Instantly, Chloe choked on her saliva and kept coughing till Elena reached out to her and patted her shoulder.“Easy, Chloe. Is that too much of a news?” She chuckled.“You…” Chloe inhaled as she tried to regain her composure.“You have given birth… to two children?” When Elena nodded her head in agreement, she leaned back and exhaled again.She was expecting such an answer, but why had it gotten her more surprised?Was it because she answered without denying or was it because she has not just one child but two?“I… I thought… I thought you had not been with anyone since my brother,” Chloe stuttered.Instead of answering, Elena shrugged her shoulders off, picked up her coffee, and then sipped it slowly while she stared at the lady who was finding it hard to believe.“Who is he?” Chloe asked.“You ask too many questions, don’t you?”“I am curious about many things, Elena.”“You didn’t think I would tell you the truth, did you?” Elena raised a brow and Chloe shook her head.“W…who is t
“Your words hurt, Elena…” Chloe exhaled, a painful smile escaping her lips.Elena adjusted in her seat, and shook her head, “I did not mean to.”“Elena.”“You cannot meet my children.”“Why? Do you hate me too? If I could go back in time to change the past, I would, but I can’t. Why… why are you…”“I am not being hard on you on purpose, Chloe.”“Let me meet them.”“And who would I tell them you are? I would not introduce you to them as their aunt. You might think it’s just a word, but my children are so smart and you would be surprised by how quick they will figure you out.”“Anything!” Chloe sniffed and wiped the tears that laced her eyes with the back of her hand. “Anything, if aunt does not sit well with you.”Elena watched Chloe who kept tearing up no matter how much she wiped her tears away and then smacked her lips.Her eyes fell on her coffee and her ice had already melted. She picked up the glass cup, removed the straw, and then drank the coffee directly from the glass.“I co
“What do you mean by ‘a Russo’? She is just Chloe?” Elena rolled her eyes.Raymond kept his eyes pinned on the lady who was starting to feel intimidated by the man, and then, Elena exhaled and talked again.“It’s okay, Dad. You’re intimidating her.”“Does it look like I care?”Ariana rushed towards Elena, grabbed her hand, and then dragged her to another side of the room.“What are you doing? You never wanted her here.”“She knows already.”“About the twins? How?”Elena took a glance back at Chloe who kept her head bowed in front of her parents, and then returned to look at Ariana.“I told her.”“Elena!”“She saw the cesarean section scar and asked if I had given birth. Of course, I would not say no,” Elena rolled her eyes.“Are you cool with it?”“She said she would never tell anyone.”“And you trust her?”“Hold on…” Elena drew her brows together and exhaled.“If I remember correctly, you were urging me to tell her because ‘she is different from her family’, right?”“Just that I didn
“I… I am…”“She is not your aunt! What is wrong with you?!” Elena snapped.“We thought she was. She’s a new face and we can’t help but wonder,” Nathan shrugged his shoulders off.“Mum is right. I am just uhm… like a little sister?” She tilted her head.“Little sister? Aunt Aria is her sister.”Chloe smiled heartily, picked up their hands, and then fondled it gently. “She is like a sister to me. A sister from another mother, we can say,” she said and the twins nodded their heads, trying to understand.“I will leave you with them,” Elena said.As Chloe raised her head to look at Elena, she nodded her head knowingly, silently vowing that she could trust her.Elena nodded her head and then turned around. “Don’t stress her too much, guys. I’ll be back after I freshen up,” she said and walked out of the door.As soon as she left the room and then the twins were sure she was away from the door, they clutched closer to Chloe who was still on her knees and then stared at her.“Why? Are you loo
“Okay. I understand that you love passing your boundary, but… why must you bring me with you?”Ryan grunted for the umpteenth time at Zeke who did not even spare him a glance and only looked through the window.“Do you think I can enter now?”“If you want to embarrass yourself, yes,” Ryan rolled his eyes.“Can you be serious?”“Of course, I am serious. An inauguration ceremony is going on and as if attending without being invited is not enough, you want to go in right now when people are still there. You think the Baskervilles would welcome you with an open arm?”“Chloe was invited,” Zeke said.“Are you Chloe?”It was Ariana’s inauguration ceremony and literally all the influential businessmen were there, but he was not invited.Not like an invite could stop him, but he knew that he would finally be meeting with Elena’s parents.He does not know how that realization makes him feel but he knows damn well that they would never welcome him with an open arm.If Ariana could give him such
“She is not a toy,” Ryan stated.“I know. She is human. She is Elena. And… she is definitely not a toy. I don’t want to own her… I want to earn her, and I will.”After he said that, he turned to look out the window again and a soft smile tugged on Ryan’s lips.He ended the voice recording that he had switched on and then returned his phone to his pocket.One day… When the time was right to help his friend plead for Elena’s mercy again, he would probably have the evidence to show her that Zeke was not the same person from six years ago.===“Are you sure they are still in there? I didn’t see them coming out,” Ryan said as he walked to the entrance with Zeke.“They could still be there. You know they would probably wait till their guests leave… and well, they might have left through the back door. We can only know until we get there,” he said.As they stopped at the entrance, the two bouncers stood in front of them and then asked for their invitation cards.“Is the event not over?” Zeke
