(Xander's Pov) She was dead; no, that was not possible. I watched her sleep last night and she snuggled up to me in her sleep. I could still remember the sheepish smile I had on my face seeing her subconscious actions. The A 587 flight had crashed a few hours after take-off near the coast of Europe. The authorities were still finding the crash site, but it was bleak. The chances of surviving a plane crash were very low, and my mind could not stop wondering what had happened that made Karis so desperate to leave me that she might be dead... That entire day, I didn't get any sleep as I exhausted every resource I had to investigate the plane crash. If not for the fact mum stopped me from travelling, I would have gone myself. She was traumatized by the news of Karis probably dying and had a breakdown worse than mine. Hours ticked by and all I could do was grip her wedding rings as I started to trace everything Karis did this past week.. Benji was already looking in
(Karis's pov) Summer, I always loved it not because of the warmth or its beauty but because of my birthday. "Karis, what are you waiting for? Your mother is waiting for you in the garden." I heard someone say and my eyes fluttered open. I was hiding behind the stairs, but what was I doing here? My eyes looked up to see a middle-aged woman dressed in former attire. I immediately recognized her “ Madam Deborah." I altered. "Yes, dear, we can't keep your mum waiting longer." Deborah stretched out her hand for me which I accepted. Deborah was my governess who retired after mum's death what was she doing here? No, rather, what was I doing here? My eyes darted around the room and immediately went wide as I recognized where this was. It was the Reynolds mansion when Mum was still alive; my eyes could spot an old picture of her hanging on the wall. "Dear child, what were you doing there?" I didn't know what I was doing there. My brain could not remember but my lips see
(Karis's pov)Loud alarm sounds started to ring in my ears. My whole body was in pain, and I kept hearing incoherent voices like they were panicking. "The patient's condition is not stable, her heartbeat is dropping.." someone seemed to have screamed. Is this another dream? They were speaking a strange language which I recognized but was still finding it a bit difficult to translate because my head was killing me My eyes fluttered open, and I could see faces; they had face masks on, and I was being pushed somewhere. My eyes were still blurry, but this sharp pain in my head made it hard to keep it open. A lady who was wearing a different colour of scrubs grabbed my hands, she spoke English to me because she wanted to communicate with me. She probably realized I was awake. "Relax, ma'am, you are going to be fine." She assured me. I wanted to stay awake, but it was hard to stay awake; I wanted to relax like my body was tired. The dream, yes, it was Mother. Maybe if I di
(Xander's Pov) Life felt meaningless; Skyler was right; I killed her. After that day, I confronted him, I had investigated what happened the eve of Karis birthday between Emma and I. There were video footages from the hotel showing everything that happened in the hallway. Due to privacy issues there were no cameras in the room but from what I saw from the hallway my life was over. I had willingly followed Emma to the room, but I couldn't understand why I did something so stupid. I had ruined my marriage with my hands and my jealousy was to be blamed. If I hadn't been enraged by jealousy and stayed in the house waiting for Karis to return none of this would have happened. Karis had been at the hotel that morning with Bertha and most likely saw me in with Emma. That was what made her lose it completely. It turned out a friend of Bertha saw Emma and I leaving the club and secretly trailed behind us, that was why everything got revealed. But none of that matter
(Karis's pov) These past few months have been a breeze so fleeting that I couldn't believe that I would be meeting her soon. Rubbing my swollen belly a soft smile was etched on my face. My tummy was so big that Skyler and I thought they were twins or triplets but it was just a fat baby girl. I have been eating so much that my baby was already very chubby even in my stomach. I could not wait to hold her in my arms and kiss her cheeks. I wondered if she would look like me or a feminine version of the devil. It was early spring, the snow had melted, and green plants were showing up. I will be having my baby in March. My pregnancy has been a bit challenging but he was by my side all the way. At times, when I think of how supportive Skyler has been, I don't have any idea how to repay him. He was always travelling to and fro to be able to keep up with his business and assist me throughout my pregnancy. Skyler never missed a check-up where the father was meant to be.
