Noah POVThe traffic had been light, and thirty minutes later, I pulled the car at the entrance to Rosewood Hotel.“You go ahead. I have an interview in thirty minutes.” Briana told me.Her arms reached for the snap of her seatbelt.My forehead creased into a frown.“What interview?”Briana never mentioned anything to me when we were at the house.“Remember what I told you before? Britney had to stop.”My heart raced.“What do you intend to do?”“I was just going to give her a dose of her own medicine. She abused her influence over the internet, and I intend to change that.” She said in a hard-edged voice.“Can’t we just let it go,” I asked.I felt partially guilty for what happened to Britney because I strung her along. For years, I thought she was really the love of my life until Briana’s comeback showed me that what I believed all these years was a sham.“Why? Do you love her? You don’t want to hurt her.”Briana’s lips thinned, making her insecurities appear unannounced.I did no
Noah POVI nodded. Maybe she was right.Maybe we needed to do this to stop Britney once and for all.“Alright.” I squeezed her before letting her go and taking her hand in mine.“Come. Let me walk you to your office.” I told her.I only meant to see her safe inside her office, and then I would leave. Still, when Martina informed us that the television crew that would interview Briana had arrived, I decided to follow Briana and get inside her office.I thought we had resolved our troubles before coming to Briana’s office. I had not counted that her visitors would make me antsy, making my heart feel ill at ease.I was seething when we arrived at Briana’s office and found Jimmy Ferguson, a late-night talk show host, waiting there with his staff.“Good morning, everyone. Sorry to have kept you waiting.” Briana said briskly to address Jimmy, his cameraman, and PA.Jimmy Ferguson stood from his seat, eyeing Briana with interest.The minute the door opened, he had already fixed his eyes on
Noah POVBriana gasped when I pulled her for a hug before Jimmy Ferguson could make his move on her.I saw the way he looked at her.He was attracted to my Briana.I abhor the way he looked at her.He was like a vulture ready to snap his prey.Briana returned my embrace. She must have momentarily forgotten about our visitors because she did not make any move to let go until Jimmy Ferguson cleared his throat.I felt her body go rigid at the sound of Jimmy’s throat clearing and squeezed her body to assure her.Still, I could sense Briana was embarrassed when she stepped away from me.I loosened my hold on her but did not allow her to leave my side. Instead, I snaked an arm around her and clipped her to my side, which Jimmy noticed immediately.I gloated at the envious way he looked at my arm around Briana.If he thinks that I will allow him a moment to touch what is mine, then he is highly mistaken.“Thank you, Jimmy,” Briana said.Jimmy extended his hand, and his smile brightened. “My
Briana POVI pretended to be busy for Noah’s sake.But when he closed the door behind him, I stopped the pretense and put down the pen and paper I was holding to lean back on my chair. Tiredness seemed to seep from every pore of my skin.I closed my eyes and sighed.There was a knock on the door. I knew it was Martina.“Come in.”The door opened and Martina came in.She frowned when she saw me.“What’s wrong? You looked troubled … and weary.” She sounded hesitant like she did not want to verbalize what was in her thoughts. “Has Noah left?” I asked, ignoring her comment.“Yes.” She replied, and I nodded slowly.I took a deep breath. I don’t know what I was feeling. I felt like Noah abandoned me. We had a misunderstanding, but he did not even stay to fix it.He has changed. He was not like this. Before whenever we had a misunderstanding, he wouldn’t leave my side until we made up. But now…I shook my head, wanting to dispel the sad thoughts. Maybe that’s how couples behave as they g
Noah POVI heard Briana’s surprised gasp and deepened the kiss.It was a gentle kiss aimed to soothe the pain I inflicted on her due to my insensitivity. Still, the minute my lips closed in on hers, passion burst inside me. I cannot seem to stop feeding on Briana's lips. They taste so much like honey, forgiveness, love, and lust. “I love you,” I told her when I pulled away because my phone had been ringing nonstop. “It was Langley,” I told her apologetically when I pulled the phone out of my pocket to check. Briana’s lids closed. But before that, I saw the yearning and the longing that matched my own. “Later, wife,” I promised and swiped the phone’s screen to receive Langley’s call. “What?” My voice came out harsh as it came between panting. I looked at Briana. She was panting, too. While my ears were glued to the phone, my eyes refused to abandon her face. I kept looking at her flushed face, wanting to continue where we left off. But Langley’s waiting. I took deep breaths t
