"Stop the car," Zacky yelled at the driver. Cecy could feel him alight from the car but she didn't dare question. She knew she was in for it.
"You could have just run when you had the chance to but you are just a coward," her subconscious kicked in.
She could vaguely hear her dad yell angrily in her mind," You are a good-for-nothing bastard you can't do anything right,"
After a while, the driver drove into Zacky's mansion. It was already dark but the whole compound shore beautifully. Cecy's eyes wandered around appreciating the beauty of nature. But inwardly she knew she wasn't supposed to be here. All this belonged to Barbara but legally it was hers.
"Young Miss, we are here," the driver said opening the car door.
"Thank you," Cecy said politely. She took short strides toward the house still in her wedding dress.
"Young Miss welcome I am the butler Mathew but you can call me Mat," the butler welcomed her in.
"Please call me Li...Barbara ," she immediately corrected herself.
"But Young Miss you are now the Master's wife I have to call you with respect,"
"Don't worry I won't tell the Master, Barbara is fine," she insisted.
"Miss Barbara ," he repeated.
"Better, may I know which room is mine?"
"This way I'll take you to the Master's suite,"
"No, we already agreed to sleep separately for a while till I get used to it," she lied with a straight face.
Good, she was now getting better at lying. She thought.
"As you wish," he led her to the second floor and then opened the first door on the corridor.
"You can use this room, the Master's room is at the end of the hall," he pointed. Zacky's room gave out a strange vibe Cecy couldn't help but shiver just thinking of him.
"Thank you," she said before shutting the door. She stared at the large room that was thrice her bedroom.
"A good night's sleep is all that I can have for now," she uttered under her breath.
"President, I have the information that you wanted," Zacky's assistant yawned slightly as he walked into the President's office.
The president was so cruel calling him back to the office on his wedding night.
"Cecy Smith, twenty-two years old is the eldest daughter of the Smith family older than her sister by two minutes. She is introverted and good at studies. Barbara Smith, youngest daughter of the Smith family also the girl you wanted to marry," he passed for a while checking his expressions.
"Go on," he folded his legs casually still in the suit from the wedding.
"A few days ago, Barbara fled with a man leaving the whole Smith family in chaos so they asked the elder sister to take her place," Enough, that's all that I need. Zacky said his face was filled with anger.
"No, find out the man Barbara fled with everything will go as planned, how dare they play with me." His dark eyes were blazing with anger.
"Yes president, you will have the full information tomorrow,"
Zacky waved his hand releasing him. That night, Zacky slept in his office he didn't go back to the house, nor check on Cecy.
The next morning, Cecy woke up to an empty house she asked around and then learned that Zacky did not return home. She grew more worried and eager to know what was going on.
"Miss Barbara , the Young Master has said that you can do whatever you want as long as you will be home for dinner," the butler said.
"When will he be back for dinner?"
"Thank you," Everything felt quite usual did it mean he no longer suspected her? She thought.
"Is the Young Miss going out?"
"Then I'll prepare a car for you,"
"No need, I can use a taxi if that's okay,"
"The Young Master bought a brand new car specifically for the Young Miss, he insisted that the Young Miss should use it or I would get fired," Cecy couldn't help but sigh.
"Then, I guess it's okay,"
"I'll prepare the car then," he said with a smile.
"Thank you Mat," Cecy couldn't help but tell his retreating back.
"President, I found the guy who ran away with Barbara ," his assistant walked in after knocking on the door.
"Speak," Zacky said coldly.
"His name is Gary Williams he owns a startup company that has been doing really well lately. They have dated for more than a year now so when you sent a marriage proposal, they agreed to run away together,"
"What about his company?"
"It's an entertainment company so he is managing it from where he ran to,"
"She is an upcoming artist under his company,"
"I want you to suppress their company until they come back, how dare they treat me like this, I want them to kneel before me,"
"She is a Ph.D. student at M University and the only student under Professor Lane,"
"Impressive," he thought.
