RayaI collapsed on the couch when we got back to the house, realizing I had to do something.He even knew that I had attended therapy for almost two years. What else did he not know?He was going to use everything against me, and to prove what point? that he could get whatever he wanted."I have to do something," I said to Mr. Sterling, who brought me a glass of water, and I took it thankfully, even though a bottle of beer would have been better right now.No, I was in the middle of a war, and I needed to get my sh*t together."Like what?" "I don't know. Find something on him, he freaking knows everything about me.""Okay then. Follow me."He led me up to his study, where he turned on his laptop, and he turned a news headline to me."Senator William Rodriguez has been allegedly accused by his secretary of raping her during a business trip in London."I read the news aloud."Right, I saw this, but I thought it was just a rumor.""That is what he wants people to believe, but guess wha
Raya"The motherf*cker," I said, dumbfounded when Miss. Garcia finished telling her story and Mr. Sterling ran a hand through his hair where he sat."I keep thinking there's nothing more he can do that would be worse than what he has done, and he just keeps surprising me every time.""Do you have proof?" He asked, turning to the teary-eyed lady, and she nodded."I took some photos, which he didn't know about, and a few voice recordings. I also know someone else.""What? Why didn't you tell that to the media then?""He had influence there, so of course, nothing she said or presented might have worked against him," Mr. Sterling replied before she could, and I nodded.That was true."So, what are we going to do?" I asked him as we went back down to his car, and he started the car."Give the evidence to our lawyer. Thankfully, Miss Garcia agreed to testify.""It must have been tough for her."He nodded, driving out of there, "but the world would be a better place without him."The car des
Maxwell"So what was your major in school?"I chuckled when Raya laughed too. "What is this? Are we just getting to know each other?" She asked"Okay. Then what should we talk about?"By this time, our appetizer had been served, including a glass of wine each in front of us, and I gasped when she threw the contents of her glass back in one go."That's an alcoholic drink, you know?"She waved her hand at that information, "Oh whatever, the quantity was too small."She proceeded to pour another glass for herself, which was almost double the appropriate quantity."How about you tell me about yourself first?"I raised my brows, took aback, and paused in the crab cake I was about to eat."Myself?""Yes, I hardly know things about you... Except for, of course, the things the media says, though.""So what would you like to know?"She took a bite of the crab cake, moaning softly as the seasonings melted in her mouth, "Wow, this is good.""I know right. So...""I don't know... your favorite th
RayaThe sun was shining through the curtains by the time I woke up the next morning, and I was wondering what the time was when a bout of headaches hit me almost immediately."F*ck!" I groaned, holding my head, and I got up from bed, going out into the living room where I saw Mr. Sterling.He was with a woman who was standing by the kitchen door, and they both turned to stare at me when I walked out."Raya," Mr. Sterling said, coming to my side, and he wrapped his hand around me."Are you okay?""Of course. Who..."Why did the woman look familiar though? She seemed like"So you're the woman who stole my son's heart.""Mom!""Mom?" I turned to the man who was still leading me to the couch in the living room and looked down at the simple t-shirt I was wearing. Thankfully there were shorts underneath though, and he nodded."I'm sorry, I didn't know she was here.""No, it's..."At that moment, I seemed to remember the things I had done last night, and one of them, unfortunately, was pull
RayaWe gathered evidence and stuff before the next meeting date while William paraded Kyle before the press, and I was able to see him thankfully while ignoring the hate comments aimed at me."Are you ready?" Maxwell asked me that very morning while we got ready, and I nodded.We had gradually graduated from calling him Mr. Sterling to Maxwell during our few days together, and it still sounded weird to me.If I'll be truthful, I actually like calling him Mr. Sterling too."What about you?" I asked, and he nodded too."Let's do this."Everything was set in place—my lawyer, the evidence, and Miss Garcia, who had promised to testify in court against him—and we got into his car, my stomach in shambles.I was nervous, I wouldn't lie, but also positive that we could win this.In the court, the motherf*cker came in late as he always did, and we all stood up when the judge walked in."Good morning. We're going to continue the case of Mr. William Rodriguez versus Miss. Raya Johnson, case numb
Maxwell "What is wrong? Why are you being so suspicious?" Raya asked me as I led her into a private room to discuss with her.We had requested a five-minute recess to look at things and gather our thoughts, and the judge had agreed thankfully.Now I was going to break the news to her."What is it?" She stared at me intensely like I was crazy, and I would accept that for now because what I was about to tell her was actually crazy."I need you to... I'm not even sure what I want you to do. This is going to shake your world, but I want you to know that I'm here for you and...""What is it, Mr. Sterling? We literally have less than three minutes now. What with you dragging me out of there dramatically and acting all mysterious?"I smiled at her rant but sobered up at the information I was about to give her."Here"I handed her the envelope that Ryan had brought to me in the courtroom, and he was still there, giving us space to process this together."What is this?""Go through it."She b
Raya"Mummy!" I stretched my arms wide as Kyle ran into them later that evening in the compound of William's house.Thankfully, the monster was not around, but his wife was, and she gave me a disdainful glare as I went through a heartfelt reunion with my son."I can't believe you, Golddigger.""And you guys keep forgetting the fact that you asked for custody. I wanted nothing to do with either of you.""Where is that b*tch?!" I flinched as the said beast drove into his compound—no, his driver—and got out of the car.I immediately pushed Kyle behind me and wished I had accepted Mr. Sterling's offer to follow me into the compound.I had said there was no need, though, since we were trying to protect his image."Mr. Rodriguez!" Oh, thankfully, his ever-so-dear lawyer was with him."How could you deceive me?" I was tired of talking at this point because it was as if they had all decided they were the victims.I wasn't even sure who Kyle's father was now.Actually, no, I don't know who h
Raya The test came out soon enough, its results gathering us in the courtroom, and I held Mr. Sterling's hand, nervous and agitated.I wasn't sure what the result was going to say, and even though there were only five people in the room—me, Mr. Sterling, William, and our lawyers—it felt as if there were multiple eyes on me, asking me who the father of my child was.I had tried thinking of it but couldn't quite place it.The bar, yes, I remembered going to a bar back when I was in college due to frustration and exhaustion from the abuse of Williams, and I had gotten drunk only to wake up blank the next day, without a memory of what happened, and my butt, stark naked under the covers.The room had also been empty, with my clothes strewn across the floor, and I had managed to convince myself that I had just taken my clothes off... because of the heat.It sounded stupid, I knew, but believable also because... I wasn't sure; I sweated a lot.Anyway, I had forgotten about it with time, esp