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
Benny skipped along while holding his Aunt's hand as they strolled in the mall. The last time that he was here, his grandfather had taken him for a movie and hot cocoa treat. Winter was just beginning then and his grandfather was still in good health.Megan needed to get a new set of clothes for Benny whose birthday was coming up and he had specifically asked for a Spiderman birthday concept. He may be mature for his age but he was still a child after all.As they got to the children’s store, Benny ran ahead in excitement as Megan hurried to catch up with him. Cindy looked at mother and son and a gentle laugh escaped her lips. Just as she was about to enter the store, she heard her name called out and turned to see who it was.Liana was on a shopping spree with her minions who never seemed to leave her side. She was still mad at Rich for ignoring her for almost a week and had decided to exhaust the funds on the card that he had given her to pacify her anger. She was coming out of an
The air was filled with children’s laughter as they ran in the garden, the bright sunny afternoon kissing their chubby cheeks. Their flushed happy faces showed the energy that they were using as their parents and guardians sat in the shade.Tents were erected by the sides to shade them as they watched over their kids. On the table were punch bowls and bottled water so that the children would not dehydrate. A variety of snacks also filled the tables for them to have bites in between the games.It was a red and black themed party red decoration paper swung softly from the trees while on the plants hung wool-made cobwebs giving it a spidery look.The birthday boy was clad in a Spiderman outfit, his face hidden behind the mask. Located sparingly in the garden were Spiderman action figures because it was Benny’s wish to have such a party. Megan had gone all out to give her son the birthday party of his choice and she was happy to see that it had turned out well. She remembered when Benny
Logan held Megan’s hand to calm her down and turned towards the gossiping women. “Mrs. Smith, your son is a drug addict who is doing time for driving under the influence and endangering the lives of pedestrians. Did you not bribe the judge so that he could have a reduced sentence instead of serving ten years in jail?”“Miss Eunice, you are a kept mistress and the only reason why the man is with you is that you gave birth to his son. In fact, his wife is very ready to take the boy away from you just so that you stop pestering her husband”“And you, Mrs. Zilper, you still owe 2 million in gambling debts at the Owen Casino. It would give me great pleasure to see them collect the debt. I am sure the neighbors would be treated to a great show if this happens.”The women looked aghast at the young man standing before them. He had literally stripped them naked in front of Megan who was still new in the neighborhood and knew nothing about their dirty deeds.Logan on the hand stood calmly bef
Megan was frantically swimming in murky waters as her son was struggling to stay afloat. The strong waves were hindering her progress as she shouted for Benny to hold on.The eerie night was not making vision easy. Her heart was pounding as she shouted for help but not a single soul was in sight. The dark, starless clouds spelled doom but she was determined to save her son or go under with him.She could hear Benny’s pitiful voice as he cried out to her and with her last reserve, she kicked forward and reached for his hands. Just as she reached out to grab his tiny hand, a mighty wave swept them apart and Benny went under.Megan screamed and tried to fight but strong hands held her down. She could faintly hear somebody calling her name but she was scratching and kicking widely, unwilling to accept that her little boy had drowned.“Megan, wake up!” a voice commanded and cold water splashed on her face. Coughing, she struggled to breath as she sat up from the bed.“Benny, Benny……” she f
Rich woke up drenched in sweat. Thinking it was because his love was firmly stuck to him while sweetly sleeping with her head on his chest, he gently moved her head from off his chest and then proceeded to slowly move out of the bed, headed for the balcony for some air. As he lightly moved so as not to wake her up, he grabbed his phone from the nightstand. He felt something nagging at the back of his head and he had a sinking feeling that he could not get rid of. Switching on his phone which had been off for two days straight, he was surprised to see that he had over thirty missed calls from his mother. There was also a strange number that had tried calling him twice. "Mum, what's up? I told you that I needed quality time with Liana, why have you called me so many times?" he asked as soon as the call connected.He heard his mother sniff but before she could say anything, warm hands held his stomach and his girlfriend pressed herself on his back, spraying kisses on the line of his s
