the bedroom. He thought she was crying in bed, but instead, he saw his wife at work checking the monthly financial statements that seemed to have just been sent by her assistant.

    ¡°Paula, I¡¯m sorry,¡± William said in a low, hoarse voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. We can get a divorce as soon as possible so you can be free,¡± Paula said flatly without turning to William.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible right now. My mom¡¯s health couldn¡¯t bear our divorce,¡± William whispered. He walked over and sat at Paula¡¯s bedside with a resigned face.

    Paula stopped working on her laptop and turned to William. ¡°You should know the consequences if you don¡¯t divorce me.¡±

    ¡°....¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still going to keep asking you to fulfill my needs and forbid you to do the same with other women. Including Lea! Got it?¡± Paula¡¯s eyes narrowed. He is very serious about his words. ¡°No cheating on our marriage!¡±

    William¡¯s eyes popped out. There was no feeling attached to their marriage, yet Paula took it so seriously.

    ¡°Marriage has consequences. I don¡¯t want my family to be like the people out there who cheat on each other. That feels so wrong for me even if we¡¯re not involving our hearts in this marriage.¡±

    William¡¯s mouth opened wide, got to say something. However, he did not have time because Paula grabbed the opportunity.

    ¡°That¡¯s my condition. Don¡¯t you mind?¡±

    William rubbed his face. Then smiled faintly. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve met a strange woman like you!¡±

    ¡°Sorry if I¡¯m not a gentle and kind woman!¡± Paula replied, pursing her lips.

    ¡°You¡¯re like a police officer!¡± William commented, laughing in amusement.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Paula replied, still annoyed.

    ¡°Come on!¡± asked William, enthusiastic.

    ¡°What?¡± Paula asked in confusion.

    William came closer to his wife and hugged her from behind. ¡°Let¡¯s continue where we left off!¡±

    ¡°You were the one who ruined it!¡± Paula said dryly, reminding him that he was at fault. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood right now. I¡¯m in a bad mood.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, weren¡¯t you the one who said that I can¡¯t do it with other women?¡± William whispered as he brought his face closer to Paula¡¯s.

    ¡°Do you think I can get wet from this sexy foreplay?¡± Paula smiled sarcastically. Of course she didn¡¯t mean that their argument was a sexy dirty chat.

    ¡°I will make it up. What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Then get my mood back.¡±

    ¡°Where do you want to be touched, Mrs. Montgomery?¡±

    William then did her requests. They both continued where they left off. It¡¯s not a difficult task to do because their bodies were used to each other. Their rhythm had been in sync. Soon, he buried himself inside her. Before long, only moans and groans of joy could be heard from their love nest.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7: 7. Family Gathering

    William woke up to the smell of his favorite sweet tortilla wraps and espresso. The ineffable smells blend well in the air, just like his body and his wife¡¯s last night. He had fallen asleep in Paula¡¯s room because he was too tired to go back to his room. After arguing, the lovemaking was incredibly passionate, the intensity had exponentially increased more than usual. It was the first time they experienced angry sex.

    ¡°Morning, Will! Get your lazy ass up quickly! Don¡¯t you have a schedule with Lea this morning?¡± Paula picked up a tray of breakfast and placed it on the table.

    Paula had forgotten about their fight last night. Of course, because William behaved exactly as Paula expected. They had to live this marriage professionally as per the agreement they made earlier.

    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right, I have to get ready soon,¡± William said as he yawned lazily while stretching his stiff muscles.

    He hurriedly got up from his prone position and devoured the breakfast with no hesitation. His mouth mumbled, praising the heavenly chocolate jam that filled up the tortilla wraps.

    ¡°It tastes amazing!¡± William said as he chewed voraciously. He licked the jam stuck to his hand. ¡°The chocolate taste is rich and heavenly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m experimenting. My baker made three samples. Which one do you like the most?¡± asked Paula hopefully.

    .....

    ¡°Hmmm ... let me think. How can I tell the difference, huh? It¡¯s all delicious,¡± William replied, feeling guilty because he couldn¡¯t decide which was the best.

    ¡°Oh, what a waste!¡±

    ¡°Give me more, I¡¯ll give them a taste-again.¡±

    ¡°Again? And you will maybe ask for the third one.¡±

    William chuckled. He couldn¡¯t help laughing out loud since his wife¡¯s rant was true.

    ¡°Uh, I guess it¡¯s true then!¡± Paula murmured. However, in the end, she gave him her share so he could give his opinion.

    ¡°By the way, can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Anything.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t your parents like Lea? You said she was nice?¡± Paula asked curiously, chewing on the rest of the sweet wraps.

    William¡¯s face turned to sorrow. ¡°She comes from a poor family. At first, she wanted to upgrade her quality with higher education. However, she was forced to go home and not continue her education because the scholarship dropped, and she couldn¡¯t provide for her family. Especially now that her mother is sick and in need of a lot of medical expenses. She decided to look for a job. ¡±

    ¡°Is that the only reason?¡± Paula asked again.

    ¡°Mom couldn¡¯t bear the embarrassment,¡± William answered unenthusiastically. ¡°What can I do? My mom is just that kind of person.¡±

    Melted chocolate dripped from his wrap onto the plate, leaving the once clean flat object stained with chocolate dots. When he realized it, he immediately devoured the rest of the wraps quickly. He didn¡¯t want to eat the tortilla without the filling.

    ¡°Are you sure, there¡¯s no other reason? I don¡¯t think your mom is that kind of person.¡± Paula looked at William intensely. She felt that her mother-in-law was a person who would judge people based on their money, even though she had only met her mother-in-law once, at the wedding ceremony. She recalled that her mom-in-law was a nice lady.

    ¡°Who knows.¡± William¡¯s voice sounded desperate. ¡°What I know is she would never give her consent.¡±

    ¡°Beware of what you said! Your parents are not robots. Maybe it was you who didn¡¯t give enough explanation,¡± Paula replied nonchalantly. She didn¡¯t understand why people nowadays like to think badly of their parents when they didn¡¯t get what they wanted.

    William smirked playfully. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll understand if you are the one who explains. Hahahaha ....¡±

    Paula was annoyed and then stuffed the rest of her wrap into William¡¯s mouth so that he couldn¡¯t laugh at her anymore. He complained, asking her to stop immediately.

    When Paula stopped her attack, she frowned and said, ¡°But ... maybe I can help you. Besides, I have to find a new husband to replace my good-for-nothing one, yes? The sooner the better.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± William complained. ¡°I am a good-for-nothing husband?¡±

    William grunted. He was a man. He didn¡¯t want his wife to belittle him like that. Paula laughed as he was sulking. She patted his shoulder and said sorry.

    ¡°Yes, you suck at anything but in bed,¡± Paula chuckled, teasing her husband more and more. They were friendly fighting for a while until they both got tired of it.

    Sipping the black coffee from the cup, Paula thought about the pros and cons. She licked her bottom lip a few times, her habit when she was thinking seriously. Meanwhile, William, who stared at her, now felt a little emptiness in his heart. Maybe because she said that she would soon find a replacement husband.

    Even without love, Paula had always been a good friend to William. Hopefully, after the divorce, they can still be good friends.

    Just then, Paula¡¯s cell phone rang. It turned out to be a call from Larissa, William¡¯s aunt.

    ¡°Hello, Auntie! How are you?¡± Paula greeted cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I haven¡¯t been visiting you yet. So sorry, I didn¡¯t intend to make you wait this long.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, dear! How about today? I want to make your mother-in-law¡¯s favorite treat-Hokkaido-styled cheese pies!¡± Larissa replied in her signature friendly tone. ¡°Bring William as well! Tell him that Sammy is already home.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Auntie! I will tell him later!¡±

    Paula hung up the phone when William was in the bathroom. Her little head thought about what William would say since he already had an appointment with Lea.

    ¡°Oh, poor you, William ....¡±

    ***

    On the way to Larissa¡¯s house, William looked gloomy. Paula, who felt uncomfortable with this situation, tried to soothe him.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s okay, William! You can just drop me there. Say hello to Aunt Larissa and others for a moment, then say goodbye. You can say there¡¯s a meeting you need to attend,¡± Paula tried to comfort him. ¡°I think it will be a good excuse to leave.¡±

    Unfortunately, William was not so sure about her idea. He was thinking oppositely. Running away from his big family had never been easy. It was always one of the hardest tasks in life.

    ¡°Did you ask me to lie with a straight face?¡± William sulked like a child.

    ¡°Yes, you do have a meeting with Lea, right?¡±

    William didn¡¯t answer. He felt he couldn¡¯t cancel the meeting with Lea, but he was also reluctant to run away from the family gathering.

    Before long, his phone rang with a call from Lea. William hesitated to pick up the call in front of Paula.

    ¡°Pick it up!¡± Paula said in a low tone.

    William did nothing but look at Paula¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t decide what was the best to do right now. However, Paula couldn¡¯t bear the noise and pressed the green button without his consent. It made him curse in silence. He couldn¡¯t help answering the call.

    ¡°Will ....¡± Lea¡¯s husky voice made him anxious.

    ¡°Lea, hi ....¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®hi¡¯ me,¡± Lea offended. ¡°Can you come earlier? I need to go to the hospital right now.¡±

    William¡¯s eyes popped out. He faced Paula who had no idea what was happening. ¡°Sure. I will come to you after taking care of my family matters. Can you wait for about thirty minutes?¡±

    ¡°Will, you know I can¡¯t wait any longer. It¡¯s fine. I will call a cab. My mom¡¯s condition is getting worse.¡±

    ¡°Lea ....¡±

    ¡°Bye! Let¡¯s meet at the hospital.¡±

    Lea hung up the call, leaving William who stared at the street with a blank face.

    ¡°You take a good time making decisions don¡¯t you?¡± Paula was getting excited. ¡°How are you going to run the family business in the future if you behave like this?¡±

    ¡°After all, I¡¯m confused! Both are important to me!¡± William snapped due to stress.

    ¡°Okay! How long have you been away from Lea? And how about your family?¡± Paula asked, annoyed. ¡°What are the consequences if you cancel the meeting with her? If you run away from the family gathering, what will you lose?¡±

    William was amazed. How could she manage to analyze the current situation simply?

    ¡°Thank you! You are a lifesaver.¡± William smiled sincerely. ¡°I can make a choice now.¡±

    Paula smiled back at him. Although there was a little emptiness in her heart when William decided to see Lea, she ignored those feelings. She had to act like what she had previously suggested to him. Friends with benefits. No feelings attached. Couldn¡¯t be more than that.

    Arriving at Larissa¡¯s house, Paula and William greeted their aunt¡¯s family. Warm family. It made Paula¡¯s face feel sore from having to smile all the time.

    ¡°This family reminds me of some old telenovelas,¡± Paula whispered in her husband¡¯s ear. ¡°There are so many people living in this mansion.¡±

    ¡°Well, the mansion is way too big. Why is it filled with so few people?¡± William defended.

    ¡°Your uncle impregnated his wife every year, no?¡± Paula whispered again. Her mouth was wide open, looking at Larissa¡¯s children. Three of them were still toddlers, taken care of by some nannies. ¡°A lot of kids! One, two, ..., seven?¡±

    ¡°Eight kids.¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they need more kids to help them in spending money,¡± William said, teasing his wife. ¡°Both of them come from rich families.¡±

    William then told a short story that his uncle, Thomas, was accused of being infertile. Then, he countered people¡¯s accusations by making as many children as he could when he met his true love, Larissa.

    ¡°Wow, a unique love path. Just like a werewolf, huh? There¡¯s only one partner,¡± Paula commented casually, greeted by someone laughing from behind.

    ¡°What are you talking about behind my back?¡± asked the casually dressed man whose face looked like he had just woken up. ¡°Gossiping my parents?¡±

    William turned back and found his cousin who was the same age as him. ¡°Oh, Sam? How are you?¡±

    Samuel, William¡¯s cousin, had just returned from a tour around Europe. He still felt tired. He didn¡¯t want to wake up if his mother hadn¡¯t told him that William was coming with his wife.

    ¡°Sorry, brother! I couldn¡¯t attend your wedding,¡± said Samuel as he hugged his cousin. ¡°It was short notice and didn¡¯t work with my tight schedule.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sam! Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    William patted Samuel back as their hugs became tighter.

    ¡°Oh, this is Paula, my wife. Paula, this is Samuel, my cousin! When we were kids, our appearance was like carbon copies,¡± William explained while laughing.

    Paula took Samuel¡¯s hand and said, ¡°How come you are so different now?¡±

    Indeed, as an adult, William¡¯s figure was closer to his dad. This made his appearance look different from Samuel¡¯s who was more similar to his late grandfather.

    .....

    ¡°Your wife is beautiful,¡± Samuel whispered into William¡¯s ear.

    William just smiled amusedly. Indeed, Paula was very beautiful. No less than Lea. Both women had different charms. The most interesting thing about Paula was her character, an assertive woman that was good at household matters. However, for William, Lea was more feminine and simple and looked more attractive.

    Before long, William said goodbye to everyone with the excuse of a meeting, just like Paula suggested. No one was suspicious of that but Samuel. He then took out his cell phone and called Danica, William¡¯s secretary. ¡°Hello, Danica, is it true that William has a meeting today?¡±

    ¡°Oh, today he cleared his schedule, sir. He said he already had an appointment,¡± Danica answered in surprise.

    Hearing Danica¡¯s answer, Samuel¡¯s eyes narrowed as he nodded slowly. His teeth chattered. He knew where William was going at the moment.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8: 8. The Confession

    The delicious smell of baked cream cheese wafted throughout the mansion. Inevitably, Paula did acknowledge Larissa¡¯s greatness in playing with kitchen utensils. Taking the pie from the hot mold, Larissa did it with her bare hands.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel hot?¡± Paula asked, surprised to see Larissa¡¯s miraculous skill as if Samuel¡¯s mother had supernatural powers. ¡°It looks dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Mom is an expert. She is born to cook,¡± Samuel joked in a sarcastic tone. He was still upset over something he had just heard from William¡¯s secretary. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised if you see her flipping the tempura-fried by bare hand.¡±

    ¡°Really? You do that?¡± Paula asked in disbelief, knowing that only tempura chefs in Japan could do this.

    ¡°He is lying! Do not believe him!¡± Larissa denied.

    Everyone laughed at Larissa¡¯s argument with her eldest son. The two of them argued very often, like friends.

    ¡°Soon your in-laws will come here!¡± Larissa set her homemade cheese pies which were still hot and melted on the dining table. ¡°Too bad, William is busy. Even though this is the first family gathering after you two are married.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Well, he can¡¯t help, right? His schedule is very tight.¡±

    Paula smiled faintly at Larissa¡¯s complaints. Unbeknownst to her, Samuel was watching her movements, making something in his chest rumble.

    Shortly after, William¡¯s parents, Alex and Lisa, came along with their youngest daughter, Vanessa.

    ¡°Hello, my beautiful daughter-in-law!¡± Alex greeted Paula in a friendly manner. Lisa also gave a warm welcome, hugging her daughter-in-law in a tight embrace.

    ¡°You cherish her!¡± Thomas teased his baby brother, Alex, pursing his lips.

    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you ask Sam to get married either?¡± Lisa asked.

    ¡°Why does Sammy stay single? Are you playing for the other team? Look at Sofia, she is still in high school, yet she changes boyfriends just like changing socks?¡± Vanessa joked which made all eyes stare at Samuel¡¯s sister, Sofia.

    ¡°Sofia?¡± All eyes were on that cute redhead.

    ¡°It¡¯s a lie, mom! I am not like that!¡±

    ¡°Sofia, If I find it true, I will marry you off as soon as possible!¡±

    That was the family event that afternoon. They share gossip and updates about the news of the two families.

    ¡°By the way, where¡¯s William?¡± Lisa asked, she just realized that her eldest son was not present.

    ¡°Uh, William has a meeting, mom!¡± Paula answered with a reassuring smile.

    ¡°Sunday meeting? Bullshit!¡± Samuel smirked, ¡°I guess he is seeing a ... girl, maybe? Oh, sorry. I forgot he is married,¡± and then laughed.

    Paula suddenly stared at Samuel, wide-eyed. She then immediately said, ¡°Because it¡¯s short notice, mom, dad! He has an important meeting.¡±

    Samuel shot a disbelieving look at Paula. As well as her, she also glared at him. After controlling the situation, Paula dragged Samuel away from the crowd to interrogate him.

    ¡°What do you mean by saying that to William¡¯s parents?¡± Paula rebuked, demanding an explanation.

    Samuel smirked, then replied, ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous, aren¡¯t you? Did you conspire with William to deceive Uncle Alex and Aunt Lisa? What kind of wife are you? Oh, that loser! He never learned, yes? That brat always chooses anything but the right woman.¡±

    ¡°The problem is-¡±

    ¡°Or maybe William gave you a handsome payment to fool his parents, huh? A billion or two? One hundred-¡±

    A hard slap on Samuel¡¯s cheek silenced the man from continuing his blasphemy against Paula. The young woman¡¯s eyes stared blankly at the cruel-mouthed man who had just insulted her.

    ¡°I love money, indeed. But I¡¯m not that poor to the point of begging for money from him,¡± Paula whispered in a low, threatening tone. Her sharp nose swelled and deflated from holding her hot breath, preventing her emotions from rising even further.

    Meanwhile, Samuel could only hold his left cheek which hurt from Paula¡¯s hard slap. He let Paula go, leaving him in the corridor without saying a word.

    ***

    After returning from the hospital, William and Lea went to a restaurant for lunch-the late one. Lea¡¯s previously gloomy face now looked relieved because her mother¡¯s condition had recovered. Everything was under control.

    ¡°Thank God, your mother is getting better,¡± William said with relief as he smiled at Lea. ¡°Come on, now you should eat well. You haven¡¯t eaten anything since morning.¡±

    Leah nodded, smiling weakly. ¡°Thank you, darling! You¡¯ve helped me a lot. I owe you a lot, baby.¡±

    ¡°Lea, don¡¯t say that,¡± William whispered.

    ¡°No, Will. I can¡¯t always depend on you,¡± Lea said with a sad face. ¡°I need to get a job soon so as not to burden you with my mother¡¯s medical expenses. You shouldn¡¯t spend some money on me.¡±

    ¡°Lea, since when have you been a burden to me?¡± William reached Lea¡¯s shoulder and brought her closer to him. He stroked the head of his lover who was now leaning on his shoulder.

    If only William¡¯s mother knew that Lea was a good girl, she would surely approve of the girl¡¯s relationship with her son. She was not a gold digger like most women who approached his son in the past. The girl never even wanted to eat in a fancy restaurant and chose a fast-food restaurant instead. She also always considered all the help William gave him a debt, that she would pay-one day-with the money she earned by herself.

    Lea then discussed something else to lighten the current mood up. She told him that she had applied for a job as a secretary at a real estate company. The salary was quite high. The owner was also well-known as a kind and professional boss.

    ¡°So you¡¯re having a job interview next Monday?¡± William asked. He was happy with her plan. He hoped that she would get her dream job. With this, his parents would appreciate her more. Unlike before when she was still a student.

    All day, William also accompanied his lover for a walk. After having late lunch, they went to the movies and other places they used to frequent. It was a very happy day for him, of course, because he could spend a wonderful time with her.

    However, deep down, William was haunted by guilt for not being honest with Leah. He owed a big explanation to her. He decided to immediately tell the truth about his current condition-a married man.

    Because of that, at this time, in front of Lea who was smiling sweetly at him, William was determined to tell her that he was married. Of course, Lea¡¯s eyes popped out instantly.

    ¡°So while I was in Japan, did you get married to another girl?¡±

    ¡°Lea, listen to me. I-¡±

    ¡°You did what your parents wanted you to do, didn¡¯t you?¡± Leah¡¯s tears flowed slowly. Her tears broke before William could give more explanation. ¡°Why? Why don¡¯t you try explaining to your mom and dad that we love each other and ... that we are inseparable?¡±

    ¡°Lea, mom is sick. A few days ago she just got out of the hospital. I couldn¡¯t have done that. You know that my mom didn¡¯t give her consent to our relationship from the beginning.¡± William tried to calm Lea down. ¡°Please be patient, honey! I¡¯ll divorce Paula later and we¡¯ll get married. I¡¯ll tell my parents when the time is right.¡±

    Lea wiped her tears. She stared at William helplessly. ¡°Then, how about your wife? Can she accept the divorce?¡±

    ¡°Lea, you don¡¯t have to worry about her. She is even planning a divorce and will help me explain this to my parents. She is kind. She is a friend,¡± William¡¯s long explanation to calm Lea down sounded too good to be true.

    Unfortunately, Lea¡¯s suspicion was increasing even more that William and his wife were very close. Otherwise, why did William speak well of his wife?

    ¡°Do you like her?¡± Lea asked again.

    ¡°Lea, my dear, nothing has happened between us. She¡¯s just different from other women!¡± This time, William sweated profusely. He lied about this. Because physically, he and Paula were connected. Live a normal life as husband and wife.

    ¡°Both of you aren¡¯t doing anything, are you?¡± Leah asked again doubtfully. ¡°I almost don¡¯t believe it.¡±

    William hugged Lea tightly. ¡°Lea, calm down! I only love you.¡±

    However, which woman could believe William¡¯s words at a time like this? Lea released herself from his arms and immediately got out of the car.

    ¡°Lea!¡± William chased after his lover. ¡°Lea, please!¡±

    ¡°Go away, Will!¡±

    She wanted to keep trusting William as she used to because the man was proven to be loyal. It¡¯s just that, in the current condition, when William was married to the woman of his parents¡¯ choice, can he be trusted? Was he still the man she used to love?

    Everything went wrong. Lea¡¯s anger made William realize that things would not be as easy as he imagined.

    Paula said that if Lea loved him, she would understand and support him. She would accept his current situation. But, it was not as easy as it sounded. Paula was never in love with someone. She didn¡¯t know what jealousy was.

    ***

    It was already late when William intended to pick up Paula who was still at his uncle¡¯s mansion. He parked his car in the front yard. However, how surprised he was when he found his parents¡¯ car parked there.

    William gulped. Why didn¡¯t anyone tell him that his parents were also attending the gathering?

    ¡°Wow! Speaking of the devil, the one we¡¯ve been waiting for has finally arrived!¡± Samuel¡¯s voice sounded cruel and made William¡¯s heart stop beating.

    William never expected that Lea¡¯s anger wasn¡¯t the only thing he had to deal with today.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9: 9. The Bet

    ¡°Ah, Sam! Are my parents here?¡± William asked, gulping. Samuel¡¯s face didn¡¯t look friendly at all. He could roughly grasp what would happen to him once he entered the mansion.

    ¡°Yes, please! Come in! Your meeting was taking a good time. Don¡¯t you be afraid if someone snatches your beautiful wife away?¡± Samuel replied with a question that made William feel uncomfortable. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d say ¡®Go ahead! I¡¯d be pleased if you replaced me as Paula¡¯s husband.¡¯

    William and Samuel then rushed into the dining room, where everyone was waiting.

    ¡°Ah, William! Why was the meeting taking so long?¡± Larissa whined. ¡°I have cooked steak with your favorite gravy! Let¡¯s eat!¡±

    Everybody sat around the huge dining table. The waiters served the food and drinks, while everyone was busy joking and talking while eating.

    ¡°William, help me find a wife for Sammy. I can¡¯t bear to see my firstborn running around the world alone.¡± Larissa laughed, followed by everyone. ¡°Find one as beautiful and smart as Paula, okay?¡±

    Paula and William could only smirk and stared at each other. Then, they threw a blank stare at Alex and Lisa. William¡¯s parents did not tell the family that their son¡¯s marriage was arranged.

    .....

    ¡°Paula, my tigress, can you find one?¡± William replied jokingly.

    Unfortunately, there was one person who didn¡¯t like this warm atmosphere. He even bothered spoiling it by blurting, ¡°What if I want Paula as my wife?¡±

    The crazy statement that came out of Samuel¡¯s lips, of course, made all eyes look at him. Alex immediately ordered Samuel¡¯s siblings and Vanessa to go upstairs because he was sure the next conversation was not for the minors.

    After the children went upstairs, that¡¯s when a tense atmosphere began to envelop the fancy dining room.

    ¡°What do you mean by that, Sam!¡± Thomas firmly questioned his son.

    ¡°I mean, I want to wait for Paula to get divorced. Wasn¡¯t that clear, dad!¡± Samuel announced, smiling sarcastically.

    Paula and William¡¯s faces paled. They didn¡¯t think that Samuel would say something so dangerous like that.

    ¡°Sam! Don¡¯t be rude!¡± Lisa rebuked. ¡°You know what it takes to insult my family.¡±

    ¡°What did you want, Sam? Marriage is not a joke. As well as a divorce!¡± Alex, who had been quite patient, now snapped at his brother¡¯s son.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the one joking? Why don¡¯t you ask your spoiled son? Where has he gone all day because earlier, when I called Danica, she said that William didn¡¯t have a meeting! He emptied his schedule for a good reason,¡± Samuel challenged Alex and Lisa. ¡°So, where do you think William went? For your information, Uncle Alex, Aunt Lisa, and Lea have now returned from Japan.¡±

    William¡¯s mouth could only gape. Meanwhile, Paula could only stare at the tense faces of everyone in the dining room.

    A moment later, Paula tried to control the situation. She wanted to keep the dirty laundry at home. ¡°Dad, Mom, I think we should discuss this matter at home.¡± She threw an angry face at Samuel for a moment. That guy knew how to push the button. However, trespassing one line was never been a good choice.

    Paula pulled William to his feet and said goodbye to everyone. While Alex did the same to Lisa whose face was very pale.

    ***

    Lisa¡¯s hard and hot slap landed on William¡¯s face. Alex could only freeze on the sofa in William¡¯s living room. An uncomfortable tense atmosphere felt so thick coloring the room.

    ¡°You! You¡¯re married! Do you forget it? How could you still see that shameless girl!¡± Lisa snapped at William mercilessly. William could only accept his parent¡¯s anger. ¡°Don¡¯t you think about your wife¡¯s feelings?¡±

    ¡°Mom-¡±

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s have a seat. We¡¯ll talk about this matter calmly,¡± Paula interrupted, guiding her mother-in-law to sit next to her husband. ¡°Please care about your health.¡± Sincerely, she was worried about her mother-in-law. Anger was an enemy of the heart.

    Paula looked at William¡¯s swollen face. A little pity because her husband had to get a very hard slap from his mother. To reduce the pain, she took a bowl of ice water and applied it to William¡¯s cheek using a white clean towel. She did this on purpose so that her father and mother-in-law would not attack her husband again.

    A cold sensation ran down William¡¯s hot and sore cheeks. He felt Paula¡¯s soft hands wipe the corners of his bleeding lips. Paula¡¯s face didn¡¯t look scared or angry. William couldn¡¯t understand where the woman bought that much stock of calmness. Her behavior was the complete opposite of his mother who was now unbearably angry-like a bomb about to explode.

    ¡°Sorry, dad, mom! I can¡¯t leave her. You know I love her. At first ....¡± William decided to talk directly to the root of the problem.

    ¡°You! How dare you say that in front of your wife!¡± snapped the mother in a shrill voice, trembling with overflowing anger.

    ¡°Mom, dad, forgive me for interfering. But, what¡¯s the problem if William loves Lea? Why do you have to force him to be with me?¡± Paula¡¯s blatant question made Lisa and Alex surprised.

    ¡°Paula, honey, don¡¯t talk like that! You are the best wife for him. We both know that.¡± Lisa begged, she didn¡¯t want Paula talking about the divorce. Of course, she had no clue what was going on between Paula and William.

    ¡°Lea is just a poor girl who pursues our lifestyle. She wants to use William¡¯s money to support her family,¡± Lisa accused. Of course, it made William¡¯s heart burn with anger. If Paula¡¯s hands hadn¡¯t been squeezing William¡¯s right now, the young man would surely have stood up and vented his emotions at his mother for her baseless accusations.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Paula. Lea is just a gold digger who just wants our money,¡± Lisa restated, staring at Paula with pity. She was really afraid of losing her beloved daughter-in-law just because of this.

    ¡°Oooh, I see. But, what¡¯s the problem with getting married for money? I also married William because of wealth,¡± Paula asked in an even tone. Her lips curved into a slight smile. She paid attention to every word cam that e out of her mouth, being careful not to offend her in-laws. ¡°I married William purely because I wanted to maintain my social status and wealth. No love attached to our marriage. How is it different from poor people who do the same thing?¡±

    Silence wrapped the room. The middle-aged couple was dumbfounded by Paula¡¯s statements.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Paula? Of course, It¡¯s different!¡±

    ¡°Really? The motivation is the same, isn¡¯t it? We pursue the same thing, wealth and position. However, Lea is better than me. She and William love each other. How about me?¡± She turned to William, who was still gawking from hearing and seeing her performance. She was like holding a dagger in her mouth, ready to attack anyone who oppose her. ¡°If William happens to be a nerd-not a good-looking one, I will never try to approach him at all. Let alone touch him and consummate our marriage. Never.¡±

    Paula wasn¡¯t badmouthing William in front of her in-laws. However, she insinuated the behavior of his two in-laws who were no different from people who were married because of wealth.

    Paula stared at Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery with confidence. She had the upper hand. ¡°So, for our happiness, I think, it¡¯s best to end our marriage as soon as possible. Let him get married to Lea!¡±

    ¡°No! How can you do something like that!¡± Alex pounded the table. He did not like the defeat he almost suffered. Therefore, now is the right time to use his power as an elder.

    Paula, who had already felt that she was on the verge of winning, was disappointed with the attitude of her in-laws who didn¡¯t want to lose. She realized she had taken the wrong approach. It turns out that they were the types of people who do not want to be underestimated.

    Because of that, her little brain tried to think of something else so she wouldn¡¯t have to overwork. It would be boring if she had to repeat moments like this in the future.

    ¡°Let¡¯s bet on William¡¯s luck!¡± Paula declared a war on her in-laws. ¡°Next week, Raymond Martin will pay a visit. I heard that he wants to invest big funds in the hotel business. If William succeeds in establishing a partnership with him, let him marry Lea. What do you think? It sounds challenging, no?¡±

    William and the others were stunned to hear that. William was not a good businessman who would win such a big thing. It¡¯s a very bold bet.

    However, it made Alex laugh out loud. ¡°How dare you take such a high risk! But it¡¯s okay. I agree.¡±

    ¡°Alex!¡± Lisa reprimanded her husband for the decision. Her eyes showed concern, afraid it would backfire on them. What if William could do it?

    ¡°Honestly, I want you to be William¡¯s wife because my son is not doing well in the company. If William can show that he is worthy as an heir, of course as a gift I will give him the freedom to determine his fate.¡±

    ¡°Deals!¡± Paula smiled contentedly.

    Meanwhile, William gulped in anxiety. Lisa was worried about what would happen in the future. While Alex smiled as wide as Paula. Not because he felt like he was going to win, but he wanted to know what the two of them would do to beat Raymond Martin who was known to be very picky ¨C the more he chased, the more he ran. Even Alex and Lisa themselves don¡¯t have the confidence to win his heart.

    After his parents returned home, William, who was still confused, muttered. ¡°Was Samuel spying on me? How did he know I was going to lie?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take it seriously. After all, what can we do? Maybe this is the best way-consider it as a blessing in disguise.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the sooner the better?¡± Paula answered with a rhetorical question. A witty smile crossed her tired face.

    William shook his head in disbelief. His mind couldn¡¯t understand Paula¡¯s strange way of thinking. It was very different from the average woman-no, to be precise from the average person.

    ¡°Your cheeks look burning. Is it hurt? Your mother was so barbaric. I was afraid she got a heart attack,¡± Paula studied William¡¯s cheek and then gave him a peck. ¡°Sorry! I¡¯ll make up for it with something fun for you! What do you think?¡±

    Paula also touched William¡¯s shirt, slowly unbuttoned it, then did the fun things. As promised, she gave William an unusual surprise tonight. She tried a new style to satisfy him. She did it passionately so that William¡¯s bad day was forgotten, replaced by a tiring and fun night. Paula¡¯s efforts were not in vain because she managed to make William¡¯s body twitch from the sensation.

    ¡°Paula ...,¡± William whispered in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°What?¡± asked Paula lazily because she was tired and sleepy.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Paula replied, her lips growing wide-cheek to cheek-even though her eyes were only half open. The woman then snuggled closer to her husband¡¯s bare chest. The two of them then slept hugging each other until morning came.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10: 10. The Big Fish

    To be honest, William was amazed at Paula who managed to negotiate with his parents. As he expected. Paula¡¯s negotiation skills could conquer his parents. Although not a surprise, his admiration for her was still unstoppable.

    The man remembers a few months ago when Paula convinced him to have sex even though there was no love linking their hearts. All of Paula¡¯s words seemed logical. Starting from reminding him that it was an obligation and consequence of marriage, to its secrecy-no one would know if he didn¡¯t say it, because he was a man.

    William shook his head. He didn¡¯t know whether to be grateful or not because he was betrothed to Paula. However, what William realized now was that he had no regrets at all about having met and known Paula. Paula¡¯s presence in his life gave a new color that could not be ignored.

    Carried by the atmosphere, William¡¯s face approached and kissed Paula¡¯s forehead, who was still fast asleep. Surprisingly, he did not immediately end the kiss. The man inhaled her signature scent and closed his eyes, allowing his limbs to move on their own accord.

    At first, it was just for fun, just holding Paula¡¯s sweet lips. But over time, William¡¯s hand was getting wilder to touch his wife.

    During his fun, suddenly, the alarm ringing startled William, and also Paula. ¡°What are you doing, William? This is no time to play around. You have a meeting with Mr. Martin this morning!¡± Paula snapped nervously and rushed to the bathroom.

    However, she soon came out again and pulled William to follow her to the bathroom. ¡°Hurry up! Don¡¯t be late! He¡¯s known as a strict guy!¡±

    .....

    William, who was still gawking, didn¡¯t argue in the slightest. He was still thinking about what he had just done to Paula. William¡¯s feelings were pounding erratically. He didn¡¯t understand what had just popped into his mind.

    ***

    ¡°Sorry, sir! I can¡¯t come in today. I have a headache. My stomach hurts ...¡± William¡¯s secretary asked for sudden leave that morning. William didn¡¯t expect something to happen because the two of them were planning to meet Mr. Martin.

    ¡°Oh, Danica! Are you kidding?¡± William groaned. How could his luck turn out to be this bad?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. William! I can¡¯t even walk!¡± Danica¡¯s moans let William know that his secretary was really in pain.

    William stared at Paula with a look of disappointment. He didn¡¯t want their efforts over the past few days to go to waste. However, he also didn¡¯t know what else to do.

    ¡°Tell her to send us all the files we need right away! If she can¡¯t even do that, just fire her!¡± said Paula later. Sounded cruel, but it worked to scare Danica and immediately send all the soft files needed for today¡¯s meeting.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time, William! You have to leave now. I¡¯ll fix the file later. You bring all the hard copies!¡± Paula said in a flat tone, forcing William to be as calm as possible. ¡°Remember. Don¡¯t be nervous. It¡¯s not a big deal, okay? You can do it.¡±

    William grabbed his laptop and some hard copies that he had in hand even though they were incomplete. He would buy some time so Mr. Martin wouldn¡¯t ask for too much detail at the beginning.

    The awaited moment had arrived. William came to the venue fifteen minutes before the meeting started. Ideal. Paula wouldn¡¯t scold him for being late.

    That man immediately set up the laptop and his presentation files. All preparations were completed before nine o¡¯clock. Exactly three minutes to nine, Mr. Martin and his secretary entered the room with impeccably groomed appearances. Unlike William who was coming alone.

    However, Mr. Martin had nothing to say about William¡¯s shortcomings. The young businessman warmly greeted William and thanked him for the invitation.

    William¡¯s heart was touched. He did not expect that Mr. Martin turned out to be a very low-profile person. That morning, the presentation went smoothly without a hitch. He answered all the questions well. However, William wasn¡¯t too sure whether Mr. Martin was interested or not. According to William, the man¡¯s expression was hard to predict. He didn¡¯t know what he was hiding behind his sweet smile.

    After discussing further Paradise Hotel, Mr. Martin finally asked about one thing that William did not have in hand. He requested the company¡¯s financial statements for the last five years.

    William¡¯s cold sweat started pouring down. Why hadn¡¯t Paula come yet? However, even if Paula came, it seemed that they only prepared the financial statement files for the last two years.

    A few seconds later, there was a knock on the meeting room door. Paula then entered with an elegant and very presentable appearance. Looks very smart and professional.

    However, more than that, William did not expect, Paula did not only bring financial reports for the last two years. She brought financial statements for the last five years. Happy and surprised at the same time, William handed the report to Mr. Martin proudly.

    ¡°Wow, this is a very easy-to-read report.¡± Mr. Martin commented on the presentation of the chart that Paula brought at the beginning along with the detailed reference to the data in the appendix. He smiled contentedly.

    ¡°You have a great assistant. How lucky,¡± Mr. Martin praised, looking sincerely. ¡°Then I think I can quickly study the financial statements of the last ten years. Do you have them now?¡±

    The smile that was plastered on Paula¡¯s face gradually diminished. As it turned out to be like this, the rumor about how difficult it was for the man to agree on an MOU was not mere gossip. Even her hard work this morning to collect financial data for the last five years seemed to be in vain.

    William¡¯s chest rumbled. It seemed this time they have high expectations of their abilities. Mr. Martin would test their patience to the last point.

    William turned to Paula. What would Paula say now?

    ¡°Sorry, sir. We don¡¯t have any at the moment. However, we will be happy to prepare it for you. Especially if we know that the report we make later will be beneficial for us as well,¡± said Paula with a wide smile. She regained her composure already.

    Mr. Martin felt cornered by what Paula was asking at this time. The woman asked for certainty about what benefits he would provide if William¡¯s side fulfilled his request.

    ¡°Hahaha, you can. Of course, I will spare more time to discuss this further if you are willing to put in more effort as well,¡± Mr. Martin answered with an unpleasant laugh.

    William then chimed in, ¡°However, you are planning to fly to Tokyo tomorrow morning, right? That means ....¡±

    ¡°That means, I need it for tonight, Mr. Montgomery,¡± said Mr. Martin quickly.

    ¡°All right,¡± said Paula desperately. ¡°Maybe we were just unlucky because we got the opportunity on the last day when you were still here.¡±

    ¡°Paula! Don¡¯t be reckless!¡± William whispered.

    Paula glanced at the watch. There were still a few hours to complete the work. Then, Paula asked, ¡°What time is it convenient for you for the second meeting?¡±

    ¡°I am available until midnight. Besides, I¡¯m staying at a hotel not far from here tonight, right? You can reach me anytime,¡± Mr. Martin smiled, igniting Paula¡¯s ego. She was sure that the financial statements of the last five years had been quite good. However, what could she do if she had to try harder to please him?

    ¡°Okay. Please wait.¡±

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11: 11. A Trap

    ¡°Paula! You are so reckless!¡± William reprimanded when Mr. Martin had left the meeting room. ¡°Can¡¯t you see he¡¯s just trying to prank us?¡±

    ¡°I saw that he was interested when he saw the five-year financial statements, Will!¡± Paula replied confidently. ¡°He just needs a little more reassurance.¡±

    ¡°But eight years, Paula! Meanwhile, this hotel was only stable six years ago. You don¡¯t know that my mom¡¯s hotel almost went bankrupt and had to struggle, starting from the bottom again,¡± William objected. He didn¡¯t want the hard-time financial statements to be leaked out. He couldn¡¯t bear it if the investors knew how big the losses were.

    ¡°I think we should show him ten years¡¯ financial statements, William.¡± Paula looked at William expectantly. She didn¡¯t want to accept his refusal at this time.

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡±

    ¡°Am I? He just wants to know what the biggest risks are. How did your hotel come out of a crisis? We¡¯ll show him all. To some investors, this is not important. But to him, it seems to be important.¡±

    ¡°But he will leave tomorrow,¡± William doubted.

    .....

    ¡°Then, we will make this night count.¡±

    Paula packed her things and immediately left the meeting room to quickly help William compile a ten-year summary of the financial statements, assisted by some finance staff, of course.

    Seeing Paula who was trying so hard to win this agreement, William felt embarrassed because he had been pessimistic. It¡¯s too early to give up. They needed to try their best.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± William whispered. ¡°And thank you.¡±

    Paula shook her head. ¡°The problem is not only about winning your parents¡¯ consent, William. But it¡¯s also how you run this hotel in the future. That¡¯s why your parents agreed to this bet,¡± Paula mumbled as she ate her lunch in a hurry. ¡°Stay positive and try your best. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re begging for your parents¡¯ support for good, right?¡±

    ¡°....¡±

    William didn¡¯t budge. He just listened to Paula¡¯s rant, in silence. No objection, because it was all true.

    ¡°That¡¯s it! Let¡¯s get to work again. We don¡¯t have much time!¡±

    Paula and William went back to work and evaluated the files. When everything was almost done, it was already dark.

    William¡¯s cell phone rang. It turned out to be Maya, Martin¡¯s secretary. She said she wanted to invite everyone to dinner when the summary that Mr. Martin asked for was finished. ¡°My boss will agree to sign the agreement. Can he borrow your clever secretary to explain some matters? I also have to give you some additional files that you must consider for our cooperation.¡±

    Instantly, William cheered with joy. It turned out Paula was right. Martin was interested in the report this morning. It just took a little more work to convince him.

    ¡°I will tell her to-¡±

    ¡°Oh, I already called your secretary earlier. Please just come to the place we have determined,¡± Maya interrupted William¡¯s words quickly.

    William quickly went to the restaurant. However, Paula was already gone when he was about to take her.

    ¡°She has to wait for me, at least,¡± William murmured.

    Brushing his thoughts, William headed to the hotel for dinner. However, William was surprised that he only met Maya at the restaurant. ¡°Where are Paula and Martin?¡±

    ¡°Your secretary is already with Mr. Martin,¡± Maya answered calmly. ¡°My boss likes your smart secretary. Despite her looks, she has so much business insight.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not my-¡±

    ¡°You are lucky because it seems that Mr. Martin has a personal interest in your secretary. As such, I am very confident that our cooperation will go well.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by personal interest?¡± William asked, starting to get suspicious. His face turned stern.

    ¡°That means I will accompany you tonight and Mr. Martin will...¡±

    William no longer listened to Maya¡¯s words. William picked up his phone and immediately called Paula many times. However, the woman did not pick up the phone. Scary thought crept into William¡¯s heart.

    William was very worried. He didn¡¯t know where Paula was now. William¡¯s eyes glared at Maya. ¡°Where are they now?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t tell you because your secretary has agreed to meet my boss,¡± Maya replied coldly, although fear crossed her dark eyes.

    ¡°You guys are crazy!¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I think we are all adults who can take responsibility for our own choices,¡± Maya continued. ¡°The codes that I gave were clear. It was her choice.¡±

    William panicked. Was it true that Paula had agreed to spend a night with Martin just to accomplish this mission? Was Paula that crazy?

    ¡°No way? Paula wouldn¡¯t give herself up for another man because she¡¯s my wife, would she?¡± William muttered to himself breathlessly.

    William then looked at Maya¡¯s face which was now smiling confidently again. The tall man wasn¡¯t sure what the petite woman in front of him was thinking. Why was he so stupid and innocent?

    After all, who would have a discussion in the evening-about work? Shouldn¡¯t he know that people use their mouths to do something else after 8 p.m.?

    William thought back to how much Paula wanted this plan to work. She wanted to get out of this marriage as soon as possible. However, didn¡¯t Paula say that she didn¡¯t want the two of them to have an extramarital relationship? She was the one who bragged about fidelity.

    Not. It must be a trap. William was very sure, Paula must have been accidentally trapped by the flowery word coming out of the cunning mouth. Paula was too focused on her work. She must not have expected Martin would do such an indecent thing.

    ¡°Listen! She¡¯s not my secretary! She¡¯s my wife who happened to be helping out today because my secretary was ill!¡± William raged furiously, making Maya¡¯s eyes wide open. ¡°If something bad happens to her, I won¡¯t hesitate to sue you! Keep that in mind!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°To hell with this business deal. I don¡¯t want to work with an fucking rotten man like your boss!¡±

    William got up and went to find Paula himself. He was very sure that Paula was in the hotel.

    Meanwhile, Maya was stunned by the shocking fact she had just known. Inwardly she blamed William and Paula from the start for being dishonest. But did their honesty matter? Remembering today what they were talking about was only business? Who would have thought that Martin had dirty intentions?

    William immediately ran out of the restaurant. ¡°Oh, God .... Please, protect her!¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12: 12. The Punishment

    Meanwhile, Paula was feeling anxious. When she arrived at Martin¡¯s room, the man was alone. Even after half an hour had passed, nobody was coming to the room. She thought William would come later-but looked like he wouldn¡¯t.

    The woman had finished explaining the financial statements to Martin. However, there was no sign that William or Maya would appear. Paula bit her lower lip out of worry.

    To save her time, Paula took the initiative to end the meeting because it was already late. ¡°Since it¡¯s finished, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything else I need to say. I¡¯ll excuse myself because it looks like ... William won¡¯t be able to come. I wanted to call him but unfortunately, I left my phone in the office.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be in such a hurry. Our business isn¡¯t done yet.¡± Martin chuckled, turning his gaze to Paula. His darkening eyes roamed Paula¡¯s body in a lewd way.

    ¡°Our business is done, sir. And I have to go home right away because it¡¯s already late,¡± Paula replied sternly, brushing the bad thoughts that started to attack her mind.

    ¡°Paula, our night has just begun,¡± Mr. Martin whispered as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

    ¡°Sir, this is just information. I¡¯m not William¡¯s secretary, I¡¯m his wife,¡± Paula warned him. She hoped that whatever Martin was thinking right now wasn¡¯t something that would make him reckless enough to abuse his client¡¯s wife.

    .....

    Martin gasped. He undid the third button and then stopped. ¡°So, do you mean-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m married to him,¡± Paula replied firmly, showing her left hand. ¡°Can¡¯t you see my ring?¡±

    Martin then laughed sarcastically. ¡°Too bad. But, he said that I can have you tonight. I¡¯ve got his consent to touch you.¡±

    Paula¡¯s heart sank. There¡¯s no way William could sell her to him. However, Martin looked confident in his words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look! Things like this are common in business matters. Providing the best service for clients is the fastest way to get them to sign the agreement. Therefore, you should be able to compromise for the sake of your husband¡¯s company.¡±

    Martin approached the scared gorgeous woman in front of him. He started to touch her, slowly but surely.

    ***

    William was still trying to reach Paula. However, the phone still hasn¡¯t been picked up. He then tried to go to reception and asked for Martin¡¯s room number. Of course, it¡¯s something illegal. The receptionist would not give the guest room number due to hotel policy. William couldn¡¯t force the receptionist girl. It was getting worse since he had no evidence that Martin would abuse Paula. It was just his assumption. He could be sued for making a false accusation if he called the police.

    William then decided to return to the restaurant. It seemed that the most appropriate and safe way for him was to interrogate Maya. But, he didn¡¯t need to do it since the woman was coming willingly.

    ¡°Mr. Montgomery! Wait!¡± Maya called him, gasping almost breathlessly. Panting, she bent down to hold her knees as she approached William. ¡°Please, follow me, sir!¡±

    Then, they immediately went to Martin¡¯s room on the 10th floor. When they reached room number 1012, Maya stopped. The woman whispered, ¡°This is his room. Promise me that you never tell him that I am the one who brings you here. Tell him that you know this room because of bribing the receptionist. I don¡¯t want to be fired. This job is very important to me!¡± Maya pleaded hopefully. ¡°Will you?¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    Maya immediately left William who was now banging the door quite loudly. It would attract the attention of other guests, but he didn¡¯t care.

    Immediately, the door opened and Paula stomped out of the room. Her face was reddened out of anger. She slapped William¡¯s cheek, leaving a painful red mark.

    ¡°Fuck you, William!¡± Paula cursed angrily, then hurried away from the room.

    In the room, William saw Martin who was still neatly dressed. He then smiled at William and said casually, ¡°Sorry, there seems to be a misunderstanding. I thought she was your secretary.¡±

    Martin¡¯s behavior was inappropriate. He angered William. ¡°So what if she is my secretary? Do you have the right to do this to her? I will cancel this project no matter what!¡±

    Unwilling to hear excuses, William left Mr. Martin and chased after Paula. He now didn¡¯t care anymore about the bet and the consequences of losing it. He didn¡¯t want Paula to misunderstand him.

    Paula walked towards the parking lot. William finally caught up. ¡°Paula! Wait!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Paula exclaimed without turning her head. Her voice trembled.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± William finally managed to grab Paula¡¯s shoulder and turn Paula around so they could both stand face to face-no, face to chest. ¡°Did he harass you? Did he touch you?¡±

    ¡°Why are you even worried? Didn¡¯t you sell me to him?¡± Paula¡¯s eyes were red, tears welled up. ¡°That¡¯s how you are, William? You don¡¯t even appreciate my efforts to help you.¡±

    Paula turned her puffy face away from William. She didn¡¯t like to show her weakness in front of other people, even if it was William-her husband.

    ¡°Paula! This is all their ruse. I will never do that to you. It was my promise, no? As long as you are my wife, I will take care of you and fulfill my duties as a husband.¡±

    William shook Paula¡¯s shoulder to calm her. However, William didn¡¯t want Paula to get the wrong idea. They were friends. He won¡¯t let the good relationship they had built just fall apart because of misunderstanding.

    Paula stopped sobbing. She tried to pull herself together. She should have trusted William. Hadn¡¯t William almost given up on the bet? Why suddenly did he need to use a dirty trick to win the agreement? That didn¡¯t make any sense at all.

    ¡°Now, tell me, did he touch you?¡± William¡¯s green eyes pierced at her. He looked sincerely worried. It moved Paula¡¯s heart.

    Paula shook her head. ¡°He was about to touch me, but I said that you have an STD.¡±

    William was stunned. His eyes popped out. ¡°What did you tell him?¡±

    Paula burst out laughing. William cursed angrily-but, in relief. Luckily Paula was smart. Who would risk the health of their sexual organ? No man would do that.

    ¡°I will punish you for that!¡±

    Before long, William claimed his wife¡¯s lips. They were both carried away. So affectionate like a real couple. It was so hot. Kissing was an understatement. They were eating each other¡¯s faces.

    Neither of them thought that someone was in the parking lot, watching them doing the lovey-dovey things. A man in a fancy suit who had just attended his little sister¡¯s engagement party.

    ¡°Wow, look! There¡¯s free live porn!¡± the man whispered so that the young woman next to him wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t get a boner.¡±

    Too bad, the young woman heard what he said and reflexively turned her head in the same direction as the man. Then, her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of two people immersed in a passionate entanglement. They didn¡¯t even care about their surroundings.

    Paula and William then got into the car and did things they shouldn¡¯t have done in a public place-hot and passionate sex.

    ¡°Lea, are you okay?¡± the man asked in confusion. ¡°You look so pale.¡±

    Although a little bit vague, Lea knew for sure who the man was. Her tears fell slowly, knowing the truth. The man she loved with all her heart had lied straight to her face.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13: 13. Messed-up Plan

    The heat in William¡¯s room began to cool. Paula leaned against William¡¯s sturdy shoulder. She fiddled with her husband¡¯s chest because she didn¡¯t know what to do. The unpleasant incident that she had just experienced made her rethink his reckless decision.

    ¡°Why did you cancel the contract with Martin?¡± asked Paula with a slightly disappointed look on her face. ¡°He is a jerk, but his money is the matter.¡±

    William inhaled the sweet scent of her hair and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t want to do business with a bastard who almost touches my wife. Where is my dignity as a husband?¡±

    ¡°But he didn¡¯t do it, William! Where else are you going to find a filthy rich client like him shortly?¡± Paula was still in denial, making William flabbergasted.

    ¡°Seriously, are you okay with that? Because I am not,¡± William exclaimed. ¡°This time he didn¡¯t do it. How about later?¡±

    William still felt sorry for wasting time with a dirty man like Martin. It was better for him to lose a client like Martin than to risk his wife¡¯s safety.

    ¡°What kind of man wants his wife to be touched by another man? If any, it wouldn¡¯t be me!¡± William added again in a bland voice, glaring at Paula. Their eyes met as their heart clenched for unknown reasons.

    .....

    Paula¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She knew William was only doing this to fulfill his duty as a husband. However, she couldn¡¯t fight the strange feeling welling up inside her stomach at this moment. She was afraid that her feelings toward him started to grow.

    Paula realized that she had to keep her promise about a relationship that didn¡¯t involve feelings between them. She cleared her throat a little loudly and pulled away from William¡¯s arms. Her face was troubled and uneasy, making William mistakenly take that as a disappointment.

    ¡°Paula, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to waste your efforts,¡± William said as he stopped Paula from getting out of bed. However, she just stared at him without any explanation and let her husband misunderstand. She quickly left him and went to the bathroom to clean up.

    ¡°Paula!¡± William kept calling in a pitiful tone, making Paula¡¯s heart feel even tighter.

    Paula let the hot water touch her body. It made her head relax a bit. Brushing her dark thought, she shook her head as she said, ¡°This must be just a fleeting feeling. I can¡¯t have feelings for him.¡±

    The water gushing from the shower again caressed Paula¡¯s white skin, which was smooth as porcelain. Little by little, she powered up the water jet, trying to get rid of the feeling of his touches on her body.

    A fatal error occurred. William¡¯s sneaky fingers didn¡¯t only touch her skin but also penetrated her heart.

    ***

    William thought Paula was still angry with him. He tried to win Paula¡¯s heart by making a special breakfast this morning. His signature chocolate pancake was always praised by his friends-and also Lea.

    The smell of chocolate combined with butter made Paula¡¯s nostrils couldn¡¯t help but tingling. Her rumbling stomach demanded to be treated immediately. Although she was already dressed up and was about to go to the office, she couldn¡¯t help coming to the kitchen.

    She didn¡¯t intend to have breakfast at home. She didn¡¯t even want to spend any more time with William, knowing that her defenses were currently weak. To make matters worse, all her plans were about to fail miserably. But, her determination was only redeemed cheaply by a pile of chocolate pancakes topped with chocolate, cheese, and butter served on the dining table. Tempting.

    Paula gulped, seeing the dazzling sight before her eyes. Not only did the pancakes look tempting, but the cook who served them also looked even more edible because he was on his knee-length training pants, hanging too low around his waist.

    So sexy! Super-duper sexy!

    William who saw Paula¡¯s reaction smiled triumphantly. ¡°Look, stop sulking! Have breakfast while the pancakes are still warm!¡± William¡¯s palms spread, showing his masterpiece.

    Surely, Paula could no longer stand the sinful temptation anymore. However, a sense of prestige held her back. Finally, William pulled her to a chair and sat her ass down. Meanwhile, He took a fork for her, cut the pancake, and tried to shove a slice of the calorie-filled fluffy stuff into her mouth.

    ¡°Aaaa ...,¡± William asked her to open her mouth as if he was feeding a toddler.

    ¡°Ugh, what the hell!¡± Paula was annoyed, slapping William¡¯s bare chest with her handbag.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you hesitate to eat it because you are still mad at me or because you are afraid of getting fat. However, if the reason is because of calories, I will gladly drain it after you finish this breakfast,¡± William whispered with darkening eyes gazing intently at her.

    Paula¡¯s face heated up. She reached for the plate of pancakes, pulled it closer, and ate it greedily. ¡°Who said I was afraid of getting fat?¡± She pursed her lips, making him realize her cuteness. Moreover, her flushed cheeks made him feel excited. No wonder he got a boner by the sight.

    A strange feeling crept into William¡¯s heart, making him want to claim her again immediately. However, he restrained himself knowing that his wish this time was a little bit out of control.

    William stood up and took his plate, accompanying her to eat. He stole glances at Paula, who seemed complacent with the taste of the pancakes, although she looked sad now and then.

    ¡°Paula, don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯ll catch another big fish. I promise!¡± said William trying to calm her, even though he didn¡¯t have a well-planned project in hand.

    Paula replied with a sincere smile. She was happy that William seemed more independent and optimistic than before.

    ¡°The pancakes are so delicious. Thanks! These are the best pancakes I¡¯ve ever eaten!¡± Paula said after chewing the last bite. Then, she finished her milk in just a few gulps.

    ¡°Oh, is it that good?¡± William asked teasingly. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s because you eat while looking at me, no?¡±

    Paula choked at William¡¯s words. ¡°Oh, please! It¡¯s cheesy and lame,¡± she said, laughing.

    Seeing Paula¡¯s face which was slightly covered in milk and chocolate like a kid, William couldn¡¯t stand his urge to clean it up with his lips-no-he used his hand instead. However, Paula was taken aback and inched backward.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Paula startled. Her chest was pounding. It¡¯s strange because they¡¯ve done much more than this.

    ¡°I just want to clean your face!¡± Without her consent, he immediately licked Paula¡¯s cheeks and lips to clean them up. However, Paula shoved William¡¯s chest away.

    Feeling Rejected, William thought that his efforts were still not enough to make her feel good. Then the brown-haired handsome man pulled his wife and lifted her body, carrying her-bridal style-to the room.

    He was determined to make her feel this morning was a spectacular one. Then, he did many things he had never done with her. He was going to do all his sex fantasies this morning because she was also into it either.

    That day, they ended up staying at home all day long. Both of them enjoyed the day with different motivations. William wanted to make Paula happy, while Paula wanted to enjoy her last time with William to the fullest before their divorce. Soon, she had to return her husband to Lea.

    ¡°Will, did you tell Lea about your current condition?¡± suddenly, Paula asked her husband.

    ¡°I did. Why?¡±

    ¡°Is she okay?¡±

    ¡°Of course-not.¡±

    Guilt clouded Paula¡¯s heart. ¡°Try to win her heart, Will. I am sure she will understand. She has a mom, and her mom is also sick. I think she will compromise with your difficult situation.¡±

    Smiling lightly, William poked Paula¡¯s nose. ¡°I will try. Thanks, Paula! I appreciate your support. But, please, don¡¯t talk about it right now because I wanna do you again.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you are insatiable!¡±

    ¡°Shut up and let¡¯s do it!¡±

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14: 14. Miscalculation

    Clothes were scattered on the floor. The room was heated-filled with lusty moans and groans. The man and the woman entangled each other. Their hot breath raced, and their skin glistened with sweat. They lose their mind as their bodies build up sensations. When they reached the climax, screams came out of their mouths-calling each other¡¯s names.

    ¡°William ....¡±

    ¡°Paula!¡±

    It was a big and long orgasm. Their bodies were full of ecstasy. The couple collapsed, bumping their tired body onto the bed-the messy one of course. Their breath paced up, trying to cool their lust down.

    William¡¯s eyes shut out of satisfaction, making Paula feel relief because she could fulfill her husband¡¯s needs. As well as hers.

    The woman pulled up the thick bed sheet to cover her exposed skin. Recently, she easily got nauseous if she left her skin uncovered. She didn¡¯t know why she turned that fragile.

    ¡°Paula, have you been more energetic lately? Why?¡± William asked curiously. He couldn¡¯t even sit up because she made him drain his energy. ¡°Look, I can¡¯t move even a finger!¡±

    .....

    ¡°Oh, huh? Aren¡¯t you the weak one?¡± Paula teased while showing a nosy smile while pinching her husband¡¯s cheek affectionately.

    William, who was annoyed and felt humiliated, forced himself to sit back and executed Paula once again. He didn¡¯t care about Paula¡¯s screams and asking for a break. William was really angry that he had been belittled.

    ¡°What an ungrateful wife! You want me to teach you a lesson, don¡¯t you?¡± William protested angrily.

    ¡°My goodness, William! Sorry!¡± Paula screamed.

    That¡¯s Paula and William¡¯s morning weekend. They both woke up late until the sun was very high. Of course, they both skipped breakfast to the point where shifting was so hard to do.

    Paula decided to order food through the app only because she couldn¡¯t cook. Then, she remembered something was off.

    ¡°William, how come you never see Lea again? It¡¯s been a month already,¡± Paula asked curiously. She¡¯s been busy lately with procuring a new menu for her bakery so she didn¡¯t pay much attention to William¡¯s schedule. ¡°Did you see her without telling me?¡± Again, Paula¡¯s suspicious question made her heart squeeze, like a suppressed jealousy.

    ¡°Lea is very busy-she said. She already started working. The boss may be fierce,¡± William replied, who was still half asleep. He scratched his head uncomfortably as he watched Paula get off the bed. As usual, she always looked graceful and charming in his eyes.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Paula asked to confirm the real reason. Deep down, Paula was happy that William had been paying more attention to her lately. The woman likes to be cared for and pampered, unlike her old self who used to be indifferent even though many men showered her with sweet and luxurious gifts. ¡°You didn¡¯t intentionally ignore her, yes?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, what a strange wife. You told me to pay attention to other women. How can? Are you ready to replace me with someone else? Am I not strong enough for you?¡± William teased Paula. Of course, he was just throwing a joke. However, his words were enough to make her heart skip a beat.

    Not wanting him to see her blushing cheeks, she immediately walked away to clean up the messy room. Unfortunately, her heart was still beating wildly. Indeed, his loving and tender side made her grow a feeling for him. She was sure it was love. She had been trapped by her own game.

    ¡°Gosh, this is so unprofessional and irresponsible! You can¡¯t go on like this, stupid Paula,¡± Paula mumbled to herself in a low whisper as she patted her face. She started to pick up the clothes that were scattered on the floor and hurriedly throw them into the washing machine in the kitchen. ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away!¡±

    ¡°What is it? How come you¡¯ve been so weird lately?¡± William asked. He suddenly appeared in the kitchen and took an empty glass from the drawer beside Paula, making the woman jump in surprise.

    ¡°Ah? I don¡¯t think so,¡± Paula replied, hiding the shock that made her heart dance with no music.

    It couldn¡¯t be denied anymore. It must have been love. However, having promised that there would be no love in their marriage, Paula tried her best to suppress those feelings. She needed to always remember the existence of Lea. Undoubtedly, Paula would immediately realize that she had no place in William¡¯s heart.

    While waiting for the food, Paula forced herself into the bathroom to clean up even though she was lazy. She let the warm water flush her body, trying to get rid of her stress. However, she suddenly remembered one other thing that she paid no attention to because of her tight schedule. Something so important that made her finish the shower quickly and rush back to her room to check her cell phone.

    ¡°Good grief!¡± Paula shrieked as she covered her mouth so William wouldn¡¯t hear.

    William, who was playing with his cell phone, was surprised to see Paula¡¯s strange reaction. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you pacing up like that?¡±

    Paula glared at William. But her mouth said nothing. Then, the sound of the doorbell caught their attention.

    ¡°Eh, please get the pizza, Will,¡± Paula asked quickly because she wanted to change the subject.

    William nodded and grabbed a clean and fresh T-shirt from the wardrobe. He rushed downstairs to pick up his wallet.

    Inhaled deeply, Paula threw herself onto the bed. What other disaster was she currently facing?

    ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t he always wrap his dick?¡± Paula cursed angrily. She kept changing her position so that her sore body felt more comfortable.

    ¡°Missing my period doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m pregnant, yes?¡± Paula murmured, trying to calm herself down. She then sent a message to an obstetrician through an app. The doctor told her that she wasn¡¯t pregnant if her partner always used contraception during intercourse. Her busy schedule could also make her miss the period. But, to make sure, she had to check it with the pregnancy test.

    After finishing lunch, Paula then put on her clothes and immediately ran to the door. ¡°William, I¡¯m going out for a minute, okay?¡±

    ¡°Uh, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to phar-Pharos,¡± Paula answered. She had almost mistakenly said she was going to the pharmacy. Instead, she mentioned the name of the nearest gym around.

    ¡°Just wait for me, then!¡± William went into the room to change his cloth into his workout costume.

    ¡°Oh, William ...,¡± Paula¡¯s plan to sneak out for buying a pregnancy test had failed. Instead, she had to spend time with her husband at the gym.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Lea will find out if we go to the gym together like this?¡± Paula asked doubtfully. She and William never spent time together outside the house.

    William shook his head. ¡°Lea already knows that we are already very close like friends. She must understand. In the past, I also went out often with some girls and Lea was never angry with me,¡± William explained with a sincere smile.

    Paula could only reply with a smile as her throat suddenly felt dry. She turned her face away from William so he wouldn¡¯t see the tears welling up in her eyes.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15: 15. Pregnancy Test

    ¡°Wow, lovebirds! How are you?¡± Samuel¡¯s unexpectedly warm greeting welcomed William and Paula as they arrived at the gym. Samuel¡¯s rock-hard body was glistening with the heavy sweat.

    ¡°Oh, Sam! What a coincidence! Are you done, bro?¡± William replied warmly. He tried to forget Samuel¡¯s behavior a few weeks ago because the matter was well resolved, thanks to Paula.

    Unfortunately, Paula didn¡¯t. He felt intimidated by Samuel¡¯s presence at this time. Not because she felt suffocated around Samuel, but because all her ideas and suggestions about her loveless relationship with William had failed. Miserably.

    ¡°Ooops!¡± Samuel¡¯s lips pursed when he accidentally saw the red hickey on Paula¡¯s neck and nape peeking out from the towel. ¡°I see nothing!¡± Samuel corrected when he saw the same red marks under William¡¯s half-covered T-shirt.

    Paula and William were stunned. William looked Paula in the eye and saw the unusual restlessness there.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like what you see,¡± Paula defended.

    ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t look like you were making out,¡± Samuel smirked.

    .....

    ¡°What do you mean, Sam?¡± William asked.

    ¡°I meant ...,¡± Samuel laughed mockingly. ¡°It was clear, bro! I don¡¯t like your way!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, Sam! You are my cousin, not my sibling,¡± William replied, annoyed.

    Samuel burst out laughing. He then took his bag from his locker and walked away whispering in Paula¡¯s ear, ¡°Be careful not to get pregnant, dear!¡± Samuel glanced at William one more time, then headed off towards the dressing room without saying anything.

    Paula couldn¡¯t help staring at Samuel sharply. She hated having to admit that Samuel¡¯s hunch could be right. In her heart, she prayed that she wasn¡¯t getting pregnant for real.

    Unfortunately, Paula¡¯s wish remained hopeless because a few days later, the urine test result showed two red lines. She also confirmed it with the gynecologist to get confirmation. Unfortunately, the results were disappointing.

    ¡°Congratulations! You are four weeks pregnant.¡±

    Paula swallowed hard at the sight. The ultrasound screen showed that there was a new life growing in her womb.

    That was supposed to be happy news for any mother in the world. However, the abnormal conditions made Paula unable to feel happiness. Her tears were slowly falling. Of course, the doctor thought it was tears of joy.

    ¡°You must be very happy!¡± The doctor said with a big smile plastered on her face.

    Paula just nodded and forced a smile. Her hands were still shaking holding the sonogram pictures of her future baby as she walked out of the clinic. The woman immediately entered the car and cried heavily inside.

    ¡°Oh, God! Why do you have to punish me this way?¡± she lamented as pounded on the steering wheel.

    Maybe she shouldn¡¯t be in this relationship with a man who loved another woman. Maybe she should have left William from the beginning.

    Now, it was too late. She couldn¡¯t possibly tell William what had happened. This would only make it difficult for him.

    After all, Paula had promised William not to get pregnant. If she came to William and told him that she was carrying his baby, what would he say? He would say something like trapping him in this loveless marriage by deliberately getting pregnant.

    Anxiously, Paula drove the car and headed back to the office. She had to think about this carefully. Not only for herself and William but also for the baby.

    ***

    Meanwhile, at the office, William was worried about Lea who seemed to be avoiding him. He finally decided to meet Lea in the office during working hours under the pretext of business matters. Because he was an important person, he asked Lea and her boss to handle this. He wanted to meet Lea in person no matter what.

    ¡°Dave Richards is here,¡± Danica informed William of the arrival of Lea and her superiors. ¡°And her secretary, of course.¡±

    ¡°Let them in!¡± William ordered.

    Of course, the clueless Dave only came with purely business motivations. However, not so with Lea. Her face was stiff like she was about to pounce on a face.

    ¡°Lea, what are you doing?¡± Dave whispered to his secretary. ¡°If you have a problem, can you forget it for a while so you can smile a little this time?¡±

    Lea immediately fixed her expression. But of course, it still looks unnatural.

    The three of them then professionally discussed work. There seemed to be no problem. Everything went smoothly before Dave finally went to the toilet.

    William then wasted no time and took the opportunity to interrogate Lea. ¡°Lea, you¡¯ve been avoiding me for a month!¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah? I¡¯m busy,¡± Lea replied curtly, looking at the draft in her hand. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Lea-¡±

    ¡°William! I thought you were a married man. Don¡¯t bother me anymore, please!¡± Lea said, very curtly. William didn¡¯t feel like he knew Lea at all. She didn¡¯t use to be like this.

    ¡°Lea, I already explained to you. Paula and I didn¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°Oh? I dare you to swear in the name of God if you don¡¯t do anything with her?¡± challenged Lea wide-eyed, bringing her face closer to William¡¯s. ¡°Then who were the ones making love shamelessly in your car a month ago in the parking lot of the Star Hotel William?¡±

    ¡°....¡±

    Now, William was frozen. He didn¡¯t remember the date. However, he remembered that he did it with Paula in the car when they got carried away.

    ¡°Being married is fun, huh? You can make love with your wife, satisfying your needs every day,¡± said Lea curtly. However, this time her face was red. Her eyes were teary.

    ¡°Lea ...,¡± William groaned. He felt very guilty for having been caught hiding this important matter from his lover. But, was it even matter? It was too late to feel guilty.

    ¡°Come on, William! She¡¯s your wife. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong by fucking her. Your only fault is ...,¡± Lea paused for a moment. It was so bitter. The sentence she was about to say was so painful, making her heart clench. ¡°... because you are still thinking that we are together.¡±

    ¡°Lea, I never share my love. It¡¯s only for you!¡±

    ¡°You dare to say love to me while fucking another girl?¡± Lea screamed. ¡°Oh, she is your wife, I forgot.¡±

    ¡°Lea ... Paula and I don¡¯t involve feelings-¡±

    Leah shook her head. To her, all William¡¯s words were in vain. It was too late. It¡¯s meaningless.

    ¡°William, you know? The night I saw the solid evidence of your lies, I chose to one-sidedly break our relationship,¡± Lea whispered. A painful expression crossed her face. Tears flooded from the corner of her eyes. ¡°That night, I slept with another man, William. I¡¯m not the Lea I used to be. I am not your Lea anymore.¡±

    William was left dumbfounded as if his body was being struck by lightning. Jealousy hit his heart. It was not easy to accept something like that. It was like a betrayal.

    Unable to think straight, William no longer knew what was right and what was wrong. He was so caught up in his messy feelings that he didn¡¯t know what to do anymore. Unknowingly, his feet stomped out of s office, leaving Lea alone. He didn¡¯t even know where his feet would take him. He just wanted to get away from all the harsh reality that befell him.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16: 16. The Pain

    Before William knew it, he was now at home, standing in front of the door. However, his mind wasn¡¯t there at all. His brain didn¡¯t know where he was.

    He couldn¡¯t think straight. He didn¡¯t know what to do. His eyes roamed, looking for something to soothe his pain. Was there any? Of course, the mini wine cellar on the corner was always the answer.

    William picked up a bottle and a crystal glass from the kitchen. He poured the drink mindlessly. He stopped when the glass was half full. Then, he sipped slowly, hoping it would ease the tightness in his chest. However, that¡¯s not what he got. He couldn¡¯t easily ditch the pain. Of course not.

    The wound in William¡¯s heart was still fresh. He didn¡¯t expect everything Paula had planned to fail. The man recalled how Paula persuaded him to have sex in secret and would not tell anyone about it. But once they made a mistake and did it outside, that¡¯s when Lea saw them-in his car-playing hide the zucchini.

    ¡°Everything failed miserably because of a single mistake!¡± he shouted to the air, staring blankly at the wall.

    Unable to contain his anger, William threw the glass in his left hand until it hit the wall. The shards of glass spread almost throughout the living room.

    ¡°Stupid! This is all unbelievably stupid!¡± William screamed furiously.

    .....

    He ruffled his sweaty hair. He rubbed his wrinkled face full of pain. His eyes gazed painfully at the ceiling.

    He should never have approved Paula¡¯s plan. He should know that he would lose Lea once he did that. He should never have tried to touch a woman other than Lea. He should have known that a man could never stop once he tasted the joy of having sex. He should never be that innocent, thinking that he would get the taste of fucking his wife while he was in love with Lea. He was indeed a jerk.

    In endless turmoil, William continued to drink his problem away. Bottle after bottle down. Until the time went for who knew how long.

    ***

    Hours later, when Paula came home, she found that the front door was not closed. Of course, because there were people at home. However, not all of the lights were on. Only the dim kitchen lamp was the only source of light, illuminating the dark house.

    ¡°William? Are you at home?¡± Paula looked around, searching for the presence of someone around her. Since there was no answer, Paula felt a little anxious. She was afraid of a thief might enter the house.

    Paula kept sneaking up, trying to reach the light switch. Before long, she let out a small scream when her foot stepped on a sharp object-shards of glass. ¡°Ouch! Good grief!¡±

    Paula walked on tiptoe lifting her right leg to reach the switch safely. As the room lightened up, she checked her bleeding foot and picked up the pieces of shattered glass. While looking around the floor, Paula realized that someone had broken the crystal glass in the living room.

    Something was going on, and it certainly wasn¡¯t a pleasant thing. Paula held the pain and walked into the kitchen only to find a half-sane William, with some empty bottles of drinks on the table.

    ¡°William, have you been drinking?¡± Paula was almost screaming when her feet stepped on more shards on the floor as she approached her husband.

    Paula tapped her husband¡¯s shoulder, making William turn his head to see his wife. Just from the painful look in William¡¯s eyes, Paula knew that he was in trouble. Paula wants to talk about the problem of the baby in her womb and the baby¡¯s future. However, it seems that at this time William could not possibly think clearly.

    ¡°William, are you okay?¡± Paula was about to touch William¡¯s cheeks. However, William violently pushed her hands away, hurting Paula.

    ¡°Selfish woman! It¡¯s all your fault! It¡¯s all because of your crazy idea!¡± William rambled incoherently. His eyes drew closer to Paula with a savage look.

    The smell of alcohol wafted sharply from William¡¯s mouth, making the pregnant Paula want to throw up. Then William did something he had never done with Paula. Something harsh and violent, so different from his usual touches-gentle and caring ones.

    ¡°William, stop it!¡± Paula screamed. It hurt so much that she couldn¡¯t bear the pain.

    ¡°You like this way, don¡¯t you? You asked for it, right?¡± Paying no attention to Paula¡¯s condition, William continued his hard thrust and sought his satisfaction.

    Tears streamed down Paula¡¯s cheeks. Right now, what Paula was worried about wasn¡¯t her condition even though she was in so much pain. Instead, she was afraid of the baby. The fetus she was carrying was innocent. It didn¡¯t deserve a punishment.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be violent, William! I¡¯m pregnant!¡± Paula pleaded.

    ¡°What trick do you use this time, huh? In what way are you going to trap me again?¡± William didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°It¡¯s your baby! Your blood and flesh!¡± Paula screamed, but he still did harsh things to her.

    ¡°As if I will buy your lies!¡±

    He did it several times until he lost his strength. He fell asleep in a state of anger. Feeling compelled to punish Paula in an even worse way.

    While Paula was crying and whimpering in pain, like a wounded swan, she crawled out of the bed. She tried to stand up and muster the remnants of strength. William was really mad at her. Could something have happened between William and Lea?

    Tonight, while enduring the pain, Paula quickly cleaned up. The bruises on her body due to her husband¡¯s violence would be painful things that would not be forgotten even if the scars were gone.

    After bathing, Paula packed all her things. She wasn¡¯t going to prolong her relationship with William. She was determined to get this over with as quickly as possible and of course, she would get out of William¡¯s house as soon as possible.

    ¡°Sorry, Will!¡± She kissed his forehead before saying goodbye to her sleeping husband.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17: 17. Girls¡¯ Meeting

    Paula left the house after cleaning up so William¡¯s feet would be safe from the shards. She was angry with him. However, William was so clumsy. She couldn¡¯t bear the image of his bloody feet once he stepped on the shards by mistake in the morning.

    That night, she stayed at the hotel instead of going to her parent¡¯s home to keep everything a secret from her family. She would tell them, of course, but not this time. She wanted to settle everything down and put the problem under control before telling her beloved ones.

    The next day, Paula visited Dave¡¯s office early in the morning. She had made an appointment with Dave whom she happened to know, although not so close. She asked him to let her discuss some personal matters with Lea.

    ¡°You ....¡± Lea¡¯s brow furrowed in disbelief at the woman who had come to see her.

    Faintly, she remembered that the woman in front of her was Paula-William¡¯s wife-the woman she had only seen once when having sex to William in the car. The rest, Lea only saw the woman through Sakura Bakery¡¯s social media. Lea knew that Paula had just started her business.

    ¡°Good morning, Lea! I¡¯m Paula,¡± Paula greeted warmly, holding out her hand in a friendly and professional manner. ¡°William¡¯s wife.¡±

    However, Lea didn¡¯t bother answering Paula¡¯s greeting in a friendly manner. Instead, she replied with a smirk and answered sarcastically.

    .....

    ¡°Why do you come here? I broke up with William already. So you don¡¯t have to worry anymore because-¡±

    ¡°Break up?¡± Paula cut Lea¡¯s words in surprise. It turned out her guess was right. Lea and William broke up. That must have been the reason that drove William crazy yesterday.

    Lea smiled sarcastically. Her mouth was about to say something, but Paula stopped her again.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Why did you two break up? Haven¡¯t you two been in love with each other all this time?¡± asked Paula who still didn¡¯t understand the reason for the breakup of Lea and William. Loving each other was an understatement. They had been together for so long. People would think that their relationship was almost unbreakable.

    Lea looked away. Her lips thinned. She then briefly explained the reason for breaking up with William. ¡°Do you think I should continue this relationship with William? A liar like him did not deserve my love.¡±

    Lea¡¯s eyes were sharp and defiant while Paula smiled wryly. Paula¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t think well. That time, she knew why William was angry and tortured her yesterday. Paula felt guilty for everything that had happened. She thought that everything had gone too far.

    ¡°Lea, William loves you. I¡¯m the one who asked him to do this,¡± Paula explained, feeling bad, ¡°secretly from you.¡±

    ¡°It sounds so stupid. Why should you-a legal wife-feel guilty for having sex with your husband and ... on top of it, you apologize to your husband¡¯s lover?¡± Lea laughed sarcastically, then looked at Paula with a scornful face. ¡°You¡¯re a lusty woman, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°....¡± Lea¡¯s words hurt Paula¡¯s pride. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, why would you ask-or maybe force-a man who doesn¡¯t love you to fuck you?¡± Lea¡¯s eyes were piercing. To be honest, she wanted to vent her anger on Paula who had snatched William away from her.

    Paula snorted. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just lusty as you said. However, I am his wife. I can do anything to him. I am the only one who can legally touch him,¡± Paula replied after trying hard to contain her emotions. She suppressed it so strongly to keep her rage under control. ¡°I did it with my legal partner. I¡¯m not very religious, but I¡¯m proud to maintain such a thing. I don¡¯t want to mess this marriage up. I can¡¯t possibly fulfill my needs outside-looking for a one-night stand with another man-while I¡¯m still William¡¯s wife.¡±

    Paula then stood up from the couch of the office¡¯s break room. ¡°William isn¡¯t at fault either. He¡¯s a gentleman. Not a philanderer or a womanizer! He¡¯s having a husband-and-wife relationship with me, his legal wife! It would be stupid of you to reject William just because of this kind of problem. It¡¯s not even fair to him, Lea!¡±

    ¡°Oh, do you think this is fair to me?¡±

    ¡°The situation-¡±

    ¡°What do you know about me? You don¡¯t know anything about me at all! A woman like you has no right to talk badly about other people¡¯s love lives!¡± Lea raged, getting carried away with emotion. She stood up violently from where she was sitting so that her handbag slipped and fell, making her belongings scattered on the floor.

    Spontaneously, Paula helped Lea to collect the scattered stuff. However, how surprised she was when she found a sonogram sheet in Lea¡¯s opened purse, indicating the date it was taken-three days ago-along with the name of the fetus¡¯ mother.

    To make matters worse, Paula also found a plane ticket to Tokyo dated the next day in the name of the woman in front of her. Was Lea up to something?

    Paula¡¯s face was dumbfounded, looking at Lea¡¯s pale face. Lea immediately pulled all the sonogram sheets Paula was holding and stomped out of the room, leaving Paula frozen. Paula¡¯s mind was busy, digesting what she had just seen.

    Minutes later, Dave arrived at his office and greeted Paula who looked still confused. ¡°Paula! How are you? Are you done with Lea?¡±

    The nervous Paula forced a smile on her pale face and nodded ¡°Dave ... do you have a business trip to Tokyo tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°No. Why did you ask? Do you want me to get some Japanese snacks for you?¡± Dave asked with his signature witty smile. The four-eyed handsome man¡¯s face turned to Paula in quite severe looks as if he didn¡¯t ask her for a joke.

    ¡°Oh, true, Dave! You know I like that Japanese cheese pie.¡± Paula forced a smile again, trying to hide her messy thoughts. ¡°Then, are you sending Lea to Tokyo tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°No! We¡¯re just busy here this week.¡± Dave frowned. Paula¡¯s questions sounded suspicious. ¡°Why?¡±

    Paula shook her head. She thanked Dave and immediately said goodbye.

    While walking to the parking lot, Paula could no longer hold her tears. She knew that Lea was currently pregnant and planned to flee to Tokyo. Paula couldn¡¯t help feeling very guilty about this.

    ¡°She must be pregnant with his baby.¡± Paula thought that the baby in Lea¡¯s womb must be William¡¯s. She thought Lea didn¡¯t want to ruin her family, then intended to hide somewhere-out of William¡¯s sight. After all, William¡¯s parents didn¡¯t approve of their relationship. No wonder Lea felt that her relationship with William seemed hopeless.

    Meanwhile, Paula herself became pregnant by mistake. However, William did not respond well when she told him about her pregnancy, making her heartbreak. Paula¡¯s mind was full of dark thoughts.

    She closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them up again, staring blankly at the sky helplessly. ¡°Oh, God ... what should I do?¡±

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18: 18. Paula¡¯s Decision

    Meanwhile, William, who had just woken up late at home, was surprised to find himself wearing nothing on the messy bed. It was strange because normally, he would wake up in that condition only when he spent the night with Paula. However, right now, that woman was not by his side. Maybe last night Paula slept in her room after having sex with him.

    William, who still had a hangover, found some empty bottles collected in the corner of the kitchen. Then, he remembered that he was drinking uncontrollably after the conversation with Lea. A deep wound resurfaced in William¡¯s heart when he remembered that Lea had slept with another man. But what right did he have to protest? He also slept with Paula. He was now anything but innocent. He thanked Paula for making him a great experienced guy in bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not fair for Lea. I should never get angry with her, while I also have a fun time with Paula every night,¡± William muttered, lamenting his behavior all this time. He then went to the bathroom to take care of his morning business.

    William sighed as he wiped his wet face with a clean towel. He was determined to accept Lea as she is. After all, he would not be able to erase the love that had been nurtured for years just because of one night¡¯s mistake. Lea¡¯s important position in his heart would never change. William would still make her the number one woman in the world after his mother of course.

    The handsome young man then took his boxer shorts and went to the kitchen to get some water. He drank a lot of water, looked for hangover pills in the medicine box, and immediately swallowed them, hoping the dizziness would go away soon.

    His head was still spinning, making him lazy to eat breakfast. However, he forced himself to take cereal, milk, and fresh fruit. Cold breakfast was indeed the best choice when he was in this state.

    ¡°Paula! Come down! Aren¡¯t you going to the office?¡± Since there were no traces of the kitchen being used, William assumed that Paula was still sleeping. ¡°Paula? I¡¯ll make cornflakes with sliced ??bananas and strawberries. Or do you want waffles instead? Pancakes? Sandwiches?¡±

    .....

    Of course, there was no response from the second floor. This made William feel surprised. He also checked the car key chain and realized that his wife was not at home since her car key was not there.

    ¡°Oh, she left so early in the morning without even telling me a word? What a wife!¡± William murmured, irritating looks crossing his face.

    William finally had his breakfast and prepared himself to go to the office, feeling lonely. Paula didn¡¯t usually leave him behind even if he overslept. They often spent the morning time together, having a hectic time together, and shouting at each other to get ready.

    As he drove to the office, a wry smile tugged at William¡¯s lips. He didn¡¯t expect his noisy and chaotic morning with Paula to be something he missed right now. Nice messy morning.

    Then, why did Paula leave so early in the morning? Did he make her mad when he was drunk? In his heart, William hoped he would be able to make up for it by making dinner for Paula later.

    Arriving at the office, the man asked his secretary, Danica, for online groceries shopping and scheduled to send them when he got home later.

    ¡°Do you want to cook something?¡± Danica asked teasingly. ¡°How lucky your wife is! You even cook for her.¡±

    William smiled and said, ¡°Look, I¡¯m the lucky one here, to have a good wife like Paula.¡±

    ¡°May your marriage last forever,¡± Danica said with a sincere prayer.

    William¡¯s heart sank to hear such a hope. Lasting forever? Even though he and Paula are planning to divorce soon because Lea was present. If Lea didn¡¯t return to the state earlier, would he still be with Paula?

    William could only nod as a reply because he understood that his secretary didn¡¯t know what was going on between him and Paula. ¡°Well, hurry up and do the shopping! Don¡¯t forget to schedule it on time, Okay? Don¡¯t let Paula get home first. I want to prepare a surprise for her.¡±

    When he came home, William immediately cooked as soon as the groceries arrived. Of course, it didn¡¯t take long because the meat and vegetables were all cleaned up and sliced well-ready to use.

    However, no matter how long he was waiting, there was no sign of Paula¡¯s return even though half an hour had passed.

    ¡°Where the hell is she? It¡¯s already seven o¡¯clock, but she isn¡¯t home yet,¡± William muttered anxiously. The man looked at the romantic dinner on the table, somewhat disappointed. ¡°Could something have happened to her?¡±

    Feeling worried, William tried to call Paula¡¯s cell phone. However, her private cell phone was turned off.

    William also called Paula¡¯s business number. However, the call was diverted. What happened? William had no idea.

    Did he do something wrong that made Paula so angry? William tried to recall everything that happened last night. But unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t remember a thing.

    That night, a romantic dinner was just a plan. William fell asleep on the couch without touching his food at all.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Paula was still at the hotel. She didn¡¯t want to be around her husband even though she knew William was out of control last night. She needed time to think clearly and consider carefully what she should do.

    Tomorrow morning, Lea will go to Tokyo. If Lea left, William would be hers forever. The child would grow up with a father. Perhaps, William would be able to forget Lea if the woman were away.

    However, on the other hand, Paula felt guilty if she did that. She felt like the third evil person, snatching William from Lea. Lea would suffer because of it. Who could guarantee that she will live happily with another man who loves her? Moreover, the child that Lea conceived was William¡¯s child. Could any man accept Lea and her child as they were?

    Maybe there was. But where? Whether Lea would find him or not, no one knew either.

    That night, Paula couldn¡¯t sleep thinking about this. Even until morning came and the sun was shining through the curtains, Paula couldn¡¯t close her eyes. However, the woman did not stay up with no results. She had made a decision that she thought would be the best decision for everyone.

    With a clenching heart, she then took out her cell phone and called William. From the other side of the phone call, the sleepy voice of William answered.

    ¡°Paula, where have you been?¡± William asked, yawning lazily. ¡°I cooked for-¡±

    Paula ignored William¡¯s question. She then cut his words and said the thing she had to say, ¡°Will, Lea is planning to escape. She will leave for Tokyo at nine o¡¯clock this morning. Stop her, Will! She is pregnant!¡±

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19: 19. Don¡¯t Let Her Go

    Hearing Paula¡¯s statement, William was frozen. He planned to make up with Lea, but why did everything turn into chaos?

    Lea was pregnant? With whom? Whose baby was in her womb?

    ¡°Paula, will-will you come here and-tell me the details?¡± he asked again, stuttering.

    ¡°William, you have no time! You need to go now or you will lose her for good,¡± Paula replied in a bland voice she barely made it. She gulped as her heart clenched. ¡°You will live in regret, Will.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    Before William could ask for more details, Paula immediately hung up. She couldn¡¯t bear the pain in her heart. Calling William and asking him to go after a woman other than her was taking a toll on her. If she continued the conversation any longer, she would surely cry. It was such a shame, she couldn¡¯t let William know that she had failed their friends-with-benefits relationship.

    She was the one who proposed the silly idea to him and it was even more stupid because she was the one who broke the rules first. She couldn¡¯t stand it. She didn¡¯t want anyone to see her flaws.

    .....

    Paula¡¯s heart was torn into pieces. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Slowly, she wiped away the tears, but she didn¡¯t understand why the tears would never stop.

    ¡°Stupid Paula! How come you fall for a spoiled brat like him?¡± she murmured, blaming herself.

    ***

    Meanwhile, in another corner of the city, William was driving fast to get to the airport as soon as possible. His confusion about Paula¡¯s strange attitude was immediately distracted by the problems that befell Lea. Right now, there was only one thing in his head. Preventing Lea from leaving the state.

    That man jumped out of his car when he reached the airport. He ran quickly to the airport entrance. His eyes roamed, trying to find Lea¡¯s presence in the sea of people.

    ¡°Lea! Wait!¡± William was panting as he spotted the woman. Luckily, he got there in time, before Lea could enter the main entrance.

    Lea stopped walking when she heard her name being called. The woman wearing a white top and knee-length jeans skirt was about to run away when she saw William. However, her heavy luggage got in the way, stopping her from leaving quickly.

    In no time, William managed to get Lea¡¯s hand and dragged her to a cafe nearby. He quickly ordered two cups of cheap hot coffee with additional snacks and brought them to the table where Lea awkwardly waited.

    ¡°Lea, why are you being so reckless? Don¡¯t make a silly decision. Let¡¯s talk!¡± William asked, squeezing Lea¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°You have ... me.¡±

    Lea was sitting unmoved on the couch in one of the cafes. She didn¡¯t expect William to follow her. Paula must have said something to him. Who else? No one knew about her pregnancy but Paula. She cursed many times in her head ... to Paula, to the mistake she made, to this stupid situation.

    Once Lea managed to pull herself together, she cleared her throat and said, ¡°This is for the best, William! I¡¯m pregnant out of wedlock. My life is ruined! I don¡¯t want to bring shame to my family. You know ... my mom is a religious person.¡±

    Lea, who felt desperate because she didn¡¯t have friends to share her problems with, spilled all her complaints to William. The cry broke. She was embarrassed, but William was the only one who would listen to her problems properly. She knew that well, she had no choice.

    ¡°This is the only solution, William. I don¡¯t want my sisters to know that their beloved well mannered sister can¡¯t take care of herself. I was their role model. The smart one with good grades ... but not smart enough to not get pregnant out of wedlock,¡± Leah lamented deeply. Her chest tightened as if being squeezed by a large, ruthless hand.

    ¡°Lea, you have me. Let me help you,¡± William said with a shady look, trying to calm Lea down. ¡°Let¡¯s think of a better solution together.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s impossible,¡± Lea whispered. Tears streamed down her smooth cheeks.

    Lea was angry with William, as well as William, was also disappointed in her. However, their feelings for each other were still quite strong. It is impossible to disappear instantly even though the problems they faced were very complicated, trying to tear them up.

    ¡°Who is the baby daddy?¡± William asked then. ¡°Is he in the picture?¡±

    Leah shook her head. ¡°I made a very stupid mistake, William. The baby¡¯s father already has a fianc¨¦e who he loves so much. I was mad at Paula, treating her like a homewrecker, but in fact, I¡¯m the one.¡±

    Lea¡¯s sobs were getting heavier. William tightened his grip to give her support. He couldn¡¯t say a word.

    ¡°So before the baby¡¯s father finds out I¡¯m pregnant, I have to go, William. I don¡¯t want to be a homewrecker!¡± Lea made up her mind.

    More or less, William began to understand how serious the problem Lea was right now. Her situation was anything but fine.

    William didn¡¯t know how Lea got herself into such a thorny problem. However, he remembered what Paula said earlier. He should get Lea back, not lose her, or he would regret it forever.

    The issue to be dealt with right now wasn¡¯t who the baby¡¯s father was. Most importantly, if Lea ran away, she would surely suffer alone.

    ¡°Lea, let¡¯s go home. We¡¯ll talk about other things later,¡± said William optimistically after figuring out what to do.

    ¡°No way, William! What about Paula?¡± Lea refused, hesitantly.

    ¡°I told you, Paula is a kind, well-mannered lady! She was the one who told me that you wanted to run away to Tokyo and also ... your pregnancy. I¡¯m sure she is willing to help us,¡± William persuaded her with a reassuring smile. ¡°Paula is always a friend for me ... for us.¡±

    Lea gulped, looking at the ticket in her hand. She recalled her encounter with Paula yesterday. Indeed, William¡¯s description of Paula was not wrong at all. Paula was that kind of person.

    But, their problem was much more complicated. Even if Paula was on their side, William¡¯s parents were not.

    ¡°But, how about your parents, Will?¡± Lea asked, her eyes staring at William, questioning him about the old issue.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20: 20. A Broken Trust

    ¡°Will your parents be okay with this?¡± Lea asked again when she heard nothing from William.

    William could only stare at her as a reply. Of course, his parents would oppose such a thing. But, it was not the biggest problem. As long as he kept this a secret, nothing bad would happen. Oh, no! Looked like, this time, he couldn¡¯t make sure that everything would turn out fine.

    ¡°Ehm, about that ...,¡± William stopped, looking away from Lea, ¡°we can figure it out later, okay? Let¡¯s go home first.¡±

    Knowing the uncertainty crossed William¡¯s handsome face, Lea got even more anxious.

    ¡°William, I have to go. It¡¯s my fate! Trust me I¡¯ll be fine-¡±

    ¡°Lea, please!¡± William snapped, stopping Lea¡¯s words. ¡°Why are you being so stubborn? Your mom is sick. Who do you think will take good care of her? And, how about your sisters? Are you sure you can make good money outside? In your current condition?¡±

    Lea¡¯s eyes popped out, looking at William in disbelief. A moment ago, she almost felt offended. She didn¡¯t want anyone to belittle her like that. However, she realized that everything he said was nothing but the truth.

    .....

    Lea gulped, her mouth left open. ¡°You are correct. I am preggers ... and broke on top of it,¡± she whispered in a very low tone.

    Looking at Lea¡¯s sad face, William felt guilty. ¡°Lea, sorry, I was wrong. I know you will make a decent living in Tokyo, but lemme help you, please! I believe it will be easier for you to stay.¡±

    Lea shook her head, sobbing. She wiped the tears with her hand although it looked like the tears would never stop.

    William tried to find a handkerchief but he couldn¡¯t find one. Then, he had no choice but to bring Lea to his embrace. He hugged her tightly and let her cry in his broad chest.

    On the other hand, Lea didn¡¯t shove William away although she wanted to do it. Her body was shaking as she buried her face in his chest.

    Without hesitation, William stroked Lea¡¯s head, trying to soothe her pain. ¡°Lea, I know I am a jerk. I lied to you about me and Paula,¡± William stopped in the middle, ¡°But, please lemme help you ... babe.¡±

    Lea wanted to say don¡¯t-babe-me-anymore, but she couldn¡¯t bring her mouth to say it. William¡¯s embrace was so comforting. It was something she needed the most.

    ¡°William!¡± Suddenly, a familiar middle-aged man¡¯s voice shouted, startling Lea and William.

    They turned in the direction of the voice and found William¡¯s parents coming over. Their faces were frantic, especially his mother¡¯s.

    ¡°Both of you, let¡¯s go home with us! We¡¯ll have a good talk at home, okay?¡± William¡¯s mother said firmly, though she looked nervous. She seemed afraid of missing something.

    Although a little bit astonished, William complied. Meanwhile, even more confused, Lea couldn¡¯t do anything because she was forced to come along.

    Arriving at William¡¯s parent¡¯s house and everyone was sitting quietly on the couch in the living room, Alex-William¡¯s father-opened the conversation. ¡°Lisa and I ...,¡± Alex stopped, clearing his throat, ¡°We decided to bless your relationship.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Reflexively, William and Lea were surprised by the change in the attitude of William¡¯s parents. Both of them would be happy if their parents said the same thing in the past. However, everything was different. It was complicated.

    ¡°I understand that both of you were surprised. Why do we suddenly change? However, Paula visited us this morning and made us realize our mistake,¡± Lisa explained curtly.

    ¡°Right. Paula made us understand that nothing is important to us but your happiness,¡± Alex added while wiping his sweaty forehead. ¡°Besides, you two are going to have kids soon, right? How nice it is that you two get married sooner.¡±

    William and Lea froze. They did not expect their parental approval to come at the wrong time like this. If only a month earlier, surely this would be very happy for everyone.

    Now, the two of them had to think about whether to accept this or not. Although deep down in their hearts, there was a bit of joy because the two of them could be together in the end. Wasn¡¯t this the best choice?

    After all, this all happened because of a misunderstanding. Could William and Lea keep lying that this baby was their child? Could they use this baby for their happiness? Wasn¡¯t that too selfish?

    However, this could be the right solution. William and Lea would achieve their goal. Lea didn¡¯t need to run away to Tokyo because the baby would have a father-not the real one. There would be no broken engagement because of the baby in Lea¡¯s womb. She could hide this fact from the baby¡¯s father and fianc¨¦e.

    Unfortunately, when Lea turned to William, she didn¡¯t get the expression she was looking for there. Lea hoped that William would be happy and willing to be the father of her baby.

    ¡°So Paula said that?¡± William asked with a gloomy face without looking at anyone. A hidden pain and anger flashed through his emerald eyes.

    ¡°Yes, she was,¡± his mother answered.

    Lea¡¯s heart throbbed when she saw William¡¯s jaw clenched, looking cold and stiff. His expression looked miserable as if he was wounded, feeling abandoned.

    ¡°Did she say that?¡± liked a fool, William murmured to himself.

    William couldn¡¯t believe what was going through Paula¡¯s head right now. He was too sure that Paula would trust him-one hundred percent-that he would never have sex with any woman other than his wife.

    Paula had just one-sidedly dumped William, making him hurt in some way. Even William didn¡¯t know why he felt the pain right now.

    ***

    Meanwhile, at Paula¡¯s parent residence, the woman told her father everything. She already made her determination. Her father tried to understand her good intentions. The father knew that his daughter was trying to get happiness her way.

    ¡°Are you sure about this decision?¡± Robert-Paula¡¯s father-asked his daughter.

    ¡°Of course! You should put your faith in me too. You have to know that I am tough and strong.¡± With a forced smile, Paula tried to calm her father down so as not to worry about her broken marriage.

    ¡°But, won¡¯t you regret it later? You ... love William, no?¡± Robert asked. His dark brown orbs penetrated through Paula¡¯s.

    Even without Paula telling him, Robert knew what was happening in his daughter¡¯s head. Paula¡¯s silence already explained everything.

    ¡°The only thing I want is his happiness, dad!¡± Paula gulped, swallowing the bitter pill life gave her. ¡°That¡¯s what you do if you sincerely love someone, no?¡±

 Chapter 21

    21 21. Missing Her

    After dinner, William left the table as soon as possible. His parents and Lea were currently discussing the pregnancy. However, he couldn¡¯t concentrate at all since there was another problem in his head.

    ¡°Pick it up ... pick it up, Paula!¡± He tried to reach Paula but the call was always forwarded to the other number. He tried her other number as well, but it was still off.

    ¡°Seriously, what happened to you?¡± William murmured. He clenched his teeth as he tried sending her some messages. No reply from her, though. She was indeed ignoring him intentionally.

    ¡°I will spank your ass harder tonight for sure.¡± Oh, William didn¡¯t realize how gross his words were. Did he still think that he would do adult wrestling with her?

    Minutes later, Lisa came to him, stopping him from his current gross activity-cursing Paula in all possible ways.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay here tonight?¡± Lisa asked her son. After all, his gloomy face made her feel restless.

    William nodded. ¡°I¡¯m afraid Paula will come home and find no one. The key is with me,¡± William said, trying to find an excuse not to stay in his parent¡¯s house tonight.

    ¡°How about Lea?¡± Lisa asked again. She turned to Lea, who was sitting alone around the table. She had the identical gloomy expression as her son, with different reasons of course.

    .....

    ¡°Can she stay here, mom?¡± William gave a question as a reply. ¡°I am afraid, she will do stupid things again if no one is around. And ... you know, I am still married to Paula. It¡¯s not good for me to keep clinging to another woman. Uhm, you know what I mean. I don¡¯t want to burden you with things but it¡¯s only temporary, I will fix it sooner.¡±

    Lisa nodded. She tapped her son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will take care of her. It¡¯s my redemption.¡±

    That night, William went home without knowing that Paula had never come to him anymore. She would never pick up his call as if the good relationship they had nurtured was never a thing for her.

    ***

    Two days passed. There was no sign for Paula to come home. William couldn¡¯t understand why Paula was doing all this without even talking to him.

    William wondered if Paula truly thought he was cheating on her and got Lea pregnant. Was that why she just left? Without even saying goodbye and without any explanation.

    William wanted to try to contact and visit Paula¡¯s father¡¯s house. However, his dignity would never allow him to do that. Shouldn¡¯t he be the one who was angry that Paula falsely accused him of cheating on her?

    However, the annoyance he felt because of Paula¡¯s unfair treatment was not comparable to the loneliness he got. Every night, William found it difficult to sleep because there was no one to hug and or be hugged.

    As well as in the morning, it became unpleasant for him because no one would gently wake him up. There was no noisy voice that greeted him cheerfully anymore. No one would get mad at him when he laze around.

    One night, after work, William visited Paula¡¯s room to check her stuff. ¡°Her belongings are still this much. Why didn¡¯t she come home? At least, to pack her stuff.¡±

    William picked up some lingeries from her wardrobe, frowning. ¡°No, she can¡¯t bring this with her. She bought these sexy things for me. She should not use them to please another man.¡±

    Instant jealousy came to his mind. He didn¡¯t know why the sight of Paula being touched by another man annoyed him so much. He couldn¡¯t bear her soft skin being caressed by another hand. He couldn¡¯t stand her luscious lips being bit by other teeth-other than his. He just ... couldn¡¯t allow it!

    ¡°Aarrgghh! You can¡¯t do this to me! You will find out that my dick is the best!¡±

    That night, William¡¯s mind messed up. He ended up sleeping on Paula¡¯s bed, with his suit on.

    ***

    Under the dim light in Paula¡¯s room, the couple was having rough angry sex. William thrust paced up as he did her like there was no tomorrow.

    ¡°Harder, please!¡± Paula screamed in slightly painful pleasure as she was closer to her climax.

    ¡°Oh, do you enjoy my punishment?¡±

    William¡¯s hands spanked his wife¡¯s ass cheeks, as she asked for it. His thrust became even more vigorous, but he tried not to hurt her.

    ¡°Faster, Will! I am close.¡±

    William groaned as her wall squeezed his shaft tighter. ¡°Ah, Paula, I¡¯m coming!¡±

    As William wanted to pull out, Paula stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t! It¡¯s my safe day. You can come inside.¡±

    Paula screamed even louder, together with William who hugged her from behind. They reach their climax together. But, ouch! He suddenly fell off the bed.

    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± William opened his lazy emerald eyes in confusion. His head was spinning from the long and big orgasm. However, after he pulled himself together, he just realized that he was well dressed-alone in Paula¡¯s room, hugging her red lingerie.

    However, the embarrassing things didn¡¯t stop there. When he checked his lower body, he found out that he just jizzed in his pants.

    ¡°Oh, hell no! Did I just ... oh, shit! It¡¯s so stupid!¡± William¡¯s face turned red. He was running to the bathroom while cursing many times.

    ¡°You are not a horny teenager, William!¡± he murmured to himself. ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t believe it!¡±

    William tousled his hair desperately. The wet dream was so vivid. He thought it was real. It was like his hands truly squeezed Paula¡¯s boobs. His mouth still remembered her tastes-her lips, her saliva, her smooth skin, her sweet love juice ....

    Did he miss her so much? Or was it just the hormone? Or ... was it something else?

    The man gulped, realizing the last option was a red flag. The relationship wasn¡¯t supposed to go that way.

    The sound of an office ringtone startled him. He picked up the call from Danica.

    ¡°Did you forget your schedule today?¡± Danica¡¯s frantic voice shot through his ear. ¡°Where are you? It is almost time. They won¡¯t start without you!¡±

    William was frozen. ¡°Oh, shit! I thought it was next week.¡± He looked at the clock and his eyes popped out. ¡°I am sorry Danica! I will be quick!¡±

    There was an annual charity event in his hotel held by the Montgomery corporation. Due to some reasons, the organizer changed the schedule and he forgot about it. It would never happen when there was Paula around because he was supposed to attend the event with her.

    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± William screamed. Paula would never skip business meetings. ¡°She will surely come to this charity event.¡± His heart was pounding faster. Finally, he would meet the real Paula-in person.

 Chapter 22

    22 22. I am still Mrs. Montgomery

    The charity event would be held in the rooftop garden of the hotel. Everybody was present but William. Everybody? Yes, everybody meant all members of the Montgomery-and Lea-were attending the event.

    Paula was taking a seat apart from William¡¯s family. Although she was still Mrs. Montgomery, Lea¡¯s presence at the venue made her feel out of place. Her beautiful long black dress can only support her appearance, not her heart. It had been a long time since her heart was in such a mess. The last time she experienced it was when her mother left her dad for a richer guy.

    Paula stole glances at Lea who was having a chat cheerfully with Lisa. Lea looked charming in her short-sleeved pink dress. The dress was slightly loose. Perfect choice to hide her slight baby bump-if there was one. Her figure was the complete opposite of Paula¡¯s.

    Paula was a little jealous of her love rival but forced herself not to. She had to maintain her professional looks. No jealousy. No feelings. Just like ending the friends-with-benefits thing with William-in a little more complicated way because they were still having the rings on.

    ¡°So, is this the end of your sexy-homie relationship with him?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice startled Paula, cutting her gloomy thoughts. She then turned to face the handsome tanned skin man in a fancy white suit and threw him an annoyed gaze.

    ¡°Don¡¯t start a fight in this very place. Please, behave well, my dear cousin-in-law!¡± Paula tightened her lips, forming a thin line. ¡°I am still his wife. Don¡¯t make a scene!¡±

    Samuel glanced at Lea and his aunt and then turned to Paula again. ¡°My question is, how did you manage to persuade my aunt to accept that bitch?¡±

    ¡°Language, please!¡± Paula snarled.

    ¡°Just answer my question!¡± Samuel snapped back.

    .....

    Inhaling deeply, Paula crossed her arms under her breasts and said, ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡±

    ¡°Liar!¡± Samuel shot her an intense look. ¡°William failed many times. How could he suddenly turn the situation upside down? Is Dhar Mann infiltrating his body? How funny.¡±

    Paula could only stare at Samuel as a reply. She exhaled lightly and refused to say anything. But, Samuel¡¯s nosy brain wouldn¡¯t give up so easily.

    Before long, Samuel said what he guessed in his head, ¡°Ah, don¡¯t you dare to say that he knocked that bitch up!¡±

    Paula¡¯s face turned to Samuel¡¯s. ¡°Mind your own business, Sam! You¡¯re supposed to play around with the piano, not with me!¡±

    Samuel smirked while Paula¡¯s face turned pale. He shook his head since he saw it coming. ¡°If pregnancy can solve everything, why didn¡¯t he make his fucking dick do the task earlier?¡±

    ¡°Sam!¡±

    Samuel snorted. ¡°So, when will you divorce him?¡±

    Paula¡¯s eyes popped out. ¡°Samuel! Watch your mouth-¡±

    Paula couldn¡¯t finish her sentence since someone tapped her shoulder. ¡°Paula, William is too late. The committee wants you to give the opening speech instead of waiting for him to show up,¡± Danica whispered close to Paula¡¯s ear. ¡°And only God knows when.¡±

    Paula looked at the watch on her right wrist. ¡°He is taking a good time, huh?¡±

    ¡°Paula, please! We can¡¯t wait for him forever,¡± Danica pleaded.

    Paula hesitated to do that because her marriage was almost over. Her mind was debating.

    ¡°If I were you, I would never do that. Sometimes he should learn his lessons, no? You spoiled him too much,¡± Samuel muttered. He glared at Paula and persuaded her to blame William-only-for the messed-up schedule.

    Paula turned to her mother-in-law who seemed busy, chatting with her colleagues and leaving Lea alone. How sad but it couldn¡¯t be helped, the bond couldn¡¯t be built instantly.

    Before she knew it, her gaze met with Lea¡¯s. A sudden possessiveness attacked her heart.

    The woman then looked at Danica and said, ¡°Why not? I am Mrs. Montgomery, no?¡±

    A graceful smile of victory plastered on Paula¡¯s face. She wanted to show the world that the Montgomery family would endure such a big loss if they ditched her. It was indeed a hypocrite but she couldn¡¯t help it. Her jealousy brought her there.

    Paula gracefully stepped on the podium and brought the mic close to her. Her eyes roamed, making sure all the audience¡¯s attention focused on her. She then started her greeting in confidence. She wanted Lea to know her place.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, all the earnings we get from this charity event will be distributed to some chosen orphanages in the city. We know that there are not many on the list, but we hope we will increase the number by the end of this year,¡± Paula proudly announced the goal. The audience gave her standing applause at the end of her speech.

    When Paula stepped down, all family members greeted her and gave her formal hugs and pecks on the cheeks. When it was time for her and Lea to shake hands, that¡¯s when an unwanted tension suddenly arose.

    ¡°Hi .... Is everything okay?¡± Paula hid her real feelings and greeted Lea as normally as possible. Her heart was beating so fast but she managed to maintain her calmness and graceful looks.

    ¡°I ... I don¡¯t know what to say. But, I am sure you are a crazy cold-hearted woman,¡± Lea said in a whisper. She wanted to thank Paula, but her pride didn¡¯t allow her to do so.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want a word of gratitude from your little foul mouth, but could you please at least pretend that we are on a good term?¡± Paula replied in a bland voice. She didn¡¯t want her in-laws to hear anything. ¡°Will you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will not! How can I forget that my lover dipped his dick in your c-¡±

    ¡°Then, you should learn,¡± Paula insisted, stopping Lea from continuing her sentence. She then hugged Lea for the show. ¡°The auction will start in no time. Behave! Don¡¯t ruin your soon-to-be husband¡¯s company event!¡±

    Paula tapped Lea¡¯s back and went back to her seat. But, before long, she felt like there was an earthquake. Of course, there¡¯s nothing. She was the only one who was feeling that the earth was moving around ... and finally, she collapsed on the floor.

    The situation became very chaotic. Samuel, who was about to play the piano, immediately ran into the crowd to see what happened with Paula. Without being asked, Samuel immediately lifted Paula¡¯s not-so-light body. No one but him in the crowd had the strength to do it.

    ¡°Dad, Uncle, I will bring her to the hospital!¡± Samuel stated.

    ¡°Who will play the piano?¡± Danica tried to hold him. ¡°I can ask someone to bring her to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°As if I will give a fuck,¡± Samuel cursed. He ignored everyone and brought the fainted Paula out of the venue.

    Seconds later, the sudden presence of the most wanted man stole some of the audience¡¯s attention. He came from a different entrance and was greeted by his secretary.

    ¡°William, how could you take so long to reach this place?¡± Danica¡¯s frantic face calmed down.

    ¡°Where is Paula?¡± William asked. His eyes roamed to the crowd to find the woman.

    Danica, the organizer, didn¡¯t listen to him well. Her mind was busy with her thoughts. ¡°Thank Paula, we made it in time. She was the one who gave the speech. Now, prepare for the auction. You are supposed to bring your-¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Danica! Where is Paula?¡±

 Chapter 23

    23 23. Realization

    Danica stared at her boss in disbelief. She never saw him in the super angry state.

    ¡°Paula, she-¡±

    ¡°Paula had something urgent to attend.¡± Lea suddenly showed up from nowhere, interrupting William and Danica¡¯s conversation. ¡°Hurry up, Will! Everyone is waiting.¡±

    Lea grabbed William¡¯s arm, but the man quickly brushed her hands away. ¡°Lea, please, don¡¯t do this here. I am still married to Paula. I don¡¯t want gossip to ruin my reputation.¡±

    Lea¡¯s heart throbbed. She didn¡¯t think William would reject her in front of his secretary. Her eyes met Danica¡¯s-in questioning looks.

    Although a little bit confused, Danica quickly grasped the situation roughly. Looked like her boss was having a relationship problem. That explained his change in attitude recently. She knew only a little about William¡¯s private life and she considered not stepping out of the boundary. That was what she had to do as a subordinate.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look, or else, I will ask William to kick you out of the office,¡± Lea said sternly to Danica.

    Danica bowed her head. She quickly followed William and helped the committee to prepare the auction.

    The auction went normally as if nothing happened. However, Samuel¡¯s absence made William feel strange. He remembered that his cousin would play the piano for today¡¯s event. Why would a replacement play the piano instead of him?

    .....

    William wanted to ask his mom, but a small soft hand stopped him. He turned to find a young boy, around 4 years old, holding his pants and staring at him with his cute gaze.

    ¡°Are you Mr. William Montgomery?¡± the cute boy asked in his baby voice.

    ¡°Yes, my little man. May I help you?¡± William couldn¡¯t resist such cuteness. He bent down to face the boy and gave him a kind fatherly smile.

    ¡°Miss Martha from the orphanage told me that you are a great and smart person. I will believe what she said if you pass my test,¡± the boy said, mimicking an adult conversation.

    William couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. Was he always portrayed as a great person? The ones who knew him well were Paula and his family. He couldn¡¯t manage the company well. If Samuel didn¡¯t insist on choosing his career as a pianist, of course, he would be the one who led the company instead of William.

    ¡°Okay. What kind of test is that?¡± William smiled, tapping the little boy¡¯s chest softly.

    ¡°I want to ask you a question. Do you know where my father is?¡± the boy asked him again.

    He frowned, debating in his head how to deal with this little guy. The boy looked so serious. Perhaps he was in trouble and needed help.

    ¡°If you tell me your name, I will help you to find your father.¡± William thought that someone must be leaving his son carelessly.

    ¡°I should never tell anyone my name,¡± the boy answered with no hesitation.

    William gritted his teeth, finding the boy both adorable and also annoying. ¡°Okay, what¡¯s your father¡¯s name?¡±

    The boy shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. No one told me a thing.¡±

    William exhaled deeply, trying to get his composure. ¡°Then, how can I help you to find your father if I don¡¯t even know your family name?¡±

    ¡°But Miss Martha told me you can solve many problems in an orphanage. Why can¡¯t you help me find my father?¡± The boy looked so sad, staring at William with disappointment.

    Again, William inhaled to keep his sanity. He was wondering why this Miss Martha told such a lie to the poor boy. ¡°Okay, little boy, please come here and we will ask your Miss Martha for more explanations.¡±

    William lifted the boy. A warm feeling suddenly arose inside his chest. He was wondering if it was the feeling of fathering a child.

    The boy hesitantly looked at William¡¯s face with his mouth opened. A worried and excited look crossed his face.

    ¡°What now, boy?¡± William questioned the boy. His eyebrows lifted.

    ¡°Alan!¡± A middle-aged lady in a blue pantsuit ran to William frantically. ¡°Oh, I am sorry, Mr. Montgomery! I lost this boy and tried to find him. Gladly he is with you.¡±

    William threw a formal smile. He knew that the woman in front of him must be Miss Martha. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Ma¡¯am! He is a good boy.¡±

    ¡°Alan, you shouldn¡¯t leave me carelessly like that!¡± Miss Martha took the boy from William¡¯s embrace and scolded him. Alan pursed his lips, almost crying.

    ¡°Sorry, miss! I wanted to ask Mr. Montgomery about my father.¡± Alan cried softly.

    Miss Martha tried her best to calm him down. It was a little bit disappointing that there was no kids¡¯ corner around. Paula was mentioning something about this, but William didn¡¯t think that it was important.

    ¡°I think we better have a temporary nursery for the next event,¡± William said, feeling sorry for Miss Martha.

    Minutes later, William and Miss Martha discussed the orphanage and its problem. Alan was one of the kids that came from a single mom. Her mother got married to a man that was not his father. But she was terminally ill. His stepfather abused him, telling him that he was not his real father. That¡¯s why Alan desperately wanted to find his real father.

    ¡°So sad,¡± William muttered.

    ¡°True, if the miracle happens, he will find his real father. Children really should know their biological parents. They deserve to know,¡± Miss Martha replied, holding her overwhelming emotion.

    Generally, the kids were better to live with their real parents. William agreed to that. Suddenly, the realization came to his mind. His attention turned to Lea ... and the baby inside her womb. He was wondering, why didn¡¯t Lea tell him the truth about her baby daddy.

    William said goodbye to Miss Martha and went to greet his colleagues. Dave, Lea¡¯s ex-boss, came too late, accompanied by a beautiful young lady in a red dress.

    ¡°Hi, William!¡±

    ¡°How are you?¡± William greeted Dave and shook hands.

    ¡°Sorry I come too late because I had a doctor¡¯s appointment. But don¡¯t worry. I will give a good amount for charity.¡± Dave smiled widely. ¡°Oh, I forgot. This is Clara, my fiancee. I was supposed to attend this event with my secretary but sadly she handed me the resignation without two weeks¡¯ notice.¡±

    William smiled bitterly. His eyes roamed, looking for Lea. But strangely she was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Oh, is Paula okay now?¡± Dave asked.

    ¡°Paula?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw someone bring your wife to the hospital. I thought it was you, but I am surprised you are here.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 24

    24 24. Samuel¡¯s Secret

    William cursed many times in his head. Why did nobody tell him that Paula had collapsed? He asked Dave what hospital Paula was in.

    ¡°Thanks, Dave! I think I gotta go now!¡± he exclaimed.

    ¡°Do you need help? Clara works there. She is a doctor,¡± Dave offered him.

    ¡°Dave, baby, I am a resident,¡± Clara corrected her fiance. Dave looked back at her with an as-if-I-care-about-the-hierarchy look on his face.

    ¡°No, thanks. Enjoy the banquet, please!¡±

    William didn¡¯t want to stay at the event any longer. He quickly fled away to the exit and didn¡¯t care about everything. But, he met his mom at the elevator.

    ¡°Will, where will you go?¡± his mom shouted. The middle-aged lady ran on her heels to stop her son from escaping. ¡°You are supposed to be here until we are done.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me honestly about Paula, mom?¡± William snapped at her. His eyes glistened in anger.

    ¡°I planned to tell you after we finish the fundraising,¡± Lisa defended herself. ¡°Look, it turns out Lea was correct. We must keep this until the event is done or else, you will go on a rampage.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Lea?¡±

    ¡°Listen to me. Paula was fine. Samuel is taking care of her,¡± Lisa tried her best on persuading her son to stay.

    Before long, Lea came out of the toilet and approached them. She knew that somebody had told William about Paula.

    ¡°Mom, William must be worried about Paula. He is still her husband, anyway. Don¡¯t you think that he better plays his role as a good husband till the end, no?¡± Lea grabbed William¡¯s arm and held it tightly. She gazed at him, giving him a supportive look. However, William found it contradictory to her previous action, preventing him from knowing the truth. He didn¡¯t want to say anything, though, since what he wanted to do now was escape safely.

    Lisa frowned, questioning Lea¡¯s attitude. She then examined William¡¯s face, only to find his determination to leave as soon as possible. ¡°Okay, son. I will not keep you here any longer. Let¡¯s go, Lea!¡±

    Lisa expected that Lea would follow suit. But, Lea stayed at William¡¯s side instead. ¡°Lea?¡±

    ¡°I-I will go with William, mom! I want to know Paula¡¯s condition. She looked-ill, no?¡± Lea stuttered, holding William¡¯s arm with trembling hands.

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Lisa nodded. She scanned her son¡¯s facial expression one more time and then left them without asking more questions. Gracefully, the lady in a white pantsuit mingled into the crowds.

    When Lisa was gone, William turned to face Lea and asked, ¡°Why did you tell me a lie? You were supposed to let me know that Paula had collapsed.¡±

    Lea¡¯s face turned pale. She looked away and said, ¡°Paula said, I should learn to maintain your ... Ehm ... my future husband¡¯s company¡¯s good reputation.¡±

    ¡°She said, that?¡± William¡¯s green orbs pierced, studying Lea¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell you,¡± Lea replied in a low tone, her hands shaking. Her palms were cold and sweating.

    ¡°You should stay here and go home later with my mom. You look unwell,¡± Wiliam suggested, hoping Lea wouldn¡¯t follow him to the hospital. He didn¡¯t know what the reason was. He just wanted more privacy to discuss things with Paula.

    Trembling, Lea reached William¡¯s arm again, refusing William¡¯s order. ¡°I want to see Paula. I-I want to thank her for everything she did for us.¡±

    William then exhaled lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He pushed the lift button, not wanting to argue anymore with a pale-looking pregnant woman beside him.

    ***

    In the hospital, Samuel waited patiently while the doctor examined Paula¡¯s condition. Samuel ran to them when he saw the doctor and the nurses out of the patient room.

    ¡°How¡¯s her condition? Is she okay?¡± Samuel looked so worried. His perfectly tanned skin was glistening with sweat.

    ¡°They are fine, sir!¡± the doctor answered with a smile, as well as the nurses.

    ¡°Th-they are?¡± Samuel, of course, got confused.

    ¡°Your wife and your baby are fine,¡± the older nurse explained.

    ¡°I-¡±

    ¡°Congratulations!¡± Both of the nurses blessed him simultaneously.

    Of course, with his current expression, Samuel looked like nothing but Paula¡¯s partner-a husband or a boyfriend. Don¡¯t blame the nurses for the misunderstanding. He looked so worried as if he was about to lose something important in his life.

    The middle-aged doctor tapped Samuel¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°She will wake up in no time! you can get inside.¡±

    Samuel didn¡¯t bother to fix their misunderstanding. He immediately entered Paula¡¯s room, hoping she would wake up sooner. However, thirty minutes had passed and nothing good happened. He decided to walk around to look for some foods to feed his belly and Paula¡¯s later-also the babies.

    He bought some fruits and bread. A little bit too much because he didn¡¯t know her favorite food. He wanted to buy sweet flavors, but he was afraid she preferred savory tastes. He wanted to buy some apples, but he was afraid she was one of those I-love-strawberries girls. He ended up buying everything. Luckily, the fruit shop also provided expensive non-seasonal fruits, so his choice was not so limited.

    After shopping, he went back to the room and how sad he was when he found out that Paula was still unconscious. Samuel sat beside her, scanning her beautiful figure. He tenderly stroked her long blonde hair while looking at her gorgeous face in awe.

    ¡°Do you know, Paula? I didn¡¯t believe in love at first sight until I met you,¡± He whispered. A sad look crossed his face. His green eyes stared at Paula¡¯s luscious lips intensely. He was trying his best to fight the urge to kiss her.

    However, the silence in the room tempted him to give up. There was no one. A bed and things in the room can not talk. Nobody saw him if he did something forbidden. Before he knew it, his lips were on her lips.

    At the same time, William and Lea arrived, seeing Samuel kissing his cousin-in-law.

 Chapter 25

    25 25. Potential Boyfriend

    William was stunned by the sight. He didn¡¯t expect to find Samuel kissing Paula-because from William¡¯s point of view right now, the two were making out. He didn¡¯t expect the two people he trusted the most to betray him.

    Out of anger, William wanted to come inside, grabbed his cousin¡¯s collar, and then hit him hard. But, Lea stopped him in time. She dragged him away and tried to calm him.

    ¡°Will, you should never do that!¡± Lea said in a flat tone.

    ¡°But, Samuel is my cousin, Lea! He kissed my wife!¡± William¡¯s rampage made his brain couldn¡¯t think straight.

    ¡°Your wife? Are you jealous?¡± Leah¡¯s brows furrowed. Her heart clenched to see William¡¯s expression at this time. She strongly suspected that something had changed William¡¯s mind and heart.

    ¡°I-I am not,¡± William stuttered as he realized his mistake. Unknowingly, he made Lea feel jealous. He did not understand why he was so angry with Samuel. ¡°I¡¯m not jealous. I just feel so betrayed. Why did Samuel kiss her? She is still my wife!¡±

    ¡°How about if Paula is the one initiating the kiss?¡± Lea muttered, her hazel eyes pierced, looking at William¡¯s green orbs.

    ¡°Impossible. She will never do that!¡± William shook his head.

    ¡°She is that kind of woman, no? She was the one who seduced you,¡± Lea insisted, squeezing William¡¯s arms tightly. ¡°She can do it with you, a mere stranger to her. Why didn¡¯t she do it with another man?¡±

    .....

    ¡°No! She is-¡±

    ¡°All you see was probably just Samuel kissing her. How about behind you? Can you guarantee they won¡¯t do much more than that?¡± Lea strengthened her argument about Paula¡¯s betrayal. She didn¡¯t want William defending her to death.

    ¡°But, I know who Paula is. She¡¯s not an unmannered woman who would-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly natural, Will! Remember that she doesn¡¯t love you. She should be prepared to find a replacement for you, right? That was the consequence of the agreement,¡± Lea objected and continued trying to influence William¡¯s dark thoughts.

    This time, Leah succeeded. William gave up helplessly. No wonder Paula easily let him go with Lea without any objections. It must be because she had found another man. Was Samuel the lucky bastard?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Will! Don¡¯t bother to think deeply about some trivial thing like this.¡±

    Without any objections, William followed Lea to go home. However, he still couldn¡¯t accept the fact that his marriage to Paula had to end so soon.

    ***

    Samuel was nodding off in the patient room, waiting for Paula to wake up. The strong smell of antiseptic disgusted him so badly. However, he ignored it for the sake of the woman he loves.

    Meanwhile, Paula, who had just woken up from fainting, slowly opened her eyes. Her tired blue orbs scanned the room. It was all white. Her nose smelled of a mixture of alcohol, soap, and cleaners. She confirmed instantly where she was. Hospital.

    ¡°William? Is that you?¡± Paula¡¯s gaze was still not perfect, mistaking Samuel for William. It was not her fault, though. At first glance, both of them were indeed similar.

    Samuel¡¯s eyes, initially half-open, popped wide when the man heard Paula¡¯s voice. He then chuckled for a moment and said, ¡°I was desperately sunbathing to distinguish myself from that loser, and what did you call me? William?¡±

    ¡°Sam?¡± Paula asked, hiding her surprise. ¡°Sorry, I thought you will not-¡±

    ¡°Did you tell anyone about the baby?¡± Samuel cut Paula¡¯s words, bringing up the most important thing in his head.

    Paula startled. ¡°Who told you?¡±

    ¡°The doctor said it a while ago,¡± Samuel whispered in Paula¡¯s ear, making Paula¡¯s face even paler.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone, please,¡± Paula said, looking at Samuel with pleading eyes.

    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t that his?¡± Samuel asked again. ¡°Or, were you tricking him to get yourself pregnant and intend to bring the baby away from him?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not!¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Just mind your own business, Sam!¡± Paula snorted, throwing her face away.

    Silence clouded the room. Paula and Samuel were busy with their thoughts. Paula didn¡¯t want to spill to anyone about the bad treatment she got from the drunken William several days ago.

    ¡°Or, did you tell William about the baby, but he still chose his bastard over yours?¡± This time, Samuel almost hit the nail on the head.

    Almost.

    Paula stayed still, trying to hide her surprise. The exact reason was William didn¡¯t believe her when she told him the truth. However, she didn¡¯t intend to share her problem with Samuel or any other people.

    To break the stern situation, Samuel changed the topic. ¡°I bought some bread and fruits for you. You must be hungry since you didn¡¯t eat anything at the banquet.¡±

    Paula smirked. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re watching me,¡± she joked.

    ¡°I can always find you even in the crowds,¡± Samuel replied. A sad look crossed his manly face. He offered a bag of bread to Paula, letting her choose one she liked.

    ¡°Hei, someone will misunderstand your words as a love confession!¡± Paula giggled, picking bread from a paper bag in Samuel¡¯s hands.

    Samuel smiled lightly. He enjoyed the sight of the woman he loved eating Asian cheese bread. Her humming of joy reminded him of his mom who also happened to like the same kind of bread.

    ¡°I am glad you like the soft bread,¡± Samuel said, chuckling. He picked an apple and peeled it for Paula.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious! I even opened an Asian-styled bakery,¡± Paula explained enthusiastically. ¡°I love Japanese-Western sweets. They are tasty and cute.¡±

    Samuel enjoyed the sight of Paula¡¯s other side. The iron-faced woman turned cute when she talked about her passion. Samuel¡¯s green eyes stared at her without blinking at all. He then offered a plate of sliced apples to her only to find her even cuter when she bit her lips while thanking him.

    ¡°Sam, you are gentler than I thought!¡± Paula said, sincerely. Her heart felt warm by Samuel¡¯s kindness.

    ¡°And you as well. I wonder how William can escape your charm?¡± Samuel smirked, picking a bread for himself.

    ¡°What do you mean? He couldn¡¯t. We were like ... umm ... it¡¯s ridiculous since we are married but you can call it friends with benefits thing,¡± Paula explained, ¡°at least, he couldn¡¯t resist my beauty.¡±

    Samuel chuckled at Paula¡¯s explanation. He surely understood why William did that. Which man could resist the charm of a blonde hottie with deep blue eyes like her?

    ¡°I envy him,¡± Samuel murmured.

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°If I were him, I would never leave you.¡±

 Chapter 26

    26 26. The Proposal

    ¡°It¡¯s touching, Sam! I appreciate it. But you don¡¯t have to pity me. I am fine.¡± Paula whispered, brushing off the thought that Samuel conveyed his feelings for her.

    However, Samuel didn¡¯t give up easily. ¡°I am serious, Paula. That¡¯s how I feel since our first meeting.¡±

    Paula¡¯s smile faded away from her face. She realized that Samuel didn¡¯t waste the time beating around the bush, trying to get closer to her before confessing his feelings. She was used to it. In the past, she would give a chance to every man she found attractive. But the situation was very different. She was already married once and even pregnant. That was why Paula chose to ignore Samuel¡¯s confession.

    ¡°As I remember, you were a jerk to me,¡± Paula said, laughing. They both laughed out loud, recalling their first encounter. Samuel offered more food for Paula and then they continued talking.

    ¡°I¡¯m always a jerk to everyone I hate like William or someone I like,¡± Samuel exclaimed, trying to find an excuse.

    ¡°Hey, hate is a strong word! You should never use it for family,¡± Paula opposed him. She gave him a soft punch on his hard chest. But, Samuel caught her hand to stop it.

    ¡°But, I hate him.¡± There was no smile on Samuel¡¯s face. His green orbs stared at Paula without even blinking.

    ¡°Why?¡± Paula asked in a bland voice. She bit her lips, realizing the ¡®why¡¯ question was the silliest one. She closed her eyes, cursing her stupid act in his head.

    ¡°I hate the way he treated you. I hate the position he gave you. I hate it when you are the second option. I hate it when he uses you and ditches you after that.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Sam-¡±

    ¡°I hate the fact that he was married to you,¡± Samuel cut Paula¡¯s words because he was not done yet. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t abroad at the time, I would have prevented your marriage. I won¡¯t let him marry you because I know he will never forget Lea.¡±

    ¡°Sam-¡±

    ¡°I did see it coming, but I don¡¯t know why I still feel this way. I don¡¯t like it when you are the one who is getting hurt.¡±

    ¡°Sam, thank you, but I am fine,¡± Paula managed to finish her line. ¡°I am okay. Please, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Paula stared at Samuel sharply. She wanted to make sure that Samuel didn¡¯t have to pity her. Her problem was not simple but she also found it was not so painful either-perhaps.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t even his mistake, Sam. I was the one who initiated that kind of relationship. William refused to touch me, I cunningly seduced him. I knew he was a virgin and I seduced him hard. Although I didn¡¯t plan the pregnancy, I am sure I will be fine,¡± Paula added, making Samuel understand the situation. ¡°This is not a teen pregnancy you should be worried about, no?¡±

    ¡°But you will be suffering, Paula! My mom was a single mom before she met my father. There was a major misunderstanding between them. I knew how hard being a single mom,¡± Samuel insisted.

    ¡°Okay, maybe you¡¯re correct. But, I also think that your mom is happy to have you even if your father wasn¡¯t in the picture,¡± Paula said, smiling lightly. ¡°And, that was enough for her.¡±

    Samuel gulped. He knew that Paula was right. His mother didn¡¯t regret having him. ¡°Will you tell him about the baby?¡±

    Paula¡¯s mouth opened, about saying something. But she could only shake her head softly.

    After some time, she whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t want to burden him with this child. He should have ended up with Lea, just like our initial plan.¡±

    Samuel gritted his teeth. He disliked Paula¡¯s idea at all. How could she sacrifice her happiness for William and Lea?

    ¡°Paula, let¡¯s get married!¡± Again, Samuel¡¯s stern face turned darker. ¡°I will be the father of your child.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Paula¡¯s eyes popped wide.

    ¡°Divorce him quickly and marry me. If you want to hide the baby, that is the best idea.¡± Samuel gulped.

    Paula looked away. She didn¡¯t think that Samuel¡¯s idea was the best, but not bad either.

    ¡°If we are married, you can say that the baby is mine,¡± Samuel tried persuading Paula. He knew that this was his chance to get her. He wanted her no matter what. If he can use the situation as a good excuse to marry her, he would come out as a victor.

    ¡°Sorry, Sam! I don¡¯t think I want to get married anytime soon,¡± Paula refused again. However, it¡¯s not good to have to marry her ex-husband¡¯s relative. It was a red flag for some people.

    ¡°Liar!¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°Are you able to get away from the pleasure of making love to a real man?¡±

    Paula was annoyed that Samuel knew so little about her secret. She did intend to find a replacement for William. However, it was all just a plan before she fell in love with William.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean I want to get married, does it?¡± Paula pursed her lips. She wanted Samuel to give up as soon as possible.

    ¡°Then make me your boyfriend or even your bedmate. You didn¡¯t do it with William out of love. It means, if you are single, you can have anyone as your friend with benefits, no? Remember, I book a place before anybody else. You can¡¯t ignore me.¡±

    ¡°You-¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    Paula smiled lightly, ¡°This is the worst love confession ever.¡±

    Finding a spark of hope, Samuel giggled, ¡°Sorry for being not romantic at all. But, I can guarantee that I am the best in bed. I am also a better cook than your husband.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s seriousness was unquestionable. Hot and handsome rich guy, well established, a great musician who loves the woman with all his heart. What kind of woman could refuse his offer?

    Paula would also consider Samuel¡¯s proposal. Her lust towards William could turn into love. Perhaps, a similar thing would also happen with Samuel. Was that always true?

    But, why did her heart oppose this idea so badly?

 Chapter 27

    27 27. The Deal

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to answer now, do I?¡± Paula said in a low tone. She looked away so she didn¡¯t have to face Samuel¡¯s hopeful expression directly. ¡°Just let things flow as they are-naturally. Don¡¯t rush! Rushing in a relationship will never be good for us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just afraid that if I don¡¯t do it first, someone else will do it. Didn¡¯t mean to burden you at all,¡± Samuel replied, somewhat embarrassed. He then picked up a box from one of the paper bags containing nine large strawberries and offered it to Paula. Of course, Paula happily accepted. She liked the fruit, especially the big ones.

    ¡°How did you know I like strawberries?¡± Paula asked, biting into half a strawberry in her fingers. Her beautiful lips were moist and wet from the abundant juice as she bit into the fruit.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always watched you. You smell like strawberries. I thought you might like the fruit as well,¡± Samuel replied. He then looked at Paula intently and brushed the corners of Paula¡¯s lips with his long fingers, making Paula¡¯s heart slightly clench. ¡°Aren¡¯t I a good lover-to-be?¡±

    Paula smirked, then laughed amusedly. She stroked her still flat stomach, thinking about her future baby who might later call Samuel a father-if she accepted the man¡¯s offer.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny, seeing a man like you desperate to get a pregnant woman like me ... on top of it, I¡¯m still someone else¡¯s wife-your cousin¡¯s,¡± said Paula, chuckling. ¡°There must be a lot of beautiful women waiting in line for you to take them to bed, no?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say you¡¯re lucky,¡± Samuel chimed in with a confident smile, baring his perfectly lined white teeth. He then offered the rest of the strawberries to Paula and as expected, the girl gladly took them and quickly ate them in joy.

    An hour later, Samuel excused himself to go home and clean up. He also needed to finish some matters with his family. ¡°I will come back later. I promise. Don¡¯t leave the hospital before I come!¡±

    Paula shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t promise you that. I¡¯ll let you know when I get home early. My dad is coming home from Italy this afternoon. I don¡¯t want him to worry.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s fine!¡± Samuel said lightly. ¡°I will bring you home now. Let¡¯s meet doctor Morgan!¡±

    Not wanting to linger in the hospital, Paula took this opportunity to ask for permission to go home. Since there was nothing to worry about, Paula was allowed to go home immediately by the doctor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to eat enough calories and don¡¯t get too tired!¡± the friendly female doctor said to Paula. ¡°I¡¯ll prescribe prenatal multivitamins that you should take every day to ensure that you and your baby¡¯s daily nutritional needs are met,¡± she added as she adjusted her glasses. ¡°Just once a day and don¡¯t ever forget.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Doctor Morgan!¡± Paula nodded as she accepted the extended prescription from that motherly middle-aged woman.

    ¡°You look a little pale. Don¡¯t get dehydrated! Drink enough water at home, ¡± said the doctor again because Paula¡¯s face didn¡¯t look fresh and healthy right now. Not because she was sick, but more because she was too shocked by Samuel¡¯s treatment of her. Although Paula tried to convince herself to take this lightly, the hormonal changes that went through her during pregnancy made her emotionally unstable.

    ¡°I will try to keep my health in the best condition,¡± Paula answered, trying to reassure Doctor Morgan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡±

    ¡°I know you must be experiencing morning sickness. If you can¡¯t drink plain water, you can replace it with another liquid such as unsweetened fruit juice. Remember, too much sugar will be harmful to your body and your baby.¡± After giving Paula a lot of advice, Doctor Morgan finally lets Paula go.

    ¡°Sorry, for holding you back too long. You remind me of someone,¡± Morgan said again with a chuckle. ¡°And your husband is also nice!¡±

    ¡°Doc, he is my cousin-in-law. Not the baby¡¯s father,¡± Paula said, giggling.

    ¡°Oh?¡± The doctor¡¯s eyes popped wide, knowing she made a huge mistake. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know about it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, doctor. Thank you so much for the advice,¡± Paula said again, hoping this time she would be able to leave soon. Fortunately, her wish was soon granted.

    On the way home, Paula asked Samuel to stop by a pharmacy to buy a supplement recommended by the doctor. The smoking pharmacist took a pink and purple multivitamin box containing 60 soft capsules and wrapped it in a white paper bag. The man was still casually puffing cigarette smoke near Paula.

