Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Madeline froze. Who was that? Was it Claire? Surely she wasn’t expecting anyone other than her. She stood up from the couch and with a slow step walked to the door and slowly opened it. Her jaw dropped when she saw the person. The person pushed her out of the way and walked into the condo before slumping on a sofa. “You?” Madeline asked. It was Genevieve. She wasnt expecting her at all. “Yes, me. Were you expecting someone else? Oh…i guess that stupid child.” “How did you….”“I never get short of news in the family. I know everything that's happening. And that kid is coming today. I'm also here to welcome her and make sure she doesn't give you problems.”Madeline walked back to the couch and sat down on it next to Genevieve. It wasn't entirely bad that Genevieve was here. At least she has someone to talk to before Claire arrives. “Don't tell me you're here to cause trouble for her.”“I won't cause any trouble if she mind herself and respects me as he
Claire walked into the room assigned to her and immediately closed the door as she walked in. She sat on the bed, dark circles visible around her eyes indicating that she hasn't had enough sleep for the past days or weeks. She had learned her lesson and she was going to keep it in her heart forever. It wasn't easy staying in a cramped place and living like a commoner. On her first week, she couldn't blend with the people there but on the second, she tried. The people there really didn't like her as they saw her as a spoiled brat who doesn't know how to greet and they all avoided her. That was when she found out that she was unlikeable because of her character and would love to change for the better and have people see her in a better light. She started acting like the normal commoners in the village. She would walk miles to fetch water and help the neighbors with some chores. Eventually, she made some friends and that was because she dropped her pride and blended in with the people t
“Oh, she did? That's good then,” Elias laughed. It was expected of his wife. He knew she would accept Claire’s apology if she apologized genuinely. He was happy about the change in his sister. It felt good that she was back to being the adorable child and not the arrogant child who was easily fooled by people who wanted her for their benefit. He knew he had made a good choice in sending her to a poor village. There was a positive change and he would make sure that change lasted and nobody would ever use her again. He would protect her from the hands of the gold diggers. He knew she had new friends back in the village where no one knew her identity and where no one wants to be friends with her for their own benefit. He had experienced how happy she was living there with her new friends when he called her on the phone at a time. Although there was not enough food and clothing for her there, she learned to manage and be happy. This positive change in her warmed his heart so much that he
Elias’s black range rover stopped at the parking lot of the family’s mansion and he stared at the frowning Madeline. It hadn't been easy persuading her to dress up for this event. Even after he had stated that she had to go and that his decision was final, she still didn't listen to him and refused to stand up from her chair. He had to talk to her sweetly and assured her that no one would cause problems for her before she finally agreed and wore her dress. Now, she was back to her frowning mood just as they got close to the mansion. “You don't want to be here, right?” He asked. She turned to look at him. Was he going to listen to her and drive out of the mansion?“No. I don’t want to be here.”He ran his hands through his hair. “Fine. I have a solution. How about we go in there just to show our faces and leave? We won’t spend more than an hour, please. Okay?” He pleaded desperately. Right! They only had to go in there and show their faces to the media and their grandfather before g
She passed a door and just as she took three steps away from it, she suddenly heard the door of the room creak open and the person she was looking for coming out of it. Finally. “Where the hell have you been, Claire? I’ve been looking for you the whole time. It’s so hard touring this mansion,” Evelyn complained, her shoulder dropping in relief as she took two steps backward to stand in front of Claire. Claire raised her head and Andy released her hands from her gown which she had gone to watch in the bathroom of the bedroom. A waiter had mistakenly spilled a drink on her red flowing gown and had apologized. She had wanted to latch out at the waiter for being careless but remembering what her brother told her about being humble and remembering that she was still on the part of changing her ways, she smiled at the waiter and insisted that she would just go clean it up in the bathroom. Now what was Evelyn doing here? She wanted to avoid her at every cost and now she was here? Definite
Evelyn’s mouth fell open in disbelief. What just happened? Did Claire just tell her all those words from her mouth? No no… maybe she heard right. Haha. Claire would never say such things. She hates Madeline, did she not? She just can’t believe that Claire just asked her to stay away from her entire family and the most shocking thing was that she asked her to stay away from Madeline also. And she also said that those people in the village are far better than her. No no… Claire was not in her right state of mind. She needs to talk some sense into her. “Claire? Claire… please wait,” she called, running after Claire, and in the process, she ended up stepping on the edge of her dress and tripping over on the floor. Hearing the loud thud on the floor, Claire turned and was shocked to see Evelyn on the floor. “Claire please help me?” Evelyn cried. Claire rolled her eyes. Wasn’t she going to drop it already? She already fell on the floor like a bag of cabbage yet she still wants to run
