"Uncle Pete?" Jared rushed to meet us before others could come to us.After his speech and the commencement of the events of the evening, everyone wanted to talk to the CEO of Astra-Z."Hello, Jared. It's been a while." Uncle Pete greeted as casually and as warmly."You..." He began but caught himself, realizing there were eyes watching."You were saying?" Uncle Pete urged.I stood beside uncle Pete, quietly watching the drama about to unfold."We'll talk later, uncle." He decided.Uncle Pete nodded and went on to attend to other guests wanting his attention.I sipped my champagne, ignoring the fact he was literally standing close with Mia who would not stop giving me the sneaky stink eye.It didn't bother me, just amused me.Then I remembered. "Oh yes, Jared. I believe you saw the note I dropped on your desk that day." I brought out my phone from my purse. "I'll need your account details so I ca
PETER"Uncle Pete, I am disappointed in you." I watched Jared paced the confines of the office of the CEO of Astra-Z Corporation.It belonged to Hailey but she wanted me to take over for the main time.I had my own office before now, though she had never occupied hers. I stood in for her in everything but after the President's party three days ago, she had asked me to take the office since I was now known by the public as the CEO of the company.I had no idea what her plans were but I was going to trust her and help her whatever way I could.There was a reason I made the decision to stick by her all these years. It was a reason even she was not aware of.I knew of her existence even before she knew of mine. There was also a reason she couldn't know who I was until her troubles started.I observed my nephew looking quite unsettled and disappointed. I had ask him to come meet me in the office because I didn't trust the public anymore. I was now under the microscopic view of the public
MIA"You have to talk to your husband, Mia. I need this partnership." Dad sounded aggravated.I heaved a weary sigh. "Daddy, you do know Jared is not the CEO of Astra-Z.""But his uncle is. Come on, princess, that company is the biggest and most influential in the country right now. I've done my research and even discovered they have other branches outside the country." He let out an angry grunt. Dad had a short temper that could blow up if he wasn't getting what he wanted. "Do you know what that would do for my career? Moreover, he's now friends with the President. I hear that the President has taken a liking to him. I need that sort of connection.""So what do you want me to do? Chain my husband and beat him up until his uncle agrees to partner with you?" Annoyance was already seeping into my voice."Sarcasm isn't helping your father right now, Mia." He deadpanned."Mom, aren't you going to say anything? What does Daddy want me to do?" I turned to my mom who sat quietly, watching b
I was shocked to see him seating in that office chair, looking like he belonged there."Hailey." Uncle Pete too was surprised because he was not expecting me.He hugged the twins and placed them on his lap. They were oblivious to whatever was happening.I avoided Jared's gaze on me. I was fighting the urge to hurry out of that office with my kids...our kids.No! I chided myself. Zion and Zaya were my kids. Emphasis on 'my'. He didn't want them. He had given me money to get rid of them when they were still in my womb as fetus.He had no right to them especially since he believed I had aborted the pregnancy.Calming my churning emotions and regaining composure, I stepped further into the office.My office. "Daddy?" Jared finally uttered a word. "Uncle Pete, they just called you their dad.""That's because...""That's because it's true." I cut uncle Pete off, scared he might spill the beans. I met Jared's gaze, raising my left hand to show him the new engagement ring nestled beautiful
MIA"I-I thought you were dead." I was still finding it hard to believe this was Jerome. There was this change in him yet the identical resemblance to his brother was the same. He was in every way like Jared; the black, full hair, sterling grey eyes and a left-sided dimple. Even same height and build. But he wasn't Jared. I didn't know how I could tell the difference. Maybe it was because I'd known them both almost all my life...at least until Jerome disappeared."That's what they wanted you to think, baby." He came to stand before me, trailing his index across the left side of my face. I moved away from his touch. "Where have you been all these years?"He studied my face. "Here and there.""They said you died in prison." Jared and their mother had told me this.But why? Six years ago when he'd called me, I'd refused to believe it was him. Even after getting married to Jared, he would still call on many days. I never picked because I didn't want to believe it was him. Also, most
"They are supposed to be back by now. It's getting late." I checked the slim gold wristwatch adorning my left wrist.A birthday gift from uncle Pete last year. It was past six. They had been gone for five hours. Uncle Pete and I had been discussing ever since and I had only just noticed the time."It's six eighteen." Uncle Pete had also checked the time on his phone. "The ice cream parlor is just five minutes drive from here. With the use of cab, I'd probably make it seven minutes.""Do you have her private cellphone number?" I asked him, not wanting to worry.Zaya could be an handful sometimes and might have insisted on staying back to have more ice cream fun. "I think I do." He was already going through his phone. "I've got it."He dialed the number but it went straight to voicemail. A frown appeared on his forehead.I squashed the worry that was beginning to buzz. "Try it again."He did. Same thing."Give me the number." I wanted to believe it was his phone or network. He call
