Chapter 18: A Payback It was a bright Monday morning in NYC. The sky was crystal clear, and the clouds were white as snow. Rose walked the kids into the car. The kids were dressed to go to school, and Rose was dressed to go to work.She opened the back seat for the kids, and they got in. She helped them wear their seatbelts once they were seated. “You guys are good, right?” She smiled at the kids before going to the driver’s seat.She pulled out of the garage after fixing her seatbelt. She watched as the gateman pulled the gate open, and as soon as he did, she drove out of the compound after passing a command to him. ”Take good care of the house while I’m away,” she muttered, and the man nodded.She smiled and rolled up the window before driving out of the compound. “Mummy, can you play us a song?” Ken pouted, pulling out a cute face.“You don’t always have to do that,” Rose giggled at his silliness. “You know I’ll always play a song for you, even without you being all cute,” sh
Chapter 19: He is not our dadThe evening sun loomed around the sky, indicating that the day would still come to an end. Its crystal shine fell upon an opulent school, the school with a symbol of wealth and class: “Maeyland International.” Cars could be seen trooping in and out of the school to pick up their respective kids.In the midst of all this, a car loomed in the distance, waiting for the perfect time to execute its plan. A man in his mid-thirties sat in the driver’s seat of the car, sipping from his cigarette, which was positioned in his left hand. His eyes preyed upon everyone and everything that walked into and out of the school.His eyes quickly moved to his wristwatch, and he nodded, signaling that it was the right time to carry out his plans. He Immediately tightened his seatbelt and drove to the gate of the school. Getting to the school gate, he alighted from his car and walked by foot into the school. He had to get things done before things escalated.“Good evenin
Chapter 20: We hate you, momOutside the school premises, he entered his car, and after placing each hair from the kids in a plastic bag, he zoomed away. As he drove into the busy streets of NYC, he pulled out his phone and dialed his boss’s number immediately; he couldn’t wait to share the good news with his boss.Derek finally picked up the call on the third ring, and the man smiled happily as his boss’s voice hit him. “Any good news?” Derek questioned, his voice filled with uncertainty.“Yes, sir, there is good news,” the man spilled happily, and Derek screamed happily from his end. “Really? You were able to get their hair strands?” Derek questioned happily, and the man nodded in affirmation.“Oh, my God! You are a genius, John,” Derek laughed in disbelief. “For this, I am going to wire a heavy sum of money into your account,” Derek laughed on.“Oh…thank…” John couldn’t complete his statement when he received the credit alert. “2 million, sir,” he stuttered in disbelief, and De
Chapter 21: A Reason to Suspect You She quickly picked up her phone from the parlor table to confirm her fear, and lo and behold, it was there. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared into her phone. “Derek already removed the spy app she installed on his phone.”“How did he know she installed a spy app on his phone?” She shuttered in disbelief. “How was he able to figure out that she installed a spy app on his phone?” That was enough reason to suspect him, but she just couldn’t bring herself to suspect him. She was just so certain he had no idea that the kids were his.Yes, she had asked her accomplice to send pictures of the kids to Derek, but she had a very good reason for doing it. Her mind was racing in her chest as she tried hard to convince herself that Derek had no idea that the kids were his.“How would he think the kids were his? He has never seen them, and she left no trace that the kids were his in the pictures sent," she pinched herself continuously. “But why did h
Chapter 22: You Thief!The hospital’s entrance was grand and led to a big lobby. The lobby had a high ceiling, marble columns, and nice artwork. The lighting was soft and the furniture was comfortable. It was a calm and fancy place.Derek paced back and forth in the doctor’s office as he waited for the test results. He stared at his watch, waiting impatiently. “It’s already 8:35? Bloody hell! I’ve been here for three hours, then,” he cursed impatiently and rolled his eyes. “How can a human be this slow? All I asked for was a test result,” Derek hissed angrily.He was restless and angry at the same time. He was tired of waiting, but he couldn’t also leave the hospital without getting his hands on the test results. He needed to be certain and know his ground.As he waited impatiently, the inner room in the doctor’s office creaked open, revealing the doctor. “Gracious God, you’ve been in there for ages,” Derek blurted, and the elderly man apologized immediately.“I am so sorry; ther
Chapter 23: A Strange CallDerek stared at the test result in great shock; it felt too good to be true. “So, Rose was really pregnant with my child before I pushed her to death?” He mumbled in disbelief and collapsed into the chair behind him.“Not only did I try to kill my wife, but also my kids?” He reeled, feeling so stupid. “How could I be so dumb and stupid? Why exactly did I try to end the life of an innocent woman just for my selfish reasons?” Regret surged through him, and he blamed himself further.“I was really so stupid, and for what? To end up with a barren woman who can’t even bear children?” He hit his head suddenly, realizing his faults. “I shouldn’t have done that to Rose. I shouldn’t have done something so terrible to her,” he stuttered, feeling great regret.As he reeled in his dilemma, he was suddenly realized something: he still had a piece of love left for Rose. He also discovered he wasn’t really in love with Sofia; maybe he married her only because he was at
Chapter 24: Who is the Kidnapper?The morning shone brightly, like never before. The crystal dim sun of the morning fell on the best school in all of NYC, “Maeyland International.” Rose’s car pulled into the school parking lot, and in no time, she walked out. She walked to the backseat and pulled it open so her kids could come out.“Quickly, grab your lunchboxes,” she told them, and they did as she said before hopping down from the car. Rose smiled at them before going back to the driver’s seat, where she picked up some important documents and her phone. Picking up the necessities, she locked the car and led the children into the school.“We need to get things settled,” she muttered and led them further into the school. She directed the kids to the principal’s office, where the truth should be revealed. Getting to the principal’s office, she rang the doorbell, and immediately, the principal’s voice called from within.“Come in!” The principal said, her voice sweet and welcoming.
