Philip fidgeted, his hands clenching and unclenching as he felt the weight of Douglas’s intense gaze. The murmur of the crowd grew louder as all eyes in the room turned to Douglas, Philip, and Kendra, awaiting a confrontation. Philip drew a breath, willing himself to stay calm, to stand his ground.Just as Kendra began to step forward, moving protectively in front of Philip, Douglas raised his hand and offered Philip a warm, unexpected smile.Philip froze, surprised, while the crowd held its breath, awaiting the worst.But then, much to the surprise of all present, Douglas reached out his hand to Philip, the smile on his face not feigned. "Congratulations, Philip," he said in that steady voice of his, his gaze clear. "You have shown bravery and true love toward Kendra. And now, you have in your life the most hardworking, creative, and beautiful woman on this earth."There was a collective expiration of breath from the crowd; a few gasps ran through the room amongst the guests. Phi
It was a quiet, perfect morning, with Brian playing nearby, his cheerful laughter filling the room as he built an elaborate castle out of blocks. There was a serenity that lingered in the air, a peacefulness that spoke of dreams realized and hopes fulfilled.Kendra leaned her head against Philip's shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. "If you'd told me a few years ago that we'd be sitting here like this, I wouldn't have believed it," she murmured, a smile playing at her lips. "Sometimes it still feels like a dream.Philip wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close as he looked down at her. "Well, if this is a dream, I never want to wake up," he replied softly. "We've been through so much, Kendra. And to come out on the other side like this… with you, with Brian… it's everything I could have ever wanted."They sat in comfortable silence, watching Brian place another block in his castle, the furrows deepening across his little brow. Philip chuckled low in his throat at the determ
The Divorce“You good for nothing!” Elena poured and in turn, Kendra felt the hot palms of Elena connecting with her cheeks – a resounding slap that sent her ears ringing.Kendra gasped as her hands ran up to hold her cheeks to mellow the impact of the slap. She looked at her mother-in-law with teary eyes. “How could you be so clueless?” Elena barked, her whole body shacking as a result of her raging anger. “Don’t you know how to do anything right? How dare you tell me you want to quit your job? Do you have any idea how much help that particular one has been to us?” she yelled at Kendra with reverberating sound echoing through the hallways.Kendra couldn’t help but stare at her mother-in-law as tears began to roll down her succulent cheeks. She just couldn’t bring herself to utter a word. What had she not done?Kendra had worked four stressful jobs weekly and practically provided for the family. Ever since her husband’s company went bankrupt, Kendra took over the breadwinner of the ho
“You and I know this sham of a marriage isn’t working, Kendra. And I’m tired of trying to make it work, and…”“What are you saying, Philip? I’ve been the one working my ass work up for the past four years, trying to fix our marriage. You can’t call for divorce out of the blue, not for everything I’ve done for this family, for this marriage to make it work.” Kendra explained, hoping he had got a clear picture of her sacrifices, but his expression was far from it.He stared at her, his face contorting into a stern frown. “What did you just say? I have tried. How dare you tell me you are the only one making an effort? I still kept you under my roof after you ruined me, my company went down in shambles because I married you, yet I put that behind me and tolerated you for four fucking years. What more do you want from me?”His yelling drew the attention of his Aunt - Elena, who now acted like his mother and Thomas, his younger brother.Out of their rooms, they came upon Kendra like swarms
She took a deep breath, and made her way out of the car as she observed the home she left for a long time now. She quickly made her into the mansion, flipping her eyes around the environment.For four years, she turned her back on them and followed Philip. She cut off all link and connections with her family because she didn’t want any of them to know her whereabout with Philip Kendra didn’t take the decision of running after Philip because she despised her family. She did what she did because of her father’s persuasion to marry Douglas – one of the youngest and wealthiest men in all the city of New York and take over the family’s business.She knew this was based on business arrangement but she wanted something else – she wanted to marry for love and that could only be found with Philip.But now, she realized she’d made the biggest mistake of her life.Maids lined up in their numbers to welcome her as she made her way through the door. She walked past them with her head held high.Sh
Kendra’s eyes widened and her mouth curled into ‘o.’ She was shocked hearing Douglas address her as his ‘dear wife.’“Kendra,” Douglas tapped her and she regained her composure.“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Nelson.” She said, forcing a smile and Douglas could tell that smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.“Skip the formalities, call me Douglas.” He winked at her and helped himself to a seat on the couch. Kendra nodded slowly and took her seat too.Douglas scanned his wife-to-be from head and toe and noticed she hadn’t changed a bit except for the fact that she only lost a significant amount of weight.Kendra had been gone for four years, now she was back, and Douglas was determined never to let slip his hand again.Both Douglas and Kendra attended the same university and the same business school. That was where Douglas fell in love with her at first sight, but she was completely engrossed in her studies that she barely noticed him.After school, she ran after Philip, leaving
