Anna/Linda POV
That shut me up.
I stared at Flint.
Remorse spread through me when I saw the hurt in his eyes.
“I don’t want to cause another friction in your family. I already did that once. I promised myself not to cause the Fords any trouble again.”
I expelled a loud breath.
“But here I am. Just a day passed after you reconciled with your family, and I am bringing another trouble for you. I am sorry, Flint.”
Flint shushed me.
Flint POVPenelope thrashed in my arms.She was crying in earnest now that I had curtailed her freedom. “Daddy!” She was kicking her legs. When we reached the elevator, I pulled Anna inside and let Penelope down. Once she was on her feet, she lifted her head toward me and smiled, finally winning this round. Anna pinched me on the side.What can I do? I can say no to my little Queen for too long.When the elevator pinged, announcing our arrival on our destination floor, I took Penelope’s hands to hold it securely. “Let’s walk together, Penny,” I told her before grabbing Anna’s hand to entwine our fingers together. My secretary rose from her seat when she noticed my arrival.Her eyes were drawn to our clasped hands but tactfully said nothing about it. “Good morning, Mr. Ford, ma’am, little miss.” I nodded at her and asked. “Did they arrive?” She nodded in response. She opened the door to let us inside my office.I saw Anna stiffened when she saw who was inside my room. “Tha
Flint POVWhen the four filed out of my office, I turned to Anna and asked.“Are you disappointed that I shut down your proposal? Tell me, are you still eager to meet your ex?”I wanted to shut my mouth, but I couldn't unsaid the words I said even when I saw Anna’s face twitch as I slapped her.Immediately, I vacated my chair to stand at her side.“I am sorry. That was uncalled for.”She did not respond, and that triggered my insecurity.“You don’t trust me,” she
Anna/Linda POVWe did not discuss Logan after that, and I decided not to press. I realized I had to give Flint time to think and absorb whatever I told him. I hope he will do it fast because time is running out. “Let’s go,” Flint said when Penelope awoke. He took her bag and carried her in his arms. Then, he turned around to grab my hand, and we walked alongside each other. “Are we going to Briana’s place right now?”I looked at the time and noticed that we were still early. Flint shook his head. “Not yet. We are going to the restaurant. I am sure my little Queen is hungry.” He made faces at our daughter, making Penelope laugh. We went to Rosewood Hotel’s famous restaurant.At the entrance, we gathered attention, especially the father and daughter. Flint did not seem to care and ignored it. The manager showed us to a secluded table.“We’ll order something light,” Flint said, addressing the wait staff.He also ordered an assortment of fruits for Penelope. “I remembered Ma
Brie POV“Congratulations, Mrs. Hunter. You are ten weeks pregnant.”I got out of the doctor’s clinic completely in a daze. Her words echoed in my head, making my heart beat fast. In the midst of grief and pain, finally, there’s some good news, I mused to myself. Ecstatic, I could not help the grin that spread across my face, feeling the slight lifting of the weight on my shoulders. With renewed vigor, I quickened my steps. The elevator opened. I walked out, passing the nurse station on my way to the ICU.“Mrs. Hunter.” The nurse greeted me. “Hi. How’s Noah?” I asked the nurse, feeling a little fatigued. “Still the same. Mr. Hunter has not woken up yet.” The statement dampened my enthusiasm. Still, I marched to my husband’s bed, took the chair, and sat down. The nurse left to give us privacy. I looked at the dearly beloved face of the man I loved, and longing pierced my heart. Involuntarily, my hand lifted to touch his face. I let the tip of my finger trace his eyelids bef
Brie POVTwo things came to my head at once. My husband is awake, and he is divorcing me. “It does not make sense,” I said to Mr. Langley who looked so much like he wanted the ground he stood on to swallow him. His body language screamed of guilt and pity. I can’t stand it anymore. There had to be a misunderstanding somewhere, and the only person who could clarify and explain the questions in my head was my husband, who, I believed, was still lying in the ICU bed. Immediately, I asked one of the company drivers to get a car ready for me, but no one was moving. It looks like everyone knew about Noah’s decision to divorce me except me. I could not help feeling bitter, seeing how these same people who used to bow down in my presence suddenly turned cold and uncaring. How have the tides quickly turned?I pivoted on my heels and started walking back to the hospital. But before I could do that, Uncle Matt called me. When I turned around to inquire, I was shocked when he upended a box