Chapter 25: Am I your play toy?Mr. Reynolds could be seen at the entrance of Oscorp Fortune Hall with a sweet smile plastered on his face. He seemed angry as he stood there. Every now and then, he would pace to and fro and beat his leg angrily against the floor.“What wrong have I done to have a grandson like him?” he cursed, his eyes dancing around his bodyguard as if waiting for a response. The man, who was in his late thirties, could just stare at his boss with nothing to say. “How can Derek embezzle such an amount of money? Does he want to run the company down? I have spent my whole life building this company,” Mr. Reynolds complained bitterly, his eyes still filled with fury. “I am definitely going to dismiss him from the company today. It’s not like he has improved the company in any way; he can’t even provide me with grandkids,” Mr. Reynolds hissed angrily. “Such an incompetent jerk,” he cursed on, his words laced with disdain. As he stood there lamenting about his grands
Chapter 136: Too Hard to Believe Derek and Rose paced around the Dave’s restlessly; yes, they were still definitely mad at Dave for what he did, but they never wanted any harm to come to him. As they strolled around impatiently, Mr. Reynolds and Sofia could be seen walking into the hospital with worried looks on their faces. Derek had called them earlier to inform them about Dave’s condition.“How is he doing?” Mr. Reynolds asked the couple as soon as he was close enough.“The doctor isn’t out yet; we’re still waiting for him,” Rose replied, as if she had been forced to.“Ouch!” Mr. Reynolds mumbled and sat in a provided seat. “I just hope nothing happens to him,” he said with desperation in his tone.“I might be mad at him for what he did to me, but honestly, the last thing I wanted was for him to end up in that hospital; I never wanted that,” Derek said after a while of pacing around.“You don’t need to worry, son. I believe everything will be alright, so worry not and keep prayin
Chapter 135: Unexpected Turnaround Two months later………“Do we really need to go see that jerk?” Rose said with dissatisfaction as the driver drove her and Derek to the station. “Of course, babe. I’m so desperate to see him, and I just don’t know why,” Derek clarified, but Rose gave a loud hiss. “So you’re suddenly concerned about a man who nearly sent you to an early grave? Absurd!” She folded her hands under her breast and turned away. Of course, that act of hers was to be pampered by her husband.“No, babe, I’m not going there because I care for him. I’m going because I have this great urge to, and furthermore, I really need to clarify something from him,” Derek explained further. “Whatever! Do as you please. What can I even do? It’s not as if you ever listen to me.”“Oh, babe, but I always do. You know you’re my best advisor,” Derek said, tickling Rose, but she remained stern. “If you always listen to me, then why aren’t you listening now? Why are you being really naughty now?”