    ¡°Does your boss allow you to smoke in the pharmacy?¡± Samuel asked, annoyed. ¡°A pregnant lady is here and you still smoke nonchalantly.¡±

    ¡°This is my mother¡¯s pharmacy. She asked me to help her, and these are my requirements,¡± the thin, curly-haired man explained casually. ¡°Thirty dollars,¡± the man said, looking at Paula and Samuel, who he thought were nagging noisily.

    ¡°Tell your mother to keep her pharmacy from going bankrupt,¡± Samuel said as he opened his wallet and paid 40 bucks to the cashier.

    As much as possible he quickly grabbed Paula¡¯s hand and left because he knew cigarette smoke was not good for Paula¡¯s baby.

    ¡°Son of b-¡±

    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t curse near a pregnant woman!¡± Paula snapped. ¡°Cursing is also bad for babies.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry! I will never do that again,¡± Samuel said regretfully.

    Paula giggled. She found a cute side in Samuel. ¡°You will be a good father, Sam!¡±

    ¡°I told you!¡±

    They both laughed as they entered the car and continued driving home. The car stopped at a large mansion whose walls were mostly made of glass. The flower garden in the front yard was quite spacious and well-maintained. Of course, because the gardener took good care of it.

    ¡°Thanks, Sam! I owe you a big time,¡± Paula said, sincerely.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Samuel replied, bringing his face closer to Paula. But, of course, she dodged the kiss.

    ¡°Sorry, Sam. I am married,¡± Paula said. A sad look crossed her face. ¡°I know you tried to be polite, but I don¡¯t want-¡±

    ¡°I know it, Paula. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Samuel then excused himself. Paula waved her hand as he left. When she entered home, she found her father¡¯s office open, meaning that her father had returned from Italy. Paula wanted to say hello to her father and was about to enter the study. Inside, however, Robert was having a serious phone conversation with someone.

    ¡°After Paula and William¡¯s divorce, I will withdraw the money I invested in your company,¡± Robert said in a deep voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is exactly what you promised me if I helped the financial crisis in your company.¡±

    There was no reply from the other side. Robert¡¯s face looked somber. However, he had no other choice but to do this to his best friend, Alex.

    Paula, of course, couldn¡¯t just sit back and watch this. She immediately went into his father¡¯s room and stormed inside. ¡°Dad, why didn¡¯t you ever tell me that you lent them that much money?¡±

    ¡°Paula?¡± Robert was flabbergasted, not expecting Paula to catch him red-handed when he discussed things that had been hidden all this time.

    ¡°So, the real reason for marriage wasn¡¯t due to a promise or something?¡± Paula asked again. He took his father¡¯s hand and urged him to tell the truth. ¡°Tell me, dad!¡±

    Robert could only nod weakly. Heartache fell on Paula. Her marriage was not just an ordinary arranged marriage, but because of a business exchange.

    ¡°Alex and Lisa are reluctant to ask Tommy for help because Samuel refused to handle the company. Meanwhile, William still cannot be trusted to bring the company to success. I don¡¯t want to lose the money, therefore, I asked them to marry William to you as a loan condition,¡± Robert explained weakly.

    Paula leaned back against the back of the couch. ¡°So no one got sick? It was all set up?¡±

    Robert nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t want you two to know that we¡¯re doing all of this for financial reasons.¡±

    Paula smiled sarcastically. As it turned out, it was not only William and her who benefited from their marriage, but also their parents.

    ¡°So, at this rate, the business agreement will be void?¡± Paula asked again.

    ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t want to be that cruel, but I didn¡¯t want to give my money for free,¡± said Robert coldly. He then hugged Paula with his huge body. ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t let you suffer like this. You are my only daughter. They need to pay the price.¡±

    ¡°Dad, who said I was suffering?¡± Paula argued again. She didn¡¯t like his father acting like that. ¡°Besides, you shouldn¡¯t have canceled the aid because of my marriage problems. Are we so poor that we have to do that?¡±

    ¡°Paula! You have no idea how I feel now!¡± Robert was furious. ¡°I don¡¯t like my daughter being belittled!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like you looking down on me either. Who asked you to protect me? Who asked you to take revenge for me?¡± Paula looked at her father sharply. She was very adamant and didn¡¯t like the way her father treated her as a helpless girl.

    ¡°Then what do you want?¡± asked Robert. ¡°I have no intention of undoing my actions.¡±

    ¡°If you want the money that bad,¡± Paula paused, she swallowed hard, because what she was about to say would have a big impact on her life, ¡°I¡¯m going to Japan to handle our Tokyo subsidiary myself. I¡¯ll increase the company¡¯s profit percentage there and make it work. So ... you don¡¯t have to close the Tokyo branch office shortly.¡±

    Robert was stunned. He exhaled deeply. ¡°Can you do that?¡±

    ¡°If I fail, you can do whatever you want. I won¡¯t get in the way.¡± Paula looked at her father¡¯s face seriously.

    ¡°Okay! Deal!¡±

 Chapter 28

    28 28. Sympathetic Pregnancy

    William¡¯s life became disorganized and messy. He often wakes up late because at night he can¡¯t fall asleep right away. The sight of Samuel kissing his wife clouded his head. It was a nightmare for him.

    Like this morning. William only woke up at thirty minutes past nine even though he had set four alarms that would go off every hour since six thirty. His athletic body became a bit fat because he lacked sleep and also because he was too lazy to move and eat too many carbohydrates.

    William sat up and stretched his arms up. He was yawning in a not elegant way, making his good looks reduced by five percent. The dark circles around his eyes made things even worse. He looked more like a panda than a human.

    The man then went to the bathroom to finish his morning business quickly, brushing his teeth and washing his face. While looking at the mirror, William watched as his face got worse and worse.

    ¡°Oh shit, my handsomeness has decreased to only fifty percent!¡± William muttered as he stroked his unshaven face. It was extremely bad. Paula would have scolded him if she found out. ¡°If Paula finds out, she might not want to invite me to her bed anymore.¡±

    William¡¯s spontaneous words startled him. He didn¡¯t think that he was still thinking about continuing his relationship with Paula while his relationship with Lea has received his parents¡¯ blessing.

    ¡°William, brace yourself!¡± William muttered to himself as he patted his face. However, in his mind now it was pictured when Paula turned to him and smiled loosely.

    The man¡¯s heart fluttered gently remembering the sincere smile that was carefree and seductive. A smile that made William forget that he wouldn¡¯t be with Paula forever. That smile made William feel his household was a normal household like most happy newly-wed couples.

    William shook his head. He wanted to push the image of Paula out of his mind. Unfortunately, instead of disappearing, William remembered his intimate moments with Paula. He remembered her saying ¡®Hey, naughty! Let¡¯s make it a bit rough tonight!¡¯ or ¡®Will, can I give you a blow job tonight? I am on my period.¡¯ or even ¡®William, do you think I can give you a boob job with this size? Is it huge enough?¡¯. Not wanting to recall everything any further, the man then chose to go to the kitchen to make a warm breakfast.

    .....

    The self-raising flour, eggs, milk, and a little sugar were well mixed in a bowl. William then added two tablespoons of melted butter and whisked the mixture a little more before he baked it in the hot, non-stick marble skillet-one by one.

    The delicious smell of sweet and buttery pancakes filled the room. It was supposed to be a mouthwatering smell. However, strangely, a second later William felt nauseous and wanted to throw up. The man immediately ran to the toilet and cleaned his stomach because he couldn¡¯t take it anymore.

    ¡°Oh, what happened to me?¡± William grumbled as he rinsed his mouth in the sink after pressing the flush button on the toilet.

    In the kitchen, the smoke of scorched pancakes filled the room because William had forgotten to turn the fire off. He coughed as he put out the fire. He then closed his nose and opened all the windows of the house because the blower was no longer enough to deal with the increasingly thick and dense smoke. Luckily, the fire alarm didn¡¯t go wild because of it.

    ¡°What a great morning, really,¡± said William sultry.

    Strangely, again, he felt nauseous and threw up one more time. He almost had nothing left in his stomach, but the feeling of throwing up was still lingering around.

    ¡°Oh, God! What kind of punishment is this?¡± William was almost crying. He felt weak and messy.

    Before long, William¡¯s cell phone rang. The call was from Lea, not from Paula as William had hoped.

    ¡°Hello, Lea?¡± William asked, trying to suppress his nausea.

    ¡°Morning, honey! Can you have dinner at your parent¡¯s home today?¡± Leah asked anxiously. ¡°Umm, mom wants you to come to discuss some matters.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m busy, Lea! Whenever I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll make sure to stop by, okay?¡± William said in a lazy tone.

    ¡°Oh, fine then!¡± Lea hung up in disappointment. She didn¡¯t understand why William had been avoiding her lately. Both parents have approved of their relationship. William¡¯s parents even asked Lea to live with William.

    Unfortunately, William still refused because he was someone else¡¯s husband. He only wanted to stay with Lea when Paula came home. To be honest, Lea¡¯s feelings hurt because of William¡¯s rejection after rejection.

    Because of that, finally, Lea patiently lived in the place of William¡¯s parents. During the divorce process with Paula, Lisa and Alex would prepare for William and Lea¡¯s wedding well. William¡¯s parents considered this a form of redemption.

    However, in William¡¯s heart, there had never been a greater doubt than this. Concerned about Paula¡¯s treatment made him feel like an empty vessel-as if she had used him only as a sex tool to fulfill her desires.

    ¡°Is it true, all this time Paula only wanted my body? Am I just a sex doll to that wild girl?¡± William muttered. This sentence would sound very ridiculous to anyone who heard it because it was usually women who complained like this-not the opposite.

    To be honest, it wasn¡¯t just William¡¯s mind that was troubled. William¡¯s body was currently missing Paula¡¯s touch, he couldn¡¯t stand it. It couldn¡¯t be helped. They had sex almost every day. Their union has become a natural, a necessity, just as plants want water. When Paula and her touch were not around, William could only restrain himself, fighting his need for Paula¡¯s touch.

    One night, William was very upset and wanted Paula¡¯s touch desperately. His body was very hot and his mind was filled with the image of wild sex with his beautiful and hot wife. The sound, the breath, the movement, and all the softness of Paula¡¯s skin and the flick of her hair loomed over and whipped William. He went to the bathroom to do his business until he was powerless. Something he hadn¡¯t done since he got married.

    He was blushing, shyly touched his swelling manhood, looked at it, and looked away. He closed his eyelids and started to stroke slowly. His head was full of Paula¡¯s smile, naughty words, and also her hot body.

    He recalled the memories when they were still together. The time when he was still allowed to touch her smooth skin. The time when her breasts were only his, something he fondled with joy, something he loved to suck and lick.

    The image of Paula¡¯s body was becoming more vivid. In his head, William¡¯s touches went to the lower part of her body. His hand stopped when he reached her intimate part and started to stimulate her with his finger. One at first and then he used two fingers.

    ¡°Right there! Good!¡± William recalled Paula¡¯s usual response. He then gave her clitoral stimulation to make her go wild out of joy. William¡¯s imagination became even more real, he was imagining Paula got an orgasm through his talented fingering technique.

    ¡°Hang in there, baby! We¡¯re not done yet!¡± He murmured to himself, shutting his eyes tight.

    Imagining he was thrusting inside her, William¡¯s hands started pacing up until he reached his climax. The long and big one.

    ¡°Paula!¡± he screamed so loud. Although he was climaxing, his voice sounded so sad. His face expressed loneliness and longing for her presence. He missed her.

    While soaking in the cold water, William thought. It seemed that, under these conditions, he would not be able to marry Lea. How could she marry Lea while his thoughts were always full of Paula?

    ***

    In the morning, William woke up and went to the office without having breakfast. His nauseous feeling didn¡¯t go away easily although the doctor already prescribed some medicine for him.

    In the afternoon, Danica entered his office with a wide smile. She informed him of good news about Alan¡¯s biological father.

    After the charity event, William asked Danica to help the kid find his biological father. His helpful assistant then hired a private investigator.

    Fortunately, the investigation turned out well. The boy¡¯s father stayed in the city. He was an infamous business tycoon, one of William¡¯s renowned acquaintances.

    ¡°I am glad he found his father. He must¡¯ve been very happy,¡± William said, smiling sincerely.

    ¡°He was supposed to be happy. However, Miss Martha said that Alan is so sad. He was crying all day long when his father came to meet him in the orphanage,¡± Danica said, holding her smile.

    ¡°Why?¡± William¡¯s brows furrowed.

    ¡°It turns out that his father is the father of the girl he likes. He can¡¯t stand the reality that the girl is his half-sister,¡± Danica explained further, laughing out loud.

    William couldn¡¯t help laughing as well. He cursed in his head since he was expecting something more serious as the reason.

    ¡°But, anyway, I am glad that they learned the truth earlier. Can you imagine what happens if they find out about this twenty years later?¡± Danica¡¯s face turned serious.

    The smile on William¡¯s face faded away. He realized the danger of hiding the kids from their biological parents.

    The problem reminded him of Lea. The mystery of the baby¡¯s father in Lea¡¯s womb was still unsolved because Lea always refuses to tell him the truth.

    Knowing he had to take an important move, William hastily said to his brunette-haired assistant, ¡°Dani, I need information about Lea¡¯s schedule a month ago. Who did she go to the Dynasty Hotel with?¡±

 Chapter 29

    29 29. Investigation Result

    ¡°Lea?¡± Danica asked. She was confused because she hadn¡¯t gotten used to the name yet.

    ¡°Lea is the girl from the charity event,¡± William explained, hesitantly.

    ¡°Oh, that clingy one?¡± Danica asked again, wanting to know more about Lea. ¡°Who is she? She seemed so close to you?¡±

    ¡°She was my girl-¡±

    William couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Suddenly he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to throw up and went to the toilet, emptying his stomach again. This is the third time since morning.

    ¡°William, are you okay?¡± Danica shouted from the outside, worrying about her boss¡¯ condition.

    ¡°Do I look okay to you?¡± William answered irritatingly. How could Danica think he was okay when he almost had nothing left in his stomach?

    ¡°Shall I call the doctor?¡± Danica asked again. ¡°Look at you! You seemed awful!¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work, Dan. I went to the doctor but the symptom doesn¡¯t go away,¡± William explained, wiping his mouth with a clean towel. His face indeed looked pale, that was why Danica was worried about him.

    .....

    Hearing William¡¯s words, Danica could only stare at her boss in awe. She looked at William as if he was something amusing.

    ¡°Why do you give me that look?¡± He asked.

    Danica was startled and said, ¡°No, Y-you remind me of my sister¡¯s husband. He was like that when my sister was pregnant with their first son.¡±

    William was pensive, his eyes fixed on Danica without blinking at all. The corners of Danica¡¯s lips trembled because she was afraid of saying the wrong thing.

    ¡°Is your wife-¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡± cut William. He couldn¡¯t believe that Paula was pregnant because he always wore protection when having sex. How could Paula suddenly become pregnant?

    If anyone was pregnant, it was Lea, and the baby wasn¡¯t his child. So, it was certain that everything he had suffered had nothing to do with someone¡¯s pregnancy.

    ¡°Yeah, no way,¡± said Danica resignedly.

    ¡°Go back to work and don¡¯t think anything weird.¡± William then immediately returned to the table and continued doing his job. Likewise, Danica nervously returned to her room. She stole glances many times at William, refusing to give up her idea about William¡¯s sympathetic pregnancy.

    However, William couldn¡¯t just forget Danica¡¯s words. Finally, that afternoon, he decided to visit Paula at the bakery. Who knew, something did happen to Paula.

    ¡°Danica, can you take me to the bakery?¡± William asked his assistant. ¡°I¡¯m in the mood for some sweet and light cakes.¡±

    Danica, who knew what was in her boss¡¯s head, smiled and happily took William there. Even though she knew that she would only be the third wheel between Paula and William when they met later, of course, she was willing to help because in her heart Danica rooted for the couple.

    ***

    In her office, Paula was discussing some matters with her team. Lately, her business has experienced a lower monthly income.

    ¡°We have a new competitor, offering lower prices,¡± Monica explained with a tense face. She knew Paula wouldn¡¯t like this.

    Paula listened to Monica¡¯s further explanation about a competing bakery that opened its business right across from their shop. The same thing happened in the three branches they had.

    ¡°It¡¯s too blatant to fly the war flag,¡± added Monica again.

    ¡°If you were them, wouldn¡¯t you do something similar?¡± Paula, who now wore an unhappy face, put herself in the competitor¡¯s shoes. ¡°That will make it easier for them to get customers. They can save on promotional costs and allocate the money to give big discounts for the potential customers.¡±

    Monica and the other staff nodded. They were amazed by Paula¡¯s fairly relaxed reaction to this kind of problem.

    ¡°Albert, can you buy all their products? All kinds. I, Miya, and Hokuto will do some product evaluation and comparison,¡± Paula ordered. ¡°We¡¯ll close this meeting for now and schedule the next one after the patisseries learn about the products.¡±

    Paula asked Monica to do some other things, including studying a competitor¡¯s best product. She wanted the complete report on the rival bakery.

    ¡°Paula, someone is waiting for you outside. Because of him, the crowds of customers don¡¯t want to queue up. Instead of making a line, they want to take a picture with him.¡± One of the waiters entered Paula¡¯s room, looking exhausted and panicked. ¡°Hurry up and bring him out!¡±

    Paula who was still discussing with Monica finally stopped and checked the situation outside. That¡¯s when she found out that Samuel was surrounded by many female fans who wanted to take selfies with him.

    ¡°Who is he? He is so hot,¡± Monica asked. ¡°Why is his face quite familiar?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a famous pianist. William¡¯s cousin,¡± Paula replied with an amused smile. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know Samuel! I¡¯ve seen you watch his video on YouTube.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! Sammy!¡± screamed Monica. She was on the verge of running, scrambling with the girls at the outlet for a photo if Paula hadn¡¯t held her back.

    ¡°Paula, why don¡¯t you ask your handsome cousin for help?¡± Monica suggested.

    Paula¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, great idea! Samuel is going to be a lifesaver.¡±

    After Samuel finished dealing with his fans one by one, Paula then approached him and asked him to endorse her products. Of course, the man was happy to help her.

    ¡°Is that true? Thank you, Sam! How much should I pay you later? I will prepare the money,¡± Paula said happily. As it turned out, meeting Samuel was quite profitable.

    ¡°Payment?¡± Samuel¡¯s face suddenly turned playful and flirtatious. ¡°How about if you spend the night in my bed?¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Paula asked, startled.

    ¡°Kidding! Hmm, I¡¯m just asking you to accompany me to dinner. What do you think?¡± Samuel chuckled, raising his hand.

    Of course, this time Paula immediately agreed. There was no way she would waste the chance. She would make a good promotion without having to pay for the model. The two of them then discussed the best time and place for having dinner.

    Paula then invited Samuel to sit down for a moment and serve several kinds of pastries. She asked him which pastry he liked the most. Of course, for him, whose mother often bakes several kinds of cakes, his tongue was quite good at judging sweets.

    ¡°I think the souffle cheesecake is too light. You can make it richer in cheese so Americans will like it more,¡± said Samuel in a serious tone. ¡°Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean this cake isn¡¯t delicious. It¡¯s just a matter of taste. You know what I mean, don¡¯t you?¡± added Samuel so that Paula wouldn¡¯t be offended.

    ¡°Of course. I will consider this and take a deeper survey of our customers later,¡± Paula said without feeling the least bit offended. She just wanted Samuel¡¯s honest opinion about her bakery products.

    Paula jotted down all of Samuel¡¯s thoughts on the pastries and kept a log. ¡°Ah, I hope this will all be over soon before I leave.¡±

    ¡°You?¡± asked Samuel. ¡°Go?¡±

    Paula nodded, her lips forming a thin line. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Tokyo branch office to handle my family¡¯s business there. The condition wasn¡¯t good, so I had to go there by myself on my father¡¯s behalf.¡±

    Samuel gulped. If it had to be like this, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get close to Paula. He planned to take Paula with him on a Southeast Asia tour after her divorce.

    Paula, who saw Samuel¡¯s change in attitude then punched him lightly. ¡°Do not be like that! We still get to see each other at least once every few years.¡±

    Samuel smiled bitterly. To cheer him up, Paula took a piece of mini cheese pie and fed it to Samuel. Unfortunately, that¡¯s when William and Danica arrived in front of the bakery and saw the scene.

    William¡¯s hands clenched into fists. His eyes were bloodshot, his teeth gritted. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dani! I¡¯m not in the mood to eat sweets at all.¡±

    ***

    The next day, Danica came back to William with the investigation result. Her face looked gloomy and dark. Perhaps, the tasks William asked her to handle made her overwork. She hoped that William would give her a handsome reward as compensation.

    ¡°Nobody that Lea knew was staying at Dynasty Hotel on that date,¡± Danica explained everything she had gotten to William. ¡°But, David Johnson ... her former employer. Shall we hire a private investigator, Sir?¡±

    ¡°Dave? He was the one with her at that time?¡± William¡¯s brows furrowed as he tried to recall Dave¡¯s personality.

    ¡°Yes. There was no doubt about it.¡± Danica was sure of what she said. She provided several pieces of evidence and showed them to William.

    William took the pictures and studied them carefully. Indeed, all day long, that day, Lea was with Dave.

    William¡¯s biggest suspicion was directed at Dave. However, when considering Dave¡¯s appearance, could he possibly do it with Lea? Dave was an entrepreneur famous for treating his employees like logs that support the brain. No matter how beautiful or handsome his subordinates were, all would be treated equally.

    ¡°Dani! What were Dave and Lea doing at the Hotel?¡± William asked again.

    ¡°They both attended the engagement of Dave¡¯s younger sister who just graduated from high school. Don¡¯t you know about it? They wanted more privacy for the event. Only family and close friends attended.¡± Danica searched for the information on her phone and showed it to William. ¡°This one.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± William muttered, reading the news quickly.

    Something buzzed in William¡¯s head. He seemed to have gotten a little enlightenment about Lea¡¯s matter. He had to act quickly before it was too late.

    ¡°Dani! Make an appointment with Dave. This is urgent. Make sure he emptied his schedule for me as soon as possible or he will regret it!¡±

 Chapter 30

    30 30. Fathers¡¯ Talk

    ¡°Will, Felix is ??here,¡± Danica said on the phone.

    ¡°Fifteen minutes early?¡± William asked.

    ¡°Yes. Umm, Do you want to see Felix now or later?¡± Danica asked, flatly. Usually, her boss would ask the early guests to wait. Even so, Danica still asked William about it. Who knew this time the guest would be lucky?

    It turned out that Danica¡¯s decision was not wrong. Her boss did something different this time. William seemed very excited to meet Felix, the private investigator that Danica had hired to do a deeper investigation on Lea.

    ¡°Send him in. Please prepare some tea and refreshments!¡± William ordered. He immediately stopped everything he was doing and greeted his guest.

    Danica invited Felix to enter William¡¯s room. Felix, who looked a little less friendly, was happy because he didn¡¯t have to wait any longer. As it turned out, his client knew how to treat him well.

    The investigation showed that that night, Lea was drinking at the Dynasty Hotel¡¯s rooftop bar and did not return home. That meant, Lea spent the night at the hotel. However, Lea¡¯s name was not on the hotel guest list.

    ¡°The witness said that the man who took Lea away from the bar was tall, huge, dark-haired, and wore glasses. It¡¯s close to Dave¡¯s features although we couldn¡¯t confirm his eye color,¡± Felix said in a severe tone.

    William was sure that Dave was indeed the man who spent the night with Lea. But, of course, he didn¡¯t want to come to Dave with accusations without solid evidence.

    .....

    ¡°Are you sure there weren¡¯t any other men with Lea at the time?¡± William asked reassuringly.

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is.¡±

    William nodded as Felix explained in detail what had happened to Lea that night. Lea and Dave had wanted to go home. However, Lea gave up and chose to go have a drink at the rooftop bar. The two of them then drank together.

    It was natural that Lea was so afraid to reveal this. Dave was already engaged to Clara, a beautiful young doctor, the daughter of Dave¡¯s business partner. Soon they would be married. If Dave¡¯s family and his fianc¨¦e find out about this incident, the relationship between the two families could be destroyed. As far as William knew, Lea was a good and innocent girl who would not sacrifice such a big thing for her own sake.

    William gulped. He wondered if his desire to reveal this dark secret was a selfish wish or not. However, his doubts were quickly dispelled again. All fathers have the right to know who their children are. If he were in Dave¡¯s position, of course, he would still want to know the truth.

    Felix then excused himself. William let the man go because he had nothing more to ask. He also ordered Danica to pay the check. Felix smiled happily because his business this time was done efficiently.

    ***

    The next day, William determined to take immediate action. He did not want to linger and buy more time because the date of his divorce from Paula was also approaching.

    ¡°Dani, when is the dinner appointment with Dave?¡± William asked.

    ¡°Tonight!¡± Danica replied. ¡°7 pm at the Restaurant in Dynasty Hotel.¡±

    ¡°Ok, thank you!¡±

    William didn¡¯t usually meddle in other people¡¯s problems. But, this time, the baby could be his dependent in the future. He had to settle things up before it was too late.

    Bad things could happen in the future if he didn¡¯t say this earlier. It could be that the child in Lea¡¯s womb would meet Dave¡¯s daughter or son in the future. What if they fell in love and dated? Of course, it would be very bad, wouldn¡¯t it?

    ***

    The restaurant was not too crowded. However, for the sake of keeping a secret, William still booked the VIP room for Dave. Dave was waiting in the room-alone, at William¡¯s request.

    ¡°Good evening, sorry to keep you waiting, Dave!¡± William greeted Dave with the signature smile he used to give to his business clients.

    ¡°No problem. It¡¯s not that long,¡± Dave replied with a smile that was no less pleasant.

    After ordering food, Dave started the conversation. ¡°Oh. What important matter do you want to discuss with me?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to talk about Lea,¡± William answered.

    Dave¡¯s face paled. However, he tried to laugh despite being nervous. ¡°Ah, you get along well with her? Why didn¡¯t Lea tell me?¡±

    ¡°Dave, I don¡¯t want to beat around the bush,¡± William whispered, ¡°I just wanted to ask. Have you ever had anything to do with her? Something that is not related to work?¡± William didn¡¯t smile. He looked at Dave¡¯s face seriously.

    Dave gulped, turning his gaze to anything but William. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean. Why don¡¯t you ask her yourself? Don¡¯t accuse me of anything unreasonable!¡±

    Dave¡¯s face hardened. The man was angry with what was happening at this time. He felt humiliated and immediately prepared to leave. He quickly stomped to the door.

    However, before Dave reached the door, William said. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant! She¡¯s already five weeks pregnant.¡±

    William¡¯s words made Dave stop. He turned his head and suddenly the y, the color drained from his face.

    ¡°W-what? Pregnant?¡± Dave stammered. ¡°You¡¯re threatening me. You want to blackmail me, no?¡±

    ¡°Oh, are you surprised?¡± William asked again.

    ¡°It was a mistake. I don¡¯t know anything about her pregnancy. We had sex just once!¡±

    ¡°But babies aren¡¯t a surprise or even a mistake!¡± William smirked and continued, ¡°Just recall what were you doing that night. Were you wearing protection or not?¡±

    Dave¡¯s mouth opened but did not refute William¡¯s statement. It seemed, he admitted that at that time he did not use rubbers.

    ¡°Why are you surprised? What else could you expect to come out of if not a baby? A desk? A cupboard?¡± William exclaimed.

    Dave¡¯s eyes opened and closed many times, still unable to accept the reality he was facing right now. However, everything William had accused him of was the truth.

    ¡°I know you might lose everything if you tell the truth to your family and your beloved fianc¨¦e.¡± William looked at Dave with deep sympathy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡±

    Dave was still freezing. One night¡¯s mistake that he made turned out to lead to such deep regret.

    ¡°I wanted to let you know one thing. Because of some misunderstandings, my family thinks that the child in Lea¡¯s womb is my baby. You can let it pass and pretend to don¡¯t know anything. However, in the future, I can¡¯t guarantee whether I will be able to love your biological child with all my heart or not.¡± William took a deep breath. He then rose from his seat, patted Dave on the shoulder, and then left the room.

    As he was about to get into the parking lot, he heard a woman¡¯s scream.

    ¡°Aaah! Help! Help!¡±

    William immediately turned toward the voice. Before he knew it, he bumped into a skinny little boy in shabby clothes.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± The little man fell to the ground. ¡°It hurts!¡± he groaned.

    William studied the boy whose hoodie was now open. A woman¡¯s purse fell near him. That light brown purse... William knew it very well.

    The boy wanted to take the purse. However, William swiftly picked up the wallet from the ground, ahead of the boy.

    ¡°This is Paula¡¯s purse, isn¡¯t it? How can this be in your hands?¡± William asked interrogating the boy. He quickly checked the ID card inside to confirm the owner.

    The frightened boy ran quickly, leaving William for fear of being caught and handed over to the police.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t run!¡± William shouted. However, the boy still ran and left him.

    Meanwhile, Paula, who fell while running after the pickpocket boy, was still kneeling on the ground. Her leg was sprained, it hurt quite badly.

    Tonight, she was supposed to have dinner with Samuel. They promised to meet at the Dynasty Hotel¡¯s restaurant.

    ¡°Ah, why am I so unlucky?¡± Paula grumbled in annoyance. She picked up the cell phone from the ground and called someone. ¡°Fortunately, my cell phone is still with me.¡±

    After a while, someone picked up her phone call.

    ¡°Hey, gorgeous! I¡¯ll be there in no time,¡± Samuel answered teasingly. ¡°You¡¯re being impatient, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Sam, can you go a little faster? I was pickpocketed. While I was chasing him, I sprained my ankle and fell. Thank him, now I can¡¯t walk,¡± Paula said as she endured the excruciating pain. Her smooth legs were lightly bleeding. ¡°I¡¯m in the Dynasty Hotel parking lot and there is no one around.¡±

    ¡°Good grief! I¡¯ll be there soon,¡± Samuel panicked and immediately hung up the phone. He drove the car faster to get there quickly.

    Exhaling lightly, Paula hung up the call and rested on her hands. She tried to stand up but failed because her legs were starting to bleed profusely.

    Before long, from behind, a large and long hand shoved her purse close to her ear and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a husband? Why did you ask another man for help ... instead of your husband?¡±

    Paula was startled, her heart skipped a beat. She turned her head and of course, she was surprised to find William crouched behind her, looking gloomy.

    ¡°Will-William?¡±

 Chapter 31

    31 31. The Faithful Husband

    ¡°Hi, Will, it¡¯s such a coincidence,¡± Paula gulped, hiding her surprise. ¡°How are you? Everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hi me so casually like that,¡± William answered in disbelief. He was wondering, how could the woman not feel that she wronged him at all.

    Seeing Paula¡¯s happy face, William didn¡¯t feel well. He suddenly recalled the scene when Samuel kissed her and when she fed Samuel with her hands. His heart clenched as if someone squeezed it hard.

    William¡¯s face turned even darker. ¡°I want to discuss things with you-a lot of them. But your knees are bleeding. Let¡¯s postpone the talk and do some treatments first.¡±

    Without hesitation, William hugged and lifted Paula¡¯s not-so-light body as if she was nothing. Paula wanted to refuse his help but she had no power. She couldn¡¯t even walk by herself. So, she thought, touching William one more time would not hurt anyone. Moreover, she was still his wife. What¡¯s wrong if a husband carried his injured wife around in public?

    For that reason, Paula gave up and lingered her hands around his neck, making both hearts beat even faster. They couldn¡¯t help. Both could smell their familiar body scent. Both could touch their smooth skins that used to do more than mere touching. Both bodies longed for each other. Sadly, at the same time, their ego forced them to suppress that natural urge to claim each other.

    At that time, Samuel arrived at the parking lot. He was getting off his car in a hurry only to find that the woman he loved was being carried by his rival. He was just one minute late. One minute that turned everything upside down.

    ¡°Hey, put her down!¡± Samuel exclaimed. However, William didn¡¯t care about it. He continued walking-back to the hotel-as if nothing happened.

    ¡°Will, Samuel is here. He can help me treat my wound,¡± Paula whispered in William¡¯s ear.

    .....

    Paula expected that William would put her down, giving her up to Samuel. But, she didn¡¯t know that William would never do that. ¡°You¡¯re still my wife, no?¡± William asked with a stern face. ¡°You should rely on me instead of another guy. That¡¯s the rule.¡±

    Paula¡¯s eyes popped out. ¡°Yes, but we¡¯re soon to be ex,¡± she insisted.

    ¡°We will talk about it later.¡± William continued walking until Samuel approached him and stood in front of him.

    ¡°I said, put her down!¡± Samuel ordered, pointing his finger at William. ¡°Are you deaf? Why don¡¯t you just go home and take care of your pregnant bitch?¡±

    William¡¯s ears couldn¡¯t stand Samuel¡¯s words. He wanted to punch his cousin but he knew that it would not be good. How could they explain the situation to their parents?

    ¡°She has the ring and I have mine. We¡¯re husband and wife. A stranger should back off!¡± William said sternly. He glared at Samuel, unblinking. ¡°Don¡¯t meddle in others¡¯ business!¡±

    ¡°Samuel, I am sorry. Can we reschedule the dinner? Please,¡± Paula begged Samuel to give up. She knew it wouldn¡¯t end well if Samuel insisted on dragging her out of William¡¯s embrace.

    Samuel had no choice but to leave. He didn¡¯t want it but he also didn¡¯t want to make Paula detest him. Then, William brought Paula into the hotel to treat her wound.

    Once they entered the lobby, everybody¡¯s eyes landed on them. Despite their stern looks, the stranger would think that both were a loving couple, who wanted to spend the night in the hotel.

    Paula¡¯s face was nothing but blushing. She couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassment.

    ¡°You should bring me to the hospital, Will. Not a hotel room,¡± Paula complained. ¡°People look at us in disgust.¡±

    ¡°They envy you, no?¡± William replied nonchalantly.

    ¡°Put me down, Will!¡± Paula insisted.

    ¡°Never!¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t deny that the other side of her wanted some privacy with William. She missed his presence. She longed for his tender touch. However, getting into a hotel room would increase the chances of them doing other things besides discussing. She didn¡¯t want it at all costs. She made up her mind to let William go for good. If anything happened tonight, all her efforts would go in vain. It would be even harder for her to stop her feelings.

    But, William didn¡¯t care. He kept Paula in his arms and led her into the president suite he¡¯d just booked so he wouldn¡¯t have to go upstairs. He didn¡¯t want his precious energy drained so easily for something insufficient. Who knew something good would happen tonight? His other side wanted to give his best performance in bed-if it was even possible.

    Without saying a word, William sat Paula down on the luxurious couch near the door. If only the atmosphere wasn¡¯t tense and full of resentment, now would be a great time for the couple to make love.

    Luxurious furniture made of gold-plated material colors the beauty of this magnificent room. A lavish double king-size bed looked so comfortable, tempting the couple to come and play around. However, all of the sights could not soften the dark thoughts in William and Paula¡¯s heads. Both faces seemed gloomy and stern.

    ¡°Will, take me to the hospital.¡± Paula was getting annoyed. Her desire tried to take over her brain, making her feel even more uncomfortable. ¡°Why won¡¯t you listen to me?¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you afraid of getting horny?¡± William asked flatly, making Paula¡¯s eyes widen in disbelief. He was bold despite anything that happened recently.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I am indeed getting horny. But I am quite aware that your dick is not mine now. So don¡¯t worry, I will never try to suck it. My pussy is well-mannered. Never tried to seduce a dick that belongs to another woman.¡± Paula smirked, fiercely. She clenched her teeth. Tried to get her composure.

    ¡°What do you mean? I told you, we are still husband and wife. Mine is yours, and vice versa,¡± William said, no less fiercely. ¡°After all, what is the meaning of this sudden divorce? You didn¡¯t even talk to me at first. Are you tired of me? Did you only use me, and now you want to find a new prey?¡±

    ¡°Hey, look who¡¯s talking?¡± Paula, of course, was offended by the accusation. ¡°You impregnated another woman, then accused me of using you?¡±

    ¡°That too. Who would suddenly leave her husband¡¯s house, accuse him of cheating, then file for divorce all of a sudden without saying anything? Do you realize that it isn¡¯t fair for me? You decide an important thing without even showing your ass in front of me.¡± William exclaimed, venting all his anger towards Paula. ¡°You even have fun with another man. Is his dick bigger than mine? Can he make you cum many times more than me? Am I not good enough?¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Paula was surprised.

    ¡°What now?¡± William asked-far from a kind gesture.

    ¡°What do you mean? You didn¡¯t impregnate Lea?¡± asked Paula in surprise. So shocked that she didn¡¯t care about William¡¯s accusations against her. ¡°But I saw Lea¡¯s sonogram-¡±

    ¡°Lea is pregnant, but that doesn¡¯t mean that the baby is mine. Why did you accuse me of something like that?¡± William cut Paula¡¯s words in annoyance.

    Paula¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see her often?¡±

    ¡°I did meet her. Not bang her! For your information, I only dip my dick in your pussy. Yours is the only home for mine. Mine never tried to get inside another woman¡¯s.¡± William was increasingly exasperated. ¡°What proof do you have for accusing me of cheating on you?¡±

    Paula gulped. ¡°You¡¯re a man, aren¡¯t you? You can just have sex with me even with no love. I thought, you definitely will not be able to resist the temptation of the woman you love,¡± she explained as she looked at William¡¯s face with a serious, unblinking look. Her brows furrowed, still not believing William¡¯s defense. She was almost correct.

    Almost.

    However, William found that he was being slandered. He brought his face closer to Paula¡¯s. His hands pressed her waist, making her stomach churn.

    Paula could smell his minty breath. She could see his emerald eyes turned dark. Her skin could feel his body temperature increase.

    ¡°I am a man. Indeed,¡± he said, bringing his hands above to fondle her round and firm chest.

    ¡°I love tits and pussy. True,¡± he continued, pinching her already hardened nipples. He smirked, knowing Paula¡¯s body¡¯s reaction. He found that it was amusing to tease her more.

    William brought his mouth to suck Paula¡¯s left nipple through the thin fabric, making the dress wet with his saliva. She let out a lewd moan as he continued to suck her right nipple. That was indeed what he aimed for.

    ¡°I loved Lea as well. I did.¡±

    Paula¡¯s eyes widened. But, she brushed the thought. Perhaps, he slipped his tongue.

    ¡°However, do you know what lies above all that?¡± William asked firmly, even though he was very upset with Paula.

    Paula swallowed. She could only stare at William¡¯s serious face which didn¡¯t usually look this dominant. Usually, they were both equal. However, at this time, she felt that William towered over her.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Heavily, Paula opened her dry lips even though the only sound that came out was a whisper-the softest one.

    ¡°Our marriage,¡± William answered without hesitation as he lifted and squeezed Paula¡¯s left fingers, bringing the two rings together so Paula could see them. ¡°It¡¯s our bond, Paula ....¡±

 Chapter 32

    32 32. The Faithful Wife

    William¡¯s words made Paula¡¯s throat tighten, unable to say anything. She didn¡¯t expect he would say such a thing. It was not bad at all. It was cool. It made her heart skip a beat. It made her feel guilty for accusing William of cheating behind her back.

    Indeed, William¡¯s confession could not be proven except by parental tests. However, seeing William¡¯s determination, Paula felt nothing but believe him. There was no point in him convincing her that he was loyal. He would gain nothing from that action because, from the start, they agreed that they would only stay married until William¡¯s parents approved his relationship with Lea.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look!¡± William said, tightening his lips. His masculine face was shining and seductive, it made Paula¡¯s heart pound erratically.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± whispered Paula sadly. ¡°I made mistakes.¡± However, her sadness didn¡¯t take long because William couldn¡¯t wait to launch his next attack.

    ¡°Do you think sorry will be enough to redeem your fault?¡± William¡¯s teeth gritted in annoyance. His eyes looked at Paula¡¯s sensuous blushing beautiful face. ¡°Then what have you been doing all this time with Samuel? Why are you two so close? Do you want to replace me with him? Do you want to take revenge on me?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re just friends,¡± Paula replied casually. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between Samuel and me.¡± Paula of course did not want to explain William Samuel¡¯s love confession to her some time ago. She didn¡¯t want any misunderstanding because her husband¡¯s relationship with his cousin-in-law was already bad enough.

    ¡°Liar!¡± This time, William¡¯s voice was not friendly at all. There was no trace of kindness in his tone. ¡°I saw you two making out in the hospital. I also saw you feeding him a cake at the bakery. Are you going to deny that?¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? I did feed him a cake. But that didn¡¯t mean anything. After all, who made out with Samuel?¡±

    In her head, Paula continued, ¡®Samuel did confess his love for me, asking me to date him after our divorce. He even proposed to me. However, I rejected his proposal!¡¯ She almost said it out loud. Fortunately, her brain managed to think straight so she could keep the problem a secret.

    .....

    Paula pushed William¡¯s hard chest away to make a distance. She was upset about all the cheating accusations from William. However, she didn¡¯t like her husband making up stories about her making out with Samuel. She had no idea about it.

    William was stunned for a moment. If Paula didn¡¯t know anything about the kiss at that time, surely she still hadn¡¯t woken up from fainting so she was taken advantage of by Samuel. In his head, William cursed Samuel¡¯s actions. How dare he seduced a married woman-his wife on top of it.

    ¡°Then, what are you two planning today?¡± William asked while assessing the not-so-skimpy dress Paula was wearing. The dress wasn¡¯t very revealing, but the material was quite sheer. ¡°Look! Why are you dressing up for another man? With this sexy dress, are you trying to seduce him?¡±

    ¡°Since when did you become so possessive?¡± Paula complained. She didn¡¯t wear anything indecent. Her knee-length white silk dress was considered a formal one. She didn¡¯t expect that William would become such a pain in the ass.

    ¡°Since you left me alone at home. Do you think I am okay by myself?¡± William looked at Paula, annoyed. ¡°Do you think I was not suffering? Who can satisfy my needs when my wife isn¡¯t around?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I thought, you asked Lea to move in with you. I just didn¡¯t want to get in the way,¡± Paula explained in a bland voice. She bit her lower lip awkwardly, looking at anything but him. ¡°I just-wanted to end things a little earlier.¡±

    William reached Paula¡¯s face, pinching her chin lightly. He realized a sheer sadness crossed her face. Was that his imagination?

    ¡°Answer me. Is that also the reason you started looking for fun outside? Because you wanted to satisfy your needs?¡± William accused her again, curtly. He grabbed his tie and loosened it a little. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember that you¡¯re the one who¡¯s always boasting about fidelity in marriage?¡±

    Paula¡¯s eyes popped out. ¡°I already told you I have nothing to do with Samuel or any other man!¡± Paula snapped. She glared at William in disbelief. ¡°Why do you keep blaming me for something I didn¡¯t do?¡±

    She leaned forward, wanting to dodge William¡¯s embrace. However, her effort was in vain because William¡¯s strength was far above her.

    ¡°Still, I¡¯m annoyed. Your dress is too skimpy and the material is too thin. Just give a bite like this, your nipples turned hard easily-it was visible. Are you wearing a thin bra on purpose?¡± William asked again as he repeated what he had done earlier, teasing and sucking on Paula¡¯s nipples one by one, making the white fabric wet and exposing the two hard, protruding nipples. ¡°Look! Wearing clothes like this is no different than inviting a normal guy to spend the night with you.¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s because you did intentionally suck and tease them! No gentleman would do that without my concern?¡± Paula argued again. She covered her chest with both hands, acting like a virgin on her first night with a beast.

    However, William did not give up. He got closer to Paula and caressed her exposed neck hungrily with his lips. He also slid the sleeves that covered Paula¡¯s shoulders and left some kiss marks there-as he pleased. He did it like a wolf in heat.

    ¡°Your body is too clean. No kiss marks left. How long have we skipped fucking?¡± William¡¯s comment at the same time made him sure that Paula was not having an affair with Samuel.

    ¡°Stop this, Will! Didn¡¯t you say we were only going to talk about some important things here?¡± Paula groaned and moaned between refusal and desire. She couldn¡¯t decide what was the best to do. ¡°At this rate, you¡¯re no different than that Martin guy!¡±

    William smirked. His lower part started bulging and hard, Paula could feel it because it was stuck to her thigh.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you always know that I would use my mouth to do other things after dinner time passed? You should be punished for doing so many wrong things,¡± William whispered hoarsely.

    ¡°You are also at fault! We are even. I don¡¯t have to pay the price.¡± Paula struggled, trying to keep her sanity.

    However, It was too late. William¡¯s eyes clouded with lust. An angry glint flashed across his face, making Paula remember the last time he had sex with her when he was drunk. When he tore her silk dress, that¡¯s when Paula¡¯s body tensed out of fear. The slight trauma had a bad impact on her subconscious.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± Before Paula realized it, she snapped loudly. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

    William, who didn¡¯t expect Paula¡¯s unusual reaction, could only stare at his wife¡¯s half-naked body-in confusion. He didn¡¯t want to scare her but he did it anyway.

    A beige bra, that matches Paula¡¯s pale skin tone, was supposed to make her look breathtakingly sexy. However, the pained expression on Paula¡¯s face suppressed William¡¯s desire. Paula could feel that his manhood had suddenly softened.

    ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± William asked out of worry.

    Paula shook her head. She unintentionally stared at the open wounds on her knees. She didn¡¯t say anything in reply. But, William took it as a code that he brushed the wound by mistake.

    ¡°Good grief! I should have treated your wounds first.¡± William felt guilty. Then, he took the first aid box he had asked for from the hotel. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll clean them well!¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Paula groaned as William pressed too hard on the wound. ¡°Stop it! I¡¯ll clean it myself! I know you want to take revenge on me. That¡¯s why you pressed my wound intentionally, no?¡±

    ¡°No, believe me! I can do it! I can do it!¡± William refused to give up the first aid kit box. ¡°I¡¯ll show you how reliable I can be,¡± William argued as he took a new gauze and poured alcohol on it. His hands trembled, but he tried his best to do it.

    Paula stopped struggling although she knew William was a real suck at treating a wound. Let alone wrapping it with bandages. However, she let him take care of her wounds. Practice makes perfect. That was what happened to William¡¯s skill in bed as well. For the first time, he was a sucker. Now, he was anything but innocent.

    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s done!¡± William shouted as if he did something great although the bandages were too thick-far from nice. He wiped the sweat on his forehead and said, ¡°Now, let¡¯s celebrate our reunion!¡±

    ¡°Do you mean: let¡¯s have sex?¡± Paula¡¯s brows furrowed, seeing how William undid his buttons impatiently.

    ¡°No! Precisely, let¡¯s take good care of your already wet pussy!¡± William smirked, throwing his shirt to the floor.

    ¡°It¡¯s not wet!¡±

    ¡°Liar! I knew you creamed your panties while I put bandages on your wounds!¡±

    Before long, William¡¯s fingers made a move. He checked her slit and found that he was correct.

    ¡°Look! You¡¯re wet for me, Paula!¡±

    A wide smile plastered on William¡¯s face. He was ready to eat her.

 Chapter 33

    33 33. I¡¯m All Yours

    The dim light in the room made the atmosphere even thicker with desire. The soft scent of strawberry wafting from Paula¡¯s body made William even more infatuated with her. The desire that had decreased because of seeing Paula cry now strengthened again-unbearably stronger.

    ¡°I missed your sweet scent,¡± William whispered as he kissed Paula¡¯s nape.

    ¡°William, don¡¯t do this!¡± Paula whispered with a sigh as William went down his neck to his chest, touching Paula¡¯s bare skin with his lips. His lips ran down her body, reaching Paula¡¯s still flat naked stomach. There was no way anyone would have thought the woman was pregnant.

    ¡°Resist me if you can,¡± William whispered hoarsely, his eyes looking up at Paula¡¯s perfectly flushed face. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will fail.¡± Confidently, William¡¯s green eyes locked on Paula¡¯s blue ones. ¡°Tell me if you don¡¯t want to continue.¡±

    William¡¯s trick was quite powerful. How could Paula have refused if William looked at her like that? Not long after, William¡¯s face drew closer to Paula¡¯s. His hand grabbed Paula¡¯s chin, pinched it, then brought those tiny lips closer.

    His eyes studied the charming lips wrapped in the red ombre lip cream. The lower plump lip was so tempting. It was so hard for him to resist that luscious lips.

    ¡°Do your lips always look this sexy?¡± William asked in awe.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ever notice it?¡± Paula quipped, curtly.

    ¡°Then maybe I forgot because I was busy enjoying them all this time,¡± William tried to find an excuse. ¡°Can I kiss you, now?¡±

    .....

    ¡°You did more than that. What is the point of asking my permission for the kiss?¡± Paula replied, chuckling. ¡°Funny!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that!¡± William grinned amusedly. ¡°Whatever you say, won¡¯t be able to stop what we are going to do later.¡±

    Paula was about to say something, but William didn¡¯t give her a chance. He immediately devoured Paula¡¯s sweet lips. At that time, he remembered Samuel who had kissed Paula in the hospital. The fire that came from nowhere suddenly burned William¡¯s chest. It felt like he wanted to clean up Samuel¡¯s dirty tracks from her lips.

    Without William knowing, the kiss was getting more passionate. Paula was out of breath because of it. William¡¯s kiss was getting fiercer, between anger and lust.

    ¡°Will!¡±

    ¡°Shut up! I want to disinfect your lips from the germs that Samuel spread!¡±

    Paula couldn¡¯t argue because she was overwhelmed by William¡¯s tongue and bite. Paula¡¯s lips now look swollen. William¡¯s tongue parted her lips, dancing against Paula¡¯s, sweeping all over the walls of her mouth.

    Meanwhile, William¡¯s hand, which previously only held Paula¡¯s shoulders and supported her bare neck, now dropped further down. He took off Paula¡¯s torn dress to the floor, leaving behind a charming sight that he could only imagine-lately.

    ¡°Oh, Lord! Is your body always sexy like this?¡± William groaned as he looked at Paula¡¯s body-from top to toe. Paula was indeed very beautiful when her body was wrapped in beige color undies, even though her legs were wrapped in awful bandages.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act like a virgin,¡± Paula was getting annoyed and offended. ¡°Did you close your eyes all this time when we were fucking?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help!¡± William replied as he rested his chin on Paula¡¯s cleavage. ¡°You look so hot right now. Much much hotter than usual.¡±

    ¡°Crap!¡± Paula pouted.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you believe it?¡± William asked, looking at Paula with a teasing look.

    Paula shook her head. William then brought Paula¡¯s hands to his chest. ¡°Can you feel it? I¡¯m nervous right now.¡±

    Paula¡¯s heart clenched as she felt William¡¯s erratic heartbeat. It was really funny, considering the two of them have done it so many times. How could William be so nervous?

    ¡°Ridiculous,¡± Paula commented, giggling.

    William then put his ear to Paula¡¯s chest and closed his eyes. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m not the only one that is nervous.¡±

    Paula¡¯s face blushed. ¡°That¡¯s because I haven¡¯t done it in a long time.¡±

    William smiled, then looked at Paula sincerely. ¡°Then we must do it slowly tonight.¡±

    William, who only wore pants, stood proudly in front of Paula. Even though William¡¯s stomach was a little fatty, Paula didn¡¯t mind it. He was still fascinated by her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just take you to bed. This couch is too narrow. You are injured.¡±

    Swiftly, William lifted Paula¡¯s body and carried her to the magnificent and comfortable double king-size bed.

    ¡°I might be able to walk on my own,¡± said Paula. She didn¡¯t know why she said it, even though her arms were lingering around William¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Save your energy for something useful later,¡± William said calmly.

    Slowly, William laid Paula down on the bed. His emerald eyes scanned how Paula¡¯s blonde hair fanned across the pillow. Subconsciously, he didn¡¯t move, observing how beautiful the woman beneath him was.

    ¡°Are you always this beautiful?¡± William asked again, he swallowed hard, because this was the first time he had felt that Paula was ineffably beautiful-even more beautiful than Lea, who had been named the most beautiful woman in the world-in his eyes.

    Paula could only stare at William-dumbfounded. If she had previously laughed at William¡¯s cheesy lines, now she couldn¡¯t because William¡¯s expression looked sincere.

    ¡°Did you do some body treatments?¡± William questioned her.

    ¡°Why do you keep asking like that?¡± asked Paula again.

    ¡°Because you look so pretty,¡± William replied again. ¡°I don¡¯t think-I¡¯ve ever seen another woman as gorgeous as you.¡±

    No words were heard after that because all they did was ¡®caress and bite¡¯ each other, leaving kiss marks on their exposed skin. William¡¯s growl mixed with Paula¡¯s soft moans, heating the room with their passion.

    William wanted to play around a little longer, however, he couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and undid Paula¡¯s bra to reveal Paula¡¯s full round breasts. In his head, William asked, why did Paula¡¯s breasts seem bigger than usual? He also realized that it was the first time he had seen Paula wearing the underwear she was currently wearing.

    However, William was quite self-aware. He didn¡¯t want to spoil the mood by asking another silly question.

    Gently, William squeezed Paula¡¯s breasts. The beautiful sight of hardened pink nipples, made him tempted not to just tease her with his fingers. It was then, his lips swiftly sucked her stiffened nipple, startling Paula with his sudden attack.

    ¡°Oh, sh-¡± Paula closed her mouth with her hands, preventing her from cursing.

    Without waiting any longer, William licked the nipples one by one. Paula let out an embarrassing mewl sound as his teasing became wilder, giving no mercy to her round breasts.

    Paula¡¯s moans made William even more excited. He passionately sucked her nipple like a thirsty baby. But, strangely, William felt Paula¡¯s areola secreting a small amount of fluid. Was that breast milk?

    William paused for a moment because of a new sensation he had never felt before. The taste was slightly sweet-like plain almond milk.

    Out of curiosity, William took a harder sip. Unfortunately, this time Paula screamed in pain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t suck it too hard!¡± Paula complained, whimpering. ¡°It hurts a lot.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry. I¡¯m too excited,¡± William replied a bit confused because usually, Paula wouldn¡¯t object when he sucked her nipples like that. Of course, he had no idea that a pregnant woman¡¯s nipples would be sensitive to touch, and should be treated gently.

    Fearing that Paula would be in pain again, William stopped touching Paula¡¯s breasts. He then went down to her stomach and gently kissed his wife¡¯s navel. At that moment, a warm feeling ran through William¡¯s chest.

    The man didn¡¯t know the reason why he wanted to kiss Paula¡¯s navel even longer. It was like a magnet pulled him to stay there. As if something wanted to greet him.

    ¡°Will, how long are you going to do that?¡± asked Paula, getting impatient.

    ¡°Oh, I thought you didn¡¯t want to continue,¡± William teased her. He then slowly lowered Paula¡¯s panties.

    ¡°What a sight!¡± William commented when he saw the amazing results of the foreplay he just did. ¡°I always love your body¡¯s reaction to my touch.¡±

    Without waiting any longer, William grabbed Paula¡¯s thighs and spread them apart. He checked with his fingers whether Paula was ready or not. ¡°Hmm, I guess, I¡¯ll make you relax more. You¡¯re still too stiff.¡±

    ¡°No, William!¡± Paula begged. ¡°I swear, I love all this foreplay but I can not take it anymore! I need you inside! Now!¡±

    ¡°Hey, why are you so demanding like that?¡± William teased her, smirking. ¡°It is supposed to be a punishment for you-the runaway wife, no?¡±

    Unfortunately, when he was about to undo his pants, his phone rang. William hesitated, whether to answer the phone or not. However, Paula was annoyed with William¡¯s behavior.

    ¡°I dare you to pick up your phone!¡± Paula snapped, glaring at him.

    William chuckled at the sulking Paula, ¡°Calm down! I just want to turn off the phone. Tonight, I am all yours, my lady!¡±

    ***

    Meanwhile, at William¡¯s parents¡¯ house, Samuel, who visited Lea, stared at her with a straight face. Meanwhile, Lea, who tried to call William many times, looked very disappointed.

    ¡°He turned off the phone,¡± Lea whispered. She stared blankly into the air. The woman swallowed hard, her heart felt like it was being slashed by a dull knife.

    Samuel smiled bitterly. ¡°Look!¡± said Samuel as he shoved his cell phone, playing a YouTube video that showed William carrying Paula in the hotel lobby.

    Lea squeezed the phone. Tears flowed from the corners of her eyes. ¡°God damn it! I will make you pay the price, Paula!¡±

 Chapter 34

    34 34. Big Fat Liar

    The night sky was dark. It had been raining since an hour ago. However, there was no sign of it stopping soon.

    Meanwhile, the large living room of William¡¯s parents¡¯ house was so quiet. Only Lea¡¯s sob and cursing were heard in a low voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so angry! It¡¯s also your fault that you couldn¡¯t take care of your man,¡± Samuel said in a flat tone. He took the phone back from Lea¡¯s hand and put it in his pocket. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to satisfy him, do you? To the point that he had to seek pleasure outside. Don¡¯t you know how to satisfy your man in bed?¡±

    Lea was silent, staring at Samuel fiercely. How could she possibly please William if he always refused to bring her home for many ridiculous reasons? Let alone living together, just having dinner at his parent¡¯s house, he was reluctant to do it.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Leah snapped. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about my problems.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying it as it is. You are not good at taking care of William,¡± said Samuel. He took out a cigarette, about to smoke to ease his anxiety and anger. However, he gave up because he remembered Lea was pregnant. ¡°Sorry, I forgot you are preggers!¡± Samuel added flatly when Lea almost scolded him.

    Silence struck again. Samuel and Lea were lost in their thoughts. They both feel like they failed to get what they wanted.

    ¡°What does Paula have that I don¡¯t have?¡± Lea asked in a barely audible whisper. ¡°Is she much prettier than me?¡±

    Samuel looked at Lea and felt a little pity. Of course, Lea was beautiful as well. The mistake? Surely, there was no mistake. It was just fate who played the role-who got married first. And that was when things changed.

    .....

    William was married to Paula. He no longer belonged to Lea although his feelings for Lea would not completely disappear.

    However, it was not Samuel who can say positive things when he was angry. ¡°You are too weak. You stupidly believe that love is not worth fighting for. Do you think in this world there is a loyal man without overturns back? Don¡¯t let him get bored with you! Don¡¯t let other women take him away from you! That¡¯s the rule.¡±

    Leah widened her eyes at Samuel¡¯s words. She had been too careless and overly confident that William would never turn his back on her. During dating, the two of them only kissed, and never did more than that because Lea grew up in a conservative family. If only she was brave enough to give what a man wanted, perhaps the situation would be better.

    Perhaps.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless for you to regret everything,¡± Samuel commented as if he knew what was going on in Leah¡¯s head.

    ¡°Then, what can I do now? Everything has changed. I¡¯m not the only woman for William,¡± Lea muttered in despair.

    ¡°Oh, are you innocent or pretending to be innocent?¡± Samuel quipped slyly. ¡°Is it true that you¡¯ve always been honest? No cheating?¡±

    Leah swallowed. She was always scared when William started talking about Paula. When Paula fainted at the charity event, she tried to keep William from knowing Paula¡¯s real condition. When Samuel kissed Paula in the hospital, she even made up a story to make William believe that Samuel and Paula do have a special relationship. However, if all of them couldn¡¯t turn William¡¯s attention away from Paula, what else should she do?

    ¡°Huh, it¡¯s useless if you can do nothing like this. I¡¯ll figure it out myself. Instead of discussing with a weak woman like you.¡± Samuel, who was getting bored, now stood up from his seat. ¡°Just a waste of time.¡±

    Samuel walked away, leaving Lea, who could only stare blankly in the area, alone. However, he remembered one thing that he should tell Lea.

    ¡°Oh, I remembered that Paula always gets what she wants. She is confident and always takes the challenge. She isn¡¯t like you who can only run away when you lose.¡± Samuel¡¯s sarcasm made Lea¡¯s heartburn even more. He even had the heart to say the worst thing that Lea didn¡¯t want to hear. ¡°Aah, I heard that Paula was the one who helped you to get the blessing from William¡¯s parents, no?¡±

    Lea¡¯s mouth shut. Her body trembled due to shame and anger.

    ¡°Indeed, from the start, you were already a loser. If you love him, win him over!¡± That was what Samuel said before he completely disappear from Lea¡¯s sight.

    On his way out of the house, Samuel passed his aunt and uncle who had just arrived from a dinner party.

    ¡°Oh, Sam! Is that you?¡± Lisa greeted him. She looked tired but still tried to smile for her nephew.

    ¡°I wanted to see William. However, it turns out that he is not here,¡± Samuel answered, lying.

    ¡°Ah, since getting married, William has not lived with us. There¡¯s only Lea at home, did you see her?¡± Alex asked. He reached his nephew and gave him a warm hug.

    ¡°Well, it looks like Lea isn¡¯t feeling well. We talked for a while,¡± Samuel replied as if he did nothing wrong.

    ¡°Oh, poor her. I hope William will get a divorce from Paula soon so Lea can live with him,¡± Lisa said with concern.

    ¡°I sometimes feel sorry for Lea. She is staying here like a prisoner. What can we do? We have promised to help William with his plan,¡± Alex added again.

    Samuel nodded, listening to the ramblings of his uncle and aunt who had no idea of what his son was doing with Paula at the hotel at the moment. At this rate, they couldn¡¯t get divorced.

    ¡°I hope William can take responsibility for everything he did,¡± Samuel said pleasantly. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t easy. I understand William¡¯s position because I¡¯m in the same position as him right now.¡±

    Lisa and Alex¡¯s eyes popped out. They didn¡¯t expect Samuel to give such shocking news.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± asked Alex after he came to his senses. ¡°Are you going to be a dad soon?¡±

    Samuel nodded with a wink. ¡°Unfortunately, my future wife is still someone else¡¯s wife. I hope the divorce process will be finished soon and we will get married asap.¡±

    Lisa and Alex were now speechless. What did they do wrong to have such a shameless child and nephew? They impregnated women who were not their wives.

    Exhaled lightly, Lisa got her composure and was able to force a smile on her nephew again. ¡°If you and your girlfriend¡¯s problem is over, don¡¯t forget to bring her here. We also want to get to know her later,¡± Lisa said sincerely. She faced her husband, asking him to do the same for Samuel-giving him total support.

    Samuel smiled and shook his head slowly. ¡°Uncle, aunt, I don¡¯t feel comfortable saying this. However, you two know her well,¡± Samuel said quietly as if he felt bad about what he was about to say.

    ¡°Oh, who is she?¡± Alex asked impatiently.

    ¡°The daughter of our business partner?¡± Lisa asked hopefully.

    Samuel gave a gentle wink. His gaze turned to Lea who had just come out of the living room, about to greet William¡¯s parents.

    ¡°Correct. My lover is the daughter of your business partner,¡± Samuel replied with a light smile, full of secret intentions.

    ¡°Who?¡± Alex asked, probingly. ¡°Don¡¯t make us curious to death, Sam!¡±

    Samuel glanced at his watch. His brows furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s quite late. Next time we¡¯ll talk about her again. I don¡¯t want to go home late tonight,¡± Samuel excused himself.

    ¡°Oh, young man! Don¡¯t make me sleepless tonight! I know you don¡¯t have a curfew,¡± Alex insisted.

    He didn¡¯t want Samuel to mess around with his business partner¡¯s daughter. Paula and William¡¯s divorce almost brought trouble to them because Paula¡¯s father was about to withdraw his investment. Fortunately, a few days ago Robert said that he would keep the investment, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about going bankrupt. However, Robert was reluctant to tell them the reason why he changed his mind in such a short time.

    ¡°Samuel, do your parents know about this?¡± Lisa thought that Samuel was afraid because they would leak the shocking news and tell his parents.

    Samuel shook his head. ¡°If I tell you, will you keep this a secret from my father and mother?¡± He mentioned his condition.

    ¡°Sam, what¡¯s the point of hiding something like this from them?¡± Alex objected furiously. He opposed this idea.

    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell mom and dad, but I¡¯ll tell them later,¡± Samuel said calmly, patting his uncle¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Alright then, just say it. I won¡¯t tell your parents,¡± Lisa promised. ¡°Is that so, Alex?¡±

    Alex nodded. He would not be able to withstand the curiosity until dawn.

    Samuel remained silent, considering what he should say. But suddenly, unexpectedly, Lea said, ¡°Is that Paula?¡±

    All eyes turned to Lea in disbelief.

    Lisa, who couldn¡¯t buy it, immediately refuted, ¡°How could it be-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, aunt! But Paula and I had this planned.¡± Samuel told his lies. ¡°We are lovers.¡±

 Chapter 35

    35 35. William¡¯s Greed

    Meanwhile, in the hotel room, Paula and William tangled with each other. They were catching their breaths, but couldn¡¯t stop because both of them wanted to reach the climax due to the increasing wave of pleasure.

    William¡¯s hands didn¡¯t stop playing with Paula¡¯s sensitive spots. From the chest to the bottom. He kept teasing Paula¡¯s most sensitive button near her slit. Now and then, William would take a sip of Paula¡¯s toes that were perched on his shoulder. William made Paula gasp for breath, screaming her husband¡¯s name, saying that she would come in seconds.

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay if I cum inside?¡± William asked when he felt he was close. ¡°I¡¯ll just pull it out, okay?¡±

    ¡°No! Just do it inside! It¡¯s safe,¡± Paula pleaded.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re getting pregnant,¡± William said in hesitation.

    Paula was about to argue, but William gave more stimulus, making her forget everything. All she cared about was how to immediately get a great and long climax.

    ¡°William!¡± Paula screamed, arching her back and curling her toes. Her eyes closed as a suppressed moan escaped her lips. Her fingers tugged at his hair tightly as her wall was tightening around his manhood.

    Seeing how delicious the release was for her, William tried harder to stay inside. He kept thrusting to prolong her orgasm. But he recalled that he didn¡¯t use protection.

    ¡®Crap! I have to pull it out no matter what!¡±

    .....

    For that reason, William pulled out and shot his load onto Paula¡¯s stomach. He replaced his manhood with clitoral stimulation so that she could finish her orgasm.

    Paula¡¯s expression showed a little disappointment, making William feel bad. ¡°Sorry, it was not as good as finishing inside. But-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Will!¡± Paula replied, giving him a sincere smile so he wouldn¡¯t feel the burden. ¡°It was great for me as well. It was mind-blowing as always.¡±

    That¡¯s when Paula knew that William wasn¡¯t listening well when she said she was pregnant. Either because he didn¡¯t believe it, or because he forgot, or both.

    William wiped the sweat from Paula¡¯s forehead and stroked her rosy cheeks gently. He then went to the bathroom for a while and came back with a warm damp towel to clean her stomach from his seeds. He wiped it carefully while kissing Paula¡¯s lips many times, whispering how gorgeous she was.

    ¡°Sorry. You know that I¡¯m always careful to avoid pregnancy. That¡¯s why I always wrapped my dick when we did it,¡± William said as he dried Paula¡¯s body with a clean dry towel. ¡°I ... feel like I¡¯m not ready to father a child because ... I still have a lot of unfinished business in my life.¡±

    Paula gulped. Her heart ached when she heard William¡¯s words. ¡°I understand that. Many people experience it. Me too ... I was thinking that children will be troublesome.¡± Paula laughed bitterly.

    ¡°You were?¡± William asked again. ¡°Now, you are ready?¡±

    ¡°Sort of.¡±

    When Paula found out that the baby in Lea¡¯s womb was not William¡¯s, she wanted to discuss the pregnancy with her husband. However, suddenly, she hesitated again because William¡¯s response was unpleasant.

    In the end, Paula chose not to think too much about it. The baby would be born after they were divorced. The child would be hers if William didn¡¯t want him or her.

    Only that. Simple. Not a big problem.

    Paula¡¯s thoughts were interrupted when she found William starting to touch her and stimulate her again.

    ¡°William, I am tired! Just stop it already!¡± Paula complained while William bit her ear.

    ¡°Shhh, I¡¯ll make up for my failure earlier,¡± William whispered hoarsely. ¡°The second one will last longer. I promise.¡±

    Paula could see that William was hard again. He was about to start the second round.

    ¡°Oh, seriously? Are you a machine?¡±

    William smirked, dragging Paula from her position and turning her body to face his. ¡°I can¡¯t get enough of you, Paula! It¡¯s been a long time since we did it!¡±

    ¡°But you drained my energy-¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t finish her sentence since a growling sound was heard from her stomach.

    ¡°Craps! Sorry, I forgot you didn¡¯t have a chance to eat,¡± William said, feeling guilty for Paula. ¡°Let¡¯s order some food or shall we go to the restaurant?¡±

    Paula just looked at William in annoyance. ¡°You can go outside, but how about me?¡± Her eyes glanced at the torn white dress lying on the floor. She couldn¡¯t possibly be wearing those ripped clothes unless she intended to show off her bare cleavage and naked belly.

    William grimaced. He realized how reckless his behavior was when he was impatient. He then took out his cell phone and called Danica to deliver women¡¯s clothes to the hotel room.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have dinner with Dave? Why end up in a hotel room with a woman?¡± Danica protested subconsciously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be fussy! Just bring women¡¯s clothes here. You still remember Paula¡¯s size, no?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Are you spending the night with Paula?¡± Danica cheered up.

    ¡°I¡¯m the happy one, why are you cheering up like that?¡± William grunted, feeling uncomfortable with Danica¡¯s response. To be more precise, he was embarrassed.

    ¡°So, tomorrow is your day off, right? Can I take a day off too?¡± Danica pleaded, hopefully. Of course, what she said was only one of the reasons. To be honest, she sincerely hoped that William and Paula would make up and get together again.

    ¡°What kind of assistant are you?¡± William said, in annoyance. ¡°Okay, you can take the day off tomorrow. Think of it as a reward because I¡¯m in a good mood. But don¡¯t forget to send the dress on time before Paula leaves the hotel.¡±

    ¡°Noted!¡± Danica exclaimed before William ended the conversation.

    William put the phone down without checking how many calls and messages he had received when he turned off the phone. He didn¡¯t care because he immediately turned off his phone again.

    The man turned his attention back to Paula and said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s just order some food.¡±

    Paula then ordered four servings of food. She needed to reload her energy, for the sake of the baby in the bump.

    ¡°Wow!¡± William commented when the food came. ¡°Do you always eat this much?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, well, I¡¯m starving. You drain a lot of my energy,¡± Paula said nonchalantly. She took a slice of the chicken sandwich and ate it voraciously.

    William nodded. ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m starving as well.¡±

    ¡°Who isn¡¯t hungry after shooting that much of seeds? If you put your load in a bottle, it will be half full,¡± Paula said in a joke, pressing William¡¯s sharp nose. Her husband¡¯s comments made her giggle. If she didn¡¯t remind him about eating, he would do it non-stop and he might pass out.

    ¡°Make sure we¡¯ll order some more food later because I didn¡¯t intend to let you sleep tonight.¡± William¡¯s words made Paula feel even more exasperated. She had forgotten that they were supposed to be in the process of divorce.

    They were supposed to discuss the alimony instead of making love like there was no tomorrow. What a big mistake they unintentionally-or intentionally-make it.

    After eating, William fulfilled his word. That night, he didn¡¯t let Paula sleep until the morning came.

    Paula gasped for air when it was three in the morning. William also looked very tired. The two of them lay on the bed, embracing each other¡¯s tightly, feeling how comfortable when their skin was touching each other.

    William stroked Paula¡¯s hair affectionately. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°My answer is no if you want more rounds,¡± Paula replied as she pinched William¡¯s waist.

    William chuckled. ¡°Of course not. I just want to know, why can you easily give me to Lea?¡±

    Paula was silent for a moment. ¡°What is the meaning of your question, Will? We agreed to do that.¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t feel that way. It feels like... I can¡¯t give you to another man,¡± William whispered, closing his eyes because he was tired and sleepy. ¡°I¡¯m not willing ... at all.¡±

    Paula¡¯s heart skipped a beat for a moment when she heard William¡¯s statement. As William¡¯s embrace tightened, Paula¡¯s cheek touched William¡¯s hard chest. Paula¡¯s lips kissed William¡¯s soft nipples as her thoughts wandered around. Why did William make it even more difficult for her to leave him?

    ¡°Next time, don¡¯t ask that bastard for help!¡± William whispered again. ¡°If something happens to you, ask me for help.¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t answer because her eyelids felt heavy. It didn¡¯t take long for the two of them to fall into a deep slumber, hugging each other as if nothing bad was waiting for them.

    ***

    The sun was already high when Paula¡¯s eyes opened. She removed William¡¯s heavy arms from her body and rushed to the bathroom to clean up.

    Since there was no proper cloth for her, Paula picked up William¡¯s white shirt and put it on to cover her clean and fresh body.

    ¡°Danica, where are you? It¡¯s already late. Did she oversleep?¡± Paula muttered to herself.

    Paula ordered food for breakfast, then returned to the bedside to take a look at William, who was still fast asleep like a baby. The woman smiled as she lift his bangs to uncover his face.

    Tired of waiting for Danica, Paula took her handbag to get her cell phone. She was about to call her assistant when the doorbell rang.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Danica!¡± Carelessly, Paula dropped her handbag, making her belongings shatter on the floor. ¡°Please wait!¡± She asked the visitor to wait while collecting her things and putting them back inside the bag.

    After making sure that her appearance was quite decent, Paula rushed to open the door. However, how shocked she was when she didn¡¯t find Danica waiting behind the door, but Lea.

 Chapter 36

    36 36. He is Mine

    Last night in William¡¯s parent¡¯s house, Lea sent Samuel home, accompanying him to the parking area. Of course, they didn¡¯t do it because they got along well, instead, they wanted the privacy to talk more about a secret plan.

    ¡°Sam, tell me! Is Paula pregnant with your baby?¡± Lea whispered, failing to hide her shocked face. ¡°I don¡¯t like her but I had never thought that she was that kind of woman. It¡¯s unbelievable!¡±

    Samuel smirked, gritting his teeth in annoyance. ¡°What? Of course not!¡±

    ¡°But you said that-¡±

    ¡°Listen, my poor Lea! Paula is indeed pregnant ... but with William¡¯s baby, of course,¡± Samuel whispered, glaring at Lea who was even more speechless. She shook her head in disbelief, unable to stand the news.

    ¡°No! That¡¯s impossible!¡± Lea forced herself not to buy into the fact Samuel told her. ¡°You are not telling lies.¡±

    ¡°I never expect you to believe me. I don¡¯t need your trust either. However, she is with William now. She may or may not tell him about her pregnancy,¡± Samuel explained the situation, making Lea¡¯s face turn white as paper. ¡°But, once she tells him, it will be the end of the game. Do you understand how bad your situation is?¡±

    Samuel locked his eyes on Lea¡¯s, showing her how serious he was. ¡°If you want to play along with my plan ... play well.¡±

    Samuel tapped Lea¡¯s shoulder and entered his car. That¡¯s when Lea grabbed his arm and prevented him from his move.

    .....

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this together!¡± she said in a trembling voice. Her eyes pleaded, begging Samuel to help her.

    A cunning smile plastered on Samuel¡¯s face when he knew that he was winning. He took Lea¡¯s cold hands and said, ¡°Come in! Let¡¯s talk!¡±

    ***

    In the morning, in front of the hotel room, Lea stood stiffly, glaring at Paula with a stern expression. This was part of Lea and Samuel¡¯s plan-secretly interrogating Paula, whether she already told William about her pregnancy or not.

    ¡°Lea?¡± Paula greeted her visitor in shock. She was expecting Danica, not Lea. ¡°Sorry, I ... have nothing to wear,¡± she added, realizing how indecent her appearance was in front of Lea. It was like telling Lea that she spent the hot and sexy night with William without saying a word.

    Paula cleared her throat, waiting for Lea¡¯s response. Honestly, she was not in the best condition for arguing with anybody.

    ¡°Are you surprised?¡± Lea smirked. ¡°You shameless woman! You said that you will give William back to me. Look! What are you doing here?¡±

    Paula gulped, feeling a little guilty. ¡°How did you know we are here?¡± She said, crossing her arms on her chest. She tried to look nonchalant, keeping her composure in check.

    ¡°Does that matter? The problem here is, why do you still fuck my man when you already promise that you will not do that anymore?¡± Lea couldn¡¯t contain her anger. Her heart burned to see Paula wearing William¡¯s shirt, something that she never had a chance to do. Let alone seeing Paula¡¯s natural rosy cheeks, indicating that she had mind-blowing sex with her beloved William.

    ¡°I bumped into William last night ... unintentionally. I was hurt, he helped me,¡± Paula replied, trying to stay calm. ¡°As you can see. He helped me treat my wounds,¡± Paula pointed out her knees, showing Lea the solid proof of her explanation.

    Lea smiled bitterly. Without permission, she forced her way into the room. Paula tried to block it, ¡°Lea, you are trespassing!¡±

    ¡°As if I give a fuck!¡± Lea shoved Paula¡¯s body and walked deeper into the room. Her eyes roamed the lavish room, finding the shattered clothes and the naked William who was sleeping soundly like a baby. Just how tired he was? She guessed that the man would not be able to wake up soon.

    Lea gritted her teeth out of anger. She snapped, ¡°Is this what you casually call a ¡®help¡¯? Are you always fuck the man who helps you? Disgusting! Do you have no pride at all?¡±

    Lea¡¯s words burned Paula¡¯s ears like fire. ¡°Lea! William and I are married. That¡¯s just what a married couple does!¡± Paula¡¯s brows furrowed. Perhaps, she was wrong. But she was not that wrong. ¡°I was banging my husband. My legal partner. We still have our rings on.¡±

    ¡°How funny! Soon-to-be ex-es still care to do marital duties in the middle of their divorce process!¡± Lea said sarcastically, lifting Paula¡¯s torn dress and shoving it immediately. ¡°What was that for? Goodbye sex?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your business!¡± Paula exclaimed. She pointed at Lea. ¡°You have no right to judge me!¡±

    Lea nodded, looking at anything but Paula. She bit her lower lip, trying to collect her senses. But, her heart kept on fire when she recalled the kiss marks spread on Paula¡¯s body. It was a lot. It was evidence of how passionate the night was. Lea could not accept the reality.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that William was willing to do you. Did you trick him? You forced yourself on him, no?¡± Lea turned her face to Paula, throwing a disgusting look. ¡°Do you try to get pregnant with his baby so you can tie him up later?¡± She kept accusing Paula out of rage.

    Paula was surprised to hear Lea¡¯s statement. It seemed unlikely that she had said it by mistake. Did anyone tell Lea that she was pregnant? Was that a pure coincidence?

    ¡°Lea! Even if I am pregnant with his baby, I will never use the baby to tie him up! That¡¯s my rule. Don¡¯t you try to belittle me! I am not that low,¡± Paula defended herself. For her, it was a sin to use the innocent one to tie the father. Especially if he didn¡¯t even want to have the baby.

    Lea froze, hearing Paula¡¯s words. She could rest assured now since Paula didn¡¯t tell William about the pregnancy yet. It was her chance to prevent Paula from telling William the truth.

    ¡°Paula, look! William and I are getting married soon after your divorce. We will be happy in no time. Please don¡¯t spoil our happiness!¡± Lea grabbed Paula¡¯s arms, looking at her with pleading eyes. ¡°After a long time, William¡¯s parents finally agreed to our relationship. I thank you for helping us. However, please don¡¯t take this happiness away from us anymore. Please, Paula! I beg you. I know that you are a kind woman.¡±

    Paula looked down because Lea was shorter than her. If she refused Lea¡¯s request, she would surely look like a wicked woman who snatched someone¡¯s man. In fact, who snatched who? William was her legal husband. He was all hers-protected by the law.

    ¡°Look! I have spare clothes for you. It is mine but it¡¯s the biggest size I have.¡± Lea shoved a paper bag to Paula, hoping that her rival would take it without questioning her act.

    ¡°You prepared a change of cloth for me?¡± Paula asked curiously.

    ¡°Oh, I bring it-just in case,¡± Lea lied. Of course, she had no idea about that kind of thing. It was Samuel¡¯s order to bring spare clothes for Paula. As an experienced man, Samuel could easily predict what happened last night.

    Paula smirked. The change in Lea¡¯s attitude was indeed disgusting, she wanted to kick her out of the room. But, she couldn¡¯t handle her presence much longer. She couldn¡¯t help taking Lea¡¯s clothes and then quickly left the room.

    Without waiting any longer, Paula picked up her undies from the floor and quickly changed her clothes in the bathroom. Lea¡¯s loose t-shirt and pants were fit for Paula¡¯s body, even though it was a bit tight.

    A few minutes later, Paula came out of the bathroom and found Lea busy with her cell phone. Lea¡¯s attention turned to Paula who looked like an older sister wearing her baby sister¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s ... quite decent,¡± Lea said, hesitantly.

    Paula lifted her eyebrows and said, ¡°Decent? Yeah, maybe.¡±

    Without saying another word, Paula took her bag and prepared to leave. She wore her heels and felt a slight pain in her legs. She stopped a little to ease the pain.

    ¡°I will go.¡± Paula approached Lea and said goodbye.

    Leah nodded, smiling tightly. ¡°Be careful! You are injured.¡±

    Paula shook her head. ¡°I can call a cab. No biggie.¡±

    Slowly, Paula walked out of the room. But suddenly, a dark thought flashed through her head. She was resentful of being kicked out like a homewrecker. She wasn¡¯t one.

    How about if she taught Lea a little lesson? She deserved it, no?

    Paula stopped walking and turned to Lea. ¡°Oh! I forgot to tell you an important thing. You should make sure you can satisfy him in bed,¡± Paula said with a faint smile, ¡°because William said, he can¡¯t get enough of me.¡±

    Lea¡¯s eyes widened. She couldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°If you have difficulties finding his sensitive spots, I¡¯m more than willing to help. You can learn a lot from me,¡± Paula sneered with a faint smile on her face. ¡°Oh, one more. His size is huge. It will hurt for the first time. However, once you get used to his size, you are on cloud nine.¡±

    Lea¡¯s eyes popped out. How could Paula say those things to her?

    However, Paula was not done yet. She brought her mouth closer to Lea¡¯s ears and whispered, ¡°Be careful! I guess, his cock is bigger than your baby¡¯s father¡¯s.¡±

    Paula patted Lea¡¯s shoulder softly. After that, she left the room with ease, leaving Lea with her grudge.

 Chapter 37

    37 37. Lea¡¯s Attack

    Paula¡¯s last words left a deep scratch in Lea¡¯s heart. Paula humiliated her in the worst way possible. So, Paula already knew that the child in her womb was not William¡¯s child? So William had told Paula about that? Who else was it? Only William knew that his baby maker was not the one who made the baby dough and put it in Lea¡¯s womb.

    Lea¡¯s body was shaking. Why did William say that to Paula? What was the importance? Did William want to embarrass her in front of Paula? Had William changed that much? Did he say that he can¡¯t have enough of Paula? Was he the one who seduced Paula first last night?

    However, there was one thing that scared her even more. Would Paula tell the secret to William¡¯s parents? If she did that, then her story would be over soon.

    Bewildered, Lea took her cell phone from the table and immediately sent a message to Samuel. Samuel was disgusting and cunning, but Lea had no choice but to ask him for advice. She had indeed been ensnared by the devil¡¯s trap and could not get out of it.

    Lea: Sam, what should I do? Looks like William was the one who don¡¯t want to leave Paula.

    Sam: Is William awake?

    Leah: Not yet.

    Sam: Has Paula left?

    Leah: Just now.

    .....

    Sam: Get out of the room before William finds out that you kicked Paula out. Make William sure that Paula doesn¡¯t want him anymore!

    Lea was restless. She had to leave before William woke up. She had to set up the fake situation where Paula happily left William without bothering to say goodbye.

    Lea grabbed her handbag and intended to leave immediately. However, her foot stepped on a book, causing her to stop moving. The woman bent down to pick up the blue-covered book.

    The book was nice and cute. Not so girly, but adorable. When she turned the book to check the other side, she immediately knew what it was.

    It was Paula¡¯s pregnancy journal!

    Lea opened it to check what was the content. There were medical records of Paula¡¯s pregnancy. There were also two sonogram sheets, each of them showing a bean-sized fetus.

    ¡°Crap! Paula must have left this here on purpose to let William know that she is pregnant. I can¡¯t underestimate her at all,¡± Lea cursed exasperatedly. Her hands were shaking out of anger. ¡°I never think I am dealing with a cunning demon queen.¡±

    Lea then put the book into her bag. There was no way she would let William find out about Paula¡¯s pregnancy. Ignited by anger, Lea, who had wanted to go straight from the room, decided to stay for a while. Her brain got a dirty idea to corner her rival.

    The woman took a paper and pen from her bag and wrote:

    ¡°Thank you for your service last night. I appreciate your efforts. I give this small reward in return.

    However, after this, I don¡¯t want to do it again with you. Your little needle was the worst. I almost couldn¡¯t feel it at all. Moreover, your poor stamina will never satisfy even half of my needs.

    Bye, William! I need to find another dick to do the task.¡±

    Trembling, Lea placed the paper on the small table next to the bed, along with a grand she had in her purse. Lea glanced at William who was still fast asleep and immediately tiptoed to the door. However, when she opened the door, she was surprised to find the hotel maid delivering breakfast.

    ¡°Put the food on the table and leave immediately! Don¡¯t let him wake up!¡± Lea ordered hastily.

    ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am!¡± The female waitress dressed in black and white then immediately entered the room, placing the food tray on the table-carefully, she was doing it slowly, avoiding making noises.

    As Lea was about to leave, she remembered that her dark hair would never be mistaken for Paula¡¯s blonde hair. She then came back and gave 100 bucks to the waiter saying, ¡°You didn¡¯t see me here, okay?¡±

    The confused maid hesitantly took the tip from Lea and nodded. Lea then left the room with relief. At least, she did the task well.

    ***

    It was almost noon when William groped the sheet next to him. Cold. There was no warmth he was looking for. Reluctantly, the man slowly opened his eyes and looked around the room.

    ¡°Paula! Are you in the bathroom?¡± William called, feeling worried.

    Because there was no answer and he also heard nothing from the bathroom, William hurried out of bed and walked towards the bathroom. How shocked he was when he found the bathroom empty.

    In a huff, William picked up his pants and checked the room. There was just a huge pile of pancakes and two cups of coffee that had gone cold. It was obvious that the food had been delivered hours ago and no one had touched it at all.

    William found the digital clock on the table showing 11:12. William gulped and realized he was waking up too late so Paula left first. Too bad, though, he was planning on spending some more time with Paula and persuading her to go home, at least until the problems were all done.

    William then put on his clothes, going to the restaurant because his stomach was growling. He opened the door, then went back inside when he realized that he didn¡¯t have the cell phone and wallet he put on the table last night. However, of course, he found a surprise there. A sheet of paper with a message on it and a pile of money. He was trembling out of rage, reading the message.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± William cursed angrily. ¡°Didn¡¯t she have multiple big orgasms last night? She was the one who begged me to stop!¡±

    At the same time, the panicked Danica arrived in front of William¡¯s room and immediately entered deeper into the room because the door was half open. She walked closer to the bedroom and found William-only-standing stiffly with his back to her.

    ¡°Will, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t find a suitable outfit because Paula¡¯s favorite store wasn¡¯t open yet, and .... I don¡¯t know if Paula will like this or not but I have tried my best.¡± Danica, who was still gasping for air, walked slowly toward her boss while holding a dark blue paper bag with three capital letters GAP written on it.

    When she was close to William, Danica saw the gloomy face of her superior, looking completely humiliated and hurt. Was it because she made a mistake? Will she be fired?

    ¡°Am I too late?¡± asked Danica out of worried.

    William snapped out of his thoughts and crumpled the paper and bills in his hands, throwing them on the floor. He faced his assistant with a blank stare. ¡°Forget it! Let¡¯s get back to work!¡±

    ¡°But, don¡¯t you take a day off today?¡± Danica protested. She complained because she had already planned a lot of things.

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m having a day off?¡± William yelled, wide-eyeing Danica. He knew that his assistant was not at fault. He was not supposed to vent his anger on her. But he couldn¡¯t control his emotion.

    Danica was frightened and swallowed hard. Something must have happened to Paula that made her boss on a rampage. She could only follow William¡¯s order and rushed out of the room.

    However, Danica¡¯s curiosity was unbearable. She picked up the paper William had thrown away and checked it. Of course, her eyes popped out in disbelief. No wonder his boss¡¯s mood was ruined. His performance on the bed was utterly insulted.

    Danica then looked at the untouched food, thinking something was off. Of course, her behavior made her employer upset.

    ¡°What are you doing, Dani?¡± William snapped again. ¡°Come on! We are late for work!¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry! I just feel weird. Who ordered breakfast and left them untouched?¡± Danica replied as she rushed out of the room.

    ¡°Of course not me! Do you think I ordered room service while sleeping?¡± William grumbled the whole way.

    Danica just nodded, agreeing with William¡¯s words. ¡°So ... Paula ordered the food and left?¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± said Danica. ¡°Just think that ... It¡¯s weird.¡±

    Danica didn¡¯t say what was bothering her because William was in an angry state. Ordering that much food meant Paula planned to have breakfast with her husband. Strangely, she left the room, leaving a message and money to mock William-as if he were a gigolo who failed to satisfy a customer.

    Arriving at the office, Danica checked the messages in the inbox. One of them was a party invitation from Mark Stevens, Alan¡¯s biological father, who celebrated his union with his son. He wanted to officially introduce his son to society.

    Danica then passed the invitation on to William and as expected, William was still showing an unpleasant expression. ¡°I¡¯m attending the party.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± said Danica. ¡°Oh, it said that you should bring your wife ...¡±

    Hearing a ¡®wife¡¯ word, William threw a glare at Danica and said, ¡°Then, I am not attending the party.¡±

    ¡°But,-¡±

    Danica couldn¡¯t finish her sentence because a man¡¯s voice startled her. ¡°You should attend the party and bring Lea as your plus one!¡±

    William turned his gloomy face, only to find his father standing in front of the door.

 Chapter 38

    38 38. The Divorce Papers

    William and Danica were tongue-tied in the sudden presence of William¡¯s father. There were no words left in their mouths. They could only see Alex entering the room without questioning his behavior.

    The man wearing a designer gray suit approached his son¡¯s table, bringing along his party invitation letter. His emerald green eyes stared intently at the room owner, letting people know clearly who William inherited those beautiful eyes from.

    The man, whose dark hair was already partly white, pulled up a chair in front of his son¡¯s desk, then sat cross-legged proudly. He looked at his son¡¯s gloomy face with a domineering gaze, like a boss who was about to scold his employee.

    The handsome middle-aged man turned his gaze at Danica and said, ¡°Dear, could you please leave us for a moment? I want to say hi to my only son since he rarely visits me at home. You know, I missed him a lot.¡±

    A light smile plastered on Danica¡¯s face. She knew what was the real meaning behind the chairman¡¯s sweet words. He was about to discuss private matters with his son. There was a possibility that the discussion would turn into a war. That was why she should not stay in the room.

    When William¡¯s assistant left the room, Alex turned to face his son again. His smiling face turned cold and stern. It had no expression at all.

    ¡°That¡¯s an important party. I don¡¯t know how you manage to get along with that unapproachable Mark Stevens but I am glad you made it. That¡¯s why you need to attend his invitation,¡± Alex explained. His tone sounded cold, even colder than his usual self.

    ¡°I was lucky enough to meet his illegitimate son. That boy wanted to meet his biological father so badly. He moved my heart and I was more than willing to help him,¡± William explained unenthusiastically. He glanced at his father to see his response. He wasn¡¯t sure his old man would praise him after he revealed the true story. It was pure luck.

    ¡°So, I have a kind-hearted son who helps a business tycoon unite with his bastard child,¡± Alex said, nodding in understanding. ¡°Okay, I guess, your kindness and luck are your advantages. Your hard work finally paid off.¡±

    .....

    William sneered. ¡°As I said, I didn¡¯t do anything big. Don¡¯t say it as if I was working hard. It was Danica and the private investigator who did the task.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what the leader does, Will!¡± Alex lifted his eyes, making his appearance look even more arrogant. ¡°The next task is easy. Attend the party, mingle with him and his colleagues, and make him invest his money in our business. If you add more investors, it will be even better.¡±

    ¡°But Paula and I-¡±

    ¡°No buts,¡± Alex cut his son¡¯s sentence and said, ¡°you can bring Lea instead. Consider this as your redemption for your failure to persuade Martin a month ago.¡±

    William didn¡¯t believe his father¡¯s sudden change in attitude. He knew that his father was into business matters. However, this was too much for him. He didn¡¯t have an ill intention to use Alan from the beginning. He felt like he was betraying that boy¡¯s innocent faith. The boy thought that he would be able to solve any problems. That¡¯s why William bothered to help him.

    William shook his head, refusing his father¡¯s request. Of course, Alex didn¡¯t let his son take his order lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t waste such a good opportunity or you will pay the price!¡± he yelled, wide-eyeing his only son.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want it. I also can not bring Lea to the party. We ... aren¡¯t married yet,¡± William objected, throwing an intense glare at his father.

    ¡°She is your soon-to-be wife. What¡¯s the problem with bringing her along?¡± Alex insisted.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a chance to discuss things with Paula. Don¡¯t talk about ¡®marrying Lea¡¯ lightly because Paula and I aren¡¯t divorced yet,¡± William replied, complaining that his father still didn¡¯t learn his lesson. His father should never dictate to him what to do and what not to do.

    ¡°Lisa and I will also attend the party because we are invited and I don¡¯t care about your problems. You need to come along with us,¡± Alex concluded. ¡°But, I don¡¯t think your mom is willing to see Paula anymore.¡±

    Of course, Alex¡¯s last sentence made William curious. He didn¡¯t like it when his parents talked badly about Paula. His mom was always fond of Paula.

    ¡°Why?¡± William¡¯s brows furrowed in disbelief. ¡°Paula is nice. She always helps us with many things.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Paula was like a queen in my eyes,¡± Alex smirked in disgust, ¡°but now, I think that she is even lower than a whore.¡±

    ¡°Get out of my office!¡± William snapped, infuriated.

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    ¡°Do you think I will let you belittle Paula?¡± William threw a glare at his father. He is in the middle of a cold war with Paula. However, he did not want anyone to look down on his wife. His wife, his pride. That was how he treated Paula all the time. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, but you have no right to judge her ... even if you are my father.¡±

    ¡°Huh, I expected you to be like this. If only you knew what she was doing behind your back, you¡¯d be disgusted.¡± Alex sneered, chuckling lightly. He recalled how shocked he was when Samuel told him about the affair. ¡°But, that¡¯s just an example of what people call ¡®an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,¡± Alex said, referring to William¡¯s affair with Lea. Unlike his wife, he didn¡¯t deny that his son was also at fault.

    ¡°Don¡¯t interfere in my household affairs,¡± William snapped again.

    Alex just laughed at his son¡¯s behavior. He rose from his seat and said, ¡°Your mother invited you to dinner at home tonight. Don¡¯t try to ignore her this time! You will know the consequences.¡±

    Without saying another word, Alex stomped out of William¡¯s office. He wasn¡¯t interested in talking about Paula¡¯s pregnancy with Samuel¡¯s baby at Lea¡¯s request. According to his future daughter-in-law, William would be furious if he found out about Paula¡¯s affair ... and it turned out to be true. Just saying a little bad thing about Paula, William was infuriating.

    After Alex left, Danica gave William¡¯s schedule for the next day. She also provided a stack of documents for William to sign. Danica didn¡¯t say anything else unnecessarily. She knew her boss was not in the mood to listen to unimportant ramblings.

    ¡°And ... this is your divorce papers,¡± Danica said hesitantly, afraid of William¡¯s condition. ¡°Paula¡¯s lawyer dropped the papers and left. You can check with your lawyer before signing the papers.¡±

    William stared blankly at the papers, saying nothing. He was about to say something-cursing. But his heart was hurt. No! Hurt was an understatement.

    ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± Danica asked, trying to professionally understand the situation.

    William shook his head and then cleared his throat before saying, ¡°You can leave, Dani. Thanks!¡± His voice was low and sad. Danica could feel it.

    However, what was the point of saying her opinion or suggestion? Although William was still unsure, Paula was ready for the divorce. All she could do was do her best to support William at work.

    But before Danica left, William suddenly held her back. Danica stopped and turned to her boss.

    ¡°Dani, if you had two things that you thought were both important and you could only choose one, which one would you choose? How would you make the decision?¡± William said in an awkward gesture. He tightened his lips, feeling embarrassed. He didn¡¯t expect to experience this kind of feeling.

    Danica paused for a moment. Squeezing the signed paperwork in her hand, ¡°I will ask myself .... Which one do you need more in life? Which one needs you more?¡±

    William fell silent again. He knew Lea needed him. Especially if Dave is not willing to take responsibility for her baby. She must have been in a lot of pain. Yet, for some reason, his desire to stay with Paula was so great, far greater than his desire to be with Lea.

    ¡°Why do you think anyone would want to throw someone out of their life so much?¡± William asked again, staring blankly at the documents on his desk.

    ¡°It must be because that person¡¯s existence is not very valuable, he or she can easily be replaced by someone else,¡± Danica answered doubtfully. She was afraid of giving the wrong answer.

    William sighed deeply. He knew Paula could live well without him. But was he not the least bit special to her?

    What William didn¡¯t understand even more, why did he feel so uneasy when he found out that Paula didn¡¯t want him? Wasn¡¯t this a good thing? He could start a new life with Lea.

    ¡°Dani, someone used to be madly in love with a girl, but now, that person can not feel it.¡±

    Danica shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. However, it could be because that person is already in love with someone else.¡±

 Chapter 39

    39 39. In Love with Her

    William was stunned by Danica¡¯s unexpected answer. He stared at his assistant, wide-eying her as if she was saying a magic spell. Not ¡®avada kedavra¡¯. Not ¡®expecto patronum¡¯. It was ¡®petrificus totalus¡¯, the spell that turned the target became completely unmoved.

    Love?

    William¡¯s heart was thumping like crazy. There were red and pink flowers in the air, showering him with happiness. His mind suddenly felt at ease. His body turned light despite the problems he was facing being unsolved.

    Love?

    Who was the one he loved? No. That question was nothing but stupid. How could he turn silly just by one word? Of course, he was in love with Paula, his soon-to-be ex.

    Love?

    True. There was no doubt that he was in love with Paula. He couldn¡¯t ditch her from his mind. He fantasized about having sex with her instead of Lea. He was about to beat Samuel to death, knowing he wronged her in so many ways. He was jealous of his cousin getting along well with his beloved Paula.

    William smiled faintly as the word ¡®love¡¯ kept ringing in his head. He didn¡¯t know why he was ineffably happy but that was what he felt.

    ¡°William?¡± Danica sneered, seeing her boss smile non-stop. ¡°Are you ... okay?¡±

    .....

    William was startled. ¡°Yes, yes, that person is okay. I think you are correct. That person is in love with someone else.¡± William cleared his throat, trying so hard to suppress his happiness. However, the feeling was unstoppable. He was overwhelmed.

    Danica nodded faintly. She had just realized what was the real problem here. William was madly in love with Lea, yet he was forced to marry Paula. But now, he found that he was in love with Paula and didn¡¯t want a divorce. ¡°I am happy if that person is happy. However, the problem is the girl he loves doesn¡¯t want him, yes?¡±

    Suddenly, the feeling of happiness dropped to the ground. The air turned gloomy, and the fresh flowers around him withered in an instant.

    ¡°Yes, that is the problem,¡± William said in a whisper. A sad look crossed his face. Even if he tried so hard to look okay, Danica could still see that he was hurt.

    Who wasn¡¯t sad for being told that his third leg was needle sized? Who didn¡¯t doubt himself when his bed performance was mocked by the girl he loved? No man would survive that kind of mockery.

    William¡¯s face was gloomy again. Danica even felt guilty for saying something honest. To fix the mistake, Danica tried to say something positive to give her boss a spark of hope.

    ¡°Then you have to try to win her heart,¡± said Danica, encouraging him. ¡°You need to make her want you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± William was startled.

    ¡°Ah, I meant, that person should try to make the girl fall in love with him,¡± said Danica again, fixing her mistake hastily. She forgot that her boss was pretending that it was not his problem. It was that person¡¯s problem.

    William looked at Danica, doubting his assistant¡¯s suggestion. However, he then lightly nodded. ¡°Okay. Thank you, Danica! You are indeed a good adviser.¡±

    Danica smiled warmly and said, ¡°I¡¯m glad that you find it helpful.¡±

    ¡°N-not me! It¡¯s not-my problem ... err ... A friend asked me for advice,¡± William stuttered, trying to convince Danica that it was not his story.

    ¡°Oh, sure. I will be glad if that person finds it helpful,¡± Danica corrected, giggling in amusement. Did William think that his acting was convincing? He was the worst actor ever.

    That day, William could not concentrate on work. During the afternoon, William was just googling for some articles about how to increase his size. He wanted to find the best clinic to help him so Paula wouldn¡¯t make fun of him again, that his manhood was only the size of a needle.

    There were many ways to fix the manhood size problem: surgery, taking herbal pills, and exercise. The surgery looked attractive and effective, but the side effects seemed terrible. He still wanted his manhood to sprung north. If not, Paula would mock him again.

    Another option was medication. However, what kind of medicine worked? In confusion, William looked for some herbal pills on Amazon and checked the stars. He read the reviews and bought some products with the best performance. It was such a waste of time indeed. However, for this kind of matter, there was no way he could ask Danica for help.

    Another solution that he would certainly take was exercise. He learned several massaging techniques to lengthen and thicken the size. According to the article, most sexologists said that he should focus on the thickness instead of the length.

    William exhaled deeply. After trying to increase his size, the next problem was his stamina. He had to strengthen it so Paula would never complain anymore. God, did Paula talk about the first round when he didn¡¯t last long?

    ¡°Shit! I should have known that she was so disappointed back then!¡± William cursed, regretting his carelessness. ¡°It must be because I rarely do exercise anymore!¡±

    William then picked up his cell phone and called his personal trainer to schedule his training. He would prove to Paula that he could do better in bed, as she wished. He would make her unable to turn her back on him.

    That day, William went home early because he had scheduled a workout with his personal trainer this evening. He still had two hours left before dinner at his parents¡¯ house. He didn¡¯t want to come, but he couldn¡¯t turn the invitation down because his father had come to his office in person just to convey his mom¡¯s message.

    ¡°Dani, I will check the other documents tomorrow. I have an appointment today.¡± William walked hurriedly out of his room.

    ¡°A short notice?¡± asked Danica in surprise.

    ¡°Yes. I have a schedule with my personal trainer,¡± William said succinctly.

    Danica nodded as a reply. ¡°Oh, just one more thing!¡± Danica said again. ¡°Just now, Paula¡¯s lawyer called, the divorce process would be faster if you signed the papers immediately. It will only take about three months.¡±

    William gaped and said, ¡°Then ... said to her that I will never sign that fucking papers.¡±

 Chapter 40

    40 40. The Burden on Her Shoulders

    ¡°He said he would never sign the divorce papers. Didn¡¯t you say that he was the one who wanted the divorce in the first place?¡± Helena, Paula¡¯s lawyer asked in confusion. She thought that this divorce case was not the difficult one.

    Paula was stunned. She remembered what had happened when she spent the night with him. But, remembering what Lea told her, she brushed the thought. She didn¡¯t want to put hope in uncertainty. ¡°Maybe, something is wrong with the document. We can discuss it later!¡±

    Paula ended the call, exhaling lightly. She couldn¡¯t think clearly about the divorce matter since there was a big problem in the Tokyo branch of her father¡¯s company.

    ¡°Sorry, that was Helena,¡± Paula said, turning to face her father.

    ¡°Is there any problem?¡± asked Robert anxiously. He was afraid there were difficulties that Paula needed to overcome.

    ¡°No biggie.¡± Paula shook her head, smiling lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s continue where we left off!¡±

    Paula and her father were in the middle of discussing the affairs of the Tokyo office. There was a big problem, company secrets were being leaked by traitors. Nobody knew who did it. If this problem wasn¡¯t solved immediately, it can lead to bankruptcy.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t want to force you to leave immediately while you¡¯re in the middle of the divorce process. We can¡¯t help, we have no other choice,¡± Robert said with a regretful expression. ¡°I want to go there by myself, but the problems in Italy are not over yet.¡±

    A sad look flashed in Robert¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t want to give so much burden on Paula, but she was his only daughter. The only heiress that he could rely on.

    .....

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, dad! I¡¯ll do my best to save the Tokyo branch,¡± Paula said without hesitation. Her blue eyes stared confidently at her father.

    To make the stern situation lighter, Paula took a cup of coffee and offered it to her father. ¡°Monica¡¯s coffee is the best. Try it!¡±

    Robert then happily took the coffee from Paula¡¯s hands and took a sip of it. ¡°Hmm ... I hope I come here every day.¡±

    ¡°I told you,¡± Paula giggled.

    The atmosphere lightened up. Paula then offered snacks to her father and they laughed, talking about gossip.

    However, that was only temporary. Before long, Robert started talking about serious problems again.

    ¡°Then, what do you plan about your divorce?¡± Robert¡¯s eyes looked at Paula in hesitation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Helena to take care of everything,¡± Paula replied, trying to put her father¡¯s mind at ease. ¡°She is such a great lawyer.¡±

    Robert sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to meet William and talk about some important things?¡±

    Paula shook her head again. ¡°We¡¯d better think about the company, dad. It¡¯s much more important than my silly divorce,¡± Paula said, squeezing her father¡¯s hand. ¡°Do not think too hard about my problem!¡±

    Paula¡¯s heart was hurt, seeing Robert smile weakly. His father¡¯s face looked pale recently. There were so many problems that the middle-aged man had to deal with.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Paula. I shouldn¡¯t have asked you to marry William.¡± Tears rolled down the corners of the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°I failed to be a good father to you.¡±

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be like that!¡± Paula said. ¡°William and I had to end the marriage. But believe me, dad. I was very happy with William. It was really fun. Just like dating a hot guy in college. We need to end the relationship once we graduate.¡±

    Robert chuckled hearing Paula¡¯s words. How could she talk so lightly about complicated household matters? A divorce was supposed to be sad and full of tears.

    That man patted Paula¡¯s shoulder, showing that he could do nothing but put his faith in her only daughter.

    ¡°Your residence permit is already accepted. Miyuki will soon arrange your itinerary. She is also preparing your accommodation in Tokyo,¡± Robert explained, sighing. He pursed his lips, forming a thin line. ¡°Be careful. Call me if you need help. You won¡¯t be able to handle everything by yourself, angel!¡±

    Paula smiled and nodded slowly. Her father then excused himself, giving Paula another time to settle things for her bakery business.

    Shortly after, Monica came into Paula¡¯s room to hand in the progress report. ¡°The marketing strategy is working effectively. The new types of cakes we offer alternately every week keep customers from getting bored. In the end, quality does the job,¡± Monica explained cheerfully. That girl looked at Paula with enthusiasm because their success deserves a thumbs up.

    ¡°Promoting your product is very important. But the product itself must be of the best quality,¡± Paula concluded. She checked Monica¡¯s report carefully and found that the bakery problem had indeed been resolved. It¡¯s just a matter of maintaining the company¡¯s performance.

    After signing the pile of documents Monica had brought, Paula said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving for Tokyo soon. Meanwhile, I will leave this bakery to you as we discussed earlier. I can¡¯t trust anyone but you, Monica.¡±

    ¡°I will try to do my best,¡± Monica said with a smile. ¡°To be honest, me and the others are sad that you are leaving.¡±

    Paula hugged Monica, her confidant whom she considered both a friend and a sister. ¡°I will miss you and the others very much. How about if we have a farewell party before I leave?¡±

    ¡°Of course! You have to,¡± replied Monica who was now crying and smiling at the same time to support Paula.

    Monica freed herself from Paula¡¯s arms. She looked at the young woman in front of her with concern. The young Paula had already faced many problems and responsibilities.

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Samuel is waiting outside,¡± Monica told Paula, stopping her sobbing before she left the room.

    Suddenly, Paula¡¯s kind and graceful face turned dark. She recalled what William said about Samuel kissing her. Her grudge toward him was unstoppable.

    In a dangerous whisper, Paula said, ¡°He dares to bring his disgusting ass to my face again. Look, don¡¯t blame me if I make him pay the price.¡±

 Chapter 41

    41 41. Forgive Me, Please!

    Quickly, Paula came out of her room to meet Samuel who was sitting at one of the customers¡¯ tables. She was very busy, but she felt it was worth it if she had to waste ten minutes dealing with Samuel.

    Hearing Samuel¡¯s name made Paula¡¯s ears burn with anger. Moreover, seeing the man¡¯s face made Paula feel annoyed that she wanted to throw a punch. However, no matter how much Paula hated him, she was not going to do it right away. She restrained herself as best as she could.

    ¡°How are you?¡± Samuel greeted warmly. He gave a bouquet of red roses to Paula as if nothing had happened. However, Paula asked Monica to take the flower and asked her assistant to leave immediately.

    A look of disappointment crossed Samuel¡¯s face. But, he tried to ignore Paula¡¯s rude behavior, blaming her hormone. He remembered his mom¡¯s change in attitude when she was pregnant with his siblings.

    The man rose from his seat and intended to pull out another chair for Paula. But, Paula gave a hand signal to him as a sign to stop him from doing anything for her.

    ¡°Thank you. But you don¡¯t have to do a nice thing for me-at all. This is my shop in case you forgot,¡± Paula answered flatly. Then she pulled up her chair.

    ¡°How¡¯s your leg?¡± asked Samuel again, a worried look flashed his face. He looked at Paula¡¯s legs which were wrapped in pantsuits. She had been wearing the pantsuits on purpose to cover her wounded knees so she wouldn¡¯t be the center of attention.

    ¡°Well. William wasn¡¯t a great nurse, but he took very good care of me,¡± Paula replied flatly, almost curtly. She looked at Samuel without the slightest bit of a smile.

    ¡°Have you been to the doctor?¡± asked Samuel again. ¡°If not, I¡¯ll take you now. I have acquaintances-¡±

    .....

    ¡°Thank you. But in this city, there are so many doctors that I have absolutely no doubts about their ability to just treat wounds. I don¡¯t need your recommendation,¡± Paula cut in fiercely. Her eyes stared intently at Samuel.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, Paula? Why did your attitude change like this?¡± Samuel felt he was wronged. What happened to Paula to make her so curt?

    ¡°Why? Do you not know the reason behind my rude treatment?¡± Paula asked sarcastically. ¡°Try to remember, have you ever wronged me before?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Samuel¡¯s face stiffened.

    ¡°What did you do to me when I passed out in the hospital?¡± asked Paula.

    Samuel¡¯s body felt as if it had been struck by lightning when he heard Paula¡¯s question. He was tongue-tied, unable to answer.

    How did she know? Who told her?

    However, Samuel remembered well, at that time, no one witnessed his actions. He also knew that there was no CCTV in the room for the sake of the patient¡¯s privacy.

    Quickly, Samuel defended himself, as if Paula had only heard fake news. ¡°Am I wrong if I help people in need? You¡¯re sick, and I was helping you. What was the problem?¡±

    Paula smiled sarcastically. She couldn¡¯t believe that Samuel would argue. ¡°Maybe you think that no one knows what you did. However, when your rotten manner is exposed, it looks even more disgusting when you¡¯re arguing.¡±

    ¡°Paula, who fed you this lie?¡± Samuel snapped.

    ¡°William saw you kiss me while I was unconscious in the hospital,¡± Paula argued confidently.

    ¡°Do you buy this bullshit?¡± Samuel laughed at Paula. ¡°You believed the person who betrayed you and refused to believe me? Trust me. He doesn¡¯t like how close I am to you so he made up this story!¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°So he could touch you again!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way William would lie!¡± Paula whispered, shaking her head slowly. ¡°Why did he do it? Without even trying hard, I will be glad if he touches me. I will gladly kiss him even if he turns fat and ugly.¡±

    ¡°Paula!¡± Samuel wide-eyed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t show your face to me again!¡± Paula snapped.

    ¡°Paula! I can explain!¡±

    ¡°I need no explanation! You assaulted me and you must be lucky because I am not filing a lawsuit.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? Paula, I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Paula! I regret it. I promise you, I will never do that again!¡± Samuel reached for Paula¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck, Sam!¡± Paula cursed, forgetting that she was pregnant and trying to only say good and positive words. She massaged her head, regretting that she couldn¡¯t control her emotions.

    ¡°You betrayed my trust, Samuel!¡± Paula said in a whisper. ¡°I forgive you but we can not be friends ever again!¡±

    Honestly, Paula liked Samuel¡¯s presence in her life. He was a good friend with no benefits. It was different from her relationship with William. However, if Samuel continued to act like that, touching her intimately without her consent, she had to end their friendship soon. She didn¡¯t want a friend like that.

    Paula rose from her seat, wanting to leave Samuel. However, unexpectedly, Samuel stopped her and knelt, begging for her forgiveness.

    ¡°I am sorry, Paula! I know I was wrong. It was ... you know ... just a spur of time.¡±

    ¡°Why can you say it was just a spur of the moment? Do you seriously think that I will forgive you for that reason?¡±

    ¡°Paula, please forgive me. I promise to do anything as long as you forgive me,¡± Samuel insisted to beg for Paula¡¯s kindness.

    Right now he deeply regretted his impulsive action because he didn¡¯t think about the consequences. If he knew Paula would hate him of course he would think twice before he did it. After all, who knew there was William who witnessed what he was doing?

    Paula was stunned as she weighed whether Samuel deserved to be forgiven. But she remembered that it was Samuel who helped her, bringing her to the hospital. She owed Samuel a favor. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll forgive you. We can pretend it never happened. But, if you do it again, I will never forgive you for good.¡±

    Kissing a cousin-in-law was a sin that Samuel should never do. He needed to learn his lesson.

    ¡°You said, you will do anything for me, no?¡± Paula asked, lifting her eyebrows.

    ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Samuel nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Anything for sure.¡±

 Chapter 42

    42 42. Punishment

    Samuel looked at Paula hopefully. He was wondering what Paula asked him to do.

    ¡°Then ...,¡± Paula¡¯s eyes roamed. She then clapped her hands, calling the old janitor who was in the middle of work.

    The man stopped cleaning the empty table and came closer to his employer. ¡°What can I do for you, ma¡¯am?¡± he asked, politely smiling at Paula.

    ¡°Fred, thank you for your hard work. Starting tomorrow, you can have three days off!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The old janitor was shocked. He wanted to decline Paula¡¯s order since he was afraid of the salary cut.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! There is no salary cut. I will pay a full salary as usual,¡± said Paula in amusement.

    ¡°But... why? I didn¡¯t do anything great that deserved a reward, ma¡¯am!¡± Fred, the kind old man, wanted to know the actual reason behind the reward.

    Paula chuckled. Her stern face turned to light. ¡°Because, we have a volunteer here,¡± Paula said as she glanced at Samuel. ¡°Just pretend you won the lottery!¡±

    Samuel was shocked when he realized what Paula asked him to do. ¡°W-what? I-I am? A janitor?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Yes! You said that you will do anything in return,¡± Paula replied, giggling in amusement. Samuel¡¯s shocking expression made her day.

    ¡°Impossible!¡± Samuel shook in disbelief.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you, Sam! You don¡¯t have to do it if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Of course, poor Samuel didn¡¯t like it but he had no choice. It was better than losing Paula forever.

    ¡°Okay, whatever, I will do it!¡± Samuel said half-heartedly.

    ¡°Okay. Fred, could you lend him your uniform?¡± Paula glanced at Samuel, smirking.

    Fred nodded in enthusiasm. He quickly ran to his locker to take his clean uniform and bring it to Samuel. ¡°Thank you, young man! This is my spare uniform.¡±

    Samuel accepted the folded janitor uniform. He hoped that nobody would recognize him in that white and blue clothing.

    ***

    The sound of metal clashing from several heavy fitness equipments made the situation in the fitness center not too quiet even though only a few people were exercising that night. William finished his weightlifting when his body was getting tired.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since my last training, it¡¯s hard, Bas,¡± William said breathlessly. He happily took the drinking water that Sebastian, his personal trainer, offered him.

    Sweat dripped down William¡¯s body. His shirt looked wet with sweat. He wiped his face with a small towel hanging around his neck. Immediately, the towel got wet and had to be replaced right away.

    ¡°Just take it slow. Remember, don¡¯t skip our next schedule if you want to get rid of this excessive belly fat sooner,¡± Sebastian said, laughing out loud. He looked at William¡¯s troubled face curiously. ¡°Why are you suddenly so excited about training? To the point of forcing me to come here today. Is your girl complaining about your appearance?¡±

    William didn¡¯t answer. He just glanced at Sebastian doubtfully. Indeed, who wanted to tell his bad sex experience to someone else?

    Sebastian laughed, exposing his neat white teeth. ¡°The important thing is, don¡¯t push yourself too hard. You don¡¯t look too bad.¡±

    William snorted in annoyance. ¡°Is it a bad thing? Trying to impress my woman.¡±

    ¡°It is not like that!¡± Sebastian raised his hand. ¡°I just want you to exercise without being burdened. The exercise should be motivated by keeping your health in check so that you can do it regularly ... happily.¡±

    William nodded. He took a sip of water from the bottle and said again, ¡°I¡¯m confused. She usually never makes a fuss about our sex life. However, she suddenly said that I was such a loser in bed.¡±

    Sebastian chuckled amusedly. He waved his muscular arm and said, ¡°Then just leave her. A woman like that won¡¯t last long with you. No matter how skilled you are, there will always be someone better.¡±

    William didn¡¯t answer. He just listened intently.

    ¡°You have sex with your girl to convey your feelings, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s not just to satisfy your needs. If you¡¯re just after bed satisfaction, you can do it with anyone. Not necessarily with your official partner.¡±

    William was pensive. Indeed, his relationship with Paula so far had only been limited to fulfilling each other¡¯s sexual needs.

    ¡°True love isn¡¯t just about the bed, Will! Choose a woman who accepts you as you are,¡± Sebastian said as he give a clean dry towel to William.

    Doubt ran through William¡¯s heart again. During this time, Paula did not discuss his shortcomings in bed. Why did Paula suddenly complain? She was not her usual self.

    Meanwhile, at the office, Danica still did her tasks. She still had a lot of work to do. She had to classify some old files and put them together with similar files to make them easy to find.

    However, while working, her mind drifted to other things. She was very curious about what happened to William at the hotel. Why would Paula do such a thing, when she was already planning a divorce?

    Then, she remembered the untouched breakfast. It was really strange because Danica thought Paula was planning to eat breakfast with William. But if the food was left untouched something must have happened that morning. Could someone come to see Paula that morning?

    ¡°Ah, never mind! None of my business!¡± Danica scratched her hair. She then continued her work of sorting out the documents.

    When she opened an old document from a month ago, she found yellow and pink sticky notes that Paula had made for her. Paula¡¯s writing was indeed very distinctive and neat, in the form of cursive letters where each letter was always consistent in both shape and size, just like printed letters. It was then, her mind drifted to Paula¡¯s notes she had picked up from the hotel. As she recalled, the shape of the letters was completely different.

    Quickly, Danica took the tattered paper out of her pocket and compared it to the sticky notes Paula had left behind. She didn¡¯t need to carefully check it. With just one glance, it was clear that it wasn¡¯t Paula¡¯s writing.

    ¡°Gosh, this is crazy. I have to tell William right away!¡±

 Chapter 43

    43 43. Family Problem

    William went to his parents¡¯ house half-heartedly. His black Rolls Royce stopped in the neatly arranged yard of the spacious house. Some of the maple leaves in the courtyard turned yellow, making the night seem less dark, supporting the light from the landscape lighting.

    Lisa had prepared a lot of food for tonight. William didn¡¯t have the heart to ignore his mother despite him starting to feel uncomfortable with his family¡¯s behavior.

    His mother was looking forward to seeing him. At this time, Lisa, who had been very beautifully dressed up, stood near the entrance, waiting for his arrival.

    ¡°William, my son!¡± Lisa welcomed her son and hugged him tightly. It was a long hug, as if not wanting to let go.

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± William asked in surprise. He stared at the middle-aged woman in a white dress questioningly. ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to greet me like this.¡±

    William separated himself from his mother and found her mother¡¯s glistening eyes. Her face was a little puffy, making him worried.

    ¡°Are you crying, mom? Why?¡± William wanted to know what her problem was.

    Lisa shook her head. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t make it. Come on, let¡¯s eat! The others are waiting.¡±

    Inside, Lea, who was already beautifully dressed, helped the waiter prepare the food. Wearing a skimpy red dress above the knee, Lea looked so classy and hot at the same time-a future ideal wife.

    .....

    ¡°Will, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re finally here,¡± Lea said cheerfully. ¡°Your mother and I prepared all your favorite foods.¡±

    William nodded. ¡°Thanks, Lea!¡±

    Alex, who had just come out of the study, was pleased with William¡¯s arrival. ¡°Ah, you are such an obedient child!¡±

    William, who took his mother¡¯s hand, could only grin at his father¡¯s comment. His father seemed to have forgotten who had come to the office to threaten him.

    Before long, all were sitting around the dining table and starting their dinner while conversing.

    ¡°I think Lea should immediately prepare clothes for the party,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Alex said you would come with Lea, right?¡± he asked William.

    William snorted expressionlessly. However, his irritability did not last long because again his old problems recurred when he tasted garlic in the gravy. Nausea struck again and he went straight to the bathroom to empty his bowels.

    ¡°William, are you okay?¡± Lea asked worriedly.

    ¡°What did you put in the food?¡± Lisa scolded Lea. ¡°Did you spoil the food I made!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t put anything in!¡± Leah defended herself. ¡°I did everything according to your instructions.¡±

    Lea¡¯s pregnancy didn¡¯t experience any morning sickness problems-perhaps not yet. Therefore, she cooked anything without problems. However, Lisa was surprised because it was William who had the morning sickness.

    ¡°Ah, this must be a sympathetic pregnancy!¡± Lisa cheered happily. ¡°Since Lea is fine, you¡¯re the one who has the pregnancy problems, Will,¡± she added, patting her son¡¯s back.

    William just grimaced. Supposedly, if anyone was throwing up because of Lea¡¯s baby, it would have to be Dave, not him.

    ¡°I heard from Danica, the divorce papers from Paula¡¯s lawyer have arrived. You already signed them, right?¡± Lisa asked.

    William almost choked on his spit. ¡°I-I¡¯ve taken care of it.¡± Right. He had already sent a message that he would not sign the document. At least, it would prolong the divorce process. He would try his best to persuade Paula to keep their marriage and help Lea to deal with her problems.

    ¡°Thank God. I hope you can officially divorce that woman and marry Lea soon,¡± Lisa said calmly. ¡°I wanted to wait until Vanessa came home from the student exchange. However, Lea¡¯s stomach is going to get bigger. I think, the sooner the better.¡±

    ¡°I agree with you. Vanessa is not our real daughter. So, her presence is not too important,¡± Alex added, feeling annoyed for some reason.

    ¡°Alex, why are you bringing that up now? Didn¡¯t you promise me you¡¯d never mention that again?¡± Lisa protested.

    ¡°So what? Vanessa isn¡¯t here,¡± Alex said, defending himself.

    Unexpectedly, the girl who was mentioned was standing behind them at that time. Vanessa was carrying her luggage, looking at everyone in the room in disbelief.

    ¡°Va-Vanessa?¡± Lisa said, stuttering. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you still be in France?¡±

    Vanessa stared blankly. She approached her mother, holding a small dark blue box wrapped with a silver ribbon. ¡°I ... asked permission to go home for a while because I wanted to give this gift to you, mom. But, it looks like you don¡¯t need my presence here,¡± Vanessa said as she gave her gift to Lisa. ¡°Happy birthday, mom ... err ... Mrs. Montgomery!¡±

    Vanessa looked at everyone in the room with a dazed look. She bowed lightly and then quickly stepped out of the house.

    ¡°Vanessa! Wait, Vanessa!¡± William chased after his adopted sister. ¡°Vanessa!¡±

    William managed to get his sister and prevented her from leaving. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a member of the family. I shouldn¡¯t have stayed here, Will!¡± Vanessa sobbed. She did not expect that her family was not her real family.

    ¡°Why did you say that?¡± William rebuked. ¡°Mom and dad have adopted you. By law, you are the Montgomery family.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not blood-related to all of you!¡±

    ¡°Look!¡± William grabbed Vanessa¡¯s arm and comforted her. ¡°I don¡¯t even remember that today is mom¡¯s birthday. You¡¯re the only one who gave her a present.¡±

    Vanessa gulped. She didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Family isn¡¯t just about blood, Vanessa! I know that you are the one who cares about mom the most.¡±

    Vanessa sobbed again. William then hugged her tighter. ¡°Remember Vanessa, I am your brother ... mom and dad are your parents as well. Okay?¡±

    Vanessa didn¡¯t answer. She could only hug William, looking for comfort.

    Just then, William¡¯s cell phone rang. It was a call from Danica.

    ¡°William! I found that the note-¡±

    ¡°Danica, I¡¯m in trouble. We¡¯ll talk about this later!¡± William cut Danica¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t want to think about other problems but Vanessa¡¯s. He immediately hung up and turned his attention to his baby sister again.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go in!¡± William ordered. ¡°Don¡¯t be a crybaby! We¡¯ll finish everything later.¡±

 Chapter 44

    44 44. The Gifts from Her Daughter(s)

    Vanessa followed her brother. William deliberately did not bring Vanessa to face their parents because the situation was not pleasant. He took Vanessa straight to her room upstairs.

    William sat Vanessa down on the couch in her room. He put her luggage in the corner.

    ¡°Please wait! Don¡¯t lock the door. I will be back soon.¡± Then, William fetched a can of Orange Crush and some food from the kitchen.

    ¡°Eat! You¡¯re hungry, right?¡± William asked attentively.

    Vanessa nodded and smiled. ¡°Thanks,¡± she whispered, ¡°a lot.¡±

    ¡°No matter how heavy your problem is, don¡¯t forget to eat. Do you know? Paula never missed a meal, no matter what. She said that your problem will never be solved with an empty stomach.¡±

    Vanessa burst out of laughter.

    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Vanessa asked then.

    William nodded.

    .....

    ¡°Why is Lea here? Did you break up with Paula? I mean ... get divorced?¡±

    William had expected his sister to ask about that. He sighed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±

    Vanessa smiled, she then devoured her pasta without saying anything. He only hoped that one day William would tell her what happened. However, who would tell Vanessa? She loved to gossip.

    ¡°Listen, Will. Honestly, I like Paula. She is very kind, smart, and fun. But I don¡¯t hate Lea. Whoever you choose, I will support you, Will,¡± Vanessa said after swallowing the last pasta. She sipped the soda directly from the can and added, ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±

    William smiled and stroked Vanessa¡¯s dark hair. ¡°Thank you for your support, cupcake! You are indeed my sister! Promise me not to run away from home. Think twice before you leave. You are a minor. I don¡¯t want something bad to happen to you.¡±

    Vanessa nodded. William planned to visit Vanessa¡¯s school tomorrow to ask for a cancellation of the exchange student program. More precisely, ending the program early due to family matters. He didn¡¯t want Vanessa to run away while she was out of his sight.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Alex, Lisa, and Lea sat pensively in the living room. Lisa was still looking at the birthday present from her adopted daughter with teary eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lisa! I didn¡¯t know that today is your birthday,¡± said Lea, who felt guilty because she didn¡¯t know the hidden purpose of the dinner. Recently, she only cared about how to get Paula out of William¡¯s mind.

    ¡°No problem. Never mind, dear! Even William doesn¡¯t remember that today is my birthday,¡± Lisa said, giggling lightly. In her head, Lisa continued, ¡®I¡¯m not even sure that Alex will remember if I don¡¯t tell him.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you a present later,¡± Lea said, although she had no idea about what gift to give because she didn¡¯t know what Lisa liked.

    ¡°Never mind, you should get some rest,¡± Lisa replied while stroking Lea¡¯s back. ¡°Pregnant women should get plenty of rest.¡±

    Lea obeyed and immediately went into her room, leaving Alex and Lisa who had been silent all this time. Both wanted to blame each other, but both knew it was pointless. It¡¯s all over. Vanessa knew the truth.

    Lisa carefully unwrapped Vanessa¡¯s gift. A small jewelry box containing a gold round pendant. Inside, there was a photo of Lisa and Alex.

    Happy birthday mom,

    I ordered this gift from an amateur jeweler. He¡¯s my new friend in the student exchange program. Sorry, because this is not as fancy as yours. I ran out of pocket money. I hope you like it.

    Best Love, Vanessa

    Lisa¡¯s tears flowed uncontrollably. Vanessa was so sweet.

    ¡°I still remember when we and little William visited the orphanage after the first charity event held by the company. Pure and beautiful little Vanessa has stolen my heart,¡± Lisa said, recalling their first meeting with Vanessa, seventeen years ago.

    Lisa couldn¡¯t get pregnant again after giving birth to William. Though, she still wanted a daughter so badly. The presence of Vanessa, a baby who was abandoned in front of the orphanage, was certainly a blessing for Lisa. Even though at that time Alex didn¡¯t agree, Lisa kept on persuading him.

    Finally, Alex agreed to adopt Vanessa on the condition that she would get nothing from him and the company. Only a trust fund from Lisa, nothing more. Lisa also agreed on the condition that Vanessa would be treated like their own child, no one should tell her that she was not an adopted daughter of the Montgomery family.

    ¡°Never mind. Maybe it¡¯s about time she found out,¡± Alex replied coldly.

    Shortly after, a maid approached them, delivering a tiny brown-colored package decorated with a beautiful golden ribbon. ¡°Here¡¯s a package for you, madam!¡±

    Lisa¡¯s brows furrowed. A package? From whom?

    Lisa opened the box and found a greeting card.

    Dear mom ... ah maybe I should get used to calling you by your name, Lisa,

    Happy birthday!

    Sorry, I¡¯m very busy and can¡¯t drop your birthday present myself. This is my family¡¯s brand¡¯s latest design which will be released next month. I hope you like it.

    It¡¯s a little sad because our family relationship will end soon. However, I hope that we will remain friends.

    Love, Paula

    Lisa¡¯s heart clenched. The person she never expected would send a gift, the person she currently hated the most for betraying her son, was the one who cared about her.

    Paula even knew that she loves jewelry, to the point that she sent her family¡¯s flagship jewelry product that had not been released yet. Lisa looked again at the gold bracelet with her name on it decorated with tiny diamonds on each letter. So luxurious and personal.

    ¡°Alex, is Paula truly having an affair with Samuel?¡± The question just slipped from Lisa¡¯s lips. She began to doubt that Paula was that kind of woman. Paula was like a daughter to her.

    Alex could only shake his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t care. There¡¯s no point in thinking about their problems. The important thing is that they don¡¯t abandon the company. That¡¯s all I want.¡±

    ***

    It was late. William left Vanessa¡¯s room after making sure her sister was asleep. He wanted to go back home, however, he promised to stay here because Vanessa felt awkward seeing Alex. No one would deny that Alex¡¯s statement hurt her feelings.

    The soft clatter of William¡¯s shoes was still audible because the house was quiet. William took one of the bottles off the shelf and pulled up a chair at the home bar. As usual, he always drank his problems away despite him knowing that the problem would never be solved with drinking.

    As he took a sip from a crystal glass, Lea, who looked so hot in a red night dress, approached William. ¡°Can I accompany you?¡±

 Chapter 45

    45 45. Rewind the Past

    William blinked many times. ¡°Lea?¡±

    He turned to Lea as the woman picked up a clean glass that was neatly arranged in the corner of the home bar table and filled it with a few ice cubes. The sound of ice clinking against the thin glass could be heard clearly although Lea tried to do it as slowly as possible.

    ¡°I thought you were asleep,¡± William said, then took another sip of the drink in his glass.

    ¡°I was going to sleep. But I do not feel good. Moreover, when I see your restless face like this, I can¡¯t help but worry about you,¡± Lea answered attentively. ¡°So, if I accompany you, maybe your burden will be lessened a bit. You can tell me anything, babe!¡±

    ¡°Thanks. But ... you¡¯re preggers. You shouldn¡¯t drink,¡± William replied as he frowned his eyebrows. His sight was a little bit hazy. He was half drunk. ¡°You should ... go back to bed.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for reminding me.¡± Lea came closer, pulling a seat for herself. ¡°I just want to sit here. Not drinking. I am good with soda,¡± she said, blinking her long and pretty eyelashes slowly. She put a can of cola on the table and poured some into an ice-filled glass.

    William stared at her as she took a sip of her drink. She was beautiful ... and hot in that red dress. He gulped and then looked away. At that time, he put himself in Dave¡¯s shoes. Lea was indeed gorgeous. No man could resist her temptation. That was what happened to Dave.

    Lea lightly patted William¡¯s back. ¡°Is Vanessa okay?¡±

    William nodded in answer. ¡°She is sleeping.¡±

    .....

    Smiling lightly, Lea¡¯s red lips looked so seductive. If it was in the past, William must already claim that luscious lips, kissing them senseless, because Lea would only let him kiss her.

    Lea knew it and wanted to rewind the past. However, this time, she would let William do anything to her. She would do anything to make him hers again. Both physically and emotionally. She loved him. She was determined to take him back.

    ¡°I know that must be sad for her, knowing that the family you love is not your real family,¡± Lea said sincerely.

    ¡°True,¡± William replied. ¡°That¡¯s why mom wanted to keep it secret until she is old enough to know the truth.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for her,¡± Lea said in a bland voice, nodding lightly as she took more sips from her glass.

    ¡°You can tell her yourself tomorrow,¡± William replied. ¡°She will appreciate your company.¡±

    Lea chuckled. She glanced at William. He was able to speak well, still conscious enough. However, at this stage, she wanted to provoke him with some adult conversation.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all, have you? You always drink your trouble away,¡± Lea made a subdued remark. ¡°Do you recall those days? You sneaked out a bottle of wine from the wine cellar without your parents¡¯ permission when you were upset over not getting into university.¡±

    William laughed. ¡°Sure, I still remember. Lea, the goody two shoes of course refused to drink because she¡¯s underage.¡±

    ¡°You were so drunk back then, you almost forced me to make love to you,¡± Lea recalled. ¡°When you woke up, you didn¡¯t remember anything at all.¡±

    William choked a bit. He looked at Lea and felt sorry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t remember that.¡± Feeling guilty, William shoved his drink away. He was intent to stop drinking.

    ¡°Why do you stop?¡± Leah asked, feeling disappointed.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid ... I¡¯m afraid to do bad things to you,¡± William answered, his words unclear.

    ¡°Will....¡± Lea looked at William and touched him gently on the thigh. ¡°The me now is different. You can touch me whenever you want.¡±

    William gently brushed Lea¡¯s hand off his thigh. ¡°Lea, don¡¯t provoke me!¡± Leah was pregnant. William didn¡¯t want to hurt Leah. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy. I¡¯m going to my room. You too, go back to your room!¡±

    William staggered to his room. He almost fell because he tripped over the chair leg. He finally made it to the room after much difficulty.

    ¡°It¡¯s scorching!¡± William took off his tie and top, carelessly tossing them on the floor. William¡¯s rock-hard body was drenched in sweat. His face was tired from all the trouble.

    Lea followed William into the room without his knowledge. She walked right in because William hadn¡¯t locked the door. Lea knelt and picked up William¡¯s clothes, placing them in the dirty clothes basket for the maid to wash the next day.

    Because of the dim light from the room¡¯s night lamp, William¡¯s hazy eyes could only see Lea dimly.

    ¡°Lea? Is it you?¡± he asked in a hoarse voice.

    The woman moved closer, revealing a dazzling face that William could see. Her bright red lips slowly opened and she said, ¡°Will, I apologize for always ignoring your needs. I didn¡¯t know anything about a man¡¯s nature back then.¡±

    Lea approached William and hugged him tightly. Her plump and full chest pressed against William, making him feel extremely uneasy. His masculine instincts arose. Lea could feel William¡¯s rod hardening. This gave her a sense of accomplishment for taking the first step.

    ¡°I know you want me, William. I want you too!¡± Lea said in a seductive hoarse voice.

    ¡°No, Leah! I don¡¯t think we should do it!¡± William was panting as he tried to keep Lea away.

    ¡°Your body tells otherwise, Will!¡± Lea inquired. ¡°What does this mean?¡± She squeezed William¡¯s manhood with just the right amount of force. She made William even more helpless with her caress.

    Lea rubbed her body against William¡¯s to tease him further. William¡¯s male instincts became increasingly uncontrollable while under the influence of alcohol. Lea¡¯s erotic movements made it difficult for him to think straight.

    ¡°Lea ....¡±

    Lea gave a seductive smile. She brought her face closer to William¡¯s and attempted to kiss him. William, of course, dodged that forced kiss.

    Lea¡¯s lips then moved closer to William¡¯s ear. ¡°Come on, Will!¡± she said, lightly biting his ear. Let¡¯s make tonight count!¡±

    In the end, a man is still a man.

 Chapter 46

    46 46. Lust or Love

    Compared to Paula, Lea was cute. She was another type of beauty. Her vanilla perfume was another type of seduction. She was the woman of his dreams.

    If William was a player, he would want to experience all the different types of women. Moreover, people say, every woman has her own unique taste. Fortunately, William was not that kind of man. He was sane enough not to take advantage of a woman who threw herself at him.

    ¡°Lea, go back to your room! I don¡¯t want to cheat on Paula,¡± William pushed Lea away, but she refused. ¡°Don¡¯t make me betray her!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys going to get a divorce? Aren¡¯t we getting married soon?¡± Lea asked pitifully. ¡°So what¡¯s the problem if we do it now?¡±

    Lea¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. She didn¡¯t know if William was afraid to touch her because he was the faithful husband type, or because he just didn¡¯t want to be with her anymore.

    ¡°Lea, I¡¯m sorry. I said that I would help you. Not that I¡¯m going to marry you and divorce Paula.¡±

    ¡°What did you say? Isn¡¯t this a good opportunity for us to get your parents¡¯ blessing?¡± Leah defended herself. She reminded William of their original intention.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lea. At first, I thought so. However, I now realize that everything has changed. I love Paula and don¡¯t want to be separated from her,¡± William explained without looking at Lea¡¯s face. He knew Lea would be very disappointed with him.

    ¡°No, Will! You don¡¯t love her. You only lusted after her because she was the first woman you touched!¡± Lea couldn¡¯t accept herself being rejected like this. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake lust for love, Will!¡±

    .....

    ¡®Will, brace yourself!¡¯ In his head, William warned himself. He knew that this would not end well.

    ¡°This is not lust, Lea! I really can¡¯t divorce her,¡± William grabbed Lea¡¯s shoulders and pushed her harder. ¡°Please understand our current circumstances. I love Paula.¡±

    Leah shook her head and held back her tears. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what lust is!¡±

    Furiously, Lea unzipped her dress, lowering the skimpy dress so that it pooled around her legs. She approached William again with her body covered only in a bra and thongs. She was pregnant but her body still looked attractive because of her flat belly.

    ¡°Is this what you call ¡®In love with Paula¡¯? What is this feeling?¡± Lea urged wildly.

