Briana POV
I left Noah in the middle of the lobby with his mouth hanging open and felt great satisfaction at my handiwork.
It was not always that I got to leave him stupefied in an argument, and it gave me immense pleasure to know that today, I did just that. I left Noah Hunter speechless!
I believe I deserve a mental pat on the back.
There was a skip to my step when I walked out of the building and into my brother’s waiting black SUV.
When I opened the door, three tornadoes slipped past me to jump out of the car. They were wily that my attempt to pull them back was futile.
I watched in amazement as they ran inside the building, shouting at the top of their lungs
Briana POV“I have a fully functioning brain, Briana. You know that I can always pay someone to check their birth certificates for me.” Noah warned.The seriousness in his voice was unmistakable. My heart started to throb as fear coursed through my spine.I tamped it down and started downplaying Noah’s suspicion."You'll find nothing. My children are Fords." I told him in false bravado.Noah's look was probing. But his hold on me slackened.I took that as my cue to leave. I turned around and walked out of the building to my brother's waiting car.I tried to walk as normally as I possibly could. Despite my efforts, my knees were wobbly.I can’t seem to get Noah’s threat out of my head.I worry about wha
Noah POVI watched Briana leave with suspicion and could not shake off the apprehension I saw on her face.I have a strong feeling that Briana was not telling me the truth.When the black SUV left, I picked up my phone from my pocket to call Brent.“I have another task for you.” I opened it when Brent picked it up.“Fire away.”“Check the records of Briana’s children. They’re triplets. Briana said they are Ford’s, but I have a strong feeling they are mine.”There was silence on the other end.“What made you say they were yours?” Brent countered.I hesitated, and Brent picked up my silence wrongly.“As your friend, I am giving you a word of caution. Don’t look
Noah POVWhen Langley left, I slowly massaged my temples. Then, I closed my eyes, fingers tapping the smooth surface of my desk.My head ached, thinking the man I trusted did not deserve my trust.My laptop sounded like a notification for a new email. And when I checked the sender, it was Langley. I opened the file with shaking hands and started reading its contents.When I finished, my chest felt stuffy. Here is the proof of my uncle’s duplicity.I remember five years ago, he pushed me to take a leave of absence from the company to concentrate on myself.“You need to heal from the loss of your parents, from what happened to your marriage, and to get your strength back. Don’t worry about the company, I will manage it for you.”I snickered in my head because I took his words and trusted him.Talk about misplaced trust.I called Brent."We have the evidence," I told him and forwarded him the email Langley sent me.For a while, we discussed what to do.“We need to take caution. Un
Noah POVBlearily, I looked at the house across the street with longing.It was dawn when cars pulled up in the house’s driveway, causing me to straighten my back to watch with a hawk-like gaze. The doors of the cars simultaneously opened to give way to its passengers. My eyes widened when I recognized the similarities in their faces. The Ford brothers are here. Their arms were loaded with parcels and shopping bags. A smile broke out of my face. I would hazard a guess that they were for the triplets.A gladness filled my heart knowing these men doted on my children even when they were not blood-related. "You should have brought a cart. Here, let me help." A curly-haired woman said to a Ford brother.The shopping bags transferred hands, and they marched up to the house.When they disappeared, I heard a noise, much like a holler."Riley, Mason, Brixx! Dada is here!"The others shushed him while the lights came on. The house previously shrouded in darkness had been filled with li
Briana POVI woke up to the sounds of loud voices and instantly got alarmed.It must be the new home. My ears perked up when I recognized the familiar voice of my brother calling out to my children.I groaned and looked at the triplets, thankful the ruckus did not wake them.Well, that was premature thinking. As the saying goes, you can not count your chicken until it is hatch.In my case, I shouldn't be too confident because right after I got out of bed, I noticed my triplets' eyes fluttering open at the slightest movement from me.At first, they looked disoriented. Then, their little ears picked up the voices, and a grin slowly curved on their cute little faces.“Dada!” Mason squealed in delight.He flew off the bed and ran out of my room with his two brothers in pursuit.When Mason reached the last step, he launched into Rowan’s waiting arms.“I miss you, kiddo!” Rowan hugged Mason to himself while Mason muttered.“I miss you, too, Dada!” The other two launched themselves in my
