Ethan was covered in beads of sweat like a runner after a several days of marathon. Likely so, his breathing was so heavy that his nose alone couldn't handle the task. He had received a phone call about his daughter being involved in a ghastly car accident and had sprinted from his workplace to the hospital. All the information Ethan had about the accident was from the phone call. When he arrived at the hospital, he found his wife, Isabella, already drenched in tears. Immediately after he walked in, Isabella sighted him from a distance and hurriedly walked towards him. Suddenly, she raised her fingers, and what landed on Ethan’s face was a wide slap that resounded throughout the hospital. "Where the hell have you been?" she yelled, tears streaming down her face like a waterfall and mucus escaping her nose like wisps of steam. Still filled with anger, she threw a punch at Ethan's chest and pushed him so forcefully backwards that Ethan almost fell to the ground. "Our daughter has be

The night came too early, and Isabella was fully dressed for dinner at the beach house. One thing paramount to the Rosewood family was that they never dressed shabbily. Isabella's mom hated it with so much passion, like an inferno consuming everything in its path.Victoria Sinclair was Isabella's mother, who was in her early 50s. She was the epitome of sophistication and refined elegance. Her perfectly coiffed blond hair and flawlessly applied makeup always added to her polished appearance. And she was indeed the one whom Isabella took after in terms of beauty.Isabella arrived at the beach house, knowing full well that it had been a while since she had been there due to how her parents had disciplined her for disobeying them. She took in a deep sigh, as if she had gulped down a large portion of a sophisticated drink. It was time to see her mother after such a long time, and she could not explain why she was nervous at this moment.The beach house was indeed a house by the large, wavi

Throughout the night, Ethan couldn't get a peaceful sleep. Every time he closed his eyes to slumber, he would jolt awake, as if he had just had a terrible dream.Two things troubled his mind. First, he doubted whether Mr. Smith would fulfill his promise to send him the money. Despite knowing Mr. Smith as a man of his word since childhood, Ethan found it hard to believe that he would receive the money before morning.Secondly, he was worried about his wife's whereabouts. It was past midnight, and she hadn't returned home. This was out of character for Isabella, and Ethan wondered if she was still upset with him and chose not to come back.Restless as a bird returning to its nest, Ethan repeatedly checked his phone for any notifications."It's 5 a.m. He should have made the transfer by now," Ethan muttered, standing up from the sofa where he had been sitting all night and grabbing a glass of water.As he took a sip from the glass, his phone's distinct chime, reminiscent of a delicate ch

"You see, I know why you're here!" Alexander said, looking straight into Ethan's eyes and not taking his gaze away."You want me to talk to my daughter and make her come back to you, and blah blah blah..." He continued; his words filled with disdain."I sure can do that," he said, rising to his feet and pacing slowly around Ethan, his breath almost tangible."But I won't," he declared, firmly stating his decision.Ethan's eyes widened with surprise. It was as if he hadn't heard it correctly and needed Mr. Alexander to repeat his words."What?" he muttered, though Mr. Alexander heard him loud and clear."You see, there's nothing a pauper like you from the ghetto could possibly offer my daughter, who belongs to the richest class. She is way above your league, and you don't deserve her.""I'm sure there are ladies, even ugly ones from the slums and gutters, who would suit you better. You can make a home with them, but not with my daughter.""I'll forgive your ignorance this one time, but

"We are here," Mr. Smith said suddenly after a long drive through the woods. At this moment, the stars were shining like diamonds in the sky. The hour was silent, except for the symphony of crickets playing in the background.Ethan stepped out of the car, followed by Mr. Smith, the chauffeur, and the drivers of the entourage vehicles in front of and behind him."Why these woods of all the great places he could have been buried?" Ethan asked in a low tone, as if the trees themselves held a secret."It was one of the late master's wishes to be buried in the woods, where he could become a tree and live forever," Mr. Smith explained. He stood behind Ethan, with the other chauffeurs standing beside the cars they drove.Ethan remained silent, glancing around. The towering trees resembled skyscrapers reaching towards the heavens. Their thickness formed an impenetrable and strong fortress-like wall. As Ethan looked further, he noticed what appeared to be a graveyard."It seems my father was n