My gaze drifted toward Mum, who remained fixed in the opposite direction, obviously avoiding mine. I tilted my head downward to behold the child still wrapped around my mid-section. The urge to pull her away surged, but I restrained myself; that would be a little too harsh for a child her age.“What? How am I your daddy?” I asked almost immediately.“That’s because she is your child,” a familiar voice said, approaching from the left side of the large living room, obviously coming out of the washroom. I turned to meet her gaze, almost stunned.“Fiona!”“Yes, it’s me, and it’s been a long while, right?” she questioned, moving closer to take her seat. Just as expected, the little child loosened her embrace and ran back to sit next to Mum, who now opened her arms for her to hop in.Everything felt like a nightmare. I stood rooted to the spot as my gaze shifted amongst them intermittently.“Don’t just stand there and watch. You’re as incompetent as your younger brother thinks,” Dad blurted
Olivia's POV The thoughts never left my mind as I drove back home with Jumia. I needed to do something; I knew I had to find out what was going on and identify that tattoo once again.That memory kept replaying in my head, bit by bit, scene by scene. I held my head in my hands and closed my eyes once I was seated on the couch.“Mum, you don't seem alright. Did anyone hurt you?” Jumia's voice broke through my thoughts, and I lifted my head to meet his gaze. I had no idea what was happening to me or why I was so consumed by these memories that I had practically ignored my son, putting them before him; oblivious to the fact that he was still standing right in front of me.“Mum is alright,” I said, trying to assure him with my words, even though I knew he wouldn't believe me.“Mum, you’re not fine. I noticed it from the moment you came to pick me up. Tell me what’s bothering you, and I’ll make sure I fix it for you,” he replied, his innocent gaze locked on mine.I marveled at his confide
Liam's POV “What the heck do you think you’re doing? Why are you here?” I asked in a sad tone. My gaze darkened with dread as I watched him move closer, the doctor following along.A funny smirk formed at the corner of his lips, leaving me speechless but filling me with even more bitter grief than before. I couldn't believe they had all planned to do this to me. I thought family was supposed to protect each other. But no, in my case, it was just the opposite, and I was getting fed up with it. I wouldn't condone any of this anymore, no! Not anymore.I stood still, my heart seething with rage and agony. My hands clenched into fists as I watched everything unfold right before me.“I did no wrong by bringing the doctor over, as instructed by Mum, for the DNA test. If the child truly isn't yours, like you claim, then why deny a DNA test that would prove to everyone that you’re right?” Dominion chimed in, his voice filled with sarcasm. I huffed, feeling disgusted by their entire presence.
I unlocked the door swiftly in rage and threw the keys on the floor, ignoring the calls and tantrums. I slammed the door behind me and moved quickly toward my car.Once inside, I drove off into the dark, speeding with no direction in mind. All I wanted was to clear the air, to free my heart from worries, to wake up and find out it was all just a nightmare that never existed.The sad expression on that child’s face when I declared I wasn't her father tore a part of my being into shreds. I still felt the sting of that moment even after leaving the house. Her loving smile, the way she had run to embrace me, calling me "Dad," kept popping up in my heart. However, I still couldn't come to terms with such a discovery or connect the dots.“Fiona… the child… how?” I asked aloud in my thoughts, speeding even more into the dark.A flash of light shone brightly against my eyelids, beaming so intensely that I winced, trying to absorb the glare. But its illumination was so overwhelming that I grip
Olivia’s POV Bang!The loud sound echoed at the back of my head. It reeled through my being, my memories gradually fading; everything becoming blurred. I could see the dim lights of the car pointing in a direction.“Mum!” I saw Jumia calling out loudly, his innocent face blurring with concern that broke my heart. My eyes closed.*****I followed the car, accompanied by Becky, in the direction. I felt the urge to pull over and alert the cops. However, I sensed a slight movement in the back seat of the car. My heart skipped a beat, and I immediately turned, only to come face-to-face with an unknown figure.I swiftly turned back and felt something cold and hard pressed against my head from behind.“Drive,” a masculine voice commanded. I winced in fear, my foot pressing against the throttle as the car continued down the lane.“What the heck?” I muttered internally, trying my best to suppress the fear. I didn’t need to look in Becky’s direction to know she was panicking; I could feel her
He was already next to me. My eyes shut in fear, my heart pounding rapidly. I held my breath, expecting his touch on my neck; or perhaps a strike on my back. I knew I had been caught, and I feared the consequences of my actions. The door was barely large enough to conceal me.My eyes remained shut, but something felt off. His hands weren’t on my shoulders, nor did I hear a roar or feel an attack. Instead, the approaching footsteps passed by. Slowly, I opened my eyes, holding my chest as I took a deep breath. I still couldn’t make sense of what had just happened, but I had to keep moving.They mustn’t find me. They wouldn’t get to me.I felt the urge to take the second entrance, so I did. Moving carefully, I stepped into a space that, to my amazement, was well-furnished. It looked completely different from the other rooms I had passed. This place exuded luxury. I stood there, eyes wide with disbelief.For a moment, I almost forgot I was trying to escape; until I heard their voices appr
