《Not your typical baby mama》


 Chapter 1 The Set-Up

    She was on the run trying to throw off her pursuers. Just as she was about to catch a cab, she was abducted. It all happened too fast that she did not see who had stuffed a handkerchief of chloroform in her face. And the world turned ck.


    When she came to, she found herself lying in an unfamiliar bed wearing nothing but a satin robe andce lingerie. She was ufortable and heated up. This told her one thing, she was drugged by some sort of aphrodisiac. The sound of the door opening forced her to seat up. She had her own problems to deal with and thest thing she wanted was to be sacrificed to some smelly fat old man.


    "Hey!" the sound of a man resounded when the sound of a lock followed. It was the most attractive sound she had ever heard apanied by his groan. When she looked over, he held his head and shook it; seeming muddleheaded. Upon hearing her movement, he drove his attention to her.


    His figure stood well over 6 ft. Full thick brows, straight nose, thin pink lips, sharp jawline, and dark brown hair that was trimmed on the sides but was long and thicker on top. The ck suit he wore fitted his muscr frame; his tie loose yet giving a messy but hot vibe. He was unworldly. Yeah, he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. No, he was a god.


    He stood still, seeming mesmerized by her appearance, Amy found herself thrown in a trance by his beauty. It could be the drugs, but she found herself unable to resist such a fine specimen. It could be the pheromones. But she moved towards him, she was a staggering mess, but she moved on under his watch.


    She didn''t realize when her robe became loose as she found herself tripping on it. He was quick to catch her before she hit the floor. And that was it. She pressed her lips to his and locked her hands behind his neck. She had never kissed anyone in the 23 years of her life. Despite the amateurish kiss, he responded and took the lead molding her mouth with his. He lifted her into his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist.


    The temperature was quickly rising between the two. In the middle of the heated kiss, a thought came to her. She reluctantly broke the kiss and whispered something in his ear. He understood and quickly connected their lips again before he moved them out of the room, to the bathroom.


    With a kick, he shut the door and gently let her onto her feet. Lust was evident in their eyes. The drugs were working at their best. The two kissed again. Amy could not wait any longer. Her body was burning. With a little impatience, she helped him out of his clothes only to leave him in his briefs.<sub> </sub>


    He helped her out of the robe and lingerie. Standing naked in front of him, she was not the least bit embarrassed thanks to the drugs. He removed his briefs and exposed his glory. He was hairless, with well defined muscles and when she looked down at his girth? If she was clear headed, she would be scared because of the size but now, she could only lust over it a bit more. She licked her lips subconsciously.


    She didn''t realize how mesmerized he was by her beauty. She stood at least at 5 ft 7/8, brown hair falling atop her shoulders, her clear blue eyes were a mesmerizing sightplimenting her perk nose and plump pink lips. Her breasts were full with dark pink erect ares, hips round, and legs beautifully straight; she was thick in all the right ces. And just like he, she was hairless and smooth.


    When he saw her lusting over him, he could not wait any longer. He needed to be inside her. Took her in his arms and went into the shower. The kissing session resumed. As her legs were wrapped around his hips, he pressed her against the wall to stabilize her before he started rubbing his tip against her entrance. They both moaned at the pleasure.


    With a grunt, he invaded her cave and buried himself deep. When he heard her whimper and tense, he didn''t move and only kissed her while letting her adjust to his size. Only when she finally rxed did he start to move slowly, in and out but not all the way. She was still whimpering which made him want to be a lot more gentle.


    Soon, her whimpers turned into moans. She started responding to him more eagerly and he drove his rod deep into her. The sound of their moans and their skin pping drowned the sound of the shower. He thrust in faster and deeper; enjoying how tightly her cave embraced his length giving them both nothing but pleasure.


    They had stopped kissing at some point as all they did was moan and groan. She felt the pressure build up. She scratched his back unsure of what the new sensation was yet he showed no sign of stopping. He only rammed even harder and faster until she finally had her release with a loud cry. But no, the man was nowhere near done with her. And she was notining.


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 2 Curiosity

    Silence. Nobody spoke a word. She lost count to how many times they made love in that shower. Her muscles ached from the different positions this man had bent her and taken her. Now they were both in the huge white tub sitting on each end, facing each other, the clear warm water rxing their aching muscles but doing little to hide their privates.


    She could feel his scorching gaze on her erect mounds that rose and fell as she caught her breath from the intense love making. Although he had seen and done everything, she could not help the little embarrassment.


    "Seems like we were both drugged", he finally broke the silence. Even with the drugs gone from their system, his deep voice was unmistakably attractive. The type of voice that could make you drop your panties but, her panties were already gone.


    She chuckled at the thought. He looked at her in amusement. Even after spending such a steamy night, she was not making moves on him. Other girls would beg him to be their boyfriend right away if they could have this experience with him yet she sat there, unbothered. And he could tell she was not pretending. Who is she? His curiosity was piqued. Who on Earth had he just spent his night with?


    "What''s your name?" He asked. Her surprise was evident on her features. He thought she looked cute. The corners of his lips lifted a little.


    "Amy."


    "Amy." He tasted it.


    She didn''t tell him her surname. Maybe she didn''t want him to know which family she belonged to. Her smooth milky skin and well groomed and maintained body and mannerisms could not possibly belong to any Jill and jack, at least that''s what he thought. Besides, they drugged a man of his caliber. Her identity must be special too, he thought.


    She loved how it rolled off his tongue. She bit her lip and also thought to ask for his.


    "Zachery or Zach", he responded.


    "Zachery."


    He smiled when she said his name. He hated it when people used his full name but when she said it, it was music to his ears. But how did such a beautiful creature end up in this situation? It could have been any man. Ill feelings bloomed when he thought of the possibility of another man taking her like he had done under the influence. The fact that she gave him her first time made him unwilling to entertain such a thought. Before he realized, he had grown possessive of this woman.<sub> </sub>


    "What happened to you?" He asked. He did not recall seeing her at the party downstairs.


    Amy shifted when she heard his sudden question. She started ying with the water gently. The action drew his attention to her elegant long fingers while she remembered how she got into this mess.


    "I was abducted. It all happened so fast. Somehow, they knocked me out and the next thing I know, I wake up here and very drugged."


    He nodded in silence. She did not see how he clenched his fist was under water. She avoided at all cost to peak down below. She flushed at the recent memories of having him inside her. Oh! She wanted him again. But the drug effect had worn off so she had no excuse to have him drill her again even though her muscles were screaming in protest.


    I should stop thinking about this.


    "What happened to you?" She tried to distract her thoughts.


    His brows furrowed in displeasure. "There was a party downstairs. Someone was lucky enough to drug me and the effects were working quickly. So I secretly booked myself a room to spend the night and possibly avoid falling into their trap but they were one step ahead of me. They pushed me into here when I could hardly walk and", he shrugged.


    Silence fell. They were both angry with their situation. Zach, who always loved to be in control hated how he had been yed while Amy felt angry and wronged because she could have been out of the city by then. Both their expressions had turned cold.


    Then, he suddenly realized something and smiled. Amy was very smart even in her muddleheaded state, she had seen through their enemy''s n. Earlier, when they started kissing in the room. She whispered to him ''Bathroom. I''m sure there are cameras in here.'' He remembered how ticklish her lips felt against his ear then. And that was it for him.


    "I''ll erase this, tomorrow", she spoke again. Her tone was casual, but he could tell she was dead serious. There was something hot about the way she looked when she made such a deration; besides the fact that she was naked. But the way she made such a promise. His curiosity was piqued. Who exactly was this woman? His eyes hungrily roamed down her body that had his bite marks. Yes, he did that.


    Amy caught the changes in his demeanor. Even without the drugs'' effect, she knew what that look meant. When she looked down, his monster was already in attention and ready for her. Oh! Boy!

 Chapter 3 Returning The Favor 1

    Zach stirred awake in the huge bathtub. He felt fuzzy but not too warm. When he looked down, he was covered in fluffly white bathrobe. The sun was ring through the window; he could tell it was close to lunch hour or slightly after. But being alone in the tub made him feel like the night before was just a dream. He sat up and a rolled towel fell from behind him.


    He could not help the small smile. Amy must have put that behind his head so he could befortable while he was sleeping. He discarded the robe and picked up his clothes to dress up. His brows slightly rose when he realized his shirt was gone. He dressed up and subconsciously checked his wallet. Everything was in there. He looked around and everything was clear.


    He went out and did a clean sweep of the room. Nothing. No note or cameras. He did a double take and still came up with nothing. Displeasure started to bubble up within him. This is another thing that was out of his control. She was gone. And so he exited the room.


    Women who saw him walk in the hotel''s lobby practically drooled over him. His smooth chiseled chest was left exposed by his unbuttoned suit jacket. His cold and aloof countenance demonstrated how he was unbothered by such trivial things. As handsome as the man was, only those who took note of his facial expression noticed how angry he was.


    He walked over at the receptionist and propped an elbow. His cold aura sent shivers down the little receptionist''s back. "I''d like to know who booked the suite room 306", he did not bother to beat around the bush.


    "I''m afraid that''s against hotel policy", she managed to say.


    "Of course."


    He rapped his fingers impatiently on the counter almost startling the receptionist before walking away while scowling. He vowed to get to the bottom of things. His driver spotted him at the entrance and jogged over to let him in. As he settled in the back while the car drove off, he checked his phone. There were countless missed calls on his phone from home, his brother and of course, his mother. He ignored all and dialed his assistant.


    "I want the IT security team on standby in twenty minutes", he growled before hanging up.


    When he got home, the butler and maids were startled to see their master''s disheveled appearance but he had no time for that. He rushed to his room to change clothes.<sub> </sub>


    "Sir, we called because your mother was looking for you", his butler rushed to him. He was afraid his master would disappear once more before conveying his message.


    "Later", was all Zach said to him as he rushed out the door.


    "Sir, your lunch", he tried to say.


    He had been worried after not seeing his master from the previous night and till the present day in the afternoon. However, his master gave him a look that said he had more pressing matters than lunch. The scary look alone was enough to m his mouth shut as he watched his master jog towards the car that was held open by one of his bodyguards.


    Zach finally arrived at thepany. His employees stared at him in shock obviously amazed by the casual ensemble their chairman had on and the bodyguards that surrounded him seeming to be on alert. What was even more shocking was the scary expression he had on. Most of them wondered who had made their boss so angry and secretly wished they were not in that person''s shoes.


    He disappeared in his private lift and soon was headed to the security room. A handsome man seemingly a few years younger than Zach rushed towards him upon recognizing him. They had the same facial features except he had blonde hair while Zach had ck hair. It was his brother Xavier. He picked up his pace to reach Zach''s side.


    "Where have you been? I''ve been trying to call yo-", he stopped speaking when he finally saw his brother''s expression after catching up with him. He gave him a once over and a frown immediately settled on his face.


    "What happened to you?" he said with seriousness.


    "Later", he answered with the same seriousness. When they had reached the security room, different men and women were working on their tasks whilst seeming to await their boss. His assistant, George Stewart, rushed to his side. He was a tall and lean man who seemed to be a few years younger than him.


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 4 Returning The Favor 2

    <o>,m Although there were people with their workstations with theirputers, there was a huge LED-TV screen made up of at least 50 monitors to disy whatever information they dug up. This made it easy for anyone supervising on their work.</o>


    "Sir, they are all ready for you", George pushed up his round eye sses up the bridge of his nose.


    "Hack into the CCTV of Star hotel and search for footage from around four pm till today around 12."


    "On it", two people answered in unison.


    "I need someone to dig up on information as to who booked the suite room 306. Dig up every dirt on them and everyone rted to them."


    "On it!" someone else shouted.


    Uneasiness settled on Xavier''s face. Something must have happened to his brother to cause his absence from morning till present. He had no clue what but he knew that it was terrible. As curious as he was, he could only wait until his brother told him. The room echoed with the sound of furious typing.


    Zach''s eyes roamed on the screen and he spotted a familiar face walking in the proximity. "Zoom in on camera 6A."


    "Yes sir", someone answered and soon the footage filled the screen. His hand fell on the leather chair before him. Something unpleasant twisted in his heart upon recognizing the face. Something caught his attention. Someone was carrying her bridal style and she seemed to be unconscious.


    The person talked to the receptionist before he was given keys to a room. His grip on the leather chair tightened almost causing his knuckles to turn white. The audacity! He never doubted her innocence but what made him angry was their audacity to abduct an innocent woman for their selfish gain.


    "I want information on that man carrying the woman! Everything!" he growled.


    "On it!" someone answered. Soon as the information was found, it was printed out to be given to his secretary who would then hand it to him. However, he had no time to read through the information as his eyes were focused on the screen. Something else caught his attention. The time stamp was one from this morning.


    "Zoom in on camera 6B."


    The previous footage was taken down and the new one filled up the screen. His heart seemed to skip a beat when he saw her. He was not wrong, she was very beautiful. He could vividly remember her clear blue eyes, perk nose and full plump pink lips. He needed to find her.


    She was careful as she walked around. She picked up a hat that rested on one carriage cart and threw it on her head. It seemed to match with her outfit. Her outfit; his ck shirt was thrown on top of the pick satin robe while the sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. The ck hat matched her ck boots.


    "Sexy", he muttered under his breath while he took in her outfit. Xavier''s jaw almost dropped to the floor upon hearing his brother''sment. He was about to say something when Zach barked another order.


    "I want all the information on her."


    "Yes sir."


    By this time, the figure belonging to Amy had disappeared out of the hotel''s doors. "Uh, sir. The only information found is her name, age and the university she graduated from. I''m locked out of any other information. This is all we are allowed ess to."<sub> </sub>


    Zach''s brows furrowed as he read mentally at the information disyed on the screen. Amy Harper, age 23 and graduated from NYU.


    "You really can''t find anything else?" his tone indicated displeasure.


    "Sir, I really-" his sentence was suddenly interrupted by beeping sounds from theputers. A warning sign shed on their screens. People typed furiously and yet the beeping sound continued while the sign stubbornly stuck out like a sore thumb.


    "What''s going on?" George asked before everyone else.


    "I''m failing to ess myputer!" someone shouted.


    "I''m trying everything but myputer won''t respond!" someone else shouted.


    Chaos fell upon the security room. Suddenly the screen seemed to freeze. "We''re being hacked!" someone shouted whilst still typing.


    "Block them out!" George shouted. However, in a few seconds, the screen went dark. It was as though someone forcefully shut down theputers.


    "What happened?" Xavier and Zach asked at the same time. Before anyone could answer, a string of letters appeared on the screen as though someone was typing directly.


    ZACHERY,


    THIS IS MY WAY TO REPAY YOU.


    Zach was puzzled from the sudden message. He knew upon reading his full name, it felt oddly familiar but he could not put his finger on who it could be. No one dared to address him with his full name because he did not exactly like it. However, whoever this person was-


    DEAL WITH THIS AS YOU SEE FIT.


    I''LL KEEP MY PROMISE.


    P.S. SORRY ABOUT YOUR SHIRT.


    If he had any questions as to who it was, thest two sentences confirmed it for him. There was an inexplicable feeling towards the familiarity. He looked back up to read his full name and a memory of how she called out his name shed.


    At this point, his heart danced in excitement wondering how she wanted to repay him. The corners of his lips turned up in amusement while the previous anger dissipated. The screen went ck again as the words disappeared.

 Chapter 5 Returning The Favor 3

    The screen showed data was being sent. As much as theputer geniuses wanted to do something, they could not stop the transmission. Wherever Amy was, she had full control of the situation. A few secondster, all theputers disyed the same information. There was a video file from the night before. He permitted it to be yed.


    There in the sea of guests, different men and women in the business world had surrounded Zach. Ass-kissers, is what he thought then. But he did not embarrass them. An ''acquaintance'' came over to congratte Zach on his new sess. The man asked for a bottle of red wine and had it poured in everyone''s ss to toast to Zach. He didn''t think nothing of it then because the bottle was opened right then. But seeing how Amy was showing him, it meant that was what drugged him.


    Another video was yed showing the same man who toasted him stumbling into a room with an escort. In short, to not arouse suspicion, he drugged everyone including himself even though his target was Zach. Smart. At this point, Zach felt his blood boiling when he recognized the culprit.


    "Sir, we''ve received information on Parton Corporation."


    "It''s practically all the dirt on the them. This could easily run them down."


    "We also received information on the CEO and his underlings", the person who spoke disyed the pictures on the screen.


    There were pictures of Parton corporation''s CEO and his underlings. Zach recognized them from the earlier footage from the hotel where one of them carried Amy. To say he was impressed would be an understatement. She had left him all the information he needed.


    "What do we do with this sir?" George turned to look at his boss.


    Zach''s brows were furrowed. He knew Chris Parton, the CEO and owner of Parton Corporation alwayspeted with him in business dealings and even implemented some underhanded tricks to disrupt his business, but never in a million years did he imagine he would go this far. If a scandal had bloomed fromst night, his damaged reputation would impact theirpany Frost Corporation.


    Amy said there were cameras in the room but when he checked, he found nothing. When she said she would erase it, did it mean she got rid of the cameras and possibly the feed capturing them together. With her ability, he had no doubt she did so. He was so trusting of this stranger whose appearance caressed his heart leaving him curious about her.


    "Oh? All the bugs in our system have been fixed."


    "That''s true! Actually, the system has been upgraded too."


    Just who on Earth was this woman?


    If only she was there in person to answer his questions or just being able to see her. A whirlwind of emotions flooded Zach''s heart. George who stood on the side, stared at his boss who fixed aplicated look at the screen. He was skeptical about disturbing his boss''s thoughts but the issue was of urgency.<sub> </sub>


    "Mr. Frost?" He called out and Zach finally peeled his eyes away and turned to his secretary. "What do we do about this?"


    "I need Parton''s location."


    The secretary did not need to repeat the order as the team got to work. Once he obtained the location, Zach left with his team of bodyguards after instructing that they wait for his word. Xavier who could not resist the drama happily tagged along.


    As they exited the building, his driver was already waiting with the door open. Just as he was about to enter, he could not help but feel like he was being watched. He looked around cautiously and his bodyguards copied his movements. They had no clue what happened to their boss but they were smart enough to know something is up, therefore, they were on high alert.


    "What''s up?" Asked Xavier who paused from sliding into the other side of the car. Maybe because of what Amy showed him, he could have grown paranoid. Maybe it was just his imagination; he shook his head and got in.


    At a prestigious golf club downtown.


    Zach''s entourage arrived 15 minutester. His long legs stretched out as he stepped out of the car. Out of habit, he fixed his jeans and jersey as he does to his suit whenever he steps out of a car. This little action did not go unmissed by the distinguished guests at the club. His powerful aura was hard to ignore. Joining him was his younger brother, Xavier who jogged over to his side. He was also a good looking fe, except with an approachable vibe.


    Xavier''s heart was racing from not knowing what his brother nned to do. Zach''s stoic expression prevented the world from seeing through his thoughts. He did not utter a single word and simply took leisurely steps like the whole world was his turf.


    Oblivious to his surroundings, a 50 something year old Chris Parton was warming up to swing a shot. His 20 something year old assistant stood on the side wearing a club outfit thats squeezed half her boobs in the open and barely hid her undies as she cheered him on. It was a good morning for Chris. He had just had the best fuck of his life andsted much longer than when he does it with his wife.


    That aphrodisiac was the bomb; and so was his assistant''s little cunt. He had to admit to himself that his n was genius. To be able to control the one person who has been suppressing him in business! Oh the joy! Zach should know his ce. He shouldn''t have messed with him. He was Chris Parton! He was awaiting good news from his men.


    He rolled back his shoulders and rxed in readiness for his shot. He swung but froze midway when he heard an icy cold voice from behind him.


    "Chris Parton."

 Chapter 6 Too Cruel

    Zach strode over with his hands sped behind his back. He looked like an overlord about to pronounce judgement on an unruly subject. Xavier could not help feeling giddy when he noticed how tensed up Chris was. Oh! It''s about to go down! After all, his brother hade down all the way to meet the culprit. He must have really offended him!


    How could someone saying his name sound so bone chilling? Chris gulped and let out a shaky breath as heposed himself before turning around. While his assistant was awestruck by the two men who graced them with their presence, Chris was shaking inside. No, this punk is practically his son''s age. He shouldn''t be afraid of him. If anything, his n was wless and there was no way it led back to him. And he now has something to hold against this man. Yeah, he had no reason to be afraid.


    He forced an unnatural chuckle. "Gentlemen! Zach, Xavier, what can I do for you both?"


    Zach stopped a few feet away from him. His demeanor unchanging but his eyes turned cold. Xavier was rxed and shuffled his hands in his pockets. All that''s missing was popcorn. Zach''s lips curved up but there was no amusement in his countenance.


    "Don''t you have something to tell me?" He was calm. His calmness left Chris feeling ufortable as he shifted his weight on his two feet.


    He cleared his throat. "Aren''t you busy Mr. Frost? After winning the bid on thatnd, I would be on my way to get the project up and running but here you are, paying me a visit?"


    Zach smirked. "I''m afraid I do not have that much free time on my hands but I still thought toe down here, specially for you."


    Chris broke out in cold sweat when he heard thest three words. But based on the mere belief that he had the upper hand, he pushed back his fear. He just felt that Zach was being arogant. This is why he didn''t like him.


    Not only was Zach able to win and obtain the best business deals, but his unending sess made the punk a bit too cocky. He would be doing everyone a favor by taking him down. Especially after winning the bid to and he had his eyes on. It was especially annoying when he failed to bribe the auctioneers.


    "This, you''re being too arrogant Zach. You should know the importance of connections in business! Attaining a few sesses does not automatically put you on top. Someone might scheme against you and you might have to beg the very same people you looked down on for help. And you know what? Those people won''t bat an eye for you. I''m giving you this advice as your senior. Don''t be too cocky."


    "Bastard", He muttered under his breath as he turned back his attention to the golf ball and swung the club. He held his hand over his forehead and watched the ball swing away into the distant.


    His assistant cheered for him. Chris had spilled his dirty little scheme against Zachst night when he was pounding into her. Although the old man had given her a good time, she just wished she was the one he had baited Zach with. But too bad, his end was nearing because of Chris.<sub> </sub>


    <o>,m Zach looked down and scoffed before looking back at Chris. His expression was impassive as he said, "This is thest time you''ll see me."</o>


    Chris didn''t think much to it and only ignored him. Xavier was baffawed by the whole exchange. What was the point ofing all the way here if this was all he would do? A phone call would have been enough. Confused, but he followed his brother to the car. When they started off, he turned to Zach who calmly looked out the window as the view rolled by.


    "What was the point ofing here? You didn''t even exchange a few fists, so what was that? For someone who is a workaholic, you actually wasted time. Why did we meet him?"


    "To leave him with a bigger regret than the ones he''ll have."


    "..."


    "Connections in business are important. If you''re too arrogant, people won''t help you when you meet your demise", he exined.


    Xavier fell quiet as he processed the words. It sounded like he was repeating Parton''s words but when he thought about it, it made sense why he said so.


    Zach knew Chris would behave arrogantly, and when heter on met his end, he would wish to have begged for mercy right in this moment when Zach presented him with an opportunity. Hence leaving Chris with a bigger regret. But Zach was never going to show him mercy; Xavier knew this. Oh Zach was just too cruel! Too cruel! But what on Earth had Chris done to make him act like this?


    "What did he do to you?" Xavier could not help his curiosity.


    "You won''t believe me when I tell you." He took out his phone and dialed for George, his assistant. "Parton Corporation has run its course. Let''s give them a permanent break."

 Chapter 7 Karma

    Chris''s lips stretched into a proud smirk when he saw the retreating figure of the two men. He looked over at his assistant, Natalie who sashayed over to him and wiped off the sweat on his forehead. She didn''t like her boss, but if she could keep this high paying job by doing him these ''little favors'', then she would grit her teeth and do it.


    She almost grimaced when she felt his hand on her butt but she gave him a coquettish smile and let him. "That was a great shot, Mr. Parton."


    He smacked her butt and she whimpered. "What did I tell you to call me when we''re alone?"


    "I''m sorry, daddy", she batted her eyshes at him. Chris was already turned on from the way her chest pressed against his and how soft her plump ass felt in his hand.


    "Why don''t we go back to our room and", he wiggled his brows at her. She giggled and agreed right away.


    Thirty minutester, they were back at their room at Star hotel. The temperature had risen in the room that echoed with their moans, groans and the pping of their skin. Natalie had her legs raised in a V while the man pounded into her. She could feel an orgasming and so was he judging from his pace.


    Bam! The door swung open. Their heads flew to the door. Chris pulled out upon seeing the unweed guest. He was flustered while Natalie pulled on the sheets to hide her nudity.


    "Maria, it''s not what you think", he tried to exin but his wife was not having it.


    She made a dive to beat up Natalie but Chris was quick to restrain her. She directed her anger and started pping him wherever. "You said you were attending a party with your assistant but you were fucking her? Is this the office? You''re fucking A GIRL OLD ENOUGH TO BE YOUR DAUGHTER?"


    She violently pushed him away and he fell on the floor. Sheunched at Natalie, who recovered from the shock, got off the bed and made for an escape while clutching the bed sheet. Maria did not want to be the only one facing humiliation. She continued to chase the woman out of the room and into the hallway.


    "You whore! Stop right there!" She screamed.


    Natalie was sweating buckets and as she gotaway from the crazy woman. Maria''s screaming attracted the attention of on-lookers. When they reached the lobby where she saw many people had their eyes on them, she deliberately sped up and stepped on the tail of the sheet, tripping Natalie in the process. The sheet loosened up and the girl fell, revealing her nudity.


    "How can you sleep around with a man old enough to be your father? Was it wrong for him to give you a job? People are prejudiced towards secretaries because of girls like you!" Maria roared as she confiscated the sheet.


    The people watching felt Maria''s words made sense and looked at Natalie with disdain. They took out their phones and started taking photos and videos. Shame was etched into Natalie''s features as she broke out into a cry.


    "Please don''t take pictures. Please do-on''t."


    Maria sneered as she watched on. Back at the room, Chris searched for his phone and found it. While he was rushing to get between Natalie''s legs, he had discarded it somewhere. He picked it up from the pile of clothes and found many missed calls. He called his right hand man, Mark.


    "What''s going on? How did Maria know where I was! Some of the things she said didn''t make sense! How did she know??" He roared.


    "Boss..." Mark started but unsure of how to break it to him. "Things are bad!"


    "WHAT HAPPENED? I DONT HAVE ALL DAY. MEET ME IN MY OFFI-"


    "Boss! You can''te to thepany! The authorities are upon us. You need to escape!"


    "Why should I escape? What happened? Make some sense will you!!"


    "First of, the whore we paid to do the job run away with the money so we kidnapped someone else-"<sub> </sub>


    "Did it get the job done?"


    "We don''t know."


    "What do you mean? Just say everything all at once! Stop testing my patience."


    "We set up everything as nned. We did everything as nned, we even caught them on camera kissing but they moved away from the set up angle. Then the whole footage just disappeared and the cameras were gone when we went to check. Instead, your video of you and Natalie in bed is trending right now."


    "WHAT!" Chris immediately stood up from shock.


    "Boss!" Mark sounded like he wanted to cry. "Please sit down and put some clothes on too."


    Chris was dumbfounded and sat down. He was about to question how he knew when Mark continued. "Someone live streamed you and Natalie in bed, it''s still going Right now."


    "What? What? Where?" He anxiously looked around.


    "And you have to leave, because the authorities are onto you. We are making preparations right now."


    "What happened to mypany?" Chris could not help but feel an impending doom was quickly creeping up on him. When Mark told him everything, he believed that it was all a dream. It should be Zach going through this, not him. No, it''s not true.


    At Frost Corporation.


    Xavier spat out the whiskey he was drinking after Zach briefed him on the previous night''s happenings. Zach frowned when he looked at the mess. "That''s expensive whiskey."


    "That''s not important! You had a one night stand! You finally got some action!" A sly smile creeped up on his lips and he wiggled his brows. "How many rounds did you go?"


    Zach red at him. Xavier ignored him and went on. "I bet you went on all night. I believe in your monstrous stamina! You like her?"


    Did he like her? She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He reminisced on how her plump pink lips stretched when she smiled and how her eyes sparkled. That contagious smile. Even when she was not there, he could not help but smile.


    Xavier had another big shock when he saw this. He was about toment when notifications went off on his phone. Friends had sent him a link. He tapped on it and was directed to a streaming site. When he saw Chris''s humiliation, he could not help but guffaw! "Zach, you need to see this! Where are you going?"


    Zach was already on his way out of the office. "Home. I''m taking the day off. Don''t disturb me."


    Xavier got on his feet and followed. "But you never take a day-off. What about thepany? It can''t function without you."


    Zach could see through his bluff and walked on. Xavier directed his attention back to the streaming. He saw George walk over to lock his boss''s office. "Dude, did you see this?"


    When George looked over, he chuckled. "Of course. When you were out to meet Mr. Parton, Mr. Frost sent instructions to nt cameras in Mr. Parton''s room. It was a gamble but boss was farsighted."


    "Too cruel", Xavier shook his head. Zach took the elevator with his team of bodyguards and went home to get some well deserved rest.

 Chapter 8 Amy Harpers Disappearance

    Days had passed by with no news from the security IT team on Amy Harper. It was like she had fallen off the face of the earth. There was no way to track her. When that woman said she would erase everything, he didn''t realize she meant she would erase all traces of her. As frustrating as it was to him, he would not give up. He would find her no matter what.


    He twirled in his seat to face the floor to ceiling window that was behind him. He walked over to the window with his hands behind his back and gazed down at the busy streets of New York.


    Dark circles had settled underneath the man''s eyes. Insomnia was his newpanion at night and he could only deal with it by immersing himself in work. Amy''s appearance and disappearance had taken a toll on him. They said ''absence makes the heart grow fonder''. Yes, they had only met once and spent a night together, but he really desired her presence. He needed to see her, touch her, hear her; just be with her. Was he being too crazy?


    A knock disturbed the man''s thoughts. He permitted the person to enter without bothering to spare them a nce.


    "Sir, the IT security team found something on Miss Harper. It is-" before George could finish his sentence, Zach was already rushing towards the door to go to the security room. His bodyguards trailed behind him while George sprinted to catch up to his boss. It was unfortunate that he was not blessed with long legs as the big boss himself.


    When they arrived at the security room, George was panting from the little marathon he had run. "Show me", Zach ordered. A footage was uploaded to the screen. His heart skipped a beat upon recognizing the familiar face. She had a cap on, a hoodie, sweat pants, ck ankle leather boots and a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. She kept on looking over her shoulder as though she was running from something.


    Just as she was about to hail a cab, a van pulled up beside her. As the three men who emerged from the van grabbed her from behind, Zach clutched his shirt on his chest as difort settled in his heart. She tried to wriggle out of their grip but they were too strong for her. The van disappeared from that spot. Wait a minute, something caught his eye.


    "Rewind", he struggled to say. Only George seemed to hear what came out as a whisper from his boss. He quickly turned to the team and repeated the order much louder. With all the focus he could gather, Zach watched the video once more.


    "Sir, it''s actually an old footage. I was trying to tell you that earlier", George exined.


    Zach ignored him and simply watched. George who stood on the sidelines was shocked yet moved by his boss''s reaction. Zachery Frost has and treats women like he treats men. No one has ever piqued his interest. But seeing his boss like this, it was sure that she was very important to his boss and needed to be found.


    Those men were the same ones who brought her to the hotel that night. They had been locked away along with Chris Parton, Zach made sure of it. But he noticed they came in from the opposite direction of where she wasing from. It looked like Amy was escaping someone. With Parton''s men intercepting her escape, that means whoever was after her is still out there which exins her hiding. A woman of Amy''s abilities must be hunted down by someone powerful. Seeing how she could not escape Parton''s goons, then she''ll probably not be safe from whoever it is once they find her.


    I need to find her before they do. I''m going to protect her.


    ...


    On the other side of town, someone else was frustrated with Amy''s disappearance as well. The person mmed their fist on the table and their secretary who had their head hanging low felt a shiver down their spine upon witnessing their boss''s fury.


    The person took a ss of whiskey and walked towards the floor to ceiling window behind them. "And?" the person asked while stirring the contents in the ss.


    "Ever since being abducted by Parton''s men, we still haven''t found her. But it''s quite obvious Parton Corp''s downfall was her doing. She basically aired all their dirtyundry", the secretary reported.


    The person was now staring at the contents in the ss with amusement. "Then it means she escaped whatever Parton had in store for her. Clever."<sub> </sub>


    <o>,m "What do we do about the ns we put on hold?" the secretary carefully inquired.</o>


    "Pick up from where we left off", the person said with a nonchnt shrug.


    Cold sweat started to break out on the secretary''s forehead. He knew the next words he was about to utter would provoke the beast in his boss but he still needed to say it at least for his boss''s sake.


    "Boss, aren''t you afraid we would face the same fate as Parton''s?" he asked with caution. Silence. His heart hammered out of his chest. If anything, he would prefer the outburst his boss usually had whenever upset.


    The silence was simply suffocating not just for him but the bodyguards that stood in the room as well. He watched as his boss silently drunk the whiskey in one go. The person sighed after finishing the contents in the ss. Does that mean the boss acknowledged his point?


    The secretary was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when something flew past his ear. He could have sworn his soul had left him and came back when he heard the ss shutter against the wall behind him.


    Unlike the first time he started to work for his boss, his legs did not give out this time but fear still overtook him. A humorless chuckle resounded from his boss''s mouth.


    "You darepare me to Parton?" the boss asked.


    "It''s not like that. I-" the secretary started but was interrupted by his boss.


    "Parton is weakpared to a bulldog like me. Miss Harper knows I''ll find her the moment she taps into my system so she knows to stay hidden, if she knows what''s good for her. So my ns will proceed now", the boss finally turned around facing everyone in the room.


    "Everyone leave, I need to demonstrate my abilities to dear Mr. Wright."


    The bodyguards left one after another while Mr. Wright was left alone faced with the sinister smile that yed on his boss'' lips.


    "Boss-" he started to plead for mercy but his boss only chuckled.


    "You really shouldn''t have said that", the boss said quietly with a sigh.


    "Boss please", he said in a shaky voice.


    "Peter", the boss''s tone wasced with danger. Peter Wright resigned to his fate. He knew that no matter how much he pleaded, his boss would not change their mind. They always saw things through to the end no matter what. He should have held his tongue. He should have.

 Chapter 9 New In Town

    A woman strolled through the streets of West vige. A gentle breeze caressed her shoulder length blond hair. West vige was known for being a ma for tourists. It was historically known as a center for American bohemian culture. There were vibrant artistic scenes with quirky consignment shops, and historic brownstones. The woman hade to realize that spotting celebrities was actually a norm in this part of New York.


    However, she was not in town for sight-seeing. She needed to get something. She was relieved when she spotted the shop she was looking for. A bell rung atop the doors that she pushed open with her long slender fingers. The shop owner smiled upon recognizing her. It was finally his turn to be graced by the beautiful woman''s visit.


    "Mrs. Stanford, what can I do for you?" he said as he took note of the shiny gold ring on her ring finger. She smiled at him as she gracefully walked towards him.


    "Please call me Emily. You must be Mr. Tiller", she said to the old timer whose face wrinkled when he smiled so happily.


    "Please, call me Jim. How may I help you Emily? Anything that interests you?" he pulled on his apron as he walked towards her. Emily''s eyes wondered around the flower shop before theynded back on Jim.


    "Ste told me I could find a cactus here. A baby cactus", she said with a smile.


    "I''ll be right with you in a minute", he turned on his heels and rushed to a room she figured was the store room.


    She looked around the shop and noticed the camera that rested on one corner of the shop facing directly at her. There was another one by the entrance that she took note of when she walked in and another close to the counter where she would need to make payment for her purchase.


    She took out her phone and typed a fewmands on it. She immediately retrieved the live feed from the cameras to her phone. She frowned upon seeing how well they captured her. She typed some moremands and the cameras turned away from her. Jim walked out with two potted baby cacti.


    "I only have these two remaining", he said with an apologetic smile.


    "That''s fine", she said with a smile while her gaze immediately fell on the two pots. She stretched out her hand to point at the one she took a liking to.


    Jim nodded in satisfaction. "Great eye. But why a cactus my dear girl?" he said while wrapping it up.


    "It''s very easy to take care of", she said.


    Soon as she settled the bill with cash, she exited his shop. She erased all footage of herself before getting further away from Jim''s shop. The old man did not even notice his cameras that had turned back to their original position.


    Within a few weeks of moving to West vige, everyone had known Emily''s back story already. She was married to a man who was dispatched on a mission in the army. He was hardly home but made sure she was well taken care of. He purchased the two bedroom house that she or they had recently moved into.


    Two years into the marriage and she was still not used to his absence. It was especially hard since she did not have siblings to keep herpany during his absence. Although he could not do anything about her loneliness, he bought their house in her name because he loved her so much should anything happen to him. All of this was known around the neighborhood all thanks to Ste who fished the information out of Emily.


    Emily waved at the folks who waved at her as she walked home. When she arrived at her door step, she took out her keys from her hand bag to open the door. An older looking woman, almost in her sixties, stepped out of the house right opposite the Stanfords''. She had on a pair of colorful clothes thatplimented her bright personality.<sub> </sub>


    "Is that you Emily?" she shouted from behind Emily. She stopped unlocking the door and turned around to greet her overly friendly neighbor. Emily saw the woman leaning on the railings of her veranda.


    "Hey, Ste. How''s your afternoon going?" she asked with a smile.


    Ste scoffed, "It would be great if Richard could get hiszy butt up and TAKE OUT THE TRASH!" She shouted over her shoulder. The curtains were drawn and a man appeared by the window while his attention was on whatever it was that was inside the house.


    "Ste we''ve talked about this! You can''t disturb my game time. It''s currently game time!" he snapped.


    "Game time? It''s a repeat!" she snapped back upon hearing his raised voice. He scoffed before disappearing back into the house.


    "Chelsea lost! They scored one goal!" she shouted in irritation. What followed was the man''s scream in annoyance and irritation. Not long after that did Richard grumpily march out of the house with a trash bag.


    "I see you got that cactus", Ste spoke with a happy smile ying on her lips.


    "I did. I have you to thank for it", she smiled back.


    Ste waved her off in dismissal. "Was Jim nice to you? I told you everyone in this town is nice."


    "Yes, you were right Ste." Emily chuckled when she saw Richard m the trash bag into the bin. The happy smile on Ste''s lips grew wider as her husband marched back into the house while ring at her.


    "Men! Have you heard from your husband today?" she asked with evident curiosity.


    "No. Not today, no", Emily shook her head.


    Ste nodded in understanding. "You probably will soon enough. I won''t keep you waiting."


    After bidding her good bye, Emily finally walked into the house and locked it behind her. She found a good spot by the window to ce her cactus before rushing to her bedroom to wash up. She threw the clothes she stripped out of on her bed and ced the gold wedding band on the nightstand. She scoffed and muttered under her breath, "Mrs. Stanford."


    She wrapped a towel on her body before walking to the bathroom to take a steaming hot shower. When she stepped out with a towel covering her body and water still dripping from her shampooed hair, she wiped the fogy mirror in front of her. The past three weeks had been exhausting for her. She hated moving but this time, she had to.

 Chapter 10 The New Life

    Although it was said that she was married to a military man, there was little evidence of his existence or the fact that he was in the military. The little house her ''husband'' had purchased for her was not even adorned with his aplishments from the military nor any pictures of him or both of them together. Although Amy really went all out with her disguise; thecking evidence stuck out like a sore thumb so she dared not to have people over.


    It was 7 in the morning. She was looking through her fridge deciding on what to make as she gulped down some orange juice. A knock was heard to which she responded to with the juice box still pressed to her lips. She checked through the peep hole and saw Ste smiling up at her. It''s too early for gossip but of course, it''s Ste. Despite thinking so, Amy was not annoyed as she opened the door for the woman.


    "Good morning dear. You look well", she smiled while patting Amy''s cheek gently. The first time Ste did that was when she weed her as a neighbor. Amy was ufortable. Now, it became a norm. She liked how soft Ste''s hand felt on her cheek. Like a mother would do to her child.


    "Good morning Ste. How are you doing?" she smiled back.


    "I''m great! I made some walnut piest night. Richard is not very fond of it. It''s not much but I thought I''d share with everyone."


    Amy now took note of the basket in Ste''s hand. However, she didn''t like walnut pie. From the time she was young, she hated the smell and never really showed interest in trying it. It was one of those foods where one hates without even trying. However, faced with this kind woman, she did not have the heart to turn her down.


    With a smile, she extended her hand to receive the food. Ste''s eyes lit up before she fished out a container from the basket to give her.


    "Thank you Ste, I''ll enjoy it."


    "You''re very wee. Now, on my way to Margeret''s. Have yourself a good day dear."


    "Thanks. You too, Ste", Amy smiled before she turned to go back in. Just as she was about to close the door, Ste rushed back towards her.


    "Emily dear, I forgot another reason for stopping by", she pursed her lips as her eyes spelled worry. While Amy opened the door to amodate the woman, her heart could not help but race when she saw the woman. What could it be? Have I been careless?


    "Yes?" her face remained calm to conceal any of her anxiety. Ste sighed before gently taking her hand in both of hers.


    "Dear, I need you to understand that I mean well when I say this."


    "Okay?"


    Ste hesitated as though the words she was about to utter were too bitter on her tongue. But she had already brought it up so without keeping the curious young woman waiting, she spoke. "You''ve gained weight dear."


    "..."


    "And you''ll continue to do so if you continue to stay cooped up at home. Weeks after moving into this town yet, you''re always indoors and only go out when you need to."


    That''s because she works from home. Still, she was dumbfounded. She liked Ste because she was not pretentious but her bluntness was something she just could not get used to. Her smile remained frozen as the petite woman before her took her silence as a green light to go on with her speech.


    "So, how about this? Why don''t you join me at a cardio party this Saturday?"<sub> </sub>


    "Cardio party?"


    "Yes. Enzo and Pedro own a gym in town. Enzo is a good cardio instructor. I''m sure you''ll enjoy yourself."


    Exercising? Amy grimaced at the thought. She has always been on the small side and always eats healthy. She sessfully avoided exercising like that. And she ate foods that boosted her metabolism so what was this about her gaining weight. The thought of exercising....


    "Oh Ste.... That sounds great but I''ve never been athletic."


    "Don''t worry. It''s not intense exercising. Come on? Can a woman of my age handle that? It''s mostly dance exercises. Pedro is also a ptes trainer. Both help you be flexible. I promise you it''s great. And it''s good for us married women. Like I''ve be so flexible, Richard and I actually tried the G-forcest night."


    "G-Force?"


    "Yes? Don''t you know it? You lie down t on your back and then your husband puts your legs on his shoulders and prates-"


    "Okay! I get the picture." Amy panicked. She didn''t need to hear more. Her active mind was already painting a vivid picture and it was one she did not want to think of.


    Yet Ste leaned in and whispered, "He said he liked the view of my boobs bouncing from that angle."


    "Okay. I- Wow. That- Wow!"


    Is there bleach for the mind? Amy was red with embarrassment. Yet the woman felt no shame in talking about something so private. She looked at Amy more eagerly thinking she sold her especially with her little testimony.


    "So will you join me dear? We can take my car?"


    "Sure. Sure." She had to get rid of this woman before she said something else she could not handle.


    "Great! See you Saturday!" Ste happily strolled over to the house next door.


    Amy was a little traumatized. She didn''t think old people could be so spontaneous. Heck! She didn''t even want to know. She visibly shuddered as she shook her head to get rid of the horrid image. As she closed the door, Richard happened to be taking out the trash then.


    When he saw his young neighbor, he smiled and waved at her. Amy froze. That horrid image from her imagination shed in her mind. She could not look at him right then. Her smile was stiff as she quickly waved back before disappearing into the house. Is this going to be her new life? With old people unting their active sex lives?


    Richard : "..."

 Chapter 11 Quite Snappy

    Somewhere in the Bahamas, a young many on a beach chair while sunbathing. He had ashy gray hair, thick ck brows, clear blue eyes covered in shades, a straight nose, thin pink lips, and a lean body with a bit of muscle. The women walking around the beach could not help but steal nces.


    This was a vacation he had been vying for and he finally got it. He felt free, he was away from being terrorized by his boss''s endless tasks. But the pay was good, so he neverined as much.


    Someone cleared their throat from above him. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a waiter with a tray of a drink in hand. The young man sat up giving the waiter a quizzical look.


    "Excuse me sir, a vodka martini. Compliments from thedy over there."


    The man looked over to see a beautiful brte in a swim suit that showed off her hourss figure. Just the type he liked. She shed him a flirtious smile; her alluring eyes sending a secret message to him. He raised the drink, toasting her before drinking it; his eyes responding to her message.


    Fifteen minutester. They stumbled into his hotel room, bodies pressed together and tongues mingling and fighting for dominance. Clothes were ripped and thrown wherever as they staggered towards the bed without breaking the kiss.


    The temperature was quickly rising between the two as the man explored the woman''s body with his hands and mouth. He buried himself between her legs and worshipped her womanhood with his tongue.


    The woman felt her legs go jelly leaving her in a moaning mess. He smirked when she cried out her first release; she was ready for him. He aligned himself with her entrance and coated himself with her juices. Lewd sounds escaped their mouths. The woman held her breath when he started to enter.


    Ding!


    He posed at the sudden sound. It was his phone''s email notification. They both frowned.


    "Ignore that", he said.


    He started to enter once more and another notification sound went off. He could feel his annoyance building up. He suppressed it and proceeded. He had just got half of him inside her when countless notifications sted through his phone.


    "I''ll turn that off", he tried to appease the frowning woman. He pulled out and reached for his phone to shut it down.


    A chuckle resounded in the room. In a tone so sinister and cold that sent an icy chill down one''s spine, a person with a deep voice spoke. "You better not be ignoring me Dn."


    Dn''s soul almost left his body. He juggled the phone between his hands from being startled before catching it in a firm grip. Her frown deepened when she saw his reaction.


    "Who''s that?" She whispered.


    Dn was annoyed when he heard the voice. The person didn''t bother to call and simply hacked his phone. "It''s no one."


    "Are you with someone?" The voice spoke again.


    The youngdy''s imagination run wild. Could it be that Dn was involved in some shady business so he was being hunted down? A person like that could be one you could not mess with. That phone clearly did not ring. Were they being watched? Oh! God! She had seen on TV how terribly these things ended. What if he ordered to kill anyone associated with Dn if he didn''t meet their demands? She was too young to die! She closed her legs and pulled on a sheet to cover her nudity.


    Dn was irritated with the obstructed view. He was oblivious to the young woman''s internal panic. His boss just had to have the worst timing. "You could have left a message."


    "Which you''ve clearly ignored. I''ve sent you some work. Get it done in time!" The boss snapped.<sub> </sub>


    She knew it. What other ''work'' would they be talking about? Dn was about to respond when thedy got off the bed and took her clothes and bolted out of the room at the speed of lightning.


    "..."


    "Arghh!" He buried his face in the pillow and screamed in annoyance. Nevermind that it was his boss he was talking to, he took his phone and screamed. "Do you realize what you have done?"


    "What did I do?" He snapped back.


    "You scared my guest away! She was so beautiful! She was- uh! You just ruined my chances of gettingid! What kind of man does this to another man?" Dn wanted to cry from frustration.


    "....Oh?"


    "Oh? I''m on vacation! What did you think I would be doing?!"


    "I did ask if you were with someone. You''re ming me for your inability to keep a woman in bed? What a wuss!" The boss snapped back.


    That cut him deep. If he could punch this man he called his boss through the phone, he would. The boss showed no care and went on speaking. "Now you have time for work. It''s a win-win."


    He would rather be buried between that brte''s legs. She felt so tight. He looked at his unattended manhood. If only the pay and work conditions were terrible, he would not condone this bullying. But his vacation was paid for and he was on paid leave. He shouldn''tin but that p*ssy!


    "But boss it''s my vacation!" He whined.


    "Shall I send you the bill?"


    "No. No. It''s all good. I''ll get to work." He gritted his teeth.


    He should have known when his boss offered to pay for his vacation and also pay him while he was on leave. But who would turn down such a sweet offer? Dn thought the man would take on all jobs while he was away; clearly he was wrong. What was he so busy with? Why was the big boss so snappy today?


    The person in question was standing in front of their bathroom mirror pinching their stomach and sides of their waist to see if they really gained weight. If Ste was pretentious, she would not believe her one bit. Unfortunately for her, she wasn''t and Amy was starting to see her weight gain. It was putting her off.


    But she could forgive herself. The past few weeks had been stressful for her. From fleeing the city, concealing her traces, moving and assuming a new identity. She had been eating her stress out. But with Ste pointing it out, she was put in a bad mood. When she received her clients'' emails, she didn''t feel like lifting a finger.


    While Amy was fussing over her weight gain, Zach was buried in a mountain of files. His reading sses rested atop the bridge of his nose, his shirt sleeves rolled up, and his tie loose. From a distance, it was a sexy sight of a working man but upon a closer look, he looked fatigued. Someone knocked and he permitted them to enter.


    George stood with his back ramrod straight. "Sir, you called for me?"


    Zach halted his movements and slowly looked up at his assistant. "I have a little task for you."

 Chapter 12 Late Night Cravings

    "How''s the searching along?" His gaze went to back to the file in his hands.


    "Our system is constantly searching for a match in all the CCTV captions and we have our eyes out for when she makes any mary transactions so we can track her location then."


    Zach nodded. "But be discreet. We shouldn''tpromise her safety."


    "Yes, sir."


    "I need you to look into someone. A.J."


    "A.J? You mean the most sought after hacker in our country?"


    How was he even supposed to do that? The person was a mystery and was meticulous in their dealings. You wouldn''t know you''ve been hacked unless A.J decides to make their presence known. And his boss expected him to find such a person? Where would he even begin? Why?


    There was a single knock before the door swung open. Xavier walked in and poured himself a drink before settling down on one of the sofas, looking chic in his colorful suit. He raised his ss to his lips but stopped mid-way when he sensed a stare. He looked to find George ring at him.


    "What?" He raised his brows.


    George turned away and looked at the his boss who had been silent the whole time. Xavier took a swig and enjoyed the burning sensation of the drink. He was not in the mood for George''s silent criticisms.


    "Do you have any more orders for me, sir?"


    "No. That is all."


    "Alright, I''ll report to you once we find something."


    Zach nodded before dismissing him. As George left the room, Zach finally noticed his brother''szy countenance. Any Tom, Dick, and Harry who worked in theirpany could guess why his brother suddenly dropped in during work hours. What an irresponsible punk!


    "What?" Asked Xavier when he noticed the re his brother was giving him. Did he notice too? Was he that obvious? Xavier awkwardly cleared his throat as he stood and walked over. "nning on asking A.J to help you find her?"


    Zach fell silent in thought. No one knew what was going through his mind. Although Xavier felt that the idea was good, he found it rather impossible. But he understood one thing, Zach was doing everything to find that woman. How could a stranger mean so much to him after one night? This is something he never understood. But, his brother was different.


    He absentmindedly sat on the edge of the desk and slowly sipped on his drink. Zach furrowed his brows. He could guess the reason for his brother''s random visit.


    "Is there a woman in your office?"


    Panic shed across Xavier''s features but he concealed it with a smile. "Can''t I visit my big brother? I''ve missed you."


    "Go back to your office, Xav."


    "No, I really want to be here. With you." He tried to pat him on the shoulder but with the re he was receiving, he awkwardly poked Zach instead.


    "I''ll reduce your vacation days", Zach warned.<sub> </sub>


    "Twenty minutes! I told my secretary to tell her I''m in a meeting! Twenty minutes and I''ll be gone!" He almost cried.


    Xavier was frustrated. He was a one-nighter; all women who got with him knew this. But there were some who wanted to tame and tie him down because of his impressive background; he hated and avoided that. He was wrong to fuck that woman in his office yesterday, now she was visiting. How troublesome! Zach gave him a disapproving gaze.


    ...


    Amy paced back and forth. She went forward and raised her fist to knock on the door before dragging herself back. This went on a couple of times. Should I or should I not? She stared at the door; almost burning a hole in it. But I''m already here.


    Knock! knock!


    Why did you do that hand? Should I run? What do I-


    "Emily? What are you doing here dear?" Ste stood at the now opened door in pure surprise.


    Amy burned with embarrassment. How does she even exin herself? She could not tell the woman that after having dinner she ended up snacking on the pie and it''s all she''s been craving. Her attempt to force herself to sleep failed. It was probably the best walnut pie ever to actually have her doing this. It''s almost 8 in the evening. What excuse could she give foring over sote?


    "Uh..."


    "Yes, dear? Would you like toe in?"


    "No, no,.... Uhm, I.... I just wanted to know what time we''re starting off tomorrow", she said seriously.


    "At 07:30. I told you this over the phone earlier today. Did you forget?"


    "Of course. Of course."


    Silence. Amy felt embarrassed. She wanted to leave but her feet remained glued on the same spot. Ste frowned. "Is there anything else dear?"


    "No. I should go. I''m sorry for bothering you sote." She gave an apologetic smile and turned to leave when she felt Ste''s warm and soft hand on her arm.


    "Why don''t youe in? I could use somepany."


    Amy nodded. This was the first time she would be in Ste''s home. It was a neat little ce with simple yet unique furniture and flooded with avender scent she had grown to associate with Ste. She followed the woman to the kitchen. Although Ste was close to her sixties, her dyed brown hair and well maintained skin made her look like she was in herte forties. Amy settled on one of the ind stools.


    "Richard is out with his buddies. I only have two pieces of walnut pie left to offer you with some tea. I hope you don''t mind?"


    Amy''s face lit up immediately. She cleared her throat when she caught the look of surprise on Ste''s face who soon broke into a smile. She served the food and settled opposite her. When she heard Amy moan in delight, she could not help but chuckle.


    "What?" Amy asked with a happy smile.


    Ste smiled. She could not help the affectionate gaze as she watched Amy eat. Little did Amy know that Ste had discovered something she herself did not realize. Poor girl, Ste thought as she sipped on her tea.

 Chapter 13 Her Husband

    "Don''t worry dear, it''s not that hard. And Enzo gives special attention to neers. You''ll be fine."


    Ste spoke as she drove them to the gym. Amy had on grey sweats, a ck spots bra underneath a pink croptop, and Nike trainers. Ste was wearing tight pink and ck exercise gear that entuated her hips and a huge ck shirt on top of a sports bra and matching trainers. Both of them wore their hair in a ponytail.


    "You really didn''t have to", Amyined. She would rather be left alone so she could ck. How would she do that if someone is paying constant attention to her?


    Ste misunderstood herint for gratefulness. She giggled and dismissed her with a wave of a hand. "I just want you to enjoy yourself. Besides, it''s good for youngsters like you to do this. I can assure you that you and your husband will thank meter", she winked at her.


    Husband, Amy mentally scoffed. Her heart lept when an image of a certain someone smiling at her and their piercing blue eyes staring through her soul shed in her mind. Sadness washed over her insides at the thought of him. Of all disguises, she had to assume one of a married woman whose husband was away. She shook her head in an attempt to rid of the bitter feeling.


    Ste felt sad when she noticed the change in Amy''s demeanor. It must be hard for her, she thought. She could not imagine being away from Richard for a long time. When she thought of her little discovery, she silently made a promise to be there for Amy until her husband returns. Emily is so pitiful, she thought.


    Soon, they arrived at the studio. As Ste parked the car, Amy noticed the cameras at the front. As the women took their towels and water bottles, no one noticed the cameras point away from their direction. They only returned to their original position when the two women walked into the building.


    "Everything okay?" Ste asked as she noticed Amy was glued to her phone.


    "Yes, just responding to a few emails."


    Amy had already hacked into the building''s security and was surveying how many cameras she had to take care of. While she was ''answering a few emails'', Ste stopped to openly oggle at the young muscr men.


    The building had three floors. First floor was full of hardcore exercise equipment. Amy stared at the older woman in shock. Ste could not help but giggle when she saw Amy''s shocked expression. Amy joined her inughter as they proceeded to the second floor where the cardio dance exercises were held. The very top floor was where Pedro held a ptes ss.


    Walking into the room, different women in exercise wears conversed in groups. It was a huge studio room with a speaker on top of each corner. One camera was installed on top of the front mirror wall. The back had a mirror wall but no camera.


    Someone shrieked Ste''s name earning the attention of the two women. A ginger haired woman in tight sports wear rushed over. She was older than Amy but obviously younger than Ste. The two seemed to be good friends as they exchanged a cheek-to-cheek kiss. She turned to Amy with a bright smile and pulled her in for a hug. Amy was taken aback by the friendliness but she tried not to be too surprised.


    "It''s nice to finally meet you Emily, I''m Adrianne. Ste told me her new neighbor would join us. Oh! My God! You should see Enzo! He is to die for! His dance moves will make you go ay caramba!" She wiggled her eyebrows before she and Ste broke into a giggle. Amy stared at them in bewilderment. Birds of the same feather!


    "Ladies! Are we ready for today''s workout?" A man shouted in a strong Spanish ent. Thedies shrieked in excitement especially the two standing beside her. An upbeat song sted through the speakers. Amy''s heart felt like it was thumping along with the beat. The man salsad his way in to the front.


    Amy took him in. He had short ck hair which he had gelled, flirtitious brown eyes, a crooked nose, and pink plump lips. His skin was tannedpared to the rest of them. He was wearing a fis vest that could let you see through his six pack, baggy sweats, and trainers.


    Adrianne like most women almost drooled at the man''s sight. I''ve seen better, Amy thought. Enzo did a little speech to wee the neers before he led them all into the workout. When Ste told her Enzo helps neers, Amy didn''t think she would find herself holding the man by his hips with little space separating them.


    "Feel the way my hips move", he instructed.<sub> </sub>


    Although Ste told her they would do dance exercises, she didn''t know Enzoo would incorporate Spanish ones. She picked up on some but there were others she had a hard time learning. Like currently, the samba. Enzoo had broken down the leg movements but when he saw her failing to coordinate her hip and leg movements, he resorted to their current situation.


    "Move your hips with me peque?o. Follow the beat of the music!"


    Amy was mortified. She looked at her friends beside her. Ste and Adrianne''s eyes sparkled as they gave her encouraging looks and thumbs up. Amy had never been so ufortable in her entire life.


    But she picked up on it and when Enzo moved, to her relief, he saw her improve. He was pleased and moved onto another newer. She was determined to quickly master the moves so she doesn''t have to go through that horror again.


    Yes, she was not athletic, but she was definitely flexible. She realized it that night when that man bent and took her in all sorts of positions although it was her first time. Her face heated up from such a dirty memory. She shook her head and regained focus. At the end of the workout, they did a cool down.


    "Emily, you should have seen your face when Enzo was guiding you", Adrianne chortled as the three women walked out of the gym. Amy felt her face heat up from embarrassment.


    "Was I too obvious?"


    "You looked like amb being dragged to a ughter house", Stemented with a chuckle.


    "Tell me Emily, do you, perhaps, swing the other way?" Adrianne gave her a meaningful gaze.


    "..."


    "What are you even saying? Emily is very straight and happily married."


    "So am I. But it''s Enzo we''re talking about. How is she immune to that? Is your husband that good looking?"


    Good-looking? Tch! He is a god among themon folks. Ste interpreted Amy''s silence as sadness. She thought Amy''s husband was a sensitive topic especially after witnessing her sad moment earlier when she joked around. This friend of hers just had to be a bbermouth. She nudged Adrianne with an elbow and gave her a disapproving gaze. And thetter got the message.


    "Emily, do you mind if we stop by my workce? I received confirmation earlier that our new stock will arrive at 11."


    "No problem."


    "Well, I''ll get going now. It was nice meeting you Emily. Don''t mind me, I was just teasing you earlier." Emily shook her head while smiling showing she had not taken offense. "I''ll see youdies next week."

 Chapter 14 Amys Enemy Is His Enemy

    Amy looked in awe as her eyes darted to the tall rows of shelves of books. She had not been to this side of town that housed a library. She loved the smell of books, both old ones and new. The course texture and as well as the fine ones. As a young girl, she was not called a bookworm for nothing.


    Although she knew it was said as an insult, she did not mind it one bit. She would forget all her troubles whenever she immersed herself in the world of the book she was reading. It was through her reading that she learned and developed her love forputers. No matter where she went, the library would always feel like home.


    Ste had left her to look around while she led the delivery boys to carry in the new stock into the storeroom. Once they were done, she walked over and found Amy who marvelled at the books.


    "You look like you''re at home", Ste said with a chuckle.


    "Yes, I love books. I sound nerdy, don''t I?" She chuckled.


    "No. Not at all."


    "Back at the orphanage, we had a library. It was my safe haven. I would stay there all day just simply reading, lost in my own world. Then the nuns would get mad at me", she chuckled as she reminisced on her past.


    "You''re an orphan?" Ste''s face pulled into a frown. Amy realized she had revealed some personal information but she did not think it a big deal. The sadness and sympathy in Ste''s eyes caressed her heart. Ste held both of Amy''s hands as her eyes brimmed with sad tears. "You poor child. Do you know what happened to your parents?"


    "No. The sisters said someone left me at the entrance of the orphanage but they don''t know who. No one knows."


    Tears streamed down Ste''s cheeks. She could not imagine someone abandoning a beautiful child like Amy. ''Who could be so heartless'', she thought. The woman was heartbroken for her. ''That means Emily will be alone during that important time. I have to be there for her'', she thought.


    Amy was quite taken aback by Ste''s reaction. This was not the first time someone asked about her past but no one has ever reacted this way. Maybe because Ste was a mother herself. She felt a sudden wave of emotions. She didn''t even realize she was crying until Ste wiped them away before pulling her into a hug. She rubbed soothing circles on her back. So this is what a mother''s embrace feels like, Amy thought. And why am I crying so much?


    "How about we stop by the supermarket and get some ingredients for a walnut pie?" Ste sniffled as she broke the embrace.


    "Can I get a whole pie? I really like your pie", Amy said with a sob.


    "Anything for you dear." She gently wiped Amy''s tears.


    The two women left the library after locking up while their eyes were puffy and noses were red. On their way, Amy thought to buy a few groceries only to realize she had no change except her bank card. She stared at it for a bit and thought, it''s fine.


    At Amy''s request, Ste stopped at an ATM machine and withdrew some money before they went grocery shopping. With her current situation, she preferred to use cash as much as possible to be extra careful. Little did she know that her actions had caused an uproar back in the city.


    ...


    "Sir, we have somepany." A man reported over the phone. He was wearing a polo shirt and some shorts. He dropped down from a Toyota Camry and walked towards an ATM machine. There was nothing extraordinary about his appearance but this was all a disguise.<sub> </sub>


    "How many?" His boss responded in a cold voice. It was Zach. He had received word from the security team that Amy had withdrawn money from an ATM and they managed to track down its location. He watched as his team hacked into CCTV cameras surrounding the area where the ATM was yet, nothing.


    They narrowed down the time frame to when the transaction had been made yet there was no sign of anyone approaching the ATM at that time. So he sent two of his men to survey the area whilst in a disguise. No one understood why he sent them when the camera clearly showed she was not there. But he had a hunch, someone would be there. And he was right.


    "I see two, Randy is taking pictures. You should get them any moment now", the man responded as he made a withdraw on the ATM.


    True to his word, pictures of men in ck suits and a ck SUV were sent to the security team. They run a face recognition analysis and run the car''s number te. The results: DOES NOT EXIST. The identities of both men and the car were simply non-existent.


    Zach felt like he wanted to punch something. He was frustrated that he could not find her or his enemy. Yes, Amy''s enemy had be his enemy. These men did not look so simple. He needed to find her before they do.


    "George?" He barked.


    The man in question scurried over almost tripping on himself. "Sir?"


    "Five days to get me A.J''s contact details."


    George was left with his mouth hanging open. But Zach was not the only one frustrated. Somewhere downtown, Peter Wright''s boss was also throwing a fit.


    Peter stood at a distance with his head lowered as he listened to his bosssh out on the two goons who had been sent to sweep the area where they had tracked Amy''s location to be.


    "Bunch of fools! Don''te back until you find her!!!" The boss ended the call with a smash of their phone against the wall. "Is she testing me? Is she trying to keep me on my toes? She can''t stop me! She will never stop me! My gosh! Why didn''t Parton just kill her when he had her? Ughhhhhhhhh! That imbecile!"


    The boss took a a cigerette and ced it between their lips to light it. The lighter kept failing and they hurled the two objects against the wall. Peter could feel his boss''s stress levels rising. This little trick from Amy had surely put the boss on edge.


    When she disappeared, the boss had rested easy but now he felt like Amy was taunting them. Reminding them that she was still around. Amy was a serious threat to their ns, Peter realized this. He needed to think of something before he was used as a stress reliever.


    "Peter?" The voice was so calm yet so sinister. It sent an unpleasant shiver down his spine. With his head down, he could hear the approaching footsteps. It was like a predator slowly closing in on their prey. Sweat broke out on his forehead as his heart ran a marathon. To his luck, an idea struck him right then.


    "Boss, I know a way you can make here to you herself. You can do as you see fit with her." He tried to suppress the fear in his tone. He heard the footstepse to a halt.


    "Speak."

 Chapter 15 Spoiled Chicken

    Amy''s fingers swiftly moved across her keyboard. She was in focus mode and her eyes darted about following everymand she was executing to ensure perfection. There was no room for error. "I can''t believe I missed my breakfast because of this idiot." She spoke through her Bluetooth headsets.


    She always used a voice changer so what Dn heard was the familiar deep voice of his boss. He never knew the identity of his boss but his admiration surpassed his curiosity. The amount of trust he had in her was unfathomable. From when he was chosen by her to be her assistant, she has been training him to implement her ways. The digital world was a vast universe. It did not just require knowledge you gained from school, but you had to be a genius to bend things to your will like Amy does.


    So she started with supervising him in small tasks. As he improved, she would let him take on tasks by himself. Currently, she had been letting him observe and learn as she worked onplex tasks. Although he was already at a level where he would take on harder tasks, he was miles away from his master''s level. For someone to learn and understand Amy''s ways, one had to be a genius and she knew this about Dn.


    "This guy would have made some serious money if not for you." He chuckled in amusement.


    Someone had hacked a certain government agency''s system and nted a virus to lock them out. The virus had started to corrupt important files while they were locked out. Then he asked for a ransom and threatened to steal and trade all the confidential data if they don''t pay for the ransom. The government agency contacted her for help.


    Amy hated these kinds of people. They were simply hooligans getting ahead of themselves and trying to make quick money. So she was eliminating the virus, recovering the files and rebuilding the system while tracking the scumbag''s location. With her masking skills, the hacker was unable to detect her presence.


    As she shared her screen with Dn, he could not help but watch in awe. He was currently in the lounge of his hotel room with hisptop on hisp. He was always amazed. All that was missing was some popcorn. When his boss was not annoying him, he was really cool.


    "And... done! All that''s left is system reboot. They should have apprehended him by the time it''s done", she groaned while stretching her arms.


    Dn apuded from his end in awe. He felt so proud to work for such a great person. "Boss! You never disappoint!"


    "Mm. Should I apologise for stealing you away from someone?"


    "Boss, being on vacation doesn''t mean I''m always sleeping around."


    "Gee, what do we make of the woman sleeping in your bed right now?" She watched as the system rebooted. Dn almost choked on his saliva when he heard her sarcasticment.


    "Boss! There''s this thing called privacy!" He frantically looked around as he pulled on his bathrobe.


    "Don''t worry Dn, I have no intention of spoiling my eyes by seeing your baby penis." Her tone was dry. Dn felt so irritated.


    "It''s no-"


    Beep. Beep. Beep.


    She had terminated their connection. He felt like hurling his headphones against the wall. Why does this man always mock him? Baby penis? He peeped through his bathrobe. ''This is one hell of a monster. Girls weep and beg for this.''<sub> </sub>


    He looked over his shoulder from the sofa he was sitting on to see the blond woman sleeping in his bed. He smirked when he remembered how she begged to have his ''monster'' when he was teasing her. What is his boss talking about? Those quick to insult others usually are indirectly airing their shortings.


    ''Hehe, SHORT CUMMINGS!'' He sniggered at his dirty little joke. ''I''m hot and funny, damn I''m too perfect!''


    Amy had identally terminated the call when she was trying to take down an article notification on her screen. Her chest tightened and she let out a huge breath with her eyes closed to ease herplex emotions when she remembered whom the article was about.


    She had to steel her heart to discard it hastily and instead notified the agency of the work done. They sent her the remaining deposit plus a huge ''thank you'' in the form of a few more zeros added to the final deposit. She could not even pretend to be happy at this point and got out of bed instead.


    She took a hot bath to ease the tension in her muscles and her sour mood as well. She threw on a huge shirt and booty shorts before going to the kitchen. It was close to lunch hour and she was craving a chicken meal. She settled for a stir fry and took out her ingredients. She connected her phone to a Bluetooth speaker and yed happy songs to distract her thoughts starting with ''Brave by Sara Bareilles'' as she prepped her ingredients. This song choice is quite ironic, she thought, as she listened to it but she sung it anyway.


    She let the chicken cook while stir frying the veggies. The aromas from the green pepper and other greens made her stomach rumble. She lifted the lid of the chicken pot and dropped it immediately to rush to the bathroom. She fell in a hunched over position as she threw up in the toilet bowl. She had never felt so insanely sick. Was the chicken spoiled? But she just bought it over the weekend while she was with Ste. Why do I feel so sick?


    She rinsed her mouth and flushed away the contents. She had to check the chicken. She walked back out. The moment she stepped into the kitchen, a strong wave of nausea washed over her form and she was back in the toilet.


    Throwing up so much left her feeling weak so she dragged herself back to bed. She just stayed there unmoving, trying to regain her energy. ''That chicken must be really bad'', she mused. Her phone started to ring and she picked up when she saw the familiar name.


    "Emily dear, are you home?" Ste''s cheery voice resounded over the phone.


    "Yes, the door is open."


    Hearing the woman''s weak voice, Ste rushed over with a casserole dish in hand. She opened the door and had no time to look around as her nose was attacked by the smell of burning food. She rushed to the kitchen and turned off the stove. She was starting to worry, "Emily?"


    "I''m in my room." Her voice was weak. Since the house design was simr to hers, Ste easily found her way to the girl''s room. Shey in a fetal position and her face had lost color. Amy heard her rush to her side and touch her forehead.


    "I think I bought rotten chicken. It smelled so terrible while I was cooking that I threw up so much."


    "Aw. This is terrible. If I didn''t call, would you have even let me know? You should call me no matter what time it is that you don''t feel well." Her voice was stern than usual that Amy subconsciously nodded. Satisfied, Ste helped her sit up and pointed at the casserole dish, "I made somesagna."


    "I don''t think I can ea.....", Her voice faltered when her nose was teased by the pleasing aroma. Her stomach growled in anticipation. Her face turned beetroot red from embarrassment and she avoided the older woman''s gaze. Ste held back a giggle upon seeing this. Emily is too cute.

 Chapter 16 This Is Not Sexy At All

    Amy grunted in pain. It was 7 in the morning and she was already hunched over the toilet throwing up her guts out. This time around, she run to the bathroom the moment she opened a can of tuna. She was sure everything she bought was fresh so why did she feel so sick? She brushed her teeth then dragged her weak body back to bed. Could there be something wrong with me?


    She took her phone and went to Google. She chuckled knowing Google will probably diagnose her with a terminal illness but still went on to search.


    Amy: ''Why do I feel so sick?''


    Google: ''This feeling can refer to nausea, catching colds often, or being run-down. A person might feel sick continuously for a few days, weeks, or months due to ack of sleep, stress, anxiety, a poor diet, or pregnancy. In other cases, there may be....''


    Stress. She tapped a finger on her chin as she thought to the possible reasons. Moving. She had no choice but to leave everything she knew, her sanctuary, and move to a new ce. It seemed everything happened so fast, she had not exactly let her body get ustomed to the new environment. Google rmended that she live through this phase.


    "This is not sexy at all", she murmurred. She put down her phone and closed her eyes as she felt her body calm down. She had just pulled on a sheet when she heard the doorbell. With a groan she went to get the door to find a cheery Ste with a basket in hand. Ste''s bright smile fell when she saw how pale and haggard Amy looked.


    "Oh! Dear! Did you throw up again? You look terrible."


    "Yeah, but I''m fine. What are you doing here so early?"


    She stepped aside to let Ste in. The woman walked in, turning down Amy''s offer to help her with the basket, as she walked to the kitchen. Amy wanted to follow her but abruptly stopped when the smell of the tuna hit her nose. A wave of nausea washed over her.<sub> </sub>


    Ste noticed this and said, "Wait for me in living room, I''ll get rid of this."


    With a grateful nod, she walked to a sofa and pulled on a fleece nket to cover her bare legs as she was only in loose booty shorts and a huge shirt. She really felt weak. She had her eyes closed as she heard the sound of the tes and potsing from the kitchen. Slowly, the sounds started to fade in the background and she fell asleep.


    Ste busied herself in the kitchen, cleaning up the tuna sandwich Amy was making. Then she took the rice porridge she had bought and poured it in a bowl. Upon walking back to the living room, she saw Amy sleeping peacefully on the sofa. The poor girl, she thought.


    She walked over and ced the bowl on the coffee table before pulling up the fleece nket to fully cover Amy''s body. She fixed up the cushion under Amy''s head so she would not hurt her neck while sleeping. She looked at the girl with so much affection as she tucked some stray strands of hair away from Amy''s face. She looked back at the porridge.


    She took her phone and dialed for the library, her workce, as she walked back to the kitchen. "Katherine, it''s me Ste... I''m alright dear. I''m afraid I won''t be able toe in today..... Don''t worry, I''m fine. My new neighbor Emily fell sick and she''s alone, I have to look after her. Will you and Ian manage okay?..... Thank you dear. Bye."


    As she put her phone away, she finally had a chance to look around the house. This was the first time she was actually taking in Amy''s home. Worry was quickly etched on her features as she looked back at the sleeping woman.


    Amy turned whilst in her sleep and ended up waking up. The familiar sight of her living room was the first thing she saw. She did not know when she had slept. She sat up and stretched while letting out a huge yawn. However, her yawn and stretch stopped midway when she heard a nking sound.


    ''What the hell?''


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 17 No Evidence That She Is Married

    The noise went off again and she noticed it came from the kicthen. Her heart started racing in anxiousness. Should she hide? Who could have possibly broken into her home? it can''t be them. She''s been very careful. Who could it be? What do they want? ''I need to defend myself!''


    She looked around for a possible weapon. All she could get her hands on was the coffee table. She stood and walked over to lift it. She groaned when she could barely lift an inch of the mahogany coffee table. ''I should have bought something lighter'', she thought as she grunted. She was so caught up in trying to lift her ''weapon'' she didn''t hear the soft footsteps approaching.


    "Emily? What are you doing?"


    Amy turned to find a befuddled Ste staring at her. She paused in her movements and fell into confusion as well. "Ste? Didn''t you go to work?"


    "No, I took the day off. You didn''t look too well earlier. You didn''t answer my question. What are you doing dear?"


    Amy had an ''ah'' moment as she remembered the morning events. She must have fallen asleep while Ste was in the kitchen. She looked down at her awkward position and felt embarrassed. "I was trying to stretch my hands. But you should have gone to work. I only fell asleep. Look at me, I''m fine."


    She said it all in one breath leaving Ste to shake her head. "You''re not fooling anyone dear. You still look pale. Don''t stress yourself. Sit down, I''ll heat up our lunch and bring it right out. Sit. And don''t move a muscle."


    Ste disappeared into the kitchen only when Amy settled back down on the sofa. This woman is really a nagger, but she felt like she was being spoiled instead. The corners of her lips lifted as she reached for her phone and checked her emails. Nothing new. Less clients means job well done.


    "Emily?" She heard Ste''s warning tone.


    She quickly put her phone away and sank back in her seat. The older woman set the aromatic beef Wellington meal on the coffee table since Emily didn''t have a dining table. And Ste was trying to keep the girl out of the kitchen lest she falls sick again. She served her a bigger portion than what Amy usually takes but she received it anyway. She moaned when she felt the vours melt on her tongue.


    "How is it?" Ste asked with a giggle.


    "So good. So, so, good!"


    "I''m d to hear that. Eat your fill. Let me know if you need some more, alright?" She said with a gentle smile.


    Amy could only nod as she ate. The two fell silent as they focused on their meal. But there was something bothering Ste. She looked at Amy''s bare fingers then back at her te. Curiosity was gnawing at her insides. She was caught between keeping to herself and satisfying her curiosity. At the same time, she didn''t want to offend the girl. But it would be wrong to make assumptions. She could get the truth, just in a less offensive way.


    "You have a beautiful home dear", she started casually.


    "Thank you. Yours is more beautiful." Amy shielded her mouth with her hand as she was still chewing when she responded.


    She really felt so when she thought of Ste''s unique decorations of vases, abstruct painting, and her framed family pictures arranged in a heart shape. Wait, pictures? She quickly looked around and realized hers was bare. Besides the ring, there was no evidence whatsoever that she was married. Her panic started to kick in as she silently prayed that Ste would not go there but no, she was wrong.<sub> </sub>


    "I haven''t seen your husband''s picture or your wedding pictures....", Ste trailed off as she observed Amy''s reaction. She was ready to apologise and drop the topic at the earliest sign of sadness on her face when Amy''s response took her by surprise.


    "Yeah, we never took any."


    Although she was calm, the wheels in her head were spinning thinking of where to take this lie she had started. What reason could she possibly give that made sense? She couldn''t fake his death since she had already lied that he was alive and away.


    "Howe? At least for your wedding he should, yeah?"


    "No. He''s ugly." She blurted before she could think.


    "..."


    Silence. The two women stared at each other, one in clear disbelief and the other concealing her disbelief with a straight face.


    "What?"


    "He''s very, very ugly so he decided not to take any pictures. So why should I when my other half doesn''t want to either?" Amy shrugged.


    "You... You... Are you serious?"


    Amy nodded with all seriousness.


    "Then why did you marry him?"


    "For his charm." Ste immediately thought he must have a good personality at least. It wasmon for beautiful girls like Amy to forego looks and instead be attracted to someone''s personality. She had just convinced herself when Amy''s next statement made her drop her fork.


    "He has lots of money. It''s quite charming if you ask me."


    "..."

 Chapter 18 Zach..... Cant Get A Girl

    Zach tripped over his own foot all of a sudden but managed to quickly catch himself. ''Is someone insulting me?'' he mused. He shook off the thought with a shake of his head. He pulled on his suit jacket by the hem to straighten it before proceeding to walk into a luxurious restaurant. His bodyguards were surprised seeing the ever careful and stable master trip when there was clearly nothing on the ground.


    "We''ll do a double time on tomorrow''s morning workout", he suddenly announced. The men almost broke into cold sweat. Their boss was too ruthless when they trained with him so doing double time meant more torture. What on Earth did they do wrong? They soon got the answer with Zach''s next statement.


    "Thanks Raphy."


    Raphael, who was the youngest amongst Zach''s bodyguards, received nine res all at once. Although they found their boss''s tripping funny, they willed their faces to remain emotionless. Unfortunately for them, Zach had quickly caught the quirk of Raphy''s lips as he tried to suppress hisugh. The young man was still trying to master how to conceal his emotions but with a master of reading emotions called Zach, he was really unfortunate. He knew he was going to get it from his friends besides the torture that Zach was going to bring on them.


    Zach smirked knowing what was going on in his men''s minds. How dare theyugh at him? A fair hand waving caught his attention. He walked over to a woman d in an elegant dress and jewelry, with a ssy hairdo. She was seated in a VIP lounge and looking through a menu. The bodyguards stationed themselves around the lounge as their boss walked over to thedy. He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek before settling opposite her.


    "Mother." He acknowledged as he picked up his menu.


    "How are you doing, Zach?" She strained her neck looking over his shoulder. "Didn''t youe with your brother?"


    "I''m good. And no."


    "Aish. This boy wants to send me to an early grave." She let out an exhausted sigh.


    A waiter came over and took their order. She could not help butpare her sons. One was a yboy while another was uptight. If only they could live like each other a little then she would have some peace of mind. She would deal with the trouble makerter and thought to work on this one first. Zach could feel her eyes on him as he browsed through his phone. ''She''s up to something'', he mused.


    Soon, they were served their meal and the mother and son pair started to eat infortable silence as per their habit. Only the sound of the cutlery echoed around the table. As much as she wanted to enjoy her meal, she could not help her curiosity. Although Zach was her son, his cold demeanor always put her on edge. ''This is why you can''t get girls'', she mused with a shake of a head.


    "What is it?" Zach spoke without looking up. She bit her tongue before mustering courage to speak up.


    "I won''t beat around the bush. What if I set you up on a blind date?"


    Zach''s movements halted the moment he heard blind date. His brows furrowed before he slowly looked up. "Who said I can''t get a woman?"


    "But you''re still single and are turning 33 in six months might I remind you. Why don''t you let me help you out? Or is there someone you''re interested in that I should help you convince?"


    Zach could only chuckle as he picked up a napkin and wiped the corners of his mouth. His eyes shone with amusement. His mother watched on curiously, depicting a spitting image of Xavier. Both men looked like their mother but Zach looked more like his father while Xavier was basically the male version of his mother. Speaking of the devil.


    "Mom!" Xavier rushed over with all excitement. The bodyguards made way for him as heunched a fiery of kisses on his mother''s face. Sheunched her own attack with ps on wherever she could hit.


    "Disgusting! Disgusting! How dare you use that mouth to kiss me? Do I even want to know where it''s been?"


    "Ow! Ow! Ow!" If anything, his mother always had a strong hand even when she looked so fragile. So he felt the sting wherever he was hit. Zach silently got up and left for his office leaving the duo to sort out their differences. He chuckled to himself, ''I can''t get a woman?''


    ...


    Ste walked into the library a little after 8 in the morning. She had spent a good time of her morning making breakfast and lunch for Richard and Amy. After dropping it off and making sure Amy was alright, she finally left for work. But something was weighing heavily on her mind.<sub> </sub>


    The ever cheery woman seemed troubled as worry was etched on her beautiful features. She didn''t even notice her friend Katherine, the librarian, standing while smiling to greet her. Katherine was a woman in herte thirties and had been working with Ste for over a decade now. The two had be good friends over time despite the age gap.


    "Ste?" She smiled when Ste stopped and turned to her with a startle. "Are you alright?"


    Ste facepalmed, "I am so sorry. My mind was miles away." She walked over behind Katherine''s workstation before nting a kiss on Katherine''s stomach. "And how are we today?" She cooed.


    Katherine chuckled while rubbing her very big stomach. She was currently in herst trimester of pregnancy. "Good but naughty. He''s been ying ser from the moment I woke up."


    "Really naughty. Why don''t youe out and give your mommy a break? Sit down, Kat. Don''t strain yourself." She helped her back into the seat.


    "Don''t worry about me. I should be asking you if you''re alright. You seemed out of it just now."


    "I''m fine. I''m just..... Nevermind." She believed she was being silly. It''s none of her business but it still bothered her.


    "What is it Ste? Or you won''t be able to focus today. What''s going on?" Kat watched the woman curiously. She knew her all too well. Ste fell silent before confiding in her friend.


    "Would you..... Would you marry someone who was ugly? Like very ugly. Like can''t take any pictures ugly?"


    "Yes", she responded without batting an eyelid. Ste''s mouth fell open.


    "You''re not serious. Don''t you youngsters consider appearances when choosing someone?"


    "Yes, but appearances are not everything. His personality is a deciding factor too. It personally matters to me."


    Ste nodded in agreement. She felt Kat was more sensible than Amy. How could that girl marry someone because of money and it''s not even his personality she considered? Does the man even know what his wife thinks of him?


    "And feet", Kat added.


    "What?"


    "I have a thing for nice feet. It''s one of the major reasons I married An."


    "..."


    "He has such beautiful feet, have you seen them? I hope this little one will inherit that. Well, we both have nice feet so he''s safe."


    "..."

 Chapter 19 Changing Classes

    "You''re really stubborn, aren''t you?" Ste gave Amy an unhappy side nce while thetter happily clipped on her seatbelt. Saturday had already arrived and Amy was not going to spend the day indoors. She needed to distract herself from her worries and what better way to do that than with exercise. Even though it was thest thing she would do if her situation was different from what it currently was.


    "You worry too much Ste. Thank you for letting me tag along."


    Ste shook her head as she pulled out of the driveway. "Even so, I made arrangements to amodate your current situation."


    "What do you mean?"


    After Amy practically ckmailed her with her cuteness, she called the gym and arranged for her to take Pedro''s Ptes ss. Amy had no clue as she was in her room excitedly changing into her exercise outfit. Her mouth fell open but before she could protest, Ste continued. "You''re not fit to do cardio exercises. I promise you, ptes will do just fine for you. Don''t argue with me on this, Emily."


    The stern voice and expression on Ste could only make her nod. "Okay."


    Ste was so happy to hear that. She didn''t want to jeopardize Amy''s healthy. Thetter couldn''t help but feel warm at the older woman''s nagging. When they arrived at the gym, the ce was busting with music while the hunks worked on their muscles. Ste took Amy to the first floor.


    As they approached the room, the door swung open and out came the man Amy recognized to be Enzo who immediately smiled at the two and the other whom she didn''t recognize. He seemed to also be Spanish, he had long brown hair tied in a ponytail. While Enzo was more on the beautiful side, this guy looked more ruggish and was more muscrpared to the lean Enzo.<sub> </sub>


    "Enzo! Pedro! It''s good to see you both!" Ste greeted them with a smile.


    "How are you two beautifuldies?" Enzo asked.


    "Is she the one you told me about?" Pedro asked almost at the same time.


    "Oh! Peque?o! Are you not joining me today?" Enzo pouted almost adorably.


    Almost, because Amy found it unsettling for a grown man to do that. She only smiled to hide her true thoughts. She did not see how both men were stunned by her smile when she was distracted by Ste''s runting. She felt like a child being walked to a new ss by their parent. She had always been envious as a child when she saw other kids with their parents. But now Ste was letting her experience it, as an adult. She could only hang her head low from embarrassment as the older woman expressed her reasons for having her switch sses.


    The men were understanding and the two women separated after agreeing to meet afterwards. There were not as many women so everyone has their own space. Pedro assigned her a spot and a ptes mat. Just like Enzo, he gave a little wee speech before he led them into their first lesson.


    Amy felt that this was for her. It was calming and because of her flexibility, she did not have much of a hard time. It was only once or twice that Pedro corrected her form and it was not ufortable. Even Pedro himself was impressed with this neer. Yeah, she was not going back to the cardio party. Ste was really farsighted.


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 20 Bragging Not Complaining

    Two hourster, thedies met at a caf¨¦ beside the gym. Adrianne had joined them for a chat and thought to check on Amy since she was not feeling well. While Ste and Adrianne settled on beverages from the caf¨¦ and cookies, Amy slurped on the protein shake she had made earlier. Ste shook her head when she saw it. ''This girl was really determined to leave the house'', she mused.


    p "Oh! When Enzo lifted his shirt to expose his abs while whining to the beat! HO-OT! The sinful things I would do to that man with my tongue!" Adrianne fanned herself dramatically.</anda>


    "Jared did us all a favor by marrying you. Who knows what West Vige would have been like had you exploited your whorish tendencies?" Ste gave her a disapproving gaze. Amy knew the two were joking but she watched on with amusement as she drank her shake.


    "Yes, yes. What a selfless man my husband is." Her sarcasm was evident as she stared at her wedding ring with clear resentment. Amy chuckled and thought Adrianne was being too dramatic. Then the attention was directed on her all of a sudden. "How handsome is your husband, Emily?"


    Amy almost choked from being caught offguard but she maintained her calm and decided to spin the same story she sold Ste, who was currently sighing as she knew the answer Amy would give.


    "He''s ugly."


    "Hey, you just want to keep the good stuff to yourself. Show me some pictures, let me see." Adrianne was not buying it.


    "I''m serious and I don''t have pictures. He''s very ugly I tell you. We didn''t even take wedding photos."


    Adrianne: "..."


    Ste: *helplessly sighs then sips on her beverage.


    Seeing Amy say that with a straight face, Adrianne''s lips twitched. "Just how ugly is he? What exactly is wrong with him?"


    Zachery''s face shed in her mind making her stomach twist in a knot. Her ears became red and she tried to conceal the giddy feeling within. "His eyes are too piercingly blue, his nose is too straight, his lips are more pink than mine, his jawline is too sharp, he''s too tall, he''s quite muscr, his hair is much shorter on the sides than the top, like dude make up your mind! He''s too ugly I tell you!"


    "..."


    "..."


    Why did it sound like she was bragging instead ofining? And don''t those sound like descriptions of someone who''s good-looking? ''That sounds like a very handsome man to me'', both women mused silently. While Ste was confused by Amy''s definition of ugly, Adrianne''s lips twitched before she burst in annoyance.


    "Do you take us for fools? Might as well just brag to the world using a speakerphone about how handsome your husband is. What a show-off!" She clicked her tongue in disapproval.<sub> </sub>


    "Hey! If Emily says her husband is ugly, then he is. Stop bullying the girl."


    Adrianne looked at Ste like she had grown two heads. Whats with the biasness when she was as befuddled as she when Amy was ''degrading'' her husband? What the twodies failed to notice was the sadness in the girl''s eyes as she concealed it by slurping on her shake. She didn''t like entertaining thoughts of Zachery but being put on the spot like that, she could only think of him when describing her ''husband''s ugliness''. Adrianne was about toin when Ste''s phone rung.


    "Hello.... Oh hey An..... Oh? Oh! This is good news!... Don''t worry about it! We''ll manage just fine.... I''ll visit you both soon. Take care now... Bye." She ced her phone back on the table and was greeted by two curious gazes the moment she looked up.


    "Oh! Katherine has gone intobor. An was calling to inform me about her maternity leave."


    "Oh! That''s great news! About time though. She still persisted to go to work despite how heavy she was." Amy shook her head. She had never met this Katherine but she could picture it with Adrianne''s statement. "Wait, did you find her recement?"


    "Ah! It slipped my mind. I guess I''ll manage with Ian for now while looking." She sipped on her drink as she fell into thought. She had really cked off. She was so rxed with having Katherine around that the thought slipped her mind. As she mentally scolded herself, a soft voice snapped her out of her thoughts.


    "I can help you", Amy offered. Ste immediately shook her head in refusal.


    "No, dear. That won''t do. You need all the rest you can get."


    "What was Katherine''s job?" Amy probed.


    "Basically what a Librarian does", Adrianne replied.


    "I can do it. Besides, I love the library."


    "It sounds perfect for Emily, she won''t have to move around much. And you can watch over her as much as you want since you''re so worried about her. You''ve really gone all mother hen on her. I can''t believe you personally enrolled her into Pedro''s Ptes ss", Adrianne chuckled along with Amy.


    "I felt like a child being apanied by their parent to ss."


    Adrianne and Amy sniggered at Ste''s red face. Although she knew they were teasing her, her heart warmed up upon hearing Amy''s words. No one was ever old enough to not need their parents. For Amy who never had that, she hoped she could at least be one for her even though she''s already a grown woman.

 Chapter 21 Effortlessly Beautiful

    Amy turned her door handle to ensure it was locked and gave the house a once-over to ensure she closed the windows. She took out her Bluetooth earsets and hooked them into her ears before ying a song called ''I choose you by Sara Bareilles'' as a kick start to her day. She was in such a great mood. Ste brought over her breakfast against her wishes though herints flew out the window once she took a bite of the woman''s cooking.


    Then she told her she would be visiting Katherine in the hospital who had given birth to a baby boy the previous night. She gave her the keys to the library just in case the guy named Ian would not arrive on time. Ste would join themter in the day.


    From the unhurried pace she took, she arrived at the library within thirty minutes. But the ce was still locked. She fished out the keys and started unlocking the metal bars. She heard rushing footsteps from behind her and stopped to look back. A young man was running towards her.


    "You''re Katherine''s recement?" He asked as he took over to unlock the bars.


    "Yeah. You''re Ian?" She nced at the young man. He had an unruly aura about him with his short bangs covering his eyelids, piercings on his ears, and the ck attireprising of a shirt, ripped jeans and gumboots. He was probably in histe teens or early twenties.


    "Yes. You must be Emily?" He spoke as he opened the metal doors.


    Amy moved away to give him space as he went to unlock the ss doors with a passcode. Everything about him screamed bad boy. All that was missing was a motor bike. The doors slid open and he turned to give her the keys.


    "Yes. Thank you. It''s nice to meet you Ian", she smiled.


    Ian, who had finally taken in her appearance, was stunned out of his boots. He could not believe there existed a woman as beautiful as her. Amy was wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers with some simple jewelry topliment the ensemble. She was carrying a huge handbag with her and jacket resting on one elbow.


    Amy took the keys while staring at him. The more she looked at him, the more she felt that he was not a stranger to her but she was not sure at the same time.


    "Have we met before?" She could not help but ask.


    Ian was snapped out of his trance and scratched the back of his head. "I-I-I don''t think so", he stuttered. The tips of his ears grew red as he failed to maintain eye contact with her.


    She gave a nod and walked inside. Ian walked in after her. She set down her things and out of habit, analyzed the security system. This was the only time in her life that she hated CCTV cameras so much. Ian took her looking around as curiosity. Then he remembered Ste''s instructions.


    "Oh! I was told to  not let you lift a finger and tell on you if you don''t listen. So I''ll quickly clean up and then help you familiarize with our libraryputer system."


    Ste was really babying her. Her homesickness was fading away as she let herself settle in this new environment and Ste was a huge contributing factor. But there was no way to convince the woman that she was feeling better. Amy shook her head helplessly.


    The moment the Wi-Fi was turned on, she hacked into the security system after obtaining the IP address. In this age where the inte pretty much ruled everything, it made a hacker''s life easy. She diverted the cameras away from her and deleted footage of hering in. While Ian cleaned around, she turned on theputer and familiarized herself with the library''s system. It was the the Dewey System. ''Piece of cake'', she thought.


    When Ian walked over, she was checking out the drawers of her new desk. The angle at which she bent forward in her seated position looking into the second drawer, made her hair fall to one side and expose her milky white slender neck. He stopped and listened to his heart hammering like a sledgehammer. How could a woman be so effortlessly beautiful?


    Realizing he had been staring for too long, he cleared his throat and walked over. Amy was startled and he noticed her ears turned red. She avoided his gaze as she closed the drawer. ''Is she blushing?'' he mused. The corners of his lips curved up into a smirk.


    "I''ll quickly show you the know-hows. Sorry, but I''ll have to invade your personal space."<sub> </sub>


    "It''s alright."


    As he broke down the know-hows, he could not help but notice how her leg was constantly shaking. He had seen how girls get nervous in his presence because they like him but this was the first time he felt giddy about it. He could not believe such a beauty had a crush on him.


    "Call me if you need any help", he said. She nodded before he left her side. Ian could not help his smile as he walked away.


    People started toe in around 10 to study. Amy noticed that most of them were students probably from a nearby college. Her morning wasn''t as busy so she spent her time ying a mobile game to distract her. She didn''t even notice Ian staring at her when he was helping some girls find books.


    Ste arrived when it was an hour before lunch hour. Both women smiled when they saw each other. Ste propped her elbows atop Amy''s high desk.


    "How''s it going so far?" She whispered while ncing at the students buried in their books.


    "Good. How''s Katherine and the baby?"


    "They''re both fine. An just can''t put down his son." Both of them chuckled. "Did Ian help you settle?"


    "Yes. He''s been a great help. Although he probably thinks I''m weird already."


    Ste chuckled, "Why? What happened?"


    "I think he saw me looking at these." She pulled open the drawer she was looking through. "I was practically drooling when he walked in on me."


    Steughed when she saw the peanut butter M&Ms. "You can have them if you want. Katherine probably forgot about them. Is that all you found? I''m sure there are a lot more snacks she kept in those drawers."


    Ste walked over to help her find more snacks. Ian walked over from his station when he heard Ste''s familiar voice.


    "Grams", he called out.


    "Grams?" Amy looked between the two. Ste halted in her movements and acknowledged him.


    "Did he not tell you? He''s my grandson."


    Amy''s mouth fell in the shape of an ''o''. Ian internally panicked wondering what she thought of him now especially with the age gap. Amy on the other hand finally realized why she thought him to look familiar. She must have seen him on one of the family pictures in Ste''s home.

 Chapter 22 Ians New Interest

    Ian stood behind a shelf and peaked at Amy who scanned some books for a customer. She took down their information and they exchanged a few words before she let the customer leave with the books. It was quite upsetting that she did not require his help in operating through the library system. Yet, he found it fascinating to watch her work with ease as though it was her natural habitat when it had only been two days.


    "Excuse me? Do you know where the World History section is?" a familiar young girl asked.


    Ian frowned when he saw her. Seeing him remain unmoving, she took a bold step towards him and subconsciously he took one back before turning to let her follow him. There were too many people watching. He knew what she wanted and he needed to set things straight for the sake of his new interest.


    Ian locked them both in a storage room and turned to give her a Stern gaze. "This has got to stop", he growled.


    The girl cast him a long gaze when her lips spread into a sly smile. "What has got to stop, Ian?"


    He was about to retort when what she did next made him swallow back his words. ''Why me?'' he whined internally.


    On the other hand, Ian''s new interest had her eyes glued to the monitor. Amy was looking through the security footage for both inside and outside the library. Volunteering to help Ste with the library was quite a gumble and a security risk.


    She would be much safer in the confinement of her home but, she was trying to be one among themon folks of West Vige. Should anything happen, she would be thest person to be suspected. She didn''t know whether those people were looking for her or not but still, she would monitor inside and outside movement for any suspicious activity.


    A notification sound went off. At the corner of the monitor, a recent news article popped up. Her heart lept when she saw the familiar name, Zachery Frost. She hovered the cursor over the article. With a click of a finger, she could easily find out what''s going on in his life. Unlikest time, she hesitated. She just stared at his name while having a mental debate whether to discard it or check.


    She closed the security footages and buried her face in her hands. Any memory of him brought her great sadness. Thinking of him brought about an emotion she could not afford to be feeling in her situation: regret. It was only one night but why was she like this whenever she thinks about him?


    She felt a warm liquid on her palm and gasped when she realized she was crying. She quickly wiped her tears and left her desk. Ian was rushing back to his station when he saw Amy who had cupped her mouth while rushing to the bathroom.


    "Fuck", he mumbled. He red at the young girl leaving the library who gave him a yful wink.


    Amy sshed some water onto her face but she still felt her eyes burn with tears. Why is she crying so much? She took a tissue and blew her nose then discard it. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her blond hair had grown long over her shoulders, her blue eyes shimmered with fresh tears, her nose was red, and her pink plump lips started to quiver.<sub> </sub>


    She sighed and wiped her face before running her hand through her hair and leaned against the wall. She stared at her shoes as she was gued with thoughts. What if she had stayed instead? She had seen how Zach had ruthlessly taken down Parton. Would he have helped her? No, it would be selfish of her to put him in danger because of her issues. What if she had waited for him to wake up than leave like she had? And then what? What was she hoping for?


    She scoffed as she wiped more tears. "Stupid Amy. You''re crying over a man who probably moved on from you."


    It was just one night. There was no chance for anything special to bloom between them. Besides that encounter, there would have been no way they would have ever crossed paths. They were not supposed to in the first ce. But here she is, getting emotional when she shouldn''t. She had been doing a great job avoiding anything rted to him so what was with this emotional outburst?


    Amy felt that part of her homesickness was because of him. She missed him and she had been trying to deny that emotion because she had more pressing matters. But who knew that one night would turn her world upside down like this? Feeling frustrated with herself, she hastily took a tissue and wiped her tears. She took a couple of deep breaths and made sure she calmed down before walking out of the bathroom.


    Ste, who had noticed the girl''s absence, felt relieved when she saw her. However, her face pulled into a frown when she saw Amy''s puffy eyes.


    "Are you okay dear?" She could not help but worry.


    "I''m fine", she managed a smile but it was not enough to convince Ste. However, she was not in the mood to deal with her emotions so she walked away and Ste watched on with a helpless look.


    The day was somber for Amy. Although she performed her duties, her mood was off. Crying seemed to not help things at all but she kept herself busy. While Ste''s heart could not help but break for her, Ian could not help but feel guilty. He could not even look her in the eyes when it was time to go home.


    "S-See you tomorrow", he mumbled quickly before running off to catch a taxi home.


    "What''s wrong with him?" Ste mused loudly as she and Amy walked to her car.


    While driving home, she could not help the worried nce she cast on Amy who had her head resting against the car window. She watched the view whiz by in mncholy.

 Chapter 23 Dreaming About You

    When they got home, Ste made dinner and reminded her to have it before going to bed. But Amy was feeling oddly depressed. She couldn''t fork more than five bites before retiring to bed. Maybe because her mind had been gued by Zachery, she dreamt of him too.


    It was that night, thest moment with him. He had given her the look she had grown to know all too well, the hungry look. When she looked down at his length, her eyes almost bulged out of her sockets. How did all of that fit inside her? And why did it look like it had grown bigger? She wanted him but with that size.... She was lost in her worries when she heard his next words.


    "Amy, I won''t use the drugs as an excuse because we both know they''re out of our system. But the truth is, I want you, so bad. I really want you Amy, but if you don''t want me. That''s..... Fine. I won''t touch you. I won''t do anything against your will."


    In other words, he hadid out his cards but only she could give the final call. At the same time, he would respect her decision. Amy assessed herself, she was still in pain but it was not unbearable. She wanted him as much he wanted her. The lust was evident in her eyes. So she moved forward, crawling towards him.


    To Zach, that was such a seductive move, especially when she kept her eyes trained on his as she crawled. Reaching his side, she held his shoulders for support as she straddled hisp. He subconsciously wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. He could not get over how soft her skin felt under his touch. The way her erect mounds pressed against his hard chest. Both of their breathing became rugged. She was just as nervous as he was.


    His heart was thumping hard in anticipation. His member twitched between the two hot bodies and she gasped when she felt it against her stomach. Her bewitching eyes made sure his remained trained on them. There was evident lust in them but he did not make a move. He was still waiting for her confirmation. And he got it, when she opened her little mouth and whispered while holding his gaze.


    "I want you too."


    Zach had been seduced to the nines. All of his self restraint flew out of the window in that moment. And he moved in for the kill with a tilt of his head while holding her nape for his lips to meet hers. He shuddered when the familiar soft lips brushed against his when he opened his eyes.


    The familiar sight of his ceiling greeted his eyes in the darkness. He was in his bed and had just dreamt about Amy.


    "Fuck me", he mumbled. If the dream hadsted a bit longer, he would still be with her. He groaned as he sat up when he felt wetness. He didn''t need to turn on the lights to know what had wet his boxers and sheets.


    "Come on! You''re not some teenager" He quietly snapped at himself.<sub> </sub>


    He looked over at the time, and it was a few minutes before five in the morning. In a few minutes, he would have to go train with his men. But with his current situation, he had to take care of his mess. So he sent a group message to his men before going to take a shower.


    The men were befuddled as they stared at the text. This had never happened before. What could have possibly happened?


    ? Skull: "More sleep for me."


    Raphy: "Can we really do that?"


    Gomez: "Of course."


    Raphy was really convinced because the olders ones had adhered to their boss''s instruction. But he was torn. What if this is a trap and he makes them do double time next time? Or should they just sleep in? Raphy felt so uneasy. He looked at the group messages.


    ''No, I''m going to workout. Boss is brutal with the training'', he mused.


    He threw on his workout clothes and tiptoed out of the room. He stealthily closed the door so he won''t alert the other members. He turned around to leave when:


    "..."


    All of them were out of their rooms, in their workout gear and preparing to sneak into the training room. Skull looked at his men and his lips twitched. Even the youngest didn''t buy his bullshit. But really, why was his boss doing this?

 Chapter 24 Amy Will Compensate Him

    In the main house, three maids scurried after their master in fear. He was in fresh clothes but was carrying a washing basket! Why would he suddenly do this? Was he dissatisfied with their work?


    "Get back to work!" He barked and scared them away.


    What work could they get back to when their master was doing their job? The house fell into whispers. Why was their master acting out of turn? Are they getting fired? Zach on the other hand was silentlyining why theundry room had to be on the other side of the house. He needed to get a washing machine in his room at this point than do this walk of shame.


    "Huh? Boss skipped training because he''s doing his ownundry?" Skull asked when Raphy reported to him after getting the gist from one of the maids.


    "That sounds unrealistic", Gomezmented.


    None of them believed the whispers. Seeing is believing. So they went to the security room of the house and their mouths fell open.


    "..."


    All ten of them, including the three security personnel watched in shock as Zach stood leaning against the wall in sweat pants, a golf shirt, and flip flops, staring impatiently at the washing machine. As if he knew, he looked at the camera directed at him with a bone chilling re and they all stumbled backwards. One of the security personnel grunted when he fell off the chair after receiving such a scare.


    "T-Turn it off!" Skull shouted.


    Zach on the other hand was scowling at the fact that the camera probably caught him throwing in his boxer. Was I obvious? He tried to remember the angle at which he shuffled it in. He was in such a hurry to get rid of the mess that he did not pay attention to his surroundings.


    He did not know how much his own actions scared all of his house staff. And this was all Amy''s fault. None of this would be happening if she was here. He would make sure shepensates him when he finds her. Yes, he''s not giving up that easily.


    Aside from the early morning mishap, it seemed the heavens were on his side when he received a call from George. It''s six in the morning, what could possibly have happened?


    "Sir! I''ve found A.J!" The man sounded like he was panting.


    Zach abruptly stood up straight. "Say that again? Where are you? Come to my house immediately."


    He hang up the call and marched out of theundry room. "Margaret!" He shouted.


    The woman appeared in seconds. She had been standing nearby with her helping staff in case their master calls for them and he did.


    "Sir!" She slightly bowed along with her two helpers. They were responsible for theundry in the house.


    "Finish that up!" He ordered as he rushed out.


    The three women sighed in relief. He rushed out of the room with his heart hammering in anticipation. He groaned in frustration when he remembered his boxer. Nevermind that they always did hisundry but this situation was different. It would be embarrassingly obvious why he was doing hisundryprised of only his sheets and a boxer.


    "Margaret!" He barked when he made a u-turn and hurried back to theundry.


    "Sir", the woman responded. Perspiration was already breaking out on her forehead in anxiousness from her Master''s unusual behavior.


    "Leave. I''ll finish this myself."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    Are we really doing such a terrible job? Is he going to fire us? But it''s such a high paying job? The three women started to kneel to beg for their jobs when they froze mid-way from Zach''s next statement.<sub> </sub>


    "Tell Edmund that George will being over shortly. He should let me know once he arrives. I''ll probably be in here."


    Does that mean he''s not firing us?


    "Do I need to remind you to move?" He arched a brow.


    "No, sir."


    The maids scurried off. Zach watched as hisundry spun in the machine. ''Amy, what are you doing to me?'' he mused with a shake of his head. Not long after, Edmund, his Butler, notified him of George''s arrival.


    Zach instructed the maids not to touch hisundry before going to meet George in his study. He thought his stoic expression was not giving anything away, but his actions and words were too suspicious. Margaret and the helpers thought of the possible reason but dared not to dwell on that fact and listened to their master.


    George stood up when Zach walked into the study and closed the door behind him. He ced a file on his desk the moment Zach sat down and began his report.


    "He is currently in the Bahamas on vacation."


    "He?" Zach''s brows rose.


    From when shemunicated with him through her hacking skills, Zach had a hunch on who she could possibly be. He knew her identity was not so simple and the way she worked, he thought she could be A.J. But he was not sure so he had George look into it. His heart dropped in disappointment. This could have been a huge break through. George thought the man was surprised since no one ever knew A.J ''s actual identity. So he proceeded to exin.


    "Yes, A.J is a man. I was able to get pictures of him. They''re all in the file."


    Zach browsed through the pictures. A young man was smirking while possessively holding onto a ginger haired woman while she ruffled his ashy gray hair. There were more pictures and all were of him with different girls.


    George observed Zach''s reaction. He could tell the man was disappointed by what he saw. Although he, George, was impressed with A.J, his opinion changed when he saw the pictures. If only all men were like his boss; men who were devoted to one woman. He disliked womanizers but s, one of his bosses just had to be one as well.


    "What do we do about this, sir?"


    Zach was silently staring at the information. His impassive expression did not give away his thoughts. He tilted his head to the side and impatiently rapped his fingers on the desk. George patiently waited on his boss. He knew a n was brewing in his boss''s mind.


    "Did you include his contact details?"


    "Yes, sir. An email, that''s the only way to contact him."


    Zach nodded before dismissing him but George still stood there. "Anything else?"


    "Can I have the day off? I haven''t slept in over 48 hours?"


    Zach finally noticed the dark circles on the man. Who knew what George had been upto to get this information when he had been given five days and he returned just in time.


    "Sure. Have Edmund arrange a driver for you."


    "Thank you, sir." George breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave. He had only turned the door knob when Zach called him making him stop in his tracks.


    "Sir?" He turned to find Zach still looking at the file before closing it.


    "There''s something else you need to do."


    ''Bossssssss!'' George silently cried for the freedom he almost tasted.

 Chapter 25 Making New Friends

    The library was experiencing a slow day. Amy stretched in her chair and groaned as she let out a huge yawn which froze when a group of women walked into the library one after another. Their ages ranged between early thirties tote fifties. Nheless, they were dressed up to the nines as though they were going to some tea party. They talked in hushed tones as they disappeared into the library''s conference room.


    That part was free for people to have discussions. She had noticed high school students had done that over the past few days she had been working there. But what was the asion? Her brows rose when she saw Ste looking exceptionally beautiful in an elegant dress and pearl earrings and ne, walking towards her from her office.


    "I came to invite you to join our book club''s discussion for today." She rested her palms atop Amy''s desk; her eyes radiated with gentleness as she looked at the younger woman.


    "Book club?"


    "Yes, dear. Please give it a chance. I know you''ve been in low spiritstely but I think this would cheer you up."


    Ste was sad thinking about how closed up Amy was yesterday. In truth, the wet dream about Zachery simply threw her into more confusion. She was already frustrated with her feelings and that dream just made her more upset with herself. She didn''t know what to make of things.


    Amy gave her an apologetic smile knowing she had worried Ste but then, "No, I would be intruding Ste."


    "It won''t be intruding when the chaidy herself is inviting you. Besides, it''s a chance for you to make new friends. All you really have to do is sit and listen. Ian will fill in for you. I promise you''ll have fun!!"


    Speaking of the devil, he appeared in seconds. He was at a shelf nearby watching her. His guilt was still gnawing at him. He saw her rush to the bathroom in tears the other day and she was depressed all of yesterday. It was his fault yet he didn''t know where to begin to make things right. He really believed he had ruined chances of something special blooming between him and Amy.


    "Will you be okay, here?" After all he would be doing both his job and hers. Ian''s heart skipped a bit when he saw her worried so he nodded. He would do this much for her.


    Ste took her to the conference room where the women had settled around the table. Some were checking their makeup through their little mirrors, others were already in discussions as theyughed in hushed tones. Ste was so excited as she introduced everyone to her from Amy''s right to left.<sub> </sub>


    "Meredith, Emma, Sylvia, Anastasia, Dorothy, and Elizabeth. Ladies, this is Emily."


    "It''s nice to meet you all", Amy smiled. Thedies were stunned by her beauty. They had only heard about her from Ste and looking at her in smart casual, it did nothing to suppress her beauty. Because of Ste, they already had a good impression of her.


    "Ooh! Emma, Emily. I guess that makes us both Emz", Emma joked as she pointed at herself then Amy. She seemed to be the youngest in the group and must have a bubbly personality. Amy smiled at her.


    "It''s great you could join us Emily", the one known as Dorothy was also smiling. She could easily be Ste''s age.


    "Ste said you like books", Sylviamented.


    ''Cecil Martin''s Clean Code, and her personal favorite, Charles Petzold''s The hiddennguage ofputer hardware and software.'' She liked those but, she knew they meant novels so she simply nodded. She had read novels once when she was a teenager but the moment she started readingputer rted books, novels werepletely forgotten. She settled on the chair that was at the tail of the table while Ste as the chaidy settled at the head.


    "How familiar are you with Jane Austen''s Pride and prejudice?" Ste asked.


    "I''ve heard of it", Amy replied honestly. She never had the chance to watch the movie either.


    "Okay. I guess you can read in your own time. For now you just listen in as we discuss. Ladies, help yourselves to the walnut pie and strawberry cake and some tea", Ste spoke. "So, thoughts on the first six chapters?"


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 26 The Book Clubs Discussion

    Upon hearing walnut pie, Amy''s taste buds had been triggered. She felt awkward to jump into eating although she really wanted to have some. It had been days since shest had it. Ste saw her gaze linger on the pie that was on the table and she stood up.


    She served Amy and herself a piece each before she went back to her seat. Amy gave her a grateful smile and the woman returned her with a gentle one. The otherdies helped themselves before a discussion bloomed.


    "Before that, have you all heard about Mrs. Straub?" Anastasia started which piqued everyone''s interest.


    "Did her husband catch her cheating again?" a familiar voice responded followed by the sound of a door opening. All the women turned to find Adrianne walking in, also dressed to the nines.


    Dorothy shook her head in disapproval, "When will you ever be on time?"


    "I was pulled over and had to take care of my speeding ticket", Adrianne shrugged as she walked over.


    "Poor Jared", Meredithmented. The rest of the women shook their heads knowing the woman probably flirted her way out of it. Amy stared on in amusement as she ate. Adrianne gave everyone a cheek-to-cheek kiss before settling down beside Amy.


    "What''s new about Mrs. Straub cheating? Who''s the guy this time?" Adrianne asked as she served herself some cake and tea.


    "Thats far from important. There''s a twist! Apparently," Anastasia deliberately paused to arouse curiosity and surely, the women all stared at her in anticipation. Amy was wondering what possible twist there could be to a cheating scandal as she sipped on her tea; she was curious.


    "He fucked the same man she cheated with and let her watch!"


    Amy spat out the tea onto the table in her proximity. She didn''t expect Anastasia to have a fowl mouth and definitely did not expect that oue. The room fell in a defeaning silence as everyone was too stunned to speak. Amy reached for a tissue to wipe the table when:


    Snort.


    Amy paused in her movements and like everyone else, looked over to the source of the snort. Emma had long broken into a silentugh which had now turned into a snortugh. Her face was red while her eyes brimmed with tears ofughter.


    "I''m",.... Snort...  "I''m sor-"... Snort!<sub> </sub>


    It was so loud it sounded like revving a motorbike engine! The books were quickly abandoned as the women fell into a fit ofughter.


    "What do we even call this situation?" Meredith asked while wipingughing tears.


    "How angry do you have to be to resort to such measures?" Sylvia asked. Her face was red from all theughing.


    Dorothy sounded like she was crying as she tried to control herughter while speaking, "I don''t know... I don''t know who should be more embarrassed..... in this situation!"


    "And he refuses to divorce her!" Anastasia added.


    "I would take anything but that! That was Savage!" Emma managed to speak before she gaffawed even more.


    "But how could the other man let another man take him? Unless.....?" Dorothy mused out loud.


    Ste caught on as she nodded at her friend, "I see where you''re going with this!"


    Amy wiped the table and discarded the tissue as she calmed down from herugh. The book discussion was quickly put down by the Straub household scandal. The different theories and opinions on the matter threw the women into a fit ofughter. ''So this is how my ''story'' spread?'' Amy mused. But she was not offended because if anything, thedies did her a favor.


    Two hourster, thedies finally left. Amy felt like her cheeks were numb fromughing too much. Emma''s snortugh just made things worse for her. Ste was right, it lightened up her mood. Although she was encouraged to read the book for next Friday''s discussion, she doubted if there would be any like today.


    Ian quickly went back to his station without saying a word to her. She didn''t think much of it and settled in her seat. Out of habit, she looked at her phone and found a message that made her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. And it had been sent close to an hour ago.


    Dn: S.O.S!!!

 Chapter 27 Trouble For Dylan

    Two hours ago.


    Dn had a woman bent over on the bed with her face pressing into the sheets while he restrained her hands behind her. He was ruthlessly pounding into her. Her round butt was red from being smacked and Dn''s drilling. The woman moaned in both pleasure and pain. She let out incoherent words in Bahamian creole and all Dn picked up on was one word:


    "Harder! Ah! Yes!!!" She moaned.


    Dn growled as he increased his pace. He had heard of the little rumor that had spread of him. He was apparently a hit man working for some Mafia cartel. He chuckled remembering how this all started. But he decided to live up to his new reputation. It seemed to attract the ones who had a thing for bad boys. What thedies want, he''ll deliver.


    With a pleasure filled grunt and cry from both them, they climaxed together and he pulled out to get rid of the condom. She was spent and copsed into a deep slumber. Dn discarded the condom into the bathroom and took a shower.


