Take My Breath Away

"What?" Debbie heard Carlos' voice come from the other end of the line.

Although it was just one word, she could tell that something was off with him.

'Is it because Stephanie is with him?'

With a sinking feeling, she said softly, "Never mind. I'll let you get back to work."

"Wait!" Before she hung up, Stephanie called out to stop her.

Debbie didn't hang up, nor did she speak.

Stephanie said with a smile, "Miss Nian, let this be the last time that you call my fiance. Carlos and I will get engaged next month. In case you're still in doubt about his intentions with me, I invite you to our engagement party. Maybe, that will confirm you in everything that you need to know."

'Is this woman kidding me?' Debbie wondered. 'What's going on with Carlos? Is this what he has been up to for the last three days?'

Color drained from Debbie's face. She had thought she and Carlos had gone along very well. Why would he change his mind all of a sudden to go ahead with an engagement to Stephanie? What did she miss? In any case, what was the rush for?

Debbie panicked. She didn't know what to say. After a long pause, she said timidly, almost sounding silly, "You are lying! I won't believe it unless Carlos tells me this himself."

Carlos took over the phone, turned off the hands-free mode and said coldly, "Miss Nian, Stephanie and I will get engaged next month. Since she doesn't mind it, you are welcome to our engagement party."

Debbie shook her head and murmured, "Hell no! That can't be Carlos on the phone! I guess you're trying to pull a prank on me, Stephanie." But even as she said those words, putting up a protest, deep down in her heart of hearts, she knew better. This was not a prank. It was Carlos' phone number and the voice was no doubt his. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Her weeping grew into hysterical cries. Carlos, however, responded with a cold sneer. If it weren't for James having warned him, he would've believed her performance. "You want me to tell you face to face?" Carlos asked.

"Wait for me," Debbie blurted. "I'll come to your office now," she added in between sobs. She still refused to believe what she heard. Only a few days ago, Carlos had been so nice to her.

To confirm whatever she had heard on the phone, Debbie rushed to the ZL Group offices, as soon as she hung up. Carlos had informed the receptionist ahead of time, so she was allowed straight to the general manager's office without being stopped.

Inside the office, she found Carlos and Stephanie discussing something. Walking straight to where they were, Debbie noticed that they were looking at map of the venue where the engagement

Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex.

To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him.

"As long as I'm alive, I'm still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses."

She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women.

Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few years later, to his astonishment.

eless, disgusting woman who had betrayed him and left him while he was in a coma.

Silence reigned in the office, until Stephanie finally spoke. Suppressing a mocking smile, she said, "Miss Nian, I don't know why you are saying that Uncle James isn't Carlos' dad. Even if it's true, he is the one who raised Carlos to where he is now. For all practical purposes, he is Carlos' dad, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Shut up! You know nothing!" Debbie screamed.

For Carlos, Debbie could swallow her pride. After all, she still loved him and respected him. But who the hell did Stephanie think she was? She had no say in this matter. Stephanie didn't know what Debbie was capable of, if someone dared rub her the wrong way.

Stephanie had underestimated Debbie. Such a sharp reprimand was simply beyond what she had expected.

"Debbie Nian!" Carlos warned in a cold voice, fearing Debbie might turn violent at any slight provocation now.

"Carlos Huo, I'm so disappointed in you," murmured Debbie, her eyes teary.

Pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket, Carlos wiped his brow, as if the white piece of cotton would magically wipe away the tension building in his head and the air around them. 'I'm the disappointed one. I'm so disappointed in you, Debbie Nian!' he thought.

Stone-faced, he placed an internal call.

Under a minute, Frankie, one of Carlos' new assistants, knocked at the door.

"See her out," said Carlos, trying to sound as composed as possible.

The assistant, oblivious to what was happening, greeted Debbie with a polite smile and indicated the way out. "This way, Miss Nian," he said courteously. But Debbie didn't move. She looked Carlos in the eye and asked, "Carlos Huo, are you sure that you two are getting engaged?"