SOPHIE’S POVI described the previous estate where our old apartment was located to the youthful looking, before I got into the car with the kids who kept throwing inquisitive glances at me, asking me with their eyes if all was well. Their stares did not change even when we finally pulled up in front of the gate, instead it became more intense.As soon as we climbed down from the yellow col ored Corolla and pushed the car doors closed again. I paid and waved absent mindedly at the driver as he reversed and drove off in the opposite direction.I stood to stare at our old gate for a moment with my hands on my waist. My mind was saddled with the heavy weight of mixed feelings and from beside me I could still sense the piercing stares from my kids on my skin. "Mum, why are we back here?" Owen, who could no longer contain his curiosity, asked to take a step forward. I turned to him and noticed that Isabella and Nathan were also waiting on my answer with their hands spread apart and ha
GENERAL POVAs soon as they heard the sound of the gate opening and closing followed by the sudden rise of Eliot's voice again from the outside, the triplets rushed closer to the sitting room window to stand and strain their ears. The voices of their parents were a bit clearer from that angle. He heard their dad accusing their mum of something again while their mum angrily retorted by blaming him for his unrepentant lack of trust. The squabble persisted for a few more minutes garnished with a whole of swear words like “fuck!” and “damn!” before their voices slowly began to fade. After sometime they heard the sound of the car zooming off in the distance.The kids glanced at themselves with knowing expressions before they slowly retreated from the window to return back to the central part of their sitting room, Nathan and Isabella took seats on the large, slightly dusty arm chair, while Owen went for the sofa, bringing out his laptop from his back pack simultaneously and placing i
ELLIOT’S POVAfter we were done with putting signatures on the presented document, The doctor rubbed his palms together, and later, he retired into the operating room with the members of his surgical team.My dad and I went over to the waiting room to join Sophie, who had arrived with Amelia minutes ago, clinging to Nathan and Isabella with her rigid hands, her whole face soaked with tears and sweat. Everything about the case had been communicated to her already, and with the way she was looking now, it appeared like her life was literally hanging on the news of Nathan’s recovery, like she was going to crumble at any moment if she heard anything contrary to that.She sat silently in a corner of the room, and Amelia sat beside her, comforting her; she wasn’t at all responding to greetings from the nurses.All she did was stare blankly into space with sunken eyes, sniffing intermittently.My father and I knew it was better not to disturb her. Even though once or twice I wanted to go ove
GENERAL POVAfter Elliot's continuous insistence on wanting to know the full story bordering on Sophie's past and true background, emphasizing the fact that he was her fiance and he deserved to know, the elderly couple nodded to themselves with understanding before they finally obliged him, leading every one of them back to the waiting room where the other women, Mrs. Harrington, Aunty Susan, and Amelia had stayed back to relax. Only Sophie and the kids were absent from the gathering; they were still resting at the private ward where Nathan also was. The women readjusted themselves on their seats when they saw the serious-looking faces of Elliot and those of the others with him in confusion, silently wandering amongst themselves and waiting for one of them to clear the air. Fortunately for them, they didn't have to wait for too long for that to happen. After everyone had taken their seats, Mr. Thompson cleared his throat and took a firm, determined look around, which gave a hint of j
MARGARET’S POVI sat on a sofa in the living room with my arms wrapped around myself, rocking back and forth. The scratchy voice of the presenter from the radiogram playing on the miniature desk situated next to my chair was getting in the way of my thoughts. I was still sitting in that unsettled manner when the phone on my lap started to vibrate, ringing to show an incoming call. I picked it up quickly to see who it was. And when I saw that it was Mr. Seth, the family lawyer, calling, I got up with a sudden, quick movement, reaching out to turn off the radiogram with one tap before retreating into the passageway after the sitting room to receive the call."Mr. Seth?" I whispered."Margaret, look, something's up. Your late half-sister, Veronica's daughter, they found her." He divulged in a whisper, too. "What do you mean they found her?" I asked with a sharp, fierce tone, looking around quizzically, even though the information he had passed was already as clear as possible."You hea
ELLIOT’S POVI returned to the VIP ward where Sophie and the other kids were. The ward was a closed, lightly furnished cubicle partitioned into two different bed spaces by one separating wall. Sophie hadn't been feeling too well; she was still sleeping in the second bedroom, with Isabella also sleeping beside her. While I was sitting quietly with Owen in the first room, the others had returned outside to get some food. The nurses had since informed us that Nathan had woken up and that we would be allowed to come into his ward to see him in the next couple of minutes. And everybody had been so excited and relieved. I felt the residual load of worry that had been hanging on my neck even after the first news of his successful surgery dissolved completely after this second announcement.Even Owen, who had been so down since we came in, weeping incessantly and blaming himself, had finally been able to smile again. I also noticed that he had been able to summon interest in his smartphone ag
SOPHIE'S POVLuca's revelation did not make any sense. I stared at him with a stunned expression, feeling dizzy, puzzled, and horrified all at once. I am not sure I had ever seen his mother, not even when we were in high school, so what business did I have with her? What offense would she say I committed? Was that enough to push her into wanting to kill me? Someone she doesn't even know what she looks like? Everyone was dumbfounded. Even Owen and Isabella stared at him weirdly from the bed as if they had never seen him in their lives. Elliot's expression, on the other hand, had transformed from rage to bewildered disbelief. He stepped back for a moment, looking from Lucas to me with folded arms and his mouth hanging half open. I repeated my question to Lucas again, asking why his mother would want me dead."We are waiting, mister." Elliot prompted impatiently, with his hands now on his waist, when the latter's silence was becoming unbearable. Lucas glanced at Elliot with startled eyes
GENERAL POVThe police wagon sped into the sprawling compound, coming to an abrupt halt at the center of the station's premises. The engine hissed as the driver turned off the ignition. All four doors of the car were thrown open at the same time, and from inside it, about five police officials alighted alongside the handcuffed figure of Margaret, who vehemently kept shouting and pleading with the four scowling officials."You don't get it. It was a mix-up. Listen, my friends, I didn't do it. In fact, I'm the innocent one here, alright? Can I at least call someone?" The five silent officials continued to gesture calmly toward the building as they led her inside the administrative quarters.When they got inside the station, one of the sergeants led her into a small, bright, lightly painted room with only a desk and two chairs arranged on either side of the desk."Please sit down, Mrs."He directed, pointing at the first seat.She paused to examine the chair, then lifted her head to sta