Araceli POV
I lifted my head and looked over. Melany was standing a short distance away, arms around her chest, smiling coldly. She walked over. "Raphael, Essel, I'm here to pick you guys up..." Raphael glanced at Melany indifferently and didn't say a word. Melany bit her lip in anger, her face pale. Essel jumped into my arms and spoke, "Ms. Chancey, our house has an amusement park, with slides, swings, wooden horses... Vallie will love it! I really want to take Valeria to play..." I rubbed Essel's hair and smiled, "Thank you, Essel." Raphael calmly said, "It's windy outside. You guys can just play in the house." Essel pouted unhappily. "It isn't fun..." I turned my head and looked at Melany's face. Her eyes were jealous and angry, as if she wanted to kill me the next second. Melany's eyes seemed to have poison in them. She smiled falsely and stepped forward, pushing me away and standing in front of Raphael.Araceli POV Perhaps it was because his eyes were so burning that I had an uneasy feeling. I turned my head and walked toward the porch. Valeria looked at me with a puzzled look in her eyes. "Sweetheart, we can go back tonight and ask Mr. Elford..." I stood up and turned back in a feigned bemusement, right into Raphael's deep and confused eyes. Why was he looking at me with such a look? My heartbeat suddenly picked up. I pursed my lips and said, "I'm going to go make sandwiches for the kids." With that, I turned around and went to the kitchen. Raphael lowered his eyes. I don't know why, but it was obvious that I was avoiding him. He pursed his lips, got up and went upstairs into the study. Only Essel and Valeria were left in the living room. Valeria was drawing on the table, and Essel sat next to her, taking a pen and paper out and drawing with Valeria. They laughed and discussed the d
Araceli POVSeeing Melany standing still, Maddox coldly called over two bodyguards.The bodyguards pressed Melany's shoulders and dragged her out.If it were normal, Melany would have struggled violently, but at this moment she was still in a daze.Melany was dumped in front of the Royal Pack's villa.I held Essel in my arms and asked her, "Essel, are you okay? Does it hurt?"
Araceli POVI hurriedly pressed the off button. No matter what, the screen was on...The picture kept showing up on the screen...I felt so embarrassed that my face turned blushing red."Ms. Chancey, I didn't expect you to have such a unique way of relaxing."A low, dull voice came from above my head.As soon as I looked up, I met a pair
Araceli POVI felt so hot..."Ms. Chancey, are you okay?"Royce's voice came from behind me.I felt tiny beads of sweat seeping out of my forehead.I pursed my lips and said, "Sorry, I have to go to the bathroom. Please wait for me for a few minutes."I got up and walked out of the private room.
Araceli POVRaphael went to the bathroom and brought a wet towel over.He stood by the bed, leaned down, and whispered, "Are you okay? Here. Take this."His hand came up. The hormonal scent intensified.My pupils clenched violently.I curled my body up and kept cowering into the corner of the bed.I grabbed a pillow and threw it over, say
Araceli POV"Mommy, are you okay?"Krish's calm voice, coming from the other end of the line.I said gently, "Honey, I'll be home later. Wait for me at home for half an hour. I'll take you and Valeria to daycare.""Mommy, I can take Valeria to daycare," Krish said, "It's only a ten-minute bus ride. Mommy, don't worry about us."I sighed slightly inwardly.
Araceli POVRamon took one step forward.I felt nothing but unease.I whispered, gently, "Krish, take Valeria to the car. Close the door."I took a deep breath, turned around, and said coldly, "Mr. Fleming, is it?"I took a few steps to the side, not wanting Krish to hear what I was talking about with this man because I felt in my heart that Ramon was not worthy of being Krish and Valeria's father.
Araceli POVI gripped the glass of water in my hand and said slowly, "Eliezer, please ask Lexie for me if he has time to help me with a lawsuit?"Eliezer heard my words and repeated my question to the phone receiver. He frowned slightly and said apologetically, "Araceli, Lexie has already signed a contract with Mr. Fleming, who has already paid 50 thousand dollars for the consultancy."I nodded, frowning.Eliezer hung up the phone.
