“Found it,” mariam exclaimed when she finally found her phone after emptying her purse. She had a wide smile on her face as she bounded back to Ariella and hopped back onto the bed. “Now, we are going to play detectives,”Ariella chuckled as she moved closer to Mariam who was turning on her data so they could browse the internet.“Where is it, where is it?” Mariam was muttering under her breath. “Found it!”“When was it?” Ariella asked, her eyes brimming with curiosity.“It was exactly two months to the time Hannah sent you to his bed. Thank God,”Ariella could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. Two months was enough time for lovers to have a breakup. Even if it was not enough time for Kelvin to fall in love with someone else. The hope that was already surging in Ariella’s heart died down as fast as it came alive.“Two months is enough time for them to break up,”“Yes. Well, I can sense that a but is coming. What’s it?”“But it is not enough time for him to fall in love with me. N
“You know what Mariam, I think I’ll face it. I’m not going to let Hannah have a hold over me forever because if I don’t stop her now, it will be like this forever. I not only owe it to myself to be free but I also owe it to my child. One day, I’ll have to appear with my child and the father outside. My child might need us together so what am I going to do then? Deny my child? My parents never did that to me. If the world is going to drag me, I don’t care. Like you said, one day another explosive news will swallow my own and everyone will forget about it.”To say that Mariam was shocked was an understatement. It was like her ears were playing tricks on her or some alien had taken over Ariella’s mind all of a sudden because where was all of this coming from?Was this not the same Ariella she has been trying to convince for months that she should just live her life the way she wanted because nothing she did would stop the news of her having Kelvin’s baby from getting out?Ariella refused
Mariam scratched the back of her neck with a sheepish expression, “If you ask me, I don’t know. I think Kelvin is the best person to ask any question you have about this hospital. No one would even know that such a thing exists. I was shocked too when I was told about your accident and led down here,”“I just hope to God that this won’t turn out to be like the movies where the male lead is an underground mafia boss but everyone thinks that he is a billionaire,” “Ahhh, about that… I don’t think we should conclude yet. He might really be in the mafia,”“Eh? Why would you say that?”“Except for the fact that he was once Hannah’s boyfriend who she loved showing off to the world and that he got you pregnant, we know nothing about this guy. There is something I also need to tell you,”“What?”Mariam cleared her throat. She looked hesitant.“What is it? You know you can tell me anything, right?” Ariella asked when she saw Mariam’s behavior. Mariam always said things out without filter and w
“What’s it with this underground hospital?” Ariella asked when Kelvin stepped into her hospital room after Mariam received a call and left to do some important at her agency.She might have taken it easily when she did not have her memory and was quick to forget about this place because she was busy trying to digest the fact that the truth she’s known during her one month in the hospital was a lie. She wanted to know about this place now. He might not tell her the whole truth yet or might not even tell her anything, but she won’t stop asking. Kelvin looked surprised, but it wasn’t just because of the question. Ariella has not spoken for days and just when he finds out that Mariam had been able to get through to her, and he was happy that she was back, the first thing she does is to ask of the underground hospital.Yes, Mariam already told him that she was not angry with them for keeping her mother’s death from her, that in fact she said she understood when they did it, when he asked
“Yeah, God knows best,” Kelvin agreed.Ariella adjusted on the bed and patted the empty space beside her, “Sit with me,”Though he was surprised about the invitation, Kelvin did not hesitate, he jumped on the bed and sat close to her. “Now that everything is over, we have a whole lot that we need to talk about.” “What is that?”“You are not going to tell me about this hospital, are you?” “I want to tell you but I can’t,”“You know that I have every right to know considering the fact that I could have been taken to a regular hospital but you chose to bring me here, right?”“I know that you do have every right to know but…”“You did not take me to a regular hospital because you knew that we might be attacked again that night after the one that happened on the highway, am I correct?”Arielle felt Kelvin stiffen beside her. She knew that he was not expecting her to be able to piece everything together. She would never have done that without Mariam’s help. She did not even think much ab
“Today?” Arielle squeaked in surprise as she stared at Kelvin wide-eyed but she got herself in time and forced her face to look calm.“Yes, today,” Kelvin said with a straight face. He was enjoying ruffling her feathers. He could see her panicking even if she was trying hard to keep a straight face.“Oh? Okay. What time?” Kelvin turned his wrist to check his watch, “Five hours from now,”“Alright, I’ll be ready before then,”Kelvin looked like he was about to leave the room but he changed his mind, “Is the time enough for you to get everything you want and for you to be ready or do you want me to extend it?”“Ahhhh, no,” Ariella shook her head, “Five hours is enough for me to be ready. It is just your family, right?”“Yes, it is just my family.”“You can go now. I’ll be out in four hours thirty minutes,”“Okay,”Ariella waited until Kelvin was out as the door had closed behind him before she allowed herself to collapse on the bed. It’s been three since she left the hospital and ever
