"How did that happen?" Dr Atlanta asked as he shut the door behind him and walked to his chair."I have no idea, I happened to see her like that."He pulled off his coat and hung it in a hanger, "That was pretty deep."I was grateful that Emilia had a cut because that was the only way I could get her blood. I placed the suitcase on the table, clicked it open and took out a box."Have this, Atlanta." I began and pushed the box to Dr. Atlanta.His eyes darted at the box and then at me, "What's this?" he asked as he picked it up. "A DNA kit?"I sighed deeply, "We discussed this, okay, I don't want to involve any other person.""Why?" Dr. Atlanta placed the kit back on the table and entwined his fingers. "Is it because you aren't sure if you are her father either?"I relaxed on the chair, Atlanta knew me too well. One thing I hated was rumours, even if they were true or not, I hated them. "You know me too well." Dr. Atlanta nudged his glasses above his brows, "Have you discussed this wit
NICKOLAS I pushed the door open and walked into the room. My eyes fell on Emilia. She sat by the vanity as she stared at her bandaged palm. The echo of the door creaking got her attention... she tilted her head and smiled. "You are back. How was the meeting?" she asked as she walked up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. All I needed to do was calm down and wait patiently for the results, even when I already knew the truth. I just wanted to see it for myself. If I didn't get her pregnant, then that means Giselle doesn't belong to me either. I clenched my fist when Emilia placed her head on my chest. I watched silently, not allowing the anger in me to take over as I stared at the woman who ruined five years of my life with her lies. "You need to rest," my voice hoarse, as it failed me. I felt my throat, and my throat felt heavy with unspoken words. There were so many questions I wanted to ask her. Her eyes glimmered. "With you here by my side, I don't mind." She raised he
EMILIA I paced around the room as my heart beat thudded in my ears. I had no idea why I felt like Nickolas was having trust issued with me and why he was bringing up things of the past. Damn Valeria! She's the reason I am going through all of this. Not only am I worried about myself caught up her mess but she still had not been found. She was meant to drown in that lake so I could throw her body into the forest for rouges to feed on. How did I get to this? I tapped my fingers against the glass table and stared at my reflection on the mirror. I was to young for all of these things I'm going through. I quickly cocked my head toward the door when I heard a knock. "Who's there? Come in!" I yelled and slumped into the chair beside me. I rubbed my palms over my forehead and sighed deeply. My eyes glued at the door as it creaked open and Giselle walked in with a stuffed doll held tightly to her chest. I
"Miss Valeria, what are you doing here?" Xhafer asked as he shut the door behind him and rushed to me. I was to weak to speak, I rested my back on the wall and took a deep breath. I rested my palm on his, "Please can you help me out of here?" I pleaded desperately. I didn't even ask myself what Xhafer was doing there, all I wanted was to leave. Xhafer hung his arm around my neck as he helped adjusted me, "It's going to be hard to do so, my brother is very strict especially with me." he complained. What... Brutus was Xhafer's brother? Does that explain why I saw Nickolas here the other day? "Brutus is your brother?" I asked, my face widened though I wasn't expecting an answer from him. I shook my head. "Please find a way to get me out of here, I need to return back to the Enchanted Shadows." Xhafer took a deep breath as he contemplated on what to do, he couldn't let me down like that. I was sure that he was aware what his brother would do to me if I remain here. I groaned as I
NICKOLAS As I rushed over to the hospital, I wondered why everything was pointing to Valeria. Finding out that she owns the necklace and not Emilia gave me a little setback. I have believed Emilia so much that I couldn't recognise when she was lying. I hopped into my car and zoomed off to the hospital. I needed to get my hands on those results before I got a heart attack. I drove at the highest speed, and in no time, I was already at the hospital. I paced up to Atlanta's office and pushed the door open. My eyes scanned the room. "Atlanta," I called as I walked over to a chair and sat down. "Nickolas," Atlanta began. "That was fast." "I couldn't wait anymore... all I want is to get my hands on that report." I rubbed my brows and relaxed on the chair. My eye bags were heavy... I had stressed myself so much the past week and needed rest. Atlanta paused for a while as his eyes scanned me, and I could tell that he was worried about me. "Have this," he said, stretching his hand out to
NICKOLAS I walked into the meeting hall, and the elders were already seated anxiously waiting, probably wondering why I had called for them. I slipped my hands out of my pocket and sat on the chair left vacant for me. My eyes scanned the room and fell on Sam. I looked away instantly. Magnus cleared his throat. "You sent for us, Nickolas... is something wrong?" He paused and looked around. "What was so urgent that you had to send it to us as soon as possible?" he asked, and the rest of them nodded their heads as they agreed to the decision I made earlier. I tapped my fingers against the wooden table as my eyes travelled from one of them to the other. "I want you all to prepare a banquet," I paused. "A banquet? Nikolas, for so many years now, you haven't done a banquet."Ragnor asked. I let out a mischievous smile and propped my hands on my jaw. "I want to celebrate with my wife and her family... is there anything wrong with that?" I
The door creaked open, causing fear to grip me as my hand flew to my chest. I looked up when I heard whispers of my name. "Xhafer?" I called quietly. "Miss Valeria," Xhafer whispered as he walked in. He held out his hand for me, and I grabbed it. He helped me up as he looked around, hoping no one was out. "Are we leaving now?" I asked as my eyes twitched. There was nothing I wanted more than leaving this sick place that I was in, and I hoped that Brutus would pay for all he had done to me as well as other people. Xhafer nodded his head... his voice was barely above a whisper. "Yes, we'll have to take it slow. That way, no one would notice that you were gone." I nodded my head immediately. He reached out his hand to me, and I grabbed it, enclosing mine in his as we tiptoed out of the building. I had a lot of questions I wanted to ask Xhafer, but I would rather leave them for the next time we were going to see them because ri
FLASHBACK "Run! Hide.. Now!" Catherine whispered loudly as she pulled Nickolas into the storehouse. Nickolas had no idea what was going on as he remained hesitant about doing what his mother had asked of him. "Are we in trouble mother? I will stand and fight for you," he insisted as he slipped out of Catherine's grasp. "I want to go and play with Brutus, I saw him walking in with his father. I want to go to him," Catherine pulled him back. "Nick! Now isn't the time for games okay? We are in trouble and your father will protect us, not you... You still have a future ahead of you and you shouldn't mess with that," Catherine stared at Nickolas as she waited for a response but the six-year-old boy was adamant. "Okay?" She almost thundered as her hands trembled but she managed to keep her voice low. "Okay ma but you promise that you will make me cookies later in the evening?" Nickolas curled his fingers on the ladder railings.
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y
Camilla pushed some chairs out of her way as she rushed to Sam. Her eyes fell on Sam, sipping wine as he scrolled through his phone. Her ears flared up. "Sam, what's going on? Why aren't you saying anything? Why are you quiet, like we are not part of the family?" Camilla rested one hand on her waist and the other on her forehead. Sam didn't say a word; he didn't even look up at her. He remained engrossed in his phone with no atom of emotion written on his face. "You sat there while that stupid girl humiliated me and our daughter. You watched her slap me, and you did nothing about it." Camilla kept on ranting. That was all she could do. She couldn't fathom the fact that Sam remained quiet and wasn't saying anything. Or was he part of everything that had been going on? She had doubts about it but hoped it wouldn't be true. Sam adjusted his glass, turned off his phone, and placed it beside him on the couch. He looked up at Camilla and crossed his legs. "Camilla, y