The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Rowan couldn't quite figure out why Asher decided to save Julie. They were half-brothers, sharing the same dad but different moms. Asher never let Rowan call him "brother," only "Boss Ash." To Asher, Rowan was more of a subordinate than family. But Asher was the only family Rowan had left. Asher had taken him in and practically raised him. Without Asher, there wouldn't be a Rowan. So, he'd do whatever Asher asked.

Rowan glanced at Julie as if she were just another piece of furniture, not a person.

"You better ask Boss Ash yourself," Rowan said, pausing on the stairs. "Or, you could ignore him and walk out, ready to face the cops. If I were you, I'd choose to hang on, no matter how tough things get." With that, Rowan went upstairs.

Julie replayed Rowan's words in her mind, more determined than ever to survive. She wouldn't rest until she saw Anastasia and the Salstroms get what they deserved. With nothing left to lose, she steeled herself, her heart growing colder and more vengeful.

In the days that followed, Julie maneuvered between Joseph and Asher. If her body was tainted, she'd use it to her advantage. Joseph found the thrill irresistible-being with a fugitive and trying to figure out her true intentions. He was eager to see what Julie would do next and when Herman would finally take notice.

Meanwhile, Jason was closing in, narrowing down the search until he pinpointed the villa community where Julie was hiding.

Anastasia had more pressing matters than worrying about Julie-running the household, taking care of herself and her unborn child, and looking after Pattie.

After Gianna was arrested, Cynthia begged for leniency once but didn't come back. This surprised Anastasia, who couldn't believe Cynthia hadn't tried harder. "Mom, are you sure Aunt Cynthia hasn't reached out to plead for Gianna?" she asked Salma.

"No, darling," Salma said. "Even if she's my sister, I won't back down. What Gianna did was unforgivable."

"That's odd," Anastasia muttered.noveldrama

Gianna was Cynthia's only daughter. Could she really sit back and watch her go to prison?

Even Colton was puzzled. Cynthia spent her days at home, lost in her cross-stitching, focusing on her embroidery, meals, and sleep.

Concerned, Colton approached her gently. "Wendy, it's a beautiful day. Want to go for a walk?"

"No, I'm fine here," Cynthia replied, focused on her embroidery. "I need to finish this Eight Horses piece. I'll hang it in Gianna's room when she gets out."

"About Gianna, I was thinking of talking to Salma and Anastasia, maybe ask for a letter of forgiveness to reduce her sentence."

"Don't bother," Cynthia said with a bitter laugh. "They'd love to see Gianna rot forever. Salma's gloating because her daughter married well. But if Gianna suffers, Anastasia won't have it easy. Let's see how she feels when her mute daughter never knows her real father." "Pattie's real father?" Colton asked, taken aback. "Do you know who he is?"