Noah POVI was dreaming about Briana when my phone started buzzing, rousing me from sleep.Frustrated, I grabbed the phone without looking at the caller ID to bark. “What?”“Noah?”I sighed. “Yes. Uncle Matt?” I replied using my normal tone of voice.Uncle Matt cleared his throat. “Are you coming to the Rosewood Hotel’s grand launch?” He asked.There was a pregnant silence, and my insides curdled at what Uncle Matt had to say. I remember this same scene five years ago. He called me to ask if I was about to leave the office for my third wedding anniversary.“Yes.” I finally replied.“Okay. See you there.” He told me and hung up the phone.I stared at my blank screen for seconds longer before I clambered off the bed and padded my way to the ensuite bathroom.With water spraying over my head and face from the shower nozzle, I pushed Uncle Matt’s call aside and concentrated on my dream.At the possibility of seeing Braina again, a smile formed on my face. Maybe I can coax her to talk t
Noah POV Briana is avoiding me. It was so very obvious. Every time we crossed paths at the party, she would eventually turn the other way or pretend to pick up a call or a message. “Good afternoon, Mr. Hunter. May I get you a drink?” I pulled my eyes out of following Briana and shifted it to Marcus Ford, who was eyeing me with venom in his eyes. “No. Thanks. I am fine.” I told him, wanting to maintain a clear head, when I finally cornered Briana, but she was elusive. I craned my neck because she already left the last couple I saw her joined from afar, wanting to know where she would go next. “Are you looking for something, Mr. Hunter, or someone?” This time, I hear a warning in Marcus Ford’s voice. I pulled myself to my full height, not wanting to be cowered. He is a Ford, but I am a Hunter. I make things happen. “I am looking for my … .” My voice trailed off when I caught myself. I was about to blurt it out to her husband’s face that Briana is my wife. I cleared my throat a
Noah POV“Are you alright?” Briana asked.My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was her hovering above me.Briana.My head says her name, and I felt a growing sense of satisfaction that she had stayed behind for me.“I thought you left with them,” I said, unable to conceal my happiness. Briana still has this soft spot for me. I can feel it every time we are near each other.The attraction was still there, but more than that, I realized Briana had always been kind to me, even when I was rude to her when she was younger.I never liked her before, even when she had not done me wrong.
Flint POVJust as I was about to seal Anna’s lips with my own, we heard Penelope cry. We broke apart and raced up the stairs. “Daddy!” Penelope’s tear-drenched face lifted up in our direction when we opened the door to our room. She was standing on her cot. Her arms were outstretched toward me, silently asking to be pulled up. I didn’t think twice about responding to my daughter’s distress call. In three strides, I was in front of her. I cupped her chin.“Did you miss Daddy?” I asked gently. Longing pierced me when I saw her face. It was unfathomable how the two of us had become quite attached when we only knew about each other’s existence a few days ago. The connection was so strong. “You reek of alcohol.” Anna reminded me when I bent down to pick Penelope in my arms. “Just a while, dear. Let me comfort our daughter for a while." Anna stood to the side, watching while I rocked Penelope. I swayed my body from side to side while my little girl clung to me. Then, her eyes ha
Anna/Linda POVFlint stared at me like I had grown another head or something.It was disconcerting.This is why I rarely tell people who I am."Flint," I called him, afraid he would change his mind about me."Sorry." Flint shook his head as if he was still trying to let the information sink in and was trying to absorb it."Any more secrets I should know?" Flint asked.Now it was my turn to look stunned."You didn't think it was
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