Natalie's POV
It was a Saturday evening, and I had just finished preparing dinner in my kitchen. I stepped out to the dining table to serve it. However, I saw that my elder sister had visited us.
I watched as my husband, Franklin Howard, was laughing so hard with my elder sister, "haha!"
What pained me more was seeing the way he got along with her. Franklin had 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 a mistake that led to Frank and me getting married. A mistake that I shouldn't have accepted.
Taking you back to three years ago, my father and Frank's father were best friends. And while my father had a business party at home, he invited a lot of tycoons.
One thing led to another, and Frank and I were caught in my room.
I knew Amelia was the one who set us up, but no one believed me. Even Frank didn't believe me. He felt I was the one who drugged him and lured him to my room so that he would sleep with me.
We were forced to become a couple to hide the embarrassment as Frank's family were also disappointed. Everyone knew I was the illegitimate daughter of my father, and they would be wondering why my father had kept me since instead of kicking me out and allowing Amelia to marry Frank.
It was after my wedding with Frank that I discovered Amelia had a hidden crush on Frank. She regretted drugging my drink, as that was what I had served Frank when he came to speak to me on that eventful night.
A lot of invitees had also come with their children who were all adults, but none of them came to speak to me.
I was already 22 years old then, naive, and with Frank and I caught in a compromising position on the bed. We got married while Amelia wept that Frank was supposed to be her husband.
Frank didn't like me. After that night, we didn't sleep with each other, and I didn't conceive either, even though it was my first time.
We were living like neighbors who hated each other, and now that Amelia had graduated, Frank wanted to divorce me to marry her.
How shameless of a sister to want to date her younger sister's husband?
Amelia is so shameless. Frank is five years older than me, and as I'm 25 years now, he's 30 years.
I watched as Frank, wearing a white singlet that revealed his masculine abs, as he loved to gym. He was fair-skinned in complexion, more handsome than any other men I had seen. His skin glittered like the sun, and I see the way Amelia is drooling over him.
Frank is very tall. His arms are bigger, and likewise, his thighs. I am not up to Frank's chest, to tell you, I'm a shorty. Although, I have an hourglass shape.
Frank doesn't, in any way, find me attractive.
"How was your studies, Amy?" I heard Frank asking Amelia. He had switched from calling her Amelia to Amy as her shortened name.
Amelia blushed as she picked up the glass cup of wine that Frank had refilled, as I sat at the dining table setting up our dinner.
We have no maid at home, simply because Frank mandated that I won't be going to work when I don't have any meaningful certificate.
As the illegitimate child of my parents, I didn't further my education, and I was forced by my stepmother to learn tailoring, while Amelie went to Harvard University and she was a certified accountant.
I wasn't even allowed to sew, as Frank felt it was a useless profession as becoming a fashion designer.
He calls me ugly and says that I wasn't fashionable.
He doesn't like to take me out to hang out with his friends, neither does he give me money for upkeep.
I only managed to get money for my upkeep when he gives me money to restock the house with foodstuffs. Only then, I managed to see money to save for my personal use.
"It was fine, Frankie," Amelia replied. I hated as Amelia and my husband were calling themselves pet names.
This was my matrimonial home, and Frank only calls me "Natalie!"
In short, he shouts my name with so much rage, like he doesn't want to see me.
"Natalie! Is the dinner ready?" He asked me, just as he settles across from Amelia on the next black couch in our exquisite living room.
I was through preparing the delicious African delicacy of pounded yam and vegetable soup.
I looked at the food that I had prepared and at my husband and my half-sister.
"Natalie! I am talking to you!" Frank shouts at me again.
"Hmm, no food for you both," I replied, and covered the food that I had already served.
Firstly, I didn't invite Amelia to my home. Neither will I serve her any food. She should get out and return back to our father's house and look for her own husband to be calling pet names with him.
Frank immediately rose from the couch and he dashed up to meet me.