    William turned around quickly. He didn¡¯t want to see Lea in a worse state than this. ¡°Lea, please stop this bullshit!¡±

    However, Lea did not give up. She quickly removed all the clothes that were on her body and threw herself at William, making the man fall onto his bed.

    ¡°This is how you feel for her, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lea grabbed William¡¯s pants and was about to take them off.

    However, William grabbed Lea¡¯s hand and grabbed it, ¡°Lea! Don¡¯t do this to me! I don¡¯t want to hurt you and your baby!¡± William snapped.

    Sweat dripped down William¡¯s temples. It was obvious that William was currently working hard against his will. Lea, who knew it, immediately gave an additional stimulus and teased William in the chest until his eyes were closed and he groaned loudly.

    ¡°Come on, Will! Paula will never know if we both keep it a secret,¡± Lea whispered, insistently. She did what Paula did to seduce William.

    In the meantime, William had been overcome by lust. His barrier had almost collapsed. He couldn¡¯t think properly anymore. With this condition, he would fall for her trap and have an affair with her.

    It was then, with a little sanity remaining in his head, he saw the wedding ring on his left hand. He remembered his promise to Paula that he would never touch another woman.

    Right now, Lea did look tempting. However, if he had followed his male instincts, he would have been far worse than trash. He would have the courage to face Paula again.

    Paula¡¯s face suddenly flashed through his mind. Her smile, her furious face, her everything. For that reason, William pulled out the drawer with his right hand and took a knife from there. Without thinking, William removed the blade guard and grabbed the sharp edge to cut his palm.

    ¡°Aarrgghh!¡±

    William groaned loudly in pain. The excruciating pain struck along with the fresh blood flowing from William¡¯s right palm onto his sheets and pants. The pain made consciousness run through his mind, distracting from the lust that had been almost unstoppable.

    Lea, who was still sitting on William, was surprised when she felt that William¡¯s manhood was no longer hard. How can a man soften when a naked hot woman is sitting on his manhood?

    The moment Lea noticed the blood gushing from William¡¯s palm, that¡¯s when she almost screamed. Fortunately, William quickly covered Lea¡¯s mouth with his left hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t scream! You can wake people up,¡± William whispered in a muffled voice. ¡°Put on your clothes and go back to your room.¡±

    William helped Lea to get off her body. Lea¡¯s naked body no longer bothered her because he was able to control his will. He then pulled the white blanket and wrapped Lea¡¯s naked body with that thick cloth.

    Lea could only watch William wrap her body nonchalantly. She could only see the bloodstained white cloth covering her exposed skin. She was dumbstruck.

    ¡°Why Will?¡± asked Lea, staring blankly at the floor. ¡°Why do you have the heart to embarrass me like this?¡±

    Right now, Lea felt like a homewrecker who failed to seduce a loyal husband. She felt ashamed. Colour suddenly left her face. Tears flowed uncontrollably.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lea! I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a long time. I¡¯ve decided not to divorce Paula. I will persuade her to keep this marriage.¡±

    Lea sobbed, clutching the white cloth around her body. She wiped her puffy face, making the cloth damped with tears. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do this when Paula seduces you? Back then, why didn¡¯t you choose to be loyal to me, Will?¡±

    Hearing Lea¡¯s question, William¡¯s chest ached. Why hadn¡¯t he done the same for Lea?

 Chapter 47

    47 47. A Blessing in Disguise

    William could feel Lea¡¯s pain just from her teary gaze-feelings of disappointment at being treated unfairly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you wasted your precious youth for a good-for-nothing man like me,¡± William whispered. After all, he was indeed at fault from Lea¡¯s point of view. Supposedly, if he still loved Lea, he should have rejected the marriage arrangement with Paula from the start. It would be fair for everyone.

    ¡°I thought we could start all over again. I thought, if I forgive you, you¡¯ll forgive me too,¡± Lea continued, looking at William with her glistening eyes. She shook his body demanding an answer ... a fair one.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Leah! However, the current me also has other responsibilities,¡± William said in a bland voice.

    ¡°And why do you choose Paula, Will? Why do you choose a woman who just came into your life? Not me who you¡¯ve been with for years?¡± Lea¡¯s sobs turned heavy, staring at William with deep hatred. She bit her lip, trying to stop crying. However, her heart clenched tightly recalling her past with him.

    The time when William showered her with overflowing love. The time when they discussed how many children they wanted to have. The time when William promised a future together.

    ¡°If only this baby didn¡¯t exist, would you still be able to love me sincerely as you used to, Will?¡± Leah asked then, staring at William intensely. ¡°Is it because of this baby that you changed and chose Paula over me?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Lea?¡± A bad thought flashed through William¡¯s mind. It sounded to him that Lea planned to get rid of the baby.

    ¡°Should I abort this baby, Will?¡± Lea¡¯s cries grew heavier. The woman could no longer hold the pain in her chest.

    .....

    ¡°Lea, don¡¯t think nonsense!¡± William said frantically. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything bad to the baby. He or she is innocent. You will regret it later!¡±

    ¡°What do you say, Will? You don¡¯t love me like you used to anymore. You chose Paula. Then what about me? Will you just throw me away as you live a happy life with her?¡± As time went on, Lea¡¯s chest felt even tighter. ¡°I should have realized why you were always hesitating when your parents were discussing our marriage. That¡¯s why you always refused me to stay in your house.¡±

    ¡°Lea, listen to me! The baby has a father. And I need to know who he is before deciding our problem. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t say anything about our ... marriage,¡± William grabbed Lea¡¯s shoulder and tried to understand her. ¡°Dave needs to know the truth, Lea. Regardless of what he and you decide to do later. You need to discuss the baby¡¯s matter with him.¡±

    Lea¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Dave?¡± She wiped her tears in a hurry. She suddenly stopped sobbing out of shock. ¡°So ... you already know who this baby¡¯s father is?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Lea! I had to know it. You kept this problem a secret from me. So I tried to find out for myself,¡± William said in a low tone. This was indeed proof that William didn¡¯t trust her anymore.

    Willam tapped Lea¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Go back to your room and rest,¡± William said in a low voice. He guided her and led her out of the room after making sure that no one else was around them.

    Leah obeyed in silence. She no longer wanted to continue the argument. It was very clear to her that William was out of her reach. She didn¡¯t know for sure if it was because of the baby in her womb ... because of Paula ... or both.

    However, when Lea thought deeper about it, things were supposed to change. William had touched another woman. A woman who was not her.

    So did Lea. She had chosen to take revenge on William. She had a one-night stand with another man.

    How could everything go back to the way it was? Impossible.

    In the meantime, William realized that he was at fault. However, he wanted to set up a better future. All this mess must be rearranged to reach new happiness. Happiness that they had never thought of before.

    ***

    After escorting Lea out of the room, William went back into his room. His right hand was still throbbing in pain. However, he was also not in the mood to bandage his wound. He then opened the cupboard to find a clean towel and bandaged the wound with the towel so that not much blood came out.

    He sat on the couch, unable to bring his body to the bed. How could he sleep in this situation?

    He wronged Lea, the girl that used to be with him forever. He started to doubt himself.

    Was being a faithful husband a mistake?

    Was he at fault for choosing his wife over her lover?

    Was it a sin to fall for his wife?

    He rested his back against the couch. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm his mind.

    While his eyes were closed, his other senses took over. He heard the sound of the wind moving the tree branches outside. He could smell the scent of blood wafting throughout the room. However, William also smelled something else. Not the smell of Lea¡¯s vanilla perfume, but the soft smell of roses.

    ¡°Come out! I know you are here!¡± William shouted, somewhat annoyed. He thought his sister was asleep. But, she didn¡¯t.

    Timidly, the girl in fluffy pink pajamas came out from behind the curtains and walked over to William with small steps. ¡°Sorry. I just wanted to borrow an iPhone charger because I left mine in France. Then ... then, I found that your room was unlocked. Then, I came in.¡±

    ¡°Since when did you come into my room?¡± William scolded his sister. His face didn¡¯t show a hint of a smile at all.

    ¡°Just-just now,¡± Vanessa lied. She looked down at the floor, unable to face her brother.

    ¡°If it was just now, why are you hiding behind the curtains?¡± William commented, annoyed. It was clear that his sister had been eavesdropping and witnessing the embarrassing incident earlier.

    ¡°You are trespassing my privacy, cupcake! Never do that again!¡±

    Vanessa gulped. What else could she do? She wanted to go right away when she found out the half-naked Lea was in William¡¯s room. However, the tense atmosphere made her curiosity want to know more. She finally chose to sneak in, hiding behind the curtains of her brother¡¯s room.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re hurt. I¡¯ll take the bandage,¡± Vanessa said, distracting her beloved brother from his anger.

    William only watched his sister leave without saying anything. When he thought about it again, what a terrible sight Vanessa witnessed earlier. Suddenly, shame and regret for not locking the door crept into William¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Crap!¡± He cursed at himself.

    Vanessa quickly returned to William¡¯s room with the first aid kit box in her hand. Quickly, she cleaned William¡¯s wound and bandaged it. Unlike William¡¯s work, Vanessa¡¯s was neat and quite fast.

    ¡°You are good at treating a wound,¡± William commented, amazed to see Vanessa¡¯s treatment.

    ¡°I always wanted to be a doctor. Did you forget?¡± Vanessa replied with a smile.

    Silence filled the room again as Vanessa tidied up her work. Vanessa then said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell mom and dad. I promise!¡±

    ¡°Thank you. You¡¯d better keep it a secret because it was so embarrassing,¡± William whispered. His eyes looked at Vanessa in sadness.

    Vanessa smiled faintly. ¡°But you were so cool, Will. What a heroic scene! I hope I can find a loyal man like you.¡±

    William choked, hearing his sister¡¯s comment. He felt ashamed because he was not a good and responsible man from the start.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a good man. I don¡¯t want you to get a man like me,¡± William explained, exhaling deeply. He leaned back on the couch to rest his tired body ... and mind. ¡°If only I were a strict and assertive man, from the start I would have refused an arranged marriage with Paula and fought for my love with Lea. Poor Lea, she gives her love to a jerk like me instead of a fine gentleman. This is what she got in return for waiting for years. How unfair!¡±

    Vanessa was silent because she agreed with William¡¯s words. She closed the white box with a red cross and sat down next to her brother. ¡°You are a jerk for Lea, but you¡¯re a loyal and loving husband for Paula. Maybe you and Lea weren¡¯t meant to be together.¡±

    William nodded. His baby sister was wise enough for a girl her age.

    ¡°Have you ever heard of a blessing in disguise?¡± Vanessa asked, patting William¡¯s arm lightly. ¡°Perhaps all this mess is about rearranging the wrong order. Lea will also find her happiness later.¡±

    William rubbed Vanessa¡¯s head in exasperation. ¡°You have your problems, don¡¯t you? Tell this to yourself, pumpkin!¡±

    Vanessa giggled. She then teasingly said, ¡°Can I hug you, my dear brother?¡±

    William laughed and opened his arms widely for Vanessa. They weren¡¯t blood-related, however, at a time like this, William had no one else besides Vanessa.

    ¡°Thanks, Vanessa! I feel better now.¡±

 Chapter 48

    48 48. Are You Scared?

    The large white room with a touch of modern interior felt fresh with the smell of the citrus-scented air freshener. However, the freshness in the room could not reduce the tension between the two women who were in the middle of a discussion. Their brows furrowed, carefully re-reading the divorce papers.

    ¡°I have to leave the day after tomorrow. So I want to make sure there¡¯s nothing wrong with the document,¡± Paula said as she turned the pages. ¡°It¡¯s strange. I didn¡¯t mind anything and didn¡¯t ask for any alimony. What made him not want to sign it?¡±

    ¡°He mentioned no reason.¡±

    ¡°Strange.¡±

    ¡°Maybe ... about children?¡± Helena said as she adjusted her glasses. She skimmed the documents and couldn¡¯t find what she was looking for. ¡°There¡¯s no statement of children in this document.¡±

    ¡°No way! He doesn¡¯t care about children at all,¡± Paula argued.

    ¡°Maybe, there is a possibility of you being pregnant,¡± Helena insisted and Paula immediately waved her hand in disagreement. She had kept the pregnancy a secret from Helena. She didn¡¯t want to talk about children at all because she knew William didn¡¯t want her baby.

    Helena pursed her lips into a thin line. She tightened her loosened bun.

    ¡°In that case, the answer is obvious,¡± Helena concluded with a meaningful smile. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want a divorce. Is he captivated by you?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Impossible!¡± snapped Paula. ¡°He¡¯s with his lover. How could he not want a divorce from me?¡±

    Helena lifted her eyebrows, a sign of not knowing what happened. ¡°Well, perhaps ... people can change.¡±

    ¡°Not that fast,¡± Paula argued again.

    ¡°Makes sense. How could a person who cheated on his wife and impregnated his mistress, suddenly choose his legal wife who doesn¡¯t mind at all getting divorced? Moreover, you don¡¯t intend to take away any of his wealth.¡± Helena analyzed the situation while checking the documents, afraid that she might have missed something. ¡°Does your marriage involve the financial relationship between your parents¡¯ companies? Maybe William is afraid of the negative impact?¡±

    Paula was stunned. In the past, her father had intended to withdraw investment funds. However, didn¡¯t she already solve it? So, that¡¯s not the reason William refused to sign it.

    Suddenly, Paula¡¯s eyes widened as she realized something. ¡°Oh, I seem to know the problem.¡±

    Helena fixed the position of her glasses with her index finger. ¡°Good. And what is it?¡±

    Paula was seen flipping through the sheet and pointing to a statement there. ¡°He definitely doesn¡¯t accept me saying he is having an affair. At first, I didn¡¯t care if he cheated on me or not because this way our divorce process would be done easily and quickly. However, it turned out that he was angry when I accused him of being a cheating husband.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Helena frowned, feeling confused even more by Paula¡¯s explanation. ¡°He didn¡¯t cheat on you and knocked up his mistress?¡±

    Paula shook her head slowly. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. That woman... is pregnant with someone else¡¯s baby.¡± Paula turned her face anywhere but Helena¡¯s. Her lawyer must have been about to throw up out of confusion.

    ¡°And... your soon-to-be ex-husband is going to marry his mistress who is pregnant with another man¡¯s child?¡± Helena asked again, Paula nodded weakly.

    Silence filled Paula¡¯s room. Helena stared at the document blankly. ¡°Ah, never mind. I¡¯m confused with you guys.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Helena!¡± Paula tried to end the argument. ¡°Just change that part. You can¡¯t accuse someone of doing something wrong if he doesn¡¯t, can you?¡±

    Exhaling lightly, Helena nodded in reply. ¡°So, we will delete the adultery grounds for fault divorce. Then we change it to no-fault divorce. Will we cite ¡®irreconcilable differences¡¯ as grounds? What do you think?¡± She sneered, showing how cliche the statement was for her.

    Paula¡¯s heart clenched as she nodded. ¡°You can go with that.¡±

    Helena packs her things and is about to leave. She stole glances at Paula and caught a glimpse of doubt crossing her face.

    ¡°Paula, as a friend, can I ask you a question?¡± She deliberately meddled in Paula¡¯s problem since she thought that something was off. Usually, this kind of problem was caused by less communication between the couple. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Paula¡¯s attention turned back to her lawyer and tightened her lips, forming a thin matte peach line. ¡°Sure. What¡¯s that?¡± She forced a faint smile to show her lawyer that she was okay.

    ¡°Do you really want this divorce?¡± The question was simple, but it made Paula¡¯s heart skip a beat.

    ¡°I need your help because I want this fucking divorce, Helena,¡± Paula answered, feeling annoyed. ¡°You should know it more than anyone else.¡±

    Helena smirked. She licked her red lips to lessen her messy feelings since she could easily guess the real answer. ¡°Before you go to Japan, you better meet him at least once,¡± Helena said in a soft voice.

    Paula smirked. She remembered the last time she met William. Instead of talking seriously about divorce, they both spent all night long kissing and fucking. If she met him again, she could guess the two of them would end up with more mind-blowing orgasms than some agreements on divorce papers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to,¡± Paula replied without realizing how beet red her face was. ¡°I met him two days ago and it¡¯s a real waste of time.¡±

    ¡°The most delicious way to waste the time,¡± Helena whispered almost inaudibly once she recognized the faded kiss marks on Paula¡¯s neck. She could easily guess what happened.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Paula questioned her curiously. Helena was a great and helpful lawyer, but Paula found that she was a little bit nosy as a friend.

    ¡°No. I said ... nothing!¡± Helena teasingly replied. She lowered the corners of her lips, sneering at Paula¡¯s adorable behavior.

    Helena was about to leave Paula¡¯s room. That¡¯s when Paula said, ¡°I just want a reset, Helena... I want to erase everything so that he and I can start everything from the beginning when the two of us have never met. Am I wrong?¡±

    Helena shook her head. ¡°You are not. But you should realize that not everything could be reset. The new development might be different from what you imagined.¡±

    Paula¡¯s relationship with William was based on lust. Not love. She thought it should be easily replaced with something similar. It was supposed to be like that.

    ¡°Talk to him, Paula! Face the reality!¡± Helena said sincerely. ¡°Are you scared?¡±

    ¡°I am not-¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± Helena cut Paula¡¯s sentence. ¡°You are afraid of your own feelings.¡±

    ***

    After hours of thought, Paula decided to visit William. It was better to directly ask him about the problems. For the sake of serious discussion, she visited him in the office.

    ¡°Hi, Danica! I have an important matter to discuss with William. Is he available?¡± Paula stopped at Danica¡¯s table, making her stop from sorting out the documents.

    ¡°Ah, Paula! He is coming in no time. Today, he is a bit late because he has to visit Vanessa¡¯s school, and finish some paperwork,¡± Danica explained in surprise. She didn¡¯t expect Paula to stop by the office.

    ¡°You can wait inside,¡± Danica offered her.

    ¡°Here is fine,¡± Paula said, smiling in reply. Her eyes roamed the familiar room only to find a suspicious pile of boxes on the floor, beside Danica¡¯s table.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Paula asked, pointing her finger at the boxes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. William ordered it online,¡± Danica answered. ¡°Oh, I will bring coffee and refreshments. Please wait!¡±

    Danica then quickly went to the break room and made coffee for Paula. Her heart was pounding erratically, waiting for what would happen if William came and found the woman he was in love with waiting in his office. Danica smiled to herself imagining what would happen next.

    After the coffee was ready, Danica placed it on a tray and arranged a few pieces of choco chip cookies on a plate. She then hurried back to her table to serve the food for Paula.

    Unfortunately, the unexpectedly clumsy Danica was not careful when carrying the tray so she slipped and made the coffee and cookies fall and shattered on the floor.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Danica screamed in shock when her body hit the pile of cardboard boxes ordered by William, making some of them dented and even opened.

    ¡°Dani! Oh my God! Are you all right?¡± Paula panicked and knelt down, helping Danica who was still prone on the floor. She helped Danica up and luckily, Danica¡¯s clothes weren¡¯t dirty. Just a messy situation made their head spin.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Paula, I¡¯ll clean up this mess right away,¡± Danica said hastily. She quickly picked up the cleaning kit and returned to the table.

    However, when Danica returned, she found Paula standing pensively, observing a black and red tube with the male symbol. There was printed on the tube: Make It Bigger.

    All adults in the world knew what it was!

    At the same time, the lift was opened, showing William who had just arrived in his surprised state.

 Chapter 49

    49 49. Embarrassing Moment

    William couldn¡¯t believe what he saw just as the elevator doors opened slowly, revealing a graceful figure standing near Danica¡¯s desk. His heart pounded erratically, about to jump out of his throat. He was glad to see Paula. No, glad was an understatement. He wanted to see her so badly, he almost ran and embraced her immediately. However, a second later, his happy expression shattered upon seeing another reality. He saw Paula was holding the manhood-size-enhancing herbal pill that he ordered yesterday.

    ¡®Oh, crap! That fucking pills are on her very hands!¡¯ William¡¯s mind screamed in shock. His eyes popped wide seeing that embarrassing sight.

    ¡®Wait! Why are those pills in the office? Shouldn¡¯t it be addressed to his house?¡¯

    William was daydreaming yesterday and wrongly determined the delivery address. He did register three addresses on his amazon account. Home, work, and his parents¡¯ address. Just a wrong tick, all items were addressed to the wrong place.

    In the end, this was where those sacred stuff ended. In the hands of the very wrong person.

    ¡°Paula?¡± William asked nervously. All expressions left his face but a total embarrassment.

    Paula turned, found William standing still, and immediately wanted a clarification. ¡°Danica said, you ordered ... these things. Do you seriously want to consume this kind of medicine?¡±

    ¡°Pa-Paula,¡± William tried to explain but he was dumbstruck.

    Paula checked the rest of the boxes. There were more tablets from different brands, pills, and even oils. She shook her head, unable to digest what was happening in William¡¯s head.

    .....

    ¡°Oh, this is crazy!¡± Paula couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all about ...¡± Paula didn¡¯t have the heart to finish the sentence since there was Danica in the room. ¡°You should read some articles before you buy ... these products, Will! The experts said it won¡¯t work! Never!¡±

    William looked miserable when Paula scolded him that way. He made a huge mistake. Incredibly huge mistake.

    ¡°I told Helena it would be a waste of time seeing you!¡± Paula muttered in an almost inaudible voice. ¡°I am struggling to fix the documents and all he cares about is his dick¡¯s size? Unbelievable!¡±

    Paula shook her head in disbelief. She turned to William and exhaled lightly, trying to regain her composure.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough! It¡¯s useless talking to you,¡± Paula said as she looked at William with disappointment. She grabbed her handbag, about to leave William¡¯s office. ¡°Listen, Will, whether you sign the divorce papers or not, the court will still grant my request. However, it will take a little longer. I don¡¯t mind it, but you will be the one at a loss because you can¡¯t marry Lea asap!¡±

    Feeling guilty, Danica tried to do something to save her superior¡¯s face. ¡°Paula, please don¡¯t go! You can talk with William about this matter. Err ... both of you still have fifteen minutes before he has to start the business meeting,¡± Danica said, trying to persuade Paula, who felt William¡¯s actions were very strange and insane.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re busy! All right, I¡¯ll be going right away. No problem!¡± Paula said in both an understanding and mocking tone. She walked towards the elevator, about to leave William¡¯s office. However, he quickly restrained him.

    ¡°Paula, please! I-I just wanted to make you happy and ... content,¡± William gripped Paula¡¯s wrist, trying to explain and defend himself. ¡°I promise to increase my stamina and not let you be disappointed again.¡±

    Paula¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. She then ridiculed what was happening in William¡¯s head by saying, ¡°Wait! Do you understand what the problem is? We¡¯re getting a divorce and you¡¯re busy thinking about bedding me? Do you think we¡¯ll keep doing this after the divorce? What do you think of me? A maniac? A homewrecker?¡±

    Paula then slapped William¡¯s hand and immediately got into the elevator, quickly pressing the close button so William wouldn¡¯t chase after her. William, who could not think straight, was about to chase Paula, but Danica held him back.

    ¡°You have a meeting with your number one potential investor soon! Don¡¯t just leave your work nonchalantly or Alex will kick you out of the office.¡±

    William resigned to hear Danica¡¯s words. True, he had been too relaxed about work and often left work for personal matters. That was his biggest flaw.

    ¡°Look! I want to show something to you,¡± Danica said, then returned to her desk carefully so as not to slip when stepping on the coffee spill that had not been cleaned up. She then took out an old document from the drawer, containing Paula¡¯s notes.

    Danica then rushed back to William and showed him her findings. As she expected, her employer was wide-eyed at the note she was showing.

    ¡°Is this Paula¡¯s writing?¡± William asked out of surprise. He lived with her for months but he couldn¡¯t even remember her handwriting. Thanks to gadgets. People almost don¡¯t need pens and paper nowadays. ¡°So different!¡±

    ¡°Right. Last night I was going to tell you, but you hung up on me straight away,¡± Danica said, almost complaining. She was about to scold him but she knew that he was busy with family matters.

    ¡°Crap!¡± William cursed angrily. So, it is certain that these very different handwritings did not come from the same hand. Paula¡¯s handwriting was regular in a neat cursive style. While the one left in the hotel was not even close to Paula¡¯s. The letters were fragmented with inconsistent sizes and shapes. Just like primary school students¡¯ handwriting.

    ¡°I think the note left at the hotel was intentionally left by someone else. Not Paula,¡± Danica concluded with a concerned look. ¡°He or she was trying to erase the traces of his or her original writing so no one will know that he or she was the one who left the note.¡±

    William nodded, confirming Danica¡¯s words completely. ¡°This is my fault. How could I believe Paula would leave such a silly mocking note?¡± William said ruefully.

    Danica sighed, saying, ¡°The remaining question is, who left that note in the room?¡±

 Chapter 50

    50 50. Farewell

    When William thought about it, there was a suspect who would do such a thing. Samuel. Only Samuel knew where William and Paula had spent the night. However, was Samuel going to enter the room and leave that ridiculous note to keep William away from Paula?

    ¡°Never mind! I don¡¯t want to know who did it,¡± William replied later. ¡°What matters is that Paula didn¡¯t do it. I¡¯m quite relieved that I don¡¯t have to take these ridiculous pills.¡±

    A moment later, William looked at Danica questioningly. ¡°Wait, why is this note on you?¡± William asked, interrogating his assistant. Danica became so afraid of him. ¡°Didn¡¯t I throw it away?¡±

    The poor assistant gulped. Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake. Who wouldn¡¯t be embarrassed when others found out a mocking note directed to him?

    ¡°Will, please spare me! I did something useful for you anyway!¡± Danica pleaded, asking that her mistake be forgiven. ¡°I never meant to harm you. As you said earlier, the most important matter is we know that Paula didn¡¯t leave the note.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again! It¡¯s my privacy!¡± William snapped, making the helpless Danica could only nod in reply.

    Silence fell for a moment. William dissolved back into his bad thoughts. ¡°We should have known earlier so I wouldn¡¯t have to order these stupid drugs and get Paula found out.¡±

    Danica grinned, cursing William¡¯s stupidity. ¡°If you are serious about Paula, you should show that you love her, Will! It¡¯s not just about things between the sheets. You can also show your love for her by doing romantic stuff.¡±

    ¡°You still dare to speak?¡± William said, feeling annoyed.

    .....

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep talking for your own good!¡± Danica replied adamantly.

    ¡°Can you help me?¡± William asked, looking confused.

    ¡°Of course, I will help you later after you finish the business meeting,¡± Danica said, massaging her temples. At times like this, she felt like an older sister to her inexperienced young boss. She even swore to herself that she would not marry a young man who didn¡¯t even know how to win a woman¡¯s heart.

    ¡®Shit! What did he do when he was dating Lea?¡¯ Danica cursed in her mind.

    It sucks when a fine woman like Paula got a good-for-nothing guy like William. However, for the sake of a little affection for her boss, Danica would still help him. After all, she still thought Paula and William were so cute together. She still wanted the two of them to end up together.

    Before long, William and Danica went to the meeting room where the potential investors¡¯ representatives were waiting. William greeted them with a professionally warm welcome as if nothing happened to him minutes ago. He presented the past performance data and beautifully explained his solid plan.

    The investor¡¯s representatives seemed content with his rock-solid business plan and the unique concept. After calling the investor, the team leader said, ¡°Mr. Stevens is looking forward to meeting you at the party. He is signing the documents later.¡±

    William and Danica were glad to hear that. They then entertained the representatives with lavish dishes. Danica learned this from Paula. Even though sometimes the deal didn¡¯t go well, they still had to do the best they could to entertain guests.

    ¡°You did a good job, Will!¡± Danica praised, patting William on the back.

    ¡°We did it, Danica! I will not make it without you!¡± William replied, flashing a meaningful smile.

    Danica¡¯s feelings were touched to see how much William had changed since he started working. In the past, his boss was said to be too relaxed and couldn¡¯t do a simple job.

    However, ever since he married Paula, she had treated William firmly. Paula also helped him to organize the staff to work more efficiently. Indeed, William¡¯s work cannot be said to be outstanding. Nevertheless, the changes that have been made were quite encouraging.

    ¡°You promised to help me to woo her, Dani! Now, tell me what to do. Don¡¯t forget that you were also responsible for the mess earlier. If only you didn¡¯t clumsily fall and hit the boxes, surely Paula won¡¯t see those damn pills.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when today¡¯s work is done. Remember, Paula will love it when you can do something impressive at the office. Come on, don¡¯t relax too much. We still have a lot of work to do!¡± Danica said, smiling widely. She was proud of her boss¡¯ achievement. The two of them then went back to work. ¡°But, it doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s anything wrong with sending flowers and a box of cute praline chocolates as an apology. I guess she will love it.¡±

    ***

    Meanwhile, Paula and Monica were in the middle of an argument at Robert¡¯s house because there was an unavoidable problem.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving the day after tomorrow? Why do you suddenly have to leave now?¡± Monica asked disapprovingly. ¡°We¡¯re just having a farewell party tonight. Just imagine how the others would react if they found out that you didn¡¯t say goodbye to them. Can it not be delayed?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Monica. But I have to leave immediately because Miyuki needs me asap,¡± Paula explained as she packed the things she needed and put them in the suitcase. ¡°Instead of nagging, how about you help me pack my clothes?¡±

    Monica gave up. She helped Paula pack up while holding back her tears. She had ordered special earrings for Paula and hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to pick them up in the store yet. Even though Monica knew that Paula¡¯s family owned a well-known jewelry brand, she still thought the earrings that she ordered were unique and she felt sorry that Paula didn¡¯t get them. Not because it¡¯s luxurious, but because she¡¯s never seen anything like it.

    Paula then took a shoebox-sized box from the corner of her room. She sighed for a moment, holding back the burden in her heart.

    ¡°Give this to all the staff. I want them to remember me even though I¡¯m far away,¡± Paula said as she handed the metallic blue box to her assistant.

    Monica nodded without looking at Paula. She knew her eyes were teary and she didn¡¯t want Paula to find her in such an embarrassing state.

    ¡°And this is especially for you,¡± Paula said as she took out a medium-sized red jewelry box. ¡°Open it!¡±

    Monica opened the gift and burst into tears when she saw the gold necklace with the initials M.L. pendant there. ¡°Paula! Did you make this for me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Monica Leonard! I entrust my first dream with you,¡± said Paula with teary eyes. The bakery was her first independent project. It was sad to leave it but she had no choice.

    Monica came closer, hugging Paula while crying. She prayed, wishing Paula all the best.

    In the evening, the atmosphere in the bakery looked gloomy. Their shop had purposely closed early for Paula¡¯s farewell party. However, the person was not around.

    At the same time, a bouquet of red roses was delivered by a courier to the bakery. Monica received it with a gloomy face.

    ¡°Mrs. Montgomery?¡± the courier asked.

    Monica just nodded and said, ¡°She is not here but I¡¯ll tell her later.¡±

 Chapter 51

    51 51. Gloomy Pretty Woman

    Monica had shared Paula¡¯s mementos with everyone one by one. However, they could only hold onto the items with immeasurable sadness. They had also prepared mementos for Paula. However, none of them managed to give the stuff to her.

    ¡°Stay cool, everyone! We collect all the items and we¡¯ll ship them to her,¡± Monica said, trying to calm the others. ¡°Besides, she will be even happier if we worked with more enthusiasm here. Come on, let¡¯s shoot a video and we¡¯ll send it to her so she will do her best there, too.¡±

    Succeed. Indeed, Paula was not wrong to entrust her bakery to Monica. The girl managed to get the others excited, soothing their sadness. One by one, they made farewell messages to encourage their boss.

    ¡°Paula, make sure you learn Japanese, okay? Not many people there can speak English.¡±

    ¡°Paula, don¡¯t be surprised if you become a spot of attention on the street, okay? They don¡¯t mean to be rude. They just think you¡¯re beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Paula, quickly finish your business in Tokyo! I miss you.¡±

    ¡°If you still want to see me at your bakery, hurry back because I don¡¯t like the chatty Monica.¡±

    ¡°Paula, you won¡¯t find a cotton cake as delicious as mine there. So make sure you come back soon because I¡¯ll be waiting for you here.¡±

    There were many more farewell messages from the other staff, including the temporary janitor, Samuel. That night, Monica sent the video to Paula, hoping that Paula would watch it later when she was free in Tokyo.

    .....

    ¡°Paula, why didn¡¯t you tell me that you went earlier?¡± The last message came from Samuel. He was venting his anger by kicking everything around him.

    Poor Samuel.

    ***

    Friday night when the Mark Stevens family party finally came. William buttoned up his black Armani suit dispassionately. Looking neat, William then put on a pair of black gloves for both hands, covering the wound on his right hand. He had been wearing gloves for days so he wouldn¡¯t be bothered answering when someone asked about his wound.

    That night, William planned to invite Paula to come to the party. However, how was he going to invite her? She didn¡¯t even thank him for the flowers and chocolates he sent. No response at all.

    ¡®She¡¯s just shy, maybe! Soon enough she will contact you. Keep sending her flowers every day so she knows you¡¯re serious,¡¯ was all Danica always said when William was worried. Still, he couldn¡¯t calm down. Unfortunately, his failure to win Paula¡¯s heart was still going on until it was time for Mark Stevens¡¯ party.

    What kept William coming to the party was that he would meet Mark Stevens who said he would sign the MOU there. In addition, Danica said that Dave would also come to the event. So, William planned to fulfill his parents¡¯ request to bring Lea along-to meet Dave in person.

    Frankly, William was worried about Lea. Dave didn¡¯t take any action after he told him that Lea was pregnant with Dave¡¯s child. Moreover, Vanessa said that Lea had always been gloomy since the previous incident with William. Whenever someone talked to her, she would only answer with a short answer.

    By bringing Lea to meet with Dave tonight, William hoped that they would resolve the issue that befell them soon. For the sake of their innocent child.

    After tidying up everything, William drove the car to go to his parents¡¯ house. He planned to go together with them because he didn¡¯t want to be seen attending the party with Lea only.

    Vanessa, who looked very bright in a baby pink sleeveless dress, greeted William cheerfully. Instantly, the burden in William¡¯s mind felt lessened when he saw her sister¡¯s cheerful smile.

    ¡°William! How do I look?¡± said Vanessa who now looked gorgeous as a Disney princess.

    ¡°Wow, my baby sister looks so stunning in this dress!¡± said William graciously.

    ¡°Good! At first, I was confused about whether I should wear a long dress or a short one. In the end, I chose the short one so I could run away quickly if a bad guy wanted to do a nasty thing to me,¡± Vanessa explained. Her smile complemented her stunning appearance. Her shoulder-length hair was curled in a beautiful and adorable arrangement, making the girl look beautiful and cute at the same time.

    ¡°Oh! How¡¯s your hand? Is it okay?¡± Vanessa asked, curious about the condition of her brother¡¯s wounded hand.

    ¡°Of course! I was healed immediately!¡± William lied, jokingly.

    ¡°Liar!¡± Vanessa was wide-eyed in disbelief. The girl remembered that his hand-a solid proof of William¡¯s love for Paula-was injured in the past few days. It was impossible to recover?

    Seeing her sister who couldn¡¯t believe it, William then held out his left hand. ¡°Just see for yourself!¡±

    The impatient Vanessa immediately pulled her brother¡¯s black glove. How surprised she was to find his brother¡¯s hand was not injured at all.

    ¡°How could that be?¡± she screamed. ¡°Are you a vampire? A werewolf? Naruto?¡±

    William just laughed at Vanessa¡¯s reaction. The girl didn¡¯t seem to remember that the wounded one was his right hand.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s disappointing! I hope the wound will remain forever. So that it can be a memento of your love for Paula.¡±

    William laughed out loud, he was about to grab Vanessa¡¯s head. However, the girl swiftly dodged because she did not want her hairdo to be damaged.

    ¡°Keep your hands off! I spent an hour doing my hair!¡± Vanessa screamed as she slapped her brother¡¯s hand.

    Vanessa then pulled her brother inside to meet their parents and Lea who was also waiting in the living room, Lisa who was beautiful in a long emerald dress looked so lavish wearing luxurious jewelry which was made of solid gold and the finest quality of emeralds.

    While Lea who wore a long gray sleeveless dress looked very hot with her full chest and open shoulders. Unfortunately, her gorgeous appearance was not complemented by a cheerful face. She was beautiful but gloomy and cold as ice.

    William¡¯s chest tightened at the sight of Lea¡¯s sad face. Unfortunately, he had decided to fight for his marriage, no matter what. Even so, he was willing to help Lea face her problem.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re so beautiful. Dad, you have to keep clinging to her so no one thinks that she¡¯s single,¡± William said, jokingly. He was very good at praising his mother¡¯s looks.

    ¡°Which is more beautiful, me or Lea?¡± Lisa asked to tease him.

    Awkwardly, William turned to Lea.

    ¡°Lea, you look so pretty,¡± William complimented, hoping that Lea would be pleased with such praise. However, of course, she was not. For Lea, it was no use if William didn¡¯t choose her over Paula.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lea answered shortly, causing Lisa and Alex to only look at each other because they didn¡¯t understand what was going on.

    William, who felt guilty, finally turned to his parents. ¡°Let¡¯s go, dad, mom!¡±

    Then, they left the house, chatting casually, without knowing what was waiting for them in the next few hours.

 Chapter 52

    52 52. Unwanted Meeting

    ¡°Vanessa, let¡¯s get into the limo,¡± Alex ordered firmly, glancing at his adopted daughter with a cold gaze. He still didn¡¯t like her change in attitude after knowing the fact that they had been keeping it a secret all this time. ¡°Come on!¡±

    Alex made a hand signal for Vanessa to get into the black limo behind him. However, Vanessa¡¯s little feet showed no signs of stepping into the car.

    Of course, Vanessa, who was still afraid of her adoptive father, chose to go with her brother. Her face paled as Lisa smiled, signaling an invitation to get into the limo immediately. ¡°I will go with William and Lea.¡±

    ¡°Vanessa!¡± Lisa snapped at her daughter. ¡°Don¡¯t bother your brother!¡±

    Vanessa shrunk. If Lisa was the one who ordered her, she usually obeyed. However, at this time, she was unable to be with and close to her adoptive father even for minutes. It would scare her half to death. She even believed that a minute with Alex would reduce her life span by a year.

    William was about to answer. However, Lea got ahead of him. ¡°No problem. I want to be with Vanessa tonight. It would be much better that way. Right, Vanessa?¡±

    William nodded, supporting Lea¡¯s answer. Finally, Alex could only let the three youngsters ride a Rolls Royce. He and Lisa then got into the limo together.

    Everyone then put the problem aside and chose to come to the party as if everything was fine. The five people entered the venue together because Vanessa had to use her parents¡¯ invitation.

    Inside, the atmosphere was very lively because many guests had already arrived. Alex and Lisa immediately got along with their colleagues. Meanwhile, Vanessa had disappeared, looking for friends her age who also happened to come with their parents. It was easy since the party was intended for family. Some of the guests even brought their toddlers along.

    .....

    Meanwhile, William and Lea were left alone. The two of them still couldn¡¯t melt the tension in their attitude since the incident in William¡¯s room. Who could? That incident was a real blow to them. It was Lea¡¯s absolute defeat and an immeasurable burden of guilt in William¡¯s heart.

    Since it was inconvenient to remain in an unfriendly situation, William started the conversation. ¡°Lea, let¡¯s join the others,¡± William said, extending his hand to Lea.

    ¡°I feel like I do not belong to this place,¡± Lea whispered quietly. She refused to accept William¡¯s hand. There¡¯s no point pretending to be nice to her if he ended up choosing to break their relationship.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± William said again. ¡°You came to the charity event, didn¡¯t you? This party is not much different.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Not different at all. It is only attended by people from among you, trust fund kids. I think it¡¯s only natural that you prefer Paula who has been accustomed to this kind of high society,¡± Lea replied sarcastically, giving William a headache just because of those sharp words.

    A waiter dressed in white and black carrying a glass of drink passed by them. William took two and offered Lea a drink. Leah again reluctantly accepted.

    ¡°Thank you. But .... Don¡¯t be too nice to me because I don¡¯t want to misunderstand your intention again,¡± Lea said, smiling scornfully. ¡°Ridiculous, isn¡¯t it? If I take your kindness as a sign that you will come back to me?¡±

    William chimed in with a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m not being kind.¡± He¡¯s not lying, though. He was not kind to Lea. He was about to do something that she disliked. ¡°Soon you¡¯ll realize that I¡¯m not being nice to you.¡±

    William¡¯s eyes scanned the ballroom, searching for the man responsible for Lea¡¯s pregnancy. When he found the bespectacled young man talking to his colleague, William was relieved. Dave was present.

    Luckily, Clara wasn¡¯t there with Dave. This would reduce the clutter a bit. Without waiting any longer, William immediately grabbed Lea¡¯s arm, bringing her closer to the man.

    ¡°Where are you taking me to, Will?¡± asked Lea irritably. ¡°Slow down a little because I don¡¯t want to sprain my legs.¡± At that moment, she realized that stilettos were not friendly stuff to pregnant women.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out later!¡± William answered shortly, feeling a little guilty for having to bring Lea to Dave in this forceful way.

    As they approached the table where Dave was, that was when Lea knew what William was planning on his head.

    ¡°William! You¡¯re an asshole!¡± Lea cursed, glaring at William. She struggled, trying to escape William¡¯s grip.

    ¡°You tricked me!¡± Lea¡¯s face was furious. She didn¡¯t expect William to do this to her, trying to get her to meet Dave without her consent. Does this not violate privacy? ¡°You should have asked for my approval first!¡±

    ¡°Lea, if I ask for your approval, what you¡¯re doing is hurting yourself,¡± William whispered firmly. He didn¡¯t want to raise his voice to avoid unnecessary reactions from the people around them. He certainly didn¡¯t want to ruin someone else¡¯s party ... let alone that person was his business partner.

    ¡°Damn it! I have the right to do whatever I want,¡± Lea whispered as she threw him a hateful glare. She really didn¡¯t like being treated unfairly like this.

    Lea, who continued to struggle, finally managed to escape from William¡¯s grip. She took a few steps away, through the sea of ??women so William couldn¡¯t catch up with her.

    Unfortunately, moments later, Lea bumped into someone much taller than her. Her face hit the bright red satin cloth that wrapped the woman¡¯s back. If she was a man, it would be considered sexual harassment. However, women could still be considered as such, no?

    Lea¡¯s face backed away, separating herself from the person she bumped into. She lifted her chin, and looked up, intending to apologize to the woman. ¡°I-¡®m sorry. I-I accidentally-¡±

    However, before Lea could finish her words, the woman turned and squealed cheerfully, ¡°Ah, Lea! You¡¯re Lea, aren¡¯t you? You used to work with Dave, didn¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 53

    53 53. Lea and Clara

    Lea¡¯s mouth could only gape, forming a very large O. She really couldn¡¯t answer the woman¡¯s warm and enthusiastic greeting. A greeting that should be answered with the same level of friendliness.

    ¡®She is ... Clara?¡¯ Lea wondered in her muddled mind.

    Correct! The woman she bumped into was Clara, Dave¡¯s fianc¨¦e.

    Lea swallowed. She forced a smile, blinked a few times, and said, ¡°Clara! Hi! How are you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Lea! No need to be so formal!¡± said Clara with an exaggerated chuckle. Her hazel eyes stared intently at Lea. ¡°I still remember that Dave was throwing a tantrum when you left him. Let¡¯s meet him! Don¡¯t worry, he is fine,¡± Clara patted Lea¡¯s shoulder and asked her to go see Dave, half insistently.

    ¡°But, Clara! I-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I told you, he is fine!¡± Clara encouraged her again. She then said goodbye to his friends and put her arm around Lea, inviting her to meet her fianc¨¦.

    Lea¡¯s heart was beating erratically. She wanted to refuse Clara¡¯s invitation. However, Clara is a real pushy. She didn¡¯t accept a refusal.

    Firmly, Clara led Lea out of the crowd. Of course, they ran into a confused William waiting at the edge of the crowd for Lea.

    .....

    ¡°Hi, William! How are you?¡± said Clara in a friendly manner. She didn¡¯t know what had happened before.

    ¡°Fine, thanks,¡± William replied, returning Clara¡¯s smile. ¡°Oh! Clara, Lea, do you know each other?¡± William asked again, in an awkward tone.

    Clara laughed crisply. He looked at William with an amused look. ¡°Of course, I know her well! She used to be Dave¡¯s secretary, my handsome hot fianc¨¦! The yummiest bachelor ever in the business world!¡±

    William and Lea frowned. The two of them then strengthened their sense of smell and confirmed that they smelled alcohol from Clara¡¯s mouth. No wonder she¡¯s so tipsy. She almost spilled everything she thought of her hot fiance.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go see Dave. He¡¯ll be very happy to meet you all,¡± Clara said and then chuckled as if it was a very funny joke. She then put her arm around William and Lea and pulled them over to Dave¡¯s table. He was in the middle of a chat with his colleagues

    ¡°Hi, Davey, babe! Look who I brought with me! Your handsome CEO friend and your pretty secretary-I mean your ex-secretary.¡±

    Dave, who heard Clara¡¯s drunk voice, immediately asked his colleagues to leave for a moment and turned his attention to his fianc¨¦e. However, of course, he didn¡¯t know at all that Clara would come with two people he didn¡¯t expect to come.

    ¡°Clara? Oh, you are with ... William and-Lea?¡± Dave asked very nervously. ¡°Good grief! Did you guys get invited too?¡±

    Dave couldn¡¯t show any expression other than nervousness. He didn¡¯t know how to make up his mind so quickly. At first, he wanted to delay until there was the best solution he could offer. However, on second thought, he felt even more cowardly. He didn¡¯t know how to explain to the innocent Clara. Clara, who didn¡¯t know anything, must be affected by the mistake he made that night with Lea.

    ¡°Right! You¡¯re happy to meet them, aren¡¯t you? Come on, you said you want Lea back to be your secretary?¡± Clara tightened her grip on Lea¡¯s shoulders and William¡¯s back. When lined up like this, the three of them looked like stairs whose middle was almost broken because it nearly wobbled. ¡°She is here, babe! Say it to her!¡±

    ¡°Clara, you should never touch the alcohol, love! You know that you can¡¯t handle even a shot!¡± Dave looked around. Clara¡¯s alcohol tolerance was very low. It must be her friends¡¯ doing.

    Not long after, a child¡¯s voice called out to William. ¡°Father, it¡¯s Mr. Montgomery!¡± shrieked the voice that William remembered was Alan¡¯s.

    William¡¯s attention then turned to Alan who was running towards him. The sweet little boy gave him greetings and thanks.

    ¡°I¡¯m very happy because you can meet your father,¡± William said while stroking Alan¡¯s head. For a moment, he forgot that there was a ticking time bomb nearby.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your help, I¡¯m sure I would still have to sleep with the other kids at the orphanage,¡± Alan said with a genuinely sweet smile.

    ¡°Alan, you can¡¯t run around like that when there are a lot of guests at the party. Not polite. You can also injure yourself and others.¡± A little girl¡¯s voice made Alan speechless. The black-haired beautiful girl was very cute and adorable, it must be the girl Alan used to like. Unfortunately, it turned out that they were half-siblings.

    ¡°Okay, Louisa. I¡¯m not going to run like that again.¡± Alan suddenly changed his attitude. Stand up straight and put on a formal face. He made William laugh out loud. Surely Alan¡¯s union with his biological father came at a price with such a drastic change in atmosphere.

    A few minutes later, Mark Stevens and an elegant woman dressed in a classy black long dress approached William. ¡°You must be Mr. William Montgomery, right?¡± Mark Stevens greeted. He turned out to be not a very friendly person like William thought he was. Unlike the two-faced Martin either. He¡¯s something else. No wonder his father said that Mark Stevens was a difficult person to approach.

    ¡°I am,¡± William replied enthusiastically shaking Mark¡¯s outstretched hand. He just wanted to think positively about him. At least Mark was a loving and responsible father.

    ¡°Are you busy?¡± Mark asked again.

    William looked around. ¡°No,¡± William answered firmly.

    ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t mind if I asked you to sit with us over there, would you?¡± Mark asked again.

    ¡°Of course, with pleasure,¡± William said confidently. He looked at Lea for a moment and took a deep breath. This business matter was very important, he had to leave Lea alone.

    William then approached Dave. ¡°Be a real man! Treat Lea and Clara well and fairly,¡± William whispered to Dave.

    Hesitantly, William then turned to Lea, ¡°Sorry, I have to go! If there¡¯s anything, come back to my family¡¯s house. Don¡¯t run away again! I promise to help and support you.¡±

 Chapter 54

    54 54. Poor Lea

    ¡®... you will help and support me?¡¯

    William¡¯s words sounded very hypocritical in Lea¡¯s ears. How could her ex-lover say that when he threw her at Dave and Clara and left her alone?

    How could William possibly help and assist her when his back was no longer visible in the banquet hall? How could he possibly support her when he was discussing business with Mark?

    Meanwhile, Dave felt he had no other choice. Maybe it¡¯s time to talk this over with Lea and Clara. They had to decide quickly because there would be no point in keeping this kind of secret either.

    ¡°Lea, Clara, we¡¯re leaving. I have something important to tell you,¡± Dave finally said. He looked at Lea and Clara in turn, bearing a heavy burden on his heart. It was almost impossible. He wanted so badly to ask Lea to abort the baby. However, would Lea be willing to do that? Wouldn¡¯t he regret it in the future?

    Clara, who didn¡¯t know anything, of course, agreed to Dave¡¯s request. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s get out of here! This place is so boring.¡±

    However, Lea did not want this. She didn¡¯t want this situation to happen at all.

    ¡°Ah, Dave, Clara, I just remembered that I have an appointment. I have to go now. It¡¯s Friday night. You can spend your precious time together. I-I don¡¯t want to be a third wheel. We can talk some other time!¡± Lea said, looking very nervous.

    Lea didn¡¯t wait any longer. She immediately left Dave and Clara, out of the venue. Unfortunately, someone stepped on the lace material of her long dress. Her dress was torn, leaving only a short skirt above the knee, exposing Lea¡¯s smooth and flawless thighs. Lea almost fell, her stilettos slipped from her feet.

    .....

    ¡°Ah, sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to. You¡¯d better be careful when you walk,¡± said the young woman who stepped on the lace of Lea¡¯s skirt.

    ¡°Eh, you¡¯re Lea, aren¡¯t you? I was in your class at The Elite Highschool. You entered our high school through a scholarship, right?¡± asked another young woman, greeted with laughter from her friends.

    ¡°Of course. She is not one of us,¡± the other added, chuckling.

    All eyes turned to Lea, making her feel so embarrassed that her face turned beet red. Unable to take it anymore, she then ran barefoot, leaving her gray stilettos lying on the ballroom floor. She didn¡¯t care anymore about what they said.

    Lea realized that she was not a woman from the upper class. She realized who she was. Anything she did would only embarrass her.

    She ran out of the ballroom into the lobby. Where would she be tonight? It was impossible to return to William¡¯s parents¡¯ house.

    She then headed for the taxi stop. Just as she was about to get into the cab, a strong hand grabbed her, preventing her to go.

    ¡°Lea, let¡¯s talk!¡± Dave said, gasping for air as he chased after Lea.

    ¡°No, Dave! There¡¯s nothing more to talk about,¡± Lea chimed in with sobs.

    ¡°Leah, please! Give me some time,¡± Dave begged desperately. ¡°Please.¡±

    Suddenly, Dave knelt and put on Lea¡¯s shoes that had been taken off. Her feelings were messed up. Her heart clenched. How could Dave treat her so gently like this?

    Finally, Lea relented. She didn¡¯t take a taxi. She followed Dave¡¯s request to go back to the lobby. She hoped it would all be over as soon as possible so that the burden would be lessened-if that was possible.

    The autumn wind at night is quite chilly. Lea did not have time to take the coat that had been left at the venue. Dave was quite understanding. He took off his coat and offered it to Lea so that her exposed shoulders wouldn¡¯t be frozen by the cold night.

    ¡°Put it on! You¡¯re pregnant,¡± Dave said as he handed her his coat.

    ¡°Pregnancy is not a disease,¡± Lea replied, reluctant to accept.

    ¡°Why are you so difficult? Just use it,¡± Dave commented in annoyance. He then forced Lea to stop walking and put on his coat to cover Lea¡¯s sweaty white shoulders.

    Dave gulped, Lea¡¯s shoulders and cleavage reminded him of the passionate night they spent together. He still remembered how heartbroken Lea was at that time and asked Dave to make love to her out of revenge.

    That night, both of them were quite drunk. A strong sexual desire can not be restrained. Lea was a cute and fragile woman. In contrast to Clara. Just seeing Lea¡¯s figure made Dave want to protect her and grant her everything she asked for. For that reason, Dave was willing to have sex with her.

    Who would have thought that Lea was a virgin? Who would have thought that she had to get pregnant because of what they did that night?

    The two of them then walked past the hotel lobby and entered the lounge. Hardly to see anyone there. It was quiet.

    Dave chose one of the tables and pulled out a chair for Lea. She obediently sat down and looked down. Still didn¡¯t want to look at him.

    ¡°So William is the man who betrayed you and married Paula?¡± Dave asked, opening the conversation.

    Lea just nodded. ¡°But that¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± said Dave. He gulped, then continued, ¡°William told me that you were pregnant with my child. Is-¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡± Lea interrupted Dave nodding.

    Lea smirked, feeling humiliated. She only had sex with a man once and immediately got pregnant. However, it turned out that the man did not believe that the child in her womb was his.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a lie! William is making the story up,¡± Lea replied sarcastically. She looked at anything but Dave.

    ¡°Lea!¡± Dave, who knew Lea¡¯s habits, realized that she was mad at him. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe it. However, I just wanted to confirm.¡±

    ¡°What is the difference?¡± Lea snapped.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Dave said awkwardly. There was a moment of silence. Neither of the two spoke. ¡°You know, I have Clara. We¡¯re getting married-¡±

    ¡°I know, Dave. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to say anything to you! I don¡¯t want to ruin your happiness with Clara,¡± Lea was furious. ¡°I hate Paula who took William from me. How could I have the heart to do a similar thing to Clara?¡±

    Lea glared at Dave with a look of anger and despair. Meanwhile, he could only stare at her in confusion. Was Lea really that kind? Should their affair be kept a secret from Clara?

    Unfortunately, it can no longer be done because now Clara was around. She walked closer to them and said, ¡°What is this? Why did you have to ruin my happiness with Dave?¡±

 Chapter 55

    55 55. Cute Couple

    Separated from the ballroom, William, Mark, and his wife entered the VIP room together. The atmosphere around them seemed relaxed, although the tension was still felt.

    ¡°Oh, William, this is Gaby, my wife!¡± Mark introduced his wife to William. ¡°I forgot to introduce her to you earlier.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Gaby! Nice to meet you,¡± William greeted Gaby and offered his hand, initiating the handshake to the gorgeous red-haired woman. She accepted his hand and answered his greeting in a friendly manner, the total opposite of her husband. The three of them then sat around the table and the waiter immediately served water and the appetizers for them.

    ¡°Personally, I really want to thank you for your effort for my son,¡± Mark said with a genuine smile. The first smile William saw. ¡°I am really happy finding him.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± William replied with an equally sincere smile. ¡°This is because your son is very brave. He asked me for help in person.¡±

    Mark and Gaby laughed. William was glad because even though Alan was not Gaby¡¯s own son, she seemed to love Alan sincerely.

    ¡°Mark always wants a son, but I can¡¯t get pregnant again,¡± Gaby said, explaining William¡¯s confusion. ¡°Alan¡¯s presence is a real blessing for our family. At first, we wanted to adopt a son and even considered surrogacy. But since there is Alan, we don¡¯t have to do it.¡±

    William nodded as a sign of understanding. Louisa and Alan were the same age. It meant that Gaby and Alan¡¯s mother were pregnant at the same time. It seemed that Gaby chose to put Mark¡¯s affair aside. She was such a great woman.

    ¡°By the way, I like your business proposal. However, after I re-read it, there is something I still have to learn. Your concept of building a tower that accommodates all entertainment facilities is very good and at the same time very risky because we need a large sum of capital,¡± Mark said with a serious face. He did not hesitate to say this in front of his wife because it seemed that she was also handling Mark¡¯s business.

    .....

    ¡°Okay. No rush. I understand your situation,¡± William replied sincerely. He didn¡¯t feel at all that Mark was such a wishy-washy because only his representatives came to the presentation yesterday. It was natural when they didn¡¯t notice one or more points.

    ¡°Do you mind if I ask for more time to learn more about this project?¡± Mark asked again.

    ¡°No problem,¡± William answered, still trying to be professional. ¡°You can contact me anytime if you need more explanations.¡±

    A feeling of disappointment of course remains in William¡¯s heart. However, he was able to hide it as best he could so that no one would notice.

    Mark smirked, glancing at his wife. Gaby then nodded with a smile. William certainly didn¡¯t understand what it meant, but he didn¡¯t think it was a bad thing.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mind having my wife around when we talk about this business, do you?¡± Mark asked then.

    ¡°No problem at all. I also often do it with my wife. She ... you could say that I learned a lot from her,¡± William answered.

    ¡°Then, where is she now?¡± Gaby asked curiously.

    William¡¯s face suddenly changed. ¡°Hmm, she is ... busy. I am really sorry for that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m sorry, my question must be too personal,¡± Gaby replied when she understood what William meant.

    Not long after, a woman approached Gaby. The woman informed her that something happened with the kids.

    Not long after, Gaby excused herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I had to leave early because Lou and Alan need me,¡± Gaby said. ¡°In a moment, the waiter will bring the food for you.¡±

    William and Mark had dinner together while discussing simple things about family and life.

    ¡°To be honest, I never knew that Regina was pregnant with Alan. She knew I was getting married to Gaby. Because of that, maybe she chose to leave me without saying anything,¡± Mark suddenly told William about the past. William did not expect that Mark would share his personal affairs.

    ¡°You and Regina?¡±

    ¡°I love Regina. However, because of business matters, I was forced to marry Gaby. Regina finally relented. However, we kept in touch before I was officially married. After marriage, Regina disappeared and never saw me again,¡± Mark recalled with regret.

    Unexpectedly, Mark¡¯s story was almost similar to William¡¯s story.

    ¡°Do you love Gaby?¡± William knew he shouldn¡¯t have asked that. However, the question slipped through his mouth.

    ¡°Gaby is a businesswoman. She is very professional. I am very grateful to have a wife like her,¡± said Mark, looking at William meaningfully. ¡°However, feelings are another matter. You can not choose who you love.¡±

    William nodded, understanding Mark¡¯s situation.

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot! It¡¯s you and your wife, no?¡± Mark asked, showing a YouTube video from a few days ago where William carried Paula in the lobby of a hotel. William¡¯s face reddened with embarrassment. At that time, he did not expect that someone would record and upload it on YouTube. ¡°Gaby found this video. She was very hysterical when she watched it and asked me to do the same thing.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Tha-t¡¯s ... Paula was injured. So, I took her to the hotel for treatment,¡± William replied awkwardly.

    Mark laughed amusedly. ¡°If she was injured, you should take her to a clinic or hospital. A hotel is a place for playing doctor.¡±

    William¡¯s face turned beet red. He didn¡¯t know what to say in return.

    ¡°See the comments,¡± Mark said again.

    ¡°If my boyfriend carried me like that, I would die for him!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re so cute!¡±

    ¡°When they¡¯re putting it just for a show, both are great actors because I can feel the chemistry.¡±

    William saw lots of supportive comments. There were only two dislikes among millions of likes.

    ¡°They all support you!¡± Mark commented, encouraging William. ¡°Earlier, my wife invited you expecting you to come with your wife so she could make another great video and interview both of you.¡±

    ¡°But, honestly-¡±

    ¡°If you have a problem with your wife, talk to her. If you don¡¯t communicate well, how can the problem be solved,¡± Mark cut William¡¯s words, patting William on the back. He knew what happened to William and his wife even if he didn¡¯t say it blatantly.

    William¡¯s chest felt full of passion. He no longer cared about business dealings with Mark, fail or not it¡¯s up to him. He did his best.

    ¡°Mark, it seems, I¡¯ll excuse myself. Do you mind it?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Mark replied casually.

    ****

    The party went smoothly. Mark introduced the presence of Alan in his family with great pride. The media covered the presence of Mark¡¯s son. Instead of getting ridiculed, Mark got a lot of praise. He also especially thanked William. However, the hero was not around.

    ¡°Where¡¯s William?¡± Lisa asked, looking for her son.

    ¡°He texted me that he was seeing Paula,¡± Vanessa replied.

    ¡°Paula?¡± Lisa asked in disbelief. ¡°Paula?¡±

    Shortly after, Lisa¡¯s friend approached her, showing the video on the cell phone. ¡°This is your son and his wife, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Instantly, Lisa¡¯s face blushed. How could her son do such an embarrassing thing in public?

 Chapter 56

    56 56. Father-in-law

    William parked his car and ran impatiently along his father-in-law¡¯s yard towards the main door. He knocked on the door with mixed feelings. Anxious.

    The door was opened by a middle-aged man who looked a bit sleepy.

    ¡°Oh, William? What brings you here at this time?¡± asked Robert in amazement, mixed with disdain for his son-in-law.

    ¡°Dad, is Paula here? Can I take her home?¡± William bombarded his father-in-law with a barrage of questions.

    ¡°Come on, come in! Sit down first.¡± Robert took William into the living room and asked the maid to serve hot drinks and cakes to calm his son-in-law down before answering all the questions.

    ¡°Enjoy the cake and tea first,¡± Robert said with a friendly laugh, but it seemed forced. William half-heartedly finished a large slice of that red velvet cake despite being stuffed. He felt bad if he had to fight his father-in-law just for a trivial matter.

    After the last bite of cake and a sip of his tea, William opened his mouth, ¡°So, is Paula still mad at me?¡±

    ¡°Paula doesn¡¯t get angry, William. She is just trying to understand your situation. She just wants you to live as if you didn¡¯t know her,¡± Robert explained, bearing the pain in his heart. Nevertheless, he was a father who tried to support his daughter¡¯s decision. He didn¡¯t want to interfere in Paula¡¯s business. ¡°Paula accepts your anger and disappointment with her.¡±

    ¡°Anger? Disappointment? What does that mean?¡± William asked, confused. His forehead wrinkled. When did he get angry and disappointed with Paula?

    .....

    ¡®Wasn¡¯t the last time we saw ... Paula finding those damn pills?¡¯

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Robert¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, William. Paula just told me that you were upset and angry with her.¡±

    Of course, what Robert knew was the first version of Paula¡¯s story. When she left after a drunken William vented his anger on her.

    William could only look at his father-in-law in bewilderment. He couldn¡¯t understand what his father-in-law meant. Did Paula make up a story?

    Robert exhaled and cleared his throat. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t meddle in your business. You two know best what¡¯s going on, right?¡±

    ¡°I believe this is a misunderstanding!¡± William insisted that Paula made up the story. He still didn¡¯t understand what his father-in-law was talking about. ¡°I have to talk to Paula myself!¡±

    ¡°Paula ....¡± Robert fell silent. He exhaled as he stared intently at William. The middle-aged man lightly patted William¡¯s right shoulder and said, ¡°Paula left for Japan yesterday afternoon. There are company matters to be resolved there!¡±

    Seeing William¡¯s pale face at the news, Robert could only sigh in resignation. His experience of life was enough to make him understand what happened. However, he also understood that educating youngsters was different from dictating to them.

    ¡°Oh, she called me this morning. She told me that the bathtub there is very small. It doesn¡¯t fit her,¡± Robert said to dissolve the tension, laughing out loud. He tried to act funny to lighten the mood.

    However, William remained frozen, unable to smile at all. The fact that Paula had gone so far as to leave him without saying goodbye hurt him so much. He was heartbroken.

    This time, the heartache was completely different than what William had ever experienced. So painful. It hurt so much more than when he found out that Lea was getting back at him by spending the night with Dave. Many misunderstandings were not communicated properly. Paula had decided everything unilaterally. Hurt was an understatement.

    However, what did William expect from Paula? She had helped him and Lea to get his parents¡¯ consent. Of course, no wonder Paula chose to leave him immediately.

    If only he had said love to her earlier, would Paula have gone anyway? Would she choose to stay?

    ¡°Paula didn¡¯t say anything about . . . ¡± William said after a moment. However, he was unsure how to discuss it with his in-laws.

    ¡°About what?¡± asked Robert in curiosity.

    ¡°It¡¯s ... about ....¡± William¡¯s face turned beet red. He wanted to ask whether Paula told her dad about their passionate night days ago. ¡°Ah, nothing! Forget it!¡±

    As time went on, William¡¯s face grew redder, making Robert want to laugh even more. Fortunately, he was quite good at restraining himself.

    ¡°William, I just wanted to tell you. Be a responsible gentleman! Don¡¯t be wishy-washy!¡± The meaningful statement conveyed by Robert certainly had such a deep meaning. It was hard for William to do that this time. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry, Paula is a strong woman. This kind of problem will not ruin her life.¡±

    William¡¯s eyes glazed with tears. Unexpectedly, he had a father-in-law as good as Robert who accepted all the imperfections of the household he built with his daughter. Perhaps, Paula¡¯s big heart was indeed something she had inherited from her father.

    ¡°Thank you, dad! You are the kindest father-in-law I could ever wish for.¡±

    ¡°Hohoho, who said that? I wanted to punch you in the face from the first time I saw you,¡± Robert replied with a playful face. However, this made William shudder in horror. ¡°Well, if I hadn¡¯t made a promise to Paula, you would have been badly beaten by now.¡±

    Robert¡¯s laughter grew even louder and filled the room. William smiled wryly because his feelings were getting worse. Sure enough. Which father would accept gracefully if his daughter is treated like that? If William were in Robert¡¯s shoes, he would not let his daughter be treated unfairly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Paula doesn¡¯t need a man like you. She married you because I promised her some money for her start-up. I regret marrying her to you,¡± Robert added sarcastically.

    William¡¯s confidence collapsed for a moment. Only for a moment.

    ¡°In the past maybe I didn¡¯t deserve Paula. However, I will prove that I will be the man who can make her the happiest in this world,¡± William answered with a firm look.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who wants a divorce?¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯m not divorcing Paula.¡±

    Robert was silent. He sighed softly, looking at William doubtfully.

    ¡°She is divorcing you, no matter what.¡±

 Chapter 57

    57 57. Because of a One Night Mistake

    Meanwhile, Clara was frozen in the lounge, glaring at Lea and Dave in disbelief.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you say anything to me?¡± Clara thought that their behavior was too fishy. She had to force them to reveal everything.

    Dave gulped, trying to gain his composure. ¡°Lea ... she is pre-¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a burden to the company!¡± Lea cut Dave¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t want Clara to get hurt. She stared at Dave, hoping that he could cope with the lie. However, Dave had already made up his mind. He decided to tell Clara the truth.

    ¡°Lea is pregnant with my child,¡± Dave stated, looking at his fiancee with sadness.

    Of course, Dave¡¯s declaration made Clara and Lea gape, they were in shock for different reasons. Lea¡¯s body trembled. She wrung her hands a few times, hoping the cold sweat would turn warm so she wouldn¡¯t shiver.

    The drunken Clara suddenly sobered up. How could her beloved fiance cheat on her?

    ¡°Today is not April 1st! So, don¡¯t tell me a silly joke!¡± Clara replied in a trembling voice. Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re in love and you¡¯re not cheating on me.¡±

    Dave looked down, tightening his fist. He was in deep regret for telling the truth to his lover but he knew that he couldn¡¯t chicken out.

    .....

    Then, with a little courage left in his heart, Dave explained, ¡°I hope that this is a lie, Clara! But, sadly ... this is the truth. I am sorry I had to tell you this.¡±

    Clara couldn¡¯t hold her disappointment. She vented her anger at Dave and gave him a hard slap on his left cheek.

    She realized that nothing could be changed with this, but she was sad. She didn¡¯t know what to do but slap him.

    ¡°You, jerk, Dave! I thought that you were the one for me, but you are not!¡± She continued slapping her fiance, making his cheek turn deep red.

    Witnessing this heartbreaking sight, Lea could not stay still. She grabbed Clara¡¯s hand and asked her to stop beating Dave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me with your dirty hands, you evil whore!¡± Clara glared at Lea, daring her to prevent her from slapping Dave.

    ¡°Clara, please stop it! It was my fault! You can punish me. Not him!¡± Lea pleaded, begging Clara to stop. ¡°We were drunk, I was the one who persuaded him to do a one-night stand with me!¡±

    Clara stopped for a moment. She turned her attention to Lea who was tightening her grip on her wrist. ¡°What did you say? You were the one who seduced him?¡±

    Lea gulped, ¡°Y-yes!¡± she said, stuttering her words.

    ¡°So, we have the little whore here ... unbelievable! I thought that you were innocent. Who knew that it turned out everything was because of you!¡± Clara whispered in a dangerous tone. She raised her hand, about to slap Lea¡¯s cheek. Lea closed her eyes tight, preparing for the worst.

    Lea waited for seconds, expecting a hard slap landed on her cheek. However, who knew that there was nothing even when she waited for quite a long time? When she opened her eyes, she saw Dave was holding Clara¡¯s hand, saving her from danger.

    ¡°What is this, Dave? Are you trying to protect this lowly slut?¡± Clara asked in disbelief. She mocked his action, unpleasantly sneering at him.

    ¡°Clara, she is pregnant. Please spare her!¡± Dave begged, he stared at his fiancee with a pleading but serious look. ¡°You know that no one can make a baby alone. I was, of course, also at fault. I deserve to get my punishment.¡±

    Clara finally gave in. She lowered her right hand, shoving Dave¡¯s hand away. She didn¡¯t say anything in response but slowly turned her back and walked away.

    ¡°Clara!¡± Dave shouted, trying to stop his fiancee from leaving.

    But it was no use. He knew more than anyone else that no one could approach her in this state. She was beyond hurt. She was betrayed by her beloved one.

    Even if their relationship was arranged by their family, for the sake of business matters, they sincerely had feelings for each other. They loved each other just like other lovebirds in the world. Who knew that their sacred and loving relationship had to end miserably like this ... it was because of a one-night mistake.

    So sad. It was just a drunken one-night stand but Lea got pregnant that night. The consequence was too heavy. Because of that, Dave and Clara had to sacrifice their years of a happy relationship.

    ¡°Dave, don¡¯t you think that you have to chase her?¡± Lea pleaded, asking Dave to fight for his love.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that she will like it!¡± Dave refused her suggestion.

    ¡°Dave, you will regret it later. I was angry to find William with Paula. I really hoped that he tried his best to win my heart,¡± Lea encouraged her ex-boss to chase his fiancee because she knew that he loves her with all his heart. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint her, Dave. Do your best when you still have the chance.¡±

    ¡°But, the baby-¡±

    ¡°Dave, we will talk about the baby later! For now, chase her! You told me she is the one for you!¡± Lea¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. She hoped that Dave would listen to her. They were at fault, making the worst mistake, but it didn¡¯t mean that they couldn¡¯t make it up.

    Dave looked at Lea in hesitation. He didn¡¯t expect that she was that kind of girl. He expected that Lea would pester him to death, using the baby to blackmail him.

    Seeing the unmoved Dave, Lea reached his hand, gripping his palm with soft pressure. ¡°What are you waiting for, Dave? Get your love back! You and Clara are meant to be together,¡± Lea said again.

    ¡°Lea, please wait for me here. Don¡¯t go anywhere! We will talk later, okay?¡± Finally, Dave managed to erase his doubt.

    Lea nodded as if she agreed to wait for him patiently. But of course, she would not. She already had her own plan.

    ***

    Clara entered the cab as soon as possible. She didn¡¯t want Dave to get her. She loved him with all her heart. If he managed to catch her, she was afraid that she would give in so easily.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± the driver asked since Clara didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Just drive, please!¡± Clara replied, holding her tears so she didn¡¯t sob.

    The cab driver then drove away, leaving the hotel immediately. Clara looked back, finding Dave who just came out of the hotel¡¯s main entrance. She could tell that he was desperately looking for her. But, she deliberately ignored him. It was no use talking about things in this situation. She didn¡¯t want him around.

    The driver already drove for ten minutes. However, Clara still had no intention of telling the driver where to stop. Then, the driver patiently kept going for another minute. Once she saw a bottle shop, that¡¯s when Clara told him that she would get off.

    ¡°How much do I owe you, sir?¡± Clara asked.

    ¡°45 bucks, Miss!¡± the old driver replied.

    Clara took her purse to take some money. She then gave him 60 bucks.

    ¡°You can keep the change. Thanks!¡± She said, forcing a smile on her face.

    She got off the cab and walked to the liquor shop. She picked one randomly since she had not had much experience with drinking. She was never a fan of drinking. She didn¡¯t usually drink her problems away, but she just wanted to drink this time.

    She paid at the cashier and walked out of the store, carrying a long and thick red paper bag that fits the bottle well. She kept walking, trying to find a nice place to spend her time. That¡¯s when she saw a nice and cute-looking bakery and cafe.

    ¡°Sakura bakery and cafe ..., looks nice,¡± she muttered to herself.

    Clara entered the store and got even more amazed by the pinkish interior design. Unexpectedly, it could soothe the pain in her heart a little bit. The place was spacious and comfortable. She liked it.

    The cashier greeted her with a warm welcome. Clara then came closer to choose some cake she liked.

    She put a souffle cheesecake, a slice of cheese chiffon cake, and an egg tart onto the tray. Then, she ordered a cup of hot matcha latte.

    When paying the bills, she asked the cashier, ¡°Why don¡¯t you have liquor here?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have the license to sell liquor, Miss. Sorry for that,¡± the cashier replied kindly.

    Clara nodded and then she chose to sit at the corner of the shop. She sneaked in the liquor and intended to drink it there.

    At first, no one noticed that one of the customers was drinking but as time passed, the waitress noticed what Clara was doing and reported her to the manager.

    ¡°Monica, there is a lady drinking liquor over there,¡± the waitress told her boss. ¡°Shall I ask her to stop? Or leave? Since it¡¯s almost time to close the store.¡±

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Monica asked her subordinate.

    The waitress brought Monica to see Clara and then Monica was surprised to find how wasted Clara was.

    ¡°Miss, our store is about to close in ten minutes. Could you please finish your meal soon?¡± Monica asked her customer politely.

    ¡°Exsqueezmee, who are you?¡± The wasted Clara lost her graceful attitude.

    ¡°I am the manager,¡± Monica replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave. I will stay the night here.¡±

    Monica tried her best to handle that drunken lady but she failed. Clara kept shouting, mocking Monica¡¯s social status. Clara was not the one insulting people because of wealth. However, this time was different. She was drunk, and so it happened.

    Luckily, there were no customers left in the store. If there had been some customers in the store, Monica would have immediately asked Clara to come into her office to isolate her from public sight.

    Monica was about to call the police when the waitress approached her. ¡°Maybe, we need to ask a guy for help.¡±

    ¡°A guy? Who? She is not a cute and small lady ... not an easy-to-handle one.¡± Monica reluctantly agreed to the idea.

    ¡°But Samuel is still here.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Good. Then, call the hot janitor right now!¡±

 Chapter 58

    58 58. The Hot Janitor

    Samuel was in the locker room, about to change his blue and white uniform when the waitress asked him for help. He then followed the waitress and came to Monica.

    ¡°Oh, Samuel! Could you please help me handle that wasted woman?¡± Monica asked hastily.

    ¡°How could she drink here? Do you serve liquor?¡± Samuel couldn¡¯t grasp the situation. He was too lazy to meddle in a messy situation.

    ¡°No, we don¡¯t. She sneaked in a bottle from outside,¡± Monica answered.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my business, Monica! I agreed to do janitor work. Not the other work.¡±

    ¡°Then, who has to deal with her? Even I couldn¡¯t do it.¡±

    ¡°The cashier should see her bringing the drink inside,¡± Samuel blamed the employee. ¡°Asked her to take responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Sam, please! I will tell Paula later about your heroic action if you are willing to help!¡± The sly Monica took place. She sold her boss to ask for Samuel¡¯s help since she knew about his unrequited feelings for Paula.

    It was a simple trick but it worked well. Samuel turned to face Monica for a moment, then he came closer to the table where Clara was.

    .....

    ¡°Miss, the store was about to close. Could you please tell me your address? I will call a cab for you,¡± Samuel said formally.

    ¡°The manager failed to kick me out, then now she called for ... a janitor?¡± Clara mocked him unpleasantly. ¡°How funny!¡±

    ¡°Miss, could you please pass me your ID?¡± Samuel insisted her insult was nothing for him as long as she didn¡¯t recognize his real identity. ¡°I will check where you live and call a cab for you.¡±

    Samuel became impatient because Clara only gave him a cold stare as a reply. He was about to take her purse by force when Clara swiftly saved her belonging first.

    ¡°Oh? How dare you! Don¡¯t you know who my father is?¡± Clara snapped.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Didn¡¯t your mom tell you?¡± Samuel replied sarcastically. ¡°If not, come to your mom and ask her immediately.¡±

    Clara gaped at Samuel¡¯s response. Monica and the waitress could only hold their chuckles. How could Samuel have that kind of joke? Clara must be upset right now.

    ¡°I will ask my dad to buy this store immediately, no! He will buy the entire street for me!¡± Clara pointed her finger at Samuel. She couldn¡¯t contain her anger.

    ¡°You spoiled brat! Why do you bring your dad¡¯s name to solve your problem?¡± Samuel replied coldly, leaving her thunderstruck. ¡°You should learn how to stand on your own feet.¡±

    Without waiting any longer, Samuel took advantage of Clara¡¯s dumbfoundedness to take the wallet from the haughty woman¡¯s hand. He opened Clara¡¯s ID and checked her address.

    ¡°Clara Decker. Fifth Avenue? Are you the daughter of that Decker old money family?¡± Samuel muttered to himself. ¡°No wonder you are so cocky.¡±

    ¡°Give it back!¡± Clara wobbly came closer to Samuel, trying to get her purse back. However, he dodged it, almost causing her to fall to the floor. Luckily, he managed to prevent the incident on time.

    Samuel slid his hand under her back, accidentally undoing her loose bun and making her hair fall completely. The silky and soft red hair was fanning across his arm, complementing her gorgeous and sharp hazel eyes. She stared intensely at him, making him gape in awe.

    ¡°It was close!¡± He said, trying to collect his calm. He pulled up Clara¡¯s body, helping her to stand firmly. But, of course, she couldn¡¯t.

    He had no choice but to assist her to walk out of the cafe. However, the drunken Clara refused his offer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me with your dirty hands!¡± Clara snapped, slapping Samuel¡¯s hands. ¡°You lowly janitor!¡±

    Samuel inhaled lightly. He wanted to curse but restrained himself, recalling that the bad attitude could ruin Paula¡¯s business.

    ¡°Let me help you! You are wobbling.¡± Samuel insisted on helping her. ¡°I have no intention to do anything to you. You are not even close to my type.¡± He didn¡¯t lie because, unlike the firm and calm Paula, Clara looked even more ferocious and wild in her drunken state.

    Feeling humiliated, and relieved that she wouldn¡¯t be harassed, Clara couldn¡¯t help but stay calm and let Samuel pull her body closer to his. He put Clara¡¯s left hand on his shoulder and he put his right hand on her waist. Clara¡¯s face blushed. Nobody knew it was because of the liquor or because of the embarrassment.

    They then slowly walked outside to the taxi stop. Both of them said nothing since they were busy with their own thoughts.

    Clara stole glances at the janitor¡¯s face and found him as an attractive man. The smell of cinnamon emanated from his body, making her face turn even redder. She gulped, finding how captivating the janitor was despite his low social status. Looking at his hot appearance, Clara thought that he was anything but an innocent guy. His sexy rock hard body would make any woman happily crawl into his bed despite his lowly job.

    Meanwhile, Samuel¡¯s sharp nose could only smell Clara¡¯s perfume-the freshly sour and sweet cherry. On top of that, she was slim but curvy. He could imagine what her body looked like under her skimpy red dress. It tingled his manly instinct for sure, but he tried to resist. Even if he said that Clara wasn¡¯t his type, it didn¡¯t mean that she couldn¡¯t arouse his sexual desire.

    When they were about to reach the taxi stop, Dave unexpectedly wandered around and came closer to their direction.

    ¡°Crap!¡± she cursed in a low tone.

    A bit of sanity in Clara¡¯s head rang the alarm. Before she realized it, she pulled Samuel closer to her and leaned her back against the wall. She used his burly body to cover her slim figure.

    ¡°Please, hold on!¡± Clara whispered anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t let him see me!¡±

    Samuel could roughly grasp the situation. He then granted her request and hid her under his tall and muscular body. However, the condition made their faces too close. They even could smell each other¡¯s breath-the mixture of alcohol and mint.

    The wind that night was too cold. It was really hard to resist the warmness offered by a tight embrace and skinship. Perhaps, that was the only explanation for why the two strangers shared their kisses-the hot and passionate ones.

 Chapter 59

    59 59. Lea¡¯s Decision

    The kiss was so sweet, gentle, and passionate at the same time. Samuel was surprised when he found that Clara¡¯s lips were so edible and delicious. He kissed the shit out of her.

    Clara felt the same way, she didn¡¯t expect that the hot janitor was a good kisser. He seriously kissed her in a good way. His tongue gently entered her-the force was just right as if they already rehearsed it many times in advance. It¡¯s so comfortable, she wanted to enjoy it for a longer time.

    It was a momentary thought. It was a momentary feeling.

    Just when Clara realized that Dave was no longer around, that¡¯s when her brain started working to realize what was happening.

    When Clara felt that the janitor ran his tongue inside her mouth, she suddenly pulled back and slapped him hard.

    ¡°Damn, you man whore! How dare you kiss me in such a lewd manner!¡±

    Samuel was shocked. He didn¡¯t expect to get a slap on his face. ¡°You were the one who started the kiss! Why did you slap me?¡±

    ¡°You enjoyed the kiss! It¡¯s not supposed to be like that!¡±

    ¡°What? I tried to do it naturally so your fu-oh, your pursuer didn¡¯t recognize you,¡± Samuel snapped, trying hard not to curse.

    .....

    ¡°What? I will sue you! I will ask my dad to buy the store and he will kick you out of here. I will make sure that no one hires you in the entire city!¡±

    Samuel had no more patience left. He then opened the cab¡¯s door and helped-forced-Clara to get into the cab. He then gave some money to the driver and asked him to bring her home.

    As the cab drove away, he inhaled deeply. ¡°I hope this is the last time I met that kind of spoiled chick!¡±

    What a rough night for poor Samuel.

    ***

    The next day ....

    Lea walked through the yard of William¡¯s parents¡¯ house, full of anxiety. It was still early in the morning, the autumn mood was quite chilly. However, her body was sweating profusely because she was scared.

    She had made up her mind to meet William¡¯s parents who had been kind enough to take care of her all this time and treat her well. She had to do what she should have done a long time ago.

    Lea entered the house after a maid opened the door for her. It seemed that no one had woken up because last night¡¯s party had exhausted them. Good! She could still pack her belongings up before doing her most important agenda.

    One by one she packed the clothes she had brought from her house, not including expensive dresses bought by Lisa. She understood, she didn¡¯t deserve them because they were obtained by lying.

    After packing up every important thing, she went to the bathroom to clean up and get her looks to freshen up. She undressed, looking at the torn-up dress with so much pain in her heart. Her heart was even messier than the destroyed ball gown.

    A drop of tear fell to her cheek, followed by other drops. It must be karma, just like what her mom said last night. Everything happened because she tried to fight her fate in the wrong way.

    So many lies. So many acts of revenge. She hurts others. She wronged Paula and also helped Samuel to get rid of William from Paula¡¯s life.

    ¡®Just because somebody hurt you doesn¡¯t mean you can hurt others.¡¯

    Lea recalled what her mom said last night when she was visiting. Her sick mom was right. How could she even forget about that simple thing? A rule of life that her mom always reminded her of almost every day.

    ¡®Don¡¯t try to control the thing that you can¡¯t control.¡¯

    Lea realized that she had to stop begging William to come back. Everything had changed. As well as William¡¯s heart. His heart belonged to his legal wife. What was wrong with that? Many people went through forced marriages, only a few could truly fall in love afterward. Shouldn¡¯t she be happy that William could love his wife?

    ¡®You can not choose who you love.¡¯

    William chose his wife. She had to accept that.

    Lea then took shower and wore a yellow long jumpsuit. She grabbed her brown cardigan after applying dewy light makeup to her face.

    When the sun was up, Alex and the rest of the family were already at the dining table, munching their last bites. Lea came closer, bringing her luggage, forcing a smile on her gloomy and puffy face.

    ¡°Lea?¡± Lisa responded to the sight of Lea¡¯s unusual presence. ¡°You were missing last night. I tried to call William, but he said we were okay to just leave,¡± she explained further.

    ¡°And ... I didn¡¯t know that you were coming home this morning. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t call you for breakfast,¡± Vanessa said awkwardly then called a maid to prepare breakfast for Lea. She scolded one of the maids for not telling her about Lea¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Van, it¡¯s fine. I had breakfast earlier,¡± Lea said in a hoarse voice. ¡°Other than breakfast, I have something to tell you all. Something so ... important ....¡±

    Everyone¡¯s heart skipped a beat. They expected something big to happen when the morning came since so many unusual and strange things happened last night.

    The missing William said he was seeing Paula ....

    The embarrassing YouTube video exposing their PDA ....

    The missing Lea with no traces ....

    However, seeing Lea¡¯s current expression made them understand that the thing they were expecting to happen was not as big as the reality.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Alex coldly asked. He put no expression on his face, increasing the tension in the room.

    Lea swallowed hard. ¡°I knew that you would hate me if I say this, but I realized that I better say it now than later-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush! Just say it right now!¡± Alex exclaimed, raising his voice. It almost made Lea jump out of shock.

    ¡°Dad, please, ... let her finish her sentence ...,¡± Vanessa, the one who was supposed to be in a cold war with her father, opened her mouth for the sake of Lea. Her father threw an unfriendly glare at her, but she tried to face him with the rest of the courage left.

    ¡°Say it, Lea!¡± Lisa said, holding her breath anxiously.

    Lea¡¯s eyes glistened with tears but she tried her best not to cry. ¡°I-I am not pregnant with William¡¯s baby,¡± Lea finished her sentence in a trembling voice.

 Chapter 60

    60 60. Good Bye

    Everybody in the dining room looked thunderstruck. Momentarily, they didn¡¯t know how to respond to Lea¡¯s confession.

    ¡°D-do you mean, the baby is not our grandchild?¡± Lisa asked in disbelief.

    Lea nodded. Lisa stared at her husband who looked so disappointed at the truth Lea said.

    ¡°You lied straight to our faces?¡± Alex snapped.

    ¡°Dad, let her explain,¡± Vanessa pleaded to her dad.

    ¡°I am sorry. I know that I wronged you, Mr. Montgomery. That¡¯s why I beg for your forgiveness,¡± Lea said, sobbing. ¡°Paula found me pregnant, she misunderstood that I am pregnant with William¡¯s baby ... instead of telling the truth, I used this as the opportunity to get your consent for our relationship.¡±

    Alex couldn¡¯t contain his anger. He stood up and was about to hit Lea in the face. But, fortunately, Lisa and Vanessa held him, preventing him from physically harming her.

    ¡°Dad, she is pregnant. Spare her, please!¡± Vanessa pleaded with her dad.

    ¡°Alex, William was also at fault. Let¡¯s hear William¡¯s part before we judge her,¡± Lisa begged her husband to stay calm.

    .....

    Alex looked at Lea who closed her eyes, ready to accept his anger. When he saw her tears, he softened a little bit. No matter the story behind her pregnancy, she was still a pregnant woman who deserved to be showered with love and care.

    Lea¡¯s current condition must prevent her from receiving that luxury. It was already hard for her to keep the baby. All she needed was support from her family and friends.

    Alex lowered his hands. He knew what he had to do. ¡°Then, what do you want to do, now? Do you want us to accept your bastard?¡±

    ¡°You can call me names, but please don¡¯t call my baby a bastard. All children are innocent despite their parents¡¯ sins,¡± Lea raised her voice, standing for her baby. ¡°And ... I just want to say thank you very much for taking care of me. I appreciate it. From today, I will excuse myself.¡±

    Silence filled the room. Lisa and Vanessa sobbed. Their hearts broke, seeing Lea¡¯s current state.

    ¡°William asked you to take care of me because he was afraid of me doing silly things. He didn¡¯t want me to get hurt, raising my baby alone in a faraway place. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t tell you the truth. He was afraid that you would never accept me to stay here if you knew that the baby wasn¡¯t his. I hope that you will not be so hard on him,¡± Lea explained again. She ran her tongue across her lower lip, and fastened her fists, trying to reduce her fear.

    Nobody answered Lea¡¯s explanation since they knew that what she was saying was the truth. They would never have agreed to take care of Lea if they knew that she wasn¡¯t pregnant with their son¡¯s baby.

    ¡°I knew, I didn¡¯t deserve your kindness. I am sorry.¡± Lea tried to stop her tears since her voice started trembling and hard to understand.

    ¡°So ... where will you go?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°I-I am fine if you want to stay here.¡± Lisa turned to Alex. He said nothing, it meant that he was okay.

    But Lea shook her head faintly. ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t want to be a burden anymore. I knew this is my problem. William already did his part well.¡±

    Lea came closer to Vanessa, shoving a big white closed envelope to her. ¡°Please give it to William. I have no courage to face him directly because ... you know ... he is pushy. He will never allow me to do this and that.¡±

    Vanessa nodded. She knew that William was the kind who always babysat her. He must do the same for Lea.

    ¡°Take care! I wish you all the best of luck,¡± Vanessa said, bursting into tears. She patted Lea¡¯s back to show her support.

    Lea pulled back, separating herself from Vanessa. Then, she turned to face Lisa hesitantly.

    ¡°Can I hug-¡±

    But Lea could not finish her sentence. Lisa swiftly embraced her tightly, squeezing her small figure and covering her body with warmth.

    ¡°I am sorry ...,¡± Lisa sobbed, showing all her sincerity to Lea as she could. She knew that she shouldn¡¯t oppose her son¡¯s relationship because of Lea¡¯s social status, but it was too late.

    ¡°I was the one who wronged you, Mrs. Montgomery,¡± Lea said in a low tone.

    ¡°Call me Lisa. Promise me we¡¯ll still be friends.¡±

    Lea knew that Lisa was never her friend but if she asked for it now, she would accept it. That was why she nodded and picked something from her handbag.

    ¡°This is your birthday gift. It¡¯s not expensive but I hope you like it.¡±

    Lisa accepted the red box from Lea¡¯s hands and opened it. It was a nice white scarf for winter. It was not a luxurious one but quite acceptable for Lisa.

    ¡°Thank you, dear! Winter is coming soon. I will need this,¡± Lisa thanked her sincerely. Without thinking any longer, she then took off her necklace and gave it to Lea.

    ¡°Lisa, I can not accept this.¡± Lea tried to refuse, but Lisa insisted.

    ¡°This is a gift from a friend. Just accept it!¡± Lisa put the necklace on Lea¡¯s neck. Lea couldn¡¯t help but accept the overly expensive gift.

    They shared hugs one more time, leaving the dark past behind. Lea then excused herself. She bowed to Alex who firmly wished good luck to her. She didn¡¯t think that he was rude. It was just how Alex could deal with the shocking situation. He tried his best.

    Lea turned her back. She was about to leave when she recalled that she had to say something to them.

    ¡°I almost forgot to tell you one more thing. You should be proud of William. He is a faithful husband. I tried to convince him to restart our relationship. However, in the end, he still chose Paula,¡± Lea exclaimed, wiping her tears when she finally accepted her failure. ¡°He is a great man, no?¡±

    In Lea¡¯s eyes, William was a jerk. The wound William gave her would remain for good. But nobody would think like that about him. She acknowledged his role as a good husband for Paula despite his flaws.

    In the mansion, Alex suddenly remembered that something was off. ¡°Wait, If William didn¡¯t cheat on Paula ... then, Paula was the one who betrayed him?¡±

    Lisa shook her head faintly. ¡°But, why didn¡¯t Lea say something about it?¡±

    Alex and Lisa then simultaneously threw their glare at Vanessa, pointing at the envelope in their daughter¡¯s hands. ¡°Open it!¡±

    ¡°Nooo! This is for William!¡± Vanessa quickly ran and locked herself in her bedroom.

 Chapter 61

    61 61. William¡¯s Dream

    ¡°No, William! You hurt me!¡± Paula screamed, trying to resist William¡¯s advance.

    ¡°William, don¡¯t be rough!¡± She pleaded. Her teary eyes showed how she felt. ¡°William, no! I¡¯m pregnant! Don¡¯t do that!¡±

    ***

    William gasped, rising from his deep slumber. Sweat dripped down his body, trickling down his sculpted body, which had returned to its well-muscled form-there was no excessive fat at all.

    The man wiped his sweaty forehead. He just had a bad dream. A dream that felt so real. He hurt Paula by forcing his will without thinking about Paula¡¯s condition.

    He couldn¡¯t believe he could do that to Paula. During this time, even though the two of them did not love each other, William always did it gently with all his heart. Sometimes, he had rough sex, but he did that with her permission. Never had he pursued his own pleasures like in his dream just now. He always treated Paula well, just as Paula does for him.

    However, was the dream he just had a reality? If that was true, Paula said that she was pregnant. Was that real? Or was he having this dream because he was reminiscing about yesterday¡¯s confrontation with his father-in-law? Honestly, he still didn¡¯t know why his father-in-law insisted that he abused his daughter.

    ¡°Oh, God! Why has my life turned into such a mess?¡± William complained as he plopped down on the bed again.

    William rubbed his forehead and massaged his temples. He can¡¯t be affected by this. There were a lot of problems he had to solve first before he met Paula.

    .....

    ¡°Drink the tea, William! While it¡¯s still warm.¡± The voice of the woman next to William took the man by surprise.

    ¡°Vanessa? Why are you here?¡± William asked frantically. He remembered that there should be no one in his house.

    ¡°Dad and mom are in the living room. We want to tell you something important, but your cell phone can¡¯t be reached,¡± Vanessa answered with a gloomy face. At first, she had meant to ask William to come home. However, her parents could not wait. They immediately visited their son¡¯s house.

    ¡°How did you guys get into my house?¡± William asked again. As he recalled, he hadn¡¯t given anyone the house password since Paula left. However, even his family can easily visit his house.

    ¡°You should have locked the door properly!¡± Vanessa answered lightly. Vanessa sipped her tea and took a bite of the financier biscuit she served for William.

    ¡°The door will automatically lock,¡± William defended himself. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me about my own house!¡±

    ¡°I just entered Paula¡¯s birthday for the password and magically ... this love nest is wide open for me,¡± Vanessa teased William, laughing heartily. ¡°Romantic things turn out to be dangerous.¡±

    William frowned, not believing that his sister would break into the house so easily. ¡°You little intruder!¡±

    William took a sip of the hot tea that Vanessa served. A little too sweet, just as Vanessa liked it. He was used to the plain tea that Paula served.

    ¡°Why are you frowning? Isn¡¯t it good?¡± Vanessa asked curiously as William¡¯s brows furrowed.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay!¡± William replied with an awkward smile.

    He then thanked his sister. She also replied with a wry smile, she knew that her brother didn¡¯t like the tea.

    ¡°Come on, come out! Mom and dad are waiting,¡± said Vanessa, who pulled her brother¡¯s strong arm.

    William complied with Vanessa¡¯s request lazily. He didn¡¯t want to see his parents because he didn¡¯t know how to explain his lies about Lea¡¯s pregnancy. He was about to tell them the truth, but he was just confused about how to tell them in the best way.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom first. You get out of here!¡± said William as he slapped a pillow against Vanessa¡¯s face. ¡°How many times have I told you not to enter my room without permission? You brat!¡±

    However, William was surprised when he found a box of rubber in Vanessa¡¯s hands. It was super embarrassing. His sister indeed turned out to be annoying if he allowed her to enter his room.

    ¡°Wow! Do you have a lot of rubbers? XL size ones. Poor Paula! She must be in a lot of pain,¡± Vanessa¡¯s very nosy comment made William¡¯s face blush. He then violently grabbed Vanessa¡¯s hand and kicked the girl out of his room.

    ¡°Stay away from my room, snotty child!¡± he shouted as he slammed the door loudly after Vanessa was out of the room.

    ¡°Hurry up! Come out of the room! Or mom and dad will impatiently tear up the letter from Lea!¡±

    Hearing Lea¡¯s name being mentioned, William hurried to open the door again instead of going to the bathroom. Letter? Lea? Where did he go?

    ¡°Where¡¯s her?¡± William asked frantically, gripping Vanessa¡¯s shoulders tightly and rocking her.

    ¡°Lea left this morning,¡± Vanessa answered flatly.

    ¡°Where is she going?¡±

    Vanessa shook her head. Of course, William became even more worried. ¡°Why can¡¯t you ask her to stay?¡±

    ¡°William Montgomery! Leah is an adult. How long do you want to babysit her?¡± Alex, who heard the ruckus, went straight to his son¡¯s room, followed by Lisa who came later with a worried face.

    ¡°Let Lea sort things out on her own, Will! You already made the decision, no? Don¡¯t control Lea¡¯s life just because you want to reduce the feeling of guilt,¡± Vanessa looked at William seriously. She wanted to reassure his brother that Lea would be fine by herself.

    William looked at Alex and Lisa, then looked down. ¡°So, you guys already knew the truth?¡±

    Everyone nodded. They told him how Lea revealed all the lies she made.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dad, mom,¡± William said quietly. ¡°I want to take care of Lea myself, but I don¡¯t want Paula to misunderstand me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough! Don¡¯t think about it. Lisa and I agreed not to make you pay the price at this time,¡± Alex explained.

    William shuddered. Not now meant next time. Hopefully, the punishment was not the hard one.

    Vanessa then opened her handbag and handed William a white envelope. ¡°Lea asked me to give this to you.¡±

    William was stunned for a moment, then slowly opened the envelope. He took something-a book-out of the envelope and checked it for a moment, frowning.

    Lisa, who was experienced as a mom, immediately knew what kind of book it was. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a pregnancy book?¡±

 Chapter 62

    62 62. Regret

    ¡°Whose book?¡± Vanessa and Alex asked simultaneously. Lea said that the baby wasn¡¯t William¡¯s. ¡°Lea¡¯s pregnancy journal?¡±

    William opened the book and turned the first page. He could easily recognize that the cursive handwriting belonged to Paula.

    ¡°Pregnancy book ...,¡± William muttered. ¡°It¡¯s Paula¡¯s,¡± William said again in a whisper. He was trembling in fear. He was afraid that his dream was not a mere dream but a harsh reality. Paula was truly pregnant!

    ¡°Oh, William! Don¡¯t open it, please!¡± Lisa shouted. She didn¡¯t want William to find the truth about Paula¡¯s affair.

    ¡°Lisa, he has to know about his wife¡¯s true face!¡± Alex said nonchalantly. Lisa was going to argue but relented. She knew that he was right. William deserved to know the truth.

    William¡¯s brows furrowed, knowing his parents¡¯ reaction. But, he kept it aside and turned the book¡¯s second page. Unexpectedly, he found a photo of the pregnancy test, showing two red lines. That¡¯s when William was sure about Paula¡¯s pregnancy. He was shocked since he had always cared about protection.

    ***

    November 2,

    I had no idea how I got pregnant. My husband always uses protection. Was the condom broken and he didn¡¯t tell me?

    .....

    As I remember, we never went all the way when we have no rubber or when I am ovulating. Did we ever have sex without protection by mistake? If yes, he must be pulled out before ejaculating.

    ***

    ¡°Oh! You should know that the pull-out method is too risky! If you fail to pull out or are late even for seconds, you will easily get your wife pregnant! Do you know how many sperm are in a drop of semen? More than twenty million!¡± Vanessa shouted in disbelief.

    ¡°Vanessa!¡± William snapped. ¡°No peeping!¡±

    ¡°Oh, William and Paula were dum dum! If you don¡¯t want a baby, you should think twice before doing stupid sex!¡± Vanessa continued her rant.

    ¡°I told you to stop!¡± William threw a pillow at his sister.

    Vanessa ruffled her hair. She was so hysterical. ¡°Why people have fuck unprotected and surprise when they got the baby in the bum?¡±

    ¡°Vanessa! Language, please!¡± Now, Lisa¡¯s turn to scold her daughter.

    ¡°So, Paula¡¯s baby is yours?¡± Alex was still confused. ¡°Not Sam¡¯s?¡±

    William¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Sam¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that bastard made up a story!¡± Alex gritted his teeth, tightening his fists. ¡°I will make him pay the price! How dare he tell me a lie!¡±

    ¡°Do you ... seriously believe that Paula was having an affair with that brat?¡± William mocked his parents.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s rich coming from you,¡± Alex sneered, ¡°as if you were not.¡±

    William was feeling annoyed. He was about to leave everyone to read the book by himself in peace. He almost jumped back into his room when a piece of pink paper fell onto the floor. He knelt to pick up the paper and open it. It was a letter from Lea.

    ***

    Dear William,

    You¡¯re a jerk! I regret wasting my precious years with you. I thought, even if you are married, you still love me and truly want to come back to me when you divorce your wife. But soon, when I first met Paula, I was scared of losing you. She looks smart and bright, who wouldn¡¯t be captivated by her? And it turns out my worry comes true. You chose her and abandoned me.

    I tried to win you back. However, I didn¡¯t do it fairly. I wronged you and her, trying to get you separated from her. I didn¡¯t tell you when she collapsed at the charity. I tried to make up a story that there was an affair between Samuel and her. I even came to the hotel after Samuel told me that you saw her again, telling her to back off and leaving a mocking note for you-adding a little amount of money-in her name.

    The last thing was, I found her precious book and didn¡¯t give it back to her. That¡¯s why, please give her pregnancy agenda to her as soon as possible, before it¡¯s too late. Don¡¯t make me regret my action, giving you up to her. I hope you can live happily ever after with your family.

    (Tell her I just took a glimpse of the book. Not read it. I couldn¡¯t bear imagining your intimacy with her.)

    Love, Lea

    PS: I didn¡¯t regret mocking you with the note. You deserve it!

    ***

    William exhaled lightly. So, it was Lea who left the note. He gulped, feeling guilty for his ex. She was a kind girl, a goody two shoes. Because of him, she turned into a villain. He was glad that Lea repented and went back to her old self.

    Lisa was on a rampage. She called Larissa and asked where Samuel was. Surely, that guy wouldn¡¯t manage to escape from hard punishment this time.

    ¡°You already got what you want. Can I read this book by myself?¡±

    William excused himself and locked himself inside his room. Knowing that Paula hid her pregnancy from him, made him feel uneasy. He wanted to read his wife¡¯s book and sort his problems out.

    He sat on the couch and turned to the next page. He saw a sonogram with Paula¡¯s name printed on it. It was only a dot, but it could make his heart beat so fast.

    Smiling at the picture he was saying, ¡°Hi, baby! I am your dad!¡± He then continued to read the note.

    ***

    November 3,

    I was trying to tell him about my pregnancy but he said that I tricked him and wanted to tie him up in the marriage with the baby. Oh, jerk! If you don¡¯t want the baby, I will keep the baby for myself.

    ***

    ¡°Crap!¡± William recalled that day when Lea told him she spent the night with another man. He was drinking that day.

    Suddenly, faded memories flashed through his mind. He was drunk and forced Paula to satisfy his needs roughly. Something he never did to her. He tore her dress, leaving scratches on her body. He said bad things to her, insulting her in the worst way ever.

    William burst into tears. He knew why his father-in-law said that Paula would divorce him no matter what. He didn¡¯t expect that he was unforgivable.

    He looked into the ultrasound photo and stroked it tenderly. ¡°Hi, baby, please forgive me ....¡±

 Chapter 63

    63 63. Mark and Gaby

    ¡°No!¡± Alex firmly answered William¡¯s request. ¡°You have a lot of work here! How dare you ask for a vacation!¡±

    ¡°It was not vacation, dad! I have to meet Paula in person to settle an important matter!¡± William insisted that he needed to go to Tokyo as soon as possible. ¡°I want to fix my mistake before it¡¯s too late!¡±

    ¡°Will, I don¡¯t like this. You always put your private life before work. Do you realize that you have to settle the contract with Mark? He wants a meeting today and you have to make him sign the contract!¡± Alex didn¡¯t want no as an answer. He thought that his son was too soft in handling business matters.

    On the other hand, William didn¡¯t like his father¡¯s way of thinking. Family matters were number one. He promised himself not to be a person like his father who always put work before everything.

    William shook his head and sighed. He wanted to snap at his father but he knew that was not the way to deal with that old man. ¡°If he signs the contract, can I take days off?¡± William asked, glaring sharply. If Alex rejected his offer, he would surely leave even without permission.

    ¡°Sure! I will give you a week!¡± Alex smiled faintly, agreeing that was the win-win solution.

    ¡°Deal!¡± William bit his lower lip and tightened his grip on the rolled documents in his hand. He shared glances with his father one more time and then left his study without looking back.

    Outside, his mother was waiting for him expectantly. However, William was reluctant to share anything with her but warm greetings. He knew Lisa was working hard, together with Alex. No, she had been working hard since forever. She deserved retirement from company problems.

    ¡°How was the discussion?¡± Lisa asked out of worry. She knew that her son was faking a smile.

    .....

    ¡°It was great! You know that dad was always the best!¡± William replied with a wide smile, trying to look natural and convincing.

    Lisa smiled sincerely, finding that William had grown up. He became even wiser unlike a year ago. Of course, he was going to be a father soon.

    ¡°Will you stay for lunch?¡± she asked him. ¡°Vanessa will be home in no time. She wanted to meet you so badly. You know, she was reluctant to go to school this morning.¡±

    William burst into laughter. Vanessa was such a nosy girl. He knew why she wanted to see him so badly. She must have wanted to know about his love plan to win Paula¡¯s heart. She insisted that she was the best consultant for relationship problems.

    ¡°Mom, I really want to stay longer but you know that I have to work,¡± William refused the offer regretfully.

    Lisa smiled, trying to understand the situation. Alex was a little hard on William since he was about to leave everything to their son.

    ¡°Take care, son! Come to me if you need help!¡± Lisa hugged her son tightly and gave him a peck on his cheek.

    William said goodbye and left the mansion with a burden in his heart. He thought that his father was greedy and quite hypocritical. Alex was the one who forced him to marry Paula. But, when he wanted to fight to keep his marriage, Alex was reluctant to cooperate.

    Okay. He couldn¡¯t help but work harder and satisfy his father. No choice!

    It was Saturday, but he still needed to work since Mark¡¯s schedule was too tight. If he wanted to do it on weekdays, he had to wait for weeks or even months.

    When he arrived at Mark¡¯s office, the sun was quite high. He didn¡¯t put his coat on since the weather became warmer. The smell of fresh air in the yard soothed his heart, lessening the burden a little bit. He continued to walk to the main building and directly went to the meeting room.

    Inside, there were Mark, Gaby, and an assistant, already waiting for him. They exchanged warm greetings and readied themself for the discussion.

    ¡°What I want to know is, why don¡¯t you choose to build a simple hotel business? Just like your company¡¯s usual project,¡± Mark asked in a professional manner. He was not sure William could handle such a new concept.

    ¡°The location we were about to choose was a little bit far from the city. The visitor will find it hard to buy their daily needs and even some local gifts. Then, our company wanted to present a one-stop holiday spot. We wanted to accommodate a short-term visit as well,¡± William answered convincingly.

    Mark¡¯s questions were not the ones that were easy to answer. But, William tried his best to satisfy him. It took almost an hour when Mark¡¯s side finally ended the discussion. William excused himself to go to the bathroom.

    He washed his face with warm water, trying to recollect his drained energy. Afraid of losing big fish, he tried to prepare for the worst. There was no guarantee that Mark would agree to invest in the new concept. He exhaled deeply, fixing his appearance, and went back to the meeting room.

    However, when William was about to enter the room, he accidentally heard Mark and Gaby¡¯s conversation-a serious one.

    ¡°Mark, you don¡¯t do it! Don¡¯t sign this agreement just because you owe him your son,¡± Gaby pleaded. ¡°Look at this concept! He is too young and inexperienced. Will you invest this much money in gambling?¡±

    ¡°Gaby, if I lose this investment, I can get the money from my other investments. But not with Alan. If he didn¡¯t kindly help Alan, maybe I will lose my son for the rest of my life,¡± Mark insisted that he planned to sign the agreement no matter what.

    Gaby shook her head in disbelief. ¡°I know. So, it was like ... this lucky young guy got a large ransom money ....¡± Gaby massaged her forehead and said again, ¡°Fine! You can do anything you like. You prefer a son anyway, not a daughter. On top of it, he was Regina¡¯s son. Your one and only love-¡±

    ¡°Gaby! Stop your nonsense!¡± Mark exclaimed.

    That¡¯s when William decided to step into the room. Mark and Gaby immediately stopped their argument. The warm smiles plastered on their faces. William had to admit that they were so talented.

    They exchanged conversation as if there was no problem at all with the deal. However, when Mark was about to sign the documents, William stopped him.

    ¡°Mark, I changed my mind,¡± William said with a flat expression. Mark and Gaby were stunned for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t sign it!¡±

 Chapter 64

    64 64. Pride or Love

    The clock struck ten when Mark stopped his movement, making a dot on the paper. He stared at William who strangely asked him not to sign the paper. Mark didn¡¯t expect William would do that.

    Didn¡¯t William always talk so passionately about this project? The project he claimed he was an inventor? The project he did from scratch without his parent¡¯s help?

    ¡°What? Is there a mistake in the documents?¡± Mark asked, shaking his head awkwardly. ¡°I have checked through the documents by myself and I think we can go with signing.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing with the documents, Mark! Just ... don¡¯t sign it!¡± William replied bitterly.

    Meanwhile, Gaby started to realize that William overheard her conversation with Mark. She couldn¡¯t face William. That woman looked at anything but him-in silence.

    William gulped. At first, he was hesitating to do this. If Mark signed the documents, he would be able to take a week off and meet Paula. However, knowing the real feelings of Gaby and Mark made him feel uneasy. He felt that he wronged them.

    ¡°I come for business. Real business. You like it, you take it,¡± William said in a bland voice. He bit his inner cheeks lightly before continuing, ¡°I have no intention of using Alan from the very beginning. I am offering this business to you with the hope that if you like my business plan you will invest. So, please don¡¯t sign the document.¡±

    ¡°I like-¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I accidentally heard your conversation, Mark,¡± William cut Mark¡¯s words. ¡°Just treat this meeting like any usual business meeting. Sometimes you make it, sometimes not.¡±

    .....

    William smiled at them bitterly, taking the documents back with no refusal from Mark. Gaby still looked away, tightening her grip on the edge of the table. She didn¡¯t feel sorry anyway. That was what she wanted, for Mark not to sign the papers.

    Mark glared at Gaby in anger. He blamed her for the incident. His wife had embarrassed him in front of his client in such a bad manner.

    On top of that, William was more than a client for Mark ... William was a savior ... saving him from a lifetime of regret.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mark. This is an investment anyway. Nobody wanted to lose a huge chunk of money,¡± William said, smiling lightly at Mark. He then turned his attention to Gaby. He lifted his eyebrows, asking her if what he said was right.

    William packed his things calmly, fighting his urge to tear the papers into pieces. He didn¡¯t want to show them how angry he was. He didn¡¯t want pity from Mark. He didn¡¯t need a mock from Gaby. He had his pride.

    His heart clenched, recalling what Gaby said about him and this project. Too young and inexperienced? He did his best to make a rock-solid plan. He made the best team in every aspect and revealed everything to his potential investor as honestly as possible. He told them about the potential advantages and disadvantages without sugarcoating anything. If they still didn¡¯t think that the project was convincing, he couldn¡¯t help but give up.

    ¡°It was nice to see you. Have a nice day!¡± William left the room just when Mark¡¯s assistant was about to re-enter the room. The assistant was looking at him in confusion and about to ask something but she was reluctant when she saw her employer¡¯s gloomy expression.

    William entered the parking lot and got into his car. He gulped, feeling a heavier burden in his chest. He came back with nothing. What would his dad say?

    Whatever!

    His pride was at stake. What he wanted to do was a real business. An image of Paula¡¯s face flashed through his mind. It made him smile a bit.

    ¡°Sorry, baby! What would you say about it? Well, maybe you will blame my poor negotiation skill,¡± William muttered to himself, smiling lightly.

    ¡®Why did you give him a silly presentation?¡¯

    ¡®That kind of answer wasn¡¯t convincing enough!¡¯

    ¡®Show him how good your team is and how ready your plan is?¡¯

    William smiled bitterly, imagining what Paula would say right now. He hit the steering wheel, regretting why he didn¡¯t have sufficient abilities to run the family business. What a pity! Before long, he then drove away from the building, keeping his dark thoughts aside.

    Along the way, he was debating between going home right away or to his parents. But he decided to go home when he realized that he could temporarily escape his father¡¯s anger. As long as he could postpone the war, it was fine.

    However, what he was planning was just a plan. Surprisingly, when he arrived home, his father was waiting inside.

    Colour left William¡¯s face immediately. He was tongue-tied, and couldn¡¯t bring his mouth to greet his father.

    Alex said nothing either but his glare was full of disappointment. If a stare could kill, William would definitely die instantly.

    Before long, a hard slap landed on William¡¯s face. ¡°How dare you make a one-sided decision? Who do you think you are?¡±

    Alex continued hitting William mercilessly. Nobody would consider they were father and son in this state.

    ¡°Dad, I will explain!¡± William said firmly despite his trembling voice. Fresh blood dripped from the corner of his lips. His cheeks were swollen.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need any explanation! It was clear that you are so dumb,¡± Alex snapped in a rampage. He wide-eyed his son as if he had just done an unforgivable sinful act. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to know the reason. A business was a business. Do anything to please your potential investors! That¡¯s the number one rule for a beginner like you. And what you just had done was cockily abort the agreement because of your silly pride?¡±

    ¡°Dad, I will make it up later.¡± William looked at his father, unsurely. ¡°I believe that I will find other investors for this project.¡±

    ¡°What? Can you do that? Mark is more than a good investor. He is the biggest fish that you had ever imagined. And you intentionally released him because you couldn¡¯t handle a little bit of an insult?¡± Alex rubbed his face with both hands. His face was red hot from the growing anger. ¡°Was that even an insult? You are too young and inexperienced. That is a fact. What you need to do is let them sign the agreement and show them your worth.¡±

    ¡°Dad, they were unsure that the project would be a successful one. They don¡¯t want to lose their money. If I was not the one who helped Alan find his family, Mark would never consider putting his money into the project!¡±

    ¡°Then-¡±

    ¡°It means that I failed to convince him. The plan was not good enough for him. Do you understand, dad?¡± William cut his father¡¯s words because he was not done explaining.

    Alex shook his head in disbelief. Both hands were on his hips, walking back and forth with unabated anger. ¡°Then, take the chance first, you cocky brat! If you can bring great success to this project, many investors will look at you. Do you think you can bring other investors to this project with your current condition? No way.¡±

    A silence clouded the room. Nobody opened their mouths.

    ¡°I know that you are not good. But I never expect you are so stupid,¡± Alex whispered, looking away from William.

    ¡°Dad, I am not you. If I said I will not use that little boy for money, I will never do it.¡±

    ¡°Then, never dream I will allow you to take days off until you fix your mistake.¡±

    ***

    Meanwhile in Tokyo ....

    Paula gasped, she was sweating a lot. Her heart was beating so fast. She had a bad dream, seeing William in a beaten state. Wiping her wet face, she then turned off the air conditioner.

    Picking her smartphone to check the weather. It was midnight. The temperature outside was 48 degrees Fahrenheit, so why was she sweating so much?

    She walked out of her room and went to the kitchen to take a bottle of mineral water from the fridge. Afraid of dehydration, she emptied the bottle immediately and put the empty bottle in a designated waste box for recycled items. Of course, she took off the plastic wrap and the lid and then disposed of them in the red-colored waste box.

    The local garbage regulation was a little bit different from her home country but she had to get used to it since she planned to stay in Tokyo for about two years. She planned to give birth there to avoid unnecessary problems with William.

    ¡°Hi, bean, is your dad okay?¡± Paula whispered to her belly, stroking it tenderly. Without her realizing it, a drop of tear fell to her cheek. She then wiped it out, smiled faintly, and said, ¡°What? Do you miss him? He doesn¡¯t even know that you exist.¡±

    Paula chuckled lightly when she heard a rumble in her stomach. She then took out a box of fruit salad from the chiller and put it on the table. She munched her salad slowly while sadness clouded her heart.

    ¡°Be strong, baby! You can live well with only me!¡±

    When the tears started flowing uncontrollably, she knew that she was the one who missed William. Not the baby.

 Chapter 65

    65 65. Paula¡¯s Move

    Today was Paula¡¯s first day at the office. She got off at the bus stop closest to the office after inserting a five hundred yen coin. She immediately got off, without paying attention to the change, because she was not used to taking the bus. However, the bus driver repeatedly called her to pick up the change in Japanese. Of course, she didn¡¯t understand until a man took the change and chased after her to give the change.

    ¡°Miss!¡± shouted a young man, running closer in her direction.

    Paula didn¡¯t notice it. So the man sped up, chasing ahead of her and shoving three hundred yen coins at her. He gasped for air, plastering a friendly smile on her.

    ¡°Here¡¯s your change, miss!¡± said the young man wearing a neat shirt with a friendly smile. ¡°Next time don¡¯t forget to take it! Check it first before you get off.¡±

    Paula just smiled and nodded, feeling guilty for bothering others.

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Paula thanked him in Japanese.

    ¡°Welcome!¡± The young man replied in English.

    The two of them walked together and talked awkwardly. The man tried to speak in English even though he was struggling. Turns out, they were both headed for the same building. Then, the two separated toward their respective destinations.

    Unlike what everyone thought, Paula came and disguised herself as an ordinary worker. She came on behalf of Eva Morgan, the woman who was appointed as a new employee in the design department. While the original Eva Morgan was transferred to the main office on Fifth Avenue.

    .....

    No one knew what Eva Morgan looked like because Robert and the superior in Tokyo didn¡¯t think it was important. She was an ordinary employee. In addition, no one knew Paula¡¯s real face except for Miyuki because she had never directly intervened to handle this family business.

    Therefore, Paula took advantage of this loophole to allow her to enter the Tokyo office by hiding her true identity. Only Miyuki knew of this plan. The others didn¡¯t have any idea about it. Paula hoped that the problem would be resolved quickly if the traitor didn¡¯t know he or she was being watched.

    To be more convincing, she must live a simple life in Tokyo. Starting from a middle-end apartment without hiring a housemaid. She also humbly used public transportation or just on foot-for the sake of a convincing disguise.

    As soon as she entered the building, Paula immediately met Miyuki who was waiting at the fast food restaurant downstairs. They shouldn¡¯t be seen together too much by office people until the traitor was found. Even now, the two were sitting around two different tables. They turned their backs on each other and hid each other¡¯s faces with magazines.

    ¡°Could you please tell me how the secret information leaked?¡± asked Paula as she devoured her meat sandwich. She didn¡¯t eat breakfast at home because she woke up late this morning. Last night she had trouble sleeping again after a bad dream.

    Paula already knew the story of the information leakage from her father. However, she wanted to know the more detailed one from Miyuki.

    A month ago Anderson Jewelry (AJ) Tokyo branch and center held a meeting. They agreed on a concept with the theme of Winter Sakura to be launched in Japan only.

    Unlike the usual ones that only follow AJ New York, AJ Tokyo this time would launch a product that was more suitable for the local market. AJ New York products would only be provided in a limited way-the number was adjusted according to the number of loyal customers.

    The concept carried by Winter Sakura was jewelry with a white metal frame combined with high-quality pink Akoya pearls. For the price variation, they would produce jewelry made of platinum, white gold, and silver metal. The design was made with a simple concept because it was intended for daily use so it didn¡¯t look too dramatic and flashy.

    However, a week before the launching, suddenly, Akane, a jewelry artist who just made her debut this year, launched a new design similar to the concept of Winter Sakura. They called it Pinku no Yuki, which means pink snow. They used pink pearls combined with silver, white gold, and platinum. Of course, this surprised AJ¡¯s side because the concept and design were too similar.

    This made it impossible for AJ to launch its new products. Losses reached 200,000.00 dollars for initial production. Luckily they only produce in small quantities. However, they still had to prepare a new concept in a short time.

    ¡°Who else was involved in this project besides Freya and Kato?¡± Paula asked again. Freya was the head of the design team and Kato was the president of AJ for the Tokyo branch. Both of them were always present in meetings with the central AJ.

    ¡°Just everyone on the design team,¡± Miyuki replied casually. Paula nodded, understanding that secrecy had been kept quite a bit.

    ¡°Who proposed the concept of Winter Sakura? I like the idea. Too bad it¡¯s a waste,¡± Paula asked again.

    A month ago, when Paula read the concept, she fell in love immediately. She hoped that this time AJ Tokyo would be successful in making big profits and gaining popularity in Japan. However, her hopes were in vain when he heard of this incident.

    ¡°That¡¯s Freya¡¯s main idea with the help of the team,¡± Miyuki replied while checking left and right, afraid that someone would notice because currently the two of them were in a public place.

    Paul nodded. Miyuki was a reliable person. She was an HRD employee who also had the role of a spy. Miyuki couldn¡¯t possibly betray Robert because he was the one who helped Miyuki and her parents when they were in need.

    ¡°Thank you, Miyuki,¡± Paula said as she drank her milk. ¡°I will need your help again later. Now I have to go to the office and meet Freya.¡±

    Miyuki and Paula parted ways. Paula ordered Miyuki not to contact her via smartphone and the internet at the office just in case. They then exited the cafe separately.

    Paula rushed to the office and met with the head of the design team, Freya Miller. The woman was a talented designer. However, it seemed that for the Japanese market, she still had to learn so that the designs she and her team created could attract local customers.

    Freya greeted Paula in a friendly manner. She immediately took Paula into the design office and introduced her to Freya¡¯s subordinates.

    ¡°She is Eva Morgan from AJ HQ. So sad that she had to join us while we were struggling to make a new concept in a hurry. Unfortunately, the welcome party will be postponed. Welcome, Eva! We need your help,¡± Freya said kindly.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Eva, I can¡¯t speak Japanese very well. But I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Paula said in poor Japanese.

    However, that was fine as all members seemed not to care more about work deadlines than their new members. Reluctantly, they lifted their faces from their tablets to greet the newcomer.

    As their bright faces appeared one by one, Paula discovered that the man she had been with on the bus this morning was one of Freya¡¯s subordinates.

    ¡°Ah, you were the foreign girl on the bus earlier?¡± the man asked, suddenly becoming more friendly. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Ken.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Himawari.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Misa.¡±

    The other members also introduced themselves. Paula smiled, turning to Freya.

    ¡°We are used to calling by our first name because we feel like family,¡± Freya explained. Paula then smiled happily because there was such a warm thought in the work environment.

    Paula then joined the others and quickly adjusted. Fortunately, Paula was not completely dumb when it came to designing. By noon, they had to finish the concept they wanted to offer the company. The main concept and at least five design examples. Furthermore, they could refine the concept together after the theme was agreed upon.

    At noon, Paula promised to meet Miyuki in the toilet on the third floor, near the dentist¡¯s clinic. Paula went into the toilet and found Miyuki¡¯s red ankle boots under the toilet stall. That meant, Miyuki was already there.

    ¡°Miyuki?¡± Paula asked, confirming.

    ¡°Right. What was your first impression?¡± Miyuki asked.

    ¡°They are all very diligent and professional. I almost doubt that the traitor is one of them,¡± Paula complimented the team members.

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s your first move then?¡±

    ¡°Have you investigated the background of the people involved? Do they have friends or relatives who work at Akane?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°Do that and we¡¯ll meet again here this afternoon at three o¡¯clock.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not giving me time to breathe, are you?¡± Miyuki protested, chuckling lightly. ¡°But no problem. I will do it for you.¡±

    After thanking Miyuki, Paula left to go to the meeting room. Freya suggested replacing the pearls with blue sapphires and diamonds.

    ¡°Disney-Frozen themes would be so pretty and perfect for winter, wouldn¡¯t they?¡± Freya asked, seeking approval from the others.

    ¡°But, aren¡¯t our target market adult women who earn above 8 million Yen per year? Do they still like that kind of thing?¡± Kato asked unsurely.

    ¡°Any other ideas?¡± The dizzy Kato took off his glasses and massaged his temples lightly. His hair was disheveled, looking like he hadn¡¯t showered in days.

    Kato was not usually directly involved in early discussions. Usually, the design team would present a refined concept, then they would report the result to Kato. However, right now, Kato wanted to push them because the deadline was approaching.

    ¡°Misa? Himawari?¡± Kato asked. ¡°Are you the newcomer? Eva, huh?¡±

    Misa and Himawari gave up. They would only help if the concept had been agreed upon.

    Then, it was Ken¡¯s turn to propose something else. He came to present his idea with confidence: Rainbow Winter.

    ¡°Rainbow Winter?¡± Paula whispered in awe.

    ¡°Right,¡± Ken said confidently. ¡°So, we don¡¯t need to change the previous concept. Just modify and add the metal type and pearl color. Look, this is the previous design with modifications. There¡¯s no trace of Sakura Winter at all, right?¡±

    Everyone was amazed. Ken looks very talented and his ideas were very convincing.

    ¡°But it will cost you more, won¡¯t it?¡± Freya argued. She was not happy because Kato and the others seemed to prefer Ken¡¯s idea.

    ¡°Freya, no matter what, we¡¯re still going to spend money, aren¡¯t we?¡± Kato defended Ken¡¯s plan. ¡°With your idea earlier, we should procure sapphires and diamonds.¡±

    Freya felt cornered. She could only smile wryly.

    Then, unexpectedly Paula said, ¡°However, Freya¡¯s design idea is no less interesting. Feminine and unique. I like it very much. We can combine them, right? I and the others will refine the concept and add more design. We¡¯ll decide which one to execute later. What we need for now is quick action. Not much time left. Perhaps we need to postpone the launch as well. It¡¯s better than losing a huge amount of money.¡±

    Kato was momentarily stunned by Paula¡¯s statement. He then smiled in relief and nodded happily. The others didn¡¯t seem to oppose the decision. Freya was no longer surly. Finally, the meeting was dismissed and all returned to work as instructed.

    When the others were out of the room, Paula still had to stay to sort things out. It was then, Kato noticed that something was strange. The woman claimed to be a newcomer, but she was too calm to be called a novice. She was also too controlling of the situation and could reconcile the unnecessary competition that should not happen.

    With all those reasons, Kato finally asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 66

    66 66. The Spy

    Paula was surprised at Kato¡¯s reaction. Why did the man suddenly suspect her?

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Paula asked in a calm tone. Perhaps, the man just happened to ask that. Perhaps, she was overthinking it. ¡°I am a novice designer who was assigned to come here. It was planned a month ago,¡± added Paula again, smiling faintly.

    ¡°Are you a newcomer to AJ?¡± Kato asked urgently. ¡°Your behavior shows no such thing.¡±

    That¡¯s when Paula felt she had gotten too carried away. She should have just kept quiet and let Kato control the situation.

    ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t repeat my domineering attitude,¡± Paula said humbly. ¡°I am used to the attitude of a team leader because at my previous work, I was the manager.¡±

    Kato smiled sinisterly. ¡°Huh, I think you know that is not the problem. I just don¡¯t like it when Robert is spying on me. I know he¡¯s not trusting anyone since the information leaked. However, that doesn¡¯t mean he has the right to do things I don¡¯t know about in my work territory. Why would he appoint me as a president of the Tokyo branch if he can¡¯t just put a little trust in me.¡±

    Kato¡¯s words made Paula gasp. His father didn¡¯t fully trust Kato. A little bit of doubt indeed existed. However, that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t entrust AJ Tokyo to Kato.

    ¡°If Robert doesn¡¯t believe in you, he probably already fired you, didn¡¯t he?¡± Paula asked in a flat tone. She didn¡¯t want to show any emotion to someone who turned out to be very sensitive. With one little mistake, her disguise would be exposed. ¡°So, let¡¯s work as usual since we don¡¯t need this kind of unnecessary suspicion.¡±

    ¡°How wise ....¡±

    .....

    Paula smiled faintly. ¡°Innocent people will definitely work in no fear, no?¡±

    After saying so, Paula bowed to say goodbye. She put the tablet in her bag and left the meeting room without looking back at Kato. Even so, she knew very well that a cold gaze was watching her every move. She had to be careful not to make a careless act.

    ¡°Damn it! He must be Robert¡¯s spy,¡± Kato said, annoyed as he pursed his lips into a thin line. Before long, his fist hit the table, making a loud booming sound.

    Unfortunately, he forgot that he was not a karate expert. As a result, now he was actually in pain due to his mindless act. His fist that hit the table felt so much in pain that it made him wince and groan as he lifted his legs and ran around.

    ¡°Damn it! It hurts!¡±

    ***

    Next day in William¡¯s office....

    William carefully double-checked his business plan. What his father said was true, not a single investor was willing to give a good answer to his offer. No wonder his father was furious when he let such a great investor like Mark slip.

    It was useless to regret it now. He knew it! He also had his important reason. There must be something he can do to refine his plan. There had to be a way or he would never be able to see Paula again.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just ask Alex for help?¡± Danica asked who understood William¡¯s anxiety.

    ¡°Do you think he will help?¡± William answered with a lot of doubt. It was a question that had no answer but to laugh.

    ¡°You are really weird. Your mother was a businesswoman. Your uncle, Thomas, was also one. Why do you look like a person who doesn¡¯t have a mentor?¡± Danica commented, laughing in amusement. ¡°Does a business mentor have to be beautiful and sexy like Paula?¡± she added, teasing William.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± William¡¯s brows furrowed.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing more interesting than discussing your business plan in bed,¡± Danica giggled even more.

    William opened his mouth but said nothing. He was about to get angry, but he couldn¡¯t help it and just laughed along because what Danica said was the truth. ¡°Shit! A nosy secretary like you should be fired immediately!¡±

    ¡°How many times have you said you were going to fire me just because I knew what was in your head?¡± Danica wasn¡¯t offended. She knew William was joking and was just a little embarrassed to admit his flaw.

    ¡°What can I do about it? I don¡¯t want my mom to think about work anymore. She had spent her entire youth on business. I remember, she once said that she wanted to retire soon so that she could have a lot of leisure time to spend with my dad,¡± William explained with resignation.

    Danica nodded. ¡°What about Thomas? Your uncle? Are you reluctant because he is Samuel¡¯s father?¡±

    William was stunned for a moment. ¡°I guess .... I should discuss this problem with him. Thank you, Danica!¡±

    William then jumped out of the chair, pacing enthusiastically calling his uncle. His heart was pounding erratically. Hopefully, he would pick up the call soon. Unfortunately, there was no answer from his uncle¡¯s cell phone.

    He tried several times but there was no answer. What could he do? His uncle was a busy man. Of course, Thomas had a lot of work to do right now. He should have made an appointment beforehand. He then sent a message to Thomas.

    An hour later, a message appeared. Thomas invited him to have dinner at home and talk after that because there was no other time.

    That night, William knocked on his aunt¡¯s door. He bought boxes of apple and cheese pies as a souvenir.

    ¡°Hi, William! How are you? It¡¯s been a long time,¡± said a cheerful voice that sounded like the chirping bird in the morning. The one who opened the door was Sofia, Samuel¡¯s sister.

    ¡°Hi, Sofia! I brought your favorite sweets,¡± William replied while handing her two boxes of pie with the Sakura Bakery on them. A big smile plastered on his face, which was still slightly bruised.

    ¡°Oh, thank you! Today my mom did not make pie. She¡¯s obsessed with pudding,¡± Sofia chirped incessantly. She brought the box to his nose to smell the delicious aroma of apple and cinnamon. ¡°Too bad. When you come, Samuel has already left for Tokyo this morning.¡±

    William was stunned for a moment. ¡°Samuel? Tokyo?¡± he asked, confirming.

    Enthusiastically, Sofia nodded. ¡°Samuel said he would come home and bring a daughter-in-law for mom! Great, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    He was thunderstruck hearing her words.

 Chapter 67

    67 67. Run Away

    ¡°Impossible!¡± William muttered, staring at Sofia blankly.

    ¡°Why? Mom didn¡¯t allow Samuel to go. But when he said he was going to Tokyo to persuade a woman to marry him, she allowed it,¡± Sofia explained with an enthusiastic expression. She opened the box and plucked an apple pie and complimented how sweet and delicious it was. She was a sucker for sweet pies. She was a sucker for Japanese sweets. A cute and less sugar one.

    Sofia must not know that the cause of William¡¯s daze wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t believe that Samuel was allowed to go to Tokyo. He just didn¡¯t want to believe that he was being preceded by Samuel again. If this time he got ahead of Samuel again, maybe, his dream of spending the rest of his life with Paula would be gone. For good.

    Of course, William suddenly forgot his main purpose of visiting his aunt¡¯s house. Without saying goodbye, he immediately ran back to his car and drove away from his cousin¡¯s house.

    ¡°William! Hey!¡±

    The flustered Sofia could only stare while gawking. When her mother approached and asked who was coming, the cute girl could only answer, ¡°It was William who was here. He brought us apple pie and cheese pie as well.¡± Sofia then brought the boxes to the dining table and set them for dinner later.

    ¡°Then where is William now?¡± asked Larissa confusedly while looking around for her nephew. ¡°Did he come with Lisa and Vanessa?¡±

    ¡°He went straight home, Mom!¡± Sofia answered nonchalantly.

    ¡°Why?¡± Larissa asked again. ¡°It¡¯s strange! Thomas said he will have dinner with us.¡±

    .....

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. When I said Samuel was leaving for Tokyo this morning, William immediately left. What can I do, maybe he was looking for Samuel while Samuel wasn¡¯t here,¡± Sofia explained innocently. She had no idea what was happening.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he on an appointment with Thomas?¡± mumbled Larissa questioningly. ¡°How strange.¡±

    Not long after, Thomas¡¯ car pulled into the mansion¡¯s parking lot. He got out of the car, not alone, but with his younger brother, Alex.

    ¡°Oh, Alex, are you coming too?¡± asked Larissa in amazement.

    ¡°Of course. I was in a meeting with Alex. Since we¡¯re going to have dinner together, I think it won¡¯t be a problem if I invite Alex at the same time. Soon, Lisa and Vanessa will also come here,¡± answered Thomas happily. ¡°Ah, although it¡¯s not the weekend, Let¡¯s have some fun tonight! The more, the merrier!¡±

    ¡°Will William come?¡± Alex asked hopefully. He was happy that William seemed more serious and tried to make amends by trying to contact Thomas for a consultation on the matter. ¡°Danica said she was out of the office.¡±

    Larissa and Sofia could only stare at the two middle-aged men with bitter smiles. Sofia scratched her non-itchy head. Meanwhile, the noisy sounds of other children fighting over games and toys contrasted with the silence of Larissa and Sofia.

    ¡°What are you two doing?¡± Alex asked suspiciously.

    ¡°William was here,¡± Larissa answered.

    ¡°But he left again after I said Samuel wasn¡¯t here,¡± Sofia added.

    ¡°What?¡± Alex¡¯s face began to tense again. How could it be that easy for William to leave the appointment he made for no apparent reason? ¡°That spoiled rotten brat! How dare he do it?¡±

    ***

    Meanwhile, William no longer cared about anything. What he wanted was to quickly leave New York and go to see Paula. Danica had prepared everything for him. It wasn¡¯t a big deal because he had planned to go to Tokyo from the start.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be leaving in an hour,¡± Danica announced over the phone. ¡°Everything is ready. How about your suitcase?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Dani! I can take care of myself,¡± William answered expressionlessly. He only focused on preparing travel documents and a little change of clothes.

    ¡°Are you sure that Alex will forgive you after you run away without permission like this?¡± asked Danica, still worried that William would receive a severe punishment when he returned from Tokyo later.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I am his only son. There¡¯s no way my dad would threaten me to pass the company on to Vanessa,¡± William replied. He always felt benefited from his position as the only biological legal son of his parents.

    ¡°Okay if you¡¯re sure about it. I just don¡¯t want you to get into big trouble after this,¡± Danica replied, sighing softly. ¡°I ordered an Uber for you. It¡¯ll be arriving in five minutes.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Dani. I owe you a big time.¡±

    William locked the suitcase after putting in his thick jacket. He had no idea how cold or how warm Tokyo was right now. He did not have time to make thorough preparations for the trip. If he had allowed Danica to touch his personal belongings, she would have prepared a suitcase for him well in advance. For sure he was going well today.

    The doorbell rang. William immediately dragged the suitcase and turned off the light. He immediately opened the door for the Uber driver. However, what a surprise he was because the one who came was indeed an Uber driver. Not his father.

    The driver in the hat greeted William in a friendly manner. He even offered to help William to help him carry the luggage.

    The driver opened the door for William. Just as he was about to get into the car, that¡¯s when his name was called.

    ¡°William!¡± exclaimed Alex who was getting out of his brother¡¯s car. Thomas didn¡¯t want to get involved in the father-and-son business. However, because he didn¡¯t want Alex to drive in anger, he was forced to be kind enough to drive. After all, he just found out that his eldest son had done something shameful, trying to snatch his cousin-in-law.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Alex asked him again, sternly.

    ¡°Dad, you said I shouldn¡¯t waste the opportunity,¡± answered William. ¡°If I¡¯m late, my wife can be taken by another man.¡±

    ¡°Okay! If it¡¯s more important than work, you don¡¯t have to worry about coming home,¡± Alex stated firmly. ¡°You are fired!¡±

 Chapter 68

    68 68. She is Irreplaceable

    William gulped. He never thought that his father would consider kicking him out of the company for real. He never expected that.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you simplify family matters? You can make a video call or email her, no? Why do you choose to dramatize things?¡± Alex tried to brainwash his son.

    ¡°Dad, she is divorcing me! Do you think I can convince her with a video call saying I love her?¡± William snarled. His eyes pierced at Alex.

    ¡°If you insist on going to chase after her, I will fire you immediately,¡± Alex threatened his son coldly. Nobody would think that he was joking. ¡°For real!¡±

    Everybody but the Uber driver was stunned at Alex¡¯s statement. He said it firmly, sanely.

    ¡°Alex, you are angry! Please don¡¯t say something that you will regret later. He is your only son!¡± Thomas couldn¡¯t believe that his brother¡¯s temperamental issues would reach this extent.

    ¡°So what if he is my only son?¡± Alex replied to his brother¡¯s question coldly. ¡°The company doesn¡¯t need a leader like him. What a dumb!¡±

    It took a little time for William to think about his decision. His dad was doing a similar thing when he was dating Lea. Now, he did it again, black-mailing him about inheritance.

    Because there was no answer from William, Alex said again, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about your inheritance! I will never give you even a penny.¡±

    .....

    William exhaled deeply. Nothing would hold him to see Paula. Paula was irreplaceable.

    ¡°Then, goodbye, dad!¡±

    William got into the car and left his father right away. He didn¡¯t care about his father¡¯s threat. He wanted to see Paula no matter what.

