“Anton was my twin brother.” Gwen froze where she was and turned to look at him."It was?""He is dead. Please…” Alexander held out his hand to her. “Come and have a seat. looks like we have more to talk about than I thought.”Sitting back down, Gwen picked up her forgotten glass and took a long drink, then another, and closed her eyes as her mouth and throat burned.Taking the glass from her, Alexander drank the rest of the contents and set it down. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again and took another deep breath.Taking her hand, Gwen squeezed it. "It cannotbe so bad. Start at the beginning.” He squeezed her hand back and smiled at her.“To start from the beginning, we need to go back to our childhood. My brother was never a good kid. From a very young age, he was always in trouble. The children around her were always hurt. Pets disappeared. My parents never said anything, but I think they knew. Then one day our sister, Amelia, fell into the lake. It was winter and sh
“This has been weeks, Gwen! I can't believe you kept it a secret from me for so long. I am your sister!" Alyssa started complaining as soon as she found out that Alexander was hiding in her family's cabin, and didn't stop until they started the three hour drive.“Look, I know you're upset,” Gwen began."Upset?" sister interrupted. “What if something happened to you?”voice started to get shrill, waking Roman, who was in the backseat.“Shhh… I get it. You're mad, but Ihad a good reason.”“Oh? Please tell me, what was it?”"Agent Franklin and the FBI said not to tell anyone."“Oh.”Surprised at how quickly her sister stopped talking, Gwen started to laugh, which made her irritable again. As Alyssa began another speech, a soft groan was heard from the backseat.“Aunt Lys, stop fighting with Mom. She doesn't feel well.”Gwen froze, looking at her distracted son in the rearview mirror.“I told you, Roman, Mom is fine.”“No, you are not.” She noticed that
Gwen looked at herself in the full-length mirror, lost in thought. That was it. That was really it. He hugged himself lightly.“Hurry up, Mom. We're going to be late,” Roman scolded her, who turned to look at him dressed in his little suit.“Oh, my God, you look so beautiful,” she whispered to him as she blinked with tears in her eyes, which threatened to fall. He smiled at his sister, who was standing in the doorway behind him in a black cocktail dress.“You look beautiful, sister. I just wish Grandma were here to see her in her wedding dress. It's perfect on you.”Turning to look at herself in the mirror, Gwen smiled at her soon-to-be sister-in-law, who adjusted her veil and wreath.“Your sister is right. You're every inch perfect,” Amelia said as she fiddled with her veil.“I'm glad grandma was bigger than me. There was enough fabric to update the dress and still have some room for my growing baby.”“Mommy…” Roman called impatiently and everyone laughed.“I'm coming, honey. This is
Gwen woke to the sound of children's laughter. Opening her eyes, she saw Roman looking at her with a goofy smile on his face.“Dad and Aunt Melia are making breakfast,” he announced as she blinked sleepily.Tucking the blanket around herself, she sat up and Roman climbed into bed with her."And even? Are you sure they didn't have someone else do it for us?Shaking her head, “No, Mom. They are the only ones in the kitchen. Aunt Lyssa said to take you to see it. She said they are fighting like children.” And with that, Roman chuckled before jumping off the bed and runningby the door. Stopping, he turned and looked at her, "Are you coming?"Laughing, "Yeah baby I'm on my way."“You know, when my baby brother comes, you won't be able to call me baby anymore, ever,” he scolded.Looking at him, "How do you know it's not a little sister?"Straight to his feet, he threw back his shoulders, “I just know. Now, hurry up!” And with that, he ran downstairs screaming, "I told her to hurry!"Smilin
“How long now, Mom? How much time?" At Roman's insistent question, she huffed as she fought the pain to answer.“What your mother is trying to say is that she doesn't know, but she hopes it's soon,” Alexander told the boy, who was looking at Gwen gasping in pain in the hospital bed.“Little boy, you really shouldn't be here,” the nurse scolded and Roman pouted.“But I want to see my new little brother.”“Soon, young man, your mother is almost done,” the nurse said, smiling.“When, Mom?” he asked once more.Gwen suddenly gasped, startling Roman, who started to cry. Picking him up, Alyssa bent them over the hospital bed and gave her sister a kiss.“Wish Mom luck, Roman. We'll be in the children's room waiting,” he told them before quickly pulling the child out of the room.After they left, Alexander sat next to Gwen and patted her head. When another contraction came, she squeezed his arm, making him shiver.After she left, Alexander sat next to Gwen and stroked her head. When another co
As an elementary school principal, Gwen Stanton was used to having few surprises in her everyday life. She couldn't even dream that, on that fateful morning, she would come face to face with a young billionaire, a vision from her past. And bound forever, however unwittingly, to the most important part of her life.Gwen was twenty-seven, the mother of one, and the youngest director in the state. Though she had made an enviable career, she wasn't exactly known for playing by the rules. Thanks to the recent loss of funding for the interactive whiteboards, simply because she had disagreed with the donor's political views, she was now in a bind. So, she couldn't turn her nose up at the recent donation opportunity she had just heard about.And she would meet with the interested party that very day. Gwen looked at the secretary in disbelief when she received the unexpected news."Sorry," said Amy, her normally efficient secretary. "I thought you knew. I left the report on your desk last week
