Daniel’s POV“No way in hell!” Lucas panicked.“It’s just for a couple of hours, Lucas. Just stand beside her and pretend to be her fiancé!” I tried to convince him.“You said the man is her husband. How on earth can I stand before him and claim her as my fiancée? I’m not going to do it, and let me out of here,” he argued. I understood his point, but I didn’t have another solution. I had to complete my plan.“Be a man, Lucas!” I shouted at him. “Listen, he can’t do anything to you. He’s just a normal guy. Maybe he has influence and power, but don’t forget who we are!” I stated calmly, trying to manipulate him, as I knew for sure that Rafael wouldn’t let the matter go easily.“No means no. I’m not going to do such a perverse thing! She’s my sister, for God’s sake!” he shouted.“She’s your cousin!” I corrected.“What’s the difference? She’s still my sister!” he exclaimed.“You know, in other cultures, a man can marry his cousin,” I said.He raised an eyebrow, crossed his arms, and scoff
Rafael's POVI was leaning against the wall nonchalantly, holding a glass of wine in my hand when she walked in, her hand wrapped intimately around a young man’s arm.I stood straight and growled as my heart skipped a beat. I didn’t know she had that effect on me.They walked side by side through the guests. She was smiling and chatting happily. There was something different about her, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.When our eyes met for the first time, there was nothing in them—no longing, no fear, nothing. Even the shock I had seen in them when she saw me at the show house was gone.She kept laughing and chatting for ten minutes from the moment she entered, not sparing me another glance.She was stunning. Her face was more radiant. Did she cut her hair? It looked somehow different. Her curves had grown more seductive.And her belly...Now, fifteen minutes had passed since she walked in, and she still hadn’t looked at me. As if I didn’t exist.I couldn’t take it any longer
Natalie's POV“Don’t!” I roared.I felt disgusted. How could he ask me who the father was and then try to hug me? What the hell?“Stop!” I repeated as he kept walking towards me.He hesitated for a second, then without further hesitation, he hugged me. I stood frozen in place. I couldn’t describe my feelings, but one thing I knew was that I didn’t feel anything. There was no heat, no trembling, no butterflies, and no longing.I was truly released from him. From his control over me.My hand flew through the air, landing on his cheek with a loud slap.“I told you to stop!” I mumbled furiously.“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant back then?” he asked after regaining his composure and putting his hands into his pockets. I could see the tension in his actions.But did he deserve my pity? My concern? Of course not.I was in so much pain when I lost one of the babies. I hoped he would search for me, for our other child. I was sure Rafael would search for us. But he never did.I became
Natalie's POV “I’m going to see some friends,” Lucas said once we stood before his mother and the senator’s wife. I was surprised he had stayed with me for so much of the party. I knew he liked meeting new girls and having fun.I nodded to him, and he promptly left.I owed this family a lot of respect and gratitude. Even though they didn’t know me well, they welcomed me from the very first moment we met. They showered me with concern and love. They took the blood bond seriously.I felt so proud to be one of that gteat big family. Even though my biological father didn’t support me by any means, he gave me the most precious thing in life. Family. Loving, supportive family.“Hey, Carla!” I said with a smile, ignoring the piercing gaze Rafael shot me.“Oh, darling! Mrs. Relbson loved your designs so much,” Carla exclaimed happily.I stretched out my hand and shook hands with the woman. “Hey, Mrs. Relbson, it’s nice to see you again.”I had met Mrs. Relbson several times at Roswen family o
Natalie's POV “Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked furiously as the pain became more frequent.“So, that guy Lucas isn’t your fiancé?” Rafael asked, his smile growing bigger with every word he uttered.He stared at my belly and continued, “And this is my child. So, were they twins, or did you never have an abortion in the first place?”I gritted my teeth and said, “First of all, I don’t have to explain anything to you. Second, who the hell told you that Lucas is my fiancé?”“Daniel told me so,” he jumped in, cutting me off.We turned our gazes towards Daniel, who was staring at us from afar with his fiancée. When we looked at him, he smiled and raised his glass of wine. I understood now; he told Rafael that to keep him away.I looked back at Rafael and said, “That doesn’t change anything,” then started walking away from him.He held my arm and asked, “Why, Natalie? I love you!”I gave a small, bitter smile and replied, “Love alone isn’t enough, Rafael. I realized that too la
Natlie's POV“The pain stopped, right?” Freda asked as she continued examining my belly.I nodded. “Yes. What does that mean? Is there something wrong with my child?” I asked, my voice full of concern.“It’s just the symptoms before labor. They are normal and beneficial for the mother; ninety percent of women experience them,” she explained. “These small waves of pain help the womb prepare for labor.”I glanced at Rafael and stifled a laugh at his expression. He was staring wide-eyed at my bloated, naked belly.When our eyes met, I let out a sigh of annoyance, ignored him, and looked away.“So, do you want to know the child's gender?” Freda asked.“Yes! Please,” Rafael suddenly snapped.Freda and I both stared at him. I questioned, “What does this have to do with you?”He approached, and I tried to sit up. Freda gently pushed me back onto the bed and said, “Natalie, please. Don’t move.”I glared at him furiously and snapped in a warning tone, “Stay away from me and my child!”As if he
