Emily's POVI tugged in the hem of my jacket as I strode confidently towards the courthouse.It had been a hell of a week since I found out that Max had been moved to a different cell. The officers and policemen had been very strict with their no visiting policy for him despite my threats to take it up again, which brought me to this very moment.Eric had promised to meet me at the court after sending me a message, which I would like to consider a threat, asking me to withdraw the case or he would take extreme measures.I flicked my flailing hair off my face as I walked, determined to see the end of Eric's stupid schemes. I was determined to get Max out of prison this very day.As I approached the entrance of the courtroom, the breathtaking appearance of Eric stood inches away from the door. My eyes were off him as swiftly as they had landed on him, and I shook my head.Breathtaking, my foot!"Emily," His voice called out, firm yet warm. I ignored him, preparing to brush past him whe
Emily's POV.As the days passed, the tension surrounding Max's case continued to mount on me, leaving me almost downcast.I was grateful I had Mia and Anna to keep me sane in the midst of the chaos.Anna, being the supportive friend that she was encouraged me to speak to Eric."Babe, I think you should give Eric a chance," she suddenly suggested, making my mouth fall open."Excuse me?"She sighed on the other end of the line before continuing. "What are you really afraid of, Emily? Do you want to spend that much money on Max, who you barely know? I understand that he is a friend and probably your boyfriend, and you care about him, but don't you think you are taking this a little too personally? This is a battle between two ex-best-friends-""Because of me!" I interjected bitterly. "He never demanded a payment of the debt when I was not in the picture.""I know, and I understand. I also understand that Eric is going about this irrationally, but can you try to see things from his persp
Emily's POV'I will see you in court'I flew up from my bed with a start, my heart racing frantically as I began to dial his line to no avail. It rang continuously, but it was either he had dropped his phone elsewhere, he was asleep, or he was intentionally refusing to pick up my call.My palms became sweaty as I thought about his threats earlier and his subtle remarks when he warned me not to push Max's case so much.I swaowed as tears stung my eyes. How on earth did he find out about Mia? I had been secretive about her and even hidden her away from the prying eyes of the media and the public!As I travelled down memory lane, it suddenly occurred to me."They just told me to tell you that your daughter has her father's eyes."The words of the doctor at the hospital played again in my head over and over. Did Eric...No! No!How could he have donated blood to Mia? Was that why the doctor refused to tell me who had been the angel donor we had been searching for?I fathered my hair in
Emily's POVMy very core boiled in rage and hatred for the man seated in behind the desk in front of me as I held up the documents to him."What is this?" He asked, amusement dancing on his facial expressions as he stared at the extended papers."A legal contract binding this," I bit back, my voice cold as ice and my glare threatening but he did not seem affected one bit. "Sign it!"A faint smirk played on his lips as he stared at my outstretched arms, still making no move to collect the papers I was giving him. My arms were beginning to feel heavy at this point."What is the need for this?" Eric asked as he stared at me.I rolled my eyes, banging the papers on the desk in front of him loudly."I would not be a fool to have any agreement with you without a legally binding document. I need you to append your signature where necessary, Mr. Wilson."His amusement grew, causing me to feel even more irritated as I stared at him.Without another word, he grabbed the document, reclined into
Eric's POV"What is she doing here?!"My aunt's voice caught me off-guard as she exclaimed. I was not expecting to see her in our house. Beside her sat my mother, sister, her son Jed, and his wife.She looked both confused and excited."My darling, you finally came back. Sister, is this the bride you were talking about? You should have told me you meant the long-lost wife instead of teasing me about your son getting married again to another woman. We are so happy to have you back," Aunt Derby gushed, rushing towards me and Emily and grabbing her in a brief hug.Aunt Derby had always been the most accommodating and pleasant aunt of all my mothers siblings. It was sometimes so hard to believe that she and my mother were related as she was more down-to-earth and warm. Alicia looked mortified to see Emily with me, and my mother had a look of utter displeasure and dusgust written all over her face."Derby!" She exclaimed, he
Eric's POVHer question caught me off-guard. What did she mean by that?Her face was calm, but behind it, I could see the walls she had built up around herself grow taller. I released her hand from my unconsciously tight grip."Em., I'm sorry for what I did to you all the time we lived together. I want to make it up, Em. I want to show you that I've changed. I want to give you a better life than I did while we were together."She shook her head."Why should I believe you? I already believed that once and all I got was heartbreaks, an abortion and eventually, a child who grew without a loving father," she painfully recounted with a cool expression on her face."It's in the past, Em. Please let's focus on the future and stop holding on to the past," I pleaded, but her eyes grew cold."You say it like -"She stopped when she saw Alicia and Jed walking up the stairs, having a conversation. "Oh. H