Noah POV“Oral defamation case is not a criminal case in Redwood City.” My attorney explained when I told him what I wanted to do with Britney’s recent action that caused me a two-day staycation at the hospital.Brent brought a compilation of evidence against Britney. Unfortunately, we cannot file a criminal defamation case against her.“So, it was a useless case?” I asked, thoroughly disappointed.“If you want to put her behind bars, the law can’t help you.” My lawyer said, shaking his head.I clucked my tongue, feeling lost and drained.I thought I already had enough ammunition to make Britney accountable for her actions, but it seemed as if the prevailing law in Redwood restricted my hand.“Is there any other way?” I asked my lawyer, feeling discouraged that my plans won’t push through.I realized that my recent actions against Britney only showed Briana that I was protecting her when it was not my intention. Now, I intend to rectify that misconception and make Briana feel less thr
Briana POVWhen Noah left, my stomach started to churn, and my gums salivated.Bile rose from my throat.I tried to suppress it by covering my mouth with my palm but to no avail.Immediately, I rose from my seat and ran to the bathroom, where I puked my heart out.“Gwark! Gwark!”Acid spread through my throat and mouth, making me gag until another round of vomit hit me.I pushed my hair away from my face and opened the faucet to gargle tap water.Then, I pulled several paper towels from the dispenser to dab at my sweat-beading face.
Briana POVWe bought several packs of home pregnancy kits. Then, we also visited the neighboring convenience store to buy food.“The hotel has everything you need and want,” Martina commented when she saw me buy some items from the grocery that were also available in the hotel’s kitchen.“I want this brand. It’s different from our supply at the hotel.” I explained and dumped all my haul at the counter.I paid for our purchases, and we hurriedly left.“Are you ready?” Martina asked.We finished attacking the food we bought at the convenience store to stall the planned test. But now that we are full, there is nothing left to do but to face what we set out to do.“Are you?” I countered back.And we both chuckled at our silliness.“I’ll go ahead,” I told her, walking briskly to the bathroom. The faster the task is done, the better.I peed and collected samples in a small container provided in the box. Then, I soaked the white absorbent end of the strip in the urine for five to ten second
Flint POVI could not believe it.Brinaa had us arrested! The f*ck!After the police handcuffed the three of us, Briana took our phones.“Why are you confiscating our phones? I need that!” Marcus cried.Between the three of us, he was the most uncooperative and talkative.Briana ignored him. “You will get your phones later. For now, I am going to keep it.” She promised before the police officers led us out of her study.Downstairs, I saw the household staff gathered in
Flint POVRowan’s question, asking me about fathering Anna’s baby, hangs in the air.It wrapped around us like an elephant in the room.I took in my brothers’ look, feeling like the odd man out.Can’t I be man enough to take on my responsibility? Can I not be trusted to care for my own family?The dam inside me burst, and I lashed out at my brother, Rowan.“Yes, so don’t cross my line and stop meddling in my wife’s life. They don’t need you.”Rowan stared m
Flint POV“I am not talking to you, Flint. You embarrassed me in front of Linda, and that was unforgivable.”I winced, feeling guilty.In my eagerness to defend my family, I had forgotten that Briana was never an enemy.She was my sister.“I am sorry.”“I am just looking out for you. Haven’t you forgotten how hard women tried to trap you into marriage, not because they loved you but because they loved what you represented?” She lashed out at me.I chuckled. &ldqu
