CHAPTER 18 “What?...” I grimaced intensely in bewilderment, feeling blood drain from my face. “I…I didn’t stab anyone…” “How then do you explain the fact that the forensic results show your fingerprints are all over the murder weapon?” She raised a brow, looking at me as if waiting for me to come up with a lie. “What…what fingerprints are you talking about?” I stared at the blood-stained blade on the table in front of me before looking back at her, completely clueless. “So you’re going to deny this one too?” She asked, her face crimson with stern rage. “You mentioned earlier you had a little misunderstanding with your husband yesterday, what caused the little misunderstanding?” I lowered my gaze and shook my head in despair, bitter tears making its way down my cheeks. My heart was clenching painfully in my chest. I can’t do it anymore. I just can’t. It was all too much for me to bear and understand, I might just go crazy. I have been wrongfully accused of a lot of things
CHAPTER 19“W…what do you mean she didn’t make it?...” My voice quivered as I tried to keep it steady. My breath was heavy, coming in short quick gasps that hurt my chest. “S…she’s dead, Lily,” the doctor hesitated before breaking the news with a heavy sigh. “She couldn’t be operated on due to lack of completion of the payment. Her body has been transferred to the morgue. I’m sorry. I did my best. I really did. You need to come now to identify her body and make necessary arrangements…” The weight of his revelation bore down heavily on me like a ton of rocks, crushing me to a pulp. I didn’t know for how long I stayed mute, feeling an acute sense of loss wash over me. My mother. My sweet mother…the only family I had left was gone. I won’t get to see her again. This was all my fault. If only I had gathered the payment and made it to the hospital in time, I could have saved her. She’ll still be breathing by now. Terrible regrets assailed me as hot painful tears burned their way down m
Chapter 20“Don’t listen to her,” the chief detective said in a firm but reassuring tone.As such, I didn’t pay attention to her threat. She could do her worst for all I cared. I was grateful the chief detective had succeeded in kicking her out of the room and taking her off the case. Now that she was no longer here, there was no one to influence his decision and prevent him from listening to me.“Please chief, I need to get out of here. The doctor called to inform me my mother just died in the hospital. I need to go see her, identify her body and pay my last respects…she’s the only family I have left. Please don’t deny me this opportunity,” tears stung my eyes as I pleaded to him as my life depended on it. My mother’s dead image kept flashing in my mind and I struggled with everything in me to push it away.His loud sigh hinted at the impossibility of that as he came closer and sat on the chair in front of me. “Listen, Mrs. Wilson,” he said as I listened to him attentively. “The Wil
Chapter 21Robert brandished a sheet of paper and pen from his side as if they were a weapon. Leaning in and staring into it with my tired eyes, I could see it was our contract marriage agreement.He addressed me harshly, shoving the paper to my face. “Sign this Lily to terminate our contract marriage agreement. I don’t want anything binding me to a murderer. If you check the bottom part, you’ll see I have already signed mine. Sign yours let’s get this sham of a marriage over with.”The detective after getting hold of himself, tried to stop him, a disapproving look on his provoked face. I can’t believe Robert pushed him away like that. “Mr. Wilson, this is not the right time or place to do this. I suggest you wait and get your lawyer to handle this.”Robert washed him with a cold glare. “I’m not leaving this station until she signs this. Try to stop me and I swear I’ll make sure you lose that badge around your neck and your license forever,” he threatened ruthlessly before returning
CHAPTER 22The pungent smell of drugs and antiseptics came wafting into my nostrils. I grimaced in irritation at the sickening smell, shaking my head to ward it off.My eyelids slowly lifted to reveal an unfamiliar environment flooded with bright, almost blinding lights. It took some time before my eyes could accommodate the light. Looking around, I could see the walls of the room were painted white too. It didn’t take me long to realize that I was in a hospital. The only sounds heard in the room were the beeping of the heart monitor and other medical machines I was one way or the other hooked to. I could hear some voices around too.Groaning, I twisted around on the bed and tried to sit up on the bed. My body felt so weak and sore like I had fallen off a cliff but somehow, miraculously managed to make it alive. But then, I couldn’t because my left wrist was cuffed to the bedframe. “Fuck…” I muttered in frustration before falling back on the bed. A wince escaped my mouth as my muscl
Chapter 237years later…The prison gates creaked open and like a baby learning to walk, I stepped out carefully, embracing my long-lost freedom. I couldn’t believe that after seven years of being locked away in this shit hole and treated like an animal, I was finally a free woman. The feeling was overwhelming. As a result, I covered my mouth with both my hands, unable to contain the rush of emotions swelling inside me as tears of joy streamed down my cheeks.After the trial, I was found guilty and sentenced to seven years imprisonment. Robert and his family hired some of the best lawyers in the country to argue the case. They did their best to see that I got a death sentence. But as fate may have it, I didn’t. Due to my lack of criminal history and a strong alibi the night the murder was committed, the judge reduced my sentence to seven years imprisonment. My attorney really did her best. From the way she defended me in court as if her life depended on it, it was obvious she was pas
