Attracted By My Ex-wife

Ryan had no choice but to acquiesce to the reason in Nicholas' words. He loathed it but he had to admit that the other man was right.

For now, he had to return home alone.

"Fine. I'm leaving now, but I expect you to show up in a week just like you said," he said begrudgingly.

At this moment, Ryan was coming to understand the gravity of what working with Nicholas truly meant, along with the reality of its less than desirable consequences. He was constantly on edge, teetering on a wire of mistrust and helplessness. Every day was growing more and more tiresome, but he had no choice but to proceed. He was so near to getting Kevin's property and his wife, yet he knew that he couldn't do it alone. He wasn't going to give up easily.

As Ryan left, Nicholas watched him disappear and sipped his tea slowly with a faint sneer lurking on his lips.

Night was approaching in A City. It was summer now, but even the sweet fragrance of the breeze left Kevin desolate.

"Kevin, go back and rest. I'll take care of everything. You haven't slept for two days," Sam said, his voice edged with concern.

Everything was his fault. Seeing his friend so distraught only made guilt eat away at his gut.

Kevin turned to him and saw the shadows in Sam's face. He pulled himself together and answered lightly, "It's alright. You can go back first. I'm not tired."

But instead of being consoled, Kevin relieving him of blame only made Sam feel worse. It would have been better if he had cursed at him, maybe even landed a blow or two. Sam would choose Kevin's sharp words and anger over him being an empty shell every day.

"Kevin, this was my fault. I'm so sorry. I'll do everything I can and keep looking for clues. I swear I'll take responsibility and see this through to the end." Sam was less confident than his words, but he would be damned if he didn't die trying.

Kevin let out a long sigh and shook his head. "No, I was too careless that day. They had already planned it long ago. If anything, I should be the one apologizing that you had to be dragged into this. I'm the one who didn't think things through, so don't go blaming yourself. Besides, Anne is my wife, so this is my responsibility."

Sam took a long look at his defeated friend and found that words had failed him this time. There was nothing he could say to alleviate Kevin's burden. Instead, he opted for action. "No, we both failed here. I'm just as much to blame as you are, so we will both find her. We already have the license plate. We have a lead now. It'll get things moving, but you still have to take care of yourself. There's a limit your body can take. You can't fall ill now, of all times. You know that."

Kevin was the image of exhaustion. Sam could see it in the way his shoulders hunched, and the lost look in his eyes. He was tired, but he couldn't bring himself to stop. More than anyone, Sam could understand Kevin's feelings. He would be in the same state, if not worse, if it had been Emily instead.

But what added to the weight of Anne's abduction was the fact that she was pregnant. Kevin was a father now too, and this catastrophe had endangered his whole family. His pregnant wife was missing, and the baby growing inside her was their hope to save their other son.

The turmoil of his thoughts were becoming a little too much to bear. "I know. Go ahead. I want to be alone," he answered.

He spoke heavily, as if the very act of speaking put a strain on him—far from the untouchable fortress that he always seemed to be in front of everyone else.

Knowing that there was nothing else he could say, Sam sighed and got in the car, giving Kevin a quiet space for his own thoughts.

to leave. He felt as if the darkness was clinging to him, making his limbs useless.

would be fine. Kevin repeated the same phrases to himself, almost as if in prayer. It was all he could do not

air passed through her skin, carrying the scent of salt. Anne woke up and opened

her face was covered. She had no inkling of time or place. All she knew from the telltale smell was that she was

asked. It had a chilly timbre, but at the same time,

memory, chasing the sound of the voice. When she had finally put a face to the sound, she

aback at her being able to put two and two together. Nicholas had not expected for her to be able to trace him so quickly.

Why did you kidnap me?" Anne demanded sharply. Leaving her anger aside, she did not show

little favor." Nicholas' voice was even and relaxed. He knew that Anne had

pregnant woman and holding her captive… It's unthinkable how shameless you people can be," Anne scoffed, almost mocking. There was

something foreign. "Shame is such an overrated concept. I guess it can be pretty convenient, seeing how people keep spouting it whenever it suits them. But I'll tell you what, Miss Anne, such ideals are of no value. It will only slow you down and make you hesitate

was definitely spirited, but even that wouldn't hide her

reason, Nicholas thought of how she had deliberately put herself in

pregnant, so you can rest assured that I won't run away. You're already keeping me captive and I'm not even resisting. I'm sure you

made a quick run through of her mental notes. One: she was blindfolded and Nicholas had kidnapped her. Two: they were on some body of water, and escape was impossible. Three: she was pregnant,

be a little more concerned about your life than a comfortable accommodation

even under the blindfold, her face

But since I am pregnant, I don’t really have much of a choice." As she spoke, Anne remembered the look of shock on Nicholas' face when he saw her protecting Eddy. He was a scoundrel, but she had an inkling

a glass of warm water for Anne. "Drink this," he said. "It won’t help you

everything she needed to know that

mother, or a normal family. For people like you, love comes naturally. But I am different. My father is a piece of absolute trash. After getting my mother pregnant, he moved on to the next woman. It was ridiculous. My mother used to be a proud woman, but she was reduced to a frail excuse of her old self after that. She had even wanted

distant expression, and his eyes

painful memory speaking from the grave. "How could you be so sure that she couldn't stand the sight of you when she was sober?"

loathed when people prodded about his past.

she was able

she felt wronged for the man's sake. No child should have to go through what he did. "Children should not have to shoulder their parents' mistakes. Even if two people cannot stand each other, the child should always be put first. If they just neglect

her mind. Her love for her children was something that came so naturally to her, like an instinct being awakened. She was ready to kill and to die the

Nicholas said after

of quiet

At the AN Group.

energy. It painted a stark contrast to the desolation that filled every crevice of the