A few days later, life settled into a comfortable rhythm for the family of four. The children were thriving in their new school, eagerly sharing stories of their day each evening. Jack and Lily’s laughter filled the house, and it warmed Yvonne’s heart to see them so happy. But what truly surprised her was the subtle shift in her own life.Under Micheal’s insistence, Yvonne had begun planning to finish her studies. He had encouraged her in that calm yet determined way he always did, telling her how much she still had to live for. He noticed how uncomfortable she felt not being able to contribute financially for the kids and assured her, more than once, that he would never want her to worry about bills. However, Micheal knew that Yvonne wouldn’t fully understand that until she had her own means and saw that he would still let her keep it, all while spoiling her with everything he had.At first, Yvonne hesitated. It had been years since she left her academic life unfinished—two years lef
Yvonne was pulled from sleep by two small bodies pouncing onto the bed. She groaned, blinking against the early morning light streaming through the window. Before she could get her bearings, Jack and Lily were grinning at her with matching excited expressions, their small hands tugging on the blanket."Mommy! Mommy! Wake up!" Jack exclaimed, his voice a happy squeal.Lily bounced in place, her golden hair catching the sunlight. "It’s almost our birthday!""Two weeks!" Jack chimed in, holding up ten fingers, then realizing it wasn’t enough and giggling. "Well... not ten days, but you get it!"Yvonne smiled at the sight of them, still groggy. “Two weeks? That’s soon!” she managed to say, rubbing her eyes.“Yes!” Lily clapped her hands. “We want balloons, cake, and... can we have a magician daddy too?”“A magician?” Yvonne chuckled, sitting up as the twins made themselves comfortable around her.“Yeah! Daddy became a magician on our birthday. And we want a bouncy castle!” Jack added eage
Micheal shook his head at Yvonne’s word. “You're the Godsent in my life Yvonne. I never thought I could find happiness outside the one I held for my children's existence, but here you are. The most amazing person I've ever met. A gorgeous woman with a heart of gold. You restored my faith in humanity, baby and I never want to lose you, never.” Micheal gently pulled her back, cupped her face and kissed her forehead. Yvonne’s eyes were misty as she gazed into his own. She believed him. It was written all over his face. Micheal meant every word and cared for her.“Will it be alright to bring a dead child into the twin's life? I mean they do not have to know. It is not important for them…..” Micheal could feel her resolve wavering and cuts in, “everything about you is important to me, to the kids. They are always curious about you Yvonne and believe me when I say their age isn't doing justice to their intelligence.” He assured her.“Okay. I will try.” Yvonne said. She knew there was no w
Micheal leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to Yvonne’s temple. "That was beautiful," he murmured, his voice low and full of pride.Yvonne smiled through the tears that pricked at the corners of her eyes. She hadn’t expected this conversation to bring her peace, but somehow it had. Talking about her son—not as a painful loss but as a memory wrapped in love—made it feel like he was still with her, in a way she had never imagined before.Jack tugged on Micheal’s sleeve. "Can we get balloons for him too? Like the ones that fly up to the sky?""That’s a great idea," Micheal said warmly. "We can do that. On a special day, just for him.""And mine can have sparkles!" Lily declared, already planning her contribution.Yvonne laughed, feeling lighter than she had in years. "Of course, sweetheart. Sparkles are perfect."The twins went back to excitedly chattering about balloons, their innocent excitement filling the room with warmth.Yvonne leaned back in her chair, exhaling a breath she hadn’t
The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting soft golden beams across the apartment. Yvonne stood at the kitchen counter, carefully arranging small treats on a colorful platter. Micheal leaned beside her, a soft smile on his face as he watched her. Today was the twins’ fourth birthday, and the excitement hung in the air, palpable and bright.“Do you think they’ll like the surprise?” Micheal asked, handing her a few strawberries to add to the platter.“They’ll love it,” Yvonne whispered with a smile. She straightened the party hat on her head, the sight of which made Micheal chuckle. “I can’t wait to see their faces when they realize how many people came just for them.”Yvonne peeked into the living room, where the decorations glimmered—bright balloons floated above a table laden with gifts, streamers twisted playfully across the walls, and a banner reading "Happy 4th Birthday, Jack & Lily!" spanned the room. They had stayed up late adding these last touches after the child
The apartment buzzed with laughter and joy as Micheal took center stage, holding a deck of cards. Jack and Lily sat cross-legged on the floor with their friends, wide-eyed and eager to see what their father had in store.“Alright, who’s ready for some magic?” Micheal asked, grinning as he shuffled the cards with a showy flair.Yvonne fought so hard to keep her laughter in at the ridiculous costume Micheal was putting on.The children shouted, “We are!”With an exaggerated flick of his wrist, Micheal made the top card disappear, only to pull it out from behind Lily’s ear. She gasped, clapping her hands in amazement, while the rest of the children erupted in laughter.“Daddy! Do it again!” Jack demanded, bouncing on his knees.Micheal winked and launched into more tricks—turning handkerchiefs into flowers, making coins vanish and reappear, and even conjuring a stuffed animal that he presented to a delighted Lily.Meanwhile, Yvonne had enlisted Amy, Sandra, and the two bodyguards to perf
The birthday festivities carried on well into the night, the villa buzzing with laughter, games, and music. The sprawling garden was lit by paper lanterns swaying in the breeze, casting a soft glow over the grounds. Jack and Lily raced across the lawn with their friends, playing tag under the watchful gaze of Yvonne and Micheal. The villa was a wonderland of delights—flower-lined pathways, a small fountain, and a children’s playground nestled at the edge of the estate.Micheal had promised Yvonne a tour of their new home the next day, but the sheer beauty of the villa was already overwhelming for her. Every corner seemed to hold something special, and as she watched the children run through the gardens, her heart swelled with a mixture of joy and disbelief.The villa’s guests seemed reluctant to leave, especially the children, who had grown attached to the twins over the course of the evening. As parents arrived to began gathering their little ones, cries of protest filled the air.“I
