Ch. 21..30

Returning from the Dead Chapter 21

Her face turned pale.

Seeing that she had stabbed herself with the knife without any hesitation to save the child, Sebastian’s words weren’t as hurtful as compared to what he would say in the past.

He was right; she didn’t have the right to see Ian because she had abandoned him once. If she were to meet him as his mother and tell him the truth, wouldn’t that be doing him more harm?

“Madam, it’s not true when you stated that Mr. Hayes did not want this child. All these years, he has been treating Ian very well and is very involved in his life. Do you know why he always accompanies Ian for treatments? It’s because Ian’s physically weak and has a rare blood type. Mr. Hayes worries that if he is gone for too long, something bad might happen to Ian. That’s why he’s always by his side.”

It took quite a while before Sasha lifted her head and asked, “Rare… blood type?”

Luke nodded. “Yes. Same as you, his blood type is RH negative. That year, after his premature birth, Mr. Hayes flew him to Dartford Hospital that very night to save him. Madam, there’s really no need for you to doubt if his capability as a father.”

Luke told her everything earnestly.

After hearing that, Sasha was speechless. Her expression darkened suddenly. She felt as if Luke’s words had shaken her to the core.

“I understand. You can go now. Thank you for last night. And, you should… stop calling me “Madam” from now on. That’s not my position anymore, lest your president becomes upset if he hears it.”

Luke seemed as if he had something else to say, but he let out a sigh, turned around, and left the room.

Sasha did not go to Ian again. She remained in her cabin to focus on her recovery.

After witnessing her honesty, Sebastian had also stopped locking her up and gave her the freedom to roam around.

One day, out of the blue, despite Sebastian and Sasha’s agreement for not letting Ian meet her, the boy suddenly appeared at her cabin just when the boat was about to arrive at their destination.

“Why are you still cooped up?”

That day, Ian was playing with his drone around the fenced area, so he wasn’t exactly looking for her.

However, the moment Sasha saw him, she couldn’t hold herself back that instance.

“Little Ian, what… what brought you here? Did you run out on your own? Isn’t your daddy watching over you?”

“Why would he watch over me?”

He turned around impatiently and walked away with his drone controller in his hands.

Ian’s personality greatly differed from Matteo’s. Whenever the latter spoke to Sasha, he was always cheerful and polite.

As for Ian, there was a cold and dark aura hanging over him. He was exactly like his father, even though he was only five years old.

Sasha’s heart ached at the thought.

Immediately, she followed him from behind and stood next to him while uttering cautiously, “I’m sorry, Little Ian. It was a misunderstanding. Woah! You’re very good at flying the drone; it’s so high up in the sky.”

She was trying to create a conversation with him.

After Luke spoke to her that night, she couldn’t muster the courage to face the boy anymore. She was either afraid of saying the wrong things or feeling utterly guilty whenever she was with him.

She didn’t even dare to look straight into his eyes.

As a matter of fact, the child completely ignored her words. He walked towards the fenced area and started flying his drone with the controller while he pretended Sasha wasn’t there.

Her heart shrank once more as she looked at the drone.

“By the way, Little Ian, I’ve forgotten to tell you that if you add a little tinfoil on the tail of the drone, it can fly even higher and you’ll be able to control its direction better.”

Finally, after hearing that, the aloof child looked in her direction.

Sasha was thrilled. “It’s true. If you don’t believe me, I can show you.”

She immediately set out to look for tinfoil.

She had learned that method from Matteo. Even though the two brothers had never met, their hobbies were shockingly identical. Ian liked to play with drones, while her family bought a few similar ones for Matteo as well.

Based on her occasional observations when Matteo flew his drones in the past, he would use the same method, too.

In a short while, Sasha retrieved a few empty cigarette boxes on the boat and ran back to the little boy.

“Little Ian, look! Give me a minute while I removed the foil.”

Panting and squatting in front of the child, she ripped it open and removed the wrapper that was inside the cigarette box. After that, she was ready to peel the foil.

Initially, Ian didn’t take her words seriously. However, as a child, his curiosity spiked after seeing Sasha peeled off an entire sheet of tinfoil in front of him.

“Little Ian, have you tried using tinfoil like this before?”

No one answered. Even though Ian was standing next to her, he wasn’t willing to speak to her because of his eccentric temper.

Returning from the Dead Chapter 22

Sasha stopped forcing the little boy. Instead, she started unwrapping the box of cigarettes and crouched in front of the little boy to peel the tinfoil out of the box.

“Ian, look!”

Although Ian went dead silent at that score, she could see a glistering pair of eyes on his dead-panned face.

His eyes gleamed! Does that mean he’s attracted by what I’m doing?

Sasha felt a sense of relief and rode the wave of success, handing over a box to her son.

“Why don’t you come over and help me? I think we’re going to need a lot of these! It’s going to be so much more efficient if you can help me! What do you think?”

“Mmm…”

Ian nodded and took over the empty box from Sasha, crouching by her side while removing the tinfoil from the box.

This is amazing!

Sasha was on cloud nine. She secretly peeked at her son while he was focusing on removing the tinfoil from the empty boxes.

From her point of view, Ian was a delicate Russian doll because of his chiseled features, including thick, feather-like eyelashes. To a certain extent, he resembled Matteo.

She noticed he was no longer the wrathful little boy after he started focusing on getting the job done.

Ian, don’t worry! I’ll definitely atone for my sins and get you to forgive me!

Ten minutes later, the mother and son duo finally finished patching the drone with the tinfoil patches they had removed from the cigarette boxes.

“Ian! It’s done! Why don’t you give it a try and see if it’s able to travel beyond its height limit?”

“O-Okay,” he replied with a different word.

