VALERIE POV“Goodness! I have no idea which rapid dog bit my son that day when he married you.” I clenched my fingers unconsciously around the damn papers while my “dear” mother-in-law rained insults on me.“Not only did you stop him from marrying someone decent like Charlotte, you also went ahead to hurt her and my grandkids!”“I never pushed her! Sh-”“You’re a monster!” she yelled venomously. I took shaky steps backwards in disbelief. Me? A monster!?“Aren’t you going to say anything?!” I spat angrily at Hudson, the very man who was supposed to be my husband.“You mean defend your lies?” He questioned; his expression was cold and mocking.“How about you tell everyone how you secretly stopped donating blood for Charlotte, huh?” I froze at his words. How did he find out? That was just two months ago.I had been feeling weak a lot and missed going one time, and the second time I went for it, I found out I was pregnant. I was finally pregnant after trying so hard for three years.Surel
VALERIE POV It’s been over an hour since I signed the divorce papers and left the entire Rodriguez family gawking in surprise downstairs, and yet here I was still crying.I may have been quite bold downstairs but honestly? It hurt, so fucking much! My heart felt like a thousand horse had stepped on it and I couldn’t breathe. My 4 years obsession had finally come to an end and with it my shattered heart. For 4 years of my life, I had loved and cherished one man, did everything in my power to make him see me but somehow it only seemed to make him hate me more.I stared down at the little garden below my window, a rose bunch that Grandpa had specially planted for me. Poor man, he didn’t know what had gone down today. The flowers danced happily with the gentle breeze, as though mocking me. "Go ahead, laugh at me," I croaked, my voice cracking with emotion. "I'm pretty stupid, aren't I?""You most definitely are." I spun around immediately, my anger flaring as I faced the evilness herself.
HUDSON’S POV“Who would have thought that we would be free of that ungrateful brat?” Mom beamed, casting me a meaningful look.“I know, right? Good riddance to bad rubbish." Aunt Claire added with a chuckle. “What’s important now is for Charlotte to nurse her health; my grandson can’t suffer any more stress, okay?”“Yes, aunt, I will be careful now,” Charlotte said with a big smile.“Nonsense, call me mom,” my mom gushed out. And it only made Charlotte smile brighter.It was comforting to see her smiling now, rather than shed those tears that broke my heart.Suddenly, Valerie’s crying face flashed through my mind. Her pouty pink lips, trembling from holding back tears that dripped down those soft cheeks. A strange feeling overtook my body at the memory and left a bitter taste in my mouth, but I immediately pushed it down.She tried to hurt Charlotte and my unborn children as well. That’s unforgiveable!“Baby, baby, are you okay?” Charlotte gently tapped me. I blinked in surprise. “Yea
VALERIE’S POV “Ma’am?” Rob, my assistant, called out for the third time since we arrived at the building for the signing. We are currently in the underground parking lot kept specially for VVIPs. It's been almost 30 minutes and I still couldn’t find it in me to get down from the car. Trust me, this was not the first time I had to come for a partnership signing, but this was the first time I would be seeing Hudson after our divorce. If I said I wasn’t tense about it, I would be lying. It’s been 5 years already, but it still seemed like yesterday. The memories of him and his family are still fresh on my mind. And especially today, it felt more like an open wound. Liam had repeatedly offered to come on my behalf, to save me the heartache, but I refused. This was my fight. After my experience with them, I fought constantly to be who I am today, building up my walls and confidence that they had trampled upon so ruthlessly. And I most definitely cannot let one meeting shatte
VALERIE'S POV“Mommy!” “Oh no,” I moaned, paused mid-air, and gritting my teeth at my poor attempt to tiptoe to my room.“I can see you mummy, there’s no need to hide” Mason said in his ‘as a matter of fact’ tone.I sighed ‘Okay Okay, you got me.” I said with a soft smile and raised my hands in defeat. But he didn’t seem phased at all, he just stared at me with a bored expression.I had to change tactics then. “Oh, baby, you shouldn’t be up, look at the time. Gosh!” I exclaimed.“Mommy you deceived us!” Miley voice rang out from the kitchen. “Me?” I replied with fake disbelief.Almost immediately sounds of her little flip flops filled the air as she ran to the living room, with an …ice cream coated hair??“Whoa! What’s with your hair?” I exclaimed and touched her hair; it was indeed ice cream.I looked at her tiny frowning face for explanation, but she just huffed and turned to the side. “Little Miss dramatic huh?” I teased as a slight chuckle left my lips.Just then, I heard tiny fe
HUDSON’S POV “James?” “James!” I roared, glaring daggers at anyone that dared gave me side glances. “Yes, boss” he replied and immediately appeared at my right-hand side. “I need every single detail about Valerie and all her movements from the last 5 years!” “Yes boss, I completely understand” he replied hastily. “And this time, do it right!” I barked and tugged the keys of my black Bentley out of his hands. With anger surging inside of me, I just turned on the car and sped off, away from the building for the event. Most important guests were gone already and that bloody twat was the very first to leave!The nerves! Leaving me behind to the guests like I was some errand boy of hers! She even dared to threaten me. Me! "Can you believe it?" I chuckled darkly, my annoyance increasing. After 5 years of her disappearing on me, she shows up and does this? Pretending like I never existed? That gold digging bitch! She had clearly found a new rich man to prey on, one that even allow
