Seated outside under the stars adorned sky, Mr. Johnson watched Tommy play with the toys he got from the playroom. His lips curving up in delight, he nodded to himself. Without a doubt Tommy was his grate grandson. The little boy was fond of toy cars just like Mark was when he was his age. And when the time comes, he will take over from his dad. "Careful my boy." Mr Johnson smiled cautioning Tommy when he got up abruptly as Spark ran to him. The dog was fond of Mark, always staying by his feet but with Tommy around it went to him, surprising the old man. It ran around with Tommy and brought him a ball to play catch until they got tired and went to his mother. As Melissa carried Tommy on her lap to rest his eye's, the dog rested at her feet. Comfortably closing its eyes. Seeing how intimate Spark was with the mother and son, surprised the old man more. The dog had warmed up to her, yet he only went to the people familiar to him. "Is he asleep? Let me help you." Standing protecti
"How was the visit, honey?" Betty walked into Tommy's room to find Melissa tucking Tommy in bed. "His grandfather was pleasant, he was more concerned with Tommy though but his ex-fiancee was there too." She sat on the bed and took off her heels as she massaged her feet. "I'm glad it went well. What was the lady doing there? Did she know Mark was taking you to meet his grandfather?" "I don't know aunt and honestly I don't know if I can do this anymore. He wants us to get married but watching him with Sasha I don't feel comfortable about it." She said with a sigh. "Why, what did he do?" "Nothing, that's the problem. She was there and he didn't even question it. To top it all he had to drive her home. Maybe he wants this marriage so he can spite his grandfather. To him it's another arranged marriage, the only difference is he got a bride for himself." "I don't think so, maybe he was being polite. Before making any conclusion talk to him, and tell him how you feel. Good nig
"Are you going to answer that?" Nancy found Melissa staring at her ringing phone when she got to the office. "It's no one important." Melissa sat up putting the phone back in her bag. "If you say so, but that person is rather persistent. That phone has been ringing severally, you should answer if you don't want that person to form a search party to for you." Nancy stated eyeing her bag as the phone rang again. "It's no one." Melissa insisted putting the phone on silent. "Back to business. A client is remodeling their house and they asked for you, to be their designer." Nancy stated handing her a folder with the clientele's information. "Why would they ask for me, I thought you and Jenifer were handling this?" She asked skimming through the documents. "We were but not anymore, they specifically asked for you. The meeting is in half an hour, but no worries the company van will take you to the meeting place. Everything you need to know about the client is in the folder, go brak
Noticing the lady in Mark's arms, Melissa took a step back. Sasha was wearing a short cringing dress and heels that made her stand face to face with him. "Oh! Sorry sir. I didn't know you have company. Ms. White is here, should I take her to the waiting room?" Hearing the secretary's words, Mark pushed Sasha away making her stagger before regaining her balance. "No, she is on her way out. Come in Melissa." When Mark dismissed her, Sasha looked at the secretary sternly eyes narrower with a frown on her face. Seeing them together, Melissa held her bag tightly with both hands to stop herself from running out of the office. 'You're just his employee, not his lover so don't act jealous Melissa.' She said in her heart several times before walking into the office. "Mark!" Turning his back on Sasha he looked at Melissa. He was trying to get rid of Sasha when they walked in, now he was anxious she might misinterpret and turn him down. Sasha adjusted her dress, turned around looke
"You can't drink anymore Ms Sasha." She held the bottle tight slapping her bodyguard's hand away when he tried to take it. "I can drink as much as I want, get out of my face or I'll have you fired." She waved her phone, gulping down the bear not caring how it left a burning sensation down her throat. She was not used to taking bear but at the moment she needed something to numb her feelings. Seating in a casino bar with her bodyguard standing beside her, she drank herself to oblivion just to forget the events of the day. For the first time, she had offered herself to a man only to be rejected and humiliated publicly. He had chosen a beggar's daughter over her. Her family had put so much trust in their union, but now she was not able to secure it which was disheartening. Since the day her grandfather told her about the planned marriage, she has been trying to catch Mark's attention never succeeding but after a few weeks with the low-life Melissa, he starts setting up romantic d
The morning sun's rays warmed Melissa's face, waking her up. As she opened her eyes, she hoped to find the familiar face watching her. Lying on the bed next to her. Anxious, she scanned the room but realized he had not come. Mark always woke her up whenever they slept in Tommy's room. Teasing her every time but not today. She got up feeling disappointed. Changed into a two piece bikini from the closet and went to the beach. When the sun got too hot, she went back to the house. Noticing that Mark was not up yet, she went to the kitchen and made some egg sandwiches for breakfast. Curious as to why he was not up, she reluctantly went to the room to check on him. She persistently knocked at the door but got no response. With a heavy sigh, she leaned her forehead on the door wondering where he had disappeared to. "Morning sunshine." He whispered in her ear, making her jump. "Aah!" Melissa screamed, placing her hand on her chest. "You startled me. I thought you were in the room s
