The new accountant, in the meantime, rested over his desk in a quiet area of the office, scowling over the financial records of the company. His name was Sam Barclays, and he had been sent by Derrick to snoop Bobby's inner circle and gather evidence of his misdeeds.

As Sam Barclays sorted through the stats, his mind raced with the implications of Bobby's latest strategy. He knew that Derrick and Newton would need to be kept informed of Bobby's actions if they had any hope of reclaiming their stake in the company. But Sam Barclays also knew that he had to be careful not to bring up suspicion, in case Bobby found out about his true loyalty


Derrick's need for justice and his desire to learn his brother's secrets were his constant thoughts as he dug deeper into uncovering them. Thoughts of Sarah continued to haunt him like an unsettling tune even in the middle of the chaos of his research, and every damning piece of information he found just strengthened his resolve to bring Bobby to his knees.

Derrick's mind went to Sarah one evening as he searched through financial papers in his quiet office; her memory was haunting him like a ghost. Her face was covered in tears, the sorrow visible in every wrinkle on her pale face. The sight of her face would not leave his thoughts. Derrick sighed heavily and tossed the documents in front of him away, his mind filled with memories of the last time they met.

"I can't believe I let her slip through my fingers," Derrick muttered to himself, his voice filled with regret. "I promised to protect her, and yet here she is, suffering at the hands of my own brother."


Just then, there was a knock on the door, interrupting Derrick's thoughts. He looked up to see his assistant, Emily, standing in the doorway, her expression filled with concern.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Duke?" Emily asked, her brow furrowed with worry. "You seem preoccupied."


Derrick offered her a tight smile, his mind still lingering on Sarah. "I'm fine, Emily," he replied, his voice strained. "Just dealing with some... family matters."

But Emily wasn't convinced, her intuition telling her that there was more to Derrick's troubled state than he was letting on. "If you ever need to talk, Mr. Duke, I'm here for you," she said softly, her eyes filled with empathy.

Derrick nodded gratefully, appreciative of Emily's unwavering support. "Thank you, Emily," he said, his voice tinged with gratitude. "I'll keep that in mind."

As Emily left the room, Derrick returned his attention to the documents scattered across his desk, his resolve strengthened by the memory of Sarah's suffering. He knew that he couldn't rest until he had exposed Bobby's crimes and freed Sarah from his crazy hands.

But even as he went deeper into his investigation, his thoughts continued to drift back to Sarah, her face haunting him like a ghost from his past. With each passing moment, Derrick's determination to save her only grew stronger, his heart steady in its resolve to protect the woman he seemed to care for at any cost.

And while he swore to see justice done, the thought of Sarah's better future flashed in his head like an optimistic sign in the backgrounds.

****************************************************************

Sarah watched Derrick stumble through the door, his steps wobbly from the effects of the booze coursing through his veins. With a look of concern on her face, she leaned down to give him support.

Sarah helped Derrick settle onto the couch, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that was in the pit of her stomach. "Derrick, are you alright?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Derrick offered her a weak smile, his words slurring slightly. "I'm fine, Sarah," he replied, his breath heavy with the smell of alcohol. "Just... had a bit too much to drink, is all."

Sarah frowned, her worry increasing at the sight of him in such a state. "You know this isn't good for you," she said softly, her eyes searching his for any sign of understanding.

Derrick's smile fell slightly, his eyes dropping to the floor. "I know, Sarah," he murmured, his voice filled with regret. "But sometimes, it's the only way I can forget... even if it's just for a little while."

Sarah's heart broke at his words, a pang of empathy running through her veins. "You don't have to face your demons alone, Derrick," she said gently, reaching out to squeeze his hand in a gesture of comfort. "I'm here for you, no matter what."

Derrick looked up at her eyes, his eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and sadness. "Thank you, Sarah," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're the only one who's there for me... even when we don't know each other 80%."

Tears was in Sarah's eyes at his words, her heart breaking for the pain he carried within him. "You're not alone, Derrick," she promised, her voice filled with assurance. "We'll face this together, no matter what it takes."

Sarah frowned, her heart aching at the sight of Derrick in such a state. She knew that his struggles with his brother was a constant source of pain for him, a reminder of the demons he battled each day. But despite his flaws, she couldn't help but feel drawn to him, her feelings for him outweighing any setbacks she may have had.

As Derrick settled onto the couch, Sarah moved to fetch him a glass of water, hoping to ease the effects of his drunkenness. But as she returned, she found herself admiring him, her ryes staying on his handsome features that illuminated more with the help of the moon.

Without thinking, Sarah reached out and gently brushed a lock of hair from Derrick's forehead, her touch tingling against his skin. In that moment, the air between them was hot with tension that neither could deny, the unspoken longing brewing just beneath the surface.

Derrick's eyes met hers, his gaze filled with a mixture of vulnerability and desire. In that moment, Sarah felt her uncertainty shift, her heart beating in her chest as she leaned closer to him, her lips hovering just inches from his.

Their breath mingled in the stillness of the night as Derrick's hand found hers, his touch sending a jolt of electricity flowing through her veins. And in that particular moment of surrender, Sarah knew that she had lost herself to him completely, her heart laid bare before him in all its fragile vulnerability.

As their lips met in a soft but needed kiss, the world fell away around them, lost in the intoxicating hug of their feelings. In that moment, there was only Derrick and Sarah, two souls bound together through thick and thin..

But as the morning came, reality came crashing back down upon them, the weight of their actions pressing in on them like a suffocating blanket. Sarah's heart raced with fear as she realized the consequences of their actions, the implications of their forbidden love threatening to tear them apart.

They pretended like nothing happened. They went back to their normal routine.

As the days passed, Sarah couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of her stomach. Her mind raced with thoughts of the consequences of their reckless actions, the fear of Bobby finding out weighed heavily on her heart. But in the midst of the chaos of her all round feelings, there was one truth she couldn't ignore: she was pregnant.

With trembling hands, Sarah reached for the small box tucked away in the back of the bathroom cabinet, her heart pounding in her chest as she pulled out a pregnancy test. As she waited for the results to appear, her mind was upside down with different emotions, from fear and uncertainty to a flicker of hope.

When the test showed two unmistakable straight lines, Sarah's breath caught in her throat, her hands shaking as she stared down at the tiny plastic stick in disbelief. "No," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "This can't be happening."

'No.. not again, please." Sarah stared at the two lines with tears running down her face.

But even as she tried to deny the truth before her, Sarah knew deep down that there was no escaping the reality of her situation. With a heavy heart, she tucked the pregnancy test back into its box, hiding it away as if it could erase the undeniable truth that lay within.

In the days that followed, Sarah did her best to hide her growing secret from Bobby, burying her fears and uncertainties and tryingbti act normal. But with each passing day, the weight of her secret grew heavier, threatening to consume her from within.

As she watched Bobby move about their home not knowing her predicament, Sarah couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt eating at her conscience. How could she bring a child into a world filled with such darkness and uncertainty? How could she protect her unborn baby from the dangers that lurked just beyond their doorstep?