    Meanwhile, Thomas stared at his brother in disbelief. Not because of the heartless thing he did to his son. He never knew that his brother was this stupid.

    ¡°Why did you threaten him about inheritance?¡± Thomas asked him again.

    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± the angry Alex replied curtly. The intensity in his glare was not reduced even when they could no longer see William¡¯s back.

    ¡°I mean, you did a useless thing. Paula¡¯s family is indeed new money. But, Robert is much wealthier than us. And Paula is also his only daughter. Robert even divorced his wife. Do you think that your ¡®signature threat¡¯ works this time?¡± Thomas sneered, shaking his head seeing the dumbfounded Alex.

    After that, Alex could only keep silent. He forgot about it. William didn¡¯t chase a penniless girl. She was Paula, not Lea.

    Thomas held his laugh. He brought his brother home to sort the problems out. ¡°Then, do you plan to give everything to Vanessa? I never knew that you are fond of her.¡±

    Alex shook his head in annoyance. ¡°Paula is pregnant. I will have a grandchild.¡±

    Thomas gaped. He narrowed his eyes in disbelief. ¡°You said, William will never get even a penny.¡±

    Alex inhaled deeply. ¡°I fired him from his current position. But I never said that I will delete his name from the family. His child will inherit our family name, no?¡±

    Thomas couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud, almost bursting into tears. ¡°You love your son, no?¡±

    Alex gritted his teeth. ¡°I just don¡¯t like the fact that he is never doing it my way.¡±

    Thomas stopped laughing. That¡¯s the reason why he wanted to have a lot of children. He didn¡¯t want to force the kids to do the thing they didn¡¯t love.

    Alex always wanted more than one child but he had cancer treatment, making him infertile. That happened just after Lisa gave birth to William. Knowing that she would never bear another child with Alex, Lisa was a little sad. However, Vanessa¡¯s presence lightened up her days.

    Realizing that he would only have William as his successor, Alex was a little hard on his son. He hoped that William would endure hard treatment and become stronger and even better each day.

    However, William disliked his father¡¯s harsh discipline. What he always did was something opposite to his father¡¯s request. He wanted to show his father that he was different. He was not his father.

    Alex realized now that life is not always the way he wants it to be.

    ***

    Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Paula was in the middle of checking the background of the suspects. Nobody related to Akane but Ken. Both were dating and broke up two years ago for some reason.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone realize it earlier?¡± Paula asked Miyuki. She glared at her assistant as if she was making a fatal error.

    ¡°I just got the information secretly,¡± Miyuki replied calmly.

    ¡°How?¡± Paula asked again.

    ¡°I ... I made Ken drunk and spent the night with him,¡± Miyuki gulped. ¡°It¡¯s dirty, but it was better than having a useless one-night stand.¡±

    Miyuki looked away when Paula stared at her in awe. Paula wanted to curse but she still remembered that she had the little bun in the oven.

    Lifting her eyebrows meaningfully, Paula wanted to tease the poker-faced lady in front of her. But she restrained herself and thanked her instead of saying useless words. She had to focus on problem-solving. Not to gossip with colleagues.

    ¡°Great job, Miyuki! You are the best,¡± Paula praised her.

    Miyuki¡¯s stern face turned bright when Paula said her compliment. Paula wanted to reward Miyuki for her achievement.

    ¡°Say something you want so badly! I will give it to you if I can,¡± Paula said with a sincere smile.

    Miyuki smiled lightly. ¡°How about strawberry picking?¡± Miyuki shoved her smartphone to Paula to show her an interesting picture. ¡°I¡¯m always fond of white strawberries.¡±

    Paula smiled and nodded. Miyuki was a kind girl. That girl knew that Paula loved strawberries and wanted to show her an interesting place to enjoy many varieties of strawberries.

    ¡°This weekend?¡± Paula asked.

    ¡°Sure!¡± Miyuki agreed enthusiastically.

    Both were then dismissed. Paula then went back to the office. However, she heard a little ruckus at the frontline.

    ¡°I am sure this is the office. This is the Anderson Jewelry Tokyo branch office, isn¡¯t it?¡± the visitor snarled. ¡°I am sure Paula is here.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no one named Paula Montgomery here,¡± the front desk girl said to the visitor.

    ¡°How about Paula Anderson?¡±

 Chapter 69

    69 69. Cracked Disguise

    ¡°Paula Anderson? Anderson is the owner¡¯s name, no?¡± the front desk girl asked again. Her brows frowned, recalling something.

    ¡°Yes. She is the daughter of the owner,¡± the visitor explained. He looked relieved when the front desk girl finally understood him. He was afraid that his English was too fast and difficult to understand. But now he realized that was not the problem.

    She then asked the visitor to wait for more. ¡°I will ask Mr. President. Maybe he knows something about it.¡±

    Just when the front desk girl was about to dial the number of Kato¡¯s office, Paula ran into her while wide-eyed the visitor, demanding him to shut his mouth.

    ¡°I know her! I know Paula!¡± Paula said, raising his voice. ¡°Paula is coming next year. She planned to visit earlier but postponed her visit due to personal reasons.¡±

    The visitor was about to say something but Paula stepped on his foot to force him to close his mouth. She quickly turned to him.

    ¡°May I know your name, sir? I will tell her about your sudden visit,¡± Paula smiled at him, asking him to get along with her act.

    ¡°What is-¡±

    ¡°How about if we talk in the cafeteria over there?¡± Paula excused herself and then quickly dragged him away from the front desk.

    .....

    The view of a young woman in a beige pantsuit dragging a man in a dark brown fancy designer coat could be seen for a while.

    ¡°Sam, seriously!¡± Paula ranted, bringing Samuel to the cafeteria, and sat him down at the corner. ¡°Oh, it was close!¡±

    ¡°Could you explain to me? What is happening here?¡± Samuel snarled at her, demanding an explanation. ¡°You are Paula. The owner¡¯s daughter.¡±

    ¡°You are the one who should explain to me. What are you doing here? You almost ruined my plan!¡± Paula exclaimed. She then explained further to Samuel and gave him a concise order of what he was allowed to do and what not.

    ¡°Oh, I am so sorry, I don¡¯t have any idea about that. Nobody told me about it,¡± Samuel pleaded. He felt so guilty about that. ¡°Please forgive me!¡±

    Paula inhaled deeply. She then went to the cashier and ordered two cups of coffee and some snacks to relieve the tension. She didn¡¯t expect the stupid living thing in front of her to do an unwanted surprise visit to the office.

    ¡°What do you want, Sam? You can call me first if you want to come and visit. Don¡¯t make a dramatic appearance at the office. You know I am busy,¡± Paula kept ranting while setting the drinks and snacks on the table. ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s still hot!¡±

    Both took a sip of hot coffee in silence. Samuel realized that he was not only making one mistake. He made her mad at him in an instant.

    ¡°Paula, I just ... I want to see you in person. You know that we have no chance to properly say goodbye. You were supposed to attend the farewell party,¡± Samuel said with a regretful expression.

    Paula took more sips and then replied, ¡°Sorry. But I had to do that. The others must be sad, no?¡±

    Samuel nodded. ¡°Especially me,¡± he added cutely, making Paula chuckle in response.

    ¡°You are really something, aren¡¯t you? You wronged me and kissed me without my consent, but you still have the nerve to bring your ass to see me,¡± She said, continuing to giggle uncontrollably.

    Samuel smiled faintly. ¡°Do you know? Karma indeed exists. Days ago, a wasted girl forced a kiss on me and you know what? She slapped me just after the kiss, saying I was the one who violated her. That was the worst thing ever I have experienced,¡± Samuel told Paula about his encounter with Clara.

    Paula could only burst into laughter in an instant. ¡°Served you right!¡±

    Samuel stared at Paula¡¯s happy face in awe. The woman he loved was gorgeous and adorable her way even if she was wearing humble clothing to make her disguise look even more convincing.

    ¡°Look, I have to go back to the office. Can we continue the chat after my work is done?¡± Paula asked.

    ¡°Fine. Do you mind if I pick you up after work? We can have dinner together in a restaurant,¡± Samuel said, almost begging her. He was beyond happy when Paula agreed to the plan although she wanted them to meet at the restaurant.

    ¡°Remember, I am Eva Morgan here,¡± Paula said, sneering.

    ***

    That night, Samuel was wearing a black Armani suit. He also bought a bouquet of red roses and waited for Paula at a fancy restaurant.

    Before long, a tall blonde white woman in a white dress entered the restaurant. The waiter guided her to Samuel¡¯s table.

    ¡°Paula, you look gorgeous in that dress,¡± Samuel complimented her, handing her a big bouquet of red roses.

    ¡°I know it. I look good in everything,¡± Paula said, smirking at him. However, she kindly accepted the bouquet. ¡°Red roses?¡± She examined the bouquet and looked at Samuel¡¯s appearance. ¡°Is this a ... date?¡±

    Samuel shook his head. They ordered some food and exchanged small chats while eating. However, he almost forgot that Paula was pregnant.

    ¡°Sam, I am not drinking,¡± Paula said, throwing him a sad smile.

    ¡°Ah, sorry, I forgot that you are pregnant!¡± Samuel regretted his action. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, please! You look so lean, nothing like a pregnant woman.¡±

    Paula chuckled lightly. ¡°Early pregnancy is always like that! Wait until my third trimester. I will look like an elephant.¡±

    Samuel shook his head, smiling faintly. ¡°In my eyes, you will always be beautiful.¡±

    Paula was a little shocked by how Samuel treated her. She thought that she already gave him a clear rejection. How could he still try to woo her?

    ¡°Samuel, I am sorry, but maybe-¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Samuel rose from his seat and walked to the pianist and politely asked the pianist to let him play the piano.

    The restaurant went silent after Samuel¡¯s fingers danced on the piano. It was a beautiful piece of classical music. Puccini, O Mio babbino caro.

    Like the other people at the restaurant, Paula enjoyed Samuel¡¯s music. However, she was afraid of something. Something that should never happen in a public place.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I present this music for the most beautiful woman in my eyes, Paula Anderson,¡± Samuel said, directing his sight at Paula.

    Everyone at the restaurant clapped their hands but Paula and one other person.

    The other person walked closer to Paula¡¯s table and glared at her in disbelief.

    ¡°Paula Anderson?¡±

 Chapter 70

    70 70. The Traitor

    It was supposed to be the most romantic way to get a woman¡¯s heart. But Samuel messed it up by mentioning something that he should not do. He had no idea, of course. He thought that it was okay to call her Paula Anderson out of office.

    ¡°Anderson? Is the last name of Robert,¡± the man in front of Paula said, piercing his eyes at her. ¡°I heard that he has a daughter. So, is that you?¡±

    ¡°Ken-¡±

    ¡°So, you are not Eva Morgan?¡±

    Paula gulped. She didn¡¯t know how to answer Ken¡¯s question. She was caught red-handed, deceiving a lot of people in the company.

    ¡°Ken, can we talk outside?¡± Paula asked. A flash of regret crossed her face, it was so vivid, Ken could see it.

    However, Ken was not alone as well. Paula checked his table and found someone was with him. Someone that he should avoid meeting at all costs.

    Ken came with Akane! When Paula realized it, her guilt disappeared suddenly, turning into anger. She threw a dangerous glare at Ken.

    ¡°What are you doing with her?¡± Paula questioned him in a serious tone. ¡°So, is that you?¡±

    .....

    ¡°No-¡±

    ¡°Are you the traitor?¡± Paula fixed her stare at him. ¡°How dare you!¡±

    ¡°Eva, I mean, Paula! You misunderstood me! I am not that low!¡± Ken tried to explain. The situation turned upside down. It was Ken who desperately tried to explain to Paula.

    However, Paula could not accept his reasoning. She needed to make a quick decision for the sake of the company.

    ¡°I am sorry, Ken! You are correct. I am the owner¡¯s daughter. I came to the Tokyo branch because I have to investigate information leakage. And because, today, I caught you having dinner with Akane, you don¡¯t have to come to the office tomorrow,¡± Paula concluded, she glared at helpless Ken firmly. She sighed bitterly and continued, ¡°I am so disappointed in you. You are so bright and passionate. I even plan to give you a promotion if the problem is solved. However-¡±

    Paula couldn¡¯t continue her sentence. She glared at Akane who walked closer in her direction, smiling cunningly. Her hand stroked Ken¡¯s shoulder, trying to soothe his anger.

    ¡°As I said, baby, it was no use to work with them. Now, you can see their true face,¡± Akane said, facing Paula with her grudge.

    Paula turned her gaze at Akane, sneering in disgust. ¡°It¡¯s rich coming from you! You better call yourself a thief rather than an entrepreneur!¡±

    Seeing such a scene, Samuel came down the stage to check what happened. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± He asked in confusion.

    Paula turned at Samuel and smiled cynically. ¡°The problem is you, Sam! Never show your face before me ever again!¡±

    Paula took her handbag and walked out of the restaurant. Samuel turned to Akane and Ken, then turned to chase Paula.

    Paula exited the building and walked quickly to the highway to find a taxi. She waved to an unoccupied passing taxi.

    ¡°Paula! Wait!¡± Samuel called, panting after her. He didn¡¯t expect Paula to be able to walk so fast despite her pregnancy.

    ¡°What again?¡± Paula asked, feeling annoyed. The taxi driver had pressed the button to open the door automatically. Paula was about to get into the taxi.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what your problem is. Why are you angry? Who were those people?¡± Samuel asked, demanding an immediate explanation.

    ¡°Sam! I already told you that I¡¯m not Paula here. But you started repeating that a few hours after I told you not to.¡± Paula quickly got into the taxi without looking back. However, Samuel got in the taxi as well and asked for more explanation.

    ¡°Paula, I¡¯m sorry! What can I do to atone for my mistake?¡± Samuel begged, regretfully.

    ¡°Go, Sam!¡± Paula snapped, irritably. ¡°Stop pestering me again!¡±

    ¡°Paula, please!¡±

    ¡°Sam, please! Get out!¡±

    With a deep feeling of regret, Samuel finally got out of the taxi and let Paula go home alone. The romantic thing he planned failed miserably. It even turned into a terrible disaster for Paula.

    ***

    The next day, Paula left for the office not too excited. Even though the traitor had been found and he had been kicked out of the office, the uncomfortable feeling in her heart could not go away.

    As usual, that morning Paula went to Miyuki to tell her what she experienced yesterday. Embarrassing and ridiculous. However, she had to tell Miyuki as it was.

    Fortunately, Miyuki understood her condition. The girl just chuckled and commented on Paula that it¡¯s really hard to be beautiful.

    ¡°To be more precise, it¡¯s really hard when you meet a stupid man who can¡¯t use his brain when it comes to love,¡± Paula retorted in annoyance. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve met a man as crazy as him. Even my husband isn¡¯t that stupid.¡±

    Miyuki listened to Paula¡¯s tirade in amazement. She then remembered that the name on Paula¡¯s document was Montgomery, not Anderson. He then glanced at Paula¡¯s fingers and found that she was indeed wearing a ring.

    ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve said anything about your husband,¡± Miyuki said with a smile.

    Paula took a sip of her coffee and said, ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re getting a divorce. So there¡¯s no point in saying anything about him.¡±

    Miyuki smiled and nodded. Then she encouraged Paula to hang in there.

    They separated and went into their rooms. Before long, Freya appeared with a face full of surprise.

    ¡°I must say this to you with great regret. Ken had sent a letter of resignation without two weeks¡¯ notice to Kato. Turns out, the traitor was him.¡±

    Everyone was stunned by Freya¡¯s words. They couldn¡¯t believe that the villain who leaked the design was Ken himself.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. He was the saddest one when Akane launched her winter design.¡±

    ¡°Right, he drank until he was so bad.¡±

    ¡°Did he do it?¡±

    Misa and Himawari whispered near Paula. However, Paula did not pay attention to the chat. Miyuki¡¯s investigation also pointed to Ken.

    ¡°Never mind! We have an even bigger problem. We¡¯re understaffed because Ken, the main idea popper isn¡¯t here. So what do you think?¡± Freya asked everyone.

    ¡°I guess we haven¡¯t discussed everything with Kato yet,¡± Paula said. ¡°If it¡¯s true that Ken was the one who leaked the secret, how about the current design?¡±

    ¡°That is true. That means we have to re-plan it, right?¡± asked Misa. ¡°Damn! I am tired of all this.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m too lazy to redesign. How about we just use Freya¡¯s design yesterday?¡± Himawari asked with a sullen face.

    Paula felt the negativity had spread. ¡°This is a matter of product success in the market. We can¡¯t be careless.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then, let¡¯s just make each a new design and we¡¯ll put it together again. What do you think?¡± Freya suggested.

    ¡°Right. We will discuss it first and then we will give the plan that we have agreed upon to Kato. It will lighten everyone¡¯s burden,¡± Paula supported Freya¡¯s proposal.

    Finally, Freya closed the discussion. Everyone immediately carried out Freya¡¯s instructions. Meanwhile, Paula, who had no ideas, of course immediately contacted the real Eva Morgan. She asked Eva to provide her with some ideas which she would give during the discussion later.

    ¡°Hmm, I saw it somewhere,¡± Freya said, narrowing her eyes as Paula presented her design.

    Paul laughed. If Freya had ever been in contact with Eva¡¯s designs or exhibitions, she must have memorized the characteristics of Eva¡¯s designs, which tend to be classic.

    ¡°Maybe you saw it when I entered the competition,¡± Paula said, chuckling. She wanted to end the disguise because she couldn¡¯t stand lying anymore. However, she still couldn¡¯t because she had to confirm a few things.

    Misa and Himawari also presented some suggestions. Unlike before, they didn¡¯t feel enthusiastic about doing their job because of Ken. They thought that only Ken and Freya would always compete about their creativity. This time, Misa suggested the touch of snowflakes in each metal. Meanwhile, Himawari proposed a unique Black Winter.

    Freya was pleased with the team¡¯s enthusiasm. She then agreed on the Black Winter theme which presented the use of black pearl which would be combined with a snowflake motif in metal.

    As for Paula, now she was dizzy with everything that had been prepared beforehand. There was no way she could tell her father that the company was losing money because of the traitors that she couldn¡¯t handle.

    Office hours are up. Paula then packed her things and immediately left the room. However, just as she was about to leave the office, the front desk girl called her and handed her a bouquet of red roses.

    Of course, Paula was surprised. Who would have thought she would receive a bouquet in Eva Morgan¡¯s name? She thanked the front desk girl and looked at the flowers.

    ¡°Who brought it here?¡± Paula asked, frowning.

    ¡°The delivery boy,¡± the front desk girl answered in a friendly manner.

    Paula¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Is it Samuel?¡±

 Chapter 71

    71 71. A Mysterious Letter

    Paula brought the bouquet home, wondering who sent it for her. She took the bus home, trying to ignore people¡¯s eyes on her. Who wouldn¡¯t? The bouquet was big and beautiful. When the bus was about to reach the destination, she pressed the button to notify the driver that she wanted to get off at the next stop.

    This time, she used a bus card to pay instead of coins. When she learned about the card, she immediately bought the card from the driver. It was far more convenient that way.

    The cold air of early December immediately struck her flawless bare skin. It was refreshing but also cold at the same time. Paula¡¯s apartment was not so close to the bus stop. It needed five minutes by foot to reach her apartment. When she was about to open the door, her smartphone rang. It was a video call from Monica.

    ¡°Hi, Monica!¡±

    ¡°Hi, Paula! How are you?¡± Monica greeted her in a cheerful voice.

    ¡°Great!¡± Paula lied. She forced a smile to convince Monica that she was okay. ¡°As usual.¡±

    Paula entered her humble apartment, almost forgetting to take off her shoes before stepping on the wood flooring. This was Japan anyway. She wanted to get used to Japanese customs and manners.

    ¡°Hi, did you receive the gifts from everyone?¡± Monica asked enthusiastically.

    ¡°Gift? You shipped gifts for me?¡± Paula asked in confusion, checking her mailbox to see if there was a notification from the shipping company. ¡°I didn¡¯t receive anything.¡±

    .....

    Monica wide-eyed, looking at Paula in confusion. ¡°Ah, forget it! How was work?¡± she quickly changed the topic. ¡°You look so tired, girl!¡±

    ¡°Hmm ... how to say ... we already caught the traitor, but still, something is strange. I don¡¯t think that it was completely solved,¡± Paula said, hesitantly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to explain to you. It was just a hunch.¡±

    Monica nodded. ¡°I hope the truth will be revealed as soon as possible. Oh, Paula, you looked so miserable at this condition. Don¡¯t stress out too much! Share your problems with anyone you can trust!¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Monica.¡± Paula smiled at Monica while taking off her furry white coat and hung it on the coat stand at the corner of the narrow living room.

    ¡°Be healthy! Don¡¯t always buy food outside. Make your healthy food at home. I can provide you some recipes if you need,¡± Monica advised Paula just like a mother said to her daughter.

    Paula chuckled lightly. She didn¡¯t like if someone would mother her. But she already got used to it. Monica was just trying to show some affection to her.

    ¡°I will!¡± Paula showed Monica fresh ingredients in her chiller. ¡°This is healthy! Okay?¡±

    Monica giggled at Paula¡¯s annoyed look. She knew that Paula was just kidding. Minutes later, they ended the conversation then Paula quickly took a shower.

    After rinsing her body with hot water, Paula cooked chicken salad. It was a little too much. She kept the leftover food in the container.

    Paula took a sip of hot chocolate. When feeling quite refreshed, she readied herself to return to work. She opened the laptop on the table to check the time table. That¡¯s when she realized that she still had a lot of unfinished work.

    ¡°What stuff do I need to do first?¡± she talked to herself. ¡°Ah, this one is the most important thing.¡±

    She had to figure out how not to throw away items that weren¡¯t launched so they wouldn¡¯t end up as trash. They were not defective items. They were valuable.

    She even considered selling those items at a low price. However, she still wanted the goods that had been produced to be appreciated even a little. She wanted the best price. But, at the same time, she only wanted to do as little effort as possible.

    ¡°If we sell them online in retail, it will be time consuming,¡± Paula muttered. She also considered that she would never sell them at a good price with that method. People ordered things online to find the cheapest item. She would end up giving the items big discounts. It was not her choice.

    An hour later, unexpectedly, Paula received a broadcast in the Young Entrepreneurs group, alumni of the university where she studied first. A young entrepreneur from Dubai was looking for a jewelry manufacturer who can provide quality goods at the best possible offer.

    Paula¡¯s brows furrowed. Wasn¡¯t that what she was looking for? A potential buyer who had a huge amount of money to buy the items.

    Paula then immediately contacted the email listed in the broadcast. She was on behalf of Anderson Jewelry to contact the entrepreneur from Dubai named Salwa Ahmad.

    Surprisingly, Salwa was online and they had an immediate online meeting just after exchanging greetings.

    Salwa: ¡°I love your product. They are nice and unique. It can be a new trend in Dubai. What price do you offer?¡±

    Paula: ¡°$250,000 for everything. I will send a file for the detailed price list for each item.¡±

    Salwa: ¡°I¡¯m not a rich businesswoman. Can¡¯t you reduce the price?¡±

    Paula: ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. This item is not a defective item. But we were forced to sell them because a competitor stole our design and launched the design first.¡±

    Salwa: ¡°Okay. I¡¯m willing to raise the price to $275,000 but remove the AJ stamp and replace it with Salwa Jewelry. Is it okay?¡±

    Paula: ¡°Hmm .... How about $300,000? We can also improve the design. How does it sound?¡±

    Salwa: ¡°Nice. I will pay $200,000 first and pay off the rest later. Is it okay?¡±

    Paula smiled and agreed to the price. They planned to conduct offline transactions later.

    Paula spread her arms as she felt the weight on her shoulders lessen. She then picked up the bouquet that she had received earlier this afternoon. she smiled and was surprised to find a small box containing three strawberry pralines inside.

    ¡°Wow!¡± Paula picked up one and complimented how sweet and delicious the chocolate was. ¡°Is it true, Samuel sent these flowers?¡± Paula asked, rubbing her stomach.

    One problem solved. Paula was able to sleep well that night.

    ***

    The next day, Paula woke up refreshed. She quickly cleaned herself in the bathroom and made her own breakfast. Suddenly she wanted to eat strawberry and cornflakes cereal-something that William used to feed her.

    ¡°Adding banana slices seems delicious. The folic acid in bananas is quite high, isn¡¯t it?¡± Paula muttered as she checked the health articles on her smartphone.

    As she finished making it, she heard the sound of someone putting something in the mailbox. Paula was surprised that no one usually delivers letters or flyers this early.

    Paula then approached the door and checked the mailbox attached to the steel door. There was a brown envelope tucked in there. Paula took the envelope and rubbed it.

    ¡°This is not a letter. What is it? There is no sender as well.¡±

    How surprised Paula was when she opened the suspicious envelope and found its contents: Some photos that made her eyes pop out!

    ¡°Impossible!¡± she screamed in disbelief. She rechecked the photos carefully to confirm her sight.

    She opened the envelope one more time and found a flash drive inside. She quickly ran to her desk to turn her laptop on.

    With trembling hands, Paula inserted the flash drive into the USB port of her laptop. She didn¡¯t expect to find such a shocking recording there. Video and audio recordings confirmed the shocking sight that took place in a clear way. There was not the slightest doubt about it. Not just photo editing. Not just video editing.

    Paula¡¯s heart ached for a moment. She never thought that it would turn out like this. If it was true that the person in the photo was the culprit, it meant that she had been mistrusting someone all this time.

    Robert had chosen the wrong confidant. He had made a very big mistake. Too big!

    Paula gulped, trying so hard to collect her composure. Her body was shaking miserably when she tried to reach her smartphone. She pressed her father¡¯s contact number, trying to make a call immediately despite the time difference.

    ¡°Pick it up, dad! Please .... You need to know about it quickly,¡± She muttered in a whimper. She paced back and forth hoping that her father would receive a call soon. ¡°Dad! Is that you?¡±

    ¡°Hi, Paula?¡± Someone picked up the call. Someone that was not Robert. A woman picked up his phone.

    ¡°Who is this?¡± Paula snapped. ¡°I need my dad right now! Give the phone to him!¡±

    The woman chuckled lightly. ¡°Do you forget about me? I am your mom.¡±

    Paula was tongue tied. She was thunderstruck. ¡°Impossible! Don¡¯t say that you are trying to get closer to him again!¡±

    The woman burst into laughter. She loved to make her daughter feel miserable. She loved to make her feel the embarrassment of being defeated.

    ¡°I am sorry, Paula! But he is mine.¡±

 Chapter 72

    72 72. The Dick-Licker

    Paula was stunned. She couldn¡¯t believe that her father would fall for that woman¡¯s trap again.

    ¡°Liar! He will never forgive you!¡± Paula gritted her teeth. ¡°You betrayed his trust.¡±

    The middle-aged woman¡¯s laughter was so loud, making Paula even more annoyed. She bit her lower lip and said, ¡°It must be something else. You tricked him! Or something like that.¡±

    Paula¡¯s mom turned on her video. Paula hesitantly accepted it. That¡¯s when she saw his father¡¯s half-naked muscular body on the bed.

    ¡°Do you believe it, baby? He is in my bed.¡± The sight on the video turned into a beautiful woman with tousled dark hair. A familiar face for Paula. The face that she tried to forget but she couldn¡¯t. The face that destroyed her happy childhood life.

    ¡°You shameless woman! How can you do this to him? You already hurt him enough,¡± Paula snapped, forgetting the reason why she made the call to her dad.

    ¡°Baby girl, don¡¯t stress yourself with unnecessary things. You can call him again later. Bye!¡± That woman ended the call immediately, leaving Paula on a rampage.

    Paula¡¯s energy was drained to rock bottom. She was about to curse but again, she remembered her little bun. She calmed herself once realized that anger was not good for the baby.

    She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Exhaled slowly. She inhaled again. Then exhaled again.

    .....

    After gaining more focus, she then reached for her laptop again to send everything to Robert. She tried to brush things that had just happened. She had a big thing to do. She didn¡¯t need more problems.

    Paula hated the fact that she finally did what that shameless woman told her. She grinned bitterly before finally managing to send a sacred email to her father. She could not call her dad again. At least, he would check the email later.

    That time, she thought that nobody would help but herself. She had to make her own decision. She never knew that this would be so hard to do.

    When she recalled that she had to eat breakfast, that¡¯s when she realized that the cereal in the bowl was already too soggy. Then, she replaced it with a new one, and eat her breakfast quietly. She didn¡¯t pay attention to what she ate. Her mind was wandering around, thinking about how to deal with the new fact-the bitter truth.

    Later, in the office, Paula did nothing. She was weighing several plans. Which one is the best, and which one would not bring too much damage to the working environment? As little as possible.

    Paula gritted her teeth. The information she received this morning told her that the new concept was leaked but the design was not since the team didn¡¯t finalize the design yet.

    ¡°Okay, everyone! Please hand in all of your projects to me!¡± Freya started the meeting that morning.

    Everyone on the design team looked enthusiastic but Paula. However, not long after, Misa and Himawari were in panic.

    ¡°Where is my tablet?¡± Misa said. ¡°I kept my project there.¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡± Himawari exclaimed. ¡°I remembered I didn¡¯t take the tablet out of my purse.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Freya frantically shouted at her subordinate. ¡°How could you lose your projects? Find them as soon as possible!¡±

    Misa and Himawari dismissed and went outside, looking for their tablets everywhere. They had no clue where they lost their precious items. They even made an announcement, informing everyone in the entire building that they had lost their tablets.

    ¡°How about you, Eva? Where¡¯s your work?¡± Freya ordered Paula to show her the tablet. However, Paula didn¡¯t give her any response but a sharp glare.

    ¡°How about you, Freya? Show me your work first and I will show you mine!¡± Paula said, grinning lightly.

    Freya¡¯s face turned pale. Her mouth gaped, wanting to say something in reply but no words came out.

    ¡°Look! I don¡¯t want to start anything but please show me your work, my dear leader!¡± Paula said nonchalantly. Her face showed no emotion but disappointment. ¡°Where. Is. Your. Work.¡±

    ¡°How dare you, b-¡±

    ¡°Ssshhh, no cursing in the office. Especially in front of me,¡± Paula said, putting her finger on her mouth. She stood up, walking back and forth and staring at Freya with a firm expression. ¡°That is a big no!¡±

    Freya was in a panic. ¡°Don¡¯t order me around!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. I am just asking you to show me your work first and I will show you mine. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Paula sneered, putting her hands on the table. She wanted to hit the table but she knew that she would hurt her hands. Not a good choice to show anger.

    With a trembling voice, Freya argued, ¡°I am the team leader! You have to show me your work first.¡±

    Paula giggled sourly. ¡°What? Team leader? Do you even remember your job description as a team leader in this company?¡±

    ¡°Who are you to judge me?¡± Freya raised her voice. Her heart burned in anger, as well as her face. ¡°Of course, I know what I have to do as a leader.¡±

    ¡°This company clearly states that a design team leader should also maintain subordinates¡¯ motivation by showing her or his work first before everyone else. The company doubled your salary for good reason.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it?¡± Freya wondered how a newcomer like Eva Morgan knew about something that only Kato and the HRD staff know.

    Paula shook her head. ¡°Look! Your team was the worst team I have ever seen because you, the team leader, could only order them around and rarely showed your work.¡±

    Freya¡¯s face turned red out of anger. She exclaimed, ¡°Stop judging or I will report this to the president!¡±

    Paula laughed out loud. ¡°Judging? Freya, you are the worst. What I have done to you can¡¯t even be compared to your sin. You were the one who stole Ken¡¯s idea of Winter Sakura and bragged to your boss that you have done the coolest concept ever, no?¡±

    Freya¡¯s eyes widened. Her body was shaking uncontrollably. ¡°H-how did you-¡±

    ¡°Sadly, Freya .... You are good for nothing but dick-licking your boss to keep your position. But don¡¯t worry! It will not happen again because your new boss has no dick.¡±

 Chapter 73

    73 73. The Culprit

    Paula smiled sarcastically at Freya who could only open her mouth silently. ¡°That¡¯s if you are lucky enough not to get fired from the company.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Eva?¡± asked Freya angrily.

    Paula just smiled sarcastically. She then left Freya without more explanation. Paula continued walking towards the office of the president of AJ Tokyo.

    Slowly, she slid the door to Kato¡¯s room without asking permission. Of course, this made Kato startled.

    ¡°How dare you enter my office without knocking on the door!¡± Kato looked panicked.

    ¡°Hmm, the custom in this office is that if your door is open, anyone can come in right away, right?¡± said Paula with a smile that wasn¡¯t sweet at all. ¡°What are you doing? Are you doing something forbidden? Or are you looking for personal gain by taking advantage of the calamity that befell the company?¡±

    ¡°As I thought, you must be Robert¡¯s spy. Always suspicious of everyone,¡± Kato responded sarcastically. Pretended to be calm.

    Paula continued to walk deeper into the room. She checked Kato¡¯s desk lazily.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered why this well-known company doesn¡¯t give satisfactory results no matter what we did. It turns out, there is a virus that spreads some internal disease.¡±

    .....

    ¡°What do you mean? Don¡¯t accuse me with no proof!¡± Kato shouted. Goosebumps went down his spine because he was scared. The current Paula, to him, was scarier than a ghost.

    Paula smiled bitterly. ¡°Are you scared?¡± asked Paula curtly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you innocent?¡±

    Cold sweat dripped from Kato¡¯s temples. Paula took a tissue to hand to the man. ¡°Take it. You need it.¡±

    Kato reached into his pocket and took out his handkerchief. Paula smiled at Kato¡¯s refusal. The man was really scared. Really looked like a guilty person.

    ¡°I know, you have family,¡± Paula paused, watching Kato¡¯s face closely. However, the man¡¯s sweat was dripping profusely. Looked frightened.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like infidelity. However, I admit it¡¯s none of my business. It¡¯s just that you violated the company¡¯s rule by doing that in the office¡±. Paula chuckled as she shook her head slowly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t get fired for that because the news didn¡¯t leak to the public.¡±

    Kato¡¯s face, which had been colorless, had now turned slightly relieved. He dared to look at Paula again. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Kato said, slightly trembling. ¡°You¡¯re talking without evidence.¡±

    ¡°Evidence? Is this considered evidence?¡± Paula handed him a photo in her smartphone, showing Kato¡¯s meeting with Akane. Of course, that made Kato¡¯s eyes widen even more. They met like Paula and Miyuki. Not at one table, wearing a hat, and also coming and going separately.

    ¡°This is just a photo. Won¡¯t prove anything. It could be fake,¡± Kato evaded. He still hoped to get away from charges.

    ¡°I have solid evidence. Audio and video. Who¡¯s going to deny it?¡± Paula asked, laughing sarcastically. ¡°This is more than enough to explain that you are guilty of selling company¡¯s secrets.¡±

    Shortly thereafter, police officers entered the room and arrested Kato. Kato was shocked half to death by it. His eyes widened, staring at Paula with hatred.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go that far, really I didn¡¯t. Akane only knows the concept! I¡¯m not guilty! It must have been the damn designer! The fake smart guy who thinks he¡¯s the most talented! Most meritorious in the company!¡± Kato shouted, still trying to defend himself.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be selling company secrets! Now you will surely regret what you did. Let the court decide what your punishment will be!¡± Paula said with a straight face.

    She hadn¡¯t talked about Kato¡¯s dismissal to her father yet. However, she didn¡¯t find the best way because Kato was planning to go abroad the next day. He wanted to run away with his family. She had no time for discussion.

    ¡°This is all Robert¡¯s fault! How could he put a spy in this company and give that person a big salary, even as big as mine! He¡¯s the crazy one! I also want to live comfortably with my family!¡± Kato screamed and cursed as the police handcuffed him.

    ¡°It¡¯s rich coming from a cheating husband like you. There¡¯s no point in you saying this and that because you¡¯re no longer part of this company,¡± Paula said as she threw Kato¡¯s nameplate in the trash box. There was the sound of plastic colliding with metal, making a loud noise.

    ¡°Who do you think you are? You can¡¯t just fire me! Only Robert can do that,¡± exclaimed Kato who was struggling because his hand was cuffed. ¡°You¡¯re just one of Robert¡¯s dogs who can only boot-lick him to get a job, right?¡±

    Paula laughed and casually took something out of her bag. A nameplate: Paula Anderson-President.

    Kato¡¯s eyes went wide as he read the nameplate inscribed with Roman letters and Katakana in brackets.

    Haltingly, Kato said, ¡°No way! So you are...¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ***

    The sight of Kato being taken out of the office by the police of course made many people dumbfounded. Paula¡¯s gaze then turned to the person who had been scapegoated as a guilty person.

    Paula smiled at him, then shook his hand. ¡°Thank you, Ken! You¡¯ve been patient even though I fired you. If it wasn¡¯t for you, Kato would always be on guard.¡±

    ¡°I believe you are a good person. Robert¡¯s daughter will do her best for the company,¡± Ken replied with a genuine smile.

    Misa and Himawari ran toward Ken. When they found out that Ken¡¯s dismissal was a pretense, they asked, ¡°So it¡¯s been a fake all this time?¡±

    ¡°I thought Paula was going to fire me for real. I was already preparing to defend myself. However, I was surprised that I was only fired, no police came to me. Turns out she immediately sent an email and asked me to wait patiently,¡± Ken explained to his colleagues.

    Paula smiled at Misa and Himawari who looked down shyly at her. They did not expect that all this time they were working together with the daughter of the owner.

    Paula took out both Misa and Himawari¡¯s tablets. It made the girls¡¯ eyes widen.

 Chapter 74

    74 74. William¡¯s Secret

    ¡°How come it¡¯s in your hands, Eva ... oh... Paula?¡± Misa asked as she took her tablet from Paula¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I looked everywhere for it, but couldn¡¯t find it either.¡± Himawari shrieked, both happy and surprised that Paula had found their tablet.

    ¡°I stole it from you, girls,¡± Paula said in a flat tone, surprising Misa, Himawari, and also Ken.

    Paula only chuckled lightly watching the reactions of the three people in front of her. ¡°Why? I was the one who stole it. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Paula questioned them in a subtle sarcasm. ¡°Look, I even managed to take your designs and transfer them to my tablet.¡±

    Misa and Himawari choked. They exchanged glances, then looked at Paula and Ken in turn. Nervously, the two of them put the tablet into their respective handbags without saying anything.

    ¡°Come into my room! I want to talk about something important,¡± Paula said without a smile. They knew that the things that Paula was talking about must not be something pleasant at all.

    They immediately entered Paula¡¯s room and took their seats. Not a single word came out of their mouths. All the words just locked inside their closed lips.

    After everyone sat quietly and comforted themselves, Paula then said, ¡°I called you here because I didn¡¯t want this issue to be leaked. Other departments shouldn¡¯t know about this.¡±

    Paula¡¯s eyes stared at her employees carefully one by one. She was sure that they felt guilty. They knew what stupid mistake they contributed to this huge company issue.

    .....

    ¡°I admit, your country is the safest country I have ever visited. Maybe ... even in the world. I¡¯ve seen someone drop fifty thousand yen at an ATM and no one picked up the money. People just passed by and watched. I lost my purse on the first day here and surprisingly, the next day, my purse came back to me safely,¡± Paula opened the conversation by praising the safe environment in which her subordinates live and work. ¡°However, this security does not mean providing a guarantee that your belongings will not be lost or taken. Evil people exist. Look what you guys just went through! Misa, Himawari, do you two understand?¡±

    Ken turned to his co-workers and saw the young girls looking down. Neither of them dared to look at Paula¡¯s stern face. It was scary.

    ¡°Ken, this could have happened to you too! I saw you left your laptop and tablet carelessly unlocked, while you went to the break room or the toilet,¡± Paula rebuked Ken who seemed to feel free from accusations. Of course, the man suddenly behaved and did a similar pose as his co-workers.

    ¡°What has happened, let it happen. I forgive you. Just don¡¯t let this happen in the future. Don¡¯t you understand, what problem threatens us with your carelessness?¡± Paula asked her employees again. They nodded in unison, and couldn¡¯t bring themselves to say anything.

    ¡°One more thing,¡± Paula said, looking at Misa and Himawari. ¡°Misa, Hima, you were chosen to work here because you are both qualified and talented. Be confident in your talents. Ken is talented. You guys are as talented as him!¡±

    Misa and Himawari¡¯s hands were shaking. They admit that they had always been too lazy to think of some ideas when Ken was around. They thought that Ken¡¯s idea was better than theirs because Freya and Kato would only care about Ken¡¯s suggestions.

    ¡°I will discuss this issue with the chairman later. I don¡¯t want you to get fired. However, I can¡¯t guarantee you won¡¯t be penalized,¡± Paula said as she gave them a smile to cheer them up. ¡°I will try my best to convince the chairman!¡±

    Shortly after, Paula ended the meeting and then asked them to return to work. They still had an ongoing project to be finished. The project must be completed immediately because the deadline was getting closer.

    With messy feelings, Paula returned to her seat-the president¡¯s seat, the black leather chair that a few hours ago still belonged to Kato. She exhaled lightly, feeling like overstepping her father¡¯s authority. However, she was sure her father would accept her decision. Kato was guilty and should be sent to prison. No one doubted it.

    As for Freya, she still had to discuss it with her father later. Would the woman be fired or not? She did not dare to make her own decisions before she was officially assigned to replace Kato and announced it to all employees.

    However, other things were far more important and must be resolved as soon as possible. The company¡¯s problems hadn¡¯t been solved yet. Paula opened her handbag to pick up an envelope she had received this morning.

    Paula sighed softly. She glanced at the watch on her right wrist. In a moment, she had to meet Miyuki at the rooftop, one of the safest places they usually used to meet because it was a quiet place. Paula then put the envelope back into her handbag and got up from her seat.

    ***

    Meanwhile, a well-built man with dark brown hair was seen at the flower shop. His emerald green eyes roamed all the flowers on display, choosing which one he would give his beloved woman today.

    A smile of satisfaction spread across his lips that parted at the bottom, turning them into a thin line that curved upwards. Feeling confused, the man then took out his smartphone to send a photo of the flowers to his assistant-to be precise, his former assistant because he had been fired from the CEO position at the family company.

    William: ¡°Which flower should I give her today?¡±

    Danica: ¡°Combine red and white so she doesn¡¯t get bored with the gift! I will give you the pic. Don¡¯t forget to add the pralines. I guarantee she will love it! She is always fond of pralines.¡±

    After that, William handed his smartphone to the florist and asked her to arrange flowers as Danica asked. Heart-shaped red rose surrounded by white roses. William then went to the chocolate pralines rack on the corner of the shop. This time, he chose a box of pralines with rose petals on it. It looked like it would go well with the bouquet.

    Yesterday, William asked a delivery boy to deliver the flowers. Today, he wanted to send the bouquet himself since he wanted to check Paula¡¯s current state by himself.

    Ever since Robert had told him that Paula went to Tokyo for work and didn¡¯t want to be disturbed, he¡¯d been forcing Robert to tell him the truth about Paula and the company¡¯s problems. He was surprised and felt guilty after learning Paula¡¯s reason for going to Tokyo.

    It was then, William knew the real reason behind his marriage to Paula ... and also how she made the deal with Robert to increase the profit of the Tokyo branch as long as her father did not withdraw investment from William¡¯s family company.

    ¡®If Paula and I don¡¯t get divorced, you¡¯ll break your agreement with Paula, won¡¯t you?¡¯ William asked Robert back then. ¡®She¡¯ll be back in New York, no?¡¯ At that time, William felt sorry for Paula. He felt ashamed and guilty that Paula had to leave New York to protect his family¡¯s company from financial hardship.

    Unfortunately, Robert shook his head and with a regretful face said, ¡®We have a problem in Tokyo. Inevitably, Paula had to go there to settle our internal affairs. Don¡¯t bother my daughter by taking your troubles there! She already has a lot of burdens.¡¯

    At first, William wanted to ignore Robert¡¯s threats. He still wanted to see Paula. However, it turned out that Alex prevented him from seeing Paula because he had unfinished business in New York.

    When he was confused, he calmed himself down and came up with the best solution. Finally, he decided to help Paula secretly. He asked a private detective to investigate AJ Tokyo¡¯s matter independently. If Paula¡¯s problem was resolved quickly, she would be back in New York as soon as possible, wouldn¡¯t she? That¡¯s what he thought at the time.

    However, many things happened and he decided to meet Paula in person. One of the triggers was Samuel.

    Upon arriving in Tokyo, William accidentally ran into Samuel at the airport. At that moment, William felt relieved because Samuel¡¯s return to New York was clear proof of Samuel¡¯s failure. William¡¯s anger was reduced by fifty percent when he saw Samuel¡¯s gloomy face.

    It was then that William realized he had to wait for Paula¡¯s business to finish before he could talk about household matters. Otherwise, Paula might kick him the way she kicked Samuel¡¯s ass and forced him to go home in failure.

    A loud ringtone from his smartphone interrupted his thoughts. He picked up a call that turned out to be from the private detective he was hired.

    ¡°So, the president has been arrested?¡± William asked enthusiastically. He gave the praline box to the florist and handed her his black card.

    ¡°Right.¡± The private detective disguised as a janitor then told everything that happened in order.

    William looked satisfied. He smiled happily, looking at the bouquet in his hand.

    ¡°Hey, li¡¯l bun! Your dad is coming!¡±

 Chapter 75

    75 75. Behind Her Iron Face

    Paula walked out of the room, seeing a janitor who was on the phone in the elevator. The janitor smiled kindly at Paula as he put his cell phone in his pocket. He also held the elevator door open to allow Paula to use the same elevator.

    Paula quickly got into the elevator because she was in a hurry. ¡°Thank you!¡± said Paula, returning the man¡¯s smile with the same friendliness. She then quickly pressed the number fifteen button. However, it turns out that the elevator was heading downwards.

    ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± Paula laughed at her clumsiness. She looked at the janitor and laughed together.

    ¡°It is going down,¡± the man said, pointing down with his left finger. He was afraid that Paula wouldn¡¯t understand Japanese.

    Paula graciously nodded with a smile, indicating that she understood the man¡¯s language.

    ¡°Do you want to go to the fifteenth floor?¡± the man asked again. ¡°Strange. People rarely go there.¡±

    People don¡¯t usually ask about other people¡¯s business. However, Paula tried to understand because the man was probably just an old man who wanted to know about other people¡¯s business.

    ¡°I have something to do with ...,¡± Paula replied, pausing because she didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°I made an appointment with a friend.¡± She forced a light smile on her lips.

    After reaching the first floor, Paula exited the elevator for a while to allow the janitor to freely move the cleaning equipment. She kindly held the open button for him. She then quickly reentered the elevator and pressed the fifteenth button, the highest floor in the building.

    .....

    As the elevator went up, Paula¡¯s heart skipped a beat, imagining what she was going to do in the next few minutes. Her heart clenched, as she recalled the memories of the past few days she spent with Miyuki.

    The elevator stopped on the fifteenth floor. Paula waited for the elevator door to fully open before stepping out of the elevator. On the side of the glass window, she saw a shoulder-length black-haired young woman waiting for her.

    ¡°Am I late?¡± Paula asked, making the girl turn around. Paula¡¯s voice was normal, not as lowered as usual. Of course, this time she didn¡¯t need to lower her voice because everything was exposed. There was nothing she had to hide from anyone.

    ¡°No. How could you be late?¡± Miyuki smiled widely, admiring Paula¡¯s graceful moves. ¡°I was the one who got here too early. Fifteen minutes ahead of our appointment.¡±

    Paula returned Miyuki¡¯s smile and sighed softly. She looked at Miyuki with an unreadable expression. She observed Miyuki with her signature simple-and-unfashionable appearance.

    ¡°You look very happy. Something good happened?¡± She commented on Miyuki¡¯s more enthusiastic attitude than usual.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m happy because this weekend we can go strawberry picking without any burdens on our shoulders.¡± Miyuki smiled widely, baring her crooked teeth, making her look even cuter.

    In the past, Paula liked Miyuki¡¯s smile. A very rare smile because Miyuki often wore an expressionless iron face.

    ¡°Are you tired? Or sick?¡± asked Miyuki who saw Paula¡¯s unenthusiasm. Paula¡¯s face was too stiff for someone to come out as a victor. ¡°On the third floor of this building, near the dentist¡¯s office, there is a doctor¡¯s clinic. Do you want me to accompany you?¡±

    Paula shook her head slowly, leaning her back against the glass window. She smiled bitterly at Miyuki. ¡°I¡¯m just disappointed,¡± she replied as she stared at Miyuki intently.

    ¡°To whom?¡± Miyuki asked curiously, her smile was fading away, revealing the usual Miyuki. She noticed Paula¡¯s strange behavior. ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed in you,¡± Paula replied flatly, looking deeply into Miyuki¡¯s jet-black eyes with her dark-blue eyes.

    Miyuki¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. She just stared at Paula for a few moments and didn¡¯t say anything. Paula only received one signal from Miyuki¡¯s response. The woman she trusted was indeed guilty.

    ¡°What did I do wrong? Didn¡¯t I do all the tasks properly? I¡¯ve even shown you proof that Kato was behind all of this,¡± Miyuki demanded an answer from Paula. Her trembling hands held the galvalume frame on the glass window by the stairs.

    ¡°You were trying to blame Ken for all this, weren¡¯t you?¡± Paula asked in a very cynical tone. ¡°You were the one who said that Ken and Akane were dating and even arranged for their meeting to have dinner at the same place as Samuel and I were that night.¡±

    Miyuki was furious and trembling at the same time. She was still trying to defend herself. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Kato the one who did it? It was Kato who framed Ken.¡±

    Paula shook her head. ¡°When you realized that I wasn¡¯t sure Ken was the traitor, you then leaked Kato¡¯s actions and made him bear the sin by showing this evidence to me.¡± Paula showed the electronic message that Miyuki gave to Paula. ¡°You don¡¯t want to get your hands dirty, so from the start, you must have asked Akane to persuade Kato for betraying my father.¡±

    Akane shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t accuse me carelessly, Paula!¡±

    Paula smiled weakly, ¡°You still want to dodge it, huh?¡± She then opened her handbag and picked up the envelope, taking out a photo showing Miyuki and Akane meeting at a nightclub in the suburbs. Akane and Miyuki were at a lesbian nightclub. They were a couple.

    Miyuki¡¯s hands were shaking violently. Her eyes popped out, staring at the photo in Paula¡¯s hand in disbelief. ¡°Where did you get that photo from?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Paula said, squinting. ¡°It¡¯s you and Akane!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing this to get information from Akane! You shouldn¡¯t just believe false information that-¡±

    ¡°This photo was taken a year ago. Long before this scandal happened. Long before Akane opened her business. What information would you like to get from her? Who asked you to do that?¡± Paula smiled mockingly. ¡°A dog that bites the person who feeds it. Is that for you?¡±

    ¡°Paula I don¡¯t-¡±

    Paula played the audio on her cell phone showing Miyuki¡¯s betrayal. It was Miyuki who had been bringing the company¡¯s detailed designs to Akane. She stole from the design team by taking advantage of their carelessness.

    ¡°Do you still want to deny it? These proofs were too obvious to anyone, Miyuki. You are a traitor!¡±

    Miyuki lowered her head, her hands clenched in hatred. She didn¡¯t think that her plan would be ruined. She was a confidant of Robert and Paula. She should have escaped suspicion.

    ¡°Miyuki .... You even take advantage of this for personal gain. You want to buy useless products for a third of the price, don¡¯t you? You are selling them in Dubai under your brand.¡±

    Miyuki¡¯s face, which had been looking down, then looked up at Paula in disbelief. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Are you surprised? Who doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s you? I found it strange from the start that Salwa didn¡¯t mind the product whose designs had been stolen. Without hesitation, she wanted to add her brand printed on the products. Funny, no? Why wasn¡¯t she afraid of being sued? This means, you guys are working together,¡± Paula said angrily and disgustedly to Miyuki. ¡°How dare you betray our trust!¡±

    Only silence was around them. Neither Miyuki nor Paula were throwing words at each other.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Robert!¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one who bankrupted my family, forcing my father to commit suicide,¡± Miyuki raged.

    ¡°What do you mean? Wasn¡¯t my father the one who helped you?¡±

    ¡°Help? Buying our company at a low price, do you call that help?¡± Miyuki raged.

    ¡°Miyuki. In this world, business is business. All transactions are carried out with the consent of both parties!¡±

    ¡°Nonsense!¡±

    ¡°Miyuki! Be aware! I don¡¯t want to tell you this! But it was your father who asked my father for help. He offered the low price because my father was not rich back then. Your father needed the money to cover unpaid salaries for his employees. In addition, my father sent money for your family¡¯s monthly expenses and paid for the education of you and your younger siblings even though your father refused,¡± Paula shouted, revealing what she should have kept secret so Miyuki wouldn¡¯t feel embarrassed.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Miyuki shook her head. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

    Paula shook her head, she also had tears in her eyes, feeling guilty for saying that to Miyuki.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to end up in prison. However, I had no choice. The law must be upheld,¡± Paula said as she put the envelope back in her bag.

    Unfortunately, Miyuki did not accept Paula¡¯s treatment. She ran to Paula, trying to snatch the evidence away.

    ¡°You can¡¯t imprison me! My mother and sister must not know about this!¡± Miyuki pulled Paula¡¯s handbag with full force.

    However, Miyuki pulled too hard. Paula was holding on to her bag strongly. There was a strong tug of war near the stairs. Unfortunately, due to Paula¡¯s tug, Miyuki was about to fall because she was leaning back too much. Paula, who knew it, immediately grabbed Miyuki¡¯s hand to keep her from falling down the stairs.

    However, Paula¡¯s leg sprained, and she couldn¡¯t keep her balance. Thanks to that, she was about to fall.

    ¡°No! My baby!¡±

 Chapter 76

    76 76. The Savior

    Paula didn¡¯t have time to balance herself. She was about to hold on, but all she could hold on to was a wall. Her left fingers gripped the wall in reflex but of course, it was in vain because the walls would always be flat, unable to support her body¡¯s weight.

    Her right hand tried to grab the stair railing. However, unfortunately, the steel railing was too far to reach. She could only helplessly grip the empty air.

    That time, Paula would definitely fall. Fell for real. From three meters in height. What would happen to the baby if she couldn¡¯t do something? That was all Paula was worried about at that time. She didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to her child-to-be. She couldn¡¯t even see his or her face on an ultrasound yet.

    ¡°Help!¡± Paula couldn¡¯t help but scream as she felt her body sway backward. She could only stare at Miyuki who didn¡¯t even reach out to help her.

    Perhaps, what was in Miyuki¡¯s head at the moment, she would survive if Paula fell and died. Or, if Paula didn¡¯t die, she could do something to Paula later and protect herself. What a wicked woman! However, what was it that a criminal could think of other than evil things?

    Paula already felt that she would not be able to save herself. She could only close her eyes and pray. She hoped that a miracle would come for her and the baby. If not ... no! She didn¡¯t want to think about the consequences.

    One second, two seconds, three seconds .... Nothing out of the ordinary happened to Paula. The woman wondered.

    Shouldn¡¯t she have fallen by now? By now, her head should have hit the floor or stairs. Or maybe the rest of her body should have been in pain from the heavy impact. However, why didn¡¯t she feel it? Was she dead? Did she transmigrate to another realm just as she hit the floor?

    Maybe that¡¯s what happened because at that moment, suddenly her sense of smell was filled with the thick scent of roses. Her body seemed to be supported by a hard but comfortable latex mattress. Before long, the faint smell of musk wafted into her nostrils over the strong smell of roses. A smell that was familiar to her nose, made her tempted to open her eyes immediately.

    .....

    When her eyelids were no longer closed, her sharp blue eyes began to adjust to the surroundings which looked a bit blurry. When the sight started to brighten up, Paula could see that she was indeed surrounded by shards of red and white rose petals scattered like a newlywed bed in a romantic movie.

    Paula¡¯s eyes looked straight up and saw Miyuki who could only widen her dark eyes as if they were about to burst out. That meant, she was still in the same place as before. Not to another world. Not in another realm.

    Paula turned to the right side and could see the floor clearly, but her position was inches above the floor. A few seconds later, she realized that her body was in someone¡¯s arms. A person who had a muscular body like a latex mattress embraced her tightly.

    ¡°Paula, are you okay?¡±

    Those were the first words Paula heard. A familiar voice-William¡¯s voice. It was then, Paula felt, that her head might hit something. How could she possibly hear William¡¯s voice here?

    ¡°Baby, are you okay?¡± William¡¯s voice asked again.

    Paula felt the strong hands resting on her chest and stomach. Her fingers could feel the Rolex watch on the man¡¯s left wrist. William did wear it.

    ¡°William? Is that you?¡± Paula asked in doubt.

    ¡°Right, baby! Are you alright?¡± William asked in a hoarse voice since Paula¡¯s not-so-small body was on top of him.

    Paula¡¯s heart was pounding because she didn¡¯t expect this to happen. It turned out that it was her husband who was there and helped her. God had sent a miracle to her and the baby in her womb.

    Feeling overwhelmed by happiness, Paula squeezed William¡¯s hand tightly. She was so happy that her husband came on time. She was so happy that she wasn¡¯t hurt. She hoped the baby was safe too.

    ¡°William I lov-¡±

    ¡°Aaaakkhhh ....¡±

    Before Paula had time to finish her sentence, an old man¡¯s voice squeaked. Paula looked for the source of the moaning. However, she couldn¡¯t find anyone around her other than Miyuki who was kneeling on the floor.

    ¡°You can kill me ...,¡± the old man¡¯s voice groaned again, in Japanese.

    No one moved. However, a moment later, Paula realized where the person she was looking for was.

    ¡°Get up ...¡± This time, it wasn¡¯t just the sound but also the rebellious movement in the legs.

    ¡°Gosh! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Paula immediately stepped away from William¡¯s body, assisted by her hands resting on the floor.

    Paula hurriedly helped William to stand up. He looked a bit wobbling, maybe he sprained his leg while helping Paula earlier.

    Now, Paula could see who the moaning man was. It turned out to be the janitor who had met her in the elevator a few minutes ago.

    ¡°Oh my God! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Paula exclaimed as she helped the janitor to stand up. Paula turned to William and slightly blamed him for not realizing that they were both on top of another person¡¯s body. A middle-aged man on top of it.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, sir!¡± said Paula, cleaning the man¡¯s gray uniform. There was a lot of dust stuck to the fifteenth-floor stairs because the place was rarely cleaned to save on labor costs.

    Paula felt very guilty that the man had to support William¡¯s large body and also hers. She lowered her head several times and forced William to do it too.

    ¡°Paula, stop it! He always put his life at risk for the sake of work,¡± William grumbled. He was displeased at being forced to apologize so excessively.

    Soon, Paula recalled Miyuki. She immediately turned around when she found Miyuki running towards the elevator. However, Miyuki¡¯s eyes were wide-eyed anxiously when she saw the elevator moving up to the top floor-the fifteenth floor.

    Two policemen were inside. Both of them moved swiftly to catch Miyuki who was still trying to run. Unfortunately, the stairs were blocked by Paula and the men.

    Shortly after, the police brought Miyuki down for further processing, leaving Paula who was still confused by what had just happened to her. She was wondering who called the police because she didn¡¯t. She was the only person in the building who knew about Miyuki¡¯s crime.

    Paula was indeed surprised when Miyuki turned out to be the mastermind of all these crimes. She also couldn¡¯t believe it when she almost fell down the stairs. However, she was even more shocked by William¡¯s sudden presence. Here, beside her.

    Paula glanced at William but she looked away when William turned to her. William was no less awkward. He didn¡¯t know what to say to Paula. The romantic scenario that Danica had prepared was ruined by an unexpected incident. William couldn¡¯t remember any more of the lines he had to say.

    Seeing the strange behavior of the two lovebirds, the middle-aged janitor immediately said goodbye. He didn¡¯t want to be a third wheel.

    ¡°My job is done, young man! Don¡¯t forget to complete the payment! Send the money to my bank account! I¡¯ll wait until noon tomorrow,¡± said the janitor, patting William twice on the shoulder. ¡°Good luck!¡± added the man as he winked at William. He then smiled at Paula as he waved goodbye.

    Now, there were only William and Paula upstairs. The two looked at each other awkwardly.

    ¡°Can you explain to me?¡± Paula asked, looking at William with a mixed expression. She must not have realized that her face was beet red. ¡°What is happening?¡±

    ¡°What do ... y-you want an ex-planation about?¡± William asked, stuttering. He was confused about what to explain to Paula.

    Paula swallowed hard, trying to act casually to hide her happiness. ¡°You knew that old janitor?¡± she asked, looking at William intently. However, because William¡¯s eyes were currently staring at her with an unusual look, she immediately turned away-to keep her heart from beating too fast.

    ¡°He is ... the detective I hired,¡± William said, gulping out of fear.

    ¡°What for?¡± asked Paula, starting to get suspicious. Her eyes stared at William¡¯s emerald eyes with a piercing gaze.

    ¡°I... asked him to help me investigate the problem at your family company,¡± William said dubiously. He really meant to help Paula. However, what if Paula was offended and angry?

    ¡°So you were the one who sent the envelope to my mailbox this morning?¡± Paula asked, squinting.

    William nodded hesitantly. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You also called the police here to arrest Miyuki?¡± Paula drew closer to William, stepping on the red and white rose petals that were scattered on the floor.

    William nodded again.

    ¡°You also sent me a bouquet of roses and strawberry pralines, no?¡±

    Before William could nod, he felt Paula¡¯s cold palms on either side of his cheeks. Paula¡¯s deep blue eyes stared fixedly at him. A second later, or maybe less, William could feel Paula¡¯s soft lips on his.

 Chapter 77

    77 77. Love Confession

    Nobody knew how long it had been since Paula¡¯s feet had tiptoed to match William¡¯s height, so that her lips could meet his, touching them without difficulty. Her white stilettos weren¡¯t tall enough to help her do the job. William was still too tall even though Paula wasn¡¯t exactly short.

    All Paula did was touch his lips with hers. It was only a peck because she only meant to thank him. However, for some reason, Paula did it for a very long time. A mere peck shouldn¡¯t last that long.

    Paula didn¡¯t mean to linger. However, as soon as William¡¯s breath¡¯s mint and acai berry scent wafted into her nose, she couldn¡¯t take her lips off his. She wanted more.

    It was just a peck on the lips, but William¡¯s heart was pounding wildly. Paula¡¯s light kiss shouldn¡¯t have aroused his desire, making his third leg tense up. This was so wrong because all Paula did was just come closer to him, touch his cheeks, then press her lips on his. However, those simple acts sent chills down his entire body.

    William wanted to bite Paula¡¯s sweet and soft lips. He wanted more than a peck on the lips. However, his feelings of guilt for doing bad things to Paula prevented him from doing any further.

    It should have been just a kiss. However, Paula couldn¡¯t fight the reaction in her body. Something moved in her chest, down into her stomach, and towards her core. She was sure, that time, something was coming out from her core, creaming her pants.

    Knowing that this would end badly, Paula immediately separated herself from William awkwardly. She lowered her hands and hid them behind her butt out of shame.

    ¡°Ah, I just ... wanted to thank you,¡± Paula stammered. She didn¡¯t usually feel that awkward. She had to try hard, breathing regularly, so William wouldn¡¯t hear her fast-beating heart.

    William shook his head in response. He looked at Paula with his droopy emerald eyes, expressing deep sadness. ¡°What I did is not much. This all will not be able to make up for the bad things I did to you. I don¡¯t deserve a thank you kiss from you.¡±

    .....

    Paula frowned. She wondered why William had come from New York to Tokyo to say something she didn¡¯t quite understand. Was William unhappy that she suddenly gave a light peck?

    Right. That must be what happened. William was kind and considerate to her because the relationship between them had always been good. Not that William was paying special attention to her.

    ¡°Are you here because you want to talk about the divorce?¡± asked Paula, looking for the truth of her assumption.

    William flinched at Paula¡¯s question. He again forgot that the two of them were indeed discussing divorce. However, considering everything he did to his wife was so bad, what woman didn¡¯t ask for a divorce after being treated so cruelly? Even if he was drunk at the time.

    William then took something out of his coat. He handed a light blue book to his wife. Of course, Paula was very surprised that the book was in William¡¯s hands.

    ¡°So you have this book?¡± asked Paula with wide eyes.

    ¡°Lea found it and kept it,¡± William answered quietly. His throat tightened. He had to speak carefully because he didn¡¯t want Paula to hate Lea. However, was it even possible?

    Paul nodded slowly. She understood very well, if Lea found this, Lea would definitely hide it because she didn¡¯t want William to know about her biological child.

    ¡°I understand. Anyone would understand if they were in the same position as Lea. She definitely doesn¡¯t want to lose you because of this baby,¡± Paula paused. ¡°Have you explained to Lea that you don¡¯t really want a baby? If not, explain to her so she doesn¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    William snorted softly. His eyes were now glassy. He looked at Paula with an apologetic look.

    ¡°Paula, I¡¯m sorry for everything I¡¯ve done to you. I¡¯ve been cruel, I hurt you when I was drunk. I even called you lying when you said that you are pregnant with our baby,¡± William said in a hoarse, sad voice. ¡°I¡¯m such a coward. I even told you that I didn¡¯t want to be a father. You must be very disappointed in me, right?¡±

    Paula¡¯s mouth gaped. ¡°William, we did make this baby together. But I don¡¯t mind if you don¡¯t want this child,¡± Paula replied, trying to be strong. She was happy to hear William¡¯s apology. However, she did not want William to feel guilty just because of this baby. That¡¯s not a good excuse in Paula¡¯s opinion. Nothing good came from a forced relationship. ¡°Will, I never wanted to use this baby to tie you up. We can think of this as ... like ... just a sperm donation.¡±

    William shook his head, not believing Paula¡¯s answer. ¡°Paula, don¡¯t say that. Please stop all this. You used to ask me to have sex with the reason of friends-with-benefits. Now you¡¯re calling me a sperm donor-¡±

    ¡°William, I don¡¯t want a forced relationship. You love Lea, don¡¯t you? Grab your happiness because you have the opportunity,¡± Paula was still trying to refute William¡¯s statement.

    William couldn¡¯t refrain himself. He held Paula¡¯s face, cupping her beautiful face in his palms. ¡°Paula, every child has the right to be with his biological father. We are a family. Please forgive me so we can both start over again.¡±

    Paula¡¯s eyes filled with tears seeing William¡¯s seriousness. Unfortunately, she still wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Then what about Lea, Will?¡±

    ¡°She will find her own happiness, Paula! She decided to go herself,¡± William said, then opened Paula¡¯s pregnancy journal, revealing a letter from Lea.

    Paula read it slowly. Without her knowing it, her tears fell one by one. She looked at William in disbelief. She had mixed feelings, she didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad. If she¡¯s happy, she¡¯s happy over Lea¡¯s misery. When she¡¯s sad, she honestly wanted this very much-to be with the man she loves.

    ¡°Will you forgive me?¡± William asked Paula again.

    ¡°William, I¡¯m not sure about this. If you only feel sorry for me, I will certainly forgive you,¡± Paula replied without looking at William¡¯s face. ¡°However, as for continuing our marriage ....¡±

    Paula swallowed heavily. She looked away, looking at anything as long as it wasn¡¯t William.

    William¡¯s chest felt squeezed at Paula¡¯s reaction. He knew Paula would have a hard time forgiving him. From the start, he had been unfair to her. He had intended to divorce her from the start. Something very lame and strange when he suddenly changed.

    ¡°I know. From the start, I wasn¡¯t sure it would work either,¡± William said with a bitter laugh. ¡°If you¡¯re still unsure, how about we stay married, think of it like co-parenting. How about it?¡±

    William looked nervously at Paula, hoping that his proposal would be accepted this time.

    ¡°Co-parenting?¡± asked Paula.

    ¡°Yes. Of course. What¡¯s the problem? You don¡¯t have a partner, and neither do I. It wouldn¡¯t hurt if we called off the divorce first, would it?¡±

    Paula looked at William suspiciously. ¡°What kind of thing are you proposing, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Hey, we are doing it your way! In the past, we were married, but you proposed a friendship with benefits, and ... you just said your husband is a sperm donor. So, what¡¯s wrong with co-parenting when we¡¯re still married too?¡± William tried to defend his opinion. This time, he was determined to win the argument with Paula.

    ¡°Co-parenting?¡± Paula asked again. ¡°Platonic one? With no ... benefits? No sex included?¡±

    ¡°Impossible!!¡± William rejected it in a hurry. ¡°We are married. We need to do marital duties.¡±

    Paula narrowed her eyes. William¡¯s face was red, showing his true intentions.

    ¡°And why should I agree to your proposal this time, Mr. Montgomery?¡± Paula asked suspiciously. She provoked William, to tell the truth.

    ¡°Because ... because I love you, Paula,¡± William said hoarsely, making Paula¡¯s eyes widen.

    For a moment, Paula¡¯s heart seemed to stop beating. William proclaimed love, was something that exists only beyond her imagination. All she imagined from William was an I-am-in-lust-with-you statement.

    ¡°You love me?¡± Paula asked again. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure of this.¡±

    William even though he had planned an amazing thing to express love. Who would have thought that everything would turn into a mess? The flower bouquet was ruined, and the supposedly romantic dialogue turned ridiculous.

    Paula didn¡¯t want to believe it. However, what prevented her from believing? William had tried to prove it all.

    ¡°Actually, I love you too, Will!¡± replied Paula with a coy smile.

    ¡°Really?¡± William cheered with joy. He just hoped Paula would forgive him and move on with the marriage. However, Paula actually expressed love. This was a miracle. ¡°So you forgive me? We¡¯re not divorced?¡±

    Paula nodded with a smile. William couldn¡¯t contain his excitement. He then embraced Paula, lifted her body, swung it, and cheered with joy. He shouted out to the world that he got what he wanted.

    ¡°I managed to get my wife¡¯s love!¡±

    ¡°Soon I will be a father!¡±

    They both laughed in excitement to the point of exhaustion. William then put Paula down, then whispered, ¡°May I kiss you?¡±

    Paula nodded. They both kissed. However, this time with passion and deep feelings.

 Chapter 78

    78 78. Celebrating Our Love*

    The two pairs of legs that stood on the shards of rose petals would not move from the side of the wall. William¡¯s left hand supports Paula¡¯s waist, while his right hugs her back and shoulders.

    William¡¯s lips took a sip of Paula¡¯s soft, supple lips, leaving them moist and wet. Her lipstick has been eaten, making her lips slightly swollen.

    Paula also did not miss her role. Her hands wrapped around William¡¯s neck. She doesn¡¯t know how long her eyelids have been closed, she wanted to feel William with full appreciation because this was the first kiss since they confessed their love.

    Paula opened her mouth, allowing William¡¯s tongue to slide in. Their tongues met, dancing without music.

    Both have been trained in kissing, they could kiss well. Their tongues were not too forceful, nor were they drooling over each other¡¯s faces.

    The two of them continued kissing, eating each other as if there would be no tomorrow. Their kiss was getting hotter. William couldn¡¯t stand it because the urge of sexual desire he felt was getting stronger.

    William pulled away from Paula forcefully. His hot breath blew against Paula¡¯s face, allowing Paula to feel what her husband was feeling.

    With his hands still tightly embracing his woman, William said, ¡°Looks like we have to go to a hotel right now,¡± William whispered hoarsely. ¡°I don¡¯t want to just continue kissing and cum in my pants. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not time to go home yet,¡± Paula replied in an equally hoarse voice.

    .....

    ¡°So? Do you want us to have sex in your office?¡± William asked hopefully. ¡°Sounds very interesting. We¡¯ve never done that in the office. I wonder what it¡¯s like to ride you on a desk full of paperwork.¡±

    ¡°In your dreams!¡± Paula looked at William, refusing his crazy idea. ¡°In my office, it¡¯s forbidden. Let¡¯s just go to the hotel!¡±

    William was about to carry Paula. However, Paula quickly brushed his hand away. ¡°We are both a foreigner here. Don¡¯t make such a scene!¡± Paula protested again as she pinched her husband¡¯s nose. ¡°Did you forget that you embarrassed me by carrying me along the hotel lobby?¡±

    Luckily, someone recorded and uploaded that embarrassing incident to YouTube. Paula¡¯s shame will last forever.

    ¡°That will make you never leave me because the world will curse us if we get divorced,¡± William teased. He brought Paula closer to him and gave her a quick peck on her forehead.

    The two of them then exited the building and went to the nearest hotel. They could only get a three-star hotel because it was in the next building. The two of them couldn¡¯t help themselves because they wanted to celebrate the union of their love.

    As soon as they entered the room, William immediately embraced Paula¡¯s body and pulled her back into his. He showered Paula again with hot kisses. This time, not only on the lips but also on all of Paula¡¯s exposed skin.

    ¡°This strawberry scent of yours got me intoxicated!¡± William whispered as he licked Paula¡¯s ear and bit it lightly. His nose invaded the nape of Paula¡¯s neck and made her moan from the tingling sensation it caused. William¡¯s feet immediately pushed the door hard to close it. He didn¡¯t let anyone hear Paula¡¯s moaning of love, it was a special voice for him. Not for the public.

    William almost tore off Paula¡¯s blazer if he didn¡¯t remember where he was now. Who would he order to bring a change of clothes to if he left Paula with a torn dress?

    Quickly, William then found Paula¡¯s buttons and took off his wife¡¯s blazer, and threw it away, hitting the wall and falling to the floor helplessly.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t there a bump on your stomach?¡± William asked curiously when he saw Paula¡¯s slim body who only wore an ivory satin camisole under her blazer. ¡°Is the baby all right?¡± William asked a little worried. His sex drive dropped as he thought about their baby.

    ¡°I¡¯m not fat yet, Will! Just wait four months. Maybe you won¡¯t see me as a beautiful woman anymore,¡± Paula said with a sneer. She wanted to tease William, wanting to know his response.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± William asked again. ¡°You will always look beautiful to me.¡± He knew that Paula wanted this kind of answer from him.

    ¡°Cheesy!¡± Paula commented while hitting William¡¯s strong arm which was getting harder. ¡°Wow, looks like someone is training hard. Let me see, don¡¯t you have any more fat around your waist now?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I did that for you!¡± William chuckled lightly.

    Slowly, Paula unbuttoned William¡¯s shirt. And sure enough, she found the ideal body beautifully sculpted underneath.

    Paula¡¯s blue eyes looked at Adonis in front of her with admiration. ¡°Is this all mine?¡± Paula asked as she traced William¡¯s chest with her palm. ¡°You look so yummy!¡±

    When Paula¡¯s hands stopped on William¡¯s nipple, he moaned softly and couldn¡¯t take it anymore as Paula twisted it with just the right amount of pressure. ¡°Paula, stop! You can get me cum first if you keep doing this,¡± William protested as he held both of Paula¡¯s hands, pulling the soft hands away from his chest.

    Now, it was William¡¯s turn to act. He pulled down Paula¡¯s pants and reluctantly stood up after her. His hand went around the hem of Paula¡¯s panties and dug into it. Looked for her slit there.

    ¡°Shit! You¡¯re wet like this already? I haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡± William lifted his shiny finger, brought it to his mouth, and sucked it hard, with a delicious moan. ¡°I miss your honey so much,¡± William said as he closed his eyes for a moment, before showing his lustful emerald eyes again.

    Paula could only stare at William¡¯s actions without comment. The man¡¯s words only made her even wetter. She was sure, her core was leaking more and more fluid at this point, ready to accept whatever William would give her.

    However, William did not want to be too hasty. He knelt to pull down Paula¡¯s panties and discovered how much she had been waiting to be enjoyed.

    Not long after, William brought his lips to attack Paula¡¯s wet entrance and played with his tongue in the already moist slit. William¡¯s hands spread Paula¡¯s thighs, making Paula lean her back against the wall because her legs were no longer strong enough to support her weight.

    Moan after groan escaped Paula¡¯s lips every time William¡¯s tongue sank into her narrow slit. Her eyes were closed, only her lips parted, ¡°William....¡±

    Hearing his name called in a very sexy tone, made William pause for a moment. His hand then grabbed the clit and played with it so that Paula felt more stimulation.

    Again, Paula groaned and said William¡¯s name. This time, she raised a voice, signaling the stimulation she was feeling was getting stronger. Her hands ruffled William¡¯s hair. She moved her waist gently when she felt that she was so close.

    William then licked and sucked Paula¡¯s clit and did it hard so that Paula felt bigger waves. Powerless, Paula finally screamed when a great climax hit her.

    ¡°William!¡± shouted Paula as her body convulsed. A long strong orgasm hit her, making her body tremble. She almost swayed if William didn¡¯t hold her body in time.

    ¡°Did you like it?¡± William asked hoarsely, showing a victory smile at her.

    Slowly Paula nodded. ¡°It was ... great!¡± She opened her eyes to find William¡¯s face wet with the liquid. Her breath was panting because she was still feeling the great effects of his tongue-fuck which was getting more and more proficient.

    ¡°Your honey was so sweet as usual!¡±

    Before Paula could feel embarrassed because she had wet William¡¯s face, the man immediately stood up and kissed her, making her taste herself. Sweet and salty.

    William broke away from the kiss, finding Paula¡¯s face turning beet red.

    ¡°You¡¯re amazing! So delicious,¡± William whispered.

    He knew Paula couldn¡¯t move. Because of that, he lifted Paula¡¯s body and carried her to the queen-sized bed. Not too big, but enough for the two of them.

    William laid Paula on the bed slowly. He leaned Paula¡¯s head on the pillow and kissed her lips.

    ¡°Sorry, this is not a luxury at all to celebrate our love,¡± William whispered as he wiped the sweat on Paula¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°I just want you here with me,¡± Paula whispered lovingly. Her right hand touched William¡¯s cheek, gently caressing it.

    ¡°So cute,¡± William commented. ¡°In that case, I will do well. I guarantee you, you will feel great satisfaction.¡±

    Paula shook her head. Her strength had recovered. She then pulled William¡¯s body and made the man lie on the bed. Quickly, Paula pulled down his pants, leaving her man in his boxers, covering his already hard manhood.

    ¡°Paula, I will be the one to make you feel good!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Paula climbed onto William, locking William¡¯s thighs by sitting on top of him. William could still feel Paula¡¯s slick and warm core.

    She then quickly removed the camisole, leaving a strapless bra supporting her plump breasts. It was a very beautiful sight and William loved it very much.

    ¡°It¡¯s my turn, Will!¡± said Paula seductively while biting her lower lip. ¡°I¡¯ll make you feel what I just felt.¡±

 Chapter 79

    79 79. Make Love*

    Paula gripped William¡¯s hands tightly. She then looked down, licked William¡¯s lips, and bit his lower lip gently. She could taste her nectar, enjoying it without hesitation. William could not bear this kind of temptation. Moreover, Paula¡¯s eyes were looking intensely at him, making him feel even tenser down there.

    ¡°Paula... this is too much...,¡± William whispered with a groan.

    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? You have to feel what you did to me earlier,¡± Paula said, not wanting to stop licking William¡¯s ears, making William feel the tingling sensation but unable to fight back because Paula locked his movements.

    ¡°But this is too sexy, I could cum sooner,¡± William sighed heavily as Paula¡¯s lips and nose showered the nape of his neck with kisses, leaving marks everywhere. The moans got louder as Paula sucked on his nipples.

    ¡°Oh, you prematurely ejaculate now? Because you masturbate too much?¡± Paula teased with a giggle.

    ¡°Stop it!¡±

    ¡°You have to learn to hold it because I¡¯m getting sexier every day,¡± Paula teased again.

    Paula then tied her hair back so as not to interfere with her move. A graceful movement, making her chest lift and puffed up perfectly. William desperately wanted to touch her breasts but failed as Paula quickly stopped him.

    ¡°I told you, this time it¡¯s my turn to please you,¡± she said, biting her lower lip, making it harder for William to catch his breath.

    .....

    William¡¯s breathing worsened as Paula pulled down his pants and groaned indulgently as his already very tense manhood stood up stoutly and firmly. Paula¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had seen William¡¯s manhood many times. However, right now she saw it like the first time she saw it. So amazing, thrilling, and reassuring at the same time.

    Paula hissed at the sight she saw and said, ¡°Oh, I really missed this!¡±

    Paula brought her mouth closer to give his shaft a peck at the head. She then licked it in joy, as if the thing in her hands was the last ice cream on her favorite ice cream counter.

    ¡°Mmmhh,¡± Paula let out a sexy moan voice from her lips, perfecting her irresistible appearance.

    ¡°Paula, this is crazy!¡± William groaned, closing his eyes to contain himself. ¡°This is too good!¡±

    Paula just giggled lightly. She released herself and massaged William¡¯s hard shaft which was now oozing clear precum from her intense stimulation. She admiringly squeezed and milked the precum with her hands. She then sucked his manhood again, adding more pressure to each suck.

    ¡°Paula!¡± William groaned, protesting loudly. ¡°Stop it!¡±

    William knew his limits. He wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it if Paula kept playing him with her warm tongue and mouth. He then freed himself from Paula, flipping her position so that she was under him.

    ¡°William!¡±

    ¡°I told you to stop! I really like your blow job. But I really wanted to dip my dick in your warm pussy,¡± William said with a heavy moan, looking at Paula with his dark emerald eyes.

    He gave Paula a peck on the lips, preventing her from answering whatever she wanted to say. It was just a kiss but it could make both of their chests flutter wildly.

    William tucked Paula into a hot kiss until she didn¡¯t notice that her bra had come off, showing off her full breasts. She only realized that there wasn¡¯t a single thread covering her when William¡¯s naughty hands found her nipples and twisted them gently, causing her to moan in William¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Since when did you take it off?¡± Paula protested.

    ¡°Is this hurt?¡± William asked, pulling the kiss away. ¡°Does it hurt so much?¡± He confirmed, afraid that his touch was too strong and hurt his wife¡¯s nipples.

    ¡°Better than last time-¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t continue to comment because William¡¯s touch gave her goosebumps, sending a weak electric current through her body. William then looked down, sucking on Paula¡¯s right nipple. It made Paula let out a voice that embarrassed her.

    ¡°Will-¡±

    ¡°Mmmhh, you are so delicious!¡± William continued to suck, to get a few drops of breast milk. He missed the taste.

    ¡°That¡¯s for our baby!¡± Paula protested in a hoarse voice, between conscious and unconscious.

    William smiled, ¡°I just tasted a little.¡± He ran his tongue through his lower lip, making Paula want to feel him inside her right away.

    William¡¯s kiss went down to his stomach, reminding William of the past when he didn¡¯t know about Paula¡¯s pregnancy. He kissed Paula¡¯s belly affectionately and said, ¡°I¡¯ll borrow your mom for a while, okay? I¡¯ll be gentle, I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± He said it to the baby.

    William sat down, showing off his white glistening skin. Gently, he separated Paula¡¯s thighs to open wider.

    ¡°Can I put it in?¡± William asked with a smile on his pink lips.

    Paula nodded, gulping heavily. She held her breath as if she was a virgin who would do this the first time.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll take it slow,¡± William said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked a doctor if pregnant women can still have sex safely or not.¡±

    William rubbed his manhood at Paula¡¯s already wet opening. They both sighed and groaned at the same time at the sensation. William did it slowly, making Paula feel tortured.

    ¡°Will, hurry up! You¡¯re torturing me,¡± Paula whispered under her breath.

    ¡°I just wanted to make you more prepared,¡± William whispered with a heavy groan.

    William continued to move up and down, making Paula feel good because of the repeated touches on her clit. Her moans grew louder. She felt like she was going to have an orgasm any minute. But she was not, because he stopped his movement.

    ¡°Don¡¯t have an orgasm yet, baby,¡± William whispered, ¡°save the energy for the later.¡±

    Before long, William pushed forward even harder, burying his entire manhood into his wet core. Paula flinched at the slight pain, however, she ignored it knowing that soon she would feel pleasure.

    William stopped moving for a moment so that Paula would adjust to his size. Their eyes met each other, their hearts beating faster. They have done this often. However, at this time, they seemed to be doing it for the first time. Was this because they brought their feelings?

    ¡°Did your size get bigger?¡± Paula asked in confusion. ¡°Is it true that the medicine worked?¡±

    ¡°Oh, stop it! Don¡¯t remind me of that stupid thing,¡± William said with a slightly annoyed growl. He then moved slowly, back and forth. The longer it went on, the faster the movement got, making Paula feel the stimulation.

    Paula¡¯s legs wrapped tightly around William¡¯s waist, while William spurred the movement by kissing and sucking Paula¡¯s nipples. He didn¡¯t allow the other breast to be envious, so he stimulated it with his hand, making her screams grow crazier.

    Before long, William felt Paula¡¯s walls squeeze harder. It was a sign that Paula was getting closer to her climax.

    ¡°Will, I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± Paula groaned in a breathless voice.

    William continued to spur his movement. ¡°Just get it out, baby! Get it all out!¡±

    William continued to accelerate rapidly. Paula¡¯s squeezing of the wall was too strong for her to take it anymore. He just spurred and spurred, chasing after his pleasure while making sure Paula got the same stimulation.

    William felt Paula¡¯s body stiffen, shuddering from the growing sensation. Her nails dipped into William¡¯s back, leaving scratches there. Her back arched as her body shook violently, her walls tightening and squeezing William¡¯s manhood harder.

    Paula¡¯s scream was inevitable, there was only William¡¯s name in her head. The sensation of a great orgasm beat her in the head.

    ¡°William!¡± cried Paula in a scream that was engulfed in William¡¯s kiss.

    A second later, she felt William spurt warm liquid into her womb, convulsing several times from the intense sensation. He felt an ineffably great orgasm because this was the first time he shot his load inside her. He groaned loudly in her mouth.

    ¡°Damn! That was so great!¡± cried William breathlessly. He supported himself with one hand so as not to burden Paula with his full weight.

    William then leaned on Paula¡¯s side, making Paula tempted to come closer, leaning against his hard chest which was wet and slick with sweat.

    ¡°Paula, I love you!¡± he whispered as he kissed Paula¡¯s head.

    Paula smiled, put her hand to the side of his cheek, and replied, ¡°I love you more, Will!¡±

    The two then kissed for a while, then returned to a very comfortable position, embracing each other.

    ¡°Do you believe in sympathetic pregnancy?¡± William asked as he rubbed Paula¡¯s stomach gently.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of that sort of thing. The husband vomited when his wife was pregnant,¡± Paula replied, unsure.

    ¡°I had it a few weeks ago. It hurts so bad,¡± William replied, laughing softly. ¡°Danica and my mother said it was a sympathetic pregnancy, but I had no idea that you were pregnant. Forgive me ....¡±

    Paula smirked. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I didn¡¯t tell you well.¡±

    William suddenly remembered something important. ¡°Paula, I have to tell you one thing.¡±

    ¡°Sounds serious,¡± Paula said curiously.

    William gulped. He pulled Paula away so their faces were facing each other. ¡°If I am penniless, will you still want to be with me?¡±

 Chapter 80

    80 80. Pillow Talk

    ¡°You are penniless?¡± Paula¡¯s brows furrowed.

    William nodded, gulping for fear that Paula would kick him on the spot because she realized she was making love to a homeless man. He was like a hobo now. The remaining savings he had were not much to support his life for the next few years because he already used it to pay for detective service and the expensive luxury trip to Tokyo.

    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Paula curiously, her lips curled into a smile because what William said was a little funny to hear.

    William then told Paula how his father fired him. Alex even asked him to forget about inheritance. Even though he still remained his father¡¯s child, it seemed, it made no difference. It was like Alex also fired him as a child.

    ¡°So your parents dislike me now?¡± Paula asked, she turned her body so that her chest was on William¡¯s. ¡°Did I do something wrong? Is it because I misunderstood that Lea was pregnant with your child?¡±

    William shook his head quickly. ¡°How could they hate you for something like that?¡±

    ¡°Then, what made your father forbid you to see me?¡± asked Paula curiously because previously her relationship with Alex and Lisa was fine.

    William¡¯s face suddenly turned red. He was embarrassed to have to tell Paula of his failure to convince Mark of his business plan.

    ¡°Tell me, what are you trying to hide from me?¡± Paula asked exasperatedly, looking her husband in the eye.

    .....

    Later, William told Paula how he tried to convince Mark and how he decided not to continue the business deal with that famous business tycoon. Embarrassedly, William glanced at Paula, afraid that she would burst out in her usual rage. However, what William got was a stunning stare with no comment from Paula.

    ¡°You, didn¡¯t scold me?¡± William asked, in an astonishing way.

    Paula shook her head slowly. ¡°I guess you¡¯re just unlucky to learn about how Gaby really thinks about you. Well, I don¡¯t think Gaby¡¯s opinion is entirely correct,¡± Paula finally commented. She played a finger on William¡¯s chest as she thought further.

    William caught Paula¡¯s hand because he didn¡¯t want his desire to be aroused again when their discussion started to get serious. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would defend me.¡±

    Paula laughed lightly. ¡°Gaby looks jealous of Alan¡¯s presence. She was afraid that Mark would treat her daughter unfairly because of the presence of the new heir. So far, Gaby has been desperately trying to show how a woman deserves to be an heiress so that her daughter can lead the company in the future. However, Alan¡¯s presence ruined her plans. You said that Mark always wants a son, no?¡±

    William laughed lightly. ¡°Gaby is a professional woman. She couldn¡¯t be jealous over something as trivial as that.¡± William objected because his impression of Gaby was not a whiny woman who would involve feelings for business. ¡°She¡¯s just like you.¡±

    Now, Paula laughed out loud. ¡°Indeed, I feel that Gaby is like me. That was why I said that she is jealous of Alan¡¯s presence.¡±

    Paula then sat down and leaned against the headboard. He looked at William with a meaningful look. ¡°Imagine if we keep our marriage, then suddenly you find your child with Lea in our sixth year of marriage. Of course, I¡¯d be jealous, wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    William¡¯s face blushed. He knew Paula would be jealous because she loved him. William¡¯s chest warmed, causing him to pull Paula back into his arms and kiss her forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we didn¡¯t have a problem like Mark and Gaby¡¯s,¡± William whispered, stroking Paula¡¯s messy hair.

    ¡°Right, so I think that Gaby is attacking your weakness to get Mark to cancel his big investment. That will make her feel that Mark can still be fair to his children,¡± Paula explained. ¡°But, it also means that your plan is not excellent.¡±

    Paula burst into laughter, as well as William. They cuddled up, teasing each other¡¯s erogenous spots to set the mood.

    ¡°Do you think Gaby loves Mark?¡± William asked suddenly.

    ¡°Most likely. Didn¡¯t you say she wanted Mark to do what you did to me at the hotel?¡± Paula asked, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t think Mark is considerate enough about his wife¡¯s feelings.¡±

    They both laughed together when they realized that they were gossiping. After a while, Paula said, ¡°I was thinking to ask my father to help you by threatening your father about the investment,¡± Paula laughed for a moment then continued, ¡°but I don¡¯t think your pride will accept it, will you? You wouldn¡¯t like it if your father had to take you back because he was threatened.¡±

    William simply replied with an increasingly loud laugh, nodding at Paula¡¯s words. ¡°I ask you again, If I am jobless, will you still be willing to be with me?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± replied Paula with a sweet smile, looking at William with conviction. ¡°My money is enough for both of us, isn¡¯t it? You can take care of our baby at home, I can work for our family. How does it sound?¡±

    ¡°Hey, am I that bad in your eyes?¡± William complained. ¡°I thought you¡¯d ask me to help you work in your company.¡±

    Paul laughed. ¡°Then who will take care of our child later? Isn¡¯t housework just as important? You can be a stay-at-home dad. I would love it.¡±

    William disagreed about Paula¡¯s ideas. He didn¡¯t mind sharing the chores with Paula. However, if he had to stay at home all day, it would be too much for him.

    Exasperated, William tickled Paula¡¯s feet. Of course, Paula screamed at that, she couldn¡¯t stand being tickled at the foot. After that, there was no more laughter from the two of them. Only moans and groans, as their touch continued into the second and third rounds of passionate lovemaking.

    ***

    Meanwhile, in New York, Clara was seen walking down the hospital hallway languidly. She was holding up the test paper which stated that she was indeed infertile.

    All this time, she had lied to Dave about taking the pills. She wanted to get pregnant with Dave¡¯s child as soon as possible so that he would marry her as soon as possible. However, even if she had been trying for a year, she had not gotten pregnant.

    Frightened, she still thought that it wasn¡¯t herself that was barren, but Dave. She loved him very much. She even considered adopting children if he was barren. However, the fact that Lea was pregnant with his child proved who was the one having infertility problems. Clara was barren, not Dave.

    Clara looked for a place to sit because she could no longer walk in this desperate state. She was infertile, and would not be able to give children to Dave. She knew how he wanted a child.

    Dave¡¯s betrayal did make her angry. However, Dave kept trying to reach her and apologized. Likewise, with Lea, she explained how it wasn¡¯t Dave¡¯s fault. If Dave hadn¡¯t been drunk back then, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have agreed to do it with Lea.

    Clara was still in love with Dave. She couldn¡¯t deny that feeling. One night¡¯s mistake was not enough to erase all her love for her fiance.

    ¡°Clara?¡±

    A voice startled Clara from her thoughts. She lifted her head and found Lea standing not too far from her.

    ¡°Can I sit next to you?¡± Leah asked awkwardly. She wasn¡¯t sure Clara would want to see her. However, she would try any means to bring Clara and Dave together again.

    ¡°Sure! This is a public place,¡± Clara whispered. She folded the paper in her hand and tucked it into her white coat.

    ¡°Are you taking a break?¡± Lea asked pleasantly. Clara just nodded in response.

    ¡°I ... just visited my mom,¡± Lea said in a low voice, hoping that Clara would chime in when she talked about anything other than her pregnancy and Dave¡¯s betrayal. Unfortunately, Clara doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s going to respond in the slightest.

    Lea glanced at Clara who had a grim face. Her chest tightened seeing Clara¡¯s current state. Back then, she had treated Paula the way Clara treated her now. Perhaps, this was what you called you reap what you sow.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything I did to you and Dave.¡± In the end, Lea chose to stick with what she should have discussed. ¡°You guys nurtured a love for so long, don¡¯t sacrifice just one night¡¯s mistake that anyone can get caught up in.¡±

    Hearing Lea¡¯s statement defending Dave, Clara turned and gave her a sharp look. ¡°Don¡¯t lecture me!¡± She then turned again, facing the wall plastered with heart health posters.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re angry. However, maybe you¡¯ll understand if I say this. Even though I was drunk, I remember when Dave did it with me, he said your name,¡± Lea said, swallowing hard. ¡°To me, that¡¯s enough to explain how much he loves you.¡±

    Clara looked disdainfully at Lea, unable to believe Lea would tell her such a thing. However, at the same time, tears fell off her cheeks. She also knew that Dave didn¡¯t really want to betray their love.

    ¡°Clara, Dave and I just have a child together. Nothing more than that. I hope you don¡¯t escalate the issue and can accept him back,¡± Lea said in a low voice, her eyes pleading with Clara. ¡°He is suffering without you.¡±

    Lea¡¯s last sentence made Clara burst into tears. Not only Dave would suffer. ¡°I also feel like I can¡¯t live without him ....¡±

 Chapter 81

    81 81. I am Not For You

    Lea could only stare at Clara with guilt. It reminded her of when William betrayed her. However, this was even worse because it was she who made Clara suffer like that. She felt she had made a big mistake.

    ¡°I still really love Dave. I¡¯d be lying if I said I could forget him quickly,¡± Clara continued, she turned to Lea and looked at her with disdain, as if Lea was a disease. ¡°However, are you stupid or pretending to be stupid? Can you accept if your fianc¨¦ knocked another woman up?¡±

    Lea opened her mouth, about to say something, but no words left her lips. Clara¡¯s gaze was sharp and piercing. If looks could kill, Lea would be dead by now because of the sharp hateful glare Clara threw at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just a month or two that I¡¯ve known and been in a relationship with Dave. However, you just ruined it. I should have known that the woman Dave worked with was a slut!¡± Clara couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She expressed her annoyance as if it was all Lea¡¯s fault.

    Clara got up from her seat. She was about to walk away from Lea. However, Lea hastily grabbed Clara¡¯s hand, preventing her from leaving. This was a rare opportunity to meet Clara, she couldn¡¯t miss it.

    ¡°Clara, I have been in your position, whether you believe it or not. I felt hurt when my boyfriend chose another woman. I even tried to get them separate. Maybe, you could say it¡¯s karma. However, I¡¯m determined not to take Dave away from you,¡± said Lea. ¡°And I¡¯ll never be able to because there is only you in Dave¡¯s heart.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rich coming from you,¡± said Clara, laughing sarcastically.

    ¡°I intended to leave, hiding the baby from all of you. However, a lot of things happened that made the three of us like this,¡± Lea explained further, hoping that Clara would understand that she was trying her best to stay out of trouble.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lea. Dave and I already know that you are pregnant with his child. There¡¯s nothing you can change,¡± Clara brushed Lea¡¯s hand away from her slender wrist, making a rattling sound from the bracelet Lea was wearing.

    .....

    Thinking that Clara no longer wanted to listen to excuses, Lea said without thinking, ¡°What should I do to get you to accept Dave again?¡±

    Clara stopped when she heard Lea¡¯s tantalizing words. She wanted to say: give your child to me then go away from my life. However, she was not that cruel. How could Lea happily give up her child?

    ¡°Come on, Lea. It¡¯s not as easy as you think,¡± Clara said and didn¡¯t want to prolong the argument. Remembering the test papers she had in her pocket, she thought that perhaps this was what was best for her and Dave.

    Before Lea said something in reply, Lea¡¯s smartphone rang. She immediately picked it up.

    ¡°Yes, this is Lea Kane,¡± Lea replied with a panicked face. ¡°What? I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    Lea stood up, facing Clara guiltily. ¡°I would have liked to have talked more, but my mother was in a bad state. I hope we can meet again some other time.¡±

    Without waiting any longer, Lea ran away to go to her mother¡¯s room. At the same time, Clara received a phone call from her parents. She had to go home early tonight because Dave¡¯s family was coming to her parents¡¯ house for dinner.

    ¡°Shit!¡± cursed Clara.

    She had to face Lea and Dave in one day. It was too much for her. On top of it, there¡¯s a family gathering. She wanted to be alone in her apartment. Couldn¡¯t she take a rest for a while?

    ***

    Later that night, Dave and Clara¡¯s family had dinner together. They met at Clara¡¯s house, to discuss the relationship between the two families.

    Dave came with his parents, Marissa and Jack. Her younger sister didn¡¯t come because she was traveling to Europe with her fianc¨¦.

    Clara and her parents, Linda and Patrick, warmly welcomed the Johnsons. They hadn¡¯t been to the Deckers for a long time because they were loaded with work.

    As they exchanged greetings, Linda said, ¡°I¡¯m glad you guys visited. It has been a long time.¡±

    ¡°Right, Dave has been forcing us these past few days,¡± Marissa answered honestly, making everyone laugh but Clara.

    She threw a sharp glare at Dave, criticizing her fianc¨¦¡¯s behavior. After failing to convince her, it turned out that Dave asked his parents for help.

    ¡°Loser,¡± Clara whispered. However, Dave could hear it.

    He just gulped, staring at the scary grin on Clara¡¯s face. However, he did not need to bear it for long because everyone immediately headed for the dining room.

    ¡°So when should Clara and Dave¡¯s wedding take place? It¡¯s been two years since they officially got engaged. Don¡¯t take too long because I want to have a grandchild from Clara soon,¡± Jack said hopefully, causing Clara to cough immediately from choking. She hurriedly drank water to soothe the pain.

    ¡°Are you all right, Clara?¡± Linda asked worriedly. Clara shook her head as she sipped the water from her glass again.

    Clara just couldn¡¯t swallow food because of the results of her fertility test. Moreover, Jack openly said that he wanted a grandchild from her. Something she would never be able to give.

    The two old-money families then talked about the company merger. They wanted their company to be one of the biggest companies in the state. Because of that, the marriage of these two families was arranged. They were lucky because Clara and Dave loved each other. Everyone was satisfied that their plan was going smoothly.

    ¡°By the way, Noah still hasn¡¯t come back from England?¡± Marissa asked curiously, mentioning the Deckers¡¯ first child.

    Patrick nodded, looking regretful at his son¡¯s constant busyness. ¡°He never gives himself a day off, even if it¡¯s just to find a wife.¡±

    ¡°He even said he wouldn¡¯t want to get married if he couldn¡¯t make his first 100 billion dollars,¡± Linda added.

    Everyone laughed at Patrick and Linda¡¯s joke. Clara¡¯s father was not a hard worker who wanted to do new things for his business. He just kept the business going well.

    Unlike his dad, Noah was not that kind of person at all. He liked new things and wanted to build his own start-up.

    ¡°Then, what is a good date for Clara and Dave¡¯s wedding ceremony?¡± Marissa asked, returning to the original question.

    Clara¡¯s hands suddenly went cold. Her face was now the same color as the white knee-length dress she was wearing.

    ¡°Ah, I think I have to go to the bathroom,¡± Clara said in a trembling voice. She hastily left the table.

    Her suspicious movements made Dave worried. ¡°Dad, mom, Clara probably doesn¡¯t feel well. I¡¯ll have a private talk with her and I¡¯ll let you know later.¡±

    Dave rushed after Clara. As expected, Clara didn¡¯t go to the bathroom but to her own room. Before Clara managed to close the door, Dave quickly caught up and held back.

    ¡°Clara, we need to talk!¡± Dave whispered in a low but deep voice. He pushed Clara into the room and restrained her from leaving.

    ¡°Seriously, Dave! Be honest with your parents and tell them that you and your ex-secretary are expecting a baby,¡± Clara snapped curtly. ¡°They want a grandchild as soon as possible.¡±

    Dave hugged Clara, by force, and led her to sit on the side of the king-size bed with golden satin sheets. His gray eyes stared intently into Clara¡¯s hazel eyes through his glasses.

    ¡°Clara, we¡¯ve been together for a long time. Our families bless us,¡± Dave said. ¡°Do you have the heart to throw it all away for just a mistake?¡±

    Clara could only stare blankly into Dave¡¯s sharp eyes. If only that cursed night had never existed, was it true that Dave wouldn¡¯t have betrayed her?

    ¡°I thought, if Lea never met you, was there another woman who would make you betray me?¡± Clara asked doubtfully. Her whisper sounded full of pain. ¡°Or vice versa, will I not betray you?¡±

    She smiled bitterly. ¡°You know, a few days ago I even kissed a stranger on the street without feeling guilty. Maybe we weren¡¯t meant to be together, Dave.¡±

    Dave¡¯s heart clenched. He did do bad things, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t be jealous if Clara was touched by another man.

    Without even knowing it, Dave, burning with jealousy, pulled Clara¡¯s slender body towards him. He quickly claimed Clara¡¯s lips and bite them roughly. ¡°Where did he touch you?¡±

    ¡°Stop it, Dave!¡± Clara snapped. She hit Dave in the chest with all her might, making Dave realize that he had hurt Clara.

    Clara¡¯s tears then dripped slowly, making Dave feel guilty. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, Dave! You don¡¯t feel my pain at all.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me,¡± Dave said desperately. ¡°Please ....¡±

    Clara got up from the side of the bed and bent down to open a small drawer on the bedside table. She then took the fertility test paper and gave it to Dave.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Dave asked, confused.

    Clara turned on the light to make her room brighter. She then said, ¡°Read it and you will know that we are not meant to be together!¡±

 Chapter 82

    82 82. Telling the Truth

    Dave read the paper in his hands, trembling. At first, he was a little confused. However, he immediately understood after reading Clara¡¯s name on the test results. His gray eyes stared awkwardly at Clara, rereading the test results even though he knew nothing would change.

    ¡°This must be a mistake,¡± Dave said with trembling hands. His face was pale, as white as the color of Clara¡¯s bedroom walls.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a mistake, Dave,¡± Clara whispered, smiling bitterly. ¡°Not at all.¡±

    Silence fell over Clara¡¯s room. They could only stare at each other in silence. Clara swallowed hard. The word she was about to say next would definitely hurt Dave.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t taken pills for a year,¡± Clara said, smiling bitterly.

    ¡°What?¡± Dave asked in disbelief, not expecting it because he¡¯d never imagined Clara would lie about birth control. ¡°You said that-¡±

    ¡°I lied. I want us to get married soon. I¡¯m trying to get pregnant so we can get married soon. But there¡¯s no result, right?¡± Clara looked away and didn¡¯t want to look at Dave at all. ¡°And that¡¯s what I got. No pregnancy.¡±

    Dave shook his head, unable to believe Clara¡¯s statement.

    ¡°I wanted to do a fertility test immediately, but I was afraid of the results. I¡¯m such a coward,¡± Clara paused for a moment, wiping the tears from her cheeks. ¡°I think we can adopt a child later if you are the infertile one. However, when I found out that you impregnated Lea, just by a one-night stand, I immediately knew that I was the infertile one.¡±

    .....

    Clara gulped, biting her lower lip. She wiped the tears, turning her attention to Dave. ¡°The test confirmed all my worries.¡±

    Dave shook his head in disbelief. His eyes glistened with tears. His lips trembled, unable to say a word.

    Clara couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore. If only she wasn¡¯t applying waterproof mascara, her face would look hideous by now because of the smudged mascara.

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing this to kick me out of your life, are you?¡± Dave asked in suspicion, making sure that Clara wasn¡¯t lying.

    ¡°Did you think I would use my abilities to do dirty things?¡± asked Clara irritably. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, there¡¯s no way I could lie to you in this way.¡±

    Out there, there were indeed one or two doctors who used their skills to deceive people. However, Dave¡¯s suspicions almost made Clara want to slap him because she felt that her profession was belittled.

    ¡°We have to keep this a secret from our parents,¡± Dave said later, pleading with Clara not to rush into a decision. He fixed his glasses, staring at his fiancee hopefully.

    ¡°What do you mean? Do you want your father to keep hoping that he will have a grandchild from me?¡± Clara snapped loudly, her hazel eyes smoldering with anger. ¡°It would be best if we ended all this quickly.¡±

    ¡°Baby, we can adopt a child later! And our parents don¡¯t need to know about this!¡± Dave was adamant. He didn¡¯t want to lose Clara, no matter what.

    ¡°And why should you adopt a child when you¡¯re already expecting your own, Dave?¡± Clara raged. ¡°Don¡¯t give me any nonsense ideas!¡±

    ¡°Clara, look! You have to keep this a secret from our parents because I guarantee that they will not be able to accept this easily. They can-¡±

    Clara shook her head quickly. ¡°Deceiving them would be the worst, Dave!¡±

    Clara immediately snatched the test paper from Dave¡¯s hands and immediately stomped out of the room, and back to the dining room. At first, she did not intend to tell everyone but her parents and Dave. However, anger had overtaken her. It wouldn¡¯t make any difference if she had to say this to Dave¡¯s parents too. The pain would only increase a little.

    Confidently, Clara walked through the hall. She could only hear the sound of stilettos against the shiny marble floor. She was half running because Dave was after her for sure. She was lucky since the dining room was second next to her room.

    Arriving at the dining room, Clara caught her breath as she looked at everyone and said, ¡°I have something to tell you ....¡±

    Everyone looked at Clara in amazement. Clara swallowed heavily. It is more difficult than she previously imagined.

    ¡°We have to call off this engagement,¡± Clara said in a trembling voice.

    Dave, who had just arrived in the dining room, could only stare at his fianc¨¦e¡¯s actions. The moment his gaze shifted to another, that was when he was sure that this would not end well.

    ¡°Why are you suddenly saying that Clara?¡± asked Marissa, she had no idea what happened between the loving couple. Just like the others.

    ¡°What kind of joke are you telling?¡± Patrick looked displeased. If it weren¡¯t for the Decker¡¯s presence, he would definitely slap Clara for saying things that didn¡¯t go according to his plan.

    ¡°This is not a joke, dad!¡± Clara swallowed a few times. Her hands were drenched in a cold sweat, clenched tightly to keep her from shaking. ¡°I ... I can¡¯t ... I won¡¯t be able to bear a child.¡±

    ¡°Liar!¡± Patrick immediately snapped, disagreeing with Clara¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Clara, I get it, couples get into trouble sometimes. But anything can be discussed, dear,¡± Jack said casually. He knew that Clara and Dave had a problem, and he tried to convince Clara that it wasn¡¯t a big dramatic thing. ¡°All couples will experience that kind of thing. There¡¯s no need to exaggerate.¡±

    Marissa supported her husband¡¯s statement. She smiled motherly and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, honey! You don¡¯t have to make up stories.¡±

    Meanwhile, Linda¡¯s response was different. She believed Clara¡¯s statement. However, she still tried to argue. ¡°How is that possible? In our family, no one has had problems having children?¡±

    Clara laughed bitterly at the reaction of the people around her.

    ¡°You guys are ridiculous. I¡¯m telling the truth. Why do you think I¡¯m making it up?¡± Clara shook her head, sneering at them.

    ¡°Clara, stop! We have to talk things over ... just the two of us.¡± Dave finally spoke up. His face paled, letting everyone know that there was indeed a big problem between the two.

    ¡°Why only the two of us, Dave? Are you afraid that everyone will find out your flaw?¡± quipped Clara, sneering at him.

    Clara then turned to face the parents again. She smiled like a queen who refused to accept defeat. The flame flashed her eyes, and light reflected on her wavy curly brunette hair.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t think the Johnsons need to worry about it because ... soon ... you will have a grandchild from your son,¡± Clara said without hesitation, confidently. Her smile was not friendly at all, letting the Johnsons know that the problem their son was facing wasn¡¯t as simple as they thought.

    ¡°You said ... you were infertile? Did I hear wrong?¡± Jack asked without a smile. His eyes stared intently at Dave and Clara in turn.

    ¡°Dave and-¡±

    ¡°Clara, please!¡± Dave squeezed Clara¡¯s hand, asking her to stop.

    ¡°What? Is this how the eldest son of the Johnsons behaves?¡± Clara quipped fiercely. ¡°Coward?¡±

    ¡°Just continue, Clara! Tell us everything,¡± Patrick said with an equally sharp look. He didn¡¯t want her daughter to be on the guilty side. ¡°We want to know.¡±

    Clara smiled at her father. She was happy because of her father¡¯s support. ¡°Dave has had a wonderful night with a woman other than me ... and she is now pregnant with his child.¡±

    Clara¡¯s words took everyone by surprise. All of them could only gape silently.

    The Johnsons¡¯ faces were red with embarrassment. They didn¡¯t expect that Dave would do such a shameful thing despite having such a beautiful fianc¨¦e.

    Clara gulped, looking at Dave with a faint smile. While Dave held tightness in his chest, his jaws clenched hard.

    ¡°So, with great regret, we have to call off the-¡±

    ¡°Impossible! It was all a mistake. A mistake that can¡¯t change my love for Clara,¡± Dave interrupted quickly.

    ¡°Dave!¡±

    ¡°Clara, I also have the right to speak!¡± Dave argued seriously.

    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Decker, I¡¯m sorry I made a mistake. But I didn¡¯t do that on purpose! I still want to marry Clara because she is the only woman I love.¡±

    Clara burst out laughing. ¡°How dare you say love after what you did?¡±

    ¡°I agree with Dave!¡± said Patrick with a burning face, making Clara shocked at her father¡¯s statement. ¡°No one will cancel this marriage.¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡± (Patrick!¡±) Clara and her mother yelled at the same time.

    Clara felt as if she had been struck by lightning, not expecting her father to say something that upset her. She thought that her father would defend her.

    Meanwhile, Patrick who harbored feelings of disappointment at Dave¡¯s behavior immediately stood up and left the table. Clara chased after him because she did not accept his father¡¯s decision.

    After a few seconds of chasing Patrick, Clara was finally able to overtake and block her father¡¯s steps.

    ¡°Dad, wait! Why do you keep forcing me to marry the man who cheated on me?¡± she asked disapprovingly.

    Patrick stared blankly, looking sharply at his daughter with his hazel eyes. ¡°This is a marriage of convenience, there¡¯s nothing to do with your feelings.¡±

 Chapter 83

    83 83. Painful Decision

    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re not serious, are you?¡± Clara asked haltingly. ¡°I am your daughter, dad! Your only daughter.¡±

    ¡°Did you forget what you promised me?¡± Patrick snapped, piercing at her. ¡°I let you pursue your dream-becoming a doctor-something that has nothing to do with the family business, on only one condition: you must marry Dave! Remember?¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°No, buts!¡± Patrick yelled. ¡°From the start, this marriage was never for love, if you feel you love Dave, that¡¯s just a bonus. I don¡¯t care about it!¡±

    Patrick looked at Clara with a sharp gaze, making Clara paralyzed. Clara¡¯s mouth could only gape without arguing.

    ¡°Do you think that the world revolves around you?¡± Patrick snapped again. ¡°Be a smart and useful woman. There are things far more important than just love ... and even ... fidelity. Everyone makes mistakes. Just forgive him!¡±

    He tapped his daughter¡¯s shoulder and then walked away, leaving her stunned in miserable silence. Shortly after, the Johnsons came to Clara with regretful expressions plastered on their faces.

    ¡°Clara, we apologize for Dave¡¯s behavior that has disappointed you so much. However, I hope you can forgive him,¡± Jack said, patting Clara¡¯s shoulders gently.

    Marissa then hugged Clara tightly. She could feel that Clara was getting thinner. The problem was taking a toll on Clara. ¡°Clara, as Dave¡¯s mom, I¡¯m so embarrassed. But I¡¯m sure my son will regret it and will never make the same mistake, dear. Please, forgive him. He loves you very much.¡±

    .....

    Marissa and Jack then looked at their son who was standing not far behind them. With eye signals, they ordered Dave to come closer.

    ¡°Clara, I know you won¡¯t be able to forgive me quickly. However, I will dedicate the rest of my life to get your forgiveness,¡± Dave whispered sincerely, about to hug Clara.

    However, Clara quickly swatted Dave¡¯s hands away, pushed him away, and said, ¡°Go! You must know that I don¡¯t want to hear anything from you.¡±

    Dave sighed and pursed his lips in disappointment to see Clara, who didn¡¯t even want to look at him. He gave a bitter smile and left his lover with a heavy heart.

    Only Linda said nothing. She just hugged her daughter and patted her back lightly, hoping that it could soothe Clara¡¯s pain.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Lea was very confused. The doctor said that her mother¡¯s heart transplant operation had to be done immediately. For that, she should prepare two million dollars. Where would she get that much money from?

    ¡°Lea, what should we do?¡± asked Sarah, Lea¡¯s sister. Sarah was the only one Lea told about their mother¡¯s real condition. The others didn¡¯t know the details at all.

    Lea just shook her head. Her puffy eyes could no longer shed tears.

    ¡°Lea, you have to borrow the money from William!¡± Sarah said half forcefully.

    ¡°What do you think, are we going to repay the debt? Do you think that¡¯s a small amount?¡± Lea snapped at her sister and made the girl almost jump in shock.

    ¡°He¡¯s a gazillionaire, right? That kind of money must not be much for him!¡± Sarah argued, challenging Lea with a bold look.

    ¡°Are you dumb or something? I¡¯m nothing to him anymore! How could I borrow that much money?¡± Lea yelled in annoyance.

    ¡°This is for mom, Lea!¡± Sarah insisted.

    Leah hissed hopelessly. She couldn¡¯t beg William after the terrible thing she did to separate him from Paula. He must hate her for that.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, Sarah!¡± Lea whispered softly.

    Sarah was silent. She could only stare at Lea with a disappointed look. ¡°I regret having an elder sister as stupid as you. Have a rich boyfriend, instead of fighting to keep him, you chose to leave him. If only you weren¡¯t stupidly pregnant with someone else¡¯s child.¡±

    ¡°Sarah!¡± Lea yelled. That insult was too much for her.

    Sarah pounded the small dining table in front of her so that the cups of hot chocolate shook violently, splashing some of their contents onto the table. ¡°Lea, I know that you are a naive woman who thinks money can¡¯t buy happiness. But you know now, right? Life needs money. You have no right to judge me and lecture me!¡±

    That jet-black-haired girl then walked away, leaving Lea alone in the kitchen in doubt. She desperately wanted to contact William, but doubts returned to her. She didn¡¯t know any rich one other than him. She had no choice.

    Finally, Lea picked up her phone and called William. How to pay off the debt, she would think about it later.

    ***

    In Tokyo....

    Paula was in a hurry, putting on her pantsuit and blazer quickly. After confirming her appearance in the mirror, Paula added nude pink lipstick to her lips.

    ¡°Will, I have to get to the office immediately,¡± Paula said as William snuggled in, wrapping his arms around her stomach.

    ¡°Is it true, you can¡¯t take a day off?¡± William asked in a spoiled hoarse voice.

    ¡°Oh, God! Can¡¯t you wait for tomorrow, big baby?¡± Paula said while pinching William¡¯s hard waist which could not be pinched. ¡°Instead of spending time making love, you should go to the gym to burn calories. Take care of your appearance so that you remain sexy for me,¡± Paula said, laughing out loud.

    William sulked because he felt that he was being treated unfairly, being a stay-at-home husband was boring because there was not much to do. He just had to sort the trash and clean up. For the rest of the day, he could only watch television until Paula came home.

    ¡°Let¡¯s at least have breakfast first!¡± William said. ¡°It¡¯s so hard to swallow food without you accompanying me.¡±

    Paula giggled. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you bring lunch boxes to my office? We can eat together there.¡±

    ¡°Wow, what a great idea!¡± William chirped happily. He would be able to practice the hundreds of recipes he had collected and show Paula the results. ¡°Now, wifey, please sit down because I will prepare breakfast for you.¡±

    Obediently, Paula sat down at the kotatsu table, tucking her feet in for warmth. She didn¡¯t move to the new place since finding a new place was very troublesome. After all, William had been reluctant to spend more money since his father disowned him. He said that he had to save a lot because no one knows the future. He was one of the examples. A week ago he was still the heir to one of the richest families. Now, he had only less than a million.

    Three minutes later, breakfast was ready. William served it joyfully, humming while pouring orange juice into Paula¡¯s glass.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Paula said, smiling widely to see her husband. ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t cut your hand again!¡±

    Paula warned William, reminding him about the scar on his palm. Of course, William didn¡¯t tell Paula the truth. He just said that it was an accident in the kitchen instead of a bedroom incident with Lea.

    ¡°Ah, sure! I¡¯ll be careful,¡± William replied with a playful you-can-count-on-me look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you have to apply for a residence permit so you can take the driving license test,¡± Paula warned, making William look happy because he certainly wouldn¡¯t be bored at home.

    After breakfast, Paula immediately left for the office, after William smugly hugged her again as if they had been years apart. As William was about to do the chores, his smartphone rang. Surprisingly, it was a call from Lea.

    ¡°Lea? How are you?¡± William greeted her awkwardly. Something must have happened. He was sure of it.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± Lea answered hesitantly.

    There was silence for a few moments as neither of them knew what to say. William didn¡¯t even get to say sorry and thank Lea.

    Thinking that it was his chance to thank her, William then said, ¡°Lea, I wanted to say-¡±

    ¡°Will, my mom-she needs a heart transplant urgently. I-I need two million dollars for that. Can I borrow the money from you?¡±

    Lea¡¯s stuttering words made William¡¯s heartache. This was the first time Lea had asked for some money from him, but he didn¡¯t have that much money.

    ¡°Lea, I actually ... I really want to help you, but I don¡¯t have that amount of money,¡± William said regretfully.

    ¡°Will, I know you hate me-¡±

    ¡°Leah, I don¡¯t hate you. Never! That¡¯s not the reason.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only two million, Will. Everyone knows that you are too rich to say you don¡¯t have two million,¡± Lea said desperately amidst her sobs. ¡°I beg you, Will. It¡¯s for my mother.¡±

    ¡°Lea, I¡¯m sorry,¡± William answered very apologetically. He then told her that his father had kicked him out of the company and he would no longer get the right to his inheritance.

    ¡°So... you are now ... broke?¡± Leah asked, in disbelief. She then laughed bitterly, her heart was being torn apart.

    In the past, he didn¡¯t even dare to leave his family to elope with her. However, now he was doing it for Paula. It was hard to believe.

    Hurt and jealousy attacked her fragile heart again, making her hang up without even saying goodbye.

 Chapter 84

    84 84. Yamaguchi

    William hesitated. Actually, he wanted to use the rest of the money to run his own start-up. However, on the other hand, he felt very guilty about Lea because his ex-girlfriend desperately needed help. If he couldn¡¯t give his love, he better gives the money he had to help her, no?

    Without further thought, William finally sent money to Lea¡¯s account. The amount was much less than what she asked. But he hoped Lea could find a way to cover the rest.

    That afternoon, William did as Paula had suggested. He brought a still-hot lunch to Paula¡¯s office. He packed all the fresh food he made in thermal bags which would keep the food fresh until he got to the office later. William smiled to himself doing what he was doing. He performed tasks usually reserved only for women. Something Alex said he did when he was young when Lisa was still busy at work.

    When Lisa was pregnant with William, Alex was also the one who cooked food for her because she could only eat food cooked by her husband. Strange, but that was what happened for three whole months and it was very stressful for him. She always laughed when she told the kids some of those memories, no matter how many times. She was proud of her husband.

    Just as William got off the bus, he saw a black car stop in front of the building. A driver opened the door, and an old Japanese man got out of the car with a haughty face.

    Two bodyguards dressed in black and a woman in white rushed to follow the old man¡¯s steps into the building. They rushed to the elevator and coincidentally, William got into the same elevator as them. The spacious elevator then went up to the eighth floor, to AJ Tokyo¡¯s office.

    The four mafia-like people just stared in astonishment at the foreign man who had joined them in the elevator. Normally, no one would come close to them. Seeing the lunch boxes in William¡¯s hands, they sneered and laughed at each other. For them, a man who did household chores while his wife was busy at work was not manly at all.

    When they got to the front desk, they forced the front desk girl to let them go inside. However, it was impossible since they had not made an appointment with Paula in advance.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t make an appointment, but it was your arrogant boss who didn¡¯t want to meet our boss! She neglected us intentionally!¡± snapped the woman in white to the front desk girl.

    .....

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but our superiors have indeed refused to meet with Mr. Yamaguchi until the trial is over,¡± said the front desk girl. She bent down, answering at a very fast pace out of fear. Her face was pale. Makeup couldn¡¯t hide her terrified expression.

    Finally, the four of them stepped back to discuss other ways. Meanwhile, they decided to wait until Paula came out of the office.

    William then headed to the frontline to fill out the guest book and was invited to enter without having to leave an ID. Seeing William being treated with such respect, Yamaguchi felt offended. He then snapped at the front desk girl for treating him unfairly.

    ¡°Why was that foreign man allowed to enter freely? You didn¡¯t even ask him to leave his ID,¡± protested Yamaguchi with his hands on his hips.

    ¡°Sorry, sir! He is the husband of the owner of this company,¡± the front desk girl bowed and apologized once again.

    Suddenly, Yamaguchi was lost in thought. He remembered something important. After that, he didn¡¯t even say anything. He just left AJ Tokyo¡¯s office without putting up a fight again. Of course, his subordinates could only follow the old boss¡¯ footsteps obediently even though they had no idea what was on the boss¡¯ mind.

    ***

    Meanwhile, William walked into his wife¡¯s office with a wide smile plastered on his face. However, he found his wife in a state of displeasure.

    ¡°You look so stressed,¡± he said worriedly.

    ¡°Will ... thanks for coming,¡± Paula said with a smile. ¡°Akane¡¯s grandfather insisted on seeing me. He¡¯s going to force me to drop the charges.¡±

    Paula told that old Yamaguchi has been terrorizing her ever since she filed a lawsuit against Akane. All the evidence was clear. Instead of admitting his mistake, old Yamaguchi wanted to protect his son and granddaughter.

    ¡°He even threatened to do everything so that my father¡¯s company would not be in Tokyo anymore,¡± Paula answered nervously when William carefully opened the two lunchboxes he brought and arranged them on the coffee table in Paula¡¯s room. ¡°That¡¯s terrible. I heard he has a close relationship with the Yakuza boss.¡±

    Paula brushed her hair back, cleaned her desk for a moment, then walked over to the couch to sit with William. However, the delicious smell of the lunch distracted her from the problem for a moment.

    ¡°Wow, you made cheese noodles with hambagu steaks?¡± Paula asked, looking at her husband in awe. ¡°Hmm, how does it taste?¡±

    Paula quickly took metal chopsticks from the box and picked some noodles covered in cheese sauce ... and surprisingly, the taste did not disappoint her at all. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious!¡± Paula exclaimed, her eyebrows raised, thanking her husband over and over again.

    ¡°Glad you like it,¡± William said happily. He did try to combine Japanese recipes with his creativity. Not bad, he could blend the flavors well.

    They had lunch heartily, then made small talk about a thing or two. Originally, William had planned to borrow money from Paula for Lea. However, he was hesitant because Paula was having a lot of problems recently.

    ¡°Oh! I forgot to give the gift box to you. This is from the bakery staff.¡± William took out a box from his backpack, containing various gifts from Monica and the others. Indeed, because he was busy doing lovemaking, he forgot to hand the gift to her.

    He felt guilty about that. When he stopped by the bakery to buy some pies, Monica had warned him not to forget to give the gift box to Paula.

    Paula squealed with joy as she opened the gift boxes one by one. It seemed that everyone really loved her. Just as Paula opened the gift box from Monica to her surprise she found a unique white gold earring.

    So unique and personal. Supposedly, the earrings will be similar on right and left. However, what Monica gave was different. The right one was in the form of cursive letters that read ¡®Paula¡¯, the left one was in the form of ¡®William¡¯. Both were made in such a way, forming the edge of the earlobe. So Unique and would definitely mean a lot to the loving couple.

    ¡°Monica ... how could she make something like this?¡± Paula asked in awe.

    William just smiled. He was happy because many people supported his love for Paula.

    ¡°He said it initially in the form of ¡®Paula-Anderson¡¯, knowing you were getting a divorce. However, she changed it immediately when I sent you a bouquet of red roses. Back then, for some reason, she had a hunch that we would end up together.¡±

    Paula puts on her earrings one by one, assisted by William. She then asked again, ¡°When did you send me flowers? As I recall, you weren¡¯t that romantic when we were in New York?¡±

    ¡°When you came to my office and found that stupid pills, that night I sent you flowers and pralines for makeup. Unfortunately, you have already left, while Monica forgot to tell you because she was also loaded with work,¡± William answered as he put the earring in her right ear.

    ¡°William....¡± Paula felt her chest expand, filled with flowers of love. Anything about William always makes her feel more in love.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡± William asked with a meaningful look, more precisely full of desire.

    Paula then walked to the door and locked it. She turned to William and said, ¡°You said you wanted to know what it was like to do sex on a desk, right?¡±

    William¡¯s eyes widened. He couldn¡¯t believe what Paula had just said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, it¡¯s forbidden to have sex in the office?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Will! But, that is if I want to comply with the rules,¡± Paula answered as she took off her blazer and unbuttoned her shirt one by one. ¡°I dunno, right now I¡¯m trying to break it.¡±

    Now, Paula looked sexy in her red bra. She was about to take off her pants too, but William prevented her, saying that he would do the task.

    ¡°Quickie?¡± William asked with his darkened green eyes.

    Without asking anything, William then kissed Paula passionately. But strangely, she felt the cloth on her body again.

    ¡°Will? You dressed me up again?¡± Paula asked in surprise.

    William chuckled a little, then said, ¡°I want you so badly, baby. But don¡¯t let the lust make you a boss who breaks the rules.¡±

    Paula felt a little disappointed. But she just laughed because she knew William was right.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take your position for granted!¡± added William again. ¡°Don¡¯t let your father fire you for being unprofessional.¡±

    Paula looked at her husband with growing admiration. William had changed. He was now becoming a more and more responsible person.

    ¡°I promise to compensate you with great sex tonight!¡± whispered William hoarsely in Paula¡¯s ear. ¡°Many times better than a quickie.¡±

    They laughed together, then kissed before William said goodbye because lunch break was over. At that time, Paula had no idea that William would not be waiting when she was home.

 Chapter 85

    85 85. Kidnapping the Wrong Girl

    Lea was surprised at the moment she checked the amount of her bank account¡¯s balance. She had 500,000 dollars. It must be from William since he was the only one she told about the problem.

    Sarah looked at her elder sister in amazement. She did not expect that William, who was said to be bankrupt, was still kind enough to give the rest of the money he had to them.

    ¡°At least, he had common sense,¡± Sarah said in awe. Given that, they still have 1.5 million to cover. Her little brain started to think about the other way to get the money.

    ¡°How about we borrow the money from a loan shark?¡± Sarah suggested again. She felt they had no other choice. A loan shark was the only option.

    ¡°How can we pay the unreasonable interest?¡± Lea snapped, quickly rejecting the idea. She was indeed a coward, but not so stupid as to give up her life in the hands of a loan shark.

    ¡°Then what can we do, Lea? Do you have another idea?¡± Sarah was desperate. She couldn¡¯t contain her anger. Everything she said was always stupid for Lea.

    However, she was not in the mood for arguments. It was better to stay away from her sister. ¡°I¡¯ll get some fresh air outside.¡±

    The girl walked out of the house. She wore winter clothes that were thick enough to protect her body from the cold weather. In such a state, no one would be able to tell Sarah from Lea. They looked similar to each other.

    At this time, there were two men dressed all in black watching Sarah¡¯s movements. The two of them exchanged glances, then compared the girl to the photo in their hands.

    .....

    ¡°Are you sure that girl is the one?¡± asked the dark-skinned man.

    ¡°Yeah. She looks a lot like the girl in this photo, doesn¡¯t she? Her jet-black hair is beautiful, smooth, and shiny like a model for a shampoo commercial. Who else but her?¡± said the man with curly hair.

    They then observed the girl one more time to confirm their sight. After being convinced, the two of them decided to approach Sarah.

    Not long after, the two big men stood in front of Sarah, making the girl confused. She recalled that she had never borrowed money from a loan shark ... not yet. She just planned to do that. Why were there two people like debt collectors standing in front of her? Staring at her with their predatory looks.

    Their faces were truly frightening and terrible. Sarah felt like they were dementors because suddenly the air around her grew colder and colder.

    ¡°You-who are you?¡± Sarah asked haltingly. She had just had a little fight with her elder sister. Why did God punish her directly only because of that?

    ¡°Come with us, Miss!¡± said the bronze-skinned man with no smile on his face.

    ¡°Our boss wants to meet you. We won¡¯t be rude to you if you obediently follow our orders,¡± the white man with curly hair said flatly.

    ¡°I ... I don¡¯t owe anyone! I¡¯m innocent,¡± Sarah said in a panic. ¡°You have no right to take me anywhere without my consent!¡± Sarah yelled at them out of fear. She was afraid of the mafia-looking man in front of her. How about if they wanted to sell her to a mafia boss? How about if they wanted to sell her as a prostitute? How about if they¡¯re going to kill her to get her organs and sell them on the black market?

    Her thoughts were so dark. She was out of control. She tried to run from them and screamed, asking for help.

    ¡°Help me! Help!¡± Sarah yelled to anyone. But there was no one around to help her. The men didn¡¯t want any more difficulties in doing their tasks. That¡¯s why they chose to catch her and sedate Sarah so she could be taken away in an unconscious state. Simple.

    After making Sarah faint, the men then carried Sarah¡¯s body into their white van. Their job was done well. Sarah would soon meet their boss and they would soon be rewarded with a lot of money.

    ***

    Sarah woke up dizzy. She tried to remember what happened to her just now. Two criminals confronted her. They were after her! She must have been drugged and brought here by force.

    After Sarah¡¯s eyes could see clearly, her eyes roamed the surroundings again, realizing that she was currently in a luxurious hotel room. Quickly, she immediately checked her clothes for fear that she would be abused in an unconscious state. However, it looked like she was overthinking things. Her clothes were still intact. Even her coat was not removed from her body. The boots on her feet were still attached perfectly.

    Sarah gulped. Her hands weren¡¯t even tied up. There was food that had been prepared for her on the small table beside her. The food was very decent. Delicious-looking chocolate cookies and a can of soda that looked like it just came out of the chiller. In addition, there was a bowl of mouth-watering fresh fruit.

    The delicious smell of chocolate, brown sugar, and butter indicated that the cookies had just freshly come out of the oven. Was it true that she was kidnapped for evil reasons? It didn¡¯t seem like that to her.

    Sarah¡¯s stomach growled. She desperately wanted to nibble on a cookie to appease her hungry tummy. However, a bad thought flashed again, making her hand refrain from taking a single cookie.

    ¡°Do not touch it! This could be poisoned food!¡± Sarah said, calming down. She was afraid that she would die after taking a bite of those delicious-smelling cookies.

    ¡°Just eat! It¡¯s completely safe.¡± Suddenly, a voice startled Sarah. As it turned out, she was not alone in that lavish room.

    She turned her attention to the one speaking and found a woman about the same age as her mother sitting on the couch in the hotel room. A beautiful woman, wearing a fancy-looking gray formal dress. Her ash-brown hair was neatly pulled back, adding a plus to her graceful figure.

    The elegant woman¡¯s dark eyes looked at Sarah tenderly. She¡¯s not a dangerous person. However, Sarah somehow felt a flicker of hatred on the woman¡¯s face. Was it just her thought?

    The woman then stood up and walked casually toward Sarah while holding a folder that seemed to contain an important document. What¡¯s in it? Sarah was still confused as to why she could be in this kind of situation.

    ¡°I¡¯m Linda, Clara¡¯s mom,¡± said the woman, introducing herself to Sarah.

    Of course, Sarah was even more confused. The Clara she knew was an old janitor lady on her campus. Why did Clara¡¯s mother look much younger than her?

    ¡°Sorry, because we have to meet in such unpleasant circumstances. However, I don¡¯t have much time. I can¡¯t let my daughter suffer continuously because of an unpleasant condition for her,¡± Linda continued with an incomprehensible face. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have much time either, do you? Your mother needs a large sum of money for her heart transplant.¡±

    Sarah could only stare at Linda, her mouth gaping. ¡°H-how did you know? I didn¡¯t even tell my whole family.¡±

    Linda smiled gently. ¡°Your mother is being treated at our family¡¯s hospital. Of course, it¡¯s very easy for us to find out about something like this.¡±

    Sarah was surprised. Why did the hospital owner arrest her? Was it because they knew she couldn¡¯t pay for her mother¡¯s surgery?

    ¡°We ... we¡¯re working on it! Don¡¯t cancel our mother¡¯s treatment. I beg you!¡± Sarah said pitifully.

    However, Sarah¡¯s response drew laughter from Linda. ¡°I invited you here precisely because I wanted to help you. I¡¯m willing to pay for all of your mother¡¯s hospital fees.¡±

    Sarah¡¯s eyes narrowed. Her mouth could only gape even wider. Her heart skipped beating for a moment. She then pinched her hands several times. She also slapped her cheek several times.

    ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯re not kidding, yes?¡± Sarah asked, so moved she almost cried. ¡°Is this a dream?¡±

    Linda looked at the girl in front of her with a flat gaze. It didn¡¯t appear at all that she was the seductress who snatched Dave from her daughter.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m even willing to give a bonus by covering all the education costs for your siblings,¡± answered Linda with a meaningful smile.

    Sarah was even more astonished. Why did God suddenly send an angel to her family? What did they do? As she recalled, Lea even made the mistake of messing up people¡¯s relationships and getting pregnant by her ex-boss. Was there something respectful behind her sister¡¯s doing?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what made you do so good to my family. But, to be honest, I¡¯m very grateful,¡± Sarah answered with gratitude. Her hands were shaking with joy.

    ¡°But of course there are conditions,¡± said Linda again, before she ended the discussion.

    ¡°Sure, ma¡¯am,¡± Sarah said without thinking. ¡°I will do as you want.¡±

    Linda smiled happily, looking at Sarah with satisfaction. ¡°Good. I just want you to hand over your baby to Clara.¡±

 Chapter 86

    86 86. The Surrogate

    Sarah¡¯s round eyes stared at Linda in confusion. Her brows furrowed because she was not pregnant and not having a baby. How could the woman ask her to give up her baby if she didn¡¯t even have one? Was that for the future? Did she ask her to become a surrogate mother for someone? Or something like that?

    Sarah stopped thinking for a moment. She tried to connect the dots.

    Baby? Handing over the baby to Clara? She wasn¡¯t pregnant. Lea was the one who was pregnant at the moment.

    However, there was no need to wait any longer, Sarah immediately understood what all this meant. Linda must have mistaken her for Lea, her pregnant sister.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I actually-¡±

    ¡°If you are willing, I will immediately give you the cash today,¡± Linda said again when she saw the doubt on Sarah¡¯s face. Since determined to carry out this plan, she did not plan to fail. She didn¡¯t want a rejection as an answer even though Sarah didn¡¯t seem like she would refuse the offer.

    Linda then called someone. Moments later, a bodyguard came to the room carrying two standard-sized briefcases. Sarah could only watch because right now she felt like she was in a movie. Then, she glanced at the cookies beside her. Too bad, they should just serve caramel popcorn.

    The bodyguard brought both briefcases to Linda and piled them on the table. There was a loud thud as the bodyguard stacked the briefcases. Looked so heavy. The man then retreated behind Linda¡¯s chair, waiting for the next order.

    ¡°I have prepared the money in cash. Do you agree to my offer?¡± Linda asked again, hopefully.

    .....

    Sarah gulped. She wanted to say yes right away. However, she still felt guilty if she had to do something that was not her right to decide. She¡¯s not Lea. This was a misunderstanding.

    ¡°But ma¡¯am, I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding.¡± Sarah held up her hands, wanting to say she wasn¡¯t Lea.

    Unfortunately, Linda took it as a sign of objection. She immediately said, ¡°Lea, I can understand that you object to this idea because the baby was your flesh and blood. However, you can try again next time with the man you love, right? This baby ... you didn¡¯t plan to get pregnant, did you?¡± Linda looked at Sarah expectantly. Her eyes pleaded.

    A sudden realization hit Sarah¡¯s mind. Linda¡¯s words made Sarah think that Lea would probably reject Linda¡¯s request. It could be, Lea would be overthinking things, as she usually does. The baby was hers anyway.

    Linda¡¯s hand then flicked, asking her bodyguard to open the briefcase so Sarah could see firsthand that the money she was carrying was real. Usually, this method would work. Money was her only power.

    Sure enough, Sarah¡¯s eyes widened when she saw the two briefcases being opened one by one. It was the first time she had seen such a large amount of $100 bills. Sarah¡¯s lips gaped, she was drooling over the sight. She didn¡¯t expect that two million bills would look so tempting if they were piled up all at once, not just as handwriting that would increase in value if the zeros were added, just like in a math exercise.

    ¡°I really hope you don¡¯t turn it down, Lea. Think about this carefully,¡± Linda persuaded her again. ¡°As a bonus, I will transfer one hundred thousand a month to your account. I think that was enough to comfortably support your younger siblings, right?¡±

    Sarah gulped. She looked at Linda in doubt. However, her mind convinced her to take this opportunity. This might be her only chance to earn two million, the money she currently needed for his mother¡¯s hospital fees. After all, she would get it for free. Not a loan. As a plus, she would not have to work hard in the future to return the money.

