VALERIE'S POV "How are you enjoying your roses pretty lady? They are beautiful, right?""I noticed you didn't trash them like the others. It seems you really like this one, maybe I should send some more everyday"Everyday?! My eyes bugged as that message popped up like the others."Everyday?! You ignorant big headed..." I cussed under my breath as I grabbed my phone to reply to that particular text.But then again I stopped at the last minute, remembering my initial resolve to not acknowledge him. "Let it be Valerie, he's just trying to get a rise out of you." I reminded myself as I set the phone down, preparing to focus back on the documents on my desk.But then another text came in and this time I could literally hear his cocky voice in my head as I read the message; "I know you're reading my texts Val. You're seeing them and intentionally ignoring me, I think it's high time we talk. Don't you agree?"I bit the inside of my cheek as the memory from earlier today flashed before my e
VALERIE'S POV "So what are you going to do about him?" Papa finally asked, staring at me intensely. I let out a deep sigh at how fast his jovial expression changed, "Pa..." We were just having a relaxed conversation about his new hobbies and plans for tomorrow, why did he have to ruin it?My nonchalance to avoid the topic in general was not missed by his piercing eyes, as he turned fully on his seat to face me. There was no escaping the interrogations now...I could tell this very question had been itching to come out of his lips ever since we left the project site for Sky Walls. He really was standing on his words from earlier, that Hudson was in love with me.Isn't that just ridiculous?I admit, the man had been acting strange for the past few months but acting strange doesn't equate to... to... been in love, and with me of all people!Where is the logic in that?What about Charlotte? I mean HIS Charlotte, What about his kid?! Their kid Valerie, their kid! They had a kid together,
HUDSON'S POV *Knock on the door* "Boss?"My eyes whipped to the door instantly as his head popped in, "James," I said breathlessly, sitting up on my leather seat. Understanding the situation, James walked right in, shutting the door of my office quietly.We were currently home after a long day of preparation to get Val to see me. She no longer visited the Red Bites Restaurant, at least she hadn't gone there for a week now. I had planned to ask her about that, the day we met to go over some final touches for the project but I totally forgot about it in the spur of the moment. Mind you it wasn't my fault at all, she just looked so good that day. So good, that I could hardly focus on the words that left her lips. All I could think about was having her sit on my lap, pressing those soft round molds that was protruding behind her black body con skirt on my thighs. I wanted to sneak my fingers through the slit in front of that damned tight skirt of hers, to feel the smoothness of her thig
HUDSON'S POV I was literally bubbling with excitement at the prospect that she would be doing the calling, unlike how i had been calling her all these while. But at the same time, I couldn't help but be filled with dread at what she had to say to me. Such an exciting moment was ruined by just one text.I wished I hadn't seen that text. "I think it's about time she called, it's 11:31 PM." James mumbled, but even his voice sounded faint, all my attention was fixed on the shiny object that could transmit a call.I had gotten a new phone, a separate phone, just for her. I had been dropping texts and calls repeatedly to her, I couldn't risk Charlotte seeing those texts. I know it sounds bad, I know it's wrong. It was almost like I was cheating on Charlotte but I wasn't entirely doing anything wrong. I just wanted to talk to Val, it was not like I was acting on any of the thoughts that were regularly clouding my senses concerning her.I still had control over the situation, I could pull ou
Charlotte's POV "Madame, the-the line is still faint..." Kate stuttered with my test strips in hand while she held my gaze through the mirror."What did you say?" I asked sharply, slamming my hair brush on the dressing table. I was so prepared to pounce on her at those but as I turned from the mirror, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen instantly. Turning me into a moaning mess in seconds and I struggled to catch my breath while clenching my white flare dress in pain."M-ma-madame!" Kate cried out, and rushed to help me but I quickly pushed her away, managing to glare at her through the wave of pain that was going through my system. Trembling, she fell to her knees, letting out silent cries as she held the test strips. How dare she cry when I hadn't even cried! She was the reason this pain started anyway!Her earlier shrill must have resounded outside the room cause in no time Maria came bursting in through the door, her small eyes shining eagerly to understand the situation. Once s
Charlotte's POV I rubbed his back softly to help relieve him as the cough seemed so strong, offering him water in between. By the time he took a few sips of the water he laid back down on the bed, groaning in pain. "Do you have ache in your head, huddie?" I asked softly, which he nodded slowly as a reply.He looked so weak, so tired ... and fragile!All I could think of was helping him but how? He had always been the one taking care of me whenever I was sick, it was never the other way round. Even the few times he fell sick, he would always have James take care of his pills. I just used always cuddle him till he felt better.I never administered drugs.I was almost lost at what to do next when Maria suddenly showed up beside me again holding several drugs, "Here Madame, these are what he normally takes whenever his fever rises like this." She said and handed me a few tablets with a glass of water.Without wasting time I forced Hudson to take them, watching him slowly relax back to s
