EUGENEI picked up my phone immediately after Kyle left, dialing my assistant. I put her in charge of that man and I expect to hear about it if there's any update on him at least.“Good afternoon ma'am." She said as soon as she picked up the call.“What's the update on Bryan Lancaster?"There was silence on the other end of the call immediately, I even heard a sharp breath, like a gasp.“Ma, I can explain." Those words just meant that what Kyle said was right. He's gone.“You better do, and don't you dare tell me that you can't find him, I won't take it lightly with you if you tell me that.”“He disappeared, he left the hospital without any traces and he hasn't been found since then. I wanted to find him myself before telling you that he was gone." She rushed out the words as if she didn't want me to interrupt her.Lines of profanities left my mouth as she said that, I was fervently hoping that it wasn't true and she still knew where he was.“What you're trying to say in essence is th
SHAWNAIt's today, the wedding ceremony and anniversary that I've been anticipating for so long. The hall used has been decorated so well since it serves two purposes and it's meant to work for both.As Eugene's maid of honor, I'm meant to be with her before she goes up, though I'm currently on my way there. She already sent the room number to me, so I'm on my way there.On a normal day, we should do all the planning and dressing up together. But things between me and Eugene are never normal.She sent the dress to me yesterday, and I didn't even bother to wear it, I went for the one Liam and I later went to check yesterday, and he said I couldn't wear the one I picked two days ago.I opened the room with the pin she sent to me, stepping in to see her all ready and dressed up even though there were a lot of people in the room with her.“Why are you dressed this way? You aren't the one getting married here? And why did you not wear the dress I sent over yesterday? It's way prettier than
SHAWNAThe door to the hall was opened and my grandfather stepped in. The way he walked in made everyone look back, a lot of people let out shocked gasps.Eugene looked like she wanted to jump into the nearest well or something. She just looks so ashamed and shocked at the same time.Grandfather walked majestically to the front, stopping by the board members who occupied the front seat. They all just looked more than shocked to see him.“Okay, I think I like this kind of surprise, you all look so shocked to see me that it's funny." He chuckled dryly, definitely not humorously.“And that makes me wonder if it's because of the things that are going on in the company currently or basically how you all have let me down?”He didn't even need a microphone for his voice to be heard, the hall was quiet enough for that. I watched as they all shrunk back into their seat, each of them trying so hard to not look at Grandfather in the face."You all really disappointed me, I won't even lie. I made
EUGENE“I swear that I've seen this face somewhere before I was locked up before." One of the ladies walking past me said.What she just said made the other girls walking with her stop too. I just ignored them, going back to scratching my legs.The air around here and everything here was just so different from what I'm used to. I've not tasted water or anything since I came here.“Same here, I recognize her. You know I was telling you this same thing yesterday.” The other one said.They walked closer to me, all with their eyes trained on me. I just hope they go their way because there's no way I'm letting them go if they insult you."Hey, the loner. What's your name?” The one at the front asked me."Just go away," I said, gesturing at them to go away with my hand too.“Even the voice sounds familiar, it sounds like that of someone I hear on the news. What's your name? What do you do normally?” The other one asked."Wait, is this Eugene Brown?” The third girl that haven't said anything
SHAWNA“Good morning, ma'am." My new assistant, Cara said to me as I got to the floor. She smiled professionally at me, walking into the office with me.I've changed everything around here, to the extent of changing the office room design, it's just like this is a brand new building once again."Good morning, Cara. What do you have for me this morning?” I asked her, returning the smile and energy she gave me.“Nothing much, you don't have any physical meetings today, they're all just physical meetings." She replied, going over the iPad she had in her hand.I settled on my seat and looked up at her. I rested against the chair, turning around a bit. I changed every bit of equipment in this office.I don't know, but it feels like using the same things she used when she was still here made it feel like I'm doing the wrong thing.Even if the assistant has been changed, there's just no way I'll let that girl work with me again. I just had to let her go while I employed another person.And i
SHAWNAI couldn't stay at the prison for long. Eugene wasn't even willing to talk to me again. I left with the promise of visiting her more often, that didn't sit well with her, of course.Just as I got out of the station, my phone started ringing. When I saw that it was Damien, a smile came up on my face. My entire face was warm.“Is someone missing me?” I teased as I answered the call."I think so, and we can meet right now if you'll meet me at our favorite spot,” he said."Really? Are you there right now?” I asked him, pausing by my car.“Yes, I'm waiting for you, come over." He said.He doesn't even have to say that twice. I was already thinking of what to do for the rest of the day since I've closed for the day, I'm done with all I have to do already.“I'll be with you shortly, stay right there," I told him.“I'll always wait for you." He said, his face very calm and soft.“Okay then, I guess I'll see you soon," I said then ended the call.I got into my car and drove towards the
SHAWNADamien looked back at the voice, he stood up immediately he saw the person who called his name. I didn't see his face very well, but it looked like was smiling.“Stacey, it's been years!" He exclaimed. They both hugged and laughed like they'd been away for years and they were just reconciling, which they were.“It has been years indeed. I didn't know I'd see you here though, I just knew that voice and the back view looked familiar." She giggled.I badly wanted to butt in there, she didn't look like someone who didn't know he was here when she was coming here, she walked straight to him without an iota of doubt in her.“Really? What are you doing here though? Both in the country and this place, you traveled out years ago." He asked her.I just sat down on the blanket while they talked away. It felt like I wasn't even there at all.“I did travel out to relocate. But I'm back here finally now, I made some mistakes years ago that I'm back to correct and start life all over again."