    What¡¯s more, she and her family won¡¯t even bother with part-time jobs anymore because that hundred thousand dollars a month would let them live comfortably without having to think about how to save the money for tomorrow. They would be able to focus on studying. All their daily needs would be covered with no worries.

    Right. She couldn¡¯t let go of this opportunity. She had to take it no matter what. Nothing should prevent her family from getting a decent life like other people. No one could get in the way, even Lea!

    She would discuss things with Lea later when the problem was all over. The most important thing was her mother¡¯s surgery. She wanted her mother back to health as before. Later, when conditions were under control, she would tell Lea everything. She would convince Lea that she was making the right decision.

    ¡°Okay, I agree, ma¡¯am! I¡¯ll give the baby to your daughter,¡± Sarah finally answered.

    Linda smiled with satisfaction. She then handed Sarah the document to sign.

    Trembling, Sarah read the document. It said that Lea would give all her rights as a mother to Clara. She would not see the child and kept herself away from Clara and her family forever. Lea had no right to say that she was the child¡¯s biological mother.

    ¡°Before signing this, I want to make sure that Clara doesn¡¯t know anything about this transaction,¡± added Linda cautiously. The middle-aged woman held Sarah¡¯s hand, gripping it tightly. ¡°You have to tell my daughter that you voluntarily gave up your baby to her, simply because you wanted the baby to live properly with her father. Tell Clara that you believe she can be a real mother to Dave¡¯s child.¡±

    Sarah¡¯s heart stopped beating for a moment. She swallowed heavily. She wanted to say something, but the tightness in her chest didn¡¯t allow her to do it.

    ¡°So, I ... have to do this, as if I¡¯m a surrogate mother?¡± Sarah asked shakily. Her pink lips suddenly turned pale and dry.

    Sarah¡¯s hand, which was already holding the pen, could only stop. Could she sell Lea¡¯s flesh and blood to the Deckers? Could she give up her unborn nephew to save her mother¡¯s life?

    ¡°Right. You are a surrogate. I think that¡¯s the best description of our agreement.¡±

 Chapter 87

    87 87. Evil Auntie

    Surrogate mom?

    Sarah could only gape out of guilt. She didn¡¯t want to do evil things to her sister and her unborn nephew. But, she had no choice.

    Linda continued her sentence, ¡°Tell Clara that you are sorry and don¡¯t want to ruin her happiness with Dave. Are you willing to cooperate?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sarah answered, nodding weakly.

    Sarah had doubts. However, she convinced herself that this was the right thing to do. The best one at the moment. Lea didn¡¯t want the baby, did she? Lea didn¡¯t love Dave, did she? So, surely she would not mind if she had to hand over the child she was carrying to the baby¡¯s father and his fianc¨¦e.

    With that in mind, Sarah finally put her signature on the agreement paper in front of her. It wasn¡¯t difficult for Sarah because she was used to doing it. Sometimes, Lea did ask Sarah to just forge her signature for administration because Lea was loaded with work.

    ¡°Thank you, Lea! I am very grateful to you,¡± said Linda who seemed to smile with great satisfaction. ¡°I will have my men escort you home immediately. It was not safe to bring a lot of money by yourself. And more importantly, they were so heavy.¡± Linda chuckled lightly. She was glad, thinking that she accomplished her mission well.

    ¡°No!¡± Sarah replied with a pounding chest. ¡°I want to take care of my mother¡¯s hospital costs immediately.¡±

    Sarah looked at Linda doubtfully and then explained again, ¡°This money is so ... much, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to keep it home. I don¡¯t want to take the risk. If you understand what I mean.¡±

    .....

    Linda nodded in understanding. She then asked someone to help Sarah take care of her mother¡¯s hospital fees according to the girl¡¯s request.

    That day, Sarah felt so relieved to know that her financial problems were solved ... her family¡¯s financial problems were taken care of well. They would never live in poverty ever again. All of that was obtained by selling Lea¡¯s child ... selling her nephew to Linda Decker.

    There was a twinge of guilt that settled in Sarah¡¯s heart. However, she tried to shake off the feeling. She believed that this was the best for her family as well as for Lea, the baby, and everyone involved in it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hate me, bunny! Your nasty aunt didn¡¯t mean to sell you,¡± Sarah whispered to herself, ¡°One day you will thank me because I saved you from the poverty that cursed upon your mother¡¯s family.¡±

    ***

    In Tokyo....

    Paula was happy because that day her dad called and thanked her for everything she did for AJ Tokyo. Paula also told him about her and William¡¯s current condition. Of course, he only responded with a sincere smile.

    ¡°I know you guys will end up together just like everybody wants,¡± commented Robert happily, teasing his daughter who couldn¡¯t stop smiling when she talked about her husband.

    ¡°Dad, back then, you said you¡¯re sorry you forced me to marry him,¡± Paula teased, replying to her father¡¯s wise-cracking attitude.

    ¡°I regretted it before I met him in person. However, when I saw his sincerity in caring for you, and trying to get you back, I changed my mind,¡± Robert answered with a laugh.

    Paula¡¯s happiness was her father¡¯s happiness too. No. Robert lives only to make his daughter happy. That was his only live motivation.

    ¡°As promised, since the problems in Tokyo have been resolved, you may return to New York immediately,¡± added Robert again.

    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like my performance here? I promise I¡¯ll try to increase AJ Tokyo¡¯s sales and profits soon,¡± Paula immediately begged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want the mother of my future grandchild to work too hard. After all, after everything that happened, it must be really hard to reach your goal, right?¡± asked Robert doubtfully. ¡°No need to rush, you can do it another time, later.¡±

    Paula smiled and held back something she didn¡¯t want to tell her father. However, because she thought her father would understand her, Paula decided to tell him what happened to William.

    ¡°Dad, actually William has now been kicked out of his family business,¡± explained Paula. ¡°So, I don¡¯t need to rush to go back to New York. He will be here with me.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what do you mean by William being kicked out of the office?¡± asked Robert in surprise. ¡°Alex fired him?¡± This was a strange thing. Alex only had one child. Why did he kick him out of the company? Had Alex changed his mind and planned to pass the company on to his adopted daughter?

    Paula understood her father¡¯s confusion. She then told him everything that had happened. Of course, Robert couldn¡¯t take it lightly. He felt offended because Alex thought his daughter was no more valuable than the company. It was clear his daughter had to come first.

    ¡°Dad, never mind! You didn¡¯t think William was your important son-in-law, didn¡¯t you?¡± Paula tried to calm her father down.

    ¡°But this is different, Paula. Alex blatantly asked William to choose between you and the company. I wouldn¡¯t do that to William,¡± said Robert angrily.

    ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t think that was the case. Alex just wanted to discipline William his way,¡± Paula replied casually. ¡°He still cannot entrust his business to William.¡±

    ¡°If I were him ...,¡± Robert recalled something, ¡°Ah, maybe you¡¯re right. William was quite different from Alex. When William was in school, he even had time to be a bad boy who often fought with delinquents. He and his cousin used to be a dangerous duo that the bad boys all over school feared.¡±

    ¡°Oh, seriously?¡± Paula asked almost in disbelief. ¡°No wonder. I guess the muscles in his body must come with a reason.¡±

    Paula then said goodbye to her father. She also asked her father not to mind what Alex did to William.

    However, Robert was not satisfied. He still wanted to help his daughter and son-in-law in secret.

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll just withdraw my investment since William has nothing to do with Alex anymore. Let him pay the price for considering my daughter worthless.¡±

 Chapter 88

    88 88. The Fathers

    Alex was surprised when Robert told him again that he would withdraw investment from his company. He grinned, between wanting to laugh and resigned. He was happy because William managed to get Paula again. At least, his son did not fail in household matters.

    ¡°So you must have known about it?¡± asked Alex with a suspicious look, staring at his laptop screen with a hard face. ¡°Paula told me and asked you to threaten me?¡±

    ¡°Fuck! Paula and William don¡¯t even want me to meddle in your family matters!¡± argued Robert, sneering at his friend.

    ¡°Then, why do you suddenly want to break off our cooperation?¡± Alex asked again while wiping his tired face. He had too much to handle after firing William. ¡°What is the reason?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m angry because you belittled my daughter,¡± Robert replied with a face that was no less friendly. His eyes stared intently at his friend. ¡°You think my daughter is worthless than a job.¡±

    Even though communication was done virtually, the tension was still real. Alex didn¡¯t want to add to the tension. He tried to calm himself.

    ¡°You know, this isn¡¯t about Paula,¡± Alex replied, swallowing hard. ¡°William is just being too careless about company affairs.¡±

    ¡°But he left to take care of important family matters that you should be supporting,¡± said Robert again.

    Robert was indeed angry. He couldn¡¯t let Alex do whatever he wanted while he still got comfortable facilities from him.

    .....

    ¡°Don¡¯t hate me like that, Robert,¡± Alex said with a chuckle. He picked up the magazine on the desk to read the latest news. He then turned his attention to Robert again. ¡°Because of this, William has proven that he really loves your daughter, no?¡±

    This time, it was Alex¡¯s turn to be on top. He used Robert¡¯s affection for Paula as a boomerang for Robert. Instantly, he had Robert¡¯s undivided attention.

    ¡°Yes, right. But if William no longer has anything to do with your company-¡±

    ¡°Wait, I did fire William, but he is still my son,¡± said Alex, cutting off his friend¡¯s words.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Robert, frowning in confusion. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say he won¡¯t be your heir?¡±

    ¡°William would not inherit my company. But William and Paula¡¯s child is still going to inherit our family business because he or she is still Montgomery, right?¡± Alex said casually as he turned over the magazine he was carrying.

    ¡°Oh, damn it!¡± Robert cursed, laughing. ¡°I thought you were serious about kicking your kid out because Vanessa managed to persuade you or something.¡±

    ¡°No way, Robert, Vanessa has absolutely no desire for that,¡± explained Alex with a gentle smile. ¡°She wants to be a doctor.¡±

    Both of them burst into laughter. They seemed to forget that a few minutes earlier they had a pretty big fight.

    ¡°I am serious about William. I was annoyed because he felt as if he didn¡¯t want to be helped. Though ...,¡± Alex paused for a moment. ¡°Ah, never mind! How about we both celebrate our children¡¯s union? Isn¡¯t that what we should be doing?¡±

    ¡°You are right. Today ... I happen to be available. In the usual place?¡± asked Robert then, Alex answered with a nod.

    That night, Alex and Robert went to where they used to spend time back then. Sometimes, on purpose, Alex didn¡¯t invite Lisa because he really needed time to himself.

    ¡°So are you some kind of tsundere daddy?¡± asked Robert while sipping his drink with a light smile.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a problem son like William. Stop commenting.¡± Alex looked annoyed. He does not like the way he educates children commented by others.

    Robert looked at his friend with pity. Alex, who grew up without a father figure, really didn¡¯t have a clue about how to educate children properly. All he knew was how to get out of poverty. He met Thomas and his mother as an adult when he was already married and had children.

    In contrast to Thomas, who was indeed more lenient in raising children. Thomas even let them choose whatever career they want. Like Samuel who ultimately chose to become a musician rather than having to work in the business world.

    ¡°How did Lisa respond? Doesn¡¯t she oppose your decision?¡± asked Robert again. He wasn¡¯t sure his best friend¡¯s wife would just accept her husband¡¯s strange decision.

    Alex laughed wryly. ¡°Of course she¡¯s annoyed. However, after I explained to whom I would inherit this business, she relented. I think Lisa also admits that William is too naive in running the business.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± asked Robert, trying to listen carefully.

    Alex just chuckled. He did not want to say that much of the failure of William¡¯s project was due to him mixing his personal affairs with business. First, he called off the partnership because Martin tried to abuse Paula. Second, he canceled his partnership with Mark because he didn¡¯t want to use Alan as an excuse. Third, he had clearly given up his responsibilities as a CEO at the Montgomery Corporation for Paula.

    ¡°I just want William to know that life sometimes doesn¡¯t let him choose. He must be able to mediate between the two options,¡± explained Alex in the end. He looked at Robert with a worried look.

    ¡°In the past, I thought that I was luckier than you for having a son even though I only had one. However, I am now the one who was feeling grateful that you have a daughter like Paula,¡± Alex added in a hoarse whisper.

    Robert¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I feel at ease when your daughter is with William,¡± Alex said with a chuckle. He asked the bartender for a new drink.

    ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re good at sugarcoating sad things,¡± Robert took a sip of his drink, then said, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t want to interfere in your problems. However, don¡¯t let William hate you. That¡¯s all I¡¯m worried about so you won¡¯t regret it later.¡±

    ¡°What kind of regret?¡± Alex asked, squinting at his best friend.

    ¡°Hmm ... sort of, he won¡¯t let you hold his baby,¡± Robert joked, making his drunk friend giggle even more.

    ¡°Let¡¯s pray for the health of our grandchildren!¡± shouted Alex and Robert together.

    The two happy grandfathers were drinking until late at night. Until finally they were completely drunk and could not go home by themselves.

    That night, the bartender called each of the old men¡¯s emergency numbers. Not long after, Lisa came to pick up her husband.

    ¡°Ah, why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going to have a drink with Robert?¡± complained Lisa who was annoyed because she had to take care of her drunken husband. Luckily, she came with a driver who helped bring Alex to the car. Alex was heavy.

    Lisa then turned her attention to Robert. That man ... who would pick him up? Wasn¡¯t Paula home?

    ¡°Robert, do you want my men to help you get home?¡± Lisa asked Robert, who was barely conscious. Sure enough, the man could only answer with an indistinct mutter.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯ve called the emergency number. Don¡¯t worry, you can go home now with your husband,¡± said the bartender politely to Lisa.

    However, as Lisa is about to leave the bar, she runs into Robert¡¯s ex-wife. Of course, that took her by surprise. However, they both had an unforgettable past.

    ¡°Amanda?¡± asked Lisa, her mouth agape at the beautiful woman. She was her age, but she looked overly confident with her beauty. ¡°You-you¡¯re back here?¡±

    ¡°Hey Lisa, how are you? Did you pick up that bad boy of yours? Is he wasted? High?¡± Amanda asked matter-of-factly. She looked at Lisa up and down and sneered at Lisa because that woman looked older than her.

    ¡°Ah, Lisa... I told you, working women might look old like you ... so fast. You have to take a lot of care of yourself. You must have a lot to worry about, right? Plus your problem son. How many victims has he injured?¡± added Amanda with a cynical smile.

    Hearing William being insulted, of course, Lisa wasn¡¯t happy at all. ¡°Look, I admit my son wasn¡¯t a good kid back then. However, he is good now. And don¡¯t you forget that he is your daughter¡¯s husband.¡±

    Amanda burst out laughing, ¡°Ah, he¡¯s a man? I¡¯m glad Paula was smart enough to divorce your son. He abused her often, no? That would make a good reason for divorce.¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth, Amanda!¡± she snapped. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop, I¡¯ll get security to kick you out!¡±

    Amanda laughed again. Her maroon lips could only be seen faintly in the dim light inside the bar.

    ¡°Relax, I¡¯ll be going soon. Of course, after I pick up my lover,¡± Amanda whispered into Lisa¡¯s ear.

    Amanda then walked in confidence like a model on the catwalk, approached the stool and picked up Robert, and helped him walk. Lisa couldn¡¯t help but gasp at the sight in front of her. So, will Amanda get back together with Robert? Good grief! She had to prevent it for fear that his family life would turn into hell after this. She was afraid that Amanda would take revenge on William.

 Chapter 89

    89 89. Kidnapping

    William was in the grocery store, shopping for dinner. He wanted to provide the best nutrition for his pregnant wife. Instead of buying ready-made food, he planned to make the food himself.

    He checked the note in his right hand to make sure he had taken all the items he needed to make an avocado salad and chicken steak. He already googled the recipe online. It must be great if he managed to make them at home, from scratch.

    ¡°Avocado, shrimp, chicken, and butter,¡± William muttered to himself. ¡°I still haven¡¯t picked up the broccoli and asparagus.¡±

    William then walked over to the vegetable counter to pick up a bunch of asparagus and a pack of fresh broccoli. He smiled in satisfaction because all the groceries he had bought looked so fresh. He then went to the cashier to pay for his groceries.

    ¡°That¡¯s 1603 yen in total,¡± the young male cashier in white told him.

    William¡¯s brows furrowed. He forgot to calculate that he had to pay an 8 percent tax. He needed one hundred and three yen more. He then asked the cashier to wait for him. He went out of the shop for money from an ATM for a while because he avoided using credit cards even for small amounts.

    Calmly, William entered the ATM. He did not suspect in the slightest that at that time two people were stalking him. Just as he was about to put the money into his wallet, that¡¯s when a masked man walked into the ATM counter. Oh! It was a robbery! William was surprised because he had never experienced such a thing himself.

    The masked man¡¯s right hand held a gleaming metal object that William recognized as a penknife, which he also always had in his pocket when he was younger. The masked man glanced around to make sure no one saw him.

    The masked man brought his body closer to William¡¯s body and pointed the knife at William¡¯s lower back. The knife didn¡¯t touch his body, but he knew that a sharp object was pointed at him at that moment.

    .....

    William thought it was a robbery. He was lazy to deal with criminals. He did not expect that he would be robbed in the country that he thought was the safest. However, William remained calm. He only paid attention to the position of the knife and tried to keep his distance so he doesn¡¯t get hurt.

    William put the money and wallet into his coat pocket. He then raised his hand, as a sign he would not put up a fight. At least, he wasn¡¯t planning on resisting the slightest since he knew that the criminal had a companion.

    ¡°Follow us!¡± said the masked man in a hoarse voice.

    His voice was not very clear because he was wearing a mouthpiece. Of course, he spoke Japanese. Fortunately, William understood his words. A lot of free time made him learn a lot of Japanese.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, I have to cook dinner for my wife,¡± William answered calmly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to get hurt, do you?¡± rebuked the masked man again. ¡°Be obedient and I won¡¯t hurt your skin in the slightest.¡±

    Because William still thought that this criminal only wanted money, he asked, ¡°How much do you want? My wife will be home soon. I have to cook for her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want your money,¡± replied the criminal.

    ¡°Then what do you want?¡± asked William again.

    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you as long as you obey us!¡± replied the masked man flatly. ¡°Our boss is waiting for you. Come on, please!¡±

    ¡°Let me contact my wife first!¡± asked William again. ¡°I don¡¯t want her waiting for me at home.¡±

    ¡°You think we are stupid, no? You¡¯re going to call the police, right?¡± said the masked man sarcastically.

    ¡°Relax, my wife is not a cop. She¡¯s just an ordinary woman,¡± William tried to reply calmly but remained wary. After all, the masked man¡¯s weapon was a knife, something that would easily injure him since the man¡¯s movements were quite unpredictable.

    William then shifted slightly, about to take his smartphone. However, the masked man quickly grabbed William¡¯s smartphone, snatching it from him.

    ¡°Dissident!¡± The criminal then picked up the phone and was about to slam and destroy it. However, he remembered his boss¡¯s order not to do unnecessary things. The man then put the phone in his pocket for keeping it safe. ¡°Don¡¯t do unnecessary stupid things anymore and obey us if you don¡¯t want to go home in a body bag!¡±

    The companion came closer. He helped his friend to take care of William. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    William thinned his lips, he was lazy to obey the wishes of the two cockroaches that threatened him. However, it seems that something serious was going on.

    ¡°Okay!¡± William said giving up, took his things, and chose to follow the two thugs.

    If William wants to, he would fight the criminals to get home. Unfortunately, he was curious about the person who ordered him to kidnap him. He didn¡¯t feel that he had any mistakes that would make a villain want him.

    Not long after, after his hands were tied up and his eyes were blindfolded, William and the criminals got into a black sedan, heading for their destination. The two thugs whose bodies were no bigger than William thought something was off. It was strange because William so obediently obeyed them. He looked relaxed as if he wasn¡¯t in any danger.

    ¡°Why are you so calm?¡± the criminal asked William.

    ¡°I was about to ask, why are you scared?¡± asked William with an incredibly serene smile, making his captor sweat even more.

    Not long after, William arrived at a traditional Japanese-style house. He got out of the car obediently. They undo the blindfold, making William able to see the well-preserved Japanese ancient house in awe.

    ¡°Is this a samurai house?¡± William asked one of the kidnappers who took his blindfold.

    The kidnapper shook his head. ¡°You are weird. Are you here for sightseeing?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just asking,¡± William answered casually. ¡°But if you don¡¯t want to answer my question, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    It was only when the kidnappers led William inside the house, William knew why he was kidnapped during his first month in Tokyo.

    A familiar old man greeted him in quite a polite way, ¡°Welcome to our residence, Mr. Montgomery!¡±

 Chapter 90

    90 90. To Protect His Wife

    He was the snow-white-haired man who had visited Paula¡¯s office this afternoon, Haruto Yamaguchi, Akane¡¯s grandfather. His dark eyes looked up and down, staring at William William, then sneered at him unpleasantly.

    ¡°I never knew that Anderson girl keeps an expensive gigolo like you,¡± Yamaguchi said condescendingly. He could see William¡¯s taste in the clothes he wore. ¡°How could she feel safe with a useless guy like you?¡±

    William laughed, then said. ¡°What do you want? I don¡¯t have much time. My wife will be home soon. Don¡¯t let her starve!¡±

    Old Yamaguchi just stared at William, turning his attention to his kiseru, an old Japanese smoking pipe. The man asked his men to light a cigar, then he smoked it in joy. Smoke billowed from the old man¡¯s nose and mouth as he removed the pen-like traditional Japanese smoking pipe.

    The old man then turned his attention back to William and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them because I won¡¯t let you go home until that Anderson girl heeds my request,¡± then he took another leisurely puff on his cigar.

    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± asked William, who was getting displeased.

    ¡°I only want the peaceful way to solve the problem, but that young Anderson is very arrogant. Does she think that the business will prosper if she behaves like that in a foreign land?¡± Yamaguchi said with a raised voice. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know any manners towards the old person.¡±

    William just stared at Yamaguchi, listening to his every word lazily. All he discussed was decency and manners. If he cared about norms, why didn¡¯t he teach his child and grandchildren to be more honest in doing business?

    ¡°You know, it was your grandchild who started first, why are you still defending her to the death?¡± asked William again.

    .....

    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of the family name. I have to uphold the good name of the family no matter what,¡± Yamaguchi replied, looking at William with his pearly black eyes. ¡°Never mind, a man who has no pride like you, how could you even understand pride? Luckily I immediately took Ryuu away from his mother. I didn¡¯t let him linger in New York. Otherwise, he might become a useless man like you. ¡±

    Yamaguchi¡¯s nagging went everywhere, discussing Ryuu, Akane¡¯s older brother who had been with his mother in New York for six years. He thought that Ryuu¡¯s mother, his son¡¯s ex-wife, could not raise her son well. Always get into fights and often lose. Yamaguchi didn¡¯t like loser men. Therefore, the old man decided to take his grandson and train him to become a great fighter himself.

    Without waiting any longer, the old man immediately summoned several bodyguards to bind William¡¯s feet. Four huge Japanese men entered the room, approaching William.

    However, of course, William refused. He didn¡¯t want to be used as a tool to threaten Paula. Having him by Paula¡¯s side was a protector, not the other way around. He didn¡¯t want to be a burden and a weakness for his wife.

    Because of that, William, who had previously refrained from causing trouble, seemed to have to once again bring out his latent talent that had been buried for a long time. A hidden talent he refused to show because he promised his parents.

    This time, he had to break his promise. He had to do this for Paula.

    Yamaguchi waved his hand for his bodyguards to execute William immediately. ¡°Quickly tie him to the chair! Torture him and make a good video of it!¡± old Yamaguchi ordered.

    ¡°Yes, Master!¡± replied the two bodyguards in the middle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it and don¡¯t make him die because I want him in one piece to become a useful hostage!¡± old Yamaguchi added. He then took back his cigar to enjoy the sight he was about to witness in a moment.

    Shortly thereafter, two of Yamaguchi¡¯s men rushed to William to tie him to a chair. Two others stood guard, ready to help their friends beat William up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you two are needed here. You guys can go back to the frontline. It¡¯s enough for two people to handle a weak guy like-¡±

    Yamaguchi couldn¡¯t finish his sentence because of the sound of a metal chair being thrown onto the tatami floor, through a sliding door made of plywood. It didn¡¯t just stop there, the sounds of screams from two men in pain followed later, making Yamaguchi gasp in disbelief.

    The old man then turned his head back to his captive. How shocked he was because the man whose hands were tied was able to make two of his bodyguards fall to the floor, groaning in pain. Their noses and mouths were covered in blood.

    ¡°What is this? Why are you sleeping on the floor instead of taking care of that gigolo?¡± Yamaguchi yelled. He couldn¡¯t believe that his subordinates were beaten by a man whose hands were tied.

    ¡°He fought back, boss! We-we didn¡¯t think-he would be able to do this,¡± answered one who was still conscious haltingly.

    The cigar in Yamaguchi¡¯s mouth was shaking. He didn¡¯t think that the man who he thought could only cook for his wife could also fight.

    ¡°Gi-gigolo, you bastard! Hurry and beat him!¡± Yamaguchi ordered the other two men who were standing guard around him to attack William.

    The two of them were now more careful because it was certain that someone who could defeat two of Yamaguchi¡¯s bodyguards using just two legs, definitely could not be underestimated. Both of them split up, one to the right and one to the left. They then set up their pose, ready to attack William.

    William only smiled faintly. He could already predict the opponent¡¯s next move. Sure enough, the two of them then attacked William simultaneously, running over in unison. William didn¡¯t move an inch. However, just as the two of them were about to grab his body, it was then that he quickly jumped aside for the two assailants to bash each other.

    Screams of pain were inevitable. It was then, both of them then chose the instant way. A way William would have a very hard time avoiding at any cost. Gun!

 Chapter 91

    91 91. Fight Back

    William looked at the two bodyguards who were pointing handguns at him. The high-speed firearms were ready to spit bullets that would penetrate his body without mercy. No bullet had eyes. No bullet would pity the target.

    ¡°Stop fighting back! Or your beautiful wife will find you as a corpse,¡± said Yamaguchi with a wide grin. He felt that he was about to win because his bodyguards were now using guns as weapons. Who would win against the shotguns?

    ¡°You bastard!¡± said Yamaguchi with a thunderous laugh. ¡°You are the real pain in the ass. Why don¡¯t you just cooperate so we can end the fight sooner.¡±

    William stopped for a moment. He couldn¡¯t be reckless in fighting if his opponent was using a gun. Two people, on top of it. He couldn¡¯t split his concentration between them.

    He realized that he was not the fastest person in the world. At close range, it was impossible to dodge a bullet. This was not a movie. He should think rationally.

    Luckily, William managed to steal a penknife from one of the bodyguards who were already lying on the floor. He made a move in secret, trying to cut the rope that tied his hands up.

    ¡°Ok, I won¡¯t fight!¡± William said calmly, trying to distract the people around him from hearing the sound of the rope he was trying to cut. ¡°Just do what you want.¡±

    ¡°Good!¡± Yamaguchi, who was trembling before, now calmed down again. He then ordered his two men holding their pistols to carry out the order. ¡°Strap him in a chair and make a good recording so that Anderson girl will do anything I want.¡±

    A bodyguard who had pointed his gun at William now switched tasks, wanting to take a chair for William. Only one kept holding William at gunpoint to keep William in place.

    .....

    The bodyguard then picked up the metal chair William had slammed earlier. However, how shocked he was when he found severe damage to the chair. The man shuddered in fear as he glanced at William who saw him with his piercing green eyes. Inwardly, he wondered, what he was dealing with? a monster?

    Because the chair was bent and broken, unable to support William¡¯s large body, the bodyguard then looked for another chair. When he was busy with that task, William took the opportunity to talk to the bodyguard who was still pointing a gun at him. He scanned the man up and down, then pretended to hold back a laugh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything weird again!¡± snapped the bodyguard fiercely. However, William could see a trace of worry on the man¡¯s face. He was starting to be instigated by William¡¯s tricks, who still held back his laughter. ¡°What is so funny?¡±

    William shook his head, looked away for a moment, then looked again at his opponent. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a haircut like yours. Did your mother forbid you to come to a decent yet expensive parlor?¡± William said, holding his smile. He increased the level of sedition. ¡°I guess next time you can ask for extra pay to go to a trusted parlor.¡±

    Actually, there was no problem with the man¡¯s haircut. However, William realized that the man cared a lot about his appearance. It was obvious that he would be bothered if his hard efforts were belittled.

    ¡°God damn it! I paid twenty thousand yen for this, you asshole!¡± the man snapped, indicating that he truly felt abused. His hands began to shake out of anger. However, it was only for a moment. He remembered that he was currently on duty. ¡°All right, shut up! Don¡¯t say stupid things anymore. Or you will pay the price.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to mock you. It¡¯s just...¡± William paused for a moment. He then stepped up and approached the bodyguard without taking his eyes off the man¡¯s hair. ¡°I think your hair would be better without bangs so you don¡¯t look too cute.¡±

    It was then, secretly, William¡¯s hand slipped away from the rope. Dexterously, he then grabbed the gunman¡¯s wrist and pressed down hard on the wrist, causing his opponent to drop the gun. As fast as lightning, William slammed his body to the floor, immediately picked up the gun that was thrown earlier, and jumped at old Yamaguchi who had no bodyguards.

    Frankly, the two bodyguards were wide-eyed. They didn¡¯t expect William to directly target their old boss, not attack them.

    ¡°You guys, stop doing anything or I¡¯ll shoot your old boss in the head, here!¡± Now, William felt the upper hand. He hoped his business would be over soon.

    ¡°God damn it! How dare you!¡± Yamaguchi couldn¡¯t move, his moves were locked. His hands trembled, causing his long smoking pipe to fall onto the table.

    ¡°There¡¯s no use in getting angry, old man! You have lost,¡± William said in a curt tone. He felt that the old man who was shackled in his arms was too confident with what he had. ¡°I know where your son and grandchild get their cowardice from. It¡¯s all from you.¡±

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Yamaguchi cursed in annoyance. ¡°You! Why are you guys silent? Save me!¡±

    William laughed. He thought the old man was very funny because he still thought his men would help him. ¡°You can only beg for safety from me, old man! Don¡¯t you understand the situation?¡±

    ¡°Humph, you are overconfident, young man,¡± said old man Yamaguchi, while smiling sinisterly. ¡°Too confident.¡±

    He then snapped his fingers ... and suddenly, men were surrounding William. Everyone pointed their weapons at him. Three pointed guns at his head, two crossed a sharp samurai down William¡¯s neck. What a terrible combination. William¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He could no longer show the serene face he had before.

    The old man then laughed out loud. He really enjoyed the situation of his victory. It¡¯s great fun to enjoy.

    ¡°Beat up this arrogant gigolo¡¯s face!¡± Yamaguchi ordered, and this time, William couldn¡¯t dodge anymore. Punches and kicks started raining down on his body. Only screams of pain and the smell of blood colored the air a few seconds later. They took no pity on William.

    91

 Chapter 92

    92 92. The Grandson

    William fought five fighters. They were like bloodthirsty monsters, wanting to beat William to death. A kick flew to William¡¯s stomach. He was thrown towards the north. Moments later, another figure caught him and punched William in the face.

    Fresh blood trickled from the side of William¡¯s lips and nose. He didn¡¯t have time to enjoy the twinge of pain in his face and stomach because someone attacked him from behind, hitting his leg with a chain whip. William fell, face down on the floor. A feeling of bruising ran through his leg from the impact of the heavy metal chains that coiled around his leg.

    William was now helpless on the floor. The blow after blow he received was more than enough to make him unable to move. One of Yamaguchi¡¯s bodyguards had taken out a smartphone to record the moment they were enjoying as a tribute to Yamaguchi, the man who paid them well.

    It was then, William recalled Paula. He didn¡¯t want her to see him in such a miserable state. It was so embarrassing. He couldn¡¯t stand it.

    William then gathered his strength again. Nobody knew where the energy came from, what was clear now was that he no longer felt that he was prey surrounded by wild animals. His green eyes shone, like a dragon ready to fight his hunters. William twisted his legs as hard as he could, sending the body of the man holding the chain whip flying into the air.

    The owner of the chain whip was slammed to the floor, William was now standing straight, holding the chain whip in his hand. He didn¡¯t have to wait any longer, he then fought the four men in front of him with a terrifying game of chain whip. One by one they were hit by the metal deadly weapon.

    As they started to get disoriented, William started to clean up the ones that woke up first. He threw a chain whip at the two swordsmen who were about to attack him, sending the samurai flying into the air and hitting the ground.

    William threw the twin samurai of the same size until both of them were stuck in the wall. As an added reward, William caught the body of one of the samurai users who had been disarmed and smashed him onto the pistol-wielding men who were about to get up. The other four criminals were now starting to suffer. They were also covered in blood and bruises.

    William glared at Yamaguchi angrily. His once-green eyes were turning red with anger.

    .....

    Yamaguchi gulped. He was so freaked out. He then turned his attention to the desk drawer in front of him, then slowly, he pressed the button and before long, the door of the room opened, revealing a big muscular man, wearing a white wife-beater and black training pants. ¡°The game is not over yet!¡±

    Anyone, of course, would be scared just by looking at his appearance. He looked like someone who would be able to kill people with a single punch.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Grandpa? Why are you calling me?¡±

    The bodyguards looked at each other, they then stared at the presence of their boss¡¯ grandson with worried looks. The huge man looked confused, what was everyone doing?

    ¡°Is there a simulation going on?¡± asked the man again. ¡°Am I late for practice?¡±

    ¡°Young master Ryuu!¡± The bodyguards cried pitifully. They then pointed at Yamaguchi¡¯s desk.

    ¡°Ah, Grandpa, that¡¯s dangerous! Hey, don¡¯t get too close, okay? My grandpa will cry if you hit him with that chain whip!¡± Ryuu said with a stupid laugh on his face. Not comparable to his big and muscular body. ¡°You, you¡¯re the new kid? Wow, you turned out pretty good at using weapons, too.¡±

    Of course, seeing his grandson¡¯s stupid reaction, Yamaguchi was furious. He then exclaimed, ¡°Your grandfather is being threatened, you idiot! Why are you doing nothing?¡± Yamaguchi really wanted to kick his grandson in the face. However, right now there was no one he could rely on other than his grandson. A terrible and hideous-looking face, but he had a heart like Hello Kitty.

    Yamaguchi looked at his grandson in despair. He wanted to cry but knew that it was useless. If only his grandson had a higher-quality brain, surely his family would not be suffering like this.

    It¡¯s different with William. He felt calm, not bothered in the least by the presence of the gorilla man in front of him.

    The man grimaced, observing William without blinking. As time went on, his eyes narrowed, even more, making his appearance even more hideous and scary.

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in scaring me, your grandfather¡¯s head will still be crushed if you do anything,¡± William said calmly. He spun the chain whip several times, showing how well-prepared he was for the opponent.

    However, Ryuu was then aghast. His voice screamed in panic. ¡°Good grief! William! You¡¯re William Montgomery, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked, covering his mouth with his hands. He then knelt down. ¡°What an honor that you are willing to visit my house.¡±

    William grinned, confused as to why the man before him suddenly greeted him politely with an overreaction. What was that stupid gorilla doing?

    Confused, William then looked at Yamaguchi, looking at him questioningly. However, the old man could only answer with his hands raised and shook his head because he didn¡¯t understand either.

    ¡°Grandpa, what did you do to him? Look, William got angry and attacked our family?¡± Ryuu protested with a panicked face.

    ¡°What do you mean, Ryuu? I know you are stupid. But I never knew you were so stupid,¡± Yamaguchi snapped angrily. Now, his face, which had been pale, was red with anger at his grandson¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Stupid grandpa! Why did you make my guardian angel angry at us?¡± Ryuu snapped again in fast and harsh language. Very inappropriate address to his old man.

    William could only get more confused. He did not understand what the grandfather and grandson were arguing about.

    ¡°Quickly, beat him!¡± Grandpa yelled fiercely. ¡°Otherwise I won¡¯t give you a monthly allowance! Forget about drinking and gambling!¡±

    Ryuu¡¯s mouth dropped open in disbelief. He did not want to lose all the facilities from his grandfather. But, of course, there were things he prioritized more than just pocket money.

    ¡°No, Grandpa! Even a strand of hair, I would never touch him.¡±

 Chapter 93

    93 93. The Youngsters

    If only Yamaguchi¡¯s body wasn¡¯t too old, he would have taken care of William himself. However, his chronic illness did not allow him to do strenuous physical activities. Just one minute of fighting and the next minute he¡¯d be a corpse. That¡¯s what the doctor explained to him. After all, his old body couldn¡¯t possibly compare to the strength of young people like William and Ryuu. It¡¯s not the time for him to fight anymore.

    However, the last person he depended on could no longer be relied upon. His grandson even rambled about a strange story that he did not know before.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare to betray me, Ryuu! Do what you should do!¡± Robert yelled out of anger. ¡°You are the successor of the Yamaguchi family. Don¡¯t embarrass me, Ryuu!¡±

    However, Ryuu was unmoved. He still didn¡¯t do anything his grandfather told him to do. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry. If William hadn¡¯t helped me when I was beaten up by some street punks, I would have only been left with a name now. You wouldn¡¯t be able to see me anymore. That¡¯s if you even want to see me.¡±

    Yamaguchi shook his head in disbelief. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean, William helped me when I was about to die. There¡¯s no way I can beat him right now. I owe him my life. Do you want me to be an ungrateful person?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! You must be making up stories,¡± Yamaguchi argued, not wanting to believe his grandson¡¯s words.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you to believe me or not. I don¡¯t care.¡±

    Ryuu didn¡¯t want to continue arguing with his grandfather any longer. He then stood up and approached William to help him get up. Ryuu bowed and greeted William.

    .....

    ¡°You may not remember me, however, I will always remember your kindness to me,¡± Ryuu said with a sincere smile to William.

    William, who was astonished, stared at Ryuu, trying to remember what kind of event had brought him together with an Asian who was as big as Ryuu. Then, glimpses of the past flashed in his mind.

    At that time, he was still very young. He was a middle schooler. William saw an Asian boy his age surrounded by three grown men, members of a motorcycle club who were notorious for anyone who did wrong to them.

    Coincidentally, William and Samuel happened to see the poor kid. That Asian boy was defending his mother who was being harassed by men. It was then, William asked Samuel to help the boy. They asked Ryuu to call the police immediately. While William and Samuel dealt with the three ferocious men armed with wooden sticks.

    Of course, William and Samuel were in a lot of trouble. However, they were both lucky that the police arrived just in time. All were immediately rushed to the hospital. It¡¯s just that the Montgomery family wanted their children to be cared for in a better hospital. Ryuu didn¡¯t have time to thank William and Samuel. He only knew their name after doing some research.

    The heroic action left a deep mark on Ryuu¡¯s mind. He not only owed William and Samuel his life but also owed his mother¡¯s pride. He couldn¡¯t stand it if his mother was raped by criminals.

    The incident was published in the media. How heroic the children of the Montgomery family were and also about the victims of the crime who were Japanese. It was then that the Yamaguchi family discovered the whereabouts of Ryuu, the secret heir to the Yamaguchi family.

    Indeed, Ryuu¡¯s mother divorced his father while she was pregnant. She fled to America and raised Ryuu by herself in New York. She didn¡¯t ask for alimony because she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with the Yamaguchi family anymore. The pain of being betrayed by her ex-husband made her choose to live in poverty in New York rather than feel indebted to the Yamaguchi family.

    A few weeks after Ryuu was out of the hospital, the Yamaguchi family, who heard about the whereabouts of the secret heir and the bad incident that had happened to Ryuu, immediately picked up his future heir. They even blamed Ryuu¡¯s mother and sued her for being accused of hiding Ryuu from the Yamaguchi family.

    Ryuu¡¯s mother was about to refuse because the Yamaguchi family already had Akane. However, the court decided that custody of Ryuu was given to the Yamaguchi family.

    Various terrible events made Ryuu forget about William and Samuel. He shut himself off from the outside and his subconscious only forced him to focus on practicing martial arts. He had forgotten what his original motivation was.

    Initially, he practiced martial arts because he wanted to become a great person like William and Samuel. He wanted to protect the people he loves from criminals.

    However, many things happened, making Ryuu forget about that. He just practiced and practiced without even remembering why he wanted to become strong. He only beat up the enemies of his father and grandfather, like this robot who only obeys orders.

    Unknowingly, Ryuu¡¯s tears burst into tears when he saw William¡¯s seriously injured condition. Of course, William felt utter astonishment as the golden-skinned man shed tears.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, instead of repaying your kindness, my family did evil things and tortured you,¡± Ryuu said with a very apologetic look. He looked at William¡¯s face with regret, hoping that the pain William was suffering from could be transferred to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You didn¡¯t do it to me,¡± William answered softly. He winced at the pain all over his body.

    ¡°What ... what can I do to make up for this mistake?¡± Ryuu asked hopefully. His jet-black eyes stared at William intensely. His brows furrowed for fear that the pain in William¡¯s body would be unbearable. He was afraid that the wound would be fatal. ¡°Looks like I have to take you to the hospital first.¡±

    William then shook his head in response. ¡°I just want to go home soon. My wife must be worried now. I don¡¯t want her waiting anxiously.¡± William¡¯s voice was very low. Of course, it was because his injuries were very bad. However, what he wanted was to meet Paula as soon as possible.

    ¡°Wait! At least, let me call the family doctor to treat your wound. I can¡¯t send you home in a condition full of wounds like this,¡± Ryuu insisted. His chest felt so tight seeing William¡¯s condition, that was almost destroyed.

    Ryuu immediately ordered his men to call a doctor. However, when Ryuu was carrying William out of Grandpa¡¯s room, the old Yamaguchi then approached and threatened him.

    ¡°What do you want to do? Don¡¯t do whatever you want in my house,¡± he threatened Ryuu. ¡°Or I will return you to your poor mother.¡±

    However, Ryuu didn¡¯t care. His eyes glanced up at his grandfather and he said, ¡°Do what you want, Grandpa! I told you, I owe my life to the Montgomery family. I will not betray them in the slightest. It doesn¡¯t matter what your threats are.¡±

    ¡°How dare you talk back to me like that?¡± Old Yamaguchi¡¯s hand was already raised, about to slap Ryuu, but unexpectedly, a hand covered in blood prevented it. The strong and muscular hand was still strong enough to break the old man¡¯s arm. However, he was still kind enough not to do that.

    ¡°Mr. Yamaguchi, I don¡¯t know what honor and family honor you are referring to. However, you are already old. Learn to be wiser,¡± said William softly. Blood was still flowing from his nose and mouth. However, that did not diminish the wise look he exuded. ¡°Young people may indeed be naive. However, they have a code of ethics that cannot be violated. A code of ethics that is as precious as the old principles you have and keep for decades.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t advise me!¡± Yamaguchi snapped again. He wanted to free his hand from William¡¯s grip. However, he realized how strong that man was. With Ryuu on William¡¯s side, Yamaguchi realized that he had lost.

    ¡°Mr. Yamaguchi, there will be a time when the younger generations run the wheels of life, becoming leaders in the big family. What will he be like in the future, that is the result of the education you gave him? So, if you are the one who forbids your grandson from committing crimes on your side, you can be sure what the future of your family will be,¡± added William confidently. His green eyes shone sharply again, looking at old Yamaguchi without even blinking.

    ¡°Grandfather, Akane and Father are the results of your upbringing. They are now on the verge of being jailed for their actions. Let me take a different path, Grandpa!¡±

    ¡°Ryuu!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, I will receive my punishment later. Now, let me treat William¡¯s wound first,¡± Ryuu said.

    Yamaguchi fell silent. He could only watch his grandson lead William away from his room. In his heart, he thought, was what he had done all this time a big mistake?

    ***

    Paula comes home confused. William shouldn¡¯t be going anywhere. It¡¯s already 20:00. He promised to make her dinner. She tried several times to contact William, but his cell phone was unreachable. This was not fair. There must be something bad going on with William.

    ¡°I have to call the police!¡± Paula said. She grabbed her handbag and coat, preparing to leave the apartment.

    Just as she opened the door, it was then that several men in black were already standing before her.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 94

    94 94. Asking for Forgiveness

    Paula was very surprised to find five people in black suits in front of her. They don¡¯t look like good people. Were they the ones who did bad things to William?

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Paula asked with a panicked look as if her heart was about to jump from her throat. Was William all right? Was he dead? Those were the only two questions that were ringing in her head.

    However, Paula¡¯s question was immediately answered moments later. A slant-eyed man supported William¡¯s body, who walked with a limp. What a sight! Her heart skipped beating for a moment.

    ¡°William?¡± Paula rushed to her husband, hugging him very tightly. ¡°I am so worried! I thought our child would grow up without his or her father.¡±

    William smiled weakly, returning Paula¡¯s hug tightly. ¡°Sorry, I took a long time. Are you hungry? Have you eaten yet?¡±

    Paula looked up, her blue eyes drilling deeply into William. ¡°How dare you talk about food when you¡¯re half dead like this. Who dared to hurt you so badly like this?¡± she yelled, looking at the men in black.

    William was about to answer. However, he was aware that the night was getting colder. It¡¯s not good to be outside all the time. ¡°How about we invite our guests to get inside first?¡± He asked then, stroking her silky blond hair lovingly.

    Paula looked around and realized that was what she should have done in the first place. How could she leave her bandaged husband outside, in the cold weather?

    Everyone finally went into Paula¡¯s cramped apartment. Everyone sat cross-legged because Paula didn¡¯t have enough chairs for her six guests.

    .....

    ¡°So you are from the Yamaguchi family?¡± asked Paula calmly even though the fire of anger flashed clearly in her sapphire eyes, making the other person could only lower his head again after trying to raise his head to look at her face.

    ¡°Right. I am Akane¡¯s little brother,¡± Ryuu answered while nodding without lifting his head even a little bit.

    ¡°What do you want? Don¡¯t you realize that this will only add to the list of criminal acts of the Yamaguchi family?¡± Paula asked again, this time her voice rising. Of course, Her question needed no answer. Despite this, Ryuu still nodded and agreed with Paula¡¯s statement.

    ¡°I deeply apologize for the shameless act of my family. Our grandfather should not have involved your husband in this feud,¡± Ryuu said with deep regret. After he got the full story about the problems facing his family and the background of his grandfather¡¯s reckless actions, he realized that old Yamaguchi had gone too far. Even for criminal acts, he shouldn¡¯t involve innocent people.

    Paula couldn¡¯t even put a smile on her face. To her, what the Yamaguchi family had done was completely unforgivable. It was disgusting.

    ¡°Okay, I don¡¯t want to discuss anymore. Everything is very clear and you already admit it. So...¡± Paula paused for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s just get on with the trial.¡±

    Paula¡¯s final words, even though Ryuu had expected them, still felt like lightning to the ear. After his sister and father were proven to have committed a crime, now his grandfather was indeed guilty.

    Ryuu gulped. He didn¡¯t want the family he loved to be destroyed. However, what can be done? Nothing he could do to change the fact.

    ¡°If you allow it, I intend to make a huge investment in your company,¡± Ryuu said then, nodding in doubt.

    ¡°Sorry, I refuse if this is because you want me to drop the charges against your family,¡± Paula answered firmly. She was indeed a foreigner, but she wanted to be treated fairly.

    ¡°This is not to prevent you from dropping the charges. However, I felt embarrassed and wanted to make amends. I hope that, in the future, there will be no animosity between our families,¡± Ryuu insisted. He bowed even deeper, making Paula feel bad for not granting Ryuu¡¯s request.

    Paula turned to her husband, seeing him in a bad state. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t your family have started this from the beginning? How much loss we suffered, the lack of trust between employees, and even now that you guys put my husband in this ... beaten condition... do you wish that those bad things could be erased so easily?¡±

    ¡°Forgive us-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. We are not people who lack money or who desperately need investors. We know how many assets the Yamaguchi family has. What you have to offer is not tempting enough to be considered.¡±

    Ryuu could only lower his head. The shame was unbearable. Paula then stood up and went to her room. She felt too tired to face the Yamaguchi family at this time.

    William and Ryuu looked at each other, then William said, ¡°You guys can come back later ... another time maybe. I don¡¯t think Paula is in a good state right now.¡±

    Ryuu and his men then went home in embarrassment because his apology was not accepted.

    William then went into the room to check on Paula¡¯s condition. In the room, he saw her opening her laptop, going through the information she had just received about a rough estimate of the Yamaguchi family¡¯s fortune.

    ¡°Will, are you okay? I¡¯ll make food and warm drinks for you,¡± Paula said when she realized William had entered the room.

    However, William prevented Paula¡¯s hand from touching the sliding door. He cupped Paula¡¯s face with his cold hands and then looked at her sharply with his emerald eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± William whispered.

    ¡°Hey, why are you the one apologizing?¡± asked Paula with a sad look. ¡°I should be the one apologizing for getting you involved in my business.¡±

    ¡°You are my wife, I want to be involved in your life as much as possible if it can reduce the tension in your head,¡± William whispered again.

    ¡°Will-¡±

    ¡°I want you to relax a little.¡±

    ¡°Will-¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t continue what she was saying because what William did next was lock her lips with his. He was determined to make Paula feel a little more at ease.

 Chapter 95

    95 95. We are One

    The room fell silent. Only the faint sound of kissing and caressing each other could be heard. Paula pulled away from William¡¯s kiss to catch her breath. However, she could only stare at him in silence because he pinned her with his intense gaze.

    ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ll make food for you,¡± William said in a deep voice. Paula was about to stop him but William immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m injured, but I can move well. Especially when it¡¯s just cooking,¡± as if he knew what his wife was thinking. Indeed, for William, Paula was now like an open book. It¡¯s easy to read because he already knew his wife well.

    Paula then sat on a kotatsu chair in the living room, sinking her feet under the electric blankets on the kotatsu table that had been prepared earlier. She was still silent, watching William open the refrigerator to get eggs and crab meat.

    ¡°I know you are very busy and have many things to do,¡± said William while turning on the kitchen blower and electric stove. He cracked the egg and whisked it, while he saut¨¦ed the crab meat in the pan. ¡°But remember, you are pregnant. I don¡¯t want you to stress too much and harm our baby.¡±

    Before long, William was serving crab omelets with mozzarella cheese filling. The savory smell of butter mixed with eggs and grilled cheese should be delicious and make Paula want to devour it immediately. However, for some reason, this time she was not excited to do that. William placed a glass of warm milk beside the omelet plate, asking his wife to quickly warm herself up with it.

    ¡°Eat! You are hungry, no? I told Vanessa that Paula would not miss a meal no matter what the conditions were,¡± said William, daring her to oppose the idea.

    Paula smiled faintly, then she took her knife and fork to cut the omelet, causing the melted cheese to flow onto the white ceramic plate. ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say thank you. Eat it, for you and our baby,¡± William said again with a faint smile. He stared at her with a sad and caring look.

    Paula shoved the omelet into her mouth. It would have been so delicious if what she was staring at wasn¡¯t William¡¯s bruised face. However, as much as possible she tried to keep smiling so as not to disappoint his handsome personal chef. He tried his best to serve the best food for her.

    .....

    She was eating in silence. Sometimes, she stole glances at him, rehearsing what she was about to say to him in her head. However, nothing came out of her mouth.

    After the last bite, Paula then said, ¡°Am I wrong if I don¡¯t like them hurting you? Seeing you like this hurts me so much.¡±

    William sighed a little. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not wrong. It¡¯s just that I was the one who chose to come to Yamaguchi¡¯s house,¡± William answered, tightening his lips, and forming a thin line.

    ¡°Why?¡± Paula¡¯s brows furrowed.

    ¡°Because I want this problem to be over soon,¡± William said again. ¡°I don¡¯t want this problem to drag on so you can relax more.¡±

    Paula said nothing more. She then stood up and walked to the sink to wash her plate and glass.

    Without her noticing, William¡¯s hand had embraced her from behind. She felt his hot nose and lips kiss the back of her neck.

    Paula¡¯s eyes glistened with tears, ready to flow. However, she endured it as hard as she could because she didn¡¯t want him to know.

    ¡°Stop pretending, Paula,¡± William whispered in his wife¡¯s ear. ¡°Stop pretending that you are fine.¡±

    Paula said nothing. However, this time the tears that had been welling up were dripping down the cheeks.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired of seeing you being too hard on yourself as if you have unlimited power as if you will be able to overcome all problems by yourself,¡± William said again, hugging Paula tighter.

    William then turned Paula¡¯s body to face him. He wiped the tears off her cheeks as he said, ¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone told you that you look very beautiful when you cry?¡±

    Paula shook her head. ¡°No one has ever seen me cry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m honored to be the first,¡± William smiled meaningfully, whispering again as he kissed both of her closed eyes one at a time, making her tears flow even harder.

    Patiently, William wiped Paula¡¯s tears away. He then lifted Paula¡¯s buttocks and sat her on the kitchen island. His legs slipped between her thighs and brought his body closer to hers, pushing her skirt to roll up and reveal all of her smooth thighs.

    William rubbed Paula¡¯s wet cheek with his thumb, then he whispered. ¡°Cry if you feel like crying. Cry when your burden is so heavy. Cry so I know you¡¯re not okay.¡±

    Paula¡¯s lips trembled. Unknowingly, she ran her tongue through her lips. William couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, he got closer and replaced her tongue with his.

    Paula¡¯s eyes closed as William¡¯s hand cupped her nape. Even though they had rehearsed this scene many times, now it felt different because he did it when she was at the weakest state, revealing all her pretense.

    The woman was tired of all the burden she had. However, she still tried to look fine for the sake of her father and the employees.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you want to look strong. However, at least share your problems with me. I¡¯m your husband. The person you told him you love him,¡± William whispered as he parted away from her lips. ¡°I¡¯m the one, baby!¡±

    Paula nodded but no words left her parted lips. It was then, William, again, pressed his lips against hers, feeling those soft lips with his. His tongue then entered her and sipped all the sweetness that was there. Only occasional moans and groans escaped their lips.

    Paula¡¯s hand then pulled William¡¯s waist to get closer to her. The kiss got hotter, making both of them breathless.

    William then pulled away from his kiss and said, ¡°Share your burden with me. Because from now on and forever, we are one.¡±

 Chapter 96

    96 96. Not Only For Now*

    William¡¯s hot breath fanned Paula¡¯s still-wet face. She could only see the blurry image of her husband due to the tears.

    ¡°I want you forever by my side, Paula,¡± he said in a hoarse voice. The words penetrated her heart.

    William then licked and bit her earlobe. Paula gasped, trying to get some air to fill her lungs. ¡°William... you are currently injured.¡±

    Paula was no longer able to say anything because by now William had buried his face in her smooth, flawless neck. If Paula hadn¡¯t prevented him from leaving kiss marks there, he would have marked her smooth neck all over.

    ¡°I¡¯m wounded, but I can still make you scream my name out loud,¡± William whispered as he licked Paula¡¯s right earlobe, making her scream in joy.

    ¡°But, you should take a rest,¡± Paula objected, worrying about his condition. How could an injured person have the urge to have sex?

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I promise to give you something better than a quickie?¡± William insisted, looking at Paula with his dark emerald eyes. ¡°In case you¡¯re forgetting, I remind you that you were asked to be fucked at the office.¡±

    William again pressed his lips against Paula¡¯s nape, kissing softly and licking, making her eyes close to enjoy his soft stimulation. His hot breath made the cold air warmer. Her hands gripped his shoulders tightly to keep her from touching anything dangerous near the sink.

    By the time William¡¯s hot lips had reached her cleavage, Paula¡¯s ability to think had diminished drastically. She could only refuse with a groan that indicated that she wanted to continue even further. Unable to stop the sweet temptation.

    .....

    William¡¯s hands skillfully opened Paula¡¯s shirt and loosened her bra in an instant. Two bloated breasts and protruding nipples appeared beautifully before him. He brought his hands to fondle them and then squeezed them with the right touch. He brought his mouth to sip on her full, plump breasts, leaving a fresh red mark between the other faded kiss marks.

    William¡¯s tongue gently played with Paula¡¯s right nipple, while his right fingers pressed her left nipple with great care. Nobody knew how long he played his favorite spot, making her core twitch, being tormented enjoyably.

    Paula¡¯s eyes opened as William¡¯s hands entered her skirt, touching her clit through the soft fabric of her panties. His fingers brushed against the wet spot on her panties, sending a weak electric current through her body. A delicious groan escaped from her small lips, calling out William¡¯s name in between her erotic moans.

    ¡°Will, you are torturing me ....¡± Paula¡¯s sapphire eyes were full of tears now, but not tears of sadness.

    William smiled faintly and whispered, ¡°Wait a minute,¡± in a hoarse and deep voice. Paula knew William was also fighting his desires. Paula¡¯s thighs could feel how hard his shaft was from under his jeans.

    William slid his fingers into Paula¡¯s panties, searching for the sensitive button that had swollen from his touch. His fingers toyed with her clit until she felt that she was about to orgasm with nothing entering her.

    ¡°Hold on, let¡¯s add some more stimulation,¡± William whispered as he continued to kiss Paula¡¯s cheek. He then pressed her clit with his right thumb and inserted his left index finger into her core which was already wet because of being aroused. He moved his fingers gently, not too forceful, not too hard. He played well, sometimes slow and sometimes fast.

    Paula moaned, holding her breath as William finger-fucked her hole gently. The stimulation that William gave gradually increased, making Paula unable to hold back the waves.

    ¡°Will, I am going to come!¡±

    ¡°Come for me, baby! Come!¡±

    Paula screamed and let out a long howl as a wave of orgasm hit her body powerfully. Her hands grabbed William¡¯s hair, holding him so she wouldn¡¯t fall backward.

    ¡°William...!!!¡±

    Paula felt her body was boneless. She threw herself forward to be supported by William¡¯s body. She was panting, still feeling light from the incredible climax that had just hit her.

    As her strength slowly recovered, Paula straightened her back. Her eyes met his, who looked at her wistfully with a light smile that strengthened the masculine appearance on his bruised face.

    ¡°I love you, Will,¡± Paula whispered with a coy smile. Her face flushed red, her body still feeling hot and light.

    ¡°Because of the great orgasm?¡± asked William, teasing her playfully.

    ¡°Of course not-¡±

    Before she could finish answering his question, he lifted her butt and carried her to the room. Her arms wrapped around his neck while she rested her head on his broad chest. Her legs wrapped around his waist, holding him tight so she wouldn¡¯t fall. Even though he was injured, he was still able to carry her with no difficulty, as if her body was only as heavy as a bird¡¯s feather.

    Slowly, William laid Paula down on the bed as if her body was very fragile and easily broken. Meanwhile, he sat on his knees between her opened thighs. He lifted her legs to easily remove her skirt and panties. He also slowly removed her shirt and bra which still hung loosely on her slender body.

    ¡°Perfectly beautiful,¡± William whispered through his dark emerald eyes.

    Seeing Paula¡¯s belly, William paused to rub it affectionately. He intensely looked at her beautiful sapphire blue eyes, penetrating deep into her soul.

    ¡°I want the baby to grow up healthy,¡± William whispered with a hopeful face.

    ¡°Me too,¡± Paula replied, smiling faintly.

    William then proceeded to take off his shirt, showing off his beautiful body that was like a sculpture of the Apollo statue. Even though Paula had seen the man in front of her naked countless times, she always admired his beauty as if she was seeing him for the first time.

    This time, William¡¯s body was covered in bruises and bandages. However, that does not reduce the impression of an enchanting appearance. Paula even felt that he looked manly.

    When William was about to take off his pants, Paula held her man¡¯s hand. She wanted to take it off by herself. One of her favorite things to do was strip William naked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take this pleasure away from me,¡± Paula said, her eyes glinting mischievously at her husband. She then pushed her husband back so he was lying on his back, looking up at her in awe.

    ¡°You are very beautiful! So perfect!¡± William said admiringly. Not only in his mouth, but his deep admiration also flashed in his eyes sincerely.

    ¡°Are you saying this to get the full service from me?¡± asked Paula, teasing back to him. She lifted her eyebrows, provoking William by biting her lower lip.

    ¡°Of course not-¡±

    Paula then covered William¡¯s mouth with hers, making him unable to finish his words. Her hands took off his jeans and lowered them with his help.

    Before long, William was completely naked, showing off his long shaft pointing toward Paula. She then rubbed the soft skin covering his long shaft with her lean fingers and then brought it to her mouth. She could only take half of his manhood, for the other half, she used her hands to stroke it so that William felt the perfect sensation.

    William closed his eyes in a long and delicious groan, feeling every inch he entered Paula¡¯s mouth in a way he couldn¡¯t give it to any other woman. His hands gathered her loose hair, tying it with his hands to make her do the blow job easily.

    Paula moved her tongue all over the surface of his manhood, making the sensation even stronger. William¡¯s body shivered from the stimulation.

    ¡°Paula, you¡¯re getting better at it,¡± William groaned as he opened his eyes, and then closed them again, enjoying every touch Paula gave him.

    Paula didn¡¯t answer, only teased William more by strengthening the suction now and then, then relaxing, playing it with a changing rhythm.

    However, William did not want to enjoy it alone. His fingers traced Paula¡¯s thighs, rising to find her wet slit that was still sensitive to touch.

    Paula flinched as William circled her core, then rubbed her clit tenderly. The two of them raced to stimulate each other, and challenged each other, who lasted longer?

    As William¡¯s forefinger entered Paula¡¯s tight hole and bent it to find her sweet spot, she responded by sucking his shaft firmly.

    ¡°Oh, stop!¡± William yelled, panting. ¡°Don¡¯t make me come first!¡±

    He then cupped Paula¡¯s face with both hands to stop her from sucking his dick. His lips pressed against hers, then open-mouthed kissed her cheeks, her jawline, and also her neck. William then returned to kiss her on the lips more ferociously. His tongue barged in and danced with hers, producing lewd sounds, and emanating them to the entire room.

    They groaned and moaned together in each other¡¯s mouths. Enjoying every passionate kiss they shared.

    William rubbed the side of Paula¡¯s cheek again while continuing to kiss her hard but gently at the same time. Without breaking the kiss, he rubbed his shaft onto her wet slit, tormenting her swollen clit. The stimulation was too much for her. She was impatient. She needed him inside, right now.

    ¡°William-¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t have time to protest. William had completely shoved his manhood into her slick opening. She shrieked from the incredible sensation as her hole was filled completely with his huge cock. Their eyes stared at each other deeply, connecting their body and soul at the same time.

    ¡°I love you, Paula!¡±

    ¡°I love you more, baby!¡±

    Seconds later, they were moving in unison. Jerking their hips in rhythm.

 Chapter 97

    97 97. Riding Her Hubby*

    Paula reversed position. She was on top, riding her husband like a cowgirl. She moved her hips freely, enjoying the feeling of William¡¯s manhood from above.

    Paula was feeling full. Full of William¡¯s manhood inside her. He filled her in a way that no other man could. He was completely hers ... and she was his.

    Paula rested her hands on William¡¯s chest to support her weight. She felt William¡¯s heart beating fast, in sync with hers. They both moved in rhythm, moaning together, enjoying every inch that he gave her.

    ¡°So beautiful! You are like an angel,¡± said William with a sincere sweet smile.

    Paula wanted to close her eyes and enjoyed the stimulation. However, she fought the urge to see his expression clearly. She wanted to know the way she made him feel. She loved to see how William stared at her in awe as if she were the most beautiful creature in the world.

    She had never been treated like this. She felt like beautiful poetry ... a masterpiece of art that he adored with all his heart.

    She moved up and down to meet his thrust. Sometimes she did it painfully slowly, sometimes fast. They made that lewd voice together.

    His hips moved as he kept thrusting deeper and faster into her core. When Paula felt close to climax, William¡¯s hands held her waist tightly. He made her ride a bigger wave of pleasure.

    ¡°Will, I want to continue with this but I feel dizzy,¡± Paula said breathlessly, moving up and down, making sure William¡¯s cock didn¡¯t come out of her slippery hole.

    .....

    ¡°Come here, hug me!¡± William opened his arms, welcoming Paula¡¯s body towards him.

    Paula¡¯s arms lingered around William¡¯s neck. Their bare chests met, pressing each other, making their nipples touch, and flowing erotic yet romantic sensations. William¡¯s thrust became faster and faster, helping Paula not to get tired of moving.

    ¡°Will, I am close!¡± Paula exclaimed in a stifled voice.

    Her walls tightened, squeezing his shaft strongly. He quickened his thrust, placing one of his hands to rub her swollen clit.

    Paula couldn¡¯t think anymore. All she knew right now: her hole was extremely full. It was filled in by his swollen cock.

    When her walls milked him as if her life depended on it, that¡¯s when William felt close to his climax. His movements became even more erratic, only jabbing and thrusting into her wet yet tight hole.

    ¡°William, I¡¯m coming!¡± Paula¡¯s head jerked back. She shook her hips, keeping up with William¡¯s sloppy thrust.

    ¡°Paula!¡± William moaned in pleasure, spilling all his seeds inside her. He kept jerking, emptying his load completely.

    Paula was exhausted, her head still spinning from the powerful orgasm. She swayed on top of William, letting him support her entire weight. Of course, William welcomed her with pleasure. He enjoyed being pressed by her soft body.

    ¡°Do you want more?¡± asked William under his erratic breath.

    Paula shook her head quickly. ¡°In your dream!¡± She refused because her husband needed to take the rest no matter what.

    Seconds later, Paula rested her head against William¡¯s chest, enjoying some relaxing time after their mind-blowing sex. She closed her eyes but did not sleep.

    ¡°I never knew you could hit people. Dad told me about your past-the delinquent-but I didn¡¯t expect it to be like this,¡± Paula said, holding back the tightness in her chest. Her hands traced the wounds on William¡¯s body. ¡°You must be reckless, fighting many people by yourself, right?¡±

    Paula¡¯s hand then touched the bandaged part on William¡¯s arm and stroked it gently. Tears welled up in her eyes again.

    ¡°Paula, maybe ... there¡¯s one thing you don¡¯t know about me,¡± William said as he touched Paula¡¯s cheek, stroking it as if she were a thin glass that would break easily. ¡°In the past, this kind of thing was not unusual for me. Beating the bad guys was my cup of tea. That¡¯s how I met him ... Ryuu Yamaguchi.¡±

    Paula¡¯s eyes narrowed, unable to imagine that Ryuu and William had connected before this incident. No wonder Ryuu¡¯s behavior was different from that of the rest of his family. William then continued the story about himself and Ryuu in detail so that Paula would understand Ryuu¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Are you sure he won¡¯t intend to harm us?¡± Paula asked again. However, the experience with Miyuki taught her a special lesson. ¡°Sometimes you can¡¯t trust everyone, Will.¡±

    ¡°I see, you are still traumatized. Miyuki did that because she misunderstood your dad¡¯s kindness. But I hope you will consider Ryuu¡¯s offer because after all, I don¡¯t think his offer is a bad one. And ... Ryuu has his own money.¡±

    What Ryuu had to offer was tempting. What¡¯s more, he offered it to Paula with his own assets, things he built himself, apart from his grandfather. William also explained that Ryuu didn¡¯t like it when he had to be in his grandfather¡¯s shadow all the time, as if he was useless. He planned to break free someday.

    ¡°He always pretended to be stupid in front of his grandfather and father so they wouldn¡¯t suspect that he was building an underground power,¡± William explained further.

    After Paula understood Ryuu¡¯s situation, it was then that the tension on her face began to lessen. A peaceful smile appeared on her pretty face.

    ¡°I¡¯m so grateful because Ryuu turned out to be a man,¡± she said as she narrowed her eyes, pinching William¡¯s nose fondly.

    ¡°Why?¡± asked William, feigning ignorance. He smiled at her playfully.

    ¡°What happens if you save a pretty innocent girl and she owes you a debt,¡± Paula whispered, leaning closer to William¡¯s face with a possessive look that William had never seen before.

    ¡°Oh, now have you turned out to be a possessive and jealous wife?¡± William asked, laughing gleefully, pinching Paula¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m a man who has no money. No woman will target me.¡±

    Paula shook her head quickly. ¡°I know why some men keep their beautiful wives at home. They must be afraid of their wives being taken by any other men.¡±

    William was wide-eyed. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Paula! Do you plan to lock me up at home now?¡±

 Chapter 98

    98 98. How to Keep an Eye on Your Partner

    Paula laughed out loud. ¡°What if I do?¡± she teased him again. She wanted to make him angry even more.

    ¡°Baby, that¡¯s not funny at all!¡± protested William, this time he was really annoyed. If only his current condition had been better, he would have punished her with all-night sex. He would make her scream all night long. She would beg him to stop.

    Paula smiled, stroking his jawline tenderly. ¡°You are not my property, Will! We are equal. I have no right to lock you up in the house,¡± Paula whispered softly. ¡°I like it when you sacrifice yourself for me ... hurt for me. That¡¯s very manly.¡±

    Paula¡¯s hand then moved, gently touching William¡¯s soft manhood. ¡°However, I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt again.¡±

    Cold sweat drenched William¡¯s forehead. At this moment, Paula¡¯s face looked scary.

    ¡°If you are letting your sexy body unnecessarily wound again, I will make sure that this part of yours will not enter my hole ever again,¡± said Paula with a serious look on her face, making William shudder.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± William gulped and didn¡¯t want to argue with his wife because it was getting late. He was tired and wanted to rest soon. Paula fell asleep in William¡¯s arms. She also decided to call the night off, enjoying her husband¡¯s soothing embrace.

    ***

    Five days later, Paula was surprised by a business proposal from Ryuu Yamaguchi. The man offers interesting business cooperation. She was tempted by the proposal, of cooperation with a well-known jewelry designer in Japan for a project this spring. A reasonable and unhurried project. They could evaluate the project to make a mature concept.

    .....

    Paula then called the designer team for a short-notice meeting. After all, she should discuss things like this with the others.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Paula asked hopefully. However, since the dismissal of Freya and the appointment of Ken as team leader, they have been short on personnel.

    ¡°I¡¯m very happy to be able to work with Megumi Miyazawa,¡± Ken said excitedly. ¡°She is my idol, she was a great senior designer.¡±

    ¡°Right! I also agree with Ken,¡± Himawari agreed.

    ¡°I think I will learn a lot from her,¡± added Misa.

    After getting a great response from the team, Paula then called her new personal assistant to immediately schedule a meeting with Ryuu Yamaguchi.

    ¡°William, please schedule a meeting with young Yamaguchi tomorrow at 9 AM. I want to quickly discuss this interesting business with him,¡± said Paula with her usual professional tone.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± William answered seriously. He had a lot of troublesome work to do in his first week at work. ¡°So do you like Ryuu¡¯s proposal?¡± he asked again, to make sure of something.

    ¡°Of course, I like this,¡± Paula replied with a slightly sinister smile. ¡°However, I wonder, how did this young Yamaguchi know how to attract my interest ... so impossibly quickly with his proposal? The way he made it is really according to my taste. Everything he¡¯s laying out makes me think like he¡¯s paying Monica to evaluate this proposal?¡± Paula asked, furrowing her brows, squinting sharply at her husband ... oh ... personal assistant.

    William¡¯s eyes wandered elsewhere, refusing to look at Paula. He did evaluate the proposal Ryuu gave him before that young Japanese entrepreneur sent it to her. He never thought that Paula would easily sniff out what he was doing behind her back.

    ¡°Is this personal assistant of mine secretly in cahoots with that young Yamaguchi?¡±

    ¡°Paula, you misunderstood. I was just giving him general advice. Didn¡¯t help him in detail,¡± William defended himself.

    Paula then burst out laughing at her new assistant¡¯s terrified reaction. ¡°Okay! Next time, don¡¯t do it in secret. I¡¯m getting suspicious, right?¡± she said.

    ¡°Okay. In that case, I will prepare a formal sample proposal and give it to each of our prospective clients,¡± said William seriously. He had been thinking about this for a long time. However, he had no chance to discuss it with her.

    ¡°Not a bad idea at all,¡± Paula replied with a satisfied smile. She did not expect that William could be relied upon to help her in the office.

    William smiled happily. Apparently, Paula really likes his job. He was almost excellent.

    ¡°So, did I pass the probationary period to still be able to work here?¡± asked William again, hopefully.

    Paula nodded. Making William her personal assistant was a win-win solution. She could watch William¡¯s every move all day long without feeling guilty about holding him down.

    She thought she had to take advantage of all the potential that William had. That would be much more useful than letting him get into trouble on the streets with the young Yamaguchi who was suddenly clinging to him.

    ¡°Oh! What¡¯s the rest of my schedule this afternoon?¡± asked Paula again while fixing some messy documents on the table.

    ¡°At 3:30 p.m., you have a meeting with Robert to report on the latest developments, at 16:30 the advertising company that we have hired will visit to discuss the advertising content we want,¡± William replied, reading out Paula¡¯s schedule formally.

    ¡°Just that?¡± Paula asked again.

    ¡°At 7:30 p.m., you have a schedule to cook dinner with your husband and then spend the night with him. Don¡¯t forget you have to wear the red lingerie he just bought you yesterday,¡± William added in a professional voice that was the complete opposite of what he was stating.

    ¡°William Montgomery, do I have to fire you your first week on the job?¡± Paula asked, annoyed.

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. Because you will never find a perfect personal assistant who will help you 24/7 like me.¡±

    Inevitably, Paula laughed at him. How could William say something like that? She was very annoyed because William¡¯s existence really helped her.

    William smiled triumphantly. For him, the job offer from Paula was very exciting because he could take care of his pregnant wife 24 hours a day. He could help Paula inside and out. Sharing loads of work in a fun way.

    During the day he helped his wife in the office to fill out envelopes. At night, he would fill his wife with pleasure.

 Chapter 99

    99 99. The Money

    Lea and Sarah were now in the patient room. Lea¡¯s mother¡¯s heart transplant operation was successful, their mother regained consciousness after the operation. It¡¯s just that their mother still needed to be monitored for her postoperative condition. They were still waiting for the doctors to let their mother go home.

    Lea looked at her mother with relief and pleasure. In the end, her mother underwent surgery. The weight on her shoulders lessened a bit. Although there was a mystery to be solved, about how Sarah got the money for the operation, Lea decided to put the matter aside first.

    So did Sarah. The most important thing was their mother¡¯s health. The image of her fight with Lea still flashed when her sister found out that the operation was about to be performed. She refused to tell Lea where the money for the surgery was coming from.

    Sarah said she would say everything when their mother finished the operation to stop the fight. Lea gave in temporarily. She decided to call it a week. They then focused on supporting their mother¡¯s healing.

    ¡°Just rest, we will visit you again next time,¡± said Lea, hugging her mother tightly.

    ¡°I and Lea will go home now. Are you okay being alone here?¡± Sarah asked, hugging her mother tightly. ¡°You should have a lot of rest to get well soon.¡±

    ¡°I am very happy because I can recover and want to go home soon, and meet all of you again,¡± said their mom, in a low tone.

    They all once again hug each other. Lea and Sarah then stepped out of the room. As fast as possible.

    Lea still wanted to spend time with her mother. However, she had a bigger fish to fry: interrogating Sarah.

    .....

    As soon as they were outside, Lea immediately grabbed Sarah¡¯s arm and gripped it tightly, ¡°Until when are you going to delay telling me the truth?¡±

    ¡°Lea, it hurts!¡± Sarah pushed Lea¡¯s hand roughly, her sister had hurt her. However, Lea still gripped Sarah¡¯s left arm firmly. ¡°Let me go!¡±

    ¡°Tell me, where did you get the two million dollars from?¡± Lea asked, squinting at her sister. she refused to let go of her grip on Sarah¡¯s arm. ¡°Did you borrow from a loan shark? Like you said days ago?¡±

    ¡°No, Lea! Don¡¯t accuse me. Do you think I¡¯m that stupid?¡± Sarah defended herself.

    ¡°Unfortunately, you did want to borrow the money from them. Do you have to admit that you are stupid?¡± said Lea with a sneer on her face.

    Of course, Lea¡¯s words made Sarah angry. She raised her free hand, nearly slapping Lea. Luckily, she was able to restrain herself because she remembered the crime she had committed. She lied to her sister and sold the baby.

    Sarah looked away from her sister¡¯s sharp gaze. ¡°I will tell you everything. We need ... to find a place to talk first.¡±

    They went to a cafe close to the lobby. Sarah¡¯s face was pale and tense. Sweat was pouring down her temples, making Lea sure that Sarah was doing something she didn¡¯t like.

    To reduce tension, Lea ordered two cups of coffee for her and her sister. Her eyes refused to leave Sarah as she placed the cups on the table. She shoved one of the cups to Sarah while she rested her bottom against the black couch.

    ¡°You¡¯re not selling ...,¡± Lea asked with concern, she wanted to ask if Sarah was selling herself. Her eyes now looked at her sister with pity. Just now, it occurred to her that it was very likely that Sarah had sold herself to a rich man to get that much money.

    The damsel in distress, selling herself to a billionaire. It sounds dramatic, but reality sometimes forces people to do that. ¡°You don¡¯t sell yourself, right?¡± Finally, the contents of her head were spoken clearly.

    Sarah just shook her head. She didn¡¯t sell herself. However, she did much worse than that. ¡°I ... I got the money from Mrs. Decker.¡±

    For a moment, Lea wanted to ask who Mrs. Decker was. However, her suspicions pointed to Clara. ¡°Who did you say? Mrs. Decker?¡± Lea demanded frantically.

    Lea only realized she was holding her breath when her sister squeezed her fingers tightly. Her face turned pale. She turned her face again to Sarah, full of fear. Both women were pale-faced, for different reasons.

    ¡°Mrs. Decker is Clara¡¯s mother ... Clara Decker,¡± Sarah stopped as she noticed Lea¡¯s face was getting paler, ¡°she owns this hospital.¡±

    Lea pulled her hand to cover her mouth. Her brows furrowed, her eyes on Sarah as if hoping that today was April 1st. However, the cold air and the winter coat worn by those around them indicated that it was a cold December. Not the warm April.

    Sarah gulped, staring blankly at the hot coffee in the paper cup in her hand. The coffee was still steamy, it would have warmed her up if she drank it. However, right now, Sarah had no urge to take a sip even if her throat felt dry.

    ¡°Why did she lend you that much money?¡± Lea asked. She only realized that her body was shaking when the words she spoke sounded halted, so heavy to say.

    Sarah looked down, swallowing hard. ¡°She gave me the money. Not lending.¡±

    Lightning struck Lea¡¯s ear. People don¡¯t give that much money for free. Moreover, she was the one who ruined her daughter¡¯s happiness.

    ¡°What did you give in return?¡± asked Lea in a trembling voice. Her lips are now without lipstick and look white. If you didn¡¯t know what was going on, people would think Lea was cold right now. ¡°What did Mrs. Decker ask of you?¡±

    Sarah looked away. she then replied in a whisper, ¡°Your baby....¡±

    Lea¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Liar!¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Decker asked for your baby in exchange,¡± Sarah whispered, looking down. She then raised her head, looking at Lea with a face full of regret. Her mouth opened to say sorry, but no words came out. Her eyes were glistening, tears were ready to fall down her cheeks.

    A second later, Sarah felt a heavy slap on her cheek. She knew Lea would do that to her. However, she was determined to accept whatever punishment Lea threw at her. She did it for her mother.

    Lea immediately stood up and left, taking her handbag clumsily. Her bag nudged the coffee cup on the table, letting the hot, dark liquid run down the table. However, Lea didn¡¯t care about that. She didn¡¯t care about anything anymore. She couldn¡¯t bear to be around Sarah for long. Just a minute longer around her, she might just throw a mad tantrum at her sister.

    Lea ran away from her already sobbing sister, wiping her tears from her cheeks.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lea!¡± Sarah whispered, to herself.

    ***

    Lea played on the phone randomly. Her mind was blank, staring at the crumpled agreement letter lying on the floor.

    While still chasing William, she even thought of aborting the baby in her womb. But now, it turned out that she was very angry when her sister sold her future baby to the Decker family.

    The agreement letter with the Decker family that Sarah illegally signed, made her understand that she was not willing to give up her child to anyone else. The baby was not Clara¡¯s. No matter what, the baby was hers.

    She had lost her love. There was only her baby that she had now. She planned to raise the baby without Dave.

    Lea had locked herself in the room. It had been two days since her fight with Sarah. She still didn¡¯t want to talk to her sister. Her heart was still in pain. For some reason.

    She heard the front door open in her cramped room, followed by Sarah¡¯s greeting sound. Lea then heard her sisters talking. They asked Sarah when their mother was coming home.

    Sarah said that their mother¡¯s health was still being monitored at the hospital. They could visit their mother on Saturday and Sunday. The kids cheered with joy since they haven¡¯t seen their mother for a long time.

    Sarah knocked on Lea¡¯s bedroom door, her hand carrying a box of Chinese fried noodles and warm milk for her sister. ¡°Lea, eat. I don¡¯t want you to get sick. Remember that you have a bun to feed, Lea!¡±

    No answer. Lea didn¡¯t know what to say. She didn¡¯t know anymore. She only left the room when Sarah wasn¡¯t home to take food supplies.

    ¡°Lea, don¡¯t get sick! You haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday, have you? I brought your favorite food,¡± Sarah shouted again. ¡°Don¡¯t be like a child! Get out! We have to talk.¡±

    Because there was no answer from her sister, Sarah finally gave up. She returned to the kitchen in despair. She slammed the food and drink onto the table, causing the milk to spill onto the table.

    Sarah just looked at Lea¡¯s room with blank look. She couldn¡¯t let all this drag on. Therefore, she was determined to meet Lea tonight. She would be waiting at the door of Lea¡¯s room.

    Sarah waited for hours in front of her sister¡¯s room until she fell asleep for a moment, leaning her back against the wall, close to the room door. Sure enough, right at midnight, Lea¡¯s door opened.

    Instantly, Sarah was startled. She was meeting her sister¡¯s gaze who gasped to see her waiting for her outside the room.

    ¡°Lea, let¡¯s talk!¡±

 Chapter 100

    100 100. Meeting with Mrs. Decker

    Lea was very upset to find her sister waiting for her at the door. She then took Sarah as a passing breeze and headed straight for the kitchen to make hot chocolate.

    ¡°Lea, we are no longer children. Stop acting like this,¡± Sarah warned her sister.

    ¡°Maybe I am childish, but at least I am not violating anyone¡¯s rights,¡± Lea replied, irritably stirring the cup filled with chocolate and hot milk. ¡°Just do your tasks. Don¡¯t fail this semester. It will hurt our financial situation even more.¡±

    ¡°Lea, I¡¯m sorry! You know I¡¯m doing this for our mother,¡± Sarah argued in a raised voice, very likely to be heard by their sleeping siblings.

    Lea stopped stirring the hot chocolate and milk in her cup. Her face turned to Sarah with a stiff look. ¡°Then, do you think I don¡¯t care about mom?¡± Lea asked, glaring at her little sister. She didn¡¯t want to be belittled by Sarah.

    Sarah¡¯s face tensed up. ¡°I know you¡¯re trying too. But, don¡¯t be offended if I say that you lack courage.¡±

    ¡°We try our best,¡± whispered Lea, barely audible. ¡°In a different way.¡±

    ¡°Huh, even though you didn¡¯t even want to borrow money from William if I didn¡¯t ask you to,¡± Sarah sneered, annoyingly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to think of the best way! Don¡¯t judge me!¡±

    .....

    ¡°Just because you¡¯re older doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t judge you,¡± Sarah said again. She felt that her sister was indeed childish and slow to make decisions. ¡°From the beginning, you did not understand what priority meant. That¡¯s why you still think long and hard even though your mother¡¯s life is at stake.¡±

    ¡°Sarah! How dare you!¡±

    ¡°Then what do you do as a good person? Did you borrow money from William? Or his wealthy family?¡± Sarah asked, her voice rising. Her eyes, which were red because of sleepiness, were now red with anger. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to borrow some money from William¡¯s wife? She took your man. At least, she must be willing to lend you some money, right?¡±

    There was silence because Lea didn¡¯t want to answer Sarah¡¯s question. She didn¡¯t know what to do back then.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even want to take risks by borrowing money from loan sharks,¡± Sarah added. She then took an empty glass and filled it with tap water. She gulped a few times to calm her emotions.

    Sarah pulled up a chair, then sat down to extinguish the burning in her chest. ¡°When I found out that it was Mrs. Decker who mistook me for you, I assumed it was an answer from God. A miracle.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bring God¡¯s name with your criminal act!¡± Lea snapped. Sarah was too holy to think she was a saint who was given a miracle to save her mother.

    Sarah snorted in annoyance. One corner of her lips curved upwards, sneering at Lea¡¯s act of pretense. ¡°If only you were kidnapped and brought before Mrs. Decker, I knew you would refuse her offers. That is why I have decided to carry out this pact on your behalf.¡±

    Lea took a sip of the hot chocolate in her hand, staring blankly at the air before her. Indeed, she admitted everything Sarah said was the truth. She would definitely reject such an agreement.

    ¡°Look! You don¡¯t really want that child in your womb, do you?¡± Sarah asked curtly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you never thought of aborting the baby to chase after William. I know who you are.¡±

    ¡°Whether I want it or not, this is still my baby, my own flesh and blood,¡± Lea turned, looking at anything but Sarah.

    Sarah smiled wryly. ¡°Who is more important to you? Your mom or your bastard?¡±

    ¡°My baby is not a bastard!¡± Lea snapped, her hand rising, ready to slap Sarah again. However, this time Sarah fended it off because she had predicted Lea¡¯s actions when her child was called a bastard.

    Lea bit her lip furiously. Sarah didn¡¯t know how to be a mother. How could she say such a cold statement?

    ¡°One day you will definitely know what it¡¯s like to be a mother and how you just don¡¯t want to let it go!¡±

    Lea stood up from the table, carrying her hot chocolate into the room. She locked the door to make sure Sarah didn¡¯t barge in. She had made a unanimous decision. She didn¡¯t want to give up her baby to be given to someone else.

    ***

    The next day, Lea left the room to make her sisters an omelet and bacon. Her face was very cheerful, not showing the slightest bit of anxiety. Sarah felt very suspicious but she didn¡¯t say anything. For her, it was enough if Lea was willing to leave the room as usual instead of locking herself up like two days ago.

    Sometime later, after everyone left for their schools, Lea immediately tidied herself up. She immediately ordered an Uber to meet Mrs. Decker. She had made an appointment with Clara¡¯s mother. As soon as Linda heard Lea¡¯s name, no matter how sudden it was, Linda Decker immediately made time.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Mrs. Decker!¡± said Lea with a polite smiling face. ¡°Thank you for making time for me.¡±

    Linda looked taken aback, squinting a few times to confirm her view. She wasn¡¯t sure if her eyes were correct. However, why did the woman before her look different from the woman she had spoken to a few days ago?

    ¡°Lea Kane?¡± asked Linda to make sure again.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m Lea Kane,¡± Lea replied, still standing over Linda.

    Linda shook her head and laughed confusedly. ¡°Is it because you wear different clothes?¡± asked Linda, trying to analyze the situation. ¡°I think you look more mature than when we first met.¡±

    Lea then said, ¡°This is our first meeting.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve met before, haven¡¯t we?¡±

    Lea smiled lightly. ¡°Do you mean when you kidnapped my sister and asked her to sign this agreement?¡±

    Linda looked even more confused. ¡°Pardon?¡±

    With a sigh, Lea then said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I have to say this. The one you kidnapped back then was Sarah. My sister. Not me.¡± Lea then opened her wallet and showed her photo together with Sarah.

    Linda¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°You and your sister?¡±

    Lea nodded weakly. ¡°The two of us looked alike. People often get the wrong idea. Especially people who are seeing us for the first time.¡±

    Linda looked dazed, she shook her head, feeling that Lea¡¯s words were not true. However, it was an obvious truth.

    ¡°So I asked the wrong person to sign this agreement?¡± Linda asked, still in disbelief. She gave a wry laugh, she thought she had done the right thing without any trouble.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Because it¡¯s not me, so this agreement is completely invalid.¡± Lea smiled calmly, shoving the documents to Linda.

    ¡°You .... You two are trying to trick me on purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡± accused Linda with darkened eyes. She pointed at Lea as if Lea was deliberately committing a crime. ¡°You just want to take my money, right? Without fulfilling my request? Damn it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, weren¡¯t you the one who kidnapped Sarah first? Who was doing a planned crime here?¡± Lea asked, making Linda feel very cornered.

    Linda then laughed bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s useless. Whatever you say, this document is in your name. Not your sister. And I have also checked that the signature on it is the same as the one you usually put.¡±

    ¡°Too bad, I can prove that the signature is fake, whether with professional help or not,¡± Lea said with a calm smile.

    To be honest, she was insecure. She never met Linda. However, given the good current state, she felt that Linda would be easy to deal with.

    ¡°I will return all the money you gave us. Stop sending charity to my family. I don¡¯t need it,¡± Lea paused, regularly exhaling and inhaling, ¡°because I would never give up my baby to you ... or Clara.¡±

    ¡°No! You can¡¯t do that!¡± Linda yelled frantically. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Lea! I beg you!¡±

    Lea shook her head. She apologized to Linda and was about to leave in front of the middle-aged woman.

    However, soon Linda stopped Lea¡¯s steps. ¡°Lea, I¡¯m doing this for an important reason!¡±

    Lea shook her head again, ¡°For me, my child is the most important thing. There is no other reason that is more important than my child right now.¡±

    ¡°Lea, please! I¡¯ll do anything in return. Please, don¡¯t cancel this agreement,¡± Linda begged pitifully. She looked at Lea with utter despair.

    Lea looked at Linda with a sad face. If only now Linda had asked her to work for the Decker family for life, Lea would have been able to grant it. However, unfortunately not.

    ¡°Please, Lea!¡± Linda took Lea¡¯s hand and gripped her arm tightly. ¡°Clara insisted on canceling the wedding with Dave. However, my husband forced Clara to stay married to Dave because it was a business marriage. A marriage of convenience.¡±

    ¡°Then what does this have to do with my baby?¡± Lea asked again with annoyance.

    Linda looked nervous. Should she have said that Clara¡¯s womb would not be able to bear a child?

 Chapter 101

    101 101. Moms¡¯ Talk

    ¡°I am very sorry that my carelessness caused Clara to suffer. However, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll just hand over this child to Clara,¡± continued Lea, holding back the emotional turmoil in her chest. ¡°You are also a mother yourself, aren¡¯t you? What if you were in my position?¡±

    Linda gasped as if she was struck by lightning. Lea¡¯s words cornered her. Lea was still a naive mother. In ten years, she would probably know that many mothers in this world only care about the happiness of their children.

    ¡°A mother should be more concerned with her child¡¯s future than following her ego to just have children without being able to properly care for and provide for all of her child¡¯s needs,¡± Linda said in a sharp, low voice, stabbing Lea from her weakest spot: poverty.

    ¡°What do you mean, Mrs. Decker?¡± asked Lea in a rising voice. She felt humiliated because of her poverty. ¡°I am an educated person. I can work and provide for my child properly later!¡±

    Linda swallowed heavily. No wonder Clara wanted to break her engagement so badly. If this marriage continued, it seemed, later there would be many problems in their household. Lea was anything but a simple and easy woman to be tamed. She could be a latent danger that would arise later on.

    A woman who looked gentle but could fight so hard for her rights for the sake of her child would look very attractive to any man in this world. What man would not want such a woman to be the mother of his child?

    With a hurt feeling, Linda admitted that Lea was charming. She was forced to admit that her beautiful and intelligent daughter wasn¡¯t perfect. Her daughter was lacking to be compared with Lea. She had to admit Clara¡¯s fear that one day Dave would change his mind when his child was born.

    With all the strength she had, Linda tried to undermine Lea¡¯s stand. Trying to break Lea¡¯s pride with the bad reality.

    ¡°So arrogant. Do you think having a good education and a job will be enough for your child?¡± asked Linda sarcastically and curtly. She chuckled, showing how age affects life experience.

    .....

    ¡°Why not?¡± denied Lea again. She couldn¡¯t stand Linda¡¯s behavior toward her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know single parents who work will experience high levels of stress. No one would help you take care of your baby later, right? Or do you intend to trouble your younger siblings? They should be seriously studying for their future, no?¡±

    Linda laughed in her mind when she saw Lea dumbfounded when she confronted that young woman with that fact. She remembered that many single mothers who worked at her company experienced the things she mentioned earlier.

    ¡°I have not only once or twice found single mothers with problems. Their children are under pressure and require them to make regular visits to a psychiatrist. Do you want your child to go through the same thing because you accidentally took your stress out on the one and only troublesome creature around you?¡± Linda asked again, stabbing Lea even more with the sharpness of her tongue, making Lea even angrier.

    ¡°I... wouldn¡¯t do that to my child,¡± Lea whispered. Her eyes stared blankly as her defenses began to falter.

    ¡°I guess... you are a woman who has worked, right? Just imagine, you¡¯re so tired when you get home, and you still have to continue the night by dealing with your baby¡¯s tantrum. The next day, you must be up early and prepare for all your needs and your child¡¯s. Can you do it? Without a single scream of frustration coloring your days?¡±

    Lea gulped. What gruesome detail Linda described. She knew the burden of a career woman. She knew how difficult it was to live alone. How could she live with a baby?

    ¡°Children not only need enough yummy food. They also need the love and care of a happy mother. Not a single mother burdened with a debt of two million dollars which will be paid off ... someday maybe ... how about if I charge a compound interest? It could be even harder to pay,¡± Linda whispered in Lea¡¯s ear softly, like a thin wire that was capable to slice a heart.

    With Lea¡¯s pensive state right now, Linda hoped that she would win. However, some time passed. No words of surrender slipped from Lea¡¯s lips.

    ¡°I will think of another way, Mrs. Decker. There must be another way I can do it. I believe in it,¡± said Lea again.

    Linda was shocked at how stubborn Lea was. She realized how Lea and Sarah were two humans with almost similar appearances with very opposite personalities. Lea was very naive and wanted ideals all the time. Meanwhile, her younger sister was more realistic and reckless. The type of person who tended to justify any means to get what she wanted.

    ¡°I have made many mistakes, Mrs. Decker. I¡¯m not a saint. I just don¡¯t want to become a complete asshole by selling my baby,¡± Lea said again, holding back tears. She didn¡¯t want to cry even if she wanted to. ¡°Nevertheless, I thank you very much because my mother is now well. I will think of a way to repay my debt to you.¡±

    As Lea stepped out, preparing to leave immediately, Linda felt panicked. She could not lose it, the successful plan she once thought she had achieved. For Clara¡¯s sake, she had to do everything.

    ¡°What do you do if you are infertile?¡±

    Linda¡¯s words managed to stop Lea¡¯s steps again. The young woman turned her head to confirm Linda¡¯s seriousness.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Lea in confusion.

    ¡°You never imagined that you couldn¡¯t bear a child, did you?¡± Linda asked again. There was no more aggression in her words. There was only bitterness from a mother whose daughter was not perfect.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean. Are you cursing at me?¡± Lea asked again. Lea¡¯s heart was currently beating very fast. She didn¡¯t know what she had to do at the moment.

    Of course, Linda shook her head weakly. Her eyes, which had been so aggressive before, were now glistening with pools of tears.

    Linda was now looking at Lea, her feelings were in turmoil. ¡°My daughter is infertile. She can¡¯t have children.¡±

    Lea didn¡¯t know what happened after Linda said that to her. Her mind suddenly went blank. That¡¯s when she received a call from the hospital.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Dave and Jack were standing face to face and had a tense argument over a sensitive subject. The office which was quite large looked cramped and lacked fresh air because the chests of the two humans inside were congested.

    ¡°No way, dad! I can¡¯t ask Lea to be a surrogate and take her child later. That¡¯s going to hurt Clara, dad!¡± Dave said, stroking his tense, tired face.

    ¡°You need an heir, Dave! There¡¯s no way we can leave you childless. Are you going to let this company be taken over by an adopted child?¡± Jack asked disapprovingly.

    ¡°You still have a daughter, remember? I will train my nephew or niece and make him or her the heir of our company,¡± Dave said again, trying to provide the best solution to his problem.

    ¡°No way! I don¡¯t want a kid with the last name of Black continuing our business,¡± Jack argued again. ¡°It¡¯s got to be the Johnson family to carry on the family business.¡±

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be so difficult. Why can¡¯t you simplify things? I love Clara. I want a happy family with her. With kid or no kid, I want to live with her, dad!¡± Dave hit the table, not because he was angry with his father, but because of his stupidity which made him drift into endless troubles.

    ¡°Make Lea a surrogate!¡± Jack said without a single smile on his face. ¡°I want the baby. He or she is my blood and flesh, who should live under my roof. I want my biological grandchildren. No matter what!¡±

    Jack glared at his son. Meanwhile, Dave didn¡¯t know what to explain to his father anymore if he loved Clara unconditionally.

    ¡°I have discussed this with your mother. If you refuse to comply with our wishes, we will be forced to act with or without your consent,¡± Jack threatened mercilessly.

    Dave¡¯s heart suddenly beat fast. He didn¡¯t truly want to have a baby in Lea¡¯s womb. He had made a deal with Lea that the child in her womb would be her child. He promised to transfer allowances every month as a form of responsibility to the child.

    At first, Lea refused. She didn¡¯t want him to interfere. She wanted them both to forget that fateful night, pretending nothing had happened. However, there was something that could not be undone: their baby¡¯s existence. That¡¯s why Dave insisted on taking responsibility. In the end, Lea postponed the discussion until the baby was born.

    After his father left the room, Dave called Lea. He needed to have discussed his dad¡¯s request with her. He didn¡¯t want his parents to interfere because the problem would only get worse.

    ¡°Hello, Lea!¡± Dave greeted awkwardly.

    However, it turned out that Dave needed to call her at the right time. Not now. Lea was on her way to the hospital. ¡°Dave, sorry! I¡¯ll call you back later. My mother is in a bad condition.¡±

 Chapter 102

    102 102. The Doctors

    Lea walked quickly, half running, towards where her mother was being treated. She didn¡¯t continue the discussion with Linda because an emergency call from Sarah sent her straight to the hospital. Right now, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to burden her thoughts with Linda¡¯s matter.

    Lea stopped in front of a room. Sarah stood there, waiting for her. Her sister was in the worst condition. That girl looked so confused and desperate.

    ¡°What happened Sarah?¡± Lea asked in a panic, shaking Sarah¡¯s powerless body.

    Wiping away her tears, Sarah replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. They said that mom had a sudden fever and shortness of breath. Those are signs of rejection. Her body rejects the donor¡¯s heart.¡±

    Anxiety crept into Lea¡¯s mind. She thought everything was okay. She thought that her mother would recover soon. However, this sort of thing happened too. So soon.

    ¡°Then, how is mom¡¯s condition right now?¡± Lea asked again, glaring at Sarah expectantly.

    Sarah shook her head weakly. ¡°Mom is being examined by the cardiology team. We have to wait for them. However ....¡±

    ¡°What else?¡± Lea asked, her chest growing tighter as she saw Sarah¡¯s grim expression. ¡°Something went wrong?¡±

    ¡°One of the team members who treated our mom had an accident and passed away ... last night,¡± Sarah answered in a whisper, now her tears were flowing uncontrollably. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lea! This must be a punishment from God because I earned the money by cheating. Even worse, I sold your baby to Mrs. Decker.¡±

    .....

    Sarah covered her face with her hands. She tried to hide her face behind her hands, but of course, it was useless. How could Lea not see her sister sobbing and sinking into deep regret?

    ¡°I think I did my best so far. I thought she would recover as long as there was a suitable donor heart. However, why is this unwanted thing still happening? Why does she have to bear all my sins?¡± Sarah sobbed regretfully. ¡°Lea, why doesn¡¯t God just punish me? I should have just been hit by a truck or something! I will give the rest of my useless life to mom!¡±

    Sarah¡¯s ranting and wailing made Lea unable to hate her sister. Even though Sarah was a reckless girl, she was indeed having pure and innocent intentions. When it comes to love and affection, no one doubted her. Sarah¡¯s love for their mother was like the other¡¯s, she didn¡¯t want her mother to suffer from this disease.

    They were a poor family who only had love to survive and support each other. Their mother was the greatest supporter. Her presence was the most powerful and irreplaceable for the family. Sarah and Lea¡¯s siblings had demotivated when their mother was first hospitalized. If their mother died right now, what would happen to their lives in the future?

    Lea then hugged Sarah. No words came out of her mouth. Only a hug that she hoped would ease her sister¡¯s panic state.

    ¡°Lea, are you secretly angry and cursed? Making all of this happen? Take your anger out, Lea! I will bear all the consequences of my actions,¡± Sarah whispered again in a sob that was getting worse, making her words almost unable to be heard.

    The cold air that covered the corridor made Sarah¡¯s mind get even more frozen. Her tears couldn¡¯t stop flowing. Lea didn¡¯t know what to say in answer to Sarah¡¯s question. She was still angry, but she also didn¡¯t want Sarah to think she was the cause of the disaster.

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t think about the past! Don¡¯t overthink things! Let¡¯s just think about the current problems. Let¡¯s pray for mom! We have to do the best we can do right now,¡± Lea said in the end. She patted her sister on the shoulder to stop her from crying. ¡°Don¡¯t keep crying! We still have a lot to think about.¡±

    The two young women then prayed and asked God to give their mother some miracle. Moments later, the team of doctors came out of the room. Lea and Sarah immediately ran over to find out about their mother¡¯s current health state.

    Three doctors walked slowly, discussing the cases they were facing. The leader of the team, doctor Andreas, removed the mask he was wearing and greeted Sarah and Lea with no smile on his face. He looked so tired.

    ¡°How is our mother, doc?¡± Sarah asked frantically.

    ¡°It seems that Mrs. Kane¡¯s body simply cannot accept the donor¡¯s heart. We are temporarily giving immunosuppressants to her. She will probably have to take the medicine forever. However, unfortunately, this medicine also has risks,¡± said doctor Andreas while looking at Sarah and Lea¡¯s faces alternately.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± asked Lea in a low voice. Her mouth remained open as she swallowed heavily.

    ¡°Your mom may experience kidney failure. Of course, we don¡¯t want this,¡± doctor Andreas explained. A flash of regret crossed his face. ¡°We are also very sorry that doctor Leonard is no longer with us. After all, he was the one who handled Mrs. Kane¡¯s case from the start.¡±

    ¡°Our deep condolences,¡± Lea and Sarah said almost simultaneously. Doctor Andreas nodded sadly, it was obvious that he felt the loss of one of the talented people he trusted.

    ¡°However, that¡¯s fine. We have a substitute doctor who is no less talented. She is very diligent and smart, so we will introduce her to you.¡± Doctor Andreas turned, looking for one of her team members. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s still inside,¡± answered one of the male doctors who was still wearing a mask.

    Not long after, a brunette-haired woman came out of the room with a nurse in her blue uniform. She took off her mask when she approached her teammates.

    However, when the doctor came closer, how surprised she was because there was someone she didn¡¯t expect to stand near doctor Andreas.

    ¡°This is doctor Clara Decker, doctor Leonard¡¯s replacement,¡± said doctor Andreas with a light smile.

    The brunette-haired doctor¡¯s eyes stared at Lea without blinking. So did Lea, looking at Clara with an inexplicably frozen expression.

    It flashed back in Lea¡¯s mind that a few hours ago, she and Clara¡¯s mother discussed what was happening to Clara. However, why on the same day she had to face Clara? She didn¡¯t know what to do at the moment.

    Sarah greeted Clara and introduced herself as the patient¡¯s daughter. ¡°Decker? I think I¡¯ve heard that name before?¡± Sarah¡¯s brows furrowed, trying to recall something. ¡°Ah, I remember, that¡¯s the name of the owner of this hospital, no?¡±

    Doctor Andreas chuckled, ¡°She is the daughter of the owner.¡±

    Sarah¡¯s face suddenly went pale. She turned to Lea and found her sister staring blankly, expressionless.

    ¡°Ah, doctor Andreas, can we discuss something important?¡± asked Clara to change the subject. ¡°I think there¡¯s something else we should reconsider.¡±

    The team of doctors then withdrew, leaving the patient¡¯s family to conduct the discussion in their room. Meanwhile, Lea still couldn¡¯t believe what she had just seen.

    After the doctors had disappeared from Sarah¡¯s sight, the girl whispered to her sister, ¡°Lea, should we ask the hospital to change doctors? I¡¯m worried that doctor Decker will involve her feelings in our mom¡¯s treatment?¡± She glanced anxiously at Lea, hoping her sister would support her idea.

    ¡°You mean you doubt doctor Decker¡¯s professionalism?¡± asked Lea in a low voice, almost couldn¡¯t be heard by her sister.

    Sarah nodded in response. She then looked at Lea expectantly. ¡°Let¡¯s do it before something bad happens! We¡¯re going to see management right away.¡±

    But Lea didn¡¯t move. ¡°You can¡¯t accuse with no proof. Our mom has nothing to do with my problem. There¡¯s no way Clara would do something ridiculous. It will affect her career.¡±

    ¡°But Lea! Doctors are human too. She would think of you when she saw mom.¡± Sarah still insisted. She didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen.

    ¡°Wait! Doesn¡¯t Clara know about the deal you made with Mrs. Decker?¡± asked Lea again.

    Sarah shook her head. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want Clara to know about this.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Lea whispered weakly.

    Lea sighed. What would happen if Clara found out about her mother¡¯s secret plan? Lea¡¯s mind replayed Linda¡¯s words that asked her not to tell Clara that she had leaked her daughter¡¯s secret: infertility.

    ***

    That night, Clara was busy with piles of books and papers about cases similar to those experienced by Mrs. Kane. Her colleagues had gone home an hour ago. However, she was still working overtime and struggling with the same problem.

    Doctor Andreas saw her, then entered the meeting room to stop Clara. ¡°As a good doctor, you must know that overworking is useless for your body.¡±

    Clara turned her head, averting her attention from the paper she was reading. ¡°I¡¯ll finish in thirty minutes.¡±

    Doctor Andreas smiled, then patted Clara on the back. ¡°I know that you insist on your analysis. But, don¡¯t forget to take a rest.¡±

    ¡°So do you believe that something went wrong during the heart transplant operation?¡±

 Chapter 103

    103 103. She is Profesional

    ¡°What did you mean?¡± Doctor Andreas asked coldly. ¡°Did you mean that we performed the wrong method?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say that!¡± Clara snapped. ¡°But, I think, there is a sign of internal bleeding. She needs to go back to the operation room and we needed to fix the bleeding.¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡± said doctor Andreas with annoyance. How could a resident doctor like Clara provide a different analysis from him and the rest of the resident team? ¡°What made you say that?¡±

    ¡°I believe that this is not just her body¡¯s rejection of a donor¡¯s heart. The symptoms are very similar to bleeding. Do you want some evidence?¡± Clara asked again. She then collected some papers similar to Mrs. Kane¡¯s case and showed them to doctor Andreas. ¡°What do you think? I¡¯ve added a few notes here in case it wasn¡¯t clear enough for you. You can read it first before telling the others.¡±

    Doctor Andreas then read the papers briefly and looked at Clara again carefully. Indeed, he had been too confident about the surgery he had previously performed since the genius doctor Leonard was with them. However, if Clara¡¯s analysis was correct, then Mrs. Kane should be back in the operating room as soon as possible.

    ¡°If you agree, we must immediately take action before the situation gets worse,¡± Clara said again. Her face looked so tired but the seriousness she showed did not diminish in the least. ¡°We have to check it immediately!¡±

    A few moments later, doctor Andreas said nothing more. He just rushed out of the room and immediately called Clara¡¯s other colleagues to come to the hospital immediately.

    ***

    Two days later, Lea and Sarah were in Doctor Andreas¡¯ room to receive an explanation about their mother¡¯s condition. As it turned out, there was indeed bleeding after the operation so their mother¡¯s condition had worsened. Right now, her condition was much better because the problem has been resolved.

    .....

    ¡°So, isn¡¯t it a matter of the body¡¯s rejection of a donor¡¯s heart?¡± Sarah asked with a relieved expression.

    ¡°In the meantime, we can¡¯t be one hundred percent sure. However, for the time being, the donor heart can pump blood properly,¡± said doctor Andrea calmly. His face looked friendlier and more pleasant than the last time they met.

    ¡°I¡¯m so grateful. We are happy with this news. Mom¡¯s condition is also much better,¡± Lea replied with a relieved smile.

    ¡°Fortunately Dr. Decker managed to realize this problem quickly. Otherwise, we don¡¯t know what happened to Mrs. Kane,¡± added doctor Andreas again. He then rested his aching body in his soft office chair.

    Meanwhile, Lea and Sarah could only look at each other with guilty expressions. As it turns out, the person they thought would work unprofessionally because of personal grudges was the person who helped their mother.

    ¡°Doctor Clara Decker?¡± asked Sarah, making sure because she still hoped that the helper would be another Decker doctor.

    Doctor Andreas nodded. He then said, ¡°She was the one who worked on your mother¡¯s case the most. Working relentlessly to make us believe her analysis.¡±

    Sarah and Lea just opened their mouths, without saying anything else. All the words caught in their throats, unable to get out.

    ¡°He is indeed very diligent when he is dealing with complicated cases. In fact, at first, I thought he was just the daughter of a rich and spoiled hospital owner,¡± added doctor Andreas again, expressing his heart. ¡°However, it turns out that Doctor Decker is willing to work much harder than the other residents.¡±

    Lea nodded with an awkward smile. ¡°Wow, that is... so amazing.¡±

    ¡°I think she will be a great doctor in the future,¡± commented Doctor Andreas with a proud smile, answered with a slow but polite nod by Lea and Sarah.

    When they had had enough, Lea and Sarah left Doctor Andreas¡¯ room with mixed feelings. Even to speak, it was very heavy for both of them. Why did it have to be like this? Why was Clara such a nice and professional person? Unlike Mrs. Decker who did everything she could to get what she wanted.

    ¡°Lea, do you think I should apologize to Clara?¡± Sarah asked in the end, breaking the silence.

    Lea just turned her head and didn¡¯t answer Sarah¡¯s question because she also didn¡¯t know what to say. Even if she answered, she didn¡¯t know whether her answer was correct or not. Sarah just responded as most people do. They certainly didn¡¯t want to be treated by a doctor who had personal problems with them.

    Lea then walked over to the vending machine and put in some coins to buy two cans of hot chocolate. She picked up the cans that had fallen in the bottom hole one by one, then handed one to her sister.

    ¡°Warm yourself up,¡± Lea said, then sat down on the bench beside the vending machine.

    Sarah accepted the hot can, and held it in her hand, without the slightest interest in opening it. She just looked at her older sister who seemed to be enjoying the hot chocolate from the can in a graceful manner.

    Sarah then looked away. Looking at Lea for a longer time, she could envy the gentleness and kindness that God had bestowed on her older sister. Lea had indeed done bad things, but she finally came back to herself.

    ¡°Just let me meet Clara,¡± Lea answered later. She then looked at her sister and gave her a level look. ¡°We¡¯d better limit matters here. Do not extend the problems again. The problem is between me and Clara. I don¡¯t want you to get involved.¡±

    Sarah was about to say something. However, Lea stopped her by saying, ¡°Forget that Mrs. Decker once kidnapped you and also forget that you ever signed any agreement with her. Let me deal with this problem alone.¡±

    ¡°Lea, but ....¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still in college. Just think about your college assignments well,¡± Lea said again while forcing a smile on her face. That smile was so soft and sweet. However, Sarah understood very well that Lea¡¯s smile was not because she could do it, but because she had no more energy due to exhaustion.

    Lea then got up from her seat. She rubbed Sarah¡¯s head before leaving.

    If the conditions were different, Sarah would have gone berserk if Lea had treated her like a child. However, right now she didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of resentment toward her sister because she knew that his grave sins were forgiven. She was going to sleep soundly tonight.

    Meanwhile, Lea stepped slowly with a heavy heart. She still can¡¯t bear to meet Clara this soon. Especially if she had to stand in front of Dave¡¯s fianc¨¦e with a huge debt of gratitude. Clara¡¯s family, in an incorrect way, helps Lea¡¯s family to pay for their mother¡¯s health treatment. While Clara herself helped save their mother¡¯s life.

    Lea walked straight to where Clara was. Currently, she was meeting a young patient. She was doing routine checks in his little patient room.

    However, it turned out that Clara was talking to her young patient outside the room, in the garden near the patient¡¯s room. Lea approached Clara, but she immediately stopped walking when Clara was talking to a handsome patient who seemed to be under ten years old.

    ¡°Doctor Decker, I wanted to meet my father. But he never visited me again when he knew that I would die soon,¡± said the pale-faced male patient. He looked at Clara with a languid look.

    ¡°Indeed, sometimes people cannot accept our shortcomings. However, that doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t love you. Sometimes, they just need time to accept this fact,¡± Clara answered again. ¡°More importantly, you must be able to accept your shortcomings gracefully. Don¡¯t be a pessimist and keep saying that you¡¯re going to die.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to die if I don¡¯t get a donor soon, right?¡± asked the patient again. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to get my hopes up. Wouldn¡¯t thinking realistically be better? Healthy people who don¡¯t have problems won¡¯t understand.¡±

    Hearing the young patient¡¯s statement, Lea could confirm Clara¡¯s face stiffened for a moment. What a child! They talk carelessly about adults. Clara was currently at the lowest point in her life.

    ¡°Everybody has a problem. However, some people remain calm and think positive even though they have big problems in life.¡±

    ¡°Be calm and positive?¡± asked the patient again.

    Clara nodded slowly, raising her eyebrows gently. ¡°If you say negative things, cursing yourself you will die soon, don¡¯t you seem like you died prematurely?¡± Clara asked again. ¡°Everyone will die eventually. You know about Doctor Leonard¡¯s case, right?¡±

    The little patient nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that he would die before me.¡±

    Clara nodded. ¡°How is Doctor Leonard¡¯s day-to-day life? He is always cheerful and smiles at everyone, isn¡¯t he?¡± Clara asked again, making the young patient stunned, and then nodded in agreement.

    ¡°He was like the sun that was always warming us up with his smile,¡± whispered the dark-haired patient.

    ¡°Well, how about you just live life like that? Assume that you are not sick and you do not know when you will leave this world. smile! Hopefully, the people around you will also smile and act like you.¡± Clara tapped her patient on the shoulder. The two of them then hugged and separated.

    As she walked out of the park, that¡¯s when Clara realized someone was waiting for her.

 Chapter 104

    104 104. Her Retribution

    Thin snowflakes fell slowly to the earth, complementing the cold air around the garden, perfecting the icy situation that lay between Clara and Lea. The two young women stared at each other with mixed feelings. Their chests were tight for different reasons.

    Still ringing in Lea¡¯s mind, Clara¡¯s expression was full of wounds when her patient said that she had no problems in life. Even though it¡¯s not a matter of life and death, her problems were not something that a woman can easily deal with. Her fiance¡¯s betrayal and then her infertility.

    Lea also remembered how Linda asked her to help Clara. Maybe, that was one of the ways she would be able to help her atone for her sins-if Clara could accept her offer.

    Could she do that for real this time? For Clara, a doctor who dedicated precious time to her mother¡¯s treatment. If not for Clara, something fatal could have happened and would have caused death for her mother.

    Lea raised her face, and opened her mouth, about to call Clara. However, not a single word managed to escape her lips. Clara¡¯s unfriendly expression made her feel scared and depressed.

    On the other hand, Clara couldn¡¯t hide her hatred for Lea, which was still on fire. Seeing Lea¡¯s face alone could make her chest hurt to death. It felt as if her heart was being squeezed with no mercy. Imagining how Dave touched another woman, made her feel so disgusted and suffered.

    Clara then walked slower, awkwardly. She was confused, about whether she should walk past Lea, pretending she didn¡¯t see Lea there. Or should she greet Lea? However, if she greeted her here, something unpleasant would surely happen. More fucking argument and she didn¡¯t want it. Especially in front of her patients. She was a smart, calm, kind, and helpful doctor. Ruining her graceful image was never an option.

    Finally, Clara decided to greet Lea the way she greeted the families of her other patients. The professional smile she forced seemed so stiff. Despite that, she managed to do it quite well.

    Just as Clara was about to go past Lea, Lea¡¯s hand, which was wearing beige leather gloves, grabbed Clara¡¯s arm, which was wrapped in a white lab coat. Clara stopped walking, she then turned to Lea. Instead of reprimanding Dave¡¯s former secretary, Clara smiled awkwardly again, trying to treat Lea kindly.

    .....

    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Clara asked, forcing her voice to sound casual. Even so, she still felt a strange pitch tone in her voice.

    ¡°Clara ... ah, I ... I want to thank ... you,¡± Lea stammered.

    ¡°For?¡± Clara asked again. Her brows furrowed, not understanding what Lea meant.

    Lea looked nervous, her face turned red. Her shaking body made her feel nervous even more. Sweat dripped down her forehead, even though the weather was so chilly.

    Because there was no answer from Lea, Clara finally said, ¡°Do you want to find a place to warm your body up?¡±

    Clara¡¯s question was immediately answered with a nod by Lea. The woman walked slowly, following Clara¡¯s direction.

    The two young women walked so slowly as if it would take forever to reach the destination. They stopped in front of a room with metal doors. There were nameplates, showing Clara Decker and Dana Webster¡¯s names on them. Clara pressed a white name card on the card sensor, then they heard a clicking sound from the sensor box while its lamp turned green.

    ¡°Please come in!¡± said Clara, opening the door for Lea.

    Desiring more privacy, Clara took Lea to her office. She didn¡¯t have her own office. It was a shared office for her and her partner, Dana. It¡¯s just that today her roommate was out because she had to attend an important meeting. Luckily, today Clara could have the room for herself. Who knew that she would use this room to discuss personal matters with Lea?

    Clara could have had a private room because she was the daughter of the hospital owner. However, she didn¡¯t want to be treated differently from other fellow residents. This was not good for her career and also gave the hospital a bad reputation.

    Lea entered the room with slow steps. Even though she knew that Clara would definitely not do anything bad to her, however, she still hesitated to enter the room, as if it could turn into a black hole, ready to suck her eternally.

    ¡°Sit down!¡± said Clara, inviting Lea to sit on the couch in the corner of the room.

    Lea then walked slowly, obeying Clara¡¯s order. She looked at the room owner many times, not expecting that she would lose so much energy doing this.

    ¡°What do you want to talk about,¡± Clara asked, starting the conversation. She knew that it was no use waiting for Lea to open her mouth. Lea would take a good time to start speaking. The two of them would just stare at each other all day long without saying anything.

    ¡°I want to thank you for saving my mother¡¯s life,¡± Lea answered with an awkward smile. ¡°Doctor Andreas said, without you, something might go wrong.¡±

    Clara sneered. How could doctor Andreas reveal things that should have been kept secret?

    ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job,¡± Clara answered dryly. ¡°I do that sort of thing for all the patients I work on.¡±

    Lea nodded. She just looked at Clara with fear and doubt. She wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted to say. Clara¡¯s icy cold expression completely frightened her.

    ¡°I know. You are a great doctor,¡± Lea answered with a genuine smile. She felt her eyes warm, about to burst into tears. However, she tried her best to contain it because she didn¡¯t want to give the impression that she was suffering. ¡°However, I still want to thank you. I¡¯m very happy, my mother has now passed a critical time and her condition is ... good.¡±

    Clara suddenly smiled a little. ¡°I know that you might have been worried I would do something bad to your mother because she is ... your mother.¡±

    Lea flinched a little at Clara¡¯s words. Even though she didn¡¯t say anything, her expression indicated that such a thought had crossed her mind ... at least in her sister¡¯s mind. It is undeniable that she was also frightened, although, in the end, she tried to ward off her suspicions and entrusted the hospital to appoint a team of doctors according to their abilities and expertise.

    ¡°Relax! In this hospital, all patients will get their rights properly. Even your mother. Because she is our patient,¡± Clara explained casually, trying to sound professional. ¡°Even if you are the one who gets sick and is being treated here, I will not allow my personal feelings to take over my professionality and abandon you ... or intentionally cause you to die on purpose.¡±

    Clara explained with a smile. Yet, somehow Lea felt that she was being cursed. She lowered her head because she wasn¡¯t sure what she was going to say.

    ¡°Are your business finished?¡± Clara asked again. ¡°Then you can let me do my job-¡±

    ¡°This baby,¡± whispered Lea in a low voice, making Clara could only hear it dimly.

    ¡°Pardon?¡± asked Clara, wanting to reconfirm because she could only hear the word ¡®this¡¯ coming out of Lea¡¯s lips.

    ¡°I ... plan to give the baby to Dave,¡± said Lea, her face growing paler, ¡°and

    ... to you of course.¡±

    Clara fell silent, staring blankly into the air. She wanted to turn to look at Lea, but her neck was so stiff, she couldn¡¯t move at all.

    Finally, without looking at Lea, Clara then said, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®giving the baby to Dave¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I intend to give this baby to you later. I hope ....¡± Lea gulped, stopping for a moment, ¡± ... you and Dave, will be able to take care of the baby with lots of love,¡± Lea replied in a voice she wished wasn¡¯t shaking.

    ¡°Nonsense! What are you talking about, Lea?¡± Clara snapped this time. Her face now looked so tense and panicked. ¡°Why are you suddenly talking like that?¡±

    Now, it was Lea who was stunned instead. She didn¡¯t know what to say. She couldn¡¯t say the real reason to her.

    ¡°You must have done this under coercion from Dave, right? What did he say to you?¡± Clara demanded, threateningly. She took Lea¡¯s tiny shoulders and shook her gently but quite forcefully. ¡°What did Dave do to you?¡±

    Lea gulped. Her eyes fixed on Clara with extreme fear. There was no way she could say that it wasn¡¯t Dave who had forced her.

    ¡°Dave didn¡¯t do anything to me!¡± Lea¡¯s voice was so low. She wasn¡¯t lying yet she felt guilty. Dave didn¡¯t do anything to her. The two of them had even agreed not to meet again to protect Clara¡¯s feelings.

    ¡°I do not believe it! Then why do you want to give this baby to me?¡± Clara asked. She was worried that Dave told Lea about her infertility. ¡°He must have forced you to do this, right?¡±

    Lea¡¯s eyes heated up. She looked at Clara with a helpless expression, ¡°No one is forcing me, Clara! I will give this baby to you and never come near your family again! The baby will be yours ... he or she will become your child!¡±

 Chapter 105

    105 105. The Baby is Yours

    Lea¡¯s heart stopped beating when she heard those words slip from her lips. She could not believe that she would be able to say that. Giving the baby to someone else.

    But Clara wasn¡¯t just another person. She was the woman she hurt. Clara was the woman whose engagement she marred with a night with Dave. Clara was the woman she wished would accept the apology. Clara was a woman who helped her mother. Clara was special to Lea, either positively or negatively.

    This special woman was hurting and needed encouragement and support. She is in trouble and hopes to find a solution to her problem. On the other hand, the solution to the problem lies in Lea¡¯s womb. Why didn¡¯t Lea want to help that special woman?

    At this time, Clara had time to think, was Dave¡¯s mistake in sleeping with Lea the solution to the problem? Did God ordain something like that so that she and he would stay together with the presence of a baby who was also his own blood and flesh ... although not from her own womb?

    Unfortunately, Clara didn¡¯t want to take Lea¡¯s offer right away. ¡°Why did you do that? For what reason?¡± asked Clara with the least bit of suspicion, still intact as before.

    ¡°Clara, I feel, this is what¡¯s best for us. Dave ... and her family definitely don¡¯t want their grandchild, the old money, to grow up with a woman from a poor background like me. As a mother, I also believe that this child will grow up better in an affluent family, with a father and mother who are like you. Both of you come from a respectable families. The child¡¯s education must be well guaranteed, no?¡± Lea explained further. She tried her best not to sound doubtful. She tried her best to sugarcoat her lies well so that Clara was convinced and willing to accept this idea.

    ¡°Poor?¡± whispered Clara curiously. ¡°Your mother¡¯s medical expenses are not cheap, right?¡± She asked again, remembering something. ¡°I don¡¯t want to discuss this with my patient. However, since you mentioned it, I became curious. Did Dave give you some money to pay for your mom¡¯s surgery, then ask for this baby in return?¡± Clara demanded, shaking Lea¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Clara, you accuse me with no proof,¡± Lea denied Clara¡¯s statement. She didn¡¯t lie, though. It wasn¡¯t Dave who did that.

    ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± Clara answered softly. She had made a mistake, she shouldn¡¯t have accused Lea of ??having such an agreement. ¡°It¡¯s just, I¡¯m afraid it was Dave who forced you to do this.¡±

    .....

    Lea shook her head slowly. ¡°Clara, go back to Dave. Live your lives as before. Even though it would be impossible to erase something like this, I hope, with this, you will be able to forget everything that ever happened.¡±

    ¡°Impossible! This is ridiculous, Lea!¡± Clara pulled her hand from Lea¡¯s shoulder. Inevitably, her hands trembled even though she turned on the heating mode or the air conditioner in her room. ¡°No way, Lea! The baby is yours.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving this town. You can pretend I never existed. I ... will not consider this child as my child,¡± Lea stopped talking for a moment, squeezing her hand which was starting to feel cold even though she was wearing gloves. ¡°This child will be yours.¡±

    Clara turned around because she was so nervous. She of course wanted to accept Lea¡¯s child. However, she felt that this was not right.

    ¡°Go! I still have a lot to do,¡± Clara said, her voice shaking. ¡°I have to see another patient. They need me.¡±

    That¡¯s all Clara said. She then opened the door, allowing Lea to come out of her room.

    Inhaled. Exhaled.

    Lea tried to understand Clara¡¯s confusion. She had already tried to convince Clara. However, it would be very difficult without telling the truth. Where would Clara be sure that something like this would be the best solution?

    Finally, Lea gave in. Her feet, which had been frozen, now moved to leave the room. As she passed Clara, Lea said, ¡°I know you can¡¯t decide things like this quickly. However, you can change your opinion anytime.¡±

    Clara did not respond to Lea¡¯s words. She just said goodbye, as if Lea was a patient consulting her.

    Wearily, Lea then walked away from Lea¡¯s room. She then remembered Dave contacting her some time ago. She was forced to cut off the conversation as she was on her way to the hospital.

    Lea then took her phone and made a call to her former boss. She hesitated a little, but She did it anyway.

    ¡°Lea?¡± asked Dave from the other end of the phone.

    ¡°Can I come to your office now? I think we should meet to discuss an important matter.¡±

    He agreed. ¡°If you can get here in fifteen minutes, I think we have enough time.¡±

    Lea ordered an Uber to take her to Dave¡¯s office without waiting any longer.

    Unfortunately, the road that afternoon was not good. The traffic jam was bad. Lea was late reaching his office. Dave had a meeting already.

    Lea walked quickly, ran a bit, and entered the office that used to be a place of work. She hoped Dave was still waiting for her. However, how disappointed she was that the girl at the secretarial desk said that Dave was gone. How could a hardworking man cancel or postpone a meeting to wait for her?

    Not wanting to waste any more time, Lea then chose to wait until Dave finished the meeting. She also went to the lounge and chose to wait for him there while reading magazines and collections of books that had been deliberately placed there to spend relaxing time for those in need.

    Usually, guests who arrive earlier than the appointment or who haven¡¯t made an appointment do wait there while drinking coffee. When she was still working with Dave, she was sometimes a little annoyed with people who forced her to meet her boss without making an appointment first. She didn¡¯t think that now she was doing it.

    While laughing at herself, Lea took off her coat and put it on the hanger provided near the entrance of the lounge. She also took off her gloves and put them in her coat pocket.

    Without hesitation, Lea then took the clean coffee cup provided there and then spooned instant coffee into the cup. Usually, She will spend time making coffee with an espresso maker. However, this time She was too lazy to do so. She would rather spend time relaxing on the soft sofa.

    Understandably, the daily activities and the tension in Clara¡¯s office made Lea, who was pregnant, got tired. After adding some hot water to the coffee mixture, non-dairy creamer, and a few sticks of sugar, Lea took a small spoon and stirred the coffee slowly. The steaming hot smoke made her bare hands warm. She got more comfort when she held the hot cup directly with both hands.

    The delicious smell of coffee immediately wafted into Lea¡¯s nose. The coffee provided was still the same as the one served some time ago when was still working here. Nobody knew how much was in stock because as far as she recalled, the coffee was a gift from a client.

    Lea then chose a table in the corner and put her coffee cup there. She then took a book to read. A novel about a handsome billionaire who accidentally meets a young widow with two children while on holiday at her villa.

    The story didn¡¯t entertain her because she doesn¡¯t like reading romance fiction. As a result, just a few pages from the first chapter was enough to make her eyes heavy. Without having time to drink a sip of the coffee she had made earlier, she fell into a deep slumber. Books that were not her cup of tea were natural sleeping pills that did not cause side effects.

    She dreamed of meeting a boy she doesn¡¯t know, about three years old. The boy smiled at her and kissed her. When Lea asked her why the boy kissed her, he simply replied, ¡°I love you no matter what you do. I believe because you must love me too.¡±

    Lea gasped, waking up covered in sweat. The dream was so vivid. It messed up her mind.

    Seconds later, she realized that she wasn¡¯t in the break room anymore. She was already in a room that she was not too familiar with. Hadn¡¯t she been waiting for Dave in the waiting room? Why was she now in the bedroom? A bedroom that is not hers of course.

    The room was in black and white. Measures two by three meters, cramped. Only intended for sleep. Not for any other purpose. Like a break room, but quite luxurious.

    Upon closer inspection, she seemed to have known this room. When her hand brushed against a photograph on the nightstand next to the bed, that¡¯s when Lea knew where she was. That photo of Clara and Dave embracing each other said who was the owner.

    ¡°Are you awake?¡± a familiar deep voice greeted her. That voice ... the voice of her former boss.

 Chapter 106

    106 106. Talk With Dave

    Lea startled a little, flinching in response. She turned to face Dave and greeted him with a confused look.

    ¡°Dave?¡± she asked awkwardly. She turned out to be in Dave¡¯s room. Dave does have a special break room in his office. Lea had never been in the room, at all. She just knew about its existence.

    There was only one question left in her mind. How did she get in the room? Who brought her in?

    ¡°When I finished the meeting, Theresa said you were waiting in the waiting room. I went there and found you asleep. No blanket, no coat. Your face was pale. Then ... I brought you in, here,¡± Dave replied then. As usual, as if nothing strange had happened.

    ¡°You?¡± asked Lea with a half-dead shock. ¡°You brought me here yourself?¡± She looked away, not wanting to see him at all. She was so embarrassed, as well as feeling guilty. How could she make Clara¡¯s fianc¨¦ carry her into the room?

    Hopefully, Clara would never find out about this. Never. Even though she didn¡¯t do anything with him, just being in his private room made her feel like a hypocrite.

    How come? She asked Clara to come back to him. However, she was alone with him in a narrow closed room. Ridiculous, no?

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have bothered to bring me here. The waiting room is quite comfortable,¡± said Lea. She pulled up the blanket and wrapped herself in the white and black thick cloth tightly. For some reason, she suddenly felt very cold in the room which should be warm enough.

    Dave sat on the edge of the bed, then took off his glasses. He looked exhausted. That man must have had a lot of work that took up his time mercilessly. Not only that, the problem with Clara and his own family had not been completely resolved. They twice the burden on his shoulder.

    .....

    Indeed, Clara¡¯s family still insisted that the engagement should be continued. This made her feel depressed and unable to do anything to oppose it. She came to his embrace because she had no choice. Not because they really love each other like before. This, was absolutely not what he wanted. He wanted her completely, heart and soul. He was that greedy.

    Dave turned to Lea who was wrapping her body tighter with the blanket. Her face turned away from Dave. She sat sideways, and pulled closer to the edge of the bed. If she pulled over one more inch, she would surely sag or fall to the floor.

    ¡°I just feel bad when pregnant women wait and fall asleep on the waiting room couch. That place is not comfortable enough, your body will ache,¡± Dave answered flatly. There was no typical smile that he usually showed to everyone at work.

    ¡°I¡¯m used to it. Even the waiting room couch is more comfortable than the bed in my bedroom. It is fine,¡± Lea answered in a low whisper. She shifted her seat a half inch to the side. In a moment, she would surely fall onto the floor. Her Physics was really bad. She totally forgot about gravity and her center of mass.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sit like that! You can fall! What about the baby if you get careless like that?¡± Dave yelled, complaining at her actions. This time, his face scrunched up, scolding her. ¡°I won¡¯t touch you! Do you think I¡¯ll take advantage of the opportunity? I am not a jerk. Maybe I was. But no more.¡±

    Lea was so shocked, her body jerked when Dave snapped at her. However, she immediately complied and fixed her seat.

    ¡°I guess ...,¡± Lea was about to say something but she quickly cut it out for fear of being impolite.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± asked Dave curiously. His gray eyes without glasses stared at Lea sharply.

    ¡°Ah ... sorry, I thought, no one cares about this child,¡± Lea replied honestly. She gulped fearfully, glancing at Dave every now and then to see his reaction to her thoughts.

    Unfortunately, everything she feared happened. Dave was indeed offended by Lea¡¯s words. ¡°The baby is mine too, Lea! Did you think that I would not care about my own flesh and blood?¡±

    Lea looked down and nodded slowly. ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t know because back then... you don¡¯t seem like that.¡±

    Dave sighed, leaning his back against the headboard. Because it was still not comfortable, he took a pillow to serve as an additional base.

    ¡°Of course. I really didn¡¯t know what to do with the baby. However, I think now I can feel what it¡¯s like to be a father.¡± Dave sighed again, then looked at Lea with a feeling of awry. ¡°I hope you can forgive me.¡±

    Lea smiled awkwardly and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Dave. I was not immediately ready for the presence of this baby in my womb. It was hard to accept.¡±

    Silence engulfed the luxurious, narrow room. The dim light made Dave and Clara even more lost for words. No matter how many times they think about it, it was still hard for them ... and Clara too.

    ¡°I want to tell you ....¡± Dave and Lea spoke at the same time.

    Both of them looked at each other in surprise hearing them both about to say the same thing. The two then looked away, feeling awkward.

    ¡°You talk first,¡± Dave said then.

    ¡°No, you first. I can do it later,¡± Lea said. Dave nodded too.

    ¡°I, how about if I take care of that child in the future?¡± asked Dave with a pale face. He was very afraid that Lea would refuse.

    Lea gulped. Her lips trembled as she tried to force a smile. It didn¡¯t take long for her to feel her eyes begin to warm. Her vision started to blur slowly.

    ¡°Lea, I promise to treat this child with love. I would never hurt the baby,¡± Dave said again. ¡°I¡¯m sure Clara would do the same. She is very kind and loving to children. The patient-¡±

    ¡°I know it, Dave!¡± interrupted Lea in a trembling voice. Tears started dripping slowly. ¡°I know it! Clara is very kind. She is so kind to everyone.¡± ... ¡®but me,¡¯ Lea continued in her mind.

    Lea wiped the tears with her fingers, alternately right and left. However, her tears continued to flow without stopping. Can¡¯t be stopped by anything.

    ¡°Lea, whatever you ask for, I¡¯ll give you in return,¡± whispered Dave with a great plea. ¡°I can afford to provide monthly allowances for you and your family, or even pay for your mother¡¯s hospital fees. Or ... anything you want, Lea.¡±

    Lea turned back to Dave. She forced a smile through her tears, making her look like the most miserable person in the world. Her nose was now red from her sobbing which was getting heavier. Then, he held out a box of tissues for her. She took the tissue box slowly and wiped the snot from her nose.

    The trash can near the bed was now full of used tissue clumps. In the past, if there was such a thing in the room, it must have been because Dave used it to wipe away traces of his love fluids after sessions of love-making with Clara in the office. Of course, he did not expect that now the tissue and trash bin could change roles, doing another decent task.

    ¡°I know this will be hard on you. But, I hope you can consider-¡±

    ¡°Dave, this afternoon, I told Clara that I will give up the custody of this child to you and her,¡± Lea cut in after she managed to control her emotions. ¡°This child will be your child and Clara¡¯s.¡±

    Now, it was Dave¡¯s turn to be stunned. He didn¡¯t expect that Lea had preceded him. Did what he wanted before being asked.

    ¡°On what reason did you do that?¡± asked Dave curiously. He felt Lea would not do that without a clear motivation.

    Lea crumpled the blanket. Should she say that she knew about Clara¡¯s infertility? It seemed it would create a new problem that was never wanted.

    ¡°I just think that this child will be better with you. You are rich, unlike me. The baby will be prouder and happier to be with a family like you and Clara,¡± Lea said later. She didn¡¯t want to talk about her secret with Linda.

    Dave was amazed by the change in Lea¡¯s attitude. He thought that she would defend her rights as the birth mother of the baby. Hadn¡¯t the last time they spoke, she insisted on taking care of the child herself?

    However, Dave chose to give in. He didn¡¯t want to argue why Lea had changed her mind. He just wanted the baby as his father asked him to, making Lea a surrogate mother for him and Clara. It was the best solution for everyone. However, was it really for the best?

    Finally, Dave asked the one thing he was most worried about. ¡°How did she react? Did she accept this idea?¡±

    With trepidation, Lea replied, ¡°Unfortunately, no. Clara still can¡¯t accept this idea.¡±

    Dave¡¯s heart felt like being squeezed hard. What he was worried about had actually happened. Clara didn¡¯t like it. Indeed, which woman would like such an idea?

    Dave now knew what his next task would be: to convince Clara!

 Chapter 107

    107 107. Caring Father

    Lea stood from the side of the bed, took her handbag, and got ready to go home. Her main business with Dave was over. She wanted to quickly take a rest and think about the next step she had to do.

    ¡°Do you need a lift home?¡± Dave asked. That handsome young businessman picked up his glasses from the small table beside the bed and put them back on, making them sit nicely on his straight, masculine nose. ¡°I have to go home too.¡±

    ¡°Now?¡± Lea asked while checking the digital table clock. It¡¯s still 6 pm now. Usually, that workaholic man went home late. ¡°It¡¯s so early. It¡¯s not every day you.¡±

    Dave smiled a little. ¡°I just... want to see Clara. I will try to convince her to take this ... offer.¡±

    Lea nodded slowly. A twinge of pain struck her heart. She wanted to smile, but her face was too stiff to do so.

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you home,¡± Dave said again while making sure the car keys were in his pocket.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go home by myself,¡± Lea refused. Right now, she was unable to go home with her child¡¯s father. It was too risky.

    ¡°It¡¯s snowing pretty hard outside. Just go home with me. I already put the chain on my car tires. It is completely safe. If you take Uber, it¡¯s not certain that they¡¯ll put a chain on,¡± said Dave half insistently. He then opened the door of the room and let Lea come out first.

    ¡°Oh, wait here!¡± said Dave who remembered something. He then ran into the waiting room and brought back Lea¡¯s furry coat which he had deliberately not brought into the room earlier.

    .....

    Lea, who saw Dave¡¯s behavior, felt uncomfortable. Dave cared too much for him. What kind of woman would feel comfortable being treated like that by someone else¡¯s fianc¨¦?

