Seth stormed into his residence, his face flushed with anger. He had just been bombarded by a flurry of questions from reporters, all because Sarah had decided to take matters into her own hands."Sarah!" He bellowed, his voice booming down the hallway. "I need to talk to you, NOW!"Sarah, still reeling from the shock of seeing David in the crowd, felt her heart sink. She knew this wasn't going to be good, and she felt as though she knew the reason behind his anger.Sarah slowly made her way towards the President, her head bowed low. She couldn't bear to look him in the eye. She knew she had messed up, but she was too angry at him for tying her hands and not allowing her to defend herself."Sarah..." Seth started, his voice laced with rage. "What were you thinking? Going behind my back and calling David? Did you not think about the consequences of your actions? You put yourself in danger and now you've put me in a bad light with the people."Sarah finally lifted her head, a fire blazi
stranger."And what about the baby?" She asked, her voice quiet but steady. "What about the child you made me promise to love and care for? Does she mean nothing to you?"The President's face hardened, his jaw clenching. "The child is important to me." He said. "Just as my image is, as my legacy." the President continued, his voice cold and distant. "You are a temporary fixture in my life, Sarah. But the legacy I leave behind will last long after you and I are gone."Sarah felt like she had been punched in the gut. "You don't deserve her..." She had wanted to say to him but decided to say something else instead."You can't keep me here forever." Sarah told him. "You can't keep me prisoner in this gilded cage. I will find a way out, and I will make sure that child is safe, away from your toxic influence."The President's face turned an alarming shade of red, his hand twitching towards his phone. "Take my child away from me?" He repeated, sounding as though he was hearing his own voice
quarters.She had lost all respect for the man who called himself President, seeing only a selfish egotist who cared more for his reputation than the truth — or maybe he never believed she's the victim of David's rumors?The thought sent a shiver down her spine and mind whirled with questions, each one more disheartening than the last. Was it her own naivety that had allowed David to spin his web of lies, or was Seth so blinded by his ambition that he refused to see the truth?Whatever question that comes to her mind, it only lead to another question without being answered which is more frustrating itself.The more Sarah searched for answers, the more the truth eluded her. It was like trying to grasp smoke with her hands — the harder she tried, the more it slipped through her fingers. In the dark, silent night, the only company she had were her own thoughts, swirling like a tempest in her mind, offering no respite or resolution.And yet, despite the confusion and despair, there was a
David was silent for a while. "Uh, I think I should dig up few dirt on Sarah, she need to continue being the bad egg." He said after few moment of silence. "It should get to the president first — and the public afterward. No?""Why should it get to the president first?" Laura countered with a look of displeasure on her face. "That will only make you nothing but a pathetic attention seeker to the president. Let's just keep it as it was."David thought about Laura's suggestion for a moment and soon his eyes took on a determined gleam, his smile turning predatory. "Right. We only need to turn the tide, make her look even worse than before.""How do you plan to do that?" Laura asked, her interest piqued. "If we can make the president doubt her, it could work to our advantage."David's mind was already spinning with possibilities, his fingers drumming against the arm of his chair. "I think we should start with her friends, her inner circle."Laura frowned at him. "What friend?" She queried
afterward."You don't know how long and hard I thought before deciding on the conference — and you ended up ruining everything in the end." He continued, his voice was calm but not entertaining. "Now, you can't avoid this mess — we both can't!"It was Sarah's fault for not thinking before acting but she wasn't ready to admit the gut telling her she's guilty of what's happening to her. "There's no need to cry over a spilled milk, Seth." She told him, avoiding his gaze."You are right though, but maybe partially." He uttered in response. "...because why you the milk be spilled in the first place? It was something you can avoid, but you choose not to?"Sarah shifted uncomfortably in her seat, but she refused to show weakness. "That's what I'm doing now. Thinking." She paused for a moment, her lips pressed in a thin line. "At least, there should be an aftermath solution, no?""I don't know what's going on in your mind right now, Sarah." He muttered, his voice sounding more like a warning,
No, you're not going anywhere..." Seth snarled, his voice sharp and threatening. "Not until the contract expires, you belong to me. You're my wife, and you'll stay here with me until I say otherwise."His words were like a slap in the face, a reminder of Sarah's lack of control in her own life. But she wasn't going to back down without a fight.Sarah let out a pain stricken laughter. "Isn't this amusing? Being married to the president and becoming the first lady?" She muttered, the laughter had disappeared as quickly as it came."I was wondering why you choose me among multitude but now your reasons are clear, you choose a desperate person to use to your political gain just to gain more bonus points. No?""Desperate?" Seth echoed, a grunt escaping his throat afterward. "You weren't desperate, Sarah. You were ambitious. Willing to sell your soul to the devil for a taste of power and privilege. Don't you dare pretend you didn't want this life."Sarah shook her head, her anger turning to