Seconds later, he started maneuvering the drone around again. To his surprise, the moment he started flying the drone, it leaped into the air, at least a dozen feet away from sea level.

“See! I’m not lying, right? Patching tinfoil patches allow the drone to travel beyond its initial limit!”

The excited Sasha wouldn’t stop applauding by her son’s side.

Meanwhile, a barely noticeable smile could be seen on Ian’s face. He was equally satisfied, yet he wouldn’t express his emotions verbally.

By the time Sebastian noticed his son was missing and reached the duo, he was taken aback by the scene in front of him. Standing right by the damned woman’s side, his aloof son had a faint smile.

While they were right next to the fence, Sasha wouldn’t stop clapping her hands in exhilaration. It seemed as though she was immersing herself while having fun with Ian!

Sasha!

Rage was written all over Sebastian’s handsome face.

“What the heck are you guys doing here? Sasha, who the hell gave you the permission to meet him? How dare you lie to me? Have you been deceiving me all this while?”

Those harsh words seemed to have morphed out of his wrath, enabling him to express his frustration verbally.

Sasha’s face turned pale as her heart sank. She had the best time with her beloved son, yet the Sebastian’s presence ruined her wonderful day.

“I-I… N-No…”

“Will someone bring Ian back in at once! Also, I want her to be imprisoned again! No one is allowed to set her free without my consent!”

The man, who had a pair of bloodshot eyes, wouldn’t allow her to explain herself. He had no intention to listen to her. Immediately after he delivered his instructions, a few men showed up and took the little boy away with them.

Two of Sebastian’s bodyguards pinned Sasha to the ground, rendering her incapable of movement.

She knew she couldn’t blame him because she had promised to stay away from Ian after the man said he would never allow others to hurt his son.

Moreover, Sebastian was a possessive man. Since he had brought Ian up single-handedly, he would never allow others to assert dominance over his son.

They dragged Sasha back to the cabin. Her mind was all over the place because of the drastic turn of events.

“No! Listen to me, Sebastian! I have been thinking about it lately, and I think I can atone for my sins! I will never allow others to hurt him! Please have faith in me!”

Sasha tried to talk some senses into Sebastian to salvage her relationship with the little boy. Judging by the fact they had been spending some quality time together, she was confident he would forgive her if she could prove herself.

However, Sebastian started sneering and directed a rhetorical question at her. “How are you going to atone for your sins, Sasha? You’re willing to play pretend as though you’re deceased because you value nothing above your precious freedom! Do you really think you deserve another chance?”

He paused for a few seconds before going on with his orated speech. “I’m warning you for the last time! If you want your family members in Avenport to be safe and sound, you better behave yourself! Otherwise, don’t blame me for what’s in store for them!”

Prior to his departure, he left those brutal warnings and remarks to Sasha without showing her any mercy.

Upon hearing the warning, no matter how she felt deep down, Sasha had no choice but to keep her emotions to herself.

The family he was referring to was her aunt in Avenport.

She gritted her teeth in anger because she had sent her two precious babies there.

Returning from the Dead Chapter 23

Sasha was imprisoned again, but the session merely lasted for a few hours because she was set free the moment the yacht nosed up to the bay.

“Ms. Wand, we have arrived at our destination. However, we’ll send you to another accommodation instead of having you stay at Hayes Residence.”

Luke delivered the news as he brought her out of the cabin.

Great! Visiting the Hayes is the last thing on my to-do list! If they really send me there, I have no idea how Mr. Hayes Sr. will react when he sees me! Back in the day, Frederick played the role of a doting father-in-law and treated Sasha like his own.

He might pass out from the shock of seeing her alive after all these years.

Luke’s words caused Sasha to heave a huge breath of relief.

“Great! Let’s get going then!”

She couldn’t wait to see Matteo and Vivian. She wondered how they were doing over the past few days.

Luke nodded and led the way.

She was bemused to be given the opportunity to return after being away for five whole years.

At a glance, nothing much had changed in Avenport. It was still the city she used to know, full of skyscrapers, and yet it felt so foreign to her.

“What’s taking you so long? Get into the car already!” The bodyguard by her side urged impatiently.

Sasha snapped out of the nostalgic moment and marched towards the car that was parked nearby.

“Where’s Ian? Has he disembarked yet?”

The bodyguard replied petulantly, “Seriously? Do you have a death wish or something? How dare you poke your nose into his business?”

Sasha decided to keep her mouth shut and look out the window instead. She put everything aside, including why she wasn’t brought to the Hayes or the whereabouts of that hateful man.

Since she wouldn’t be joining the rest at Hayes Residence, she thought she might get to sneak out and see her beloved children.

To her surprise, she was brought to an apartment in an unknown location that had three bedrooms, a dining hall, and a living room.

It also had a state-of-the-art security system that prevented her from escaping.

He’s such a scum!

The bodyguard was about to leave when an anxious Sasha ran up to him. “Hey! Where’s my phone? Give it back!”

“Who exactly are you trying to reach? Do you want them to come to your rescue? Ms. Wand, you should forget about it since this apartment has countless surveillance cameras everywhere. If anyone shows up here, they’re going to end up with a miserable death.”

That shut her up immediately.

Sebastian, you’re a complete douchebag!

Imprisoned against her will, Sasha tried to sneak by climbing down the window, but the moment she craned over and noticed she was on the thirtieth floor, she gulped and changed her mind.

The only option left was to pick the lock.

Over the past five years, she had gone through all sorts of situations because she had to survive with her children without strong backings or connections.

Picking the lock became an essential skill that ensured they had a roof over their heads during those trying times.

However, when she found the tools she needed and was going to pick the lock, she heard a click from the other side. A few seconds later, someone made his way into the apartment.

