•ABIGAIL•"That piece of shit and old rag. Who does she think she is? I'm going to show her who I am and what I do to people who take me for granted and want to humiliate me in front of a crowd," I muttered under my breath as I headed to the third floor to Zara's bedroom in the morning. "She has started a war with me that she won't win. Oh, I am going to show her the devil in person. She doesn't know me. She will know me today," I muttered as I angrily banged outside her door. She pissed me off last night to the point where I couldn't sleep, thinking about her and the remarks she made about Elijah and that stupid bitch, Sonia. "Who is it? Do you want to break my door down?!" She asked outside the door. But when a man who could very much be Elijah's age showed up at the door, I was stunned and almost laughed. Zara pushed the guy from the door and stood at the entrance with her nightgown barely covering her body. "Abigail, what are you doing here so early in the morning? Don't you
•AMELIA•"I'm sorry, Amee. You and I had a good time, but I can't do this anymore. I've realized that I'm not cut out for a committed relationship. With my job and trying to get my first house, everything just feels overwhelming. I hope you understand." 'I hope you understand?' I internally scoffed as I looked at him. I couldn't believe that he used such a lame excuse to break up with me on my birthday. Of all days. "So, you decided to come to my house and tell me all that shit? Do you realize that today is my birthday and you just decided to come here and dump me? You couldn't have done it any other day?" I scolded him."Oh, I didn't know." He chuckled. "Happy birthday, babe!" He leaned forward to kiss me, but I pushed him and closed the front door on his face. I rolled my eyes, scoffed, and headed upstairs to my bedroom, and was about to call Darla when I thought that she probably had a lot going on and didn't have time to talk with me about another boy who broke up with me. But
•ELIJAH•After my morning run on Saturday morning, I signed the policy that Shane sent me and edited out the parts that I didn't want to be included in the policy anymore. I then called him after sending it to his email to confirm the changes that I had made."Shane, have you received my email? I edited the policy on some parts because I needed them removed and revised properly. I also want my mother to be informed of the changes so that she doesn't cause trouble for us." "I will go through the policy before submitting it to the policy provider, my guy. Thank you for submitting it on time before weekdays." "Yes. Do call me if I missed anything on that paper that needs my attention." "Alright, I'll do that." I hung up the call and went to take a shower. When I was done and preparing myself to go for a little shopping for shoes, my cell phone rang, and it was Abigail. I knew when she called me that it wasn't a good call. Instead, she shocked me when she informed me that my mother
•AMELIA•[9 YEARS AGO]"Yes, tell me about it!" We were laughing with my friends as we came out of the club around 5 AM. We were all drunk and couldn't even see where we were going. "Mh- mh. Guys, we can't drive like this. We have to request an Uber or just walk home. My parents would kill me if they found out that I ran my car into a ditch." Darla, being the mature one, commented. We all turned around and looked at her. "Come on," I groaned. "Just because we can't walk to our car doesn't mean that we won't be able to drive. We can clearly see, guys, right?" Everyone, except Darla, agreed with me and didn't see anything wrong with us driving home in our state. But Darla refused as she called for someone to pick us up. "Yes, Rowen. Yes, please. I honestly do not want to die because we kept insisting on driving ourselves. Alright. Yes, we are outside. It's just the four of us. Alright. Thank you." "Are you and Rowen dating?" I couldn't help but ask when remembered that it wasn't
•AMELIA•While I was eating my birthday cake, it suddenly struck me that I still hadn't told anyone, even my parents, that I was diabetic and taking insulin shots every day that had become a part of my normal life. I didn't want my parents to mourn my death before I actually died. I didn't want them to stop enjoying their lives because they now had to take care of me. I also didn't want to make Darla worried about me. I didn't want her and my parents to treat me like someone who was going to die at any point in their lives. I wanted every moment that I had left with them to be raw and not sugar-coated with pity for me. More than anything, I was scared that I was probably going to die without ever experiencing the kind of love that my parents shared. I was scared that I would fall in love with someone and see my entire life with them, only for me to die after a few months or weeks with them. All the dreams that I had about having a family were all lived through Darla. Dr. Young
•DARLA•As I took the elevator to our hotel suite, I kept thinking about Elijah and everything that he said. It felt a bit weird that he was suddenly respecting my relationship with Ethan and not seeking to destroy it. The time I spent with him, laughing and talking about silly things, felt like I was with an entirely different person. For the two years that we were married, I never knew that side of him existed. I felt cheated on a man who could've made my marriage a little more bearable, instead of the version of him that was cold and always out on business trips to have time to get to know me better. "Ethan?" I called out when I walked in to dimmed lights in the living room and kitchen. My mind quickly thought of Rachel when I saw the light setting and the fact that I had gone out and didn't specify to him when I was coming back. But when I walked inside the bathroom and found him just coming out of the shower alone, I cleared my throat from embarrassment and closed the door
•ABIGAIL•"Now they will all see that Sonia is nothing but a gold-digging bitch. She's probably here because she wants all the money that Elijah has, but it won't happen. Not on my watch."I went straight to the sitting room where I found Zara with Poppy and Harper. They were laughing and having a good time when I threw my cell phone on Zara's lap with the pictures of Sonia."Look at that and tell me if you still want that slut to marry your son instead of the mother of his child that he has been with for years!" I sneered. "Abigail, what's going on?" Poppy asked as she stood up from the couch and leaned toward me. "The woman that your mother planned to get her married to your brother turns out to be a street whore. As long as I'm in this house and carrying Elijah’s child, I will never allow another woman to exploit him. I won't let that whore to -" Zara laughed and interrupted me from finishing my sentence. I was shocked at what she was laughing at because it was crystal clear t
•DARLA•"Oh, fuck." I muttered as I got up from the bed and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth while I thought of what I was going to say to Sonia when I called her. I didn't want to get in the middle of Elijah's problems, but since he sounded desperate and wouldn't have asked for my help if he didn't need it, I felt like I owed it to him. When I was done brushing my teeth and taking a shower, I went to the living room and found Ethan's note in the living room informing me that he was coming back soon with a surprise.So, since I was alone, I took my cell phone and dialed Sonia's cell phone number, and she took a while to pick it up. When she did, I got up from my couch as the nerves started to kick in. I didn't want to make her an enemy by taking away her chance of being with the man that she wanted. I also didn't want to ruin our friendship over a man that I wasn't worried about who he dated and when. I didn't want it to bother me because I was happily married to Ethan. "H
•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