OLIVIAI got a huge shock when Xander said there was a man standing on the balcony taking photos of us. He brought us to the pool and Samuel was having fun with Justin, his son. I was happy that my son was smiling and laughing like that. he must have missed me as much as I missed him.Lupita was also enjoying herself while grandma was constantly bothering Luke. He would complain but I think he liked it. Xander said he was going to check who the man was but then he sat back down saying he was coming our way with a low voice.I thought maybe it was one of Luke’s men but when I turned, I was shocked to see Ethan in white shorts, white short sleeve shirt. When he got to us. He didn’t say a word, he picked me up from the chair and carried me.He started walking way but stopped and turned to Lupita. “Please look after Samuel for a while.” Lupita nodded with a smile. Xander had an expression I could not read; he must have thought that Ethan was my husband.“Hello Ethan.” He ignored me and to
NICKI threw Marcus’s phone away then kicked the tires of his car. I was so angry that I didn’t know what to do with myself. “You fucking moron!” I bellowed in anger. Marcus looked like he was going to faint, clutching on his chest as if it hurt. He could die for all I cared.It should hurt him like hell, he saw everything I went through when he took her from me and now, just when I was accepting that he had her. he went and fucked it up! Now another fucking man from somewhere we don’t know was busy giving her the attention he never gave her.What the hell was I supposed to do with that? “You called me here for this shit? fix it, fucking fix it now!” I yelled in his face pulling him closer to me with his collar. I was mad, enraged. What pissed me off even more was that the moron just cried.He didn’t say a fucking word, he just cried. Bloody shit! what the hell was I going to do with Marcus. I swear to God above. If he didn’t have a child to take care of, I would have killed him! “Why
OLIVIA“I am guessing that is your husband.” Xander said the moment he saw me. I was going to Ethan’s room to get Samuel for dinner and met him on the corridor. “It’s a long story.” He nodded, “He is very possessive of you, I see. As he should be, a woman like you is… I won’t cross the line.” I wanted to laugh.He looked bothered by Ethan and wanted to know if he was my husband and maybe ask what happened between us, but he was holding himself back. What a gentleman. “I am going to get Samuel for dinner. Talk later?”“No, you won’t be talking to him anymore.” Came Ethan’s voice from up ahead, he was walking towards us. “Samuel is sleeping, I came to tell you that. now, you can go back and get some rest. I want to have a word with this guy.” I chuckled.By this time Xander’s smile was gone and only a serious looking, handsome man remained. “He is my friend, Ethan.” I reminded. “Okay, I want to talk to your friend then, maybe he could be my friend too.” Xander chuckled shoving his hands
MARCUSI was stunned when a nurse came in and told me I had a call from my wife. Even Nick, who was still barely conscious, opened his eyes to glance at the nurse. I just shrugged and followed her out, not thinking for a second that it would actually be Olivia on the other end. She wanted her baby with her. There was no way to describe the joy I felt—it was like everything else in the world faded away in that moment.Even when she cut the call after I begged her not to leave me, my smile didn’t fade. I was over the moon. She had read my letter, and she was willing to be a mother to our daughter. I had truly hit the jackpot when I married her. God, how I wished I could be with them right now, making it up to her for all the pain I caused.Olivia was more than just a good woman and a wonderful wife. I was starting to believe she was an angel in human form. No human could possibly be that good. We were all flawed, but not her—she had a heart of gold.“I take it that really was Olivia on
NICKOthers might have thought I was cruel, but I wasn’t. Marcus needed to understand that Olivia wouldn’t stay where she wasn’t loved or appreciated. I knew that better than anyone. I had lost her once, granted, the mistakes I made were huge and unforgivable. But now, Olivia wasn’t alone. She had Luke, her father. And he would never let her be mistreated again.Luke might have liked us, but when it came to his daughter, the man was ruthless. I had seen it with my own eyes. That’s why I had to remind Marcus that winning Olivia back might not happen. I wasn’t trying to discourage him, but I wanted him to be aware of the reality of the situation.If they managed to get back together, I would be happy for them. That would mean we could all come back home. If not, Olivia might never return to New Village, and Marcus would have to travel to see his daughter. Not only that, but he would also have to watch that other guy love the wife he lost, and that was going to eat him alive. It drove me
MARCUSI could see the anger on Luke’s face, but it didn’t matter. A smile spread across my own face, though it wasn’t because of anything he’d done. It was simply because he was here. I didn’t care how intimidating he looked, glaring at me from across the room. I was happy he came. I was relieved my wife hadn’t changed her mind. And most importantly, I was glad my baby was going to her mom.Luke’s anger didn’t matter in that moment. What was his anger compared to the joy I felt just by his presence? I knew it was selfish, but what could I do? I was a father now, and my daughter needed a mother. And there was no one better than Luke’s daughter and my wife. Olivia. I both wanted the best for our little girl.Luke would have to forgive me for my selfishness and find a way to be the grandfather to mine and Olivia’s child. He walked further into the room, each step deliberates and measured, as though he was approaching an enemy or hunting prey, trying not to alert them to his presence. It
