“You are pregnant, Mrs. Russo.”..Elena felt her stomach tied in a knot again for the umpteenth time as she remembered the piece of information the doctor had said to her at the hospital a while back.The last thing she had expected now… at this critical time was being pregnant, still it did not help but make her assume that it was only going to strengthen her relationship with her husband.Her marriage has almost hit the rock button— IF it has not even hit it yet.Of course, he did not love her.They did not marry because they loved each other. She loved him, it’s him who did not spare her a glance.She had been married to her husband, Zeke, for three years and all through the three years, she could count the amount of time that he had looked at her.Zeke did not like her, and he never hid that fact. After all, it was a loveless marriage and she had forced himself on him.Had she, though?Three years ago, because he needed to get some inheritance from his grandfather or something,
“We are divorcing, Elena. Game is over.”Elena does not know which was more surprising. The words her husband had just said to her or the fact that the woman her husband was cheating on her with was her best friend.Her best friend. Camila. She sniffed gently and stood up grudgingly, leaving the brown envelope on the floor.“Z…Zeke, no, Camila?” She breathed heavily.“I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, and now… that is it. I hope you will sign it without any problem and…”“Zeke, that is my best friend!” She hollered.Both were painful, and she is yet to know which was more painful.She stared at Camila who looked away from her and settled on the table in the room. She looked like she could care less as she had been caught and right now, she wished for nothing more than to slap that look off her face.Camila had been her best friend for many years, and this was the woman she had told everything about what was going on in her marriage.“I think you should give him a bit of space
Elena winced in pain for the umpteenth time as her lower belly shook in pain and stood from where she sat, then walked to the tall standing mirror in her room.She raised her chiffon top and then stared at her flat belly.Wondering why her stomach hurt, she poked the lower belly gently and then winced again as the pain hit her.“Aw!”“I should go to the hospital tomorrow…” she said to no one in particular after glancing at the wall clock and realizing that it was almost seven in the night.After she had left Zeke’s company in the afternoon, she had come straight home and had been literally sleeping since then.The last thing she wanted was to think about the divorce paper that she had received earlier the day as it does nothing than bring tears to her eyes.Finally, she trailed her eyes to the brown envelope on the nightstand beside her bed and then exhaled.It was not a dream, indeed. Her husband has presented the ‘death note to her.’As she stared at her reflection in the mirror fo
“Fortunately, she arrived here earlier, else it might have been a different story entirely.”The doctor said as he adjusted the intravenous drip and then turned to look at Aria who stood behind him.“Is she okay now? And the baby?”“Yes, I must say, he is a fighter. He hung onto his mama really well,” he said and Aria smiled weakly.“Thank you.”“She should be awake soon. I will come back to check up on her,” he said and she nodded her head.“Alright. Thank you, Doctor.”After the doctor exited the room with the two nurses, she returned to sit beside her sister’s bed and then picked up her phone to check the time.It was almost six in the morning, and all she had been waiting for through the night was Zeke’s call.Was he not aware that his wife was not at home… in the room with him?Or… had he gone on a trip or something?She knew she had to keep all options open.Her sister has a nice relationship with her husband… as she had been told.It had taken everything in her to not go to the
Zeke could swear that he heard no single thing amongst what the woman on the stage in front of him had said as all he wondered was how a person could not have changed a bit in the last six years.In a split second, he asked himself if he was seeing correctly and if the person in front of him was his ex-wife, Elena.As the woman rounded her speech and everyone clapped their hands for her, a waiter stopped in front of him, and without thinking twice, he pushed the man away and clasped his hands together.Watching her being escorted out of the stage and to the door at the back of the stage, he hurried to the direction, without giving a damn about the people that were obviously looking at him.As he got out of the event hall which led him down the hallway, he looked around and saw the men who had escorted her in front of a door, he dashed there.“Excuse, sir. You can’t enter.’Zeke raised his brow at the man who just said to him and then looked at the other man beside him and took a step
Elena stopped walking occasionally while she stopped to greet the people that were rushing up to her even though she could still feel Zeke’s presence behind her.Of course, she knew that people would want to talk to her, secure a meeting, and all of that after tonight’s unveiling but what she was not expecting was her ex-husband crawling up to her in that manner.“I have been trying to meet with you, Ms. Baskerville,” one of the older businessmen said to her and she forced a smile and nodded her head.Was she aware that Zeke was going to be present at tonight’s event?No.But she hoped that he would be. She wanted to see his reaction when he saw her six years later, and not to lie, she loved the mystery that was plastered across his face.Zeke was nothing like she used to know. Although she had watched all of his achievements on the internet and how he had risen to one of the top three billionaires in the whole of America. Still, the media did little justice to his current look.The
