Chapter 5

Laura arrived home, but to her dismay, she found out that Gina had made significant changes to the house without her consent.

Six new maids had been hired, and Gina had taken charge of everything.

As she walked in, the maids greeted her, but she was too shocked to respond. Suddenly, Gina appeared from the stairs, yelling, "Look who's back!"

Furious, Laura demanded to know what was going on. "What have you done to my home?" she asked, her voice rising.

Gina laughed mockingly. "Can't you see? These maids are mine now. I can't stress myself because I'm pregnant, and I don't want to lose my baby," she said, rubbing her belly.

Laura was taken aback. "Are you serious?" she exclaimed. "You brought in a bunch of maids just because you're pregnant? That's unacceptable!"

Gina sighed and walked past her, offering one of the maids to get her some fruits. Laura stormed off to her room, only to find that her belongings had been moved. 

She immediately rushed to the sitting room to confront Gina and put an end to the madness.

"Hey Gina!, how dare you move my stuff without my permission? That's not cool. Just because you're pregnant doesn't give you the right to barge into my home and do as you please. I need you to respect my space and belongings. This is a 'no' for me, and I won't tolerate it again."

Gina giggled and looked at Laura, "You left and you think it's going to just be the way it used to be? Of course not," she answered.

Laura was boiling with anger, but she knew it wasn't worth getting into a fight with Gina because she was pregnant.

She impatiently waited for Daniel Edward to come home.

6:00 pm

Daniel Edward had returned home. "Welcome," Gina greeted.

Daniel fixed his gaze on Gina as he replied, "Yeah." Gina had been waiting for him on the couch for a while.

He cleared his throat and spoke boldly, "Are you finished running away? Coming and going as you please is what you do best."

Laura stood up, locking eyes with him, and said, "You have the nerve to stand here shamelessly in front of me, Daniel!"

"Shut up!" Daniel retorted, walking towards her. "You can't just walk away and come back whenever you feel like it, Laura. This is my mansion, and I call the shots here."

With tears in her eyes, Laura replied, "Do you think I want to be here? I'm doing this for my family, Daniel! But remember, what goes around comes around."

Watching the commotion between the two, Gina stood by the corner, feeling pleased with the show.

Laura pushed Daniel by the chest, her anger boiling over. "You make my life miserable! You barely touch me, but you go out and sleep with her!" She pointed at Gina. "And now you've brought her here to torment me, right? Thumbs up, Daniel! Thumbs up!"

Laura stormed out, leaving Daniel to finally feel the weight of her misery. As he stood there, Gina approached him in slow motion. "Don't let her get to you, okay?"

But Daniel was too angry and frustrated to listen. "Stay away from me! You've got some nerve," he pushed her aside.

Gina was taken aback by his reaction and decided to stay put for a while.

The situation was taking a toll on Laura. She had lost her appetite and was struggling to cope.

When Mr. Markson found out what was going on, he was livid. "Barely six months into his marriage to Laura and he has another woman in his house who is pregnant for him? I wish I never borrowed money from Daniel Edward!" he ranted angrily.

Claudia is worried about her daughter Laura who is in a lot of pain. She had hoped things would improve between Laura and her partner Daniel, but instead, they seem to be getting worse. 

Claudia is upset that Laura is confined to the house and feels like she is in prison. She decides to go and see her daughter, but her husband Mr. Markson is unsure whether it's the right time. 

Claudia is frustrated and asks if there's a better time to go. Eventually, Claudia dresses up and leaves to see Laura, who is currently living with Daniel.

When she arrives, she meets Gina, who asks if Daniel knows she is coming. Claudia tells Gina that she is Laura's mother and is there to see her daughter.

"Do I need permission from Daniel to see my daughter?" She asked. Gina stayed mute for a while.

"Excuse me, I am here to see my daughter and I don't need anyone's permission. I am Claudia, Laura's mother," Claudia said firmly to Gina who was blocking the door.

Gina looked taken aback by Claudia's fierceness. "Have your way then," Gina said as she stepped aside and allowed Claudia to enter.

Claudia walked into the house and saw Laura lying on the couch, wincing in pain. She rushed to her daughter's side and hugged her tightly.

"Oh, my baby, how are you feeling?" Claudia asked with concern.

Laura looked up at her mother and tears streamed down her face. "Mom, I'm in so much pain. I don't know what to do," Laura said as she cried.

Claudia held her daughter's hand and looked at her with empathy. "Don't worry, Laura. I'm here for you now. Let's get you to the hospital and get you the help you need," Claudia said confidently.

