Even though Jonathan had taken two days off without proper planning, there wasn’t as much work as one would expect.Vincent and his elite team of sub-secretaries took care of most things urgently. Only some critical and sensitive things were held off, waiting for his approval.But even then, Jonathan had a busy day as there was still a lot to handle and too many meetings to attend. He wanted to finish everything early and return to his wife and children.His family!He smiled involuntarily, thinking of his family. The word and what it meant to him brought a fresh gush of gratitude and contentment.The day passed in a blur for Jonathan, but that was not the case for others.The Smith Group was buzzing.Jonathan had come to the office that day and was in a splendid mood. This news spread like wildfire throughout the company.‘Why did the President take two days off after the auction?’‘Maybe he was celebrating a mini-honeymoon with Mrs. Liliana. Did you see the light in his eyes?’‘He s
Liliana only posted one statement a few minutes before Vincent’s post. Though it only became viral after Vincent's post.She wrote without tagging anyone.“I have a clear conscience in my marriage. I have my reasons for not revealing my husband and children in public. I hope you will respect my privacy.I thank everyone who has shown their support and belief in me.I hope everyone will show kindness and empathy - in real life and on the internet. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”People fawned over her post, which was simple and to the point. She did not clarify who her husband was or anything about Jonathan. Since it came before Vincent’s post, everyone assumed it wasn’t related.The cyberbullying of the anti-fans decreased dramatically, and many loyal fans apologized to the anti-fans for their aggressive behavior.That, in turn, helped Liliana garner many more fans and her anti-fans converted to loyalists.Vivian was enraged seeing that.But she comforted herself. Noth
There was a question from Jonathan’s official social media that tagged Vivian's verified personal account.‘That picture is remnants of someone’s failed attempt to frame and coerce me. I have never had any relationship with Miss Vivian Stone. I never dated her, slept with her, or even kissed her. Wouldn’t you agree, Miss Stone?’Three pictures were attached to the official post.Vivian began to tremble as she hesitantly clicked on the pictures.It was a toxicology report from three of the most reputed labs of P city.The lab reports were dated. Vivian saw that it was a few hours after the reporters had taken their pictures in bed.The report clearly said Jonathan’s blood contained an aphrodisiac in a small quantity, and there was an anesthetic in a much higher dose - it meant he had to have been asleep for several hours and was incapable of having sex.There were records of Jonathan getting an IV drip with medications to neutralize those toxins in his body to prevent mishaps.Aphrodis
Mariana showed up very upset at Lilian’s home only to find her working attentively.She made several exaggerated noises before her best friend paid her any attention.“I hate you!” She sniffled.“I knew you would come, so I had Aunty Lisa prepare your favorite blueberry cheesecake,” Liliana said with raised eyebrows.“I don’t hate you as much as I thought I did,” Mariana changed her tunes.“Jo learned this act from you. I knew it!” She snorted before collapsing on the couch beside Mariana.“That's only to be expected. Jo ought to be like her beautiful and charismatic godmother,” Mariana shrugged proudly.“Whatever floats your boat! On a scale of 1 to 10, how upset are you?” Liliana went to the point. Having been friends all their lives, they knew each other too well.“8. I am more upset with you.” Mariana said as she slumped on the couch in a more laid-back manner than she already was.“Don’t be. You will have your revenge. If you don’t trust me, trust Vivian and Lydia. They would rat
Liliana smiled coldly, seeing Mariana finally wrap her head around things.“So, my lovely Mer, what would you like to have? Lydia spent 500 Mil. How do you want to spend it?” Liliana joked as Mariana’s scowl receded.Mariana thought for a while before she lit up, “Ask your bastard husband to present all that money to you as compensation. I want to see that bitch Lydia vomit blood.”Liliana laughed, “Now that sounds like the Mer I know.” She ignored that Mariana had called Jonathan a bastard. She knew her friend was only worried about her.Mariana nudged her away and lay down on her lap, “You are heartless. I love you so much, and you always pick on me. You forgave your husband so easily.”Liliana did not know whether to laugh or cry.“You are mine to pick or protect or berate. My husband is different. Besides, you know I never blamed him for anything.”Mariana did not like her answer, “How is he different?”Liliana flicked her forehead as she said, “If I had to look after him like you
Liliana flicked Mariana’s forehead and said, “Don’t fill your pretty head with these worries. Whatever has to happen will come to pass.”Mariana asked, “Do you think I am stupid?”Liliana answered, “I think you are blissfully ignorant. You have never really had to face the challenges that could scar you for life or change who you are as a person. And I pray to God that it will always be your reality.”Mariana could sense the ‘but’ in her statement, “But?”Liliana ruffled her hair, “I am worried because you are passionate, which is a good thing. I know how stubborn you can get when it comes to things you believe in or want.”“Remember those dreadful piano sessions? When you started playing, I could hardly believe anyone could be that bad, but now you could play in a concert.”“I am worried one day you will become stubborn about something that you should not be and lose yourself in the process. I don’t ever want to see you break or bend.”Mariana shook her head, “I will never lose mysel
