My heart was bleeding but saying anything was futile. I knew he didn't like me but to go that far to insult me with his girlfriend was just too much.I'd heard everything they said about me. The hateful comments and snide remarks about me, I'd heard them all. And I was hurt. Deeply so.I expected nothing less from Mia and his mother, Martha but not him. I deserved a little bit of respect from him in the very least.I released a sigh as I started across the foyer, going outside the building, towards the garage where his vehicles were parked to wait for him.I tried to forget the things he had said about me with his girlfriend but it was hard to. I bit my lips to stop from crying. I wasn't a bad person, no matter how they tried to paint me. My time here in this house was hell but I endured.I learned that Mia was not initially living with Jared but ever since my marriage with him, she had moved in. Maybe she thought I might steal the affections of her man but she was wrong. I wasn't
"The audacity you have." The voice boomed angrily.I almost jolted in fear but held myself. I had been feeling sick for three days now, alongside a strong waist pain.I had to beg Jared till I was almost blue in the face before he decided to drive me to the hospital. I was told to be careful with my pregnancy.Stress was a huge factor contributing to the pains I was experiencing. Who wouldn't be stressed in such an environment?When I had Martha who hated me. Mia who was determined to make sure I never smiled. Even Jared would rather swallow his tongue than support me. Uncle Pete was busy these days and rarely had time to come around but he did call to check up on me. It's just that I didn't want to disturb him much.He had his own life to lead and he needed to do that without having to always come to my aid. He had done enough for me as it stood.Mia walked further into the kitchen and flipped my plate of breakfast. Martha had instructed the maids not to help me with anything so I w
"What? Why?" His tone immediately took on the edge of annoyance as it usually did whenever there was trouble that involved me.And I already knew he was blaming me. I stifled my cry and tried not to embarrass myself before him."And she's crying." Martha sneered derisively."Why's she crying then?" He stood close to his mother and stared at me as though he was looking at some object of disgust.I wanted to ask him to take me to the hospital but after what had transpired this morning and how he'd ignored me the first time, I was skeptical.But I really needed the hospital. I tried to get to my feet so I could get to my room. I needed my phone to call Uncle Pete. He was the only one who could help me at this point.I felt like I wanted to die from this pain. I was also scared for my baby's life. He or she was already stressed enough, they needed rest not this constant trouble.I still didn't have any money of my own. Jared would give money to Mia and his mother but never to me. Whatever
"What is wrong with you, Jared? How could you allow something like this happen?""She started it, uncle. Don't blame me or Mia for fighting back.""How stupid can you be?""Uncle...""Don't 'uncle' me, Jared. You and your mother and that empty-handed girlfriend of yours are really being unkind to her.""Don't insult the woman I love, uncle.""What about the one you married? The one the society know you married, is she not worth being treated kindly, hm?"A pause..."Answer me, Jared. You're really disappointing me right now.""I never wanted to marry her, you know that.""Really? That's all you have to say, Jared Kylian Johnson?!" The anger, however quietly displayed, was still heavy. Not to mention the disappointment as well."What..." An audible sigh. "What do you want me to do, uncle? I...""I'm taking her with me." "What? No, uncle. You can't do that. She...what if there's an event? Like you said, the society knows my relationship with her already.""Being selfish again, I see.