(Karis's pov) My mind was spaced as I glanced out the window; the car was driving the streets of Frankfurt, which was known as the financial hub of Germany. It was 8:45 am so traffic was a bit hectic since it was rush hour. Skyler also has some business here, and not so shockingly, Xander, but the chances of us running into each other were very low since this was a sizable city and the second most populous metropolitan German city. There were a lot of things going through my head. The fashion line I did with Skyler and Blue Secret was a hit, and the question was what next. I didn't want to rely on Skyler forever, and the money I transferred out of Xander's account would not sustain me forever. A baby was coming and I had to make sure she was well provided for. "We are here." I heard the driver say. My eyes were drawn from the window to Skyler who was busy on his phone. Recently, he has been super busy with business, which has been growing rapidly. He and Xander have been go
(Karis's pov) The baby store was a bit busier by the time Kyle suddenly showed up so it was easy for me to leave without him finding me. Fortunately, it was a large shop. By the time I made my way out of the store, it felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. A scarf was wrapped around my head and my face was covered by deep dark shades. I was making my way towards the elevator when the doors to a nearby store opened, and a large entourage came out. It was a bunch of paparazzi flashing cameras at someone in the middle of the chaos. The floor was rowdy and I could get snippets of what they were talking about. Since the exit was blocked, I had no way of leaving thanks to the large crowd. "What is going on here?" I wondered, I glanced backwards at the baby store and the doors opened. My head whipped away immediately. I noticed it was Kyle. He was already out of the shop. What was going on? Since leaving had become a bit difficult, I opted to hide among
(Karis's pov) Someone was crying but I didn't know who it was. The halls were dark and eerie; I knew immediately this was not the mansion in Germany I was residing in but the Reynolds family House. How did I get here? I wondered as my legs walked down the silent hallway towards the source of the cries. My eyes darted around, and I could spot some old pictures of Mum and me, exactly how I remembered it to be before Miranda moved in with Emma. My legs stopped at the door the cries were coming from. It was my parent's room; I slowly pushed the door and let out a loud creaking sound that made the person crying to stop. My head peeked in and I caught sight of the Auburn head woman. "Mummy," I called out, my voice sounding like a little girl's own.Mum's auburn hair was very beautiful, and when I was little, I wished that my hair was her colour instead of Dad's chestnut hair. Her hair was reddish brown with a gold undertone. She had fragile beautiful features with a
(Karis's pov) My lips parted, then closed, lost at the argument; I wasn't wearing an engagement ring. "What I do with my Fiance has nothing to do with you, Xander. I don't know how any of this happened, but if Vance is truly mine, I am going to sue your lover." I argued not ready to give him the last word. Xander groaned, massaging the space between his brows, "Karis, why are you doing this to me?" He asked, sounding emotionally drained. I scoffed. I didn't do anything to him. Whatever he was suffering was his fucking fault. I crossed my hands under my bosom with my eyes sizing him up. "How many times do I have to tell you Emma is not my lover? We have never been in love, nor never have I dated her before, even before we got married. She only used to bother me about business tips, and honestly, if you want to get rid of her, feel free to because I am sick of her presence around me." He emphasized his words, which left me speechless. Seeing I wasn't reacting, he con
(Karis's Pov) There was a distant sound of music. Since the contestants were done performing. Some classical musicians were also called to entertain the audience. My tongue was tied in a serious dilemma: Should I give him a listening ear or not? I was scared, honestly afraid that I would believe him even if it was a lie. I was scared of losing my will for revenge; I could not afford to do that, not yet. Xander had made my life a hell for two lifetimes. I spent years chasing his shadow, hoping for the love he never gave me. Each time he ripped my heart away. I just could not, but then his tone, which sounded hurt and filled with regret, made me wary. "Val and Vance, can you come to the assembly area? We want to have a short meeting with the contestants before we continue." A crew member called out for Val and Vance. "We have to go," Val mentioned, grabbing Vance's hand as they ran off. Vance's eyes were curiously staring at us. Soon we were the only ones left th
(Karis's pov) The image of Valeria hugging Xander shook me to my core. I soon forgot the feeling I had about the boy as my biggest fear seemed to be coming true. He wanted to take away my child. "Mummy," Val softly called once she recognized my presence, lifting her head from her father. Pardon, I mean Xander's chest. "Red," he called softly once he met my eyes; this time, I was certain his eyes were filled with regret and guilt, but I ignored him to focus on my angel. Her voice was soft with her eyes watery. Xander also looked at me and he seemed to be struck. "Val, come to mummy," I squatted on the floor with my hands wide open for Val. I had to compose myself first and make sure my daughter wasn't in his arms. She nodded at Xander and then left his arms before coming into my arms. I pulled her closer sensing her comforting scent. "Why were you crying?" I asked, ignoring the heated gaze I was getting from Xander. I glanced over at Xander and realized the little b