"Hey........hey wake up".Benny felt his legs being knocked by the kidnapper. He wondered why the voice sounded familiar but thought maybe it was because he was still groggy. "Could I have used so much force and killed him?"The kidnapper started panicking and knelt, feeling Benny's nose with his finger to see if he was still breathing. He was relieved when his finger was hit by a gentle breath and he sighed with relief.Since he had been in a rush to take the child without being noticed, he ended up slugging Benny harder than he had intended. He just hoped that he did not end up hitting him too hard to cause internal damage; otherwise, he would never be able to forgive himself.Going on his knees, he used his finger to feel below his nose and heaved a sigh of relief when he felt a gentle breath. He then took out a handkerchief and tied the boy's eyes then gently lifted him to his lap. Taking a bottle of water, he tried to make him take a sip so that he would not be dehydrated cause
"What's going on?" Liana asked then her smile froze as she saw Cindy in the living room.She had thought that she would have time to hide the papers from Rich for a while until the 30-day cooling-off period was over.She would then find a way to tell him that it was time to finalise the divorce proceedings, and maybe by then, she would be pregnant again, holding Rich for life.Rich's sudden move took Liana by surprise. She hadn't anticipated him grabbing the envelope, assuming that the shock of knowing about the divorce papers would keep him off balance. Her carefully constructed facade began to crack as Rich snatched the envelope from her grasp and opened it.He held the papers tightly, his knuckles white. His gaze was fixed on Liana, his eyes burning with a mixture of anger, hurt, and disbelief. "How, Liana?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "How did you get my signature? And how did you get access to the Wayne family seal?"Liana's carefully composed demeanour faltered.
"What in the world is going on here?" Beth exclaimed, rushing down the stairs, her voice laced with concern. The sound of Cindy's furious honking still echoed faintly outside, and the tension in the living room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Cindy, her face flushed and her eyes blazing, was pacing back and forth like a caged tiger."Rich!" She was screaming the house down."You had better get the heck down here and face me you cowardly bastard." Rich, who was in his study, heard the ruckus and asked his assistant to find out what was happening."What is going on, Cindy? Why are you so worked up?" Beth asked, worried."Aaah Boss, you had better go down. Your sister has just gone mad." Brian told Rich after asking a servant what was going on."Rich!" Cindy practically spat the name as soon as she saw her brother come down the staircase. "How could you? How could you let Liana do that to Megan?"Rich looked utterly bewildered. "Do what? Cindy, what are you talking about? I d
Megan sat at the window seat of the cafe, Cindy and Athena a few tables away. The persistent ringing of her phone had been a constant annoyance for over a week. Liana's calls, begging for a meet-up, had finally worn down Megan's resistance. When she left the Wayne household, Megan had vowed to put everything behind her, including her estranged husband, Rich and his mistress. But Liana's relentless calls were driving her insane.Liana sauntered into the cafe and immediately noticed Megan at the window seat.Like a queen ascending her throne, she took her seat and then dusted imaginary dirt on the table as she looked at Megan who was totally unfazed by her Sliding a brown envelope towards her, she smirked and extended a pen."What's this?" Megan asked without bothering to touch it."Rich wants nothing to do with you so quickly sign the divorce papers",Liana then looked at her wristwatch as if she was in a hurry."And he asked you to bring them?" Megan looked at her suspiciously smel
It had been a month since the girls moved in together, and the shared apartment was starting to feel like home. Cindy had returned to university, but a surprising change had occurred. Instead of returning to the familiar comfort of her old residence near campus, she'd opted for a daily commute by subway from their new home; determined to never return to the Wayne mansion.This was a completely new experience for her, a stark contrast to the chauffeur-driven lifestyle she was accustomed to. The crowded trains and bustling stations were a world away from what she knew, but she seemed to embrace the change, a subtle shift in her perspective.Athena, meanwhile, had secured a position at the company, working directly as Megan's assistant. This arrangement wasn't coincidental; it was a deliberate move to ensure she could keep a close watch on Megan, a silent guardian angel in the corporate landscape. The dynamics between them, both personal and professional, were still unfolding, a
