Estelle froze at the sight of the man sitting on the CEO's desk. An unconscious frown appeared on her face as she stood at the doorway."What do you want?" Anthony was rather relaxed, as compared to Estelle, who saw him as being despicable. The former CEO shared his office with her because he was hardly in the office and she had to scan and send documents to him through email. Most of the documents were confidential so it made perfect sense to share his office but now, it seems to be the worst feeling she ever had.
Anthony curls his lips slightly into a smile and raises his legs on the desk with his hands behind the back of his neck. "Wow, relax, I am here to work okay. Just like you. Anyway, you look beautiful in that dress. It reveals your curves very well."
Estelle cursed inwardly and ignored his lustful compliment. "So you knew I work here?" She gritted her teeth in annoyance.
Anthony was nonchalant. "Of course. That's why I accepted to take over from my father.
"Hello Sweetheart", Joel says seductively, immediately Estelle answers the call. She blushed at the sound of his voice. They have been married for almost two years but every day seems to be a door to something new in their relationship. There is always something amazing about her sweet Joel."Hi Darling, Jolene slept a few minutes ago. Wanna video chat?" Joel froze. A video call will uncover his whereabouts."Not now, still taking care of a few things b but..let me, like call you back in a few minutes. We can video chat like, then." Estelle was tired already and knew she will doze off by then."Never mind, another time." She yawns.Romeo was sensitive. From her tone, he knew two things. She was either angry or tired. He preferred the latter. "Don't be angry with me, you kn-""Am not angry with you. I have something to tell you but it's not urgent. It can wait till you come back."Joel was taken aback. Estelle was more important to him than a
The next few days, everything was normal. Anthony never attempted any mischief and Estelle let down her guard. Perhaps, her words were taken more seriously than she thought. By the time she finished her departmental rounds, it was time for lunch and she was already tired. As soon as she got to the office, she was met with another pile of files, as Anthony sat on his desk, majestically sipping his coffee.Resigned to fate, picks up the files one after the other, and begins sorting them according to the order of preference. She could feel Anthony's gaze on her the whole time but was unperturbed. "I have ordered lunch for you," Anthony said out of the blue."Thanks but am not hungry." An embarrassing rumble like a wave of the sea was heard in her belly just as the words came out. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment. She frowned guiltily. "I will go for lunch when am through with work. I don't need any favors from you." A smirk appeared at the corner of Anthony's mouth.
Estelle did not answer immediately. Aside from how disgusted she felt, she never expected Joel to be home at this time. Her tears were overtaken with shock. Joel was getting impatient when she kept silent. Fear overtook every rational in him. 'What if something has happened to her?'"sweetheart, if you don't open up, I will break down this door". He was able to hide his fears and his voice was soft. However, Estelle knew that he was very serious and will break down the door. Her voice was so husky from her tears, therefore, she didn't want to speak. She stepped out of the bathtub and after wrapping herself in a towel and splashing water on her face, she headed to the door. Joel was completely out of patience and was about to do his worst when the door jerked open.He frowned at the sight of her. Her eyes were red and swollen. Her cheeks and nose red from crying. He pulls her into his arms before asking."What happened?" His plan of soaking in the tub with her was complete
"You can't seem to stay away from people's wives, can you? Well, if you must know, we're already married now. It's too late for you to pull any strings. We even have a very beautiful daughter. Go out there and find your match. Estelle belongs to me" Joel said with a straight face.Anthony felt a pang of jealousy but he hid it quite well, only nodding his head incessantly. But he found a loophole in Joel's words and instantly took advantage of it. If he was surprised to see him, it only means Estelle hasn't told him about his presence in the company. It also means that she hasn't confessed what he did at the office. Secrets burn relationships and this was his golden chance. A mountain of confidence befell him. "Mr. Joel Clarke. I have always known you to be smart but you look ridiculously stupid when you speak out of so much ignorance."Joel felt gravely offended but did not see the need to argue with a loser. "I get it loser, I have a wife and kid waiting for me at
Estelle was drowned in another swam of tears. Life is too cruel. She will never be able to understand how she found herself in this situation. Yet, she had to shoulder the guilt and take responsibility for such an immoral act. As the days went by, Joel never came home.She will go to the office and come home to her child. After putting her said to sleep, she will continue in a pool of tears and cry herself to sleep. There was no one to comfort her but the silence of her room.Joel on the other hand spent a few days with his parents and left to Pete's to avoid suspicions. He could not face his wife. He felt like the guilty one. He will go home at odd times, most probably lunchtime to see his child. At the office, he will occupy himself with a lot of work to prevent his mind from wandering.Anthony began playing the good guy. Not only was he extra nice and respectful to Estelle but also promoted Joel. To his amazement, Joel accepted the promotion with reasons o
If Joel's analysis serves him right, then his encounter with Brittanny at the bar wasn't a mere coincidence. She had planned everything and he stupidly fell for it. He knew that there was no way Pete would have sent those pictures to Estelle and there was no familiar person present as well. Brittanny planned it all. He thought himself outrageous that she had changed from the last time but now, it only seems different. He decided to tell the whole truth he knew."It's not what you think. I went to the bar with Pete. I just wanted to let off some steam." Estelle, hearing those words quickly jumped to a conclusion."Of course, letting out some steam by laying my mess on the table in some bar right?" She said irritably."I will never do that. I never said anything about our marriage. We only talked about stuff that will take my mind off my problems. Honestly, I just wanted to spend a little more time with Pete because I knew I might not see him again for years to come.
