GENERAL POVIt was Sunday morning, and the kids were busy holding a low-toned discussion in their room. They had not anticipated the intensity with which Lucas had sent those hidden secrets flying about yesterday. He must have assumed they already knew all the many things he was revealing during his outrage; however, they were glad that his carelessness had been greatly helpful in filling up the many loopholes they had found difficult to unravel at the start of their mission. "I think it is now very safe to say that our so-called Auntie Olivia knows more than we were thinking she did; she could be holding the key to this whole thing." Nathan posited, half swinging his legs on the bed."I think so too. I'm just wondering what her motive was. I mean, why did she go through all that trouble to set Mom up? Collecting her man from her, only to be doing everything to reunite us with that same man again, doesn't make sense. Or could it be that she is a changed person now?" Isabella reason
ELLIOT’S POVI sat anxiously in my office, twitching the gold watch on my wrist from side to side. It was 8:30 a.m. on Monday, yet I was struggling to concentrate and proceed with the business of the day. I kept second-guessing my decision to defy Olivia; I kept re-evaluating the threat she had forwarded to me. I wondered whether or not she was indeed going to make good on the threat. What if she truly releases the tape? What would I do? What would happen to my reputation and the image of the company? How would I ever be able to go out in public? What will mom and dad think of me?I kept going through these thoughts when my phone vibrated on the desk. My heart jumped for a moment. I hesitated, thinking it was Olivia calling to inform me that she had carried out her threat.But when I finally checked, I let out a sigh of relief because it was the private investigator I assigned to the case. Days ago, after Olivia showed me that conversation at the restaurant, I contacted him again and
SOPHIE’S POVI stood in our sitting room watching Victoria, my stepmom, as she continued to rant and rain insults on me in the presence of my kids. When it was getting too much, I told the kids to wait for me in their room, and that they should come out only when I asked them to.Victoria continued with her insults like she had been doing since she showed up unannounced at our residence a few hours ago. I had allowed her to continue pointing her accusing fingers until the moment she threw caution into the wind to bring up the issue from five years ago."Why am I even surprised? Wasn't that how you sold yourself at a street club six years ago only to give birth to fatherless kids?" She fumed, pointing her fingers at me.I snapped after hearing that and was about to respond when the door flung open and Elliot rushed in to shout out something, which I was too angry to hear."Lies," I yelled, turning back to face Victoria again. This time, I was ready to damn the consequences, not minding
GENERAL POVAdam was in his sitting room and had just gotten off the phone with Sophie. He had both hands thrown behind him as he moved from one end of the room to the next. Once in a while, he would stop to examine his cheeks, trying to feel the extent of damage Sophie had done to his face with her hands.His thoughts were tumbling over each other, and he couldn't just keep calm."Look at what that bitch almost did to me for God's sake. Even to the extent of taking off her heels and almost smacking my head off. God knows what would have happened if Elliot had not arrived at the exact time he did. She might have gone on with it; who knows? Or had I asked for too much? I only said I wanted my kids to cry out loud, but instead, she decided to respond to my polite demands by slapping me.”He sucked his teeth and said, “I know what to do.”He rushed forward to where his phone was lying on the side stool. Then he picked it up and dialed Olivia’s number at once.“Hello, Adam.” Her voice p
SOPHIE’S POVMy hands were filled with lunch bags as I tagged behind my kids, who were already heading outside to meet up with Joseph. He had honked about twice already."Hurry up guys; you know how I don't like you guys getting to school late." I prompted."It's revision week, mummy; lateness isn't such a big deal this week," Isabella said without turning.I laughed behind her."It's always a big deal, my angel. So this means that your exams will be held next week, correct?""Yes." They said in unison, sounding excited."Great, I see you're all hyped up already. I trust my kids to ace all their papers, which isn't right.""Sure!" They said together again, “Trust us, mummy,” Owen added, which made me laugh out loudly for the second time.They finally got outside the gate, and Joseph beamed at us with his loyal smile, exchanging greetings with me and teasing my kids. I waved as I watched them drive off in the direction of their school before proceeding to hail a taxi down the road, w
SOPHIE’S POV“Child, I am talking to you. Did you really do all that?”My father repeated, looking at Olivia from where he was standing. Olivia was too afraid to look at him or even respond to his question.Victoria too was silent; she had a hand on her chin, looking at father with tearful eyes instead of her daughter, who was beside her.“Give me one moment, please.” Elliot excused himself as he went outside to get something. During the short wait, my father kept tapping his foot impatiently, keeping all his focus on Olivia while at the same time avoiding my gaze. When Elliot returned, it was not with something, as we had earlier thought; rather, it was with someone—his secretary, Mr. Gerald, the same person I accompanied to the station earlier.“Gerald,” Eliot called with a hand on his shoulder.“Please tell us how you met Olivia.”“Thanks for the audience, sir.” Gerald bowed slightly, throwing his hands behind him to speak."Well, I actually met Miss Olivia during the same period
SOPHIE’S POVI woke up alone a few hours later. From the pale look of the sunlight that filtered through my window pane, I could tell it was already evening. I yawned and rolled the sheets away to sit up properly. The time on the wall clock above was 20 minutes past five.I yawned again and slightly raised my voice to call on Owen and his siblings, but I got no response."Where did everyone go?" I thought."They should have heard my voice by now if they were anywhere near their room.Or could they be playing outside?" I reasoned again.Finally, I stretched out and climbed down from the bed to check for them in the living room.The first person I came across immediately after I entered the living room was Lucas. He appeared to be making a phone call with his back turned when I entered, but he immediately put an end to it when he saw me behind him.“Sophie.” He called lightly with a plastic smile before coming closer to me.“Lucas,” I called back.“You're awake.”“Yes.”“How is your mom?
General POVThe day the police had set aside for the unveiling of the DNA result had finally come. Sophie arrived at the station in New Rochelle in the company of Gerald, just like last time.As soon as she got out of the car, her father, Mr. Mack, came running towards her."How are you doing, my darling daughter? Did you sleep well? Christ bless your heart, my dear child."She tightened her lips and had not said a word to him.She went right past him to enter the same room where the meeting had been held the last time and took her seat in the right corner, far from the center.Adam had also arrived at that moment with his lawyer beside him; Elliot and Amanda followed right after them.Olivia and her mother were already seated in a corner; all previous faces were present except Mr. Harrington.After about 30 minutes of silently waiting with heads bowed, Mr. Harrington finally enters and assumes his usual position at the left-side corner.The police chief, Chief Bobby, and the doctor g