Anna/Linda POV“Hey, sis! ” Flint walked toward his sister with a wriggling Penelope in his arms.When he reached her, he stooped to kiss her cheeks.Penelope saw what he did and did the same. She kissed Briana’s cheek.Briana was left stunned, especially when Penelope showed her natural cuteness.She bounced in Flint’s arms, raising her hands to clap."Yay! Kwin ver gud!" Penelope said in a stilted manner.On the other hand, Flint looked like he was ready to burst into pride. He puffed
Anna/Linda POVWe spent three days secluded in the exclusive villa Flint rented for us. It was nothing short of idyllic. Penelope had a wonderful time. “Dad-dy!” She squealed and jumped on her little feet to evade the coming waves. “Bubbles!” She would cry in gibberish, pointing at the sea foam that crowded her feet and ankles. Then she would run to Flint, and Flint would swoop down to capture her and put her to dry sand. Then, she would stroll toward the waves again, repeating the same actions until Flint rescues her.“You are silent,” Flint said when he deposited Penelope beside me. I was sitting on the sand with my legs stretched out in front of me. He quickly worked on the sand, digging with his hands and throwing them to cover my legs. It attracted Penelope, and she mimicked her father. She took clumps of sand in her hands and threw them to my legs. “You need a spade, my little Queen,” Flint said.He looked around our surroundings before his eyes focused on something no
Flint POVAfter dinner, I was excited to put Penelope to sleep, but to my chagrin, she wouldn’t sleep however hard I coaxed her.She was too busy playing with the rose petals. She kept stepping on them while she walked around our rented villa.“Maybe she loved the downy feel of the rose petals on her soles.” Anna offered a likely explanation for our daughter’s seeming propensity for the flowers.She even pulled her shoes off before she jumped, skipped, and kicked on the petals covering the floor.I dropped my head playfully in response, but inside, I was dying for Penelope to lay her head on the bed so t
Flint POVI saw a myriad of emotions playing on Anna’s face and it made me want to crush her to my chest to offer assurance. I am a Ford.I have everything, but when it comes to Anna, I felt lacking as a man. Of course, it was different with our daughter.Would it be selfish of me if I wanted to be the only man for her, not just the father of her daughter? I wanted to be the best man for them both. “One day, I will make you fall in love with me,” I told her and saw her taken aback. I wanted to add that I will erase every feeling she has for my brother.I will be the only man she would need. The wedding ended. “Congratulations.” The priest held out his hand to send us his best wishes. He even patted Penelope’s head, making her giggle. “You have a lovely daughter.” He told us.Anna and I exchanged a look. She smiled, feeling proud of our daughter. I was, too. We did not linger. Our group left the church and ended up in the parking lot, where we went in separate directions.
Anna/Linda POVIt was not a grand wedding.The only attendees to our wedding were Flint, Penelope, and me.A man I did not know rose from the back pew to approach us."Goldstone!" Flint said in greeting when the man neared us.They shook hands while my eyes surveyed the church.A red carpet was laid in the center aisle decked with flowers. The church was prepped for a simple and solemn wedding."This is Anna, my soon-to-be wife. My Queen, I want you to meet Goldstone, our family's magician. He solv
Anna/Linda POVThe whole ride to Flint’s home, Penelope clung to her father.It was not a problem since Flint did not want to let her go either. He would point out the other cars outside the window, and Penelope would watch them race past us. Sometimes, he would make faces at her, and she would try to mimic them.They also played peek-a-boo. From time to time, Flint would cover his face with his palm, and Penelope would pull up or down the hand that blocked his face from her sight. And when she exposed his face, Flint would cry.“Peek-a-boo!” “Boo!” Penelope would shout before she broke into giggles. From time to time, the father-daughter tandem would include me in their play. When Flint noticed I was looking outside the window, he would pull me close to him and our daughter. One time, he wrapped an arm around my waist while his other hand supported Penelope, who bounced on his lap, enjoying the ride. It was a rare treat for Penelope.What makes this moment even more special