I let Leo assist me in the car and text my little henchman to make sure everything is in motion. I saw Leo had written her a note instructing her to use the town car for any and all her commutes today and decide it better to give his driver the day off. I then have my henchman pose as the driver and stay in the car. Leo was preoccupied with me and left without so much as checking in with his driver. We begin our drive to the German doctor my father bribed to sell the promise of my recovery. It was about an hour drive so I waited patiently for us to arrive or for a text confirmation of my most-wanted deed being done.After about forty-five minutes, I receive a text. Package received. No signature needed. This was too easy. Claire had already gotten into the car. Today would be a great day.“Leo, I’m famished. Can we stop for something to eat?” I ask kindly.“Of course. There’s an Italian deli nearby.” He says as he gets into the turning lane.“That sounds fantastic. Thank you!” “Are
I must’ve fallen asleep in the back of the town car. Pregnancy has made me extremely lethargic. I look out the window and see that we’re not even close to Jasmine’s. I think we’re going the completely wrong way. I knock on the privacy window and ask if we’ve taken a wrong turn but get no response.I knock again and watch in horror as I see the guy smiling in the front seat. “You’re not Leo’s driver. Who are you?”“Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’re just making a quick detour.” He laughs huskily.I begin to panic and try to open the door as he pulls into a warehouse but the doors are locked and not from the inside. I quickly grab my phone to call Leo . I wait while it rings, praying he would pick up but it goes to voicemail. He must’ve left it in the car while accompanying Charlotte to the doctor. I try to call for help but my phone service goes out. I cower as I see the man get out of the car and points a gun at me instructing me to get out and follow his directions. “Please don’t hurt
I wake up in a hospital bed. I look over and see Jordan is sitting in the chair beside me holding my hand. I give his hand a squeeze. “Thank you.” It comes out as just a rasp. “Claire, you’re awake! Are you okay?” He gets up frantically, holding my hand in his and looks at me with concern. “My baby.” I say as I remember seeing blood. My whole body aches but none of that mattered at this moment. “I’ll go get the doctor. I wasn’t allowed to be in the room until just a few minutes ago.” I watch as Jordan runs out and call for a nurse, letting her know I was awake. Jordan comes back in and grabs my hand again. “I found your husband’s phone number and left a voicemail. I’m sure he’ll be here soon and the nurse is going to get your doctor.” I slowly bring my hand to caress his cheek. “Thank you.” I say between tears. “It’s okay, Claire. Don’t cry. You know I’d do anything for you.” He says as he wipes my tears. “How did you find me?” “Well you were in the warehouse district and th
I finish at the doctors with Charlotte feeling successful as they would be doing her surgery in just a few weeks. Charlotte would be walking again. The doctor had promised that. And with that, I’d be able to focus on fixing things with Claire. I get to the car to prepare to assist Charlotte and ready to leave. I check my phone and I see I have a missed call from Claire. She didn’t leave a voicemail though. I then see a missed call and a voicemail from an unknown number. I listen to the voicemail in horror. “Hey Leo, um it’s Jordan. I know I’m the last person that should be calling you but I took Claire to the hospital and it’s not looking so good. She’s unconscious right now and I didn’t know who to call. Something bad has happened to her. Give her a call when you get this message.” I drop the phone momentarily and scramble to pick it up. I call my driver and give him directions to pick up Charlotte. There was only I could do both and get to Claire in time. “Leo, where are you go
I calm my sobbing and try to make sense of everything that has happened. I was kidnapped. I fell down four flights of stairs and I was pushed on purpose. Whoever hired that man - wanted my baby dead and they succeeded. Could Charlotte have noticed and done this to drive a wedge between Leo and I?Why would someone do this?I lay there, staring out the window and Jordan sits there silently. He passes glances my way to make sure I’m alright as I ignore every one of them. I was grateful to Jordan in that moment but I had lost everything and there was nothing he could do.I hear the door creak open carefully, knowing it’s not the doctor and I see Jordan look up sadly. He slowly gets up to leave. “I’ll give you two the room. I’ll be right down the hall, Claire. Call me if you need anything.” He gives my hand a squeeze and I watch as he nods at Leo passing him silently. Leo gives him a nod and walks over to my side.“Claire?” He asks carefully as he sits down on the bed next to me. He gen
Jordan comes back into the room with an apologetic smile. “I can take you home, Claire. The nurse said you’re free to go home whenever you’re ready.” “Can you take me to Leo’s to collect my things?” I say silently. “I can do whatever you need me to. But why didn’t you have Leo take you - if you don’t mind me asking?” He says as he sits at my bed side. “Because I asked for a divorce.” “Are you sure, Claire? You just had a traumatic experience and you’ve both lost a child. Is this the best time to make that choice?” “There was no other choice. I lost our baby.” “Okay. I won’t question you anymore. Let’s get you out of here.” I help Claire up and bring a wheelchair to her side and assist her in transferring. I bring Claire out of the hospital and help her into the car. “I can pack your things for you, Claire. You need rest.” “Thank you, Jordan.” I rest my head back and wait to see Leo’s home from the car window. I silently hoped he wasn’t home. I couldn’t stand to face