Jonathan came home to see his wife feeding - literally spoon-feeding - blueberry cheesecake to Mariana Jacobsen.The twins were giving her a head massage and a leg massage.He was shocked at the door for a while. He shook his head and went straight to his room. He freshened up first before coming downstairs to the living room.The kids were excited, and Jo wanted to jump in her father’s arms, but she stopped when her godmother grunted.Jonathan came down and pecked his two kids on their heads.“Daddy, you should also kiss Mommy,” Jo exclaimed.Jonathan kissed Liliana on the forehead and looked at Jo, “I was going to do that anyway, my little angel.”He joined the family and served Mariana some juice which smelled suspiciously like a cocktail.Liliana bit the insides of her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud.Mariana was unbothered as she enjoyed their service.After she was full - she raised her hand and dismissed them like ancient kings would dismiss the people after they s
Mariana lay on the couch with half-open eyes sipping her margarita.She could see the kids playing in the living room. The sight of them playing always had a calming effect on her. She was sometimes amazed how these kids never failed to lift her mood, even after they were already six years old and she had already seen most of their antics. Perhaps because they had raised them themselves with the help of equally inexperienced friends, the kids meant a great deal more to them. Their good behavior and sensibility were the fruit of their hard work over several years.The twins and Kyle were their achievements in a way.She turned her gaze to her best friend and her husband. She understood Lil’s reasoning but still felt wrong for her friend. But since Lil had decided to make things work with him - as her best friend, the least she could do was respect her decision.Besides, she could not overlook the impact of a father on children’s life. The twins and Kyle were all sensible, but some of
Liam finished his narrative and went close to Kyle.He knelt beside his half-brother and said, “Kyle, you are my brother by blood. But in my heart, you have always been my son.”“I will do anything and everything for you. Not because I feel obligated or you were a responsibility thrust onto me, or because my mother ruined your mother’s life. But because I love you from the bottom of my heart. If anything happens to you, I will lose my mind.”“What happened to previous generations is their karma and their lives. What we do defines our life and our karma.”“You are my son and will remain so until you return to P City Military as the Colonel. Until then, you mustn’t tell anyone about it.”“I never told you about your mother because I have immense respect and compassion for her. I did not want to lie to you or gloss over her story. I wanted to tell you when you are older, so you can appreciate her sacrifices.”“Nevertheless, you will always be my son and my highest priority. I love you so
Liam took a while before he braced himself for the next part.“My mother thought my father was cheating on her with Aunty Keira.”“My father kept everything about Aunty Keira a secret because he hadn’t identified all the people on the inside who worked for him. So for her safety, he dealt with everything directly. He had created a fake ID and passport for her for an emergency. If she ran into any trouble, or if he died, then she could flee and settle down abroad.”“My mother thought he was planning to elope with her. She went after him when he had sneaked out, and she took photos. The next day, she posted all those photos in the newspaper calling Aunty Keira a bad person for flirting with a married army man and ruining a military marriage.”“Naturally, everyone found out, and the bad people captured and bullied Aunt Keira.”“The plan was almost complete. As per military protocols, my father had to prioritize the mission. My father had the last bits of information in place. So he hasti
Liliana began when Liam stalled for time.“Kyle, your mother comes from a long line of military spies. You know what a spy is, right?”Kyle nodded.“Traditionally, only men are sent as spies because women are physically more vulnerable and comparatively more emotional. However, during your mother’s time, there was a very powerful mafia in Z city. He was extending his terror in P city. He had bribed and coerced many people at higher positions - so he would not get caught. Someone inside the Military betrayed us, and he found our spies.”Liam added, “He killed 25 of our most trained and skilled spies within a week. It left the P City Military in a very vulnerable position. My father was the Army Commander at that time. My Grandfather was in a higher position, and the mafia approached my grandfather for something. When he refused, he killed him.”“Among the 25 spies, three were from your mother’s family. Apart from them, almost 100 people from the force - Police and Military - lost their