    After he came out, he dressed up and looked at the woman''s exposed bottom in amusement. He walked over and smacked it. She moaned in her sleep. He smirked as he watched it jiggle. He covered her body with a sheet and exited her room.


    ''A good smoke after a good fuck'', he mused as he took the elevator that took him to the hotel bar. It was one of the ces he frequented when he wanted his me-time. He settled at a table and a waiter served him his usual: whiskey on the rocks and some snacks. He would be sure to tip him generously he thought as he lit up his cigarette.


    He felt himself calm down as he exhaled the smoke. Quite therapeutic. Some slow jams echoed in the bar. There weren''t that many people during lunch hour. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the table before sipping on his drink.


    Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. His boss always told him to be on alert. With their job, it was easy to offend some people. But he did not recall offending anyone. Or could it be that the little rumor that spread about him attracted unwantedpany?


    He turned around while sipping on his drink. A beautiful woman at a table a few feet away from him gave him a flirtious smile. He winked at her while shing his charming smile. It could seem like he was flirting with her, but he was quick to catch the man on the table behind her turn to ''answer'' his phone.


    Dn leisurely sipped on his drink as he beckoned the woman with a finger and she catwalked towards him, deliberately swinging her hips. He snaked his arm around her waist and buried his face in the crook of her neck probably kissing and whispering some sweet-nothings judging from her blushing face.


    "Okay, I want you in bed tonight", he whispered. He pulled away and smacked her little bottom and sent her away leaving her blushing furiously. He turned back and paid for his drink and left the waiter a generous tip.


    "Thank you, sir", the young waiter gave him a grateful smile. Dn nodded at him and turned to leave.


    He emerged at the hotel lobby. A lot of people were checking in. Dn was sure to check out some of them. Most of the women blushed seeing this pretty boy openly check them out. But, something caught his eye. He was right about being watched. However, he didn''t anticipate them to be three and following him. Even in their casual attire, the goons stood out too much. Who are they?


    He took out his phone and casually sent a message to the one person he knew would help him.


    Dn: S.O.S<sub> </sub>


    To his terrible luck, the boss didn''t respond right away. Something must be up, he thought. He had to stall.


    So he walked around, going to crowded areas around the hotel: the club, the pool, and the beach. He kept a check on his followers and they were still three. But he remained natural, like he did not notice their presence at all. An hour of walkingter, he finally received the long anticipated call. He put on his wireless Bluetooth headsets and answered.


    "About time!" He whined.


    "What happened?" Came his boss''s deep voice which was too calm, almost quiet.


    "I havepany."


    "Did you cause trouble?"


    "All I''ve done is drink and sleep around, I don''t think this has anything to do with that. If I had stolen someone''s girl, I would have been caught long ago. And they are New Yorkers."


    Earlier when he was flirting with the woman, he casually asked her what ent the man behind her had. And she replied breathlessly from his actions, "Just like yours."


    His boss fell silent after revealing his little discovery. He was about to check his phone connection when his boss responded.


    "Go back to the hotel."


    "But that''s practically asking them to kill me in my room! Will you live with your conscience knowing you could have prevented it?" He almost cried!


    He had only walked on this Earth for 27 years, he was not ready to go. He had been walking around in ces he knew hotel security was close by, just in case. What was his boss talking about?


    "Don''t make me repeat myself you drama Queen!"


    "..."

 Chapter 28 Pronouncement Of Dylans Death Judgment

    Dn knew part of the reason he was asked to go back to the hotel, so he sent her the hotel''s WiFi IP address before she asked. As he walked back to the hotel, he could hear the frantic typing on his boss''s end.


    ? "Who are these people?"


    Although Amy heard him, her mind was upied with finding an answer to why they would suddenly attack her assistant. When they resumed their activities, they stopped looking for her because they were keeping her at bay. This she knew very well.  But why? Why go after her own when she didn''t-


    "It can''t be", she muttered under her breath but Dn picked up on it.


    "Boss? What''s going on?"


    Again, the response he got was her typing noise. Just like credit card transactions give away the location of where the transaction was made, for instance which shop an item was purchased using the card, so do ATM transactions as they indicate which ATM was used. So she tweaked the system a bit and locked down on one ATM back in the city she frequently used, to be the trigger location while masking her actual location whenever and wherever she uses an ATM.


    Sure enough, there were goons eyeing the ATM back in the city on the day she had used one back in West Vige. She cautiously looked up around the library and no one was paying attention to her. She looked back down to herptop that was shielded by her high desk and took headshots of the men in the CCTV footage to analyzeter.


    "I''m in the hotel lobby. You''ll soon see three guys entering, one in a white shirt and ck trousers, another in all ck, and the other wearing blue beach shirt and khaki shorts", Dn reported.


    "I see them."


    She had to give it up to Dn for acting like he was unfazed by the danger. The men seemed to be minding their business but they kept their eyes on Dn. She remotely controlled the hotel cameras to zoom in on the men''s faces and take headshots as she started to exin the situation to Dn.<sub> </sub>


    "I took a job a few days after you left and discovered some things that they didn''t want me to. They came after me, I escaped, and now they''re after you to get to me."


    "But how did they discover my real identity as your assistant let alone yours when you and I have always been low-key?"


    That''s another thing Amy could not figure out. Should anyone try to dig up her information, her system alerts her, same way she knew Zachery''s men had been looking into her before she blocked them out and simply sent him Parton''s info. Oddly enough, her system never alerted her of any breach but somehow they knew her real identity as Amy Harper. But seeing as they could do that, finding Dn must have been a piece of cake for them. Going after him was a way to lure her out, she realized this but, she couldn''t let anything happen to him.


    "Dn, let''s focus on getting you home", she willed herself to calm down.


    "Home? You mean I''m going back to New York?"


    "Looking at the distance between you and those three, you have at least 90 seconds to go to your room, get your things and leave. I''ll be keeping an eye out for you. But you shouldn''t try any tricks that can draw their attention to you. Keep acting like you don''t know they''re onto you and leave quietly".


    Besides his rapid heart beat, he heard her go quiet for a few seconds. It felt like she was about to pronounce his death judgement.


    She spoke again but this time, her tone was cold, "Since these people want you back in NYC, then that''s where you''ll go."


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 29 Dylans Safety Is Amys Priority

    She looked up again to ensure no one was watching and she wasn''t disturbing the studying students. The library echoed with the sound of the Air Conditioner and the sound of pages turning. She looked back down at herptop to see Dn get a move on and keep a look out for him.


    "Fuck! My beach vacation tour ising to an end because of this! I know you said it''s easy to make enemies in this line of work but I never knew a day like this woulde!" Dn''s voice was full of anxiousness as he disappeared into the elevator.


    Amy felt her stomach twist into a knot from anxiousness. Although she sounded calm, she was actually very worried and afraid for him. She never meant for him to be pulled into this mess, but she had been careless and her assistant was paying for it.


    Her mind took her back to the day she fled the city. Had she not been digging up more information on what she discovered to fully understand what those people were doing, she would have nevere across her information in their system. How they got it? No clue.


    It was then she realized she made a stupid move. Tapping into their system was akin to a runway criminal calling the cops to make demands only for his location to be tracked through the call. Her system alerted her of a security breach showing that they were tracking down her location while she was in their system.


    Without any second thought, she disguised all her important gadgets as books and fled; leaving everything that made her ce home behind. She emerged out of the building housing her ce; into the streets of New York. She almost run into them but quickly changed directions and run into the opposite direction.


    Unfortunately, they had seen her and soon pursued her. She could vividly remember how huge and gruff they looked when she looked back, the fear of being caught by them, the fear of not knowing what fate awaited her; and the fear of not knowing whether she would live or die once they caught her. But she charged forward, running as far as her legs could carry her. And then, the unexpected happened: Parton''s men happened..... Without this situation, she would have never left Zachery like she did.


    ''I''m sorry, Zachery'', she whispered in her thoughts. Without this situation, she would have never met Zachery at all. It was a bittersweet moment for her.


    "Boss!"


    Her eyes snapped open at the sound of Dn''s anxious voice. She felt a warm liquid fall on the back of her hand. She was crying again. She hastily wiped her tears and refocused on the screen.


    Dn was out of his room with his bag in hand on his way to catch an elevator. She noticed that the elevator Dn was about to pass by had the mening up to his floor.<sub> </sub>


    "Take the stairs!" Her voice was full of urgency. She almost cost him his safety, she shook her head feeling disappointed in herself.


    Dn cursed before going for the stairs. Ten seconds after he had disappeared, the three men stepped out of their elevator. As expected, they knew his room number and went in. Unfortunately for Amy, the room had no cameras so she had no clue what happened in there. Her focus and priority was Dn''s safety.


    Back in Dn''s room, the sound of the toilet flushing was heard before one of Dn''s pursuers emerged out of the bathroom. Another one was standing by the window observing the view below, while the other had settled on one of the sofas in the lounge. He took out his phone and dialed a number on speaker. Someone picked up and answered, "What happened?"


    ? "He escaped", he responded.


    "He just caught a cab, I think he''s leaving for New York City", added the one who was by the window. He was currently watching the cab taking Dn to the airport exit the hotel premises.


    "Okay, time for n B", the person on the phone spoke.


    Downstairs at the hotel lobby.


    A man was seen at the reception and nodded at whatever information he got before turning to leave. He pressed down his baseball cap and kept his head hanging low as he exited the hotel. He walked until he stood a good distance away from the hotel. He looked around while fishing out his phone from his leather jacket pocket before dialing a number. The person on the other end answered on the first ring.


    "He checked out not too long ago. My best guess is he''s going back to New York", he reported.


    The person on the other end chuckled in amusement and said, "Is that right? I guess it''s only right that we wee him home in style!"

 Chapter 30 Amys Case Of Nerves

    Ste nced at the woman in her passenger seat. She could not help but worry upon noticing how spaced out Amy was and the way she had been tapping her foot from the moment they left the library. She honestly left Amy in a good mood after the book discussion but now, what was worrying this girl again?


    "Is everything okay, dear?" She asked. Amy jolted in her seat, suddenly snapped out of her worried thoughts.


    "Huh?"


    "Is everything okay? Did something happen?"


    "I''m expecting some news." Her voice was quiet when she spoke.


    She knew how ambiguous her statement was but she also knew Ste would draw her own conclusions; conclusions she would not bother correcting because her mind was on Dn. He had already caught a flight back to New York.


    What would happen during that flight was out of her control and she could not help but feel nervous. Those men also left the hotel. What if they also caught the same flight? Could they have done something to Dn whilst on the ne? She wanted to feel confident in her decision but her worries were getting the best of her.


    "Oh? News about your husband? Is it a phone call?" There was excitement in Ste''s tone. Her eyes and smile grew wide from happiness when Amy nodded with half enthusiasm. "Are you that excited to the point of being nervous? I was worried for nothing!! You should be more excited than nervous!" She patted Amy''s hand.


    "I bet..... You kids might have some ''fun time'' during the call?" She wiggled her brows at her. It took Amy some seconds to figure out what the older woman meant by ''fun time''. Her face scrunched up in disgust when she thought of the actual person whose phone call she was expecting.


    "Ste!"


    The older woman thought Amy was was embarrassed and putting up a front to not show her excitement. It reminded her of how her daughters react whenever she brags about her intimate moments with Richard. She giggled and nudged Amy yfully, "Gee! You''ve given me some forey ideas for Richard and I. I can''t wait for tonight!"


    "Oh my gosh!" Amy groaned and shook her head helplessly.


    When Ste saw this, she broke into augh. She was more happy to see Amy like this than the way she was earlier. When they reached home, Amy asked her to leave her to cook her own meal tonight and Ste happily agreed before disappearing into her house at the speed of lightning while calling for Richard.<sub> </sub>


    "..."


    ''This woman was actually serious'', Amy mused. Being honest, she simply didn''t want to trouble the woman any longer. And with her case of nerves, she didn''t think she could stomach anything tonight.


    So she walked across the street and into her house. She went straight to her room and stripped out of her clothes. She made sure her phone was on speaker before jumping into the shower. In less than five minutes, she was out and changed into her PJs.


    She settled into bed but could not help but fiddle with her phone. She checked a couple of times and made sure her phone was not on silent. Her heart was thumping wild against her chest and an unpleasant twist settled in her stomach. She had never felt so nervous in her life before....  Okay, maybe when she was with Zachery in her sober state.


    p She was starting to feel sick from such nerves so she did some breathing exercises. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Deep breath i-</anda>


    Ding! She almost jumped when her phone chimed in her hands. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath before taking a look. Her face fell, it was not Dn. But the email made her brows rise in.... confusion?


    Ahismine@***: Are you okay?


    "What is this?" A feeling of annoyance washed over her form. Has her email been passed to any Jill and Jack when she made it clear that it was strictly for business. Which client had leaked it? But she would deal with thister. She had more pressing matters to dea-


    Ahismine@***: I know you''re capable but I still want you to know that whatever you''ve nned for your assistant Dn, I''ll make sure that it runs smooth without any hups.


    She would have disregarded the message but it seemed this person knew her and the situation she was in. They were actually helping her. The more she stared at the message, the more an ominous feeling blossomed within her.


    She was debating whether to answer when the phone call she had been waiting for finally came through. She threw on her earsets and activated her voice changer as she answered. Before she could say anything, Dn said something that did not help with her case of nerves.


    "Boss! I''m back in New York but this is not the wee I was expecting!"

 Chapter 31 Walking Into A Trap

    At terminal 5 of the JFK international airport.


    A man had a picture in his hand, he stood, while resting his elbows on the ss railing, and looked at the arrivals down at terminal 4. His eyes fell on an ashy gray haired young man who had queued up as well to get his travel documents and luggage checked.


    The young man had on a ck ensemble: a baseball cap, a shirt left untucked, slimfit jeans, and gumboots; all in ck. He was bobbing his head up and down; it seemed he was listening to music judging from the ck wireless earsets that contrasted his pink ears.


    Although they had a blurred image of him, the young man stood out too much among the sea of men and women who had just arrived in New York. A malicious glint flushed in the eyes of the man holding the young man''s picture as he flicked it. He turned back to four of his friends who had upied a table at the caf¨¦ on that floor.


    "He''s here", he spoke.


    "Where?" One of them stood up and walked over to the railing. His friend openly pointed at the young man. He nodded confirming that it was the person in the picture. It had to be him. He went back to his seat and dialed a number. The person picked up on the first ring.


    "He''s here. We have eyes on him", he reported.


    The person on the other end responded sounding pleased, "Good. You know what to do."


    "Yes, sir."


    The call ended. He looked over at his subordinates who looked to him for further instructions since he had justmunicated with their boss. "You all remember the n?"


    "Yes!" The four answered in unison. He nodded in satisfaction before standing up to go back to look down from the ss railing. He suddenly chuckled in amusement as he locked his eyes on the young man, "He literally just walked into our trap."


    Down at terminal 4.<sub> </sub>


    The young man in question moved when someone in front moved on after being cleared. He bobbed his head as he looked around taking in the different men and women queueing up ahead of him. His stomach growled from hunger, after all, he only had that ss of whiskey after spending his energy on that beautiful babe, before he had to leave. There was also that beauty he had promised to have tonight, Dn sighed.


    Growl. His eyes subconsciously nced up at the caf¨¦ at terminal 5. Something caught his eye. Two men in ck suits were looking down at him and one of them pointed at him. ''Are they.... here for me?'' he mused. They could be pointing at anyone, right?


    One of the men went back to the caf¨¦ then came back shortly after to join the other man. Was he imagining things or were those two goons watching him? Someone from the front was cleared and Dn moved. He hoped he was truly wrong; his heart thudded loudly against his chest. His line moved up again, the men never peeled their eyes away from him. Even from a distance, he could tell they had ill intentions. He really hoped they were not after him. But of course, he was wrong.


    The moment his line moved up leaving him two persons away from the front, he saw the men signal each other to get a move on. Just like the two that were watching him, three more appeared in the same ck suits. They were tall and muscr.


    They all kept their eyes on him as they leisurely headed for the esctor going down. The people could not help but stare at these men who did not bother being low profile in their movements. They were akin to five grim reapers descending upon their target. A sinister smile bloomed on one of them when Dn made eye contact with him.


    "Sir?" A woman called out to the absent-minded Dn; startling him in the process. He was so distracted by those men he did not realize that it was his turn to be inspected.


    "Huh?" Dn looked back at her with wide eyes; she frowned upon seeing this and her voice hinted annoyance when she repeated herself.


    "Your passport, sir. And please put down all your gadgets together with yourggage for inspection."


    Dn looked back at the descending men while putting down his phone, earsets, wristwatch, andptop. He gave them his passport and other necessary documents too. The leader of Dn''s pursuers could not help but feel giddy, once Dn was cleared, they would move in.


    What made it more fun was watching the fear clear on Dn''s features. He had no where to hide; he was like a trapped mouse. They would be there waiting for him by the arrivals'' exit. ''This could not be any easier'', the leader thought in amusement.

 Chapter 32 No Escape

    "Dn Smith?" The female officer called out, bringing his attention back to her. "Mr. Smith, please step aside."


    "I-Is there a problem?" He asked.


    She looked at his documents then back at him with a growing frown, "Step aside, sir."


    "What''s going on? Hey! What are you doing with that?" His voice wasced with panic when he saw his luggage being detained. "What''s going on?"


    Whispers bloomed among the onlookers as they watched the panic stricken young man. Even the goons who were exiting the terminal could not help but watch in displeasure.


    "What do you think he did?"


    "Being caught by Officer May is every criminal''s worst nightmare."


    "Nothing gets past her."


    "I know a guilty man when I see one. Why is it always the good-looking ones?"


    Officer May ignored the whispers and focused on Dn who had now stepped aside. "We need your cooperation on an investigation."


    "What''s this about?"


    "Mr. Smith, pleasee with me." She made to grab his arm with her hand but he stepped back.


    Dn could not believe his own actions; he who never turned down women was actually doing that. But his focus was not on the woman, it was on the goons behind him. The onlookers could not help but conclude that he was indeed guilty. He looked back at the exit and saw the goons showing no sign of leaving. They were determined to leave with him.


    "Sir, look at my face. Does it look like I''m joking?" Her stoic expression gave nothing away but the annoyance was apparent in her tone.


    His jumpy state was quickly putting her off. He barely spared her a nce and anxiously looked around behind him. The men could guess what was on his mind. The leader followed Dn''s line of sight that fell on another exit on that floor.  ''Not on my watch'', the leader thought.


    "Mr. Smith, please cooperate or we will be forced to detain you", her hand was already on the baton hooked on her waist.


    "But I don''t know what this is about either. Whatever it is, can''t we do this another time? I''ll cooperate then", he almost wanted to cry.<sub> </sub>


    What''s with thisdy? He had more pressing matters to deal with; he looked back at the men. ''Why can''t they just leave?'' he whined. Perspiration was already building up on his forehead and palms. He wiped them against his jeans before clenching them into fists. Officer May was so annoyed upon seeing this.


    "Mr. Smith, pleasee with us." She gestured at a male officer in her proximity to bring him along. Dn''s panic heightened upon seeing this.


    "Where? I haven''- Eish! I don''t have time for this!" He turned and made a run for the exit.


    "Stop him!"


    The goons were ready to run in Dn''s direction but they were stopped by their leader. Dn had barely taken a few steps before a heavy weight crashed on his back throwing him to the ground. He grunted in pain when his face was pressed to the ground and his wrists were restrained by strong hands.


    "Take him away", Officer May barked at her male colleague.


    "I didn''t do anything", he groaned in pain when he was pulled to his feet.


    ...


    "My guess is it could be some sort of cyber crime but I''m not sure. There''s no way to infiltrate the system to get any information." The leader of the goons was currently reporting to his superior through a phone call.


    "Who''s running the investigation?"


    "It''s Officer May, sir."


    "Fuck. Nothing gets past her. And she''s too difficult." What the superior meant was that Officer May never epted any bribes so there was indeed no way to get any Intel from the inside. The goon could hear the frustration in his boss''s voice. "I hope you didn''t do anything when he tried to escape?"


    "No, sir. I didn''t want to draw the attention of the authorities onto us."


    "Good. He''s already within your grasp, don''t let him escape."


    "Don''t worry, sir. We''ve secured all the possible exits. There''s no way for him to escape."

 Chapter 33 Get Into Positions

    Two hourster.


    "Fuck it! I''m going to take a leak! This is taking forever", one goon grumbled.


    He didn''t wait to hear his teammates'' objections and simply removed his earpiece and went on his way. All this for a man who couldn''t even handle one officer, the four would be fine during his temporary absence should anything happen. He quickened his steps when he felt like he would almost pee himself. But he still looked around as he walked. Finally, he walked into the bathroom.


    "Huh?" He took a step back out.


    He saw a man in a ck attire dragging his suitcase, he looked back where he wasing from as though checking for something, or someone. He abruptly looked forward and quickened his steps. The man had ashy gray hair under his cap. The goon had knowing grin on his face. And the best part was, the man was walking his way. He quickly out back his earpiece which was bursting with his mates''ints.


    "Guys! Target is walking my way. Get into positions", he whisper shouted. He gave them his exact location and they soon followed.


    Dn was oblivious to his surroundings as he quickly dragged his suitcase on its wheels. Someone suddenly took his suitcase and walked ahead of him. Before he could get a word out, two strong hands each grabbed his elbows. Two of the goons settled beside him, another behind him, and one more joining the one dragging his suitcase.


    "Alright Mr. Smith, no need to make another scene", the leader growled beside his ear.<sub> </sub>


    "Mr. Smith?" Dn asked.


    "We know you know we''re onto you. My men are already agitated, don''t provoke them any further."


    "Man, I think you''ve got the wrong person", Dn responded while stopping in his tracks.


    "I wouldn''t do that Mr. Smith. Move!" The goon on his right growled as he pushed him forward but it felt like his feet were glued to the ground. The two men grew annoyed by this and pushed him forward. The push was so strong it sent the young man falling to the ground and his cap in the process.


    "..."


    "Who''s this?" The leader asked in pure annoyance. The man who was groaning in pain while holding his back was not Dn.


    "Who are you people?" He shot back although he winced in pain. The men were frozen, unsure of how to respond. Suddenly, a loud bark was heard. All of them looked behind to the source of the noise. A huge German Shepherd was running in their direction while letting out his strong bark. The men stood frozen on their spot. They did not notice the huge smile on the man on the floor.


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 Chapter 34 Their Day Was Far From Over

    The dog pounced on the man and started licking his face. He ruffled it''s fur whileughing, "Hey buddy!!"


    "I was wondering where he ran off to!" An officer appeared while panting and throwing a re at the dog. He walked over to the pair on the ground with a happy smile. "You should have taken him with you on your vacation."


    The goons looked at each other, embarrassed. They almost kidnapped an airport security officer. The leader threw a re at the whistle blower and thetter looked away in shame. The officer on the ground stood up and a deathly re settled on his face.


    "Who are you people? You all look like a bunch of trouble makers to me. Since my vacation is over, how about-"


    "Boss!" One of the goons pointed at a man walking towards the airport exit. Ashy gray hair, ck outfit, ck baseball cap which he just removed, and that hurried step; it had to be Dn. The men turned to run after him.


    "Hey! I''m talking to-" his statement was cut short when a loud thud was heard and A4 papers burst in the air and rained on them.


    Everyone halted in their movements and looked up at the falling papers like they were the most fascinating things ever. It took a few seconds for the goons to remember their mission. They barely took a couple of steps forward when they heard a cold sigh. That sigh was enough to have the five restrained by two men each. The men frantically looked around and tried to shake off their restrainers, who were all in ck suits and ck shades.


    "Hey!"


    "Hey!"


    "What do you think you''re doing?"<sub> </sub>


    <o>,m "Release us! Hey!"</o>


    Their struggles and shouts were answered back by a cold chuckle. It was the same person who sighed earlier. His leisurely footsteps echoed as he picked up the papers one by one. Maybe because he was bent over, no one could see what he looked like. The air seemed to have turned cold, sending an unpleasant shiver down the goons'' back. One of them could not help but swallow a hard lump.


    "Let you go?" The person scoffed. He finally stood upright while holding eye sses. He looked through them and his face turned even more cold, "You even broke my eye sses."


    "We''ll pay you back. But we really have to go", the leader grumbled as his eyes darted between the figure disappearing at the exit and the man before him. His lean body was covered in a grey suit, ck turtle neck, and ck shoes. He looked so familiar but the goon could not ce him.


    "Pay me back? You think I''m worried about that? Do you have any idea what these documents are?" He raised the papers in their faces.


    "Look here Mr...."


    "Stewart. George Stewart", George corrected.


    Silence. That name, the bodyguards restraining them, and the papers in the man''s hands. They gulped when they saw the huge footprint on the front paper ring at them. Who didn''t know Frost Corporation''s Executive Assistant? Offending him was akin to offending the Chairman himself, Zach Frost. If the big man sent his assistant along with those ten bodyguards to personally retrieve the document they had just trampled on, it had to be an important document. They could forget about catching Dn Smith. Their lives were more important.


    "S-Sir, we were wrong", the leader began to kneel but was pulled up and forced to remain standing. When the others saw this, they swallowed a hard lump. They knew that their day was far from over; and far from getting any better.


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 Chapter 35 Zach Saw Through Everything

    "They couldn''t afford to implicate us so they silently took the beatings knowing they were in the wrong", Peter Wright reported to his boss.


    Thetter had their spinning chair facing the floor to ceiling window that was left open to expose the night decorated by the bright lights from the beautiful city called New York. The view outside was beautiful but the temperature in the room was below zero. In the presence of their boss, they could not afford to even breath too loud.


    The five goons had their heads hanging low although their faces were swollen from being beaten ck and blue. One of them had a constant pained expression; he was probably standing on a broken leg. Neither went to the hospital but went straight to report to their superior who was overseeing their operation, Peter Wright, and were called in along with him to report on their failed mission.


    With this thought, Peter wiped his sweaty palms against his suit pants and swallowed a hard lump. "A-And they couldn''t catch Dn. He.... escaped."


    Silence. A creaking sound was heard when the boss suddenly stood up from their seat. The boss walked leisurely with their eyes trained on Peter. Thetter had his hands clenched to stop them from shaking. With every step the boss took, Peter felt like his heart would burst from anxiety. He really wished he could drop dead in that moment.


    The boss''s scent wafted to his nose before he saw the former''s shoes direct in his sight. He knew what wasing next. It was his idea to use Dn as a way to lure out Miss Harper. A lot of resources had gone into finding the man''s picture, although blurry, and his whereabouts. But all that was for nothing. The man slipped right through their fingers and his boys just had to offend George Stewart, at least, he let them off with a few beatings but still. It was all for nothing and it was his fault.


    His head was still hanging low when his boss gestured with a wave off a hand to let everyone leave. Peter realized his doom was seconds away when he heard the soft closing of the door. A cold finger hooked under his chin and he was forced to look into the eyes of his boss.


    "You know it''s your fault, don''t you?" The boss asked. Their eyes shed with malicious intent and a smile that did not reach their eyes graced their face. Peter could only nod as he swallowed a hard lump.


    An hourter.


    The door to a beautiful home opened letting in a man, it was Peter. Upon entering, he could already smell the pleasant aromaing from the kitchen.


    "Boys! Dinner is almost ready! Go and wash your hands", he heard his wife shout.


    "Last one to the bathroom is a loser!" He heard one of his sons speak.


    "You''re on!" The other one responded.


    He soon heard the sound of their footsteps. The boys emerged in the corridor from the living room only to stop, one 10 years old and another 8. Their little faces lit up when they saw their father by the door.


    "Dad!" The two shouted in unison before rushing to hug him.<sub> </sub>


    "Kaden! Kyle! Were you boys good today?" His gaze was full of affection as he ruffled his sons'' hair. His wife emerged from the kitchen with a happy smile that lit up his world. He smiled as he watched her walk to him before she nted a kiss on his lips.


    "Hey honey", she whispered.


    "Ew!" The boysined from being sandwiched and their parents'' PDA. The two adults chuckled at their sons'' cuteness.


    "I''ll go shower and join you shortly", Peter said.


    She nodded and led the boys away. He walked off into their bedroom and ced his briefcase on the bed before going into the bathroom. He made sure to lock it. The smile on his face disappeared when he turned to look at his reflection in the mirror. The man''s face crumbled and he slumped to the floor while cupping his mouth. Silent tears fell as the man fought to suppress his sobs.


    At Frost Corporation.


    George happily gave the report to his boss about the day''s happenings from Dn being detained and how their n created the perfect diversion to let Dn escape. "In conclusion, A.J safely exited the airport; the only mishap is that we don''t know who sent those men. Their information does not appear in the system either."


    "That was not A.J", Zach finally spoke.


    "Sir?" George''s brows rose. "Then who....?"


    "Do you really think it would be that easy to find A.J?" Zach answered back with a question.


    George fell silent. Although a lot of resources had gone into tracking down the said man, but all it took was five, no, four days and he arrived on the morning of the fifth day to report his findings. For someone as great as A.J, that was too easy. So, who is he? Why would his boss send his men to protect him starting from the Bahamas and then here back in New York? Why would he waste his efforts like that when he is supposed to be looking for Miss Harper? Miss Harper. He gasped, ''Could it be Miss Harper is ....?''


    "And how sure are you that Dn is in New York?" Zach threw him another question.


    "Sir.....? But our diversion...."


    "Did you see him leave the airport?" Zach arched his perfect brow. What on Earth happened earlier? Was he, George, even present? Why is his boss able to see through everything when he wasn''t even there?

 Chapter 36 A Little Favor

    The sound of a flushing toilet was heard before a young woman stepped out of the stall. She put her hand under a soap dispenser before rinsing it off on the sink. As she closed the tap, she subconsciously looked at her reflection in the mirror. Amy had never looked so haggard in her life. She had sleptte during the previous night to ensure Dn was safe. Her mind took her back to when Dn called her.


    "Boss! I''m back in New York but this is not the wee I was expecting!"


    Her heart initially dropped when she heard hisint. She was beginning to worry until she heard his next statement. "I mean, why would you have Officer May handle things for me?"


    "What''s wrong with Officer May?" Amy asked, unsure of where he was going with the conversation. Then she heard him whisper into the phone, "She swings the other way."


    "..." Amy''s lips twitched.


    "How soon can I leave Officer May?" he asked. So he was saying these things while the woman was there. Amy was d she was not there but she was embarrassed for him instead.


    "Your next flight is in two hours. That should be enough time for Danny to be ready." The woman sounded like she was unbothered by Dn''s behavior. Danny was having his hair dyed and would impersonate Dn when it was time.


    "You mean I''m stuck with you for two hours? I can''t even ask you to pretend to flirt with me", Dn grumbled. Amy was so annoyed with him, she had never wanted to punch him more than in that moment.


    "Officer May, thank you for doing this, I''ll remember this favor. And deal with him as you see fit should he try anything", Amy spoke with so much politeness leaving Dn buffled.


    "No, no. This is the least we can do after what you did for us."


    Officer May could clearly remember when these two previously helped in saving innocent lives. There was a  ne that had been hijacked by terrorists who had the pilots redirect the ne destination at gun point. With a little help from pilots avable on ground and flight control, they hacked into the ne''s system and locked the pilots out. No matter how hard they tried, they could not disengage autopilot nor did the ne listen to any of theirmands.


    Unfortunately, one of the pilots suffered a beating when the terrorists thought them to be ying tricks. They only believed them when the ne randomly gained altitude, then did a nose dive only to gain momentum and randomly change directions. The experience was scary for everyone in the ne including the terrorists. They didn''t suspect anything even when the ne ''randomly'' flew back to JFK where the authorities apprehended them.<sub> </sub>


    This was the first time Officer May saw Dn because Amy always worked remotely. She could vividly remember the happy and crying faces of the passengers that even she cried on the spot. So when she was contacted to help Dn escape some enemies, she readily agreed.


    "Wait, did you say next flight?" Dn suddenly asked.


    "How do you feel about Italian food?" Amy asked nonchntly. She could almost picture his face when he excitedly shouted, "Boss!"


    But this is not what was currently bugging Amy. What Amy did not anticipate was someone else impersonating Dn to look like he had left the airport, and themotion caused by George Stewart. And to top it off, the three men following Dn in the Bahamas were part of George Stewart''s bodyguard entourage.


    And they contributed to the diversion Danny had created and even restrained the men while Dn left the country. Was it all a coincidence? But then that email said something like helping her n run smooth. If it''s not a coincidence, then could it be that the emailer-


    The sound of someone walking into the bathroom snapped her out of her reverie. She dried her hands and walked out. She had to get to the bottom of things if not this would continue to bother her. But if it was really Zachery, then what?


    Her heart lept at the thought. The man was not there yet she felt nervous. She let out a shaky breath as she wiped her palms against her leggings. Ste and Adrianne were waiting for her by the gym exit. Although she had sleptte, she still came out to the gym with thedies.


    But as she walked towards them, something caught her eye. There were a couple ofdies surrounding Ste and Adrianne, but there seemed to be tension in the air. They walked away when Amy approached, but she managed to catch the dirty nces directed at her.


    "Everything okay?" Amy asked with brows raised. Ste fought to suppress her annoyance and forced a smile, "It''s nothing, dear."


    "Yes, don''t worry about it Emily. Let''s go", Adrianne also forced a smile. Although it bothered her, she was not going to force them to say anything. Something about the way those women stared at her annoyed her.

 Chapter 37 Torrie And Kris

    Two dayster.


    Back in the city, at a prestigious golf club.


    Five beautiful adies sat on a table in their golf outfits sharing some nice chatter over tea and biscuits. Their ages ranged fromte forties tote fifties but most of them seemed to look ten years younger. They all belonged to some of New York''s richest families but two women especially stood out in this group. It was Zach''s mother, Mrs. Victoria Frost and, Mrs. Kristen Howell. Both women came from families whosepanies were practically on top of the food chain.


    The women had frowns on their faces as they listened to their friend, Stephanie, pour out her problems. "Since his business failed, he''s been down and doesn''t want to pick up the pieces. Now it''s one fight after the other with his father. Ladies, I''m really not having it easy."


    "It must be hard on you", Reba sympathized while patting her friend''s hand. The other three nodded in agreement.


    "Was it wrong to support him? Should I have pushed him to let his father groom him for the CEO position? Who knows? Maybe he would have made a difference like Zach is doing. Eleven years of running Frost Corporation and it''s been one sess after another. He''s definitely not like his peers." Victoria''s face was red from blushing. Which mother would hate hearing praises about their child? But she only showed a modest smile. However, Stephanie caught the re Kristen was giving her so she quickly added, "Of course, there''s Logan. At such a young age he''s already a CEO. His achievements are not so simple either."


    Despite that, Victoria saw that Kristen''s expression was not that good. Both of their sons were the same age but one was simply a CEO while the other was a Chairman of their respective corporations. This difference surely bothered Kristen, Victoria felt so smug about this fact. Unfortunately for Kristen, Adide had not picked up on the tension and felt to express her genuine admiration for Victoria''s son, Zach.


    "I agree, but Zach is something. Look at his achievements." She started counting with her fingers, "CEO at 22, then chairman at 25, expanding the family business to international waters with his unending sess streaks, and he''s so good looking. Torrie, that son of yours will not only give you beautiful grandchildren but brilliant ones too!"<sub> </sub>


    Victoria fought to maintain a modest smile, but every achievement listed greatly stroked her ego. Reba and Stephanie had noticed that Kristen''s face had grown uglier with Adide ''s praises. However, Victoria''s smile froze when she heard the words that came out of Kristen''s mouth.


    "Oh? But won''t Torrie need to have a daughter-inw in the first ce?" Kristen jabbed at Victoria''s wound. While everyone doubted Zach to get a woman despite his good looks and abilities, there was also Xavier the yer. Kristen''s expression turned smug upon seeing the ugly expression on Victoria''s face.


    "Well everything happens in its own good time. But it seems like, you Kris, will be the first to have a grandchild among us?" Adide praised.


    Kris brought her hand up to her mouth to cover her bashful smile. "I hope so. I mean, Logan told us the other day he''s thinking of proposing to Tania!"


    "Really? That will probably be the wedding of the year! I wouldn''t miss it for the world!" Stephanie replied starry eyed.


    "Of course! It would mean a lot to me to have youdies help me celebrate my only son''s wedding!" Kris looked around smiling ear to ear at her friends. She brought her cup of tea to her lips to drink but almost choked when she heard Victoria''s statement.


    "And Zach will be there to support his friend with SOMEONE beside him", Victoria blurted out before she could think.


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 Chapter 38 A Message From Your Husband

    Kris disguised her scoff with a chuckle and stared at the woman incredulously. Reba, like the rest, was shocked as she asked Victoria, "Isn''t Zach known to attend functions by himself?"


    "Of course. But my son has entrusted me to help him. Sodies, spread the word to all the potential daughter-inws."


    The others readily agreed. The days ahead would be busy because this  news would surely shake the city of New York. Which young woman wouldn''t want to be young Mrs. Frost? What the other women didn''t notice was the guilt in Victoria''s eyes that she concealed by drinking her tea. Zach had not exactly agreed to this. ''But he didn''t exactly disagree to this either'', a little voice echoed in her head.


    "Did he really agree to this? In this modern day, shouldn''t we leave the kids to decide for themselves? I did that and Logan found himself a good girl. Just my opinion", Kris shrugged with an innocent face on.


    Victoria wanted to retort and say she shared the same thoughts, but that son of hers was simply unreliable in this department. Forget Xavier. So she forced a smile and reminded thedies to spread the word. When it was time, thedies exchanged cheek-to-cheek kisses before boarding their respective cars and leaving the golf club.


    The man in question was currently in his office staring at hisputer. Frustration was evident on his features. He picked up a file from his desk but still nced at the monitor from time to time. With a few clicks on his mouse, he refreshed the page but nothing changed. ''Did she not see it?'' he mused.


    He ruled out the possibility of her not figuring out it was him behind the two emails. So why? He heard the sound of his door opening but he didn''t bother looking up as he swiftly minimised the page. There was only one person who would burst into his office without prior arrangements.


    "Mother", he acknowledged as he looked through the file in his hands.


    Victoria rushed to his side and swung her arm over his shoulder. "My hardworking son. What are you doing?"


    He raised his file in response without sparing her a nce before he went back to reading. Her lips twitched from annoyance but she suppressed it and smiled instead.


    "What do you want?" He saw through her little act but he wasn''t annoyed. He heard her give a sheepishugh before speaking, "How busy are youtely?"


    "Very."


    Zach felt her grip on his shoulder tighten before it quickly loosened. ''It must be a huge favor'', he thought in amusement. "What are you doing this Saturday?"<sub> </sub>


    "Business trip."


    "Where to? Doesn''t matter! When will you be back?"


    "I''ll let you know."


    Victoria wanted to punch him so hard but she held it in. Would it kill him to speak in more sentences? But if she quarrelled with him, then she can forget about the blind date thing. Zach drove his focus back on work, she had no choice but to leave. Soon as she left, he went back on his email. A contemtive look settled on the man as he debated his next move.


    Back in West Vige


    Amy was currently seated on her desk as she munched on some cookies Ste baked. For a woman who wasining she had gained weight, she sure was feeding her a lot. It could be Ste''s great culinary skills that she found herself eating more than she usually does. The person mentioned decided to stretch her legs so she made way to Amy''s desk.


    A gentle smile graced the older woman''s face as she watched Amy enjoying the finger biscuits. Amy smiled when she saw Ste prop her elbows atop her desk. "How''s it going dear?" She whispered while looking around.


    Amy nodded as she chewed and swallowed. "By the way, these are so good!"


    "I''m d you like them. I can share you the recipe", Ste offered. She would be more than happy to do so seeing how much the younger woman was enjoying the biscuits. Amy''s eyes lit up upon hearing Ste''s offer, but a better suggestion popped into her head.


    "Why don''t you teach me instead?" She gave Ste puppy eyes hoping the older woman would agree.


    Ste''s heart warmed up and she readily agreed. The women smiled at each other. Amy was about to speak when her phone chimed. Amy excused herself and looked at her phone only to freeze. Ste could only see Amy''s cheeks and ears turn red as she stared at her phone. It could only be one thing.


    "A message from your husband?" Ste could not help but tease. But what followed was not Amy''s reply, it was the sound of a thud. They looked over to find a book on the ground a few feet away from Ste and, a frozen Ian.

 Chapter 39 Angry Ian Is More Active

    "Are you okay?" Ste was the one to break the silence. Ian seemed to have broken out of his trance before he hurriedly picked up the books he had brought over. His eyes seemed to be unfocused as he ced them on the desk.


    "Sorry, I-I brought these over." As he left, he managed to catch a glimpse of Amy who was looking at her phone with a troubled expression although her ears were red. ''She can''t even look at me'', Ian mused. No doubt, he was hurt by her actions. He excused himself and went to the storeroom.


    Meanwhile, Amy felt like her heart would burst out of her chest. The other day, she had confirmed her suspicions. She had a hard time falling asleep knowing that fact but what she was unsure of was whether Zachery knew he was texting her. She was really curious as to why he approached her.


    The possibility of him knowing she was A.J were slim to none but the man was capable. She really wished he had figured her out but again, she could be wrong. As much as her heart sung a different song, she made a firm decision to not respond to his emails. That way, he would give up on whatever ruse he had been on. But what she did not expect was another email from him.


    Ahismine@***: ''Are you there?''


    It was a simple question, but why could she detect the same gentle tone he used when he had been with her? She could almost picture his gentle gaze as he uttered those words to her. Why was her heart beating so fast? And why was her face heating up so much? With a few taps of her fingers, she could respond, she really wanted to. But she fought it. ''Ignore him'', she chided herself.


    "Everything okay?" Ste asked. She was quick to note the change in the girl''s emotions.


    "I''m fine", Amy managed a smile but it was weak. Ste frowned at seeing this.<sub> </sub>


    In the library storeroom, Ian was pacing back and forth. The young man was frustrated. He knew Amy was married,  and her husband was away. He had never fallen for a married woman before but he thought their rtionship was not that great and her heart started to waver towards him.


    He was probably wrong, he should have never fallen for her. But why would she cry over him? Why would she blush in his presence? Was she ying him? Mentioning her husband, was this some petty revenge because of what he didst time? His face was contorted from frustration. His head whipped toward the door when he heard a knock. Someone entered and locked the door behind them. He knew that brte from anywhere.


    "Mona", he acknowledged. His face was void of emotion. Her brows rose as she crossed her arms against her chest.


    "Not going to tell me ''we shouldn''t do this anymore''?" She chuckled.


    "The door''s is right behind you if you''ll keep talking shit or bring your ass over here."


    Mona was shocked by the coldness in his tone but she smirked as she sashayed towards him. The angrier Ian is, the more active he is. She liked him like this. Her smile grew with these thoughts as she walked towards him.


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 Chapter 40 Zachs Mood Swings

    At Frost Corporation.


    Zach attended a scheduled meeting with the finance department. They were presenting the newly revised budget for the new construction project. The architects and construction overseers had suggested some changes due to the type of soil they were constructing on. Zach had approved and asked the finance department to revise the budget before reporting to him. He was to visit the site over the weekend to oversee the implementation of the new changes.


    However, the room temperature had fallen below zero. Zach seemed much more intimidating than usual. The team lead was internally grateful he had not been called out on his verbal mistake. It seemed the big man''s mind had wandered off.  Who pissed him off?


    No, the question was: who frustrated him? Answer: Amy. He still had not gotten a response from her. Why is she not responding to his emails? A whole day had passed and he spent he night more awake checking his inbox than sleeping only to find: nothing. Could she really have not seen his emails? But this was a work email, so she probably checked all her emails so, why?


    Snap!


    All eyes fell on Zach''s hand that had snapped a pen in half. George was quick to clean up before ink stained the man''s hands. He ignored the pleading eyes of the frightened team. He refused to be used as a sacrificialmb.


    ''Damn it! I can''t even think in peace'', he mused in annoyance.


    "Ten minutes."


    Everyone: "..."


    ''Didn''t this two hour meeting start about five minutes ago?'' they all had the same thought at Zach''s suddenmand.<sub> </sub>


    "Sir?" The team lead fell into internal panic. He looked to his teammates for who instead avoided his gaze. It was he who insisted on presenting the report so he would look good to the Chairman. Things seemed to have turned around for him.


    Perspiration formed on his forehead and he looked so pitiful as he fished out a handkerchief with a shaking hand to wipe his forehead. George wanted to at least speak up but when he saw Zach''s expression, he mmed his mouth shut. The team lead stuttered his way through the report summary.


    "Is it doable?" Zach asked with clear impatience.


    "Yes, sir."


    "Okay. George, bring the summarized report to my office", he said before he left the room. He did not see how bbergasted the finance team was as he hurried to his office. He poured himself some scotch and walked to the floor to ceiling window with one hand shuffled in his trouser pocket.


    What could be the possible reason she would ignore him? He refused to believe that there weren''t any special feelings between them when they made love for thest time. He could see it in her eyes as she moved in sync with him. He felt it when she kissed him and touched him. His heart knew. That''s another reason he was hell bent on finding her. Why he had not given up so easily.


    He cursed under his breath. The thought of her was already exciting his junior. He drunk the scotch and took a deep breath. ''If I was Amy, why would I not contact me?'' he closed his eyes and tried to see things from her perspective. He took in her circumstances, though he did not fully understand them and, his eyes snapped open. He chuckled, "No, I''m not giving up that easily! I always get what I want!"


    George: "..."


    He tried knocking but his boss was unresponsive so he walked in to silently ce the summarised report only to find him chuckling. ''How could his mood change so quickly?''


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 41 The Man Was Not Done With Her

    Ahismine@***: Not curious about how I came to know about your assistant?


    No response. He didn''t expect it but she would respond soon. Although he had a hard time sleeping that night, he still managed to catch a few hours of some good sleep.


    Next day.


    Ahismine@***: Not curious about me at all?


    So many emails sat in his inbox demanding his attention but he remained focused on Amy''s. What if she really could not see his messages because she received too many emails? She was the most sought after hacker in the country. If that''s the case, he shouldpose another one. But he couldn''t think of one. So he set an rm toe up with one..... an hour from then.


    An hourter.


    Ahismine@***: Chinese or french cuisine for lunch. I''ll eat what you decide.


    Another hourter.


    Ahismine@***: I''m feeling hot, should I turn on the aircon or not. I''ll do what you decide.


    Another hourter, Zach looked around his office trying to decide what he could use to get her opinion on. Yeah, he would keep writing her until she responds. His stomach growled from hunger. Was he really going on a hunger strike because she hadn''t responded? He looked at his messages. Perhaps he should be petty? She wasn''t responding anyway. Anything would suffice as a message to get her attention.


    If Amy was deliberately ignoring his messages, then he could guess that she was probably annoyed by the hourly messages. Contrary to that, Amy thought she would lose her mind. He had gone from writing every day to writing every hour. She really wanted to respond, but she did not want to link him to her. She saw how easily they targeted Dn. She knew that, although she had escaped their trap, they probably kept their eyes peeled for any sight of her. She had angered them and they would probably strike at any opportunity.


    Although Zach was capable, she did not want to implicate him. Did he really figure out who she was? She wanted to know why he was writing to her but at the same time she could not. She shouldn''t. But now he was guilt tripping her. Her phone chimed again.


    Ahismine@***: Still waiting to hear what you decide. I can''t do anything without you.


    Ste was buffled when she saw Amy groan. What had gotten the girl so worked up? Amy felt helpless. He really shouldn''t talk to her. And what''s with thest sentence? He was guilt tripping her and seducing her. When she looked up at Ste, her cheeks and ears were red from embarrassment. Ste looked at Amy''s phone which Amy abruptly shielded the screen with her hand. Ste gave the girl a cheeky smile and her cheeks blushed red as she leaned in to whisper.<sub> </sub>


    "Are you watching that thing?"


    "What thing?" Amy''s brows furrowed in confusion. Ste smacked her shoulder yfully as she giggled.


    "That thing you youngsters watch. It''s okay. Just make sure you use headphones otherwise you''ll be embarrassed when everyone overhears you. I really didn''t take you to be the type but I won''t judge you. I''ll give you your privacy", she patted her shoulder and walked away. She looked back at Amy andughed while shaking her head before proceeding to her office.


    "..."


    Amy could understand each and every word but she could not understand them as a whole. What on earth was she talking about? She reyed in her mind the woman''s words and looked back down at her shielded phone. This man is now causing her to be a victim of misunderstandings.


    "Zachery!" She groaned while being careful not to be too loud. But the man was not done with her. Because an hourter, he wrote to her again.


    Ahismine@***: Are you really going to let me die from heat and hunger? It''s okay. I''ll do what you want.


    Zach was used to skipping meals when work demanded. So he knew he was being petty, but he really hoped to get her attention. Although he wished it, he knew he would not get a response. So like the other times, he focused back on work after hitting send. Almost immediately, his phone chimed notifying him of a new email. He didn''t bother looking, thinking it was a new work rted email.


    He took a pen ready to sign off the file he had been reading before sending his message to Amy. The pen barely touched the paper when he halted in his movements. The message coincidentally arrived soon after he sent one to Amy. Could it be? But she''s been ignoring him. His heart started to thud violently against his chest. It would be a huge disappointment if it turned out to be someone else writing to him.  He had never been so nervous in his life. He closed his eyes and took a huge breath.


    Click.


    Silence. Zach was akin to a statue as he stared at hisputer monitor. He didn''t even blink. He was too afraid to breath in case he was hallucinating. Could it be a dream? He pped himself, rubbed his eyes and blinked. She wrote to him. Amy responded.


    Ajtlh@***: Zachery Frost, you must be the least busy Chairman in this age.

 Chapter 42 His Woman Put Him In A Good Mood

    Zach was all smiles as he mentally read the message over and over again. His smile grew wider with each passing moment. ''Finally!'' he raised his fist in the air as a sign of victory. He wanted to scream or jump straight out of the roof. That''s how happy he was. He wished he could hear her say his name again, sigh. Then, he remembered hisdy was probably waiting for a reply, so he straightened his back andposed a response.


    Ahismine@***: Nothing could be more important than gaining your attention.


    He hit the send button and remained unmoving. He still felt uneasy about whether she would respond or not. To his delight, she responded right away.


    Ajtlh@***: And you''ve got it. What do you want?


    What did he want? He wanted to feel her soft body in his arms, he wanted to see how her eyes sparkle when she smiles, to hear her enchantingugh, to kiss her; everything he wanted came down to her. A sad smile graced his features as he typed his response.


    Ahismine@***: You.


    His heart thudded in anticipation. ''How would she react?'' Knowing the reason she was avoiding him, he could not help but feel anxious about her response. His heart seemed to stop when he heard the familiar email notification both on his phone andputer.


    Ajtlh@***: Zachery, so this is how you choose to spend your working hours? Being the chairman of such a sessful corporation, I expect you to be more hardworking than anyone else. Nobody likes a cker.


    Zachery fell into augh when he read the message. If people knew that this little woman called this workaholic a cker, they would surely think Amy was crazy. But Zach was not irritated, if anything, he found her response amusing. ''Is this how men feel when they are scolded by their wives?'' he thought in amusement.


    "She''s too cute", he muttered while smiling. He heard a knock before the door was pushed open.


    "Hey bro", Xavier shouted as he walked to Zach''s liquor cab. Zach gave a nonmittal response as he kept his eyes glued to the monitor. Xavier was used to Zach being distracted with work. He walked over to a liquor cab and poured himself a drink but he suddenly paused his movements and looked in his brother''s direction with a curious face.


    ''Did I imagine it?'' he mused. Why would his ice berg of a brother smile all of a sudden?


    He didn''t realize that the smile he saw when he walked in was real. With a shrug, Xavier poured himself a drink and went to settle on one of the sofas. The man had his own liquor cab but there was just something about using or taking his brother''s things. All siblings share this sentiment.<sub> </sub>


    He started to feel warm and loosened his tie. "Is the AC broken? Zach?"


    He looked over and Zach was still glued to the monitor. Not wanting to disturb him, he started looking around the room for the little remote. How was his brother working with the heat? Perhaps he was toozy to change the room temperature. After all, the weather had been in between hot and cold. ''Where''s the damn thing?'' He thought in irritation when he heard something rare. He looked over to make sure he was not imagining things. Zach..... was actuallyughing.


    Ahismine@***.: Alright, I won''t ck anymore. But, you still haven''t told me your thoughts on what I asked earlier.


    Ajtlh@***: Do I have to answer everything?


    Ahismine@***: Only what you feel is important.


    "Did something good happen?" Xavier asked taking note of the serene look on Zach''s face. With his drink in hand, he stood up and made to go check what had lifted up his brother''s spirits like so. What could be so intriguing? But before he could get a step further, Zach suddenly stood up and turned off hisputer before throwing on his jacket.


    "How about some Chinese food for lunch", Zach announced with a little more enthusiasm. This was a rare sight for Xavier.


    ''How hungry is he?'' he mused. Then he saw Zach lift something from his mahogany desk. It was the AC remote which he used to turn down the temperature.


    "..."


    ''He had it the whole time?'' Xavier red at his brother who in turn arched a brow in challenge. Xavier couldn''t stay angry for long when his stomach growled. So the two brothers left Zach''s office with his bodyguards creating a protective arc around them.


    "By the way, mom called to ask when you''d be back from West Vige. I am so sure that woman is nning something", Xavier said as the two stepped into the elevator. Zach was silent, he didn''t dwell much on it after his woman put him in a good mood.

 Chapter 43 I Cant Be Pregnant

    Amy sighed as she thought of the little exchange between her and Zach. She at least expected him to twist things and be awkward because she had finally given him attention. But who knew the man was so straightforward and.... such a flirt?


    She couldn''t stop thinking about the messages even when she was currently not looking at her phone. Especially the words he said when she told him she had to go for a meeting.


    ''Alright. I''ll be waiting for you.''


    She sighed again and popped a bruschetta in her mouth. The grapes and strawberries on it seemed to work for her taste buds. She took another one and ate. As she wallowed in the amazing taste, she heard a soft sigh. She looked around the room only to be met by curious and fascinated gazes. She hadn''t lied when she said she was joining a meeting; she just didn''t mention that it was the book club''s meeting.


    "How envious, eating however much you want, when you want and no one will question you", Emma said in awe.


    "The only times I was not conscious of my weight", Anastasia added.


    "True! If I could, I would ask Stan to pop me one just for the cravings", Dorothy added with a chuckle.


    "I''m more for satisfying the silly demands. Like this one time, Jared and I went grocery shopping and I suddenly asked him to jog back home while I drove", Adrianne mused.


    "You probably made that up", Ste shook her head.


    "Hey! I was desperate! You all saw how we looked like we werepeting to see who would grow a bigger belly. Anyway, he can thank me for putting him in the great shape he is in today!" Her face was proud as she held her juice straw with her manicured fingers and elegantly slurped.


    Amy shook her head; she always found Adrianne''s mannerisms quite amusing. But what on Earth were these women on about? Had she zoned out for so long that she missed the new turn of discussion? Weren''t they talking about the new development in the Straub scandal?


    "It might be rude to ask but I''m always excited to know, how far are you Emily?" Meredith suddenly asked.


    "Huh? How far?" Amy furrowed her brows in confusion. She looked around and all thedies looked at her with curious gazes. Even Ste had the same expression with a hint of anticipation in her eyes.


    Sylvia nudged Meredith and whispered, "Maybe she''s notfortable saying it?"<sub> </sub>


    Meredith was ready to apologize when Amy waved her hands. "No, no. It''s not that. I just don''t understand what you''re asking."


    "Oh! She''s asking how many months you''re into your pregnancy", Emma broke it down for her. That confused Amy even more.


    "Huh?"


    Why could she understand the words individually but not when they were put together? Emma had a perplexed look on her face as she turned to her friends. Was this even more hard to understand? What''s the simplest way to ask how many months pregnant someone is?


    "Pregnant?" Amy blurted out in utter confusion. The women looked at each other before looking at Amy.


    "Are you not pregnant.... Emily?" Elizabeth asked with caution.


    While Amy fell into confusion, a discussion bloomed among the women as they shared their opinions about Amy''s pregnancy. While the younger generation like Emma and Elizabeth were unsure, the older generation like Dorothy said she was sure because Amy definitely had the glow. While the discussion went on, Ste did not speak a word. She could not help but wonder, ''Is Emily really not pregnant or did she just not know she was?''


    Amy was still in a daze when the meeting ended and went back to her desk. Ian watched her sit down without acknowledging his presence. It''s like the girl was in a trance. Is it because of him? As confusing as she was, he still did not like seeing her like so. He was about to speak when his grandma walked back in after walking out her friends. He left the two women to speak.


    "Emily dear", she gently called out to the dazed woman who now looked up at her. "When was thest time you did the deed with your husband?"


    Amy''s brows rose. She was taken aback by Ste''s sudden question. The older woman thought she did not understand and went on to further simplify her question. "Whenst did you have se-"


    "I-I got you the first time. I understood", she hurriedly replied feeling perplexed. She let out a breath. Nothing made sense. Seeing the young woman''s unfocused look, Ste cupped her cheek and exined.


    "Dear, when you''ve been a mother and grandmother, guessing these thingse as second nature. Just like I was able to guess that, so did Dorothy and the rest. But we could be wrong. You could choose to ignore our opinions but if you''re unsure, I advise you to go to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning."


    With that, Ste left her. The whole ordeal left Amy shaken she had actually forgotten to get back to Zach. Both of them had sleepless nights, one kept checking his phone for a response while the other was gued by one thought: ''I can''t be pregnant..... I can''t be..... Not right now..... I can''t be pregnant....''

 Chapter 44 Pregnancy Confirmed

    "Your urine and blood work came back positive. Congrattions! You''re pregnant", the female doctor announced with a huge smile on her face.


    Amy froze; feeling like a bomb had gone off in her head. Only the doctor''sst two words repeatedly echoed in her mind. The doctor looked at Amy, observing her reaction towards the news.


    She suddenly had a sense of dejavu; Amy was mirroring the exact emotions she felt when she found out she was expecting her little prince. ''What could possibly be troubling this young woman?'' she mused.


    "Please lie down on the bed over there so we can run a little scan to see how far you are", the doctor instructed. Amy quietly did as told and went over to lie down.


    "Lift your top and undo your Jean button and zip."


    Amy was akin to a robot doing as instructed. It was like her body was not her own; as though she was observing everything from a third person perspective.


    "This might be a little cold", the doctor warned. Amy simply nodded before she felt the cold gel smeared on her belly. She stared at the screen but didn''t exactly register what she was looking at as she felt the scanner move on her belly.


    "It''s scary, isn''t it?" The doctor spoke. Amy looked at her to find her smiling. Finally getting Amy''s attention, the doctor continued. "You''re probably going through a rough patch and having a little human to be responsible for is thest you wanted."


    She removed the scanner and sat beside Amy who was still lying down. Amy''s curiosity had been piqued hearing the woman guess her situation. Maybe because she hase across different patients with different situations, so maybe it was easy to guess Amy''s. What she didn''t anticipate was the doctor''s next words.


    "I''ve been there. I thought I''d go crazy. After catching my scumbag of an ex cheating, I decided to start over in life; pursue the dreams I had put on hold for him. I''ve always dreamt of being a doctor", her face lit up when she said this.


    "So, I applied to West Vige''s med school and got epted only for a few dayster, to find out I was pregnant for my ex. That was thest thing I needed; fate had yed a cruel joke on me. To make matters worse, the jerk wanted to have nothing to do with both me and the baby. I had never felt so torn in my life. I didn''t think I could juggle between being a mom and pursuing my dream."


    Amy listened intently to the woman. She would easily be in her earliest thirties, Amy guessed. Although she was rting her sad life story, her face said something else. Amy could guess that the story had a happy ending.<sub> </sub>


    "You can probably guess that I kept the baby. But do you know what gave me the push I needed to pursue both courageously?"


    Amy shook her head. The woman went to the scanner, Amy couldn''t see what she was doing as she could only see her back. Then the woman came back and once more moved the scanner on Amy.


    ''Thump! Thump! Thump!''


    It was the sound of a heartbeat. Amy looked at the screen, seeing her baby for the first time. She had not been paying attention when the doctor scanned her earlier. But now she could see her baby and could hear it''s heartbeat. It tugged at her heart strings. A surge ofplex emotions stirred up within her. It felt like she would choke on them if she did not let them out.


    Seeing the silent tears streamed down Amy''s eyes, she could already guess what was going on inside Amy''s head, so she did not bother to continue with the story. Instead, she turned off the scanner, wiped the gel from Amy''s belly, fixed her blouse before excusing herself out of the room.


    The flood of emotions within Amy unleashed themselves through her tears. The girl remained lying on the bed and rested the back of her hand on her forehead as she sobbed. Guilt, anxiety, longing; it all came pouring out through her tears. She subconsciously touched her belly as she cried leaving a wet trail of tears on the bed.


    A whileter, she left the hospital with her baby''s picture in hand and a check-up appointment booked. She boarded a taxi right outside the hospital. She was drained from all the crying but she could not help but stare at her baby''s picture.


    She was fascinated by the little creature growing inside her. She sighed and rested her head against the see-through window with her eyes peeled on the picture. She shifted in her seat to befortable while she leaned against the window. She was so engrossed in looking at the picture that she didn''t notice someone looking at her from a tinted windows of a car going in the opposite direction.


    That person happened to be the father of her baby.


    Yes, it was Zach.

 Chapter 45 Richard The Beast

    Zach found his attention drawn to a blonde haired woman in the taxi moving in the opposite direction. He strained his neck to get a better look at the woman''s face but held himself back.


    ''Why would you look at other women?'' he shook his head in disbelief. He leaned back in his seat and quickly returned his attention back to his phone. There was no word from Amy.


    Could something have happened to her?


    He could rule out the possibility because she was a careful woman; this he had learned about her. But he could not help his worry. The fact that she was not by his side and had no knowledge of her wellbeing ticked him off. He really needed to find her sooner.


    "We''re here, sir", George spoke from the front seat when the car came to a stop. He stepped out before jogging to Zach''s side to get the door for him. When the man stepped out, George gulped when he saw his boss''s expression.


    ''His mood keeps changing these days'', he mused. He pitied the construction team awaiting them. Zach arched his perfect brow when he caught his assistant''s gaze.


    George only gave a sheepish smile before politely gesturing with his hand, "This way, sir."


    When Amy got home, she went straight to her room andy in bed. She didn''t have the energy to do anything and simply took a nap. The girl was tired; from hardly getting a shut eye the previous night and receiving the biggest shock of her life today.


    She felt guilty, for instantly thinking she shouldn''t keep the baby. She was financially capable of raising the baby but her life was on the line. No one close to her, as far as her real identity is concerned, was safe. Not at the moment. The babying into her life, it was a huge blow for her. At the same time, she didn''t want to end such a precious gift; a gift that she and Zach had created together.


    Zach, if she told him, he would surely want to find her. But she was not sure if those people had overlooked the ''coincidental'' interception during Dn''s escape. She didn''t want them to target him. She wasn''t that heartless. But now she was carrying his baby, how would she handle this? That was one of the reasons she cried.


    Amy fell in such a deep sleep she did not hear the email notification of Zach''s message or Ste knocking when she came back from the gym. The older woman sighed and went back home.


    Later that night, Ste failed to catch any sleep. She tossed and turned on her side of the bed. She let out a heavy sigh. Richard sighed internally. How could he get any sleep with her constant tossing and turning? And he knew she wouldn''t sleep until she gets it off her chest.


    ''What stories did herdy friends sell her this time?'' He groaned internally.


    "Alright, talk to me", he turned on themp on his nightstand.


    Ste immediately jumped on the opportunity and turned to face him and scooted closer. Her face portrayed the deep worry she had been feeling since afternoon.


    "It''s about Emily. Richard, I''m worried."


    He took in her beautiful features that were pulled into a frown. He tucked her curls away from her face and silently egged her on.


    "I think, no, I''m sure, she''s pregnant."<sub> </sub>


    "And that''s.... worrisome?" Richard raised his brows in confusion.


    "Not really. Um, you know how when you walk into someone''s house and their home tells you a story? Not Emily''s."


    She thought back to the excuse Amy had given her of not having a single picture of her husband or anything that showed his presence in her life. For some reason, she felt that the young woman was lying but she was not sure. Something felt off but she could not pinpoint it.


    That feeling resurfaced when she saw how shaken Amy was upon learning about her possible pregnancy. And for someone who was married for two years, there was no mark on her ring finger when she took it off. She exined all of this to her husband.


    "There could be something we don''t know. But that''s her business. Don''t lose sleep over it."


    "But Richard, the girl is alone and pregnant... I feel like she''s going through a rough patch. I just can''t leave her alone. I.. I.. I''ve made up my mind. Let''s do it! Let''s do it!" She silently conveyed her message with her eyes a little too eagerly.


    ''That escted quickly! Who am I toin?'' Richard grew excited at his wife''s forwardness.


    He liked it when she was like this and didn''t waste time in positioning himself on top of her. Ste giggled when she felt his feathery kisses and hands roaming and groping her body that always excited the butterflies in her stomach.


    "What are you doing?" She gently pushed him away.


    "What are YOU doing? Didn''t you just say you want to do IT?" He emphasized thest word as heined. Ste broke out in augh as she shook her head.


    "We''re clearly on different pages."


    "That was so vague, what did you mean by it?" He chuckled.


    His eyes reflected that the woman beneath him was his world. Thirty eight years of being married and he still found her charming. Except when she interrupts his game time or tells him to take out the trash. Nobody likes to take out the trash; especially if your wife nags you into it. Still, he loved her nheless.


    "Promise to agree to it?" She gave him a sheepish smile after winking at him. Richard fell silent in thought before his lips stretched into a sly grin. Ste''s heart started pounding hard in anticipation. She knew that look and it was never good.


    "Only if you pay your wages."


    "How?" She asked with caution though not helping her bashful smile.


    "How about you show your dear husband some new moves you learned at the gym today?" He wiggled his brows at her when he suddenly pulled her legs up . Ste was blushing as she squealed, "Richard you beast!"

 Chapter 46 Hers And Zachs Baby

    Amy woke up the next day, feeling tired. Her stomach grumbled. The girl had slept through the evening and now woke up so early in the morning. Her eyes fell on a brown envelope sticking out of her handbag resting on her nightstand. It contained her pregnancy results and her baby''s picture.


    Baby. How could she neglect her body? It wasn''t just her now, she sighed and got up. She first showered and threw onfortable clothes. As she walked out to the kitchen, she spotted her cactus that she had neglected the whole of yesterday. She made sure to water it before walking to the kitchen.


    She opened the fridge to analyze what she had. It had been a while since shest made her own breakfast. Ste had been feeding her this whole time. The sound of her phone ringing snapped her out of her reverie.


    "Hey Ste", she answered.


    "Oh good. I was not sure if you''re awake. I''m making breakfast, what would you like to eat?"


    Her heart warmed from Ste''s thoughtfulness. "You don''t have to. I was just about to make some for myself."


    "No, I don''t want you falling sick. Don''t touch anything. How do you feel about a California breakfast casserole?"


    "Sounds good. Actually.... I cane over to help you."


    "Do you not feel nauseous anymore?"<sub> </sub>


    Amy fell silent, so it wasn''t homesickness. However, besides the times Ste made all her meals, she had been able to cook a few light meals sometimes.


    "I think I''m all better."


    "Alright dear, I''ll be waiting for you", Ste said before hunging up.


    ''I''ll be waiting for you.....'' Amy tilted her head to the side. Why did those words sound familiar? She gasped before quickly checking her emails. And there was a new email from Zach.


    Ahismine@***: Are you okay? I''m worried.


    Amy felt like her heart had been squeezed. She bit her lower lip while staring at the screen helplessly.


    "What are the odds of you and your father making your presence known almost at the same time?" She murmured.


    She stroked her belly and sighed. She was back to her old situation: fighting to not respond to him. She should keep her distance but she couldn''t bring herself to. One thing she had decided was to protect her baby; she would not let them harm her baby; hers and Zach''s baby.


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 47 What She Says Goes

    <o>,m Amy knew she shouldn''t get involved with Zach on a personal level; but she was not sure if she could trust herself. Even when theirmunication was limited to emails, she could not help the attraction towards him. But for the baby''s sake, she needed to keep a rtionship with Zach, a formal one.</o>


    Should anything happen to her and she fails to protect their child, she would make sure he/she''s delivered to his/her daddy before all else. That way, it won''te as such a big surprise to him. But she hoped it would note to that. Maybe when things look up, she would tell him about the baby and work out parenting then. For now:


    Ajtlh@***: I''m fine. I''m sorry I had something on.


    His response came right away. She went to her room to change into sweat pants and a shirt in readiness to go to Ste''s.


    Zach sighed in relief when he saw her response. He was currently on his way back to the city for an emergency meeting for another project their corporation had taken on.


    Ahismine@***: It''s okay. But you should have told me. I was worried sick about you. I need you to report to me every ten minutes.


    Amy stopped in her tracks to look at the new message when she was about to exit her house. He wasmanding her, something she never tolerated, but she could not help the flutter of her heart. But writing to him every ten minutes, that means they would talk all day. How would she maintain a formal rtionship when her heart is getting carried away like this? Before she could think, she sent a response.


    Ajtlh@***: 30


    Ahismine@***: 5 including good morning, afternoon, evening and goodnight messages.


    Amy could not help but feel his demands to be ridiculous. So she typed a response based on her terms.


    Ajtlh@***: 5 hours, and good morning and goodnight messages.<sub> </sub>


    Zach smirked and ''yielded''. He shouldn''t argue with hisdy. What she says goes.  He was happy that she at least entertained the idea. That means she would not disappear on him or make him worry. He could work with this until he finds her. He had a smile on his face as he responded.


    Ahismine@***: We''ll do what you want. 30 minutes and the good morning and goodnight messages.


    Ajtlh@***: Why are you nagging me?


    George and the driver suddenly heard a foreign enchanting sound. They exchanged a look before looking back. However, Zach''s face was serious as he typed away on his phone.


    ''Did I imagine it?'' they both had the same thought. But it was just the three of them and the two of them did notugh, so who did? They both shrugged while one read through some files while the other drove.


    Ahismine@***: Because I care about you.


    A minute passed. He was sure she was taken aback by his forwardness. However, he had no ns of sugarcoating his real intentions. Just like that special night, he wouldy his cards out and leave everything up to her.


    Ajtlh@***: Why? I''m a stranger to you.


    Ahismine@***: I''ll let you think about that. I''ll be in a meeting. Don''t forget your 30 minute check in.


    Amy looked at her phone in a frown. She could not help but feel something was off; like she had been tricked or some sort.

 Chapter 48 Daughter-In-Law Hunt Results

    "Wow! Becky, these girls are so beautiful! Where did you find such hidden treasures?" Victoria marveled at the beautiful pictures in her hands.


    Raba had personally delivered the folder of all the girls'' profiles that she could gather. Seeing the pleased look on her friend''s face, she felt like patting herself on the back. The daughter-inw hunt sounded easy but it really wasn''t. She had to trouble her husband, who was the Chief of the NYPD, to run a background check on these girls.


    "But, why are there only 8?" She was honestly surprised. Not that she was bragging but she could have thought many girls would scramble after the Mrs. Frost title. This was Zach they were talking about. Victoria was disappointed but also d Kris was not around to mock her.


    Reba saw through her worry and chuckled. "Actually, there were over two hundred women we could find. But when we screened them, we found out some of them were just in for the money. After all, your son is impressive. So after screening, we came down to 24 good ones, these are just the first eight."


    "Really? That surely makes sense", Victoria could not hide her joy.


    "Yes. By the way, is social status a deciding factor? Some of the girlse from humble backgrounds but are really good. My husband and I can attest to this."


    "Don''t worry. That is the least of my concerns! All I want is a good wife for my son! And someone to give me grandkids", she beamed.


    Reba could only shake her head. Although she knew her friend was looking out for her son, she also felt this was a battle between Torrie and Kris. These two are alwayspeting in everything. She took a sip of the camomile tea offered and rxed in her seat.


    Victoria dialed for Zach''s house and Edmund picked up on the third ring. Only family members knew that line so he was polite when he answered the call.


    "Hello?"


    "Edmund, is your master back home?" She went straight to the point.


    "No, madam."


    "Alright. Stay by the phone, I''ll call back in five minutes."


    With that, she hung up and called her informant. She grew frustrated when the phone kept ringing; it was the weekend and she knew what he was doing but she had more pressing matters. If only he cked in work, she would have him financially cut off because of his yboy behavior. Her eyes lit up when the call was epted.


    "Mom", Xavier whined.<sub> </sub>


    "Is your brother back?"


    "Why don''t you ask George?"


    "Xavier."


    Her facial expression instantly turned cold and her tone sounded so menacing, it sent a shiver down Reba''s spine. She could detect the danger in the way Victoria called Xavier''s name. She didn''t think her friend had it in her to sound so.... ruthless.


    Now she knows where the boys, especially Zach, inherited such mannerisms. The only difference was Zach never showed any warmth. She looked at Victoria again, such a petite and fragile woman. Reba would have thought someone was fooling her had she not witnessed this herself.


    "He should be at the office at the moment. He rushed back for a meeting."


    Xavier knew that if he wanted to live a little longer, there was no point in angering his mother. Victoria''s face lit up when she heard her son''s polite tone.


    "Thank you, dear."


    With that, she happily hung up and turned to look at her friend. Her eyes sparkled from happiness and she had resumed her gentle ''nature''.


    Reba: "..."


    ''Would those girls be safe faced with such a mother-inw? What have I done?'' Reba was beating herself up internally.


    "Hey, how soon can I meet those girls? How does today sound?" She wanted to introduce the girls to Zach as soon as possible. She would do so in a way he would have no choice but to give her face. Before Reba could say anything, Victoria dialed a number again.


    "Edmund, I need you to do something for me."


    Reba: "..."

 Chapter 49 The First Half-Hourly Check In

    Back at Frost Corporation


    The conference room was dimly lit with only the projector illuminating light. A man stood at the front looking professional in his suit as he exined the chart disyed. He would look between the screen and his audience from time to time. He had made sure to memorize his presentation to avoid any slip ups.


    Ding!


    The already silent room fell more eerily quiet Who would dare to leave their phone on speaker especially in the presence of the big boss? They all looked around trying to find the culprit. One of them suddenly dropped his jaw and all of them followed his line of sight.


    Zach had his phone in hand and his lips lifted into a small smile. His face looked so serene and gentle.


    Ajtlh@***: Happy?


    Zach fought the urge to not smile like a fool as his fingers moved elegantly across his phone screen. She had actually fulfilled her first half hour check in.


    Everyone: "..."


    Ahismine@***: Very, very happy. Don''t forget the next one.


    His phone chimed once more and a direct message came in.


    Xavier: What time will your meeting end?


    Zach ignored the message and went back to his email inbox. However, another message from his brother came.<sub> </sub>


    Xavier: Do you n on working after your meeting?


    His phone chimed again. It was Amy''s message this time. He ignored his brother and made to check her message when Xavier texted him again. His brows furrowed in annoyance before he swiftly blocked his brother''s number and went back to Amy''s message. The annoyance dissipated when he read the message and a soft chuckle escaped his thin sexy lips.


    "Holy shit!" The presenter blurted out. He gasped when he realized his mistake. "Please forgive me boss!"


    He immediately got down on the floor and kowtowed a few times showing his sin repentance. He would not be surprised if he was kicked out of the meeting, or suspended from work or worse, fired. Everyone held their breaths awaiting with him his judgement.


    "It''s okay", Zach said without raising his head.


    Everyone: "..."


    The men felt Zach was too cool with his nonchnt attitude while the women swooned when they experienced such a rarity. The man wanted to shout his thanks but he was quickly signalled by George not to utter a word more. So they all fell silent and patiently waited for their boss to finish his business. Zach was simply eliminating any distractions from giving his attention to Amy.


    Ajtlh@***: Aren''t you in a meeting? You need to focus.


    Ahismine@***: Alright, I will. I''ll talk to you soon.


    Zach put down his phone and looked up at the awaiting audience. "Proceed", he instructed.

 Chapter 50 Xavier Hit The Jackpot

    Xavier scoffed as he stared at his phone in disbelief. He was currently sitting in a V.I.P booth of a club he frequented. The room glowed with dim red lights and the soundproof tinted ss walls drowned out the upbeat music ying downstairs.


    A beautiful brte in a little to nothing ck bodycon dress sat on hisp feeding him some liquor snacks. One of his friends had long disappeared with a woman they picked up from downstairs while another friend was full on making out with a woman on the opposite sofa.


    Although it was Sunday afternoon, Xavier believed everyday is a club day. He would have loved to party everyday but he felt the need to help his brother shoulder the weighty responsibility thates with running their corporation. That''s the least he could do after what Zach did for him.


    And for such sentimental reasons, he tried to warn his brother about his mother''s schemes but Zach actually blocked him. The woman noticed the dazed expression on the man. So she leaned in and nibbled on his earlobe.


    ? Xavier smirked while shuffling his phone into his trouser pocket. He cupped her chin and pulled her away from his ear before smushing his lips against hers. The girl moaned from Xavier''s fierce kissing. She returned it with the same amount of passion.


    His hands went to the back of her dress. With one swift move, he unzipped her little dress exposing her bare chest. He broke the kiss and took in her perky A-cups. Xavier was not picky about women''s breast size, he loved all and epted all. The girl blushed under his scrutinizing gaze especially since there were two other people in the room.


    He pulled her closer and swiftlyunched his mouth on her erect bud.


    "Ah!" The girl threw her head back and moaned. She pulled on his hair drawing him closer as he sucked on her peak.


    His free hand roamed and groped her body and started tracing her exposed thighs. She willingly parted her legs when he asked for entrance.


    He suddenly chuckled and let go of peak which was now glistening with his saliva. "You naughty, naughty girl."


    She was not wearing any underwear. She practically came out to getid; on a Sunday afternoon. This was Xavier''s kinda girl.


    "Are youining?" She challenged with a smirk so sexy ying on her plump lips. She held his gaze with hers as she spoke. Xavier felt his throat go dry before he swallowed a hard lump.<sub> </sub>


    "Mike, I need the room", he spoke without peeling his eyes off the woman on hisp.


    Mike and hispany looked over at the two. He didn''t realize when things had escted so quickly between the two. He chuckled at the scene and left with his girl. The room fell silent as it was just the two of them.


    Xavier started stroking her already wet folds. He watched her face contort from the pleasure he was giving her. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His c*ck was already hard from watching this lewd scene before him.


    "I want you, right here, right now. On this sofa."


    "No." It came out as a moan but she was serious. Xavier stopped his ministrations and arched a brow at her.


    "No?"


    "Not the sofa. But against the wall." She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "I want you to destroy my p*ssy with your huge c*ck while I watch the people below knowing they can''t see us."


    Xavier growled when he felt his junior grow harder. Heughed. It was a happy and  triumphantugh. If this was not hitting the jackpot then he didn''t know what was. Why weren''t there more women like her?


    "What''s your name?" He couldn''t help but ask. He never bothered to learn the names of his conquests but this one, he could not help it.


    "Nicole", she smiled. Xavier could not help but smile back.


    "Well Nicole, I''m Xavier. And as cheesy it may sound, your wish is mymand." He spoke both for himself and his very excited manhood.

 Chapter 51 Surprising Zach 1

    At Zach''s house.


    Victoria tried Xavier''s number once more but the line could not go through. She was so annoyed with his unreliability. She grimaced when she thought of what he could possibly be doing. But it was odd, he never turned off his phone.


    She shook her head and looked around at the preparations she had made: the banner with the words ''WORLD''S HOTTEST BACHELOR'' printed in big and bold red letters, the wall and floor decorated with flower petals, balloons, glitter, LED lights, and anything that sparkles; the living room had been turned into a colorful runway.


    She would surprise Zach with a wife hunting show with the girls showcasing their beauty and having little sessions to say something about themselves. The girls used a spare room to dress in outfits she had boughtst minute although they were good ones.


    But she had to admit, it was alling together nicely. She had thought about how to ambush him from the moment she asked her friends for help in finding a daughter-inw. All that was left was to find the women which she now has. She was sure her son would surely love this show. Which hot-blooded male wouldn''t want to choose a wife in this style?


    Reba had left for her home so Victoria overseered the work herself. Edmund had a worried expression on his face as he watched on.


    "Madam...."


    Victoria took in his worried expression and chuckled. She had an easy-going attitude with him mostly because she and Edmund were almost the same age. She pped his shoulder ignoring the wincing man and said, "Rx Edmund! Don''t be such a killjoy!"


    Edmund suppressed the urge to rub his shoulder when he heard the sound of approaching cars from outside. Edmund peaked through the window and his eyes widened.  Five cars drove into thepound and the one in  the middle of the convoy drove to the house''s entrance.


    "Madam, master is here!"<sub> </sub>


    "That can''t be? Didn''t Xavier say Zach works on Su-" she rushed over to peak behind the curtains. She gasped at what she saw and was instantly annoyed. "Damn that Xavier! He will pay for this!"


    She turned and rushed towards the door. "ces people! He''s here! Edmund make sure everything is in ce! I''ll try to stall."


    Edmund did not want to have anything to do with this but it was Mrs. Frost. He could not go against her even if he wanted to.


    Outside


    The driver got the door for Zach and the man alighted from the car with his eyes glued to his phone. The meeting had run for three good hours and he immediately texted Amy. He had originally nned on working but after Xavier sent those texts, he thought to make a surprise visit and see what his mother was up to. The conversation between him and Amy had picked up from where they left off.


    Ahismine@***: Did you figure it out?


    Ajtlh@***: Still don''t know why you''d care about a stranger.


    Ahismine@***: Well, I''m crazy about this stranger.


    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 52 Surprising Zach 2

    He had sent this message from the moment he left his office and now he was home, she had not responded. He wanted to believe he had just thrown her off with his confession and not because she decided to ghost him. His heart had not calmed down one bit throughout the whole way.


    "Zach, you''re back!" Victoria rushed to him.


    Odd. It wasn''t his butler weing him. He sidestepped her and made to go into the house when she stood in his way with her arms stretched out He arched his brow at her and she gave him a sheepish smile.


    "How was the trip? Tell your mother about it. I want to know everything", she spoke hurriedly and her smile widened.


    Zach nodded. "Good! Let''s talk inside."


    "NO!" She shouted. Zach gave her a scruitinizing gaze like he could see through her. She awkwardly cleared her throat and spoke calmly. "I mean, let''s talk out here; there''s fresh air."


    Zach was about to retort when his phone chimed. Victoria was secretly ted by the distraction. While he tended to his phone, she looked over her shoulder and Edmund signalled her that they were almost done. She took a deep breath and tried to think of more ways to stall. Zach wasn''t buying her act, she knew this.


    Ajtlh@***: Do you know who you''re talking to?


    Ahismine@***: A.J


    He was not sure why but he deliberately wrote her pseudonym. Her response came right away.


    Ajtlh@***: Exactly. I''m a man.


    Zach''s lips lifted in amusement when he saw this.


    Ahismine@***: So?


    "Is it work? Take your time. I''ll wait here until you''re ready to tell me about your trip", Victoria spoke ever so meekly while avoiding his gaze. Zach shook his head in amusement at his mother. Just what on Earth did she do to his house?<sub> </sub>


    Ping!


    Zach looked at his phone thinking he identally activated Siri when a deep voice sounded over his phone speakers.


    "Maybe this will change your mind?" The voice spoke.


    ? Victoria was taken aback by how attractive the deep voice sounded. Who could it be? She watched her son curiously. Zach cringed at the deep voice but after hearing the words, he smiled. His face and voice were gentle when he spoke into the phone.


    "It doesn''t change how I feel about you."


    The deep voice sighed before another ping was heard to show the termination of the connection.


    The bodyguards: "..."


    Edmund: "..."


    He hade outside to wee his master and tell madam Mrs Frost that the preparations were ready when he walked in on such a scene. Edmund snapped out of his reverie when he surged forward in time to catch Victoria falling.


    "Master, madam has just passed out", he groaned at her heavy weight.


    Zach looked at the beautiful older woman and sighed. "Call the doctor. And make sure to clean up whatever is inside before Ie back." He turned to leave for his office again. He paused before looking back at his mother with a contemtive look.


    "And inform Henry."

 Chapter 53 Victorias Solution

    ''That was such a weird dream.''


    That was the first thing that came to mind when Victoria came to. Her brown eyes were greeted by a cream white ceiling. She was currently lying down. Xavier''s worried face came into view.


    "Mom? Mom! Oh! Thank God! How are you feeling? Hold on, let me get the doctor!" He quickly left her side and Victoria was left alone again.


    There was an IV hooked to her wrist. The room was spacious, housing the bed she was on, a nice lounge, TV, a minifridge, bathroom and closet. There was a humidifier ced on her nightstand. She figured that she must be in one of the VIP rooms of a hospital but why? Why was she here?


    The door swung open. Following Xavier were a doctor and her team. "Good evening Mrs. Frost, I''m Dr. Alexis Bow. Help her sit up", she gestured at two nurses. "How are you feeling Mrs. Frost?"


    "Um, dizzy but besides that, I guess I''m okay."


    "We run a few tests and you''re in the clear but I still need to check a few things", she said as she approached her. A nurse followed with a chart in hand as Dr. Bow started inspecting Victoria''s eyes with a slitmp before recording down her results on the chart. "Take deep breaths", she instructed as she now used her stethoscope to examine parts of her torso before having one of the nurses take her blood pressure.


    "Everything looks good. You can go home once you finish your treatment", she spoke as she looked at the chart before tapping on the IV bag.


    "What happened to me?"


    "You copsed. You must have received a great shock", Dr. Bow answered. Victoria looked to her son who nodded in agreement.


    "Edmund called to tell me you had been hospitalized but he didn''t, no, he refuses to tell me what happened and Zach said to ask you. What happened mom?"


    Victoria''s jaw fell from shock. "That wasn''t a dream", she whispered before cupping her mouth.


    "What happened?" Xavier repeated with a bit more worry. Seeing her hesitation, Dr. Bow left with her team and let them have their privacy. Xavier moved to sit by the edge of the bed before Victoria recounted the day''s happenings leaving Xavier''s jaw dropped.


    "That doesn''t sound right", he shook his head in disbelief.


    "Right? I wouldn''t believe it if someone told me but I witnessed it with my own eyes." Victoria held her head feeling too distressed. Never in a million years would she have ever imagined this to happen.


    "That doesn''t sound right", Xavier muttered. It did not make sense. He knows Zach to be someone who always gets what he wants once he sets his mind to it. Xavier was aware of the ongoing search of the mystery woman; that goes to show how much his brother is dedicated. So even if its moving on, he would move on to another woman, not a man! That''s too drastic of a change. Gay? His brother? No.<sub> </sub>


    Xavier was so immersed in his thoughts he did not notice the change in Victoria''s demeanor. It is when he wanted to question his mother to try to find some loopholes in the story did he catch her staring. Her brown orbs sparkled with fresh tears threatening to fall. Her lips quivered as she reached out to hold his hands in hers.


    "Xavie", she gently called out to him. Her tone was like a refreshing breeze on a hot day. But Xavier knew his mother; he knew her all too well. She was up to something especially when she used her nickname for him. He had on a weary look as he stared back.


    "Mom?"


    "My beautiful, beautiful son. Nine months of carrying you in my stomach and look at how well you''ve grown", she cupped his cheek while staring at him with an affectionate gaze.


    "It was actually 8 months, dad told me."


    Victoria suppressed a re and went on. "Think of how hard it was for me during the time I spent with you in the hospital until we could take you home."


    "I was very healthy and you went home with me two days after I was born. Dad told me this too."


    Xavier was feeling smug until he felt her iron grip squeezing his one hand she was holding. The pain came and slowly disappeared as she loosened her grip before she gently patted his cheek.


    "Xavie, you know I''d never ask you for anything?" She went on with her pitiful act. He was about to refute that im when he caught her re which shut him up. "If you do this one thing, I will never ask- no, I would be the happiest mother on earth."


    "What do you...", He swallowed a hard lump. He could smell trouble. "What do you want me to do?"


    "Xavie, please. Promise you''ll agree, for Mommy? It''s not easy for me to ask you but I think it''s best for everyone if you do this, especially for your brother. It will help him a great deal."


    "Mom, out with it. What is it?" His heart was already thudding in anxiousness.


    "Please, Xavier..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was probably having a mental struggle with her request. Xavier was almost sold until he heard her next words the moment she opened her eyes. She made sure to maintain eye contact as she spoke.


    "Be gay."


    "..."

 Chapter 54 The First To Know

    Silence. Only the sound of the tick and tock of the clock echoed in the room. The mother and son pair stared at each other. One in hope and one in utter disbelief. Xavier was sure his brain short circuited from the shock. His mother''s expression remained unchanging; she was not joking.


    "Excuse me?" He looked at his mother as though she had grown two heads.


    "Be gay Xavier, for your brother", Victoria responded calmly.


    He grew more confused by her response and a pulled on a disgusted face. "Mom! That''s disgusting! Even if you don''t approve of whoever it is, asking me to be gay so I can get with Zach is-"


    "No! No! What kind of a mother would I be if I asked you to do that? I love you both but I definitely don''t see you together!" She frowned when she realized how far Xavier''s thoughts had strayed.


    He opened his palms gesturing at the situation they were in silently asking her ''then what is this?'' Victoria closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm down. She opened her eyes and looked him dead in the eye. "I''m simply asking you to be gay."


    "As in I should change my sexual orientation?" He arched his brow. Victoria nodded in response.


    He looked at her, thinking she was not serious but Victoria''s expression remained serious. A humorless chuckle escaped his lips and he shook his head in disbelief. He also looked her dead in the eye when he spoke.


    "I''m sorry but I am naturally drawn to pus-" He cleared his throat when his mother''s deadly re challenged him to finish his sentence. "Women. I love women. You''re asking for the impossible."


    "But it''s for your brother! I think", Victoria sighed. She looked even more pitiful now. "I think your brother resorted to this because of you."


    "Me? What did I do?"


    "You''ve practically slept with all the girls in this city. I wouldn''t be surprised if you''ve already slept with his potential wives. So I''m asking you to be gay so he can go back to being straight. Who knows? There might be a girl he''ll find that you haven''t touched."


    "Do you have something against gays? Why can''t Zach be gay? Why should I be gay?" He took a defensive stance and crossed his arms against his chest.


    "I''m not against them otherwise I wouldn''t ask you to be one! And you break women''s hearts left and right, don''t think I don''t know about your little nickname of the One-nighter! Give the women a break!"


    "Aha!" Xavier startedughing. He walked to the lounge and settled on the sofa whilst stillughing. Something must be wrong with his mother! She surely must have hit her head when she copsed. Of all ideas and conclusions, this is what she coulde up with? Xavier could feel a headacheing on.<sub> </sub>


    Seeing his silence, Victoria wanted to further convince him when  a knock resounded before the door was pushed open. She wanted to dig a hole and hide when she saw the person who walked in with a ''sad'' smile.


    "Torrie, my gosh look at you", Kris quickly rushed to her side. Xavier took that chance to leave. Victoria tried to signal him to save her from Kris but Xavier misinterpreted her actions for wanting him to stay so she could continue selling him her idea.


    "Good to see you again Mrs. Howell. I''m sorry but I have to run back to the office", he announced.


    "Don''t worry dear, I have all day to keep your motherpany. You go on now", she gave him a kind smile.


    Xavier kissed his mother on the cheek before quickly leaving the room. Neither he or Kris noticed the look of distress on Victoria''s face. Once the door was closed, Kris turned to look at her friend who now had a neutral expression.


    "Look at you, I quickly rushed over once I heard that you were hospitalized. What happened?"


    Victoria ignored the quirking of Kris''s lips. If she was not mistaken, Kris was probably happy to see her in the hospital. Victoria''s face turned cold when she responded through gritted teeth. "My blood pressure must have gone up."


    "How''s that possible? You''re as strong as a bull. If anyone is susceptible to high blood pressure, it''s your husb-" She caught Victoria''s re before she could finish her sentence. She awkwardly cleared her throat and rested a palm on Victoria''s thigh. "How pitiful. You had hopes and dreams but no, one son is a helpless womanizer and the other", Kris dramatically gasped with a hand covering her mouth as she whispered, "is gay."


    Victoria''s eyes widened. "You... How did you....?"


    "One of the girls whom you invited is a daughter of a friend. She was as shocked as I was by the turn of events."


    Victoria hid her clenched fists under the sheets. Why does it have to be Kris of all people to be the first to find out among her friends? Victoria had thought of at least a thousand ways to silence Kris in the short time they''ve conversed. Push her off a cliff, push her in front of a moving train, run her over with a car; five times at least to make sure she''s- Kris saw how Victoria tried to keep her calm and suppressed a smirk.


    "My son''s sexual orientation is nobody''s business. It''s nothing for anyone to be shocked about", Victoria retorted in a voice as calm as possible.


    "Then why are you here?" Kris asked innocently.


    "..."

 Chapter 55 Zach Loved A Good Challenge

    Zach was buried in a mountain of work. Despite the heavy workload, his day had been pretty good. But he couldn''t help but feel nervous wondering what that little woman would give as a response. He sighed as he signed off a document when his door swung open.


    From the corner of his eye, he was able to catch Xavier storming into his office. ''What now?'' This mother and son simply can''t leave him alone, he shook his head.


    Xavier marched up to his brother''s desk. He was already annoyed whening here and his brother had not even spared him an acknowledging nce.


    "Zach!"


    "You could have called me." Zach spoke without looking up. His lips moved as he silently skimmed through the material he was reading. With his reading sses on and his shirt sleeves rolled up, he was a sexy sight to behold.


    "I would but somebody BLOCKED ME!"


    "Oh."


    "Oh?" Xavier chuckled, but it was a humorless chuckle. No exnation whatsoever. He took a deep breath and redirected his focus on the issue at hand. "What''s this about you being gay?"


    "Says who?"


    "Mom! She says she heard you confess your feelings to someone."


    The corners of Zach''s lips lifted as he swiftly signed off another document. "I did confess to someone."


    "Then what about Miss Harper? Did you get over her?"


    "Of course not."


    "Then why would you-"


    "Voice changer."


    "What? Voice- Oh! You mean it was her?" His eyes grew wide when realization finally dawned on him. Yes, it was that easy for Xavier to understand Zach. His brown orbs sparkled from excitement before he rushed to Zach''s side. "You don''t disappoint bro! You just had to find me such an impressive sister-inw! So where''s she? When can we meet her?"


    Zach felt giddy when he heard Xavier''s term of address for Amy. But his face quickly turned grim from when he heard the questions that followed.<sub> </sub>


    "No. Not yet."


    Although he was happy with the ongoingmunication, it was nothingpared to having her beside him. It would be so much easier to sort things out in person. It was a challenge, not that he wasining, he loved a good challenge. But he just wished they would do this in person. Oh! The things he would do to her just to convince her to ept him! Xavier failed to catch the wicked smirk that yed on his brother''s lips in that moment.


    "Even if you haven''t found her yet, at least tell Mom about it."


    "No, thanks."


    "Please do this for me! Mom thinks you turned out gay because I''m a womanizer so she now wants me to turn gay so you can go back to being straight!"


    Even as he recounted the issue at hand, he personally could not believe that he had been pushed into that situation. It sounded ridiculous even saying it out loud. The conversation he had with his mother felt unreal. Zach had paused in his movements and twirled his chair to finally face his brother. He silently took in Xavier''s colorful yet chic ensemble before he nodded to himself.


    "What? What''s that nod for?"


    "I see where she was going with this. It''s something you should think about."


    Xavier''s face turned ugly as he felt rage building up. "I am done with this family!"


    He grunted in annoyance before storming out of the room. He was sure to kick one of the sofas in rage before going out. Zach shook his head before going back to work.


    Before he knew it, night fell and he was still stuck in his office. The man had even forgotten to have dinner as he worked. He was oblivious to how worked up he left Amy. She honestly thought he would back off with her little scheme but who knew?


    And her insides turned into mush when his deep voice thundered through her Bluetooth earsets. How on Earth was she supposed to keep him at arm''s length when she couldn''t even bring herself to stop talking to him?


    She sighed in helplessness. He could do so much better than her. He deserved someone who was present and not unsure of how their future would look up. Although it fluttered her, she shouldn''t encourage things. And Zach is a straight man, his response could only mean he knew who she really was which was more of a reason for her not to get involved with him.


    Ajtlh@***: You shouldn''t like me.


    She started wracking her brain cooking up a nice speech full of reasons he shouldn''t pursue her when he asks why; because he obviously would. His response came right away but it wasn''t the question she expected.


    Ahismine@***: Do you really not want me to like you?

 Chapter 56 The Only One

    Her heart was thudding as she read the question over and over again. It''s the point she was driving at but why did she feel some type of way when he asked it? She wants to type ''No'' because she really wants him to like her. And she couldn''t bring herself to say ''Yes'' either. ''What should I say?''


    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Without exactly answering his question, sheposed a response she was sure would throw him off.


    Ajtlh@***: I''ve never thought of you as the type to be the bottom [1]


    Zachughed when he saw this message. That was an unexpected turn of the conversation. A sly grin stretched on his lips as heposed a response.


    Ahismine@***: So in other words, the thought of me taking you is more weing than you taking me? I honestly wouldn''t mind thetter.


    Ajtlh@***: I''m being serious.


    Ahismine@***: Me too. So, being the bottom? You''re the only one who holds that much power over me.


    Amy''s face flushed red as memories from their one night stand suddenly invaded her mind. He had taken her all night until thest moment in the bathtub when they were both sober. She had crawled over to straddle him and he let her ride him. She could vividly remember grinding on him and him upying his hands with her sensually bouncing tits and asionally squeezing, molding and smacking her ass.


    She felt a familiar tingle down there and quickly squeezed her thighs together.


    "I shouldn''t think about this!" she scolded herself while fanning herself with her hand. She looked down at the message contents and shook her head.


    Ajtlh@***: You''re quite shameless.


    Her phone alerted her of an iing call. She immediately typed a message to Zach before he could respond to the first one. She didn''t trust she could focus on the call especially with his flirty messages. And it would give her body time to cool down from the heat.


    Ajtlh@***: I need to take a call.


    Ahismine@***: I hope you''re not disappearing on me.


    Ajtlh@***: I didn''t forget our agreement.


    Zach was all smiles when he saw this. He happilyposed a reply.


    Ahismine@***: Okay. I''ll get some work done.


    Amy looked at the time and frowned. It was a little after nine in the evening. Who would work thatte on a Sunday? She had no clue that Zach had stayed up muchter than this before.


    Ajtlh@***: Still at the office?


    Ahismine@***: Yes.


    Ajtlh@***: Go home. It''ste.


    Ahismine@***: Alright. But I''ll be waiting for you.<sub> </sub>


    Despite his old habit, Zach happily packed up. After all, hisdy said so. He left his office in happy spirits leaving his bodyguards stunned. They would soon learn that they would not longer have to leave at midnight whenever their boss workste. Of course, things will change for the better in the future.


    Amy had to call back since the call hade to an end earlier. The person on the other line picked up.


    "Boss! I thought I had been abandoned!" Came Dn''s dramatic cry.


    "I wish!" Amy retorted dryly. She heard him gasp before he calmed himself down.


    "Only because you saved me, I''ll let this slide. Boss, you chose well! Rome is a beautiful city with beautiful sites. And by sites I mean-"


    "Women, I know. But I didn''t send you there to y around. Remember what we talked about?"


    Dn could clearly remember. She had briefed him of the little she knows and her possible suspicions of someone or something from Italy being connected to the guys in New York. So she didn''t randomly choose Italy, it was all nned already. But those people just gave her reason to have her send him there whilst creating the illusion of him still being in New York City.


    "Yeah, how could I forget how you''ve ruthlessly used me as a sacrificialmb? Just when I thought you valued me as an employee."


    Amy ignored his rant and went straight to the point. "Have you established your grounds?"


    "Yes. Infiltrating their system should be a piece of cake", his cockiness resumed.


    "Good. Just don''t attract any unnecessary trouble."


    "My only sin is being attractive. Expect some trouble or two and I''m sure you''ll be-"


    Amy didn''t let him finish speaking before she swiftly terminated the call. Dn''s lips twitched. This boss of his, would it kill him to at least be civil?


    Back in the city, Zach had just arrived home. His step was light as he took in the surroundings of his home. It had been cleaned. He had more or less an idea of what his mother was nning. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw her earlier. He sighed, he loved her but she was too troublesome.


    Edmund was currently walking behind his master carrying his briefcase and jacket. The man had a grave expression as he followed. His heart could not help but thud as he thought of how his boss would reprimand him for colluding with Mrs. Frost. The man had never found himself in this position before.


    "Edmund!"


    "Sir!" His back straightened and he was even more alert. He deserved whatever wasing his way. Zach however, had another thought in mind.


    "Did you inform Henry about my mother?"


    "He never answered his phone so I left a message."


    Zach expected as much. He sighed, there were just too many troublesome people around him. His phone chimed and saw it was Amy. He subconsciously smiled; it seems he would get his goodnight message after all. Yeah, she''s the only trouble he loved being involved with. The only one.

 Chapter 57 Baby Mama

    Amy had just finished checking in with Zach. She should hate doing so but instead she was looking forward to each time. ''Why am I doing this to myself?'' She silently sighed before putting down her phone to find eight smiling faces with curiosity evident in their eyes.


    "Spill!!" Anastasia could hardly contain the excitement. They had clearly watched Amy blush while she was on the phone.


    "Were you talking to your husband?" Dorothy asked.


    "Or were you talking to your husband?" Meredith repeated in a deliberate slur. She had a sly smile on as she wiggled her brows yfully.


    All: "..."


    "Did I imagine it or did she repeat what I just said?" Dorothy''s brows were furrowed in confusion.


    "Hold on", Adrianne spoke. She narrowed her eyes at Meredith seeming toprehend the situation, "Was that... supposed to be suggestive?"


    "Was it.... not?" Meredith looked around with her face red from embarrassment.


    The rest of them sighed before they redirected their focus on Amy. Meredith sipped on her tea hoping to wash away the embarrassment. This is why she''s always quiet.


    "So how did he react to the exciting news?" Sylvia asked with clear joy. "Ow!" She reached down to rub her shin.


    Amy was not sure who had kicked Sylvia but one thing was clear, someone had spilled to thedies about her pregnancy news. While thedies looked away awkwardly, Ste''s face was red and she avoided Amy''s gaze by sipping on her tea. Clearly, Ste was more excited than herself. Amy smiled at this thought.


    "It''s okay. I haven''t had the chance to tell him."


    "But weren''t you talking to him just now?" Meredith blurted out.


    "Alrightdies, let''s go back to the novel. Chapter one-" Ste abruptly spoke at the same time Emma said:


    "Anyone passed by the construction site down town?"


    "I''ve been there five times. What about it?" Adrianne said nonchntly.


    All the heads turned in her direction with judging and disapproving gazes except for Amy who was puzzled. Slowly, she now understood. Adrianne never disappointed.


    "Hypocrites! Sylvia and Liz, your jog was a little slower than usual this morning when passing by that site. Anastasia, you couldn''t fool anyone with those ''selfies''. And don''t get me started on you Dorothy!" Adrianne shot back.


    Sylvia and Elizabeth: "Uh..."


    But all the gazes quickly turned on Dorothy. What did this fifty something year old do? It was usually Ste who shamelessly oggled at good-looking young men. Dorothy tried to keep an indifferent expression.


    "ndering your friends when you''re in a bind won''t get you anywhere!" Dorothy reprimanded. Her nostrils red but she tried to keep her calm.<sub> </sub>


    "nder? Ha!" Adrianne scoffed before crossing her hands over her chest.


    "What did she do?" Ste voiced out everyone''s curious thought.


    "She did her warm up exercises by the road side", Adrianne spoke.


    It was Dorothy who now scoffed with an eyeroll. "What''s the big deal? They jogged by the site, why aren''t you making a big deal about that?"


    A cold chuckle resounded in the room. Amy felt the women were being dramatic but things were bound to spice up as long as Adrianne was around. Adrianne calmed down from her chuckle before she looked Dorothy in the eye.


    "I have the video.... Grandma!" Adrianne smirked.


    And that took all the attention away from Amy and the book. The room fell into chaos with some of the women trying to restrain Dorothy who was both in a panic and offended from being called a grandma. Two hourster, they left the room with happy smiles and an embarrassed Dorothy. It seemed such urrences weremon among them.


    "See you tomorrow baby mama", Adrianne winked at Amy as she left the library.


    Ste walked them out as usual while Amy settled on her workstation. Ian had stopped in his tracks when he heard what Adrianne said. Amy had just sat down when he walked back to her desk. He had on a troubled expression as he watched her.


    "Everything okay?" Amy asked.


    "Are you.... Are you pregnant?" Ian asked with great difficulty.


    "Yes", Amy subconsciously ced her hand on her stomach. Ian took note of this and fell silent. Amy did not expect everyone to give her their congrattions but she expected Ian to say something else than just stand there and zone out on her belly. As though something possessed him, he abruptly left for his station.


    "..."


    Amy shrugged it off. Ste returned twenty minutester and went to her office. They hardly ever had many customers on Fridays, so they were the slowest days. Since finding out and epting her pregnancy, she''s been eating healthy and drinking lots of water. So she got up, and went to the bathroom.


    She relieved herself and washed her hands before exiting the bathroom. As she walked back, she suddenly heard a loud thud.


    Her head whipped in the direction of the sound. Another thud was heard. She turned and walked into that direction until she found herself in front of the storeroom. Another thud was heard. Her heart started to pound as she got closer. What could it be?


    Her hand slowly inched toward the handle when she froze in movement from hearing the sound that followed.


    "Ah! Ah! Yes! Like that!" A girl was moaning from the inside.


    Amy felt awkward and embarrassed. Who would be so brave to do this in the library storeroom? It was disrespectful to Ste. Anger quickly built up and she made to march in when she heard the next words.


    "Yes Ian! Ah! Yes!"

 Chapter 58 The Louise Case

    Amy impatiently rapped her fingers on her leggings covered thighs. She was currently on her way to the gym with Ste who was currently driving. The older woman watched Amy who looked troubled from the get-go.


    "Is everything okay dear?" There was evident worry in her tone.


    "I''m fine", she responded absentmindedly.


    Ste thought Amy was in a mood due to pregnancy hormones so she didn''t push the matter and focused on driving.


    The previous day''s incident had thrown Amy off. Ian was a healthy neen year old young man but never in a million years did she think he would disrespect his grandmother like that. He was mostly quiet but very kind, like Ste, but not that.


    After hearing his name from the lewd sounds, she went back to her workstation. From there, she watched from the CCTV a young brte, probably seventeen or eighteen exit the storeroom after Ian. Amy nned to privately talk to him since he was a young adult but the boy disappeared after walking out the girl. Ste hadter told her he left the library saying he was unwell.


    Odd. He didn''t know that she knew so why run away? What changed now? Is Ian really that type of boy or could there be something more to the story?


    "Ste?"


    p "Hm?"</anda>


    "I know this is random but does.... Ian have a girlfriend?"


    Ste was taken aback by the question but still responded truthfully. "As far as I know, no. He may be a looker and attract girls but he never pursues them. He prefers to keep to himself because he''s awkward around them."


    Amy''s brows rose from shock. But that didn''t seem to be the case from the day before, Amy wanted to shout. Ste chuckled when she saw Amy''s expression.


    "It''s true. He may have taken a lot after his grandfather, but he''s nothing like what Richard used to be: a yer." Ste grimaced when she reminisced of the past. But a beautiful smile appeared as she quickly added, "Until he met me."


    Amy only smiled and left the matter. She decided to talk to him about it. Should he not change since she''ll obviously be watching him, she would bring the issue forward to Ste.


    Soon, they arrived at the gym and went to their respective sses. The exercises were instantly a source of calm; it was probably because they pushed her flexibility to a new limit. Pedro was more attentive to his students since he was introducing new moves.


    Like most, Amy could not keep her legs still when doing the teaser. They were shaking so much she felt the urge to put them down. When Pedro saw this, he went to stand in front of her before holding her legs.


    "Now sit up", he gently instructed. Amy''s face contorted in pain but she did as told. "Breath through the stretch. Breath in, and out. In, out. In, out."


    Amy followed his instructions and felt the pain slightly lessen. She was so focused on achieving this position she did not notice someone was watching her at the moment. The person''s face pulled into an ugly re from watching the scene. They took their phone and quickly snapped some photos before going away.


    "Good job everyone. Now let''s move onto another position", Pedro instructed as he moved away from Amy.<sub> </sub>


    Two hourster, the ss came to an end. She went to find Adrianne and Ste who would be waiting for her by the exit. She was in such happy spirits that she had a bounce in her step only for it to slow down. Likest time, there were three women surrounding Adrianne and Ste. Both parties looked like they were ready to fight.


    "Are you going to keep defending her?" One ck-haired woman asked aggressively.


    "She didn''t do anything", Ste shouted.


    "Ha! How much did she pay you? With a stay at home husband, you must have been desperate for money! Despicable!" The brte woman attacked.


    But, as soon as she finished speaking, her face violently swung to the side, her ears rung and her cheek burned. The sound of the p was so loud it drew the attention of passersby in the gym. Ste''s eyes were bloodshot red after delivering the p.


    "You do not talk about my husband like that! You don''t know anything about him!" Her re was fierce.


    Whispers bloomed among the audience and pointed at Ste as they spoke. Ste could tell they were mocking her but she put on an indifferent fa?ade.


    "That just proves it to be true!" The brte taunted while holding her cheek. There was fear in her eyes after feeling the strength in Ste''s p. She would not dare fight her.


    "And how much did you receive Adria-" The blonde one spoke but was quickly interrupted by Adrianne.


    "Oh! Don''t you go there or I will fuck you up!" Adrianne red at her.


    "So you can silence me? Not today! I will expose you all! Everyone! We all know the rules of the cardio and ptes sses! We are all expected to be professional especially after the Louise case", spoke the blonde woman.


    Everyone knew of the Louise case. The woman joined the cardio sses to seduce Enzo but after being turned down by him, she joined the ptes ss to seduce Pedro. The woman was so obsessed with the two men she wanted to have them. She would try little tricks to get them to touch her. When they both turned her down, she used them of sexual harassment. But luckily, they used the security footage to clear their names.


    Louise was banned and everyone at the gym was expected to be professional if not they would be banned too. When the women saw this, they started to piece things together. It seemed the pretty woman had paid Adrianne and Ste to help her. Now everyone looked at the two in disdain who were currently ring at the women.


    "Are you still going to deny it? Well, it just so happens I have evidence! Everyone! I have pictures of the new woman in action! Have a look!" The blonde quickly fished out her phone, unlocked it and raised her hand to show the pictures she took earlier.


    The people gasped when they saw what was on the phone. Ste and Adrianne remained quiet, wracking their brains on how to clear Amy''s name before the said womanes back. The three woman looked at the two in disdain along with everyone.


    "Let''s see you refu- ah!" The blonde''s smug smile quickly turned into a pain filled scream when her phone suddenly flew out of her hand before a fair hand swiftly caught the device.


    Silence.

 Chapter 59 Call Enzo And Pedro

    Ste and Adrianne''s eyes widened in panic. They did not realize Amy had been in the crowd throughout the whole exchange. She had recognized the three women to be the same ones who had some sort of misunderstanding with the two womenst time.


    Well, it wasn''t a misunderstanding anymore. Amy had gotten the full scoop from the exchange and was just waiting for the right moment to intervene. First they insult her friends, make ridiculous allegations against her and even took her pictures! This was not a good time for her face to be caught on camera!


    So she stepped forward, used the crowd surrounding the blonde woman as an advantage, and struck the woman''s armpit with the side of her open hand. She had once read on pressure points and learnt that this would make the person''s arm go numb and they will briefly feel pain from the impact.


    Amy looked at the phone she had caught and sighed. Everyone quickly recognized her from the photo especially since it was taken the same day. But it was silent, they were all curious to see how she would react. Most of them expected her to put on a pitiful act. It''s the pretty ones who were always conniving. Their opinions on her quickly turned ugly.


    Ste and Adrianne exchanged a helpless nce. Amy was pregnant and shouldn''t be stressed out. That''s why they tried to solve this before she got wind of it. They were snapped out of their thoughts when they heard a beautiful calm voice.


    "I mean, I knew I was good looking but definitely not to this extend!" Her tone had a hint of cockiness.


    Everyone: "..."


    "But if you''re going to take pictures of a beautiful person like me, at least use a better phone. It''s embarrassing for both you and me."


    Everyone: "..."


    Amy shook her head and looked at the blonde woman being supported by her friends. Most of the onlookers'' lips spasmed. They wanted tough but remembered Amy was in the wrong. The brte left her friend''s side and moved towards Amy.


    "You-"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Amy pinched her nose and stepped back with a disgusted face.


    "My God! You could take down a whole elephant with that breath! What did you eat?" Amy''s voice came out nasal but she was serious the whole time.


    The woman immediately cupped her mouth remembering the Onion rings she added to her breakfast. So all those people she has talked to today? How embarrassing! Seeing her actions, the crowd started whispering while pointing at her. Her face grew red from embarrassment. Then Amy released her nose and her expression turned cold instantly.


    "Ah! My mistake. It''s not what you ate", she paused deliberately to get everyone''s attention. "You probably have your anus in your mouth that''s why everything you say is full of shit."


    A couple of ''oohs'' resounded in the crowd especially the men. They didn''t think a docile looking woman like Amy would have such a sharp tongue. They expected that from Adrianne and Ste but not Amy. Even the two were surprised, more of impressed.


    The brte raised her hand to p Amy but her hand froze mid-air when a fair hand caught it. Adrianne was quick to intervene.<sub> </sub>


    "Touch a single strand of hair on her head and you''re done!" Adrianne growled. The cheery and yful Adrianne was reced by an angry one.


    Amy chuckled upon seeing this. "You three are despicable. You insulted my friends, physically assaulted Ste''s hand with your face, ndered me and even took pictures of me."


    Everyone: "..."


    ''Wasn''t it Ste who hit the woman? Why is this girl twisting the truth?'' They all seemed to have the same thought.


    Ste''s lips twitched. But she would not correct Amy. There''s no point in arguing with a pregnant woman.


    "She hit my friend not the other way! Everyone saw this!" The ck haired one roared in anger.


    Amy rolled her eyes. "Did she really? Did she? Because what I saw was her face hitting Ste''s hand." She turned to Ste with a worried face. "Ste, are you okay?"


    "I think you might have to rush me to the ER!"


    "You liars! This is how you want to bury the truth by lying! The truth is staring right into your face! Stop lying!" The brte roared too.


    "Fine! The truth! Number one; Under section 3 of the federal privacy act of 1974, you will be fined at least $5000. You invaded my privacy by taking pictures of me without my knowledge and consent. Truth number two: nder! You''ll have topensate me, Ste, and Adrianne for defaming us with your malicious nder! Truth number three: Your brick-like face practically broke Ste''s hand when you physically assaulted her and will be fined at least $2500! Need anymore truths?" Amy arched her brow.


    "Bullshit! Let''s call Enzo and Pedro to be the judge of your lousy attempts to seduce them! And give me back my phone!" The blonde one had recovered and stepped forward.


    She immediately cowered when Amy raised her hand.


    "Me? Seduce them?" Amy looked befuddled.


    Ste and Adrianne detected the repulsion in Amy''s tone. The girl had a good looking husband she was obsessed with. She would never give other men any time of the day. But calling those two would make things difficult for Amy. Ste especially felt bad for Amy. It was her idea to bring her over to start working out. But when she looked at Amy, the young woman was calm. Too calm.


    "This phone is staying here with me. Call them. I have one moreint to give."

 Chapter 60 Sue Someone

    Someone from the audience called the two men and they quickly rushed over. What could be so important that they left their clients whom they had been training to join this audience? Their faces turned indifferent when they saw the crowd.


    "What happened?" Enzo asked.


    "Enzo, she''s trying to pull a Louise on you and these two are in cahoots with her", the blonde exined.


    The three had on smug expressions when they saw Pedro and Enzo frown at Ste, Adrianne and Amy. Thetter looked all calm and extended her hand.


    "Oh! And they took photos as evidence!" She shoved the phone in their faces.


    Everyone: "..."


    ''This girl..... is oddly cooperative. What is she up to?'' most in the crowd had that thought.


    The blonde started to wonder how Amy unlocked it after it locked itself a while back. But this was Amy, she just didn''t know this. Enzo and Pedro looked at the pictures and thetter''s face turned ugly.


    "This is from this morning?" He asked.


    Enzo patted Pedro''s back. Amy could see Pedro get angry. Everyone believed that the oblivious Amy was in trouble and would be banned from the gym. However, she had one thought in mind when she saw Pedro,  ''Good.''


    "Oh! And they...." She repeated the three offenses when she pulled back the phone from their view. His face turned even uglier.


    The three women looked at each other. Amy was probably digging her own grave. Yes, she needed to go. They could not share the same space with a woman like her.


    "I guess I have to sue you", Pedro spoke. His voice was calm but you could hear the anger in his tone.


