Maries Pov:
The wind whipped past me so fast as I continued to run, heading to nowhere in particular as long as I was far away from him. I could hear Sam call my name right behind me, but I continued to go wherever my legs took me. I just couldn’t believe it, I kept telling myself that he wasn’t the one that my brain just made up an image of him.It just couldn’t be him, after how many years, and then he just suddenly appeared from nowhere when I had decided to move on.Nothing hurts more than the look that he had when he saw it. He looked like he didn't even remember me and he had the guts to give me his hand to shake. My house became visible from sight and I wiped my tears dashed towards my house and slammed the door shut behind me.I wasn’t ready to face Sam and explain that the person he was casually talking to was the father of my girls; Michael Evans. I went in to check on my girls and realized that they were still fast asleep. Furthermore, I looked at their innocent faces and just imagined how I would tell them that their runaway father was not only back but in town, and he didn’t even bother to look for us after all these years.That night I didn’t sleep at all, I kept on tossing around on my bed and kept replaying seeing Michael in the Supermart. Could it be he doesn’t remember me, or could it be he never cared about me that it was all a lie? I stood up with a heavy heart and planned to avoid Sam at all costs because I wasn’t ready to face him and I knew If I saw Sam, I would see Michael, and I’m not ready to have my heart broken all over again.I stood up to go on with my daily business, Jada was already up, but Jasmine was still asleep. The aroma of what I was cooking spread through the air, which was a distraction from the chaos I felt within. I made scrambled eggs but due to my lack of concentration, I burnt them.I began to cry, I hate what he does to me, he makes me feel vulnerable and weak hence what I was feeling at this moment.Lost in thought, I hadn’t noticed Sam entering the kitchen. He was surprised to see me crying and for a second our eyes were just fixed on each other.How can I explain to him that the man he happened to talk to easily yesterday was the father of my kids? How can I tell him that with all that had happened, I was still very much in love with Michael?My mind kept on spiraling and I just couldn’t figure out what exactly then made a few steps to wipe my tears away. With a gentle voice, he whispered “Rose, are you okay?” I forced a smile and said “Nothing Sam, I just had a rough night that’s all.Don’t worry.” It was so obvious he didn’t believe me and I knew he contemplated asking me what happened the previous night, but he said nothing and let it go. I told him to stay for breakfast and he did.As we sat down for breakfast, I tried to avoid eye contact with Sam. I just had a feeling that he was going to sense what was going on in my mind. I battled with keeping a straight face and pretending like nothing happened to prevent him from asking questions.We were done eating, and he had to go to the farm, so he left and promised to be back in the evening. After he left, I continued to find some tasks to busy myself with, just to distract me from anticipating questions from Sam and to distract me from thinking of Michael.As the day goes by, I find myself doing nothing and my mind still isn’t settled. I decided to take a stroll with the kids to the beach just around the corner. They love the beach and were so excited when I told them we were going there.They giggled and chattered excitedly and raced around. I felt at ease anytime I came here. As I lay back on the sand, I felt a sort of relief and found myself relaxing. Here, I had no worries and was happy.The sun began to set, I stared ahead and saw a woman who was moving towards us. We exchanged pleasantries, and she told us she had come on a vacation with her husband.She said she saw us from afar and liked the way my girls were playing like it was only them against the world. We began to talk and to tell the truth, I enjoyed her company. She was the first lady I’d be talking to apart from my friend Maya since we moved to this town.We talked and talked, and we didn’t even notice it was dark already. I called my girls, so we could go home and thanked her for keeping me company. She then surprised me and invited me over for dinner with her husband the next day. I told her yes that I would be there with my girls. We exchanged goodbyes and we headed home.As we got closer, I could see Sam from afar waiting by our doorsteps. I knew there was no avoiding the matter anymore. I quietly tucked my girls to bed. Then I sat down beside Sam in the sitting room. “Sam, there’s something I need to tell you”. I began, my voice trembling. Then I said;” The reason why I ran last night was that I thought your friend was someone I knew who had died a long time ago”. I lied.I just couldn’t bring myself to tell Sam the truth. Sam further explained that who I saw was his sister’s husband. My heart seemed to break with every word he said. I had to stop him and lie that I was feeling dizzy. He said Ollie told me goodnight and left. That night, I slept with tears in my eyes and a broken heart.Michaels' Pov:I found myself looking for her, but I couldn’t find her. She is so good at hiding and I am a miserable seeker. I called for her and told her I was tired of looking and that she should come out. She giggled which gave out her hidden spot. I ran to where she was and carried her. She kept on laughing and begged me to drop her down. I finally dropped her and she wrapped her arms around me, I have never been at peace unless I was with her. Then she looked up at me with her eyes piercing through my soul, and she said;” Michael, promise me you won’t leave me alone?” then I promised her. Before I knew it, she disappeared and I kept on hearing a voice echoing “You left me, you left me, you left me” repeatedly.I woke up with a startle, my wife ran towards my side with a worried look. She kept on asking why happened and why had I fainted but I couldn’t find words to say. I knew deep down that the woman at the supermarket was someone from my past but how could I say that to C
