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Lydia Gates
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Chapter 4
For Lydia Gates, marriage was bondage. To some women, it was a gateway to heaven but to her it was not something she wanted for herself, not even her worst enemy if she could help it. She had watched her parent's relationship deteriorate as a child, it had gone from bad to worse.Growing up in the care of her nannies, they told her stories. Stories of how loving their parents had been when they first got married, how inseparable they were, how strong the bond they shared had been.Lydia wanted none of that, and especially not with a man she barely knew. A rich white man would treat her like a piece of trash. Certainly not, she could get everything she wanted and she intended to. Without a man, and certainly not a white one.How her parents had managed to keep the family estate and the legacy going, she could not tell. It was probably the only thing her father still enjoyed doing- working. She had seen him work tirelessly over the years to ensure they maintain the position and status he had managed to attain as a black man in the white society.It was also one of the things she was grateful to him for, the legacy. But now she was informed it was all going to ruin if she did nothing to help, she was the first and 'only surviving' daughter as her father would say. She had to help keep the legacy her father managed to build going.And how was she supposed to do that? By getting married to a rich white Lord to form some sort of alliance! Of all things, marriage? Lydia fumed angrily.She stood up from her dressing table where she had been sitting and staring outside the windows and into the fields and started pacing about the room. If for just this once her father wanted her help and the only thing he needed was something she couldn't give, then she might as well be termed useless. But how was she going to throw her whole life away for something so worthless?She left the room now, a final attempt to talk to her mother might help, she could at least try to talk her husband out of this. As she approached her parent's room, Lydia heard voices- her parent's voices. It was her mother's voice first, sharp as steel."...You have to reconsider, Barry. You might be pushing her to her end" Her mother was saying."You are scared, Lauren. As always" Her father's voice joined"Lydia paused by the door, one hand on the handle and one ear on the door,"We can't afford to lose her, can't you see? England is a very far away place for her to go! And to what? A husband she has never met? You know how it is with the white society…""That is the problem. The white society, can't you see? I have built all of this, Lauren, from nothing, from scratch! That gap can be bridged and a very trivial way to bridge it is an alliance between two powerful families. An alliance between the Lincoln's and the Gates would bridge that gap you talk about.""You don't get it Barry, Lydia is our only surviving daughter. I can't afford to lose her too. I would rather give all of this up to have my blood with me, Barry. What if the Lincoln boy treats her like trash? What if she is not welcomed in their home and the society at large, what if…"Her father's voice cut her mother's short, it rose to meet hers too, "So many what ifs Lauren! But what if they live happily?""Like we did? We started off with love and look where we have gotten, how much more two different people with no sort of connection or possibility of a little spark between them!"There was a long pause, Lydia almost gave up on listening to more and was about turning the door knob when her father's voice came again. This time she had to strain her ears to hear them."You know what happened between us, Laur. The tragedy drifted us apart, I've tried timelessly to break this wall of ice between us but you wouldn't let me, how am I supposed to go on knowing that my wife…""You make it sound like it was my fault, Barry! It was all your fault, Barry! My maid, Barry. My damn maid!""Lauren…"She could not see them but Lydia knew her mother had raised one hand to silent her father, it was a habit. "I don't want to watch you destroy whatever is left of this family, Barry. You will not use my children as baits for your selfish interest, not anymore."They are my kids too." Her father's voice was calm now, almost like a subdued lion."And look what you are doing to them, Barry. Look what you are doing to our babies," She could tell her mother was close to tears, "First it was our daughter and then Lucky. And now you want to sell off the only one we have left, and for what?""Woman! Lucky married the woman because he wanted to, and now you have grandkids, thanks to that union. I had no hand in what happened to our daughter, Lauren. Yes, I made a mistake, but I've never stopped telling you how sorry I was, I've tried, Lauren. What else do you want me to do?""Stop selling off our children for some stupid alliance! They are not a piece of paper you can sign off as a seal to an agreement.""I'm doing this for them and you know it. Can you just not let go of this grief for once Lauren? For once please, see reason with me? This is what I want for us, you know how we got here, if we don't remain here we will…"Lydia could not take it any longer. She had heard enough, she opened the door now, "And what about what I want, papa? Doesn't it matter to you at all?""Lydia…""My baby," Her mother rushed to her and took her hand in hers."Papa, what about what I really want?""Lydia, I'm doing this for you""No you are not! And what is this you keep talking about me being the only surviving daughter? Did I have a sister, what happened to my sister?""Lydia… you have been eavesdropping""Yes mama! And I've heard the maids talking, what happened to my sister?""Prepare your things, you are getting married to Lord Lincoln's son soon. You are still too young to know what is best for you"With that, her father picked his coat and left the room. Lydia turned to her mother who was sobbing now, she sighed tiredly and rested her back on the nearby wall."I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry. I've failed you again""Don't be sorry, mother. I've made up my mind, I'll not be here for whatever wedding your husband has in mind"She covered the distance between them, "What are you talking about?""I'm leaving, mother. I'll leave."Lydia did not wait to hear what her mother would say, she hoped the woman would remember this last conversation later, for she had no time for regrets.