Elena twitched her lips upward and nodded her head. Whether he submitted their divorce documents or not, she cared less.“That is your problem, not mine,” she shrugged her shoulders off and then turned to leave.She made sure she did not stop walking and increased her pace till she reached her car.Her driver got down, opened the door for her, and she got in hurriedly.“Let’s go, please.”By the time Zeke got to the car, the driver had already ignited the engine and was about to drive.Zeke slammed his hands on the tinted window while he called out her name, but even if she spared him a glance from where she sat, he would not know as the windows were heavily tinted.He breathed out as he watched the car drive away, looked around, and then adjusted his clothes stylishly.He fondled his hands in a tight fist and then clenched his teeth.He did not doubt that he would not be sleeping well tonight. He needed not to be told that his usual nightmares would wake him up.Especially now that h
Zeke hesitated to get out of the car as the driver opened the door for him because he knew that getting out of the car was meeting with everyone, including Camila’s parents.It was his mother’s birthday two days ago and because everyone had said they were busy, she had fixed a dinner gathering for today. He adjusted his collar, got out of the car, and then looked around the big mansion.“Sir,” he sighted the butler from afar and then nodded his head at the man who bowed at him.“This way, sir,” he said again.Zeke nodded his head and then walked after the man who turned around and then walked ahead of him, leading him to the garden where they were probably having dinner.“Your mother is so pissed,” he said.Zeke hissed softly and then nodded his head. “How many people are present there?”“Maybe five? Or more than,” he answered, not turning to look at him.Zeke shook his head and walked silently behind the man for a while before he talked again, chuckling slightly.“What are you worrie
Zeke got down from the car after he got to the location on the map, looked around, and then sighed.He removed his phone from his pocket and then dialed the number again.Hearing it ring just away from him, he looked around again and then began to trace where it was coming from.As he got under a big tree, he stopped walking and looked down at the kids who sat on the floor and then raised their heads to look at him.He ended the call, returned the phone to his pocket, and then rested his hands on his waist before he breathed out.“God.”As he looked at them, he knew it was taking everything in them to not rush at him and hug him, but instead, they chose to sit there, looking as though he had betrayed them.“Will you hug Daddy, please?” He spread his arms wide.Finally, Nathan stood up and then helped his sister up, and helped her to adjust her head warmer before they moved over to him.He went on his knees and when they got to him, and wrapped his arms around them.“Oh, my dear.”When
“What have you done to yourself, Ramon?” Ray asked the man in a whisper, bewildered at the sudden change in his behavior“What have I done to myself? You truly ask that of me, father?”“I do! What the hell is going through your head?!”“Why do all of you disregard me this way too?!” He screamed out.Elena drew her brows together as she stared at him.Was there something else included that she was not aware of?This man was acting like a total psycho!“For the last four years, I took this family as my own! I ate on the same plate as you! I took you two as my parents. I love Elena and you know that! I took her children as mine but… but how could you all turn against me because of Zeke?!”“What are you say—”“I know she plans on reconsidering that mother fucker!” He cut the man short.“Ariana who used to like me before…”“Don’t say my name one more time!” She snapped him shut.One thing she was good at was switching on people. Not in the wrong way, though.She knew when to pull back and
“Help me, Mateo.”Ramon breathed heavily and waited for his brother to respond to him from the other end but he did not.“I am fucking tired… and I am losing my patience.”“I feel like… I… I could kill him.”“Who do you wanna kill?” Mateo finally asked, chuckling.“Zeke, of course, Zeke!”“You wanna kill your cousin?” Mateo burst into laughter.Ramon needed not to be told that the man was being sarcastic at the moment. “Spare me that shit. He ain’t my brother.”“Why are you suddenly losing your patience? I thought it was going well.”“Elena has wavered totally and at this point, I can never get her!”“And you want to kill Zeke because of that? Wait, you don’t believe she would come to you if you did that, do you?”“She has found solace in me before, she can again. Or better still, if I can’t have her, he can’t have her too. I can’t stand them together!” He hollered.“Chill, Tiger, chill.”“Let me in on your plans. You and your father are not telling me anything. Besides, when do you
