Noah POV
I dropped the call and called my assistant immediately.
“Chris, call an emergency meeting with the PR team. Britney has gone to the internet to target Briana. Act fast and call off all those negative reports. Pay everyone and take everything down. If you need to file a case, file a case. And don’t let Britney leave the country. File for a restraining order and hold off all her travels abroad.”
“Yes, boss. I will do it.”
When Chris hung up, I called Brent.
Noah POVMorning came in too early for me. I was yawning as I hurriedly went to the house across the street.In my arms, I was holding a bag of groceries I would be needing to cook.There are too many things to do at the office, but I wanted to cook breakfast for my kids. Besides, I remember Briana was expecting me. I want to let her know I meant it when I said I wanted to be part of their lives.The maid opened the door for me and let me walk to the kitchen. I got busy immediately.Seven in the morning, I heard the stampeding sounds of footsteps and knew my kids were awake. A grin broke on my lips when they ran to the kitchen and exclaimed in their happy voices.“Good morning, Daddy! You are here!” Mason was the one who commented.I got down on my haunches to hug them to my chest. They all smelled like talcum powder.I noticed they also wear matching pajamas. It has a large print that says Dragon Striker.They climbed the high stool and watched me prepare their breakfast.“You
Noah POV“What is this?” Britney was trying hard to control her anger.Her fists gripped the paper in her hands. Her jaw clenched in indignation.I already knew what it was about, and I came in prepared.“That is my retaliation for what you did last night,” I told her smugly, holding her wrist and throwing it off my face.She staggered backward
Briana POVAfter Noah left, I prepared to get on the bed, but someone knocked softly on my door.I opened it and saw Marcus.“You need anything?” I asked my brother.“We need to talk.”The confusion caused a crease to form on my forehead.
Briana POVI shook my head, still unwilling to capitulate.This is about my children and me. When kids are thrown into the mix, everything becomes complicated. “Marcus, the children are too young to understand things like mergers. They had only known their father recently. I don’t think it’s the right time to introduce another man into their lives. It would confuse them.” I tried to be honest and hoped my brother would see it my way.“Their father may or may not be a permanent fixture in their lives. Noah can leave anytime. He has a fiancée. The children need permanence. They need a constant presence in their lives." Marcus shut me up.Noah said he wanted the kids. But what if he and Britney had their own family? Would he cast my children off?"Briana, you also have to think about yourself. You are not getting any younger. You need a man by your side. Luke Bennett is the right man for you." Marcus tried to convince me.But I don't see any reason to rush things.“And how sure a
BrianaI had a fretful sleep.Britney’s interview kept popping up in my head, as well as my brother’s verdict. But more than that, my kids and Noah’s faces alternated in my reverie.My children are too young to understand the complexities of adults. I woke up early. I got out of bed carefully so as not to wake the kids up.Riley was sleeping on his stomach. His arms were flung on the side of his brother, Brixx. They were hugging each other.Mason, on the other hand, has his arms around me. I carefully took his hand off me, placed a pillow on the space I vacated, and tiptoed to the bathroom.I did my morning thing and took a shower. I got ready for the breakfast meeting Marcus set up with Luke Bennett. It has been prearranged, he told me. And while I rebelled at the idea, I can’t let my brother down.Marcus meant well. He only wanted to steer me off Britney’s accusations. While I was preparing, I took my phone and surfed the net. And to my surprise, Britney’s allegations had been tor
I had to blink twice for his words to register.“You are giving me a choice?” I asked dubiously. I thought this whole thing was previously arranged. I can do nothing to contest it.He smiled. “Of course. Life is always a choice.”That made me pause and think.Indeed, people are free to choose, but sadly, our choices are often f*cked up.“But I thought this was already a done deal?” I asked in surprise and told him about what Marcus told me the night before.“So, that explains why you looked like you were going to the guillotine!” He smacked his forehead and laughed so hard.That had me sitting straight in my chair. I folded my arms and placed it on the table, mimicking his earlier actions.“Do you think that would be wise?” I had my doubts and told him so.He looked clueless, and I clarified for him. I was not very keen on explaining myself, but I find Luke Bennett's sincerity quite refreshing. He had no airs and laid all his cards out on the table.I decided not to hold back, as we
Noah POVI watched Britney stomp her feet as she marched angrily away from me.“Mr. Hunter, the meeting is about to start.” Chris, my assistant, informed me.I nodded and went to the conference room with Chris following behind me.While striding to my chair, I was already barking orders for my people
Noah POVThat phone call alerted me to my senses.My first instinct was to call Ed, the head of the security team tasked to watch over my family.If the children skipped past their surveillance. I do not think what I would do to all of them.“Where are my children?” I barked on the phone when the line got through.At the same time, I was half-running to the elevator to bring me down to the lobby.“Sir, the children sneaked out of their house to find you.""And what are you all doing?" I bellowed, quite worked up by the idea that children managed to sneak out of their house undetected.Who knew what danger they would meet outside?"Sir. They were looking for you." That shut me up."One of the men overheard them talking. He said the children are afraid that you would cast them aside because you have a girlfriend, and their mommy is dating another man."That shut me up.This is what happened when Briana and I were not careful about our relationships."Go on," I told Ed, choking on the wo
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