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Chapter 100Nancy was too scared to breath, her breath was hitching and she was sobbing loudly as they ran through the hall. Derek was beginning to fear for her, but he knew better than to try to stop her from joining them on the search.When they found Scarlett, there was no question as to whether she had a hand in what was happening, the woman was beyond shaken and too scared to even get out any sensible word."What have you done with my child!" Nancy yelled in despair as she grabbed Some by her dress."Nothing! I didn't do anything!"Derek was beyond angry, in his present mood, he knew that he would kill her if he got his hand on her, which was why he maintained his distance and waited for her to say something sensible. "Where is my child, Scarlett?" He asked coldly. "I don't have her!" Scarlett began, hoping that her pity game would work, "Derek, why would you believe I would want anything evil to happen to you?" She tried to go close to him but Nancy dragged her back and gave h
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Chapter 99When Scarlett saw Phil being dragged into the house by Derek's men a few minutes after she saw the other man in bounds too, she became alarmed. But that was not the end of her troubles, following closely behind them was a woman who looked too much like Nancy, if she had not seen Nancy leave the room with Derek a few minutes ago, and of she didn't know that the woman had put to bed just yesterday, she would have thought that this woman was really Nancy because the resemblance was uncanny.Scarlett was too scared for herself because Phil did not look like he could withstand pressure. The foolish man had taken too long to finish the task she had sent him to complete, and had nearly lost his own head in the course of it. And now he was being taken by the very same people he was supposed to be running from, Scarlett knew Derek too well, he would not hesitate to kill Phil, or even her if she found out that she had masterminded this whole thing. As she waited behind the shadows f
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Chapter 98Nancy stood rooted to the spot, her mouth agape and her eyes widened, she was too shocked to speak, and too stunned to even move. But it appeared she was not the only one who was momentarily paralyzed by the shock in the room, Derek was equally transfixed to the spot, he could definitely not believe his eyes. Lydia on the other hand had to see and feel things for herself, she had heard the stories and witnessed a few horrors herself, but when she set out on this journey to return to her parents and to see the imposter pretending to be her, it had been because she probably just wanted to help her parents even though they did not deserve it. And she had come with the mind to let them know her disappointment in them for their inability to tell her apart from someone else.But now, seeing this person for herself, it was like looking at her own reflection through the mirror. She reached out and touched the person in front of her, she herself appeared shocked and stepped back in
When Dreams Are Made Proof?
Chapter 97Derek received Harvey's news with mixed feelings of happiness for his friend and misery at his own misfortune. Harvey had returned to his own house where his new family awaited him after congratulating Derek on the arrival of his daughter and soliciting for Rosey's freedom, which Derek had no trouble giving. His father had come the previous evening too, to see his new granddaughter after his mother sent him the news. Barry Gates, his supposed in-law was present and they were all celebrating the arrival of the child down with the rest of the house. But Derek was far from happy, his last conversation with Nancy left him with a mixed feeling of guilt and emptiness, an emptiness that felt all too familiar yet repelling.He didn't want to spend the rest of his days like that, no. This was the second time he admitted to himself that he loved a woman, and yet again, he could not have her, because of that little bridge between them. He had lost her before, and now that it seemed li
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Chapter 96Nancy was led into the room, the same room she once shared with Derek. She recalled what Mitch and Rosey had told her, how he had ordered everything that would remind him of her to be burnt and yet here she was again. She was angry at herself for having let him bring her here, but then at the time, the thought had given her so much joy. When she entered the room, the first thing that caught her eye was the large portrait on the wall, Lydia's portrait. She was first filled with mixed feelings, but then her anger grew. How dare he leave the portrait there? Was it to mock her? Or to make her think there was still a place for her here? She shook her head and slowly walked to the bed but she stopped short at the sight that met her eyes. Derek was sitting on a chair beside the bed, holding the baby and playing with her little fingers. He looked up and was surprised to see her walk in, but Nancy did not notice. She saw only the way he held her baby lovingly and how happy he was. H
When Dreams Are Made So Much To Live For
Chapter 95For the first hours after the baby's birth, every time she opened her eyes, she was filled with fear, and she could not dispel her feelings of apprehension until she assured herself her baby was all right. Lauren had told her that her child was safe and being fed at the moment, because according to her, the baby was too weak to wait for her own milk. Nancy asked if Derek had been allowed near her child, and she was told of how he had been of great help during the birthing, but she could not bring herself to believe it. She recovered slowly from the birthing, and all the pains were forgotten the moment Lucille brought her baby, wrapped in warm sheets and now dressed in sweet little clothes for her to hold for the first time. It was a grievous disappointment to Nancy that most of the child's features had been gotten from Derek, and very little from her, but Lauren told her that all that might go away as the baby grew. She wanted so much to give her baby the nourishment she
When Dreams Are Made To Derek, Shall We?
Chapter 94Roberts had exhausted every ounce of his strength on this wild goose chase, but the man he was going after was having a field day running through the steep path. He considered swinging his knife into the horse's back like he had seen Derek do several times in the field, but he decided against it, the animal did not deserve such barbaric treatment, and he was certainly not a heartless man. Luck smiled on him when he saw the black horse on which his target was riding stop and let out a sudden deafening neigh, the animal went ballistic, raising to legs in the air and then he launched forward and flung the man on his back off. The hooded man came flying off the horse with a thud that surprised even Roberts. His first impulse was to circle the man, who was now totally at his mercy with his own horse, then he drew his sword and slashed, first at the area above the man's knees and then his hand, this was to stop him from drawing his own sword or making any attempt to run. "You a