NICKThe doctors spent the night monitoring the baby, running tests to ensure Marcus’s princess was ready for the journey. Luke was the first to leave the hospital, claiming he was tired and needed rest. But we all knew he was avoiding being around the baby. It was almost comical, considering he still had to travel with her.It made me wonder what he would do on the flight or once we returned to Olivia. Was he planning on avoiding her forever, or was this just temporary until she grew and looked less like a rat and more like a human? I wasn’t sure.Last night, I took Marcus out for drinks, and somehow, we ended up at my place. In his drunken state, he helped me pack a few things, most of which I hadn’t planned on taking. I had my own intentions.Leaving the clothes behind would be my excuse to spend some quality time with my son, to buy him things he actually wanted for the first time as his father. But I let Marcus do what he wanted. The man was about to send his daughter off to who
OLIVIAMy dad called this morning to inform me that the doctors had approved the baby for travel. I was relieved that everything had gone well, until he mentioned that Nick would be returning with him. The news didn’t sit well with me, but then he explained that Nick wasn’t coming for me; he was coming for his son, Samuel.As much as I didn’t want Nick anywhere near me, I couldn’t deny that he was still Samuel’s father. I couldn’t keep my son from his father any longer. Nick had the right to be with his son, especially now that he seemed to have come to his senses and wasn’t threatening me for no reason anymore.However, our conversation was overheard by none other than Xander, who Ethan had been keeping a close eye on. Ethan made it clear that he wasn’t going to let Xander take Marcus’s place. What he didn’t know, though, was that I had no intention of being with anyone other than my husband.I might have left him after everything that happened, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to
ETHANAfter dealing with that guy, I went looking for Nick. I overheard part of his phone call, but I couldn’t make sense of what he was saying. Still, I had a feeling he was up to something. I never fully trusted him, especially when it came to Olivia and Samuel. Those two were everything to me, and I couldn’t afford to fail them again or let anyone hurt them. They had already been through too much."Nick, Nick?" I called out as I approached his room, feeling anxious.He stepped out, looking displeased. "What? Why are you calling me like there's a fire in the hotel?" He was annoyed, but I didn’t have time for that."I need to talk to you. Come to my room, now." I turned to leave, but then he spoke."I’m not going anywhere. If you have a problem, go find Luke. You told me to be a father, and that's what I’m doing. Go sort your stuff out with him."He started to go back inside, but I stopped him.
XANDER“I told you that I am not leaving here until I make Luke feel what I felt when he took my father from me. when he felt me as an orphan with nowhere to go.” I have been looking for that man for many years now. I forgot about him for a while when my wife was still alive. She made me feel complete but then she felt me as well.“All I am saying is that you must be careful. You know what he is capable of.” My friend warned. I scoffed, if he didn’t want people going after his family then he wouldn’t be doing what he was doing. “Man, he makes me so angry. He is out here playing happy family with his daughter and grandson. Does he think about what he has done to people like me.”I would have forgotten about him and continued to live my life rising my son. But I had to see him, a face that has haunted me for years. Happy with his daughter and grandson. He didn’t even know who I was, he even sha
MARCUS“Why are you still not doing what I asked? The boss has been on edge, and you’re still delaying things. Do you want to be fired, is that it?” Steve’s voice was sharp with frustration.“It’s not that, Steve, but we can’t rush these things. There are permits we need to get, and those things don’t happen overnight. You only told us about this on Tuesday, did you think everything would be wrapped up in just a couple of days?” My legal team was doing their best to manage, but I could tell they were feeling the pressure.I had just arrived in London after finalizing the deal on the house.“You don’t have to put so much pressure on them, Steve,” I said, trying to ease the tension. “I just want things to be at least clear by the end of the month. I want to be there myself to check the locations. That should be enough time to get the permits, right?” I asked the legal team.“We can’t be sure, sir. Their laws are different from ours, and we don’t know how long a process like this will ta
