Quincy lay in the sterile hospital bed, his body motionless, eyes closed in his state of coma. Beside him, Kohler, his wife, was a vision of despair
"I don't know what happened to you, Quincy, why have you been like this for the last three years?”
Her voice trembled as she whispered.
“You were once the city's most powerful businessman, the man every woman desired, and every man envied. What happened to you, Quincy? Please speak to me, please wake up…"
She clung to him, her tears staining his hospital gown as she rested her head against his unconscious body.
No stir, not even a flicker of response. Just the relentless beep of the heart monitor…
It had been the same way for the past three years.
“Can you hear me, Quincy? Please say you can hear my pleas…"
Her whispers grew more desperate. She had poured her heart, soul, and all her savings into his care… only to be met with the same blank slate every single day. The doctors said the situation wasn't clear, and he had made no step towards recovery.
Day by day, things were seeming more and more grim…
"When will you wake up? When will you save me from this nightmare?”
She sobbed,
"I have been mocked and taunted by everyone, and I have been facing all this, all alone. But I can't take this anymore! My father has ordered me to divorce you, and I can't… I can't refuse him anymore.”
She cried and looked at Quincy's face, wishing that he could wake up any moment, and rescue her from this fate.
Sighing, she looked at the machines and wires hooked to her husband, just to keep him alive and breathing.
He looked nothing like the man that he once was… now, he was just a shadow of his former self. She couldn't even believe that she had fallen in love with the same man who was lying on the hospital bed.
Kohler’s eyes fell on the diamond ring on her finger, a symbol of her crumbling marriage. Tomorrow, she was supposed to be engaged to another man… and the thought made her feel nauseous.
"Do you know that my father has arranged for me to get married already? He wants me to divorce you, he's threatened to freeze all my assets and kick me out of the family if I don't comply… I don't want to betray you, I swear… I don't want to leave you, but I don't have a choice, Quincy. I'm so sorry…”
Tears streamed down her face as she leaned closer; even though she knew that he couldn't hear her, she still felt the need to tell him what she was about to do.
"This isn't what I want, I promise. This isn't my choice, but I can't refuse them… I can't leave the family, I've lost all my money in trying to take care of you all these years. If it was up to me, I would never leave your side… but it's not in my hands anymore. I'm sorry, Quincy…I'm so sorry…”
Kohler cried bitterly.
Suddenly, a wild, desperate idea seized her attention. What if she could carry a piece of him forever? What if…?
Even in the moment, she knew that it was the most bizarre thought ever… she could only imagine what would happen if any of the nurses barged in on her…
But it was too late, she had already made up her mind.
"I know we've never… I mean, I haven't ever been touched by you, but I want to be with you, even just once before I finally sign the divorce papers. If I have to sleep with anyone in my life, I want you to be my first…”
She said softly, and placed her lips on his, kissing him even though he couldn't respond.
Her heart pounded as her pink lips were moving frantically against his blue ones, her fingers trembling as she slipped the blouse from her shoulders.
Kohler wanted to sleep with her husband, even though he was in a coma… but not just that, she also wanted to have his child.
She wanted the memory of Quincy to remain in her life, and with this thought driving her forward, Kolher got into the hospital bed.
Now completely naked, she straddled him, but Quincy didn't move as the warm curves of her body pressed against his cold contours.
Slowly, Kohler started to move, gently grinding her tender flesh against his body, which was cold and unresponsive.
“I know that you can hear me, Quincy… I know you would have made this night an unforgettable one, if you could. Consider this my final gift to you, before they tear us apart for good.”
With this, she locked lips with Quincy again, and trailed her eager hands down his chest, going under his hospital gown.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Without any warning, the door burst open and a stern voice sliced through the room.
“Mum!” Kohler jerked up and hurriedly tried to cover herself, but it was too late… the sight of a naked Kohler pressed against Quincy was unmistakable.
Her mother stepped inside, shaking her head with disgust.
“I can't believe this! You are completely shameless, Kohler! Don't tell me you just tried to mess around with this halfwit. It would be better if I had found you hooking up with some hobo, at least it wouldn't be a damn corpse!”