"Doctor, is she going to be alright?" Uncle Pete asked the young man who looked to be in his thirties with cool nerd glasses as he approached us."She's in a critical condition. She's going to undergo surgery to remove shards of bullets detected in her stomach. Also, she seemed to have been tortured badly. Some of her organs are in desperate need of repair before they become damaged." The doctor divulged importantly.Blood drained from my face. Despite the many tears I'd shed, more still filled my eyes and ran down my cheeks.Critical condition.If she was this way, then how would I ever know the situation or location of my children?Who would do this to me?Elisa had said, just before she went unconscious, that 'she had them'.My hands were stained with her blood but in that moment, it didn't matter.Who had my kids?She. Who was the 'she' that would hurt me this bad? Who
CHRISTIAN"Denise?" My brows furrowed in befuddlement as soon as I stepped into the storage room located across the hallway of my office. I switched on the light. I could tell it was her even in the dim lit room but I had to make sure. I had just come out of my office when I saw suspecting movement from the storage's window and decided to have a look at who might be there.There she was in a casual shirt, jeans and a pair of sneakers — totally not office wear. And she was with someone.A man. "What are you doing in here, Christian?" She stepped forward, trying to appear calm but I could see through the calm exterior.She was a bit unnerved that I'd caught her in here with that man."Who's he, Denise?" The man asked. His question rubbed me off the wrong way. "Who am I? What does he mean by that question, Denise? Are you cheating on me with an elderly man?" I was trying to hide my hurt and anger."Hey, watch your tongue." The man with a long coffee brown hair with silver glints in
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,
DENISE"Finally! I thought you'd never return." I stood to welcome the man who had been the only family I'd known all my life. Mom had died young leaving me in the care of my stepfather, who was then her boyfriend. Yeah, they never got a chance to tie the knot before she died, so had my stepdad explained.I owed the man a lot especially when he'd gone through the stress of helping me find my root and discovering I was the biological daughter of a rich man.A dead rich man.He hugged me. "Yeah, I had some business to attend to. It took more time than I'd expected." He explained.He'd been gone for days. "I'm glad you're home now." I told him. He studied my face. "How did your meeting with Hailey go?"He had not been able to reach out to ask. The day I'd gone to see Hailey was the same day he'd left for his business. He dealt in a lot of illegal stuff but I didn't care and was ready to support him with whatever he wanted. He hardly made calls whenever he was on his business trip so
It propelled us until I was naked and he was shirtless, only then did it occur to me...I pushed him away. "No! Not again. Never again."Ashamed of myself, how quick I was to melt into his arms at a mere kiss, I grabbed my sheets and covered my body. "Go away.""I swear I'm not leaving, Hailey.""What is wrong with you?! It's not like you want me! You want my children!""It was my mother's plan." The bulge in his pants was too obvious. Too distracting but I forced my eyes away and planted them on his face. "You think I'm stupid? You think I'm still...""Listen to me for once, Hailey. Please." He sounded exasperated and maybe there was a hint of desperation."I do not want to listen to any more of your...""Shut up, damnit!" He yelled.I jolted in shock, not expecting that deep, angry voice to be raised at me. I kept mute but fumed silently. He heaved a sigh, rubbing his face. "I'm sorry for raising my voice, I just want you to listen to me."I calmed but didn't relax. My mouth was p
My jaw tightened and teeth clenched when I walked in to find Jared trying to engage Zion who was sparingly giving him his attention. He was focusing all his attention on uncle Pete, wanting them to play together.Though Jared didn't seem mad or impatient, he stopped when he spotted me.I averted my gaze from his, focusing on uncle Pete. "What is he doing here?"But he ignored me, focusing on his interaction with Zion. "Son, let's go get you some ice cream. Are you in the mood for one?" "Yes. And new toys." Zion said, already harboring that excited gleam in his eyes. "Let's buy for Zaya too. She might wake up anytime and ask for hers. I don't want her fighting me for mine."I gaped at uncle Pete. We had never told him Zaya's condition. He only knew she was still in the hospital but not how she was. So how did he know?Uncle Pete understood my expression. "I told him." He clarified."Why? He's just a child." My voice was low and calm. Zion, like his sister, was smart and could detect
"Hello, Kazim." I answered the phone."Mommy, who's that? Is that daddy? Is he coming home? What is he saying? Can I talk to him?" Zion threw questions at me, temporarily abandoning his his soldier figure that was about to war with his batman figure."No, it's not daddy, honey." I pulled the phone away from my ear to whisper to him. I pressed the intercom on the wall of the playpen."Where are you, Kazim? Any update?" I continued with my call."Yes, ma'am. I'll text you the location and you'll come meet us." He said.I pulled the phone away from my ear for the second time when the door opened to reveal the person I'd summoned through the intercom."Yes, ma'am?" The young lady who was in her thirties stood before me.She was my son's new live-in nanny. I didn't want to have any because I didn't trust anyone but uncle Pete talked me into it plus I knew he was right.This election was drawing near, he neede