Trent was really looking forward to meeting an elementary school principal. He, the kind of man who wouldn't wait for the President if he had to, somehow found himself anticipating the appearance of someone named G. Stanton.His public relations consultants had come up with the opportunity to partner with the school in an attempt to promote Trent's personal image. He had viewed the entire concept with skepticism, and yet here he was having a strange premonition.Could it be the fact that the principal's initials looked very similar to those of his high school sweetheart?And to think that just a few minutes ago, in the car, he'd been thinking about her and wondering what could have happened. After having disappeared without a trace for so many years, he hadn't heard or seen anything from her. Over the years, she would play in his mind and he would smile at the fond memory. In fact, those were his happiest moments.It altered his mood for the meeting, and now he was filled with anticip
It looked perfect. You just don't forget that kind of feeling. It was like a thousand tons of cotton candy in all the colors of the rainbow that dampened you, making your heart flutter like the most fragile butterfly wings…that was the innocence of teenage love.Gwen always remembered... although it had been a while since she'd allowed her mind to wander back to the past. Becoming a mother as a teenager had given her more purpose and determination than usual. She could have given up on life, crawled under the bed or locked herself forever in a closet in shame, but somehow she had rebuilt the self-confidence she always had, even as a child.It reminded her that her future was worth fighting for.It was a slow climb, but she had come out of the ashes and found the conviction that the only person who could stop her was herself. She had her baby and took the necessary steps that gradually brought her to the current stage in her life where she felt as if she had achieved a lot as a mother
“How long now, Mom? How much time?" At Roman's insistent question, she huffed as she fought the pain to answer.“What your mother is trying to say is that she doesn't know, but she hopes it's soon,” Alexander told the boy, who was looking at Gwen gasping in pain in the hospital bed.“Little boy, you really shouldn't be here,” the nurse scolded and Roman pouted.“But I want to see my new little brother.”“Soon, young man, your mother is almost done,” the nurse said, smiling.“When, Mom?” he asked once more.Gwen suddenly gasped, startling Roman, who started to cry. Picking him up, Alyssa bent them over the hospital bed and gave her sister a kiss.“Wish Mom luck, Roman. We'll be in the children's room waiting,” he told them before quickly pulling the child out of the room.After they left, Alexander sat next to Gwen and patted her head. When another contraction came, she squeezed his arm, making him shiver.After she left, Alexander sat next to Gwen and stroked her head. When another co
Gwen woke to the sound of children's laughter. Opening her eyes, she saw Roman looking at her with a goofy smile on his face.“Dad and Aunt Melia are making breakfast,” he announced as she blinked sleepily.Tucking the blanket around herself, she sat up and Roman climbed into bed with her."And even? Are you sure they didn't have someone else do it for us?Shaking her head, “No, Mom. They are the only ones in the kitchen. Aunt Lyssa said to take you to see it. She said they are fighting like children.” And with that, Roman chuckled before jumping off the bed and runningby the door. Stopping, he turned and looked at her, "Are you coming?"Laughing, "Yeah baby I'm on my way."“You know, when my baby brother comes, you won't be able to call me baby anymore, ever,” he scolded.Looking at him, "How do you know it's not a little sister?"Straight to his feet, he threw back his shoulders, “I just know. Now, hurry up!” And with that, he ran downstairs screaming, "I told her to hurry!"Smilin
Gwen looked at herself in the full-length mirror, lost in thought. That was it. That was really it. He hugged himself lightly.“Hurry up, Mom. We're going to be late,” Roman scolded her, who turned to look at him dressed in his little suit.“Oh, my God, you look so beautiful,” she whispered to him as she blinked with tears in her eyes, which threatened to fall. He smiled at his sister, who was standing in the doorway behind him in a black cocktail dress.“You look beautiful, sister. I just wish Grandma were here to see her in her wedding dress. It's perfect on you.”Turning to look at herself in the mirror, Gwen smiled at her soon-to-be sister-in-law, who adjusted her veil and wreath.“Your sister is right. You're every inch perfect,” Amelia said as she fiddled with her veil.“I'm glad grandma was bigger than me. There was enough fabric to update the dress and still have some room for my growing baby.”“Mommy…” Roman called impatiently and everyone laughed.“I'm coming, honey. This is