She snapped, while Kohler was putting on her clothes, her gaze fixed on the ground. But still, she made no move to leave.
“But I don't want to leave Quincy, mum… you know that I love him–”
Beverly Walter hissed,
"Love! What nonsense, this isn't love, this is madness! Your father and I have found the city's most eligible bachelors for you, and you claim to be in love with a vegetable!”
She then softened her tone, trying to talk some sense into her foolish daughter.
“You are my daughter, Kohler Walter! You can have anyone you want, still, you insist on clinging to a sack of bones! He is barely a man anymore, and your father and I won't let you waste your time with this thing.”
Kohler was still weeping, standing beside her husband as her mother looked at her like she was the source of all her misery.
“I do love him, mom, I don't know how or why, but I do… Please, mother, I don't want to do this. I can't even tolerate the thought of another man, I want Quincy–”
SMACK!
Mrs. Beverly’s hand hit her daughter's cheek, leaving a red mark.
"Enough of your nonsense! We already had this conversation, and it's settled! You are getting married, Kohler, and I don't want to hear a single word. You are going to get engaged tomorrow, for Goodness’ sake! How could you be so shameless and get in such a compromising position with this piece of trash? Haven't we suffered enough humiliation because of you, that you have crossed all the limits now?!"
Kohler didn't answer, but just hugged Quincy tightly. It was going to be the last time that she ever saw him… and she wanted to feel his touch, one last time.
Mrs. Beverly shook her head at her own daughter's pathetic behavior.
"Guards, take her away from him, I'm sick of this nauseating sight!'
At once, the guards who had arrived at the hospital with her grabbed Kohler by the arm, and dragged her out of the hospital room. Kohler tried to struggle, but she didn't stand a chance against these guards, who were much stronger than her.
“Come with us, miss, don't make a fuss! Your mother has ordered us!"
One of them snapped.
Back in the hospital room, Quincy lay alone, his heartbeat suddenly racing. The heart monitor beeped loudly,but there was no one to hear it. His fingers twitched and he flinched, as his eyes blinked open.
Life surged through Quincy, and he sat up abruptly, eyes darting wildly around the unfamiliar room. Where was he?White walls, a sterile smell, and hundreds of wires coming out of his body—it took him a moment to realize he was in a hospital.But how had he ended up here? For some minutes, there was just a blank… until gradually, memories of his life began to surface in disjointed flashes and sounds.Quincy remembered leaving his family in secret, to establish his business empire… After pouring many years of hard work and determination into his work, he had ultimately become a formidable force, a billionaire whose influence was unmatched in his exploits in the business world. Quincy became so powerful and held so much influence that was the reason for the Shi family becoming nobles.But that didn't last for a long time… He had expected his family to be happy for him, to be proud of him, but instead, they became jealous. Over time, the jealousy turned into a bitter conspiracy against Q
At the Walter family's dinner, three generations of the family were gathered around a lavish table and there was a sumptuous meal spread on the table.“Where did they come from? They look so cheap and dull," someone whispered right across them.Kohler sat silently, looking like a total mess. Her dress was still rumpled from her earlier meeting with Quincy. She sat at the table beside her mother silently and didn't make eye contact with anyone or speak to them. She still felt shaken by the news that she would have to divorce her husband.It was time to eat, and Kohler stretched her hands to pick up some vegetables from the tray. But her aunt, Deborah snapped at her."You're so mannerless and rude! Can't you see that no one has started eating yet? Why should such a poor and worthless thing like you be the first to touch the meal?"Deborah spat angrily, her chopsticks striking Kohler’s fingers and making her cry.Beverly glared at Deborah, offended that she would do that to her own niece
