Zach could not get mad in front of Mr. and Mrs. Sato. He probably never expected me to be so rude.He thought that he knew me well, but he was wrong.Sometimes, even I did not understand myself.I left after I said goodbye to them, and Zach said, “I’ll walk her out.”By the time we got to the entrance, I had already called the driver to pick me up.I stood by the big stone lion at the door. The sign above us bathed Zach’s cheeks in a red glow and made him look almost magical.The light flickered in Zach’s eyes so much that I could not see my own reflection.Soon, the driver pulled up with the car, and I said goodbye. Zach looked at me coldly and asked, “Do you know how much Mrs. Sato’s order is worth?”“She already promised to give it to us, so why would she back out? Even if it falls through, it’s not a big deal. It wasn’t part of the plan anyway. Yonder Trading is fully booked with orders for the next two years, and we just signed a five-year contract with Cameron the other d
Fortunately, I was not drinking because I choked on my saliva. Otherwise, I probably would have sprayed water everywhere.I forgot that Yulia was a doctor and she worked at the same hospital as Hayden. She would have learned that I was pregnant after asking around.I exchanged glances with Hayden and saw the embarrassment in his eyes.He probably did not expect this either. Yulia was clever, and she gave us enough space to figure out what to say.She stood up and said, “I’m going to the restroom. You two can order. I’m fine with anything.”I watched Yulia walk away before I quickly turned to Hayden and said, “What’s going on? How come it’s her? I’ve met her before. She was there when I brought you soup.”“Isn’t that perfect?”“Perfect? Didn’t you hear her? She knows I’m pregnant.”“Exactly. Later, I’ll tell her our plans to get married.”I felt like dying. “Did you know it was her before the date?”He shook his head. “But anything can happen.”Hayden was surprisingly calm. H
The one who would peel crabs for me was right beside me, but I still wanted to impress someone else. Yulia was watching us act like a couple in love. To keep up the act, I peeled a shrimp and put it in Hayden’s mouth. “You should eat too. Look at you. You’ve lost weight.”Hayden’s legs shook a little. I knew that he wanted to throw up, and I felt the same way. I was not sure if my acting was convincing, but I managed to get through the meal.I ate too much, and my stomach felt heavy. I went to the restroom to throw up, but the morning sickness was already gone by then. So, nothing happened.Out of nowhere, someone handed me a small bottle. “These are digestive tablets. They have hawthorn and dried tangerine peels. They’re safe for pregnant women.”I looked up and saw that it was Yulia.I grabbed two pills and swallowed them before I returned the bottle. “Thanks.”“No problem.” She put away the bottle and smiled. “Carrying twins is hard. If you have questions about pregnancy,
On the way home, Sophie gave me a call and asked how my role as a girlfriend was going. I told her that the other person was Hayden’s colleague and that we had met before. She probably figured out right away that I was pretending. My cover had been blown.“It doesn’t matter if she knows. Your whole act was meant to make her back off and realize that Hayden isn’t interested in her. As long as she gets it, she won’t worry about whether you’re his real girlfriend or not. I’m curious, though. What’s she like for Hayden to be so disinterested? He’s really devoted to you.”“She’s really cool. I’ve never seen a girl as cool as her before.”“She’s cooler than me? Is her hair shorter than mine? Are her leather pants shinier than mine?”“I’m not talking about looks.” Never mind. I decided not to explain further.I hoped that Hayden’s feelings for me would soon dissipate. Firstly, I did not know if I could ever love him the way I had loved Zach. Besides, I felt like plenty of other girls
“I want tiramisu,” I said. When I looked up, I nearly jumped in surprise. In the mirror, I saw Zach leaning against the door frame. I had no idea when he got back and listened to my entire phone call.I quickly told Sophie, “I’ll call you later.”Then, I opened a random webpage as I applied some skincare on my face.Zach walked by, and I smelled a bit of alcohol on him.“When did you start liking motorcycles?” he asked.Only then did I realize that I had been looking at pictures of motorcycles.I forced a smile before I turned off my phone and made my way to bed.I must have been sitting for too long because my legs felt numb. As a result, I stumbled forward when I stood up.Zach was not far away, and he caught me. I ended up falling into his chest.I had just showered, and it was a warm night, so I was dressed lightly.I was wearing a lace nightgown with an open robe, and the belt was not tied.It probably looked like I was trying to seduce Zach.In the past, I would have
He slowly leaned closer, but I was not going to let him do anything else to get me flustered.I slipped out from under his arm and ran into the bathroom. Then, I slammed the door shut and locked it. Somehow, I felt guilty about it.I leaned against the door and gasped for breath.I had no idea what Zach wanted to do. He had been acting weird all day.However, I was not foolish enough to think that he suddenly liked me. I looked in the mirror and saw my flushed cheeks. I hated that I still blushed from being near him.Did I still have feelings for Zach?Just because he kissed me while he was drunk, I lost my composure. No wonder he had such a hold on me.I took a deep breath to collect myself and finally opened the door.I had prepared myself for his reaction, but he was not there anymore.Zach never came back even after I lay in bed, and I eventually drifted off.I did not know what time it was, but I woke up to my phone ringing.After lying in bed for a while, I finally p
