Chapter 1

Josephine Jade lay on the bed and felt her head throbbing and nausea.

Her head was heavy and she felt very hot. With great difficulty, Josephine turned on the cold water, took off all her clothes and climbed into the bath tube.

Half awake, Josephine became aware of the bathroom door opening and then closing again. There was someone nearby and something hard and cold pressed against her forehead.

"Who are you?" Someone hissed in a deep male voice.

Josephine's consciousness had completely clouded and she caught the object stuck to her forehead causing the man who was pointing the gun to roar in anger.

"Don't move or I'll crack your head," the man hissed, both angry and confused at Josephine's behavior.

Josephine took the man's hand and with unexpected strength she pulled his hand until he fell into the bath and fell on her.

Josephine wasted no time, she wrapped her arms around the man's neck and sniffed the refreshing scent of greentea and musk from his sturdy neck.

"Help me," whispered Josephine in a low voice. "Remove this heat from my body."

The man pushed against Josephine's naked body, but for Josephine it was a good response. She pulled the man with her and the gun in the man's hand fell to the floor.

"Hey, hey," the man tried to break free from Josephine's hold on his neck. He knew there was something wrong with this beautiful and sexy girl clinging to him naked.

The warmth and density of Josephine's body made his blood boil and slowly his desire rose. When Josephine ferociously kissed him on the lips, he lost control.

This girl's skin was smooth and white as milk, almost transparent in the shadows of the water. It was hot even when they were soaking in cold water.

With a hasty movement, Josephine's hand let go of the man's shirt and immediately she squeezed the man's hard broad chest and grabbed his belt.

"Uh uh, let it go, baby, let it go and get inside me," Josephine muttered vulgarly.

She almost let out a squeal of pleasure as with one hand the man squeezed her breasts in a gentle, tickling motion and the other hand touched her core.

"Oh, damn, you're so wet in here," the man muttered. He moved his lips to the top of Josephine's breasts and made her tingle erotically.

Josephine could see nothing but the colorful clouds that shrouded her eyes, due to the man's touch all over her body. She moaned in a sensual voice when she felt something hard and big penetrate her and made fireworks explode in her body. Josephine squeezed the man's hand, which was moving rhythmically, making Josephine's body feel like cotton.

For a moment the mist in Josephine's eyes lifted as a stomping movement by the man sent Josephine flying.

She looked at their linked hands and her eyes caught a silver object with a motif of gold leaf tendrils carved on one of the man's fingers.

"Oh God, you are so delicious," said the man, half growling. Josephine laughed happily, dissolved in ecstasy and the pleasure was repeated again, until finally Josephine could no longer open her eyes.

"Sweetie, remember, I am the God of this city, I'll come for you, when I'm done with the bastards who set me up!" Josephine vaguely heard the man told her.

Josephine doesn't know how much time has passed, when a sudden realization made Josephine widen her eyes. She became aware of her surroundings after a while.

She was in the bath tube, clean and wearing a thick bathrobe, even her head was also covered by several piles of thick towels.

Josephine slowly got up and pondered as she propped herself up on the edge of the bath tube. She tried to remember what happened and slowly as her memory began to form a feeling of shame and fear made her cheeks burn.

What happened to her? Had she had sex with a stranger man in the bathroom? She tried to map the man's face in her mind, but there was absolutely no image in her mind.

Josephine got out of the bath tube and walked toward the door. She grabbed the door handle and turned it, but the door didn't budge at all. Someone locked her in this bathroom.

Josephine's heart was pounding really hard. She looked around, looking for anything she could use to get out. Her eyes landed on the trash can by the sink.

Josephine picked up the trash and was stunned to see what was in it. There was a small white towel, or at least once was white, in the trash. The towel was now pink with splotches of dark red in places. It was a trace of blood and Josephine realized that it was her blood and what part of her body the blood had come from.

Tears streamed down Josephine's cheeks. She had lost her virginity to a strange man whose face she couldn't remember at all.

Josephine was about to scream to release the anger inside her, when she suddenly heard something from outside the bathroom. She held the small towel in her hands tightly and walked as slowly as possible towards the door. She didn't want to be careless, because she didn't know what was going on and who was the person who had locked her in this bathroom. Josephine put her ear to the door.