A week went by and things seemed to have returned to normal. Estelle desperately wanted to resign but she had to work for four more days. These four days seemed to her like four months. She was restless. She has been playing her role well by being nice to Anthony, even to the extent of buying him lunch sometimes. He will sometimes ask her to have lunch out with him but she always turned him down politely with brilliant excuses, not arousing any form of suspicion.Within this time, Anthony, being engrossed with Estelle's niceness, has left his hems loose, thereby signing some documents without reading. Even those he read had been altered without his knowledge. He trusted blindly. Being moved by her kind gesture, he ordered Pizza, specially for her. In his bid to surprise her, he didn't ask for her preference.Taste buds can vehemently change during pregnancy and Estelle's was no different. Her first pregnancy was easy but she couldn't say the same for this one. She
When Joel left, he waited at the car park for two hours before his wife showed up. He had deliberately refused to go back to the office. His mind was in a plight of frustration and anger. Now that Anthony was aware, he had to hasten his plan. He couldn't afford to lose a day. As soon as Estelle sat in the car, he sped off.Joel was not the kind to discuss sensitive matters in the car. He could always bottle it all up till he got home to his destination. Estelle felt slightly guilty and mistook his silence for anger. In such a case, it was better for her if she kept her mouth shut. Indeed, it was the antidote to the solution at this point. Joel was satisfied with the silence. Somehow, it was comforting.For the first time in months, they had dinner together. After dinner, Estelle wanted to play with Jolene but the girls seemed to have her own agenda. She started whining when her mother picked her up and kept pointing to her toys."Let her down. She doesn't wan
It’s been a little above twenty-five years since Estelle and Joel left her parent's house. Since their return, they have tried to locate them to no avail.Eventually, news about their new counseling passion has traveled far and near, capturing the attention of Estelle’s parents. They too, for some years now, have been trying to reunite with them. They made their way to the office in Estelle’s absence but were fortunate to get her home address.Unfortunately, Joel’s mother had just died two weeks ago and her father followed a week after. Those two seem to be inseparable, even in death. Estelle’s parents were now old and sought to reconcile with their daughter. Not only that, but they also had a plan.Estelle was surprised by the description the housekeeper gave about a pair looking for them. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the two aged people and found herself locked in their embrace. Joel was upstairs and didn’t know about the visitors downstairs. Estelle’s fat
Nina's eyes were glassy when she took in Gerald's appearance. She could tell it wasn't easy for him also. His eyes were red and his face sullen as if sleep itself had eluded him. He moved closer and sat beside her."You think that I cheated on you but the fact is, I didn't. Even if I did, it wasn't in my right mind. When you threw me out last night, I went back to Bridget to seek clarification." Nina's heart sunk when she heard the name, Bridget. 'So he went back to his lover. I shouldn't have thrown him out of the house but I was too angry to think straight. But even if it's my fault, why did he go back to her house? Was it to continue with their stupid affair?'"So, you went back to the same woman. Tell me, where is your shame?" Gerald could tell that Nina was upset."Trust me, nothing happened. She indeed drugged me but she confessed I slept off before anything serious could happen. Those pictures meant nothing. If you don't believe me, I can call
Estelle couldn't sleep well through the night as she kept thinking of how to discourage Nina from getting a divorce. After making sure the house was in order, she went to see Nina, first thing in the morning. The smell of alcohol lurked in the room as Nina sat half asleep on the couch with an empty bottle of whisky. Estelle was repulsed by her behavior because she wasn't one who likes to get drunk in the first place. She shook Nina awake."What is this, Nina, pull yourself together." Nina stares at her indifferently. 'After all, Estelle hasn't been through what I am going through so it's easy for her to tell me to shake it off. What she didn't know was that Estelle has been through the worst and yet, did not result to alcohol. What is worse than being drugged, raped, and having a bastard child? No matter how you try, that child will be a constant reminder."My life is already over Estelle, I have nothing to lose. I already lost everything," Nina said.Estelle pu