NICKI thought I knew what joy and happiness were, but then I heard my son defend me. He stood in front of me, protective and determined, insisting that I shouldn’t be sent away. A warmth spread through my chest, filling me in ways I’d never experienced before, making me feel more alive than I ever had.So, this is what people meant when they talked about the joy of having kids. I’d been grinning like a fool since that guy left and made me angry.“Did you find yourself a woman?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow. I frowned.“What are you talking about?”He took a sip of his beer, not breaking eye contact. “You’ve been smiling like an idiot, like you’re thinking about someone you love, someone who makes you happy. A woman.”I laughed, shaking my head. Luke chuckled too, but then he added, “As much as you look ridiculous with that smile, I’d be glad if you found a woman.”I laughed even harder. “Who said only a woman can make a man happy?”They both stopped and turned to look at me at the
OLIVIAI wasn’t sure what I was hoping for. When Nick and my dad walked in, I found myself looking past them, almost expecting to see Marcus right behind them. I had told the man I needed time to myself, yet deep down, I still hoped to see him. How pathetic, wanting one thing but wishing for something entirely different.But then, seeing the baby, it shattered me. It was the first time I laid eyes on her, and I hadn’t realized she would look so fragile. She was so tiny, like she might break if I even touched her. It didn’t take long for me to notice that my father seemed uncomfortable around her. I understood, though; it was also my first time seeing such a small baby. Still, I felt a sense of relief hearing the doctors say she was doing well. They gave me instructions on how to care for her, and one of them stayed behind at my father’s request to assist with her.I was grateful for the help. Being in a foreign country with a baby who had medical needs wasn’t going to be easy, even wi
NICKI guess it was time to face the fact that I had screwed up. I wasn’t even with my son yet, and I’d already messed things up badly. I had told Marcus to open a branch in Asia, but I swear I didn’t know that’s where we were heading. I just wanted to help him take his mind off things, so he wouldn’t end up overthinking himself into heart problems like I did when I lost Olivia.But now, sitting on the jet, Luke finally told me where we were going. There was no way in hell I was going to confess to what I’d done. If Marcus somehow found us, it would be because fate or whatever was out there was looking out for him.I decided to bury my head in the sand and pretend I had no idea what was going on. “Nick, what have you done?” Luke asked, his voice laced with suspicion. I lifted my head, putting on a neutral expression. I gave him a confused look. “What do you mean?” I even raised an eyebrow for effect.There was no way I was going to admit it now. He wasn’t going to hear the truth from
MARCUSI thought the pain of my wife leaving me was the worst I would ever feel, but I was wrong. The real pain came from losing all of them at once, my wife, my son, and now my daughter. Even the one person who truly understood what I was going through was leaving. I was going to be left alone in my misery, and I had no idea how I would get through it. How was I supposed to live each day without them?It already felt like I couldn’t breathe, like my heart was about to give out right there. We were at the airport, and the last time I held my baby was before we left the hospital. Now she was in an incubator, being carried by the doctors, heading off in an ambulance to the jet.Luke’s jet looked more like a private hospital ward than an aircraft. I had no doubt that my little girl would be comfortable there until she reached her mother. But the sight of them loading her onto the jet, leaving me behind, took the last part of my heart with them. It broke me.“Hey man, remember what I told
OLIVIAMy dad called this morning to inform me that the doctors had approved the baby for travel. I was relieved that everything had gone well, until he mentioned that Nick would be returning with him. The news didn’t sit well with me, but then he explained that Nick wasn’t coming for me; he was coming for his son, Samuel.As much as I didn’t want Nick anywhere near me, I couldn’t deny that he was still Samuel’s father. I couldn’t keep my son from his father any longer. Nick had the right to be with his son, especially now that he seemed to have come to his senses and wasn’t threatening me for no reason anymore.However, our conversation was overheard by none other than Xander, who Ethan had been keeping a close eye on. Ethan made it clear that he wasn’t going to let Xander take Marcus’s place. What he didn’t know, though, was that I had no intention of being with anyone other than my husband.I might have left him after everything that happened, but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to
NICKThe doctors spent the night monitoring the baby, running tests to ensure Marcus’s princess was ready for the journey. Luke was the first to leave the hospital, claiming he was tired and needed rest. But we all knew he was avoiding being around the baby. It was almost comical, considering he still had to travel with her.It made me wonder what he would do on the flight or once we returned to Olivia. Was he planning on avoiding her forever, or was this just temporary until she grew and looked less like a rat and more like a human? I wasn’t sure.Last night, I took Marcus out for drinks, and somehow, we ended up at my place. In his drunken state, he helped me pack a few things, most of which I hadn’t planned on taking. I had my own intentions.Leaving the clothes behind would be my excuse to spend some quality time with my son, to buy him things he actually wanted for the first time as his father. But I let Marcus do what he wanted. The man was about to send his daughter off to who