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Chapter 9: A Marriage of Convenience
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 10: A New Chapter
I bit into my nails as I walked back to the hospital ward Serenity was with Stacy. I felt like shit. I already knew this would be the outcome but I still couldn't get used to it. How was I going to deal with pretending to be a happy couple with him when I despised him? Pretending meant I'd have to share a bedroom with him too. That could be fixed, right? He wasn't giving me a chance to negotiate. I didn't have a choice but to follow his orders.I groaned and pushed the door open. This time, the children were complete. Zayne was crying as he hugged Serenity who was laughing and petting him on the head. Zyaire was seated by the window with Zach keeping a keen eye on him. Savia just sat quietly, watching everyone. She was the first to look at me.I sighed and walked into the room. "Zayne, stop crying, your sister isn't going to die,""He's crying because he knows that," they replied simultaneously. It gave me the creeps whenever they did that. It didn't happen often but whenever it did, I
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 11: A Facade of Forgiveness
Time went by quickly. I prayed and hoped time would stop. Every day I went to bed wishing that when I woke up, I'd go back in time to the previous day so a day wouldn't be added. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. He kept his promise and didn't show up in my face after our marriage was registered. A few times, his bodyguard, Cadmus, would come and take Zayne and Serenity to see him. Zyaire followed a few times and didn't ask why the arrangement was like that. Since he wasn't the type to care about anything, I wasn't a bit worried about him.The new apartment he got us was a small two-room apartment. I didn't like the place and I knew he intentionally did it to make me as uncomfortable as possible. He never said a word to me, not even a greeting during the months.I knew I was the one who asked him for that, but it sucked how easily he obeyed. It just reminded me more why he easily ruined my life in the first place. I wanted him to provoke me so I could have more reasons to pour out my an
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 12: A Facade of Forgiveness (2)
The car drove into the house I once lived in. The architecture was the same but the color of the building had been repainted to beige. The house was one of the biggest I'd ever seen and even to date, it left me marveled. The driver came out and opened the door for us. The children came out first and just as they came out, someone ran out of the house shrieking.His mother.I hadn't seen her in years. She was the most beautiful woman to ever cross my path, even for an old one. She was the framework for Rominic's beauty. She was also very kind to me back then and the closest thing to what a true mother was, but I stubbornly kept my distance because I was seeking my stepmother's affection."Oh my, my baby girl! My brown biscuit!" Stupid name, but Kara had never been good with names. I made my way over to her, smiling and readying myself for her infamous bone-crushing hug. "My Papaya!" She shrieked when the hug came. I laughed in her arms, groaning silently from the pain of her stronghold
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 13: offer her a job
Rominic's viewpointLavender's death drove me mad, but the silent treatment she gave him the past months made me feel worse. It wasn't easy pretending she didn't exist but I had to do that to secure our future. I could tell in an instant that the two eldest children held a significant value to her mentally than the others. They were intelligent and clever, that was part of the reason. The girl especially, was dramatically cunning and she was my first target. From the reports submitted by Stacy, the bodyguards stationed around their house and the information I got from the other children, she was the center. Winning her over is the first step to weakening Zach and then Lavender.Ah, I couldn't believe I was plotting against my children.Lavender not only hated me, she doubted every word that came out of my mouth. In her mind, I was a giant asshole. A well-deserved image but not something I wanted to leave. Still, changing it overnight wouldn't be possible so the best action was to act
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 14: shopping?
