Sylvester poured himself a drink and settled into his favorite armchair, replaying the events of the night in his mind. Just as he was beginning to relax, he heard a familiar knock on the door.He knew who was knocking. It was Vanessa, his fiancée. He had invited her to come over. She knew all about Sylvester and Anabel.Sylvester got up and opened the door. He wasn't surprised when he saw Vanessa standing there with a mischievous smile on her face. She was wearing a sleek and form-fitting red dress that accentuated her curves."Hey, babe." She greeted and stepped inside, then gave him a quick kiss. "How did it go with Anabel?"Sylvester closed the door behind her and led her to the living room. "It went better than I even expected. We had a nice dinner, and she opened up to me about her pregnancy and divorce. I pretended to be surprised and told her it didn't change how I felt about her.""Oh, poor Anabel. She must be so desperate for someone to care about her." Vanessa laughed. "And
"Hello, Sylvester. I guess you are in your house now." Anabel asked."Yeah, just relaxing." Sylvester replied. "That's nice. I said let me know if you have gotten home, and also thank you for the dinner. I had a good time with you, despite everything that happened. I like your vibe." Sylvester smiled before responding back. "I'm happy to hear that, Miss Anabel. I enjoyed our time together as well." Vanessa rolled her eyes and stifled her potential laugh, before mouthing the words "poor Anabel" with a mocking expression. Sylvester shot her with a warning look, but she just grinned and snuggled closer to him, clearly amused by the situation. "I really appreciate your support, Sylvester." Anabel continued. "It means a lot to me, especially with everything that had been going on." "I'm here for you, no matter what. You can always count on me. What are we friends for?" Vanessa covered her mouth to suppress her laughter, causing her shoulders to shake with silent mirth. Sylvester ge
On Friday morning, Anabel was eating her cookies and watching one of her favorite TV programs when she heard a knock on the door. "Who is there?" She asked but didn't get any response. She sat up and headed towards the door to check who was that. Anabel was overjoyed when she saw her best friend, Stacey, standing in the doorway."Stacey!" Anabel exclaimed and rushed forward to envelop her best friend in a tight hug. "I've missed you so much." "I've missed you too, Anabel." Stacey replied with her eyes sparkling with excitement. Anabel was very happy to see her best friend after what felt like an eternity. Stacey had just completed her BSc program in New York, and Anabel had been eagerly waiting for her return. "You didn't tell me you will show up today." Anabel said. "I wasn't expecting you.""I want it to be a surprise." She laughed."You look great!" Anabel stared down at her. "I can see you have added in perfect places. See your skin, your waist—gosh! Please come in"She grabbed
A few minutes later, Jethro returned, this time with a shirt on, carrying a tray of drinks. He set it down on the coffee table and took a seat across from Stacey. "So, Stacey, how was New York?" He asked."It was incredible," Stacey replied. This time, her initial shyness was fading. "I learned a lot, both academically and personally."Jethro nodded. "I can imagine. It's a big change from here. You must have had some amazing friends and experiences.""I did," Stacey replied, smiling. "But I also missed home. It's good to be back."Jethro leaned back in his chair. "You know, you have changed a lot since I last saw you. You have become even more beautiful."Stacey's cheeks flushed a deep red. "Thank you, Jethro." Deep down, she wanted to return the comment and tell him how handsome he was looking, but she couldn't."It's just the truth," Jethro said casually. "Your boyfriend must be lucky.""Yeah, but he broke up with me when I told him I would be traveling back to my country." Stacey re
Anabel came back early as she promised. Stacey woke up once she heard the door open. She asked Anabel about her day, and she began to recount her activities in the office. A few minutes later, they were in the kitchen. Anabel was cooking while Stacey was helping. Some moments later, Anabel's mother showed up in the kitchen. She heard voices and decided to check who that was. She was surprised when she saw Stacey."Oh Stacey! You are back!" She exclaimed."Yes, ma. I arrived this morning.""That's nice. Welcome back." "Thank you, ma'am." She exchanged greetings with Anabel before retiring back to her bedroom. "Why don't you employ a house help? Why do you choose to stress yourself?" Stacey asked "We don't need them. One of them nearly killed my dad. So since then, we stopped employing maids. We can do the cooking ourselves. It's not a big deal." Anabel explained."It's alright. I respect that." Stacey brought the chicken and spices for her, then slid the garden salad and helped her
"Oh, sorry. I will go and change now." Stacey said and rushed back to change. Anabel sat up when she entered."Where did you go?" Anabel asked."I heard some noise outside and went to check." Stacey replied and began to unpack her clothes."What are you doing? Are you going somewhere?" Anabel asked.Stacey picked her shirt and her thick green singlet. "I want to join your brother in his gym. He told me to go and change.""Hmmmm. I can see." Stacey smiled."See what?" Stacey asked. She knew what Anabel was trying to say."Nothing. I'm not stopping you. Don't be a distraction to him, though." Anabel said and laid back on the bed. Stacey changed and rushed back to the gym in excitement..."But... Do you use the gym?" Jethro asked when Stacey arrived."A little," Stacey admitted. "But I could use some guidance. I want you to guide me."Alright, let's start with some basics," Jethro said, moving to a set of lighter weights. "We will do a warm-up first."For the next twenty minutes, Jethro
