"I made the mistake, and if I could go back and undo it all, I would without hesitation. You may not believe me but It hurts me more than you. Please forgive us, son. Let us be here for you now. Let us support you and help you. We are still family." The mom continued to plead. Bella stepped beside her mother as her tears threatened to spill over. "Desmond, we are sorry. We will do whatever it takes to make things right." Desmond closed his eyes, trying to calm the storm raging within him. For a long moment, the room was silent. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at them both. "Fine. You guys are still my family and very precious to me. I forgive you both." He finally said, and the mother stepped forward and hugged him. "Thank you, son. Thank you." Bella joined and hugged him as well. "We will be here for you, no matter what." She said, and just then, his phone began to ring. He checked, and it was an unsaved number. He picked it up and placed it over his left ear. "Who is
"Yes, I think Mom is making sense. We won't remain calm and watch her take anything from you. Losing your properties, your money... everything you worked so hard for. There was never a marriage. Not even up to one week. The court will see the truth and support you. I'm sure we will win.""You think all these things will work? When the judge is a woman?" Desmond asked. "Anyway, losing my properties to her was never part of my problem. It's never a threat to me. My frustration is losing the one that really loved me." As he said that, both his mother and Bella blinked in surprise, exchanging puzzled glances. They were confused. How is it not bothering him? That's a lot to lose to the thief. "Wait....I don't understand. What do you mean by that? She’s acting like she’s already won, and you are saying this?" Bella asked. "You mean you are not bothered that she's taking everything from you?" His mother asked, adding to what Bella said."Let her say whatever she wants. I was ahead of
As his mother pulled back from the hug, she noticed that the sadness was still in his eyes. "But if this isn’t what’s been weighing on you, then why are you still sad? Why have you been so down?" "I'm depressed because I lost a gold for a wood. You called her bumpkin, but Daniella was the actual bumpkin. Losing Anabel had been tearing me apart. She loved me, but I stamped on it. It's as if I lost everything that made me who I am. Though I was rich when I met Anabel, I got richer and richer while with her.. I didn't realize this until she left. I was getting a lot of contracts when she was with me, but after she left, I began to lose even the ones I was about to sign. And ever since then, I've never signed a reasonable contract. She was a blessing to me." "Yeah, we were wrong about her. I thought it was just a coincidence. She was really a blessing to us. The problem was that she was barren. I was so desperate and in a hurry for a grandchild. I should not have brought Daniella. I
The following day after After Vanessa's fake surgery, Anabel woke up and made her way to the bathroom to take her bath. Visiting Vanessa had been on her mind all night. She was eager to see how Vanessa was recovering after the supposed surgery before going to her company for an important meeting. When she got to the hospital, she felt the need to call Sylvester. She didn't know the new room that they were staying in. "Hi dear, Which room is she staying in?" Anabel asked. "We are on the 5th floor, room 597." Sylvester replied with a panic. At that moment, Vanessa was very hungry and was about to take her breakfast. "Alright, babe, I'm coming." She hung up and made her way to the elevator. Sylvester dropped the phone and turned to Vanessa. "You need to keep the food and lay back on the bed." Sylvester said as Vanessa was about to take the first spoon. "But I'm very hungry." Vanessa replied. "Anabel is coming. I don't think it will be okay if she sees you eating. Remember you just
"Yeah, the doctor did a great job." Sylvester spoke up. "I was afraid I was going to lose my cousin sister. Thank God it was successful." Anabel smiled at him and rubbed on Vanessa's shoulder. "I'm happy nothing happened to her." Anabel stayed by Vanessa’s side, gently asking her questions about how she was feeling, whether she needed anything, and what the doctor had advised for her recovery. Vanessa answered slowly and carefully. Her every movement was slow and gentle. Just like someone who wouldn't be able to kill an ant. Starting from the way she adjusted her blanket to the way she leaned back against the pillows. For a while, the three of them chatted lightly. Desmond joined in occasionally, offering a few comments about how Vanessa needed to focus on resting and not push herself too hard. Not long after, the door creaked open, and the doctor stepped into the room. He was carrying a clipboard and had a stethoscope around his neck. He gave a polite nod to everyone in the roo
"Like I've said, I’m getting tired of this. I can’t keep doing this. Sitting in this hospital bed all day. It’s exhausting. I need to leave. I’m done." Sylvester leaned forward. "Vanessa, I know it’s hard, but you have to have patience. We are so close to pulling this off. Anabel believed everything today. We just need to keep up the act for a little longer." Sylvester said, and Vanessa rolled her eyes and set the spoon down with a clatter. "I’ve been lying here for days, Sylvester. I’m stuck in this bed. My body is seriously paining me. I can’t move freely, and every time someone comes in, I have to act like I’m about to die. Do you know how mentally and physically draining that is? I’m getting exhausted. I want to get out of here." She said, and Sylvester sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I get it, Vanessa. I do. But we can’t afford to mess this up now. If Anabel even gets a hint that something isn’t right, it’s all over for us. You just need to hold on a little longer.