Rominic's viewpoint"Lavender, you're going to exhaust my scheduled plans. Please hurry up already!" I shouted, looking up at the staircase. I didn't have much to do but I had a foreign partner I needed to talk to around 4 PM. If I was going to act as a driver and take the children around the city, it needed to be done before that time.Surprisingly, Lavender agreed to my conditions… well, the first one to work as my PA, not the second to sleep in the same room. She barely agreed to the first one. I was going to find a way to make the second one come true. Time was all I needed."Daddy, save me!" Serenity shouted, running down the staircase. Her hair was parted into two twin tails swinging with her bouncy steps. There were two small buns at the top of the bouncing twin tails. It suited her angelic face."Serenity, come back here!" Lavender shouted. The sound of her heels hitting the staircase aggressively made me worry about her. She could fall. That concern was short-lived when she c
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 15: a day at the mall
Rominic's viewpointGoing shopping for girls is nothing but pure torture. I, at least, thought that since my daughters were kids, they would be easy to deal with but I was wrong. Not only did Savia and Serenity love to dress up, but they knew exactly what they wanted so they were extremely picky. They would never accept something if they didn't like it. They had their own style of dressing at their age and were determined to stick to them. Zach and Zyaire were the same. They knew what they wanted but didn't find the available clothes good enough. Zayne didn't know what he wanted so it was one hell of a battle trying to figure out what he'd like.Then Stacy joined and I was thrown into hell.They were worse than my sisters and mother combined. Damn, they were bossy little brats! I was tired and struggling with a nasty headache but they didn't seem to notice."Not that one, Daddy, that pretty pink one," Serenity huffed with annoyance. I was supposed to help her pick a pair of shoes from
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 16: Appeasing The Little Boss
Rominic's viewpoint"Good evening, Mom!"Lavender nodded, her eyes still fixed on what she was doing. Her hair was weaved back into three big fancy braids and she had some green stuff all over her face. "Welcome home, kids, how was your day?" Is that my shirt?"Mommy, are those our books?" Serenity asked, jumping on the sofa next to her mother. She stretched her hand out and poked the green stuff. "Can I get a face mask too, Mommy?"Lavender nodded. "Your grandmother is mixing more in the kitchen. You can ask her to make it for you too," Serenity jumped down from the chair and ran to the kitchen. Lavender was distracted. I continued to stare at the shirt on her body. It was my favorite green shirt but the edge of the sleeves had been tinted pink, the same with the hem. I wouldn't have recognized the shirt if it wasn't for my initials that were written on the collar.Zyaire stood beside her and bent, trying to get her attention. "Mom, are these our books?" I breathed with relief when I
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 17: first day (1)
To say the least, my life was going fantastic. In case you didn't get it, that was sarcasm. As much as I liked how my children were happy, I hated how close they were getting to him and how much I had to pretend like I was okay with it. Zachary was easier to bribe than I thought. In less than a week, he was already worshiping the ground his father walked on. Why? His father had intelligence and I didn't. His father let him use his laboratory and I didn't even have anything related to a lab. His father gave him a credit card and was teaching them how to drive. I didn't have a car.I was against the children learning about driving. Stacy brought the idea up when she sought approval to teach Zayne how to drive. I refused but Rominic thought it was a good idea and accepted. The children were all for it so it was seven against one. Stacy was in charge of teaching Zayne. Kara taught them in Rominic's absence, except Savia who wanted to learn from her grandfather for some reason. Rominic too
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It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 62: Concern
I let out a heavy sigh as I gazed absentmindedly out the window. My mind was in turmoil, consumed with worry for Rominic's well-being. The situation was far graver than I had initially thought.Even though Rominic always backed up his files in a secure cloud, he had been unable to find evidence of the crucial blueprint. He was not only in shock from the knowledge that his secret cloud had been compromised but also from the fact that the perpetrators had effortlessly accessed his password and shut down his security system without any warning.The only silver lining was that his other important files were stored in a different secured box, protected by a randomly generated password that he had carelessly crafted. He had failed to secure the particular file in question, however, because he needed to access it frequently, and the additional security measures seemed like too much of a hassle.Rominic's password was the pet name my mother had used for me, written in reverse with the additio
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 61: Bad News
It had been a week since the reunion, and I had unconsciously fallen into a routine with Rominic — or rather, Rominic had orchestrated this routine for us. Every morning, he made sure to steal a kiss or two, whether in front of the children or in private. We always ate breakfast together, and at night, we would cuddle and make out before falling asleep.The most agonizing part about this routine wasn't that I was angry about it, but because of Rominic's half-hearted approach. He would kiss me until I was a wet, trembling mess, my body consumed by desire, and then he would abruptly stop. His excuse was that he had promised himself he would never do anything I didn't want him to do — in other words, he wanted me to ask him directly before he would take things further.Rominic knew that my pride would never allow me to make such a request. No, he was well aware that with enough diligent preparation, he would eventually break down my defenses and make me give in to my desires. The bastard
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 60: Justification
