Micheal coughed in embarrassment. The lengths his children would go to use him to impress their new friend were immeasurable.“I am very useful,” he echoed his son's words, and Yvonne couldn’t help but burst into laughter.Micheal grew confused. “My usefulness is funny to you, Miss Yvonne? Ha, I’m glad,” he said sarcastically.“You should see your expression, Mr. Langston. You look horrified,” Yvonne replied.She was sure Micheal would never help her unpack, and his expression confirmed her thoughts. Micheal looked as if he had swallowed an abomination. His lips twitched in obvious irritation but morphed into a forced smile when his kids turned around.It was simply hilarious.“He looks grumpy, right?” Lily asked.Yvonne nodded, still smiling.“Don’t worry. He’ll do it anyway,” Jack added, and with that, both kids dragged Yvonne toward the table set for their dining in the private room of the restaurant.Yvonne's and Lily's plates were packed full of food. Jack kept filling Yvonne’s
In the end, Yvonne found herself browsing a few interior decor magazines with Lily, who sat comfortably between her legs. The little darling looked extremely pleased where she was, and the same could be said about Yvonne. As Lily gave her suggestions like an adult, Yvonne subconsciously brushed her fingers through Lily's hair. Yvonne had initially hoped to paint the walls in her preferred colors and maybe set up a small office in a corner of the room that faced the balcony, providing a serene view of the sky. But with Lily acting so enthusiastically over the designs, she immediately changed her mind. She thought about Micheal being a driver, assuming he lived a modest life. The thought of bringing the little girl's fantasy to life made her heart swell with joy. Spending on that felt more fulfilling than dressing up and booking expensive restaurants to rebuild a relationship. She knew David still felt something for her, but after how he treated her that night, Yvonne regretted puttin
Finally, Micheal was done with his task. He looked around the room with a sense of pride. He had never bothered with such mundane tasks in his life. With enough money at his disposal, he had always had helpers to take care of these aspects. However, after spending over three years taking care of his children, it didn't feel as distant as it once had, and he was proud of the outcome.With his hands on his hips, Micheal glanced around the room with his lips pursed. Jack knew that was his father's pleased expression. He jumped down from his inspection stage and raised his hand to give his father a high five. Micheal bent his tall frame and lightly pressed his large palm to Jack's small one. Jack was proud of his father; he had done a good job impressing the woman he still strongly believed would be his mommy.“Do you want to go call her to have a look?” Micheal asked Jack, who eagerly nodded his head and ran outside the bedroom. Micheal took a quick glance around and quickly smoothed the
Yvonne had no idea how to respond and merely smiled to cover up the awkwardness. She understood that Micheal was doing everything he could for his children, but how did he feel personally? It was admirable that he did so much for his children's sake, but what about his own integrity? Was he upset that he had to touch a stranger's belongings?Yvonne wondered what thoughts roamed through his mind as he helped her unpack while she sat in the living room, scrolling through magazines. “Thank you very much, Mr. Langston. Would you like a cup of water? Juice?” she asked.“Water will be fine. Daddy doesn't like juice,” Lily replied on Micheal's behalf. “They are in charge,” Micheal gestured helplessly, which made Yvonne smile softly."Water it is, then,” Yvonne said, and they all walked back into the living room.Out of excitement, the kids suggested they watch a cartoon. Micheal was used to this routine, but it was a trigger for Yvonne, who had once purchased so many different types of car
In less than two hours, the children were fast asleep.Yvonne gestured to Micheal, asking him to help take the kids to her bedroom, but he shook his head and typed something on her phone.*"15 more minutes before you can move them, or they will wake up,"* read the message.When Yvonne saw the text, she nodded in agreement and continued to hold the kids close to her. Before the 15-minute mark, she had fallen asleep as well.Micheal was transfixed by the sight. Jack sat nestled against Yvonne, his head resting on her chest where it met Lily's head, which was nestled in between Yvonne's spread thighs. Yvonne held both children protectively, even as her head slumped back.He couldn’t resist capturing the moment. He held up his phone and took a picture of the scene. The sudden click of the camera jolted Yvonne awake, but thankfully, her first instinct was to check on Lily and Jack to make sure they were alright. This gave Micheal the chance to quickly put his phone away.Yvonne’s half-clos
Micheal had been so engrossed in his work that he hadn't noticed the movements coming from Yvonne's room. She had woken up in the middle of the night, realizing she was still wearing the outfit from the dinner meeting. After changing into her pajamas, Yvonne searched for something more comfortable for the twins but found nothing suitable. Instead, she loosened their outfits to keep them as comfortable as possible. Her thoughts then drifted to Micheal, wondering how he was doing. It was strange having a man in her home who wasn't David, but she wasn't bothered by it. Micheal gave her a sense of assurance that he would never overstep his boundaries or cause problems for her, which was exactly what Yvonne needed as she navigated her new relationship with his kids.Expecting to see Micheal asleep on the couch, Yvonne was surprised to find him fully focused on his laptop screen. She approached him cautiously, stopping at a respectful distance before gaining his attention.Micheal closed
