"I want that guy out of this house," Roy solemnly declares, and they all fall silent in astonishment.When Roy notices their lack of response, he frowns and attempts to stand up before Lucy quickly stops him. If you are wealthy, you will always attract the respect of anybody.Lucy ponders this and realizes that it is within her capabilities, but she doesn't want Ivan to simply leave without consequences. She wants to teach him a lesson so that he will no longer have any designs on her.Furthermore, she wants him to pay for all the times he has disobeyed and insulted her. She also plans to capture his vulnerable state on video and humiliate him by posting it on her Instagram."It's not difficult, but...""But what?" Roy asks plainly. His face looks calm, but his thin lips reveal his displeasure at being refused."I've tried to send him away, but he is very stubborn. I can't force him; he just refuses to go," Lucy explains, lowering her head. Mrs. Anderson instantly understands her daug
Anderson gives Ivan a look before smiling devilishly, giving Ivan a very bad feeling. He starts to rack his brain, trying to think if he has done something wrong earlier. Even after thinking so much, he still can't think of anything, so he just stands still and waits.He believes that the worst punishment she can give him will be to not allow him to eat tomorrow, since he has already eaten tonight."Okay. For your information, Lucy is getting married soon," Mrs. Anderson says. Ivan's heart skips a beat at this simple statement, and he becomes gloomy.Roy keenly observes Ivan's reaction and his resolve to kick Ivan out of the house becomes more affirmed.At this point, Ivan is stiff. He nods to Mrs. Anderson and turns towards the stairs, thinking that she said all that just to embarrass him.Moreover, he has been feeling down since he heard that Roy is here to discuss marriage with Lucy. It surprises him that Mr. and Mrs. Anderson accept Roy without any thought. He is the one who knows
"Aren't you all just despicable and proud people? Just because you are rich, you think that you are invincible? Lucy is just deceiving you and as the blind person you are, you still can't see it, she will dump you just like she did to me if she finds someone else that is richer."Ivan yelled, blue veins popping out from his pale forehead, coupled with his ghastly pale face. He looks horrifying, and his entire expression is ugly.Roy clenches his fists in anger at Ivan's statement. He glares at Ivan, and his anger rises like a tide. This is the first time that someone will question his decision, and it makes him angrier than he ever thought.Lucy realizes that Ivan seems to have lost his mind due to anger. She quickly walks towards Roy and pats his hand before speaking."Roy, don't mind him. That's how he always does. He likes manipulating people for his own benefits, and that is exactly what I fell for that made me unable to chase him away. He is also doing the same to you. He is tryi
Lucy stiffened in shock, her eyes contracting.She remembered keeping the matter a secret, even from her parents and Lana, her assistant who was more like a sister. It was a top-secret that she hadn't shared with anyone, not even Ivan. However, now that he mentioned it, she couldn't help but be startled.It was true that she had terminated her first two pregnancies. She didn't want to bear Ivan's child, and they often engaged in unprotected sex. Since they were always together, she couldn't rely on birth control pills.When she first got pregnant, she didn't tell Ivan. Instead, she opted to abort the baby discreetly. Ivan didn't suspect a thing and kept expressing his desire to have a baby.Lucy didn't care and repeated the same action when the second pregnancy came. Ivan still didn't know because she went about it very discreetly. Whenever she needed to go to the hospital, she would lie to Ivan, making up an appointment with someone.However, when the third pregnancy occurred, the do
"Why did you do it? You know how much I wanted a baby. If you didn't want to, you could have told me, but you murdered two innocent babies because of your selfishness. How could you? What did those young and innocent babies do to deserve this? No wonder Ethan's death didn't affect you. You never cared, and instead, you used his death to sever ties with me.""Why was I so foolish? Why didn't I see through your vile actions? After all the things I did for you, all the sacrifices, is this how you repay me?"Ivan's voice gradually grows louder as he speaks, his anger consuming him.But his screams fall on deaf ears. They all stand still, glaring at him as he roars like an injured animal. With his awkward posture, his anger is even more pronounced.Lucy gives him a tiny lopsided smile, visible only to him. Ivan doesn't know what else to say, but Mrs. Anderson seizes the opportunity to speak up."Who are you to blame my daughter? When you were in a relationship, she did everything a woman c
Ivan twitches on the bare, cold tiles, his body barely moving. Violet bruises stand out starkly against his extremely pale skin as the familiar throbbing pain trickles back in with his consciousness.His face is a rainbow of bruises, his battered body sprawled unmoving on the ground, occasionally releasing a small moan. Ivan's condition is gravely serious. His face is swollen and distorted, adorned with deep cuts and injuries. Blood streams down visibly from his nose, mouth, and various wounds, staining his shirt crimson. His nose is broken, and the bruise has begun to turn slightly purplish.His bloodshot eyes reveal red veins, and the area around them is darkened with wounds, impairing Ivan's vision. He can only writhe on the floor, each movement a test of endurance due to the pain and stiffness from his injuries.Every part of his body aches, leaving him unsure where to even place his hands. His swollen face is drenched in sweat and blood, emitting a pungent smell that fills the ro
Ivan shuddered upon hearing what Lucy said."I terminated the first two pregnancies, and I even wanted to terminate the third one, but I could not because the doctor said that I should not. You didn't even know about it after spending so many years together with me. That shows just how foolish you were and still are. So, you think that I ever loved you? Ridiculous. Why should I love someone like you? I only pretended to love you because of what I wanted to get from you, and you should know what it is.""After getting it and using it for myself, I waited for everything to work out before ending things with you. You readily gave me your CV, and now that I have become successful thanks to it, no one will ask for it again, and no one will even believe that it was ever yours.""I am getting married, and I hope we never meet again. With your wounds, if you are thrown out and stay in the cold weather for hours, you will not survive and will definitely die. I hope you like my VVIP treatment."