HUDSON'S POVName: Valerie Ann Marie Hernandez Status: CEO and sole heir of De Hernandez Dreamz Marital status: Single Legal Guardian: Henry Hernandez Relationship: Grandfather and chairman of De Hernandez Dreamz Parents; Dead"Valerie, you bloody liar!" I growled, roughly running my hands through my hair. It's been complete 20 minutes since I found out that Valerie was indeed a member of the Hernandez family.The very family that owned and ran the biggest corporation centered on furniture designing and decor.You know what's worse? She was not even just a mere family member but the sole heir! The fucking CEO!This had got to be some sort of trick right? but James sources were always legit. And I for one, had always thought Liam Hernandez was the CEO of De Hernandez Dreamz. He WAS the CEO, but that was only until 5 years ago. It was clearly stated in the file.The same 5 years ago that Valerie signed the damned divorce papers and walked out on me.So, that was the reason she di
HUDSON’S POVAfter recovering from my initial shock, I glared at my phone and my voice dropped dangerously low. “Look here you conniving little cheat, I have your life in my hands. So, it will do you well to speak to me nicely! While you still can that is,” I growled out.The line became silent, good. At least she knows when to listen. Before I could take another breath, a loud crackling laughter flowed through my phone speakers. What? Is she... laughing? This is funny to her?"Oh, my, you..." she started, her words dissolving into uncontrollable laughter. The sound of her crackling giggles filled the air, taunting me with each passing moment. My face darkened into a tight scowl, the more she laughed. My brow furrowed into the most intense frown I'd worn in years as I stood stiff, my hands clenched into fists at my sides, listening to her struggle to compose herself between gaps of laughter. "My goodness!... That was... hilarious Hudson, were you trying to scare me or something?” Sh
HUDSON’S POV“Empty,” I completed, my stance frozen at the door with James as the kids ran inside to check out the place.“Wow, mommy’s office is so cool!” Mason gushed, a proud smile on his face as he moved to her desk. The same desk that I could’ve sworn Val just complained of having so much paperwork on! Or was I imagining things now?“We are finally visiting mommy’s office. Look at all these drawings!” Miles voiced out, gaining Mason’s attention as he ran over to the left corner of the wide spaced office. Everything just screamed Valerie. From the glass walls to her dignified desk, to the couches at the center of the space, the wall papers… even the furniture! They all added up to soak in her personality, warm. Yet refined.My Val was a warm and dignified woman. A fucking female leader, who was also drop dead gorgeous even after pulling off triplets! That was my woman.And she just told me, merely few minutes ago that she was seated on that desk! With tons of paper works! But here
HUDSON’S POV“Use her to blackmail me,” I completed for her. “You were going to kidnap her, not caring how destabilized such a little girl would be to be suddenly uprooted and taken away in such manner to some God damned place! She had a mental condition for heaven’s sake, Charlotte! Your daughter was going crazy and yet you didn’t care! You didn’t value her, her wellbeing or her life! You didn’t back then and you still don’t!”“What?” she exclaimed,“You should be grateful. So, fucking grateful! That Valerie, the same woman that you are here trying to ruin her name, took your daughter in and is still currently caring for her!” I boomed, all the hatred I had for her pilling up in my chest all over again.“You don’t understand! This is all part of her plan, Huddie!” She yelled into the phone. “That bitch is only doing this to make you look at her differently! She planned it all, Hudson! She’s deceiving and manipulating you!”“Then let me be manipulated!” I thundered out, “It’s none of
HUDSON’S POV“Daddy, are we going to visit mommy now?”“Yes, sweetie!” I responded, smiling as I tapped her nose for a bit. “Daddy has finished dropping off the files and now, we can go!”She smiled happily at my words, taking my hand with her small ones as she urged me to follow her outside. The others were right out the door already, running about and giggling over what I can’t even begin to explain.“Okay, okay guys! Time to go,” I called out, gaining their attention and in no time, we found ourselves going down the elevator we used yesterday, the day before, and the day before that day!This company had definitely seen even of us this festive season, but there was nothing I could do. Schools were on holidays, but businesses weren’t! I couldn’t skip work and stay home throughout with them, even if that was the plan today.I had actually wanted to stay home today with the kids, but then… you know, Charlotte came up. And Valerie’s behaviors came up as well, and I needed to handle bot
