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63 My New Family
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2020-10-13 01:30:55I woke up the next day in an unfamiliar room. Sunlight from the window with light blue curtains indicates that it's around 8 o 9 in the morning. I feel so tired even I just woke up. I can feel pain all over my body. I touched my tummy just to check that I already gave birth. It's not a dream. But where is Athena?
I tried to get up despite being in pain. I'm already wearing hospital gown and a tiny tube is still in my wrist. I pushed myself to get up, but I failed.
"Hello! Is anyone there?" I shouted as loudly as possible. This is one of the moments I feel fear creeping in my body. What if they are all working for Geoff and he has Athena now?
"Hello!"
I heard footsteps coming to where I am. After a few seconds, familiar faces came from the door.
"Joan! You're awake." Dorothy said. She is now carrying a baby in her arms. "We were outside. We were just showing Athena how beautiful our place is."
"Can I see her?" I asked.
"Of course. She
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Last Updated : 2020-10-14The Love I Have Hoped For 65 The Guest in Room 201
The next day, I woke up early to go to work. My working time in the motel is earlier that Danny's schedule so I woke up earlier than her. I prepared toast and fried egg for breakfast. Athena came out from the room before I was done preparing breakfast."Good morning my princess." I kissed her cheek and hugged her as part of our morning routine."Good moning mommy. I'm hungly." That is also always the first thing she says when she wakes up, so I make sure to wake up early every day to prepare breakfast. She still cannot pronounce the sound of 'r' properly and I found her so amusing every time. I carried her and put her on her chair to eat breakfast."Should I wake Aunt Danny up? She is also hungly." She asked"We can wake her up later, sweety. Aunt Danny was tired yesterday because of your birthday. She will eat breakfast later." I gave her a cup of hot chocolate and put toast on her plate."Will you go to wok today? Will I stay with glanny Dolothy?
Last Updated : 2020-10-14The Love I Have Hoped For 66 The Annoying Guest in Room 201 (2)
I went back to the reception area immediately. I know he wanted to have the linen changed and requested for two towels, but I need to calm myself down first before going back to that room."How arrogant! Does he thing he's the only guest this place has?! Am I a robot who can do all his requests in a flash?! Even a robot can't do that! If he is rich, why don't he just buy a place where he can stay and hire some helpers!" His attitude makes me furious and I had to let it out. I'm not the type of person who gets mad easily. I was able to endure being cheated on for a long time. I didn't even felt anger towards Lance before, but this guy is different. He's getting into my nerves!I tried to divert my attention to other things and decided to call Dorothy."Hello. Hi, Dorothy. Can I talk to Athena?""Hi Joan. She is playing with John outside. Wait, I will call her. Athena, your mom is on the phone!" I could hear her shouting away from the phone. "She's coming.
Last Updated : 2020-10-14The Love I Have Hoped For 67 Sarah Got Sick
The next day is a normal day for me. I got up early as usual to prepare breakfast, give bath to Athena and send her to Dorothy's place before going to work. I was a bit nervous to be at work today because of the guest in room 201 but I don't have a choice but to go to work and face him. I just hope he isn't as grumpy today as yesterday.I arrived in the motel without Sarah in the reception desk which is uncommon. She normally stays here and reminds me of the things that need to be done during the day. She normally comes to the motel very early in the morning whenever we have a guest and when we don’t have one, she just gives me a call if something needs to be done. Marshville is very safe and residents can leave their houses, even their businesses open the whole night without having the fear of burglary.I wonder where she went.I looked for her in the kitchen then to the linen room, but she isn't there. Did she go home last night?I started checkin
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Last Updated : 2020-10-16The Love I Have Hoped For 69 The Proposal
After escaping from Geoff, I became very paranoid in everything. Whenever I see a new face in Marshville, I can't help but be scared thinking that that person is working with Geoff. I can't imagine a life without my daughter. I am willing to do anything just to make her safe."Why are you so quiet? Are you really scared of me? I don't know your husband, I swear!" His cheeks are now red, a signal that he is already drunk."What happened to you and your wife?" I asked. They said a drunk person is one of the most honest people in the world. Since he already knows everything about me, I guess it is just fair for me to know about him as well. He got his phone and typed something again like the last time I asked about him. He then gave me his phone with a picture of a pretty woman on the screen."She is my wife, ah no, ex-wife. Probably, our divorce papers are now approved. She is a very simple woman, you know. That's why I fell in love with her. She doesn't like the
Last Updated : 2020-10-16The Love I Have Hoped For 70 It's Real