SHAWNAIs she mentally deranged or what? Because I can't just seem to understand why she'd say something like that. Damien is not a kid or toy that should be claimed that way.The fact that she walked away before I could give her a response was even more annoying, I was too stunned to say anything to her.Since we were almost at my car before she said that, I just got in. I drove off with my head filled with different thoughts. I didn't want to think too much about what just happened, I didn't want to be sad so soon already.I just started getting happy, there's no way I'll let anyone soil my happiness with her delusions. Damien doesn't have anything to do with her again, right? She just came out of her hiding ten years ago.I drove home, playing my favorite song on the car's speaker. I'm trying so hard to not let anything make me sad at all. She's not just enough to bring up that emotion in me.On getting home, I saw only my mom up. The kids and their grandfather were fast asleep, th
STACEY“Yes," I mumbled, my voice sounding so small and almost inaudible.The policemen looked at me like they didn't believe me. But they just had to believe it since it was Damien who said it. I still can't believe that he stood up for me.“Okay then, I think it's all clear to us now. We'll work with everything we have now and continue investigating.” Their boss said."Okay then, just let me know once you get anything on her whereabouts, I'd love to know about the outcome,” Damien told them.As if I'll allow them to get to the root of this, I'm not also dumb to the extent of not covering up this little slip-off. And Eugene better be ready for what will hit her next, she dared to text that message to Damien.“Okay then, we'll leave now.” The policeman said and they all walked away. I heaved a sigh of relief as they left, I just can't imagine going to the station with them as they arrest me just because I was seen with Eugene before."Thank you for butting in earlier, thanks for helpi
DAMIENWe all rushed over to the said house, the policemen went in their cars and I had to once again endure being in the same close space with Stacey.She's currently beside me, her face crumpled up in a frown. She looks so much like she's trying to figure out a lot of things at once.“Do you think there's something important attached to that text? It could have just been a prank or someone who doesn't want to see us together." She said out loud at some point.Of course, I expect her to be very fidgety and all, that house might have something to do with her. I have an inkling that it's the place she's keeping Eugene.“On the contrary, I think it's very important that we investigate it properly. That text message could be more dangerous than we thought. That's why we have to see who sent it by going to the house.” I answered her.My eyes were solely on the policemen before me, I was tracking them since they were the ones with the address and not me. I just have to make sure I don't lo
STACEY“Just leave and never return here again. I don't ever want to see you around my children and the house at all." Shawna said.“You aren't even receptive at all, all I did was just to come and check up on you and your children. I didn't even do anything wrong, you're the bad person here." I mumbled, faking hurt.“Just get out of here, I'll be forced to do something drastic to you if you don't leave now.” She went to hold the door, gesturing at me to use it.I glared at both her and that boy following her around then walked through the door.“I'll be back," I promised her before she closed the door behind me. At least I know the hell hole she's living in now. I even wonder how she was able to afford the place before she attained the position of a heiress.I've been tracking her for some time now and I know she wasn't anywhere close to rich. The sudden change was surprising.Well, that's her business. I have other things to take care of right now. I got into the car I brought here
EUGENE“Only God knows where she is and what she's up to right now," I mumbled to myself as different thoughts started running in my head.Stacey brought me to this penthouse and left minutes after, she only said she was ‘going to settle things with Shawna’ and nothing more.It's so different with her now, all she's talking about now is getting Damien back. She seems to have taken care of Shawna already and all that matters is Damien.And that's the problem, I have a very huge problem with that. I paced the floor of the room she gave me with my hand running through my hair.My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by the doorbell. A frown came up on my face at that. Stacey already told me to not go out or answer the door for anyone.But that doesn't mean I won't still check who it is, I want to know who's behind the door so badly. I looked through the peephole and saw that it was Kyle.Kyle? I should be able to open the door for him, it's not like he doesn't know
SHAWNA“What? What's she looking for this time around and how did she know this place?" I asked with a shocked expression on my face.“I also don't know, my assistant that I asked to keep an eye on her just texted me to tell me that," Liam answered.“What if she's just visiting someone in this building and not us, we're not the only ones living here," I said.As if on cue, the doorbell rang. We looked at each other with an alarmed look on our faces. She's right here outside the door! I looked at Damien first, he had to hide.“Come with me." I grabbed his hand and took him to my room. There's really no way Stacey would know he's here if he stays here.“Don't come out till I say you should," I told him, walking back to the living room to see my children gone too, they left with my mother so I'm just alone with Liam now.I looked at Liam and he nodded at me before I went to answer the door. Truly, Stacey stood at the other side of the door. I wouldn't just allow her to come in like that.
