EDENI almost called the police. I almost packed up everything and moved to another apartment. I almost drove to Alicia's house and picked up Belle so we could leave the country.But I held back. I ran away 5 years ago from Roman's pack. I ran away from New York just because I felt Roman was around me. Now I was in Nevada and he was actually here, I won't run.Actually I can't, I've built a life here that I couldn't just pack up and run away from. I'd have to turn in my resignation letter, leave Alicia and Kian behind and start a new life only God knows where.Now, it wasn't only me anymore. I also had Belle to consider, I didn't want to start moving her around so much as soon as I caught wind of Roman. I had seen all those movies where kids got moved around so much and they ended up hating their parents because they didn't have a stable life and stable friends.The moment I started moving around so much because of Roman, thinking I was protecting her, I would be messing up her life.
ROMAN“Don’t you think you should take things easy? Maybe if you took a different approach, she'd react differently.”This was the issue I had with Quinn, she was always too rational.“I've been looking for my kid for five years, Quinn. I've gone past my rational phase. Right now, is the time where I'd use any means to get my kid back from her. I'll make her regret embarrassing me that day.”No, I haven't let go of the way I felt when I heard that she was missing. I almost lost it that day.“But I thought she said the kid was dead. What're you going to do about that?"I gave her a look.“How stupid are you to believe that and how stupid does she think I am to tell me that and think that I'll be fine with it?”That was my kid. Boy or girl, that was my first child and there was no way I was going to let them go just like that.“But she showed you a death certificate! Do you think any mother would want to pose her own child as dead? If she could have that child in her arms right now, I'm
EDENI was paranoid. Over the last few days, it was like I'd been seeing Roman everywhere. Whenever there was a knock on my door, my heart would start beating loudly because I always thought it was him.I even went as far as taking a leave of one month from work because I needed time to sort things out. I needed time to think about my next line of action. The fact that he had not come to see me in three weeks made me comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.Comfortable because i don't know how I'll react if he showed up at my house again.Uncomfortable because I wondered what he was doing. I took a break from work because I wanted to avoid him. Since he hasn't seen me there, why hasn't he come to look for me here?I knew he hadn't given up. The sky would turn red before Roman gave up on me so what exactly was he planning?Had he found proof that Belle was alive and maybe that was why he wasn't even bothering with me anymore. But if he had, he would have come here to gloat that
EDEN“Bye babies! Have a nice day! I love you!”She turned around and flashed her bright smile at me before running to meet up with her friends. I made sure she entered school before taking my eyes off her.Alicia was busy this morning so I had to drop off Belle and Coco. It felt good to be able to move around with them freely again. I was thinking about moving Belle back into the house but I wanted to be extra careful.Maybe he was waiting for me to make a mistake so he'd finally have her so I had to be patient. In the meantime, I was showing up to see her and spend time with her at Alicia's house .If I could, I would assign a bodyguard to secretly follow her everywhere even though I knew a human body guard wouldn't stop him. Roman would probably tear him to pieces if he tried to stand in his way.So all I could do was the most I could.I looked around to see if there were any odd cars or any persons who looked out of place, lurking around. It had been a month since I last saw him o
ROMAN“What can I do for you, Mr Floyd?“I need you to check if this baby was delivered at this hospital?”I hated hospitals.I showed him the death certificate which made him crunch his note a bit and then he began typing away on his keyboard while I took a look around his office.Several awards lined the wall like he was trying so hard to make it obvious that he was good at what he did. Quinn knew how queasy hospitals made me and she was seated quietly beside me, giving me that look and laughing silently.“Stop laughing before I peel your face off.”“Oh yes, Mr Floyd” he handed me back the paper “She was born here, December fifteenth, at 10:25pm."Good, one step cleared.“Who did you say was the nurse that delivered this baby?”He began typing on her computer again. Quinn obviously thought I was going too far with this but I needed to make sure all the information was accurate.Of course, I knew the baby was born, I just needed to know what happened after that. It wasn't a point for
EDEN“Eden?! Eden, drop whatever you're doing and get here now!”That was enough to get me out of my seat and dashing out of my office with my coat hung half over my shoulder and basically tripping over my heels with each step.Had Roman caught up with Alicia?Had he taken Belle without Alicia knowing?I brushed past my manager who seemed to want to say something to me but I didn't have time for that right now. I forgot I didn't bring my car today because it.I hailed the next cab that was passing by the building and got into it.My mind was filled with various thoughts of how wrong things would have gone.“Please hurry up. I'm busy.”I could barely sit straight in the cab and it was like I should have flown out of the cab and gone straight to Alicia's house on foot.My heart was beating so fast that I had to place my head in my hands because I was feeling dizzy.We finally got to Alicia's house and I ran out of the car and dashed into the house.“Alicia? Alicia!”She ran out of the k
