“I’m not going to like it?” Russell wasn’t surprised. “Of course. She probably returned one of the items I gave her when we were dating, didn’t she? Was it the baby lion doll I gave her?”Viola slowly shook her head. “It’s a dog.”“Dog?” Russell didn’t remember giving Natasha a dog doll. “Where is it? Let me see it.”“Um, it didn’t look good, and so I threw it away,” Viola quickly made up something. If Russell were to find out that her mom threw Perro’s head away, he would come to hate Jennifer some more, which Viola didn’t want.“You threw it away?” Russell raised his voice, skipping Viola’s heart. Was she going to hit her? She felt anxious as he put his hands on her shoulders. “Viola… you really are my sister. I’m proud of you.” He gave her a hug. “You’re my true pillar and support in the family. What would I do without you?”Viola felt relieved but at the same time pitied her poor brother. (I think it’s better that you don’t know about that incident, Brother. I’ll make Natasha pay
William didn’t knock softly on the door. It was a series of quick and loud knocks that thundered in Russell’s heart.“Check who it is, Russell,” Natasha spoke neither softly nor loudly.(What is she…) Russell stepped back once more, realizing that Natasha was up to something really bad. (No… She’s trying to frame me. This mad woman!)The door was knocked again.“Russell? Are you awake?” William called for him.Russell probably wouldn’t have recognized William’s voice if not for hearing his voice very clearly when he was on the rooftop during the party night. The way William threatened Russell to give his phone to him ingrained his voice, and so Russell was able to tell it was William. (If he’s here, does that mean Liam is also here? What the hell should I do?)The door was knocked again. “Russell?”(Dammit. The longer I take, the more guilty I’ll look!) Russell didn’t think too much and hurriedly opened the door. “Mr. William, I…”“What’s that voice we heard?” William pushed the door
William continued to play the footage, and everything happened exactly as Russell had said. He looked at Liam. “Do you want me to play the other cameras’ footage, too, sir?”“No need. We’ve found enough evidence, haven’t we?” Liam looked at the Pennell family whose faces were full of shame. “Fredrick Pennell… your daughter has tried to trick everyone of us, so it’s only natural that all of us abandon her, don’t you think?”“What are you…” Diana’s eyes widened. She didn’t like where this was going.“I’ll give you two options,” Liam calmly stated. “If you still wish to be with your daughter after all this, then sure, I won’t stop you, but I will bring your entire family to the streets.”Fredrick’s eyes widened. “W-what’s the other choice?”“Make Natasha Pennell just Natasha,” Liam said, “and I’ll not bother the Pennell family anymore.”“This is ridiculous!” Skarlett raised her voice. “You want us to cut all ties with her? What sort of joke is this?”“You don’t have to, but in return, yo
In Kyra’s home.Kyra was staring at her pics taken with her boyfriend before he died. “Why did you have to leave me? If possible, I don’t want to marry anyone. I don’t think anyone can take good care of our child as their own. I can convince Mom, but Dad is the real issue.”A maid knocked on the door and said, “Ma’am, your father is calling for you.”“Tell him I’m busy.”“He said it’s important.”“Tch.” Kyra made her way to the balcony and looked at her Dad who was seated on the couch on the ground floor. “What is it, Dad? Did you already find another groom, perhaps?”“Since you can be sarcastic, you’re in a better mood than I’d expected,” Liam wasn’t even looking at her. “Why don’t you come and sit next to me? I have something to show you.”“If it’s the face of some man I don’t know, then, no thanks.”“It’s the face of someone you do know,” Liam answered.“Someone I know?” Kyra wondered who that could be. She came downstairs and sat next to Laim. He showed her the picture of Russell
On the same night, in Jessica’s home.Jessica was so tired after work, she didn’t even have the strength to cook.“Why is he not here yet?” She would have called Derek, but he didn’t have a mobile on him. The last time she brought him a second-hand mobile, he sold it away and used the money to buy lottery tickets, an effort that miserably failed.Jessica then called Irene and asked her about her parents’ reaction regarding the new painting she had done. Irene didn’t even talk about it as one of the neighbors’ sons had told her father everything that had happened. It was obvious that they had a grudge on Irene because she refused to date him.“Forget about me, but tell me how your day at work was,” Irene asked out of intrigue. She really wished she would one day get to work in a high-paying company as well, so she wanted to know everything there was to know about it. “How did your boss treat you? Is being a PA more grueling than you thought?”“This job is indeed demanding,” Jessica kep
“Mom, coffee,” Natasha mumbled in her sleep, but then the traffic noises woke her up, just to make her realize that she was sleeping on a roadside bench. The unforgiving cold outside bit on her skin as well as her heart, and she found herself shivering in and out. Every breath released loads of fog through her mouth. Every passing thought burdened her heart.She got up from the bench and hissed in pain because her feet hurt. Her heels had cracks now. She sat down and cringed. When was the last time she had cracks on her feet? Probably, never. Because she had walked for hours the previous night, the stress must have led to these cracks, she thought.She massaged her feet with a sad and angry expression. “What have I done to deserve this?”A beggar that was passing by took a look at her. She seemed to be seventeen at best, but she kept staring at her.“What?” Natasha snarled at her. “Is there something on my face?”“I saw you sleeping here last night. It’s not safe to sleep out in the o
A large black SUV stopped outside the store. Arnold was in the driver’s seat; his family was in the back. “Is this the store?” he asked.“Yes,” William, who was sitting next to him, calmly said. “Do you like this car?”“Y-Yeah,” Arnold smiled a little embarrassedly. This car was actually given by Tyler the Collection King as a gift during Russell’s birthday party. It probably costs more than 100,000 dollars. Maybe even more than 200,000 dollars. “This is the costliest car I’ve ever driven.”Jennifer was quite happy to see her husband delighted.Tyler was a lot more influential than most people knew. He had connections with mafia, and he was also someone who wouldn’t even pour milk to a cat and throw leftover bones to a dog. To be able to make such a man give away a costly car like this only showed just how powerful the Lynn family must be?Jennifer looked at Russell, whom she had prepared by cutting his hair and putting makeup on. “We’ve arrived at the store, Russell.”Russell recogni
A minute earlier.Seeing the customers coming in, Ethan quickly put the lollipop aside and called for Natasha and Cassidy before going over to meet the customers.“Welcome, everyone. I’m Ethan, the manager of the store.” He introduced himself. Cassidy arrived by then. He whispered to her to arrange for drinks. Cassidy nodded and left. Ethan called for Natasha as she still didn’t show up.“Natasha?” Viola’s eyebrows shot up. “It can’t be her, can it?”James quickly shook his head. “She’s not the type who’d work in stores, Sis.”“Yeah, you’re right.”Ethan called for Natasha again, this time with a louder voice.Russell, just then, recognized Ethan’s face. He looked so fat now Russell almost couldn’t recognize him. “Wait… aren’t you, Ethan?”Ethan recognized Russell at first glance as he looked very similar to when he was young, except that he looked more handsome now. “Russell?” As far as he knew, the Bennett family wasn’t rich enough to enter a premium Myers store, so it got him a lit