(Franklin Howard)"You are not our members, right?" she asked, and I quickly replied, "Yes, Ma. We came here seeking the fruit of the womb, but your mother already attended to us."I forced a smile even when I didn't want to."I can see that. But come to my office. I can still see how to help you both," she said as she walked away, while her mother continued with her walking and exited the house. We followed the middle-aged woman to her office, except for Natalie's mother, who went after the old woman to speak with her again.I wondered what Natalie's mother had to ask the old woman. It was really shocking that Mrs. Agnes Jackson had actually cursed Natalie and made Natalie's childhood difficult.Natalie looked sober, so I walked up beside her and held her hand.We followed the woman into her office, and she sat down on a red mat and looked at Natalie, just as she told us to wait.Her office, as she called it, looked more like a shrine, with white curtains on the wall, and she did som
(Natalie Jackson)Franklin and I arrived home, and my mind was in chaos, wondering how I would approach my stepmother and apologize to her.Mrs. Agnes hated me with a passion that I was aware of. I sighed while Franklin looked at me as he drove his car into the premises just after Alex opened the gate and welcomed us."You don't have to worry about going to see your stepmother. I will accompany you," Franklin said. I looked at him and told him, "Okay. But I am certain that she won't forgive me. I am so sure about that.""It's okay. Remember the prophetess said it's not compulsory that your stepmother must forgive you, but you should apologize to her.""Alright." I sighed and focused my gaze on the front of our house while Franklin parked his car. I carefully got out, and he came out and met me just after locking his car.Franklin gave the ice cream to me, but my mood was still down, knowing that my stepmother was behind my setbacks and childlessness.*What did she exactly do?* Well,
Natalie Jackson.Arriving on the second floor, I could feel my heart beating loudly in my chest.Asher pushed the door open and led me into the sitting room.Mrs. Agnes Jackson was perched on one of the white couches in the sitting room, going through a fashion magazine. But as her eyes locked with mine, she spat out the juice into her glass cup and dropped it on the coffee table. Glaring at me, she demanded, "What are you doing here? Asher, what is she doing here?""Mom," Asher let go of my hand and walked over to meet his mother.Mrs. Agnes shifted her focus away from me to her son, waiting to hear his explanation. However, I took it upon myself to approach her, kneeling beside her feet to apologize."I am sorry, Mother, for being a bad daughter to you." I knelt a short distance away from Mrs. Agnes, and she laughed, saying, "Hahaha. What is the meaning of this nonsense, Natalie? Get out of my presence. I don't care if you are a good daughter or a bad daughter to me. You are not my
Franklin's POV:"Natalie, open this door," I called to my wife, seeing that she had locked herself in her room.I shouldn't have agreed for Natalie to go and apologize to her stepmother, but I had to do what the prophetess said. I had to ensure that Natalie didn't disobey her words; now Natalie is making me extra worried."Natalie..." I called her name again as I couldn't believe that she was asking me for a divorce. I didn't like the fact that with any little misunderstanding between us, Natalie would immediately bring up divorce. I had told her that I didn't want to divorce her.We are already a couple, so why was she eager to divorce me? I assumed it was because of Michael that she wanted to leave me for him."Natalie, don't make me order Wesley to get a carpenter to come and remove this door. Open it now!" My voice was loud, and after a while, the room door unlocked, and Natalie stood there with her tear-streaked face."What has come over you? Is your stepmother a god that you sho
**Natalie**Hearing the sound of voices coming from the ground floor, I roused from my sleep and went to see who the people discussing there were.Pulling the balcony door unlocked, I was surprised to see Michael and one of my elder brothers, Asher, and I wondered what brought them here."Natalie!... Hi!" Michael waved to me, and I frowned after seeing that Franklin's car had left the estate.It was a picture-perfect view from this balcony to take a look around the city.I held my flowing dress that the wind was pushing forward."Good evening, Michael. What do you want? Franklin isn't around," I replied after seeing that my husband had left the premises. I didn't want Franklin to return and assume that I cheated on him."Are you alright, Natalie? I came to see you and to present you with these flowers!" Michael said, raising the bouquet of roses, and looking up at me. Asher sighed and moved over to his car. "No. I am sorry, but I cannot accept them. I cannot cheat on Franklin with yo
Natalie Jackson:It was on a Saturday evening, just after I finished preparing our dinner. I came out to the dining table to set it up, but then I saw that my elder sister had visited us.I watched as my husband laughed so hard with my elder sister.What pains me more is seeing the way he got along with her.Franklin Howard has never laughed like this with me before, and here he was, laughing loudly with my elder sister in the living room.Amelia Jackson was my elder sister. We have the same father but different mothers.My mother was once a mistress to my father, and because I was the unwanted child, my family didn't like me.I had three older brothers, James, Asher, and Felix. All doting on Amelia.Amelia and I were age-mates, but she was only a month older than me, so that makes her my elder sister.We were both fair in complexion, but while she was tall, I was short and chubby.Frank is a Billionaire in this part of the city that we live in, and he never liked me, his wife.It was