"Damn it! Where did that bitch go," snapped an angry voice. Josephine's eyebrows rose. She recognized it was Melissa's voice.

Melisa Jade, Josephine's stepmother, who was bossy, rude, and two-faced. However, the woman had been her mother since she was one year old, replacing her biological mother who died minutes after she was born.

Melisa holds the status of a mother for her and in the eyes of others, she is a kind and gentle mother, because her cleverness hides the fact that she really hates her stepdaughter, who is only three months younger than her biological daughter, Lindsay.

"Are you sure you brought her into this room, Lindsay?"

"I-I don't know, Mom, all the rooms look the same," another voice answered nervously. It was Lindsay's voice. They were the initiators of her tragedy.

Suddenly the door handle twitched, making Josephine cover her mouth to hold back a scream that almost came out.

"The bathroom is broken, Lindsay, didn't you see the out of service sign stuck to the door," Melisa snapped again. "You are really reckless. What if Josephine runs away before the men come and do their job? I paid them highly!"

"I'm sure she's in one of the rooms in this villa, Mom. She can't go anywhere because the stimulant I gave her is too strong."

In the bathroom, Josephine was face down on the floor, clutching her mouth tightly so she wouldn't make a sound, even though her tears were pouring down.

"Where did she go and how come, when you say the medicine you gave was strong enough?" said Melissa annoyed.

"Mom, I left her in bed, barely conscious and I didn't lock the bedroom door because I knew your thugs would be coming for her. I… just forgot which room," Lindsay replied grumblingly.

"In that case, the thugs didn't come here to rape her at all, like I ordered them to. Damn it! They were playing a trick on me!"

In the bathroom, Josephine listened to everything her stepmother and stepsisters said with a feeling of tightness. So, this so-called birthday party she thought they had arranged for her was just a cover so they could prank her?

They paid thugs to rape her while she was under the aphrodisiac given by Lindsay?

Josephine never liked her stepmother and stepsisters, for they were two-faced and good at pretending. They treated Josephine well in the presence of her father or relatives on her father's side, showing false concern and affection for her, but outside of that they treated her roughly and arbitrarily.

However, it never once crossed Josephine's mind that they would be capable of committing the crime they were planning for her at this moment.

"Hello? Where are you guys? The girl ran away and disappeared somewhere," snapped Melisa in a sharp tone. It looked like she was talking to someone on the phone.

"What? You guys got lost to another villa and couldn't find this place? Jeez, what kind of thugs are you guys, why is that?"

"Mom, be careful. Don't make them get angry and turn against us," Lindsay interrupted. "They could have leaked our plans to the police."

"Hey you guys, just think of the down payment I sent as hush money. Next, don't let me see you again and if there's a report from that girl to the police, don't ever show up. Understand?"

Josephine heard footsteps pacing in the room. From Melisa's conversations with whoever she contacted by phone, it was clear that the people she had sent had failed to carry out their duties. So, who is the man she slept with?

Josephine clutched her head in despair. She couldn't remember anything other than the silver ring on the man's ring finger.

Chapter 2

"Let's get out of here, Lindsay, before anyone gets suspicious and asks us," Melisa said again.

"What about Josephine?" Lindsay asked worriedly. "Father will ask why we don't go back with her."

"Uh, I should have poisoned that bitch since she was born, like I did to her mother," Melisa growled. "If it wasn't for the nurse who suddenly came while I was injecting medicine into Farline's IV tube, I would have been able to poison the baby as well, not having to go through the trouble of trying to get rid of her like now."

"Mom, if we fail to get rid of Josephine, what will happen to us?" Lindsay whined. "My credit card bills are so inflated and I don't dare ask Dad to pay for them."

"Cut your shopping spree, you idiot! We have to get rid of that damn Josephine and take her share of the inheritance. Now, let's go! I hope the damned girl falls into a ravine on her way to escape or is run over by a car to death!"

Josephine cried hearing all the talk of the two people in the room. She covered her mouth tightly with her kimono sleeve so as not to make a sound. Not only did she find out that her stepmother and stepsisters were trying to get rid of her due to inheritance problems, but the most shocking thing was, she also found out that Melisa had killed her mother, moments after giving birth to herself into the world.

Josephine was told that Farline, her biological mother suffered from heart failure after giving birth and died because she was too weak. However, Melisa's words explained the real situation.