"Mum, daddy!" As they stepped out of the car, Tommy ran over from the house to receive them. "Tommy, Tommy I told you not to run to the car like that." Out of breath, Jane came after him shouting. "Sorry Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Johnson." "It's okay Jane." Melissa smiled at her then at the little boy before them. "Tommy you have to be more careful and listen to Jane always." Melissa scolded him. "Sorry, mum. I missed you and daddy." Gazing up at them, his eyes turned red as his mouth quivered. "It's okay son, we missed you so much too." Mark raffled his hair. "I got you lots of toys to play with. Do you want to see them?" Coaxing him, he carried him into the house. "Where's everyone?" Walking into the empty quiet house, Melissa inquired. "For the first time, Mary is not at the door to receive me." "That's because they are preparing a surprise for you and mum." Tommy squeaked getting down from his father's arms and ran to the backyard. "They are in the garden." Jane smiled directi
Melissa slipped the ring into her necklace hiding it under her shirt as she walked into the office. Mark had left the room sometime in the night. Hoping to see him in the morning, she got up early but he was not in the house and he had not called. Saying hello to her officemate, she sat on her desk chair checking the pending work she had. Opening her drawer she got a red rose flower and a heart shaped card. 'Morning sunshine, only you can make me smile through this boring meeting.' Sniffing the card, she smelled the familiar cologne bringing a smile to her face. Though the card had no name on it, Melissa knew who had placed it there. She missed him as much. Biting her lower lip, she glanced at the two ladies but no one paid much attention to her. 'Must have sent someone to deliver the card.' She thought but neither of them seemed to have any idea. "Got the card." When she messaged to thank him for the card he declined to share how he got the card to her office. "Girls, I
At Edward's mansion, the whole family sat together for the first time since the explosion. The blast that claimed three of Mr Edward's employees. Mr Edward accompanied by David made a press briefing assuring the country that his family was safe and the explosion was caused by a gas leak. Now with the renovations complete, the mansion stood greater than it was before. Mr Edward, Ms Lucy, and Mr Johnson sat in the garden talking mostly about their childhood and how their lives had changed since they fell apart. Thanks to Diana's confession, they now knew her grandfather was the one who planted the gold jewellery in Edward's jacket, sending him to prison. Moses' father was an employee at Johnson's farm but got fired when his drinking and negligence caused the farm a handful of cattle. When Edward's father replaced him, Moses father committed suicide, and since then, Moses blamed Edward for his ruined childhood. When Edward started the organization, Moses' empire collapsed. He
“Richard, you’ve come." Cassandra rushed from the first floor carrying a doll in her hand and a lady dressed in white running after her. "Aunt Cassandra!" Mark stared at her as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Cassandra!" Her sister peeled her from Mark. “You see, I told you Richard will come for me and our baby." She smiled, holding onto Mark’s arm, stopping him from leaving. “Yes Cassandra, let him have some rest first." Sasha’s mother took Cassandra’s hand forcing her to let go of Mark. “So sorry for that." Sasha’s mother apologized holding Cassandra back. “They diagnosed her with dementia. Most of the time she makes things up and confuses people." She explained to Mark who froze staring at Cassandra. After learning of Cassandra's evil scheme that kept his family apart, Richard sent her away. They didn't have her imprisoned but Richard declined all communication with her. “Oh! I'm so sorry." Mark took a step back when she tried to hold his arm again. Staring at what
At the states, Sasha sat opposite her mother and grandfather, biting her fingernails. She couldn’t dare look her grandfather in the eyes. “Please forgive me. I never meant for all this to happen. Mum!” When her mother overheard her phone conversation with Diana, she forced her to confess to her involvement in Melissa’s kidnapping. “I can’t believe you are capable of this Sasha. Do you see how your obsession with Mark has hurt people?” Her mother asked with tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry!” She sniffed trying to hold her mother’s hand. “This is my fault. I pushed my daughter and granddaughter too hard. I turned them into heartless monsters. Being a Johnson was my dream and now my children suffer because of my greed.” Sasha’s grandfather said ashamed of what he had made them do. “No father, you only did it thinking of their well being. Don’t blame yourself father, they chose to force what was not working.” His eldest daughter tried to console him. “But I put the idea in them. How
