Two days later, Megan was summoned to the living room. She had not fully recovered from the attack so Logan had given her some days off to attend to her wounds. During that time, she had locked herself in her room to avoid the family and had organized for the maid assigned to her to take Benny to school and pick him up in the afternoon.As she came down the steps, the first person she saw was a disheveled Liana, hanging on to Rich's hand like she was an undetachable part of his arm. With unkempt hair and a haggard face, she looked like she had just been snatched from the pits of hell. Megan sighed, knowing that the drama was about to unfold.Beth, the matriarch sat on her seat, a rocking chair that had been gifted by her late husband on her birthday last year. The chair was custom-made for her and had a therapeutic massage control for her neck and back. Cindy who always had her headset on was lying, relaxed on the sofa next to her mother. Thankfully Buckley and Aaron were missing, ma
Liana had noticed the change in Cindy. She needed to get back to her good books because she was the only one that she could depend on to get rid of Megan. If Cindy was to lean toward Megan then Liana would have lost a very capable ally."Can I help you with that?" She asked as Cindy washed some fruits to prepare more fresh juice for Megan. Cindy was feeling terrible for having treated Megan so viciously before, all in the name of supporting Liana but now felt like the darkness that had been surrounding her had been shattered and all she saw was light; Megan's light of suffering."It's okay, I got this," she said just as Liana reached for the knife in her hand.Liana could feel the distance widening between them and panicked. "You know, I love your brother so much and I know that once we get married, the two of us will be like sisters. We can be twinning every day and I will introduce you to my circle of friends. I am sure that you will like them." Liana's friends were all socialites w
Liana should have been an actress and she would have been great in whatever role she got. Right now, she was on her way to the Waynes with a freshly baked strawberry cake. She knew that the limited edition bracelet that she had ordered for Cindy had also been delivered.Since it was a weekend and Megan was yet to fully recover, her mother had asked her to go home with Benny. The fresh air on the farm would help in the healing process. Also, Benny loved the outdoors so much.Her father was packed outside the gate when Liana arrived. She knew every bit and piece about her rival so she came down from her car.“Good morning Bill” she greeted cheerfully.He pushed up his spectacles and looked at the young lady leaning towards his open window. “That is Mr. Fodert to you young lady.” Liana squirmed under his gaze and excused herself after making the slip-up. She did not understand why the family was so stuck up yet they were so poor and not worthy of her time.As she entered the wide front
Megan sat on the swing in the backyard, her slender feet barely touching the ground. She swayed slowly as she kept an eye on her son who was running around after Betty the goat with their family dog barking after them.It was a clear Sunday afternoon and they had just come from church because her religious parents always believed in joining the fellowship at the local church. Meeting the townspeople again after months of being away was refreshing. They were the most loving and caring people who never judged and accepted people as they were. This was why it was easy for her to return home after her first divorce. She wondered if they would still welcome her back after a second divorce.Already a sweet-smelling aroma of baked bread and roast meat wafted out of the kitchen window to signify that mother was almost done with lunch. It was a family tradition for mother to handle lunch preparation alone for the family every Sunday where she set a menu that had been handed down from a line of
Mr. Wayne requested a meeting with Megan. He had his own personal reasons for this deal and she was the right person who could help him and of course it came with perks that would be beneficial to her and her family.He had watched Megan grow up cause Bill had worked for him for so many years and in his heart, he had always thought to pair her up with his son who seemed to be running amok by the day.A quite lady who was not up to recognition from the society would make the perfect wife to his son who unfortunately had linked up with a super model that he really despised. He had seen through Liana a long time ago and there was no way that he would ever allow a pretentious gold digger into the family.“All I need is for you to marry my son and I shall take care of the rest.” He said to convince her. "Benny will be well taken care of and there is nothing that you not your family shall lack”. He knew why she was hesitant. After all, who did not know about his son’s character.Megan, stil
