Briana POV
When 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
Briana POV“What do you mean she left?”Marcus roared when he got into the office and found me holding my head with my hands.I kept staring alternately at Martina’s resignation letter and the divorce paper she signed, and Marcus' thundering voice startled me.My brother's agitation
Noah POV“I did not know that sitting for a very personal interview could be draining. “ I complained to Brent and Chris after Amy Smith and her crew left the office.It was only fifteen minutes, but it sure felt as if all my energy had been zapped out of me.“Serves you right. You did not even give us a heads-up. Consider yourself lucky that Amy Smith grabbed the chance to get a scoop. Otherwise…” Brent trailed off.
Briana POV"Your daddy is still busy at the hotel," I told the triplets when I saw the disappointed look on their faces when they saw only me.“Daddy promised,” Riley grumbled when I strapped him to his seat.His two brothers did not say anything, but their shoulders were hunched. It was so easy to see that they shared Riley's feelings.I bit my lip when I was about to blurt out to the kids that they were not the only ones.I was disappointed, too.I was expecting Noah to pop the question privately so I could give him my yes, but thirty minutes before we picked up the kids, he called to tell me he was canceling on me.
Briana POVAt the Hunter Hotel, I saw the surprised look on the faces of Noah's employees when they saw me walking in with the children and smirked.I bet they did not expect me to be there.The children ran ahead of me, looking cute in their school uniform.They looked innocent and clueless, greeting everyone they passed by.People waved and smiled at them, but they looked strained.The triplets did not know that I brought them here for two reasons. One is to eat at the revolving restaurant, which they liked so much, and the other is to catch their lying father.The doorman's reaction when he sighted us was spectacular. The concierge looked guilty, which somehow hinted at Noah doing something sneaky behind my back.It took me herculean effort to control my urge to lash out at everyone.Even Ed, Noah's head bodyguard, was nervous when he saw me make a U-turn earlier. He signaled for me to stop.I stopped the car, and I waited for him.He jogged on the road, and I opened the window
Noah POVI still feel guilty after hanging up the phone.“Why look so glum?” Brent asked.“Briana sounded upset that I broke my promise to the children.”He clapped my back.“Consider this. Briana will be happier when you pop your surprise later.”I nodded, hoping Briana would say yes.&n
Noah POV“We’re doing so much PDA, Noah.”Briana grumbled when I pulled back from kissing her.
Noah POVBriana walked ahead of us while the four of us walked behind her. Conspicuously, the children were behaved. They did not make a fuss or anything.“Is Hanna in her office?” Briana turned her head around to ask.I shook my head. “I don’t know,” I told her, fingers crossed.Earlier, I instructed Hanna’s boss to assign out-of-office work for her so she wouldn’t get wind of my plans. I knew that if Hanna learned about it, there was a possibility that she might spill the beans with my wife, maybe not intentionally, but I didn’t want to take a chance.I wanted everything to be perfect later when I popped the question.“I hope she’ll be here by the time we leave.” She told me and continued walking until she arrived at the entrance of the revolving restaurant.The children squealed when the maître opened the door for them.“Hello, Uncle Rio. We are here!!” They greeted the tall man at the door before they ran inside to choose a spot.Riley’s eyes started to wander as if he was looki
Flint POV“I don’t know what to think anymore,” I admitted to Brent while drinking vodka in a private room inside the Blue Canyon, a country club in Redwood where we both enjoyed VIP memberships.“Why don’t you ask her? Instead of overthinking and suspecting your brother, go to your wife and seek the answers to all the questions crowding your head.”“I really love talking to you, Brent. You are like a cold bath - scary but necessary.” I told him bluntly.Brent chuckled.“You needed it.”I clapped Brent on the back.“Thanks.”“Let’s go. It’s two in the morning, and the manager had been giving us deadly looks already. I think this club is closing for the day.”After Brent settled the bill, we rose from our seats and ambled back to his car.I left my c
Briana POVAfter the police officers took my three brothers, I got back on my desk and sat morosely there.“Where are your brothers? I thought you had an emergency meeting?” Noah asked, disrupting my solitude.I looked at him sharply. “They were at the police station.”Noah opened the door wider and walked in.He loosened his tie and slumped on the couch. He looked tired, but he was looking at me with love in his eyes.It had been four years since I took a chance on him, and his love never wavered. In truth, it had intensified through the years.
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.