The New CEOThe next day, in the evening, seated on the bed, in her room, Kendra's mind wondered in thought to what Douglas said to her yesterday. It was a few hours before the night event.What did he mean by he wants her? At first, she thought he could be taking her as a mere commodity but when she began to think deep, she understood what he actually meant, and still left in shock.Could it be that he had been waiting for her for the past four years?Kendra spent some hours of the night researching his company, and it turned out Douglas was doing pretty well in his real estate business with international recognition.There was no way he could want her because of material gain from her family. So, what could be his motive behind this marriage? These thoughts were clouded in her head.She was quickly jolted out of her reverie by a sudden knock at the door. “Please, come in,” she said, turning to the door. It opened, revealing Allison who held a box in her hand, walking towards Kendra w
Kendra looked at Brian and he nodded vigorously, which made her shiver. “Philip?” She said softly, almost in a whisper. “Oh, yes, Mom. Uncle Philip was very kind to me, he almost ran over me with his car but he managed to swerve and stopped the car just in time then he alighted to check if I was alright.” Kendra's mind was reeling. Philip? Here? After all these years? She breathed in deeply as she tried to calm herself down. “Mrs. Winston,” she called the nanny. ”How could you allow this to happen? Brian could have been injured badly.” “Oh, Ms. Winchester, I am so sorry. You see, he was playing with his friends and the next thing he is running towards the street, and before I know it, I was struggling to catch up with him.” '‘What am I paying you fo r?!’ Kendra said, her fear translated to anger. ”I handed over my son to you and you were meant to protect him!” “Mom, please do not be angry with Nanny,” Brian pleaded, pulling her hand gently. ‘'It was my fault, I saw a pupp
It was a quiet, perfect morning, with Brian playing nearby, his cheerful laughter filling the room as he built an elaborate castle out of blocks. There was a serenity that lingered in the air, a peacefulness that spoke of dreams realized and hopes fulfilled.Kendra leaned her head against Philip's shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. "If you'd told me a few years ago that we'd be sitting here like this, I wouldn't have believed it," she murmured, a smile playing at her lips. "Sometimes it still feels like a dream.Philip wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close as he looked down at her. "Well, if this is a dream, I never want to wake up," he replied softly. "We've been through so much, Kendra. And to come out on the other side like this… with you, with Brian… it's everything I could have ever wanted."They sat in comfortable silence, watching Brian place another block in his castle, the furrows deepening across his little brow. Philip chuckled low in his throat at the determ
Philip fidgeted, his hands clenching and unclenching as he felt the weight of Douglas’s intense gaze. The murmur of the crowd grew louder as all eyes in the room turned to Douglas, Philip, and Kendra, awaiting a confrontation. Philip drew a breath, willing himself to stay calm, to stand his ground.Just as Kendra began to step forward, moving protectively in front of Philip, Douglas raised his hand and offered Philip a warm, unexpected smile.Philip froze, surprised, while the crowd held its breath, awaiting the worst.But then, much to the surprise of all present, Douglas reached out his hand to Philip, the smile on his face not feigned. "Congratulations, Philip," he said in that steady voice of his, his gaze clear. "You have shown bravery and true love toward Kendra. And now, you have in your life the most hardworking, creative, and beautiful woman on this earth."There was a collective expiration of breath from the crowd; a few gasps ran through the room amongst the guests. Phi
Philip's heart almost stopped as he waited, eyes fixed on Kendra's face for a reaction.Time froze, the world collapsing to just these two in that one hot instant.Then, as if time started up again in one glorious ebullient burst, Kendra's lips split into a bright, beaming smile, her eyes welling up in tears."Yes," she said in a soft tone yet full of conviction. "Yes, Philip, I'll marry you."A collective "Whoo." went up from the guests, and the balcony erupted into applause. Philip's heart soared as he slipped the ring onto her finger; the mixture of relief and overjoyed feelings mingled in a warm embrace as Kendra pulled him close. It was a sea of laughter and congratulatory shouts that filled the air, as family and friends closed in, each one swooping in to be part of the celebration.Philip leaned in close and whispered, "You've made me the happiest man alive."Kendra laughed, her eyes shining bright. "I'm the one who's lucky, Philip. I never thought this kind of happiness woul
