August 27, 2024. Chapter 1-2.
11:00 AM Dowel City. "Okay, we are clear to leave. We are entering the airport now," Jasper reported. "I coordinated with the private plane company to adjust our departure time."Leni let out a heavy sigh. She said, "What a relief."Earlier, she had been very nervous about how Anthony had discovered her with Raelyn. She did the math and knew that Adrian and Charles would already know by then.There was no escaping the situation. Leni would just have to stand by her decision. She had decided that Raelyn was her chance of an easy life. So, of course, she grabbed the golden opportunity. Thinking of Charles, she said in her head, 'This is your fault, Dad. You did this to me.'Charles could not grasp that she had been accustomed to a life of luxury, and by taking it all away, he left her no choice but to use any means necessary to survive. She simply could not handle being thrust into poverty!"Don't worry, Leni. Everything will be fine soon. When we leave here, we will forget about Charl
Raelyn stared at the woman who looked like a younger version of herself. The resemblance was so uncanny that it was difficult to ignore. “Mom, I’m your real daughter,” the young woman repeated. Her face was awash with tears, and her eyes reflected deep yearning.‘We have the same eyes,’ Raelyn thought. ‘We have the same hair and looks.’What were the chances of that?“I’m Riley,” the girl said, moving closer in her direction. “You named me Riley when I was a baby.”Leni was still behind Raelyn, pulling her arm. She said, “Mom! No, don’t listen to her -” Despite Leni’s claims, Raelyn forcefully pulled her arm away because she would rather stand closer to the young girl named Riley. Stepping down from the airstairs, she moved closer, studying Riley’s features and every move. Raelyn was beyond stunned. It was as if she had been transported back to her youth and was looking at a mirror!“Riley?” She muttered. Raelyn flinched because a sudden memory flashed in her head. She saw her youn
"These are photos of us when we first reconnected. I visited you in Dowel then," Renee said, showing a picture of her and Raelyn. "You were still in college in this photo."Raelyn accepted the picture. She studied it intently before a smile became painted on her face. She said, "It's really us.""Yes, of course," Renee answered. "We are sisters."Raelyn acknowledged. She was sitting on her hospital bed when she looked at the picture again. She described, "I look so much like Riley here.""Indeed," Renee said. Tears stung her eyes, and she wiped them fast, saying, "As she was growing up, I struggled with the pain of losing you because I see you in her too, but I had to be strong. I went through a lot, trying to survive and put food on the table for both of us.""I can... only imagine," Raelyn softly remarked, her eyes downcast as if she were reliving the story Renee had shared.Raelyn had been in the hospital for two days. The entire time, only Riley stayed with her. Her husband, Adrian
"How do I look?" Charles asked, his voice a little hoarse after having wept. Riley helped fix Charles' necktie. She checked his overall appearance, then said, "You look handsome, Dad. Mom will fall in love with you all over again.""Ah, you don't have to lie to me. I'm your dad!" Charles grumbled.Earlier, Charles witnessed the emotional scene between Raelyn, Riley, and Renee. He related to the pain that Raelyn felt. After all, he went through the same experience: losing a loved one and finding it after so many years.However, what really brought him to tears was knowing he was missing out on their family moment. Charles sincerely believed he deserved to be included in their embrace, but he was concerned about how Raelyn would respond to him, mainly because Calvin and Ramona had long portrayed him as the villain in her life."I'm not lying, Dad. A man who can show vulnerability and emotions demonstrates emotional depth and genuineness." Riley winked and said, "I'm sure Mom will find t
"Your office is amazing, Dad!" Riley remarked as Charles gave everyone a grand tour. To each office department, Charles also proudly announced, "Everyone, this is my real daughter, Riley."Riley put on a bright smile. She waved at the managers and staff, saying, "Good morning. It's wonderful to meet all of you."Charles could see how his employees admired Riley's charms, and the single men either blushed or were in awe in her presence. Because of this, Adrian quickly introduced himself. Adrian put his arm around Riley and said, "And I am her husband, Adrian King. We are expecting a baby."While Charles laughed, reading between the lines, Riley, Renee, and Raelyn snapped their heads at Adrian, forming varied expressions. Abner and Anthony also visited Dowel Landmasters for the first time and laughed with Charles. Raelyn wanted to try and see if she could recover her memories. Hence, Charles' first attempt was to take her to his office building, where their romance began. "As you kn
### FLASHBACK CONTINUATION ###“Hmmm. Don’t you just find washing dishes therapeutic?” Raelyn asked with a smile. Her eyes were closed as she lathered dishwashing soap on the crawfish bucket.Charles and Raelyn were on their third date. She had always insisted on eating dinner at the crawfish restaurant because she said it was a good value. At that point, Charles learned two additional things about Raelyn. One, she loved seafood, especially shellfish. Two, Raelyn was a bit frugal. She really liked eating for free!Charles, however, could not do it anymore. His guilt was eating him. The second time they washed dishes at the crawfish restaurant, he noticed the curious looks from the kitchen staff. He figured they were puzzled as to why a billionaire’s son would refuse to pay a small, local restaurant. So, without Raelyn’s knowledge, he decided to purchase the establishment. That way, they could eat for free until Raeyln would get tired of eating crawfish. “Yes, it is indeed therapeuti
"Good morning, Mom," Riley greeted, raising her coffee. "Morning. Where are the men?" Raelyn asked, seeing only one man at the dining table: Abner. Abner laughed. He declared, "Oh, don't worry. I have enough testosterone to cover all the missing men."Renee was the first to burst out laughing, and Riley followed. Naturally, Raelyn also laughed with them. "Dad is meeting his lawyers at the office," Riley finally revealed after composing herself. "Adrian and Father Anthony are at Dowel Landmasters, finalizing a few plans with Kyle."After Raelyn was discharged, she lived in a hotel with Renee, but eventually, Riley convinced her to move to Charles' mansion with them. Last night was her first sleep at Charles' home, which was surprisingly comforting. "Meeting his lawyers?" Raelyn asked, a little disappointed that Charles was not around."He had filed another case against Calvin for denying your freedom over the years," Riley said. "Are you ready to see Calvin, Mom?"Hearing Calvin's
"Wow." Riley's eyes watered, seeing her baby's progress. She turned to Adrian and asked, "Honey, are you seeing this?"Their baby's facial features were more defined. The arms and legs were fully formed, and Riley saw the baby moving its limbs."Can we already tell if it's a girl or a boy?" Adrian asked Zia. The couple were again at the King's Medical Center for Riley's prenatal. Riley was already around sixteen weeks pregnant. Zia kept moving the ultrasound probe, but eventually, she said, "I still can't see it. When the baby is eighteen to twenty weeks, it's more definite. Unless, of course, the baby is covering their sex, then it becomes a surprise for later."Riley lay in the hospital bed, thinking of her mother. With a big smile, she turned to Adrian and said, "I can't wait to tell Mom what's the gender.""God, you gotta update me, Riley! It wasn't long ago when you found your dad and now, your mom! It's just mind-blowing!" Zia reacted. "It's been hectic," Riley admitted while