Valerie’s povWhat happened?Why did he suddenly collapse?? The questions were just falling one after the other from my lips as I hurried up the stairs with my silver high heels, Nanny Beth behind me. My thoughts were all over the place, all I could think about hurrying on those stairs was how I had ignored his calls. How I never reached out to him since I returned to the city.He had been calling repeatedly, both at the office and at home but I let it all go to voicemail. I was busy ignoring him, when he could have been in danger. When he could have needed me. Simply because I didn’t want him to nag at me to stay with him, I couldn’t bear to live in the same house as those people that called themselves my family. So I busied his calls and postponed going to see him, I shouldn’t have done that. That was selfish and unreasonable.“What if something happened back at home? Did you hear anything Nanny?” I asked, pausing on the steps to face her, my voice soft as though saying the word
VALERIE'S POVThe minute my brain processed who exactly the figure was, I half ran into the room and shut the door tight, my back against the door. My heart was racing rapidly, my chest heaving up and down as I took in the happy faces of my kids in front of me, “Ohhh, God. What is this? What is he doing here?”Mason turned to look at me, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. The little boy was probably wondering why his mom was standing at the door smiling sheepishly at him. But the fact was, the hospital doors were transparent and there was no telling that Hudson wouldn’t stand in front of it! And if he did stand in front of it, he would most definitely see us!The last thing I wanted right now was my kids seeing a total look alike of Mason! Especially after the misunderstanding this morning. If that were to happen, “Oh no, I can’t… I don’t want to even imagine,”My hands went to the top of my chest in an attempt to calm down my ragged breathing. And after a minute or so, I swallowed
VALERIE'S POV What is he staring at? I turned my neck to check behind me, but before I could let a word out,a strong pull on my arm tugged me forward and in seconds i was running. But not before I got a whiff of a certain blonde hair.Quickly, I struggled to pull away, "Hey, let me go!" I exclaimed, but his grip only got tighter and he pulled me even closer.But that didn't stop me, "Let me go, you big headed dick head!" his hand clapsed my mouth shut at those words, silencing my screams as he pulled me into a narrow hallway, out of people's sight.He only stopped when we reached an unlocked room and I pushed him away instantly, gasping for breath while he rushed to lock the door behind us.My eyes frantically looked around, noting we we're in some sort of storage room for drugs and papers before I turned to face him, "What is the meaning of this, Mr Rodriguez? If your posture has gotten so bad and you're in need for some exercising, don't you know the way to the gym?" I spat heatedl
VALERIE'S POV After half running through the hallway, passing quite a number of doors I finally reached the opening that led to the ground floor. Relief coursed through my veins at the sight of people going about their different affairs absentmindedly, with no knowledge of what had transpired between me and Hudson few minutes ago. I turned back a bit to gauge where I was coming from and to say I was surprised would be an understatement."I can't believe I let that dick head drag me all the way down there," the storage room I had just left him in was at the end of the long hallway. Possibly even the last room!I shook my head a bit at the absurdity of the whole situation. It was unbelievable. A bunch of nurses gave me weird looks when they saw the angle I was coming out from.I just gave them a tight smile and hurried off to the entrance. It didn't take long I found two dirty blonde heads chasing balloons in the parking lot and I hurried to them.They were the first to see me while
HUDSON'S POV "Why is it taking so much time? does that doctor know what he's doing at all?" Mom bellowed, pacing back and forth in the hallway. We we're currently seated at the VIP ward, just outside Charlotte's private room waiting for news from the doctor.Admittedly, it's been quite sometime since the doctor went in to check on her and yet there was still no news from the nurses, and neither was the doctor coming out.But Mom's continuous tantrums was not helping matters at all. She had called for the nurses attention thrice already. "Okay that's it! That doctor must be a quack! How can they let someone like this become a doctor in a prestigious hospital such as this?! I'm reporting him right now. No! I'm no longer going to let him touch even a hair on her body!" She yelled and rushed to push the room door but I already had enough."Can you stop it?! Just stop it! What is wrong with you?!" she flinched at the tone of my voice, pausing in her tracks."I get it, you're worried abou
Chapter 33HUDSON'S POV Has there ever been a time when you see yourself doing a particular thing that you know you shouldn't do but you can't stop anyway?Because that was how I felt right now, holding unto Valerie's hand and running through a dimly lit hallway right here in the hospital.I knew something was up with me the minute I saw her in my sleep but what i never imagined was locking herself and I in a storage room!"What the is wrong with you,Mr Rodriguez? If you have bad posture, don't you know the way to the gym?!" She spat angrily at me.I took a glance at her and immediately turned away, partly because I was embarrassed by the kind of thoughts that were creeping to my mind the longer I stared at her.It was bad enough I shamelessly dragged her here just because I saw Charlotte in the crowd, but i wasn't going to loose my sense of proportion while I was at it.I honestly couldn't explain why I ran though, it didn't make sense. I wasn't doing anything wrong by talking to Va
HUDSON'S POV Mommy? What does that even mean?! How could she be married when her file clearly stated she wasn't, or was I mistaken? Without wasting time, I pulled out my phone from my pocket, checking past messages from James. Luckily, I wasn't one to delete receipts and soon I found the file he sent me that day containing all Val's info. I quickly zoomed in and read it out loud, "Name: Valerie Ann Marie Hernandez. Age: 26 Guardian: Henry Hernandez Marital Status: Single " See, single! Absolutely single! Which meant she wasn't married. So how could a child be calling her mommy then? Did she... did she mess around after our divorce and then got herself knocked up by a ... "Oh c'mon, that's not even possible! Even if she was a wildcat, she's from a respectable family after all. She couldn't have done that." I chuckled sheepishly at the thought but suddenly paused, all smiles disappearing from my face as a thought crept into my mind, "Or could she?" She dared to seduce
HUDSON'S POV "Erm, Boss?" James asked, his hoarse voice thick with trepidation."Yes James? Did you not get what I just said?" I snapped back."H-Huh? I-I ... " he stuttered and my nose scrunched up in distaste at his behavior. "I said get me every single detail about Valerie and the man she's seeing! What do you not understand?" I demanded, my voice rising with annoyance."I got what you said boss." He rushed to explain, "But... Miss Valerie's file is locked. Most details are confidential, I only managed to get what I could that day and everything is in stored in the file I sent you previously,"I remained silent, my lips pursed in silent anger. "So you're telling me you can't do your job?" I said calmly, my voice dangerously low. "Not at all, Boss! I will -But I cut him off, leaning forward, my elbows on my black oak desk, the phone close to my lips. "I don't care about locked files and confidentiality. What I know is you're going to bring me every detail that I want to know.
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