"Where are you taking the tray of food too? Have you lost your mind?" Frank slapped me as he approaches me and collected the tray from my hand.
I looked at him irritably and at Amelia, who smiled and rolled her eyes, as I knew her target. She wanted to collect my husband.
She sent me a text message the previous month, telling me that she was coming back to collect everything that I had stolen from her, including my husband.
"Frank, you slap me because of what? I cooked this food, and you cannot eat it," I sobbed.
"Why? Did I not give you the money you used to prepare the meal? Did you work for the money? Move away and get me a bowl of water to wash my hands, and do not think I that I will apologize to you because of the slap. Come, Amy, do not mind your sister. That's how silly she behaves," Frank calls out for Amelia, and I watch as she seductively stood up from the couch in her brown dress that made her look like a model, as the brown dress accentuated her hips and bosom.
Amelia smiled and walked up to the dining table, and I stood there watching as Frank served her the delicious plate of pounded yam and vegetable soup that I had suffered and cooked.
I know Amelia was my sister, and I wasn't supposed to be jealous. But Frank has never served me any food before, not to mention the one that I cooked by myself.
Frank also saw that I didn't serve any bowl of water, and he went to the kitchen by himself and brought a bowl of water for Amelia to wash her hands.
Frank sat across from Amelia, and Amelia was blushing, not caring to ask me to join them in eating.
"Frank!" I shouted and walked toward the plate of soup that I served out for myself, as that was the portion that Frank had served for Amelia as her own plate of soup to eat.
"What's wrong with you, Natalie? Should we leave this food for you to eat? Come, Amy, let's go out to get something more palatable to eat," Frank said, standing up from the dining table, and I hated it whenever I suffered to cook, and my husband would have to go out of our matrimonial home to eat.
"Frank!" I tried to stop him, and he warned.
"Stay away from me, Natalie. Just go and eat your food since you don't want your sister and me to eat it. Who knows if you have poisoned it."
"Frank," I frowned as Frank's words broke my heart. He quickly took the stairs in our living room and dashed upstairs to his bedroom.
Yes, Frank and I have different bedrooms. I looked back at Amelia and shouted at her, "You shameless slùt, aren't you ashamed to be dating your sister's husband? As beautiful as you are, you cannot use your beauty to look for your own Husband!" I cussed at Amelia, and she hissed.
"Get out of my house!" I was enraged, remembering that Amelie and her three older brothers never liked me. They mostly maltreated me, and while I had thought that getting married, I would have my own happiness and family.
Yet this very same family that doesn't want my happiness wouldn't let me be.
As I rushed to push Amelia out of our house, she fell down and pretended to be hurt.
Natalie's POV"Ah!" Amelia cries out like the doll that she was, and Frank rushed up to meet us."What did you do to her?" Frank 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, bite 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 on, 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 A
Franklin's POV"You're right. We would have become married, but it's not too late to divorce your sister now. Natalie isn't up to my standard, and I do not like her," I say as the waiter brought our dinner, and Amelia smiled sweetly."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 married," Amelia said, tears gathering in her blue 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 again."Really! 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 the
Franklin's POV"Okay," Amelia replied, and we started eating the chicken pepper soup that the waiter had earlier served us.We didn't speak to each other while eating, as the pepper soup was spicy. After we were through, and we had some few drinks, I was beginning to feel a light headache, and I smiled at Amelia and told her,"I have to go home now. How about we meet up tomorrow, Sunday, again? Do you go to the church?""Um, yes, Frank. But I would like to have some time with you today. You know, just you and I," Amelia touched my hand, and I quickly withdrew them, understanding what she wanted."No. We cannot do anything silly as for now. I'm still married to your sister, and my family isn't aware that I want to divorce her now," I told Amelia, as I was beginning to sweat despite the air conditioning unit in the private parlor.Amelia frowned and tried to touch me again as she said, "No one would know, Frank. I have always wanted you, and now that I'm back, we will be together, and yo
