EDENI've learnt never to underestimate anyone. Selena wasn't kidding when she said she was going to make my life hell.She wasn't kidding one bit. From that day onwards, she stopped speaking to me. Surprisingly, she began running her own errands, lunch and coffee included.When she needed something, she would call the deputy to get it done so for basically the entire day, I was just sitting at that desk doing nothing.It went on for a week and I couldn't take it anymore. So I went into her office, she would probably ignore me like she had been doing whenever I spoke to her.“Madam, I would like to have a word with you.”Her head that was raised when her door opened dropped back down the moment I opened my mouth. As I predicted, she didn't reply.“I’m sorry for what happened last week. I just couldn't get myself in any more trouble.”She snorted. She actually snorted.I thought there was going to be a reply after that but there wasn't any. You know what, screw it. If she didn't want t
EDENThe meeting went by in a flash, mostly because I wasn't listening to anything that was being said. So much was going on at once.For starters, Roman's eyes didn't move off my body the moment we looked at each other. The heat that washed over me every time he squinted his eyes, it was like he could see right through my soul.Even when I looked away, I could still feel a burning sensation on my body and it made me so uncomfortable. I didn't know how he managed to hear anything when his eyes were on me throughout.And I couldn't help myself from looking at him. It was stay damned suit he was wearing today. Black was definitely his color and he knew it. He was dressed in an all black suit with a black shirt and as simple as that sounded, it looked as elegant as could be.Him being a king wasn't a mistake. It was like he heard my thoughts because he smirked.Secondly, Selena had stolen everything I prepared for this project and that was what she presented. She repeated every word in t
EDEN“You can't threaten me, Roman-”“I'm not threatening you. Hell no, you're not the kind of person I threaten. I'm simply telling you the truth.”The elevator opened and he gave me a smile before walking out, like nothing had happened. Selena was walking by when he came out and she stopped.Roman walked by her like she wasn't even there and I could see that she wanted to say something to him. She really hasn't chnaged the habit to going after what belonged to someone else.“You disgust me." I didn't even know she was talking to me until she walked away. Right now, she was the least of my problems.Roman wanted Belle and even though he wasn't threatening me, it didn't mean he was going to do easy on me. I closed the elevator door and went straight to the ground floor.I needed to see him before he left. I was afraid of him, afraid of what he could do to me. That ousy father of mine had basically sold me to him without my knowledge. A mariage certificate was going to far.It's no won
EDEN“You did what?!”I had to cover my ear because of how loud her voice was. Just as I'd expected, she was obviously not happy with what I'd done.“I had no other choice. What was I supposed to do? You don't know him, Alicia. Roman is a dangerous man and it would be stupid to stand up against him because you can never win.”“You should have called the police. You can take him to court! You can run away?"“Call the police and say what? My husband is trying to see my daughter and I'm hiding her away from him? Take him to court and say I don't want my husband to see our child? If I run away, I will be tagged a kidnapper.” Tears had gathered in my eyes and I could feel the large lump in my throat.“Why’re you calling him your husband? You said you ran away on the wedding day. You never got married.&rdq
EDEN“Belle, stop running! I was sure she only heard me screaming but didn't actually hear what I was telling her.Ever since I told her that she was going to be spending the day with Roman, she hasn't been able to keep still. I was surprised when I got his call.“What do you want, Roman? I'm busy.” I had just got into work that day and Selena had already made my life hell. The last thing I needed was more bad news.“I'm not going to take much of your time. I want Belle to come stay with me this weekend.”This weekend? Why so quickly?Had he already booked the plan tickets so he'd take her to another country?Where was he taking her?Jamaica?Australia?“Are you still there?”“Oh um" Selena came out of her office at that moment. As she passed, she gave me the signature look that let me know that I meant nothing to her and that she hated me. Over time, it came to hurt less and less. “Yes I'm here.”“Okay, I'll come pick her up on Saturday."“No.”“No?"“Yes.”“Why?"Yeah Eden, why?“Um
EDENI wasn't thinking of anything in particular but I was watching the movie too. Even when Kian leaned in to whisper something funny to me, it took me a second too late to laugh.He may have noticed that I was distant because as we walked out of the theater, he grabbed my hand.“Sam, is everything okay?”No.“Yeah, why're you asking?"He stepped closer.“You’re not fine. You were distracted the entire time.”I couldn't even deny it because that wouldn't be fair.“Listen, I don't know what is going on but I want to help out. You've been distant these past months and I really want to know what's going on. I want to be a part of your life, Samantha.”I wanted to say yes.I wanted to tell him that I really needed someone to lean on. But my phone rang.I ran into the hospital, bumping into people countless times as I tried to make my way to the nurse's station.My heart was beating so fast by the time I stopped in front of her and she looked up at me with a frown.“What happened to you?”
EDEN“Water.” Belle showed me on her writing pad.The surgery was successful but she still needed to rest so she wouldn't be able to speak for a while. The doctor said someone had given her an EpiPen and that was what saved her else she would have lost her ability to speak generally.I handed her the water and watched as she gulped it down. My poor baby, if only I had known that this would happen to her, I wouldn't have let her on with him. My worries were valid that day, I had every right to worry.Alicia entered with her food. She was on a strict liquid diet since she was still healing which I hoped wouldn't take very long. I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to only be able to ingest water. My poor girl was going through a lot.“Hey Belle, here's your food.”She smiled and I don't know if it was because she didn't really care about her new food plan or she was just trying to be strong. When she woke up, the first thing she wrote on her pad was Roman's name.The fact that she
Eden“The doctor said giving her an EpiPen was what saved her. She may not have been able to speak again.”We were standing outside, Belle had fallen asleep after playing with Roman for a while and I just stood in the corner watching both of them.She mattered to Roman, I could see that. The way he was involved in the things that had to do with her was very evident.“Was it you who gave her the EpiPen?”He nodded.“I had one left."I wanted to ask what he was allergic to but I didn't. I wanted to know but then at the same time, it was none of my business.“Oats.”I raised my head.“Huh?”“I’m allergic to oats as well. That's why I asked her if she was allergic to them and that's why I had an EpiPen."Oh, she was his daughter. Of course, he would ask that. I was the one to blame for worrying and forgetting that I was supposed to tell him the most basic thing.But even he did a better job.“The bills have been paid and everything has been settled. The doctor tells me she'll be discharge
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