Three days later, Leah still hadn't left her house or done any work. She had over thirty missed calls from Dazzle regarding work and to check on her after hearing that his brother had taken the kids from her again. She also hadn't heard from her children.All she did was sleep, cry, and drink alcohol in a vain attempt to feel better. She had considered every possible way to get her kids back, but each plan she devised was futile.This morning, she decided to get up and try to feel somewhat alive. Her phone rang for the thirty-fifth time; this time, it was an unknown number."Hello," she answered."Hey, Leah. I called to check on you. How are you doing?" Daz asked."Good. Who is this, please?""Dazzle. Please listen to me, don’t hang up. I know my brother has been unfair to you. It's just one of his ways of showing up, I know how it is. I’ve dealt with him before, but not in your situation. Moreover, he shouldn’t be the reason you stop working or earning a living for yourself.""There’
Meanwhile, Emily had been unhappy ever since that day at the party. She hadn’t spoken or had any conversations with her husband. She had been giving him the silent treatment, but Alex didn’t seem to care.All he did was wake up, have breakfast if she had made any on time before he left for work. Sometimes he ate out, then returned home, freshened up, and went straight to bed. Ever since then, he had been coming home late and had turned to alcohol.Emily had lost weight from excessive worry. She finally went to see her mother to devise plans on how to teach Leah a lesson.She arrived, knocked, and walked in on her mother, who was busy on her phone. She was almost in tears."Mom," she called out."Emily, you didn’t tell me you were coming over.""When did I ever have to tell you that I’m coming over? Am I not welcome in my father’s house anymore? Since my own husband’s house is no longer conducive for me.""You are always welcome, but you should have given me a heads-up. What if I had g
While Leah lay on the bed, still unconscious, Richard sat right beside her. He admired her beautiful yet pale face, wishing that once she woke up, everything would be fine. If he had found her sooner, he wouldn't have let her go through whatever she might have endured raising those boys and surviving.He desperately wanted just one chance to make things right, but she had stubbornly refused to grant him that wish.His life now revolved entirely around her. If she eventually agreed, he wouldn't hesitate to make her his wife immediately and focus solely on her and the kids. Richie was deeply unhappy as none of his plans had come to fruition.He glanced at the clock repeatedly, wishing she would just open her eyes. His worry and regret grew. The only words that intensified his anxiety were her saying she hated him.He sank into the chair, his head in his hands, recalling each and every word she said.He suddenly went to her bedside again, held her hand, and prayed silently for her to wak
"Are you ready to bury me? Because her family collaboration with our company will definitely be cut off. So I will have to lose a shareholder just because of your stupid decision, Richard," his father erupted."Dad, please. You did this to yourself by initiating this marriage and making a deal with her father. I don't want to be dragged into your schemes. I am trying to be happy, not sad. Ending up with someone I don't care about and never will is not an option."His father couldn't respond but continued to stare at him with disdainful eyes."As I said earlier, I have a woman I have sworn to spend the rest of my life with, and she has already given me children. I am not about to break her heart anytime soon. If we are done, MA and PA, I'd like to take my leave. I have more important things to do with my time.""Boys, time to go.""Okay, Dad," they said in unison."Bye, Grandma, bye, Grandpa.""Bye, my children," Grandma replied. "Don't look for trouble and be of good behavior, alright
"I would love it if you leave the house for some time. I'd like to be alone.""Really, Leah? Just for telling you the truth about yourself? Alright, I will leave."Days passed without Leah showing up at work. She had sent an email to the company's official email box announcing her resignation. No one had heard from her since then.A new project manager was hired and, while efficient, she wasn't as good as Leah.After spending two weeks indoors, Leah found it difficult to even open the windows and let the sunlight into her apartment. Eventually, she decided to go for a jog to escape her depression, if only for a few moments.As she jogged, she refused to let anything bother her. All she needed was the early morning sun and the breeze. She ran as far as she could, unaware of how far she had gone from her home.Suddenly, it started to pour heavily, leaving her drenched. As she crossed the road amidst a little traffic, she nearly got hit. Thankfully, Richard was watching her from a distan
Before he left, Richard asked for Leah's phone number, which he didn't have on his personal device. She handed it over without hesitation, grateful for his actions, even though she couldn't fully express her gratitude. As he departed, the house returned to its familiar emptiness. If he called, at least she could finally talk to her children. That evening, an unknown caller rang her phone twice, but Leah only discovered the missed calls an hour later. It was as if she had instinctively known he would reach out again."Hi, how are you doing?" A voice, gentle with a soothing cadence, deep yet smooth, and infused with just the right amount of softness, made each word feel like a tender embrace.Leah smiled, the resentment she had harbored dissipating. He showed that he truly valued and cared for her. "I'm fine," she responded.Feigning ignorance about the caller’s identity, she said, "Leah speaking... Who is this, please?""Sure you don't know who this is?" His tone remained unruffled."
"What? What's the matter with them? I'm coming over right away, please. What is wrong?" Leah asked, her voice trembling."The twins are running a fever. They are asking for you, please, let's go," Richard said.Leah's heart started pounding. She knew her boys couldn’t be okay without her for too long, and now this was the result. She hoped they wouldn't start convulsing before she got there. Their fever always led to something more severe.Richie grabbed her purse and held her hand as they hurried to the chauffeur. Leah was terrified. The last time they had a fever, they were five years old, and it was a draining and scary experience for her. She thought she would lose her babies back then. They convulsed for a straight hour. All she could do was cry and pray while the doctors worked. They were so pale and anemic at one point, and she was the only donor available. However, the doctors refused to let her donate as she was too stressed and not in the right state of mind. They had to fi
"Let's sleep now," Richie said. "I'll take the sofa; you can have the bed." "Thought we are lovers. Why must you sleep on the sofa, my darling?" she teased. "Well, if you insist... I did some shopping for you. Check the closet for your clothes; the right partition is yours, while mine is on the left. If you'd like to wear any of my clothes, feel free," Richie added. "What about my toiletries?" Leah asked. "They're in there too. Some are in the restroom. I didn't know your preferences, so I had them bring the finest ones. I hope you like them." "Hmmm... I hope so too. I’m really picky," she said, walking toward the wardrobe. She opened it and was left in awe. "All this? For me? For how many days? This will literally last for over two years." "Is it too much? I thought you ladies loved skincare, and the perfumes had such nice fragrances I couldn’t resist. I picked those up myself, along with the undies, on my way back before our dinner date," he explained. "Wow, you really outdi