Applause filled the room, and Kendra and Philip smiled in pride over shared success. It was after months of planning, negotiation, and sleepless nights that their companies were merged into one, something that to them meant much more than business. This was a pledge for a new future-to be together, in every word's sense.Philip inclined toward Kendra, speaking in a low tone, but the undertones of pride were unmistakable. "We did it," he whispered, the sparks in his eyes telling volumes about the excitement inside him." "I always knew we could, but standing here with everyone, seeing it actually happen, it's even better than I'd imagined."Kendra's smile spread wide, and her heart swelled big with pride and affection. "It isn't just business anymore," she whispered back."This is our life now. I never thought I'd feel this way again, hopeful, excited… like we're creating something that's ours in every way."They stood in the center of the boardroom, surrounded by team members and cl
Philip’s fingers tightened around the note, his eyes scanning the familiar handwriting once more, as if a second read would change the words scrawled across the paper. That casual, cryptic message struck a cold knot in his stomach, and he knew Kendra felt it too.Kendra's gaze darted between the note and Philip's face, her expression a mixture of concern and irritation. "Do you… do you know who this is from?" she asked, though the tenor of her tone was suggestive that indeed she did have her suspicions. She just needed him to confirm it.Philip exhaled loudly, folding the note as he met her gaze, the name catching in his throat like a bad taste. "It's… Bianca," he admitted quietly, tension lacing his voice. "It's her handwriting. I'd recognize it anywhere."Bianca's name had Kendra tense up, a mixture of anger and hurt crossing her face.What does she want now?" she asked, her voice shaking with the weight of Bianca's return weighing on her mind. "Why can't she just leave us alone?
Kendra took a deep breath across from Douglas as she felt the heaviness of their shared history settle between them. This meeting had been a long time coming; an opportunity to say goodbye to a past that once had promised comfort but had never fitted her. She looked at him now, a pang of sadness in her heart and deep resolve to shut this chapter finally.The silence was broken first by Douglas, his voice firm yet soft. "I suppose this is it, then?" he softly asked, as if he also had finally reconciled himself with what was about to happen.Kendra nodded, her lips tugging into a sad sweet smile. "Yes, I think it is," she replied, keeping her voice warm, though a part of her did feel a little bit sad. "We've come a long way, Douglas. But… it's time for both of us to move on. We deserve that."Douglas leaned back, running a hand through his hair, and gave her a faint smile. "You know, when I think back, I will always be thankful for the time we had. You helped me grow, even if it did
“Kendra, we need to talk,” Douglas said, his voice firm but almost pleading, as he caught up with her outside her office building. She'd just got to work, barely recovered from the shock of Bianca's sudden coming back into her life, and here was Douglas, pushing all that urgency she had just tried to leave behind.She clutched at her bag a bit more tightly and watched him steadily on his face while she waited for him to continue."Kendra," he started all over again this time with so much softer a tone, "I simply cannot stand by and watch you go back to Philip. You know his history as well as I do; he's proved time and time again that he can't be trusted."She frowned, clearly not in the mood to hear yet another lecture. "And I have already told you, Douglas, I know about his past. But things are different now. He has changed and we're rebuilding our life together not only for us but for Brian."Douglas exhaled and ran a hand through his hair, frustration fairly evident. "But that's j
The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the beach as Kendra and Philip moved from stand to stand, asking every person they passed if they had seen a little boy fitting Brian's description. The fear clutching Kendra's heart deepened with each shake of a head and sympathetic "No, I'm sorry."Her voice broke each time she had to repeat Brian's description to yet another family. "He's seven, dark curly hair, he was wearing a blue T-shirt, small white anchor on the front," she managed to get out, her throat tight each time the boy's name came from her lips.The mother of the group cast Kendra a sympathetic glance at her clutches of children clinging to her sides. "I'm so sorry," she said, the softness in her voice sincere. "I haven't seen him, but I can keep an eye out. I can't even imagine how scared you must be.".Philip laid a steadying hand on Kendra's shoulder, gave it a brief, encouraging squeeze as they passed on to the next group.His own fear
Kendra's voice cracked as she yelled out Brian's name, her eyes scanning the crowds with growing desperation. She and Philip had searched most of the campgrounds already, going stand to stand and calling out, but there was no sign of their son. With each corner that turned up empty, that knot of fear in her chest pulled tighter, her breaths coming in shallow gasps."Brian!" she cried again, her voice cracking, as if the very weight of her fear might somehow will him back.Philip leaned into her and laid a soothing squeeze on her shoulder. "Stay calm, Kendra. He's around here somewhere; I know it."But she could see the concern etched across his face, his eyes darting to and fro on the beach just about as frantically as hers were.Kendra bit back the welling tears, holding it in, but the panic bubbling inside her was getting too big not to let loose.A group of families nearby glanced over at them, taking note of their worried looks. One parent was a kind-faced woman with two childr