With all the energy left in him, Ivan stood up staggeringly and watched the dark-red ring with caution as he retreated slowly and carefully.His wounds hurt, so he could not rush and could only retreat very slowly, putting a distance between himself and the ring. Ivan looked around skeptically, with the thought that maybe someone was playing tricks on him. But even after looking around, he found nothing, making him even more suspicious.The dark-red ring remained still on the ground, and he also stared at it vigilantly.His breath became shallow and fast, his palms sweat-soaked, and his muscles tense. Ivan's heart pounded in his chest, the sound echoing in his ears like a war drum.A shiver ran down his spine, and his eyes darted nervously from side to side, looking for any signs or recognizable sights that could offer a feeling of solace or comfort, to tell him that he was just imagining things. But there was nothing of the sort.The obscure can feel like a tremendous, dull void, pre
After they finally found a dress that they would wear for the ball, they sent all the designers packing, and the house seemed empty. Isabel and Rachel were both immensely tired.“I'm stressed; I need to go to a spa.”“Well, you can add that to the list of what we have to do tomorrow,” Rachel told her, and she nodded.“I really do not like being stressed out. It messes with my brain,” Isabel complained.“I wonder how your husband is coping. To be very honest, you're lazy. You can't even do any hard work for like three hours straight.”“Now, why would I want to do hard work for three hours? I was not made for stress; it's why I have my very loving husband that understands me,” Isabel said, and Rachel laughed.“Well, that's good because if your husband was not Ivan, I wonder what you'd have shown him. The people around you need to be very patient people,” Rachel told her, and she nodded.“That's why I have you, Chelsea, Elijah, and Richard. You all love me so much that it's suffocating,”
“I'm so stressed out. Let's quickly get today over with,” Isabel moaned as she sat down.“We have only just begun; have you forgotten that we are going to shop for the dresses that we will wear to the ball?” She asked her.“Oh, I totally forgot about that, darn.”“Good that you're here. That's how you'd have forgotten about it. It's important, you know,” Rachel told her.“I'm sorry, I've just been so stressed out, and now you're putting me through a hardcore workout,” she told him.“You need these every morning, you know, so you'll have a clear mind,” Rachel told her.“Clear mind how? I'm so stressed right now, and I can barely think, so please, there's no way I'm having a clear mind with this torture,” she groaned, and Rachel just laughed.“Now come on, it's important to keep fit. Go and take your bath,” Rachel told her, and she nodded.“You don't even have to tell me twice. Can't we just tell the designers to come here?”“Well, my house is too cramped up, right?”“My house? Let's go
“I've done a number on him,” Isabel muttered as she plopped down onto Rachel's bed.“Why do you say that?” Rachel asked as she removed her makeup.“He's now acting like a baby around me, like he's scared what might happen if he does some certain things with me. Ivan used to be so confident; he asked if he could hold me earlier after the panic attack,” she told her, and be nodded.“I understand that bit; you just need to be there for him. He needs you this time; make sure you don't let anything happen to him. It's the time to be there for him,” she told her, and Isabel nodded.“I know, I know. I just hope he gets better soon. The panic attack was so deadly to watch; I've never seen him have one. The way he clawed at his throat, Rachel, I don't think I want to see that again. It seemed like he wanted to die, and it drove me insane. I can't bear to see him die, you know,” Isabel told her, and she nodded.“I understand; don't worry. You guys have each other, and you're strong together, so
“Where the heck have you been, Isabel?” Elijah screamed at her on her way back to the office. Everybody stared at them due to how loud his voice was.“Don't you ever shout at me like that again,” Isabel warned him, and he still looked panicked.“I'm sorry, but everybody has been looking for you.”“Why? I was in Rachel's office; you know that's where I go most of the time.”“Darn it, it's Ivan,” Elijah said as they both got into the elevator.“What's wrong with him?” She asked hurriedly.“He's having those panic attacks again; it's worse this time around. I'm not comfortable leaving him but I was about to go to the announcement room and call your names through the speakers,” Elijah told her, and her own heart dropped.Why was he having these panic attacks? The elevator was not going fast enough; she kept staring at the numbers. She was burning inside, and when the elevator finally opened, she ran out. The people on the floor looked at her, but she didn't care.The man she loved was in