Sasha was speechless when she saw the miniature figure in front of her.

“Mommy, what are you doing? Are you going to pick the lock? Correct me if I’m wrong, but have some criminals imprisoned you again? Who have you offended this time?”

She never thought her savior would be a child.

When the little boy caught a glimpse of Sasha crouching on the ground holding the different tools for picking a lock, his chubby face puckered as his expression darkened. He clenched his fists in anger.

On the other hand, she thought she was hallucinating his presence.

What is Matteo doing here? Wait! How did he locate me in the first place? I just arrived thirty minutes ago!

Seconds after she saw her son, Sasha lost herself in a train of thoughts.

“M-Matt, what are you doing here? How did you find me?”

“You’re such a silly mom! By using a tracking device, of course! How was I supposed to do it otherwise? Wat you have been up to for the past few days? Why did you show up on the high seas? Have you been abducted by the meanie again?”

Matteo was enraged. After he marched into the apartment, he stretched his arm and retrieved the tracking device he had secretly planted on his mother’s clothes.

I’m his mom for heaven’s sake! Why is he always treating me like a baby?

“I guess the meanie has yet to learn his lesson, huh? Why don’t I teach him a lesson?” Matteo couldn’t suppress his wrath anymore. He started leaving notes behind like he did the last time.

Sasha finally returned to her usual self and stop her son when she figured out the things he was up to.

“No, Matteo! You have misunderstood my response! He didn’t abduct or bully me. Actually, he’s a patient of mine. His condition requires me to keep an eye on him. That’s why I have been spending the past few days on the yacht with him.”

“Really?”

“Of course! You have to believe me! He can’t make his take the plane. Therefore, we have to go by sea. I can’t contact you because there’s no signal. I’m so sorry, Matt. It’s my fault for not informing you beforehand.”

In order to persuade her son, Sasha tried her best to make up a convincing excuse to ease his wrath.

If he continues wreaking havoc, Sebastian will figure out about him! Matt is a smart boy who has been doing all sorts of things behind my back, including planting the tracking device without my knowledge. It goes without saying if he continues getting to the bottom of the entire trip, he will eventually know the scum’s identity.

Sasha smiled anxiously at her son.

Although Matteo was a smart boy, he was, at the end of the day, an innocent little boy. Since the things his mother said made perfect sense, he decided to stay put for the time being.

“Why has he imprisoned you when he needs you to keep an eye on his condition?”

“N-No… I-I’m not being imprisoned… He has brought me here and prepared this apartment as my temporary accommodation. I-I was just trying to enhance the structure of the lock because I think it’s not secured enough!”

Matteo saw right through her lies immediately. Nevertheless, he couldn’t link the missing pieces together or figure out why she was lying.

I guess I need to run a background check on the meanie! Sebastian, the President of Hayes Corporation, huh? I’ll keep that in mind and pay you a visit soon!

Returning from the Dead Chapter 24

In the afternoon, Luke received news of Sasha’s escape while he was in the hospital.

She has fled! Again!

His heart skipped a beat, but soon, the distressed man received a call from an anonymous number.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Mr. Scott. It’s me, Sasha. I’m so sorry, but I snuck out to see my aunt. Don’t worry. I’ll make my way back to the apartment once I’m done visiting them!”

Sasha, the source of his distress, gave him a call and explained the reasons behind her sudden departure.

Luke was uncertain if he should be glad. After he peeked at Sebastian who was still unconscious in the ward. “Alright. But can you please hurry before Mr. Hayes is aware of your disappearance?”

“Don’t worry! I’ll definitely keep that in mind and return once I’m done!”

Sasha felt as though a boulder had been lifted off her shoulders since Luke wasn’t particularly against the idea. She hung up after assuring him.

Luke could feel his head throbbing.

He should be glad Sasha could remember his contact number after five years. He doubted she even knew Sebastian’s number.

Due to her escape, he knew he would have to deal with all sorts of issues soon.

When Luke was about to enter the ward, the doctor approached him, “Mr. Luke, Mr. Hayes’s CT scan shows no sign of brain hemorrhaging. However, we can’t ignore the symptoms. To be frank, hemorrhage is unavoidable because of his current condition.”

“What should we do, doctor?” Luke was anxious.

The doctor shook his head and said, “I’m sure after visiting countless doctors domestically, you would know his condition better than me, right?”

The doctor continued, “I know you went abroad to seek another doctor’s opinion in Clear Hospital. Why have you returned so soon? Speaking of which, why was he unconscious and rushed to the hospital the moment you returned? Can’t that doctor do anything about it?”

Luke heaved a long sigh at that.

Who would’ve known that famous doctor from Clear Hospital was Sebastian’s “dead” wife from five years ago?

“As Mr. Hayes’ specialist, are you overestimating the effects of TCM?”

“No. I believe you should do some research into TCM. It is a skill that originated in our country thousands of years ago. Take acupuncture, for example. It controls a patient’s condition by administering the needles to the pressure points. This can be more beneficial to the patient compared to surgery that is usually a recommendation for Western medicine.”

There was conviction, even a hint of admiration in the specialist’s voice as he explained the benefits of TCM, especially acupuncture, to Luke.

When the assistant glanced at the unconscious Sebastian and fell into a deep thought. There’s no harm in asking Madam to take a look at Mr. Hayes, right?

In the afternoon, Sasha returned to her aunt’s home with her son.

As expected, Jackson Blackwood started scolding her the moment she stepped into the house. Although he was an ill-tempered man, Sasha could barely defend herself because everything her uncle had said was right.

She might have told them about her “death” five years ago, but she left the country with her two children without their knowledge and she hadn’t sent word of how she was doing over the years.

“Sasha Wand! What brings you her today? Aren’t you going to stay away from us for the rest of your life since you don’t need us anymore?”

