She had thought fleetingly of taking a vacation. Just for herself. To be with herself and find the Reyona she had been before she started planning everything about her life around him. Her dear husband. She couldn’t think of the last time she had made any decision without thinking of what he would think or if it would be good for him or not. No more.It would be Reyona first from now on. She had received a surprising call from her dad that afternoon. She had never been close to her parents, as they separated when she was still a child, leaving her with her grandmother while they both searched for their happiness.Reyona had resented them for a long time and turned to her grandmother for care and attention.“Don’t blame those two, my darling. They do not hate you. How can someone afford to? You are the best thing that came out of both of them. The adult business is just more complicated than you could understand now. And those two did not do a good job of handling it,” Grams would say t
Reyona finally understood why her parents could remain friends despite everything. Their spouses knew each other. Whenever Carlisle and Maureen travel to Copenhagen, where Gladys and Reyona’s stepfather, George, lived with their twins, they always stay in one of their homes. Vice-versa. She had never understood them. How was it possible to let go of the past to that extent?Looking at her dubious husband, who seemed to be looking for a way to bring up whatever was on his mind at the moment,. Reyona knew that there would be no friendship left when she and Thomas departed.Hearing her father’s theory about love that afternoon gave her another thing to mull over. Was she in love with Thomas, or did she merely love him? Had he ever felt anything for her at all?Reyona set her phone aside. She could check her messages tomorrow. She doubted that she would even be able to understand anything right now anyway.Thomas was not done, though, as she had been expecting. He turned to look at her jus
“And you have a meeting with Antoine's Real Estate by 11:00 am,” Charlotte was saying as she hurried behind Reyona to her office, flipping through her legal pad. “Their rep called a while ago to verify if you are still available and I told her yes since you didn’t say anything else."“Yes, yes, I will make it. What else?” Reyona, who was annoyed with herself for oversleeping that morning, walked briskly to her office. She had woken up past 8:00 am, for God’s sake. She couldn’t remember the last time she slept past six.It was a habit she had developed since college, and it had stayed with her. She guessed she should be pleased that she was making up for all the sleep she had lost in the past months, but now was not the right time to be indulging in too much shuteye, not when she had a lot to do.“...said his name was Mr. Rohan, and he had urgent business. I wouldn't leave when I told him he needed an appointment first, so I made him wait in the general waiting room,” Charlotte was sayi
It was quite an embarrassing thing for a man like Maxwell Rohan to admit, but he was nervous. Damn it. Ridiculous as it felt, he felt like a schoolboy going to the principal’s office.Maxwell thought himself cynical. He had seen most things and hardly got surprised by anything anymore, but he had not just been surprised the night before.He was shell-shocked.After getting the details of his wife from Asshole Thomas, he intended to check out who the woman was just so he could know who he would be facing. Though he wouldn’t admit it to himself, of course, he was also curious to see how the woman looked.She had to have flaws for her husband to have an affair that long that produced three children without her knowledge.Maybe she was deaf. Or dumb. He thought in amusement as he inputted the information into his system.Reyona Lanoth. He sure liked the name. He mused as he added the occupation information to Searchit. A C.P.A., her husband had called her.“Holy sh*t” was the first thing t
Reyona just wanted to get the meeting with the client over with so she could start her day as planned.“It must be something very important if he was willing to wait despite no assurance that he would see me,” she thought as she awaited him.A slight knock preceded Charlotte’s entrance. “He is here, ma.”“Oh, alright,” she said as she turned from the window. “Come in, s...you?” she asked in surprise as she saw the man behind her secretary. His hateful smile was creeping its way onto his face already.He stepped forward confidently and took her free hand in a firm handshake "It is a pleasure meeting you again, CPA Lanoth,” he said professionally, the earlier smile gone from his face.The bitter taste of the coffee got even more bitter in Reyona’s mouth when she saw the slight raising of his brow with his back to Charlotte, who was looking at the two of them in confusion. She realised that even while seeming professional, he was silently daring her to act like the professional that she w
He couldn’t resist the temptation of seeing her hazel eyes fire up. So instead of him explaining what he meant by his statement when it was obvious that that was what she was expecting, Maxwell merely paused and gave her a steady look.Rilling her up was a bonus anyway. He was also thinking of what he should say that wouldn’t have her send someone to throw him out.He was known to be good with his words, but he was amazed that when faced with this woman, he wasn't as great as he had always thought.Hey, your husband is fucking my sister, and I know that you know about that and their children. By the way, I suspected that you might have a hand in her arrest, and now I am here to make a deal with you.Maxwell cringed at what the outcome of that could be.She seemed to be done with waiting for him as she picked up the receiver and dialled a number. “Hello, yes. Come to my office right now. Someone needs to be escorted out. What are you doing?” She asked in outrage when he leaned over and
