Ivery's PovI rolled tiredly on the bed only to find myself staring at a figure of someone bracing me. My eyes were still heavy since I was just waking up and it made it hard for me to see the person so I just kept staring. I felt pressed and at the same time so weak to stand up. The pains around my body also didn't allow me to feel myself. But seeing the person beside me didn't make me focus and understand what was going on until I shut my eyes closed again and had a flashback to the other day. **Flashback**"Your mom has been diagnosed with heart cancer for a long time now and we kept telling you to let her have the operation but you've refused to bring her back until now that the cancer had risen to another stage," the doctor attending to my mother illness, spoke to me out of concern and I sensed bitterness in her tone. She was surely expressing how fatal my mom's sickness had become. I held my hands together to her table desk while I choke on tears. "I'm sorry, doctor. You sho
Ivery's PovI rolled my eyes already upset but still needed to be calm if truly I need to be with my phone. "I… I have no idea my phone was back there," I sputtered, looking for the right word to use. "Are you still at the pub? I will come get it.""I'll be waiting."It was hard to believe that I was returning back to the pub. I have decided to forget everything that happened yet I, myself, have to see him. Why must this life be so threatening? How I wish I never went into that pub. How I wish I had controlled myself from drinking so I wouldn't have to cause trouble for myself. The cab I took didn't take long before it got to the front of the bar and I ran my way inside, heading straight to the room that was booked the other day. Suddenly, I was stopped by the receptionist not to go any further. "Please ma'am, you haven't booked a room?" The lady at the desk said politely and I had to walk back to her. "I'm sorry. Pardon me. I would like to see someone in one of the booked rooms,"
Ivery's PovI heard the message alert and raised my phone to look at the phone screen. Franco's name was vividly written as the sender. I shut my eyes and tried not to listen to the word that kept ringing in my ears. Marry me? What audacity. I knew it wasn't going to end well for me and I was already prepared. I was not ready to start disturbing myself on an ingrate. Like for real; because we had a night stand meant he should go overboard? Pervert!I clicked on the message he sent and my mouth parted in amazement. ** Five million dollars will be yours to be my contracted wife for just a month**"Seriously?" I asked no one in particular and read the message close to five times to know if truly I saw right. I did! He promised to pay me five million dollars to be his wife just for one month. One month? Holy! This guy must be kidding me. "Who are you, Franco?" I thought to myself and picked up my phone to dial his number again. At the first ring, he picked. Of course, he was waiting fo
Ivery's Pov"You're now husband and wife!" The priest Franco called to bless our marriage, declared and placed our hands on top of each other. I saw Franco smile at me and I returned the smile. I was excited as well as lucky. I didn't have to go through a lot before I got what I wanted. Finally my mother will be healthy and we'll live happily ever after the contract ends. The certificate to prove that we were married to each other was brought forward and we were asked to sign on it. We both did and Franco thanked the priest as he took his leave. Of course, we were the only people aware of the marriage as Franco had said he needed it to be secret which was for the best. I also won't let anyone know I got married to him and divorced one month later. It was humiliating to me and I couldn't help but thank him for making everything easy for me. "Let's have lunch together before we make our trip to the apartment," he told me. "Yes, let's do that but I need to go to the hospital to pay f
Ivery's POVFranco took a deep breath and stepped forward, push open the glass doors, and stepped into the air-conditioned lobby. His gaze searched every but softened when his gaze met his assistant. He walked towards her smiling, this was the first time I witnessed him smiling genuinely. “Thank you.” He muttered silently while collecting the marriage certificate. “You have to put out your best, we need to make them believe we are a thing. And I'm sure you know the consequences if otherwise happen,” he said gruffly. I nodded my head in response and put on a fake smile. We walked into the conference hall silently. He presented the marriage certificate to them, but to my surprise, I was shocked to see we have been married for five years. I looked at him with so much repulsion, how can he tell such a lie? I tried to question him but decided to let it wait because of the press conference. The press conference continued, and Franco was fielding questions from reporters. They were mos
Ivery's POVWe averted our gaze to look at the source of the voice, a man walked swiftly over to us and I noticed my back on his hand, I couldn’t believe I left my bag in the conference hall. “You forgot your bag, Ma'am,” he said while handing over the bag, and I let out a breath of relief. “Thank you,” I replied with a smile on my face, the man nodded curtly and walked away. Franco and I walked towards the car and went inside, the chauffeur ignited the car engines, driving us back to the mansion. As the car pulled up to the mansion, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a beautiful, sprawling estate, with acres of grounds and a sparkling pool. The house itself was a grand, old-fashioned mansion, with stone columns and arched windows. I felt a little overwhelmed. This was a far cry from my modest apartment back home.“It's astonishing, isn't it?” Franco said bluntly, noticing my reaction. “You shouldn’t worry, you'll get used to it soon,” he said, smirking, and I can see pride in every
