Fredericks POVWaking up close to her was divine; she had the face of a beauty goddess, and her slow snore teased my senses as I patted my head resting on my chest. All this while, I couldn’t tell her how scared I was about all this happening.Mom was going offline, so she and Max, Sophia, were quiet with the news. From the news that had been spreading, there were just mere blog pictures of our photos taken, and I hoped it was the same pictures Mom had seen that made her question Joan.She should have called me, but she didn't. I suspected something was wrong, but I couldn’t put my fingers on it, and staring down at Joan, she looked so peaceful, compared to when we had arrived, when we feared almost the same thing.‘Losing each other’Aside from that, we were immune to other threats we had faced; it was always about how we were fighting from the surface or trying to stay disclosed to the eyes of everyone, but now I would finally summon the courage to say it and own it. What if we were
Fredericks POV“Joan!"Mom yelled as she barged into the room, her bug-like eyes fixed on us. She closed the door behind us. "What the hell is going on here?” Joan rushed, then covered her bare chest with her hands.“We can explain.”“Explain what!”She took the pillow from my head, then smacked me with it, yelling on the bed. She pulled Joan closer.“What are you doing on the bed with your brother, huh? I asked you; I called you and asked you, What did you tell me?”“I am sorry, mom. I am sorry. I didn’t mean it." Joan was already choked up in tears and couldn’t talk; I had to step in to save her.“It’s not what you think that was why we came home. Joan told me all that had happened, and we chose to come home to tell you personally about our relationship,” she glared at me, not withstanding to hold the hatred that lingered in her heart. Just by staring at her, I could pick up the little details on her face.She was tired and sick, must have lost quite a few pounds, and was using make
Joan’s POVI knew mom wouldn’t talk to me after all this. I shouldn’t have lied to her; then I would have avoided all this before now; she wouldn’t be so embarrassed of me. Everything paralysed me; it was just mind-wrecking, and I couldn’t look her in the eye and tell her that I was sorry.It would have been better if she had seen it through her phone rather than catching both of us in the act. I felt filthy and too embarrassed to follow her, and thank goodness Fred did that on my behalf.He had already left the room. When I came out of the bathroom, I dressed and wrapped myself up in the corner, waiting for the final judgement, but it never rrived. Instead, J Jones walked into my room, his hands wrapped around his chest. He just stood at the door, looking at me.I had expected he would say something, but he didn't; he just sat down there. Like some statue, I hated his face; it made me nauseous, and the memories made me weak and bitter."It seems it came to light now, and everyone kno
Joan’s POVIt was the next morning, a day to face my fears. I braced myself with all kinds of pep talk before I went to sleep, but now?Facing the multitude of people who could do anything but stare at me right now, my courage had slipped beneath my feet; I just couldn’t hold on to the truth anymore.All thanks to Maisy and Daisy, who stood by me, I would have lost track of my stance and fallen multiple times, but they were always engaging me in short conversations and making me think of other things, which included my new car that had now been returned.Or Max, for whom I haven't seen his brake light since our last encounter; he just knew the car was returned, and he didn’t call me or text me. I just wanted to tell him that I don’t need such luxury anymore, but it was hard with all this going on; there were still some images online about it, so it wasn’t easy to just say whatever.I had to pipe low and observe all that was going on.Well, this morning, Fred and I had a little morning
Joan’s povStill fixed on the image on the screen, my thoughts disorganised. At that moment, it didn’t look like a passed video, which only confirmed mom was in that condition; maybe it was framed up and he just wanted to ruin my day.U dailed mom's number, but it went straight to voice messages; it was declined. My first thoughts were that she must have been pissed; that was the only reason she would decline it so fast, but the reason wasn’t convincing enough.There wasn’t a way I would be comfortable here if he kept on pressuring me into sleeping with him; it was way better being at home than being here. Somehow, he had succeeded in making my decisions sour.‘Thirty minutes to think and arrive at the location; a minute late would incur a penalty’ he sent again. My heart squeezed to the anger and fraud that loomed over me. It was definitely going to be the last time. I can't, I can't!I will tell everyone about how he makes me do things. I will go to the police, and they will take h
Joan’s POVThe day went as he planned, and now he sat opposite me, his hands on his chest and his eyes closed, a gentle smile on his face. It was the third time, and for a second, it felt unending.The familiar sense of irritation engulfed me, and to top my frustration, I saw Mom's phone beside him. He flew all the way to Detroit with her phone, and she didn’t say anything. That meant he knew we were calling her all along, and he didn’t bother to give her the phone.Jones was more cunning than I had even imagined; he was the devil I knew. And the angel that I didn’t know yet—I just couldn’t get myself to believe how deep he had already gotten into mom's head or the condition she was in.I didn’t get to see mom last time I went home; it was as though she was trying to avoid me, but she spoke with Fred. I wanted to see it as the resentment she felt towards me sleeping with Fred, but if she could look him in the eyes and not me, then something was definitely wrong.Still seated on the be