After a while, Josephine heard nothing more. It seems everyone has left. She looked out through the large bathroom window. This bathroom is located on the second floor, but there is a balcony that is limited by an iron fence on the front.

Josephine rushed into her clothes which were lying on the floor, slightly damp and cold, but it was better than just wearing a kimono. After all, her wallet and phone were in her trouser pocket.

Josephine tried to fiddle with the window to make it open, but it was very difficult. She saw a marble soap dish above the sink, very nice and heavy. Without thinking, she smashed a window with the soap dish, listening to see if anyone was listening.

Once she felt safe, she wrapped herself in her kimono and thrust herself against the window. Josephine's body is not petite, but she is smart and agile.

Some scraps of glass scratched her skin, but she didn't care.

Her attempt paid off and she hung from the balcony railing, estimating the distance she fell to the grassy ground below. Josephine didn't want to risk breaking a bone, so she managed to move herself by creeping slowly over the balcony railing and onto the floor of a balcony which door opened to the bedroom.

She exited through the room, walking carefully and silently, just in case someone was still in the villa. However, the villa was empty and only the remnants of the previous party were visible, messy everywhere.

The door to the villa was also unlocked and Josephine escaped by running as fast as she could down the dark street. She could remember directions well and an hour later after running without stopping, she breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the highway ahead.

Josephine walked to the small bus stop and waited for almost two hours before the bus bound for town came. It was light and the bus driver eyed Josephine suspiciously because of her disheveled appearance but then turned a deaf ear when Josephine paid for the bus with her debit card.

Josephine wasted no time, she knew her father's working hours, when he was in his office and she headed straight there to meet him.

Thomas Jade had just opened his laptop to check out a proposal to be discussed at a client meeting, when someone barged into his room. He was shocked, saw his daughter--Josephine, with disheveled clothes and pale face, followed by his secretary who seemed overwhelmed to prevent him from entering.

"What is this?" snapped Thomas, standing behind his desk. He looked at Josephine with a frown. "Josephine, what the hell is this?"

"I'm sorry sir, Miss Josephine forced her way in even though I said you couldn't be disturbed," Thomas' secretary said nervously.

Josephine approached her father and took his hand. "Dad, I have to tell you something, it's important, Dad, please?"

Thomas motioned for his secretary to come out. He waved Josephine's hand after her secretary left and closed the door.

"What's wrong? Where did you go last night? Do you know that you have troubled your mother and sister? They are looking for you and are very worried!" snapped Thomas.

"Dad, they threw the party to set me up. They drugged me and hired thugs to rape me! Not only that, they also intend to get rid of me so they can control my inheritance, Dad!" said Josephine quickly. "I ran away from the villa and I have to tell you this because I heard that Melisa poisoned my mother in childbirth so she--"

PLAKK!!!

Josephine held her burning cheeks and she staggered two steps back. Thomas glared at Josephine, anger very clear on his face. "Ungrateful child! How dare you slander the person who has cared for and loved you all these years? What do you mean by saying all that nonsense?"

"Dad, this isn't bullshit," Josephine said almost screaming. She was very surprised because of Thomas's attitude. "They're really mean, Dad. I've said many times that behind your back they used to be mean to me, but--"

"You and your mother are the same," Thomas snapped in a booming voice. "Always trying to badmouth Melisa and Lindsay!"

Josephine stared at Thomas with wide eyes. She couldn't understand why her father turned things around and blamed her.

"Dad, you and Melisa had an affair when my mother was pregnant with me. It's only natural that at that time my mother hated Melisa and Lindsay, the children of your affair!"

"Get out of here Josephine! I don't want to see or hear you. I'm very busy and an important client is arriving soon. Go and settle down at home. Apologize to Melisa and Lindsay. They were looking for you all night."

In that instant, Josephine knew that she was alone and her father was completely unreliable. She stared at Thomas with fiery eyes.

Thomas picked up the phone, told his secretary to call security to escort Josephine out. Without waiting for Thomas to finish speaking, Josephine came out of her father's room. She will go and stay away from everyone, because no one can be trusted.

-Two months later-

"This can't be happened!" Josephine sighed, standing at the edge of the largest hospital building in Metronine City. She couldn't help shivering. Who would have thought that she was pregnant with triplets after just a one night stand!