    ¡°Here is your coat. Sorry, I forgot to bring it inside,¡± Dave said while helping Lea put on the warm coat. After the long coat covered her body perfectly, he asked again, ¡°Please check again. Is there anything important missing?¡±

    Lea chuckled. ¡°Valuable things?¡± she asked amusedly as she shoved her hands into her coat pockets. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I only have these three-dollar pairs of gloves in my pocket,¡± Clara replied with a giggle. ¡°This is so precious to me.¡±

    Lea¡¯s face, which had been tense before, looked relaxed, making Dave feel calm too. The man¡¯s face smiled and a sweet little chuckle tugged at his lips.

    ¡°The most valuable item is here,¡± said Lea again, smiling sweetly while stroking the small bump in her stomach, full of mother¡¯s love. The radiance of her love for the baby reached Dave¡¯s heart, making the man¡¯s heart skip a beat for a moment.

    ¡°You are right. The baby is the most valuable treasure,¡± said Dave who looked at Lea with awe. Imperceptibly, he brought his wide palms to touch Lea¡¯s stomach from both sides.

    Suddenly, a light electric current ran down Lea¡¯s back. Butterflies flutter in her chest. She didn¡¯t know what caused it, it could be Dave¡¯s cold hands, or it could also be caused by the baby¡¯s movement. Ridiculous, no baby in the womb is moving at the age of three months?

    As soon as she realized what Dave was doing, Lea immediately moved away, causing Dave¡¯s hand that was touching her stomach, now only to touch the emptiness of the air. Dave flinched slightly at Lea¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Ah, sorry! I just meant ... I wanted to say hi to my baby,¡± Dave said awkwardly. He then raised his hand, as if blaming his hand for moving on its own. Lea and Dave then stood, far from each other and not looking at each other.

    The atmosphere was tense and awkward again. Dave then decided to walk without saying anything. The two then paced up toward the elevator in silence.

    Together, they entered the private elevator. Several times Lea stole glances at her former boss, who still chose to remain silent. Lea thought that he was angry because that¡¯s how he usually did when he was angry: stop talking!

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Dave! I just thought that ... you shouldn¡¯t have done that to me because we¡¯re not lovers or husband and wife.¡± Lea looked at Dave awkwardly, hoping he would forgive her. She was indeed looking for justification. She only moved away because of the chaotic feelings and sensations that his touch caused.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have done that. You must be surprised, right?¡± Dave asked in a low voice, his voice almost caught in his throat.

    Lea smiled faintly, relieved that Dave understood why she did that. She was greatly relieved when there was a ding sound, signaling that they had reached the bottom floor.

    Dave was right. Outside, the snow was quite thick and still heavy. The snow pile will grow even more in the next hour. It¡¯s not fun at all when you have to linger on the road with lots of risks.

    Lea noticed the shoes she was currently wearing were not suitable for the situation. Not winter boots, which were equipped with rubber to maintain balance on slippery snow, but fashionable black ankle boots with pointed toes. God, why didn¡¯t she dress according to the weather forecast? Even considering boots that match the black dress that covers her body at this time.

    Seeing that Lea was hesitant to take a step, Dave gentlemanly offered his hand. Lea gasped in surprise as the large, black-gloved palm reached out to her.

    ¡°You can slip into those kinds of shoes. My car is a bit far there,¡± Dave said with a straight face, without hesitation.

    Imagining Dave would take her to the parking lot, walking hand in hand, made Lea¡¯s feelings messed up. What if someone saw it and reported it to Clara?

    Lea then shook her head quickly. ¡°No need, I can walk by myself.¡± Lea was desperate to say that because it would not end well. She was not sure that she would get to where Dave¡¯s car was parked without any problems.

    Sure enough. Just two steps away, Dave heard Lea¡¯s scream.

    ¡°Aaah!¡±

 Chapter 108

    108 108. Tried to be Strong

    ¡°Lea!¡± Dave turned around in a panic. He had indeed gone ahead because Lea had asked. Luckily, what he saw when he turned his head was not a woman who had fallen and was covered in blood, having a miscarriage.

    Lea was safe. She was holding onto a street lamp¡¯s outer frame. Her heart seemed to burst. Her pale face stared at Dave with wide eyes.

    Earlier, after taking a few steps, Lea immediately slipped when she stepped on a thin layer of ice covered with snow. She miscalculated, she thought that the pile of snow that still looked thick would be safe to step on.

    ¡°You are okay?¡± Dave asked worriedly, examining Lea¡¯s condition closely. ¡°Let me hold you so you don¡¯t fall!¡± Dave said again half forcefully.

    Lea shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful next time!¡±

    Of course, Dave shook his head quickly and denied Lea¡¯s words, ¡°This is the result of your careful step! What if there weren¡¯t any streetlights here?¡± Dave put his hands on his hips, it was clear he wasn¡¯t happy with Lea¡¯s recklessness. However, Lea remained adamant in her stance.

    Dave snorted in annoyance. The woman before him had even made love to him. He had even seen everything his former secretary had. And now, she was behaving like a virgin that no one had ever touched? She didn¡¯t want him to hold her hands. It sucked.

    However, Dave then remembered something that happened the morning he and Lea had sex. He was so shocked when he saw blood stains on the bed sheet. It was obvious that the naked woman next to him was not Clara. Clara was not a virgin anymore.

    It was then, Dave realized that it was indeed the first time for Lea to have sex. He was the one who accidentally took Lea¡¯s virginity. It¡¯s only natural that she acts like a virgin who took care of herself.

    .....

    Dave felt guilty. He then said, ¡°Wait here! I¡¯ll get my car and bring it here. It will be dangerous if you walk far in those boots.¡±

    Lea just nodded, moving her feet awkwardly when Dave seemed to blame her for wearing fashionable shoes in winter. She just watched his back as he walked away from her toward the car park. Her mind drifted as he touched her stomach. It would be so happy if she got pregnant with the one she loves. The person she was destined for.

    Lea¡¯s thoughts were stopped when a blue Bentley Bentayga SUV stopped in front of her. Dave got out of the car to help her into his car. The father-to-be really cared about the baby, he didn¡¯t want the mother carrying his baby to get hurt in the slightest. He treated his child¡¯s mother gently and gentlemanly.

    Lea¡¯s chest felt tight. Either because of the cold air that was suffocating her lungs or because of Dave¡¯s excessive treatment. Even though she knew that Dave was doing it all because of the baby in her womb, Lea was afraid that she would fall for Dave¡¯s gentleness and care. It was dangerous.

    The car continued to move at a moderate speed. While the two people in the car decided to talk about things other than Clara and the baby in Lea¡¯s womb. They want to take a break from the unpleasant problems of life.

    ¡°How is your mother¡¯s condition?¡± Dave asked in a concerned tone.

    ¡°She is currently recovering. Her condition is quite good,¡± Lea replied in a soft voice. She also told him how difficult her mother went through.

    It¡¯s fun to go through the snowy streets using a car that was indeed tough. Not long after, Dave¡¯s car stopped in front of Lea¡¯s little house. The house was covered in snow.

    ¡°Thank you, Lea!¡± said Dave when Lea was about to undo her seatbelt.

    ¡°I should be the one thanking you for giving me a lift.¡± Lea smiled softly while pressing the seat belt button.

    Dave shook his head, smiling a little. ¡°I thank you for your kindness, allowing me and Clara to take care of this child later.¡±

    Lea just smiled awkwardly, she gulped hard and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be like that! After all, you are the baby¡¯s father. He or she will surely receive your full and boundless outpouring of affection. It sounds great.¡±

    Dave and Lea then said their goodbyes. She waved as he ran his car away. When he had left, she was still stunned in front of the house. There was a strange feeling lingering in her chest. A suffocating one, making her eyes heat up despite her being in the middle of cold snow.

    Not long after, Tia, Lea¡¯s youngest sister came out of the house, wearing a coat and carrying a shovel to clean up the snow around the house. ¡°Ah, Lea! You¡¯re home. Can you help me clean the snow? Sarah and Ciara forced me to do it, even though I have a math exam tomorrow.¡±

    When Tia didn¡¯t hear an answer from Lea, she then shook her sister¡¯s body and turned her by force. Unfortunately, what she found was not Lea¡¯s happy face. Usually, Lea showed a cheerful face, full of smiles, but this time she was transfixed and stared blankly into the air.

    ¡°Lea, are you okay? Why are you crying?¡± that shoulder-length dark-haired girl asked her sister.

    Unfortunately, Lea was not willing to answer. She didn¡¯t know what to say. She didn¡¯t even know why her chest felt so tight right now. She then grabbed the flat-chested little body of her youngest sister and hugged her tightly.

    Was it wrong for her to try to be strong? Was it wrong for her to give the baby to Clara and Dave who wouldn¡¯t be able to have a baby together? Was it wrong for her to try to atone for her sins to Clara?

    At that time, Lea could only sob on her youngest sister¡¯s shoulder. She didn¡¯t know how long it went on. What was clear, Tia could only embrace her sister back in the middle of the pouring snow that was getting heavier.

 Chapter 109

    109 109. Love and Hate

    Clara packed her things. It was time for her to go home after a tiring day¡¯s overtime work. The jobs given to her were not too many. However, she did work harder these days. The reason was simple. She wanted to distract herself from her life¡¯s problems by working.

    It was exhausting. However, she would go straight to sleep as soon as she got home. She wouldn¡¯t have had time to overthink her problems. Serious problems could make short-minded people end their lives. Dark thoughts would indeed lead them in that direction.

    She stepped down the stairs to the ground floor. Not because she was too lazy to queue at the elevator, but because she wanted to walk more so she would be able to keep her body in good shape. Her busy schedule made her rarely take time to go to the gym.

    When she got to the main entrance, the sensor flashed red, and the door automatically opened for her. When the woman was about to leave, someone called her name.

    ¡°Clara?¡±

    Clara turned around and found Dave standing behind her. Her brows furrowed, looking displeased with his presence there.

    ¡°What do you want, Dave?¡± Clara asked, snorting in annoyance. ¡°I told you not to see me this month.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible, Clara! Our parents are planning our wedding. Why do you keep avoiding me?¡± Dave complained. He was waiting for her since forever but her reaction was a real pain in the ass.

    Clara shook her head, laughing mockingly at Dave. ¡°You are happy, right? Our parents support you. It¡¯s pathetic, no? Even my own father doesn¡¯t care about how I feel.¡±

    .....

    Dave couldn¡¯t contain his emotion. He grabbed Clara by the shoulder and shook her lightly, ¡°Clara, I didn¡¯t come here to fight with you. Please try to understand that the situation can¡¯t be changed. Make peace with this condition!¡±

    Hearing Dave¡¯s statement made Clara even more irritated. ¡°For you, it¡¯s so easy to make peace with all of this. However, what about me? My condition is not as good as yours, Dave!¡±

    ¡°Then, why did you reject Lea¡¯s proposal?¡± Dave asked, yelling at Clara to hear. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the presence of the child make our situation better? We can pretend there is no problem between us. We can go back to how we used to be.¡±

    Clara¡¯s ears felt like they had been struck by lightning. How could Dave say such a thing to her? Had Lea also told him about the crazy idea?

    ¡°So she already told you?¡± asked Clara, sneering at Dave.

    He nodded. ¡°She came to me, told me about her intention to give the baby to us-¡±

    ¡°Your baby,¡± Clara corrected quickly.

    Dave sighed, he nodded, confirming Clara¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Do you think that I will easily forget your mistake,¡± Clara said while squinting her eyes, looking hatefully at Dave.

    ¡°Clara. I just wanted to tell you, if Lea were to leave the baby to us, this would be the best solution, baby!¡± Dave explained again. He looked into Clara¡¯s amber eyes with his round steely eyes. ¡°We can think of that child as ours. My parents also won¡¯t demand much because the child was their own flesh and blood. We will be able to continue our lives, loving each other till death do us part.¡±

    Clara¡¯s throat constricted. Dave¡¯s words did make her feel that it was the most reasonable thing. However, she felt something was off.

    ¡°We ... can think of Lea as a surrogate mother,¡± Dave said again. This time, he looked at his lover with pitiful eyes.

    Clara nodded, then smiled bitterly. He looked at Dave with pity. ¡°Then... when you want another child, are you going to fuck another woman, knock her up, and ask me to think of her as a surrogate mother ... again?¡± she asked in sarcasm curtly.

    ¡°Clara!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Dave! I am so tired. I want to go home soon and take a rest immediately! You come at the wrong time! You should come to me when I¡¯m free,¡± Clara said again, tightening her lips, and forming a thin line.

    ¡°And you will always be busy if I want to talk to you, right?¡±

    Clara snorted, averting her eyes from Dave. ¡°You are smart, you must know what I meant!¡±

    Clara then left, away from Dave. The sensor flashed red again, the door automatically opened for her. Cold air rushed into the room. Clara immediately stepped out of the room so that the door would immediately close to keep the comfort for those who were still in the hospital.

    Clara walked quickly. She tucked her grey waterproof coat hoodie over her head, shielding herself from the snow showers. Her black winter boots helped her walk away from Dave quickly even on the slippery ground. However, just as she had expected, Dave chased after her anyway. The man ran to get ahead of her, letting her do nothing but stop.

    ¡°Dave-¡±

    ¡°Say it, Clara! Say you hate me,¡± Dave said breathlessly. The man in the black coat held Clara¡¯s shoulder with his hands, looking at her with a sharp gaze.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Clara asked in confusion.

    ¡°Tell me that you hate me and don¡¯t want me for the rest of your life,¡± Dave said again in a serious tone.

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Then ... I will be gone from your life forever,¡± Dave replied, swallowing hard.

    Clara was silent, her amber eyes stared at Dave as wide as they could. The snowflakes landed on Clara¡¯s warm red lips, making them instantly melt, and making her tremble from the loss of internal heat.

    ¡°I ....¡± Clara trailed off. All the insults and hatred for Dave suddenly caught in her throat.

    ¡°Tell me that you don¡¯t want to be with me at all. Say you want to throw me away from your life,¡± said Dave confidently even though the cold air made his teeth grind, ¡°for good.¡±

    Dave stared closely at Clara¡¯s face with his steely eyes. That very time, he was determined to grant her request if she no longer had feelings for him.

    Clara looked in any direction but Dave. She felt intimidated. She couldn¡¯t utter a single word against Dave.

    ¡°This is ridiculous!¡± she protested while lowering her face, and looking away. However, Dave grabbed her chin and lifted her face with his hands so they were facing each other again.

    ¡°Look at me in the eyes and tell me that you don¡¯t love me anymore,¡± Dave said by shaking Clara¡¯s shoulder lightly, making her silky brunette hair sway so that her hoodie almost came off.

    ¡°I ...,¡± Clara¡¯s whisper sounded even quieter. Instead of saying words to reject Dave, she shed tears. Her eyes heated up, in contrast to the bone-chilling air. Her sobs became even harder. Her eyes glistened with tears, looking at Dave with a desperate look.

    ¡°I know, deep down you still love me, right? That¡¯s why you can¡¯t leave me, right?¡± asked Dave again. He was insistent, but the sincerity was palpable with every emphasis in his words. ¡°You can¡¯t stand to see me marry another woman, can you?¡±

    Clara¡¯s tears grew heavier. Her lips were trembling even more. She bit her lower lip, trying not to get too carried away. However, she lost.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we start over from the beginning, Clara?¡± asked Dave again. ¡°How about if we pretend that this is our first meeting?¡±

    Clara sobbed even more. She could only stare at Dave in despair. How could she possibly hate him completely after everything that¡¯s happened between them over the years? Clara felt increasingly helpless.

    ¡°If you still love me, why did you reject Lea¡¯s offer?¡± asked Dave again. His eyebrows met, showing a face that was as hurt as hers.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know my pain, Dave. I hate you because you cheated on me. However, I hate myself more because I¡¯m not the perfect woman for you,¡± Clara said in heartbreaking tears. Her eyes looked at Dave with a painful gaze. ¡°I can¡¯t give birth to your child, I won¡¯t be able to call a child ¡®our child¡¯.¡±

    Dave¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but fill with tears when he heard Clara¡¯s words. At that moment, Clara¡¯s sadness hurt the hearts of anyone who saw her, let alone Dave. He brought the woman he loved into his embrace tightly, making her slender body feel warm despite the heavy snow showers.

    ¡°You¡¯re perfect, baby,¡± Dave whispered as he kissed Clara¡¯s forehead, making Clara¡¯s tears flow even harder, running down her cheeks. ¡°You are the most perfect woman for me.¡±

    ¡°Dave....¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m begging you, Clara. Accept Lea¡¯s offer, we¡¯ll start again from the beginning, ¡°Dave said later. He cupped Clara¡¯s face with his black-gloved hands. ¡°Okay?¡±

    Slowly, Dave hugged her tighter. Under the pouring snow, the two of them made out, warming their cold faces with passionate kisses.

    Dave then broke away from the kiss. He then whispered in Clara¡¯s ear. ¡°Come on, baby! Let¡¯s face the hardship together.¡±

    The snowfall was getting heavier. Dave and Clara¡¯s heads turned white, covered in a thin pile of snow. However, both of them felt warm and comfortable with loving hugs and hot kisses.

    Dave pulled his lips from hers and whispered in a hoarse voice, ¡°Wanna warm your body up in my place?¡±

 Chapter 110

    110 110. (Not) Only You*

    Dave immediately took Clara to drive home. On the way, they did something dangerous. Clara¡¯s overflowing longing and sexual frustration made her do things she shouldn¡¯t do in the car.

    Clara¡¯s hand reached into Dave¡¯s pants, searched her man¡¯s pants, and teased him as Dave drove. She held his third leg through his jeans, something that should only belong to her, stroking it gently. She enjoyed it as he fought the sensation her hands caused, trying to concentrate on the traffic.

    ¡°Baby, stop!¡± Dave said, smiling and scared at the same time. He was glad that Clara wanted him back. However, he wanted her to at least be patient until they reached the penthouse. ¡°This is dangerous.¡±

    After ten minutes of struggling against Clara¡¯s tease, Dave finally managed to park his car safely. The two of them then rushed into the elevator to quickly get to his place.

    Luckily, the elevator they used was a VIP elevator that would stop directly at the destination floor. They didn¡¯t need to worry that someone would see and find them making out wildly in the elevator.

    When the two horny creatures got to the penthouse, they couldn¡¯t take it anymore. The brown and black winter coats lay on the floor, making the wooden floors of the luxury penthouse wet with melted snowflakes. The owners didn¡¯t care, because they immediately wanted to sate their mutual desire. The craving had been suppressed for a long time because the two of them had been in a cold war.

    The suppressed burning desire overflowed uncontrollably, producing groans and groans amidst the hot touch of the two humans who were immersed in the passionate kiss. So forceful, so demanding.

    ¡°I missed you so much,¡± Dave whispered in a raspy, breathless voice.

    ¡°Me too-¡±

    .....

    Clara didn¡¯t have time to finish what she said because Dave¡¯s lips returned to her already swollen ones, brushed his tongue against them, and pushed it into her opened mouth to enjoy every drop of her sweet saliva. The fluid exchange continued for who knew how long, making her not realize that she was now wearing nothing because he had quickly stripped her.

    When Dave¡¯s cold hands squeezed her breasts gently but with pressure, that¡¯s when Clara realized that she was completely naked. The weak electric current generated, made her hair prickle, making her core throb and flow the creamy love juice which made her opening slippery and wet, begging for his fingers to skillfully touch it.

    Without breaking the kiss from Clara¡¯s sweet lips, Dave¡¯s hand went down to find his favorite place. When he found that her slit had released its nectar, he groaned, unable to hold back his desire.

    ¡°I know you must miss me a lot. This is the real evidence,¡± Dave said breathlessly, circling Clara¡¯s wet and slick opening with his fingers.

    Clara only answered with lewd moans because Dave¡¯s thumb immediately played with her clit while his index finger immediately entered her hole to find the most sensitive spot in it.

    The task wasn¡¯t difficult at all because he already knew her anatomy well, inside and out. He memorized all of her erogenous spots, to the extent that he was so confident that he would still be able to get her to orgasm even though he was asleep. His body was already used to all the places she liked to be touched.

    ¡°Dave ...,¡± Clara groaned as she closed her eyes. She moaned and moaned every time his finger brushed against her sweet spot.

    Dave ran his index finger there without hesitation as if the place was his own. He enjoyed her lusty expression when she got the stimulation he caused. Her closed eyes looked especially gorgeous as the naturally beautiful eyelashes made her look like a doll.

    ¡°Dave, I¡¯m almost there,¡± Clara screamed, opening her darkened amber eyes, and begging Dave to help her climax.

    Dave understood the signal. He then knelt, bringing his face level with her sweet lower body. Dave brought his lips to kiss her narrow slit hungrily. He inserted one more finger to help her increase the intensity of stimulation. He played with his tongue on her clit and occasionally sucked it gently or hard, making her let out a sexy moan.

    When Dave felt Clara¡¯s walls tighten, clamping his fingers tightly, that¡¯s when a scream of pleasure escaped the sexy goddess¡¯ mouth. Dave continued to press Clara¡¯s sweet spot and made her feel a long, delicious orgasm.

    ¡°Dave!¡± Clara screamed while clutching Dave¡¯s hair, messing it mercilessly.

    Clara was still panting when Dave kissed her. Her hole was still very sensitive when she felt him lift her left leg. His hard shaft entered her opening slowly, making her eyes open with a jolt.

    His mind calmed as he shoved his full length inside her warmth. He was longing for her. He wanted her to take all of him. He wished her to embrace him in peaceful love for eternity.

    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t take it anymore. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve done it with you,¡± Dave whispered with a serene face as he enjoyed the sensation of immersing himself in the woman he loved.

    It was then that Clara realized that Dave had brought her to the wall, pinning her lewd sexy body like a beautiful painting there. They united their feelings in a tight hug. Embracing each other as if there was no tomorrow.

    ¡°I thought you were quite satisfied with your own hands,¡± Clara said with a tired

    smile because her body was still recovering from the big orgasm she had just experienced.

    Dave shook his head quickly. ¡°Never! Only you and always you,¡± he answered firmly, without a second thought. He said it sincerely. He wanted to dedicate himself to her, only.

    However, Dave¡¯s words made Clara¡¯s heart clench painfully. Everyone knew that was not what happened. It was not always her. He touched another woman and she was now pregnant with his child.

    Clara gulped, she suddenly lost interest and wanted to stop immediately.

 Chapter 111

    111 111. Punish Me for Life*

    Dave realized that he said the wrong thing. He then tried to distract Clara by showering his beautiful woman with nipple stimulation.

    He sipped the two sensitive buttons alternately so that she forgot her sadness. That was the right choice because her attention was immediately diverted to the pleasure that he was giving.

    Clara no longer cared about what she was facing. She wanted to forget her troubles for a moment. She wanted to be a woman who only cared about sex-with-handsome-man, even if only for a moment.

    She closed her eyes again. She drew closer to him as she was about to kiss the handsome Adonis in front of her. Her hands touched his chest and found his nipples and twirled her fingers there.

    Dave groaned loudly because he couldn¡¯t stand her excessive stimulation which made him too close to climax.

    ¡°Clara! Stop it!¡±

    Clara wouldn¡¯t stop. She wanted the pleasure to end quickly. Her walls stiffed, squeezing his hardness tightly and making him groan painfully delicious.

    ¡°Clara! I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± Dave yelled, begging for mercy.

    Feeling victorious, Clara raised her suction power, and wiggled her hips, chasing her own pleasure.

    .....

    Dave gave up! He then hugged her tightly while doing a quick thrusting. In the next second, only screeching screams of pleasure could be heard from the two of them as he spilled his warm seeds swiftly inside her.

    Dave¡¯s limp body then fell to the floor near the white fur carpet, followed by Clara who fell on top of his slick muscular body. She opened her heavy eyelids, smiling in satisfaction.

    Her heartache had not completely gone away. Her suffering from finding her flaw had not been cured. However, at least, her sexual frustration ended well.

    ¡°Why did you make me end this too quickly?¡± Dave asked while brushing Clara¡¯s bang that covered her face.

    ¡°Consider it a punishment for you,¡± Clara answered with no smile.

    However, Clara¡¯s words sparked something else in Dave¡¯s male mind. ¡°In that case, I want you to punish me all night long.¡±

    Clara shook her head. ¡°A night won¡¯t make me feel good enough!¡±

    ¡°Then punish me for life!¡±

    Clara couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Dave¡¯s statement. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t regret it?¡±

    ¡°I will never regret it. Instead, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be the one regretting it,¡± Dave replied as he straightened his back and lifted Clara¡¯s naked body to sit on his lap.

    The two stared at each other in silence. Tears welled up in Clara¡¯s eyes again. ¡°What if I¡¯m not the woman you want? How about I bring up what happened between you and Lea anytime when we argue?¡± asked Clara with tears in her eyes.

    Dave then wiped the tears that dripped down Clara¡¯s cheeks, then whispered, ¡°I¡¯m guilty, you have the right to bring up my mistakes.¡±

    ¡°Dave?¡±

    ¡°I will give you some time to forget about it. As long as you also give me chances to make amends,¡± Dave whispered softly.

    ¡°Until when?¡± Clara asked again. ¡°How about if I keep recalling your betrayal for life?¡±

    ¡°I will also spend the rest of my life convincing you,¡± Dave replied sincerely, bringing Clara¡¯s hands to his lips, and kissing them gently.

    Clara¡¯s tears flowed uncontrollably, making her face wet and red. Dave gently stroked her, without asking her to stop crying even though he didn¡¯t want his girlfriend to cry.

    ¡°For starters, how about if you punish me one more time tonight?¡± Dave asked, trying to distract Clara from her sadness. He knew she still wanted him.

    As soon as Clara nodded, Dave immediately took the woman to the master bedroom. They both then make love once again, putting their problems aside for a moment.

    ***

    Meanwhile, at the hospital, Sarah panicked. Just done with her mother¡¯s problem, now she must find that her older sister also had a health problem. Earlier, she was shocked when Tia screamed, making her leave the room only to find Lea clutching her stomach and groaning in pain.

    ¡°Is Lea going to be okay?¡± asked Tia with a puffy face.

    ¡°Tia, don¡¯t you have a math test tomorrow? Go home,¡± Ciara said. ¡°Sarah and I will wait for Lea here.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you guys suck! You guys forced me to clean up the snow piles around the house without caring about my exams. Now you¡¯re kicking me out because I¡¯m going to have a test!¡± Tia denied it and did not accept being treated like a child all the time.

    Sarah, who heard the argument between her siblings, then intervened, ¡°Stop! You two go home because you have school tomorrow morning. I don¡¯t have class tomorrow. I can wait for Lea alone!¡±

    Finally, Tia and Ciara gave up. At first, they both complained, but Sarah threatened not to give them pocket money next month. Both of them were forced to leave the hospital with grunts.

    Not long after, the doctor who treated Lea had finished and left the room. Sarah then approached her and asked how her sister was doing.

    ¡°She¡¯s awake, maybe she was just tired. Make sure she¡¯s well rested.¡± That female doctor was not Lea¡¯s regular ob-gyn. She was just a doctor on duty in the emergency. ¡°You can see her now.¡±

    Sarah immediately went to her sister¡¯s room. When she found Lea smiling weakly, she immediately rushed and hugged her eldest sister. ¡°Gosh, you scared me! The doctor said you were tired. Be careful next time! If you dare to leave the house all day long again, you will be grounded!¡± Sarah protested insistently.

    Seeing her sister grumbling for a long time made Lea think of their deceased father. That must be what their father would have done.

    ¡°Thank you for worrying about me. I just need to rest, don¡¯t exaggerate.¡± Lea smiled weakly, reassuring Sarah as best she could. In fact, she was scared.

    The doctor¡¯s advice replayed in her mind. There was a slight problem in her pregnancy and she had to check with her obstetrician the next day.

 Chapter 112

    112 112. Goodbye Tokyo

    Soft snow showers fell from the Tokyo sky, making the dark night turn brighter because of the pile of thin snow on the streets and roofs of houses and shops.

    William and Paula, who were on the way to the restaurant, were quite surprised. They didn¡¯t expect their last night in Tokyo to be greeted with this romantic sight.

    ¡°I thought we¡¯d never see snow in Tokyo,¡± commented William, opening up his palm to the sky to catch the snowflakes that melted as soon as they reached his bare hand. ¡°The weather forecast didn¡¯t say it would be snowy today.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say this is goodbye snow for us,¡± Paula said happily. Her left hand clung to William¡¯s arm, while her right hand cleaned William¡¯s knitted hat from snowflakes.

    ¡°Baby, I think this is the most beautiful winter I¡¯ve ever experienced in my life,¡± William said, smiling gently at his wife.

    ¡°Oh, yeah? Why?¡± Paula asked, smiling suspiciously at her husband.

    ¡°Because there is a gorgeous snow angel by my side,¡± William said, smiling widely, showing off cute dimples on his cheeks.

    ¡°Gosh! This is so cheesy,¡± Paula commented, laughing out loud. ¡°If you¡¯re not handsome, I¡¯ll definitely leave you on the side of the road,¡± he added, hitting his husband¡¯s arm gently.

    ¡°Vanessa said the snow pile is thick at home. She is too lazy to go outside,¡± said William, breaking the news from Vanessa.

    .....

    ¡°Right. I¡¯ve prepared winter coats for us because Dad said it¡¯s snowing pretty hard in New York.¡±

    Tomorrow, Paula and William would fly back to New York. Robert decided to take his daughter back because the problem was over in Tokyo. Moreover, with the help of young Yamaguchi, AJ Tokyo¡¯s existence could be said to be more stable this year. Paula had already said her objections to her father, but Robert didn¡¯t want to listen.

    The new AJ president was Robert¡¯s confidant. He was very confident that there would be no problems after this.

    Paula left right after the New Years¡¯ holiday was over. This year would be a special year for all of them.

    Arriving at the restaurant where the farewell party was held, Paula was showered with special gifts by the employees. The gifts were custom-made items. Made especially for Paula and William.

    In the middle of the party, William received a call. He stayed away from the crowd because the call was about something important. Unfortunately, Paula saw this and followed her husband to the emergency stairs.

    Seeing the seriousness on her husband¡¯s face, Paula felt displeased. ¡°You still want to keep what you¡¯re doing a secret?¡± Paula asked, annoyed. She leaned her body against the wall, looking at William flatly. ¡°Are you aware that you¡¯ve been keeping a lot of secrets from me lately?¡±

    William was slightly taken aback when he saw Paula who was suddenly standing near the emergency exit, looking at him with a suspicious face. He then nodded awkwardly. ¡°You really want to know? This is not something you should be concerned about.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Paula replied with a deep sigh. ¡°Who knows you spend half a million bucks for another woman.¡±

    William¡¯s heart jumped. Was what Paula said a coincidence, or was she interrogating him because he sent Lea that amount last month?

    ¡°What do you mean, baby?¡± asked William fearfully.

    ¡°I meant what I said.¡± Paula smiled, but her smile was terribly bitter.

    William sighed. He finally admitted that he sent half a million dollars to Lea. He also mentioned Lea¡¯s mother who had to have heart surgery immediately.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Paula asked disappointedly.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re jealous-¡±

    ¡°William, this is a matter of life and death! Do you still care about jealousy?¡± Paula asked irritably. ¡°God, if you tell me, I will definitely help her.¡±

    Paula gave William a disappointed look, but not for long because they had to get back to the party soon. This time, Paula tried to do a good farewell party to leave a special impression on the staff¡¯s hearts.

    ***

    Two days later, in New York, Lea and her siblings were shocked by a surprise visit from an interior design company that suddenly removed all the old furniture from their home. They replaced them with new ones. The luxurious and comfortable ones.

    ¡°All of this furniture is the best from our company,¡± said the bespectacled woman who was in charge of Lea¡¯s house makeover.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking if these things are the best or the cheapest. What I¡¯m asking is, who asked you to mess up my house?¡± Lea questioned her with an unfriendly tone.

    ¡°As I said, this order is under Theresa¡¯s name!¡± replied the woman who introduced herself as Cindy. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job.¡±

    Lea¡¯s brows furrowed. She remembered the name Theresa whom she knew was her schoolmate in kindergarten. It was impossible for Theresa, who had been out of touch with her for dozens of years, to suddenly buy a lot of expensive furniture for her.

    However, suddenly, she recalled the other Theresa. Dave¡¯s new secretary was also Theresa!

    Immediately, Lea called Dave. ¡°Dave, were you the one asking people to fill my house with new furniture?¡± she asked him frantically. She didn¡¯t even bother to say hi to him because she was so sure of her guess.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Dave replied casually. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± asked him again.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of likes or dislikes. But you did it without telling me first. On what basis are you doing this? If this is because you are doing it out of gratitude for the baby-¡±

    ¡°Lea, I¡¯m doing this because you said your bed wasn¡¯t as comfortable as the couch in the waiting room. Only that.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lea asked, wide-eyed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you who are pregnant to get tired, Lea!¡± said Dave again. ¡°What is the problem?¡±

    Lea was just stunned to hear Dave¡¯s story. He was very sorry that he had said such a stupid thing that the bed was uncomfortable.

    Lea didn¡¯t expect that just because of her random ranting Dave would buy her a new bed ... err ... not only new beds but also new furniture, making her house that was like an old hut turned sweet like a new home because the company also replaced the old rotten wallpaper with the fancy one.

    They even redesigned the lighting to complement the beauty of the room. Who knew what their mother would say when she came home later?

    ¡°If that¡¯s the reason, you shouldn¡¯t change everything,¡± Lea complained, she didn¡¯t like Dave¡¯s excessive kindness. ¡°It¡¯s too expensive.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Lea. I did that not only for you. That¡¯s a gift from me so that the baby will also be happy. I just change everything. Hope you guys like it. I have a meeting in five minutes. You don¡¯t mind if I end the call, do you?¡±

    Dave didn¡¯t wait for Lea¡¯s approval. He immediately hung up the call because he did not want to argue about unimportant things.

    To be honest, Dave really wanted to take Lea away from her old hut because he couldn¡¯t bear it when his baby lived in poverty even though he or she was still in the womb. However, he knew that Lea would refuse the idea. Therefore, instead, he improved the condition of the house, making it comfortable to live in.

    Lea sighed. She didn¡¯t stubbornly re-call Dave, knowing he wasn¡¯t going to lie about his schedule just to avoid an argument. She then returned to where her sisters gathered.

    The girls then greeted her with sparkles in their eyes. Ciara, who was the most excited, spoke up first.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that William was still nice to us, huh!¡± she said enthusiastically. ¡°Is he planning something?¡±

    Sarah pinched her sister, causing the girl to wince in pain. She then approached Lea and spoke softly in his sister¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Lea, you said that William was broke,¡± Sarah whispered confusedly. She could not hide her happiness at the thought that tonight she could sleep comfortably in a new room that would feel as comfortable as a five-star hotel. ¡°Why is he still able to renovate our house?¡±

    ¡°This was not William¡¯s doing,¡± Lea replied again. She looked at Sarah with a straight face.

    ¡°Who is it, then?¡± Sarah asked again. Her brows furrowed. ¡°Is this from Mrs. Decker? I even returned all the money from her as you wanted. I also asked her not to send money again next month.¡±

    Lea just shook her head and snorted in response. She was reluctant to tell the girls who had sent these expensive gifts to them. She was afraid that they would misunderstand.

    ¡°Could it be, you have a new boyfriend?¡± asked Tia curiously. ¡°I knew it! He was the man who brought you home two days ago!¡±

    All eyes then turned to Lea. There was only one thing going through their heads at the moment.

    ¡°Teach us how to get a rich boyfriend!¡± Lea¡¯s sisters screamed in unison.

 Chapter 113

    113 113. Reconciliation

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lea asked, displeased with the girls¡¯ questions. Rather than asking for advice, their words sounded like a joke. Or even a mock.

    ¡°You always get rich boyfriends, don¡¯t you? Formerly William, now your new boyfriend is also rich,¡± Ciara replied with twinkling eyes. ¡°Renovating the house to be this pretty, must cost a fortune.¡±

    Lea sighed. Of all her sisters, Ciara loved to preen. That girl was very lazy to do rough and dirty house chores. Several times she witnessed how Ciara took advantage of Tia to do the chores when it was Ciara¡¯s turn. Instead, Ciara loved to practice preening and made vlogs for makeup tutorials. She would use the money she got to buy expensive makeup and branded items.

    ¡°Cia, it¡¯s not like that. You can¡¯t determine who you fall in love with, you also can¡¯t determine who falls in love with you,¡± Lea answered patiently. ¡°And I also don¡¯t have a boyfriend right now. So, don¡¯t get me wrong.¡±

    Lea glanced around at her sisters, much to the chagrin of her explanation.

    ¡°If you want to have money, earn it honestly. Don¡¯t depend on man! Be a smart and independent woman,¡± Lea said again.

    Lea realized that she was not a good role model for her younger sisters. But she didn¡¯t want them to make the same mistake or even worse. Looking for rich men to pay their bills was wrong in so many ways.

    ***

    Days changed. Lea had applied for jobs in many companies, but with her pregnant condition, she always failed the interview. No company was willing to recruit her because her competitors were single women who didn¡¯t have babies in their tummies.

    .....

    After washing the dishes, Lea checked her email again, in case there was an interview call. However, today was the same as yesterday. Empty.

    ¡°Jeez, how can I give the money back to Mrs. Decker?¡± Lea murmured while massaging her forehead.

    She did give the baby to Dave and Clara. However, she would not exchange the baby for money. It would make her feel guilty for life. She planned to return the two million from Linda, even little by little.

    She sometimes wanted to go back to work for Dave because he would definitely get her a job. However, she knew that she couldn¡¯t do that or Clara would be madly jealous.

    The last news she got, Dave and Clara would be getting married soon. That meant Clara had agreed to her offer. Dave was able to convince his fiancee. Since her last meeting with Clara, she never discussed personal matters anymore. She was tired.

    The sound of the doorbell took Lea back to her senses. There was no one in the house but her. She got up from her seat and quickly opened the door. Perhaps it was a delivery man, sending a package for Ciara.

    However, it turned out that her guess was wrong. A familiar blonde-haired woman in a white coat was standing there.

    ¡°Hi, Lea!¡±

    The visitor was Paula. The woman who left a deep scar on Lea¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Lea greeted awkwardly. ¡°Please, come in.¡±

    Lea nervously asked Paula. Of course, Paula rushed into the house enthusiastically because it was too cold outside. Paula wanted to save herself immediately from the chilly weather.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Paula said subconsciously as she complimented the beauty of the living room¡¯s interior. It was minimalist and cozy, but it still glinted luxury touch.

    Realizing that what she was doing was impolite, she immediately turned her attention back to Lea. ¡°Sorry, the interior design is very cute. I love it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. However, this has absolutely nothing to do with my family. A friend did this for free,¡± Lea said flatly.

    Paula nodded. Lea then asked Paula to sit down on the couch.

    ¡°What would you like to drink? I only have soda and juice,¡± Lea asked as she opened the fridge. She took a clean glass as she waited for Paula¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Just water. I¡¯m on a sugar diet,¡± Paula answered casually.

    ¡°Ah, I forgot that you are also pregnant. The doctor put me on a sugar and carb diet too. But I¡¯m too lazy to comply,¡± Lea said as she filled Paula¡¯s glass with water. ¡°Hopefully they don¡¯t put me on a salt diet. That would be torturous because I love potato chips with sprinkles of salt.¡±

    Paula smiled at Lea¡¯s chatter. Normally, their encounters weren¡¯t of this kind. As a rule, their meetings were full of tension and swearing. However, as fellow expectant mothers, they could compromise at this time.

    Lea put the water on the table, shoving it closer to Paula. ¡°Why do you pay me a visit? I think William gave you my letter, right? I won¡¯t bother you two anymore-¡±

    ¡°Ah, how is your mother?¡± Paula asked, interrupting Lea¡¯s words because she didn¡¯t like it when Lea was talking about things that had passed. She wanted to show that there was no more hostility in her heart.

    ¡°My mother is good. The heart transplant is over. After another month of surveillance, the doctor said mom can go home,¡± Lea replied, smiling.

    Paula also expressed her gratitude for the good news. She then explained the purpose of her visit.

    ¡°My apologies for just finding out about this a few days ago from William. He ... didn¡¯t tell me about this before because he was afraid I¡¯d be jealous,¡± Paula said regretfully. She hissed, blaming William for his ridiculous thoughts at the time. ¡°I don¡¯t know what was going through William¡¯s mind at the time. But, he should tell me no matter what since it¡¯s all about life and death. I¡¯m so sorry, Lea!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Lea replied with a bitter smile. ¡°That means, he truly cares about you. Don¡¯t blame him!¡±

    Paula tightly gripped the glass in her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know if your financial problems are over or not. However, if it¡¯s not too late, I intend to pay off the rest of your mother¡¯s hospital fees.¡± She was afraid that Lea would feel offended. However, she was already prepared.

    Lea smiled briefly. She didn¡¯t expect that Paula would calmly talk about the matter she was preoccupied with.

    ¡°Why do you want to help me?¡± Lea asked then. ¡°I almost ruined your marriage.¡±

    Paula was stunned. She looked at Lea intently. ¡°Can I say that we are even?¡±

    Lea didn¡¯t answer. She just squeezed her fingers nervously. A bit of an old wound opened up on her chest.

    Seeing Lea¡¯s awkwardness, Paula then said again. ¡°This is not a matter of winning or losing. But, since we¡¯ve all made up our minds, can we just forget about what happened in the past?¡±

    Lea¡¯s eyes heated up as tears welled up in her eyes. She nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s better if we just forget about the past.¡±

    Lea realized that she was not in the position of an innocent person. Many incidents made her realize that if people can make peace with the past, they should just reconcile.

    ¡°However, that amount is too large, Paula. I can¡¯t just take your money freely,¡± Lea said later when her fingers wiped away the tears that slipped down her cheeks.

    ¡°Too much?¡± Paula asked again. She was confused about how to persuade Lea to accept it.

    ¡°Right. I also plan to return the money to William. However, maybe not now,¡± Lea answered again.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t William give it to you for free?¡± Paula asked in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, now that William ... has been kicked out of the house, I don¡¯t want to burden him with my financial problems,¡± Lea replied in a bland voice.

    Paula then nodded, understanding Lea¡¯s decision. ¡°Okay. Give it back to him. In that case, I¡¯ll transfer the two million bucks to your account in exchange.¡±

    ¡°Paula?¡± Lea gasped in surprise. ¡°I told you, it¡¯s too much!¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t care. She asked Monica to help her transfer the amount of money to Lea¡¯s account. She then turned back to Lea.

    ¡°How about you take this as a gift instead? Like, your friend who fixed the interior of this house,¡± asked Paula forcefully. ¡°Do you agree?¡±

    Lea shook her head. She said many things that made her feel uneasy when she had to accept that kind of money from someone she didn¡¯t really know for a long time.

    It was then, Paula accidentally saw Lea¡¯s inbox on the laptop. She then came up with an idea that could be the best solution.

    ¡°How about if you work for me?¡± Paula asked then.

    Lea, who had been busy and nervous about rejection, suddenly stopped ranting, looking at Paula in disbelief. ¡°Work for you? Do .... Do you offer me a job?¡±

    Paula nodded confidently. ¡°I need new staff in the finance department. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you studied economics, right?¡±

    An unimaginable sense of joy crept into Lea¡¯s heart, crossing her face. Her mouth was open, speechless.

    ¡°I ... of course, I¡¯m very happy. But ....¡± Lea then paused, suddenly doubting her abilities.

    ¡°Why?¡± Paula asked again. She thought that giving Lea a chance to work would save the woman¡¯s pride.

    ¡°I, you know that I¡¯m pregnant. Do you mind?¡± Lea asked, doubting herself.

    Paula laughed heartily and showed off her little bump. ¡°You and I are both pregnant, right?¡±

    Tears of happiness spilled from Lea¡¯s eyes. She was very happy because Paula understood what was on her mind. Working with Paula would be the best solution at this point.

    ¡°Thank you, Paula!¡± Lea whispered with emotion.

    Paula shook her head with a genuine smile. ¡°No problem. You can start working tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 114

    114 114. Working for Ex-Rival

    ¡°Yes, I promised to go to the doctor this week,¡± Paula said, answering the grumbling man on the other end of the phone while checking her inbox. There was an important email from Lea. ¡°You must be eager to know the baby¡¯s gender, right?¡± she added seductively. ¡°Be patient, baby.¡±

    Paula and her husband were enthusiastically betting on the baby¡¯s gender. The feeling of joy was so vivid in her eyes. However, it was only for a moment. Her eyes widened when she saw Lea standing beside her desk. Awkwardly.

    ¡°Ah, Lea!¡± Paula startled. She was about to jump off her seat. ¡°Since when were you here?¡±

    Lea smiled sourly. She didn¡¯t know what to say at the moment. ¡°Already from a minute ago.¡±

    Paula blushed. Lea must have heard all her conversations with William. She forgot to lock the door. She indeed allowed all employees to enter the room without knocking on the door if it was not closed. Crap! She should change the rule from tomorrow.

    ¡°Ah ...,¡± Paula didn¡¯t know what to say. She felt bad to be found having a happy chat about her baby in front of Lea, a single mother, as well as William¡¯s ex-girlfriend. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t hear you come in.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Paula! Take it easy. I did wear flats in the room. It¡¯s dangerous wearing stilettos for preggers,¡± Lea replied brightly, hiding a small twinge in her chest. ¡°I¡¯m also going to the doctor next week. I want a boy.¡± Lea smiled broadly so Paula wouldn¡¯t feel awkward.

    Lea had been working with Paula for several days. She enjoyed her new job. Currently, she was giving Paula advice so that Sakura Bakery would not need to raise the selling price of their products.

    ¡°I think we have to start cutting unnecessary costs,¡± Lea said, reporting the financial statements. ¡°For efficiency, we can cut our subscriptions to newspapers, magazines, and cable TV because according to surveys and observations, our customers barely use them.¡±

    .....

    Paula nodded in agreement. Subscription fees were not so expensive, at a glance. However, when accumulated, the amount was quite a lot. For a year, the cost of a newspaper subscription alone can cover the cost of flour and eggs for a month.

    ¡°It could be because everyone is already using their cell phones. Alright, we can just use the WiFi and the free service plan.¡± Paula snorted as she checked the list Lea had given her. ¡°Anything else? I hope we don¡¯t have to increase product prices even though some raw materials are starting to increase in price.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if this particular suggestion is correct or not, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with buying materials in bulk. During this time, for reasons of freshness, we buy some raw materials in small quantities. Like this matcha powder, I checked the price for ten kilograms. It is much cheaper than one kilogram. Meanwhile, for a year we need as much as thirty kilograms,¡± said Lea again. She also pointed out other expensive ingredients that could be kept down by buying bulk. ¡°You can check the price for the bulk size yourself on the link that I included.¡±

    Paula then checked the spreadsheet Lea had given her and checked for herself that Lea wasn¡¯t talking nonsense. Almond slices, almond powder, vacuum-packed beets, fruit puree, and yeast. The difference was very large and significant.

    ¡°Especially if we work with suppliers from one place, I can help you get special discounts from them,¡± said Lea, smiling. She took great pride in her ability to bargain over prices.

    ¡°Since it has to do with the freshness of the ingredients, I have to discuss it with the others first,¡± Paula replied. She had some doubts about Lea¡¯s calculations, but she was interested in executing Lea¡¯s suggestion because the price of the materials would be kept down if they did. There would be no customers who run away because of the high price.

    ¡°Of course! However, consider the free space in the freezer. I¡¯m sure it will be very helpful,¡± Lea said convincingly once again. She asked the supplier how to preserve some of the foodstuffs she proposed. However, she needed to find out if their patissier would accept this suggestion. Or not.

    ¡°If the patissier refused the idea, do you have any other suggestions?¡± asked Paula again before she closed the discussion with Lea.

    ¡°I guess we should cut down on waste and start making some of the basic ingredients ourselves. Such as orange peel, seasonal fruit puree, and some seasonal frozen fruit,¡± explained Lea again. She also indicated how much cost they would keep in that last resort.

    ¡°All right, Lea! Thank you for the advice, ¡°concluded Paula. ¡°You can go back to work.¡±

    ¡°Uh, Paula. Since my work is done, can I go outside for a while? I need about two hours,¡± Lea said a bit doubtfully. She was afraid that Paula would think she was asking for too much. ¡°I will replace the two watches that I wear tonight after office hours are over,¡± Lea added, convincingly.

    ¡°Oh, of course, you can take a rest. Two hours is fine and you don¡¯t have to make up for it.¡±

    Lea nodded happily as Paula seemed satisfied with her work. Moreover, she was permitted to leave because this time¡¯s business was important. She had to meet Linda Decker in her office.

    ***

    In her office, Linda looks surprised to see Lea carrying proof of the two million dollar transfer to her account. She stared at the young woman before her in astonishment.

    ¡°Why are you returning this money? Didn¡¯t you promise to give your baby to Clara?¡± Linda was very panicked and pale. She was afraid that Lea would change her mind.

    Lea just smiled faintly. She knew Linda¡¯s worries were well-founded. ¡°I just want to tell you one thing, come what may, I will not sell this baby to you, Mrs. Decker!¡±

    Linda¡¯s eyes widened. His heart seemed to be squeezed tightly. Why did Lea say that?

 Chapter 115

    115 115. The Wedding Dress

    ¡°Why? Why do you say something like that? You promised me that-¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Decker, calm down, please! I¡¯m going to give this baby to Clara because I want to help her. I still don¡¯t want to trade my baby for money. So, I will return your money.¡±

    Linda couldn¡¯t believe what Lea said. She was dumbstruck. Unable to say a word for seconds.

    ¡°Then ... then where did you get these two million bucks? How could you manage to get-¡±

    ¡°God has brought ships to help people who are almost drowning. I didn¡¯t take the first ship because I¡¯m sure God has prepared another ship that is better for me,¡± said Lea, because she didn¡¯t want to mention the actual reason. ¡°And sure enough, the second ship that came was much better than the first.¡±

    Linda smiled wryly. She secretly admired the steadfast Lea. She was sure that the woman in front of her was sincere in helping her daughter.

    ¡°Thank you, Lea! I didn¡¯t like you because you made my daughter miserable. Now, I¡¯m sure that you don¡¯t intend to take Dave away from Clara,¡± Linda answered in awe. ¡°Hopefully, God will give you happiness in the future.¡±

    Linda then asked Lea for permission to hug her. They then hug tightly, forgiving each other of their past mistakes.

    Lea had been through so many things so far. Many people she met taught her to forgive others even though it was very hard. No one is really good, because the good can do bad. No one is truly evil either because one day she or she will be a helper to others.

    .....

    For Lea, Forgiving others was a belief that other people can be like her. She used to always stick to the norm but made mistakes too because anger got the better of her. However, God made her aware that she should immediately repent and return to the right path. Just as she believes she can turn into a good person, she also believes that others like Linda can turn out to be good people.

    Nothing is impossible as long as she wants to break the chain of hatred, as Paula taught her to forget the bad things in the past.

    ***

    Two months had passed. Clara was busy fitting with her wedding dress designer.

    ¡°Gosh, are you on a diet again?¡± Clara¡¯s private designer grumbled. ¡°I said don¡¯t do the diet. See, your dress is getting loose again!¡±

    Clara just looked at the designer with disgust. ¡°Is the money my mother gave you not enough to keep your mouth shut?¡± she asked curtly. Her eyes stared blankly at her personal designer. ¡°You will get compensation if you fix it, right?¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you can change your boobs¡¯ size every week, baby!¡± the man scolded Clara. He was sometimes annoyed by Clara¡¯s behavior, which often goes around as if all problems would be solved with money.

    Their debate was interrupted when Clara¡¯s smartphone rang. It was Saturday, but she had to come to the hospital because she had patients to attend to. Doctors of a shortage of people because there were many patients in the emergency.

    Clara immediately left the irate designer for the right reasons. ¡°This is a matter of life and death. You just do your job well. I¡¯ll make sure my mom adds some money to your account.¡±

    The male designer¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but widen. If it weren¡¯t for the Decker family¡¯s good pay, he would surely turn down a cocky customer like Clara.

    That afternoon, Clara couldn¡¯t concentrate on work. She took the wrong knife while performing surgery. Luckily, doctor Andreas acted quickly, otherwise, she could have cut too deep and put the patient in danger.

    Her mood was not good. She didn¡¯t even know what caused it. Was it her wedding plans that made her like this? She had decided to take Dave anyway. They were getting married the next week. However, she still felt uneasy. Couldn¡¯t sleep well at night.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with you taking time off,¡± said doctor Andreas who seemed displeased with Clara¡¯s performance today. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re stressed and tired. Your patient¡¯s life will be in danger if you keep working in this state.¡±

    ¡°I ... I¡¯m fine,¡± Clara replied adamantly.

    ¡°Clara! What are you afraid of taking time off? Aren¡¯t you the daughter of the owner of this hospital?¡± Doctor Andreas snapped at her. He pursed his lips because he knew that she would not like it when he brought up the Decker family name to work matters. ¡°Think logically. You¡¯re not well. Take the day off until your business is cleared up and you can go back to work.¡±

    ¡°But, in two days I will be leading the surgery! That was a first for me,¡± Clara said. She was eventually selected as the first resident doctor to preside over a surgical operation.

    ¡°Precisely because it¡¯s the first, Clara ... you and I don¡¯t want it to be the last,¡± doctor Andrea whispered sharply in Clara¡¯s ear as he handed over the application form for taking days off, making Clara¡¯s face turn white.

    Clara sat down wearily. She admits the truth of doctor Andreas¡¯ words. Reluctantly, Clara finally filled out the form given by doctor Andreas.

    When she filled in the name column, Clara¡¯s tears were already dripping down her cheeks. She wanted to cry but didn¡¯t know who to cry to. She didn¡¯t want anyone to know of this senseless grief.

    However, Clara¡¯s sadness did not last long. A nurse scuttled toward her and with a panicked face said, ¡°There¡¯s an unconscious patient to attend to. The other doctors are busy.¡±

    ¡°But doctor Andreas said I wasn¡¯t allowed to treat patients-¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who told me to call you!¡± interrupted the nurse.

    Clara nodded. She rushed after the nurse to the unconscious patient who had just been out of the ambulance.

    She didn¡¯t know what God had planned for her. She didn¡¯t even know why the patients she treated had to be people she knew.

 Chapter 116

    116 116. The Doctor and the Patient

    Clara watched Lea lying limp on the patient¡¯s bed. Lea¡¯s eyes could only glance at the doctor who treated her with a weak gaze. However, the frail patient could only stare for a moment, then her vision blurred. Her head felt incredibly dizzy. She was also struggling to breathe. Between conscious and unconscious, her hand stretched out looking for help.

    Clara¡¯s chest felt tight. What happened to Lea? Why did she get to the hospital in such a bad condition?

    Assisted by a nurse, Clara put on a respirator for Lea. She also gave an injection to Lea to keep her from getting dehydrated. However, it seems that dehydration was not the only cause of her illness. Clara then asked the nurse who was with her to help check her patient¡¯s blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

    ¡°Blood sugar is fine but the blood pressure is high,¡± replied the nurse, ¡°180/110 ....¡±

    ¡°Good grief!¡± Clara immediately asked the nurse to give her patient an injection to lower blood pressure while she checked Lea¡¯s hospital card to examine her medical record.

    ***

    After a while, Lea¡¯s condition finally improved. Monica, who had taken Lea to the hospital, immediately checked on her condition.

    Lea felt guilty seeing Monica¡¯s pale and tired face. ¡°Monica, go home!¡±

    Monica shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not going home if none of your family is here.¡±

    .....

    Lea smiled at the stubborn Monica. That girl had always been a good work partner for her. Monica always paid attention to her condition. She needed help because of the pregnancy.

    ¡°Yesterday you said you were dizzy. I asked you to leave and rest at home, but you were stubborn. You¡¯re still determined to work,¡± Monica grumbled at a fast pace. ¡°Earlier I was scared when you suddenly got dizzy and short of breath. If it ever happens again-¡±

    ¡°Monica, don¡¯t worry about me! My sister will be here soon. She¡¯s on her way,¡± Lea cut in, trying to reassure her partner. ¡°You¡¯re tired. Don¡¯t let Paula lose two people at the office tomorrow!¡±

    Lea¡¯s reasoning makes perfect sense. Monica realized that she couldn¡¯t let her health drop. She sadly nodded and said goodbye after giving Lea a light hug.

    ¡°Get well soon!¡± Monica whispered. ¡°We are all waiting for you at the office.¡±

    Lea waved to let Monica go. She felt a little guilty for lying to Monica about her sister. However, Monica was exhausted. She didn¡¯t let her friend get sick.

    Shortly after Monica left, Clara came to check on her patient. When she opened the curtain, her amber eyes met Lea¡¯s, making that soon-to-be mom get clumsy and try to adjust her sitting position.

    Clara didn¡¯t take her eyes off Lea. This time alone, she could not be friendly to her patient. Never mind, doctors didn¡¯t have to always smile at their patients. As long as she didn¡¯t do anything bad to her patient, there wouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?

    ¡°Two months ago you went to the hospital for a similar reason. Have you checked your condition with your regular obstetrician?¡± Clara asked then. Her eyes were still fixed on Lea, not blinking at all.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lea answered simply. She didn¡¯t dare to look at Clara because she didn¡¯t expect Clara to discover her health condition firsthand.

    ¡°If you demand a doctor to act professionally, you should act professionally as a patient. All doctors will treat their patients well,¡± Clara explained further, feeling offended that Lea didn¡¯t answer her question properly.

    The brunette-haired female doctor was then busy with her iPad to check Lea¡¯s medical records during pregnancy, once again carefully. She snorted loudly when she noticed how rarely Lea saw the doctor.

    ¡°It says here that you only visited doctor Kim once. The second visit was to the ER when you were sick two months ago,¡± Clara said while staring at her iPad screen even though she already memorized what was written there. A while later, she turned her gaze to Lea and asked again, ¡°Did you visit another obstetrician¡¯s clinic? Can I check the data so I can write down recommendations for your doctor?¡±

    Lea was silent, unmoved. She then hissed and whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t go to the doctor because I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Clara¡¯s hands clenched. She tried to hold back her emotions so as not to spill over and make the atmosphere of the emergency room chaotic.

    ¡°Listen to me. We, at the ER, will indeed only treat the initial symptoms that you experience. Only temporary. If the doctor says you have to check your condition then go to a specialist, please obey the suggestion,¡± Clara grumbled, feeling her chest clenched tightly. She didn¡¯t know what made her feel that way. Perhaps, it was because of her analysis of Lea¡¯s condition. Maybe also because Lea was the one who experienced it. It could also be because of Lea¡¯s stubborn behavior.

    What was even more certain was the combination of all of them.

    Lea, knowing that she had made a mistake, said, ¡°I¡¯m so busy at work, I don¡¯t have time to schedule a doctor¡¯s appointment.¡±

    ¡°Is it because you¡¯re going to give your baby to someone else, you don¡¯t care about his or her condition?¡± Clara asked again and she knew that this time she had crossed the line. Inhaled deeply, Clara then combed her hair with her fingers.

    Maybe doctor Andreas was right. Supposedly, she asked permission to leave so as not to do silly things to her patients. Look at this time, she even blamed Lea and mixed personal feelings into her medical analysis. It was truly bad, both for her and her patient.

    Lea was nervous. The mother-to-be swallowed hard, joining her right and left fingers nervously. She wanted to leave the hospital right now. If it wasn¡¯t for Clara being here, she would have done it soon. For her, the hospital was never a good place. However, with Clara as the doctor who treated her, it was the worst.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting unprofessional,¡± Lea protested in a low voice.

 Chapter 117

    117 117. The Doctor¡¯s Advice

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Clara looked at Lea with teary eyes. She then opened the questionnaire and asked Lea to answer some of the questions.

    ¡°I have to fill out a questionnaire for you. Please answer honestly,¡± Clara asked in a half-pleading voice.

    Clara asked about a lot of symptoms. About Lea¡¯s normal blood pressure, whether her vision is often blurry or not, how many times her blood pressure had been over 140/90, and several other questions.

    Almost all questions received a yes answer from Lea, indicating that her health condition was not good at all. Clara then took her smartphone to call someone.

    After hanging up the call, that pretty doctor fixed her uniform and took a chair to sit next to Lea. ¡°Doctor Kim is on her way here. Wait! I don¡¯t want to hear why you¡¯re busy or something in case you come here in even worse condition next time.¡±

    Clara then asked permission to open the blanket covering Lea¡¯s feet. When she found her patient¡¯s leg swollen, her eyes burned. She ran her tongue through her lips several times to keep calm. Getting emotional in this situation wouldn¡¯t help at all since it would only make Lea worried even more.

    ¡°Nurse Stewart will help you take the urine test.¡± That was the last sentence Clara said to Lea before she returned to her room to confirm her analysis.

    Not long after, doctor Kim came to examine Lea¡¯s condition carefully. She wanted to confirm Clara¡¯s report. Lea underwent a calm examination with doctor Kim. Even though Clara was still with them in the room, Doctor Kim¡¯s presence reduced the tension.

    .....

    Doctor Kim smiles while doing the ultrasound examination. She turned to Lea and asked kindly, ¡°Would you like to know the gender of your baby?¡±

    Lea nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Of course!¡±

    ¡°A boy!¡± Doctor Kim said with a friendly smile. Her brows knit together, congratulating Lea.

    Of course, Lea couldn¡¯t hide her happiness. She was moved to tears because her guess about the gender of the child was correct.

    Seeing Lea¡¯s real joy, Clara¡¯s heart clenched. The baby mentioned was the one Lea would give her later. The baby that was being called was the one she and Dave would raise in the future.

    Clara bit the inside of her cheek, trying hard not to cry. The gender of her future baby was mentioned, but someone else felt happier than herself: the child¡¯s biological mother. The baby¡¯s real mom.

    Clara¡¯s thoughts stopped when doctor Kim asked her to help record the results of the examination.

    ¡°Normal baby size, not too big.¡± The senior female doctor then turned her attention to Clara and asked, ¡°Is her blood sugar level normal? Did you check your blood sugar too?¡±

    Clara nodded. She opened a file and showed it to the senior doctor. ¡°According to nurse Stewart¡¯s notes, 139 mg/dL two hours after eating.¡±

    Doctor Kim¡¯s brows knitted, then asked for a questionnaire in Clara¡¯s hand. She examined it for a while and, as Clara expected, doctor Kim¡¯s face turned tense.

    ¡°Are you sure you answered the question well?¡± asked doctor Kim to make sure of Lea.

    Lea¡¯s nod made Doctor Kim¡¯s face lose its smile. The doctor then also checked Lea¡¯s swollen feet and hands. Her forehead creased, making Lea feel that she was in serious trouble.

    Not long after, nurse Stewart arrived with Lea¡¯s test results. Doctor Kim and Clara read the sheet carefully to confirm the levels of protein in the patient¡¯s urine. Clara¡¯s face stiffened as she exchanged glances with doctor Kim and nurse Stewart.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Clara asked doctor Kim in a bland voice.

    ¡°You are correct. The baby and the mom are in danger,¡± doctor Kim muttered, pointing at the result showing that the protein level in the urine was high.

    Calmly, doctor Kim turned to her patient and said, ¡°I am sorry to say this but your pregnancy is not okay.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Lea asked, in disbelief. ¡°I, I feel fine all along.¡±

    Doctor Kim shook her head. ¡°We regret this. Of course, we hope everyone is healthy. However, the symptoms and test results show that you are experiencing severe pre-eclampsia.¡±

    Lea looked at doctor Kim in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t feel something wrong with my body. I am fine.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Lea! However, the results of our checks are more valid than what you feel,¡± said doctor Kim with a concerned face.

    The smile of happiness completely disappeared from Lea¡¯s face. She could only pensively stare at doctor Kim, Clara, and the nurse alternately.

    ¡°Then... is this something dangerous?¡± asked Lea again. She did not have much knowledge about pregnancy. She didn¡¯t even have time to think about that. ¡°I just have to do some diets ... and I can do activities, as usual, right?¡±

    Doctor Kim¡¯s dark eyes looked at Lea with pity. She shook her head slowly, then said, ¡°This is too dangerous. You need to stay in the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Impossible. I have to work.¡± Lea looked away, her eyes looking blankly at the blanket that covered half of her body.

    Clara, who was annoyed, was about to say something. She wanted to blame Lea¡¯s mistake for underestimating the doctor¡¯s advice so that her illness dragged on and became serious. However, doctor Kim, who knew about this, immediately tapped Clara on the shoulder to stop her. Clara backed off.

    ¡°A doctor should not be too emotional. There¡¯s no use for you to get angry and make her worse off,¡± whispered doctor Kim in Clara¡¯s ear. She didn¡¯t know what Clara was thinking. However, she knew that Clara was getting carried away. ¡°Just convey the actual condition so that she understands and follows our advice.¡±

    Clara was silent, letting doctor Kim know that Clara felt she couldn¡¯t do it. It was impossible for her to calm herself down in an instant.

    Doctor Kim then turned back to Lea, smiled lightly, and said, ¡°Lea, your current state could put you and your baby in danger. So, I hope, this time you will take our advice.¡±

 Chapter 118

    118 118. The Baby¡¯s Gender

    Lea couldn¡¯t believe what doctor Kim said. She didn¡¯t want to believe it. She and her baby were in big trouble? Too much for leaving the hospital?

    ¡°What will happen if I force myself not to stay in the hospital?¡± asked Lea in a whisper.

    Doctor Kim sighed. She didn¡¯t want to scare Lea, but she had to tell the truth. It was the best method to make the patient compromised.

    ¡°You might be in the worst condition of health,¡± replied doctor Kim with a frown. She looked at Lea with pity and said again, ¡°Therefore, your condition must be monitored every day. To make sure how far this pregnancy is possible to be prolonged.¡±

    ¡°What does it mean?¡± Lea asked, panicking.

    She was about to answer Lea¡¯s question when Clara suddenly interrupted, ¡°You still have to undergo further examination. That¡¯s why we asked you to be hospitalized.¡±

    Doctor Kim and Lea looked at Clara together. Lea, who was nervous, looked at doctor Kim with a questioning look, ¡°Is it true what Cla-doctor Decker said?¡±

    Doctor Kim nodded. ¡°More or less. You still need to undergo further examination.¡±

    Moments later, the two doctors from different generations left Lea¡¯s room. Doctor Kim then approached Clara to fulfill her curiosity.

    .....

    ¡°You seem to know the patient well?¡± asked doctor Kim. She did feel strange when Clara prevented her from answering Lea¡¯s question earlier.

    Clara only nodded in response. In her mind, she replied, ¡®We are related in the worst possible way.¡¯

    ¡°Okay, then, I¡¯ll leave the next process to you,¡± replied Doctor Kim.

    ¡°But doctor Andreas asked me ... to leave,¡± Clara objected.

    Doctor Kim smiled. She then brought her face closer to Clara, ¡°Would you like it if you were asked to leave?¡±

    Clara shook her head quickly. She, honestly, didn¡¯t want to leave.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Doctor Andreas will mind if your next job is not related to scalpels.¡± Doctor Kim gave a finger gesture that made Clara feel that everything would be fine. ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to ask him to let you take this job.¡±

    Clara smiled briefly. She felt bad for dealing with Lea. However, for some reason, on the other hand, she was happy because she was given the task of dealing with Lea¡¯s problem.

    Who knew the real problem was? The important thing was, at least, she didn¡¯t need to take days off as requested by doctor Andreas.

    On the other hand, Lea had no other choice but to obey. She took time off from work and kept quiet, spending time in the hospital. She lied to her sisters about her illness. She told Sarah and the others that she was out of town, on a business trip. Luckily they believed her without questioning further.

    A few days later, she dutifully underwent a tedious health inspection. Moreover, she must feel intimidated by Clara¡¯s presence every day. However, she did all of this for the sake of her baby.

    ¡°Hey, baby! Are you feeling like you have two mothers?¡± whispered Lea while stroking the little bump. ¡°One can only let you stay in her belly and lie on the hospital bed. The other one checks on your health every day.¡±

    Lea then smiled bitterly. She realized that she had no right to touch the baby after she gave birth to him.

    ***

    Meanwhile, in another corner of town, Paula was preparing herself to go to the hospital. She was choosing the clothes to wear because everything was already too tight.

    ¡°Ah, my bra doesn¡¯t fit anymore. It hurts to wear this,¡± grumbled Paula, who looked stressed while sorting out her underwear.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have time to go shopping?¡± William asked confusedly.

    Paula shook her head, pursing her lips. She didn¡¯t have time to shop because she had so much work to do. It was also impossible for her to ask other people to shop because this was a matter of ... bra. She never bought it online either.

    ¡°How about we spend some time shopping for underwear after we finish the doctor¡¯s visit?¡± William asked hopefully. He couldn¡¯t wait to go to the hospital now because he wanted to know the gender of their baby right away.

    ¡°Then, how can I deal with this? These are all uncomfortable to wear.¡± Paula was still grumbling. She looked so desperate.

    ¡°Just wear thick clothes. We¡¯re going to the hospital now!¡± said William half forcefully.

    ¡°Impossible! Do you want to make me go to the hospital braless? Let¡¯s shop for the bra first, then head to the hospital!¡± Paula refused.

    However, William immediately denied it by holding out the smartphone screen which showed 9:30 in the morning. Doctor Kim¡¯s appointment was at 10:00.

    Paula snorted. She finally took William¡¯s advice and went to the hospital wrapped in thick, baggy clothes so no one would notice that she wasn¡¯t wearing a bra.

    Luckily, Paula obeyed so they weren¡¯t too late to get to the hospital. Once they went inside the examination room, Paula was asked to lie down. Doctor Kim took out the gel and was about to apply it to Paula¡¯s belly¡¯s bare skin.

    ¡°Relax, it¡¯s warm,¡± said doctor Kim when she saw Paula¡¯s face tense up because she thought the gel was cold. Last month, when she did her monthly check-up, a nurse forgot to warm up the gel, which made Paula scream immediately.

    ¡°Ah, thank goodness,¡± Paula replied, smiling widely. Her cheeks flushed red at Doctor Kim¡¯s words. ¡°It turns out that you still remember the incident last month.¡±

    Doctor Kim then applied a warm gel to her patient¡¯s skin. She then ran the probe onto her belly.

    ¡°Let me measure the baby¡¯s head first, okay?¡± said doctor Kim, making William complain.

    ¡°May we know the gender first?¡± asked William, impatiently. ¡°Last two months we haven¡¯t been able to see it, have we?¡±

    Doctor Kim chuckled at William¡¯s pitiful expression. Last month, the baby was facing backward so they couldn¡¯t see his genitals.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see,¡± said Doctor Kim.

    William¡¯s eyes stared at the ultrasound monitor without blinking despite he didn¡¯t understand what the picture was showing. So was Paula. The mouths of the parents-to-be dropped open, full of hope.

    ¡°It¡¯s a ...,¡± doctor Kim stopped for a moment to tease the lovebirds. ¡°Congratulations! You are having a baby boy!¡±

    William jumped for joy. He almost screamed when he didn¡¯t remember he was in the hospital. While Paula just winced in defeat. She still wanted a baby girl. Poor Paula.

 Chapter 119

    119 119. Sharing Good News

    ¡°The baby is healthy, and the mother¡¯s condition is also healthy,¡± said doctor Kim while typing Paula¡¯s pregnancy medical record on the computer. She also wrote a copy for Paula and gave two sonograms, one each, for Paula and William. They both would save the sonogram in their own way.

    As usual, Paula would stick the sonograms in her pregnancy journal. She recorded the progress of the baby well.

    William was even funnier. He¡¯ll keep the sonogram in his wallet. When he was tired, he opened his wallet to kiss the hard-to-explain photo of her baby. Instantly, his fatigue would be gone.

    ¡°Any questions?¡± asked doctor Kim before ending their session. They still had five minutes left.

    ¡°Not for now,¡± Paula answered with a not-so-wide smile.

    ¡°I know you want a baby girl, but when the baby is born, it doesn¡¯t matter if the baby is a boy or a girl, everything will still be wonderful,¡± said doctor Kim with a laugh.

    Paula joined in the laughter while William still hadn¡¯t moved his eyes from the sonogram in his hand. Happy was an understatement.

    ¡°Okay, if there are no questions you can leave. Don¡¯t forget to eat healthily and reduce carbs,¡± said doctor Kim, ending his session.

    Paula and William thanked doctor Kim. They then left the room in a good manner. Once outside, William jumped and almost screamed.

    .....

    ¡°Will, we are in the hospital. Behave!¡±

    ¡°Okay, baby! I win, so you have to fulfill your promise,¡± William whispered enthusiastically in Paula¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Will, I will fulfill my promise when I¡¯m not busy,¡± Paula said, lamenting sadly.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that a lot of people have helped with your work?¡± William asked disappointedly.

    Paula shook her head wearily. ¡°Lea is sick, so there¡¯s quite a lot of work at the office. So, I¡¯m sorry if we have to postpone our vacation again.¡±

    William could only gape. He was feeling disappointed. It seemed that their honeymoon was just a mere dream. It would never happen due to her busy schedule. He thought, after he was unemployed and fired from the family company, he would eventually have enough time to go on a honeymoon. However, it turned out it was not that easy.

    Suddenly, William realized one thing. ¡°What? Lea is sick?¡± he asked worriedly.

    Paula nodded. ¡°Monica told me. Oh, as I remember, she is also being treated at Linda Decker Hospital,¡± she said, suddenly.

    Immediately, William and Paula then rushed to find the room where Lea was being treated.

    ***

    ¡°Lea!¡± Paula burst into Lea¡¯s room.

    She gave Lea a tight hug, while William just said hello and pretended to be busy with the gifts he had brought. He and his wife had stopped at the fruit shop on the first floor to buy a basket of fruits, containing apples, pears, bananas, oranges, kiwis, and grapes.

    William still felt awkward when he had to face Lea. Deep in his heart, he was amazed that the two women who were once in a cat-and-dog situation, now seemed like they were best friends for years.

    ¡°How are you?¡± Paula asked worriedly. She stroked Lea¡¯s back softly.

    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t work because of my condition like this,¡± said Lea in a bland voice. She pursed her lips, staring at Paula regretfully.

    Paula rubbed Lea¡¯s back and then broke away from the embrace. She felt sorry for Lea who had to experience a problematic pregnancy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about work. Just think about your baby,¡± Paula answered with sad eyes.

    Lea smiled, observing Paula who was sad about her condition. She also saw William who smiled awkwardly since he felt like he was being ignored. He was out of place.

    ¡°Thank you, Paula!¡± said Lea in a soft voice. ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±

    ¡°This is nothing! You must get well soon. A mother¡¯s big duty is to protect the baby in her womb so that he or she is born safely,¡± said Paula confidently. She then took a seat beside Lea because she was tired of standing.

    ¡°Sure, I will make sure ¡®he¡¯ will be born safely,¡± Lea said, happily telling Paula that she was expecting a baby boy.

    Paula¡¯s blue eyes shined, widening enthusiastically. ¡°What? Is it a boy? Mine as well!¡±

    The soon-to-be mothers chatted happily. They didn¡¯t expect that both babies¡¯ gender would be the same.

    Lea smiled at Paula again. Now, seeing Paula with William didn¡¯t hurt so much anymore. Perhaps, it was because she realized that there was no point in being sad. Or it was also because she realized what a good woman William was with.

    ¡°Thank you, Paula. You taught me how to forgive someone.¡± Lea held Paula¡¯s hand, showing how grateful she was for having met this woman, even in a bad way.

    ¡°You¡¯re still talking about that again?¡± Paula complained, pretending to be sulking. She then distracted Lea by offering some fruits. ¡°Do you want some apples or oranges?¡±

    ¡°Wow, will my boss peel an apple for me?¡± asked Lea jokingly. She was laughing out loud because of that.

    Paula also laughed at Lea¡¯s joke. ¡°Too bad, I¡¯m not the handsome bachelor CEO like those in soap operas.¡±

    They both chuckled, then made small talk about the office. The patissier agrees to Lea¡¯s suggestion regarding food preservation. They would manage to keep the current selling price until the next season.

    Shortly thereafter, Paula said goodbye and wished Lea a speedy recovery. Before leaving, Lea, who knew that William was more silent because it was awkward, then said, ¡°William, will you forgive me for my mistakes in the past?¡±

    William gasped, then turned to his wife and back to Lea, ¡°Lea ... honestly, I¡¯m the one who should be apologizing to you.¡±

    Lea smiled sincerely, then replied, ¡°I can be friends with Paula. Why not with you?¡±

    William looked up at Paula in disbelief. However, her smile brought him relief. The woman fully believed that William would always be loyal to her. She wouldn¡¯t be jealous of Lea anymore.

    ¡°Then... get well soon, Lea! You have to come to our baby shower party, and ... we will come to yours!¡±

    Lea¡¯s nod made William and Paula feel more at ease. Now, there was no longer a heavy burden on their minds.

 Chapter 120 - Sad News

    Chapter 120 120. Sad News

    After undergoing a thorough examination of Lea¡¯s condition, doctor Kim and Clara had a discussion. All examination results stated only one thing. Lea couldn¡¯t continue her pregnancy unless she wanted to give up her own life.

    This was of course very painful. Even if the baby survived, the chances would be very small. Of course, Lea would feel very sad. Not just Lea, but everyone involved, including Dave and Clara.

    For Clara, she had to be prepared for the fact that Dave was forced to reassure his parents about the problem of their biological grandchild. Could she let him get another woman pregnant again?

    Of course, Dave didn¡¯t have to plant his seeds naturally. He could seek medical treatment for help, by doing the fertilization process in the laboratory. However, Clara would still feel uneasy if her husband¡¯s seed fertilized another woman¡¯s egg.

    Clara gulped. What is the best way to convey this sad truth to Lea? Would she tell Lea without sugarcoating it? Or, could she tell her in another way? Even if it was covered with ten kilograms of sugar it would not be able to hide the bitter taste of this news.

    ¡°How about you are the one who tells her about the results? I ¡­ can¡¯t seem to do this,¡± Clara said, handing the papers back to doctor Kim. ¡°After all, this is an uncomfortable task for me.¡±

    Doctor Kim gave Clara a flat look. ¡°Do you know why I asked you to work on Lea¡¯s case?¡± asked doctor Kim in a cold and slow tone, maybe a little mixed with feeling disappointed with Clara¡¯s decision.

    Clara shook her head because she didn¡¯t know what Doctor Kim meant. ¡°No idea,¡± she answered stiffly.

    Doctor Kim smiled bitterly. ¡°Do I look like I need an assistant?¡± asked doctor Kim again with a wry smile. Her hands were raised, letting Clara know that she had mistaken her. Doctor Kim doesn¡¯t need an assistant at all.

    .....

    ¡°Then why did you ask me to help you with Lea¡¯s case?¡± Clara asked again.

    ¡°This is all because Lea was the first person to surprise me. It turns out that you can also be unprofessional,¡± doctor Kim said, emphasizing every word. ¡°Everyone knows that you want to be rewarded by getting a career according to your abilities even though you are the daughter of this hospital owner.¡±

    Clara¡¯s throat constricted, unable to say anything in response. Indeed, working at her own parents¡¯ place was certainly relatively easy. But, unfortunately, when she was about to ask permission to move to San Francisco, her father didn¡¯t allow her to do that. Her father only allowed her to work in town, at their family¡¯s hospital.

    What happens if a business tycoon¡¯s beloved daughter chose to work in another hospital? What was wrong with her family hospital?

    Hospital images could be very tarnished. Unpleasant issues would be exhaled by competitors. Doctors and new patients would be reluctant to come.

    Because of that reason, Clara tried to be professional and didn¡¯t want to be differentiated from other doctors. If the boss was angry, she would accept it gracefully. If she made a mistake, she was also willing to accept the punishment. However, it turned out that doctor Kim realized that all of these things changed when Clara faced Lea.

    ¡°When working with Lea, it¡¯s like you want to use all the privileges you can get in this hospital. You must have a duality between you as doctor Decker and the Young Lady of the Decker family who is known to be spoiled and arrogant,¡± said Doctor Kim again. She looked at Clara with a piercing gaze.

    Clara remembered how she put Lea in the best room at the hospital even though Lea¡¯s insurance couldn¡¯t possibly cover it. She also ¡®forced¡¯ doctor Kim to work overtime because she was worried about the safety of Lea¡¯s life and her baby. Many other things would tarnish Clara¡¯s reputation.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t tell this news to a patient because of your personal dealings with her, don¡¯t expect that you¡¯ll be able to become the great doctor you want to be. You can go back to your mother¡¯s embrace and replace your doctor¡¯s coat with a pantsuit as an heiress of your mother¡¯s hospital,¡± added doctor Kim again. ¡°Perhaps, your place is not in the operating room, but in the meeting room to discuss the profit and loss of the hospital and how to attract sympathy so that more people come here for their health treatment.¡±

    Doctor Kim then packed her things without being asked. She quickly picked up all the essential books and notes, then put them into the box she had prepared.

    Clara, who had been daydreaming, realized instantly when doctor Kim said goodbye to her. Of course, this made her very panicked.

    ¡°Wait, what are you doing? Why did you pack your belongings and take them away?¡± Clara asked wide-eyed. ¡°Who fired you?¡±

    ¡°I resigned before I was fired,¡± said doctor Kim indifferently.

    ¡°Who would want to fire you?¡± asked Clara again with acute astonishment.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just talk bad to you? No, maybe I ¡­ mock you,¡± answered doctor Kim, making Clara¡¯s face red with annoyance.

    She then snatched the papers from doctor Kim and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m going to meet Lea! I will comply. So, you can¡¯t leave this hospital.¡±

    Who wanted to lose the best obstetrician in this hospital? Even in this town. If doctor Kim resigned and Clara¡¯s father asked the doctor if the reason for her leaving was his daughter, it was certain that she would be grounded and would never be allowed to work again.

    Clara then left doctor Kim. She walked down the quiet and lonely hospital corridor, towards Lea¡¯s comfortable room.

    Clara knocked on the door and greeted the occupants of the room. ¡°Am I bothering you?¡± asked Clara in a polite tone that was too strange for Lea¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Ah, come in,¡± said Lea, surprised. She was reading a book while munching sweet grapes that were in season.

    Lea took a tissue to quickly clean her hands and mouth, then threw it in the trash bin. She then welcomed Clara into her room, sitting on the patient¡¯s bed with a tense face.

    Clara was no less awkward. The sweet words she had just rehearsed in her head had just evaporated.

    ¡°Lea¡­¡± Clara suddenly stopped. She didn¡¯t have the heart to continue. Her eyes met Lea¡¯s frightened eyes. ¡°Sadly, we suggest you do an early delivery immediately.¡±

 Chapter 121 - Who Told You?

    Chapter 121?121. Who Told You?

    Lea¡¯s and Clara¡¯s eyes locked in tension. One stared in disbelief, the other stared full of sadness. Both woman¡¯s faces flashed sad looks. Anybody who saw them would easily understand that they were facing nightmares.

    Clara was unable to convey this harsh reality to Lea. It was so hard to tell. That was why she had asked Doctor Kim to do it. She already thought, the task this time would be so difficult. She regretted soon, why did she agree to come to Lea¡¯s room and tell the harsh reality to the pregnant woman? It was a big mistake.

    ¡°What do you mean by early delivery? Is that similar to aborting the pregnancy?¡± asked Lea fearfully. ¡°Do you want me to get rid of the baby?¡± she added, the color drained from her previously rosy face.

    ¡°Your pregnancy is at high risk. If you force it, not only the safety of this baby will be threatened, but also your life,¡± Clara said, trying to stay calm, whatever Lea¡¯s reaction would be.

    Lea shook her head, refusing Clara¡¯s suggestion. ¡°It¡¯s still too early to give birth, isn¡¯t it? How can he survive at a gestational age that is not even six months old?¡±

    ¡°Lea, if you continue this pregnancy, your life will also be threatened,¡± Clara pleadingly explained. Her lips trembled as she said that to Lea. ¡°Your heart won¡¯t last long, Lea!¡±

    ¡°Who cares about me?¡± Lea snapped, her hands squeezing the buttons of her top shirt as if that might relieve the tightness in her chest.

    ¡°Lea?¡± Clara whispered. ¡°If you give up on the current pregnancy, you can still try again later. Even if that¡¯s not possible, you still be able to adopt a child, and¡­¡±

    .....

    ¡°No!¡± snapped Lea stubbornly. ¡°I will still deliver this baby when he is old enough to be born! A patient has the right to choose, right? So, the doctor has no right to force me to give birth now.¡±

    Lea burst into tears. Likewise with Clara, the tears that had been welling up in her eyes were now flowing one by one. Her chest felt so tight.

    ¡°Why?¡± Clara asked once she got her emotions under control. ¡°Why do you still want to give birth to this baby even though your life is at stake?¡±

    ¡°You will never know if you aren¡¯t a pregnant woman,¡± whispered Lea. She looked away from Clara because she didn¡¯t want Clara to see her cry.

    Clara¡¯s heart felt like it was being squeezed hard. Lea¡¯s words felt like a mockery to her. She couldn¡¯t have children.

    ¡°Did anyone say it to you?¡± Clara asked, wiping the tears off her cheeks. ¡°Who was it? Dave?¡±

    Clara looked at Lea with piercing eyes. If eyes could cut, Lea would be bleeding profusely by now.

    ¡°Clara, I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean¡­.¡± Lea flinched when she realized that she had offended Clara.

    ¡°No wonder why you suddenly forced me to accept your child? You must feel sorry for me, right? You feel you have saved me from sinking deep into the sadness if you give your baby to me, right?¡± Clara said curtly. She gave a wry laugh, then left Lea¡¯s room without another word.

    At that time, Lea could only watch Clara leave so she couldn¡¯t see the back in the white coat. She deeply regretted her carelessness, and how carried away she was. She shouldn¡¯t have said such things to Clara. Lea hissed, thinking of what she could do to explain to Clara.

    ***

    Clara raced her car home. She interrogated Dave as to whether he had told Lea about her infertility. However, Dave insisted that he didn¡¯t say anything to Lea.

    Afterward, Clara called her mother¡¯s secretary and forced her to provide guest data for the last six months. Clara was right. She discovered that Lea had been visiting her mother¡¯s office several times. Her heart was shattered because she felt betrayed by the only person she believed would never betray her.

    Roughly, Clara opened the door of the house and packed her clothes. Everything she put in a suitcase, nothing was left behind. She will be out of her parents¡¯ house forever. She didn¡¯t want to see her mother¡¯s face again.

    Clara¡¯s dramatic return made Linda worry. The middle-aged woman then hurriedly ran to her daughter¡¯s room.

    ¡°Where are you going? Have dinner with us. Your father has been waiting for you,¡± Linda said worriedly. Especially when she looked at Clara¡¯s face and didn¡¯t find a smile there at all. Surely, something happened to her.

    ¡°Clara, if you want to go on a trip, do it after your wedding day!¡± she said again. She still thought Clara was going on a business trip.

    There was no answer from Clara. The young woman continued to pack up everything she had, clearing drawer after drawer one by one and tossing the contents roughly into a large suitcase.

    Once one suitcase was full, she closed it roughly and opened another large, empty suitcase. When packing cosmetics, Clara just collects them roughly, randomly puts them into a cosmetic bag, and throws them into a suitcase.

    It was then, Linda knew that her daughter would not be going on a business trip. Instead, she wanted to leave the house.

    ¡°Clara, don¡¯t act like a child! Tell me what¡¯s your problem?¡± Linda took her daughter¡¯s hand. The eyes of the two met, staring intently at each other.

    ¡°Mom, you are the one who treats me like a child, right?¡± Clara asked sarcastically. ¡°So let me do what you think is childlike.¡±

    Clara shook off her mother¡¯s hand, continuing to pack up. This made Linda even more curious.

    ¡°Why are you suddenly behaving like this?¡± she asked. her small body pulled her daughter¡¯s tall body then sat her on the side of the bed. ¡°Tell!¡±

    Clara just looked at her mother with a disappointed look. Her tears rolled down her cheeks one by one.

    Clara¡¯s slender fingers wiped away the tears. She swallowed hard and said, ¡°How about you explain first, why did Lea suddenly say she was going to hand over her child to me? Does what Lea did have anything to do with you?¡±

 Chapter 122 - The Spoiled Daughter and Her Mom

    Chapter 122?122. The Spoiled Daughter and Her Mom

    Clara¡¯s question was like lightning striking a heart. Linda felt numb, unable to answer her daughter¡¯s question. Not a single word left her pale lips.

    Clara, who saw her mother¡¯s reaction, laughed sarcastically. She shook her head with a wry smile.

    ¡°So you told Lea about my infertility, then begged that woman to give me her baby?¡± said Clara with a bitter laugh. It was not the voice of a loving daughter who loved her mother, as her usual self. She behaved like a high schooler who spoke harshly to her rival. ¡°It was great, mom! You embarrassed me in front of her.¡±

    Clara gulped. Her face showed a heavy burden, feeling disappointed in her mother. Tears fell off her cheeks. She was disappointed, hurt, and angry at the same time.

    Linda knew it well. She felt suffocated and didn¡¯t know what to do to make amends.

    ¡°I am so sorry, dear! I think ¡­ that¡¯s the best solution for the three of you to do,¡± Linda whispered in a trembling voice. The middle-aged woman looked at her daughter, hoping that her dear baby girl would understand why she made such a decision.

    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t have children, do you think I¡¯ll be happy if I take her child? Then, lying to the world that the child is mine? That¡¯s ridiculous, mom!¡±

    Linda opened her mouth, about to say something. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have the courage. She doubted it would make matters worse if she answered so recklessly.

    .....

    ¡°A woman would normally love a child. Even if the kid does not belong to her,¡± Linda answered in a gentle voice, ¡°maybe you don¡¯t like Lea. But I¡¯m sure, you will be able to raise her child like your own.¡±

    Clara shook her head slowly. ¡°It is the funniest thing I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±

    Clara then stood up, then packed up her things again. She emptied all the drawers one by one, hauling her essentials into suitcases.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering where Lea gets the money to pay for her mother¡¯s surgery. As it turns out, you and she had a dirty deal,¡± Clara sneered, laughing bitterly. Her voice conveyed a feeling of deep disgust, making Linda¡¯s heart feel like it was being squeezed tightly.

    ¡°I think she is a very good person, giving up her child for me because she felt guilty and wants to disappear from my sight for good,¡± Clara added, throwing a sharp gaze at her mom.

    ¡°Clara, I know you are feeling disappointed. But believe me, there was no such deal,¡± said Linda honestly. She then told me what happened. Starting from her mistake of kidnapping Sarah instead of Lea, then to her dispute with Lea, and finally, Lea found a way to pay back the two million dollars to her.

    ¡°Lea is a good girl, Clara. She sincerely wants to help you because you help her mother,¡± Linda explained later, hoping that Clara would only blame her. ¡°So, if someone is on the wrong side, it¡¯s me. Lea is not someone who would trade her child for money.¡±

    Clara smiled wryly, looking at the floor blankly, ¡°Then ... do you think Lea will give her child to me if she doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m infertile?¡±

    ¡°Clara?¡±

    ¡°You must have known very well that I am not someone who likes to be pitied, right? Especially by the person I hate,¡± Clara said as she poured the contents of the last drawer into the suitcase. She then closed her two large suitcases and pulled up the heavy items of luggage one by one.

    Clara looked at her mother one more time. She hesitated whether to say goodbye or not.

    ¡°This is my last day in this house,¡± Clara said in a bland voice.

    Linda seemed to be paralyzed, unable to move an inch. She made a big mistake that made Clara exceptionally angry. However, was it appropriate for her, a mother who raised her daughter, showering her with great affection, to be treated like this? Was that Clara¡¯s payback for all the love she had given to that girl?

    Clara left the room without looking back. She kept dragging her heavy suitcases, making the marble floor collide with the small wheels of her suitcases.

    ¡°Clara! Where are you going?¡± Patrick yelled when he found out his daughter was dragging suitcases, about to leave the house. His voice, as usual, was anything but friendly. He looked like he was going to swallow her whole if she didn¡¯t do what he wanted. ¡°This weekend you¡¯re getting married to Dave. Don¡¯t do stupid things!¡±

    Unfortunately, Patrick¡¯s rebuke was only answered by the sound of the wheels of the dragged suitcases. Clara completely ignored her father¡¯s words. She just kept walking, as if he was not in the living room.

    ¡°Clara!¡± Patrick snapped loudly. ¡°Once you step outside, I will kick you out of the hospital and make sure no hospital accepts you.¡±

    Patrick managed to get his daughter to stop walking. He did attack Clara¡¯s weakness. The only dream that still might make her happy.

    ¡°How sly! Why do you always threaten me?¡± Clara talked back to her father.

    ¡°Because you don¡¯t mean anything if you don¡¯t have Decker¡¯s as your family name,¡± Patrick said flatly. The middle-aged man¡¯s arms were folded across his chest, making him look even more intimidating.

    Clara slammed her luggage angrily, leaving them at the door. She stomped her foot, stepping toward her father.

    ¡°If I am of no use to you, why didn¡¯t you kick me out of the house long ago? Why didn¡¯t you throw me out before I tarnished the family¡¯s name?¡±

    Patrick laughed out loud. He then looked at Clara with a look of pity, ¡°You are just like your mother. Ungrateful! I should have¡ª¡±

    ¡°Patrick! Stop it!¡± Suddenly, Linda, who had just appeared, interrupted her husband.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way, Linda! It¡¯s time this ungrateful daughter knows who she is,¡± Patrick said, looking at Clara with his sharp amber eyes.

    Clara looked at her parents questioningly, ¡°What do you mean, dad?¡±

    ¡°How about you apologize to Linda first?¡± Patrick asked as he reached for Linda, bringing her to his embrace tightly. ¡°You need to thank my wife who has been willing to take care of you since you were a baby. Even if you¡¯re not her biological daughter.¡±

    ¡°Patrick, no!¡± Linda begged her husband. ¡°Please ¡­.¡±

    However, Patrick couldn¡¯t be stopped. He was determined to tell his daughter the truth. ¡°It may surprise you, but you were born from a mistake.¡±

 Chapter 123 - Williamâ€™s Secret Move

    Chapter 123 123. William¡¯s Secret Move

    That evening, William waited for Dave in his office waiting room. Dave was very busy, he had an emergency meeting because of a problem at work that he had to deal with immediately. Meanwhile, William needed Dave as soon as possible. So, he was forced to wait for the man even if he had to spend boring hours there.

    While waiting for his colleague to leave the meeting room, William went through his business proposal again and made a summary so that the exhausted Dave could still read it even at a glance. The man occasionally took a sip of the coffee latte prepared by Theresa, Dave¡¯s secretary.

    There was no time for William to waste the time any longer. He had to do something for a better future. Being unemployed and penniless was no fun at all. He was so embarrassed when Lea came to him for financial help, but he could only make a small donation. Moreover, after that, it was Paula who helped Lea. He felt like a useless man.

    ¡°Sorry you waited so long,¡± Dave greeted William, breaking William¡¯s attention from his laptop. Luckily, the summary was finished a few moments ago before Dave entered the waiting room.

    ¡°Ah, Dave! Sorry, I bothered you at such a busy time,¡± William said sincerely. He felt uneasy when he saw the man in front of him look so exhausted. ¡°I can come again another time if you can¡¯t possibly continue our meeting right now.¡±

    Dave smiled and shook his head quickly. ¡°You can come again in the next two months. Are you okay with that?¡± Dave joked with his signature laugh, making the tense and gloomy atmosphere in the waiting room a little brighter. ¡°You¡¯d still choose now, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    Inevitably, William also laughed. How could he wait patiently for the next two months?

    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t feel bad! I¡¯m the one who suddenly broke my promise today because of some urgent business. I¡¯m grateful and flattered because you¡¯re willing to wait a while until the meeting is over,¡± Dave smiled again at William while adjusting the position of his glasses. The man looked as handsome as Clark Kent even though he had been busy all day without the slightest break. ¡°Do you want to go to the meeting room so you can use the projector?¡±

    .....

    William shook his head quickly. ¡°No need. Here is fine. So you can sit back and relax on the couch. I¡¯m pretty sure that all day long your back hasn¡¯t been resting on something soft and comfy.¡±

    Dave chuckled at William¡¯s joke. He then asked Theresa to prepare refreshments for them.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start the discussion now!¡± said William as he handed his laptop screen to Dave.

    ¡°Before we continue the discussion, I heard from the gossip that you are now bankrupt because your father fired you. Is that the reason you came to see me?¡± asked Dave again? He then let out a long sigh. ¡°If only my company wasn¡¯t in financial trouble, I might have helped and invested in your start-up. However, I just can¡¯t do it.¡±

    William just gaped, disappointedly. ¡°And you must not read my emails and proposals properly.¡±

    ¡°Am I wrong? Didn¡¯t you send a similar idea that you offered to Mark and Gaby?¡± asked Dave again, confused. He had indeed glimpsed the proposal that William had offered. He was very sure that it was William¡¯s old idea that failed to be executed.

    ¡°How did you know?¡± asked William curiously. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever shared the idea with anyone other than his father and Mark and Gaby. Of course, his former secretary, Danica, knows about it. However, no one could tell Dave, could they?

    ¡°Ah, I spoke to Gaby at a conference when we were both presenters,¡± Dave answered casually.

    William nodded, thinning his lips into a straight line. No wonder Dave didn¡¯t read his proposal properly. It turned out that he already had his own opinion on the idea. An opinion formed and directed by the person who rejected it in the past: Gaby.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same idea, but I clearly said in the email that I didn¡¯t ask you to become an investor,¡± William replied. Deep in his mind, he laughed a little at Dave. As stupid as William was, he wouldn¡¯t ask Dave to become an investor for a plan as big as he had planned. Dave¡¯s company and his family¡¯s were not much different.

    Dave looked awkward and embarrassed. ¡°Then what do you plan to do?¡± he asked then.

    ¡°I just want to ask for your cooperation, holding you who are more experienced with the kind of project I¡¯m offering,¡± William said calmly. He then told Dave what he meant.

    ¡°Oh, so you just want my help with that? Asking my man to join your team?¡± asked Dave, almost in disbelief. However, he then nodded slowly. ¡°I will consider this matter.¡±

    ¡°I offer an attractive profit sharing. I hope you will check it carefully. Just tell me if there are unclear things,¡± explained William enthusiastically.

    Dave smiled briefly. ¡°To be honest, I was already interested when Gaby told me. Your concept is very good. It¡¯s just that, if your problem is with funding, I certainly can¡¯t help. However, it turns out you asked for something else. Of course, I would be happy to consider it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± William replied, smiling genuinely. ¡°I truly appreciate it.¡±

    Soon Theresa came with whole grain crackers and a delicious chocolate milkshake. The hungry stomachs of the young entrepreneurs were struggling to be filled immediately. They then quickly ate delicious snacks prepared on their trays.

    ¡°Sorry if the food is like kid¡¯s food,¡± Dave joked. The food was indeed like the favorite food of elementary school children.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, soon I will also get used to seeing kid¡¯s food or even making food for my son,¡± William answered while chewing his crackers.

    ¡°Son? Your son?¡± asked Dave curiously.

    ¡°Oh, crap! Paula will scold me for spilling the baby¡¯s gender!¡± William forgot that Paula asked her to keep it secret. ¡°By the way, congrats, huh! Your baby is a boy too, right?¡±

    Dave looked at William with a look of amazement. ¡°My baby? A boy?¡±

    William nodded, doubtful and confused at the same time. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it?¡± he asked as he cleaned the bits of crackers on his red, split lower lip.

    ¡°How did you know it?¡± asked Dave back.

    William snorted softly. ¡°Yesterday, Paula and I visited Lea who was hospitalized. She told me that her baby is also a boy.¡±

 Chapter 124 - William Made a Mistake(?)

    Chapter 124?124. William Made a Mistake(?)

    Dave¡¯s gray eyes narrowed. The two handsome father-to-be men looked at each other. They were confused. Both needed clarification for almost the same reasons.

    William was confused because Dave didn¡¯t know about Lea. While Dave wondered why William knew about Lea first. About the gender of his child and Lea¡¯s poor health.

    On the one hand, Dave was very happy to hear news about the gender of his baby even though it had to be from someone else other than Lea. However, on the other hand, he was very anxious because Lea was in the hospital. Why had he never been told before?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Lea?¡± Dave asked again.

    ¡°Paula said, when Lea was working late at the office, suddenly her health condition dropped. She was taken to the hospital by her co-worker,¡± William answered nervously. He only knew that much.

    ¡°How can you make a pregnant woman work overtime?¡± Dave suddenly snapped. He almost banged on the table, if he didn¡¯t remember that William was not the owner of the company.

    ¡°Paula never asked her employees to work overtime. Overtime is always of their own free will,¡± said William in defense of his wife. Indeed, Paula always recommended all employees work according to working hours only.

    ¡°There should be a ban on overtime working for pregnant women,¡± Dave argued again. He truly felt that Lea had been mistreated.

    .....

    William laughed with a sneer, he saw some of Dave¡¯s pregnant employees still working downstairs. Was he bragging about his own office rules?

    ¡°Is there a rule like that in your office?¡± the green-eyed man asked with a cynical laugh.

    Dave was silent because of embarrassment. There was no rule like that in his office as well. If Lea was truly sick, it was not the office¡¯s fault. He didn¡¯t even know Lea was working. He had not thought about how Lea would provide for herself and her family.

    He should have been more sensitive to his ex-secretary. He should have understood that Lea would always say that everything was fine even when it wasn¡¯t.

    Dave then apologized. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t get carried away,¡± Dave said trying to make an excuse.

    ¡°I heard that you are getting married soon. But why do you seem so ignorant about her?¡± William asked again, confused. He didn¡¯t know who would be Dave¡¯s bride because he didn¡¯t get invited to the wedding. Wedding invitations were for family and close friends only.

    Dave hesitated to answer William¡¯s question. However, he realized that there was no point in hiding this fact either.

    ¡°I¡¯m not marrying Lea. But Clara,¡± Dave whispered in a voice William could barely hear.

    William just stared at Dave blankly. Having children together didn¡¯t mean you have to get married.

    ¡°I love Clara. After all, our family will not agree if our engagement is canceled,¡± Dave added again so that William would understand the true meaning of the Decker and Johnson family¡¯s marriage.

    William nodded, raising an eyebrow in understanding. He and Paula had also experienced something similar. There was no way they could cancel the wedding because basically, their marriage was a business marriage. Marriage of convenience. No love and No feelings. If there were such things, they considered lucky.

    Without Dave knowing it, at that time, he was already in the hospital. He went to doctor Kim and asked about Lea¡¯s condition. Dave introduced himself as the baby¡¯s father. Doctor Kim reveals Lea¡¯s condition, hoping that Dave can change Lea¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Are you sure that this is the correct diagnosis?¡± asked Dave with bloodshot eyes. He was exhausted. He was sad.

    Doctor Kim showed Lea¡¯s examination report and explained to Dave what pre-eclampsia was. All the results of Lea¡¯s health check confirmed that she had the disease.

    Doctor Kim also said that the treatment was a bit late. So, Lea¡¯s symptoms were severe and caused her to need to deliver the baby earlier than expected.

    ¡°Will the baby survive if Lea gives birth to the baby now?¡± asked Dave again.

    Doctor Kim sighed. ¡°We will try. Under the care of experienced specialists, the baby¡¯s life expectancy is about sixty to seventy percent when Lea delivers the baby in her twenty-fourth week. It is just ¡­.¡±

    Doctor Kim was silent for a moment. He looked over at Dave and gave him a slightly doubtful look.

    ¡°Just what, doc?¡± asked Dave who felt that the next news was not pleasant.

    ¡°The sooner the better because Lea¡¯s condition is getting worse,¡± replied doctor Kim with a sad look crossed her eyes. She hoped Dave would choose to save the mother first over the baby.

    Dave rubbed his face, exhausted, shocked, and disappointed. On the other hand, he felt guilty for everything that had happened.

    ¡°This is unexpected, but I hope you can think of the best for your future little family,¡± said doctor Kim. She had never met Dave, so she didn¡¯t know that the man in front of her was Clara¡¯s fianc¨¦.

    Dave was lazy to explain, therefore, he just nodded and hurried away from doctor Kim¡¯s office. Without taking any longer, he rushed to the room where Lea was being treated.

    Doctor Kim¡¯s explanation about Lea¡¯s and their baby¡¯s situation made Dave feel even more devastated. He thought, so far everything was fine. As it turned out, Lea was in a thorny problem.

    With chaotic feelings, Dave entered Lea¡¯s room. Lea, who was in the middle of reading a book, gasped in surprise.

    ¡°Dave?¡± she asked awkwardly. ¡°You ¡­ why did you come here?¡±

    Dave didn¡¯t answer Lea¡¯s question. He entered Lea¡¯s room deeper, in silence. The man approached her bedside and looked at her with a confused expression.

    Meanwhile, Lea felt her heart racing. How could Dave know she was here? Hadn¡¯t she asked Clara not to tell him a word about her?

    Was this Paula and William¡¯s doing? However, were they close to Dave? Paula barely interacted with Dave because they weren¡¯t in the same business field. As for William, he was just a stay-at-home hubby, right?

    ¡°William told me that you are here,¡± Dave said, explaining Lea¡¯s confusion.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Lea opened her mouth, forming a small circle. ¡°Has too much at home, made him a gossipy man?¡±

    Dave smiled faintly. ¡°We were in a meeting. Then, let¡¯s talk a little bit about personal matters. He said he would have a son.¡±

    Dave stopped talking to hold back the tightness in his chest. He was suffocated.

    Lea didn¡¯t respond at all. She was frightened, worried about the worst. Could it be, William had leaked her secret? Could it be, Dave already knew that the baby and she were in danger?

    After a while, Dave said, ¡°Lea, I think, you have to deliver the baby as soon as possible.¡±

 Chapter 125 - Bitter Conversation

    Chapter 125 125. Bitter Conversation

    Dave stared at Lea with sad eyes. He felt guilty because one night¡¯s mistake had fatal consequences for her health. She should not have experienced this if he was more careful in the past. Just like William said, he should never do unprotected sex.

    Why did she experience all these unpleasant things alone? Why couldn¡¯t she share her woes with him? Was it because they do not love each other, then they both would not be able to share the pain?

    ¡°No way! You must have known that I had refused the doctor¡¯s request, right?¡± Lea asked, not needing an answer, of course. She knew that Dave already understood the condition she was in.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn, Lea!¡± he said. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard, but you shouldn¡¯t insist on giving birth to this baby normally if your life is in danger. Think logically!¡±

    Lea shook her head quickly. She resented having to argue about the same thing again and again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about myself anymore Dave. I will give this baby to Clara and you. The person I love had already chosen another woman to be with him. This kid¡¯s life is worth more than mine, Dave!¡± Lea replied, her tears now flowing, damping her swollen face.

    Dave¡¯s throat constricted. He couldn¡¯t argue when Lea said that. He recalled how his ex-secretary¡¯s face hurt when William betrayed her and chose Paula.

    ¡°Lea, you will find your happiness in the future. Don¡¯t be stubborn like this, ¡°Dave said again. He still had a lot of determination to make Lea give up.

    .....

    ¡°What about Clara? How about you?¡± asked Lea again. She then looked at Dave with teary eyes. Her vision started to blur, either because of the tears, or because of her illness. ¡°Didn¡¯t you and Clara want this child? You guys are getting married soon, right? If this child doesn¡¯t survive, how are you planning to have another child in the future?¡±

    ¡°About that ¡­.¡±

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have fertilized another woman¡¯s egg again, could you? I don¡¯t want Clara to be hurt again, Dave. It¡¯s very painful for anyone. I know the feeling very well,¡± whispered Lea in a weak, suppressed voice. Even though she was determined to close the door of hatred against William, that didn¡¯t mean she had forgotten her pain.

    ¡°Lea, don¡¯t use Clara as an excuse to justify how stubborn you are. The doctor said that your condition is bad, so you should just obey them.¡±

    Lea shook her head. She looked at Dave with a stern face. ¡°I know, you secretly want to get rid of this kid, right?¡± she accused, starting to talk nonsense because she felt attacked.

    Of course, it made Dave feel annoyed. How could Lea have such dark thoughts?

    ¡°Don¡¯t accuse without proof!¡± Dave snapped with a reproving look. His eyebrows furrowed because Lea looked at him like a murderer.

    ¡°What? No reason you said? Didn¡¯t Clara also say the same thing? She and you took this opportunity to get rid of this baby, right?¡± accused Lea who was starting to feel very depressed. ¡°I know you two conspired to get rid of me and this baby from your lives, right? Why didn¡¯t you just kick me out of your presence? Why are you using this dirty method?¡±

    ¡°Lea!¡± Dave snapped, shaking Lea¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°Think carefully! Why did Clara do this?¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s the doctor who takes care of me! I knew from the start that this wouldn¡¯t end well with Clara being my doctor!¡± Lea continued. Her face looked even paler.

    Dave thought for a moment. It turned out that Clara was handling Lea¡¯s case. Why didn¡¯t Clara say anything to him?

    ¡°I swear. I just heard about you from William. How could Clara and I have planned something like that?¡± Dave yelled to get Lea¡¯s clear mind back to her senses.

    Lea persisted. ¡°Then Clara must be the one trying to get rid of my baby, right?¡±

    Hearing Lea¡¯s accusations against Clara, Dave was furious and raised his hand, ready to hit Lea. However, he lowered his hand because he realized Lea¡¯s emotion was unstable.

    Dave then said softly, ¡°Listen, Lea! In this hospital, there¡¯s no way you can cheat. Many eyes are watching. There are many doctors. There¡¯s no way they could do something ridiculous and stupid. Besides, haven¡¯t you seen how Clara works? Does she look like someone who would get rid of your baby?¡±

    Lea stared blankly at him. She looked away from him because her tears were flowing profusely at this moment. Of course, Lea never thought that Clara was a cheating doctor. How she had been treated so far, even though sometimes Clara¡¯s words were harsh, the woman didn¡¯t want to harm her or the baby in the slightest.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± whispered Lea, still looking away from Dave. ¡°I know Clara wouldn¡¯t do that. I ¡­ I just feel pressured.¡±

    Dave looked at Lea with growing concern. Certainly, at this time Lea could not bear the burden. For sure, right now she felt her life was insignificant.

    ¡°The baby has a fairly large life expectancy. Pray that he will survive even after you give birth early,¡± Dave whispered again. The anger was no longer in his voice.

    Lea just replied with a smile. ¡°But there are risks Dave. And they are big enough. I just want to hang on ¡­ for several weeks ¡­ so my only-400-grams baby can gain weight and be safer to deliver early.¡±

    Silence descended on Lea¡¯s room again. Dave didn¡¯t know what else to explain.

    ¡°Imagine, Dave. If you were in my shoes, would you be able to sacrifice the baby?¡± This time, Lea turned to him. ¡°He¡¯s your flesh and blood, Dave! In his blood, runs your blood. Can you do anything to harm him? Can you put him at that forty percent risk of death?¡±

    It was then, Dave realized what a big number forty percent was. Four out of ten cases. Four out of ten babies born at twenty-four weeks would die.

    Dave could only gape, speechless. His gaze met Lea¡¯s swollen red eyes.

    ¡°Can you do it, Dave?¡± Lea asked again, making the man in front of her only stare blankly because he was full of guilt. Unknowingly, tears rolled down his cheeks. He shook his head slowly, agreeing with Lea¡¯s statement.

    At that time, the two of them did not realize, they were not the only two who were crying. There was a young doctor with amber eyes who could only lean her body against the wall, crying bitterly after hearing a sad conversation between the parents-to-be.

 Chapter 126 - 126 126. Real Pain

    126 126. Real Pain

    Clara¡¯s tears melted knowing Lea¡¯s and Dave¡¯s feelings about the baby. She felt out of place. Their grief and pain reached her wounded heart, making her slender body feel boneless, unable to support the weight of her muscles.

    The woman could only lean against the wall outside Lea¡¯s room. Her hands covered her face, crying for the umpteenth time.

    Clara canceled entering Lea¡¯s room to do a health check. With tears in her eyes, she unsteadily walked back to doctor Kim¡¯s office. She had no choice but to ask doctor Kim to do the task herself.

    ¡°What happened?¡± asked doctor Kim with confusion.

    Usually, she would make fun of Clara, stating that she could not do her job professionally. However, Clara¡¯s current state prevented her from doing so. She knew that Clara had messed up when she called that girl to the hospital earlier.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it. Sorry,¡± whispered Clara. She packed her things and rushed out of Doctor Kim¡¯s room, without looking back and didn¡¯t bother saying goodbye.

    Of course, her suspicious action made doctor Kim wonder. Not long after, another resident doctor patted the shoulder of the obstetrician who was lost in thought, watching Clara¡¯s back slowly drifting away from her sight.

    ¡°You stare at the bride-to-be as if you were going to chase gossip from her,¡± said the resident doctor with an amused smile. She stared at her boss teasingly.

    ¡°Who is the bride-to-be?¡± asked doctor Kim in confusion. She didn¡¯t even know that Clara was getting married. How could she miss such big news?

    .....

    ¡°Clara. She¡¯s getting married this weekend. Not many know about it,¡± answered the resident doctor. She was sorting out the files on her desk and compiling a report that she would give to doctor Kim. ¡°Only a few were invited. You don¡¯t know either?¡±

    Doctor Kim shook her head slowly. She furrowed his brows. ¡°No wonder she¡¯s moody. Maybe she was betrothed to a rich old man?¡±

    The young doctor shook her head violently. Her eyes slightly protested the ignorance of that senior doctor.

    ¡°I thought you knew it. Didn¡¯t you talk to her fianc¨¦?¡± asked the tanned-skinned resident doctor. ¡°A few minutes ago, Dave Johnson walked into this room, didn¡¯t he? I think he¡¯s looking for Clara. He had a serious conversation with you, right?¡±

    ¡°Dave Johnson?¡± asked doctor Kim again, answered with a nod by the resident doctor in front of her. ¡°He is ¡­ her fiance?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± The young resident doctor nodded confidently.

    ¡°Our Clara?¡± asked doctor Kim again, like a dazed person. She was completely stunned at the moment.

    Doctor Kim didn¡¯t ask anything else. The resident doctor¡¯s nod was clear enough for that obstetrician. She didn¡¯t expect that the man who came to her was Clara¡¯s fianc¨¦, who was even getting married this weekend.

    What made doctor Kim have mixed feelings was that the man had introduced himself as the baby¡¯s father. She thought the man was Lea¡¯s boyfriend. What exactly happened? Was this what causes Clara to always go back and forth when she was about to interact with Lea?

    Doctor Kim felt guilty. She should apologize when she saw Clara again. She shouldn¡¯t have forced Clara to handle Lea¡¯s case. It was so unfair to Clara.

    Not long after, doctor Kim shoved a check sheet to the resident. No more talking.

    ¡°What is this? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my job?¡± asked the resident doctor who wanted to go home because she was tired and disappointed.

    ¡°Never mind! Just do it! I¡¯m not concentrating,¡± replied doctor Kim lazily. She forced the resident doctor to do Clara¡¯s work.

    ¡°Doctor Kim!¡± she shouted a little loudly. Unfortunately, the doctor had left her. She had other important business to attend to.

    The resident sighed softly. ¡°She has a bigger fish to fry, huh?¡±

    Annoyed, the poor resident doctor ended up taking care of Lea¡¯s health check anyway. What could she do about it? She was not the child of a hospital owner who could pass when her feelings were sad and down.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Clara walked through town, embracing her body which was wrapped in a thick jacket. Her tears had dried. But the pain and brokenness in her heart continued to cause wounds, gaping like burning coals.

    No one knew for sure Clara¡¯s feelings at this time. Why did two big claps of thunder hit the poor girl? Wasn¡¯t she a noble and kind doctor? Helping sick people and was even willing to work overtime to save the lives of her patients. Why was she still getting punishment after punishment every day?

    The confrontation with her parents this evening made her feel numb. Her father¡¯s words which revealed her identity, made the woman feel like being injected into death right away. Whatever it was, she wanted to do all the bad things that could numb this pain right then and there.

    Her thoughts were dark and ugly. Clara was very sure that she was not the only one who has a weak mind when people face problems similar to hers. Who was not? It felt like being catapulted high into the sky, then left crashing to the ground without any help. Bleeding wounds.

    The difference was, the female doctor¡¯s wound was now bloodless. Even though the pain was not a joke. She was deeply hurt.

    ¡®You are a child born from a mistake¡­. The stupidest mistake I¡¯ve ever made. It always pisses me off when I see your face and that arrogant way of speaking.¡¯

    Her father¡¯s words resounded in Clara¡¯s head. Very hurtful words. Clara almost thought it was her father¡¯s trick so that she would obey and not rebel.

    However, her mother¡¯s face, which turned so pale, made her sure that her father was not trying to trick her. Linda, who did not deny Patrick¡¯s statement, was a claim to the truth without having to do a DNA test. Something she had wanted to prove outright. She truly wanted to know that she wasn¡¯t Linda¡¯s child.

    She was not Linda¡¯s biological child.

 Chapter 127 - 127 127. Fake Princess

    127 127. Fake Princess

    During this time, Clara felt so proud because she lived as the youngest daughter of a respectable couple, Patrick and Linda Decker. She lived in wealth and luxury, was praised for her beauty, honored like a princess. She was adored by every man and became the idol of every girl.

    Her pretty face with sharp amber eyes that showed wild beauty had always been her pride. Her physical resemblance to her father always made her walk with confidence.

    She didn¡¯t need to shout to everyone that she was Clara Decker because she was Patrick in the form of a beautiful and elegant young woman with the beautiful hair color she inherited from her mother.

    Clara never felt awkward anywhere because no one would dare to look down on her. No one would dare to refuse her because her family was old money.

    The perfection of her life shines even more when she was betrothed to a young entrepreneur from the Johnson family. She would be brighter like a diamond. That was how she thought her life would end.

    ¡®You are the daughter of a bitch who trapped me. She got me drunk and made me betray my wife.¡¯

    That was the father¡¯s answer when Clara asked whose child she was. There was no affection when Patrick told her past. Perhaps, indeed, that was how her father had felt about her all along. No affection. No love. He could only give her money and luxurious life.

    Unexpectedly, it turned out that her magnificent life was built on falsehood. She was not Linda¡¯s child. But the child her father accidentally made with a gold digger secretary.

    The secretary, determined to become Patrick¡¯s mistress, framed her drunken boss and made love to him so that she got pregnant and could tie up the rich man in the future. However, her desire vanished when Patrick refused. Her boss loved her wife sincerely with all his heart.

    .....

    ¡®That whore almost ruined my happy marriage.¡¯

    His father said the secretary could not accept being rejected outright. She came to see Linda and told her about Patrick¡¯s betrayal. Of course, at that moment Linda¡¯s perfect world shattered. She had thought about divorcing the man she had been married to for years.

    Patrick also felt so disappointed and almost crazy. His stupidity made him fall into a sinful hole. Betrayal would be easier to forgive. However, this was not the case if the sinful act resulted in a baby. Household destruction was about to strike. Especially when the divorce papers landed on Patrick¡¯s desk.

    At that time, Patrick didn¡¯t know what to do to make Linda believe what he said. He¡¯s completely innocent. He loved Linda very much and did not want a divorce.

    Desperately, Patrick then went to Linda¡¯s parents¡¯ house and waited for days for her to open the door. It was winter season. Patrick almost died from hypothermia and malnutrition until he was rushed to the hospital.

    Fortunately, Linda, who had been mad, was willing to forgive Patrick. Linda knew that Patrick¡¯s love was not fake. However, about the child, Linda still couldn¡¯t find a solution.

    One day, Linda accidentally found out that her husband¡¯s former secretary was about to have an abortion because the child was no longer of use to her. It was then, Linda could not bear. She tried to prevent the baby from abortion. Instead, Linda was willing to take care of the child and give that woman a huge chunk of ransom money in exchange for her efforts to keep the child¡¯s life.

    Instead of leaving empty-handed, the secretary then accepted Linda¡¯s money. She railed and spend boring time locking herself in the apartment. Meanwhile, Linda pretended to be pregnant.

    The perpetrator finally gave birth to a baby girl. At the same time, Linda told everyone that the baby was her daughter. When everyone congratulated on the birth of Linda¡¯s second baby, the perpetrator left for good. She never showed up again as promised because her baby girl had become Linda¡¯s completely. She only wanted money anyway.

    ¡®I can¡¯t love you. But Linda treats you as her biological child. She even always dyes her shiny black hair so that it is the same color as yours.¡¯

    Clara had no idea that she was so low and despicable. She thought, she got her beautiful brunette hair from Linda. She always said that to everyone with pride. She didn¡¯t expect that it was all an illusion. The lies that Linda created for the sake of the happiness she designed for Clara.

    Tears welled up in Clara¡¯s eyes again. Very hard to accept the fact as a child who was abandoned by her mother. It was so hard for her to accept that she was never been wanted.

    To make matters worse, history was on the verge of repeating itself. She¡¯s on the verge of becoming ¡®another Linda¡¯ who was about to live in fake bliss with Lea and Dave¡¯s son. Although the situations were different, the essence was the same. False! She would tell the world that Dave¡¯s son would be her son.

    However, confusion covers Clara¡¯s feelings when she overheard Dave¡¯s conversation with Lea in her room. Lea was different. She realized when she heard Lea¡¯s statement that she was willing to sacrifice her life for her son. Lea loved the child in her womb. She was not willing to trade the baby for money. She chose to work for Paula to pay for her mother¡¯s hospital money. Lea was not a bitch like Clara¡¯s mother who was crazy about wealth.

    Knowing this, Clara¡¯s chest felt tight. Her heart felt squeezed by a large invisible hand. She felt she had made the wrong decision. Wrong or not, her heart was currently feeling so sore.

    ¡°Oh, God! What should I do?¡± Clara screamed that night, making everyone on the street turn to look at her, thinking that a desperate madwoman was yelling at the Creator.

    Clara continued walking down the street at night. The woman walked unsteadily with legs that began to ache from fatigue. Piles of snow stacked up on the side of the sidewalk make the night view less pleasant. It would be nice if the snow was pure white, but the snow mixed with mud made the sides of the road look disgusting.

    Not long after, she heard the sound of her stomach growling. She hadn¡¯t had dinner yet. She had left Patrick and Linda without dinner because she wasn¡¯t in the mood to eat. How could she possibly have an appetite after hearing her true identity?

    ¡°Why is my life terrible? How could I ever be hungry when I¡¯m down?¡± the beautiful woman muttered while holding her rumbling stomach. Why had she never seen this kind of scene in a movie? Why did so much crying starve her half to death?

    Clara looked around. Looking for a place in the vicinity that sells food to prop up the stomach. Her eyes then stopped wandering when she found a cafe bakery: Sakura.

    ¡°This place looks familiar?¡± muttered Clara while narrowing her eyes, trying to remember something in the past.

    Clara widened her eyes as she remembered the place. Wasn¡¯t that where she met the hot janitor and made herself end the night with a hot kiss from a guy?

 Chapter 128 - 128 128. Looking for the Janitor

    128 128. Looking for the Janitor

    Clara¡¯s face heated up as she remembered how embarrassing that night had been. She, who can¡¯t drink, got drunk illegally at a bakery cafe, making the manager ask a janitor to kick her out of the almost-closed cafe.

    ¡°Gosh, I forgot! I think he paid the fifty-dollar taxi fare to my apartment, didn¡¯t he?¡± Who else paid if not the handsome janitor?

    ¡°Why did I completely forget about it? I need to pay him back.¡±

    Determined to pay off the debt, Clara then stepped her tired feet to Sakura bakery. When she got inside, she found a long line because many customers were aiming for a fifty percent discount when the cafe was almost closed.

    Reluctantly, Clara joined the queue because she was going to buy a cake at the same time. Unfortunately, she was now in sixth place.

    Instead of waiting for a long time, Clara¡¯s eyes traced every corner of the cafe. There was a janitor who cleaned the tables. The man turned his back to Clara, looking so serious about his work.

    Clara smiled. She didn¡¯t care about the queue anymore and ran straight to the janitor who was now bent over to clean up the crumbled cheese pie crumbs littering under the table. Clara waited patiently for the man who was cleaning the crumbs.

    When the man stood up, that¡¯s when Clara said, ¡°Sorry, excuse me! Do you have a minute?¡±

    Clara¡¯s heart was pounding with hope. Her face flushed for no apparent reason. She forgot for a moment the sadness in her heart that night.

    .....

    The janitor turned and smiled kindly. ¡°What can I help you with, miss?¡±

    The hopeful smile on Clara¡¯s face disappeared in an instant. As it turned out, the man wasn¡¯t the man she remembered, but an old man who was around fifty years old.

    The woman rubbed her forehead, daydreaming, trying to observe the man in front of her. However, she was sure that night she kissed a handsome and dashing man. Not the old man before her.

    ¡°Are you the janitor who works at this cafe?¡± Clara asked awkwardly. She felt like she was about to faint when she saw the old man¡¯s face. Was that because she was so drunk that night, Clara had hallucinations and thought the old man was a dashing and handsome young man?

    The old man nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The old man smiled again at Clara.

    ¡°Are you new here?¡± Clara asked again. ¡°Do you know the man who was the janitor before?¡± continued Clara. She tried to ask as politely as possible.

    The old man shook his head again. ¡°I¡¯ve been working here since this cafe first opened.¡±

    Clara nodded awkwardly. ¡°Are there any other janitors who are younger than you? His eyes are clear green. His skin is tanned and sunburnt. His face is sweet but masculine,¡± Clara asked again, trying to give a detailed description. However, she instead sounded like a perverted woman on the prowl.

    The man pondered, then chuckled. ¡°No, I¡¯m the only one working here.¡±

    Clara nodded disappointedly. He was then sure that he did not visit the bakery cafe that night. Maybe another branch. Or other stores similar to this store.

    ¡°Ah, maybe I have the wrong person. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Clara said awkwardly. She turned around, about to head back to the cashier. However, the old janitor called her again.

    ¡°Miss!¡± he cried, calling Clara.

    Clara turned and found the old janitor walking towards her. The man seemed to remember something.

    ¡°When did you come here and meet the young janitor?¡± asked the old janitor curiously.

    ¡°About three months ago,¡± Clara answered confusedly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, sir?¡±

    ¡°Ah, three months ago, there was indeed a young man who replaced me for a few days here.¡± The janitor said kindly. He laughed again gleefully, explaining that he had suddenly been asked to take time off because someone was replacing him.

    Clara¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Now where is he?¡± Clara asked again. Her hope suddenly rose again.

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know either. But¡­ come here often because he usually likes to buy apple pie here,¡± said the old man, showing off one of his teeth that had begun to fall out. Clara¡¯s hopes dwindled again. However, she tried to stay polite.

    Clara smiled briefly. ¡°Thank you for the information, sir. Too bad I¡¯ve been busy. So it seems I can¡¯t come here anymore.¡±

    The old man nodded. ¡°He usually comes with a girl to buy apple pies.¡±

    A hint of disappointment crossed Clara¡¯s heart. Such a handsome man must have had a girlfriend. Maybe not just one.

    Clara then smiled realizing the disappointment in her heart was unreasonable. It didn¡¯t matter, the important thing was, that night, she kissed a young man. Not hallucinating. Not mistaking the old janitor as a handsome knight.

    The woman then gave some money to the old man and turned around, walking languidly toward the line again. When it was her turn, she took the tray and entered the cake and bakery rack area.

    Her eyes roamed to several types of cakes and bread. She was about to take the melon pan. However, on the tray across from the melon pan, she saw a medium-sized apple pie. She drooled when she finally found the only apple pie left.

    Clara hurriedly moved the tongs towards the tray on the other side, about to take the apple pie. However, somehow the apple pie felt very heavy to take. When Clara saw another hand holding a tong on the opposite side of the shelf, she understood that at this moment someone was trying to pull the apple pie.

    Clara, who felt that she was the first to take the apple pie, did not want to give up. She just kept pulling the cake.

    On the other side of the shelf, Clara¡¯s opponent also didn¡¯t want to give up, he or she didn¡¯t want to let go of the cake that was in his or her tongs. He or she had to get that one piece of pie left or he or she would get scolded all night.

    In the end, because of the strong pressure and pull, the poor apple pie shattered and split into pieces, making Clara and her opponent¡¯s eyes widen in disbelief.

    Spontaneously, both of them straightened their backs up and shouted simultaneously, ¡°You ruined my apple pie!¡±, then pointed their hands at each other.

    It was then, an unexpected miracle happened.

 Chapter 129 - 129 129. A Miracle of Apple Pie

    129 129. A Miracle of Apple Pie

    ¡°Hey! Why did you destroy my apple pie?¡± The man protested in annoyance.

    However, instead of answering the question, Clara could only be stunned and looked at her interlocutors with a small gaping mouth.

    The woman was indeed very surprised when he found a man standing on the side of the bread rack, opposite from her. The man¡¯s clear emerald eyes stared at Clara sharply. The man¡¯s mouth opened a little, showing the same astonishment as Clara felt.

    The man¡¯s dark hair was darker than Clara¡¯s. A slight change was in his long hair. The bangs were slightly covering his eyes.

    Clara swallowed. The man was the janitor she was looking for. ¡°You? You were the janitor at that time, right? ¡±

    ¡°What janitor?¡± asked the man to Clara. His eyebrows furrowed, which reminded Clara of that night, that was his expression after she slapped the man after passionately kissing her.

    Clara¡¯s heart was palpitating, beating fast with uncertainty. His perfectly tanned skin reminded Clara of when she was in the handsome janitor¡¯s arms. Still clear in her memory, how they were so close and kissing so eagerly, like real lovers who were in heat.

    No more mistakes. The man was the janitor she kissed. His red lips were the lips that she crushed. Still fresh in Clara¡¯s memory, how soft his lips were, so velvety.

    The one she was looking for was present before her. Real and not an illusion.

    .....

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know who I am! I remember the scene well. It was you,¡± Clara said, demandingly. ¡°You were the janitor at that time.¡±

    Samuel was stunned. Now he remembered who the woman in front of him was. She was Clara Decker. A drunken woman came to the bakery cafe a few months ago and had trouble. However, the most feared thing happened. He did not want Clara to know his real identity.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. Who are you?¡± Samuel pretended he didn¡¯t know anything and immediately took some cakes and bread randomly and rushed in line at the cashier.

    Clara did not accept it just like that. How could anyone reject her? How could there be someone who ignored her at all?

    Clara¡¯s hand clenched in annoyance as she looked at Samuel¡¯s back. Never was she treated that way. Her amber eyes looked at Samuel with exasperation.

    Samuel, who was standing in line at the cashier, felt there was someone who threw a sharp gaze at him. His back felt cold, making him slightly shiver.

    When it was his turn to pay, Samuel gave cash to the cashier. ¡°Keep the change!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sam!¡± replied the cashier who already knew Samuel well.

    Samuel then left, half running away from the shop. He rushed into the car and drove fast, immediately straight home so as not to get bad luck again because he met the terrible woman he had ever helped, with force, three months ago.

    ¡°Unlucky! How could I meet that woman again? ¡± Samuel grumbled when he stopped at a red light. ¡°Wasn¡¯t she wasted at that time? How could she remember me?¡± He muttered again while observing the cake box on the passenger seat.

    Samuel ruffled his hair and grumbled in annoyance. ¡°The apple pie!¡±

    Samuel was still upset with the ruined apple pie. That¡¯s the last apple pie. Sofia¡¯s order. How would he pass the night calmly if he failed to bring apple pie home?

    The image of Sofia¡¯s nagging sulking face because she didn¡¯t get her favorite food loomed in Samuel¡¯s mind. His sister could turn into a toilet ghost if she didn¡¯t get the food she wanted.

    This was all because his mother and father canceled their schedule. They should have been back from vacation. While Sofia, who was left alone at home, wanted sweets. Inevitably, she made her apple pie. However, it ended in her destroying the kitchen and making his mother¡¯s oven burnt because she fell asleep while baking some pies.

    Instead of regretting, the spoiled girl even cried all day and did not want to eat anything but the apple pie from Sakura Bakery. Unfortunately, Samuel still had to rehearse for the piano concert which would be held next month.

    Samuel stopped in front of the house. He exhaled softly, preparing mentally for his sister¡¯s tantrum. He hoped that the apple cinnamon bun that he bought could replace the apple pie.

    With slow movements, as if his body was heavier than steel, Samuel opened his car door and took the cake box. He rushed to the house just to find Sofia who had folded her arms and put on an angry face, as angry as the forest goddess to a delinquent that made the forest on fire.

    ¡°Sofia?¡± Samuel asked, doubtfully.

    ¡°I guess, you don¡¯t get the apple pie I ordered, right?¡± asked Sofia. She knew because apple pie was a favorite food that was running out quickly at Sakura Bakery. The fact that Samuel came home late was real proof that tonight she would not get a piece of apple pie.

    ¡°Forgive me! I¡¯ve tried, but I only managed to get something similar to your order. Apple bun. It tastes almost the same. They use the same dough for filling. So, eat this apple bun as a temporary substitute, tomorrow I will take you to Bakery in the morning. Sounds solutive, right?¡± William asked, trying to get mercy from his younger sister.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have been too late to buy! ¡± Sofia snapped. Her eyes were glazed. She wanted a delicious apple pie from the bakery.

    Sofia¡¯s cry could no longer be dammed. She then beat her brother with her tiny fists. ¡°You a jerk!¡±

    Samuel could only grin. What he imagined happened. Sofia¡¯s tantrum was annoying.

    The big house was full of Sofia¡¯s roar. Fortunately, their parents brought their siblings on vacation along. If not, surely they would wake up to hear Sofia¡¯s roar and make the situation even more chaotic.

    However, before long, Sofia suddenly stopped. Her eyes were rounded to see something that was not her brother.

    Sofia¡¯s eyes did not blink to look at a woman holding an apple pie in a small box, standing awkwardly behind Samuel. Sofia looked confused by what was happening. However, the woman seemed to be much more confused because she was currently in a large and luxurious mansion that was even bigger than her parents¡¯.

    Random thoughts raged in Clara¡¯s head. Didn¡¯t she chase a poor janitor?

 Chapter 130 - 130 130. Beautiful Stalker

    130 130. Beautiful Stalker

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Sofia was startled. Her eyes widened in shock. She was like seeing a ghost, a kind one because the ghost brought her dream apple pie. ¡°Are you coming with my brother?¡±

    Clara couldn¡¯t answer Sofia¡¯s question, who asked her identity. They didn¡¯t even know each other. What would she say to the girl as an explanation?

    ¡®I¡¯m the stalker of this man.¡¯

    That would sound very fishy and horribly wrong. She would sound like a criminal.

    ¡®I only intend to give this apple pie to you.¡¯

    That would sound far-fetched. Who would believe it? Sounded like an overly good woman like Cinderella¡¯s fairy godmother.

    Meanwhile, Sofia was still confused about Clara¡¯s presence at her house, and she suspected Samuel. ¡°Is this woman making you late home, Sam? Because of her, you didn¡¯t buy me apple pies?¡±

    ¡°Sofia! None of this is what you see!¡± said Samuel defensively. ¡°I don¡¯t even know who she is.¡±

    ¡°Later I will report your indecent behavior to Mom and Dad,¡± Sofia threatened. She widened her eyes and placed her hands on her waist. ¡°Father, Mother, you will not believe it. When you two left the two of us at home, Samuel brought a girl home from the side of the road. They spent a happy spanky time in Samuel¡¯s room.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Sofia!¡± he snapped.

    Sofia then looked at Clara, then grabbed the box of apple pie, and said, ¡°However ¡­ thank you!¡±

    Sofia smiled briefly, looked at the box containing the crumbled apple pie, then said again, ¡°Better to have a shattered apple pie than nothing.¡±

    The fragrance of apples and cinnamon entered Sofia¡¯s nose as soon as she opened the small box that she took from Clara¡¯s hand. Sofia¡¯s demeanor, which was like a wild horse whose tail was burned, suddenly became gentle, calm, and controlled.

    That¡¯s the magic that no other kind of food would do to Sofia. The adoration of the fragrant, sweet and creamy cinnamon apple filling would make anyone suddenly hungry, including Samuel and Clara who were now drooling as they looked at Sofia, who was picking small apple pie crumbs with gratitude. Moreover, the delicious smell of cinnamon invaded their noses as well, making them only able to swallow hard because they knew that Sofia would not be willing to share with anyone.

    Suddenly, Clara¡¯s stomach growled. She had not had time to eat anything. She didn¡¯t even have time to buy anything but shattered apple pie crumbs. Even then, she didn¡¯t eat the pie because she planned to give the food to Samuel.

    Sofia glanced at her brother while putting her hands on her hips. ¡°Oh my, you brought a girl home without giving her food? Do you even know how to treat a girl? No wonder you got rejected.¡± The high school girl shook her head, swaying it playfully, making her look like a bunny because of the ponytails on both sides of her head¡ªthe way she was going to sleep.

    ¡°Come in, come in, please. We¡¯re eating something!¡± ask Sofia then.

    Sofia, who had become a tame dove, gently tugged Clara¡¯s hand, who was still dumbfounded and led her into the house, heading straight for the dining table. The girl then called a maid, asking them to set the table.

    The maid then opened the cabinet to take out three white ceramic plates. She brought the cutlery to the table and set it quickly on the table.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Clara said politely as the maid poured apple juice into her glass.

    Sofia licked her bottom lip as she stared at the apparition of apple pie in front of her. The young girl then excitedly lifted the parchment paper that lined the apple pie and arranged it on her plate. ¡°This is for me. What do you want? Cheese bread, cheese pie, melon bun, apple bun?¡± Sofia asked Clara.

    Clara just laughed at the change in Sophia¡¯s attitude and then took a melon pan wrapped in baby pink food-grade paper. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll just take this. You can eat your favorite apple pie.¡±

    Sofia smiled confidently while observing the woman in front of her. According to her, the woman was beautiful even though her face was a bit sad. When the woman took off her winter jacket, she still looked elegant. She knew how to make every move to stay graceful in other people¡¯s eyes.

    Hungry, Sofia immediately sat down and took her plate. She used a fork and knife to make it easier for her to eat the scattered apple pie. However, it didn¡¯t last long. She put aside the fork and knife roughly, then ate it with her hands, not caring about manners any more.

    Of course, that amused Clara even more. She was unable to prevent her lips from smiling when she saw that funny scene.

    ¡°I will only eat gracefully when my mother is by my side,¡± Sofia said defensively as she chewed her food. ¡°Hmm, this is really delicious. You are my life savior. Thank you, yeah, uhm .¡­ What¡¯s your name?¡± Sofia asked, realizing that she didn¡¯t even know the name of the girl Samuel had brought home.

    ¡°You brought a stranger into the house, and asked her to eat together, but didn¡¯t know her name,¡± said Samuel, imitating Sofia¡¯s nagging style.

    Inevitably, Clara laughed and made the cold air in the room melt. Who didn¡¯t like to see beautiful women laugh?

    ¡°I am Clara Deck¡ª¡±

    Clara paused. She remembered what had just happened. She was not the legitimate child of the Decker family.

    ¡°Just Clara,¡± Clara continued with a forced smile.

