EvyHours later...Hearing the sounds of the little heartbeat is thrilling. I always knew it was there, tucked away and protected within my belly, but hearing its sounds for the first time made me certain that soon it will be in my arms, and I will love it above all else. I will fight for it with all my strength. And no one will ever take it away from me, never! I will protect it and keep it safe with me forever."Look what a magnificent surprise!" I wake up when Dr. Benjamin speaks with an unusual excitement."What, doctor?" I immediately look at the screen, and my heart almost skips a beat."You're not expecting one baby, Evy. It's two babies.""Twins?!" I whisper, astonished by such information, and I swear I don't know whether to laugh or cry."Twins," he confirms. I bring my hands to my face and soon find myself smiling through tears. "Congratulations, mommy! Now let me check how they are doing. Hmm, everything is as it should be. The circumference of their heads, the weight of t
EvyThe next day..."You're beautiful, Evy! I'm addicted to you," he whispers by my ear, and the warmth of his breath makes me gasp slightly. I turn to face him, and at that moment, my cell phone starts ringing... Wait, my cell phone? I abruptly open my eyes and find the day already bright outside. I mumble a quiet curse and grab the phone that insists on ringing. I look at the screen and stare at Bia's name, and then at the time. Damn! I jump out of bed in exasperation."What the hell, I'm late!" I growl and answer the phone. "Good morning, Bia!""Evy, where are you, dear? I have to travel in a few hours!""I know, I'm sorry! I'll be there in a few minutes.""Alright! I'm waiting for you here at the store.""Okay!" I end the call, throw the device on the bed, and rush to the bathroom. I take a quick shower and put on the first outfit I see. I drink a glass of juice, devour a generous slice of orange cake, and put some cookies in my coat pocket to eat while driving. I sling my bag ove
GaelIt's hard to say how I feel at this very moment. I'm walking the thin line between doing something crazy and drowning in a sea of emotions I don't want to feel just thinking that she's a few steps away from me. Inside me, a river of boiling blood flows. I'm furious, but I miss her too, and of course, I won't let this weakness show to her at any moment. Not after what she did to me. To feed my thirst for making her pay for her betrayal, I'm still locked in my office, sitting in my chair, staring at the pictures of Dylan next to her.Actually, too close to her. So close that he could kiss her if he wanted, and in one single photo, the damn kiss happens. I grip the bracelet I bought on my last trip tightly and press the object so hard between my fingers that the pain feels like a balm to me. And pissed off, I pound the table, taking a deep breath immediately afterward. I need to keep my damn self-control! I mentally growl and stand up from the chair, pacing back and forth in the roo
GaelI couldn't sleep last night, and restlessness was consuming me. I decided to stay in my office and practically drank a whole bottle of straight whiskey without ice. I ended up passing out on the office sofa, and my dreams were haunted by a past of betrayal and pain. I woke up with the sun just rising on the horizon. I forced myself off the sofa, feeling my body protest instantly. After climbing the stairs, I walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the guest room, feeling my heart tighten in my chest."Why don't you just end this, Gael? Why don't you let her go for good?" Reason screamed loudly within me."Why?" I ask myself the same question. The answer is as clear as crystal water.She's expecting my child, an heir, and he's mine, I know he is! I lean my head against the wood and close my eyes tightly.I remember my dream, my haunting, and I clench my fists, distancing myself from there as quickly as possible.***"Good morning, Mr. D'Angelo!" Dana, the cook, says surpri
Gael"How has she been behaving?" I question Ulisses as soon as he enters the office in my house. The man stands upright in front of my desk, places a woman's purse on it, and then positions himself like a soldier in front of me."Very well, Mr. D'Angelo! She hasn't made a single sound.""But have you checked if everything is okay?""I had to open the door a few times to make sure everything was fine.""Okay, Ulisses, you can go now." I observe the man leaving my office, and with a deep breath, I think about Paul's words. His advice mingled with his—the only person who led me into the depths of darkness. Roland D'Angelo, my father. "Love On The Brain" starts playing suddenly, and curious, I open her purse, finding her cellphone. I hold the device and grip it tightly between my fingers when I see it's a call from Dylan Thompson.What the hell does this bastard want with my wife?! I mentally snarl and carefully drop the phone on the tabl
GaelOn the following day..."Good morning, Mr. D'Angelo! I brought what you asked for," Ulisses informs as he enters my office. Eagerly, I sit up in my chair, reaching out to grab some boxes and a small bag with the logo of an electronics store."Thank you, Ulisses!" I say, dismissing him. I place the bag on the table and open one of the boxes containing some cardboard folders. One by one, I open them, proudly admiring Evy's work for some small businesses in that citadel. I find myself smiling. Yes, it's exactly what you're thinking. I asked Ulisses to go to the house where she had been living for a few days to retrieve her work materials and also to look for her clients to inform them that she would continue her work, but now from Seattle. It's almost time for her nine o'clock snack, and I want to surprise her with this gesture, hoping for a truce.I put the documents back into their respective folders and grab the bag with the new phone I asked him to
EvyYou must be wondering, why did she do that? Evy, you were one step away from your freedom, about to ruin Gael D'Angelo's life, and yet you backed down? It's quite simple; I can't do it. Not with the father of my children, and especially not with a D'Angelo. If there's one thing I've learned over these months with you, it's that Gael would never pay for his actions behind bars. At the very least, his team of lawyers would get him out in less than twenty-four hours, and then? Then, he would mess with Dylan's life and surely feed on your anger to take away from me my most precious possession.My children.And there's also the fact of watching him completely defenseless in the face of my pregnancy. Seeing him moved by the simple act of touching my belly and feeling the babies move touched me, and made me realize that there's a human being inside that hardened heart. I dreamed so many times of a moment like that that I can't even count on my fingers."I ca
EvySome days..."Mom?!" I whisper emotionally as soon as she enters the D'Angelo mansion's room, and before she shows any emotion, I let go of Gael's hand and immediately go into her arms."Oh, dear, how much I missed you!" Judy embraces me tenderly and gently strokes my back. Amidst this gesture, I can't hold back a silent cry that overwhelms me, and when I pull away, I force a smile for her. "You look so beautiful pregnant, my daughter!" she exclaims, making my smile widen.."Judy Dixon, long time no see," Gael says approaching, and I see my mother's smile grow in a contagious way."Gael, my boy!" The affectionate way she hugs him leaves me speechless. The months I spent away undoubtedly brought him even closer to her, and I didn't realize it."Come, let's settle in the living room; lunch should be served in a few moments!" He invites them cordially. Judy extends her hand to me, and I hold it without hesitation, bringing it to my mouth to