She wanted to cry at how real the ultrasound picture in her hand was, which showed three dots the size of green peas in her womb, but she also wanted to laugh at the jokes her life was going on.

Even, she had no idea who the father of her children is. No job, no deposit. How could she raise the baby?

Should she give up? Josephine thought, touching her stomach.

After a long while, she made up her mind.

"You will accompany Mommy to move on with life. We will fight together and reclaim our lives from the hands of those bad people. But before that, let's get out of here, triplets. For our safety and for the time being we'll hide, just for a while."

Josephine stood up, stared at the night sky above her head, closed her eyes for a moment while rubbing her stomach, then walked quickly out of the hospital courtyard.

Chapter 3

Josephine has been away from Metronine for six years, since that night at the villa. Her father--Thomas Jade didn't seem to care at all and made no effort to look for her.

Thomas has always hated Josephine who closely resembles his ex-wife--Josephine's deceased mother and the influence of his new wife, Melisa and their daughter, Lindsay, is very strong.

It would be even more depressing if they knew that Josephine had a child with a man she didn't even remember and didn't even know who he was.

Josephine is sure that they will make life even more difficult for her and her children. She didn't want that to happen.

However, the call in the morning changed her mind.

She turned off the TV and picked it up. She saw the caller ID: Dr. Wayne from St. Willen Hospital. She felt a surge of hope and fear. She had been waiting for this call for weeks.

She quickly walked to the garden, away from her daughter Flower's hearing range, then pressing the answer button.

Dr. Wayne delivered the bad news that Josephine was not a match for her daughter's bone marrow transplant. Josephine felt a wave of despair wash over her.

She asked the doctor desperately if there was anything else she could do to save her daughter.

Dr. Wayne then suggested her to find a blood relative who could be a match.

She thanked the doctor politely and hung up. She leaned against the glass door and sobbed quietly, felt helpless and hopeless.

Her only blood relatives were her father--Thomas Jade and half-sister--Lindsay Jade. No need to weigh twice to be sure that neither of them will definitely want to help her daughter.

"Mommy, are you sad because I'm sick?" asked Flower suddenly.

Josephine turned. She looked at her little daughter, the last child she had given birth to after two sons. The distance between Sky and Rain was only six minutes, while the distance between Rain and Flower was about twelve minutes and at the time of birth Flower's condition was smaller and weaker than its two siblings.

Flower was a very beautiful child, with large brown eyes, small nose and lips, buttery skin and fine brown hair.

Overall, Flower looked less like Josephine than her two brothers and Josephine believed her daughter looked just like her father, whoever he was.

"Why do you say that, honey?" asked Josephine with a smile. "Mommy told you that you will get well soon, right? You don't believe Mommy?"

"I believe in you, Mommy, but I'm also sorry for making you worry all the time, yes?" said Flower, smiling showing her side teeth.

Seeing Flower's sweet smile, an idea formed in Josephine's mind. Everything was happening at the same time now.

Flower needs a bone marrow donor as soon as possible and her mother's company owned by Thomas and Melisa is on the verge of bankruptcy.

Josephine did not want and could not remain silent. She must act. She will not rely on her father and half-sister's luck to help Flower, but she will try to find the man who planted the seeds of the triplets that night in her womb and while doing so, Josephine will also reclaim her mother's company as it is her inheritance.

Maybe, now is the right time to return to Metronine, just like she promised herself and the triplets who were still in her womb, six years ago.

***

At the airport of Metronine.

"Owh, they're so cute," said a woman wearing a colorful turban and saree.

"I don't see triplets very often. They look like they came out of a Japanese animation and the mother is so beautiful," said one man, nudging the arm of another man beside him.

They were talking about Josephine and her triplets. The passersby couldn't help but admire Josephine and her triplets. They whispered compliments and praises.

Some of them even approached her and her triplets, asking to take pictures with them or giving them gifts. Josephine was polite and friendly, thanking them for their kindness. The triplets were shy but curious, accepting the attention with grace.

That's when Anna Reding pushed her way between them while apologizing and finally saw what the guys were talking about.

"Joy!" shouted Anna at Josephine, her best friend. She jumped up and down, didn't care about the people who turned their head to her. "Here! Here, Joy!"