    "Yes! Sue her!" The blonde echoed.


    "I meant you Daisy. You invaded the privacy of my clients. What if I loose customers because of your mistake? You''ll hear from mywyers!"


    "But- But- She- She-!" Daisy looked between Pedro and Amy.<sub> </sub>


    "She wants to pull you into an affair! Enzo you can sue her for touching you during her first session!" the brte shouted


    Enzo had an ''ah'' moment as he remembered that day. "You''re right, J someone indeed needs to be sued."


    "Yes!" J replied with enthusiasm.


    "And that has to be me. Because I clearly remember putting her hands on me. I am really sorry peque?o."


    Amy dismissed his apology with a wave. Enzo gave a grateful nod before turning back to the Daisy trio. His face was contorted from anger.


    "Your actions have hurt our business. If not Mrs. Stanford, you would target someone else. We can''t have you here. Please cancel your membership at the reception and expect no refund or else we will sue you."


    "No! She''s the one who should be kicked out! She''s trying to pull you into some affair!" Daisy roared!


    A cold chuckle resounded and it was Amy. The onlookers watched in anticipation wondering what else she would say. "Are you sure it''s me that''s having an affair?"


    "It''s always the pretty ones! Remember Louise? She was like that too!" The ckhaired woman backed up Daisy.


    "Does being pretty mean you''re out seducing everyone? Don''t rub your low self esteem issues on others! It''s quite unattractive", Ste spoke.


    Everyone thought Ste made sense especially those who shares ptes ss with Amy. They never spoke up because they were unsure of the facts. But seeing Enzo and Pedro in action, they could not help but trust Amy. The young woman had done nothing but keep to herself. And they heard it was due to medical reasons that she switched to ptes instead.


    Some people were just petty. Someone prettier than them could simply breath the same air as them and they''ll think the pretty one is attacking them. The pretty one should be the viin and not the victim. Indeed, only people with low self esteem would feel that way.


    Amy was staring at Daisy. It made thetter feel like Amy could see through her. As though she knew something she shouldn''t. Her heart started pounding in anxiousness. Amy had on a mischievous smile as she unlocked the phone.


    ''How is she doing that?''

 Chapter 61 Let Me Reward You

    "Catch!" Amy threw the phone at her and Daisy reflexively caught it.


    Her eyes widened when she saw what Amy had done. Phones chimed randomly and people took them out to have a look. No one noticed the panic on Daisy. Amy had sent an interesting video. She knew what it was without even ying it. But how did Amy get her hands on it? She never recorded any of such videos and it was only CCTV in there. But her mind only focused on the video and where it was sent.


    "Oops! I meant to send to your husband but identally sent it to the cardio party chat group as well", Amy gave her a sheepish smile.


    Daisy tapped on the phone but the touch screen didn''t respond. It was as though it was locked. Amy thought to have a little fun after deleting her pictures. Courtesy of a hacker of her level. She could only watch as people started ying the video and a read receipt appeared on her husband''s chat. Lewd sounds resounded from the different individual phones. Daisy wanted to dig a hole and hide.


    "Are these not the bathrooms here?" Someone asked.


    "Hold on! Don''t I know this face?"


    "Isn''t this her husband''s friend''s son?"


    "He''s a trainer here, right? And she was using an innocent person of affairs! Hypocrite!"


    Daisy looked to her friends only to find them gone. ''When did they abandon me?'' She watched on and silent helpless tears trickled down her face. Enzo called for security to escort her out. The two men apologized to Amy, Adrianne and Ste before everyone dispersed.


    The issue had drag out until mid-day. So they went to a restaurant and had their lunch meals with Adrianne praising Amy and sharingughing moments about the whole situation.


    "Why didn''t you tell me the first time?" Amy frowned.


    "Ste didn''t want you stressing especially with the little oneing. We tried resolving itst weekend when you were absent but who knew they would drag it out till today?"


    ? "You should tell me if there''s a next time", Amy sounded casual but she was serious.<sub> </sub>


    "Are you alright Emily?" Ste asked with evident worry on her face.


    "I should be asking you. Shouldn''t we rush you to the hospital?"


    The three looked at each other andughed. What an adventurous morning. After the meal, the three parted and went home. Amy was so tired she showered and slept through the entire afternoon till evening. It was when her stomach rumbled she finally got up and went to the kitchen.


    As per her habit, she checked for new emails. She figured she would work on new jobs by tomorrow. Her finger tapped on Zach''s inbox.


    The man in question was buried in work in the study of his home. Amy had told him mid-monrning that she would be unavable during the day. So he was enthusiastic about finishing his work load so he could finish the day with talking to her.


    Ding!


    Ajtlh@***: Checking in.


    Zach hugged his phone with a goofy smile ying on his lips. Although he was so trusting of her, he still could not help but worry of the possibility of her disappearing. But she kept her word. With a happy smile, heposed a response.


    Ahismine@***: Let me reward you.


    Reward? What reward? Is it just her imagination or was everything this man typed seductive? Amy felt her face grow hot. She shouldn''t but she was so curious. Maybe she should decline after knowing what it is.


    Ajtlh@***: What?


    Ahismine@***: Me.

 Chapter 62 Amys Voice

    Zach impatiently rapped his fingers against his mahogany desk. Why was she taking too long to respond? Was that too cheesy? He had pictured a whole scenario of how this conversation would go and it would end with Amy flirting with him. But why was she not responding? Was she offended? She would tell him if she was. Zach knew this much. He took hold of his phone to refresh the page when her response came.


    Ajtlh@***: Is this how you get women into your bed?


    Zach stared at the message, hard. His expression was serious as he read both his message and her response. Augh erupted in the room when he pieced things together. Oh! How he wished he could have this conversation with her in person.


    Ahismine@***: Are you jealous?


    Ajtlh@***: Goodnight Zachery.


    Ahismine@***: There are no other women. I''ve only encountered one special woman in my life. My email address should give you a clue as to who it is.


    Amy fell silent. She looked at his email address. The answer was staring right into her face. Amy''s heart felt like it would explode right out of her chest. Was it really what she was thinking it meant? Zach had been nothing but straight forward so it was possible his email address could mean:


    AH IS MINE.


    Amy Harper Is Mine.


    A huge smile stretched on her lips. Even if she didn''t want to, she could not help the giddy feeling inside her. She was sure this was his work address but he had deliberately changed it to that, for her. Wasn''t this akin to announcing to the world his im on her? Is this his way of showing his possessiveness over her while they were apart?


    Many wouldugh at her train of thought. Zachery Frost, an iceberg of a man, was actually this¡­. romantic? Sentimental? Even so, Amy shouldn''t encourage him to do this. She didn''t know what the future held for her. She shouldn''t derail from her mission to keep a formal rtionship with him but she couldn''t help the bashful smile as she cupped her hot cheeks. She puffed out a breath and opted to change the subject.


    Ajtlh@***: Were you workingte?


    Ahismine@***: Not taking me up on my offer?


    Amy looked at their chat. There was no mention of it. What was he on about?


    Ajtlh@***: What offer?


    Ahismine@***: Me. I promise you there''s an especially good deal tonight.


    Amy rolled her eyes. She could almost picture a smirk ying on his sexy thin pink lips. Oh! Those lips! Amy''s heart skipped a beat. This man just couldn''t pass at any opportunity to flirt at her. She shouldn''t, but curiosity was terribly gnawing at her. She could end the conversation or stop talking to him altogether, but she tapped the reply tab. No. She decided to do something that would throw him off should he get any ideas.


    Zach heard the familiar sound of siri activation notification. He looked at his phone and noticed electronic waves disying on his screen signifying a secured connection. It had been a while since he heard that deep voice. He cringed at the thought of it but, he had to make do with her ways. He was just about to sigh when the unexpected happened.<sub> </sub>


    "And what could this deal be?"


    Silence.


    Amy looked at her phone. The connection was secure but no response. She smirked. Whatever trick he had up his sleeves must have been thrown out of the window. Zach was sure his brain had short circuited. Was he hallucinating or did he just hear¡­. Amy''s voice? Her actual voice. Her soft, calming and yet alluring voice, that automatically brought spring to the listener.


    "Zachery?" she called out again.


    "Um", he awkwardly cleared his throat and pulled on his jeans to fix his excited junior. There was just something about the way Amy called out his name especially with her voice.


    "I''m here."


    Zach bit his thumb suppressing an amused smile. This conniving little woman! She must have thought him to be a fool if she thought he had not seen through her little trick. Yes, he was thrown off momentarily. His heart was practically doing summersaults from hearing the voice he could only hear in his dreams. She didn''t use a voice changer this time. He wanted to scream on top of his lungs.


    <o>,m Amy on the other hand was ted and tried not tough. Hearing the tone of his voice told her one thing: she had him good. She gave none of that away and innocently asked, "You were talking about a good deal?"</o>


    A simple conversation had turned into a game for the two. She felt she had the upper hand and was already celebrating her victory. She was ready to call it night when she heard his next words. Yeah, victory hade too soon for her.


    Zach picked up the phone and brought it closer to his mouth. He deliberately lowered his already deep voice which made it sound husky and sexy. He paused in between sentences to let his words sink in and as part of his seduction scheme. He had been presented with an opportunity, and so he would take it.


    "The deal is, if you ept me, you can do anything. To me. With me. Anything your heart desires. And right now", he stood up and left his study. Amy could hear the soft closing of the door. "You can hack into my phone camera and enjoy a little show."


    "What show?" Amy cleared her throat.


    "I just had a long day of working and I''m in need of a good shower."


    Silence.


    He tapped his phone and saw the connection was still secured. Did he go too far with her? Or did he just throw her off? It seemed his anxiousness was triggered and revolved around Amy. What she said and if she said it, mattered to him. Zach had never thought he would be caught in this position: desperately trying to gain and win the attention of a woman who was almost a decade his junior. But he could only me her, she rocked his world on the day they met. No woman had ever triggered his interest like she did.


    "Amy?" he gently called out whilst entering his room. He was beginning to worry. Then he heard her say something that was almost a whisper he could have easily missed it but he heard her.


    "Pervert."

 Chapter 63 The Glow

    Zach was ted even when the connection had been terminated. He heard her voice, he talked to her, and being called a pervert was the least of his worries. Oh! He would have such a goodnight''s sleep but first, he would need to take a shower. A cold shower. What he didn''t know was that Amy was actually calling herself a pervert and not him. But she didn''t bother correcting herself and simply terminated the connection.


    She got out of bed and went to turn on the AC making sure to turn down the temperature. She got back in bed and huffed out a breath in annoyance. Her n had backfired. She didn''t know she was signing herself up to have her ears fucked over and over with every word that poured out of his mouth topped with his deep and husky voice.


    When he said she could do anything to him and with him, her mind had already cooked up a lot of naughty ideas and majority of them involved both of them being naked. And when he mentioned having a shower, her mind gued her of the familiar scenes of their hot night together. She only snapped out of it when she heard him call out her name.


    The conversation was over, but she was left hot and bothered. She couldn''t bring down the temperature even more unless she wants to freeze.


    "Let''s get some sleep", she whispered as she closed her eyes.


    She let her body rx and allowed for sleep to take over. But a vivid image of Zach''s naked torso invaded her mind. She was transported back to the night they spent together. Water dripped down from his hair and trickled down his wide and chiseled smooth chest. He was an alluring sight. His depthless blue orbs held her in ce, taking in the contours of her naked torso.


    He took a step towards her, making sure her eyes never leave his. He circled her and soon her back was pressed to his front. Amy felt like her heart would explode in that instant. His huge warm hands held her shoulders before one hand traveled down her chest, between the valley of her breasts that rose and fell from her breathing, past her navel and found her-


    Gasp!


    Amy''s eyes flew open. How could one''s imagination travel so far? It wasn''t Zach''s hand that touched her, it was her own, currently inside her pajama shorts. Her fingertips were barely an inch from her slit. She was wet, very wet; she did not need to touch herself to know. She felt embarrassed, yet at the same time, had no ns of removing her hand.


    ''Am I really doing this?''


    ''Do it. You want this'', Zach seemed to answer her thought in a daring whisper into her ears.


    ''I''ve never done this before.''


    ''I''m here. I''ll help you.''


    She closed her eyes and let herself sumb to her desires. Her hand moved further down and found her warmth. She coated her fingers in her juices and run them between her lips. She moaned and took in shallow breaths from the sensation.


    "Ah!"


    She found her cave and slipped in a finger. So good, but so not enough. She slipped in another.


    "Oh!" a pleasured filled gasp leaked out of her lips. Amy writhed from the pleasure as she thrust her fingers in and out of her cave. Her movements quickened as she let herself be consumed in pleasure. Her hand moved so quick she identally hit her swollen nub.


    "Whoa!"


    She practically shouted as she jolted on the bed from pleasure. But her fingers didn''t stop working her womanhood and now flicking her nub. While she let herself drown in pleasure, she was far too gone to even hear the notification sound that came from her phone.


    ***


    <o>,m "Emily! Come in dear!" Ste opened the door wide for her.</o>


    It was Sunday and she was spending the day with Ste and Richard. They had nned to dedicate Sundays to baking and practicing new recipes. Amy followed the older woman into the kitchen before cing down a bag of baking ingredients on the counter.


    "So we''re having an English breakfast set today. Mm, let me get you some orange juice and don''t move."<sub> </sub>


    Ste busied herself with setting the counter while Amy settled down on one of the stools. She was wearing sweats and a huge shirt with matching socks. She didn''t bother to cook knowing this would happen. Richard heard the familiar clutter of the tes and made his way to join thedies for breakfast. The older man smiled when he saw his young neighbor.


    "Emily!" He gave her a side hug and she reciprocated. "Good to see you kiddo", he went to settle on the opposite side of the counter.


    "Likewise."


    "What are youdies making today?" he picked up a newspaper to start browsing through the headlines.


    "Carrot cake."


    Both women spoke in unison and giggled. Ste finally finished and settled down. She gestured for Amy to help herself while she served her husband. Richard shook his head at their silliness.


    "That baby better be a boy", he spoke without taking his eyes off the newspaper.


    "¡­"


    "We have enough gossipers in this town", he added with a shake of his head. He had heard how his wife coerced Amy into joining their ''book'' club. Ste nudged him with her elbow.


    "Richard!" she red at him. The man arched his brow at his wife in amusement. "I believe that calls for a punishmentter on", he smirked. Ste pped his arm and looked away with a blushing face.


    "Don''t mind me", Amy muttered as she picked up a piece of toast. She did not want to know.


    "Richard, not at the table. Emily is- Oh! Emily,


    look at you glowing!"


    Richard shook his head. It never ceases to amaze him how his wife easily changed topics. He picked up a cup of coffee and sipped on it. Amy looked up with raised brows in question while sipping her orange juice. Weren''t they over the pregnancy glow thing?


    "The ''I just had sex'' glow", Ste rified.


    Amy and Richard both choked on their respective drinks. Ste looked between the two and stood up to pat them both on their backs.


    "We''re all adults here. What are you overreacting for?" she shook her head in disbelief.


    Richard looked at her in disbelief. Wasn''t she the one who said they were at the table? Amy, on the other hand, kept her head hanging low. Her face burned red from embarrassment. Was her dirty little secret that obvious? She was already embarrassed with her mind constantly reminding her of the fact that she cried out Zach''s name when she came the previous night. The whole ordeal was embarrassing that she could not bring herself to write to Zach this morning. Ugh! Ste''s bluntness is something she would never get used to.


    Ding!


    She gestured with her hand for Ste to stop. The older woman turned to her husband while Amy looked at her phone. It was a notification. Now that she noticed, there was one more from the previous night.


    Both of them were from Dn.

 Chapter 64 Victoria And Kris Drama

    "Madam, we''re here", the driver announced with a slight turn of his head looking behind at his boss.


    Victoria sighed. She hardly got a shut eye dreading this very moment. She was meeting her girlfriends at the golf club and she really wished she could get through the day and skip this part altogether. But she had to, she had to face that vixen of a friend called Kris.


    Just why did she talk big about finding Zach a wife? She should have found out his preference first. Now she had practically shot herself in the foot.


    "Why? Why? Why?" she whined while hitting her head against the car window.


    "Madam!" The driver grew worried when he saw this. Could she be experiencing after-effects fromst week''s incident? "I''ll take you to the hospital", he started the car.


    "No, Raymond. I''m", she sighed. "I''m fine. I am Victoria Frost. I''ve dealt with much worse than this. I''ll be fine! This is nothing. I can do this! I can do this! Let''s go!!!"


    "¡­"


    She was only meeting her friends for golf, why did she sound like she was prepping herself for battle? Not knowing the man''s thoughts, Victoria stepped out of the car before she could change her mind.


    "Nope! I''m going home", she turned back and slid back in.


    "Torrie? Torrie is that you?"


    Victoria closed her eyes in grimace and suppressed a frustrated scream. She had only got half of herself inside until she heard the voice of the person she was dreading to meet.


    "You''re not leaving, are you?" Kris tried not tough at the awkward position her friend was in. The said person quickly got out and forced augh.


    "How absurd! I was actually getting out! Why would I leave when I just got here?" she mmed the door a little too hard, taking out her frustration on the current situation, on it. She smiled at Kris but it never reached her eyes.


    Raymond: "¡­"


    Kris sauntered over seeming to be in a good mood before hooking her arm around Victoria''s. She acted oblivious to Victoria''s grieved expression. She was akin to amb being dragged to a ughter house. The two finally caught up with their friends who expressed their concern for Victoria. They had deliberately not visited her knowing she would need space. The five took three golf carts with Kris insisting to share with Victoria.


    <o>,m When they arrived at their designated spot, they set up before taking turns to swing and hit golf balls. Kris was first and made a pretty good hit. The other four cheered for her before Reba went up next.</o>


    "So, what''s going to happen now?" Adide looked at Victoria.


    "With what?" she responded with raised brows.


    "You know, with Zach", Adide added.


    They turned and watched Reba make a hit, it was more impressive than Kris. The other four apuded. She was the best at golf among them but she never bragged or let her friends feel they were below her. Stephanie went up next and set up her ball and practiced her swing.


    "Nothing is going to happen", Victoria said with a shrug.<sub> </sub>


    "Well, you were looking forward to finding him a wife and having beautiful and brilliant grandkids", Kris kindly reminded.


    She may have sounded worried but Victoria could detect the mockery in her tone. Stephanie rolled her shoulders back to rx. She could hear everything but she pretended not to. They all hated being caught up between Kris and Victoria''s drama.


    "And that''s my fault, for not finding out what my son''s preferences are." There was sincerity in her tone. She did regret her rash decisions, had she known, she would not have bothered with him.


    "That''s why I say leave these matters to the kids. Look at how well my Logan turned out", Kris said.


    Victoria suppressed her annoyance with a sigh as she watched Stephanie take a swing. It was also an impressive shot. The other four pped for her. It was now Victoria''s turn. She walked over to set up her ball.


    "But it''s not a big deal. Zach will still find his partner and who knows what the future holds? They might adopt some adorable grandkids for you. I have a friend who is obsessed with her adopted grandson. She reminds me of you Torrie, the way she spoils her grandchild. I''m sure you''ll be a great grandmother Torrie", Adide spoke with all sincerity.


    Victoria smiled at that. If there was anything to appreciate about Adide''s bluntness, it''s her honest moments. She had no clue howforting her words were to Victoria in that moment. The woman rxed her shoulders in readiness to take the shot.


    "But it''s nothingpared to what she dreamt about. Think of all the effort she put into getting her son a wife and imagine how shocked she was to the point of copsing. I''m not against adopted kids but there''s something about having a child who has your blood coursing through their veins. You''ll be able to proudly say ''what I made, made that''. Adide, don''t say things that will upset Victoria", Kris scolded.


    "Don''t worry Addie, I''m not upset", Victoria offered a kind smile. If she was upset, it was because of the nonsense Kris was spouting.


    "Then surely, you''re embarrassed", Kris added. Her face was pulled into a frown like she was worried about Victoria.


    "It''s about to go down", Reba whispered towards Stephanie who hummed in agreement.


    "I''m not embarrassed", Victoria responded through gritted teeth. She was beginning to get annoyed with Kris.


    "I''m sure you are. Why else were you trying to leave after arriving? It can''t be because you were afraid to face us."


    "I told you. I was just getting out."


    "Kris, that''s enough", Stephanie stepped in seeing the two women getting red from fury.


    Kris, however, had turned a deaf ear to the warning. She was adamant in getting Victoria to admit to being embarrassed by the whole situation. Having admitted that meant she would be admitting she was embarrassed by her great son, Zach. Sue her, but it would be a small victory for Kris.


    "No, I caught you trying to get back in the car after getting out. If that wasn''t avoiding us, then what were you doing?"


    Swoosh!


    Victoria swung her club from annoyance and watched the ball fly into the distance. The swing was so strong and so sudden it caught the attention of all five. As they watched the ball fly, their faces quickly turned into horror when they saw where it wouldnd.


    All five of them gasped at the same time.

 Chapter 65 Victorias Guilt

    A pair of grey eyes fluttered open. They slowly took in the surroundings, a cream white ceiling, and soon, five faces came into view.


    "Oh! Thank God! Becky, help me call the doctor!" Victoria spoke first. The woman looked like she wanted to cry upon taking in the young woman lying on the bed. Looking at the bandage wrapped around her head just brought more guilty feelings within Victoria.


    "What happened? Who are you people?" the young woman spoke. She tried to sit up but stopped and held her head.


    "Don''t move. The doctor will be right with you", Adide helped her back down.


    "I''m Victoria, this is Adide, Stephanie, and Kristen. The one who just left is Reba. I''m really sorry, Miss. I hit you with my golf ball."


    The young woman was at a loss for words, she could see the guilt on the older woman. But everything was still a blur for her. She was about to speak when Reba came back in with a doctor and his team. All the women were quite taken aback by the doctor''s beauty. The older women exchanged knowing nces; this would be tea forter. Victoria, however, had other ns for this man.


    "Good afternoon, Miss?" the doctor asked.


    Even his voice was pleasant to the ears. The young woman was oblivious to how taken the older women were and focused on the man.


    "Oswell."


    "Miss Oswell. How are you feeling?" he asked.


    <o>,m "My head feels heavy and they said I was hit by a golf ball. I certainly remember being at the golf course but the rest is a blur."</o>


    "Mm. Luckily, there was not too much damage, except for a cut on the back of your head which we stitched up. We run some scans and there''s no apparent brain damage. But we still need to monitor you for another 24 hours."


    "Alright."


    The doctor excused himself while the women thanked him for his service. Victoria quickly rushed over to Miss Oswell''s side. She could not feel apologetic enough. "I''m really sorry dear. I didn''t mean to hurt you. I''m really sorry."


    "That''s why you shouldn''t do things in a fit of anger", Krismented.


    The other women shook their heads while sighing. Would she ever stop? Miss Oswell looked between the two women awkwardly before taking in Victoria''s guilty expression. There was no point in adding more to that.


    "It''s okay Victoria. It was an ident after all", Miss Oswell genuinely smiled at her.


    "I can''t help but feel bad. If there''s anything you need at all, just let me know", Victoria spoke.


    "Anything?"


    Victoria nodded. Kris''s face pulled into a frown. Seeing the young woman like this could mean she was up to something. She probably knew they were from the upper ss and would try to take advantage of the situation. She was about to voice her opinion to Stephanie when Miss Oswell spoke.<sub> </sub>


    "Could you help me find my phone? I need to call my friend. You seem like nice women but I''d like for her to be here. I don''t want you to stay here because of me. Please."


    "Okay. But I''ll stay here until she gets here", Victoria conceded. The young woman nodded before she received her phone when Victoria found it. She called her friend who soon promised to arrive in ten minutes.


    The other women also decided to stay until the friend arrived. They broke into awkward chatter which soon ended with silence. It was the most excruciating ten minutes for everyone. Victoria could not stop apologizing and made sure was at the beck and call of Miss Oswell. Her friends could not help but feel bad for her. No one knew how to express guilt and atone for their sins like Victoria. She would forget her Mrs. Frost status and humble herself when she was wrong.


    Finally the friend arrived and burst through the room in tears!


    "Oh! My gosh! Nicole! I was- oh my gosh! Nicole", she couldn''t finish her sentences and rushed into her arms while crying. Nicole smiled and hugged her friend. The friend pulled away and examined her.


    "Are you alright? What happened? Who did this to you? I swear to God I will skin that person alive inch by inch,yer byyer, limb by-" her face grew darker and her expression more menacing as she spoke through gritted teeth.


    Everyone: "¡­"


    "Okay! Down girl! Now say hello", she showed her to the five women and introduced them to her. "They brought me in and helped me. They didn''t want to leave me alone before you arrived. Ladies, this is my best friend, Ne."


    "It''s nice to meet you all. And thank you for taking care of my girl. You''re all so kind. Thank you", Ne said this with a kind smile and tears brimming in her eyes.


    Victoria could not bring herself to look her in the eye. She was silently grateful to Nicole for not rattling her out. Her impression of the young woman was very good. The women soon left with Victoria insisting to exchange numbers with Nicole and promising her a visit.


    Kris and Victoria barely exchanged a word for obvious reasons while they happily parted with the other three. Raymond got the door for her and she rxed in her seat before the car got a move on.


    "Ah!" she remembered something important and fished out her phone. She found Xavier''s contact and frowned when she saw the unread messages from the previous week.


    ''Surely, he won''t ignore this one, right?'' she mused as she sent it.


    She was just about to put down her phone when it started ringing. It was an unknown number. Her stomach churned at who it could possibly be. Sure enough, her suspicions were right when she answered.


    "Miss me?" the voice of a man jeered at her. His charming chuckle resounded over Victoria''s earpiece.


    "Why are you calling?" she shot back.


    "I heard you were in the hospital. You sound fine. That''s good. I have to go, bye!" he quickly hung up.


    "Wait! Henry!" she screamed into the phone even when she heard the familiar beep of a terminated call. She did not need this on a good Sunday afternoon. But it had been further ruined. She could practically guess who did this.


    "Raymond, to Frost Corporation!"

 Chapter 66 Zach Is In Love

    Zach came into work on a Sunday per usual. Even on a weekend, work never seemed to lessen for the man. Butpared to the usual stoic expression he had on, the man seemed unusually happy as he dealt with the paperwork. He hummed an unknown tune as he worked and even whistled. If George, who was home on weekends would witness this, he would have surely thought it was an imposter in Zach''s seat.


    The door swung open. He paid no mind to the urgent approaching footsteps. Per usual, the person walked towards the liquor cab to get a drink.


    "Why won''t you to tell Mom? She''s getting worse!" Xavier was annoyed especially after receiving his mother''s message, well, one of the many she had been guing him with for the past week. He didn''t dare open the message but could guess what the contents were.


    "Not without her", Zach responded.


    Xavier''s mouth fell open.The woman was not even there but his brother had already turned into a henpecked husband. He won''t make such a big decision without Amy''s knowledge and consent. If his mother was not terrorizing him with her crazy idea, he wouldn''t be this desperate. How does Zach not understand this?


    "Zachery Theodore Frost!" An angry Victoria barged into the office.


    Xavier was d he had no drink in his mouth otherwise he would choke on it. He knew how much his brother hated his middle name and someone saying his full name. Sure enough, the said man''s face turned dark instantly and his movements halted. But what had Zach done to infuriate his mother like that? Whatever it is, it must be bad enough to have her say his full name and middle name.


    Victoria stopped when she saw her youngest standing by the liquor cab and pouring himself a drink. Warning bells quickly went off in Xavier''s head.


    "Why are you ignoring my messages?" She turned to him.


    p "Who wouldn''t? When you''ve been terrorizing me with pictures of half naked men for the past week."</anda>


    "But they''re all a good match! Fine, forget those ones, did you see the one I sent not too long ago?"


    "So it was a picture of another man? I guessed right! Mom, you should stop this or I''ll block you!"


    "But Xavier he''s a doctor! I met him this mor-"


    "You what?" Xavier''s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. Yeah, his mother had lost it for sure.


    "By ident or coincidence, whichever. I hit a girl with my golf ball and he just happened to be treating her. I took a picture when he was not looking", she had on a smile as she spoke; practically proud of herself.


    "You hit someone with a golf ball?" Xavier said dryly. Not seeming surprised at all.


    "It was an ident. Just see if you''ll like him! I have to go and see how Nicole is doing this evening", she made a mental note.


    Xavier paused in his movements. A grey eyed beauty came to mind when he heard that name. His mind took him to that Sunday afternoon he fucked a girl named Nicole. He still remembered her name because she had left such a deep impression on him. She knew what she wanted and how she wanted it, Xavier smiled at this thought.


    But they never exchanged numbers and went separate ways, no strings attached; just the way he liked it. He could not help but think of her when he heard his mother talk about some Nicole she had hit with a golf ball. He took a sip and let the drink wash away those random feelings.


    "Zach, did you call Henry?" She turned her attention back to him.<sub> </sub>


    "No."


    He didn''t bother looking up as he kept his eyes glued to the monitor. She turned to re at Xavier who quickly shook his head in denial.


    "It wasn''t me."


    "I asked Edmund to inform him", Zach further exined.


    Victoria''s voice and expression turned cold as she settled on one of the couches. "Don''t meddle in our affairs."


    "Then I''ll expect you to not meddle in mine?" He finally looked at her and arched a perfect brow.


    So he knew about the blind dates. She had gone behind his back, this she admitted. But was he that offended that he had to take such extreme measures? Of course, Zach could be savage when he wanted to. There was no point in arguing with him so she decided to be honest.


    "I''m sorry, I just wanted to help you find someone special enough for you to spend the rest of your life with."


    Someone to spend the rest of his life with? While the two thought he was looking at something work rted on his monitor, he had actually zoned out. An image of Amy quickly came to mind. The rest of his life? He could see that with Amy and no one else. He could already picture how his life would beplete and perfect once he has her by his side. Once he married her, they would start a new chapter in the forever book, together. A smile made its way onto his lips.


    "Of course, it seems you''ve already found that person", she spoke softly it was almost a whisper.


    Realization hit her when she saw the smile on his face. She had never seen him smile like that. It seems her son had found a good man for himself. He didn''t need any of her help. She was a fool for trying to set him up with those women. Zach knows what he wants and he''ll get it once he sets his mind to it. Whoever this person is, must be a great person to bring out such a gentle smile and serene expression on her iceberg of a son''s face. Victoria could see it, Zach is in love.


    "Alright, I''ll stay out of your business. I''m sorry for going behind your back, I was honestly too excited."


    "It''s alright."


    But he was not going to apologize for informing Henry. He at least needed to know what happened to her even if it would infuriate her.


    "That settles it then." She turned her attention back to Xavier. Before she could speak, he raised his hand to stop her.


    "No. I won''t hear it." He set down his now empty ss and turned to leave the room. But Victoria was quick to follow after him.


    "Xavie!"


    "Mom, I said no!"

 Chapter 67 Its All Part Of The Plan

    "Is Ian not joining us today?"


    Amy could not help but ask when she noticed Ste taking over his duty of cleaning up and helping some early morning customers.


    "No, dear."


    Ste''s face fell when she responded but quickly put on a neutral expression as she continued to help the customers. Amy could have asked more questions to quench her curiosity but she decided against. Wrong timing and she didn''t want to force it out of Ste.


    "I''ll handle the rest. Why don''t you go back to your office", she suggested. Ste opened her mouth to protest but Amy held up her hand to stop her. "No arguments."


    Ste sighed while Amy offered her aforting smile. So for the rest of the morning, Amy handled any customers who needed help to navigate the library. But she could not help but wonder what could have happened to the young man? It was all too coincidental for him to leavest Friday and then still not show up today. He was definitely not sick, this she was sure of, otherwise he wouldn''t have had energy to do all that with his friend.


    They momentarily closed up during lunch hour and went to Ste''s office to have their afternoon meal. Amy''s eyes bulged when she saw the big food portions.


    "Is someone joining us?" She asked as she settled down while Ste settled on the opposite side.


    "No, it''s just us."


    "This is too much!"


    "That''s what you say when you could easily finish this yourself", Ste shook her head.


    Amy felt annoyed as she propped an elbow on the desk. She knew her appetite was growing bigger by the day but did Ste have to point it out? Ste smiled when she saw Amy''s face pulled into a frown, lips pouted and chin resting on her hand. She could not help but give the girl''s cheek a gentle pat.


    "Don''t be upset. I''m doing this for you and the baby. Go on and eat", she coaxed her. Amy ''had no choice'' but to do as told. She poured herself some carrot soup and took spoonfuls.


    "Have you thought about a feotus name?" Ste asked before taking a spoonful of the soup in her mouth.


    "Feotus name?"


    "Mm. A name for the baby when you talk to her. She''s picking up a lot of voices but a baby needs to know their parents'' voices. Talk to her or him, you can also sing to her or him before you go to bed. I used to do that with Alex, Ian''s mom. It came in handy when she was born, especially, when her cries kept us up at night. She could only sleep when I sing to her. It worked, well half of the time. The other times she was just being a brat."


    Amy chuckled while serving herself some Cajun chicken pasta and sd. Ste had made sure not to make it too spicy. She moaned in appreciation when she took her first bite. Ste was happy to see her like that.


    But what Ste said stuck with her. The baby needed to know their parents'' voices. That was easy if it was just her, but there''s Zach. While Amy was deep in thought, she did not notice the troubled expression on Ste''s face. The older woman was about to speak when Amy''s phone chimed.


    The young woman picked it up and her brows furrowed when she saw the notification she received. It was from Dn again.


    ''What is this punk doing?'' she mused in irritation.


    "Everything okay?" Ste could not help but ask.<sub> </sub>


    Amy nodded and put down her phone. "A little rat is trying to milk me dry", Amy muttered under her breath in clear annoyance.


    "Huh?"


    "Nothing", Amy smiled.


    At a prestigious club somewhere in Rome


    The disco lights reflected the hot bodies pressed against each other as they ground to the beat. Music sted through the speakers ying upbeat music. On a different floor of the club contained tables where women in next to nothing exotic outfits or nothing at all sashayed on top of tables upied by customers.


    They wrapped their elegant fingers and high heel d long legs around the poles on the center. They did leg lifts, splits, climbed the poles, slid down and swung around sensuously and provocatively showcasing their money makers. But these were not the usual strippers the customers paid for. It was known that these women were the top most expensive the club offered and a private show by one of them would cost one up to five figures and more. If you touched them even if it''sjust grabbing their titties, one had to pay six figures worth of money so what more sleeping with them?


    But someone had booked the eight women and allowed other customers to enjoy their show for free. The customers did notin and threw money at the sexy women as they watched them with lustful eyes.


    The said person sat in a VIP booth watching it all. He was akin to an overlord overseeing his subjects enjoying his good gifts. Despite his generous offer to his fellow customers, he had no women around. He had already slept with them anyway. Still, he had no use for any of those women.


    He leisurely took a sip and rxed in his seat. His blue hair shone in the dimly lit room, his suit d long legs were crossed over each other. He looked at the now empty ss and a waitress quickly rushed over to his side. She bent over and picked a bottle from the sea of bottles on the coffee table and refilled his empty ss.


    ? His eyes fell on a beautiful brte walking out of one of the VIP rooms. She had bodyguards protecting her. But even so, her eyes met with this VIP customer. With his eyes on her, he moved his hand making sure her eyes follow his movements.


    "Ah!" The waitress moaned when she felt his hand slip inside her short skirt and start to stroke her folds. He had told her to never wear any panties whenever she served him, both ways.


    The woman''s face pulled into shock but she slowed down her walking pace and watched on. A mischievous smile stretched on his lips when he saw this. He slipped in three fingers at once inside the waitress''s wet coochy.


    "Oh my gosh!" The waitress felt her legs go weak from the sudden intrusion. She further bent over and held onto the table as the man worked his fingers. By the time the woman reached downstairs, the waitress came on his fingers with a loud cry.


    He removed his fingers and gave them to her to suck them clean. The woman downstairs looked away when she saw this and walked on with her back to him. The waitress knelt down to undo his trousers when she heard a cold voice from above.


    "Scram!" His expression and demeanor changed drastically it sent a chill down the waitress''s spine. She did not waste a second as she fled the scene in terror.


    The man took a tissue and wiped his fingers. His phone chimed and he smiled when he saw the message contents.


    A.J: What are you doing?


    Heposed back a response and replied instantly.


    Dn: Don''t worry boss, it''s all part of the n.

 Chapter 68 Ian Returns, Mona Visits

    Amy''s brows furrowed when she saw Dn''s response. She could not help but worry. Whatever Dn was doing, he had to make sure it was a full proof n otherwise it would backfire. Amy could feel a headacheing on from this.


    She ced her phone down on her dressing table and resumed brushing her hair. It had significantly grown longer over the past almost four months. A thought came to her as she run theb through her blonde strands of hair.


    "Foetus name?"


    She looked down at her stomach and touched the little baby bump that had started to form.


    "I don''t know your gender so how about we just stick to cupcake? But what song could I possibly sing for you?"


    She resumed brushing her hair as she wracked her brain for ideas. She could not make up a song nor could she fully remember nursery rhymes. She would feel awkward if she did that. She wanted to share something she loved with her baby.


    Once done with her hair, she crawled into bed before taking her phone to scroll through her ylist. The artist she listened to most was Sara Barailles. She looked at the songs and her eyes fell on one. She listened to the song and an idea came to her. She took a notepad and started restructuring the lyrics. She looked at what she had and started to sing to see if it worked.


    "Let the bough break, let ite down crashing,


    Let the sun fade out to a dark sky,


    I can''t say I''d even notice it was absent


    Cause I could live by the light in your eyes"


    "My whole heart will be yours forever


    This is beautiful start to a lifelong love letter"


    "Tell the world that we finally got it all right


    I choose you


    I will be yours and you will be mine


    I choose you


    I choose¡­ you"


    Amy smiled in satisfaction. She felt she had found the perfect song for her cupcake. Her phone chimed and her heart skipped a beat. It was an email from Zach. It was time for theirte night chat.


    ***


    When Amy arrived at the library with Ste, they saw the familiar silhouette of Ian. His bangs had grown a little longer it was hard to see his eyes. Ste hugged her grandson and kissed his cheek.


    "Grandma!" He tried to escape her touch.


    Ste smiled and patted his head. "Feeling better?"


    He nodded in response. Amy caught the sadness in Ste''s eyes as the older woman stared at her grandson. Even her smile didn''t quite reach her eyes. Amy felt sad when she saw this, she looked at Ian who quickly looked away. The atmosphere was awkward between the two as the boy resumed opening the library.


    Ste went to her office to tidy up while Ian plugged in his earphones and resumed his cleaning duties. Amy watched him as she tidied up her workstation. She knew she had to talk to him but she suddenly felt nervous unsure of how to start.


    The customers soon filed in, finding spots to bury themselves in books. Some found their way to the shelves looking for different books. A new customer walked in, Amy''s heart started to pound when she saw the direction she was walking in.


    Before she could think, Amy stood up and soon blocked her way. The teenager''s brows knitted together.<sub> </sub>


    "How may I help you?" Amy pulled a polite smile as she took in the girl.


    Brte with hazel brown eyes with a round face and a little thick in the right ces. It was Mona, Ian''s friend who wasn''t his girlfriend but seemed to be at the same time. Mona was clearly annoyed by Amy''s obtrusion but she decided not to voice it.


    "The history section", she replied.


    "I swear I could have thought you''d know your way by now", Amy muttered Ashe turned on her heels. She didn''t even try to be quiet knowing Mona would hear her.


    "Excuse me?" Her voice rose a little disying her clear offense.


    "This way", Amy spoke more clearly as she walked on.


    The two walked with one following the other. They reached the history section and Amy gestured with her hand at the books. Mona expected the Amy to leave so she could finally go her way but the woman stood her ground. She showed no signs of leaving.


    Mona red at her and picked a book without exactly looking at it. She could not help but feel Amy''s actions were deliberate. She had nothing against the woman so why now? Whatever the reason, she felt irritated by her actions.


    Amy gave a pleased smile and her blues sparkled when she did. "I''ll help you check out the book. This way."


    Mona followed behind. Her eyes darted about looking for Ian and spotted him by his workstation. His expression was emotionless. Mona figured he was also displeased by Amy''s actions. But since he''s around, maybe she can sneak away with him?


    "You know what, I''ll read this here. I''ll find myself a spot and read", Mona pulled a smile.


    Mona felt she had the upper hand. There was no way Amy would refute that. It was the library after all. True to that thought, Amy nodded with a small smile ying on her lips.


    "Fine."


    Mona smirked and walked on. She just needed to signal Ian so they would sneak away and get on with their business. As she looked for the perfect spot hidden away Amy, she heard a soft voice echo in the quiet room.


    "Ian? Could youe help me with something?" Amy called out.


    Ian jumped out of his seat in a second and walked over. He had been watching the whole encounter from when Mona walked into the library to present time. Despite his expressionless face, he could not help the giddy feeling inside. What could Amy''s actions mean?


    He had been away to clear his head because of how shaken he was about her pregnancy news. But now her actions.....


    Amy was having a stare off with Mona when Ian walked over. Amy''s lips had lifted into a proud smirk while Mona red. Ian struggled to keep a straight face. Is this how it feels for two beauties to fight over him?


    "What seems to be the problem?" He gently asked her.


    "I think there''s a system malfunction. It keepsgging", she said with a straight face.


    "Did you try to refresh or troubleshooting?" Ian bent over and took hold of the mouse.


    "What''s that?" Amy''s eyes were big and bright as she looked at him.


    Ian chuckled. ''Emily is too cute'', he thought.


    Amy on the other hand felt nervous. She had nted a bug in theputer to temporarily slow down the processing system and was sure that this would keep him a while. It would be long enough for them to have the much needed conversation. Should she or should she not? Why does she have to do this? Amy wished the situation did not exist altogether. But that girl would keeping, both ways, if she didn''t so anything about it.


    "Ian, what''s going on between you and that girl?" She blurted out quiet enough before she could change her mind.


    Ian''s hand movements froze.

 Chapter 69 The Check Up

    Ian''s heart thudded out of his chest. Never in a million years did he think he would ever be confronted about his rtionship with Mona especially by Amy of all people. But his rtionship with Mona was..


    "I heard from your grandma that you''re not in a rtionship but that doesn''t seem to be the case with that girl...."


    ''Emily has been asking about me?'' Aplex feeling bloomed within the young man''s heart. Amy thought hisck of response was probably because he was ufortable. She would be too if she was in his position. But they needed to have this talk and sort things out. He was a good young man and Amy wanted him to stay that way.


    She saw the sad look in Ste''s eyes earlier. She was not sure why but she at least did not want her to look at him with such eyes. She was used to the bright and warm Ste. So Amy strengthened her resolve to deal with this.


    "I''m not in a rtionship with her", Ian responded.


    "But you''ve slept with her", Amy stated as a matter of fact.


    Ian''s face fell and his head hung low. So he was right about her crying over him when she saw him that time? Ian''s free hand clenched into a tight fist. It was one thing he could not be honest about his real rtionship with Mona and it was another hurting this woman. The whole thing was exhausting for him.


    Amy frowned and took his silence as eptance for his actions. "You shouldn''t do that Ian. That''s-"


    "It won''t happen again. I don''t", he sighed. He looked exhausted as he spoke. "I don''t think I can do that anymore. I really shouldn''t."


    Amy wanted to go on about how irresponsible his actions were to his female friend and to his grandmother but she was surprised with how quickly that was resolved. It seemed he used the time he took off to reflect on his actions. Why he would do that all of a sudden? Amy had no clue. But she could not fully trust the sudden change; he needed to prove it by his actions. She would be watching him but he just doesn''t need to know that.


    "Okay Ian."


    Ian looked at her and she smiled. His heart skipped a beat upon seeing such beauty from up close. On the other hand, Mona felt irritated. Even with Ian''s shielded eyes and practically expressionless face, she could see the change in his demeanor. He looked rxed and at peace, something he has never expressed in her presence.


    ''What on Earth is going on with those two? It can''t be. She''s married and he''s a teenager. There''s no way!'' But Mona was sure that that woman was intentionally stopping her from meeting Ian. She went back to the history section to put back the book she did not even read and left the library in anger.


    "But you''ll need to talk to her", Amy reminded him as they both watched Mona leave. Ian sighed. He could feel a headacheing on from this.


    ***


    "Mm. This looks good."


    Dr. Glynne had a pleased expression as she stared at the screen. Amy looked at the image of her baby with an affectionate gaze. She handed Amy a towel to wipe away the gel while she turned off the scanning equipment.


    Soon, they were back in her office. The room was decorated with a white coat of paint, a smooth mahogany desk that carried herputer and a few stationary. She had a book shelf of medical books and a potted nt on top of the shelf right behind her and some maternity pictures hanged on the walls.


    Dr. Glynne hung her stethoscope around her neck and took Amy''s chart to address the young woman.<sub> </sub>


    "I''m happy with these results. Did you hire a nutritionist?" She took in Amy''s significant weight gain.


    It was a healthy weight gain. Her cheeks were round and had a beautiful rosy color. Her eyes were big and their blues sparkled as she smiled. Her skin looked soft and had a smooth glow. Her blond hair was pulled into a messy bun leaving some strands to shape her oval face. With a little touch of makeup, the young woman was akin to a beautiful flower in spring.


    "No, someone is taking care of me." Amy smiled as she thought of how Ste had been feeding her.


    "Tell that person they''re doing a great job. Even though you''ve passed the dangerous phase, you still need to be careful." Dr. Glynne had an ''ah'' moment as she snapped her fingers when she remembered something. "The hospital runs a program especially for our maternity patients. We have different recreational exercises but what I especially want you to sign up for are the exercises. You may think it''s too early since you''ve just started your second trimester but it''s best to start early. It''s especially important if you want to have normal birth."


    "Exercises? Are they simr to ptes?"


    Dr. Glynne nodded at her question. "I joined a ptes ss."


    "That''s good. Just don''t strain your body. You can talk to your instructor to adjust them to ones safe for your condition."


    "Alright Dr. Glynne", Amy nodded.


    "Please, call me Susan", Dr. Glynne smiled and Amy responded with hers.


    They went over a few more health issues and she made a few more rmendations before informing her of when her next appointment is due. Amy thanked her before she went on her way. She stopped by the pharmacy to collect some medication that Susan prescribed to her.


    "Thank you", Amy was polite as she received the bag of medicine.


    "You''re wee", the pharmacist return with his own polite smile.


    "Miss Harper!" Someone called out.


    Amy stopped in her tracks. Her heart started pounding. Her mind could not fully register the owner of the voice as she was overtaken with anxiety. No, she needed to remain calm for the baby. ''There must be a different Miss Harper, right?'' She took deep breaths and carried on walking.


    "Miss Harper!"


    The voice seemed to be getting closer to her. No, it was probably her imagination. She picked up her pace and walked on. The person also picked up their pace and started running after her. Amy didn''t want to make it obvious that it was her so she kept walking maintaining the same pace. But her heart felt like it would burst out if her chest. The person caught up to her and grabbed her shoulder to spin her around. Amy''s eyes grew wide when she saw them.


    "Miss Harper! I''ve finally caught onto you!" The person held onto Amy''s arm as they caught their breath.

 Chapter 70 Attracting Attention

    "I''ve been calling you, didn''t you hear me?"


    Amy felt whoozy when she finally took in the person. It was Susan calling her. Truth be told, she had built a defense mechanism to make a run for it once she hears someone address her by her real name. She had actually forgotten about the fact that she registered with her real name at the hospital.


    "Sorry about that. I.... I was so caught up in.... reading these", Amy showed her the medicine in her hand.


    "It''s okay. Here, you forgot your scarf in my office", Susan handed her the pink woolen item.


    Amy''s eyes lit up in realization. "How careless of me. Thank you Susan, and you can use my first name."


    "Jennifer", Susan tasted it on her lips. "How about Jen?"


    "Sounds good. Then I''ll call you Suzy."


    Susan hummed in approval. The two women smiled at each other.


    "Mom" A boy shouted and waved his hand gaining the attention of the two women.


    The boy was approximately thirteen years old or under. He freed his hand from the middle aged woman he was with and run towards Susan who had her arms wide open. The boy walked into his mother''s embrace. Amy watched the exchange in awe. So this must be the baby boy she decided to keep and at the same time pursue her medicine career.


    "My little prince! Ready for our lunch date?" Susan smiled and looked at him with an affectionate gaze. She kissed his forehead.


    "Mom", the boy whined and tried to escape his mother''s touch. His ears were red from embarrassment as he looked around his surroundings. Susanughed in amusement as she hung her arm over his shoulder.


    "Sorry, Jen. Trevor, say hie to mommy''s friend. Jennifer this is my son Trevor", she made the introductions.


    "Trevor Glynne, currently 12 but turning 13 in two months. It''s a pleasure to meet you", he took Amy''s hand and kissed it.


    Amy''s mouth fell into an ''o'' and she watched him in amusement. Susan pped his hand away as she was embarrassed on his behalf.


    "Hey!" Susan scolded him.


    p "Mom! You''re ruining my CV!" he grumbled.</anda>


    The mother and son pair had a stare off probably having a silent argument. Amy chuckled before she shook her head in amusement. Trevor was taken when he saw her beautiful smile.


    "How old are you?" Trevor pressed on.


    "A true gentleman never asks ady her age unless he wants to marry her", Amy responded.


    "Oh? Then I''ll marry you. You''re just my type", he winked at her.


    Susan pped his arm. "What do you know about types? Stop talking already! You''re too young for her or any of this!"


    "You know nothing mother!" Trevor responded without taking his eyes off Amy.


    Susan was about to hit him again when she froze. She looked at his nanny in horror. "Auntie, what have you been letting him watch? Have you been monitoring what he watches?"<sub> </sub>


    "I have. Why do you ask madam?"


    "That''s a famous line from Game of Thrones! You, where have you been watching this?" Susan narrowed her eyes at him and spoke through gritted teeth.


    Trevor''s eyes shed with momentary panic before he willed a coquettish smile. He took her hand and shed her his charming smile.


    "My Queen, we''re going to bete for our date. It was nice meeting you Miss Jennifer, I hope to see you soon", he pulled his mother''s hand and led her away. "Actually, there''s this guy I wanted to introduce you to. Mom, he''s totally your style....."


    Amy watched as the nanny followed after them. Susan and Amy hastily waved at each other before she went her way. She could finally rx after receiving that little scare concerning her surname. Of course, she was smart enough to register with her middle name. Besides the orphanage she grew up in, no one knew of it and she was sure she was not the only one going by the name Jennifer Harper in the United States and that it would take anyone a while to link Jennifer Harper to Amy Harper especially since the only information she allowed to be essed was that of Amy Harper.


    Amy internally sighed, so many identities. It was all because of her current situation that she had to go through all this. She had 50% of an idea of what those people were doing. She was still investigating until they suddenly went silent. Now all she could rely on was Dn''s mission in Rome. This way, she could formte a sure n and take them down.


    Ding!


    Her brows knitted in annoyance as she looked at the bank notification. She fished out her phone from her bag as she walked out of the hospital. With a few taps on her phone, she established a connection with Dn and activated her voice changer.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" She barked not minding the onlookers passing by.


    "Boss! I know what it looks like but it''s really part of the n!" Dn tried to cate his angry boss.


    "Then use your money as ''part of the n''! Are you trying to make me broke?!"


    "But this is work rted. Thepany should finance this. And boss! How can you be broke when you can finance my three month vacation and also pay me? I''ve only spent a little over a million in two weeks", he let out a sheepishugh.


    "Yeah, I forgot I grow my money on a tree in my backyard", she responded dryly.


    "Boss! Boss! Don''t talk like that. It''s really part of the n. You have to trust me", he pleaded.


    "I warned you not to attract any attention!" Amy wanted to punch him through the phone. Dn could understand his boss''s anger but attracting attention was part of the n and sure enough, he was seeding.


    From the top most floor of the club he had been frequenting andvishly spending on alcohol and women, a ck haired man in a ck suit overlooked the floor below through his tinted ss wall. The man took his cigar between his thin lips and drew in a smoke before puffing it out. His subordinate stood a few feet away.


    Both of them had their eyes on a blue haired young man in a VIP booth. He had just bought drinks for himself and other customers on that floor. From that distance, he couldn''t see the young man''s face clearly but his eyes were filled with mirth as he took him in. The way the young man sat in his seat exuded an air of arrogance.


    He narrowed his eyes. "So, that''s him?"


    "Yes, sir", his subordinate responded.


    The door to the room they were in suddenly opened. Without looking back, the man knew who had walked in. A beautiful brte walked in and swung her hips as she walked towards him. The subordinate knew to leave the two alone.


    The woman walked into the boss''s embrace and gingerly kissed him on his lips. "What''s up?"


    "Him", he nodded towards Dn.


    The woman turned to look while the man wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. Both man and woman had their eyes on Dn, but they had different thoughts as they took him in.

 Chapter 71 Dylan Loves The Women And The Danger

    Dn gulped down hisst drink and dragged his drunk body out of the club. A car was already waiting for him by the time he stepped out. He had kept a routine, arrive around nine in the evening and leave at four in the morning. The same car had been picking him up and dropping him to his apartment.


    "Good morning, sir", his driver greeted him.


    He hummed in response and closed his eyes immediately he rxed in his seat. The car got a move on. The driver winded down the ss to let the fresh air in just as Dn wanted. The night view whizzed by, there were hardly any people walking around in those early morning hours.


    Dn enjoyed the fresh breeze caressing his features. It was quite sobering. He thought about his stay in Rome, his ns; it was all falling into ce. But he was curious to what Amy nned to do with all this. Even after telling him the little she knew, she didn''t disclose her ns. Either she didn''t have one or she was just being herself: mysterious.


    "We''re here, sir", the driver spoke. He got out and jogged to Dn''s side to get the door.


    "Same time tonight", Dn slurred as he grunted his way out of the car. He patted the driver on the shoulder before dragging his almost sleepy legs into the apartment building.


    He reached the ss doors for the building and punched in the code. The early morning air was quickly turning chilly. He shuffled himself in once the doors slid open. He dashed for the elevator that took him to his floor. The little tune ying in the elevator was a luby putting him to sleep. He shook his head fighting the urge to sleep.


    To his relief, the doors swung open and made his way to his room. He was grateful for the key card otherwise he knew how stupid he would look struggling to finding his keys and the keyhole. He chuckled at the thought, he had been there too many times. That was during his lowest moments in life and alcohol was his closestpanion.


    He pushed the door open once the key card unlocked it. The room was dark he could hardly make out anything. He raised his hand to turn on the lights when he froze.


    A sweet scent of citrus fruits. He knew the scent of the detergents the housekeepers used and that scent was not among them. Without switching on the lights, he looked around the room and walked on. His drunken step was gone and he perfectly found his liquor cab.


    "I''m a whiskey type of guy, how about you? I''m sure I have a little bit of everything here." Dn picked up a ss and filled it with the liquor not forgetting to put ice in it.


    A soft sigh was heard from behind him.


    "You''re careless", the person spoke.


    "And you''re fearless", Dn responded.


    "I''ll have the whiskey", the person responded.


    Dn was already pouring another ss when he heard the response. He chuckled as he turned around walking towards the person with two sses in hand. "I see you like it hard", his tone was full of amusement.


    The person blushed when they heard this and avoided his gaze even in the dimly lit room. Dn smirked when he saw this. He could not believe it was this easy to stir up the beautiful brte from the club. He didn''t care how she broke into his apartment, he wanted to know why. Although, he could guess. He gave her the ss and settled on a sofa opposite hers.


    "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He said after taking a sip. He stared at the person in amusement. Even when the room was dark, he could still make out the features of the beautiful brte from the club. She had huge breats, a slender waist and long legs thatplimented her hourss figure.<sub> </sub>


    "You''re attracted to women and danger. The two things that could get you killed", her tone was void of any warmth.


    "Shouldn''t you be telling that to Aldo?" His tone was casual but she could detect the danger in his tone. His eyes that never left hers gave her a knowing look.


    Her eyes widened. No one knew the club''s boss''s real name, they all knew him by his nickname, Sparrow. Only a few special individuals in high positions in their organization knew his information. For her, it took him months to tell her his name only because she was his betrothed and she was sworn to secrecy.


    Aldo liked women. Each week he brought in exotic ones into his many clubs for entertainment and of course, for his personal enjoyment. Aldo didn''t know she knew about thetter. It was her woman instincts and took a lot of money for her to find that out. Sometimes she thinks he let her found out to see what she would do. But that was not the issue at hand, how did this stranger obtain such information? Was there a mole in their organization? If Aldo found out about this, he would surely kill him and her, who decided to warn this stranger.


    Dnughed when he saw her shocked expression. "You worry too much my dear Esmeralda."


    "Who are you?" She tensed up when she heard him say her name.


    It was like he was caressing her heart with his mouth. That mouth. She saw how beautifully it stretched revealing a nice set of teeth as he smiled. What she would give to have that mouth-


    Dn ced his empty ss of liquor on the coffee table before taking hers. He slowly emptied the contents while his eyes took in her face, travelled down to her chest area where they paused. Esmeralda felt the urge to cover her shirt covered chest with her hands but she just sat there and let him stare. She watched his gaze move down to her crotch area where it lingered for what felt like an eternity. A tingly feeling caressed her down there and she crossed her legs squeezing her thighs in the process.


    Dn was pleased when he saw this. He put down her now empty ss and stood up. "I''d like to know if you thought for a second that I''d let you leave this ce?"


    "Excuse me?" Her voice came out as a whisper without intending to.


    Dn walked over and leaned forward causing her to subconsciously lean back into her seat. His eyes were locked on hers, she could feel his warmth breath fanning her face. The smell of liquor was highly intoxicating as she inhaled it. It was now she realized that her breathing had be erratic.


    "What are you doing?" She managed to strengthen her tone.


    "What am I doing? Doing what you''ve wanted me to do to you since the day Iy my eyes on you", his voice had turned huskier and was heavy with lust.


    Their chests were now touching. She started to wonder if he could hear the way her heart hammered against her chest. Her cheeks blushed red from their closeness. Dn had finally caged her on the sofa and his beautiful face was barely an inch away from hers.


    "What are you talking about?" She averted her gaze hoping he would not see through her especially since they were in the dark.


    So she was ying dumb, well that was about to change. Dn smiled, but his eyes were like that of a predator eyeing his prey. Without wasting a second, he moved in for the kill.

 Chapter 72 A Reason To Show Off Her Husband

    Dn: Progress. I should have good news soon.


    Amy was pleased when she saw his message. She was not surprised that it took him this long to track down such a secretive organization but his pace was impable. She could only hope he would stay safe.


    "Your husband?" Ste spoke.


    Amy stuffed her phone back in her jacket pocket. "No, it''s a message from a friend."


    Ste hummed in response before she tapped on her phone. Amy leaned in to have a look. They had made a list of groceries to buy together after work. Stepared the list with what they had in the shopping cart. So far, the meaty products, spices and canned food products checked out from their list. Her lips moved as she silently read things off the list.


    "Looks like what''s left is the veggies", Amymented.


    "It seems so. Don''t you need anything else from this isle?"


    Amy looked around before shaking her head. The twodies got a move on and exchanged some friendly chatter while Amy pushed the cart.


    "Ooh! Yoghurt", Amy''s eyes lit up.


    Ste stopped and waited for Amy to pick up her jar of yoghurt. Amy looked at the different vors, her mouth almost watered. She stretched her hand out to the granadi vored one but froze. Her eyes narrowed as she tilted her head to the side.


    Ste was looking at their cart and looked up to find Amy walking towards her with not just one jar, but five. She looked funny bncing all of them in her arms when she could have picked up one at a time.


    "Richard and I are not a fan", Ste said with an apologetic smile.


    "No, this is all for me."


    Ste shook her head. She didn''t even know why she spoke up in the first ce. As she put in thest one, she fished out her phone and resumed pushing the cart. Ste''s eyes darted about looking through the isles to see if there was anything they could pick up.


    "Your friend again?" Ste asked.


    "Yes. Sorry, I know it''s rude. But this is important, I''ll be done in a bit", Amy apologized.


    "Don''t mind me dear. Just watch where you''re going."


    Thedies got a move on and Amy resumed pushing the cart. Her eyes were still on her phone. Her brows were pulled together in displeasure. Ste was about to speak when the younger woman stopped in her tracks.


    "Ste, I need to get something. I''ll be right back."


    "I cane with you."


    "No, I won''t be long."


    Amy had already gone her way before Ste could get out another word. She shrugged and took over pushing the cart. Amy walked around the supermarket, going around isles and isles of products with her eyes glued to her phone. Some people wondered how the girl didn''t miss her way even when she was so focused on texting not bothering to look where she was going. She even managed to give way to anyoneing her way without looking at them. It was funny yet fascinating to look at.


    After walking around for so long, she stopped at a shelf of snacks. "Alright, what do you want?"


    Silence. It seemed like she was speaking to herself. She huffed out a breath in annoyance. "Out with it, I don''t have all day."


    Someone emerged from the shelf behind Amy. They walked up to her and stood a few feet away. Amy turned around and looked at the person in amusement.


    While picking up the jars of yoghurt, she suddenly got the feeling someone was watching her. She immediately had hacked into the supermarket security systems and found live footage of someone standing a few feet away from she and Ste. The person had a small build and wore skinny jeans, a hoodie and matching trainers.


    Amy had a feeling she knew who it was so she deliberately left Ste''s side and led this stalker away so they could have a face off away from the older woman. She watched from her phone the person follow her all the way to where they currently were. At least seven isles away from Ste.


    "You knew I was following you?" The person shuffled their hands in their hoodie pockets.


    "Little girl, why are you following me?" Amy crossed her arms against her chest. She took in the girls face, it was Mona and she looked pissed.


    "What did you tell Ian?" She started.


    "Ah! How do you expect me to answer that question? I talk to Ian on a daily basis", Amy''s countenance was carefree and she spoke in an unhurried tone.<sub> </sub>


    "Yesterday, what did you tell him when you blocked me from seeing him?" Mona''s face was red from fury.


    "Ah, that! I only asked him to fix myputer."


    "Bullshit! You must have said something to him. He bro- he ended things with me", she spoke through gritted teeth. She suddenly let out a humorless chuckle and nodded to herself seeming to realize something. "You like him, don''t you? You wanted him for yourself! I was wondering why he suddenly seemed out of it. It was you! You were, no, you''re messing with him."


    "You''ve got me all wrong! I have no interest whatsoever to get myself involved in a love triangle especially with teenagers. What happens between you and Ian is none of my business. But what my business is you disrespecting Ste and her workce. I cannot condone such things."


    "But you must have said something! He can''t end things with me for no reason! You seduced him!" Mona suddenly started crying.


    "I seduced him? You must be high on drugs!" Amyughed in disbelief but she failed to notice Mona''s eyes widen in shock before she quickly looked down. She pulled on her hoodie to further cover her face.


    Amy took her silence as herck of belief and huffed out another breath in annoyance. She took out her phone and tapped it a few times. Her phoned chimed and she smiled. She tapped it some more.


    "Hey baby", a deep voice resounded from her phone. Both Amy and Mona felt a pleasant shiver down their spine. The teenage girl could not help but wonder who this attractive voice belonged to. She raised her head to see Amy holding her phone.


    Amy''s heart pounded a mile a minute when she heard the familiar deep voice belonging to Zach. Her cheeks flushed red and she quickly regainedposure.


    "Were you busy?" She asked.


    "Not at all. What''s up?" Zach responded with a smile.


    Everyone with in the conference room: "..."


    They were in the middle of the meeting when their boss not only started texting but an angelic voice suddenly spoke from his phone. And what did he mean not at all? This was a meeting with the directors. Even Xavier was shocked. He had finally heard his sister-inw''s voice. He signalled everyone to remain quiet.


    "No, I just wanted to know. Don''t work toote", she blurted out. She didn''t know what to say to him.


    "I won''t."


    Amy felt mushy when she heard the gentleness in his tone. "Okay. I''ll talk to youter."


    "Mm. Later, baby."


    Zach was all smiles as Amy terminated the connection. He had no idea what that was about but he suddenly felt like he had got his energy back after a long day of working. He looked at the time and saw it was a little after five.


    "Meeting adjourned", he announced as he left the room.


    p Everyone: "..."</anda>


    ''Didn''t he say we wouldn''t leave until everything was sorted out?''


    ''Lady boss! Thank you!''


    Amy felt smug as she put away her phone. "Why would I bother with you kids when I have that?" She turned back to the shelf of snacks and grabbed what looked pleasing to her eyes.


    "Sort out your issues with Ian and stop bothering me. Should I see you in the library doing some funny business I won''t hesitate to release the footage I caught of you two."


    Without waiting for a response, Amy left to rejoin Ste. That was an unnecessary move but she just wanted an excuse to talk to Zach. And what more, this was the first time she was showing off the existence of her ''ugly'' husband. Her phone chimed and she fished it out. Her heart started misbehaving again.


    Ahismine@***: Take responsibility.


    Amy''s brows rose in confusion as she typed back a response.


    Ajtlh@***: For?


    Ahismine@***: My heart.

 Chapter 73 Whats For Dinner

    Amy stared at his message helplessly whilst fighting the urge to blush. Instead of stopping his advances, she seemed to be encouraging him. Now he was asking her to take responsibility. She would love to engage him in conversation but she was still at the supermarket and about to meet Ste. And she needed time to cook up proper reasons to refute his im. But she had to admit, him calling her baby was the sexiest thing she had ever heard.


    Ajtlh@***: Let''s talk about this when I get home.


    Ahismine@***: Is everything okay? Are you safe?


    Amy''s heart skipped a beat when she saw this. It felt like he was offering warmth that she was tempted to bury herself in. How is it that something as little as this is making her attracted to him even on text.


    Ajtlh@***: Don''t worry. I came out to do a little grocery shopping for dinner.


    Zach felt the uneasiness in his heart dissipate when he saw her response. He rxed in his seat. He was currently on his way home from work. With his heart at ease, he typed back a response.


    Ahismine@***: What''s for dinner?


    Amy stopped when she saw his message. She had no idea what Ste would be making. She picked up her pace and rushed to meet her friend. She easily located her at the till through the CCTV.


    The older woman only smiled when she saw Amying over with two boxes of crackers, peanut butter vored M and Ms, and different vored licorice.


    "Got what you needed?" Ste asked. Like a child, Amy nodded happily.


    "By the way, what are we making for dinner?" She asked while looking at their purchases.


    "I was thinking chicken enchda casserole, broli marinara, and we can make a streusel cake with the blueberries we got. What do you think?" Ste responded.


    Back in the city


    The gates to a mansion automatically opened when a convoy of five cars drove into thepound. They drove around the roundabout that had a baby cupid fountain in the center and proceeded to stop at the entrance of the house. Men in ck suits alighted from the car and formed a protective arc around the car in the middle. The driver from that car jogged to the backseat and opened the door.


    A pair of long legs in a dark blue suit stepped out. The man pulled on his jacket to straighten it as he made his way into the house. The butler had the door opened and soon received the man''s briefcase. His hand was stretched out ready to receive the master''s jacket but the master was glued to his phone.


    "Wee, sir", Edmund gave a polite bow.


    "What''s for dinner?" Zach kept his eyes peeled on his phone as his fingers typed away. Edmund opened his mouth to speak but Zach continued. "Prepare a chicken enchda casserole, broli marinara, and a blueberry streusel cake."


    ''But dinner is almost ready!''


    Edmund stood with his mouth open. Just as he was having this thought, the head maid was currently in the dining room and nodded in satisfaction at they out of the sumptuous meal they had prepared. They had a schedule and meal n they followed and so they knew what to prepare on each day and finish right when their master got home. They always stuck to schedule.


    "Inform Sir Edmund that dinner is ready", the head maid spoke. She was an older woman probably in the same age group with Edmund.


    "Yes, Miss Agnes", the young maid made a polite bow before she left the room.


    She knew their master had just arrived so she made way to the entrance. There Edmund stood in the hallway with his mouth agape as he watched his master take the stairs. The maid rushed to the butler''s side and stood a few feet away.<sub> </sub>


    "Sir Edmund, dinner is re...." Her voice faltered when she saw Edmund''s hand signals discreetly shooing her away.


    She looked up at him then saw the man trying not to look panicked as he looked at his master who had stopped to look at both of them. Zach''s brows were raised. He had only given the order not too long ago, how was it ready so soon?


    "Dinner is ready?" He asked.


    "Ye-"


    "No! No!" Edmund cut in when the maid was about to speak. "I''ll have the kitchen prepare what you asked. But it might take a whi-"


    "One hour!" Zach ordered.


    "In one hour!" Edmund readily agreed. The boss turned and left for his room. Edmund turned to find the young maid looking utterly confused. He could only give a helpless look at the young maid.


    "Sir Edmund?"


    "There have been a few changes to dinner. Master especially made this request. Tell Miss Agnes to make preparations."


    "Alright, sir. Are we having any special guests tonight?"


    As the two conversed, a ck Hummer H3T Base stopped at the house entrance. Before the driver could jog over to the back seat to get the door, a pair of long legs in a colorful suit stepped out onto the tiled floor. The person seemed to be in a hurry to get into the house. As he pushed open the door, something caught his eye. He stopped and looked over.


    "Raphy! That color is a good look on you! Some hearts might be broken in this house!" He chuckled.


    Raphy, who stood a few feet away, felt embarrassed and run his hands in his ashy gray hair. Ever since his boss asked him to have his hair dyed in that color for the airport mission, he hasn''t found it in himself to change it back to its original color of ck. And he noticed he had been getting a few nces from the female staff. His cheeks burned red as he responded, "Thank you, sir."


    Xavier smiled and winked at the young man before he made his way into the house. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and whistled to a Chris Brown song called ''Heat''.


    "Brother of mine, where are you?!" Xavier shouted from the entrance as he walked further into the house.


    He had wanted to catch a ride with his brother but he had a few things to take care of in his office. Soon as he was done, he rushed over to get the tea. It was a glorious day. He had finally heard the voice of his sister-inw. He had so many questions to ask.


    "Wee, young master Xavier", Edmund made a polite bow.


    "Thank you sir Edmund. Now, where is my dear big brother?" He had a mischievous smile ying on his lips.


    "I believe he should be freshening up as of now", Edmund replied. "Are you staying over for dinner, sir?"


    "Why not?" Xavier answered as he took the stairs going up. Edmund looked at the young maid, "I guess now you have the answer."

 Chapter 74 Yearning Hearts

    While the kitchen prepared for Zach and Xavier''s meals, Xavier walked up to his brother''s room. He knocked twice before walking in. Zach was currently sitting on his bed in fresh home clothes consisting of sweats and a shirt while his hair was still damp from a shower.


    <o>,m He had on his reading sses as he looked at his tablet. Xavier walked in and went straight to the lounge before settling on a sofa. He loosened his tie and took off his jacket.</o>


    "So", he started as he stood to get himself a drink. "Don''t you have something to tell me?"


    "What?" Zach responded without looking up.


    He was able to entertain his brother because Amy said she had gone off to cook. So while waiting for dinner, he would get some work done. If only he knew how to cook, he would be in the kitchen himself so it would feel like they were doing things together although apart. He sighed at his shorings.


    "You and sister-inw! When did you two start dating? How could you hide something like that from me? I should have known something was up when that gloomy expression suddenly disappeared from your face! So how long has this been going on?"


    Zach stopped and his brows Rose in amusement. "Dating?"


    "Still acting oblivious? If things have progressed to this point, why don''t you bring her home already?"


    Zach fell quiet. Things were not as easy as it seemed. He feared that should he so much as ask her where she is or give her a clue that he''s looking for her, she would disappear again. He knew she was trying to keep her distance in the name of keeping him safe from God knows what. So he would y it by the ear while looking for her. But the day he finds her...


    "Well?" Xavier probed. He was now seated on the sofa sipping on some Captain Morgan.


    "It''s not that simple", Zach responded.


    "What do you mean? All you need to do is ask her where she is, assure her she''ll be safe with you, I''m sure she knows this already, and you''ll have her with you and help her face whatever problem she''s facing. Simple", Xavier shrugged. He really didn''t know why his brother wanted to take the difficult route.


    Zach chuckled when he heard his brother. If Amy was not who she is, he would have had her by his side. But this is a woman capable of taking down a whole corporation! Whoever is after her surely is not so simple and she wouldn''t deliberately put him or anyone associated with her in danger.


    He saw this from the way she saved her assistant Dn. And even if he asks, she would never tell him who is after her or simply agree toe to him at present time. He was already grateful she wasn''t fully resisting his advances. However, when he finds her...


    "Great things don''te that easily, Xav."


    Xavier sighed. His brother was really pitiful. A knock was heard from the door.


    "Sir, your dinner is ready", Edmund announced.


    "We''ll be right there!" Xavier responded a little too happily. The pleasant aromas had tickled his taste buds when he had arrived earlier.


    Zach''s brows knitted together when he heard this. "Did your house burn down?"


    "No, why?" Xavier was buffled as he followed his brother out of the room.<sub> </sub>


    "Why are you having dinner here? We can''t afford to run out of food", Zach grumbled.


    Xavier choked on his saliva and he looked at his brother with a hurt expression. Why was his brother being mean? Is it because he asked about Amy that he was verbally attacking him?


    Edmund, however, felt Zach was being a hypocrite. This was the same man who knew the kitchen followed a schedule and would have dinner ready by the time he''s back from work but actually gave a different order for no particr reason.


    "Do you have something to say Edmund?" Zach arched a perfect brow.


    Edmund gasped when he realized he had been caught scowling at his boss. He awkwardly cleared his throat and looked down. "No, sir."


    Xavier remained stubborn and apanied his brother for dinner. Their meal was served with white wine which went well with the chicken dish. To further annoy his lonely brother, he decided to sleep over. Zach was already annoyed by his brother''s intrusion on his distant date with Amy, so he didn''t say anything when Xavier decided to stay the night. Zach went to his room after dinner and locked himself in. It was time for histe night chat with hisdy and he could not afford any interruptions.


    Amy had just concluded her night routine and finally got under the warmth of the covers. She suddenly felt nervous about writing to Zach. But if she didn''t, he would. Their conversation was inevitable. She hadn''t managed toe up with probable reasons to shoot down his advance. Her phone chimed and she knew it was him. She took a huge breath before opening his email.


    Ahismine@***: Not done yet?


    Ajtlh@***: Just got in bed. I was about to write to you.


    Zach chuckled when he saw this. He could guess that she was dreading to bring up their earlier conversation before she went to cook so he decided to twist it up.


    Ahismine@***: I take back what I said about taking responsibility for my heart.


    Amy''s heart dropped when she saw this. She immediately sat up and re-read the message. ''Is he changing his mind? What does this mean?'' Her heart started racing uncontrobly and she felt an unpleasant twist in her stomach. But shouldn''t she be happy about this? This is what she had been aiming for, right? Had she pushed him away enough he had suddenly lost interest in her? Why the hell is she not happy about this? She had a million questions but she narrowed down to one.


    Ajtlh@***: Why?


    Zach smiled when he saw this. He took his sweet timeposing a reply. He needed to make sure it was perfect. He had no idea his actions triggered anxiousness in Amy. She hugged her pillow and constantly checked her inbox. She started to wonder if he had stopped writing to her altogether.


    ''Should I say something else?'' she picked up her phone. She had no idea what to write but she was going to say something. Her phone chimed all of a sudden. Amy gasped when she saw the reply.


    Ahismine@***: I would say I''m giving you my heart but you already have it. You''ve had it from the moment we met. So you can do whatever pleases you with it, I won''t change. Nothing can change how I feel about you Amy. That''s a promise.


    As she read the message, she felt her eyes sting with tears. The hot droplets fell down her cheeks and she started to sob in the quiet night. She was not sure if it was the hormones or Zach''s words had really touched her. Whilst crying, sheposed a reply.


    Ajtlh@***: How can I be irresponsible with it when you''re like this?


    Zach smiled when he saw her message. He closed his eyes and wished she was there in person. He would have held her in his arms and kissed her to properly express his intense emotions. Little did he know, Amy wished for the same thing. The two never hated their situation as much as that moment where they truly yearned for each other.

 Chapter 75 An Early Morning Visit

    Edmund was descending the stairs following right behind his master. He had neatly hooked Zach''s jacket on one arm and used his free hand to carry the man''s briefcase. They walked on until they reached the dining room. Zach''s brows knitted when he saw his brother zing his pancakes with maple syrup.


    "You''re still here?" He asked as he settled down. Edmund stood to the side while a maid came to Zach''s side to serve the man his morning coffee.


    "Well good morning to you too Zach. Why, I''m fine thanks for asking and yes, I''m enjoying breakfast", Xavier forced a smile. "Why are you so grumpy?"


    Probably because of their talk about finding Amy, he dreamt of finally having her home, waking up together in the same bed and having breakfast. It pissed him off that his reality was far from that, he wished he could sleep a little more and go back to his dreams where he could be with her. So seeing his brother sitting where Amy was sitting in his dream didn''t exactly help with his mood. He didn''t say anything and simply sat down and served himself.


    The sound of heels clicking on the marble floor was heard approaching. The boys knew who it was before the person showed themselves. Victoria walked in looking beautiful in a flowy floral dress, three inch sandal heels that exposed her pedicured toes, and simple pearl jewelry toplete the ensemble. Her brown hair had been curled and left to fall freely. She looked vibrant and much younger than her age.


    "Isn''t this a beautiful sight?" She smiled as she settled at the head of the table.


    Edmund signaled a maid to serve Mrs. Frost while thetter waved a hand of dismissal. "No need. I''m fine", she announced.


    Edmund looked to the maid who returned to her post. Victoria propped her elbow on the table and rested her cheek on her hand as she took in her sons sitting on opposite sides of the table.


    "That hair is a good look on Raphy," Shemented in amusement.


    "I told him the same thing! The kid looks handsome", Xavier agreed.


    He forked a pancake and opened his mouth to eat when he froze upon sensing a stare. Victoria was staring at him with an amused smile ying on her lips. Xavier let out a helpless sigh and dropped the fork back on his te. "Mom, this has got to stop. Is that why you came here?"


    He found her random visit to be suspicious. She must have found out he slept over to corner him so she could sell him her crazy idea.


    "Innocent until proven guilty", she gave him an innocent smile. She turned and looked in Zach''s direction. "Zach, when are you going to let me meet your friend?"


    "You look nice mother, going somewhere?" Zach countered.


    Victoria broke into a giggle when she heard this and smacked Xavier''s arm from feeling bashful. Edmund winced when he saw this as though he was the one getting hit.


    "Ow!" Xavier rubbed his arm.


    ''Why are her hits so strong?'' He''s wearing a suit but he can still feel the sting like she hit his bare skin. Victoria paid no attention to this as she flipped her hair.


    "You think so? Thank you my dear son! I''m going to meet a new friend, I told you about Nicole? The one I hit with the golf ball?" She reminded the boys and Zach nodded.<sub> </sub>


    The woman couldn''t see that Zach had deliberately changed the subject. He knew how much his mother treasured hispliments since he rarely gave any. It was always Xavier and half of the time it was because he wanted something. So when Zachplimented her, it means she really looked good.


    ''And she survived?'' Edmund mused in shock.


    The air seemed to suddenly drop in temperature. He looked towards the table to find Victoria ring at him. The butler gasped, he had just thought that out loud.


    "My apologies Madam", he took a polite now.


    She cleared her throat a little forcefully before turning her attention back to Zach. "So I''m meeting her to see how she''s doing."


    Xavier was originally curious to know who this Nicole was but when he heard the person had be his mother''s friend, he pictured it to be someone in the same age group as Victoria. He went back to devouring his meal. For some reason, he had the sudden urge to meet her again. It was probably the lust. He wondered what other tricks she had in bed or out of it. She was a wild one, it was exhrating.


    "We need to get to work", Zach announced as he stood up.


    Edmund walked over and helped him into his jacket while Zach proceeded to button up by himself.


    "I have to go too. I have a lot to do this morning", he too stood up to leave.


    The boys kissed their mother on the cheek before they left the room. Edmund was right behind the two men as he walked them out. The bodyguards were already in their positions and one stood holding the door open for Zach. Thetter was about to get in when he stopped and looked at his brother.


    "Xav?" He called out who got the said man''s attention. "You should look for her."


    "Who?" Xavier''s brows rose in confusion. He, who always understood what his brother said even with his short sentences, found himself nk in that moment. Zach sighed, he hated exining himself but it seemed he needed to.


    "Think of the one time you switched off your phone and resisted the drama thates with mother''s little show."


    With that said, he got into his car and Edmund ced the briefcase inside. The convoy drove off leaving Xavier standing there with his mouth wide open.


    ''How did he know.... about Nicole?''


    "Xavie!" Victoria shouted from the house.


    That snapped him out of his trance and he quickly got into his car. He knew what that meant when she addressed him like that.

 Chapter 76 Xaviers Curiosity

    Victoria walked into a caf¨¦. She had thrown on some sunsses that perfectly frame her face. People could not help but marvel at her beauty as she took the esctor to the second floor of the caf¨¦. When she reached the top, she looked around the sea of people settled on the different tables.


    A fair slender hand from one table waved and Victoria grinned as she waved back before walking over. The person stood and exchanged cheek-to-cheek kisses with Victoria before they settled.


    "Hi!" Victoria had a wide smile as she took in the young woman. The girl was wearing a simple long sleeved dressed falling to her knees and matching stilettos and purse.


    "Hi! You look beautiful", Nicole beamed as she took in the older woman. If she didn''t know she was Mrs. Frost, Nicole would think Victoria was a woman in herte thirties.


    "Thank you, dear", Victoria blushed from feeling embarrassed. ''Zach is never wrong'', she mused. "And so do you. Have you ordered yet?"


    "No, I was waiting for you", Nicole responded.


    Victoria waved for the waiter who came and took their order. Once he was gone, the older woman rested her hands on the table and focused on the young woman.


    "So how are you feeling? What did the doctor say?"


    "I''m fine. Besides my wound which is healing nicely, there wasn''t any severe damage. I''m in the clear. Don''t worry yourself Victoria", Nicole gave her aforting gaze.


    Victoria shook her head with guilt heavy on her face. "I''m really sorry for that. But I''m d to hear you''re doing fine. I really thought it was the end for me when I met your best friend."


    Nicoleughed when she remembered Ne''s antics and waved a hand of dismissal. "Don''t mind her. She can be a little too dramatic." Nicole leaned forward and beckoned Victoria to do the same. "Between you and me, Ne thinks it''s Kris who did it, she just doesn''t have proof since I told her I didn''t see who hit me."


    Victoria gasped in shock. The two stared at each other. Nicole thought her joke had gone wrong and too far. Victoria leaned back in her seat seeming in thought. Nicole was ready to apologize seeing the expression on Victoria''s face.


    "You know what Nicole? Ne has a point! Kris has the face for it, right?" Victoria smiled.


    Nicole let out a relieved chuckle as she patted her chest. "For a moment there, I thought you''d be upset!"


    "Me? Upset over dissing Kris? Did I lose my mind or something?"


    "Then shall we have a ''dissing Kris session'' over tea and snacks some time?"


    "I think you and I are going to be good friends!"


    The two wereughing when Victoria''s phone started to ring. She excused herself and answered the call. "Yes Xavier?"


    While Victoria spoke to her son, she failed to notice the sh in Nicole''s eyes. Her stomach twisted into a knot and she wiped her sweaty palms against her thighs.


    "I don''t remember seeing any file. Maybe you must have forgotten it at your brother''s?... Okay, bye."


    Once the call ended, she smiled at Nicole. "Sorry about that."


    "Don''t worry about. Is it just me or does it seem like they''re taking too long to bring out the food?" Nicole rubbed her stomach.<sub> </sub>


    Victoria gasped. "You didn''t eat either?"


    "I was that nervous to meet you I couldn''t stomach anything", Nicole said with a sheepish smile.


    "Don''t be nervous. I''m har-" Her phone started to ring again and she gave the young woman an apologetic smile before she answered the phone. "Xavier.... I didn''t take your car keys, you left before I did..."


    The call ended and she stared at her phone with an exasperated expression. ''Whats going on with him?''


    She did not know what came over her son but she shrugged it off and redirected her focus on Nicole. The waiter came with their order and served it to them. Both thedies'' eyes sparkled when their food arrived. It seemed they were both starving.


    "This looks good", Victoria hummed in approval.


    "Thank you for this", Nicole said politely.


    Victoria waved her off and gestured with her hand as she said, "Dig in, dear."


    The caf¨¦ offered a breakfastbo that had different fillings and sauces one could use to make a sandwich. It was like a mini breakfast buffet served in their respective little dishes and the customers could assemble their own sandwich and enjoy it with a beverage of their choice.


    Victoria had just assembled hers and was about to take a bite when her phone rung again. Even if she wanted to, she could not suppress her annoyancepletely as she answered the phone.


    "Xavier Alison Frost!..... I don''t remember what color your tie was! Didn''t you check in the mirror before you left?.... I swear to God, call me one more time, one more time", she spoke through gritted teeth as she spat out her warning like it was venom.


    Even Nicole could not help the terrible shiver she felt down her spine when she took in Victoria''s maniacal expression at the moment. Thetter cut the call and gave a wide eyed and mouth open Nicole a sheepish smile.


    At Frost Corporation


    "Did she just block me?" He looked a his phone in disbelief. He had just tried to call her again soon after she cut the call.


    He slouched back in his seat and spun it to face the window. ''What am I doing?''


    All thanks to Zach, he could not help his curiosity even when he thought the woman meeting his mother can''t be that Nicole. He called and spun a few lies in hopes he would hear the woman''s voice whilst he spoke to his mother. But he got nothing except his mother''s wrath.


    He run his hand over his face and sighed. Why was he suddenly curious about some woman he met once? He was a freaking one nighter! Should anyone elsee through he would quickly forget about Nicole. So why is he doing something foreign to him? That''s not who he is. She knows who he is and probably forgot about him like he would expect her to.


    "Sir, your ten o''clock appointment is here." His assistant spoke over the inte of his phone.


    "Send them in", he responded.


    The door soon opened and a beautiful woman walked into his office. She had on a trench coat and matching stilettos. She locked the door behind her and walked on when Xavier spun his chair to face her. With his fixed gaze on the sway of her hips, she knew that he could guess what was inside that coat: Nothing.

 Chapter 77 New Rumor About Amy

    "What are you doing here?" Amy let out a tired sigh.


    She looked at Mona who was standing in front of her desk. "Please talk to him for me. He won''t even spare me a word. Please. He can''t end things like this with me."


    The young girl looked like she was about to cry. But that was not the least of Amy''s worries. It was the fact that should Ste walk in on this scene, the older woman would surely ask questions. To spare her the heartache, she thought she had dealt with this quietly but it seemed Mona had other ns.


    "Please. I''ll do anything", she begged.


    Amy frowned when she heard this. She didn''t think Mona felt this deeply about Ian. A few days had passed without seeing her and she suddenly showed up with dark circles under her eyes, hair tied in a ponytail but still disheveled; she was barely keeping it together. Amy could guess the girl had been begging Ian to give her a chance and he didn''t budge so she resorted to this.


    "Listen, like I said, what happens between you and Ian is none of my business. I just wanted you two to take what you were doing in that storeroom elsewhere-"


    "I got that and I would. But he suddenly ended things with me. How could I ept that? I''ve given him so much, done so much for him. I''ve gone as far as-"


    She was interrupted by someone grabbing her arm and leading her out. Mona''s eyes grew wide when she took in Ian''s side profile. Even with his expressionless face, she could tell he was angry.


    Amy was rendered speechless. She was watching this scene when she heard approaching footsteps. Ste was wearing a frown on her face as she looked to the door.


    ''Did she see that? How do I exin this?'' Her heart was thudding wildy against her chest despite her calm countenance.


    <o>,m "They''rete", Ste looked at the wall clock before looking at the door.</o>


    "Who?" Amy''s brows rose.


    "Did you forget? It''s Friday. I would expect this from Adrianne but not all of them."


    ''Ah! The book club meeting!'' Amy mused.


    Speaking of the devil, the women walked in speaking in hushed tones. There were even some giggles erupting among them. Meredith stopped when she saw Ste''s ring face which made the others stop as well.


    "You''re allte", Ste crossed her arms against her chest.


    Emma gave a sheepishugh. "Well, we couldn''t help but stop by the construction site."


    "Tell me you took pictures!" Ste''s earlier displeasure quickly vanished and her face lit up from excitement. She could imagine with envy as her friends admired the muscr bodies, skin tanned and glistening with sweat.


    "Of course I did! I would never disappoint you my dear Chair Lady." Adrianne came forward with her phone.


    The women now got a move on and went into the conference room. Ian walked in to settle on Amy''s desk. Thetter looked to the women disappearing into the conference room before looking back at the young man.


    "Is she gone?" Amy asked.


    "Yes, I''m sorry about that. It won''t happen again", his lips were pressed in a straight line as he hang his head low.


    "It''s okay. But I think you two should sit down and have a serious talk. She''s probably like this because there''s unfinished business", Amy advised.


    She thought of how Mona had been behaving. It looked like the breakup was so sudden and she didn''t understand things. The girl needed closure to at least move on if Ian needed to end things. A part of Amy felt bad for Mona.


    Probably because she herself almost went berserk when Zach said he would take back his words and at the thought of him suddenly losing interest; so she could understand.


    At least for her, Zach was still interested. Well, was that even a good thing? She didn''t want to get involved with him but at the same time couldn''t stand the thought of not being involved with him. He didn''t push for a rtionship but they have been having normal conversation with a bit of flirting on his end since his confession. However, she could admit that she didn''t want to put an end to whatever was going on between them at the moment. She liked it.<sub> </sub>


    She excused herself to go join thedies. Ste was still ogling at the hot young men with Adrianne by her side. She must be the only grandma, mother and wife, who could do this and get away with it.


    "By the way, when did Ian get a girlfriend? I thought he was never interested in girls", Sylvia nudged Ste to get her attention.


    Amy walked in on this and quietly settled on a chair beside Adrianne. Despite her calm countenance, her heart started thumping wildly when she heard Sylvia''s question.


    "Girlfriend?" Ste''s brows rose.


    "Yes, we saw him talking to some girl before she left while crying. I never thought a day like that woulde. Kind of reminded of Richard in those days!" Dorothy chuckled. Her smile disappeared when she saw Ste''s re. "My bad."


    "I don''t know. It could be he was turning down a girl who asked him out. You know how he is", Ste responded with a nonchnt shrug.


    Even so, the woman felt odd about this. Amy had asked her the same question some time back. ''Could there be something she doesn''t know?'' Ste mused as she looked in Amy''s direction. Thetter was busy serving herself a te of spring rolls. ''Maybe I''m overthinking?'' Whether Ian got a girlfriend or not is his business, it was good for him anyway since he has been a loner for most of his life.


    "Emily, you''ve be quite the celebrity", Emma eximed with clear amusement.


    "What happened?" Amy and Ste asked at the same time.


    "You gave the gym a little show when you dealt with Daisy. I didn''t think you had it in you", Emma gave her a thumbs up. Amy''s cheeks heated up from embarrassment as she gave an awkward smile.


    "But some people are not satisfied with you. They think you used Daisy''s scandal to draw away attention from your intentions on Enzo and Pedro", Meredithmented with a shake of her head.


    "Emily are you interested in them?" Sylvia asked.


    "No", Amy''s face was pulled into a frown.


    "You know the truth, we all know the truth. Those people are strangers, you don''t owe them an exnation", Dorothy responded.


    "What she said", Adrianne seconded.


    "Yes, don''t mind them dear. They''ll eventually get tired of talking. They''re trying to make drama out of nothing!" Ste added.


    "Drama? If they want drama they should go to the Westwoods'' household", Anastasiamented. This immediately drew thedies'' attention.


    "Well? Out with it", Dorothy urged impatiently.


    Anastasia leaned in and beckoned for the others to do the same. They abandoned their tea and drew closer to get the juice that will quench their curiosity.


    "Apparently, Nora Westwood is pregnant for her daughter''s boyfriend", Anastasia told them.


    "Not so much drama", Emma leaned back in her seat seeming to lose interest.


    "It doesn''t end there", Anastasia didn''t wait to build up momentum and proceeded to speak. "He didn''t just impregnate Nora, he impregnated his girlfriend, and his girlfriend''s cousin!"


    "Hold on! This guy impregnated Nora and Nora''s daughter and niece? How true is this?" Dorothy asked with clear disbelief.


    "I was there when the three fought over him while Nora''s husband beat up the guy", Anastasia leaned back in her seat after setting up the topic of discussion for the day.


    Like always, thedies threw in their opinion and theories. Amy, however, was gued by two thoughts. One: Ian should resolve his isssues before Ste picks up on things. And second: she hoped these new rumors about her would not be a problem.

 Chapter 78 How Troublesome

    Unfortunately for her, she received judging stares the moment she walked into the gym the next day. People were whispering as they watched Amy walk in with Ste. Thetter sighed when she saw this. Displeasure was evident on her features.


    "It''s always the empty cans that stick their noses where it doesn''t belong", Adrianne announced from behind them.


    She had just walked in when she saw how judgemental people were being towards her friends. She felt annoyed and deliberately said that loud enough for everyone to hear while ring at the unwanted audience. Most people dispersed while whispering and pointing fingers at Adrianne. Thetter didn''t pay them any attention and joined her friends.


    "Good morning baby mama", Adrianne gave Amy cheek-to-cheek kisses.


    "Good morning. Thanks Adrianne but you didn''t have to do that", Amy gave her an apologetic smile.


    "You did a great job Adrie", Ste exchanged cheek-to-cheek kisses with her.


    "Don''t let them give you unnecessary stress. But if it gets too much, don''t hesitate toe to us for help", Adrianne patted her on the shoulder in assurance.


    Ste nodded in agreement. Amy smiled at them. She was not worried about people talking about her. She had bigger fish to fry than worry about people''s opinions on her.


    The three went to their respective sses. Amy kept an indifferent attitude as she walked in. Unfortunately, even people in her ss whispered about when they saw her. She ignored them and got her ptes mat before settling down cross-legged on her spot.


    "Good morningdies, shall we get into today''s lesson?" Pedro spoke as he walked to the front.


    Following him, everyone set up their mats and sat down in readiness to their first lesson. He led them into warm up and stretches before getting into the actual lesson. As they went deeper into the lessons, the positions became harder for some so he went around correcting posture. Amy was no exception to this treatment when Pedro helped correct her posture when doing a side nk.


    Her brows knitted together, not because of the pain from achieving this new position, but because of the stares she was receiving. She rxed her face and soon morphed her expression into an indifferent one.


    When the lessons were over, she went to the bathroom to relieve herself. As she sat on the toilet seat doing her business, she heard the door of the bathroom open followed by the sound of footsteps.


    "I''m not surprised at all. You saw how Ste is friendly with Enzo and Pedro. I bet the men let their guard down because she''s an older woman. Who knew she was that conniving", a female voice spoke.


    "How disgusting! And that Adrianne is even more shameless! I bet she''s the one who sold the idea to Mrs. Stanford", another female voice answered.


    "All for money? I thought Ste''s library was doing well. Did she really stoop that low because of her husband?"


    "People would do anything for money."


    Flush!<sub> </sub>


    The two women gasped when they heard the sound of the toilet flushing. They quickly left the bathroom before the person coulde out. A pissed off Amy came out of the bathroom. She didn''t mind people talking about her but not her friends. She deliberately didn''t call them out because she felt it would look like empty talk. They wouldn''t believe her.


    She needed to fix this before more absurd rumors spread about her friends and possibly have them unjustly kicked out of the gym. And she could only do that by bringing the matter to the attention of the people in authority. She washed her hands and left the bathroom.


    As the sses were over, Enzo and Pedro should be in the gym training other clients. Since no one would listen to her, they surely would listen to those two since their word and actions seemed to carry a lot of weight. She would let them handle the matter to the best of their ability for her friends'' sakes.


    When she arrived at the first floor, she looked around the gym and there was no sign of the two men. She went up to the second and check the Cardio ssroom; nothing. She went up and checked the ptes ssroom; nothing.


    ''Could they be in their offices?'' she mused.


    Since it was on the same floor, she turned to find her way to the office. It was a few rooms away from their ptes ssroom. Her mind was reeling from the things she had heard in the bathroom. She could not believe how ridiculous people could be.


    Thud!


    The sound was followed by grunting noises. Probably because it was the gym, hearing such noises was normal. The sounds got a little louder as she got closer to their office. When she reached the door, the sounds were more prominent. Being Pedro''s office, she imagined him to be working out using a punching bag. The guy was muscr after all. She was not sure if he would hear her over the noise but she still gave a soft knock before opening the door.


    "Excuse me, I...." Amy''s voice faltered and she froze in her step.


    Her mouth fell open, eyes wide and hand still holding the door handle. Before her, Pedro was indeed working out, but it wasn''t the kind she was thinking of.


    The room fell in a pin drop silence.


    Pedro tried not to breath too loudly as he looked at her with the same expression. Down on his desky Enzo on his stomach whose red and sweaty face mirrored their expression while looking at Amy. Thetter''s eyes suddenly fell on Pedro''s girth that had disappeared inside Enzo''s assh-


    "Oh! My God!" Amy quickly turned around and gave them her back. "I''m so sorry. Please continue", she hastily left the room remembering to close the door behind her.


    "Mrs. Stanford", Pedro called out as he hastily pulled out of his partner and pulled up his pants but Amy was long gone.


    "Shit! Shit! Shit!" Enzo was a panicked messed as he stood up and fixed his trousers. "Why is this happening? Pedro! It''s happening again! What do we do? Oh God! This can''t be happening!"


    Pedro who had finished dressing up held Enzo''s shoulders and made him look at him. "Hermosa, everything will be okay. We took care of Louise, Emily shouldn''t be a problem. Everything will be okay, that''s a promise."


    Enzo took in Pedro''s serious face. He believed him with his whole heart. With a nod from both parties, Pedro patted his cheek and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips before leaving the room. A storm was brewing within him. This was just too troublesome.

 Chapter 79 The Truth About The Louise Case

    "Mierda!" He cursed when he could not spot any sign of her on the third floor.


    For a woman with shorter legs than him, she sure was fast. Without wasting another minute, he took the stairs going down to the second floor. The gym had an elevator but they were encouraged to take the stairs to keep fit. In this case, Pedro was just used to taking the stairs that he didn''t give the elevator a second thought. And to his luck, he happened to see Amy was just about to take the stairs going down to the first floor the moment he arrived on the second floor.


    "Mrs. Stanford!" He shouted.


    Amy halted in her movement. She wanted to keep going but she was the only Mrs. Stanford on that floor and her name had been on everyone''s lips. Pedro took huge strides and was by her side within six steps. There was ayer of perspiration on his face that was flushed red. The man was breathing heavily when he reached her side.


    "Pleasee to my office. There''s something I need to discuss with you", he said. His expression was quite serious as he spoke.


    Amy wanted to speak but was interrupted by Pedro''s hand that fell on her back and led her back upstairs. The onlookers watched everything with questioning stares.


    ''Whats going on?''


    ''Could it be they found out about her intentions and are about to do something about it?''


    ''Oh! My gosh! This is huge!''


    "Pedro-" Amy tried to speak when she saw how easily people could misinterpret the situation.


    "Please don''t cause a scene Mrs. Stanford", he whispered.


    Amy sighed and took out her phone to alert Ste that she would be a while before she joins her at the caf¨¦. When Pedro saw this, he immediately pushed down her hand that was holding the phone to stop her. He couldn''t afford any mishaps.


    "I would advise against that", he warned.


    She chuckled in amusement, "Am I being taken hostage or something?"


    Pedro chose not to respond and kept leading her back up to the third floor. Amy took in his side profile. His expression was practically screaming F-off and people made sure to stay out of their way despite how much they were curious. Should she be worried? But she didn''t do anything wrong except walk in on them when they were- Well, she did tell them to continue. Why was she being dragged back to that same room?


    Amy almost jumped when she heard the door shut behind her. Enzo had been pacing back and forth from the moment Pedro left to go after her. His heart didn''t rest easy even when he saw here back with him. He had no idea how things would end and that alone made him even more anxious.


    Pedro led her to the lounge areaprising off a leather sofa set and a ss coffee table. Amy was not wrong, there was a punching bag in the office. But Pedro happened to not be using it when she walked in on them.


    "Have a seat Mrs. Stanford", Pedro gestured at the sofa with his hand.


    As Amy sat down, Pedro led Enzo to the sofa opposite where the two sat together. The room fell in awkward silence. Amy looked anywhere but at the two. The image of them was fresh in her mind she just could not look them in the eye. Enzo rubbed his sweaty palms against his trousers. Pedro gave him aforting Pat before clearing his throat.


    "Mrs. Standford-" Pedro started.


    "Am- Emily is just fine", she interrupted before she awkwardly cleared her throat.


    Pedro took in her calm demeanor. His brows furrowed when he saw this. He could not help but be suspicious of her. He hoped this would not be a repeat of the Louise case; at least, for Enzo''s sake.


    "Well I won''t beat around the bush. What do you n on doing with this?" He asked.<sub> </sub>


    "What do you mean?" She was befuddled by his question.


    "You saw us. What do you n to do?" Enzo spoke this time.


    "Am I..... supposed to do something? What are you talking about?" She looked between the two men in confusion.


    Pedro and Enzo took in her confused state before looking at each other. Did they misunderstand her? Pedro leaned back in his seat. He could tell Amy was genuinely confused. Still, he couldn''t blindly trust her. The joke would be on him if he were to be fooled again by another pretty face.


    "You''ve heard of the Louise case?" Pedro asked. Enzo widened his eyes at Pedro silently asking him what he was doing. Thetter held his hand and squeezed it in assurance.


    "I have." She had heard it from Adrianne and Ste after the Daisy fiasco.


    "You''ve obviously heard everyone''s version. But here''s what really happened. She was interested in Enzo, to the point of obsession. But for obvious reasons, Enzo turned her down. Seeing how he and I were close, she came to me in hopes I would help her get with him. Unfortunately, she walked in on a scene simr to the one you walked in on. Unlike you, she didn''t leave and instead took photos of us. She threatened to leak them unless Enzo gets with her otherwise she would destroy us. That''s why we sued her, had the pictures deleted, and taught her a lesson hard enough to dete her ego."


    "Why are you telling me this?" Amy''s brows furrowed in confusion. This was all unnecessary information for her.


    "Because Emily, should you try anything funny like that, we won''t stay still? Have you heard of anything rted to Louise besides this story? No, right? They couldn''t stay in this town and I made sure of it. So", he left his statement unfinished trusting she got the silent warning.


    "Hold on", Amy chuckled. So this was why they called her back? She shook her head before she spoke so seriously. "What happens between you two is none of my business. But in this time and age, wouldn''t it be easier toe out fo the closet than have to worry about someone finding out like I did?"


    Enzo squeezed Pedro''s hand as his jaw ticked. That sounded easier than done especially for him. He constantly felt apologetic towards Pedro because of this. If only he was a little more brave.... Pedro knew what was going on in his mind but gave his hand a squeeze and assured him he was okay. When Amy received silence as an answer, she figured they must have their reasons.


    "Look, your rtionship is none of my business. But there''s something I need from you two."


    The duo exchanged a nce before looking back at her. Was she going to make some demand in exchange for keeping their secret? But didn''t she just say their rtionship is none of her business?


    Pedro''s face hardened as he spoke. "Let''s hear it."


    Amy summarized the current rumor going on within the gym. "And now my friends are getting implicated by such malicious nder. People won''t believe me if I try to say something but they''ll surely listen to you. I don''t want Ste and Adrianne''s names tainted because of this."


    "You want us to help your friends? Nothing else? You won''t make a big deal about us? That''s really all you want?" Enzo seemed to not understand this. He didn''t expect this.


    "Yes, it''s why I came here earlier. Will you help me?"


    "Sure. If that''s all?" Pedro asked.


    Amy nodded before excusing herself out of the office. She looked at her phone and there were missed calls from Ste and Adrianne. She sighed, now she has toe up with an excuse as to why she went missing without so much as a word. Back in the office, Enzo and Pedro were still seated on that sofa.


    "Are we really going to help her?" Enzo asked.


    He still looked worried even when Amy left. Pedro didn''t answer. He had aplicated look as he stared at the door had just walked out from.

 Chapter 80 What Did Dylan Do...

    That same Saturday evening, Amy had dinner at Ste''s before going back home. She had done her skin care night routine and was already under the covers with a book in her hand. Her phone chimed notifying her of new mail. Her heart knew who it was before she could check.


    Ahismine@***: I''m done.


    She smiled when she saw this. She was about to text back when she decided against it and had a better idea.


    "Let''s talk to Daddy", she spoke to her cupcake as her fingers moved on her phone. Within seconds, the connection was secured.


    "That was quick", she said referring to his shower. Her fingers yed with the pages of the book. Her cheeks reddened when she heard Zach''s familiar deep voice erupt in an enchanting chuckle.


    "That wouldn''t be the case if you were with me", he responded.


    Amy felt her face heat up and a smile she could not stop settled on her face. "Zachery", she scolded. She wanted cupcake to learn his/her daddy''s voice but instead she just subjected herself to more of the man''s flirtatious remarks.


    "Fine. What are you doing sote at night?"


    "I was reading a book, Pride and Prejudice", Amy turned the book and looked at the cover. While waiting for Zach to finish showering, she decided to start reading.


    "A lover of novels?"


    "Not really. I love the nerdy stuff. Like Cecil Martin''s Clean Code", she wanted to give more examples but she didn''t want to bore him with that.


    "Sexy", Zachmented making her blush again.


    She couldn''t help her chuckle as she tucked some stray strands of hair behind her ears. Zach felt like he would melt on his bed after hearing herugh. The chairman of Frost Corporation was all smiles as he turned to lie on his side and ced his phone on the pillow next to him and imagined he was having a pillow talk with Amy.


    "So why are you reading this one?" He could not help his curiosity.


    "Oh!" She cleared her throat. "I''ve never watched the movie so I thought to read the book. I started reading the first five chapters and got a little more curious."


    Plus she knew she would never get past the first five chapters with the book club. So she decided to proceed without them because the storyline was quite intriguing for her.


    "What are you doing?" She asked him.


    He smiled when he heard this. "I''m talking to you."


    "Don''t you have other things to do?" She blurted out.


    "Tired of me already woman?" There was no sign of any amusement in his tone. His lips lifted in amusement when he heard her gasp. How would she appease him? He was curious. And true to that, Amy was panicked when she responded.


    p "No, it''s not like that. I meant-" she was interrupted by the sound of her phone notifying her of a new message. She sighed when she saw the sender. Zach picked up on both sounds and he immediately sat up while holding the phone.</anda>


    "What''s wrong? Who''s texting you at this hour?"<sub> </sub>


    "It''s nothing. It''s Dn...", She was absentminded as she responded while reading his text.


    Dn: Miss me?


    "Doesn''t he know it''s rude to text someone''s woman sote at night? It doesn''t matter if you''re his boss", Zachery grumbled into the phone.


    Amy halted when she wanted to reply to Dn''s message. Did he just refer to her as someone''s woman? And since heid his im on her, was he calling her his woman? She bit her lower lip to suppress a bashful smile.


    "He... He doesn''t know... that I''m a woman", she murmured loud enough for him to hear.


    A.J: I''m busy.


    "Still, he shouldn''t bother you. It''ste. You need your sleep."


    ''Says the person who''s keeping me up at the same time?'' But she didn''t call him out on his hypocrisy. Instead, she found it quite amusing.


    Dn: Boss I need money, to keep up appearances.


    What did he do? He was probably spending on women and alcohol like he had been. She ignored his message and muted all notifications. Even when she went back to talking to Zach, she could not help but feel trouble was brewing on Dn''s end.


    And her intuition was right. Dn was back at the club after a few days of absence. His face grew grim when he didn''t receive any reply from his boss. He decided to do as he pleases and ordered for a few drinks per usual: for himself and the other customers.


    That floor erupted with cheers and the men and women raised their sses at Dn in cheers. Thetter raised his ss but it looked like he was toasting those people when in truth, he was toasting the people watching him from the upper floor. A sly smiled yed on his lips before he downed his drink.


    Aldo, who was watching him, narrowed his eyes at him through the tinted ss wall. His subordinate came in and stood a few feet away with a tablet in his hands.


    "Sir, we found a footage from four days ago. She wasst seen leaving this club probably going home. Did you check her ce?" The subordinate asked.


    "I was there this morning. Esmeralda was not there", he said with a snarl.


    He kept his gaze on Dn as he spoke. He could not help the bad feeling blooming within him. His betrothed had gone missing for the past few days. She left no word whatsoever except for a daily text sent at the same time saying:


    ''<strong>Hope your day was alright. Goodnight</strong>.''


    At first he ignored it, but when he saw the repeatitive pattern. He felt something was not right so he went to check on her today and she was gone. Her ce had umted a bit of dust; that was something a clean freak like Esmeralda could not tolerate.


    "What about him? What happened thest few days?" He nodded at Dn. He didn''t want to ept it but he had seen how Esmeralda looked at that man. It infuriated him but he felt he held back especially after learning she found out about his flings.


    "Him?" The subordinate followed his line of sight when he saw the blue haired young man. He tapped a few times on his tablet and he gulped as fear gripped him. He especially fear for Dn as he reported his findings.


    "He.... hasn''t been to the club for thest four days."

 Chapter 81 Pursuing After Dylan

    "Don''t let him out of your sight", Aldomanded.


    "Yes, sir", the subordinate took a polite bow before excusing himself.


    A storm was brewing inside the man. He took a cigar and ced it between his thin lips. He fished out a lighter from his pocket and lit up the substance. He drew in his first smoke and exhaled it right out. Even so, he didn''t feel his intense emotions lighten.


    It was already suspicious this blue haired man showed up out of nowhere and made sure to stand out among his regr customers. If that wasn''t enough to gain his attention, then taking his woman was just taking it too far. Well, even if it turns out he has nothing to do with her disappearance, he still needed to get rid of him. Dn had be a thorn in his flesh.


    An hourter


    "Sparrow, target is on the move", a voice resounded over the phone pressed to Aldo''s ear.


    "Don''t lose him", he responded. He removed the phone to hang up but suddenly remembered something. "Oh, and no guns."


    With that, he terminated the call. His expression darkened as his knuckles turned white from squeezing his phone too hard. Their organization''s activities was already being watched by the authorities especially with the women he had been bringing in illegally, they needed toy low but still getting rid of Dn could not be helped. Once that was done, there wouldn''t be any obstacle between him and Esmeralda.


    Down at the club entrance


    Dn had just dragged himself into his usual ride. His eyes could hardly keep awake from the strong alcohol coursing through his system. The driver had just started off when Dn rxed in his seat and sumbed to the sleep.


    "We have somepany today", he said before letting out a sigh in rxation.


    "I understand, sir", the driver responded.


    Aldo''s men rushed to the club''s underground parking lot where they assembled and took three ck SUVs. One after the other, the cars drove out of the parking lot then into the threenes of the sixne road.


    The pursuit for Dn had began. His ride had already pulled out of the club''s curb and had upied the middlene of one of the three that Aldo''s men had upied. The pursuers felt smug when they saw Dn''s ride drive at a snail''s pace. There was barely a distance of 100 meters between them so it would be easy to surround them.


    "Let''s get him before he gets too far, Aldo''s second inmandmunicated to his subordinates through a walkie-talkie.


    "Yes sir!"


    The goons in one car could not help their curiosity as a discussion bloomed among them. "Do you know what he did?"


    ? "No clue. Sparrow didn''t say."


    "But he wants him dead or alive. Whatever it is, it must be bad."


    "But let''s makes this quick. I was watching Squid Game before we left", one of them grumbled.


    The three cars increased their speed and were gaining in on Dn''s ride when thetter''s car suddenly gained speed as well. The car was akin to a sports car as it''s tires screeched against the tarmac road leaving marks and a trail of smoke when it sped up. One of the goons from one car rubbed his eyes when he saw this.<sub> </sub>


    "What the hell? LHow is a simple Coro suddenly faster than an SUV?" He was sitting in the front passenger seat as he spoke.


    Their driver grew annoyed at this as he changed gears and stepped on the elerator. There was no way a car like that could put his driving skills to shame. It seemed the drivers from the other SUVs shared the same feeling as they all floored it. The cars were quickly catching up to Dn''s car.


    Right ahead was an intersection that had traffic lights stuck on a blinking orange light. It''s like someone had tampered with them.


    "The intersection", Aldo''s second in Command announced through his walkie-talkie.


    "Yes, sir!"


    The dashboard of the SUVs indicated the increased speed as the cars sped up. They would take advantage of the intersection and cut him in. Dn would soon be surrounded and they would take him with them. When they heard themand, they fastened their grip on the metallic weapons they were going to use. Gunfire was out of the question, otherwise this whole pursuit would have long been over with a few shots at the tires of Dn''s car. He would have easily followed them whilst being held at gun point. But, their situation only allowed them to do this the hard way.


    The men could feel the rush of adrenaline as they approached the intersection. Suddenly, the three SUVs hit their brakes at the same time.


    "Whats going on?"


    "Where did thosee from?"


    "What do we make of this?"


    The three cars hade to a stop as the goons took in the scene before them. The moment they reached the intersection, more than ten cars suddenly drove into the threenes from the othernes bing an immediate obstacle to reaching Dn''s car. Had they not hit the brakes, there would have been a terrible car crash.


    Aldo''s second inmand felt annoyed as he quickly fished out his phone to call his boss. The call was answered right on the second ring.


    "Sparrow, we have a problem."


    Aldo was silent on the other end. He was puffing out a smoke to ease his annoyance.


    "What happened?"


    "About ten cars or more have suddenly overtook us creating a barrier between him and us."


    "Keep following his car until you get him", Aldo snarled. Could they not think of something so simple? He needed to get rid of Dn just because, and it had to be done. His mere existence irked him especially when he thought of the way Esmeralda looked at the man.


    "We could do that but..."


    "What now?" There was clear annoyanceand impatience in his voice.


    "Boss, you know the shell game?"

 Chapter 82 The Shell Game

    It was around four in the morning in city of Rome. The sky was lit up by a full moon with barely any visible stars. The street lights illuminated the scene of three ck SUVs suddenly stopped in the middle of the road with about ten cars blocking them from reaching a Coro. But the situation was not so simple. The men had been thrown into a shell game type of situation.


    The shell game is famous among gamblers. The host would have three identical cups or containers and hide an object under one of them. Then he/she would proceed to shuffle them around and let the yers guess where the object is. It''s a game for those with a quick eye and it seemed Dn had done just that.


    Aldo''s second inmand didn''t wait for a response and exined the current situation. "We would follow him but the cars blocking us are all identical. Same model, same color, and same te number. And they are all moving around."


    "Then keep your eyes on the one that has a passenger", Aldo suggested.


    "Boss, they all have passengers", his second inmand almost wanted to cry.


    He had never been in such an irritating situation. The cars were not just identical, but they also had passengers at the back seats. All the men could see were dark silhouettes of two men in each car, one at driver''s seat and another at the back. To make matters worse, all the identical cars randomly switchednes and got mixed up. They easily lost sight of Dn''s car.


    Aldo did not prepare for such an oue. It seemed Dn had seen through their n and shorings. This only confirmed his suspicions that the man had a lot to do with Esmeralda''s disappearance.


    "Boss, what do we do?" The second inmand asked after Aldo had been silent for too long. Aldo sighed, he didn''t know what to tell his men.


    The men kept following behind but something worse happened. They reached an intersection and the Coros randomly took different directions. The men were not sure of which cars to follow and so they gave up.


    Thirty minutester, Dn''s drunk step had long been reced by sturdy steps. He scanned his key card and got into the apartment. Without turning on the lights, he took off his jacket and loosened his tie.


    "You were really serious about not letting me leave?" Esmeralda''s voice echoed in the darkness.


    As Dn undid his shirt buttons, he thought back to the night''s events, he could not help but chuckle in amusement. All that''s left was for Aldo to find him, and he would be waiting....


    Back in West vige


    Amy woke up with a start and she held her chest as she took her time to calm down from breathing too hard. She had just had a bad dream. She could not remember the details but it was about Dn, and he was in trouble. Phone! She didn''t remember putting it away after talking to Zach the previous night so she looked for it on her bed. However, she heard something that made her freeze.


    "Amy?" Zach''s voice echoed in the room.


    She could tell it wasing from her phone but how? She found it somewhere under the sheets close to her pillow and picked it up to realize she had not terminated the connection. She must have slept whilst talking to him.


    "Zachery?" She subconsciously tucked some stray strands of hair to look less disheveled as though he could see her.


    When Zach heard her morning voice that was still a bit husky, his junior could not help but misbehave. It was the sexiest sound he had ever heard. It made him picture how his name would sound on her lips with her morning voice while he yed with her other lips like a guitar. He really missed the feel of her soft body in his arms while she writhed from his ministrations.


    "Hey?" Amy called out when she heard no response.