Emily's POV I awoke to my fingers being sweetly caressed by Eric, whose voice I heard faintly. I was just about drifting back into another round of slumber when I heard something that caught my attention. "All implicating materials should be taken down with immediate effect and make sure that her business is not affected as well," I heard, causing me to pay attention but he soon ended the call and continued to play with my fingers. Realising where I was and registering what I just heard him say, my eyes widened, and I snatched my fingers from his hands. "What's going on, Eric?" I asked in a rush. He stared at me speechlessly for a moment before clearing his throat in a hurry. "It's nothing that you should really bother your head about. You can go back to sleep," he urged softly, but I was not a fool. I knew something as wrong, and even his tone sounded off. "I hear
Emily's POVA frown settled on my facial features as her question took me unawares.I had actually not thought about it because I just did not see the possibility. "That won't happen, Anna," I quickly interjected, and she remained mute for a moment before sighing."But what if he does change? Just let go of your sentiments and grudge against him and think about it for a moment. From all you've told me, he seems like a man who is read to get his wife back despite all odds and not prove to her that he has changed. Would the Eric of five years ago ever stay on the same bed with you without ripping off your nightwear? Would he actually peck you on the forehead and call you his love?"My frown deepened as she made me think about things I had been unavoidably avoiding."Anna -""I'm not done. What if Mia becomes attached to him when he is introduced into her life? You don't plan to destroy a potential father and daughter bond
After the ceremony, the reception was filled with laughter, music, and dancing. Mia twirled around, delighted to be part of it all, while Eric and I mingled with our guests. It felt like a dream, but I knew it was real. This was the life we had built together, after all the hardships, after the struggles.During the toasts, there was another surprise in store. Tony, who had been promoted for his incredible work in turning in Rico and Lola, stood up to make a speech. But instead of the usual brotherly words, he turned to Alicia.“Alicia,” he began, his voice uncharacteristically nervous, “you’ve changed my life in ways I never expected. You’ve become everything to me, and I can’t imagine a future without you.”There was a collective gasp as Tony dropped to one knee, holding a small ring box in his hands. “Will you marry me?”Alicia’s eyes filled with tears, and for a moment, she was speechless. Then, with a soft laugh, she nodded. “Yes, Tony,” she whispered. “Yes.”The room erupted in
Emily's POV Six months after.It was a warm and cozy evening when Eric walked into the room.I stared at his empty hands and my mouth tilted downwards in disappointment. "I thought you were coming in with my food," I pouted, my arms folded across my chest.He smirked and walked to my bedside and placed a quick kiss on my forehead, sitting beside me on the bed."I see I've become so good at cooking that you want me to be your private chef," he teased, poking my nose slightly and I rolled my eyes.I leaned closer and wrapped my arms around his necks while he wrapped his around my waist. This had become a new normal for us every evening."Let's eat out tonight," he offered. "A friend is opening this new restaurant and wants us to be one of his first customers."I pouted. "Then their food had better be as perfect as yours."His nose flicked mine and we both laughed. As out laughter died down, we leaned into each other with our eyes transfixed, but we were suddenly interrupted by the lou
Eric’s POVI sat by her bedside, staring at her, and a sigh of relief escaped my lips, but when suddenly, her eyes dimmed. They didn’t light up with recognition. Instead, she squinted at me as if trying to place who I was.“Who are you?” she asked, her voice flat and cold.I frowned, thrown off by her question. “Emily, it’s me. Eric.”She tilted her head, her eyes bright with confusion. “Eric? Do I know an Eric?”For a moment, panic gripped me. Was this some kind of lingering effect from the coma? Had she forgotten me? My mind raced, trying to figure out what was happening, until I caught the twitch of a smile at the corner of her lips.Then, it hit me—she was pretending. This was probably her way of getting back at me for what I’d done to her months ago when I had pretended not to know her when I had awoken from my own coma, thinking it was the only way to protect her from the danger surrounding us. Ithad been a cruel thing to do, even if my intentions were to keep her safe. Now, s