Josephine looked at her and smiled broadly.

"Oh, Joy, after all this time, we can finally meet again," Anna said with emotion. She wiped the tears from the corners of Josephine's eyes. "Silly girl, I should beat you hard for leaving without saying goodbye and telling me."

Josephine laughed and tugged at Anna's hanging curls. "I'm sorry, but you already know the situation."

Anna took Josephine's hand and looked at the three children in front of them, who were patiently waiting for the two mature women in front of them to have their reunion.

"Anna, introduce, these are my three children, the triplets. These are Sky Leonard Jade, Rain Damian Jade, and Flower Jasmina Jade. Kidos, say hello to Aunt Anna," said Josephine.

Anna was amazed to see the triplets. She admired them, with their handsome and beautiful appearance, cheerful and polite demeanor, and their compactness, caring for their mother and each other.

"Hi everyone, my name is Anna Rosella Reading. I've been your Mommy's best friend since we were both in junior high school. I'm so happy to finally meet you."

Anna hugged the triplets one by one, then turned to Josephine. "You must be hungry. Come on, I'll take you to lunch before we head to my house."

Anna led them to her car in the parking lot. Rain rushed to open the car door for Anna who was going to drive, then for Josephine and Flower.

"Owh, Joy, you have a gentleman here," Anna said admiringly.

Flower clapped her hands proudly. "Rain is not only a gentleman, Auntie, he is also a genius in art and music, good at informatics and has a strong memory," Flower said proudly.

“Wow,”Anna exclaimed in awe. "Great."

"Yes. He has many science competition awards and trophies. The girls at our school have a crush on him."

"If I were your age, I would also like Rain and want to be close to him," said Anna.

Rain smiled politely and shook his head. "My sister likes to exaggerate, Auntie. It's Sky who has a lot of fans at school."

"Ah, I guess Sky is a bit quieter between you three huh?" Anna said while looking at Sky through the rearview mirror.

"Sky is a bit quieter, but he is good at two types of martial arts, namely black belt karate and will soon be taking the final exam for taekwondo," Flower said quickly. "Sky is also good at swimming, playing basketball and soccer. Sky is our bodyguard and the girls at school envy me because I am her little sister. They also want Sky to be their bodyguard."

Anna laughed loudly. She was very impressed with the triplets.

"Oh, Joy, you must have done great good in your previous life, so now you are given the great fortune, to have children as wonderful as them," said Anna, when they had arrived at the restaurant and were waiting for their food orders to be served.

"Why don't you get married, Joy? You are very beautiful and sexy, there must be a lot of men after you in Canada," said Anna.

Josephine chuckled and shook her head. "I'm not interested. The kids and I live in a quiet suburb and actually I'm quite busy with my private life with them."

Anna took Josephine's hand on the table and squeezed it. "I'm going to introduce someone to you. You can't refuse before meeting him. This is a blind date. I'll take care of everything."

"Anna, you don't have to do anything like that. I don't--"

"Take a look Joy! This is his profile, such a handsome guy!" Josephine was about to say no, Anna reached Josephine her iPad.

When she saw the motif on the man's ring on the screen, the memory of that night six years ago hit her heart in an instant!

Chapter 4

"Really? Mommy, you're willing to have a blind date?” Josephine's children were surprised because Josephine never agreed to see any man in Canada before, though many people wanted to introduce some elites to her.

Josephine planned to refuse Anna's offer, but she had already made a decision in her heart. Flower's illness can’t be delay anymore, Josephine needed to find out if that man, Flower’s father, was willing to save Flower's life.

This man might be her father.

After finishing lunch, Anna took Josephine and the triplets to the apartment she had searched for Josephine earlier.

Before she left, she told Josephine, "Joy, tomorrow afternoon, come to this restaurant," Anna said while showing the address of a restaurant. "You just tell the restaurant manager, the order is in the name of Carlos."

"Carlos?"

"Yes. His name is Carlos Nazaren. He is the chief financial officer of the Genesis group, a conglomerate that includes the 10 largest and most prestigious companies in the world and is number one in our country. Try to open your heart to him, who knows you might be right."

"But...why does such an amazing man like him need to go on blind dates? I mean, I'm not sure there's any woman left in the country who wouldn't want to date with him..." Josephine questioned.