The next morning, Yvonne woke up to find that Micheal and the kids were already up. Despite their father’s refusal to allow them to bathe at her house, the kids had brushed their teeth and were ready for breakfast, which, surprisingly, Micheal had prepared.It was an omelet sandwich—simple yet delicious. Yvonne ate her portion, dazed, under the curious gazes of Micheal and the kids. Apparently, Micheal had become a devoted participant in wooing her, with his children’s encouragement.Lily and Jack had suggested their father make their favorite sandwich so that their beloved Miss Yvonne would realize that cooking was another skill their daddy possessed. Yvonne, who was used to serving others all her life, was overwhelmed with emotion at being cooked for.She chewed with dazed and misty eyes, which made Micheal frown and Jack give his father a knowing look.Micheal then made up his mind to look into David. His curiosity had finally reached its peak.“Do you love it?” Lily asked.Yvonne
When the old nanny resigned, Micheal had accepted her decision without question. He never forced anyone into his life, and he certainly wouldn’t do so with his children.However, realizing that such a sweet woman had been driven away by his mother, who wanted to replace her with someone she could control, filled Micheal with anger.His frustration deepened when he arrived home with his kids to find Susan dozing off at the entrance instead of relaxing in her room.What was she trying to portray?That she couldn’t sleep unless the kids were home? A nanny typically uses the rare moments when the employers are away to enjoy some alone time, but Susan was trying to show that she preferred them around all the time.At that moment, Micheal saw Susan in a new light, noticing how she had customized her outfit, which was supposed to be comfortable, into something stylish. Her blouse was tied at the side, ending just below her chest, while her pants were slightly lowered to accentuate her slim w
Micheal had never been one to rush his moves. Every step he made was calculated, deliberate. And now, his plan was finally taking shape.It wasn’t just about revenge—it was about balance. About consequences. He wasn’t going to lift much of his fingers to destroy David and Sammy. He was going to let them destroy each other.All he had to do was expose the truth—and let the rot eat its way through their little empire.He had taken a step back and observed. Let them feel safe. Let them think they hadn't been found out. It will made their downfall even more satisfying.He’d already identified the pressure points.David’s ambition. Sammy’s obsession.He knew what had driven them. And he knew how to make them lose it all.Sammy, for all her manipulations, didn’t care about wealth. No—what she wanted was permanence. A life with David. Security in the man she had clawed her way into. She had the skills, no doubt. If left alone, she would’ve done fine climbing the corporate ladder at any other
Micheal hadn’t moved from the same spot in hours. He had just tucked the kids into bed and slipped quietly onto the terrace outside their room.The night was still. The air held a gentle chill, the kind that slipped beneath the skin and settled deep in the bones. Birds chirped softly in the distance, and the wind rustled the trees, but even that felt far away—like he was underwater, drowning in everything he wished he’d done differently.She was gone.Yvonne had left him.She hadn’t said much—her words were soft but sharp, laced with pain. He could still hear her voice, low and trembling: “You should’ve told me. All this time, you knew something, didn’t you?”He had tried to explain, to reach for her hand, but she’d pulled away. Her eyes, once filled with cautious affection, now brimmed with something heavier—betrayal.And just like that, the air had left the room.An hour later, he was back in his study.Micheal paced the floor barefoot, his shirt rumpled, sleeves rolled to his elbow
The quiet hum of the ceiling fan was the only sound that filled the room for a long while. Yvonne sat propped up against her pillows, a warm blanket tucked around her legs, and her mother seated close beside her on the edge of the bed. The soup bowl sat in Anna’s lap, and she offered spoonfuls to her daughter between soft words and careful glances.“To say your father is trying would be an understatement,” Anna said gently, brushing a stray curl from Yvonne’s cheek. “He’s doing everything in his power to hold himself together… and to redeem himself the only way he knows how.”Yvonne gave a soft nod, accepting the next spoonful.“David was arrested. But… they had to release him,” Anna continued with a sigh, her voice growing brittle. “There just wasn’t enough evidence. Not yet. But your father—he’s not letting this go. He’s digging. Talking to people. Trying to make something stick. He wants to see that man locked away.”Yvonne let out a breath, slow and even, the soup lingering on her
