MALCOLM To say I am disappointed would be an understatement of the feelings surging through me. I know I was a jerk and all sorts. But I expected Leilani to see the change in me. I already explained why I acted that way in the past, why shouldn’t she believe me right now? Shock is a small word compared to how I felt the moment I set my eyes on that boy. His looks, his eyes, even his hair colour, were all the same as mine, I was momentarily confused, almost believing that he is mine. But then, I recalled the list Michael and I had organized back then to keep track of all my previous whores in order to make sure that none of them shows up to trouble Leilani. We had realized that most of them were missing. We couldn’t get any information as to where they were and how they got missing. But having been able to get the information about the lady standing before me, I knew she had no child, and I never went down with her eight years ago. It was even after I rejected Leilani. Her face isn’t o
TWO DAYS LATER LEILANI It’s been two days since that lady showed up at Malcolm’s house, two days since we conducted the DNA test, and the day for the test result to be collected. I do not know how I’m supposed to be feeling right now, but one thing is sure, I’m nervous as hell. If I had not informed Melinda of Malcolm’s stand in her life, I’m sure I wouldn’t be this anxious, as I had nothing to worry about. Feelings aside, it's true that I’m beginning to develop feelings for Malcolm recently, but I’m willing to overlook that. But then, the most important person in my life, Melinda, has grown so attached to him. The fact that she would have to share him with another that didn’t come from me, bothered me so much. I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest. I feel as if an unknown force is suffocating me. I lowered myself to the ground, tears streaming down my face. “Don’t I deserve to be happy? Why is it that every time things seem to be moving in the right direction for me,
MELINDA Ever since mummy forced me to leave dad’s house with her, I haven’t spoken to her, and she never made an attempt to speak with me either. Honestly, I do not understand Mummy anymore. One minute she is loving and caring to Dad, then the next, she suddenly looks at him like she would rather be under the earth than be next to him. For the past two days, Aunt Sienna has been the one bringing food to my room and trying to get me to eat. But honestly, I have no appetite. Mummy’s constant change of attitude towards Dad bothers me so much that I can barely sleep. When I go to school, I often see other kids who are brought to school by their parents. I’ve always tried to understand Mum and never asked her about dad even when I’m taunted about not having a dad. Back then in New York, other kids whose parents bring to school often threw the fact that I have no dad in my face. I endured because Mum was already stressed as it is. When we moved to California and I found my lookalike, knowin
LEILANI "Why are the both of you looking that way?" Malcolm and I asked simultaneously. Melinda looked like someone that was chased by a bulldog. Her hair is so messy, that I feared there might be a probability that Sienna came back with the wrong Melinda, but then looking at Sienna I'm speechless. If Melinda's look right now is bad, Sienna's is worse. Hair scattered like a madman had pulled it, one of her footwear was missing while she held the other grinning sheepishly with her hand around Melinda's shoulder. I gaze at Melinda again, I couldn't look away, I hadn't noticed that she wasn't wearing any footwear the first time I looked at her. Still frozen at a spot, I watched as Malcolm raced towards them and began to examine Melinda. "Can someone tell me why the both of you are looking like you were chased by a bulldog?" I asked quietly, too shocked to yell. This is the first time my daughter is looking this way. "We got into a fight," Melinda said and looked away, smiling sheepish
LEILANI Crumbled on the floor like all hope was lost, crying and bawling my eyes out. Melinda’s words to me had really wrecked me. I kept crying, clutching my heart while screaming that I’m a bad mother. Malcolm is seated beside me, trying to make me understand that everything is his fault, not mine. But then, I’m convinced that it's really my fault. No matter what he says, it doesn’t change the fact that I neglected my daughter for two freaking days. “I’m the worst mum of the year,” I cried. “I’ll go talk to Melinda,” Malcolm said, seeing how I am too broken to even utter a coherent word. I didn’t say a word to him and let him do his thing. He rose from the ground and walked away, leaving me alone to wilt in anguish. Moments later, I’m still seated on the floor crying my heart out. I heard footsteps approaching me but didn’t bother to look up. Judging from the sound of the footsteps, I knew it was probably Sienna or Malcolm. I felt a little hand on my shoulders, I immediately t
LEILANI A banging headache made me open my eyes. The ache was so bad that I groaned out in pain. “You are awake,” I heard Malcolm say. For some reason, he sounded so relieved. “My head…” I had barely finished speaking when he embraced me. “Don’t scare me that way again,” he pleaded. “What way?” I asked, but then memories of how I passed out flooded my memory. I looked down at myself and realized I was in hospital clothes and IV fluids were connected to my arm. I recalled the voices in my head before I passed out. None of them made any sense to me. “You are awake,” a voice said from the door. I glanced at the door and there stood the doctor, whom I was now very familiar with, the same doctor that said my memory was messed up. “Malcolm, can I speak with the doctor in private?” I requested. Malcolm gave me a hesitant look, I smiled softly, making him sigh before walking out. “I guess you believe me now,” the doctor said and relaxed his back on the wall, staring at me. “I don’t g