Eric’s POVLola’s grip on Dante was ironclad, her hand steady as she pressed a knife to his kneck in a swift turn of events. Her face was a mask of cold determination, showing no trace of fear or doubt. The room was filled with Dante’s bodyguards, all standing frozen, unsure of what to do. The air was thick with tension, the weight of the situation pressing down on everyone."What the hell is going on here?" Dante gritted out unable to free himself from her choke hold.“Let me go, or I’ll blow his brains out,” Lola hissed, her voice low and menacing.I stood a few feet away, watching the scene unfold. My heart pounded in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm. I had never seen anyone so cold and mean in their resolve, and it was unsettling. Lola wasn’t bluffing; I could tell by the way her hands wrapped tightly around the knife and edged closer to his skin, the sharp edge of the blade graxing his neck. This wasn’t a game to her. It was life or death.Dante’s bodyguards exchan
Joanne’s POVI sat by Emily’s bedside, my eyes fixed on the slow rise and fall of her chest. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor was the only thing that reassured me that she was still here, still fighting. My sister, one of the strongest people I knew, had been through so much. But this… this was different. It felt as though she was slipping further away with each passing hour.“Emily, please,” I whispered, squeezing her cold hand. “You have to come back to us.”I hadn’t left her side since she’d been admitted. It was sad that Eric had to rush off without seeing his wife hit it was for a good cause.Lola and Rico had to be stopped no matter what. I was glad that Tont and Eric were finally closing in on them. I just hoped to hear the good news that they had apprehended those sneaky snakes.Mia was asleep after I had lulled her with a lullaby. The last thing I needed was for her to see her mother in this state.Suddenly, the sound of her crying baby reached my ears, and I felt
Eric's POV I rushed back to the hospital with Mia, who I realised wasn't so ill. She was just a bit feverish, so I decided to take her with me to the hsopairl where her mother was admitted. As we pulled over at the hospital, I turned to her. "Princess, how do you feel now?" I asked, touching her forehead to check her temperature, but her body was quite warm. "I want to see mummy," she whined, her eyes wide and teary. "I miss mummy." I let out a sigh. "Yes. You will see her. We are at the hospital where she is." Her eyes lit up like she had just been given an ice cream. "Really?" She gasped. "Mummy is here?" I nodded, and she let out a loud squeal. I stared at her in surprise. Wasn't this the girl who wasn't feeling well a while ago? I shook my head with a small smile. Inguess she was just missing her mother. "Let's go see your mum," I said to her, picking her up and locking the car. I could only hope to God that my wife and baby were okay. Joanne had not called me to tell me
Joanne's POV As I watched Emily's back disappear into her room, I could only feel sorry for her. I obviously had an idea of her pain.Forgiveness was not so easy. It truly was divine.The giggles of Alicia and Tony drew me out of my thoughts, and I stuck my tongue out at them, clearing my throat."What is the matter, Joanne?" Tony asked with a daring smirk, but I shook my head."Nothing at all. I'm just enjoying thoughts of attending weddings.." I started, trailing off to enjoy his smirk falling. "And maybe even better, a chief bridesmaid."My mother burst into provocative laughter.He flung a throw pillow in my direction, and it hit me square in the face. "Ow.. My nose. You're a bully, Tony," I whined."I can agree with that," I heard the familiar voice of Eric Wilson and smirked in triumph, bumping my fist with his."Hey, there, brother-in-law," I greeted, seeing as Eric strolled into the living room a few minutes after Alicia. "It's been quite a while. A very long one."He smirked
Emily's POV I sat in front of the television, munching on a large bowl of chips, which I had been so desperately craving for weeks now.My protruding stomach made it hard for me to hold the book of chips as closely as I wanted to.The news that the television was showing made my heart leap for joy."Billionare businessman, Eric Wilson exposes his fiancée in a grand party intended to be their baby's welcoming ceremony. The billionaire exposed that the baby of his fiancée was not his child with proof. Despite the glaring proof, Lola tried to deny it by saying that he was not in his right frame of mind. For a moment, it was almost believed until the police stormed the scene, charging her for various crimes, including attempted extortion and kidnapping. The culprit, Lola, however, fled the scene and has been missing for over a month since the incident...."I had heard everything from Joanne and Tony—even though he was barely at home these days because he was hellbent on getting Lola and
Eric's POV As I walked off the stage confidently, my shoulders felt lighter, and I was glad to have put an end to the shenenigans of Lola. She was now in the spotlight she so admired and wanted but not for the reason she wanted.I watched her face drain of its colour as she stared into the booing and disgusted faces of the guests she had invited, now an object of mockery at her own party."No. He doesn't know what he's saying," she screamed into the microphone, forcefully drawing the attention of all the guests who were already making their way out of the hall. Her makeup was already running down her forehead and face slightly due to her sweats and tears.I folded my arms across my chest, my brows slightly cocked as I stared at her from across the hall. I stood waiting for a signal to get rid of Lola once and for all."What do you mean, Ms Lola?" A nosy press lady holding up a camera asked loudly. "Are you saying that what we just heard was wrong? Are you saying Mr Eric Wilson is no