~ CharlesI hurriedly left Megan and headed to the bathroom without giving her an explanation. I left the house shortly after because I didn’t want to be in the same space as Megan, it was messing with my mind.The last time I felt something similar to this I ended up with a broken heart, one that could not be fixed. I had no love in my heart anymore neither did I believe in it but I also didn’t want Megan to get her hopes high. We could be nothing more than bed friends.For the rest of the day, I avoided her, ensuring to have all my meeting outside the office.I knew something was terribly wrong with me and I needed to fix it. Towards evening when all my meetings had been concluded, I sent out a call to someone that could help me regain myself. “Hey, Jasmine. I want to see you. Same room, Pride Oriental hotel.”Maybe I needed to blow off some steam with one of my lovers to regain my sanity the Megan was slowly taking.Pride Oriental hotel was owned by Lucian’s family and it had been
~ CharlesMy father cleared his throat before he began, his voice carrying an air of authority that demanded attention. We were allowed to return inside due to the weather.“Thank you all for gathering here on such short notice. As you all know, I have been away for a while now, and while I was gone, a lot happened.” He paused, using the moment to scrutinize some specific members of the family, Megan and me included. “I heard it all, believe it or not. I didn’t need to be around to hear of the challenges our family faced, and I am grateful for the strength and resilience of some members.”Again, my father channeled his gaze towards Megan and me, and I couldn’t help but feel the intensity of his stare. “In the midst of our challenges, we’ve also witnessed moments of love and support, especially from Megan, my daughter-in-law. When Charles was enduring through the tough times, she became a pillar of strength and support when truly needed.”“It disappoints me to know that my family becam
~ Megan“What is the catch, dad?” Charles asked anxiously.“I want a grandchild from both of you,” Mr. McCall declared.The room fell into a stunned silence at my father-in-law’s unexpected demand. The weight of his words pressed heavily against Charles and me. But the old man was not joking; I could feel the insensitivity of his gaze on both Charles and me.“A grandchild?” Charles repeated, breaking the silence. The astonishment in his voice mirrored mine. “Dad, can you hear yourself?”“Yes, Charles, I can. I want a grandchild from both of you,” my father-in-law repeated, his tone unyielding.I exchanged a quick glance with Charles, and I could see the future rejection and uncertainty in his eyes. “Dad, having a child is not a walk in the park. It is easier said than done!”The Idea of being tasked with such an important responsibility as producing heirs for the family was beyond my imagination. If only Mr. McCall knew of the complexities within my relationship with Charles.“Charles
~ Megan“What are you talking about?” I asked Celene, confusion etched so deep it reached my skull.“You haven’t seen it?” Celene asked, increasing my anxiety and confusion.“Just tell me what is going on, Celene?” I said impatiently, my tone rising.“Check your phone; I sent it to you,” Celene said.Dread filled my insides as I read through the article Celene sent. It contained details like the date, time, and location of where Celene’s abortion took place, but instead of Celene’s name, mine was written in bold prints.The writer went further to call me condescending names and revealed some details of Charles and my marriage, calling it a sham and labeling me a social climber who is leaching off the McCall family’s wealth.It didn't only paint me badly but also stated that my family was in debt, and that was why I seduced Charles and manipulated him into marrying me. The article went further to accuse me of seducing my former boss to get promoted.What was worst, they accused me of c
~ MeganCharles was left speechless, which was strange, but I knew he was nothing but an obedient son, so he wasn’t going to defy his father’s order.“You know what?” I asked, pinching between my brows. “If your dad wants me to tell the truth to the press, then I will, okay? So can you leave my room now? I want to be alone.”Charles ground his jaws tightly but didn’t say anything else; he just got up and left my room.After the door shut, I called my sister; I knew she’d be devastated. “Lene, are you okay?”“No, Megs, I am not okay,” Celene broke down in tears, sobs racking her voice.“Hey, just hold on okay? I am coming over now,” I said, throwing my legs off the bed.“No, don’t,” Celene interrupted me. “The house is like a news crime scene; there are a ton of reporters here all begging for statements from us. Let me show you.”With that, Celene switched the call to video, and my chest couldn’t be more hurt. True to her words, there were a ton of reporters outside our home taking pic
~ CharlesAs I dropped the news bomb about my mother’s involvement in the article, Megan’s eyes widened. The car fell into a tense silence, the cost of the revelation lingering in the air like a toxic gas.“What did you just say?” Megan finally turned to me, her voice a mixture of disbelief and hurt.I didn’t want to say it again but I knew I had to. “My mother, she’s the one behind the article, she did it with the help of Chelsea, that goddamn A-list reporter,” I revealed, watching Megan’s reaction carefully.Megan’s expression shifted from shock to visible anger; her hand was trembling as she spoke. “Your mother did what? Tell me this is a joke, Charles, because I don’t see any reason why your mother would do such a wicked act. So please tell me this is a joke even if it is a sick one.”I looked away, unable to meet Megan’s gaze. My guilt weighed on me. “I didn’t know the extent of my mother’s involvement until after it was properly investigated. When the article was released, Dad w
