Micheal’s jaw tightened as he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. Yvonne could sense the shift in his demeanor—he was about to tell her something that weighed heavily on him. The room felt quieter, as if even the air around them held its breath.“You wanted to know about Lily and Jack's mother,” he began, his voice low but steady. “Well, to understand that, you need to know about my family.”Yvonne nodded, her gaze locked on his face, bracing herself for what was to come.“I ran away from my family’s suffocating grip years ago,” he continued. “Their traditions, their expectations—it was like living with a noose around my neck. They had my whole life planned out from the moment I was born. Who I’d marry, how I’d run the family business, everything. So, I left. I needed to breathe, to figure out who I was outside of their control.”Yvonne’s brows furrowed as she listened, her heart aching for the man in front of her. She could see the pain and frustration etched in his ex
Micheal’s heart skips a bit at the weight of her words. He could feel it- this moment that hung between them, thick with emotions. “You don't?” He asked softly, as if needing to hear it again to be certain. Yvonne nodded meekly, her cheeks flushing, warmth creeping across her skin, betraying her vulnerability. The silence that followed was charged, their eyes locked, each breath shared between them. Time seemed to slow as they sat there tethered to the moment. Yvonne broke the stillness, her voice trembling. “Micheal I wasn't confused about the desire I sense from you. I was confused about myself….. I am broken Micheal and although I might seem like I have moved on, I'm terrified. I am afraid that one wrong move, one unintended mistake, will shatter me….. and destroy everything we have built.” Her voice cracked, the raw honesty of her confession filling the room. She swallowed hard, her chest rising and falling with every breath as she gathered the courage to continue. “I don't
Micheal’s breath hitched as Yvonne pressed herself even closer to him, her fingers trailing over his chest as she appreciate his well sculpted figure. The man hides lots of goodness under his usual former attire, not that he looked less captivating with clothes on, but Yvonne really like the unclothed version more. The world outside seemed to vanish under the intense atmosphere in the room, leaving only the two of them in this electrifying moment, tethered by the unspoken emotions and promises between them.Micheal tilted her face to draw her attention from his body to his face and kissed her again, slower this time, savoring the warmth of her lips, the softness of her skin as his hands roamed over her, brushing against her waist, her back. Yvonne's body responded instinctively, arching into his touch, her own hands trembling as they explored the firm lines of his shoulders and chest.Micheal’s hand guided her to sit around his thighs straddling him and before she could get comfortabl
Yvonne lay in the bed, her body still humming from the intensity of what had just happened. Her thoughts raced, trying to grasp the reality of the moment. She had just consummated her contract marriage with Micheal, and the sheer pleasure that coursed through her still lingered like a soft whisper against her skin. Was this real? she wondered. Her heart fluttered in disbelief as her mind replayed every tender touch, every heated kiss. The way he made her feel—loved, cherished, desired—was unlike anything she had ever imagined. She sighed softly, her thoughts drifting deeper into the memory. It was more than just physical, she realized. It was a connection that ran far deeper. She had given herself completely, and it had felt so right, so natural. Her heart pounded in her chest as her mind swirled with everything that had just happened between them. How could it feel this good? Micheal, lying beside her, noticed the faraway look in her eyes, her lips curved slightly in thought. He c
Yvonne stirred from her deep sleep, the soft murmurs around her pulling her back into consciousness. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open, only to be greeted by three pairs of wide, curious eyes staring down at her. She jerked slightly in surprise, her body still heavy from exhaustion."Mommy, you're awake!" Jack’s excited voice broke the silence, but Yvonne’s heart raced as the events before her sleep came rushing back.Memories of the intimate moments she had shared with Micheal replayed in her mind, bringing a hot flush to her cheeks. Shyness overtook her as she glanced at Micheal, who stood at the side, watching her with a tender gaze. But as warmth spread through her, another feeling pushed forward—concern for the children.She quickly turned her focus to Lily, her heart skipping a beat as she rushed toward the little girl. Kneeling beside her, Yvonne checked her forehead, her pulse, anything to ensure she was alright. Her panic subsided as she found nothing wrong.Lily, sensing her
After dinner, the evening unfolded in a way Yvonne hadn’t expected. The children, still full of energy, convinced her and Micheal to play a few games with them. It started with a playful academic quiz—Jack and Lily’s favourite. Yvonne asked questions about animals and colours while Micheal handled the math problems.“Lily, what’s the fastest land animal?” Yvonne asked with a gentle smile, watching the little girl’s eyes light up.Lily shot her hand up with excitement. “Cheetah! The cheetah is the fastest!”“That’s right, baby!” Yvonne praised, feeling warmth in her chest as Lily beamed with pride.Not to be outdone, Jack tugged on Micheal’s sleeve, “Daddy, give me a hard one!”Micheal chuckled, ruffling Jack’s hair. “Alright, here’s a tricky one. What’s 6 times 8?”Jack scrunched his face in concentration. After a moment, he smiled triumphantly. “48! It’s 48!”“Good job, champ!” Micheal said, giving him a high five. Yvonne couldn’t help but admire the way Micheal interacted with the c
