The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

The news of Herman's hospitalization spread like wildfire, impossible to keep under wraps.

Julie's face went pale when she heard, and she rushed to the hospital without a second thought. As she sped through the streets, she cursed herself for her messed-up plans. She had been hoping to pin her unborn child on Herman, and now, with him in the hospital, her schemes were falling apart. If something happened to him, all her dreams of becoming Mrs. Šalstrom would vanish into thin air. Julie had once wanted to ruin Herman, but now, pregnant with his child, she was clinging to the hope of a blissful life as his wife. She knew about Herman's promise to Feiman to divorce Anastasia, and it thrilled her. After everything she'd done, her goal was finally within reach.

Joseph was stunned when he heard about what had happened at the Salstrom family estate. It was too wild to believe Herman had stabbed himself for a woman. Joseph had never really crossed paths with Anastasia, but now he was intrigued. A woman who could make Herman risk his life had to have something special.

Herman's desperate act had even earned a bit of respect from Joseph. A man who would go to such lengths was rare indeed. The old saying rang true: love and loyalty often clash. Herman had chosen honor over life, embodying the very essence of love. The knife had cut deep; Herman had shown no mercy to himself. A few millimeters more, and his heart would have been beyond repair.

That night, the Salstroms gathered outside the ICU, clinging to hope through multiple critical condition alerts. Katelyn was on the brink, her nerves stretched to their limits. Flynn and Feiman stood vigil in silence, their presence a mute testament to the gravity of the situation. The hushed corridors echoed with the weight of their silent dread.

Gianna had stayed the entire night, never leaving. When Julie arrived, she didn't dare show her face and lurked around the corner, waiting for any news.

Meanwhile, in the holding cell, Anastasia was tormented by nightmares she couldn't escape. She felt an inexplicable pain in her chest, so severe it had her clutching at her heart and tossing in her sleep. Covered in cold sweat and murmuring Herman's name, Anastasia's night was pure agony.

As dawn broke, she woke from the nightmare, heart racing, drenched in sweat. "Herman," she whispered, shaken by the dream's vividness, which felt like an ominous premonition. She staggered to the window and cried out desperately, "Is anyone there? I need Herman. Please, anyone..."

Her dream had shown Herman bloodied and saying goodbye, reminiscent of the one she had when their child was in danger. She felt the dream was a sign.

After yelling for what felt like an eternity, footsteps approached, and the cell door opened to reveal Flynn. Anastasia's heart sank at the sight of him, and tears involuntarily streamed down her face. Her voice hoarse, she asked, "Is Herman in trouble?" Flynn's red eyes betrayed his sleepless night. The man who was usually all smiles now wore a mask of profound sorrow. Anastasia's panic grew, her voice trembling, "Flynn, talk to me. Is Herman okay? I had a dream... a bad dream. Tell me it isn't true." Flynn avoided her gaze and laid out a document on the table, "Ms. Jewell, this is the divorce agreement. Please sign here."

The title 'Ms. Jewell' and the sight of the divorce papers made things clear to her. "Is this what he wants? Where is Herman? What's happened to him?"

Flynn sat down, flipping through the agreement, "The Harmony Meadows house is yours, and he's set aside a sum of fifteen million for you from his personal accounts. That should be enough for you to live comfortably. If you have no other demands, Ms. Jewell, sign the papers, and you and my brother will be strangers. Soon, you'll be free from this place."

Anastasia's eyes locked onto Flynn, her whole body shaking, "Is this really... all his doing?"

"Yes," Flynn replied, "This is the price my brother paid to get you out. He fought for his life all night in the hospital, and just an hour ago, he was out of danger. Once you sign, the Salstrom name will have nothing to do with you, and the Salstroms will drop all charges. Everything is as my brother wished, and I hope, Ms. Jewell, you won't waste the chance he's bought for you with his life."