    Zach''s eyes flew open immediately crashing his fantasies. He adjusted the tent in his sweatpants and awkwardly cleared his throat.<sub> </sub>


    "Hey, sorry. Slept well?"


    ''Why does his voice sound so sexy? Or is it just my pregnancy hormones getting the best of me?''


    "Yes, thank you. And yourself?" She settled back in bed and pulled up the sheets while blushing red. She hadpletely forgotten about checking on Dn.


    As the two conversed, someone was unlocking the front door to Amy''s ce. The person took in the interior decoration of the house as they walked in. Since most houses in the area had the same design as hers, the person could guess where Amy was. The person easily navigated their way to her bedroom and was about to knock when they heard a deep voice echoing from inside.


    "I''m sorry I kept you upst night. I just couldn''t help myself", Zach confessed.


    Amy chuckled when she heard this. Even she could not help but want to talk more with him to the point of falling asleep on him and forgetting to terminate the connection.


    "Well, I kept you up too. Should I apolo-" she was interrupted by the sound of a jingleing from outside her room. "One sec", she whispered.


    Zach immediately picked up on the change of her tone. Something was wrong. He immediately sat up from his bed and made way to go out of his room.


    "What''s wrong?" His voice was low but Amy could detect the anxiousness in it.


    "I think someone is here. I need to check."


    An image of how easily Parton''s men had abducted her flushed in his mind. He could not help but fear for her safety. She was alone and vulnerable. He felt his anger build up from his inability to find her soon enough. What if those people had found her before he has? And he has no clue where she is. Was he about to lose her again?


    "Don''t go out. It might be dangerous. Call the police and send me your location too. Stay in your room and wait for me. I''ll be there with my men before you know it."


    Amy picked up on shuffling sounds from his end. Her heart tightened on the thought of him finding her and reuniting with him. It was such a temptation but she didn''t want to lead him out on a ruse.


    "Zachery, calm down. I won''t go out. Let me check using myptop", she said. As much as she was anxious, there was somethingforting about hearing the worry in his voice. She took herptop from her nightstand and switched it on.


    "Then I''ll stay on the phone with you. I''m right here. Just say the word if you need anything", he was much calmer than before. He was already by the stairs when she stopped him.


    "Alright."


    He heard the sound of her typing. For security purposes, she had installed secret cameras around her ce in case of any intruders. She had done so when she had received a scare from Ste when the older woman had stayed to look after her that one time. In a matter of seconds, she found the footage and saw the culprit. Her anxieties dissipated immediately.


    "Ian?" Her brows rose in shock.


    Zach fell silent. His jealousy reared it''s ugly head as his grip on the stair railing tightened. His knuckles had turned white as he growled into the phone. "Who. Is. Ian?"

 Chapter 83 Its Now Or Never

    ***A/N: There was a little ident with the timer. Read the next chapter before reading this one. I''m so sorry I can''t fix this. Aish! Xx***


    Well, who knew New York had a lot of Jennifer Harpers? There was one who was raised at Good Hope Orphanage, West Vige.


    Zachwas overwhelmed by the list of names as his eyes browsed through the information. But had he given it a second nce, he would have noticed that the person''s information was limited and protected just like Amy Harper''s. There were many people whose information was like that but this name would have stood out. So without a second thought, he barked another order.


    "Narrow it down to people who are married, especially the females", he said. He paused in thought. He was probably crazy for thinking this but he still needed to check. "I want a list of all the names of people with the surname Frost."


    "You mean your family, sir?" George could not help but ask.


    Zach did not respond. Amy disguised herself as a married woman, so he thought she would use his surname. It was too obvious and would be careless on her part, but he at least wanted to check. He still could not believe she called him her husband. The list of names was brought up on the screen. It was all too much for him. But he needed to be thorough in his search. It was going to be a long day for them.


    Back in West vige


    Amy had just walked into Ste''s home. She could hear some chattering from the kitchen. Besides Ian, Ste, and Richard''s voice, she picked up on another voice. It was a little girl''s voice. Her curiosity was piqued as she picked up her walking pace.


    In the kitchen, a little girl was seated next to Richard. She wore a baby pink jumpsuit with a white top, her hair had been tied into two pig tails and her blue eyes grew wide as she spoke with animated gestures. There was some sort of resemnce between her and Ian who was seated on Amy''s usual spot. Richard watched the little girl with an affectionate gaze and obvious curiosity. Amy found this quite amusing.


    <o>,m Ste was busy frying sausages when she turned around to see Amy. "Good morning, dear."</o>


    Amy walked over to give her cheek-to-cheek kisses. "Good morning Ste. Good morning Richard."


    "Good morning kid. Stacy greet our neighbor, Emily", Richard told the little girl.


    "Hello. My name is Stacy and I''m six years old", she held out five fingers and an index finger from the other hand.


    Amy chuckled at this. "Hi, Stacy. I''m Emily. It''s nice to meet you."


    "Stacy is Ian''s little sister. Alex went out of town so they''ll spend the day here and we''ll drop them offter in the evening", Ste exined and Amy nodded in understanding.


    "Why don''t you sit down dear, I''m almost done here."


    Soon the meal was set and the five had their breakfast over some good chatter. Stacy took over most of the conversation with her stories from school that happened during the week. Amy watched the little girl''s interaction with her grandfather is awe. She suddenly felt sad. Her cupcake would not have grandparents to be dotted on. She was alone in this world.


    Ian, who was sitting next to her, caught the way Amy sub consciously touched her belly as she looked at his sister and grandfather. He thought back to the man with the deep voice. She said it was her husband. He could see the affection in her eyes when she said it. Were they always like this or did they work things out after he disappointed her with Mona? It should no longer bother him but it did.


    "Grandma, Grandpa, may I be excused?" He stood up after clearing his te.<sub> </sub>


    "Going somewhere?" Richard asked.


    "I''m going for a walk."


    He was out of sight before they could get another word. Ste and Richard exchanged a look before they proceeded to eat. Amy did not pry and focused on eating.


    Ian plugged in his earphones and left Ste''s house on foot. His mind was gued by Amy''s thoughts. She was a puzzle to him. She never said much to him, always kept to herself, but she managed to attract him without even trying. When he ended things with Mona, he decided to end whatever he felt for her. But just thinking back to what he overheard earlier, it pained him.


    In his dazed state, he walked long enough to find himself somewhere in the woods. There was a high and huge rock he liked to call an elephant rock because it''s shape resembled the head of an elephant. When he climbed over it, he found someone seated cross-legged on top. The person turned and took him in before looking back ahead into the distance.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked while settling down, careful to create a distance between them before looking ahead.


    "Last time I checked, I could go anywhere I want", she responded. Mona looked a little better than before but her expression was numb. Ian did not see the usual coloring of her cheeks whenever he was close to her. He sighed and looked ahead into the distance.


    "What are you doing here?" She asked back.


    "To think."


    Silence. Only the sound of insects creaking could be heard. The ce they were at was surrounded by trees and very short grass. Where they sat, they could easily see the sunset if it waster in the evening and it always created a beautiful picture of the horizon.


    "You like her", she stated.


    "What are you talking about?" He answered without looking at her.


    "Otherwise you wouldn''t end things with me. We''ve been through so much. She''s married Ian, she doesn''t want to have anything to do with you", her eyes sparkled with fresh tears.


    "Stop talking!" He barked. That was a reality he did not want to face. That he had imagined everything between him and Amy. Mona did not want to stop there.


    "She can''t, she can''t give you what I can. You''re here because you need it. I can give you that, only I can do that", she told him.


    She thought he would shout again but he kept quiet. She had hit the nail on the head. She stood up and first removed her boots, leaving her socks on. Then she took off her leather jacket followed by her blouse releasing her braless nipples that grew hard from the cold wind the blew by, she took off her Jean trousers along with her underwear. She ced the pile beside him and took out a sachet from her trouser pocket and ced it atop the pile of clothes. Ian''s jaw ticked when he saw what it was.


    Monay down on her back with knees up and legs wide open leaving her womanhood exposed to Ian. She stared at the blue sky and wiped away some stray tears before her expression morphed into one of determination. It was now or never as she dered:


    "You''re either with me or you''re out."

 Chapter 84 Zach Cant Be Mad At Amy

    Who was Ian? Warning bells had gone off in Zach''s head. Was he wrong about her being on the run? Did she simply return to her old life and move on to the guy next door? Or did she run off somewhere and found a guy? Had she been turning down his advances because there was already another man in her life?


    Zach felt like his heart was being squeezed at the same time it thudded wildly against his chest. He needed answers to his questions or he would go crazy. Or was it already toote for that? No, was it already toote for him with Amy? Was he about to lose the love of his life? Yes, somewhere alonge the line, Amy had be the love of his life.


    "Let me see what he wants first."


    He thought she would terminate the connection but he heard the shuffling sounds in her background. Amy had taken her phone with her and went out of her room to meet Ian. The young man was about to leave the house when Amy walked out of her bedroom.


    "Ian."


    He turned to look at her. Her hair was disheveled, there were some lines imprinted on her face by the sheets, and her face was bare without any makeup. She was wearing a satin robe on top of her pajamas. Despite this, Amy stood looking like a beautiful mess. Without even trying, the young woman looked so beautiful that Ian stood tongue tied on his feet.


    "What are you doing here?" She asked while walking over and stopped when there were a few feet distance between them.


    "Gra-Grandma asked me toe get you for breakfast. I used her spare key to get in", he responded without so much eye contact with her.


    "Okay. Tell her I''ll join you guys in a bit", she told him.


    He nodded but remained unmoving. His bangs shielded his eyes that looked at her with aplex gaze. Amy rubbed her arms as she started to feel odd with him just standing there. She opened her mouth to speak when he beat her to it.


    "I heard you..... talking over the phone. Who was it?" He could give a good guess judging from what he heard but he wished it was not true.


    Amy was taken aback by his question. She did not think he would be the type to pry. Zach on the other end, seemed to have held his breath. He could not help but wonder what Amy''s response would be. As much as he prepared his heart for whatever her answer may be, he could not help but fall into a nervous mess. But all that disappeared when he heard her answer.


    "My husband", she replied.


    Both men were silent. One was clearly stunned and while the other felt immense disappointment. Amy, on the other hand, didn''t want to continue having that conversation in case Ian blurts out something he shouldn''t. She was already a case of nerves on the inside because of her answer.


    "Tell Ste I''ll join you guys shortly."


    With that, she sent him away before going back to her room. Zach should probably have a lot of questions or probably upset for using him as part of her disguise. Then, there was the issue of him asking about her whereabouts. She was not sure if he would let it go.


    "Zachery, are you still there?"


    "I''m here."


    She flinched when she heard the sharpness in his tone. "Are you mad at me?"


    "Should I be?" His tone was much gentler than before.


    "I don''t want you to."


    "Then I won''t be", his tone grew much softer.


    Amy rxed immediately. But she still needed to address the elephant in the room. Well, the many elephants in the room. But her mind was nk. She needed time to figure out how to handle the mess.<sub> </sub>


    "Can we talkter? I should be on my way", her tone was apologetic.


    "Alright." She was about to disconnect when she heard him say. "Later, wifey."


    Zach heard the sound of a falling substance followed by scuttling sounds before the connection was terminated. How could he stay mad at her? She had no idea how happy her actions had made him. Leaving the connection open while she attended to the Ian guy just showed that she trusted him to a certain degree. But most importantly, she called him her husband!!!


    He took out his phone and dialed for George. Thetter knew to answer on the very first ring whenever his boss called. Before he could greet his boss, thetter quickly blurted out amand.


    "I want the security team ready for me in 20", he cut the call and threw his phone on his bed.


    With all the energy, Zach had the shortest shower in his life. He threw on some jeans, a jersey, matching sneakers and some shades toplete his ensemble before dashing out of his room.


    "Sir-" Edmund was just about to knock when the door to Zach''s room flew open and the man whizzed by him and took the stairs going down.


    "Your breakfast", he added quietly.


    The only response he got was that of the sound of the door mmed from downstairs.


    Bam!


    Outside, there was already a car waiting for Zach. Seeing the man didn''t wait for his door to be opened, his driver was quick to get in and drive off. The people in the house could not help but wonder what could have prompt such behavior from their master. His shadow bodyguards including Skull''s team took their cars and followed him.


    He arrived at Frost Corporation exactly within the twenty minutes he had set. He quickly took his private elevator and made way to the security department. George was already waiting for him and was holding the ss door open for him. Zach entered and stood at the back of the room.


    His presence was overpowering as the security team immediately stood up in respect when they saw him. His expression was impassive. That was nerve-wracking besides the emergency assembly the man had called for. George was quick to go to his side.


    "Your orders, sir."


    "I need the list of everyone with the surname Harper in New York."


    The team sat back down and immediately got to work. Why New York? He had talked to Amy countless times but she never made it known what time of day she was talking to him. He thought she was going by his time as part of her cover but the conversation Amy let him overhear was the key answer.


    One: it was morning for both of them which means they shared the same time zone.


    Two: the Ian guy had an ent, a New Yorker''s ent.


    The huge screen showed the list of everyone with that surname. His eyes skimmed through the different names. The team had arranged them in alphabetical order. Then his eyes fell on the list of names with the letter J. Amy was known as A.J, he wondered if she had ever used the J as her new identity.


    "I want information on everyone whose name starts with the letter J and has the surname Harper."


    And the team narrowed it down to those names. George who stood on the sidelines could guess that this had something to do with Miss Harper and his boss had just got a clue. Zach was reading through the different opened files of the names he had asked for. Then his eyes fell on a certain name: Jennifer Harper.

 Chapter 85 Good Morning Wifey

    "So....", Amy started. Her voice was slightly shaky she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She had not managed toe up with reasonable argument to back up her actions. Zach could guess all of this judging from the tone of her voice.


    "Amy?" He gently called out to which she hummed in acknowledgement. "There''s so much I want to know and where you are topping the list, but I understand you can''t tell me. I won''t force you to either. So you can rx."


    He was sure she knew how capable he was. But if she chose to not tell him, he would respect that. Only because he didn''t want to lose the only means ofmunication he had with her. He could not risk her disappearing on him again. But he had vowed he would find her.


    The day had been long, he spent it with the security IT team digging up information and still came up short. As disappointing as it was, he was still grateful for the huge clue she had unintentionally given him. She was still in New York and that at least narrowed it down to where he would look. He would turn the city upside down if he needed to, just to find her.


    "Are you really okay with that? With not knowing?" She was cautious as she asked. She could not help but worry. And true to her feelings, she was right when she heard his exhausted sigh.


    "To be honest, I''m not. But that''s okay. If it means your safety then that''s fine. But you have to promise me something."


    "What is it?" She suddenly felt like she could do anything to get rid of the sadness and disappointment in his tone. Her heart thudded wildly from nervousness at this new feeling.


    "You have to promise to call me should anything happen. If you need to run, run to me. Promise you''ll at least do that."


    "Zachery..", she sighed. That''s a situation she was currently trying to avoid.


    "Please Amy."


    ''I can''t risk losing you again'', he wanted to say. She had no idea how much the Ian fiasco had scared him earlier. But she could hear the desperation in his tone. It broke her heart that she was the cause of this. ''Anything to get rid of the sadness...'' she thought.


    "I promise."


    ***


    The very next day, Amy woke up bright and early to get ready for work. The young woman walked out of the bathroom with a bathing towel wrapped around her body.


    She had already set out some ck cks, a white button down shirt, a ck leather jacket and matching boots. After applying body lotion, she started dressing up. While putting on her cks, she was stuck on zipping it up. Her belly had grown a little bigger.


    She was currently four months pregnant approaching five. She frowned at the thought of other clothes failing to fit her especially around her waist.<sub> </sub>


    "I guess I have to buy those maternity clothes Ste talked about sooner thanter", she mumbled while looking at her bump. Her fingers caressed it as she looked at it with clear affection. "And then I have to buy you clothes as well."


    With the trouser failing to fit, she opted for a dress that was made out of a stretchy material and wore it with the leather jacket and boots. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and she applied minimal makeup, highlighting her best features which are her high cheekbones and big blue eyes.


    She remembered to pack up some snacks in her bag, herptop disguised as a book, and quickly wolfed down a simple breakfast she could quickly whip up before leaving her ce. Her phone chimed as she locked her front door.


    Ahismine@***: Good morning, wifey.


    Her face heated up when she saw that word. She remembered how she dropped her phone when she heard him say it. She was so flustered it took her a while to terminate the connection with shaking hands. Zach took every opportunity to flirt with her. But she needed to respond.


    Ajtlh@***: Who''s your wife? Are you sure you got the right person?


    Amy gave the house a once-over to ensure nothing that meant to be closed was left open. She threw her keys in her bag and turned to walk over to Ste''s. Her eyes were glued to her phone as she walked.


    Ahismine@***: If the person reading this has a beauty mark right next to their mm-hm-hm, then yes. I have the right person.


    She almost dropped her phone again. Zach was just too shameless! But it got her thinking, did she really have a beauty mark right next to her flower? How does he remember that? And of all examples, why use that one? Is he seriously thinking about-


    "I''ll keep trying." Ste was on the phone as she walked out of the house. She unlocked the doors and the twodies got in. Ste didn''t start the car as she was still on the phone. Amy told Zach they would talkter before she patiently waited for the older woman to finish up with her call.


    "Don''t worry Alex..... I''m sure... I''ll let you know. Give Stacy my hugs and kisses..... Alright, I love you honey... Alright bye." She hung up the phone and put it down before taking in Amy who had a frown on her face. "Sorry about that."


    "Is everything okay?" She could not help but ask.


    Ste sighed and her eyes turned misty from fresh tears. Amy''s frown deepened when she saw this before she reached out a hand towards Ste''s to give aforting pat. Ste run a hand down her face before facing Amy as she suppressed the urge to cry.


    "I..... We... We think that", she cleared her throat before swallowing a hard lump. She put a hand over her quivering lip and closed her eyes while taking a deep breath. She opened them again when she felt calm.


    "Ian is missing."

 Chapter 86 Ian Is Missing

    "Missing? How? Did he note back yesterday?" Amy''s eyes had grown saucers from shock.


    After their little baking tradition with Stacy joining in on it, Amy went home to take a nap because she felt tired. She woke up to find dinner set on her counter by Ste. She hit it up, ate, freshened up before getting into bed to talk to Zach. She figured Ste and Richard and gone off to drop off their grandkids probably because Alex hade back from her trip.


    "He didn''te homest night. We only dropped off Stacy, so Alex sent him a text to go straight home. But he didn''t show up. She thought he slept over when she called me this morning and that''s when we realized-"


    Ste broke into a heartbreaking sob. Amy was quick to pull her into a hug and rubbed soothing circles on her back. The car echoed with Ste''s soft sobs and sniffles. Her shoulders shook as she cried.


    Amy''s mind started working. Where could he have gone? She did not remember the streets in their neighborhood having any security cameras. She could track down his phone location as long as it was on or retrace it''s signal to where it disappeared. But their streets led into town where there were plenty of CCTV on the roads or shops, she was sure she could find something. She just hoped nothing had happened to him.


    "But he could be at a friend''s ce", Ste started as she pulled away. Amy took a box of tissues from the glovepartment and handed it to her friend. "Thank you."


    Amy nodded as she tucked some stray strands of Ste''s brown hair behind the woman''s ears. Her frown seemed to grow deeper and her mouth was upturned into a pout as she took in Ste''s tear stricken face.


    "But it''s scary because he''s never done this and his phone is off", Ste sniffled before using the tissue to blow her nose.


    "Can I help?" Amy asked softly.


    "Thank you, dear. But there''s nothing we can do. And we can''t report it to the police until 24 hours passes with him missing. All we can do is keep trying to reach him."


    "Could you share me his contact? I''ll try calling him as well."


    Ste gently patted Amy''s cheek. "Thank you dear, I''ll really appreciate that."


    Ste didn''t waste a second and gave her the number. With the little talk she had with Amy, she didn''t feel too stuffy any more. So she started the car and pulled out of their driveway.


    The ride was not as noisy as it normally is with Ste since the disappearance of her grandson took a toll on her. Even after opening up the library, Ste hardly stepped out of her office. And when she did, her phone was pressed to her ear calling Ian''s number.


    Amy took over his cleaning duties and library duties. She helped the different customers while herputer run a search of the possible captions of the young man''s footage in the different CCTVs in West Vige leading from their street.


    After helping a customer get a book from a shelf, she went back to her workstation where herptop was shieleded by the high desk. Since the search she was running was akin to looking for a niddle in a haystack, it was taking a while. Ian could have gone anywhere and taken any direction; or whoever was with him.


    ''Could he be with Mona?'' she mused.


    But he had broken up with her, things seemed bad between the two. So she ruled out the possibility. Still, she needed to che-


    A woman in her early thirties rushed into the library with puffy eyes. Amy could pick on the resemnce to Ian and Ste especially the hazel brown eyes and shape of the mouth. She could also tell the woman was trying not to cry. Was she Ian''s older sister?


    The woman wore some cks and a shirt that was tucked in with matching t shoes. She walked up to Amy''s desk and didn''t bother to smile.


    "Excuse me, do you know if my mom is in?" The woman spoke.


    ''Whoa!'' Amy was stunned. Was it in their blood to look younger than their age? And very beautiful, might she add.<sub> </sub>


    "Yes, go right ahead", Amy gestured with her hand.


    "Thank you."


    Amy watched the woman disappear in Ste''s office''s direction. Even the way she walked was exactly like Ste''s. Amy left her workstation and went to the conference room where she made two coffees and served them with cookies. She loaded everything on a tray and made way to Ste''s office.


    "She doesn''t know. I told her he had gone for a sleepover at his friend''s ce. I didn''t want her to worry about her brother", she overheard Ste''s daughter speak.


    "You did good. Stacy would be disturbed if she learned of her brother''s disappearance", Stemented.


    Amy was disturbed by this fact. Sudden disappearance could take a toll on the person''s loved ones. She could see how painful it was for them. Was this how painful it was for Zach? However, they were strangers when they met and when she left. But he sounded really sad when she didn''t tell him her whereabouts, she could feel it. Especially during Ian''s visit that looked like a possible break in. Ian.


    She snapped out of her thoughts and bnced the tray on one hand before using the other to knock. When she got the response, she opened the door and was sure to close it behind her. She went ahead to serve them on the ss coffee table.


    "Oh! Emily, this is my eldest daughter Alex. Alex, this is Emily", Ste made the introductions.


    "It''s nice to meet you Emily", Alex stretched out her hand and forced a smile even when her eyes were teary.


    "Likewise."


    Amy did not know what to say. She wanted tofort her but at the same not sound like she was offering condolences. Ian was missing not dead. She could only offer a sympathetic smile.


    "Thank you for this. I wish we could have these but we have to leave for the station to make a statement. And we have to be done before I can go get Stacy from school", Alex gave her an apologetic smile as she stood up.


    Amy shook her head showing she understood the gravity of the situation. Ste took out her phone and dialed a number.


    "Richard could you pick up Stacy from school? Alex and I have to go to the police station..... Thank you darling..... I love you too. Bye", she hang up the phone.


    "Mom, you know he can''t drive", Alex''s brows furrowed.


    "If he starts walking now, he''ll get there in time", Ste responded.


    Amy wanted to chuckle thinking the woman was joking to lighten up the mood but it seemed she was serious. Odd. It seemed the story was not so simple. But she had never been one to pry. So she cleared up the coffee and cookies as the women left.


    She returned to her post and went back to herptop. Finally, she had gotten a footage of him leaving town on foot in the early hours of yesterday before she found another of himing back in the evening. But he wasn''t alone. Her jaw dropped when she saw the familiar brte petite figure walking with him past the flower shop in town.


    He stopped and held out his hand to which the person with him took it. Amy''s brow arched when she saw this. But there was no amusement in her eyes as she watched on. That person better not be the reason for him putting everyone in a panic and especially making Ste cry.


    She finally got results of where his phone signalst stopped. She used Google maps to check the location''s topography and it seemed to be in the woods. The time showed it to be during the afternoon. But they were back in town by evening. Unfortunately, his phone was still off! She needed to find them.


    And they were going to get it.

 Chapter 87 Ians News

    "I see... Thank you, so much.... Alright bye", Richard hang up the phone before turning to face the three women and little girl.


    "What did they say?" Ste and Alex spoke at the same time while putting down their phones.


    "They found a footage of him passing through town from yesterday morning and nothing else. But it should be easy to trace his whereabouts the moment he turns on his phone or uses his credit card", Richard said.


    "How about you? Anything?"


    "His phone is still off", Alex sighed. The young woman wiped some stray tears and run her hand through her hair out of frustration. She sat down on the sofa and buried her face in her hands. Ste frowned when she saw this. Her phone ring and she picked up immediately. Alex''s head whipped up in her mother''s direction at the sound of the phone ringing.


    "Hello?... Oh! Hey Nora.... Nothing yet. We''ll let you know if somethinges up... Thank you sweetheart... Okay, one sec", she walked over to Alex and handed her the phone. "Your sister wants to talk to you."


    Alex took the phone while Ste remembered something and left for one of the rooms. She could overhear the conversation going on inside as she got closer to the room.


    "And then mommy said we would go again next year as long as I remain a good girl", Stacy''s eyes sparkled from excitement. She was sat on the floor cross-legged while making some crayon drawings on a white sheet of paper.


    "Wow! That sounds amazing! Have you been a good girl?" Amy was seated right opposite the girl watching her with curious eyes. Ste was worried Amy would be awkward with a six year old but it seemed the two had hit it off.


    "Yes! I put away my toys when I''m done ying, I make my bed every morning and I brush my teeth everyday."


    "Wow! You really are a good girl!" Amy smiled as she patted the little one''s head. She felt Stacy was just too cute.


    Stacy put down the crayons and held up the paper for Amy to see. "What do you think Aunt Emily?"


    Amy looked at the three stick figures drawn in crayon, two big and one small. There was a table before them with something round on top. She was not sure but quickly got the idea.


    "Is that, you, me and your grandma?" She watched Stacy''s expression that lit up immediately. She had hit the nail on the head.


    "Wow! This was when we were baking right? Stacy this is so cute!!!"


    "If you like it, you can keep it. It''s my gift to you", she said while handing her the paper.


    Ste walked in on this scene. The two had been so immersed in their conversation they did not hear her knock. Amy was genuinely touched by the little girl''s actions. A thought crossed her mind in that moment: was this how it was going to be with her little one?


    "Grandma!" Stacy jumped up from the floor and run to Ste.


    "Slow down sweetie."


    "Anything yet?" Amy asked. Ste shook her head.<sub> </sub>


    Stacy looked between the two adults not understanding their conversation. Aplex look settled on Amy''s face. She fished out her phone and a frown settled on her face when she saw the screen. Ste was touched when she saw this. It seemed Amy was as bothered by this whole fiasco like everyone else.


    "Don''t worry dear, something will turn up", Steforted.


    "It has to", Amy mumbled.


    "Grandma, I want mommy", Stacy spoke up from Ste''s embrace.


    "I''m here sweetie", Alex walked into the room to sit down on the single bed covered floral sheets. She looked like she had aged a decade in one day. She took Stacy in her arms and hugged her. She nted her lips on the little one''s head before resting her chin on it with a heavy sigh. Stacy didn''t understand what was going on but she knew her mom was sad so she quietly embraced.


    "Nora is thinking of hiring a P.I", she started in a quiet voice earning curious nces from Amy and Ste.


    "And what did you say to that?" Ste asked from where she stood by the wall.


    "I said we''d have to at least give the police a day before goin-"


    "Ian?" Richard''s supposed voice echoed around the house followed by the sound of a door closing. "Ste! Alex!


    The threedies immediately left the room and made way to the living room where they had left Richard. Alex practically run even with Stacy in her arms. And true to Richard''s shock, Ian stood by the door in a ck ensemble consisting of a shirt and jeans, while his bangs shielded his eyes from the world. His hands were clenched into fists while he constantly bit and chewed on his lower lip.


    "Oh my gosh! Ian!"


    "Oh! Ian!"


    Alex put down Stacy before rushing to hug him. Ste joined in the hug while Richard and Amy watch on. Amy. Ian looked at her with aplex gaze despite his expressionley face. Amy fought the urge to smirk and simply maintained an impassive expression.


    "What happened to you? You had your mother and grandmother worried over you!" Richard could not help his fury mixed with disappointment.


    The two women pulled away from the embrace and wiped away the tears from their faces. They gave him a once-over checking for any bruises or any other signs of being physically hurt. The young man sighed when he saw this and gently pulled away from them.


    "Grandpa, Grandma, and Mom. I''m going to live on my own."


    "What?" The three shouted in unison expressing their shock. With his bangs shielding his eyes, they were unable to see that Ian''s gaze was trained on a certain figure leaning against the wall. His eyes were on Amy and thetter kept a neutral expression.


    She looked down at her phone and her lips slightly lifted. ''He''s just in time and Mona..... She should be throwing a fit right about now.''

 Chapter 88 Amy Cant Be Happy If Stella Isnt

    Two hours ago


    Ian and Mona were seen with a bag of groceries as they walked into a motel. They passed by the lobby where the receptionist, who didn''t care about the rollers in her hair, sat with a cigarette trapped between her lips.


    The two were so immersed in their own little world that they didn''t notice the amused stare the woman gave Ian as he walked on.


    They took the stairs leading to the only floor with rooms. It was a rundown little motel, with stained walls, hallways with poor lighting, and terrible sound proofing walls. The two could practically hear everythinging from other rooms as they walked to theirs.


    From the sound of someone running curses against a ser match, some people''s arguments, and someone either watching porn or doing the deed. It wasn''t a conducive environment to live in but this is all they could afford. They made sure to keep to themselves so they don''t attract unwanted attention.


    Ian let Mona unlock the door before he followed her in with a bag groceries. She flicked on the switch.


    "Ah! I was wondering when you''d get here", they heard a soft voice speak in a bored tone.


    Mona was startled by the intrusion she practically jumped into Ian''s arms. Thetter just stood and stared in shock. He took in the person. She was wearing a ck dress that hugged her figure, her little baby bump was shielded by the leather jacket she wore on top and shepleted the ensemble with some boots. He had to admit, Amy looked so hot in that moment. But wait.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked.


    When Mona heard him speak, she looked over to find Amy seated on their good single sofa, arms resting on the armrest, legs elegantly crossed one over the other, and with her impassive expression; she practically looked like a Queen in her turf. Mona got down from him and went to close the door beforeing back to stand next to Ian.


    <o>,m "How did you find us?" Mona assumed a defensive stance as she crossed her arms against her chest.</o>


    "That''s irrelevant. What''s important is I shouldn''t be here, and neither should you", Amy was calm as she spoke unhurriedly.


    "Our decisions have nothing to do with you. Leave", Mona pointed at the door.


    "They normally wouldn''t but unfortunately, this time around is an exception. Quite bothersome if you ask me."


    "Leave, Ian tell her to leave." Mona looked to find Ian quietly staring at Amy. He was still stunned not believing that Amy was here in the flesh. He never thought he''d see her again.


    "Why did you runaway? You''re acting like two lovers who have been forbade by their elders from being together. Well, y time is over. You need to go home."


    "Excuse me! You don''t know how hard it is for us!"


    "Oh don''t give me that makey", Amy rolled her eyes in annoyance.


    Ian and Mona: "..."


    ''What the hell is a makey?''<sub> </sub>


    "Monalisa Westley, the only child to Kate and Aaron Westley. One is a museum curator and another is one of the directors at Good Hope Hospital. I wonder how life has been ''rough'' for you with your parents working their hardest to give you a good life. Do you know how many people want what you have? Not just a good home but an actual family with caring parents?" Amy felt angry especially when she thought of her younger days in the orphanage.


    She had always craved for familial love but all she got was the bullying from the older kids so she turned to books forfort. She was sure there were other kids who felt like her yet this child before her is not the least grateful for what she has.


    "You don''t know what it''s like! It would take them a week to even notice I was gone."


    "But that doesn''t seem to be the case", Amy held out her phone and showed it to them. "They filed a missing persons report not long after Ian''s family did."


    Ian was shocked when he heard this while Mona openly mirrored his emotions. Amy tucked her phone away into her jacket pocket.


    "I''m not here to discuss your issues. I''ll get straight to the point. Your actions have upset a lot of people back home, quite selfish and childish of you if you ask me. Did you ever stop for moment to think how your sudden disappearance would affect them? You''re only seventeen and still in highschool, while you''re neen and taking a gap year from college. As long as you''re still under your parents'' roof, you don''t get to make selfish decisions like this."


    "You''re not rted to us. This has nothing to do with you", Mona countered.


    "It shouldn''t but it does. I can''t be in a stressful environment but how do you expect me to be happy when Ste isn''t? Now", she uncrossed her legs and leaned forward with her hands spedand elbows resting on her knees. "You have two hours toe to a decision and I expect you to make a sensible one. Don''t bother running away again, I''ll find you; it''s what I''m good at anyway."


    "Who are you?" Mona suddenly became ufortable with her. They didn''t switch on their phones or use credit cards so how did she find them. Did she follow them? She didn''t seem like the type to waste her time like that.


    "Two hours and nothing more. If I don''t hear from you", she stood up to leave. "Well, I wonder what your parents and the police will think about the little greenhouse your friends have."


    Mona gasped and her eyes widened in horror. That was her only connection to getting good weed and no one knew about that they were growing it or where it was. It was in such a remote area how could she have found out?


    "And Ian, running away with a minor? What will the police think of that? Since you both want to be away from your families that much, jail is the probable answer. At least they''ll know where you are."


    "Are you threatening us? You can''t force a decision on us!" Mona hardened her gaze but there was a hint of fear in her eyes.


    "I don''t do threats. I''m simply giving you the facts. Think about it. Two hours."


    With that, Amy left their room leaving the two teenagers stunned in their boots. Amy felt sick from the smell of the dirty walls and the lewd sounds that she could hear from the hallway. The receptionist shed her yellow teeth in a smile when she saw Amye down stairs.


    "I was expecting a cat fight", The receptionistmented.


    "There was no need for one" , Amy smiled back as she exited the motel.


    She took a taxi heading home. Whilst on the way, she fished out her phone andposed an email to the FDA telling them about the little greenhouse Mona''s highschool friends had built for their illegal weed business. With her name on the line, she trusted they would handle this problem. Of course, she notified the school as a ''concerned parent''.


    Mona was no exception. Whether she went home or not, her parents would still be notified of it and Amy left it to them to deal with their daughter as they see fit. She looked at the time on her phone, twenty minutes had passed since the two hours she gave them. She would spend the rest at Ste''s in hopes tofort the woman in the meantime.

 Chapter 89 Sleepover At Aunt Emilys

    Two hours had passed, Ian was back at home and he had just announced his ns to live alone. Amy was as shocked as everyone, she didn''t think he woulde to such a decision but she was curious to where this was going. Alex fell quiet but one could see the evident fury on her face. She suddenly broke out into augh, throwing her head back before leaning forward to p her thighs seeming amused. One would think she had just heard the best joke ever.


    "Did you hear him? Did you all hear him? The first thing he says is he wants to live on his own", sheughed again. Ste and Richard frowned when they saw this.


    "Mom-" he started but he was interrupted by his angry mother.


    "Not one word from you. You just disappear putting us all in a panic then you suddenlye back with not so much as an exnation, and the first thing you say is what?" Alex spoke through gritted teeth whilst trying to keep her tears under control.


    "Mom-" his face swung to the side before a red hand print appeared on his cheek.


    While everyone was startled by the p he had received, Alex was breathing hard after hitting him. Still, Ian didn''t say a word nor make a move. The room fell eerily quiet. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at her son in disbelief.


    "Alex, hitting him won''t solve the issue", Richard reprimanded he stood in between the mother and son.


    He was displeased with his grandson''s actions but he had never approved of hitting children. Alex had learned this from him but he could understand how upset she was to the point of hitting him.


    Ste frowned when she saw how horrified Stacy was by the exchange between her mother and brother. The little one was hidden behind her with eyes wide disying fear and confusion while her little hands clutched the Hem of her grandma''s blouse. Ste scooped her in her arms making sure Stacy''s attention was on hers.


    "Stacy, how about a sleepover at Aunt Emily''s?" She caressed the little one''s cheeks.


    Stacy looked to her mom wanting to ask her for permission like she had been taught but changed her mind right away. When Amy saw this, her heart broke as she moved to where Stacy and Ste were.


    "Would you like to hang out at my ce?"


    "Is that okay Aunt Emily?" Stacy''s eyes sparkled as she looked at her. Amy felt like her heart had melted at the girl''s cuteness when she reached over to carry her.


    "No, let her walk", Ste gestured with her eyes at Amy''s stomach.


    Amy nodded before Ste let down Stacy. The little one said goodnight to her elders even to her mother who gave her a kiss on the top of her head. They left walking hand-in-hand. To Amy''s worry, Stacy was quiet the whole time they walked to her ce.


    As she ushered them to her room, she noticed that the little one''s brows were pulled in confusion. She looked at the time and it was a little after eight. Throughout the whole ordeal, they had already had dinner with Alex barely managing a few bites.


    Amy knelt down to face Stacy. "Can you bath yourself or should I help you?"


    "I can handle it. But...." Stacy''s lips were pulled into a cute pout while she yed with her dress. Amy figured something was wrong; was it something she was embarrassed about? She reached out to gently tuck away her brown curls from her face.


    "You can tell me sweetie."


    Stacy rxed when she saw Amy''s gentle smile. "I don''t have my pajamas with me... And my mommy brushes my hair before I sleep."


    "We can sort out the pajamas. As for the hair, how about I brush it for you? You can help me brush mine", Amy suggested.


    Stacy''s eyes lit up from the idea before she quickly nodded in enthusiasm making Amyugh. Amy let her use her bathtub to bath while she rammaged through her wardrobe as she looked for a blouse that could work as a dress for Stacy. When she found one, she went to check on Stacy who was done before drying her up and helping her into the blouse.<sub> </sub>


    Amy settled her down on the stool in front of her dressing table. She took ab and stood behind her before she started brushing Stacy''s hair. The little task felt so satisfying under Amy''s fingers she suddenly started to wish for a girl. She felt giddy at the thought of brushing her possibly daughter''s hair in the future.


    "Aunt Emily, what''s this?" Stacy pointed at a cosmetic bottle.


    "Oh! That''s a toner", Amy answered. She was about to exin what it is when the toddler asked her more questions.


    "What''s a toner? And what about this one?"


    She patiently exined the use for it in the simplest way before answering all her questions. Stacy was intrigued by the many face products Amy had. Even though she preferred to use minimal makeup, she needed to have good skin first in order to achieve that hence the many facial products.


    Soon they were done and Amy tucked her into bed. She decided to have her bath once she puts the little one to sleep. Stacy only agreed after Amy promised to let her brush her hair the next day in the morning.


    "Aunt Emily, can I ask you something?" Stacy looked cute from the way Amy bundled her up under the sheets. Amy hummed in response.


    "Does mommy hate Ian? Is that why she hit him?"


    Amy fell quiet and hummed in thought as her brain wracked the simplest way to help her understand. "Mmm, your mommy doesn''t hate him. It''s just that Ian did something bad that upset her, that''s why."


    "Does that mean mommy will hit me too if I do something bad?"


    "No, sweetie. Mm, Stacy, let me ask you a question. Do you ever get so upset sometimes you throw things away like say your favorite toy?"


    "Yeah."


    "Does that mean you hate it? What about when you''re not angry anymore?"


    "No, I don''t hate it. And I feel bad afterwards."


    "Right? So sometimes, we do things out of anger; things that weter feel bad about once we''re not angry anymore. Which is why we shouldn''t do things when we''re angry. Your mother is no exception. I can assure you that she feels bad for hitting your brother but they''ll talk about it and everything will be okay again. What''s my point? Your mother loves you both so much she would never intentionally hurt you. But if you do something bad, tell her about it and how sorry you are. I''m sure she won''t be angry with you or hit you."


    "Okay Aunt Emily. I understand", Stacy nodded.


    "Good. Now go to sleep, we have to wake up early tomorrow so you can help me get ready for work", she coaxed her to which Stacy nodded.


    "Can you read me a story? Mommy always reads me one or sings to me."


    "Mm... I don''t have a book but I can sing you a song", Amy suggested.


    The only song she could think of was one for her cupcake. ''I guess I''ll sing for you both'', she mused. When she got Stacy''s approval, she started singing while gently patting the top of the sheets. Under Amy''s singing her cupcake''s ''I choose you'', Stacy quickly sumbed to sleep and went off to Dreand.

 Chapter 90 Dylan, Who Is He?

    "Bye Aunt Emily! See you next Sunday! Bye Grandma!" Stacy waved from the car window in the back seat as Alex drove away.


    The two adults waved at the little one before hopping into Ste''s car. Amy took in the older woman''s features. All the stress seemed to have dissipated. Amy rxed when she saw this. It seemed things were sorted out but she still asked.


    "How did it gost night?" Amy asked as she hooked on her seatbelt.


    Ste sighed as she pulled out of the driveway. "We had a long talk with him. Ian made sure she understands that his decision to move out did not mean she was a bad mother. He says he''s still trying to figure out what he wants in life and he wants to be responsible for his decisions and actions like an adult so moving out is the probable answer. And he won''t ept any financial help, he wants to make it out on his own."


    Amy nodded. That didn''t sound too bad but she had no opinion on the matter. He sounded like he knew what he was doing. But then:


    "Did he say why he disappeared?"


    Ste chuckled when she heard this and shook her head looking amused. "He was with a girl. Ian spent the night out with a girl! You should have seen how happy Richard and I were. Could she be the one you were asking me about?"


    "Yes, she''s a regr at the library."


    "Really? I know almost all our regrs so how do I not know her? I''m sure I would have noticed."


    "That''s because they were always in the storeroom", Amy muttered as she looked outside.


    Screech!


    The car suddenly came to a stop when Ste hit the brakes in the middle of the road. She actually heard her! Amy turned and was ready to apologise when she saw an amused smile on the older woman''s face. ''Did I miss something?'' Amy mused.


    "The storeroom? What were they doing in that little space? It can''t be what I''m thinking right now, is it?" A sly smile stretched on her lips. Amy sighed when she saw this and nodded away to which Steughed as she resumed driving while pping the steering. "Wow! Like grandfather like grandson! How can they be so alike?"


    "What do you.... Oh! Ew! Ste!" Amy''s face scrunched up in disgust. Why is this woman like this?


    "What? It was a gift from my husband''s when I opened the library. We had to bless and mark every corner", she had a huge smile on and her eyes sparkled as she reminisced on those find memories.


    Amy reached for the radio and turned it up. Her face was burning red from embarrassment. She would never get used to Ste''s bluntness. Thetter broke into an amusedughter when she saw Amy''s reaction. But that just encouraged her to keep bragging about hers and Richard''s little adventures.


    Amy felt relieved when they arrived at the library. She went to settle down on her desk.


    "Oh! We did it there too."


    "Ugh!" Amy''s butt was inches away from the seat when she immediately stood up. She red at the older woman who was still bragging about her bedroom adventures.


    Steughed again when she saw this. "Gosh! I''m pulling your leg!!!"<sub> </sub>


    Amy let out a tired sigh. It was barely 8 in the morning and this woman was driving her crazy. But her sigh came too soon when she heard Ste speak.


    "Like the way Richard pulled my leg when-"


    "Okay! To your office! You''re done!" Amy marched out from her desk and ushered the very amused Ste to her office. She just could not stand it any longer especially when her active mind kept painting vivid pictures.


    While the library echoed with Amy and Ste''sughter, Dn''s room back in Rome echoed with a whole different sound. The sound of his grunts and moans were drained out by the sound of skin pping and a woman''s moans.


    He had her naked body bent over the edge of the bed while he pummeled from behind. The woman''s red manicured nails clutched the sheets tightly and she bit them with her white teeth as she grunted and moaned from his hard strokes.


    "Ah! Yessssss!" She cried out while clutching the sheets harder. Dn growled when he heard her moan.


    Sweat dripped down from her forehead and her head resembled a bird''s nest from having her hair pulled by him in between their trysts. Both were breathing heavily and Dn''s body glistened with sweat. The room was littered by used condoms with their juices leaking out. For a woman who was a clean freak, she had no time to be bothered by this when Dn''s meat was buried inside her warmth stretching her in ways she had never imagined.


    "Dn!" She cried out in warning. He got the message and quickened his strokes before they both cried out in climax.


    "Ah!" Dn shot out his seed inside her.


    He pulled out and threw the condom on the floor before dragging them both fully into bed. She was so spent from all the fucking she had no energy to move. Dn took her in his arms before taking a cigarette and lighter from his nightstand drawer and lighting it up.


    "Me too", she spoke as she settled her head on his chest.


    He dragged and puffed out a smoke before handing her the cigarette to do the same.


    "I''m taking your innocence in so many ways. Now, I''ve got you smoking", he chuckled in amusement.


    She pped his chest as sheughed while smoke came out of her mouth. Theirugh died out and the room fell silent as the two shared the cigarette. In the dark room, both of them had their thoughts on their worries as they calmed down from their love making.


    "Dn?" She called out to which he hummed in response. "Aldo probably knows I''m with you, but I''m worried. If he finds you, he will kill you."


    Dn took the cigarette from her and dragged before puffing out a smoke. As her gaze was fixed on the wall ahead distracted by the countless scenarios her mind created, she didn''t see theplex emotions that shed in Dn''s eyes. Even if she saw, she would never guess what was going on through his mind.


    "Don''t worry Esmeralda, I won''t be the one getting killed."


    Esmeralda was shocked by the coldness in his tone. She lifted her head to look at him. Even though their was that yful element about him, the way he spoke just now, it sent a terrible shiver down her spine. This man, just who is he?

 Chapter 91 Play Time Is Over

    "Ian?" Amy was genuinely surprised when she saw him walk into the library.


    After two days of not seeing him after the fiasco, she thought she would never see him again. She couldn''t see the spark in his bangs shielded eyes when he saw her smile in surprise. She looked in Ste''s office''s direction and saw there was no sign of the womaning through before she looked back at him.


    "Hi, Emily."


    "Hi, it''s good to see you", she really felt so.


    Ian lowered his head to hide the tinge of red on his cheeks. He cleared his throat and regainedposure before looking up at her.


    "Thank you, for the talk."


    Amy waved her hand in dismissal. "No. And I''m sorry if I can off a little harsh."


    "A harsh reality is a good wake up call. As the adult between Mona and I, I was being irresponsible not just to her and I, but to everyone."


    "Well, don''t do anything that will get us all worried again", she smiled as she said this. She was pleased with this little change in him. But what happened to him and Mona? Did that incident mean the end for them? She was really curious and was about to ask when he spoke first.


    "You were worried?" His heart started to thud a little too wild.


    "Of course. Why else do you think I went to look for you?"


    Amy failed to see the coloring that settled on his ears. He could not believe it. He thought she was doing it for his grandma so she was genuinely worried. The thought sent his heart into overdrive. But her words soon settled into his mind.


    "About that... How did you find us? Our phones were off and we used cash, so how?"


    She only smiled at him, leaving everything to his imagination. Ste walked overing in from the bathroom. Her face was pulled into a grown and she crossed her arms against her chest as she shook her head in disapproval.


    "You actually came! Do you not want to share with me that much? I''m your grandma", She tsked at him in disapproval as she leaned against Amy''s desk.


    Ian let out a tired sigh when he heard his grandma''s words.


    "I''ll get to work", he excused himself and went to his work station. Amy watched the exchange in clear amusement. Ste looked back at Amy who gave her a questioning gaze with brows raised.


    "He was so adamant about not receiving financial help from us he wanted to find a job elsewhere. But he finally agreed toe back only if I stop pestering him about his little trysts in the storeroom. That punk! Would it kill him to share some tea? I mean what did they do and how much did they do in that small space? That''s all I want to know. Is that too much to ask?" She huffed out a breath in frustration.<sub> </sub>


    "You know you''re a weird Grandma?" Amy arched her brow.


    "So I''ve been told", Ste was smiling as she reached over to get some peanuts from Amy''s desk. She seemed pleased than offended by the im. She took a few more peanuts and reached for the crackers with cheese slices. She moaned at thebination and Amy watched with an amused smile.


    "What?" Ste asked before stuffing cheese and crackers in her mouth.


    "For someone who says I eat a lot these days.....", Amy finished her sentence with a shake of her head.


    "Emily, you know it''s rude to call ady fat", Ste''s brows were knitted as she reached out for more crackers.


    Amy was about to call her out on her hypocrisy when her phone chimed. While Ste ate, she lifted up her phone and took a look at her new mail. ''Interesting'', she mused. She was drawn to the sound of the paper pack of crackers when she looked down.


    "Do you want to take that with you?" She arched her brow.


    "No, I''m done here", she picked up one more before leaving for her office.


    Amy peered into the pack, before she shook her head. Ste had left her four crackers out of twenty. Good think she came prepared. She fished out herptop and set it up on her desk before getting another pack of crackers and cheese slices.


    A gamepany justpleted developing a new game. They hired their top gamers to test it out and only experienced glitches. Amy''s job was to fix them and upgrade the system too. But what she found amusing was the client telling her they hoped she would be done in a week''s time before the NYC Corporate g that would be held in two weeks.


    ''It''s that time again'', she mused as she looked at the game system.


    This was the time she and Dn were the most busy becausepanies like one that had just contacted her would write to her seeking their assistance. This event was crucial for many businesses seeking to raise funds. She sighed already thinking of the many clients they would receive. With that thought, she sent a message to Dn.


    A.J: It''s that time of the year. Are you busy or am I doing this myself?


    Amy went back to looking at the game system. She was so immersed she had forgotten to check if Dn had replied. Dn on the other hand, was too busy getting himself lost between Esmeralda''s legs.


    Unbeknownst to the two, Aldo had just gotten good news. He was currently in his office looking down at the drunk customers and strippers entertaining them. His second inmand whispered something before showing him a picture of Esmeralda going into Dn''s appartment building and another of Dn going in a bitter.


    "She hasn''t been seen leaving the building since that day", the second inmand concluded his report.


    Aldo''s lips slowly lifted into a sly smile. "y time is over."

 Chapter 92 Target Locked...

    A pair of blue eyes fluttered open to the blinding lighting in from the floor to ceiling window. A hand run through a bush of blue hair on one''s head. Dn looked over to Esmeralda lying beside him leaving her bare milky white back exposed to him.


    Her body formed an S shape as shey on her side with a white bed sheet covering her from her waist downwards. Dn could not resist the beautiful scene before him. He leaned forward and kissed her shoulder before tucking her hair behind her ear before he pressed his lips on her earlobe.


    He saw her lips lift and a contented sigh escaped her lips as she rxed back into sleep. With that, he got out of bed in his naked glory and took leisurely steps to the bathroom where he took a shower.


    He didn''t take longer than five minutes before he came out in a towel. Esmeralda was still sleeping but this time she had turned over exposing her breasts to him as her chest rose and fell from her steady breathing. She was a breath taking sight. Dn knew it deep down that this woman could only belong to him and no one else.


    He dressed up in a dark blue pair of trousers and a white shirt whose sleeves he had rolled up. He left the first three buttons undone to expose his smooth chest. He went to the kitchen and took out some fresh ingredients from the fridge and pantry to make breakfast.


    He threw on an apron before whipping up a pancake mixture. With a little oil in the pan, he poured a little bit of the pancake mixture. The man had a concentrated expression as he flipped over the first pancake.


    "Mmm", Esmeralda hummed as she wrapped her arms around him from behind.


    He felt the warmth of her body from such close contact. He ced the ready pancake aside and switched off the cooker before turning to face her. She looked up from his embrace and cutely pouted her lips at him.


    "Good morning", he pecked her lips. He took in what she was wearing and a frown settled on his face. "What did I say about this?"


    She looked down before a tinge of red spread on her cheeks. "Dn, it''s too embarrassing to do it."


    "Come on, it''s for my eyes only. Be good."


    She sighed before releasing herself from his embrace and letting go of the robe. He smiled when she pressed her now nude body against his clothed one. She smacked his chest when she saw his smile.


    "And why are you all dressed up?" she whined. She had taken in his attire when she had walked into the kitchen earlier.


    ? "I''m going somewhere."


    Her head shot up and she looked into his eyes as worry settled on her features. "Where?"


    "To the park."


    "Dn, you''re being careless."


    He arched his brow and lips lifted in amusement. "Am I? Listen, I have some work to do and I''ll be back before you know it. Now", his voice deepened and he lifted her into his arms. "Whates first? Your breakfast or mine?"


    Esmeralda blushed when Dn stressed the worde. She would never get used to his corny jokes. But he didn''t give her time to dwell as he lifted her onto the counter andy her there.<sub> </sub>


    Three hourster


    In West Vige


    "Make sure you get plenty of rest. I think you''ve been working too hard that''s why you''re like this", Ste looked at Amy with a frown.


    The young woman was still in a silky robe covering her pajamas underneath as she escorted the older woman out of her house.


    "Don''t worry, this is a small matter. I''ll be fine."


    "Don''t forget to eat. You need the energy", Ste reminded as she stepped out of the door. Amy nodded with a little enthusiasm trying to lessen Ste''s worries. Thetter took in her form and her eyesnded on Amy''s little baby bump.


    "Maybe I should stay with you", Ste''s eyes reflected her worry.


    "Ste, go to work and I promise, I''ll call you if anything. All I need is rest. Stop worrying and go to work. We''ll be fine, alright?"


    Ste could only relent seeing the determined look on Amy''s face before she went on into her car. She gave her one more worried nce hoping Amy would change her mind but thetter just shooed her away. With a sigh, she drove off to work.


    Amy walked back in and closed the door behind her before letting out a sigh in relief. She took snacks and rushed to her bedroom where she shut the door behind her. Now that Ste has been gotten rid of, she could focus back on the issue at hand. She settled into bed where herptop and phone awaited her. She looked at Dn''s response to the previous day''s message which had arrived about an hour ago.


    Dn: Boss, call me.


    She quickly set up a connection with him and the call went through.


    Back in Rome, Dn was at a park seated on a bench with one leg''s ankle resting atop the knee of the other. He had hisptop on his thigh and earphones on while his eyes were shielded by dark shades from the zing sun.


    Unbeknownst to him, a man had set up his sniper rifle on top of a building that was a few hundred meters from the park. He aimed his gun at Dn''s head. It was a clear shot, there were barely people walking around the area he chose. This sniper''s job had never been so easy than in that moment.


    "Target locked", he smirked as he looked through the sniper lens with his good eye. At the same time, Dn had just secured the connection with his boss.


    "Boss, I have news. Something is going to happen at this year''s Corporate G", Dn reported with a knowing smirk ying on his pink thin lips.


    Right in that moment, the sniper took his shot.

 Chapter 93 A Waste Of Resources

    Half an hour ago


    Esmeralda was humming away to a tune as she vacuumed away Dn''s ce. Although he had told her not to do any work, she could not just stay and do nothing. Plus, it was quite therapeutic for her.


    Never in a million years did she ever think she would find herself willingly locked up by a man. Well, not a man as gorgeous as Dn. But why was she so attracted to him? Was it the mystery? The confidence? The fact that she could be herself around him? She was not sure, but she could not help but be drawn to him.


    She felt her throat go dry and beelined for the kitchen. She pressed on the fridge doors and they opened before she reached for a water bottle. She unscrewed the cap and started drinking. She walked over to the kitchen window to take in the outside view as she downed the water. But something caught her eye.


    "Oh! My god!" she gasped. She discarded the water bottle and went to get her phone which was in their bedroom and dialedfor Dn''s number who picked up on the first ring.


    "Miss me already?" He teased.


    "Dn, we''ve got trouble. Aldo''s people are here", she whispered as though they would be able to hear her.


    The young woman was struck with fear and her heart almost burst out of her chest as she paced around the room. It was all over. Aldo would definitely not spare them. She had rxed because Dn made her feel that way; that the dangers were far away but reality had just pped her in the face.


    "Where?" There was a sharpness in his tone.


    "Downstairs. They are patrolling the building. I''m sure they''ll make a move soon. Dn, don''te back. Run away. He won''t do anything if it''s just me here. Please run away as far as possible. I''ll try to send you your travel docu-"


    "Esmeralda, calm down", he coaxed her.


    "How can I be calm? Why are you so calm? Dn I''m serious! Let me send you a picture-"


    ? "No need for that. I believe you. But listen to me, nothing will happen. I promise you that", his tone was gentle and oddily reassuring. Shouldn''t he panic? She felt herself start to calm down but she didn''t want to. The situation outside said otherwise.


    "Dn", she started but was unsure of what to say. He sounded so sure of himself. It was this element about him that made him so attractive to her.


    "Do you trust me?" He asked.


    "I trust you", she uttered without a second thought.


    ''Nothing will happen'', she chanted his words. But thirty minutester, a sniper had just taken his shot at the park Dn was at.


    "What happened? Did you get him?" Aldo''s second inmand barked into the phone.


    The only response he got was silence. He moved the phone from his ear and looked at the screen. The call was still running. His brows knitted in confusion as he ced it back to his ear.


    "Hello? Can you hear me?" He called out but silence was all he got.


    "Sergio, what happened?" Aldo called out to his second inmand. The annoyance was clear in his tone. He was standing in his office and ncing down at his customers downstairs howling as they enjoyed their time with the strippers and the alcohol.<sub> </sub>


    It was just the night before they had tracked down Dn''s location. They would have gone right away to rescue them but a deal had gone wrong and they were trying to contain the damage of the blood bath their enemies had started at the same time trying not to alert the authorities.


    Once that was sorted, he sent out men to Dn''s ce. He received word that the man had left for the park down town and that Esmeralda was home alone.


    He sent a rescue team and arranged for a sniper to take out the man at the park. This was a sniper who could take out his target even if the target was in a speeding car. He never missed his shot. So should Dn try any of his tricks, he would not escape this man.


    Aldo never thought Dn would be so careless after they had gone after him some nights before. He must have let down his guard after ying that trick on them. Well, Aldo would just use that to his advantage.


    "There''s no word from him. I heard him take the shot but he isn''t giving any word of confirmation. He''s supposed to do that for us to give him the remaining deposit for the job", Sergio reported.


    Aldo''s brows knitted in confusion. "What about the men we sent to his apartment? Did they find Esmeralda?"


    "Let me check", Sergio responded. He disconnected the call with the sniper and dialed for the team lead assigned the task of rescuing Esmeralda. He was already anxious when the phone started ringing but his anxiety only worsened when the call went unanswered. He dialed the number again. No answer. He tried for the other men. No answer.


    With a lot of hesitation, he turned to look at his boss unsure of what to tell the man. Aldo started to have a bad feeling the moment Sergio looked at him in confusion. It can''t be? Could Dn have misled them by making them think he had let his guard down when he had actually outsmarted them?


    A phone started to ring. Both men were on alert. Aldo stared at the unknown number name tag disying on his phone screen. He had a moment of hesitation whether to take the call or not. But he still took it. Before he could utter a word, he heard an unfamiliar deep voice speaking in a tone that sent a cold shiver down his spine that made him feel inferior to the person.


    "Were you going to get rid of me without paying for what you owe?" The voice spoke.


    Aldo''s brows knitted in clear displeasure inciting a curious look from Sergio. The person had balls to call him and utter such nonsense. He wanted to speak when the person beat him to it again.


    "Wondering who I am? Your men can''t get into my apartment even if they wanted to, your sniper, well, what an amateur", Dn chuckled. He knew Aldo had figured out it was him and sure enough Aldo''s expression had turned ugly. He could easily burn a hole into the ss wall before him with his re.


    "I want to meet you. Since you know where I live, meet me there. But give me an hour, no two hours, one hour to take care of what I came out to do and the other for Esmeralda''s p*ssy to recharge me", Dn startedughing like he had just cracked a good joke.


    "You assfu-"


    Toot. Toot. Toot.


    Aldo hurled his phone against the wall, smashing it into pieces. His chest rose and fell as he red at the bits and pieces of the phone lying on the floor. Sergio, who had no idea what the phone was about, looked at his boss in confusion and fear. But he dared not to say any word and waited for his boss to calm down.


    Aldo was fuming and his face was quickly turning red. His mind yed different scenarios but what stuck out and infuriated him was that of Dn forcing himself onto the innocent Esmeralda! He had taken her innocence! And God knows what else that fucker was doing to his woman! He would show that Dn!


    His phone chimed and he quickly opened the message.


    Unknown number: Don''t bother sending your men to me. That will be wasting some good resources.


    What did Dn do this time?

 Chapter 94 Dylan Has A Date With Esmeralda And Aldo

    Amy received a notification sound. She was seated on her bed and her fingers danced around theptop keyboard. Dn had just sent her some data. It was the Italian organization''s information.


    They are called the Dark waters. They are an underworld organization operating in Italy mainly dealing with drugs, illegal arms, and had recently gone into human trafficking and it seemed the authorities were onto them on this one.


    Amy could guess they had killed a lot to stay in this business. They were currently running Italy through the strip clubs they had opened in different parts of the country. They had a leader, named King. But there was no information on him or her. His second inmand, however, was more active. His aliaswas Sparrow. Dn managed to gather his information.


    Theputer notified her of Dn''s request to connect to herputer. She intercepted right away. He had earlier asked to terminate the connection for him to send her the data and because he hadpany to take care of. She could not imagine how dangerous the situation he was in. She needed to send him away soon otherwise she just could no longer risk his life.


    "What did you mean?" She asked as her eyes skimmed through the information. It was a lot and very overwhelming but she had all day.


    "When you sent me here, you could probably guess that those people were connected to the Dark Waters?" He asked.


    "Of course."


    "Well, you were right. They are one as in their leader is one and the same, the King, but they can''t just infiltrate each other''s countries. That would be too suspicious especially the guys here whose activities are being monitored because of the human trafficking. So the easiest way..."


    "The corporate g", Amy answered.


    The corporate g allowed and presented investment opportunities to different businesses. The big shots in the business industries like Zachery Frost, who were hard to meet, would be present and other people would have the chance to mingle with such ones and possibly impress them with a business idea. They would be able to gain an investment or form partnerships on certain projects with the big guys. Of course, this was notpulsory. Some people went there to simply have an overview of what''s going on in the business world and gain a bit more knowledge and insight.


    For the Dark Waters, they would use the corporate g to ''form'' a partnership in the name of an investment for their current project. This was something mostpanies did. Oncepleted, they can operate in Italy and U.S.A without seeming suspicious. To the outside world, it would be viewed as a great way to contribute to each country''s economic development when in truth.....


    Amy shook her head. "Unbelievable."


    "Yeah. And they will send the gentleman whose information I''ve just sent you", he said.


    Amy looked through the data and found the person''s information. "Aldo Torre. But he''s only the second inmand. You would think the King would personally want to take care of this to make sure nothing goes wrong", she shook her head.


    She was sure the King had been notified of her knowledge on their dealings. Another reality check reminding her that she could not rx. Worry overtook her as she nced down at her baby bump. The more she digs into these people, the more she feels it''s too dangerous for her cupcake and Zachery.


    She sighed before looking back at theputer screen. As she looked through the data, she noticed something odd.


    "Dn, who told you they would send Aldo? I have all of the organization''s activities but nothing on that."


    "Well, I caught some of their men and forced the information of them", his tone was haughty as he spoke. Quite a brag.


    She rolled her eyes. "Say something believable."


    "Fine. I''m sleeping with Aldo''s girl", he grumbled.


    "What did I say about attracting trouble? Dn-"<sub> </sub>


    "I know. I know. But she''s so hot boss!"


    "You''re a technician before a womanizer. Use your hands to get information not your d*ck."


    "I do use my hands..... and sometimes my d*ck. Well more of thetter."


    Amy groaned in frustration. "Why do I have you for an assistant?"


    "Well, I''m likeable..... and fuckable. But boss, you''d understand me if you saw her. If anything you''d steal her away from me. You sound more like a cassanova than I am."


    Amy''s lips twitched. "How would you know when you''ve never met me?"


    "That voice of yours. Don''t ever hack my phone when she''s around! Anyway, I have to go. I have something to take care of."


    "Leave Aldo''s woman alone", she warned. "I can''t rescue you from there. And start making ns to leave that ce. These guys are more dangerous than I thought. By the way, did you take care of thepany you had?"


    "I shook them off. I''m safe where I am, don''t worry."


    "Good. Just stay safe. And leave Aldo''s woman alone! Go home! Alone!" She stressed thest word. She could not help but worry for him. His womanizing behavior would get him in trouble and these people were not ones to trifle with.


    She heard him chuckle. "Boss, how did you know I was on my way to do her?"


    He terminated the connection before she could say another word. ''This punk'', Amy mused as she went back to reading through the information.


    Well, that punk''s yful expression disappeared immediately the connection was terminated; to be reced by a cold one. He thought back to the call he had made to Also and a smirk snaked its way onto his lips. He had two dates to attend: one with Esmeralda and another with Aldo.


    He took out his phone and dialed her number. She picked up on the first ring. He could not imagine how stressed out she was during the past hour.


    "Dn?"


    "I''m done here. I''ll be there in ten minutes."


    "Dn! Those people are still down there. They''ll hurt you! Why won''t you listen to me?" She started sobbing into the phone.


    Something tugged at his heart strings when he heard her cry. "Ssh! It''s okay. Don''t cry. Remember what I said the other day and earlier?"


    That he would not be the one getting killed and that she should trust him. She remembered this. When he received her silence followed by a sniffle as a response, a warm smile stretched on his lips.


    "Don''t worry baby, I''m not going anywhere."

 Chapter 95 I Trust You

    Esmeralda gasped in fear when she heard the familiar unlocking sound of the door. Although Dn had the key card, she had seen Aldo''s men lurking around the building. They had kept her on the edge leaving her wondering when they would make a move and it seems they finally are.


    She let out a shaky breath as she fastened her hold on a kitchen knife and peered outside the bedroom through the slot of a space between the wardrobe doors she hid behind. She picked up on foot stepsing in from the living room soon approaching the bedroom.


    "Esmeralda?"


    "That''s Dn!" She whispered in surprise.


    Dn had just set down hisptop on the ss coffee table before he made way for the bedroom. He was buffled by the fact that she had note out to wee him as usual but because of the situation downstairs, he understood her. Where could she be hiding?


    "Oh! My gosh! Dn!"


    The woman sprung out of the wardrobe with a knife dangling carelessly in her hands as she run out to meet him. Dn was startled when he saw her and frowned when he saw the knife and the fear in her eyes.


    "Whoa! Whoa! Calm down!" He got rid of the knife and threw it far away from them before pulling her into his arms. "You''re pretty little hands shouldn''t handle things like that. Never again! Understood?"


    "What happened? How did you get in? Are you hurt?" She pulled away from his embrace and her fearful eyes scanned him for any injuries from head to toe.


    Dn''s heart melted when he saw this and cupped her cheeks to let her face him. "I''m fine. Stop worrying. You must have been scared."


    She buried herself back into his embrace and soon Dn heard her soft sobs. He sighed when he heard this as he rubbed soothing circles on her back. If she''s like this already, what more when Aldoes over? He started to worry over her.


    "My Angel,ter on, you''ll have to be a little brave", he said.


    "Why? What''s happeningter?" She asked with a sniffle.


    He was about to speak when his phone started ringing. With the woman in his arms, he freed one hand to fish out his phone from his trouser pocket. His brows knitted when he saw the caller ID.


    "Mm.... Fine", he sighed before hanging up.


    Esmeralda lifted her head and gave him a curious gaze. "Who was that?"


    "We have a guest. Quite an impatient fe", Dn red into space.


    "A guest? Who?"


    Dn was quiet as he took in Esmeralda''s face. Her eyes had widened with evident curiosity shining in them. He had just got her to rx but she would fall into panic again. But this meeting was especially inevitable. So he uttered the one word he knew would send her into panic. But this time, would be thest.


    "Aldo."


    No sooner as he uttered that name, they both heard the sound of the door unlocking. A ck haired man walked into the apartment and his eyes darted about looking for the person who had sent him into a fit of rage.


    Esmeralda gasped when she saw a very pissed of Aldo walking in with bodyguards carrying guns. Dn was calm as he still held his woman in his arms. His gaze was gentle as he looked down at her.


    "My angel, why don''t you go and dress up. We have guests after all."


    Esmeralda got a move on to change out of her shirt and booty shorts when she heard Aldo''s scoff. Dn turned to shield his view from her retreating figure. His smile was maniacal as he took in Aldo''s pissed off expression.


    "We finally meet", Dn stuffed his hands into his pockets with little care of the situation.


    "And it''s going to be thest", Aldo responded with a sinister smile.


    Back in West Vige


    Amy was juggling between going through the information Dn had sent her and handling some jobs from clients. She stretched out her arms, cracked her fingers and twisted her neck left and right before rolling her shoulders back in rxation. It''s a good thing she took a day off in the name of getting rest although she wasn''t getting any of that.<sub> </sub>


    The King, the leader of the Dark Waters, there was really no trace of him. As long as people were connected to the digital world, there was nothing and no one Amy could not find except for this guy. Maybe because she wasn''t in Italy. Going there would be suicidal and she can''t put her baby at risk.


    Amy sighed as she leaned back against her headboard. Her phone chimed notifying her of a new message.


    Ahismine@***: Are we forgetting something wifey?


    Her heart skipped a bit when she saw the term of address he used on her. He had been doing this since a few days ago but it still made her feel giddy. But what was she forgetting? She looked at the time and it was a little after five in the evening. She had been buried in work all day. Then she gasped, she forgot to check in.


    Ajtlh@***: Shoot! I''ve been so busy today I forgot. I''m sorry.


    Ahismine@***: Don''t stress about it. What were you so busy with?


    Ajtlh@***: I can''t text. Let me connect to your phone.


    She still had a lot to do. She set up a connection to Zach''s phone before she resumed working on her tasks. Zach could hear the frantic typinging from her end of the line. He was currently on his way home from work. His heart did summersaults in anticipation. She had no idea how much her actions soothed his yearning heart.


    "Hey", she called out before yawning.


    Zach frowned when he heard the fatigue in her voice. "What''s keeping you so busy?"


    "Work. There are so many jobs that need to be done before the Corporate g", she responded.


    "Corporate g? I think ourpany was invited", he was unsure even as he spoke.


    They received invites every year and each time, he sent Xavier to represent thepany because he would rather spend time getting more work done. He was sure his brother had received the invite already. But hearing Amy mention it, does that mean she would be there? That means he has to go. He was about to ask when she spoke first.


    "Looking to make an investment? Just be extra careful if you are", she warned. The warning bells had gone off when she heard him say they were invited.


    Zach''s lips turned up in amusement. "I didn''t know my wife was interested in Corporate Finance."


    "I''m not. It''s just that...", She was not sure if she should say.


    She knew about him and theirpany, under Zach''s control, Frost Corporation had done everything by the book so she knew they were not involved in any shady business. But she didn''t know if the Dark waters and those people simply wanted to form an alliance between the two or would bring in more investors into their scheme.


    Zach and hispany would benefit them should he invest and vice versa but she knew how this would end. She would hate for him to face his downfall when she could have stopped it.


    Zach patiently waited for her to speak although his heart said otherwise. He felt like she was about to tell him something important.


    "If you''re going to make an investment, stay away from anyone or anything associated with Greco Pharmaceuticals and Co."


    Her heart thudded when she finished speaking. It would be absurd to expect him to not ask questions because anyone else would be curious after what she said topped with her disappearance. But she was surprised when Zach gave her a resolute:


    "Okay."


    "You won''t ask any questions? What if you were interested in investing in them?" Her brows rose in pure surprise.


    "No. Even if I were, if you say I shouldn''t then I won''t."


    "Zachery", Amy felt bad. How could he be like this?


    "Amy, I trust you."

 Chapter 96 An Excuse To Meet His Mothers Friend

    The next day, Zach woke up bright and early. He had kept his wifepany as she worked and throughout dinner until he talked her into getting some sleep when it gotte into the night. Although she had rxed when he didn''t question her warning, it didn''t mean he had rxed.


    Yes, he trusted her, but she had just given him the biggest clue as to who was after her. His mind was spinning from thinking about the name she had given him. He needed to know who was after his wife, to understand the danger. ''Greco'', he mused as he made his way to the training room.


    His men were already waiting for him while they warmed up. The training room was a huge studioprising of a boxing ring, an open space with a mat for , there was a section of the wall that had weapons for training, and a room for lockers and showers.


    Zach was in his training gear in the color ck. His expression was serious as he wore his fingerless gloves. ''Greco Pharmaceuticals'', that name kept ringing in his head. The men looked at each other and a knowing smirk stretched on Raphy''s lips. This was the first time they saw their boss distracted.


    "Seems like boss is distracted", Raphy whispered to Gomez.


    "Training should be easy today", Gomez smirked.


    Throughout the times they had trained with Zach, they had never managed to beat him one on one. They would easily take him as a group but he fought them in pairs and he always whooped their asses. It seems today, the heavens were on their side.


    Raphy nodded in agreement. It seemed that would be the case. All the men were energetic as they warmed up on the spots they stood. They had formed a circle around their distracted boss who was still fixing his gloves. Then, he did ae at me gesture at the first pair who were Gomez and Raphy. Yes, he was distracted. But they soon learned that his distraction came with frustration which he took out on them.


    At the end of the training, Zach left his men panting, sweating and groaning in pain while he seemed to be in a better mood. He had a resolved look on his face as he discarded the towel he used to wipe off sweat. He took his phone and dialed for George''s number.


    "I have a job for you."


    That one sentence was enough to get rid of the sleep that George had. He sat up straight in bed and listened intently.


    "I need all the information on Greco Pharmaceuticals before the Corporate g. I especially need to know what they''re working on right now", Zach ordered.


    "Yes sir."


    "But, be discreet", he warned.


    "Noted, sir."


    Zach ended the call and dialed for his brother. It rung for a few times before he answered. His voice was groggy as he spoke.


    "Zach, it''s five in the morning! Come on!" Xavier groaned.


    "Did we get invited to this year''s Corporate g?" Zach ignored Xavier''sints.


    "You could have asked me that at the office! I''ve only slept for two hours", he whined.


    "Yes or no."


    "Yes. Why? Why do you ask?"


    "I''m going", he said simply.


    "What? You? Why would you do that? You hate the corporate g because you said it''s full of pretentious people. What''s changed?"


    "Just know that I''m going", he said before hanging up.


    Xavier got out of bed withst night''s shirt and trousers still on him. He had been workingte and only slept around three this morning. But all his sleep had disappeared because of Zach''s call. It was good thing he asked because it reminded him of his ns with his mother today. He dialed for his mother''s number.


    "Xavie, it''s five in the morning", came Victoria''s grumpy and groggy morning voice.


    "Are we still on for today?" He asked.<sub> </sub>


    He heard her gasp. "Sorry Xavie, I forgot. I made ns to meet Nicole for brunch."


    Xavier felt like the world had stopped and that his heart had plummeted into his stomach. It was thudding wildly nheless. There was no sign of her on social media and he had regretted not following into whom his mother had metst time. Now, an opportunity had presented itself. He could not help his curiosity over his mother''s new friend whose name was simr to the beauty who gave him a wild but unforgettable Sunday.


    "You guys can meet first then you both can meet meter."


    "Hey! Are you not just doing this so you can seduce my friend?" Victoria voiced her obvious suspicion. She expected his goofyugh that usually have him away but Xavier was oddily serious when he responded.


    "No. I just want you to enjoy your friend''spany. And I''ll leave you two alone once my outfit is sorted out."


    "Oh. Okay then. I''ll call you."


    With that, the phone call ended. The unsuspecting Victoria would have passed out from shock had she seen the sigh of relief her son let out soon as the call ended. Xavier felt like he had been holding his breath the whole time he was speaking to his mom.


    Without wasting a second, he got out of bed and went to shower and get ready for work. After dressing up, he left the house in a sh without having his breakfast or letting his Butler escort him out.


    "Sir!" The butler called out.


    "Later Jeffrey!" Xavier answered as he jumped into his car in a haste.


    He had a lot of work to do this morning in order to amodate his mother''s schedule. All this to see the woman who sent his heart racing whenever he heard her name. It had to be her.


    "Argh!" A scream was heard from upstairs.


    Jeffrey turned his back on the departing car and rushed up stairs where the scream came from. When he got to where the source of the scream was, he found two maids staring into Xavier''s room with their mouths hanging open and faces horrified. He looked around and he too mirrored their expressions.


    "This.... What was Master Xavier doing?" Jeffery uttered in disbelief.


    Everywhere was littered by Xavier''s clothes. It looked like a battlefield. And sure it was, because he had struggled to get the perfect outfit. He was possibly meeting the woman who had been haunting his dreams. So he had to at least put in an effort into his outfit.


    Time had never gone slower for Xavier. He wished he could speed up the meetings and the paperwork. His heart thudded in anxiousness and anticipation each time he nced at his watch. And the moment it hit 12, he left his office.


    Victoria and Xavier had made it a habit to get their outfits done together for any asion since they used the same person to design and customize their outfits. She loved any reason to dress up and the Corporate g was no exception. With this thought, he called his brother.


    "Since you said you''ll join us, should we ask Givenchy to fix up an outfit for you?"


    "No",Zach replied before hanging up.


    Xavier felt like punching his phone. ''Hanging up like you''re the one who called! Tch!'' he mused in irritation. As he red at his phone he saw the time and his nerves kicked in again.


    "Step on it, I''m in a hurry", he told his driver.


    "Yes, sir."


    He took a deep breath. He wanted to distract himself by reading some files on his tablet but his mind could not cooperate. To his dismay, they had arrived at Givenchy New York headquarters and waited for his mother.


    His heart was racing a mile a minute as he waited. Soon, his wait was over and he saw his mother''s ck Bentley pull up beside his. His heart almost leapt out of his chest when he saw the doors open.


    ''She''s here...''

 Chapter 97 Denying Oneself Happiness

    Through his case of nerves, Xavier managed to get himself out of his car. As he walked over to greet the two women, his steps came to a slow down and then stopped when he saw the two women out of the car. One was barely suppressing their annoyance while the other could hardly suppress their joy.


    "Mrs. Howell?" Xavier called out in shock. He looked into the car and the only person remaining was his mom''s driver.


    "Oh! Yes, Xavier. How are you doing dear?" Kris responded with a happy smile.


    "I''m good", he managed to answer. He looked to his mother with brows raised silently asking her what happened.


    Victoria desperately wished she could make Kris vanish in that moment.


    Half an hour ago,


    Victoria and Nicole had met at another caf¨¦ to have their brunch. They were already in the middle of their meal as they shared some light conversation.


    "It just tastes so weird! It feels like rubber on my tongue", Victoria grimaced as she spoke.


    "I know right! I just can''t with mushrooms!!" Nicole agreed with her face mirroring the older woman''s expression.


    "Then there''s Kris! Ugh! You should have seen her at the golf clubst weekend going on about some diet she''s on!" Victoria rolled her eyes.


    Nicole chuckled in amusement. "How and why are you two friends in the first ce?"


    Victoria was about to speak when they both heard a familiar voice speak from above them. "Friends? We are best friends!"


    They both looked up and almost choked on their food. Speak of the devil and he appears in the form of Kristen Howell. She chuckled when she saw their horrified expressions. She knew it! She suspected Victoria to talk about her behind her back and she had just caught her red-handed. The two silently watched Kris signal for a waiter who got her a chair before she upied a spot on their table.


    "I''ll have this sd", she tapped on the menu book before handing it to the waiter who disappeared.


    Victoria mentally scoffed. ''I guess the diet is still going on!''


    "Like you heard, I''m on a diet. Logan will be throwing a surprise party soon where he will propose to his girlfriend, I need to watch my figure", she exined.


    "Oh", Nicole responded quietly.


    Kris gasped almost dramatically. "Did Torrie not tell you? I would have thought she did since it seems she tells you everything about me. I''ll remember to invite you. Anyway, how''s your head? I haven''t seen you since she hit you with a golf ball."


    Nicole forced out augh as she awkwardly picked up a croissant and made sure to avoid contact. Victoria''s fixated her re on the souffle as she forced herself to continue eating. The table fell into awkward silence. Soon the waiter brought Kris''s sd.


    "Thank you", she said with a forced smile at the waiter who left after serving her.


    She looked at the lettuce and her face was almost as green as the food on her te. She had been on this diet for the past week from when her husband had told her she had gained a little weight. The other reason was her genuine excitement over Logan''s soon toe engagement. She wanted to look her best.


    But after eating greens all week, she came out to cheat by buyingfort food but she didn''t think she''d run into Victoria of all people. As long as it was thetter, Kris would always pay attention to her image. She looked at the chocte dripping out of Nicole''s croissant and subconsciously licked her lips.


    "Nicole and I don''t mind sharing", Victoria stared at Kris in amusement.


    Nicole looked at Kris who was flustered as she forked a bite. "No, this is so good", she struggled not to look like she was being forced to eat poop.


    "Really? Suit yourself", Victoria smiled while giving Nicole a knowing look.


    p A phone started to ring and Nicole excused herself from the table to answer the call. The table fell into silence as the two older women ate their food. One clearly enjoyed theirs while the other tried not to throw up. Nicole didn''t take long and came back with worry etched on her features.</anda>


    "What''s wrong dear?" Victoria asked when she saw this.<sub> </sub>


    "That was my mom. My dad was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack", she spoke as she gathered her bag and jacket.


    "Oh! Dear! That''s terrible!"


    "I have to fly to Das immediately", she said. She stopped when she frowned at the unfinished meal on the table and Victoria was able to guess what was on her mind.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of this", Victoria stood to give her a hug.


    "Thanks Torrie. I''m sorry I can''t apany you and your son to Givenchy."


    "Don''t stress it. We can do that another time. Go home. Pass my love to your parents. I''m sure your father will be okay", Victoria rubbed Nicole''s back before releasing her to go her way.


    She sighed as she watched the young woman''s figure disappear out of the caf¨¦. Her mind could not help but rey how terrible Nicole looked. She looked like she was close to crying. Victoria felt her heart ache for her new friend.


    "Givenchy? Getting ready for the Corporate g?" Kris asked in curiosity.


    Half an hourter,


    Victoria sighed when she saw the excited Kris. She was doing this on purpose, probably topete with her on outfits for the Corporate g. She had gone as far as sending away her driver so she could ''spend more time'' with Victoria, hence, the reason they arrived in one car. Xavier, who still had not received his answer, was still staring at his mother with brows raised.


    Victoria sighed and led them into the building. One of the leading stylists weed them with his team. He usually took care of their outfits for such special asions. While Kris chatted to Victoria, Xavier was quick to pick an outfit so he would leave. He had no reason to stay anyway.


    "I have to take my leave. Youdies have fun", he gave them a polite smile.


    "Yeah. Be safe on your way back", Kris responded.


    Xavier ignored his mother''s distressed look and went on his way. A mncholy look settled on the man''s face as he drove back to work. The day had been such a disappointment. Why did he bother in the first ce?


    When he got to thepany, he went straight to Zach''s office instead of his own. He went straight to the liquor cab where he poured himself a drink. He took a sip and sighed when he felt the burning sensation rx him.


    "I thought I''d meet her today but I guess something came up so it was just mom and Kris", he started.


    Although Zach was concetrated on work silently reading whatever was on the screen, he could still pick up on what his brother was saying. Xavier knew this.


    "I don''t even know why I bothered. She could be anyone but I strongly believed it was her. Now I''m disappointed on what could''ve been..... Or not. Fuck this!" He sighed.


    Silence echoed in the room as Xavier walked over to the floor to ceiling window to gaze down at the busy streets of New York. The world was moving so fast, yet he felt like he was stuck. He had never felt like this before. He sipped on his drink and enjoyed the burning sensation down his throat.


    "The security team can search for her using the security footage from the club", Zach spoke. He had somehow managed to put two and two together.


    "We wear masks when we go in and there were no cameras in the booth", Xavier responded.


    "Then have them check the caf¨¦''s security footage to confirm your suspicions."


    Xavier sighed. "I don''t feel like doing this anymore. I''m tired."


    "You could be denying yourself of happiness", Zachmented. His phone chimed quickly softening his expression as he picked up the phone.


    Xavier could easily guess that it was his sister-inw that was behind Zach''s facial expression. One woman could do this to an ice berg of a man known as his brother.


    Is he really denying himself of happiness by giving up on his search before he even started?

 Chapter 98 Amy Is Tormenting Her Hubby

    "It''ste. Where are you going?" Zach''s phone voice echoed in Amy''s room.


    She was walking around in her bra and panties while rammaging through her wardrobe while holding her phone in one hand. Her baby bump was small and round as if protruded from her belly while her blond hair elegantly fell down her back.


    "I''m visiting someone", she responded simply.


    "Who? Who is so important you have to visit them sote at night?" He grumbled.


    Amy paused in her movements as she rolled her eyes before smiling. "First of all, it''s not even close to 5p.m so stop being dramatic. And secondly, it''s Ian. My friend''s grandson. He found a ce so his grandmother decided to throw him a house warming party."


    Ste had gone as far as closing the library an hour early for this. Ian didn''t want to throw the party but Ste went ahead to do it herself. She would meet them there since Ste brought it upon herself to make the preparations. But Amy was impressed, it seemed he had been thinking of moving out for a long time he probably saved up to get the ce he had just got.


    "Dramatic? What man would be calm knowing his wife was going out to meet another man?" He felt he was stretching the matter a little but he still needed to voice hisints. He didn''t like Ian from the moment he heard him visit his wife. And now she was visiting him too.


    "Zachery, which part of house warming party did you not understand? Don''t be fussy", Amy sighed helplessly. What is wrong with this man? Did he suddenly develop selective hearing?


    "I can''t help it. This is a man who walked into a single woman''s house without any reserve. I don''t trust him. And did you take back your keys? Make sure he never does it again", his tone was authoritative when he said hisst sentence. But Amy didn''t mind it one bit. She finally understood him and she too was ufortable by that one visit.


    "He won''t, his grandma usually has the keys", she said seriously.


    "Why does she have them?" His curiosity was evident in his tone.


    "There is a reason", Amy nced down at her belly. The words were at the tip of her tongue but she held back. ''I''m sorry'', she mentally spoke to both father and child. She knew how terrible she was being in that moment. She sighed, "I really need to find something."


    "Go with what you''re wearing right now." He didn''t care. Amy would look beautiful in anything she wears, he was so sure of this.


    A sly smile stretched on her lips before she brought her phone to her mouth to whisper in a provocative manner. "In a bra and panties? Are you sure about this hubby?"


    She heard the sound of a falling object before some scuttling sounds followed. ''Did he drop his phone like she did too the other time?'' she thought in amusement.


    "Is that what you''re wearing right now?" His already deep voice got deeper and huskier as he whispered the question.


    She felt some goosebumps grace her skin and a pleasureable shiver down her spine. Her mind to her back to the time she pleasured herself from being turned on by Zach. She shook her head. She had a party to attend. If she continues to talk to him, she might end up staying home doing the obvious with him on the phone. Her pregnancy hormones would only worsen the matter.


    "Bye Zachery", she quickly terminated the connection before fanning herself with her hands. "That was dangerous."


    On the other hand, Zach jumped out from his seat and punched the air. She had been talking to him in her lingerie? He groaned in frustration! ''I wish I could see that!'' He run a hand through his thick dark brown hair in frustration. This woman dared to torment him especially with the distance and she called him hubby. His heart thudded in excitement when he heard her whisper in such a seductive manner. He let out an amused chuckle. ''You''ll pay for this Amy, soon'', he promised.


    Amy took a taxi to the address she had been given. It was a little after six when she finally left the house. It took her a while to find a proper dress that was fit andfortable enough for her growing belly.


    The sky had started to turn dark. There were barely any visible stars as she looked out the window from the back seat. She nced down at the casserole dish on herp that had Oven baked chicken fajitas. That''s all she could manage to whip up and thought to get him a giftter on.


    She looked back out again taking in the view when the taxi passed by a familiar figure going in the opposite direction. The person was walking on the side walk in their signature jeans and hoodie.<sub> </sub>


    "Huh?" She wondered. "But why is she going back?"


    "We''re here", the driver announced as he pulled up over the curb.


    Amy paid the man and got her casserole dish and her purse before walking up to the apartment building. It was not very far from the library or Ste''s ce if one used a taxi but also a walkable distance. The girl''s image stuck in her mind. She could not help but wonder why she had left. Did something happen?


    She buzzed for Ian''s apartment. A loud and energetic voice belonging to her one and only friend bursted through the inte.


    "This better not be a prank!" Ste snapped.


    "Don''t worry, I''m terrible at them", Amy responded while smiling.


    "Oh! Come on up dear!" She sighed in relief.


    Amy was buzzed in and she went in to use the elevator that took her to Ian''s floor. She easily found his room number and Ste ushered her in. The moment she stepped in, her nostrils were attacked by the pleasant aromaing from the kitchen. She took in the ce, it was a studio apartment that housed a sofa set, his bed that had been neatly done, kitchen, bathroom and closet.


    "What do you think? Nora and Alex got him the sofa set otherwise we would have no ce to sit", Ste chuckled.


    "It''s nice and cozy", Amy expressed her genuine feelings towards the ce.


    "Yeah, but give it a week and this ce will be littered by his socks and boxers and-"


    "Grandma", Ian grumbled from behind them.


    The door bell went off and Ste went to check who it is. Ian and Amy exchanged some greetings while the older woman buzzed up the people joining them.


    "Richard and the girls areing up", she announced as she walked back to join them. She frowned when she saw Ian awkwardly standing around while Amy looked around the ce. "Ian, offer your first guest a drink."


    "What would you like to drink?" He asked to which Ste gave him a disapproving gaze.


    "Some water will do for now", Amy smiled.


    A knock was heard when Ste went to open the door. Ian went to the kitchen to get her a ss of water. The door opened and Richard walked in with Stacy in his arms, his two daughters, Alex and Nora came in after him and to everyone''s surprise, Adrianne and her husband were right behind. This would be the first time she would meet the man. But that was not what got Amy''s attention. It was the person Adrianne walked in with besides her husband.


    "Wow! Did you n toe over together?" Steughed.


    "We met downstairs. Ian, I brought you a friend", Adrianne smirked in Ian''s direction.


    The sound of ss shuttering was heard. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound source to find Ian standing frozen and Amy''s ss of waterying in pieces on the ground besides his foot.


    "Mona."

 Chapter 99 Meeting Nora

    While everyone looked at Ian with questioning stares for dropping the ss of water, Mona looked at Amy with an ugly expression. She could not believe they would meet here after everything she had done. Her parents were monitoring her because of that little stunt Amy pulled. It was a good thing her friends didn''t suspect her but ruining that business almost ruined a lot of things for her, especially with Ian.


    She was on her way to his ce to see where their rtionship stands after she had been grounded for a week. No one knows how torturous it was, not seeing him. She had her ways of finding out where he lived but what she didn''t expect was his grandma answering the door when she buzzed up leading to her going home without saying anything. Unexpectedly, Adrianne happened to see her and dragged her right back. She had recognized Mona from seeing her with Ian at the library the other time when she went for the boo club meeting.


    "Mona? Is this....?" Ste sucked in her lips to suppress a smile as she looked at her grandson.


    "I''ll clean this up", he said as he turned to get a mop and dust pan.


    "Aunt Emily!" Stacy climbed down from her grandfather''s arms and rushed towards Amy.


    Amy knelt down and hugged the little. "How have you been?"


    "I''m good. I thought I was going to see you on Sunday but mommy said we''ll see you today. I made another drawing of a giraffe we went to see today. We had a ss trip to the park", Stacy''s eyes were big and bright as she narrated her day''s happenings to Amy. Thetter could not help but smile seeing the little one go on and on.


    "Stacy, are you forgetting something?" Ste scolded.


    She gasped. "Excuse me Aunt Emily." Amy nodded and the girl went over to her grandma''s and hugged her waist while cutely looking up at her with her best smile ying on her lips. "Good evening grandma. You look so pretty today!"


    "Very cheeky! But thank you. You can go back to your Aunt Emily", she sent her away. She didn''t waste a second before running over to Amy.


    "One sec, let me greet everyone before you can continue telling me about your day", Amy told her.


    "Okay." Stacy made sure to hold onto Amy''s hand as they walked over to greet everyone.


    "Hey kid", Richard greeted her with a side hug.


    "You''d think she''s your daughter and not mine", Alex chuckled as she hugged Amy whoughed in response. "And this is my sister Nora, Nora this is Emily. She''s mom''s neighbor and friend. They work together at the library."


    Amy took in the young woman, unlike Alex who had more of a feminine style following her mother''s footsteps, Nora had on a jeans and shirt, and piercings on her lip, nose, brow, and ears. She had trimmed the hairs on the sides and kept the one on top slightly longer. ''So that''s who Ian took after'', she mused. Even so, Nora was a beautiful sight to behold.


    "It''s nice to meet you Nora", Amy held out her hand.


    "And I don''t get a hug?" She arched her brow.


    "Nora, she''s married", Alex whispered through gritted teeth.


    "So?" Nora pulled a confused Amy into a hug and openly sniffed her hair. "Wow! You smell good. What shampoo do you use?"


    "Okay", Amy felt awkward as she released herself from Nora''s embrace.


    "Alex", Richard called out. Alex understood her father and pulled her sister away from Amy and gave her an embarrassed smile. "Excuse my sister."


    p "Did I tell you I missed you? You shoulde home more often", Adrianne beamed at Nora.</anda>


    "Think of all the marriages I''d ruin. Starting with yours", Nora countered.<sub> </sub>


    "And I''d happily help you", Adrianne responded before the two broke into giggles.


    Adrianne''s husband cleared his throat in clear displeasure when he heard this. Everyone else sighed when they saw the two. Adrianne''s husband extended his hand towards Amy.


    "Hi, I''m Jared. My soon to be ex wife has told me a lot about you", he gave her a small smile. He was a man with kind eyes and a warm personality. Amy feltfortable already as she shook his hand.


    "I''m Emily. It''s nice to meet you", she smiled back.


    "Wait! Are you really divorcing me because of Nora?"


    "Why do you look so pleased?" Jared deadpanned.


    "Oh! I''m distressed! Tell them Nora!"


    "Very distressed!" Nora nodded without even trying to hide her amused look.


    "Okay! You''re not fooling anyone. Settle down everyone. Alex, Nora and Amy, help me set the table. Ian, you can keep your friendpany", Ste winked at him whilst giving him a knowing smile. "Richard dear, what would you like to drink?"


    "A beer will do", he responded as he walked over to settle on one of the sofas.


    "Did you eat something beforeing over?" She asked.


    "Yes ma''am", he grunted as he sat down.


    "And you Jared?" She asked.


    "I''ll have the same. Thank you Ste", he followed Richard to the seat.


    Adrianne joined thedies in the kitchen to help out with serving the dishes. Even little Stacy helped to carry some tes to the ss coffee table to set everything down.


    Mona, however, could not help but feel awkward at the same time stare at Ian. She never thought she would be caught in such a situation.


    Adrianne managed to catch her in the act as she nudged Ste. The two friends watched in amusement while Alex became Amy''s defense shield against her sister.


    The food was finally served and the group of family and friends sat in the living room to share the hearty meal prepared.


    "So Emily", Nora started.


    "Nora", Alex warned.


    "I just want to ask something. Besides working with my mom, is there something else you do?"


    The question threw the room into silence and especially piqued Ian and Mona''s interest. Fromst time''s incident, they had been wondering what she possibly could be doing as a job for her to find them that easily.What exactly is Amy''s profession?

 Chapter 100 What Mona Offers

    Amy saw the curious gazesing from Mona and Ian. She smiled when she saw this. "I''m a housewife but I''m also interested in a little bit of everything. What about you? What do you do?"


    "I''m a teacher", Nora said casually.


    Amy and Mona''s mouth fell open. Alex chuckled when she took in their expressions. "You guys look like Dad and I when she said she wanted to be a teacher."


    Richard chuckled at the fond memory. It was through his youngest that he learned appearances deceive. But it''s Nora, he knows better than to blindly trust this little punk.


    "Wait, she''s actually serious?" Mona blurted out.


    "No one believes me when I tell them what I do. Only mom did", Nora shot a grateful smile in her mom''s direction.


    "You''re forgetting someone", Adrianne grumbled.


    "Of course! How could I forget you my-" Nora stood to give Adrianne a hug when the sound of Jared''s throat clearing thundered through the room. Nora sat back down as she chuckled in amusement.


    "See why I can''t stay in this town?" She shot at Adrianne who mouthed a sorry at her.


    "Where do you teach?" Amy asked.


    "At a kindergarten in East Vige. Why are you not overreacting to this unbelievable news? People usually ask me two or three times more to make sure I''m not lying."


    Amy shrugged in response as she refilled her te for a second round. Nora watched this in amusement and Ste caught this. "Nora, I''d support you in anything but Emily is an exception. She''s very married and has got a bun in the oven."


    Stacy gasped from where she sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor as she looked at Amy. "Aunt Emily, you cook bunnies? That''s terrible!"


    "No, sweetie. A bun in the oven is an expression which means she''ll have a baby soon", Alex exined to her daughter.


    The little one''s eyes lit up as a huge smile spread on her face. "When will you have your baby? Is it a boy? Can I y with him?"


    "You''ll y with the baby when the timees", Amy replied with a smile.


    "Married, pregnant, jobless. I can work with that", Nora was counting with her fingers before she nodded to herself.<sub> </sub>


    "You can work with what? Ste, your daughter!" Richard warned but his words fell on deaf ears.


    While Amy''s pregnancy was in talks, Mona kept her gaze on Ian whose shoulders had visibly slumped. She suppressed her annoyance by continuing to eat. The conversations went on andughter echoed in the room until at eight in the evening. Adrianne and Jared offered to drop Mona home, while Amy went home with Richard and Ste. The two sisters and the young one went back to Alex''s ce while Ian was left to clean up alone.


    "It''s part of growing up", Ste patted his cheek when she saw the scowl on his face when they were leaving.


    She threw the party, she left him to clean up. He stored up the left overs in his built in fridge before pulling on rubber gloves to hand wash the tes on the sink. He could not help but let out a sigh of relief, he was initially worried when he saw Mona. They had not spoken or seen each other a full week since he sat her down for a talkst time before they went back home. He was just d she didn''t act up or say something she shouldn''t. His door bell went off. He put down the te he had been scrubbing and removed his gloves to get the door.


    His brows rose when he saw who it was through the inte. He buzzed up the person and waited by the door. Soon enough the person arrived and he let them in.


    "You didn''t think that I''d just leave, did you?" Mona said as she waltzed back into the house.


    "Is there something you forgot?" Ian asked as he closed the door.


    "What was that?" She crossed her arms against her chest taking a defensive stance.


    "What are you talking about?" He turned to look at her with his usually expressionless face.


    "We talked about this, that you were done with Emily. So what was that earlier? Ian, you chose me. The least you could do is suppress your feelings for her in front of me!"


    "I told you to give me time", he let out a tired sigh. He had agreed to give up on Amy for obvious reasons and Mona being one of them. Mona fell quiet. Ian had convinced her to go home with the condition of him getting his own ce. Running away, as he had realized, was quite irresponsible on his part. He got a ce for the wrong reasons but he was also serious when he said he would be responsible for his own actions. Mona could not help but feel more attracted to him.


    She took out a sachet from her hoodie pocket and ced it on the counter top of his kitchen. Ian''s brows furrowed in confusion.


    "Where did you get that? I thought your weed business was seized", he looked between the sachet and her.


    "I have my ways", she smirked. She would resell the weed she bought to get the drugs on the table. Ian was quite addicted to them and she was addicted to the sex he offered when high especially when he sniffed it off her naked body. It was such a turn on for both of them. The drug was a mixture of cocaine and a little bit of aphrodisiac. The two could not help their addiction to it.


    She picked it up then sashayed towards him swinging her hips in a seductive manner. When she reached his side, she held it up to his face in between her index and middle finger. "You had a long day, let''s get you rxed."


    With her closeness and the substance held to his face, Ian felt his resolve weaken. He wondered how his thoughts strayed with Amy when Mona had so much to offer. And so he took the pack with white substance and picked her up andunched a fiery of kisses while leading them to his bed.

 Chapter 101 Results On Greco Pharmaceuticals Investigation

    "Oh! That''s not what you were wearing earlier. Did something happen?" Xavier asked as he joined his brother in the elevator. The first thing he noticed was his brother''s change of suit from the one he had on when he came in earlier.


    Zach maintained his stoic expression as he masked his embarrassment. This was all because of his little wife. He had been left in a frustrated state after she pulled that stunt on him. His only option was to take a very cold shower right in his office hence the change of clothes. He couldn''t wait to do that when he gets home because the matter was full of urgency.


    "You leave quite early these days?" Xavier asked again when he got no response for the first question.


    "I could say the same about you",Zach countered. But it wasn''t a question, it was an usation that would guilt trip Xavier like he wasn''t supposed to.


    "What''s wrong with that? Besides, I''ve always done this."


    It was a fact. Zach was always the one to workte while Xavier left his office at five on the dot. Buttely, they had been bumping into each other like now or leaving almost at the same time though separately.


    "You shouldn''t do that anymore", Zach said.


    "Why?"


    "You don''t have a wife", he stated.


    Right then, the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open on the first floor. Zach left with his team of bodyguards while a fuming Xavier was left to watch his brother''s retreating back.


    "Unbelievable!" Xavier scoffed.


    His brother was acting like this when Amy wasn''t there, what more when she finally physicallyes into the picture? Xavier shook his head. Zach might end up leaving work for home during lunch hours and note back to work for the rest of the day.


    Zach ignored the curious stares he got from his employees when they saw him in a different suit. His mind was on where Amy currently was; at that guy Ian''s ce. What could she be possibly doing? It''s not that he doubted her but he just could not help the bitter feelings. No, he was not jealous at all. He just didn''t like the idea of his wife being in another man''s home, party or not.


    When he got home, he took a showe, changed into a casual outfit and had his dinner. With nothing else to do, he went to his study to get some work done. He sat down in his leather chair and picked up a file from his desk to read. He was sure to put on his reading sses and took a pen for when he reads the file.


    Thud!


    He mmed it onto the desk! He had barely gotten through the first page and didn''t have the energy to finish. He looked at the time, it was barely seven in the evening. He felt extremely bored. He usually used work to pass his time but his brain could not cooperate. He could not help but wonder what Amy was doing at that party. And that Ian guy! He better not be trying something on his wife! What''s worse is he didn''t have a face to put to his rival!


    "No, let''s get some work done", he chided himself. He switched on his desktop and opened some files from the design team. The n was to study them and approve them lest he finds ws. He put on his concentrative face and peeled his eyes against the monitor.


    A secondter


    "Ugh!" He slumped in his chair.


    Work had never been so boring. And he could not evene up with a single thing to pass his time. ''Should I write to her? Would that be too much of me?''


    The sound of his phone ringing snapped him out of his thoughts.<sub> </sub>


    "Sir, where are you? I have the results of my investigation on Greco Pharmaceuticals", George spoke.


    "Home."


    "I''ll be there in ten minutes", George said before he heard Zach hang up.


    Thetter stepped out of his study to inform and stood by the stair railing on that floor.


    "Edmund!" He called out.


    The said man rushed towards the source from his station which was by the door. He appeared downstairs within seconds whenlre Zach could see him.


    "You called for me, sir?"


    "George is on his way. Bring him to my study when he arrives."


    "Yes, sir."


    With that, he went back in and settled in his seat. Throughout the ten minutes he waited for his assistant, he flipped his phone between his fingers whilst trying to suppress the urge to check on his wife. His patience and self restraint was tested a great deal during that time frame. But he fought it.


    Ten minutester, a knock came.


    "Sir, Mr. Stewart is here", Edmund announced from the door.


    "Let him in", Zach answered.


    Edmund got the door for George and thetter walked in. He pulled on his jacket to straighten it and pushed up his sses up his nose bridge with a finger. He set down the file on the desk in front of Zach and took out a tablet to exin his findings. However, before he could speak, Zach beat him to it.


    "Straight to the point", Zach said as he opened the file.


    "They just finalized developing a drug called Adalimumab. It''s a special drug in high demand in health industry because of its abilities. It treats and preserves joint function, it is also used to treat certain bowel conditions such as Crohn''s disease, ulcerative colitis and a certain eye disease called uveitis."


    "Is that all?" Zach''s brows knitted.


    "They need to bring in funds to mass produce this so they''ll probably take advantage of the Corporate g to impress some good investors."


    p "The Corporate g....", Zach muttered as he fell deep in thought.</anda>


    Even with his stoic expression, George was able to guess that something was cooking in his boss''s mind. Something was up.

 Chapter 102 Peter Wrights Guilt

    "It can''t be that simple", Zach said whilst still in thought.


    "Sir?" George''s brows rose in shock. Zach''s descerning skills never ceased to amaze him but he still could not follow. He was so sure that this was all Greco Pharmaceuticals was doing.


    Zach, however, had a different thought. Amy warned him to stay away from Greco pharmaceuticals if he''s to make an investment. Amy wouldn''t go into hiding or give that warning if all they were doing was produce a drug that could help the masses. That could only mean one thing: the Adalimumab they were producing was just a front.


    It''s a sure way to draw away attention from what they were actually producing. Amy must have found that out leading to the current situation.


    "Dig a little deeper", he ordered.


    "Yes, sir."


    Zach picked up the file and looked at the info. His eyes fell on the information of the ones in power especially the CEO and their assistant. A contemtive look settled on his face as he read the file. George saw this and spoke up.


    "I found something else that''s going to interest you", he said.


    He took out a tablet and tapped a few times before extending it towards his boss. There was a picture of some goons in ck suits.


    "Do you remember these sir?"


    Zach didn''t respond but George could tell he did. It was a picture of the goons who tried to capture Dn. George slid a finger across the tablet and another picture appeared. It was that of Peter Wright and the same goons. George expected Zach to be surprised but was not surprised when he saw no change in his boss''s expression.


    "You knew, sir?" George could not help but be impressed. "Unfortunately, there still isn''t any information on them. All I could find is what you see sir, Peter Wright could have directed that attack on Dn based on the pictures. But interestingly, there is nothing on Peter Wright and we can''t use this picture against him because it''s circumstantial. On paper, he''s clean... Of course, you''re not concerned about this sir?"


    "I want information on his boss too. But remember, be discreet", Zach reminded.


    "Yes, sir."


    George excused himself and went his way while he felt impressed. So the real reason he was asked to look into Greco was because it had something to do with his Lady Boss. ''Boss is so determined'', he mused.


    Zach''s thoughts were now upied by Greco''s CEO; he would have never guessed this person would be capable of scaring off his wife. He needed to find out what it is she knew and stop them, but first he would find her and protect her before dealing with his new enemy. At least, he now knew the face to the person who was behind Amy''s disappearance. But were they acting alone? It can''t be that simple. He can''t afford to rx now that he knows who he''s against and what they''re capable of....


    The person mentioned was in their office seated on their leather chair behind their ss table. Peter Wright stood with his hands sped and head hanging low.


    "We can''t let anything happen. Our deal needs to go through", the boss said. "Make sure of it."


    "I understand", Peter responded. "And we''ve just received word from that person that Miss Harper might be on to something."<sub> </sub>


    That person was the very one who found them Amy''s real identity. If it weren''t for them, they would have never found out what Amy was doing. And now, that person had just informed them that Amy might sabotage them.


    "The more reason to be careful. There can''t be any mistakes Peter or it won''t just be me you''ll be dealing with."


    "There won''t be any mistakes. I''ll personally make sure of it", Peter responded.


    "And one more thing", the boss paused before a sly smile spread on their lips. "Be sure to tell your wife that you''ll be workingte in preparation for the Corporate g. On some nights, you might have to sleep here."


    "Boss....."


    The boss couldn''t see Peter''s expression when he called them out. But the fear was evident in his tone. He was practically begging the boss but he knew it without seeing it: the boss enjoyed doing this to him. His dignity as a man was thrown out of the window whenever he was in his boss''s pesence. Knowing this, the boss''s smile grew wider as they thought of the days ahead. So much would happen during the week before the g.


    ''So much to do..... So much to do to, no, with Peter Wright'', the boss mused.


    "You know better than to fight me Peter", the boss said leisurely.


    Peter''s hands were clenched into fists to stop them from shaking out of anger. He was angry with himself. He never wanted to be his boss''s muse, but five yearster, here he was. He didn''t even have the spine to say no. His sons would be disappointed to know the man they considered to be Superman of a dad was such a coward. He hated himself.


    How could he go home to his wife and children after everything? How could he sleep in the same bed with his wife knowing what he allowed himself to be subjected to?


    Butter that day, he still went home to his wife and kids and told them what his boss told him. He broke the news while they were having dinner at home. His wife mistook the guilt towards her in his eyes for the nervousness for when he breaks the news to them.


    "It can''t be helped. You work so hard for us, how can we not understand this?" She asked with a smile. She pecked his lips. "Don''t worry about us. We''ll be fine. Right boys?"


    "Right!" Kyle answered.


    "Does that mean you''ll miss my game next Saturday?" Kaden asked with a pout.


    "I''m sorry buddy", Peter responded.


    "Don''t worry Kaden, mommy will record it for you and we can watch it with Dad on our movie night!" She suggested.


    The little one''s eyes lit up from the idea. Peter have his wife a grateful smile. His heart ached when he saw how happy and harmonious his family was. No one could know what happens between himself and his boss; not even his family. Or it would be the end for him. No one should know. No one.

 Chapter 103 Amys Husbands Voice Is Attractive

    Ste woke up to the sound of cluttering of tes. She turned over on her side and saw Richard''s side of the bed was empty. She took her phone to check the time, it was seven in the morning. Her brows furrowed, this man better not be trying to burn down her kitchen.


    She got out of bed and threw on satin robe over her nightie before going to the kitchen.


    A pleasant aroma teased her nostrils as she got closer. There in her kitchen, stood her husband whistling to some tune as he whipped up some pancakes. A smile graced her features, how could she be so lucky tond such a handsome man for a husband?


    His hair was still ck and thick though it had started to gray, unlike other men at his age, he didn''t have a beer belly, Richard always kept his chin clean shaven which brought out his dinstict features. Probably sensing a stare, he turned around and smiled when he saw her.


    "Good morning darling", he greeted.


    Ste was all smiles as she walked up to him and nestled in his embrace while looking at the pancakes. "What are you up to? It''s not Valentine''s or mother''s day."


    "Can''t a man cook for his wife?" He hooked a finger under her chin and gave her a chaste kiss.


    "Well, make sure you add a share for two more people. I''m not sure but I''m going to check if Emily will skip the gym as well. I don''t think I can handle exercises today", she patted his chest before she left his side.


    "And if she wants to go?" He arched his brow.


    "Then we''ll go", she spoke as a matter of fact.


    "You spoil her too much."


    "That''s what you said about your other daughters. Look how well they turned out! I''ll be back in a few", she smiled at him before turning to leave.


    She was sure to remember to get her spare keys. Because of her excessive worry over Amy and her pregnancy, Amy gave her spare keys for when she wants to check on her or in case of any emergency. She walked over across the street and went to unlock the door.


    Judging from the silence, it seemed the young woman was still sleeping. ''I guess I should let her rest'', she mused as she turned back. She had barely taken two steps when she heard a giggle. It wasing from Amy''s room.


    Curiosity got the best of her so she tiptoed toward the bedroom door. cing her ear against it, she heard a deep voice that sent a pleasurable shiver down her spine. It was a phone voice but it still gave her goosebumps.


    "I''m sorry", Amy said whilst trying not tough but failing at the same time.


    "How could youugh after what you didst night? I didn''t know my wife could be so heartless", Zachined over the phone.


    "I was tired. I was not deliberately avoiding you", she could not help her smile even as she spoke.


    She was seated in her bed getting some work done over herptop while talking to Zach. After the partyst night, she felt extremely tired she could not keep her eyes open for long, she didn''t even shower before going to bed. It could be her pregnancy that contributed to her fatigue and thete nights she had been working for her clients.


    However, Zach expected them to talk after she got back only to be hit by:


    ''I''m tired, talk tomorrow, have a goodnight.''


    He thought she was running away after the stunt she pulled on him. Even after relieving himself at work, thoughts about her body covered in nothing but lingerie gued his mind especially during the night. He hardly got a wink of sleep because of her.


    "Uh-huh", he responded dryly.


    "You''re never going to let this go, are you?" Amy was clearly amused by his behavior.


    "No, unless you do something about it."


    "Like what? What could I possibly do to appease this whiner baby?"<sub> </sub>


    He chuckled, "Did you just call me your baby? And here I thought I was moving too fast for you."


    Amy rolled her eyes. Yup, it was official. Zach suffered from selective hearing. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."


    "Do you want to know?" His voice grew lower and deeper it seduced Amy right then.


    Goosebumps graced her skin from the effect and she had to cross her legs and squeeze her thighs. ''How does he do that?'' Amy mused in irritation towards her body for being so reactive.


    She wasn''t the only one to detect the suggestive atmosphere Zach had created, Ste did too. She almost squealed when she heard the change in his tone. ''No doubt, this is Emily''s husband'', she mused as she rushed out of the house.


    She remembered to lock it before running towards her house. ''I need to tell Richard'', she thought with clear excitement. Amy''s husband could be ugly as the girl imed but that voice, how can someone sound so attractive!


    "Richard!" She called out excitedly.


    "Still in the kitchen!"


    "Oh! Richard!" She run out to meet him.


    He frowned when he heard the sound of her footsteps. "Don''t run! It''s sli-"


    "Richard you won''t believe what I just- Argh!"


    Thud!


    Richard''s eyes widened in shock as he run out to his wife who was lying in soapy water on the floor. Her face was contorted in pain as she groaned.


    He had just finished making pancakes and wanted to make eggs too. So he got a bottle of cooking oil and unscrewed it whilst in his arms. But the thing became slippery and fell to the floor releasing the liquid inside.


    He cursed and quickly picked up the bottle before screwing the lid back on. He put the bottle away and got a mop to clean up but because it was dry, the thing just smeared the oil even more. So he got soapy water and dipped the mop inside. He didn''t wring it as much and threw it to the ground to mop when he remembered he left the stove on.


    He had just dashed to switched it off when Ste came in while calling his name. And now, here his wifey on the floor in a pool of soapy water.


    "Are you alright?" His tone spoke volumes of the worry he had. He knelt down to help her up.


    "I''m fi- Argh! My hip!" Ste had stopped sitting up mid way andy back down. Her face had grown red when she cried out in pain.


    Without a second thought, Richard scooped up his wife in his arms, whilst being careful not to add too much pressure on her hip. Ste''s face grew pale as she tried to suppress the pain. He grabbed the car keys from a tray on the counter with his mouth and went outside.


    Ste got the keys and unlocked the car. He ced her at the back where she could lie down before he jogged to the driver''s side. Once he sat down, he froze. His hands shook as he reached out to the steering wheel. His breathing quickened and ayer of perspiration started to form on his forehead.


    An image of his hands covered in blood and mes building up around him shed on his mind. The man''s face started to loose color as he fought to stabilize his breathing and shook his head to get rid of the image.


    He suddenly felt a cold breeze ze his skin and soon realized how door had been pulled open. That instantly snapped him out of his reverie. Standing by his door was none other than:


    "Emily", he called out in disbelief.


    She was panting hard as she spoke while holding the door. "Do you mind if I take the wheel?"

 Chapter 104 Richard Speaks His Mind

    Richard didn''t waste a second and got out to settle on the front passenger''s seat. Amy quickly got behind the wheel. A thought suddenly came to Richard.


    "Ah! Do you know how...." His sentence faltered when Amy swiftly reversed out of the driveway and into the road. "...to drive...", He quietly finished.


    Amy''s brows had knitted together as she floored the elerator leaving tyre marks on the road. Richard quickly hooked on his seatbelt and nced at Amy. He wanted to tell her to slow down when she was driving at a hundred and sixty but remembered his injured wife. Speaking of his wife, he nced at the back and she had long passed out from the pain. But, he failed to notice her phone that had fallen on the floor.


    Amazingly, despite Amy''s race car driving kind of speeding, Ste remained stable where shey. Amy swiftly changednes to avoid traffic. She was determined to change the twenty minute drive into a five minute one.


    "RST 1456 pull over! Pull over!" A voice echoed over a speakerphone outside.


    "Emily, the police", Richard said as he nced back through the rearview mirror. The cops were onto them and their sirens red red and blue lights as they pursed them. Richard worried about Amy getting caught and at the same time dying Ste''s treatment.


    Amy clicked her tongue in annoyance and only increased her speed. The sirens echoed from behind them while the cops kept shouting for them to pull over. There was an intersection right ahead where cars in theirne had queued on the red lights. It would be saw easy for the police to catch them. When he nced at Amy, she kept increasing her speed and she had one hand on the steering wheel while the other was on her phone.


    The police saw the intersection. With cars queuing up on bothnes, the car they were pursuing had no choice but to stop.


    "Am I seeing things or is this person increasing their speed?" The male cop in the passenger''s seat spoke.


    "Well then", the female cop driving had on a sly smile as she floored the elerator.


