“DADDY! We want her to be our mommy!”
Couldn’t believe what she just heard. Cath is stunned and prefers to think about it to be a simple slip of the tongue and a play that the innocent daughter of his teases them about. Her jaws wanted to drop, and her mind is half wandering and somewhat diving into the stash of her memories as the words reminded her.
“When we both grow up, will you be the mother of my children, Cath?”
The fleeting words, but only then, and the hell not now. That Cath is desperately shaking away from her thoughts. As she reminds herself that it is not the time to be reminiscing about the things that she curses and should already forget.
“Mom-mommy?”
She asks, putting on an awkward wild smile as she is composing herself at the same time and reminding herself that it is just a silly word from a kid who doesn’t even know what it means.
“Yes! I want you to be our mommy! Daddy, marry her.”
The cutest hell that she wanted the earth to open and swallow her whole or melt her instantly in that time. All in utter disbelief and embarrassment for being caught in a situation that she doesn’t have any weapons to counter back. Especially her little kind of enemy is an unexpected little girl that she is fond of.
“Baby, that is not how it works.”
Sam somehow saves her butt. By simply explaining the words as directly as possible to the kid but then thinking, it might not be simple and now honestly doubting that the little girl will buy it.
“No!”
The little girl screams, protests, and pouts. A spoiled brat who always had her way with anything and everything that she wanted. Knew it, and read the situation, she can tell Sam is not handling his daughter right, but who is she to say such a thing? Besides, by this very point, she is an outsider.
Then Monique screams one more and insisted.
“I want her to be our mommy! Marry her daddy!”
“Moni—”
“No, no, no! I want her!”
‘Oh boy,’ she thinks to herself and didn’t expect or paid to have this little mess the day that she arrives back in her hometown and meet unexpectedly the children of the man that she is avoiding, but work kills her and she is forced to. Now she is in another dilemma of dealing with the child who wanted her to be their mom.
“Baby girl.”
Sam wanted to explain and make his daughter understand. For it is quite a turn of an awkward situation for all of them, especially Cath who for years, he just meets and seen in person, and by means ‘face to face.’ He isn’t complaining, but not what he expects for their meeting.
“No!”
Monique still protested, pushing her father and coming down from his arms and holding his twin brother’s hand Cole. Ends up with the two of them pouting and protesting against their father.
“Why don’t you marry her, you want us to have a mother right?”
Sam gasp a breath and deep where he couldn’t find the right words to say to his kids.
Suddenly Monique runs behind Cath which took her by surprise, with the twins immediately holding her by both sides of her skirt tight.
“Monique!”
Raised his voice which worsen the situation and made the twins hide behind Cath and even grabbed her dress tighter. She smiles a bit awkwardly and tries to calm the situation.
“I think we should calmly talk about this.”
She suggested while keeping her balance from the two kids who are desperately holding unto her like slugs. But the most adorable slugs that she had ever seen.
“Well, you do not have the right to say that.”
Cut her immediately and between her words and thoughts. With the turn ‘the secretary jives in and somewhat wanted to steal the show, showing off that she should be ‘positioned’ in front of her. She is now receiving dagger-like gazes that worsen her already worst situation.
“Monique, I mean, Miss Monique, young master Cole.” That entitled and claiming future stepmother calls, Erika. “You shouldn’t be acting like this. Remember that you should be responsible for your actions and words, to not upset your father, I mean the CEO.”
Erika acted like the good-natured mother-to-be, perhaps a pretentious girlfriend. That is a minute is a vicious stepmother material that reminds her of Snow White, and by a second after is like an angel who transforms in such whenever the twins’ father and her target husband are near. Cath couldn’t help but be pissed, now contemplating if she should slap the shape-shifting bitch. But before she could, and not even a way for her, and honestly, she will never do. Monique retorted.
“I do not like you, you are evil, a witch!”
“What! You, kids.”
The little girl screams with the younger one, Cole blows raspberries at the bitchy lady that is clearly offended and now fuming with anger. Yet, Erika couldn’t just blow up and not in front of Sam.
All the while Sam is laughing in silence along with the bodyguards that are turning red from holding back their laughter.
“We want her not you!”
