Hayley returned to her living room that night, her distress and tiredness palpable. She had just checked in on Daisy who was already tucked into bed by her babysitter, Freya. It was past 9 pm when Hayley glanced at the wall clock to check the time.Her face contorted with anguish and bitterness as she took a seat on the couch. Her heart was thudding rapidly, and her head still throbbed with ache from all the chaos that had happened that evening. She regretted ever attending the stupid double date, especially since she had no idea Clara was going to show up there later, unaware. Adrian had told her that Clara had declined his invitation, thus leading Hayley to believe everything would be fine between herself, Adrian, and Leonardo. She thought she could handle them, coupled with Leonardo's cooperation. However, her plans were ruined by Clara's arrival. Hayley was taken aback when she saw Clara there later. She had considered leaving immediately, but she couldn't bring herself to do it
July 8th, 2024. Hey, my cherished readers. Hope you all are doing great!And I also hope y'all are enjoying this story. Thanks for choosing my book. We clocked 1K followers two days ago. Thank you for 1.1k followers today! I appreciate all of you, TBH. Thanks a lot for the support. It really means a lot to me, you guys. I love you all from the bottom of my heart. Please do well to keep reading, and don't forget to vote with gems and leave a honest review in the comment section. This would help me grow my audience as a writer. Thanks for understanding. Once again, I love you all. I see all your comments, and I know who your favs are (lol). Just keep reading and trust me to satisfy your wishes. Thank you. Muah, kisses. Xoxo, Your humble Author, Author Mira.
The middle-aged woman, who appeared to be in her early sixties, emerged on the screen, dressed in an elegant fluffy, white coat that perfectly accentuated her stylish hat as Liz enthusiastically introduced her.A hint of smile etched on her slightly wrinkled face as she waved to the camera cheerfully, before turning towards Liz, expressing her heart-felt gratitude. "Thank you, Miss. May, It's a pleasure to be here." Wendy smiled as she took a seat on the plush chair across from Liz's, ready for the upcoming interview section. With the kind of warm smile currently plastered on Wendy's face, one would find it pretty hard to discern her true nature. But not Hayley. She could see past the facade. Liz May, a young brunette, and the host of the show playfully waved her hand off Wendy's formal address as she chuckled. "Oh please, Mrs. Forbes, just call me Liz."Wendy chuckled in response, nodding her head in affirmation before she added. "Oh, my mistake. Thank you, Liz. Is that better?"L
Hayley didn't know when she broke down again in tears. Her heart clenched painfully and she tightly held onto her chest, her face twisting with bitterness as fat, ugly tears trickled down her cheeks. She couldn't believe it. Six whole years had passed, yet this woman still harbored resentment towards her and now wanted to have her head. What had Hayley done to deserve this? Why couldn't Wendy just leave her be? What was the deal with her? Hayley vividly remembered the day Wendy had told her that she was just a victim in her game of revenge. What had she even meant by that? Hayley couldn't decipher the depth of Wendy's hatred towards her. But one thing she knew for sure was that Wendy was never going to stop. She wasn't going to give up until she destroyed Hayley completely. She might have somehow found out that Hayley was still alive. But how? How did she know? Who would've... Wait... Emily? No. It couldn't be. Hayley shook her head as she reasoned. It couldn't possibly be. Emily wo
Their eyes locked in an intense stare as Leonardo studied her features, his eyes shifting to notice her physical condition. Hayley's messy bun complemented her tear-stained face, making it not very difficult for Leonardo to see she had been crying all night.Hayley also looked very tired and sad, and this worried Leonardo. The last time he had seen her in such a state was the day he had filed for divorce, six years ago. It caused his heart immense pain, seeing how downcast Hayley looked.Leonardo's heart sank, his insides bubbling with hurt as he locked eyes with her again. His voice was laden with concern and hurt as he asked softly. "Baby, are you alright?"Leonardo watched Hayley hesitate, her eyes blankly staring at him for a moment, before she eventually bit her lip and shook her head, with tears welling in her eyes. With a shaky voice, Hayley replied tearfully. "Nooo." She cried out, her voice breaking and her face contorting with anguish as she broke down again, no longer con
Two days later- Monday.Hayley handed her daughter to Mrs. Haworth after bidding her goodbye before returning to her car. She hopped in and sat behind the driver's seat, trying to gather her thoughts for a moment. As she stared into a distance, outside the windscreen, her mind wandered away. Today was Monday, marking two days since Wendy's announcement on the news. Hayley was certain every one of her colleagues and friends, including Adrian must have watched or heard the news by now. Despite Leonardo's reassurance to her that he would take care of the problem, Hayley couldn't shake the fear and nervousness that lurked within her. She was scared, anxious and worried. She knew sooner or later, everyone in her office would be talking about the matter. It was an inevitable conversation. How would she even cope in her office later?Hayley drew in a deep breath, her mind racing with thoughts. It was only a matter of time before her doom.Thirty thousand bucks was a whole lot of money. An
