Michelle had thought about this for a long time, and after discussing it with Ezrah, she felt that now was the right time to reveal everything, even though Ezrah had not fully agreed to it.“Rush is receiving treatment and is doing well,” she hinted, and Ezrah caught on and responded.“You're not completely sure about that yet, Zora.” For as long as Ezrah was concerned, Rush was just afraid of going to prison or losing his inheritance so he had to see some form of true repentance to believe the latter.Also, he knew that Michelle had a soft spot for Rush because of her benefactor, Mr. Newman and could be blinded by it.Despite being busy with room service, Ezrah's ears were tuned in to the conversation between the sisters.Michelle agreed but asked, as she thought of a way to prove it.“What if I confirm it after speaking with him? Ezrah, he fears you, and we could test their relationship by having him sign some kind of bond of good behavior or something.”As Ezrah considered her sugg
The funeral was scheduled to kick off early the next day, so Michelle met with Rush upon his arrival at a restaurant close to the airport.She walked in with Ezrah, and from Rush’s table, her eyes were glued, trying to discern his reaction, but there was nothing of concern until Ezrah kissed Michelle on the lips for the next four seconds.When they broke from the kiss, Rush’s head was lowered as Ezrah said, “I will wait in the car.”Rush only lifted his head after Michelle sat in front of him. “So, when are you two getting married again?” he asked.Stunned by the question due to his earlier reaction, Michelle asked seriously, “Do you want me to give him a chance?”“It’s obvious you are still in love with him,” Rush responded curtly, not giving a direct answer.Michelle smiled and moved on to the next step of the game. “I was thinking of giving you a chance.”She saw the stunned look in Rush’s eyes before he shook his head.“Please stop it, Michelle. I know that you don’t love me. It’s
This whole situation was unexpected, and Rush would have been able to endure living alone if he had not seen her.Now that he saw her, she was already married to somebody else? Perhaps the only reason he got to meet her again was because of the funeral; otherwise, she would have still been in hiding.“You are married?” Rush’s voice shook, and tears fell from his eyes.Though he was hurt, how could he blame her after doing all the things his parents warned him not to do?He deserved everything that was coming to him. Odette was disheartened but continued to say,“Yes. That was last year. My husband is a surgeon and has an emergency. That is the reason he’s not here with me.”Well, he would just assume that she was dead like she faked for close to four years.“It’s alright. I wish you all the best. I did not deserve you anyway.”He turned around and began walking to the car he brought. As the driver opened the door, Odette stopped him. “Wait.”Rush stopped but did not turn around. Odette
Rush and Ezrah returned to the restaurant while Michelle and Odette waited in the car.“Rush, Michelle really went out on a limb to convince Odette to give you another chance,” Ezrah pointed out.If Rush reverted to his old ways, Ezrah and Michelle would bear the consequences.“I appreciate it, Ezrah. I won't hurt her again,” Rush assured.Ezrah knew Rush was sincere, but he recognized that there were psychological issues that needed to be addressed.“Well, I have a set of rules for you to follow.”A bodyguard handed him a document, which he slid over to Rush.“She has pledged not to cheat on you again, and it's also stated here. If you hurt her, she has the right to leave, and we will monitor her biweekly. If anything happens to her prematurely, you will be held accountable.”Rush smiled wryly. He acknowledged that he had lost control of his emotions before but was determined not to let it happen again.“This may not be necessary, but I'll sign it anyway. Have you heard anything about
As they arrived at the entrance of the clothing store, they were swarmed by media representatives, and Landon and his men had to ensure their safety from the paparazzi.Michelle, despite being a star, had never faced this kind of harassment except during premieres, and she wondered about the sudden interest in her otherwise mundane life.“That was close,” she sighed with relief once they were inside the safety of her clothing store.Ezrah was eager to start their two-week deal and didn't want to leave her side, fearing she might change her mind.“They are your fans. I thought you would want to talk to them,” he teased, realizing he hadn't heard much about her in gossip news.The shop manager came out to greet her, and as she responded to Ezrah’s teasing, she felt slightly nervous about returning to the same place where all her pains had originated.“I’m usually not harassed like this. Something must have triggered it.”“Welcome, ma’am,” the shop manager said, but Coco’s voice caught t
“Are you ready?” Ezrah asked as soon as Michelle was out with her store manager; the latter lowered her head.Ever since Michelle called her out, she felt too embarrassed to steal any more glances at the man a lot of women crushed on.Seeing him at a close range, he was even more stunning than in his pictures that circulated the news before.Michelle did not respond to Ezrah until they were in the safety of their car.“I wish to inform you guys that we are making our wedding preparations and would inform you of the date soon,” Lake said, leaving Coco speechless.Michelle was rather excited and asked, “have you set a date yet?”With his gaze on Coco, Lake responded, “We are going to discuss tonight and finalize everything.”He couldn’t wait anymore. He wanted this woman to bear his name and children, giving her the honor she deserved.Lake was certain that if he refrained from making a move, Coco would just remain comfortable with being his fiancée.This was the first time Ezrah felt j