The twins added, making Erika’s mood turns even worse.
“I couldn’t! This, ahh!”
Erika still controlled her temper and only pushes Cath aside as she walks past her and away from her. Turns back and gave Cath a threatening look that inside Cath’s mind, she just earned an enemy that very day that she came back. Not at all her plan, and only putting her deep into an unwanted situation.
“Well,” Cath took a deep breath, turn s around, crouch down, and look at the twins with a gentle smile. “You see kids.”
She takes the initiative to explain everything in the simple way possible.
“I have something to say, but can you promise me that you two will behave and listen?”
Her calm and soft approach to the twins that Monique and Cole immediately agree with and did what she just asked them to do. Which is new, that took Sam by surprise and impressed her.
“First, it’s not good to talk back to people, especially if they are much older than you. Second, you should always listen to your father for he knows what is right and wrong for you. And third, there are things that you can have, as there are many things that you shouldn’t ask, and put a fight and pout if it isn’t granted to you. Like telling someone to be your mommy.”
The twins listen and draw the saddest expression that amazes Sam once more and slowly put a smile on his face. For it is the first time after years that his kids listen to someone and obediently listen without cracking a tantrum for a second.
“Can’t you be our mommy?”
Monique asks in a down tone and in a brim of crying, which takes Cath aback. But she all knew what to do when she smiles and said.
“Being a mom is not easy, especially for the two kids who are kind of naughty.”
She made her tone a bit comedic but reminded the twins of what she just told them. Her gentle nature and her love for kids made her kind of an expert in handling them, making the twins smile, especially Monique.
“Then, if we promise to be good and not to be naughty, will you be our mom?”
The little girl’s request and wit that Cath is kind of impressed about. Monique’s quick-witted mind made her stand for the reason that she is a bit in danger.
“But I do not love your dad.’”
Cath whispers, forced to say those words in that situation which can either hurt and discourage the kids or make them hate her. Yet.
“Then, you must become our nanny first, in that way you will always see daddy and you will fall in love with him in no time. For you see, our dad is a catch.”
‘Oh boy!’ Cath's jaw finally drops, hearing Monique’s words and witty reasoning that she wanted to hide away from. Not to mention dares to even look at Sam right now. Worse when Cole seconded.
“Be our nanny!”
“WE want her to be our mommy!” “I only warn you this time, and the first and last. Whoever you are, stay away from my man.” A declaration from a little girl is shaking Cath’s mind right now. Asking herself if she is hearing it correctly, worst, she just receives a threat in a whispering way from the entitled Erika that she even didn’t care about. Especially since it revolves around Sam. “Do not worry, I am not stupid to dig my own grave.” She tries to play it cool and whispers back to Erika, with an awkward smile that the latter didn’t even buy. Making her question her luck and just how the heavens are playing and toying at her right now. “Hey! What are you doing with our mommy!” Monique protests, defending Cath like she is entitled to do so. Looking up towards Erika with the eyes and expression that’s screaming, she will protect her newfound mother no matter what. “Mommy? Do you have any idea what you are talking about?” “I know, I am very aware of that fact.” Erika couldn
“KEEP your mind in the game, Catherine Wayne.”As she reminds herself and the whole point of why she comes back to this place in the first place. “Keep your head in the game.”Shaking her head and out from the past moment, those eyes of Sam that almost take her out from the boundary of her plan is hunting her. She raises her hand and orders a drink just to cool herself and somehow erase those thoughts away from her mind. "I have high hopes for you myself, you can do this.”She talks to herself while trying to convince her thoughts with those claims. Drinking the whole bottle of wine in one to three gulps. Making everyone present in the restaurant taken aback by her uncanny behavior. “Thank you.”Handing her payment with some tip on the side. She went straight out of the restaurant in a tipsy state. But not enough for her to stumble down the road, yet. A once in a blue moon state and nature that she only does if she is stressed. “Samuel Lawrence.”As she reads the name that is writ
