Edward Powers was consumed by guilt. Every memory of Margaret—her voice, her smile, her presence—was now unreachable. He had burned all her photographs himself, erasing even the sweetest fragments of their past. What haunted him most was how he would face the Salazar family and answer for the disappearance of their beloved youngest daughter.
That day, Edward drowned himself in alcohol, hoping to numb the weight of his conscience, his rage, and the war within himself. He had once promised to walk Margaret down the aisle. Now, he couldn't even look at her face.
As he slept, a nightmare gripped him.
He was chasing Margaret and their child through fire and gunfire.
"Margaret, please! Let me explain!" he cried, breathless.
"Leave me alone, Edward! Have mercy!" Margaret screamed, terrified, running from him while holding two crying babies.
In the distance, another man fired a gun. Edward watched in horror as Margaret and the child collapsed, lifeless. He approached—and saw the babies had no faces and Margaret dead on the spot.
He woke up sobbing, sweaty and tortured. The nightmare shattered him. In despair, he nearly turned the gun on himself—until the phone rang.
"Boss, we've tracked the satellite phone. Vincent and Ma'am Margaret might be in Gardner County," Jude reported.
Hope flickered. Edward clung to it.
In the Powers Mansion Basement
"I've told you a hundred times—I know nothing about that slut Margaret's disappearance!" Tyra screamed, bound and furious.
"Stop lying. My men said you give orders that night, to take Margaret without you saying me " Edward said coldly.
"I had nothing to do with it!"
Edward held up a bracelet—the one he gave Margaret before she vanished.
"You didn't just steal her. You drove out Mrs. Hale, the woman I considered a second mother. You broke us all. You don't deserve to live," he said, cocking his gun.
"I'm giving you one last chance. Where did you take my wife?"
"Wife?" Tyra sneered. "You're not even married. You have no right."
Edward's face darkened. "You ruined everything."
"You'll never find her," Tyra smirked.
"What do you mean?"
"It all makes sense now. I know who's been calling me. And you do too."
"Vincent…" Edward whispered.
"Exactly. He and Margaret were childhood friends. He loved her first. Then you came—and stole everything."
"That's not true."
"Oh, and I planned everything. I made you believe your father's death was an accident. I made you blame Margaret. And you—so stupid—you believed it all. Accept it, dear husband. You killed your wife and your bastard children."
Edward snapped. He lunged, choking her—until Frances pulled him back.
"Edward, stop!" she cried.
Tyra grinned. "Look who's back—the meddling maid."
"Frances? I'm sorry for everything," Edward gasped.
"I came back. Jude told me everything," Frances said, trembling.
"Forgive me. I hurt you because I believed her," Edward said, pointing at Tyra.
"I've already forgiven you. I won't break the promise I made to your father," Frances said, embracing him.
"You have no proof," Tyra mocked.
Frances pulled out a document. "You're wrong. Margaret is Edward's legal wife. I have the marriage certificate prepared by Lord Martin."
Edward's eyes widened.
"What does this mean?"
"During your absence, your father prepared it. Margaret signed. Before the accident, he asked me to tell you. But that woman stopped me—she made sure none of us could speak."
"That's a lie!" Tyra screamed. "Admit it, Edward—you enjoyed torturing your wife and children. Everyone here knows it!"
Edward lost control again. He kick Tyra until she nearly passed out.
"I'll kill you, you demon!"
"Edward, stop. We have another problem," Frances said.
Edward froze.
"Marilyn is arriving soon. She doesn't know anything. If she sees this…"
Tyra laughed. "Perfect. What will that war freak Marilyn say when she learns you killed her sister?"
"You should be afraid, Tyra. Everything started with you," Frances said.
Edward closed his eyes. "I'll face her."
"You should leave. I'll explain," Frances offered.
"Don't protect him!" Tyra shouted. "He's the real monster!"
Edward finally manage his anger and leaving Tyra . "I've sinned. But I won't let you escape. I won't go to hell without you."
Then he left for a luxury condo unit—a surprise he once planned for Margaret.
At Vincent's Rented House
Margaret was stunned by the new furniture.
"There's so much," she said.
"It's all for you, my love," Vincent replied, caressing her belly.
Margaret hesitated.
"I love you, Lauryn. You and our children."
"Thank you, Michael…" she whispered.
"Oh by the way I forgot to buy another crib. I'll go out later."
"You're leaving again? Why are you always gone?"
"I just want to make things easier. Your pregnancy is delicate. I'm protecting you. I'll be back soon."
Margaret sighed. "Just come back quickly. I'm scared."
At the Condo Unit
"Boss, it's really confirmed—Vincent Moore is the anonymous caller. He's using one of your satellite phones," a staff member reported.
"What do we do?"
"I already knew it, that bastard. The money and diamonds are easy. But not Margaret… or my children. I won't let my children know that traitor as their father."