Leonardo pressed the device against his ear as he listened intently to his friend, Massimo, who was on the other end of the line. His face remained expressionless, though flickering some hints of annoyance as he listened further. He didn't seem to be enthusiastic about whatever Massimo was saying to him that morning. Yes, Leonardo had reached out to him as soon he got to the office, to figure out a solution to Hayley's predicament. If anything, Leonardo trusted Massimo implicitly as the only one capable of rectifying the unpleasant situation. But now, it seemed the man was hearing a different thing from his supposed reliable friend.After a momentary silence, Leonardo's once-calm expression shifted into frustration as he retorted indifferently. "What do you mean it's not possible, Massimo? For fuck sake, I already promised Hayley I would take care of this! What are you trying to say?"Massimo's deep voice reverberated through the phone as he attempted to explain, dismissing Leonardo'
Hayley sat behind her desk in her office, her fingers gliding across the mouse as she worked with diligence on the computer in front of her. It had been two days since her ass got exposed... or not. Drawing in a lungful of air, She exhaled heavily as she felt a wave of relief and peace washed over her for the umpteenth time that afternoon, her heart swelling with gratitude. At that moment, all she could think was thank goodness. Thank goodness for Leonardo. As much as she hated for it to be so, he was her savior. He had really kept his promise to her to protect her and keep her safe again. Safe away from the uncalled-for attention that accompanied Wendy's vindictive announcement and acts for her head. How Leonardo had managed to do it, Hayley still didn't fully understand. But she was glad it was all over now. She was glad nothing had changed between her and Adrian, who was still oblivious to the truth. Despite feeling a pang of guilt in her heart for still deceiving him, she was g
A brief wave of disbelief washed over Leonardo as he stared at Hayley in astonishment. "What?" he blurted out absentmindedly, a hint of excitement seeping into his voice.Hayley felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she observed his reaction, realizing this was the first time she had seen his response to her pregnancy news."Are you serious, baby?" Leonardo asked, his eagerness palpable as his gaze shifted to Hayley's abdomen, contemplating whether she was teasing him or if she truly meant it.A genuine smile spread across Hayley's face as she rolled her eyes at his question. "Yeah, duh...""Mi reina!" Leonardo exclaimed, a surge of pure excitement bubbling within him. He could hardly fathom it. His joy was boundless as he reached for Hayley's hand, holding it gently.Hayley reveled in his excitement, her eyes filled with affection as he began to speak."Hayley Forbes..."She interrupted him, shaking her head playfully. "No, it’s Nina or Hazel now. I can't go by that name anymore, Leona
Hayley hurried with overwhelming joy and excitement toward Leonardo's room, with Daisy beside her. Her elation was palpable as she realized that Leonardo was awake; she could hardly contain her eagerness to see him. At the same time, Leonardo engaged in conversation with his brother, Lorenzo, who had remained by his side since the women had departed an hour earlier following his awakening. Leonardo had undoubtedly been taken aback to see his family upon waking. However, his initial surprise gradually shifted to confusion when he noticed the absence of both his woman and daughter. However, they had reassured him that Hayley had stepped out briefly and would return shortly, while Daisy was in another room with Rosalie and Emily. With this information, his anxious heart began to settle as he accepted their reassuring words. After a further thirty minutes had elapsed without Hayley's return, Leonardo's concern began to intensify. Unable to contain himself, he called out to Lorenzo, who
.Hayley returned to the hospital after delivering the lawsuit documents to the wardress at Wendy's prison. Approximately an hour prior, the prosecutor, Alexa, who was overseeing Hayley's case, had provided her with the papers following their meeting. Hayley then drove to the prison, where Wendy and Lillian were incarcerated, and handed the documents to the wardress, choosing not to visit any of them. That was the least of her concerns; her only interest in seeing them was during the court proceedings, where the judge would render his final decision. With a sigh of frustration, Hayley pulled herself back to the present as she made a right turn onto the highway, heading towards the hospital. She recalled that the love of her life remained unconscious when she left earlier, and a wave of anxiety washed over her as she wondered if he had awakened from the coma. Thoughts of Leonardo tightened around her heart, causing her anguish. Hayley eventually regained composure as she caught sight