EDENI guess my fear that Roman would appear was an overreaction. It had been a month since I'd brought Belle back to my house and she still hadn't shown up. If he had truly found out about her, why won't he have broken down my door and taken her from me?Or better yet, kidnapped her on her way back from school since he was actually very desperate.I wouldn't put a thing like that past him, he was a man of deadly means. I'd made sure to call Belle's school and tell them that she won't be attending school for some weeks.Gosh I needed a break from everything but I don't think I can call in for another break from work. My manager would just have my neck just like he'd always wanted.That was fine, I could handle myself. It was Belle I was worried about.Speaking of the issue that had gotten us in this situation in the first place, no one was saying anything about the contract and I was beginning to wonder what was going on because this was supposedly the deal of the year for this compan
EDENI should have known that today was going to be a very horrible day for me when I woke up. First of all, I woke up late. I'd made sure to set my alarm the night before for six am but somehow, I found myself flying into the shower at eight thirty with a headache that appeared from nowhere.I didn't even think twice about what I'd thrown in my body before running into Belle's room to get her ready for school. I wouldn't have bothered taking her to school anymore but she had exams and she couldn't miss them.She wasn't in her room and the worst thought crossed my mind.“Belle! Isabelle!” I screamed her name through the house.To my surprise, she was fully dressed and waiting for me downstairs at the dining table with a bowl of cereal before her.“Let’s go, mummy. Hurry up.”Her hair was still a mess so I straightened and we continued running towards the car. It was a surprise I didn't get pulled over because of how fast I was going. Of course, Belle thought it was thrilling because s
THIRD PERSON POVWhile everyone back home was looking for Roman, he was on the other side of the town, looking through his pockets and swearing that he carried his phone.The minister noticed that he was distracted.“Is there anything you need? Are you looking for something?”Roman looked up.“Yes, I'm sure that I carried my phone but now, I can't find it.”Roman knew that he would have gotten so many calls. He'd left the house very early and no one knew where he was.He didn't take any guard with him either.“Maybe it fell on the way."Of course, it did. With all those bullets raining on his head, why won't it fall out?It had been pure luck that he had escaped. He was almost at the minister's house when he noticed a car that he was sure he'd seen when he got off the highway.He'd rolled his eyes, not wanting to be involved in any of this today.“Can we do this in a week? I have something to do today.”What should he do now? He knew he couldn't avoid them.To make sure that he was ri
EDENIT was already seven pm and I still couldn't find him. I was ready and so was everyone else but he was nowhere to be found.I'd called him and so had Quinn but he wasn't picking up his calls at all.“Edem, are you sure he didn't tell you where he was going?”I thought back to last night and scrolled through our conversation.“No, I don't remember him saying anything about going anywhere. After I told him about the officiating minister, that was where the conversation ended. Nothing more happened.”Quinn came back.“His phone is switched off.”Wonderful, just great. Roman was missing on no other day than our wedding day.Where could he be? Even if he was stuck in traffic, he could at least pick up his phone.Or maybe he truly wasn't interested in getting married to me.But then he would have just said it then when I brought it up. Why didn't he say anything? He had the choice to reject me last night but he didn't.”Eden, don't worry. We'll find him in time for the wedding.”Alicia
EDENI woke up early that morning.Well, we didn't sleep after that.. we stayed up the entire night talking about everything we'd been through and it touched me.Eventually, I fell asleep on his shoulder and I didn't even know. I was sitting in his lap and I woke up on the bed.Alicia was standing above me .“Hey, wake up. Let's get you ready. Roman left the house really early this morning and I have to go back home to get a dress for myself. I mean, I can't wear this.”She had eye bags and her face was very dim. She has started crying again sometime during the night.”Alicia, sit down. We need to talk.”She was avoiding my eyes.“Eden, there's a lot to be done today. I mean, you don't even have a makeup artist or a hairstylist either. Your dress isn't here yet and the food isn't ready. There's a lot to be done.”I knew that all that wasn't truly her concern. She was just trying to avoid talking about me.“Alicia, please -”“Eden, there's no time. We need to get ready."I had to get
EDENWhen I finally got into the house later that night, I couldn't sleep so I just stared out the window at the stary night.Alicia had fallen asleep while feeding the kids so I would break the news to her tomorrow.I'd had to tell Quinn what had happened.“Really?! Was that why you were staring into the dark?””Yes, she was standing there. I'm not going to die, Quinn. I'm going to be here with my kids.”She pulled me in for a hug and held me tightly.“I'm so happy, Eden. You don't know how terrible I felt when you told me that. How can you die without watching your kids grow up?"I was just happy that I hadn't rushed to tell Roman anything that was going on.He was clearly exhausted because he didn't even wake up when I entered the room and when I got in the bed. I was equally so tired because I had spent a lot of time getting things ready today.My body was tired but my mind was still awake and buzzing.I was going to get married tomorrow. I should have told Quinn that we should ju
EDENWe got back home late that night.Mostly because we needed to pull ourselves so that we won't show that we've been crying.Everytime we finally stopped crying, Alicia started again and we started another whole process of consoling each other.“Please stop crying. I don't know what I'm going to do if you're like this.”She finally pulled herself together and we got into the car and drove back home.“Are you really not going to tell Roman?"“I don't have a plan to. I'm sorry, I just can't bring myself to tell him. He will be shattered, Alicia.”She still wasn't fine with it but she didn't say anything else until we got home.Alicia went into the house to check in on Roman and the kids while I went to the back of the house to check in on what Quinn was doing.She was actually on a chair and table with her legs up while eating everything she brought from the restaurant.“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”My voice frightened her.“Sorry about that.”“You guys surely took your time..