"What is she doing here?" A woman who looked to be in her late thirties frowned as soon as she saw me.She had short black curls and a heavy load of make up. She would have been pretty if she hadn't decided to cake her face with so much beauty products. She was tall and slim but not really a model shaped kind of physique. She chewed and popped bubblegum with careless abandon. "Not now, Catherine." Uncle Pete merely said, leading me further into his living room.His house was beautiful and spoke of wealth too. I had spent ten days in the hospital trying to get better. The doctor had refused to discharge me until he was sure my blood pressure was back to normal. I was still hurting and mourning the miscarriage of the baby I would never meet but I had tried not to stress much so I could leave the hospital. Jared had visited everyday but I was not talking to him. He had realized that and didn't bother striking conversations with me anymore. Uncle Pete was the one who informed him of
"What are you doing with her?!" The door to my room barged open.Catherine came in and without warning, pulled me roughly by my shirt and began to hit me. Thankfully, uncle Pete was fast on his feet and pushed her away. "What the hell, Catherine?"She had managed to scratch my neck and that part hurt. More tears fell from my eyes.Uncle Pete had been consoling me as I wouldn't stop mourning the loss of my pregnancy. I'd refused breakfast because I didn't have the appetite for it.Who would think of food when their life was turned upside down and full of chaos? Just a month before, I had been okay in my marriage until that incident.I wish I could ask uncle Pete to loan me some money to start up my life but not in this place. I didn't want to be anywhere close to Christian and Jared.I didn't want to know or see them even by mistake. And as long as I remained in the same state and country with them, I'd keep seeing or hearing about them
"When will you be back?" I inquired, trying to hide the quiver in my voice.Uncle Pete was traveling and that would mean leaving me and his crazy wife all alone in the house.Oh God, I didn't even want to think of what would happen if he left."Soon." His smile was reassuring as though he already understood my thoughts about being left alone with his wife.The said wife was watching us — me specifically — through spiteful glares as she popped her gum. He had already given me some money to keep me busy until he was back.And by busy, he meant I should go shopping and have some fun. I was grateful but I kept the cash. It was going to be useful.If I kept saving whatever he gave me, I might actually have enough to start up life again. But he gave me the money in her absence, else she would likely kill me for it. Then, he was gone. I quickly left for my room. "Hey you!" She called.I halted on the short flight of stairs. I had a mind to ignore but she could push me from behind, I was
I'd never had such a strong stuff before and it was really making me lose awareness and control of myself. The most drink of my intoxication was wine and I easily got intoxicated.Whatever they had given me to sniff and swallow were just foreign to my system. I was feeling no pain but I was feeling like I'd just gulped six — or maybe eight — bottles of 1945 Pinot Noir.What little strength I had in me, I had walked like a drunk person to the counter and booked a room, used the elevator and was now occupying the suite.It was dark and the door was closed. Or it should be.I laid like an almost dead person, trying to find sleep when the door opened. I frowned but was too intoxicated to get up. "Who are you?""Oh baby, it's me." The voice was sounded equally drunk said. "I called and you came. Business was good today. I landed the biggest deal and decided to call you.""W-what?" Confusion wrapped my being."It's a good one. Let's just have fun tonight and tomorrow, I'll tell you all ab
MIA"Where are you coming from by this time, Jared?" I stood from the sofa I was occupying before my husband walked in. "Hi, babe." He greeted but without making an effort to have it sound loving as it used to. Nerves knotted and anger was ready to flare. "Don't 'hi babe' me in that nonchalant tone of yours, Jared. It's past ten pm and you're just coming in? You're a married man for fuck's sake!"He merely stared, watching me display my anger. "Won't you say something?!" I was even more vexed at the calmness he was exuding."What do you want me to say?" He shrugged, making to walk past me, towards the stairs. I blocked his path. "That you were out with Hailey and her son today!"His brow raised in surprise. "How did you know?"I folded my arms. "You're not even denying it.""Why should I? You already know the truth." He stuck both his hands in his pockets. It was my turn to be surprised. "So you're having an affair with that bitch?! Huh?! Or is this some stupid plan to get her so
"Mommy, I want some ice cream." My son walked up to me as I was getting off the phone with the doctor in charge of my daughter's treatment.It was the same news. No improvement. She was still as still as dead... almost dead.I swallowed my pain and faced my other child who needed his mother. I was proud of how he was handling this whole thing. Twice I'd heard him pray with Nanny Nancy, asking God to heal Zaya and I always begged God to listen to the prayers of my baby boy. "But you just finished having lunch." I told him.He frowned, walked away towards the kitchen. Curious over his attitude, I followed him. Jared had offered to help with the dishes after we were done. He was being sweet and gentle in these recent times. I could see he was not just here for my kids, but me. Though I was still wary because of what had happened twice to me in the past. "Jared." Zion called as he stepped into the kitchen, not minding I was behind him."Yes, champ?" He turned from the sink.I quickly