Natalie's POVWilliam noticed that I was stunned and distracted. He took half a step back and stared into my eyes, then followed my gaze to something behind him. There stood a man leaning on the wall, legs crossed, hands in his pockets, with a cornered smile on his lips.“Surprise!” Rafael trifled, his gaze full of disdain.William stepped back in shock and snapped, “Who are you?”I closed my eyes tightly, took a deep breath, placed my hands on my hips, and asked, “What are you doing here?”“I came to see my son!” he answered nonchalantly.I could see the confusion on William’s face as he asked, “Your son?”Rafael walked towards me in steady steps, boldly and possessively wrapped his arm around my shoulder, locked eyes with me, and replied to William, “My wife!”William laughed. “Is that a joke?”Rafael raised his eyebrows and replied, “For your misfortune, it’s not.”I pushed his arm off my shoulder and roared, “How the hell did you get into my apartment?”The look on his face made m
Natalie’s POVWhen I got out of the bathroom, the smell of fried eggs made my stomach growl. I was starving; I hadn't eaten anything yesterday.I headed towards my room, ignoring Rafael. I didn’t want him here, and I wasn’t going to give him any attention. I knew being around him was dangerous.Why couldn’t I just pick one of my comfortable summer dresses like always? Why was this so difficult now? I glared at my reflection in the mirror and sneered, “Do you really have to ask? It’s all because of the distraction in your kitchen.”I sighed.The blue dress was the ideal choice for me. It wasn’t too much, and it fit the place I intended to go.Thinking about today’s meeting made me anxious.I lifted my hair into a ponytail, applied sunscreen, mascara, and pink gloss. After spraying my perfume and putting on my high heels, I went to the kitchen, only to find Rafael still there, wearing just a towel! His back was to me as he washed something in the sink.I couldn’t help but stare at his mu
Hello everybody!!Thank you for reading this book. I appreciate the time you spent on this journey with me.I feel a mixture of emotions now—both happy and sad. Happy because I successfully completed this book, and sad because the journey has come to an end. The lesson of this book is that true love is strong and marriage is precious. Try to understand your spouse, take their hand, and face life's difficulties together.Please follow me and stay tuned for my new book.With love,Jeje Romanzoo
Natalie’s POVI heard the sound of Rafael's keys in the door lock with great anticipation. I took a deep breath as he opened the mansion door, and a wave of claps and joyful laughter washed over him. The room was filled with friends and family, their faces glowing with happiness. But the one thing that captured his attention, the one image that filled his heart and eyes with overwhelming joy, was me. I stood in the center of the room, holding Matt in my arms, wearing a stunning white dress—a wedding dress.Rafael’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief, and then tears of happiness welled up. His expression mirrored my own overwhelming emotions. I remembered the days when I loved him secretly, the painful nights I spent yearning for his touch. The jealousy that broke my heart at that time. Then, I thought of how much he had changed for me, how he had shed his sadistic tendencies and embraced a love that was tender and true. Our love had become a sanctuary, a safe haven where we could be
Natalie’s POVThe location led me to a rundown part of town, a place I would never have thought to visit under normal circumstances. The taxi stopped a few blocks away, and I paid the driver, telling him to wait. I couldn’t risk Debbie spotting the car.I walked the rest of the way, my senses on high alert. Every sound, every shadow made my heart race. Finally, I reached the address Debbie had sent. It was an old, abandoned warehouse, the kind of place that sent shivers down your spine just by looking at it.I wiped a tear ran down my cheek, and with taking a deep breath, I stepped inside. The air was musty, and the only light came from the gaps in the boarded-up windows. My footsteps echoed eerily as I walked further into the building.My heart bounded with anticipation, finally I would see my little boy. How did she manage to feed him? He didn’t take the formula milk.“Natalie,” Debbie’s voice rang out from the darkness, sending a chill down my spine. She stepped out from the shadow
Natalie’s POVAs the door swung open, my breath caught in my throat. But, there, standing on the doorstep, was my family—the Rowsons. Maya, Daniel, Lucas, their mother and father, and even our granny. They all looked worried, their presence both comforting and overwhelming.As I stared at them, I was shocked. It was the last person to step forward who shocked me the most. My real father. He stood there, looking healthier and stronger than I remembered, and there was a softness in his eyes that I hadn’t seen the last time I visited him. For a moment, I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. It was as if time had stopped, and all I could do was stare at him.“Hey guys, you came!” Rafael cut the silence with a surprised tone."Nat," Maya said softly, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around me. "We're here for you."Everybody stepped inside and started hugging me except one person, my father.However, he stood there puzzled for a moment then said softly in a whisper, “Natalie,” his voice th
