Elizabeth's POVLife, ever resilient, gently nudged the sorrow-laden days forward, carrying us all towards the light of healing. It had been two months since Aunty Lucy's departure, and the sadness, though still in our hearts, had softened with time. Uncle Stanley had woven himself into the fabric of our daily lives, his presence, once a cherished but occasional gift, now a frequent and welcome visitor.My father, his empathy brimming, remained unwavering in his support for Uncle Stanley. My dad made it a point to be present whenever Uncle Stanley showed signs of distress. He insisted on celebrating Uncle Stanley's birthday so he won't be thinking of his late wife because Aunty Lucy always celebrates his birthday every year. Today, as the early morning light filtered through the windows, I adorned myself for an upcoming celebration of Uncle Stanley’s birthday. The day promised to be a much needed respite from the shroud of sorrow that had weighed upon us all."Babe," my father calle
ELIZABETH'S POVAfter the baffling encounter with the strange woman, I noticed my mom's expression shrouded in mystery after she had discretely pulled her aside for a hushed conversation. The stranger, having whispered her piece, departed with as much intrigue as she had arrived. This perplexing occurrence seemed to cast a shadow over my father's mood, his silence lingering throughout our return home like a dense fog that refused to dissipate.My father's temperament, an amalgamation of fierce protectiveness and simmering jealousy, stirred like a tempestuous sea within him. Perhaps it was the sweet nothings exchanged between my mother and the strange woman that suddenly changed his mood. For my father, any display of closeness between women was akin to a treacherous path, one he adamantly discouraged me from traversing. His aversion to female friendships for me was a riddle I had yet to decipher. As the car came to a halt, my father uncharacteristically alighted without performing h
Elizabeth's POVMy heart was racing as I approached my father. "Dad," I said, my voice shaking slightly with nerves. He turned from his TV program and smiled at me. "How are you, darling?" he asked, his voice calm and gentle.I'm scared the conversation might not turn out well, but I had to push through the discomfort. I had become desperate to ask him why he had such a negative view of female relationships. To him, it seemed that any sign of closeness between women was automatically seen as lesbianism. I need to understand why he had been so judgmental and narrow minded.My mind raced for the right words, but my mouth remained stubbornly silent. I took a deep breath, willing the words to come out. "I'm fine, dad," I replied, my voice still slightly trembling. "I want to ask you something." I managed to say.My father seemed to sense the gravity of my words and adjusted his seat to face me directly. "Of course, sweetheart," he said, his brows slightly furrowed in concern. "What is it
Asher's POVAs I reclined in the comfort of my room, my daughter, Elizabeth, hurriedly entered with a look of bewilderment etched on her face. "Mom". She said "There is someone at the door asking for you," she said her voice laced with perplexity. "It's a woman, and she looks like that strange aunty we met at Uncle Stanley's birthday party. I think it's that aunty Pearl". Her eyes, wide with surprise, revealed the flutter of curiosity that stirred within her.On hearing Pearl's name, panic gripped my soul, and I sprung from the bed with haste. A silent prayer ascended from my heart, a plea that it wasn't her after all. And as I dashed downstairs, my heart racing in anxious fear, I was thankful that Liam wasn't around. If Pearl had indeed graced my doorstep, Liam's presence would have ignited a storm of trouble.My feet carried me swiftly to the living room, where my worst fears were confirmed. Pearl was already sitting comfortably, her very presence an unwelcome enigma. How did she di
Liam's heart rate spiked as he walked into the sitting room, stunned to find the very woman whose identity he had been clamoring for, chatting with Asher in their house. His jaw dropped as if the world had suddenly tilted on its axis.Standing up with a warm smile, Pearl greeted him, but Liam's response was chilly at best, sending an icy chill through the room. Asher, caught in the crossfire, found himself quickly whisked away upstairs by a visibly agitated Liam, leaving Pearl alone to contemplate the reasons behind Liam's coldness."What is she doing here, and remember you haven't told me who she is?" Liam said, his face stern."Baby, like I told you earlier, Pearl is my old friend. I had wanted to tell you what had transpired between us, but you've been so busy lately." Her words hung in the air as Liam absorbed their meaning, his expression a mix of confusion and suspicion."We had a terrible fight before graduation, which was why I reacted so poorly when I saw her." She lied, her
Asher's POVMy hands were immersed in a sudsy mountain of laundry when my phone's beep rang out, signaling a new message. I glanced at my phone's screen and saw that the message that came in was from Pearl and it read "I need to discuss something very important with you, and I would like you to come to my house to discuss it."My mind whirred with possibilities as to what she could be talking about, nothing coming to mind that couldn't be discussed via text or call. Anxiously, I dialed her number to find out if it could be discussed over the phone. The call went unanswered at first, but my persistence paid off when Pearl finally picked up. There was no friendly greeting or small talk, only her urgent message, "I'll send you my home address. It's very serious please." She ended the call after that before I could even utter a word.My mind raced with questions as I rushed to finish my laundry, speeding through the last stages of my cleaning routine. As I started to dress, a text from P
"I'm only asking for a small sum of money, and here you are, making such a scene." Pearl said, her voice raised. Her anger ranged as she confronted Asher in her own home, using the compromising photos as leverage."Do you think I came here to joke or play with you? I came to reveal your dirty secret to your husband, but God seems to be on your side today. However, I won't leave without what I came for. Hand over that money, or your secret will no longer be safe with me.""Pearl, to you, a hundred million dollars is a small amount of money? Pearl, are you in your right senses" Asher said, her face hardened with frustration."You are spitting nonsense Asher". Pearl said, her face stern. "If you are not succumbing to my demands, consider your husband being aware of your bad past". She said again, her voice cutting through the air like a whip.The air seemed to thicken with the weight of Pearl's rage as Asher crumbled under the pressure, slumping down onto the nearest chair in defeat. For
The room practically crackled with tension as Liam and Asher exchanged heated words. Liam's face was flushed with fury, as he raged at Asher for hiding her past as a lesbian while in school. He stood like an immovable mountain, resistant to her pleas for understanding. But Asher, after exhausting her efforts to plead with Liam, had reached her breaking point. She stood her ground, matching Liam's ferocity word for word. "This happened before you met me". She said, her voice raised in anger."Have you ever caught me in such an act since we got married." Liam's words were bullets, piercing Asher's soul with every sentence. "You kept this your dirty secret from me, your husband." he seethed, his eyes blazing with hurt and anger. "The woman was even blackmailing you, demanding money in exchange for her silence, and you've been paying her off all this time without me knowing?" His words shook with rage, his hands clenched into fists at his sides."Liam, I know I should have told you abo