    As they got closer, both cars increased their speed as the approached the intersection. The lights up ahead turned green for thene they were in. The cars got a move on quickly and Amy easily cruised through the green lights.


    "Darn it!" The female cop mmed her steering wheel in frustration.


    The male cop turned on the speakerphone. "RST 1456 pul....."


    The sound of a horn interrupted him. Amy''s hand was pressed against the horn alerting those in front of her to get out of the way.


    "How is this bastard so lucky!" The male cop snarled.


    "Mike, you''re on speaker", the female cop warned.


    "Ugh!" He turned it off and slumped in his seat.


    Richard''s face had turned ugly the moment he heard the male cop''s voice broadcasting that insult at Amy over the speaker. Amy gave him aforting smile before refocused her gaze on the road. She had no time to waste to dwell on that. Her goal was to get Ste to the hospital and that she did.


    The cops were right behind them when they arrived at the hospital. "Excuse me-" Mike the cop started soon as he got out of the car.


    His words fell on deaf ears as he watched Amy and Richard rush into the ER.


    "Wait, that was a woman driving?" Mike frowned.


    "What''s your point?" his colleague arched a brow a him.


    Mike kept his mouth shut as they both watched Amy and Richard return with a team of doctors dragging a wheeled stretcher. Richard and Amy opened the back doors to let the medical personnel do their job.<sub> </sub>


    Ste''s face was as white as a sheet of paper and cold sweat glistened on her forehead. Whilst carrying her out of the car, they identally touched her injured hip.


    "Argh!" The pain brought her back to consciousness as she cried out.


    "Let''s run a CAT scan and see what we''re dealing with!" One doctor spoke.


    Richard felt a terrible twist in his heart as he watched her cry out in pain. Not too long ago, she had been all bubbly and trying to gossip with him about something. But now, she could hardly remain conscious from the immense pain.


    The two followed in after the medical team as they wheeled Ste into the hospital. Richard''s eyes were blood shot red from trying to contain his tears. He felt a warm hand on his arm before he turned to find Amy staring at him with the same expression as his.


    "Why don''t you go in with her? I need to fill in her details at the reception", he said.


    "Alright."


    "She''ll be okay, kid", he patted her shoulder. It sounded like he was convincing himself than her but she still nodded to it.


    ? While Amy followed after the medical personnel to the ER, Richard went back to the reception to fill in Ste''s information. What he didn''t expect was to see the cops waiting right there. His expression turned into stone as he walked on pretending as if he didn''t see them.


    "Good morning, sir. How may I help you?" The nurse at the reception greeted him.


    Richard was about to respond when Mike cleared his throat from behind him. "Owner of RST 1456, we need to have a word."


    Richard turned around and took him in. He was a young man with short brown hair and freckles around his nose and cheeks. He was a lean young man who looked a little haughty in his uniform. Mike still could not believe a woman had pulled such a stunt. But since the woman had gone in, he would have to talk to the man.


    "I understand you''re only doing your job, but can''t you see I''m in the middle of something?" Richard stared at him with a frown.


    "I just want to talk about the trafficws the woman broke and I''ll be out of your hair", Mike shrugged.


    "The car is in my name so you can assign the speeding ticket to me, besides that, I don''t think there are anyws she broke. And that woman, she''s not a bastard, she''s my daughter. And the woman she just rushed here nevermind the speeding, is her mother. So you don''t talk about her that away."


    Richard''s voice was firm as he gave the young cop a piece of his mind. The nurses at the reception frowned at Mike. His colleague stood at a good distance. She didn''t want to say much when she saw the reason for their speeding but Mike was a little enthusiastic about his new job.


    Richard filled in his wife''s information. Mike was unable to give him a speeding ticket so the older man was on his way right then. He rushed to where he had left Amy. She looked distracted as she wiped away some tears. No doubt, the young woman cared about his wife as much as thetter did her.


    "Jen? I thought that was you!" A female doctor called out.


    Richard looked to see Amy''s face light up in recognition and then walk towards the woman. He was confused at this encounter. Amy opened her mouth to speak when he voiced his confusion.


    "Jen?"


    The doctor looked in his direction with brows raised while Amy''s mouth fell open. Richard looked at her in clear confusion. How would she deal with this?

 Chapter 105 Divorcing Her Husband For The Young Prince

    "Emily, did I hear wrong or did she just call you Jen?" Richard looked at her with a confused face.


    "Emily? Aren''t you Jennifer?" Suzy also mirrored Richard''s expression as she looked at Amy.


    "Jennifer? What''s going on kid? Why the many names?"


    Amy felt like her head would burst from the questions. Her mind had been spinning to cook up a convincing answer but the questions kepting and the confusion grew between the two as they sought her for answers. She sighed before responding.


    "It''s my middle name", she responded.


    "Which one?" Both asked in unison.


    Which one would best be suitable to be her middle name?


    "Emily is", she responded. "Growing up, people used that name more than my first name. Even I got used to it."


    She used the story behind the Jennifer name to gloss it over the Emily name. That''s because if she used the Emily name as her real name, she would have to change the hospital records and the fake ID wouls not suffice and probably attract unwanted attention.


    Richard was staring at her. It reminded her of the look Ste gave her when she spun the lie about her husband being ugly. Amy was not sure if he believed her. Whereas for Suzy, she just shrugged. Amy sighed. How many more lies will she have to spill to the people she had now grown to care about? It was bing exhausting for her.


    "Who are you here with?" Suzy looked between them as she asked.


    "Oh! His wife who''s also my friend got hurt. We don''t know how bad it is", Amy answered.


    "What''s her name?"


    "Ste Thornton", both Amy and Richard answered.


    "Okay. I''ll be right back."


    Suzy left without waiting for a reply. Amy and Richard exchanged a look. "A friend of yours?" Richard asked.


    "Yes. She''s also my doctor. Her name is Susan Glynne", Amy answered.


    Richard nodded. The two fell in silence as they stared into the direction of the room Ste was taken in.


    "Did you tell Nora and Alex?"


    "Mm. They''re on their way back here. Alex had gone to drop off her sister", e exined.


    Amy nodded. Just then, Susan came back with a male doctor. The man had a file in his hand as he conversed in whispers with Susan. He was a man around Jared''s age, in his earliest forties, he was taller than the three of them and he was quite a looker. His hazel brown eyesplimented his short brown hair on his head. He was wearing navy blue scrubs under a white jacket and a stethoscope hung around his neck. Weren''t doctors supposed to be not what they appear to be in movies and dramas? Even her friend Suzy was an eye catcher.


    "Ste Thornton''s family?" He confirmed with them when he got closer.


    "That''s us", Richard and Amy responded at the same time.


    "I''m Dr. Steven Bu he extended his hand towards Richard and thetter shook it. He did the same to Amy. But Amy buried those thoughts when she heard Richard''s question.


    "How is my wife?" Richard could no longer suppress his anxiousness.<sub> </sub>


    "She sustained a hip fracture", he took out a file and showed them the scan results copy. "This is the ce that has been fracture. She''ll need surgery to correct this otherwise she''ll be in a lot of pain. I highly rmend that we operate on her right away."


    "Will she be okay? After surgery that is?" Richard ask.


    "Yes. Surgery will ensure a quick recovery", Dr. Burn responded.


    "Don''t worry. Dr. Burn is the best Orthopedic in West Vige", Susan said. There was a tinge of red on her cheeks as she spoke. Amy''s brows went up when she saw this.


    "Do you have a question Miss?" Dr. Burn asked.


    "Huh? Me? No", she shook her head.


    "Oh! I thought you were confused about something when you raised your brows. Well, time is of the essence. Mr. Thornton, you need to sign a consent form before we can proceed with the surgery", Dr. Burn said.


    "Lead the way doctor", Richard said. "I''ll be right back", he told Amy who nodded.


    The two men left while they conversed as they walked. Even from the back, Steven Burn looked so attractive. He had amanding aura about him but at the same he was quite approachable. It was only when the two men disappeared when they took a turn did Suzy look away to find an amused smile ying on Amy''s lips.


    "Not a word!" Suzy warned with a bashful smile as her cheeks colored red.


    Amy only shrugged as her smile grew wider. Suzy''s smile turned into a yawn as she stretched her arms out wide. It was now that Amy noticed how fatigued her friend looked. Even so, she still looked pretty with in cks, a matching silky button down shirt and her white coat on top.


    "Long night?"


    "Mm. Three births in one night", she held up three fingers as she spoke.


    "Three?"


    "Two cesarian and one normal. I want go home for a bit then I''ll have toe backter on", she exined. Then she snapped her fingers. "Ah! Before I forget. I have a message for you from Trevor."


    "Oh boy!", Amy chuckled.


    "Oh boy is right. He''s been reminding me every day not to forget to tell you when we meet that", she cleared her throat for dramatic effect. "He broke up with his girlfriends, I did not even know he had any and three for that matter!"


    "Wow!" Amyughed. She didn''t think that little one was so..... capable.


    "Yeah. I know", she shook her head in disbelief. "So that''s the message. He broke up with his three girlfriends for you. Will you consider this young Prince''s heart?"


    "Since he''s put in such an effort, then it''s only right that I divorce my husband-"


    Thud!


    The two women who wereughing stopped and looked in the direction of the sound. Susan''s smile slowly faded as she took the young stranger whose eyes she could barely see because of his bangs. Amy''s brows lit up in recognition.


    "Ian."

 Chapter 106 Amys Rich Husband

    The training room at Zachery Frost''s house echoed with grunts and sticks shing of men. He was in the wrestling ring as he went two on one with Skull and Raphy when he suddenly sneezed. ''Is someone talking about me?'' he mused.


    Raphy''s mouth fell into an ''o'' at the opening they had got. He gave an encouraging look at Skull signaling him to take advantage of it. So he swung his fist towards the man''s face in his momentary distraction. But he suddenly felt an iron grip sp around his fist.


    "Dirty y? You asked for it!" A sly smile spread on Zach''s lips and his words were full of venom.


    Skull''s eyes went wide! They had suddenly been summoned by their boss to train not knowing the man wanted to pass time while his wife was M.I.A. Zach wasn''t even going hard on them probably because of his good mood but now....


    "Raphy..." He looked to his right where Raphy was standing only to find nothing.


    Skull looked around with his panicked eyes and found Raphy standing outside the ring with an apologetic expression while holding up card written:


    ''GO BIG BROTHER! I''LL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU!''


    ''When did that punkprepare that? Nevermind'', he mused in irritation before he turned to look back at his boss who still held his fist in his grip. There was only one solution.


    "Boss, it was a mistake", he pleaded. Forget his dignity. He knew he had no chance alone so he begged. He almost wanted to cry.


    Zach stopped and looked around the training room. The men who were stick fighting, catch wrestling, and some who were helping each other lift weights, all stood staring at him and their team leader Skull. Zach released Skull''s hand and sped his own behind his back assuming an authoritative stance.


    "Alright! I''ll let him go", he announced.


    Skull breathed out a sigh of relief. He really thought he would be subjected to torture. However, Zach was not done.


    "On the condition that one of you re-"


    He didn''t even finish his sentence before everyone else held up a card each with words simr to Raphy''s. Skull''s lips twitched at his men. They were quick to betray him! Did they n this? But he had no time to dwell on that.


    "I''ll take you on", he resigned to his fate.


    "Good man", Zach nodded. He would surely enjoy this.


    Back in West Vige


    Ian stood like a frozen statue as he looked at the two women before him. What did he just hear?


    "Ian?" Amy waved her hand to gain his attention. "You dropped your phone."


    The young man snapped out of his attention and quickly bent down to pick up his phone.


    "I have to take my leave now. See you on your next appointment!" Suzy said to Amy who nodded.


    The two waved at each other as Suzy left. Thetter was not sure of what to make of Ian so she simply gave him a polite nod and he responded with the same. Ian stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked over to Amy.


    "Where''s Grandpa?" He looked around at the same time trying not to look at her.


    "He''s gone to sign a consent form. Ste needs surgery for her hip injury."


    He nodded in response. And the two fell in silence. Amy didn''t mind the silence since she never conversed much with him anyway. As for Ian, curiosity was gnawing at him but he was fighting it. What she did was none of her business but his heart said otherwise.


    "You shouldn''t do that", he started.


    "What?"


    "Leave your husband for that guy", he continued. He may have sounded self righteous but what he truly meant was if she was to leave her husband for another man, he''d rather be that man instead.


    Amy fell quiet after his little ''advice'' as she put two and two together. Her enchantingugh suddenly graced his ears that turned the color red even in his confused state.


    "That ''man'' you''re referring to is actually her twelve year old so don''t worry, I won''t be doing any of that", Amy looked at him with a smile.<sub> </sub>


    He was so mesmerized by her smile but her words snapped him out of her reverie once they sunk in. Amy thought him to be cute for keeping her in check. It kind of reminded her of how Ste would speak her mind so carelessly. She looked in the direction where the two men disappeared and started to wonder what was taking so long.


    "Would you ever..... leave your husband for another man?" His gaze remained fixed to the floor. He wished she could take her time to give him time to prepare himself but her answer came falling like a hard rock on his head.


    "There''s no room for another person", she stated as a matter of fact.


    Silence. What he didn''t know was that Amy meant she can''t afford to fall for another person because of her situation. But another reason was she didn''t think there was anyone who could impress her like Zach did even without him being there.


    "What''s taking them so long?" She muttered. "Shall we go and check?"


    Ian nodded and followed after Amy. They weaved their way through the corridors and found themselves at the reception. Richard was not alone. Alex and Nora had arrived and the three seemed to be in a serious discussion.


    "Even with yours and minebined, it won''t be enough", he sighed.


    "I''ll call a few friends", Alex said as she took out her phone and started browsing through some contacts.


    "I''ll check with mine too", Nora did the same.


    "What''s going on?" Amy asked as she got closer.


    Richard''s expression was heavy with worry, much worse than he had been earlier.


    "Well.....", The older man scratched his head. He looked at his daughters unsure of how to break the news. He was already embarrassed by himself because of the situation and wanted to sort it without anyone finding out about it. But he forgot Amy was around. Nora saw Alex and her dad''s hesitation and chose to tell it like it is.


    "Mom''s medical n failed. They can''t operate on her without it."


    "Nora!" Alex whisper-shouted. But her scolding fell on deaf ears as Nora continued.


    "The library isn''t doing too well Mom hasn''t been able to pay for their medical n for months now. The money in her ount is not enough to cover for her surgery. Even with what we contributed, it''s not enough. So we''re trying to pull in funds otherwise our other alternative is for her to recover at home but that will take a long time and a lot of painkillers."


    ''The library is not doing well? Then how has she been paying me?''


    Not only that, Ste had practically made herself a caregiver for free as she nursed Amy''s pregnancy. Even with the little she had, she went out of her way to look after Amy and her family too. Amy felt her heart ache and her eyes were bloodshot red from suppressed tears.


    The family was silent after Nora revealed their reality to Amy. The former didn''t see the point of hiding this. If anything she would be grateful if Amy helped and would surely pay her back; she was already agitated that her mother''s surgery was being dyed because of this.


    "I''ll pay", a soft voice spoke gaining everyone''s attention.


    Everyone looked at Amy in shock. Did they hear her right?


    "How much can you chip in?" Nora asked.


    "Nora!" Alex scolded again.


    "No, I''m paying for everything."


    "Emily, we can''t let you do this. It''s not right", Richard protested.


    "Am I a stranger to you? Why are you hesitant? Ste wouldn''t hesitate. If anything, we should hurry up and not further dy her surgery", she gave him aforting smile.


    "Emily", both Alex and Richard called out helplessly. They looked at Nora and warned her with their eyes to do the same but she didn''t bat an eye and simply looked at Amy with a hopeful look.


    Amy chuckled when she saw this. "And did you forget? I have a rich husband!"


    Two faces turned grim by that sentence. It was the face of Nora and Ian.

 Chapter 107 Amy Feels Like A Daughter

    Nora was pacing back and forth by the doors to the operating department. Ian was seated in the waiting area but his foot could not stop shaking. Despite his usual stoic expression, he had never felt so worried about someone in his life, besides that one time when it was his grandpa.


    Richard was seated in the waiting area with his head hanging low. No one wanted to disturb him especially knowing how this experience has made him feel about himself. Alex was seated a few seats away from Richard but close to Amy as she attended to a call.


    "Let auntie read you a story, I''ll be backter... Uh, let''s do this, I''ll be there when you wake up... Of course! I promise! Now be a good girl and go to bed.... Mm. I love you sweetheart, goodnight", she made kissing sounds before hanging up.


    She sighed in relief as she looked up to find Amy staring at her in amusement. She had been fascinated by how Alex was coaxing Stacy. Will her little one be like Stacy not wanting to sleep without hearing his/her mommy''s stories or songs?


    Alex chuckled as she put her phone away, "Your time ising."


    "I''ll make sure Stacy influences her cuteness on this one", she patted her belly.


    "Uh....Do you want the honest truth or should I just leave you in that bubble?"


    "What truth?" Amy asked though clearly amused.


    "Stacy can be cute but she can be more like Nora to a certain degree. Are you sure you want that influence on your child?" Alex raised her brows at her.


    Amy fell quiet and hummed in thought. Nora was someone who was straight forward, she saw it today, that''s a character she would strongly want her child to have. "There''s something to like about Nora."


    Someone immediately settled on a chair in front of them and looked at Amy with a hopeful gaze. Alex and Amy were buffled by the speed Nora moved from the doors to where they were seated.


    "Right? What do you think of me? I''m quite a beauty, nothingpared to you but still, it''s something you can work with, yeah?" Nora wiggled her brows at Amy.


    "Emily let me have a word with you", Richard had suddenly appeared beside them before Amy or Alex could get a word out.


    "Dad! You''re ruining my chances at love!" Nora whined as she saw Amy get up.


    Alex chuckled and pointed at her sister as she spoke. "Are you sure about this?"


    Amy shook her head helplessly as she followed after Richard. He led them out where there was some sort of a mini park with benches to seat on, there were nice trimmed nts in different shapes, and well trimmed grass that carpeted most of the floor besides the paving stone. There were patients in hospital gowns some with their guardians others alone sitting on the benches, being wheeled around, or dragging their IV drip stand as they walked.


    But Amy''s eyes were on Richard who led her to a bench where he gestured for her to sit after him. Amy could not help her nerves. Did he get offended by the financial help she lent them? She saw how hesitant he was. Was he about to tell her off?


    "I don''t know where to start", he suddenly said. He let out a self depricatingugh as he sped his hands together. "A man who can''t help his wife when she needs him to", he looked down to hide the tears he blinked back.


    "That''s not true. From what I saw, you were doing everything you could for Ste. Anyone could have easily seen that. I don''t think Ste would want you to look down on yourself like this", Amy patted his shoulder.


    He chuckled, "You''re right, she wouldn''t. And you know what else? She would speak up if she was curious about something."


    "Huh?"<sub> </sub>


    "How did you know toe home?"


    Amy looked at him. He was currently looking down at his sped hands and his foot kept tapping on the floor. She felt bad that such a great was putting himself in such a position.


    "We don''t have to talk about it", she told him but he shook his head. Amy sighed before she took out her phone, unlocked it before giving him to see what was on it.


    Richard took the phone. His shoulders suddenly started shaking and he quickly cupped his mouth to silence his sobs. His heart ached as he pictured his wife who was in immense pain lying at the back seatposing a text to send to Amy while he had an episode in the car.


    Ste: Emily, Richard needs your help. You''ll find us in the car. Please hurry.


    She hadn''t exin his situation but Amy sensed that something was wrong; her heart was thudding wildly in anxiousness. That''s because Ste would either call or waltz into her house to deliver her message. And her fears were proved true when she saw Ste lying unconscious in the back and Richard looking as white as a sheet of paper with cold sweat on his forehead.


    Amy sat still as she let the man cry his heart out. Even in such a situation, Ste looked out for him. She didn''t expose his weaknesses or made him feel like so. How did he be so lucky to have such an amazing woman? He wiped his tears and passed back the phone to Amy.


    "Aren''t you going to ask questions? I''m sure there''s a lot you want to know."


    "Richard, we all have our demons that we''re not ready face. We don''t have to talk about it", Amy assured him.


    "Did you forget the words you said not too long ago? You''re not a stranger. And I''m telling you this because I want to. I know I don''t owe you an exnation but I still want to."


    Amy nodded. Richard let out a breath, mentally readying himself to tell her his weaknesses. He was opening up to Amy the same way he opened up to his other daughters.


    "I''ve been a trucker for most of my life. Well, I was. I met Ste through one of my travels when I went to New Jersey", he smiled as he reminisced at the fond memory.


    "Ste''s from New Jersey?"


    That''s a thought that never crossed her mind. There was a lot she didn''t know about Ste. Maybe because she never asked. Even if she didn''t want to pry about certain matters, getting to know Ste as a person should be something she should do especially when she cares so much about the older woman.


    Richard chuckled when he saw her surprised face. "Well, that''s a story for another day and hers to tell. But yes, that''s what I''ve been for most of my life until seven years ago. A colleague''s car had broken down one night, normally we would sleep in our cars, but that day, he needed to get it fixed as soon as possible because he had urgent business in our town.


    "I gave him a ride to the nearest repair shop, but it suddenly started to rain heavily. We could hardly see, most cars didn''t. One moment we were blinded by strong lights approaching, and the next I was lying on the side of the road covered in blood and staring at my overturned truck. Before I could blink, it exploded right before my eyes.


    "I learnedter that my colleague died in that explosion. I saw how devasted his family was by his death. From that moment, get sh backs whenever I get behind the wheel. It''s been a weakness I have been unable to face and now", he sighed and looked back down. "When my wife needed me, I let my fear take over."


    Amy saw the shaking of his shoulders and found herself moving towards him. She opened her arms and Richard hugged her. Sheforted him with a pat on his back.


    Richard felt warm by her gesture. Ste is always right, Amy felt like a daughter indeed. He deeply wished she was their own from the get go. But it wasn''t toote for that. Soon orter, Amy would find out about their decision.


    "Dad, mom''s surgery is over", Nora announced from behind them.

 Chapter 108 Planning To Shock Them

    Nora followed behind them. Her brows were knitted showing the evident displeasure in her face. What she had just witnessed, the atmosphere she could detect, she hoped her assumptions were wrong. Otherwise, she really didn''t like what she saw.


    The three were led to the Intensive Care Unit by Alex and Ian. Richard and Alex were permitted to go in to see Ste after wearing protective clothes. Nora, Ian and Amy stood outside and could only watch through the ss window.


    Doctor Burn was also inside exining a few things to Alex and Richard. Amy was staring at Ste''s face. She was so used to the bubbly woman this scene was unfamiliar to her. Her heart ached just from watching this scene. Amy felt her eyes sting with tears but just as she had been doing, she would not let herself cry in front of them.


    "She''s going to be okay", Nora spoke from beside her.


    She could read Amy''s emotions in that moment and she was touched. Amy really cared about her mother. Dr. Burn came out with Alex following behind while Richard remained inside.


    Dr. Burn gave a polite nod to the three before going his way.


    "How''s Grandma?" Ian asked.


    "She''s going to be okay. The surgery went well, they expect her to regain consciousness tomorrow. Ian, take Emily home. Nora, can you go home and stay with Stacy?"


    "Go home! You did promise Stacy you''d be there when she wakes up. Go on!" Nora shooed them.


    "Okay! Let''s go", Alex said almost immediately.


    Nora''s lips twitched. "My gosh! Look at you! You were waiting for me to say that, didn''t you?"


    Alex chuckled as she hugged her sister, "I picked up a thing or two after thirty six years of living as your sister."


    "Alright. Let go, I need to hug Emily", she pushed away her sister and moved with arms wide open towards Amy.


    But Alex was faster than her as she hang an arm around Amy and walked away before Nora could get to her. There was an evident frown on Nora''s face. Amy chuckled as she looked in the ss window and saw Richard smiling. She waved at him which he return with his own.


    He had been watching the whole exchange. He watched as the three left and retracted his gaze to find Nora ring at him.


    ''What now?'' he mused.


    Alex went home on her own after giving Ian Ste''s car keys. Ian drove her home with not so much as a word. He was still crashed by their earlier conversation; a huge p in the face for him. Amy didn''t mind the silence, there was a storm of emotions within her from being worried about Ste. She couldn''t get that image out of her head.


    "Thanks Ian", Amy said as she got out.


    He gave a nonmittal response and drove off. Amy didn''t think much of it and went to unlock her house. As she walked in, she took out her phone and saw a bunch of notifications all from Zach.


    Ahismine@***: Is everything okay?


    Ahismine@***: I''m worried.


    Ahismine@***: It''ste. Tell me you''re safe at home.


    Ahismine@***: Wifey, are you ignoring your husband?


    Ahismine@***: Amy, I''m worried about. Please get back to me as soon as you can.


    Her heart warmed up when she saw the messages and subconsciously smiled. She started topose a response but opted for securing a voice connection as usual. She sent an email to confirm if she could do that first.


    "Are you okay?" Was the first thing he asked. "You''re not hurt, are you? I told you to run to me if you need to. I can''t lose you again!"


    With the series of questions and the evident worry in his tone, Amy felt her intense emotions she had suppressed bubble up and threatening to spill.


    "Zachery", she whispered which quickly turned into a sob as she sat on her bed


    "Amy? What''s wrong? What''s happening? What''s going on? You can tell me", he coaxed.


    "I''m fine, I''m just.... Something happened", she rested her elbow on on her thigh and held her head as cried.<sub> </sub>


    "What happened? Talk to me baby", Zach''s voice turned even more gentle. He was already seated in his bed as he was rmed by the sound of her cries. This was the first time he heard such a heart breaking sound that he felt his chest tighten just by hearing the sound of her cries.


    "My friend got hurt, Ian''s grandma. It was so bad she had to undergo surgery.... She''s done so much for me even with the little that she has.... Just seeing her on that bed looking pale and so helpless and... She''s such a bubbly person and to see her like that...."


    Hot tears fell down Amy''s face as everything Ste had done for her shed in her mind scene after scene. One after the other she felt her heart ache even more as she cried out. Zach felt like his heart was getting squeezed with each sound of Amy''s heart breaking sobs.


    He wished he was there to hold her in his arms and wipe away her tears, to rub soothing circles on her back, to let her cry in his arms until her heart felt at ease. Zach had never felt so helpless in his life than in that moment. But there was not much he could do, so he let her cry as heart breaking as it was for him.


    "It''s okay..... Everything is going to be okay.... Ssh! Don''t cry baby, it''s okay. She''s going to be okay..... Ssh...."


    Zach ended up staying up coaxing Amy to stop crying lest she falls sick. He couldn''t have that happen when he was already not with her. To his soothing voice, Amy was lulled to sleep. Zach only rxed when he heard her breathing even. Despite that, he slept with an attentive ear to when she wakes up during the night.


    The next morning, Amy''s blue eyes fluttered open witba start.


    "Amy?" Zach called out.


    "Zachery? Did I sleep on you again?" She asked as picked up her phone from the other side of her bed and nestled back into the sheets.


    "Don''t worry about it. How are you feeling? Any aches and pains?" He gently asked.


    Amy''s heart warmed up at his worry. "I''m fine. Slept well?"


    "Don''t worry about me. Did you eatst night? Is there anything you could eat? You need to regain your strength before you can take on the day."


    "I''ll see what I have", she said.


    "Can you make something right now? I need to hear you eat."


    Amy chuckled when she heard this. "Okay, okay."


    She got up and went to the kitchen with Zach still on the line. She got out some ingredients for a rice porridge. As she prepped them, her phone vibrated notifying her of a message. Her brows went up when she saw who it was.


    Dn: Buenos Dias!


    "Zachery, I need to make a call. Can I get back to you?" She asked.


    "Okay, I''ll go shower while you do that", he said.


    With that, she terminated the connection with Zach and quickly secured a connection with Dn''s mobile device. She was quick to set up her voice changer before Dn intercepted the connection.


    "Spain is a beautiful country! Why have I never been here before?" Dn''s excited voice boomed over her phone.


    "Should I trust that you left Aldo''s woman and left Italy in your own?" She was annoyed by Dn''s women problem. It was causing him to be careless which is something she could not have.


    "Boss, when have I never listened to you?" He chuckled. Amy rolled her eyes at this.


    "Stay hidden until everything is over", she ordered.


    "Would that be after the Corporate g? It''s happening next weekend you know?" He reminded.


    Amy felt a nervous twist in her stomach at the reminder. But she kept herposure and chose not to respond. When Dn got silence as a response, he let out a cheekyugh.


    "Boss, you''re nning something, aren''t you? What do you n on doing?"


    A smile crept up on Amy''s lips. What did she n on doing indeed? Well, it would shock them all!

 Chapter 109 Disturbing The Whole Floor

    "Mom woke up I think that was around three this morning, she was transferred to a recovery ward about two hours ago after Dr. Burn confirmed that she was out of danger", Nora exined as she apanied Amy to Ste''s new ward.


    "Oh! I''m d to hear that! Is she still awake right now?" The relief was evident on her features but she still needed to see the woman with her own eyes.


    "She was still sleeping when I came out to get you so I don''t know about now", she shrugged.


    The two fell in silence as they moved. Amy looked around the corridor they were walking in, the smell of medicine wafted to her nose. A small smile yed on her lips, the smell bought quite a, she was not sure if it was a fond one, but it was a memory.


    "What''s up?" Nora asked when she took in Amy''s expression.


    "I just remembered how I used to be so scared of hospitals when I was young, yet I never cried whilst on the way there when the sisters apanied me. But when we reach the hospital entrance, I would magically get better the moment I pick up the smell of medicine. And then I''dter on buy my own medicine", she chuckled whilst feeling embarrassed.


    "Really?" Her eyes lit up upon hearing Amy''s story. "That was my trick too! I easily fooled dad a couple of times but not mom, I''m a mini version of her so she could practically see through all my tricks!"


    Amyughed. She could imagine a little Nora getting all mischievous but Ste busting her little acts. Such a thought made the young woman quite envious, although the sisters did all they could to raise them all, it was nothingpared to having your own mother raising you with all the love and care. She wondered, what could life have been like if her mother had not abandoned her. She couldn''t even find out why she was abandoned in the first ce. She nced down at her growing belly, at least her little one will have her in his/her life. And hopefully soon, the little one will have their daddy too.


    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! What do we doooooooo? It hurrrrrrrrrts!" Someone''s wailing echoed throughout the corridors.


    Nora and Amy looked at each other with brows raised in confusion. They both felt their hearts grow heavy. ''I guess someone died'', they both mused.


    They chose not to talk anymore as the person''s wails continued.


    "How could this happen? How? My best frienddddddddd! Richard my best friend!!!!!!!"


    ''Poor guy! His best friend is really heart broken over his death'', Nora mused.


    "Steaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Steaaaaaaaaaa! How could this happen to you?"


    "Hold on", Nora stopped in her tracks. Her heart had started to thump wildly in anxiousness when she heard the familiar name. Even Amy was disturbed by it. "That voice... No!"


    Nora sprinted down the corridor heading to her mom''s room. Amy was momentarily frozen as she put two and two together. She gasped when she realized what Nora had been saying and the crying. She picked up her pace and followed after Nora.


    Nora was already by the room door but stood while holding it wide open. Amy was right behind and couldn''t see inside when she realized that Nora was a foot taller than her. But her heart was already racing. She was already screaming ''No'' in her head. They said the surgery went well and she was out of danger! Oh! There were so many things she wanted to learn from Ste and even the she never said it, she really loved the older woman. Women like her were hard toe by. ''Please'', she silently begged at the same time not ready to see what was inside.


    "Oh my god Aunt Lily!" Nora snapped, silencing the woman inside and startling Amy behind her.


    "What do you think you are doing? This is a hospital!" Nora was clearly annoyed.<sub> </sub>


    Amy was confused by the encounter and pushed her way in. Her mouth fell open as she took in the scene. Richard was settled in the sitting area of the VIP room giving his back to everyone, a red haired woman, whom Amy figured to be Nora''s Aunt Lily, was settled on a stool beside Ste''s bed. Her face was heavy with makeup and the area around her eyes was covered in smudged eyeliner and mascara making her look like a mime as ck tear stains fell down her cheeks.


    She was no longer crying but had fallen in a ring contest with Nora. As for Ste, she was lying down with a hand covering her embarrassed face.


    "Hey, is that how you greet your elders! You haven''t seen me for ten years and that''s the first thing you say? Show me some respect!" Lily assumed an authoritative tone and scolded Nora.


    Nora scoffed. "Respect? If you didn''t try to trick dad into sleeping with you by making him think you were mom, maybe, maybe, I''d have this much respect for you."


    Nora brought her thumb and index finger together barely leaving any visible space to demonstrate the amount of respect she was talking about. But Lily overlooked this and was more offended by what she said as she abruptly turned to look at Ste.


    "Hey! You told her about that? My gosh! I wouldn''t be surprised if it was you who told the whole neighborhood!" Lily grumbled while her face was red from embarrassment.


    Ste sighed, she wished she could turn and give her back to Lily but all she could do was lie there and evade Lily''s gaze. Amy saw Ste''s face color red, she was very guilty of that usation, the woman would never change. She felt a squeeze in her heart as she saw this familiar scene.


    "Enough with the act! You''ve disturbed the whole floor already!" Nora shouted in annoyance.


    "Ste are you going to let her speak to me like this? When I''vee to show how worried I am about you?" Ste remained unmoving and so Lily turned towards the sitting area. "Richard?"


    Her words fell on deaf ears. She was about toin when a soft sob suddenly echoed in the room. Everyone looked to the door to find Amy covering her face but her shoulders visibly shook with each sob. Even Ste removed her hand at the unfamiliar sound.


    Her heart ached when she saw the familiar figure of Amy yet in tears. "Come here", she said. Her voice was still weak but Amy heard her as she moved towards the bed.


    Her emotions were stirred up when she felt the familiar warmth of Ste''s hands. Ste pulled her to rest Amy''s head on her chest triggering the young woman''s cries even more. She gently patted her head.


    "It''s okay. I''m okay. Don''t cry. Shhhhh", Ste cooed.


    Lily watched as the strange pregnant young woman stood in a bent over position to hug Ste while crying. Her lips had curled in disdain as she looked at Nora and mouthed:


    "Who is that?"


    Nora grimaced when she saw Lily''s currently horrendous face and didn''t bother to answer her as she looked away. Lily''s lips twitched from annoyance.


    "Don''t cry dear. I''m alright", Ste continued patting Amy''s head. Thetter''s tears seemed to not have an end as she sobbed in Ste''s embrace.


    "Mom."

 Chapter 110 Stellas Loyal Friends

    Amy and Ste froze in their little moment. The former slowly moved up to face the older woman who stared at her with a hint of shock. Ste could not believe it, she never thought a moment like this woulde. Did Amy really just call her ''mom''? Her face started to light up from joy when she heard it again.


    "Mom."


    But Amy''s lips didn''t move. She saw the disappointment in the older woman as they broke the embrace and finally turned to find an irritated Nora staring at them.


    "Mom, what do you think you''re doing?"


    "What now, Nora?" Ste let out an exhausted sigh.


    "Did Dad put you up to this? Dad!" Nora snapped in her father''s direction.


    Richard stood up and went to his wife. He bent down so his face was inches away from hers. "I''m going to get some coffee", he told her to which she nodded before kissing her forehead.


    He went to pat Amy''s head leaving her to feel a little funny from the gesture. She wiped away her tears as she watched Nora follow after her father.


    "Dad! You can''t ignore me like this! This conversation is not over!"


    Once the door was closed with Nora still shouting after her father, Amy looked at Ste for answers. The older woman shook her head. "Don''t mind her", she said.


    As buffled as Amy was, she dropped the matter. If Ste didn''t want to tell her, that''s fine. But she could not help the curiosity as to why Nora would suddenly act like that. Amy looked further and finally took in the older woman who was Nora''s Aunt Lily. She still had the ck tear stains on her face.


    "What? You have something to say?" She snapped.


    Amy was taken aback by her attitude. Is she like this to everyone even strangers? Ste sighed when she saw this.


    "How are you feeling?" Amy asked Stepletely ignoring Lily.


    "Ste your friend is rude! She just ignored me", Lily grumbled. She didn''t like this person whose name she didn''t even know.


    "I''m getting there. Did you eat beforeing here?" Ste responded in her weak voice yet full of gentleness.


    "What the heck? Are you both ignoring me?" Lily''s expression grew ugly as she nced between the two.


    Amy''s heart warmed up and she smiled as she nodded in response. This was the second time someone worried about whether she had eaten today. She wondered what Zach was doing in that very moment. It was Sunday after all, so how is he spending the day? She mentally pped herself for letting her thoughts stray when she should be focused on the person before her.


    Amy found Ste staring at her with a knowing gaze and smile. The young woman abruptly turned away and walked to the nightstand where a jug of water and ssy on a tray.


    "Would you like some water?" She asked as she hid her red cheeks and ears.


    Ste chuckled, "Of course dear. Don''t forget the straw."


    "There''s a whole third person over here!" Lily pointed at herself in irritation.


    When the two continued to ignore her, Lily huffed out a breath in annoyance as she stormed out. But she had only opened the door when a shriek was heard!


    "Arrrrrrrggggghhhh!"


    "Arrrrrgggghhh!" Lily also shrieked in shock!


    "What the heck? Did we get the right room?" Someone spoke when the shrieking died down.<sub> </sub>


    Amy and Ste looked at each other. The former went to get the door and opened it wide. Standing before her, were all thedies from the book club.


    "Oh! I guess we got the right room!" Adrianne spoke when she saw Amy behind Lily.


    The women shuffled their way in as they gave Amy cheek to cheek kisses whilst ignoring Lily by the door.


    "My gosh! That gave me a fright!" Emma patted her chest.


    "Did you guys hire a clown to entertain our patient?" Sylvia asked.


    "Oh! I love these! Do a trick!" Anastasia pped excitedly.


    "Do you do birthdays as well? My nephew''s birthday ising up in three months", Meredith asked excitedly.


    "But your makeup is not that impressive. Even if you''re just starting in this business, add in a little effort in your looks. I know someone who could help", Dorothy analyzed as she made to touch Lily''s chin.


    Lily pped Dorothy''s hand away and she was breathing hard as she red at the women.


    "My gosh! What''s with that look? So rude! Ste you should get a refund! What kind of a clown is this?" Dorothy spoke in disapproval.


    "I''M NOT A CLOWN!" Lily shrieked and her hands shook from anger. "I''m her cousin from New Jersey, Lily! DO I LOOK LIKE A CLOWN TO YOU?"


    The women took in the middle aged woman who was fuming in anger. They started whispering among themselves as they pointed at Lily''s face. Thetter huffed out a breath in annoyance and walked out. She had barely taken a step out of the door, when:


    "Hold it right there!" Adrianne spoke from behind her. "Did you say Lily, Ste''s cousin from New Jersey?"


    "Yes, why do you ask?" Lily turned around and crossed arms against her chest assuming a haughty stance.


    "I wonder what you thought Richard would see on you that would make him think you''re Ste!" Adrianne mocked her with her eyes as her lips curled in disdain.


    "Oh! My gosh! That''s her? The difference between you two is like day and night!" Emmamented.


    Lily could not believe Ste had told everyone about that.


    "Ugh!" She marched out without stopping in a fit of anger. The moment she disappeared out of the door, the women roared intoughter. Amy and Ste looked at them all confused.


    "We met Nora outside with Richard. She said Lily was a headache", Adrianne exined.


    "Do you think we went too far with the clown thing?" Emma asked with a sheepish smile.


    "No, that was perfect!" Ste chuckled in her weak state and Amy gave thedies a thumbs up.


    "How are you feeling?" Emma came forward and went to Ste''s side.


    The women bombarded her with questions asking about her healthy as some put down the flowers and the containers and sks of food they brought. No wonder Ste stuck to this group, they were loyal friends. But as she took in this scene, her phone vibrated and her smile slowly disappeared.


    It was from that person, the CEO of Greco Pharmaceuticals. Only three words stared right into her face as she looked at her phone:


    I dare you.

 Chapter 111 I Dare You

    "Are you okay, dear?" Ste asked from where shey.


    She had not missed how the happy expression slowly disappeared from Amy''s face. The other women looked at her when they heard Ste''s question. Amy gave a small smile as she nodded away.


    "Yes, it''s a spam message, she said as she put away her phone.


    Emma chuckled from where she sat on the sofa in the sitting area. "I just remembered how this other woman scammed her ex husband of all his money because he didn''t give her a single dime of what she was supposed to get as alimony."


    "How stupid is he?" Anastasia shook her head.


    "Did that even happen? That sounds like something you''d see in movie", Sylviamented.


    Emma was annoyed by thement as she looked away obnoxiously. "Just know that it happened."


    "By the way, is it possible to have our meetings here instead since the library will be closed?" Elizabeth asked a curious question.


    "Will it be too much for you Ste? We can put it on pause and simply just visit you", Dorothy suggested.


    "No, we can have our meetings here", Ste replied.


    "Right? I mean it''s a V.I.P room so we won''t be disturbing anyone if we have the discussions here", Emma agreed.


    "What about the library? Is it going to remain closed while Ste is away?" Sylvia asked.


    "No, Emily, Ian and I will handle it. Oh?" Adrianne''s eyes sparkled at a new idea. "Since Ste is down and I''ll temporarily take her ce at the library, does that make me the new chaidy?"


    The woman was getting excited when her idea was quickly shut down by the rest of the women. As the discussion bloomed, two people were distracted by their own thoughts. Ste was the first. She had been triggered the moment she heard ''V.I.P room''. She knew they were not doing too well financially so how did Richard pay for such an expensive room or the surgery fee itself.


    Amy was also drowning in her thoughts. Though she looked present and very amused by the development of things, she could not help but wonder what prompted that person to send her that email. Those three words kept reying in her head.


    ''I dare you.... Why? Do they know I''m nning something?'' she mused.


    At Greco Pharmaceuticals


    "Boss, was that move.....", Peter didn''t finish his sentence as he fixed his trouser belt. He happened to be standing beside his boss when the person sent that email to Amy.


    The boss was seated in their spinning chair as they stared at the screen in amusement. "Necessary? Wise? What Peter?"<sub> </sub>


    The boss''s tone was light and Peter could detect their good mood. But he did not dare rx.


    "Boss, I''m not questioning you.. ", he walked back to the other side of the desk and assumed his respectful stance. He sped his hands in front and kept his head hanging low.


    He remembered what happenedst time he dared to question his boss and would like to avoid a repeat of that. The boss could guess what he was thinking and chuckled in amusement.


    "What do you think Peter? What kind of a move was that?"


    Peter could feel the scorching gaze analyze him from head to toe. But he dared not look up. What did he think? Should he even speak?


    "Are you going to talk or should I make you?"


    There was a danger in their tone. Peter gulped and stuttered as a response automatically flew out of his mouth. "I-I-I don''t know if it''s a threat or- or- or- a protection."


    The bossughed and pped their hands as the gaffawed in amusement. They had to wipe away someughing tears and took a couple of deep breaths to calm down from theirugh. Peter thought he would get an answer but only heard the boss sigh after theirugh died down. He then heard the sound of their elegant long fingers rapping against the mahogany desk.


    Did the boss suddenly feel arrogant because of the backing The King was openly showing to them? But it did not change the fact that Amy would possibly sabotage them. This was a woman who took down a whole corporation and even his goons had been taken care of. Peter was honestly worried. He could not afford to go down so easily after everything he has sacrificed.


    The boss suddenly stood up and Peter followed after them as they walked out of the CEO''s office. Bodyguards were already by their side creating a protective arch as they walked on. The bodyguards gave a knowing gaze when they saw Peter but thetter kept his eyes on the heels of his boss as they walked.


    They took the elevator going down to the underground floor of the thirty five floor building. The boss hummed an unknown tune as they kept their eyes peeled on the decreasing numbers. A ding sound went off and the elevator doors slid open revealing a hallway with white walls and white tiled floor.


    They walked through that hallway until they reached a railing where they could oversee the men and women in white coats and protective clothes covering their bodies from head to toe, goggles to protect their eyes, masks and medical gloves while they run tests to achieve the desired results for what they were truly working on.


    "How far are we from being ready for the Corporate g?" The boss asked and all the amusement was quickly reced by seriousness.


    "The Adalimumab is ready but, we should have our sample ready by then", Peter replied.


    "You better. We can''t afford for anything to go wrong, The King is watching", the boss reminded.


    Peter felt a shiver down his spine at the reminder as he swallowed a hard lump in his throat. The boss''s eyes fell on the hand of a certain scientist waving a form in a test tube as he held it to the light.


    A wicked smile stretched on the boss''s lips. Amy Harper will not sabotage them, not after so much work and preparation has gone into their project; hence the message: I dare you.

 Chapter 112 Working Together Though Apart

    Amy had been haunted by that message all day. Even when she went home that night, she could not help ponder over those three words. It could only mean one thing: they were ready or close to being ready. Was she toote? With The King openly backing them up, they probably felt invincible. Her actions, would they make a difference? Did it mean she was being careless especially with the baby on the way?


    She sighed as she rubbed her growing currently small belly. Her phone chimed and she automatically smiled when she saw Zach''s message.


    Ahismine@***: I''m ready for you.


    She secured a connection with his phone. "What do you mean by you''re ready for me? We''re not doing anything."


    "So I should only say that when we''re about to do SOMETHING", he countered in a suggestive tone.


    "Zachery", she warned him.


    "Fine", he grumbled. "How''s your friend doing?"


    "She''s getting there. One day at a time", Amy responded.


    Zach briefly fell silent when he heard reply. "Is it just that or is there something else that has you feeling down?"


    "Huh?" Amy was surprised. She was sure she sounded normal.


    "You don''t sound yourself. What are you worried about?" His voice was gentle as he spoke.


    Amy looked down at her belly protruding under the sheets, then thought about the message she received earlier, and the Corporate G; she was mostly worried about her baby. Zach heard her sigh and made a random guess.


    "Is it about the Corporate G?"


    She gasped in surprise, "How did you know?"


    He chuckled and was quite pleased with himself as he gotfortable in bed. "Is there something you need help with? Just say the word."


    Although she heard himugh, she knew he was quite serious when he spoke. Amy felt a certain sweetness in his offer and it was very tempting.


    "First, I need your thoughts on something", she said.


    "I''m listening", he sat up and his ears were sharp ready to hear what she said.


    Amy''s pink plump lips moved as she spoke whilst holding the phone close to her mouth. From the outside world, it would look like she was having a pillow talk with her lover. Her face was Serene and she was calm as she spoke. It could have been the first time she sent him those files on Parton Corporation or the night they spent together when she surrendered herself to him after he told her how much he wanted her on a sober mind; she trusted him. It was probably one of the reasons she did not push him away when he digitally found her.


    Zach almost swooned when he heard her soft voice spilling her innermost thoughts about the matter. She didn''t say anything about the baby but she told him something that initially shocked him, but ended up with a huge smile on his face.


    "Is that what you n on doing?" He asked with clear excitement.


    "Yes", Amy replied softly.


    "Then can this hubby of yours suggest something?" His smile grew wide.


    "I''m listening", Amy''s face turned red as she mimicked his words when she asked for his opinion.


    Zach chuckled when he realized what she had done, not only that, she was acknowledging his position as her hubby in her life. Well, she had be his wife from the moment she gave her innocence to him.


    "Alright, that sounds good. Let''s do that", she said in affirmative after hearing his suggestion.


    "Thank you wifey, for this", his voice was sweet when he spoke. Amy felt like she could melt on the spot as she couldn''t fight her smile.


    Zach was the happiest with thiste night conversation. Even though they were apart, the couple were going to work together. It seemed Amy''s n to shock those people at the Corporate G would still go through, with Zach''s help. Without even asking for it, he gave her the help she needed.<sub> </sub>


    When they had hit their ten p.m mark, they called it a night. Of course, Amy didn''t forget to sing to her cupcake. Her mood was much better than earlier.


    While Amy and Zach had a goodnight''s sleep, Xavier was having, well, his own trouble during thete night. It was the weekend, he had gone to the club with his buddies. He hadn''t allowed himself to get curious about Nicole since he gave up and simply went back to his old life.


    As usual, he picked up a babe in a shimmery gold mini dress barely covering her ass, with a plunging neckline that exposed her cleavage and her makeup was not to crazy. No hot bloodied male could resist that; well, men like Xavier could not resist that.


    They were currently at a hotel room, he was seated by the edge of the bed. His shirt and trousers had been discarded somewhere on the floor so his muscr torso was on disy leaving him in his Calvin Klein boxers.


    The woman he came to that hotel with was kneeling between his legs in nothing but a thong. Her face had been pulled into a frown as she stared at his crotch. Xavier sighed when he saw this.


    "It''s not..... reacting", she muttered.


    "I can see that", he snapped. This had never happened to him before. Even he didn''t know why his junior was misbehaving.


    "Hey!" She snapped back.


    Xavier sighed, "Sorry. Try something else."


    She looked at her wrist that was aching from working a thing that never responded. Thinking of a better idea, she took him in her hand and spat on him before trapping him between her tits. She started stroking him with her mounds and licked the tip every time it came up between them for stimtion.


    "Ah!" She moaned as she felt good from her own actions.


    Xavier however felt so bored in that moment. How was he not enjoying this? He closed his eyes in irritation but instead an image of a grey eyed beauty invaded his mind.


    He could remember how her mouth wickedly worked around his shatf when she knelt before him against the booth tinted window. The image of his shaft disappearing between her pink lips while he pulled on her hair instantly made him hard.


    "Mmm..... Ah!", the woman moaned when Xavier pulled her hair. His junior finally got hard. ''So he''s a boob guy? Hot!'' she mused as she sped up the stroking his shaft with her tits. But it was worth it, it was high time she got a taste of this sex god and hoped to be a regr.


    Xavier felt like he was not getting enough as he pulled her up onto hisp and quickly pulled her thong to the side to bury himself inside her wet warmth.


    "Ah!" She screamed in pleasure at the sudden invasion when he started thrusting like a maniac.


    Her womanhood would certainly get destroyed by him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held on for dear life. But he didn''t look at her and instead buried his face in the crook of her neck.


    "Ah! I''ming!" Her walls squeezed his length.


    That sentence was a wake up call when he realized he was close and currently not using protection. His eyes snapped open as he removed her from hisp and threw her beside him on the bed.


    The woman removed the hairs from her face and her skin was flushed as she stared at him in shock. What just happened?


    "Get out!" He snapped.


    "Xavier", she sat up to touch him and try to convince him to continue where he stopped.


    "Out", Xavier did not budge. His gaze was fixed on the wall up ahead and he didn''t see the tears that welled up in her eyes.


    "Jerk!" She snapped back and quickly threw on her clothes. It irritated her that he didn''t spare a nce at her body as she dressed up. She stormed out of the room and mmed the door.


    Xavier run his hands over his face and he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He could not believe himself or everything that just happened. One thought came to mind and he voiced it.


    "I need to find her."

 Chapter 113 Xaviers Troubles

    The very next day, Zach woke up in a good mood. He sat himself at his dining table where his breakfasty and devoured it all. Everything tasted especially good as he tried a little bit of everything.


    The maids were surprised yet pleased when they saw this. Their master usually ate one thing and would have it with his coffee before leaving for work.


    "Good morning everyone!" Victoria''s shout echoed around the house followed by the sound of her heels clicking against the marble floor.


    She knew Zach was having his breakfast around that time and so she went straight to the dining hall. She was dressed to the nines as usual.


    "Good morning Edmund!" She pped his shoulder.


    "Good morning Madam", he grunted in pain as he caught himself before he could stumble forward from his position but still made sure his master''s jacket did not fall or crease.


    She hummed in response as she sat down on a chair right next to Zach''s as he had settled on the head seat. Edmund gestured at one of the waiting maids to serve Victoria.


    "Just give me some tea, I don''t want to ruin my makeup", she took out a small mirror from her purse and pursed her lips before releasing them to admire the new red lipstick.


    "Zach, what do you think of my new lipstick?" She looked at him.


    He sighed and looked up from his meal. It was a hot red color, he wondered how delicious it would look on Amy. She already had juicy plump lips, they were a sensuous sight in their natural pink color. But the thought of ruining it in ways he could not disclose to anyone, he shifted in his seat when his junior started to misbehave. He nodded to himself aftering to a conclusion. Victoria was happy when she saw this.


    "I can always count on your honesty", she smiled.


    The maid rushed off to prepare her favorite Jasmine tea. Victoria put away the mirror and nced towards the direction she came from in irritation.


    "What are you doing? Hurry up! We don''t have all day!" Victoria shouted.


    The sound of hurried footsteps was heard before the maid rushed back with the tea and served her at the same time Raymond staggered into the dining room with bags and bags of clothes. Zach raised his brows at his mother who gave him a sheepish smile.


    "You see, my outfit for the Corporate g arrived this morning along with a few more outfits I had made. Xavier is not answering his phone and he''s not home, I have no one else but you. And I can only trust your opinion. I promise not to take much of your time", she gave him a hopeful look.


    She knew how busy he was but he was the only one she could turn to when ites down to rating her clothing choice. Victoria would only feel confident in an outfit if it''s approved by someone dearest to her, Zach remembered her to always be like this.


    "For the g", he said.


    Victoria nodded vigorously. "That''s the most important one. Raymond, bring my outfit for the g."


    Raymond got to the task right away. He rummaged through the many bags not sure which he was looking for. He still needed to be careful with his Madam''s babies. Victoria sighed when she saw the man struggle as she abandoned her tea and went to retrieve to herself.


    Raymond sighed in relief and stood to the side as she finally held it up for Zach to see. Her face lit up on excitement as she showed it to him.


    "What do you think?" She smiled as she held it up against her body.


    It was a midnight themed ck dress designed in a princess style, long sleeved and with a sweetheart neckline. It had silver and diamond embroidery to give the illusion of a beautiful night graced with shining stars. The detail wasn''t too much nor too little. It would surelypliment the older woman''s beauty.


    "Looks good", he was genuine with hispliment.


    "Right? I have a good eye for these things", her smile had grown wide as she twirled with the dress.<sub> </sub>


    Edmund and the maids thought Victoria was akin to a child in the face of a good outfit. Zach stood up and went to kiss his mother goodbye on the cheek.


    "Henry will love it", he said as he left.


    Victoria''s expression turned ugly instantly. Why talk about someone who''s not there when it will just put her in a bad mood? She felt so irritated but Zach was already gone.


    The ride to work was quite pleasant with the time passing as he emailed his wife. How was he never bored with talking to her, he thought in amusement. ''Because it''s Amy'', he mused. Something about her just drew him to her despite the distance between them. And he didn''t know if she knew but, his feelings for her were growing everyday.


    When he arrived at work, the employees could not help but give a polite bow to the man. His steps were powerful and his aura wasmanding as he went on to disappear into his private elevator. When he reached the fifty fifth floor where his office was, his secretary, a woman in herte thirties, was quick to apany him with a tablet in her hand.


    "Good morning, Mr. Frost", she greeted.


    Zach gave a hum in response. She was used to this and so proceeded to follow him inside. While the bodyguards dispersed, George joined the two as they entered his office.


    "Good morning sir", he greeted and he too got the same response.


    Zach went to his seat and took off his jacket to hang it on the back of his chair while George took and remote and pressed it only for the curtains to automatically draw open. Light flooded into the room as the man settled into his seat. The sat created a Halo effect around him that the secretary swooned over him. But she had worked long enough with Zach to know the man was stone when ite to women admiring or pursuing him. She thought of the many times she had given him green lights and it was like she was directing those feelings to a wall.


    "Here''s the schedule for today", she ced the tablet down on the table.


    Zach opened a drawer to retrieve his reading sses before picking up the tablet to read what was on it.


    "This morning, you have a meeting with-" she was interrupted by the sound of the door swinging open.


    A haggard looking Xavier strolled in and as usual, went to the liquor cab. Zach''s brows drew together in displeasure when he saw this. Xavier had never looked like this before. Seeing his attention elsewhere, the secretary and George also directed their gazes at Xavier.


    "My d*ck couldn''t go upst night", he started with a sigh as he poured himself a drink.


    Everyone: "..."


    George cleared his throat that gained Xavier''s attention. Thetter only sighed as he took his drink and went to the sofa. He was too depressed to spare any feelings of embarrassment.


    "Miss Courtney, why don''t wee back a littleter?" George suggested to which Zach waved them off in approval.


    Miss Courtney''s expression soured as she was practically forced out of the room. She wanted to hear about Xavier''ste night adventures and also bask in the beauty of the two men. Zach sighed as his brother continued.


    "It only worked when I thought of her! Ugh! I''m a mess man! What is she doing to me?" He groaned in annoyance.


    "I thought you''d say that. I might have good news for you", Zach said.


    Xavier immediately sat straight and turned to look at his brother in clear astonishment.


    "Really? Did you find her?"

 Chapter 114 Trouble After Happiness

    Zach stood up and walked over to the pantry in his office. Xavier''s curiosity was eating him away but he knew not to rush his brother. Probably from the time he was young, he''s always had immense trust in his brother''s ways.


    Zach went on to make instant coffee in a mug. His movements were elegant and unhurried as he stirred the contents in the cup. The pleasant aroma teased Xavier''s nostrils. Zach walked back to the lounge and took three steps down that led to them. He exchanged the ss of liquor in Xavier''s hands for the coffee and put the hard stuff away.


    "Finding her is your job, not mine", Zach said as he sat down.


    "Then what did you mean just now?" Xavier asked before he sipped on the coffee. He hummed in pleasure at how the drinker instantly rxed him.


    "Right drawer", he pointed at the coffee table.


    p Xavier set down the mug before dragging open the drawer. A ck tablet was inside. His heart was thudding wild as he looked at his big brother who instead gave him an encouraging nod. The tablet had no lock pattern, so he unlocked it with a swipe only to immediately stand up in shock as he stared at the contents on disy.</anda>


    "How?" Xavier hardly managed to speak.


    "So that''s her", it was more of a statement than a question on Zach''s part.


    "How did you...? How...? When...?" Xavier could not take his eyes off the gray eyed beauty in the picture. Her eyes had almost narrowed into slits as she had on a happy smile. He looked back at his brother. "Why?"


    How? It was quite easy to find the person who slept with the younger brother to the great Zachery Frost. He had to buy that club anyway. Why did he looked for her in his brother''s stead? For one, he knew his brother better than anyone. Second, he knew the pain of longing for someone whom you couldn''t easily find. On that note:


    "Like I said, it doesn''t mean I found her. That''s a job I left for you", Zach said as he crossed his long legs one over the other. He wouldn''t make things that easily for him. He himself had his own troubles and struggles although things seemed to be looking up for him. Slowly but sure. That''s how things were with him and Amy.


    "That''s fine. At least I have something, I have a good start", Xavier said as he sat down. He still could not believe he had her picture right before him. Zach had dug up information on her to put him in the right track on his search.


    Zach stared at the infatuated expression on his brother''s face. Something he had never seen before. He chuckled in amusement.


    "What?" Xavier looked up with an obvious happy smile.


    "Are you in love with her?" His eyes shone with clear amusement as he asked.


    Xavier paused and briefly hummed in thought. "I can''t say that I am. All I know is I want her with me."


    Zach nodded before getting up to go back to his seat. He was already in a good mood and seeing his little brother this happy just added to it.


    Unbeknownst to the happy Xavier, trouble was brewing in downtown New York. The man''s happiness was about to disappear just when he found it. And it would be the biggest shock in his of his life.


    Downtown in New York


    A young woman in her early twenties was in her studio apartment in her crop top and booty shorts. Her face was red from rage as she paced back and forth whilst on the phone.


    "After everything I did to get that monster up and hard, do you know what he did?" She screamed into the phone.


    "What?" The person on the other end of the line was equally upset too as they waited for the answer in curiosity.


    "He jabbed it in me a few times-"<sub> </sub>


    The other person on the line chuckled in amusement. "Jabbing?"


    "Whatever! The point is: he fucked me and I was so close to cumming but he just pulled out and practically kicked me out of the room!"


    "WHAT?" Shock was evident in the other person''s voice. "Sorry", she apologized from her end.


    "Are you at the hospital?" The young woman asked.


    "Yeah, mom went home to freshen up while I watch over Dad."


    "Oh? We''re not disturbing him, are we?" She frowned.


    "Don''t worry, I came out for a bit. My cousin Gabe is with him. Anyway, he really did that?"


    "He did! The jerk should have at least let me cum, I had to finish it off at home", sheined as she threw herself on the couch.


    "Ne, why are you sofortable in telling me all these things?" She chuckled.


    "Because you''re my best friend", she pouted cutely as though her best friend could see her. But her face quickly changed into a vicious one. "But I''m still upset! I''ve never felt so insulted in my life!"


    "This isn''t good! We need to do something about this!"


    "Right? That''s why I called you! I can''t be the only one to take such an insult! An eye for an eye!" She shouted.


    "A tooth for a tooth!" Her best friend responded in the same vicious tone.


    "Rich bastard! Sex god my foot! He''ll get what he deserves!! His d*ck was big for nothing!" Ne''s face was contorted into an angry one.


    Her best friend startedughing as she heard her! "Not sure if you''re insulting him orplimenting him!"


    "He was so good", she whined. "But he''s a terrible person!"


    "Who is he anyway?" Her best friend wanted to quench her curiosity.


    "Xavier Frost of Frost Corporation!" She shouted as her lips curled in disdain.


    Silence.


    Neeka looked at the phone and the call was still running. She ced it back to her ear. "Hello? Nicole, are you there?"


    "Yes....., I''m here."

 Chapter 115 Ians Troubles

    Amy hummed her baby''s goodnight luby as she packed four containers in a lunch bag and a sk as well. She looked at the mess she had made whilst preparing the meals and sighed.


    "Later", she told herself as she left the house. She did not have the time and energy to deal with dishes. Ste would disapprove of this. The woman always cleaned up after she used the kitchen then she would eat. Amy sighed at this fond memory. Ste had grown on her.


    As she stepped out of her house, she felt nostalgic when she saw Ste''s car up and running, waiting for her in the driveway. She didn''t know when but she had gotten so used to the rides with the older woman and the ny percent inappropriate conversation the woman always struck just to rile her up. Ste always enjoyed Amy''s facial expressions whenever she brags about hers and Richard''s bed adventures.


    But now, she would have those car rides with, Ian. Ste had arranged for him to pick her up everyday. Amy felt her heart squeeze as she got into the car. Ian noticed the sadness on the woman as she set the lunch box at the back seat before clipping on her seatbelt.


    "Good morning", he greeted.


    "Morning", she replied quietly. Amy kept her eyes away from him so he won''t see the tears that had welled up. She let out a breath and blinked them back.


    Ian quietly pulled out of the driveway and got onto the road. The ride was silent and Amy was grateful for that because she simply was not in the mood. She leaned her head against the window and stared into space without noticing that Ian had missed the turn that leads to the library. They cruised through the green lights and for Amy, it felt like the ride was unending. It was only when the car finally came to a stop did she realize where she was.


    "This is...." She sat up and looked at him in shock.


    "I think you''ll do much better over here than at the library", he said.


    Even when she didn''t think he did, he had noticed that she had been crying throughout the whole ride. Maybe because he had seen how his mother was when she was pregnant with Stacy, he knew that pregnant women always want to quench their desires. And Amy''s desire, was to be with his grandmother. Indeed, she felt like her heart would burst from joy when she quickly pulled him into a hug. She sniffled before letting out a relievedugh.


    "Thank you Ian, so much", her voice was soft yet very close to cracking up into a sob.


    "You''re wee", he responded.


    His hands remained hanging unsure of whether holding her through the hug was a good idea. He could already feel the tent in his pants tighten just from inhaling her floral scent perfume or shampoo, he wasn''t sure, and feeling her soft body press against his. It was akin to feeling soft cotton at the same time something fragile that needs to be handled with care.


    <o>,m W each passing second, his junior was getting hard and should he touch her, he could easily lose his restraint. To his relief, Amy broke the embrace and wiped away some stray tears as she looked at him.</o>


    "Are you sure you guys will be okay?" Her eyes sparkled with fresh tears.


    Ian quickly looked away and casually rested an arm on his crotch area. He knew she couldn''t see the lust in his eyes because of his bangs but he still evaded her gaze.


    "Yes, now go."


    He really needed her to leave. And Amy didn''t disappoint.


    "Okay", she said before she quickly took the lunch box and her handbag. She got out of the car and was sure to close the door.<sub> </sub>


    "I''ll see youter", Ian said before driving off. He didn''t even give her a second to reply.


    Amy: "..."


    She watched the car disappear out of the hospitalplex before going inside. Ian drove like he was on the run from something. Seeing that the roads were clear on hisne, he turned on the indicator and stopped on the road side. He quickly killed the engine and unhooked his seat belt.


    His hands worked fast as he unbuckled his trouser belt before they undid the zipper. He lifted himself to pull down his trousers along with his boxers.


    "Shit!" He hissed as he took hold of his shaft.


    He had never been this hard and this much in pain at the same time. So he did what he could in that moment. Nevermind that it was his grandma''s car but his one hand got to work while the other was ced on the steering wheel for his head to rest on.


    People in cars from the othernes watched curiosly as they drove off thinking the young man was a having a hard time, which turned out to be the case because his hands were not enough nor did his little friend calm down after his release on the tissues he had taken from the glovepartment. He took some more and cleaned himself up before making a call.


    "Adrianne, it''s Ian."


    "Oh! Hey! I was just about to tell you that I''ll be runningte. Jared ising down with a flu so I have to take the kids to school instead", she said.


    Ian picked up on the scuttling sounds in the background. She sounded really busy. He mentally sighed in relief, "That''s alright. I wanted to tell you that I went to drop off Emily at the hospital, she''ll be spending the day with Grandma but I''ll be running a littlete because of traffic."


    "That''s okay. We''ll see each otherter", she said.


    "Alright, bye", he said before she hurriedly hung up.


    He rxed in his seat before dialing another number.


    "Where are you?" He asked in a gruff voice when the call was answered.


    "Where are you?" Came Mona''s seductive voice.


    "Be at my ce in ten", he said.


    She chuckled, "See, you in five."

 Chapter 116 The Talk

    Mona had a huge smile on as she started cing back her books in her locker. Her friend, who was taking out the same book in her locker shook her head when she saw this. She had raven ck hair and piercings to match her gothic makeup.


    "You''re sick if the teachers ask and you''re at my ce if your parents ask?" She asked.


    "Demi, guess how much I love you?" Mona said in a sing-songy voice as she closed her locker.


    "I hate that d*ck", Demi rolled her eyes in annoyance. Mona only smiled and yfully winked at her causing the friend tough."Oh? Do you need the stuff?" She whispered.


    Mona knew what she meant and shook her head. "I have enough."


    "Okay! Bye bitch", the friend hugged her. Mona hugged her back. Since sses were about to start, Demi turned to hurry to their first ss.


    Smack!


    "Bye bitch", Mona whispered in Demi''s ear before strolling out of the school hallway. Demi felt her face heat up the moment Mona''s hand made contact with her bare ass underneath her ck id mini skirt. That best friend of hers, she didn''t know what she was doing to her. She shook her head to snap out of the reverie and rushed to ss.


    Mona meant it when she said she''ll be there in five minutes. She had paid the taxi enough to get her there before he could arrive. Ian found her sitting on his bed with legs crossed in her tight pencil skirt, crop top and matching boots. His arousal got much worse at the sight as he marched towards her and pushed her down on the bed.


    "Oh! Let me get the stuff!" She moaned when she felt his hot mouthunch on a titty he had exposed with a hook of his fingers on her crop top.


    He was already between her legs quickly working his way to bury himself inside her before he could explode. He didn''t think his attraction towards Amy was that strong but she was never going to be his. He needed to get her out of his system and Mona would help him with that. She just doesn''t need to know.


    "No need!" He growled into her nipple. "We don''t need anything today. "


    "Ah!" She squealed when she felt his fingers hook her thong to the side and run between her lower lips feeling how wet they are.


    Ian looked up at her and eyes locked on each other as he said, "I only need you!"


    The only response he got was an excited squeal mixed with a moan from Mona when he finally buried himself inside her. At a much, much,ter time, both of them would look back on this moment with different feelings than what they were currently experiencing.


    Meanwhile, at the hospital, Amy happily strolled through the V.I.P ward Ste had been ced in. She looked at the lunch and smiled.


    ''It''s a good thing I made enough'', she mused.


    ''Ah! If I had know I woulde here sooner I would have bought flowers too'', she felt disappointed at this thought.


    She remembered the time she was looking for a florist and Ste rmended the flower called baby''s breath to her as well as Jim Tiller''s shop where she could find it. The older woman thought she wanted to have flowers in her home for decoration but the young woman went for a baby cactus.


    Ste wouldn''t have rmended the baby''s breath if it wasn''t a favorite of hers. Amy sighed at this thought. She made a mental note to buy it on her next visit. When she reached the door to Ste''s room, she knocked on it.


    p "Come in!" Richard answered from inside.</anda>


    Amy opened the door and strolled in with the bags in hand. The older couple smiled and looked pleasantly surprised when they saw her. Richard walked to her and gave her a side hug before helping her with the lunch box.


    "Morning Kid", he greeted warmly.<sub> </sub>


    "Good morning", she was all smiles as she responded.


    "Good morning dear", Ste greeted from the bed. Her voice was not as weak as the other day. Amy was relieved when she took note of this as she went to sit down on the stool beside the bed.


    "Good morning, how are you feeling this morning?"


    "Like I''ve been run over by a truck", she chuckled. Amy frowned which made Ste smile as she reached out to pat her cheek. "Don''t worry dear. I''ll be fine."


    Amy nodded when she heard this. Ste fell quiet before immediately deciding to quench her curiosity.


    "Not that I''mining but, what are you doing here? Already ditching your new boss? I promise, Adrianne is not that scary", she joked.


    Amy chuckled, "It''s not that. I just missed you that''s all."


    "Mm, Are you nning to stay here a while Emily?" Richard asked as he walked to stand by his wife''s side.


    "That''s the n", she nodded.


    "In that case, do you mind if I quickly go home and get a few more things? I''ll be back before you know it", he said. Alex had gone home to send Stacy to school and Nora had gone to East Vige to sort out a leave she was taking for her mother.


    "No problem. Actually, let me get hold of Ian. He shouldn''t be too far away especially with the morning traffic", Amy responded as she fished out her phone.


    She dialed for his number but it went straight to voicemail. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she redialed for his number only to get the same response. Richard waved a hand of dismissal when he saw this.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll just catch a cab", he leaned down and kissed his wife. "I''ll see you,ter."


    Ste nodded as her face flushed red. Richard gave her a look and her face turned serious when she understood the silent message that she and Amy needed to have the talk.


    "Later kid", he patted her shoulder.


    "Later", Amy answered as both women watched the man leave the room. She stood up and went to the night stand and unzipped the lunch bag to bring out the containers.


    "Have you had breakfast yet? I tried a new rice porridge recipe this morning", she said as she set down the container.


    "Before that, we need to talk dear", Ste said in a serious yet calm tone. Amy put down the container and turned to face her as she could detect the seriousness in Ste''s tone.


    "Everything okay?" She asked with a bit of hesitation. Her heart started thudding wildly in that moment wondering what she had done. And she got the answer.


    "I''ll go straight to the point. "It''s about my medical fee and this room", Ste looked at Amy with a disapproving gaze.


    ''Oh! Boy.''

 Chapter 117 Ian Is Missing Again

    "Are you.... mad at me?" Amy asked with caution as she slowly settled back onto the stool.


    Ste sighed when she saw the nervousness of the young woman. Her bed had been adjusted so she was half sitting even in her lying down position. She took hold of Amy''s hand and caressed it with her thumb.


    "I''m not mad at you dear. I''m just... This is the time you should be worried about the little one in your stomach, she will be here soon, there''s a lot you have to prepare for. I''m grateful that you helped with the surgery, but this room", Ste looked around and then sighed. "A normal room would have been fine. You should be saving up. Raising a child is not that easy. Babies grow quickly and so do the expenses."


    Amy sighed in relief before she gave a soft smile. "I understand what you mean and don''t worry about the baby. Everything is fine Ste."


    "No, I''ll pay you back, just give me so-"


    ? "No. I can''t allow you to do that. Did you forget that my husband is loaded?" She gave a cheeky smile. "And after everything you''ve been doing for me, this is nothing inparison. So don''t worry about this."


    Ste still looked worried even when Amy tried to reassure her. "Then let me personally thank him. This is all too much. I can at least do that, right?"


    "You mean right now?" Amy''s brows Rose in surprise. Ste nodded in response. Amy tried to keep her calm at the sudden request as she blurted out an excuse. "It''s not easy to get ahold of him during the day. We often talkte at night."


    Well, that was more of the truth than a lie. They do talk more at night than during the day. Ste pouted.


    "Really? But I heard you talking to himst Saturday morning when I hade to check if you''d skip the gym too?"


    "Oh!" Amy gave a sheepish chuckle. "That was a one time thing."


    "Then for now, you can thank him for me. Later on, I''ll do it in person. Did he say when he''ll be back?"


    When will her husband be back?


    "He''s not sure, probably in a few months", Amy replied hurriedly as she stood up and went to get the porridge container. "Porridge? I''m sure it''s very good."


    "Yes, I''d like some. Thank you dear", Ste smiled before a dreamy expression settled on her face. "But I have to say, your husband sounds really attractive. His voice could give you an eargasm!"


    "Ste!" Amy red at her to which the older womanughed.


    "Gosh! I missed you", Steughed.


    Amy chuckled before looking back at the woman with a smile. "Me too."


    The two women shared a moment as they looked at each with warm smiles. The older woman excitedly patted her bed as she said, "Hurry with the porridge. My diet ended this morning. You don''t know how torturous that was."


    "I can only imagine", Amy chuckled as she brought the container forward.


    She chuckled when she found that she had packed two spoons. It seemed she really prepared the meal with Ste in mind. Since they were used to sharingost meals, eating from the same container didn''t bother them as they shared a conversation over the meal.


    Meanwhile, Adrianne had arrived at the library. It seemed Ian was still runningte so she opened it since she had remembered to collect spare keys the other day. They all had to get spare keys just in case for instances like these.


    Customers came pouring in the moment she opened it. Looking around, the ce looked neat.


    "I guess I don''t need to clean up", she murmered as she took in the people filing in.


    Since Ian was not yet there and Amy would spend the day at the hospital, she decided to settle on the front desk.<sub> </sub>


    "Excuse me everyone!" She shouted this getting everyone''s attention. "It''s just me for now so if you need assistance,e to the front desk! Thank you!"


    She went back to the Amy''s desk where she settled down. To her luck, most people easily found their way around the library. She had worked here a few times when Ste had just started so she knew her way around things. But what she didn''t anticipate was for lunch hour to strike and Ian still not show up. In an hour, she would have to go pick up the kids from school.


    She took out her phone and dialed his number, and just like when Amy tried it, it went straight to voicemail.


    "What the hell?" She muttered in irritation as she dialed his number again. And it went straight to voicemail again. "Did something happen?"


    She went to dial Amy''s number which she answered on the third ring.


    "Adrie?" Amy called out.


    "Hey, have you seen Ian? I''ve been trying his number and it won''t go through."


    "Oh?" Amy was surprised when she heard this. Ian''s number had stopped working since morning, but until now? "Did you not meet him at the library? That''s where he was going after he dropped me off."


    "He did call to say he''ll bete due to traffic but that was around seven in the morning, till now", Adrianne frowned.


    "That''s odd! Let me try his number too", she said.


    "Okay. I''ll just close up for the day. Jared is not doing too well and I need to pick up the kids from school."


    "Alright. Take care", Amy said.


    "You too", Adrianne hang up and went on her way.


    Amy looked up at Ste who had an anticipating look thrown in her direction. "Adrianne said Ian hasn''t been to work. And his number is not working."


    Amy tried the number on speaker and she got the same response. Richard came into the room right in that moment with a few bags in hand and lunch bag. He kissed his wife on the forehead and gave Amy a side hug.


    "What''s going on?" He asked as he took in the grave expressions on the two women.


    "Were you with Ian this whole time?" Ste asked.


    "Actually", Richard scratched the back of his head as he gave her a sheepish smile. "I fell asleep on the sofa while making you lunch and burned it. I had to redo it."


    "It''s okay dear. But where could he have gone? His number is not working too", Ste had on a contemtive look.


    Amy was buffled as well. She had her phone in hand and could have easily hacked the security cameras of the hospital and the one at the intersection they passed through because she had done so the time she was taking Ste to the hospital. But the two older people were close to her so she could do so without them noticing. Richard also had on a contemtive look before a thought came to him.


    "Maybe... He''s with a girl. He did the same thingst time", he suggested.


    "It''s can''t be....", Ste was doubtful.


    Amy, however, didn''t rule out the possibility. And without her knowing, she was actually right.

 Chapter 118 Monas Trick

    "You think so? I don''t think he''ll be so irresponsible afterst time", Ste voiced her doubts.


    p Richard shrugged, not sure what to make of the situation. Amy also had a contemtive look analyzing the matter. She was not sure what the situation was between him and Mona; especially after observing them at the party, she was not sure if he was still with after the whole going missing fiasco.</anda>


    "Maybe something happened. Let''s wait to hear from him, I don''t want to alert the authorities only for him to randomly show", Ste''s annoyance was evident in her tone and her expression.


    "Mm. Let''s wait. And don''t stress yourself over him, he''s a grown man. He knows what he''s doing. He did say he''ll be responsible for his actions and decisions", Richard reminded.


    And the three left the matter at that.


    Meanwhile, Demi had just exited the school premises. She never really had friends except for Mona and the guys who supply them the drugs. So as usual, when she''s alone, she pluggedon earsets and yed rock music as she strode home. The day had been boring without Mona. The thought of what she was doing made her sick to the stomach and she felt a pain in her heart. Mona always thought she was just joking when she expressed her dislike over Ian. The girl thought Demi was just being a typical best friend. Speak of the devil, Mona''s name flushed on Demi''s phone as it rung.


    "So....", Mona begun sly. "How was school?"


    "Just get to the point", Demi sighed.


    Mona gave a coquettish giggle. "So, it seems I won''t be able to go home tonight. Can you do that thing for me?"


    "Are you for real right now? Your parents could catch me!!!" Demi was clearly annoyed by the request.


    "Yet they never have. Come on! Please do this for me! I promise to grant you a hundred wishes after this."


    Silence.


    "Please Demi! Do this for me!!!"


    Silence.


    "The next batch of you know what is on me! I''ll get you two times the usual amount!"


    Silence.


    "Guess how much I love you?" She started to sing to which Demi groaned in irrigation as she rolled her eyes.


    "Fine! Just don''t sing that song anymore!"


    "Thank you! I love you! Bye! Muah!"she blew a kiss into the phone before happily hanging up.


    Demi''s face grew dark. All this because of that Ian. She didn''t understand why her friend was so obsessed with the guy! Yet it was clear that the guy didn''t want her as much as she wanted him. Mona never listened to this reason and clung to him. They were both mesed up and very wrong for each other.


    Demi resumed her walk home. The sun was beauting down on her but she didn''t mind. Her pace didn''t change, the music still sted in her ears, but her expression turned cold.


    When she reached home, her older brother was passed out on the sofa with food residuesaround his mouth and a video game currently paused on the screen. Their home was full of clutter but she navigated her way through. Her mom was out back smoking whole her Dad was God knows where. He always disappeared in the morning and came backte at night.


    She went up stairs to her room and took a backpack to pack a few clothes and of course a pack of weed. She was quick to shuffle back downstairs and went to where her mom was. The woman was still in her night wear and a shower cap.


    "Mom, I''m going to Mona''s for a sleepover", she announced.


    "I thought she was grounded?" The mom asked without turning to look back at her.<sub> </sub>


    "She is that''s why the sleepover is there and not here", she said.


    "It''s a school night. Do it on the weekend", the mom rrefused.


    "We have a project to work on and a ton of homework. She woulde here if she could."


    "Fine."


    That''s all she said before Demi left. Her mom was negligent towards her but always pushed for the school stuff. Demi went on her way, but first she stopped in town. She went to the public bathrooms and went on to change. She removed her piercings, her gothic makeup and clothes and changed into simple clothes that Mona would be seen wearing. Satisfied with the look, she went on her way.


    Later that night, Mona''s parents arrived home from work. They didn''t bother working on dinner and simple went to bed.


    "I''m going to check on Mona", Mona''s mom said to her husband.


    "Okay", he responded.


    She went up and found the room was dark but could clearly see a silhouette under the sheets.


    "Mona, are you asleep?" She asked.


    "Mm."


    "Alright."


    "Did you eat?"


    "Mm."


    "Okay, goodnight sweetie."


    "Mm."


    And with that, the woman left the room thinking her daughter was sleeping. Demi felt she could finally breath after she heard the door close. Her expression darkened knowing the little things she could not help but so do for her friend. Until when could Mona''s trick go on?


    Meanwhile, Amy was still thinking about the day''s incident. She had left the couple with Alex as she had caught a cab on her way home. Ian never came to pick her up. That was not surprising since he had been missing all throughout the day.


    The moment she got home she hacked into the security cameras from the hospital to the ones that lead to his ce. She saw the one where he stopped by the road for a bit. She couldn''t see what he was doing. He stayed there a while before he drove off.


    Odd.


    She went on to watch as she caught the different footages that had caught Ste''s car on camera and sure enough, he went home. Why? She had no clue.


    Could something have happened?


    While she pondered over this, her phone chimed again. She smiled when she saw the sender of the email but her smile turned into a grown when she read the contents.


    Ahismine@***: I need your help.

 Chapter 119 Amys Little Outburst

    Zachery Frost needs help? Amy was thrown into a state of panic as she didn''t waste a second and secured a connection with his phone.


    "What''s wrong?" She spoke before he could. Her tone was full of anxiousness that Zach''s heart warmed up when he heard it. His lips lifted into a sly smile as an idea came to him.


    "So much is wrong right now", he said.


    "What? What''s going on?" Her voice was rising as her brain spinning from wracking possible scenarios of what could have happened. She wanted to rule out the possibility but she kept on feeling that it had to do with that person. Did they attack him? What could have happened?


    "I... need your help with..... an outfit for the g", he said barely biting back a smile as he spoke into the phone.


    "What?" Amy''s voice turned t. All the anxiety dissipated and she felt like her brain had malfunctioned.


    "I have nothing to wear. Help me pick an outfit. It''s in three days you see", his voice was sweet as he spoke.


    Silence.


    Zach looked at the phone and the sound waves were still there though dormant. Did she go away from the phone?


    "Amy?" He called out.


    "You selfish son of bi-" she exploded right into the phone startling him in the process.


    "Amy?" He called out gently. "I-"


    "Are you crazy? You know the situation we''re in and how dangerous it is! You should know that I am constantly worried about this!"


    Zach''s amusement was quickly wiped off when he heard his wife''s shouting! Yeah, it was too soon for such a joke. He felt remorseful and immediately made to apologise.


    "I''m sorry Amy", he tried.


    "Are you? Why would you do something that you know would worry me? I''m worried enough for involving you for what''s happening this weekend, why would you...", Amy sighed as her angry outburst turned into a sob. "Why- why- why would you do this? I''m worr- I''m worried about you already!"


    Zach was overwhelmed by guilt when he heard her cry. This was the second time to hear her cry but this time, it was his fault. The man looked distraught as he sat leaning against his headboard. It looked like the world was ending for him.


    "I''m sorry, baby. Please stop crying", he pleaded.


    Amy''s response was incorherent with her sobs and all the man could pick up was a Why, You, Me, and a lot of Eish as she sobbed.


    "I''m sorry baby, please forgive me. Please forgive me. Please", he pleaded.


    Amy was like a baby unable to calm down. Even she did not understand why she was so upset. She knew Zach was only joking but she shouldn''t have burst into emotions like this. Zach didn''t stop, he wouldn''t stop until his wife calmed down. He should have known how stressful this time was for her. The Chairman of Frost Corporation known to treat men and women the same and never one to yield discarded his position and reputation in the face of his crying wife.


    Amy''s sobs had calmed down. She was currently lying in bed on her side facing her phone that rested on the pillow next to the one she was lying on. Her lips were still upturned into a cute pout and her eyes sparkled with tears as some fell on the pillow while she softly sniffled. Zach felt himself slowly calm down too but he didn''t stop apologizing.


    "I''m really sorry. I didn''t mean to upset you. There''s no way to justify my actions", his tone seemed to get softer.


    Sniffle. Sigh.


    His phone vibrated from an iing call. It was George. Zach didn''t waste a second and declined the call. He was about to speak again when the call came through again. His annoyance grew as he declined it again. George did not give up and sent a message, Zach swiped it away and ignored it.


    "I''m sorry baby. I''m really sorry."<sub> </sub>


    Amy, who was unaware of Zach''s situation, could hear the pain in his voice now that she had calmed down. Not only that, hearing his deep voice echoing in her ears and calling her baby would have easily given her an eargasm.


    Giggle. Amy giggled when her mind strayed towards Ste''s words. Zach was intrigued when he heard such a beautiful sound.


    "What''s up?" He asked.


    "I was just thinking how your voice could give me an eargas... ", Her voice faltered after excitedly blurting out her thoughts.


    While Amy wished she could dig a hole and hide, an amused expression had settled on the man''s face. This must be the best night after the one he head spent with Amy. Not only did she admit how much she cared about him through her emotional outburst, but she justplimented his voice. A voice that could give an eargasm?


    "Is that right?" He arched an amused brow as though she could see him.


    "No! You heard that wrong! There must be something wrong with the connection", her voice was clear as she aired out a strong denial.


    Zach didn''t get offended, if anything, he was amused. He felt he should be honest too. "Well, your voice doesn''t fall short in that category. I''ve easily had a wet dream because of it."


    Amy gasped in shock. She could never get used to his straightforwardness. But he didn''t stop there. As though to seduce her, his voice grew deeper and huskier and turned into a sexy rumble that traveled into Amy''s ears and run a pleasant shiver down her spine.


    "A dream about me kissing your sensous pink lips, before my kisses travel down to your corbone, slowly down to your sexy titties where I take my time sucking, biting, caressing with my wet tongue, and gently pulling your nipples with my teeth until they stand hard and erect decorated in my saliva. And then I move to shower your stomach with wet kisses as I make my way down to your p*ssy. Oh! Look baby", he paused before he whispered, "you''re already very, very wet for me."


    "Zachery", Amy''s voice came in a whisper as she moaned out his name.


    The man felt his junior stir just from hearing the way she said his name. This is what he meant, how easily Amy''s voice gets his junior excited. He opened his mouth to continue his verbal ministrations when:


    A knock was heard before the door was pushed open. Edmund came into the room with grave expression on his face. He was practically a dead man for walking in when his boss''s face said otherwise. Zach''s re could have easily reduced him into nothingness. The older man gulped and braved up.


    "Sir, you have a call in your study. Mr. Stewart says it''s important", Edmund tried not to stumble on his words.


    The room was silent. No one knew what the man was thinking in that moment. Edmund stood, waiting for his judgement. He wondered how the man wouldsh out on him with that fierce expression still etched onto his face.


    "You should go", Amy''s soft voice echoed within the room.


    Edmund was taken aback. There was no woman in the room so whom did that voice belong to? His eyesnded on the device in his boss''s hand before they went to study his face. It had pulled into a frown.


    "But...", Zach didn''t want to stop what they had been currently doing.


    He was sure he did not imagine it. The way she said his name, that was a moan, she must have been as turned on as he was. Would this have been their first phone sex? Would he have been graced with the lewd sounds Amy makes when he''s doing things to her? Oh! It had been such a long time since he heard such a sweet sound.


    ''Did master just..... whine?'' Edmund mused as his lips twitched.


    "It could be really important. Come on, Zachery."


    Edmund expected Zach to look annoyed after hearing his full name but a gentle expression settled on his face instead. He got out of bed and shooed his butler with a hand gesture.


    "Fine", he said as he tapped on his phone to properly look at the message George had sent him earlier.


    George: I think I was busted.

 Chapter 120 George Is Coming Home

    Amy finally felt like she could breath after terminating the connection with Zach. Her chest rose and fell from her frantic breathing. She took a moment and thought about what just happened.


    Her eyes had involuntarily closed as she imagined everything Zach was saying. Her hand had moved on its own to check how wet she was down there when he said she was. And she really is. And that moan?


    ''I just had to moan his name!'' she mused in irritation and a lot of embarrassment.


    She had no doubt that he had caught that moan! Amy turned her now red face into the pillow and screamed.


    "Whyyyyyyyyyy!!!!" Her voice was muffled by the pillow. "Ugh!"


    She turned to lie on her back and looked at the ceiling while slowly catching her breath. Yes, they have done the actual deed before, so this was nothing inparison to that. However, she was d she didn''t have to face him after this.


    ''So embarrassing!'' she cried out in her thoughts as she covered her face with her hands.


    Amy had made herself believe she had been acting indifferent towards his feelings for her but after tonight, she feared Zach would not buy it when she shoots down his advances.


    While Amy wallowed in her problems, Edmund watched his master''s retreating back as thetter walked to the study.


    ''I didn''t know Master was like this'', he mused.


    "Is it a thing among the Frost Brothers except one is more open about his actions whole the other is secretive?" He muttered as he stared at the door to the study.


    "What is?" Someone asked from beside him.


    "I mean, not too long ago he was chasing a man I thought he was in love with but just now, he was talking to a woman and it seems things are serious between the two. And it looks like she has a good control over him because-"


    "WHAT? ZACH DID?"


    Edmund snapped out of his reverie and finally realized he had been thinking out loud and right next to him was none other than:


    "Madam!" He almost jumped out of his shoes when he took in a fuming Victoria.


    "One yer is enough, I cannot have two. I''ll knock some sense-" she made to march forward in her rage when she felt a strong grasp quickly wrap around her stopping her movement.


    "Madam, there seems to be an impor-"


    "Let go!" She growled while freeing herself and moved forward.


    Thud!


    "Argh!" Edmund cried out.


    Victoria quickly turned around and saw Edmund''s face contort in pain even in his sitting down position. His one hand was supporting him while the other was pressed against his backside as the older man took in deep breaths with evident pain.<sub> </sub>


    "Shoot!" She quickly forgot her anger and rushed to the man on the floor.


    Unbeknownst to the chaos outside, Zach had gone into his study to take George''s call. That message kept floating in his mind but the man remained calm. When he should be anxious and worried, Zach remained the same. He didn''t bother sitting down as he picked up the phone.


    "Speak", he said.


    "It''s just as you suspected, they''re making something else besides the Adalimumab. But they''re very secretive. They have an undergroundb especially built for whatever it is they are making. They make sure it is heavily guarded from the security cameras to the guards on duty, very simr to the ones who went after Dn Smith. I had to flee before they could catch me snooping around", his voice was calm.


    He could vividly remember the footsteps approaching from where he was. He had managed to break into theb to find out what they were making. For someone to break into a ce with such high security especially with what they were making, it only showed that George was an impressive man. This is one of the reasons why Zach had him as his second inmand. If he needed to secretly investigate something, George was the man.


    As the call continued, Zach picked up on a sound in the background. He could practically guess what it was: the sound of burning mes. George was currently at some junkyard burning the clothes he had worn when he went to break into Greco''sb. The man totally looked different without his specs as his eyes reflected the mes in the barrel below him him.


    Zach expected this. It wouldn''t be easy to find out what they were truly making but that was the least of his concerns.


    "Your message just now?"


    "I''m not sure but I think a camera caught my side profile when I eacaped. If they''ll find out I had broken in, it might be a while before they know it''s me. I tried to be careful but you never know."


    Zach was silent as he took in this new information. If that''s the case,


    "Don''t go home."


    "I understand. Where do you want me to go?"


    Just then, a sound was heard. Zach walked out of his study with the phone in hand. As he stood by the door, he saw his mother rush towards a painstricken Edmund who was currently sitting on the floor. Victoria caught on the sound of Zach''s study door opening and looked in his direction.


    "Zach! Hurry and call the medics! I think I broke his butt crack", her face was etched with fear as she looked back at the man on the floor.


    Edmund''s lips twitched.


    "Madam", he groaned in pain. "I''m sure it''s not that."


    "What do you mean by that?" She pped his arm in disagreement to which he winced. "Sorry. I mean you keep holding your butt."


    Edmund chose not to speak. He would only embarrass himself further. Why did he have to go after this hulk of his madam? All he wanted was to stop her from interrupting his master''s important phone call.


    The corners of Zach''s lips lifted.


    "George, you''reing home."

 Chapter 121 Tomorrow Is Another Day

    Zach stood leaning against a white wall while his mother sat on a bench in the waiting area of the Emergency ward. The duo had followed after the ambnce that took Edmund to the hospital.


    Announcements were heard over the speaker phones, people were being rushed into the ER, other walked about, some were at the reception making inquiries. The man had his arms crossed against his chest, and stood with one leg down and the other leaning against the wall. His head was down and his eyes were closed. His brows were knitted as though he was in the middle of a serious thought.


    Victoria frowned when she saw the different men and women steal nces at her son. It reminded her of what Edmund said before she hurt him. ''One is more open about his actions while the other?'' Victoria mused in irritation as she got up from her seat and went to hit Zach.


    She delivered a few smacks to his forearms.


    "Mom", he warned with a toneced with danger as he slowly opened his eyes.


    "My gosh!" She took a step back and patted her chest to calm down from her fright.


    She could never get used to this. He was her son, she epted that he had inherited her mannerism of sounding so dangerous and cynical. The fact that he perfected such mannerisms that it even scared her was something she never got used to. But then, she remembered why she was hitting him.


    "Edmund is hurt because of you!" She said through gritted teeth.


    Zach arched a brow in question. ''Where is thising from?'' he mused.


    "I know I pushed him but it happened because of you! Zach", she let out a tired sigh. "Xavier is bad enough, but you too?"


    Zach remained quiet, patiently waiting to hear where she was going with the allegations. She mistook his silence for embarrassment, she guessed he thought she would never find out. Taking the gentle approach, she ced a hand on his arm and expressed her concern.


    "Zach, from when you were little, I''ve known you to be someone who likes to keep to themselves and hardly expressive. But when you like something, this shows", she gestured at his face with her index finger. Then she smiled as she continued, "And I witnessed it just recently when we talked about having someone to spend the rest of your life with. You found a good man Zach, cherish him. Don''t let that woman ruin something as beautiful as what you have with that man."


    "What woman?" Zach finally asked.


    "Edmund overheard you speaking to a woman sote at night", she responded.


    Zach sighed when he heard that. He looked down at her taking in her outfit. She was wearing a ck bodycon dress with sandal heels and her hair was tied up. Youth never seemed to leave his mother. But something was off.


    "And where were youing from sote at night?" He changed the subject


    "Oh! Adide and I went to a club", she blurted out. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized what she had spewed and corrected herself. "For inspection. We went to the new club you bought for inspection."


    Zach shook his head as he silently stared at her, he would be a fool to believe her. The doors to the ER opened and a doctor came out. He was in green scrubs and crocks and hang a stethoscope around his neck. Victoria''s face lit up when she recognized him. It was the same doctor who treated Nicole.


    "Oh? Hello. We meet again", Victoria smiled.


    The doctor''s eyes lit up in recognition. How could he forget the beautiful woman who had secretly taken a picture of him? And she was wearing a figure hugging dress that fell above her knees but did little to hide her smooth and long legs. And those heels just made his mind fall right into the gutter. The tip of his ears turned red as he smiled and exchanged a handshake with her.


    "It''s great to see you.....", He gave a sheepish smile showing his embarrassment of not knowing her name.


    "Victoria. And you too , Dr. Meanwell", she smiled. She was not offended by the fact that he didn''t know her name.<sub> </sub>


    "You know my name?" His brows shot up in surprise.


    "How can I not after what you did for Nicole?"


    "Nicole?" His head went nk after hearing that name.


    "My friend, the one we brought in after I hit her with a golf ball?"


    "Oh? Miss Oswell? Well, I was only doing my job Victoria. And please call me Noah", the man kept his gaze down as he couldn''t handle Victoria''s piercing eyes.


    "And I''m Zach, one of Victoria''s sons. How''s Edmund doing? I believe that''s what you came out to tell us?" He arched his perfect brow at him as he took a protective stance in front of his mother.


    He felt annoyed by the exchange. Not because they hadpletely forgotten him, if anything he would have loved that, but it was the fact that this man was openly ogling at his mother and practically falling under her spell without her knowledge. He knew his mother was beautiful, but he still hated this. And this Noah guy was moving fast. He had ced them on first name basis, before he knows it, he might work his way into his mother''s pants. Zach''s re intensified as he stared down at the man who was a head shorter than him.


    Noah gulped when he caught the stare of the imposing and intimidating man called Zach. He subconsciously took a step back as he failed to even look him in the eye. Victoria frowned when she saw this. She was only having a friendly chat with him, Zach''s behavior was uncalled for.


    She gently patted his arm and whispered to him in her scolding voice, "Stop it! You''re scaring him."


    Zach was unfazed and continued with his stance. Noah let out an awkwardugh to ease the tension but only got silence from the mother and son pair. One ring at the other and the other ring at him. He cleared his throat.


    "I''m sorry about that. Yes, Mr. Edmund is fine. We run a CAT scan on him and detected no sign of bone fracture. By the way, do you know what happened to him? He couldn''t say", his brows were pulled together in confusion as he crossed his arms against his chest and quickly uncrossed them under Zach''s imposing nature.


    "Well, I pushed him", Victoria said quietly with her gaze to the floor as she was embarrassed. Zach took note of this and he frowned.


    "You hit your friend with a golf ball and now push another? Wow!" Noah''s mouth fell into an O.


    "Problem?" Zach challenged.


    "No! No!" Noah quickly shook his head before he swallowed a hard lump. "Anyway, he- he''s fine. He pulled a muscle so we gave him something to rx it."


    Snort. Zach''s brows shot up when he heard a snorte from behind him. Noah thought he was questioning what he was saying. So his nervous self justified what he had been saying.


    "It''s quite a big muscle you see", he added quietly.


    Snort. Noah finally registered the sound and both him and Zach looked behind thetter to find Victoria barely holding in augh. She wiped awayughing tears as she caught the men''s gazes.


    "Sorry, I couldn''t help it", she said whilst trying to suppress herugh.


    Noah''s ears turned red as he couldn''t help but smile too when he saw herugh. His smile quickly disappeared when he sensed Zach''s stare. Soon, they made arrangements to have Edmund spend the night with one of the bodyguards acting as his gaurdian while the two returned home.


    Zach sighed when he saw Amy''s goodnight message. ''Tomorrow is another day'', he mused as he drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 122 Zachs Worries

    Victoria yawned and stretched her arms as she walked towards the dining room. Instead of going to her home, she slept at Zach''s as originally nned. Since they left the club sote, she decided to crash at her son''s ce.


    She would have gone to Xavier''s but she had learned her lesson of walking into scenes that she still has been unable to erase from her mind. She really wished for a miracle that could straighten hsi promiscuous behavior.


    She yawned again before rubbing her eyes as she sat down. "Good morning", she greeted in between her yawn.


    "Good morning", two people responded at the same time.


    Sleeppletely vanished from her eyes as she took in the people at the table. Her eyes lit up in recognition and she was pleasantly surprised.


    ? "George?" She had a huge smile on her face.


    "Madam Frost", he greeted with a polite smile as he put down his mug of coffee.


    "What Madam? Don''t embarrass me!" She scolded yfully.


    "Sorry, Aunt Victoria", he gave her a sheepish smile.


    "Good! I didn''t hear youe inst night", she reached out for a te to serve herself.


    "I arrived while you were still at the hospital. How''s Edmund doing?"


    Victoria chuckle and ced a hand on her mouth to control herself. "He pulled a muscle and they gave him something to rx it. It''s a big muscle you see", she giggled as she repeated Noah''s words. George had no idea what was funny as he looked to Zach who gave nothing away. Victoria cleared her throat as she continued, "He should be out by today."


    George nodded in response as he still had something in his mouth. Victoria didn''t stop there as she beamed at him. "But it''s so good to see you. You shoulde over more often. You guys shoulde home and I''ll make you dinner like old times."


    "Don''t worry Auntie. You''ll be seeing me more often from now", he gave her a warm smile at the invitation.


    "Really?" Victoria''s eyes lit up at his response.


    She looked to Zach for confirmation but the man simply sipped on his coffee. With his stoic expression and his quiet nature, no one knew what the man was thinking. George could sense it had everything to do with what he had reportedst night. Zach was mostly worried if it would make trouble for Amy, he would have to make sure it doesn''t. This had be his fight too.


    Unbeknownst to the man, his worries were bing true. Trouble was already brewing at Greco pharmaceuticals because of George''s break in. He had been right, he was busted.


    Peter stood at the edge of his boss''s desk in his respectful stance. His boss sat on their chair and the red light to the cigarette lit up as they dragged a smoke between their lips. Their elegant long hands that held the substance moved it away before a puff of smoke was exhaled out of their lips.


    "What is it?" The boss asked in an unhurried tone.


    "We had an intruder", Peter replied.


    All he got was silence as the boss continued their leisurely smoke.


    "Luckily, they were caught on camera. You won''t believe it when you see the footage."


    An amused smile yed on their lips. "Oh?"


    Back in West Vige after an hourter


    Mona took a book out of her locker and mmed on top of the one she held in her hand. She continued to pile them up until she was done before mming her locker closed. Her eyes were cold as she evident frustration and anger was etched onto her features as she punched the metallic door.


    "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Demi rushed over and grabbed her hand to inspect the bruises. She frowned as she fished out a bandaid from her backpack. "Use words not your fists."<sub> </sub>


    "Ugh!" She groaned in annoyance as she leaned back and mmed the back of her head against the locker.


    "Didn''t expect you to be like this afterst night?" She took Mona''s hand and stuck the band aid on the bruises.


    This was one of the reasons why she hated Mona being with Ian. Their happy moments were always short lived and Mona would alwayse back unhappy. It shouldn''t evene as a surprise anymore but it still pissed her off.


    "We had a freaking fight!" Mona spoke through gritted teeth.


    "What happened?" She forced herself to ask even when she didn''t want to know.


    "I wanted us to stay in but he told me to go to school!"


    "How terrible of him", Demi deadpanned.


    "You don''t understand Demi! Ugh!" She mmed the back of her head against the locker.


    "Than make me understand! What could have been so terrible that it made you like this?" Besides being with him of course, she wanted to add but chose to stay quiet.


    What could have been so terrible? The fact that he didn''t want to stay because of that married woman! She wanted to voice out herints about how Ian is probably still into that woman and how insecure the woman makes her feel despite the fact that Amy is not the least bit interested. It would be less infuriating if she was at least interested, then she would have to fight it out with her. But she has no reason to. All these words were at the tip of Mona''s tongue but she stayed quiet.


    "Let''s just go to ss", Mona said as she walked on.


    Demi was both relief yet annoyed. She let out a breath to calm her storm of emotions as she moved to walk beside her friend.


    The man in question had just walked into the library. Amy had arrived early to open it with Adrianne. The former''s brows shot up in surprise as she took in the young man.


    "Ian? Are you alright?" Adrianne spoke as she walked towards Amy''s desk. She had seen Ian on her way there.


    "I''m sorry about yesterday. Something came up", he looked down as he apologized.


    "That''s all you have to say? Not even a phone call? Unbelievable", Adrianne turned and left clearly annoyed. She had even forgotten her reason foring over to Amy''s desk and left for her office in annoyance.


    Ian didn''t dare to look at Amy because he feared that somehow she would be able to see through him. His reason for absence bothered him now that he was in her presence. What he wasn''t prepared for was what she would say. He guessed she must have been angry as well.


    "Did you call your family?" She asked.


    "Yeah,st night", he answered quietly.


    "Okay", she said before turning her gaze back to theputer.


    Ian looked up in disbelief. Her expression was impassive and he couldn''t tell what she was thinking. He would have preferred she gave him a mouthful likest time but this was all he got. He felt a pang in his heart at her indifferent attitude but still walked away to his station.


    Amy didn''t want to say anything. She was disappointed in him for making Ste and Richard worried but he had said he would be responsible for his own actions and decisions.


    Her phone chimed and it wasn''t the regr notifications she always got. She looked around before tapping her phone a few times. Her brows knitted in confusion as her gaze remained peeled on the screen.


    ''What''s going on?''

 Chapter 123 Two Days Before The Gala

    Peter ced aptop on his boss''s desk before ying the break in footage. A tall and lean man was seen in the video in a ck outfit that covered him from head to toe leaving his grey eyes exposed. ''What is he a ninja?'' Peter mused.


    "We don''t know how he came in, but as you can see, he suddenly appeared into one of the hallways leading to theb. He disappeared again, but five minutester", he tapped on a key to fast forward the footage before pressing y. "He was seen leaving theb. And that''s all we have on him."


    "He walks funny", the bossmented and let out a humorless chuckle. They plopped their elbows on the desk and rested their chin stop their intertwined hands.


    His heels never touched the ground and were full of stealth and nimbleness practically mimicking a cat''s movements. Had he at least walked properly, it would make things a lot easier. Peter cleared his throat and got to the important part.


    "But luckily, nothing was taken. I had the men do a clean sweep of the ce to make sure nothing was missing", he said with his heart at ease because of the news.


    "It''s not a question of what he took, it''s a matter of what he saw, what he knows", the boss pointed out. How could Peter be so shortsighted?


    "But there''s no footage of him in theb", his tone wasced with doubt.


    "Nor is there footage of him breaking into our building! They''re trying to sabotage us", the boss scoffed as they looked away from theputer.


    "I thought you said Miss Harper wouldn''t dare be so careless?"


    "And she isn''t. You saw how quickly she hid her little assistant, this isn''t her. If there''s one thing I''vee to understand about her, she relies on the digital world too much!" The boss shook their head before a serious expression settled on their face. "Can you find out who he is?"


    "If we use his eyes and run a face analysis, its possible and we''ll be able to know who he''s working for", Peter answered without missing a beat.


    "Two days."


    That means his deadline would be on the day of the g. That would ensure that they stop whoever it is that is waiting to sabotage them. Their technicians will have to work overtime. If Miss Harper was not their enemy, he would have asked her for help. Peter sighed at this thought as he took his leave.


    But, if they use their system, won''t it risk Miss Harper spying on them and possibly working with their new enemy? Oh wait, that person said they would know should she make such a move. Peter felt at ease with that thought as he made his way to the IT department.


    Back in West Vige


    Amy and Ian were locking up as Adrianne had left earlier since her husband was still down with a flu. Ian fished out the car keys and made to give her as he finished locking up.


    "No need. I''ll walk. You go on your way", she said.


    "It''ste. Let me at least call a cab for you", he made to move when a hand snatched the keys away from his hand before hooking around his arm. He looked down to find Mona standing by his side.


    "She said she''ll walk Ian. If you do that, someone might think you''re being clingy to a married woman", she spoke with her eyes trained on Amy. She smiled but it didn''t reach her eyes. "Long time no see Mrs. Standford."


    "Right", Amy let out a less than amused chuckle. "Well, I''ll see you tomorrow Ian. See you around Mona."


    "Mm", Mona forced a fake smile as she watched Amy''s retreating figure.


    The two silently watched her walk on until she was out of earshot before Ian pulled away his arm. He red at the girl before him.


    "What was that?" He snapped.


    "I should be asking you that! We''ve talked about this Ian!" She snapped back.


    Ian let out a heavy sigh as he rub his hand through his hair. He didn''t want to fight with her. "Go home Mona."


    She unlocked the car as she walked towards it and sat in the passenger seat. Ian was annoyed when he saw this and dragged himself to the car. She threw the keys in hisp before looking outside her window.<sub> </sub>


    "I''m taking you home", he said.


    "And I dare you."


    Meanwhile, Amy felt like stretching her legs by walking home. She looked around the pavement she was walking on and was about to pass by Jim''s shop. She stopped and looked at the store before nodding to herself as she turned and pushed the door open.


    The bell at the top rung as she walked in. The cameras turned away from her as she did.


    "Emily!" Jim called out when he saw her.


    He was walking out of the storeroom in his khaki apron. The corner of the man''s eyes wrinkled as he smiled at her. His brown hair had started to gray and some parts of his face seemed to have grown wrinkles too. ''Has it been that long?'' Amy mused.


    "How are you doing Jim?" She smiled back.


    "Oh, you know? One day at a time. How''s Ste doing? I heard about the fall", his face pulled into a frown as he spoke.


    "She''s getting there. Actually, I needed something to cheer her up", she looked around.


    "Baby''s breath?" He asked with an amused smile.


    "How did you know?" Her face lit up in surprise as she watched him turn to go get the flowers.


    "You were not the first to ever get a baby''s breath rmendation from her but you were definitely the first to get a cactus. And how''s the little guy doing?" He looked back at her as he arranged a bouquet of baby''s breath.


    Amy chuckled when she heard this. That sounded a lot like Ste. She paid for the bouquet once it was set and went on her way. She caught a cab right outside since she was still in town. The sky had been decorated with a beautiful orange sunset. She sniffed the flower and smiled to herself.


    Not too long after she arrived at the hospital. All it took was passing by Jim''s flower shop to decide on going to see Ste at the hospital. They had talked earlier but she remembered she had yet to buy the flowers. And the look on the older woman''s face was priceless when Amy walked in.


    "Oh! My goodness! How did you know these are my favorites?" Ste had her arms out wide waiting for the flowers which Amy gave her.


    "Everyone knows they''re your favorites mom", Alex deadpanned.


    Nora winked at Amy as she walked out of the bathroom, "Hey, hot stuff."


    "Can''t we have Alex stay with us instead? Or I can just handle everything myself", Richardined to his wife before giving a disapproving look at Nora.


    Amy was about to ask when Nora spoke, "Mom''s getting discharged tomorrow. It was meant to be a surprise for you once you get home but the real surprise is me staying with them. That means we get to be next door neighbors."


    "On that note, Emily I got you these", Alex gave her a gift bag.


    Amy was surprised by the heavy weight of the bag. She put a hand inside only too find padlocks of different sizes.


    Amy: "... Thanks?"


    Nora run over and took the bag and inspected what was inside. Her brows knitted in displeasure as she red at her sister.


    "Wow! I thought you were joking when you said you''d get these for her? I''m so offended. It''s not like I''m some animal!" Her fierce eyes quickly turned flirtatious when she looked at Amy. "By the way, what are you doing this Saturday night? We could hang at your ce?"


    Amy only smiled. What was she doing Saturday night? The Corporate g was happening that night. And speaking of which, there is something else she needed to do before that day arrives.

 Chapter 124 To Hubby

    A young man was seated behind his desk. The square specs on his face reflected the light from his desktop. He spun his chair left to right as his hand rapped on his desk. Work had never been so boring for him.


    He stood up from his seat and looked around the different cubicles. "Coffee anyone?"


    "Me too! Thanks R.J", One person shouted as they kept their eyes peeled on their monitor.


    "I''m good", another one shouted.


    R.J turned to leave after the rest of the team didn''t respond. That meant one coffee for him and his friend. He scanned his ID before the ss doors slid open. Right above the doors were bold letters in ck written: PUBLIC ACCESS CENTER UNIT.


    This department had their pantry right outside their offices on the same floor. R.J used an Expresso machine to make two coffees before he walked back to his office. He gave his friend one cup. He shook his head in amusement when his friend sniffed the pleseant aroma and rolled back their eyes in pleasure.


    "Thanks R.J", she said before taking a sip.


    "Sure thing B", he said after a chuckle.


    He too needed his coffee to get through the day. He made to walk to his desk when something caught his eye. He leaned over her chair before pointing at her screen using the same hand that held his coffee.


    "Hey! Be careful!" she snapped at his carelessness.


    "What''s this?" He said totally ignoring her snappiness.


    She looked at her screen where he had pointed. It was on a list of unopened email on one side of the monitor.


    "Oh, that? It could just be one of those tips we receive. The ones that aren''t eve-"


    "Open it", he said with apparent impatience.


    "Okay?" She felt awkward but went ahead anyway. They both read the message contents and she stood up from shock!


    Thud!


    A pain filled grunt along with the sound of ss breaking was heard. She gasped along with everyone when she found R.J holding his nose with his head tilted back. His coffee was spilled on the floor and his mug shuttered. She cupped her mouth as she looked at him in horror.


    "Inform the Director!" he said.


    "R.J I didn''t mean to", she pleaded.


    "Not for me! He needs to see that", he managed to point at her desktop.


    She looked at the monitor then back at him. Twenty minutester, they were in the directors office. R.J had a cotton bud stuffed in his bloody nose but stood in a respectful stance and beside him was B mirroring his stance. Their director, an older aged woman, sat with a contemtive look as she stared at her monitor. They had just brought up the email B had received.


    "Isn''t this the case Hot Head is handling?" The director asked.


    "It is ma''am", B replied.


    "How credible is this information?" She asked while pointing at the monitor.


    "We haven''t screened it yet but thought to show you first", R.J replied.


    "Then do so. Contact our legal attach¨¦s in Italy. We don''t want to go out on a false lead", she said.


    "Yes, ma''am", the two responded in unison.<sub> </sub>


    At Frost Corporation


    A few top officials were in a meeting with the Chairman and CEO. Zach sat at the head seat with Xavier on his right and George on his left. It was a slow day and quite hot.


    Bottles of water ced in front of everyone were either empty or half way done. The AC had been turned down but the men and women still sweated out. Or was it the diforting from Zach''s unapproachable aura?


    He had been in a fowl mood since the other day''s incident. Truth be told, he was worried about George''s mission. If he was really busted, it wouldpromise his rtionship with Amy. ''How do I stop this?'' he mused in irritation.


    Xavier who saw this gently mmed the table to get everyone''s attention. "How about we pick up from this tomorrow?"


    Zach only stood up in response and left without another word. Everyone breathed out a sigh in relief and left after the three men. Xavier run after his brother and soon walked by his side.


    "What''s wrong with you?" He asked. When he didn''t get a reply, he turned to George. "What''s wrong with him?"


    George only rushed forward to open the door for his boss as they had reached his office. Miss Courtney rushed forward with a huge box in hand. Xavier smirked when he caught the deliberate bounce of her tits as she run.


    "Oh? Miss Courtney, what do you have there?" His eyes were on her chest.


    The woman blushed as she followed after the three men into Zach''s office. If only Zach could give her the attention Xavier does once in a while, it would bless her soul.


    "It''s a package for Mr. Frost. We already had it screened sir", she said in a shy voice.


    George reflexively took the box. It was in the color of a matte ck and had a huge J symbol in gold italics. The box looked chic yet mysterious. He opened it and found a ck card on top of white wrapping paper. Inside the little card were words written in gold italics.


    "''To hubby, From Baby''. Are you sure it''s-" his curious question was interrupted when the card and and box were taken from him.


    Zach had taken both the box and card and walked to the lounge. Xavier sat by his side curious to see what was inside. Everything inside was midnight ck themed, the shirt was a turtle neck in ck, his jacket was also ck with delicate golden floral patterns falling from the shoulders to his mid chest where there was a single gold button, the trousers were all ck. Xavier picked up a little ck box and opened it to reveal cufflinks that looked like tiny ck globes with a letter J inside written with gold dust.


    "Whoa!" Xavier stared in astonishment. He had never seen something so beautiful. "Who''s this fro....", His question faltered when he saw Zach smiling as he looked at the card. Xavier chuckled as he smacked his brother''s shoulder. "You lucky bastard!"


    Zach red at him which made Xavier clear his throat awkwardly. A thought crossed his mind as he looked at his brother. "But don''t you think the roles have been reversed?"


    "I don''t mind", was his simple answer. He didn''t mind being spoiled by his wife. It only meant he would spoil her a million times more. He smiled at this thought. "Get out."


    Although he was kicking them out, the smile on his face said otherwise about his mood. Xavier nodded away as he got up. "Yes, yes. We''ll leave you to talk to your wife!"


    George sighed as he dragged out the obviously broken hearted Miss Courtney. She stared at the box in resentment. Had she known and if not for the security in their building, she would destroyed that box. But she hand delivered it herself just so Zach could see her in the tight dress she wore. But as usual, he didn''t spare her a nce. Worse with the package''s arrival, she could forget about him knowing of her existence. And when did he get a girlfriend? How rich is she to afford a suit from Js? A few of the elite can afford such a brand.


    Once the door was closed, Zach got his phone out to email his wife. It had be a norm that she would secure an audio connection instead of the emails. He started topose a text when a message from an unknown contact name number arrived.


    Unknown: Miss me?


    Deep down, he could guess who it was. But he had no time to entertain this person. He continued topose the text when another message came in.


    Unknown: Seems like we''ll be seeing each other sooner than I thought.


    He looked in the direction of the door to his office where he could hear his brother talking to his secretary. A worried expression settled on his features.


    ''Does Xav know?''

 Chapter 125 The Red Carpet

    The city of New York was in a buzz because of the annual Corporate g. Media houses sent their best reporters to cover the red carpet worthy event happening a the Metropolitan Museum of Art! A red carpet had beenid out on the steps leading to the entrance, a section was allotted to the media and the fans who turned up tonight screaming and shouting the names of their celebrity business persons! News Channels, online forums, and bill boards around New York City; broadcasted the event live. But something else, besides this event, had caught the attention of many!