To say Yvonne was surprised to be carrying a child would be an understatement. She and Micheal had been wild when it came to intimacy.It was impossible to deny—she had gotten addicted to his touch, to that other side of him that contrasted so sharply with the calm, patient father and composed CEO he presented during the day.Micheal was a passionate man in many ways, and Yvonne had grown to crave them all. He was attentive, tender, yet strong—always able to meet her desire with a fire of his own. There wasn’t a single memory with him that left her feeling regret or discomfort. And yet, they had been careful.She always took the morning-after pill, even when he held her afterward and stroked her hair with words that left her heart warm and content. It never crosses her mind that their relationship is deep enough to hope for a child together, especially when their deal was nothing but a dignified nanny until the children’s love and affection changed that notion in her heart.She remem
Micheal’s mind churned as he replayed the grainy footage, his jaw clenched tight. The recovered videos from five years ago had given him something—but not enough. Not enough to piece together the full picture. Not enough to explain the nightmare that had haunted both him and Yvonne.In the feed, he could see himself staggering down a hotel corridor, disoriented, clearly intoxicated—or worse. He barely recognized the version of himself swaying, confused, squinting at the doors as if trying to find the room number he couldn't make out.Then she appeared.A woman stepped into frame, speaking to him softly. Her hand pointed at a specific room. Without hesitation, his silhouette obeyed, walking toward the door she’d indicated. She turned and walked away like her part had been played.At first, Micheal had been baffled. The footage stopped there—nothing out of the ordinary. But something didn’t sit right.Then it hit him.He rewound. Slowly. Frame by frame.And there she was again.Sammy.T
The house felt like a tomb. Silent, suffocating, and filled with ghosts of emotions Yvonne couldn’t name.She had locked herself in for days, refusing contact with the outside world. The mere thought of facing reality made her sick to her stomach—literally. Every meal her mother forced upon her barely made it past her throat before nausea clawed its way up, rejecting the sustenance she knew she needed.She was wasting away.Her reflection in the mirror had become a stranger—sunken eyes, hollow cheeks, a shadow of herself. And yet, she couldn't find it in her to care.Because how could she?How could she pretend to be okay when the one person she had given her trust—her safe place—was the very reason her world had collapsed?Michael.She had once whispered his name with reverence in her heart, with an aching sort of longing she never dared admit to him yet.Now?Now it felt like a curse.She should be grateful, right? Fate had played a cruel joke on her, but in the end, she hadn’t los
A few hours after David’s arrest—outside the police station.Sammy stood stiffly by the station’s entrance, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she watched the doors swing open. David stepped out, his expression set in a tight scowl, flanked by his lawyer.She had done all she could. After failing to secure help from the company’s legal team, she had arranged a private lawyer for him and stayed with him through the exhausting process. But it hadn’t changed much.Yvonne’s father had opened a case against David, and while there wasn’t enough physical evidence to detain him, the investigation was ongoing. David had been warned—he could be summoned at any time.Just as David took his first breath of fresh air, a furious voice cut through the tense atmosphere."You used my daughter."David barely had time to react before Yvonne’s father stormed toward him, each step fueled by pure rage. His cane tapped harshly against the pavement, his other hand pointing a trembling finger straight at
A lot had happened that day.Micheal had barely left the twins’ room when he received an urgent call from his personal assistant, Sandra. The moment he answered, her voice carried a mix of urgency and disbelief.“There’s chaos at the company, sir. Something big happened early this morning.”Micheal frowned, gripping his phone tighter. “What kind of chaos?”Sandra took a deep breath before delivering the bombshell.“It’s about David… He was arrested.”For a moment, Micheal said nothing, his mind processing the unexpected turn of events.Apparently, Yvonne’s father hadn’t been able to stomach the full scope of what his daughter had suffered. And unlike before—when he had turned his back on her—this time, he had taken action. He had wasted no time in seeking legal justice, making sure David paid for what he had put Yvonne through.The arrest had sent shockwaves through the company. Employees had been left speechless, watching in stunned silence as one of their highest-ranking executives
The Twins' Innocent ConfrontationAs soon as Micheal left the twins' room, Rebecca took a deep breath, regaining her composure. Now that she knew the truth, her purpose had shifted—this wasn’t just about being a temporary nanny anymore. She was genuinely ready to care for the children in Yvonne’s absence.With renewed confidence, she approached the twins, a warm smile gracing her lips."Let’s get you two ready for school."But the moment her words left her mouth, she noticed a familiar exchange of glances between Jack and Lily—silent yet unmistakably purposeful, like they were communicating without speaking.Then Jack turned his gaze to her, his small brows furrowed. His voice, though soft, carried an unmistakable weight of accusation."Why did you lie to Mommy?"Rebecca's heart skipped a beat. The innocent yet mature expression on their faces made her falter, the sheer seriousness of their demeanor contrasting with their adorable features.She swallowed, suddenly feeling exposed unde