"I appreciate your confession, ex-mother. It was crucial for us, as we had no proof against you." Andrew's smile carried a touch of triumph. Sophie's brows knitted in confusion as she retorted, "What nonsense are you spitting, or are you trying to make a fool out of me? Nick has already sold me out." Andrew exchanged a proud glare with officer Lewis and said, "Thank you so much, officer, for your cooperation." "No, Mr. Kingston. I'm glad for your help. We owe you." Andrew's face twisted into a sinister grin as he turned to Sophie. "Even though it's all already done, to add more to your misery, let me tell you something. Neither Nick Baker has any evidence against you, nor has he turned in The police arrested him." "Proving you were an accomplice in Clay Gilbert's murder solely based on Nick's statement, who was certified as mentally unstable, not to mention the mastermind, was a formidable challenge. Nick had already been convicted, and the statute of limitations had run its cours
"The deal with Psyker companies is poised to offer greater benefits." Martin emphasized it with confidence. "After going through their entire business plan, it's evident that it won't serve our purpose. Trust me, Visage Industries is the better choice," John rebutted, leveraging his wealth of experience. "No dad....." "Let's pause for a moment." Marie intervened, preventing them from falling into their typical argumentative pattern, and redirected her attention to the butler. "Ensure today's menu is splendid. Start with Fried Prosciutto Tortellini, Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, and Sesame Chicken Bites as appetizers, followed by a vegetarian main course of Tostones, Avocado Toasts, and Mushroom Risotto, accompanied by Guacamole, Nachos, and Enchiladas. Have you got that? Additionally, don't overlook the green salad and Couscous Salad. And for dessert, make sure to serve Chocolate Cobler." "Certainly, ma'am..." The butler responded politely and began to make his way to the kitchen, only
Andrew emerged from the bathroom, towel in hand, gently patting his hair dry. His eyes fell on Alice, seated at the dressing mirror, applying night cream, a vision of angelic beauty in her white nightgown.Gently placing his hands on her shoulders, he positioned himself behind her and asked, "Venice was on your bucket list, wasn't it?"Looking at Andrew's downcast face in the mirror, Alice sighed. "Dad's revelation is still weighing on you, isn't it?""I wouldn't say that. I'm just feeling disappointed in myself. As your husband, I should have been more attentive to your likes, dislikes, fears, desires, and allergies."Andrew felt Alice's gentle touch on his hand resting on her shoulder. She comfortingly said, "It's okay, Sunny. Our relationship started under unusual circumstances, and it hasn't been that long. We're still figuring each other out."Letting out a sigh of disappointment, Andrew grabbed Alice's hairbrush and started to gently comb through her flowing locks."I concur. Ho
"Sunny, why do you abandon me like this?" Alice whispered, her voice strained, tears cascading down her cheeks.Right then, the doorbell jingled, sending a surge of excitement through Alice, convinced it was Andrew returning."Sunny, how in the world?" She muttered, pushing the door open, only to find herself at a loss for words upon seeing the boy."Ma'am, this box was left for you by sir," the bell boy stated, offering a package to Alice."Much appreciated..." Alice accepted the shopping bag with a puzzled look."Wishing you a wonderful day, ma'am..." The bell boy greeted her before leaving."What's Andrew up to, dispatching this with the bell boy? And where on earth is he?"Words tumbled out of Alice in a rapid stream as she made her way to the bedroom. With great anticipation, she untied the elegant wrapping to unveil her surprise."Oh, it's absolutely stunning," Alice whispered in awe, taking in the white mid-length frock adorned with delicate silver beadwork.A pink envelope cau
Andrew was mildly exasperated as he talked to Marie. He marched off in a sullen manner, completely unaware that Alice had been left behind."Yikes, ow..." Alice, absorbed in her phone, didn't notice the person in her path. She bumped into him and tumbled, only to be saved by the firm grasp of a stranger."Asher?" A familiar grin spread across Alice's face as she called out the name of her rescuer.Andrew glanced back and witnessed Alice enveloped by the arms of a statuesque, charming man, their lips adorned with matching grins."Hey Alice, it's been ages." The guy steadied Alice on her feet and lightly air-kissed her cheek.Alice reciprocated his greeting gesture with a broad smile and said, "Yes, since the graduation party. By the way, Asher, how are you doing?"Andrew observed their beaming expressions and lively conversation from a distance, seething with jealousy. After ending the call, he strode towards them."I'm doing good."While Asher was in the midst of conversation, Andrew
Politely, Andrew turned down Asher's invitation, citing their departure scheduled for the following day. Alice, though taken aback by the news since there was still a week left before their journey home, opted not to comment."You're probably wondering if I misled Mr. Williams," Andrew queried Alice as soon as they entered their room."Of course not; I trust that you have your own reasons.""Grandma requested our presence at the New Year's party they're organizing."Using the party as a cover, Andrew made his exit, an event he'd been dreading and firmly opposed attending. Despite the guilt of his fabrication, he couldn't hide his jealousy at seeing Alice so connected to another guy, especially an old friend."Ah, the New Year's celebration. That's alright with me."Alice puts aside her dislike for social celebrations, enduring them for the sake of Andrew and his family.The following day, Andrew and Alice strolled through Marco Polo Airport, catching an early flight to LA, hastening t
"What's wrong, Alice? Is something bothering you?" Andrew held her face and asked gently.Alice remained silent, burying her face in Andrew's chest, tears streaming down quietly. Andrew's heart sank as he felt her tears."You invited Alice's family? Do you not know how they treated her?" Asher's voice held a hint of frustration as he murmured near Andrew's ear."Alice's family? What the f**k?" Andrew was taken aback by the new revelation and turned to look at the bidder around his age, who had won because both Andrew and Asher were preoccupied by Alice's distressing state."Yes, that's Alice's brother, Jack Cooper," Asher indicated towards the successful bidder. "And those individuals are her parents, while the older folks are her grandparents. The entire family is here," he explained, indicating the group that joined Jack with cheerful expressions."We've secured the win. Thank you, Jack," Alice's father, Barney Cooper, exclaimed, expressing his gratitude.With eyes gleaming, Alice's
Alice was aware that Andrew intended to convince her to visit her family, which is why she promptly declined the proposal before he could even broach the subject.With a loving touch, Andrew held Alice's cheeks and spoke softly, "Alice, my dear, I can feel your pain, but hiding forever won't solve anything. You'll have to face it sooner or later. And remember, you've done nothing wrong, so there's nothing to fear. They can't harm you anymore.""Sunny, it's not their presence that scares me. It's about the emotions I've kept bottled up inside. They could unleash a storm once I face them," Alice admitted, her eyes welling up."So be it. You have every right to speak about the suffering their negligence caused you, and they must listen."After delivering his motivational talk, Andrew leaned in to gently kiss Alice's forehead, then affectionately patted the back of her head while holding her in a comforting hug.Even in the embrace, Alice shook her head from side to side and softly murmur