•ELIJAH•"Miss Hayes!" The doctor squealed when we walked inside his office and sat down. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Is this the new father?" He asked as he looked at me. Abigail's smile almost reached her ears as she grabbed my hand and caressed her lower belly with her other free hand. "Yes. This is my fiance." "It's a pleasure to have you here, Mr. Houston." And so he knew me. "I am sure that Miss Hayes was very kind to speak well of my services and how I am very dedicated to making sure that you both bring a healthy child into this world." I smiled at the doctor as I gently slipped my hand from Abigail's hand, irritated by the fact that she always wanted to display a happy union to people when she knew that I was no longer interested in making our relationship work. "Thank you, Dr. Jones. We are here for Abigail's check-up and to make sure that the baby is well." "Of course, let me take you guys to the ultrasound room to have a look at your baby." When we got to the
•DARLA•Early in the morning, I woke up and prepared myself for my meeting with Dr. Jones, who had promised to get my father's report from the hospital, so that we could find out what might have happened to him. I was willing to pay him any amount of money that he wanted just for me to get to the bottom of what happened to him. Even though I wasn't close to my father before his death, he was still my father, and he and I were very close before Belinda got between us and poisoned the relationship that we had.After getting out of the shower, my cell phone rang and I rushed to pick it up, thinking that it was Dr. Jones, but it was Ethan. I rolled my eyes and released an exhausted sigh as I answered the call. "Yes?""Darla, my love. How are you?" 'My love?' I scoffed. "I'm fine, Ethan. How are you?" "I miss you. It's been two days now, and I'm getting very anxious about what's happening between us. I honestly do not want to lose you over anyone. It took me so long to gather the cour
•ABIGAIL•"Hey, bestie." "Hey, you!" Alec squealed as he got up from his chair and embraced me. When he pulled away, I sat down on my chair and looked around the new lunch spot that he had invited me to. There was a river nearby, and the place was breathtaking."Look at you, all glowing and stuff." "Stop, you're making me blush." I giggled as I took the menu pad on the table and looked for something to drink.Alec and I had known each other for 10 years, and he was my best friend. He and I met while we were in college and have been in contact ever since."So, how are things going with you and Elijah? Your sister told me that you guys are still planning for a wedding. Come on, it's been 4 years now. What is he waiting for?" Ugh, Kathrine couldn't help but mind her own business. She always had something to say even when she didn't even have to bother herself to say anything, especially to Alec. I sighed as I put down the menu pad on the table. With Alec, I couldn't pretend. He knew
•ELIJAH•"Darla!" I screamed in horror as I ran to push her from the road when I saw a car rushing toward her. I felt like my whole world was flashing right before my eyes, and it sent shivers throughout my body, and my heart raced, threatening to stop if anything happened before I got to her. I breathed in relief when I grabbed her waist and pulled her from the road, causing her to land on top of me. "Elijah..." She breathed when she opened her eyes and saw me underneath her."Are you okay?" I asked as I released a sigh of relief that nothing happened to her. The car didn't even stop, but that didn't matter because she was right here with me, and well. I knew right at that moment that I couldn't live without her. She made my heart race, and the thought of losing her forever caused me chest pains. I didn't even know what I had to do to win her over, but since I had sworn to do anything to get her back, no matter the cost, I decided to talk with her again. "I'm fine. Thank you f
•DARLA• "I have someone inside who can help us with getting your father's file. I hope you have enough money because it won't be cheap." I knew that I was putting Dr. Jones's license at risk, but I didn't have a choice. I had to know what happened to my father and get him justice. "Money won't be a problem. I want to know what happened to my father. You can name your price and hers, and I will pay it." "Alright. Please wait here while I go and have a word with her inside. If she agrees to the deal, I'll come with her to meet you before she retrieves the file for us." I nodded as he hopped out of the car and headed inside the hospital. I sighed as I leaned my head against the steering wheel and wondered if I was doing the right thing or not. "I told you that it was a mistake! If I knew that she was pregnant when I left, I would've asked her to get rid of the pregnancy. But it was already too late when she called and told me that she was going to give birth." "You were suppo
•DARLA•"What is she doing here? Is this some kind of a twisted joke?" Belinda complained to the lawyer as soon as she saw me walking inside the sitting room. "She can't be part of my husband's will!""She is the one person who has to be here, Mrs. Miller. So please, let's not waste each other's time and cooperate." The lawyer responded as I sat down on the single couch facing them. Belinda looked at me with contempt, and I felt my stomach sinking. She couldn't pretend that she found my presence to be an inconvenience in her life. She looked at me closely as the lawyer took out the will to read it to us. Anthony also kept glancing at me, his shady look reminding me that he still hadn't accepted me as his little sister. "To my beloved wife, Belinda Miller -" The lawyer started reading the will, and Belinda's face beamed. "I give full title deed to our house which she has cherished and made a home for the past 43 years we have been married." "Just like he had to," Belinda exclaimed.