Zacky raised his hand releasing his Assistant. He stared at the shut door with mixed feelings.
"Hello," Zacky's phone rang after a while. His voice softened a bit as he spoke.
"Your grandmother is throwing tantrums again,"
"What does she want this time?" Zacky was normally a cold person but when it came to his grandmother, he was soft-heartened. It was also one of the reasons why he had gotten married. He didn't love Barbara Smith as they all thought he found her to be someone slightly simple and that was all he wanted.
She was also the only person he had gotten close to that's why he chose her.
Zacky was a workaholic and had no time for marriage so her grandmother knew that was the only way.
"She wants to see her granddaughter-in-law," her grandmother's caregiver said. She was more of a sister and had helped her grandmother raise him.
"I'll bring her to the mansion,"
"Okay, take care of yourself,"
After hanging up the call, he thought about her grandmother's illness, despite having many doctors, no one was able to tolerate her temper. She was a stubborn old woman.
"Have you noted everything down?" Professor Lane turned to Cecy.
"Cecy, lend us your notebook,"
"Yes, Cecy lend us," her fellow classmates said one after the other.
"Professor?" Cecy turned to him.
"Okay, but give me the full report tomorrow,"
Everyone in their department loved Cecy. She was attentive in class and after taking notes, she would lend them to her classmates. She was cold and distant but they didn't mind it.
"Cecy, someone is here to see you,"
"Who?" She asked turning to the door and immediately froze.
Cecy took short steps trying to buy as much time as possible but despite that, she finally reached him. Her heart was filled with fear and panic."Why...why are you here? How did you know that I would be here?" She asked nervously. That's it her cover had been blown. It was a silly question as Zacky would find out anything that he wanted to but she still asked it."Don't worry about it, I'm only here to pick up don't worry," Zacky said with a smile."Ooh, I'll go get my bag," she said heaving a sigh of relief. As long as he was not here to kill her or revenge for lying to him she was okay with everything.She picked up her bag and then walked toward him.Zacky led her to his car and this time, he was the one driving. She walked around intending to take the back seat but he was fast enough."This is where you should be seating," he opened the passenger seat."It's not appropriate, I'm fine here," Cecy said softly. But Zacky didn't look like he was going to bulge anytime soon. She had n
"Cecy, long time no see, I'm back." Cecy instantly froze in place."Aren't you happy to see me?" She said again. She stared at her sister still in shock."Wooah, not the welcome I was looking forward to but let's find a place and talk first," Barbara said."Let's go to the canteen, I could use a cup of coffee," Cecy suggested."Start speaking," Cecy said after they had both taken their seats."Where are your glasses?" She asked slightly puzzled. Barbara never knew her elder sister was as beautiful as she was which made her quite envious. She finally knew it was the hideous glasses that made her sister ugly."I'm using contact lenses now," Cecy replied softly as she sipped her coffee. Barbara felt that Cecy had become someone totally different. How long had she been away? If she wasn't wrong it was only a month. But the Cecy that was right before her wasn't the naive girl that she had left."Speak," Cecy said bluntly as she stared at her watch."You are going somewhere?""Yeah, I ha
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," Zacky spoke politely with a smile totally ignoring Barbara 's presence.Barbara couldn't help but feel abit confused and shocked at Zacky's attitude."Zacky, you are here," Barbara leapt forward excitedly towards Zacky.She had one thing in mind to show Cecy who the boss was. Deep down, Barbara knew Zacky loved her. She moved forward toward him trying to hug him but Zacky drastically moved aside leaving her to fall down in a loud thud."Whaaaaa...." Barbara was totally speechless. She looked up her face filled with embarrassment and with teary eyes."Zacky, I need to tell you something," she said softly after gathering a little bit of courage."Keep it to yourself," Zacky replied harshly before turning to Cecy."Mmh," Cecy replied. She turned to Barbara who was still on the floor pitifully and then uttered a silent goodbye before walking away."Nothing I can't handle,""We'll go see grandma first,""I want to pick a few ingredients for her, grandma