Liam's POV “Sir, we found no clue as to where they might have taken her. My team and I will make sure to investigate this matter and get back to you,” the cops reported after a long search.Needing no clock, I already knew it was past midnight, and surprisingly, I feared for her safety. The adrenaline within me surged; a sharp contrast to what I had felt in the previous hours. This time, I needed to see her. I needed to be certain she was fine.All my worries seemed to dissipate into thin air, yet my heart pounded so fast I could barely comprehend it. I reached for Becky, who was just as frightened as I was. My hands brushed against her shoulders, my gaze fixed on her fragile expression. It felt as if time had slowed down, and all hope had vanished into nothingness, with not even a sliver of light to brighten the path ahead.“Will she be alright?” Her cold, concerned voice echoed in my heart, shredding its already weakened and fragile state. I remained numb for a while, feeling the w
I turned on the radio for some music, my popular silent steel music; to steal my heart away from the resurging thoughts that kept ravaging my mind with dread. I needed a little distraction to regain focus and stick to strategic thinking while I awaited his arrival.The music popped up, the volume lowered a bit; it was the dead of night. The street seemed lonely, and I figured it was best to remain calm. No one was in sight, no car in view.The music continued to play softly, but my thoughts never stopped drifting to her. She had practically made life unbearable, appearing in disguise as an anonymous sender, sending frightening texts that I could barely comprehend. It was time I let her state her price and stopped reading any of her messages. Blocking wasn’t an option; not even if it was the only escape from the predicament that lingered in my heart like a heavy weight tied around my neck, nearly strangling the breath out of me if I loosened my grip.I wouldn’t let them get to me; all
Who could that be?I peeped through the little opening at the edge of the gate.A slender young lady, slightly above average in height, with brown skin and light-colored hair, stood before me.“Nina or whatever you call yourself, I want you to get rid of whatever is growing in your womb this minute because there is no way I’m letting you blackmail me,” Fiona snapped, her anger seething.“You lie, Fiona. You lie. I’m not getting rid of this child.”“Then get ready to face me the hard way because this child is certainly not going to stay,” Fiona snapped, her tone firm.I remained rooted, unable to comprehend anything.I tried to return to the house, but she said something striking, pinning my legs in place, eager to hear more.“You hired me to do your dirty work, and I complied. But when you realized your dirty little secrets were at risk, you couldn’t let go. You arranged for his sperm to be stored with the lab attendant; I made sure of it. And now that everything is taking its turn, y
My heart skipped.My entire body remained numb as I watched the handle, frozen in place. My plans to wait and see how everything unfolded were gradually being crushed.I flinched.Just then, the handle stopped, and I could hear Mum's voice again.Relief washed over me as I held my hands to my chest, gently heaving a sigh.I carefully and discreetly moved towards the living room, ignoring whatever Mum had left to say.I was already consumed by what I had just heard and needed to think before I acted. It sensed Fiona had every step well-prepared and planned.Once in the living room, I stumbled onto the couch, my hands clapped to my heavily breathing chest.My eyes landed on the glass of water in front of me. Fear crept over me.“What if she put something in it?” I whispered. But staring at it wasn’t going to quench my thirst.I restrained myself from taking it and slammed my arms on the armrest. If only I could remember the slightest thing, except for today, then everything would have b
Next dayLiam's POV Sitting and patiently waiting for the water when the door of the mansion creaked open, and Mum steps into the building, holding a medium briefcase in her arms and approaching.My face fixed on hers, stunned, my mind numb.What was she doing here with a bag that made it seem like she was planning to stay a while?I held back, watching, waiting for her to drop the case. But instead, she hurried toward me and pressed a warm kiss against my forehead.“Son, how are you doing?” she asked, her face lighting up with a warm smile.“I’m good, Mum,” I replied, then fixed my gaze on the briefcase and back to hers. “Mum, what are you doing with a briefcase? Are you going on vacation?” I asked, and she raised an eyebrow.Her face lit up with shock.“Son, have you forgotten I told you I was coming two days ago?” she snapped, her eyes widening.“Two days ago?” I echoed, equally surprised. I had no memory of that.“I’m sorry I didn’t call again. Your father had a slight fever, so