MIRANDA I lay helplessly on the wet kitchen floor, once again, Dad's sister had beaten me up. She had taken a spatula and flogged me like I was some mad cow. I cried and screamed, but then no help came since mummy was not around. After beating me, she threatened to beat me again if I didn't clean the mess I made on the floor. I lay still, my body aching and tears rushing down my cheeks. "What did I ever do to this woman that made her hate me this much?" I kept asking myself. But then, there is no answer to that, as I never did anything to her. "Why is the world against me? Why doesn't anyone want me? And my real parents, why in the world did they abandon me?" These thoughts made tears stream down my cheeks, I couldn't control my emotions. As little as I am. I've seen the dark side of the world, and with each passing day, I must feel a negative emotion that I should know nothing about at my age. "I really hate whoever gave birth to me and abandoned me?" I held my chest and broke
LEILANI Melinda has decided to treat me like a queen today. I’m seated on Malcolm’s couch with my legs outstretched on the table, while Melinda massages my back. “This is so nice, I feel like a queen,” I hummed and sipped the juice she had brought to me. Melinda giggled and kept massaging my back. “I have the best daughter in the whole wide world,” I exclaimed. But then, Melinda didn’t say a word. Her hands moving on my back suddenly stopped. I turned around to look at her, I noticed she had a distant look in her eyes as if torn between doing something and not doing it. I brought down my legs from the table and took her hands into mine. “What’s wrong, Melly?” The name I called her made her smile. “That nickname is for Dad alone to call me. Stick to your Linda.” I giggled. “I’ll call you whatever I like, I’m your mum.” I stuck out my tongue and made ugly faces at her. She sighed in the most dramatic way. “Aunt Sienna is rubbing off on you.” she raised her hand towards the sk
LEILANI Here I am, seated on the sandy beach overlooking the vast water. However, instead of watching the water being pushed around by the waves like everyone else, My entire attention is on my two adorable kids, building sand castles in a corner. “Stop that, Melinda,” Miranda screams at Melinda who was so invested in destroying the sand castle she had built. “Let’s do something else, I’m tired of building sand castles every time we visit the beach,” Melinda yells and continues to kick and scatter the sand castle they had spent almost an hour building. “Melinda, stop that,” I yell, bringing their attention to me. “She doesn’t want to play with me,” Melinda complains, her eyes getting moist. “You mustn’t run around all the time,” I say, but Melinda was hearing none of it. She threw herself on the ground and began to roll herself on the floor. “Melinda, stop that,” I say, now pissed off at her unruly behaviour. She rises from the ground and grabs hold of Miranda’s swimsuit. “Th
FIVE MONTHS LATER MIRANDA “Stop that Melinda!” I screamed as she continuously banged her spoon on a stainless plate, creating a loud disturbing noise. “You never like playing!” She screams back, giggling. “I’m trying to study,” I replied, pulling my hair. But my crazy twin smiled and banged the spoon on the plate even more loudly. “Fine,” I say, slamming my book shut and rising from the bed. “What do you want to do?” I ask. “Yes!” she screams and leaps up. It’s been five months since I was taken home by my real family, five months since I discovered Aunt Isabelle’s true colours, Five months since I found people who sincerely love me and wished the best for me. Honestly, my family has become the most important part of my life. I can never stay a day without seeing them. My mum, Leilani, treats me like I'm the most precious thing on earth, and most times I wonder why Melinda never gets jealous. My dad, on the other hand, treats me like I'm the most delicate thing on earth. He
MIRANDA “Is that another me?” the little girl who looks exactly like me gasps I stood still, unable to say a word and watched as she also took steps towards me, her legs shaky and her eyes fixed on my face the entire time. Getting to me, she raises her hand to touch my face. But then, I am reminded of Aunt Isabelle's words about her being the major reason why my parents don't want me. "Don't touch me," I snarled and roughly shoved her aside. "I need to speak with Malcolm Blake and his wife," I said, older this time. "That's my mum and dad," the girl who looks exactly like me says. I glanced at her and eyed her unpleasantly. "I'm not dragging that with you," I snarled at her. "Anyone getting the duo, or I should barge in and find their suite myself?" I ask. "No, I'll call them," the lady says. Nodding my head at her answer, I stood still watching her make a phone conversation. "They'll be here soon," she says, putting down her phone. "So doppelgangers are real," the annoyi