Laura nodded and smiled weakly, grateful to have her mother by her side. Together they left the house and headed to the hospital, determined to get Laura the care she needed.

Laura was feeling depressed due to the situation she found herself in. Her mother drove her to the hospital and called her husband to come over. 

When Mr. Markson arrived at the hospital and saw Laura in a critical state, he made the decision to take his daughter away from Daniel Edward.

However, Laura was not willing to get a divorce as she knew it would put her family in danger. She told her father, "I can't let Daniel win. 

It's not just about me, it's about our family's reputation. I will fight and make sure he gets what he deserves."

Although tears rolled down her cheeks, Laura's voice was firm and resolute. Her father felt tremendous pity for his daughter but also admired her courage and determination. 

He hugged her tightly, promising her that everything would be alright, and thought about what he could do to help her in this difficult situation.

After failing to reach Bryan over the phone, Mr. Markson decided to visit him at his house.

 Upon arrival, he met Bryan taking hard drugs. Mr.Markson couldn't believe his eyes. 

He was just confused at the moment trying to put himself together.

"Bryan! What's the meaning of this?" He asked in an angry tone. Bryan didn't respond as he didn't know what he was doing anymore.

"I've been trying to reach you, Bryan, and you weren't answering. This is not acceptable. I'm so disappointed in you! You need to take responsibility for your actions," he said in a stern tone.

Mr. Markson made his way back to the hospital where Laura and Claudia were. Despite what he had just experienced, he chose not to disclose it to his wife Claudia or to Laura, who was already going through a lot.

Daniel knew that Laura was at the hospital, but he didn't bother to go check on her. He was being cold and indifferent towards her.

Laura, however, decided to take matters into her own hands. She knew that Gina was dangerous and that her husband Daniel didn't care about her safety. So, she decided to lay low and not put herself in any more danger.

Mr. Markson revealed to Claudia what Bryan had gotten himself into, leaving her in shock with her heart pounding.

"What do you mean Bryan is involved with drugs?" she asked, surprised.

Mr. Markson was already irate over the situation and Bryan's actions only made it worse.

"That boy is trying to bring shame to this family. How could he get himself into such a mess?" he retorted angrily.

Despite her concern for his health, Claudia attempted to calm him down.

Meanwhile, Bryan had been resentful since returning from his trip, and his parents were at a loss as to what could be causing his behavior.

Bryan was feeling completely at ease, enjoying his free time when his phone suddenly rang. He recognized the caller ID as Laura's, so he answered the call.

"Hey, Laura. What's up?" he asked in a relaxed tone.

Laura's voice sounded concerned when she spoke. "I'm worried about you. I haven't seen you around lately. Are you okay?"

Despite knowing that his father had not informed Laura about his recent change in attitude, Bryan feigned nonchalance. "Of course, I'm fine. I'll come by soon. Don't miss me too much," he teased.

Laura felt disheartened, wishing for more from their conversation. Harold had not been around either, and she began to wonder why.

Bryan has been feeling down lately due to his unfulfilled political aspirations. Although he tries to keep a brave face, the pain runs deep. He is determined to settle the score with Daniel Edward and won't rest until he does.

Meanwhile, Laura's life has been a nightmare ever since she got involved with Daniel. Gina's animosity towards her only exacerbates the situation.

One evening, Bryan finally shows up to pay Laura a long-overdue visit. "What took you so long to come and see me?" Laura asks, looking visibly upset.

Bryan takes a deep breath and replies, "I'm sorry for the delay, but I've been occupied with several things. Here are some gifts I brought for you." He hands over the package to Laura.

"Thank you so much, Bryan," Laura says, smiling and hugging him.

As Laura was enjoying her time with her brother Bryan, Gina barged into the room, interrupting them.

"What's all this noise about, and who's this?" Gina asked with an aggressive tone.

Bryan, taken aback by her sudden intrusion, turned to Laura and asked, "Who is she, Laura? And what's going on?"

Infuriated by Gina's rude behavior, Laura stood up to confront her. "Gina, you are way out of line! Who gave you the right to ask me such a question? Don't you dare try it again!"

Bryan held Laura back as she was about to continue her rant. "Can someone please explain what's going on here?" he asked, confused.

But before anyone could respond, Gina spoke up with confidence, "I'm Daniel's fiancée, and soon-to-be wife. I'm also carrying his child."

Laura scoffed and mocked her, "Soon-to-be wife? At least you're not his wife yet. Now, please leave us alone and let me spend some quality time with my brother. Nobody cares about who you are, Gina."

Gina was embarrassed in front of Bryan and left the room without saying another word.