Natalie Jackson:"Ah!" Amelia cries out like the doll that she was, and Frank rushed up to meet us."What did you do to her?" He growled at me as he softly helped Amelia up.I didn't even push her with force as I only wanted to drag her out. And because she saw Frank rushing downstairs to meet us, she faked it like she was hurt."Frank, your wife, I mean, Natalie, bit me just now and pushed me away," Amelia held her arm and sobbed as she got up from the floor.Frank looked at me angrily and spat, "I cannot believe that you would do this to your only sister. You aren't even the legitimate daughter of Mr. Liam and yet you cannot treat your sister right. Come, Amy, let's go out and eat, and allow her to eat her food alone."Tears welled up in my eyes as I stood watching them. The day was Saturday, and definitely, Frank doesn't go to work on Saturdays and Sundays.I sobbed, wanting to stop them, and I went outside just in time to see Frank getting into his car after he had helped Amelia to
Franklin Howard:"You're right. We would have gotten married, but it's not too late to divorce your sister now. She isn't up to my standard, and I do not like her," I said as the waiter brought our dinner, and Amelia smiled sweetly."Really? How about me? I have always admired you then. Honestly, that night, I felt sad seeing that Natalie drugged you and used you as her pawn to escape from our parents' home. She's just wayward, and I had always admired you then, hoping we would become a pair," Amelia said, tears gathering in her eyes.I sighed."Do not worry, I will end my marriage with Natalie, okay? And she can move on with her life with whomever she pleases; I do not care," I told Amelia, and she smiled."Does that mean you will consider dating me now? I really do love you, Frank?" Amelia asked me, looking at me sweetly.She was really beautiful, and with her blue eyes shining, I couldn't say no to her request.I had always wanted to date Amelia. I used to like her then. She was tal
**Natalie**Hearing the sound of voices coming from the ground floor, I roused from my sleep and went to see who the people discussing there were.Pulling the balcony door unlocked, I was surprised to see Michael and one of my elder brothers, Asher, and I wondered what brought them here."Natalie!... Hi!" Michael waved to me, and I frowned after seeing that Franklin's car had left the estate.It was a picture-perfect view from this balcony to take a look around the city.I held my flowing dress that the wind was pushing forward."Good evening, Michael. What do you want? Franklin isn't around," I replied after seeing that my husband had left the premises. I didn't want Franklin to return and assume that I cheated on him."Are you alright, Natalie? I came to see you and to present you with these flowers!" Michael said, raising the bouquet of roses, and looking up at me. Asher sighed and moved over to his car. "No. I am sorry, but I cannot accept them. I cannot cheat on Franklin with yo
Franklin's POV:"Natalie, open this door," I called to my wife, seeing that she had locked herself in her room.I shouldn't have agreed for Natalie to go and apologize to her stepmother, but I had to do what the prophetess said. I had to ensure that Natalie didn't disobey her words; now Natalie is making me extra worried."Natalie..." I called her name again as I couldn't believe that she was asking me for a divorce. I didn't like the fact that with any little misunderstanding between us, Natalie would immediately bring up divorce. I had told her that I didn't want to divorce her.We are already a couple, so why was she eager to divorce me? I assumed it was because of Michael that she wanted to leave me for him."Natalie, don't make me order Wesley to get a carpenter to come and remove this door. Open it now!" My voice was loud, and after a while, the room door unlocked, and Natalie stood there with her tear-streaked face."What has come over you? Is your stepmother a god that you sho
Natalie Jackson.Arriving on the second floor, I could feel my heart beating loudly in my chest.Asher pushed the door open and led me into the sitting room.Mrs. Agnes Jackson was perched on one of the white couches in the sitting room, going through a fashion magazine. But as her eyes locked with mine, she spat out the juice into her glass cup and dropped it on the coffee table. Glaring at me, she demanded, "What are you doing here? Asher, what is she doing here?""Mom," Asher let go of my hand and walked over to meet his mother.Mrs. Agnes shifted her focus away from me to her son, waiting to hear his explanation. However, I took it upon myself to approach her, kneeling beside her feet to apologize."I am sorry, Mother, for being a bad daughter to you." I knelt a short distance away from Mrs. Agnes, and she laughed, saying, "Hahaha. What is the meaning of this nonsense, Natalie? Get out of my presence. I don't care if you are a good daughter or a bad daughter to me. You are not my