    Sofia nodded, showing rows of white teeth. ¡°Okay, Clara! Eat first. Eat a lot. You need some energy to wrestle with my brother in bed later, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Samuel who was munching on a cheese pie suddenly choked and coughed hard. He didn¡¯t expect his sister to say that. That was gross.

    ¡°Hey! Why are you so impolite? I told you I don¡¯t know this woman,¡± Samuel defended himself angrily. He then turned to Clara and looked at the woman with a look of disgust. How could he follow her home? Boldly. ¡°Say something! Explain to my sister! I don¡¯t want any misunderstandings.¡±

    Clara then smiled at Sofia and said. ¡°Our relationship is not that far. We only practiced a french kiss. Never go all the way in bed.¡±

    Sofia¡¯s face suddenly turned red. While Samuel, who was drinking soda, once again spouted the orange liquid in his mouth.

    ¡°Crap! How could you!¡±

 Chapter 131 - 131 131. Looking for an Escape

    131 131. Looking for an Escape

    Clara didn¡¯t mean to make it difficult for Samuel. However, in her mind, there were still a thousand questions about the man she knew was only a janitor. She wanted an explanation.

    The real explanation had nothing to do with his everyday life. Unfortunately, Clara was still curious.

    Therefore, Clara was determined to stay in the Montgomery family¡¯s mansion until she got answers to all the mysteries about the janitor¡¯s identity.

    At first, she thought that after becoming a janitor, Samuel became a driver for a rich family because he was driving a luxury car. Because of that, Clara immediately forced a taxi to follow his car.

    However, the reality was completely different. The man she thought was poor was a person living in the luxurious mansion she was currently in.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve never done it before?¡± Sofia asked, breaking Clara¡¯s reverie.

    ¡°Having sex?¡± Clara asked, confirming Sofia¡¯s question, making the young girl nod, grimacing awkwardly. ¡°Not yet. We¡¯ve only just kissed,¡± Clara added reassuringly.

    Sofia, who was suddenly clumsy, immediately took the last piece of apple pie with no enthusiasm at all. The words Clara had just said made her lose her appetite. She felt out of place and shouldn¡¯t be between her brother and the woman.

    ¡°Sofia! Don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t know this woman!¡± replied Samuel pitifully. He felt unfairly treated and framed by Clara.

    .....

    Clara just grinned at Samuel. She couldn¡¯t help it. Finding Samuel tonight was the best escape she could find. She needed a diversion to make herself, forget the sadness.

    Clara didn¡¯t want to go home. She didn¡¯t want to accept the fact that she wasn¡¯t Linda¡¯s biological child. She didn¡¯t want to remember that she was a child of a con who tried to destroy the happiness of the Decker family.

    She also didn¡¯t want to accept the fact that she was a barren woman. She was not willing to accept the fact that her fianc¨¦ had a child with another woman. She didn¡¯t want to remember the heartbreaking conversation between Lea and Dave.

    She just wanted to get out of her cage. She wanted to be just ¡®Clara¡¯. An ordinary human being who also wanted to live a normal and happy life without any burden on her shoulders. She just wanted to live as a doctor in the morning and have fun at night.

    Finding Samuel was a blessing for her. Samuel promised all the things she wanted right now. Even if it¡¯s just for tonight, she¡¯s willing. ¡®The man¡¯ was a better escape than drinking her problem away like last time.

    ¡°Then, I will immediately go to my room and close the door tightly so you two can ¡­ enjoy some time together,¡± Sofia asked doubtfully. ¡°Or, maybe ... going all the way?¡±

    Sofia scratched her head. She then took a carton of milk from the fridge and quickly left the dining room. She didn¡¯t want to disturb lovebirds. At least, that¡¯s what she thought at the moment.

    As Sofia left, silence fell in the dining room. Samuel didn¡¯t want to look at Clara at all, which made Sofia misunderstand him. Clara deliberately made his sister misunderstand that the two of them, who did not know each other, were lovers.

    ¡°Are you angry?¡± Clara asked then, trying to break the silence.

    ¡°What? You ask why I¡¯m angry?¡± asked Samuel, angrily. No, angry was an understatement. ¡°Why are you here? Are you stalking me? What do you want?¡±

    Clara felt that now Samuel would not forgive her. However, she didn¡¯t care. ¡°I just want to apologize for slapping you that time. After all, you were innocent. I was the one at fault.¡±

    Samuel hissed. He still remembered how Clara pulled him closer, kissed him first, and swept him away in hot kisses. When he realized it, the woman slapped him hard. Saying that he had committed sexual harassment.

    Samuel snorted. ¡°No problem! You were drunk and a little crazy I guess. No problem!¡± said Samuel without a smile on his face at all. ¡°Just that? Finished?¡± he asked again. ¡°When you¡¯re done, you may leave. I haven¡¯t locked the front door yet.¡±

    ¡°I ... I also want to pay off the taxi fare that you paid at that time,¡± Clara answered again.

    Samuel then looked at Clara with a sharp gaze. His bright green eyes seemed to have turned into a sharp jade sword that had been drawn to the side of her neck.

    ¡°Hi, Miss! Do you think I¡¯m the kind of person who¡¯s going to charge you the fifty bucks I paid for your taxi fare?¡± asked Samuel while spreading his arms, forcing Clara to see all the luxury around them.

    ¡°Sorry, I thought you were a janitor. I think fifty dollars would have been worth a lot to you,¡± Clara answered awkwardly. She swallowed hard.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a janitor. At that time, something happened that forced me to do it. Don¡¯t spill it to other people,¡± Samuel threatened with bulging eyes.

    Supposedly, Samuel at this time looked scary. Everyone would say that his face was so scary when he was angry. However, Clara was used to seeing her fierce father. Samuel¡¯s sharp gaze at this time was nothing compared to her father¡¯s piercing eyes which always implied hatred towards her.

    Clara nodded. She smiled knowingly. ¡°I will keep your secret. So, can I stay here?¡± asked Clara with great enthusiasm.

    ¡°Oh, so you don¡¯t want to leave, do you? That¡¯s why you lied to my sister? You lied about our relationship,¡± Samuel asked again, annoyed. He didn¡¯t want to be rude to women. But, again Clara was very annoying.

    ¡°I¡¯m not lying, right? I¡¯m just saying that we only do French Kisses!¡± Clara argued. Her eyes stared at Samuel, protesting at being called a liar.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Samuel muttered then. The green-eyed man then looked at Clara with a slightly lustful look. The man drew closer to Clara and seemed to think Clara was delicious food for a predator like him.

    Samuel¡¯s hands took Clara¡¯s flawless face, brushed her smooth cheeks, then went down to her chin. He pinched her slender, shapely chin, and lifted it so their faces were facing each other.

    ¡°So, you intend to spend the night here, so we can enjoy the night together? Are you going to crawl into my bed? Spread your legs for me? Going all the way?¡±

 Chapter 132 - 132 132. Sinful Desire

    132 132. Sinful Desire

    Clara gulped. Spending the night with a man other than Dave was something she had never imagined in her mind. It never occurred to her to betray him even just once, even though he had betrayed her.

    However, how could she just be reckless at a time like this? What if she fucked another man instead? All at once, she documented that to make Dave angry and canceled their wedding, which was only a matter of days. She was upset and did not know how to escape this suffocating marriage.

    However, it didn¡¯t feel right for her to use Samuel. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to Samuel either. What if Dave got revenge and did bad things to Samuel?

    Clara¡¯s eyes flickered awkwardly. ¡°Do you think that I¡¯m cheap? Chasing men for satisfaction?¡± she stammered. Her eyes could not leave Samuel¡¯s sharp gaze. Too precious to pass up the opportunity to gaze at a handsome face with edible lips. Besides, she didn¡¯t want him to say she was afraid of him. She¡¯s not a coward.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Suddenly backing out?¡± asked Samuel chuckling. ¡°Earlier you looked very passionate when my sister was here.¡±

    ¡°I told you that I just want to settle things with you,¡± Clara answered, hiding her fear by still looking at him fiercely. ¡°As I recall, you said that I wasn¡¯t your type. Will a woman like me make your sexual desire arise?¡±

    Samuel¡¯s red lips slowly widened and curved upwards on both sides. His eyes stared at Clara wistfully. ¡°I prefer a woman who is elegant, calm, and not arrogant. You are completely far from my type because I prefer blonde-haired women with curvy bodies. ¡± You¡¯re too thin by my standards,¡± Samuel laughed sarcastically. His hand still clamped her chin. He didn¡¯t want to let her go, he wanted to tease that annoying woman for a moment.

    Clara could only swallow hard. What Samuel did was the complete opposite of what he said. ¡°Then you can let me go, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Wait, why do you look so thin now?¡± asked Samuel suddenly. He saw her collarbone which looked pathetic. Looked too sharp and imprinted. To the extent that Samuel felt horrified and also pity. ¡°Are you a drug user?¡±

    .....

    Clara¡¯s face tightened. She was offended by Samuel¡¯s accusations. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. Don¡¯t accuse me that I¡¯m a drug user.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a doctor, doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t choose that kind of life path, right?¡± he asked. He squinted, trying to penetrate Clara¡¯s soul through her eyes which flashed her deep wound. ¡°You¡¯re a doctor, that doesn¡¯t mean your life is perfect, right?¡±

    Clara¡¯s lips parted. She hated why Samuel seemed to know what she was thinking and feeling. However, she didn¡¯t want to appear weak in Samuel¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t know the man in front of him well.

    Annoyed, Clara¡¯s hand rose to brush Samuel¡¯s hand away from her. ¡°Damn you!¡± muttered Clara. The cloud over her face grew darker.

    Samuel, who knew that Clara was angry, then chose not to continue his tease. He then took a chair and sat back down at the side of the table that was close to Clara¡¯s. He spread his thighs, making Clara who had been looking down look away because she was wrongly looking at a part of Samuel¡¯s body that she shouldn¡¯t be looking at.

    Samuel sorted out the contents of the cake box and took another piece of bread. Kurimu pan was his choice. The cake filled with delicious soft custard would relieve his irritation fast. Like being embraced by the arms of a loving mother.

    Samuel handed one to Clara. The woman then awkwardly looked at Samuel.

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious! Try it and you will be addicted,¡± said Samuel, munching his bread.

    ¡°I already ate one,¡± Clara objected. She glanced at the calorie count on the bread packet. Three hundred calories were too much for her.

    Samuel snorted in annoyance. ¡°This is my apology to you. Please accept it!¡±

    Clara¡¯s eyes looked at the calorie count with horror. However, when she turned to Samuel and saw the custard cream melting from the man¡¯s bite, the brunette-haired woman couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard.

    ¡°Eat more, so that you will get prettier. The hell with the calories!¡± persuaded Samuel again.

    Annoyed, Samuel unwrapped Clara¡¯s bread and stuffed it into Clara¡¯s mouth. Of course, this made Clara so upset. Her Amber eyes narrowed angrily at Samuel.

    ¡°Hey, you are impolite!¡± Clara snapped.

    However, she finally ate the bread. Samuel laughed at Clara who finally complied. She looked so cute in his eyes.

    Clara was amazed when the soft and sweet cream pleased her tongue. ¡°Wow, this is delicious!¡± Clara admitted. Her mood immediately improved.

    Samuel smiled broadly. He enjoyed Clara¡¯s looks which were not graceful at all. Her lips were smeared with creamy custard.

    Unknowingly, Samuel then brought his hand to Clara¡¯s lips to clean the cream stuck there. However, she inched away as his hand approached her. The scene of the man¡¯s hand made her remember the kiss they had that night three months ago.

    ¡°Sorry! There is custard filling stuck to the corners of your lips,¡± said Samuel with an awkward smile. ¡°Can I clean it up?¡± he asked again.

    Clara nodded awkwardly. She didn¡¯t know why Samuel¡¯s simple actions had managed to make her heart flutter.

    Carefully, Samuel then took the cream on the corners of Clara¡¯s lips and cheeks. The sexy man then brought his hand to his mouth to lick the cream he took from her lips.

    Clara gulped. What Samuel was doing right now was so sexy. Too sexy for her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tease this skinny woman!¡± Clara said, addressing herself as a skinny woman and looking away from Samuel.

    Samuel chuckled at Clara¡¯s comment. ¡°You¡¯re not my type, but that doesn¡¯t mean you failed to make me want you.¡±

    Clara¡¯s face flushed. Her heart raced violently. At this time, she knew how the night would end. She felt like she would end up in Samuel¡¯s bed if she stayed there any longer.

    Clara then stopped chewing the bread. She then got up from her seat and said, ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m sorry! My business is over. Thank you for your food and hospitality.¡±

    Clara turned around, about to leave the table. However, Samuel¡¯s hand grabbed her spontaneously, forcing Clara to look at his face. He looked offended.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to sleep with me, then what do you want Miss Deck¡ª¡±

    ¡°Clara! Just Clara. Don¡¯t call me Decker!¡±

 Chapter 133 - 133 133. Her Sad Face

    133 133. Her Sad Face

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Samuel, confused. ¡°You¡¯re Clara Decker, right?¡±

    Clara stared at Samuel with her amber eyes that were filled with tears. Her chest felt tight when someone called him Decker. Maybe, she would take time off from work for a while. She didn¡¯t want anyone to call her doctor Decker.

    ¡°Just Clara. I ¡­ just want to be called by my name,¡± Clara answered, giving Samuel a challenging look.

    Samuel pursed his lips. From Clara¡¯s face, which looked very cloudy and gloomy, he guessed that this young woman was indeed in trouble. However, Samuel didn¡¯t think that the problem was a family one. He thought she was facing a relationship problem.

    ¡°Okay, Clara. I¡¯m Samuel. Samuel Montgomery. You can go if you want to go. But, you can also stay if you still want to stay,¡± Samuel said later. It wouldn¡¯t be dangerous to keep a woman inside the mansion if he knew her identity.

    Clara looked stunned. She had heard of Montgomery somewhere. She was not too familiar with the names of distinguished families. This was because the Montgomery family didn¡¯t have a daughter the same age as Clara.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to my room first. Consider yourself at home,¡± Samuel said again because there was no response from Clara. ¡°You can sleep in any room you like and eat all the food you want.¡±

    Clara fell silent. She grabbed Samuel¡¯s hand and then said, ¡°Do you mind watching a movie before going to sleep?¡±

    Samuel was wide-eyed. ¡°So, that¡¯s your intention? You want to watch a movie with me?¡± asked Samuel sarcastically.

    .....

    Clara didn¡¯t laugh when Samuel laughed at her. ¡°I need company. A stranger. A friend I don¡¯t know. May I have the honor?¡±

    ¡°Why should I give it to you?¡±

    ¡°Because I won¡¯t spill the beans if you were a janitor at a cafe,¡± Clara answered awkwardly, feeling guilty for threatening Samuel.

    Clara¡¯s threat worked, it made Samuel feel bad to refuse. ¡°Okay, considering you mistook me for a janitor and tailed me, I don¡¯t think you have any special malicious intent.¡±

    Samuel gave up. He then slammed his big body onto the couch in front of the home theater and asked Clara to join him.

    ¡°What movies do you like to watch?¡± Clara asked while selecting the available DVDs.

    ¡°I like adult movies,¡± answered Samuel, lying to tease her. He didn¡¯t smile at all, yawning lazily. ¡°365 Days is fine if you want romance,¡± he teased again.

    Clara sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t watch erotic movies.¡±

    The two of them then decided to watch The Good Doctor series. It was Clara¡¯s choice.

    Samuel didn¡¯t like the movie. He then chose to enjoy studying Clara¡¯s face out of the corner of his eye. Much more fun than falling asleep while watching a movie.

    A very pretty face with curves that fit in every corner. However, deep sadness was painted there. Making Samuel feel like he wanted to ease the woman¡¯s suffering a little.

    ¡°If you have problems with your family, you should talk about it carefully. They will understand,¡± said Samuel, who suddenly turned wise.

    Clara looked away from the screen to Samuel. ¡°My problems can¡¯t be solved by just talking.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s eyebrows rose as if he understood even though he didn¡¯t. ¡°Everyone makes mistakes. That person must have the courage to face his or her mistakes well.¡±

    Clara snorted in annoyance. Samuel tried to push her button. ¡°I made no mistake.¡±

    Samuel raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then why do you look so depressed?¡±

    ¡°You can say that I am the mistake,¡± Clara finally answered. Her voice was hoarse with a feeling of disappointment in her chest.

    Clara could no longer watch the movie properly. She leaned back in the chair, facing Samuel again with gaping disappointed eyes.

    ¡°Everyone is born for a reason,¡± replied Samuel. The man¡¯s face was no longer smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t consider yourself a mistake just because your birth was unwanted or unplanned.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know,¡± Clara whispered desperately. ¡°A person who does not experience it himself will never know.¡±

    ¡°I also just met my father after many years,¡± said Samuel. He then told her about his bitter past. A tough childhood with a mother who ran away from home.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Clara looked interested. She didn¡¯t expect there was such a scandal in the Samuel family. ¡°Do you mind telling me the rest of the story?¡± asked Clara who found that there was something more interesting than the movie.

    Samuel said that his mother was accidentally pregnant with his father. They don¡¯t know each other. Only one-night stands. His mother thought that his father did not like his presence. Samuel¡¯s mother then left the house even though the wedding party had already been prepared.

    Because of that misunderstanding, Samuel spent his childhood without a father. He lived a life full of hardships and limitations along with his mother who can only work as a maid in a hotel.

    Clara who listened carefully looked amazed. He then commented on Samuel¡¯s story, ¡°How was your school?¡±

    ¡°Of course, my mother was looking for a good school at an affordable cost,¡± Samuel answered curtly. ¡°How can I get the luxury that my siblings get?¡±

    Clara nodded slowly. Being a Samuel is not easy.

    ¡°Maybe I look pity in your eyes. However, there are many children out there who are experiencing the same thing as me, or even worse,¡± explained Samuel again. ¡°Therefore, I am grateful that my family has enough sympathy for poor children. My uncle build a foundation that financed many orphanages. My father asked my mother to take care of a foundation that provides scholarships for the poor and loans for single mothers.¡±

    Clara just stared in awe at Samuel¡¯s story. Compared to her family, which only cared about how to raise the company by marrying her off to another company owner¡¯s daughter, Samuel¡¯s family looked more respectable. They still think about the role of the rich in society.

    ¡°Have you ever hated your father or mother because you had a hard life?¡± Clara asked again.

    Samuel shook his head. ¡°My father is an extraordinary person. He was even willing to work until he was old, letting me do whatever I wanted as penance. My mother was a great woman and a fighter. If it wasn¡¯t for her love for me, I wouldn¡¯t have been born into this world.¡±

    Clara naturally felt hurt. She looked away from Samuel and said. ¡°You are lucky. My case was different. My mother didn¡¯t want me.¡±

 Chapter 134 - 134 134. Sharing the Pain

    134 134. Sharing the Pain

    Samuel¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his heart ripped at Clara¡¯s words. Especially when he saw her face tense and tears welled up in the beautiful woman¡¯s eyes.

    Not being wanted by a mom must be very hard for someone to accept. It doesn¡¯t matter how old he or she was when he or she found out the bitter truth.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t think it was something like that,¡± Samuel said as he licked his lips. He raised his hand, then patted Clara on the shoulder, hoping it would ease her grief.

    When Clara slightly inched away, that¡¯s when Samuel felt himself overdoing it. ¡°Sorry, I just wanted to calm you down.¡±

    Clara nodded slowly. He looked at Samuel doubtfully, then said, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t mind just being patted,¡± Clara answered with an awkward smile.

    After a long silence, Clara then spoke again. ¡°All this time, I thought that I was the beloved daughter of the Decker family. Turns out, I was just an unwanted child born because of my dad¡¯s mistake.¡±

    Clara couldn¡¯t continue what she was saying because her lips were trembling, as if she couldn¡¯t feel the weight of the story she was about to tell. Samuel was the first person she told about this matter. She didn¡¯t expect that putting it into words would be so difficult.

    .....

    ¡°I was bought from my biological mother, to be recognized as the biological child of my father¡¯s legal wife.¡± This time, Clara¡¯s tears could no longer be contained. Tears ran down her delicate cheeks, making Samuel¡¯s heart feel sad when he saw her. ¡°I never thought that I was so low.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s brows furrowed, disapproving of Clara¡¯s words. ¡°Why do you call yourself lowly just because of how you were born?¡± he asked without a smile. His eyes fell on her, narrowed.

    ¡°Is it because you were born in a poor family, for example, that you become lowly?¡± he asked again. ¡°No one can choose who they are born from, right? If possible, I would choose to be born to a father and mother who are great musicians. Not a father who knows only business matters and a mother who is only good at cooking and baking.¡±

    Hearing the word musician caught Clara¡¯s interest. ¡°Why musicians?¡± asked the woman curiously.

    ¡°I am a pianist,¡± answered Samuel.

    ¡°Oh, seriously?¡± Clara asked, suddenly enthusiastic. It felt fresh when she heard something other than medical matters and family business.

    ¡°Impossible!¡± said Clara suspiciously. Perhaps, Samuel was lying.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, come with me,¡± said Samuel enthusiastically.

    He then invited Clara to walk into a room two rooms away from the living room. When the room was opened, Clara could see how there was a grand piano standing gracefully in the corner of the room.

    The body color is black. An old piano it seems. Made of oak that has been repainted several times. On the back side, there was an engraving of Samuel Montgomery¡¯s name, indicating the owner¡¯s name, sweetened with silver plating.

    ¡°This is my first piano. A gift from someone when I was little. My mother had no money to buy a piano. An old woman, a hotel owner where my mother worked, gifted this piano to me. Previously, this belonged to her grandson who died of leukemia,¡± said Samuel while stroking the old piano. His eyes looked far away as if seeing the past from behind the sturdy body of the piano. ¡°She replaced her grandson¡¯s nameplate with mine. She¡¯s very kind, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    Clara nodded with a puffy face. Samuel¡¯s story was truly moving. She had never experienced such a hard life.

    ¡°You see, don¡¯t you? I was born to two parents from a rich family. However, my mother chose to leave to avoid my father until we both lived in poverty,¡± whispered Samuel in a flat voice like a gentle night breeze blowing outside, in tune with the soft rustle of a twig on a tree by the window. ¡°However, if my mother had not run away, I definitely would not have met that old lady. I will never learn the piano, and I will never become the professional pianist I am now.¡±

    Clara looked at Samuel¡¯s grateful face. The mischievous face of the playboy that was radiating strongly there had changed into the face of a person who loved the piano and music with all his heart.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s the reason you didn¡¯t replace this piano until now?¡± Clara asked curiously. For such a large house, with all the fancy furnishings, it felt like Samuel¡¯s piano looked out of place.

    ¡°So true!¡± answered Samuel firmly. ¡°This piano is like a treasure to me. I will pass it on to my children and grandchildren,¡± Samuel added while gazing into the air.

    Clara looked at Samuel with a straight face. She felt uncomfortable hearing the word posterity.

    ¡°As for you, is there anything valuable that you want to pass on to your children and grandchildren?¡± he asked.

    Clara¡¯s heart squeezed at Samuel¡¯s question. She cleared her throat and looked away from Samuel.

    ¡°Scalpels maybe?¡± asked Samuel, knowing that Clara was a doctor. ¡°Stethoscope?¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t any. I don¡¯t want to leave anything behind,¡± Clara answered quickly and curtly. Her face didn¡¯t smile. She was upset but realized that Samuel was innocent.

    To distract herself, Clara¡¯s eyes scanned around the room. There was a glass shelf containing various international awards that Samuel has won. Unknowingly, Clara stepped closer to the shelf. Real admiration, was evident on the beautiful woman¡¯s face. Her anger at Samuel was forgotten instantly because she was with such an extraordinary person.

    ¡°Well, it seems, I¡¯m with someone famous,¡± Clara muttered with admiration. ¡°Will I get a private and exclusive free piano performance?¡± Clara¡¯s eyes rolled up, seducing Samuel to play her a song.

    Samuel chuckled. ¡°As an uninvited guest entering a stranger¡¯s house, aren¡¯t you asking for too much? I used to get paid to play the piano.¡±

    Clara laughed too. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pay later! Can you play the piano for me?¡±

    ¡°What song do you want?¡± asked Samuel.

    Clara looked thoughtful, her index finger patting her cheek. ¡°Something you play for a broken-hearted person.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s face tightened. He then hit the piano keys. At first, he was lazy and slow, but then he continued anyway. His face was very serious. Clara, who saw it, felt that Samuel was playing the music for himself.

    Sad music. Very sad and tearing. Clara¡¯s chest seemed to be squeezed, she remembered her miserable love life. Something that she thought would belong to her entirely, turned out to betray her. She thought something perfect just for her, turned out to be an imperfection. Limping and deformed.

    ¡°Stop it!¡±

 Chapter 135 - 135 135. She Moved His Heart

    135 135. She Moved His Heart

    Clara screamed and covered her ears. Tears suddenly flooded her face.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Clara screamed in pain.

    However, it was as if Clara¡¯s screams were not heard by Samuel. Samuel continued to play his piano fast, not caring about his surroundings. His face was tense and angry. His eyes are bloodshot. Sweat dripped down his temples, cheeks, and nape of his neck.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Clara shouted again.

    When she realized that Samuel didn¡¯t hear her, that¡¯s when Clara immediately stepped closer to Samuel. She hugged the man who was immersed in his music, trying to stop whatever he was doing. She held him to her chest and pulled him into her tenderness, making Samuel¡¯s fingers slip away from the piano keys.

    Clara¡¯s intoxicating scent like summer cherries wafted into Samuel¡¯s nose, making the owner of the emerald green eyes return to reality. He realized that he was not playing music for Clara, but for himself.

    ¡°Sorry! I ¡­,¡± said Samuel who looked dazed.

    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Clara with a look of pity. Panic and confusion.

    ¡°That ¡­ I arranged it myself two months ago. Was that so bad?¡± asked Samuel worriedly.

    .....

    Clara gulped. She couldn¡¯t say that Samuel¡¯s music was bad. She just couldn¡¯t bear the sadness playing in Samuel¡¯s music. It all made her remember all the sadness that hit her.

    ¡°I just immediately thought of how shit my life is!¡± said Clara without a smile.

    Realizing the tears on Clara¡¯s cheeks, Samuel asked her for permission to wipe them away. ¡°Can I?¡± he asked hesitantly.

    Clara smiled. She brought Samuel¡¯s hand to her cheek, asking him to wipe away her tears. She didn¡¯t know him. However, for some reason, having him as an escape made her feel at ease.

    While Samuel¡¯s long fingers stroked Clara¡¯s smooth cheeks, the woman wiped the sweat on the side of Samuel¡¯s face with her fingers. This made him feel the same way that she felt. Their hearts moved.

    ¡°Are you broken-hearted?¡± asked Clara curiously. Even though Samuel¡¯s face indicated that he was indeed heartbroken, the question still left her lips.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Samuel said hoarsely. ¡°She¡¯s someone¡¯s wife. I shouldn¡¯t have expected her.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Clara said, raising her eyebrows. ¡°What a terrible love affair you have. She loves you?¡±

    Embarrassed, Samuel shook his head. ¡°They only married because of family business matters. Her husband already has a girlfriend, but he left his girlfriend. I didn¡¯t expect them to maintain their love even though her husband was broke.¡±

    ¡°Great. They love each other. You¡¯re the bastard!¡± Clara said as she hit Samuel¡¯s chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m such an asshole,¡± Samuel said. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do because I fell in love at first sight.¡±

    ¡°Poor you, your love is unrequited.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Samuel laughed wryly.

    ¡°You¡¯re handsome. Don¡¯t act like a hopeless person,¡± Clara said laughing.

    ¡°You as well. How is your relationship with the man who was looking for you that night?¡± asked Samuel, he still remembered that when Clara kissed him, a man was looking for her. ¡°You dumped him already?¡±

    Clara responded by tightening her lips and shaking her head. ¡°My father ... our family doesn¡¯t want this marriage to be canceled,¡± Clara whispered.

    Samuel laughed sarcastically. What Clara said wasn¡¯t very convincing to Samuel. ¡°You love him, that¡¯s why you don¡¯t break up right?¡± He guessed, accusing her.

    ¡°I loved him, but he impregnated another woman,¡± Clara complained, laughing bitterly. She looked away from him. ¡°The problems are much more complicated than that.¡±

    ¡°What an asshole,¡± Samuel commented angrily.

    Clara swallowed heavily, then looked away from Samuel. No one spoke, no sound. Only the sound of the wind blowing softly against the window made the night less still.

    ¡°Too confusing. I don¡¯t even know what I should do,¡± Clara whispered in a weak murmur. Then she said again, ¡°Why don¡¯t you play something fun?¡±

    He smiled lightly. ¡°That¡¯s a better option.¡±

    Clara then took a position to stand next to Samuel, leaning against the side of the piano. She felt comfortable when Samuel started playing the keys, playing music that calmed her heart. Washing away Clara¡¯s feelings, as well as her body.

    Unknowingly, Clara¡¯s hands and feet were moving on their own, swaying, moving according to the rhythm. Her beautiful body which was wrapped in a tight top and pencil pants looked even more beautiful as she swayed to and fro.

    Samuel¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to see the beauty presented before him. Beautiful bend. Even though she was not as skilled as a professional ballerina, her beautiful body and gorgeous face made her moves look perfect.

    ¡°She can dance apparently,¡± whispered Samuel to himself.

    Samuel gulped. He remembered that he had not spent a night with a woman in a long time. He wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d be able to get through the night without struggling.

    Samuel¡¯s darkened eyes followed Clara¡¯s every move. The longer the more drifting in her charm. He really wanted to touch her.

    Before long, Samuel stood up from his seat and moved quickly to leave the piano. His hand reached for a shocked Clara as he joins her in the dance.

    ¡°You startled me,¡± Clara protested.

    ¡°You too. You didn¡¯t say you were good at dancing,¡± whispered Samuel in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°Only compulsory lessons since childhood,¡± Clara answered with a smile. She enjoyed Samuel¡¯s swings. Their movements were in sync. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    Samuel didn¡¯t answer, he just stretched Clara¡¯s body, then pulled her back into his arms. The two of them danced in rhythm, without hesitation and awkwardness.

    Movement after movement they did, until their faces were only an inch apart.

    It was then, Samuel whispered in a hoarse voice, ¡°I forgot to say, that I like women who are good at dancing.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s whisper seemed to bewitch Clara. Those dark emerald eyes stared at her intensely. Her face blushed.

    ¡°Your dance is very exciting foreplay for me,¡± Samuel whispered. ¡°We were both wounded. Why don¡¯t I help you lick your wound and so do you?¡±

 Chapter 136 - 136 136. Sinful Night*

    136 136. Sinful Night*

    Samuel stared at Clara closely. His passion was further ignited by inhaling her soft scent of the sweet and sour cherry perfume. Very intoxicating. His desire was getting stronger than before. However, there was no answer from Clara. Was she reluctant to accept his invitation?

    The man sighed weakly and pretended to be annoyed so he could avoid the embarrassment that Clara didn¡¯t answer his question. Indeed, what he asked for was not an easy thing to afford.

    ¡°What do you mean? I have to lick your balls?¡± Clara asked tensely. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already know that I¡¯m still engaged?¡±

    Clara herself felt the same turmoil as Samuel. However, she hesitated to accept his tempting offer. Would what she did be called cheating?

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just run away?¡± asked Samuel while looking at Clara intensely. ¡°What kind of marriage if you do it half-heartedly?¡±

    Clara was silent for a few moments. Her heart was indeed unsure and did not want to continue the marriage. Especially after hearing Lea and Dave¡¯s conversation, a conversation that made her feel expelled from their world.

    ¡°I just ¡­.¡± Clara didn¡¯t want to see the man¡¯s sharp eyes. She knew she would lose.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t run away now, you will be stuck in hell forever,¡± Samuel persuaded her, without even smiling. ¡°For the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°Sam! This isn¡¯t as simple as you think,¡± Clara argued, now her face red with anger.

    .....

    ¡°Just tonight. An eye for an eye. He betrayed you, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    There was no answer from Clara. Her eyes looked sadly at Samuel.

    ¡°Tell him you spent the night with me,¡± Samuel coaxed again.

    ¡°Then?¡± asked Clara, curious about his idea.

    ¡°If he accepts you, go ahead because maybe he does love you. If he turns you down, you¡¯re lucky,¡± Samuel suggested.

    Samuel¡¯s proposal looked very tempting. Clara was eager to receive it. The man couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. Clara¡¯s gaze, which also conveyed desire, made it impossible for him to wait any longer. The man grabbed the sweet lips in front of him. His lips had pressed against hers. Drowning her in an intoxicating kiss. He bit sipped and sucked it to his heart¡¯s content.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Clara sighed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t refuse! I just pay you back,¡± sighed Samuel, who reminded Clara of their hot kiss in front of the bakery.

    Their kiss grew hotter and more passionate, making Clara¡¯s logic stop thinking. She didn¡¯t even care about loyalty anymore. She only had one last thought: Samuel was right! The one time she had sex with another man was a fair payback for Dave¡¯s betrayal. The rest, she will think about later.

    Clara lost the game. She returned a very demanding kiss from him. The two of them dissolved into kisses that were getting hotter and hotter. Lips to lips, mouth to mouth, tongue to tongue.

    Both of them forgot themselves. Both were like two people who miss each other. The familiar feelings that coursed through their bodies made the two of them get closer without thinking about the consequences of their current recklessness.

    The longer, the more tension built up. Clara didn¡¯t feel awkward anymore. Samuel was no longer able to hold back the desire.

    As Samuel said earlier, the session of playing music and dancing made the two of them take off each other¡¯s clothes. The two of them no longer used their mouths to argue. They both know what their bodies want. They both had gotten out of control.

    Samuel pushed Clara¡¯s body against the wall. The two of them dissolved into immeasurably sweet lips.

    Their hands are guerrilla non-stop, creating a thrilling sensation that ignites the sparks of romance. Over time, the whip of desire was getting higher.

    The long wait has finally come to an end. Both bodies thirsty for their natural needs wanted to fulfill the desire right now.

    Clara¡¯s top shirt had been partially unbuttoned, revealing her beautifully curved upper body wrapped in smooth, silky skin. Samuel, who could not resist the charm of the goddess that was in his power, began to taste the sweet treat little by little with his lips. He left a few kiss marks on the neck as a trail.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a thin woman with a curvy beautiful chest,¡± praised Samuel, making Clara¡¯s face blush as red as a rose.

    Samuel¡¯s gentle treatment made Clara give up easily. Everything the man did was different from what Dave had given her. Samuel was a definition of gentleness wrapped in strength.

    Clara was not a woman who had much experience in dealing with men. She had only ever made love to two men before. A stranger she had a one-night stand with and Dave. Only Dave can be a benchmark.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± whispered Samuel while watching Clara who suddenly looked half doubtful, not letting go of her reins like when they started the kiss earlier. ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡±

    ¡°No! Carry on!¡± whispered Clara in a low moan. Her eyes were closed, savoring every touch Samuel gave her.

    ¡°Are you thinking about that bastard fianc¨¦ of yours?¡± he asked again.

    Clara felt caught off guard. ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll soon forget him,¡± Samuel growled with determination.

    Samuel! The man Clara just met today. However, he knew how to perfectly adore Clara¡¯s body. There was nothing that Clara did that she didn¡¯t like. He seemed to have understood everything about Clara.

    Moaning sounds and serene groans came out of Clara¡¯s lips. She was lost in Samuel¡¯s game. Her eyes closed. She didn¡¯t even notice when Samuel carried her onto the piano because the man couldn¡¯t stop sipping the sweetness of Clara¡¯s skin.

    ¡°Why are you closing your eyes? I want to see your beautiful eyes,¡± protested Samuel. A mischievous smirk graced his lips.

    Slowly, Clara¡¯s eyes opened. There was only Samuel in front of her, sheltering her.

    ¡°Open your eyes! Witness that this time, I was the one who made you scream!¡± said Samuel confidently.

    Clara nodded, gulping hard. She stared at Samuel, making her face turn rosy pink.

    ¡°Your skin is so smooth and soft,¡± Samuel said as he landed his lips and tongue on Clara¡¯s nape. His kiss continued to decrease until it finally touched a sensitive spot behind Clara¡¯s bra.

    The bra can only cover half of Clara¡¯s chest. A slight squeeze of Samuel¡¯s hand made her nipples peek shyly over the edge of her pink lace bra.

    ¡°Very cute nipples,¡± whispered Samuel with a small smile. His lips then licked the small nipple, making it even tighter and stiffer. Clara was about to scream, but Samuel¡¯s hand covered her mouth because she didn¡¯t want anyone to hear. ¡°These pink nipples are so sexy. I love it.¡±

    Clara, who was in a lulled state, felt like a queen because of Samuel¡¯s praise. She forced her eyes open to stare at Samuel closely.

    ¡°Beautiful eyes. So pretty!¡± whispered Samuel with a look of awe and adoration.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t stop!¡± Clara protested quietly. Her eyes looked at Samuel pleadingly.

    Samuel smiled a victorious smile. He unbuttoned her skinny jeans and poked his fingers inside her pants, looking for a narrow gap that was already wet for him.

    ¡°You¡¯re so wet! It turns out you¡¯re very easily stimulated,¡± Samuel whispered as he licked Clara¡¯s ear. Again, he covered Clara¡¯s mouth so her scream wouldn¡¯t be too loud.

    Gently, Samuel bent down to pull down Clara¡¯s pants, leaving her slender legs perfectly exposed. Very tempting. Samuel was unable not to admire and enjoy the beauty. Not only with his eyes, but he also brought Clara¡¯s toes to his lips, then took a sip of it like sweet candy.

    ¡°Sam! That¡¯s not hyg¡ª¡±

    Clara couldn¡¯t continue her words because Samuel¡¯s lips showered her with kisses on every inch of her beautiful legs. Getting up and making her moan softly.

    Not long after, Samuel¡¯s hand was on her groin. He wasted no time in striking softly to a very sensitive spot. Clara cried out loudly as Samuel¡¯s finger pressed against her clit. Luckily Samuel immediately locked Clara¡¯s lips with his, making Clara howl in Samuel¡¯s mouth.

    Samuel, who was very proud of the results of his efforts, then increased the intensity of his massage on the clit. Waves of pleasure intensified, coursing through Clara¡¯s body.

    Samuel realized this. He immediately plunged his fingers into Clara¡¯s slit. Before long, he had found a sweet spot that jolted her into a weak current of electricity. The orgasm built up. Gradually, she was unable to hold back, making her feel helpless, vibrating, and curved in ecstasy that coursed through her entire body.

    ¡°Sam!¡± screamed Clara howling in her long orgasm.

    Clara¡¯s head lightened from the orgasm. When she could recognize the situation, how embarrassed she was to find Samuel¡¯s wet shirt, as well as his face. Oh, shit! This was the first time she had experienced such an embarrassing moment.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°You like it?¡± asked Samuel, making Clara¡¯s face blush even more.

    Clara nodded weakly and was embarrassed. Her pretty red face was covered in sweat. The satisfied expression could not leave her face even though a little guilt enveloped her.

    ¡°Thank you! Now it¡¯s your turn!¡± Clara said with embarrassment while covering up her guilt. She then pushed Samuel¡¯s body, leaning against the piano. She felt obligated to do the same for Samuel. Giving him similar pleasure, or even more.

    A heavy groan escaped Samuel¡¯s mouth as Clara started touching his chest. However, while the intoxicating atmosphere was going on, there was a loud sound of footsteps coming towards the piano room.

 Chapter 137 - 137 137. Hot Night*

    137 137. Hot Night*

    ¡°Anyone approaching?¡± whispered Clara with a look of surprise and confusion. Her hands were still on both of Samuel¡¯s nipples, but the erotic mood had evaporated from the disturbance.

    Samuel gulped. He nodded. His manhood was still tense, hoping to be pleased soon. But how could Clara possibly do it under these circumstances?

    ¡°That¡¯s bad!¡± whispered Samuel frantically. He felt stupid for not doing it in his bedroom. The room was more soundproof than the piano room. ¡°Craps! I think Sofia understands that I¡¯m having fun.¡±

    ¡°It must be because I¡¯m too loud,¡± Clara was confused. She had never experienced such embarrassing things like this.

    The sound of footsteps getting closer to the piano room, made Samuel panic half to death. He was unbelievably nervous, what would he do if someone came into the room?

    Clara hurriedly picked up her pants which were lying on the floor. She was pulling on her pants quickly when the piano room door was pushed open. She then ran to hide behind the piano to tidy up her clothes.

    ¡°Clara! Are you alright?¡± Sofia¡¯s panicked figure emerged from the opened door. Her eyes swept the room, in search of Clara. However, it was Samuel who confronted her.

    ¡°Samuel!¡± Sofia looks worried. ¡°Are you alright? Clara with you? I heard her screaming!¡±

    Sofia¡¯s eyes widened in fright. Samuel felt exasperated, his face looked sad and disappointed.

    .....

    ¡°Clara¡¯s fine. She is good,¡± Samuel answered, holding his anger.

    ¡°Really? But I heard her screaming,¡± Sofia still couldn¡¯t believe it. She still thought Clara was screaming painfully. ¡°I heard you play the piano. Very sad music. Then relaxing music. Then there was silence and before long I heard Clara scream. Are you sure you didn¡¯t do anything to her?¡±

    Samuel¡¯s hands clenched. He wanted to say ¡®I fucked her hard, that¡¯s why she screamed¡¯. However, he had to be patient with the innocence of his sister.

    Clara, who had managed to tidy up her shirt and put on her pants properly, immediately came out of hiding. She then greeted Samuel¡¯s sister with a blush and panting on her face, ¡°Hi, Sofia! I¡¯m fine. Do not worry about me!¡±

    Sofia turned to Clara and found that the woman was indeed in good shape. Completely unharmed.

    ¡°You see, right? Clara is fine,¡± Samuel said, annoyed. ¡°And you can leave immediately. There is me who will look after her. There won¡¯t be bad men or intruders bothering her.¡±

    Sofia should have immediately believed and stepped aside. However, her eyes looked at Samuel with suspicion. She was worried about one thing.

    She then ran and approached Clara. She checked her body and made sure that there were no suspicious marks on her body.

    ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no problem?¡± Sofia asked, whispering in worry.

    ¡°I was just discussing something with Samuel. Something quite personal,¡± Clara explained awkwardly. She was still confused by young Sofia¡¯s behavior. The girl was completely clueless.

    Sofia then whispered, ¡°Are you sure my brother didn¡¯t force himself on you?¡± her eyes looked pityingly at Clara.

    Of course, Clara laughed at Sofia¡¯s innocent question. She then grabbed Sofia¡¯s shoulder and pulled her close to whisper, ¡°Sofia, sometimes, when a woman experiences an intense pleasure, she screams like she¡¯s in pain. Don¡¯t you know about this yet?¡±

    Clara explained with a wise smile, like a doctor explaining this to a patient. She seemed like an experienced senior, giving the inexperienced general explanations about sex. Sofia blushed, maybe a little embarrassed to hear Clara¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°Sorry, I guess it¡¯s not like that,¡± Sofia replied, raising an eyebrow. Cold sweat dripped down her neck and temples. She glanced at Samuel who looked annoyed that she was interrupting his time with Clara. ¡°Then ¡­ excuse me.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± replied Samuel, driving his sister away.

    Before leaving, Sofia turned to Samuel and said, ¡°Oh, yeah, Mom said she¡¯d be home on Wednesday.¡±

    Samuel closed his eyelids and said, ¡°Enough?¡±

    Sofia nodded in reply. She then ran back to her bedroom with a beet-red face. How infuriating to be an incompetent person. She knew that women scream when they are in pleasure, unfortunately, she only heard it from friends. She never witnessed or even experienced it herself because her every move was watched very closely by her parents.

    After Sofia left the room, Samuel and Clara sighed in relief together.

    ¡°Gosh! What happened just now?¡± asked Clara, not asking Samuel, but more to herself.

    ¡°Sorry, we shouldn¡¯t have done that here. This room is indeed not soundproof because everyone wants to hear my piano playing,¡± explained Samuel. He then turned to Clara and asked, ¡°Shall we continue where we left off?¡±

    Clara smiled. She brought his face closer to Samuel and said, ¡°Not here! We don¡¯t want to disturb your cute little sister.¡±

    Samuel then reached out his hand, leading Clara into his room. ¡°Do you want me to carry you?¡± teased Samuel with seductive eyes.

    Clara smiled a wide smile. ¡°I can walk.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s room has shades of white, and black, and was combined with lots of wooden ornaments. Not so dark, not too bright. Something unique was felt from the mellow light from under the bed, making her feel like she was walking in a sea of light. The room looked exotic.

    Clara could not help but mutter, ¡°Wow, this is amazing!¡± then jumped on the bed and lay there, stretching her arms up in the air. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve stepped into a fairy tale.¡±

    Samuel smiled in satisfaction, seeing Clara¡¯s change in mood from a while ago. After all, he was glad that the woman looked amused. Sometimes an orgasm causes happiness, making someone forget about problems, even if only for a moment.

    Clara couldn¡¯t continue what she was thinking because Samuel was now sucking her lips and filling them with his tongue. Clara also welcomed Samuel¡¯s kiss with great pleasure.

    Her core, which was still sensitive, was flowing again. Samuel stuck his finger in the hole and said, ¡°Great. Still slick!¡±

    Without warning, the two of them immediately took off their clothes. Samuel put his super tense manhood into Clara¡¯s hole, who was beyond ready. Strange! Even though it was softened because he was disturbed by Sofia, it was hard again.

    ¡°Oh, you are so tight! It¡¯s slippery. But it¡¯s still hard to get in!¡± Clara didn¡¯t know if it was a protest or a compliment, but Clara could now tell the difference between Samuel¡¯s moans of pleasure and moans of pain. It was clear that at this moment Samuel was enjoying a firm massage of his pubic wall which started squeezing his hard manhood.

    ¡°Samuel!¡±

    Samuel¡¯s naughty lips started sucking Clara¡¯s nipples again. Alternatingly, sometimes strong, sometimes soft. Clara¡¯s body twitched with amusement because of the delicious tickling sensation he made.

    ¡°Samuel!¡±

    ¡°Clara, you are so hot! I hope I can do more foreplay to taste every inch of you but it¡¯s unbearable,¡± praised Samuel while continuing to thrust with regular rhythmic movements. ¡°Oooh, you¡¯re the most delicious woman I¡¯ve ever tasted! It¡¯s so tight and gripping.¡±

    Samuel spurred his urge even faster. They both sighed with pleasure until Clara felt that she was going to come again.

    ¡°Samuel!¡± Clara felt like she was going to fall into the abyss. However, Samuel pulled out. ¡°No! I haven¡¯t climaxed yet!¡±

    Clara protests Samuel¡¯s underhanded behavior angrily. But Samuel just laughed out loud.

    ¡°I won¡¯t continue if you don¡¯t promise to ditch your jerk fianc¨¦!¡±

    ¡°Samuel! You are mean!¡± Clara raged, hitting Samuel¡¯s broad chest.

    Samuel then touched the clitoris, tickling it and creating an extraordinary sensation that made Clara want to have an orgasm even more. ¡°Sam, keep going, Samuel! I want¡ª¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Your dick, Samuel!¡± Clara said while massaging Samuel¡¯s manhood.

    ¡°Not if you don¡¯t promise me that!¡±

    Unable to take it anymore, Clara was forced to give up. ¡°All right, Samuel! I promise!¡±

    Samuel looked at her for a moment and smiled. Without waiting any longer, he immediately inserted his manhood into her swollen core.

    ¡°Samuel! Hurry up!¡±

    ¡°Naughty girl! Getting addicted to me, huh?¡±

    Samuel hugged Clara tightly. Clara¡¯s breasts were pressed against his broad chest. Their hard nipples brushed each other and added to the pleasures.

    Samuel kissed her and explored her mouth with his tongue. Clara did the same thing.

    Samuel¡¯s tongue entered Clara¡¯s upper lip. Her lower lip was ruffled by his manhood. What a delicious sensation this was. Very delicious. It got tastier when they both pressed and rotated.

    ¡°Oo, Samuel, I¡¯m cumming!¡±

    ¡°Together!¡±

    Clara felt the movement of his hips faster. Clara followed. Over time it got even better.

    It was then, Samuel was about to pull out his manhood. ¡°No! Just do it inside!¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± protested Samuel who was holding back.

    Clara shook her head. ¡°It is safe!¡±

    Without further ado, Samuel pushed even faster. There were no more techniques, all he did was fill and fill Clara, making her feel full of him. Orgasms were getting stronger. The two of them couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. Her wall squeezed his long shaft with pleasure, milking him to release all the seed he contained.

    ¡°Sam!¡±

    ¡°Clara!¡±

    Clara felt an extraordinary and powerful orgasm along with a warm liquid emitting into her womb. They convulsed violently together, tightening their embrace.

    Slowly, Samuel slowed down and pressed even tighter. His body convulsed to get all the remaining seed out of his manhood.

    ¡°Oooh, you¡¯re amazing, Clara! It¡¯s so satisfying!¡± said Samuel, pulling out his manhood that was still wet and shiny with his cum.

    Slowly, Samuel pressed her still sensitive feminine part. Clara groaned in pleasure in response. Slowly, warm fluid leaked out of it.

    Clara looked at Samuel with her teary eyes and said, ¡°I have no strength, Sam!¡±

    Samuel kissed her cheek and said, ¡°Get some rest, beauty! We¡¯ll do it again later! Let me clean this up first.¡±

 Chapter 138 - 138 138. Claraâ€™s Forgotten Past

    138 138. Clara¡¯s Forgotten Past

    It was still too early in the morning. Clara slept soundly in the arms of Samuel¡¯s strong body. The body covered in perfectly tanned skin was indeed a very comfortable cushion, making her fall asleep easily.

    The two naked bodies intertwined, enjoying their encounter with each other. This was the first time they met and did something so intimate. However, they both felt that their bodies were very compatible with each other.

    Soft snores and regular breathing escaped Samuel¡¯s lips. In his sleep, he held Clara who was about to slide away from his embrace.

    While Clara, with her eyes closed, welcomed Samuel¡¯s embrace with gratitude. Her lips curved into a light smile, as she whispered, ¡°Jade ¡­ don¡¯t go ¡­.¡±

    ***

    Six years ago ¡­.

    An amber-eyed girl looked awkward in her skimpy red dress. It wasn¡¯t her dress, but her friend¡¯s.

    ¡°Clara! Don¡¯t be so clumsy. Be confident as always!¡± whispered Abigail, Clara¡¯s friend who was four years older than her.

    ¡°I¡¯m confident if I¡¯m not afraid of being caught sneaking out of the house. What if someone recognizes me and complains about me to my mother?¡± Clara protested by observing her surroundings.

    .....

    ¡°Who would recognize you looking like this?¡± retorted Abigail furiously and annoyed. Why was her friend so afraid of being found out? She just didn¡¯t think that the girl beside her was Clara Decker at all.

    How could she be called Clara with her Gothic makeup and fiery pink wig? It¡¯s just the eyes that didn¡¯t change because Clara refused to use soft lenses.

    With her strange appearance, Clara felt that she was in the wrong costume. Still, it was far better than staying home on vacation to wait for her engagement day to the Johnson family¡¯s first son to come.

    Clara managed to escape from her house because of the help of Abigail, a friend who admitted that Clara had to work on assignments with her.

    Patrick was out of town. Meanwhile, Linda very easy to believe that Clara was only friends with good kids who would never possibly come to adult parties.

    That was completely untrue. Abigail has managed to get Clara interested in coming to Rosie¡¯s twentieth birthday party. So, at this time, Clara was officially present as the youngest guest because she was only sixteen years old.

    ¡°Come on, quickly! Don¡¯t let Rosie wait for us!¡± take Abigail again.

    ¡°Wait! What if people find out there is a kid at the party?¡± Clara suddenly hesitated again, making Abigail grind her teeth.

    ¡°Do I need to provide a mirror for you?¡± she snapped angrily at her annoying genius friend. ¡°With a body like this, you look even more mature than me and Rosie! Come on! There won¡¯t be any trouble inside.¡±

    Without further argument, Clara and Abigail finally entered Rosie¡¯s family¡¯s large mansion. Rosie¡¯s parents doted on their daughter, allowing her to throw big parties with alcohol served.

    Clara, who was coming to such a party for the first time, was surprised. She felt like going home in an instant.

    ¡°Abi, I seem to undo-¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no turning back because you¡¯re determined to lose your virginity tonight, right?¡± cut Abigail. Her dark eyes narrowed at Clara, accusing Clara of being a chicken without having to say anything.

    Clara gulped. She was annoyed at her parents for forcing her to get engaged to Dave. A man she didn¡¯t even know. She wasn¡¯t even sixteen years old, while Dave was six years above her.

    As a form of her annoyance, she was determined not to give up her virginity to Dave. She didn¡¯t want everything to be too perfect for someone she didn¡¯t know. That¡¯s why Clara was determined to find a one-night stand tonight.

    ¡°Come on, there are lots of handsome guys over there!¡± Abigail pointed excitedly.

    That was all Abigail said before leaving Clara alone in the crowd. Confused, Clara just walked to the edge of the room while observing the people who were forming small groups, chatting and joking with friends their age.

    In her confusion, Clara headed to the dining table to get light snacks and drinks. She made sure not to drink alcohol because she didn¡¯t want her mother to catch her red-handed.

    Clara took a small plate of cherry pie and a can of orange crush. She then looked for a seat to eat.

    Just taking a bite of food into her mouth, a girl approached her. She was the daughter of her mother¡¯s best friend. The girl looked at Clara from head to toe.

    Clara¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She felt like she was going to be found out. Die! It was over!

    ¡°Your hair is great. Where to buy the wig?¡± asked the girl with a light giggle.

    Clara breathed a sigh of relief. The disguise was safe. Not uncovered. The girl before her was drunk.

    ¡°Ah, you can buy it online. There are many choices,¡± Clara answered casually. The girl in front of her just laughed, then ran back into the crowd.

    Clara then enjoyed her time again. She tasted a delicious cherry pie and took sips of the cold soda. Her empty tummy was happy because she hadn¡¯t eaten anything since she left the house.

    Not long after, came a man in a bear hat approached her. Clara felt a little uncomfortable and wanted to get away, but the man held her back.

    ¡°Hey, cutie! I¡¯ve never seen you on campus,¡± said the man impolitely. ¡°What¡¯s your name, pretty lady?¡±

    A strong smell of alcohol wafted from the mouth of the man in the bear hat. He then pulled Clara to sit on his lap.

    ¡°Come on, accompany me to drink, beauty!¡± asked the man in a disgusting style. He forced Clara to drink the wine from the glass in his hand.

    Clara shook her head, refusing. But the drunk man kept pushing her. ¡°Come on! You¡¯re an adult, right? Not a child.¡± The man laughed as he managed to force Clara to drink the wine.

    ¡°God damn it!¡± Clara screamed while coughing.

    The girl struggled, slamming the glass into the man¡¯s face. Unfortunately, the man was angry and grabbed Clara¡¯s chin, as if he wanted to eat her alive.

    The man¡¯s hand was already up, about to slap Clara. Clara was frightened and closed her eyes.

    ¡°No!¡±

 Chapter 139 - 139 139. A Knight in a White Tux

    139 139. A Knight in a White Tux

    The screams of the girls sounded around Clara. The poor girl had given up. Turned out the disguise didn¡¯t do any good. She just looked like a pretty girl. Without any fear and reluctance because no one knew that she was the daughter of Patrick Decker.

    A few moments later, not only the screams of the girls that could be heard but the painful screams of the man who had abused her earlier were also heard.

    ¡°How dare you force a minor to drink?¡± a deep voice was heard speaking, defending Clara. It was not the voice of the abuser.

    Clara was curious and opened her eyes only to find the man in the bear hat had been beaten up by someone in a white tux. The man who beat the abuser was very muscular, the skinny bear hat couldn¡¯t possibly fight him off.

    The man in white then approached Clara who was still sitting on the floor. His big hand stretched out to her.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡± asked the man.

    Clara nodded, taking the man¡¯s palm without hesitation. She then stood up with the help of the man in the white tuxedo.

    The man was pulling Clara too hard that their faces almost collided. It was then, the two looked at each other and were mesmerized by the beauty of each other¡¯s eyes. The man¡¯s eyes were truly beautiful like jade, making Clara freeze for a moment.

    Unfortunately, not long after, Clara felt dizzy. She did swallow a few sips of wine from the bear head¡¯s glass.

    .....

    When the man noticed Clara¡¯s strange behavior, he said, ¡°This is not a party for children. You go home! Do you need a lift home?¡±

    Clara, who was starting to be tipsy, only smiled and clung to her helper. ¡°Are you a knight in a white tuxedo?¡± she asked while stroking her savior¡¯s stern face.

    ¡°Crap! This kid is drunk,¡± the man grumbled. He then asked everyone present who was responsible or knew the girl clinging to him. Unfortunately, no one admitted to bringing the underaged to a party with alcoholic drinks.

    In the end, the man was forced to take the girl out of Rosie¡¯s house. He half-heartedly decided to take her home. ¡°Your address?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home,¡± Clara answered in a low voice, leaning on the jade-eyed man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°My mother would be mad if she smelled wine in my mouth.¡±

    Just about to lecture Clara, suddenly four men came towards the two of them. Behind them, the bear-head man complained to the gang leader.

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who beat me to the punch. Come on, get back at him!¡± instigated the bear hat to the man who had the biggest body.

    The four men felt angry. They set their stances to prepare to beat their opponent.

    The drunken Clara, of course, was not frightened. She was not aware of the threatening danger. She was just confused, about why there were so many men approaching her.

    ¡°Jeez, am I too pretty tonight?¡± she asked in confusion. ¡°Why do so many men come near me?¡±

    Hearing Clara¡¯s ridiculous question the jade-eyed man only laughed. ¡°You are indeed beautiful. But your makeup is weird. If they¡¯re here, the reason is not you.¡±

    The jade-eyed man¡¯s answer was too honest. This made Clara feel embarrassed. She then ran away to look for a water tap. She wanted to remove the makeup she was wearing. She had forgotten that the reason for dressing up in gothic in the first place was for a disguise.

    After Clara left, the jade-eyed man felt relieved. He didn¡¯t need to worry and hassle when facing the delinquents in front of him. After all, fighting while protecting someone would be much more difficult. He didn¡¯t want that.

    The jade-eyed man loosened his bow tie, then took off his top. He threw the tux jacket on the ground and then unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt. He also didn¡¯t forget to roll up his sleeves so that he could fight more freely.

    ¡°You are so confident. Too calm as a lone fighter,¡± said the leader of the thugs. ¡°I¡¯ll spare you if you¡¯re willing to apologize to my friend right now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± said the man in a white tux. ¡°I¡¯d rather be drenched in blood than have to apologize to assholes like you.¡±

    ¡°Then get ready!¡± answered the leader. He brushed his metallic blue hair with his fingers.

    The jade-eyed man only smiled. ¡°Go, you guys!¡± challenge them without any fear at all.

    The two delinquents then attacked the jade-eyed man at the same time. They pummeled the jade-eyed with simultaneous double-fist attacks.

    However, the jade-eyed man parried the attack with ease. His enemy¡¯s fist was held, and he responded by slamming the two losers hard to the ground. Breaking the right arm and waist of the two thugs at once.

    ¡°God damn it!¡± shouted the delinquent leader angrily. He then ordered the one remaining of his men. This second was a reliable fighter in his alley. He was very confident that the second one would win.

    The bald second attacker immediately dashed towards the jade-eyed man. However, his movements were imperceptible and quite difficult to read.

    A few seconds later, a fist was aimed at the jade-eyed man. There was a thud, a fist hitting the body.

    Everyone thought the jade-eyed man had been hit hard. However, it was the assailant who fell as the jade-eyed man smashed into his stomach with a crushing strike.

    Only the delinquent boss remained. He was annoyed and took out a cheating method: took out a rifle.

    Of course, a gun was the thing most people fear. Security at Rosie¡¯s party was so shitty. Who would have thought that someone would invite rancid thugs to her party?

    ¡°It turns out that you don¡¯t dare to play fair,¡± the jade-eyed man commented, hiding his fear. His face tightened. Stiff and no longer had a wide and cocky smile like a few minutes ago.

    The delinquent boss realized the fear on the jade-eyed man¡¯s face with satisfaction. ¡°Let¡¯s see, what can you do against this hot lead.¡±

 Chapter 140 - 140 140. He was In Trouble

    140 140. He was In Trouble

    Clara finally found a water tap in the garden after a long search. She then hurriedly turned on the faucet and washed her face with water several times. The cold tap water made her sober up gradually.

    ¡°Ah, I thought this costume was weird,¡± she grumbled. However, a moment later, she immediately realized that she had made a mistake. Wasn¡¯t she in disguise?

    Clara, who was furious, ruffled her hair. It was then that she realized she was wearing a strange light pink wig and in annoyance, she slammed it on the ground.

    Her head was still throbbing from a shot of wine she had swallowed. Clara realized that she was much easier to get drunk than normal people. Next time she had to be more careful not to drink alcohol.

    Her body was still limp. Her head was spinning badly. She knew that she had to take shelter to save people from lifting her unconscious not-so-light body. She was looking for a seat to rest her tired legs.

    While walking, she reflected on the many misfortunes she had gotten into tonight. Was it a punishment from God? The night she tried to lie to Linda. She thought that kind of thing only existed in fairy tales. Next time, she would rethink when she wanted to lie to her mom.

    Shortly after, Clara heard two people coming, they were arguing about something. The conversation was supposed to be a secret. However, eavesdropping was something so amusing. Clara couldn¡¯t resist the temptation.

    ¡°I told you, I want Samuel tonight. But where is he? said a girl¡¯s voice with annoyance. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve even dyed my hair blonde. I even do some work out to look sexier. Do you intend to disappoint me again?¡±

    Clara recognized the voice as Rosie¡¯s. She didn¡¯t expect Rosie, who wasn¡¯t attractive before, to go on all kinds of diets and dyed her hair for a man.

    .....

    ¡°I even forced my parents to invite him as a special pianist to open my birthday party. Otherwise, how could Samuel come to my party?¡± Rosie yelled again. ¡°And you can¡¯t even play your role properly.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, my dear cousin, don¡¯t scold me. I¡¯ve given him the aphrodisiac. I just lost track of that hot pianist,¡± replied the man who sounded begging Rosie not to be angry.

    Clara just winced at the ridiculous conversation. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t the only one who wanted to lose her virginity tonight. Rosie, who was known as a virgin at the age of twenty, also wanted to end her virginity immediately. Poor her, the man she wanted was missing.

    ¡°Who told you to cheat,¡± Clara muttered softly, sneering at the host¡¯s behavior. For her, getting a man using that dirty method was inappropriate.

    Unfortunately, Clara¡¯s voice was heard by the two people. They were startled.

    ¡°Who is there?¡± shouted Rosie. She was afraid of his devious plan being leaked.

    Rosie ordered her cousin like a dog to chase the sassy eavesdropper. Clara immediately ran so as not to be caught. She threw a stone in the opposite direction as a feint.

    Luckily, Rosie¡¯s cousin was looking for Clara in the opposite direction. Clara then slowed her steps when she was close to where the jade-eyed man was. Unfortunately, what she was witnessing was not a good thing.

    The situation was too dangerous. The jade-eyed man was held at gunpoint, making Clara feel so scared. No matter how strong the jade-eyed man was, he would have a hard time-fighting people who use a gun.

    Then, an idea flashed through Clara¡¯s mind. She turned on the police siren from her phone.

    The delinquents panicked. ¡°Damn it! Who called the police?¡± shouted one of them. He then ordered all his friends to run. They all then ran headlong.

    When everyone had fled, Clara came out of the hiding place to approach the jade-eyed man who was a hero to her. She picked up the man¡¯s tux jacket and brushed the dirt off it.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Clara asked the man who looked bent over in pain. His breath was short. He seemed very tormented. Sweat was trickling down his neck and face.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Clara asked again. She looked increasingly anxious.

    Unfortunately, there was no answer from the man. ¡°Hey, are you bleeding?¡± asked Clara, trying to check the man¡¯s body for fear of wounds.

    ¡°Get out of here,¡± the man whispered, at last, making Clara speechless. She could feel his hot breath brushing against her bare back. ¡°It seems someone poisoned my drink.¡±

    Clara was stunned for a moment. She then dared to lift her face to see the condition of her savior. How shocked Clara was when she found the man¡¯s face turned red.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± asked Clara. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my family¡¯s hospital. The facility is good.¡±

    The man had almost lost control. He hit himself in the face until it bled.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be like that! The taxi is coming. Let¡¯s get in!¡± Clara tugged at the man¡¯s arm. They quickly got into the taxi.

    Along the way, the man was silent and looked away. While Clara was confused because she couldn¡¯t help anything. Because the man¡¯s sweat kept flowing, Clara then took a handkerchief to wipe his sweat.

    Accidentally, Clara¡¯s breast touched the man¡¯s arm, making the man turn his head, with his wild and darkened eyes.

    ¡°Get off! I can go to the hospital myself!¡± asked the man roughly.

    ¡°No! You help me, I have to help you too,¡± Clara stubbornly refused.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting into,¡± the man grumbled. He then whispered something in Clara¡¯s ear, ¡°Someone gave me an aphrodisiac. I may eat you if you don¡¯t get off now.¡±

    Clara¡¯s eyes widened. So, that¡¯s the problem? Why didn¡¯t she realize it sooner?

    Clara gulped, her face confused and scared. Her hands clenched against her chest, squeezing a handkerchief that was now wet with sweat.

    Not long after, the jade-eyed man was startled by Clara¡¯s order to the taxi driver, ¡°Stop at the hotel over there!¡±

 Chapter 141 - 141 141. Are You Samuel?

    141 141. Are You Samuel?

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± the man protested. He knew what Clara was thinking but didn¡¯t want to believe it. How could he possibly do that with an underage girl?

    There was no answer from Clara. When they arrived at the hotel, the girl just paid and asked the man to get out of the taxi. It didn¡¯t take long for the two of them to be in the room. Only two of them.

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± asked the man again. Sweat was dripping down his forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m not crazy. You can do it with me,¡± Clara replied in a confident voice. She had already made up her mind to give up her virginity tonight. Why didn¡¯t she hand it over to the man who had saved her?

    ¡°I don¡¯t fuck drunken girl,¡± the guy said. ¡°Go! You¡¯re also underage, right?¡±

    Clara shook her head. She had no proof that she was an adult. However, she remembered Abigail¡¯s words.

    ¡°What? You call this sexy body underage?¡± Clara asked confidently. She even pulled the stranger¡¯s hand and brought it to her half-opened round chest. ¡°And I am sober enough to save you from the gunshot.¡±

    Clara gulped. She was trembling at her own doing. This was the first time she had been touched by a man for sexual purposes.

    ¡°You are underage,¡± said the man with a sinister smile. ¡°Otherwise, how could you hesitate when you were about to drink wine?¡±

    .....

    Clara laughed wryly. She couldn¡¯t lie to him.

    ¡°Go home!¡± ordered the man so that Clara would not become a victim of his excessive desire tonight. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to jail.¡±

    However, Clara refused. She still wanted to help the man. ¡°Sixteen years is the age of legal consent to sex.¡±

    The man seemed to be electrocuted to hear Clara¡¯s confession. Sixteen years was still so young, right? Was the girl getting used to it?

    ¡°No! You must still be a virgin,¡± said the man again, making Clara growl because all the pretense she did seemed useless. Was there a ¡®virgin¡¯ stamp on her forehead? How could the man know?

    Clara then had no other choice. She quickly took off her red skimpy dress, leaving her body almost naked, wearing only a skin-colored strapless bra, matching her panties. At first glance, Clara looked completely naked.

    ¡°Reject me if you can, then I¡¯ll leave this room,¡± Clara said defiantly.

    Like it or not, the eyes of the man who was thirsty for the woman¡¯s touch turned to Clara. And it was then, he realized that he had made a mistake: in front of him now stood a beautiful goddess that he would not be able to resist.

    The girl¡¯s body was so beautiful, like the sculpture of a goddess. The curves of her body were very fit and full, just like an adult woman. When the man was transfixed, the beautiful body moved towards him confidently.

    ¡°You¡¯re the same girl as that pink-haired Gothic?¡± asked the man who had just realized that the girl in front of him had changed her appearance.

    ¡°You must be in so much pain that you didn¡¯t notice my transformation sooner. I¡¯m not hideous anymore, am I?¡± teased Clara as she wrapped her arms around the man¡¯s neck.

    Clara¡¯s amber eyes studied the red face of the man before her. So handsome, so manly with his firm jaws. His skin was white, making his red face stand out.

    Meanwhile, the man also could not bear it. The urge for having sex made him lose control. Coupled with the sweet and fresh smell of cherries perfume wafting from Clara¡¯s body, making his manhood tighten and torment.

    ¡°How can a sixteen-year-old girl be as sensual as you?¡± asked the man in a hoarse voice. ¡°Are you a college student?¡±

    ¡°Sophomore. I go to school faster and earlier than the others. Surely it¡¯s also legal for me to give up my virginity quicker than the others, right?¡± answered Clara. Her eyes were fixed on the handsome man.

    ¡°You are quite bold.¡±

    ¡°By the way, you turned out to be so handsome. There must be a lot of women who want you,¡± Clara commented with admiration.

    She wasn¡¯t lying, the man was very tempting. Moreover, his rock-hard body made him look more perfect. The sweet smell of cinnamon wafting from his body made the man¡¯s charm even more perfect. No wonder someone drugged him to get a night with him.

    Suddenly, Clara remembered the conversation she heard in the garden. Didn¡¯t Rosie ask her cousin to drug a guy named Samuel?

    ¡°Are you Samuel?¡± Clara asked then.

    Hearing his name being called by the girl, the man was stunned. ¡°No,¡± he lied. He didn¡¯t want to reveal his identity to strangers. ¡°How did you know Samuel¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ overheard the conversation of the two people who drugged the man named Samuel. She wants that man tonight,¡± Clara said doubtfully. She deliberately kept Rosie¡¯s identity a secret. ¡°They must be frantically searching for him now,¡± Clara continued, laughing out loud.

    Samuel¡¯s face tightened. ¡°Is that Rosie and Albert?¡± the one called Albert, must be Rosie¡¯s cousin. ¡°As expected, that girl is a bitch.¡±

    After Samuel was satisfied and grumbling, Clara whispered, ¡°Stop swearing! The important thing is that you aren¡¯t the one she¡¯s after. I hope that Samuel doesn¡¯t get caught in her trap.¡±

    ¡°You are right.¡±

    Clara was relieved. If the man was the man Rosie wanted, she would understand Rosie¡¯s infatuation. The green-eyed man was as handsome as Apollo.

    Clara blushed. Her face was burning hot when she realized what she was doing.

    Meanwhile, Samuel looked helplessly at Clara. The beautiful goddess before him was simply bewitching. His manhood was getting hardened just by staring at her naked body as if he was going to jizz in his pants.

    ¡°You asked for this, right?¡± whispered Samuel in a hoarse voice. ¡°Don¡¯t regret it later, okay?¡±

    Clara smiled gently, her glazed eyes looking at Samuel expectantly. Not long after, his lips were on hers, eating up the rest of her lipstick.

 Chapter 142 - 142 142. Whatâ€™s Your Name?

    142 142. What¡¯s Your Name?

    From the way Clara greeted the kiss, Samuel knew that the girl still didn¡¯t know how to kiss.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to kiss properly,¡± complained Samuel as he walked away in annoyance. ¡°Are you sure you want to continue this?¡±

    Clara fell silent. She nodded slowly. ¡°Su¡ªsure.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting into. The first time is painful,¡± Samuel objected. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to do it with a virgin. Your painful expression will haunt me every night. I will never sleep well after tonight.¡±

    ¡°Please! Teach me how to do it properly,¡± pleaded Clara. She pulled Samuel¡¯s hand who was about to move away from him.

    ¡°Why do you want to make love to me so badly?¡± asked Samuel curiously. ¡°I already gave you a warning. Even for the second time.¡±

    Clara stopped pleading. She then sat on the edge of the bed. ¡°I¡¯m going to be betrothed to a man six years older than me. It was a marriage of convenience,¡± Clara whispered.

    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you refuse it? Just promise that you can bring your family¡¯s company to be the biggest in its ranks,¡± suggested Samuel nonchalantly. He slammed his body onto the bed to feel more comfortable. He cleaned the blood from his nose which was still throbbing.

    ¡°That¡¯s my problem. My older brother wants to start his own business. Meanwhile, I do not want to interfere with the family business. I want to be a doctor,¡± Clara said sadly. ¡°My father allowed me to become a doctor as long as I marry a man of his choice.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t your brother get his punishment?¡± asked Samuel curiously.

    ¡°Dad always put my older brother first. I¡¯m considered a useless child if I don¡¯t do what he wants,¡± Clara answered sadly. Her eyes stared at Samuel with tears.

    ¡°So, you have no choice but to accept your fate?¡± he asked again.

    ¡°Right. I want to have sex with other men before the official engagement ¡­ as a sign that I still have the right to choose what I want.¡±

    Samuel looked at Clara with pity. He felt lucky because his father and mother let him choose a way of life without any hard consequences.

    ¡°If I can¡¯t choose the one to love, at least I can choose who will make love to me for the first time,¡± Clara said again. She looked at Samuel awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you were forced to be my chosen person.¡±

    Samuel smiled a little. ¡°It is not always bad. Just make sure that he is a good guy or not. If he¡¯s handsome and loves you, you¡¯ll be lucky.¡±

    ¡°How about if he is a jerk?¡± Clara asked.

    Samuel stared at her for a while and said, ¡°Then ¡­ come to me,¡± and then he laughed out loud.

    Clara smiled at his light joke. ¡°If only you are betrothed to me, I will definitely accept it.¡±

    ¡°No. I am not a good man,¡± replied Samuel. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not an entrepreneur like your parents want.¡±

    Clara crawled onto the bed, closer to Samuel. ¡°Then, how about if we pretend to be matchmade even if it¡¯s just for tonight?¡±

    Samuel smiled slyly. ¡°You are pathetic. You have no experience at all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why teach me so I know how to do it,¡± pleaded Clara. ¡°Or are you not capable of handling a virgin?¡±

    Clara¡¯s challenge made Samuel feel tickled, then he swiftly pulled Clara¡¯s hand to touch his hard manhood. Of course, Clara screamed in response.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± asked Clara, confused, and afraid. She knew that she touched the area where the manhood was. However, Clara felt it for the first time. She was shocked.

    Samuel sneered. He opened his shirt, revealing his beautiful muscular body, making Clara feel amazed and mesmerized, forgetting her scare of his manhood.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to face, do you? You were even surprised while holding my hard dick. Take off my pants if you dare!¡±

    Clara¡¯s breath hitched. She touched Samuel¡¯s pants and opened the white pants slowly, leaving a naked athletic body clad only in white boxers. From behind the boxers, Clara¡¯s eyes widened when she saw a long, tense texture protruding manhood.

    Clara¡¯s heart pounded. She was scared, but she had to go through this stage if she wanted the man for tonight.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re scared,¡± said Samuel, who looked in pain withholding his desire. ¡°Do not push yourself! I¡¯ll find a way to tame my dick without tearing your hymen.¡±

    Samuel was about to stand up. However, Clara pushed him back onto the bed. ¡°I can! I can do it.¡±

    Clara¡¯s hands were shaking, grabbing Samuel¡¯s boxers. She then took out his hot protruding rod with her trembling palms.

    Clara gulped. She had read a guide about times like this. Abigail had also shown a video that guides her to perform oral sex. However, Samuel¡¯s size was huge when compared to the actors in the video Abigail showed. That¡¯s why Clara felt shocked and scared.

    ¡°Is this normal size?¡± asked Clara with a slightly pale face.

    ¡°I never compare myself with other men besides my cousin. He has the same size. So, I guess this is normal,¡± Samuel replied in a strained voice. He fought hard not to force her to suck on his manhood right now.

    Clara tried to hide her fear. Her hand approached Samuel¡¯s long shaft which looked strong and muscular, feeling the soft skin when she touched it. Deep in her heart, she was grateful because it wasn¡¯t as bad as she had imagined.

    Unfortunately, she still felt it was not good hygiene. However, if she stopped, Samuel would reject her. So, she had to fight her fear.

    Just as Clara was about to put the head of his dick into her mouth, that¡¯s when Samuel grabbed the girl and brought her beautiful, pale face to face him.

    ¡°It¡¯s enough! I have no heart to ask you to do a blow job for your first time,¡± whispered Samuel, making Clara shed tears of emotion. She was glad that he was kind enough to stop her.

    ¡°So did I pass the test?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Samuel answered, then kissed Clara again on the lips. This time, he kissed her gently to make her feel comfortable.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t introduce myself to strangers,¡± Clara answered dryly. She didn¡¯t want to reveal her identity because Samuel didn¡¯t know her either.

    ¡°Do you want me to say a random girl¡¯s name when I feel good?¡± asked Samuel with a chuckle.

    ¡°I ¡­ I am Tara. And you?¡± Clara asked him back.

    ¡°Jade. Just call me Jade,¡± replied Samuel.

    Clara smiled, ¡°It suits your eyes ¡­ Jade.¡±

 Chapter 143 - 143 143. Her First Experience*

    143 143. Her First Experience*

    Samuel kissed Clara¡¯s edible lips with joy. He loved it so much. After some time, he separated himself from the kiss for a moment, then he led Clara slowly. ¡°Open your mouth, let my tongue enter your mouth. Don¡¯t bite me because I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Clara obeyed Samuel¡¯s instructions. She let Samuel explore her mouth freely. It was then, she let her instincts naturally welcome his tongue.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re getting used to it,¡± praised Samuel.

    Samuel couldn¡¯t take it anymore. However, he tried to hold back so that she could have a normal first experience like other girls. Being served by a virgin while he was being drugged would make her feel tormented if he didn¡¯t hold back.

    Samuel¡¯s hands that had previously cupped Clara¡¯s cheeks then went down to Clara¡¯s chest, touching both breasts with a gentle massage. Not too much pressure, but strong enough to make her body feel a strange touch and tingle: her passion was ignited.

    Samuel¡¯s gentle touch made the virgin nipples stiffen, imprinting them on her thin bra. Samuel¡¯s desire was further ignited. His thumbs played with the hard nipples with more pressure.

    ¡°Jade ¡­,¡± Clara groaned, spreading her palm to Samuel¡¯s chest. She wanted to refuse but did not want him to stop.

    ¡°What?¡± asked Samuel with a pleasing smile.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it feels weird,¡± Clara answered with her eyes closed.

    .....

    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡±

    Samuel continued his stimulation. He kissed Clara¡¯s nape and neck, making Clara moan even more. He also unhooked the bra with one hand very quickly.

    ¡°Jade!¡± said Clara, confused when Samuel started touching her breasts slowly. Her tits were now wearing nothing as protection.

    However, when Samuel¡¯s fingers touched the hard nipples, an extraordinary feeling of pleasure coursed through her trembling body. Much better feelings than his initial touch earlier. She wanted to scream for the sake of expressing this pleasure.

    Clara felt something flowing from her core, as Samuel¡¯s touch grew wilder and hungrier. ¡°Jade!¡±

    ¡°Why, Tara?¡± whispered Samuel, biting Clara¡¯s ear.

    ¡°No! That tickles!¡±

    ¡°What? Are you starting to feel the sensation?¡± asked Samuel with a proud smile.

    Now, no more hands touching Clara¡¯s naked pink nipples. But, Samuel¡¯s hot mouth started sucking both of them alternately like a hungry baby.

    Currently, his hot, rough tongue was licking the right nipple, while his right hand gently twirled the left nipple. Samuel¡¯s left hand groped Clara¡¯s flat stomach, a gentle guerrilla search for something. A long moan escaped her lips.

    ¡°Jade!¡± shouted Clara who felt strange and scared at the same time.

    ¡°Get out your sexy voice, Tara! Call my name out loud!¡±

    By now, Samuel¡¯s left hand had found his quest. Something that was still wrapped in panties. The narrow slit that no man had ever touched was now wet and slippery with the nectar, making her underwear damped helplessly.

    ¡°You¡¯re so wet!¡± Samuel commented happily, making Clara blush. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything much, though.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s fingers then touched the wet area in a circular motion, and pressed on the clitoris, making Clara¡¯s body tremble violently, shouting the nickname given by Samuel.

    Of course, Samuel¡¯s mouth was still gently sucking on Clara¡¯s nipples, causing pleasure to course through Clara¡¯s body mercilessly, making her hole melt, and creaming her panties even more. Would all virgins be as easily aroused as Clara?

    Samuel then kissed Clara¡¯s stomach and stopped the kiss right at the navel. He then gently pulled down Clara¡¯s already very damp panties.

    His middle finger then entered slowly into Clara¡¯s slippery hole. It felt very tight and cramped. Unlike when he touched another girl before this.

    ¡°This is too tight. I have to make you more relaxed.¡±

    ¡°Jade! I, Aaah!¡± Clara let out a scream unable to contain the strange sensation Samuel¡¯s attack caused. The man kept moving his middle finger in her hole, making an increasingly crazed sense of pleasure hit from within the walls to his cock.

    ¡°It will be better if there is the lubricant. However, I will try to extract your natural lubricant.¡±

    Samuel then played with Clara¡¯s clit, pressed it in a circular motion, and sometimes gently massaged it. Meanwhile, his other finger was still busy looking for Clara¡¯s sensitive spot there.

    ¡°There!¡± Clara screamed suddenly as Samuel pressed a spot. He also pressed that spot continuously so that Clara was even more aroused. ¡°Do not stop!¡±

    After her hole felt more slippery, Samuel added his index finger into her narrow slit. Samuel¡¯s fingers circled the tight inner wall, making Clara want to pinch them even more as they touched the most sensitive part there many times. Clara¡¯s moans grew louder. The feeling of pleasure was unstoppable.

    ¡°Enjoy this, Tara! Enjoy everything I gave you!¡±

    Samuel was now adding to the intensity of the touch. His thumb pressed and shook her clit. Clara¡¯s body trembled and squirmed non-stop because she couldn¡¯t hold back the incredible pleasure.

    ¡°Jade! Jade! I can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Cum! Cum for me!!¡±

    Clara couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She felt like exploding. And then ¡­ she felt her climax.

    ¡°Jade!¡±

    Clara¡¯s body tensed, arched, and shook violently. Pleasure coursed through her entire body. For the first time, Clara felt an incredible orgasm like this.

    So delicious, so long, and so tiring. A large burst of clear liquid soaked her thighs and the bed sheets. And of course, Samuel¡¯s hands and chest were also wet, making her feel embarrassed.

    ¡°Sorry! I peed, didn¡¯t I?¡± Clara asked worriedly with a red face.

    Her body still felt so limp from the great orgasm earlier. Her head was even dizzier than before.

    Samuel shook his head. He licked his wet fingers, tasting Clara¡¯s sweet nectar with joy. ¡°No! You¡¯re squirting. It must be really good, right?¡± he teased her, chuckling lightly. ¡°Sex is fun! Just enjoy it! You don¡¯t have to be shy. Say it if you like it if I touch you here, or tell me if you don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Clara nodded lightly. She was so embarrassed, her face was beet red. Samuel then carried Clara¡¯s body which was so limp, carrying her a little higher so she wouldn¡¯t be in a wet place.

    Samuel kissed her forehead, and then kissed her mouth, letting her taste a bit of her love juice. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn!¡±

    Clara gulped, nodding at him with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 144 - 144 144. Make Her Ready*

    144 144. Make Her Ready*

    Clara gulped as Samuel brought his face closer. He kissed her again to lighten the tension.

    ¡°Relax! I was told that if you are scared, everything will fail,¡± Samuel whispered.

    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t help,¡± Clara answered hoarsely. ¡°This is my first time.¡±

    Samuel then reached for his wallet to take the rubber. However, unfortunately, he did not find what he was looking for there. ¡°Shit! I remember, I still have three in my wallet.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Clara.

    Samuel¡¯s face looked gloomy. Why didn¡¯t he have rubber at a very critical time like this? His desire was already unstoppable, why must it be held back because of an unexpected mistake?

    Samuel looked at Clara thoughtfully. Clara was a virgin. What if he didn¡¯t have to break her virginity? Clara didn¡¯t need to be in pain. He could just have sex without penetration. She could do it another time with someone else instead.

    ¡°Any problem?¡± Clara asked again because she didn¡¯t get an answer from Samuel.

    Samuel only smiled faintly. He then drew closer to Clara again and began showering the beautiful virgin body with small kisses to trigger her desire. A groan after a groan escaped her lips.

    .....

    Moments later, Clara gasped slightly when she felt Samuel¡¯s manhood between her thighs. However, Samuel just stuck it and rubbed it gently there. Clara felt no pain. Only the pleasure she felt because Samuel¡¯s manhood gently rubbed her clit.

    ¡°Oh, this is great,¡± Clara groaned. ¡°Do you want to make me orgasm again without penetration?¡± asked Clara curiously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have rubber. You don¡¯t want to get pregnant at this young age, do you?¡± asked Samuel with a smile. He endured the pleasure of clasping Clara¡¯s thighs and her wetness.

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s your problem?¡± Clara asked again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m already prepared. You can do it freely. I won¡¯t get pregnant.¡±

    Clara had already taken the contraceptive pill that Abigail had given her this afternoon. She was not wrong to have chosen Abigail to help her. Abigail had everything she needed.

    Samuel paused in hesitation. Clara¡¯s offer was tempting.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you believe it?¡± Clara asked as she caught Samuel¡¯s doubts.

    The man shook his head. ¡°Is it that effective?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I can take the morning-after pills as an additional precaution later,¡± Clara answered confidently.

    ¡°Good!¡±

    Samuel was relieved by Clara¡¯s answer. So far, he had always wrapped his baby maker so it didn¡¯t spit out baby dough in a random girl¡¯s womb.

    Samuel brought his rod closer to Clara¡¯s slippery genital lips, causing her heart to skip a beat. People say the first time hurt so much. It would feel terrible even though we do it with people we like.

    ¡°You were too tense. When I put one finger in it was tight,¡± said Samuel, kissing Clara¡¯s forehead. ¡°Leave everything to me, gorgeous! Believe me, I will try my best. I want you to happily lose your virginity.¡±

    Samuel then decided to delay the penetration. He laid her back on the bed. His eyes looked at her gently. So gentle that it made her trust him even more.

    His hands touched her breasts slowly and then gently touched the nipples. Gentle and thoughtful. Her nerves responded quickly. The desire that had decreased because of fear, was now rising again.

    Clara felt her core twitch with pleasure even with just a touch on her chest. The warm tingling that spread throughout her body made her intoxicated.

    The girl felt something coming out of her hole when Samuel sucked on her nipple which was now starting to harden and stiffen, puffing up defiantly.

    Samuel then prepared Clara with one more foreplay. He bent down to run his tongue on her slit. He sucked Clara¡¯s clit until the stimulation went straight to the center of the most sensitive part, making her twitch and sigh erratically.

    ¡°This is the best!¡± she sighed, full of pleasure.

    ¡°You¡¯re so wet, Clara! This must be really good, right? Tell me if it¡¯s not good, okay?¡± Samuel¡¯s hoarse voice sounded very concerned.

    Samuel kept messing with Clara¡¯s hole with his tongue while gently massaging her protruding breasts. The pleasure was too much to handle. Clara felt that she was about to orgasm.

    ¡°Jade, I¡¯m cumming!¡± Clara sighed with a scream. ¡°Can not hold it anymore!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine! Cum as you like!¡±

    ¡°Jade!¡± Clara climaxed. It was a long and delicious orgasm. Not inferior to the previous one.

    Lots of fluids coming out of her genitals, making her feel embarrassed again.

    ¡°This has to be cleaned first!¡±

    Clara thought the word ¡®cleaned¡¯ meant wiping off the liquid with a damped towel. However, Samuel used his tongue to lick the liquid without hesitation.

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°You are so sweet, Tara! I love your taste.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s words flattered her. The girl was not ashamed anymore and let Samuel continue what he was doing.

    His tongue went deeper into the hole, making a pleasant sensation and Clara¡¯s pubic wall became more relaxed.

    ¡°Jade! The sensation is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Tara! Relax! Enjoy yourself!¡±

    Clara complied. Now, Samuel combined tongue and fingers, circling her wetness with fast motion. The pleasure was increasing.

    ¡°Jade, keep going!¡±

    Samuel just smiled mischievously as he looked at Clara triumphantly. Now, he started playing with the clitoris. Sometimes licking it and pinching it with his lips, creating a different sensation. It was so ticklish but delicious.

    Clara began to feel the waves of pleasure getting bigger and bigger. Now, Samuel¡¯s middle finger entered her hole again. His lips and tongue tickled her clitoris. His right hand rubbed the top of her breast alternately. He played everything he had at his disposal.

    ¡°Oh, I never knew that sex is so delicious.¡±

    The wave of orgasm built up and got bigger. Clara could not hold back all the pleasure.

    ¡°Jade! I am coming!¡±

    ¡°Do it!¡±

    ¡°Noo!¡±

    Clara¡¯s breath hitched. She orgasmed violently and was exhausted. Her body was very weak, feeling boneless. Her wetness was overflowing.

    ¡°You are so hot! I like it!¡± praise Samuel for Clara to make her believe that sex was great fun.

    Samuel kissed the girl¡¯s forehead lovingly and then ate her lips. The kiss was getting deeper and hotter. Samuel¡¯s hands did not want to stay still. He squeezed her breasts again passionately. And down there, something hard and long nudged Clara¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°You are wet and ready. Let me in.¡±

 Chapter 145 - 145 145. Be My Girl*

    145 145. Be My Girl*

    ¡°You¡¯re still scared? Do you want to stop?¡±

    ¡°No! Just keep going!¡±

    Samuel then smiled. He opened Clara¡¯s thighs wider. His hands held his manhood and rubbed the tip of his dick on her wetness. Great pleasure attacked both of them.

    Moans and groans out their lips because the sensation was unbearable. Clara¡¯s hips moved up and down to the rhythm of Samuel¡¯s movements.

    ¡°Jade!¡±

    The sweat was pouring down more and more, and Clara¡¯s body got wet and slippery. So was Samuel¡¯s. However, this did not stop them from continuing the delicious sex.

    Samuel became aware of why many people use contraception other than rubber. The sensation felt even stronger.

    However, the pleasure sensation was instantly replaced by pain when suddenly the tip of Samuel¡¯s dick entered her wet opening. She almost screamed. But she endured it with all her might.

    Tears trickled from the corners of Clara¡¯s eyes. Samuel realized it.

    .....

    ¡°Relax! Hold on. You will feel the pleasure later.¡±

    Samuel stopped moving. Letting Clara¡¯s hole adjust to his size. He kissed her lips and distracted the girl by giving pleasure in both of her breasts. Slowly, he circled the girl¡¯s nipples, as much as possible to make her forget about the pain.

    After a while, Clara was no longer in pain. Just a little prop and convinced herself that she would get used to it.

    ¡°Can I move?¡± asked Samuel as he kissed Clara¡¯s forehead. The girl nodded weakly in response.

    Slowly, Samuel began to thrust his manhood inside her tight core. Clara felt a little sore, but she started to feel good because his hands and mouth kept on stimulating her nipples.

    A groan of pleasure escaped Samuel¡¯s lips. Heavy, delicious, and restrained.

    ¡°You are so tight! This is so good. I want to come soon,¡± Samuel said while continuing to move his hips back and forth. His eyes occasionally closed and sometimes he shook his head because he could not hold back the ineffably great sensation.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    Clara shook her head and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m happy!¡±

    ¡°Oh! You are so sweet, baby!¡±

    As time went on, Clara felt no more pain. Her wall began to be flexible and could adapt to Samuel¡¯s size. Only more and more pleasure and enjoyment she felt. Her hips were moving to the rhythm of his movements.

    ¡°This is so great!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re great! This is so gripping!¡±

    Their movements were getting faster and faster. The feeling of pleasure that spread was getting bigger and bigger. The wave of pleasure was no longer unbearable.

    Clara¡¯s wall felt increasingly gripping Samuel¡¯s manhood. She squeezed it hard.

    ¡°Jade! I¡¯m so close!¡±

    ¡°Me too! Together!¡±

    They both orgasmed big. That was so long and delicious, together with a burst of warm liquid inside her womb. Samuel convulsed and pressed his dick deeper and deeper, making Clara¡¯s pleasure feel longer and greater.

    ¡°Ah, this is so great!¡± Clara screamed breathlessly, continuing to milk him mercilessly. ¡°Thank you, Jade!¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Tara! You¡¯re really hot. This is the first time I¡¯ve done it without wearing rubber,¡± said Samuel, satisfied. ¡°This is amazing!¡±

    The girl felt Samuel¡¯s still stiff manhood. It shouldn¡¯t be, but the drugs make it so. When he pulled out, his shaft was still tense. He looked at that shiny dick that was dripping thick white fluid mixed with red blood.

    ¡°Crap! It¡¯s not finished,¡± Samuel complained in a low whisper.

    He was still not finished. However, seeing Clara¡¯s traces of blood on the sheets and his long shaft, he didn¡¯t have the heart to do it again.

    Clara just watched in bewilderment. Her eyes were still dazzling from the incredible sensation just now. Her head was still a little dizzy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest,¡± Samuel said as he lay down on the bed.

    ¡°But, why is your manhood still hard?¡± asked Clara curiously. ¡°Am I that bad? Can¡¯t you be satisfied?¡±

    Samuel shook his head. ¡°It seems this is because the aphrodisiac is too strong.¡±

    Clara, who was still exhausted, just nodded. ¡°That must be uncomfortable. If you want, we can do one or two more rounds.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s eyes widened. He couldn¡¯t believe the girl who had just lost her virginity was offering to fuck him again.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± asked Samuel doubtfully. ¡°You don¡¯t feel the pain?¡±

    Clara smiled. ¡°If that means I¡¯ll have even more intense orgasms, then a little pain would be fine.¡±

    Clara was not worried anymore. Samuel made her feel that the first time sex was nothing terrible. Of course, this made her relax, and did not feel too much pain during intercourse.

    They did it several times, enjoying each other to the point of exhaustion. No one recalled how many times the orgasms and shots had taken place. The hotel sheet could no longer be considered clean.

    With half-closed eyes, Samuel whispered, ¡°Will you be my girlfriend?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Leave that guy, be my girlfriend,¡± Samuel replied again, in a faint voice. His body felt crushed because of excessive sex.

    Clara didn¡¯t answer. She was just confused. Going against his father¡¯s wishes meant she would never become the doctor she dreamed of becoming.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be satisfied with you just once. What if we just start dating?¡±

    Clara was silent. Couldn¡¯t answer Samuel¡¯s question. The way Samuel treated her gently even when he was under the influence of drugs, made Clara know that Samuel wouldn¡¯t be a selfish lover.

    Going out with Samuel would definitely make her feel like a queen. Loved, cherished, and protected.

    However, she did not want to give up on her dream. She still wanted to become a doctor, even if it meant that she had to marry a man of her father¡¯s choice.

    The night was getting late, and Samuel was sleeping soundly like a baby. Meanwhile, Clara couldn¡¯t close her eyes. She picked up her scattered clothes and dressed up neatly.

    Before leaving the room, she brought her face closer to Samuel¡¯s and light pecked his innocent sleeping face.

    ¡°Sorry, you will find the woman who is destined for you.¡±

    Clara left the room, feeling upset. Without her realizing it, tears trickled down her cheeks. Not because she felt pain from having too much sex, but because her heart didn¡¯t want to leave the man she had spent the night with.

 Chapter 146 - 146 146. Cinderellaâ€™s Handkerchief

    146 146. Cinderella¡¯s Handkerchief

    The next day, Abigail drove Clara home. That was the initial plan. Overnight stay at Abigail¡¯s house for doing some college homework.

    Clara still hadn¡¯t shared details about her one-night stand: with a man named Jade. She just went back to Abigail¡¯s home last night

    and immediately rested.

    ¡°Rosie ultimately failed. It seems that the man she is after is too difficult to conquer,¡± said Abigail, opening the conversation. She didn¡¯t want to let Clara continue to silence her. ¡°She should find another man if she doesn¡¯t want to be disappointed. I was told, last night was the last night before he left for Europe.¡±

    Clara just nodded, she was still often pensive, imagining last night¡¯s events. No wonder Rosie would justify any means to catch her prey.

    ¡°So sad. She must be very disappointed,¡± Clara commented with forced concern.

    ¡°Yes. She was very disappointed. Last night, she cried incessantly in my arms. However ¡­.¡± Abigail paused for a moment, hesitating whether to tell Clara the story or not. However, it was not Abigail if not gossiping. ¡°I guess that¡¯s for the best since she¡¯s planning on getting herself pregnant.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Clara asked in surprise. ¡°To that extent?¡±

    Abigail nodded. ¡°She stole the man¡¯s condoms so they could go unprotected.¡±

    .....

    ¡°That is so underhanded!¡± Clara commented again.

    Abigail nodded. ¡°She is blinded ¡­ too obsessed with him.¡±

    Clara shook her head in disbelief. Luckily, Rosie¡¯s prey escaped so he could avoid forced love.

    ¡°You are lucky, you can carry out your mission well,¡± said Abigail again, chuckling. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t tell me. Is he handsome?¡± Abigail asked curiously. Her eyes narrowed.

    Clara smiled. ¡°He is so hot as hell. Just like ¡­ umm ¡­ Apollo?¡±

    Abigail braked suddenly. ¡°What did you say? He¡¯s as handsome as Apollo? You should hold him for a month or two. It won¡¯t hurt if you date him briefly before you get engaged.¡±

    Clara smiled a little. She still remembered how the man asked her out on a date. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±

    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t get away from him,¡± Clara answered briefly. ¡°He is too hard to resist.¡±

    Clara and Abigail exchanged meaningful glances. They realized that Clara¡¯s life was not easy.

    Abigail patted Clara on the back and stroked it, supporting her best friend without telling any words of support to her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Abi!¡± Clara said, reassuring her friend.

    ¡°Oh! You look exhausted,¡± Abigail commented again. ¡°How many times did you guys do last night?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ....¡± Clara was confused about what to answer. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. What was clear was ¡­ he shot his load many times,¡± she answered, chuckling.

    Abigail was wide-eyed. ¡°Is he a machine? Gosh, it¡¯s no wonder you¡¯re afraid you can¡¯t escape him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he is so good in bed,¡± Clara said again.

    ¡°You make me jealous,¡± Abigail commented, laughing out loud. ¡°It¡¯s okay, the important thing is you wear protection. Otherwise, you could get pregnant in one night with his love-god-like behavior.¡±

    Clara stopped laughing. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean, he¡¯s wearing rubber, no?¡± Abigail asked casually.

    ¡°I took the pills you gave me,¡± Clara replied. ¡°The pill is also a contraceptive, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Oh ¡­. Of course.¡± Abigail laughed a slightly strange fake laugh.

    Not long after, Abigail¡¯s car stopped in Clara¡¯s front yard. In front of the main entrance, Lisa was standing, waiting for her daughter with a worried look.

    ¡°Ah, finally you got home,¡± said Linda with some relief.

    Clara got out of the car, confused by her mother¡¯s strange expression. She said goodbye to Abigail awkwardly.

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet tomorrow on campus, okay?¡± whispered Clara to her friend.

    Abigail nodded. She turned to Linda and greeted her. Of course, Linda answered with a forced smile.

    After Abigail¡¯s red Porsche left the driveway, Clara approached her mother and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, mom? Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Your father is inside. He came home earlier than expected,¡± whispered Linda with a pale face. Her lips, without lipstick, looked so dry.

    From Linda¡¯s expression, Clara could tell that her father was not showing any signs of being well. Sure enough, when Clara stepped inside, a heavy slap landed directly on her cheek.

    ¡°No cellphones, no studying at friends¡¯ houses. A bodyguard will escort you every time you leave the house.¡±

    That¡¯s all Patrick, the strict father, said. Linda tried to bargain for her husband¡¯s decision. However, Patrick simply replied, ¡°Do you want her to get pregnant before getting engaged to Dave Johnson?¡±

    Linda could only surrender. According to her, Patrick was too hard on their daughter. However, she could not go against her husband. Who would bear the risk? Clara was too beautiful to be left unguarded.

    ***

    In the evening, Samuel was preparing for his Europe tour. Larissa helped him prepare the suitcase. When she accidentally found a handkerchief with the initial C in Samuel¡¯s suitcase, the woman asked, ¡°This handkerchief is very cute.¡±

    The woman smelled the floral printed handkerchief and found the scent of cherry, a woman¡¯s perfume, mingled with the smell of her son¡¯s sweat. It was obvious that it didn¡¯t belong to Samuel. ¡°Whose is this?¡±

    ¡°Nobody,¡± replied Samuel flatly.

    ¡°No one, but you keep it here?¡± asked Larissa again. ¡°Did Cinderella leave her handkerchief behind?¡±

    Samuel stopped for a moment. ¡°Her name is Tara. But the initial on her handkerchief was a C. Weird, isn¡¯t it?¡± said Samuel while packing important documents in the folder. ¡°I think Tara is a fake name.¡±

    ¡°She must be beautiful,¡± commented Samuel¡¯s mother again. Otherwise, how could her son keep the handkerchief with him?

    ¡°What is clear is that she left me alone without giving me a chance to ask her out,¡± replied Samuel, smiling bitterly. He glanced at his mother for a moment, then returned to packing.

    The mother then smiled with concern, then hugged her son tightly. ¡°No need to force someone to be present in your life. If she is for you, she will come back to you.¡±

    Samuel smiled at his mother. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mom! I just want to focus on my first tour. Let Cinderella lose her handkerchief. I will not beg for love from a woman.¡±

 Chapter 147 - 147 147. Engagement Party Blues

    147 147. Engagement Party Blues

    An important appointment had been scheduled. The Deckers had prepared a sumptuous dinner for the Johnsons tonight. Clara¡¯s future husband was coming to the house.

    Clara had resigned herself to the fate of her love life where there would be no hope anymore. She would not have the experience of falling in love like other girls her age. She would not experience a sweet romance story like in a fairy tale.

    Being a daughter of a rich family was sometimes good, but sometimes it was also suffocating. It depended on how your family treated you and valued you. Are you considered as a favorite daughter, or as an asset to maintain their wealth?

    Clara was the second kind. Her father wanted her to be a useful daughter to maintain the family fortune. Everything had been determined. She had agreed because it was the only way she could become a doctor, her dream.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Dave.¡±

    A young man with glasses reached out to Clara. He introduced himself awkwardly to the young girl who would become his wife in the future. The girl was so beautiful like a goddess, making him immediately agree with the arranged marriage. Even just when he saw the girl¡¯s photo for the first time, Dave already liked her. Maybe, it was called love at first sight.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Clara,¡± Clara answered, confidently shaking Dave¡¯s hand.

    Unexpectedly, the person who was betrothed to Clara was a handsome man. Much prettier than the photo. Clara¡¯s face blushed when she remembered the words, ¡®Being matchmade isn¡¯t always bad. If he¡¯s handsome and loves you, of course, you¡¯re lucky.¡¯

    That¡¯s what Clara seemed to have experienced. Dave turned out to be a caring man. He was a workaholic. However, he never forgot his scheduled date with her. He was always on time, running dates with as much importance as any other job.

    .....

    Dave never canceled his date with Clara. He always took her where she liked. He also gifted the items that she enjoyed.

    Who wouldn¡¯t be happy to have a future husband as considerate as Dave? So did Clara. She felt her father was a hero because he had brought her together with such a great man.

    Everyone was happy with Dave and Clara¡¯s closeness. Successful matchmaking. A beautiful princess who was about to marry a handsome crown prince.

    A month later, their engagement was about to be made official. Clara has buried memories of a great night with Jade. Sometimes she remembered his gentleness and care. A man who was willing to hold back even though he was in great painful arousal. However, that fateful night¡¯s miracle couldn¡¯t replace Dave¡¯s affection, making Clara completely forget about Jade.

    As the engagement party approached, Clara felt nervous. She often felt nauseous and restless. She even had no appetite and often vomited. She skipped classes several times because she was not feeling well.

    Currently, Ryan, a private designer of the Decker family, was applying a white engagement party dress to Clara¡¯s body. The dress with a scoop neckline seemed to fit perfectly on Clara¡¯s body, exposing her beautiful and full breasts.

    Variations of feathers on the sleeves looked so great to be combined with Swarovski crystal beads on the bust to the waist. It looked so luxurious and sexy, showing off the beautiful exposed back.

    Ryan repeatedly praised Clara¡¯s beauty, which was like a mature woman. The dress design complements the beauty and sensuality of Clara¡¯s body. So perfect.

    ¡°Dave was so lucky to have you,¡± said Ryan, hoping to get a positive response from Clara. He smiled, admiring every curve that fits the gown perfectly. ¡°You¡¯re like an angel.¡±

    Unfortunately, Clara did not respond. She just turned her head lazily at Ryan, staring blankly at the man¡¯s clean face. She¡¯s not feeling well after emptying her stomach this morning. Her body felt weak. However, she was forced to continue doing the fitting because there was no time left.

    After drinking the mint tea that Linda prepared for her, Clara felt comfortable and no longer felt nauseous. However, it¡¯s all just temporary. Her stomach was churning. She felt her body was not well.

    ¡°Hurry up! Have you finished fitting the dress?¡± asked Clara, her face turning pale. She was about to empty her stomach again.

    Ryan, who felt his praise was useless, then said, ¡°Wait a minute!¡± He sneered at Clara¡¯s arrogant behavior as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

    Too bad Clara couldn¡¯t wait. She immediately ran to the toilet. She went on for quite a long time, making the designer worried.

    ¡°Aarrghh! Why would anyone not appreciate my masterpiece?¡± Ryan screamed in panic, pressing his body against the bathroom door. ¡°Clara! Don¡¯t let you dirty the dress I¡¯ve been making for a month, okay?¡±

    ¡°Ryan, calm down! My daughter is sick,¡± Linda asked when she saw Ryan pacing back and forth waiting for Clara to come out of the toilet. ¡°She has been feeling unwell since this morning.¡±

    ¡°What if the dress gets dirty with her puke?¡± Ryan protested with a face shuddering with fear. His face scrunched up, crying helplessly. ¡°I have calculated all aspects with precision.¡±

    ¡°You can do it again, can¡¯t you?¡± Linda asked hopefully. She was worried because Clara had not come out of the bathroom yet. The sound of people emptying their stomachs could be heard non-stop from the toilet. Linda wanted to enter, but the door automatically locked from the inside.

    ¡°Make the dress again? Did you forget that the engagement ceremony is next week?¡± By now, Ryan was on the verge of tears. His mind was already in turmoil, imagining his worries would happen.

    Shortly after, Clara came out of the toilet with a face as white as paper. Ryan immediately screamed when he saw the stains on Clara¡¯s white dress. At the same time, Clara and Ryan lost consciousness, for different reasons, of course.

    Clara collapsed from her sickness.

    Ryan fainted because Clara stained the pretty dress with her puke.

 Chapter 148 - 148 148. Unwanted Pregnancy

    148 148. Unwanted Pregnancy

    Linda was panicked. Clara was rushed to the hospital immediately because she was sick. While Ryan, the designer was only treated at home because he immediately realized and cried over a dirty dress. However, he soon recovered after Linda said she would pay him five times as much if he would work on a new dress. After that, Ryan immediately returned to the boutique to rework the dirty dress. He used everything at his disposal to make the new dress.

    Meanwhile, Clara was still unconscious. Patrick, who accompanied his wife to send their daughter to the hospital, asked Linda to just go home. His wife looked very tired because she was preparing for Clara¡¯s engagement party which was only a short time away.

    ¡°Go home. You need to take a rest. I will wait for Clara here,¡± Patrick said while stroking his wife dearly.

    Linda looked doubtful. How could she let her daughter be with her father? So far, the two of them have never been on good terms. They often get into fights because Patrick was hard on Clara.

    ¡°I want to wait for Clara. She must be feeling very anxious and scared. I understand that it¡¯s unusual to get engaged at such a young age, isn¡¯t it?¡± asked Linda, begging to be left with Clara at a critical moment.

    ¡°Linda, don¡¯t you believe me?¡± asked Patrick, slightly offended. ¡°I¡¯m her father. Trust me.¡±

    Linda smiled bitterly. How could she believe it? All this time Patrick had not shown that he deserved to be called father to Clara. He only thought about what Clara could give in return for having been cared for so well by the Decker family.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll call you when Clara wakes up. You can come back later after you have had a good rest at home,¡± Patrick offered, hoping that this time Linda would agree. ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself get sick from exhaustion too.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go home first,¡± Linda said resignedly. She did admit that she was tired. If she got sick, Patrick would be in trouble.

    Patrick felt relieved. He kissed his wife¡¯s tired face and let her go when the driver was waiting outside the hospital.

    Not long after, doctor Andrea Evans, the doctor who was in charge of Clara¡¯s case, called Patrick. The female doctor in her sixties then asked him to talk in a private room.

    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant,¡± said the female doctor with a straight face. She knew Clara and Patrick well. She knew that a smart and very intelligent 16-year-old girl should not have a pregnancy at such a young age. Clara still wanted to be a doctor. The presence of an unwanted child can eliminate her self-confidence.

    ¡°Impossible. My daughter can¡¯t possibly get pregnant at such a young age. She¡¯s never even had a date,¡± Patrick said, not believing the results of the examination.

    ¡°The test results are not wrong, Patrick! Clara is indeed five weeks pregnant,¡± said doctor Evans.

    ¡°Five weeks?¡± Patrick asked himself. He was trying to figure out who the father of Clara¡¯s baby was. Was it Dave? However, Clara and Dave had only been dating for three weeks. They did seem to like each other, but there was no way to go that far.

    Patrick then remembered that Clara had slipped out of sight five weeks ago when he was out of town. The girl stayed a night at a friend¡¯s house. Clara must have done something wild, stupid, and embarrassing then.

    Patric growled, his teeth grinding so loudly that doctor Evans heard him. ¡°Stupid kid! She¡¯s smart, but not smart enough not to get herself pregnant!¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re panicking. But here¡¯s the truth. I hope you can support¡ª¡±

    ¡°Support?¡± he asked coldly. Anger was clear in his amber eyes. ¡°Why should I support this stupid pregnancy?¡±

    Doctor Evans paused. She looked at Patrick with a cold gaze. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You have to pretend this pregnancy never existed. Only you and I know about this,¡± Patrick glared at Doctor Evans who wanted to avoid him. ¡°That includes Clara and Linda.¡±

    Doctor Evans shook her head slowly. She didn¡¯t want to see Patrick with that cold stare. According to her, Clara should be involved in decision-making.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it, Patrick. Your daughter¡¯s case is not trivial. The womb is not as healthy as other women¡¯s wombs. This could be her first and last pregnancy,¡± Doctor Evans whispered, begging Patrick to reconsider his decision.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t, please pack your things immediately, and I¡¯ll find another doctor who will do it for me,¡± Patrick said coldly. He was like a father who did not care at all about his daughter.

    ¡°Patrick!¡±

    ¡°No objections!¡± Patrick insisted. ¡°And just remember, I will not let people who are against me live comfortably and quietly.¡±

    Doctor Evans could only widen her eyes in disbelief. During this time, she tried to live honestly. However, she did not expect that her honesty would be tested.

    ¡°Remember! I hold the secret to your malpractice failure. If you don¡¯t obey me, I will spill everything to the public and your career will be destroyed instantly,¡± Patrick threatened the woman in a deep whisper.

    ¡°Why?¡± asked Doctor Evans later. ¡°Why do you have the heart to do this ¡­ to your daughter?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s getting engaged to Dave Johnson next week. Make sure there¡¯s nothing in her womb at that time,¡± Patrick said without pity.

    ¡°You are mean, Patrick!¡± Doctor Evans¡¯ hands were shaking. ¡°What will you tell Clara if she can¡¯t have children in the future?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, life does require me to act like this, Andrea!¡± whispered Patrick without looking at Doctor Evans. ¡°It¡¯s not easy living like me. Many employees depend on my company for their lives.¡±

    Doctor Evans fell silent. She swallowed the bitter pill of her weakness in front of Patrick.

    ¡°This engagement cannot fail. Clara had to sacrifice for the sake of many people.¡± That was all Patrick said before he left Doctor Evans¡¯ room. The man didn¡¯t even look back to correct his words. He did consciously negate the existence of his future grandchild.

 Chapter 149 - 149 149. The Pills

    149 149. The Pills

    Doctor Evans could only stare at her young patient who was sleeping weakly. She knew Clara since childhood as a passionate child. A child who thought her life was perfect like a princess in a fairy tale.

    Not long after, the patient who had been asleep woke up with a pale face. ¡°Doctor Andrea?¡± asked Clara, calling Doctor Evans by her first name.

    ¡°Clara, are you awake?¡± asked Doctor Evans nervously. ¡°I¡¯m grateful! You¡¯ve been unconscious for four hours. Patrick and Linda were really worried about how you were doing.¡±

    Clara smiled weakly. ¡°Is it true that my dad is worried about my condition?¡± Clara asked curiously.

    Doctor Evans smiled and nodded. ¡°Sure. He¡¯s your father, right?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s good to be sick,¡± Clara joked lightly. ¡°My dad is concerned about me,¡± Clara added with a sincere smile.

    Doctor Evans forced a smile. If Clara knew what she was going through, surely she would hate Patrick mercilessly.

    However, Clara¡¯s situation was not easy. She was still very young to be a mom. Not necessarily, continuing the pregnancy would not be easy for her without family support. Maybe she would lose confidence or even worse.

    ¡°Where¡¯s mom and dad?¡± Clara asked then. ¡°I would love to meet them.¡±

    .....

    ¡°They were waiting for you to wake up. Patrick is picking up Linda. Your mother looked very tired. So, Patrick had told her to rest at home. I will immediately notify them so that they come soon,¡± explained Doctor Evans so that Clara would not think negatively about their parents.

    Patrick didn¡¯t want to know. He only wanted to come after Doctor Evans confirmed that Clara had secretly performed an abortion.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll give you some medicine. I hope you get better soon after taking it,¡± said doctor Evans while handing Clara two pills. It was the abortion pill. Once Clara consumed it, she would terminate her pregnancy in less than twenty-four hours. She would not experience morning sickness anymore.

    Clara then swallowed the medicine given by doctor Evans according to the directions. Doctor Evans¡¯ eyes filled with tears as Clara swallowed the medicine. She looked away from her patient.

    ¡°Rest well,¡± said the doctor when Clara had finished swallowing her medicine. ¡°You can ring the bell for help. Maybe, if you are getting your period or need some other help, let me know immediately.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Clara replied, nodding slowly. ¡°This month I¡¯m a bit tense, maybe that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t get my period.¡±

    Doctor Evans nodded and smiled wryly. ¡°Do you usually have cramps during your period?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It hurts a lot.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Ring the bell if there¡¯s something. I am in the next room.¡±

    Doctor Evans knew, in a few more moments, Clara would be bleeding and probably cramping for a few hours. Her chest felt tight as she did this. However, she had no other choice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Clara!¡± whispered doctor Evans to herself after leaving Clara¡¯s room.

    ***

    A month later, on campus, Abigail ran into Clara who was reading a book in the library. The girl seemed no longer experiencing pain like some time ago. Of course, this was because the bean had been removed from her womb.

    ¡°Clara! Good thing I found you here!¡± Abigail almost yelled at the library.

    Of course, Clara immediately put her index finger to her lips, giving a stern warning not to disturb the other library patrons.

    Abigail covered her mouth with her hand and quickly took a seat beside Clara. ¡°That¡¯s bad! Are you menstruating regularly as usual?¡± Abigail¡¯s eyes widened, wanting to get an answer from Clara immediately.

    Clara, who was confused by Abigail¡¯s attitude, could only stare in awe at her best friend. ¡°I got my period as usual.¡±

    Abigail¡¯s face relaxed for a moment. Her shoulders dropped, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful! I was so scared this morning,¡± muttered Abigail with a weak look. ¡°Especially, when I remember that you¡¯ve been sick lately. I thought you were pregnant.¡±

    ¡°How could it be? I already took the pill,¡± Clara answered casually. ¡°At first I intended to buy the morning-after pill. However, I couldn¡¯t do that with bodyguards watching me around. Besides, I guess there¡¯s no problem if I already take your pill.¡±

    Abigail shook her head. She then took something out of her bag and showed it to Clara. ¡°Look, I just noticed that the pills have expired.¡±

    Clara¡¯s eyes widened, barely believing what she was seeing. She flipped through the medicine, hoping it was wrong.

    ¡°This is so terrible!¡± Clara said frantically.

    ¡°Right! I got worried and even bought you pregnancy tests,¡± Abigail answered while picking out the two pregnancy tests she had bought at the pharmacy. ¡°However, since you¡¯re already menstruating, I think you are safe.¡±

    Clara nodded slowly. She hesitated for some reason. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll still do a pregnancy test, just in case.¡±

    With hesitation, Abigail nodded as she held out two pregnancy tests in her hands. ¡°It seems better to double-check.¡±

    Clara immediately went to the toilet to take the pregnancy test. Meanwhile, Abigail waited impatiently.

    When Clara came out of the toilet with a pale and worried face, she immediately rushed to her best friend and asked, ¡°How did it go?¡±

    Clara slowly shoved the two pregnancy tests with a gloomy and serious expression. Abigail accepted the test kits with a pounding heart. It was impossible.

    ¡°You ¡­ you said that you got your period as usual? But why?¡± Abigail¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her mistake led her best friend to a cruel reality.

    Abigail turned to check the test kits in her hands. When she only found one line on each pregnancy strip, Clara laughed out loud because she managed to play a trick on her friend.

    ¡°Damn! How dare you!¡± Abigail shouted as she threw a fist at her friend.

    Clara ran from Abigail¡¯s threats. Both of them had no idea what had happened. They did not know that a big lie was being covered up. A sad truth that would bring another storm into Clara¡¯s life.

 Chapter 150 - 150 150. Puzzles from the Past

    150 150. Puzzles from the Past

    Clara opened her eyes slowly. She almost screamed when she found herself in the arms of a man. He¡¯s not a complete stranger anymore. They spend a hot night together in a sober state.

    She didn¡¯t know how many times last night they did it. Her body ached. The clothes were scattered underneath, making her reluctant to put them back on. However, she couldn¡¯t be spoiled and picky in other people¡¯s homes.

    It was then, Clara realized that she had slept with men other than Dave. Maybe worse. Dave committed it in a drunken state. While she did it in a fully conscious state. Was there still any point in maintaining the current relationship? Did she still deserve to say love to Dave?

    No! Love was not a problem between them. She and Dave loved each other. The problems that unfold were not so trivial. Many things prevented her from holding Dave¡¯s hand. Not love, not also the blessing of their parents. She just didn¡¯t want to be burdened with guilt all the time. The guilt that always reminded her of Lea¡¯s presence.

    However, there was something else that was currently making her uneasy. Why did she dream about that time again? Why was she reminded again of the past she wanted so badly to forget? Why was she reminded again of the jade-eyed man she had been with that night, six years ago? Was it because his eyes were so similar to Samuel¡¯s?

    Clara was wondering, were Jade and Samuel the same person? Unfortunately, when she tried to remember Jade¡¯s face, Clara couldn¡¯t remember at all. He was handsome. But she forgot the details.

    Clara turned to the man who was snoring softly next to her. It was very difficult to move when his arms hugged her. His arms were too big and heavy. Much more muscular than Jade¡¯s arms. His skin was also darker, opposite to Jade¡¯s pale skin.

    It could be, Jade did get the muscles due to very hard training. It could also be that he got a tan because he was exposed to a lot of sunlight.

    Curious, Clara lifted Samuel¡¯s heavy arms aside so she could sit up. She then opened the blanket to check the part that usually leaves a triangular shape when sunbathing. However, just as Clara was about to sit up, Samuel pulled her back into his arms.

    .....

    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± Samuel murmured with his eyes closed. ¡°This time, don¡¯t leave me!¡±

    Clara was imprisoned again in Samuel¡¯s warm embrace. Her head fell back into Samuel¡¯s muscular shoulder. Very comfortable cushion, the most comfortable in the world.

    ¡°Hey, Sam! It¡¯s already morning,¡± Clara whispered.

    ¡°Five more minutes!¡± whispered Samuel as he kissed Clara¡¯s forehead.

    Soft snoring came from Samuel¡¯s lips again, blowing hot and soft air on Clara¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Sam, where did you get such beautiful light brown skin?¡± asked Clara softly. She decided to just ask instead of peeking at Samuel¡¯s underwear area like a pervert.

    Samuel who was half asleep replied, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just curious,¡± Clara said as she moved her fingers randomly across Samuel¡¯s chest.

    ¡°I sunbathed a lot while touring around Europe. Just wanted to be different from my cousin. I¡¯m annoyed because I¡¯m often mistaken for him,¡± said Samuel in a lazy hoarse voice.

    Clara smiled at Samuel¡¯s childlike answer. Her eyes fell on Samuel¡¯s nipples. She then brought her thumbs there, fiddling with them gently.

    ¡°Are you starting to tease me again?¡± whispered Samuel. ¡°You want to do it again?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes opened, welcoming Clara with his deep green eyes.

    The man then brought his body above Clara, sheltering her gallantly. ¡°I will be happy to have you as breakfast.¡±

    Clara laughed heartily. For her, Samuel was like a machine. Made her have to drain her energy overnight. Now, was he ready to do it again?

    Suddenly, Clara thought back to a conversation she had with Abigail six years ago.

    ¡®Jeez, is he a machine?¡¯

    ¡®Last night was his last night before he went to Europe.¡¯

    Wait. Where did she hear the name of Samuel? Was he the guy her friend, Rosie, was after when she was in college? He was Samuel. He was a pianist. If he really was that Samuel, then he should know Rosie.

    ¡°Sam! Did you come to Rosie¡¯s party six years ago?¡± asked Clara, stopping Samuel¡¯s hands from starting to play with her nipple.

    ¡°Rosie?¡± asked Samuel confused.

    ¡°Before you left for Europe, did you attend Rosie¡¯s birthday party?¡± Clara asked, demanding an answer.

    Samuel fell silent. He seemed to think of something. ¡°Albert¡¯s cousin? They invited me to play the piano on his cousin¡¯s birthday.¡±

    Clara felt a lump in her throat. It turned out that it was true, he was Samuel, the handsome pianist that Rosie had targeted.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Samuel again when he saw Clara pensive. The stimulus didn¡¯t work. The sucking on the nipple that should have made her twitch, was completely ignored.

    ¡°Did you ¡­ have a bad incident back then?¡± Clara asked again.

    Samuel laughed lightly. ¡°That¡¯s right, that damn girl was planning bad things for me. She put drugs in my drink and intended to set me up. Luckily I was able to get away from her. There was an incident that made me leave the party earlier ¡­.¡±

    Samuel paused. His face tightened. He then lost his passion as well. The man then sat up straight, away from Clara. There was a wound on his face that could not be conveyed.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ spent the night with a girl. It was the most beautiful night of my entire life.¡±

    Clara¡¯s heart sank. She locked eyes with Samuel.

    Samuel smiled bitterly. ¡°I asked her out on a date. However, she chose to live the fate decided by her family.¡±

    Clara¡¯s face stiffened, she wanted to say something, but couldn¡¯t. Her lips were trembling, she couldn¡¯t control it.

    Samuel continued his story, ¡°She made me happy overnight, then broke my heart instantly in the morning.¡±

 Chapter 151 - 151 151. The Shattered Feelings

    151 151. The Shattered Feelings

    Clara¡¯s throat constricted, looking at Samuel with mixed feelings. Her eyes heated up, and tears welled up in her eyelids.

    Were Jade and Samuel the same person? If not, why were the stories too similar? Did Samuel experience the same thing as Jade?

    ¡°She left me alone in a hotel room and woke up alone after I asked her out on a date with me. You know, she previously said, if only I was the man she was betrothed to, she would agree,¡± said Samuel, explaining in an even tone. Clara saw his jaw tighten as he looked away from her.

    ¡°Do ¡­ you hate her?¡± asked Clara with trembling lips. Right now, she was wondering if Samuel was Jade.

    Samuel was silent. ¡°I was just heartbroken. Am I wrong?¡± He glanced back at Clara. ¡°She wasn¡¯t wrong either. We only met for a night, who would believe in a stranger?¡±

    Clara nodded. She wanted to explain to Samuel why she had chosen to leave that night. However, she couldn¡¯t bring her lips to say it.

    ¡°Love cannot grow overnight. There is only chemistry, which makes us want to be closer to that person. That will happen if both of them agree,¡± continued Samuel again. He looked at Clara with a hurt look. ¡°Not everyone admits that many lovers start with strangers.¡±

    Clara felt her throat go dry. Tears were running down her cheeks without her noticing. Samuel saw her, wiping away her tears tenderly.

    ¡°Can I have a glass of water?¡± Clara asked, changing the subject.

    .....

    ¡°Sure,¡± whispered Samuel.

    The man then got up and got dressed. ¡°You can use my bathroom.¡±

    Clara nodded. ¡°Thank you. Coincidentally, I had to rush to the hospital. Because I have a business to take care of.¡±

    Samuel then went downstairs to prepare a light breakfast. In the kitchen, he met Sofia asking the maid to make her favorite breakfast.

    ¡°Hi, Sam! Did you have a good night?¡± asked Sofia with a bright and nosy face.

    ¡°Good!¡± answered Samuel without smiling. He took some eggs from the fridge and took a bowl to beat the eggs.

    The maid who was with Sofia was stunned by Samuel¡¯s unusual act. ¡°Let me¡ª¡±

    ¡°No need, she¡¯s my guest. I¡¯ll make it myself,¡± Samuel answered flatly. ¡°Can you help me prepare a change of clothes for her?¡±

    ¡°This early?¡± asked the maid. She didn¡¯t know where to go to buy clothes so early.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to my room,¡± Sofia replied. ¡°I have some new clothes.¡±

    Sofia and the maid didn¡¯t bother Samuel anymore. The two of them immediately went to the room to prepare Clara¡¯s change of clothes.

    Not long after, two servings of cheese omelet, a glass of water, a glass of apple juice, and a carton of milk were ready on the tray. Samuel took them upstairs.

    In the room, Clara was already wearing Sofia¡¯s clothes, which were quite large. A baby blue long-sleeve shirt combined with skinny blue jeans made her look like a teenager. Samuel, who saw Clara dressed up and checked her appearance in the mirror, stopped for a moment.

    Clara realized someone was watching her. She then came to a halt, embarrassed.

    ¡°Are the colors too childish?¡± Clara asked Samuel.

    Samuel shook his head. ¡°Looks better for your eye color. Instead of red, shades of blue will make your eyes pop.¡±

    Clara¡¯s heart clenched. Was Samuel making fun of her because she wore a red dress six years ago? Did he remember that the girl he spent the night with was her?

    ¡°Breakfast is ready.¡± Samuel set the food on the table.

    Clara came closer and suddenly felt hungry seeing the food that was served on the small dining table near the sofa. ¡°Looks really good,¡± Clara said as she took a sip of water from her glass.

    ¡°I made it myself. Don¡¯t know how it tastes. Hope you like it,¡± Samuel answered in a flat voice. He smiled lightly at Clara.

    They then eat together. ¡°It¡¯s delicious. I happen to like cheese omelets.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I can only make cheese omelets and cold cereal for breakfast,¡± said Samuel again, chuckling. ¡°How about your fianc¨¦?¡± asked Samuel with a straight face.

    Clara stopped chewing. She took a sip of water to help her swallow the food. ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about him?¡± Clara asked without smiling. She knew that Samuel wanted to start a cold war.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked again. ¡°I¡¯m just ¡­ curious.¡±

    Clara smiled. ¡°Do you have an obsession with women who already have a partner?¡± quipped Clara while opening the milk.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t like arranged marriages. I don¡¯t like parents who dictate their child¡¯s life,¡± Samuel answered coldly. His green eyes stared at Clara with a sharp gaze.

    ¡°Is matchmaking always bad? If he¡¯s handsome and loves me, wouldn¡¯t I be lucky?¡± Clara asked, saying what Samuel had said in the past.

    Samuel fell silent. They then continued eating silently.

    ¡°Thank you very much for the breakfast,¡± Clara said after finishing her food. ¡°I¡¯ll clean the dishes.¡±

    ¡°Just leave it here, the maid will take care of it,¡± Samuel prevented. ¡°Do you need a ride to the hospital?¡±

    Clara shook her head. She didn¡¯t want to reject the offer, but she didn¡¯t want to be with Samuel any longer. It felt so awkward. She couldn¡¯t help it.

    ¡°I will call a cab.¡±

    ¡°If you come to my place, uninvited, you must be willing to be escorted home.¡± Samuel remained adamant. ¡°The driver will be ready for you outside.¡±

    Clara sighed softly. ¡°Do you always take your one-night stands home?¡± asked Clara irritably. ¡°And send them back in the morning?¡±

    ¡°I never bring one-night stands home,¡± Samuel replied with a wry laugh.

    Clara just realized that Samuel¡¯s house was not a place with enough privacy. Little did she know that Samuel¡¯s house was much worse than that.

    However, Clara¡¯s clueless didn¡¯t last long because soon she felt something like an earthquake. Samuel¡¯s room floor shook. There was the sound of small footsteps moving into the room and opening the door suddenly like a surprise attack.

    ¡°Samuel! We are home!¡±

 Chapter 152 - 152 152. His Siblings

    152 152. His Siblings

    Samuel was surprised when two toddler boys invaded his room. The four-year-old twins ran fast and vied to hug their eldest brother.

    ¡°Samuel! I brought souvenirs from the Maldives!¡± said Leo, the green-eyed boy, while hugging a leg. ¡°My souvenirs are great.¡±

    ¡°You will definitely like it!¡± Noah, the gray-eyed boy, was not to be outdone. He held up a small paper bag while hugging the other leg. ¡°Mine is better than Leo! Small but nicer. You should join us, Sam! Maldives is warm and great. It was like summer.¡±

    However, there was no response from the person they hugged. The twins made mistakes. What the two of them hugged was not Samuel¡¯s leg, but Clara¡¯s, making her cheeks flushed red.

    ¡°Leo, does Samuel have a soft ass?¡± asked Noah who felt strange. He squeezed the buttocks of the person he was hugging while frowning.

    ¡°Who knows? Usually, we can¡¯t hold Samuel¡¯s buttocks,¡± Leo replied. ¡°Are we growing taller that fast? Is that because we went to a hotter place? Are we expanding?¡±

    Noah and Leo squeezed Clara¡¯s buttocks with their little hands while giving them questioning looks. ¡°It feels nice, eh?¡± said Noah and Leo together.

    Of course, this made Clara¡¯s face redder with anger. When she was inflamed and about to throw a tantrum at the toddlers, Samuel, who had been sitting, immediately got up from the chair to approach the twins.

    ¡°Boys, it looks like you hugged the wrong person,¡± said Samuel, laughing.

    .....

    The toddlers turned around to find their older brother bending down to greet them. The twins looked at each other and looked up, facing Clara who was about to spit dragon fire from her mouth and nose.

    Instantly, the children immediately let go of Clara¡¯s legs and ran towards Samuel. ¡°Oh, scary! We made mistakes!¡±

    Noah and Leo hid behind their older brother¡¯s back, covering their faces there. Occasionally, they peeked to make sure of Clara¡¯s face. Then they hid again.

    ¡°Hey, you guys are being rude! Apologize to her. She is ¡­ my friend,¡± protested Samuel as he pulled the small arms of his twin brothers. Noah and Leo walked shyly to the front, then had to venture up to Clara.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give the first one who apologizes to her ¡­ Uhm¡­ maybe ice cream as a gift,¡± Samuel persuaded again. Wonderful! The two of them then walked quickly toward Clara.

    ¡°Forgive me, miss! I didn¡¯t expect that my brother¡¯s friend was in the room,¡± Leo said, starting to apologize.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry too! I thought Leo hugged the right person,¡± Noah blamed his brother. ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t the first,¡± he whispered disappointedly as he pursed his lips.

    The cute behavior of the twin boys amused Clara. Her anger evaporated. She then bent down to greet the two adorable boys. With a sincere smile, of course.

    ¡°No problem! However, next time you guys need to be careful, okay? What you did earlier could make a woman angry,¡± Clara said while stroking the heads of the twin toddlers together.

    The twins nodded while looking at Clara with their round and clear eyes. ¡°Forgive us, please! We know that you are kind.¡±

    Clara pursed her lips, pretending to object. She then said, ¡°As long as you two give me a peck on the cheek, I¡¯ll forgive both of you.¡±

    The two then looked at each other, doubtfully. They never kissed a girl because their mother forbade them. Only family should be treated like that.

    ¡°Whoever kisses my cheek first gets ice cream,¡± Clara coaxed as she felt rejected.

    Of course, Noah, who didn¡¯t get ice cream from Samuel earlier, immediately kissed Clara¡¯s right cheek. He then cheered excitedly, ¡°Hooray! I got ice cream too!¡±

    Clara laughed at the cuteness of Samuel¡¯s twin brothers. She then pulled them both into her arms.

    ¡°Ah, you two are so cute,¡± Clara said as she hugged them fondly. ¡°I¡¯m Clara. And you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Leo!¡± replied the green-eyed boy. Clara admired Leo, imagining little Samuel as a small kid, in her arms, hugging her dearly.

    ¡°I¡¯m Noah!¡± replied the gray-eyed boy, who looked like his mother. He smiled sweetly at Clara, either because it was friendly or because he was going to get ice cream from her.

    Samuel¡¯s heart, which had been cloudy because of the unpleasant conversation with Clara, suddenly turned warm. He stared fixedly at the woman who had a gloomy face, joking freely with the twins like there was no burden. Clara¡¯s sadness seemed to disappear, making a smile etched on Samuel¡¯s face.

    ¡°Noah, Leo!¡± Suddenly, Sofia entered Samuel¡¯s room in a panic. ¡°Good grief! you guys! I told you not to go to Samuel¡¯s room!¡±

    Sofia immediately approached the twins and patted their bottoms. Both of them screamed in unison. ¡°Forgive them, Clara! Are they bothering you?¡± Sofia asked guiltily.

    ¡°No, they¡¯re funny,¡± Clara replied with a laugh.

    Feeling flattered, the twins, who had been shy, now approached Clara and hugged her tightly.

    ¡°Miss Clara is nice,¡± said Noah while embracing Clara¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Sofia is scary!¡± Leo said, imitating Noah¡¯s movements, embracing Clara, and moving away from Sofia.

    ¡°You guys! How dare makes fun of me. Don¡¯t expect you to get chocolate candy from me again,¡± Sofia threatened angrily.

    The atmosphere became very noisy. Especially after four of Samuel¡¯s other siblings came into the room. Everyone wanted to ¡®play¡¯ and get involved in the chaos in the eldest son¡¯s room.

    ¡°Sofia, why are Mom and Dad already home? You said they¡¯d be home Wednesday?¡± asked Samuel in a whisper in Sofia¡¯s ear. His eyes were still looking at his younger siblings who were circling Clara like kindergartners and their teacher. Or maybe, Snow White and the dwarves.

    ¡°Mom said dad had to come home because there was something ¡­ very important,¡± Sofia whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the details. What¡¯s clear is that dad has to go to the office this afternoon.¡±

    It was then, the person in question suddenly got behind them and interrupted in between Samuel and Sofia, ¡°Your dad has an urgent meeting this afternoon. So, we have to go home soon. Do you mind being caught bringing a guest over?¡±

 Chapter 153 - 153 153. His Mom

    153 153. His Mom

    Samuel and Sofia looked to their sides to find their mother in the midst of them, her arms stretched out over her children¡¯s shoulders. She was like a friendly mom. But the expressions of her both kids were strange.

    Sweat wet Samuel¡¯s temples. He didn¡¯t know what to say to explain to his mother.

    ¡°Can I get acquainted with that lucky young woman?¡± asked Larissa while narrowing her eyes. While Sofia could only cover her mouth with both hands so as not to scream hysterically.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t get me wrong, we are nothing. She didn¡¯t do anything that could be said to be a serious relationship,¡± Samuel said defensively.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± Larissa asked Samuel. She then turned to her daughter. ¡°Is that so, Sofia?¡±

    ¡°R-right, I think, the two of them just had fun last night,¡± Sofia answered frankly. ¡°They¡¯re just continuing what was postponed¡ª¡±

    Sofia¡¯s screams were heard after. She didn¡¯t continue her report because Samuel¡¯s pinch on the waist caused her pain.

    ¡°Oh? Really? What was delayed?¡± Larissa asked, looking at Samuel with an intimidating look.

    ¡°Mom, me and her just¡ªOuch!¡±

    .....

    Samuel couldn¡¯t continue his explanation because he was hit by someone from behind. It was heavy enough to make Samuel bend over.

    ¡°I win! I got Samuel first!¡± Clara yelled, laughing because she managed to prank the small children who surrounded her.

    ¡°You cheated! You run so fast. You should give in,¡± protested Katie, Samuel¡¯s sister who was in 7th grade. She was disappointed because she should have gotten Samuel first if Clara didn¡¯t go first.

    ¡°No, Katie!¡± Clara argued. She still hadn¡¯t let go of Samuel¡¯s back. ¡°I came first. There¡¯s no rule about height, right?¡±

    ¡°You two should have given up on being the winner!¡± protested Madison, Samuel¡¯s younger sister who was still in fourth grade. ¡°The smaller ones won¡¯t win against you guys with long legs.¡±

    ¡°Come on, you guys are kids and no one has any money. Clara is a grown-up. If she wins, it means she treats all of you to eat ice cream,¡± said Harry, Samuel¡¯s younger brother who was in grade 9. He was the most serious one and didn¡¯t want to play ¡®catch Samuel first¡¯ because he considered it childish.

    ¡°Harry¡¯s right, I¡¯ll treat you all,¡± Clara conceded, still facing the kids who were listing all kinds of demands on her. She was still clinging to Samuel¡¯s back as if she didn¡¯t want his catch to escape.

    ¡°Miss Clara. I have a lot of money even though I¡¯m a kid. If you¡¯re struggling financially, just tell me,¡± Aiden said with concern. The child who was still in the first grade of elementary school was very kind and generous.

    ¡°Uhm!¡± Larissa cleared her throat, making Clara surprised. When she turned her head and met Larissa¡¯s eyes, she immediately got off Samuel¡¯s back and fixed her appearance.

    ¡°Ah, sorry! I¡ªI didn¡¯t know you were here,¡± Clara said nervously and ran her fingers through her hair. Her face blushed, looked at Larissa and looked down again. ¡°I was going to leave this place. But instead, I messed up the room. I will soon¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Larissa, the mother of these children,¡± said Larissa as she introduced herself while holding out her hand.

    ¡°I am ... Clara,¡± Clara answered awkwardly.

    ¡°Samuel¡¯s friend?¡± asked Larissa with a firm look.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    Before Clara could finish her words, Leo and Noah screamed. They were both already on Samuel¡¯s unmade bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s smelly!¡± Leo commented when he smelled Samuel¡¯s semen which was still attached to the sheet.

    ¡°Sticky!¡± Noah touched it, trying to analyze it.