“This has been weeks, Gwen! I can't believe you kept it a secret from me for so long. I am your sister!" Alyssa started complaining as soon as she found out that Alexander was hiding in her family's cabin, and didn't stop until they started the three hour drive.“Look, I know you're upset,” Gwen began."Upset?" sister interrupted. “What if something happened to you?”voice started to get shrill, waking Roman, who was in the backseat.“Shhh… I get it. You're mad, but Ihad a good reason.”“Oh? Please tell me, what was it?”"Agent Franklin and the FBI said not to tell anyone."“Oh.”Surprised at how quickly her sister stopped talking, Gwen started to laugh, which made her irritable again. As Alyssa began another speech, a soft groan was heard from the backseat.“Aunt Lys, stop fighting with Mom. She doesn't feel well.”Gwen froze, looking at her distracted son in the rearview mirror.“I told you, Roman, Mom is fine.”“No, you are not.” She noticed that
“Anton was my twin brother.” Gwen froze where she was and turned to look at him."It was?""He is dead. Please…” Alexander held out his hand to her. “Come and have a seat. looks like we have more to talk about than I thought.”Sitting back down, Gwen picked up her forgotten glass and took a long drink, then another, and closed her eyes as her mouth and throat burned.Taking the glass from her, Alexander drank the rest of the contents and set it down. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again and took another deep breath.Taking her hand, Gwen squeezed it. "It cannotbe so bad. Start at the beginning.” He squeezed her hand back and smiled at her.“To start from the beginning, we need to go back to our childhood. My brother was never a good kid. From a very young age, he was always in trouble. The children around her were always hurt. Pets disappeared. My parents never said anything, but I think they knew. Then one day our sister, Amelia, fell into the lake. It was winter and sh
Gwen left work a little early for her mysterious date. Even though she was pretty sure she would see Alexander, after everything that had happened in the last week, she couldn't be one hundred percent sure. When the cab dropped her off in front of The New Yorker, she smiled, certain it was Alexander. Entering the Art Deco hotel, he immediately remembered his days without Miami and took the elevator to the second floor. Outside the room, she hesitated, not knowing what to expect. Would he be angry to learn that he had given his password to the FBI? Whatever happened, she knew she needed to find out the truth. Taking a deep breath, he inserted the card into the lock. electronics and waited for the green light. Pushing the handle down, he opened the door and stepped inside. Looking around, she was surprised not to see him. Was it him outside? A noise that seemed to come from a porch caught her attention and she looked up, meeting Alexander's startled gaze. Putting his cell phone away,
As he walked to his apartment, he thought about what he would tell his sister. Alayssa was famous for finding out when something was wrong and was ruthless when it came to getting answers. Both traits would make her a good lawyer in the future - but at the moment Gwen wasn't ready for her curiosity.“Let's see how it goes,” she told herself in a low voice as she fumbled with the keys before entering the apartment.Her first thoughts were of her son, Roman, and Gwen hoped he was snuggled firmly into her bed. I wanted to sneak in and gostraight to the bedroom, without interruption; her nerves had been on edge ever since she'd seen the armed police scrutinizing the place. She wished this image were erased from her mind and lied to herself that a good night's sleep could do such a feat.He took a deep breath as he closed the door. He turned silently, locked the door, felt movement behind him. A lone tear trickled from her eye and touched her cheek. Gwen stood there until the floodgates o
Gwen watched in horror as Alexander was handcuffed and quickly escorted from the room. Feeling paralyzed, she watched helplessly as men moved through the rooms, shouting “clean” in each one.“Was it just the two of you here tonight?” an officer asked. She had a lost look for a while before she was able to answer.“Yes,” he said in a low voice. He felt that his heart wanted to beat out of his chest. Gwen had no idea what Alexander had done to necessitate the use of so many police. She felt her face flush, sitting and not believing what was happening."Madam?" the policeman asked as he trieddesperately to bring Gwen back to reality. "Can you hear me?"Waving his hand in front of her, he tried to get her attention. She heard him mumbling vaguely, but she couldn't make out what he said. She shook her head from side to side and focused on the tall, elderly man who had invaded her night.“Yes, forgive me, what?” he asked when he realized it wasn't a sick, crooked joke.“My name is Officer
Saturday dragged on at a snail's pace, and Gwen felt a nervous energy rise within her. She didn't know why this meeting seemed so important to her; perhaps because it had been planned rather than spontaneous. After a shower, she dressed carefully for dinner, slipping into the black lace dress that hugged her curves. She adjusted the sleeves that fell over her shoulders so that the top of the dress hugged the bodice, slipped on her Louboutins and admired herself in front of the mirror. Once again, she decided to wear her hair down and arranged it seductively around her shoulders and back. Checked her makeup, satisfied with the new eyeliner, which enhanced your eyes. She added some blush to give her skin some color, finished with new lipstick and her favorite perfume. Both gifts from the sister. "Are you sure you're not madly in love with this guy?" Alyssa asked while whistling in appreciation. “I'm not madly in love with this guy,” Gwen replied firmly. Inside, she felt like a school