I haven't spent much quality time with my parents lately, especially without discussing business. I'm planning to visit them this weekend, aiming to focus on catching up on our lives rather than work. I wish I could bring Ray along, but she's about to go shopping with Patricia, which she's been eagerly looking forward to. Ray seems to really admire Patricia. I just hope she doesn't grow too attached before Patricia leaves.As I head to Ray's room to bid her farewell, I find her and Patricia together once more. Patricia has styled her again, and she looks absolutely stunning in the outfit.“Good morning, Daddy.” She runs over and hugs me. I lift her and twirl her around. I sometimes forget how much she has grown.“Morning princess. How are you doing today?”“I’m doing good; I’m really excited to go shopping with Patty.” She beams with excitement.“Good morning, sir,” Patricia greets, and I greet her back.“I’m on the way to see your grandma and grandpa now; I’ll see you when I return fr
Will I ever become accustomed to these men in black suits lingering nearby? They accompany us as we drive into the estate but rarely venture around the house. Today, one of them joined us in the sleek black Mercedes bus we rode in. Rachel mentioned a wardrobe change, and suddenly, a credit card without any spending limit landed in my hands. If he could grant Rachel anything in the world, he’d do so without hesitation. Jordan is a very simple man, except when it comes to his rides. The word simplicity will be trashed in a bin. Despite how rich he is, and when I say rich, make no mistake of thinking just rich. I mean rich, rich, rich, and a thousand more riches. One would expect him to grace an occasion dressed in Gucci shoes, a Gucci belt, and a Fendi suit and probably finish the look with an ice box dangling from his neck, as most billionaires do. I’ll never understand why some people dress like that, but rather, he’ll throw on a simple suit or a simple polo shirt and chino trousers,
Unlike most Fridays, I clock out of work earlier today. There’s a tinge of anticipation as Mildred’s text about our new project lingers in my mind. She’s both a seasoned colleague and a dear friend, unmatched in her professional prowess.I pick the restaurant, and just as I arrive, a notification lights up my phone—Mildred’s here. I shoot a quick reply, confirming my imminent arrival. As I step out of the car, Mildred’s already settled inside, savoring her favorite cocktail, a familiar sight that warms the scene amidst the bustle."Jordan,” she stands to greet, and we hug.“How have you been, Mildred?” I haven’t seen her in a while.”“I’ve been good, you know, work and all.”“Great. So, what about the project do you want us to discuss?” I ask as I sit opposite her.“Jumping straight to business, aren’t we?” She teases.“You know I like going straight to the point, and besides, I promised Ray that I’d watch a movie with her that night.”“Alright, I saw her the other day at the mall with
Weekdays seem to drag on endlessly, but the weekends? They're like a magic trick, here one moment and gone the next. Today feels special waking up because it's my day off—Ray's spending the day with her grandma, giving me some free time. The house got a thorough cleaning yesterday, and surprisingly, I find myself looking forward to doing chores. The cool cleaning gadgets make it kind of fun!Having a whole day to myself puts a big smile on my face. These responsibility-free days, without kids or a spouse around, mean I can eat, tidy up, and go out whenever I want without worrying about the time. It's the simple joys of freedom that really brighten up my day."You don’t have to clean today. I mean, the house was thoroughly cleaned from top to bottom yesterday.” Jordan says. He looks all suited up and ready for work. He picks up a croc skin bag and slips his Apple 2023 MacBook Pro into it. I know this because I trashed the empty laptop carton. “Okay, sir. I’ll be going out once Ray has
Jordan? Really? What was I thinking when I asked her about tie preferences? It must have been a reflex because I do it with Mrs. Charity all the time. I didn’t know how to go about asking her to put on the uniforms because it was not stated before, and I see how she expresses herself through her style, but then it’s only for one day. I’m glad she didn’t take it the wrong way. I have an important meeting this morning, which is why I am leaving the house earlier than usual. A new proposal just came up, and I am meeting with the client this morning. He is a client that everyone wants on their list.As I step into my office, I go through the schedule my assistant sent to me and get familiar with my itinerary for the day.“Good morning, Mr. Baker. Mr. Polish is already waiting for you in your office." Miss Julia, my assistant, greets me as I walk past, and I nod in acknowledgement.“Thank you, Miss Julia. I’ll be with him soon.” I check my Rolex watch and see that I’m ten minutes early to
It is so satisfying to be out here. The beautiful view of the rumbling of the ocean and the beautiful view of the sky. I’ll never understand how one side of the water is blue and the other is an unexplainable shade of green, yet they seem not to mix. One of my many goals in life is to have a home built on the beach. I want to wake up every morning and bask in the beauty of the ocean view. It’s a Monday morning, hence the small number of people on the beach. I’m dressed in a white, free mid-thigh jumpsuit with prints of tiny sunflowers scattered all over the material. I packed my hair in a messy ponytail and did very light makeup. I finished the look with my favourite white beach hat and my deep blue flat. “I know this will sound so cliche, but I don’t care.”“Out with it," Mother says.“You are glowing, mother, and you look happier. Could this be the result of something new?”“And this you’ve noticed in four hours?” She says she's checking her time.“Well.”“Don’t get me wrong, I enj
