Daniella didn't know what else to do. All eyes were on her as if she committed a crime. Everyone was looking forward to see her pay."It's like she can't afford it." She heard on girl whispering to her friend."But why will she mention an amount she couldn't afford. She should pay up quickly." She heard the friend reply. Soon, the room began to heat up."I'm waiting for you, Miss Daniella. How will you pay?" The host asked. At this point, he was loosing his patience. "I'm sorry sir, Just a minute." She answered and quickly tested Desmond. "Please help me out and pay. This is so embarrassing. All eyes are on me."She sent the text and looked at his direction. Desmond got the notification and opened the message. He frowned and looked back at Daniella. He shook his head and began to type.Immediately, Daniella got a massage. She opened it and felt flabbergasted. Desmond texted that she should find a way and sort it out by herself, that It's non of his business."Miss Daniella. You are t
"Ladies and gentlemen," He began with a serious voice. "It appears our bidder for the bracelet could not pay. Therefore, as per the rules, she is hereby fined one thousand dollars."Daniella felt the weight of the room's eyes upon her, and the murmurs of the crowd grew louder. Her face was flushed with embarrassment.She could hear someone whisper. "I'm sure she can't even pay for the penalty fee."Deep down, Daniella knew that the person was saying the truth. The fact was that she didn't even have the money for the penalty fee, let alone fifty thousand dollars for the bracelet."Isn't her fiance supposed to be wealthy? Maybe he had gone broke." Another person added.Desmond began to feel embarrassed. Daniella was about to ruin his image in front of everyone. He knew how bad it would be if he don't react. He stood a chance of loosing investors if he doesn't act. They would think he had gone bankrupt. He had warned her earlier but she choose to drag his feet out.To avoid future shame
After the auction, Sylvester escorted Anabel out and offered to take her to a nearby hotel for a relief. "Maybe next time. I need to get back home." Anabel turned him down.."What about coming to my house? You know....you have never visited my house.""Is it necessary?" Anabel asked."I think so. You know.... we've been friends for a good time now. So i think it will be nice to spend some time together in my house. At least, you will know where I'm living." Sylvester replied."Alright, i think you are right. Just send me your address. I will check my schedule for this week and make out time." Anabel replied."That's great. I will send my address once I get back to the house." "So, I will be going now." Anabel said and headed to her car. Sylvester watched her enter and her driver drove away. Once she was out of view, he smiled, "Just a few steps to have you for myself." He said and walked up to his car....Anabel got home and her mind flashed back to Sylvester. She didn't trust Sy
Sylvester was surprised that Vanessa could pull that. Her action was already making things easy for him. He couldn't believe that she could be so smart and talented."She's a friend. A very good friend. Her name is Anabel." Sylvester replied."Oh! Anabel. So she's the one. The lady you are always talking about." Vanessa added as if she was surprised."Yeah." Sylvester replied and turned to Anabel. "Anabel, this is Vanessa, my cousin sister. She came to visit me."Anabel smiled and extended her hand for a handshake, "Nice to meet you, Vanessa." "Nice to meet you too, Anabel." She shook her hand and gave her a light hug. "I'm so happy to see you. I've been looking forward to see you. And..... You are not looking bad as he always talk. I will like to borrow your dress some day."Anabel smiled, "You don't have any problem. Just tell me when you need it.""Anyway, My visit may be a bit surprising and unexpected. I didn't mean to intrude. I just wanted to surprise Sylvester. I hope I'm no
"I said water. Why are you bothering yourself with the fruits" Anabel said. "It's an error to come to my house for the first time and drink only water." Sylvester said. "At least take some fruits." He served it on a small mobile table and pushed it close to her. Anabel hesitated and took a bite of the apple. "Thank you very much." "It's nothing." Sylvester replied. As they continued to chat, Vanessa seamlessly slipped into her role as Sylvester's cousin, sharing stories from their supposed childhood together. She was so convincing that Anabel found herself relaxing, her initial suspicions slowly fading away.Vanessa's laughter was infectious, and she had a way of making Anabel feel included in the conversation. At one point, Vanessa excused herself to use the bathroom, leaving Anabel and Sylvester alone for a moment. Anabel turned to Sylvester. "You never mentioned Vanessa before. She seems lovely." Sylvester shrugged. "She's jovial and friendly. We don't see each other often, b
Daniella was in the middle of the living room, her heart pounding as she zipped up the last bag. She was packing her stuffs to threaten Desmond of leaving. Desmond had arrived from work and was on his way to the room. Daniella had arranged everything and was waiting for him. For the past few daya, Anytime Daniella remind Desmond about the wedding, he would found some excuse, some reason to delay. Desmond walked into the room just as Daniella was about to drag the luggage out. He was surprised. Daniella didn't tell him that she would be going anywhere. And looking at how she was prepared, he could tell that she was planning to spend a long time in wherever she was going. She literally packed all her belongings. "I don't understand. What is happening? Where are you going with your bags?" He asked. His voice was laced with a mix of surprise and concern. Daniella looked up at him in anger. "I'm leaving, Desmond. I'm tired of getting used. I'm done waiting for you to make up your
The next day, Desmond arrived at his family home. The familiar sight of the large storey building, with its well-tended garden and the comforting scent of his mother's cooking wafting through the air, gave him a fleeting sense of nostalgia. He took a deep breath before stepping inside. "Mom? Bella?" Desmond called out as he closed the door behind him.His mother sauntered from the kitchen while wiping her hands over the apron. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. "Desmond, my son! It's been a while," she said, pulling him into a warm embrace. Desmond had thought she would be angry at him but she wasn't. She was happy to see him. Even though he had not been visiting them, he had been sending money for their upkeep. "It's good to see you, Mom," Desmond replied, hugging her tightly. Bella, his younger sister, bounded down the stairs with her usual exuberance. "Desmond! You are here!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "I thought you won't visit us again." Desmond chuckled.
Sylvester arrived at Akylace restaurant thirty minutes early. He had a date with Anabel that evening. He had planned to convince her to be his girlfriend. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and tailored suit. Looking at him, one could easy say that he was a gentle man. He looked every bit the gentleman he wasn't. He had choosing a secluded corner table that offered some sense of privacy. Sylvester called one of the waitress. "Can I have a bottle of LA. Tache and two glass cups?" Sylvester asked. "Right away, Sir." The waitress replied and went to get it. A couple of minutes later, the waitress arrived with the bottle of the red wine and two glass cup. "This wine costs three thousand dollars. Should I go ahead and open it?" The waitress asked. "Do I look like someone that cannot afford it?" He asked. "Go ahead and open it." "I'm sorry sir. I just found the need to let you know." The waitress said and went ahead to open it. She pop it open and poured a good amount in the gla
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