I couldn’t breathe. My hands clenched into fists as I listened to everything she was saying. My stomach twisted in ways I never thought possible.But the next words out of her mouth were what shattered me completely.She let out a devilish laugh. "How am I the bad one, Mara?" she scoffed. "Ashley is just so stupid. The fool doesn’t even realize that the pills she’s been taking all these years have ruined her womb, and she’s still taking them, hoping that they will miraculously heal her. But if only she knew they’ve probably done more damage than just that…"I gasped and couldn’t move from my spot.Memories flashed through my head as I remembered how I always took the pills she was talking about—morning, afternoon, and night—hoping that I would be able to have a child for Lance.I saw the bottle just the other day and wondered why she had it but brushed it off.She told me it was from our mother and was good for fertility.How could she do this?My own blood sister…Hot tears streamed
~~~~LANCE'S POV~~~~There is this quote that says, "Happiness isn't the absence of pain but the triumph over it." After every storm, the sun rises, and after every heartbreak, love finds its way back. I have known darkness, regret, and loss—but today, I choose happiness. I choose the future and not the past.As I stepped out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped around my waist, my eyes landed on a small framed picture on my table. I picked it up, my fingers brushing against the glass.It was me, Bella, and Maya—the photo we took when Bella was discharged from the hospital. I had it framed immediately because I never wanted to forget that moment. The moment of finally becoming whole again.For the first time in years since Maya left me, I truly felt… complete again.Maya and I had come to an understanding. We couldn’t change the past, but we could make sure Bella never felt unloved again. She’s our priority now—our reason to fight through the pain, the misunderstandings, and everythi
~~~~LANCE'S POV~~~I tucked Bella into bed gently, looking at her peacefully sleeping face. It’s surprising how early she had fallen asleep today, as I know her to be a night owl. But I guess it must be because she was too tired, as she had been running around with Lance all day.They had been outside since morning, playing and learning how to ride a bicycle, while I just watched from inside.Lance had told me that he found a lot of things she wanted to do with him, hidden at the back of her teddy, and one of them was to learn how to ride a bike from her dad.And they did it all through the day.Well, there isn't much about me on her list, as she must have made it while she thought Mia was her mother, and it seems she has everything she wished for and every moment she ever wanted with her mother—with Mia.I felt a little sad, but I am still happy that she got all the motherly love she could ever want.That alone should have made me happy, right? But the question she asked me before fa
And then, another picture appeared on the screen.This time, it wasn’t just me.It was us.It was the picture of the day I stepped into his life. The day that he knew that someone like me even existed in this part of the world. In the picture, Lance, who was now drawn in alcohol, sat at a restaurant as he had just been publicly rejected. And there was I, standing before him with a smile on my face. In the picture, his dazed eyes were locked onto me, and the expression on his face was like a savior had been sent to him. That exact moment that I approached him was captured and I wondered how he got the picture.But I noticed that at the bottom of the picture, there was date was written on it. It was May 15 and today… was also May 15.That was what all these are about. The day we met. My body trembled as Lance’s voice broke the silence.“I was a fool.” I was startled at first and quickly turned to him, looking up at him. “I was a fool for not realising my love for you sooner,” he sa
Something feels different this morning. Even the scent on the air was totally different but familiar. I slightly stirred on the bed, turning on my side and as I slowly opened my eyes—the first thing I saw was Lance’s sleeping face. His peaceful, sleeping face was just a mere inches from mine. Oh I see. He's the one. The familiar scent in the air. A soft smile crept onto my lips as I watched him. Right now, he looked totally different and he reminded me of a soft, warm and harmless puppy. And I couldn’t help but admire his face. My gaze travelled over his face, memorizing every details. Starting from the smooth forehead, the gentle curve of his eye brows, the straight bridge of his nose and finally…..his lips. The moment my eyes landed on his lips, my mind wandered back to last night kiss. Not the one in the garden but the one after. A sudden warm spread across my cheeks as I recalled how I tucked Bella to bed again, bid her goodnight, and as I shut her door behind m