The President's office was a very fancy and stylish place that exuded luxury. It was a place that was designed to impress anyone who stepped inside, showing how rich and powerful the president was.The thick, navy-blue carpet muffling the hurried footsteps of officials as they entered the meeting room. The table in the President's office was very fancy and big. It was made of polished mahogany wood, which made it look expensive and beautiful, sat at the heart of the room like a solemn judge, watching over the assembly with its stoic gaze.The President stood at the head of the table, The sharp creases of his suit betrayed the tension and anxiousness that vibrates through him. A cold bead of sweat slid down his temple, but his gaze remained steady as he addressed the group."Gentlemen, we have a pressing matter to discuss." The President began, his tone serious and clipped. "As you are all aware, there has been a series of cyber attacks on our nation's electrical grid. We must act swif
Sarah shot him an irritated glance before standing up with Karl in her arms, a protective stance that made it clear she was not budging."Seth, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to follow you around without knowing what's going on. No matter how important it is to you, I have no intention of accompanying you anywhere right now." She was dead serious, and her words left no room for misinterpretation.Seth's expression hardened as he heard Sarah's words, the disappointment and frustration he felt clear in the set of his jaw — but he knew better than venting out his frustration that moment."Sarah, I know we haven't been the closest lately, but this is important. There is high chance that this could clear the public's doubt about us. You have to trust me on this."Sarah's eyes narrowed, her posture stiffening in defiance. "Trust you?" She challenged, her voice sharp. "You've made it clear that you don't trust me, Seth. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?""Because you have to, Sa
disgrace.Then who could it?He had wanted to suspect Seth but shut the thoughts out, he wouldn't have this and still watch his supposed wife's public humiliation without standing up for her.His fuzzy thought was interrupted by his phone — it was ringing. David wanted to avoid the call but seeing it's Laura, he reluctantly picked it up."Have seen the news already..." He muttered immediately not giving the latter the chance to say something. "You didn't do this, did you?""Are you crazy?" Laura countered from the other end. "Why would I jeopardize my reputation just to drag you down? We are in thus mess together, remember?"David wasn't convinced. "You must have nothing to lose to have this uploaded online." He said gruffly. "This might have been your place from the start.""Who cares whose plan it is?" Laura spouted, her voice in despair still. "What's more important is how to deal with what's on hand. And there's also a rumor that Sarah will sue you for defamation.""What...?" Davi
Sarah took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on Seth. "I’m sorry for keeping the kids from you." She said, her voice low and steady. "I was scared, and I didn’t want you to know. So, I couldn't bring myself to letting you know."Seth’s expression was unreadable, as he processed her words. "Why?" He finally asked, his voice barely a whisper. "Why would you do that?""I..." Sarah trailed off, not knowing what else to say. "I'm sorry, Seth." She could only offer an apology."I’m sorry too." Seth said, his voice matching her somber tone. "I should have been more understanding, more patient with you." He reached for her hand, his fingers gently entwining with hers. "We both made mistakes. But I don’t want to keep making them."Sarah looked down at their joined hands, a small smile playing on her lips. "What do we do now?" She asked, her voice soft. "Where do we go from here? Home?"The word “home” hung between them, a suggestion and a question wrapped into one. Seth’s eyes met hers, his face e
The word “home” hung heavily in the air, punctuated by the sharp intake of breath from Sarah. She looked at Seth, her expression a mix of anger and confusion. Her voice came out low and measured, laced with a hint of defiance."I don’t have a home with you anymore." She wrapped her arms protectively around the baby in her embrace. "And you are not leaving with my children."Seth’s eyes narrowed, a slight twitch in his jaw betraying the depth of his anger. "And who said your decision and opinion matters here?" He said with a scoff, despite his anger. "I make the decision, Sarah, and you abide to it.""No...! I'm going nowhere with you!" Sarah’s words rang out with a ferocity. It was a line drawn in the sand, a declaration of her independence.Seth’s laughter was quick, almost cutting her off, but it was a brittle sound that concealed a seething rage. "You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not." He stepped forward, towering over her.Lucian watched as Sarah took a step backward,
