RonanMy phone had been ringing for some time now, but when I checked who it was, I quickly ended it and contined with what I was doing. We needed to have our meal in peace, after all. Darcy remained silent as I fixed our dishes. Before now, she would have tried to assist in a few things, but I see she has clearly been angered by Elena’s earlier outburst.Even though she is angry with me for stopping her from calling the police, it is just one of the things to be pissed about. To think Elena would just barge in here and start throwing accusations around. What the heck was wrong with her?She kept getting worse by the day, and it was clearly becoming her new normal. The Elena in my memory always tried to help others. She was sincere and always treated people with love and care. She was just too gentle for this cruel world-or so I thought till she started showing her true colors.Elena began to pick on Darcy, making her high school life a living hell. She never stopped to disgrace Darc
RonanI would have given anything to be with Darcy, but I had to run to the old house. How the heck did I miss this? Mom had been calling all this while, yet I didn’t know it was because Elena was up to no good. How typical of her to move straight to the old house after leaving The Canvas Loft. With all the ridiculous accusations she levelled at Darcy, which of them would she present to my father?How could I allow Elena to further build a rift between my father and me? Hasn’t she done enough? Won’t she even consider his health? Dad had only been discharged from the hospital a few days ago, yet she rushed to complain to him at the first chance she got. Did she plan to kill my father or what?“Elena Jones! If you cause my father to come to any harm, I swear, I’d kill you!” My hands held the steering wheel tightly, as I hoped and prayed that things wouldn’t get out of hand before I arrived. “Elena!... Elena!... Elena!” This girl has bitten more than she could chew. As my agitation gr
RonanI had to leave the old mansion because I didn’t get the answers I needed. However, Mom's words kept ringing in my mind. She mentioned Elena cutting her hair, but that was impossible to imagine. “Brother Ronan, why do you always rub my hair like that?” Elena once asked me when I was rubbing her soft and shiny hair. “I love how it feels to the touch, and the longer it is, the more beautiful you look.” When I said these words, the sixteen-year-old Elena had a bashful look. She fixed her bright eyes on me as if she heard the best news ever.“In that case, I’ll never cut my hair again. Since brother Ronan likes it, I’ll always keep it long and shiny.” That was the promise she made to me, and for the past nine years, she kept her hair long and shiny. She kept to her word and left it growing for me. Why would Elena suddenly cut her hair? Wait! Could it be that David Spencer prefers short hair? Could Elena have cut her hair because David requested it? If she could keep it long for me
Ronan“Benson…” I couldn't explain the dreadful feeling that threatened to overcome me. It felt like a foreboding...“Boss, let me show you. Please, come with me.” With a questioning gaze trailed on Benson, my butler couldn't speak but instead showed me. Well, I followed him up the stairs; the atmosphere was too tense for me to bear. I couldn't explain why it felt like all my senses were on high alert. All the paintings, photographs, flower pots, and designer frames have been removed from the wall. This place used to be cozy, but now it feels lonely. It's as if we only moved in here a few seconds ago. Everywhere was empty. What really happened in my absence?Surprisingly, I found the bedroom door locked, and Benson had the key. To the best of my knowledge, he was the only one with permission to come to this floor, and any servant who came here was assigned by him. The servants also remained under his supervision, with no chance of doing anything funny. The CCTV cameras in the hous
Ronan I felt fear like never before. Sincerely speaking, I should be happy that she finally signed the papers. My heart shouldn't be this chaotic, and this dreadful feeling in my gut shouldn't be there. I got what I wanted, so why was this happening? Wait! I know. I'm still afraid of what she told Dad. What if she made him suffer a heart attack again? What if Dad refused to eat because he was too angry? “Hello, Mom, how's Dad doing?” I dialed my Mom's number. I needed to be sure Dad was alright. “Ronan, your father is fine. I just checked on him. Why are you calling? Did that witch do something again? Did she tell you what she said to Gerald? Tell me, son, is she troubling you…?” “It's nothing. I just wanted to check on Dad. Good night, Mom.” I quickly hung up before Mom could continue cursing Elena. Those two used to be very close, and Mom always praised her to the moon and back—even more than her own daughter. Now, the only thing Mom had for Elena was venom and more venom. Th
ElenaI finally finished setting up my house in Saint City. Handling the decorations and hiring new staff wasn't easy, and it took me a whopping three days to finish. It was finally sunset, and I looked out my window. The orange hue looked beautiful, yet it mocked me for thinking about Ronan Simpson again. We watched the sunset together, and he always enjoyed the view. His smile was always so bright that the sunset became my thing also. Unknown to Ronan, I never liked the sunset. It always brought back bad memories of the day my mother left. I had returned from school and happily called for my Mom. I wanted to show her my new designs. However, Dad made me eat lunch and do my homework while telling me to calm down and wait for Mom. It was not until sunset that he broke the news to me. “Mom left us, Elena. She's not coming back.” Those were the exact words my father said to me. The sun’s orange hue as it receded remained there, staring at me, mocking me for becoming motherless in a