Anabel couldn't help but laugh at Daniella's words. "This is so funny. I didn't know you were a comedian.""What's funny about what I said now? You should be thanking me for informing you on time. You should be grateful to me for letting you know." Daniella said."I’m not sure where you are getting your ideas, Daniella, but let me make one thing clear. I don’t need Desmond in my life anymore. I've found a man who will be a better father to my unborn child. I'm even wondering why you left the man you snatched from someone. He's no longer taking good care of you?"Well, let me give you the full picture, since you are clearly out of the loop." Daniella began. "I never wanted to marry Desmond and live with him forever after. My intention was to marry and divorce him, then take half of his wealth, and it worked. I never loved him, and he's not even the father of my baby.""You must be joking.""I'm serious. I have a boyfriend, and he's the father. We just used Desmond, and soon, we will be
Few minutes later, Anabel got to the hospital and made her way down the bright hospital hallway. She was carrying the fruit salad she had bought for Vanessa. She believed it was what she needed and that it would help her recover faster. It was a way of showing how concerned and how caring she was. The few staff members that saw her the other day were confused. Some were assuming she was the billionaire lady look-alike, while others were believing it was the same person. When she reached Vanessa's hospital room, she hesitated only briefly before pushing the door open. She had grown comfortable enough during her visits to skip knocking. Besides, she was her cousin's girlfriend. When she stepped into the room, the sight that greeted her made her pause in her tracks, her brow furrowing in confusion. Vanessa was sitting on the edge of the bed. Her legs were dangling loosely, and she looked more comfortable than she had expected from someone who had surgery the previous day. She wasn't
Without wasting any time, the dad asked, “Why did you reject Reuben? You can't tell me you are not ready for marriage because that is what you need now. A man that will take good care of you and your child.” Anabel let out a sigh and leaned back against the headboard. “I don’t like him," she said flatly. “I’m not just interested in him.” She answered, and her father crossed his arms as he gazed at her. “That doesn’t matter much. What matters is that he loves you. Reuben is a good man. Ever since I knew him, he never caused trouble. All you need is a man that will love and take good care of you. You can start loving him after marriage. You think all those successful marriages started with love? No—commitment comes first, and love follows.” Anabel shook her head, standing her ground. “That’s not how it works for me, Dad. My heart isn’t in it.” Sir Orton exhaled slowly as he sensed frustration creeping into him. He wasn’t angry—not yet—but he was growing weary of Anabel's choices.
Her father continued. “I’ve told him everything. About your first marriage and your divorce. I also told her about your pregnancy, and he still accepted.” Anabel’s lips parted slightly in surprise, but she quickly composed herself. Reuben was a very cute guy, but looking at him, she doesn't see herself gisting with someone like him. She shifted in her seat before speaking. “I appreciate you looking out for me, Father. And I thank the Johnsons for coming.” Sir Johnson smiled faintly, observing her with an unreadable expression. Reuben remained unmoved as he continued to watch her with silent interest. Anabel took a breath and continued, “Under normal circumstances, I might have asked for time to think it over because we have never talked about it. But there is no need for that.” Her father leaned forward slightly and asked. “And why is that?” "I don't know how this will sound, but I am not interested in marriage now.” She answered, and the room went silent. No one was expecting
Anabel got back home and stepped out of her car. Her mind was still occupied with thoughts about her hospital visit. The conversation with Desmond had stirred something in her—an unease she had tried to push aside but couldn't fully ignore. As she walked toward her father’s grand villa, she noticed two luxurious cars parked neatly in the driveway. She slowed her pace slightly, and her brows knitted together as she took in the unfamiliar, expensive cars. She tried to recall if they were expecting visitors, but nothing came to mind. She tried to recognize the cars, but she couldn't. One was a gold Bugatti, and the other one was a gray Rolls Royce. The latest and the most expensive car in the country. Even though her father was known to have high-profile associates, these cars weren’t ones she recognized. The insignias, the vip plate number. They belonged to people of significant wealth, people who rarely made unexpected visits. Anabel straightened her posture and entered through
Desmond glanced away, knowing that it wasn't even his problem at the moment. His main problem was that someone was about to extort a big amount of money from her. He couldn't stand it. "Yeah, I know, but that’s not my problem right now." He said with a weak voice. Bella raised an eyebrow in curiosity and asked. "What do you mean it’s not your problem? What’s going on? Which other problem do we have here than winning her back?" Desmond hesitated for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "There’s a man. Her so-called new boyfriend." "Does she have a boyfriend?' Bella asked. "Yeah, but the problem is that he's deceiving her. He’s about to extort a huge amount of money from her." Mrs. Elizabeth and Bella both stared at him in shock, but Bella was the first to speak. "A huge amount of money?" "How much money are we talking about?" His mom asked with a voice tinged with disbelief. "I know you guys won't believe this, but this man is about to extort three million dollars from her.