“YOU are such a piggy-rabbit, do you know that?”Suddenly reminded her of the past that she rather wishes that she didn’t. Cath open her eyes as she felt a slight pang of pain in her head. “Where---”Cutting herself, her vision slowly made the layout of the room. She sighs deeply as she realizes that she is already in her bed and old room way back when she is still living in the place. “Can I make you stay here for good?”Somewhat slap with the thought that she is in the hang of believing that it all happened or not. She immediately shakes those thoughts away as she might be just hallucinating it out of drunkenness, yet. “How did I end up here?” Electrified for a second as she jumps right out of the bed and looks all over under the mattress for any trace of a nightmare that might just happen last night. Considering that there is only one person she’s been with. “Wait a minute?”As she thought to herself. Now sitting properly on top of her bed thinking logically about what happe
“YOU are starting to be pathetic Catherine.” As she scolds herself whispering those words while deep sighing once in a while. All after knowing what happened last night and what her stepfather had told her. “Get your head in the game Catherine. There is no room for mistake.”Reminding herself and once more that somehow becomes her ritual every time she thinks and feels like she is being retracted from her original goal. Sitting in somehow an uncomfortable manner with her head somehow a bit on the cloud with the events that just happened. Her phone rings and she immediately picks it up. “I’m almost there.”As she assures, while looking out the window of the cab with the driver that’s for a while is looking back and forth from the passenger mirror and the road ahead. “Aren’t you the famous journalist Miss. Catherine Wayne?”Somewhat alarm in a way that she is thinking of keeping her job a secret just to be cautious of what might Sam thinks upon knowing. That will end up wi
ONLY a bit after seven thirty in the early morning and already the Lawrence’s household is in chaos. “I do not want that!”Monique screams, throwing her crayons and papers onto the floor while the three maids are in a big dilemma on how to subdue their little miss tantrums. “Little Miss please do not do this.”“No!”Wild like a lioness who is hunting for prey for the pride’s food. Monique even shrieks with a high-pitched voice that is like torture to everyone around her. While she is kicking and throwing everything that she could see. “I want to bring Mr. Scuffles!”She demanded. Her favorite cat that she always insists on bringing to school, with her reasoning that it will guard her against everything. Her spoiled and acting nature becomes their every morning struggle, just to get her to do a thing before going to school. All because she isn’t allowed by Sam to bring her pet cat Mr. Scuffles to school. Her adviser and some of the students in her class are allergic to cats. The su
“MONIQUE, LITTLE BABY BEAR.” As Sam’s voice started with a calm one, with a little bit of pleading and more on the side of sweetness as he started to convince his daughter once more to give up her tantrums that are getting way out of her supposed to be doing. Considering that she is not a three years old girl anymore. “You know that you cannot bring Mr. Scuffles to school, right?” He still and calmly started once more while holding his daughter’s hand. “Miss Anne is allergic to cats and so some of your friends at school. Do you want them to be in pain because you took Mr. Scuffles to school?” As he gently explains and puts some emphasis along with a lesson and two. That in reality is his dialogue every other day. As it all depends on Monique’s mood and level of being a brat for the day. “Then let them be!” she protested and fast. “I hate them, I do not like them, so they deserve to be in pain because of Mr. Scuffles!” Pulling her hand from him as she pouted in anger and cross
WITH a smile that is a mix of composed, yet jumping excitement. Sam is all over the moon upon knowing that Cath is on her way to his house. “You’re coming here?” He asked once more which gained her the kind of look of wonder, and secretly giggling thoughts and emotions from his servants and most especially from his nanny. “I am.” Hearing the confirmation and one more time from Cath. He couldn’t help but both be anxious and felt excited by that very fact. Smiling from ears to ears as he didn’t notice that he’s been walking back and forth in the same direction for a couple of minutes right now. He finally ends the call casually and with a bit of a business tone. “Then I’ll be seeing you in a moment.” Both ended the call while still on their toes walking in the same direction, but a little bit worse this time. With him looking down and thinking even deeper than he had ever been. Like he is about to go into the most difficult business deal of his life that all means a life and de