Megan stood looking out of the window overlooking the crisp gentle river. It had been two weeks since she went back to the Wayne residence and so far things had been quiet, like the calmness of the river outside. Beth never bothered with her and rarely spoke a sentence to her while Rich assumed that she didn't exist in that house.Back in the countryside, Logan had tried to convince her to move in with him. He lived in a huge five-bedroom mansionette but only one of them was occupied. His master bedroom covered the whole second floor holding a huge jacuzzi, a small bar, and a walk-in closet.Three guest rooms were on the first floor, all of them master bedrooms, and an extra bedroom was on the ground floor where the housekeeper lived.Logan had enough space to accommodate Megan and her son and he was even willing to change schools for Benny and enroll him in the nearby private school. This would have worked well for Megan but she had never been one to take the easy way out. Moreover,
Liana sat in her room fuming. Things were not going her way and she hated that. In the time that Megan was away, she had tried all means to get Rich to ask her to move in with him. She had even hinted at spending the night on the evening of Megan’s return but Rich still sent her away with the promise that soon, things would fall into place and she would have her rightful place by his side. She had boasted to her friends how she had her boyfriend in the palm of her hands, ready to grant her every wish but her desire was never granted, causing her some humiliation. She needed to come up with a plan that would push Megan away for good.Her head was pounding as she remembered how she had tried to coax Rich into going for a romantic getaway just so she could show Megan her worth because she thought that trampling on her dignity by openly having an affair with her husband was a sure way of chasing Megan out of the mansion.Rich, not moved mumbled about how he was up to his neck in collabor
"Please Megan, just let me accompany you to the mall. I just want to spend the afternoon with little Benny.”Cindy was pleading with her sister-in-law who was still wary of her. She was trying everything possible to show Megan that she had changed her perspective toward her but who could blame Megan?Cindy was always the one who stuck up for Rich and Liana and even went as far as humiliating her in public whenever she was with Liana and they happened to meet Megan.The last time that this had occurred, Megan was running an errand for Logan. She had gone shopping for his partner’s special brand of perfume and met them in the mall. As soon as they saw her, they approached her, Cindy sneering at her.“Well, well, so what do we have here?” she said grabbing the bottle of perfume from Megan's hand as she was about to pay for it.“Give that back”, Megan stretched her hand to take it back but Liana stepped forward and in the process, Megan’s hand accidentally brushed on her blouse. Without
Queen sighed, running a hand through her hair. She had noticed the dreamy look on Megan's and the soft hum on her lips, indicating that something might have transpired that day. She had also missed classes, which had never occurred before."It must be Dante" she guessed."Queen, we cleared things up." She said as she smiled at her friend and explained what happened earlier.Megan's blissful ignorance was starting to grate on her nerves. "Megan," she began again, trying to keep her tone gentle, "I'm just saying, isn't it a little convenient that Dante suddenly has all the answers and Lizbeth is just… a liar?"Megan's smile faltered slightly. "But Queen, he explained everything! He said Lizbeth was just someone his family knew a long time ago, and she's always been a bit… dramatic. He said he told her to stop spreading rumours."Queen raised an eyebrow. "And you believe that wholeheartedly?""Yes!" Megan insisted, her smile returning with a touch of defiance. "Dante wouldn't lie to me.
"Megan, Megan, wait up!" Dante's voice echoed down the hallway.Megan was coming from her room, ready to start her day. She had lessons lined up throughout the day and was already running late for her first class.She rounded the corner and headed to the lecture room when she saw him, Dante. He leaned against the cool, tiled wall, arms crossed, a familiar, persistent look in his eyes. It had become a pattern, this unexpected appearance wherever she went – the library, the cafeteria, even the quiet courtyard where she sometimes ate lunch. He had been stalking her, showing up wherever.A wave of frustration washed over her. Ignoring him had been her strategy, a silent but firm declaration of disinterest. But seeing him waiting there, so deliberately, sent a shiver of unease down her spine. Without breaking stride, she executed a sharp about-face, her heels clicking against the floor as she headed towards the staff room door. She would just pretend that she was there for her lecturer.