“Well, I don’t know about that... but at least I can send you out of my office.” Reyona replied evenly, her eyes sparking in animosity at the arrogant bastard standing so self-righteously in her office “Out now before I call the security on you!” she yelled as she jerked her corked thumb towards the door.“Reyona…Rey….”“Why is he calling her in Thomas’s voice?” She wondered as she narrowed her eyes at his serious-looking gaze; she could almost detect pity in his look, and that even annoyed her more! How dare he pity her! This was all their fault! He and…“Babe?” I think you need to get up. She could feel a hand shake her, and her vision wavered. One instant, Maxwell was in front of her, looking at her indifferently. The next, he was whispering into her ears, “Face it. You can’t run from it. Or me”“Who does he think he is?” she thought in anger and lashed out with her fist.“Aaargh!” A pain-filled voice yelled close to her ear, and she jerked up in confusion.The muted light and chang
“Oh, wow. Boss, that was beautifully done. They would be nothing but a fool not to give you that contract, you know,” Philip Agguerro, one of the best top accountants in ReyDexter, said as he followed Reyona out of the presentation room at Multilinks Co.“Of course, it will be beautiful. I already knew that this would be a smash when she said she would take this up,” Samantha Boone, her ace accountant, said as they all left the room at a clipped pace. “You see that other CPA company? What was the name again?”"I didn't catch it,” Philip said with a distasteful look on his face.Reyona smiled to herself. She knew that her employees knew the name of their competition. They were just saying that out of loyalty. Yes, they have pretty stiff competition, but Reyona knew that she did excellently well, and Multilinks would be a fool not to choose ReyDexter, but it was great to hear the approval from her staff too.“They have got no chance at all.” Samantha continued, “Did you see the way those
Dear Reader, Thank you so much for following this journey from the beginning to this point. I appreciate your comments, votes, review and continuous reading. You are my real MVP. Reyona's story has come to an end here as she went on to live happily ever after while navigating the beauty and trials of life with the love of her life. But then Toria's story is just about to begin. What do you say to navigating Toria's new journey as she confronts her rollercoaster feelings for Andreas while dealing with the powerful Kanellis family and forces determined to keep them apart? Would you like to see if a headstrong, free-spirited lady like Toria can fit into the imperious and honourable family while she fights her demons? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Thank you for being here. Do check out my other books. I am Kabirat Aleem.
“.... I promise to love and cherish you for as long as we live and beyond. I will respect you and always remember that you are my partner before anyone else. I will put you and our family first in my decisions. You are mine in totality just as I am yours. Together we shall grow in loyalty, in abundance, in comradeship, in support and eternal love. I will forever be by your side in everything that comes our way on this journey of life….”“I, Maxwell Rohan, take you, Reyona Beatrice Dexter, as my lawfully wedded wife today in the presence of God and man, with the promise to cherish our vow until I breathe my last.”“I, Reyona Beatrice Dexter, take you, Maxwell Rohan, as my lawfully wedded husband today in the presence of God and man, with the promise to cherish our vow until the day I die.”As her sister and her husband completed the vows they had worked on themselves and slid the rings on each other's fingers, Toria tried hard to keep her tears at bay as the minister said, “You may kiss
The past month had been the most heart-filling one for Reyona.She watched as Allysyn lolled Sophie's bassinet while showing her something in the picture book she had in her hand.Meanwhile, Junior jiggled the rattle above Lucas to the delight of the baby and the hopping dog.An inexplicable bliss filled her at the thought that these belonged to her.These beautiful blessings that had been bestowed upon her when she least expected them were a solid part of her story.Reyona leaned back in her chair with a big smile on her face as she reached for her drink.“Rey, you are glowing. I mean, you are literally glowing. You should see your face right now. Hold on.”Toria quickly took a few snaps with her phone before turning the phone around to face Reyona.Reyona smiled as she looked at the pictures while sipping her mimosa.Although she couldn't see herself literally glowing as Toria had said, she loved what she saw.The woman in the picture looked…fulfilled.Long gone was the anxious, sad
