"Oh, God!" Ruby gasped in excitement and disbelief, pointing towards the hallway. Mariana turned quickly and found George walking out of his room.

He had taken a shower and was wearing a pajama set.

"George," Mariana rushed to him, her face breaking into relief, "Why are you here, darling? You should’ve called me."

Ruby also walked to her father, wrapping her one arm around his waist and placing her cheek against his chest, "Why would he call you, Mom? Look at him. He’s so much better now."

She grabbed his arm gently, and they guided him to the sofa together, "See? I told you, it was just stress."

For a moment, George’s body tensed, but then he controlled his emotions. Mariana adjusted the cushion behind his back, making Ruby smile.

"Ruby. Bring some water for Papa," Mariana told her without taking her eyes off her husband.

"I already made him a lemonade," Ruby rushed to the table and picked up the jug to pour the drink into the glass.

"Drink this, Papa," She brought the glass. George was still quiet as if he was thinking about something.

When he didn’t reach out to hold the glass, Mariana frowned slightly, "What is it, George? Should I bring you something else?"

George closed his eyes and leaned his head against the sofa. These two ladies could never understand what kind of trouble he was in.

They were fussing over him like he was a baby, but they were not ready to understand that he might get killed if he didn’t do something about it.

He looked down at the glass and laughed. That made Ruby and Mariana shocked. They could see through the laugh that it wasn’t genuine.

"Papa," Ruby sat beside him and placed her hand on his shoulder, "Say something. What’s bothering you?"

George didn’t answer and laughed again. This time, he didn’t stop, and his laugh grew louder and louder. It sounded maniacal and unsettling.

Mariana stiffened as she called her husband in a shaky voice, "G... George?"

Ruby’s hand pulled back slightly as she watched her father laughing like a clown. She felt scared.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, the glass flew out of his hand and shattered against the floor. Both women flinched at the sharp sound. With a gasp, Ruby jumped to her feet, "Papa!"

Mariana also stepped back in shock, her hand flew to her chest, "George!" She whispered.

The room went completely silent.

At last, George stopped laughing and slowly lifted his head to eye them. The usual warmth in his eyes was missing. There was only one thing visible there.

Fear.

"Do you think I’m safe?" He asked in a whisper, "If yes, then you’re wrong."

Mariana swallowed and looked at Ruby for help. George’s lips curled faintly, "After what Sienna did to him... he... he doesn’t only want her file. He also wants my blood."

His words hit like a blow to the women in the room. Their faces drained of color.

"No... Papa..." Ruby started shaking her head, but now she wasn’t too worried about her father. Because now she knew what was about to come.

She wanted him to come up with the idea.

Mariana swallowed and stepped closer to him, "You’re not making sense. Who wants your blood?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she didn’t know anymore what to do. George was hiding something, and Tom knew what it was. That pathetic man was blackmailing her husband.

"George... you need to tell us, or we won’t be able to help..." Her voice trailed off when George smirked.

"You don’t understand!" He growled, "That man... he won’t stop... he can release it on the internet..." He broke and hid his face behind his hands

Mariana’s heart went out to him. He was crying like a baby.

"Then tell us!" Ruby demanded sharply, "Tell us what we should do!"

George rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes. Before he could say a word, he heard his daughter’s cold voice, "How about we kill you?" His face snapped up.

Mariana gasped and got up to slap Ruby. However, Ruby seemed ready for the attack because she held Mariana’s wrist and kept her eyes fixed on her mom’s face when she asked George.

"Tell us, Papa. Should we?"

Mariana’s eyes widened as her husband nodded his head, "Yes, please," He whispered.

"George!" She tried to protest, but George raised his hand to make his wife quiet.

"Ruby is right, Mariana," He said tiredly, his eyes still on Ruby, "You two should kill me before Tom does."

Mariana’s eyes darted between her husband and daughter in confusion. She felt like they were communicating silently, about something she didn’t know.

Her heart raced as small beads of sweat appeared on her face.

Ruby turned her face and smiled at her mom, giving her mom ’I told you so’ look.

For a few minutes, George chewed his lower lip while his daughter and wife waited patiently to speak.

He suddenly looked up and gave his wife a genuine smile, "Come here, Mariana... Ruby... sit here."

He patted the couch space beside him. The two women walked closer to him.

Ruby stayed confident and took her seat. Mariana, on the other hand, hesitated for a second and then sat down.

Her eyes were still searching her husband’s face for some answers.

"Let’s watch a movie together," He suggested excitedly, and Mariana was sure her husband had lost his senses.

George noticed the look on her face and chuckled, "Let’s spend some time together. Tomorrow morning, call Sienna, Tom, and everyone. Inform them that I had a heart attack and died."

"What are you saying?" Mariana tried to speak, but her husband shushed her.

He exhaled slowly, "Arrange a fake funeral. Make it look real. Bury me... I mean, arrange a fake body burial...everything."

He then held Mariana’s hands, "I need to disappear. Send me far away to the family village. You can always join me later. My farms are still there. We’ll manage."

Mariana was still uncertain, while Ruby was nodding her head. She knew how to do it. In her last life, she had helped Papa.

In this life, she would do it again.