The villa was quiet now, save for the soft murmur of conversation between Yvonne, Micheal, and Amy as they gathered near the front door. The night air was cool and crisp, and the sky was dotted with twinkling stars.“Thank you for today,” Amy said, wrapping Yvonne in a tight hug. “This was exactly what I needed—and I think your twins needed it, too.”Yvonne smiled, feeling a deep sense of gratitude for her friend. “You’re always welcome here, Amy. Anytime.”Micheal shook Mark’s hand and gave Amy a nod of appreciation. “We’ll have to do this again soon. The twins are already planning their next adventure with Aunt Amy.” Micheal said, finding himself easing more to people than usual. Amy laughed softly, glancing at the twins, who were now half-asleep on the couch, their heads resting on each other’s shoulders. “I think I’ve been adopted,” she said with a grin.Yvonne and Micheal chuckled, their hearts full as they stood together on the porch, watching their friends drive off into the n
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
A Father's RedemptionThe embrace lingered for a few precious moments, a silent exchange of love and reassurance before Micheal kissed the twins' foreheads. He pulled back gently, his hands cupping their small faces as he gazed into their wide, trusting eyes. Before speaking, he subtly wiped away the remnants of his tears, determined to steady himself."What I want you two to know is that your mother loves you so much," Micheal said firmly, his voice carrying the weight of his emotions. "She was super sad and sick when she thought she lost you two. So, have it in mind that she would never, under any circumstances, leave you again."Jack and Lily nodded, their tiny faces etched with a seriousness that melted Micheal’s heart. He would have smiled at their cuteness if not for the crushing despair that lingered in his chest. What he was about to say next mattered more than anything.He took a deep breath. "So, what I want to say is… if you two want to go to her now, she won’t say no. But
The Weight of Truth The morning light filtering through the curtains should have felt warm, comforting even, but it did nothing to ease the cold tension hanging in the room. Rebecca’s finger hovered over the call button, her pulse quickening as she struggled to think of another way to handle the children’s sudden withdrawal. The silence from the twins was suffocating, their usual bright energy drained into something distant and unreadable. Just as she was about to press the dial, a deep, weary voice stopped her. "Don’t call her." Rebecca jolted, her grip on the phone tightening. She turned swiftly, her gaze landing on Micheal, who stood at the doorway, his face shadowed with exhaustion. His usually sharp eyes were dim, weighed down by sleeplessness and something much deeper—regret. Without another word, Rebecca ended the call, slipping the phone into her pocket as she stepped aside. She recognized the authority in Micheal’s voice; this was a conversation meant only for him and his
The night stretched on, thick with unease, shadows pressing against the walls of Micheal’s home. He sat in his dimly lit study, the amber glow of his whiskey swirling in the glass he hadn’t taken a sip from. His hands clenched the armrests of his chair, knuckles white from the pressure.He was drowning in emotions too intense, too suffocating.Anger, at the sheer audacity of David and Sammy—the realization that Yvonne’s misery had been orchestrated for a business deal.Confusion, at how he had been placed at the centre of it all without his knowledge.And above all else—fear.Fear of what this truth meant. Fear of the possibility that he had unknowingly been the reason Yvonne’s life had unravelled. The woman he loved. The woman he had vowed to protect.Was he her nightmare?He wanted to reject it, to push the thoughts away, but they wrapped around his mind like chains, dragging him deeper into torment.He needed answers.If his mother had orchestrated this, then she was not above lyin
The room was thick with silence—so heavy it felt suffocating. The air itself seemed to pause, unwilling to carry the weight of Yvonne’s confession any further.Yvonne had just summarised everything she had been through, leaving out the fact that Micheal happened to be the man who had been the catalyst of her horror. The man had unknowingly become a tool to ruin her life.Across from her, her parents sat frozen, their expressions carved from pure shock. Her mother’s lips trembled, her eyes wide and unblinking, while her father’s face had lost all its color, drained of warmth, of disbelief, of every ounce of composure he once held.Two minutes passed. Not a single word was spoken.Then, like a fragile thread snapping under unbearable tension, her mother let out a heart-wrenching sob. She clutched her chest, shaking her head as if she could somehow will away the truth. Tears streamed down her face, and with a broken cry, she lurched toward Yvonne, wrapping her in the fiercest, most despe
The moment Yvonne stepped through the grand gates of her family’s estate, a heavy weight settled onto her chest, pressing down like an invisible force threatening to suffocate her. The sight of the familiar stone pathways, the towering oak trees lining the driveway, and the grand house standing against the twilight sky—all of it should have been comforting. But instead, it shattered her. This was home. The place where she had once felt safe, loved, untouchable. And yet, it had also been the place where she had been cast aside, left to fend for herself in a world that had swallowed her whole. Her legs barely carried her as she stepped into the house, the familiar scent of lavender and aged wood filling her lungs. The warmth of the golden lights did nothing to chase away the chill in her bones. She was trembling, her hands clutching her coat as if it could shield her from the memories clawing at the edges of her mind. Her mother was the first to see her. “Yvonne?” The voice was s