Two Months Later“Does this mean we will have to call you Mum and Dad now?” Allysyn asked in a solemn tone.Reyona looked at Maxwell with a smile before responding to Allysyn.“It means we are forever your family now. It means we have got you forever. In as much as you do not forget that, what you call us doesn't matter.”Although she knew how beautiful it would be to hear them use those words.“I am Thomas Junior Rohan?” Junior asked with his head tilted after he pronounced what he had been using his hand to trail in spelling.“Do you like being Junior Rohan?” Reyona asked with a smile.He looked thoughtful for about ten seconds before saying, “I love it.” To Maxwell, he said, “Does this mean I get to drive your car now?”Reyona and Maxwell laughed as Allysyn rolled her eyes.Reyona sucked in her breath as the laughter waned.“Well, maybe in the future, if you've been very good, of course. But not yet.”“Aww,” Junior said with a pout. Then he brightened in the next second. “I will be
The call was from his head of security.Reyona listened to his terse response to the person on the call.Then, just as he took the turn towards his estate, she felt her phone buzz.She frowned as she saw that it was a message from Maxwell.“We have a guest,” it says.She looked at the back of his head as she wondered why he couldn't just say that directly instead of sending it as a message.She was about to ask him who it was when she looked beyond the windscreen and saw the police cruiser.Her heart kicked against her rib and she looked downwards to check if the even-breathing Allysyn had slept off or something.“Look, Max! The police!” Junior shouted excitedly as he pointed at the spot where the police officer was just turning away from the man he was speaking to, the head of security.Allysyn's lax body went taut as she jerked upward, looked in the direction that Junior was pointing at, and then back at Reyona.She had a mixture of fear, question and uncertainty in her face.Reyona
Reyona and Maxwell went together to take the kids from school that day.Despite their fears that some unrelenting reporters might have decided to call them about what happened or ambush them for an interview about what they felt about Thomas's death, nothing of such happened.The school was also free of any lurking reporters or paparazzi.It was either they had decided that Thomas's death was not as worthy of news as his scandal had been, or they were still jeering up to blast the family with all they got later.Whatever it was, they were glad as they waited in silence in front of the school for closing time.Soon enough, school was over for the day.Maxwell came out as the students came out en masse.Soon enough, they saw Allysyn and Junior.Junior was skipping alongside Allysyn while dragging his backpack along and shouting some words at a friend who was going towards another car parked close by.He was being his jovial self as he waved hard at the friend and asked him not to forget
Reyona's head jerked upward as she heard Maxwell's voice.Then she looked sideways when she heard a growling sound.Jerking his head from Reyona to Maxwell, Skippy's pupils had dilated so much that they almost covered his entire eyes.His growl continued as he looked confused about where he should escape.Reyona realised what was going on as she saw Maxwell standing at the entrance, blocking his escape route.He felt cornered!She realised as the dog backed away while his growl increased in pitch.“Maxwell, move,” she said urgently, and he automatically stepped aside.The dog hopped past him in a flash.The dog kept going without stopping at all.Maxwell shook his head and went to Reyona. “What was that about?” He asked in an incredulous voice.“We were building a friendship,” Reyona said with a pout.“That was friendship?” Maxwell asked in disbelief.“Well, we were about to. Then you…do you think they do therapy for dogs?” She asked in contemplation.Maxwell started chuckling, “Ah, a
The soothing sound of the water reminded Reyona of the brook that ran through their homes in Bellevue Hill.She felt completely blissful in the oasis that Maxwell had surprised her with.It was exactly a replica of the one in her home in Sydney.After their dinner that night, Reyona was still pretending to be miffed at him because he wouldn't tell her if he really was the one who donated to the orphanage she had opened in her grandmother's name.Then, as if he didn't notice, he told her to check out something.“I am still mad at you,” She had said as she folded her arms above her belly and gave him a mutinous look.“It is a good thing that you are a versatile woman then. You could be mad at me and still come check this out. You will be glad you did. I promise.” He said innocently.Then, just as Reyona pretended she had not made up her mind yet, he swept her off her feet.How can he still carry her so effortlessly? She wondered as she squealed “Maxwell!”That was the first time the pap
Reyona had no intention of having the wedding while she was still pregnant.“It is called ‘walk down the aisle’, not waddle down the aisle'. Thank you.”That had been her argument and everyone had agreed with her.Not after Toria had added that their dad could carry her.“Then it will be ‘float down the aisle'” she had said in jest.They all came to an agreement that the wedding preparations would start after she had given birth in about two months.They spent the night in the hotel, and they all visited The King’s Creek to pay obeisance to Grams before their parents’ and Toria's departure.Maxwell, Reyona and the kids will stay back in Boowag until the jet got back.Stefan and his co-pilot were to carry Gladys and Carlisle to their destinations before coming back for them.It would take Gladys home first, then make a stopover at Milan to drop Carlisle before coming back.Toria had a standby jet that had brought her to Boowag and Kayooma for the preparation of the surprise and all.Of