Bryan was shocked by what he had just witnessed. "Is this some kind of drama? Daniel Edward is shameless, but he'll get what's coming to him," he said.

"Definitely," Laura replied firmly.

Daniel Edward has been away for a few days and plans to return soon. Meanwhile, Gina has been plotting against Laura, determined to remove her from the house by any means necessary. 

She wants to be the sole focus of Daniel Edward's attention.

Despite holding a grudge against Daniel Edward for leaving her without reason, Gina welcomes him upon his return and asks about his trip. 

However, when Daniel Edward asks about Laura's whereabouts, Gina becomes visibly displeased and reluctantly tells him that Laura is in her room.

Daniel Edward proceeds to his own room without checking on Laura's well-being, showing little concern for her. Laura, in turn, thinks about Harold and wishes he could visit her.

Her life revolves around Daniel Edward's mansion, and she feels trapped. When Daniel Edward finally comes to her room, he appears upset that she had not greeted him earlier. However, Laura stands her ground and maintains her composure as she welcomes him in.

"You are back, welcome," she said.

Daniel looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Are you pretending not to know that I've been back for a while now?" he asked, his eyes focused on her.

Laura ignored the question. "Hope you had a nice trip," she replied as she moved to her bed.

Daniel scoffed. He had a feeling that Laura was trying to play mind games with him, so he ignored her and left her room, banging the door behind him.

Ever since Gina came into the house, Laura had been staying in the guest room. As if it wasn't enough, she wasn't permitted to go out at her own will. She was practically a prisoner in her own husband's house.

At 1:00 pm, Laura was in her room as always, thinking about how perfect her life was before the misery she was facing at the moment. Tears were dripping down her cheeks uncontrollably. Her phone rang, it was her mom Claudia.

"Hello, Mom," Laura answered, trying to hold back her tears.

 Her mom informed her that her dad had a heart attack on his way home and was at the hospital. 

Her mom sent her the location and Laura quickly got dressed and rushed to the hospital. 

Upon arrival, she was directed to the emergency room where her dad was being treated. Laura was worried about her dad's condition, but her mom reassured her that the doctor said he would be fine.

Laura asked to see the doctor and was surprised to find out that it was Harold, the same man she had been thinking about. Harold was happy to see her and put her mind at ease by telling her that her dad had been saved on time and was going to be okay. 

Laura was grateful to Harold for saving her dad's life and they finally had the chance to talk.

"I must say your hospital looks great," Laura commented confidently.

Harold grinned, looking at her. "Thank you, I am quite proud of what we have built here. I spend most of my time here because I am passionate about my work," he replied.

Laura's curiosity got the better of her. "Then why don't you visit anymore?" she asked assertively.

Harold was amused by her directness. "Actually, I have been busy planning my engagement with my fiancée," he said casually.

Laura was taken aback by this news. She had no idea that Harold was already in a committed relationship.

Trying to hide her disappointment, she congratulated him, "Well, congratulations on your engagement."

Harold noticed a sudden change in Laura's mood and tried to find out if something was wrong, but she was already making her way out.

He watched her leave, unable to stop her or understand what had caused her sudden departure.

After being informed about the situation at hand, Laura immediately reached out to Bryan. He rushed to the hospital and spent some time with his dad. Throughout this trying time, Laura's family stuck together and supported each other.

Harold was left pondering about Laura's reaction earlier. He couldn't comprehend why she was upset.

Laura didn't bother telling Daniel about anything because she knew he didn't care. She couldn't stop thinking about Harold's engagement and wished he felt the same way.

Gina, on the other hand, lived a lavish life and would do anything to get what she wanted from Daniel Edward. She was wayward and arrogant and only thought about how to get Laura out of Daniel's life.

Gina went as far as instructing the cook to add a deadly substance to Laura's food. The cook followed her orders, and after Laura had dinner, she started feeling dizzy and couldn't tell what was happening in her system.

Despite calling out to Gina for help, Laura was left to struggle helplessly in her room, screaming for assistance, but no one came to her aid. She continued to scream for help with a loud voice.

As soon as two maids rushed into Laura's room and saw her rolling on the floor, they carried her and called out to Gina, shouting that something was wrong with Madam Laura and she needed immediate medical attention.

 Gina stepped out of her room with a clear understanding of what was going on, but pretended not to know. 

When she heard about Laura's condition, she gave clear instructions to get the driver and take her to Harold's hospital without any further delay. 

She knew that this was a perfect opportunity to negotiate with Harold and eliminate Laura. 

She also called Daniel Edward, informing him of the situation and urging him to rush to Harmony General Hospital where Laura was admitted. 