“Bitch! Wake the fuck up!” Mariel screamed as she burst into Ariella’s room and jumped on the bed.Ariella’s eyes snapped open and she sat up as quickly as her belly could allow her. Her heart was pounding fast in her chest as she looked around the room with wide eyes.“What? What’s wrong? Is the house on fire?” She asked Mariam with a frown when she saw nothing.“Stop being dramatic!” Mariam told her with an eyes roll, “If the house was on fire do you think I’ll come inside? Girl, I’ll run for my life first, make sure I’m safe before calling the fire service to come check up on a pregnant you,”It was Ariella’s turn to roll her eyes, “You should stop making dramatic entrances. I’m pregnant and any little thing will affect my baby. The shock and the rush at which I sat up is bad,”“Ehhhh, look who is so worried about her baby. That’s a lot of improvement.” Mariam knew that Ariella did not really like her baby or the fact that she was pregnant. She changed when she lost her memory and
Kelvin could not say a word. His eyes remained on Ariella as she walked out of her room and shut the door behind her.“Ahhh, is there anything wrong?” Ariella asked as she moved uncomfortably on her feet. The way he was looking at her was making her nervous. Was she overdressed or did he not like what she was putting on? She was very confident in Mariam’s skill. Mariam was quick to embrace the high class life of a model. She’s always been a fashionista but the same could not be said for Ariella who found it hard to match clothes and color.Anytime she was unsure of what to wear for an occasion, all she had to do was place a call to Mariam and the problem would be solved. She really liked this cloth Mariam picked out for her and she was feeling good until Kelvin began to look at her the way he was doing right now.Kelvin blinked as he snapped out of the haze he was drawn into when Ariella came out of her room. He shook his head, “No, no. Nothing is wrong,”“Really?” Ariella still hel
Sophia’s POVThey did not know. I could see it in their eyes as they looked at one another and as they whispered. I knew that my mother and father could hear everything they were saying but these people seem to have forgotten as they continued to talk in hushed tones among themselves.It's been three days since my mother walked into my room and found me looking like I was well over thirty five years. She had immediately raised alarm and called my father into the room. He was just as shocked as we were when he saw my appearance. He stopped at the door as his jaw dropped open in shock before he rushed over to me and grabbed my face in his hands, his eyes wide in alarm as he turned my face left and right the same way mother did. Three days later, I looked like I was over forty five to fifty years old. The first day, we kept it a secret among the family as they tried to analyze the situation and check if I was using something that was making my face look old but nothing I had was harmful
Joanne's POVThe sun shone through my window early the next morning, throwing the light across my room. I woke up feeling refreshed but also aware of the chaos from the night before. My head was still buzzing with thoughts about Poppy and Collins. "I need to blend in today," I told myself as I got out of bed.After getting ready, I decided to keep things simple. I pulled on a comfortable outfit and tied my hair back. “Just a quiet day,” I said, nodding at my reflection. “Nothing too dramatic.”I made my way through the halls of the hotel, trying to avoid any unnecessary attention. As I walked, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Mia catching up.“Joanne!” she called out, her face a mix of concern and fear. “I’m so glad I found you! I wanted to talk about what happened last night.”“Hey, Mia!” I replied, forcing a smile. “Don’t worry about it! I’m fine.”“No, I really need to apologize,” she insisted, her hands waving in front of her. “I should have immediately when you saw al
Joanne's POV As the night wore on, I felt energy pulsating around me. The music, the laughter—all of it made me want to keep going. But I noticed Mia and Lila starting to sway a bit on their feet.“Hey, you two,” I said, waving them over. “Are you alright?”Mia yawned dramatically. “I think it’s time for us to call it a night,” she said, stifling another yawn. “I’m so tired!”“Yeah, I’m with you,” Lila agreed, rubbing her eyes. “Tonight was fun, but I can’t keep my eyes open.”“Alright, get some rest!” I replied, grinning. “You both deserve it after a long night of dancing!”Mia smiled back. “Thanks, Joanne. You did amazing tonight!” “Yeah, you really showed Poppy! I can’t wait to hear about all the chaos you plan to cause!” Lila laughed, throwing her arms around me for a quick hug.“Trust me, I have plans for the next two weeks,” I said with a smirk. “Poppy’s going to know exactly who she’s dealing with.”“Good luck with that!” Mia joked. “Just don’t let her drive you crazy!”“Neve