“N-No, Uncle… T-This will always be my home… H-How could I possibly stay away from my loved ones forever?”

“Ha! What a joke! A Wand is not one of us! You don’t belong here!”

Meanwhile, Vivian, who was upstairs, heard the commotion and rushed out of the room. She held on to her brother and asked, “Why is Uncle Jackson scolding Mommy? Does he hate her?”

Matteo noticed his sister had pouted her lips and was about to cry. He patted her back and assured her, “It’s fine, Vivian. he’s scolding Mommy because she has been naughty lately. It’s just like how she would scold us when we’re being naughty.”

The little boy understood his frustration.

Vivian fought back the urge to cry after the explanation.

Finally, Sasha’s aunt Sharon couldn’t hold it back anymore. She rushed out of the room and said, “I believe that’s enough. Can Sasha undo history with all your scolding? Why don’t you cut the conversation short and stop wasting our time?”

Jackson stopped immediately.

Sasha’s eyes were brimming with tears of guilt from Sharon’s words.

“A-Aunt Sharon…”

“You don’t have to explain yourself, but I want you to tell me what’s your next best course of action? Are you going to meet that old fella?”

Her aunt was relatively calm as compared to her frustrated uncle. Nonetheless, her callous tone wasn’t a good sign.

Literally, she dead-panned her question as though she couldn’t be bothered by her niece’s decision.

Sasha avoided her aunt’s gaze. “I have no intention of seeing them. If the Hayes knows I’m still alive, they’ll force me to return to the family.”

“I guess you’re not a fool, huh? However, if he insists on having you back, I don’t think there’s anything you can do about it.”

“Aunt, you’re right. I’m still thinking of a way to deal with that. Speaking of which, I’m afraid I can’t allow Matteo and Vivian to stay with you anymore. If they drop by and the children are here, I…”

“Feel free to do as you desire!”

Returning from the Dead Chapter 25

To Sasha’s surprise, Sharon shrugged her off nonchalantly.

The words formed a lump in the former’s throat as she stood rooted on the spot.

Truth be told, Sasha had held her aunt in awe since she was young. Coming from different backgrounds meant they had little in common. After Sasha turned into an adult, the Wand family had brought upon their misfortune on Sharon. Out of a guilty conscience, she never dared to look her aunt in the eyes.

In the end, Sasha took her children and left for their rental apartment.

While they were alone in the courtyard, Jackson asked, “Sharon, are you still blaming Sasha for what happened in the past? She was just an innocent girl back then.”

“Xenia will be back soon. Do you think we’ll get to spend our days peacefully if Sasha’s children stay with us?” Sharon asked callously and left her wheelchair-bound husband behind.

Xenia was Sasha’s younger cousin. She used to hold a grudge against the latter.

Shortly after their departure, Sasha brought her children to the apartment she had leased beforehand. It was situated in Old Town, but there was a preschool that was nearby.

“Vivi, Matt, I have enrolled both of you in a nearby preschool. I’ll bring you there tomorrow, okay?” Sasha announced the plan she had for her children.

“Mommy, are we going to attend preschool in this city? Does that mean we’re not going back anymore?”

Vivian stared at her mother, open-mouthed, and expressed her disbelief.

The little girl got sentimental all of a sudden; she started recalling the times she spent with her friends in her previous preschool. She would miss her friends and her teachers a lot.

Sasha caressed the little girl’s chubby cheek. “We’ll only stay here for a short period of time because I have to look after a patient of mine. Once I’m done, we’ll move back, okay? Can you please deal with it for the time being?”

The little girl finally returned to her usual sprightly self when she heard her mother’s assurance. “Alright, Mommy! If that’s the case, I’ll prepare myself for school tomorrow!”

Meanwhile, Matteo was occupied with the background check on Sebastian, the man behind Hayes Corporation. He decided to pay the meanie a visit in person.

Matteo wanted to determine if Sebastian was worthy of his mother’s time since he had always bullied Sasha.

Shortly after the little boy accessed the domestic website and got his hands on Sebastian’s photo, his jaw dropped.

What the hell is going on? Who the heck is this scum that resembles me? Literally, he looks like an adult version of me! Is he my biological father?

A wild idea flashed across Matteo’s mind. He stared at Sebastian’s photo, completely baffled.

“Matt, what are you doing? Can you come over and do me a favor? I can need an extra pair of hands now!”

Sasha was in the middle of unpacking the stuff she had brought along with them. She had to repeat herself a few times before her son finally responded to her and switched off his tablet.

Matteo walked towards Sasha in a daze. “Mommy, is Daddy dead?”

“Yes. Why?” Sasha was completely drenched in sweat after spending her time unpacking their stuff. Therefore, she blurted out the things in mind when she heard her son’s question.

That was the version of the white lies she had told her children. As she spent the past five years abroad, others would occasionally ask her the whereabouts of her children’s father since was a single parent.

Now that the children were older, they were naturally curious about their father. In order to save herself the agony, she told everyone her husband was dead.

That scum is as good as dead, isn’t he?

She thought Matteo would forget about it as usual, but he continued to probe after a prolonged silence. “How did he die?”

Sasha was taken aback by the question. She stuttered in return, “H-Huh? H-He died in… a-a car accident.”

Matteo was completely speechless by his mother’s uncertainty.

Mommy, you’re obviously lying to us! Is that meanie our father?

Unable to suppress his frustration any longer, Matteo decided to pay Sebastian a visit to get to the bottom of their relationship and why he wouldn’t stop picking on his mother.

Most importantly, he wanted to know if Sebastian had abandoned him and his sister.

Sasha was oblivious of her son’s plans as she rushed to finish cleaning the place so she could return to the damned confinement space.