Natalie's POVI fell asleep on the living room couch, waiting for my husband, Franklin Howard, to return home after he left the house with Amelia.When I awoke, it was 10 pm, and I heard the loud banging on the door followed by the doorbell.I rushed over to the door to see who was there and unlock the door, after seeing that Franklin was back. He began accusing me of drugging him.I was stunned and thought he was joking, but he was damn serious. Franklin carried me in his arms, not giving me a chance to explain, and took me straight to our bedroom on the top floor.Before my mind could register what he was about to do, he slammed me on the king-size bed and started kissing me."Frank...." I moaned, as his lips captured mine.Franklin had not kissed me since we got married. He doesn't want to acknowledge me as his wife. He mostly avoided me and says that I am not his wife.Franklin ate my food and said he doesn't like eating outsiders' foods. That they don't cook it well and often mism
Natalie Jackson;I rushed downstairs to the living room of our enormous mansion and quickly picked up my second phone that I had left on the center table.Unlocking the screen, I swiftly placed a call to Dr. Famous Joseph. He was our family doctor, and since I got married to Franklin, Dr. Famous had been the one coming around to treat us whenever Franklin or I fell sick.Franklin hardly visited the hospital, so he invited Dr. Famous sometimes. I was scared of anything happening to my husband. Even though I knew Franklin didn't like me that much, it hasn't gotten to the point of me wishing him death.The day was bright and sunny, being a Sunday, and the phone call went through."Hello, Doc.""Yes, good morning, who is this?" Dr. Famous asked me, taking me by surprise that he didn't have my phone number stored on his phone."Doc, I'm Mr. Franklin Howard's wife. Please, there is a case of emergency at our home. Frank came home last night acting drunk, and I don't know what happened to him
Natalie Jackson;Dr. Famous offered me a warm smile as he saw me descend the stairs and approach him. He was sitting on one of our black couches, waiting for my husband Frank and me."Frank will be with you shortly," I let Dr. Famous know, and he smiled at me.A few moments later, Frank, with an angry face, came downstairs and stopped to greet Dr. Famous in the living room.Dr. Famous also stood up and shook hands with Frank. "Good morning, Mr. Howard."Frank and Dr. Famous shook hands, to which Frank replied, "Welcome, Doc.""Your wife already told me what happened, but I would like to perform some tests on you to know what truly happened and where you got drugged," Dr. Famous said, but Frank remarked, "You don't have to worry yourself with that, Doc. I will get to the bottom of this matter by myself, but I'm a little better now.""Are you sure, Mr. Howard? I would like to draw a sample of your blood to perform some tests and to know the cause of the problem. How about we meet at the
Natalie Jackson;I stood aside, looking from my husband to my sister. As Franklin was asking her if she was alright."No, Frank, allow me to go home. Natalie must rot in jail today!" Amelia sobbed, and Franklin tried to speak to her, not to leave our house, but she refused."I'm a model, Frank! Look at what your stupid wife did to me!" Amelia said, turning her hands for Franklin to see the bruises that the cane had caused her."She dare to flog me just because I came here to visit you guys.""Did I invite you? Leave here, you bitch, and go back to our father's house. Aren't you ashamed of yourself to be lusting after your sister's husband? Are we in good terms that you would claim that you come here to visit us? Do I need your stupid visits?!" I barked at Amelia, and her blue eyes narrowed at me."You won't get away with this, Natalie! Get ready to rot in jail!" Amelia cried and got into her car, as she shut the car door and left.I was satisfied that I had disciplined her as I wondere
Natalie Jackson;As I walked downstairs and into the living room, Franklin was trying to calm Amelia down as he was standing beside her and speaking to her. "Calm down, Amy, we can discuss this amicably. It hasn't gotten to the point of you involving the police in this. Didn't you think about my reputation and yours as no one knows Natalie."Yes, I wasn't a public figure, but my husband and half-sister were celebrities with millions of followers on their pages."No way, Frank! Don't tell me to calm down. Your wife attacked me, and she has to be punished. Your ex-wife, I mean," Amelia said, and my eyes narrowed at her words as I finally descended the stairs and looked at the officers in black uniform standing in my living room."Good morning, Police officers," I greeted the two policemen who were looking at me in disbelief.I was short, but I had an hourglass shape."Good morning, Madam. Are you Natalie Jackson?" One of the two policemen asked me, as I saw the way his eyes looked at me—