"She is trying to kill herself,""Let's go, I'll drive you,""What about the food? And grandma?""Don't worry about it, Aunt Lin is here she will take care of everything," after saying that, Zacky held her hand and then led her outside."Grandma, something came up we have to leave," before any response, Zacky and Cecy had already stomped out leaving Aunt Lin and the Old Lady dumbfounded."Where are they?" Zacky asked as he drove out of the compound."Just drive, I'll give you the directions,"As Zacky drove, he noticed Cecy's silence and he understood it all.Cecy had always treasured the bond she shared with her twin sister, Barbara . They had grown up inseparable, their lives intertwined in a web of shared secrets and unspoken understanding. However, their unbreakable connection was about to face its greatest challenge.Despite their difference, they were still sisters after all. It would be a lie if Cecy wasn't scared she felt very stressed up."I told you to run away from the marr
"Let me think about it first,""It's okay, whenever you are ready," Ethan had nothing more to say. Every scars and wounds required time to heal and he was happy that he married Cecy instead of Lara."Are you hungry?" he said as he drove."No, I'm fine don't worry,"The whole drive was silent. As soon as they arrived, Cecy went to her room.Ethan watched as she walked up in silence and felt a heartache. He picked up his phone and then called his assistant."President, what can I do for you?""Set up a meeting with Mrs Smith,""But President, you have alot of meetings tomorrow,""Cancel," after saying that he hung up the call,"The next morning, Ethan drove Cecy to the college and after that he walked into a cafe to meet up with Mrs. Smith."Ethan," Mrs Smith said excitedly. She was in high spirits after Ethan's assistant called her and asked to meet up. What she had in mind was that Ethan had changed his mind."It's President for you," Ethan replied with a cold and ruthless face.
"I will do the DNA test," Cecy said nervously. Ethan could feel the hesitation in her voice but he chose to ignore it. Instead, he stretched his hand towards her as an assurance."Don't worry, I'll be here you have me, grandma and Aunt Lin always know that,""Can you drop me off at home so that I can get samples,""Whatever that you want," Ethan felt happy with the decision that Cecy had taken. This step would bring her closer to her freedom.After an hour, Ethan parked in front of the house. Cecy got out first leaving Ethan behind. She walked to the door and then rang the bell. After moving in with Ethan Cecy stopped carrying her own key."What are you..." Before Mrs. Smith could finish yelling she was dumbfounded at the sight behind Cecy .It was none other than Ethan James."President James, you are also here I didn't know that you also came my bad, welcome in don't stand at the door. Cecy go get water," her mood instantly softened and it shocked Cecy ."Cecy , get som
"Hey, its okay I'm here," Ethan said as he parked his car. Despite Cecy saying that she was okay, Ethan knew it bothered her slightly after all she was still human.Cecy turned to him and then smiled slightly."I'll get going then," she opened the car door and then stepped out."I'll pick you up wait for me," he said. He watched as she walked away and then drove after she disappeared."Cecy , are you okay gosh I was so worried," Sandy heaved a sigh of relief when she spotted Cecy .Ever since she became friends with Cecy in kindergarten she knew more than her own parents. Cecy was the kind of person who knew how to hide her pain as she hated bothering others.In kindergarten when others cried for their parents Cecy had already learned how to use the bus or walk to school alone. She was naturally independent more independent than her own sister.Most of the times, Cecy attended her own meetings as her parents were too busy pampering Lara.As she stared at Cecy , Sandy co
"Miss, what did you have to say about your daughter? Miss Lara Smith, was what she said the truth? Miss, please answer us we want to know," one of the female journalists bugged Mrs. Smith with questions.Mrs. Smith had total confidence this was her only way one to back Lara up and also she had finally found a way of humiliating Cecy . She peeped slightly but didn't see Cecy around and knew it was her chance."Enough, I will answer all your questions before that let me introduce myself, my name is Caren Smith the biological mother of Cecy and Lara you all know Lara my daughter a superstar."While saying that, she couldn't help but speak with a lot of pride and happiness that everyone around noticed."I see you love Miss Lara a lot right?" One of the journalists asked unknown to Mrs. Smith that question was a trap.Mrs. Smith wasn't one from a wealthy family so she did not know how cruel and smart the journalists were."Ooh, yes I love her so much," she smiled happily."So what Mis