I’m almost done with work for the day; everyone else has left as their shift ended some hours ago. I work late most of the time to get more work done, except on Fridays. There are still things that I need to cross-check about the ongoing project. I might even have to visit the site to see how things are going. I may also need to visit the site where Mr. Polish wants to work to estimate the number of personnel and supplies we will require. Since I choose this life and do not mind working hard to continuously challenge and surpass myself, I can not complain that I am working hard.I always strive to be the best at what I do, and so far, I can proudly say I do this CEO thing pretty well. A text from Mother pops up. They are at a nearby restaurant, and Rachel wants us all to have dinner together. I send a text that I’ll be there soon. I quickly finish what I’m doing and tidy up the office before leaving.“Daddy’s here,” Ray announces as she sees me walk in.“Hi dad, hi mom. Rachel, my lov
Jordan’s driver, Daniel, parks in an underground parking lot. The company most likely owns the parking lot. I wonder how big the building will be if the parking lot is this wide. The silence throughout the journey from the house was deafening. Nobody said a word till we got to the office."Yippee!" Rachel screams.I hate to say this, but the uniform fits perfectly. I was hoping it would be too tight or too big, so I didn’t have to end up wearing it. “Baby, no running around the office,” Jordan says, typing the floor’s number on the small screen of the elevator.What has Mr. Baker looking all extra serious this morning? Like, we all didn’t just step out of the same house. It must be something about business because he's usually not this cold.“Miss Patricia, I want you to be as alert as possible. I don’t want Ray to touch stuff around here. I should have asked you to pack some games or storybooks along.”“I did.”“Is there something you are not good at?” He whispered. “Sir?” “I said
Epilogue6 months later I tap my fingers on the driving wheel, humming along to the pulse of the road, feeling the beat echo within. Each song becomes a personal concert, and my audience is the world outside my window. With each note, the journey transforms into an adventure full of songs and delight, making every mile unique.The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow as I drive , my pregnant belly gently cradled by the steering wheel as I embark on a journey to pick up Ray from her mother Vanessa's house. The anticipation of seeing Ray radiates through me blending with the rhythmic kicks of the little one in my belly.Arriving at Vanessa's house, I take a moment to steady myself before ringing the doorbell. Vanessa greets me with a warm smile. "Thanks for doing this, Patricia, for allowing Ray spend the weekend even though it wasn’t my week.” Vanessa says her expression soft with gratitude."It's my pleasure. Ray and I have a special bond, and it’s important that she has that type of
“Son, we are so happy for you.” father says super proud “Your father is right and we are glad you are very happy because we see how your face lights up all the time.”“Thanks. I love how both of you show up for me every time and support me. How you guys helped me raise Ray with unwavering love.”“You are our child and she's our granddaughter. It's our duty.” father says.“All the same, thanks again.” “I’ll leave you two to discuss while I check on what's cooking.” mother says excusing us.“So how's work?”“Going smoothly, dad. Thanks for asking.”“Don’t you think it's high time you take a break?”“I was thinking so too. Tony and I are organizing a group trip for our ladies.”“Now that's my boy. How's Ray and how’s she coping with this new chapter?”“Surprisingly good. Vanessa is good with children and I'm wondering what changed.”“People change. You did too.”I nod, father's words sinking in. "Yeah, people do change," I agree, pondering the evolution of myself and those around me."Y
The car hums softly as we embark on the journey back home after an emotional reunion with Ray's birth mother, Vanessa. The air in the car is thick with a mixture of lingering tension and unspoken questions. Ray, sitting in the back seat, stares out of the window, seemingly lost in thought. I wonder how she must be feeling after meeting her mother and if she has any question on her mind. Jordan, his hands steady on the wheel, steals a glance at Ray. Concern etched on his face, he speaks gently, "Ray, how are you feeling?"Ray sighs , her gaze still fixed on the passing scenery. "I don't know, Dad. It's a lot to process." I turn in my seat reaching out to touch Ray's hand. "We're here for you, sweetheart. Whatever you're feeling, it's valid."Ray nods , a small smile playing on her lips. "I appreciate that, Mom." I love it when she calls me mom and the thought of having a little child growing in me that will call me mom as well is so exciting. The car moves in a comfortable silence