Chapter seven. Ivery's POV. I woke up suddenly, my mind still fuzzy with sleep. As I became more aware of my surroundings. I quickly sat up, my heart racing, as the memories of the previous day came flooding back to me. The press conference, the argument with Franco. It was all too much to take in. I put my head in my hands, trying to make sense of it all.I lay in my bed again, trying to relax my mind, but I could not, as Franco's words were fresh in my head. I groaned tiredly. I stood up lazily as I stumbled to walk, I entered the bathroom to take my bath. In less than an hour I was through, and I opened my wardrobe to pick a creamy skirt that stopped at my knees and I wore a crop top that showed my cleavage a bit. I packed my hair, leaving two strands at the front, I was not the makeup type. I looked at myself one more time before stepping out of my room. Franco was standing at the coffee maker, preparing coffee for himself. His back view was facing me. “Good morning,” I gree
Ivery's POV. I looked away, avoiding his gaze. " Yes, we have a deal," I replied in a low tune with a tinge of sadness, even though I don’t want to do this I have no choice but to agree to it. "That's good. Get prepared, your time starts now. Tick! Tock!" he sang as he walked out of the room. In less than thirty minutes, I was ready. My heart was pounding as I stood in front of the mirror, applying the last touch of makeup on my face. I have never worn this much makeup before. I was worried that I might look ridiculous. I turned to face the mirror, surveying my appearance. I was wearing a long black gown, a hat, and sunglasses. I barely recognized myself, I hoped that no one would recognize me either. As I stepped into the sitting room, I locked eyes with him. He scanned my body with his eyes, from my head to my toe, He smiled. "Perfect!" I heard him say. One could mistake it as a whisper. He grabbed his car key. Facing me he spoke," Let's go", he said, walking towards the door
Franco’s POV.I could feel the warmth of the morning sun on my face, and I groaned in protest, not wanting to get out of bed. But then I heard a soft chuckle, and I opened my eyes to find Ivery's face inches from mine, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Looks like someone would rather not wake up,” she teased, snuggling closer to me. I couldn't help but smile, feeling the closeness of her body against mine.“Good morning, sunshine,” I said to her, my voice still thick with sleep. She smiled at me, and I felt my heart flutter. “Good morning, my love,” she replied, and I felt a surge of joy at hearing those words. I leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss, savoring the moment.Waking up next to Ivery every morning for the past year has been a blissful experience. I never thought I could feel so much happiness, so much joy, just from being in her presence. Every day, I count my blessings for having her in my life. And every morning, I woke up grateful that she was by my side. It was like
Ivery’s POV.As I walked inside the room, I could hear voices and laughter coming from the living room. Franco was still attending to the guests, making sure everyone was comfortable and happy. I headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. The sound of the running water was soothing, and I took a moment to relax, enjoying the sensation of the warm water on my skin.I looked down at the ring on my finger, still in a bit of disbelief. I was married to Franco, the man of my dreams. It still seemed too good to be true. But the ring on my finger was a constant reminder of the love we shared, a symbol of our commitment to each other. I finished my shower, feeling refreshed and ready for the night.I stepped out of the bathroom, my hair still damp and tousled. I sat down at the dressing table, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I put on a silky black nightgown that clung to my curves. I ran my hands over the smooth fabric, feeling the coolness against my skin. It was simple, yet
Ivery’s POV.One month later.I had heard so many stories about the bells ringing in the church on a wedding day, but I never thought I would get to experience it myself. I stood there, my heart racing, as the sound of the bells filled the air. It was a sound I would never forget, and it marked the beginning of a new life for me and my family. I stared at myself in the mirror, taking in the sight of the white wedding gown I was wearing. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and I felt like I was in a dream. My hair was perfectly styled, and my makeup was flawless. I took a deep breath, trying to take it all in. Was this really happening? Was I really getting married? I looked at the door, waiting for the moment I would walk down the aisle.My mother, Cassy, and Owen, entered the room. "You look beautiful, my dear," my mother said, smiling at me. I blushed, grateful for her words. "It's time," Owen said, and I nodded, knowing that it was time to go. I took one last look