    Reporter 1: "We''re here live at right the Metropolitan Museum of Art where this year''s Corporate g will be held! This year they have gone bigger, foreign business representatives have also been invited to this year''s function! We''re talking France, Italy, The Great Britain, South Africa, and the list goes on! So much is happening tonight!"


    Reporter 2: "But what''s in talks at the moment is the news of Logan Howell''s soon to be fianc¨¦! That''s right! The couple will make their first public appearance tonight! This has created quite a buzz on all social media tforms! Fans have turned up just to witness this moment!"


    Indeed, it was a lot more crazy than when the Met G is held and fanse out to see and cheer on their celebrities. Victoria, who was home, turned off the TV in annoyance. She was currently standing in her bedroom as a stylist worked on her gown. Her makeup had already been done but what was left was to check for final touches.


    "This is a business event, what does she think she''s doing?" She muttered with an evident scowl on her face.


    "Stay still, Madam", the stylist spoke.


    "Oh! Sorry dear", Victoria said.


    The woman resumed her duty of fixing up Victoria''s dress and soon finished to be reced by a makeup artist who did the same on Victoria''s face. Once done, the two stepped back and let her look herself in the mirror. She gasped when she saw the job well done.


    "And who is this?" A voice spoke from behind her. "It can''t be my mother!"


    Victoria had on a bashful smile as she suppressed a giggle. He walked over and held her hand. "Tell me my fair maiden, which family do you belong to?"


    "Xavier, stop it already!" Sheughed as she mmed a fist in his chest as her face was red from embarrassment.


    "Mom, you look beautiful!" He said with a genuine eyes and smile.


    "Thank you dear. And you look handsome as well! Hearts are going to break tonight!" She chuckled.


    "That''s the n", he said with a smug smile.


    He was wearing a velvety ck suit, his jacket cor was decorated with the simr silver and diamond designs like ones on his mother''s dress, and diamond cufflinks. It wasn''t too shy nor too simple. It suited his tall and muscr build. This was a different look knowing he always wore colorful suits thatplimented his pretty face.


    "Ready?" He held out his elbow.


    "Can you believe Logan is announcing his rtionship tonight? This is all Kris''s n, I can smell it", she grumbled as she walked beside him.


    "Mom, it''s their life, they can do whatever they want", he said.


    "I know! But it''s so annoying! Can''t there be something else that will suppress their hype? I''d love to see Kris''s face when that happens!" A sly smile spread on her face as she imagined it all.


    "By the way, Zach said he''d meet us there", he changed the subject.


    "Really? Is he nning to introduce his boyfriend to the world? My gosh that would be more explosive than Kris''s stunt!" Her eyes were big and bright at her obvious excitement.


    Xavier only chuckled. Sometimes, this woman felt like a younger sister than his mother. He wonders how she would react when Zach tells her that his boyfriend is actually a woman since she''s so supportive of the ''man''. Well, that was Zach''s problem to handle.


    A ck Maybach was waiting outside Victoria''s house. Xavier''s driver jogged over and got the door for the mother and son pair. Soon, the three cars convoy left for the Corporate g.


    Victoria felt her nerves kick in as they approached the museum. Cameras were shing, the media were shouting, fans were screaming, while celebrity business representatives paused for the cameras. She had been in the limelight a few times but she never got used to it. Xavier patted his mom''s hand infort and she gave a grateful smile. It was now their turn.<sub> </sub>


    The doors were open and bodyguards quickly surrounded them when they stepped out. The mother and son pair walked arm in arm. People were used to seeing Victoria apany Xavier to such events.


    Fans screamed when they saw Xavier and took pictures of him! Without leaving his mother''s side, he smiled and waved at the fans and media. But they had to move on and so they did. However, amotion was heard from behind them. They both turned and Victoria fought to not show her displeasure. Walking on the red carpet was Kris and her husband, and behind them:


    "Logan! Logan over here!"


    "Logan Howell!"


    "Logan Howell please tell us about your girlfriend!"


    Fans screamed when they saw their business idol walking hand in hand with his girlfriend! Kris could not help her smugness at the attention the media was giving her son! She looked up ahead and saw Victoria. Her lips lifted into a provocative smirk!


    Reporter 1: "Mr. Howell, is this your girlfriend? Please tell us about her!"


    "Uh, tonight is especially for the corporate g. Let''s talk about that another time but to answer your question, yes, she is the one", Logan replied with all smiles as he squeezed her tiny waist towards him.


    Reporter 2: "But there have been news that you will soon propose to her. Can you at least confirm this?"


    Logan gave his mother a long side nce and she looked away. Trust his mother to keep a secret! His girlfriend gasped in surprise as she looked at him expectantly. He chuckled, unsure of how to handle his woman. If he denies, how will that look, if he agrees, it will will just put pressure on him. As he mentally debated how to deal with the situation, a ck Rolls Royce Phantom pulled up by the red carpet.


    Everyone was still focused on the Howell family when a pair of long legs in ck trousers stepped out. The movements were unhurried and deliberate. The man stepped out, his hair had been styled back to reveal his beautiful masculine face. He stood tall and his aura wasmanding, instantly drawing the attention of people as the ce fell quiet. The red carpet has never fallen quiet, why now? The man pulled on the hem of his jacket to straighten it.


    "Oh, he''s finally here", Xavier mumbled.


    Victoria followed his line of sight and took in her older son looking otherworldly in his ck and gold ensemble! She gasped in astonishment. But Xavier was shocked by how perfectly the suit fitted him. How did she know his brother''s size? ''These naught people'', Xavier mused.


    Seeing the media was upied with the Howells, Zach used that chance to freely walk down the red carpet and soon joined his brother and his mother to whom he gave her a kiss on the cheek as greeting.


    "It''s Zach Frost!"


    "Oh My God! Zach Frost is at the g!"


    "Mr. Frost, an interview!"


    "It''s Zach Frost! The Chairman of Frost Corporation!"


    The fans and the media went crazy when they finally recognized him! It shook them up knowing how low profile the man was and he had only attended the g once. His appearance shook the city much more than Logan''s news.


    "Seriously? This is all it took?" Victoriaughed when she saw Kris''s ugly expression.


    With his stoic expression, Zach looked back down from where he stood. His eyes fell on a ck car that pulled up by the red carpet. The doors were open and out stepped a man in a dark blue suit, his hair had been gelled back. He tied up his jacket button before extending his hand inside the car. A beautiful brte appeared beside him holding his hand.


    They were the Italian business representatives namely: Aldo and... Esmeralda.

 Chapter 126 Georges Fears...

    The family of three walked into the museum. It had been beautifully decorated with round tables and chairs that had numbers on them. The three were led to their seat. As they sat down, George appeared right behind them.


    "Good evening Aunt Victoria", he kissed her cheek in greeting before going to take his seat beside Zach.


    Her eyes lit up. "Good evening! You look handsome! I must be the luckiest woman surrounded by three flower boys!"


    Xavier pulled up a smirk, George let out an awkward chuckle as he felt embarrassed, while Zach scowled in displeasure. Victoria chuckled in amusement.


    "You''re a pretty boy, Zach, whether you like it or not", she teased. But she was soon distracted by her surroundings. "My gosh! I love what they have done to this ce! It amazes me every time!"


    While she chatted away as she marveled at the beautiful decorations, little did she know that someone had their eyes on her. They had been watching her from the moment she stepped into the red carpet. Meanwhile, something had just caught George''s attention and he leaned in to whisper to his boss.


    "Sir, twelve o''clock."


    Zach casually nced in that direction before he directed his gaze elsewhere. It all happened in a split second but from what he saw, a ck evening gown decorated in silver designs, matching sandal heels and her red hair nicely done. The face of the woman was stoic like he usually had his as she gracefully walked to her table. Behind her was the man whose face many knew, he was wearing a ck suit and looking far more handsome than usual. He walked a step back behind the woman. They were not the pair Zach had seen earlier, but they were:


    "Gwen Cancino, C.E.O of Greco Pharmaceuticals and her P.A, Peter Wright", George whispered.


    The two mentioned were having a conversation of their own as they were being directed to their table. Gwen''s face showed no emotion as her red lips moved.


    "Results?" She asked.


    "We will have them before the night ends. Our technicians are still working on it", he said in an apologetic tone.


    "Our enemies don''t have until the night ends. The deal has to pass tonight, how many times do I have to say we can''t afford any slip ups?" Even in her calm voice, Peter could detect the anger and frustration.


    "I''m sorry boss", is all he could say.


    She didn''t bother faking a smile towards the attendant as she sat down. Peter settled besides her even when he could have preferred another option knowing what her current mood is.


    "If anything goes wrong tonight, well you know what happens", she said quietly as she leaned back in her seat.


    Her tone was casual, but Peter knew better than to take her words lightly. He swallowed a hard lump and forced himself to calm down. A couple walking arm in arm settled on their table. Gwen''s eyes lit up in recognition when she saw the man but a small frown formed on her face when she saw the woman.<sub> </sub>


    "Sparrow, I''m sure you know that this is not aome vacation for you to bring a whore along", she spat with less than amusement in her tone.


    "Whore?" The woman chuckled in amusement as Aldo helped her into her seat.


    "I''d watch what I say in her presence if I were you Gwen", Aldo as he sat into his own seat.


    "Well, I was only told about your arrival and no one else. Who is she? Who are you?" She looked the woman dead in the eye.


    Esmeralda squared her shoulders as she looked her back in the eye in silent mockery. The corner of her lips lifted before she said, "I''m disappointed. This is the person handling things here."


    "I apologise on her behalf", Aldo slightly bowed even in his seat.


    Esmeralda dismissed him with a wave. Peter was shocked when he witnessed Aldo being submissive. It only meant Esmeralda was an important figure.


    "You haven''t answered my question. Who are you?" Gwen gave her a challenging gaze.


    "Who am I?" Esmeralda chuckled. It seemed Gwen hadn''t got the clue. She looked at Peter, "At least your little toy was quick to understand. Who am I? You should be more focused on ensuring that the deal passes, and that too can''t happen without me."


    Gwen''s expressionless face had a reaction as she raised her brows in surprise. She looked at Aldo who nodded in agreement. Did she just offend someone she shouldn''t? She could have sworn the woman was Aldo''s mistress especially from the way Aldo looked at and treated the woman. And the woman, it was now Gwen saw that Esmeralda didn''t look at him the same way. She had on an air of arrogance but she didn''t make it too obvious.


    As she looked at Esmeralda, her eyes fell on a distant table where she made eye contact with a pair of brown eyes. Her eyes and face were nk as she locked her eyes on theirs. The person looked away and her brow arched.


    George''s heart almost leapt out of his chest but he managed to keep his calm after locking eyes with Gwen.


    He was about to rx when he saw her whisper something to Peter Wright from his peripheral view. Peter responded with taking out his phone out of his pocket. He showed something to her as he whispered. Both of them looked in his direction. He found himself looking in her direction and she was staring at him.


    Her face was nk, he got an eery feeling from the way she stared at him. Her expression didn''t give anything away, he didn''t understand what the look meant. Although he wanted to dismiss the thought in doubt, he still feared it had something to do with his break in. Then, the unexpected happened. She stood up with Peter following behind and was now making way to their table.


    "Shit!" He hissed.


    Zach heard him and also saw them from his peripheral view. His face gave nothing away as he silently mused, ''It can''t be.....''

 Chapter 127 Confrontation

    Zach rapped his fingers against the table. He had on a nonchnt attitude as though he had nothing to do with what was happening in his surroundings. Victoria was busy chatting about with Xavier.


    Despite the desperate attention different women threw at him, he never left his mother''s side. If he was apanying his mother, then that''s what he would do. He might be a yer and a lover of fun but there was a time and ce for everything. And he wouldn''t trust for his brother to entertain their mom in the absence of their father.


    George, on the other hand, was a whole case of nerves. He had willed his face to remain calm though his insides were chaotic. He looked at Zach, who was calm and collected as always whenever in face of crisis. He also wanted to remain calm like his boss but he had seen how disturbed the man was for the past few days. How would he handle the confrontation?


    Heels echoed from behind him until they came to a stop. A man''s voice spoke from above them.


    "Excuse me, Mr. Frost, Mr. Stewart, Gwen Cancino, C.E.O of Greco Pharmaceuticals", Peter introduced.


    Zach retrieved his hand from the table and stood up to face them. He straightened his jacket out of habit and squared his shoulders as he stared at Gwen with his usual impassive expression. George stood by his boss''s side and he too assumed a calm expression as he pushed his eye sses up the bridge of his nose.


    Peter felt so ufortable. Even without saying a word, Zach''s imposing nature sent an unpleasant cold shiver down his spine. He suddenly felt like he had shrunk in size and should weigh his words carefully lest it costs his life. He was afraid of Gwen but Zach, the man was a whole different case.


    "Mr. Frost, I didn''t think we would see you here this year", Gwen started.


    "And that''s your business, how?" He spoke in an unhurried tone and arched a brow.


    Gwen''s lips spasmed. She was trying to make small talk but the man didn''t even give her face.


    "Alright, I''ll cut right to the chase. I''d like to know where you assistant was for the past few days", she also willed a cold expression.


    "Mr. Frost doesn''t like to repeat himself", George said.


    Gwen''s mouth fell open in disbelief. Peter mistook her reaction for herck of understanding.


    "He means to ask how that is your business", he blurted out only to shut up when Gwen red at him.


    This man had turned himself into Zach''s little bitch! He seemed to fear him more than he does her. To a certain degree, she could understand him. Zach exuded the same suppressing aura like The King does. This alone made her ufortable but she could not ignore her gut feeling.


    Earlier, when she looked into George''s eyes, she could not help but feel his gaze was familiar. Yes, they were different eyes but she had stared at his picture for too long. There was just something familiar about his gaze and she could not shake off that feeling.


    "Mr. Frost, I wish for you to understand that I would not deliberately not waste your time", Gwen said after regaining herposure from Peter''s stupidity.


    "Yet, here you are", Zach countered.


    "I have my reasons. Now, Mr. Stewart, where were you for the past few days", Gwen directed her gaze to George. She felt she a lot more Superior talking to him than Zach. But, Zach was not going to give her that chance.


    "And why should he answer to you?" He demanded. His voice was quiet but it still sounded sinister no matter what he said.


    "I said I have my reasons and I demand an answer. Mr. Stewart", she warned through gritted teeth.


    "I am under no obligation to answer to you Miss Cancino nor do I n to exposepany secrets. I''m sure you understand the danger as well as the importance", George replied as he remained calm and collected. Maybe because of Zach, his nerves had calmed down from the moment the conversation had started.


    "If I wantedpany secrets, would I approach you so directly? Do I look so stupid?" Her usually calm countenance was breaking. The two men were proving difficult to talk to.


    "Then why?" Zach looked at her before looking at Peter who gulped in fear.


    "There was a break in at theb and we''re trying to find the intruder. But he had grey eyes I don''t understand why....", Peter blurted out in fear under Zach''s gaze only for his voice to falter when he caught Gwen''s re. Thetter couldn''t understand why he was being so stupid.<sub> </sub>


    Zach''s brows slightly rose as he gave George a look and thetter understood.


    "Miss Cancino, do you realize that your actions have offended not just myself but the Chairman himself? You have also wasted his precious time that he took to attend this function. How do you n to atone for this?" George did not bother hiding his displeasure while Zach''s expression remained the same.


    "Atone?" Gwen spat looking at George like he had grown two heads.


    "Please, it''s-"


    "Not another word from you Peter!" She snapped gaining the attention of people from other tables. She looked around and felt embarrassed. She could already guess that people were judging her for offending Zach Frost.


    With his appearance tonight, a lot of businesses wanted to use this opportunity to win an investment from Frost Corporation. Xavier never gave them a sure answer as all investments were approved by Zach the Chairman himself. This was a man who was hard toe by, should Greco Pharmaceuticals ruin this chance for them, Gwen would be gaining a lot of enemies than she already has.


    "It seems Miss Cancino is a little desperate, let''s ease her mind a little. George, did you break into theirb?"


    "No, sir."


    Zach gestured with his hands silently saying ''there you have it''.


    "No-"


    "Miss Cancino", Zach locked his piercing gaze on her making the older woman ufortable on her two feet. "If there is a break in, then report the case to the police. Should George fall on the list of suspects, you will have his full cooperation, I can give you my word. That''s the reasonable thing to do unless..... "


    He deliberately paused and let his words linger. Gwen felt like he could see through her and new her little secret. Was he messing with her or did he know something he shouldn''t...?


    "Sir, it''s time", George said breaking the ufortable air.


    Zach didn''t spare another nce and sat back down and George followed after. Gwen''s face was not good as she stared at the back of the two men.


    "Boss..." Peter said with a lot of hesitation. She looked him in the eyes and in that moment, he knew he was done for.


    Gwen walked off in her obvious rage and Peter followed after. He wished he could just disappear, it was not his fault that Zach instilled so much fear in him without even trying that he blurted all those things out. Aldo and Esmeralda watched as the pair derailed from their table''s direction and walked out of the venue.


    Back at the Frost table


    "I''m sorry baby", Zach said in a quiet voice.


    "It''s okay....", George''s voice faltered when he realized what was wrong with Zach''s sentence. "Sir?"


    Zach red at him. He took in the man''s face and finally noticed a nude earpiece stuck in Zach''s ear. Who was he talking to?


    "Mister, you''re in a lot of trouble", Amy''s voice resounded in Zach''s ears. She was clearly pissed by what she had virtually experienced.


    "I can exin", Zach hurriedly said.


    "Uh-huh, exin."

 Chapter 128 Kriss Rage

    "Good eveningdies and gentlemen, I''d like to wee you to this year''s Corporate g!" The voice of the master of ceremony echoed through the walls of the venue.


    He got a loud apuse in response before it quieted down. He began giving his opening speech with a few jokes to warm up the atmosphere. The venue was full of different business men and women, and of course being apanied by their families.


    The people at the Frost table were hardly paying attention. Victoria was still gossiping with Xavier because the function itself was boring for her, George was paying attention because his boss might require some of the information discussed thereter on, while Zach was upied with something else. He moved forward to plop his elbows on the table and shielded his mouth behind his sped hands.


    "How aboutter, when it''s just you and me?" He proposed quietly.


    "Fine. But your little exchange caused a situation", she reminded. The displeasure was still evident in her tone and Zach detected this.


    "I expected this much. Don''t worry", he responded with confidence in every word he uttered. To top it off, he stared up ahead and winked.


    "Zach, is he here?" Victoria could not help but ask in a whisper before she looked around in the direction Zach had been looking. He looked in her direction and furrowed his brows in confusion. "Your boyfriend, is he here?"


    "No", he answered in a t tone.


    "Then who were you winking at just now?" She continued to whisper as she voiced her confusion.


    This was not a conversation he wanted to have knowing his wife could hear it all. He looked at Xavier who suddenly found the table cloth interesting. Turning to George, the man''s brows were furrowed as he stared intently at the podium. The opening speech was suddenly even more interesting. He sighed, it was his fault, he would deal with it.


    "I blinked", he said with his usual emotionless face.


    "With one eye? That''s called winking!" She fell into a giggle and pped Xavier''s arm. "What''s wrong with your brother?"


    The recepient of the wink felt her face grow red. Even in such a setting, she didn''t expect him to flirt with her through and through. Amy patted her cheeks to ease the fluster. Zach on the other hand was expecting a scolding from Amy especially after his mother went on about him having a boyfriend. To his disappointment, Amy said nothing.


    On the other hand, Gwen had found a room where she shoved Peter till he stumbled onto the floor. She turned her back to him as she locked. He quickly got on his knees with fear evident on his features.


    "Boss, we can''t do this here", he begged.


    "You should have thought about that before you went running your mouth", she said in a quiet voice yet full of venom. The more quiet she gets, the more pissed off she is.


    "Boss please."


    "Now, now, Peter, don''t waste my time. We have an event to attend. You surely don''t want people to start specting about our whereabouts", she mocked. Her lips curled in disdain as she threw him a side nce. A secondter, she turned around and took him in. A pleased smile stretched on her face, he was ready for her.


    Meanwhile, the g was in full swing. The food was being served and light jazz music were yed by a band to apany the mood. But the mood had changed. Whispers now echoed among the tables.


    "I heard they''ve made the Adalimumab and are looking for investors."


    "Is that why they were sucking up to Mr. Frost just now? How shameless! Don''t we all want that chance?"<sub> </sub>


    "Right? Who doesn''t want an investment from Frost Corporation?"


    "A foreign investment would equally be appealing. Did you notice they''re sitting next to the people from Italy?"


    "Are they trying to hog everything?"


    Zach could not hear what was being discussed among the different tables but he knew. It was the situation Amy was talking about just now. People misunderstood Gwen''s actions especially when she approached Zach and George not long after they hade in. The misunderstanding and hateful looks grew when they saw the two return and settle on the same table with the Italian business representatives.


    "What''s going on?" Gwen asked as she sat down while twisting her right clenched fist''s wrist.


    "Thest thing we needed was to draw attention to ourselves", Aldo responded with clear annoyance as he forked a bite. Gwen raised her brows in question not understanding what he just said.


    "The drama you two just caused", Esmeralda responded as she elegantly picked up a ss of wine. She took a sip and ced it back down. Her gaze turned sharp as she looked between the two. "This better not cause a problem for us."


    Gwen hated how Esmeralda talked to her like she was some superior. She wanted to snap at her because she hated feeling inferior but remembered her words. She was there to make sure the deal goes through. That shows her importance to The King or the organization itself. So Gwen gave Peter a look.


    "I''ll take care of it", he said as he left the table.


    The servers came to Gwen''s side and took her order. They soon served her while Peter was away. Meanwhile, Kris was fuming from the attention Zach had drawn on himself without even trying. Tonight was supposed to be about Logan and Tania. Victoria must have deliberately hid the news about his appearance tonight, of course, why would she?


    "Kris, stop frowning", David sighed when he saw the unhappy look on his wife''s face.


    "Yeah, mom. It can''t always be aboutpetition", Logan agreed.


    "You don''t know what you''re saying", Kris grumbled. She had barely touched her te of food.


    "If you didn''t leak news about Tania and I to the media, this wouldn''t have happened", he whisper shouted. Tania shifted in her seat ufortably, she had no idea how to deal with the current situation. Her only option was to drive her attention to the food which she ended up doing.


    "I was doing you a favor. Do you know how much peoplepare you to Zach? What mother would stand on the sidelines and watch that happen? So for once, I wanted you to be in the spotlight, to be on top! To be on ourpany so excuse me since things didn''t work out!" She snapped back in a hushed tone.


    "Well look at you now. People will think we try too hard topete with the Frosts. If you tried to not let that bother you, people won''t have to alwayspare us. They do that because of what you do", Logan wanted to shout on top of his lungs but suppressed it.


    "How ungrateful! David are you going to let him talk to me like this?" she scoffed in disbelief. The time she tried to do something for her son and theirpany and this is what she gets. "And Tania stop stuffing your face!"


    Tania coughed on the food she suddenly choked on. Logan was quick to pat her on the back to ease the choking.


    "Are you okay?" Logan''s voice and expression grew gentle as he helped her. He took a ss of water and brought it to her lips.


    "Aww, young love. Isn''t this wonderful?" A voice spoke from above them.

 Chapter 129 A Serious Threat

    The four of them looked up to find a middle aged man in a gray suit wearing a sheepish smile as he approached them. The four had bewildered looks on as they stared at the man. Kris was more d that the man had not overheard their argument.


    "Anthony Stevens, C.E.O of Stevens and Co.", He produced his business card to which Logan received before he gestured for the empty seat beside him. "First of all, I''d like to extend my congrattions to you two", Anthony said as he sat down.


    "Thank you, Mr. Stevens", Logan said.


    "Mr. Stevens is too formal, Call me Anthony", he said with an amused chuckle.


    "What brought you to our table Anthony?" Kris asked.


    Anthonyughed as his face burned red with embarrassment. "Straight to the point. Alright, alright. Actually, I was wondering if I could talk to Mr. Howell Junior, both of you. There''s a project ourpany is working on that we thought we could ask for your assistance."


    "You mean you''re asking for an investment from ourpany?" Kris''s eyes lit up.


    "Of course! But first, I have to show you what we''re working on. I can promise you that there won''t be any regrets."


    "Oh my! Are you sure about that Anthony?" A voice spoke from above them. "Mark Bailey, C.E.O of Bailey and Co. I won''t bother with sugarcoating my approach but simply say, if you want a sure investment that won''t have disappointing returns then invest with us."


    "You''ve alsoe to seek for an investment in ourpany?" Kris could not help her shock.


    As Mark was about to speak, two more people came to settle on empty seats on their table. The both took out their business cards at the same time and looked at each other awkwardly and feeling embarrassed. Kris giggled when she saw this.


    "Let me guess, you''re both here to as for an investment?" She giggled when she saw their embarrassment.


    David and Logan both looked at her in clear disbelief. It seemed Kris''s n had pulled off as they saw more people try to sneak their way into their table. From Gwen''s table, she could see and hear the happyughter echo from Kris''s table. Peter came back to sit next to and lean towards her.


    "It''s been taken care of", he whispered.


    Gwen''s face eased of worry as she sat up in her seat and refocused on her meal. Peter expected her to ask how he did it so quickly but seeing that she was simply pleased by the fact that the attention was drawn away from them, he too was satisfied.


    A server came to Peter''s side. They were so attentive of the guests that they aided them before they were even called upon. Peter could not help but muse at how his wife would be so impressed by them. His wife, he sighed. After what happened just now with his boss, guilt could not help but overwhelm him.


    A te of food was ced before him before a drink was poured for him.


    "Thank you", he said to the server while he kept his head down.


    He could feel a pair of eyes on him but he kept his head down. He didn''t want to make his guilt obvious lest Gwen does those things to him again.<sub> </sub>


    "Gwen, what happened to your wrist?" Esmeralda asked when she noticed her continually twisting it.


    Pang!


    Peter''s fork fell on the marble floor. A server was quick to his side to rece it with a new one. Gwen was displeased by his reaction but willed an icy expression as she looked at the woman.


    "I appreciate your concern at the same time, I don''t need it", Gwen said.


    Esmeralda chuckled as she brought a ss of wine to her red lips. Aldo didn''t like the atmosphere on the table, he didn''t even like being sent here in the first ce, but who was he to turn down the King? He had sinned against him too many times. But he would rather be in thefort of his home in Rome.


    "Alright, let''s get this deal finalized with", he said.


    "We need an empty room. Peter, you don''t happen to know of any empty room now, do you?" Esmeralda asked.


    Pater choked when he heard the question. Gwen sent an icy re towards the woman only to receive an innocent gaze. She also needed to get this deal over and done with so she won''t spend another second in thepany of Esmeralda.


    "Do you have something to say?" Gwen was barely suppressing her annoyance at this point.


    "Do you?" Esmeralda countered.


    "Esmeralda", Aldo started in a tired voice.


    "Yes, Sparrow. Do you have something to say to me?" She gave him a challenging gaze.


    She watched his fist shake as he clenched it in pure frustration and she knew the reason why. She felt pleased by this sight. A vein popped on his temple as his jaw clenched when he grunted out a, "No."


    Gwen was amused by the exchange. Something must have happened between the two. None of them wanted to be present at the table except for Esmeralda who looked like she was having fun but the exchange. If not for wanting to do things transparently ording to The King''s orders, they would have avoided this whole encounter. With Peter getting rid of the unwanted attention and distraction, they needed to get a move on. There was still that unknown rival who had sent someone to break into theirb and there was Amy to worry about.


    "Let''s go", Gwen threw her napkin on the table whilst still holding a re towards Esmeralda who had on an amused smile.


    The four stood up and followed after Gwen. Their steps were full of urgency and Peter didn''t mind abandoning his meal. He understood the situation fully. They had two people to worry about but little did they know, they had gained the attention of a threat more serious.


    "Target is on the move", a man''s voice reported quietly as he pressed his earpiece against his ear.


    "About time, move out."

 Chapter 130 The Tip

    "So it was Greco Pharmaceuticals", someone spoke seeming amused.


    "Are you surprised, sir?" Another person responded.


    "Well, I''m more surprised by the fact that the tip we got is actually proving useful", the boss said.


    "This could be your big break sir. You''ve been onto them for years now. You might owe that tip one", that person responded.


    "What? Are you that tipper?" He chuckled.


    He was in a dark blue suit walking on the top floor with one hand zing against the railings observing the guests below. He rubbed a thumb against his white goatee which was nicely trimmed and short. His eyes remained peeled on the four people leaving the venue.


    "Hot head sir, how could I be?" The subordinate chuckled. "I just thought how much of a big deal this information is to you. After this, you can finally go home to your wife."


    Hot Head chuckled in amusement as he rapped his fingers against the stair railing, "My wife."


    Meanwhile, Gwen was leading her team out of the venue. She had on an impassive expression as she walked with her head high. Esmeralda, on the other hand, had an easy going attitude as she swayed her hips left and right. Just the thought of tormenting Aldo with her actions exhrated her.


    Right before his eyes was something, or someone to be specific, he lost and now he couldn''t so much as bark aint no matter what she did. This carelessness, it made her miss a certain someone. ''I wonder how he''s doing'', she mused at the thought of Dn.


    Aldo could guess who she was thinking about with that expression, it irked him. He clenched his shaking fist to suppress his anger. Someone tapped his shoulder, and with his re, he stopped and turned to look at the person. It was one of his subordinates. He leaned in and the person whispered something. His already ugly expression turned worse. Everyone else stopped as they looked at the two.


    "What''s up?" Esmeralda asked after noticing the exchange.


    "We havepany. The FBI", he said with bitterness.


    "And I wonder whose fault that is", Esmeralda looked at him with a less than amused expression as she crossed her arms against her chest.


    "What is she talking about?" Gwen looked between the two.


    Aldo''s features tightened at the reminder. His clenched fist grew tighter that his nails dug into his rough skin. He wanted to snap at her but he kept his teeth gritted.


    "What? Am I wrong? Do you have something to say?" Esmeralda challenged him. Her lips were curled in disdain.


    Aldo felt his face heat up from the suppressed rage. The way she was looking at him, the way she spoke to him, the way she challenged him, the way she made him feel like he was nothing less than a spec of dust; he could feel his boiling rage start to spill. With his ring eyes blood shot red looking like he was ready to kill, he took an angry step forward in Esmeralda''s direction. Immediately, his subordinates took steps forward with their hands on their rifles ready for an attack.


    Seeing this, he closed his eyes and let out a deep breath before opening them as he took a step back. Esmeralda''s lips curled into a smirk as her eyes mocked him. In a split second, her features turned cold.


    "Fix that", she ordered before turning to walk on.<sub> </sub>


    Aldo''s eyes fell to the floor as he could only nod. Gwen was surprised by the exchange. Just who was this woman? Did the organization appoint someone new among the higher ups? Why did she not hear about this? But nevermind, they had a deal to take care of. With that thought, she left and followed after Esmeralda as did Peter.


    "Why don''t we go to thepany to finalize things?" Peter asked Gwen in a whisper from beside her.


    "Isn''t that leading thieves to where your treasure is? Don''t be stupid Peter",Gwen grumbled as she rolled her eyes in annoyance.


    "But here.... Will he really get rid of them? It''s the FBI we''re talking about", Peterined sounding like he would cry.


    Gwen huffed out a breath in annoyance and increased her walking pace. She was also worried but that didn''t mean he had to voice out each and every one of them. If he wasn''t her muse, she would get rid of him. These were moments she felt he was extremely useless.


    Aldo, on the other hand, took two men with him as he wracked his brain wondering how he could deal with the FBI. The King made it clear he didn''t want unwanted attention or anything getting in the way of their deal. They were to remain as transparent yet as low-key as possible. How would he get rid of this mess? And the mess being the FBI? As he thought of this, he saw the man he hade to hate for being on his tail for the past few months in Italy.


    His steps came to a slow down as the man also stopped a few feet away from him. Aldo was barely keeping his cool as he looked at the man.


    "We should stop meeting like this, Hot Head", Aldo started.


    Hot Headughed a bit arrogantly as she stuffed his hands in his pocket. "Believe me, I want us to meet but not like this. But what are you so worried about? Do you think I''m here for you? Why? Is there something you''re hiding?"


    Aldo chuckled, "How could that be? I''m here on official business. Why? Was there something you were hoping to find?"


    "Something I was hoping to find?" Hot Head furrowed his brows as hus face fell into a thinking face and started patting his pockets.


    He padded his jacket and trouser pockets and stuffed his hands into them a couple of times. A subordinate soon rushed towards him and humbly extended his hand toward him presenting a brown box with a delicate design.


    "Oh?" Hot Head chuckle as his eyes lit up. He opened the box to find cigars inside. He took one and put it between his lips, his subordinate cut the tip before producing a lighter.


    "Thank you Skull face", Hot head said before raising his hand that held the lit cigar at Aldo with an smug smile silently saying ''found it.''


    Hot Head and Skull Face went on their way back into the venue. Aldo stood with his men as he watched their retreating backs until they disappeared. He leaned to his right to the subordinate who reported to him earlier.


    "Earlier..... Are you sure about what you said?" Aldo asked with his gazed fixed on where the two men had disappeared.


    "Yes, it came from an inside source", he answered with no doubt on his face.


    Aldo stood more upright at this news. If that was the case, it meant two things, either their insider was busted and was now being fed false information..... but wouldn''t they retaliate if that was the case? Or, it was true but something else happened? What could have happened then? Hot Head would surely jump on any opportunity to take them down.


    As Aldo mulled over this, he had no idea how ugly Hot Head''s face had turned soon as he had turned and left. That was such an opportunity, but his hands were tied. Yes, something did happen....

 Chapter 131 The More Available, The Less Appealing

    "I have to say, I hated every moment of that just now", Hot Head spoke as he casually nced down at the men and women mingling on the floor below.


    He was back to where he originally was before he ordered his team to go after Aldo and his team. He leaned forward plopping his elbows on the railing andced his fingers as he kept his gaze down. A nude earpiece was in his ear. His subordinate was nowhere in sight as he had sent them all away.


    "I know", a deep voice resounded in his earpiece.


    "But remember this A.J, I''m a man who sees to the end of the bargain. You give me your word, I expect you to fulfill it. You can''t cross me, I''m thest person you want to do that", he said.


    Amy chuckled, "I thought you would have learned to trust me after what I did for you."


    About thirty minutes ago.....


    Hot Head and his men were on the move in their designated positions. Their eyes were on Aldo and hispany. They seemed to be going up to find a room and finalize their deal. This was what they were trying to prevent: a deal between The Dark Waters and Greco. If it went through, it would mean the two would easily conduct their businesses both in America and Italy. Hot Head would not let that happen.


    "Alright men, on my signal", Hot headmunicated using the earpiece.


    "Roger!" The men echoed each other.


    Just like their leader, they were seen getting their hands on their pistols that had been stashed in their holsters on their waists. Some of them felt their hearts thump wildly from the adrenaline rush. They had received a tip that The Dark Waters wouldunch a coboration with apany in their U.S to spread out their operations. Immediately this tip was processed and proved eligible, they were flown from Italy to here hence their appearance tonight.


    It was especially meaningful for Hot Head. He had a lot of making up to do to his dear ones because of this case.


    ''It''s now or never'', he mused with a lot of determination as he pulled out his gun.


    "Stop!" Amy''s alternated voiced resounded in his ear. "You don''t want to do that."


    Hot Head stopped in his tracks. He removed his earpiece and looked around. There was no man around where he stood except himself so he figured it was his earpiece. His brows were knitted in displeasure.


    "I don''t have time for games", he said.


    "Neither do I, but you''re about to make a huge mistake", Amy proceeded.


    "Whoever you are, I suggest-"


    "You want to go after The Dark Waters and stop their coboration with Greco, don''t. Now''s not the time."


    He fell quiet, confused by how this person knew all this confidential information. "Who are you?"


    "I''ll tell you if you stop your men", she bargained.


    "You must be with them? You want to stop us!"


    Amy chuckled, "Is that the thanks I get for masking your tracks when you infiltrated their, it''s unfortunate, that you made your presence known too soon. I didn''t know it was them you were going after", she said in amusement.


    "A.J?" Hot Head''s eyes widened in shock. He looked around at his men in position and signed them with his hand to stop.


    "d I got your attention."


    "Whats going on?" He gave her the full attention she sought.


    "They have deliberately made this transaction transparent, showing you that there is no fault in what they''re doing. If you go after them, you''ll need evidence to convict them. You won''t get any of that."


    "How do you know? We might find something if conduct a search and seizure!"


    "Do you think they''re that careless? Do you really think it would be that easy? I know all this because I haven''t been able to find anything substantial. From the moment I discovered them, I''ve been monitoring them till date. They''re being extra careful because of that. If you go after them, you''ll end up releasing them and they''ll only strengthen their hiding abilities making it harder for you to catch them next time. So I ask you, don''t go after them yet, be patient."


    "Then what? What do we do?"<sub> </sub>


    "Nothing."


    Silence. Hot Head startedughing but it was augh showing his confusion unlike the amusedugh that Zach gave when she said the same thing. If anything, the man was more impressed than amused. He seemed to understand her reasoning.


    "You n to do nothing?" Zach hadughed. "I didn''t know my wife was so sneaky."


    "I noticed something funny about mice, they''re always blinded by food. They overlook the fact that the cheese is set on a trap and solely focus on the food, and when they think you''re not looking, they make a run for the cheese. When it''s right in their hold, bam! They''re caught in the trap! The pain of losing yourself along with something precious when it was right in your grasp....."


    Amy was so lost in exining her reasoning that she did not notice how evil and menacing she sounded. Zach could not help but smirk at this as he shifted in his seat.


    "The way you sound right now is such a turn on", he chuckled.


    Amy was snapped out of her reverie as her face had blushed from hispliment. "Zachery", she warned in a bashful tone.


    He chuckled seeming pleased, "Then can this hubby of yours suggest something?"


    "I''m listening."


    "When you have one enemy, you''re usually more at ease and more careful with your actions. But when you suddenly have more than one enemy working together, you''re bound to slip up."


    Amy chuckled, "I see where you''re going with this. And who will I join hands with?"


    "You''ll know when it''s time", he said trying to sound mysterious.


    That''s when she readily agreed to his n. She didn''t know who else would be going after them until the g. She chuckled when she thought of this as she was brought back to her conversation with Hot Head. Somehow, Zach found out about him being on the case. She would tackle the issueter.


    "For now, you do nothing. Once they find out we''re working together, they''re bound to slip up. Let the deal go through. In the end, you will be able to catch both sides all at once. You''ll get your big win, you have my word."


    Present time....


    "I''ll hold you to it. Now, let me go. I have to y ''Peeping Tom''", he said in aid back tone as he stood up.


    "I could report you for being a pervert", Amy warned in an unhurried tone.


    "It''s not being a pervert if I''m going to spy on my own wife, is it? You should see how sexy she looks tonight, like I should ask them to serve her on my te and- hello?" Hot Head stopped and tapped his hear. But he had heard the familiar bleep of the connection getting disconnected.


    "What a rude brat...." He spat as he went on his way.


    Meanwhile, Zach was all amused when he saw the people crowding Logan''s table. Kris was smiling ear to ear as the people came to curry favors. A smirk made its way to Zach''s lips. She wanted attention on their family andpany, and he delivered. It was his way of getting rid of people who were possible threats to sabotaging the deal between Greco and The Dark Waters.


    "My gosh! Her mouth will tear up if she keeps smiling like that! Hey Xavier, aren''t you worried that they got more offers and we got none?" Victoria asked him as she kept her gaze on the smiling Kris.


    "No, they can''t say yes to all of them. They''ll need the money to make the investment if not, that will be scamming honest business people", Xavier replied.


    "Very true. And if something is too avable, it bes less appealing", Victoriamented.


    The boys got what she meant. Theirpany was sought after because of their being scarce. If the Howells make themselves too avable to everyone, it might harm their business. She shook her head staring at them with pity as they wee more offers on their table.


    Zach gave a look to George and thetter responded with a tight lipped smile seeming pleased with himself. Whatever George did, well, he deserved a raise. George took two sses of wine and passed one to Zach. They clinked their sses together and downed their drinks.


    "We have a lot to talk about", Amy''s voice resounded in his ear.


    He retracted the ss from his lips and smiled as he responded quietly. "We do baby, we do."

 Chapter 132 Is This Fate Or What?

    The Corporate g run its course till a little after midnight. For some, they used that chance to party a little. For people like Zach, he left before things got to that. His purpose had been achieved; he was Amy''s eyes and ears.


    The woman had no idea what hearing her voice in his ear at such an asion did to him. Would there be a future where they could physically be together and keep each otherpany at such boring functions? The possibility was bing more likely. He would taste the waters tonight.


    On the other hand, Amy was sat in bed with herputer on herp and snacks beside her to keep herpany. She rested a hand on her belly that was protruding under the sheets and bit her nails from the other hand as she kept her eyes peeled on theputer.


    She was running a face recognition analysis after finding an interesting picture in Greco''s system. She knew she could not do anything because of that person on their side who could detect her presence but could only lurk. That was how she had been monitoring them for the past few months. And now after their encounter with Zach, she got curious. Her phone chimed.


    Ahismine@***: I''m home.


    She secured a connection with him almost immediately.


    "Hey", he said. His voice was steady and quiet though his heart said otherwise. He was currently walking up the stairs leading to his room, phone in one hand while the other was stuffed in his pocket.


    Amy''s gaze fell on the time stamp of herputer and arched a brow. She thought back to how long it took him when he left home for the g andpared to the time it took for him to get home.


    "That took a while. Did you stop by your boyfriend''s ce before going home?"


    Zachughed at the bitterness in her tone. He had been disappointed when she didn''tment earlier, it seemed she knew when to pick a fight. As calm as he looked, he had been a case of nerves on his way home, wondering how their talk would go. But this was the thing that bothered her the most.


    "Are you jealous, wifey?" He said with a happy smile on his face.


    "I should have known when you said there are no other women", she clicked her tongue in disapproval.


    <o>,m Zach had just walked in his room and used one hand to loosen his tie and undo his shirt buttons. "For the earth, there''s only one moon."</o>


    "And?" She asked in clear confusion.


    Zach smiled as he said in his deep voice, "For me, there''s only you."


    Amy''s lips stretched into a beautiful smile as she covered her blushing face with her hands. She felt like she was melting in a puddle by that one statement. Why is something so cheesy making her blush like this? Not wanting him to know the effect he had on her, she forcefully cleared her throat to which he smiled knowing the reason behind that.


    "We need to talk about a lot", she said as she stuffed her long fingers in a bag of M and Ms before throwing one into her mouth.


    "And that we do. What do you want to know? I''ll tell you everything", he promised.


    "Did your assistant break into Greco''sb?" She asked in a serious tone. She was not going to beat around the bush.


    "He did", Zach mimicked her tone. He was shirtless exposing his muscr upper frame and well defined abs. He was still in his suit trousers with his belt and zipper undone exposing his ck boxers. He had sat down when he heard her bring up the talk.


    "Zachery", she started feeling disappointed and he understood this. "I''m sure you understand how worried I am and how serious this situation is. But why would you do that?"<sub> </sub>


    "These may sound like excuses and I know you''re disappointed and my actions may seem wreckless, but believe me when I say that it''s because I care about you; I''m worried about you Amy. Everyday, I can''t help but wonder how you''re doing, where you are, and whether you''re safe or not. But at the same time, I know I can''t ask you or push you to tell me because I understand the position you''re in. So, I can''t help but jump on anything that will give me a clue about you and the situation itself."


    Zach stopped talking when he heard a soft sob from the other end. He leaned over bad rested his elbows on his knees. His heart grew heavy at the heart breaking sound.


    "I''m sorry", Amy whispered as she sobbed.


    She felt extremely guilt after hearing his reasoning. She never once considered how he would take the situation maybe because she didn''t think it was as important to him. She was only focused on keeping her distance and him in the dark as her way of protecting him. But after tonight, she was starting to question her thinking. She looked down at her belly and caressed it as tears trickled down her face.


    "No baby, don''t say that. Please don''t cry", Zach''s voice grew even more gentle at this point as he understood her.


    "I''m sorry, Zachery. I''m really sorry. I just... I..."


    "Ssh! It''s okay, don''t say another word. Don''t cry. Listen to me, I won''t push you into doing something you''re not ready to do. I won''t", he promised.


    His heart broke even though he uttered such words. He wanted to know everything but he meant the words he said to her. He would wait for her to tell him herself. He would continue to be by her side and help her while looking for her.


    Amy felt so weak, unable to utter the words that were at the tip of her mouth. She was grateful at the same time heart broken that he wasn''t pushing her. But then, she was not sure what the result of the facial recognition analysis would mean for Zach''s safety. Something else suddenly came to mind.


    "Zachery", she called out with a sniffle as she wiped her tears.


    "Yes, baby."


    The butterflies in her stomach did summersaults when she heard that. "Um, how did you know about Hot Head?"


    Zach smiled when the man was brought up. "He''s someone I know and George found out that Greco would be coborating with the same group that Hot Head has been after. How about you, do you know him?"


    "I helped him infiltrate their ring I just didn''t know it was the Dark Waters. But now that they know he''s after them, it won''t be so easy for him", shemented.


    Zach smiled when heard the first part of her sentence. Was this fate or what? As he mulled over this, he heard the sound of herptop sound notification go off.


    "Oh?"


    "What''s up?" He asked in curiosity.


    "I was running an F.R.A using the captured image of Mr. Stewart''s break in", she said before letting out a sigh.


    "About that....."

 Chapter 133 Victorias Visitor

    The light from the window luminated a beautiful yet big room. In the middle of that room was a woman sleeping on a queen sized bed. The sheets covered her up to her waist as her body fell in an S-shape as shey on her side.


    Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she reached for a remote on her night stand. She pressed and pointed it to the window in that direction and the curtains slowly opened. She rubbed her eyes and turned to the other side to open the windows from there when:


    "Arrrrrrgggghhhh!" She screamed while staring at what was on her bed in horror.


    "Victoria, it''s too early for this", the person grumbledzily as he turned his back on her.


    Victoria jumped out of her bed and rushed out of the room. The man peeked out of the sheets when he heard the door close.


    "That was easy", he mumbled as he went back to sleep.


    He got up and got the remote she had been using to close the windows. He could not sleep a wink with any source of lighting into the room. He rxed into the now dimly lit room and allowed sleep to take over. It had been a while since he had a well deserved rest. He felt his be drowsy and slowly sumbed to sleep. It was such a sweet feeling especially under the warmth of the sheets.


    Bam!


    The door violently swung open and he knew who it was. With a heavy and tired sigh, he sat up toin. "Victoria- ah!"


    He felt his skin sting from being hit with some particles. They felt small with rough edges. Was she throwing sand at him?


    "Be gone! Be gone! Be gone!" She shouted while picking things from a jar in her hand and throwing them at him.


    "Victoria! Stop it! Blugh!" His face scrunched up in disgust when a piece of the substance fell into his mouth when he spoke.


    "Be gone! Be gone!" She did not stop her actions as her face grew more fierce.


    Ten minutester


    The man was standing outside the gates of Victoria''s house. The cold morning wheezed by and brushed through his hair as he rubbed his arms. He stood with a phone pressed to his ear as he listened to the dial tone. On the third ring, the call was answered.


    "Finally", he grumbled.


    "It''s six in the morning", the person on the other end responded in annoyance.


    "I need food and a ce to stay", he said.


    "What about her ce? I''m sure she''d appreciate yourpany."


    "Not sure I''m wee here", he nced at the security camera atop The high gates. He didn''t have to be with her to know she was watching him. He rubbed a thumb against his white goatee before he let out a tired sigh. He knew how red his face had be from the attack. "Your mom just performed an exorcism on me the moment she saw me."


    He chuckled when he remembered how horrified she looked while throwing salt at him. He had known her to always be dramatic but he didn''t think his absence would make her worse. The person on the line sighed. They had the option of staying in the hotel but chose to stay with them.


    "Fine."


    "Send someone to pick me. I''m at her ce", he was about to hang up when he looked down and sighed. "Oh, and Zach? Send some clothes too."


    He looked down at the boxer shorts and vest when the morning wind sent a terrible shiver down his body gracing his body with goosebumps. Soon as he hung up the call, a ck car pulled up right in front of him. A men stepped out of the driver''s side and jogged to the back seat to open the door for him.


    "Sir?" The man politely gestured for him to enter.


    He chuckled upon seeing this. Did Zach foresee this situation or what? He go into the car anyway. The driver closed the door and jogged back to the driver''s side. Before he drove off, he took a bag from the front passenger seat and gave it to him.


    "And this is for you sir."<sub> </sub>


    He took the bag and looked inside. Sure enough, there were clothes inside.


    "That punk!" He muttered in annoyance.


    Victoria rxed when she saw the car drive off from the security footage. Her face was red from rage and her hair was disheveled from the morning''s drama.


    "How dare he show up here", she muttered while calming down from her erratic breathing.


    The car drove to Zach''s house. The man had changed into the clothes that had been sent to him. Edmund was already by the door and opened them for him.


    "Master", he bowed in respect.


    He had been informed of his arrival by Zach hence the reason he was not surprised. The man waved off a hand and walked on. He found Zach and George in the dining room quietly having their breakfast.


    "Mr. Frost!" George stood up when he saw him. His face lit up in surprise.


    "Are you referring to me or him?" He pointed at himself before pointing at Zach.


    "Uncle Henry", George corrected with a smile.


    The man gave him a hug and roughly patted him on the back. "Good to see you, boy."


    "And what happened to your face?" George asked amidst the hug after noticing the red dots.


    He let go before standing next to Zach. He stared at him with eyes full of resentment. "You knew?"


    "Wee back, father", Zach said before quietly sipping on his tea.


    Edmund signaled for one of the maids to serve the man his breakfast. They had not seen him for a few years but time seemed to not move forward for the man. If anything he seemed to be getting younger except for the gray hair strands gracing his thick brown hair. Henry sighed before settling down on a sea and waiting for his breakfast.


    "It''s been a while since Ist saw. Fivw or six years, is it? When did you arrive?" George asked.


    Henry chuckled, "You boys were too busy to noticest night."


    "You were at the g?" George''s eyes widened in shock and looked at Zach who seemed not so surprised.


    Henry looked at his son who had a small smirk gracing his lips. What had him in a good mood? Zach was thinking about Amy. She didn''t realize that she had been introduced to her father-inw and was now working with him. Hot Head was actually Henry. And he had been away because of work. Aside from Zach, no one else knew this. But really, was this fate or what?


    Meanwhile, things were looking up at Greco Pharmaceuticals. Peter had rushed into Gwen''s room with aptop in hand. He ced it on her desk and looked at her with a wide smile. The results of the face recognition analysis were finally out. Three faces stared back at them from the screen.


    Gwen''s brows furrowed when she saw a familiar face on the screen and their information. Peter had also found who these people were working for. But her eyes were fixed on a certain picture. She looked up at Peter.


    "Are you sure about this?" She asked.


    Her gut feeling was never wrong and looking at the results.....


    "One hundred percent", Peter responded enthusiastically. "What should we do with this?"


    Gwen''s face turned ugly as an icy expression settled on her face. "What else? Destroy them."

 Chapter 134 Breaking News...

    The door bell went off when Amy was amidst towel drying her hair. The blond locks assumed a curly pattern from being exposed to water when she showered. She tighten her bathrobe and went out while tying a towel on her head. Some strands were left loose that beautifully framed her makeup free face.


    "Yes?" She said as she opened the door and her eyes lit up in recognition when she saw who it was.


    Nora and Ian did not expect such a scene. Amy''s eyes were bright and blue, her longshes ttered the blue orbs, her cheeks had on a beautiful rosy color, her lips were full and plump, and from the way her mounds stood behind the robe, it meant she was naked underneath. Both Aunt and Nephew swallowed a hard lump in their daze.


    Nora was the first to snap out of it and noticed Ian''s Adam''s apple wobble from such a swallow. And do we have here? Alex had sent Ian along with her to keep her in check since she insisted oning to get Amy but what was this familiar scene. But wait, was this how idiotic she looked just now while looking at Any? She cleared her throat before looking back at Amy.


    "Mrs. Standford, mom said to tell you breakfast is ready, but of course, you and I can make ns of our own", she threw a seductive wink at her.


    Amy ignored her and looked at Ian. "Tell your grandma, I''ll be there in twenty."


    ? "Right", Ian snapped out of his reverie after hearing her say his name.


    Amy gave a small smile at Nora before closing the door in her face. She heard the sound of the locks go off inside Amy''s house.


    "Ah! Come on! I wasn''t going to do anything!" Nora shouted in disappointed. "Maybe?" She added quietly.


    She looked at Ian before a smirk yed on her lips. Her eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint as she swing an arm over his shoulder. She leaned into his ear and whispered.


    "I know your dirty little secret."


    Ian shrugged away her arm and walked on as he said with his usual impassive expression. "I''m not sure I''m following."


    "Just now, that was a ''you look so good I want to fuck you'' look you gave Emily", she said with a sly smile ying on her lips.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about", he denied despite the redness of his ears and the thumping of his heart saying otherwise.


    "Is that right?" She asked. He heard her go quiet before she suddenly burst out, "Ian has a- mmmmm!"


    He was quick to jump to her side and cup her mouth so she doesn''t spew nonsense. She fell into a victoriousugh though it came out muffled. Ian felt something warm and slimy make contact with his palm before he quickly removed his hand.


    "Ew! Aunt Nora!" He grimaced as he wiped the saliva off his hand against his jeans.


    "Your hand tastes like weed", she muttered in observation. Ian froze the moment he heard that. Seeing his state, she smacked the back of his head before swinging an arm over his shoulder. "You punk, don''t you know it''s rude to keep the good stuff to yourself?"


    Ian looked at her befuddled only to find her grinning. While his friends got cool yet crazy uncles, he had a crazy Aunt who could fill in the role just fine or even better. Sometimes she felt more like a sibling than a elder, probably because their age difference wasn''t that much. He fell into augh before they got a move on. When Alex saw them walk in whilstughing, she sighed at the sight. Maybe she should have gone to get Amy herself.


    As said, Amy finished dressing up within twenty minutes. She loved sweats because they were stretchy andfortable. She topped it with a matching hoodie which still showed her baby bump. She had tied up her hair into a ponytail because they might do some baking even though Ste is injured.


    She knocked once before walking in. The house echoed with chatter and a sounding from the television.


    "Aunt Emily!" Stacy run towards her and hugged her legs.


    "Not too fast honey, don''t forget, your Aunt Emily has a bun in the oven", Alex gently reminded.


    "Sorry, Aunt Emily", Stacy looked up with her cute eyes sparkling as she apologized.


    Amy smiled and caressed her cheek, "Don''t worry. Just slow down okay?"


    "Mm", Stacy answered as Amy took her hand in hers.


    She exchanged some greetings with the rest, hugging Alex and Richard. She looked around and saw Ste seated in the living room. She walked over while ignoring Nora''s flying kisses as she settled next to Ste. She pecked the older woman''s cheeks before rxing in her seat.<sub> </sub>


    "You look like you haven''t slept", Stemented as she took in Amy''s face.


    Amy gasped as she cupped her cheeks, "Does it show?"


    Ste nodded in response with evident worry. Amy looked at Stacy who sat beside her to find her mimicking her actions as she nodded away. Amy chuckled at the cuteness and pinched her cheeks. Stacy fell into a giggle at Amy''s actions. Amy took advantage of that started tickling her.


    "Aunt Emily! Aunt Emily!" Stacy cried out in betweenughter.


    Ste could not help butugh at the exchange. She found it cute how the two got along so well. Her heart melted when she saw the sight. Soon, it would be Amy and her little one. Everyone was all smiles as the house echoed with Stacy''sughter.


    "Breakfast is ready!" Alex shouted with a chuckle. "Ian and Nora set the table!"


    Since Ste was in the living room, they set the table there. Amy had stopped tickling Stacy as she now conversed with Ste. Ian could not help but steal nces at her as he set the table. As he walked back to the kitchen, he found Nora giving him a knowing gaze and smirk as she went to set things down the coffee table. Ian looked away with his ears and cheeks burning red.


    "What''s with you two?" Richard cast a suspicious gaze between the two as he went to sit down.


    "Right? They''re up to something", Alexmented as she also sat down.


    "Don''t know what you''re talking about", Nora was barely fighting a grin as she saw Ian''s ears burn red.


    Richard shook his head before redirecting his gaze towards his wife. "Can we change it to the news channel?"


    "Dad!"


    "Grandpa!"


    "Richard, it''s eight in the morning! Why can''t we watch something else?"


    Richard stared at them befuddled at theints. Even Stacyined about it. He let out a heartyugh but obviously amused. He held up his hands in surrender.


    "I just want to see what''s on the headlines", he defended in betweenughter.


    "Just the headlines! And don''t change to a sports channel!" Ste warned.


    "Yes, yes", he said as he took the remote.


    Alex reached over to serve her mother when Amy stopped her with a gesture. Alex eased back in her seat as Amy took over the task. Ste''s heart warmed up when she saw this. It seemed Amy knew her favorites and the amount she mostly ate.


    "BREAKING NEWS! THREE BODIES HAVE BEEN FOUND BURNED DOWN IN AN ABANDONED BUILDING IN ****. THE AUTHORITIES HAVE IDENTIFIED THEM TO BE A MR. ALEX MORRIS, MR. CHRISTOPHER JONES, AND MR. DANIEL CORDEN...."


    As the news anchor announced their names, pictures of the men appeared on screen one by one. Amy''s hand movements stopped as she felt a sickening twist in the pit of her stomach.


    "Emily? Are you alright?" Ste carefully asked when she noticed Amy''s face pale.


    "Huh? Oh? It''s just.... disturbing", she managed to reply.


    "Richard change the channel", Ste said immediately.


    Richardplied and changed the channel. Amy resumed piling up food for Ste but she could not help but mull over the news. Her heart was thudding wildly from it despite her calmposure. Those three men, she knew them. On the night before, she had a conversation with Zach about it.


    ''This only means.....''

 Chapter 135 The Test....

    A newspaper was mmed into Gwen''s desk. She didn''t flinch at the harsh actions and slowly looked up at the culprit only to fall in amusement. She looked at the news that had made the headlines and was already in the papers.


    "Wow! They sure are fast", her lips lifted in amusement.


    "Have you lost your mind?" Aldo growled as he rested his fists on her desk. His re could smother her into dust if it could.


    "What did I do?" She shrugged with an innocent expression.


    "Is this about the break in?" He was hardly keeping hisposure. Gwen was starting to learn that this man had a short temper but she was unfazed by his antics.


    "And if it is?"


    "The King made it clear that we don''t draw unnecessary attention. We''re in the F.B.I''s turf, how is this going to help us stay low?"


    Gwen broke into augh. She leaned back to her seat andughed to the point of wiping away tears. "How did someone so short-sighted be The King''s second inmand?"


    Her eyes were mocking him and her lips curled in disdain. That just fueled Aldo''s anger as he opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and someone else speaking.


    "Not short sighted but short tempered", Esmeralda said as she walked in. "It may sound like a liability but that temper of hises in handy at times."


    Gwen''s brows shot up. She shouldn''t be surprised but hearing such thingse from Esmeralda''s pretty little mouth just ..... didnt suit her. Gwen felt that this woman didn''t belong to their world. But then again, how did she know this? It sounded like she had known and seen Aldo in action. ''What''s their story?'' Gwen mused.


    Esmeralda went to settle in the lounge. She was dressed in a red pantsuit with nude heels and a bold red lipstick. Her brown hair was tied in a bun. She crossed her longs in an elegant manner looking like a boss as she looked at the two. Aldo suppressed his rage when he heard her walk in and Gwen still had on an amused face.


    "Three men who belonged topanies that are obvious rivals to Greco were killed in a fire. And this happened after the Corporate g. There are two ways to look at this: one, Greco has just gotten rid of it''s rivals; and two, something must have happened at the g for this to happen. Things get a little fierce in themerce world after the g. Either way, there''s no way to prove that this was Greco''s doing. And would Greco deliberately do something that would attract the authories'' attention knowing they were onto them because of the Dark waters? Am I wrong?" Esmeralda gestured with her hands.


    Aldo seemed to understand the situation now that Esmeralda had borated. He looked at Gwen who, for the first time, smiled genuinely at the other woman. She seemed impressed with the deduction. But something did not sit right with him.


    "But if this is about the break in, why punish all three when it was one person who broke in. Unless..... You didn''t find the culprit. But still, why?" Aldo never knew her to be heartless. Actually, he didn''t know much about her except that she was running Greco.


    "It''s a warning to everyone who''s after us", Gwen said in an icy tone. "Now they know that we''re not an easy target."


    Esmeralda stood up from her seat and slowly walked over to the desk. She had on a contemtive expression as she sashayed towards them.


    "Warning? Sounds good. But burning them alive.... Someone would think you''re hiding something. Was it something they did or.....", She rested her hands on the desk and leaned in and her eyes were mysterious looking like she knew something no one else did. ".... because they were-"


    "I think they''re ready for us. Let''s not waste any more time on useless things", Gwen suddenly stood up. Her expression was cold but her heart did summersaults in anxiousness wondering if Esmeralda knew her little secret.


    Esmeralda only smiled before she stood up straight. "Lead the way."<sub> </sub>


    Aldo looked at the women suspiciously. What was it that he was missing? He didn''t even dream of asking Esmeralda, would she even say anything when she doesn''t speak to him unless it''s necessary? He followed after them with Gwen leading the way.


    They took the elevator going down to the undergroundb. The ride was silent, Gwen preferred it that way after the other woman had send her on the edge with her analysis. Just what did she know? And how much did she know? As she mused over this, Esmeralda jabbed at her once more.


    "I see your little muse is not joining us today", she said. "Why? Did something happen?"


    Gwen remained quiet. She was not sure how high Esmeralda was on the organization''s hierarchy. But it was still hard for her to do especially when she was used to talking down to people not the other way around. Esmeralda chuckled when she got the silence.


    "Is everything ready? The test subject?" She changed the subject.


    "Yes, they were prepped for what''s about to happen and signed an N.D.A for anything that happens here", Gwen responded.


    "Great", Esmeralda sounded more enthusiastic than any of them.


    The doors swung open and the three stepped out of the elevator. They were apanied by bodyguards until they reached an observatory. It was filled with ss walls were they would be able to oversee operations being conducted on the floor below.


    A middle aged man in a white coat came forward.


    "This is Dr. Mortimer. He will be conducting today''s test", Gwen introduced them and they shook hands.


    "Alright! Let''s get on it", Esmeralda rubbed her hands together in excitement.


    The doctor excused himself and disappeared. Heter returned with a team and all were wearing surgical gowns and protective clothes. A woman was wheeled in on a bed. The team of medical personnel prepped and hooked get to an ECG to monitor her heart rate. The doctor said something to her and she nodded away. He looked at them and Gwen gave a nod giving him the go ahead.


    He took a small bottle that had a clear liquid inside. He took a syringe and drew the liquid. He shot some out to get rid of the air in the syringe. Another person rubbed a spirit soaked cotton bud on her skin before Dr. Mortimer drove the syringe into the woman''s forearm.


    Silence.


    Everything looked normal as there was no reaction from the woman. Gwen could practically hear her own heart pounding. Esmeralda had her hands cupping her mouth as she watched in anticipation. The ECG suddenly burst off into rming sounds. The woman started convulsing.


    "Hold her down!" Dr. Mortimer shouted.


    The team was quick to react, however, she started coughing out blood.


    "Oh! My God!" Someone shouted.


    The three in the observatory could not tell who shouted but soon saw why. Blood pooled out between the woman''s legs as she thrashed around. In a second, a long beep, apanied with a straight line on the ECG, echoed in the room as the woman stopped moving..... She died....

 Chapter 136 New Orders From The King

    Silence. Nobody moved. A woman had just died in their hands. Gwen''s mind went nk. What was this bitterness she felt? Failure? No. The had worked hard for this. But the answer was right in front of them. This was not what they were trying to achieve. Months of har-


    Whoosh!


    A file flew past her ear and hit the ss wall. It did nothing, not a single crack, against the wall. But the action snapped Gwen out of her reverie. She turned to find, as expected, Aldo was pissed off. Her expression turned ugly. It was usually her who did the throwing of things around and not the other way.


    "Exin this!" Aldo pointed a finger down as he demanded in fury.


    "And just how do you expect me to do that?" She countered, equally pissed off.


    "You said you were prepared, that you were ready, THAT is not the result we were expecting, is it?"


    "Then what else do you expect me to say? It''s just as you see it!"


    "The King will demand an answer, THAT is not an answer I will be giving! No!" He turned away and punched the door of the observatory in frustration.


    Bleugh! The two looked in the direction of the sound to find Esmeralda on her knees throwing up in a trash can. Gwen scrunched up her nose in disgust at the sight. Aldo''s heart softened when he saw this. He directed his gaze towards the floor and felt his rage grow.


    He walked over to the sound panel and turned on the mic as he shouted, "What are you standing there for? Clean that up!"


    The medical team recovered from their shock and wheeled the dead body out of the room. Gwen mentally scoffed at Esmeralda. ''How is she in the organization when she can''t stand a dead body'', she mused and rolled her eyes.


    Esmeralda recovered and received a tissue from Aldo to wipe her mouth as one of the bodyguards took away the trash can. She chuckled as she looked in Gwen''s direction. "I seem weak for reacting like that but, surely we all have that one thing that riles up our insides?"


    She threw a meaningful gaze at Gwen while wiping the corners of her mouth. Gwen''s mind shed with certain images and some grunting sounds. Her face paled from such vivid images but she suppressed the disgust and put on her usual impassive expression. Her fists were clenched as her nails almost drew blood against her palms.


    Esmeralda passed the used tissue to a bodyguard to get rid of it. "Call Dr. Mortimer."


    "Yes, ma''am", the bodyguard answered.


    "Since Miss Cancino doesn''t have the answers, Dr. Mortimer should", she said.


    The room fell quiet as they waited for the doctor. It took a few seconds for him to be brought into the room. He had on a grave expression knowing the higher ups expected answers for the failure of the test. The man could hardly keep his shaking hands still even when he clenched them into fists.


    "Why?" Esmeralda started.


    The doctor looked at Gwen in obvious fear before looking back at Esmeralda. He didn''t dare look at Aldo because the man looked like he could kill anyone and anything in that moment. He swallowed a hard lump as he looked down.


    "Hey", Esmeralda gently called out earning his attention. "It''s okay. You can tell me."


    As endearing as that was, he kept his gaze down. Still, he could not dilly dally. One way or the other, he would need to provide answers.


    "Actually, ma''am, we have been developing this drug manually which is why we were unable to detect such a problem. And since we had to have everything ready before the g..." He looked at Gwen and fell in fear as he stuttered. "We should have worked harder. Please forgive us. We will make improvements. We just need a bit more time."<sub> </sub>


    "Why?" She asked again. He looked at Gwen and she too did with an arched brow.


    Gwen sighed, "Because of that bitch, Amy Harper!"


    "You still haven''t found her?" Aldo was surprised.


    "Nobody can! And it''s possible she has been monitoring us to find an opportunity to strike", Gwen crossed her arms against her chest as her face showed her irritation.


    "Don''t you have a ''helper'' that can detect her presence should she try anything?" Aldo asked.


    "We can''t underestimate her masking skills. She could be in our system right now and we won''t know", she responded.


    "Or you''re just paranoid. If she knows who we are, she shouldn''t dare to do something. The Corporate g passed, did she do anything? No", Esmeralda pointed out what seemed to be the obvious.


    "It''s called ying it safe. This is a woman who took down a whole corporation, she is not to be underestimated. If I had allowed them to develop this drug using the system, it also means allowing documentation of every step of the development; that''s practically feeding her all the dirt on us. We can''t let her find out, especially after this", she pointed to the floor below where the woman had died.


    The two fell silent. They knew Gwen made a good point. It all made sense. But they were not the ones to make the final call.


    "I''ll talk to The King", Esmeralda said as she made to leave the room.


    The watched her leave. The doctor stood there awkwardly unsure of whether he was dismissed or not. He feared to even ask Gwen after his response earlier. He was practically shifting the me to her for their failure. He looked up and found her staring with her usual expression. He was about to get down on his knees to beg for forgiveness when she dismissed him with a wave of her hand. He dlyplied.


    Aldo chuckled, "Why are the men so scared of you?"


    Gwen didn''t answer. She was already frustrated by the situation she didn''t need him to add on. She wished they would just leave and things wto go back to her trumping on everyone without anyone keeping her on her toes. Aldo didn''t pursue the matter and weed the silence.


    Esmeralda was gone for a while. She was on a call with The King exining the situation. Gwen could not help her curiosity. She had never met him but only spoke to him when he felt the need to speak to her. Those were never pleasant moments for her. The man always instilled fear in her even when he was not in the room. Kind of like Zach.


    Speaking of Zach, she thought of his assistant. Although she had gotten a different result, she still could not shake off her gut feeling. However, what would be the motive behind him digging into their doings? They are not in the pharmaceuticals business. And that assistant of his, he looked too weak to perform such a stunt. Did she overreact in desperation to catch the culprit?


    "Where''s the doctor?" Esmeralda walked back in as she put away her phone.


    "I dismissed him", Gwen answered. Both she and Aldo were curious to know what the new orders from The King were.


    "Well, with our current problem, Miss Harper to be specific, we''ll continue to develop this manually for three months. If she does nothing during this set time, we''ll speed things up and use the system. We cannot continue to dy things because of one person. The King doesn''t want a repeat of this mistake. Surely, we don''t want to kill the project before it''sunched", she sounded so menacing when she said herst sentence.


    Her face turned ugly in anger. Her gaze was directed at Gwen. She knew that the responsibility had befallen her. Gwen, felt her anger boil from the woman''s actions. She hated being looked down upon. In her suppressed rage, she sent a text to Peter. She didn''t care what he was doing, she needed her punching bag.


    Gwen: You have fifteen minutes toe to my office.

 Chapter 137 Cant Bear To Lose Them Both

    "Goodnight Aunt Emily!" Stacy waved from the back of the car as her mother pulled out of Ste''s drive way.


    "Goodnight", Amy shouted with a wave as she smiled at the little one.


    She was standing at her door step ready to get in. Alex honked at her and waved before driving off into the night. She waved back as she watched the car drive off. Her gaze fell towards Ste''s house to find Nora staring at her with puppy eyes and throwing flying kisses at her.


    Amy shook her head as she walked into her house. Nora indeed took after her mother, she had no filter. She sighed. That was the least of her problems. The news that had made the headlines still echoed in her mind. She could not begin to imagine the painful death those men suffered. It just showed how ruthless Gwen and her organization can be.


    Amy easily saw through her line of thought. Since she couldn''t find the culprit, why not send a warning message to him. Amy shook her head. All this just brought her worry. She may not have shown it in front of Ste andpany but it still worried. To be specific, she was worried about Zach.


    The night before....


    "About that", Zach started.


    "I''m not looking at Mr. Stewart''s face but three faces who I''m going to find out about in a sec...." She said while typing.


    Zach fell quiet and let her do her research. Amy was befuddled, the three belonged to three of Greco''s rivalpanies. And these were in the forefront of trying to disrupt Greco''s chance of getting an investment both locally and internationally.


    "Oh?"


    "You''re wondering if this was done deliberately? Well, it was all a coincidence. It wasn''t in our n for George''s footage to be captured but we knew his disguise was good enough to not lead them to us. When I asked the boys to run an analysis, those were the results."


    "I don''t know Zachery..... I...." She had a bad feeling about this.


    "Don''t worry, Amy. I''ll keep an eye out. But let''s see how she will retaliate with three suspects who know nothing about the break in", he was trying to convince her and himself. Deep down, he had a bad feeling as well.


    Present time...


    She stood in the shower with the hot water easing her aching muscles. Her mind was gued with thoughts of the incident. Zach said he would keep a lookout. With such a result, it only means he failed. She sighed. That was not what she was worried about. It was Zach she worried about. If they find out it was him, what would they do to him?


    She closed her eyes to brush away such horrifying thoughts. Her heart was beating wildly in anxiousness. She opened her eyes as she let out a breath and closed the shower. She did her night skin care routine, dressed up into her pajama shorts and strapped top, before getting into bed.


    "Hey", Zach''s voice echoed into the quiet night.


    She secured a connection as soon as she settled under the sheets. Hearing his voice calmed her nerves a little. She let out a sigh in relief.


    "Hey", she answered.


    "Talk to me", he immediately detected her dejection.


    "I saw the news", she started unsure if how to proceed. But she was disturbed nheless.


    "You must be disappointed that I-"


    "I''m worried", she cut him in. "I''m worried about you Zachery. I''m worried about what they might do to you if they find out-"


    "Ssh! Amy, calm down. I''m fine. Nothing is going to happen to me. I''m fine", he assured her. His heart melted when he heard the genuine worry in her tone. He was not the only one worried.


    He heard a soft sob and his heart broke. It seemed the incident had really scared her. He needed to calm her down. It would be easier if she was right there with him. Zach stillforted her. They barely talked and she fell asleep to the sound of himforting her.


    ...


    Night had fallen, and a cold wind brushed through her hair and zed her skin. Goosebumps formed and Amy rubbed her arms to warm them up as she was in jeans and a matching sleeveless top.<sub> </sub>


    She looked around. She was not sure where she was. It was in the middle of a street she could not recognize. It was a run down street with buildings that had white washed paint. It was an underdeveloped area. The shops seemed deserted than just closed. The odd part was, the whole street was deserted. A chill run down her spine. The smell of danger was strong in the air.


    She made a move on. She needed to get out of there. She had barely taken a step forward when she heard a scuttling sound. She moved to quicken her pace when:


    "Amy!" Someone called.


    That voice. She knew that voice. Her heart knew it before her eyes could take in the person. It had been so long since she had seen him. Out of excitement, she turned around.


    "Zachery!" She called back. Her eyes welled up with tears.


    He was in one of the shops. He smiled when he saw her.


    "Amy!" He called out.


    Without wasting a second, she rushed forward to go into the shop when the sound of a gun shot went off. She froze in shock. Zach''s smile slowly faded away as blood dripped from the center of his forehead.


    "No!" She whispered.


    She didn''t know where or who had pulled the trigger. She moved forward to go to him when his body was suddenly engulfed in mes.


    "NO! ZACH! ZACHERYYYYY!" she cried out. Helpless hot tears trickled down her cheeks as she watched the horrid scene before her.


    It felt like her heart had been ripped out. All those times she stayed away yearned for him and in this one moment she thought they would reunite, he was gone. Her actions were just in vain. He was gone.


    She couldn''t let him go just like that. It can''t be true. He can''t be gone just like that. She took a step forward but the mes were getting out of control as they consumed the building. The heat and the light was getting too strong. She shielded her face with her hand only to fall into darkness.


    She removed her hand and looked around. A bright white light came on. She found herself lying on a bed. Her baby bump had grown so big she couldn''t see past her stomach. She was now a medical gown. She looked around, there was no one.


    "Susan?" She called out in fear. She got an eery feeling from being in a dark room and in her vulnerable state.


    No answer.


    "Susan? Susan where are you? Susan?" She called out. Her breathing became erratic as she was gripped in fear.


    "Susan?" A female voice answered. The person stepped out from the dark and they were in a surgical gown.


    "Gwen", Amy recognized her. Her hands reflexively shielded her belly.


    Gwen chuckled when she saw this. "Susan is not here. It''s me. Just me. And you know what I''m going to do? Same thing I did to Zach, I''m going to do to that little bastard!"


    A sinister smile stretched on her lips as medical des suddenly appeared in her hands. Amy''s eyes widened in fear. She shook her head.


    "NO! Not my baby! No!" Amy cried while profusely shaking her head.


    Gwen only chuckled as she drew closer to the bed. Amy felt like she could not move. ''This must be a dream'', she chanted. She couldn''t bear to lose them both.


    So she gathered all the strength and shouted, "NO!"


    Her eyes opened and she was back in her room. It was all a dream. Beads of sweat carpeted her forehead and tears trickled down her cheeks. It all felt too real. Her chest rose and fell as she calmed down from her nightmare. However, something felt off. She lifted the sheets and her eyes widened in horror. Blood had pooled between her legs.


    "NO!"

 Chapter 138 Breaking Into Her Patients Home

    ''It should be illegal to be this hot'', Susan mused as she stared dreamily at Steven Burn.


    They were sharing a table in the hospital cafeteria sitting opposite each other. She had trapped her fork between her lips as she was lost in her thoughts. She was mesmerized by the way hisshesplimented his hazel brown eyes.


    He was so concentrated on his food she wished she could an ounce of that concentration on her. The way his lips sucked in that fork, the way his Adam''s apple bobbled up and down as he swallowed, the way-


    "You need to getid", he said in his deep voice. He looked up at her with eyes shining with amusement.


    That snapped her out of her reverie. Her face burned in embarrassment. But when his words sunk in, a mischievous glint shone in her eyes. A sly smile stretched on her lips as she picked on her food with her fork.


    "Is that an offer?" She yfully wiggled her brows at him.


    Steven chuckled and felt his ears burn red. Unlike other women who acted coy around him, he liked the ever straight forward Susan Glynne. No, he was simplyfortable around her.


    "It was a suggestion", he countered as he forked a bite.


    "Okay, when and where? I''m there", she lowered her voice in a suggestive manner and smirked.


    He pointed a finger at her in disbelief as he hardly suppressed a smile. Susan''s eyes shone as a beautiful smile graced her features. She loved messing with him, and moments like these where he couldn''t give aeback, were her favorites.


    Her phone vibrated on the table. She picked it up and her brows slightly furrowed when she saw the number. She looked at the time and it was a little after eleven at night. Still, she excused herself and answered the call.


    "Hello?..... Yes... Yes... .... Oh! My god!" She abruptly stood up. "No!... Okay, got it!"


    The call ended. Steven was quickly to abandon his food and stood up. He took in her panicked face and his heart thudded in anxiousness.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked.


    "My friend.. Jennifer.... She''s my patient... She...."


    "Let''s go", he said with urgency.


    He could not stand to see her so shaken by the news. As the two were on ate dinner break, they used that chance to go and get Amy. They took Stevens car which pulled out of the parking lot at the speed of lightning. She had inputed Amy''s house location for easy navigation.


    "What''s wrong with her?" He asked.


    "She''s in her second trimester of pregnancy but she''s bleeding. It sounds really bad", Susan could hardly hold down her anxiety.


    Steven felt a terrible twist in his heart at the sight of Susan. He had never seen her react like this to any of her patients. So it seems this Jennifer was a good friend of Susan''s. They could not waste a second. With this thought, he floored it.


    Not long after, they arrived at Amy''s house. Susan jumped out before he fully parked the car. Was she being dramatic or was she seriously worried? He got the answer when they got to the door.<sub> </sub>


    "Ah! How do we..." His voice faltered when he saw her take out a Bobby pin from her hair. His brows shot up as he looked around the now quiet neighborhood before looking at her in shock. "Are we breaking into your patient''s home?"


    "Never knew you to be someone who asks the obvious", she chuckled but still drove her focus on the task at hand.


    He chuckled and stared iin amusement, "It''s just something I would never picture you to do. Who taught you?"


    "Trevor. He''s now into the old McGyver series", she said with a grunt as she finally managed to unlock the house.


    "Richard Dean Anderson''s? Kid has great taste", he nodded to himself.


    Susan only sighed as they both rushed inside the house. They managed to navigate their way through and found Amy on her bed. Susan rushed to her side and checked her pulse to realize that Amy had only lost consciousness. But she didn''t dare calm down. Steven turned his back to her when he saw her move to check Amy''s bleeding.


    "Is it serious?" He asked with his back still to her.


    "I''ll only know when we get her to the hospital. We need to move her."


    He turned around when he heard her move. Sheade way from him to carry Amy.


    "Just be gentle", she reminded as he carried the woman bridal style.


    "Don''t worry", he grunted at Amy''s weight.


    For a woman who looked so small, she had quite the weight. Susan collected a few clothes and a duffel bag before leaving with the two. She remembered to get Amy''s phone and house keys to lock up the ce as they left. Susan was at the back with Amy while Steven drove much faster than earlier.


    Amy floated between consciousness. She could hear Susan''s voice echoe in her ears but could not pick up on what she was saying. She lost consciousness again. She regained it to find herself staring at unfamiliar faces surrounding her. Bright white lights shone behind them as they moved seeming to be at the same time as she except she felt she was lying down. How is that possible?


    A new face appeared among the people who were surrounding her. Even in her blurry vision, she could make out the sharp features and that scent, she knew that scent very well. How is it possible that he is with her, beside her? Could she be hallucinating? Or is this another bad dream?


    She felt a warmth envelope her hand. Whose hand is that? Whoever it is, is it possible that she''s not dreaming? Dreams don''t feel as real as this. Is it really...


    ''Zachery?''


    She wanted to see more of him, to say something to him but her body was weak. She could feel herself slowly losing consciousness.


    ''No.... I want to see him.... I want.....''


    Darkness.

 Chapter 139 Zachs Promise

    High cream white ceiling, a ss chandelier, bright white lights but not blinding, the sound of the airconditioner; these are the first things Amy picked up on when she came to. She was lying on a soft plush bed. The sheetsfortably warmed up her body in the early morning hours. She looked at the wall clock and saw it was a little before eight in the morning.


    ''Where am I?'' she mused in confusion.


    A familiar smell wafted to her nose. Then she saw the catheter connected to her wrist and the drip hooked beside her bed.


    ''The hospital but why.....?''


    Brief scenarios from the night before shed in her mind. She had a bad dream about losing Zach and the baby.... The baby... There was a pool of blood between her legs-


    Amy gasped as she touched her belly. A sigh of relief quickly escaped her lips when she felt her swollen baby bump. She still had her baby. Her eyes stung with hot tears as she stroked her belly. That dream had given her such a scare, and the blood she saw. She sniffled while tears cascaded down her cheeks.


    She rested a hand on her forehead as she silently sobbed. She didn''t think she would be able to handle it if she lost her cupcake.


    "I promise to protect you. I won''t let anything happen to you. I promise", she muttered softly.


    She closed her eyes and let out a sigh in rxation. She needed to calm her emotions and clear her mind. It was silent for a few seconds, she could feel herself calm down until she heard some scuttling sounds. Her eyes flew open as her ears tried to pick up on the noises she was hearing. ''What is it?''


    The sound of the door opening was heard. Seeing that it was not the room door, she sat up to see which door it was. Curiosity, fear, anxiety; she felt them all at once but chose to appear impassive. She fought to remain calm. And sure enough, it was the bathroom door that was open. All those feelings were quickly reced by shock as her mouth fell open. Her gaze followed the person who had walked out.


    Their hair was damp probably from the shower they took but had beenbed back, their face clean shaven, they wore a ck Ralph Lauren polo shirt that nice framed their mascr form, with ck cks topliment their longs legs and matching shoes. Their gaze was fixed on their phone.


    A notification sound went off from their phone and they stopped in their tracks. Their thick brows pulled together in displeasure, and their thin pink lips were pressed into a line. They typed something on their phone before quickly stuffing it into their trouser pocket. And finally, they looked up. Their piercing blue eyes immediately locked with Amy''s shocked ones.


    Silence.


    Her mouth was still hanging open. No one spoke a word. Amy''s heart thudded wildly, she was confused and shocked. Was she not hallucinatingst night when she was being wheeled in? But how....?


    The door swung open and in walked Susan Glynne with a nurse beside her. She was oblivious to the situation and immediately walked over to Amy''s side.


    "Good, you''re awake", she said as she walked over.


    Amy looked at her friend who suddenly bent over and pulled her into a hug. "My gosh! You scared mest night! Do you know how scared I was when I found you unconscious on your bed?"


    Amy withdrew her gaze and looked at Susan when the woman broke their embrace. Suzy stood up straight, "Let me examine you first."


    While she let Susan do her job, her gaze went back to the person in the room. They were still there. Was this for real? Or was she given drugs that were making her see things? Her heart didn''t calm down not once.


    "You''re lucky it was just a polyp that needed to be removed and luckily, it wasn''t so serious to affect your baby. All it took was a-"


    "Suzy?" Amy called out with her gaze on the man.<sub> </sub>


    "Hm?" She answered as she jotted down her results of the examination she was performing on Amy''s file that was ced on a clipboard.


    "How many people are in this room?" She quietly asked as she redirected her gaze to Susan.


    Suzy: "... Four? You, me, Lilly, and Mr. Frost", she counted with her fingers.


    ''Did she hit her head when she passed outst night? Why is she being weird?'' Susan mused.


    "Mr. Frost? As in Zachery Frost?" Amy''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Yes....?" She was unsure where Amy was going with the questions. She nced back at the man who stood by the bathroom door and had not said a word since she walked in. Quite a contrast to his scary self when they were wheeling in an unconscious Amy the night before. Amy followed her line of sight and was even more shocked.


    "You can see him?" She whisper shouted in shock as she pointed at Zach.


    "Yes, can''t you?" Susan asked befuddled. Even the nurse was confused by Amy''s actions.


    Amy looked at Zach whose gentle eyes remained trained on her as he unhurriedly stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets. His gaze went from her face to her stomach. Her baby swollen stomach.


    "Oh! My god!" she gasped and quickly shielded his view from the baby bump with a bed sheet.


    Susan and Lilly: "..."


    They exchanged a look in total confusion. Why was Amy acting like this? Amy''s heart went into overdrive. She could not believe he was standing right in the same room she was in. Thest time she had seen him was five months ago when he exited hispany building with his brother on his way to me Parton.


    When he detected that someone was watching him, he looked around and she froze thinking he could see her when he looked in her direction. But he was soon gone. She thought she would never see him again until the baby happened. She didn''t think she would see him anytime soon. Maybe because of the dream, she felt her eyes sting with tears.


    Susan saw the two''s gazes locked on each other. She immediately understand as she gestured to Lilly for them to take a leave. After hearing the sound of the door closed, Amy broke eye contact and looked down. The baby, how would he react about the baby? He probably knew it was his. She never once told him about it and now almost lost it while she was staying away from him. How mad can he possibly be?


    Her heart beat more wildly when she heard his approaching footsteps. Her tears fell on the sheets as her gaze remained down. His familiar scent teased her nostrils, it eased her anxiety but her tears never stopped.


    "Amy", he gently called out.


    She looked up at him in response. Eyes brimming with fresh tears. Her blond hair was dishelved from her beauty sleep and she was in a hospital gown but Zach felt she looked so beautiful. He reached out his hand to her cheek and gently wiped away a tear with his thumb.


    Sob! She broke down at his familiar touch. Zach''s heart couldn''t take it and he pulled her into his embrace as he sat down on the bed. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he hooked an arm around hers and used the other to gently and soothingly pat her head.


    "It''s okay, I''m here. I''m not going anywhere", he whispered.


    And that was a promise.

 Chapter 140 If Not For Her Baby Daddy

    Zach could not believe it. She was real, in his arms, balling her eyes out, but she was still there with him. Live in the flesh. He closed his eyes when he felt them sting with tears. He could not believe it.


    He continued to pat her head as she cried in his arms. If not for Amy falling asleep before terminating their connection, he would not have been awoken by the sound of her having a nightmare, and worse yet, ending up with a medical emergency. God! He didn''t want to think about the worst that could have happened had she been all alone. And she passed out while he was getting help.


    He tightened his hold on her not wanting a piece of her to disappear. He really meant it. He''s not going anywhere nor will he let her out of his sight.


    "Zachery", she sobbed in his chest.


    "Yes baby", he gently answered, like he always does.


    Amy found herself sobbing even harder. He shushed her as he patted her head. His wife could cry a river. But he was notining because she was doing so in his arms. She slightly pulled out to have a good look at him whilst in his arms. He cupped her cheeks and wiped away her tears but more brimmed in her beautiful blues.


    He finally took in her appearance. She had gone from short haired brte to a long haired blonde. Her stomach was swelling up with his baby and pregnancy seemed to look even more beautiful on her. He found himself mesmerized by this new look on her. Her beautiful blue eyes were sad as they brimmed with fresh tears.


    "I''m sorry", she started with a whisper.


    "About what?" His brows slightly rise as he mimicked her tone.


    "For staying away from you. For not telling you about..... about the baby...", she nced down at her belly. Zach''s thumb was gently caressing her cheeks as she spoke. He kept a gentle gaze on her but she couldn''t look at him because of guilt. "I almost lost it. I''m sorry, for everything."


    "Amy", he called her but she kept her eyes down. He hooked a finger under her chin and made her look up into his eyes. He wanted her to see and feel his emotions as he speaks. "Don''t ever apologize for something that was out of your control. You did what you thought was best for both of us, yet, as painful as that was, I think that was very brave of you."


    Amy''s heart warmed up at his words. But one thing still bothered her. "Aren''t you mad... that I didn''t tell you about the baby?"


    "To be honest", he gave a sad smile as he continued. "I''m quite sad and disappointed. But at the same time, I understand you."


    She shook her head, "No, you should be mad, and not understanding."


    "I''m too happy to be with you to be bothered by that. What matters is you''re here, I''m here, we''re all here", he looked down at her belly.


    She followed his line of sight and before she could think, she took his hand and ced it on top of her belly. Her soft hand was smallerpared to hisrge one, but the contact sent a nice shiver down her spine. Her heart was beating fast from holding down his hand. Her ears and cheeks colored red from such a reaction.


    Zach let out a shaky breath. He seemed to have been holding his breath from the moment she took his hand. They both remained like that, silently enjoying their little moment, as they both looked down at her belly and their touching hands.


    A knock was heard. Susan opened the door and peeked inside with a sheepish smile when the two looked at her at the same time.


    "Sorry, I need to finish checking on her before I go to make my rounds", she said.


    "Ah! Sorry Suzy. Come on in", Amy sniffled.


    Zach made sure to wipe away her tears before giving the doctor some space to do her job. Susan dly went over and resumed her physical examination.


    "So I guess he''s the baby daddy?" She asked. Amy nodded with a shy smile. Susan smiled when she saw this, "Well, you need to give him a special thank you for calling mest night."


    "You called her?" Amy''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Mm."<sub> </sub>


    Images from the previous night shed in her mind. When she woke up from her nightmare and discovered the blood, she heard Zach''s familiar deep voice. She was in such a panic she blurted out her bleeding problem, told him where she was and whom to call.


    She remembered not asking for an ambnce so as not to rm Ste. But still, she did not recall giving him Suzy''s number. She didn''t have the strength nor was she in the right state of mind. Of course, he had his way of finding out.


    Zach smiled when he noticed that she had figured that out. If not for him, she would have been left alone to deal with the problem. Amy smiled as she averted from his piercing gaze. Her cheeks warmed up at the sight of his beautiful smile. And then something came to mind...


    "The blood! Why was I bleeding so much?" She looked at Suzy a little horrified. She had passed out from the horrific sight.


    "You probably imagined that. It was just light spotting from a polyp. I got rid of it before it could cause a problem for the baby", Susan assured her as she was done with the physical.


    "So the baby is fine?" Amy tried to confirm.


    "Yes, you''re both fine. But...", She looked between Amy and Zach awkwardly before she continued. "I advise against having intercourse in the meantime until she heals down there. And she can''t do any heavy lifting, that means no work for you whatsoever. You need lots of rest until I say otherwise."


    Amy nodded at the instructions she received. Zach had a contemtive look at the new information. He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he looked at Suzy with a serious face.


    "We''re not allowed to have sex?" He looked very disturbed by this.


    Amy''s face heated up as she wished she could dig a hole and hide. Was that all he picked up from what she said? Suzy''s lips spasmed as she tried not tough.


    "Not until she''s in the clear."


    "And how long will that take?" He asked.


    "Uh.... About a week or two", she awkwardly cast an eye at Amy who looked away in embarrassment.


    Zach seemed to weigh in Suzy''s words when a pillow flew his way. He reflexively caught it before it hit him.


    "No heavy lifting", he scolded Amy who responded with a fierce re.


    "Ah! That reminds me! Mr. Frost, you need to move your helicopter. There''s a V.I.P patient being flown in from D.C", Suzy added.


    "Alright", he turned away as he took out his phone.


    Amy was shocked. ''Did he fly out here for me?'' she mused. How scared was he for her especially when she passed out on him? Her heart warmed up at the thought and guilt overwhelmed her. The lengths he had gone to because of his worry over her. She sighed.


    She took in the outline of his broad back as he talked on the phone. It was so wide and the muscles were a sexy sight as they protested against the shirt. Suzy caught the dreamy expression on Amy as she watched her man. Was this how idiotic she looked whenever she looked at Steven like that? A phone started to ring. She reached for it from the night stand and passed it to Amy who answered it without taking her eyes off Zach.


    "Oh! Hey Nora", she answered in her soft voice.


    "Hey! I''m at your ce, seems like you''re not around. Where are you?" Nora responded.


    Amy felt like her heart had dropped. Throughout the excitement of reuniting with Zach, she forgot about the Thorntons! Her eyes widened at hearing Nora''s question just when Zach turned to look at her and smiled. Nevermind where she was, how will she exin him?

 Chapter 141 Zachs New Favorite

    "Hello? Emily?" Nora called out.


    She had received silence as a response after asking her question but the call was still running. She started to wonder if everything was okay. A hint of nervousness coursed through her veins within that brief moment of silence. In truth, Amy was wracking her brains on how to deal with the situation.


    She looked at Zach, she had his reputation to consider and there was that back story she had created about her ''husband''. Aside from Suzy, she had no ns of letting anyone know about his presence or letting them meet him. He was supposed to be away on a mission anyway. Another thing was, she didn''t want Ste to worry about her being hospitalized. She wished for the older woman go focus on her recovery. So what should she say?


    "I''m here. Where are you? Back at your mom''s? Is Ste with you?" She deliberately lowered her voice.


    "No, I''m walking there. Um, is everything okay?" She stopped in her trackspletely suddenly feeling anxious.


    From what her mother had told her about Amy, it wasn''t like the young woman to suddenly disappear. And now, her voice sounded suspicious. Did something happen?


    "Actually, I''m at the hospital", Amy decided to take the honest route.


    "Oh! My god! Are you okay?" Nora practically shouted.


    "I''m fine. I was just brought in for a minor issue, it''s been taken care of, both the baby and I are fine. I just don''t want Ste worrying about me that''s why I didn''t say anything. Don''t tell her, Nora. Please do me this favor", Amy pleaded. She genuinely expressed her worry.


    Zach was done with the phone conversation regarding his helicopter. He heard Amy''s plea and realized something: Ste must be someone important to his wife. Suzy was done with the examination and excused herself. She mouthed ''I''ll be right back'' at Amy before taking her leave when Amy nodded.


    "Shit! Um, okay. I''ll make up something but you know Mom can see through my lies", she sighed. It would have been easier if she needed to fool Richard. "Don''t you think it''s better if she knows? I mean she might be even more worried when she detects my lies."


    "I.... Um, okay. Just tell her I rushed to the hospital for a check up. She''ll call me and I''ll handle the rest."


    "Sounds good. Do you want me to send Ian toe get you when you''re done?"


    "Mmmm.... I don''t think that will be necessary. But I''ll let you know if anything."


    "Okay."


    The call came to an end. She let out a breath of relief as she rxed against the head board. A knock was heard and Zach went over. While Zach attended to the door, Amy received a call from Adrianne.She spun the same ''truth'' she gave to Nora who bought it. Was she really just trying to not let them worry and protecting Zach''s identity or was she just being selfish so she can have him for the day. She didn''t know how long he would be in town for.


    Zach went to the door and received a cart from a man in a ck suit and dark shades. He closed the door with a kick before proceeding to wheel the cart inside. The pleasant aroma reached her nostrils before the lids were opened.


    Zach chuckled when he saw her wet her lips while her eyes stayed peeled on the cart. He uncovered the lids and her eyes widened in shock. A savoury bowl containing grilled potatoes, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocados, spinach, pieces of bacon, and boiled eggs, garnished with feta cheese and some spices; peanut butter and banana oatmeal, bacon bread bowls, and a yoghurt parfait.


    A jar of orange juice was set on the side as well. The arrangement was not just mouth watering but also appealing to the eyes.


    "This is... This is not hospital food", she disapproved though her gaze remained on the food. Although she had been hospitalized in the V.I.P ward, she knew this was not the typical hospital food. If anything, it looked like hotel food.


    "Don''t like it?" He asked as he sat down in her bed facing her.


    "I do...", Amy looked him in the eyes. She fell into hesitation before voicing her concern, "but is this allowed? I mean...."<sub> </sub>


    "I talked to Dr. Glynne about this. Don''t worry yourself", he assured her with his gentle gaze never leaving her.


    "But still, Zachery this is a lot", she protested.


    "Just eat what you can", he coaxed her.


    Amy let out a heavy sigh. She looked like she had been put into a difficult position. Zach started to wonder if he really brought too much. It was for the both of them anyway. Does it mean she hasn''t been eating that well? How is this small amount a lot? He made a mental note to handle all her meals and make sure she eats well.


    He poured a ss of orange juice and passed it to her. She thanked him before taking a sip. She set it down as he passed her a fork and the savoury bowl. She forked a potato and bacon and took a bite, her eyes closed as she moaned in appreciation.


    He was caught off guard by her actions as he curiously stared at her. His eyes darkened in desire as he watched her moan against the savoriness of the food. It was such an intoxicating sight to take in. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her with raw desire. His gaze fell to her luscious plump lips.


    Amy felt them tingle the longer his gaze remained on them. Is this going to be their first kiss? Her heart thudded and her lips slightly parted in anticipation. Zach mentally cursed when he saw that. He suddenly averted his gaze and refocused in eating.


    ''Oh?'' Amy mused sadly.


    She awkwardly cleared her throat in obvious disappointment as she too focused on eating. They silently devoured their meal. But something else caught Zach''s attention. All the tes had been cleared up in a short time and his wife was now eating her yoghurt parfait.


    ''Didn''t she say it was too much?'' he mused.


    But seeing her heartily finish the parfait, he could not help but feel she was too cute. If not for yesterday''s incident, he would have missed out on this, the baby, and everything that is currently Amy Harper, his baby mama.


    "Ste.... She''s Ian''s grandmother?" He started.


    "You remembered?" Her brows rose in shock.


    How could he not? The guy had broken into her house under the guise of being sent by his grandmother. That still disturbed him but he trusted Amy had taken care of the matter.


    "Mm. What happened to her?"


    "She sustained a hip injury and is currently recovering. She''s been taking care of me, of us, but it would freak her out if she finds out aboutst night", she exined.


    "You can''t keep this from her forever. You don''t know how long we''re going to be here", he said with seriousness as he sipped on his coffee.


    "We?" She was genuinely shocked by that statement.


    "We", Zach smiled as he cupped her cheek and gently caressed it.


    She could melt right on the spot as she looked down with a bashful smile ying on her lips. Zachmitted to his memory a new favorite: Amy''s blushing face. He was about to speak when they heard a knock apanied by the door opening. The two watched as someone walked into the room.


    "Oh! My God!"

 Chapter 142 Cleaning Up

    "Nora? What are you doing here?", Amy was befuddled.


    They had spoken about fifteen minutes ago. So how could shee to the hospital after what they agreed on? And she had registered as Jennifer Harper, how did she get the right name and room? She soon got her response when Suzy walked in. She was smiling as she put away her phone.


    "I brought you a visitor", she happily announced.


    "Yeah.... Um... How did you....?" Amy did not recall ever introducing them.


    "Oh! I met her when Steven was checking in on her mother. I was with him then. Knowing the close rtionship you have with her mother, I easily guessed she was here for you when I saw her at the reception", she exined. She looked at her watch and gasped, "I have to run. I''ll let you guys chat."


    She waved at the couple and turned to say goodbye to Nora but saw the girl was still in a daze. She shrugged it off and exited the room. Amy was unsure of how to deal with the current dilemma.


    "Nora?" Her voice was soft and gentle. "What are you doing here?"


    "Mom didn''t buy my shit so I was sent to make sure you''re really okay but wait, is he your brother? Tell me he''s your brother", she sounded a little desperate as she pointed at Zach. Amy shook her head in response to which Nora groaned in frustration as she held her head. "How can you do this to me? I can''t.... I cant.... Ugh!"


    She paced around the room in confusion and frustration. The two followed her movements one in confusion and one in fear. She suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked at him.


    "So he must be your husband then? It exins a lot, you must be some high rank official especially with the hulk team of bodyguards outside", she muttered before resuming her pacing.


    Zach looked at Amy and she dropped her gaze. She couldn''t look him in the eye when she felt embarrassed. Now he knows she''s a big liar, lying to people who care about her. She must look bad in his eyes. And he must have tons of questions to ask to quench his curiosity. He ced a hand on top of hers beforecing the two together shocking her. She looked him in the eyes, searching for answers only to find gentleness and adoration. Was she misreading things?


    Nora sighed in frustration when she took in the lovey-dovey scene before her. "I have to go", she said in resolve.


    "About this-" Amy started.


    "I''ll tell my mom you''re okay. After all, she did send me here to make sure of that. But should I... Should I tell her about his arrival?" She looked between the two. Amy would have mentioned on the phone if she wanted them to know, hence, why she asked.


    "Both of us would love and appreciate it if you keep this little secret between us", Zach answered.


    "Anything for you", she answered dreamily almost immediately.


    Zach and Amy''s brows rose in surprise. What was going on with Nora? The girl excused herself with Amy promising to call Steter on. Once the door closed behind her, Zach retracted his gaze.


    "She''s weird", hemented.


    "She''s a lot of things", Amy said with a shake of her head.<sub> </sub>


    ? Close to an hourter, she reached home to find Ste on the couch with Richard cutting up some fruit for his wife.


    "Did you see Emily? How is she? Is it serious?" Ste wished she could get up off her seat and run off to the hospital herself.


    "Yes, she''s fine", she answered in her dreamy state with a smile stered on her face.


    Ste''s brows furrowed when she saw this. "Hey, did you really go see Emily?"


    "I think she did. That expression can only be as a result of seeing Emily", Richardmented.


    He had personally experienced it during the other night''s dinner. His shameless daughter could not hide her dreamy eyes at Amy at every chance she gets. Ste sighed, it seemed her husband was right.


    Nora walked to her room and threw herself on the bed. She thought back to when Zach and Amy watched her walk in.


    She sighed in helplessness, "I''m in trouble."


    Back at the hospital


    Amy watched Zach clean up the empty tes and wheeled the cart back to the door. A man, Amy now learned was one of the bodyguards, took it from him. He went to the kitchen and searched the cabs. He found a basin and disappeared with it into the bathroom and ame back in with a towel on his shoulder and the basin of water in his hands. He ced them on her night stand.


    "I forgot to ask Dr. Glynne if normal baths are allowed, so let''s make do with this for now", he said as he soaked the towel.


    Amy felt embarrassed and quickly covered her face with her hands. How crusty must she look in this moment? ''So embarrassing!'' she groaned. Zach chuckled when he saw that and removed her hands.


    "I''m not saying you look dirty, I just don''t want you to feel ufortable and icky as we wait on the doctor''s orders", he exined.


    Amy nodded away although she still felt dirty and embarrassed. He dipped the towel and wrung out the water. He held her by the chin with one hand and used the other to wipe her face. She immediately rxed.


    The warm towel, the feel of his fingers on her skin, the way his gaze turned serious and concentrative like he was doing an important task, the way he pursed his lips, and the way his scent enveloped her. She had to fight to not jump him, the closeness was torturous for her. Yet, it only got worse.


    He soaked and wrung the towel before moving to her neck. His movements were precise yet gentle. The hospital gown was loose and adjustable. Her corbone was exposed, and he could see how rapid her heart was beating from her carotid pulse. His movements slowed down as his eyes remained glued to that spot.


    She closed her eyes when she felt his warm breath against her skin. Her elegant long fingers clutched the sheets.


    ''Anytime now....'' she thought as she held her breath.

 Chapter 143 An All Day Temptation

    Amy''s heart thudded wildly in anticipation she thought he could practically hear it from their closeness. He wasn''t even touching her but she was already reacting this way. She heard him sigh as his breath fanned her skin before he withdrew.


    Her eyes flew open and she felt embarrassed. She looked anywhere but at him. Zach resumed cleaning her including her hands and feet. Then she requested for a brush of her teeth which she did by herself. He cleaned up when she was done.


    She could hardly look him in the eye but she noticed him busy himself. The Chairman of Frost Corporation had made himself her caretaker, this thought made her feel giddy. Chairman..... She looked at the time on the wall then gasped when she realized something.


    "Work! What about work? I mean you''re all the way here."


    He smiled at how worried she looked. "Don''t worry about it. It''s been taken care of."


    More like he dumped it all on Xavier who was cussing him. Not jus work, but Henry. He left everything for his mother and brother to handle. He had his wife and child to take care of. He looked at her belly with an affectionate gaze. He sat beside her was hesitant but still ended up caressing her belly.


    "It''s cupcake", she said with a warm smile. She felt extremely happy with his actions.


    "Is that what we''re naming our baby when he or she is born?" He looked at her and returned her smile.


    "No, it''s a foetus name."


    He nodded, "Do you know the gender?"


    "No, I wanted to be surprised. But you can ask Suzy if you''re curious about the gender."


    "No, we''ll both be surprised when the timees."


    ''We''. He said it again. Does that mean he''ll be there? She desperately wished he could. After her nightmare, she suddenly developed the fear of losing her baby to Gwen. She knew it was just a dream but her insecurities got the best of her. After all, she would be vulnerable. But if Zach is there, she would feel rest assured.


    "Shall I say something? I don''t know if cupcake knows my voice", he said with an awkward chuckle as he looked between her belly and her face.


    "Cupcake knows daddy''s voice. Our favorite sound and time of the day is listening to him talk every night before we go to bed", she confessed softly.


    Complex emotions surged within him. He had been worrying that he missed out but she had included him early on without him knowing. He suddenly pulled her into his arms. Amy rxed in his arms and felt something press on top of her before it went away. She figured he was adjusted his head during the embrace.


    "Thank you", he whispered.


    She felt the raw emotions in his voice. Her response was to tighten her hold on him. And the day went on like that, with him taking care of her every need and conversing in between. Maybe because they had been talking for a while, their conversations didn''t run out or be awkward. She remembered to call Ste and assure her she was fine.


    When night fell, Suzy came in to check on her before leaving, the two had their hotel standard dinner, and Zach freshened up before getting ready to go to bed. Amy was taken by the sight of him in sweats and a shirt. It''s like he was modeling for casual clothes. Her brows went up when he walked over to her bed.<sub> </sub>


    "You''re sleeping here?" Her voice slightly rose from shock.


    "Mm. The bed is big enough for two", he pointed out.


    Didn''t he think it would be better to maintain distance after what Suzy said? She wanted to voice that out but changed her mind because it would reveal her inner thoughts. So she clummed her mouth shut. Zach''s lips lifted when he saw this and leaned forward. His face was inches away from hers as he held her chin.


    "What is it?" His gaze lingered on her lips before locking on her eyes.


    Amy swallowed a hard lump. Her cheeks cutely burned red and she couldn''t escape his gaze with their closeness. His eyes made sure hers remained in his. She felt she was hypnotized by those intense blues.


    "I think.... You should sleep where you sleptst night", she managed to say.


    "But I slept right beside you. Why? Don''t you want to sleep with me?" He whispered.


    His minty breath fanned her face and she subconsciously clutched the sheets from their closeness and bit her lower lip. And that question, it didn''t sound as innocent as it should be or was she just taken by him?


    Zach''s eyes darkened with lust from such a simple action. "I''m worried. The following two weeks might be brutal."


    Amy turned even more red. She assumed he could see through her naughty thoughts when in truth, he was talking about himself. She had been nothing but a temptation all day. There had been too many moments he almost lost control but fought his urges because of the doctor''s orders. He didn''t want to start a meal and leave it unfinished.


    "I''ll take the couch."


    "You can sleep here."


    They said at the same time.


    "Are you sure?" They asked in unison.


    And they ended up in bed with Zach spooning Amy. His hand was on her belly, caressing it. He found no point or pleasure in maintaining distance from his wife and baby. Maybe because they had been talking for a while, none of them felt embarrassed or awkward to sleep like this even if it was the first time.


    The room was quiet and only echoed with the sound of the A.C. Both of them felt so happy, content, and at peace with their current situation. She didn''t know why she was pushing him away in the first ce. How idiotic. She denied her cupcake of going to sleep like this. But a thought came to mind.


    "Zachery?" She called out softly to which he hummed in response. "About those men...."


    He knew who she was talking about. The men who made the news due to Gwen''s actions. His gaze turned icy as he responded softly, "Don''t worry about them."

 Chapter 144 I Want You To Kiss Me Zachery

    "You know, I didn''t expect you to actually pick up my call because I thought you''d be making up for time lost", Xavier said in amusement.


    Zach was fixing up the bed while Amy was in the bathroom. It was the evening of the second day she was hospitalized. They had already had dinner and were preparing to go to bed.


    "Xav, what are you doing?"


    "Taking a break from work. Why?"


    "Okay. You''re going to be an Uncle", Zach said almost immediately.


    "Cool. Wait, WHAT????!!"


    Zach picked up on the sound of something breaking followed by Xavier''s curses after his surprised outburst.


    "Shit! Say that again!"


    "Yeah", Zach smiled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "But in a few months. There was a minor issue the other night but the doctor took care of it. Both she and the baby are fine now."


    "Wow! Wow! Dude! Wow! I- Wow! Zach, you''re about to be a Dad", he whispered thest part in disbelief.


    "I know", his voice turned husky with raw emotion. Could life be any more perfect for him?


    The two brothers fell silent appreciating their little moment: one excited that he''s going to be a father and the other excited about being an Uncle. But a thought came to mind.


    "But don''t tell Mom yet, I don''t want hering down here. Amy and I still need to figure things out", he exined.


    "Don''t worry! But wow! Congrattions man!" He was genuinely happy for him.


    "Thanks. And how is the search going?" He asked and turned when he heard thebathroom door open.


    He walked over to Amy and held her by the waist as he helped her walk over to bed while she dragged her IV stand. Although he was on the phone, he was still attentive to every step she took. She could walk alone but she shamelessly let him hold her. She loved the feel of his body pressed against hers.


    "I found her address but turns out she''s out of town. I''m yet to find out where she went to", he sighed. "I don''t know how you did it, but it''s exhausting and so hard."


    Zach analyzed himself. He never got tired of searching for Amy. If anything, each day without her was a push to do better the next day until he reached his goal. And what pushed him more was themunication she had with him. He was not satisfied with just talking, he wanted her physical presence. Amy raised her brows in question when she caught him staring.


    He smiled as he looked at her dottingly, "It''s all worth it when you find her."


    She gave him her infamous smile as her eyes beautifully sparkled. Zach didn''t stay on the phone any longer and ended the call. He put the phone away and helped her in bed.


    "Who was that?" She adjusted her head on the pillow.


    "My brother, Xavier", he answered as he adjusted the IV stand beside her bed.


    "Oh! Is he looking for something? "


    He sat down beside her. He had yet to shower so he thought to tuck her in first before going to the bathroom.


    "Yeah, there''s a woman he''s looking for. He spent a night with her, they went their separate ways, and now he''s looking for her. She seems quite special to him."


    She chuckled, "You''d think it runs in the blood. Does he need help?"


    "No. Love neveres easy. And I meant what I said, it''s worth it once you find her", his gaze was deep and meaningful, piercing through her soul.


    She could hear and see his emotions from his voice and eyes. Amy bit her lip feeling embarrassed from being watched by him. She noticed his gaze darken with raw desire from that little action. But she remembered something and her face contorted in annoyance.


    "What''s wrong?" He noticed her change in emotion.


    "Don''t look at me like that."


    "How am I looking at you?" He hardly bit back an amused smile yet his voice remained deep and husky from desire.<sub> </sub>


    "Like you want to kiss me when you won''t", she grumbled.


    She had experienced too many moments of Zach doing that. She was getting tired of the disappointment. She gasped in surprise when he climbed over and situated himself between her legs. His face was a few inches away from hers. He cupped her cheek with one hand and used the other to support himself so he doesn''t crush her with his weight.


    Amy''s heart beat quickened and her senses hightened from their closeness. Her cheeks blushed red from his piercing gaze.


    "Not won''t, but can''t", he corrected.


    "Why?"


    "A lot of reasons, myck of self control being the first. It''s hard for me to control myself when I''m with you especially knowing that underneath this gown", he hooked a finger under her cor and dragged it down revealing her cleavage.


    "You''re in nothing but your underwear. So if I start kissing you, I''ll want to do something else besides kissing these luscious lips", he caressed them with his knuckles. "These fucking sexy tits", he caressed them sensuously and he pinched her gown covered nipples. She gasped at the electrifying feeling from his touch.


    It was now he noticed that Amy''s breathing had be erratic as her chest rose and fell. Her nipples became hard from his teasing. "And these lips down here", his hand went underneath the gown and squeezed her thigh.


    He was afraid of hurting her since the doctor said she needed to heal. Amy let out a deep breath when she felt his hand on her thigh. She didn''t know when she had held her breath.


    "During the few months we''ve been apart, I''ve dreamt of nothing but be with you. Not just sexually, but romantically. There''s a lot I want to do with you and to you, but I don''t want to hurt you during your recovery period."


    Her heart melted and the butterflies in her stomach did summersaults. It was just like Zach to be open about his thoughts and emotions towards her, she had learned this about him. His care and concern for her just melted herpletely.


    "But I want you to kiss me Zachery", She said in her soft voice.


    "Amy...."


    The look in her eyes was the answer he needed as a push. He dropped his head barely leaving an inch of space between them. Their smiles faded as their gazes remained glued on each other''s lips. With one move,, his lips found hers.


    They were soft just like he remembered them to be. She moved them against his remembering how he had guided her the first time. His hand moved to the back of her head tilting her. He bit her lower lip earning a moan from her.


    His invaded her warm mouth with his tongue. He groaned against her mouth when their tongues intertwined and danced in rhythm, tasting every nook and cranny. She hooked her hands behind his neck andced her fingers through his thick brown hair as his hand traveled back down to her thigh. She moaned when she felt his fingers dig against her skin.


    She started to feel a bump against her crotch. He was subconsciously dry humping her. She clutched his hair and he growled in response as they deepened their kiss.


    The temperature was quickly rising as the two hot bodies rubbed against each other. Amy felt a throbbing down there and groaned when she felt some sort of pain. Zach broke the kiss and worry was quickly etched on his features.


    "Did I hurt you?"


    "No, I''m fine", she told him.


    "Are you sure? Let''s call Dr. Glynne", He was clearly not convinced. This was what he was afraid of.


    "I''m good, I promise", she assured him.


    Suzy had warned her about experiencing mild pains. Maybe that was just this moment. And if she was bleeding again, she would know. She was just wet from the heated kiss they shared. She now understood why he said he''d lose control. But it didn''t change the fact that she wanted his kisses. As though reading her mind, he pressed his lips to hers.


    "I need to go shower otherwise we''ll both be in trouble", he whispered.


    She could feel him against her. The size of him never ceased to shock her. She blushed at the thought of it. Zach chuckled when he saw this, "What''s going on in that pretty little head of yours?"


    "Nothing", she responded with a shy smile.


    He was about to counter when his phone vibrated. He fished it out from his pocket and looked at the message. It was from George. He showed the contents to her and her features lit up.


    "It''s done", he said.


    "Finally."

 Chapter 145 Getting Answers

    Amy had on a dreamy expression as she stared at the ceiling. She slowly run her fingers on her lips. Zach had just kissed those lips. She could still feel his lips against hers even though he was no longer kissing her. And, he had dry humped her.


    She could feel that thing hitting her even with their clothes on. It brought back memories to the night they spent. It was as huge as she felt it earlier. Her face heated up from such a thought.


    The sound of the shower running caught her attention. Zach was currently washing up and taking care of his ''problem''. It had been a while since she saw that ''problem''. She could sneak up on him and peek while he''s showering.


    ''What a pervert!'' she scolded herself.


    She let out a deep breath and brushed off the insane thought.


    ''1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep.....'', she mentally counted trying to keep her thoughts from straying to the naughty.


    Zach came out of the shower in another pair of sweats and a shirt. He smiled when he saw her on the bed and she smiled back. Her nose was instantly teased by his familiar woody scent with a hint of citrus. He went over to the other side of the bed and got under the sheets.


    <o>,m "Hi", he whispered as he pulled her into his arms.</o>


    "Hi", she whispered back as she buried her face in his chest.


    He adjusted his head tofortablyy on the pillow before he started ying with her hair.


    "Are you sleepy?" He asked.


    "Not really."


    How could she be after the kiss they just shared? Every inch of her was wide awake after that. Sleepy? Not anytime soon. Zach was silent as he rested his chin on top of her head.


    "Baby?" He softly called out to which she hummed in response. "There''s something I''d like us to talk about if you''re still not sleepy."