The entire hall fell silent for a moment, until Mr. Walter strode up to Quincy, his eyes blazing with contempt."You! How dare you show up here, with your empty pockets filled with so much attitude! You are so arrogant, and yet we all know that you aren't worth anything!"Quincy simply looked at him with a bored expression, he didn't want to go into a banter with him."Are you so sure of that?" He asked with a smirk.Mr. Walter was even more pissed, as he shouted;"Don't try to boast here, you bastard! I know very well, that you are just as worthless as Kohler and her useless mother!"He then added with a smirk;"And I'm confident enough that I'll even challenge you openly. If you can show me that have 10 million dollars on hand, then my position will be yours!"Deborah joined the fray as she directed one dirty look towards Quincy, then turned her nose away."Don't waste your breath on him, Walter! This man is worth absolutely nothing, so what's the point of you putting your position
Kohler shook her head violently, a nasty scowl twisting her face. "I will never marry someone else!" she spat. "My husband is right here, he's fine now and he's back for me." she said defiantly. Beverly's eyes narrowed with fury. She lashed out, slapping Kohler harshly across the cheek. "Who asked you to speak? Do you even have any idea what is good for you?!" she shrieked.Kohler recoiled, clutching her reddened cheek in shocked disbelief. How dare her own mother lay hands on her like that?Quincy swiftly moved to shield his wife, glaring at his mother-in-law. "This isn’t the way to treat your daughter, doesn't she have a say in the matter? This is about her lifetime partner! "he demanded loudly.Beverly scolded him to stay off her daughter, she didn't want her to say anything. All she had to do was shut up and marry Charles, "She has to get married, stay out of this, Quincy! Your time in this family is numbered!" She snapped. Kohler pressed herself against Quincy's back, seeking h
Charles yelped in pain and quickly moved away, cradling his throbbing arm. He had clearly underestimated Quincy's strength and agility, despite the man's recent coma."How dare you touch me?' Charles sneered angrily at him. But Quincy's gaze was sharp, his expression one of pure hatred. "You never should have laid your feeble hands on me," he replied.Grandmother noticed that both men were going to get into a fight soon if she didn't do anything about it. She stepped in and stopped Quincy before he created a scene. "You won’t tolerate such middle-class behavior in this banquet!" She shouted and told both men to step away from each other. "I have already made a plan to choose who will be the next CEO, so don’t bother fighting for it," she said firmly.Quincy couldn't help the smirk that tugged at his lips. He was glad the opportunity was open to all - it gave him the perfect chance to ensure Kohler's rightful place. "I will make sure no one else takes it," he declared confidently. "Koh
The lady looked at him skeptically. Wondering if he could ever have the number of the COO of the company. She looked down on him and turned her lips down. "Sir, I didn't know that you were here, I apologize for any inconvenience," the COO said.Quincy didn't mince words. "I'm not going to wait here a second more," he replied impatiently.The COO quickly backtracked, pleading with Quincy to hold on as he would be out shortly. Quincy ended the call, turning his attention to the receptionist.The woman let out a mocking laugh. "Why are you trying to sound important by making a fake call?" she sneered.Quincy didn't indulge her at all. He looked at her impatiently and then at the staircase that led up to the offices within. The lady was still taunting him, asking him how he could possibly have the COO's number."You think I'm playing tricks here?" Quincy asked coldly, unable to help himself. Her shrill voice was beginning to upset him even more. He couldn't hold in his anger at her disre
As Quincy stepped into the COO's office, he was ushered to a seat across the expansive desk. The man quickly apologized for the delay, inquiring if he required anything."Can I get you some water, and coffee, Mr. Chen?" the COO asked deferentially. Quincy shook his head, he was very concerned about getting the proposal done with and getting out of there, he had a lot on his plate to handle and Herbal Corps was only one of such issues.He had a plan that he knew would get the attention of the COO at once. He has to make sure his proposal is foolproof and one that the man would be unable to refuse. Coffee or water wasn't his concern, he wanted to get right down to business."No, I'm fine, let's get right to business," he replied instead and laid out the briefcase that he had arrived with on the desk. He pulled it in open carefully and then handed out the plans and visions that he had for the new herbal products line."This is quite genius, how did you come up with something so unique!"
