Doctor Eliza and Doctor Ivy informed me that I had been discharged from the hospital three days ago, but they advised me to stay back since I had nowhere else to go and their police friend, Trevor, hadn't found any information about me yet. They also suggested that the children I saw might be my own and that I could have a family somewhere. However, I didn't feel like I had kids. Besides, if I had a wife and children, Trevor should have found something about me being missing in the police records.I couldn't help but notice that Doctor Eliza seemed a bit dejected by the idea of me having a family. A smile crept onto my lips at the thought that her interest might have extended beyond professional boundaries. I wondered how she had resolved the issues with her boyfriend, but every time I asked, she would just smile and say it had been handled. Although I couldn't pry the details out of her, I remained attentive, watching for any signs of abuse. It was one of the reasons I pushed myself
"Hmm…" Doctor Eliza mumbled, holding my gaze. "Looks like you've put some thought into this. And in case he does show up, the sheriff and our favorite neighborhood cop will be there. So I suppose we can all protect you," she said. I nodded, appreciating her support. "You are going to need a suit," she added, trailing her eyes down my front."Great, we're close to the mall. Let's hope there's still a suit shop open at this time of the year," I suggested.She nodded with a smile. "I know someone who might still be open for last-minute shopping," she said.Sometime later, I found myself smartly dressed in a blue-black fitted suit that looked like it was tailored specifically for me. When Doctor Eliza tried to pay for the suit, I counted the cash and paid the woman myself. I could see the surprise on Doctor Eliza's face, but she didn't say anything until we were back in her car."I'm sorry if this sounds intrusive, but how did you get the cash to pay for the suit?" she asked curiously."F
"What the hell?!" I heard the idiot exclaim. It took every ounce of control in me to draw back from Doctor Eliza. We were both breathing hard by the time we stopped. "Mark?" she whispered, her voice filled with surprise and evident hunger."Yes, love, I think it's time you let Mr. Justin… Godino knows that you are already engaged," I replied, struggling to recall his last name."Engaged?!" she exclaimed softly, clearly bewildered by the turn of events. But then understanding quickly dawned. I swiftly interlocked my fingers with hers, preventing Justin from noticing her bare ring finger. "Sorry," she said, flashing a big smile. "I'm already taken," she added. I gave her a knowing wink as we held hands, keeping up the facade."What?!" Justin repeated, clearly shocked by the sudden revelation."Mum, Dad!" Doctor Eliza called out to her parents, who were observing the unfolding drama with a perplexed expression. She pulled me along as we made our way towards them. However, before we r
"I would love to," I rasped, and we both chuckled like school kids. She pressed her forehead against mine and whispered, "For the first time in my life, I think I'm actually enjoying this damn party." I chuckled and wrapped an arm around her small waist."Is there a bathroom here?" I inquired."Yes," she whispered. I proceeded to remove the rest of my clothes, relishing the adoring look in her eyes as she watched me. I then lifted her up and carried her to the bathroom, her arms wrapped around my neck as she kissed me again."Would your parents wonder where you've disappeared to?" I asked."I made a dutiful appearance, although I nearly caused a scene..." she replied."Then we won't be missed for a few more minutes," I suggested, guiding her to sit on the toilet bowl. With her legs spread wide, I knelt in front of her, reaching for the bidet sprayer and bringing it to her parted knees. I proceeded to clean her up, flushing away any remnants of our lovemaking. Just as I was about to f
Archer extended his hand and helped me up, pulling me into a hug despite the pounding headache I was experiencing."Archer, normal people would just cry and grieve," I grumbled through gritted teeth."Hmm..." he mumbled, and I noticed Chad standing behind him, wearing a smile."Welcome back, Mark," Chad greeted."Thanks, man," I replied."Welcome back, Mark," more of the men chimed in. I waved dismissively, then placed my hand on my throbbing forehead. Eliza must have noticed my discomfort because she hurried to my side."We need to get him back to the hospital," she said."But you said he was fine," Archer said, furrowing his eyebrows."He's bleeding and has a headache. He needs...""Nothing that aspirin couldn't fix, right, Doc?" I interjected, glancing at Eliza, urging her to agree. She nodded."Let's get out of here," Archer suggested, while Eliza wrapped an arm around my waist to support me. When she attempted to open her car door, Archer added, "No way. Mark stays with me.""Wha
"Miss Rutherford, they're waiting for you," Lucy, my assistant, said with a warm smile as she peered into my office."Thank you," I replied, quickly getting up and grabbing my laptop, which contained my research report. Today, I had to present it to the board in order to seek their approval to halt the production of one of our new products.As the Quality Control and Assurance executive at PharmaMed, one of the country's prestigious pharmaceutical companies, it was my responsibility to ensure the safety and efficacy of our products. This was a pivotal day for me, as I meticulously prepared to deliver a presentation that held the power to alter the course of our product's journey. Within the depths of my report lay a sobering revelation—a substantial issue that had the potential to compromise both the efficacy and safety of our prized creation.With determination mixed with apprehension, I entered the boardroom.The room exuded an air of sophistication, with its polished wooden furnitu
The entire situation felt surreal, but I soon realized that the job was demanding. For the past months, I had been consumed with work, using it as a distraction from the intense longing I felt for Archer. He never reached out to me, and I resisted the temptation to contact him, fearing rejection and not wanting to appear desperate or immature. I didn’t have any reason to anyway. I didn’t get pregnant. My heart constricted painfully at the thought.I focused on surviving without him each day, even going on dates with men I met at work or during nights out with Jade and Tiffany and our new friends. Whenever Jade and Tiffany tried to bring up Archer in conversation after I returned to Duport, I shut it down and changed the subject. I was grateful that they quickly caught on and understood that it was a topic I wasn't ready to discuss. But their smiles were evident when they saw my customized car with my initials on the license plate.I had plans to return to my hometown of Brooks for Chr
"Mark?! Talk to me, man!" Archer demanded through the communication device plugged into my ear. "I got her, she's wounded," I replied with clenched teeth as I hurried back to one of the offices. Everywhere was dark and dusty; I could barely see. Carefully placing her on a dusty table, I grabbed one of the more extended desks and began smashing it repeatedly against the glass wall. "I need that chopper now, Donovan!" I yelled, and I could hear him barking out orders on the other end. Shortly after, I heard the sound of a helicopter just outside the wall, floodlights shining through the glass. "Can you break the glass, Mark?!" Archer asked, his tone tense with urgency. "Give me a minute…" "You don't have a minute, the fire is spreading," Chad yelled. "Damn it!" I cursed under my breath. "Blast the goddamn glass, Chad!" Archer roared. I hurriedly carried Adele and took cover before another blast rocked the building, using my shirt to cover her head. As the chopper got closer, Arc