I am practically dragging myself as I saunter into Andy's room. My heart is heavy and downcast. It further starts to bleed when my eyes plummet at the sight of his cheerful face as he fiddles with his daughter on his bed. I feel so shattered and hopeless amidst the unrest. The only reason I am not weeping right now is because Andy has no clue of the catastrophe awaiting him yet. But for how long? And even so, all these lies are tormenting me. I hate keeping secrets from him. I can decide to tell him the truth about my pregnancy because I know he will be over the moon with the news. But about Angel? Where on earth can I get the vitality to mumble such a heartbreaking thing to him? How can I shutter all the dreams he has for the innocent kid just like that? This broad smile on his face—I cannot take that away from him. I can't bear to watch him go through the torture of losing Angel. I don't even want to imagine the pain and agony this will bring him. I can't handle seeing him get shut
ANDY'S POVAs soon as I hear the car pull out of the compound, I stroll out of my room, as usual, to trail my wife and my daughter. It freaks me out to let them leave with that whore, but I am glad today will be the last one. They will never go through all the torture they have gone through in the last couple of days. Finally, my Ania, my precious daughter, and I will be free and together like the family that we are. At last, Tania and I can love each other freely the way we desire. We will be the best parents my daughter and the other kids will have. As for that bitch Maria and that bastard Damian, they can be assassinated in prison for all I care. As a matter of fact, I think dying will even be a better idea for everyone's sake. I noticed earlier on that Ania was concealing something from me, but I don't condemn her. I'm hurt, yes, but I'm trying to understand her situation. Her love for me and our daughter can make her do anything, including lying to us if that means sparing us fro
The limo makes a stop in an unfamiliar jungle, and I am hauled out of the car with Angel buckled between my hand and my chest. The kid is terrified to death, and I am a nervous wreck too. I howled in the limo until I gave up, because all these two monsters did was laugh and mock at my panic and despondency. They said it was my end, that I wouldn't even see the setting of the sun, but I am hanging on the tiny thread of hope that Andy heard our conversation. If he did, he is almost nearby. He is going to save us. If he didn't, then I don't know if I can fight these two armed murderers, but I am surely not dying without a fight. In this desolate, arid jungle where not even flies can be spotted, the two murderers stand before me, guns in their hands. I put my daughter to the ground and pushed her to my back, fretting about the trauma she is going through right now and the more to come. I watch as Maria heaves her hand and points her gun to my head, but I stay put, the oscillation ceasing
I am not sure if the dilemma is as certain as it seems right now, but I am delightedly thrilled about the situation this bitch is in. The state of anguish and turmoil amidst mistrust. She turns to Damian. "Babe, you must be confusing your target. She is your target, and you ought to put an end to her life. We need to leave with our daughter before that jerk Andy finds us." She says between gritted teeth that her face is starting to turn pale due to the pain of her gun wound and the confusing actions of her partner. "How could you two have been so heartless and voracious to make Andy believe that Angel was his daughter, huh? Are you that rotten?" I query, my eyes not blinking nor my hands shaking, because no matter how fascinating this act of Damian is, I cannot put my guard down. I don't know what is running through his head. "That was my project to get back into Andy's life and milk him of every single cent he has on his name. Unfortunately, the jerk turned out to be a smarter dic
An hour later!I'm here at the hospital with a bandaged, pounding head and a depleted self, struggling to control the restless and uncomfortable, anxious Andy. His wound on his right upper arm is badly bleeding, and his white t-shirt has deviated to a red color. He has vetoed being touched by any doctor, and all he has been doing for the last hour since we arrived in this hospital is pacing back and forth outside of the room where Angel is being attended to by a team of doctors. He does not care about his own well-being at all, but that of his daughter. His life is not important, but his precious daughter's. He is squirming uncontrollably with impatience and fear. He can't stand still even for a minute, and mellowing him down has been one of the most impossible things I have ever experienced."Andy, please! Angel will be fine. Try to calm down." I mumbled for the thousandth time. "Calm down, Ania? My daughter was barely breathing when I handed her to the doctors. It's been an hour no
"Tania!"I turn around to hear the voice of Rita behind me, her husband beside her. They are shocked at my state. "Ambrose. Please find doctor Shannia and ask her to take you to where Andy is taking a bath. " I say, and he turns around on his long strands. I hope he arrives in time to find Andy still in the bathroom. Otherwise, it would be impossible to get him back there again. "How are you, my friend?" Tania speaks before I can forget that there is someone around me. I need comfort. I need a friend, and she has always been the only one.I fall into her arms, and she hugs me tight, the weight of what I have been carrying for the last couple of hours coming out in drops of tears. I rest on her chest until I realize I am almost soaking her top wet with my tears. I pull away. "I am so afraid, Rita." I mutter, keeping my sobs at bay and drying some of my tears. "Everything will be fine, Tania." She consoles. "When, Rita? Every time we think this is about to be over, something happe
