Chapter SeventyUnwantedOliviaIt had been days since Sebastian left, and each seconds and minutes that passed felt like a torture to me. The guilt I had bore in my heart since he left was weighing me down.Being alone with the kids was one other problem on it’s own, Mia and Ava wouldn’t eat whatever I make, and they would pick on Ella when she does. They had been living on chocolates and junks ever since their father left, I had tried to speak to them and apologize over and over again, but they wouldn’t listen to me.I knew it would be hard, and it would only continue to be hard to deal with the kids if Sebastian doesn’t come back home, it all depends on him, he was the only one who could change them and the way they were acting.Mia and Ava held me responsible for that has happened, also that their dad left them too, I had tried and tried to speak to them, but they always shut me up, they won’t even eat. I hoped they wouldn’t fall sick and increase the guilt I was battling with.It
Chapter Seventy-oneRighting The WrongsOlivia “I know it’s not easy, but you have to stop crying for a start.” Edna said to me, holding my hands tightly. “This is also my fault, I shouldn’t have given you such plan.” She shook her head.The last thing I wanted again was for her to start feeling guilty for all that happened when I was in fact the one to be held responsible for everything. I should have just worked my way into the kids heart with truth, I should have just done my thing without making any promise to them.The promise I made led to all of these, the fear of disappointing them led me to do what I did. I knew my intentions was just to make the kids see me for who I was, and also to make them happy, but I should have been careful with that.“It is my fault, I shouldn’t have told you to do that.”I shook my head and sniffled, “this is not your fault, Edna. You don’t have to take the blame for me, you don’t have to feel guilty for what you didn’t do, all you tried to do was
Chapter Seventy-twoThe DiscoveryOliviaIt had been a week since he left, he never came back to the company after that day, and it had been difficult beating the guilt that I was responsible for that, but what was more difficult was dealing with the kids and their troubles.Mia and Ava had made my life miserable and a hell since their dad left, they were always quick to speak and insult me no matter what I do.I didn’t even have the gut to speak back or I would be reduced to nothing. I was already the liar, witch, and the one who destroyed their family, I didn’t want to be given more names so I just kept quiet whenever they start their troubles.I sighed and resumed to the food I was cooking, knowing fully well that the kids won’t eat it, even though they did eat the food one time.I guessed they were really hungry that day that they didn’t have any other option than to eat the food I made, it was the only way out for them.So, I keep on making their own food to because I couldn’t tel
Chapter Seventy-threeThe Symptoms Olivia“Mrs. Olivia, I can’t give you my patient’s information, and you know that.” The family doctor said to me.Even though I was supposed to ignore what I saw and just go on with what I was told to do with was going to see Sebastian and bringing him back home, my mind couldn’t get over what I saw.Sebastian had been sick for years but he kept it away from his family, he kept it away from everyone, he had been living in pain all my himself for years.I had to come to the hospital to see the family doctor because he was the one who signed the diagnosis I saw, and it had been years since that was issued.That means he had been battling that in silence for years, I wondered why he didn’t tell anyone about it, why he didn’t even tell his parents.“But you have to tell me, doctor. Sebastian needs help.”“I don’t think the prince will agree with that.” The doctor stood up and walked to the shelf in his office. He placed the file in his hand carefully on
Chapter Seventy-fourPain And FearSebastianIt had been days since the party, over a week since Olivia did what she did, but I still couldn’t get it off my head—the pain of watching her, the fear of what might come.I couldn’t tell what was wrong with me, how I was feeling, but I knew something was wrong somewhere because I just couldn’t get my mind off all that had happened. Why did she have to go back on my rule? What was she thinking? Those were the questions that kept on running through my mind, and what now? What would happen now?I had kept Sophia’s memories safe and away for the last couple of years so she could rest in peace, even though her death should have been avoided. I was guilty, to be held responsible, and that was why I always did what I did—making sure she still had that place in my heart, that she was still loved by me, and no woman would be able to take her place, but Olivia.I shook my head, resentment growing once again. The more I thought about all that had hap
Chapter Seventy-fiveSophia 1OliviaI pulled over at a parking space at the front of Sebastian’s vacation house, my body shook as I stepped out of the car, heading towards the door.What will happen? What will he say? Will he get angry again and try to do something worse than leaving this time?My mind raced through these thoughts which caused me to stop and give my decision to go in there to meet him a rethink, was that really the right thing to do? Have I made the right decision?I really didn’t want to do anything which might affect his health further, I just wanted him to get better, at least before I walk away from his life like he wanted, but will going in there help me do that?I stood right there at the door, wondering if I should go in or not, if it was right to do that or not. I wanted him to have his peace, to get better, but the doctor said that could only happen if he gets his therapy and takes his drugs very well, but how was he supposed to do that when he wouldn’t lea
