Mason’s phone rang in the middle of the night.Rising, he leaned on the headboard and turned on the night light. Zoe also woke up when he was talking on the phone. “What’s wrong, Mom?”It was Lisa at the other end of the phone.She sounded calm and collected. “I don’t think Barbara’s going to make it past tonight, Mason. Take Zoe along with you. This could be the last time you guys will see her.”He remained quiet for about half a minute before responding in a husky voice, “We’ll be right over!”They got changed in less than five minutes and hit the road in the middle of the night.The rain splashed down on the black Rolls-Royce. Beads of raindrops streamed down the car, reminiscent of tears.Due to Zoe’s pregnancy, he didn’t drive very fast. They didn’t say anything to each other. Zoe sat next to him in the passenger seat and looked out the window and into the rainy night. She knew, deep down, that this would probably be the last night she’d see Barbara.The car slowed down
Mason raised his head and strained to fight back tears. When he had control of his emotions, he held Barbara’s hand and murmured gently, “It’s me, Mom. I’m home.”“You’re back, Westley!”Tilting her head, she looked at him. She couldn’t be sure if it was really Westley. All she knew was that these were her son’s features. It was the little boy she raised. Her last shred of energy left her and her chest was rising and falling listlessly. She didn’t have any strength left in her to call out to him.So, she merely looked at her son.Her lips curled into a serene smile. Her son had come home. She fell into a deep thought.Do you know that you’re about to become a grandpa, Westley? Your granddaughter will be born in two more months. There will be another Lockwood in our family.You’re going to be overjoyed when you see her, Westley!The night grew darker as Barbara clung on to dear life, reluctant to let go. After all, her son had come home.Holding her hand, Mason said to the oth
Their lives returned to normal after Barbara’s funeral drew to an end.Mason started going back home more frequently.They were still treating each other coldly. They didn’t really talk to each other during dinner and they would sleep twenty inches away from each other. Sometimes, he’d even sleep in the guest room. Once in a while, he’d hug her from behind and brush his hands across her belly, trying to feel for his baby girl in there. If Zoe was woken in the process, she’d remain quiet and let him do his own thing. This was how their marriage was now. Aside from Yanni, there was nothing left between them. She had forgotten that she used to love him and he had forgotten that he used to want to make up to her. He even forgot to tell Zoe that he wanted to have a daughter who’d run towards him when he came home from work and asked for a hug.Both of them had forgotten what made them love each other in the first place. All they could remember now was how painful it was to maintain
Tears filled Ella’s eyes as she said, “I’m going to love your baby so much!”Zoe smiled faintly in response.Ella stayed in the coffee shop for a while longer before leaving. One of them had to keep an eye on the dessert spot.She sat by the window alone after her friend left. The evening light shone in through the glass, casting an orange glow on her face and adding a trace of affection to it.At that moment, Yanni wriggled in her belly. It seemed as though she was happy. Putting her hands on her belly, she felt for her daughter and a wave of affection filled her heart. She was imagining what her baby would look like. Then, her lips curled into a smile.Yanni would be born around the beginning of winter. So, Zoe went to the mall to buy onesies and other things for Yanni. All of them were pink in color. Her baby was going to look so adorable.Passing by the men’s section, she was stopped by a sales assistant, who recommended clothes to her passionately.“We’re doing a promotio
The rain continued to pour for the whole day.Evening came and the sky was so red that it looked like it caught fire, looking majestic.Wearing a scarf around her neck, Zoe stood on the balcony and admired the view in silence. She cast her mind back to all the key moments in her marriage with Mason. She had once burned her dairy here, which was filled with entries about him. She burned their wedding picture here as well. These moments in her past left a scorching mark in her heart so deep that she might never recover from it.Then, her phone in the bedroom rang incessantly.Adjusting her scarf a little, she gave the sky another glance before picking up the phone in the bedroom. It was Liam and he had bad news.“Things aren’t looking good for Noah, Ms. Zoe! I have reliable informants telling me that they found a new piece of evidence and decided to bring forward the court date. If the judge decides to pass on a harsh verdict, then we’re looking at five years, at least!“Don’t wo
Mason said to her in a mocking tone, “Do you think you still mean that much to me? Do you think I still care if you want a divorce? What makes you think I have to have you?”Zoe had to strain her eyes to stop her tears from falling. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard! So, that was how Mason saw her. After everything they had been through, he thought she had been using him for her personal goal. Judging by his tone, he didn’t care much about their baby either.All this just because he thought she had hung up on the phone from Seridian. Then, he shook off her hand and walked off without so much as a glance at her. He was eager to see his beloved Lilith.It turned out that she was the butt of the joke, not Lilith. What was so funny about this whole thing was that she didn’t even realize it until today.She chuckled out of nowhere.She couldn’t believe she tried to beg him for help and assumed that he’d stay back because of her. Here she was, telling herself that she did
Zoe was experiencing intense pain all over her body.She couldn’t breathe and it felt as if she’d die in the next second, but she refused to go. She needed to think about Yanni!She had been pregnant for eight months now. Her baby still had yet to see the world. She might’ve hated Mason for being cold and unfeeling, but she loved her baby more than anything in the world. On top of it, she had anticipated giving birth to her little girl. She can’t just die here.She can’t die! It wasn’t an option!Breathing heavily seemed to help with the pain from the contraction. So, she raised her head and cried out for help with every ounce of energy in her body.“Someone…“Save my baby…”…Alas. Nobody heard her cries for help.Fireworks continued to explode across the sky and the television downstairs continued to blare festive music.Zoe painstakingly crawled out of the bedroom and screamed. “Someone. Anyone. Save me. Save my baby.”The pool of blood trailed all the way from the bedroo
“I’ll strangle anyone who comes near! Lockwood Corporation is going to get on the news and I promise that none of it will be good!“I’ll wreck Mason’s reputation! That's what you obsess about the most, isn't it — your reputations? Come at me if you dare. You monsters have never treated Zoe right…”…Leslie stood and watched Ella from afar. He was dumbfounded at how crazy Ella looked as she did everything she could to protect Zoe.After a long time, he walked toward her and pried her off of Lisa. Then, he held her tight from behind, restricting her movement.Ella caught the scent of tobacco and froze.It was Leslie!Without turning back, she begged the man who stood behind her softly, “Ask her to save Zoe. She can’t die. She has to live! I beg you, Leslie! I lost a child because of you. It’s the least you can do! Please, Leslie!”He kept a tight hold over her, looked at Lisa, and said, “Save Zoe! If you don't save her, Mason will go mad, and you'll regret it for sure!”What he