“Mr. Basker…”“What in the name of the lord is this man doing here?!”His voice thundered and everyone, including Elena, could swear that they had never received such a vibe from the man before.Zeke swallowed hard and then raised his head to look at the man. He looked angry, like never before. His brows were crumpled together, and his lips were mashed together while his chest kept rising in anger.When his eyes met with Ramon’s who let out a short smirk, his blood boiled but this was not the time to show his anger for the man.“Mr. Raymond, I…”And he slapped him across the face again.Zeke bit his lower lips, swallowed the blood in his mouth, and then raised his eyes to look at the man again.Where was he even going to start?He was not giving him the chance to talk or even look at him.Guess he should have listened to Ryan.It was as if the man saw what was going to happen and then warned him strongly from coming here without settling things with Elena first.He turned to look at E
“Wait for me!”Ryan turned to look at the familiar voice after he had seen Zeke enter the car.“Chloe.”Chloe hurried past him and then entered the car in front of Zeke.Ryan did not say anything and then entered with them, sitting beside her and then opposite Zeke.“What was he thinking?!” She snapped as soon as the car ignited.Ryan shrugged his shoulders off and then dropped his eyes on Zeke whose eyes were closed and his head rested on the head restraint.“Zeke!” She slapped his thigh.“What do you want?” Zeke groaned in displeasure.“What do I want? Why were you there?!” She snapped.Zeke did not answer and only exhaled and after a few seconds before the lady talked again, he raised his head and sat upright.“What were you doing there?”“Excuse me? I was invited,” she rolled her eyes.“Exactly. How did you get them to forgive you so fast and even invite you?!”Chloe shook her head, palmed her forehead, and then smacked her tongue. “The last time I checked, it was you who had issu
Before he stepped out of the car, he dialed Jeremy’s number first and then waited for the man to pick up which he did after the call was almost ending.“I hope you are calling for something very important. It’s so early in the morning, dang it,” Jeremy hissed.“There is a problem,” Ryan exhaled.“Good, I love to hear that. What is wrong?”“It is Zeke. You need to leave everything you are doing and come over here, right now. Please.”“What is wrong with Zeke?”Ryan glanced out to look at his friend before he answered Jeremy and a long silence ensued.“Share me your location,” he said and then dropped the call.After he ended the call, he placed a call across to Chloe too, and then explained the situation at hand before he finally stepped out of the car.He moved over to Zeke, palmed his forehead, and then dropped his other hand on his waist.“W… what in the name of madness is this?” He moved to his front, leaned down, and then lifted his chin up with his hand.Staring down at his frie
“Is he truly outside?” Karina rushed to her husband as he entered the room and he swallowed, entering fully.“I have told him to leave. He is leaving already,” he answered and then looked around the living room.“Where is Ramon? I ran into him outside the door here.”“He has gone to see Elena,” she replied.“Was he truly on his knees?”“You worry too much, Karina.”“Answer me, Raymond.”“Do you think that man has what it takes to do that?”He knew so well that his wife would not agree to the fact that he had left Zeke on his knees outside their mansion.“Honey, I really think you should stop interfering in their business.”“Whose business?” He feigned ignorance and settled on the chair.“Elena and Zeke. Raymond, they are not children.”“You are not honestly rooting for them again, are you?”“I am in support of whatever Elena chooses. I can’t make decisions for her and you need to know that too.”“In the past, you were against their union! I should have listened to you.”“That was beca
“Who did you say is asking for Elena?”“A Zeke Russo, sir.”Ray drew his brows together and turned to look at Karina who sat on the couch away from him.“Don’t let him in.”“Raymond,” Karina called him softly.“Let him return to wherever he is coming from or you will be losing your job!”The gateman bowed and then rushed out back.Delivering the message to the man in a rather harsh way, he closed the gate and returned inside.“Something happening?” His partner asked him as he returned inside his quarter.“The man outside. Boss said he does not want to see him in this compound or I will lose my job.”“Wait, really?”“I am telling you,” he exhaled and then settled on the chair in front of the big screen.“W… what is he doing?” He stuttered as he watched the screen.The other man rushed to him, drew his brows together, and then parted his lips.“Is that what I think it is?”“He is on his knees?” The gatekeeper asked rhetorically and then stood up hurriedly.___________“Hey, are you craz