The cool air of rejection blew over Joel's mind as soon as his feet lands in Paris. Everything begins to playback. 'This is where it all started. The jealousy, betrayal, rejection.' His only hope is that things will be better this time. He has no intention of retaliating if Mr. Montana shows him any disrespect.The journey to the Montana mansion has been a very solemn one as neither Estelle nor Joel knows what to expect. Jolene and JJ have been busy with their phones, leaving them no time to care about the coldness that lurks in the limousine they are riding to the mansion.The limousine parks in front of the huge gate of the mansion and are greeted by a talk bulky man, who appears to be the security in charge of the mansion. He casually greeted and Joel wind down his window."We are here to visit Mr. and Mrs. Montana. You should remember her daughter Estelle," Joel says rather casually. The security man frowns. "Mr. and Mrs. Montana have been away for a few months
The worst stupidity in life is thinking yourself a lion when you are merely an ant. That is the state in which JJ found himself. He cowardly recoils into an ant upon the sudden revelation. The man who loves him unconditionally is the one he betrays and falls for the scam.His envisionment becomes a bitter pill as he thinks of himself as f unworthy of the love he enjoyed over these years. How can he make amends? Joel will never forgive him and right now, he feels poisoned by the blood that runs through his veins. That stupid thing called DNA has caused so much havoc.This time, his anger is directed towards his father. "You, you lied to me. How dare you do this to me?" He yells.Indeed, Anthony is remorseful. "I am sorry son, I never meant to. I didn't know. The original documents were in his name. I have copies. I never knew he changed it. I was only fighting for your interest." His voice envisions genuine regret but JJ remains unmoved."Just stay away from m
Joel who had remained quiet suddenly erupted like a volcano. "You spent the days with Anthony, not caring about how worried we were. Since you discovered he is your father and believed everything he told you, why did you come back? Why come here? Did you suddenly grow tired of him or you came to revenge on us?"JJ was quiet. He has messed up. Now his plan has backfired. He feared Joel might hurt his father. Estelle is outraged to hear that Anthony is behind it all."Honey, what are you saying?""Why don't you ask your son?" Joel said, not hiding the irritation in his voice.Jolene is awestruck, just gawking as revelations are being made. "Mum, Dad, what are you talking about? JJ isn't my brother?""He is your brother," Joel said. "I have never made a distinction between both of you even though he is not from my loins. I have always loved him as my own.""Liar. You never loved me. You are only doing it to please mum. You are living on my father's m
On a fateful evening, JJ returned home to his family. To avoid too many questions, he went in the evening but Jolene who has had sleepless nights because of his disappearance was wide awake and heard the door to his room open.She went hurriedly out of her room, following the sound to JJ's room. She screamed in surprise, waking Estelle and Joel who couldn't sleep deeply. He sneaked into the house without security noticing. His car was parked a few meters away. Maybe he wanted to sneak in and take the documents, and then return as if nothing had happened.Jolene's appearance at the door startled him. He was shocked to see Jolene's face swollen and red from tears. It struck a glint of guilt in him which was quickly replaced with indifference.Jolene ignored his indifference. She was excited. "JJ, where have you been? We've been searching everywhere for you."His voice was cold. "I've been around. Let me sleep."Jolene was never used to this part of him. B
A few blocks to Joel's House, JJ was in a state of rage. He abused and cursed his parents verbally. He had no intention of going home anytime soon but the man who was Joel's age cajoled him to go back to retrieve certain documents.JJ did not have it in him to pretend that everything is alright if he goes back to that house. He felt betrayed by the people he called his parents.Two weeks ago, JJ dropped Jolene home and headed in the direction of his school. He was stopped a few yards away by a man. The man was not violent. He wanted a little of his time to speak with him. He has been watching him for a long time and even though JJ had Estelle's features, He had this man's brown eyes. Character-wise, he exuded more of Joel so the softness in him gave way to the subjection of true wisdom.He followed the strange man willingly to a two-bedroom luxurious house. There was a maid and a few guards. His car was parked in the man's garage.After settling down, t
Joel and Estelle left for their vacation as planned. Before leaving, they left a tall list of dos and don'ts. It was depressing for JJ to even look at it, judging from the length. So instead, he ignored it and went by his own rules.Naturally, he was responsible and caring so he didn't have any negative agenda up his sleeves. He is just relieved of his parent's presence. Together with his sister, they go through their normal activities from school to rehearsals and home. The only difference is, Joel doesn't allow Jolene to drive. He prefers driving her to and from school. Sometimes, he will drop her home before going back to college for practice.At school, Joel made sure to keep guys away from Jolene even though she was one grade ahead of him. He will find ways to threaten guys who got close to her. It wasn't difficult since he looked taller and stronger than most of the senior guys, thanks to constant practice.Everything was smooth as the days went by till JJ wa