"Good morning love," Arianna woke up to Marcel peppering butterfly kisses on her jaw and nuzzled her neck, deeply inhaling her scent as if she was a drug that he was addicted to. Well, that was not entirely wrong. He was fucking addicted to her. "Morning," Arianna croaked, sleepy-eyed, and turned her back to him. They had done a lot of bonking last night and she was sore and tired as hell. Not that the move deterred him because she could feel his hands caressing her naked body beneath the sheet, stirring up a fire that should be extinguished already. Unfortunately, her body was a greedy bitch and a sucker for pain. One would have thought that after giving birth to three children, their sex life would have dwindled, but the reverse was the case. This was the reason they had to get away from the children and the base. Sex with Marcel was always loud, dirty, and rompy and they didn't want the children walking into something inappropriate. Moreover, just because they had children, did
Ten years later….. ___________"Mummy? Daddy?" Penelope walked into her parent's room only to realize that it was as dead as a graveyard. Her parents were nowhere to be seen and she went into a panic. Penelope was four years old and the third child to be born to Marcel and Arianna. It was obvious that the girl was conceived with love and named after Marcel's mother whom she bore a bit of resemblance as well. The young girl had Marcel's blonde hair and her late grandmother's blue eyes marking her different from her siblings who had the signature gray eyes of the Luciano family. With Penelope taking up the role of their last child - although that position was likely to change in the future - she was spoiled and treated like a princess and it was not surprising that she burst into tears when she was unable to find her parents. "Mummy," She climbed into the bed and began to cry at the top of her lungs knowing that somebody was going to find her anytime soon. Penelope was used to the a
For someone mad at Marcel for taking Aricel out for a visit in the middle of the night, she ended up spending more time there instead. By the time they decided to go home, it was already three o'clock in the morning and even their resilient daughter couldn't fight nature anymore and had fallen asleep. It happened that Adele ended up revealing the news of her pregnancy publicly instead and that sparked off a celebration. There was a lot of drinking and eating in between light conversations that by the time they were done, Arianna was a hundred percent sure that she was drunk. Marcel was the daddy of the year because he refused the alcohol knowing that he would have to drive a drunk wife and sleepy daughter instead, even though Luka was available to take up the role of a designated driver. ραпdα---nᴏνa| сom And yes, it had taken Marcel quite some time to get used to the fact that his best soldier and friend - he would not admit it - did not betray him, rather he stepped out of line i
He should have known. Marcel felt his phone ring earlier, but then, he had been so engulfed in the fun he was having with the children that he ignored it. Moreover, he had not expected Arianna home until the early hours of the morning, nor had it ever crossed his mind that she would ever come here. Even late at night, the children had a great burst of energy and didn't tire easily and who knew that the game would turn out to be more fun than he thought? Victor decided that they should play paintball and it was even stunning that he had the equipment in his booth as if he had seen this coming. Enlightening the kid on how to play the game was a bit taxing at first, but after about four trial games, they were good to go. The kids were smart and Marcel couldn't have been more proud of his daughter over the way she expertly dodged the Marker, paint-filled pellet. However, they were holding back on purpose because he, Elijah, and Victor were all expert shooters and this was supposed to