Would he even remember who she was after seeing her photo?

"Oh come on, Joy! Don't be so suspicious. Rich guys have their own problems too. I heard that as soon as he saw your photo, he agreed to meet you. You're charming enough to couple with someone as amazing as him!" Anna pouted, hugging Josephine's arm.

"Fine, I'll go." Josephine reluctantly agreed. She didn't have the luxury of hesitation when it came to her daughter's illness.

The next afternoon, Josephine sat in one of the chairs overlooking a beautiful garden of fountains, opposite a handsome, friendly man named Carlos Nazaren.

She took a good look at his appearance and realized he had no resemblance to the triplets. She kept her confusion to herself.

Anna picked up the triplets before Josephine left and took them to the mall for a movie and dinner.

Josephine wore a knee-length, A-cut dress, V-neck, long sleeves that were rolled up to her elbows, dark brown with small cream-colored florals, carried a light brown handbag and matching flats.

She wore light, natural make-up and her hair was curled up to the top of her back, tied carelessly into a voluminous ponytail. Carlos was very impressed when he saw Josephine's appearance when she came.

"So you are the CFO of one of the largest companies in our country?" asked Josephine straightforwardly. "Why are you here and going on a blind date? You can get any woman you want without having to go out and look for it yourself, you should."

Carlos laughed. He felt something pique his curiosity to know who Josephine really was.

This woman in front of him was not only extremely beautiful, exotic in appearance, and exquisite in figure, she also seemed to have a unique, open, and courageous personality.

"Ah, for me everything is a new experience. Going on a blind date allows me to get to know lots of new people, broaden my horizons, and sometimes helps reduce fatigue and stress," Carlos answered lightly.

"So, you're a playboy? Changing girlfriends every week? Is that your purpose for coming to this blind date, Mr. Nazaren?" Josephine impatiently asked, hoping this man wasn't the father of her children.

Carlos chuckled, "Relax, Lady. I'm not married yet. I'm just looking for my soulmate. When I saw you, I knew you were the one. If you're willing, I can stop my bachelor life for you."

Josephine couldn't handle their conversation anymore and immediately stood up. She didn't want to waste her time with a playboy. But as she rose, she caught a glimpse of a ring on his finger!

so she asked directly, "Carlos, your ring is very delicate, does it have any special meaning?”

"This ring?” Carlos laughed, "My friend gave it to me. Do you like it?"

What?! His friend?

So, he's not the father of my triplets? Would his friend be then?

All the way home, Josephine couldn't stop thinking about Carlos. Precisely, not Carlos as a man, but because of the ring he wears.

Josephine closed her eyes and tried to remember what she saw about the man she slept with that night, six years ago. Despite his deep voice, the man was just a blur in Josephine's eyes and when their hands joined Josephine saw a silver glint in the ring which had gold leaf tendrils and diamonds in the center of the ring.

However, the ring he saw on Carlos' finger was carved wood, with the same leaf tendrils and the diamond that was the eye of the ring was smaller.

Maybe it wasn't Carlos who was with Josephine and fathered the triplets that night. Josephine thought of other possibilities that could happen, but she had already reached her apartment building and her thoughts stopped on the matter.

The triplets and Anna also just came back from the Mall. They rushed Josephine when she arrived.

Since the plan to find her children’s biological father failed, she has to speed up her hospital interview for Flower's illness. She knows the hospital she's going to take the interview has a brilliant specialist in leukemia, and she hopes to meet him as soon as possible.

Josephine just got home and was immediately surrounded by three kids who were curious about the outcome of her blind date.

"Mommy, are we going to have a daddy? I heard from Aunt Anna that he's very handsome! I'm looking forward to meeting him!" Flower exclaimed excitedly.

"I don't need a daddy. I can protect you, mommy!" Sky said coldly. He didn't want a stranger to come and compete with him for his mother's attention.

"You two, stop and let mommy answer, okay?" Rain added gentlemanly. He was a thoughtful little knight who always sensed Josephine's small emotions.

Josephine placed Flower, who was hanging on her, on the sofa and said, "Flower, I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. I don't think I'll see him again. His character doesn't match his appearance."

"Mommy, I'm not disappointed. As long as you're happy, we're all happy, right, brothers?" Flower affectionately held Josephine's face.

