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Chapter Two hundred and three
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY CHAPTER ONE
This was the expiration of our loveless marriage. A single document that clawed at my insides, prickled my intestines and made me feel like I would throw up my breakfast.I couldn’t believe five years had passed already since we were seated like this – Andre and I – before a lawyer, signing a prenuptial and then marriage certificates. At least Andre had been forthcoming then, he had smiled at me warmly, an action which made my heart flutter and convinced me we were doing the right thing, the best thing for me. He had pretended to be interested. Sending me flowers after flowers while he was at work, asking about my emotional and physical well being while he was at home. Making love to me like it was all he lived for. Those moments for me, had been the best moments of our marriage before he decided he was cheating on the memory of his first love by being with me. It had sounded ridiculous then as it did now, but it was the reality of my situation.Now, Andre could barely look me in t
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY CHAPTER TWO
The bus did not arrive early and I decided to walk home and clear my head on the way. Soon, I was in front of the mansion and I felt that familiar yet uncomfortable pull in my chest. Home was not a place of peace for me, I should be happy I was leaving. “Lana!” I heard a voice and turned towards it. It was Hermione and beside her was my luggage. She held a wide smile on her face and if a stranger watched the scene, they would think she was too happy to see me and not the other way around. I frowned. “Why – my luggage.” I stammered, walking up to meet her. “Cat got your tongue?” Hermione laughed. Her laugh was creaky, like there was something stuck in her throat and it choked her. I hated it and I usually found myself hoping she actually choked. “Why is my luggage out here?” I demanded, throwing arrows at her with my eyes. She seemed unfazed. “You’re over! You and my brother are over. It’s time for you to leave.”The news was here already? I thought. Typical. I was going to reply
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY CHAPTER THREE
Stepping into the house gives me an eerie feeling of déjà vu. Not much had changed since the last time I was here. Photos of Sanders and his wife in their younger years still hung on the wall just above the fireplace, beside a photo of their adopted daughter. I noticed a new photo on the wall. It must have been taken some months ago because it still looked so new; Sanders was lying in what I presumed to be a hospital bed and his wife sat beside him, smiling for the camera. I did not know Sanders had been sick so I looked to his wife and caught her wiping a tear from her eyes herself. “Make yourself at home.” She croaked and dashed into the kitchen. I did as she asked, settling into the settee that was before me. Mrs. Sanders was out in less than a minute and placed a cup of steaming coffee on the small table by my side. I picked the cup gingerly and brought it to my lips, basking in the scent of cocoa seeds. Once the coffee was into my system and I felt my head was clearer, I tu
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY CHAPTER FOUR
Early the next morning I was on the morning train leaving for a new city to begin a new life. Mrs. Sanders had driven me to the train station where we found a copier and made copies of all the documents. Mrs. Sanders insisted we both have copies of everything just for the sake of it. After that, she gave me more words of encouragement and advice. Promised to keep in touch and bade me farewell. I couldn’t deny the fact that I was anxious as to what this new life held and meant for me. But I looked forward to trying it out. Mrs. Sanders said it would not be easy but I would get by. I had gone through five years in hell. What was another five? Maybe ten? Probably forever? I couldn’t think that way, I told myself. I should think of the future of my child and make sure it is bright. The train stopped in “Hastvin” about six hours later and I made my way off it almost immediately. Hastvin was a bustling city, known for being the largest commercial city in our country and home to the mos
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY CHAPTER FIVE
The call with Mrs. Sanders was short and curt. She informed me of the plans she had put in action for the rest of the assets Sander had been able to salvage for me, made promises to call often to check in on me and more motivational words. She was going to hire an investigator to look into Andre and his family and once there was news, she was going to let me know.All I had to do was survive and made sure that I prepared myself for the battle which was ahead. I had not prepared for this life. Yes, I had been aware that all the time I had with Andre was five years but I had hoped that I could make a change. And yet, when I saw that the change was not coming why had I not prepared at least? Why had I not made myself mentally, emotionally and financially ready to face my new life?I scoffed at myself. I was pathetic. I was a loser and a sore one. I saw myself in this empty apartment, in the most backward neighborhood in this city and I could feel no empathy, no pity. I brought this up on
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY CHAPTER SIX
The next twelve months proved to be the most trying months of my life. I had taken two jobs to help me raise money, pay the bills and also take care of myself and the children. I had gone into labor five months ago and the experience had been the worst. I had been at work in my day job at the restaurant when I felt the spasms of pain ricochet through me. My boss – an elderly woman in her late fifties – had been the first one to notice the signs. She had pulled me into her office and closed the door behind us, then sat us down on a hand-me-down couch and made me take deep breaths in and out while she called an ambulance. The ambulance arrived moments later and together with the woman, they had moved me to the hospital where I gave birth to twins; a boy and a girl. Now, as I stared down at the kids as they slept in their cot, a sense of pride washed over me. It had been five months since I brought them into this world and although I was nowhere at making things better for them, I se
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY CHAPTER SEVEN
I smoothed down the blazer I borrowed from Paul, who ran the Laundromat, and took a deep breath as I stepped down from the bus in front of the towering structure of the conglomerate headquarters. I had been surprised as I received the invitation to attend an interview following my application, and the excitement still lingered within me. Darby had been smug, telling me ‘I told you to say’ at every slight opportunity she got. I buckled up and murmured a short prayer as I stepped into the bustling lobby of the conglomerate. A sense of determination filled me. I was here for a purpose. But as I navigated through the throng of moving bodies on the other side of the room, I felt doubt and fear begin to creep in. I had once belonged in this world of corporate affairs and custom-tailored suits, neatly ironed, but now I was not so sure. The past year has reshaped me into a completely different person. I approached the reception desk warmly and handed her the letter that I had received. Sh
TOO GOOD TO LEAVE TOO BAD TO STAY CHAPTER EIGHT
Cars sped on the highway with reckless abandon, and my eyes followed them. In my mind, we were playing a game—one that I had created and was yet to give a name to—and I would follow their light as they sped by, and they would help keep my eyes from straying to Cameron’s face. I could not bear to see the look of pity on his face after the story that I had told him. The story of how I got to be in this situation, of how I lost everything and, on top of that, became a mother to two children,. Cameron was yet to speak. What could he say? What could he do that would change the course of events that occurred just after our college years? There was nothing for any of us to say, and we just sat there and watched the road. The food he had ordered was sitting between us, cold and untouched. “I’m sorry, Lana.” He started. “You had to go through all of this.”I smiled sadly, but my eyes remained on the road. “Everyone has had their share of life, I’m sure.” I replied. He took my hand, which r
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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
