Esther walked off, leaving Cole behind. Cole immediately got to her and held her hand, drawing her back."Fabian?! Leave me alone.""Are you just gonna walk away from me after revealing such a big piece of information to me?!""Well, there's nothing you can do about it, can you?""What? Did you just say there's nothing I can do about it? She's my daughter! How could keep such a thing from me for so long and then tell me and then think I won't do anything about it? Do you think I'm the guilty one here?""Fabian, I only came to tell you the truth because it has been burdening me. I didn't come here because I feel sorry for you or care about you."Cole turned Esther to face him and look into her eyes."But you still call me Fabian, even though it's been twenty-three years. Doesn't it mean you still care about me, somehow?"Esther looked away. Yes, Fabian was not his main name. It was his third name and he had allowed only her to use it on him because he loved her. His full name was Cole
"Fabian, I can't. I want to get married to him."Cole's eyes dropped in defeat. Esther was about to leave but then he said;"Stay with me this night, okay? I don't know what I'm going to do to myself if you just leave me here.""Fabian…""I won't bother you again, okay? I'll let your parents know that we can't get married again. I'll never appear in front of you again. I'll never come to you nor disturb you again. I will cease to exist in your life. So please," Cole said, raising his head to look up at Esther, having the most pitiful expression on his face, "Don't leave me."Esther's heart ached at his pain. She also did not want him to hurt himself when she left. So she decided to stay for two hours. Two hours could not hurt, could it?It hurt though. It hurt so much because while she held Cole in her arms to comfort him as he wouldn't stop crying, while they watched the movie, he started to kiss her. She didn't want to reject him out of guilt so she kissed him back. He was never gon
The next day, Dylan and Rhodes arrived at Minister Derek Brackwood's house. Derek was indoors alone, discussing something on the phone."Yes, Boss. I will bring it to the usual place. No, no one knows about it."Derek paused."No Boss! We took care of those prying people that night! We killed them and got rid of their bodies! No one knows we are behind the drug influx in this city….Yes, sir, I am well aware of what will happen to me if anyone else knows about this.".Dylan looked at Rhodes. It was obvious Derek was lying about getting rid of them to save himself. It meant he was very scared of the person that put him to it. Who could a minister of affairs be so scared of?Immediately Derek finished his call, Dylan crept behind him, smashed a club on the back of his head, and he and Rhodes pulled his unconscious body outside, into the car they brought.They started to interrogate him the moment he woke up. But Derek was stubborn and terrified."Please! Let me go! Don't let me reveal an
Ariel and Dylan got back to the mansion. Ariel sprinted out of the car and into the mansion. She had left Paul in the care of his female bodyguard who often acted as his nanny too and she was worried. Ariel burst open the door of Paul's playroom and heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing him and NaeNae, playing.She grabbed him, scooped him into her arms, and hugged him tightly, crying."My son! My baby boy! Thank God you are okay! Mommy will protect you! I'll do anything for you!""Mom?"Dylan ran into the room after Ariel and saw his wife hugging his son tightly. It seemed she had been terrified.How could Charity have known? How did she find out?Was it the school? But he had paid them to ensure their silence.He thought he had hidden his son well but it seemed he hadn't done enough. And now Charity of all people knew about Paul. Who else knew about him? He hoped she hadn't told Marcus about him.For the next few days, Paul didn't go to school. Ariel was too scared to let him out of h
Ariel watched in horror as bullets flew in the air. The hitmen sent to her and her son exchanged bullets endlessly with her bodyguards. And then all of a sudden, one of the hitmen started to run towards where she was hiding. Ariel immediately hid behind the wall and closed her eyes. The bodyguard with her told her to stay put and ran into the battlefield.Ariel's heart beat wildly. She was on her own and terrified.But then she heard a deafening shot interrupt the already noisy place.It sounded like a machine gun and Ariel sat on the ground, her head in her hands, trembling seriously. Was this the end?Ariel felt a strong hand pull her up into a strong hard chest."No! No! No! Let me go!" she schemes."Ariel, it's me!"Ariel's eyes flew open at the familiar voice. Dylan was staring down at her."Dylan!" she clung to him and cried.Dylan wrapped his arms around her and patted her back."It's okay. I'm here. You're safe now.""Paul. Paul!" Ariel said, raising her head previously buried
Ariel sat in the sitting room of Old Man Grey's house while Dylan conversed with his grandfather. She had not wanted him to reveal their son to him but he had told her that it was necessary.Ariel scratched her hand nervously as she waited. Three bodyguards were stationed next to her even though the Grey mansion had top-notch security."Do you need anything, ma'am?" one of the bodyguards asked.Ariel looked at him. He was a newly hired bodyguard who should not be more than twenty. Should such a young person be doing such dangerous work in the first place? But after showing her his skills during the interview she had not made any protest again.So many things had happened since the day she was shot at. Dylan had conducted many investigations into his staff as he was sure the attackers could not have known where they were without an insider telling them. Shockingly, a small camera was found attached to Naenae's clothing. Meagan was also shocked and claimed she did not know how the camer