I suddenly realized why Oliver had hit him. They must have run into each other at night, and Julian probably said something to provoke him.Oliver did not know that I had divorced Zach. Even if he was not fond of being Zach’s brother-in-law, he definitely did not want Zach to be Julian’s brother-in-law.The police waved at them and said, “Hold on.”Then, they took us to another office to explain what had happened. It was pretty much what I expected. Oliver had gone to a bar for a classmate’s birthday party. There, he ran into Julian, who always hung out at bars.Julian had made some stinging remarks, and Oliver could not help but fight back. According to the police, it was hard to determine who was right or wrong. Luckily, neither of them was seriously hurt. Since we all knew each other, the police just gave both of them a warning.After we finished the paperwork, I took Oliver out of the police station.He lowered his head and followed me from behind. “Cassia, I’m sorry for tr
To stop them from fighting again, Zach quickly drove away.In the car, Oliver kept asking, “Cassia, are you really divorced? Why did you get divorced? Is it because of Cecilia? It has to be her!”I could see that Oliver was furious in the dimly lit car. I should have calmed him down by saying that Zach and I ended on good terms; it was not anyone’s fault. However, I did not want to say anything unnecessary. I held his face and told him, “You could say it’s related to Cecilia, but it also isn’t. Zach doesn’t love me, and I just got tired.”Zach was driving, so he could hear me.Oliver gritted his teeth and glared at Zach from the back. No matter how much he stared, it would not change the fact that Zach did not love me.Hence, I decided to let go.Oliver understood me well, and his clenched fists slowly relaxed.Even if he fought with Zach, it would not change a thing. Besides, he would probably not be able to beat Zach. If he did, nothing would happen either.Oliver leaned
If my aunt had not mentioned it, I would have forgotten. I was the one who had introduced Kingston to Sophie. At that time, I did not know how Austin truly felt about Sophie. I was worried that Sophie would end up like me from falling for the wrong person. I was not sure if that was the right decision after all.The atmosphere in the living room was lively. Everyone was eating fruit and drinking tea. Rachel asked me to watch a cartoon with her, so I excused myself and went upstairs. After the cartoon, I helped Rachel get ready for bed. Just then, I heard a car starting outside.I went up to the window and saw our guests were leaving. Sophie was supporting herself with a cane and leaning on Kingston’s shoulder. They were also holding hands. Just looking at her back, I could tell that Sophie was happy. I did not know if she was in love with Kingston or if she just liked him, but it was clear that she had moved on from Austin.After Oscar’s family and Sophie’s parents left, my
My uncle gave Sophie a look, while Aunt Lauren quickly laughed and said, “There aren’t many men who don’t drink these days. That’s good. You can have juice if you don’t drink.”At the dinner table, Aunt Lauren kept piling food onto Kingston’s plate.One way to tell if someone liked their future son-in-law was by how much food they put on his plate.Sophie bit her fork and said, “Mom, Kingston’s plate is so full. I can’t even see his face. Stop giving him food.”“You can help him, then! You’ve just been eating.” Aunt Lauren rolled her eyes at Sophie.Suddenly, Lucy called me and asked, “Austin told me to go back to his house, but I went there and didn’t see him. Where did he go?”“Stop asking so many questions. If there’s a place for you to stay, just stay there.” I hung up.The atmosphere was joyful as dinner came to an end. My dad, uncle, and Oscar drank a whole bottle of whiskey. My uncle looked happy most of the time, almost like he was back to his old self.After dinner, ev
I turned around, and Sophie was staring at me in her wheelchair. “What’s wrong? Who are you calling? Don’t tell me Zach messed things up again?”“Why would I care if he did? I’m not getting together with him.” I suddenly realized that I had not seen Lucy all afternoon. “Where’s Lucy?”“I gave her some money to go out. If she stayed here, how would I explain who she is? Besides, what if Austin showed up looking for her? That would be super awkward. Oh, by the way, Austin didn’t come to see Lucy last night.”“Oh.” Right then, my phone rang. I glanced down, and it was Austin.I quickly stepped aside and answered the call. His voice was so weak, like he barely had the strength to speak. “Hello? Were you looking for me?”“How are you feeling?” “I was dreaming, but your call woke me up.”“What were you dreaming about?”“I don’t like sharing my dreams with others,” he whispered faintly. His voice was so soft that it was hard to hear.Just then, Sophie spoke loudly from behind me. “C