"If needed, search the entire country. Bring them back," Edward ordered, nearly in tears.
Then the phone rang.
"Hello? You bastard, Vincent! Give me back my family!"
"Family? You have no family, Edward. I loved Margaret first. You stole her. If I'd known she'd fall for you, I'd never have brought her to care for your father."
"I know! I made mistakes! But I'm begging you—bring them back!"
Vincent laughed. "Now you beg."
"What do you want? Money? Power?"
"Money? Keep it. The woman and children you discarded are mine now. I'll make sure they never know you. You're already ruined in their eyes."
"You bastard! Where are you?!"
"There's nothing left to say. If you want answers, ask Tyra," Vincent said, then hung up.
Furious, Edward returned to the mansion.
Back at the Mansion – Late Night
He saw Tyra's portrait had replaced Margaret's.
"Frances, where's Margaret's portrait?" Edward asked.
"You forgot it now Edward, it was you who ordered it removed and everything Margaret owned you had it burn by fire. You believed Tyra that days" Frances replied.
Edward remembered: "Remove that murderer's photo and everything that bitch's owned from my house."
"Edward, please don't do this," Frances had begged.
Gun in hand, Edward stormed to the basement. Frances followed.
He found Tyra asleep. He shot her in the leg.
"You monster! Why did you shoot me?!"
"Your skull's next if you don't tell me where Margaret and Vincent are!"
"I don't know!"
Edward grabbed her hair, pressed the gun to her cheek. Before he could fire, another staff member arrived.
"You won't talk?" Edward sneered, grabbing the whip he once used on Margaret.
He began lashing Tyra—until Jude arrived.
"Boss, Loyola Systems tracked the satellite phone's location!"
"Edward, go to Margaret now. Marilyn will arrive in a few hours," Frances urged.
Edward gave Tyra one last look.
"Pray, Tyra. If I don't find Margaret, I'll bury you alive myself."
He stood and shouted: "Let's go. We're bringing Margaret home."
At the Powers Mansion – Morning
"Frances!" Marilyn called as she entered.
"Marilyn, how are you?" Frances asked, forcing a smile.
"I'm fine. I had to commute—couldn't reach Vincent. Edward and Margaret's phones just keep ringing."
"Oh, they left for Spain," Frances lied. "A quick vacation to introduce Margaret to the Del Hierro family. Vincent followed with Lord Martin."
"Really? Margaret didn't even say tell Mom and Dad or even me…"
"It was sudden. Lord Martin wanted to formally welcome her into the family. He's grown very fond of her."
"Alright, Frances. I'll rest for now."
"Go ahead," the old woman replied, hiding her unease.
In the Mansion's Basement
Tyra was now tasting the cruelty of Edward—the man she thought she had completely manipulated. But the torment she endured now was far worse than anything Margaret had suffered.
"Let me go" Tyra screamed, trembling with rage.
"No one can hear you," one of Edward's men replied coldly.
"Idiots! You're just my fiancé's servants!" she shouted.
"Fiancé, huh?" one mocked.
"Ms. Tyra, wake up. Your dream of becoming queen of this mansion is over. You thought Lord Edward was easy to fool? He's far worse than his late father when angry. You better pray Lord Martin finds Lady Margaret—otherwise, you know what's next."
"What do you mean?" Tyra asked, fear creeping in.
"Simple," James said. "As payment for your sins, you'll be killed slowly. But first, we'll ask Lord Edward to let us play naughty with you, and I guessed Lord Edward will satisfied seeing you tasted by us, don't worry we'll be all gentle. And besides bullet's too easy for you to die at once. Lord Martin wants you to feel hell until you finally ask your death."
"Help!" Tyra screamed.
"Shut up!" James slapped her hard, knocking her unconscious.
"Tie her up and gag her. We don't want Lord Edward replacing us with her," James told the other guard.
They looked at Tyra's unconscious body.
"Poor woman. If she'd been kind, we might've given her food," James said.
"Don't pity her. She deserves this. It's payback for how she treated us," another guard replied as he tied her up.
"True. She's nothing like Ma'am Margaret… kind, compassionate. She treated us like brothers," one said.
"Exactly. When Sir Edward imprisoned Ma'am Luisa, we were the ones sneaking food to her," Jude added.
Days Later
Marilyn began to notice something strange.
"Why is it so quiet here?" she asked Frances.
"Nelia, it's been quiet since Tyra and Edward separated. Everyone knows your sister is Edward's true love," Frances replied.
"No… something feels wrong," Marilyn said firmly.
"Oh, you're just imagining things," Yaya deflected. "By the way, Edward gave us a $100,000 pre-bonus in our ATM accounts. He said we should go shopping."
Marilyn fell silent. But inside, her suspicions deepened.