(Natalie Jackson)Franklin and I arrived home, and my mind was in chaos, wondering how I would approach my stepmother and apologize to her.Mrs. Agnes hated me with a passion that I was aware of. I sighed while Franklin looked at me as he drove his car into the premises just after Alex opened the gate and welcomed us."You don't have to worry about going to see your stepmother. I will accompany you," Franklin said. I looked at him and told him, "Okay. But I am certain that she won't forgive me. I am so sure about that.""It's okay. Remember the prophetess said it's not compulsory that your stepmother must forgive you, but you should apologize to her.""Alright." I sighed and focused my gaze on the front of our house while Franklin parked his car. I carefully got out, and he came out and met me just after locking his car.Franklin gave the ice cream to me, but my mood was still down, knowing that my stepmother was behind my setbacks and childlessness.*What did she exactly do?* Well,
(Franklin Howard)"You are not our members, right?" she asked, and I quickly replied, "Yes, Ma. We came here seeking the fruit of the womb, but your mother already attended to us."I forced a smile even when I didn't want to."I can see that. But come to my office. I can still see how to help you both," she said as she walked away, while her mother continued with her walking and exited the house. We followed the middle-aged woman to her office, except for Natalie's mother, who went after the old woman to speak with her again.I wondered what Natalie's mother had to ask the old woman. It was really shocking that Mrs. Agnes Jackson had actually cursed Natalie and made Natalie's childhood difficult.Natalie looked sober, so I walked up beside her and held her hand.We followed the woman into her office, and she sat down on a red mat and looked at Natalie, just as she told us to wait.Her office, as she called it, looked more like a shrine, with white curtains on the wall, and she did som
(Natalie Jackson)As I rushed out of the house and made my way towards the exit gate, I heard my name, "Wait, Natalie! Come over, let me escort you."I looked back at the front of the house and saw Franklin walking over to his car, the black SUV."Come, let me give you a ride. Although I don't feel comfortable about this," Franklin said, and I sighed as I rushed back to his car to meet him."You shouldn't worry about it. My mother wouldn't take me anywhere evil," I assured him as I hurried to his car to join him inside.Franklin had changed and was now wearing a white shirt and black pants, paired with black shoes.He opened and shut the car door carefully after I had settled into the front passenger seat, then he entered the driver's seat and drove out of his residence."So where are we heading to?" Franklin asked me as he slowed down on the estate street and looked at me."Wait, let me call my mother," I smiled as I quickly withdrew my phone from my handbag and reached for it to giv
**Natalie's POV**One week later, after Amelia had welcomed her baby, Franklin's mother came to our home to see us.I was in the kitchen cooking since it was Saturday. I heard the sound of a car driving into the garage, and as I went out of the kitchen to see who it was, I was surprised to see Franklin's mother get out of the car, looking at me with irritation."Good morning, Ma," I greeted her, but she looked away without responding. I sighed and went back into the kitchen as I continued cooking.Later, I came out to the dining room to serve the meal since it was still morning."Franklin, how are you and your wife comfortable staying together when you don't have any children yet? Chris's wife has given birth to a bouncing baby boy, and yet you and Natalie don’t have any kids yet," his mother said."Mom," Franklin sighed, seated across from her in the exquisite living room."We will have kids, Mom. Stop pressuring us about it. We will have kids in God's own time," he replied to her."
Natalie's POV:Franklin and I went up to the third floor where Amelia was admitted. As we arrived, we met Amelia's mother, who was happily looking at her new grandson, but as soon as she saw me, she shouted, "What are you doing here?!"Mrs. Agnes quickly petted the baby to stop crying as the baby in the bed woke up startled by her voice."Mom, I invited Natalie over. Can you just let her be?" Amelia asked her mother, who frowned."I don't want to see Natalie here. Do you want her to infect you with her bad luck?" Mrs. Agnes asked Amelia, who frowned."Mom, that's enough. Natalie is my sister, and it's not like you gave birth to another sister for me to have. Just let her be!"Mrs. Agnes looked pained, but she quickly brushed it off and replied, "Fine. Let me just see my grandchild and leave you two alone."I sighed as James, Asher, and Felix arrived in the room and they went to congratulate their sister."Congratulations, Amelia. So finally, I am an uncle," Asher said happily as he we
Natalie's POV:"Frank, what Michael and I were discussing was only family matters. He was saying that he doesn't love Amelia enough to marry her.""But he wants you," Franklin replied, and I sighed and nodded."I already told him that we weren't going to divorce. He was asking if you will change in the long run of our marriage?" I asked Franklin as he drove the car home in silence.Franklin didn't reply to me, and I didn't bother to ask him again about whether he was going to change.As we arrived at his estate gate, Franklin slowed down his car for the security men to open the gate, then he asked me, "Do you think I am going to change?""I don't know," I replied. "Change is always constant, and anyone can change over time. Maybe if you get bored with me or if we are still unable to have children."Franklin's blue eyes darkened, and he replied, "I cannot change. I married you because I wanted to. Yes, I was childish then, but I've come to realize that a part of me is addicted to you.