[ Sebestian ]"Do you want me to carry you inside?" I glanced over my wife who was walking very slowly with steady steps.She shot me a murderous glare."I can take care of myself, so worry about yourself, Mr. Blackwood because you won't be touching me for next seven days." She threatened me and her face showed no humour."I'll give you a good body massage, I promise because this punishment is too long and severe. I won't survive after three days." I apologized to her."Let's focus on the matter in our hands." She ignored my sincere apology. She looked clearly pissed off.I scratched my nape and thought to make it up to her by taking her on a romantic date in the same evening.The doors of my parents' mansion were opened by the guards and we stepped inside. My mood turned sour as the suffocating environment enveloped us."Calm down, Seb. We won't be staying here for long." She squeezed my hand."Where are my parents?" I asked a maid who stopped to bow."They are in the dining area, ex
[ Charlotte ]I hate lying to my husband. The guilt was too intense. That man trusted me and I lied on his face.I received a text from Jonathan who asked me to meet him at his apartment as it wasn't safe for us to discuss the lead he found out on Seth and his connection with the anonymous family.My heart was restless. I prayed that it wasn't a bad news because after a long time, my hopes were rekindled.What if I find my child?She'd be a grown up girl. Would she recognize me or accept me as her mother? Would I be able to love her as much as I love Ace?These questions occupied my mind. In no time, I reached at Jonathan's apartment in the suburbs. I already texted Tara to reschedule the meeting around two as I had no idea how much time it would take."Don't tell Sebestian or anyone else that I came here." I instructed my bodyguard and driver."Sure, Ma'am." They nodded."You may leave. I'll come to office with Jonathan." I ordered them and with a deep inhale of oxygen in my nervous
[ Charlotte ]I sighed as I stared at the cafe stood in front of me. I looked at the photograph in my hand.This was it.I dug all the informations that Jonathan gathered and it brought me to my destination. I had the address and all the informations on the Harerra family. Nadia's husband owned this cafe as per Jonathan's investigation. My phone vibrated flashing Sebestian’s number. Guilt again trapped me. I had to lie to him so I could fly thousands of miles to a small town in Cuba to meet the Harerra family. "Hello, Seb, I was about to call you. The flight got delayed." I answered the call cheerfully. I didn't want him to get suspicious. "I am missing you, love. This was an unexpected trip. You could talk to your client and ask them to come to New York." He said in a slow voice and my heart constricted. "I am sorry, love but they're old couple and have issues to air travel. It was least I could do for them. Trust me, I'll fly back as soon as possible while you can catch up with
[ Charlotte ]"Miss, are you listening?"Her melodious voice floated through my ears and forced me to come out of my shock.There she was, frowning at me with those mystical blue eyes and a mirror image of mine. I was clueless. It was a dream or she was actually standing right in front of me.A beautiful girl, the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Her eyes shone brightness when she passed me her radiant smile.I felt the strong pull towards her, the very intense one which I felt when I first held Ace in my arms.My eyes blurred with fresh tears. I didn't know if I was happy or paranoid but I knew she was mine."Arianna, what are you doing here?" A male voice echoed in the calm air and her smile immediately dropped.She looked terrified."I have to go, my dad is angry." She looked really panicked."So, you're here troubling our customer." A man, whom I recognized as Jeremy Harerra, came there, his eyes glared down at the girl who was trembling like a dry leaf.Anger boiled my blood. I
[ Charlotte ]After spending almost two hours with my daughter which flew like two seconds, I decided to walk us back to the cafe. My heart sank. Although, we a great time together, she told me everything about her school, her friends, toys and her hobbies which I listened carefully, yet my heart ached to engulf her in my arms and hold her forever.She had grown to resemble me, just like Sebestian wished if we had a baby girl. I thought about my husband. The time had come when I should tell him. He'd leave no stone unturned to get our child back from the clutches of these monsters."What are you thinking, Char?" She tucked on my hand."Nothing, I'm missing my son who is of your age. He would have love to meet you." I replied her with a smile."When will you leave? Mom told me that you come from a very big city. She said our family used to live there before I was born." Her face had a flash of sadness as she spoke the last part.I frowned."Your Mom told me." I said in a low voice. I h
[ Charlotte ]"Please come inside." A beaming Jeremy welcomed me inside their house.It was a very expensive property. No doubt why he agreed to help Seth. He was living a carefree, lavish life."I hope I'm not late and the smell of sea food is challenging my apatite." I said stepping inside. My eyes searched for my little girl but I spotted two boys sitting on the couch."Jared, Noah, have some manner." Jeremy glared at his sons.They reluctantly stood up. They clearly looked disinterested to host a guest."Welcome, Miss Charlotte." They greeted me."Hey, boys, I think you don't like a guest." I tried to get along with them."It's not personal, Charlotte. Our parents bring guests on every second day." Jared responded. I laughed."Where are your manners, Jared? She's our important guest." Jeremy reprimanded him, he looked ready to eat him alive."Calm down, Jeremy. They're new generation and I also have a son who doesn't want to mingle with our guests." I forced a smile."I am going t