“WELCOME to our secret base!” Sam cheerfully introduces. Ass smiles and is excited to present that little garden that he made do from the back of their mansion and by which his nanny help him make. The garden that he builds with a little fort on top of the tree is Cath’s little castle. “Wow!” As Cath’s face brightens with a huge smile and an excited tone upon seeing what Sam prepared for her. “You made this for me?” She immediately asks looking around the place that completely mesmerizes her. While on the other hand, Sam is all with his smug face proud and prideful as he took all the credit and said. “Yep! I did everything, aren’t I just awesome?” Both giggled as they knew that he couldn’t do much without any help, yet Cath just let him take the credit. All knowing that he did it for her sake. To cheer her up and all after her parents finally divorce and for quite a while left her in a sad state. “Do you like it? Well, I know that you like it.” All proud and still, he sta
“MOMMY!” The twins, Monique and Cole opens the door and runs up to her with excitement and twinkling adoration to their eyes upon seeing her. “Wow, you look like a princess, Mommy.” “You do, you do!” Monique’s comment with wide smile and agreed by Cole. Admiring her beauty as she is dress in a sophisticated white dress. Her wedding gown and the day that she will finally tie the knot with Sam. After all the problems that are resolve, the secrets that are said, apologize, forgiven and done. With the twin’s biological mother gracefully out of the picture by her death. Everyone is there in that very special day to witness and congratulate them. “Thank you.” Cath smiles and giving the twins one kiss each on their cheeks. Making the twins giggle more in excitement. Just then, the wedding coordinator knock on the door and asks her. “Miss Catherine, shall we?” “Of course.” She couldn’t contain her happiness and smiling all the way through. With the wedding theme of like mystical fore
“HOW long has it been since then, Leo?”The expected meeting, but the unexpected expression and tone that is in a mix of disappointment and anger that Cath is showing right in front of him. Left alone in the headmistress office and at first glance they are seem to share a casual tea time. He looks down, not in shame, but a bit of worry from how things unfolded. Which makes him think if he is regretting his decision of giving Cath a clue about the past.“Or should I call you now with your known name, Aaron?”“Tell me, do you hate me that much after what you have learn, Cath?”“Hate you? Why should I? You didn’t do anything to me which needed me to resent you. Instead I am the one who should be asking you of that question, for I failed to recognize my old friend.”Old friend. The words that means more than the shallow meaning of it. Words that will disappoint anyone, for it means more than just a rejection, but a total abandonment towards someone who only thinks about one person and dea
MORE than being stripped of everything that he had, Harry is slapped with the truth and faces the wrath of Adriella in her calm demeanor whom everyone knows that it is worse than a tyrant in that kind of mood. “You do not need to explain anything to me but sign the divorce papers, right now.”“I-I…”Definitely shaking within his wits, Harry couldn’t even utter a single word nor look at the face of his mother-in-law worst towards Lindsey whose expression is indistinguishable for lacking nothing to see. Worst with the atmosphere in the room that is getting heavy and dreadful upon their conversation that a while back is going smoothly and just like always. Only to be struck by the divorce papers and the secret that Harry is been hiding for almost a month now. “I stayed quiet and compose for the sake of Lindsey. But since it all comes to this and the fact that you are caught red-handed. There is no need for further discussion.”“But I… I only did it once, or maybe twice or thrice, but t
“WILL this be alright?”Lindsey’s worry and her thoughts about what Sam decided upon after what happened. Hiding the fact that they were kidnaped. Letting Jun handle the rest with the pieces of evidence at hand and the new ones that were suddenly sent to them just a while back. With all of them know that it was from Beatrice, leaving Francis in the air and saving herself. “This is better and the appropriate thing that we should all do.”Cath seconded, forcing everyone to have this talk and all from Sam’s protest. With her injuries and critical state in the first few hours after they are saved. Luckily Cole wasn’t hurt in any way nor the child is traumatized. But make sure, Sam sends his son to the psychiatrist, and is currently under the care of Adriella. Lindsey recovers fast, and can now move on her own, unlike Cath. “Let’s just leave it to Jun and Nadia. They both know what to do.”She added, hiding the fact that she doesn’t want Sam to know about the organization that Francis on
