MANNY The next day, Manny dressed in a red flowing gown, she looked elegant and stunning as the dress shaped her belly perfectly well. She was going to give a mother a little surprise, and she might probably have a heart attack when she sees her. She got into the car and was off to work. The driver kept glancing at her and hoped she would change her mind considering the situation. It was a bad time for whatever it was she wanted to do. As Manny arrived at the fashion house and stepped out, flashes of cameras from the media blinded her. Reporters shoved mics in her face, wanting to get a statement from her, anything, to satisfy their thirst for gossip. 'Miss Larson, did you really set up a hotel on fire…’ Manny stood in front of the entrance and turned to them. She looked like she was about to say something so they all gathered in front of her while the security guards tried to maintain distance. “What do you have to say about the trending video..?” A report asked but Manny sta
MANNYAndrew was speeding off to Leura the next morning. He couldn't wait another second before he saw her.He had an urgent business meeting, so he was going to see her and then return to the city all in one day. He had decided that it was for the best if she stayed there for the time being, they both had no idea when the current problem was going to blow over and he just wanted his wife to rest since she'd be delivering his baby in the next two months.That didn't mean he had forgotten about Kate and her son, or the DNA test results. He was simply taking his time and as soon as he got the results, he would make his decision and they all have to respect it.Andrew stood at the entrance of the old lady's door, Miranda, dripping wet from the rain that was still falling as he knocked. He beamed with happiness as his wife’s familiar face was the first thing he saw immediately when the door opened.But Manny had failed to mention the surprise she got late last night. So the smile that lit
ANDREW“The DNA result." Jason smirked proudly as he delivered his work.“What took you so long?” Andrew asked straight up, still holding the envelope, reluctant to open it.“Open it! What are you waiting for?” His father commanded but he didn't want to open it just yet. What if it was really his child? How would he tell Manny that? He was going to wait till he got home.“Give it to me.” Mr Allen ordered.Andrew sighed and stretched it to his father who snatched the result from his hand and tore it open.In haste, he skimmed through, looking for that important sentence, that sentence that would determine everything.Mr Allen’s breath caught in his throat for a minute there, it was like his soul had left his body as he continued to stare at the paper, his eyes on that particle sentence.With a better composure and an expressionless face, he dropped the paper, silence took over the place.“So?" Andrew asked expectantly, his father gazed at him, gesturing to the open envelope.“See for
MANNYManny had spent two weeks in Miranda's place, two weeks of eating and sleeping, and a week of not hearing from Andrew.He's been silent all week and his phone was either switched off or not available. It was driving her crazy, if something had happened to him, she would have known, and it would have been all over the news. The only thing on the news was her previous stunt and past story, people seemed to be engaging with it each passing day and it left a big dent in the fashion house.How did she know? Her mother had left dozens of messages on her email, threatening to freeze all her assets if she didn't come back to work and fix the problem she had caused. And like she did every day, she ignored her message.Manny sighed for the umpteenth time as she checked her phone again. She dropped the phone as it had burned her and took a sip of her orange juice.She's been awake since 6:00 a.m., sitting at the dining table, expecting calls from her husband.Her phone beeped and she quic
MANNYManny felt her heart pound hard in her chest, it was all she could hear.Her gaze shifted between Andrew and the breaker. The child was his?She had held onto a little bit of hope that maybe all this was a mistake, a ruse, but it wasn't, the child was his and he was going to leave her.She wanted to get angry but she couldn't, the news had drained any bit of strength she had left and the look on Andrew's face broke her all over again.Heavily and subconsciously, she dragged herself to him. Andrew watched as Manny walked over to him, what was she going to do now?The last time she came to him in that manner, he nursed a sore cheek. Manny stood before him, tearful. It pained her to know she was carrying his first son.With teary eyes, he gave him the best hug her belly could allow. Though surprised, Andrew wrapped his hands around her, he hadn't expected her to do that, but still, he was glad she did.Andrew was the one with tear-filled eyes, but his wife was the one crying. She h
MANNYAndrew went to work and left both Kate and Manny at home—only if he knew the disaster it would create he would have done otherwise.Manny left Kate at the table and headed to the living room, a bowl of ice cream and chocolate on each hand.She was already one step in when she saw a surprise visitor and quickly turned around to walk away.“Don't even try it." Kari said as she spotted Manny. What she felt was beyond anger, how could her own daughter do something so terrible to tarnish her image?“Mother." Manny greeted curtly, the giddy feeling she had was no more.“Don't be rude." Kari remarked, sat down, and looked at Manny, expecting her to do the same. She wanted to clear things out.Realizing this, Manny sighed and took her seat. Seeing her mother already made the day a bad one.“You think I won't know when you return, I have people watching Manny." A sneer appeared on her face as she talked to her daughter but all Manny could think of was how after the conversation, she was