Despite her father's recent discharge, Laura was unconscious by the time she arrived at the hospital. However, thanks to Harold's timely intervention, she was quickly attended to in the emergency room.

Laura regained consciousness and found Harold attending to her. As she tried to get up, she winced in pain. 

Harold instructed her to relax and take a deep breath, and she immediately felt better. When she explained her symptoms, Harold informed her that she had been poisoned and advised a thorough investigation with the cook.

When Daniel Edward arrived at the hospital, Harold met him in the emergency room with Laura. 

After exchanging pleasantries, Harold left the room for them to have a private moment. Laura told Daniel about the poisoning incident, and Harold vowed to interrogate the cook to get to the bottom of the matter.

Later, when Harold came home, he immediately called out for Gina. 

When she appeared, he demanded to know how Laura had been poisoned under her roof. He was angry and assertive, determined to get to the bottom of the matter.

"I'm not the cook, Daniel. How could I possibly know?" Gina's voice was firm and unwavering, clearly indicating her annoyance.

Daniel's rage was evident as he bellowed, "Venessa!"

Gina had already taken care of the maid, she paid her off knowing that if she remained in the house, Daniel would uncover the truth.

"She's gone, Daniel. It seems she ran away because she knows she's guilty," Gina replied confidently, pretending to be clueless.

Daniel caught a whiff of something suspicious, but he refused to let it slide as the cook was nowhere to be seen.

Staring directly into Gina's eyes, he said firmly, "If I discover that you had a role in what occurred, I won't ever forgive you. I can be many things, but not a killer. I won't tolerate anyone dying under my roof."

Despite knowing that Daniel was already angry, Gina refused to be silenced and spoke up for herself.

As Laura was still at the hospital, she firmly instructed Harold to contact her brother Bryan.

Bryan wasted no time in arriving at the hospital, but he expressed his displeasure with the condition he found Laura in.

"Tell me, what's going on, Laura?" he demanded.

Laura proceeded to recount the incident briefly, and it made Bryan furious. She instructed him not to inform their parents about it, and he complied with her request.

Laura was apprehensive about the outcome if the news reached her father, who had just survived a heart attack. She was not willing to take that risk.

"Bryan, I need you to do me a favor," she urged assertively.

Bryan sat up straight, his eyes fixed on her. "I would like to stay at your place for a while after I'm discharged. I need some space from all this," she requested firmly.

Without hesitation, Bryan accepted her request.

Before being discharged, Laura exchanged contacts with Harold. He wanted to stay in touch with her to know how she was coping.

Daniel Edward arrived at the hospital to pick up Laura, but Harold informed him that she had already left with her brother Bryan. Despite attempting to call her multiple times, Laura refused to answer his calls. She had grown tired of the situation at Daniel's house, so his attempts to reach her seemed meaningless to her at that moment.

When Daniel returned home without Laura, Gina inquired about her whereabouts. He explained that Laura had left with her brother and that he had been unable to reach her.

While Gina appeared enthusiastic about the news, Daniel was not fooled. "Stop with all this drama, Gina," he told her as he made his way up to his room. 

"Let her be. Maybe she doesn't want to come back here." She added.

Gina was thrilled and couldn't wait for Laura to leave and never come back home again. 

Laura had been away for a few days at Bryan's house. Although she was relaxed and had peace of mind, everything came crashing down when she discovered a white substance in Bryan's drawer. 

She was furious and set out to confront him. Bryan was caught by surprise when Laura confronted him with a fierce look while he was making coffee for her. 

"Bryan, explain this to me. I found it in your drawer," she said, showing him the object she had found.

He felt guilty as he had forgotten to remove it from his drawer. He stood there staring at Laura, unable to find any words to say.

"Cat got your tongue? So, this is what you've been doing all this while, Bryan," she exclaimed, her voice full of anger.

Bryan tried to calm her down and begged for forgiveness. However, Laura was so furious that she walked away without a word. Bryan blamed himself for not being careful enough.

Despite his efforts to make things right, Laura remained disappointed and suspicious of him. She couldn't stop questioning him, "Bryan, how did you get involved in such a mess? How do you think our parents would feel after hearing what you got yourself into?" 

Bryan abruptly stood up and left, leaving Laura completely in the dark about his intentions. 

She began feeling uneasy around him and chose to head back to her husband's place. As she was getting ready to leave, something shocking happened. 

Laura went to the living room to inform Bryan that she was leaving, yet he was nowhere to be found. She called out to him, but received no response. 

Just as she was about to leave, Bryan's phone rang. To her dismay, it was Gina on the other end of the line. Laura couldn't help but wonder if it was the same Gina who was causing trouble in her husband's house. 