Araceli POVMicah suddenly runs toward the door and comes out with a bunch of gift boxes.He gave Valeria a doll of the latest model."Micah, you got a gift for Valeria, not Krish?"Raphael asks calmly.Micah nodded. "Of course I got gifts for everyone."He placed the bunny doll in Valeria's hand, then pulled a box out of his book bag and walked over in Krish's direction."This is a gift for you."Micah opened the box.It was a Rubik's Cube.He handed the cube over. "If you don't know how, I can teach you."Krish took the Rubik's Cube, played with it for a moment, raised his eyes, and said, "Thanks, I like it."Micah said calmly, then pulled another stack out of his book bag."Mommy, this is my gift to you."I froze.My heart suddenly overflowed with emotion and my voice became softer."Micah, thank you."I flipped the document in my hand over and froze.It was actually the share transfer lette
Araceli POVHospitals were perpetually filled with the pungent smell of disinfectant.Micah had a head injury that didn't require hospitalization and was bandaged up and picked up by Maddox and taken back to Royal Pack.I was worried about Valeria and asked Krish to follow them back to Royal Pack.Raphael watched me quietly, his eyes following me at all times.I sat down and asked, "When did you find out about this?""Last night." Raphael's voice was a little raspy. "I heard you on the phone when I went to look for you at Creaty Company."My lips pursed."Why didn't you tell me?" Raphael said in a single word.I lowered my eyes."I didn't take a paternity test to know if this was true, so I didn't tell you."Raphael stared at me for a long time, then suddenly smiled, "You actually offered me to be your boyfriend just to get close to Micah and Essel, right? You already knew Ramon wasn't the father of the baby, but you favored thi
Araceli POVShe laughed out loud, full of eeriness and hostility.I settled down and looked over at Micah.Micah seemed to be unconscious.I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to pounce on Melany and kill her, and kept waking Micah up with mind-link.Suddenly, a miracle appeared.Micah's eyes snapped open.He looked towards me, his gaze becoming very complicated in this instant.Seeing Micah open his eyes, I breathed a sigh of relief.I raised my eyes and stared coldly at Melany, saying word for word, "Do you realize what you're doing is stupid?""Araceli, you're still a bitch! You said yesterday that you would help me keep this secret, but today Raphael knows!" Melany sneered, "He hates me so much now that he can't wait to break me into pieces. Aren't you so proud of yourself? But let me tell you, I won't let you have your way! If I die, I'll let Micah die with me. I'll make you and Raphael live in remorse for the rest of your liv
Araceli POVThe night was getting late.The inner turmoil gradually ate away at me.Essel was sitting on the couch somewhat six-footed, staring out of the window with two blank eyes.Krish was sitting on the floor clutching his laptop. His fingers clicked quickly on the keyboard.After ten minutes, he looked up."Mommy, I found Micah. He's moving fast now and should be in a car."He tracked Micah's cell phone and was able to pinpoint Micah's location.I sent the location to my phone and stared at the map for a minute.I was getting more and more uneasy, as if a million ants were crawling inside."Why would Micah be at the docks so late?"The marina over there had once flourished, but now it was abandoned because the coastal environment was polluted.Not many people had been in that neighborhood for a long time after the factories moved away."Mommy, I feel bad..." Essel rubbed where her heart was. "I always feel as if
Araceli POVAt the Royal Pack.Essel reached for her cell phone and dialed two numbers. I distinctly heard a mechanical, cold female voice coming from her cell phone saying that Micah's phone was off."What's Micah doing? Why isn't he answering his phone?"Essel said with some concern."Normally, Mr. Micah doesn't turn off his cell phone. This is weird."Maddox scratched his head. "Mr. Micah's cell phone doesn't turn off all year round. But he should be back soon. Maybe we should wait a little longer."I didn't know why, but I'd been feeling uneasy.This uneasy feeling even prevented me from calming down to make dinner for the kids.I pursed my lips and said, "Maddox, do you have Micah's assistant or secretary's number? Call it and ask."Maddox nodded and immediately dialed a number.The call was quickly answered. maddox chatted with the person on the other end of the line for a few moments and quickly hung up."Okay,
Raphael POV"Raphael, I do love Essel and Micah, and you..."Melany paused and said, "Araceli can't love you at all. She approached you to take away Essel and Micah.You must stay away from Araceli! She'll get back at you for what happened five years ago..."I lifted my foot and stomped on Melany's calf bone.I didn't want to do this to a woman, but Melany was just too hateful. Even if I had one of my men beat her up instead of me, it wouldn't be able to quell my hatred."Raphael, you have to believe me. I have the recording to prove it!"Melany hurriedly and tremblingly picked up her cell phone.I frowned slightly.What recording?Soon, the recording began to play. I heard Araceli's voice."You don't like Raphael?""If it wasn't for the kids, I wouldn't have had any dealings with him at all..."Melany and Araceli's conversation came out clearly from the phone.Even though I already knew that Araceli's willingness to be
Raphael POVI was downstairs in Creaty's office within ten minutes, but Araceli never came down, so I had to go to the office to find her.I was about to knock on the door when I heard her on the phone with someone, so I stood at the door and waited for her.After a while, I heard her say that Krish had gone for a paternity test and that I was his father.I froze completely.There was no way Araceli could have known I was at the door and she spoke in a somber and despondent tone.There was no way she was lying.That meant Araceli was Essel and Micah's real mother.It also meant that Melany had been lying to me...I clenched my fists, veins rippling in my hands, and quickly descended the stairs and drove as fast as I could towards Eclipse.The car quickly pulled up in front of Eclipse's villa.I violently pushed open the car door, got out, and approached the door with large strides.The servants immediately greeted me respectfully when they saw it
Araceli POVI was in the middle of a meeting. Suddenly, my cell phone vibrated and the screen lit up."I'll be downstairs at your office in ten minutes."Raphael texted.I froze for a moment.What was he doing coming to see me?Soon another text came through."I promised Valeria I'd pick her up from school today."I put my phone down and made my way back to my office after summarizing the meeting.I cleaned up my desk and lifted my bag, ready to go downstairs and wait for Raphael.That was when my cell phone vibrated.It was Eliezer calling."Araceli, I heard that two men were outside your window last night trying to come in and kidnap Valeria and Krish. Is this true?"I froze."Eliezer, how do you know this?""The men I arranged for today found a shell casing when they were weeding your yard."Eliezer sighed and said, "Araceli, why don't you move back in with Grandma? It would be safer for you and the kids."I frowned and said, "Do
Araceli POVI pursed my lips.As soon as I sent the paternity reports of my two children and Raphael to him, the Fleming family would stop pestering me.However, I couldn't talk to Raphael about it.I was worried that Raphael would make the same choice as the Fleming family.If Valeria and Krish's identities were revealed, I would definitely not get custody of them."Raphael, this is between my Ramon, so it's better to leave it to me."I said slowly, "He's the children's real father no matter what..."Raphael stared at me for a few seconds without saying anything else.He sighed slightly and took out his cell phone.I didn't know what he was going to do and was a little confused.He made a call and said something. Soon, several sedans drove up. A group of men in black got out, put their hands behind their backs and stood in a line.Raphael had them patrol the neighborhood every half hour. Then he had them take the two men who had been placed in th