Joanne's POVI sat in the garden, tears pouring down my cheeks. The news about the tournament cancellation hit me hard, and I felt lost. After everything I had hoped for, this moment seemed unbearable. I tried to wipe my eyes, but every thought about the tournament made my heart sink deeper.“Joanne!” I heard Silver call from a distance. I looked up and saw her rushing toward me, worry etched on her face.“What’s wrong?” she asked, kneeling next to me. “You look devastated!”“I am,” I admitted, sniffing. “They canceled the tournament! Everything I prepared for is gone!”“Hey, hey! Don’t cry!” Silver said, her tone soothing. “Wipe those tears away. We need you calm down and see poor Cassian, he is a blubbering mess!”“I don’t even know how to feel,” I said, my voice shaky. “It was everything I wanted. Now it’s all up in flames!”“Maybe it’s not over yet!” Silver said. “You don’t know what might happen next.”“I can’t believe this,” I whispered, struggling to calm down. Silver put her
JOANNE The maids went on to assign us to rooms as they read from their tablets our names and the room we were to be in. “I'm still quite surprised that you followed me all the way here,” I whispered to Amara who stood beside me. “ You make it look like I haven't been here since,” she replied. “ You know, you don't have to accompany me,” I said, genuinely not wanting to burden her. Since this was a contest to select the bride for the Lycan King, we'd be staying at the palace until the contest is over. “ It's a little too much to be saying accompany, though you're not wrong,” she nodded her head not wanting to admit that she was worried. “You make me wonder if I'm weak,” I mumbled. “I heard you by the way and you know that's not the case,” she folded her arms. “I simply need to ensure that you are safe and I mean, knowing how unsociable you are, it would be a lot easier for you if you had your best friend with you,” she gave me a thumbs up and
As Ariella moved from boutique to boutique, buying both the things she wanted and the things she needed, swiping Kelvin’s card here and there, it almost felt like the burden she’s been carrying inside of her was lessening. It was the same as when people cut themselves to bleed out so that they could feel better.Her driver for today was not the one she was familiar with. Anytime she picked something, his eyes would widen but she did not care. She did not know if he was surprised because of the multiple things she was buying or the prices of these things. She was trying hard not to look at the price herself because anytime her eyes went to the price, she could feel her heart beating faster than normal in her chest. He was following her so closely like he was her bodyguard. Maybe Kelvin did care about his child after all. She’s never seen this man before so he might as well be a bodyguard disguised as her driver. This made her relax a whole lot and enjoy her shopping. She ignored Mar
Joanne's POV Silver had already left the room and I was as exhausted as fuck. I wanted to take a walk to clear my head After spending some time in the garden and then at the party, I finally made my way back to my room for probably the 100th time today. I slumped onto my bed, feeling a mix of exhaustion and lingering tension. The events of the day swirled in my mind, and I needed a moment to regroup.“Ugh, what a day,” I muttered to myself, staring up at the ceiling. I rolled over and grabbed my phone from the nightstand. “Maybe talking to Nathan will help me clear my head.”I dialed his number and waited. It rang a couple of times before I heard his familiar voice. “Hey, Joanne! What’s up?”“Nathan! Just checking in,” I said, smiling a little. “How's everything back at home?”“Busy as usual,” he replied, sounding cheerful. “Dad is still buried in those pack reports, you know how he is. But Mom misses you! She keeps asking when you’ll be back.”“I miss her too! I can’t wait to see h
The people around them let out loud gasps of surprise at the same time Kyra did.Her hand slowly lifted to touch her burning cheek as she winced in disbelief. “How dare you suggest that we find a way to clean up my dress? We? Clean? Do you know how much I got this dressed? It was tailored just for me to wear to this party, yet you ruined it by walking around like a blind bat!” The lady yelled, her face creasing with angry lines.Kyra was still dumbfounded by the slap that she just kept on staring at the lady without a word making its way past her lips. “What? Cat got your tongue now?” The lady continued to yell as if oblivious to the fact that all attention was on them or that Anton was now walking down to where she and Kyra were standing. “Just a few days ago you were sold off like a slave because you shamelessly went to get yourself pregnant with Tristan’s child, and today you think you are a princess again because Alpha Anton bought you and brought you to this party? Better think
Ariella fidgeted nervously and wiggled her hands together. She had received a call from the hospital five hours ago that her mother collapsed. Her mother's surgery that was scheduled for five weeks later has been brought forward because of this. The doctor was demanding money for the surgery, and she also had outstanding debt for the drugs her mother's doctor was kind enough to give to her on credit. After her father's death, Ariella's mother fell ill, so she had to drop out of college and look for a job. In the process of looking for a job, she met an agent, who helped her secure a position to become a model. Since Ariella was beautiful and had a good shape for modeling, she was able to get a spot in the company, but she could never go far. She had no connection, she was not willing to sell her body. Most of her resources were snatched by the other models. Even after two years in the modeling industry, she was not making enough money to take care of her mother's medical bills