Chapter TwelveThe Family Dinner 2I stepped down from the stairs, trying to maintain the best expression possible. Like Sebastian had said, I had to pretend that we were a perfect couple and that I was happy in the marriage, even when I was not.I faked a smile, trying hard to make it look as real as possible. "Mom," I murmured, rushing into Sara's outstretched arms.She pulled me closer, her hands on my back making it difficult to breathe. I felt like I was going to suffocate in her embrace. She made it worse when she said, "Be a good girl and act like we're a happy family. You know what will happen if you don't."She smiled and pulled back, wiping her fake tears off her face. "You look so beautiful, my daughter," she complimented, scrutinizing my whole body from head to toe.Mitchie walked over to us too, holding my hand with a smile on her face, one which I knew was fake. "Sister, I missed you so much," she murmured, pulling me into her embrace.I smiled back, trying my best to ma
Chapter ThirteenA Night Of PleasureSebastian"You girls should head up to your room; I will see you in a few minutes," I said to my daughters. They nodded and rushed up the stairs, except Ella, who wasn't as excited as the other two.I knew she was still upset because of the request she made, one I might never be able to fulfill. I couldn't let Olivia get too comfortable or give her the chance to think she could replace Sophia in my life. Olivia was a nobody, and she would always remain that way. There was no place for her in my heart or in my house.All I wanted from her was to get pregnant and give my parents the heir they wanted from me. I would be free from her afterward."Ella," I called, and she stopped, turning back to me with her worried eyes.As much as I didn't want Olivia to get comfortable and take Sophia's place, I had no other choice than to grant Ella's request. I couldn't keep watching her with that worried look on her face. She had been weary and anxious since the da
Chapter FourteenThe Adult FightOliviaI opened my eyes one after the other, staring at the white ceiling of the room blankly, I was still wrapped up in the duvet.As I laid there, memories of the night before swept through my mind, and a chuckle escaped my lips. I felt different, I felt more like a woman, I felt like something had changed within me after the intimate night we had.I remembered how he showed no emotions through the time we had together, he just has a stern look on which eventually killed all the series of emotions pulsing through my veins, leaving me numb and hopeless under him. His thrust didn't change my numbness, it only intensified it. Was I not likeable? What was it about me that this man doesn't like? He only did all he did just to get me pregnant like he had said. My first priority was to give the family a heir.Nevertheless, I still felt different.I knew it wouldn’t be easy to impress him, especially not when he already made me know my place in the house, I k
Chapter FifteenThe Marriage ShackleSebastian I stared at the envelope in my hand, finding it hard to believe what my parents had just said: a honeymoon with this woman? I turned slowly to meet her anxious look, and it only intensified my uneasiness. I didn't want to go anywhere with her. Having her by my side was already difficult enough, so the idea of going on a honeymoon with her, just the two of us alone in a room, was something I didn't like and didn't want to happen.I looked up at my mom, who still had a wide grin on her face, and my dad wasn't any different. I had only accepted this marriage for the sake of my kids and the heir needed in the family. I had no intention of getting close to this woman or making her my wife. She had her responsibilities, and she was married for those reasons, not to be my wife."What honeymoon, Mom?" I asked, raising my brows. "Don't tell me you came up with this." I shook my head, turning to my dad. "And Dad, you agreed to this too? Who will t
Chapter SixteenThe Honeymoon: Day 1SebastianThroughout the drive to the airport, I remained silent, deep in thought about what to do with her and the situation I found myself in. On one hand, my dad had advised me to make her believe that I was in love with her, and on the other hand, there was me, who wanted nothing to do with her.I let out a loud sigh as the driver pulled over at the airport's entrance. We both stepped out of the car and headed inside, still not exchanging a word. The silence was becoming increasingly awkward. We were embarking on our honeymoon as a couple, yet neither of us had uttered a word to the other.After checking in, we took our seats on the plane after passing through security checks. She occupied the window seat, her gaze fixed outside as we awaited takeoff. Meanwhile, all I could think about was how to make things work, how to get her pregnant as quickly as possible, and subsequently, how to get out of this marriage.I had been against this marriage
Chapter SeventeenThe Cheating HusbandOliviaI watched as people moved around the beach side, couples having fun, kids playing games with the beach sand, friend discussing, giggling and laughing. It was such a happy time environment, everyone seemed happy, and it seemed like I was the only one who carried an ulterior feeling.It was supposed to be one of the best days of my life, it was supposed to be one of the days I would always remember, but I guess this would be one of the days I might push to the back of my lists at the end.It was the honeymoon with my husband, but he didn’t say a word to me throughout the drive to the resort, he kept mute through the flight and drive, and the first set of words he would say to me was him telling me to find somewhere else to sleep.I knew I was never going to be loved by him, I was aware that he was unwilling to spare me a place in his house, not to talk of his heart, I was aware of all these, and while I was trying my best to win him and his k
Chapter EighteenDying In SilenceSebastianI took a seat on the stretching long chairs at the beachside. I wanted to get a private place, but they were filled up. I sat down, lying on my back with my eyes staring into the sky, my mind wandering through different thoughts.Have I done the wrong thing? Have I betrayed her like she said? Am I a bad person? I was confused and felt unusually guilty about my actions. I had never felt this way before; I always felt like whatever I did was right. But it was different this time.I never wanted something like this to happen, which is why I made it clear to her why I got married to her. I explained that I only married her for my family's sake. They forced me into the marriage to provide an heir and to give my kids a mother's love and a mother figure in their lives, even though I was sure they would never accept her as their mother.I sat there, folding my hands across my chest, and closed my eyes. I really wanted to be free from the marriage, b
Chapter Nineteen The Pain RelieverOliviaThe scenes raced through my mind once again, the vivid images of my husband's intimate moments with another woman. My heart shattered into a million pieces. I collapsed on the bed, my chest aching, feeling my heart pounding against my ribs.I didn't deserve this. I didn't deserve to be treated this way. What had I done? What had I done to deserve such treatment from him? It wasn't my fault that I was forced into this marriage. It wasn't my choice. Why did he have to hurt me like this?Tears streamed down my face. I had never experienced such pain, such betrayal. My heart ached with a depth of pain I had never known before. I had hoped that I could earn his love and trust, that I could somehow win him over, but I was wrong. I would never succeed.I clutched my chest, feeling my heart racing. I felt foolish for ever thinking I could impress him. I should have realized he would never give me a chance. He didn't care about my feelings or what I d
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