“Sis,” Ariana entered the room, glancing around.“Did something happen? Ramon didn’t look… good,” she said, pointing her hand to her face to make a gesture.“Did he leave?”“He didn’t even talk to anyone. He said his goodbye in a very quick way. What happened?”“Nothing,” Elena rolled her eyes and then settled on her bed.Pulling the duvet over her body, she let out a hiss again.Convinced that something was going on, Ariana rushed over to the bed, pulled the cover away from her sister, and then settled on the bed, purposely inconveniencing her.“Tell me.”“Ariana, leave. I’m so pissed right now.”“Tell me, come on!”Elena sat up, blew the strands of hair that fell over her face away, and hissed. “That man had the audacity to tell me that no one will tolerate my kids.”“Wait… really?”“He said, I am quoting, “no one will be so willing to take in kids that do not belong to them.”“No, no way!” Ariana widened her eyes.“He fucking did.”“Wait, why? I can’t believe that!”“Apparently, he
“I said I do not…!”“It is me, Elena. Ramon.”He said hurriedly and waited as a short silence ensued before he heard the creaking sound of the door.The door pushed open and Elena held the door for him to enter which he did instantly.“I didn’t know it was you,” she pressed her lips together after she locked the door and then returned to the bed.She settled on it while he sat on the couch away from her.“What’s wrong? You seem to be mad at everyone in the house.”“I am not,” she shook her head.“They think you are, though. See, locking yourself away is proof on its own.”“They know what happened, Ramon.”He nodded his head and clasped his hands together hoping she would venture into the topic fully but she didn’t, rather she looked away in silence too.“Are you still mad at me?” She shook her head in response and he breathed out.Things had gotten pretty awkward between the two of them and he hated that.“You are, Elena, I know you.”“I am not, really. I just do not see the need to
“Would you accept if she agrees to return to him? If you would ask me, I would say that she looked like she could,” Ariana her parents.Ramon stood still in a corner as he listened to the conversation between the family.“I have said before and I will repeat, I will support whatever decision she makes,” Karina said.Oh, how much he disliked this woman!She was a huge preacher of ‘going with the flow.’One time in Australia, she wanted him for her because of how he was good to her and how Elena seemed to find comfort in him too. She had said to him on two or more occasions that she would wish for Elena to consider him too… but, she can’t force her daughter to do a thing.At first, it didn’t seem like a problem to him. He didn’t give it any meaning at all.But, now when she still says the same thing? Even when it was certain that Elena could return to Zeke…Could she not be different for once?“I don’t want that,” Ray shook his head.Finally, the only person in the family who wanted h
Entering the living room fully, there was only Nathan and Natalie watching an animated show on the television, and Ramon entered fully, walking over to them.“Hi, guys!” He drawled and clasped his hands together.They both turned to look at him and then smiled gently before they returned to drop their eyes on the TV again.If he was asked, he would say that smile was nothing closer to being genuine.Regardless, he wore a larger smile and then dropped his hand on Nathan’s shoulder.“Where is your mommy? She is not picking up her calls. Is she upstairs… or out?”“In her room,” Nathan groaned as if he was forced to answer.Ramon nodded his head, moved his hand, and then turned away.“Uncle!”Nathan’s voice stopped him and he turned to look at the boy and raised his brows.“I have been trying to understand something since,” he started.Ramon’s eyes darted to Natalie who was pulling the tip of Nathan’s clothing like he was warning him to not talk.Then, he knew he had to brace himself for
While Zeke sat in silence at the back of the car, his head out of the window, Chloe and Ryan sang through to the music while Ryan drove. “But I, I think I like this little lifeeee!” Chloe sang the chorus of the song so loudly that Ryan laughed. “This little life!” Ryan sang back. “Can you two just shut the fuck up for a second?” Zeke finally hissed and asked. “What exactly is fun about this life?” He asked, angered. The couple went mute for a while and then Chloe turned to look at her brother with a sneer, “Why are bittered, brother? There are a lot of things to love in this life.” Ryan nudged her gently to not say anything as the man was apparently not in a good mood, but she didn’t listen, instead, she asked again. “Or, do you not like your life?” “Shut up, Chloe, and end that song too. Enough of the noise.” Ryan stopped the music instantly and Chloe turned to look at him, “Why? I was listening to it.” “We will listen to it after we drop him at his place,” he whispered to
When Ryan and Chloe entered and saw the atmosphere of the room as it was, they turned to look at each other and almost retreated from the room.When they had arrived at the living room downstairs and didn’t meet anyone, they rushed to ascend the stairs with the fear that Zeke was yet to regain consciousness but with the noise coming from the other end of the hall, they rushed over there, only to see everyone in the room.“That is not happening, Natalie, and I have…”“Mommy!” The twins cut her short.“You and Daddy will live together with us and we will live like a happy family, that is our opinion!”“Your opinion…” she swallowed.If she told them that it did not matter, they would probably never forgive her.“If you do not agree, Natalie and I will run away from home,” Nathan blurted.Natalie moved over to him, held his hand in support, and then whispered in his ear gently. “We will?”“Play along,” he whispered back.“We will run away and you will never find us again.”“Are you two… m