[ Charlotte ]"I want Arianna's guardianship."Ghostly silence loomed over everyone's face as soon as I finished."You're joking, right?" Nadia was first to blink her eyes."Do I look like I'm joking, Nadia?" I smirked. I kicked the act of a humble philanthropist out of the window and returned to my badass attitude."Miss Charlotte, I think this isn't the right time to talk about anything. We can discuss later if you're actually willing to help us in return of something 'meaningful'." Jeremy said in a calm voice.Meaningful? For Arianna, I could give away anything."No, Jeremy. I think this is the perfect moment. I have to fly back tomorrow evening and I may not be able to catch up tomorrow as I have meeting with my client. Think about Jared and Noah, they deserve a better life than this. I don't know what forced you to leave your home, your motherland but I can assure you that your children will be safe as long as I support them." I made my genuine offer."Jeremy, for our boys' sake,
[ Charlotte ]"I'll miss you, Ari.""Please come with me, Noah." Arianna cried hugging her youngrr brother but the boy showed courage and patted her head lightly with a smile."You'll be happy without us, Ari. Miss Charlotte is your mother. She'll love you and give you every happiness that you deserve which you missed living with us." Said Noah.My heart ached to see my daughter crying. She was close to Noah and the boy also cared for her."No, I won't leave without you, Noah. Char is a nice lady. She'll keep you, right Char?" Arianna craned her face towards me with hope in her glossy blue eyes."Arianna, I think you should be leaving with your real mother." Nadia gently pulled Noah away from Arianna."This is for you, Ari." Noah handed her a small square wooden box, "Always remember that I care for you and I will never forget you." Saying this, he pried his mother's hand away and ran inside the house.I hesitantly placed my hand on my daughter's shoulders. She hugged my waist tightly
[ Arienna Blackwood ]"Don't run, Aria. Mom is tired and she wants a hug from her princess." I shouted and heard soft giggles of my five years old daughter from behind the curtains.A smile stretched over my lips as I spotted her shadow. She was the source of light in my life whom I found during my trip to Mexico and instantly fell in love with two years old orphan who was abandoned by her birth mother at an orphanage.It took me an year of struggle and legal procedure to adopt her officially and bring her to home."Mom got you." I grabbed her and tickled her.The little girl wriggled to get out of my hold while laughing. I showered her pretty face with kisses."Stop Mama, it's ticklish." She pushed my face away."No, Mama wants a cuddle with Aria." I pulled her on my lap and hugged her."I am angry on you, Mama. You promised to come back early but you're two days late." She pouted with grumpy face."I am sorry baby but you know my work. I am the CEO and it's mandatory for me to be
[ Arianna Blackwood ]"Anna.."Rafael's low voice rang into my ears. So, this man can also feel remorse!"Come and sit, Rafael. We need to talk on certain matters." I said in a flat tone."Please, let's just sit together and-" He tried to say something but I showed him my palm."I do not want to spend even a single moment with you, Mr. Martinez but we must clear a few things before we part our ways." I finally shot my blank eyes at him.He looked vulnerable, his eyes were puffy and red. By judging his appearance, I bet he hadn't been resting properly."Please, Arienna. Don't do this. It was my fault. Our baby died because of me." He said in a croaked tone, I observed his adam's apple bobbing up and down."It was my baby. It doesn't give you any right to call it yours just because you fucked me for once." I snapped at him, the bottled up anger and resentment was threatening to spill.He lowered his gaze and shook his head, "Alright, I won't. Please, calm down. We can talk once you get
[ Arianna Blackwood ]It's been four days.Four long days since I lost my baby, the last hope of my future. I am stoll trying to accept this news but my heart denies my loss. My lower body aches every time I move or shift, a constant reminder of my cruel fate.I don't deserve happiness since my birth. Why does God punish me? What did I do to deserve only grief and misfortunes in my life?"Ari, my princess." Dad's soft voice forced me to pull out of my mourning solicitude."Dad."I barely whispered as mu throat was constricted due to crying for hours since doctor broke the devastating news to me. I predicted my loss when I felt the pain during my argument with Rafael but a part of me hoped for a miracle to happen."I have brought your dinner. It's your mother's home cooked recipe, one of your favourite dishes and healthy." He placed a tiffin box on the table.He was trying to cheer me up. That's all my family could do, they stood like a pillar around me. They're my everything and I'd f