Suddenly, her brand new phone, that was on the coffee table, rang.

“Hello?”

“Madam? It’s me, Luke.”

Seriously? Oh, God! Speak of the devil! Here comes the assistant of the scum!

Sasha started explaining herself after she heard the man on the other end of the call. “I’m so sorry, Luke! It has been a long time since I last met my uncle and aunt! They insist on having me for dinner! I…”

“It’s fine! I’m not calling to rush you. I have something else to discuss with you.”

“Huh? What is it?” Ever since that scum got his hands on me, he has always forced me into submission. What could he want to discuss with me?

]]>

Returning from the Dead Chapter 26

Luke cut straight to the point. “Are you willing to grab the opportunity that may earn you the right to see Ian every day?”

“Are you serious?” Sasha couldn’t believe her ears.

However, Luke was all business from the other end. “As long as you’re able to treat Mr. Hayes’ condition, I can ensure you that you will get to see Ian every day.”

“What’s wrong with Sebastian?”

Luke told Sasha the truth. “I guess it’s time to stop keeping you in the dark. He didn’t bring you back to Hayes Residence because his blood pressure skyrocketed and he passed out after that fight on the yacht. If you can cure his sleep disorder, I believe he would also agree to my suggestion. I think he’ll offer to let you see Ian unconditionally. What do you think, Madam?”

In order to get Sasha to give her consent, Luke told her everything that happened after the fight.

He’s currently in the hospital? No wonder I didn’t see Ian when we disembarked from the yacht.

Sasha couldn’t help but gloat over Sebastian’s misfortune. “Actually, I do possess the capability to save him. To be honest, he should be glad to be alive.”

Luke replied with an awkward laugh after a few seconds of dead silence. “Now you see why I came to you? Don’t worry. We can work on the details once he’s fully recovered. Although Mr. Hayes refused to let you anywhere near Ian, you’re his biological mother. As long as you drop by his place, you’ll get to see Ian. Once you develop a close relationship with him, I don’t think Mr. Hayes can stop you from seeing him.”

It was a sweet deal.

All she needed was an opportunity to spend time with Ian to atone for her sins. If she couldn’t get anywhere near her son, she wouldn’t be able to execute the plan to beg for his forgiveness.

After much considerations, Sasha gave her consent and named her conditions.

“Deal! However, I don’t want anyone to restrict my freedom, and I want to stay with my aunt! Otherwise, I’m afraid she’ll storm to Hayes Residence and make a scene.”

“Certainly. As long as you can get Mr. Hayes to fall asleep, we won’t restrict your freedom. You get to arrange your own schedule on one condition—we need to ensure you’re capable of treating Mr. Hayes’ insomnia.”

“That’s but a piece of cake for me!” Sasha replied confidently.

As long as she could plan her schedule, she could take good care of her children without disrupting their daily routine. She would drop them off at the preschool in the morning and pick them up in the evening.

She had confidence in her capability.

Luke said he would drop by and pick her up at the apartment in the evening for one last trial. If she could prove her words, their agreement would officially begin after the trial.

Huh? Is he coming to pick me up soon? If that’s the case, I need to hurry and make my way back to the apartment!

Immediately after Sasha hung up the call with Luke, she told her children, “Matt, Vivi, I need to head out to tend to an emergency. I’ll get Mrs. Grint to drop by and take care of both of you, okay?”

Lucy Grint used to be a maid of the Wand family, but after they filed for bankruptcy, she went to work for Sharon. Throughout the years, she had never turned down a single request from Sasha.

Vivian, who was relatively simple-minded, wasn’t particularly against the idea. On the other hand, when Matteo heard it, he stopped looking at his tablet and looked in Sasha’s direction. “Mommy, where are you going? Are you coming back tonight?”

“Of course! I’ll be away for about two hours! Don’t worry about me, okay?”

Lucy agreed to Sasha’s request without hesitation. When she found out the children had yet to have their meal, she said she would buy some ingredients and make them something to eat.

After Sasha had everything sorted out, she left and made her way back to the apartment.

Meanwhile, Vivian looked at Matteo and asked, “Matt, what’s wrong with you? Why are you staring at Mommy?”

The little girl went after her brother right after he sprinted over to the balcony. Out of curiosity, Vivian crouched by Matteo’s side, looking in the direction of her brother’s gaze.

“I think our foolish mother is on her way to the meanie’s place again!”

“Huh?”

“W-Who’s the meanie you’re talking about? Is Mommy is in danger? Should we rush over to rescue her?” Vivian was horrified by his brother’s words. She almost burst into tears.

“That won’t be necessary for the time being. I’ll pay him a visit tomorrow.”

“Huh? Are you going after the meanie on your own? No! I’ll tag along with you! I will never allow others to bully Mommy!”

“I want you to stay put and cover for me in the preschool. Once I’m done, I’ll tell you what to do next!”

“Okay!”

The siblings arrived at an agreement after a simple discussion.

Shortly after Sasha returned to the apartment, Luke showed up in a car told her to meet him downstairs.

After she got into the car with her medical kit, she asked, “Are we heading to the hospital?”

“No, we’ll be going to Frontier Bay because Mr. Hayes has been discharged.”

The news took Sasha by surprise; she wasn’t ready for what was coming.

Returning from the Dead Chapter 27

Sasha’s heart was pounding. The first time she saw Sebastian was five years ago, on their wedding day. The next day, he left her. She never saw him again, much less set foot in his house at Frontier Bay.

Sasha could vividly recall her times at Hayes Residence. She knew Sebastian had other properties, but she was afraid of poking her nose into his business.

She never tried to inquire about him or mention his name for fear that he knew she had feigned her own death. The trip down memory made her realize her life back then was a disgrace.