The ringing persisted, and Laura was tempted to answer the call to confirm the caller's identity. 

"Bryan, I miss you so much. Can we meet at the hotel?" the voice on the phone purred. It was the same Gina who had been tormenting Laura's life. 

Without a word, Laura hung up the phone. The realization hit her, her brother wasn't the same person she used to know.

Laura left the phone and was about to retire to her room when Bryan walked in. She pretended not to know anything.

Bryan had no clue that Laura was onto him since he never saw her holding the phone. But as fate would have it, Bryan's phone rang again when he walked in. Laura heard the phone ringing and immediately tried to overhear Bryan's conversation with the caller.

Bryan, aware of Laura's presence, tried to keep his voice down. However, the conversation still made it apparent that he and Laura had agreed to meet at a hotel where they usually meet. Laura couldn't believe what she was hearing and wondered how they knew each other. 

Determined to put the pieces together, Laura decided to keep an eye on her brother Bryan. She came out of her room with a stern face and announced, "Bryan, I will be leaving tomorrow morning and heading back to Daniel's house." 

Bryan's response was pretentious, "I thought you said you would be staying here for a while, and now you are leaving?" 

Laura, with a strong tone, replied, "Yes, I can't run from my home forever, and don't forget the reason why I'm doing this, Bryan. You of all people should know better." 

Bryan nodded in agreement, finally realizing that he had been caught. "No problem, Laura. I will always keep in touch with you," he said.

Everything was becoming crystal clear to Laura that her brother was hiding something, and she vowed to uncover the truth at all costs. 

When Laura arrived at Daniel's house, she confidently walked into the sitting room where Daniel Edward and Gina were watching a movie. Without interacting with either of them, she quietly moved to her room.

Laura was furious to see Gina again. She wished she never returned. Daniel was about to check on Laura, who refused to talk to anyone earlier.

Gina's face expressed annoyance. "Daniel, where are you going?" She asked.

Daniel looked at her assertively and walked into Laura's room, pretending to care about her.

Daniel felt a little guilty because Laura was poisoned under his roof. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to spend some time at your brother's house? I came to the hospital to pick you up, and you were already gone. You didn't pick up my call either." Daniel ranted.

"Why do you pretend to care when you don't even care? I'm nothing but a prisoner in this house. Even the maids in this house are far better than me. Please let me be. I need some time alone." She replied.

Daniel got upset at the response given to him. "You have the nerves to talk to me like this because I tried showing a little care, and now you want to take advantage of that. I don't blame you at all."

Laura scoffed, trying to mock him. "Care Indeed! Please return to your mistress Daniel, before she kills herself because of jealousy."

Daniel stood speechless, looking at Laura. He didn't want to lay his hands on her because of her condition. So he just turned and left the room.

Laura lived like a widow. Daniel Edward hardly touched her or spent time with her. It was pitiful.

It was a cool afternoon, the sun was warm, and the atmosphere was nice.

Gina and Bryan had planned to meet since Daniel Edward wasn't at home. Laura planned to track Gina to find out if Bryan was the father of Gina's baby.

Immediately Gina took off, Laura started tailing her. Gina arrived at the Crystal Palace Hotel, her meeting place with Daniel.

Laura parked her car by the side of the hotel to monitor her movement. A few minutes later, Bryan arrived at the hotel.

Gina and Bryan walked into the hotel together, and Laura took pictures of them at the spot.

Just then, Laura was sure of what she had suspected. She wondered if Daniel Edward was the father of Gina's baby.

Laura rushed back home and was alone in the room scrolling through the pictures she captured of Gina and Bryan.

"What dangerous game is Gina and Bryan playing?" She thought aloud. With the evidence she had, she knew her brother and Gina were up to no good.

Laura kept to herself what she had uncovered about Gina and didn't tell Daniel. She felt the need to pay him back for the pain he caused her and make him understand the misery he brought to her life.

Rather than confronting her brother Bryan immediately, she decided to bide her time and strike when he least expected it.

When Harold invited Daniel and Laura to his engagement party, he knew about Gina and felt uncomfortable having her there. Gina, in turn, developed hatred for Harold because he didn't help her eliminate Laura from his hospital, even after she tried bribing him with a large sum of money.

Laura was jealous at the party seeing the man she loved getting engaged to someone else. When Harold introduced his fiancé, Ashley, Laura felt uneasy and excused herself after congratulating her.

Her feelings for Harold were too strong, and she found solace in the restroom, where she cried silently. 

When Daniel noticed her red and puffy eyes on their way home, he urged her to tell him what was wrong.