Josephine was moved by her three children. It was nearly 10 o’clock, she took them shower and then got them to fall asleep.

After everything was done, Josephine set the alarm for tomorrow and went to bed.

Josephine tried to remember Carlos's face to compare with her three children. There are similar lines between the triplets and Carlos, but they are not the same.

Again, the thought of the possibility that Carlos could be the triplet's real father, crossed Josephine's mind, but then she quickly dismissed the thought. One thing that made Josephine doubt, if it was true that Carlos was the same man as that night, it would be impossible for him to forget Josephine and not recognize her at their meeting today. Unless Carlos has a short memory or he is a playboy who is used to changing women.

Maybe it's him.

***

In the morning, Josephine was getting ready to go to the Ingrid Clinic, when Anna came to look after the triplets. She told Josephine to bring her car to make it more practical.

"But Anna, how about you take a trip somewhere with the kids before I get home?" asked Josephine worriedly.

Anna tapped her shoulder lightly. "That's a simple matter. I have two cars and if I want it I'll just have to call the driver at my house to bring it here. Now, get going and don't think too much. It's already noon and if you don't get going you'll be stuck in traffic ."

Josephine finally left with Anna's car. He looked at the GPS and followed directions, driving calmly and not too fast.

About 400 meters before Sparrow Clinic, Josephine stopped the car with a sudden brake, because she saw something that shocked her.

Josephine passed a construction site of an abandoned building, she saw a pool of blood around the front of the building. Josephine's strong instincts as a nurse led her to turn off the car engine and get down to find out where the pool of blood was coming from.

She entered the construction site and saw streaks of blood extending into the site, then she saw a man lying on the ground and bleeding. Josephine was stunned.

"Oh My God!"

Chapter 5

Josephine wasn't sure whether the man who was lying on his hands and bleeding profusely had fainted or not, for he didn't move. 

Josephine moved closer to check on him. However, he had to help the man because with so much blood being wasted, the man's life might be in danger. 

Josephine crouched in front of the man's chest to see where the wound was coming from, but suddenly the man's hand moved quickly and caught Josephine's wrist in a fast and strong grip. 

"Hey!" cried Josephine in surprise. 

The man closed his eyes, but it was clear he wasn't passed out or sleeping.  "Don't touch me," the man hissed in a strangely hoarse voice. Looks like he's in pain. 

"You are bleeding profusely, sir, if left untreated, your life will be in danger," said Josephine patiently. "Let me help you."

"No! I say stay away from me, or I'll kill you in a second!" The man hissed angrily.

Josephine saw a gunshot wound in the left side of his chest, slightly further to the side from where his heart was. 

"Alright, calm down first, Okay?" With a gentle but nimble movement, Josephine released her left hand from the man's grip and ran to the car. Josephine took the first aid kit she had prepared for her interview as a nurse at Sparrow Clinic. To think that the box would come in handy even before she got to Sparrow Clinic. 

The man opened his eyes when he heard Josephine's footsteps approaching again. Nicholas Adams, the man who was shot, thought the woman had walked away after he threaten her harshly. 

However, she came back with a first aid kit in her hand. Nicholas was stunned, when he saw who the woman really was. His mind immediately drifted to the incident in a villa outside the city, six years ago.

Actually, today Nicholas intended to take a look at the Jade property that his company was about to take over. He got out and took his own car without bodyguards because he only intended to leave for a while. 

However, it was completely unexpected that at the same time, he was running into Stefano Gills and his men instead. 

Stefano is the leader of the Black Opium mafia clan which has been a rival to the clan led by Nicholas--Gold Dragon. Apparently they also want this Jade property and seem to be up to something suspicious. 

Nicholas had to hide from their pursuit because he faced an unbalanced situation. He was shot, but he also managed to incapacitate at least three of Stefano's men. 

The sound of a siren from a police car passing in front of the building's construction site saves Nicholas. Stefano and his men left thinking the police car was approaching them. 

Nicholas came out of hiding on the roof of the construction and tried to walk out, but he felt dizzy and his eyes glazed over, then rolled over to the ground where Josephine found him. 

How could this woman be in a place like this? It couldn't be a coincidence, because the events were too strange. Six years ago, Nicholas ran and hid in a villa, also to escape the pursuit of Stefano and his men. 