Ivery’s POV.There, in my hands, was the DNA test, the results undeniable. Franco was the father of my children. How had he found out? Why had he been so silent all this time? A million questions raced through my mind, but I knew I wouldn't get any answers until I confronted him. My heart was racing, and my hands were shaking. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I had to be strong.As I tried to calm myself, I felt a bead of sweat roll down my forehead. My hands trembled, and the room suddenly felt stiflingly hot. I looked up and my eyes met Franco's. I quickly looked away, feeling like a deer caught in headlights. I had so many questions, and I knew he had answers. But I didn't know if I could face him right now, with everything I had just discovered.The silence was broken by a question from Franco. "How long did you plan on keeping this from me?" he asked, his voice low and calm. I didn't know what to say, so I remained silent. I looked at everything in the room but him
Ivery’s POV.“Ladies first,” he said with a sly smile. I nodded, taking a deep breath. I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone, my hands shaking slightly. I fumbled with the screen, unlocking it and opening the video gallery. There it was, the video of Diva in his penthouse trying to force him to sign the check. I held out the phone, my heart pounding in my chest.“Take a look,” I said, my voice trembling. He took the phone from me, a look of confusion on his face. He held it up to his eyes, staring at the screen. At first, he didn't seem to understand what he was looking at. Then, his eyes widened, his jaw dropping slightly. He looked up at me, his face pale. “What is this?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper. I took a deep breath, preparing to tell him everything. As I told him everything, I watched as his face twitched with anger. His brow furrowed, his jaw clenched. “How dare she try to do this,” he said, his voice filled with rage? “I need to deal with her.” His ha
Ivery’s POV.Franco's behavior had been puzzling me for a while. He seemed to be acting differently, but I couldn't tell if I was just imagining things or if there was something actually going on. He had been spending more time with the kids, and sporadically they even slept over. Was I reading too much into it, or was there something more going on? I couldn't help but wonder if there was something I was missing, some hidden meaning that I just couldn't see.At first, I was afraid to let them sleep over. I didn't want them to accidentally spill the truth about me being their mother. But they had promised me that they wouldn't say anything, and I believed them. After all, they were mature for their age and I trusted them. Still, I couldn't help but worry about what would happen if they did accidentally reveal the truth. Would it ruin our relationship? Would everything fall apart?The truth felt like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. I knew that the longer I kept it
Franco’s POV.“You are the father,” the doctor said, his voice steady and matter-of-fact. I felt like the ground was falling out from under me. I quickly closed the door behind me, not wanting Ivery to overhear. “Let's go to your office,” I said, my voice trembling as I tried to keep my composure. We walked to the office, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew I was about to receive the biggest news of my life.The doctor closed the door, and I blurted out the question that had been burning in my mind. “Can you run a DNA test on Ivery?” I asked, my voice trembling. I knew it sounded foolish, but I needed to be certain. I needed to know the truth, regardless of what it was.“It's obvious that Ivery is the mother,” the doctor said. I nodded, my mind whirling with thoughts and questions. “When do you think the transplant was?” I asked, trying to put the pieces together. I wanted to understand what had happened, how I could be a father without even knowing it. I had to make sense of
Franco’s POV.I stared at the report, my eyes scanning the words, but unable to make sense of it. The medical jargon was confusing and unfamiliar. I felt a sense of panic rising in my chest. “What's this?” I asked the doctor. “Your bone marrow matches with his,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring. But his words did nothing to ease my anxiety. I felt overwhelmed and confused.“How’s this possible?” I asked confused.“ Because you are the father of the child,” he said.I let out a sarcastic laugh. “How can I be the father of the child?” I asked incredulously. “Does this doctor understand how biology works?” My voice was tinged with anger and disbelief. It was impossible, I was sure of it. But the doctor looked at me calmly, and said, “I understand your skepticism, but there is no doubt that you are the father of this child. Your DNA matches perfectly.” I felt my world spinning, my mind reeling. How could this be?“Ivery told me that she wasn't the mother of the kids,” I said, my
Franco’s POV.I scooped Caden up in my arms, his body limp and heavy. Ivey's mom followed me outside, her face pale and her eyes red with tears. I laid Caden gently in the back seat, careful not to jostle him too much. His grandma climbed in after him, cradling him in her arms and whispering comforting words in his ear. I got into the driver's seat, my hands shaking as I gripped the steering wheel. I turned the key in the ignition, and we sped off, the sound of sirens echoing in the distance.The drive to the hospital seemed to take forever, even though we made it there in record time. When we arrived, the nurses rushed out to meet us, taking Caden from our arms and whisking him away to the emergency room. We were left standing there, the silence deafening. Ivey's mom and I paced back and forth, our hearts pounding in our chests, our minds racing with worry. We waited and waited, but it felt like time was standing still.As I paced the hospital floor, I couldn't help but think of Iv