~~~~LANCE’S POV~~~~I felt as if my heart had stopped beating. Time itself even seemed to have frozen around us.Daddy.Mommy.Did I just hear Bella saying that?Others might not know, but those two words alone were not just simple words. They carried a strong weight of emotion and longing that I had silently held onto for so long—words I had dreamed of hearing but never truly believed I deserved.Now she finally said it when I thought it might take a while for her to accept us."What did you just call us?!" we both asked at the same time, eagerly waiting for her to repeat it.I really wanted to hear it again.Bella’s tiny frame stiffened, and I feared we had scared her with the way we both asked at the same time.Then her brown eyes flickered between Maya and me as she said, "I… I said good morning, Daddy. Good morning, Mom."My heart swelled like a balloon that was ready to burst, as I heard that again.Tears burned in my eyes as I took in the sight of our little girl standing there
As she heard her mother's voice, Maya’s body tensed immediately, and without even thinking, she stepped toward Bella, ready to take the phone away from her.But before she could reach her, I caught her wrist and pulled her back."It’s okay," I whispered, my lips brushing against her hair."No, it's not. She might—""She won't say things that will make her lose another chance to seek your forgiveness. So let’s give her another chance. The same way you did for me." My voice was quiet but firm.Maya was still hesitant, the war raging inside her was visible in the way her jaw clenched."Please," I added, squeezing her hand.She exhaled sharply, and her body slowly relaxed against me. But I could still feel the anger simmering beneath her skin."Hello, child. How are you? Are you feeling better now?""Yes, I am. Thank you for asking." Bella responded politely, though I could see the confusion in her eyes.It seemed her call wasn’t a surprise to us only but also to Bella. I could tell she w
~~~~MAYA'S POV~~~Stepping into the bathing tub, the warm water sprinkled out from the showers, cascading over my body. I used my hand to push my already wet hair backwards as I raised my face, letting the water pour over me.I smiled as I remembered how happy I had been for the past three days here. Yes, we have spent three whole days here, and today was the fourth day.And it's been amazing so far.I love it all and wish it would never stop. I don't know why, but I sometimes feel weird, or should I say, I am anxious that my heart suddenly begins to beat faster. And this is all because I am afraid of losing this newly found happiness of mine.It came so much easier than I expected, and I am afraid it will fade away easily as well.But I pray such never happens and wish all the sad days are gone.Stepping out of the shower onto the plush bathroom mat, I picked up a fluffy white towel from the hanger and wrapped it around my body, then walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom.I too
Kingsley could not help but chuckle as he lifted his head away from Lysol’s shoulder and took his hand into his, intertwining their fingers. “You see, Dad, I’ve become a bird.”“A what?” His father sounded thoroughly unimpressed.“A bird,” Kingsley repeated. “I’ve spread my wings, taken flight. And now, I’m soaring through the skies, traveling the world around free…”A deep, frustrated sigh came through the speaker. “Kingsley, enough of this nonsense. Come back home. You have responsibilities!”Kingsley hummed in amusement. “Responsibilities? Oh, you mean the empire? Don’t worry about that. I'm sure you have everything under control… just like you always have.”His father sighed heavily, realizing that Kingsley had made up his mind.“Okay, I’ve given you my blessings. You are free to do whatever you want. Even if you want to hold a grand wedding with him, I will organize it right away. So come back.”Kingsley smiled. “Really?”“Yes, I will do it. In fact, I will make sure that your we
~~~~AUTHOR'S POINT OF VIEW~~~~After a long trial.After alot of heartbreaks, losses, and even pains, Lance and Maya finally found their way back to love.And in six months' time, Maya would welcome their second child, a new addition to their small but blossoming family.And today, beneath the watchful eyes of many guests who were invited from all across the globe, they would make another vow to spend forever together.Lance could be seen at the altar, dressed in a white suit with a neat black bow tie, sitting at his collar. A small flower was pinned to his suit. His hair was neatly styled, not a strand out of place but his usual charm was replaced with something deeper—an overwhelming anticipation that made his hands slightly sweaty, and he kept rubbing them together.Behind him was Kingsley, his best man.Oh no, it wasn’t Henry but Kingsley.Lance had asked Kingsley to be his best man. And Henry, of course, could be seen sitting in the front row with his arms folded over his chest.
