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CHAPTER THIRTY
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TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Her eyes lingered on my face, and I almost smiled gloriously. I had asked the right question. Finally! “They have your nose.” I continued. And my eyes, but I did not mention that. It might upset her again. But truly, they did have my eyes. Had she been pregnant when she left? No. If she was, I would have noticed. But there were a lot of things that I did not notice about Lana. One of them was that I loved her dearly. Were the children really mine, then? If she had given birth to them nine months after she left me, then how old would they be now? How old did they look? I stole another glance at the kids. I couldn’t say these things. Were they his children? He did look fatherly enough. So she had shacked with him immediately; she left me then?I don’t blame her. As I said before, I was a jerk to her, and I hurt her. I closed my eyes. I hurt her. I was a fool. “I’ll drop the children at Darby’s,” she said, looking at the man. “Alright, I’ll drive. Let’s go.” The man offered. She smi
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Thirty-Two
I needed to call Mrs. Sanders again. She had sounded so urgent in the voicemail I had received earlier. “We need to talk, Lana.” She had breathed into the phone. “Please call me as soon as you can.” And I did. I called several times, but no one answered the phone. What was so urgent that made her sound that way? Was it good or bad news that I was waiting to receive? My head throbbed lightly, reminding me of the shenanigans of last night. And the surprise I received this morning from both Cameron and André. I could imagine why Cameron had come there so early. Darby's storming off angrily this morning had hinted that Cameron had been there yesterday, and he was quite worried. It could be that he came to check up on me to see that I was fine before leaving for work. But Andre?Why had he been there? Why had he shown up this morning with the kids? I had tried to move his attention away from them or fumed at him so he did not think of them but me. But all the questions he had been asking
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Thirty-Three
Andre’s POVI could not rest easy. I turned from one corner of the bed to the other and went down to swim in the hotel’s gigantic swimming pool—this thing could actually be used for the Olympics—yet I couldn’t seem to pin my thoughts on one particular thing. One of the reasons I came to this town was to see a lawyer—a very good divorce lawyer—who was going to rid Kathy of my life forever. And it was one of the things that bugged me. How had I thought that Kathy was ever better than Lana? Once Lana left and I married Kathy, I knew that I had made the biggest mistake of my life. Kathy was nothing like I imagined her to be. In fact, she was the complete opposite of my imagination, and I felt sorry that I had tried to make Lana fill the shoes of a woman who did not exist. Kathy was an obnoxious and extravagant woman. Lazy and needy. How could I not have seen all that? How could I have let the memories I had of her from seven years ago tear my beautiful marriage apart? We fell out of lo
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Thirty-Four
I sipped from the glass and skimmed my eyes over the dimly lit bar. There were not many people in it at this time of the day, but I presumed that by the end of the hour, it would be crawling with men and women. Chickens and dudes, hot and cold, gold diggers, and those who would gladly be digged.Since my arrival in this city, I have spent many nights here and could tell what days the bar was frequented the most. This night promised to be one of those nights. As usual, the bar employed the services of dancers and strippers, and most of them were already on the poles, which were scattered about in different corners of the bar. They glided their bodies around it sensually to attract one of the few men that had arrived. I took another sip of the drink and watched the strippers. Usually, I found girls like these entertaining and remembered many nights in which I had paid for an exclusive just to watch one of such girls perform. That was a long time ago, and Ihad been married then. I had h
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Thirty-Five
His movements were swift and full of grace and virility. Cameron opened the car door and held out his hand. He was close enough for me to catch the wisp of his cologne, his aftershave, and the sweet smell of the shampoo he had used earlier. I reached out impulsively and clutched at his extended arm. “You look beautiful.” He whispered as I stood beside him. My face flushed red at the compliment, and I bit the inside of my cheeks to control the smile my face was breaking into. I was dressed in a semi-evening dress with a low back, and I had put some effort into arranging my hair more elaborately than usual. I laughed nervously. “I don’t know. I feel like I’m overdressed.” Cameron leaned in to me, and I became extremely aware of his arm around my waist. “You are perfect, Lana.” He held the door open for us and gave us—and me—a small, encouraging push into the luxurious Italian restaurant. This was definitely a place I could not afford. Warm, golden light illuminated the entrance, an
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Thirty-Six
I had a lot of things to say. First of all, I wanted to say that I felt the same way as him. I had been feeling this for a long time too, right? That I wanted him? I wanted someone, and it was definitely not Andre. I loved working with him—in his tower—and I also liked this new life that I had. But we could not do this. Not yet. I had children. Would he accept them the same way he accepted me? I had a complicated life, and I could not just be that complacent housewife anymore. Being with Andre had taught me a lot about just being a ‘housewife’ and I could not take that chance again. I saw the anticipation on his face. The deed then raised the question, which was rising on his lips, and the smile. Was that a smile? Oh my, he was sure I was going to burst his bubbles. And I was about to burst that bubble, and I opened my mouth to tell him that when my phone rang. I threw him an uncertain glance, and he winced. “Its alright.” Cameron said. “You can take it.” I smiled apologetically a
