The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Sean was honestly scared Sandy was heading straight for disaster. "Sandy, don't keep picking fights with Elysian Technologies. If you cross Herman, life's just going to get harder for us. We don't have to keep hounding him, you know. Or... are you still hung up on him?" he urged.

Inside, Sandy was restless and unwilling to let go. She was never one to give up on something she wanted.

"Sean, you don't need to come to the office anymore," she said, her voice cool and dismissive, wanting to push him out of the picture.

Sean saw right through her.

A sharp ache hit him. "Sandy, do whatever you want. I'm your brother, but if I can't talk you out of this, I won't say another word." His words were heavy, edged with disappointment.

He'd always tried his best for Sandy, but she'd never really treated him like a brother. The kind, gentle sister he remembered seemed to have vanished after her hospital stay.

Sean's health was failing anyway. He'd never been cut out for business, so he let it all go. He told everyone he was out, but deep down, he still worried about Sandy. When Ashley noticed Sean had stepped back, he took the blame on himself, refusing to let her criticize Sandy.

Lately, Sean's hair had gone noticeably gray, and to keep people from noticing, he started dyeing it.

Donating bone marrow had really taken a toll on him. When he went for a check- up, the doctor told him his body-supposedly in its twenties-looked like someone twice his age.

Sitting by himself on the hospital steps, report in hand, Sean-always so strong- found himself hiding tears.

He was scared. He didn't regret saving Sandy, not for a second, but he was still afraid of dying. That fear was just human.

Sandy had no clue. She was too busy plotting her next move, figuring out how to grow Morton Group even bigger.

By day, Sandy was a powerhouse-sharp suits, quick decisions, all business. But every night, when she returned to Villa Floradale, she was surrounded by traces of Herman—his old coffee mug on the kitchen counter, his favorite jacket still by the door. Each reminder stirred up the ambition and longing in her heart.

Sandy regretted it-regretted not being more ruthless when Herman lost his memory, not keeping things tighter under wraps. If she had, he'd have been hers by now.

Nicholas was gone, and Sandy had let the housekeeper at Villa Floradale go as well.

Alone in the study, she found herself replaying those late nights with Herman- hashing out business plans, half-arguing, half-flirting. Maybe those moments had been their own kind of romance.

She was sure of it now-Herman was the only one on her level.

When they talked about the future, their ideas clicked perfectly, each of them knowing what the other meant before the words were even out. She was convinced: she was the only one who could stand by his side.

Thinking about it left Sandy restless. The feelings she'd been suppressing bubbled up. She grabbed her phone, and, letting her jealousy get the best of her sent a taunting message to Anastasia: Herman's such agentle guy. He couldn't help what happened-he lost his memory. Don't blame him, sis. Now that he's back with you, I wish you two all the happiness.

The message dripped with sarcasm.

Riverdale.

Anastasia had just stepped out of the nursery when her phone chimed. She

glanced at Sandy's message and her face tightened.

"He couldn't help what happened"? That was enough to set anyone's imagination racing.

What exactly had happened between them?

Anastasia knew Sandy wasn't

innocent. Back when Herman was in Willowbrook, he'd lived with Sandy at Villa Floradale as her boyfriend. Even Tavon had commented on how eager Sandy was to please the man living there.

Frustration welled up in Anastasia—she knew exactly what Sandy was doing, testing her trust in Herman.

She couldn't bring herself to reply. Instead, she went to the rooftop garden alone, not sure how-or even if she should respond.

As she stood there, her phone buzzed again. Another message from Sandy, this time with a photo: Herman, shirtless, just out of the shower.

The background was unmistakably a bedroom.noveldrama

From the angle, it was clear Sandy had taken the shot herself, right in front of him.

So she'd been in the room with him.

Soft lamplight washed over the bed. It had to be nighttime.

Night. Shirtless. Bedroom. Just the two of them...

Those details, strung together, left little to the imagination. Anastasia's mind spun

with questions and doubts.