Maries' Pov How on earth am I seeing him? I just couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw him by the door. It’s like he keeps looking for ways to make me feel uncomfortable. Then Cara came out and welcomed us with open arms. As if that was not all, we were soon swept by Sam’s presence. The girls ran to him and hugged him tightly, he just stood there speechless with a shocked face because he wasn’t expecting us to be the guest. Cara then further introduced us and surprised me by calling Sam her elder brother and the most surprising part of all she called Michael her husband. The earth suddenly started to rotate around me and I began to feel lightheaded. I asked for the bathroom, and I was directed there, I entered and made sure I slammed the door shut. My day couldn’t get any worse, but I wouldn’t let that man think he was still in my mind. I washed my face, applied a little mascara and smoothened out my gown. I was going to enjoy my dinner date with my girls, and I wasn’t going to
Michaels' Pov: Michael begins to have memories of Marie, but he tries to ignore them because he doesn’t want anything to come between him and his wife. So he decided to do something special for his woman just to show her how much he loved her. He took her out on a dinner date, it was a wonderful night because they talked, laughed dined and wined. He was so glad that she wore a smile on throughout the night. Furthermore, he needed this just to remind himself how much she meant to him. Furthermore, he had planned a romantic surprise at home, he had help from Sam for setting up the surprise. On reaching home, he blindfolded her and led her to the door. As they got there he removed the blinds off her eyes and she was shocked with what she saw at her front. There were rose petals scattered on the bed in the shape of a rose, scented candles and soft music playing on the radio. It wasn’t just any song, it was their song, the one that played as she strolled down the aisle on their we
Maries'' Pov: My heart raced fast as I sat across him by the lake, the tension between us could cut a knife. I had to leave the twins with my sister, my excuse was I had to do something at home, but I’d be back the next day. When the call came in that night, she knew he was right that they needed to see, and she needed to come clean about the past she had kept hidden for a long time now. Taking a deep breath, she began to talk and asked him what does he want to know. “Are the twins mine?” Was the first question he asked and without hesitation, she answered and told him yes. He then further asked her what happened and also explained to her that he was beginning to have some flashbacks, and he was piecing out some memories, from six years ago.“Michael, what part of you aren’t getting younger, you don’t understand? You are needed to take over Evan’s enterprises and besides there are a lot of beautiful billionaire damsels out there, why can’t you just pick one for heaven's sake “. R
Michael’s Pov: I got home to an empty house and didn’t hesitate to call Cara and ask where she had been. She said she went for a stroll, and that she would be back soon. I waited patiently for her, I knew I had to tell her about Rosemarie now or never. I needed to tell her I remember everything from the past and I have to tell her now unless I might have second thoughts and never tell her. A few hours later she came back and hugged me like I had been gone for days. She offered to make dinner and ten minutes later we were both at the table eating. I kept on picking on my vegetables and kept on wandering off in my head. She noticed and asked what was wrong. As she looked at me with worried eyes, I knew to that extent that if I didn’t talk now, I would forever remain silent.Without much further Ado, I began to spill and tell her every single detail without leaving any table unturned. The more I began to talk, the more her eyes got teary and the more her breathing became shallow, s
Rosemarie's Pov:The twins kept on running around the compound, I think they just liked the fact that they were in a new environment, and they were with their aunty. I had a slight headache because of them last night and I had taken aspirin but still, here they are again causing another headache. Anne didn’t seem to mind though, she watched them from the couch with love in her eyes as they played around. I think she preferred the noise to the quietness afterwards when we were about to leave. I couldn’t seem to recall all my conversations with Michael that night. And as I do that, I keep on hurting myself by remembering when he said she was pregnant for him. I hated myself, I just can’t imagine I was expecting us to be a family again. I felt so stupid, I decided to stay two more days with Anne because I couldn’t bear the thought of going back home to come across Michael again.Anne carried the twins out to the amusement park. I had never seen them so happy before. I had fun too wi