Chapter 134: A Special moment As Rose waited anxiously in the waiting room, she noticed Sofia and Mr. Reynolds approaching her from the corner of her eye. Immediately, she turned away, attempting to avoid a conversation with them. “Rose, how long will you continue avoiding us? You know this isn’t the right time for this, right? Even if you want to be mad at us, it shouldn’t be now, please,” Sofia said calmly, standing in front of Rose. Mr. Reynolds stood nearby, listening as Sofia spoke.Slowly, Rose lifted her head and stared at Sofia. “I’m not angry at anyone; I’m just in a lot of trouble now,” she replied calmly, turning to face them. “I’m sad that Derek had to go through all of that alone, and that I’ve been blaming him without knowing the reasons behind his actions,” she continued, her voice laced with pain. “I feel terrible for not sharing in his pain or supporting him through his difficult time. I was always quick to blame him without understanding his predicament.”Sofia sa
Chapter 133: The Hidden Truth“Sorry that I had to take that call,” the doctor said, dropping his phone on the table. Earlier on, before Mr. Reynolds could say the things he wanted to, the doctor’s phone rang, alerting him to a call he had to take. “It’s nothing,” Mr. Reynolds said with a calm smile, but beneath his smile, his tension still flickered around. “Thanks for understanding, sir. So, you can start now; I am ready to listen.” The doctor assured with a bright smile, and Mr. Reynolds nodded and shifted uncomfortably on his seat. He stretched his back and cleared his throat before saying his first words, “Well, it’s a long story.” His voice was filled with emotions as he spoke. The doctor and Sofia turned to him with keen attention. Mr. Reynolds gave a sad sigh before he continued, “A long time ago, Derek’s mom died while giving birth to him, thereby leaving him in the care of his dad.”“A year after his mom’s death, I advised his dad to get remarried, seeing how difficult
Chapter 132: A Call for AlarmSofia and Mr. Reynolds waited impatiently for the doctor to arrive and give them a report. Derek had been taken to a ward, and now they were made to wait helplessly for the doctor’s arrival. A few minutes later, they saw the doctor coming from afar, and before the man could get closer to them, they rushed to him to inquire how things were going with Derek.“Doctor, how is my son doing?” Mr. Reynolds was the first to speak, and they waited impatiently for the doctor’s response. “Please, can we talk in my office?” the doctor said instead of responding, and Mr. Reynolds and Sofia gave each other a quick glance before they turned back to the doctor.“Ummmm, okay,” Mr. Reynolds responded, and they both followed the doctor to his office. They walked for a while before arriving at the doctor’s office, and upon getting there, he directed them to two seats where they sat before he occupied his. Taking his seat, he cleared his throat before turning to the adults
Chapter 131: Another Display “I need to bathe and rest too,” she made to leave, but Derek stopped her before she could make another move.“Please, I want to discuss with both of you,” Derek said, catching them off guard.Sofia quickly stopped on her track and gave Derek a quick stare. Slowly, her eyes moved to Rose, who stared back, blankly. “Ok,” she stuttered and returned to her seat. As she sat, she wondered what was going through Derek’s mind, what exactly he wanted to say to them.“Uhmm! Sorry for interrupting you, but I just couldn’t stop wondering, so I decided to inquire from you both.” Derek spoke, his eyes moving across the ladies. The room was silent for a while before he began again, “I wanted to know how you two know each other.” Derek asked the most confusing question.The ladies gave each other a shocking stare, unsure of what he meant by such a question. “What exactly are you trying to say? How do we know each other?” Rose was the first to speak, her face bathed in
Chapter 130: A Word The family sat on the dining table having dinner together. The dining table was filled with all kinds of assorted food. “Yum! This tastes so good,” Ken said with a mouth full of spaghetti. “I really missed having something this good,” he added. “I think this tastes better; the taste is just so nice,” Kendell chimed in, her mouth also filled with food.“Don’t forget the table manners, eat and stop talking,” Rose said calmly, her eyes dancing around the kids, who nodded calmly and kept quiet. “Please, let my grandchildren be; why are you dismissing them? They are marveling at this beauty, so let them,” Mr. Reynolds chimed in, his eyes quickly moving to Rose and then to the kids.The kids gave a bright smile and looked at their mom, who only shook her head and remained calm. “You see why Grandpa shouldn’t stay here? He would definitely spoil the kids,” Derek rolled his eyes at Mr. Reynolds. “Oh my! Oh my! You little brat,” Mr. Reynolds twisted Derek ears who sat
Chapter 129: A Child Three weeks later… The family has been discharged from the hospital, and now it’s time to return home. “It’s finally great to be able to return home,” Kendell releases a broad smile and looks up at her mom, who stood behind. “Right? I really wished to go home right away because I really don’t like the amount of people being rushed here daily. It breaks my heart,” Ken, who was standing next to her, chipped in with a sad scowl. “Honestly, it breaks my heart so badly that I wish to cry whenever I see such,” Kendell backed her brother.“Gosh! They talk like they have existed for ages,” Sofia, who stood not far from Rose, said to her in a surprised tone, and the entire room erupted in laughter. “You haven’t even seen anything; sometimes I wonder if they are really kids because they act so mature, and let’s not even talk about the way they talk,” Rose laughed.“I have already seen everything that is needed to be seen. The few days I have spent with them are enough
Chapter 128: A Family Chat “But I hope you are not in serious pain?” Ken asked, his voice laced with a concerned tone. “No, I am fine,” Derek lied, so his son would worry less.“Ok, I am glad you are, Dad,” Ken said with a broad smile, and Derek smiled back. “So, when are we returning home?” Kendell asked, desperation evident in her eyes.“It’s obvious you are tired of this place already,” Rose giggled, seeing the desperation in her daughter’s eyes. “Yes, Mom, I am so tired of this place and want to go home already,” Kendell replied.“Well, I seriously don’t know when the doctor would be discharging us, so I can’t answer that question,” Rose answered kindly, and Kendell pouted. “Ouch! I really wanted to go home,” she said, pushing her lips out and rendering her face in a sad scorn.“Don’t act like a baby now; you are a big girl,” Ken interrupted, already having enough of his sister’s silly behavior. Kendell gave him a deadly glare and hissed, “I am not acting like a baby; I just mis