[ Charlotte ]"What time is it?" I asked my husband as we laid in each other's arms on the couch. Our naked bodies pasted under the blanket."Around eight. I promised you that I won't take much of our time." He smiled while playing with my hair locks."Yeah, we have been laying here for last one hour, Seb. Let's go, it's already late and we have to pick the kids from Jon's place. That man must have a lot of patience since he and Tara started dating." I said slowly getting out of his arms to wear my clothes."Jon? At least don't call him that in my presence." He groaned in jealousy."Come on, Seb. He is dating another woman and he is serious about her. You look childish when you act all jealous." I rolled my eyes and wore my dress while he still laid there."I can't help it, Love." He smirked."Get dressed, Seb or I'm going back alone. Our kids must be tucked in bed. They have school tomorrow." I threw his clothes on the couch and picked my phone from the table which showed fifteen mis
[ Sebestian ]My mind couldn't function. I had this fear brewing inside me since my confrontation with my father and Victorine yet I ignored the warning bells.I ran my hand through my hairs as we couldn't trace the bodyguards who stabbed me in the back. They abducted my children, they supposed to protect them. I tried calling Victorine and my parents, their phone went unreasonable."Fuck!" I threw my phone on the pebbled ground."Seb, please don't give up. They need us more than ever. For them, be strong." Charlotte rubbed my back and I looked at the strongest soul I've ever known.She loved our children no less than me but the way she was holding herself and cooperating with the police and detectives, it was unexplainable."I am sorry. I failed you, Char. I couldn't live my promise." I couldn't look at her. The guilt of not able to live the promise, pooled in my heart."Don't be silly, Seb. It's not your fault. It's either your parents or that bitch, Victorine. I won't spare any of
[ Charlotte ]"What are you doing here at this hour?" A sleepy Benjamin opened the door for us and immediately groaned when he saw us.Sebestian grabbed his collar and pinned him on the door. "Son of a bitch! Tell me where is your whore?" Sebestian yelled on his face."Get off me!" Benjamin pushed him away and about to punch Sebestian but he knocked him first. "Are you mad? I am going to call the security." Benjamin shouted and about to rush to call the security but I blocked his way."Benjamin, tell us where is Victorine? We need to know her whereabouts." I asked him."And why should I tell you? You want to bully her or more worse, you want to kill her?" He taunted us."I'll kill you first." Sebestian again launched towards him but I grabbed his hand."Someone kidnapped our children and we suspect either it's Victorine or Seth Blackwood. Please, tell us if you know about her whereabouts." I requested him in a low voice. He was our last hope.His features softened a little. "Your c
[ Charlotte ]"I don't think we should go inside without back up. They're not fools who committed this crime without thinking about the consequences. It could be a trap for us." I said to Sebestian who was about to enter in the old mansion through the back door entry.The place was erected on a vast property which was one of the few properties in the area. It was built with the purpose of privacy."I can't wait here and see my children suffering. You want to wait here, you can but I'm going inside." He said and shoved my hand.I sighed, his emotions had taken over the control of his logical brain. He rushed inside. I knew that he had his gun with him but the enemy was vindictive and couldn't be trusted.I followed him with thumping heart. He was going insane, to be honest, my own patience ran thin but I couldn't risk my kids' life on stake.The place was dimly lit and felt haunted. I could barely match his pace."Victorine Baxter!" Sebestian shouted and his words echoed on the empty w
[ Sebestian ]"Divorce Sebestian and leave this city forever with your children."I felt like someone hit me with a rock. My brain still trying to process what Victorine just said."What?" Charlotte exclaimed."Yes, I did everything to remove you from my way in a non violent manner but you left no other choice for me than this," She pointed her finger on my kids."She will not accept any shit you put." I yelled on her and pressed the trigger."Are you trying me, Bastian?" She cocked her brow."I'm giving you the option to surrender and save yourself from a lifetime imprisonment." I said."Oh come on, Bastian. At least, think about your little sunshines." She roamed her hands on their heads, they flinched in fear."Hold on." Charlotte tried to stop her. My wife's face was contoured with pure fear. I hadn't seen her this terrified before."Yes, my dear. What do you decide?" Victorine shifted her attention on Charlotte."I..I..am." Charlotte glanced at me with tear filled eyes. I could s
[ Charlotte ]"Shh..baby don't cry. Mom is here. You're safe with me." I hugged my son tightly close to my chest. He was crying profusely. The shock was deeply imprinted on his soul. "Ari..Ari...please bring Ari." He hiccupped and buried his face in my chest. I glanced at Sebestian whose face was stone cold."Seb, hold him." I said softly to him.He took Ace from me with sparing a glance at me. It broke my heart but how could I tell him that I had to do it to save our daughter. Victorine was mentally sick and in her condition, she'd hurt Arianna or worse kill her. He stormed past me with Ace in his arms. He hadn't said a word to me since I agreed to her terms. "I'll be back later." I said to his driver. Victorine fled with Arianna before we could call the police. "No, Ma'am, we can't let you stay her. This place isn't safe." My bodyguard forbade me to stay back. "I'll be fine, my son needs you more than me." I said."Mr. Blackwood has a force to look after Ace. Your safety is o
[ Charlotte ]"Please hold her for a moment." I handed Arianna to Jonathan and followed the other police officer to where her body was laying."The man also surrendered. He came here without any purpose. I think its a case of instinctive decision." The chief said but I didn't pay any heed to a word they said.My feet stopped when my syes landed on a dead Victorine. They were wrapping her body.I couldn't feel anything for her, neither hatred nor satisfaction. She paid for her karma."The man shot three bullets, two punctured her heart directly and the third shot in her leg." They said."Inform her family and make sure that you make a strong case against her for kidnapping and attempt to murder of two small kids. I do not want her family to use her death to create problems for us." I said as they finally covered her face with the white sheet."Don't worry, Ma'am. We'll handle everything. Do you want to know the name of her shooter? Maybe, you can help us to solve the case." He said and
[ Sebestian ]I couldn’t feel anything.When Charlotte told me about Victorine and how Benjamin jumped on time to save my child, I felt nothing for my ex best friend.My once used to be best friend and biggest enemy died while escaping with my happiness, my daughter. She had been mentally depressed but her parents failed to help her, rather encouraged her immoral ways to get what she wants."You should rest, Seb. We have to face the aftermath in a few hours. I want us to face what comes for us as a team." Charlotte stroked my cheek but I removed her hand."Go rest, I have to make arrangements for the tighter and more trusted security around the kids. I can't trust anyone now." I said and about to move out when she grabbed my wrist.I wanted to avoid difficult conversation for some time or until I sort out my messed up brain."Please, don't walk away from me." She whispered, I felt the vulnerability in her tone."I am not walking away from you, Charlotte. I just need some time alone to
[ 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