Michael's Pov:I had begun to regret staying over. Like I didn’t know what came over my head. Probably it was the way her eyes pleaded for me to stay or the fact that I wanted to spend more time with my daughters. I knew it was either the former or the latter. She offered for me to stay in the guest room that she would stay with the twins in their home. Knowing fully well if she stayed with the twins that room would be choked up. I told her I’d rather sleep on the couch and that she shouldn’t bother. After much interjections and persuasions, she finally let me sleep on the couch. Heaven knows that I didn’t sleep a blink that night, my mind couldn’t get over the fact that she was just a room away from me. I kept on thinking about her, I know I shouldn’t be thinking about her but I just couldn’t stop.I kept convincing my mind to think about my wife Cara instead of Marie but it was just an impossible task to do. Around 2 am in the morning, I went to the kitchen to drink water sin
Rosemarie’s Pov:After leaving the hospital, Jada was better and healthier. I was so happy that she was back to her normal self, it was as if that incident never happened and I was so grateful for that. Anne was a sweet aunt and made sure all their needs were taken care of. I was at peace and Anne made me happy when she asked if we could move in with her. She had gotten used to our presence to the extent she didn’t want to let us go. Of course, the twins were happy with the idea but then wouldn’t it be weird moving to my younger sister’s apartment when it seems to be the other way around? Anne assured me that she had plenty of space and that it would be good for all of us to be together, especially for the twin’s sake. Plus, it would give me a chance to bond more with Anne and spend quality time with her since she stays alone.As we settled into Anne’s apartment, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. It was comforting to know that we had a safe and supportive env
Rosemarie’s pov: As Rosemarie grappled with the shocking revelation about Michael’s past affair, she found herself trapped in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Each day, she struggled to maintain a façade of composure, hiding her seething resentment beneath a mask of civility. Yet, despite her efforts to distance herself, the weight of betrayal hung heavy in the air, poisoning every interaction between them.Haunted by the knowledge of Michael’s infidelity, Rosemarie couldn’t bear to look into his eyes without feeling a surge of anger and hurt. She wondered endlessly about Cara, the woman who had been wronged in ways she could scarcely imagine. What must Cara be feeling now, knowing the truth about her husband’s betrayal? Despite his attempts to bridge the growing chasm between them, Michael’s presence only served to exacerbate Rosemarie’s turmoil. Each visit he paid to see the twins became a torturous ordeal, as she struggled to maintain her façade of indifference in his p
Michael’s POV:Michael sat in stunned silence, the weight of the revelation crashing over him like a tidal wave. The secret he had kept buried for so long had finally come to light, and its implications were more profound than he could have ever imagined. As he absorbed the words of the letter, memories flooded back to him—memories of a summer long ago, when he was just a teenager and the forbidden romance he had shared with the maid who worked in his family’s home.He remembered the stolen glances exchanged in the hallways, the whispered promises made under the cover of night, and the reckless passion that had consumed them both. But most of all, he remembered the overwhelming guilt that had plagued him ever since, the guilt of betraying his family and the consequences of his actions. And now, all these years later, the maid had resurfaced, bearing not only the burden of their past but also the weight of a child—a child Michael had never known existed.As the truth settled in, Mi
Rosemarie’s POV: As Rosemarie’s heart shattered in the wake of the announcement, she found solace in the love she held for her twins.Despite the turmoil within her, she resolved to carry on with life as best she could.While the ache of longing for Michael never truly faded, she focused on cherishing the moments with her children and finding joy in their laughter and innocence.Returning home to her twins, Rosemarie was greeted with open arms and radiant smiles. The warmth of their embrace helped to ease the pain that weighed heavily on her heart.Though they asked for their father, she reassured them with a smile, promising that he would return soon. Weeks stretched into months, and still, Michael did not come back. The demands of his newfound responsibilities consumed him, leaving little time for anything else.Yet, despite his absence, he made sure to check in on Rosemarie and the twins at intervals, his messages serving as a lifeline amidst the chaos of his new life.In the qu
