The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

In the small town of Riverdale, at a simple motel, Herman had finally fallen asleep after too many cigarettes. Meanwhile, in the next room, Sean was wide awake, scheming about how to stop Herman. He knew what would happen if Herman returned to the Salstrom family.

Sean was worried sick about his sister, Sandy. He couldn't stand the idea of anyone hurting her, and he was ready to do whatever it took to keep her safe, even if it meant putting himself in harm's way.

As the first light of dawn crept in, Sean's nerves got the best of him. He marched over to Herman's door and rang the bell. When Herman opened it, he stood there, cool as a cucumber, and said, "Get lost."

Sean, gathering all his courage, stood his ground. "George, come back to Willowbrook with me. If you don't come home today, you'll have to step over my dead body to leave this room."

Herman frowned, knowing full well that Sean was no match for him. But Sean, feeling the weight of his own fear, softened his voice. "It was my sister who saved your life when you were in trouble. She covered your medical bills and all your expenses. Without Sandy, you wouldn't be here. You owe her."

Herman's patience was running thin. "I'll give you three seconds to move."

"No way," Sean insisted, arms wide open. "George, marry Sandy, and I'll hand over the Morton Group to you. Forget about the past and start fresh. Isn't that a sweet deal? The Morton Group is worth over a billion dollars. Think about it."

A billion dollars was tempting, but to Herman, it was less appealing than a cozy cup of hot cocoa on a chilly night.

Herman had no time for this. He pushed Sean aside and made his way to the elevator. Desperate, Sean lunged at him, wrapping his arms around Herman's waist. "I can't let you go. How could I face anyone if you just walk away?"

In the motel hallway, the two men were tangled up in a scene straight out of a Soap opera. Sean's desperate demeanor made it look like a lover's quarrel, and in such anoveldrama

public place, it was easy for ch

passersby to get the wrong idea. They looked on with curiosity, some even assuming the two were a couple having a spat.

Herman's striking looks and commanding presence marked him as the "alpha," while Sean's gentler features made him seem more、 vulnerable. In today's world, people were pretty open-minded, samost just watched with mild curiosity, thinking it a shame that two good-looking guys were caught in such drama, leaving more women single.

Herman, noticing the stares, grew more annoyed. "Let go," he growled, anger lacing his tone.

"No, I won't," Sean replied, eyes shut tight, fear written all over his face. He hadn't even noticed the people around them; he was too scared Herman might hit him, and he figured if he couldn't see it coming, it might be less frightening.

"You can't just walk away from this," Sean pleaded. "Come back with me."

His words fueled the onlookers' imaginations, painting Herman as the heartless one. Their judgmental looks added to Herman's irritation.

He thought about lashing out at Sean but realized that with all these witnesses, doing so would only cement his reputation as the bad guy. And that was the last thing he needed.