"Don't you at least need to sit down, babe? You are pacing too much, and that is not good for you." Andy says. Huh! See why I refused to tell him right away? What will pacing do to a one-month-old foetus? Goodness! I have heard stories of expectant women participating in and winning running marathons. But to Adrian Ashton, pacing, standing, or anything at all except eating is not good for me. Leave aside that for now, because I know I have not seen anything yet, but how on earth can even I stop this freaking pacing if no one is picking up my calls for the tenth time back at home? Where the heck is that family of mine when I need them the most? "Still no response, Andy! What are we going to do?" I ask, worry washing over me. My twin sisters are the only hope we have right now to save Angel, but I can't get a hold of them. Who the hell is with that damn phone? "Relax, babe! Just sit first." Huh, this Andy again. He guides me to the leather seat and assists me to crouch down with ca
"You don't know what a cranky and stringent jerk that jerk of yours is, Tania." Ambrose speaks. "Hey! Watch your mouth, will you? If he hears you, we are done!" Rita warns.What will I do about these three? They surely can't continue like this. "Is there anything else that you two aren't telling us, Tania?" Ambrose is the first one to speak, and guessing by the pregnant look on his wife's face, I know she has tons of questions too. "Yes, Tania. Why can't any of you donate blood to Angel? And why is Adrian acting so overly protective of you? We've been watching from a distance, and you two are acting weirdly odd. What's up? Is there a problem?" Huh, these two! I understand their worry, but still, I'm not opening my mouth. "Come on, Tania! The situation isn't that bad to shut us out like this." Ambrose pleads, his worry and concern palpable in his voice. "I still don't understand what your faces are doing here because our agreement still stands." Whoa!They cower back in fear agai
As I tap my stilettos at a tortoise pace on the red carpet down the aisle, my lips are curved up to an expansive, salacious smile. All my senses are receptive, attesting to the happiest day of my life. The day I bid goodbye to my youth and embrace marriage and all the commitments that come with it. I'm neither apprehensive nor fearful, and I am not walking into this with any of the myths out there about marriages. I know mine will not be like any other, and that is the difference. Life with Andy has been blissful for those eight months I have known him, despite the drawbacks and challenges, and I have no qualms that this is yet another onslaught to a heavenly incredible life. This, conclusively, is my sunniest day under the face of the earth, and it will infinitely be nurtured in my heart, alongside all the days I have had and ever will spend with my better half. The man who melts my heart even without a word or any action. All I need is to think of him or cast a glance at him, and ev
"Ooh, I said I could walk, Daddy. Just put me down." Angel snorts to her dad after we get out of the car, making us all laugh. She is acting all tough and strong for someone who just left the hospital, but we are all happy that she isn't now experiencing much pain. At least her attitude doesn't say that. "Are you sure you can walk, princess?" Andy and his worries as he puts her down, albeit unwillingly. "Of course, daddy. Princesses are strong, right?" She chirps, taping her feet on the ground and walking a few steps ahead of us as we watch her. "See, I can walk." "Okay, but just be careful, okay? Don't run." She smiles as she leads us inside the house, marching with so much vigour. She must have been so exhausted from being constrained in that hospital bed. I would be as overjoyed if I were her.Stepping inside, she stops just a step away from the door, her eyes darting around to the new faces awaiting her inside—my family. We walk in, Andy and I standing on her sides. "Hi, cuti
FAST FORWARD. TWO DAYS LATER We park at the hospital's parking lot and step out, Andy hooking his hand around my small waist as we make our way to Angel's room. He is becoming so overprotective as the days go by, and I can't lie that I don't like it. As I had anticipated, the news of our baby has blown his mind. It seems like an accomplishment for him, and I can't be less enthusiastic. As early as now, I can't wait to hold my cute little angel in my arms when it's born. I just can't wait. We stroll to where Ambrose and Rita are perched on the leather couch just outside the door, and they stand to acknowledge our presence. They have been of tremendous help these past three days. We have been alternating shifts to watch over Angel, and for that, among many other things, like bundling me to my prince charming, I will always be indebted to them. They are indeed friends worth keeping. We hug them and rack in front of them. This guy beside me has been procrastinating on talking to them f