~ CharlesIt was as if water was poured on me again. With all my mother has done to these sisters, they were still willing to protect her from their parents?I couldn’t help but want to make my mother pay now more than ever.At long last, the Coles entered the living room, but Megan’s demeanor instantly shifted to a defensive one.“I won’t let you bully my sister about her past; I don’t care what your principles are,” she said, looking from her mother to her father.Mr. Cole looked away, but his wife looked like she had something to say. “We are Christians, Megan. It is against our belief to commit such a great sin, and I blame you.” Mrs. Cole pointed an accusing finger at her Megan. “If you didn’t take her to that clinic, your sister’s life wouldn’t have been ruined.”“Rebecca!” Mr. Cole cautioned his wife. “That is enough.”“No, Dad, let her talk,” Megan stood up, ready to defend her sister as always.Seeing her shield her sister from the world, made me wish mine was like her but in
~ MeganThe room fell into stunned silence as my father-in-law dropped the bombshell about transferring my mother-in-law’s shares to me.I blinked, unable to comprehend the meaning of what he had just said.Bianca’s eyes widened, and for the first time since I met her, I saw a hint of fear in her eyes. And it was strangely satisfying.“What?” Bianca exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief. “You can’t be serious, James. You can’t just strip me of my shares! I won’t let that happen.”My father-in-law’s face remained stoic. “You have completely ruined the reputation and stability of our family with your actions. This is the consequence, Bianca, and it is not debatable.”I felt a mix of emotions—shock, happiness, and a subtle sense of satisfaction at the prospect of my mother-in-law paying for her crimes against my sister and me. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a long and suffocating battle with my mother-in-law, and I was not prepared for that
~ Charles“Megan,” I began, my voice quivering with the burdensome weight of what I needed to say. Her eyes turned to me, full of curiosity and concern, as I confessed the truth that had eaten away at my peace and sanity for years.Megan lost her mind for a moment, kicking, punching, and calling me names. She refused to believe that I was capable of such an evil act. She said she saw the silhouette of the hit-and-run driver, and it wasn't mine. She accused me of taking the fall for someone, and I tried to explain that I was not, but she wouldn't believe me.“Megan, it is the truth, and I can't keep running from it,” I said, my voice steadier with resolve. “I need to own up to what I’ve done.”Megan remained in denial, but I felt ecstatic, more than I have felt in years. It was ironic, huh? I was feeling relieved just knowing that I was going to pay for my crimes. Megan refused to follow me, so after I said my last goodbye to my son, I drove myself to the police station, knowing that
~ MeganI ran out of the office panting. When I saw my sister, I told her everything and I took the flash drive that had the video with me.My sister had a brilliant idea. She smirked as she spoke. “Tomorrow is Charles’ wedding with that snake. Why don't we crash the wedding and expose the truth?”My eyes lit up. “You are so bloody smart and wicked, Lena,” I smirked.With determination burning in our hearts, Celena and I hatched a plan to crash Charles’s wedding, and Lucian was ready to help us in any way possible. We would expose May tomorrow for her deceit. Armed with the evidence that still had its primary source alive, I knew it would be a piece of cake to expose May.The next day, we arrived at the venue of the wedding, our hearts pounding with anticipation and nerves. We were determined to make our move before it was too late.As we stealthily made our way inside, I felt like I was in one of those dramatic telenovelas, and I was the female lead ready to rain hell on the villains
~ MeganThat was the last conversation I had with Charles before our divorce was made public. Without giving an explanation to the public, he began his wedding preparations, forcing people to speculate about the reason for our separation. Unsurprisingly, there were people who guessed it right and immediately began to cyber-attack Charles and May.I avoided the media and crowded locations because I wasn't ready to face them yet.Every day felt like an endless battle as I tried to survive the storm of emotions that raged within me. The pain of my separation from Charles made me feel vulnerable and broken because neither of us wanted it. But then I knew I had to stay strong, for myself and for the life that lay ahead of me with Charles.As the days crawled by, I found solace in quiet moments, mostly spent alone, where I could reflect on the memories we had shared and the love that had once bound us together. But even in the midst of my grief, a flicker of hope remained, a tiny flame tha