He was looking at the villas in the area, having heard that there were several villas that the owner was about to sell. It seems that since leaving the gate of the mansion, he has been followed by Stefano's men and they shot his car as it approached the villa area. 

Nicholas saw the back door of a villa open and without thinking he went inside to hide. Josephine surprised him at that time, with her seductive actions. 

How could this be a coincidence? Could it be that Josephine is one of the members of the clan that Stefano leads and deliberately approached him with a specific purpose. 

"Sir, let me give you first aid before you go to the hospital," Josephine said as she knelt in front of Nicholas and opened her first aid box. 

Nicholas couldn't believe this woman in front of him. He held Josephine's hand who intended to open his shirt. Josephine clucked impatiently. 

This wounded man was really stubborn. As they were holding each other, they heard the footsteps of several people approaching them. 

Josephine was surprised when several armed men approached with guns pointed at her. Her mind went straight to work, thinking they were the ones trying to kill this injured man lying nearby. They probably came back to confirm the man's condition, whether he was alive or dead. 

"What are you doing here?" snapped a man standing at the very front. He moved the gun. "Go away from here!" 

Josephine couldn't allow someone to be gunned down in front of her. Out of nowhere the courage came from, Josephine braced herself in front of the injured man and with trembling hands picked up the phone.

"You guys have to get out of here, or... I'll call the police!" shouted Josephine in a trembling voice.

The gunmen looked surprised at Josephine's words, but their guns remained leveled. Nicholas, from behind Josephine's body protecting him, motioned to the men for them to go away and leave him. They were actually his men, who had come looking for Nicholas after being tipped off about a surprise attack on their boss who had gone alone without their knowledge.

Despite their astonishment, they backed away slowly. Josephine was limp with fear after the men left.

"Oh my God, it's a good thing my threat to call the police worked," muttered Josephine, which made Nicholas want to laugh, if only his chest didn't hurt.

Josephine turned and quickly continued her work of helping Nicholas. "I don't know what trouble you are involved with, sir, but your wound must be treated immediately so that it doesn't become dangerous."

Nicholas decided not to argue back and fought back. Deftly, Josephine cleaned the wound on Nicholas' chest.

"It's a good thing the bullet penetrated and missed your heart, sir," muttered Josephine, carefully applying anti-infective medicine to Nicholas' wound.

Nicholas winced feeling the sting of the drug on his wound. "Why did you protect me from them?" he asked quietly. He really didn't understand what Josephine was doing.

If she was part of the Stefano clan, why protect him so thoughtlessly as before? Nicholas knew that Josephine was scared, even though she was loud, threatening to call the police, Nicholas could see her hand holding the phone to call the police, was shaking.

"Sir, how could I leave a wounded person alone, to be shot dead? That will haunt me for the rest of my life," said Josephine.

"What if they don't listen to your threats and attack you too?" asked Nicholas curiously. "That's very dangerous action."

"It can't be helped, maybe it's just my fate that is unlucky then, to have to die at the hands of gangsters because I intend to help someone. At least, I died in kindness because I meant to help you at that time," answered Josephine calmly.

Nicholas was confused about what to say when he heard Josephine's light and innocent answer.

Josephine bandaged Nicholas' wound neatly and smiled contentedly. "Now, I will take you to the hospital, Sir. A few hundred meters ahead is a big hospital, Sparrow Clinic. You will get better help soon," Josephine said as she smoothed Nicholas' shirt back.

"Why are you back now?" asked Nicholas in a sharp tone. He took Josephine's hand and gripped it tightly.

Josephine was surprised. She turned and looked at Nicholas with confusion evident on her face. "Huh? W-what do you mean, Sir?" she asked.

She writhed her hands, trying to free herself, but Nicholas' grip on her arms was too strong. "Sir, can you let my hand go?"

"Why did you suddenly reappear here?" Nicholas hissed, irritated that Josephine seemed to be feigning ignorance. "What do you want from me?"

"Ha? What? What do I want, hey, sir, I'm helping you and why do I want something--mmppphhh...."

Suddenly Nicholas pulled Josephine, so that she fell on top of Nicholas' body. Quickly Nicholas' hand moved to unbutton Josephine's shirt and his lips landed on Josephine's. "Stop pretending! Maybe this is will make you remember!"

***