Feeling more lighthearted than she could remember ever being in the past months, Reyona drove up her driveway with her sister behind her. Toria was on the phone with her friends that came to Kayooma with her.“Yes, I will be staying with my sister today. Duh, I am not ditching...of course, it is before pals,” she said after a pause, sticking out her tongue as if the person on the other end could see her. “Yeah, say hi to Jake for me, yeah, girl! Don’t do what I wouldn’t do. On second thought, please don’t do some things that I would do!” She laughed out loud as he listened to what the person on the other end was saying before she shook her head. “No, don't..."Reyona smiled as she tuned out her sister’s conversation, and then her smile vanished when she saw that Thomas’s car was already parked in their lot. Toria saw the car simultaneously and told the person on the other end that he would get back to her.“Yes, probably tomorrow. bye” she said breezily as she disconnected the call and
Reyona realised in a split second that she might have judged Toria’s temper too fast because of the fury she felt regarding the bastard that stood in front of her at that moment, as he calmly told her that it was her fault that he smashed her TV screen, which was unlike any she had felt recently.Her fault? He thought it was her fault that he damaged their property? Did he think it was her fault too that he cheated on her?It was her fault that he decided to damage their marriage.It was her fault that he chose to deny her the joy of motherhood by giving what should have been her exclusive right to someone else.It was her fault that...Reyona realised that the more she thought about it, the more likely it was for her to blow off, so she simply put a stop to her spiralling thoughts and gave him a demeaning look as he stood there, weaving a little on his feet as he looked back at her belligerently with no iota of remorse whatsoever.“You broke the screen, and it is my fault?” she asked
“You…you made me do it!”Reyona shook her head to herself as she thought of what happened the night before. She still couldn’t believe that the man she thought she knew was so different from the man that Thomas had become.She thought of the fact that he might have been like that all along while he had successfully hidden it from her, just like everything else. She berated herself for having been a fool, all in the name of love and acceptance. She wondered how many other things she did not know about him that she was wrong about.She never believed that the Thomas that she knew would touch a woman with violence, whether under influence or not.“That shows how naive and unaware you have truly been in this marriage,” she muttered to herself in the confines of her car. Her lips curled in a bitter smile. She drew in a sharp breath as the stiff, pain-filled side of her face protested.Reyona flipped down the rearview mirror to look at her face. She was satisfied by what she saw, and she kne
Reyona stoically went through the process of having her pictures taken.She sat with no expression as Gibson arranged to have the firm’s photographer take her picture.In no time, it was over.All the details they needed to serve her husband with a divorce petition had been taken.Gibson assured her that her husband would be wise to comply with the terms of the divorce as fast as possible.Reyona told him to make a good case without adding the case of the hitting to it yet.She had a feeling that Thomas might want to dispute the divorce, but she still held out a little hope that he would be sensible enough to let her go.After all, if the case of hitting her got to court, it wouldn’t only hasten the divorce proceedings; it would even land him in jail.Reyona did not want him in jail.Not because she still felt any empathy for him, but because of the children that she couldn’t stop thinking about.They were already separated from their mother because of her.Reyona did not want to be a
The silence that followed was palpable on the other end.It was the soft gasp and continuous breathing that indicated that Toria was still on the other end.Then, “I never did like the idiot. His head is too big for his body.”Reyona couldn’t hold back the laughter that rumbled out of her chest.With it came what had been lodged in her throat.Hot tears gushed out of her eyes as she laughed loudly and long in the serene silence of the exclusive park.“I am sorry, Reyona.” Toria's empathetic voice stopped Reyona’s laughter but not the tears.The tears streamed down her face in silence as Toria continued, “I know how much your home means to you, sis. I cannot begin to imagine your pain right now. Where are you, Rey? Please tell me where you are.”Toria.Reyona would never understand how her sister could read her so well, no matter the distance between them.“I need some time to myself, Toria,” she said honestly.Toria sighed “Okay, Rey. I don’t like it, but okay. Please don’t turn off y
A true definition of head on earth and feet in water.That was what the caption had said.As Maxwell drove in the direction of Sandston Park, he wondered what Reyona was doing.He wouldn't have pegged her as someone who would do something so...Well, he was still thinking of the right word for it.He had already asked his assistant to send him the account name of the person who uploaded that video clip online.Distaste filled his mouth as he pondered the shameless acts of most people, all because they wanted followers and views.The bastard must have come across Reyona while she was asleep out there on the grass, and he took the video and uploaded it online for views.Ridiculous as her action might have been, the bastard who took advantage of it was going to blame himself.Maxwell accelerated the car and drove as fast as he could.Yes, she hated his gut, but he was not about to leave her out there to be prey for more people.His phone pinged with a message from his assistant.It had t
The process was faster than Reyona had thought it would be.As she drove up the cobblestone driveway that led to the cottage-style house, she already loved what she saw.Reyona had no intention of going home that day, and she had never been a fan of hotels.She almost called Charlotte to arrange a place for her, but then she changed her mind and checked online for a place she could rent for a month.She supposed the whole mess shouldn't take more than that to be cleared up.She still didn't trust herself not to do something she would regret later if she had to keep seeing her soon-to-be ex-husband's deceit-filled face.Ex-husband!That word snagged on her mind, and the unexplainable peace she had felt when she woke with a jolt at the park was reduced.Reyona did not know what woke her up, but she knew she was feeling better.She had also been chilled to the bone.So she quickly put the plan she had in mind into motion.She checked online for places to rent for a short time.She picked
“You should have seen her face, Drew. It was priceless!" Celia Jordan, the wife of Andrew Jordan, said with glee as she waddled slightly before dropping heavily into the wicker chair that her husband held for her. Andrew shook his head in exasperation as he quickly set a footstool before her and slowly helped her rest her leg on it. Celia rolled her eyes above his head and grinned at the man who was staring at the two of them with a smile. “See what I have to deal with, Maxie. He worries too much,” Celia said. Then she sighed dramatically as she rested her back against the chair, piled with soft cushions. “Poor me. I can’t even have any excitement anymore.” She looked down at her huge belly and said, “Hey you, do fast and come out before your father coddles me to death.” "Celia,” Andrew called softly as he bent down before her. The retro billionaire, whose personal life is still a mystery to the media and who is a hardcore in the business world, is a softie when it comes to the
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