"So, we have this entire house to ourselves, baby." Andy says this as we make our way out of the shower in our master bedroom. Apparently, he bought a new house for my family to stay in, as we couldn't have accommodated them all here. Well, we would have, but he just has some stringent beliefs of his, which I concede. Like, how could we let my parents sleep in a room that has been used? It's not right. I applaud him for his wise sentiments. We haven't discussed anything with them yet because they suggested we get a little sleep and some freshening up first before we can talk. Sleep huh! It's not like there is a case or a motion to dispute it. It's just the formal introduction and some clarifications here and there. Mina and Mira needed a lot of rest too, so my parents chaperoned them to the house Andy got for them, while Rita and Ambrose stayed back to watch Angel. We don't have much time since we know Angel will inquire about us when she wakes up, but our desires can't just let thi
We all stand up when the door to Angel's room opens, with the doctor standing in front of us. We are all here—all my family members and also Rita and her husband. Andy called them up, though they haven't conversed, but at least they feel appreciated even by just being here. "Well, doc? How did it go?" I ask because Andy seems to be contemplating something that I don't know. "It went well, Mr. Ashton. The transfusion was a success." The doctor replies, causing us all to relax. Everyone was tense. "Can we see her now?" I ask after breathing out a sigh of relief. "Sure, but don't bother her so much as she needs a lot of rest. Only two people at a time." The doctor says this and excuses himself. My parents nod at me, implying that Andy and I go in first. That was deduced. We are her parents anyway, and we just can't introduce them to her in her hospital bed. I looked at Andy. He is still lost, to the point that I had to shake him to reality. "Let's go in." I ask, afraid of what he lo
My family pulls me for a family bear hug the moment they get out of the car. I missed them so much, and I am so glad that they have arrived safely. I was really worried because Damian is still on the loose. You can't trust crazy maniacs like him. You just can't tell what way they would use to get back at you. But finally, I am at peace. I pill away, and their eyes fall to the bandage on my head, my mother's hands travelling to it. "My dear." "How are you all?" "We are okay, Tania. How are you?" Father responds? "I'm okay. We are okay." "Hi, everyone." Andy greets me from behind me and allows them to exchange pleasantries. He still hasn't said anything about Angel, and I am afraid of asking him anything. I fear for the poor kid, and I want to believe that he is just going through an emotional crisis that won't last long. "Babe?" He calls, and I look up at him, Mina and Mira standing beside him. "I'll just show them to the doctor." He explains. "Okay." I respond, and then he tu
"You don't know what a cranky and stringent jerk that jerk of yours is, Tania." Ambrose speaks. "Hey! Watch your mouth, will you? If he hears you, we are done!" Rita warns.What will I do about these three? They surely can't continue like this. "Is there anything else that you two aren't telling us, Tania?" Ambrose is the first one to speak, and guessing by the pregnant look on his wife's face, I know she has tons of questions too. "Yes, Tania. Why can't any of you donate blood to Angel? And why is Adrian acting so overly protective of you? We've been watching from a distance, and you two are acting weirdly odd. What's up? Is there a problem?" Huh, these two! I understand their worry, but still, I'm not opening my mouth. "Come on, Tania! The situation isn't that bad to shut us out like this." Ambrose pleads, his worry and concern palpable in his voice. "I still don't understand what your faces are doing here because our agreement still stands." Whoa!They cower back in fear agai
"Don't you at least need to sit down, babe? You are pacing too much, and that is not good for you." Andy says. Huh! See why I refused to tell him right away? What will pacing do to a one-month-old foetus? Goodness! I have heard stories of expectant women participating in and winning running marathons. But to Adrian Ashton, pacing, standing, or anything at all except eating is not good for me. Leave aside that for now, because I know I have not seen anything yet, but how on earth can even I stop this freaking pacing if no one is picking up my calls for the tenth time back at home? Where the heck is that family of mine when I need them the most? "Still no response, Andy! What are we going to do?" I ask, worry washing over me. My twin sisters are the only hope we have right now to save Angel, but I can't get a hold of them. Who the hell is with that damn phone? "Relax, babe! Just sit first." Huh, this Andy again. He guides me to the leather seat and assists me to crouch down with ca
"Tania!"I turn around to hear the voice of Rita behind me, her husband beside her. They are shocked at my state. "Ambrose. Please find doctor Shannia and ask her to take you to where Andy is taking a bath. " I say, and he turns around on his long strands. I hope he arrives in time to find Andy still in the bathroom. Otherwise, it would be impossible to get him back there again. "How are you, my friend?" Tania speaks before I can forget that there is someone around me. I need comfort. I need a friend, and she has always been the only one.I fall into her arms, and she hugs me tight, the weight of what I have been carrying for the last couple of hours coming out in drops of tears. I rest on her chest until I realize I am almost soaking her top wet with my tears. I pull away. "I am so afraid, Rita." I mutter, keeping my sobs at bay and drying some of my tears. "Everything will be fine, Tania." She consoles. "When, Rita? Every time we think this is about to be over, something happe