I lost her. I knew that the moment she refused to look at me in the hospital. It was all my fault. Claire hadn’t told me that she was pregnant. I remember telling her after our wedding that she should get on contraceptives. I even took her to the doctor to obtain a prescription. The truth is: I wanted kids. I didn’t want them then but it was because of my responsibilities. I didn’t want to be an absent father. I never meant to give her the impression that I never wanted them at all. I begged her to stay. I would’ve changed for her. Given her all the children in the world and be the husband she deserved but even I knew it wasn’t going to be enough. Claire lost our son. She held him a secret for so long and she did it out of fear. Fear that I didn’t want him when he meant so much to her. And someone took him from us - because of me. She wouldn’t even come home with me. I entered the house alone. I sulked to my bedroom and waited by my phone, hoping she’d call. After a while, I los
It’s been a few days since I had left Leonardo. I had read the decree for our divorce and signed it after contacting his attorney and removing a few unnecessary addendums. Leo had tried to include a monthly alimony agreement, an apartment and a vehicle as part of my benefits but I refused. His attorney was hesitant but I refused to sign until he sent an updated decree following my requests. I didn’t want Leo to support me. I wanted to start over. I had already lost everything. I hear at knock at my bedroom door and figure that it was Jas coming to check on me per usual. I knew I was right when I saw her peek in. “They delivered your documents for the finalization of your divorce. Should I get win or tissues hun?” She had been great at checking in on me. I felt bad springing my problems onto her. “I’m okay, Jas. I could use a hug though.” She scrambled in, sits on my bed and pulls me into a hug. I was grateful that she let me stay with her. “I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve this,
Claire and Jasmine listened closely to the conversation I had with Charlotte on the phone. They felt triumphant as I played my part. “Well she seems convinced.” Claire smiles as she sits down on the couch beside me. “Now, we just have to get Julia and Leo ready to rub it in. The letter said six o’clock, right?” Jasmine confirms.“Yup. I already texted Julia and she said she is getting ready. She wants to make sure she is dressed for the occasion.” Claire seemed a bit nervous but she did it well.“You brought your nice suit, right Leo?” “I did and before you ask, it’s black.”“Good, that means it’ll match with Julia.” Jasmine smiles as her need for color coordination is satisfied.“How do you think Julia will act when she’s faced with Charlotte?” Claire asks quizzically.“I’m not sure. But I should get changed. Julia should be arriving in the next thirty minutes to debrief before we head out.” I stand and leave the room to change. It felt odd to be going to dinner in the company of
It’s late morning when I awake from my nap. The medication they gave me was great at silencing my dead mother but horrible for my energy. Every dose I’d taken had driven me to a long deep rest that encapsulated my hours. I grab my phone and see blog and tabloid notifications - my favorite reading material as I was able to read about myself multiple times. Although, I was glad for my absence in these apps as of recently. The last thing I wanted was to be paraded around as a lunatic.I open the first app to read about today’s events and see Claire is plastered on the front page.“Billionaire’s wife trades high life for loving longevity?” I continue reading as the article names a ‘Nathan Carter’ as Claire’s new love interest and describes their poolside manner as romantic and intimate. Did she really trade Leo for this guy? He wasn’t nearly as handsome as Leo. I look up his net worth isn’t even in the same caliber as Leo. How stupid of her. I continue to look at the photos and I’m struck
I watch the movements of Charlotte’s ankle monitor and to my surprise, it hasn’t move at all from the primary residence. I checked its connection and gps settings. Only to find that everything was working perfectly.Leo informed me of his and Claire’s plan to seem separated in the blogs to make Charlotte more confused and less hyper-fixated on hurting Claire and for some reason, I feel like it might’ve worked. Claire hadn’t had a run in with Charlotte and she hasn’t left to see Leo either. Did her psych hold have something to do with this?I ask the officers providing surveillance at Charlotte’s residence to check in every two hours, just in case. Charlotte wasn’t a dumb woman. She was cunning, fast and maniacal. If she were planning something then I needed to be top of it before anyone got hurt. Surprisingly, the only alert I’d been given was a visitor to Dahlia. The view was partially obstructed but they believe it wasn’t friendly as the woman left without entering and Charlotte sla