Seeing that the conversation had taken a different turn, Butler Rudolph beckoned to the maids to leave as he followed suit.“Zora, did it not occur to you that I was afraid of talking to you because I was afraid of falling in love with you? Did you think it was because I hated you?”Michelle was having a roller coaster of emotions from Ezrah’s softness towards her.Being used to his indifference, it felt rather strange that he was treating her like this. “Let’s forget about it,” she uncovered the dishes as she spoke.They were all things she liked. Different kinds of salads, soups, and oh, prawns. She loved prawns but hated to peel them.When Ezrah saw her eyes focused on the prawns, he smiled and said to her.“I will peel them for you.” He washed his hands and after cleaning them with a clean napkin, he began to peel the prawns for her.Michelle was gawking as if Ezrah had just fallen from the sky. This clean freak would never touch anything with his fingers but was painstakingly pee
“Ezrah, don’t be too courteous. We slept on the same bed in Miami, so I hope you already know the answer to that.”Michelle felt it was easy, as they had done it before after her return.She was getting more comfortable than she expected, especially after meeting her domestic staff again.They were the only companions she had back then, so there was a bond.By then, there was no chef, and sometimes she would do the cooking or the maids would do it.With the top chef, the food was even better than what she had in all those luxurious restaurants.“I hope you haven’t forgotten that I wasn’t so well in Miami, but now I’m in good health,” Ezrah reminded her, his gaze turning seductive.Michelle’s cheeks pinked as she understood what he meant. Ezrah could be cunning when he wanted to be.“Ezrah, I hope you don’t try anything silly,” she replied half-jokingly.A smirk formed in the corner of Ezrah’s lips. “Like I always say, I would never force you to do what you don’t want.”Those words alwa
Congratulations, Mr. Newman. Your wife is one month pregnant," the doctor declared, the atmosphere filled with excitement. The bond they shared brought them unparalleled happiness, each genuinely happy for their friends, including little Esther. Zora and Madison spent time with Coco, leaving Esther with the men. The triplets were adorable, the boys taking after their father and the girl after her mother. "I swear, Zora, this is my first and last time. It hurts like a bitch," Coco said, as Zora and Madison laughed. "I heard women were designed for this. You did amazing, mama. Congratulations," Zora kissed her on the forehead and said. Months later, Zora and Ezrah welcomed their twins, Eugene and Eugenia Gannon, and five months after, Madison had a baby boy, Justin. Esther was the best big sister anyone could ask for. Ethan and Ethel welcomed a daughter, and a year later, they had twins, two girls. Lucas never remarried, unable to get over his ex-wife. One day, he received a messa
The day before, Rush had called to inform Ezrah and Zora that he and Odette had a son. Due to the distance, they had not yet visited, and now, he was meeting Lake at the hospital without Coco by his side.“Ezrah, what are you doing here?” Lake asked, his joy radiating on his face, but Ezrah was surprised to see him so happy at the hospital.“My wife fainted, and what are you doing here? I don’t remember the hospital being a place for happy people.”Lake laughed and made a joyful revelation. “My wife had triplets. Two boys and one girl. I was just about to call you.”Ezrah recalled Lake wishing for triplets; it seemed he got his heart's desire and something to keep his parents busy.“Congratulations, Lake, you got what you always wanted.”“Yeah, we found happiness. Congratulations to us, but what’s wrong with Zora?” Lake asked again, his joy fading due to the news about Zora, but Ezrah’s explanation lifted his spirits.“I suspect she’s pregnant. She refused to take the pregnancy test, a
“Lucas, you are insane. I will never choose you over Ethan, and I will never have anything to do with you again,” Ethel said through gritted teeth. Lucas was furious.“Then you leave me no choice,” he yelled and pulled the towel from her.She ran to seek cover in the closet, but he caught her and pulled her to his chest.Ethel felt ashamed and furious as her naked body pressed against his.She tried to free herself, but he was stronger and also drunk.“Why do you want to hide from me? We’ve had each other many times,” he cooed in her ear, but all she felt was disgust and anger.“We were married then, but not anymore. Just let me go,” she tried to push him away to no avail as he tried to force some alcohol down her throat.“I was ready to be kept on the side, but you refused.”After successfully getting the alcohol down her throat and watching her frown as he forced her to swallow it, his lips were closing in on hers.Ethel felt a burning sensation down her throat, and as a woman who n