"Thanks for the workout, Jethro." Stacey said when they finished working out. "I really enjoyed it.""Anytime, Stacey," Jethro replied. "You are welcome to join me whenever you want."As Stacey left the gym room, she couldn't help but smile. She felt a connection with Jethro. She could tell he likes her too, just that he hasn't confessed his feelings to her. Or maybe it was because of his current girlfriend.She went back to Anabel's room, but she didn't see her. She decided to take her bath before looking for her. She took a quick bath and left the room in search of Anabel. She wandered through the house, looking for Anabel, and finally found her lounging in the sitting room. She has a book in her hands and a relaxed smile on her face."You are here." She sauntered towards her. "I was looking for you."Anabel looked up at her. "Hey, Stacey. I know you enjoyed your workout.""Yeah, it was great." Stacey replied and sat down beside her. "Jethro can make a good coach."Anabel chuckled an
Anabel nodded, maintaining her composure. "Yes, I'm sure. Can you please bring it out for me?"The salesgirl hesitated again. She was clearly doubting Anabel's ability to afford the dress. "This dress is the most expensive one in the store. Maybe you should look at something more affordable. That is if you can even afford any dress here. I'm sorry, but this place is not for people like you.""What do you mean? Get me what I want." Anabel stated.The salesgirl crossed her arms, refusing to get the key. "I don't think you understand me. This dress is meant for high-end clients. For billionaires. You can't afford it."At that moment, Stacey, who had been browsing nearby, noticed the exchange and walked over. She could see the dismissive attitude of the salesgirl. "What is going on here?" Stacey asked.The salesgirl glanced at Stacey, then back at Anabel. "Your friend here wants to try on our most expensive dress. So I'm trying to make her understand that she can't afford it. I don't want
"Then what are we going to do now?" Jethro asked. "I will call an ambulance to take him to the hospital." The doctor said and picked up his phone. He called the hospital for an ambulance and turned to Anabel and Jethro. "I have called for the ambulance. It will be here soon, and your dad will be taken care of." Anabel’s breath shuddered as fresh fear consumed her. Her greatest nightmare—the thought of losing her father—was tightening its grip around her chest. She couldn’t lose him. She wouldn’t lose him. But right now, it felt like she had no control over that fate. Every second felt like an eternity until the ambulance finally arrived. The flashing lights reflecting off the smooth pavement. The paramedics moved with urgency, but their presence only heightened Anabel’s anxiety. Jethro, her brother, immediately rushed forward to assist Dr. Maxwell in lifting their father from the bed. Anabel stood back, frozen, her hands trembling as she watched them carefully maneuver Sir Orton
Without wasting a second, Anabel called her brother, Jethro. The moment he picked up, she repeated the same panicked message.“Dad collapsed! You have to come home!”“I’ll be there, Anabel! Just hang on!” Jethro replied.After ending the call, she knelt beside her father again, gripping his hand as she watched his shallow breathing. “Daddy, stay with me,” she whispered through her tears. “Don’t leave me. Help is coming. Nothing will happen to you. You are going to be fine.”A few minutes later, she heard a car pull up. She was expecting the doctor, but when the door opened, it was her brother, Jethro. He had to speed up immediately after he answered the call."We need to take him to the hospital," Jethro said just as he entered the room."I've called the doctor. He said he's coming.""You have called the doctor, and he's yet to come?" Jethro asked."I don't know what is delaying him. He said he's coming already.""I don't think I'm going to have that patience. Come on, let's carry him
At this point, she could barely breathe. She was confused and didn’t know what to do. Her dad had been struggling on his own until he went weak. Her dad had been fighting with asthma for a very long time, though he always controlled it. But today, she couldn't tell what triggered it. And she was so startled to see that his inhaler was empty. He always bought dozens of it. But since he started taking his drugs, he has found the inhaler unnecessary. These days, he barely uses it. She tried to wake him up, but it all went futile. At this point, she doesn't need any prophet to tell her that her dad needed urgent medical attention. Anabel zipped down her handbag. Her hands trembled as she fumbled with her phone. Her fingers were slicked with sweat as she scrolled through her contacts. Her breath was uneven, her heart hammering in her chest. She struggled to keep her thoughts straight, but the sight of her father lying motionless on the floor had shattered any semblance of calm she
The next morning, as the soft beams of sunlight filtered through the windows in Anabel’s room, Anabel was busy at her desk, clicking away on her system. Her fingers were moving rapidly over her computer keyboard as she worked through tasks with total focus. Even though she seemed focused, her mind was restless. She had been debating whether or not to visit Sylvester and Vanessa that morning. Desmond’s words had burrowed deep into her thoughts, creating an unsettling doubt that she couldn’t shake. She needed answers. She needed to confirm what was true. She wasn't ready for another heartbreak. Not when she hasn't even recovered from the first heartbreak. Hours passed, and finally, she leaned back in her chair, exhaling sharply as she finished her work. She closed her laptop and rubbed her temples as she tried to clear her thoughts. With a quiet sigh, she got up and stretched before heading to the bathroom for a quick shower. As the warm water cascaded down her skin, her thoughts
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