When Micheal returned to Yvonne's ward, he was relieved to see her sitting up in bed, slowly spooning porridge into her mouth. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice him until he was standing right next to her. Startled, she looked up at him.He studied her intently before asking, "How are you feeling now?"“I feel nothing,” she replied.“Hollow?” he asked, sitting down on the bed beside her. With ease, he lifted her leg and began massaging her foot with gentle pressure.Yvonne didn’t react physically, but her eyes widened slightly. “Why?” she asked.Micheal’s tone remained calm as he explained, “You should be grateful for your young age. You might have had a stroke otherwise. Your body was immobile for nearly 24 hours.”Yvonne pressed her lips together, finding some comfort in his gentle touch. She watched him quietly before asking, “Jack and Lily didn’t see me like that, did they?”Micheal shook his head. “No, they didn’t. But they’re worried about you and will v
When Yvonne heard his question, a sincere smile graced her face.“Hmm. That was a hell of an experience. To be honest, I was so drawn to them that I cannot explain it with words.It wasn’t just because they’re good kids, although many children have their own mindset shaped by their upbringing. What truly caught my attention with Lily was her personality. She’s timid, but when she’s with her brother, she’s the opposite. I started to wonder, is it instinctual? Or is she mature beyond her years, able to handle herself so well?She’s barely four, and yet she can switch her demeanor like a pro. But if you look deep into her eyes, there’s a defiant fire burning within whenever she pretends to be timid in front of the other children’s teasing.And then there’s Jack. A fine young boy who always seems unbothered compared to his sister when others are around, but when he’s alone, he shows his sadness. Yet, whenever they’re both present during the teasing, he becomes emotional, standing up to pr
With her emotions stirred, Yvonne couldn’t help but delve deeper into the painful memories related to children. She had never truly expressed how she felt about that day.“I’m not insane, Mr. Langston,” she whispered softly.“I know you’re not,” Micheal replied, pushing aside his thoughts to focus on the woman beside him.“I saw it in Amy’s eyes. I saw it in David’s eyes. They were on the verge of taking me to a psychiatric hospital. If Amy hadn’t been so close to me, maybe that would’ve happened.What did they expect? I carried my baby for nine long months. I had bags full of clothes, a closet stacked with toys I bought with every penny I had. I was fully prepared to be a mother. My boyfriend grew distant after I conceived, so I talked to my baby every day. I assured my child that once David met them, he would be the proudest dad in the world.I spent every day of my pregnancy creating a bond with my child. At first, it felt like I was talking to myself, but then I started getting re
Yvonne's emotions washed over her in relentless waves. Images of David and Sammy's wedding haunted her memory, replaying over and over, and all she wanted was to shut them out. She preferred the numbness to the pain of remembering what had happened.Yvonne’s mind had conjured countless images of her baby. She imagined a fair-skinned boy or a dark-skinned girl, trying to create a picture in her mind as she desperately sought any way to remember her lost child. These hallucinations were her only connection to the child she had never been able to hold.She had known David her entire youth, and she vividly recalled how he had been there for her during her mourning period. She slowly leaned on his comfort, and when she realized her attempts to picture their baby were making him uneasy, she buried the pain deep within herself. Yvonne focused all the love she had left on David, giving him everything, including her life.Those years were spent nurturing his career. After their loss, his futur
Yvonne knew deep down that David was right. She had endured everything she noticed about him because she couldn’t imagine any life other than the one they had built together. He was also the only person who connected her to her baby. Perhaps she had been selfish, and now she was paying the price.But it hurt. Yvonne felt shattered, yet Micheal's words had reached her. Moreover, she now had two little angels in her life, and in just a few hours, they would be at her hospital ward to visit her.The thought of the children worrying about her brought a small sense of calm. Slowly, Yvonne unfolded from her fetal position and buried her face in the pillow, sobbing bitterly.“You’ll be fine,” she heard Micheal say softly, but her sobs only grew louder.A few hours later, the security guards, usually discreetly protecting the twins, were tasked with picking them up from school and bringing them to the hospital. When Yvonne saw the children, her pain was momentarily eased.Lily, sweet as alway
Finally alone in her room, Yvonne did a lot of thinking. Many of her conclusions were positive because, at the end of the day, Lily and Jack still loved her deeply.She could feel their love, and she loved them just as much. Yvonne freshened up and got ready to leave her apartment.Later in the afternoon, a lone silhouette stood outside the towering Langston Corporation building. Her auburn hair was loose, flowing gracefully down either side of her face. Her slender figure radiated sadness and melancholy, yet there was a warmth and allure about her that drew the eyes of passersby.She exuded an aura of serenity that piqued curiosity, inviting others to wonder about the personality hidden behind it. Dressed in loose black pants and a simple white blouse, the contrast between the blouse's snug fit and the loose trousers that further accentuated her hips drew attention.Many people walked in and out of the Langston building, some standing nearby as Yvonne did. But she stood out nonethele
“Is that it? Is that all you care about? And you have the audacity to come to my office, shedding your crocodile tears. I'm sure you're as disappointed in yourself as I am in you, Yvonne. You have no idea how many nights I stared at your stomach, wishing to end it all, but I had to wake up every day and pretend to be happy, all because I loved you.” David’s chest heaved with frustration, but the smile on Yvonne's face never wavered.She looked like nothing he said mattered anymore.“Are you even listening to me? I hate that smile on your face. If you were a man, I swear to God, I’d—”“You’d what?” Yvonne asked, looking up into his eyes with eerie calm. “Hit me?” She chuckled softly, wiping her tears away.“David, if you’ve harbored all this nonsense in your head, you had over four years to let it out, but you didn’t. I don’t care about the grievances of another woman's husband. You’ve punished me enough by keeping the fact that I had a son from me.All it would have taken was a single
Standing in front of the washroom mirror, Sammy stared at the red palm print on her delicate neck, which was growing more vivid with each passing minute. She winced as sharp pain radiated from her lower body, the memory of David pinning her down and taking what he wanted flashing through her mind.Her eyes hardened with malicious intent as she wished she could see Yvonne at that moment—she would have done far worse to her to vent her anger. Even after their marriage, Yvonne still haunted their lives. When would it end? She was done feeling guilty for using Yvonne in her schemes. If the situation affected her marriage, she was determined to ruin Yvonne beyond recognition.Meanwhile, David had finally calmed down and was grappling with the reality of what he had done in his anger. He couldn’t believe how far he’d gone. Seeing Yvonne’s indifferent reaction to his shocking revelation had cut him deeply. She was supposed to cry, to demand answers, and he wanted to savor that moment of powe