EDENWe'd ended up at a restaurant because the bar we wanted to go to was closed.Roman had already called me four times to ask Alicia questions about the twins and he sounded like he was about to lose it.“Let’s eat so much that we won't be able to walk again.”And that's what we did. I think we ordered everything in the menu and we basically had the chef at our call to make anything that we wanted.That was the first time I would be eating so much food in one day and it felt so good.“I don't think I can eat anymore. I'm so full.”Quinn had been the one to bring us here and now she was already full. Alicia's mood had changed and she wasn't speaking anymore.Quinn's phone rang and she stood up to answer it.“Alicia-”“What’s going on, Eden? And don't even tell me not to ask questions. Because you can't keep doing this. I'm your best friend. You have to be truthful.”What was sj to do at this point? I had no other choice than to tell her the truth.She deserved that much.“Balari came
EDENAlicia did come over that evening.And we stayed in the room throughout.“It’s fine. I'll take care of the kids. You guys just do what girls do. Whatever it is that you do.”Roman took the twins and left us.“What in the world happened? Why did you faint?"I acted like I had no idea what was going on.“I mean, I don't know. I just felt weak and tired and next thing I know, I'm waking up in a hospital.”“Woah, that is crazy.. but you're fine right? I mean, yorie okay?"“Yes, I'm fine.”I needed to change the topic.“Hey, about Henry, I've spoken to Roman about it and he had no idea that Henry wasn't home. He said he was going to help track him down.”I actually hadn't spoken to Roman about it but I just needed to say something that would make her forget about the previous topic.“Thank you. I just hope we won't have to go through everything we went through back then. He'll surely come back.”Surely, he will. He's probably just busy.Speaking of Roman doing things, I still needed t
EDENI'd come home the day after that. The doctor said that I was free and healthy to leave but I didn't feel free.“Why the long face? Aren't you happy to come home?”I turned to Roman who was driving.”Oh no, it's nothing like that. I'm just tired."What was the point of being happy when I knew what was coming? And I couldn't tell him. I didn't want him to feel responsible for it.Roman is very quick to blame himself and I didn't want him to. I should just die peacefully so that he would have the guts to move on from me.If I told him that it was because of him I was going to die, then I would mess things up.I recalled my last conversation with Balari.“Are you sure it's what you want, Eden? Men are not worth it. You can live with your kids and raise them in your own way. You don't have to do this.”But it seemed like the more we spoke about it, the more determined I was to do it.“I do, actually. I love Roman, I can't let him die for something he has no hand in.”“And you have a
EDENWhen I woke up, it was dark.Why was it dark and where was I? I knew this wasn't my room, and it surely didn't smell like this.I tried to move my hand and when I saw the IV line shake, I sighed. The hospital.How did I end up here and why didn't I remember anything?Me being here meant that something had happened to me but for the life of me, I couldn't bring myself to. I felt so weak so I just relaxed in my bed.I didn't even have the strength to call for help and eventually, I slept.The next time I woke up, the sun was out thankfully and my eyes didn't feel as heavy as a boulder.My stomach was hurting badly, partly the fact that I hadn't eaten in a day and half. I needed food or else I might actually die this time around..I sat up in my bed, clutching my stomach tightly. I also needed to pee. I've never been to the hospital before.Roman was born in the pack and Belle?Well, Belle was born at home because I had no idea I was in labor and since Alicia and I had never been mo