“Take, one more spoon,” Elena patted her daughter as she took the last spoon of her food and after the girl collected it from her, she cleaned her mouth with a handkerchief and then leaned back.“Are you full?”Natalie nodded her head and then turned to look at her plate where Nathan had dropped a piece of meat in.She raised her brows, smiled gently, and then picked it up.“Thank you.”Nathan watched her sister chew it completely and then asked. “Do you want more?”She shook her head and then instead pulled off her cap. “See, my hair is starting to grow.”Nathan stared at her head where he could barely see a strand and then chuckled. He pulled off his cap too, bowed his head, and then showed her his. “Mine too.”“But…” Natalie tilted her head. “I can’t see any hair there.”“Same. There is no hair on your head either.”They dropped eyes on each other, and Elena pressed her lips, thinking Natalie had taken offense at his comment when her facial expressions literally went unreadable.Sh
“So, you’re not going? Really?”Zeke ignored Ryan totally, his head buried in his laptop and the man shook his head. Ryan exhaled and collapsed in the chair opposite Zeke and palmed his face.“Your daughter… Natalie is getting discharged today and you really are not going there?!”Still, he was mute. Maybe if Ryan peeped to check what Zeke was typing continuously on the keyboard, he would see that the only word he kept typing was ‘Natalie.’“You know, you are an asshole, right?”Still, he was mute.“She is leaving the hospital today. It means she is hale and healthy already. It means she can move around freely and you can meet her as you please, you know?” Ryan reminded him.When Zeke did not answer, he leaned closer, pushed the laptop shut, and then hissed.“What are you planning? I can swear that you are not busy and you were typing shit right there.”“C… could you see them home safely?”“Dude, that is your duty, not mine!” Ryan snapped with creased brows.Zeke nodded his head, exh
Elena looked out of the door for the umpteenth time and then sighed before she returned to stab a piece of apple in the bowl in her hand.“Give up. He’s not coming,” Ariana breathed out.“Who?”“I know you are waiting for Zeke.”“I am not!” She denied and Ariana nodded her head.“Besides… how did you know he is not coming?” She asked.“It’s been almost a week. He left without telling you and has not returned since then. He didn’t call you either.”“Something… might be wrong with him,” she shrugged her shoulders off.“Something like? Chloe was here and she didn’t deliver any bad news, so, what something?” Ariana asked.Elena sniffed, bit her lower lips, and then turned to look outside again.She did not want to admit that she was worried, but deep down, she knew she was.He was supposed to be here…He had promised he would be by her side till Natalie got discharged.He left that morning and had not returned since then.He didn’t even call her!She suspected so strongly that her father
“Did something happen?” Ryan asked Zeke again. This time, he had pulled the car gently into his compound and had followed him out of the car.Zeke had kept mute the entire time in the car and even though he and Chloe had thrown random jokes, or started random conversations with the hope that he was going to join, he kept mute still.Still, Zeke said nothing and made an entrance to the big door of his house.“No, I am certain something happened. What is wrong? You said you were going to stay for a while. You said you wanted to see your daughter.”“Ryan…” Zeke finally exhaled and swallowed.Entering the living room fully, he turned around, dropped his eyes on the couple, and then palmed his forehead.He was keeping his feelings bottled up. He felt like he wanted to cry.But, he was a man and he should not cry, right?But, fuck that.He had little regret in his life, but this…?He would forever regret it.It was something he could have controlled. He did it anyway. He thought it was the
When Ray suddenly burst into laughter, Zeke’s eyes fluttered as though he had said something very funny. He tilted his head and then sighed.“Sir?”“Is this some movie show?”“You asked…”“How much do you want, Zeke?”“I have answered you.”Ray shook his head, “My daughter is not an option.”“Everything I did is for my family, father.”“I am no father of yours and they are not your family either.”Dumbfounded, Zeke nodded his head and then smacked his tongue. “Sir.”“I am grateful to you for what you have done for our family. For my grand daughter.”“It is my responsibility as her father.”“You have no responsibility to fulfill, dear,” he chuckled rather sarcastically.“So, see her as much as you want to while we are still in the hospital. Elena included. I can assure you that will not happen again after she has been discharged.”“Fath—”“You can’t have her again!” He snapped and then palmed his forehead.“You don’t even deserve her.”“I will make myself worthy of her again,” he said.
“Are you sure? If it were up to me, I’d suggest that you stay here for a few more days,” Elena said, worry plastered across her face as she watched the man who did his shirt button.It was early the next morning and Zeke had already asked to be discharged even though the doctor had suggested that he should spend at least a day more.He insisted that he was good already and that he had no other complaints and if he did, he'd let the doctor know.“He does not listen,” Chloe who stood beside Ryan rolled her eyes and hissed.“I don’t like it here. I could not sleep well in that bed,” Zeke snapped his brows together as he glanced at the bed.“As if you’ve ever slept well in any bed,” Ryan rolled his eyes.Zeke swallowed, moved over to Elena, and then dropped his hands on her shoulders.“I am fine. I promise.”She exhaled, nodded her head, and then sniffed. “You better let me know if anything goes wrong again.”“I promise. Now, we gotta wait till Natalie gets discharged, right? The surgery