She found it ironic to set foot into Frontier Bay of all places five years later.

On their way there, Sasha admired the late-Autumn view in the city. She caught a glimpse of passersby wandering on the street. The faint illumination from the lamp posts made the bustling city seemed so lonely.

“Madam, Mr. Hayes has just been discharged from the hospital. When you see him, can you please be merciful and tolerate his irrational behavior if he isn’t being his best self? I’m afraid if he gets worked up again, he’ll…”

Sasha looked at Luke through the rearview mirror and stated nonchalantly, “You don’t have to worry. As a doctor, I’m aware of the do’s and don’ts better than you. No matter what, I’ll turn a blind eye.”

Luke heaved a long sigh of relief.

Actually, he couldn’t wait to figure out how she became a renowned doctor after five years.

However, he kept his queries to himself when they drove into the garden of the majestic villa.

He accelerated the car and reached Royal Court One, which was situated in Frontier Bay, ten minutes later.

Sasha thought they had pulled by in front of a palace. The breathtaking rows of sculptures lined up at the entrance of the villa as though soldiers had gathered around and to guard the garden.

Along the hallway were marble stone archways with drooping gold roses. Sasha was impressed by those remarkable pieces and couldn’t help but imagine the scene of exotic flowers and plants in the garden.

Her jaw dropped open as she gaped at the ostentatious decorations.

Has he been living in such a great environment all this while? Am I supposed to consider myself lucky to be given the chance to visit this majestic villa while I’m still alive?

While she feasted her eyes, Luke took his leave. “Madam, Royal Court One belongs to Mr. Hayes. You just have to walk down these archways, and you’ll reach the entrance at the end.”

Am I supposed to go in myself? Doesn’t he need to announce my arrival or something?

Sasha snapped out of her confusion and turned to Luke. “Aren’t you going in with me? I have never been here before! And you haven’t announced my arrival. I don’t think I should make my way in unannounced…”

“It’s fine, Madam. I have informed Mr. Hayes of your arrival. Please feel free to make your way in.”

Luke, who was in the car, assured her with a bright grin.

Little did she know, he had his feet on the accelerator and would depart the moment she walked into Sebastian’s villa.

Oblivious to Luke’s ploy, Sasha strode into the villa boldly with her medical kit.

To be honest, I’d be lying if I’m not afraid at all. I don’t even know why I’m here anymore!

A few minutes later, she finally arrived at the gate of Royal Court One.

She felt a sense of relief and thought Luke had told him the truth. It wasn’t as intimidating as she expected.

Initially, she thought the place would be heavily guarded, but nobody stopped her as she strode down the magnificent archways.

She glimpsed a beam of flash and hurried her way to the source of light while clutching her kit.

Where’s the rest of the family?

Sasha was slightly taken aback by the desolated surroundings. She noticed she was the only person in the spacious and elegant courtyard.

Are they upstairs?

As she stepped into the foyer to go up the stairs, she saw a pair of pink indoor sandals that belonged to a woman on the shoe rack.

The delicate-looking pair of sandals with daisies was amongst the countless pairs of men’s leather shoes. The ones that caught her eye the most were the miniature shoes belonging to a child.

Judging by the shoes that were available, it seemed to belong to a family of three.

Sasha couldn’t tear her eyes away from it. She had an awful sensation deep down, as though an important part of her was shredded into pieces.

This pair of shoes belong to the woman, huh? How ironic! I didn’t even get to visit this villa back when we were engaged! Now, she has become a member of the household and an important character amongst the family of three! Does that mean she’s Ian’s stepmother?

Sasha stood right at the entrance with colors drained from her face.

Whenever she recalled her pathetic life five years ago, hatred and grudges would engulf her. She could barely pull herself together.

Returning from the Dead Chapter 28

“Who gave you the permission to barge in here?” While Sasha was overwhelmed by the tidal waves of emotions, she heard another woman’s voice reprimanding her from behind.

Sasha finally returned to her senses.

“I-I’m here to check on Mr. Hayes’ condition. May I know if he’s around?”

She pulled herself together immediately and greeted the woman who had shown up out of nowhere.

The latter was a housemaid in her mid-forties. She confronted Sasha, thinking she was an intruder. “What do you mean you’re here to check on Mr. Hayes’ condition? Why wasn’t I informed of you arrival?”

“Are you sure? Mr. Hayes’ assistant, Luke, brought me here. Can you please verify this with Mr. Hayes? I think he knows I’m coming.”

However, the housemaid behaved as though she was clueless about the things. Minutes later, a man heard the commotion and came out of his room.

“Sasha? Who the hell brought you over?”

Sebastian stood right at the top of the stairs. His hair was wet, and he was wearing a grey open-collared cashmere shirt with a pair of white track pants.

He seemed different from his usual aloof and intimidating self. Nonetheless, the casualness didn’t seem to affect the air of natural-born nobility around him.

Sasha was baffled by Sebastian’s words. “It’s Mr. Scott! He’s the one who insists on having me here to check on your condition!”

“Are you talking about Luke? Sasha, can you please carry out your due diligence before lying next time? Do you really think I’ll ask him to bring you here?”

To Sasha’s surprise, Sebastian denied her of her words and deemed her to be lying again. His initially pale face turned gloomy with frustration.

His response bemused her because Luke even went the extra mile to bring her over. However, it occurred to Sasha that the assistant had insisted she made her way into the villa herself!

Sasha’s heart skipped a beat when she linked the missing pieces of puzzles together. She finally figured out she had been deceived again.

“What’s wrong? The cat caught your tongue? Did I hit the bullseye again?”

Sebastian eyed her contemptuously when he noticed her furrowed brows. Seconds later, he marched down the stairs.