The call had dropped before she reached for her mobile.Yvonne sat on the edge of her bed, now staring blankly at the message from her father. The sudden request to return to the family estate after nearly five years gnawed at her. Her father had banished her for defying his wishes, for daring to live a life outside of the path he had carved out for her. And now, out of nowhere, they wanted to reconnect? It didn’t make sense. Her phone buzzed again, breaking her trance. Her mother was calling.With a reluctant sigh, Yvonne answered, holding the phone up to her ear."Yvonne, sweetheart, did you get your father’s message?" her mother asked, her voice brimming with a strange enthusiasm."I saw it," Yvonne replied tersely, keeping her emotions in check.Her mother took a deep breath, as if preparing for a speech. "This is such a wonderful opportunity to make amends, don’t you think? To fix things between you and your father? We've all made mistakes, but now is the time to come together as
Micheal folded his arms, watching Yvonne's delicate fingers trace the edges of the luxurious box. Though his gaze was on her, his mind wandered elsewhere. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about Yvonne’s sudden summons from her parents. Why now? Why after years of silence? And why did it have to coincide with his mother being in the city? He’d avoided prying into Yvonne’s past out of respect, but now… now he couldn’t help but wonder if his mother had something to do with it.But that thought would have to wait. Right now, all he wanted was to see Yvonne smile."Go on, open it," he urged, a playful smile tugging at his lips. He stepped closer, setting down the bags in front of her—one containing a large, beautifully wrapped box, the other smaller, holding elegant jewelry.Yvonne raised an eyebrow, a small smile forming on her lips as she sat on the couch and pulled the first box toward her. The paper crinkled as she carefully unwrapped it, revealing the contents insi
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
A lot had happened in one day.Micheal paced his study, his hands trembling as he replayed the events of the evening in his mind. The image of David’s smug face, the sound of his own fist connecting with David’s jaw, and the suffocating fury that had consumed him—it all played on a loop. He paused, his fists clenching at his sides as his chest heaved.What had come over him? Why had he let his anger drive him to such an impulsive act when he had the resources to destroy David in a hundred calculated ways?He sank onto the edge of the couch, his head in his hands, disbelief washing over him. He was Micheal Langston, a man who prided himself on control and strategy. Yet tonight, he had thrown that all away."Yvonne..." he whispered her name, his voice breaking as his mind wandered to her. She had suffered enough, and now, David’s cruel revelations had reopened old wounds. Micheal felt his blood boil.The past had haunted him long enough. If Yvonne truly was the woman he had slept with f
The silence after Micheal’s departure was suffocating. The sound of the door slamming shut echoed in the grand foyer of David’s villa, leaving Sammy and David alone in a thick tension that hung in the air like a storm cloud.Sammy’s chest heaved as she stood frozen, staring at David, who leaned against the wall, clutching his bruised side and dabbing at the blood on his split lip. The sight of him—disheveled, angry, and utterly unbothered by the disaster he had just ignited—sent a surge of fury coursing through her veins.“What the hell is wrong with you?” she shrieked, her voice trembling with fear and rage as she stormed toward him. Her fists came down hard on his chest, again and again, with a strength born of desperation. “Are you trying to ruin us? Is that it? Do you want us to lose everything we’ve worked for?”David winced but made no move to stop her, his eyes blazing with defiance. “I’m not the one ruining anything! That bastard Micheal—”“Don’t you dare blame him for your id
The silence in the car was deafening, broken only by the faint hum of the tires against the asphalt. Yvonne gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white from the pressure. She didn’t know where she was heading initially, but as the skyline of the city blurred past, one destination solidified in her mind: her parents' house. She hadn’t willingly stepped foot there in years, but something about tonight—about everything—pulled her back. She just wants warmth and her mind couldn’t help but drift back to when she was still little and doted on by her parents.They had expressed regret for what they had done and although Yvonne still couldn't bring herself to forgive them, she needed that warmth.Amy is miles away and not in the condition to shoulder her burden with her. She has no one else to reach out to. Her phone buzzed on the passenger seat, jolting her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen. It was Micheal. Her first instinct was to ignore it, but then she thought ab
Yvonne ended the call with Amy, her heart pounding as the words replayed in her mind. She glanced at the dashboard clock—barely an hour had passed since her confrontation with David, but it felt like an eternity. The silence in the car was oppressive, the faint hum of the engine doing little to soothe her nerves.Her grip on the steering wheel tightened as she pulled onto the main road, the familiar route to “Micheal’s” house filling her with dread. It wasn’t home anymore—or was it? Her thoughts spiraled as her breathing grew shallow.The children. Jack and Lily.She could picture them now, curled up in their beds, innocent and blissfully unaware of the chaos that had consumed her life. They were hers. The realization still felt unreal, like an out-of-body experience. Her chest ached at the thought of them waking up to find her gone.“I can’t leave them,” she whispered, her voice trembling. However she didn't want her children to see the pathetic side of her either.Additionally the t