Chapter Sixty-sixSophia 2Olivia“I am so sorry for all I did, it is all mom and dads fault, they got me married without my consent, and..and now.” He held my leg, still crying his lungs out.It was as if he had kept the pain to himself for some time and was now pouring all of that out, I wondered what he might have been going through since all these days, I wondered what pain he must have been in since he left home, it must have been so hard on him.I understood that whatever way he must have been treating me was because of his condition and now it seemed to have even grown worse as he couldn’t even differentiate between me and his late wife.He stood up from the floor and walked to the kitchen, grabbing a knife, he walked back to me and placed the knife in my hand, “take it, Sophia, do whatever you want to me, kill me, stab me, do whatever you want, but just free me from this guilt, just tell me you’ve forgiven me, I can’t keep living with this guilt.” He cried out, falling to his
Chapter Seventy-sevenOur First KissOliviaMy body shook with fear as his blazing eyes gazed at me getting head to toe, I looked down, unable to keep up with his gaze, and my eyes caught his bleeding hand once again.Was I really a problem for him? Why does he tend to hurt himself every time I was there? I had been living and beating with the guilt of what I did at the party for days now, and now he was doing more harm to himself, fueling the guilt I bore already.I took few steps away as he began to move closer to me, I was scared and I didn’t know what to do or where I could turn to, I kept my head bent, taking more steps as he moved back from me.Why was he like this? I didn’t know how to escape from him because I was really scared of what he might do. If he could hurt himself this way and not bulge, then what would he do to me? I believed he would do something worse.I kept on stepping back until I was stopped by a wall, my heart almost stopped beating when I looked up to see that
Chapter One Hundred And ThirteenThe Perfect Family 2Olivia“I am glad to finally meet you, father-in-law,” Sebastian bowed.I had never seen him bow for anyone except his parents.“By the time your survey is done and you’re back on your feet, you’ll have to share a drink with me for taking good care of your daughter.”Dad smiled again; his struggle to speak continued.“We should leave now; I can see that you’re heading out,” Bert said, and I nodded at him. “I will see you when you get back.”“You should keep this with you till we see again.” I handed the box over to him.“But you…”“No but, Bert. Keep it with you. We will also head out now.” I responded and turned away immediately because I knew he might want to argue.We got into the car with the kids and headed for the beach resort, which was only known to him. The kids and I sang along with the song that was playing on the radio, and Sebastian eventually joined us. It was such a happy journey to the beach. When the kids stopped si
Chapter One Hundred And TwelveThe Perfect Family 1OliviaThe chirping of the morning birds woke me up from my quality sleep. I opened my eyes one after the other and lay there on the bed for minutes, remembering how sweet and loving my life has been since the past few days.It’s been over a week since all that happened, and we have watched Sophia getting the deserved punishment for what she did to us; she was sentenced to years in jail. I was glad that I got what I wanted at the end of everything, the perfect and loving family I prayed for.I thought I had already lost the child I gave birth to years ago; I thought I was never going to see him. Still, I never knew that the heavens were preparing something special for me. It was just as if these kids came into Sebastian’s world to secure a place for me before bringing me in. Now, I was with my kids and my loving husband, one who would do anything for me.After the ordeal at the hospital, we never heard from Sara and Mitchie again, an
Chapter One Hundred And ElevenThe Biological MotherOliviaThe distant echoes and cries seemed to call me back from a long sleep. I gasped and jumped up; my head made a loud noise as my eyes were hit with the sunlight.Slowly, I laid back on the bed, trying to remember and understand what had happened. My ears were still so blurry, and I could still hear my name like it was being called from a distance. I could see people staring right at me in the face, fanning me and calling on me, but I couldn’t tell who they were; the blurriness in my eyes wouldn’t let me.I closed my eyes back, trying to chase away the blurriness, and when a hand grabbed mine, the warm touch made me open my eyes again, and I could see clearly now. Sebastian and the kids, they were the ones there.“Thank goodness, thank goodness,” I heard him murmur.“Olivia!” The kids chorused.I couldn’t say anything; I tried to remember it all, how I got here and what happened to me, but it was hard. I closed my eyes back, try
