After she left her mother’s warm embrace, Elena stood in front of her children’s room and then pressed her lips together, wondering if she should enter or let them be.A minute literally passed since she stood there before she finally summoned the courage to knock on their door and then push the door open.As she entered fully, she watched the kids who sat on the bed, side by side with their books in front of them.“Uhm… are you working on your homework already?” She asked, her hands clasped in front of her as she walked slowly over to them.While they only nodded their heads in unison without raising their heads to look at her, she stood by the edge of the bed and then shook her leg gently.After a while, she settled on the edge of the bed and then dropped her hands on her thighs.“Are you… mad at me?” She asked.“No, why would we be?” Nathan answered, still not looking at her.Elena exhaled and then shook her head. “See, see, you’re both holding a grudge. Can we just talk it out alr
The water she just poured into her mouth choked her the moment she read the headline from the news on the television.Camilla sprang up, widened her eyes, and then curled her fist tightly into a ball.ELENA HAD CHILDREN?!And… they belonged to… ZEKE?!“No. No. No way!” She screamed and smashed the remote control against the wall. He has kids? That was not possible!He… he had never slept with her!Right?He never told her he did!But… he never told her he didn’t either.“Fuck, no!” She screamed and looked around for something she could smash against the wall.Was that why he broke up with her?Because of those bastard kids of his?!Hold on…How the hell was that possible?!Staring at the video that popped up on the screen, her blood boiled more.It was a video of Elena picking up her kids from the school and sighting Ryan and Jeremy was enough to make her mad.Those two assholes had never shown her any support all through her years with Zeke.While Jeremy was nothing but a jester, R
“I need to find Ethan,” Zeke exhaled as soon as he entered Jeremy’s office.Jeremy and Ryan had already returned to Jeremy’s office and Zeke had gone back to meet them there.They both turned their heads to look at the man who was breathing heavily, and Ryan stood up.“Have a seat first. You want water?”Zeke moved his hand away from his shoulder and then settled on the couch.“Water is not my problem right now.”“Zeke,” Ryan shook his head.“I have been trying to take down the articles, but… they are refusing to. Their largest shareholder is not in support, they say,” Zeke said.“Largest? Who?” Jeremy raised a brow.“It is that psycho obviously! What is worse is that every media station that is not in cohort with me is airing it. Should I just… buy all the media companies in the USA?” Zeke asked.They both stared at the seriousness on his face and then shook their heads. “You’re serious?”“Of course. My team has managed to take down a few of them, but not from the main source. I am f
Chloe glanced at the dashboard of her car, dialed Elena’s number for the umpteenth time again, and then returned her eyes to the road.Her number was switched off according to customer care and she knew that she ought to call her later but she wanted to talk to her urgently.She thought of going to her company first, but then she had to reach home to her mother.There was one thing about their mother and that was always calling them over whenever something was happening or wrong.She could have opted to not go, right?But, who would arrive at her company in the next hour? Her mother.Her mother would literally sit down in her office and watch her work in a very uncomfortable manner till she agreed to talk to her.How did she know this?Her brother was a victim.In the past whenever their mother called for Zeke, he would tell her she was busy and would see her later and his mother would act as if she heard him already only for her to appear at his office.Zeke didn’t like this so yeah
“Why did you all hide it from me?” After everyone had settled and the atmosphere looked better, Brenda asked, her hands clasped together.“It would do more harm than good,” Zeke answered without filtering his words.Brenda snapped her brows together and asked. “What do you mean by that?”“Is it not obvious? You never liked her,” Chloe rolled her eyes.“I never hated her either!” She protested.“I have never hated Elena. I just… okay, I just didn’t trust her. You married her so suddenly and it was… suspicious. I mean, I thought she could be a gold digger. But I have never hated her, and you all know that.”Of course, they knew. At random family gatherings, she asked her when she was going to give her a grandchild and sometimes she asked how her parents were fairing. Sometimes, she asked if she was not going to work and remain a housewife, and sometimes, she doesn't even talk to her at all.“You let Zeke welcome another woman in. That woman! You knew she was Elena’s best friend!” Chloe
It took literally everything in them to convince Chloe to stay back home and rest before she could agree.“Just for today. No one is telling me otherwise tomorrow,” she snapped her brows together and they nodded their heads.Zeke moved over to her, pulled her in his embrace, and then patted the back of her head.“I am sorry I didn’t pay attention to you.”“Come on. You have more on your plate,” she groaned and then pulled away from him.“Just… find him,” she sniffed and he nodded his head.“Jeremy and I won’t rest till we find him.”“Thank you,” she smiled.“We’re leaving, mum. I’ll talk to you later,” Zeke waved his hand at his mother and she nodded her head.“Stay safe.”After Jeremy bade his mother goodbye too, he and Zeke turned around to leave but when Ryan didn’t move an inch from where he stood, they turned to look at him again.“What? Let’s go, dude!”“Uhm…” Ryan swallowed and adjusted in his stance.“I will stay a little with Chloe. You know how much she pretends to be strong
The kiss went on for a while before they moved away, breathing heavily.Chloe dropped her eyes on him, placed her index finger on her lower lips and when he looked at her back, she buried her face in her palm, feeling shy.“Gosh!” She exchanged.Ryan chuckled, stood up, and then settled beside her.“What?” He asked and tried to move her hand from her face.“Nothing. I just…” She swallowed when she moved her hands from her face to see him sitting so close to her.“I…” she shook her head and placed her hands on her lips again.“Are you shy?” Ryan asked.“What are we… now?” She shook her head and asked.“What happens after a kiss?” Ryan raised his brows.“Answer me,” she pouted and nudged him gently.Ryan adjusted in his seat, picked up her hand, and then fondled it gently.“I will ask officially.”Chloe swallowed and watched him while he started. “Will you… go out with me? Be my girlfriend.”Chloe had waited for many years to hear this from him and him saying this to her right now gave
Ramon sat in the room with Elena in silence for almost thirty minutes before the door pushed open and then Ariana rushed in.She threw her bag on the floor, rushed to her sister, and then knelt beside her on the bed.“Elena!”“I think she fell asleep again,” Ramon said.“Aria…” Elena mumbled and Ramon nodded his head.She was ignoring him on purpose.“I will leave since you are here then. Take care of yourself, Elena. I will check on you again.”“Thank you.”“And switch on your phone!” He snapped before he walked out of the room.“Elena!” Ariana burst into tears as she forcefully pulled her up.“Ah… don’t kill me,” Elena moaned.“Why is your body hot? Are you okay? Have you been crying? Did you sleep at all? What did the twins say? Did you…”“Oh, I think you are worse than Ramon,” she shook her head and then laid back in the bed.“That day at the cafe,” Ariana settled and pulled away the duvet from Elena which earned her a frown.“You said it was Zeke in the car that was following us.
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