•DARLA•When I got inside my car, I closed all the tainted windows, leaned my head against the steering wheel, and cried. I didn't know what to do after hearing the will and everything that my father had left me. Even though I was as much his child as Anthony was, I never thought that he would do something like that for me. I was his bastard child and grew up knowing very well that I was not entitled to anything that he owned because I was the product of his one-time infidelity with a woman he met when he was away on a business trip. But as I was pondering what I was going to do, someone knocked on my window, startling me back to earth, and I rolled down the window and saw Anthony. "Anthony?" I breathed. I was tired and almost knew what he was going to say. He hated me, and I knew that fact and accepted it while growing up. "What are you still doing here? Shouldn't you be on your way to celebrate for how you've embarrassed my mother and taken everything that belonged to us? Aren'
•ELIJAH•"Darla's coming with me to the 5th-anniversary celebration of Hope Lives charity. Please make sure that she's catered properly and everything goes according to plan. I don't want any mistakes.""Yes, Sir. We will make sure that the function goes well and that Miss Darla is treated as our important guest." "Good. Also, keep an eye on the guest list and make sure that everyone who was invited is welcomed inside, and everyone who is not invited is kept outside until we are sure that there is space for such people." Emily nodded as she took notes in her diary before leaving to resume her other duties. I was excited and looking forward to seeing Darla again.As soon as Emily left, Jason approached with his woman. I was happy that he was one of the first people to show up at the anniversary celebration of Hope Lives charity. After greeting his girl, she left to get something to drink while Jason and I chatted for a minute. "My guy," he excitedly shook my hand and gave me a side
•DARLA•"I think I might know who did this," Elijah replied as he got up from the couch. "I think with this new evidence of him trying to tarnish your name with nonsensical theories, we have a chance to get him in jail.""You know who did this?" I asked as I wiped off my tears. "It's Ethan, of course. Who else would've leaked the information about how you got the Millers Properties Lifestyle? Or how you inherited everything from your father and banned your stepmother and brother from the company? It seems pretty obvious to me." I looked at him and realized how much sense he had made. Yet again, I failed to see Ethan for who he truly is. "Then what now?" "I know how to get him to confess to this and also get him to get this article off the internet. So don't worry, I'll take care of him for you. He will never bother you again." For the first time in forever, I let down my guard and decided to trust Elijah. Even though it was hard for me to admit that I needed his help when I came
•ABIGAIL•"Don't worry, I'll call you. Yeah -" My heart skipped a beat when I heard Diego on the phone when I walked out of the restroom. We were in New York and had withdrawn the money for our fake passports, which made it weird about who he might be talking to on the phone. He made my mind and heart uneasy because of his constant attention to his cell phone, which wasn't a problem until a few hours ago.'Fuck. He better not be cheating on me,' I groaned as I walked back to the bathroom and went to look at myself in the mirror and reapply my makeup. I sure wasn't going to let Diego use me to get a fake passport and then turn around and want to bring his whore with us. I had to make sure that he didn't even think about stabbing me in the back after all the things that he did with me and to me. When I was done patting myself on the back, I walked out of the restroom and found him waiting for me. He looked a bit agitated. "Is everything okay?" He asked when I walked toward him as
•ELIJAH•"I want your best flowers and the best gift box you got. Make sure that they are as romantic as they can be. I want them delivered to the address that I sent you. Yes. Thank you." I hung up the call and sat down on my couch. I was in one of my apartments so that I could have my own space and also get my mission accomplished on time.After receiving a file from my private investigator about Ethan's fraud with his former Arab business partners, I realized that it was going to help me get him under my control, and also get him to pay for kidnapping my kids.My cell phone rang, and when I realized that it was Harper, I got up from the couch and answered the call. "Hey, Jason sent me a text that Diego called and told him that you found them. Is Abigail with you?" I asked. "Yes, she's here. We are still keeping her in our hotel room. Jason hasn't called his cop friends, has he?" "No, but they are waiting for something. Abigail has to be captured, and since they had a lead, it h
•DARLA• "I can't believe that you had sex with Elijah," Amelia commented after I closed the door behind Elijah. I rolled my eyes as I turned around and walked to the living room where the kids were happily playing together. "I don't know what you're talking about. It's so crazy that you think I did such a disgraceful act with Elijah. I'd do that with anything walking around with a dick, but Elijah. My goodness," I answered when we got to the kitchen. "I'm sure you think that you're fooling me right now, but I can literally smell and see a person who just had sex." "Oh, yeah?" I chuckled after pouring myself and her a glass of apple juice. "Your pregnancy does that?" "Yeah, and your shirt is turned over." I gasped as I looked down at my shirt and instantly felt overwhelmed with embarrassment. I was so sure that even the housekeeper and Penelope saw that and knew what I did when Elijah was in the house. "That -" I sighed as I tried to think of an excuse. "I didn't see it
