•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
•ABIGAIL•"There are refreshments in the boardroom. You can go and help yourself there." Elijah looked at me, frowning.There was only one thing to do because I didn't want Elijah to go home with Darla or reject me to be with her for the day. I grabbed my stomach and pretended that I was experiencing period-like pains since I was still very early in my pregnancy and not really showing. "Oh, Daddy, I'm not feeling too well," I groaned as I looked at Darla and then at him. When Elijah came over to me, trying to find out what was wrong with me, I tilted my head and smiled as Darla walked away inside the venue where the children were performing a play. I was happy that I had just proved to her that Elijah would always choose me over her because I was carrying his child and heir. When we got to the hospital, I told Elijah that I was feeling better and didn't think we needed to see a doctor. I hoped that he would take me home so that I'd be able to get my way with him. "No, we have to
•DARLA•After the end of the 5th-anniversary celebration of Hope Lives charity, I drove straight back to my hotel suite after I told Ethan that I was going to see Amelia. I didn't even want to do anything but to pin Ethan down on the bed and undress him as I pleased. His body was even inviting, and I wanted him inside me.'Bloody Elijah. Just when I was thinking that he was worth a second of my time, this is what I got. Humiliation and embarrassment in front of a hundred people. I will show him what an asshole he is.'I was hurting after what happened and how everyone looked at me as if they pitied me when Elijah left with Abigail in his car after she put up a show and acted as if she was experiencing some pain. "Baby, what's happening?" Ethan asked while I was riding him.I stopped and looked down at him, annoyed and on the verge of rolling my eyes. "What do you mean? Am I hurting you?" "Yes," he answered as he pointed to my hand on his nipple. I felt bad when I realized how tig
•ELIJAH•"What do you mean that you're not moving back here with her? Have you lost your mind, my son? How can you bring the mother of your child to be alone in your home while growing your child inside of her?" Zara asked as I headed toward my car. I rolled my eyes with a sigh as I turned to her. "I brought her here because I thought that it was the right thing to do considering that she was staying alone. What more do you want from me?" "I want you to fix your relationship with Abigail and make sure that you raise that child together as a family. She's the one that you wanted, isn't she? So, Elijah, I advise you to make your relationship work.""She will have the baby, and as the father, I will make sure that she and the baby are taken care of until she's back on her feet to receive child support. Other than that, it will be above my capabilities." "What kind of a man are you who can't stand up for his responsibilities? You wanted this when you got divorced from Darla and got Abi
•DARLA•"Darla Sullivan, you're speaking with Rowen Sanders. I just got a call from Julian that you're now the major shareholder of The Miller's Properties Lifestyle. When do you think you will be able to come to Georgia? I'd like to meet you.""Rowen Sanders?" I asked on the phone, shocked because I didn't think that the board members would find out about me so soon. The name and the voice sounded familiar as well, and I tried to remember where I knew him from. "Yes, ma'am. This is Rowen Sanders. Have you forgotten me?" He asked, and somehow it made me chuckle. I closed my laptop in my home office and got up from my chair. I stood near the window and looked outside the garden as I remembered my last moments with him. "Not at all. I didn't expect your call ever. How are you?" I caressed the necklace on my neck. "I'm good. I was actually thrilled when I found out that you will be taking over from your father. May his soul rest in peace." "Thank you, Rowen. It also came as a shock
•ABIGAIL•"Hello?" I answered the call as I walked to the kitchen to get something to drink from the fridge. "Miss Hayes, you're speaking with Emily. I wanted to discuss a few things with you on behalf of Elijah. I am his personal assistant."I suppressed a squeal as I refrained from asking if it was about the allowance that I had been anticipating since I saw him at the hospital yesterday. "Yes, Emily. How may I help you?" "I wanted to inform you about the allowance that Mr. Houston has acknowledged and approved to be sent to your account every second day of the month." She answered."Yes, I'm listening." I pretended as if I didn't care whatsoever, hoping that the money was good. "Mr. Houston will be sending you fifty-five thousand dollars a month, which includes your toiletries and anything you might need when going shopping. He will handle your doctor's visitation fees and transportation." "Thank you, Emily. Please do tell Mr. Houston that I appreciate the offer. But I can't w
•ELIJAH•"Elijah, can we talk?"I groaned when I heard my mother's voice behind me. I was on my way to work in the morning when she stopped me right in my footsteps in the hallway. "I just want to make sure that you and I are good. I can't bear the thought of being in a bad place with one of my kids after laying one of them to rest forever. I can't take it anymore, Elijah, please. I am very sorry for everything that happened. But you are my son, and what happened between me and your father was never meant to reach your ears." I scoffed as I turned around and looked at her. "I'm not mad at you because you had an affair when you were with my father and had Harper. What pisses me off more than anything is your affair with a man young enough to be your son. Actually, I don't think I would've had a problem if that man wasn't my children's uncle." "I know, baby. I know that I messed up," she leaned closer. "But what happened between Anthony and I was nothing, but something that was meant
•DARLA•Elijah kept snickering next to me in the car while I was trying to act all serious and avoid him. We were on our way to the airport, and I already didn't want to see him. I just wanted to be home with my kids and pretend for a moment that everything that happened didn't happen. "Are you really not going to say anything to me?" He broke the silence, and I rolled my eyes, folded my arms on my chest, and looked away from him. "Come on, I won't tell the kids until you're ready to tell them yourself. You know that I want what's best for them," he added.When we got to the airport, we boarded our plane and I was relieved when we didn't get seats next to each other. After a few hours on the plane, we finally arrived in Atlanta, and Elijah hurried to help me and the twins out. I then told the twins to go inside our car and wait for me while I had a word with Elijah. He just smirked when I pulled him to the side. "Listen, I don't like this tension between us, especially about my
