HUDSON’S POV “What do you mean, new kids?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowing as she sneered at me. “Are you being serious, right now? You want to play tricks and act like you don’t already know?!” That confused me all the more. On a normal circumstance, I would’ve just continued my steps to my room to go relax like I had intended, just considering Charlotte’s words as trash and unimportant. But not right now. Not when it involved me, Valerie and a kid inside one sentence. And with how confident Charlotte seemed to be saying the words, there had to be some truth in it. But what truth? Or was Val…pregnant? For me? “She’s pregnant?” I muttered to myself as everything started piecing together in my head. If…if she was indeed pregnant, everything will make so much sense! Why she was ignoring me, and why she went off silent on me for more than a week! She must’ve been shocked to find out about the pregnancy but then, got scared after she remembered how Charlotte treated her at my office. S
HUDSON’S POVThe minute that question sounded through from the inside, my heart rate quickened instantly. I had always made it a point to avoid bringing up conversations about her son when we were together, simply because of my selfish thinking that she had another man’s child. Like I didn’t a child with Charlotte as well… as much as I hated to admit, I did moments where my thoughts were simply nonsensical. Thoughts that I shouldn’t even be having in the first place! It was shameful to say the least…But I could not continue that way anymore. If I wanted to have Val in my life, I had to accept her son too. I had come to terms with that, the few days she had gone off the gride without talking to me. But right now, I wasn’t so sure what to think.That child of hers could actually be mine. He could be the same baby she was pregnant with back then when I was so stupid not to see past my selfish plots! But then at the same time, he could turn out not be mine. And belong to another man. But
VALERIE’S POV“I’m so sorry,”“I’m so sorry” were the words he kept muttering as his body shook with silent tears. A cry so strong that his voice was choked with it, and I knew right then; that he meant it. He meant those words; I’m sorry’.I almost couldn’t watch. I couldn’t bear to. Standing there, watching them cry over each other was a constant struggle to remain strong. I was literally fighting back the lump in my throat, holding my breath while repeatedly blinking my eyes in other to stand strong but all that proved useless the moment, I watched Miley moved to wipe his tears despite her own crying face, before rushing to pull Miles closer, so he could hug Hudson as well, it completely broke my heart. I had to turn the other way, otherwise, I would’ve end up crying more than they did.I didn’t bargain for any of this when I made up my mind to let him meet them. I didn’t think I would be so affected or feel so guilty for keeping them apart for so long. It was hard, it was hard to
HUDSON’S POV“The heavens are punishing me, aren’t they?”“They are angry with me. After everything I’ve done… they should be angry right?” I asked quietly, staring out the car windows in the silence of the night.“No boss, they’re not punishing you” James responded, like he had been doing ever since he met and literally helped me to the car from Valerie’s gates. “They are. I’ve been so clueless. So irresponsible…a rubbish excuse for a father, that’s what I am. Why didn’t I search more back then when I had you to find Valerie? Why didn’t I keep looking? Why did I stop?! If I hadn’t…I wouldn’t have made me kids live like they were fatherless all this time. I’m so useless!” I whispered intensely, punching my right thigh at the agony clawing at my heart.Abrille stirred a little beside me after that action and I tried to calm down a bit. Holding it all down as I watched her sleep peacefully, not knowing what a trash her father was.“Boss, we’re here. We are here at the mansion” James sai
CHARLOTTE’S POVHudson hasn’t come home.He hasn’t come home at all ever since I stupidly blurted that slutty bitch had kids for him! Gosh! Why did I do that?! Why did I fucking do that?! It was so stupid. So fucking stupid of me! I mean, what was I even thinking?!Who loudly announces to her man that the woman he had been sleeping with, cheating on her with had kids for him?! Who does that?! Only idiots! And I was one for sure. I was a total idiot for not realizing just how bad I had fallen for that bitch’s trick!She dared to do all of that with him and never once mentioned their kids! It meant she had something else up in her sleeve, only a fool such as myself didn’t realize it on time. He didn’t even know she had kids; thought she was pregnant when I mentioned it. If only I had kept my mouth shut, held a tight grip on my anger that day, then this wouldn’t have happened.But could you blame me? I was literally going blind from rage at all the details she gave me free of charge! Sh
CHARLOTTE'S POVThe sudden pause in the music quickly caught her attention and she turned in my direction. “You, owe me. You owe me an apology, and I suggest you get right to it, right now!”“Oh?” she exclaimed, cocking her head to the side as she released a mocking laughter. Totally unfazed by my glares, “You really are dumb, aren’t you?! Apologize to you? Unbelievable!” she mocked, laughing some more while I neared my brim in keeping in anger in check.“But then again, you couldn’t figure out where your darling Huddie got that music from, how could you possibly understand me now?”“What the fuck are you talking about?!” I snapped, moving even closer to her.“Oh Charlotte…lonely little Charlotte. How do you think I managed to get so close to you, if you weren’t so lonely? I honestly don’t get you; you know! You have been living with a man that barely hugged you for all the years you two lived together. He didn’t even have sex with you at some point, right? So, why then did he suddenl