I blinked. “You’re quitting? Why?”Then Diana hesitated, her eyes darting toward Lance, who was on the ground, for a brief second before looking down. I could see something like embarrassment on her face.“I… I just think it’s best if I go.”I frowned. “No, that’s not a real answer. I asked why you suddenly want to leave. You told your fans and everyone that you were volunteering for six months, and you’ve hardly even spent two weeks. Now you’re leaving?”She smiled weakly. “Yes, that’s true. It’s just that I need to do some things for myself too. Please don’t take it personally. I actually came here to create a good impression on my fans, but now… I have realized many things…”Then she burst into tears, using her hand to wipe them away as they streamed down. I just watched with my mouth open.She then bowed her head. “I am truly sorry. Really, really sorry. I promise never to do that again. In fact, I will never cross your path again,” she said quickly.“Huh? Sorry about what? Why a
The workshop was at the back of the orphanage's main building. It was a small house built for storing things, but Lance decided to make use of it as a workshop. Lance made small chairs and tables for the kids and he also made swings and so many things around here with the use of wood. They were all amazing. Had no idea he had that in him. But what I like most when he’s doing his job here is when he's shirtless and working. I giggled at the thought of that.I liked watching him cut the woods as he looked so hot during that time—his hair falling over his face as he rise and fall, picking things up. His abs. And sweat streaming down his well-chiseled body as he focused on his work… I loved it all.As I wanted to enter the workshop, I saw the flowers planted outside. So I walked closer and picked some, hanging around my hair and putting some behind my ears.Stepping inside, I saw Lance picking up a bottle of water from the freezer. He opened it and began to drink, turning around at th
We were in the middle of gisting when a horrible wave of nausea hit me. It crawled up my throat like a monster trying to escape.I quickly covered my mouth, trying to hold it in, but it was like my stomach was flipping itself inside out.“Maya, are you alright? Should I get you some water?” Morgan asked in a concerned tone as she quickly stood up from the bed, trying to get some water.“No, it's fine,” I said, stopping her. “It's just something I have been feeling for a while now, but it's temporary.”Taking her seat back, she asked, “Are you sure you are alright now?”I nodded fast. “Yeah, yeah. I’m totally fine. I just—”But before I could finish my words, it happened again, and this time, it was stronger.I covered my mouth with one hand and used the other hand to hit my chest, trying to make it stop, but it wasn't stopping.“I think I need to call someone. You need to go to the hospital as you definitely don't seem okay.”Morgan turned again to call someone, but I wasn't able to h
I listened as she slowly began to tell me how her mother-in-law and sister-in-laws were treating her the same way she and her mother had treated me when I was married to Lance. And she had two sister-in-laws. Twins.No matter what she did, it was never enough for the three of them. They insulted her for every single mistake, criticized her for every bad thing that happened to her husband—even if it was his job that had problems—and always made her feel like she wasn’t good enough. Every bad thing and misfortune that happened to her husband was blamed on her.“At first, I thought I could handle it." She continued. "That as long as I was good to them and made them happy, they would like me more and stop treating me like that,” she let out a bitter laugh. “So whenever they were angry, I would buy them expensive gifts like designer bags and shoes, just to appease them.And for a while, it worked. They smiled and all started acting nice. But then they always wanted more. But after sometim
SIX MONTHS LATER ~~~MAYA’S POV~~~ Looking up into the sky, I used my hand to cover my eyes as the warm morning sun shone on me. Seeing the sky so clear and bright, I think today will be very, very great. Something good is going to happen. I smiled and then continued my work, which was spreading the freshly washed bedspread on the rope. It is a weekend thing for me—or should I say for every woman in this orphanage—and I like doing it as it gives me time to think, to breathe, and at the same time, to watch Bella while working. I wasn’t the only one washing the entire bedspread alone in this orphanage, as we had other women who were employed and those who also came to volunteer for a few days. Some even spent months with us, helping with the kids and other work in the orphanage. The orphanage was always lively and busy, especially in the mornings when all the kids woke up at the same time. It was filled with the sounds of children running down from each of their rooms, having morni
The hall was quiet, filled with the soft murmurs of people talking in hushed voices. The only loud sounds were the occasional sniffle or the rustling of fabric as someone shifted uncomfortably in their seat.A few candles flickered near the large framed photo of Mia, casting shadows on her smiling face. It almost made it look as if she was watching us.But she wasn’t—she was right in front of all of us… in the coffin.I took a deep breath as I looked around from where I was standing. I just wished that this would end soon and that all these passing storms would go with it.There were few people here, as the burial was private. Maya’s parents were seated in the front row on the left side, with Bella sitting between them.Kingsley also came with Lysol.Henry was also here, but the monkey could be seen leaning against the wall at the back of the hall, arguing with his client. He couldn't even spare time to pay respect to the dead.Betsy sat with Maya in the front row, in the middle of th
~~~~LANCE'S POV~~~~I stood in front of the mirror, wearing my tie while also looking at Maya's figure on the bed. I sighed heavily as the black suit I was wearing felt heavier than it should.Maybe because today wasn’t just any other day but the day we were laying Mia to rest. And as much as I wanted to be strong, I couldn’t shake the weight pressing against my chest because Mia's death had caused a lot of damage to my family—both to Maya and to Bella.Maya had completely changed in ways I couldn't understand. It was as if she carried a guilt too heavy for her to bear, and she wouldn’t talk to me or anyone about it. If she wasn't sitting on the balcony and gazing out into empty space, she would be staring at or holding Mia’s picture, pressing it tightly to her chest as if letting go of it would mean letting go of Mia.And no matter what I did to bring her to her senses and make her understand that we were losing Bella, she just wouldn't come to her right mind. I am the one trying to