“Don’t listen to her nonsense.”Sophie always said the wildest things. I swear that she was going to be a bad influence on the kids. I almost wanted to smack her.By the time I woke up, it was almost noon. I washed up and went downstairs to eat lunch. That was when I saw our parents returning.The moment Aunt Lauren saw Sophie’s injured leg, her eyes turned red. She ran over and hugged her tightly. “What happened to you? I wasn’t even gone that long, and you’re already a mess!”“Mom, you’ve been gone for two or three months already.”“You keep making me worry!” Aunt Lauren cried. Ever since Bryce passed away, she had become so fragile. She could not handle the thought of something happening to Sophie.My mom tried to calm her down. “Cassia said Sophie got hurt playing basketball. Don’t worry. She’s always been a strong girl.”Aunt Lauren kept crying, but then, she started to smack Sophie out of frustration. “You’re already an adult, but you’re still so careless. Who’s going to w
Suddenly, I felt as if I did not know Austin anymore.The Austin I knew was cold, both inside and outside.Sophie once told me that he was like a thermos. He was cold no matter what.Perhaps that was true for others, but he had the warmest, most loving heart for Sophie.I did not know what to do with his request. Austin’s fingers felt so cold in my hand, like they would never warm up.I did not even remember how I left the hospital. As Zach drove, I curled up in the passenger seat and pressed my face against the window.He glanced at me and nudged my head away. “Isn’t your face cold?”My heart felt even worse.Why was life full of sickness and sadness?Love seemed like a joke. When two healthy people met, their feelings were not mutual. But once they finally loved each other, there was cancer, car accidents, or other heartbreaks.Was this a TV drama or some kind of soap opera?By the time I got home, it was 7 a.m. The weather was beautiful, with the sun shining brightly.Th
“There’s still another round of bidding for the project. You should stay in the hospital and leave it to your team.”“Cassia, you’re so bossy. You can control Zach, but don’t try to control me.” Even though he was weak, I still felt like hitting him every time he spoke.“Austin, when someone dies, they lose everything. If you don’t take care of yourself, who will?”“My body never listens to me,” he said softly. “If I can’t find a donor, should I just kill someone for their heart?”“Just stay in the hospital and wait for a donor. You’ll get one within three months.”“Even with a transplant, there’s only a 30% chance of success. That’s how bad my condition is.” He closed his eyes and looked tired.“At least there’s a 30% chance.”He remained silent, and I was having a headache from lack of sleep.I heard that Zach had arranged for a nurse to stay with him 24/7. I needed to go home and rest.Before I left, I told Austin, “If you try to leave the hospital, I’ll tell Sophie.”He i
With that, I called Mr. Pepper. I felt bad for waking him up in the middle of the night, but thankfully, he lived in our house.He was still groggy, but he helped me downstairs after he washed his face with cold water.My legs felt weak, and Mr. Pepper tried to comfort me. “Don’t worry too much, Ms. Freeman. Mr. Jenkins is young. He should be fine.”However, his reasoning was not sound. Death did not care how old you were. It would just take you when it was your time.When I arrived at the hospital, Zach was waiting for me at the entrance.He held my arm and probably noticed that I was shaking, so he reassured me, “He’s in the ER. The doctor said he passed out not long ago. He took some medicine when he first felt ill, so it should be okay.”I looked up at Zach under the bright hospital lights. He took off his coat and wrapped it around me.I had left in such a hurry that I ended up wearing one yellow shoe and one white one.Soon, Austin was brought out of the ER and into a reg
“You can eat them if you want. Otherwise, I’ll just throw them away.” “Don’t waste food.” She picked up an escargot with two fingers and sucked on it, like she was eating a field snail. I sat across from her and watched her eat.“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I’m cute?” “Yeah,” I said. “You look like a cute little pig when you eat.”“Why are you being so mean? Are you upset because of Cecilia? Are you worried that Zach might go back to her?” I got up from the couch. I was not going to waste my time worrying about Cecilia.I was actually thinking about Austin’s pale face.“Take your time eating. I’m going upstairs to hang out with Rachel.” I nodded at Kingston.Soon after, Cameron called. He was going to Switzerland for business, and he would drop by West City once he was done.Rachel quickly said, “Dad, don’t pick me up yet. Cassia’s taking good care of me. Don’t worry.”Cameron sighed on the phone and laughed a little. “Cassia, I don’t know if I should
I switched seats in the hall three times, but Cecilia stuck to me like glue. I could not get rid of her.By the time Zach finished his interview and came over, she was still challenging me. “Cassia, it doesn’t matter how much you do for Zach. Even if you give him everything, including your heart, he’ll come back to me as soon as I smile at him,” she said.Just then, Zach appeared next to our table. Cecilia kept going, as she was completely caught up in her own delusions.I looked up at Zach and said with a smile, “When did you become a butcher who took hearts?”Since he showed up, I took the chance to escape. I stood up and said, “Well, Zach’s here. Cecilia, why don’t you charm him and give him that smile you were talking about?”Then, I quickly slipped away. All evening, she had been annoying me like a fly. It totally ruined my appetite.I found a quiet spot and placed my food on the table. As soon as I sat down, Zach came over and sat across from me. I looked behind him and