Natalie's POV."I feel so emotional right now," I told my husband as we walked into the house together."You don't have to feel that way," Franklin said to me as we walked into the living room together."I just felt like your mother and your sister should have not left us right now," I laughed sadly and wiped off my tears, and my husband smiled and hugged me."You can always go and visit them if you want. My Dad's home isn't far," he said, caressing my shoulder warmly, and I nodded."I know," I hugged him and pulled him into a kiss as he was taller than me."Thanks for being a wonderful husband," I told Franklin once our lips parted, and he smiled."You're welcome," we kissed again and went to join my mother upstairs, since she was in her room with my twins and looking at us.The sun was hot, so we didn't want to take the twins under the sun to say their goodbyes to their grandma and aunt.As I went to pick up my phone, guess what I saw. It was a message from Amelia, showing me a diam
Amalie's POV.As I arrived at my father's house, I drove my car into the residence and parked it.I recalled Micheal's attempt to kiss me goodbye when he returned back with my son for us to leave.Almond was crying, not wanting to let go of Micheal. And I was shocked that he was already fond of Micheal's touch.It reminded me of Almond's one-year birthday. Micheal came to see me and celebrate with my baby, but it was a low-key celebration and not like it was aired.Sighing, I turned off my car and got out. I moved over to the passenger seat at the front to get Almond out of the car and I took him indoors."How did the event go, Amalie?" Mom asked, as soon as I got into the living room."Good evening, Mom. It went well. Although it is more like a family reunion stuff in their house. So I didn't wait for the event to end," I told my mother, and she said,"That's fine. As long as you attended it," Mom replied from the couch where she sat watching the flat-screen television and the teleno
Natalie's POV.As I finished breastfeeding my son, I laid him on the bed and stood up to check outside the window of the room on the top floor.The sound of a car arriving caught my attention and I moved ahead to the balcony to peer on who had arrived.A black car drove into our residence and parked. Taking a closer look at the car, Susan came out first and I knew that Franklin's mother and sister had arrived.Susan donned a blue top and black trousers as she got out of the car, smiling from cheek to cheek.As I stood there at the balcony, I watched Susan walk back to the trunk of the black SUV and pull out two boxes."We're home!" She exclaimed as she shut the trunk of the car.Mrs. Kimberly got out of the car wearing a deep green dress and black shoes. She smiled, just as Franklin walked up to welcome her."Welcome, Mom," Franklin hugged his mother and his sister politely, and I saw my mother arrive from the grocery shopping that she had gone to do.Sighing, I moved away from the ba
Amelia's POV:"Why are you standing behind me? Since when did you get here?" I asked Micheal as I met his gaze, and he smiled."I came out immediately you left the hall. It wasn't necessary for you to have told Natalie where you saw the photos. I didn't bother to tell her since she is already married," Micheal said with a sad smile on his face, but I asked him, "You know that she is married, and yet, you stored a married woman's photograph in your album. Anyway, it's none of my business. I have to go home now with my son and say my goodbye to your parents."I told Micheal just as I walked up to meet him to take Almond away from his arms. But to my shock, Almond refused to come with me as he clutched tightly to Micheal's shirt, not agreeing to let go."He is our son, Amelia. Not your son alone," Micheal said, smiling after seeing that our son doesn't want to come with me."Fine. You can take him to your house and take care of him. I have to go home now. Let me tell your parents goodbye