Chapter 24Lila on the other hand, had my late mother’s soft peaceful hazel eyes and sun-coloured hair which seemed to glow in the light. Her hair keeps growing longer by the day which has made me give her the nickname Rapunzel – after her favourite cartoon character. She loved to play with it and would often scatter the strands all over her face after it had been freshly styled.“You know I love you very much right?” Liam said, causing me to look at him. My cheeks grew red hot with smiles as I beamed.“I know my darling,”“More than anything in this world,” he pressed on, causing me to eye him with a suspicious glance while still smiling. He wore a mischievous grin on his face as if planning something clever. He has always acted smarter than his age with a way of speaking so sweetly that could charm anyone. “More than Lila does, right?”“That’s a lie!” Lila snapped at him, fuming with rage. “You don’t love mummy more than I do. Don’t listen to him mummy,” she pulled my hand so I coul
Chapter 25“I never said I didn’t respect your decision,” Jane said, her face twisting with worry. “It’s just that I’m going to miss you guys so much. Finally getting out of prison, I wanted us to spend some time together as best friends. I can’t remember the last time we had some girls’ time.”She looked at the kids with a wistful smile on her face as they ran around the car happily. “I have grown so attached to them I already feel like their second mother,” she held back a chuckle. “They’re good kids and they always look out for each other. It was an honour taking care of them. Christabel is going to cry her eyes out on learning they’re gone.”I folded my lips in empathy, understanding her pain and feeling bad for her. As much as I wished it could have been different and I could stay back with her, I couldn’t. Leaving this city will be the wisest and safest choice I can make for myself and my babies.“I’m sorry, Jay. I wish it would have been different. I really want to spend time w
CHAPTER 103LILY’S POV~ I lifted my head and looked at her. “What about Liam?”“He’s playing a video game in his room.”I smiled, glad he was doing well. But didn’t he hear the sound of the glasses shattering? It was loud enough and could even be heard from outside the house. Since Nana Mae was coming from upstairs on hearing it, that meant he too must have heard it. Why didn’t he come rushing downstairs? Was she sure he was really upstairs in his room or was there something she wasn’t telling me? ~“I know what you’re thinking,” Nana Mae said as if she could read my mind. “You don’t have to worry. He has earphones on. He didn’t hear anything. And I think he’ll probably take a nap when he’s done playing to rest his eyes.”I sighed in quiet relief on hearing that. The eye doctor had mentioned that the antibiotics she prescribed would make him feel drowsy and inactive for a while, so it was important to let him rest and take time off school as needed. I fell silent, staring into sp
CHAPTER 102LILY’S POVAfter I got out of the taxi, I quickly rushed into the house. I slammed the door shut and pressed my back against it as though I just encountered something horrifying. That horrifying thing was Robert. I broke down in sobs that I had been holding back all through the ride as I screeched my back against the door and crumpled hopelessly on the floor. I tried to hold back my outburst as Liam was probably upstairs in his room and I didn’t want him to hear me crying. But my sharp intake of breath was making it extremely difficult.Shaking my head in agony, I managed to get a grip and pushed myself up. I dragged myself to the refrigerator in the kitchen. I pulled its door open and rummaged through but didn’t find what I was looking for. A frustrated groan escaped my lips as I slammed it shut and checked the shelves but still couldn’t find it.I was desperately searching for a strong alcoholic drink to drown the storm of emotions raging inside me and hope it would som
CHAPTER 101ROBERT’S POV~ “Who does he think he is?” “We’re all CEOs, he’s no better or richer than us.” “What makes him think he can just walk in and out of this boardroom like he owns the place after that cringe episode with that lady?” “I bet he wooed her to his bed and fucked her and now, she had come to her senses, realizing what an arrogant jerk he is.” “If he feels he’s way above our league and can’t sit down to listen to what the chairman has to say then he should have continued fucking his whore and not bothered coming.” “Why is the side of his cheek red? He must have been slapped by his whore.” ~“Not only is his agency sinking lower than the gutter in the rankings, but he’s also stooped so low as to resort to screwing desperate whores and dragging them into professional meetings like this.”Their sniggering voices and prickly comments had me baring my teeth, hissing at them. I wanted to find whoever made the last comment and gouge his eyes from their sockets