Desmond's mom let out a long sigh and let her shoulders sag slightly. "I don’t blame her, though. She has every right to be angry. After everything we did, after how we treated her... I wouldn’t stop to listen either." Bella, who was standing a few steps away, folded her arms tightly across her chest. "But she should at least hear us out," Bella muttered. "Why would she do that? I mean, we are trying to apologize. We are trying to make amends, aren’t we? It’s not like we are asking for much. She could have rolled down the window for a second. Just a second." Mrs. Elizabeth shook her head gently and glanced at her daughter. "Bella, don't say that. She's angry, and she should be. This is not about what we think she should do. We pushed her away. We hurt her. She doesn’t owe us her time, not after the way we treated her." Bella huffed in response and said,. "Yeah, okay, we were wrong. But if she doesn’t let us talk, how are we supposed to make it right? She should have just let us tal
Desmond turned and walked briskly through the hospital corridors. His thoughts were tangled and heavy.As he got closer to his mother’s doctor’s office to collect her medication, he couldn’t stop replaying his encounter with Anabel. Her coldness, her denial, and the sharpness of her words had left a mark he couldn’t shake. She had insisted the child wasn’t his, calling him impotent. A word that hit like a dagger, even though he refused to believe it. Deep down, he was sure the baby was his, but doubt lingered at the edges of his mind. Could she be right? Could there be truth in her statements? The uncertainty gnawed at him as he tried to focus on what he came to do.Meanwhile, Anabel stepped out of the elevator into the bustling hospital lobby. She hasn't stopped thinking about what Desmond said.Desmond’s words about Vanessa’s surgery played on a loop in her head, rattling her confidence in Sylvester and Vanessa’s story. She hated to admit it, but the seed of doubt he had planted w
Her words stung Desmond, but he took a deep breath, refusing to let them dissuade him. He stepped closer and spoke up. "Anabel, everything that happened... everything that came between us... It was because of my mother and my sister. They drove a wedge between us, and I've already admitted that I'm stupid for allowing them. This time, they will treat you differently. They’ll treat you like the precious treasure you are. They regret what they did. They are longing to have you back, Anabel." Anabel’s lips curled into another bitter smile, and she folded her arms tightly across her chest. "I'm not a kid, Desmond. I know exactly why they want me back," she retorted. "It’s not about treating me like a treasure or making amends for their wicked character against me. They want me back because Daniella disappointed them. They want me back because they didn't get what they wanted from Daniella. They want me back because they heard I’m pregnant. Let's say my tummy is still flat, they won't wan
"Hey! Mind your words. Sylvester is not a scumbag, but you are. You are the scumbag here. And...you don't have any right to tell me where to spend my money or ask me how I will get it. Whether I have the money or not is none of your business. And if I decide to borrow, that’s my choice. Stop acting like I'm going to borrow it from you. Stop pretending like you care." Anabel said, even though she was already seeing some signs. She just wanted to get on Desmond's nerves. "I do care, Anabel. I care about you, and I care about the choices you’re making. And if you borrow that kind of money, you will spend the rest of your life paying it back. Is that what you want?" "You really think you know me, don’t you? You really think you can stand here and judge me? But let me tell you something, Desmond—you don’t know me at all. You never did. If you think I can’t handle this, then you’re sorely mistaken." "I know you are now rich, even though you are trying so hard to hide your real identity f
"Anabel, I know you will not believe me. You may say I'm jealous, which I won't deny, but I can boldly tell you that you are actually single. I mean, very single." He said while looking at her in the eyes. She could see how mean he was. "Sylvester is not who you think he is. You are dating yourself, stressing yourself over someone whose only intention was to gain financial assistance from you. You are single." He finished, and Anabel struck him with a sharp glare, then crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "Single?" She echoed with a disdainful voice. "Is that what you think, Desmond? Let me be clear—I am not single. You are the one who is single. Don’t confuse my situation with a pathetic one like yours." Desmond frowned as her words hit him with an unexpected force. He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "At least I didn't lose anything to her. But you… you are about to lose everything you have. I will still warn you. Sylvester isn’t who he says he is. He’s just usin