VALERIE'S POV "Grocery shopping, check! "Winter coats, check! "Knee high boots, check!" Hmm, what else... What else... Oh! "Special gigantic Santa soaks!- "Check!" "Drugs against Christmas fever, double check!" "Check! Check!" A voice whispered in my ear, making me jump in fright. "Nanny!" I cried out, while putting my hands on my chest to calm my pounding heartbeat. But she just kept laughing "Oh my, haha! You're so athletic! You at you jump!" A frown formed on my face as I watched her continue to tease me amidst her chuckles. "Very funny, Nanny" I scowled, "very funny" "Oh c'mon, I didn't mean to scare you!" She said, hitting my shoulder playfully. "You just looked so serious and busy... and... concentrated on what you were doing. What are you doing anyway?" I heaved a breath and dropped the check pad in my hands on the kitchen island while relaxing on it as well. "Well, I was just... Arranging stuff... Christmas stuff." I replied, hoping she would get
VALERIE'S POV I wanted to say something, to react ... But I couldn't.Everything kept replaying in my head, the pieces coming together all at once as her beady eyes scanned my appearance repeatedly, her expression filled with malice.She was here in my home. Charlotte was right here in my home! Standing at my doorstep while her kid was inside? So she was Aby's mother? first of all that meant they lived around the area. Hell, that they lived at house we had dropped Aby before! The house that was just a few blocks away from us!That means...Hudson was living in that same house, in the same estate as me.His entire family, was living on the same street as me and my kids! His daughter... Oh my God, his daughter... Aby was the daughter he talked about?She was the one he wanted me to meet?And I had refused, not knowing... not knowing she was my kids classmates.They even attended the same school! Oh my God, they had even become friends! My kids and ...his daughter... they had become frie
VALERIE'S POVIt’s been days.Daysss, since Rob died. I didn’t’ even know what day it was or what said the time. All I knew was hurt. Hurt and guilt, that seemed to have remained permanently in my heart. Never leaving, and never letting me forget.I couldn’t forget, no matter how much I wanted to. No matter how much I needed to! Nanny Beth said I should fight it, that I was getting depressed… Rob wouldn’t want that. But then, how could I even bear to imagine what he wanted and didn’t want when I was the one that caused him to die? I didn’t have that right, and I didn’t want it.Life was already difficult enough, everyday was a drag, everything was a struggle. Getting out of bed, eating, drinking even water… taking a shower seemed pointless these days. Everything felt pointless.I mean, what was the need anyways? Why did I need to? What was the point in having people around you? What was the point of caring and loving someone, when they could so easily be taken away all in a matter of
VALERIE’S POVIt’s been days.Daysss, since Rob died. I didn’t’ even know what day it was or what said the time. All I knew was hurt. Hurt and guilt, that seemed to have remained permanently in my heart. Never leaving, and never letting me forget.I couldn’t forget, no matter how much I wanted to. No matter how much I needed to! Nanny Beth said I should fight it, that I was getting depressed… Rob wouldn’t want that. But then, how could I even bear to imagine what he wanted and didn’t want when I was the one that caused him to die? I didn’t have that right, and I didn’t want it.Life was already difficult enough, everyday was a drag, everything was a struggle. Getting out of bed, eating, drinking even water… taking a shower seemed pointless these days. Everything felt pointless.I mean, what was the need anyways? Why did I need to? What was the point in having people around you? What was the point of caring and loving someone, when they could so easily be taken away all in a matter of s
VALERIE’S POV“Day 500, Valerie just got her very first partnership deal!”“Isn’t that great? And she was so nervous about it, not knowing she would do so amazingly well.” his words read, echoing in my ears like he was right beside me. “You need to believe in yourself more often, Val.”“Day 730, we celebrated the kids one year birthday today! Can you believe those cubby cute balls are already a year old? It’s so fast! Time really runs fast, wow” “Day 952,” I turned yet another page, my teary eyes capturing the words that were carefully written in his neat hand writing. “Valerie looked so beautiful today. So lovely, and warm. Like a ball of light that you just can’t help but stare at since she’s so shiny… You are shiny to me, Valerie.”I blinked at those words, a tear rolling down as I flipped yet to another page of this blue journal. His journal… a close personal belonging of his that I was sure only he knew about. Only he used.This was where he shared all his thoughts, those time
HUDSON’S POV“Boss,” the men around greeted as soon as they saw me, pushing open the thick barrel door for me to walk through as I managed a nod their way. The scent of fresh water hitting my nostrils the moment I stepped into the partially lit room, my heavy steps echoing in the space as slowly movements filled the air. Movements similar to the sound of my boots, combining with the loud trail of a chair been dragged on the cold floor. “Boss,” the hoarse voices of the men around greeted harmoniously, their tone rough and monotone, exactly how I have felt these past few days. Most especially after I started driving down here this evening.I could feel my anger curling around in my stomach as I stared right ahead in the mini darkness. My eyes gradually adjusting, in other to make out the form of the very person I wanted to see.“Wake her up!” I ordered darkly, taking my seat in the dead silence that was soon interrupted by the sound of a bucket of water splashing. A frightened gasp fo
HUDSON’S POV“I think you should return back home for now, Hudson”Huh?“Why?” I found myself asking, rising from my seat as the very form of Henry Hernandez slowly approached me in the living room of his mansion.“We just got here, it hasn’t been too long” He just sighed at my words, waving me to take a seat as he did as well.“It’s past 4pm already, you’ve been here for a while. And Valerie, she…ugh…” he sighed again, this time even deeply than before. “She looks terrible!” I could see he was worried as well, just as we all were for her. “She’s just sad,” I voiced calmly, sighing quietly as well. “Anyone in her situation would be too,”“Yeah, you’re right. Rob was… they were always together, much like Toberto is always around me too.” Henry said slowly, his tone soft as his deep meaning of his words settled between us. “ I couldn’t imagine Toberto dying on me to be honest. He is my longest staff, and does…everything! Much like how Rob was to my pumpkin, he was strong and resilient.