(Xander's Pov) Kyle and I Anonymously agreed to keep the police involvement to a minimum because Emma has a talent for slipping out of their custody every time. They would only serve as backup; right now, the search for Emma has begun. Ivan ran one of the biggest Mafia organizations in town by the time I was done with her, that is if she could survive his torture techniques. She would spill everything on how she knew about Karis's pregnancy and steal a baby because that was the only explanation. Emma stole my biological child from Karis to frame. It explained why she and her mother didn't treat Vance like theirs and abused him. All this while I was oblivious and neglected him. Well, it was a fact that I was dumb now; Emma took advantage of my sentiment, knowing I wouldn't pay much attention to her until she gave birth to make her plans. Everything was perfect, the misunderstanding leading to me thinking Karis was dead and then Emma's pregnancy. At that po
(Karis's pov) There was thunderous applause as the contestants finished playing. They were good but I was confident Val would not be any worse. The theatre was stunning, almost overwhelming; I knew almost everyone here came from an impressive background. Their clothes told it all. Everything was gold and red, glowing under the huge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The seats were soft, covered in velvet. I shifted in my seat, trying to steady my nerves. Tonight was Valeria’s big violin performance, and I couldn’t have been prouder or more anxious. This competition was large and had been going on for years. I once attended it before with Mum, but it was to watch Alessia's performance. My memories were blurry and I don't remember much from that day. I always knew Val's classical music talent was from Xander's side of the family. Xander was good, but after his bad-boy teenage stage, he would rather die than play the piano. The curtains rose, and my heart skipped
(Xander's pov) Today was Vance's competition with Val; although I didn't like the sounds of piano keys due to the unpleasant memories it brought me, I was still in a good mood thinking about the competition. Karis finally agreed on the partnership. I was a bit sceptical about whether she would accept or not, but everything ended well. I was a step from redemption because I was going to do the best I could to show her my sincerity. She could go around claiming Skyler was her fiance, but her hand was bare; there was no fucking ring. "Don't forget to arrive on time." Mum urged me over the phone. It was Christmas Eve, but I still had an important event to attend before heading for the Vance competition that was later that day. I wasn't going to miss it for the world not just because of the children but because I was certain my little red was going to be there. Although Karis had no idea I had eyes on her, I knew she had already left with Val for the compe
(Karis's pov) The entire room went still, I could not believe my eyes. This was unexpected and I truly didn't know how to react. Skyler had been more than a friend, but he wasn't my lover. At times, I considered him family. To be honest, over the years, I had tried to fall in love with Skyler, but I really could not make myself to. Whenever he brought up his feelings I always found a way to avoid the conversation. That was how things worked, and Skyler had never shoved it down, but seeing him go on one knee left me in a complete mess. "Skyler, I ..." I didn't even know how to form the words, Skyler's eyes dulled before I even finished the sentence. "Karis, please, I am not worse than him in any way, and I promise you will be the only one in my life. I will give the security he never gave." Skyler kept on promising. He wasn't lying. He was capable of doing all those things, but why was it hard to say yes? "I need more time, I can't accept your ring. Madam Esmeralda isn't r
(Karis's pov) There was a light knock on my door distracting me from my work. It was the housekeeper, "Ma'am, sorry to interrupt you, but Mr Crest is here to see you." Her voice informed me. I was surprised by the news because Skyler didn't tell me he was coming over, and honestly, the past few days after meeting Xander, Skyler hadn't crossed my mind. Aside from everything that happened that day, the one thing that stuck to my mind was his claims of not knowing what happened between him and Emma but it was hard to believe remembering what happened in the past between us. "I will be down in a bit." My feet made soft footsteps as I made my way downstairs. My eyes immediately spotted Skyler, who was sitting in the living area waiting for me. For an odd reason, he didn't seem pleased. "Skyler," I called out but he didn't glance at me. His eyes were focused on something in the living room. My eyes followed his line of sight to see a bouquet I left off the table, which
(Xander's pov) Karis was completely taken aback, but it was the truth. If possible, I wanted to reveal the truth about Vance that he might be hers, but I think it would be absurd at first. I needed the maternity test results. "Xander, please, I don't need this. I was desperate for the supplies, but if you think, I would sit here and listen to this. I am out of here." She suddenly declared getting off her seat. She wasn't going to believe me, and I expected it though, but at that moment I panicked. I stood up after her, then held her hand, pulling her further. She yelped. My eyes met her hazel eyes, and if I had not exercised every control in my body at that moment, I would have kissed her, but that would only push her away. I let go of her hand and then drew in a deep breath, "You should learn how to mask your emotions; if your emotions get ahead of you, that will be the beginning of your failure ." I advised her, when what I was doing was letting my emotions get