The next day, the morning sunlight streamed through the windows of Lily and Karina's cozy apartment. The living room was a warm and inviting space, with plush couches, colorful throw pillows, and a large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. Karina sat on the couch, her eyes fixed on her phone as she let out a loud scream.
"Ahhhh...!"
Lily burst out of her room, concern etched on her face. "What's wrong?" she asked, rushing to Karina's side.
Karina handed her the phone, and Lily's eyes widened as she took in the screen. "Ahhhh...!" she screamed, mirroring Karina's shock.
"This has to be a joke, right?" Lily said, her voice trembling.
"Or we're dreaming," Karina suggested, a hint of desperation in her voice.
"Let's find out," Karina said, a determined glint in her eye. Lily nodded, and they both pinched each other.
"Ouch!" they exclaimed in unison, the pain confirming that they were indeed awake.
"It's not a dream," Lily said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Karina placed the phone on the coffee table, and they both stared at the screen, their eyes fixed on the staggering figure: $6,000,000.
"Six million!" they yelled in unison, their voices filled with shock and disbelief.
"This has to be a mistake," Lily said, her brow furrowed in concern.
"Check who sent it so we can resend it," Lily added.
Karina nodded and searched for the number. "It's the guy from the hospital."
"Who, Max?" Lily asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Karina nodded, and their eyes widened in unison. "He must have sent it by mistake," Lily started to say, but was interrupted by the ringing of Karina's phone.
"He's calling," Karina said, her voice low and cautious.
"Put it on speaker," Lily instructed, her eyes fixed on the phone.
Karina answered the call and put it on speaker, filling the room with Max's voice.
"Hello, Miss Karina," Max said on the other end.
Karina's nervousness was palpable in her voice. "Hey Max, how are you doing?"
"I'm good, and you?" he replied.
"I'm good too," Karina said, trying to sound casual.
"Right, did you see what I sent?" Max asked, his tone curious.
"Yes, you mean the small gift you mentioned, but it's...a big one," Karina said with a forced laugh, prompting Max to chuckle.
"It's a mistake, right?" Karina added, trying to sound nonchalant.
Max's response was emphatic. "No, it's not. It's my appreciation gift to you and your friend. I know it's—"
Karina interrupted him, her voice filled with gratitude. "No, no, no, it's not small, but a huge amount. Thank you so much for it!"
Lily shot Karina a "done" face, and Karina continued. "Okay then. How's Miss Lily?" Max asked.
"She's fine," Karina replied.
"Okay then, bye," Max said, but Karina wasn't ready to end the call.
"Wait..." she said.
Max's tone turned curious. "Is there anything else?"
Karina hesitated before asking, "Ummm... Yeah, how's your friend?"
Max's response brought relief to the two girls. "He's fine. We found a donor, and the surgery was successful."
The girls let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Okay then, bye," Karina said finally.
"Bye," Max replied, ending the call.
"Wow, he's freaking rich!" Karina exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder.
Lily let out a deep sigh. "What are we going to do with six million dollars?"
Karina grinned mischievously. "What else? We're going to spend it!"
Lily's expression turned serious. "No, we're not going to do that."
Karina raised an eyebrow. "Then what are we going to do if we don't spend it? Burn it?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "What I meant is we should save it, just in case..."
Karina cut her off, her voice dripping with excitement. "Oh, please, get a grip! Go change, we're going shopping!"
With that, Karina bounced out of the room, leaving Lily speechless.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, the sound of shattered glasses echoed through the private ward. Kyle's gaze darkened as he stared at his bleeding hand, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and frustration.
Moana's face contorted in distress, her eyes brimming with tears. Her voice trembled as she pleaded, "Kyle, stop it. Your hand is bleeding." Fear and worry etched her features, her brow furrowed in concern.
Kyle's expression softened as he looked at his mother, his anger dissipating. He opened his arms, and Moana stepped into his embrace, her body shaking with sobs.
"I'm sorry, Mum," Kyle whispered, his voice filled with regret.
Moana's voice was barely audible as she muttered, "Please stop," her words muffled by Kyle's shoulder.
The emotional moment was interrupted by the arrival of Jack and Chloe, who entered the room with wide eyes.
"Your hand is bleeding!" Chloe exclaimed, her gaze fixed on Kyle's injured hand.
Moana's voice was laced with urgency. "Get the doctor."
Chloe nodded and quickly exited the room to fetch medical assistance.
Jack's eyes narrowed as he gazed at Kyle. "Do you really have to make your mum cry?"
Kyle smirked, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Yes, so you can comfort her."
Jack's face darkened, and he shot Kyle a death glare. Moana's cheeks flushed, and she intervened before the situation escalated.
"I don't want any issues between the two of you right now," Moana said firmly.
Chloe's timely entrance diverted the tension. "The doctor is here."
The doctor entered, accompanied by Chloe, and began treating Kyle's injury. Kyle's impatience was palpable.