HUDSON’S POV“Daddy!”“Look! It’s daddy, he came back!” the voice of the little girl that was now officially mine filled the air, even before I saw her. The smiles on my face knew no bounds the moment I saw the car open and her absolutely excited self, came bouncing down as she ran to me.“Yay!” I found myself exclaiming as I took her in my arms for a warm hug, chuckling as I did. “You came back,” she whined, pouting beautifully as she did. Seeing her relived expression filled me with an unexplainable joy, especially now that I had the DNA test results in my pockets.It was incredible, really. It was like feeling that same as the joy I felt on the day Abrille was born, all over again. Yes, that was what it felt like! Like I had just became a father for the first time all over again. Even if my baby was all grown now and look around 5 years old already. “I promised I would, didn’t I?” I whispered to her, admiring her features as I smiled. “I won’t leave ever again, okay? I promise!”My
HUDSON'S POVA broke ass man that would be scared of their mommy’s wealth?? Hahaha! Never did I see this coming when I introduced myself. “Yes, mommy is smart too, she will help you okay? She will help your business grow, don’t be scared” My little girl finished, patting my hand on the table sympathetically for more emphasis, leaving me feeling even more flabbergasted.I couldn’t believe my ears at all. I couldn’t believe these kids!As if it wasn’t enough, James deep chuckles kept resounding in the air. He was most definitely having a blast watching us right now. “You guys… “I started, clearing my throat as I prepared to set the records straight.“You shouldn’t jump to conclusions like this. It’s bad! I don’t need your mommy to take care of me, because I have my own money! I am a very rich businessman as well. One of the richest in the city! I can and will take care of all of you! Your mommy included! She wouldn’t even have to work and we would still have money, that’s how much I hav
HUDSON’S POV“Do you understand now?”“First, the man you wanted left you, Amelia left you, Ethan also did, and now… your own father has abandoned you.” her voice sounded softly, almost considerate but the underlying cruelty was hard to miss. A total contrast to the nonchalant expression on her face, like even speaking to the woman on phone was not worth wasting her energy.It was enchanting, to say the very least.“No one wants you; no one wants to be with you.” She whispered slowly, “You will die alone, Charlotte. A long, lonely death. Remember that,”And just like that, the call ended. The phone sliding from her ears, every movement smooth like she had finished the deal right then and there, which she had though. The bait had been set.The bait we both agreed upon after Ethan showed up at our doorstep, with information about Charlotte. A very daring attitude from a person with his record of betrayal. Ever since he attempted to kidnap Valerie back then, he had gone off record. Which
CHARLOTTE'S POV“Oh yeah?” she sneered, sounding totally unbothered as I continued to brew with anger. “What will you do to Drake then? You see he made a deal with me; to hand over all his dealings with my family, testify against you in court, revealing all the many corpses that was buried underneath the garden in his house for you.”What?“What are you talking about you bitch, I killed no one!” I responded, my breathing shaky as memories of how so many dead bodies were used as fertilizer for the rose garden back home. Dead bodies that were as a result of several tortures and beatings given to men doing business with the heartless man that was my father!It was all him!How come this bitch was saying something else here? How did she even know about the bodies?!“Those corpses are as a result of the many murders that you have done over the years, Charlotte!”“That’s not true!” I argued angrily, losing my cool.“But Drake said it is, and he is testifying against you in court!” she insis
CHARLOTTE’S POV“What the hell are they doing?”“Why are they even together at the hospital? Just what the fuck is this?!” my voice resounded everywhere, bouncing off the walls in the apartment I currently occupied with Raymond.But could you blame me? I was pissed off!Pissed off by the stupid ass video that was been displayed on the tv screen! A video of what supposedly had happened between my man and that bitch Valerie today! Or was this some sort of trick? That bitch Valerie was pulling a stunt again?But even if she did, how did Hudson come onboard with this?! To do this with her! Act like they were all perfect and okay, when I knew they were not! They most definitely were not! They shouldn’t even be!Valerie’s schemes have been exposed! Hudson knows all about this now, I was sure of it! I watched him drive off angrily that night, away from their new place. He didn’t go home that day I sent those cameras, they had a fight. I was sure of it!So why instead of packing his things an