I woke the next day in the bedroom assigned for me and Sarah. Whoever works here at night can sleep in this area comfortably. I looked for my phone immediately to look for the time. Luckily, my phone is on top of the bedside table. I don't really know how I managed to come here after last night. I remember drinking a lot, but I can't remember every detail of what happened. It's already half past 10 in the morning. I got up immediately and found Sarah in the reception area."Why didn't you wake me up? Sorry, I should have helped you clean the area. Were there a lot of empty cans and wrapper in here?" I asked Sarah."I didn't wake you up because I can guess that the man upstairs disturbed you the whole night like what he did to me the other night. And what empty cans are you talking about? I didn't see any cans in here.""Really? Did I put them away before sleeping? I should throw the trash!""I already did. Don't worry about it. The bin was almost empty. T
Last Updated : 2020-10-16The Love I Have Hoped For 71 The Planning
"I don't want a grand wedding. Simple one is okay, something private. I want Athena to be there, my mom, Annie, Danny and the people in Marshville since they are also like my family.""I want to give you a bigger wedding than the last one you've had.""We got a civil wedding, nothing grand, no wedding dress, no guest. I prefer that one, except with the no guest part.""He's rich. How could he have that kind of wedding?""He never loved me. He only married me so he could make that bitch jealous and also to have a baby.""Do you want me to crush them?""I just don't want to see any of them anymore and that they won't bother me and Athena again. I don't care what happens to them.""Will you really let them go that easily? After all that they did to you? Your husband and that woman, I bet they are still so happy now and the mother.""Regina also helped me, not that much but I don't have any grudge against her. She never wanted me t
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The Love I Have Hoped For Final Chapter Starting Anew
After almost a month, Geoff finally decided to introduce himself to Athena. I have been preparing her ever since because I know that someday, she would meet her real dad. Colin supported my decision of introducing her to Geoff. They have talked a couple of times about it. Geoff has invited him to have drinks and Colin never said anything bad about him during their meetings."He's a respectable man. He's too different from how I saw him in the past months. You know I had this image of him as a bad husband because of your story, but I think he's just manipulated. He was furious thinking that the woman she loved betrayed him." He said once before we went to bed."He was nice. I guess love can really make us a monster once we got hurt.""But I think I'm the one who benefited in what happened to the two of you. If Ericka didn't say nasty things about you, maybe you and Geoff are still together until now. Then, I wouldn't meet you in Marshville. I wouldn't be your second husband. So, I shou
The Love I Have Hoped For 114 The reunion
I felt very light and dizzy. I didn't know what was happening. Everything around me was turning. I could see Ericka's back while she slowly disappeared from my view. Ericka was just here on the rooftop a while ago. She was here mocking and insulting me. I could hear her voice clearly. She was just here."Aaah!" I shouted as I got up. I was dreaming. It was all a dream. I woke up in a familiar room. It's the master's bedroom in Colin's apartment, it's our room.Colin rushed inside the room when he heard me screaming. He hugged me immediately and patted me in the back. "You're here now. You're safe.""Where's Ericka?!" I asked, panicking. "She's dead. She jumped from the rooftop in one of Geoff's hotels.""Where's Geoff?""He called me and asked me to pick you up. He said you lost consciousness. He told me about what happened to you the other night. You should've told me about your plan.""Sorry. Geoff asked me to stay with him. I thought it was best if I followed what he said.""I und
The Love I Have Hoped For 113 Ericka and Geoff
"Eat!" He said with a smile. He put some food on the plate in front of me."What are you planning? Please, I just want to go home. Ericka is the last person I want to see tonight." I couldn't help but feel scared. She is the person I trust the least and her presence means trouble. She has never liked me and the feeling is mutual. The best thing to do to have a peaceful life is avoid her."I won't let her hurt you. Don't worry.""I really don't wanna see her.""Why would you be scared? If you're telling the truth, then there's no reason for you to be afraid of her. Unless you don't want me to know that you are lying.""I never lied to you. Her mere existence reminds me of all the bad experiences I had after marrying you. I don't want to go back to that time again.""Just eat. The food is getting cold." He turned the video on his laptop. It's an English romance movie. I can't focus well on either eating or watching the movie. All I could think of is meeting Ericka and the trouble she co
The Love I Have Hoped For 112 The Night With The Ex
There were many messages and missed calls on my phone. Most of them were from Colin and some from my mom. I was hesitant at first to call Colin and tell him I wouldn't be home for another night. Actually, all I want now is to be home and hug Athena. I felt so sorry for growing up without a father, but now that I heard Geoff's side of the story, I felt happy that he wasn't that bad of a father after all. I can't say that he wasn't to be blamed for what happened to us though. I didn't want to stay here for another night with Geoff. I can't fully trust him, but I don't have a choice. I need to be nice to him and get his trust, so I would be sure that I could get out of here alive. Ericka is a smart woman, maybe she is part of Geoff's plan of bringing me here. I still need to be careful with what I say and do.With hesitation, I dialled Colin's number. "Hello! My God, Jez where are you?" He answered the phone right away. I didn't even hear the ringing sound on the line."I'm okay. Sorry
