~DAMIAN~I could hear the detective speak but my mind was far gone. I was reminded of Mr. Reid, Sierra’s father. Did he perhaps find out what happened to him? Was I in trouble? “Mr. Winters?” The detective's voice shook me out of my thoughts.“Uh-um, I'm so sorry. What were you saying?”“I said I've been working on this case with Ms. Reid.”“Sierra?” I panicked. Did she perhaps know something? Is that the reason she stopped me from being near my children?“Yes, Ms. Reid,” he said, suspiciously eyeing me.“What does she know?” I ignored his weird look.“I'm sorry, Mr. Winters, but I do not understand your question.”“I mean, what did she tell you about Mr. Reid's death?” I nervously cleared my throat.“Nothing we didn't know before. I would like to ask you some questions. I don't have an interrogation warranty yet, but if you would like me to get it first, then I…”“It's okay. I have nothing to hide. You can ask me now.”“Good,” he said, clearing his throat, then brought out a notebook
~SIERRA~After that day, when Damian left in the middle of an important conversation, I realized he didn't care about my children. Of course, he had me fooled with the way he was with them in the garden but after that I realized he never did, as long as we were not Cassie, he would never care and time for competing with her had passed. I needed him regarding Carl's identity, but that reminded me that I've never needed him. I've lived five years protecting them without him, I knew I could figure this out myself. So after giving strict orders to the school, I permitted the detective to start his interrogation.Anna called me and told me about Damian's visit to the school, and I was satisfied when she told me he looked disappointed. I was at the station talkin
~SIERRA~“Thank you, Sierra, I promise you will see that I’m very innocent in this,” she said, but I didn’t respond; instead, I ended the call and took the telephone."Gilbert, are you there?” I asked as I thought maybe he had hung up.“I’m here, where are they?”"Oh, just a minute,” I said and then left the office. Lana was in the living room, so I told her I was going out and then told her about the call. “Gilbert is on the line, but please, they shouldn’t speak for more than an hour, it’s already late, they need to bathe and have dinner. I might not be back by then,” I informed her, and she agreed, then I walked out. From afar, I could see my guards chatting but stopped as soon as I reached them. “Miss Lily is here,” one informed me, and I nodded and told them I knew. Then I walked back to the cars and asked one of the drivers to drive me. I didn’t trust Lily, so I went in my car with two guards. When the car reached outside, I saw Lily, who was now pacing around her car. She loo
~SIERRA~I couldn't believe it. Ava was calling me a monster. I cleared my throat, as I didn't know how to respond to her. “This is the reason I stopped talking to her, when Lucas died, she blamed me instead of her cousin; she's Damian's puppet.” Lily tried to defend me."Oh, family comes first. I'm sorry you were not able to protect yours, that's the reason Lucas died.”“Don’t you dare mention Lucas’s name ever.” Lily gritted her teeth.“Or what? You can't do anything to me, it's impossible. Lucas is dead, there's no use holding on to him, he's dead, he will never come back.” Ava provoked, and Lily slammed the table and stood up. My guards luckily held her. “Ow, you want to hit me?” Ava challenged."Ava, please just go.”"Well, I'm suddenly in the mood for a cup of coffee. You called me here, so yes, let's drink,” Ava teased. I shook my head, as I didn't know how else to stop her. “Fine, I'll leave, but you should be prepared, Sierra. I will not give up until we have custody,” she sa
~SIERRA~No, it didn't make sense. How could Lily be involved in my father's death? “Ms Reid?” The detective’s voice shook me out of my thoughts.“Yes, I'm here.”"Alright, what do you think of Miss Lily?” I didn't know how to answer his question. I was never really close to Damian's friends; I had never even met them by that time, so the question of whether Lily was involved in his death was not for me to answer. I didn't want to make fake accusations, so I told him I didn't know. “That's okay,” he said, he was about to end the call, but I recalled Nana, who was also on the list.“Did you interrogate Nana?” I asked."No, we haven't, we won't interrogate Ms. Nana for now until we figure out the suspicious moves she has been making,” he explained, and I understood, but again, I was reminded of my grandmother. No matter how I tried to convince myself that she would never do something that would hurt me and my children, the doubt was there: why was she at that old house if she had nothin
~SIERRA~“Oh my god, Mamma!” Ingrid screamed, she was as shocked as everyone. Atlas just said something in a loud voice. I caught the tear that escaped my eye and sniffed before I walked in and pretended to have just gotten there. “Mommy, Atlas finally spoke,” Nathan said. As soon as he saw me, I smiled and pretended to not have heard him.“Wow, is that true?” I asked and kissed his cheeks, then Ingrid, before I picked Atlas."Yes, Mommy, ask Uncle Gilbert.” Ingrid agreed, and I turned to Gilbert. I just smiled while he came to me and kissed my cheek. It was weird, but we were in front of the kids, so I didn't complain.“Atlas, how are you?” I faced him. I expected him to respond in a loud tone, but he only nodded to tell me he was okay, then asked me how I was doing in a voice again."Atlas, talk to Mommy, you were just loud a minute ago,” Ingrid complained.“Maybe his voice comes and goes, leave him,” Nathan said.“How can it come and go? He just doesn’t want to talk to Mommy,” Ing
GEORGIA, ATLANTA 2017~SIERRA~I took a sip of my drink before my eyes roamed. Everything about the day was perfect, sunny, classy restaurant, expensive wine, and soft country music in the background—perfect for a date, right? Only it wasn’t a date—well, maybe for my husband, but not for me. I placed my glass down on the table as my gaze fell on a couple who I presumed to be on their first date or maybe just trying to have lunch. He pulled a chair out for her, and she muttered something in his ear, which he giggled at, and he took his seat across from her. He took her hands into his, sweetly looking at her, and he started talking. My eyes wandered back to my husband, who was deep in conversation with his friends. When I looked at the two women, my husband’s friends' wives, I started to regret coming here. They were engaged in a conversation, talking about business and fashion; I didn’t know anything about it. I looked back at my husband; I was sure he had forgotten I was even here
GEORGIA, ATLANTA 2017~SIERRA~“Sierra, she’s back, everything between us ends today,” he said calmly.“Who?”"Oh, come on, you know who, don’t act stupid,” he said, sounding irritated. “The woman at the restaurant is Cassie?” I pretended to be clueless. I didn't want a divorce."Yes, and she’s back, you know what that means, right?” He looked at me, seeking confirmation, but I played dumbfounded.“What happens to us, what we’ve built?” “There’s no us Sierra, when are you going to get that through your head? I’ve never lied to you about my feelings for Cassie,” he said with no emotion in his eyes.“But you married me, I’m your wife now,” I muttered in a low tone. As much as I wanted to shout, I still felt a lot of pain.“That’s why I’m suggesting a divorce. You will be compensated for the years you’ve been with me,” he said, and just as I was about to plead, the door opened and a middle-aged man walked in. By his dress code, I easily figured him to be a doctor.“Mrs. Winters, how ar