•ETHAN•"Morning, beautiful." I smiled as I brought Meghan a cup of coffee in bed. She looked so beautiful, and I couldn't believe my luck in bringing her home from the bar after a failed attempt two nights ago. "Fuck," she groaned.She didn't look so impressed when she saw me. She got up from the bed, dressed up, and took her handbag from the floor. "I'm sorry, but I've got to hit the road. I'm sure we had a lot of fun last night, but I'm not the romantic type to do breakfast in bed, talk, or whatever you thought was going to happen." I placed the cup of coffee down on the pedestal counter and turned to her a little disappointed. She didn't seem like someone who only did one-night stands.I was even thinking that maybe she didn't like me as much as I thought she did when she came home with me. "Wait, what's wrong? You were happy when we came home and you seemed interested in me. Did I read all that wrong?" I asked as I leaned toward her. "It's not you, honestly. But I can't do
•DARLA•"Say it again, Darla. I want you to tell me that you don't love me anymore, but I want you to look me straight in the eye this time when you say it." "What difference will make it, Elijah?" I scoffed. "It won't change the fact that I don't want to be with you anymore. Getting me the cool pink car, jewelry, bags, and shoes is never going to make me forgive you for all the shit that you put me through!" "Are you going to say it?" "Fuck you!" I snapped. "You left and abandoned me when I was pregnant with your kids! How dare you think that you can come back into my life, and I'll just forgive you as if you didn't leave me to be with another woman?! You're a motherfucking cunt, Mr. Houston!""I know that I lied, cheated, and divorced you on claims that Abigail was pregnant! I know that I was an asshole who doesn't deserve sympathy from you, but I love you!" He sighed. "I love you with all my heart, and nothing makes sense to me right now than you." He breathed. "You're the only
•HARPER•"Hey, are you okay?" I breathed, packed my bag, and took a sip of my lemon juice on the table. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just tired of being here and not getting anywhere. Abigail seems impossible to find." Alec smiled as he came to sit down next to me on the bed. "Don't you trust me anymore? I brought you here with me because I know that we can find her. I know Abigail and how she thinks. Chicago is not big enough for her to hide." "Yeah, and we've been here for a day already. We should be getting somewhere, but it seems like we aren't getting anywhere, Alec. What if she's no longer in Chicago? I don't think that I can stay here any longer chasing pavements!" I snapped and then sighed. "Something's going on with you. What's wrong? You know that you can talk to me about anything." "There's nothing wrong! Stop with your interrogations, Alec, and get me, Abigail!" I snapped again as I stood up from the bed. "I'm starting to feel like you don't want me to find your bitch anymor
•ELIJAH•"This better be good," I sighed after answering Diego's call in the morning. I was sleeping when he called me at 5 AM. I had a long night and slept quite late because of a research that I was conducting. "I'm with Abigail, Sir. We met last night in Chicago and will be on our way to New York this morning for some cash. I just need a little more time before turning her in." "My sister and her friend are in Chicago searching for her. When you come back from your New York trip, please give me a call. She has to be captured tonight. That's how much time I'm going to give you." "Yes, Sir. That's okay. I'll make sure that she's captured. I just want to make sure that Harper gets back the remaining money that Abigail took from her." I got up from the bed and sighed. "Alright, give me a call when you're back." "Sir?" "Yes?" "Does our deal still stand? You get Abigail and let me go? You promised not to harm me or my family if everything goes your way. Please, I hope nothing wil
•SONIA•"Hey, Mom. It's me again," I sniffed as I sat down on the carpet floor in the basement. This was where I spent some of my time whenever I needed to feel close to my Mom, even though I didn't really have any memories of her.Before my father had his life devoted to his work, he and I used to have a weekly tradition whereby we would watch videos he took with my Mom before she died. They looked so happy and in love together, which made sense why my father never remarried after her death. She was the love of his life."I know that we barely know each other, but I have no one right now. You're the only person who can listen to me without any judgments, and I really need to vent right now," I sighed. "Was it ever this hard when your parents wanted to get you married to someone else when you were with Dad? Was it this hard because they didn't want you to be with someone who wouldn't be able to take care of you?" I silently cried and wiped my tears before they could reach my cheek