Elena“What do you mean about taking Grand Ambiance to the next level? The company is doing just fine. I don’t get what you mean.” David has been so supportive all these years, referring so many people to us. I dare say he has been the number one supporter of my company.During all these years that I was a dutiful housewife, he helped my assistant make the company grow. I could never thank David Spencer enough-not in this lifetime. “I’m saying if Elena Jones is back in the game, we must take Grand Ambiance to the next level. Many clients specifically want the boss, and Malvin’s hands have been tied for far too long. Elena, you are the only talent who undermines yourself so much.” David’s words are not particularly misplaced, but what else can I do here?“Elena, you must leave a footprint in the interior design industry. This is the time for your company to go global. You should start accepting those large-scale orders that require a high-profile performance.” What! “David, I have be
ElenaDavid and I returned to our seats, the atmosphere relatively lighter. I was glad I had this conversation with him. I felt blessed to have a friend like him in my life. My child would have a good life with him as his godfather. I’m certain about that.As we chatted about how to strategize and move the company to a larger scale, we finally zoned into other topics from the past. The past had to do with my days at the university. My university days haven’t been my best, because I was a damn coward. Who else could silently endure so much pain and humiliation, if not me?“Elena, I still believe you should fight that case. You cannot leave your name in the mud like that, you know?” David always advised me to take up that case, but I was never interested in it. The harm had already been done, anyway. “David, you of all people know that I could never reopen that case. Have you forgotten everything I went through because of that damn plagiarism incident? What would it mean to reopen the
Ronan“What the fuck did you say?” I fired out in anger, losing my composure. I was pissed with the douchebag for calling me out so calmly. I don’t believe this dude had what it took to mock me in the current situation of things. He was surrounded from all sides by my men, and no one else was at the car park. If I wanted to, I could silence him for good, just by a snap of my fingers. Despite all this, he had the guts to rub it in my face like it was nothing? Who told him I was divorced from Elena? Who said I accepted her divorce? Who said he had the right to be with my wife when I didn’t? Ronan, what are you even saying? I couldn’t understand my line of thought anymore. I was supposed to be happy because Elena walked out of my life. She signed the divorce agreement without giving me a heads up. She even threw the alimony in my face. To top it all off, she never spent a dime of the money she got from my assistant over the last three years. Elena totally cut me off.All along, I th
Ronan“Excuse me, who are you?” The damn doctor had the guts to pretend he didn’t know me. Was he trying to make a fool out of me or what? How could he ask me who I was? My men were on alert, awaiting my instructions for the young man. If I told them to beat him to a pulp, his own mother wouldn’t recognize him tomorrow.Wait. What if he was Elena’s fling as well? With her kind of lifestyle, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out she run away from David Spencer, just to satisfy herself in the arms of this doctor. Could Elena really have gone that low?”Doctor Fischer, I smell something fishy between you and my wife. So, if you don’t want to know the consequences of my suspicion, you will start talking. Where is my wife!”I couldn’t understand why he was still playing dumb with me. He dedini knew my wife’s whereabouts, so why would he look so lost at my words? “Who is your wife?” Oh, he just didn’t. The douchebag had the guts to ask me who my wife was? What the heck! “Don’t tell me you
RonanI don’t know what came over my men, but they seemed to be giving me too many contrary reports. At first, they said Elena left, then they called me again to say she returned to the hospital after a few hours. After that, they claimed to have lost track of her after she entered the hospital building.Apparently, she didn’t return to visit her father, since she didn’t go to his ward. I was lost in thought, wondering why she was here, and who else she came to see. Even her father’s doctor said he didn’t see her. It means she didn’t go to him to find out about his condition. What else could she be doing here?Before I reached the hospital, my men called back to say Elena left the hospital with one of the doctors. When they described him to me, an image flashed in my mind, and I went to the hospital’s site to confirm my suspicions. There he was, the young doctor whom my wife supposedly came to see. I tried to get my hands on the CCTV footage of the hospital, but I wasn’t successful.