I was taken aback, even though I had anticipated it. My body froze for a moment, caught in the throes of a forbidden desire.I was kissing the enemy!He was kissing me!I should stop!But instead of pulling away, I found myself responding, my lips dancing with his in a dangerous ballet. This single act sealed my fate. He slid his leg beneath mine, adjusting our position on the bed to make me more comfortable, though comfort was the last thing on my mind. Rominic's hands roamed my body, tracing a path of desire up my neck and into my hair. He had a particular fondness for my hair, always tangling his fingers in it. A soft moan escaped from both of us, swallowed by our joined lips.I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, my legs twitching with the urge to wrap around his waist. There was too much space between us, too much distance. I yearned to close that gap, to press myself against him, to feel the friction that would quench my burning desire.I traced the tips of my n
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 59: Restless
I tossed and turned restlessly on my side of the bed, sighing heavily. Today had been a whirlwind of events, the drama both concerning and exciting. Tyra and Link had decided to have a private conversation to work things out, and the conclusion of the earlier incident weighed heavily on my mind.Rylee had suggested that I should try to make Rominic jealous, throwing her support behind Phineas's plan. Rylee was always in Phineas's corner, and we all knew that it wouldn't take much to provoke Rominic's fiery jealousy. But that was the very problem I was grappling with.Were they truly serious about me intentionally infuriating Rominic? I could barely handle him as it was; the thought of pushing him to the edge filled me with dread. Rominic was capable of such intense rage that he might even commit violence, and they still wanted me to go through with this scheme. It felt like a disaster waiting to happen. Yet, despite my reservations, I couldn't help but contemplate the idea, questionin
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 58: Reunion (3)
I turned my gaze back to Tyra, and was immediately struck by the raw emotion etched across her face. Her eyes, once wide with surprise and disbelief, now glistened with unshed tears. Concern flashing across my face, I gently placed my hand on her shoulder, asking, "Tyra, are you okay?"My touch seemed to jolt Tyra out of her trance-like state, but rather than addressing me, a dark fury suddenly clouded her expression. The intensity of her anger made me cringe internally.Without warning, Tyra thrust her daughter into my arms, barking, "Hold her." Then, with purpose in her stride, she marched straight towards Link, rolling up her sleeves as she went. Link's face contorted with panic, cursed under his breath and hurriedly scrambled out of his seat, putting as much distance between himself and Tyra as possible. "I can explain, let me explain!" he pleaded, his voice laced with desperation."Explain?! Explain?!!! What the fuck do you want to explain, you bastard!!!" Tyra's thunderous roar
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 57: Reunion (2)
The tiny girl in question was undeniably cute. "Wow, so many pups," I said, eliciting a chorus of delighted laughter from the children. I walked over to her and bent down slightly, smiling as she blushed shyly."Hello, I'm Lavender. What's your name?" I asked, keeping my voice gentle."Laverne," she replied, hiding her face behind her small palms. I looked over my shoulder at Elias, who simply shrugged, while Ginger winked knowingly. Ah, so they had named her after me — or at least a close variation."It's so nice to meet you, Aunty Lavender," Laverne said, peeking out from behind her hands. I couldn't resist scooping her up into my arms, cooing over how adorable she was. She had inherited Elias' dark blond hair and skin tone, but Ginger's captivating reddish-brown eyes."What about me?" another voice cried, and I felt a small tug on the skirt of my dress. Glancing down, I squealed in delight at the sight of the puffy little muffin of a child. "Hello, I'm Wren, and Mommy said you alwa
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 56: Reunion (1)
I moved around the kitchen with the agility of a gazelle, determined to get everything done as quickly as possible. Today was the big day, and the others would be arriving soon, but I still had some cooking left to do.Suddenly, Chef Russo returned with his daughter. My kids already loved her, and she was a talented cook too — well, except for Zachary, who seemed to have a bit of a grudge against her.Unfortunately, Chef Russo had come down with a sudden cold that morning, leaving me to battle the meal on my own. Thankfully, his daughter and Savia stepped in to assist me, along with the two maids that Rominic had called in to help. I didn't thank him directly, but I knew he understood how grateful I was for his assistance. If he didn't, that was his problem."Lavender!!!" The familiar voice of Rominic suddenly rang out, and I felt a surge of frustration wash over me. I wiped my face and signaled for the maid to watch the stove, then hurried out of the kitchen.I take back everything I
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 55: He'll Live
I felt a gentle tugging at my dress and looked down to see my daughters, Savia and Serenity. Serenity's eyes were brimming with tears, while Savia wore a deeply concerned expression."Mom, why are those women killing our father?" Savia asked, her voice tinged with distress."Mommy, who are they?" Serene inquired, her gaze fixed on the women."Those are your aunties, and they are beating your father up because he did something mean to them. Don't worry, he'll be…" I paused mid-sentence as I heard Rominic's agonized scream, followed by a loud splash. They had thrown him into the pool. "Fine," I added, clicking my tongue. They would never simply throw him in without breaking something first. "He'll survive," I reassured the girls.Rylee let out a mocking laugh as she stood over the pool, watching Rominic sink beneath the surface without any apparent struggle. There was no way he would actually drown — Rominic was an exceptional swimmer, a skill Serenity had inherited. Unless…"Rylee, did
It Should Have Been Like This Chapter 54: His Sisters
As I stood before them once more, I was struck by the complete absence of the anger I had anticipated. Instead, a profound sense of delight filled my heart as I gazed upon the mature female version of my husband and our children.Her winter gray eyes expanded like those of a curious cat, and her mischievous smirk melted into a genuine, warm smile. Rylee spread her arms wide, her brows wiggling playfully, and I couldn't help but laugh as I ran into her welcoming embrace. She was still as tall as I remembered, her stature commanding and imposing.Rylee shared the same striking facial features as her brother, but there was an undeniable air of badassery about her. It was evident in the way she dressed, spoke, and carried herself — her very aura exuding a sense of unapologetic confidence. From the moment I had first met her, her hair had been messily dyed to resemble the hue of freshly spilled blood or a pint of vibrant red paint splattered across her head.Rylee's appearance was a striki