"I feel sick," Adele moaned over the toilet seat. "Shhh, it's okay," Arianna muttered, rubbing her back, "You're going to be fine and we are going to take you home right now." "No, I'll be -" She was about to protest when another wave of nausea hit her and she was retching into the toilet once more. Good thing no other person was coming in to use the restroom since this wasn't exactly a pretty sight. Adele was kneeling over the toilet while Arianna was behind her keeping her hair from getting in the way. The toilet cubicle was opened since it wasn't spacious enough for the both of them. "Mimi, could you stop staring at that strip and get the car ready? '' Arianna chided her with a glower. This was not a joke. Mimi in question was leaning against the sink and staring at the pregnancy strip as if it was a national treasure. While Adele had not denied the allegation of sleeping with her "husband" she was positive that she wasn't pregnant. It was too early nor did she have plans of
"Daddy! Daddy! carry me!" "Daddy! Me too!" "Daddy! Liam pinched me!" "Daddy! Look, I'm a dinosaur! Roar!!!"Such was the condition Marcel and Victor found Elijah in when they arrived at his place. The cousin had not come together, but somehow they met in the driveway and thus, came in at the same time only to see this disaster. "And I thought I had problems." Victor hinted at his son trying to wriggle out of his arms. "I second that," Marcel said, glancing down at his daughter Aricel who was trying to reach for her cousin Caleb, both of their hands touching but not exactly reaching. "No, Leo! Don't touch the vase!" Elijah was already reaching for the boy but the deed had already been done because the vase fell to the ground and shattered. At this point, Elijah stood helplessly staring at the twin who lifted his hand to his mouth and giggled shyly,"Daddy, sorry." "God, no," Elijah lifted his hand and rubbed his temple where he could feel a throbbing headache. He thought that h
Adele was so embarrassed by her breakdown that she didn't dare to look any of them in the eyes and she was extra grateful when the food arrived. Now, she had a reason to not look up, burying her face in her food instead. As if they understood her, Arianna and Mimi did not bother her and let her be. Perhaps, this was the reason she preferred their company rather than being completely alone - aside from the fact that both of them were the only people relatively close to the word "friends" in her life. They respected each other's boundaries - most times, she thinks - and didn't push their buttons. Also, Adele felt better, lighter, like this huge load in her chest had been taken off. Who knew talking was therapeutic? "So…." Mimi started up another conversation, which wasn't surprising. She must hate the silence or something. "What's Marcel's plans towards Aricel?" The question was obviously directed at Arianna. "What do you mean by that?" Arianna looked down, absent-mindedly rolling
Arianna, Mimi, and Adele finally decided on a simple restaurant that was just around the corner and didn't have to trek too far. Although the late-night air cleared their head just a little bit and in no time they were basking in the warmth the restaurant provided. Picking up the menu, they made their orders before relaxing for a conversation that wasn't going to end anytime soon. "So…" Mimi started, which honestly wasn't surprising. She was a natural at initiating conversations even with the most awkward company, "How is married life going for you?" The question was directed at Arianna and she blinked in surprise, pointing a hand to her chest, "You mean, me?" "Yes, you. Who else was I going to start with?" Mimi shrugged, looking between the both of them - she and Adele. Arianna said, "You practically know everything about me. I thought you were going to start with her, she's the most reclusive person in this group." Adele in question lifted the glass of water to her lips and to
The slap sent the man reeling as he saw stars in his vision. Unlike Mimi who had been taken aback by his action that reacted instinctively, Arianna's slap was well planned hence the reason she put a lot of her strength into it; she intended to hurt him "Who are you calling a bitch, your mother?!" She scolded him, stepping in line beside Mimi with her head lifted high. How dare that piece of shit lay a hand on her girlfriend? "Y-you!" The man raged, now holding the cheek where Arianna slapped him, "The both of you are dead!" He threatened her. "You have quite the confidence." Arianna scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. And oh, she finally saw why the man was confident because he did not come alone and about three of his minions stepped out confidently from the crowd. Just one night Arianna decided to be away from the stress of motherhood, and violence calls instead. At this point, those dancing on the floor abruptly halted their having sensed something violent was about to