The Wayne mansion, a place that held both joyous memories and now, an unbearable weight of grief, was finally behind her. Megan, Cindy, and Athena, a small family forged in a time of loss and sisterly support, stood on the threshold of their new beginning. Logan, a constant source of support, had orchestrated their move, ensuring every detail was handled with care not wanting the girls to worry about shifting houses. He’d even personally driven them to the quiet suburban area, a world away from the prying eyes and whispered condolences of Megan's past life, a cushion against the pain of loss.The house, a charming three-bedroomed bungalow with a sprawling garden, was perfect. It was nestled in a peaceful cul-de-sac, far from the noise and bustle of the city, a sanctuary where Megan could hopefully begin to heal. Logan had taken extra precautions, not just enhancing the area's security but also discreetly placing some of his own trusted men as residents in the neighbourhood, th
"Honey, why are you back so early?" She asked as she stepped forward to take his coat.Rich's unexpected arrival hung in the air, a silent judgment on the tableau before him.Liana, rushed towards him, arms outstretched. Rich, however, bypassed her embrace, his gaze fixed on Liana with an intensity that made her falter. He pulled up a chair and sat down."Liana, I need to ask you something."Immediately she tensed, sensing what he was about to ask."Honey, let's t...talk in the living room and leave the girls to enjoy their tea." She stammered, as she held his arm and led him outside, back to the house."Liana," he began, his voice low and anxious, "I want you to answer me truthfully. Was that you on the recording?" He didn't want to believe that his beloved could do something like this but ever since she fought with Megan in the parking lot, he seemed to be picking out odd things about her character.Liana's cracked as her breath hitched, and the colour drained from her face, lea
Megan and Cindy were having their afternoon tea by the pool. They dismissed the maid that was serving them tea as Megan never liked being waited upon cause she always felt that it was demeaning to the maid to stand by their side as they ate.They had spent the better part of the morning house-hunting. Cindy had been urging Megan to move in with her which was a tangible way for Cindy to show her love and support, offering Megan a chance to create a new space where she could begin to heal. It was not about forgetting Benny, but about finding a place where the pain might be a little less sharp, where Megan could rebuild her life piece by piece.The house was turning into a live tomb for Megan and she could hear the echoes of Benny's laugh in the silence and could even sense his hug.Many at times, she would wake up screaming Benny's name while desperately searching for him in the dark. She knew she was going insane due to the loss, and if she wasn't careful, it would be full-blown, lead
"Mummy", Benny called out as he giggled.Megan smiled and opened her arms wide, bracing herself for the hug.Benny would always run into her with the assurance that his mother would pick him up in a twirl going round and round until they both got dizzy.Mother and child hugged and laughed as they rolled in the grass."I love you Mummy", Benny said as he looked into his mother's eyes without smiling.Alarmed, Megan sat on the grass and held her son."I love you too, Benny, but why the serious face?" Benny would either be giggling or hugging his mother's neck and smiling when telling his mother that he loved her, but right now, he had an odd expression that was very unlike him.He got up from his mother's lap and gave her a serious look, then ran a few feet away."Mummy, catch me if you can," he said then took off, laughing.Megan ran after him and caught up with him, lifting him in the air."Mummy, I'm sorry I can't be with you anymore". Tears were streaming down his face as he held b
It was the day of the trial.The courtroom buzzed with a nervous energy, a stark contrast to the quiet solemnity of Benny's funeral. Megan sat stiffly, her gaze fixed on the empty space beside her, a phantom presence of her son lingering there. The weight of grief had settled into a dull ache, a constant reminder of the void left by Benny's absence. Her face was pale, her eyes hollow, reflecting the sleepless nights and the constant replay of seeing her Benny in a casket.Cindy sat beside her, offering silent support, her hand resting lightly on Megan's arm. She had never left Megan's side because the doctor said that Megan needed round-the-clock monitoring so she wouldn't fall into depression.Athena, ever observant, watched the proceedings while flanking Megan's other side, now her personal bodyguard; a decision she made on her own. Ever since she went to MountainView for vacation, she had been thinking of a career change because her heart couldn't handle the body count, espec