MANNYManny paced up and down the room, as she thought about what she had done, her hands and clothes still covered in blood.How would she explain what had happened, she didn't even understand what happened. Liam was coming in for a hug and the next thing she knew, he was on the floor covered in blood, a knife inside of him. How he got hold of the knife remained a mystery.Andrew’s son was in the hospital and everyone thought it was her fault. Manny grabbed her bag, in search of her phone, and she poured its contents on the floor. She called Andrew, and it rang but there was no answer, she called again, and still no response. She called him once more but it said switched off.There was no one she could call again. Confused and stressed, she started to cry, If there was any chance of her in the Cooper family before, after what had happened today, she was sure that opportunity was gone, the next day they were going to kick her.Scared and exhausted, she fell asleep—not caring about he
ANDREW“Did it work?” Jason's voice boomed through her phone. Kate had revised her plan with Jason, she explained how she would set up Andrew's beloved wife and ruin their marriage.Kate and Jason had been working hand in hand since she had a meeting with him, from the DNA test to the setup.“Not quite, but it did the job.” Kate answered as she took a cigarette from a pack and lit it up, Manny was gone from the house but not their lives. She needed to finish the job, she had to be gone permanently.“It's just sad that poor Liam had to be collateral damage." Kate took a long drag from the cigarette and blew in the air as she spoke of Liam as if they weren't related.The desire to get the Cooper's wealth surpassed the love she had for her son; she hadn't even been to the hospital to visit him.“What's the next step?” Jason asked, the ruffling of papers disturbing his voice.“There's only one thing to do." The silence on the phone was a long one, like each of them reading the other's m
In a bright, sunlit kitchen, the aroma of freshly baked cookies fills the air. Amelia sat at the kitchen table, her hands gently resting on her pregnant belly. Her long, brunette hair cascades over her shoulders, and her eyes, filled with a blend of excitement and nostalgia, look lovingly at her two children. Aiden and Adelaide, four, sat eagerly beside her, their wide eyes full of curiosity. “Woah!” The little boy exclaimed with so much excitement. “Was that how you gave birth to us?” Amelia nodded, her smile wide. The children were waiting for their father when they pushed her to tell them a story about how she fell in love with their dad. Now that she was done, they looked at her, more curious than before. "You know, when I was a little girl, not much older than you two, I used to dream about the day I'd have my own family," she began. “And now I do.” She beamed at them. “But why was Daddy so mean to you? He even threatened to take away Angel?!” Adelaide asked,
The night was eerily quiet when Amelia's labor began. She had felt sporadic contractions throughout the day, but they were manageable. Now, though, as the pain intensified and the contractions came closer together, she knew it was time. But her husband seemed to be lost on what to do. "Hang in there Manny. I'm calling Josie and Tristan to come over." Andrew said, trying to keep his voice steady. “Call the fucking driver Andrew. I need to go to the hospital." Amelia yelled as the pain intensified. “Right, the driver." Andrew scurried out of the house and later came back in to get his wife. "Get the bags!” Amelia commanded and he complied, afraid she would tear him off with her eyes. On their way to the hospital, Andrew informed Tristan what was happening and he promised to show up at the hospital with Josie. Amelia's mind was a whirlwind of emotions—excitement, fear, and pain intertwined. She had done thousands of checkups and only ate the food Andrew cooked for h
The grand cathedral was adorned with cascading white roses, shimmering crystals, and soft candlelight, casting a warm, ethereal glow over the gathering. The air buzzed with the murmur of anticipation and the gentle strains of a string quartet playing in the background. Down the hallway where she was getting set, Amelia felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness as she prepared to walk down the aisle. Her dress was a masterpiece of silk and lace, custom-designed to fit her perfectly. She had designed the dress herself, she might have wielded a gun for ten years but her hands could still hold a needle. Tristan wore a proud smile as he stretched his hands out for her. She took his arm, feeling the weight of the moment settle in her chest, her heart pounding with each step. The doors swung open, and a collective gasp echoed through the hall. Amelia took in deep breaths, and with joy, she took her first step onto the rose-petal-strewn aisle. Her eyes locked with Andrew’s wh