PETER"Your phone has been ringing nonstop, uncle Pete." Jared gestured to my persistently buzzing phone. "It's an unknown number, I don't like picking unknown numbers." I told him. He was still in I and Hailey's home. Usually, he would be gone by now since we were done discussing but the fact he was still around gave me the impression he was still here for Hailey and Zion.But zero chance with Zion since the boy was yet to warm up to him.So it was mostly for Hailey.Something had happened between them, I could not tell what it was but I knew something had happened. "Why don't you pick your call, uncle Pete?" Hailey appeared from the hallway that led to the kitchen. She was making lunch for us. She'd insisted when the maids wanted to do it. I noticed Jared turn immediately at the sound of her voice and stared with some kind of emotion in his eyes.She, on the other hand, was purposely ignoring his presence and was doing everything to avoid her gaze straying to his direction. A s
MARTHAI walked into the kitchen for my morning dose of coffee. I wanted to have one of the maids do it but I decided to do it myself. I paused at the doorway when I spotted Mia having breakfast at the island. I made to turn away."Good morning, Martha." She greeted in a calm tone. "Morning." I didn't even bother to glance over my shoulder. "We need to talk." She said. "Not interested." I'd come to hate her and regret why I'd not seen her for who she truly was all these years. "You should be, Martha. Remember we need to work together, cooperate even, if Jared must achieve his political goals." The underlying threat in her tone had me halting in my steps. This was why I avoided confrontations with her. The sly bitch! She could easily ruin my son's life. I loved both my sons but Jerome always brought trouble his brother's way. It was as though he hated Jared with passion. When I had given birth to both of them, I never wished they would hate each other this much.Percy, my late h
JAREDMy eyes widened. "W-what?!" I almost choked on my own spit. "Slow down, Nina. We're never going to happen. You're a beautiful girl...""Woman." She corrected firmly."Sorry. You're a beautiful woman and I'm sure there are guys your age who'll be willing to...""I don't want them. It's you I want, Jared. And it's you I'll have." She rose from her seat. "Come see me off. I have somewhere else to be.""I can't let you go alone. I'll have to reach out to my uncle, then he'll reach out to your father." I brought out my phone.In a swift, unexpected motion, she leaned over and grabbed my phone, giggling and heading for the door in a race."Give me my phone, Nina." I followed her, already exhausted from her child-like behavior."No, I'm not letting you call anyone." She opened the door and I went after her.Eyes raised from their respective jobs once again to lock in on an excited Nina and an embarrassed me.&n
JAREDI was going through the ledger when I heard the little commotion going on outside my office. What was happening?I rose from my chair and stepped out of my airy office to see my secretary having a little banter with someone.Other staff were watching with interest. Few eyes caught my presence and went back to their station or faced their jobs...or at least they pretended to.I had never seen Miss Bordeaux in this infuriated manner. And the person she was talking back to was a bit hidden by a staff's work station."You do not have an appointment, little girl." My secretary snapped."Do you know who I am? Who my father is?" The familiar voice had me halting in my tracks. Maybe I should let Celine handle this one all by herself.I had just done a U-turn and was about to flee to my office when I heard the excited squeal. "There he is! There's my boyfriend!"I froze in place. I could hear the deafening silence that followed her statement. Eyes were on me. Everyone knew I was marri
CATHERINE"You know we have to be careful how and where we meet. The last time we almost got caught by that bitch." I complained as soon as I entered the passenger seat of his car. And by that 'bitch', I meant Hailey. I had been quick to spot her at that hotel before she sent her goons to come after us.She didn't know Derek yet, just me. So it was specifically me she had wanted. Derek and me hadn't met again until now when he'd called to see me. "Exactly why I chose a place far from town and in this car with tinted windows, one can hardly recognize us." He responded, tucking a strand of his brown long hair behind his ear. "How has it been?" I shrugged and lied. "Fine."But I knew everything was far from fine. My son was held in that bastard's custody. And then he'd had the guts to call me to order me to carry out his bidding. "Are you sure?" He observed my expression.Rather than give him a response, I extended my palm. "The money you promised me."He stretched to the backseat of
MISS BORDEAUXI stepped out through the glass doors of my workplace, ready to go home. It was such a honor to be working for the second biggest company in the country.Also, with a boss like mine, it was an absolute dream come true. Mr Johnson was such a wonderful sight for good eyes, though it was a bumper he was married. Well, at least, I got to admire from afar. He wasn't the type to chase after women. And he respected the company's rules of no office romance. I hailed a taxi. A young graduate like myself from the trailer knew better than to wish for something she had no right wishing for.Mr Johnson treated me nice like every other staff under him. He paid us well and when I attended trips with him, I sure did have fun but he never made any advances.Sure he would talk to me but in a friendly, boss to employee manner. "Where to, ma'am?" The beardy cab man inquired. "Fin Square." I replied, proceeding to open the back of the taxi."That won't be necessary, Miss Bordeaux. I can
The room smelled of passion and the result of satisfying lust as we both held onto each other, reaching our climax at the same time. He spilled his seeds inside of me before collapsing on my body. None of us could talk for a while. I waited for my brain cells to return to normal and be able to comprehend what had just happened. When it did, I couldn't even bring myself to look at him or even speak.But I had to say something. "Get off me."I swallowed, totally not expecting my voice to tremble as it had just did. Why was I on the verge of crying over something that I'd been a willing participant?He raised his head to study my expression, then he sighed. It was low but I heard it. "What's wrong Hailey?""Your wife needs you." I managed to get out through an emotional voice.He roll off me but didn't let go, rather he cradled me in his arms. "I promise this is not like six years ago."That made me even struggle harder to get away from him. "Unwrap your arms from my body this minute,