The figure came out and Ariel heaved a sigh of relief. It was just the head maid."Ma'am? Do you need anything?" she asked politely.Ariel shook her head in the negative."What are you doing up so late?" she asked the maid."I was just going to the verandah to clean it up.""Oh," she said and returned to her room.As soon as Ariel went to sleep, the headmaid brought out her phone and called someone."Hello? She's gone to sleep now. I met her on my way to the study."There was a pause and then the head maid continued;"She doesn't suspect a thing. I'll keep an eye on her and inform you of her movements as you told me to."The head maid soon ended the call, a creepy smile appearing on her face, and walked away.The next day Dylan and Ariel left for Grandfather Grey's house and the head maid informed Marcus, whom she was secretly working for about it.Grandpa Grey trembled as Dylan told him everything. It couldn't be. Cole and Derek did not…his son did not die a natural death? He was kil
Ariel sat in the parlor, her eyes on her phone. Suddenly, she felt someone going past her. She looked up and saw Marcus furiously storming out of a corridor. She was surprised as she had not seen him come in.Immediately he stormed out, and Dylan stormed out after him."I'm not letting you get away. I'm calling the cops on you!"Dylan took out his phone and called Rhodes, telling him to reveal everything about all Marcus had done including the assassination attempt.Old Man Grey came out after holding Paul's hand.He approached Ariel with an apologetic look on his face."I'm sorry, Ariel. I'm so sorry about everything that happened. I treated you unfairly for so many years. I didn't know you were not lying. I thought you were merely a gold digger. Will you forgive me?"Ariel took Paul from Old Man Grey and avoided his eyes, not knowing what to say. On the one hand, she wanted to forgive him, but on the other hand, he had offended her too much."I give you and Dylan my blessings. I acc
Ariel stood at the door of the mansion watching Dylan button up his suits again, his bodyguards waiting patiently for him by my car.He came towards her."How do I look?" he asked, smiling.She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips.He chuckled."I don't need you to say any words. Your actions have confirmed to me that you think I do look good."" Yes. Actions speak louder than words."He turned to leave to go, but Ariel held his arm and pulled him back. Then she wrapped her arms around his firm waist and pouted at him.He chuckled again."Baby, I know you don't want me to leave, but this trip is necessary. I have to close a deal with a multinational company. It is for the betterment of the company. I hope you will understand.""I know the trip is necessary, Yet I do not want to let you go."Ariel still held onto him."I don't want you to go. Must you go yourself? Can't you send someone else?""I can't," I said, gently removing her hands from my waist.Dylan took her fa
'I should have brought more,' Ariel thought when she saw how the things she brought were almost finished and how so many others had not collected any food or blankets.She immediately phoned her guards and ordered them to bring more food and clothing.She was also planning to get these homeless people a new building so they would not have to stay on the streets. Dylan on the other hand supported her in the way he could. He told her often that he was proud of her efforts and sometimes showed up at her fundraising events to make more people come and invest as well, given his popularity."Thank you so much!" the homeless people said to Ariel and Maggie.They were all so grateful.One older woman held her hand and prayed for her. Another homeless person, a young boy, gave her a flower she was sure he had seen at the side of the road."A beautiful flower for a beautiful woman," he said, looking at her with awe. He could not have been more than two years older than Paul."Awww. Thank you so
Ariel and Maggie were out in the streets together when she received Dylan's call.They had been in the streets to do some work.Earlier that day, Maggie had come into the house to pick Ariel up.Dylan on the other hand had left to go see his mother."Ariel! Where are you?! Must you be late everywhere?!" Maggie, cried one Wednesday Afternoon."Coming!"Maggie and Ariel had both attended the same high school and even college. Yet, they had never been friends and they had only become friends when they met again at work!The company where Ariel worked, after receiving a lot of investment from Ariel who now had access to her father's wealth, became more successful. Ariel had become a Director of a company. No one saw that coming.Ariel became a shareholder of the company and made her friend Maggie, a manager.The click-clack of Ariel's stiletto heels filled up the hallways as she walked. All the people in the hallways turned their heads to see who was making so much noise."Good morning Dir