"They are moving, I have to get to Melissa." Mark glanced at the tracker in his hand. "We are almost there." Robert fastened his seat belt. "Once they pass the bridge it will be too late. Call Andrew and the police chief, they have to close the road." Mark instructed him. "I can't lose you again Melissa." He said to himself looking at the wedding ring on his left hand clutching the steering wheel. "Careful bro. We can't save her if we are dead." Seated beside Mark, Robert cautioned as he accelerated the speed. "We are running out of time, Robert. I promised to protect her." "And you will get her back." On the other side, David and his security team raided the house. They shot dead most of Diana's men, injuring several of them. "Where did they take my sister?" He beat up one of the guards but no matter how hard he hit him, he didn't say a thing. "Stop, you're going to kill him." The lady who helped Melissa shouted. "These people know nothing, even if you kill them they won
"Ma'am, we have a problem." One of Diana's men got into the office out of breath. "Our men on the perimeter just informed me, there are several vehicles with armed men ending this way." "What? Are they police?" Diana asked as she gathered her things, stuffing them in a travel bag. "No, they look like the men from Edward's security." He explained. "Damn it. How did they find us?" She ran a hand through her hair. "What do we do now ma'am?" "Get my car ready. We have to get to the plane." She ordered walking out. "You think you can outsmart me?" Diana banged the door open and woke Melissa up. "What happened? Ouch, you're hurting me.""Get up." Diana pulled Melissa up by the hair then frisked her body for a phone. "You brought them here." "What's going on? I have nothing on me, Diana." Melissa cried out as Diana pulled her hair. "What is this?" Diana asked, looking at the tiny red light on Melissa's necklace. "What?" "F*ck, this led them straight to us." Diana plucked off the n
Two days earlier. In Mr Edward’s office, Mark almost went mad calling everyone on his contact list. As he looked for ways to get Melissa back, David and Mr Edward organized a search team with the police and his security team when Luke Edward barged in. "You have to get out." "Luke!" Mr Edward roared as the door bust open. “There is a bomb in the office dad. We have to leave now.” The three men stared at him as he checked the bookshelf and the cabinets.Trying to get information on the new gang in town, Luke sent one of his trusted men to investigate. The man was later captured and tortured. While locked up, he overheard the plan to bomb Edward's mansion and as they took him out to finish him off, he escaped. Then went straight to Luke's office. When Luke got the information, he instructed his men to take him to their private doctor as he ran to the mansion. Though he never saw eye to eye with his father on most things, he still loved him and was willing to risk his life for h
When Melissa opened her eyes, she glanced from the blue bed sheets to the gray painting on the wall. With her hands and feet tied, she looked around the unfamiliar room. A few minutes later, the door opened inviting in a young lady carrying food and water on a tray, followed closely by one of Diana’s armed men. “Take some medicine for your head.” The lady instructed, handing her the glass of water and a white pill. “Please untie my hands.” Melissa requested which the man obliged to. Then cuffed her left hand on the bed. “Make sure you eat. I’ll come for the plate later.” The lady instructed, after making sure she had swallowed the pill. “Where is Diana? I want to see her. I demand to know if anyone survived the explosion. Hey, where is Diana?” She asked, but no one talked back to her. They left the room, locking the door. Curled on the bed, Melissa stared at the food for a while. Watching the explosion felt like her world had ended. She didn’t want to imagine life without Mar
Driving from Edward’s mansion with her brother, Melissa got a message from Sasha. She asked to meet at a hotel a few miles out of town for some interior deco inputs on an office she was opening in the States where she planned to relocate to. “I’m afraid I can’t come with you to the company. Sasha wants us to meet for lunch. She needs my help with something.” She informed David after reading the message. “Are you sure it’s okay to meet with her alone? I can take you there.” David said, feeling restless about the meeting. “She is not that bad of a person when you get to know her and I have to be friendly with her for Mark. The two families are very close. Whether I like it or not, she will always be around whenever we go for any of Johnson’s family functions.” She said, trying to ease his worries. “The driver will take you. Be very careful. If you suspect anything, get out and make sure to call me once your meeting is done.” He instructed, still feeling reluctant to let her go a
Seated in the office at the steels company, Melissa smiled remembering the wonderful places they visited over the weekend. The family of three took road trips most of the free weekend's, which was both exciting and educational for Tommy as they visited different parts of the world. Mark was extremely affectionate, always pampering her and providing everything they needed more than they asked for. Which often reminded her of her father. The man who worked hard to provide for his little girl. After the ceremony they had moved into the Johnson's mansion but since his mother was back at the farm and her aunt had moved to live with the Edward's as she prepared to move to her husband's home, they went back to the villa house. After years of mourning, Betty reunited with her son and husband. Cassandra didn't accept Richard going back to Betty. In a fit of range she attacked Betty and threatened to slits her throat if she didn't turn down Richard, luckily Richard and the family interve