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Thirty-Seven
Hurt flashed in his eyes, but only for a second. The mask was on faster than my eyes could follow. I tilted my chin up. “I’m sorry, Cameron, but this is what I have to do.” “I know why you're doing this, Lana. You’re pushing me away because of what happened in your past, but I’m not; I won't.” He ran his fingers through his neatly combed hair, which, despite all the troubles that accompanied the night, still managed to stay slick. Except for that unruly strand, which I wanted so much to tuck behind his ears. I clenched my hands by my side. “I’ll never hurt you, Lana.” He completed. “I love you.“I turned my eyes away, wanting to hear those words, lest all my resolve melt. “- you. I love you, Lana.”It took everything in me to stop myself from crushing my body into his and kissing him right there. I closed my eyes and let the tears fall, then wiped them away. “I have to go, Cam, sir.” I shook my head, as though that would help stabilise my thoughts. “I’ll like a week off. I have a
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Thirty-Eight
We sat in the bustling hospital lobby, and my head was swirling with different thoughts against the murmur of conversations around me. I was engulfed in a mix of emotions, and I could not stop thinking of the day my parents died. I had been sitting in the hospital like this, waiting, apprehensive, anxious, and praying that they came out alive. The memories were just there, at the back of my head, and they brought tears to my eyes.I was thankful then that Cameron had insisted on coming here with me. It had surprised me at first, but I guess he was an adult and he could do whatever he liked. And I was happy he came. Whether he knew it or not, he was a pillar of support for me, and that should mean something. I cradled Zoe in my arms while Cameron gently rocked Leo while still trying to keep an eye on me. Perhaps she was too afraid that I would break down, as I had done in that restaurant. I had ruined our perfect dinner and still went ahead to break his heart all in one night, still
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TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Two hundred and three
Andre’s POV Two Years LaterMy mother was upset that I had gone behind her back to sabotage her. To sell her company to that little brat—that is what she refers to Lana as now—who knew nothing about business, but I did not have to tell her that it was either that or see her remanded in prison. To watch everything I had and everyone I loved taken away from me. I did not need to tell her that we were lucky we had a choice. The poor girl had no choice back then and had to take life as it was handed to her. My mother would live—abort sourly—but at least she would still live. We could build back the company even if it took a long time. Thankfully, all she had back then was a minor heart attack. As for the little brat, Lana, she and Cameron got married two years ago and have spent the last two years of their marriage touring the world.I was envious of the love they found. The comfort they gave each other, the strength in their numbers, but as time went on, I too was beginning to live wi
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Two hundred and two
Lana’s POV The house was still the same way I remembered it. The chairs, the arm stool, and the and the settees All of the arrangements were still the same, and it struck a chord of familiarity within me. I settled into the plush armchair and watched Andre move towards the bar, his demeanour calm and composed. It was hard to reconcile this composed man with the man I had known years ago. Andre returned with a glass of red wine, just the way I liked it. He handed it to me, then sat across from me. “Have you come to a conclusion regarding what we discussed?” I crossed my legs, one above the other, and stared blankly at him. “Regarding what exactly? The only thing I remember that we have yet to talk about are the kids and how we’ll split their days between us. Other than that, I don't think we have any unfinished business. Except you are talking about signing the documents, which would see me as the new CEO of Ranhold.” Andre heaved a long sigh and rubbed his temples. Was he beginnin
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Two hundred and one
Lana’s POV We spent the next week gathering evidence against Freda and meeting with potential witnesses who could testify against her if we were to take her to court, but it seemed as though that would not be needed. It was some time towards the end of the week when what was going to be our break happened. It came in the form of André getting a recognition award. I had no idea what his relationship with Freda had been like following everything that had happened lately, so I cannot talk about that. But upon receiving the award, Freda was so happy with her son that she decided to allow him to make certain decisions that regarded the leadership of Ranhold. In the past, André had been nothing but a figurehead. Although he sat in the CEO position, his mother, Freda, usually handled all the decision-making, and everyone knew this. He was useless, and if it was important that his signature be appended to a document, he had to get permission from Freda first before doing it. But now, all
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter Two hundred