"When can I go home?" Kyle asked, his voice tinged with frustration.
The doctor replied calmly, "After we've monitored the progress in your body."
Kyle pressed for a more specific answer. "And when will that be?"
The doctor hesitated before responding, "After a week."
Kyle's furious gaze made the doctor hastily finish the bandaging and beat a quick retreat.
Moana and Jack exchanged a concerned glance, while Chloe raised an eyebrow. "You're planning something, right?"
Moana's firm tone brooked no argument. "No one's planning anything, not under my watch."
Kyle's expression turned sulky. "I'm thinking of going back to my villa."
Jack intervened before Kyle could continue. "No more 'buts.' Your mum has spoken."
Kyle let out a deep sigh, his plans foiled once again.
A week later, the sleek, black Smith's family car cruised up the winding driveway, its tires crunching on the gravel. The car came to a stop in front of the grand entrance of the mansion, where a row of liveried maids and stern-looking guards stood at attention, awaiting the family's arrival.
As the guards sprang into action, opening the car doors for the family, Kyle and his parents stepped out onto the driveway. Mason, their energetic and adorable younger brother, came bounding out of the mansion, his black eyes shining with excitement. His messy, black hair was sticking up in every direction, and his cheeks were flushed with a warm smile.
"Mum, Dad, you're back!" Mason exclaimed, launching himself at his parents with a joyful whoop.
"Our cutie pie is already home," Moana said, sweeping Mason into a warm hug.
"How was your trip?" Jack asked, ruffling Mason's messy hair.
"It was wonderful, Dad," Mason replied, beaming with a bright smile.
Kyle and Chloe chimed in unison, "Didn't you see us?" making them glare at each other in mock annoyance. Everyone chuckled at the playful exchange.
Mason playfully said, "Welcome home!" as the family entered the mansion. They settled into the plush living room, surrounded by warm, golden lighting and the soft hum of conversation.
As they chatted and laughed, the room was filled with the joyful sounds of their reunion. Chloe giggled at Mason's antics, while Jack and Moana exchanged warm, loving glances. Kyle smiled, feeling grateful for this moment of peace with his loved ones.
After a wonderful dinner together, the family retired to their respective rooms.
Kyle's room was a serene oasis, with sleek, modern furniture and a calming color scheme. The walls were adorned with framed photographs and elegant artwork, while the floor was covered with a plush, cream-colored carpet.
Kyle walked out onto the balcony, the cool night air enveloping him as he gazed out at the moon. He took out his phone and dialed a number.
"Come over to the mansion tomorrow morning," Kyle said, his voice low and authoritative. He hung up the call without waiting for a response, his eyes never leaving the moon as he stood lost in thoughts.
"We have a problem," a deep voice said, breaking Kyle's thoughts.
Kyle turned to face Jack, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "At least knock before entering."
Jack's expression remained stern. "This is my house, and I have the right to enter whenever I want."
Kyle chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "So, what's the problem?"
Jack's expression turned grave. "Mark planned everything. He's been watching your every move."
Kyle's gaze darkened, his fists clenching in anger. "That son of a bitch," he muttered.
Jack's voice remained calm. "He must have found out that you're still alive, and he's furious. But that doesn't mean you need to be idle, so I'll leave it to you."
Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Why leave it to me alone when there's danger ahead of us?"
Jack's nervousness was palpable. "I'll be going on a honeymoon with your mum, and I'll take Mason with me."
Kyle's eyes narrowed. "And Chloe?"
Jack replied, "There's no difference between the two of you, so she'll stay with you in case of an emergency."
Kyle gave Jack a "done" face, his expression a mix of annoyance and resignation.
"I need a break," Jack said, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
Jack's parting words were laced with concern. "Oh, and quit smoking and drinking for her sake."
With that, Jack left Kyle to his thoughts, which were already drifting toward how to eliminate the threats around him.
Meanwhile, in the Lee's mansion, Mark's anger was palpable. He stormed through the room, shattering vases and sending ornaments crashing to the floor. The sound of splintering wood and shattering glass filled the air.
Susan, who had heard the commotion, hurried downstairs, her eyes widening in shock as she took in the destruction. The guards stood frozen, hesitant to intervene, as Mark's rage seemed to grow by the second.
The tension in the room was suffocating, the air thick with unspoken fear. Susan's voice was firm but cautious as she instructed the guards, "You may all leave."
The guards slightly bowed and retreated, leaving Susan to face Mark's wrath alone.
"Dad, what's wrong?" Susan asked, her voice laced with concern.
Mark's teeth were gritted in anger. "That jerk is still alive."
Susan's expression was soothing. "It's okay, calm down. We'll figure this out."
Mark's anger seemed to simmer, replaced by a calculating determination. "Gather the men tomorrow morning. We are going to devise a plan."
Susan nodded, her eyes never leaving Mark's face.