Natalie’s POVThe long night passed in a haze of dread and exhaustion. I couldn’t sleep; every time I closed my eyes, I saw Matt’s face, heard his cries. The darkness outside the window was a mirror to the darkness inside me, a suffocating blanket that left me gasping for breath. I paced the room, my steps slow and heavy, my mind replaying the events of the day over and over again.Rafael had been gone for hours, searching desperately for any clue that might lead us to our son. The silence of the house was oppressive, broken only by the occasional creak of the floorboards or the distant hum of traffic outside. The waiting was unbearable, each minute stretching into an eternity. I could feel the panic rising within me, threatening to consume me whole.I moved from room to room, my body restless, my mind tormented by the unknown. I went into Matt's room and sat on his bed, clutching his favorite stuffed animal, inhaling the faint scent of him still lingering in the fabric. Memories of h
Natalie’s POVSix hours had passed, and still, no news about Matt. My heart tightened with each minute that dragged by, constricting so tightly that I could barely breathe. The silence was suffocating, every second stretching into an eternity. I couldn’t imagine what Debbie might be doing to my little boy. Rafael had been updating me frequently with whatever scraps of information he could gather, but the constant fear gnawed at me, an ever-present shadow that made me feel as if I might crumble at any moment.“No news?” Tobi asked gently as she handed me a cup of coffee. Her voice was soft, but the concern in her eyes was palpable. I shook my head, unable to find any words that could convey the depth of my fear. Nothing was clear. Debbie was careful—she’d even managed to avoid the street cameras.The waiting was unbearable. My mind started to spiral, conjuring horrific images of my son’s screams, trapped in my head like an endless loop of terror. It was dark outside now, the evening s
The room spun around me, and I had to grip the back of the chair to steady myself when Natalie told me that Matt had been kidnapped.“Matt is kidnapped,” her words echoed endlessly in my mind.“Matt is gone, Raf! You have to bring my son back to me!” she wailed through the phone, her words barely understandable through her loud sobs.Every passing minute was crucial, every second a potential danger. The guilt was overwhelming. Was I the reason danger had found my family? Why did I ever get engaged to that witch in the first place?Documents and everything else on my desk scattered to the floor as I shoved the table over in a fit of rage and frustration. The chaos mirrored the turmoil inside me.The office door swung open, and Jack and several employees rushed in. “What’s going on?” Jack asked, staring around the wrecked room in shock.“She kidnapped Matt!” I roared, my voice raw with desperation.Earlier that afternoon, I had received a call from the main city police station warning m
Natalie’s POVThe afternoon crowd was stifling as I wrapped up the meeting for the upcoming fashion show and made my way home. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the bustling streets, a stark contrast to my serene thoughts.It had been three months since we returned to the USA, and I had already launched my new fashion design company. My heart swelled with happiness at the thought. Living with my husband and our nearly four-month-old son was a dream come true, and every day felt like a step closer to my ambitions as a fashion designer.I couldn't help but smile as I imagined Rafael at home, sitting beside Matt’s crib, watching him sleep or feeding him his bottle. The mere thought of our little family filled me with warmth.My phone rang, jolting me from my reverie. I glanced at the screen and pressed the reply button, Laura's voice echoing through the car speaker. “Natalie, are you on your way home?” she asked, her tone edged with urgency.“Yes, what's wrong, Laur
Natalie’s POVThe room door swung open, and the Rowsens filed in one by one until the space was filled with their lively presence.“Hey, new mother!” Carla exclaimed, balancing a box of gifts in her hands, as the other family members held their own presents.“Oh, look at the little boy. He’s a spitting image of the charming Lucas, which is me,” Lucas mumbled, bending down to get a closer look at my child.“Move away!” Rafael snapped, shoving Lucas aside. “Don’t touch him. He’s still weak and could get infected easily!”I stifled a chuckle. Rafael’s overprotectiveness was one of his most endearing traits.“Hey, man! What’s wrong with you? I was just trying to see the boy! Don’t tell me you’re one of those overprotective fathers!” Lucas teased, prompting laughter from everyone in the room.I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me. The Rowsens had supported me when I was at my lowest, and they had become my real family. But now, with Rafael and our son, I had my own family. I loved them a