Brie POVAfter signing my name on the divorce agreement, I walked out of Noah’s room as if the devil was after me. There was something about the air in Noah’s hospital room that had me suddenly feeling suffocated. “Mrs. Hunter, are you alright?” One of the nurses asked when she saw me pressing my palm to the wall for support, breathing heavily. The nurse walked up to me and held my arm. “You looked pale. Do you want me to get the doctor?” She asked, sounding concerned. I shook my head. It was then that I realized I had been crying. “I am alright. Thank you.” I told the kind-hearted nurse and hurriedly wiped at my tear-stained cheeks. I winced, feeling a sudden overpowering sense of nausea.“I have to go,” I told her. “Your box.” She reminded. I looked at the box in repugnance and shook my head, my chest constricting in pain. That box represents painful memories of today. I cannot take it. “Can I leave it here? You can throw it away for me.” I said.The elderly nurse looked a
Brie POVNoah must have assumed that I had accepted his accusation with my silence because when he spoke his words were full of venom.“Facts won’t lie Briana. And the report said that someone deliberately caused the accident. Someone tampered with the car.” “It wasn’t me!” I argued in my defense. My voice came out harsh because I never thought that I would become a suspect in the accident. Not in my wildest dreams.“You have the motive.” “What motive?” “Don’t tell me you have forgotten about your lover? Didn’t you plan this whole thing with him so you would be left to inherit our family’s fortune once we were gone?” His voice held his contempt, and my brows furrowed, recalling when I had ever had a lover. “You know I can never kill them. I love Marsha and Danny too much!” I tried to grope for the right words to say to make him see that what he was suggesting was preposterous. I can never kill the two people who took me in from the orphanage when I was young. The ones who had
Brie POVWhen I came around, the overpowering smell of antiseptic was the first thing my mind noticed. I opened my eyes to be greeted by a white ceiling before my sight wandered to take in the white walls, door, and blanket covering half of my body.This time, I already had a fairly good idea about where I was.It was also by this time that I acknowledged the presence of a cannula tube connected to the IV drip and attached to my hand when I got up from bed to sit up. The door burst open, and in came four young handsome, and tall men I haven’t seen before, but their presence suddenly made me feel safe. Their presence was enough to make me feel comforted. I did not feel so alone anymore. “Are you alright?” One of them asked. He had black eyes and brown hair just like me, but my hair color was slightly paler.It felt awkward when I noticed the four of them looking at me, and all I could do was nod yes in response. Their faces looked strikingly similar. “I am Charles Ford.” The s
Anna/Linda POVWe did not discuss Logan after that, and I decided not to press. I realized I had to give Flint time to think and absorb whatever I told him. I hope he will do it fast because time is running out. “Let’s go,” Flint said when Penelope awoke. He took her bag and carried her in his arms. Then, he turned around to grab my hand, and we walked alongside each other. “Are we going to Briana’s place right now?”I looked at the time and noticed that we were still early. Flint shook his head. “Not yet. We are going to the restaurant. I am sure my little Queen is hungry.” He made faces at our daughter, making Penelope laugh. We went to Rosewood Hotel’s famous restaurant.At the entrance, we gathered attention, especially the father and daughter. Flint did not seem to care and ignored it. The manager showed us to a secluded table.“We’ll order something light,” Flint said, addressing the wait staff.He also ordered an assortment of fruits for Penelope. “I remembered Ma
Flint POVWhen the four filed out of my office, I turned to Anna and asked.“Are you disappointed that I shut down your proposal? Tell me, are you still eager to meet your ex?”I wanted to shut my mouth, but I couldn't unsaid the words I said even when I saw Anna’s face twitch as I slapped her.Immediately, I vacated my chair to stand at her side.“I am sorry. That was uncalled for.”She did not respond, and that triggered my insecurity.“You don’t trust me,” she
Flint POVPenelope thrashed in my arms.She was crying in earnest now that I had curtailed her freedom. “Daddy!” She was kicking her legs. When we reached the elevator, I pulled Anna inside and let Penelope down. Once she was on her feet, she lifted her head toward me and smiled, finally winning this round. Anna pinched me on the side.What can I do? I can say no to my little Queen for too long.When the elevator pinged, announcing our arrival on our destination floor, I took Penelope’s hands to hold it securely. “Let’s walk together, Penny,” I told her before grabbing Anna’s hand to entwine our fingers together. My secretary rose from her seat when she noticed my arrival.Her eyes were drawn to our clasped hands but tactfully said nothing about it. “Good morning, Mr. Ford, ma’am, little miss.” I nodded at her and asked. “Did they arrive?” She nodded in response. She opened the door to let us inside my office.I saw Anna stiffened when she saw who was inside my room. “Tha
Anna/Linda POVThat shut me up.I stared at Flint.Remorse spread through me when I saw the hurt in his eyes.“I don’t want to cause another friction in your family. I already did that once. I promised myself not to cause the Fords any trouble again.”I expelled a loud breath.“But here I am. Just a day passed after you reconciled with your family, and I am bringing another trouble for you. I am sorry, Flint.”Flint shushed me.