Sasha panicked and retreated subconsciously.

“W-Wait! Please calm down and listen to me! It’s Luke! He said you were rushed to the hospital after passing out on the yacht! Therefore, he brought me over to check on you! Since I’m here, why don’t you let me run a simple diagnosis and see if everything’s fine?”

She resisted the urge to run away and brought up the offer to check on his condition, as per her agreement with Luke.

Since things had gotten to the point of no return, she pushed her luck to try to secure the chance to see Ian every day. Luke was right—as long as she could prove herself worthy, Sebastian might give in to her request.

Seconds after she brought up the suggestion, the scumbag broke into a laughter.

“Are you serious? I’m not a fool with a death wish, Sasha. I’m telling you for one last time! I’m aware of your malicious scheme, and I will never let you take Ian away from me! You want to kill me as soon as possible to exercise your right as his legal guardian, don’t you? Ha! In your dream!”

What the heck is he talking about? It sounds like a great idea, but I would never resort to such a petty trick!

Sasha chuckled out of extreme frustration. She decided to play along with him. “You’re wrong, Sebastian! Why would I want to take him away when I can leverage his identity as your successor as soon as you’re dead? Instead of taking him from you, I’ll have him inherit the Hayes’ empire and enjoy a carefree life once you’re dead! I will never bring him away unless I have lost my mind like you!”

“Sasha! I dare you to repeat what you just said!”

She managed to stir the hornet’s nest with her sarcastic remark. A murderous and gloomy expression loomed over Sebastian’s handsome face, as though he was ready to devour her if she didn’t choose her next words carefully.

As intimidated as she was, Sasha refused to back off just yet.

“Have I said anything wrong? I offered to check on your condition, yet you’re saying I’m trying to kill you! What’s wrong with playing along with you? I’m telling you this for one last time as well! If you’re not the father of my son, I won’t even waste my time on you because you’re not worth it! Since you’re Ian’s father, I can’t let him be an orphan at such a young age!”

The living room went dead silent, like the calm before a storm. A chill ran down the housemaid’s spine, and she wished she were anywhere else but here.

Oh, God! Who the hell is this woman? How dare she pick on Mr. Hayes in the middle of the night? What makes her think she has the right to yell at him? Ms. Green would never confront Mr. Hayes like this! She’s the exact opposite of this woman!

Just as she was looking for an excuse to leave the conflicting duo behind, a boy walked down the stairs and diffused the dreadful standoff.

“What are you guys doing?”

Returning from the Dead Chapter 29

Ian had shown up in the nick of time!

No one expected the boy to show up right before the fight morphed into a full-blown brawl.

Sasha’s rage dissipated as soon as she saw her beloved son. “Ian? What are you doing here? Did we disturb your sleep?”

“What do you think?” Ian responded impatiently with a rhetorical question. He couldn’t stand others interrupting his sleep.

Sasha was no longer in the mood to fight. She sprinted over to her son’s side and coaxed, “I’m so sorry for interrupting you in the middle of the night, Ian. I promise you I won’t fight with your father anymore, okay? Why didn’t you put on an extra jacket? You should return to your room because it’s getting late. Hurry up and get going already! Otherwise, you’re going to catch a cold soon!”

She nagged like a doting mother, yet Ian had no intention to engage in a conversation with her.

He stood right where he was and cast a stern gaze at his father. “Daddy, you always tell me to see a doctor when I’m sick. Why are you behaving the other way round when a doctor is here? What’s holding you back?”

“Excuse me?”

Ian’s words took Sebastian by surprise. His son was siding with Sasha and forcing him into submission.

“If you don’t live up to your word, you have no right to scold me if I refuse to visit the doctor in the future!”

The little boy rolled his eyes at his father and left without another word.

Sasha stared at her son with her mouth agape. All it took from him was a short sentence to shut his father up.

Sebastian was livid. Even the board of directors of Hayes Corporation had to think twice about challenging his authority, but his son did it repeatedly as though it wasn’t a big deal.

He clenched his fists, cracking his fingers so loudly that others could hear it. Sebastian glared at Sasha, implying his will to get his revenge from the embarrassment.

“Since you won’t let me check on your condition, I’ll leave, okay? I’ll leave at once!”

She had no intention to pick another fight with him so she turned around and left with her medical kit.

Right before she could step out of the entrance, Sebastian said, “Sasha, I’m doing this because of my son! If you try anything silly, I’ll get your uncle and his family member to compensate for my loss with their lives!”

Is something wrong with his mind? Why does he make it sound as though I have no choice but to check on him? Is it really necessary to threaten me with my loved ones all the time?

Sasha brought herself to an abrupt halt and replied nonchalantly, “Sure! If I can cure your sleeping disorder, can you please be so kind as to stop threatening me whenever you feel like it? I don’t want my son to get caught up with some nasty karma because of you!”

For once, Sebastian was at a loss for better words to defend himself.

Truth be told, he didn’t expect the cowardly woman who had married him back then to have the gift of the gab!

They came to an agreement to cease fire.

Sebastian got anxious when Sasha instructed him to lie on the couch. She was amused at his complete change in attitude as he did as told.

Is he afraid of my needles?

Sasha got herself a chair and sat behind him. She started teasing the man. “Mr. Hayes, you don’t have to worry. It’s merely a needle that’s tinier than a bee’s sting. I can’t even crack your head with it.”

Sebastian glared at Sasha one last time before closing his eyes and calming himself for the acupuncture session.

She took out a few needles and administered them with skilled precision on his head to stimulate the acupoints.

When she came across his medical records in Clear Hospital, she already found a way to deal with his sleeping disorder.