The piercing sound of that familiar voice reverberated through the room, casting a chill over Sarah and sending a jolt of electricity through her veins. Slowly, she turned to face the source of that voice, her heart pounding against her ribs like a wild drumbeat.There he stood, Seth, his presence filling the room with an intensity. A mix of emotions played across his features — anger, sorrow, regret — but there was no mistaking the steel in his eyes as he locked his gaze onto Sarah.He stepped forward, the air practically crackling with tension between them. "Where have you been hiding?" He countered, stopping a few feet away from her. "Why didn't you let me find you?"Sarah had no words left in her to tell him, what was she to say? She could only stare at him, her eyes on him as if she was trying to communicate with her eyes instead. "I..."Seth was impatient, but he was able to hold him from grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the room. "Say something, Sarah..." Despite the mi
A YEAR LATER*The plane descended gracefully through the clouds, its wings slicing through the air with an accuracy. As it neared the airport, the control tower flashed its lights in a welcoming signal.The plane glided over the runway, its wheels slowly touching down on the tarmac. The landing was smooth and effortless, as if the plane were being cradled by the runway itself. The passengers let out a collective sigh of relief as the plane came to a gentle stop. Through the windows, they could see the airport terminal, bustling with activity and life.A woman stepped down from the plane, a twin carrier strapped around her torso carrying two five months old babies. Despite her weariness, her eyes shone with happiness and anticipation as she scanned the lively airport. The babies were wide eyed and mesmerized by their new surroundings, taking in the unfamiliar sights and sounds.The babies chuckled softly, as if they were delighted by the scene. The woman smiled tenderly at them, her he
Laura’s jaw dropped open, shock coursing through her veins. "You’re willing to sell your soul to the President for some money or prestige?" She exclaimed, her voice laced with disgust. "I don’t care what I ruined for you, David. You can’t keep doing this to people. You can’t keep hurting people just to get what you want."David’s eyes flashed with rage. “I do what I have to, Laura. And you better don't try to lecture me when we've been in these since its beginning." He muttered, scowling at."But I never meant things to go this far, you're taking in more than you can contain, David." She uttered repulsively. "Just stop here...!"David wasn't ready to listen. "Look here, Laura, I'm tired of you being around me, your presence sucks." He uttered, scowling at her. "Whatever shit that's between us, let's end it here.""You're sick, David, if you think you can just call our fling off whenever you want?" Laura snickered. "I'm sorry, but you can't. I started this — and I should end it too.""
A deafening silence had stifled the air in the presidential office as Seth's eyes were fixed on the documents in front of him, his brow furrowed in concentration.He had been poring over these files for hours, trying to make sense of the mixed up web of information before him. The clock on the wall ticked softly, signaling another minute had passed by, but Seth barely registered the sound.On the other side of the office was Lila, going through the iPad with her in silence — and just like Seth, her attention was fixated on the screen.Suddenly, Lila's outburst cut through the silence of the office like a knife through butter. "What...?" She sprung to her feet, her chair sliding backward with the momentum.Seth's head snapped up, startled by the sudden noise. "What is it now, Lila?" He solicited, his brows creased roughly. "You can see I'm putting in all my concentration here."Lila bowed her head slightly in apology. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. President..." She uttered as she mo
Seth sat behind his desk, his hands clenched into tight fists. He had summoned David to his study and now, the two men faced each other, the air thick with tension."So, Mr. Citizen..." Seth began, his voice tight with emotion. "It seems that there is a problem. A problem that you may know something about."David's face remained impassive, but a slight tremor betrayed his nervousness. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. President. How can I help you?"Seth's eyes narrowed as he threw few pictures before David, his sharp gaze on him. "Can you explain this?" He asked, leaving no room for friendliness.Davis's brows creased as he stared at pictures, unable to comprehend what Seth was driving at. It was a picture of footprints Lila had taken when she went to Sarah's old house.David slowly diverted his gaze from the pictures to Seth. "Why are you showing me these?" He muttered in questioning, his brows still creased. "What am I supposed to do with these footprints?"Seth's expres
Lila's concern deepened, and she searched Tristan's face for signs of distress. "Tristan, sweetheart," she said, taking his small hands in hers, "is something wrong? Did you fall? Are you hurt?"Tristan looked up at her, his blue eyes piercingly earnest. "No, I'm not hurt, or maybe I am." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just...I don't understand. Why did Aunt Sarah leave us?"Lila swallowed hard as she felt her caught in her throat, her heart aching for the boy's loss. "Oh, Tristan...""Did she hates us now?" He muttered, the look in his eyes gloomy. "I'm sure she left because she thought we don't want her."Lila's eyes softened as she pulled Tristan closer, enveloping him in a warm hug. She could feel his small body trembling against hers, and she stroked his hair gently, trying to offer some comfort."I know you miss Aunt Sarah, Trist. It's hard when people we love have to go away. But I promise you, it's not because she doesn't love you." Lila countered, her voice caj