Elena I sat in Harold’s office, awaiting his arrival. He said he had something to share with me, and I had a feeling it had to do with my father, though he didn’t specify. When Ruth informed me about how I missed his call earlier, I quickly called him back, only for Harold to request I meet him in his office. I knew he was busy, but taking time off his busy schedule to tell me something about my dad’s condition made me so anxious. I don’t know why, but I wasn’t sure of how I would handle whatever he had to tell me. It seemed like something important.“Elena, my favorite patient. How are you doing today?” Oh, Harold. He scared the shit out of me. Well, how would he even know I was here and not here at the same time? I didn’t even feel his presence until he spoke. I guess I got lost in thought again. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Harold. How am I your favorite patient? Don’t tell me you enjoy seeing me around here.” This is the first doctor I have seen who was glad to see a patient.
Elena“How do you feel, Elena?” Ruth probed in a worried tone. I could tell she was worried, but even I felt too helpless about my situation. I’m okay, Ruth. Thank you for being here at the right time. If you had not caught me…” I paused my words, allowing myself to imagine the worse. A lot of dangerous scenarios flashed past my memory, and none of the outcomes was good. “Don’t think too much, Elena. I’m here, am I not?” Yes. She was here. Ruth got here just in time to capture me in her warm embrace. “Thank you, Ruth. Thank you so much for being there for me.”“Stop it, Elena. You have been there for me. You made my bastard son and I a part of your family. Now, no one dares to piss him off anymore. For the first time in my life, people see me as a person, and it’s all because of you. I should be the one saying thank you, Elena. You really are a Godsend.”Looking at Ruth who had unshed tears in her eyes, I couldn’t push the memory out of my mind. I know she was trying so hard not to
Ronan“What did you say? You saw Elena at where?” I couldn’t believe my ears. Elena was just spotted at the hospital. I searched high and low for Elena. There was nowhere I didn’t look in my endeavor to find her, but she seemed to have vanished into thin air. I waited and waited, going home every single night for the last three months, just to meet Elena upon her return. To be sincere, I couldn’t even tell what I was waiting for. Initially, I only wanted to be there when she arrived, but I later found myself going back every night, just so I could sleep at her side of the bed. Whenever I wasn’t at her side of the bed, I was in the study, transfixed on our wedding photograph. I couldn’t tell what happened to me, but I found myself pining for Elena. I wanted to one where she was, find out what she was doing, and just be sure she was okay.I finally realized that's what she wanted. Elena wanted me to be miserable. She wanted me to be miserable. She hope I’d look for her with everyth
ElenaI don’t know how long I have been standing before the mirror in the ladies’ room, but I just couldn’t stop trembling all over my body. I was with my dad for the last time, and I could never tell how things would be for me after today. I had a fleeting thought to remain in Lockwood and accompany my father till my last moments, but I knew it was impossible. The peace I needed till I delivered my child would be distorted, and I would have to deal with Ronan and the schemng Darcy for the rest of my days. I just couldn’t take that. It was too much a blow for me to bear. I remained standing in front of the mirror, the tap running for as long as I could remember. My gaze was fixed on nothing specifically, and it was shocking to note that my mind just went blank after all the panic.Wehn I got here, I was a whole mess, wndering why my life was so difficult. I got slapped with one problem after the other, yet I didn’t even have enough time to face my troubles. I cried my eyes out till
ElenaMy heart beat violently in my chest, even though what Ruth said wasn’t anything scary. The implications of the words were rather what scared me. If I agreed to take father away, what next? “His condition is not stable, Ruth. We cannot move him from here.” I knew she hesitated about something, but I didn’t ask her anything. I wasn’t being particularly truthful with her, anyway. How could I tell her I feared what would happen when I take my father away and then I’m no more? How would I explain to Uncle Simpson when I finally move my father away from here? How would father cope when he eventually woke up to my absence? At least Uncle Simpson would do anything to ensure father’s safety. To me, that was better than how much I missed him. I would be too selfish if I took him away. He had people who loved him here, and that was enough for me.“Okay. What do you want to do now, Elena? I would have suggested that we come here every weekend to see him, but your condition isn’t the bes
Elena“Dad, meet Ruth and Blake. They have taken very good care of me, just like you would. I brought them here to say hi, dad. They are my family now, and I hope you can open your eyes and see them. They mean the world to me, dad-just like you do.”Blake fixed a heated gaze on me, and I could feel it. My words might have shocked him, but that's still how I felt. They have supported me without asking for anything I'm return, and if they were not considered family, I couldn't tell what else to call them. David has been away for the past two months, and these two have been keeping me company. Whenever I had any weird cravings, even at odd hours, Ruth was there to take care of it. I remember one night when I craved oysters in the middle of the night, but we had none in the house. Throughout the hours that led to daybreak, I couldn't get a wink of sleep. Ruth stayed with me, not complaining a single bit. Even when I told her to go to bed, she refused and still stayed. Blake went out wi