Anna/Linda POV“Good morning, Flint.” It was Goldstone. “Anna.” “You can call her Linda. I don’t want to confuse the people in addressing her. She is known here as Linda. Let it stay that way.” Goldstone handed Flint a brown envelope.“Thanks,” Flint said, taking the brown envelope and tucking it in his pants back pocket. Then, Flint invited Goldstone to join us for breakfast, but the latter declined. “I still have work waiting at the office.” He told us and nodded in my direction. I appreciated his tact, and we smiled at each other. Before Goldstone left us, he held Penelope’s hand, and our girl beamed. “Kwin!” She said, pointing to herself, and Goldstone chuckled. “Your daughter knew where she came from,” Goldstone murmured. “Of course. She is my little Queen. And her mother is my real Queen.” Flint said proudly, making me blush. I could not admonish him because I could feel the pride every time he spoke about us to people he knew. How can you resent a man whose eyes sh
Anna/Linda POV“Hi.” Flint’s face was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. He was smiling, hovering over me, and it was infectious. I smiled back. “Hello,” I said and stretched my arms up my head. “Briana is inviting us to a family dinner.” “Tonight?” Flint nodded. ‘Martina will be discharged this afternoon, and Briana prepared a small party for her. She also wanted to formally welcome you and Penelope in the family.” That had me guarded. “Family only? No other people or..”There was fear in my eyes because the information Storm tipped me off never left my mind. Flint nodded. “Yeah. Only the family. Don’t worry, Briana won’t roast you. It must be her way also to make amends for the shabby way she treated you. She also wanted to get to know our little Queen.” Flint sounded tickled pink at the prospect of bonding with his family, and I didn't want to disappoint him. I got up and went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. Flint followed me. He went
Flint POV“Shhh!” Anna warned me when Penelope stirred in her sleep. We just got home, and I placed our baby girl on her cot. “She hasn’t eaten yet. Should we wake her?” I asked, worried that my baby was going to sleep hungry. Anna smiled. “They munched on fruits earlier. If she gets hungry, she’ll wake up, don’t worry.” I nodded. We went to the kitchen to hunt for food. We looked like burglars while we opened and closed cupboards and the refrigerator. Anna was giggling every time I nuzzled her neck from behind. “Flint! Stop! I want to eat.” She admonished and swatted at my arm to make me behave. She looked happy. Her face glowed, and it was a huge turn-on. “I want to eat you instead,” I told her huskily, my breath fanning the loose tendril of hair that hung on the side of her face. Anna’s eyes bulged, and her nostrils flared, looking scandalized at my admission. She turned around and became silent.Anna evaded eye contact and knew that she was shy. That is the reason why
Flint POV“How are you feeling, my Queen?” I asked after we settled at the back of my car, waiting for the driver to pull away from the hospital. Anna swatted my arm. “Don’t call me that. You know that I hated the title. It just reminds me of what I threw away back in Arkadia.” She admitted.But her face showed she was so ready to cringe at the mere mention of her title. I chuckled. “Flint. I am not joking.” She warned.I swallowed my laughter and assumed a straight face. “You may never become the Queen of Arkadia, but in my heart, you will always be my Queen,” I told her softly and saw her looking stunned. “Just as our Penelope, she is my little Queen,” I added. Anna bit her lip. “You say the sweetest things. How do you know what I needed to hear?” She asked softly. I held her hand and squeezed it. “It must be my heart talking straight to you. All the things I tell you, they come from the heart.” I admitted. Anna smiled. “Thank you, Flint.”I pulled her head to rest on m
Anna/Linda POVI was feeling anxious as I sat alone on the couch.The adults were busy minding the kids, and I did not want to intrude.I watched my daughter. She looked happy, surrounded by her cousins, and had forgotten about Flint and me.I looked at my watch and grew increasingly worried.It had been close to an hour since Rowan dragged Flint away.I wondered what they were talking about.I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt someone sat beside me.