Joe had been getting under Herman''s skin for a while, and Julie was still nowhere to be seen despite his constant vignce.


    So, Herman started to suspect Joe. After all, he and Julie did have a son together, so it wasn''t crazy to think they might be connected somehow. He asked Dailey to snoop around and see if Joe had any new women in his lifetely. With Julie off the grid for so long, she wouldn''t just pop up out of the blue. The smart move to dodge the cops? Aplete makeover, a whole new identity.


    Dailey replied with a crisp, "You got it, boss. I''m on it."


    "Great."


    As soon as Herman hung up, his phone buzzed again. It was Nelson: "Mr. Salstrom, Devin''s taken a turn for the worse..."


    The news about Devin''s health set off a spark in Herman. "Go check on him," he instructed.


    "Will do, Mr. Salstrom."


    Herman''s day was a whirlwind of calls from the office to the police station.


    Over at the precinct, Anastasia was perched on a bench in the lobby, her eyes glued to the entrance, waiting for Herman''s car. It wasn''t long before she spotted it, and a smile spread across her face.


    Seeing hime back, no matter where or when, filled her with joy. This feeling was strongest during her pregnancy. Anastasia realized just how much she relied on Herman. Whenever he was away, she longed for his return, his texts, his calls. Just having him nearby made her feel secure and content.


    For Anastasia, this must be what love feels like always thinking about him, always feeling happy at the thought of him.


    When Herman arrived, he hurried over to Anastasia, gently chiding, "Why are you dressed so light? It''s getting chilly. Put on your jacket."


    As he draped his coat over her shoulders and rubbed her hands to warm them, Anastasia chuckled, "Pregnancy''s got me running hot, not really feeling the cold."


    Jason appeared then, and Herman, holding Anastasia''s hand-a habit by now-looked at him for an update about the Julie mix-up at the café. Jason confirmed their suspicions had been wrong.


    Unfazed, Herman decided, "Let''s head home then."


    Instead of heading straight home for dinner, Herman had a surprise in store. He took Anastasia out for a special meal.


    When they arrived at the restaurant, Anastasia realized, "Why didn''t you tell me we were eating out? We could''ve brought Pattie."


    "Tonight, it''s just the two of us," Herman said, leading her to a cozy spot inside.


    They were at a seafood ce, Anastasia''s favorite. It wasn''t fancy, but it held a special ce for them.


    "How did you know I was craving fish?" Anastasia looked around, reminiscing. "It''s been forever since west came to a ce like this. Remember our first dinner date? That fancy spot where you fibbed about having a discount? All lies, Herman, and yet here I am,pletely taken by you."


    Hermanughed, "I was just following my mom''s advice. She kept setting me up on blind dates, and I wasn''t interested. So she told me, ''If you''re so clever, go out there and win someone over yourself.'' And then I met you, and it felt like fate." Anastasia giggled, "ming your mom again, huh? I''ll have to have a chat with her."


    As they ordered, Herman poured her a ss of water, mentioning how worried he had been about her, especially with the twins on the way. "You need to take care of yourself. With James''s help, I''m sure everything will be fine. But we need to be careful, especially with your back." Switching gears, Anastasia brought up her father''s idea of Herman taking over Morton Group and the potential pushback from Sean and the others. Herman, sipping his tea, shared his concerns about the power struggle and the risks that desperate actions might bring.