    ¡°What is that?¡± asked Aiden curiously.

    Instantly Samuel and Clara¡¯s faces flushed red. Crap! Why was the atmosphere so chaotic? The first thing they should do is clean up.

    Samuel immediately jumped on the bed and chased his siblings away. He carried Noah to wash his hands and quickly dried them so that Noah would not splash the water around.

    ¡°Sofia, take everyone outside,¡± Larissa ordered firmly. The atmosphere in Samuel¡¯s room was suddenly tense. The usually kind Larissa turned so scary.

    Sofia just nodded and immediately led her siblings away. She only glanced at Samuel before leaving her brother¡¯s room and closing the door. Needless to say, Samuel knew that Sofia was saying ¡®good luck¡¯ to him with her rolling eyes.

    Samuel just hissed, blaming himself for not sending Clara home earlier. Because he was a little late, he was forced to explain to his mother about Clara. It was annoying as hell. He wasn¡¯t ready for this current situation.

    Larissa observed the messy atmosphere of Samuel¡¯s room, as well as the unmade bed. She also saw traces of unfinished breakfast.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to clean this room right away,¡± Clara whispered, feeling bad about being so dirty.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem, dear! The maid will clean up later,¡± Larissa told her guest. She then turned to her son to demand a brief explanation. ¡°You still remember that you can¡¯t bring a girl home, right?¡±

    ¡°Mom this is¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know you feel free because no one is home. But, you know that Sofia is still too young to witness all of this, right?¡± Larissa looked at her son with a sharp look.

    Samuel looked so awkward. He didn¡¯t know what to explain to his mother. He tried to say something, but everything seemed stupid.

    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± Clara interrupted. ¡°It was I who came here uninvited.¡±

    Hearing Clara¡¯s story, Larissa turned her attention to the young woman who was with her son. ¡°What do you mean? Could you please explain further?¡±

    ¡°This was all unexpected. We didn¡¯t mean to do anything,¡± Clara explained awry. She combed her hair again with her left fingers.

    It was then, Larissa saw something unusual. Something that shouldn¡¯t be on Clara¡¯s ring finger since she spent the night with Samuel. However, it was there: an engagement ring.

    Larissa¡¯s eyes were fixed on Clara. She seemed to remember someone who looked a lot like the young woman. Her forehead wrinkled, looking thoughtful.

    ¡°Your face is quite familiar,¡± Larissa muttered with a serious face. Before long, her eyes widened as she managed to recognize the young woman. ¡°Are you Patrick Decker¡¯s daughter?¡±

 Chapter 154 - 159 Chs

    159 Chs

    ADD

    154 154. Mother¡¯s Anger

    Clara¡¯s face paled at the sound of her father¡¯s name being called. That was bad! Samuel¡¯s mother recognized her well. So fast as if without a pause.

    There¡¯s no point in hiding her identity. Clara nodded slowly. She looked at Larissa with a confused feeling.

    Clara tried to stay calm. She tried to convince herself that she was not a young girl six years ago who was afraid that her identity would be exposed when she was away from her parents supervision.

    Meanwhile, Larissa remembered that soon the daughter of the Decker family would get married. Who else if not Clara? Because they only have one daughter.

    ¡°Sam, can I talk to you for a minute?¡± she asked. She then turned to Clara, excusing herself for a second.

    ¡°I will go¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep anything secret from you. You can stay here,¡± Samuel said, holding Clara¡¯s hand, preventing her from leaving.

    Larisa sighed. She knew that Samuel was a free person and very hard to control. This was because Thomas spoiled him since childhood, as a form of guilt. However, the impact was very bad. Samuel didn¡¯t even hesitate to pester married women like Paula and now ¡­ Clara.

    ¡°Did you realize that Clara is getting married soon?¡± Larissa asked Samuel. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the ring on her finger?¡±

    .....

    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk. I am fully aware,¡± Samuel answered confidently.

    ¡°Then why are you doing this?¡± Larissa snapped. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it enough for your last lesson? You almost ruined your own cousin¡¯s marriage.¡±

    ¡°This is different, Mom,¡± replied Samuel flatly.

    ¡°Still this is not acceptable. Can you say that having an affair is a natural thing?¡± snapped Larissa, annoyed. Her breath hitched, looking at Samuel.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Samuel didn¡¯t force me. I agreed to do it, I know what the risks are,¡± Clara defended Samuel. ¡°Don¡¯t judge if you don¡¯t know what really happened!¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± shouted Larissa.

    ¡°Do you think I am a childish girl who has fun freely before marriage because she wants to enjoy her bachelorette sex party?¡± Clara argued again. ¡°I did six years ago. But now it¡¯s different. That¡¯s not the only reason!¡±

    Clara¡¯s tears started to well up in her eyes. She didn¡¯t want to be told like that by Larissa. All this happened not because of the actions of one person. She agreed in full sobriety.

    ¡°Mom, she has reasons!¡± defended Samuel.

    ¡°Whatever the reason, intentional or unintentional, cheating is not right. You can only have sex with a woman who is not bound by any commitment to another man,¡± Larissa snapped again to Samuel. This time her anger could not be contained. ¡°I asked her to leave. But you got in the way, Sam! It¡¯s not my fault that Clara is offended.¡±

    Suddenly, Larissa felt weak. She almost toppled over and fell if Samuel didn¡¯t support her body.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Sam panicked.

    ¡°Bring her to bed ¡­ oh ¡­ couch is fine!¡± Clara ordered.

    Samuel then took his mother to the couch and leaned her back against the couch in Clara¡¯s direction. They couldn¡¯t possibly use a dirty bed to lay Larissa there.

    Clara checked Larissa¡¯s pulse to make sure she was okay. Samuel brought a glass of water for his mother, giving it slowly to her.

    ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡± asked Samuel with a pale face. He felt guilty for making his mother sick with anger.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call an ambulance,¡± Clara said, feeling uncomfortable.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m fine,¡± prevented Larissa. ¡°I¡¯m probably just tired from the trip.¡±

    Clara then sat down beside Larissa to check on her condition once again. After confirming that Samuel¡¯s mother was indeed okay, her face showed relief.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you need to calm down,¡± Clara said. She looked calm, not panicked like before. ¡°If there are complaints in the future, make sure you take them to the hospital for a more thorough examination,¡± she added while giving several suggestions to Samuel.

    ¡°Does your mother often experience things like this?¡± Clara asked again.

    ¡°Not really. Even if it happens, it¡¯s usually when she turned out to be pregnant again,¡± said Samuel while reminiscing.

    Clara felt hurt. Her face looked sad. In this world, some people get pregnant very easily. But some cannot have children like her.

    ¡°You¡¯re daydreaming,¡± commented Samuel as he patted Clara¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Ah, sorry!¡± Clara replied with a jolt.

    ¡°Mom, are you pregnant again?¡± Samuel asked his mother. Meanwhile, Larissa was feeling better, pinching Samuel¡¯s cheek hard.

    ¡°Did you think I would get pregnant again after having eight rascals?¡± Larissa reprimanded Samuel, annoyed.

    ¡°Dad told me he doesn¡¯t want to stop impregnating you?¡± argued Samuel, inviting his mother to protest again.

    Clara could only look at the mother and son in front of her with a smile of envy. She swallowed heavily, enduring the pain in her chest.

    ¡°Call your father for me,¡± Larissa asked Samuel.

    Samuel then immediately left the room to call Thomas, leaving Clara and Larissa alone. Clara knew that Larissa had no intention of calling her husband at all. He knew that Samuel¡¯s mother wanted to talk to him privately.

    ¡°Clara, I know, I am no one to you,¡± said Larissa. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just don¡¯t want Samuel to get himself into trouble again.¡±

    Clara who sat pensively could only nod. ¡°I understand.¡±

    Larisa shook her head. ¡°Forgive me. I don¡¯t intend to judge. I know you have your reasons. However, I just want to remind you. It¡¯s not good to let a problem and misunderstanding drag on.¡±

    Clara just looked at Samuel¡¯s mother with a regretful look.

    Larissa stroked Clara¡¯s hair affectionately, then said, ¡°I will of course keep this a secret from your family. However, I hope you have the courage to make decisions responsibly. If you intend to take a relationship with commitment, take it. If you can¡¯t for any reason, you know best.¡±

    Clara¡¯s tears fell slowly. Larissa opened her arms to hug Clara. Moments later, only Clara¡¯s sobs could be heard in the room. She cried in Larissa¡¯s arms, shedding all the sadness she had been holding back for so long.

 Chapter 155 - 155 155. Dadâ€™s Support

    155 155. Dad¡¯s Support

    Seeing Clara who was crying in Larissa¡¯s arms, Samuel and Thomas canceled entering the room. They chose not to disturb the two women who were sharing their care.

    The men then waited outside the room. Thomas wanted to know the problem from Samuel¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡± Thomas asked his eldest son.

    ¡°He ... I don¡¯t know,¡± replied Samuel lazily.

    ¡°Larissa is angry because you brought a girl to the house?¡± asked Thomas intently.

    ¡°Sure, because that¡¯s not a good example for Sofia,¡± Samuel replied again.

    ¡°Is there something else that makes her angry?¡± Thomas probed again. ¡°Seeing the behavior of the two of them, it¡¯s impossible for Larissa to just be angry because you brought a one-night stand home.¡±

    Samuel rubbed his face. He leaned his back against the wall. ¡°She¡¯s another man¡¯s fianc¨¦. Getting married soon,¡± Samuel answered in a faint whisper.

    Thomas¡¯s face tightened. His face was suddenly unfriendly. ¡°Do you really not know her?¡± Thomas insisted, demanding answers from his son.

    .....

    ¡°I don¡¯t know her. I already told you, didn¡¯t I?¡± answered Samuel with a gloomy face.

    ¡°However, your face says that she is no stranger to you. Do you always do that every time you meet a woman?¡± Thomas insisted as if he wanted to corner his son with the inevitable question.

    Samuel looked at his father lazily. He felt he didn¡¯t want to be interrogated and chose to avoid it. He was about to run away, but his father held back. ¡°Don¡¯t run away from my questions if you still want to get all this facility from me.¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡±

    ¡°I have the right to ask you,¡± Thomas demanded again. ¡°Have you forgotten that you made me ashamed of my own brother because you chased after her daughter-in-law?¡±

    ¡°Dad! didn¡¯t know they loved each other! What¡¯s wrong with trying?¡± Samuel was angry because his father brought up his actions again, after Paula, and it ended in failure and conflict with William¡¯s family.

    ¡°You know they love each other,¡± said Thomas, making Samuel chuckle in annoyance.

    ¡°The two of us just spent the night together. Nothing else. I won¡¯t stop her from marrying her future husband,¡± Samuel answered curtly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural for someone to want to end their single life by spending the night with another man before getting married?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Thomas replied curtly. ¡°However, I see you have things that have the potential to derail the wedding plans.¡±

    ¡°I am not going to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling you want to thwart her,¡± Thomas cut in. He knew his son very well. This was different from Paula¡¯s case. There was a wound radiating on Samuel¡¯s face. Surely their night wasn¡¯t just a meaningless night.

    ¡°Who asked to sleep first?¡± he asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s after me, I was just asking for more,¡± Samuel replied. ¡°What did I do wrong?¡±

    Thomas laughed wryly. ¡°The problem is only you two know,¡± said Thomas, patting his son on the back. He then embraced Samuel to provide support.

    ¡°Sometimes, feelings do come at the wrong time. However, be a man with dignity. Don¡¯t chase a girl and fail her marriage if you don¡¯t intend to be serious with her,¡± said Thomas in a wise tone. ¡°Consider all the consequences of your actions.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s face grew even darker. He laughed wryly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m feeling. I also don¡¯t want to spoil other people¡¯s relationships. I ... last night just asked her to do what she deserved to do to her fianc¨¦. An eye for an eye¡± explained Samuel further.

    However, Samuel¡¯s feelings were more messed up than what he was saying. He already realized that Clara was the girl who six years ago gave her virginity to him to help him who was under the influence of drugs. The only virgin he¡¯d ever touch.

    He also realized from Clara¡¯s questions that the young woman already knew that he was the man who claimed to be Jade six years ago. They both lied about their names. However, there must be the same feeling when they meet again.

    ¡°Six years ago, she came to me when her engagement was about to be made official,¡± Samuel said suddenly. ¡°Now, she came to me when she was about to marry her fianc¨¦. Do you think it was all just a coincidence?¡± asked Samuel to his father but without looking at him

    Thomas felt the tightness from Samuel¡¯s scarred face. Surely their meetings were something. Just like fate.

    ¡°Do you think I was wrong when I wanted to take her away from her fianc¨¦ who impregnated another girl? Am I wrong if I want to pull her so as not to be sucked into the valley of suffering?¡± he asked again.

    Thomas listened to Samuel¡¯s rants carefully. The wise father then said, ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Even if ¡­ you fall in love with her, you¡¯re still not wrong.¡±

    Samuel turned to his father who said something he didn¡¯t expect at all. He thought his father would scold him as his mother had.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong is, if you force your intention on her,¡± continued Thomas in a soft and hoarse whisper. ¡°Everyone has a choice, Sam! And sometimes their choices aren¡¯t just based on feelings.¡±

    Thomas patted Samuel one more time. Then they decided to enter the room.

    Clara invited Samuel¡¯s father to come in and wait for his wife. She then said goodbye to them.

    Both Larissa and Thomas agreed that Samuel could not accompany Clara, to avoid trouble. As she said goodbye, Clara thanked everyone.

    ¡°When are you going to treat us to ice creams?¡± asked Noah.

    ¡°Clara is very busy. Instead, I¡¯ll buy ice creams for all of you later,¡± said Samuel.

    The young man then turned to Clara. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think about their requests.¡±

    Clara smiled in return. ¡°Thank you. Your family is very kind to me.¡±

    Sam smiled and nodded. ¡°Since this is our last meeting, I will return this to you.¡±

    Samuel reached out to Clara, giving her the handkerchief Clara had left behind six years ago. Clara¡¯s eyes heated up. Tears streamed down her cheeks again without daring to look at Samuel. Her heart shattered into pieces.

 Chapter 156 - 156 156. Her Decision

    156 156. Her Decision

    Larissa could only look at Clara and Samuel with tears in her heart. She leaned her head against her husband¡¯s chest, shedding tears helplessly. Thomas rubbed his wife¡¯s back, trying to calm her down.

    ¡°The path of love will be different. Just pray for their good,¡± said Thomas. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember that our journey was not smooth either?¡±

    Larisa just nodded. She knew what her husband said was true, but she knew Clara¡¯s burden must be heavy. She realized the girl had other burdens that she couldn¡¯t tell anyone about.

    Meanwhile, Clara crumpled the handkerchief in her hand. ¡°Thank you. I didn¡¯t expect you to still have it,¡± Clara said in a trembling voice, without looking at Samuel. Tears seeped into her lips, making her taste her salty tears.

    ¡°Maybe, in my heart I had hoped to meet that handkerchief owner again. However, my ego prevented me from looking for her,¡± answered Samuel, smiling bitterly.

    ¡°Wow, but you still keep it,¡± Clara said, forcing a smile.

    ¡°Coincidentally, fate made me meet her again,¡± replied Samuel, swallowing the tightness in his chest.

    Clara nodded. Her heart was being squeezed hard. All this time, she had always convinced herself that her meeting with Samuel was just a coincidence. However, there was something inside her that denied it. That¡¯s not a coincidence at all.

    ¡°Wise people say nothing happens by chance in this world,¡± Clara muttered, ¡°unfortunately, I¡¯m not one.¡±

    .....

    Silence stretched between them. For so long, no one spoke. Samuel then opened the car door for Clara. The driver then drove her immediately to the hospital, as requested.

    Along the way, Clara just cried silently. She crumpled the handkerchief in her hand as she recalled about the past. The time when she met Samuel for the first time, six years ago.

    He was so heroic and charming. He made her feel happy even though it was her first time.

    Clara imagined what would have happened if she had chosen to date Samuel. Would she be Samuel¡¯s wife this time? Would they still be together? Or did their relationship break as time passed?

    If she chose Samuel, surely she wouldn¡¯t experience a betrayal from Dave. However, who can guarantee that Samuel would be a lover who would always be loyal to her? Likewise with her. Who would guarantee that she would not betray him?

    If she thought about it, no one knows the future. She and Dave used to be inseparable lovers. No one thought that they would experience something bitter like this with Dave. She never thought her fiance would sleep with another girl.

    So did her last night. She had consciously slept with another man. Soberly, she had sex with Samuel many times. She consciously avenged Dave for what he did, without feeling guilty about it.

    Instead of wanting to apologize, Clara¡¯s desire to let go of Dave just got bigger. Her desire to leave her marriage was getting higher. She wanted to meet Dave at this time and tell him all theabout obstacles in her heart.

    ¡°Could you drop me off at another place?¡± Clara asked the driver when they almost reached the hospital.

    The driver nodded, then he asked about Clara¡¯s other destination. The driver quickly took a U-turn and changed direction towards Dave¡¯s office.

    This time, Clara had made up her mind. She must talk to Dave. It was never too late to solve a problem before it dragged on.

    It was true what Samuel¡¯s mother said, what she did last night was still not right because she was still engaged to Dave. Moreover, she would soon get married to her fianc¨¦e.

    If she had made a commitment, she must maintain it. It was not permissible to violate her commitment. It was a form of adult responsibility. If she couldn¡¯t go on any longer, she should talk about her problem well.

    Dave had a right to know about this. Just as he confessed to her, she must have the courage to tell him the truth.

    Not long after, the car that Clara was riding in stopped at a skyscraper, where Dave¡¯s office was located. She thanked the driver and strode resolutely into her fianc¨¦¡¯s office.

    All of Dave¡¯s employees greeted her with a smile. They all knew her well.

    ¡°Is Dave busy?¡± Clara asked Theresa, the secretary. ¡°I didn¡¯t make any appointment.¡±

    ¡°You know my boss is never busy when you¡¯re around,¡± Theresa said with a friendly smile. There¡¯s nothing wrong with fawning over her boss¡¯s future wife.

    Clara then walked into Dave¡¯s office after Theresa called in. The man, with a tired and preoccupied face, forced a smile on his future wife.

    ¡°Baby, are you okay?¡± he asked with a smile that he made as cute as possible. However, Clara knew very well that it was not Dave¡¯s usual smile. How could a father smile when he realized his future baby was in danger?

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°I looked for you last night at the hospital because you said you¡¯d be staying there all night,¡± Dave said. ¡°Your phone is unreachable. So, I¡¯m worried.¡±

    Clara smiled. She knew the old Dave would panic and search the whole town if he lost track of her.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask my parents?¡± she asked. Her face didn¡¯t smile at all. Very serious and tense. But Dave still hasn¡¯t gotten a clue as to what happened to his fianc¨¦.

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried calling your house but the maid said they¡¯re not on the line,¡± Dave replied flatly. ¡°Something happened?¡±

    Clara nodded with a faint smile. It was sad to say the truth but she determined to say it to him. She then said in a bland voice, ¡°I turned off my phone last night because I was staying over at another man¡¯s place.¡±

    Dave was flabbergasted. He didn¡¯t expect Clara would say something like that. ¡°What do you mean, baby? I heard it wrong, no? You ¡­ what?¡±

    Clara sighed. She stared at him with a sad look, and repeated what she said earlier, ¡°Last night, I slept with another man.¡±

 Chapter 157 - 157 157. Let Me Go

    157 157. Let Me Go

    Dave¡¯s face turned pale. He stared at Clara expressionlessly. He was distraught because of the problems Lea and their baby were facing. Now, Clara said something that broke his heart.

    ¡°Did you get drunk last night?¡± Dave asked, swallowing hard. Dave tried to distract himself by tidying up the pile of documents on his desk. ¡°You spent a good time at the bar?¡±

    Clara shook her head. She approached Dave and said again, ¡°I did it consciously, Dave ¡­. I chased after the man, tailing him like an infatuated woman. When he invited me to take revenge on you, I agreed. Not just once. I enjoyed it. We did it several times.¡±

    Instantly, a fire of anger burned Dave¡¯s chest. His face was red, obviously from rage. He raised a hand, about to slap Clara. However, he was still sane enough to hold back. He clenched his fists so tightly that his hands ached.

    Dave slammed his fist on the table. He shouted to release his anger. Clara¡¯s heart ached, but she realized that she still had to continue this. For everyone¡¯s good. No. This was all the more selfish, she was doing it for her own good.

    ¡°Why are you telling me all this, Clara? You should have kept quiet and didn¡¯t have to tell me,¡± Dave asked in a trembling voice. His hands were still clenched on the table. He didn¡¯t expect Clara to take revenge on him. Didn¡¯t they agree to continue their wedding plans?

    ¡°I just wanted to let you know, this is how I feel right now, Dave. I¡¯m still heartbroken. I¡¯m still easily instigated. I¡¯m still tempted by another man, under the pretext of your betrayal,¡± Clara continued, holding back tears. ¡°Is it possible, with feelings that are still like this you will accept me?¡±

    Dave fell silent. He caught his breath. inhaled. Exhaled.

    ¡°I said I would accept you as you are. I¡¯ve convinced myself to try to convince you,¡± Dave replied later. ¡°We¡¯re still getting married.¡±

    .....

    Clara laughed. The laughter was sad and suffocating. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in my loyalty, Dave. What if we¡¯re married, and I make love to him again? In secret. Without telling you. Do you think that will make our future marriage life intact and happy?¡± asked Clara with tears in her eyes.

    Dave sat on the chair. He was heartbroken, feeling unable to face everything he was going through. It was excruciating and made his heart worried.

    ¡°What made you do all this? Why are you suddenly doing this to me?¡± asked Dave suspiciously. His eyes were bloodshot because sadness and anger had taken over him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do this earlier?¡±

    Dave¡¯s gray eyes stared at Clara intensely, trying to enter Clara¡¯s soul from his eyes. He managed to make Clara¡¯s heart feel chaotic. Feeling helpless, Clara burst into tears.

    ¡°Why do I need a reason to cheat?¡± Clara asked back. ¡°He is so ¡­ handsome and seductive. It¡¯s natural that I really want to feel how to have sex with him, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°You¡¯re lying, right?¡± Dave asked, demanding an honest answer. An answer that would make him believe, a compelling reason for her to betray him. ¡°Look at me in the eyes and tell me your reason again.¡±

    Clara wiped away the tears with her fingers. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Dave! I betrayed you! And I really believe that I will easily do it again in the future. Even after we got married.¡±

    Dave rose from his seat. He walked over to Clara and bent down to level his face with hers.

    ¡°Clara, tell me that you still love me. I wouldn¡¯t mind if you had an affair. As long as you still love me.¡± Dave¡¯s face was pitiful. He tried to look at Clara who was crying even more profusely. However, Clara turned away. She felt so guilty. Why all of this had to happen?

    ¡°Tell me, Clara! Say that you¡¯re just bored and need a distraction. Tell me you just want to vent your anger,¡± Dave squeezed Clara¡¯s shoulder. He begged and begged.

    Clara sobbed even more. Her tears were so heavy. She swallowed heavily. She couldn¡¯t say the reason. Should she convey it to him?

    ¡°I saw you talking to Lea,¡± Clara said in a trembling voice. ¡°You already know Lea¡¯s problem right?¡±

    Dave¡¯s heart seemed to be squeezed hard. His eyes stared blankly at the office floor. So, was that Clara¡¯s excuse? His knees were weak, and he fell kneeling to the floor.

    ¡°I feel that you two are connected by something that I would not be able to interfere with. You two made me feel that I was not a part of it,¡± explained Clara further.

    Clara¡¯s hands reached Dave¡¯s face. She cupped Dave¡¯s cheeks with her cold slender fingers and said, ¡°Sure, I love you, Dave. I love you so much.¡±

    Tears streamed down Dave¡¯s face. His teeth gritted, holding back the vibrations that welled up in his chest.

    ¡°I also know that you love and care for me, Dave,¡± Clara continued with sobs that were getting heavier. ¡°But I know that you also feel the same way... in our case... love alone is not enough to keep us together.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, don¡¯t say that!¡± He hugged Clara, not wanting to let her go.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know this too, Dave. We shouldn¡¯t be together,¡± Clara whispered again. She hugged him tightly, seeking strength from his embrace.

    ¡°Lea is fighting for her baby... your baby...,¡± Clara whispered again in a deep, hoarse voice. ¡°She is risking her life for the innocent baby you made together.¡±

    Dave kept shaking his head. He didn¡¯t want Clara to say the things that had confused him lately.

    ¡°Be a good dad, Dave. Give her your full support and care. She and your baby deserve your love,¡± Clara continued again, she hugged Dave even tighter.

    Dave could only hug Clara blankly. He felt that this time he would lose her. He would lose the love he had cultivated for so long.

    In a trembling and heavy voice, Clara said, ¡°Let me say goodbye to your life, Dave. Start your new life. Let me go.¡±

 Chapter 158 - 158 158. The Last Kiss

    158 158. The Last Kiss

    ¡°Honestly, Dave. Can you bear to see Lea, who is having a hard time fighting for her child¡¯s life, lose her rights as a mother in the future?¡± continued Clara again. She then broke away from Dave¡¯s embrace. ¡°Honestly, I can not do that, even if I have to do it. I will live with regret and guilt for the rest of my life.¡±

    Dave was stunned. Clara was right. He also felt that it was unfair to Lea. Supposedly, anyone would feel the same way. It was as if everyone was conspiring to give Lea a punishment that wasn¡¯t worth the mistakes she made.

    ¡°There is something greater than our love, Dave. There are bigger things to do ¡­ more than uniting our family businesses,¡± Clara said again. This time, she would convince Dave to let her go completely. Failure was not an option.

    Clara squeezed Dave¡¯s hand. Provide support to the man who was in doubt to make the right decision. ¡°It will be fair for your child to know who his or her real mother and father are. Let him or her get the same rights as other children.¡±

    Dave smiled faintly. Again, Clara was right and he wanted to give the same rights to his future baby. He wanted the child to know his or her mother¡¯s great struggle.

    ¡°I know, our parents will object to this decision. However, be a man! Give your parents the same level of compensation,¡± Clara said again. Her lips now felt very cold and dry. Her tongue was no longer able to add moisture to those trembling lips. ¡°You could convince them. I believe in you.¡±

    ¡°How about you? What will your parents do to you?¡± asked Dave worriedly. He understood very well that Patrick was very hard on his daughter.

    Clara gulped. She knew the problem was more confusing than what she had told Dave. She still had unresolved issues.

    Ever since she found out about her true identity, Clara still hadn¡¯t met Patrick and Linda in person. She wanted to stay away from both of them for now. She was even reluctant to use the name Decker as her last name.

    .....

    ¡°Do not worry. I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Clara finally answered. ¡°I¡¯m an adult, Dave. Don¡¯t think of me as the whiny girl Patrick could always threaten.¡±

    Clara forced a light smile on her lips. She looked at Dave affectionately.

    ¡°Am I entitled to a goodbye kiss?¡± Clara asked then.

    Dave put his arm around Clara again. He was reluctant to let Clara go. However, all of Clara¡¯s reasons were in line with his thoughts, making him get paralyzed and unable to move. Something had to be released.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m too greedy because I want to get everything I want?¡± asked Dave in a low voice.

    ¡°You and I, must learn to let go and compromise with fate,¡± whispered Clara.

    Dave breaks away from his embrace with the woman he loved. He then landed his lips on hers. Just lips for lips, he resisted the urge to go any further as that would make it hard for him to let her go.

    Seconds later, they broke away from the kiss. Although many things still made them want to hold hands, this time the two of them let go of each other¡¯s ties peacefully.

    What they wanted was a peaceful goodbye. No hatred. What they wanted was to break ties with a smile.

    Clara leaves Dave¡¯s room devastated. However, she was relieved that she had managed to do so. A heavy weight had been lifted, making her shoulders feel lighter.

    It¡¯s so unfair to let Dave and her be in a marriage full of indecision and sparks of hatred because of the betrayal. Even if the two of them loved and cherished each other, it would be impossible to survive in that kind of life.

    Dave also realized it. He couldn¡¯t force Clara to stay with him, while his heart was bound by something he accidentally created with Lea. Something that made him feel he had another big responsibility, far bigger than his love for Clara.

    Dave also felt that if he was with Lea who was pregnant with his child, he would no longer be able to think about Clara. Lea¡¯s situation, who was currently struggling to risk her life to protect their baby, made him feel closer to the baby¡¯s mother. It made him feel that Clara was something else. It was not like it used to be when all the incidents hadn¡¯t happened.

    The existence of Clara and his future baby in Lea¡¯s womb felt like water and fire. He couldn¡¯t have them at the same time.

    This made Dave feel he had to let Clara go even though he loved her. Clara had made him realize that love alone was not enough to keep them together. In their hearts now, many things have sprung up besides love.

    Not only loved Clara, Dave now had a great sense of responsibility. He started to care for the baby¡¯s mother. The feeling of wanting to protect Lea and how to support her. He also wanted to see Lea give birth to their baby safely so that their child would still have a mother. A great one.

    As for Clara, she felt like she wanted to be free from her parents¡¯ restraints. The feeling of wanting to be alone. She wanted to come to terms with her condition of never being able to have children and let the world know about it. She didn¡¯t want to lose confidence because of that imperfection.

    After leaving Dave, Clara still had other burdens that she must face. She had to meet her parents and tell them the truth.

    In the cab heading to her parent¡¯s house, Clara was determined to explain everything to Patrick and Linda. She would accept any consequences. She would no longer be afraid of Patrick¡¯s threats.

    ¡°Whatever happens, let it happen!¡± muttered Clara as she kissed the handkerchief which was now mixed with Samuel¡¯s masculine scent.

 Chapter 159 - 159 159. The Missing Puzzle

    159 159. The Missing Puzzle

    Clara entered the yard of the Decker¡¯s house with trembling legs and heavy steps. She never thought her life choices would be this heavy. She didn¡¯t expect that she still felt afraid to approach her parents¡¯ house.

    Once she opened the door, her father and mother were waiting in front of the living room. Patrick¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, a sign he already knew what was going on. Dave had probably already told his parents. Patrick must have gotten the news from Dave¡¯s parents.

    Of course, no one meant bad deeds. The sudden cancellation of a wedding would make anyone feel panicked. Of course, Dave¡¯s parents wanted to make sure the news was true.

    However, Patrick, who didn¡¯t know why Clara suddenly made a decision without talking to him first, made the man feel furious.

    As soon as Clara entered the living room, Patrick¡¯s hard slap landed on his daughter¡¯s cheek. ¡°How dare you make your own decision. Do you think this marriage is only between you and Dave? Have you never thought of our interests one bit?¡±

    Fresh blood flowed down the side of Clara¡¯s lips. The red palm print on her cheek made her pretty face look inflamed.

    ¡°Patrick! Stop it!¡± Linda, who earlier could only cry, tried to prevent her husband from venting out all his frustration on Clara.

    ¡°She is so impudent! Do you think after you¡¯re separated from Dave, there will be a man who wants to marry you?¡± snapped Patrick, pointing a finger at her. ¡°It¡¯s lucky that Dave still wanted to marry you even though he knew that you are barren. But you¡¯re doing as you please.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, dad! But I can¡¯t live a life full of lies. Dave and I have come to a mutual agreement. We decided not to continue the wedding,¡± said Clara. She wasn¡¯t going to try to explain all the reasons because she knew that Patric still wouldn¡¯t accept her explanation.

    .....

    ¡°Stupid girl!¡± Patrick slapped Clara again. Now Clara¡¯s nose was bleeding. ¡°This venomous mouth of yours makes us all wretched. It must be because Dave realized that you are a worthless barren girl after all!¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± Linda tried to stop Patrick when her husband¡¯s hand was about to hit Clara again. ¡°She¡¯s your own daughter! She is your flesh and blood! Why are you beating her mercilessly?¡±

    However, all of Linda¡¯s screams could only stop Patrick¡¯s hand from doing evil deeds. The man¡¯s mouth could not stop cursing. He couldn¡¯t let Clara ruin all his plans.

    ¡°Cursed child! This is all because you are barren! Damn girl!¡± shrieked Patrick, cursing hatefully. ¡°Crap! If you are not infertile, surely this kind of thing will never happen!¡±

    ¡°Patrick! What woman wants to be barren? Don¡¯t blame Clara for her shortcomings!¡± defend Linda. She could no longer tolerate her husband¡¯s actions.

    ¡°What? Do you say that she¡¯s not wrong? An innocent girl?¡± Patrick¡¯s face was full of anger, now he looked like a demon king. ¡°If only she could maintain her behavior, this kind of thing would definitely not happen!¡±

    Linda was getting furious. Patrick said nonsense. She had taken great care of Clara¡¯s association. Why was her husband now saying as if Clara was a naughty teenager who escaped from parental supervision?

    ¡°Have you forgotten that Clara is a child we strictly limit her association with?¡± Linda defended while hugging Clara. She shielded Clara so that her husband didn¡¯t dare to touch her daughter again.

    ¡°Get out of the way, Linda!¡± Patrick forced Linda. However, the woman insisted on defending Clara. She hugged Clara even tighter. ¡°She¡¯s a stupid girl who misbehaved.¡±

    ¡°You are the one who made her unable to go anywhere freely. She never sleeps over at her friend¡¯s house. Bodyguards are escorting her. You¡¯re not even allowed Clara to have a cell phone until she was twenty years old. Do you forget it?¡± she snapped again.

    Patrick burst out laughing at his wife¡¯s defense. He shook his head, unable to believe that his wife was so innocent and couldn¡¯t see how Clara wasn¡¯t as cute as she looked.

    ¡°If only I had implemented all the rules earlier, surely it would not have happened like this,¡± Patrick muttered under his breath. ¡°If you didn¡¯t hang out with your wild college friends from the start, you probably wouldn¡¯t have gotten pregnant before you got engaged to Dave.¡±

    Of course, Patrick¡¯s last words were like lightning striking Clara¡¯s ears. What did her father mean? She got pregnant before she got engaged to Dave? She? Pregnant?

    ¡°I was ¡­ what?¡± Clara asked, narrowing her eyes. She gulped hard. She looked at Linda and Patrick alternately, asking for more explanation.

    ¡°Patrick, are you kidding me? You made up stories?¡± Linda asked, looking back and forth between Patrick and Clara. ¡°Clara was pregnant? Why ¡­ why didn¡¯t anyone tell me?¡±

    Linda looked at her daughter again, asking for a detailed explanation from her. ¡°Can you explain to me?¡±

    Clara could only stare at Linda blankly. She shook her head slowly. ¡°How could I get pregnant, and I ... didn¡¯t even know I¡¯m pregnant?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be innocent, bitch!¡± Patrick quipped sarcastically. ¡°You know what you did before you and Dave got engaged right? You fuck a boy, huh? You said you were smart. But you¡¯re not smart enough to keep yourself from getting pregnant.¡±

    Clara then remembered something. Before her engagement party, she did feel very sick. She vomited non-stop until she passed out. She was taken to the hospital. However, the doctor said nothing about pregnancy.

    Suddenly, she remembered that at the hospital, doctor Evans gave her two kinds of medicine that she had to take. She had cramps and heavy bleeding afterward.

    She also remembered how Abigail had panicked, asking if she had her period. The contraceptive pill she was taking had expired.

    Clara looked at her father with a sharp look. Her lips trembled. ¡°If I get pregnant, where is my baby?¡±

    Patrick didn¡¯t answer immediately.

    ¡°You got a miscarriage. The doctor said you can¡¯t get pregnant again,¡± Patrick said in a bland voice, making Clara¡¯s eyes widen in disbelief.

 Chapter 160 - 160 160. Fake Protection

    160 160. Fake Protection

    Linda froze at Patrick¡¯s words. She was still holding Clara in her arms, but her soul was not there at all. Clara? The daughter she cared about, was ever pregnant? Ever had a miscarriage?

    Meanwhile, Clara looked at her father in disbelief. Tears welled up in her eyes. The news his father brought made her chest feel tight. She could barely breathe. She was suffocated.

    ¡°What?¡± Clara asked again. ¡°Then why did I never know about it? Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me I was pregnant?¡±

    ¡°Patrick, you¡¯re kidding, right?¡± asked Linda, still confused. She was afraid that Patrick had done something worse than he said.

    Clara broke away from her mother¡¯s embrace. ¡°Mom, are you keeping this a secret from me? Dad must have told you, right?¡±

    Linda shook her head. ¡°I swear, my love, I will never keep something as important as this from you.¡±

    Clara rose from her seat. She approached her father, without the slightest fear. Why was she afraid of him? She turned out to be a mother too. The one who lost her child without knowing that she had ever had a child.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me I was pregnant?¡± Clara asked again, clutching her father¡¯s arm. ¡°And what did you say earlier? Did I get a miscarriage? Was it true?¡±

    Patrick nodded. He didn¡¯t feel guilty or sorry for Clara at all. He only blamed Clara for her own misfortune.

    .....

    ¡°Why would I lie?¡± Patrick said, giving Clara a level look. ¡°What benefits will I get from making up a silly story like that?¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me? Why are you just now telling me everything?¡± Clara insisted, shaking her father¡¯s body.

    Patrick looked away from Clara. ¡°I told you the reason, no? After you miscarry, the doctor says you won¡¯t be able to get pregnant again. How could I tell something like that to you, who is only sixteen? A dumb teenager!¡±

    Clara¡¯s gaze grew sharper, but she burst into tears. She could no longer contain the sadness that was in her heart. Her father¡¯s excuse was completely unacceptable.

    ¡°No matter how old I am, you shouldn¡¯t have kept that secret from me. It¡¯s very important, dad!¡± protested Clara, who did not accept her father¡¯s treatment. She was crying while gritting her teeth in annoyance and anger. ¡°That¡¯s not fair to me, dad! All this time, what did you think of me? I also have a heart and feelings, dad!¡±

    Patrick sneered at Clara as if her daughter was demanding unreasonable things. Like a child asking to be given an adult job.

    ¡°What happened to you back then if the doctor told the truth? You can be mentally unprepared, even a child as spoiled and fragile as you will hurt yourself,¡± Patrick laughed bitterly, sneering at Clara. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what happens right now? You were furious when Linda told Lea that you are barren. You can¡¯t accept that you¡¯re not perfect, can you?

    Patrick looked at Clara who just stared at him. She felt shot right in the gut.

    ¡°For you, it¡¯s better to die than live in shame, right? Clara is perfect. The most perfect woman who ever lived on earth. Beautiful, daughter of a respectable family, the rich, genius who graduated from medical school at the age of 22,¡± Patrick sneered, mentioning all of Clara¡¯s strengths that people always said and making all the girls jealous of her.

    Clara could only bite her lip. Indeed, what Patrick mentioned had always made her feel superior to other women. She just couldn¡¯t accept that someone knew that she was not perfect.

    ¡°How can Clara be able to continue living if the world knows that she is infertile?¡± Patrick added in a sharp whisper, hissing like a snake.

    Clara¡¯s face looked even paler, complementing the bruises and wounds on her face. Her eyes stared closely at her father¡¯s amber eyes.

    ¡°Look! You, who are currently unable to face that bad reality. How could the you of six years ago be able to deal with it?¡± Patrick said, looking down, facing Clara¡¯s face without blinking.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that weak,¡± Clara replied fiercely. ¡°You only think I¡¯m a crybaby.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say you are lucky that I protected you,¡± Patrick snapped. ¡°Didn¡¯t you manage to finish your medical school well, at a very young age, because I gave you a pleasant life? The fianc¨¦ who always supports you, the happy youth without having to be haunted by the sufferings of being a young mother, it¡¯s because I kept all of this a secret from you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Patrick?¡± interjected Linda. ¡°Don¡¯t say such things to Clara! You¡¯re guilty but you don¡¯t feel guilty. Shouldn¡¯t you at least tell me that since I¡¯m her mother?¡±

    ¡°Stay out of the way, Linda!¡± he snapped. ¡°You had a lot on your mind. You cannot live in peace if you know that your sweet child has a dark past, right?¡±

    ¡°I have the right to know what happened to Clara!¡± Linda insisted. She didn¡¯t usually fight Patrick like this. She would usually just go along with Patrick and ask Clara to be patient. However, what Patrick did this time was too much.

    ¡°I¡¯m the head of the family! I know best what is best for all of you!¡± Patrick snapped again. ¡°And you, Linda! Why are you against me for this whore?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s your daughter, Patrick!¡± Linda argued loudly.

    ¡°Linda!¡±

    Patrick and Linda continued to argue. They blame each other for everything that happened with Clara. Meanwhile, Clara still couldn¡¯t believe what Patrick said about the protection. Everything he had been saying about protection had been utter nonsense. Everything he did was just for the sake of his business.

    ¡°If you behave like this, you have never been a good father to her!¡± she snapped. ¡°A person like you can even harm your own blood and flesh!¡±

    Linda¡¯s statement made dark thoughts creep into Clara¡¯s mind. Did she truly have a miscarriage?

    ¡°Are you the one who aborted my baby, dad?¡±

 Chapter 161 - 161 161. The Fight

    161 161. The Fight

    ¡°That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it, dad?¡± asked Clara with a demanding gaze. She didn¡¯t want to accuse her dad without any proof. However, such a thing needed to be questioned. Patrick had a strong motive to abort Clara¡¯s pregnancy at that time. ¡°You¡¯re afraid Dave and his family will call off the engagement if I get pregnant, right? No. They¡¯ll call off the engagement if I get pregnant with someone else¡¯s child.¡±

    Clara was right. At that time, Dave and Clara¡¯s relationship was not very strong. They would cut ties soon. Dave¡¯s family would not allow their son to get engaged and marry a girl who got pregnant at a young age. She was still a teenager.

    Which respectable family would still accept their son¡¯s fiancee, allowing their child to do such an embarrassing thing? Although the initial goal of Dave and Clara¡¯s marriage was to unite the Decker family and the Johnson family business, they still would not be willing to endure the shame, as if they could not get a better daughter-in-law than a girl who experienced a teen pregnancy.

    If Clara kept the baby, refusing to have an abortion, the Johnson family would let the Decker family bear the shame. They would not want to interfere and take part in a bad situation. So sad but true.

    ¡°The reason you kept this a secret from mom and me was of course not because it was to protect me from trauma and mental pressure. But because you wanted to keep this a secret from everyone, right?¡± Clara demanded again. She wanted to know the truth from her father¡¯s mouth. ¡°So that the Johnson family doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m pregnant. That¡¯s why you¡¯re keeping this a secret. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°You accuse me of aborting your baby? Am I that cruel to my grandchild?¡± Patrick defended himself. He widened his eyes. He was acting like an innocent. ¡°I won¡¯t do it!¡±

    ¡°You are lying!¡± whispered Clara. Clara remembered that doctor Evans gave her two kinds of medicine at the hospital. For early pregnancy, abortion pills were a suitable choice. Doctor Evans could even do that without Clara knowing. ¡°That must be abortion pills! Doctor Evans must have aborted my pregnancy without telling me! That must be you who asked her to do it to me, right?¡±

    ¡°What pills? I didn¡¯t even know about abortion!¡± Patrick said angrily. He didn¡¯t like Clara chasing after him. ¡°You know, I wasn¡¯t there when you were being treated. I followed Linda home to take her back to the hospital! How could I ask her to perform an abortion?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fool me, dad! In the past, I didn¡¯t know anything about medicine. However, now I know how people have abortions,¡± Clara said curtly.

    .....

    ¡°If Doctor Evans did that, why are you accusing me? It must be the old lady¡¯s fault! Don¡¯t accuse me of mere presumptions!¡± Patrick snapped with wide eyes, ready to scare Clara as if he could swallow his daughter whole. He was the mastermind behind Clara¡¯s abortion. However, he was good at acting like he was innocent.

    He had deliberately left the hospital when Doctor Evans asked Clara to take the abortion pills. He was afraid that if Clara found out he was there, he would be accused of conspiracy to abort Clara¡¯s month-old pregnancy.

    ¡°Dad, I know how Doctor Evans is. I know she won¡¯t intentionally abort my baby without a clear motive,¡± said Clara confidently. Her finger was up, pointing at her father right in his evil face. ¡°If she did that, it must be because you asked her, dad!¡±

    ¡°I told you, don¡¯t accuse me without proof, you silly brat!¡± Patrick¡¯s hand went up. He was about to slap Clara again, and it must have been very hard and powerful.

    Clara closed her eyes. She knew the fire of anger had been burning ferociously in Patrick¡¯s eyes. She won¡¯t survive.

    A second later, the sound of a very loud slap was heard, filling the room where the three people were fighting. However, Clara felt no pain in her left or right cheek. No part of her body hurt because of the torment from Patrick¡¯s big hands.

    When Clara opened her eyes, it was then, she knew why she had survived. In front of her, she found Linda¡¯s face flushed from a heavy slap on the cheek. Linda¡¯s nose and mouth were bleeding, much more than Clara¡¯s. The pain must also be many times more than Clara¡¯s pain.

    ¡°Mom! What did you do to mom, dad?¡± Clara screamed while hugging her mother who now fell into her arms due to the power of Patrick¡¯s slap.

    ¡°Linda!¡± Patrick¡¯s eyes widened to find his wife who was seriously injured by his slap. He didn¡¯t expect that Linda would be the one to get hit by the hard slap he did with all his might. ¡°Why are you protecting this damn child?¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s my daughter, Patrick,¡± Linda answered without hesitation.

    ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯re not even Clara¡¯s birth mother! You picked her up because you didn¡¯t want to bear the shame that I had an illegitimate child, didn¡¯t you?¡± Patrick asked in disbelief. His hands were shaking after hitting the person he loved.

    Linda laughed at Patrick¡¯s words. Her bruised lips said in trembling pain, ¡°You¡¯re too petty, Patrick! I may not be her biological mother. She is not my blood and flesh. However, in my heart, there is always her. I love her as I love my son.¡±

    ¡°Impossible! You can¡¯t do that,¡± Patrick refused, shaking his head several times because he didn¡¯t accept his wife¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°And if you don¡¯t want to admit her as your daughter, then let her be mine. I would be happy to put Frederick as her last name!¡± muttered Linda, looking at Patrick defiantly.

    ¡°What do you mean, Linda?¡± Patrick asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious, Patrick?¡± whispered Linda, she brought her face closer to her husband¡¯s. ¡°I will leave you. A ruthless man like you doesn¡¯t deserve to be loved.¡±

 Chapter 162 - 162 162. Patrickâ€™s Nightmare

    162 162. Patrick¡¯s Nightmare

    BWB 162

    Patrick could only pensive in his study. He stared blankly at the empty table in front of him. How could he not, the woman he loved so much had left him. He was abandoned by the person he really wanted to be with.

    He pounded the table. His anger at Clara was unstoppable. His illegitimate child had made Linda, the woman he loved, just walk away, leaving him alone.

    Patrick was feeling crazy. He deeply regretted that he had lost the thing that was most precious to him.

    ¡°This is all because of that damn woman! Bastard!¡± Patrick shrieked as he threw his cognac bottle onto the marble floor, getting it wet and dangerous with shards of glass.

    Patrick took another bottle. That night, he kept dreaming and cursing everyone. Including himself.

    ¡°Stupid Clara! Stupid Patrick! Stupid Eva!¡± The words he chanted like a spell. Cursing his foolishness, Eva the temptress, and Clara, the innocent child born from her illegitimate relationship.

    Patrick fell asleep in his study. He slept with the bottles of wine. His nightmare came back. Linda was leaving him.

    ***

    .....

    Patrick Decker, the man hailed by the media as the perfect man, had everything in this world. A shining career at a very young age accompanied by abundant wealth, a beautiful wife like an angel, and a cute child. Everything a human could desire was in him. The wealthy man, with a happy family.

    Every colleague looked at Patrick with extraordinary looks, either adoration, awe, or envy. However, all the praise and obstacles did not seem to affect Patrick¡¯s life. He can always go through everything in proportion.

    Of course, there was a very meritorious figure behind Patrick¡¯s shining achievements. Who else if not the beloved empress ¨C Linda? Linda had always supported her husband since they were not married. Bringing Patrick out of the darkness of the night and bringing him into the bright sunlight.

    There was no wife as great as Linda who can help with her husband¡¯s work perfectly. Never once had Patrick been dissatisfied with his wife¡¯s help.

    After giving birth, Linda, who used to often visit Patrick at the office, and even accompanied him when he was out of town, became more often at home. It was then that Patrick began to need the help of a secretary.

    Patrick, who was indeed very handsome, was the target of shameless women. However, Patrick was very good at taking care of himself. No woman could put Patrick away from his wife¡¯s sight.

    What a laudable Patrick. Linda felt very lucky to have a husband like Patrick. Something that a woman craves. True loyalty to a partner.

    One day, Patrick was forced to find a secretary because Alya, his current secretary, submitted her resignation due to pregnancy. It was then that the turning point in Patrick¡¯s life began. People wouldn¡¯t understand, because, on the outside, everything seemed fine.

    Eva, Patrick¡¯s new secretary, was a woman of extraordinary charm. During this time, she had an outstanding track record of attracting men. No man will be able to resist the beauty and grace of the secretary¡¯s body. Somehow she could be in Patrick¡¯s office now. What can he do, she was also not a haphazard person at work. She really knew what a professional secretary had to do.

    However, Eva was never loyal to just one superior. She chose to always change bosses so as not to get bored. In principle, tasting lots of delicious dishes would make her life more challenging. Several big bosses, who once had Eva were now curious whether Patrick would also fall into the power of lust offered by Eva.

    One day, while at a party, Linda greeted one of her old friends, Irene, who was also the wife of a director at a well-known oil company. An old friend was an officially embedded title. However, in truth, the women who sat on the upper tier of the social bench were always chatting as if they were holding daggers in their mouths. That¡¯s why Linda wasn¡¯t too excited about attending a party thrown by her husband¡¯s business partner.

    Irene approached Linda with a cynical grin that was not hidden as if she had come to wave the war flag with high confidence that she would win. ¡°How are you, Linda? Long time no see.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m well,¡± Linda replied curtly and coldly. She didn¡¯t like Irene¡¯s temperament, who would only greet her if something bad happened.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t think it would be that good,¡± Irene said with a really sickening smile. ¡°Oh! I heard, now your husband is changing secretaries, right? Her name if I¡¯m not mistaken is ....¡± Irene pretended to try to remember the name of the person she was going to call to give a dramatic impression.

    ¡°Eva!¡± Linda said without looking at Irene. She just stared at her drink without blinking. Honestly, Linda wanted to run away from where she was standing at this time. She didn¡¯t want to give the viper next to her time to bite and inject venom into her body.

    ¡°Oh, yes! Aah, I forgot. Eva! Even though she is very famous among our friends!¡± continued Irene with a very coquettish style.

    ¡°Irene. Exactly, what do you want?¡± asked Linda angrily. She really did not want to linger in this very stupid atmosphere. ¡°I never liked gossip. And I don¡¯t want to hear any gossip about Eva! She¡¯s nice. Even now, she¡¯s looking after my Noel at home.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, Linda! You¡¯re so emotional. I certainly wouldn¡¯t share gossip with a woman who doesn¡¯t like slanted news. However....¡± Again, Irene stopped because she wanted to emphasize every word. Her sly eyes looked at Linda as if she was going to eat her alive. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will definitely not refuse news from me this time.¡±

    Linda was angry. She hurriedly stepped away from Irene, revealing a view of the beautiful legs behind the slit of her long dress. However, Irene quickly prevented her little friend from escaping by saying, ¡°Sexretary!¡±

 Chapter 163 - 163 163. Patrickâ€™s Nightmare (2)

    163 163. Patrick¡¯s Nightmare (2)

    Inevitably, Linda stopped. Irene¡¯s words turned out to be very precise like an arrow launched right at Linda¡¯s target. Which wife was not afraid to hear a term like that? Especially if those words were pinned on their husband¡¯s secretary.

    ¡°Reportedly, there has never been a man who could resist her temptations. I¡¯m only telling this because you¡¯re my friend,¡± Irene continued with a crooked smile. ¡°Be careful! I don¡¯t want my friend¡¯s household, which is known to be very harmonious, to be destroyed by a snake like Eva!¡±

    Irene was then about to leave Linda with a winning smile. However, Linda still had the guts to counter Irene¡¯s attack. She also said loudly, ¡°Don¡¯t equate my husband with yours!¡±

    Irene rolled her eyes. Now it was Linda who smiled contentedly. She did not know that listening to gossip, sometimes was useful. Irene¡¯s husband was known to be very fond of cheating. Not only with his secretary, he even paid for famous models and artists he wanted to sleep with.

    Tears welled up in the corners of Irene¡¯s eyes. Soon, the woman was crying because she couldn¡¯t remember her bad past. What can she do, she couldn¡¯t leave her husband¡¯s side because she did not want to live in poverty. Because of that, she always felt envious of Linda¡¯s harmonious household.

    ¡°How dare you insult me! Taste your husband¡¯s betrayal later! Karma will surely come to you, Linda!¡± Irene yelled, still crying. She went running. Once she fell because the sound system cable was entangled. At that time, Linda felt guilty because her revenge might have been too much.

    Linda approached Patrick with no enthusiasm and took him home. She didn¡¯t even answer Patrick¡¯s curious question as to why she was in such a bad mood.

    That night, too, became the worst night for Linda. Never had she doubted her husband¡¯s loyalty to this extent. Linda¡¯s eyes only glanced a few times at her husband. For some reason, Irene¡¯s words were currently ringing in her head. Was it true that this time Patrick would fail to keep his loyalty?

    Since her conversation with Irene, Linda had felt uneasy. Almost every day she felt paranoid. She came to Patrick¡¯s office more often, not because of the longing and concern she used to have, but because of a feeling of uneasiness. Although there was never any proof that Patrick committed adultery, Linda felt uneasy.

    .....

    Lest they did when out of town. Could it be that they did it at certain times that people don¡¯t know about? That¡¯s how it was every day. Making Linda even more anxious.

    ¡°Honey, why have you been so restless lately?¡± asked Patrick one night. He wanted to touch Linda. However, seeing his wife agitated, Patrick felt bad for interrupting.

    ¡°No, I just...¡± Linda answered hesitantly. Seeing Patrick¡¯s face which seemed innocent, made Linda feel very guilty. Was she too affected by Irene¡¯s words?

    ¡°I think you should take a vacation,¡± Patrick suggested to his wife.

    Any woman who heard her husband offering a vacation, of course, would welcome it with joy. Usually, Linda was also very enthusiastic to hear the word vacation. However, not this time. Instead, she was suspicious of a ruse planned by her husband.

    ¡°Are you coming with me?¡± asked Linda probingly.

    ¡°I still have a lot of work. You can take a vacation to Singapore or Tokyo with Noel,¡± Patrick replied a little disappointed.

    Grief colored Linda¡¯s face. It was so obvious that Patrick sensed something was wrong. ¡°Don¡¯t you like going out with Noel?¡±

    Linda just stared at her husband with teary eyes, maybe soon tears would flow from there. She turned her head away so her husband wouldn¡¯t see her.

    ¡°Are you afraid you will miss me?¡± Patrick whispered close to his wife¡¯s earlobes while nibbling the earlobe, making warm waves flow through Patrick¡¯s body. However, Linda was unmoved, not responding warmly as usual.

    Patrick felt his wife¡¯s disappointment because of his busy schedule which recently made her not get enough attention. So he took a further approach to seduce his wife. Doing their nightly routine which they haven¡¯t had time to do these days.

    The atmosphere that night was so intense. Linda finally gave up on Patrick¡¯s sweet treatment and decided to forget for a moment all the problems that caused her mind to be chaotic.

    After tiring activities, Patrick lay down hugging his wife. He kissed his wife with great affection while smiling very sweetly.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take Noel on vacation to Tokyo. Please ask Eva to plan our trip,¡± Linda said with a smile. She hugged her husband with a knowing smile. Nobody knew what was in her head. Only God knew what was in his heart.

    The appointed day arrived. Linda and Noel were leaving for Tokyo that day. The plan was that they would only have three days of vacation due to Noel¡¯s busy schedule. Patrick couldn¡¯t take them to the airport and asked Eva to accompany them. However, Linda refused, she chose to take a taxi instead.

    However, all of that was just a plan. In the middle of the night, Linda returned home with a pounding feeling. She never went to the airport. Secretly she used a rented car and takes her son to play around town. If indeed the condition of her husband and Eva were having an affair, surely they would take advantage of these three days to spend time together.

    Linda looked at her twins who were fast asleep in the back seat. Her heart was broken, and her breath was short, but she had to hold on. Linda got out of the car alone and immediately broke into the house.

    ... and how shocked she was when she found the vile sight on the living room couch. The disgusting activity of the illegitimate partner made her feel nauseous and want to vomit!

    ¡°Damn you!¡± Linda cursed, making Patrick half-dead. Eva also stopped her activities, sucking her boss¡¯ dick, because Patrick threw her so roughly that she fell to the floor.

    ¡°Linda! I ... I ... I can explain!¡± Patrick yelled frantically. He immediately sobered up from his drunken state.

    However, the disaster did not stop there. Suddenly, Noel entered the house and witnessed a scene that no child of their age should see.

    ¡°Dad?¡± asked Noel.

    ¡°Why Aunt Eva is not wearing clothes?¡±

    Noel didn¡¯t continue what he was saying because Linda immediately grabbed Noel and took him running outside. There was no hope for their family anymore. Linda would not be able to accept Patrick¡¯s betrayal. She would not hear Patrick¡¯s reasoning. The beautiful life that had been built on love, had now been shattered.

 Chapter 164 - 164 164. Claraâ€™s Determination

    164 164. Clara¡¯s Determination

    ¡°Noo!¡±

    Patrick woke up from his sleep in a state of severe dizziness from a hangover. Last night, he fell asleep at his study. He had a dream about bad moments that made him feel guilty for life. He thought back to the incident164 that forced him to have a daughter he didn¡¯t want.

    Linda left Patrick quickly after their last argument involving Clara. Linda was not happy with her husband¡¯s behavior in treating their daughter unfairly.

    Before long, someone knocked on Patrick¡¯s door. Patrick told his maid to come in. The maid was not alone. She came with a female lawyer. Patrick knew her well. She was Linda¡¯s best friend, and also her lawyer. She¡¯s the same woman who came to him years ago to deliver Linda¡¯s divorce papers after he was tricked into sleeping with Eva.

    ¡°Sir, Mrs. Larsson wants to see you,¡± said the maid, introducing the guest.

    Patrick smiled wryly. He then asked the maid to leave the room. ¡°I don¡¯t like it if you come to me,¡± Patrick said to Linda¡¯s Lawyer. ¡°Did you come with the same thing as twenty-three years ago?¡±

    Attorney Larsson nodded. ¡°Linda asked me to give you this document.¡±

    Patrick, who had a very disheveled face, massaged his head briefly. It was sad to find that this morning was so dark. He just wanted to wake up by Linda¡¯s side with a sweet smile that always brightened up his day.

    With a heavy heart, Patrick took the document Attorney Larsson had proffered and glanced through it. A bitter smile tugged at his lips.

    .....

    ¡°How much money do you want? I¡¯ll pay as long as you can help me persuade her to cancel the divorce,¡± Patrick said flatly.

    ¡°Unfortunately, this time, it doesn¡¯t seem possible because Linda doesn¡¯t want to come back to you at all,¡± said Attorney Larsson flatly.

    Patrick knew that the old Linda still wanted to forgive him because he could prove that he was framed by Eva. He could prove that only Linda he loves. How about now, what should he say to convince her?

    ¡°A mother doesn¡¯t want her daughter to be hurt, Patrick,¡± said Attorney Larsson apologetically. She knew Patrick loved Linda. However, she also knew that this time the relationship between the two had to come to an end. ¡°You should have understood that from the start.¡±

    Patrick fell silent. He did not expect that the form of his love for Linda would make him lose the woman he loved. ¡°I always spoil Noel, our son, because I want to show that she is my only love.¡±

    Patrick stared blankly at the divorce papers in his hand. His eyes were bloodshot, either from wanting to cry or from anger. ¡°I was tough on Clara because I wanted to show that my only love was Linda. I didn¡¯t want Linda to think that I loved Eva¡¯s child. I don¡¯t want Linda to think I love Eva even a little bit.¡±

    Patrick¡¯s wailing filled the dark room. Anyone who heard it would feel the pain of his lamentation. He had yet to realize where he was wrong because, according to him, his attitude was the best.

    ¡°This is all your fault, Patrick. Linda accepted Clara in the first place simply because she is your flesh and blood. She is a part of your life. She decided to forgive you and love everything in you,¡± explained the lawyer in a low voice. ¡°If you understood Linda and didn¡¯t do as you please, maybe your family would still be intact today.¡±

    Attorney Larsson crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes looked pityingly at Patrick who looked so devastated.

    ¡°About Clara, even if she is a child born from a mistake, you should never hate her,¡± she continued, lecturing Patrick. ¡°No child has to pay for the sins of their parents, Patrick. All children are innocent. Linda is very soft-hearted. For her, Clara was a gift from God. Just like Noel.¡±

    Patrick fell silent. If he treated Clara well, would Linda be pleased?

    The man then took the wine bottle beside him which was still half full. He poured the contents slowly onto the document Lawyer Larsson had given him.

    The lawyer¡¯s eyes widened. She had already prepared herself that something like this could happen. However, she was still shocked when Patrick returned to behaving like a child.

    ¡°Give me some time. I want to try to convince her to call off the divorce,¡± Patrick begged as he continued to pour the contents of the bottle until the red liquid ran down the side of the table, onto the floor around his feet.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Linda took Clara away from Patrick¡¯s house. They now live in the Frederick family residence. The situation was certainly not pleasant. Clara¡¯s condition was so bad.

    Linda¡¯s parents could only accept their daughter¡¯s decision to file for divorce for the second time. They knew Linda very well and understood why her daughter didn¡¯t like Patrick¡¯s way of expressing his love.

    At first, Frederick¡¯s family didn¡¯t agree with Linda¡¯s decision to raise Clara. However, they realized that their daughter was an angel who could give love to any baby and any child. Because of that, they supported Linda¡¯s decision and considered Clara as their own granddaughter.

    ¡°Clara, granny made your favorite chicken soup,¡± Linda said that afternoon, as she brought her daughter a tray of food. ¡°Eat! You can¡¯t be sick.¡±

    Since yesterday, Clara had barely touched her food. She was almost lost in thought, not knowing what to do.

    ¡°Thank you, mom!¡± whispered Clara in a low voice. Lazily, she took a spoon to eat the warm soup she used to like. However, she zoned out again, staring blankly into the air.

    Nobody knew how many times Clara¡¯s tears flowed, she could no longer speak. It was still very hard for her to accept the shocking reality. She still regretted everything that had happened in the past. She almost had a baby once. She was ever going to be a mother ¡­ her own baby.

    ¡°Mom, why didn¡¯t you just let me die in the first place? I can¡¯t face this kind of fate ¡­.¡±

    ¡°Clara, don¡¯t say that,¡± Linda said as she stroked her daughter¡¯s pale face. ¡°Every child has the right to be born into the world. So do you.¡±

    ¡°Then why not my child?¡± Clara asked again. Her sobs were getting heavier. ¡°Just because my baby¡¯s not Dave¡¯s child, he or she didn¡¯t deserve to be born?¡±

    Linda couldn¡¯t say anything. She could only wipe Clara¡¯s tears with her slender fingers. She knew Clara¡¯s heart must be broken.

    ¡°Why do I have to have a cruel father like Patrick Decker?¡± Clara asked again while squeezing her chest. Her eyes looked at Linda, but she couldn¡¯t clearly see Linda¡¯s face because of the flowing tears.

    Linda could only swallow the bitter pill. She founded the hospital, financed by Patrick, to help people. However, why did the hospital become a place to harm her beloved daughter? How ironic.

    ¡°I will sue everyone who harmed my baby! I¡¯m going to sue Patrick Decker and Doctor Evans,¡± Clara said with a face full of anger.

    Clara¡¯s statement shocked Linda half to death. If this was known to the public, it will surely tarnish the name of the Linda Decker hospital. A lifetime of her hard work would be ruined in an instant.

    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s for the best?¡± asked Linda in a trembling voice.

    Clara just stared at her mother in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s the only reward they deserve.¡±

    ¡°However, maybe Patrick didn¡¯t do that, Clara,¡± Linda defended, frightened by the hatred in Clara¡¯s eyes at this moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Patrick asked doctor Evans to abort my baby, mom!¡± Clara argued vehemently. She thought that Linda still wanted to defend her husband.

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to defend Patrick. However, we have to know the truth,¡± Linda defended again. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we¡ª¡±

    ¡°I will look for the proof, mom! I will reveal the truth,¡± Clara determined, without the slightest hesitation.

    Linda saw the embers in Clara¡¯s eyes. Clara¡¯s anger reminded her of Patrick¡¯s hatred for Eva, Clara¡¯s real mother. Linda was afraid that hatred would eat away at Clara¡¯s soul and turn her into another person she didn¡¯t recognize.

    Clara got up from the bed. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday, but she still managed to stand up straight, somehow getting the energy to change her clothes and put on her coat and scarf, preparing to leave.

    ¡°Where are you going, honey?¡± asked Linda frantically. Her eyes watched Clara¡¯s every suspicious move. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday.¡±

    However, Clara did not answer Linda¡¯s question. She didn¡¯t even glance at her mother. She just continued to prepare and left her room without saying goodbye.

    The young woman walked past her grandparents who were sitting in the living room without saying hello. She walked quickly to her car which was parked in the driveway. Before starting the engine, she took out her phone and made a call to someone.

    As soon as a voice came from the other side, Clara said, ¡°This time, I will destroy your life, Mr. Decker!¡±

 Chapter 165 - 165 165. Whoâ€™s the Man?

    165 165. Who¡¯s the Man?

    Linda panicked and worried. She was afraid that her daughter would do something out of line. If it was like this, Clara wouldn¡¯t hear what she said.

    In the past, if Clara lost control, Dave would calm her down. However, now, was it possible that her daughter would hear what he said? Hadn¡¯t they broken up?

    No choice. Linda no longer knew who to turn to for help. She then called Dave.

    Because it sounded very urgent, Dave asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later. Can I see you now?¡± asked Linda frantically. ¡°I don¡¯t know who to ask for help anymore.¡±

    Dave was a bit dubious. ¡°I¡¯m in the hospital. I¡¯ll be at your house in thirty minutes.¡±

    Linda¡¯s throat constricted. Dave must be waiting for Lea. No wonder Clara chose to back down. Maintaining a relationship with Dave will only make her married life full of suspicion.

    ¡°Am I interrupting your important time?¡± she asked again. ¡°If you¡¯re busy¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, Linda! I¡¯ll be at your house in thirty minutes.¡± Dave was about to hang up before he asked, ¡°Is Patrick home?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Dave, I don¡¯t live with Patrick anymore,¡± Linda answered in a low voice.

    Dave paused, realizing that Clara¡¯s family was not well. His heart felt like it was squeezed. He played a part in the destruction of the Decker family.

    ¡°Okay, just give me your current address. I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± Dave said flatly.

    Dave realized how important his presence was at this time. He also told Theresa to clear her schedule for this afternoon. He had to get to Linda no matter what.

    Shortly after, Dave arrived at the Frederick family¡¯s residence. Seeing Linda¡¯s panicked and confused condition, the man immediately hugged the woman who was supposed to be his future mom-in-law.

    ¡°Linda, you have to calm down first,¡± Dave said while stroking Linda¡¯s back. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Linda then sat down on the couch. She told him what was going on. Linda said that Clara was pregnant when Dave and Linda¡¯s engagement had not been formalized. However, she miscarried, according to Patrick¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°The doctor said, it was her first and last pregnancy,¡± Linda explained while shedding tears.

    Dave was stunned. Clara was no longer a virgin the first time they had sex. However, he didn¡¯t expect Clara was pregnant ... and miscarried.

    ¡°It happened exactly one week before your engagement was formalized,¡± Linda added, looking confused at Dave. ¡°Patrick blamed Clara over and over again, thinking it was her fault that she was pregnant with the wrong person at the wrong time.¡±

    Linda wiped the tears. She was trying hard not to get too emotional. Dave was still silent, he did not know what was in his heart at this time. All feelings mixed, between compassion and jealousy.

    Now, Dave understands what Clara felt when he cheated on her with Lea and was forced to have children from that one night mistake. Even though Clara loved him, can he accept the existence of Clara¡¯s child with another man without the slightest feeling of hatred?

    However, Dave realized that Clara¡¯s current problem was far more serious. She was indeed barren. However, the cause of infertility was so painful.

    ¡°Where is Clara right now? Has she still not accepted the reality?¡± asked Dave worriedly.¡±

    Linda shook her head. ¡°The thing is, Clara, insists that it was Patrick who aborted her baby. She is sure of that. Right now, she is going somewhere, to prove that her father is guilty of that incident.

    Dave was wide-eyed. ¡°How could Patrick do that?¡± he asked in disbelief. ¡°The baby is his flesh and blood, right?¡±

    Too bad, Dave realized that Patrick might just do it in no time. Clara was found pregnant before their official engagement. If his family found out about this, they would call off the engagement. So did he, he would have done the same thing because he was burning with jealousy, even though he had liked Clara at the first sight.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she will try to fight her father with whatever she has at the moment,¡± said Linda again. ¡°I beg Dave, please let Clara know that her revenge will not change anything that has happened. I¡¯m afraid her anger will harm her.¡±

    Dave could only stare at the woman in front of him in bewilderment. From everything that Linda had told, it seems that Clara did not tell her family about what happened that made her decide to cancel the wedding.

    ¡°Linda, I know that I shouldn¡¯t tell anyone about this because this is my business with Clara. However, I will say it out of necessity,¡± explained Dave, sighing. ¡°There were two things that triggered the cancellation of our marriage. One because Lea¡¯s condition was severe. The second ¡­.¡±

    Dave¡¯s eyes reddened. He rubbed his face because he couldn¡¯t say it. Every time he thought about it, a fire of jealousy flared up in his chest, shattering his composure.

    ¡°What¡¯s the second one?¡± asked Linda, very curious.

    ¡°Clara is sleeping with another man,¡± Dave replied hoarsely, his teeth grinding together.

    Linda¡¯s eyes widened, not believing Dave¡¯s words. So, her daughter wasn¡¯t as innocent as she thought?

    ¡°Clara can¡¯t be cheating! If she hadn¡¯t engaged with you, it probably is. But she wouldn¡¯t cheat on her fiance,¡± Linda protested, shaking her head in disbelief. Her eyes stared at Dave unblinkingly, searching for the lies on the man¡¯s face. Alas, she found only real sadness there.

    ¡°Clara told me by herself, Linda!¡± Dave¡¯s voice rose slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to believe it. However, that¡¯s what I got to be the truth. Clara did sleep with another man the night before she broke up with me.¡±

    Linda still couldn¡¯t believe what Dave said. He thought Dave was making it up.

    ¡°No wonder Clara left you! You are the one at fault, yet you accuse my daughter of cheating!¡± snapped Linda angrily. ¡°Get you out of here! If you don¡¯t want to help me, don¡¯t accuse my daughter of frivolous accusations!¡±

    Dave gave a wry laugh. Of course, no one would believe Clara would do that with another man. Especially her mother.

    ¡°At first I didn¡¯t believe it either. I thought Clara was making up stories to cancel our wedding,¡± Dave said calmly. ¡°That night, I was confused because I didn¡¯t find Clara at the hospital. I¡¯ve been trying to reach you and Patrick but you guys are out of reach. Worried, I asked people to look for her that night. However, he had a traffic accident at the same time. Yesterday, he came out of the hospital and reported to me what he wanted.¡±

    Dave reached into his pocket for his cell phone. He showed Linda several pictures of Clara coming out of the bakery, arguing with a man. Another photo shows Clara tailing the man.

    ¡°To be sure, my man was looking for information on this man. From the housekeeper, he confirmed that Clara had indeed stayed overnight at this man¡¯s place,¡± explained Dave with a haggard and haggard face.

    Linda¡¯s face was pale. She stared at Dave blankly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was this man who made Clara leave me, Linda,¡± Dave said again. His eyes filled with tears. ¡°Before, Clara and I had promised to forget everything and start from the beginning again.¡±

    Dave and Linda fell silent, preoccupied with their own thoughts. Dave then rose from his seat and said, ¡°Linda, this matter is different. This is between Clara and Patrick. I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t help you, Linda.¡±

    ***

    Meanwhile, at Samuel¡¯s house, he was taking care of his mother who was not feeling well. His father was very busy at the office. Can¡¯t accompany Larissa at home.

    ¡°Mom, we¡¯d better go to the doctor,¡± said Samuel, while drinking warm mint tea for his mother.

    ¡°I just need a break, Sam!¡± answered Larissa, smiling with a pale face.

    ¡°I suspect you are pregnant again,¡± said Samuel. He felt himself to be a man who knew the signs of pregnancy very well because his mother was pregnant very often.

    Larisa smiled. ¡°No way, we use contraception,¡± answered Larissa with a weak smile. ¡°We don¡¯t plan to have any more children. My life is already busy enough with you guys.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised. Father and Mother seem very easy to have children. Does every time you make love, always produce children?¡± asked Samuel idly. ¡°Even I am the result of your one-night stand.¡±

    Larissa laughed at Samuel¡¯s words which were too blunt. What Samuel said didn¡¯t seem too wrong.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see how many children you have later,¡± said Larissa, amused. The conversation with Samuel comforted her greatly.

    ¡°Ah, that again,¡± said Samuel annoyed.

    ¡°I want to have many grandchildren from you,¡± said Larissa again.

    ¡°Hmm, how much? Five? Ten?¡± asked Samuel, laughing.

    ¡°Get married soon,¡± said Larissa while stroking Samuel¡¯s head. ¡°You play around too much.¡±

    Samuel just smiled while playing with his cell phone. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the clinic now.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t ask you to do it, did I?¡± protested Larissa.

    ¡°There is no objection,¡± said Samuel confidently. He then carried his mother to the car and drove to the obstetrician¡¯s clinic that Larissa usually visits.

    ***

    At a doctor¡¯s private obstetric clinic, Clara stood in line impatiently. She waited too long because she did not make an appointment with the doctor beforehand. Her name was finally called after two hours of waiting.

    ¡°Miss Clara Frederick,¡± said one of the nurses, ushering Clara into the room.

    Clara got up from the waiting bench. She then walked quickly into the room. The doctor seemed busy with her files and arranging schedules with patients.

    When she realized that a patient had entered the room, that¡¯s when the doctor looked up, facing her new patient. However, this time the surprise was too much.

    ¡°How are you, doctor Evans!¡± said Clara, showing her devilish smile.

 Chapter 166 - 166 166. Claraâ€™s Fight

    166 166. Clara¡¯s Fight

    Doctor Evans was flabbergasted to find a patient who came to her. The young woman she treated six years ago. She¡¯s Patrick¡¯s daughter. She shouldn¡¯t have come for a pregnancy check-up.

    ¡°Clara?¡± The doctor swallowed hard. ¡°Sit down.¡±

    Clara nodded, then sat down in the chair provided. Her eyes didn¡¯t blink, looking at the old woman who had taken care of her six years ago.

    ¡°This clinic ¡­ is very crowded,¡± Clara commented with a smile.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± replied Doctor Evans.

    ¡°You must be a great doctor, right? Considering that this clinic has only been open for six years,¡± Clara answered while admiring Doctor Evans¡¯ clinic.

    Doctor Evans smiled wryly. She felt that Clara¡¯s visit this time was not for a mere consultation.

    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s all just a coincidence,¡± answered doctor Evans awkwardly. ¡°Oh yes. You didn¡¯t fill out the questionnaire. You may explain your health condition now.¡±

    Clara chuckled at Doctor Evans¡¯ question. She looked down, then narrowed her eyes.

    .....

    ¡°That¡¯s great, you know right away that I¡¯m not pregnant,¡± Clara commented sarcastically. ¡°Can a doctor be a psychic?¡±

    Doctor Evans¡¯ face stiffened for a moment. However, she tried to remain calm and polite.

    ¡°I just want to know what your problem is. Not all patients come here because they are pregnant,¡± replied Doctor Evans. A forced smile plastered awkwardly on her face.

    Clara nodded, understanding that it was true. She then leaned back against the back of the chair.

    ¡°I checked my fertility and it was stated that I couldn¡¯t get pregnant,¡± Clara answered slowly, looking at doctor Evans without blinking a single glance.

    Clara then took something from her bag and pulled out a white envelope with the sign Linda Decker hospital on it. ¡°Here are the results of the examination,¡± Clara said, handing the paper to doctor Evans.

    Doctor Evans managed to meet Clara¡¯s sharp gaze as if he didn¡¯t know anything about it. ¡°I ¡­ feel sorry for that.¡±

    Clara nodded slowly. ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯m very sad about this,¡± Clara answered with a straight face.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you consult with a doctor at the same hospital? Or are you looking for a second opinion?¡± Doctor Evans asked calmly.

    Clara closed her eyes for a few seconds, impressed by the reaction of Doctor Evans, who was so good at hiding facts. She then opened her eyes again, looking at doctor Evans with concern.

    ¡°Why do you say it as if you don¡¯t know anything about my infertility?¡± asked Clara with tears in her eyes. She studied the look on the female doctor¡¯s face in dismay.

    Doctor Evans hid her surprise with a calm face. He looked away for a moment, filling her lungs with air, hoping that the oxygen would be a source of strength for her.

    Then, the doctor looked at Clara again and asked, ¡°So ... you¡¯ve heard everything from Patrick?¡±

    Clara sighed, her brows furrowed. ¡°Yes. And it was very surprising because my father said that I had been pregnant and had a miscarriage six years ago.¡±

    Doctor Evans kept trying to stay calm even though her heart was beating erratically. She was afraid that Patrick had told her everything, or worse, he was telling Clara lies and slandering her alone.

    ¡°Is that true? Or is it just Patrick¡¯s story?¡± Clara asked Doctor Evans again in a sharp voice.

    Doctor Evans¡¯ aged face changed for a moment. Even if it was only for seconds, Clara could see the anxiety flashing there. Anxiety on a face was far more honest than the lips.

    ¡°Right. You¡­ have indeed had a miscarriage,¡± answered Doctor Evans. Her heart was beating so fast. She gulped, out of worry.

    Clara nodded, then asked again. ¡°Can you tell me everything?¡± Clara asked again.

    Hearing Clara¡¯s last question, Doctor Evans did not immediately answer. She knew Clara would only equate Patrick¡¯s story with her story. If something went wrong, Clara would know right away that she had been deceived.

    Meanwhile, Clara begins to understand what¡¯s going on in Doctor Evans¡¯ head. She knew that the female doctor was hiding something with her father.

    ¡°As I thought, you don¡¯t want to say it, do you?¡± Clara said sarcastically. ¡°That means, you and my father are liars.¡±

    ¡°Clara!¡±

    ¡°What happens if the public finds out about your behavior?¡± Clara asked again. ¡°I¡¯m sure your famous clinic will be closed soon.¡±

    Doctor Evans¡¯ heart skipped a beat. She glared at her visitors in disbelief. However, not long after, a nurse entered the room and whispered that another patient was waiting outside. The patient had already made an appointment.

    ¡°Clara, I still have a patient waiting. How about we continue another time?¡± Doctor Evans offered, feeling helped by the new patient.

    Clara snorted in annoyance. She purposely took the last line, close to the closing time of Doctor Evans¡¯ clinic so that her important conversation would not be disturbed.

    ¡°Can¡¯t your patient wait? You can give other compensation to him or her, can¡¯t you?¡± Clara asked, annoyed. She didn¡¯t want Doctor Evans to have a chance to contact her father. She could fail to get proof of Doctor Evans¡¯ conspiracy with her father.

    ¡°Clara, aren¡¯t you a doctor yourself? I appreciate the punctuality in my clinic. So, you shouldn¡¯t ask me unreasonable things.¡± Doctor Evans argued. She didn¡¯t want Clara to force her to tell everything that happened six years ago. Those were all criminal acts. However, she was forced to do so because of Patrick¡¯s request.

    Perhaps, threats would be more appropriate to call what Patrick was doing at that time. He had forced her to do an abortion for Clara in secret.

    Then, why now stupidly did the man tell his daughter about the unwanted pregnancy? Why couldn¡¯t that damn man just shut his mouth so that Clara wouldn¡¯t bring this up and seek justice for her and for the baby who never got the chance to be born?

    ¡°Clara, my patient is very important. She¡¯s the one who helped me set up this clinic. So, if you can postpone this matter, we can talk about it some other time,¡± asked Doctor Evans, pleadingly.

    After she did that terrible thing to Clara, Doctor Evans received a very large sum of money from Patrick. However, she felt guilty and refused his hush money.

    The ten million dollars Patrick was offering were too tempting to accept. However, she chose to reject it. She even chose to resign from the Linda Decker hospital because she felt so guilty for Linda and Clara.

    Luckily, after leaving the Linda Decker hospital, Doctor Evans met Thomas Montgomery. The man felt indebted to doctor Evans who had saved Samuel¡¯s birth. Thomas felt guilty for not waiting for Samuel¡¯s difficult birth. Larissa almost lost her life and her baby.

    Hearing Larissa¡¯s story about Doctor Evans, Thomas thought she was the savior of the family. Samuel was born safely, and so was Larissa. He often gave doctor Evans many expensive gifts.

    Because Larissa trusted Doctor Evans, she never went to another doctor. All the children were treated and born with the help of doctor Evans.

    After finding that Doctor Evans left the hospital, Thomas then made a clinic for her. He was also the one who helped with the clinic¡¯s promotion.

    Doctor Evans¡¯ life was so peaceful. She could forget the pressure of her guilt. She never thought that in the end, Clara would still know and sue her.

    ¡°Clara, please. I can schedule time with you for the weekend.¡± Doctor Evans begged. She wanted to escape from Clara¡¯s questions and at the same time she wanted to take care of her important patient.

    ¡°Oh, so you do want to avoid me, don¡¯t you?¡± Clara was getting impatient. ¡°Okay, then, I just want to ask for two minutes. I¡¯m only asking you to answer one question.¡±

    Doctor Evans sighed exasperatedly. She was forced to accept Clara¡¯s request. ¡°Okay! What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a miscarriage, did I?¡± Clara asked then. ¡°You aborted my baby, right?¡±

    Doctor Evans¡¯ mouth opened. Her fears came true. Clara suspected that there was a conspiracy behind it.

    ¡°Clara, pull yourself together, and don¡¯t assume!¡± Doctor Evans tried to calm Clara down. Clara was so freaked out. What should she do? Dealing with Clara¡¯s anger first or running away immediately?

    ¡°I only accept yes or no answers. Aren¡¯t you in a hurry?¡± Clara demanded again. She glanced sharply at doctor Evans so that the woman would immediately confirm her assumptions.

    ¡°Clara! It is not a simple question.¡± Doctor Evans approached Clara. Grabbing the young woman¡¯s hand, politely asked her to leave. She squeezed Clara¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Darling, you know that I and Linda are so close. How could I intend to harm you? Why do you have bad thoughts like that?¡±

    Clara burst out laughing at the doctor¡¯s last statement. She then took something from her pocket. She opened her palm, displaying two pills that made the doctor¡¯s eyes wide open.

    Clara¡¯s eyes widened and snapped at the doctor, ¡°This is what you gave me six years ago, isn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 167 - 167 167. Samuelâ€™s Anxiety

    167 167. Samuel¡¯s Anxiety

    Samuel checked his watch. He had been waiting for five minutes, but the nurse never called his mother¡¯s name to enter Doctor Evans¡¯ examination room.

    ¡°Do you want me to make coffee or tea?¡± asked Samuel in a low voice, wiping the sweat off Larissa¡¯s forehead. He was very worried that Larissa would faint like yesterday when Clara was at his house.

    Larisa shook her head. ¡°I can make my own.¡± She refused her son¡¯s tempting offer because she knew Samuel would worry if she couldn¡¯t do anything.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself, mom!¡± said Samuel. He then made a warm drink for his mother.

    Various types of tea were available in the waiting room at Doctor Evans¡¯ clinic. Samuel then chose powdered matcha and mixed it with non-dairy creamer, knowing that Larissa liked it.

    The aroma of matcha made by Samuel was very tempting, making Larissa¡¯s eyes light up. ¡°Thank you, Sam! You always know how to lighten up my mood.¡±

    Larissa enjoyed her son¡¯s tea with gratitude. They made small talk to kill time. However, they still had to keep waiting.

    Samuel approached a nurse and said that he had made an appointment to visit his mother. However, he didn¡¯t know why he still had to wait a little longer.

    ¡°Excuse me. We have conveyed this to Doctor Evans, but she is still not done,¡± answered the nurse with the friendliest smile possible. ¡°You can wait in a comfortable place. Soon it will be over.¡±

    .....

    Suddenly, there was a scream from the examination room. Something that sounds like ... a miscarriage? Abortion? Or something. This made Samuel give in. The patient in Doctor Evans¡¯ room must face a big problem. He had to endure the pain of waiting.

    The jade-eyed man then chose to return to his mother who was waiting for him on the couch in the waiting room while reading a pregnancy magazine. Larissa was a patient person. She could wait for thirty minutes without the slightest protest.

    Very different from Thomas. The man did not like to wait even for a few minutes. Samuel got his impatience from his father. He truly didn¡¯t like it when he made an appointment and still had to wait for a while. For him, it was very annoying. What was the point of making an appointment?

    ¡°Mom, your face is so pale,¡± Samuel said worriedly. He rubbed his mother¡¯s forehead which was sweating profusely. ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡± he asked again.

    The handsome pianist had never seen his mother in this bad state. Larissa had been feeling unwell for a long time. However, she forced herself to act normally. Usually, she would come back well in no time.

    The woman looked at her son who looked worried. She then threw a joke to him, ¡°Why did you take me to Doctor Evans¡¯ clinic?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m afraid that you will get pregnant like when you were pregnant with twins. You even realized it when she was two months old,¡± replied Samuel, frowning.

    Larisa chuckled. How could she be pregnant, she was routinely taking pills. It was doubtful that she would get pregnant.

    ¡°Sam, I¡¯m so happy to see you worrying about me,¡± said Larissa. ¡°However, don¡¯t forget about yourself. Don¡¯t worry too much about me.¡±

    He smiled. However, he was still worried because his mother¡¯s pale face did not get better. He asked the nurse again.

    Samuel protested to the nurse. ¡°Why is it so late? It¡¯s been ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Doctor Evans is still not finished with the previous patient. Please wait a little longer. We have conveyed this to Doctor Evans,¡± replied the nurse. She felt bad because Evans did not usually keep patients waiting for so long.

    Not long after, there was a sound of banging from Doctor Evans¡¯ office, making Samuel and the nurse he asked frown. They exchanged uncomprehending glances.

    ¡°What exactly are they doing inside?¡± asked Samuel again with raised eyebrows. ¡°If they¡¯re wrestling, why do they have to do it in the clinic?¡±

    The female nurse could only wince because she didn¡¯t know what was going on with the current patient. This made Samuel even more furious.

    Meanwhile, in the examining room, Clara blocked the door so Doctor Evans couldn¡¯t run anywhere before answering her question. Her eyes bulged, looking at the doctor sharply. Her hand was still holding out two abortion pills to doctor Evans.

    ¡°You made me take these two hell pills and said they were medicine to treat my nausea, didn¡¯t you?¡± Clara ranted, demanding the doctor impatiently.

    ¡°Clara¡ª¡±

    ¡°I asked you! Just say yes or no!¡± snapped Clara. ¡°What¡¯s so difficult, doctor?¡±

    Doctor Evans¡¯ eyes no longer showed a calmness. Anxiety and anger were so vivid. A flash of guilt that had been buried for a long time, was now creeping back into her heart.

    Her fears came true. Clara remembered the procedure she underwent when she was admitted to the hospital after fainting. With her current knowledge, Clara would have easily digested what happened back then.

    How could Clara not be able to connect the separate puzzles? The current her would even be able to see the entire shape even if one or two puzzles were missing.

    ¡°Clara, it¡¯s not all like you think,¡± said doctor Evans later. ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions if you haven¡¯t confirmed what happened.¡±

    ¡°You did it to me, right? You aborted my baby, didn¡¯t you?¡± Clara snapped. Her sanity could no longer be maintained. Clara was furious and wanted an answer right away.

    ¡°Clara! Don¡¯t accuse me like that! What is the proof that I did that?¡± asked doctor Evans in a rising voice. Her eyes widened, scolding Clara like she would someone who did something wrong on the street. ¡°You¡¯re only wasting your time if all you do is whine and scream like a child who hasn¡¯t been given the toy she wants.¡±

    ¡°How dare you dodge after everything I said was the truth,¡± Clara accused not wanting to give up. She shook the arm of the old doctor who refused to accept whatever she was accusing her of. ¡°How could you still intend to hide this matter from me? I¡¯m not that stupid girl six years ago that you could lie to like I used to.¡±

    ¡°Clara! Stop it!¡± screamed doctor Evans who was starting to feel weak because Clara shook her so hard.

    ¡°Admit what you did you damn old woman! You aborted my baby even though you knew that it was my first and last pregnancy!¡± The cries and screams had mixed. Clara could no longer be called sane.

    The next second, a nurse came in with a panicked face. ¡°Doctor, the patient has fainted!¡±

    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t have time!¡± said Doctor Evans. ¡°Give me your contact, I¡¯ll see you later.¡±

    However, Clara continued to refuse. Doctor Evans called the staff to calm Clara down. Two nurses grabbed Clara¡¯s arm and asked her to let Doctor Evans go.

    ¡°You have killed my innocent baby! I should be able to have a child of my own! I shouldn¡¯t be called barren! I should live happily with my child,¡± Clara screamed again, struggling under the restraints of the nurses who held her tightly. ¡°You liar! You did give me the abortion pill, right?¡±

    Clara could only watch the doctor walk away. She knew that the answer was yes. If not, Doctor Evans would have immediately said no. However, as a doctor, at this time she couldn¡¯t keep Doctor Evans from treating patients who needed help.

    ¡°I will not let you go, doctor!¡± answered Clara then. ¡°I will force you to tell me the truth!¡±

    However, when the unconscious patient was brought into the room, how shocked Clara was when she saw Samuel carrying Larissa. She was stunned. Her world stopped spinning. Her body suddenly stiffened when she saw him. The man ¡­ was the father of her unborn baby. They should have had a child together.

    ¡°Help my mom, doctor!¡± shouted Samuel frantically. His jade eyes caught a glimpse of a stunned Clara looking at him. He didn¡¯t have time to greet her because of his mother¡¯s condition.

    Doctor Evans showed him the ward and asked Samuel to lay his mother there. The female doctor then asked Samuel to wait outside.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check Larissa¡¯s condition immediately,¡± Doctor Evans ordered. She then closed the curtain, assisted by a nurse, and immediately performed first aid on Larissa. ¡°She will be fine. Please wait patiently.¡±

    Samuel was waiting anxiously. His mind was divided, between being worried about Larissa, but also curious about Clara. Why was she in Doctor Evans¡¯ clinic in a such bad condition? Why did she mention some strange words? The baby? Infertility? A miscarriage?

    Samuel¡¯s mind was filled with images of Clara¡¯s amber eyes holding anger and helplessness. She seemed to be asking for help, from no one. Feeling uneasy, the man then left the examination room to meet Clara. He had to make sure what happened to that woman.

    He asked the nurses, ¡°Where is the lady in the white coat?¡±

 Chapter 168 - 168 168. Chasing Her

    168 168. Chasing Her

    Clara unsteadily walked out of Doctor Evans¡¯ clinic. Why did she have to meet Samuel when she just wanted to vent her anger on everyone who had hurt her and her late baby? Clara¡¯s desire to vent her anger evaporated instantly, replaced by feelings of guilt and helplessness.

    Clara¡¯s tears continued to flow even though she wiped them many times. Her eyes were swollen and her face turned puffy, but her feelings were much more broken than that. Why did he have to have a father like Patrick who treated her like cattle? The animal that the man used as he pleased. Even without caring about her feelings.

    What would she say to Samuel when they met? Is she just going to keep it a secret? Should she tell Samuel?

    ¡°Clara!¡± Samuel¡¯s voice came from two meters behind her.

    Clara kept walking faster so she wouldn¡¯t have to talk to Samuel at this time. However, Samuel continued to approach and managed to catch her.

    ¡°Clara!¡± Again, Samuel called her name. ¡°Why are you avoiding me?¡±

    Clara gulped hard. She then decided to turn around, facing the man she wanted to avoid the most.

    She glared at him with a challenging look. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! Who is avoiding you?¡± Clara asked curtly. ¡°I am not avoiding anyone.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not heeding my calls!¡± protested Samuel insistently. He called her many times but she ignored him intentionally.

    .....

    Clara laughed reproachfully. ¡°Am I wrong if I don¡¯t answer strangers¡¯ calls?¡± Clara asked curtly. Her amber eyes looked at Samuel, making Samuel see the traces of tears and sadness that were visible on her face.

    ¡°What? A stranger you say?¡± asked Samuel in a hoarse voice, disappointed by Clara¡¯s words. ¡°After all that has happened, you say I am a stranger to you?¡±

    Clara¡¯s heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly. She couldn¡¯t bear to face the current Samuel. However, she didn¡¯t want to make Samuel feel hurt if the two of them got involved in an even more serious relationship. Moreover, after she decided to leave Dave, the chances of her getting close to Samuel would be very high.

    Clara didn¡¯t want that at all. She didn¡¯t want to be close to any man anymore and have a serious relationship with them. She was now barren. She couldn¡¯t possibly build an ideal family with a man who wanted an heir like Samuel. He clearly said that he wanted to pass his piano to his children.

    Instead of her being trapped in a relationship that would cause pain in the future, Clara chose to cut off communication with Samuel from now on. Samuel would be safe from heartache. She, as well, would dodge the pain.

    ¡°Are we ¡­ that close?¡± Clara asked softly. ¡°We¡¯ve only met twice, maybe thrice. It doesn¡¯t mean that we are not strangers,¡± Clara said again.

    This made Samuel get hurt. His ¡®Adam¡¯s apple¡¯ was going up and down, holding back a strongly suppressed anger.

    ¡°I fucked your pussy,¡± Samuel muttered in a deep, hoarse voice. ¡°I fucked your almost married pussy.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s jade eyes stared unblinkingly at Clara. His teeth clenched, holding back the pain that somehow could arise uncontrollably. ¡°How can you dare to say that we don¡¯t know each other after you stroke my dick with your engagement ring on?¡±

    Quickly, Samuel grabbed Clara¡¯s left hand and exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯m sure your hand still remembers how it felt¡ª¡±

    However, Samuel¡¯s words stopped suddenly when he realized that there was no longer the engagement ring that Clara was wearing yesterday. He was dumbfounded, eyeing the ring finger that had a ring mark on it. The skin color was paler than its surroundings.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Samuel was stunned. His confused eyes met Clara¡¯s sad eyes which were now shedding tears again.

    Clara tugged at Samuel¡¯s hand. She didn¡¯t say anything, then pulled away from Samuel¡¯s frozen body, not moving even an inch.

    ¡°You canceled the wedding?¡± asked Samuel with mixed feelings. He was happy and at the same time felt guilty. He felt he had steered Clara¡¯s life, but he didn¡¯t quite understand where his joy had come from.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Clara answered shortly. ¡°And this has absolutely nothing to do with you if you want to know,¡± she added as she looked away from his sharp gaze.

    A faint smile tugged at Samuel¡¯s lips. However, seeing Clara¡¯s sad face, there must be something else she didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Then why are you at Doctor Evans¡¯ clinic?¡± asked Samuel in the end, making Clara¡¯s heart feel so painful to death.

    ¡°That ¡­.¡± Clara bit her lower lip, making Samuel feel like doing that to her lips. ¡°This has nothing to do with you. So, please let me go.¡±

    Clara pushed back Samuel¡¯s hand that was holding her palm. She held the tightness in her chest and said, ¡°Goodbye, Sam! Thanks for everything.¡±

    Tears rolled down Clara¡¯s cheeks as she said her goodbyes. She desperately wanted to hug and kiss Samuel in search of strength. She desperately wanted to lean on and cry on his muscular shoulder to find peace. She also truly wanted to pour out her heart to the man to get support.

    However, she realized that she was not the right woman for him. The man was more entitled to get the perfect woman he wanted.

    Clara realized that she had been too carried away by her short time together with Samuel. His tongue was sharp and did not promise anything to make her enchanted. His harsh words made her feel like she could express herself more freely.

    However, Clara knew, like six years ago, if she didn¡¯t leave Samuel now, she would never be able to let him go. She would never escape his charm. And it would make her and him suffer ¡­ if she let herself accept his hands.

    Clara was about to cross the road, letting go of the happiness that existed in front of her. However, Samuel¡¯s hand pulled her, bringing her into his warm and tight embrace.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± whispered Samuel, kissing her forehead gently. ¡°I will never let you go again.¡±

 Chapter 169 - 169 [Bonus chapter] 169. Come to Me

    169 [Bonus chapter] 169. Come to Me

    ¡°Don¡¯t go away from me again,¡± whispered Samuel again in his deep, deep voice. He embraced Clara tightly, almost squeezing her slender body.

    Clara froze in Samuel¡¯s arms. Logic compelled her to rebel, but feelings led her to return the man¡¯s hug. She placed her hands on Samuel¡¯s chest, burying her face in it. She sobbed violently, shedding all the burden that was in her heart.

    Samuel stroked Clara¡¯s back gently, allowing her to rage and settle down in his arms. He kissed her head softly, hoping it would ease her sadness. He didn¡¯t force her to tell him what happened. He just wanted her to calm down.

    ¡°Why? Why don¡¯t you just let me go?¡± Clara asked, sobbing. ¡°What¡¯s the point in holding me down?¡±

    Samuel didn¡¯t answer, he hugged Clara tightly. His gentle caresses on her brunette hair continued, making Clara feel the man¡¯s tender care even more.

    Clara enjoyed the protection that Samuel gave her. However, half of her warned that it was not good. It could lead them to another misery.

    ¡°Sam, let me go,¡± Clara whispered, her voice muffled as her crying grew heavier. ¡°You can get other women who met your criteria, can¡¯t you?¡± Clara asked again. She shook the man¡¯s body lightly, demanding an answer that would force her to stay in his arms.

    However, Samuel also didn¡¯t understand how he should explain to her everything he was doing at the moment. He didn¡¯t know why he chased after her when he had to wait on his sick mother. Shouldn¡¯t he have stayed in the clinic? Shouldn¡¯t his worries be undivided?

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to let you go any more,¡± Samuel whispered, barely audible. However, his voice was so clear to Clara¡¯s ears. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do it again like the stupid Samuel six years ago.¡±

    .....

    Clara¡¯s eyes heated up again. Her chest felt so tight. She burst into tears, making her weak body get even closer to his muscular body. Would everything be okay if she leaned into his arms?

    Clara no longer wanted to oppose Samuel, either by word or deed. She knew she needed a hug right now. She needed support from him.

    At that moment, Clara realized that God had not accidentally reunited her with a man from six years ago who had made her feel depressed. She reunited with the man because he would become a new source of strength for her during her hard time when she had no support from anyone.

    ¡°Sam, you will regret it later,¡± Clara whispered again, warning Samuel without being able to reveal the things she was keeping secret.

    ¡°On the other hand, I know for sure that I will regret letting you go,¡± whispered Samuel, making Clara even more helpless.

    Samuel knew that, at this moment, Clara had completely submitted herself to him. He hugged her tighter, enjoying the mild cherry scent as if there would be no tomorrow for them. He wasn¡¯t wrong. She could have left him again if he didn¡¯t treat her well.

    The tension between Clara¡¯s body and Samuel¡¯s body slowly disappeared. As if no barriers prevented the two of them, She felt herself merge with his body, feeling that she was a part of his muscular body.

    Samuel also felt the same way, as if he had found a puzzle piece that had disappeared from his body. Neither of them was in bed. Neither of them was involved in sexual activity. However, they felt a deeper union than when their lower bodies were physically connected.

    ¡°Come with me,¡± whispered Samuel.

    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to see that old doctor again,¡± Clara replied. Her sobs had lessened.

    Samuel didn¡¯t ask why Clara didn¡¯t like Doctor Evans. He knew he had to give her a break before she could tell him everything at the right time.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to my place,¡± whispered Samuel again, still hugging Clara tightly.

    Clara didn¡¯t answer. She felt that she did not want to meet people. Meanwhile, Samuel¡¯s house was filled with so many people that it would make her feel like she was in an amusement park.

    ¡°I ¡­ am not feeling like meeting other people. Maybe next time I¡¯ll stop by your house,¡± Clara said, trying to politely decline.

    Samuel smiled at her reply. He broke away from the embrace, then said, ¡°Do you think my parents forbade me from bringing a girl home, without providing a proper place for me?¡±

    Clara¡¯s swollen eyes narrowed, looking questioningly at Samuel. She then smiled as she understood what he wanted to say.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to my penthouse. There¡¯s not a single living creature there,¡± said Samuel, taking Clara¡¯s hand.

    However, Clara was unmoved. She remembered that Samuel needed to take care of his sick mother.

    ¡°What else?¡± asked Samuel confused. He thought that he had convinced her to come home with him.

    ¡°What about your mother?¡± Clara asked worriedly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to my penthouse and then come back to the clinic,¡± Samuel explained.

    Clara thought for a moment, looked at Samuel doubtfully, then said, ¡°Give me the address. I¡¯ll take a cab there.¡±

    Sam was in doubt. He was afraid that Clara would run away again. If she did, she might never come back to him again.

    As if knowing Samuel¡¯s concern, Clara said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to run away. Trust me!¡± Clara smiled, touching Samuel¡¯s cheek gently. She lifted her face, looking into his jade eyes without even blinking at all.

    Samuel then smiled at her. He knew that all good relationships start with mutual trust. He reached into his pocket and took out the penthouse key from there. He lifted Clara¡¯s palm and placed the key in her open hand.

    ¡°Wait for me there,¡± said Samuel, looking at Clara meaningfully.

    Clara smiled, waved her hand, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you afraid if I steal your valuable things?¡±

    ¡°You did it,¡± Samuel replied with a sincere smile. He realized that the beautiful woman in front of him had succeeded in stealing his heart.

 Chapter 170 - 170 [Bonus chapter] 170. Revealing the Truth

    170 [Bonus chapter] 170. Revealing the Truth

    Samuel entered Doctor Evans¡¯ clinic. He was startled to find Thomas already there.

    ¡°Dad? Isn¡¯t you in a meeting?¡± asked Samuel surprised because he did not expect that his father would come to the clinic so quickly.

    Thomas shook his head slowly and forced a smile on his tired face. ¡°Thank you, Sam! You have taken good care of Larissa.¡±

    Samuel smiled, happy to have a father who loved his mother so much. His father¡¯s mistakes in the past that left him stranded from the womb until he was seven years old paid off with everything his father did afterward.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s my mother. Of course, I will take good care of her,¡± replied Samuel, taunting his father who looked worried.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± asked Samuel¡¯s father, curiously. ¡°Did you get her?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± asked Samuel somewhat confused.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you after your woman?¡± asked Thomas, chuckling softly.

    Sam¡¯s face flushed. He glanced at the nurse who had shown him where Clara had gone. The middle-aged woman dressed all in white smiled at him while bowing her head briefly. Samuel understood how his father knew that he was after Clara.

    .....

    The handsome pianist then turned his face to his father and said, ¡°She asked me to come back here. She reminded me about mom¡¯s condition.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not afraid if she runs away again?¡± asked Thomas, narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°She said that she would wait for me at the penthouse. I have to trust her, no?¡± Samuel said confidently.

    Thomas smiled, proud of Samuel¡¯s decision to trust Clara. He patted his son on the shoulder, hoping God would give him the best.

    ¡°What I experienced with your mother back then was a lack of trust. Supposedly, if I can make Larissa trust me, I definitely won¡¯t lose you two for eight years,¡± Thomas recalled with regret. His jade eyes looked into Samuel¡¯s eyes, glistening with tears. The guilt still hadn¡¯t gone away even after all these years.

    ¡°Come on, Dad! Don¡¯t bring it up again. You make me feel uncomfortable,¡± said Samuel, patting his father on the back. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think. I told you.¡±

    Not long after, doctor Evans came out of the examination room and looked at Thomas and Samuel with a playful smile. Samuel recognized it as the face Doctor Evans would show if another new member would come to the family.

    Sure enough, shortly after, Doctor Evans said, ¡°Congratulations! Your wife is getting pregnant again.¡± Doctor Evans looked at Thomas with a characteristic chuckle. For a moment, she forgot her confrontation with Clara a while ago. ¡°It¡¯s eight weeks already.¡±

    Thomas looked so happy, he almost jumped and cheered as if his favorite football team rolled a beautiful goal into the opponent¡¯s goal. However, not so with Samuel. The young man was still preoccupied with his thoughts. He could only force a small smile at his father because his head was filled with big question marks about Clara and her problems.

    ¡°She¡¯s awake, you can see her inside,¡± said Doctor Evans, inviting Samuel and his father to meet Larissa.

    Thomas invited Samuel, but the young man refused. ¡°You would like to have a few words alone with mom, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± rejected Samuel lazily.

    ¡°Larissa will be happier if you visit her now,¡± Thomas insisted. ¡°You are the eldest.¡± He tried to convince his son.

    Samuel sighed. He put his lips close to his father¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°You made me suspect that you were doing something wrong to my mom.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Thomas frowned, worriedly.

    ¡°Mom said that she took the pills. However, it turned out that she was still pregnant. Did you do something to her?¡± asked Samuel with narrowed eyes.

    Thomas smiled playfully. ¡°How could I do something indecent to my wife?¡± the still-handsome old man asked.

    ¡°If you are afraid that she will be angry, then ask me for company, that¡¯s called cheating,¡± whispered Samuel. ¡°Be a man and face the danger yourself.¡±

    Thomas laughed at Samuel¡¯s reasonable analysis. ¡°You are not a child anymore. You can¡¯t be fooled so easily,¡± Thomas chuckled at Samuel.

    Samuel smiled lightly. ¡°I almost thought that the pills are completely useless.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s father shook his head. The man then told the truth to his son. ¡°I¡¯m not that bad. Your mother took expired pills. I knew it, but I kept quiet because I still want to have children from her.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Samuel asked. He flinched as if remembering something. He recalled, when he first had sex with Clara, the girl said that she took pills so he spilled his seeds inside her without hesitation ... even though he wasn¡¯t wearing rubber.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sure that mom won¡¯t be angry with you,¡± Samuel said. ¡°I have some business with Doctor Evans.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Thomas could not hold back his son who immediately fled away, leaving him in pensive astonishment. The man immediately entered the patient¡¯s room to see his wife.

    Meanwhile, Samuel entered Doctor Evans¡¯ examination room. His feelings were mixed, between curiosity and worry. However, he was sure that Clara¡¯s problem was not a light one, by any means.

    ¡°Tell me, what happened to Clara exactly?¡± urged Samuel matter-of-factly, he didn¡¯t even bother to greet the doctor.

    Doctor Evans felt scared. ¡°You know her?¡± asked the doctor, forcing a smile on her frightened face.

    ¡°She is a very important person to me,¡± Samuel answered confidently, looking at doctor Evans with a sharp gaze.

    Doctor Evans swallowed hard. This time she would not be able to escape from her responsibility. She must make up for all her mistakes. The truth must be revealed. She felt lucky that she didn¡¯t have to tell Clara everything in person.

    With a trembling voice, the old doctor said, ¡°It was ¡­ a long story.¡±

    ¡°Even for a day or two I will make time to hear it from you,¡± whispered Samuel with suppressed anger.

    Doctor Evans tremblingly opened her palm, inviting Samuel to sit down. The time had come to uncover the truth that had been silenced for years.

 Chapter 171 - 171 171. Family Legacy

    171 171. Family Legacy

    Thomas rushed to Doctor Evans¡¯ room when he heard Samuel¡¯s anger from a small room in the corner of the building. The nurses¡¯ faces looked panicked, hearing tantrums that were more excited than Clara¡¯s fight with Doctor Evans.

    ¡°Samuel! What are you doing?¡± Thomas screamed, trying to prevent his son from doing anything worse than what he had done.

    Thomas finds Doctor Evans¡¯ room in a mess. All the files that had been neatly arranged on the table, were scattered on the floor.

    ¡°Sam! pull yourself together!¡± Thomas grabbed Samuel¡¯s body tightly, almost squeezing him. He knew that Samuel was in his worst state since he would never do that to a weak old woman like doctor Evans.

    ¡°Dad, you will never believe me! She did the worst thing ever to me,¡± shouted Samuel angrily, looking at his father with a hurt look. It was then, Thomas realized that his son was not only angry but also crying.

    ¡°Tell me, son! What is it?¡± Thomas tried his best to calm himself, so he wouldn¡¯t get carried away with Samuel¡¯s anger.

    Then, Samuel pointed at Doctor Evans and said, ¡°She killed my unborn child, dad!¡±

    Thomas was stunned. His brows frowned, looking at his son in disbelief. He then turned to doctor Evans who could only stare, crying silently.

    ¡°Is that true, Rebecca?¡± Thomas asked Doctor Evans in a slightly hoarse voice.

    .....

    Doctor Evans answered with a heavy nod. She knew there was no point in hiding everything. The rotten truth should be said.

    Seeing Doctor Evans¡¯ response, Thomas could only sigh heavily. However, the man was quite aware that he should not be carried away by emotions. With Samuel¡¯s current bad condition, absolutely nothing would solve the problem.

    Thomas knew Doctor Evans was a good doctor. She must have had a reason why she did it.

    ¡°She deserves punishment, dad!¡± said Samuel furiously.

    ¡°Sam! Do not be like that. After all, you owe her your life!¡± Thomas snapped, infuriating Samuel even more.

    Samuel wanted to reply to his father¡¯s words. However, not long after, Larissa, who was still weak, entered the doctor¡¯s room.

    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Larissa in a weak voice, making Samuel freeze. His father was right, he owed his life and his mother¡¯s to doctor Evans. If it weren¡¯t for God bringing them to meet the doctor, surely they would not have lived to this day.

    Thomas came to his wife and whispered something, making Larissa cover her face, hiding a weak cry that she couldn¡¯t hold back. Everything was too much. She didn¡¯t even think that she should have become a grandmother.

    Thomas hugged Larissa for a moment, stroking the woman¡¯s back gently. Fortunately, Larissa could control her emotions. She said, ¡°Can you explain all of this?¡±

    Doctor Evans, who was trembling with fear, finally moved from her place. Everyone was now sitting orderly, with mixed feelings, around the small coffee table in the locked waiting room. It was there, and all the veils were removed.

    ***

    Everyone was pensive, sitting transfixed in the living room of the mansion. Thomas took his son home, knowing the young man was not one hundred percent sane.

    Samuel hadn¡¯t said anything since Doctor Evans had explained everything to him. He didn¡¯t know what to say and didn¡¯t know how to face Clara.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go to the penthouse?¡± asked Larissa in a soft voice.

    Samuel just shook his head. His face was very gloomy.

    ¡°Sam, everything has happened. Right now, what Clara needs is support,¡± said Thomas, patting Samuel on the back.

    Everyone fell silent. No one felt entitled to speak apart from Samuel. However, the man did not look like he wanted to open his mouth soon.

    Larissa stood and walked silently to the kitchen. Before long, she came back to the room with two cups of hot chocolate for her beloved ones.

    After thanking his mom, Samuel said, ¡°Do I deserve to see her? While I can not punish people who hurt her.¡±

    Larissa and Thomas exchanged glances. Thomas then said again, ¡°Helping someone who was injured by falling from a tree, doesn¡¯t mean you have to burn the whole forest.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s face turned up. He felt useless because he didn¡¯t have a power that could help satisfy Clara¡¯s anger. It was his choice not to involve in the family business. It was his choice not to wet his hands with money and political influence.

    ¡°Meet her, Sam,¡± Larissa whispered, holding her son¡¯s palm. ¡°She¡¯s waiting for you, right?¡±

    Samuel knew, right now, Clara didn¡¯t have the will to live. Her incompleteness as a woman makes her lose confidence. Especially when she found out why she lost her chance to become a mother without being able to do anything to fix it.

    Samuel then left. ¡°Thank you, mom!¡±

    Larissa smiled seeing her son¡¯s motivation return. Then she gasped as if she remembered something.

    ¡°Sam, I want to give you something,¡± said Larissa while removing the diamond ring on her left ring finger. She then slipped the ring on her son¡¯s palm.

    ¡°Mom, this is your wedding ring, isn¡¯t it?¡± asked Samuel doubtfully.

    ¡°This is a ring that has been passed down for generations to the eldest son in the Montgomery family,¡± said Larissa, looking at her husband, who nodded and smiled. ¡°Thomas got this ring from your grandmother. I think it¡¯s time for you to look for the next owner of this ring.¡±

    ¡°But, mom¡ª¡±

    Larisa shook her head. She told Samuel that he shouldn¡¯t refuse.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that you have to find a wife as soon as possible,¡± said Larissa. ¡°Only when you feel the time has come, use this ring to propose to her.¡±

    Samuel looked at the diamond ring that had probably been passed down seven generations to the eldest son in the Montgomery family. He didn¡¯t think that he was the one who deserved it.

    ¡°But, as the eldest, I did a terrible thing to you and dad. I¡¯m not willing to continue the family business. Do I deserve this ring?¡± asked Samuel doubtfully. He knew he was the only man who didn¡¯t take part in the family business for generations.

    Thomas then approached his son and said, ¡°Please accept it if you admit that I am your father.¡±

    Samuel was stunned to hear his father¡¯s words. Larissa and Thomas then hugged Samuel together, providing support for their son.

    ¡°Thanks, dad, mom!¡± Samuel said in a whisper.

 Chapter 172 - 172 [Bonus chapter] 172. His Confession

    172 [Bonus chapter] 172. His Confession

    Samuel entered the penthouse with mixed feelings. He was afraid and anxious to face Clara. However, his worries disappeared when he found the woman fast asleep on the couch with the TV still on.

    Samuel smiled when he saw the drama series The Good Doctor that Clara was watching. He stroked Clara¡¯s forehead gently, brushing away the messy bangs that covered it.

    Clara who felt a cold hand on her forehead woke up. ¡°Are you home? Sorry, I fell asleep on the couch,¡± Clara said, opening her eyes lazily.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to wake you up,¡± whispered Samuel in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I shouldn¡¯t sleep before taking a bath first,¡± Clara replied with a weak smile.

    ¡°You have had dinner?¡± asked Samuel doubtfully.

    ¡°Is there food to eat in the kitchen?¡± Clara asked again, jokingly. ¡°What kind of hospitality is it?¡±

    They both then burst out laughing. Samuel then pointed at the table, where he put the groceries. ¡°I will cook for you. Wait here,¡± he said.

    However, Clara shook her head. ¡°Let me help you with the food. I¡¯ve never been an insolent guest.¡±

    .....

    The two of them then cooked together, forgetting the exhaustion and bad feelings they had today. It wasn¡¯t the steam of boiling spaghetti that made Clara chuckle but Samuel¡¯s embrace startled her from behind, making her feel amused but comfortable. It wasn¡¯t the smell of stir-fried ground beef that made Samuel feel calm, but the sincere smile on Clara¡¯s face did.

    Soon, simple dishes were served on the table for dinner. The appearance of spaghetti bolognese on the table was not like the appearance of spaghetti bolognese in foodie blogger photos. However, the joy on Samuel¡¯s and Clara¡¯s faces was well worth it, making the smudges on the edges of the plates no big deal.

    ¡°Hmm, my stomach is suddenly growling,¡± Clara said, bringing her nose closer to the spaghetti plate to inhale its tantalizing aroma.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get a drink ready,¡± Samuel said, taking a bottle of ginger ale out of the fridge and pouring it into a tulip glass, resembling champagne.

    Clara then said, ¡°I don¡¯t drink if you want to find me sober until morning.¡±

    Samuel stopped pouring the drink and chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I remember that you even got drunk with just a sip of wine.¡±

    Clara¡¯s chest warmed. It¡¯s been six years since that incident. However, Samuel still remembered it well.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat! Don¡¯t let Doctor Clara get sick because she forgets to eat,¡± Samuel said sarcastically. Clara¡¯s current appearance had not improved. He¡¯s still skinny. However, that was not a problem for Samuel at all. He wanted Clara, the whole of her. He was ready to accept her flaws.

    The two of them then enjoyed the food gratefully. For Clara, it was the most delicious food she had ever eaten. Not because of the taste, but because she ate it together with Samuel.

    After the meal, Clara cleaned the table and took the dishes to the kitchen. However, when she was about to put them into the dishwasher, Samuel hugged her from behind and kissed the nape of her neck gently.

    ¡°Sam¡­.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Samuel whispered in Clara¡¯s ear. ¡°Thank you for waiting for me here.¡±

    Clara smiled, feeling at peace. She turned around and faced the man with teary eyes.

    ¡°Why should I run away from you?¡± said Clara with a sincere smile.

    ¡°Stay with me,¡± Samuel said with a serious look. It couldn¡¯t be called joking.

    ¡°Sam¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know, it¡¯s too early to say love, but that is how I feel,¡± said Samuel, in a whisper.

    Clara was stunned at his confession. ¡°Sam, I don¡¯t know what to say. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°How about if you say nothing?¡± Samuel cut her words, staring at her with an intense look.

    Clara¡¯s mouth opened but no words came out. The two of them just stared at each other, and now their lips were touching. Soft and sweet. Clara¡¯s eyes slowly closed, following Samuel¡¯s move.

    Both of them immediately left the kitchen and somehow, they both ended up in the bedroom. They were no longer in control. Both of them were swept away in a feeling that cannot be expressed with only words.

    They looked at each other. Merging in a sea of hot breath and sweat. This was a hard and tiring day for Clara, but Samuel managed to make her forget about it so that she wanted him completely.

    He spoiled her erogenous spots with his gentle touch. He made sure once again with his finger, inserting it into her core. Was her condition able to accept his presence perfectly? He didn¡¯t want to hurt her even a little.

    Samuel was nervous because this was the first time he had done this with the woman he loved. It was the first time he had done it with feelings involved.

    ¡°Why do you look scared?¡± asked Samuel, touching Clara¡¯s chest with his palm. He felt that her heart was also beating so fast.

    Clara shook her head. ¡°I wish I could be as calm as you are. Ridiculous, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Samuel smiled gently and took Clara¡¯s palm to her chest, feeling his heartbeat. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m calm now?¡±

    Clara shook her head in amazement. She couldn¡¯t believe that Samuel was also feeling anxious, just like herself. This wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯ve done it. However, they felt like time-traveling to the past six years, when they spent the night together for the first time.

    ¡°This is the first time I do it to the woman I love,¡± Samuel said smiling, causing surprise to show concern on Clara¡¯s face.

    Samuel¡¯s heart fluttered seeing the blush on Clara¡¯s face. The man was not sure that his feelings were not reciprocated. However, he didn¡¯t care about it.

    ¡°Sam, you need to know that¡ª¡±

    Clara didn¡¯t continue what he was saying, because unexpectedly, Samuel acted so quickly by approaching and taking a kiss from her lips. After a few seconds, he broke the kiss and said, ¡°Please forget all of that! Forget your sadness and just look at me!¡±

    Clara smiled and continued their kiss. The two of them drifted back into a sea of passion. They intended to erase all the sadness in their chests, replacing it with an intense and intoxicating physical and soul connection.

 Chapter 173 - 173 173. The Proposal*

    173 173. The Proposal*

    ¡°Sam!¡±

    Clara¡¯s screams echoed in the room because of the climax she felt from Samuel¡¯s fingers and tongue on her sensitive parts. The combination of sucking on the clit and finger pressure on her g-spot always managed to bring her to cloud nine.

    Samuel couldn¡¯t hold his desire back any longer, but he forced his sanity to keep working. He had to focus on her. He had to make Clara forget her sadness.

    ¡°Samuel! Don¡¯t let me enjoy it alone!¡± Clara screamed breathlessly. She knew that Samuel had hardened a lot down there. He didn¡¯t want to let him be tormented with too much restraint.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, today I will be the one who serves you, my queen,¡± said Samuel.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! I¡¯ll get tired if you make me orgasm continuously,¡± Clara refused. She then sat up straight to reach for his hardness, which protruded beneath the black boxers that he was wearing.

    ¡°My turn!¡± Clara stared at Samuel with her amber eyes, encircling his long shaft with her both palms, bringing his length to her mouth.

    Without hesitation, Clara licked the tip and put it in her warm mouth. This made Samuel groan and moan uncontrollably.

    ¡°Clara! Don¡¯t get me ejaculating prematurely!¡± Samuel groaned in a hoarse and heavy voice.

    .....

    Clara looked at Samuel with a satisfied smile. Samuel¡¯s groans of pleasure showed her work was not in vain.

    ¡°Let me in, baby,¡± Samuel begged her.

    ¡°Then do it,¡± Clara¡¯s whining, which moved Samuel¡¯s heart, made the man¡¯s defenses crumble. He knew she had given herself to him. That woman was his.

    Slowly, Samuel inserted his manhood into Clara¡¯s core and gave the first thrust. ¡°You are so warm, baby!¡±

    A delicious scream escaped Clara¡¯s lips, making her almost orgasm just because Samuel entered her. Sweat trickled slowly down her temple. He removed it gently.

    ¡°Faster, Sam! Satisfy me!¡± Clara muttered.

    Samuel began to feel signs that Clara had started to get used to his anatomy. The man perfected the thrust slowly, making her make scream between surprise and pleasure.

    Samuel kept distracting Clara¡¯s body so she wouldn¡¯t feel the twinge of pain in her hole. The twisting motion made her walls tighten and squeezed his manhood, making him groan loudly, holding on as hard as he could to keep his manhood from ejaculating.

    ¡°You are so tight, baby!¡± groaned Samuel as he kissed Clara¡¯s lips.

    The man¡¯s hands squeezed and fondled Clara¡¯s breasts, then he sucked the woman¡¯s nipples gently so that she would not feel pain.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Clara screamed closing her eyes, holding back the delicious sensation that was made by Samuel¡¯s gentle touch on her nipples.

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll make it feel stronger!¡±

    Samuel succeeded. So different from what Samuel did to her before this night. It was perfect. She felt a violent wave, rising from his movement in her core and his touch on her breasts.

    The atmosphere was getting hotter and thicker. Samuel sped up his movement. Clara¡¯s rhythmic response made the atmosphere balanced. Both of them were drifting in the wave of love.

    ¡°Sam, I am close ....¡±

    He pulled her closer to him. He gripped her ass tighter.

    They screamed together, signaling that their game¡¯s success was absolute. It ended with satisfaction on both sides as he spilled his seeds into her womb.

    Samuel was still moving slowly without breaking away to finish the rest of the orgasm he was still feeling. While Clara was already lying down because she felt exhausted.

    Clara¡¯s vision, which was dark and hazy, slowly returned to normal. However, how surprised she was to find her left ring finger embedded with a beautiful diamond ring there.

    ¡°Samuel! What is this?¡± she asked, almost screaming.

    ¡°Clara, will you marry me?¡± Samuel¡¯s sweating face pleaded with all the sincerity he had.

    Clara was stunned. She still kept a lot of secrets from Samuel. How could they possibly live together if she was not honest?

    ¡°Sam, I can¡¯t take this,¡± whispered Clara with a worried face. She also noticed her attraction to Samuel. However, she did not want to disappoint the man in the future. Rejecting his proposal now would be better than letting him down later.

    ¡°Why? Is it too fast?¡± he asked again. He didn¡¯t want to lose Clara. Didn¡¯t want anyone to get ahead of him. He didn¡¯t want to make the same mistake. ¡°Listen, Clara. I can¡¯t let another Dave take you from me anymore.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point, Sam!¡± Clara said. Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°You ¡­ you want to have children, don¡¯t you? I am ¡­.¡±

    Samuel looked at Clara¡¯s sad face without expression. His hand then rubbed the woman¡¯s head and whispered, ¡°I know.¡±

    Clara¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I know everything,¡± Samuel said, sitting up and looking at Clara with teary eyes. ¡°Doctor Evans told me everything.¡±

    Clara¡¯s tears could no longer be contained. Tears flowed slowly down her cheeks. Samuel rubbed it gently, but it couldn¡¯t stop Clara¡¯s tears.

    ¡°So you know about my baby?¡± Clara asked again, confirming how far Samuel knew.

    Samuel nodded, tears dripping from his eyes. ¡°I know about our baby.¡±

    Clara continued to cry, turning her face away from Samuel. She rubbed her reddened nose, looked at Samuel again, and said, ¡°Then you must have realized that I¡¯m not the woman you¡¯re looking for, right?¡±

    ¡°Clara, I want to marry you because I truly want you,¡± said Samuel, ¡°forever.¡±

    ¡°But you can¡¯t have children with me,¡± Clara argued in a rising voice.

    ¡°Clara, do you think I¡¯m like a cow?¡± asked Samuel looking at Clara playfully. Supposedly, Clara laughed. However, her crying was getting worse. ¡°I want you. Just you and I are fine.¡±

    ¡°What about your parents?¡± Clara asked again. ¡°How could they not want grandchildren from you?¡±

    Sam then smiled. His hand reached for the hair covering Clara¡¯s face and said, ¡°You know what? I¡¯ll have a new brother or sister soon.¡±

    Clara¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So your mother is pregnant again?¡±

    Samuel nodded. ¡°There are too many Montgomerys in my house. They will have no shortage of new generations and force me to have children.¡±

    Clara smiled hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid ¡­ our feelings are only temporary.¡±

    Samuel took Clara¡¯s hand and squeezed it. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll make you fall for me every day, for the rest of my life,¡± said Samuel, looking at Clara with his sharp green eyes. ¡°So, are you willing to be with me forever?¡±

    Clara couldn¡¯t stop her tears. She didn¡¯t expect that Samuel would be serious with her. There was only one answer within her heart.

    ¡°Sure, Samuel! Sure!¡±

    The lovebirds, who were at the peak of happiness, were dissolved again in the increasingly surging waves of love. They made love non-stop until morning came. No ... that¡¯s not enough. They both vowed to be together until death separated them.

 Chapter 174 - 174 174. Happiness for Everyone

    174 174. Happiness for Everyone

    ¡°Honey, where are you going?¡± asked Samuel as Clara got out of bed, away from his embrace. ¡°It¡¯s still too early to wake up.¡±

    Clara chuckled. ¡°I have to go to the hospital, Sam.¡±

    ¡°Lea?¡±

    Clara nodded and smiled. ¡°I want to convince her to give birth to her child as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you can?¡±

    Clara was silent for a moment. After she got Samuel¡¯s love, she felt alive again. When she thinks about Lea, she felt that everyone deserved happiness, regardless of any sins they had committed in the past. Lea was no exception.

    ¡°Lea is an educated person. I will show her scientifically. I hope she will understand,¡± Clara replied again.

    Samuel smiled lightly. He felt that Clara¡¯s zest for life had returned. ¡°Give me a kiss and I¡¯ll let you go,¡± Samuel said with a playful look, pouting his lips.

    Clara naturally laughed at Samuel¡¯s childish behavior. She didn¡¯t reward him with a kiss but tickled Samuel until he screamed for mercy.

    .....

    ¡°Hey, you make me want to do it again, baby!¡± shouted Samuel, pulling Clara¡¯s body back into bed.

    ¡°What are you doing, Sam?¡± Clara yelled with wide eyes when Samuel covered her naked body with his.

    ¡°Of course, I will teach you a lesson!¡± replied Samuel, sneering cunningly.

    That morning, another session occurred before Clara could finally go to the hospital. Of course, she did it with difficulty because her energy was barely drained.

    ***

    At the hospital, after completing her summary, Clara rushed to Lea¡¯s room. However, she ran into Dave in front of Lea¡¯s room.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Clara asked, finding Dave¡¯s gloomy face unfriendly.

    The man just shook his head in response. He was about to leave Clara because his feelings of awkwardness and heartache for that woman were still there, even though they had both decided to end the relationship on good terms.

    Clara didn¡¯t give up. She knew how he put on a face when he was in trouble.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Clara said forcefully. She shook Dave¡¯s shoulder so he would tell her what had happened.

    Even Dave couldn¡¯t go against Clara¡¯s wishes. He said softly, ¡°My dad ¡­ he didn¡¯t want his grandson to be born out of wedlock. He ¡­ asked me to marry Lea.¡±

    Clara was stunned for a moment. No wonder Dave was reluctant to tell her. As it turned out, what happened was not pleasant to hear or tell.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s for the best,¡± Clara said. ¡°Did Lea agree with the plan?¡±

    Clara¡¯s question just floated in the air. She knew Dave was in trouble. It must have been because Lea didn¡¯t want to cooperate.

    Dave looked down, trying to see something other than Clara¡¯s face. However, he saw a diamond ring pinned on Clara¡¯s ring finger. The ring that wasn¡¯t from him.

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± whispered Dave in endless anxiety. It was unpleasant to know that Clara had completely ready for a new relationship with someone else.

    ¡°For what?¡± asked Clara with a pounding chest. She then realized that she was wearing a ring from Samuel.

    Dave patted Clara on the shoulder and said, ¡°Wishing you all the best of happiness.¡± He forced a smile, but his lips trembled as result. There was no smile to be seen.

    That¡¯s all Dave said. He then left Clara with a tight chest, trying to convince himself that everything about Clara was no longer his business. He had to focus on Lea and their child.

    Clara realized what Dave was doing. She glanced at the ring in her hand. What was she going to say? Sooner or later, Dave would find out about her relationship with Samuel.

    The doctor then entered Lea¡¯s room and greeted the woman with a light feeling. ¡°Good afternoon, mom! How are you today?¡±

    Lea was stunned to find Clara¡¯s attitude changed so drastically. Lea felt both scorned and confused by such a friendly gesture. A few days ago, didn¡¯t Clara still look gloomy and cold?

    ¡°You look so cheerful, doctor,¡± commented Lea hoarsely.

    Clara smiled kindly. ¡°I asked, how are you?¡±

    ¡°I asked why you canceled the wedding which was only a few days away. Why did you do that to Dave, Clara? He loves you so¡ª¡±

    When Lea¡¯s eyes looked at the diamond ring on Clara¡¯s left ring finger, that¡¯s when she realized that as Dave said, Clara was serious about ending their relationship. Not only because of the presence of the baby in her womb but also because there was another man.

    Unknowingly, Lea¡¯s tears fell. ¡°Why? Why does it have to be like this?¡±

    Lea burst into tears, covering her face with her hands. Clara, who couldn¡¯t stand Lea¡¯s crying, approached her patient and hugged her tightly.

    ¡°Lea, please understand ¡­ Dave and I are done. Please don¡¯t prolong it and regret it,¡± whispered Clara in a hoarse voice, holding back the pain in her chest that still appeared briefly.

    Lea shook her head, unable to believe that she was destroying people¡¯s relationships. She didn¡¯t think she would fail to get Clara and Dave back together.

    ¡°Lea, realize that there are things we cannot change in this world. I heard that you also ended your relationship with your former boyfriend because he married another woman, right? Even if you and he have been in a relationship for a long time,¡± Clara said without separating herself from Lea. ¡°Have you ever thought that fate plays with us? Our soul mate comes too late, destroying the plan we have built for a long time.¡±

    Clara separated from Lea, then continued to say, ¡°The paths will be different, but everyone deserves to be happy with the person who is meant for them. So do you.¡±

    Lea was still sobbing, trying to stop her crying.

    ¡°Now try to think for you and your baby¡¯s happiness,¡± whispered Clara. She then took out her tablet to report on the success of the six-month-old baby¡¯s birth and the facilities that the hospital had. ¡°Your baby deserves a complete family. Having a father and mother.¡±

    Lea stared at Clara with teary eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see your child grow up, walk and run while calling you mommy?¡± Clara asked again, making Lea¡¯s sobs deepen.

    Lea could only nod in response. She hugged Clara tightly, God knows how long she did it. She didn¡¯t know whether to thank or apologize to Clara either. She just realized that what Clara said was her dream.

 Chapter 175 - 175 175. What is Love? (END)

    175 175. What is Love? (END)

    A tense atmosphere enveloped the faces of the people in the VIP room of the Frederick family¡¯s restaurant.

    ¡°So you¡¯re the man who changed my daughter¡¯s mind recently?¡± Linda asked Samuel. The woman observed Samuel¡¯s appearance from head to toe.

    A few days ago, Samuel was determined to meet Clara¡¯s mom. However, she was reluctant to introduce him because she felt the time was not right. Unfortunately, he insisted on meeting her mom, to ask for permission to marry her. They were engaged and wanted to get married soon. At least, he wanted to do it properly despite the problems.

    Clara already had the blessing of his parents, why couldn¡¯t he meet Clara¡¯s mom?

    Clara was afraid that Samuel would just waste his time. However, she finally agreed. She then brought him to meet Linda and the old Frederick couple. Unfortunately, not only Linda¡¯s family came. The woman had invited Patrick too because, after all, that man was Clara¡¯s father.

    Patrick, with a cold face, said, ¡°I don¡¯t know you, but I know enough about your father and uncle. Sigh, anyway, I have to thank you for accepting Clara though¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s perfect. She is so perfect to me. You don¡¯t need to say thank you,¡± interrupted Samuel annoyed as he hugged Clara closer to him. He didn¡¯t like it because Patrick spoke as if Clara was an imperfect woman so he needed to thank Samuel for taking her as a wife.

    Clara¡¯s throat constricted. Her eyes widened. She didn¡¯t expect that Samuel would dare to defend her in front of Patrick.

    ¡°Patrick! You promised to keep your attitude, that¡¯s why I invited you here,¡± Linda warned the person she was going to divorce soon. She turned around, looked at Samuel and Clara, and said, ¡°¡­ I apologize for the inconvenience.¡±

    .....

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mrs. Frederick. I accept Clara as she is. Including the fact that she has a father who never cherished her,¡± said Samuel, holding back his anger. If no one else was around, maybe a duel between the two men would be inevitable.

    Linda¡¯s tears fell. At first, she wasn¡¯t sure that Samuel was the right man for Clara because they had just met recently. However, seeing the way Samuel treated Clara made her believe that Samuel was the man Clara was destined for.

    Linda smiled, shedding tears. ¡°You¡¯re right. As a parent, I should be proud of my daughter. You remind me of what I should do with my daughter.¡±

    ¡°You are a good mom, Mrs. Frederick. Anyone would agree with me,¡± said Samuel, smiling sarcastically at Patrick.

    Feeling unappreciated, Patrick stood up, ¡°This arrogant useless man is an eyesore. Did he think he was one of royal blood? What are you good at? Hitting the piano keys? Are you even making money with that?¡±

    Patrick got up and left the room. At first, he wanted to look up to Linda so that she did not divorce him. However, Samuel¡¯s arrogance made him feel annoyed.

    ¡°I only recognize a businessman as a son-in-law, not a kid who can only play the piano all day and thinks he is working,¡± he said as he left the room.

    Linda¡¯s face was red with embarrassment. So did her parents.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sam, Clara. I shouldn¡¯t have invited Patrick here,¡± Linda said, feeling uncomfortable with Patrick¡¯s behavior toward them.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, mom!¡± said Clara. ¡°He is always like that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough! This is an important day for our Clara. Forget him! We should celebrate Clara and Samuel¡¯s happiness, right?¡± Clara¡¯s grandmother said, trying to lighten the mood. Everyone agreed and continued to enjoy their meal. The Frederick family also requested an official meeting with Samuel¡¯s family so they could immediately discuss the wedding plans.

    Before leaving, Clara hugged Linda and said, ¡°Mom, thank you for doing so much to stand up for me in front of Patrick.¡±

    Linda shook her head, ¡°I thought he¡¯d change. However¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mom, come on. I do not care anymore. Even if you come back to him, I won¡¯t be angry,¡± Clara said quietly, making Linda amazed.

    ¡°Clara?¡± Linda whispered.

    ¡°I¡¯m with Samuel now. Patrick can¡¯t hurt me anymore,¡± Clara said, glancing at Samuel who was talking to her grandparents. ¡°I know, you still love Patrick.¡±

    Linda could not answer Clara¡¯s words. Clara just patted her mother¡¯s shoulder and said goodbye when Samuel took her home.

    ¡°Oh! Don¡¯t forget to come to Dave and Lea¡¯s wedding,¡± Clara reminded her mother before she walked out of the restaurant.

    Linda nodded, then waved at her daughter. Her heart felt peaceful because Clara met Samuel and chose to live happily instead of thinking about revenge.

    Now, Linda was relieved that she didn¡¯t have to worry about Clara anymore. All she needed to worry about was Noel. The last news she heard, the Johnson and Decker family partnership was continuing even though Dave had told his family about Patrick¡¯s bad attitude towards Clara. They still have another couple: Clara¡¯s brother and Dave¡¯s sister. Noel and Ava.

    ***

    The weekend came. Everyone was attending Dave and Lea¡¯s wedding party.

    Samuel was stunned, looking at Clara and Lea, again and again, taking turns. He didn¡¯t expect that the Lea that she had been talking about all this time was that ¡°Lea¡±.

    ¡°This world is so small,¡± commented Samuel to Clara.

    ¡°Why?¡± Clara asked again.

    Samuel just shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to spoil today¡¯s sacredness. He also didn¡¯t want to spoil Clara¡¯s good mood. After all, Clara had prepared this morning with great enthusiasm. She was so beautiful in her royal blue mermaid long dress. It complemented her cheerful expression well.

    ¡°Ah, William and Paula have arrived,¡± exclaimed Samuel with a happy face to welcome his cousin and his cousin-in-law.

    It was then that Clara remembered that William¡¯s last name was Montgomery. While his wife was Paula. So, Paula was the woman William and Samuel fought over? The woman was blonde and curvy with a round chest that had grown one size because she was pregnant.

    Suddenly, jealousy crept into Clara¡¯s mind. She was annoyed to see Samuel¡¯s happy face when greeting his cousin¡¯s wife.

    ¡°You look delighted, don¡¯t you?¡± Clara asked in a curt voice, putting her finger to Samuel¡¯s ear, ready to take a jab at him.

    Samuel felt the danger threatened. ¡°Honey, you are my love. What makes you so unhappy?¡±

    Clara pursed her lips as Samuel introduced her to William and Paula. Although it was awkward knowing that Clara was the former bride-to-be who was supposed to be standing beside Dave, William and Paula behaved enough to keep their mouths shut from bringing up the past.

    Knowing Clara¡¯s anxiety, Samuel took action. He grabbed her hand and placed it between his palms.

    ¡°Hey, you know what love is?¡± he asked, whispering in her ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask such stupid questions.¡±

    ¡°Love is what makes you the most beautiful woman in the world,¡± whispered Samuel while kissing Clara on the cheek.

    Clara¡¯s face flushed. She could no longer focus on the ceremony. Samuel¡¯s cringy action made her embarrassed. Moreover, the gasps of other guests behind them made her unconsciously pinch his waist. Of course, he screamed and broke the sacred atmosphere of the wedding.

    Everyone thought that was good revenge from Clara for the bride and her ex-lover. However, the bride and the groom didn¡¯t think so. They romanticized it as a scream of happiness, a present for everyone.

    THE END