The hallway leading back to the master bedroom felt longer than Yvonne remembered. The villa’s elegant decor, usually so warm and comforting, seemed cold and distant. Her legs wobbled, her knees buckling beneath her as they moved. She felt the walls closing in on her, the weight of what had just happened crashing down like a wave she couldn’t outrun.Suddenly, the ground tilted, and Yvonne’s vision blurred. Before she could hit the floor, strong arms encircled her waist, pulling her back from the brink of collapse. Micheal’s grip was firm and steady, holding her close as she struggled to catch her breath."Yvonne," he said urgently, his voice a low, worried murmur. "Are you okay?"She couldn’t speak. Her throat felt tight, and the world spun as she clung to him. Her eyes were wide, unseeing, her mind trapped in a whirlpool of fear and doubt. Micheal’s heartbeat thundered against her chest as he held her, refusing to let go.Without waiting for an answer, Micheal swept her off her feet
Yvonne steadied herself, determination flashing in her eyes. She pulled back from Micheal’s embrace, her hands lingering on his shoulders as she looked deeply into his worried gaze. She could read his vulnerability, the silent fear that perhaps she would decide to blame him, to distance herself. But she knew better — they didn’t need to fear each other. The real threat was out there.She took a steadying breath and reached for his hand, her voice calm yet resolute. “Micheal, before we make any drastic decisions, we need to verify her claim.”He hesitated, his fingers tightening in her grip. “Are you sure we need to do that?” he asked, almost in a whisper. “I already sent someone to follow her. It’d be easier to make her… disappear. I don’t want her interfering in our lives.”Yvonne’s gaze hardened, her tone unyielding. “No one is disappearing, Micheal. We can’t just brush her off without knowing the truth.”Micheal sighed, his shoulders tense as he tried to argue, but Yvonne shook her
The day went on as usual, despite the turmoil in the adult's mind.Micheal’s fear was palpable. He was clinging to Yvonne so much that the children had asked why their daddy is stealing their mommy’s attention all to himself.Micheal felt like if he looked away, Yvonne might disappear. He knew her past and despite acting along with her proclamation of being strong, Michael couldn't forget the onl word Yvonne had spoken to the woman. She had said “she already came between them.” Micheal was worried and it reflected in his sleep. Yvonne watched him toss and turn in the middle of the night. Sometimes holding her so tight she felt like her bone would break and other times, he would be covered in sweats.Yvonne woke the next morning with Micheal’s arms still wrapped around her, a quiet warmth radiating between them as the morning light began to filter through the curtains. For a moment, the memories of yesterday felt like a distant echo, softened by the peace she let herself feel despite
The new Micheal received was simple. Rebecca was clean and had indeed just returned to the country and was picked up by one of his mother's security detail from the airport.So far, there wasn't a lie in the woman’s claim. His men that had been tailing her since the previous day also had something to share and it wasn't pleasing at all.The woman was said to be shopping for children's toys as if preparing for a meeting with Lily and Jack. Micheal had vowed to not keep things from Yvonne, hence he had no choice but to share.There was a sense of foreboding in the air, the usual warmth of the family outing muted by the weight of the news Yvonne and Micheal were about to share.Yvonne sat on the carefully laid mat, her fingers nervously tracing circles over the fabric as she waited for Micheal to join her. Her eyes darted around the environment, lingering on the twins, smiling and playing carefree, each memory piercing her heart with an aching fondness. She could hear Micheal’s steady f
The night unfolded with an eerie stillness in the Langston home, broken only by the soft sounds of Yvonne and the twins moving up to bed. Jack and Lily had clung to her since the moment she had comforted them, refusing to let go of her hands as if she were their lifeline. They nestled beside her, each of them burrowing into her arms with a desperation that made Yvonne’s heart ache. She could feel their steady, rhythmic breaths calming, their bodies finally relaxing against her. But she knew the pain still lingered within them, quietly nestled between their small frames and the darkness of the room.As Yvonne lay there, staring into the dim ceiling above, she gently ran her fingers through Lily’s hair, soothing the child until she fell into a deep sleep. Jack’s hand rested on her shoulder, his little fingers curling every now and then, as if needing reassurance she was still there. Every so often, Yvonne could feel a soft hitch in their breaths, the remnants of their earlier tears, and
As dawn crept into Micheal and Yvonne’s home, a soft blush of sunlight spilled through the curtains, casting gentle shadows across the room. But the calm of the early morning was shattered as the door to Micheal’s bedroom opened, and Jack and Lily hurried in, their bare feet making quick, urgent sounds on the floorboards.“Daddy!” Lily’s voice wobbled with worry, her hands clasped tightly together as she peered around the room. Jack, standing close beside her, mirrored her anxious expression, his gaze scanning the bed.Micheal stirred, his sleep-heavy eyes opening as he registered the children’s presence. He sat up, rubbing a hand over his face, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. “What’s wrong?” he asked gently, sensing their unease.Lily’s voice quivered as she explained, “Mommy … she wasn’t there when we woke up.” The simple statement hung in the air, heavy with fear and confusion. Jack nodded silently, his small fists clenched by his sides.Micheal let out a soft sigh, pull
After the conversation, the twins got cooperative and happily eat their food, pleased the situation wouldn't be forced on them. It was their choice and they are sure they wouldn't like anything about a woman that could replace their mother. Micheal and Yvonne took them to school.As the car rolled up to the school, Yvonne glanced back at Jack and Lily, giving them an encouraging smile as they gathered their bags. The twins returned her smile, though there was a lingering flicker of hesitation in their eyes. Yvonne felt a pang, understanding their reluctance after their conversation that morning, but she gently squeezed their hands as they climbed out."You two go have fun, alright?" she said, her voice warm but firm, reassuring them in the way she had promised she would. "I'll be right here when it's time to pick you up."The twins nodded, giving her one last hug before dashing off toward their friends. Yvonne watched until they disappeared through the school doors, her heart both he
Yvonne’s sudden request to visit Rebecca hung in the air between them, and Micheal’s expression shifted from surprise to concern. He turned to face her fully, searching her gaze as if he hadn’t fully understood.“Yvonne…” he began slowly, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t know enough about Rebecca to feel comfortable with you going alone. I’m not even sure what kind of person she is.”Yvonne met his gaze calmly, her resolve unmistakable. “That’s exactly why I need to meet her, Micheal,” she replied. “Before I let her anywhere near Jack and Lily, I have to know who she is now. What she’s like. I can’t make that judgment without getting to know her myself.”Micheal fell silent, his jaw tensing as he looked away, a mix of frustration and something deeper flickering in his eyes. He let out a slow breath, and when he finally turned back to her, the vulnerability in his expression caught Yvonne off guard.“I feel like… like you’re helping prepare this other woman to take your place
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