“Oh that. Forgive me. I didn’t mean to. Something came up,” Elias apologized. “Yeah…. Excuses again. Can we leave now?”“No. I still have business here. Don't worry, it's good here. Come with me.” Elias held her hands and led her away from the hall and deep into the mansion. Madeline frowned. They should be leaving and not going inside. She doesn't want to have anything to do with this mansion. “Where are you taking me, Elias?” She asked. “Can you just stop hating on this mansion?” He suddenly stopped walking and turned abruptly to face her. She was shocked by his sudden outburst and her eyes widened. “What? As if you don’t know the reason why I hate this,” she frowned. “Look, this has to stop. You are my wife and no one is going to bully you here anymore, okay?”“As if they don’t always bully me. I always get bullied by your mother or father, whatever.”He started dragging her again and they went deeper into the mansion. He took the route to his room and she wondered why exactly
Suddenly, Madeline’s phone pinged indicating a message came in and she picked it up. Dad? Her dad was messaging her? It's been so long since they chatted that she almost forgot that he existed. Well, you shouldn't blame her, she has been occupied with many things to even think of the man who used and dumped her. What does he even have to say to her? ‘Hello, dear. Can we meet up tomorrow? I know we're not on good terms but if you still consider me your father, please come. I'll send the venue.’ She read his message aloud. As arrogant as always. Couldn't he ask her more appropriately and pleadingly?”As if she cares. What does he have to say? Does he want to apologize to her? Or perhaps acknowledge his bad ways? Forget it. Now this message would add to her stress and she wouldn't be able to sleep. Madeline sprang up from the bed, her hair spattered over her face. She just can’t sleep. She knows she won’t be able to. The thoughts in her head were just too much. Too much for her to han
She searched Elias’s eyes for truth but found nothing. She doesn't know if to believe him or not. “Is she alright, doctor?” Elias asked. “Ahh, yes. Everything is fine.” The doctors decided to leave the couple alone and walked out of the hospital room. “Stop crying okay? Adalyn is alright.”“I'll stop crying.”“I'll bring her to you, hmm? Don't cry anymore.”He cleaned her tears before getting off the bed and walking to the other side of the room where little Adalyn lay with her eyes closed. She was obviously asleep. He carried her carefully in his arms and brought her to Madeline who readied her hands to carry her baby as tears of joy filled her eyes. “You’ll fall sick if you keep crying like this sweetheart.” Before she could take the baby from him, he retracted his hands. “Elias, give me my baby,” she whined. She was so eager to carry her baby in her arms knowing that she was fine and everything would return to normal. “Not until you stop crying. Clean your tears and I'll give
They all stopped at the realization that a cliff was right behind Anny and one step from her and she would be gone along with the little baby girl in her arms. Madeline almost fainted at the sight in front of her. She could feel her tears flowing freely and her eyes closing on her. If Genevieve wasn't holding her right now, she would have dropped on her knees as her legs were weak. “Anny please, don't do this,” she begged. Anny swallowed. Behind her was a cliff. She might die if she makes one wrong move. The thing is that, whether she gives them the can't or not, she was going to die. If she gives them the baby, Elias surely won't let her be. He was going to make her life a living hell for daring to kidnap his half day old baby. If she didn't give them the baby, she was also going to die as her feet were at the end of the cliff. One move and she was gone. She wasn't going to die alone. If at all she does here, this baby was dying before her. They must feel pain for their baby and re
“If you move any further, then I won't hesitate to shoot you,” Elias warned. He watched as the woman stood still as he pointed his gun at her while moving slowly closer to her. Abruptly, she turned the situation around and placed her hands on the child's neck while staring at Elias causing his eyes to widen. “Move any further and I will not hesitate to kill you daughter,” she warned. The child was crying very loudly by now and Elias stopped at her warning. Abby laughed at that. Now he would know who was the boss here. She was holding his crying daughter and that made her the one with the upper hand. Any move of his now, she was going to throw the baby to a side and while their focus was on the baby, she would run away. At least to save herself.“Who are you and what do you want?” Elias asked. “I guess you can’t recognize me. Look deeply. Stare at me for minutes and you would know who I am. I was really so close to you guys. Look, come on.”Elias’s mouth fell open as he did as she