Liliana walked up to them and hugged them.She checked them from head to toe, much to the boy’s embarrassment. When she was satisfied that they were unharmed, she spanked them.Li looked at his mother incredulously, but she glared back at him.“How dare you run away? Didn’t you know the address of your home? If you encounter something you can’t handle, you come to me. Is that such a difficult concept to grasp?”“Look at how filthy you have become! Is this how you plan to set an example for your siblings?”Kyle hugged her and sobbed, “I am sorry, Mommy.”Li did the same, and Liliana hugged the two children close.Liliana exclaimed, “Ah! It reminds me of when we had just returned to P city. Jo - that traitor, left me for her father. I had the two of you to hug.”She led them to the ensuite bathroom and asked them to clean up. She sat them down and asked them to drink water and eat the pies she had made that afternoon.After the kids were well-fed and hydrated, she sat on the couch with
One day after the divorce, Mariana took the twins to see grandma Preston.Kyle was supposed to leave with her but changed the plans last minute when Nathaniel called, saying he had something to discuss with Kyle.On the other hand, James had taken Jacob’s twins out with him.Jacob did not realize that Kyle and Nathaniel were at home.He turned on Netflix and beer and enjoyed the rare me-time.Liam unexpectedly came back, and upon gathering that they were alone at home, they locked the doors and windows and started making out.Their time together was always short. They had to act like they were just friends.It was tiring, and Liam always felt sorry for Jacob. The man had left everything and followed him to P City, but he kept him away like a dirty secret.Their noise had attracted the two kids who were deep in discussion in Kyle’s room. They thought it was a thief and tiptoed to find him.Unexpectedly, they witnessed something not appropriate for their age.They hid behind the curtain
Liliana, Jonathan, and all their friends lived a non-gossipy, uneventful life in the next few years.Jennifer got married to Junior Doctor Cox.Jacob’s company got listed.Leonardo stabilized his business and left to complete his studies.Vincent and Alice McDraw tied the knot.Henry had a whirlwind romance with a difficult patient, and they ended up in a shotgun wedding.Henry collaborated with his cousin Amelia to perform some of the miraculous medical feats which brought the Qazi family to the forefront of the Medical industry as they had been for generations. Terry Draw ended up with his assistant’s sister. Surprisingly, that was the most challenging match as his assistant accused him of betraying him. He took a long time to accept the truth.Terry completed the Green Field orphanage within the stipulated time. His achievements were widely renowned, and he ended up as the spokesperson for Green Living.He would go on to collaborate with several charities and manage most of the no
James remained unperturbed and laughed.He added when he had calmed down.“Jacob said he kissed Mariana and realized that he was gay.”Jonathan was speechless. He hadn’t expected that twist.James ignored his friend’s expressions and slurred, “He said they were best friends and sort of dating. But the vibe between them was closer to cousins than lovers. When they kissed, he realized how much he never wanted to kiss any girl in his life ever again.”Jonathan had to stifle his laugh.‘Good for Jacob!’‘Poor Mariana lost her first kiss like that. Tch! Tch!’James continued his ramble.“Then they became even closer. Which may have been why Mariana never dated anyone.”Jonathan thought about it and added, “Makes sense! She wouldn’t have needed to look for a relationship, and others would have assumed she wasn’t available.”James continued, “Jacob once took her horse riding. She fell and had a fracture. Her hymen tore when she fell. Then I slept with her and shouted at her for making a fuss
The next four months went by uneventfully, except for Liam being missing for that long and the Preston family members trying and failing to get any benefits from Mariana.Finally, a series of good news came one after the other.Liliana was pregnant. The couple had wanted to keep it a secret until the first trimester ended well. Then when the doctor confirmed everything was alright, they made the big announcement to their friends and family members.Liam came back after completing two different massive projects.He had ended Bronsson Mcclory’s illegal business completely and had apprehended him.Jeffery Cruise kept Mcclory in strict custody until the courts sentenced him to life imprisonment. Then he was sent to a high-security prison that held long-term inmates.Mcclory’s entire business, all networks, all partners and associates, clientele - the police had nabbed all of them.Consequently, Liam worked with several different authorities to arrest everyone from the criminal underground
Jonathan and Liliana stopped talking and embraced each other while lying quietly on the bed.Jonathan was about to drift asleep when Liliana spoke.“Do you still want to have another child?”He was stunned and sat up immediately.“What do you mean?”She turned around and asked, “Well, you never brought it up since we talked about it half a year ago.”He couldn’t understand what she was getting at. He asked, “So?”She mumbled, “I just think it is the right time, and maybe we should try. I will turn thirty soon, and it might cause complications.”He asked, “I still don’t know what you are trying to say.”She rolled her eyes and asked, “I want to know if you still want another child. It’s been half a year since we started living together. What do you think? Are you ready? Do you think having Li and Jo is enough?”He lay down and turned her towards him.“This half a year is the best half year of my life. I love you very much and would love to spend the rest of my life with you. Jo and Li