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
As the lunch wound down, the conversation trailed into silence. Plates cleared and glasses half-empty, Yvonne and Micheal exchanged a quiet glance, their mutual resolve to part from Rebecca finally surfacing.They stood up, ready to say their goodbyes, when Rebecca reached across the table. Her hand, trembling slightly, moved toward Yvonne’s with a mix of hesitation and hope. But before she could make contact, Micheal’s hand shot out, swatting hers away with an almost defensive aggression that startled everyone.Rebecca's face froze, caught somewhere between shock and hurt. For a brief, tense moment, silence hung heavy in the air as Yvonne and Micheal exchanged looks, Yvonne’s eyes widening, a faint apology simmering there. Finally, Rebecca swallowed, regaining her composure, though her expression now seemed more fragile than before.She took a breath, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked at Yvonne, "Please, just… tell me. What are they like? The twins."“After a full stomac
In the days that followed, Yvonne remained silent about Rebecca’s presence to the twins. Instead, she maintained quiet but steady contact with her, encouraging Rebecca’s patience and cautious optimism. They exchanged messages and updates, carefully dancing around the subject of the twins meeting their birth mother. Rebecca’s genuine willingness to wait warmed Yvonne, who sensed a sincerity in Rebecca’s motives.And slowly, as Yvonne suspected, Micheal’s stance softened. He had watched Rebecca from a guarded distance, initially dismissing her as yet another entangled mess in his mother’s web. But over time, seeing her approach with Yvonne as calm and respectful, he began to consider the idea that Rebecca, too, was a casualty of his family’s relentless schemes. Micheal’s subtle acceptance was the signal Yvonne had been hoping for. It was nearly time for the children to meet their mother, and she felt assured in bringing everyone together when the moment was right. But just as she was pr
The following week, Yvonne found herself immersed in a whirlwind of balancing family life, studies, and the intricate task of preparing the children for meeting Rebecca. Micheal had loosened his reservations slightly, though he still held a wary stance. Yvonne sensed his subtle hesitations but also saw that he trusted her instincts, even if he wasn’t yet convinced. She knew he needed this transition as much as the children did, and so, patiently, she let the process unfold without rushing.One afternoon, as Yvonne and Micheal sat at home, Lily and Jack busy with a puzzle nearby, she caught Micheal watching the twins with an intense, protective gaze. She reached over, placing her hand over his. He turned to her, his expression softening."Have you thought about how you’d like to introduce them?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.Yvonne nodded. “Yes, but I think we’ll let them lead the pace. I’ve told Rebecca she should let them approach her in their own time if they choose to
That evening, as the Langston family returned home, a quietness settled among them that Yvonne couldn’t quite place. Jack and Lily had grown unusually pensive, casting frequent, searching glances at her. Yvonne held their hands as they walked inside, feeling the weight of their little fingers tightening around hers.The memory of Rebecca’s hug lingered with them all. Yvonne could still feel the faint residue of tension from Micheal, whose jaw had been clenched as he watched Rebecca embrace the twins. It had been a silent battle between wanting to allow this moment for the sake of the children and wanting to protect them from a love that had once abandoned them.After dinner, when Jack and Lily were tucked in and Yvonne was sitting beside them on their bed, Jack, with his brows furrowed, finally spoke up, his voice hushed but determined.“Mommy,” he began, his eyes fixed intently on her. “Is that… the bio mommy?”Yvonne felt her breath catch, her heart quickening at the depth in his qu
Miss Aurora sat in her high-backed chair, a faint smile playing on her lips as she gazed out at the sprawling garden outside. Her thoughts drifted back to the evening Sammy had come to her, slipping into her study with that air of controlled urgency. It had been the night David’s anger toward Yvonne had nearly spilled into chaos, and Sammy had arrived looking every bit the part of the calm, collected mastermind she truly was.Aurora hadn’t known what to expect from Sammy that evening, but the woman had exceeded every hope. She admired Sammy’s wit, her ambition, and the quiet fierceness with which she went about ensuring David’s—and her own—success. And in that night’s conversation, Sammy had laid out a plan so meticulous that it had filled Aurora with a begrudging sense of awe. Sammy was everything she could want in a daughter-in-law, someone who could be trusted to understand the stakes without letting emotion muddy the waters.Mrs Aurora had been lonely in the society circle for a l
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