SHAWNAI stood rooted on the spot, Phoebe is now standing before me and she looks like she needs a response immediately. My throat suddenly felt clogged and I didn't know what to do or say next.Everyone before me was awaiting my response but I was too gobsmacked to let out any sound.“Baby, how about you go in to meet your brothers first? This is a grown-up conversation. I'll come and meet you all later." I told her, trying as much as possible to sound normal even though I'm a mess internally."No, mom. All I just need is a yes or no. Is he our father?” She asked, looking at me like a mother would look at her child when they want to go through a rigorous questions session."But now is not the best time to say this, just go for now.” I pressed harder but it seems she's just as stubborn as her father. It didn't even seem like it, she was as stubborn as her father."You're my dad." She said, facing Damien now. Neither I nor Damien debunked what she just said and that was enough for her
SHAWNA“So, you can take her home now. She's very fine now, the antidote worked wonders on her." The doctor told me.“Thank you, we'll take her home now." I stood up and walked out of his office with a warm smile on my face. I'm happy that Phoebe is back, I'm very happy she's fine but I don't think I regret saying those words to Damien.To think that I was contemplating what to do, I didn't want to tell him that kind of thing and at the same time didn't want anything wrong to happen to my daughter.I went to make all the necessary arrangements I had to make before I could take her out of there, we didn't need to pay since the hospital belongs to us.After that, I walked into my daughter's room to see her awake already, she looked at the door as I entered and smiled on seeing me.“Hey, baby." I smiled, walking closer to her. I'm happy to see her back and healthy, I don't want anything to happen to her at all."Mom.” She mumbled, smiling weakly at me."I was looking for you, where did y
DAMIENI drove us around the city before I realized that I didn't know where I'd take her.“Do you have anywhere you’re going?” I asked her.Instead of replying to me, she started sobbing. I had to pull the car into a mall I saw.She was sobbing so loud that anyone who saw her would think I had done something to her. Tears flowed freely down her face as she sobbed loud.“What's wrong? Why are you crying?" I asked her, a frown etched into my face. She kept crying even more as I asked that question, and the frown on my face deepened even more.“Are you going to talk or what? You're scaring me at this point, why are you crying?” I asked things as much as possible to not sound like I was mad.She stopped crying a bit, hiccups took over the sobs in no time.“Can I have a tissue please?" She asked, her voice sounding cracked. I took some tissues from the ones I have in the car, I have such necessities with me here."Thank you." She said, dabbing her face with the tissues. I watched as she j
DAMIENI just wish life wasn't this hard, I wish things were different and it's just a world where I live in peace with Shawna and my children.My children, that just sounds right. I honestly should be happy about that information, but I'm mad because our world isn't in any way normal.This just feels like a fairytale or something, but in this context, my fairytale is just me and my family. I imagined a world and situation where it's just me and them.I drove out of Liam's premises and went to the flower shop. I picked one of the random ones I could lay my hand on. It's not like they're not all beautiful.After paying for the flowers, I drove to the airport straight up. I just hope there's no traffic or anything that'll slow down this journey at all.I just want to get this over with already, I don't know if I'll still be able to stand Stacey after everything I heard from Liam, I don't even think I'll be able to do that.With a hardened mind, I got out of the car after getting to the