Chapter 5 Hidden Affection

Scott gradually opened his eyes and glanced around, quickly spotting a woman sitting next to him in an upright position. Initially, he was on the verge of yelling at her for invading his space. However, the moment he caught sight of her adorable sleeping face, his anger vanished, and he couldn't help but become entranced by how peaceful she looked.

At that moment, his friends Demetrius and Clinton entered the room. They both paused in their tracks, taken by surprise at the scene in front of them. A playful smile crept onto their faces, and they decided to quietly tiptoe closer to Scott. But as soon as Scott realized they were watching, he quickly turned his gaze away, while his friends exchanged knowing winks at one another.

Rinalisa, still in a dreamy slumber, let out a soft, adorable moan, which caused Scott, Demetrius, and Clinton to stare intensely at her. Suddenly, Rinalisa jolted up from her seat, her head bobbing forward as she repeatedly bowed her head in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," she kept saying, trying to fix her messy hair, which was disheveled from sleep.

Clinton couldn't resist teasing her as he said, "Hello, sleeping beauty," while winking in her direction. Rinalisa responded with an awkward chuckle, which resulted in Scott letting out an annoyed scoff as he shot Clinton an irritated glare for his flirtation.

Rinalisa, clearly flustered, exclaimed, "I'd better get going!" in a panicked tone, and she hurried out of the room, not allowing anyone a chance to respond.

Curious, Clinton turned to Scott and asked, "So, can you explain who she is? Is she your girlfriend?"

Scott, with emphasis, replied, "No, she's my wife!" His declaration caught both Clinton and Demetrius off guard, their eyes widening in shock.

"Wife?" they echoed in disbelief as Scott nodded, a proud smile spreading across his face.

Meanwhile, Lily strolled down a deserted street, feeling the chilly breeze whip against her smooth skin. She was preoccupied, trying to find the person she had just called.

"Where are you?" she called out, feeling a sense of unease wash over her. Just as she decided to leave, she felt a sudden, tight grip around her, making her want to scream. Yet, the mysterious figure prevented any sound from escaping her lips.

Her eyes darted around until they landed on some police officers scanning the area; confusion swept over her regarding the person standing in front of her. Finally, the stranger revealed his face after the officers left. Lily's face twisted in anger when she recognized him.

"Hadrian?" she asked, stunned, as he simply smirked back at her, unbothered.

"You still scream like the scaredy cat that you are," he joked before turning away, which compelled Lily to chase after him.

"Where are my daughters?" she demanded, her impatience evident, but he only responded by opening the door to a restricted warehouse on the outskirts of town, giving her a suspicious glare.

"Would you kindly step inside if you wish to know where your pretty daughters are?" he said, a sly smile gracing his lips. Lily, feeling anxious yet determined, held onto something concealed in her jacket before stepping inside.

As Hadrian led her further into the building, they descended a flight of stairs that led to a cramped and rough room filled with dangerous equipment and eerie pictures pinned on the walls. Lily's expression turned serious as she questioned, "What is this place?" Her throat felt tight as she noticed images of two lovely ladies. Alongside one of the photos lay a bloody picture with a knife stabbed through it.

"Can't you just forget everything? He caused me pain too, and my unborn child. You really have to let it go and..."

"Get married to another woman, like you did?" Hadrian interrupted, allowing a heavy silence to fill the air. Anger surged through him.

"Never tell me to let it go. He took everything from me, including you!" he shouted, making Lily flinch and step back, visibly shaken.

"I'm sorry I yelled, but I will never forgive that bastard who made my life unbearable," he added bitterly, while Lily sighed heavily, her gaze fixed on the two ladies' pictures.

"Are they my daughters?" she asked, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as Hadrian nodded slowly, affectionately studying her.

"Can we return to how things used to be, Lily? I promise to bring my daughters and be the best father and husband," he pleaded desperately. Lily turned her back to him, biting her lip nervously.

"I have a family now," she replied, attempting a smile. Hadrian stood up, moving closer to her, but she frowned and warned, "Don't come any closer." He sighed in frustration, which prompted him to shove his hands into his pockets.

"Are you happy?" he inquired suddenly, catching her off guard. Just then, her gaze dropped to something unexpected, causing her to widen her eyes in shock.

"Are you the notorious murderer everyone's been talking about?" she exclaimed in rage, pulling out a pocket knife that she had hidden away for safety.

Meanwhile, Jonathan abruptly sprang up from his bed, where Doona lay beside him, naked. A loud knock at the door interrupted his thoughts about the situation.

"Mr. Denies is here to see you, ma'am," one of the maids announced as Doona swung the door open. Annoyed, she quickly rolled her eyes before slamming the door shut.

"You got dressed really quickly," Doona remarked as Jonathan started making his way out of the room.

"This was a mistake," he muttered under his breath, noticing Doona's self-satisfied smile.

"Remember your promise, or I will expose you," she threatened, striding past him as he hurried out of the room.

On the staircase, Jonathan's eyes locked onto Denies, who was looking at him curiously. As Jonathan bowed his head repeatedly, he quietly walked away.

"Why are you here?" Doona suddenly called out, capturing Jonathan's focus as he dashed back to her, gripping her hands tightly.

"What were you doing with your lawyer?" he questioned, already knowing the answer, his teeth clenched in frustration. Doona pulled her hands away from his grip.

"I don't owe you an explanation. You don't own me," she retorted defiantly, prompting a smirk from Denies as he watched their interaction.

"I own you, and I can reveal all your dark secrets," he proclaimed, stepping closer. Unmoved, Doona crossed her arms and laughed, which only deepened Denies' frown.

"Expose me? I'm eager to see you try. You need me much more than I need you," she countered confidently, causing him to sigh in annoyance.

In another part of the world, Scott strolled toward Rinalisa's room, dressed in a black hoodie and loose black pants. Upon seeing him, Rinalisa gasped in fear, immediately feeling a wave of dread wash over her.

"Who do you think you are to put your murderous hands on me?" he yelled, causing her to kneel in front of him immediately.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" she begged, her voice trembling, but Scott only scoffed at her desperate demeanor.

"Stop being pitiful. It's pathetic," he sneered, advancing toward her as she stumbled backward in fear.

"You can't kill me like you did to my mother," he taunted, his tone laced with bitterness.

"I never killed your mother, I swear!" Rinalisa cried out, her voice rising in distress as Scott grasped her neck tightly, causing her to wince.

"If you keep insisting on that, I may just end your life, just like you did to my parents," he warned, his eyes blazing with anger.

Just then, Rinalisa felt something draining her energy, causing her to think, "What's happening to me?" as Scott frowned, noticing her reaction.

He abruptly released her and whispered, "Get downstairs," before storming out in anger.

"You can take a break. She'll handle all the cleaning instead," Scott told Agnes, who could only watch with wide eyes as Rinalisa dragged herself out of the room.

Fuming, Agnes clenched her teeth in anger, shot a hateful glance at Rinalisa, gave a respectful bow, and then left without another word.

"Get to work," Scott ordered as he walked away. When he heard a loud thud, he turned back, stunned to find himself frozen in disbelief, feeling as if his world had come to a sudden stop.