Amelia spent a month and some days in the hospital getting better but mostly cuddling up with Andrew. Their love continued like she never left. There were times that she would cry while explaining everything she had been through and Andrew would console her, promising to do everything in his power to protect her. Andrew had come to pick her up from the hospital that morning and Josie insisted that Amelia come to her place first. It was her house regardless. “I can't believe this." Josie squealed, unable to contain her joy. All this while, her friend was alive and was right under her nose. She knew the first time she set her eyes on Amelia that there was something familiar about her. “You're alive." She spread her arms wide and Amelia wasted no time in jumping into her embrace. She had missed her so much. "I'm so happy.” "Me too Josie…me too.” The two women cried till they could cry no more. Their cheeks were red, their eyes puffy and their clothes were stained wi
The sound of something shattering jerked Amelia back into consciousness. She tried getting up and groaned as she fell back down. She looked at what was happening around her, her swollen eyes making it almost impossible to see who was who. She was kept hidden in a corner, away from the disaster that was happening. “Fuck.” She heard Sebastian's voice and quickly turned in his direction. She saw him tangled up with the man she had seen so many times. Her captor. “Sebastian.” She croaked, but he couldn't hear. Just then he received a bullet to the end. Amelia froze but then breathed out in relief as he saw Sebastian get up. She looked up to see who had shot the gun and saw Tristan helping him up. ‘Andrew.’ a voice screamed at her. Her eyes scanned the room, her heart pounding, praying something hadn't happened to Andrew as she searched for him. The firing of a gun caught her attention. Tilting her head out of curiosity, she found Andrew, firing his father's both legs. “
Andrew and his men moved out. The roaring engines of the cars filled the air as they drove deep into the outskirts of town. Andrew drove Tristan and Sebastian with him as he continued running the plan over in his mind. ‘nothing could go wrong.’ He thought, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “Dude, slow down. You're going to get us killed before we even get there." Tristan cautioned, feeling the increasing speed of the car. This was his first ever mission and his anxiety got the better of him. "I should have just stayed behind the scenes like always.” He muttered, regretting his decision the closer they got to their destination. “I didn't force you." Andrew reminded and Sebastian chuckled at the back. "Whatever. I just want to come back alive.” The car became quiet again and after a while, they got to the place. Allen and Lorenzo had done a good job hiding the place. At first, it was pretty hard to locate. Andrew stepped out of his car, the cool air sweeping
“I kept her under your care.” Andrew bellowed, his eyes blazed with anger as he punched Tristan. Tristan staggered back and massaged his jaw. Andrew had just arrived from Mexico and the first thing on his mind was to punch him. “How the fuck did she get kidnapped!” He roared, hitting him again before he could regain his stance. Couldn't something go right in his absence for once? “I tried to warn her, it's not my fault. She's a grown woman!” Tristan argued, dodging the next punch that Andrew threw at him. Andrew kept charging at him, and Tristan constantly missed it. He tried his best not to hit back, he knew Andrew wasn't himself at the moment. “Andrew!” Josie snapped, her sharp voice pierced through the hallway as her eyes blazed with fury and her lips curled up in anger. “She left on her own. Don't hold my husband responsible.” She hissed coming forward to stand between them. “You should have tried to talk sense into her.” “Who said we didn't?” Josie took a step
“What do you mean kidnapped?” Andrew barked, his teeth gritting. He left her right there for protection. How was it possible to get kidnapped? “She went out for a walk and never came back. We've been searching for her.” Tristan explained he could tell Andrew wasn't having any of it. “And then?” He hissed. “We got a note yesterday, saying if you want to see your wife, you have to bring the cash.” Andrew fumed at his statement, his hand clenched in a fist. Would his father go this far? Or was it someone else? “Did it say who it's from?” “Lorenzo.” He paled. His blood ran cold at what he would have done to Amelia. Then he felt immersed in Anger. He wasn't going to win this time. Without allowing Tristan to continue, he ended the call, picked up the documents from the table, and headed toward the door. He wasn't losing her for the second time. Getting closer to the exit, he saw Sebastian by the door, a duffel bag in his hand. “I'm going with you.” He said, h
“Why can't you just listen? Don't go out at night, it's a very simple instruction.” Tristan complained as he drove Amelia back to the house. She had gone out of the house again for her ‘evening walks.’ “You can't tell me what to do.” She whined, folding her hands like a child that had been scolded. “Andrew isn't here at the moment so as of right now, I get to tell you what to do.” Amelia just scoffed as she looked out her window, the night cool air, hitting her as Tristan drove. They got home to see Josie by the entrance, pacing. “Amelia.” She rushed over to her and hugged her. “You got me so worried, don't just leave the house like that ever again.” “Andrew said your life might be in danger, that's why you have to stay with us.” “I'm sorry for making you worry but I'm here now. Why don't we go inside?” Josie nodded and Amelia led her into the house by the hand. Everyone had retired to bed and was now sleeping, except her. So she decided to go again. Making su