•DARLA•"You can't take my kids from me, Elijah. I don't care that you feel as if I kept them from you for years, but you're the one who abandoned me when I was carrying them. Those kids are mine," I seethed as we got inside a taxi in Montana."It's because you kept them from me that I think I should stay with them for a while. They deserve to know their father and be close to him." I shook my head as I looked out of the window. "We are getting my kids, and until I'm sure that they're safe, I'm not letting them off my sight.""They're mine as well." God, I regretted ever telling him the truth. He was going to use that line against me every time he wanted to have his way and take my kids from me. I didn't say anything to him until we arrived at the station. I hopped out of the car and rushed inside the building, eager to see my kids and make sure that they weren't harmed. When an officer came to assist me, I told him about the twins, and he didn't hesitate as he took me straight t
•ABIGAIL•"Fuck," I cursed under my breath as I took a hoodie and covered my face. I stood in front of a tall building and released an exhausted sigh. I was in Chicago, and I was sure as hell that I would be caught soon. I hesitated to walk inside the building and find the person that Kathrine said would be able to help me until all the chaos had settled. I took a deep breath as I walked up the stairs and asked for Caleb from the receptionist. She gave me a stern look before she directed me to his office."Hold on for a minute," he suggested as he was on a phone call.I impatiently sat down on the chair in front of his desk and tapped my foot on the floor. I knew that Elijah wouldn't give up searching for me until he had found me. Now that it turned out that Harper survived, I had nowhere else to hide anymore. "Kathrine's sister?" Caleb asked after getting off his call. I took off the hoodie that covered my face and nodded. "Yes. She said you'll be able to help me with getting a
•ELIJAH•"I'm going to the house right now, Harper called and told me that she had arrived. I just wanted to pass by the restaurant and get something to eat and avoid my mother for a while." "You still mad at her about Harper's biological father?" Jason asked as I was heading back home. "And that she was sleeping with Darla's brother. I couldn't believe it when Abigail revealed it before she disappeared. My mother even had the guts to admit it to me without showing any remorse or shame." "Fuck. That's pretty messed up, bro. What is she going to do when she finds out that the twins are yours?" "She knows that. I told her. I wanted to see her reaction when I told her. What baffles me is that she was the one who kept pressuring me to get DNA tests after she met the twins. I don't know if she didn't think that her relationship with Anthony was going to be jeopardized." "It's okay, bro. I hope you and your Mom manage to find a common ground and fix things. The twins deserve a family r
•ETHAN•"Ethan, please tell me that the kids aren't with you. You're going to be in serious trouble if you're caught by the police with them on the road." Chris said on the phone when he called me again the following morning. I hung up his call yesterday because I was afraid that he was going to tell the police that I was the one who took the twins, especially since he was the one that I talked to. "Yes, Chris, the twins are with me. But you should know that they're perfectly safe with me. I've been their father since day one, and nothing has changed. I have the right to be with them now.""You just don't get it, do you?" He released a low growl on the phone. "The twins are everywhere on the news. The moment they see them with you, you'll be in trouble." "You and I know that you're the one who thought this would be a good idea to get Darla back to her senses. You don't think that's a good idea anymore?" "I never said you should kidnap the damn kids! Elijah's looking for them, and
•DARLA•"Elijah knows about the kids being his?" Daphne asked as I laid my head down on her lap as we were sitting in her living room. "I just found myself blurting it out because I was upset. I don't know, but my mind was all over the place, and maybe I felt guilty that the kids went missing, and he still didn't know they were his children." "How did he react?" I sighed. "I just left him there and went to my car. I couldn't even go home and decided to spend a night here. I didn't want him to come knocking outside my door." "So, you're avoiding him?" She asked as she looked down at me with a smirk. "That's not what I'm saying!" I defended myself as I straightened up from the couch and looked at her. "I just don't want us to talk about my pregnancy. Not while my kids are still out there and not found yet." "Are you sure that's why you're avoiding him? You told me that something happened between you two when you were suspecting that Ethan was cheating on you, remember?" I sighed
•SONIA• "Now that the boy is mourning his sister, I want you to be there for him. Be his shoulder to lean on and create a safe space for his vulnerability. It's time you show this family gratitude for everything that we've done for you." "Yes, Daddy." I bowed my head a little and nodded as a tear slipped down from my eye. "Are you crying?" "No!" I exclaimed as I quickly wiped the tear from my eye and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Dad." My father sighed as he got up from the couch across from me and looked at me. "We'll talk when you come back home." He then walked out of the living room and went to his study. I closed my mouth and released the tears that I was holding behind my eyes. I was so scared of failing my father and our family. More than anything, I was scared of losing Philip, the only man who loved me for me. My father never approved of him because he didn't come from a good family background. His family was poor, and he earned an average salary. "Miss -"
•ELIJAH• "The twins are your children." Her voice kept ringing in my head, and I didn't know what to do with myself. It was Poppy's funeral day, but the only thing I was thinking about was Darla's confession. I was so angry yet sad that she had to do everything on her own when she found out that she was pregnant with my kids. I felt robbed of a chance to be there for them and know them. At the same time, I knew at the back of my mind that I deserved it. I broke Darla's heart and filed for divorce because I thought that I was expecting a child with Abigail and thought that I would raise the child with her as a couple. "Elijah, can I come in?" My mother asked outside the door. She and I haven't been talking for a few days now, and though I opened the door for her, I didn't know how to react to seeing her. "Yes?" "I just wanted -" She walked inside my room and sighed. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for being such a disappointing mother. I didn't know that you would find ou