DAMN alive and still breathing despite his injuries and the gunshot that he just receives from Aaron a while back. Francis stands before Cath, with his gun up a bit shaking from his wound, but directly pointing it towards her. “I may stupidly fail at first, but this time I will not fail to end your life. You who put me behind bars, Catherine Wayne.”“Cath!”Two familiar voices echo in the air, but before Cath could look and see for herself who could those two people be? Francis fired his gun, missing Cath’s vital spot from his shaking hand due to his injuries. Yet still, inflict Cath with another injury and a gunshot to her left arm. Stumbling backward made her lose her footing and leads her to fall to the cliff.“Damn! Just die!”Two gunshot echoes, now directly to Francis's legs leaving him impaired and down helpless. “You cannot save her, she is gone! You failed to save your girl, Samuel Lawrence!”Consumed with anger, Sam clenches his hands tight, yet he didn’t blow up on Franci
STARTLED and quickly stops in her tracks, now standing and still. Lindsey instructed Cole to close his eyes and cover his ears. Do not let go no matter what happens and wait for her to say so. “Do you understand, Cole?”“Alright, aunt Lindsey.”The little boy replied and quickly borrow his face to Lindsey’s chest. Being an obedient child, Lindsey could feel the fear of her nephew with Cole’s shaking body and cold hands. “Stop, or find yourself swimming in your blood.”More than a familiar voice and the only person right now that Lindsey could think of who. She slowly looks back and is not surprised to see the Governor, no, Francis, pointing a gun right in front of her and with a cursing look on his face. “Just how low could you go for doing this to our family? Are you desperate to establish your dominance over us that you are going this far for your selfish desire?”“Low? Who, me? Tsk! Do not make me laugh Miss. Lindsey Lawrence.”Their exchange made it clear and more than to Linds
TRAIL OF BLOOD is visible from near. Cath’s breath is heavy and her sweat is dripping from her forehead. She’s easing the pain from the gunshot wound that she got to her left arm and right leg. Dragging her heavy body and following the path that she instructed Lindsey at first if anything might happen and they needed to separate. “Tsk!”She clicks her tongue in anger and irritation. Tired and has been losing a lot of blood after she fought and struggled against Ivy. Now holding the gun that almost took her just a while back. “CATHERINE WAYNE!”The name, her name that Ivy screams in anger at the last second when she pulled the trigger and put a hole in its forehead. Ending a nightmare that she took within her hand and fails to put her back behind bars. “Almost. Just how many it is right now?”Suddenly reminisced and the similar danger that she took and choose for her career and passion. She chuckles and a bit rested behind a large tree. Ripping her bolero and tying it around her leg
GUN shots can be heard from a distance and back. The exchange and the loud crash with the blow of a bomb shake the ground for a few seconds. Holding on to a tree while tightly holding Lindsey’s hand with her right one, Cath held her ground looks back when Lindsey screams in surprise at what just happened. Starling Cole awake, that worried Cath even more than she is under a lot of stress right now. “Lindsey, are you alright?” “I am. I am just startled.” “Mom? Mommy?” “Cole.” They both immediately coax the child back to sleep. Lindsey covered Cole’s ears while hugging the little boy tight into her arms. “Mommy, aunt Lindsey, what is happening?” “Don’t worry Cole, that was just nothing, just go back to sleep.” Relieved that the little boy is still sleepy and that it didn’t give them the hard time to coaxing it back to sleep. Cath looks around and a few steps away from where she instructed Lindsey to stay covered and safe with Cole. “Tsk!” She couldn’t help but click her tongue
“THIS is what you need to do.”Instructions that Beatrice needs to follow. Things that she is hesitant at first to do since it might drag her name along with the danger that she just run away successfully from Francis. But with Hiro’s assurance and the things that Hiro just told her. The plan and the fact that the organization has Cath, Lindsey, and Cole, the truth that the organization is the other party that is rubbing Francis's patience, and the little deal that Hiro on behalf of the organization strikes a deal with Cath. Is more than a heavy reason for her to believe. No, she had no choice but to believe. For in between the organization and Francis, added with the fact that Cath strikes a mutual deal with the organization. One thing is only left for her to choose from, and that is to follow the plan Hiro just told her about, and put everything of the blame on Francis.“I got it. I’ll prepare everything as soon as possible. I’ll call you when everything is ready.”“Thirty minutes.