Chapter 318 – I loved you before, but not anymoreA week ago, Ethel arrived home with Ethan, but he was called away to take care of a few things because Ezrah was still on his honeymoon.The past month and a few weeks had been peaceful, and with Ethel moving in with Ethan, she had no need for a bodyguard. However, on this particular night, things did not seem the same after Ethan left.Unlike his brothers, Ethan never had his domestic staff live with him, but after his mansion is ready, that will change.They were not only planning their wedding but also their future together. All that they wanted for their kids, they wanted to ensure they had it in the mansion.Ethel had gone to shower after a tiring day at work only to find Lucas seated on her and Ethan’s bed.“Jesus, what are you doing here?” She halted in her steps, right in front of the shower room door.Lucas looked drunk, which made Ethel scared. Before she could reach for her phone to call Ethan, Lucas took it from her and inst
“Why? Don’t you like it?” Ezrah asked teasingly. Zora screamed, “Like it? I love it, Ezrah. I’m a lover of pools, but I’ve never seen anything like this before.”She couldn’t take her eyes off her room. Everything was natural, with multiple pools scattered around.For the first time, words failed her when she tried to describe the aesthetics of the room.It looked as if it were carved out of natural rocks.Even the footsteps around were made of natural black stones, and the water was crystal clear. She could also see the Mediterranean Sea in the distance.“To clear up your confusion, we are at Papa’s beach, and this is one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. I thought you would love this as a honeymoon location.”Zora, though rich, had been too focused on business and revenge before. Honestly, she had never heard of this place.“I’m fascinated to be here.”“Great. Let me explain further. This is Calilo on the Greek Island of IOS. There are only 35 suites in this hotel, and each r
The silence was thick in the air as everybody waited for Ethel’s response, which was not forthcoming.Feeling like he was just being used, Ethan had the understanding that she could not bring herself to trust him.“Dad, she doesn’t love me,” he said on behalf of Ethel. Lucas smiled, but his smile soon went stiff when Ethel responded.“I do, Ethan.”She saw Ethan freeze with a shocked look in his eyes and explained.“I mean, I never imagined having anything to do with my ex-husband’s kid brother, but I’m ready to give it a try.”“You do?” Ethan was so shocked that he lifted her in the air by the waist. “I love you so much, Ethel. I will prove it to you.”Their lips met once again, but they were rudely interrupted by Lucas. “Dad, how can you condone this? It’s shameful.”He could not believe how his submissive housewife could take an interest in his kid brother. This was unexpected.Ethel should have rejected Ethan and not this. However, his mother spoke this time.“You know what, Lucas
“Kate?” Lucas turned in the direction of Ethel’s gaze, calling out accusingly, but Kate made a 180-degree turn and was headed to the exit when the man she came with blocked her.It was obvious that she was trying to escape the accusation, but everyone was interested in hearing what she had to say.Homewreckers were not exactly welcome at occasions like this, as every woman with a man of her own began to get protective.“You seem to be running away,” the man she came with said, not pleased by the revelation.Lucas walked towards her and questioned, “Did you kick her in the stomach?”Kate was covered in so much shame that her lips trembled because of all the gazes on her and replied, “It was an accident.”“No, it wasn’t,” Ethel interrupted, not upset but wanting to prove a point.“You said I didn’t deserve to carry his child because he didn’t love me. You were right because he divorced me,” Ethel smiled, no longer feeling the pain of losing her scum husband.Only Lucas had a pained expr
From a distance, Ezrah and Zora watched everything unfold.“Lucas, I need to put him in his place. Can you give me a moment?” Ezrah was about to go to the scene of the incident when Zora held him back.“No. Didn't you say that Ethan seemed genuine with his feelings? Let’s see how he handles this situation.”Ezrah was unsure if Ethan could come out of this cleanly, reminding Zora,“You told me to protect Ethel or better still, let me get her bodyguard.”Zora shook her head. “Sometimes, the heart doesn’t know what it wants until the opportunity presents itself. Let Ethan deal with it.”Ezrah smiled and relented. “Alright. If you say so.”They heard Lucas mocking Ethan and Ethel. “Why? Can’t you kiss your woman? Sebastian has kissed Madison like three times already, even though they aren’t the bride and groom.”Indirectly, he was taking away the opportunity for Ethan to use the event as an excuse for his inability to kiss Ethel.“Lucas, how we choose to define our relationship is none of
Everyone was excited for Ezrah and Zora, and right after the cake cutting, the couple's dance was announced.Ezrah and Zora had just left the dance floor and were speaking to some guests when other couples took over.Ethan saw it as the perfect opportunity to dance with Ethel, but there were other men eyeing her as well, and they were not afraid to show it.To make matters worse, they reached her before him.“Hi, I’m Rick,” one of them said. Ethan didn't recognize him from their company, which could mean he might be one of Zora’s co-stars.Ethan didn't like this but knew he had to be a gentleman to win Ethel's favor.“Ethel,” she responded with a forced smile, trying to be polite, and somehow, she was glad to see Ethan nearby.It was Ezrah’s birthday, and his focus would only be on his wife. Her bodyguard was there to protect her from danger, not lovers, so he was with the other bodyguards.The only man she had loved all her life was Lucas, and she had never had the chance to mingle b