~ Megan"But my father... he has always been too focused on the business, even when he is supposed to be retired. He is hell-bent on protecting the family name at all costs. He can't see past that, even if it means our happiness."Tears welled up in my eyes as I shook my head in disbelief. It was as if things were about to head south, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. "I can't believe he is doing this to me... I thought we had his support.""So did I," Charles admitted, feeling a lump form in my throat. "But it seems like... like he is willing to throw everything away for the sake of that company."I wrapped my arms around Charles, seeking solace in his embrace. “We’ll get through this, Charles. We always do, no matter how tough the going gets. As long as we have each other, we are going to be fine.”I knew that no matter the challenges that lie ahead, we would overcome them, as long as we had each other, we would be fine.“I love you, Megan,” Charles whispered, pressing a
~ CharlesIt was a big shock to meet Megan at my father’s house. I could only hide my surprise by pretending to be unsurprised to see her. As she stepped aside for us to chat, her presence seemed to fill the space, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of conflicting emotions.“Charles?” she narrowed her eyes. “You didn't tell me that you would be coming here,” her voice a mixture of apprehension and determination.“Honey!” I replied, mustering a smile despite the turmoil brewing within me. “Why are you here? I mean, you didn't tell me that you would be seeing Father today…”She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her gaze steady. “I needed to talk to your father, Charles. It's about May and her crazy claims.”My heart sank at the mention of May’s name. The mere thought of her sent heavy waves of frustration through me. But I pushed aside the emotions, focusing on Megan, or better still, trying not to break character so she wouldn't know I came here for a reason.I laughed awkwardly
~ MeganI spoke earnestly, my voice tinged with frustration and desperation, hoping to convey my innocence to my father-in-law amidst the gravity of the situation."She deliberately manipulated the situation to make it appear as though I pushed her down the stairs. But I swear, Father, I would never do such a sinister thing, no matter how upset I may be. You know me, you know that I love Charles a lot and care about this family. I couldn't harm anyone, let alone a pregnant woman for that matter."My father-in-law regarded me with a mixture of concern and contemplation, absorbing my words carefully. "Megan, I've known you for years. I know the kind of person you are, and I find it hard to believe that you would intentionally harm anyone, let alone May."I felt a wave of relief wash over me at his words. Perhaps he was beginning to see through May's deceitful facade."But," he continued, his expression serious, "we can't ignore the evidence before us. May's injuries, her condition... Th
~ MeganHearing that May tried to seduce Charles infuriated me, and I couldn't help but confront the insolent girl. I had been excusing her attitude all this time because I could understand that she was going through depression, but trying to seduce Charles was going too far.I found May sitting in the living room, flipping through a magazine as if nothing had happened. My anger reached boiling point as I approached her.“What the hell do you think you were doing last night?” I snapped, unable to contain my frustration.May looked up, her expression shifting from indifference to mild surprise. “Oh Megan, what a surprise. Did you come to keep me company? Don't bother, I am fine all by myself.”I scoffed at her stupid attempt at feigning ignorance. “Cut the crap, May. I know what you tried to do to Charles yesterday. Seducing him? Seriously? Are you that dumb?”May's facade faltered, and a flicker of guilt flashed across her face before it was replaced by defiance. "What are you talking
~ CharlesI don't know if it would be wrong to say I hate the mother of my unborn child, but I really do. She is a literal pain in the ass who cares little about how her actions affect others. I glanced at Megan, who came along with me to the hospital. She was oddly quiet, but I could see genuine concern etched in her brows for a woman who attempted to ruin her marital life.I don't believe people like Megan should exist in this flawed world with people like May and me; she was literally a saint amidst wolves. She didn't even get upset that our day was ruined by the news; she was rather scared that something might have happened to May.The doctor came out shortly after and spoke to us, telling us the situation of that crazy lady. “She is battling with severe depression; she can't be left alone, otherwise, it might not end well next time,” the doctor said.I immediately flared up. “So we have to hire a caregiver for her now? We might as well just put her in an asylum.”Megan shot up to
~ Charles"Please, I need to talk to Megan urgently," I pleaded with Celene, but she wasn't ready to listen."Leave, Charles. I don't want to call the cops on you," she threatened, arms crossed.I had been coming over all week long with the hopes of seeing Megan, but her family was uncooperative. At first, I thought she wasn't home, but after checking all her usual locations, I could only debunk that she was home.I knew she didn't want to see me, but I didn't want to give up just yet. I needed her to know that I was sorry for all the hurt my past actions were causing her.Today, like the previous days before it, I came to plead with her family members to allow me to visit her, but I froze when she opened the door."Megan…" I tried to grab her, but she turned on her heels inside the house. Without a second thought, I followed her. "Megan, please wait.""Leave me alone," she cried, running up the stairs."Mr. McCall, you should leave. My daughter doesn't want to speak with you," Mr. Co