Lana’s POV Back at my apartment, we laid out all the new information we had gathered. It felt like we were finally making progress, and the weight of uncertainty was beginning to lift. But then a call entered my phone, which was going to either bring everything crashing down on us again or continue pushing us forward.We had laid everything on the table in front of us, and we were about to start sitting through them when the ringtone of my phone shattered through the peace, quiet, and anxiety that had settled over us. Sighing and thinking it was from one of my colleagues at Lukem, I pulled the phone from my pocket and paused when I saw the caller ID displaying on my screen.“Hmmm... Andre.” I said it out loud, alerting the other guys to who the caller was. Without waiting for their response, I swiped on the screen and placed the phone in my ear. “Hey, Andre.” I greeted. “What’s going on?”“I found something.” He announced. From over the phone, I could not make out the time of his vo
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and Ninety-nine
Lana’s POV Fred smiled warmly, taking a seat beside Clara. “It’s been a long time, Aunt Clara. We have so much to catch up on, but there’s something important we need to ask you about first.”Clara looked at him. “Of course, anything. What do you need to know?”Fred glanced at me, and I handed Clara the letter. “We found this among my father’s papers. It mentions a promise to protect you. We need to understand what happened.”Clara took the letter and began reading it. As she read through it, I noticed the change in her expression. She took a deep breath and glanced up at us. “This... this brings back memories I thought I’d buried. Your mother and Mr. West were the best friends I ever had. But there was more to it, and it brought trouble or would have brought trouble had Mr. West not decided to act in what he believed to be the best interest of everyone, including your mother. Fred’s face lightened up, as did mine. “What do you mean?”Clara sighed. “Secrets.” She whispered. “Anne an
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and ninety-eight
Lana’s POVFred shrugged. “She hinted at societal expectations and family obligations,” he replied. “But she didn’t give specifics. I think she knows a lot more than she’s letting on.”I nodded slowly. “My father never mentioned anything about your mother or you and Kathy. And I started going through his papers; maybe I would find something.”Fred’s expression softened. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way, but it is not to be helped. I cannot say I know how you feel or what you are feeling right now. Finding out that a person you think you know has another side, which you have no idea of, can really do something to you.”I reached out and touched Fred’s hand briefly. “We’ll figure it out together. I have some of my father’s old letters and documents that might help us piece things together. Maybe we can confront Freda again with more concrete questions? What do you think? Right now, she’s the only person who can give us answers, and we are not even on good terms.”We returned to m
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and ninety-seven
Narrator’s POV Freda’s smile faltered for the briefest of moments, a shadow crossing her eyes before she quickly regained her composure. She leaned back in her chair, interlacing her fingers and resting them on her desk.“That’s quite a heavy topic, Fred,” she said, her tone now more serious. “Why are you suddenly interested in this?”Fred shrugged. “Perhaps after Kathy’s death, I realised something. I just want to know why he abandoned my mother, why he chose his other family above us, and why he caused us so much pain and loss. I want to understand all of these things; perhaps it would help me forgive, let go, and move on.”A shadow of a smile crossed Freda’s face. “Ahhhh... I guess it runs in the family then.” Fred narrowed his eyes, wondering what she meant by that statement. “I don’t understand. What runs in the family?”Freda stood to her feet and approached the floor-to-ceiling window, which offered a great view of the city. From here, he could view the city’s skyline and wat
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and ninety-six
Narrator’s POV Freda’s office was located on the uppermost floor of the skyscraper that acted as Ranhold’s headquarters, a detail that made Fred pause as he stepped out of the taxi five minutes ago. He blinked against the rays of sunlight reflecting off the monolithic structure of steel and glass, momentarily blinded. The reflective surface mirrored the city below, creating an illusion of infinite depth.The other buildings around it were similar in their grandeur, each with its own unique design. For the umpteenth time since his arrival in the city, Fred was reminded of how little he had traveled. There were places outside of his known world yet to be explored, and this city of steel and glass was one of them. He had spent—wasted—five minutes entranced by the sleek, modern design, temporarily forgetting his purpose for being there.Pulling himself back to reality, he straightened his suit and approached the entrance. The revolving glass doors spun smoothly, ushering him into a grand
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY Chapter One hundred and Ninety-five
Lana’s POVI took tentative steps towards the bouquet. Whether unconsciously or by some reflex response in our system, we all had taken steps away from the bouquet. For some reason, we felt threatened by it. This was not the first time we would receive threats disguised as gifts, and I guess that has taught us a lesson. Slowly, I pulled out the card in the bouquet and glanced at Cameron and Sally, who both gave me curt nods. I opened it and began reading it aloud. “Congratulations on Zoe’s recovery. Best wishes for the future. – Freda.”The room fell silent as the implications of the message sank in. Sally was the first to break the silence. “Freda has acted once again. First of all, it was an almost dead bird on my door, and now congratulatory bouquet?”My grip on the card tightened. “Is this supposed to mean something?”Cameron stepped closer, resting his hand on the small of my back. “Hey, we’ll keep our guard up. She’s only trying to play mind games, but we won’t give her the sat