[ Rafael ]I have been waiting for two long hours, still no words from the hospital staff how Arienna is doing after miscarriage. Yes, the doctors declared the baby dead as soon as they admitted her and they had to perform emergency surgery to remove the dead fetus.Arienna lost too much blood which caused her to lose her consciousness for a long time.Miscarriage, a simple word with eleven syllables but it has so much pain and shattered hopes within it's depth. It has the power to bring even the bravest heart at the bottom.I lost my child, my first child despite several warnings from the doctors. Yet I let her go through the trauma, not once, not twice but everytime we talked.She's right, I killed our baby. I don't deserve it call it mine because Arienna tried her best to be there for our baby but I was busy hitting my head on the wall of past. I became so mad that her pain got unnoticed by me."How dare you?"A voice roared and I got punched on my face, it was a hard blow. I stumb
[ Arianna Blackwood ]After my conversation with my mother, I found myself drowning into more conflict. I couldn't live with Rafael as long as he keeps harboring hatred and vendetta against my family, on the other hand, I was drawn to my husband.I was screwed and back to square one."Anna, you're back?"Rafael's surprised voice reached into my ears and I turned around to find him standing at the threshold of main door."Yes, I guess. Sorry, if you're disappointed to see me here. Well, I won't take long. I came here to talk on certain matters." I said in a clipped tone.His features softened. He rushed towards me and grabbed my shoulders, "I don't want you to leave, not now not never, Anna. I can't imagine my life without you, my love. Please, forgive me. I am ready to talk to your parents if it makes you feel better." He sounded vulnerable and desperate.I detatched myself from him and looked away."Let's talk, Rafael. I don't want us to live in continuous uncertainties." I said in a
[ Arienna Blackwood ]"Mom, I want a divorce with Rafael. I don't think this marriage would work. I am sorry I didn't think wisely when I decided to marry him." I said to my mother who was calmly sipping her coffee.She didn't look affected by my decision, instead, she poured some in my cup."Please, say something, Mom. Your opinion matters to me the most." I gave her a pleading look."You want my honest opinion?" She finally looked up at me while placing her cup down on the table.I nodded my head in impatience.She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Are you afraid of the boy you once knew, who cared for you a lot or the man who is blind in vengeance. It's your take?" She asked me and I was left shocked."How..how..do you know?" I couldn't find proper words to ask her how did she know everything about Noah."I am your mother, Ari. Of course, I know everything about my children. I wouldn't have let you marry him if I didn't know about your groom. I ran a background check on Rafael and i
[ Rafael Martinez ]"You didn't have to take a stand for me. I can fight my own battles and it wasn't the first time my grandmother bullied me. She has always been like this. I thought you'd of all people would understand her nature." Arienna said curtly over the dining table.I gave her a blank look. She was only playing with the food on the plate."I had to show her that she can't boss around in my house and demean my wife." I replied. I heard suck a deep breath. "I am sorry for the morning. I shouldn't have said those things." I said after a momentary silence.We were back to square one because she didn't respond and resumed eating small portions from her plate."We're inviting your parents tomorrow at the breakfast. I don't want to live this cat and mice life anymore." I said."Don't drag my parents in your dirty games, Rafael. I will deal with them." She said in a flat tone and stood up."Finish your food, Anna. You can't ignore your health." I reminded her and our eyes met for
[ Rafael Martinez ]Arianna's outburst kept replaying in my mind like a record. Her eyes reflected her sedimentated anger and hatred for me and it broke my heart to see those emotions in her eyes. I made her hate me even more and probably ruined my every chances to be with her. She'll not stay quiet and tell her family about my identity and about my parents. "Come on, son. Are you going to say something or sit here like a stone statue. I know something has happened. This red mark on your face is telling a lot." My father said, his eyes were darted on my cheek.I touched the stinging area and looked away. "She's a poison in your life, Noah. Why are you with her? You're successful and young. You will find a thousand women at your disposal if you go for a bride hunt. Just leave her. You will get your child. I trust you." Mom again repeated the same dialog."Mom, please, I'm already frustrated and clueless. Yesterday, Charlotte Blackwood confronted me and it's not wrong either. She hel
[ Arianna Blackwood ] I sipped the ginger tea, enjoying the ghostly silence of the living room. The weather was still bad, the downpour changed into soft drizzle but the sky was grey and gloomy depicting my own mood. I heard footsteps. I recognized them so I sat unbothered and sipped the tea. "Good morning." I heard his grosggy voice. "Good morning," I wished him back curtly but didn't spare him a glance. "A cup of coffee please!" He yelled to his staff and sat across me. I stole a glance at him, he was in a t shirt and trousers. "I am sorry, the last night was unintentional. I never get this much drunk often unless I'm frustrated." He kept talking but I only listened. I remained quiet. "Look, if you're intentionally ignoring me then it won't work, Arianna. We can't go like this." He said in a little frustrated voice. Meanwhile, his coffee was served. "I am not in a mood to talk. I hope you understand." I said without looking up. "Alright, take your time to sort out your moo