Chapter One Hundred And Ten The Surrogate MotherSebastianI could no longer hold back; I had to see her, I had to see for myself that the doctors were saying the truth because I still couldn’t believe it. I jumped up from the floor and pushed the door to the ward room open. I met one of the nurses there who was trying to cover her up.“Stop!” I yelled and pushed her away. “She’s not dead; she can’t be dead. She is just sleeping; she is just trying to scare me.” I fell beside her and held her hand.The coldness of her head, the now stiff limbs and closed eyes, her pale face and dry lips, the flat and steady tone of the pulse rate monitor, all of that was a testament to my emptiness. She was gone like they said, and I was left to figure myself out.“No! Olivia!” I screamed out, tears gushing down my eyes.I shook my head multiple times, I pinched myself countless times; it couldn’t be true. It was just a terrible nightmare that I could still wake up from.“Please don’t punish me this
Chapter One Hundred And NineSorrows. Prayers.SebastianI shook my head, struggled, and pinched myself. I closed and opened my eyes, blinked several times just to be sure that I wasn’t seeing and making up things, that what I watched was real, that what I heard was the truth, but it was hard.How could Sophia do this to me? I felt more miserable than before, I felt dumb and used. How could I have believed all that she showed me for love? I could remember how she was so persistent, how she kept on asking the pins and passcode of everything I possessed; I thought she was just curious.How could I have been so dumb? I hung my head; I thought I possessed so much authority, I thought I was a man people looked up to, but I was nothing. I was just an empty barrel, someone who would mistake obsession for love, one who could be easily manipulated.I had never felt vulnerable in my entire life, but watching all that, I realized that I had been more than vulnerable; I also played dumb. After I
Chapter One Hundred And EightThe Final HearingOliviaBert had refused to go home the previous night, he stated that he wouldn’t be calm after leaving me all alone. I was glad that he was here, because it wouldn’t have been easy or even the same without him, I was grateful to him.He was always there for me, unlike my stepmom and stepsister, they weren’t even bothered about what was going on in my family, they didn’t even call me once to ask how it was all going. I hope that someday they would realize their mistakes and apologize for it.“Good morning, Vivi.” Bert came out of the room and pulled me into his embrace.I felt so calm and safe with him. Even though Bert was much more younger than me, he had that leading ability and aura that made him feel like an elder brother to me, maybe because of his gender, but he had always been protective and supporting.“How are you?” He asked and I nodded at him. “Are you sure you don’t want to eat anything before we leave? You know you have to
Chapter One Hundred And SevenThe Truth Behind The Night 2OliviaGetting back to the quiet and empty home, I left Edie and Bert standing in the main room and rushed up, not considering my condition.There was no importance of my condition and life is Sebastian wasn’t there, I had grown too fond of him that living without him seemed so impossible, I couldn’t imagine that. After we made up and began to live a happy and fulfilling life, I never imagined staying without him, it never came to me that there might be a time I wouldn’t be able to be with him, I would have planned and thought about how to deal with it.But who would wish bad on themselves? I got to the room and stopped for some minutes, resting on the door as I tried to catch my breath. Even though my life or my baby would be of no importance if Sebastian wasn’t there because he was the one made me, I still had to look after myself and the baby.I knew I would get something that would help him out from there, I knew I would
Chapter One Hundred And SixThe Truth Behind The Night 1Olivia“Sebastian!” I stood up and rushed to him as soon as he was brought into the waiting room.I didn’t know he kept avoiding eyes contact with me throughout the trial, he didn’t even look at me once and that kept tearing my heart apart.“Why did you do that, Olivia?” He asked and I could see the pain and hopelessness in his eyes. “Why did you have them adjourn the case?” He asked.“We did it because of you, we know there is something suspicious about this case and we need to find that.” Attorney Fred said.“He is right, Sebastian, we need to bring you out of here.” I added.“You shouldn’t have done that, Olivia.” He shook his head and took his seat. “It wouldn’t change anything, I will still get the same judgment and sentence.” He shook his head again. “Doing this won’t change my fate, Olivia.”“But we still have to try, you can’t just let you get punished for what you didn’t do.”“I did it.” He said briskly. “I did it all,
Chapter One Hundred And FiveThe First TrialSebastianStepping out of the van and standing in front of the courtroom made my heart raced, it felt like I had seen this before, like I had seen this scene before, just like I saw it all coming but didn’t act well enough to avoid it.I knew there was no other way out now, I would have to face the truth and accept whatever punishment they give to me, because I deserve it all. I stared at my handcuffed hands, this was what I was scared of, this was the reason I tried to stay away from any other woman and even Olivia for those months after our marriage.Now, I was face to face with my fear, I was facing my reality and there was no escape for me. If only I had told everyone the truth about what happened then, if I had told them what happened that night, maybe it would have been easier to get away from this, but now, there was no way out.“Come on.” The cop said and grabbed my hand, dragging me into the courtroom.At the door, we met with Sop