CHAPTER 100 ROBERT’S POV “Don’t you dare call that name again! You lost the right to do that nine years ago. Stay the fuck away from me and keep pretending I don’t exist to you. I’m not the same Lily from nine years back. If you fuck around with me I’ll show you the other side of me. And if you ever think of following me, I’ll call the police on you and make sure you taste what it feels to be locked behind bars.” Lily barked at me and slapped me. A powerful one at that. No one has slapped me this hard before. In all my time of knowing her, I have never seen her this angry. She was always calm and collected even in the worst of situations. But now, it was as if a wild beast of anger and hatred had been festering inside her all these years and saw this as the perfect opportunity to unleash its ferality. I held my cheek where she had slapped me. It was throbbing with pain yet I was oblivious of it. I just held it and continued staring at her, almost on the brink of tears as I
CHAPTER 99 LILY’S POV My heels went click clack as I raced into the building which was the venue for the meeting. I was almost breathless and flustered as I was running dangerously late. The meeting was scheduled to hold at 10:00 am but it was 10:30 already. In important meetings like this, every company representative needed to arrive early. I didn’t want anyone looking down on me as if I were unprofessional, and Noah wouldn’t be happy with me if I missed it. I woke up this morning only for Liam to come complaining to me he was feeling pain around his right eye. I checked it to see a boil growing inside, under the base of his eyelids. Because of that, he couldn’t go to school which resumed for a new session today. I had to take him to the eye doctor. That was what made me arrive late. However, upon entering the boardroom where the meeting was held, I was fortunate and relieved to see they were about to start. Everyone was taking their seats. I didn’t expect to see this man
CHAPTER 98 LILY’S POV ~ I picked up the fork and strengthened myself up. I was about to hand it to him when the sight that greeted me had my jaw falling to the table. Noah was holding out a small opened black box towards me. Inside the box was an expensive-looking diamond ring beautifully sitting on the plush casing. ~ The fork I was holding fell from my grasp as I froze. My eyes which were large from my shock locked unto Noah’s. He had a dreamy smile spread across his face. “Lily Jones, meeting you and spending time with you has been some of the best moments of my life. You are the perfect woman for me, and I want what we share to last forever. So I ask, will you make the happiest man on earth by agreeing to marry me?” The question reverberated in my head over and over again. I felt like I was caught in a daze. Like my reality was twisted or something. What could possibly make him think I was ready for marriage? What made him think I was the perfect woman for him? Was it
CHAPTER 97 LILY’S POV Clad in a black evening gown with a thigh-high slit, I sat on my vanity, doing my makeup after fixing my hair. I was preparing to go on a date with Noah. He’d asked me out the day after our intense hot make-out in my office. I finally agreed to give it a shot because I know I have kept him waiting for too long. He’d been asking me out for over a year now and I keep making excuses on why I can’t accept. Accepting to go on this date with him will be like my own little way of thanking him for everything he has done for me and my kids. He’ll be taking me on a dinner date in one of those fancy restaurants in the city. Deep down, I kind of wished it was something simpler like a movie date or sightseeing just I don’t have to waste this much time dressing up like I was going to contest for a beauty pageant. After finishing my makeup, I used a setting spray to make sure it stayed in place. I cast one last glance at my reflection and I was satisfied with the res
CHAPTER 96 LILY’S POV ~ Suddenly, I felt his hands, warm and soft rest on my shoulders. My breath hitched and I froze like I had been poured a bucketful of ice cubes. “Noah…” confusion had me stuttering like a fool. “What are you doing…?” ~ But then my voice trailed off as I felt his fingers sink in softly into the valley of my shoulders, kneading and massaging gently. “If you won’t agree to go then at least let me make you feel at home,” his voice came off seductively in my ears. “You know, ease off the stress a bit.” I wanted to resist because this didn’t seem right to me. But the magic of his fingers had me melting like butter under this touch so I let him continue, enjoying the heavenly feeling as my focus completely drifted to my laptop. I couldn’t remember the last time I had gone for a massage or even had a steam bath in one of those luxurious spas. It made me realize just how much I needed this. I didn’t know Noah was good at giving massages. If his fingers
CHAPTER 95 LILY’S POV~ “So speaking about men,” she drawled dreamily before quickly adding. “Responsible men to be precise and not foolish ones like Robert, how is your boss doing?”“I think it’s time you got out of my phone…”“So I checked him out on IG,” she cut me off, completely ignoring me. “He’s really hot and is fast becoming one of the country’s most eligible bachelors. Now tell me Lily Jones, why don’t you want to ride that horse even though it’s coming to you!” She screamed on the phone, irritating my ear. Just then, Noah suddenly walked in on us. ~‘Oh my goodness…’ The shock of seeing him made my heart nearly fly out of my chest. I lost control as I flinched and my phone unknowingly fell from my grasp. My movements were awkward and embarrassing but quick as I reflexively caught it, preventing it from falling to the floor.I looked at Noah and a nervous smile made my lips tremble. His sudden presence when we were just talking about him had caught me unawares. He had a