In Western medicine, a doctor would diagnose him with insomnia and prescribe him with Diazepam and a few sessions of therapy. A patient would have a harder time falling asleep because of the over-reliance on the medication from daily consumption, which was a typical side effect.

After Sasha had a brief understanding of his symptoms, she thought of applying pressure to stop stimulating the acupoints that would get him overly excited.

Using the TCM approach combined with doses of herbal medicine, Sebastian wouldn’t have to suffer from any adverse side effects. With this treatment plan, she could deal with the problem at its core and nurture his constitution back to his prime.

“Mm—”

Sasha heard the man’s muffled grunt the moment she started stimulating the first acupoint.

She looked at him and asked, “What’s wrong? Do you experience a tingling sensation in your ears and blurred vision?”

Sebastian’s hands, which were supposed to be at ease, balled into fists out of the blue.

Since he refused to reply, Sasha continued to administer the second needle. “Relax, okay? It’s completely fine for you to feel uncomfortable. Once I apply the second needle, you’re going to feel better.”

Putting the grudge they held against one another aside, Sasha was, undeniably, a professional and qualified doctor.

Sebastian merely felt a tingling sensation when the second needle pricked into his skin. Seconds after that, it alleviated the migraine that had been bothering him. He felt as though a heavy boulder had been lifted off his shoulders. The fatigue he had been suppressing took him by surprise, and he dozed off.

Returning from the Dead Chapter 30

She actually knows what she’s doing!

He had this particular thought in his mind seconds before falling into a deep slumber.

It had been ages since he last slept so soundly.

“He’s finally asleep.”

Sasha let out a sigh of relief. For a second, she thought it wouldn’t work because his symptoms were so severe that she doubted if she could administer the second needle to its precise acupoint.

Thankfully, everything went according to her plan.

She wanted to take a break, but the moment she pulled the needles away, Sebastian’s head tilted and hung down limply.

Seeing that the man was finally deep asleep, she instinctively reached out to cut his head to prevent him from hurting himself.

Thankfully, she managed to stop him in time, but she could feel his cheek on her palm.

However, the moment his cheek landed on her palm, Sasha felt a numbing yet warming sensation. Horrified, she jolted her hand away as though his head a hot potato.

She couldn’t help but find it hilarious because she had warned herself to consider him a stranger in her life. Nevertheless, her reaction to such an unintentional act was beyond her comprehension.

Gone was the arrogant and egoistic man. In his deep slumber, Sasha noticed he seemed relaxed. The frown had vanished. He looked like the perfect gentle with flawless skin, ethereal features and a pair of deep-set eyes with thick eyelashes.

For a moment, she couldn’t peel her eyes away. She was reminded of that young man sleeping under the magnolia tree a long time ago.

“Has he fallen asleep?”

“Huh?”

Sasha had the shock of her life when she heard the voice of the little boy behind her. Ian walked over nonchalantly and had his eyes glued to his father on the couch.

“Yes, he’s asleep, Ian. Why are you here again? Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?”

Sasha pulled herself together and kept her medical kit.

The little boy paid no heed to her and made his way to his father’s side.

Actually, Ian was concerned about his father’s wellbeing, but he had always been a boy of few words because of the limited social interaction. Apart from his father, he had no one else to talk to.

“Ian, you don’t have to worry about him. Since I’m here, he’ll recover in no time.”

“Really?”

“Of course! Don’t you know, I’m a renowned doctor? I have cured every single patient who has visited me! A mere sleeping disorder isn’t much of an issue at all!”

In order to get the little boy to open up to her, Sasha shared the experiences she had gone through as a doctor at Clear Hospital.

After she shared her tales of wonders with Ian, the little boy stopped frowning and felt at ease.

“Okay,” Ian replied with a poker face. He was about to return to his room upstairs again.

The confused Sasha asked, “Ian, are you going upstairs again?”

“Uh-huh. It’s time to sleep.”

To Sasha’s surprise, she received a reply when she thought her son would pay no heed to her query again. Perhaps he was grateful she treated his father’s sleeping disorder that had been bothering him.

His positive response motivated her. Immediately, she went after her son and asked, “Can I walk back to your room? I’m sure you don’t want to walk up the stairs on your own, do you?”

“Thanks, but no thanks!”

She regretted getting her hopes high a few seconds ago.

Nevertheless, she wasn’t about to give up just yet. It was such a rare opportunity for her to meet her son in person. She was determined to make the most out of their session.

“Oh! I have brought along a few snacks for you! Are you hungry? I’ll go get it for you immediately!”

She took out the brownies with waiting for him to reply.

She had personally baked the brownies when she was at her aunt’s place in the afternoon. Initially, she had prepared it for Matteo and Vivian because they loved desserts.

Never would she expect she would have the chance to meet her eldest son in the evening, but when she received the unexpected call from Luke, she brought the last box of brownies with her.

After she retrieved the box of brownies, she handed it over to Ian. However, before he could respond, the housemaid, who had been around since Sasha’s arrival, got ahead of Ian and said, “What is this? How can you hand over such filthy food to Ian?”

“I made these myself! Don’t worry! Nothing can go wrong with these brownies!” Sasha started explaining when she heard the housemaid’s doubts.

The housemaid had no intention of listening to Sasha’s explanation at all.

“So what if you made them yourself? Do you know who Ian is? Do you really think he’s allowed to consume food from a suspicious woman like you? Ian, let’s ignore her and return to your bedroom!”

“Y-You…”

Sasha was utterly frustrated by the insult.

As the mother of the child, she wasn’t even allowed to hand over the food she had prepared for her son to him.

Staring at the little boy’s departing figure, Sasha’s eyes brimmed with tears. All of a sudden, she felt suffocated, overwhelmed by tidal waves of emotions. Eventually, she started weeping right by the staircase.