    She lifted her head and rested it on the pillow so she could face him. She nodded away as her eyes searched his. His expression was serious though his gaze was gentle. What could it be? She wondered.


    "It''s about the situation we''re in. I promised that I won''t push you into doing something you don''t want or are not ready to do. But, I''d like to break part of that promise", he confessed. He worriedly searched her eyes and he saw the slight panic.


    "What is it?" She asked in a voice that was almost a whisper.


    "I was able to reunite with you because of the medical emergency. I know you''ve been keeping your distance and deliberately went off the grid because of the situation. I respect that, but there''s one thing I can''t do anymore. Physically stay away from you. I can''t do that anymore Amy, and I''m not just saying this because of the baby. I want to be with you, be there for you and protect you. I''ve wanted this from the moment I met you."


    She felt her heart ache. A great man like Zach Frost was showing his vulnerability to her. And in the center of that vulnerability was her. Guilt overwhelmed her by this thought and her eyes clearly expressed this saddening truth. She let out an awkward chuckle to ease the terrible feelings.<sub> </sub>


    "I thought you''d say this", she let out a sad smile as she looked at him. "I, also, don''t think I can stay away from you anymore. But, there are certain things you have to know concerning my life here and the Gwen situation."


    "Don''t feel pressured to tell me. All I wanted you to know was that I''ll not leave your sight. You can take on our enemy with me beside you, and you have me and everything I have at your disposal", he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She could see the honesty in his words but she shook her head.


    "No, I want to tell you. I want to be honest with you."


    Her yes now reflected her determination. She was not sure when but shes always found him to be trusting. Maybe that''s why she trusted him with Parton''s information even when they were just strangers, she revealed her real identity by using her real voice through those voice connections even when she knew her location could easily be tracked (of course, it would take a genius), she has maintainedmunication with him not just because of the baby, and she trusted he would take care of the baby should anything happen to her. It seemed, she has always trusted him even if it was subconsciously.


    Zach''s brows furrowed in displeasure when he heard her story throwing her into nervousness. She felt even more disappointed in herself. He must have a negative view of her now because of her lies.


    "This husband... did it have to be a military man not a business man?" He grumbled.


    Her mouth fell open. That''s what upset him? Well, he didn''t like her building her back story based on some random guy she made up. A business man, him to be specific, would be perfect.


    "Uh.... it perfectly exined his absence but you''ll be happy to know I built up his back story based on a certain man I know", she said coyly as she started drawing circles on his chest.


    He smiled when he saw this and hooked a finger under chin to align her lips with his. He brushed his against her soft ones in an unhurried motion as he savored the addictive feel of them. He felt her catheter free hand squeeze his shirt as the kiss progressed.


    He pried her mouth open with his jaw before sliding his tongue inside her mouth. Her warm tongue danced with his making him hold the back of her head by gripping her hair as he deepened the kiss. That action turned her on. The sound of their rapid breathing echoed through the room. He broke the kiss so they would catch their breaths as he rested his forehead against hers.


    "I got carried away. .. I may not be sorry", he chuckled.


    "Me neither", she said breathily.


    They fell quiet and let themselves calm down from the intense makeout session. Zach was not the only one who almost lost control. She wanted his kisses but she wanted all of him too.


    A simple gesture as a kiss from him was already driving her on the edge. He let out a breath and she felt the same pressure on top of her head again. This time she knew, he had just kissed her there. With her mind sobering up, she decided to continue with her story.


    "Now, about Greco Pharmaceuticals."


    Zach''s ears perked up and he remained attentive about what she was about to say. There were so many things he wanted to know. It seemed, he would be getting those answers tonight.


    "Have you heard of Project Armageddon?" She started.


    ''Oh! Shit!''

 Chapter 146 The Truth About The Dark Waters And Greco

    Oh! Shit was right. Project Armageddon was a top secret gics experiment that was dedicated to artificially inseminating female subjects to produce a mutant offspring that the United States government could research and develop as a gic weapon.


    Amy felt disgusted when she read about it. Of course, the information was ssified but with aputer at the tips of her fingers and her hacking skills, finding the information was a piece of cake. Seeing Zach''s face, it seemed he knew about it.


    "Is that what they''re doing? Experimenting on innocent children?" He was disgusted and upset.


    Such humans do not deserve to live. Maybe because he was about to be a father, he felt even more sensitive towards the treatment of children when they should be loved and cherished, not into someboratory for a scientist''s amusement. Amy felt the same way but,


    "I don''t think children are involved. When I looked through their files, it said test subject homosapiens with chromosomal arrangement XX. I took that to mean women or female."


    He hummed in thought with his brows furrowed. "So, that means whatever drug they''re developing, it will be used on women."


    "You know about the drug?" She was at the same time wasn''t surprised by this.


    "After George did some digging, I figured the Adalimumab was just a front. He swept theirb clean but he didn''t find anything rming. Do you know what drug it is?"


    She shook her head. "I couldn''t read that far or find out the purpose of it all when I stumbled upon my information in their system. They had found information from who I really am to where I live. And they were somehow tracking my location whilst I was visibly lurking in their system. That''s why I run away. They had already sent their men toe get me."


    Zach thought back to the footage of her running away until she was abducted by Parton''s men. He drew her to his chest and sighed. She was forced to leave her home and everything she knew all because of these people.


    Amy couldn''t see how cold his expression turned in that moment. He felt she had suffered too much. From creating new identities to throw them off, she probably worried about every move she made, and with the babying with herself to have alone, she probably didn''t have any peace of mind. This thought ached his heart. He would make them pay for putting her through this.


    "We need to stop them", he said with a voice of determination.


    "We do. But we don''t have anything on them right now, that''s why I stopped the FBI. I''ll keep monitoring them, just like you said, they''re bound to slip up in the long run and I''ll be there to catch them", her expression had turned cold.


    She also hated that she had turned fugitive because of them. The fears she had, they would only go away if she dealt with them once and for all. But a thought came to his mind.


    "Won''t they detect your presence while you''re monitoring them?" He was worried about this.


    "Not if I let them", she nuzzled into his embrace.


    "Don''t worry, we''ll get them. I''ll make sure they don''t escape you", he promised as he gently patted her head.


    So that was the secret and truth about the Dark Waters and Greco pharmaceuticals. Sadly, Amy didn''t know about the first failed test and the life lost. But she trusted, sooner orter, they would be forced into a corner and make a mistake, she would jump onto that chance. And the FBI of course.


    The two fell asleep in each other''s arms. Amy was so deep in her sleep she didn''t hear her phone notify her of a new message.


    The next day, Zach was the first to wake up. He was used to his early morning routine. But his men should be happy they he won''t torture them for a while. He took in Amy''s sleeping face. He chuckled softly when he heard her light snore. He tucked away some stray strand from her face and kissed the top of her head before leaving the bed.


    Amy woke up to the sound of Zach showering. She could still smell his scent in the sheets. She took a deep breath in and smiled like a fool. After talking about everythingst night, she felt like a huge load had gotten off her chest.<sub> </sub>


    She took her phone from the night stanf and looked at the time only to find a message. Her brows rose before her expression turned impassive when she saw the sender.


    Dn: Don''t you miss me? G is over yet I haven''t heard anything from you.


    Amy was about to respond when she heard a knock. She dropped her phone as she watched Suzy walk in.


    "Good morning love birds! Ah! I was afraid of walking in just in case I walk in on the unseeable", she giggled.


    "What unseeable when you''ve prevented us from doing that?" Zach walked out of the bathroom in fresh new clothes looking as handsome as ever.


    Amy swooned on the spot. Susan picked up on the resentment in Zach''s tone. She startedughing, "Jen, your man."


    Amy raised her hands in surrender and chose not to say a word. Zach found her cute when she did this. He reached Amy''s side and pecked her lips.


    "Good morning", he whispered.


    She shielded her mouth with her hand and whispered bashfully, "Good morning."


    He chuckled knowing the reason she did that. He removed her hand and pecked her once more. Susan forced a cough to interrupt the lovey-dovey couple. Zach''s face warmed up when he saw Amy''s blushing face. He''ll never get tired of seeing this. He moved away to let Suzy do her job.


    "Actually, we''ll need to do the examination in my office today. I need to make sure that the baby is okay because removing polyps can have significant effects on pregnancy. Once everything looks good, you''ll be able to leave today."


    Amy and Zach exchanged a look. He could guess she was a little anxious about their little one. He gave her a look, silently saying, ''everything will be okay''. She nodded in response to that.


    "What time do we need to be there?" He asked.


    "Is thirty minutes enough for you guys to prepare? A nurse wille over with a wheelchair."


    Amy nodded away. Suzy excused herself and Zach went over to Amy''s side. She took her phone and decided to respond to Dn before she forgot.


    A.J: Your little girlfriend was with Sparrow at the g. Yes, I know that was her and I know you''re not in Spain. I know a lot of things Dn. I''d be careful if I were you.


    Back in Rome


    Dn was on the balcony of his apartment having a smoke when he got her response. His face turned ugly when he read thest sentence.


    "Shit."

 Chapter 147 Amys Consideration, Zachs Perception

    "Conducting a polypectomy on pregnant women is highly discouraged because it means a possible miscarriage in most cases but", Suzy clicked herputer mouse before turning the monitor towards the couple in her office.


    She took a pen to use to point at the image disyed as she spoke. "Your case was different, the polyps grew over here and had burst resulting in the bleeding, all I needed to do was finish the job. Now looking at your results", she clicked the mouse once more and a new image came up. "The baby is doing well and your cervix is healing just fine. As long as you stay away from intercourse, you should be fine in a week and a few days but notter than two weeks."


    Amy breathed out a sigh of relief. Zach, who was holding her hand, squeezed it and she gave him a smile. He, too, had been nervous. He had been made to wait outside while Suzy examined Amy. With this thought, Amy thought of something.


    "Um, can we have a scan of the baby?" She asked.


    "All of a sudden?" Suzy''s brows rose.


    "If you''re not busy", Amy added.


    "No, no. I''m not. Go ahead and lie over there", she pointed to the bed.


    Suzy didn''t think much of it and watched as Zach helped her onto the bed. He covered a sheet on the lower half of her body and lifted up her dress to expose her tummy. It was round and smooth and had grown significantly as she approached her five month mark.


    "Ready?" Suzy walked over as she took the gel.


    The two nodded in unison. Zach''s heart was thudding wildly in anticipation. He was about to see his baby. He took a deep breath and took Amy''s hand in his before kissing the back of it. The action excited the butterflies in Amy''s stomach before she was interrupted by the smear of the cold gel on her stomach. The scanning began.


    The image of the baby showed up on the screen. It randomly moved about it''s little hands and feet. The image was apanied by the sound of it''s heartbeat. Suzy was happy with what she was seeing. She figured they wanted to see for themselves if there were any abnormalities but there clearly weren''t.


    She excitedly turned to speak only to see Zach resting his forehead against Amy''s hand that was in his. It was now she understood why Amy asked for a scan. It was for him. She now realized that he had never been to the scans. She thought he was just one of those men who were never interested in that. But it seemed something kept him away from that. What was the story between the two?


    Zach understood Amy''s intentions the moment she made her request. His heart warmed up at her consideration. A whirlpool of emotions surged within him at the image of his, no, their baby. Their baby. He looked up at her and brought his face closer to hers to capture her lips. She could feel the strong emotions behind that kiss.


    Suzy knew to give them privacy as she left the room to them. She would just grab a coffee or something.


    This kiss, was not lust or full of want like the other ones they shared. It was simply Zach expressing his joy and his gratefulness. No woman, no, no one had made him this happy in a long time. But, it also felt like he was expressing his..... love. He broke the kiss so they could catch their breaths.


    "I must be the luckiest man on Earth. Having met you has brought me everything I wanted and more. I really must be lucky", he whispered against her lips.


    She massaged his scalp as she caught her breath. But she didn''t know if she deserved those words especially when she thinks back on her initial reaction to her pregnancy news. She was disappointed in herself and could only imagine how disappointed he would be too.


    A knock was heard before Suzy came back in. "Sorry, I''d let you guys have your moment, but I need the office. My ten o''clock is here."


    "No, we should be the ones to apologise. But thanks Suzy", Amy gave a small grateful smile.


    "Yes, thank you Dr. Glynne", Zach was polite.


    "No, no", she waved her hands in dismissal as she smiled. "And since everything is set, you will be discharged during lunch hour."


    Discharged. Amy felt an unpleasant twist in her stomach. They had talked about not staying away from each other so what would happen now? Would he go back to his home in the city? Does that mean they have to n dates he could visit so he doesn''t miss out on the baby? Should Greco monitor his movements, won''t it get him in trouble once they discover his connection to her?


    Amy''s brows were furrowed as she was so lost in thought that she didn''t even realize Zach had stop pushing the wheel chair. She gasped when she suddenly was lifted into the air.


    She reflexively wrapped her arms around his neck and looked around to see one of his bodyguards take away the chair. She looked at the man wide eyed wondering why he was carrying her bridal style.


    "What are you doing?" She whispered in his face.<sub> </sub>


    "You were too far away from me", he whispered back.


    Amy''s mouth fell open. There was no hint of amusement in his tone and expression. The people who passed by them swooned when they heard saw what he did and how they were whispering to each other. It was such a beautiful sight.


    "Who knew you could see such a romantic sight in a hospital?"


    "They look good together. Do you think they''re married?"


    "My gosh! How are two beautiful people together! It''s unfair for the rest of us!"


    Some thought they were celebrities since West Vige was hardly short of celebrities. They confirmed their suspicions after they saw the scary bodyguards who prevented them from secretly taking pictures.


    Amy felt her face heat up from the ongoing conversations of the observers that she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Zach was deaf and blind to it all and only focused on his wife. He thought she wouldin or scold him but she was blushing instead. He was pleased. This was a sight he liked to see, not the troubled expression he saw earlier.


    One of the bodyguards got the elevator for them. He instructed them to take the next one after all, the V.I.P ward was secured by his other bodyguards. And he wanted some privacy with his wife. He felt a finger drawing circles on his chest and smiled to himself.


    "What''s up?" He softly asked.


    "Am I not heavy?" She knew she had gained weight.


    "No."


    Her free hand returned to his neck as she moved to look at him in disbelief. "Really?"


    "Mm", he responded with his dotting gaze locking on her.


    They fell silent and simply stared at each other. It felt like it was just the two of them in the world. They were lost in the depths of each other''s eyes unable to look anywhere else but into them. It was just like the first time.


    It took one stare to be so drawn to each other. But even without being physically together, the two had drawn closer. It was hard to resist, Amy knew this better.


    Ding!


    It was now she realized that her heart had been beating wildly. But he was no exception, she felt it. Her attention was brought to the bodyguards who were already waiting for them by the doors.


    "I thought you came in a helicopter?"


    "I flew with some while the others drove here", he knew what she was asking.


    Amy nodded and now took in a young man with ashy gray hair. She remembered the footage of someone impersonating Dn leaving the airport while George dealt with the goons. She looked at Zach and let out a soft gasp to which he smiled when he realized she had figured out what he did.


    She stared at him in wonderment. Zach''s perception amazed her. He not only helped her but understood before she could say anything. That n about Dn''s rescue, no one could have guessed she would send him right into the enemy''s hands yet Zach knew or had an idea what she nned to do.


    The two shared a gaze and Amy thought, ''this level of perception, it sure is scary.''


    What else has he been doing in rtion to her? She wondered.

 Chapter 148 Amys New Worries

    But this was Zach she was talking about. Of course, he wouldn''t be simpleton nor would his identity be. For now, all she had were feelings and trust in this man but she had no clue who he really was.


    She saw how quickly the FBI took down Parton after obviously receiving a tip from him. That was a lot of information that needed to be verified and dered credible but in less than an hour of sending it all, the FBI took action.


    The world, including Parton, had no clue that it was because Chris had offended Zach. Even though she erased her traces, someone could have dug up the incident and easily put two and two together. But it was like someone made sure the story never resurfaced. In a way, it was helping her. This man... there was so much he had done for her.


    She looked back at the young man with the ashy gray hair.


    "What''s your name?"


    He nervously looked around only to find his boss ring at him. But he saw Amy''s expectant gaze and decided to respond with his gaze on her.


    "Madam, my name is Raphael but my friends call me Raphy", he responded politely.


    "Raphy..... Your hair looks good", she told him in honesty.


    "You''re too kind, madam. I think you look more beautiful", he said with a bashful smile.


    p She was simply in a dress and coat, with no makeup and her hair tied in a messy bun. She didn''t think she looked that great yet she detected the honesty in him. It reminded her of Ste''s bluntness except Raphy''s came with a hint of politeness. He was not uptight for a bodyguard.</anda>


    She smiled at Zach. "I like him."


    "Is that right?"


    "Mm-hm."


    She didn''t detect the danger in his tone while the rest of his men did. Raphy swallowed a hard lump knowing his response sounded more like a death judgement. Is it his fault that the madamplimented him? He wanted to voice thisint but clummed his mouth shut when he caught Zach''s intensified re.


    When they reached their room, Raphy rushed forward to get the door for them. He kept his gaze low and didn''t see the arched brow Zach raised at him. Maybe this would pacify the man if he was a little diligent in his work.


    "Thanks Raphy", she said with a smile.


    "N-not at all, madam", he didn''t dare look up.


    Zach didn''t say a word and walked into their room. The other men shook their heads at the young man. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Did he just make things more difficult for himself?


    Skull came with the other five and one of them was Wheeling a food cart. They had been instructed to bring in their meals after the examination. He raised his brows in question and Gomez filled him in.


    "Is that right?" He chuckled with no amusement in his tone. "Well, I have a simple task for you."


    He gestured at the cart with his head. Raphy quickly shook his head. He would not dare put himself in Zach''s line of sight. The more res he received, the more ''training'' he would personally receive from the manter on. They had known him to hold grudges and he always settled them.


    "Are you defying orders?" Skull took a defensive stance as he crossed his muscr arms across his chest.


    "Uh....."


    The couple inside heard a knock before food was wheeled in. Amy''s eyes lit up from the bed she sat in. She had been so hungry. Zach, who was on his tablet at the foot of the bed, caught the aggrieved look on Raphy''s face and knew what his men had done. ''Those bullies'', he mused even though he was the bigger bully.


    Raphy quietly pushed the cart without looking up at his boss. "Enjoy the meal."


    "Thanks Raphy", Amy said though her hands were already uncovering the lids.


    Zach put down his tablet and went to get a basin with warm water and a towel. He helped her wash her hands before he discarded those things and washed his own. When he came back, Amy had on the same expression she had when they left Susan''s office.


    He sat down close to and facing her and took her hands in his. "What''s wrong?"<sub> </sub>


    "I''m going home", she mumbled.


    He could hear the sadness in her tone though her gaze run to the food. It smelled too good even in her sad moment. He smiled as he cupped her cheek.


    "If you''re worried about the food, I can have it delivered whenever you want it", he promised. All it took was a word from him.


    Amy''s heart sunk. Why should she trouble him from all the way in the city to ensure that happens back here in West Vige on her request? But that''s not what she was worried about. It was him.


    "It''s not just about the food, is it?" He guessed. "Talk to me, baby."


    She felt pleasant tingles when he tucked away a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She looked at his hand that was holding hers. Did he have to have such beautiful hands? She''d love it if the baby inherited that from him. She sighed and looked up at him.


    "You''re leaving", she told him. She tried to mask her sad emotions on the matter but he saw right through her.


    "Leaving?" His brows rose.


    "We''re going our separate ways after I get discharged", her sadness turned into anxiousness as she cupped his cheek. "But, you have toy low. There''s only so much I can see and do regarding Greco at the moment so you have to be careful. I don''t want you to fall on their radar afterst time''s encounter. Promise you''ll do that, hm?"


    Zach covered her hand on his cheek with his own. His heart warmed up seeing her like this. She really cared about him. "I promise. But I won''t do that alone."


    Of course, he had his bodyguards to help him. She nodded away with this thought despite her sadness. She won''t have to worry as much about him.


    "I''ll do it with you", he added when she least expected it.


    "What?"


    "I''m staying here with you. I''m not going anywhere Amy. I''m never going to leave you, that''s a promise."


    "Really?" Her whole demeanor lit up and he nodded away.


    She happily threw herself in his arms as all her worries dissipated. He felt giddy at her reactions and wrapped his arms around her waist as hers were around his neck. He softly chuckled when she squealed.


    "You''ve made me so happy! I was so worried about us separating again! Uh! I''m so happy! Thank you Zachery!" She cupped his face and briefly pressed her lips to his before resuming the hug.


    She was acting like he had just bought her an expensive gift. He could not believe she was this moved by his actions. He too was happy.


    "And yes to the food! I bet Ste would love..... Oh! My God!" She gasped as she pulled away from him in horror.


    "What''s wrong?" He quickly analyzed her in worry.


    "I forgot....." She muttered.


    She was so excited about them staying together she forgot about Ste and everyone else in West Vige who knew her story. She didn''t want to weave him into her web of lies nor for him to lie. She had to take care of this.


    As though, things couldn''t get any worse, her phone rung right then. She looked at the caller ID and grew horrified.


    Zach looked down and saw the name Ste shing on the screen. Amy looked unwell as she answered the call. She knew not answering would just worry the older woman.


    "Emily dear, are you in your room? Nora is bringing me up, she said your husband is in town", Ste said with clear excitement.


    "And me too!" Adrianne excitedly shouted in the background.


    "Fuck!" She muttered.

 Chapter 149 Go In With A Half Truth

    Amy nervously tapped a foot on the floor. All the appetite for the food waspletely gone. What would she tell them? And why was this woman up and about when she should be home resting? And why did Nora spill the beans when she agreed not to?


    Zach had on an amused expression. She was too nervous to see how dark his eyes grew in that very moment. His wife, did she really not know what she had just done? But this was not the time. He held her shoulders and let her face him.


    "It''s going to be okay", he assured her. Amy looked at him with a horrified expression. He rubbed her arms in a soothing manner. "Calm down, everything is going to be okay. Trust me."


    She was about to respond when they heard a knock. How are they here already? Amy wanted to dig a hole and hide. One if his bodyguards walked in.


    "Sir, Madam, you have visitors", he said politely.


    Zach looked at Amy whose expression was not so good. He was silently asking if she was ready. She wanted to shake her head no but ended up nodding. Even her Jody was not cooperating. Zach nodded at the man who soon exited.


    The door was pushed open and in came Nora pushing Ste on a wheelchair while Adrianne came in after them. Amy and Zach stood up at the same time with him standing right behind her and holding her waist to support her.


    "What are you doing here when you should be at home resting?" Amy said worriedly.


    "Uh-huh! So that means you can hide your sickness and", she looked over Amy''s shoulder. "Your husband from me. When did you be so secretive?"


    Amy looked down feeling ashamed when Ste''s tone turned cold. She felt like a child being scolded by their mother.


    "I''m sorry", she whispered.


    Zach was not pleased by this sight. If anything, he knew Ste to be Amy''s friend and nothing more. He was not pleased by the way the older woman was treating his wife. His brows were furrowed in displeasure.


    "Excuse me", he said eaatrning the attention of the three women. With his usual authoritative tone but with clear annoyance, he spoke, "I understand you''re her friend and was worried, but I will not condone you speaking to her in that manner."


    <o>,m "Zachery", Amy scolded in a hushed voice.</o>


    Ste let out a dryugh, "Don''t worry, you''ll get your turn. Let me deal with her first."


    Adrianne and Nora''s mouths fell into Os. They could not believe their mother had spoken to a man who sounded so scary just now. How is this woman fearless? And wasn''t she excited to see them? What''s with the turn of events?


    Ste turned to look at Amy. "Look at me, Emily. Look at me, dear."


    She did so on the second request. Ste''s heart broke when she saw Amy''s guilty and worried expression. She let out a sigh. "You shouldn''t have hidden your hospitalization from me."


    "I know. Actually-"


    "I''m not done. You shouldn''t have done that. It upset me more than the news of your being in the hospital. I know my movements are limited, but I thought you would at least-"<sub> </sub>


    "Mrs. Thornton-"


    "I''m not married, I never was, I lied about having a husband and him being away on a mission, Emily Stanford is not my real name, and this man is the father of my baby!" She blurted out cutting off Zach and gaining everyone''s attention though shocked.


    She had her eyes closed and hands balled into as she bursted out. The response she got was silence. She slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by two shocked expressions and an impassive one. But she would not stop, she didn''t want Zach to lie on her behalf. This was what made her say all this. She sighed feeling fatigued from all the lies she had kept.


    Amy heard a gasp and guessed that must have been Adrianne instead it was.... Nora when she opened her eyes. Zach was still holding her, and the three women all had impassive expressions on them. She looked back down, notfortable with the sight before her.


    "You lied?" Nora started in disbelief. "You freaking lied to my mom! After everything she''s done for you! I thought you guys were friends, close to family too! She was even... Ugh!"


    She groaned in annoyance when Ste gave her a look silently telling her not to speak carelessly.


    Zach was about to speak when he felt a soft hand squeeze his. As much as he hated it, he understood the message Amy was conveying. So he stayed still.


    At least Nora was expressing her anger. Amy looked at the other two women. This was the first time she couldn''t read or understand what they were feeling since they were practically open books to her.


    Would this be the end of a wonderful friendship? She couldn''t stand the thought of Ste or any of them not being in her life.


    They really had grown on her. If she had never admitted to herself, they had be family.


    She didn''t want to lie to them nor could she tell them the truth for their safety. Most importantly, she didn''t want to make Zach lie. That''s why she decided to go in with a half truth. But now, she didn''t know what they thought of her.


    Her heart ached at the thought and silent tears trickled down her cheeks. She suddenly felt familiar soft and warm hands take hers. She looked over to see Ste right before her in her wheelchair. Her expression had softened.


    "Mom?" Nora''s mouth fell open at this scene.


    "Well, we knew", she said while looking at Amy.


    "Huh?" Amy looked up in confusion.


    "What?" Nora looked between Adrianne and Ste who had the same expression. "What do you mean by that?"


    "About everything she just said, we knew all along", Adrianne rified.


    Nora now had an understanding. Knowing her mother, she would not have kept her mouth shut knowing someone lied to her. But knowing that it was Amy, she either cares about her too much to mind the lie or she knew all along. It turns out it was both. But what is this? Adrianne too?


    "What?" Amy''s eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 150 Suspicions....

    "Yeah, well most of it", Adrianne added with a nonchnt attitude diffusing the intense atmosphere. She too walked over and stood on the other side taking Amy''s hand. Zach stood to the side to watch the exchange.


    "How?" Amy was confused.


    "We''ve grown close enough for us to know when you''re lying and when you''re being genuine. You''re always ufortable when you lie and when I thought about it, you were like that when you sold me the story about your husband", Ste said.


    "Then she started to note some oddities, like your description of your husband, your reaction to your pregnancy, the way you dealt with Daisy for taking pictures of you, and of course, your ring finger. You''d have a ring mark had you really been married for two years. When she shared this with me, I agreed with her that it was quite odd", Adrianne added.


    "I''m sorry", Amy looked down in shame.


    Adrianne rubbed her shoulder soothingly as she was giving her a side hug. "It''s okay."


    "It is?"


    "We made a conclusion that you must have had your reasons but we didn''t think your name was also not true", Ste said quietly.


    "I''m really sorry", she said with a sniffle.


    Nora suddenly startedughing earning everyone''s attention and breaking the somber mood. After her angry outburst, she decided to analyze the situation until she realized something.


    "That was nothing to be embarrassed or lie about", Nora said with aid back attitude.


    Everyone: "?"


    What a drastic change in her attitude. Ste face palmed wondering where her daughter was going with it.


    "Never thought I would see this in real life. He is from a rich family and you''re from a humble background, you two are in love but his family didn''t approve and so you run away and changed your name because a man as powerful as he is would easily find you but then you find out you''re pregnant and now he''s here, you''ve worked it out but there''s still his family to deal with!"


    She gave Amy a pitiful look as she shook her head but at the same time, she couldn''t me her. Zach was worth all the trouble. But did they really have to be together? If only the situation was different..


    All three women stared at her in disbelief while Zach was amused. If the rest of his family, namely his parents, find out about Amy, well he didn''t know what would happen to him but Amy would be the apple of their eye no matter her background. But would Amy go ahead with this new lie Nora spun?


    Ste turned back to Amy, "How are you feeling dear? What exactly happened to you? I sent her to find out what was wrong and she, well, what happened?"


    "I had a polypectomy", Amy said quietly.


    "And the baby is safe, I hope? I heard that procedure can be bad for pregnancy", Adrianne said worriedly.


    "We''re both fine. Actually, we''re getting going home this afternoon", she assured them.


    "Are you just ignoring me?" Nora grumbled as she walked over.


    "Are you..... not mad at me?" Amy asked carefully as she looked between her two friends.


    "I''m disappointed in the lies...", Ste started.


    "But it''s understandable", Adrianne fi ished with a nonchnt shrug before she helped wipe away Amy''s tears.


    "So what is your real name?" Nora said.


    "Jennifer Harper", she answered.


    "Is that really your name? You''re not messing with me, are you?" Nora eyes her carefully.


    "Jennifer is my middle name, but it''s a name I''m used to", she exined.


    "What about your first name?" Nora pushed.


    "My gosh! Are you interrogating her or something? Why are you so obsessed with her names? And, uh, one question, are youfortable with us using that name or should we continue with Emily?" Ste asked.<sub> </sub>


    "Whatever you''refortable with", Amy said.


    "Emily it is", Ste nodded.


    "And you haven''t introduced us", Adrianne nodded in Zach''s direction with a bashful smile.


    Amy''s face heated up at the mention of him. Adrianne moved to stand behind Ste while Zach was quick to be back by Amy''s side. His displeasure was quickly washed away after watching the encounter.


    "This is Zachery Frost, he''s cupcake''s father. Zachery, these are my closest friends Ste Thornton and Adrianne Arlook, and you''ve met Nora, she''s Ste''s daughter", Amy gestured between the four.


    "It''s nice to meet you. I apologise for earlier", he said.


    Ste waved a hand of dismissal while Adrianne was awestruck like she had been when they first walked in. "I didn''t think such good looking people existed in real life."


    "Right? He has nothing on Pedro and Enzo", Ste agreed.


    "Not that it''s my business but he looks like he''s great in bed too", Adrianne moved to touch Zach''s shoulders only for him to dodge her by moving behind Amy. She clicked her tongue and retracted her hand.


    Steughed, "Leave the man alone."


    Amy wasn''t the only one to blush from Adrianne''s statement. Nora could not help herself either. A knock was heard and in came two bodyguards wheeling in two food carts. Amy finally remembered she had not eaten as her stomach growled. They took the cart that had been delivered earlier.


    "That....", She pointed at it.


    "Boss said to rece it with warm food", one of them said.


    "Ah.." she nodded.


    They looked to Zach who nodded for them to leave. Amy looked at him too. He was quite considerate. And two carts means he had included their guests.


    "You probably haven''t eaten, right? Ste you should try their food, oh!" Amy''s face lit up as she spoke.


    Ste''s gaze was warm as she watched the girl. They didn''t bother turning her down and decided to join them. Nora was about to move her mother''s wheeelchair when the older woman held up her hand.


    "Let me use the bathroom real quick", Ste said.


    "Do you need help Mom?"


    "No, I''ll be fine. I''ll call you if I need anything", Ste said as she wheeled herself to the bathroom.


    They didn''t think much of it and let her go. Zach moved Amy to the lounge where they all say for the now brunch. Ste was sure to lock herself in before taking out her phone. She dialed a number and the person picked up on the second ring.


    "I get a call after humiliating mest week. Tch! What is this?" A voiceined.


    "I don''t have time for your bullshit Lily, I have a job for you", Ste said making sure her voice was quiet.


    Lily briefly fell quiet before she let out an amusedugh, "As they say, you can never forget your roots. What''s the job?"


    Ste rolled her eyes in annoyance but maintained the same quiet tone, "I need you to look into someone."


    As she said so, she looked at the door with a grave expression. Was she doing the right thing? By coincidence, Zach was also looking at the same door from where he sat. They had all settled in the lounge to have their now brunch. Amy touched his arm and he found her staring. His expression turned soft as he stuffed his phone into his pocket. The man had just sent a message to George.


    Zach: I need information on Adrianne Arlook and Ste Thornton..... especially Ste.


    Something about Ste bothered him and he needed to find out what....

 Chapter 151 Hard Weeks Coming Up Ahead

    "Alright dear, Richard and I will visit you tomorrow", Ste said.


    They had just arrived back home. Nora had just parked in her drive way while Amy and Zach''s team on Amy''s. Zach was holding Amy by the waist supporting her as she faced the older woman. His expression was impassive as usual. Adrianne had taken a taxi home when they left the hospital.


    "Alright, rest up. I''ll see you tomorrow", Amy said with a smile as she tucked stray strands of hair away from her face.


    "It was nice meeting you Mr. Frost", Ste said to Zach after nodding to Amy.


    "Likewise", Zach replied.


    The two families went their way. As Nora and Ste got a move on, they heard a gasp followed by a giggle. They looked back to find Zach carrying Amy bridal style. A contemtive look settled on Ste''s face while a bitter one settled on Nora''s face. She wished... she could be in those arms. These people would torture her in the days that she would be staying at her mother''s.


    Gomez was given the house keys and he got the door for them before the couple went in.


    First time stepping into Amy''s ce. Zacg looked with appreciation at the simple yet chic furniture, the feminine artwork hanged on the walls, and took in the living room that extended to the kitchen. So this is what her taste was? Simple yet chic.


    "Bedroom?" He asked.


    Amy pointed at a door. He followed that direction and got the door opened. Stepping in, his nostrils were teased by her familiar floral scent. The furniture there was simple yet chic, from the dressing table, the wardrobe, the work station, and the artwork above her bed headboard. It seems she really like artwork. Only the bed stood out as plushie in it''s queen size form. But it was messy.


    Amy grimaced at the sight of the blood on her matress covers. Zach took note of this and walked over to the dressing table. He set her down on the stool before standing upright.


    "Where are the sheets?" He asked.


    "Top right cab", she pointed.


    There was a stool beside the wardrobe, he figured she used it when she needed it. But with his height, he had no use for it. He took out the new sheets to rece the old ones. Amy watched in amazement as the man worked. He was not disgusted by the sight of blood or the mess, nor did he ask his men to clean up. Watching him do it himself impressed Amy.


    The bed was now neat with the new sheets. Zach smiled when he saw her watching him awestruck.


    "Did I make you fall for me, Amy?" A sexy smirk yed on his lips as he walked over.


    "Let''s not be full of ourselves Zach", she shook her head with a bashful smile on her face.


    "No, not that name", he was now before and knelt down. Amy''s brows rose in confusion and so he rified. "How do you always address me?"


    "Zachery", she said in realization. She always does use him full name when addressing him.


    He tucked some hairs away from her face as he stared into her eyes adoringly. "I love it when you say my name like that", he whispered. He took her hand and ced it on his chest, "That happens when you do."


    Her mouth fell open when she felt the excited thud of his heart. She felt giddy that she had such an effect on him. And there was a sense of relieve too, that it wasn''t just she who was driven crazy by little acts from him. Like his voice. His very sexy voice that practically gives an eargasm.


    "What''s on your mind?" He asked when he noticed her zone out. He was quite curious.<sub> </sub>


    She chuckled and shook her head no. But, he didn''t buy that. "Come on", he pleaded.


    "You", she mumbled as she looked down shyly. Her cheeks burned red from the intense blushing.


    "You were thinking about me while I''m here? Interesting. Was I... naked in your thoughts?" He wiggled his brows at her making herugh. Thatugh. He really loved how her eyes sparkled when she did.


    "Zachery", she scolded him while barely suppressing a smile.


    "I just want to know", he shrugged innocently. "But I have a better idea. I''m about to go shower, you cane in to watch."


    "Why are you making me out to be a pervert?" She arched a brow at him feining offense in her serious demeanor.


    "Aren''t we both?" he arched a brow. He took her chin and made her look him in the eye. "Be honest baby, throughout the past three days we spent in the hospital, are you sure you didn''t think about walking into the bathroom to watch me shower?"


    Amy swallowed a hard lump as she remained hypnotized by Zach''s intoxicating blues. Her face reddened at his words. But he was not done. His voice grew deeper and huskier as he whispered with his gaze locked on hers.


    "Well, I''ve thought about it. I''ve wondered what your titties look like now, your nipples hardening under the shower, how soft your thighs would feel if I were to bury my head between them, the feel of your wet pussy against my lips, and how soft and jiggly your ass would feel in my hands", he caressed her cheek as his gaze mixed with lust and adoration. "Gosh Amy, pregnancy looks so sexy on you. I have to apologise in advance if, no, when I''ll get carried away because it''s very hard to resist you right now."


    Amy grabbed him by the shirt and connected her lips to his. Zach could feel the intense emotions she was conveying through that kiss. He returned the same amount of passion she was giving. They deepened the kiss, tongues chasing each other.


    She moaned as she hooked her arms around his neck while his went to her waist. Her fingersced through his hair massaged his scalp inciting a sexy growl from him.


    "Mmmm!" A surprised moan came out muffled out of her mouth when she felt his hands on her ass.


    She felt him lift her up without breaking the kiss and she wrapped her legs around his hips. He walked over to the bed where hey them down. His mouth traveled to her neck where he nibbled on her sensitive spot.


    "Ah! Zachery!" She pulled on his hair at the electrifying feeling.


    Something wrong has the tendency of feeling so right. They shouldn''t because of her condition but they could not help themselves. She felt a hand roughly squeeze her right, now bare, mound.


    She didn''t know when he had pulled down her dress to her waist and she wasn''tined. Amy felt like her brain short circuited when she felt his warm mouthtch on her nipple and upied his hand with the other titty.


    He groaned when his tongue twirled on the hardened peak. He sucked on it before biting down on it. She roughly pulled on his hair while arching her back in response to the pleasure filled pain. He resumed sucking on it to soothe the pain.


    Thud!


    They froze. Zach slowly released her nipple. There were visible bite marks on her are as it glistened with his saliva. The two were staring at each other while catching their breaths. Their minds cleared of their lust as Zach helped fix her dress.


    "I''ll go have a look", he whispered to which she nodded. He pecked her lips before getting off her.


    Amy was left to calm down. What just happened? It''s the first day of them staying together and this happened. Indeed, the following two weeks would be hard.

 Chapter 152 The Goddess Known As Amy

    Zach came back in shortly with a duffel bag. Amy sat up as she watched him walk in.


    "What was the noise?" Her face was still flushed from what happened just now.


    "Raphy identally dropped this. He apologizes for interrupting what we were doing just now not that he''s implying anything", Zach said.


    Amy chuckled. She could imagine the young man stumble upon his words. Then she realized something.


    "Your men..."


    "Don''t worry, they''ll sort themselves out", he assured her as he put down the bag on her stool.


    "I''ll go shower", he said.


    "Okay, I''ll go in after you."


    "Alright."


    "I''ll go cook something", she tried to get out of bed.


    "Stay, I''ll whip up something for us", he said.


    He went over to peck her lips before finding his way to the bathroom. It was now she noticed how disheveled she had left his hair. Embarrassment gripped Amy''s features.


    Twenty minutester, they had both showered and changed into fresh new clothes. They were currently in the kitchen, she sat on a stool while he stood behind the counter. He had on a serious expression as he stared at the bell peppers and rest of the veggies. Amy looked at the greens before looking up at him.


    "When you said you''ll whip up something for us... "


    "I meant I''m a quick learner so you can dictate the instructions and I''ll follow", he let out a breath before looking at her with determination in his eyes.


    She sighed helplessly, "I can do it myself."


    "And who will allow that?" He arched a sexy brow at her.


    His tone was authoritative but it was such a sexy move on him. Amy kicked away the thought and got her mind out of the gutter. But she thought about it, Zach is smart so learning and mastering something shoulde as second nature to him.


    "Fine. Let''s start with prepping the ingredients. What are you making by the way?"


    "Uh..... I just picked out whatever I could find in the fridge", he gave her a sheepish smile.


    She sighed and shook her head. "Let''s make a pasta dish and sd. So we need to get rid of some things...."


    She scanned the table and pointed at the ingredients he needed to put back. He worked at a fast pace and like a teacher, she dictate the instructions. Where she needed to, she would demonstrate from where she was seated and he would follow. They conversed in between cooking lessons.


    When he was done, he served the pasta on a te garnished it with spices and cheese. It was such an appetizing sight. They both could not wait to dig in. Amy was amazed, he really is a genius. Not just did he learn but the ting was amazing too. He wiped away residue with a paper wipe before serving the te to her.


    He looked at her in anticipation. For the first time in his life Zach, the Chairman of Frost Corporation, had just cooked his first meal. Amy smiled at his nervous stature before she picked up her fork. She twirled it with the pasta and had put it in her mouth.


    Zach nervously watched her expression as she chewed. He took a napkin to wipe away the sauce from her mouth. Amy''s face was impassive but it soon turned ugly as she averted his gaze. Zach caught all that.


    "Don''t tell me.. ", he voiced his fear.


    She swallowed it down looking like a stone had been forced down her throat before cleansing her palette with juice. Then she looked at him, "Do you want the truth or nothing at all?"


    "One sec", he said before moving to her side. He took her fork and used it to fork a bite. He only chewed twice before he took a napkin and spat it out in clear horror. "How could you even swallow that?"<sub> </sub>


    "Lucky I don''t have a gag reflex", she let out a sigh of relief.


    Silence. The weight of Amy''s words sunk in. A certain image flushed in Zach''s mind and his gaze darkened. Seeing her cheeks flush red, he knew she understood the meaning behind her ''innocent'' sentence. Remembering the doctor''s orders, Amy cleared her throat.


    "We can have some snacks for now. I have some in the pantry.... How about we order in for dinner?" She quickly suggested.


    "Alright", he said as he picked up his phone.


    The atmosphere was still heavy but they chose to ignore it. He dialed a number and the person picked up on the first ring.


    "Edmund, prepare a bag for me. I won''t be home for a while..... Months. Have it ready, the boys will pick it up in an hour or two."


    He ended the call and dialed another number. The also answered on the first ring. "Skull, Edmund prepared a bag for me, I need it..... And pick up dinner on the way back... One sec."


    He gave the phone to Amy so she could tell him what she wanted to eat. With that settled, they went back to the room to sort out Zach''s clothes. Amy settled under the sheets and watched him hang his clothes in her wardrobe. As he did so, something caught his eye.


    With surprise, he took it out and showed her. "You kept it?"


    Amy''s face heated up when she saw the shirt. It was the one she took after their encounter back in the city.


    "Well, I had no reason to throw it away", she shrugged with a shy smile ying on her face.


    He felt his heart run a marathon at this discovery. It seemed he had been on her mind but he was not sure if it was as much as he had her. Still, he felt giddy inside. As he looked at her, he noticed the fatigue on her. He quickly finished putting away the clothes and walked over to bed.


    He took the snacks from her and put them back in the pantry. He came back and pulled her into his arms. She nuzzled into his chest and gotfortable before closing her eyes. There was no need for verbalmunication. They understood each other so easily. Soon, he felt her breath even out. He too sumbed to sleep, he hardly had a wink of it whilst at the hospital.


    About three hourster, Zach was startled awake by a knock. Amy followed suit as the knock resounded again. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and Zach grew annoyed by the person knocking. They had just disturbed her sleep.


    "Are you expecting someone?" She asked in her sleepy voice.


    "Could be the boys", he said as he looked at the time on his wrist watch. "I''ll go check", he said as he kissed her forehead.


    Amy rxed back into bed as he left her side. She closed her eyes, though sleepy her senses were still alert. She heard the front door open before an excited voice shouted.


    "I hear you ordered for dinner and your clothes!"


    Bam!


    The door was mmed shut immediately. Amy sat up in rm. Out of curiosity, she walked out of bed and joined him the living room. His face had darkened in annoyance.


    "Who is it?" She asked him.


    "It''s no one. You should go back to bed", he said as he walked over to her.


    "Just so you know, I didn''te down all the way here to see your face. It''s sister-inw I came to see! Sister-inw!" He resumed knocking.


    She left his side and went to get the door. Standing before her were two men, one with ck hair and square framed sses on, his lean body was covered in blue jeans and a baby blue hoodie with matching sneakers, while the other had blond hair, brown eyes, quite muscr and had a striking resemnce to the man inside her house. He was wearing a baby pink shirt, hot pink leather jacket, white jeans and sneakers.


    "Whoa! Dude am I the only one seeing this goddess before us?" he whispered to his friend as he stared at Amy in wonderment.


    Amy''s brows went up as she stared at the two awestruck men.

 Chapter 153 Coming In Prepared

    Zach joined them at the door as he stood behind her. He sighed at the two, "What are you doing here?"


    "I brought the report you asked for", George responded with a push of his sses up his nose as he shed a tablet in their face.


    "And I''ll be making dinner", Xavier raised the bag of groceries with an excited smile ying on his lips.


    "Go home", Zach growled. He didn''t want any interruptions between him and Amy.


    "My name is Xavier, Zach''s younger brother, and this is George, our brother from another mother", he patted George''s shoulder as he spoke to Amy,pletely ignoring his brother''s re.


    "It''s nice to meet you both. I''m Amy, pleasee in", she moved but was blocked by Zach. She had to push the grumpy man inside to let the two men in. Of course, he hardly put up resistance when he felt her hands on his chest.


    "Wow! Thank you! You''re kind and also very beautiful! Which are you from because earth doesn''t seem to be it?" Xavier flushed her his best smile.


    Amy chuckled in amusement, "You''re quite funny."


    "And you''re quite modest! For that, I''ll make you a nice hot meal", Xavier said enthusiastically.


    "And you''ll leave afterwards?" Zach asked as he crossed his arms against his chest. He looked at Xavier who pretended not to see or hear him, then he turned to George.


    "You need help prepping the ingredients, don''t you?" George hurried to Xavier''s side.


    Amy followed them to the kitchen and settled on the stool while the two men made themselvesfortable in her kitchen. So George wasn''t just Zach''s second inmand, he share a close rtionship with the brothers. ''How sweet'', she thought.


    Zach, who had been ignored by everyone including his wife, sighed as he walked over to settle next to her with his arm hanging around her waist. His thumb caressed her side as he rxed in his seat. Amy''s heart was doing summersaults from that little action and her face blushed red.


    George helped Xavier take out the food stuffs and ced them on the counter.


    "So how are you and the baby doing?" George asked.


    "Yes, I didn''t check with Zach this evening on how you guys are doing", Xavier added in curiosity.


    Amy straightened her back as she subconsciously rubbed her belly. "We''re doing alright."


    "What about the sex?" Xavier asked.


    "Not for the next two weeks", Amy grumbled out inint.


    Everyone: "..."


    Zach but back a smile as he watched her face reddden in embarrassment when realization dawned on her. She shieled her face with her hands and tried to get off her seat only to be pulled into Zach''s arms where he buried her face in his chest.


    "Really? Tell me more!" Xavier said with amusement in his tone.


    "That''s not what I was trying to say", Amyined.


    She heard the sound of Zach''sughter reverberate from his chest. He failed to suppress hisughter as he patted her head.


    "I doubt it. That sounded like a genuineint!" Xavier jabbed at her.


    "Leave her alone", Zach''s said with a bit ofughter.


    He found Amy to be cute. So she was as bothered by the doctor''s order as he was. So much to the point of letting it slip in front of his brothers. Amy groaned in his chest, how did that slip out of her mouth? Now they''ll think she''s a pervert who only thinks about doing that with Zach. Well, it was half true but they didn''t have to know.<sub> </sub>


    "It''s okay baby", Zach said soothingly.


    George''s mouth fell open. Amy was really the woman who brought out this gentle side of Zach.


    "You survived four months without him, two more weeks is nothing", Xavier added in good humor.


    "Xavier", Zach warned him with a re.


    "Anyway, so, about the baby''s gender?" Xavier rephrased his question in clear amusement.


    "It''s going to be a surprise", Zach answered.


    "Nice! Sister-inw, have you started shopping yet?"


    Amy finally released herself from Zach''s embrace before tucking away stray strands behind her now red ears revealing her reddened cheeks. She shook her head, "No, but I''ll start soon. And you can call me Amy."


    "How about sis? I''ve never had a sister", he bargained.


    "Well, I''ll address you as Madam when the asion calls for it, but if you allow it, may I call you sis as well?" George asked.


    "Sure, why not?" she shrugged.


    A small smile made its way onto Zach''s lips. He was pleased with how easily Amy and the boys interacted. He thought it would be awkward especially since it''s their first meeting. He could guess his mom would go bananas if she found out that he not only has a woman in his life, but a baby on the way too.


    "Sis, pots?" George asked.


    Amy pointed at a cab drawer and he went to get them. Xavier had his back to them as he walked over to he cooker.


    "Ooh!" He said as he used a serving spoon and took some pasta to ce onto his palm. He threw his head back as he threw it in his mouth. Almost immediately he started chewing, he grunted in disgust and looked for a napkin to spit out. "It must have gone bad while you guys were at the hospital."


    "Or maybe not.... ", George had an inquisitive expression as he looked between the couple. Zach''s expression was impassive and so was Amy''s. She was not going to expose him. But George was good at reading people. He pointed a finger between them before it stopped on Zach. "Did you try to cook?"


    He had known Zach long enough to know what he was feeling most of the time. And sure enough, Zach''s expression turned into that of annoyance making the two menugh. Amy couldn''t help but chuckle as she rubbed his thigh in a soothing manner.


    "Aren''t you going home?" Zach red at the two.


    "Hey,e on! I sacrificed my time to make dinner for you, and he spared time out of his busy schedule to personally bring you a report you asked for. Are you really going to let us travel back sote at night? Sis?" Xavier gave Amy a pitiful look.


    "Um.... I would let you stay but the spare room doesn''t have a bed, unless you can take the couch", she said truthfully.


    "Don''t worry, we came prepared", Xavier assured her a little enthusiastically.


    As if on cue, a knock was heard. He left George to start cooking as he rushed to get the door. He opened it wide and two men, in blue working suits, came in.... carrying a bed. Amy and Zach turned to watch the unexpected show.


    "Be mindful of the door frame", he told them.


    Amy and Zach''s mouths fell open at the scene before them. Was this really happening?


    "Sis, where''s the room?" He asked.

 Chapter 154 Life Could Not Be Any More Perfect

    She could not even say a word as she pointed to a room down the corridor. Who goes to another person''s home carrying a whole bed in hopes of a sleepover? Amy''s lips spasmed as she watched the scene before her.


    She and Zach could hear Xavier instruct how the bed should be positioned. He soon reappeared with those men and went out only toe back with a mattress followed by pillows, bedsheets, and nkets.


    "This is for you", he pushed a trunk towards Zach who caught it with ease. So he hijacked his boys to earn a sleepover here, Zach''s eyes narrowed at him.


    "Um", Amy started.


    "Yes, sis?" He turned to her with all his excitement.


    "Just curious, do you... do you n on prolonging your visit here?" She asked with a little hesitation.


    "No, no, this is all for tonight", he said.


    "And you brought a whole bed?" Amy was still befuddled by this.


    "Uh.... Think of it as a ''wee to the family'' gift from the groom''s side", he nodded at his own statement.


    Amy''s lips spasmed. Groom''s side? They were not even married. However,she was touched by the gesture. But,


    "What if I had no spare room?" She asked.


    "We brought sleeping bags just in case", George answered as his hands busied with flipping the delicacies in the frying pan.


    "If worsees to worst, we were going pitch tents outside", he said with a smirk directed at his brother as he walked back to the kitchen.


    They were really prepared. She felt a hand on her lower back and turned to look at Zach.


    "I''ll go set these up", he said to which she nodded. He pecked her cheek which immediately colored red. He smiled at the sight before dragging the trunk away.


    From her room, he could hear the threefortably fall back into conversation. The sound of Amy''sughter tickled his ears. She had such an enchantingugh he could not get enough of.


    He opened the drawers and continued setting up his clothes. His movements were unhurried and precise like always. But as he hanged a suit, a piece of Amy''s cloth fell. It was a hoodie. He was about to put it back in when the tag caught his attention. The letter J in gold italics was imprinted on it.


    His brow arched. He looked at her other clothes and saw the same brand on the tag. Interesting....


    Once he was done, he went back out to join them. He saw Amy''s face light up at the food served on the counter. He walked over to settle beside her to see the dishes the boys had prepared. White rice, Greek white bean soup served with toast, pesto chicken tortellini and veggies, and a Cobb sd.


    "Wow! You guys are amazing!" Amy was in awe.


    "Right? I could easily be a celebrity chef but I don''t want to put people out of business", Xavier gloated.


    "Such a brag", George shook his head. "Sis, why don''t you taste it first?"


    George gave her a serving spoon which Zach took. He served her a little bit of everything and gave her the te. He forked the first bite and brought it to her mouth. Amy felt embarrassed by this especially with the audience, but she still opened her mouth for him. Zach watched how she sucked in the fork with her plump lips before releasing it. It bothered his friend down South. To make things worse, she moaned when she started chewing. His wife was too innocent.


    The vors exploded right in her mouth she could only raise her thumbs up at them. The two men exchanged a high five and settled on the stools opposite the couple before they all began eating. Friendly chatter echoed around the four as they shared the sumptuous meal.


    Even Zach who was quiet most of the timesmented here and there andughed along. He paid attention to all of her needs, serving her, helping her wipe her mouth, and from time to time, the two would steal nces at each other.


    It wasn''t long before the tes were wiped clean. Amy rubbed her belly, Zach had his arm around her waist, George yed with a toothpick in his mouth, while Xavier had his elbows plopped on the counter.


    "This was perfect", Xavier started. "I can''t wait for you guys toe back to the city so we can do this often."


    "I''m sorry", Amy said.


    "No, I know the situation isplicated. And as risky as tonight was, we had to at least see you and wee you to the family", he said.<sub> </sub>


    "Mm-hm", George nodded.


    "Well, I''m d you guys came. He didn''t say it but I know he''s happy you guys came", Amy nudged Zach with her elbow making him smile.


    "Oh! We know", Xavier said with a smug smile.


    Amy yawned and Zach took that as a cue for them to go to bed. They said their good nights with the boys insisting to do the dishes. Zach carried her to bed making her feel embarrassed in front of the men. He gently set her down once he kicked the door shut. She red at him as she crossed her arms against her chest.


    "Don''t look at me like that. You''ve been prescribed bed rest", he pointed out. She huffed when a knock was heard.


    "Zach?" George called out.


    Amy pointed to the bathroom to which he nodded before he went to get the door. She went to brush her teeth and change into her pajamas while he attended to George. Thetter gave him a tablet.


    "The report", he quietly said.


    Zach skimmed through the contents. Something interesting caught his eye. He looked at George with brows furrowed who nodded in confirmation.


    ''This Ste woman...'', Zach mused before giving the tablet back to George.


    "Goodnight, sir", George said to which Zach have a court nod.


    "George you can''t leave the dishes to me alone! You used the most pots here!" Xavier nagged.


    Zach closed the door behind him. Amy was out in pajama shorts and a huge shirt, but her baby bump was apparent. She looked so beautiful. She smiled when she caught him staring. He moved to go brush his teeth. When he came back, he found her sitting in front of her dressing table, in the middle of her night skin care routine.


    She watched him through the mirror as he removed his shirt revealing his six pack abs and muscr torso. Amy''s eyes were alert as she kept her gaze peeled on him. With her attention on him, he removed his trousers next leaving him in his boxers.


    "You''re not sleeping like that", she said at the hot sight.


    "Clothes can be ufortable. You should try it", he winked at her before settling under the covers.


    As she was done, she went to join him in bed. Shey down and saw him open his right hand like he was holding something big and round. She raised her brows in question.


    "Just remembered how full your titties felt in my hands", he said.


    She smacked his arm and pulled on the sheets to cover her shy self as she gave her back to him. "Goodnight, Zachery."


    He chuckled as hey down and pulled her into his arms before cing a kiss on the back of her ear.


    "Goodnight baby", he whispered against her ear.


    His hand went to her stomach where he started caressing it. With her eyes closed, she started humming to a tune as he moved his hand.


    "What song is that?" He whispered.


    "Cupcake''s goodnight song. It''s ''I choose you'' by Sara Barailles", she replied softly.


    "Can you sing it?" He asked. She was skeptical about the request mostly because she fell shy. "Please, I want to hear it."


    Amy fell quiet, trying to muster courage for this bold request. Her hand fell on top of his that was on her stomach before she started singing softly.


    "Let the bough break let ite down crushing, let the sun fade out to the dark sky..."


    Yeah, life could not be any more perfect than in that moment, but the thing about Ste....

 Chapter 155 An Early Morning Smell Of Hypocrisy

    The morning at Ian''s ce started with the sound of a phone ringing echoing. He was in deep sleep that he couldn''t even hear the irritating sound. But he felt a smack on his naked shoulder countless times till he woke up.


    "What?" He grumbled.


    "Your phone", Mona said from beside him in an irritated tone.


    "Hm? Oh", he finally heard the ringing. He reached for it from his night stand and swiped to answer.


    "Hello?" He cleared his throat when his voice came out groggy.


    "Did you see them? Which one do you like?"


    He fell into confusion as he removed the phone from his ear and looked at the caller ID, it was Nora. He put it back to his ear.


    "What are you talking about?" H


    "Are you serious? I sent you pictures and you haven''t seen them? How could you do this to me? I''m in a freaking crisis!"


    All the sleep disappeared from her rming tone. What was so urgent?


    "Hold on", he said before going to her inbox. He read her messages and looked at the pictures she sent. He facepalmed.


    "You called me at five in the morning to help you pick out an outfit?" He was in disbelief.


    "It''s important", she said through gritted teeth. "Now help me choose!"


    He sighed, "The first one. What''s the asion?"


    "We''re going to visit Emily and her man", she said with obvious excitement.


    "Why do you sound happy?" Ian found that odd. Shouldn''t she be as disappointed as he is? It''s why he had not bothered to visit her because he didn''t think he could handle the sight of the couple. A mischievous giggle erupted from Nora''s end causing Ian''s eyes to narrow as he realized something.


    "You can''t like two people at once", he disapproved.


    Nora sniffed around and hummed before she mocked, "Is that an early morning smell of hypocrisy?"


    Ian subconsciously nced at the naked form of Mona sleeping beside him. Things had been going so welltely until the news of Amy''s husband''s arrival reached him. The woman was a constant bother in his life and the fact that he couldn''t have her just made it even harder for him topletely let go.


    "I have to get ready for work", he said bitterly before he hang up.


    He remained unmoving, staring into space as his hand angrily squeezed his phone hard. Mona stirred as she pulled the sheets up to cover her body. She took in his side profile, he was clearly upset. She was able to pick up on their conversation even in her sleepy state thanks to Nora''s loud voice.


    "So that woman''s husband is in town", she stated.


    Ian peeled the covers away and walked out of bed going to the bathroom. She didn''t bother admiring his naked form as she too felt upset. She had a long way to go with him. Can''t Amy just disappear from their lives?


    Meanwhile, the said person wasfortably sleeping in her bed. She turned to sleep on her side and winced at the sun light flooding into the room. She rubbed her eyes as she slowly sat up. The other side of her bed was neatly done like no one had slept there.


    ''Was it all a dream?'' she mused.


    And the house was too quiet. She picked up her phone and saw the time. It was a little after seven. Was she really alone? Did she imagine everything that happened over the past few days?


    "Is that my job or yours? I want a summarized report in ten minutes!"


    She heard Zach''s voice echo from outside her room. She got out of bed and was about to open the door when she remembered the two visitors they had. She put on a fluffy baby pink robe and fluffy flops before going out.


    Her face was puffy from the sleep and she subconsciously run her fingers through her hair trying to fix it when she saw Zach. He was in a ck polo shirt and ck sweats. His eyes lit up when he saw her. She quickened her pace and walked over to the sofa he was seated.<sub> </sub>


    "Good morning", she said while hanging an arm over the chair.


    "Come here", he reached out a hand to her and brought her onto hisp. "Good morning cupcake", he kissed her belly making her smile. "And good morning beautiful", he pecked her lips with his arms hooked around her waist.


    She looked around the house and towards the spare room.


    "They''re gone. Xav had an emergency meeting and George had some work too", he said.


    "Ah! You should have woken me up." She felt bad that she hadn''t seen them off afterst night. They were really goodpany.


    "Don''t worry, they understood. And they couldn''t leave without preparing a little something for you", he nodded towards the counter they had had dinnerst night on.


    Amy gasped in surprise as she took in the covered dishes. "They didn''t have to..."


    He brushed her hair with his fingers before letting his hand settle on her back. He too thought his brothers took really kind on her. She now looked at the paper work spread out on the coffee table as well as a tablet.


    She sighed. She had been short sighted in wanting him to stay. It was now she realized she had selfishly taken him away from a lot of his responsibilities. By the time they go back, he must have a mountain of work waiting for him. And they would have to trouble George toe over when needed which isn''t the meaning ofying low when they take into ount their current situation.


    "What are you worried about?" His hand went to caress her belly.


    "I''ve taken you away from work.." she didn''t know what else to say to express her disappointment in herself. What would people say about a chairman who just disappeared and left things for his P.A and the C.E.O to handle?


    Zach''s chuckled, "Is that it? Will you feel better if I tell you I have work here too?"


    "The one George brought you yesterday?"


    He shook his head. "Not that. I''ve decided to use this stay to personally oversee a project we''re running."


    Amy''s brows rose showing her piqued interest. And he continued, "A few months back I secured and here in West Vige through a bid, we''re building a hotel and resort on it."


    He chuckled, "Now that I think about it, it''s the samend that Parton lost to me and went after me for." He caressed her cheek, "I wouldn''t have met you if not for him."


    Amy smiled when she heard this. "Do you think we were too hard on him?"


    "Do you?" He countered with brows raised.


    "No", they said at the same time making themugh.


    She stared at him, taking in his sharp features. She cupped both his cheeks as she let herself get lost into his intense blues. He was such a breath taking sight for her. How was she so lucky to fall for such a man and him reciprocating those feelings? Her brows went up when he suddenly pouted his lips.


    "I thought you were going to kiss me?" He pouted again.


    She giggled from his childishness as she shook her head. "I haven''t brushed my teeth yet."


    "So?" He wasn''t bothered.


    She was about to respond when her phone suddenly beeped. She raised her index finger excusing herself before taking the phone whilst on hisp. Her fingers tapped the screen a few times before her brows furrowed in displeasure.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked.


    "Someone is looking into me..... Not as Amy Harper but.... Jennifer Harper", she showed him the screen.


    He looked down at the screen and his brows furrowed too before they exchanged a look. Who could possibly be looking into her other identity? Zach, as much as he hated it, he knew..... But what he didn''t understand was.... Why?

 Chapter 156 Results Of Stellas Investigation

    Knock! Knock!


    Nora fixed her dress as soon as she retracted her hand from the door. Richard shook his head at this sight.


    "A dress?" He still could not believe it.


    "There''s a first time for everything", Nora said with little care to her father''s attitude.


    "Stop while you''re ahead", Ste said.


    "You never know until you try. Isn''t that what you always told me mom?" She flushed her a charming smile.


    The door was pulled open and standing before the family of three was Zach. He was wearing ck skinny jeans and a jersey. His hair fell in bangs giving him a boyish look with his already handsome face and he had rolled the sleeves up to his elbows revealing his veiny forearms. Nora swallowed a hard lump seeing this.


    "Wee. Come on in", he said as he stepped aside to let them in.


    "Thank you", Richard said as he pushed his wife in.


    Nora felt her throat run dry. She wanted to say something like a ''hi'' or ''thank you'' but words were stuck in her throat so she just pushed herself into the house. Richard settled on a single sofa next to where he had settled Ste.


    "I''ll go and get her", Zach said after closing the door.


    His brows furrowed when he felt like someone was watching him. He figured they were all watching but why? Unbeknownst to him, it was Nora watching his jeans d ass.


    ''So sexy'', she mused.


    "Nora", Richard whisper shouted.


    "I love to appreciate good things", she whispered back with a bashful smile on her face.


    Zach came back out with his arm around Amy''s waist. She wore a bodycon pencil dress falling to her knees, it nicely embraced her baby bump and curves. The sweetheart neckline decently exposed her cleavage, her breasts were growing bigger, she topped it with a silky floral cardigan that fell to her mid thighs, a simple ne, and with matching ballet shoes. Her hair had been tied into a ponytail exposing her slender neck.


    Looking a the two, Nora felt like her fantasies wereing true! All that was left was for the three of them to be a unit! Richard forced her down on a seat before he went to give Amy a side hug. Zach stepped aside and let the older man when he saw Amy open her arms.


    "Hey, kiddo. How are you feeling?"


    "I''m alright. And how are you doing?"


    "I''m great. This little fe is growing so fast", hemented with a happy smile. Looking at her now, her belly had grown bigger since hest saw her.


    Amy chuckled as she rubbed her belly. Then she remembered the man behind her as she took his hand and brought him to her side. Richard moved back.


    "I''d like to officially introduce you to cupcake''s daddy, Zach, and Zachery, this is Richard, Ste''s husband. They have been taking care of me for as long as I''ve known them. They''re special people to me", she said.


    The two men exchanged a firm handshake. Zach was familiar with him, he had all the information on Ste and Richard was included. Amy had a pleased smile.


    "Are you just going to stand there?" Ste said with a smile.


    They walked over with the couple sharing a sofa while Richard went to settle beside his wife. He didn''t know how he felt about Zach but he wasn''t ufortable either. If anything, the couple looked good together and Amy looked happier with him.


    "So Jennifer, huh?" He started. Ste had told him everything.


    "I''m sorry, Richard", she sincerely apologized.


    "Don''t worry, kiddo. You could have a hundred names but it won''t change anything. You''re a good girl, I''m sure you have your reasons", then he turned to Zach and assumed a strict and an authoritative stance. "I don''t know your story, the both of you, but I''ve known Emily for a while and she''s someone who means a lot to me. I think I have every right to say that I wouldn''t want her getting hurt. So if you do....."


    Zach''s back straightened before he took hold of Amy''s hand. "Don''t worry. Hurting her is equivalent to hurting me. I wouldn''t intentionally hurt myself, so don''t worry."


    "Good man!" He stood up. "Beer?"


    "Why not?" He moved to stand before turning to Amy. "Would you like anything?"<sub> </sub>


    "I''m good. Ste? Nora?" Amy asked.


    "No, dear. Wait, are you going somewhere?" Ste asked.


    "Home. There is a game ying right now", Richard replied with a bashful smile. Ste shook her head, it''s always ser for Richard. "I''m sure you don''t want us watching football over beer and makingments while you have your girlie chats. We''ll be back in an hour and a half."


    "Typical", Ste responded with a shake of her head.


    "You don''t mind me stealing your man kiddo?" He asked Amy.


    "Go ahead", Amy said with an amused smile.


    "You''ll be okay?" Zach asked to which she nodded. He briefly pressed his lips to hers before getting a move on. Nora didn''t miss this part.


    He slightly felt excited. It was like going to watch a ser match over beer with his father-inw. Speaking of which, he was curious to know about Amy''s family if she had any. He noted to ask herter on. The two men left for Ste''s ce while thedies were left to chat.


    True to Richard''s words, they came back close to two hourster. Nora had made lunch. She had her mom''s cooking skills. They shared a hearty meal with conversation as the day went by. When evening struck, the family of three went back home.


    "They''re good people", Zachmented when he closed the door after them. He genuinely had a good time with them. He understood when Amy said they meant a lot to her.


    "Mm-hm", Amy replied as she walked towards him. "Now, about dinner..."


    "About that..... Can we have another lesson?" He requested. He was quite envious of the way Amy reacted to his brothers'' cooking.


    "Sure", Amy nodded. She would stick to him and supervise every step.


    Meanwhile, Richard settled on the sofa the moment they stepped into the house. He really liked the Zach guy. He seemed seemed to genuinely like the girl. In his eyes.... there was love for Amy, he was sure of this. Speaking of love, he turned to his wife who was wheeling herself to their room.


    "Oh? You should have told me", he stood up.


    "Don''t worry, dear. I just need to get something from the room. I''ll be right back", Ste said.


    "You sure?" He asked.


    She hummed in response as she went on her way. Nora had locked herself in her room to shower. Who knew what else she was doing after spending the day and falling in and out of a day dream of her fantasies?


    Ste closed the door behind her before she went to the bathroom and locked herself in. She took out her phone from her trouser pocket and saw the message she received from Lilly.


    Lilly: Call me A.S.AP.


    She didn''t waste a second before dialing the number.


    "Thought you''d never call", Lilly answered immediately.


    "I had something on. What''s up? Did you look into it?" Ste quietly spoke into the phone.


    "Hmmmm... I found a lot of Jennifer Harpers but none of them are in West Vige. I don''t know who you''re looking for. It''s safe to say the person you''re looking for doesn''t exist", Lilly said.


    Does that mean Amy gave them another false name? This just made her more suspicious although she was disappointed in the results.


    "If that''s all.." Ste wanted to hang up. She didn''t want to stay on the phone too long.


    "Wait!" Lilly shouted. She chuckled in amusement. "I found something interesting about your neighbor. The pregnant one you work with."


    Ste''s interest was piqued immediately but her heart was thudding in anxiousness. "What?"


    "There''s a... She has a different identity, A.J. I don''t know what it stands for. But that''s not all. There''s a bounty on her head. It was issued by the Dark Waters. All underworld organizations have been looking for her, and ours has not been left out of this little party. She''s worth millions!"


    Ste''s heart sunk the same time her hand slowly retracted the phone from her ear onto herp. A bounty... on Amy''s head?

 Chapter 157 Men Lurking In Town

    "Call me if you need anything and I''ll be there. Don''t waste a second in hesitation, or an S.O.S, I''ll be there right away. My men are close by, if you can''t get to your phone quicker, you can signal any of my men and-"


    Amy pulled away from his embrace and gently cupped both his cheeks. She was hardly suppressing a smile as she said, "Zachery, I''m literally going to be across the street."


    "Baby, anything can happen. We both know it''s not safe for you especially with baby", he gently caressed her stomach as he expressed his worry.


    She took a step back and feigned hurt as she crossed her arms against her chest boosting up her exposed cleavage. "Oh? So it''s the baby you''re worried about and not me?"


    Zach took a moment to look at her and stepped forward. He resumed hugging her as his lips found her ears. His deep voice tickled her ears in a seductive whisper. "You''re seducing me, baby. Damn the doctor''s orders or I''d make sure your legs stay wrapped around me while I fuck you until you forget your own name."


    She clutched his shirt suppressing the pleasurable shiver down her spine she felt. She swallowed a hard lump as her active mind painted a vivid picture of Zach buried insider her with her legs wrapped around him, pushing him to go even deeper. She could remember the feeling of him going that deep from their first night. Oh! How she wished that came true!


    "Do you need anything else dear?" Ste asked snapping Amy out of her thoughts.


    Their moment had been interrupted by a call making Zach swear he would murder them while she used that chance to get out of the house and go over at Ste''s. They were in her living room and the coffee table had been set up with different snacks. Amy was settled on a single sofa with a te of snacks in herp. She looked at her almost empty ss of juice.


    "Just a refill", she pointed at the ss.


    "What''s Zach doing?" Shouted Nora as she went to get more juice in a jug.


    "He''s in a meeting", she replied. That''s what the call was about as much as he hated the interruption.


    Nora came back to refill her ss when a knock was heard before the door was opened. Thedies from the book club came in one by one. Amy felt like it had been ages since she saw them. She stood to exchange hugs and kisses.


    As per custom, they had brought their Pride and Prejudice books with them as they settled down. Ste was more pleased to see them. Thest time they saw each other was at the hospital when they dealt with Lilly, except for Adrianne.


    "Mom, I''ll be at the library", Nora shouted. "Adrianne?"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll call you if anything", Adrianne assured her.


    They had agreed to swap ces. Since Adrianne wanted to attend the meeting, Nora would take her ce at the library and help Ian. She was back to wearing her tomboy outfits though they never suppressed her beauty.


    "Alrightdies, enjoy!" She shouted as she gave Amy onest nce.


    They answered her back chorusing the words ''Yeah'', ''Later'', and ''Thanks'' as she stepped out of the house. Soon, the sound of Ste''s car engine starting was heard before they watched it drive off from the driveway.


    "Wow! You look amazing Emz!" Emily beamed at Amy as she took in her grown belly.


    "Five months?" Dorothy asked.


    "Almost", Amy confirmed with a happy smile.


    "Mm. Pregnancy is looking good on you", Dorothy genuinelyplimented her.


    "Thanks Dorothy."


    They exchanged a few pleasantries asking about each others'' families before Ste announced the meeting begin. She looked at the page and sighed.


    "Feels like we''ve been stuck on the first five chapters for a long time", she shook her head.<sub> </sub>


    "I mean, there''s always something more interesting to talk about", Anastasia shrugged as everyone nodded in agreement.


    "Speaking of interesting", Elizabeth started. "Have you all heard about Owen Turner''s nephew down town?"


    "Why? What happened?" Sylvia asked as she served herself some snacks.


    "Apparently, he got high on some drugs that turned him into a sex maniac."


    "You mean Viagra?" Adrianne asked.


    "No, apparently these ones work like coc at the-"


    Snort! Everyone turned to find Emma wheezing and snorting, failing to suppress herugh.


    "She said cock!" Emma said in between chortles.


    "Emma!" Dorothy grumbled and looked at Elizabeth. "Continue."


    "As I was saying, these work as COCAINE and aphrodisiac at the same time so he raped Owen, his uncle, before he cut off his", she whistled as she pointed at her crotch area.


    Gasps resounded in the living room as thedies looked horrified.


    "How high was he to actually do that?" Adrianne whispered as she grimaced at the thought.


    p "But how was he able to overpower Owen? I mean he''s huge", Meredith gestured with her hands describing the muscr guy. He was practically two times the size of his nephew.</anda>


    "Oooh! Unless someone wanted it.....", Emma said in a song songy way. Thedies have each other knowing seeming amused as they nodded in agreement.


    "But I''m still disturbed by the fact that he cut off his own thing after doing that", Ste grimaced at this.


    "Right? Who is polluting West Vige with such dirty drugs? I''d hate for my kids to get their hands on them", Dorothy shook her head.


    "I''ll change the topic to something better!" Adrianne pped her hands to gain everyone''s attention. "By the way, have you all heard about the new cleaning agency in town? It''s run by hot and muscr guys."


    "Oooh! I have! I had one clean my yard yesterday", Dorothy gushed. "He was quite chatty. Asking me this and that about me." She leaned in and whispered. "I think he''s interested in me."


    "Alright! We have derailed enough to fantasies, let''s get back to reality!" Adrianne shouted earning a re from Dorothy. "But really, these guy are to die for! If not for Jared...."


    "If not for Jared, what?" Ste jabbed.


    "Nothing would change", she shed her a sheepish grin.


    The women expressed theirck of trust in Adrianne''s words. While Amyughed at the turn of the conversation, she was gued by what was said. What was this about drugs in West Vige? And those men, were they Zach''s? Is that what he meant by they''ll sort themselves out? But this solution seems a bit.....


    However, they were not far from the truth. Men indeed had been lurking around town. What Amy didn''t know was they were some who had other intentions. One of them was currently eyeing Nora from across the street as she parked her mother''s car


    The man was dressed in a casual outfit but upon a closer look, he had a gruff appearance and seemed suspicious. He looked around before crossing over. His fierce gaze never left the unsuspecting Nora....

 Chapter 158 Nora Is The Bigger Weirdo

    Nora gatherered her things and opened the door to get out. The door got stuck when it was opened half way. She looked up and saw a gruff looking man. Her brows furrowed in confusion. Through her calm demeanor, she was still anxious underneath.


    "Are you going to get your hands off or should I do it for you?" She threw him a challenging gaze.


    She looked so serious and her re was intense it would scare anything in her path but the man before her wasn''t anything as simple. A sheepish smile that made his eyes reduce into slits appeared. Nora''s face contorted into disgust as she was creeped out by him.


    "My bad!" He let go of the door before an unnaturalugh erupted from his mouth.


    Her brows furrowed as she got out of the car. ''He won''t stab me or anything, right?'' she mused as she nced around before spotting a camera outside the library. She rxed as she closed the door and turned her attention to the man.


    "Yes?" She asked.


    He looked around before stuffing his hand into his pocket. Nora took a step back, she was already weirded out and now what was he doing?


    "You''re not going to take out your wiener and ask for a blow job, are you?" She eyed him up and down.


    He stopped his movements and scoffed. He seemed annoyed by her misunderstanding. "Are you for real?"


    "Then why is your hand in your pocket?"


    "Because- Because I want to show you something!" He grumbled.


    She took a step back to create more distance between them. "Okay."


    He could not believe his day. Nora did not know how provocative her actions were and what his true intentions in that moment were. But he held back and let out a deep breath before fishing out his phone. He tapped it a few times and showed her the disy.


    "Do you know this person?" He asked a little more serious.


    She looked down at the screen and her face lit up in recognition. "Oh?"


    The man was pleased when he saw this. It seemed he would be getting his answers. Ian, who was sitting at the front desk, looked out the window. His brows went up when he saw his Aunt talking to a suspicious man. It wasn''t long before the man hurriedly left her side. Nora tried to hold him back but he practically fled. She locked the car before walking in with little care in the world.


    "Who was that?" Ian asked as he got up from his seat.


    "Some idiot showing me dick pics", she smiled.


    "I bet you were asking for more pictures? Such a pervert", he said as he left for his station.


    She let out a sheepish giggle as she settled down. It was when he disappeared did her expression turn serious. That picture she saw..... It was definitely Amy. As much as she thought the girl looked beautiful, why was such a person looking for her?


    As Adrianne wanted to spend the day with Ste, Nora agreed to work throughout the rest of the day. When it hit five, she left for home as did Ian for his apartment.


    She was greeted by the sight of Richard watching the news in the living room when she got home.


    "Hey Dad!" She greeted.


    "Hey!" He briefly nced at her before looking back at the TV.


    "Where''s mom?"


    "Bedroom!"


    She walked on and found their room. She knocked and walked in when Ste permitted her in. Ste was putting away some clothes when she saw her daughter walk in. They smiled at each other.


    "What are you doing instead of resting?" Nora scolded before settling down on theirfy bed.


    "I hurt my hip and not my hands", she countered. "How was your day?"<sub> </sub>


    "So-so. Mom, is it normal for weirdos to show up around the library?" She got to the point.


    "Why?" The rms in Ste''s head went off.


    Hours earlier....


    Nora looked at the picture in the phone screen. It was definitely a picture of Amy. She would know that face anywhere. Except, her hair was brown and shoulder length. She looked really beautiful.


    "You know her?" The man asked.


    "Of course I do!" She replied enthusiastically.


    The man''s face lit up. This was going to be his big break. This had been such a big case to crack. He was starting to think she doesn''t exist.


    "She''s the main star in my fantasies!" The man saw his hopes crush into pieces. Nora''s face lit up more as she moved to look closer at the picture. "So she really exists? Is she a porn star? What''s her name? Do you know her IG handle?"


    The man moved to escape her. Nora was the bigger weirdo between them as he fled from her clutches.


    Present time.....


    Nora sighed after recounting what happened to her mother. "I did that remembering Em- Jennifer doesn''t want her identity disclosed. But he''s a weirdo. I got bad vibes from him. Do you think I should tell her?"


    "Can you describe this man?" She asked with her heart thudding in anxiousness.


    She looked up and tried to remember the man. "He was a head shorter than me, I think he''s in his forties or something, has a lean body, he wore casual clothes, short brown hair and chocte brown eyes. He''s someone you wouldn''t give a second thought to if you see him."


    Ste clutched the folded cloth in her shaking hand. She was clearly anxious and avoided Nora''s gaze. "No one followed you on your way here?"


    "No. I took a roundabout way to get here. So, should I tell her?"


    "I''m sure it''s nothing", she said with a contemtive look. She looked at Nora and forced a smile. "Go on and rest. I''ll speak to her just in case. I''m sure it''s nothing."


    Nora felt Ste was trying to convince herself than her and doing a poor job at that. But she was satisfied with knowing her mother would speak to Amy. So she left the room to go wash up after a long day.


    Once she saw the coast was clear, she wheeled herself to the bathroom and locked herself in. She took out her phone and dialed for Lilly''s number.


    "How did the bounty hunters find out where to look for Emily?" Ste whisper shouted into the phone.


    Lilly gave a sheepish chuckle. "You found out?"


    "What did you do?" Ste''s anger was apparent on her face.


    "Actually.... Someone overheard our conversation the other day-"


    "And that''s how Viper found his way into West Vige specifically my shop? How can you be so careless???" She touched the back of her neck feeling her blood boil.


    Viper was one of the most feared assassin. He was known as the devil''s minion because of his reputation in the assassination field. He always disguised himself as a nobody and took down his target without batting an eye. He performed gruesome murders and always enjoyed every inch of the killing.


    He once dissected a living person with so much precision and focus and literally distributed his body parts over different parts of North America. It was like a puzzle for the authorities handling the case. He was always creative with his killings. And to think Nora was careless around such a man....


    "I''m sorry. But if you help him, you can ask him to split the pay! That way he''ll leave you alone-"


    Ste smacked the arm of her chair in fury. Was she really asking her to sell Amy out? Amy had really grown on her and this was trouble she had brought on herself. What should she do to help herself and Amy?

 Chapter 159 Just A Thief

    "This looks amazing", Amy beamed at the te of pasta Zach had served her.


    The man had prayer hands pressed to his lips as he watched in anticipation. Everything rted to Amy always made him nervous even if it''s as simple as watching her try a dish he made. She took a fork and twirled it in the dish before eating it.


    Zach watched her chew before her eyes lit up.


    "Oh!" She shielded her mouth with a hand. "This is good!"


    "Really?"


    She nodded a little vigorously as she continued to chew. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the counter and brought his face inches away from hers.


    "Let me have a taste", he said deliberately lowering his voice.


    She used toin that everything he said on text was a seductive move but now that she was experiencing it in person.... The corners of his lips lifted when he saw her eyes widen and cheeks coloring red before she swallowed a hard lump. He wiggled his brows once signaling her to get a move on.


    "Ah!" She quietly said when she snapped out of her reverie. She picked up the fork and twirled a bit before bringing it to his lips.


    She watched the way his lips slowly let go of the fork. The way they fell into a pout oddly reminded her of the way he let go of her nipple barely an hour into arriving into this house. She blinked a few times as she averted her gaze.


    Zach smiled as he chewed when he saw her heated up face. What was going on in that active little mind?


    "What are you thinking about?" He asked after swallowing.


    "Nothing", she could barely look at him in her embarrassed state.


    She had read about how most women have a high sex drive during pregnancy but she didn''t think it would be this bad. How was eating spaghetti rted to such an erotic scene?


    Zach was not having it. He hooked a finger under her chin and made her face him. He studied her face, taking in her mesmerising blues that looked at him in curiosity, her perk nose, and pink plump lips. She sucked in the bottom one feeling nervous under his watch.


    He pressed a thumb on her chin in a slow pulling motion to release her bottom lip. The sight was torturous for him. Without a second thought, he captured her lips with his. Amy rxed into the kiss as his tongue invaded her mouth. His one hand moved to grab the back of her head as their tongues danced in hot passion.


    He slowly broke the kiss to let them catch their breaths. He caressed her now swollen lips with his thumb.


    "I don''t think I''ll ever get enough of this", he whispered.


    "Me neither", she whispered back.


    They both fell into happy smiles. They took their time catching their breaths and basking in the aftermath of their make out session before they had dinner. He did the dishes, not letting her lift a finger. By the time he was done, she was ready for bed. He was sure to turn off the lights after making sure the doors were locked before the two turned in for the night.


    A few hourster


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    Zach''s eyes flew open at the sound of the rythmic knocking. He lifted his head and took in Amy''s serene sleeping face facing him. She used his arm as a pillow as she nuzzled into his bare chest. Slowly, but surely, he slid his arm out of under her head to rece it with a pillow. The moment she felt the coldness of the pillow, her eyes fluttered open. Zach cursed under his breath.


    "What''s going on?" She asked in a whisper in her sleepy state.


    He looked at her with a serious expressions. Well, there was no need to hide it from her.


    "We havepany", he whispered back.


    All the sleep in her eyes disappeared. Unlike the times she was alone, she was calm maybe because he was with her. Zach was pleased when he saw this. Thest thing he wanted was for her to worry. But still, he needed to see who this daring intruder was.


    "I need you to stay here", he said.


    She nodded. She understood why he said so. He pecked her lips before grabbing clothes to throw on top of his boxers. He didn''t turn on the lights as he found his way out of the room.


    He walked to the living room and found two men one lean body and one with a huge build who was holding a third man by the cor in the dark room. Zach was unafraid of the scene as he knew who was standing before him. He stopped a few feet away from them.<sub> </sub>


    The third man was hurled to the floor with a loud thud. A pain filled groan echoed in the quiet night. He could barely stand up. Zach picked up on the smell of blood.


    His face was long morphed into a cold expression. He stared at the man on the floor with no care to the sound of his whimpering in pain.


    "I caught a rat sneaking around the house", Raphy spat.


    Zach hummed as he sped his hands behind his back. Even though they could hardly make out his expression, they knew that he was pissed. The temperature in the room seemed to drop drastically.


    Gomez grabbed the man on the floor by his hair to make him face Zach. He was the one who had hurled him down. Zach''s brows pulled together when he saw the battered up and bloody face.


    "Name", he uttered.


    "I got the wrong house", he managed to say as he breathed erratically. "I''m just a thief. I won''t do it again!"


    Zach sighed in clear boredom.


    "Boss doesn''t like to repeat himself", Gomez snarled.


    "Please", the man begged.


    Thud!


    The man fell to the floor and let out a painful cough of blood after Raphy''s fist made contact with his jaw. He casually took out a handkerchief and wiped his bloody knuckles.


    "Eric Simmons", he wheezed a cough.


    Zach studied his swollen face. It was barely recognizable. With his nk expression, no one knew what he was thinking. Eric visibly shook. He felt like the devil was silently passing down judgement on him! What a rotten luck! This is not what he thought he''d encounter after breaking into this house.


    "Did you say you''re a thief?" Zach asked in a deliberate unhurried tone.


    "Yes, that''s right! I was only going to steal something! I wasn''t going to hurt anyone! Please believe me!" He groaned in pain.


    Raphy had roughed him up badly. Who knew a lean looking Raphy could do this much damage in less than five minutes of running into him? And now, seeing Zach ncing down at him like he was some pest, it seemed he got the wrong house.


    "A thief", Zach repeated to himself. "A thief it is."


    He shot a knowing nce at his men to which they nodded before he retreated to the bedroom. Eric groaned when he was forced to his feet. He didn''t understand a word Zach had just said now. He looked at Gomez and Raphy with his barely open eyes.


    "What''s going on? What are you going to do to me?" Eric cried out.


    The two men didn''t bother answering as they dragged him away. Eric felt a warm liquid trickle down his leg. He had never felt so scared in his life than in that moment to the point of peeing himself.


    What had hended himself into? Should he have just given up his real identity and strike out a deal? That man.... What did he mean earlier? He should try to negotiate before they end him. It can''t end for him like this.


    "Please-"


    Pak!


    A punch from Raphy shut him up, knocking him unconscious. Gomez shook his head as he took in the serious expression of the young man.


    "That temper of yours", he clicked his tongue at Raphy.


    "He was being noisy", he pretended to pick his ear as his expression contorted into annoyance. "We can''t let him wake up the madam."


    "What an unlucky fe", Gomez looked at Eric. "He''s in for a ride...."

 Chapter 160 Its All Thanks To Stella

    "Thought you''d be asleep", Zach frowned when he got back into the room. He moved to remove his shirt and sweats.


    "I was curious about this ''Eric Simmons''", she replied softly with her gaze peeled on herptop.


    "You heard that?" He was genuinely surprised. He thought they were being quiet except for the guy''s groaning and the sound of him being thrown to the ground.


    "I have eyes and ears everywhere in this house", she calmly replied. Then she looked up when she realized what she said. "It''s not that I eavesdrop on everything. It''s just for situations like these."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not bothered", he chuckled softly at her nervousness.


    After he heard the front door closed did he turn on the lights. He didn''t like her working in the dark in fear of ruining her eyes. She smiled even as she typed away.


    "Thank you."


    "You''re wee", he moved to join her on the bed.


    "You didn''t buy the thief b.s?" She asked with an amused smile.


    "My men will look into it. We should have answers by tomorrow", he moved to get under the sheets.


    She looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "How about now?"


    His brows lifted up in amusement before his cupped her chin. "For someone who has a bounty on their head, you seem a little too excited about this. That could be an assassin we just caught."


    "What if he is?" She countered with a smile.


    His curiosity was piqued by what she said. She didn''t waste a second and turned herptop screen to him. The his brows furrowed as he skimmed through the information.


    "Antonio Rodriguez, also known as Viper, one of ss B assassins.... Hmmm", he leaned back into the headboard after reading the information.


    "This is all thanks to Ste", she said as she leaned into his embrace.


    The light in her arms dimmed when she said this. As Zach wrapped his arms around her, her mind took her back to the day before, hours before the book club.


    Yesterday morning....


    She had just woken up and as usual, Zach''s side of the bed was made. She had figured he had OCD because of the way he did things. Everything was done with precision, order, and neatly. She found it amusing yet attractive at the same time.


    She remembered to brush her teeth and wash her face first. Without bothering to throw on a robe, she went to the living room where she found him working. He was such a busy man. He turned when he heard the soft sound of her footsteps.


    "Good morning", she pecked his lips.


    "Good morning", he dropped a file before bringing her onto hisp. She tucked stray hairs away from her face as she took in the paperwork. "Slept well?"


    She nodded, "You know I can help you with some of these."


    "Thanks baby, but it''s okay. These can be quite stressful so let''s not do that", he said gently.


    His thumb caressed where his handy on her thigh. He hummed in thought with his brows furrowed. ''Is something up?'' she mused as she took in his expression.<sub> </sub>


    "There''s something I need to show you", he said softly. She watched him take a tablet and brought it to her. Her brows went up when she saw what was on the disy.


    "This is..."


    "I know. I''ll understand if you take offense but I simply wanted to know the people hanging around you. I found it odd that they didn''t even push to know your story after what you told them at the hospital. The most human thing to do is be more curious but they shut it down like it was nothing. So I asked George to look into and we found this...."


    He took in her expression. Shock was evident on her delicate features. He hoped she would understand his position but he would still apologize. Anyone would take offense if they were in her shoes. Augh erupted from her lips.


    Zach was shocked by this. She wasn''t angry and theugh was not insincere. Did he miss something?


    "Seems like we''re alike in this aspect", she said with a bashful smile. His brows furrowed in confusion. "I look into everyone I encounter on more than one asion. And yes, I found it odd that she brushed it aside so easily knowing the curious person Ste is. I brushed it off though it slightly bothered me."


    "So you knew about her being a former member of the Night Wolves?"


    "Yes. From day one. I have a feeling it had to do with why she left her hometown", she said in thought. That story about her leaving because of her cousin Lily, it didn''t seem as likely.


    "Mm. But I think that might be a problem for you", he said.


    With her curiosity piqued, he scrolled down on the page he had showed her. Amy felt sick to the stomach when she saw the bounty the Dark Waters had issued on her. How did she miss all this?


    Zach sighed, "The Night Wolves are also partaking in this mission. I don''t know if-"


    "She won''t! I may sound delusional but Ste won''t betray me to them", she said with clear resolve.


    She trusted the friendship they had cultivated over the past few months. But with the lies Ste hade to learn about her, would she really not betray her? Zach''s heart broke when he saw her worried expression.


    Back to the present time....


    Zach tightened his embrace around Amy. Despite everything that was happening, the assassins, the bounty on her head, and everything else; she was worried about her friendship with Ste. His heart ached when he saw this.


    "Zachery", she called out softly.


    "Yes, baby", he rested his chin atop her head.


    "I don''t know how many have managed to find out about this, I don''t want them hurting her because of me. We need to do something to prevent that", she said.


    He had a solution but was too afraid to voice knowing how heart broken she would be. But to his surprise, Amy looked up at him and said the very thing he was thinking about.


    "We need to leave West Vige", she said with clear determination.


    She said it herself. He frowned at this, "Are you sure?"


    She nodded in response. He searched her eyes and slowly tears started welling up in her eyes. A drop fell down her cheek followed by her lips quivering. He cupped her cheek and brought her head to his chest. Her soft sobs echoed in the quiet night....


    Zach felt his anger boil at Amy''s heart breaking cries. Their enemies were quickly driving them up a wall. This whole game needed to end.... He would make sure of it....

 Chapter 161 Stellas Guilt

    "Is everything okay? I was surprised by the sudden call", Ste said as she was being wheeled in by Nora.


    Zach only smiled as he moved to give them more space. He shut the door behind them before walking over to join them in the living room. Nora felt herself grown nervous at his serious expression and the fact that he had not said a word to them. She exchanged a look with her mother.


    ''Did something happen?'' Nora mused.


    "Is Emily alright? Does she need to go to the hospital? Weren''t you supposed toe over for breakfast?" Nora fired a series of questions at her.


    "Nora", Zach called out. She felt herself grow alert at the way her name rolled off his tongue. "Can you join my wife in the bedroom? I''d like to have a word with your mother."


    "Um, sure", she moved on even though she felt odd about the request. But another thought came to mind, was she finally walking into her crush''s room? Her heart thudded in excitement.


    Once they heard the closing of the door, Zach turned to the older woman. She was clearly shaken in his presence though she tried to keep her calm. He figured she was mostly fearless in what she says because of her background.


    Amy could not bring herself to talk to Ste so she asked him to handle that for her. Usually, he would be ruthless but because of her, he would be gentle.


    <o>,m "I''ll go straight to the point", he said to which Ste nodded. "We had a break inst night."</o>


    She gasped in shock as she cupped her mouth.


    "A man known as Viper followed Nora home. We don''t know how he found out about us but yesterday happened."


    "Dear God no!" She grabbed her head and regret and fear was etched into her features. "Is Emily alright? What about the baby? And you? Did he hurt you in any way?"


    Zach could see her genuine worry. Amy was right, Ste wouldn''t do that to her. They would have just left but he understood why Amy wanted to talk to her first. Ste meant a lot to her.


    "So you know him?" His brows went up.


    "This is all my fault! All my fault! I''m so sorry! I''m so sorry!" She covered her face with her hands as she started sobbing.


    Bang! Amy''s room door violently swung. Zach turned to see a pissed off Nora storming their way.


    "I don''t care how good looking you are but you DO NOT get to make my mom cry and get away with it!" She red at him while rishinh to kneel before her mother. "Mom are you alright? What''s wrong? What did he say to you?"


    "It''s all my fault! Nora it''s all my fault! It''s all my fault!" The sight of her was simply heart breaking.


    Nora''s features wereced with confusion as she looked at Zach. His expression had not changed one bit. She knew, that even if she tried, he would not give her answers. Only her mother would. She took the older women in her arms and rubbed soothing circles on her back.<sub> </sub>


    Ste felt extremely guilty. Her actions had let to Amy''s safety beingpromised. She would never forgive herself if any harm came to that poor girl. Her uneasiness increased when she realized she had not seen her since she came in. Zach had not answered her question earlier, either. She felt she no longer had the right to know.


    ''What have I done?'' she mused in the middle of her sobs.


    A fair and soft hand took hold of hers. Nora moved when she saw who it was. A tear stricken Ste stared at Amy in disbelief. The young woman was kneeling before her and tears had stained her eyes. Amy moved to wipe away Ste''s eyes with her delicate fingers.


    "Why are you crying? You did nothing wrong", Amy sniffled.


    "And why are you crying?" Ste moved to wipe Amy''s tears with her shaking hands.


    "How can I not when you are?" Amy replied before she broke out in a sob.


    Nora''s lips spasmed. Had she been pulled into a soap opera? What is this scene before her. She felt awkward as she watched the two women embrace each other as they sobbed. She looked at Zach, and his brows were pulled together with his gaze fixed on his wife. Of course, where else would he be looking? Can''t he just spare a nce her way? The world would turn upside down if he did.


    "Baby", Zach.


    "Hm?" Nora hurriedly answered. Then she saw who he was talking to and extended her hum into a tune. She wished she could dig a hole and hide. ach ignored her and moved to Amy.


    "Sit down", he moved to help Amy sit next to Ste. He was afraid she would grow ufortable if she remained in that kneeling position especially with the baby. He passed a box of tissues to her for the two to share.


    "Thank you", they both said in unison.


    They chuckled softly and fell quiet as they both calmed down from the crying. Nora was still confused by the situation. She now understood that Zach had nothing to do with her mother''s crying. But, what was going on? Was anyone going to talk?


    "Are you okay with her being here?" Amy asked referring to Nora.


    "Yeah. It''s high time she found out who mother really is", Ste sniffled before using the tissue.


    "What are you talking about? Mom? What''s going on?" Nora felt like her heart would explode right through her chest.


    And so Ste recounted everything that happened from the visit they paid to Amy in the hospital.... To Viper finding out about the young woman...


    Nora looked at her mother mouth open wide. Everything felt foreign to her. Her body didn''t feel like her own. It was like she was merely a spectator to this show. Her mother..... What has she done to her?

 Chapter 162 She Cant Lose Them

    Ste took in everyone''s expressions. Zach did not look the least bit surprised. She had figured that if he went out straight with the facts, he must have found out her real identity. Amy, she didn''t seem surprised either, there was disappointment in her eyes but it didn''t feel like it was directed at her. And Nora.


    "Nora, say something", Ste urged.


    The young woman had zoned out in the middle of her narrating everything. Nora was bubbly and forward just like herself so this silence, it worried her. She would choose her angry outburst over this. She had really shaken her daughter. Augh erupted in the quiet room.


    Everyone turned to find Noraughing. She looked like she had heard the greatest joke on the. Sheughed while smacking her thighs to the point of tears welling up in her eyes. She calmed down with a sigh as she wiped away the tears.


    "Why are you and Dad so hell bent on ruining my chances at love?" She burst out. Ste''s and Amy''s mouths fell open. Did they miss something? Nora stood on her feet and started to pace around the room. "Oh! Don''t act surprised! You know what you did!"


    "What is she talking about?" Amy was befuddled by the turn of conversation.


    "Nora, Emily is as good as married to him. And they''re having a baby together. Stop with the nonsense!" Ste scolded. She should have known.


    "Nonsense? How rich of you mom! First you n with Dad to add her to our family and now you''ve put her in danger! I wouldn''t be surprised if they decided to move away!"


    Zach confirmed with a curt nod. Amy looked at Ste in shock. Her mind took her back to the time she visited her in the hospital. She wasn''t wrong. Ste was indeed disappointed that it wasn''t her who called her mom. And she was not wrong about their rtionship either. She felt her heart ache at this. Nora also felt her heart ache at Zach''s confirmation.


    "Argggghhhhhhh!" She shook herself and stomped in ce in frustration. Her hair quickly resembled a bird''s nest from her actions. She turned to look at her mother with a deadly re before stomping towards her to kneel before her. She took her hands and rested her forehead against them with a sigh. When she looked up, she looked so pitiful with tears welling up in her eyes.


    "Mom", her tone turned gentle. "Please tell me everything you just said is not true. It''s not true, is it?"


    Ste was reminded of her wrong doings. She couldn''t even look her daughter in the eye as she dropped her gaze. "I''m sorry."


    "No. I.... I can''t lose them", she shook her head no non-stop.


    "Them?" Ste was shocked when she heard this.


    And that froze Nora. What had she just blurted out? Today is not going well for her, she thought with a cock of her head to the side. Well, it had already gotten to this point. She had nothing else to lose.


    "Yes", she stood up and looked between Zach and Amy. "I''m crazy about the both of you at the same time! There! I said it! Sue me!"


    For the first time, Zach reacted to her. And he was as shocked as Amy was. Having them both look at her like that, she couldn''t handle it! At a speed if lightning, Nora disappeared out of the door!


    Amy blinked once, twice. "That was... That was....."


    "I know..... I..... I didnt.... Wow!" Ste did not know how to exin either. Out of everything she said, that was all Nora picked up on.


    The room fell quiet. No one spoke a word. Everything that just happened sunk in. That was when Ste realized something heart breaking.


    "You''re leaving?" She turned to Amy with rmed eyes.<sub> </sub>


    She nodded. "We have to. I can''t afford to put you in danger. It''s bad enough a man as dangerous as Viper made contact with Nora. I can''t have that."


    "My carelessness. I really didn''t mean to put you in harm''s way. I was just curious. You''re such a good girl and I wanted to know what it who was after you and how I could protect you with my influence. I should have trusted and respected you but I got so curious..... I''m so sorry Emily. Now, I''m losing someone as good as my daughter", she cupped the young woman''s cheeks as she started sobbing again.


    "You were really going to add me to your family?" She still could not believe this. And she was touched by Ste''s reasoning though it brought such consequences.


    "Yes, I was worried dear. I talked to Richard about it and he agreed right away. We considered you as our own but we just thought it was too soon to bring it up because you had barely known us."


    Amy pouted feeling her heart melt at Ste''s words. She pulled her into an embrace. The two fell quiet. Silent tears fell down Amy''s cheeks. She sniffled, "I never said this but you are the closest thing I''ve got to a mother. I would have loved to call you my mother."


    "It''s toote for that now", Ste sighed into their embrace.


    Amy pulled away and cupped the woman''s cheeks like she always did with her. She let out a gentle smile through her tears. "We will meet again. Cupcake will have to meet her grandmother."


    "Oh! Dear", Ste pulled her into a hug again as she gently patted Amy''s head. Tears could not stop falling down Ste''s cheeks.


    Zach was moved when he saw this. He was wrong for misunderstanding this older woman. He was curious about Amy''s family and he just met her. So he moved and went down on one knee before the older woman. The two women broke the embrace and looked at him.


    "I''d like to thank you for taking care of her. No amount of words can express how grateful I am. If you need anything, anything at all, please don''t hesitate to call me", he promised.


    Ste shook her head, "All I want is for you to continue to take care of her. I''ve seen how happier she''s grown with you around. Don''t ever leave her."


    "And I will never. That''s a promise", he said.


    Without a second thought, she pulled him into a hug. He felt awkward at first, but he reciprocated the gesture. This was his mother-inw after all.


    Amy wiped her tears with a tissue after they broke the embrace. They both calmed down from the crying.


    "I''ll have to trouble you to exin things to Richard", Amy said apologetically.


    "Don''t worry dear. You just take care of yourself", Ste assured her.


    She figured they would be gone before her husband returned. In truth, they nned to leaveter at night. Zach advised her to stay indoors for her safety because they didn''t know who was watching. That''s why he called for Ste toe over instead of going over with Amy. Disguises worked best at night, and so their departure would take ce at that time. One thought worried the older woman.


    "What are you going to do about the bounty? You could have gotten rid of Viper, but what about the rest?" She looked at the two with genuine worry.


    "About that.....", Amy started. "I''m going to implement something I learned from you."


    Ste''s curiosity was piqued. What was she talking about? Amy gave Zach a knowing look and he responded with a smile.....

 Chapter 163 Amy Is Gone

    "Mom! We''re home", Alex shouted from the door.


    Little Stacy let go of her hand and run into the house. She found her grandparents sitting together on the sofa with Ste''s wheelchair beside them. Richard opened his arms wide for the little one. She jumped onto hisp and he pecked the top of her head. Stacy had been told about her grandma''s injury so she was careful with the way she conducted herself in front of her.


    "Good evening grandpa, good evening grabdma", she spoke with a bright smile.


    "Good girl. How are you doing today?" He asked with a gentle gaze at the little one while Ste patted her cheeks gently.


    "I''m fine! Grandpa, mommy took me to Ariel''s for a y date."


    "Is that your y partner at school?" He was genuinely confused.


    "Nooo! That''s Annie! Grandpa, how could you forget?" She whined.


    "Dad, Ariel is our neighbor''s kid", Alex said as she moved to peck his cheek before doing the same to her mother.


    Bam!


    Alex was startled by her sister''s actions as she sat down. She had just mmed expensive tupperware onto the table and walked off ring at Ste. The older woman sighed when she saw this.


    "The dishes did nothing to you!" Alex shouted after Nora before looking at her parents. "What''s wrong with her?"


    "She''s been grumbling something about ruining her love life. Ignore her", Richard said before directing his gaze to the TV.


    "When will she ever stop?" Alex shook her head.


    "You think she would? She''s your mother''s daughter. Only if Ste does something about it, then she''ll continue like that. Just ignore her", Richard responded with a nonchnt attitude. He could not let himself be bothered by Nora''s antics. And if Ste was doing nothing about it, who was he?


    "Grandma, where''s Aunt Emily?" Stacy looked around for the young woman.


    "That''s right. Is she runningte? I thought I''d find her here already", Alex mused. "I heard her husband is in town. Nora hasn''t stopped gushing about it."


    Richard looked at Ste in curiosity. He hadn''t heard much about the young woman today. He could sense Ste''s uneasiness but he didn''t want to think too much about it. He would hate for anything to happen to Amy.


    Ste ignored their curious gazes as she shook her head in disbelief. Typical of her youngest. She really fell for the both of them. She looked at the time and sighed. It was a little after seven in the evening.


    "How about Ian? Have you heard from him?" Ste changed the subject.


    "He should be- Oh!" Alex turned to the sound of the door opening to reveal Ian walking in. "Speak of the devil."<sub> </sub>


    He moved to greet his mom and grandparents and ruffled his sister''s hair. Nora came back and finish setting the table. She threw herself on the seat next to Ian''s. His brows shot up at her behavior.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked.


    "You''ll find out real soon", she grumbled as she crossed her arms against her chest.


    Alex picked up on the conversation and looked at her parents. What was going on?


    "I was hoping we would eat first", Ste said barely suppressing her uneasiness.


    "Ste, what''s going on? Did something happen?" Richard could not help his curiosity.


    "Is Emily noting?" Ian asked. As much as he hated the idea, he forced himself toe over and face the couple. What''s a family gathering without Amy and now her husband too? He had to get over it eventually as he figured he would be seeing them quite often.


    Ste sighed as she sped her hands in herps. "Nora, take Stacy to your room."


    As much as Nora was throwing a tantrum because of her apparent heartbreak, she felt sorry for her mother. Seeing her like this, it hurt her much more than herself. Amy meant a lot to them indeed. So she obeyed and took Stacy away.


    Ste let out a shaky breath before willing courage to break the news to them. Their faces fell as she recounted the previous happenings. She expected the disappointment and her husband''s heartbreak as she sobbed whilst talking but what she didn''t expect was for Ian to run out of the house.


    "Ian!" Alex anxiously run after her son. She was rmed by his reaction to the news.


    "I thought we had left the past were it belonged?" Richard quietly asked his wife referring to her being a former member of the Night Wolves.


    "And it caught up to me. We lost a daughter because of it", Ste sighed as she wiped away her tears.


    Richard let out a tired sigh. His heart broke at the sight of his crying wife. He was upset that he didn''t see Amy before she left, but he also understood how dire the situation is. Seeing his wife like this, he could not stay mad at her. He pulled her into his arms where she softly sobbed. They had both lost her. He didn''t know when he''d see the young woman again but he hoped they day woulde. He believed so....


    Ian went across to Amy''s house. He kicked the door open and run around searching for her in every room he could go into. The furniture was there, everything she bought except for the pot of cactus and her luggage. They were gone. She was gone. Amy was really gone.


    He was spun around and pulled into an embrace. Alex was scared after seeing him like this. It seemed they had all grown fond of Amy. But wasn''t her son''s reaction a bit extreme..... She decided not to think about that and justforted him as he cried in her arms.


    Meanwhile, Amy was fast asleep in Zach''s arms at the back seat of one of his cars. She was bundled up in a fleece nket to keep her warm on their long journey. He sighed in relief. She had been crying for a while and he had finally put her to sleep with his soothing words. Fate had separated her from people she had grown fond of to the point of bing family. Zach patted her head at this painful thought.


    While this was an undeniable fact, a new life awaited them. Them: a family of three.... He nced at his pregnant wife. Despite the circumstances, a thought surged warm yetplex emotions within him, finally, he was bringing her home.....

 Chapter 164 Finally Home

    Amy stirred awake in Zach''s arms to realize he was walking. With her eyes closed, she wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed in his scent as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.


    "We''re home?" She whispered before letting out a soft sigh.


    Zach''s heart warmed up. "Yes, we''re home. Did I wake you?"


    "No, I felt you move", she said.


    "You felt me move?" He repeated in clear amusement.


    It took her a few seconds to catch onto the sexual context in the sentence and smacked his shoulder. He chuckled knowing she was blushing. Edmund was bbergasted at the sight of the couple. He had never seen his master like this.


    Even though he couldn''t see the woman''s face, he could tell she was beautiful. He held the door open for them. The lights automatically came on immediately Zach stepped into the room.


    It was as big as her old house in West Vige. It housed gray walls, ck sleek furniture in the lounge, ck sheets on the king size bed that he settled her on. It was so plushie andfortable. He walked over to a wall which slid open. It was his walk in wardrobe, as big as her room.


    Her bags had already been brought in. Zach stopped in front of them before he turned to his clothes. He took a polo shirt off a hanger and a pair of boxers and walked over.


    "They''ll set up your clothes tomorrow", he said as gave her the clothes.


    "I''mzy", she gave him a daring gaze as a sly smile yed on her lips.


    Zach''s gaze darkened. This woman, did she know what she was asking for? But he remembered the doctor''s orders and decided to fight through the temptation.


    He peeled away the nket before moving to undo the zip behind her back. He stood as though he was hugging her. She could feel his warm breath at the nape of her neck before his fingers zed her bare skin as he run down the zip. She shivered under his touch.


    He slid down the dress to her waist only to realize she was not wearing a bra. He was taken by the size of her titties. They were growing big and their peaks hardened under his watch. Amy felt like he was touching her with just his gaze. Her chest rose and fell as her breathing quickened.


    He pushed her down to have her lie on her back. With much difficult, he peeled away his gaze from her breasts and continued to remove the dress down to her feet. His gaze fell on herce underwear. His junior hardened at the sight of the wet patch.


    Amy was staring at the ceiling feeling conscious as she was practically naked. She felt him start help her put on the boxer.


    "I never wear undies to bed", she managed to say.


    Zach took in a deep breath and willed a strong mental fortitude before moving in to perform the great task. He hooked a finger each on sides of the underwear and began to drag it down. She moved her legs to help him discard it. She waspletely naked.


    Amy didn''t dare look at him. Her heart was close to beating out of her chest. She didn''t know what he was thinking. Her body was not the same anymore for obvious reasons. Maybe she shouldn''t have asked this of him. She started to feel embarrassed. It was true she feltzy but she should have changed on her own.


    She moved to get up when she felt strong hands part her legs wide apart. Sheid back down and a surprised squeal escaped her mouth when she felt his soft lips press against her moist slit.


    "Ooh!" She breathed out and quickly cupped her mouth.


    He held her legs in ce as he let out his warm tongue and slowly parted her folds with it.


    "Ah!" She gasped out a moan as she clutched the sheets.


    A pleasurable shiver went down her spine when she felt his tongue make contact with her clit. Hetched onto her now erect nub and started to suck on it. The pleasure made her toes curl and she bit the inside of her hand that cupped her mouth.


    "Zachery", she whispered in a strained voice.


    She could feel her sculp go numb from the pleasure.


    "Ah!" She cried out as she grabbed his hair when he bit her inciting a growl from him.


    He reced his biting with licking and sucking, soothing the pain. He licked away her wetness and kissed the inside of her thigh, dangerously close to her warm cave. He moved up to face her.


    "Why....?" She searched his eyes, failing to finish her sentence as she tried to steady her breathing.


    "That was punishment for testing me", he growled. ''but I got carried away'', he wanted to add but simply chuckled.<sub> </sub>


    She smacked his shoulder in annoyance and turned her face to the side. He cupped her cheek and caressed it with his thumb.


    "One more week and you can have it whenever and however you want. I promise", he said. Amy smiled as she blushed fully understanding what he meant and he smiled back. "Now let me finish dressing you up. Tomorrow is a big day."


    The next day was indeed a big day. Amy felt giddy thinking about what was toe. Someone was in for a surprise. Zach left her in bed to shower before he came back to join her in his boxers. He spooned her and caressed her stomach as she sung to their little one.


    The next day....


    "Antonio Rodriguez!" A deep voice shouted in a harsh tone.


    The said man was startled awake in his seat to find himself cuffed to a table. Two men in smart casual sat opposite him; one with brown hair falling to his cheeks while the other had short blonde hair. He looked around to find himself in a square room. He was quick to realize it was an interrogation room.


    "Why-?" He hissed when he felt the wound on his lips split open. His face was still swollen and bruised badly. "Why am I here?"


    "You were brought in under the case of theft", the brown hair one said with a cross of his arms against his chest.


    "But I didn''t steal anything."


    "Oh! But there was a lot you stole", the blond one said barely suppressing his anger. "Innocent lives."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about", Antonio feigned ignorance.


    Nobody ever knew of his misdeeds so and he always had an alibi for everything he did. They were bound to give up. The police were like that.


    The two men exchanged a nce and startedughing. Antonio immediately became ufortable with this. Was he missing something?


    Bam! One picture after the other were mmed on the table before him by the brown haired one. Antonio''s eyes grew wide in horror when he recognized himself caught in the middle of mercilessly ending his victims.


    ? "Photo evidence! Video surveince evidence! And on top of that, forensic evidence!" The brown haired one barked at him. "Yes, we retrieved all the bodies you buried in the different locations you discarded them."


    "This...." He picked up a picture and stared at it in disbelief.


    "The game is over Mr. Rodriguez", the blond one said with a sly smirk.


    "You didn''t think this day woulde, did you? Well, someone is always watching, always", the brown haired one leaned back into his seat.


    Antonio mmed the picture onto the table and red at them with his bruised eyes. "You can''t hold me here illegally! You need an arrest warrant."


    If they released him, he could-


    "Are you looking down on the FBI? We acquired that two nights ago", the blond one said.


    Wasn''t that when he broke into that house in West Vige? And F.B.I? Wait, two nights ago? Had he been kept here all this while? How was he kept unconscious until now?


    "We have everything we need on you, Viper", the blond one said.


    Antonio felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. With all the crimes he hadmitted, was his prouncement as good as a death sentence? Just who had he offended? This was the end for him.....


    Meanwhile, Zach felt a headacheing on. He could hear familiar footsteps rushing up to his room while they said his full name. Amy woke up to the same sound.


    "What''s going on?" She asked while rubbing her eyes.


    He hesitated before saying something that would throw her in a fit of nerves.


    "My mother is here...."

 Chapter 165 Meeting The Parents

    "Victoria, what are you doing here so early in the morning?"


    "And who''s that?" Amy whispered.


    "My father."


    "Do you live with your parents?" She gasped. Does that mean they heard the lewd sounds she made when Zach ''punished'' her?


    "No. They have their own ce. But, my father..... sheltered here after my mom performed an exorcism on him", he exined with aid back attitude.


    Amy: "..."


    Zach smiled, "She had not seen him for a few years."


    And that''s normal? What kind of a family is this? What kind of a woman is Zach''s mom? If she did that to her own husband, what more her who showed up pregnant for her son? She looked down at her belly.


    Zach cupped her cheek, gaining her attention. He gingerly pressed his lips against hers. She felt herself rx with this gesture. He released her and pecked her twice more.


    "Don''t worry. Everything is going to be okay", he whispered to which she nodded. He gave her one more kiss on the lips before getting out of bed.


    Amy felt herself blush when she saw the outline of his monster create a tent in his Calvin Klein boxers. When she looked up, Zach was smirking at her. She threw a pillow at him which he caught with ease.


    "It can''t be that you came here because you missed me?" Henry jabbed as he slowly walked towards her.


    Victoria rolled her eyes and ignored him as she walked towards Zach''s room. Edmund had told her something interesting when she called the house earlier. And no, she was not calling to check on her husband. Nope!


    She raised a hand to knock on Zach''s door when it swung open, revealing the man in a casual outfit that did little to suppress his good looks. He closed the door behind him when Victoria tried to peak through.


    "Zach? When did you arrive?" Henry was pleasantly surprised.


    "What are you hiding? Or should I say, who are you hiding?" Victoria narrowed her eyes in suspicion.


    Henry arched a brow at him. Did he miss something?


    "Let''s talk downstairs", Zach said. But Victoria made to sneak past him but he held out an arm to stop her. "She will join us shortly."


    Victoria gasped in obvious excitement. So Zach really had a woman in his room! She? Henry was shocked.


    Edmund had the maids serve them refreshments before they were all dismissed. Zach sat with his legs crossed, one knee over the other, arms crossed against his chest, and eyes closed as he rxed in the seat.


    "Well?" Henry started. Didn''t theye down to talk?


    "It''s obvious he''s waiting for the girl", Victoria clicked her tongue in annoyance.


