Leah sat on the couch, the airy morning sun casting a golden hue over her balcony. She realized she hadn't spoken to Mariam, Mrs. Adams, or her grandmother in ages, and the thought of reconnecting filled her with a mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation.She picked up her phone and dialed Mariam’s number."Hello, Mariam? It’s Leah," she began hesitantly."Leah! Oh my God, it’s been so long! How have you been? Did you really forget me, or was it the whole issue that made you ignore me for weeks?" Mariam's voice was filled with genuine excitement but a hint of worry as well."I’ve been better. I am so sorry for how I treated you, Mariam. I thought "I’ve been better. I am so sorry for how I treated you, Mariam. I thought long and hard about your advice, and I must say, it’s the best advice I’ve ever received. Thank you so much. Anyway, there’s so much to catch up on. Can we meet? Maybe at your place? I have missed seeing you, Mrs. Adams, and grandma.""Absolutely. I’ll be waiting
"To ask if I could help them by being their surrogate," Leah replied, rolling her eyes. "It’s like they think I have a Rolodex of potential surrogates in my purse. Do I even look like one to them? Or can I even deal with that?"Mariam chuckled, "Really, they really went far with that. After all they have done to you? They still had the face to come to you with such an offensive offer? That’s rich. You, the mother and queen of all surrogates and the keeper of the surrogate list. What did you say?""Yep, they did. Like I was surprised too. Just exactly the way you are. I told them I’d never do that, but honestly, I don’t want to ever get involved with that family anymore. I have my hands full with Richard and the boys.""Understandable," Mariam said. "I don't think they know who you are yet but I am sure when they find they'd be more respectful. So, what are you going to do? Sounds like a tricky situation, you really need to stop them from coming close to you. You are just beginning a n
That night, Leah received a call from Lorenzo, the private investigator Richard had hired."Hello Mr. Richard, I have some updates on the accident investigation," Lorenzo said.Leah’s heart raced. "What did you find?""Ooh, Mrs. Leah. There’s a lead we need to follow up on. It’s not conclusive, but it’s a start. I think it’s best if we meet in person to discuss the details along with Mr. Richard," Lorenzo explained."Alright. When can we meet?" Leah asked."How about tomorrow morning? My office, 10: 00 AM?" Lorenzo suggested."Sounds good. We'll be there tomorrow," Leah agreed.After hanging up, Leah felt a mix of apprehension and hope. She shared the news with Richard, who agreed to go with her to Lorenzo's office tomorrow.The next morning, they arrived at Lorenzo’s office, a small but professional space in the heart of the city. Lorenzo greeted them warmly and ushered them into his office."Thank you for coming," Lorenzo said, sitting down behind his desk. "I’ve been looking into t
Richie was fully recovered and had been going to the office for a few days. Waking up that morning, there had been rumors about him everywhere. It's been going on for a few days but today it became a worst-case scenario. The initial meeting with the clients was postponed to two weeks later..Meanwhile Richie sat in his office, staring at the array of papers scattered across his desk. His mind was a million miles away, lost in thoughts of Leah and their relationship so far. It had been a whirlwind, since the accident, and despite the challenges, he felt happier than he had in years. But today was not about work; it was about facing a conversation he had been dreading.His phone buzzed, pulling him back to reality. It was a reminder of the family video call scheduled in fifteen minutes. Richie sighed, leaning back in his chair. He knew this conversation was inevitable, but that didn’t make it any easier. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leo, had been pushing for this call ever since word go
The next few days were beaming with activities. Lorenzo worked tirelessly with law enforcement, providing them with the evidence needed to build a case against Williams. Leah and Richard gave their statements, recounting everything they had learned.One evening, Richard received a call from a detective, the officer in charge of the case. “Mr. Richard, we’ve made an arrest. Mr. Williams is in custody, thanks to the evidence you and Lorenzo provided.”“That’s incredible news, Detective. Thank you”.Mr. Williams' schemes were exposed and caught up. His family is in tears, especially Gracy. Gracy had to go on her knees to beg Richard for her father's mistake. Reminding him of their relationship although it wasn't that affectionate or sweet but they shared a ring and promised to leave him alone. "Show mercy to her father".. Gracy begged."It was all my fault that he went too far. I am sure he regrets it now, please. I promised to move on, my family will move on and never disturb you or y
Dazzle sits on the couch, running his hands through his hair, staring at the wall in front of him. The room is dimly lit, and the atmosphere is tense. One of his numerous girlfriends, Kimberly, enters the room, looking pale and uneasy.He had been spending numerous nights with Kimberly, always protected but a night during their make out, unknowingly the condom had burst. They arrived at the hospital and ran multiple tests.Kimberly had collected the result and found out she was pregnant.Kimberly(softly) "Dazzle, we need to talk".Dazzle(sighing) "Yeah, I know. Sit down. What did the doctor say?"Kimberly sits down next to him, her hands trembling slightly."I’m pregnant, Dazzle"... she replied. Dazzle's face goes pale. He looks at Kimberly in shock. Her case is a bit different because she was liked by Dazzle.Dazzle: Pregnant? But... but we’ve always used protection. How is this possible?Kimberly (nodding) I know, but the doctor said the condom must have burst. It only takes one t
Dazzle drifted off to sleep just immediately lying down on the couch. With a slight shallow snore due to cold and alcohol influence.The next day was the weekend…As he woke up, he knew his brother was still sleeping or probably busy. He told one of the maids he was going and to let Richie and Leah know when they woke up.His mother's call had woken him up to tell him about a meeting with his dad including herself and he should be ready by 7:00pm. "It's about you and your future, Dazzle. Don't miss it".. she warned.Dazzle had spent the day in a haze, nervously anticipating the evening call from his parents. He hadn't yet found the courage to tell them about Kimberly's pregnancy, and now they wanted to discuss his future. He paced back and forth in his apartment, glancing occasionally at the clock. The second hand seemed to mock him, moving slowly yet too quickly at the same time.As the clock struck 7 PM, his phone rang, the familiar ringtone adding to his anxiety. He took a deep br
That night, Dazzle had called Kimberly to inform her about going for a DNA test. Which she accepted to go with him.The following day, Dazzle sat in the sterile, white waiting room of the clinic, his leg bouncing with nervous energy. Kimberly was beside him, her face a mask of calm, though he knew she was just as anxious as he was. The results of the DNA test were supposed to be ready soon, and the weight of the impending news sat heavy on both of them."You okay?" Dazzle asked."As okay as I can be, given the circumstances."... Kimberly replied.Dazzle reached out, taking her hand in his. She squeezed it, a silent acknowledgment of their shared tension."Mr. Dazzle, Ms. Kim, the doctor will see you now.".. the nurse said.They stood and followed the receptionist down a hallway lined with motivational posters about health and wellness. Dazzle couldn’t help but feel the irony of it all. Here he was, waiting to find out if he was about to become a father, walking past posters that chee