Vanessa stands there, seemingly untouched by time, her slender figure and unchanged appearance hinting at a timeless beauty. There's a momentary question lingering as to whether she could truly be the mother of the boys following behind, given the absence of any visible resemblance."Vanessa," I call out from the car."Welcome to my home. Jordan and Patricia, thank you very much for this. I do not take it lightly," she acknowledges."Hi, Rachel. It's so lovely to see you. I'm Vanessa.""Hi, Mom," Ray greets warmly.Vanessa's face lights up, glowing with joy like a myriad of stars."Can I give you a hug?""Yes, please," Ray responds, embracing her eagerly."These are my sons, Gabriel and Nathaniel Parker. My husband and their father are late," she announces."Sorry for your loss," we chorus, following the boys' greetings."It's alright. It was a long time ago. Shortly after I got married to him, he took ill and passed. Let's not waste any further time out here. Let's all go in."As we
It's a relief that Jordan and I were able to work through our issues and emerge with a renewed vow to never let secrets ruin our relationship. The lesson acquired from the difficult experience emphasised the critical value of honesty and transparency.What truly surprised me was Jordan's apology for his impulsive decision to ask me to leave without taking the time to process everything. Admittedly, my choice to withhold essential information felt like a significant breach of trust, casting a shadow over our relationship.However, Jordan's perspective on the dynamics of marriage startled me. Despite the hurt caused by my actions, he believed that a successful marriage necessitates navigating such challenges through open communication and forgiveness.At that moment, I felt conflicting emotions—my initial guilt for withholding information, Jordan's surprising apology, and his conviction in the essential aspects of trust and openness in a marriage. It forced me to rethink my concept of t
In the solitude of this past week, amidst the echo of my own thoughts, I've embarked on an odyssey within myself. In the wake of shattered trust, I find myself navigating a labyrinth of emotions, haunted by the echoes of betrayal. Yet, amidst the debris of fractured promises, there's a yearning to rebuild what was once a sanctuary of companionship. The road to reconciliation feels like walking on shards of glass, each step a cautious maneuver to bridge the chasm that divides us. But within this tempest of hurt lies a glimmer of hope, a desire to unearth the truth, to mend the rift, and perhaps forge a stronger bond, weathered yet resilient in the face of adversity.The air in my father's study hangs heavy with the weight of unspoken words and hidden truths. Stepping into this sanctum of memories, the familiar scent of aged books and polished wood offers solace amidst the impending revelation.Mother's absence is a blessing in this moment, sparing her the pain that lingers within the d
The ticking clock echoes in my quiet room, each passing second emphasizing the void left by three days of strained silence. The memory of the argument with Jordan replays in my mind, the pain still fresh, and the weight of regret settling in my chest.My phone lies untouched on the table, its screen devoid of messages or missed calls. I can't bring myself to break the silence, understanding that the wounds from my actions need time to heal. I feel empty without him, unable to eat or sleep properly, spending my days confined in the room, looking like a mess.Regret gnaws at my conscience as I replay the argument in my mind. I had kept a secret, thinking it would be a protective shield for Jordan, only to realize that it has become a barrier between us. Communication truly is key in a relationship; the outcome might have been totally different if I had spoken to him about it as soon as it happened and we had discussed ways on how to go about it. Now I feel like I’ve lost his trust and I
I lay in the hotel bed totally famished and emotionally drained. I don't deserve this. My head is spinning from days of trying to phantom everything that has happened.We were supposed to be on our way to Greece today. I hope she's out when I get back. I need a break from her to be able to think things through. If I'm going to have to get over her which I doubt is possible, I would have to see less of her or her things till I've made a decision. I feel so betrayed!I had to put off my phone because she kept calling non-stop. Only Tony knows my whereabouts and what's going on. I can't bring myself to tell my parents.A knock on my door draws my attention back to my surroundings. That must be room service. I can't let them see me like this.“I'm very busy at the moment, kindly check back later,” I say from behind the door.“It's Tony man.”Arghhhhhh. How do I conceal the wounds on my knuckles?“I'm waiting or else I'll have them bring down this door.”I open the door and resume back to m
The weight of reality hits me hard—I can't believe he found out before I had the chance to tell him. Not that his reaction would have been different, but I wanted to be the one to explain. The door closes behind me, leaving me on the floor, where minutes ago I was pleading with Jordan not to leave.Unable to stand, I remain seated, weeping, and wondering how it came to this. It's only been three months of marriage, and now this. What if he decides on a divorce? I can't lose him; imagining life without him feels unbearable.The gravity of the situation hits me, and I crumble into more tears, my shoulders shaking with the weight of heartache. Realizing I've lost something irreplaceable, coupled with the remorse for not trusting Jordan with the truth, devastates me. I should have mentioned it the very day Bryan sent the message, but I just couldn't. And now, my greatest fear has come true.I don’t know how long I sit crying, but by the time I wake up, it’s past nine. Summoning the courag