Dylan and his mom had coffee together, where they discussed many things."I have breast cancer."The moment she said that his heart burst into pieces.'No, no, I just got her back.'"Are you saying you have cancer, Mom?" Dylan asked.Denise started to cry again."Yes, my son. I have cancer, and the doctor told me I have only a few months to live."His chest felt tight, and he suddenly could not breathe."So why are you here? You should be receiving treatment in the hospital!" he exclaimed, grabbing her hand.She smiled so sweetly at him his heart melted."Dylan, I want to spend my last days with you. That is why I'm here. I don't want to die without at least spending my last months with my son."Tears rose in his eyes. His dad was dead. He could not let his mom die as well."Don't cry, son. Such is life.""Mom, if there's anything I can do. Is there anything that I can do at all? Isn't there any?""Yes, there is something you can do. You can borrow me some money to begin the treatment
The weekend was over, and Dylan was back to work. So it meant double work and more extended hours in the office.Because of the issues with his brother and Charity, he has been away from work for a long time. Now that he was back, he had so much to do.The uproar that the public had had as a result of their discovering the truth about his grandfather and other families involved in the drug trade had begun to die down. Yet it still caused a bit of negative press towards the company. Many partners had even pulled out from the company so as not to be associated with a corporation his grandfather had used to traffic drugs and launder money.Dylan sighed heavily as he realized he had to do it all himself.None of his family members who were even still mad at him for exposing their grandfather helped in running the company.Another thing that was being talked about the most was that Dylan was now the real face of the Grey family. With his grandfather in jail and his brother dead, he was now
Dylan was enraged."I can kill you here and now!" he threatened.Charity laughed in his face."You and I know you can't try it. If you do, you will never see your beloved wench again. So tread carefully."Dylan let her go after that."Goodbye, my love," Charity said mockingly and got into a cab she had flagged down.Dylan watched her drive away, clenching his jaw.When the car was out of sight, Dylan brought out the tracking app his tech friends had installed on his phone. He had attacked Charity simply to put a GPS tracker on her.He watched Charity's location move to a site on the outskirts of town. It seemed that was where she was hiding Ariel. He brought out his second cell phone and called his men."Hello, boys. It's been a long, but I have a job for you."Ariel woke up in a dark place, her throat parched.She sat up, unable to fathom what was going on. It felt like she was in an enclosed space, and she did not know how to get out."How did I get here?" she asked herself.She cou
But if you keep your mouth shut and act like nothing happened, your secret is safe with me. At least for now. Do we have a deal?"Charity nodded. Ariel laughed.Then she pushed Charity back to the floor and left the apartment. Charity sobbed as she left, hoping she would not return. She didn't know Ariel was this crazy.Ariel laughed as she walked out of the house. Charity is stupid enough to think she would just let her go after killing her mother. That is very funny of her.This was just the beginning. She was going to get her revenge on all of them. They made her and her son and husband miserable and she was no longer going to sit back and watch them continue to take. She held out the card Cole had given her and wondered what to do with it.Dylan and Rhodes finally found Marcus. He was hiding in an old office in another city while the police were looking all over for him."I can't believe this fucker is still hiding in the country. Where did he get that many resources to hide so pe
Ariel recalled the sound of her mother's laughter, like a melody that could lift even the heaviest hearts. She described her love for nature, recounting memoriesThe room was filled with tears and bittersweet smiles - a tapestry of emotions woven together by memories of a woman who had touched many lives.As Ariel finished speaking, she looked at the mournful faces before her, each person united in their grief and love for Mom. She saw her mother's friends and a few relatives she had kept in touch with, their tears flowing freely as they nodded in understanding. She noticed her husband's family's slumped shoulders and sad looks, and she was a bit confused about whether they were sincere or just fake.Through it all, she felt the support and presence of the community that had rallied around them throughout their long goodbye.As the memorial service drew to a close, Ariel invited anyone who wished to share their memories of Mom to come forward. One by one, family members and friends st
Not even when Ariel's closest friends- Kira and Maggie wanted to talk did she agree to discuss Mom.Kira encouraged her to speak about her."It will help you in your grief," she said.But Ariel said nothing. It was as if speaking about her dying was admitting that her mother had truly died. That she was truly gone. She could not accept that she'd never see her again.So she said nothing.It was only one rainy morning that she finally spoke of Mom.She was in her kitchen trying to make some breakfast for myself- an omelet.She was cooking the egg with too much force, and it fell to the floor. She hurried to pick it up, but it had some dirt smeared.The omelet falling on the floor reminded her of a scene from years ago when she had wanted to learn how to make an omelet.After making the omelet, Ariel rushed to her mom to show her but slipped and fell. The omelet fell to the ground."Sorry about this," Ariel apologized about the egg."Oh…It is okay," Mom replied, "I don't think you can s