I grab my phone and lay on my bed, face the ceiling and try to distract myself. My monitor meant that my moves were recorded and that meant no late night surprise visits to Claire. I had no army, no freedom, an injury to my arm and no opportunities. I wonder if Claire had even seen my letter. It couldn’t be a violation if she were to meet with me in a public location. I wouldn’t have followed her or threatened her, technically. Or did technicalities not count in this situation?I begin scrolling through today’s blogs on my phone, not out of interest but sheer boredom when I see it. Claire seems to be cuddled up with a young man who wasn’t Leo. Not only that, but she’s pregnant in these pictures. Had my plan worked already? Did Claire move on without my knowledge? I scroll through the pictures and notice a Rolex and decide to check out who this guy was. A quick search proves telling as I see his name is Nathan Carter. A newly-made millionaire who had done contracts with Leo in the past
I rummage through my drawers for a pair of swim trunks and see my phone ringing as I’m about to change. My ex-wife was calling and seeing as I had a task at hand, I ignored it and continued to get dressed. Jasmine instructed me to wear my Rolex for the photos to make my status known when the photos go live on the blogs. I’m guessing it had to do with Claire previously being with a billionaire. Sadly for her, I am no billionaire. My company had just sky-rocketed these last three years and I just became a millionaire. Not that that Claire minds, she seems more interested in me as a person than a financial security which is something I hadn’t experienced in a long time. She saw me as just a man. Not a businessman or a successful company owner - just me, Nathan.I check myself in the mirror as I head downstairs to find Claire in a beautiful bathing suit with matching kimono, newly provided by Jasmine and her beauty is remarkable. I also see Leo gawking at her. Guess I’d better be on my be
I get dressed and make sure my sister has my son as I prepare to leave to meet Claire to get more information about my new “lover” for our meeting with Charlotte tomorrow. I see Francisco watching me closely as I check my appearance in the mirror.“You will be careful, won’t you?” He asks as he shakes his leg restlessly.“There is nothing to fear, dear. I am not seeing Charlotte today. I am just meeting with Claire and her husband.” I grab my purse and kiss his cheek before walking out the door to say my farewells to my beautiful son. “You will be good for tante Dahlia, right my little heir?” I speak with a soft voice as I kiss my son and admire his laughter. “Thank you, sister.”“But of course. Franco’s is in good hands with his daddy and I. You do not have to worry.” I smile at her response as I head out the door and into my private car where my chauffeur is waiting patiently.“Where to, Ms. Julia?” He asks as I repeat the address provided to me in French. He nods and begins the j
I had just finished eating when there’s a knock at the door. Leonardo gets it as I clean the kitchen. I see a man come in. He was short, with round glasses, no hair and seemed to be in his early forties. I watch carefully as Leo shakes his hand with controlled excitement and leads him to have a seat in the living room. I finish cleaning, wipes my hands and head over to meet the notorious miracle doctor.“Ah! You must be Claire! A pleasure to meet you.” He says as he quickly stands to greet me and shake my left hand. Leo must’ve told him that my right is the one that’s disfigured. “Oh and congratulations! I wasn’t aware that you’re pregnant!” He was so bubbly and kind that my guard slowly melted away. “Please, have a seat. You must’ve traveled a long way to get here.” I gesture softly as he sits down and offers for me to sit next to him. I sit down just a few inches from his side and smile.“Please don’t worry about my travels. This is my passion. Leonardo said that you had been in a
Logan and Lucas. The names of my beautiful boys, under a tradition my family has kept through generations. Claire doesn’t know how happy that made me. The fact that she even considered my feelings about their names and my traditions - even after the situation I’ve gotten us into.I roll over to see it is five in the morning on my phone. The doctor should be here in two hours and soon after, Julia will be arriving to assist us in our pursuit to confuse Charlotte and remove her aggression towards Claire. I try to gently wake Claire as to not startle her.“The doctor should be arriving in two hours, Claire. Would you like to shower and get dressed?” I ask quietly as she stirs.“Okay, but I can’t get up. I need a little help.” She says groggily.“Okay. Don’t move, I’m coming.” I get up and walk over to her side of the bed, holding my arms out for her to adjust into as I gently roll her towards me and help her up. She grunts in discomfort. “Is that okay?”“Yes. It’s just a little hard to m
It’s close to midnight when Leo and I finally settle into bed. I decide to let him stay the night as it was late and I always felt worried about him being out late at these hours.“You said that there was someone coming to see me bright and early tomorrow. Is it Elena?” I ask as Leo settles into bed beside me.“No, but I can have Elena brought here first thing tomorrow. I’ve called a doctor who specializes in your condition and he’s confident that he can repair your hand and reverse the muscular atrophy that’s taken place. I’ve scheduled him for an evaluation to see what he can do.” He pauses as he watches closely for my reaction. I look at my splint with tunnel vision and hear his words echo through my mind. “What do you think?” He says quietly as he continues watching me.“I could carry my boys?” I ask with tears in my eyes.“Even at the same time.” He reassures me.“I could start my career again?” “Anything is possible.” Anything is possible? Is that really true?“You did all of t