Liana stood frozen, her hand pressed against her stinging cheek, disbelief warring with a rising tide of fury. The skin beneath her palm throbbed, a burning heat that mirrored the humiliation flooding through her. A stark red imprint was already beginning to surface, a visible testament to the unthinkable. Her lover, Rich, the man who had never so much as raised his voice to her, the man who had showered her with pampering and indulged her every whim, had actually struck her."What is going on here?" Rich’s voice boomed, cutting through the stunned silence that had fallen over the boutique."Babe… you slapped me? Without even knowing what happened?" Liana stammered, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and outrage.Rich didn't even glance in her direction. His attention was fixed on the manager, the man’s badge a clear identifier amidst the unfolding chaos. "It would be best if you saw for yourself," the manager replied, his tone carefully neutral as he discreetly signalled to sec
Rich stood by his car, his gaze fixed on the endless rows of vehicles filling the mall's expansive carpark. A profound weariness settled over him, a bone-deep exhaustion that transcended mere physical fatigue. He yearned for escape, a desperate urge to slide behind the wheel and embark on an aimless drive, a journey to nowhere in particular, a flight to his own personal Neverland.The memory of his forced marriage to Megan surfaced, unbidden. He had envisioned a life of unrelenting misery, his only solace the sweet affection of Liana, his girlfriend. It was this belief that had fueled his resistance to the marriage, his deliberate refusal to acknowledge the genuine effort Megan had poured into their ill-fated union.But the landscape of his life had shifted dramatically in the few short months since his divorce. The rose that was Liana had inexplicably transformed into a sharp, unforgiving thorn. The woman who had once offered him immeasurable pleasure and comfort had morphed into
Rich trailed behind Liana, his footsteps heavy with unspoken resentment. She had been relentless in her demands for a shopping excursion, her persistent nagging finally eroding his resistance. He had given in, hoping a few hours of retail therapy might appease her and grant him some much-needed peace.Liana, oblivious or perhaps deliberately ignoring his dark mood, was chattering animatedly about the latest trends and celebrity gossip. Noticing his continued silence, she skipped back to him, her movements light and carefree. "Honey, cheer up," she chirped, playfully swinging his lapel like a spoiled child seeking attention.Rich had been deliberately creating distance between them lately. He’d leave for work before the first hint of dawn, ensuring he was gone before Liana even stirred. Beth preferred to take her meals in her room, leaving Liana to navigate the vast, echoing spaces alone, boredom her constant companion. Even the household staff seemed to avoid her, materializing on
The sight of Lizbeth’s tear-streaked face and trembling form tugged at the heartstrings of Dante’s friends. They exchanged knowing glances, a silent understanding passing between them. "Just let her be, Dante," one of them advised, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "After all, we grew up together. People might naturally consider her your childhood sweetheart." Dante bristled at the insinuation. "I have a girlfriend," he stated firmly, his voice carrying a clear warning. "So please, let this be the last time I hear about this!" He genuinely cared for Megan and the thought of her misinterpreting his connection with Lizbeth sent a wave of anxiety through him. He wanted to build something real with her, something untainted by past associations. Reaching for his wallet, he extracted a credit card and tossed it towards Lizbeth, who stood looking forlorn. "You can shop for whatever you want," he said, his tone clipped but not unkind. "I need to find my girlfriend." With tha
The murmur rippled through the crowded hallways of the second floor, a wave of hushed excitement and morbid curiosity. Dante, his heart hammering against his ribs, propelled himself forward, his friends trailing close behind. The snatches of conversation they’d overheard – a fight, girls involved, and then the chillingly familiar name, Megan – had sent a jolt of adrenaline through him. He had to know what was happening.The scene that unfolded before them was a tableau of raw emotion. Lizbeth stood near the stairwell, her face streaked with tears that carved clean paths through the dust on her cheeks. Her voice, thick with sobs, reached Dante’s ears. "I was only trying to help," she choked out, her small frame trembling.The initial sympathy of the small crowd that had gathered was visibly shifting. Whispers turned to pointed glances, and a palpable air of disapproval began to emanate from them. Lizbeth’s eyes darted around, a flicker of panic in their depths. Her reputation, car
"Country pumpkin!" The insult, laced with a cruel, mocking sweetness, sliced through the air, followed by the sickening thud of something soft and viscous striking the back of Megan's head. The sticky, pungent substance oozed into her hair, a grotesque parody of a country harvest.Megan, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs, whirled around. She had been caught in the frantic churn between classes, the minutes slipping through her fingers like sand. Her last lecture had bled into the next, leaving her scrambling to make up for lost time. Now, she was faced with a trio of girls, their laughter echoing in the deserted hallway like the cackle of hyenas."What is your problem?" she demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and bewildered confusion. She fumbled with her handkerchief, attempting to wipe the foul-smelling goo from her hair, the thought of returning to the hostel for a desperate, cleansing shower a tempting escape.The girl in the centre, a caricat
Introductions were swiftly exchanged between the two groups of students, a flurry of names and tentative smiles in the bustling campus environment. One of the young men, a perceptive fellow named Kevin, subtly nudged his friend Dante. He had keenly observed the almost palpable spark of attraction that flickered between Dante and the captivating Megan during their brief initial encounter. Recognizing a promising opportunity for his friend, Kevin casually suggested they all grab lunch together in the student cafeteria.Queen, however, felt a knot of unease tighten in her stomach at the prospect of immediately socializing with a group of boys on their very first day navigating the sprawling university grounds. She had always been cautious and preferred to establish her footing before venturing into unfamiliar social dynamics. But Megan, her new roommate, seemed utterly charmed by Dante’s quiet intensity, her eyes already reflecting a nascent infatuation. Reluctantly, not wanting to