Quincy left Herbal Corp feeling more enthusiastic than when he had first arrived. Not only had he secured a lucrative deal with the COO, but he had also thoroughly humiliated Charles, his uncle, and the saucy receptionist.The proposal document in his briefcase felt heavy, but he knew it was the first crucial step towards setting things right. To his surprise, the COO had been remarkably receptive to his pitch - far easier than Quincy had anticipated. He had expected that he would somehow be skeptical, after all, it wasn't very easy to find someone who wanted to just invest in a strange company and not just bring the Ideas but back it up with the money too. "That was easier than I thought," he admitted to himself as he strode out of the office. The COO was very understanding - too understanding actually. He seemed rather impressed and overly excited to work with him. He wanted to have Quincy invest his money in the company and he just couldn't wait to get his hands on the novel idea
Chapter 166Kohler slowly stirred awake the next morning to the soft strains of music drifting through the air. Her mind, still foggy with sleep, searched for the familiar warmth of Quincy beside her, but the space in the bed was cold and empty. Confused, she opened her eyes, blinking away the haze of dreams. As her gaze adjusted, something unexpected caught her attention—rose petals, scattered across the bed in delicate patterns of red. Her heart skipped a beat. She sat up, her fingers brushing over the soft petals, a surprised smile forming on her lips. The roses didn’t just cover the bed; they formed a trail on the floor, leading out of the bedroom like a path designed to guide her somewhere.Curiosity piqued, Kohler swung her legs off the bed and stood, her bare feet padding softly across the floor. The music played softly in the background, its romantic melody weaving into the air like a whisper meant just for her. Her heartbeat quickened, and she followed the trail of rose peta
Chapter 165Lauren stiffened in her seat, her eyes narrowing as she recognized Talia. Damien stood immediately, stepping in front of Lauren protectively. “Talia, this isn’t the time,” he said, his voice firm but calm.Talia ignored him, her eyes locked on Lauren. “I should have known you’d go crawling to her the moment I was out of the picture,” she sneered. “But you’re making a mistake, Damien. You’re supposed to be with me!”Damien clenched his jaw, frustration rising. “You need to leave. Now.”Talia took a step closer, her gaze flickering between Damien and Lauren. “You think she’s better than me?” she spat. “You think she’ll stick by you the way I did? She’ll break your heart.”Lauren stood up, her eyes steady and calm. “Talia, this is between Damien and me. I understand that you’re upset, but barging in like this won’t change anything.”Talia’s face twisted in anger. “You think you’re so special? You’re nothing, Lauren. Nothing compared to what Damien and I had.”Damien moved clo
Chapter 164Darius studied Kohler for a moment, his expression hard to read. The tension between them hung in the air like a thick fog, both of them playing a delicate game of manipulation and trust. "I'll be the judge of that," he replied, his voice calm but sharp, like the edge of a blade.Kohler chuckled lightly, masking the slight tremor that threatened to creep into her voice. "Fair enough," she said. "But you know I wouldn't be here if I didn't have what it takes."Darius took a step closer, his gaze narrowing. "We'll see." He glanced over at Quincy, who remained motionless in the backseat, supposedly unconscious. "You’ve done well to bring him here. Now, let’s see if you can handle what comes next."Kohler swallowed hard but nodded, reminding herself to keep calm. Quincy had drilled into her the importance of staying in control. "Of course," she said, standing tall.Darius gestured to one of the men, and he stepped forward with a syringe filled with a clear liquid. "This," Dari
Finally! Darius was ready to meet with Kohler as he had trusted her well enough. He had sent poison to her and told her to induce it in Quincy’s drink, and that’s only when he could trust her.“Is everything set?” Quincy asked Kohler.“Yes. I’m all set.” She responded. “Wow. The color looks just perfect on your body. He is going to fall for this.” Kohler chuckled.“I know, right? When he gets caught, he would never put his loyalty to a bad man.” Quincy said with a smirk. “Alright, it’s time to go,” Quincy said, then they left the house, and Quincy was laid in the backseat of his car.Kohler then got into the driver’s seat and drove off to the location to which she was asked to come over. The ride was a little long, and the only reason he would do that was because the place would be a secluded area.That was the best kind of place for them to carry out operations like that.“Just ensure you do not act tense. You have to be as fluid as possible.” Quincy lectured her, and she nodded. “A