The imposter ran with all her might away from the hospital when she saw that she was found out and Elias’s guards were coming after her. She ran with all strength in her. If she passed the road, they were going to get hold of her. Worst, the road was kind of secluded that day and cabs were not passing through the road. How was she going to get away from the guards who were almost getting to her? Her legs took her into the bush and she clutched the head of the baby to her chest and ran into the bush that has thick trees and roughy. Her feet moved quickly as she was desperate to get away from the men on her trail. “This damn baby. I should just strangle it to death,” she muttered as she kept on running. “But if I do, I’ll remain broke and won’t make any money. But with this baby, I’ll make a lot of money and pay for my plastic surgery.”Suddenly, she stopped and pulled her wig and face mask that was making her uncomfortable and her eyes hardened. The lady’s head was bald with no inch
“Okay, that's good. Talk to him and call me later.”Elias finished his call and slipped his phone into his pocket before walking back into the hospital room. His eyes scanned the room for the nurse who just came in and he frowned. Where the hell was she? The tray she brought in was there lying on the side of the bed and the nurse was not in the room. These nurses these days were surely lazy. Feeling something off in the room, his footstep accelerated as he walked to the baby’s crib and his eyes widened in shock. “Goodness! Fuck.”He immediately opened the door of the room and asked. “Did the nurse come out?” “No boss, is something wrong?”“Fuck! The baby is missing.” Their eyes widened as they heard what the boss said and immediately, they ran to the room and one of the guards called for backup. “Search every nook and cranny of the room.” Sweat broke out on Elias’s skin as he ran his hands through his hair. How exactly did this happen under his watch? There was no way that he cou
“Adalyn Johan,” the grandfather muttered. The focus of the family was solely on the baby that they didn't notice when Madeline fell asleep after watching them banter about her baby. “Grandfather already fell in love with the baby, I'm sure in years, Adalyn would be running around him.”“That's true. See how carefully he is carrying her.”“Adalyn is so cute that father can't help but love her.”“Grandfather is now a great-grandfather.”The people in the room remarked on the care with which the grandfather held the little girl. He held her like a trophy. A special trophy. He resisted the urge to thank the mother of the baby for giving them such a cute bundle of joy. Adalyn Johan was a bundle of joy that brought the whole family together and ended the animosity between them. Her birth was a blessing. He made a mental note to thank the mother of the baby after this ends. He was going to thank her and ask for forgiveness for his wrongdoings. The baby passed from the grandfather to Elias’
“Date of birth, November 16, 2022. 4:18 pm,” the doctor declared. “Wahhhhhhh, the baby’s cries were the only noise in the room as the nurses cleaned him a little before placing the baby on the chest of the new mother who patted her back and bend her head to stare at her before turning to look at Elias who was smiling at her. Their eyes gave many expressions as they smiled at each other while staring at the baby who had stopped crying. Elias stared at the baby on Madeline’s chest and his heart filled with indescribable emotions. Their princess was here. Their own baby. The baby who they were going to give all their love and affection to. Their very own firstborn. The nurses came to Madeline’s side and took the baby from her to go wash and dress him up. “You did well, sweetheart,” Elias whispered into her ears and cleaned the drop of sweat from her forehead before. He could see that she was tired but still wanted to hold her baby and feed her before succumbing to darkness. “Our bab
“Isn’t it time yet? It’s been hours already,” Madeline cried as she rolled her hips on the big pregnancy ball that helps with childbirth. It’s been a month already and her water broke some hours back when she was sleeping. Elias was the one who noticed it and asked her so they rushed to the hospital. But here they were, fourteen hours already in the hospital but the doctor was still saying that it wasn’t time for her to start labor yet and she still has to wait for a few more contractions. She has been having contractions for fourteen hours now and the doctor still tells her that. The cramps and pains were making her almost go crazy. “Just some more contractions ma’am. It’s not yet time,” the attending nurse answered. Few more? That was what they have been saying for hours now. And this stubborn baby refuses to start coming out. Just as she was about to lash out at the nurse, she saw Elias coming towards her with a can of water in his hands. “Here, have some sweetheart,” he opened
“Want me to show you the gift I got for you?” Elias asked, walking Madeline out of the house, her eyes tied with a white cloth. Their guests were gone already and just the two of them in the condo. Elias held her hands and guided her steps as she couldn't see. “Where are you taking me?”“You'll see.”He guided her to the open garden at the back of the house and stopped. “Ready to see your gift?” “Stop wasting time already and show me the gift.” Her curiosity was top-notch right now and she so much wanted to see what exactly he got her that was different from the others that he had to bring her somewhere apart from inside the house to display. She was so curious to see what it was. “Okay then, are you sure you're ready?”“Elias... I am. Open my eyes already.”“If you say so.” His hands moved to her eyes and removed the white cloth. “That's your gift.”Her eyes widened as she stood frozen on the spot and stared at her gift. Goodness. This was what Elias got? Her mouth opened agape