Amelia's POV:Honestly, I had not expected to kiss Micheal. Or for him to kiss me. The way he looked at me made me blush, but recalling that he had my sister's photos for that long period of time made me jealous.I took my phone and dashed away from his bedroom, stepping out for some fresh air and coming downstairs to the ground floor for the party."What happened between you and my brother, Amelia? Your face appears so flushed," Gloria Austin asked me as I went to the couch to meet her.She had changed from her casual red dress and now she donned a blue dress that was designed with diamond embroidery at the top and the bottom of the dress. It was a sleeveless dress, but it perfectly accentuated her figure."Nothing," I told her as she sat there drinking, and she offered me a drink."Do you care for some? I know that you wouldn't want to go into detail about what went on doing with my brother, after I left you with him. But from the look of it, I can tell that you and Micheal are gett
Michael's POV:I arrived here earlier and met my mother in the living room. She informed me that Amelia was here with her grandson and said, "Maybe she went upstairs with Gloria.""Alright, Mom," I went upstairs to find my sister and Amelia, as I was not expecting to see Amelia in my father's house.But to my shock, she was in my room, instead of my sister's room, and she was going through my photo album.I had kept those photos for years, with the hope of showing them to Natalie, but Franklin snatched her and refused to divorce her. What hurt me more was Natalie's confirmation to me that she loves Franklin and cannot divorce him. I knew that I cannot have her, and it was all Amelia's fault.Now, she accused me and looked at me like I had wronged her."Michael, what are you trying to do?" Amelia asked, avoiding me as I marched up to meet her."You walked away from my mother, and not only that, you want to ruin her happy day of reconciliation with my Dad, just because of your personal
Amelia's POV"I want to send this pictures to Natalie. How can Michael have this photographs with him? I cannot recall meeting him then. Not to mention Franklin. It means he had been in love with Natalie for long," I lamented after snapping some of the pictures.It was part of the reason I disliked my sister then. She had a bigger bust than me. Her hips were very inviting, even me as a woman was jealous, so I derived joy in bullying her.She got that perfect body, despite her being short."There's no need to send these photos to Natalie. She is married now, and these were throwback photos. I only wanted you to see photos of my brother and not this," Gloria said, but I had already sent all the photos to Natalie and Franklin."I don't care. Your brother should better explain how he got this. Did he pay someone to spy on my sister and me? How can he have pictures of Natalie and me in bikinis, when we don't have them?" I asked her, although we had the videos recording from our 18th birthd
Amelia's POV:"Good morning, Dad, Mom," I greeted my parents in the living room as I came downstairs and saw them seated together on the couch.It was a Sunday, and Dad and Mom don't go to church often."Morning, Amelia," Dad replied, wearing a white garment, and my mother wore a white nightdress and sat beside him."Where are you off to?" Dad asked me, seeing me dressed up and carrying my son in my arms."I am going to the Austin's residential estate. But I would like to have my breakfast first before leaving the house," I told my father, and he smiled."That's good. Come, let us have breakfast together. Do you know their house address?" Dad asked me, rising up from the couch as he walked up to the dining table to meet me and Almond. As I set my son to sit next to me in the dining chair."Not really," I replied, and my father nodded and said, "I will give you their address."Mom came over to the dining table and joined us for breakfast. A maid walked out of the kitchen and served us
AMELIA'S POVI felt relieved after chatting with Natalie, and she advised me to give Michael a chance and not push him away now that he wanted us to get back together.Sighing, I went to plug my phone into its charger. However, it rang with an incoming call from Paul."Hey, Amelia. What's up? I wanted to know if you have gone home as I am about to leave the party now?" Paul asked, and I told him,"I am at home.""Alright. Take care of yourself. Will you be attending the Thanksgiving service tomorrow? Although they will go to church and do the rest of the party in their family house, and only family members can honor the event," Paul said, and I told him, "I will. How about you?""Well, I am not attending it, as I am still pissed off that Michael didn't tell me about you before my return. I feel bad, and I don't have to pretend with him like I am okay about it," Paul lamented, and I could feel his frustration."I'm sorry," I apologized to him, and he said, "It's okay, Amelia. None of i