Joan’s POV They finally left me alone after so much pressuring, and I had already made up my mind as well, I was going to tell mom about everything so she would know it’s not my fault, then if it’s the last thing I get to do, then so be it, but I would rather die than have him come here and have his way with me.I went inside the house, with my little purse and few clothes, a passport and my courage tucked deep within my heart I set out to leave the house.“Where are you going?” Maisy asked, “Home”“Why?”“Don’t want to talk about it, in case Fred comes back here looking for me, tell him I went back home and I didn’t tell anyone about it” with that I left them then boarded a ride to the airport.The flight back home was mostly filled with thoughts of me finally confronting my demons, and as the hours ticked by everything weighed in my chest, I was going to do it, I won’t stop no matter what happens, I had to consider going to the police station first but I would rather tell mom befo
Fredericks POV I punched him hard across the face, sending him back a few step with a bleeding jaw.“How dare you, who do you even think you are coming at me like that” he related with another punch on the face, i barely dodged it, and for a second he continued with the punches till I finally got underneath him.Other dorm members came out to help, pulling us apart, but he fourth this way back, sending a blow across my face again.“I will get you for this” he snark then spat on my body, I hated him so much, and Joan was the reason why all this was happening, I told her to stay away from him but no! She went ahead and somehow slept with him else he won’t be ranting his much.She wouldn’t even show her face I bet she’s embarrassed of herself that was why she didn’t come up, I barely got to see her she didn’t pick up any call, which was alarming but my stay here in Detroit was over so I took the next flight back home.Ready to explain why I was back home, instead of in school.“You sho
In a penthouse far from the world's trouble, Joan and Fred had just gotten the best news yet: she was pregnant with their second child after their first child, Janet.Their happiness was boundless; it was a miracle yet again. Fred held onto Joan’s waist, swimming her in the living room as they danced to the song made by the trees that surrounded them, while Janet clung to their feet, dancing around with them.It’s been three years since they had problems that were out of the ordinary—three years of utter bliss and love at their peak. And there were no enemies at their doorstep; they were so far from world trouble that they had forgotten what it felt like to be hated.After the gunshot at Joan’s wedding, Sophia shot herself and died at the reception. The wedding made news about how the billionaire's daughter shot her ex-boyfriend on his wedding day.Everyone criticised them for making her lose her own life; they trolled her for being his stepsister until they found out what really warr
Joan’s POV“You can take a look now,” the makeup artist said, turning the drafting chair so I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was left speechless, and she placed the veil on my head, making my heart jitter.It looked so beautiful. I looked this beautiful, and it was a surprise to me at my wedding that I wouldn’t see my reflection till the final touch, just staring at the final touch.“Do you like it?” She said, patting my cheek with a makeup brush.“It’s perfect"“Well, I hope the groom is more shocked than you because you look stunned," she said, and with a fine touch, she kissed my forehead.It was my wedding day, and I had been up since 5 a.m., but it was worth it; the look was perfect.Few hours from now, Fred and I would be arriving in the church to exchange our vows before the reception, and even after so much planning, I still felt a knot in my belly, my heart pounding and my hands itching to be held by him.I imagined what he would look like and what his reaction woul
TWO YEARS LATERJoan’s POVThe weather seemed so cold today. I stretched my hands to feel his body, but it's nowhere to be found—not even close enough after rolling to the edge of the bed.“Baby,” I whispered, yet nothing at all"Babe, where are you?"Yet it was all so quiet. I waited a little; maybe he went to the bathroom. Looking at the side of the bed, it’s just 6 a.m. in the morning, so he either went for a run or would be back soon, so I waited, but it clocked nine and I was still on the bed.It’s a Saturday, and not just like every Saturday, it’s my birthday. I had expected him to wake me up with kisses and maybe good morning sex, but no, he chose to go out instead. I felt so disappointed in him.Picking up my phone I called him, but his phone was ringing, and he wasn’t answering. Fred was a sucker for his smartphone; he only slept two inches away from it every night, so I could swear that he saw my calls and heard all my endless voice messages, and he chose to ignore them.It