HUDSON’S POVSilence settled between Val and I as we walked all the way to the ward. Our fingers still interlocked, until finally we reached the very door that held Miley’s excited laughs behind it. And then I stopped, facing Valerie right then.“What money?” I asked, but she simply blinked. Probably not expecting my question, but I heard the conversations between her and her aunties anyways. Or at least part of it, since they were already speaking before I arrived there. So…“The money your aunt was referring to” I explained, my voice calm as I waited. “She said something about a stolen money that was in Mason’s name, and you were going to be arrested for it if they called the cops. What was that all about?”“Oh,” was all she said, a deep sigh following right after. “It’s… it’s a bit personal,”Huh?“Personal?” I repeated, not believing she was about to do what I thought she would do. “How personal is this that I can’t even know about it? Mason is involved here, that’s my son, Valeri
HUDSON’S POVComing back home was nothing short of what I had expected. My kids gathered were together, happily playing games, absolutely oblivious of the current happenings surrounding me and their mom. As far as they were concerned; daddy had to take a little trip to check out a building site.A strategy Nanny Beth took to save them from the hassle of wondering why I wasn’t home for 2 days. But aside my kids, everything else seemed fine. The maids, Nanny (Whether or not she knew, she didn’t behave like it at all. But assuming she didn’t know anything will be highly stupid on my part cause Valerie tells her almost everything despite their huge age difference!) but above all, there was no Valerie.I wouldn’t lie to you, a part of me immediately thought of going back to the house outside the city, to check if she had still gone back there. But I just held back. Forcing myself to focus on taking a nice shower, eat a really satisfying meal and then catch up with my kids.The last time I
VALERIE’S POV“I-I’m truly sorry,”“I am- am so sorry for lying about that day,” I apologized, my voice breaking as I tried to keep my tears at bay. “I shouldn’t have lied! I should’ve… I didn’t know you and the kids were at the office, I didn’t know you guys wanted to surprise me so we could have lunch together. It’s all my fault! I’m sorry…”“Of course you are. You are sorry now, Valerie.” His voice sounded in the air, bitter but yet so calm. Unlike his explosive self that I had seen that day in the secret room. “But you weren’t sorry when you just lied to both me and the kids that day, running off to go clear evidences of your actions for fear that someone would get to it first before you do. Maybe someone already got to them-Charlotte had! She did send a few cameras after all; I’m guessing that is what got you agitated and also what had been bothering you days before the kids and I even went to your office!”“No! That’s not it at all,” I rushed to explain, “I wasn’t bothered about
CHARLOTTE’S POV“What? What did you say?”“They are still under the same roof? My Huddie is still living in that house? With her? with bitch Valerie?!"He simply nodded in confirmation, amplifying the horror I just heard. “How?!” I blasted, loosing my shit right then and there. “How is any of that even possible?! He should’ve left her by now! They should be fighting and him not forgiving what she has done! How can they still be together? That’s impossible!”“It is possible!” Raymond insisted, his tone similar to mine. “I saw him myself! I saw Hudson drive into that mini city of his- the Sky Walls! I saw him, and even waited for over an hour to see if he would come back out, but he didn’t! The man simply went home to his woman and kids, get over him kiddo. We need to leave the country before things get out of hand!”“No,” I responded, not wanting to believe a word he said.“Kiddo, You-“No! I said no!” I boomed, smashing the glass of water I was supposed to take my meds with. “I’m not
VALERIE’S POV“He just suffered from a mini panic attack, ma’am”“Given his age, attacks like this could often lead to stroke, full blown heart attacks, or even death on the spot!” The doctors voice resounded in my ears, sending yet another terrible ache throughout my temples. It has been this way since we took Papa to the hospital. And by we, I meant myself and Babara.Patricia came along too but quickly left after hearing he was still breathing and alive. Davis didn’t even come at all. Displaying their exact feelings towards their own father. Making me wonder even more that; what would have happened if I had already driven out of the estate before he collapsed today? What would have become of my Papa? Would he have- would he have really died? Just like that? Because his own children were too busy fussing over him instead of hurrying to get him to the hospital immediately?!“We have managed to stabilize his blood pressure for a bit, but I would advise no more shocking news to be brou
HUDSON’S POV“Daddy is making dinner, yay!” Miley's excited voice filled the air.“Yup!” I concurred, enthusiastic as I turned around to face the kids- my guests. “Good evening, pretty princesses and handsome princes! You can call me chef of sweet meals, and I will be preparing dinner!”“Yay!” Aby clapped happily as I introduced myself, smiling as she looked into the camera.“Since when did daddy become a chef? Do they learn that in business school too?” Mason asked curiously, looking around for answers. So typical of Mason, linking stuff around and asking questions as soon as they popped in his head.“No sweetie, no one learns cooking at business school.” Her sweet voice sounded in the air, answering Mason’s question. And in no time her face came into view, her smile flawless as she angled the camera to capture herself as well. “Daddy knows nothing about cooking, which is why I am here recording this moment! First time ever for the popular Hudson Rodriguiez to be in the kitchen! We ha