~AdamI ended the call with Charlotte, my mind a jumble of confusion and worry. What could be wrong? Why couldn't she talk to me?I sank down into the chair next to Eleanor's bed, my head in my hands as I tried to make sense of it all."Adam," Eleanor's voice cut through the fog of my thoughts, her voice weak and tired. "Adam, are you okay?"I looked up, forcing a smile as I reached for her hand. "I'm fine, Elle," I said, my voice strained. "How are you feeling?""Where is my baby?", Eleanor asked worriedly."Calm down, Elle," I said, my voice gentle and soothing. "The baby is still with the nurses, but they'll bring him in to see you as soon as possible. Just relax and take a deep breath."Eleanor nodded, but I could see the worry still etched on her face. "I want to see him," she repeated, her voice shaking with emotion. "I want to hold him, Adam.""You will," I reassured her, squeezing her hand and smiling. "I promise, you'll get to hold your little bundle of joy soon enough.Elean
~Adam"It's nothing," Noah said, his voice smooth and calm. "Forget I said anything. Welcome home, Adam."He extended a hand, his smile warm and disarming. "We should talk tomorrow about the app I'm designing for the company.I nodded, shaking his hand with a forced smile. "Yeah," I said, my voice tired and flat. "We'll talk tomorrow.Noah nodded, his smile still fixed on his face as he walked away, disappearing into the darkness.I entered the house, my footsteps heavy on the hardwood floor as I made my way to the living room.And there, sitting on the couch, was Dylan, a smirk on his face as he saw me."Well, well, if it isn't the man of the hour," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "How's Eleanor doing? And congratulations on becoming a father."My jaw tightened, my anger rising as I glared at him. "The baby isn't mine," I snapped, my voice seething with rage."Hey, I just helped Eleanor for old time's sake," I said, my voice light and joking. "The baby isn't mine.Dylan lau
~CharlotteI woke up from Ephraim's room, my heart heavy with guilt and shame."Mummy, why are you angry?" Ephraim's sweet voice asked. "Is my daddy stressing you?"I smiled at him, trying to hide my pain. "No, sweetheart," I said, ruffling his hair. "I'm just tired, that's all."But Ephraim knew me too well, just a few months of playing mother to him was enough for him to have learnt more about me. "Are you sure, mummy?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.I closed my eyes, tears threatening to fall."I'm sure, sweetheart," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "I'm just...I'm just struggling with something."Ephraim wrapped his arms around me, his small body warm against mine. "I'm sorry, mummy," he said, his voice full of concern. "Can I help you?"I smiled, my heart breaking as I held him close. "No, baby," I said, my voice thick with tears. "You just keep being your beautiful, perfect self."My heart was full of love for Ephraim, but it was also filled with guilt and shame. I knew
~CharlotteThe tension between Eleanor and I was palpable, but I kept my head held high as we made our way back to the house.Once we arrived, Eleanor was all smiles, acting as if she was Adam's wife. Everyone welcomed us, Albert, Dylan, Noah, even the maids.Eleanor walked around like she owned the place, her laughter and jokes making me feel small and invisible."I can't wait to spend more time with my husband and my son," she trilled, shooting me a mocking look as she twirled around the room.I tried to ignore her, focusing instead on the baby in her arms.He was beautiful, his tiny fingers curled around Eleanor's thumb as he slept peacefully.But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the baby, Eleanor's voice cut through the air like a knife, her laughter and teasing making me feel more and more invisible."Adam, darling," she cooed, batting her eyelashes as she looked at him. "I'm so glad we finally have a family together. You and me and our beautiful baby boy."Adam took my ha
~Charlotte After a long and exhausting day at work, I slumped into my bed, my hair covering my face. I drifted into sleep, completely oblivious to the fact that I still had my shoes and clothes on. My peaceful rest was abruptly disrupted by the chime of my phone. Swiftly, I reached for it to check the message. The sender was an unknown number, but the message simply said, "Hey, babe, I'm back. Let's meet at Morgan Guest house. I have a surprise for you." I was surprised, "Why would Dylan text me with a different line? Could he have lost his phone?" I thought to myself. Anyway, that doesn't matter. All I care about now is seeing the love of my life, whom I hadn't seen in nearly a year. Dylan had planned to propose to me earlier last year, but along the way, he traveled to England for his master's degree with a promise to propose upon his return. Filled with excitement, I eagerly texted back, "Can't wait to see you too, honey," I exclaimed with a radiant smile on my face. Yawning
~ Charlotte "Are you two not ashamed of yourselves?" Adam said with a cold, demeaning tone as his driver gently pushed him into the room. "Clap for yourselves." I turned my gaze toward the source of the voice and noticed a wheelchair parked by the room door. Dylan's body trembled as he recognized the familiar voice. Eleanor , too, was stunned by the furious outburst, her eyes widening in disbelief. It was Adam ! Her fiancé had returned unexpectedly early! Seated in the wheelchair was a man with short hair and piercing eyes beneath thick eyebrows that gleamed with intensity. He glared angrily at the scene unfolding before him. "Why are you here?" Dylan's mouth twitched as he stood there awkwardly, uncertain of what to do. He had always harbored a slight fear of Adam , and now, with the added guilt of wrongdoing, he felt even more ashamed. Adam's gaze turned cold as he scrutinized his brother and Eleanor , who was dressed in a man's shirt. His eyes then shifted to the cake and t
~Charlotte "The man I love is with your fiancée, and if I marry you, don't you think this is too dramatic?" I couldn't find words to describe my emotions at this moment. It all just seemed incredibly implausible.. "You only need to tell me your decision," Adam responded, retracting his gaze. A newfound resolve flickered in his eyes, a determination he had never displayed before. "I won't marry you! I don't love you at all. Why should I marry you?" I blurted out without hesitation. "You love him. So, as long as you marry me, you can see him every day! My legs are already paralyzed. Even if you marry me, I won't be able to touch you. We'd only have a nominal relationship! I just can't accept this. Can you tolerate a situation like that?" I blurted out. Adam gazed at me with an icy stare. I found myself at a loss for words. Like any ordinary person, I had blood, flesh, and feelings. But I had also been deeply hurt by the man I had once loved so dearly. How could I possibly cont
~ Charlotte Hearing the disconnected tone, I sighed, and suddenly tears cascaded down my cheeks. I couldn't believe the love of my life had turned into my enemy, someone I had to deal with. How cruel the world can be. As I attempted to wipe away the tears in my eyes, my phone was abruptly snatched from my hand. I turned to the man beside me, observing as he skillfully entered a series of numbers on the phone's screen. "What are you doing?" "This is my phone number. I've saved it for you! If you ever need anything in the future, feel free to give me a call!" Adam shared his number and used my phone to dial his own. He then handed the phone back to me. I quietly placed it in my bag without a glance, then turned my attention to the view outside, my thoughts in a whirl. The car pulled up swiftly in front of an upscale shopping mall. Arthur assisted Adam into a wheelchair, and I exited the car, joining them. As i gazed at the shopping mall ahead, I was puzzled why Adam had brought