Wendy collapsed on the ground, her head buried in her palms as she absorbed the news of Alison's sudden accident. It hit her like a thunderbolt, shattering her heart into pieces. Her daughter had been involved in an accident and according to what the wardress had mentioned, Alison had also fallen in a coma after the incident. Wendy swallowed, her face flooded with tears. Her heart ached painfully as she grappled with the reality. How could this be? How did this happen? She felt a pang of guilt constrict her heart tightly, knowing she was mostly responsible for the unfortunate circumstance that had befallen her daughter. If she hadn't gotten herself in trouble in the first place, none of this would have happened. With that, her cries intensified as she remained on the ground. "I'm very sorry, ma'am," The wardress tried to sympathize, her tone laden with pity. But that did little to console Wendy, whose thoughts were all over the place. Meanwhile, Lillian had also been shocked upon he
"What are you saying? He has a guardian! You can't take that action."Lillian's heart raced with anxiety as she absorbed the unsettling information relayed to her over the phone. Despite her efforts to maintain her composure, her hand trembled slightly as it pressed the receiver to her ear. Beads of sweat began to form on her temples, and her anger flared as the caller finished her statement.Her grip on the phone tightened, and Lillian shot back, her frustration palpable. "What do you mean by that? You can't do that! He has a mother! I am his mother!"She fell silent as the caller replied, a response that clearly unsettled her. Lillian started again. "Listen, you cannot do this to me. Ethan is my son. I’ll be out of here very soon. Just be patient, please." Lillian pleaded, a tear streaming down her cheek that she quickly brushed away.She listened closely to the caller's words until the line beeped, indicating the call had ended.Her heart shattered, and fresh tears flowed down her
Hayley headed out of the hospital as soon as she received the news about Freya's capture. Right after Lillian was apprehended, she had instructed an officer of the law to discreetly conduct a search for Freya, ensuring that she returned to the city in one piece so she could serve her fair punishment for her actions. Hayley was quite surprised by the speed of the development, however, that was the least of her concerns at that moment. A blend of satisfaction and annoyance brimmed within her as she headed out to the awaiting car, parked in the hospital lot. She had nearly forgotten Emily was trailing behind her until Emily's voice sailed into her ears, pulling Hayley from her thoughts. "Where are you going, Hayley? Who was it on the phone?" Emily pressed, her tone filled with concern. Realizing she hadn't shared the news with her, Hayley stopped midway and turned to Emily in an attempt to placate her confusion. "I'll be right back, Em. I need you to stay behind and watch my mother a
Hayley made her way to the restroom section of the hospital and leaned against the door once she stepped inside. Her heart raced, stirred by memories of her confrontation with Clara.Painful tears stung her eyes despite her efforts to remain composed and resolute. She felt she didn't deserve to cry. If anyone ought to shed tears, it should be Clara, not herself. She hadn't done anything wrong.With this resolve, Hayley sniffled back her emotions, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand before heading towards the sink to wash her face. She stared at her reflection in the mirror afterward, her chest heaving. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled before further questioning herself if she had been too harsh on Clara or if she truly deserved what she got from her. Her thoughts were disrupted as the door to the bathroom swung open, startling Hayley. Without moving an inch, Hayley caught a glimpse of the person who had just walked in through the mirror and saw it was Emily."Hey, ar
Meanwhile, Clara watched in silence as she absorbed the affectionate scene unfolding before her. Occasionally, her gaze would trail from the newfound couple to Hayley, who watched with enthusiasm and joy. Clara felt her heart pricked painfully, once again remembering that she and Hayley were no longer friends. And it was all her fault. She literally betrayed Hayley. Abandoned her when she needed her the most and turned her back to her in her times of trial and peril. She wondered if Hayley was ever going to forgive her for her actions.Sure, she had only acted out because she didn't like the way Hayley's deception affected Adrian. But recognizing Hayley's other predicament with Wendy and Lillian, she had now come to understand why Hayley had lied to them about her identity in the first place. She was obviously running from something and just didn't want to get entangled with her past again. It was unfortunate that Leonardo had just shown up to thwart those plans of Hayley.Reflecting
A momentary, awkward silence enveloped the trio as Hayley and Adrian's gazes remained fixed on each other, each moment stretching painfully. Hayley was obviously heartbroken, recognizing Adrian still didn't remember her at all. She couldn't believe all the memories they shared had all been erased from his mind. It was a painful realization.However, she inhaled deeply after a moment and forced a smile to appear on her face as she started, "It's good to see you, Adrian. I'm glad you're doing okay," Hayley said, her smile faltering as she averted his gaze.Adrian's response was curt. "Yeah, you too." He paused before adding. "And I apologize for not recalling who you are. My memory's quite messed up at the moment..." He apologized, seeing Hayley's devastation was palpable.Hayley lifted her gaze to him again, her eyes flickering between his face. She stared into his naive emerald orbs and her insides fluttered with warmth. At least he apologized for not recalling her. That was somethin