The Love I Have Hoped For 111 The Kidnapper 2
"Please, let my hands go, then we can talk. I promise to be honest. I have actually always been honest with you." I was already begging. He could do anything he wants to me without me defending myself. I also want to listen to his explanation about what happened to us since I got pregnant."I don't know what to believe anymore.""I was your wife. You promised to protect and be with me. I have always trusted that promise. I escaped when I felt it wasn't safe for me and my daughter anymore. You saw how violent you could be when you're angry.""You're the one who made me angry!""I didn't do anything. Anywhere I went, I was with Nancy and the driver. You could have asked them what I did for you not to believe me.""They were your allies. Of course they would not tell me what you were really up to.""Nancy did her best to protect me from you, and so did the driver. They saw I suffered because of you.""Ericka told me your plans from the very beginning. She showed me pictures of you and al
The Love I Have Hoped For 110 The Kidnapper
Having a headache, I woke up in a small dim room. The curtain covers half of the glass window on the right side of the bed. Based on the light, it seems like it's early in the morning. I immediately got up from the bed, but my left hand was pulled by something. It was tied to a metal which was fastened to the side of the bed. I couldn't see it clearly yet. I could feel pain all over my body especially from my left hand where the metal was tied and my head. A pitcher of water and a glass were set up on top of the side table. The room seems like one of the cheap motel rooms you can rent while on the road. Outside the window, I could glimpse some trees and a view of the sky. I was still wearing the same clothes I had worn since yesterday. My shoes were neatly arranged on the side of the bed. My phone and my small pouch were nowhere. I could finally check my left hand. I was handcuffed with the other end attached to the bed. Where am I? I wanted to scream and maybe ask for help from anyo
The Love I Have Hoped For 109 Finding Nancy
The next day, I was so anxious waiting for a message from whoever has Nancy. I was still trying to convince myself that Nancy is just somewhere, calming herself down before meeting me. She would show up in our house unannounced anytime soon and say how much she misses all of us, especially me and Athena. I decided to be on leave from work indefinitely. I kind of blame myself for being so busy that I didn't spend much time with my family, including Nancy. It feels like I abandoned them just because I want to prove something to Geoff and Ericka. I got so busy avenging that I forgot the most important people for me.We also asked for Athena to stop going to school for the meantime. She sounded hesitant about the plan at first since she likes spending time with hwr friends, but later she realized that playing with her toys and reading books at home are more fun.Mom is sometimes suspicious of how I was acting, but I was happy that she didn't ask too many questions. I don't want to make he
The Love I Have Hoped For 108 Where is Nancy?
The next day, I decided to take some days off to spend more time with Athena. I also would like to wait for Nancy and have a chat with her. We haven't talked for months now and partly I blame myself for being so busy that I never even tried to reach out to her. I never asked her how she is despite knowing that she comes home late almost every night for the past months and she sometimes doesn't come home. If only I tried talking to her, sending her a message or calling her, maybe this wouldn't happen. I still didn't tell mom about what happened and I don't have any plans of telling her.Two days has passed and no signs of Nancy. Her phone can't be reached and she also doesn't respond to messages. I was starting to get more worried but as Colin said, we should give her some space. She also needs time to think. We spent our weekend to an amusement park like what we promised to Athena. It was a happy day, but I can't totally ignore the worry I feel for Nancy. I don't know Cristoff's phone
The Love I Have Hoped For 107 The Worry
Cristoff! I haven't seen him in ages! He was not that nice to me either when I was still living with Geoff. If I remember it correctly, the two don't really have a good relationship. I looked at Nancy in disbelief. "What is this guy doing here? Why are the three of you together?" To give her the benefit of the doubt, although I already know the answer, I still asked her that question. I am hoping, although it may sound impossible, that it was just a coincidence that he was with her and Athena."He's my boyfriend." She confidently said. I was expecting her to say more, maybe to explain her side why she didn't tell us about him, but she remained silent after."Since when?" I picked Athena up and carried her in my arms."Long time ago.'"Why didn't you tell us?" I said coldly."For this exact same reason. You will just ask me to stay away from him.""You saw how I suffered when I was with them. Didn't you learn anything at that time?" Cristoff didn't utter any word. He was just there, li