Michael’s POV: After the announcement, my father’s health deteriorated rapidly. Each passing day seemed to bring a new challenge, and the weight of responsibility pressed down on my shoulders with increasing force.The following week, he passed away, leaving me to bear the burden of leadership alone. In the wake of his death, my duties multiplied exponentially.Meetings, decrees, and endless administrative tasks consumed every waking moment. There was scarcely a moment to grieve, let alone to tend to my own needs or those of Rosemarie and the twins or Cara and my unborn child. I had intended to sit down with Rosemarie, to reassure her, to explain the complexities of the situation we found ourselves in.But time slipped through my fingers like grains of sand, and before I knew it, days had turned into weeks, and still, I had not found the opportunity to share my thoughts with her.The decision to publicly announce that Cara would remain my wife and that Rosemarie’s twins would be he
Rosemarie’s Pov: I felt a knot down my stomach when he said that statement. I couldn’t find myself to say anything so I just left quietly while closing the door behind me. As I got close to my allocated room, a tear threatened to fall off my face but I promised myself I won’t cry anymore and I’ll be fine either way with Michael’s decision. I couldn’t sleep a wink that night as I anticipated all through for the next morning. Morning came and I was being served eggs on toast for breakfast and was told to come down shortly after because the prince , Michael, had a short announcement to make. A dress was left for me by the bed and the maid left. I began to contemplate if I should go downstairs like they said or I should just lock myself all day and pretend nobody exists. The latter isn’t an option because I can’t just stay here while my girls miss me at home. I ate breakfast as fast as I could and headed downstairs slowly with anticipation to know my fate. As I climbed down the
Michael’s Pov: It was all a lie , it was all a big fucking lie. If they had told me outside I wouldn’t have believed it but Marie was standing right in front of me and was telling me all the moments we shared when we were young were all a lie. She began to beg and say that our love wasn’t fake but mutual but my head couldn’t shake off the thought that woman I loved, the woman I was ready to spend my entire life with was actually a scam and had signed a contract behind my back with my mom when we were younger so she could heal me from depression. After blurting out everything ,I left her front immediately and headed for the car. I needed to breathe and think and I couldn’t do that with her in front of me. I saw an evil smirk at my mother’s face as I passed by and I shook my head with disappointment. She proceeded to say that she was right after all that she had always told me that Rosemarie was no good to me but only a walking shade of bad luck. As I got to my car, I zoomed of
CHAPTER TWENTY ONERosemarie’s Pov: Time seems to fly and I’ve been working all day, all week. My girls barely saw me and I hated it. My mum kept on complaining but I kept giving excuses to her even though I knew I couldn’t stop or else I’ll miss Anne and I’ll go back to depression. Weekend came and I decided to take my girls out for a picnic. I had realized I was a bad mom and I needed to create more time for them. I had packed up their favorite meal and we headed straight to the beach. I could see the joy in their faces as we drove off, I hadn’t had this amount of fun with them for a long time, I admitted. On getting to the beach they both told me that they wished Michael was there and I knew deep down I wanted him there but he had gone home to settle family matters and we awaited his return. We played a lot of games, we played hide and seek, built Sandcastles and played with other kids on the beach. At a point, I got tired and just watched them from afar as I rested on a b
Michael’s POV: As Michael stepped into the grand foyer of his ancestral home, memories flooded back to him. The familiar scent of polished wood and old books mingled with the faint aroma of his mother's favourite flowers.But his reverie was shattered when he saw his father lying weakly in bed, surrounded by worried servants. "Father," Michael rushed to his side, heart heavy with concern. "What has happened?" His father's voice was weak, but his eyes held a glimmer of determination. "Michael, my son, I'm afraid my time is near. The burden of our family legacy falls upon your shoulders now. “Michael’s heart sank.He had always known that one day he would inherit the family empire, but he hadn't expected it to be under such dire circumstances. And the mention of his uncle's scheming only added to his worries. "But fear not, Michael," his father continued, gripping his hand tightly. "There is a way for you to claim your rightful place as the heir. You must bring home a wife and
CHAPTER NINETEENRosemarie’s pov: I had resumed back to work because I couldn’t let time fly while I wasted it missing my sister due to her death. Going back to work did help take my mind off it. I was always at work; the twins stayed at their grandma’s place after school until I picked them up. Most times, they preferred to stay with Michael, but I had to tell them he traveled. He did travel, back home to claim his empire, and I was proud of him for that. The twins missed him, but they had to be patient for him to return. I also knew deep down that I missed him too. Sam would come most weekends to keep us company. Since he found out Michael was the father of my children, our friendship kind of grew apart. He never professed his feelings to me again. I think he knew I was still head over heels for Michael and might not stop loving him anytime soon. I liked the fact that he didn’t let that affect our friendship. As the days passed, my routine became a comforting rhythm, shi