VALERIE’S POV“May he be welcomed into your arms oh lord,”“May he find peace,”“And love, that we send him off with,”“Robinson Clark, may you rest in peace! Amen.”And just like that, he was gone.Right before my eyes. Right before my very eyes he was lowered into the ground, his casket numbing my soul as I watched more and more soil get thrown on him. Continuously, unrelenting… as though to prove to me that this was all real. It was all real and true, that I wasn’t just having any terrible nightmare.But still, no matter how much I stared at the fully covered soil, the freshly dug grave… I just couldn’t. I couldn’t believe it.No matter how much the incidents from the nights before replayed in my head, the gunshots, my cries and screaming, Rob’s bloody body been wrapped up… no matter how vivid the memories… I still couldn’t believe it. Not a single thing!I mean, how could i? This was Rob we were talking about! How could he be… be… dead. How could he be dead?! Just like that! How?!
VALERIE'S POVMy voice sounded all over the place, the man I was referring to getting into action at once. “We already called for one, they are yet to get here”“Call for another one, call another one! Call every damn hospital, I don’t care! I WANT THEM HERE NOW! RIGHT NOW!” I yelled at him for that response, my eyes going crazy as I applied more pressure on the open wounds. My every move desperate, “Val…” he groaned out, wanting to talk to me but I didn’t stop.“We have to get him to the hospital,” I said instead, my voice messed up from my choked sobs. “We have to-“We can’t do that! He is losing too much blood and we won’t be able to contain it before getting to the hospital. He can’t be moved right now!” One of the men protested heavily, he was the one with the most blood on him. Meaning he had been helping out a lot, but still that wasn’t enough for me. it wasn’t even close to been enough!“Do you want him to bleed out here?” I asked darkly, “Is that what you want? For him to ble
VALERIE’S POV“VALERIE!”The screams filled the air, my mind going numb as sharp ringing resounded my ears. Ringing so loud that it sent multiple harsh waves of pains and anguish to my brain, tormenting my entire being as I held onto my baby for dear life. My Miley…The breath refused to come out, just staying there stuck in my lungs, as though punishing me. Wanting to squeeze the life out of me as my eyes slowly assessed myself. My baby.Her eyes were sealed shut, her small fingers tightly clutching to my shirt as I held her. My silent tears rolling down my cheeks uncontrollably, dropping on her as the most prominent thought came to me.The very thought I was trying not to think, but woefully failing to do so. I did hear those shots, and currently I felt no pain whatsoever. Meaning… meaning… my baby…The more I struggled not to think anything, the more the thought bombarded my mind. Striking me at my very core, as I felt myself slowly slip away. Drowning even as more tears rolled dow
VALERIE’S POV“You,”“What the hell are you doing here?!” Hudson snarled hatefully, abandoning the plates at the table immediately. In no time he had walked over to me, pulling me protectively towards the table, with the kids behind us. “How did you get in here? James!”“Yes me, it’s me Huddie. What, happy to see me?” she probed, giving off an eerie vibe as she smiled crazily at him. Moving to me as well, but I couldn’t even believe my eyes right now. This was a person that was should’ve been arrested when they caught Drake! What was she doing here? How did she even get into our estate?!My mind buzzed with several questions at once, and Hudson probably sensed it. His hands giving mine a gentle squeeze as he remained calm, glaring daggers at the woman in front of us.“I’m going to say this once; Leave.”“Oh? Leave, why?” Charlotte questioned, frowning now as she looked between the two of us. “Because of her? Because of this bitch, you’re asking me to leave?!”“Leave my yard, using the