MIRANDA I was so engrossed in the storybook Aunt Isabelle had purchased for me when I noticed someone trying to come into my room through the window. Scared, I got into the closet to hide myself. I would’ve called Aunt Isabelle, but then I recalled that she had warned me on several occasions to always keep my windows locked. Not wanting to get scolded by her, I carefully hid myself inside my closet and shut the door, heart beating erratically and waiting for the intruder to show up. However, after a long wait, no one showed up, making me look out of the closet. Then, I heard someone screaming for help. People asking for help was a normal occurrence in our neighbourhood. I’ve always watched a lot of people struggle with their captors. It was a daily occurrence that scared me. But then, I always watch to know who to look out for. Like always, I tiptoed to the window and that was when I caught sight of a familiar woman being pulled by the hair. For some reason, the way the man was tuggin
"Miranda." I gasped and stared wide-eyed at my little angel staring down at me. The maniac kept tugging my hair to bring my attention to him, but then it was as if I couldn't feel any of those at this moment. My entire focus was on the little girl in the window. "Miran…" I try to call again. But then, I'm cut shut as a familiar voice calls out the name before I could complete it. "Miranda," Isabelle's annoying voice sounded. At that moment, I felt my skin crawl and my heart began to beat frantically. "Don't tell me Elodie and her husband gave my daughter to this witch," I mumbled, gripped by fear. Having witnessed what Isabelle is capable of, the last thing I want is to have her next to my loved ones. Most especially, my daughters, but it seemed like that was just my wishful thinking. Eyes still on the window, I watch my daughter's face lit up with a smile the moment Isabelle reaches her side. I watched, with tears trailing down my cheeks as Isabelle fondly pats my daughter's hai
LEILANI “What?” I gasp in shock. Malcolm ignores me and rises from his seat. I grab hold of his hand to stop him from walking away. “How can you just drop an information like this and suddenly try to leave without explaining things to me?” I ask, still in shock. Disbelief clearly written on my face. “What? You suddenly want to believe my words right now?” Malcolm asks and pulls his arm off my grasp. “Malcolm,” I whisper in shock at the force he used in pulling his hand away. “What Leilani? What! I'm sick and tired of constantly having to explain myself to you countless number of times. I try to please and understand you all the time, but you keep making things hard for me. Tell me, do you even believe what I just said about Elodie?” He suddenly throws a question at me. I stare at him without saying a word. Honestly, this news is a shocker and I'm having a hard time believing it. “See, you don’t,” he says. Casting one last look at me, he dumps his cutleries, not caring if they f
LEILANI “When did we suddenly get to this?” I ask myself. I stood in place, too shocked to move. This was the first time a gun was being pointed at me. Yeah, I live in the United States, and shooting often occurs. But then, this is the first time I’m actually witnessing it. I watched as the guy pulled the trigger. “Is this my end?” I ask. Suddenly, I’m snatched like I weigh nothing and thrown aside. “You really want to die, don’t you?” Malcolm’s angry voice echoes. His voice sounded so far away, yet I was in his arms. My focus was on the masked guy trying to get away. I watch as he slips into one of the hospital rooms. “Baby,” Malcolm calls, shaking me rigorously. “Huh,” I answer absent-mindedly. “Leilani!” he suddenly yells my name. Making me snap out of whatever trance I was in. “He tried to shoot me,” I mumble. “I almost died without meeting my daughter,” I begin to cry. “Almost, but you didn’t,” he says, pulling me further into his arms. “She is dead,” I mumble, point
LEILANI The moment Frank runs past us with his skinny wife in his arms, Malcolm and I immediately run after him. Getting outside the building, Frank runs over to an old truck that looks like it will break down at any minute. “Are you honestly taking her to the hospital with that?” I ask “Let’s use my car,” Malcolm calls after him. Soon, we all got into Malcolm’s car, and he speeds to the hospital. Getting to the hospital, Elodie is lowered into a stretcher and wheeled into the emergency room. Malcolm and Frank goes off, as Frank mentions that he would like their family doctor to attend to her since he works here. I watch as both of them walk away in search of the doctor. Frank’s sister and I rushes after Elodie, who was already wheeled to the emergency room. “Has something like this happened to her before?” I queried her. She gave me one downgrading look and didn’t bother to answer. It is already bad enough that I haven’t seen my daughter even when I’m already in Colorado. Now,
LEILANI "You should pull yourself together, Lani. I'm sure you don't want Melinda to worry about you," Malcolm says the moment he ends the call. I didn't say a word and quietly snuggled into his chest. Honestly, I, too, knew I must have frightened Melinda. Heaven knows how she is feeling right now. This is one of the reasons why I said I'm not a good mother. "I'll go heat the milk. You need something to help you calm down," Malcolm says and proceeds to leave the room. Just as soon as he leaves, my phone rings, and I realize it's Sienna after speaking with Sienna. I felt calm and knew that I didn't need the milk to calm me down again, as my best friend had already did. I rose from the bed and found my way down the stairs. I was barefooted, so my feet barely made any sound. Getting to the kitchen, I found Malcolm on a call with his back turned on me. Not wanting to distract him from the call, I quietly stood behind him while waiting for him to finish answering the call. "You mean my