VALERIE’S POV“This is it?”He simply nodded, smiling even as he held my gaze which confused me all the more. “I-I don’t understand,” I stated, “You said, you will give me the money, or at least tell me where it is. You would tell me where the money my uncle stole from me is kept, that’s what you said. So, then what is this?”“This is the key,” he said simply, gesturing again to the faded pink baby bottle he had placed on the table between us.Okay now I was starting to be annoyed. This cunning man was literally pissing me off right now!“Is this a joke? Or do I look like a joke to you?” I questioned bitingly; my tone sharp. “You called me. You literally BEGGED me for this deal, and now I have finally agreed, you pull this stunt?! What the actual fuck is this?!”“Woah! Calm down, will you?” He exclaimed, laughing even like my reaction was the funniest thing ever. But that was my limit. “It’s not what it looks like, Valerie. You’re so impatient! Are you also like this young man?”Rob s
Hudson’s pov“She’s lying to you, Huddie!”“She’s a liar and it’s all her fault everything went south between us! She did it all, and admitted them to you right before I got arrested! That’s why I couldn’t get to you on time, to explain myself and everything that happened. You didn’t visit me either! How could I have told you all these before now?!”“Visit you?” I sneered, “Visit you?! You?! Have you gone mad?”“Yes I have gone mad! I’ve gone crazy but you need to listen to me, Huddie. You need to-And that was the end. I ended the call. Again!This was the literally her fourth attempt in reaching me just for today, and I have never been more angry at myself for letting it happen. “Did you get the signal?” I asked, turning to face James as he lifted his head up from the system seated right in front of him.And then one word, “No boss,” He said, and immediately cuss words flew out of my lips in anger.“Dammit!”“Fucking crazy bitch! How are we unable to track her location?!”“She proba
HUDSON’S POV“So what do you do here, Mr. Voss?”“Do you build the houses or you design them?”“Or do you just work for my daddy,” The questions kept coming, not once relenting or waiting for a proper response either. They just… questioned away!Totally my kids. You could literally trust them to explore their curiosity to the limits, any day and anytime! And sadly, today just happens to be one of those days. “You’re really quiet to be working for my daddy,” Miley said, her eyes curious as she stepped even closer to the nerdish looking young man. Who seemed very uncomfortable right now, at least from where I stood on the third floor watching this drama unfold.Why did James have to pick this particular guy was beyond me. I mean, there were so many other person’s present that the kids could actually be able to explore the environment with, why did it have to be this timid looking person?“Could you be working for my daddy because you’re so quiet, Mr. Voss?”“He has to be doing something
CHARLOTTE’S POV“Okay! I will tell you.”“Oh, you will now?” I sneered loudly, “Scared of a few sticks with spikes now, Katie? You scared?”She merely moved away at my words, her eyes shifty and most definitely judgmental as she scanned the stupidly half built house that Raymond could find for this operation. The only place that he could find that is. But at least, it was safe from both the cops that currently had a warrant for me, and Hudson, that he seemed to fear now more than anything. But all of these aside, something about Kate’s attitude just irked me all the more as i watched her with distaste.“Kate,” I called calmly, my disposition a typical example of the calm before the storm. But i didn’t give a shit! My eyes were simply trained on her, on Kate. My prey… and probably what i needed to get some sort of control over my life at this point.Kate remained mute at my voice, not heeding my call like she would do previously when things weren’t this way. When things hadn’t gotten
VALERIE’S POV“Still staring at it, hm?”“Yeah…” I found myself mumbling softly, a faint smile on my lips as Nanny Beth’s soft chuckles drifted to my ears.“I think that’s allowed!” She commented, “With a band so shiny? I would stare at it all day long!”I guess it was my time to chuckle as well, judging from her playful comments. And so I did, smiling as I turned to face her on the kitchen island. The silence of the house embracing us since the kids were out today visiting Hudson’s office for the very first time ever.It was the holidays for them but most definitely not for Hudson or me either. The office work had to continue and so he went to work. Taking the kids with him to let me have some peace since I decided to take an extra day off, just signing some paper works here at home. A system that would work very well, just as soon as I manage to stop myself from continuously staring at the ring Hudson got for me, while smiling sheepishly for no damn reason!Gosh! It was ridiculous r
CHARLOTTE’S POV“This lady cannot be discharged just yet, just look at her!”Silence followed after those very words, and in no time, I felt eyes on me despite my eyes still fully shut and drowsy from whatever those nurses gave to me. “Hmm,” Another voice sighed loudly, and in no time I knew it was one of the cops that came with me. “Doc look, we understand that she looks critical and all, but you also need to understand that we need to take her back! She can’t stay here until she’s well! That’s not part of the rules.”Rules my foot! What kind of rule allows me to be assaulted and yet, does not permit treatment.“I don’t know about all that,” The doctor responded, his tone serious. “But what I do know is that this woman here needs rest! She doesn’t LOOK critical, she IS critical. And if you take her back tonight you will be basically sentencing her to permanent fractured ribs, and even brain tumors in the nearest future! She just had surgery to stop a bleeding in her brain for heaven’