Olivia's POV I was already at home, my heart a total mess, devoid of any iota of numbness ever since I left James at the roadside.“My decision was the best for both of us,” I whispered to myself as I alighted from the cab, but something sprang up in my heart.My car was parked at the hospital.Taking the cab, I returned to the hospital with the intention of not going inside the building.Upon arriving, I was surprised to spot James with Becky; she looked almost unconscious.I was stunned to my marrow.Had he actually come back to the hospital to confront Becky for spilling the truth? What kind of a man was he?Rushing Becky over to the emergency ward, all the teams rushed over and assisted in the process of resuscitating her.It appeared he had nearly snapped the life out of her moments before I arrived.My heart quickened. He was a beast.After a moment of panic and pressure, she was finally stabilized and placed on oxygen.I heaved a sigh, my heart heavy with grief and hatred.“Sh
James POV My gaze remained fixed on hers, curiously demanding an answer.My heart raced as I dreaded the response she hadn’t given yet.Her confused yet determined expression said everything. Even without her words, I already felt a sharp pain in my heart.“Please, Olivia, tell me what the issue is. You already forgave me, and I have promised to always be honest with you from now forth. Why are you stopping the car?” I demanded desperately.It seemed like my words hit her, stirring a soft spot in her heart. She lowered her head, arms wrapped around herself.I leaned closer, resting my hands on her shoulders slightly.“I’m sorry, but I’m starting the car now,” I said boldly. But she didn’t react, didn’t say a word neither.I felt shattered, but I had to do something.I gripped the key, ready to start the engine, when her hand brushed against mine, stopping me abruptly.She looked up at me, her eyes filled with sorrow and determination.“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I can’t go through
My heart couldn't contain the depth of deceit, and I pulled out my phone to dial James' number.Pressing the call button, I waited for him to pick up after a brief moment.“Sorry, I was trying to….”“Just save that explanation and meet me at the office now,” I declared, pressing the hang-up button.How could he? I muttered aloud, my gaze fixed on my phone.My arms slammed against the office desk, making a sharp creaking sound that echoed through the entire space.The longer I waited, the more the unease grew in my spine. Finally, the door creaked open once more, revealing no one else but James.His dazed gaze met my angry stare, and he hurried toward me.His mouth was agape, his expression perplexed.“What’s the issue? And why are you still in the office with that look on your face?”I let him speak while I watched impatiently.The veins in my body tensed, my muscles pulled tight.“How could you do such a thing? How could you?” I blurted out bitterly.He leaned forward and held my arm
I pace around the living room, my gaze fixed on the image displayed on the screen of my phone.How it hurts. But then, no one seemed to realise how much pain I was going through, how much was at stake just to make sure he was still alive.It's been months since he was transferred to another hospital, yet I still couldn't let go of the feelings I had when I watched his lifeless body lying on that bed.Nevertheless, I had to move on.I pressed the delete button on my phone and quickly erased his picture and everything that I felt was connected to his image or personality.My marriage to James was in just two days, and I felt it was best to let go, start afresh, and give love a chance to thrive once more.***** D-DayI arrived at the office earlier than usual.My heart soared with joy from the moment I woke up. It wasn't unusual to feel this way ever since I had agreed to move on with James.I had one thing to do at the office this morning before meeting up with him at the designated ar
His gaze burned with jealousy as he asked the question.My face lit up with a smile that left him confused. His face scrunched up, his gaze widening. It lingered on me, silently demanding an explanation."Alright! That was just a joke. It's someone from the hospital," I chimed, my mouth curling into laughter."Don't ever joke about such delicate matters again, alright?" His hands gripped my arm, his gaze serious as he fixed it on mine, waiting for a reply."Alright," I assured him, standing upright and picking up my bag while patting my face to ensure my makeup was in perfect condition."Where to?" he asked, looking fazed."It's time for us to spend some time together outside this building. I've already booked a private reservation for two," I replied, feeling a little excited."That's why I'll always love you." His hand brushed against my face, lifting my cheeks slightly."Always love you," he repeated, and my heart melted at the sincere, longing gaze fixed on mine.I swallowed har
Olivia's POV I felt a rush of excitement pulling through my heart as his text popped up on my phone, asking if we should meet.It was the same way I felt when he replied to my text earlier; my entire body swirling with joy once more.Three long weeks of separation, yet it felt like forever. My heart longed for him, yet the thought of Nina kept restraining me.‘It won't be a bad idea if I gave him the opportunity to explain things since I haven't really heard his perspective,’ I thought as my finger rested over my lips in deep reflection.We had come a long way together; he was practically my backbone when I had no one and nowhere to lean on; not to mention that painful, haunting night I had tried countless times to erase from my memory.I hissed aloud, drifting my gaze away in disdain as the thought resurfaced, replaying in my heart all over again.Finally, after a long moment of deep reflection, I decided to give love a chance to thrive.I couldn't deny what I still felt for him lin