Fredericks POV“Never!”Dad turned immediately, shooting the first person who was unfortunate enough to be at the mercy of the pistol.George….“No!"Rushing towards him, I yanked the gun from his hands and pointed it at him.“Frederick, don’t shoot him; he can’t run anywhere now." George, who had just been shot in the arm, said he was bleeding on the floor and had now been carried away by the paramedics.Then I stared back at this embarrassment of a father. He held a smug look on his face as she stared deadpan at me.“You don’t have what it takes to pull the trigger; you think having balls like a man makes you any stronger; no, it doesn't; do your worst; you are just like me anyway.""Never; I am nothing like you; I never will be." I yelled, forbidding whatever he said. I had fought too much to remove that thought from my mind. I didn’t waste money on so much therapy just so he could look me in the eye and call me a replica.I was nothing like my father—nothing at all.“Fight it all
Fredericks POVAnother round of sex, a little kiss on the chin, some I love you and love you too, and she was good to go. I had just dropped Joan off at her school when I was driving back home.It’s been tough. So tough, but with all that had happened, at least I came out strong. The money from the inheritance was big enough to get me a house on the other side of the city, and I am currently building a car repair store. I had this undyinfnpassing for carsIt has always been my dream to own something like this, and somehow the universe came up to me at my lowest, gave me a fortune, and set me on the right path, which I took with the help of mom and Joan. I couldn’t be any happier, and even if I could, I knew it wouldn’t be different from this feeling I had inside.The feeling of utter bliss and no confusion, the calmness needed to pursue a dream I always wanted, the family support, and everyone else needed to get the perfect kickstart.And with time, I have come to understand that fami
Joan’s POVAfter mom's surgery, we were to go home and probably come to pay her regular visit, but that wasn’t the only good thing that had happened.Fred and I left the hospital and went back home, just to hear West crying. It was concerning, given the fact that Lisa should be consoling him, but he was banging on the door and crying bitterly when Fred and I pulled up at the house.“Hey baby, I am coming,” I said, rising towards the door and hitting on it so Lisa would open the door. I hoped she didn’t vent her anger on the little child who did absolutely nothing to cause her this much misery, but it seemed she wasn’t going to open the door, so Fred called her, endlessly hoping she would open the door but still doing the same thing.“Did she lock us out for good? You gave her the house, didn’t you?”“Yes, but is it not too quick to throw us out? I mean, I have things in there too." We started off by calling her name and banging on it even more. But it's still the same thing.“Move asi
Joan’s POVThe headaches, the gut feeling that made me want to sleep for a whole three days, and this crippling depression that I felt at the corner of my eyes made me feel like throwing up, but I didn’t drink beer; there was no throwing up here.I was just made to suffer the hangover coupled with this level of sadness that came over me the moment I opened my eyes. It's already morning, like most of the morning we had in this house. I wasn’t prepared to stand; I just wanted to survive the day while doing absolutely nothing.But it was mom's surgery; she needed me there. At least I can’t stay here or let Fred go all alone; it’s suicide, but seeing his face would be the end of me. I don’t want to know if he woke up well this morning or barely slept last night. I didn’t want to have the slightest affect shown towards me by him.I just wanted him out.But then again.Hospital..Mom…So I stood from my bed, then sluggishly carried my body to the bathroom. I was wrecked of sweat and liquor,
Joan’s POV“What?”“Yes, so just so you know, before you start blaming me for everything that has happened, I saw your message in the damn hospital. Get your head straight for once in your life, would you?"“Is mom okay? Where is she? What happened to my mother?" I yelled, pulling his collar. If anything were to happen to mom, I wouldn’t survive past today, and I made him know that with the way I reacted.“She’s fine, just a little seizure, and the surgery commences tomorrow, so we have to be there tomorrow unfailingly in the morning, and here you are, blaming me for taking time to see our mother; you are just, ahh, what will I do with you?”“Don’t talk to me like that; how would I have known?" I whined, feeling the pain of guilt down my chest; the liquor I had taken quenched, and my little uproar of courage died. I found myself wanting to cry again, but my eyes were tired, and if they had a mind of their own, I bet they would purge out of the socket. I had cried way too much today, b
Joan’s POVInside mom's room was the same as Jones's too, which this couple had defied; the broken vase was no longer there, so either Fred or his mother had cleared it because I wouldn’t, and not just that, I hope she hasn’t dented my mother's property because she was looking for something to steal; I won’t be quiet if that was what she was looking for.I would expose her to the world, and she would be dragged into it for the rest of her life. They could torment me all they wanted, but never my mother; she was too good to be despised continuously.Eagerly ruffling through everywhere till I finally saw a key similar to what she had explained, relief flushed over me.“Finally!”The tag and the address were just tagged at the side, and from the looks of it, wherever this warehouse was, it would take me an hour to get there, but since it was the only way I could find happiness on a day like this,.Why not?Shoving it in my pocket, I walked out of the room. I made my way out of the room j