The moment Rachel got to the office, she was greeted by different people, and they complimented her dress. She smiled and felt happy; she liked dressing nicely and being complimented by people. It made her feel good. She quickly made her way to her office to start her work for the day. She had a lot of things to do, and because she didn't come to work yesterday, she knew she had to catch up on a lot of things today.She remembered her night with Dante and smiled as she entered her office. Maybe things were finally starting to be okay for her and Dante. Maybe they could do this after all, but she still didn't know what would happen. She knew that his father was so against the idea, so even if her own parents agreed, she wasn't sure his own father would allow it. She didn't know what to do, and she didn't want to think about it, so she resumed work immediately. She needed to catch up on things. They had a meeting tomorrow where she would have to give her briefing, so she wanted everythi
She opened her eyes but quickly closed them again. She didn't want to leave the bed; it was too comfortable for her. So, she closed her eyes, intending to go back to sleep. She didn't want to think about anything; she just wanted to continue being in the arms of the man she loved. She burrowed into his arms, but it felt empty. She immediately opened her eyes and looked beside her, only to find an empty space."Dante?" she called out, met with eerie silence. She sighed in disappointment, realizing that he was gone. She had expected him to still be there, and perhaps they could have talked some more. But she kept forgetting that he was a busy man and didn't always have time for what she wanted to do. Although she knew that if she told him she wanted him to stay, he would do so without hesitation, without thinking twice. And she loved him for that.She finally admitted to herself that she was in love with him. She thought as she plopped back down on the bed. She should probably have toda
After her conversation with her mom, she plopped down on the bed, contemplating her life and what to do next. She had achieved a lot at her age, and living in a cramped house was simply her choice. She could have easily afforded a penthouse for herself, given her hard work and the trust fund that would set her up for life. However, she wasn't lazy; she wanted to work hard and establish a trust fund for her future children as well. She had already started planning and saving for the children she would have, and the amount of money involved was not insignificant. She had clear goals that she wanted to achieve. For now, she knew that she simply wanted children. She didn't desire much more, just like her parents. Whether they came as twins or individually, she wanted kids. As for a husband, she couldn't envision herself with anyone other than Dante. She thought about it constantly, and he was the only person she could imagine being with. It was a strange feeling, but she just knew it. You
“Mom, come on, tell me. I'm itching to hear about her,” Rachel urged her mother.“Andrea, I don't want to spill your brother's secrets,” she told her, and she pouted.“But he knows all of mine,” she told her, and her mother glared at her.“Mommy.” She gave her that look that she couldn't resist.“Okay, okay.”“Thanks, mommy.”“I'll tell you, but you don't get to use it against him or I'll kill you personally,” her mother told her, and she knew that she took that threat seriously.“So, after you left, you know how your father changes maids in the house every year, except Nora?”“Yes.”“Serena came in as the next batch of maid for the year. It was only supposed to be a year actually. She was assigned to Andre, your brother's chambers. You know the typical boss falls for the maid, whatever. That was exactly what happened, but Serena didn't like him then. She gave him a hard time and she really messed with your brother's mind. He almost went crazy. Anytime they had an argument, he's alway
It was the weekend again and Ivan and Isabel had to sleep in the same bed in the same house, their children were growing rapidly and their wits were also growing with them, those children were smart and they got it from their father probably. Isabel wasn't a nerd so she wasn't exactly smart all the way, but their father was everything so of course, they were smart.They just finished dinner now and Ivan and Isabel just tucked their children to sleep after singing for them. It felt nice to do all these once again, Ivan liked it and Isabel didn't want it to end actually. That was how he wanted things to continue to go, smooth.They were finally back in their room and they both laid down, they have never cuddled after everything that happened then.“Let's talk,” Isabel told him and he pulled his perfect eyebrows together.“About what?” He asked.“About us.”“Okay….” He said carefully not knowing when this will end, he had no idea what she wanted to talk about and it drove him crazy. He w