Briana POV“Sweetheart, I am here,” Noah informed me when I answered his call. He fetched the children from school without me. “How are you?” “I am fine.” “No more headaches?” He asked, sounding worried. I shook my head, though Noah wouldn’t see me before I responded to his question. “Just a little.” “Go home and rest.” He advised. I rose from my chair, arranged the papers on my desk in a neat file, and prepared to leave. “I am going home,” I informed him. “Have you seen the triplets?” “Not yet, but they will be here soon.” He said when I heard what sounded like the school bell on his end. Noah and I ended our call. I got out of my office, but before I left, I stopped by Belle’s desk.“Have you seen Marcus today?” Belle shook her head. “He has not reported since Monday.” She told me. I shook my head. My brother has been going on a downward spiral since Martina left him. He always locks himself at home for days. He rarely showed up at the hotel, and it bothers me.
Briana POVI bit my lip, and my nose twitched.I wanted to bitch slap Martina if I saw her again for doing this to my brother.He had become too different from the brother I knew five years ago.It was like life had been sucked out of Marcus.Gone was the confident man I knew, my bulwark when I lost myself after Noah and I parted.“I already signed the divorce papers, Brie.” His tone was dull, suggesting deep sadness.My hands clenched to my sides.
Briana POVI watched in contentment as my brothers clapped Marcus on the back. “Hey!” Marcus complained when Flint hit him a bit harder.Flint smoothed his back, grinning. “You are Brie’s favorite brother. You deserve that slap.” Rowan and Charles chuckled in mirth before they bent to pluck Marcus from the bed to carry him to the bathroom. “Put me down! Where are you going to take me?” Marcus cried.Charles, Rowan, and Flint placed him in the shower stall before they turned the shower on, and water sprayed on Marcus' face and head. Marcus tried to leave, but the three barricaded the door so he wouldn't go out. “Bro, you need to bathe. You seriously stink.” Rowan complained, and they all laughed while I watched them smother Marcus with liquid soap on his face and arm. “Stop. I will do it myself!” Marcus cried. The three stop and leave him alone. “Male sure you clean up well.” Charles hollered outside the bathroom before closing the door.As I heard the sounds of splashing w
Martina POVI walked out of the elevator and went nervously to the nurse’s station.“Is Dr. Martin in?” I asked the nurse dully.She nodded and pointed me in the direction of the clinic. “Room 405.”After thanking her, I started taking the route she told me and arrived at the door with the nameplate of the doctor I was looking for.I knocked.“Yes?” The nurse inquired.She ushered me in after informing her about my appointment with Dr. Martin. 
Briana Time flies so fast.I am now in my 37th week of pregnancy.After filing the petition and receiving his divorce certificate, Marcus immediately reported for work. He showed up at the office and started tackling the pending tasks and documents piled up on his desk. He deferred accepting runway engagements since he devoted most of his time to running the Hotel. I had become a stay-at-home mom and wife since my 35th week because Noah forbade me to report for work, and I was bored out of my wits. Marcus understands, though. Between him and Noah, I can’t do anything apart from whining and making catty comments alternately between them. “I want to go fetch the kids later,” I told Noah at breakfast this morning.He did not reply, and I thought that was a good sign. I was wrong. Noah got up from his seat at the dining table, walked to me, and kissed my lips.“A delivery van will arrive this afternoon.” He informed me I couldn’t leave the house because I had to receive the par
Noah POVI watched Briana’s reflection in the side mirror after I pulled the car from the driveway. She smiled, waving me goodbye, but the smile did not reach her eyes. I could not help but sympathize with her predicament.I promised myself I would make it up to her after the issue of Britney had been sorted out. Briana deserves that and more. When she was out of my sight, I called Brent. “How is it going?” Brent already knew what I was talking about. “I already called our people at the airport. We did not find any trace of Britney going out of Redwood.” “What do you mean?” “Brtiney did not leave Redwood. She is still here.” “Are you sure?” I asked. Worry laced my voice. This is what I was afraid of. If Britney had flown out of Redwood City, it would be better for my peace of mind. But since she didn’t, I could not take anything to chance. “What about the docks?” I am hoping Britney would use a passenger yacht or a ferry. Brent replied in the negative. “She is stil
Noah POV“Is anything the matter?” Brina asked. My breath hitched as I tried to act as casually as possible. Briana is an intelligent person. It would not take her long to put two and two together and come up with five. “Nothing. I am just curious.” I prevaricated, but I am sure my voice is giving me away. Briana knew me too much to be able to hide this from her. There was a pause on the other end. I am almost certain Briana is thinking. “Are you suspecting Hanna of helping Britney?” Bingo!Briana had nailed the issue on the head. Surprise, I became speechless. I don’t know what to say. Should I deny it or confirm it?I looked around me, trying to grope for words, clearing my throat to bide for time. Briana, as I said, was sharp. There is no way I can hide something from her. It’s best to tell her now. “We haven’t found any conclusive evidence yet. That is why I am asking you.” “But you are suspecting her. You wouldn’t call me if you didn't.” Briana sounded too sure of
Noah POV“Daddy!” “Daddy!”“Daddy!” I smiled when I heard the triplets call out my name. They had an early dismissal, and I was glad I decided to fetch them earlier than usual today. They rushed up to me, and I bent down, arms spread wide to receive their hugs. “I miss you, my triplets,” I told them and saw the three of them grin. “Really?” Their eyes sparkled in mischief, but I want to answer them truthfully. “Yes.” As usual, Mason’s eyes roamed around. “Where is Mommy?” “At home,” I told them. It had been two weeks since I forbade Briana to leave the house, but the children would still ask for her every time. Maybe I was overreacting. Briana is right. We cannot postpone our lives due to fear. I looked around and knew that my man was stalking the place. I employed a handful of bodyguards to watch over the children. However, they are invisible to our eyes, except for their three regular bodyguards. It was because I did not want to frighten the triplets. They are still
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.