A few days passed, and a day came when Damien’s grandfather called, and said he wanted to see both him and Lauren. “What do you think he might want to say?” Lauren asked him, out of curiosity. “Well, I don’t know. But I’m hoping it’s good news.” Damien said as he drove. At least, for the past few days that had passed, they had learned to tolerate each other again, so Liam didn’t need to be interrupting at every interval. Lauren felt herself tense as she didn’t know what the outcome could be. For days now, she had not seen Quincy, and then he had also made up with her by calling her and explaining the situation to her. She was glad that he at least explained to her, but she just couldn’t help but feel that he still had at least, an atom of love for Kohler, and that hurt her deeply each time she thought about it. Soon, they got to his family house, and on getting there, it was only the grandfather who was present at the dining table. But there was no food served there. “Welcome,
Minutes before Liam answered the call, Damien was pacing around with his phone and leaned close to her ear, listening to the now annoying dial tone.“What the hell!” He said sharply under his breath as he kept on waiting.It was becoming frustrating that Liam hadn't answered his call ever since he left earlier with Lauren.The fact that he hadn't answered his call only made him a little worried because his phone was right in the car with him. He was hoping they hadn’t gotten into an accident or something.But then, even though they didn’t get into an accident, another reason he might not answer his call could be that his phone was on silent, but he wasn’t certain if it was on silent. But at least, he ought to know of their current whereabouts and if she was fine, but curiosity was beginning to eat her out.“If I still can't get through to them after calling and calling, I might have to get to the hotel to find out myself; hopefully Lauren would have checked in safely.” He said to him
“Pfft!” Lauren scoffed and rolled her eyes at the answer he gave her.There was no way on earth that his answer was believable.Does Talia mean nothing to him? Lies. She said in her mind.“Oh, come on. Do we need to introduce lies to this newly found relationship? A friend of mine who looked into the case quickly told me that Talia is a crazy woman.” Lauren uttered, peering into Damien’s eyes as she waited for a response from him regarding that.But suddenly, his calm expression turned into a displeased one. His brows curved downward, and he maintained a cold look.“You know what? I’m not in any way comfortable with you keeping people like that as friends, talk more of someone that close to you since she doesn’t know how to mind her business.”“And how should that be something for me to consider? Remember, our contract doesn’t include you getting to choose my friends.” Lauren spoke also raising her brows.It was quite annoying to her that he had to attack her friend just to play his
Damien didn't see this coming. He never thought that his mother would go to the extent that she didn't want him to get married to anyone but Talia. “Lauren!” Damien called out as he ran after her.She stomped her feet while walking towards the gate, and wasn’t willing to answer him. “Lauren!” He called out to her again as she passed by the gates, and then she stood close to the car and turned abruptly to him.“What is it!” Lauren snapped at him. “You brought me here just so your mother could speak demeaning words to me?” she questioned, feeling so much hurt in her.She hadn't recovered from the one Quincy gave her, so getting one from his mother wasn't what she signed up for.Suddenly, she noticed a lady walking towards them, and while she smiled at Damien, she gave her a sneer.The lady walked up to Damien and placed her hand on his chest as she trailed her finger on it. “Baby, I’m so happy I found you here.” She spoke cutely. Lauren rolled her eyes and was about to walk away wh
Lauren was sobbing so hard in his car after letting out what was disturbing her. She was able to talk to him because they also related like friends at some point before the whole loving situation came in.“It's okay, Lauren. I understand you, and… I think I can also help you.” Damien said to her.As Damien let out those words, she turned to look at him with curiosity.“You can help me? How?” She asked and sniffled.“I'll just help you get your man. We'll find ways to do that, but you must help me in return. More like we should have a bargain.” Damien told her.“Okay, what's that?” “I want you to act like you're my fiancee and we'd like to get married. Just act that way before my mom and grandfather, then we're good to go.” Damien asked of her.That was a little difficult to do because claiming such could end up destroying her marital life one day, and she didn't want to take chances like that.“If you're scared about this, I'm assuming, you are one hundred percent safe,” Damien said,