    A good ten minutester, they heard the sound of soft footsteps. The older couple saw a fair hand zing the stair railing followed by someone in a beautiful long royal blue dress elegantly cascading down the stairs. They subconsciously stood up to see a beautiful woman with big blue eyes and long blonde hair. They were taken by her rare beauty.


    Zach moved to meet her at the foot of the stairs and she took the hand he offered. He caressed the top of hers when he felt it shake in his hold. She was nervous. He mouthed the words ''its okay'' to which she gave a small nod.


    A soft gasp escaped her lips when she saw Henry and she looked to Zach for confirmation. He smiled, he knew she had recognized him to be Hot Head. The two stopped in front of the older couple.


    "Amy, I''d like you to meet my mother, Victoria Frost, and my father, Henry Frost. Mom, Dad, this is Amy", he gestured with his hand.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you both, Mr. and Mrs. Frost", Amy said with politeness.


    "You''re pregnant?" That was all Victoria noticed as she slowly stood up clearly in disbelief.


    Amy subconsciously wrapped her arms around her belly. She exchanged a look with Zach, but he was calm. So she too willed herself to calm down.


    "Um-"


    Amy was interrupted by Victoria''s next question. "What is the rtionship between you two?"<sub> </sub>


    "Uh... We''re... I''m his-"


    "Wife."


    "Noooooo!" Victoriaunched at him with smacks. "How could you do this to me? What have I done to deserve this cruelty? How could you?"


    Amy gave Zach a look. How could he lie to his parents like that? And seeing Victoria''s reaction.... this was what she was afraid of. How can she fix this?


    Henry sighed when he saw his wife''s reaction. He knew why she was acting like that and so did Zach because he held her hands to stop her attack and calmly replied.


    "You can still n our wedding with Amy. I call her my wife because that''s what she will be."


    "Really?" She stopped and looked at Amy with a hopeful gaze.


    "Yes, we''re still in a rtionship", Amy assured her.


    "Oh! Thank God!" She sighed in relief with a sp of her hands. Then she realized something and went to Amy and held her by the shoulders. "You shouldn''t stand for two long. Come. Come. You should sit down."


    Amy looked back at Zach while Victoria moved her to the seat. He smiled as he moved to settle on a different seat but close to Amy''s. It was so easy winning over his mother. He had practically given her what she always wanted: a daughter-inw and a grandchild on its way. Victoria sat her down and ced a pillow behind Amy.


    "Are youfortable dear?" She said in a dotting manner to which Amy nodded. "Edmund! Bring a fleece nket!"


    "Right away!" He shouted from where he was. A maid came back with it within a minute. Victoria used it to covered Amy''s legs. "Are you warm? Shall we get another one."


    "No, I''m fine Mrs. Frost", Amy replied. She was not sure how to act with all the sudden pampering.


    "What Mrs. Frost?" She waved a hand of dismissal. "You should call me mom. We''re family now. Shall I ask for some tea to warm you up? What would you like to eat? Edmund!"


    "Yes, Madam!" He rushed to the living room.


    "Get the kitchen to prepare a Moran chickpea soup right away", she said then dismissed him. "I must have scared you just now. That soup will help keep your blood pressure down. Now", she sat down and turned to Zach. "What''s the story between you two?"


    Amy and Zach exchanged a look. They had already agreed on what to say. It would be the truth, minus the dangerous details. Zach was the one who decided to tell the story. Victoria gasped in shock.


    "Let me see if I understood this right? You had a one night stand thanks to Parton and you run away, but he started searching for you, you discovered you were pregnant but were too scared to tell him, he finally found you, got together and now here you are!" She looked between the two who nodded in unison. Victoria frowned as she turned to Amy who was right beside her. "But why would you hide from him? Zach is not scary, I can assure you."


    A maid came over and gave Amy the soup.


    "Thank you", Amy received the bowl or should she say mug with handles on each side. It quickly warmed up her hands.


    "Careful dear, it''s hot", Victoria reminded when she saw Amy stir the soup.


    "Yes, thank you. Actually Mrs.- Mom", she corrected and a pleased smile stretched on Victoria''s lips as she listened. "You have such an impressive son, I didn''t dare dream of a future with him."


    But that changed when she realized she had fallen for him from the night they met. All those times she fought her feelings and his advances, she was deluding herself. Zach had been imprinted in her heart. Zach could guess the unsaid message she conveyed through her gaze directed at him.


    "Aww", Victoria cooed when she witnessed their little love gaze.


    Amy smiled as her cheeks reddened from being caught. She started eating as Victoria bombarded her with more questions. She was the happiest person in the room. Zach exchanged a look with Henry silently exchanging a secret message.


    Meanwhile, Xavier stood among a sea of people. Even in the busy crowd, he was able to hear his phone ring. He answered using his Bluetooth headphones.


    "They''re back in the city already?....uh....mom, I have something on. I''ll talk to youter!" He quickly hang up.


    He stuffed his phone in his pocket and resumed looking around. He was currently at the arrivals at JFK. His heart hammered against his chest. What if he got the wrong details? Someone patted him on the shoulder and he turned around.


    "Looking for someone?" A gray eyed beauty smiled at him.


    "Nicole."

 Chapter 166 Amy Is Going To Be Okay

    "Mmmmmmmm!" Nicole hummed against Xavier''s lips as the two stumbled into a hotel room.


    He impatiently ripped her dress open leaving her in her bra, undies and heels. She, too, wed at him sending his shirt buttons flying in different directions. He helped her remove the rest but his boxers. They broke the kiss and stood to admire each other.


    "I have missed this!" He growled.


    "Are you just going to stand there?" Nicole threw him a seductive smile before she jumped him.


    He caught her in his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. The two resumed their hungry makeout session, tongues chasing, twisting around and sucking each other. He moved to trail kisses down her neck and she dipped her head back giving him ess to her chest.


    He held her with one hand and used the other to get rid of her bra with ease. He had experience in this field. He mentally smirked at this thought before hetched his hot mouth onto her perky breasts.


    "Ah!" She screamed in surprise. "Yes!"


    He flicked her peak with his tongue before sucking it. The pleasure was driving her on the edge. She was already wet for him. After months of not seeing each other, this little action drove her insane.


    "I need you!" She moaned as he moved his mouth to give her other titty the same attention.


    p "Where?" He asked before he resumed sucking.</anda>


    "Ah! Xavier!" Her fingers dug into his skin. Her brain was practicallygging as she had not yet processed his question.


    "Where?" He repeated with a growl.


    "The- ah! The window!" She managed to say.


    He stopped his ministrations and she looked at him in surprise. He took a remote and used it to open the curtains revealing the floor to ceiling window. It was ten in the morning and the day was bright and beautiful. He resumed kissing her as he walked them to the window.


    He gently dropped her and left her standing. He walked back to where his trousersy on the floor, he removed his boxers and took a condom from his wallet.


    "How do you never forget that?" She was amused as she watched him with lust clear in her eyes.


    His response was tearing the foil with his teeth as he walked over. Her eyes fell to massive girth as he rolled the rubbed onto it. Nicole subconsciously licked her lips as she watched this erotic show. A pleased smirk yed on his lips.


    "Your panties", he said.


    Like a robot, she removed them under his watch. When he got to her, he held the back of her neck and kissed her hard. She was left breathing heavily when he broken the kiss. He spun her around and her erect titties pressed against the ss window. He parted her legs apart and started stroking her folds, soaking his covered length with her juices. Then he leaned forward close to her ears.


    "This pussy is mine!" He grunted as he buried his meat inside her cunt.


    Hourster....


    Somehow, they had wounded up on the bed. The sheets were a mess, Xaviery while facing her with a sheet covering his manhood while shey on top on her stomach with her ass in the air. Their chests rose and fell as they calmed down from their love making.


    "Not the cuddling type?" He asked seeing as she was lying on her side of the massive bed.


    She shook her head and he nodded. He didn''t voice his disappointment and smiled instead.


    "I can''t believe you''re here. Thank you for responding to my messages. I almost gave up when you didn''t respond the first few times", he confessed.


    "Sorry about that. Things were a bit crazy back home", she said.


    "Did something happen?"


    She sighed, "My dad had to undergo a heart surgery. I had to juggle between taking care of him and making sure my mom is okay."


    "I''m sorry to hear that. How is he doing now? And your mom?"<sub> </sub>


    "They''re fine now, don''t worry", she gave him a reassuring smile. She stared at him with aplex gaze. "I can''t believe you found me."


    "I can''t believe it either. And I won''t let you go anywhere", he said as he moved over to her side.


    "Xavier, I can barely move", she protested when she felt his hand on her ass slide down to her wet folds.


    "It''s okay. You don''t have to do anything", he cooed in a whisper as he rolled a condom on.


    "How many of those do you have?" She looked over her shoulder to watch the hot scene.


    "Clearly not enough", he said with a smirk.


    While Nicole and Xavier were having the time of their lives, Alex was having a tiring one. She walked into her mom''s house to find the older woman in the living room watching TV. At a closer look, she was staring into space.


    Alex sighed when she saw this and walked over to sit next to her. Ste was startled when she felt her daughter''s warm hand.


    "Mom", she started, unsure of how tofort her.


    "Where''s Stacy?" She changed the subject.


    "I left her at Ariel''s. What about Nora and Dad?"


    "Your Dad went out to meet a friend, Nora is in her room. How''s Ian doing?"


    "Well", she sighed. "I didn''t know he felt that strongly about Emily. I''m in between wanting to shout at him andforting him. I don''t know what to do."


    "Wow. Amy has a special ce in all of our hearts. I wonder if she''s safe and the bounty.... I''m just..." She wiped a year that fell down her cheek.


    "Did she not contact you?" She asked while passing a box of tissues to her.


    Ste shook her head as she received the tissue. This upset Alex. She knew Ste would have peace of mind if she got some sort of news. But it was understandable that Amy can''t contact them so safety reasons. She moved to hug her mother and rub soothing circles on her back.


    "I''m sure she''s alright, mom. She''s a big girl", she whispered.


    Ste could only bring herself to nod as she sniffled. Her nose was red and eyes puffy from crying. She really missed the young woman and her guilt had not lessened even though Amy said she had done nothing wrong. What a kind child.


    A phone started to ring. The two broke the embrace and Alex picked up the phone from the coffee table. It was Ste''s. Her brows went up when she saw the caller ID.


    "It''s Aunt Lily", she said.


    Ste''s heart started thudding a little too wild. She dreaded picking up the phone. Look at the trouble it brought because of their exchange. But curiosity got the best of her. It could be about Amy. And it really was.


    "You will not believe what just happened", Lily started clearly shocked.


    "What?" Ste cleared her throat as she will her tone to be emotionless.


    "You know how I told you Viper was going after your friend after over hearing our conversation? He''s done for! He was caught and woke up in an FBI interrrogation room. Every dirty little deed of his magically appeared something that everyone thought was impossible. All this happened because he went after that woman! You can only imagine what awaits his fate. The assassins in a lower ss than him are giving up on this bounty hunt! They fear they''ll face the same date like Viper! Woooow! This woman is not to be trifled with! Even the ss A and S assasins are thinking twice about going after her! Just who is she?"


    Ste put down her phone with a smile on her face. All this happened within a span of a few days and this was the result! She felt her worries resolve instantly. This is all she needed.


    "What happened?" Alex could not help her curiosity.


    Ste hugged her daughter as happy tears fell down her cheeks. "She''s going to be okay. Emily is going to be okay."


    While Alex and her mother shared a happy embrace, someone was fuming mad at this this news. Yes, Gwen had received the news about Viper and she was not happy.....

 Chapter 167 The Power Of A Rumor

    Whoosh!


    Cold sweat broke out onto Peter''s forehead when a vase flew past his ear. He had been in this situation many times yet the fear stayed the same. He could never get used to Gwen''s angry outbursts.


    Papersy scattered in the room, broken ss particles were all over the ce, she had destroyed everything that was on her desk, what was left was to overturn the table but it was made out of mahogany.


    "Arrrrrggghhhh!" She screamed into the air before letting herself calm down.


    Her chest rose and fell from calming down from the intense emotions. Her bold red lips fell into an ''o'' as she let out a deep breath. Shebed her fingers through her hair trying to fix the dishelved mess atop her head. She pulled on her jacket to straighten it and fixed her pencil skirt.


    "How is it possible to fail such an easy mission? This is Viper we''re talking about!" She was still in disbelief. "Is there a way we can get to him and find out where he located her?"


    "There''s tight security around him, there''s no way to get insider information. Even our mole can''t help us and if he managed to locate her, I don''t think she would be stupid enough to stay in the same ce", Peter responded.


    "How did they catch him? Do they know?" She was curious about this.


    "It''s what we all know, that he woke up in their interrogation room. How he was transferred there remains a mystery."


    "Of course, Amy Harper is not so simple. But it''s bing annoying!" She stomped her foot furiously.


    Peter swallowed a hard lump as he thought of something else. It was something Been needed to know even though he knew it would further upset her. He kept his gaze to the floor, refusing to look at her as he delivered the news.


    "Actually... There''s something else you need to know. Miss Harper is the reason the F.B.I did not go after us during the g. It''s safe to assume that she''s working with them."


    Silence. With his head down and hands sped in front, he braced himself for a new object to be thrown his way. Instead, he got the sound of her footsteps. She moved towards a wooden cab in one corner of the room. Her red bottoms clicked on the marble floor as she moved with a sway of her hip. Peter''s heart thudded knowing what was toe. He felt like it would explode the moment she opened the cab doors.


    She took out a wooden box simr to a first aid before closing the cabs. She took the box to her desk. She picked underneath her wrist watch to pull out a small key which she used to unlock the box. Once she opened it, she took out ck leather gloves and pped them on. Peter gulped when he saw this.


    One by one, she took out a test tube, a syringe, leather straps, a leather whip, and a gag. She ced all of these things onto the table before turning to look at him with a cold expression.


    "Well?" she gestured at the table with a cock of her head.


    Under her watch, he began to slowly strip out of his clothes. He forced himself not to cry. How long will he have to betray his wife and family like this?


    Meanwhile, Amy was glued to herptop whilst in bed. She had on a serious expression as she stared at the screen. Zach had juste out of the shower and joined her. He kissed her temple before looking at the screen. It was news of Viper''s downfall published on a dark web.


    "Do you think it worked?" She asked him with a worried expression.


    "The power of a rumor..... It can do wonders, including wading off enemies. Don''t worry", he assured her.


    Yes, once a rumor spreads it either increases damage or erases troubles. This was Ste''s tactic. She left her home after spreading the rumor about Lily seducing her husband. It blinded everyone from seeing the true reason that made her leave. Amy borrowed this tactic. Unbeknownst to her, it was actually working because the rumor they spread was the truth.


    She stared at the screen while caressing her stomach. That action reminded her of a crucial detail.


    "Susan..... I totally forgot about her", she turned to look at Zach.


    They were so focused on leaving West Vige she forgot about her doctor. She was notfortable with having another doctor take her on as a patient nor did she want to entertain the idea of going to the hospital for checkups.


    "Don''t worry, I took care of that", he said simply.


    Amy nodded and rxed in his embrace. She trusted him and every word he said.


    "This is usually the time we have ourte night conversations, what do you want to do instead?" He asked.<sub> </sub>


    Amy fell quiet in thought before she shrugged, "What do you have in mind?"


    "Do you really want to know?" A smirk yed on his lips.


    She smacked him as she chuckled, "Is that all you think about?"


    "It''s hard not to when you''re around and looking this sexy", he confessed.


    "Zachery", she scolded barely biting back a smile.


    He felt giddy at her blushing sight. He stared at her adoringly. She was too cute. Then a thought came to mind.


    "Come with me", he took her hand.


    He helped her out of bed and they walked hand in hand to the walk-in closet. The doors slid open and they walked in hand in hand. Her luggage had been sorted out. The other half of the closet assigned to her. She gasped when she saw the different designer shoes, clothes and bags.


    "J''s??????.... When did you do this?" She asked in surprise.


    It''s not that shecked those things it was just the thought of him getting them for her that stirred her emotions. What was more shocking was all the clothes had the brand name J''s. The must have cost him a fortune.


    "I figured you liked their brand and thought to get you these. Do you like them?" He asked carefully.


    "I do it''s just... ", she sucked in her bottom lip with a troubled expression.


    "What is it?" He asked.


    She gestured for him to draw closer. She ced a palm on his cheek as she aligned her mouth with his ear before she whispered something. Then she looked at him and saw him smiling. Realization dawned on her.


    "You knew?" Surprise was evident on her features.


    "These are moments I find myself knowing something about you before you tell me. I don''t know, I guess you make it easy for me to understand you", he shrugged.


    Her heart warmed up at his words. So this is what it feels like to have someone to know you and understand you on this intimate level. Zach''s brows went up when he saw the look in her eyes. She grabbed him by the cor whilst standing on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his. The actions was sudden but he was quick to wrap his arm around her waist. He knew it before she acted on it.


    While Amy and Zach were having their merry moment, Ian was having it worse. He was in a convinience store looking haggard. He was standing in front of a fridge filling up his cart with bottles of beer. His phone rung.


    "Grandma...... I''m fine........ It''s nothing. Just leave it....... I''m fine grandma....", He sighed.


    He didn''t realize it sooner that he had freaked them out with his reaction to Amy''s leaving. He had been getting phone calls asking if he''s okay and wants to talk about it. But hearing his grandma coax juts made his blood boil. His politeness was quickly thrown out of the window! He felt it was hypocritical of her to check on him.


    "Stop asking me if I''m okay! This is all your fault! Whose fault is it that Emily left? You caused this! You caused this! It''s all your fault! If you stopped to think about how this would affect her or her well being. What more me? You didn''t even stop to think about how I feel! You''re just selfish!" He hang and stuffed his phone into his pocket.


    He went to the till and ced the drinks on top. The cashier gave him a skeptical look. He took out his ID and showed it to her. It was when she got a closer look that she finally processed his purchase. Ian paid for it in cash and left with his drinks.


    Someone in one of the isles of the convenience store took out their phone and dialed a number.


    "I have good news for you..... That bitch finally left West Vige.... Who else? I''m talking about Emily Stanford.... Of course I''m sure...."


    The call ended. The person brought their phone down from their ear and squeezed it tight in their hand to the point of their knuckles turning white.

 Chapter 168 Henrys Jealousy

    It was a beautiful morning at Zach''s mansion. Henry woke up to the beautiful sound of, not the birds singing, but the voice of his wife. He looked around his room, she was nowhere in sight. But he could still hear her singing though it sounded faint. He got out of bed and followed the sound.


    Victoria was so caught up she did not hear him until she felt his hands wrap around her waist.


    "You know, this is the second time now seeing you here so early in the morning. Just say the word, no, give me the sign, and I''ll be back home in a heartbeat", he whispered in her ear.


    She huffed out a breath and growled, "Let go."


    He tightened his hold and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Don''t you miss me darling?"


    "Let go while I''m being nice", she said through gritted teeth.


    "I don''t wanna", he rubbed his chest against her back.


    "Henry", she warned in a tone that usually sent a cold shiver down everyone''s spines.


    But he was unfazed by this. He kissed the soft spot between her neck and shoulder before resuming his resting position. "I''m sorry I left you. I have no excuse."


    Victoria fell quiet. She knew when he was being sincere and yful. This was definitely the former. She felt her heart away but she had been hurt by him. She didn''t care if he was doing the right thing but at the expense of her heart-


    She elbowed him in the chest and heard a gasp from behind her as soon as he loosened his hold on her. They both turned around to find Edmund staring in horror. He rushed over to Henry''s side.


    "Are you alright, sir?" He scanned him from head to toe.


    "I''m fi-"


    "I think I heard the sound of bones breaking."


    "Y-Yeah. I think a few of them", Henry groaned as his face contorted in pain as he held his side.


    Edmund was sent into a panic having experienced Victoria''s hits as he turned to look at her. "Madam, we need to take him to the hospital."


    Victoria looked bored out of her mind. She switched off the cooker and took off her apron. Edmund swung one of Henry''s arms over his shoulder and followed Victoria out. Henry was now limping as Edmund helped him out. As they exited the kitchen, Edmund and Henry took the direction for the house entrance while Victoria took the stairs.


    "Madam....", Edmund''s jaw dropped. He knew she was angry but not to the extend of ignoring her husband''s injuries. "Sir....."


    He turned to Henry who released himself from him. He was back to his normal self except he had a serious expression on his face.


    "Sir? You''re alright?"


    Henry stuffed his hands into his pajama trouser pockets as he watched the sway of his wife''s hips and her round ass as she walked up the stairs. He had a dreamy expression as he kept his gaze peeled on that one spot.


    "She looks great even from behind", he sighed. "I miss that ass."


    Edmund: "..."


    "Don''t you dare turn around", he warned.


    Edmund remained frozen even when he the sound of Victoria''s footsteps fade away. Barely a minuteter, Victoria reappeared at the top of the stairs.


    "Edmund!"


    "Madam?"


    She frowned when he responded with his back to her. Seeing her husband standing next to the butler, she sighed.<sub> </sub>


    "Stop bullying the man", she frowned at Henry''s jealousy.


    "I didn''t do anything, right Edmund?" He said thest words through gritted teeth.


    But it was gaze silently daring to turn around and look at her. He was working for Zach but why was the older couple troubling him. One used violence while one used verbal threats. He felt his life was too hard.


    "Was there something you needed, Madam?" He changed the subject.


    "Get the kitchen to set the table, I''m going to wake Amy up", she said.


    "Right away", he retreated in reverse and disappeared from their sight.


    She red at Henry who gave her an innocent look with a shrug. Not wasting a second, she took her excited self to Zach''s room door and knocked.


    "Mom?"


    She turned to find Zach approaching her from behind her. He was in his all ck workout gear and perspiration carpeted his forehead and left a wet patch on his broad chest. Her eyes lit up as he approached.


    "I came to have breakfast with you two. Will you join us downstairs?" She asked excitedly.


    "Of course."


    She patted his arm before rushing down while humming to a tune. She could not wait for Amy to try her meal. She had woken up especially early in the morning toe and personally prepare breakfast. She hardly slept after finding out she had a daughter-inw.


    She wanted to call friends especially Kris and rub it in but she thought what better way to p her face than surprise them with not just a daughter-inw but also a grandchild. She giggled to herself imagining the look Kris would have by then.


    "Aunt Victoria?" George called out from behind her in his business suit.


    "Good morning dear. Off to work?"


    "Yes. Seeing your excited face, I can guess you''re here for sis", he chuckled.


    "Of course! That''s why I personally came to make breakfast for her. You should stay have some, I made enough for everyone."


    George had a troubled face as he looked at his rolex. "I would love to, but I have a meeting to run in a few minutes."


    "Really? It will only take a few minutes."


    "What will take a few minutes?" Xavier''s voice resounded in the room as the man himself joined them.


    George picked up his phone and pressed it to his ear as he excused himself. Xavier kissed his mother on the cheek in greeting.


    "I came to have breakfast with Amy", she barely suppressed her excited squeal.


    "Look at you, Mrs. Victoria Frost, a mother-inw and soon-to-be Grandma", he teased her with a smile.


    Victoria had a bashful smile as she smacked his arm. Happiness was evident on her features. But a thought ured to her and her smile died down. She held his arm as she looked at him with a serious face.


    "I''m not trying to be like other mothers but when will you settle down? I want you to find your happiness too."


    Xavier''s cheeks and the tip of his ears colored red a thought of a certain someone came to mind. "Actually, I do have someone."

 Chapter 169 A Visit From Victorias Friend

    "Really? Who is it? When will I meet her? This calls for a family dinner!"


    "Soon, mom. Soon", he promised.


    Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Zach and Amy came walking hand in hand. They were having a conversation and Amy was seen smiling and blushing as Zach spoke with a dotting gaze peeled on her. It was such a beautiful sight of young love.


    "Aw", Victoria could not help but stare in awe.


    "Good morning Mom", Amy greeted with a smile.


    "Good morning. Careful with the steps dear", she gently instructed.


    Xavier shook his head. His mother was a goner with Amy''s arrival. He was sure she would get worse when the baby arrives. Henry walked back in in fresh new clothes. He barely exchanged a nce with Xavier before thetter gave Amy a side hug and exchanged greetings while Zach greeted his parents.


    "Wee back sis!"


    "Thanks Xavier", she smiled before she felt Zach peel her away from him.


    Xavier gave him a stinky look while Amy chuckled as she looked at Henry.


    "Good morning, Mr. Frost", she greeted. She was not sure what to call him.


    "Why so formal? You can call me Henry or Dad, whichever makes youfortable", he said with aid-back attitude to which Amy nodded.


    Edmund arrived to announce the table was set and led everyone there. They all settled down with Henry sitting at the head, to his left were Zach and Amy while to his right were Victoria and Xavier. Amy''s eyes lit up when she saw the food. Is this what it means to wake up to a feast? She looked at Zach and he was just as amused. There was a bowl for everyone.


    "Carrot soup as a starter", She announced.


    "This looks delicious", Amy made a genuinement.


    "Dig in", she announced and everyone raised the spoons to try it. "I made it myself."


    Xavier froze. He turned to look at his mother with a smile. "Just the soup?"


    "No, I made everything else. I remember how my mother-inw, bless her soul, made my meals while I was pregnant with these two. I wished for that and here I am doing it for you. Try it dear", she urged.


    Everything? No wonder George bailed when he could. Now that he thought about it, his phone had not even rung that time. Sneaky bastard.....


    Amy was moved by Victoria''s gesture and dug in without noticing nobody else doing the same. She shoved in the spoon and it did note out. Strange. She pulled it but the thing was stuck like glue. She tried again with her brows furrowing.


    "Anything the matter dear?"


    "No, it''s just.....", She turned to the man next to her and whispered, "Zachery."<sub> </sub>


    He took over and scooped up a huge orange lump. Xavier snorted when he saw Amy''s eyes widen in shock. When Victoria looked at him, he rubbed his nose and faked a sniffle. Henry was unbothered as he made himself a cup of coffee and watched on.


    <o>,m Amy looked at Victoria and she had a troubled expression. "I heard starch is a good soup thickener but I didnt think it woulde out like that....."</o>


    "I''ll try it", Amy said as she took the spoon from Zach. He wanted to say you don''t have to but seeing as she wanted to, he was quite pleased at the same time felt sorry for her.


    The lump disappeared between Amy''s lips before she started to chew. Yes, she was chewing carrot soup. Not because there were lumps of carrot but because the whole soup was a lump.


    Zach''s brows knitted when he heard the squashy sounding from her chewing. Xavier brought his hand to his mouth and bit his finger to suppress hisugh. It sounded like she was chewing a rubber toy. Everyone heard the gulp when Amy swallowed the soup.


    "I think I was just too nervous.... I haven''t cooked in a while. My cooking used to be great, right Xavier?" She asked nervously who instead nodded.


    "Is that''s the case, maybe we can do it together. I can learn a few things from you, if you don''t mind?" Amy suggested.


    Victoria''s eyes lit up at the idea. "I would love that! Actually, I would have loved for us to start today but I made prior ns to go somewhere with a friend. She just came back to the city and is thinking of moving. So we''re going house hunting. She''s actuallying over to get me, is that alright Zach?"


    He nodded. "Plus Amy is yet to recover. How about you start your cooking lessons next week?"


    "Oh! Yes! Is that alright with you, dear?" Victoria asked.


    "Of course, mom", she replied with a smile.


    "Mom, you shouldn''t bother yourself with such things. Why didn''t you ask me for help?" Xavier disapproved.


    "We just want to hang out. I get bored doing nothing at home", she confessed.


    "Who''s the friend you''re going out with?" A jealous Henry asked as he finished clearing up his bowl of soup. Amy smiled when she saw this.


    "Excuse me, sir", Edmund went to Zach. "A Miss Nicole Oswell is here for Madam Frost."


    The said person walked in wearing jeans and a turtle neck with matching bag and shoes. She had a polite smile as she walked in with confidence oozing with every step she took.when two people she recognized and surprise shed her features when they called her name out at the same time.


    "Nicole."


    "Victoria? Xavier?"


    The mother and son exchanged a look of surprise as they spoke at the same time.


    "You know her?"


    Xavier looked at Nicole with mixed feelings. Thetter felt her heart beat in anxiousness. She was not ready for such a situation. What will she do now? Worse yet, how will she exin herself? As though reading her mind, everyone gave her a curious gaze waiting for her to speak.

 Chapter 170 Mona And Ians Relationship

    The room fell into silence as awkwardness settled among the three people. Victoria looked between Xavier and Nicole. Her mind was spinning with so many questions. Nicole looked at Xavier, he was wearing an impassive expression, she could not tell what he was thinking.


    "You guys are rted? I would have never guessed", Nicole said with augh.


    "What are the odds of that?" Xavier said in a t tone.


    "R-Right? But now that I''m seeing you two in one room, I can see the resemnce", she pointed between the mother and son and nodded a little vigorously.


    Augh was heard. It sounded more like a soft chuckle with a hint of amusement. Everyone turned to a smile on Zach''s face with his gaze peeled on Amy. His right elbow was resting on the table and he rested his fist against his cheek while he looked at his wife adoringly.


    Amy made to smack his thigh but he caught her hand and kissed the back of it making her blush. She felt embarrassed not just because he was holding her hand in front of everyone but because he had seen her through.


    She had picked up on the insincerity in Nicole''s words and tone at her ''surprise'' in Victoria''s rtion to Xavier. The gossiper in her had been activated. She may not have contributed much to the book club''s scandalous story time but she was always intrigued. This time, she detected how fake Nicole sounded.


    Anyone could see that Xavier''s face was a clone of his mother''s except it was more masculine. And how many influential families with the surname Frost were there in New York. But decided not to judge. She didn''t know full well the details of their rtionship nor what Nicole was thinking. She should mind her own business.


    She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn''t realize Zach had caught the amused expression and the furrow of her brows. He could practically guess what she was thinking which led to himughing.


    "Nevermind them", Victoria walked up to Nicole and hooked an arm around hers. "Join us for breakfast."


    "Is that okay, Xavier?" She asked with uncertainty.


    His distant mask shattered and he resumed to his friendly self. "Sure,e have a seat."


    Nicole felt herself rx before she let Victoria walk her over. She settled her next to Xavier before she went back to her seat.


    "Nicole, I''d like you to meet my brother Zach, my sister-inw Amy, and Henry, my father. You already know my mom", he said with a small smile.


    "Hello", she said with a polite smile.


    Both Zach and Henry simultaneously gave her a curt nod without sparing her a nce. Amy gave her a tight-lipped smile. Nicole felt overwhelmed to be surrounded by such good looking people and the great man Zach. It was like being invited to dine with the King of Kings. He was not paying attention to her but she could not help but feel intimidated.


    "Edmund", Zach called out and the man was quick to rush to his side.


    "Sir."


    "Have the kitchen prepare something and bring it up to our room."


    "Right away."


    He appreciated his mother''s gesture but Amy needed to stomach something edible. And he was not sure Amy would befortable dining with someone she''s not familiar with. Xavier had not said anything to him yet. Zach won''t trust anyone until given reason to unless the person is Amy or his family; those were the only exceptions. While Edmund left to carry out the order, Zach turned to his mother.


    "Excuse us", he said.


    <o>,m "Of course. Go rest up dear", Victoria smiled at Amy.</o>


    "Thanks Mom. And thank you for this", Amy also appreciated the kind gesture.


    "No, I''m sorry. I just wanted.."


    "Don''t worry mom, it''s okay. Please excuse us, Xavier, Dad", she looked at them as she addressed them. Then she turned to Nicole and gave her a small smile before she left with Zach.


    "Well, I''m done here", Henry announced before he wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin. "Enjoy yourselves. Darling, don''t stay out toote."


    Victoria wanted to re at him but she forced a smile and said, "Yes."<sub> </sub>


    Henry patted Xavier''s shoulder before going his way. He didn''t have to turn around to see the cold glint in Xavier''s eyes from that gesture. They had a long way to go with their rtionship. It wasn''t just his wife he had a lot of making up to but his youngest son as well. He sighed at this thought.


    Meanwhile, Mona had put her best friend up to the usual: covering for her. She was knocking on Ian''s door as early as 8 a.m. She softly knocked a few times. Getting no response, her soft knocks became harsh. The next door flew open revealing an angry neighbor.


    "Just leave, he might not be there! We''re trying to sleep here!" He snapped.


    Mona rolled her eyes and took out her spare key. Yes, she had one just in case for such a scenario or when she needs to sneak in on him. She swiftly unlocked the door and the strong smell of alcohol wafted to her nose immediately she stepped in. Her face scrunched up in disgust and she held a finger to her nose.


    She walked in and found Ian passed out in his own vomit. She went over and softly kicked his side. He groaned in response.


    "Ian", she kicked him again.


    He finally stirred before she could kick him again. He looked up and cursed under his breath. The light was blinding and he didn''t expect her visit.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked with a groan as he forced himself up from the floor.


    "So it''s true?" She sighed. Annoyance was spelt on her face.


    "What''s true?" He moved to go to the bathroom.


    She was hot on his heels not wanting to leave his side as she voiced her annoyance. "This is what you''ve resorted to because she left?"


    Ian said nothing. He was about to close the door in her face but she was quick to push herself in.


    "Mona!" He snapped.


    "Answer the damn question!"


    "There''s nothing to talk about!"


    "So that''s it? You''re going to avoid things? Is that it?"


    He let out a tired sigh, "Leave me alone Mona."


    "I won''t leave you alone because this is unfair. Your behavior is disrespectful and unfair to me. Don''t expect me to stay still and do nothing!"


    "Why would you? Are we anything to each other? All we have is sex and drugs and nothing more! That''s all there is between us! So you can keep your opinion to yourself! The door is open, use it."


    "Ian! If I walk away, it''s over!" She warned.


    He scoffed. He had no time to deal with such drama. He pushed her out of the door causing her to stumble, but she didn''t fall. She opened her mouth to speak but he shut the door in her face. What followed was the sound of his door locking and soon followed the sound of his shower running.


    It was over. Their rtionship was over. And this was all because of Emily Standford. She was finally out of the picture but this is what she gets. It was over.


    Demi was right when she called her about Ian drowning himself in alcohol. She should have known that this would all be what their rtionship would mount to. It had no definition whatsoever.


    For sce, she called the one person she knew could help her.


    "Demi, I need your help... Let''s call those guys..... It can''t end like this!"


    She hang up the phone with her chest rising and falling in anger. It can''t end like this. Now all she needed to do was ask those peoplw for help. She was sure they would help. They had gotten rid of Louise after all. Emily should be an easy target. Yes. It''s over for her.

 Chapter 171 A Dead End

    "I''m so d you could make it", Mona said as she hugged her best friend Demi. "Thank you. I know you had to leave ss..."


    "What''s wrong with you?" Demi gave her a once over. She chuckled, "It''s not like I haven''t bunked sses for you before."


    Demi''s smile faded as she realized something. Mona was anxious and evidently desperate for any help she could get to achieve her current goal: saving her rtionship with Ian. A certain bitterness washed over Demi''s form. But seeing the look on Mona''s face, she suppressed the feelings and walked on ahead.


    "Come on", she quietly said.


    Mona followed behind before they caught a taxi to the gym. Yes, they were headed to Pedro and Enzo''s. A few minutester, they alighted from the taxi when it stopped at their destination. Demi took care of the fare before Mona followed her in.


    Mona felt her palms grow sweaty as her heart thudded in anxiousness. They took the elevator that took them to the third floor. Mona watched Demi''s back as thetter walked ahead of her. She could not help but feel like her friend was being distant. She sighed. Was she asking too much of her?


    Demi raised her manicured fingers and knocked on the door. One knock was enough as Enzo immediately answered the door. He gestured for them to get in and showed them a seat before he settled on a double sofa.


    "Look what the wind blew in", Pedro chuckled as he walked over with two drinks in hand. He passed one to Enzo before settling down before the man. "I would offer you some but you know", he chuckled.


    "Quite hypocritical of you don''t you think?" Demi countered with a cross of her arms against her chest. He could sell them drugs but not offer them alcohol.


    "Well", Pedro gave an innocent shrug. "You told my men that you had an interesting offer for me."


    "It''s not an offer per se.... It''s more like a favor except we havemon interest", Demi exined.


    Pedro sighed looking bored out of his mind. "You''re wasting our time."


    "Emily Stanford!" Mona blurted out earning the attention of the two men.


    "The same Emily who was our client?" Enzo arched an amused brow to which Mona nodded.


    "Well, she''s on our radar. But what about her?" Pedro asked.


    "I want her dead! She''s a constant both-"


    Mona was interrupted by the sound of the two menughing. If anything, they looked amused before a serious expression settled on Pedro. "Little girl, shady as our business is, we can nevery a hand on a pregnant woman. The child did no wrong to us, why should we harm it?"


    "Well, at least find her, so I can teach her a lesson or two!" Mona screamed as her eyes shone with frustrated tears.


    "Find her? Don''t you know where she lives? I thought you''re dating her friend''s grandson", Enzo spoke this time.


    The two girls exchanged a look of disbelief before looking back at the men. Mona scoffed before her lips curled in a sneer, "You don''t even know she left West Vige?"


    It was the men''s turn to look at each other in shock. Amy had left? When did this happen? How did they not detect her absence? Why didn''t their men report anything out of the ordinary? How was it difficult to report about a departure concerning someone they have been monitoring?


    "Let''s go", Mona stood up. "They won''t help us."<sub> </sub>


    Demi saw the disappointment on her friend''s face and followed after her. The two men were left in thought. Emily Stanford had actually left. So she meant when she implied didn''t care about their rtionship. It was indeed their business.


    Enzo leaned back in his seat and took a sip. "What an interesting woman..."


    "Interesting indeed....", Pedro agreed with a hook of his arm over Enzo''s shoulder.


    Meanwhile, Mona was wiping silent tears as they walked out of the gym. This bothered Demi to a multitude. She sighed as she walked beside her.


    "Maybe it''s high time you ept things as they are between you and Ian?"


    "ept what?" She stopped and turned to look at her with angry tears. "This is all because of that woman! She went and left this mess behind for me to clean up! She did! Things are not ending like this!"


    "Mona...."


    "No!"


    "Ian is just in a messed up state, he didn''t mean anything he said earlier, everything will return back to normal. I know this. I know him! I.....", She sighed and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and sniffled. "I''ll see you tomorrow."


    Demi watched her friend walk on as her shoulders visibly shook with her quiet sobs. She didn''t know where she was headed. But Demi got one thing right from her interaction with Mona. Ian was the center of the problem. It was him they needed to take care of.


    With that thought, she walked back to Pedro and Enzo''s office. With a knock, she was let in. Enzo was surprised by her visit.


    "Back so soon?" He arched a brow.


    <o>,m "What about Ian? Ian Thornton", she emphasized a little anxiously.</o>


    Enzo was rmed by the name and anxiously looked around before shoving her in. He locked the door behind her and faced her with a grave expression.


    "What about him?" Pedro asked.


    "Can''t we take care of him? He''s not a pregnant woman and is definitely the problem in this when issue", she exined looking at the two men in hopes of getting what she wanted. If it happened, maybe Mona would finally look at her as more than a best friend.


    "We can''t touch him", Enzo answered without batting an eyelid.


    "Why not?" Her features pulled in frustration.


    "He''s a descendant of a member of the Night Wolves, if we touch him, they''lle for us, my business, you, your family, your little friend, and everyone rted to you even if they''re not family. That''s why. I''m not going to risk any of that, but feel free to do so at your own risk", Pedro said before walking to seat behind his desk. "Yeah, they mean to erase the existence of anyone that crosses them including those who knew of that person''s existence."


    She sighed. Her family was one thing but she couldn''t risk losing Mona. That would be too much of a loss to her. The situation had now reached a dead end. Could she ept such a result?

 Chapter 172 House Tour

    Amy''s blue eyes fluttered open. She was buried under the warm sheets of the King sized bed. Her hair was sprawled out on the pillow and different directions. She let out a contented sigh upon taking in the sight before her.


    Zach was seated on the bed with hisputer resting on hisp. He was wearing a jersey whose sleeves he had rolled up to his elbow and matched it with slim fit jeans. The same clothes he had worn in the morning when Victoria called them in for breakfast.


    It was just his chiseled side profile that got her attention. He was wearing eyesses with a concentrative expression peeled on theptop.


    ''Gosh! He''s so hot!'' she mentally squealed as she bit her bottom lip.


    He suddenly looked at her, immediately, she averted her gaze and opened her mouth forcing out a yawn. She sat up and stretched her arms when there was nothing to stretch. When she looked back at him, he was smirking. Yes, he knew she had been checking him out. Her brows furrowed in displeasure though her face was blushing as she smacked him his arm.


    "Why? What did I do?" He caught her hand and kissed the back of it causing the butterflies in her stomach to do summersaults.


    "You know what you did", she whined as he helped her to move into his arms.


    Zach chuckled as he watched her settle beside him with her head on his chest. He patted her head once she fellfortable in his arms.


    "I''m sorry", he said with a smile.


    "You should be", she answered back like a pampered kid before she felt him kiss the top of her head.


    It just felt right, being with him. Why had she deprived herself of this in the first ce? Pushing away the annoying thought, she nced at hisptop screen and took note of the time. It was a little after three. She had slept for two good hours after lunch. Zach''s hand movement caught her attention as his one free hand moved on the keyboard.


    "Busy?" She asked as she tried to move away.


    "No", he stopped her. "It''s a little something George sent me to look at."


    "It seems important..?"


    "Not really..... Actually, we could do something else right now. What do you want to do?"


    She looked up at him and he looked at her right away. She could never get used to the intense blues of his especially when he gave her such a gentle gaze. Actually, he always looked at her like that. It made her heart to misbehave.


    "How about a tour of the house?" She suggested.


    "No. No strenuous exercises for you. We can do that another time", he said in a firm voice.


    "We''ll take breaks in between", she pleaded.


    "Amy."


    "Please", she whined and cutely pouted her lip and blinked her big blues eyes.


    Zach''s brows furrowed. He could die from her cuteness! As if that was not enough, she started tracing a finger on his chest. It felt ticklish but was electrifying at the same time.


    "Zachery", she pleaded.


    She was at her wits end. Herst resolve would be to seduce him into it, dangerous, but she would. With him around, she had been confined to the bed for too long. Coupled with the fact that she had not exercised for a while, she felt stuffy from just sitting around. She needed this walk and plus she needed to know her way around the ce.


    "Fine", he grumbled. He could not handle any more of her cuteness.


    "Yes!!!!" She swung her arms around his neck and giggled. Zach shook his head as he smiled, she got excited over the silliest things.


    Forty five minutes, six rooms, five baths, cinema, game room, sauna, and two living roomster; in just the East wing, all the excitement on her face had vanished.They had sat down on a sofa in one lounge of the mansion.


    Edmund was quick to bring two bottles of water to Zach who unscrewed one and gave it to her before unscrewing his. Amy gratefully took it and gulped down a mouthful.<sub> </sub>


    "Is this a hotel? Why do you have so many rooms?" She asked while catching her breath from drinking water.


    "I n on having a big family", he spoke before taking a sip of his.


    "Excuse me?" She shielded her crotch with her hands as she stared at him in horror.


    Zach was about to take another sip when he broke out intoughter after seeing her reaction. The maids passing by heard the unfamiliar sound and soon saw a rare sight. Their master wasughing. This was the first time they were seeing their mistress.


    How did two good looking people get together? Life was unfair to some of them. Edmund shooed them away with a hand signal before a serene expression settled on his face. He had never seen his master like this and wished it would be so in the future as well. He didn''t have much of an opinion on Amy except that she was his new boss. The man knew to mind his business.


    Amy was ring at her man. They were yet to explore the West wing and who knows how many more rooms there were yet the man was talking about having a big family? Zach was about to speak when his phone rung. He excused himself and answered it without leaving her side.


    "Yes?..... I''ll call you back", he said before hanging up. Amy''s brows went up in question when he had responded while looking at her. "That was mom. How do you feel about a family dinner?"


    "Sounds good."


    "Xavier will officially be introducing his girlfriend tonight", Zach exined.


    So he was asking if she wasfortable with dining with a stranger since they had decided toy low. But if this was Xavier''s girl and he knew what the situation was, then it was fine.


    "That''s okay, too", she smiled.


    He nodded before informing his mother. He was brief and straight to the point before he hang up.


    "Edmund, you''ll receive a call from my mother", he informed.


    "Alright, sir", he answered from the door of the lounge area.


    ? Zach watched as Amy took another sip absentmindedly. She was lost in thought as she stared into space. What could be going on in that pretty little head of hers? She suddenly turned to him with curious eyes.


    "So he''s really going for her?" She whispered.


    He chuckled, "Amy. Be good."


    "Fine", she pouted and looked away. Zach sighed when he extinguished her inner gossiper. Well, it won''t kill anyone if he fed it a little.


    "You won''t believe how they met."


    "How?" She had turned back to him. Zach recounted their story and her mouth fell open before she gave him a skeptical look. "You''re just making this up, aren''t you?"


    He shook his head no.


    "Wow. That''s.... crazy", she shook her head. He smiled when he saw this. Amy was quiet most times but Ste had spoiled her into bing a low-key gossiper. She wasn''t too much which is what Zach liked. Something registered in her mind. "Wait, the dinner is taking ce here?"


    "Mm, mom doesn''t want you moving around. Besides, you have your checkup tomorrow", he took her now empty bottle and gave her his to finish.


    Amy nodded as she took a sip. A blush crept on her cheeks as she felt giddy pressing her lips on the same spot Zach''s lips did. Her brows rose in confusion.


    "Checkup? As in with Suzy?"


    "Mm. She''s meeting us tomorrow."


    Amy nodded. Nervousness suddenly washed over her form and she suppressed it by drinking the water. She could not help but wonder, what preparations had Zach made for the next day''s checkup?

 Chapter 173 Dinner With The Daughters-In-Law

    Amy rummaged through her wardrobe. She was not sure what to wear for the family dinner. Her eyesnded on a long sleeved turtleneck beige bodycon dress. It fell to her knees when she put it on and it hugged her curves perfectly andplimented her baby bump. She looked in the mirror and nodded in approval, but would Zach like it?


    She took some sandle heels before walking out of the wardrobe and going to her dressing table. Zach had it set up the day after they had settled in. She tied her hair into a sleek bun before she started working on her makeup. She didn''t want to do too much and went for neutral eyes. Now for the lips..... She tapped a finger on them wondering which color of lipstick she should go for. Her eyesnded on a box of lipsticks that Zach had gotten for her some time back. She took a strawberry shade and started applying the lipstick.


    Zach came out of the bathroom in his towel when he found her doing so. She kept a watch on him as he watched her run the stick on her luscious lips. She pursed them before slowly releasing them in their full form. Zach cursed under his breath.


    "How is it?" She asked in a seductive manner.


    He walked over and leaned in to whisper against her ear, "I''ve already thought of ways of ruining that."


    Amy''s breath hitched when she felt the caress of his soft lips against her ear send an electrifying feeling upon contact. Her eyes subconsciously drifted to his towel covered crotch through the mirror. Is that one of the things he would use to ruin her lipstick?


    "Don''t do that baby", he growled guessing what she was thinking.


    "Do what?" She whispered as she resumed looking into his now lust filled eyes through the mirror.


    "That dinner mighte to an end before it starts", he whispered back before pressing his lips on the back of her neck. She felt a shiver down her spine and closed her eyes enjoying the pleasure.


    "I''ll go dress up", he whispered to which she hummed.


    While he did so, she looked through a drawer that had her earrings. She had never bought much jewelry because she was a homebody. If she was invited to some function, someone always represented her.


    As though reading her mind, he came up behind her. He was now in beige slimfit pants, a red shirt neatly tucked in leaving the first two buttons undone and sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and chocte brown shoes.


    His hair had beenbed back neatly and the woodsy scent just made him even more attractive.


    He smirked when he caught her checking him out again. Before she could smack him, he came up behind her and hooked his hands around her neck. She looked down to see a simple pure silver chain with a moon pendant and diamond filling inside. She gasped at the beauty of it as she zed her fingers against it. His words shed in her mind.


    ''For the earth, there''s only one moon... For me, there''s only you.''


    She chuckled in delight as she turned around to face him. Her cheeks colored red remembering such a cheesy line yet it made her blush still.


    "I love it, thank you Zachery."


    "It''s my pleasure", he said with an adoring gaze as he wrapped his arms around her waist.


    She felt like melting on the spot. Failing to resist, she stood on her tip toes and hooked her arms around his neck bringing his head down to catch his lips with hers. He held the back of her neck to deepen the kiss when she broke it. His brows went up in question.


    "I don''t want you to ruin my lipstick", she whispered while holding his gaze. "Just not before the dinner."


    So what about after dinner? She untangled herself from him with a mischievous smile and went to put on her shoes. This woman, what was she ying at especially knowing that her checkup was the next day? His dirty thoughts were interrupted when he took in her footwear.


    "Will you befortable in those?" He voiced his concern.


    "I should be, but I''ll get rid of them if it gets ufortable", she promised.


    He went to help her put them on before they headed out. As they descended the stairs with Amy''s hand in his, the house staff could not help but marvel at the couple. They heard a loud gasp from the foot of the stairs!


    "Xavier! Where is your camera?" Victoria shouted excitedly.


    "Why?" He rushed over and his mouth fell open. "Wow! This day will go down in history!"


    "Why- wow!" Georgemented with a chuckle.


    Amy chuckled, "Leave your brother alone."


    "You heard her", Zach agreed feeling bashful that she was backing him up.


    "Sis! Allow me to take pictures. I won''t do anything without your consent", Xavier promised.<sub> </sub>


    Amy was skeptical about the idea, she looked to Zach feeling unsure. Truth be told, she never liked being in the spotlight. Besides, tonight is about Xavier and Nicole, not them.


    "Don''t force yourself", Zach said to her.


    "Don''t you want tomemorate this moment? Besides, I''m not bragging but my photography skills are good", he puffed his chest out.


    Not bragging, he says.


    "But Nicole.....", That was her concern.


    "Oh! Don''t worry about her. She not yet here", he exined.


    Amy briefly fell quiet before nodding. Xavier quickly went out. He always carried his camera around. He retrieved it from his car before going back to the couple.


    "So just be yourself, you can have a conversation, or whatever. I''ll handle the rest", he said before getting into position.


    The couple looked at each other, unsure of what to do despite the instructions they received.


    "I still don''t know what to do", Amy whispered in his face.


    "Me neither", he admitted with a whisper of his own.


    They broke out into chuckles at their silliness. Zach caressed her cheek with his free hand as he gazed at her dottingly.


    "Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" He continued with a whisper. Amy''s smile grew wide as her cheeks colored red.


    "Wow! You guys are literally the perfect models!" Xaviermented as he started looking through the pictures he took. Throughout their ordeal, he had been moving around capturing the moments.


    "Let me see", Victoria moved closer excitedly.


    They all hurdled around him. Amy was shocked. Xavier had captured the moment they had been staring at each other, when they smiled at each other, and Zach staring at her dottingly while she blushed. Xavier knew which moments to capture.


    "Excuse me sir, Miss Oswell has arrived", Edmund announced after getting their attention.


    They all looked to find her walking in wearing a ck bodycon dress with ck sandal heels, simple makeup and her hair french braided to the side.


    "Wow", Xavier abandoned his camera in George''s hands and went to greet her with a kiss. "You look beautiful."


    "Thank you. Sorry, I''mte. There was traffic", she said to him before looking at the rest.


    "It''s okay. Let''s go in", he said before leading her in with his hand resting on the small of her back.


    Zach and Amy followed behind. George took two steps before he was stopped by a tag on his shirt. He stopped and looked back with a questioning gaze.


    "Aunt Victoria?" His brows went up.


    "George, when is it going to be your turn? I want all my boys to settle down", she spoke quietly.


    "Aunt Victoria."


    "Actually, there''s this girl-"


    "Hello?" He fished out his phone from his trouser pocket and pressed it to his ear. He mouthed ''work'' as he pointed at the phone before quickly walking away.


    "That phone didn''t even ring", she whisper shouted herint only to make him sprint out of the corridor.


    She shook her head. Although he reacted like that, she needed to do something. George was much worse than Zach when ites to women. He was a literal statue. Anyway, she would worry about thatter. For now, it was time for dinner with her two daughters-inw. Could life be any more perfect than this?

 Chapter 174 Learning About Amys Childhood

    The sound of the cutlery resounded across the quiet table. They had used a smaller yet round dining table to fit them. It was filled with different dishes.


    It was a different atmosphere than what Amy was used to. With Zach, they often threw in a few words here and there when eating. Her idea of a family dinner was that of sharing conversation over a warm meal; just like at Ste''s. It was always noisy but fun. Amy felt her eyes prick with tears at the thought of the older woman.


    She felt Zach''s hand on her thigh and gently caress her since both her hands were on the table. She blinked back the tears and looked at him with a small smile. Just him worrying over her wasforting enough.


    Soon, the table was cleared and dessert was served. Oh! There was so much to choose from. Zach''s lips lifted when he saw his wife''s eyes lit up from the food.


    "I dont think I can eat any more", Nicole sighed as she patted her stomach. She looked at Amy and chuckled, "It must be nice to be pregnant."


    Amy''s hand movements briefly halted before she continued serving herself. She had indeed eaten a lot with Zach and Victoria refilling her te plus it tasted good! She could not help herself. But thisment from Nicole...


    Her expression was calm as was her soft voice. "What do you mean?"


    "I envy your appetite especially with your pregnancy", she smiled.


    "Well", Amy looked up at her and a smile graced her features. "Too bad."


    Too bad Nicole couldn''t eat however she wants or too bad Nicole wasn''t pregnant? The air turned awkward on the table as Nicole''s smile froze.


    Zach simply smiled and helped his wife acquire more desserts. If she wanted to eat more, it should be no one''s business. Xavier was left in between feeling the need tofort his girlfriend at the same time suppressing hisugh at Amy''sment.


    He cleared his throat and changed the topic. "So, mom said you guys went house hunting?"


    "Yes! We found a good one at Crystal Pce", Victoria said excitedly. Amy''s brows involuntarily went up before she rxed her expression.


    "Crystal Pce? I heard it''s hard to get a ce there", George asked, very surprised. He had been vying for an opening until he gave up and bought his own penthouse elsewhere.


    "We were lucky", Nicole responded with a smile. Then she looked at Zach and Amy. "You guys look good together. The world would go crazy if they found out about your baby!"


    Zach looked at his brother in warning and Xavier nodded.


    "I''m sure, but it''s not for the world to know", Victoria intervened with a yful chuckle though she was serious. "Ah! Why don''t we move to the living room? The guys can chat amongst themselves while we girls get to know each other", Victoria suggested.


    And so the setting changed. The men shared a bottle of Scotch barely holding a conversation while thedies sat together.


    Amy was still eating and had a ss of juice beside her. She watched Zach leave the room leaving her to wonder where he was going. He always told her before doing so. She smiled at how easily that had be a habit. The man came backter with house slippers in his hands. Looking at his feet, he had changed into a pair. He knelt down before her and removed the heels to rece them with the slippers. Amy felt her heart melt at his gesture.


    She cupped his cheek with a warm smile, "Thank you."


    He took her hand and kissed the palm. "We''ll be in the game room. Call me if you need anything but I''ll still check on you", he said quietly to which she nodded. He pecked her lips before getting up.


    Victoria cupped her mouth to suppress her squeal at the cute exchange. She looked at George to tell him he could have the same but the boy looked away knowing her intentions. Xavier chuckled at this.


    "And I''m calling it a night", Henry announced as he got up. "Lovely meeting you Miss Oswell."


    "Likewise, Mr. Frost", she responded with a smile.


    "Mm. Don''t stay up toote", he pointed at Amy and Victoria.


    "Yes, Dad", she responded while Victoria red at him when he winked at her. That cunning man!


    Nicole nodded at Xavier who gestured that he''d be joining the boys. She concealed the disappointment in her eyes as she had hoped she would receive the same treatment as one Amy received.


    "We can finally rx", Victoria said with a chuckle once the boys left.


    "Yes", Nicole responded with a chuckle as she patted her chest. She turned to Amy with an apologetic smile, "I''m sorry about earlier. I was so nervous I said the wrong things. I didn''t mean to offend you."<sub> </sub>


    "It''s fine", Amy said with a smile of her own.


    "Thank you! Phew!" She pretended to swipe sweat off her forehead with a chuckle.


    "Yes, don''t take it to heart Amy. Nicole is a nice girl. You won''t believe how I met her", Victoria chuckled.


    She began to retell the story. The threedies found themselvesughing at what now was a memory. The atmosphere becamefortable with Victoria''s non-stop stories.


    Close to an hourter, Zach came back to collect her. There was that appointment they had the next day. And so they called it a night. They had just settled in bed when she gasped in realization.


    "I forgot about the lipstick! I could-" she tried to get up but was pulled back.


    "No, we''re not trying anything until we''re in the clear", he gently said.


    "But I could-"


    "It''s okay, baby. I''m okay", he assured her with a kiss on her head.


    She rxed in his arms with her head on his chest. He yed with her hair as he fell in thought. Something that had caught his attention earlier during dinner.


    "Crystal Pce?" He asked.


    Her brows went up before her face rxed into a smile. She decided to give him a simple and honest answer.


    "From the time I was young, my dream was to have clothes on my back and a home. Plus, it''s where I lived before I fled to West Vige."


    <o>,m "I''m curious about something", he started and she gave a hum in response. "What was your childhood like?"</o>


    "My childhood? Mm..... I don''t know how best to describe it. I grew up at Good Hope Orphanage in West Vige."


    "West vige? So going there wasn''t a coincidence", hemented in realization.


    "Yeah, it was like going back home though my memories are not as great there. It wasn''t doing too well so we had to scramble for a lot of things. I wished for a good family to adopt me but I never got lucky in that department. Mm.... The only time I was truly happy there was when I was in the library surrounded by books. Knowing I''d have to leave the orphanage, even if I didn''t get a family, I needed clothes on my back and a home. That''s where A.J The Lord Hacker was born with the help of online video games tournaments."


    "A.J The Lord Hacker", he tasted it on his tongue.


    She giggled, "Cheesy, isn''t it?"


    "No, and it''s true. There''s no one like you", he admitted. He was genuinely impressed with her.


    Amy''s smile grew wide and she blushed, "I know."


    Zach overturned them with him on top before he captured her lips with his. He had resisted for far too long. He wasted no time and assaulted her mouth with his tongue. He used one arm to support his weight and used his free hand to grab the back of her neck as he deepened the kiss.


    "Mmmm", she moaned softly. She loved it when he held her like that whenever they shared a kiss.


    His tongue intertwined with and caressed hers, sucking and tasting every nook and cranny. He could never get enough of her addictive taste. He groaned when he felt her fingersce through his hair. Her touch sent a numbing pleasure to his scalp and he loved it. He broke the kiss for them to catch their breaths and just in time before he could lose it.


    "Let''s go to sleep", he whispered as hey on his side and pulled her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head. "Goodnight baby."


    "Goodnight", she whispered back.


    Tomorrow was a big day. What arrangements had Zach prepared? And if she was in the clear, does that mean they could finally....?

 Chapter 175 The Check Up

    The next day had arrived. Amy and Zach were still sleeping. Their soft snores echoed in the room. The thick curtains slowly drew open on their own letting the sun light fully illuminate the room. Amy''s brows knitted together before she opened her eyes. She came face to face with Zach''s bare chest. His breathing was even, it seemed he was still asleep. She made to carefully untangle herself from his hold as she got when he tightened his hold keeping her in his arms.


    "Where are you going?" His voice came out groggy yet it was such a sexy sound to hear first thing in the morning.


    She lifted her head to look at him with her lips pursed trying to suppress her giddiness. His eyes remained closed and his hair was a beautiful mess. Getting no response, he opened one eye to find her staring at him. She quickly buried her face in his chest.


    "Oh! My God!"


    "What?" He chuckled, very much amused by her behavior. He had both eyes opened.


    She pushed herself up so her mouth was close to his ear. He could not see her blushing face but could her warm breath fan his skin. She hummed in thought before she whispered to him.


    "I have a crush on you."


    Zach chuckled. That was something he did not expect. He was not sure how to react to that but he felt his cheeks burn red and a silly smile yed on his lips.


    "A crush?" He repeated.


    "Mm."


    He chuckled again. Seeing that she was not getting a response from the man she knew to be straightforward, she looked up to find him blushing. She gasped in pure surprise and amusement.


    "Did I just make you blush?" She giggled.


    "Weren''t you going somewhere just now?" He tried to send her away though securing his hold on her waist.


    "No. Not anymore. I''m going to stay here and make you blush", she said with a smug smile.


    "Men don''t blush", he argued.


    "Uh-huh!" Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she watched him with a beautiful smile. He waspletely taken by her beauty and his ears turned red from her gaze.


    "Oh! My God!" She giggled.


    "You know the roles could easily reverse", he stated.


    "Yes, just let me have my moment", she said excitedly.


    He could only relent and let her have her way. She could tease him all she wants as long as it makes her happy. About two hourster, they were dressed, had their breakfast, and were ready for the appointment. Henry had gone out for his personal business, probably at the F.B.I HQ. The two were seated in the living room on one sofa with her feet plopped up on hisp. He gently caressed her smooth legs while they shared a conversation.


    Edmund walked in wearing a ck English suit topped with a white. He always looked neat and looked after himself even when he was in his fifties. He was about to speak when a voice spoke from behind him.


    "Did someone call for a doctor?"


    "Suzy!" Amy gasped in surprise. She removed her feet from hisp and went to hug her friend. Edmund silently took his leave when Zach signaled him to.


    "You had me worried! How could you leave without saying anything?" She scolded before they pulled apart. Amy opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Suzy smiled and rubbed the girls arms. "It''s okay. You don''t have to say anything. And don''t worry, I''m bound by oath to keep my patient''s information confidential."


    Amy gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee, Jen."


    "So, which hospital are we going to?" She asked. She figured they had arranged to use a hospital in the city for her checkup and it would all be a secret with Zach''s help.


    Suzy chuckled as she looked at Zach, "I see you didn''t tell her."


    "Tell me what?"<sub> </sub>


    A smile yed on Suzy''s lips as her eyes shone with mischief. "You, my dear, have a crazy man."


    What did Suzy mean by that? She looked at Zach who only smiled. Soon enough, she learned why Suzy said so. Her jaw dropped open. Zach had turned one of the rooms into a hospital. The scanner was there, defibritor, the ECG, a King sized bed, and some equipment that Amy could not name. Since she couldn''t risk going to the hospital especially now that they''re in the city, he brought the hospital to her.


    "I..... Wow.... I- I don''t know what to say", she felt her eyes sting with tears. How could he go to such lengths for her?


    Zach pulled her into his embrace and gently patted her head when he heard her soft sobs. Even Suzy was touched, it would be considered crazy but for him to go to such lengths, it only goes to show how much he cares for Amy. After Zach calmed her down, he was asked to leave before she started her check up.


    "So how have you been?" Suzy asked.


    "Um.....", Amy felt some type of way especially when her friend struck a conversation whilst examining her down there.


    Suzy chuckled, "Awkward?"


    "Mm-hm."


    "Okay. Give me a minute", she said.


    Amy tried not to think about what Suzy was doing. These were moments she was d she fell in love withputers and not medicine. The minute felt like an eternity as she tried to upy her mind with other things.


    "Done. I''ll call him back in so we can see how the baby is doing", she said as she removed her medical gloves.


    Amy breathed out a sigh of relief. Suzy helped her sit up for her to fix her underwear before going out to call Zach. He helped cover her legs with a sheet while Amy pulled up her dress to expose her stomach. It was growing bigger and bigger. She flinched when she felt the familiar cold gel before Suzy started scanning.


    "Mm....", she hummed as she looked at the monitor.


    Amy could only hope that hum was good. The couple watched their baby with an adoring gaze. While she wiped her belly, Suzy took down notes. Zach helped her sit up on the bed and waited for Suzy to be done.


    "Okay", Suzy put down the file and faced them. "Everything looks good. The baby is very healthy, your cervix looks good. Mm... As of now, you should be able to feel the baby''s movement, some fluttering, some kicking.."


    "Really?" Amy gasped out in excitement. That was such great news! Zach had a big smile on his face. Even he could not wait to feel it. He caressed her stomach and she gave him a warm smile.


    "Yeah, and I brought more folic acid. I figured you''d soon run out", she exined.


    "Thanks Suzy", Amy said with a smile.


    "Thank you Dr. Glynne", Zach said genuinely.


    She waved a hand of dismissal at them. A thought came to Amy''s mind in that moment.


    "By the way, how soon can I resume doing ptes? I feel stuffy from just sitting around."


    "Today, tomorrow; anytime you want to. Just make sure you don''t strain yourself" , she reminded.


    "Yes, thank you!" Amy breathed out a sigh of relief.


    Zach''s interest was piqued as he looked at the excited Amy. He didn''t know she did ptes. Interesting. As the check-up was done, he excused himself so thedies could catch up.


    "Just so we''re clear, she can now do ''certain'' activities, right?" He asked as he got up. Amy gasped and felt her face heat up from embarrassment.


    "Yes, Mr. Frost", Suzy said after a chuckle.


    He gave a satisfied nod, pecked Amy''s lips and left them to chat. Once he left, Suzy broke out inughter as she looked at the embarrassed Amy.


    "He has no filter", Suzy said in amusement earning a sigh from Amy. "You''re in trouble!"

 Chapter 176 Amys Self Restraint

    "So... How are things with Steven?" Amy started, taking the embarrassing spotlight away from herself.


    Suzy''s face colored red as she averted her gaze from Amy''s piercing blues. Thetter could practically guess progress had been made between the two. She felt excited for her friend as she paid extra attention to her.


    "Something happened the day we brought you in at the hospital", she admitted with a shy smile. Amy had on a smug smile. "I-I was stressed out about your condition-"


    "Uh-huh", Amy responded in a sing-songy way as she cupped her chin in her hand.


    "And.... Stop looking at me like that!" She could not handle Amy''s amused expression. It made her blush even more.


    Amy ignored her and pressed on. "So how was he?"


    Suzy''s mouth fell open. The butterflies in her stomach danced around as Amy''s question reminded her of her passionate night with Steven Burn. Though her face burned red, she countered with a question of her own.


    "Would you tell me if I asked how good Mr. Frost is in bed?"


    "Yeah, you have the proof right here", she gestured at her stomach.


    "What a brag!" Suzy teased earning a smile from Amy.


    Edmund knocked and was let in with some maids to bring the twodies snacks and drinks to apany them as they chatted. It had been a while since she sat down and just chatted with a fellow female. She spent the afternoon there having lunch with the couple and chatted a little more before she left.


    "Call me when you get there", Amy said in between the hug they were sharing.


    "I will. Take care of yourself", she said as she pulled out of the hug to which Amy nodded. "Mr. Frost."


    "Dr. Glynne", he gave a nod.


    A car drove her around the mansion, taking her where the helicopter awaited her. As she was a doctor, Zach prepared that as transport to not dy her in case of emergency. Deep down, Amy felt a little envious. Susan was going back to West Vige. She was notining about being in the city with Zach but she just missed the people there. She especially missed Ste. She sighed at this thought.


    "Thank you", she said. She had a lot to thank him for. He was sacrificing a lot for her. He shook his head as she caressed her cheek.


    "Let''s go inside", he said.


    Edmund was quick to get the doors for them as they walked in. She leaned into his embrace as they walked and her hands subconsciously rested on her stomach.


    "So, ptes huh?" He quietly asked.


    "Yeah, Ste signed me up for a ss back in West Vige", she smiled at the fond memory.


    "I''ll join you."


    She stopped making him do the same as she looked up at him in surprise. "You know how to do ptes?"


    "Mm.... No. But, I know there are some positions that will require the two of us", he said in a voice only the two of them could hear.


    Amy''s mind took a dive into the gutter imagining those ''positions'' except they were not ptes. She cleared her throat and averted her gaze, feeling embarrassed by her thoughts. She didn''t want to seem too eager to do it especially now that she was in the clear. Zach would surely find her to be a pervert.


    "I want a snack", she blurted out.<sub> </sub>


    "What type of snack?"


    Why does that sound suggestive too? These damn hormones! She spun on her heels and left for the kitchen.


    "I''ll see what I can find!" She shouted over her shoulder.


    Zach smiled to himself. He found it cute how she exercised her self restraint. He followed after her to find her looking through the fridge. Two maids stood to the side as they watched their young Mistress.


    "What do you want to eat? I can make it for you", he said.


    The maids gasped in fear. They didn''t want a repeat of what Margaret went through when their master did his ownundry.


    "Sir-"


    He dismissed them with a wave of a hand as he walked over to Amy. He stood behind her and looked into the fridge.


    "No need for cooking. I just need... Some yoghurt should do it", she said.


    She took a whole jar, a box of strawberries, blueberries, and gran.


    "Let me te it for you", he offered.


    Amy sat in a stool around the counter and watched him. He rolled up his sleeves to his elbow. He took a bowl. First went in the yoghurt, then he sliced the strawberries ording to Amy''s instructions before he arranged them in the bowl, followed by the other berries and then gran.


    It was a simple task but Amy felt he looked too appealing. He was seducing her without even trying. He wiped the edge of the bowl with a towel and served it to her. He rested his fists on the counter assuming a dominant stance. Amy sucked in her bottom lip as she imagined being trapped between those strong arms as he pummeled her from behind and-


    She was snapped out of her thoughts when he suddenly walked over to her and grabbed the back of her head as he initiated a kiss.


    "Mm!" She moaned in surprise.


    It was a kiss full of want and strong desire. He pulled on her hair as he deepened the kiss. Tongues fought for dominance, her hands went to his neck while his fell to her waist where he pulled her closer. They both wanted to be closer than they already were. The kiss awakened a strong hunger and thirst that needed to be satisfied. Zach abruptly broke the kiss before he could rip her clothes off right then.


    "I need to hear you say it", he breathed as he rested his forehead against hers.


    Amy took a couple of deep breaths before she willed courage and said those three words.


    "I want you."


    "Good girl", he said before he lifted her into his arms.


    Her arms wrapped around his neck while legs wrapped around his waist when he started moving out of the kitchen. He stole kisses from her lips as he walked, and nted some on her chin, trailing to her neck where he nibbled on her soft spot.


    "Mm.... My gran and yoghurt", she mumbled with her eyes closed enjoying the pleasure his mouth was giving to her neck.


    "I''ll make you another one when we''re done", he answered with a husky tone before he nibbled on her soft spot.


    Once they''re were done? Would that be today? She felt that would not be any time soon. But her heart thudded in excitement and the butterflies in her stomach danced around. Finally! They were going to do it!

 Chapter 177 I Love You

    Bam! Zach kicked the door close once they reached their room. He turned to let her lean against it whilst in his arms. Their make out session had resumed somewhere along the way. He broke the kiss, not just to let them catch their breaths but-


    Gasp! Amy''s mouth fell open and her eyes expressed the genuine surprise. He gently let her down and watched her walk ahead to stand a few feet away from him as she took in the room.


    Creamwhite scented candles lit up a path of red rose petals. There were red roses arrangements in ss vases on the floor, balloons in white, ck and gold. The little candle path led to the lounge area that had rose petals arranged in a heart shape on the floor with LED lights illuminating the spot.


    The curtains had been drawn close leaving LED lights dimming the ce and giving a beautiful romantic vibe. The white ceiling was dark with a sea of stars illuminating on it. It was their room but she felt like she had walked into a whole different ce on a beautiful night. She looked back at him and touched her chest as tears brimmed in her eyes. She had no words for him, for everything.


    That was his cue to walk over and take her hand in his. They walked over to the lounge and stood in the middle of the heart. Amy felt her heart would explode in her chest in that moment.


    "What''s all this? When did you....?"


    "When I left you with Suzy", he said. Unbeknownst to her, Zach was very nervous too. "Do you like it?"


    "I love it. This is.... This is beautiful.... I don''t know what to say", she said with a smile.


    "Then allow me to say something", he reached out his hand to wipe a fallen tear on her cheek. She nodded in response. "Amy."


    She answered with a nod not trusting herself to verbally answer without breaking out in a sob. He took both her hands and kissed the knuckles before letting out a deep breath.


    "When I think back on how we met, it blows my mind. Everytime I think back to that moment, I can''t help but think how lucky I was to have fallen into that situation. It''s because I met the love of my life. I met you."


    Amy sniffled as tears fell down her cheeks. She didn''t wipe them as Zach was doing that for her as he spoke.


    "When you left, you were only a stranger to me yet, it felt like a part of me had left too. Realizing that you were the love of my life, that very reason pushed me to look for you and I never gave up. I promised myself that I would not let you go once I found you. Well...", He slowly got down on one knee.


    Amy brought a hand to her face to shield her crying face. This was so unexpected. Zach felt his eyes sting with tears but he swallowed a hard lump and maintainedposure. The moment was emotional for the both of them.


    "I know the situation is not ideal at the moment but I want to be there for you, help you and protect you no matter whates our way. I strongly believe that this problem will soone to an end. And when that happens, Amy.....", He reached for his back pocket and retrieved a ck velvety box to reveal a 10 carat diamond ring. The band was simply pure silver with no extra decorations. It was simply beautiful.


    "Will you marry me?"


    She sniffled and her face slightly pulled into a frown. "I understand everything you''re saying but..... Are you just saying this because of the baby? I don''t want you to feel pressured into-"


    "Amy, I''m in love with you. I have been from the moment we met. My decision right now would be the same even if the baby was not in the picture."<sub> </sub>


    "You''re in love with me?"


    "I am. I''m crazy about you", he admitted.


    She chuckled as she took in the genuineness in his eyes. He meant every word he just said, she could feel it. And in her heart, there were no doubts nor a voice in the back of her mind saying otherwise. It all felt right like this was supposed to happen.


    "Yes."


    "Yes?" He echoed with surprise. Her silence had thrown him in a mental panic only to receive this answer.


    "Yes", she giggled. "I''ll marry you."


    He immediately stood up and grabbed the back of her neck to crush his lips against hers. Tears rolled down her cheeks when she closed her eyes to reciprocate the kiss. They both rxed against the kiss before breaking it. Zach took the cold object and slid into her ring finger. Amy felt giddy as she looked at it. He watched the happy smile that yed on her lips as she marveled at the ring''s beauty.


    "It''s so beautiful", she whispered thought staring at the ring in awe.


    He took her in his arms and patted her head. She rxed in embrace. Zach inhaled her floral scent and let himself rx too as he rested his chin atop her head. They didn''t say anything and simply let the current situation sink in. At least that''s what Zach thought Amy was doing too.


    "I thought we came to fuck", she whispered.


    He let out an amusedugh as he slightly pulled away and looked down at her. "Someone is impatient."


    She buried her face in his chest to hide her blush. He resumed hugging her with his chin on her head. Realization dawned on her and she giggled at the thought.


    "You know, we skipped the boyfriend-girlfriend part."


    "That''s because you are meant to be my wife and not just a girlfriend." He briefly fell quiet before he spoke again. "Thank you, Amy."


    She was about to ask what for when he pulled away and cupped her cheek. His eyes were slightly shaky. He seemed nervous again... But what for? And she got her answer. It felt like the world had fallen quiet and vacant leaving just the two of them in that moment in time.


    "I love you."


    A warm and happy smile bloomed on her features. Her heart fluttered as those three words sunk in. No questions asked, she felt the same way. "I love you too."

 Chapter 178 Thats All He Needed To Hear

    Zach smiled back and he visibly rxed as he watched her. Slowly, his smile faded, his eyes locked on hers before moving down to her luscious lips. He repeated that, silently asking for permission. She gave a silent response as her eyes expressed the same want. With a tilt of his head, he cupped her cheeks and captured her soft lips with his.


    They slowly molded against each other. It was unhurried and full of passion. As their tongues danced together, it expressed the strong emotions they felt for one another that they could not express in words. They truly loved one another.


    The kiss soon ignited the desire they had temporarily put on hold because of the proposal. His hands roamed her body squeezing her breasts and traveling down to her ass where he smacked it then gave it a good squeeze.


    "Ah!" She moaned at the feel of his hands on her ass.


    He moved them back up again and went to her back where he found the zipper of her dress. They broke the kiss and he focused on unzipping it. Amy felt a shiver as her skin was exposed to a ze of his fingers whilst he unzipped her. It easily fell to the floor in a pile and she was left in her Lacey bra and undies. He moved to unhook her bra but found nothing.


    "Oh! It''s here", Amy said. He moved back and watched her shaking hands unhook it from the front.


    "Oh!" Is all he said finding it interesting.


    The bra joined her dress on the floor leaving her big mounds free and exposed to him. He was not done. He hooked a finger each on her undies and crouched as he slid them down her smooth legs. She lifted her feet each to get out of them. Zach took a sniff of them and sighed in content.


    Her face grew red from embarrassment. He took in every each of her body as he slowly stood up. From her smooth long legs, her wet slit, her beautiful round stomach that was swollen with his child, her big mounds whose nipples were now erect, her luscious pink lips, her disheveled hair, and her mesmerizing blues. He shook his head in disbelief.


    "You''re so beautiful", he confessed making her blush even more. He cupped the back of her neck and briefly pressed his lips against hers.


    "Get on the bed", hemanded.


    Amy felt the butterflies in her stomach misbehave as she got a move on. He had seen her naked before but she was still conscious of being the only one naked. But, not for too long.


    As shey on the bed, she watched him strip out of his clothes. First the shirt, his shoes, trousers, and then his boxers. She swallowed a hard lump when she saw his massive length ready for her.


    In his naked glory, he moved to her whilst stroking his member at the sight of her wet slit. She grew even more wet at his sight. When he reached her, he parted her legs and settled between them. He leaned down to her stomach.


    "Go to sleep cupcake, mommy and daddy are about to get busy", he whispered making herugh before he nted a kiss on it.


    Then he moved forward, his face hovering inches above hers. His eyes had darkened with desire and she knew hers were no better. He cupped her cheek and whispered huskily.


    "Tell me baby, how hard do you want to be fucked?"


    "How hard can you fuck?" She countered with bravery that came out of nowhere.


    Zach smirked, "Let me refresh your memory."


    Amy swallowed a hard lump before Zach smashed his lips against hers. Their tongues danced in rhythm to a fiery passion that had been ignited. He started trailing kisses to her neck and nibbled on her soft spot.


    "Mmmmm...." She moaned with her hands tightly gripping his shoulders.


    He kissed his way down to her right mound and captured her hardened peak in his mouth.


    "Ah!" She tightly gripped his hair pushing him towards her.


    He had his eyes closed as he sucked on it. His other hand yed with the other nipple, pinching it and feeling the fullness of her breast in his hand. He twirled his tongue and bit her. She arched her back and bit her lower lip enjoying his ministrations. He moved to the other breast and gave it equal attention.<sub> </sub>


    Then he kissed her swelling stomach, trailing kisses down to her womanhood. He spread her legs further apart and came face to face with her wet p*ssy. Amy''s heart thudded in anticipation when she felt his warm breath fan her down there. He took a whiff of her scent.


    "Fuck! You smell so good", he groaned before he run his wet tongue against her folds.


    "Oh!" She shivered from the pleasure and grabbed his hair to keep him in ce.


    Well, he wasn''t going anywhere. He had no ns to. He used two of his fingers to spread her lips and gave another good lick.


    "You taste so good!" He whispered before giving another lick.


    He started sucking on her nub. He closed his eyes enjoying her unique taste aas hepped up her wetness. He gave the nub a good flick with his finger earning a pleasure filled shriek from her.


    She felt her scalp go numb from pleasure as he flicked, licked and sucked her. Without warning, he inserted two of his fingers inside her warmth.


    "Oh! Zachery!"


    He moved them in and out of her as he continued to worship her womanhood with his tongue. Her hips moved meeting his thrusts. He bit her nub before he continued sucking on it, giving her both pleasure and pain.


    "Ah!" She cried out from the pleasure that was building up in intensity. She fought to close her legs only to trap him there. That only made him increase his pace.


    "Zachery! Wait!" She writhed on the bed as she felt she could not handle the intense pleasure between her legs but at the same time wanted him not to stop. Her fingers clutched the sheets tightly. "Wai- aaaaahhhh!"


    He had curled his fingers in ae hither motion and hit her spot. Amy felt like she was on the verge of losing her sanity. Her walls tightened around his fingers and her thighs firmly locked him in ce as her toes curled from the intensity of his thrusts.


    "Zachery!" She cried out as she came on his fingers.


    His eyes were still closed as hepped up her juices, cleaning her up till thest drop. He moved up to find her chest rising and falling, and her mouth open as she caught her breath.


    He pressed his arm on the side of her face as he hovered above her taking in her beautiful face. He took her chin between his thumb and index finger.


    "That was..... That was....", she couldn''t even finish her sentence, too blown away by the pleasure he had given her.


    "I know", he said, admitting to the pleasure he received from pleasuring her. "Taste yourself."


    He captured her lips with hers and intertwined their tongues. It was slow but sensual as she locked her arms behind his neck. She could taste herself on his tongue it weird but hot.Then she felt his head poke her entrance.


    He held his member and stroked her folds with it. She gasped against his mouth. He broke the kiss and stared into her eyes as he pressed his head against her nub. She hissed from the pleasure.


    He dipped it into her wet cave only to take it out again. Her impatience was growing. She wanted him to fill her up with his girth. He run it between her folds then dipped his head into her cave before taking it out again.


    "Give it to me!" She said with impatience. He arched a brow and her deamenor softened. "Please."


    He smirked. That''s all he needed to hear. "With pleasure."

 Chapter 179 No Complaints

    With a grunt, he thrust inpletely earning pleasure filled gasps from both of them. He was so big she felt him stretching her walls. Would she ever get used to his massive size? He stilled, letting her adjust to him and enjoying the feel of her warm p*ssy embracing his length. It had been too long since he was inside her. And now, finally!


    "You''re so tight", he groaned as he thrust in again.


    "Ah!" she gripped his shoulders tightly.


    His thrusts started slow but he started picking up the pace. His balls mmed against her ass as he drove his length inside her cave. The sound of their skin pping echoed in the room apanied by their moans.


    "You feel so good Amy!" He groaned in pleasure as her tight cave embraced his sex.


    "You..... Ah! Zachery!" She was a moaning mess, barely able to make a sentence.


    "I know", he growled as he quickened his thrusts.


    Her nails dug into his back, holding on for dear life as he continuously hit her spot. She could feel her orgasms building up again. Her breasts jiggled against his chest and her toes curled from the intensity of the pleasure.


    He felt her walls tighten around him only for his length to grow bigger, stretching her even more.


    "Zachery!" She warned.


    He got the message and quickened his pace, hitting her harder and faster. How groaned as he drove into her like a madman.


    "Ahhhh!" She cried out and bit his shoulder as she came on his length.


    He slowed down his pace as he let her calm down. Barely secondster, he pulled out and sat on his knees. His d*ck glistened with her juices. She was a little disoriented from her orgasm but was surprised to see him still hard. Yeah, he was not done with her.


    "Get on all fours."


    She licked her lips and did as told. She found his dominance so hot she could not refute hismands. He moved and aligned his length with her entrance. She was still breathing heavily and still sensitive from her orgasm just now. But she had to deal with the beast she had awoken.


    He was about to thrust into her when he realized something. He took a pillow and put it below her. He was quite thoughtful and she obeyed by lowering her upper body and using the pillow as cushion. Her ass was now up in the air exposed to him.


    "Fuck!" He hissed seeing her pink opening glistening with her juices from her orgasm just now. He couldn''t resist to slowly run his tongue on her.


    "Ah! So good", she moaned and bit her lower lip.


    He gave a few good licks before aligning his head with her entrance. She moaned and sighed in satisfaction.


    "I''ll never get enough of this", he groaned enjoying the feel of being inside her.


    He started his thrusts hard and fast. Her ass cheeks jiggled against his crotch. He grew harder and bigger as he watched his length disappear into her cave with each thrust of his hips. He held her waist and leaned forward to y with her breasts with his free hand.


    "Amy!" He moaned as he drowned himself in the pleasure they shared. He let go of her breasts and gripped her hair forcing her to look up. It wasn''t too tight nor too loose, but it was enough to make her hornier.


    "Ah! Ah! Ah!" She cried out with each thrust as her hands tightened their grip on the sheets.<sub> </sub>


    Her hips moved meeting each thrust. He was hitting her even deeper from this position and she could feel another orgasming.


    "Zach- Zachery!" She warned him.


    "Not yet!"


    "Zachery.... Please!" She cried out as she felt her legs giving out from the pleasure building up.


    "Come here", he said as he helped her stand on her knees.


    He didn''t stop fucking her as he made her lean against his chest. Her breasts bounced up and down as he drilled into her. He hooked an arm under hers, slid it past between her breasts and sped his hand around her neck but not too much to choke her.


    "You don''te until I tell you to, understand?" He growled in her ear.


    "Mmmmmm."


    "Understand?"


    "Yes!"


    "Good girl."


    Amy willed a strong mental fortitude as she held onto him with a hand on his arm and the other holding her belly. She would try to hold on until he says so. She bit her lower lip tightly as he continued to stretch her. She felt his other hand traveled on the side of her waist, slid down her V and found her clit.


    "Argh!" She shrieked when he started rubbing and flicking it. She held his arm, torn in between the inability to handle the intense pleasure and not wanting him to stop.


    "Ple- Please Zachery", she begged.


    She squeezed his length with her walls but he only fucked her even harder reaching her depths. She could her resolve crumbling. She scratched his arms and anything she could on him. Her legs grew weaker. She would copse if not for his hold on her.


    "Now", he growled.


    "Ah!" She cried out as she came on his length for the third time.


    He pulled out of her and let her lie down on the bed letting her catch her breath. Perspiration formed on his forehead from the intense fucking. Both their chests rose and fell but he was distracted by the sight of her beautiful breasts.


    She was lying on her side, feeling a little disoriented by the powerful orgasms he keeps giving her. She looked up at him, his eyes were still dark with lust and his member, still hard. He was yet to climax.


    "You beast", she said a little breathlessly as she took in his torso that glistened with sweat.


    "Is that aint?" He arched a brow, staring at her in amusement.


    She took her time to catch her breath before shaking her head, "No."

 Chapter 180 A Perfect Way To Wake Up

    He smirked before licking his lips at the beautiful mess that she currently was. Hair was a mess, lips swollen from their making out, and body glistening with perspiration.


    "You look so sexy right now", he said as he hooked his hand on the back of her knee and moved her leg up.


    He moved to kneel close to her crotch before leaning forward. While shey on her side, he nted a hand close to her face for support so he doesn''t crush her with his weight and used the other to caress her cheek.


    She turned her head to him with parted her lips knowing he was about to kiss her and he did so. He cupped her cheek as he deepened the kiss. She sucked on his tongue as their lips molded together.


    "Mmm", he groaned in pleasure.


    She sighed against the kiss as their tongues caressed each other. He let go of her cheek and used it to hold his member to align it with her entrance and thrust into her in one swift move.


    "Mm!" She let out a surprised moan.


    She felt his length slide in and out of her, slowly brushing against her walls, and hitting her spot. She was still sensitive so he went slow yet deep. He had not broken the kiss as he did so. They both sighed against each other''s mouths as he drove deep into her.


    His free hand moved to sp her neck as he picked up his pace. He still went in deep but he fucked her hard. Her moans came out muffled yet rhythmic with each thrust as the sound of their skin pping echoed along.


    She sounded like, "Mmmmmmmmm."


    The sheets were disheveled with their trysts, the smell of sex lingered in the air, but the couple still tangled on the bed. Zach''s thrusts quickened and he broke the kiss.


    "Amy!"


    "Zachery!"


    Their names became the song on each other''s lips as they gasped, moaned and groaned in pleasure. Amy could feel another orgasm building up and this time, so did Zach.


    "I''ming", he groaned. His thrusts became even more powerful and fast.


    "Me- me too...."


    "Amy!" With a grunt, he climaxed, filling her up with his seed.


    Barely seconds after that, her own climax followed with a cry. He pulled out his member andy beside her so they both catch their breaths. Amy was spent. She couldn''t even move a muscle and remained in that position.


    He forced himself out of bed and went to the bathroom. He came back with a warm towel and wiped away their juices between her legs before he disappeared back into the bathroom. He came back to lie down and pull her into his arms before covering their nudity with a sheet. He felt something on his side and picked it up to hold it to their faces.


    "There were rose petals on the bed", hemented in amusement.


    She chuckled as she snuggled against his chest. "I didn''t even notice."


    They both fell silent, basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking. No, that was fucking. Some hard fucking. He caressed her head as he enjoyed the feel of her in his arms. She fit just perfectly.


    She looked around, unsure of how long they had been fucking and if it was night time yet. She tucked away stray strands that had stuck to her sweaty face. Then she remembered something.


    "My yoghurt and gran", she chuckled.


    "I know. But not yet, round two ising up."


    She lifted her head with a shocked gasp. That was round one? All of that? She can''t even move her legs at this point and there''s round two? Guessing what she was thinking, he threw her a sexy smirk. The woman had no clue she had a lot topensate for. Yes, he was getting it all tonight.


    ****


    Amy let out a soft sigh and her eyes opened. The next morning had arrived, the curtains were opening illuminating the morning light into the room. Her gaze fell on her hand and a smile graced her features. She brought up her hand and marveled at the ring. It was so beautiful.


    ''I''m engaged!'' she squealed inside.<sub> </sub>


    She could feel the excitement bubbling inside her but who could she share this news with? The first person that came to mind was Ste, but sadly, she was not there. Suzy came to mind immediately and she reached for her phone on the nightstand.


    Zach must have brought it for her. She took a picture of her hand and sent it to her. She bit her lower lip as she anxiously waited for a response. She was sleeping on her side and saw Zach''s arm resting on her sheet covered belly. She blushed from the previous night''s memories.


    They did have a round two, and this one took longer than the first until she passed out. Yes, she could not handle it anymore.


    ''Zach is such a beast'', she mused as she bit her bottom lip.


    She turned to look at him only to feel a certain something buried between her legs. Her face turned beetroot red when she figured what it was.


    "Good morning", Zach kissed her shoulder.


    "I don''t remember sleeping with you inside of me", she said with a shy smile as she dropped her phone beside her pillow.


    He chuckled, "Isn''t it a perfect way to wake you up? My Dad actually left, he said he couldn''t stay here anymore, especially afterst night."


    She gasped in shock as her face burned red even more from embarrassment. This was all his fault.


    "Zache- uhmmmm", she moaned forgetting her scolding when he gave her a slow but deep thrust.


    He brought her face to his and kissed her as he picked up his pace. She held onto his arm as he fucked her while her one hand held her stomach. He hit her hard, deep and fast that she orgasmed quite sooner. His orgasm followed too with a grunt before he resumed kissing her.


    Her phone started to ring and she slowly broke the kiss while he pulled out of her before she answered. Zach kissed the nape of her neck as he continued cuddling her.


    "Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhh!"


    Amy moved her phone away from her ear at Suzy''s screaming. Only when she quieted down did she ce it back to her.


    "When did this happen? How did this happen? Did you guys do it? How was he?"


    Amy cleared her throat embarrassed that Zach could practically hear every word of Suzy''s. Luckily, Suzy was quick to get the hint.


    "Ah..... He''s there, isn''t he? Hit me with the detailster but congrattions!!!" She sung thest word.


    "Thank you", Amy said with a giggle. "And I didn''t hear from you yesterday. Did you get there safe?"


    "Yes. Ah", she sighed. "I''m sorry about that. I had an emergency. I''m so disturbed Jen. A highschool girl was brought inst night. Her mom had found her coughing blood then she started convulsing. They brought her in. I was called in because the doctor working on her discovered she was pregnant and my God Jen. It was like somebody had poured acid on her insides from her womb going to her other organs."


    "Whoa!"


    "She died before I could do anything. The foetus was fried up, it was a horrifying sight. What I don''t understand is that shees from a rich family and could have afforded a safe abortion, if that''s what she wanted. But, I don''t know what cheap stuff she took for this to happen. Theb is trying to find out what drug could do such a thing."


    "My gosh that''s terrible." Amy''s active mind painted the picture and she too was horrified.


    "Actually, I think you might know this girl. Ste''s grandson was actually dating her."


    "Ian?" Amy sat up in surprise with a tight clutch of the sheets against her chest. Her heart thudded in anxiousness at the news.


    "Yes. He came when news about her death reached him."


    "Mona is dead?" Amy was in shock. She found it hard to process the news.


    "Yes."


    Drugs. Pregnancy. Mona dead. How did this all happen?

 Chapter 181 Asking For A Favor

    The phone call had long ended but she had spaced out, still unable to process the news. It was too shocking for her. As he was seated beside her, he pulled her into an embrace. He felt uneasy with how disturbed she was. The sound of his steady heartbeat finally brought her back to reality.


    "She''s.... She''s gone", she started with a shaky voice, her brows went up then furrowed in confusion.


    Zach''s heart broke when he heard her tone and he rubbed circles on her back in a soothing motion. "You were close."


    "No, not really. She.... we had a misunderstanding and.. and I wasn''t very nice to her", she broke into a sob.


    "Ssh..... It''s okay", he whispered as he tightened his hold on her. "Don''t beat yourself up over something you don''t have control over."


    An image of thest time she saw the girl shed in her mind. Amy found it ridiculous and funny how Mona misunderstood her over Ian. The mockery in her eyes and attitude toward her, she could picture it all.


    Maybe if she had made it clear in a nicer way to avoid the misunderstanding, if she had minded her business, if she....


    Amy''s soft sobs echoed in the room. Zach felt her hot tears fall on his smooth chest. He broke the embrace and cupped her cheeks to wipe the tears away with his thumbs. Her blues glistened with fresh tears and she sniffled. The sight just broke his heart.


    He pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes closed and stray tears trickled down her cheeks onto his hands. Her hands held onto his wrists as he initiated a slow but passionate kiss. He pried her mouth open with his jaw and thrust his tongue in. Her tongue weed him to taste, caress, chase and suck each other.


    She sighed against his mouth. She could feel the care andfort he was offering through the kiss and she epted it all. Only when he felt her rx did he slowly break the kiss. He took in her beautiful face and swollen lips, he wiped the fallen tears, and stroked her hair.


    "Thanks babe", she said, feeling better.


    He shook his head no. "What- wait, what did you just call me?"


    Amy''s face grew hot and red from embarrassment. "Too cheesy?" she asked with an uneasy smile.


    "No, I want you to say if again", he felt giddy from the term. It was music to his ears especially when it came from her luscious lips with her soft voice.


    "Babe", she repeated a little more shy.


    He cupped her chin making her look into his eyes. "From now on, that''s all you''ll call me. You can only say my name when I make you cum."


    "Zachery", she scolded in a small voice because she was embarrassed.


    She really cried out his name whenever he made her cum than grunting out an ''ah''. His name was the song on her lips whenever he pleasured her.


    "With the exception of when you scold me, it''s so hot when you do that", he added with a smile.


    "Fine", that''s what she nned on doing anyway excluding the two demands he made. Those came naturally to her so when he said out loud...


    Pleased with her reply, he repeated his earlier question. "About the girl, what do you want to do?"


    "I need to call Suzy. There''s something I need her help with."


    "Okay. I''ll go run a bath for you. A nice hot bath to rx your muscles afterst night."


    She dropped her gaze as a blush creeped on to her cheeks. The corners of his lips lifted when he saw this. He gave her a brief kiss before getting out of bed. Her eyesnded on his already hard member and it twitched causing her eyes to widen. When she looked up, Zach was smirking and he threw her a flirtatious wink before moving on in his naked glory.


    ''This man!'' she mused with a shake of her head before taking her phone to dial for Suzy''s number.


    "Jen."


    "Hey..... Sorry, are you busy?"


    "Not at the moment, no. Are you okay? I could tell you were shaken by the news", she sympathized.


    "Yeah..... I just didn''t expect that.... We were not friends but I knew her....", She sighed earning a hum from Suzy. "About that.... Have you guys figured out what drug it was?"


    "Well..... We found signs of cocaine as well as some sort of aprodisiac in her system, seems she had been using but that''s not what killed her. Forensics are yet to find out what the new particles we found are. The parents also want to know what killed their daughter."


    "Okay..... Uhm, Suzy. May I ask for a favor?"<sub> </sub>


    "Go for it!"


    "Hmm...", She fidgeted with the sheet as her heart thudded in nervousness. "What I''m about to ask you, it might go against your ethics as a doctor."


    "Okay.....? What is it?" Even she grew nervous by Amy''s statement.


    ***


    Zach walked in to find Amy putting away her phone. She looked more rxed than earlier. It seemed she had managed to get Suzy''s help. He scooped her in his arms bridal style and she wrapped her arms around his neck.


    "A part of me hopes I''m wrong. It''s just that the moment I heard drugs... I just....."


    "Mm. But what if it turns out it''s rted to them?"


    "If that''s the case. It just might be the big break we need..... We might need your Dad. And I think it''s best he knows who I am so it''s easier to work with him."


    Not getting a response, she looked at him. His gaze had long dropped. She followed his line of sight only to find him staring at her tits that had his bite marks on them. She gasped and used one had to cover herself.


    "Zachery!"


    "How dare you hide something that belongs to me?" He growled.


    She felt a tingle down there. Zach could pull sexy anytime. No, he was simply the definition of sexy. But, she would get it for doing something so ''attrocious''.


    Two hourster of more fucking than bathing, they were finally downstairs. Zach had settled at the head seat and she on the first seat to his left. The table was already set with a sumptuous breakfast and Amy was hungry. She had not eaten anything the previous night thanks to someone....


    "I''ll be right back", he said as he got up and pecked her lips.


    Amy busied herself with serving their tes but she didn''t touch the food and waited for him. Five minutes felt like an eternity but she waited.


    "Why didn''t you start eating?" He frowned as he rejoined her.


    "I was wai-" she gasped when she saw the bowl he served her. He had gone to prepare the gran and yogurt. And the ting was beautiful.


    "Thank you", she said happily. "Babe", she added quietly with shyness.


    "You''re wee, wifey", he said with a chuckle as he sat down.


    The sound of the door closing resounded in the house. Edmund moved to go and check and only toe back in with a furious Victoria following. Behind her, followed a tired looking Henry.


    "Thought you left?" Zach started with a sip of his coffee.


    "Yet here I am. Can''t a man have some sleep? Good morning, Amy", he greeted as he served himself some coffee. Since he couldn''t sleep, he needed something strong to wake him up.


    "Good morning, Dad. Good morning, mom", she said with a little embarrassment when she saw the dark circles under Henry''s eyes.


    "Good morning dear", her demeanor changed to a calm one when she saw Amy. She moved to sit down though beside Henry. "How was the checkup? That was yesterday, yes?"


    "Yes, we''re both fine", Amy said with a rub of her belly.


    "Good! Good! We could star-", she suddenly fell quiet. Her mouth fell open in shock. "What is that?"


    Amy followed her line of sight and looked at her hand on her belly. She was wearing her engagement ring but seeing the horrified look on Victoria''s face, she could not help but grow nervous.


    "Did you propose?" She shrieked and whipped her head in Zach''s direction.


    "Yes", he responded calmly.


    "No! What have you done!!!"

 Chapter 182 Anger And Guilt

    "This family will be the death of me!" She groaned in annoyance and slumped back in her seat.


    "Stop being dramatic", Henry said.


    "Dramatic? He proposed and you''re saying I''m being dramatic?" She looked at him like he had grown two heads.


    "It''s something I had been nning for a long time and we agreed you''d n the wedding with Amy", Zach said in a tired voice.


    It was that time his mother talked about him finding someone for him to spend the rest of his life with. When he pictured Amy did he start to n his proposal. Although he felt he wascking, seeing Amy''s reaction eased his worries. He must have done a good job.


    "You nned something without me?" She clutched her chest, looking offended.


    So that''s what the issue was? Amy felt Victoria was too dramatic but at the same time figured the woman loved to n events. She let out an awkward chuckle and tried to lighten the atmosphere.


    "For what it''s worth, he did such a great job. It was so romantic. I think you''d be so proud", Amy said sincerely.


    "You''re not just saying that, are you?" Victoria was skeptical. This was Zach they were talking about, she didn''t know him to be a romantic.


    "Honest", she responded.


    Of course, Amy would inspire this side of Zach that she, Victoria, thought did not exist. He must have tried his hardest to impress her. Henry shook his head. His wife was such a baby. Well, could he me her? She had been surrounded by three men, two sons and a husband, who spoiled her to her heart''s content.


    "I''ll trust what you say, congrattions you both", she said with a big smile. Look at her oldest making progress more than she would have ever imagined.


    "Thank you Mom", she smiled.


    "George mentioned something about epting your help on something you offered. Not sure what, but he asked to pass the message", Zach said with aid back attitude before biting into a bruschetta.


    "Really?" Victoria''s features lit and she abruptly got up. "Well, then I''ll be on my way. I''ll check on youter dear. Bye!"


    They watched her leave in a haste with her heels clicking on the marble floor. Does that mean he had finally reconsidered her offer? Zach could already imagine topping George''s hate list and his lips quirked at this thought.


    "You got rid of her. Why?" Henry arched a brow.


    "There''s something we need to talk about", he calmly said before looking at Amy who got the message.


    "No need, I''ll give you your space. Sometimes you might need to do it elsewhere and not just in your room. Even on this table."


    Cough! Zach quickly patted Amy''s back when she choked on her juice. Was it her fate toe across older people who were blunt especially when ites to matters of the bedroom?


    "It''s not that.... Although you have a point", he added earning a smack on his arm along with a re from Amy.


    Henry chuckled. Was it the fate of the men in the Frost family to fall for women who were a bit violent? But he had to admit, the exchange between Zach and Amy was pleasing to his eyes especially when Zach smiled at her blushing face.


    "Then what is it?" He asked.


    "Let''s talk in my study. Edmund, bring something for her to eat."


    "This will be enough", she said while picking up the bowl of yoghurt.


    Zach have a nod before the three left the dining room for his study. Zach and Amy settled on one sofa while Henry settled on another. Amy was so nervous she felt her palms grow sweaty and wiped them against her jumpsuit. She was not sure what his reaction would be after he learns of her true identity. Zach held her hand in his in show of support. Henry waited for her to calm down, it must be important he figured.<sub> </sub>


    "We might have a case", she started earning a raise of Henry''s brows. "Hot head", she added.


    "I doubt Zach told you about my other identity when he hasn''t even told his brother, besides he signed an N.D.A when he worked with us, so how did you know?" He said with a stern gaze.


    "You worked as an agent before?" Amy''s brows rose in shock.


    "Nothing too serious."


    "Nothing too....? Hm! You call training for team captain not too serious?" He said with an amusedugh.


    "Come on, Henry. Let''s leave that and focus on the issue at hand", Zach said a bit leisurely.


    He was embarrassed about Amy learning this about him. Amy could not help but squeal inside. Why was everything about Zach hot???? But why did he leave? He nodded at her giving her the cue to continue talking.


    "Yes, uh, he didn''t tell me, only confirmed with me. And...", Amy looked at him with a mischievous smile. "How could I forget a client I helped infiltrate into enemy territory in Italy?"


    Henry''s eyes grew wide and mouth fell open in shock. "You....."


    Amy crossed her arms against her chest and smiled at him. "Did you y peeping Tom on your wife? Still think it''s not being a pervert?"


    Silence. Henry looked like he was frozen. He briefly remained like that before a heartyugh erupted from his lips. Amy''s nervousness and anxiety were gone without her realizing. Something about Henry kept her calm. Maybe because he was like Zach to some degree.


    "I knew there was something special about you. So tell me, what case could it be? Actually, start from the beginning. The story you fed Victoria about you too had too many loopholes", he gestured with a nod for them to start.


    And so Amy recounted the story in it''s entirety to him. He listened patiently and Zach jumped in to help recount the events that led to the current moment.


    "So you think this incident might be rted to the Dark waters and Greco?" He was finally on track with her line of thought.


    "I think so but I may be wrong. It''s just that.... The way I knew Mona, she loved Ian too much she would never deliberately do something that would server that rtionship. Something must have happened. But I''m more interested in the drugs. If they happen to have the same chemicalponent and arrangement with what I saw in their system, then this might be the slip up Zac- Babe", she corrected making him chuckle softly. "talked about. It could be our big break."


    Henry fell quiet with his brows knitted digesting everything she had said. Then he slowly nodded in agreement.


    "If that turns out to be the case, then we''ll have a lot of work to do."


    And Amy was right, Mona would not have easily died especially with her carrying her lover''s baby in her womb. Something must have happened.


    Back in West vige


    Kate and Aaron Westley held their daughter''s funeral in their home. Guests dressed in ck moved around, were seated and whispered about. Some surrounded the couple tofort them on their loss.


    Present at the funeral were Mona''s ssmate''s and teachers, the Westleys'' family and friends, even Adrianne and Jared as well as Ste and her family. They were deeply disturbed and saddened by the sudden passing of the teenage girl especially about the pregnancy.


    p "It''s so sad", Adriannemented. "Did they say anything to you guys?"</anda>


    "Kate is angry with him. Aaron thought we would talk about this when she settles down", Alex answered. She grimaced when she remembered how Kateshed out on Ian when she learned he fathered herte daughter''s pregnancy.


    Ian was not paying attention to what was being said. Under his bangs, his re was directed at a certain figure standing further in the room among Mona''s friends. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot red from crying too much. Demi red back. They both were angry at each other.


    Yes, they believed the other caused Mona''s passing. The me was evident. They knew something no one did and guilt was gnawing at their insides.....

 Chapter 183 Xaviers Fate

    Three monthster....


    Zach''s brows furrowed as he kept his eyes peeled on theputer. He had been back in the office at Frost Corporation for over two months now. Although no one personally knew his schedule or about his whereabouts except for George, Amy insisted that he continue with his normal routine. So there he was, sitting in his office with the beautiful view of the city that is New York disying behind his floor to ceiling ss window while he was buried in a mountain of work.


    He heard a knock and the person entered before he could answer. He knew who it was before he could look up. As usual, Xavier was visiting. He walked over to his liquor cab and poured himself a drink before settling down on the sofa.


    "Don''t you have work?" Zach asked. He knew Xavier no longer entertained other women ever since he got together with Nicole.


    "Work. I do have work. I just need a little break", he took a swig of the hard stuff and sighed. "How''s Amy doing?"


    "You can visit her."


    "Isn''t she busy with some project she''s working on with...", He cleared his throat. "Henry?"


    "Not always. And how long are you going to keep that up?"


    "Don''t back him up", he said with clear resentment before taking another sip.


    "Am I?" He finally looked away from the monitor and took in his brother.


    He could see the fatigue from where he sat. Did he have too much work? Despite his yful attitude, he knew Xavier to never ck in his work. Could there be something else weighing him down.


    "Tell Amy I''ll visit toni- oh no! Not tonight. I have a date with Nicole", he took another swig and swallowed bitterly. Zach''s brows went up in question at the behavior.


    "What?" Xavier asked sensing his brother''s gaze while he kept his eyes peeled in the contents of his ss.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Xavier swallowed a hard lump. He had never been one to hide things from his brother and even if he didn''t say, Zach somehow always found out.


    "It''s nothing serious. It''s just Nicole being a woman. Nothing I can''t handle", he said with aid back attitude before downing his drink. He ced the empty ss on the coffee table and stood up. "Tell Amy I''ll stop by for dinner tomorrow."


    As he left, a knock was heard and Zach permitted the person to get in. A grumpy George walked into the office with a file in his hand. He went ahead and ced it on the desk. His phone chimed and he took if out to see the contents of the message he received and let out a heavy sigh before ring at Zach.


    Zach didn''t bother looking up as he focused on reading the file. Xavierughed when he saw this.


    "I''m guessing that''s mom", he said with augh.


    "I have ten blind dates set up this week alone since I allegedly epted her help in finding a woman", he said with clear resentment directed at Zach.


    "Wow! I suddenly feel like I had it easy when she asked me to be gay. I just realized both incidents are rted to Zach", Xavier said with bitterness.


    Zach swiftly signed the file after reading and closed it before giving to George. "If you''re that mad, you can take me on. Both of you."


    Take who on? That''s practically asking for a free beating! They both shook their heads, Zach was such a bully. Throwing him a scoff, Xavier left the room. He had to wrap up his work so he would be on time for his date. He let out a heavy sigh. Women could be such a handful.


    About two hourster, he was seen walking into the lobby of Crystal pce apartments. He took an elevator to the eighteenth floor and made way to room 1806. He rung the door bell and a gray eyed beauty greeted him opened the door. She greeted him with a huge smile and wore nothing but a satin robe. The desire was evident in Xavier''s eyes when he saw the outline of her hardened nipples.


    "Do you n on just standing there?" She said with a teasing smile.<sub> </sub>


    He moved in and kicked the door shut, quickly pressing his lips to hers. She hastily helped him out of his clothes and he carried her into his arm moving to the bedroom.


    "No", she breathed out in between the kiss. "The sofa!"


    He obliged and settled her there. She broke the kiss and removed her robe. She turned and got down on all fours on the sofa, giving her ass to him. Ovee by desire when he saw her wet lips, Xavier threw on protection and entered her with a groan.


    Their moans and the sound of their skin pping echoed in the room. She tightly gripped the sofa, moaning to his every hard stroke. He groaned in pleasure, enjoying the thrust of her hips against him as he pounded her p*ssy. Their little tryst came to an end as her climax was followed by his own with a loud cry.


    "Should we just stay in?" He suggested whilst catching his breath and pulling out his member as well as the used condom.


    "No, let''s go out. I already picked an outfit", she said breathlessly as she pulled on her robe.


    He used a free hand and grabbed her waist, pulling her to him. He had on azy smile and stared at her with an adoring gaze. "Don''t you just want to stay home and do nothing? We could watch TV and just order in?"


    She chuckled and shook her head, "Very funny. Get dressed, we''re going out."


    "Okay. I''ll go freshen up", he let go of her and walked on.


    She responded with a hum as she moved to get ready. She did not see the disappointment in his eyes. She soon heard the sound of the shower as she dressed. Close to half an hourter, the couple was seen existing the elevator on the first floor.


    A young woman who was a resident in the building was walking towards the same elevator they exited. She could not help but openly admire the pretty boy but masculine known as Xavier. Without even trying, he always turned heads wherever he went.


    The woman threw him a flirtatious smile as she walked past them. He hardly gave a reaction to her when Nicole left his side and walked ahead to the sports car the valet brought for him. He let out a heavy sigh and followed after her to get the door for her. He jogged to his side when Nicole was settled in.


    She had her arms crossed and her face was contorted in annoyance. He was about to press the start button when she huffed out a breath.


    "Really Xavier?" She turned to him, clearly angry.


    "What is it?" He said with a tired voice.


    "You won''t say anything after that? That woman was looking at you! She was practically checking you out!"


    "I didn''t notice."


    She broke out into a humorlessugh. "The Xavier Frost didn''t notice a woman checking him out?"


    "You just said it yourself, she was looking at me, I wasn''t looking at her. I don''t see what the problem is."


    "Wow! This is the disrespect I have to put up with", she slumped back in her seat.


    "Nicole", he warned with a tone serious and dangerous.


    "Let''s go", she said while looking out the window.


    Xavier sighed. This is what he gets for having a terrible past with women. It''s making his girlfriend paranoid and untrusting. He could only me himself. This was his fate. With a push of a button, the engine revved to life and he drove off. The date was ruined for him before it started.

 Chapter 184 The Harder It Is, The More I Want To Do It

    "Amy?" Zach called out as he walked into their room.


    "I''ll be right with you!" She shouted from the bathroom.


    He went to the walk-in wardrobe and removed his jacket and tie. He exchanged his shoes for house slippers before walking out while rolling up his shirt sleeves. He was greeted by the familiar back of Amy putting away herptop she had left on the bed.


    He went to hug her from behind yet she turned around. Her blond hair fell to her mid back, she had grown a lot more chubby and very heavy as she approached her nine months mark. Herplexion was rosy and her breasts had grown bigger than before. She was in a simple ck maternity dress with house slippers on. She smiled at her very handsome fianc¨¦ who smiled back at her.


    He leaned down to capture her lips with his. She grabbed him by his shirt as she responded to his passionate kiss. He broke the kiss and she smiled with her blues shining so brightly.


    "You look beautiful", Zach said with a caress of her cheeks.


    She blushed under his watch. "Thank you. How was your day?"


    "Not bad", he said then he looked down to find her feet swollen. He frowned at her, "Did you stay in bed all day?"


    Her lips fell into a cute pout as she whined, "I had work but I still-"


    "Asked Raphy to walk around so your phone records the number of footsteps he took in your ce? Again?" He narrowed his eyes at her.


    Her eyes narrowed as she fell into a sheepish grin, "You knew?"


    "Get ready, we''re going for a walk", he said.


    "Babe..." She whined only to get an arched brow from him as a response. Yeah, she could not escape this. "Okay."


    Soon, they were walking on the path in the flower garden at the back of the mansion close to the training room. He had showered and changed into a printed half sleeved shirt with ck trousers. Their steps were slow, their fingersced walking hand in hand, and the atmosphere was peaceful. The sun was setting while a gentle breeze caressed their skin blowing their hair.


    "So how''s it going?" He started.


    "Honestly? It''s not easy. I was excited when I found out the drug had the same chemicalponents as the ones Greco is using", she started.


    She could not be grateful enough for Suzy''s help. Their hospital would take too long to analyze Mona''s blood work, Suzy had exined. Originally, Amy had asked for a copy of the results but with the dy, she asked for a sample of Mona''s blood before the girl was buried. Suzy did as told and delivered. One of Zach''s men personally took the blood work to ab in Switzend where the discovery had been made.


    When she thanked Suzy for the help, she could not help but wonder why help came so easily. She still remember what the woman said:


    Two months ago.....


    "From what I''ve seen, I figured your identity is not so simple", she admitted. "You must be someone special. And I have a good feeling about you."


    Suzy referred to the time Zach had called her to get Amy when thetter had copsed. He had her promise she would do so in secret, hence the break in.<sub> </sub>


    And she saw how protective he was of the young woman from the bodyguards in the hospital to him asking her advice on getting medical equipment for Amy''s treatment and in case she might have to give birth at home. With no offense intended, he made her sign an N.D.A on top of it all. Of course, Amy didn''t know this part. But she would understand that Zach was just being cautious.


    "You don''t know what I want to do with this", she said pointing at the sample.


    "Something tells me you want to help", she said earning a smile from Amy. "I guessed right."


    "I''ll never forget this. You have no idea what your help means to me."


    "What are friends for", Suzy smiled back.


    Back to present.....


    "This step we''ve taken is hard. Those people are so careful in their dealings this slip up almost feels useless", she huffed out in annoyance.


    "Don''t give up", he gently said.


    "Oh! I won''t! The harder it is, the more I want to do it!" She said with a voice full of determination.


    Zach chuckled and turned with a cup of her chin and kissed her lips. She blinked twice looking up at him cutely slightly confused.


    "I love you", he said with a dotting gaze.


    She fell into a blush as her lips stretched into a shy smile. "I love you too."


    The couple shared a brief kiss before proceeding to walk around. Amy had a lot on her te, but with Zach around, she could temporarily forget about her worries. She had figured out what killed Mona but not why or how. Like Zach had said, she should not fret over something she has no control over. But, certain individuals in West Vige knew why.


    One of them visited the other. Three months had passed but the wound in Demi''s heart never healed. She knocked on Ian''s door and he soon opened. He had knocked off early from the library. Adrianne was still helping as Ste could still not work yet though she had made progress in using less of the wheelchair.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked when he opened the door.


    It was bad enough yet understandable for Mona''s mom tosh out on him whenever she saw him, he could take it, but he would not take Demi''s. She didn''t care and pushed her way in. Annoyed, he closed the door and walked back to settle on a sofa.


    "You shouldn''t have done that to her", she started with a shaky voice trying not to cry.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "You know what you did! If you hadn''t, my best friend..... My best friend...", She put a hand to her face, took a deep breath and wiped her tears before regainingposure. "You shouldn''t have done that!"

 Chapter 185 Nothing Could Stay Hidden Forever

    "What? Tell her the truth?" He countered.


    Three months ago....


    It was the day before Mona died. Ian woke up to the sound of someone banging on his door. His head was pounding from the terrible hangover. He groaned in annoyance thinking it was Mona. He wanted to ignore but the knock persisted. If it was Mona, she would simply walk in so he got out of bed and forced himself to the door.


    Soon as he opened the door, a hard pnded on his left cheek. He liked up to find a pissed off Nora only for her to p his other cheek.


    "Aunt Nora", he said with a groan in pain. That was thest thing he needed.


    She walked in and faced to look at him when he closed the door. "You little shit!" she growled.


    "Aunt Nora-"


    "Shut up and listen to me! Just because you''re hurting doesn''t mean you can talk to her like that! She''s not just your grandma but also my mother and I will not tolerate anyone disrespecting her. Were you the only one who liked and cared about Emily? Everyone in our family did! Especially Mom! If she went as far as wanting to add her to the family you think she didn''t care about her? You think she doesn''t regret how the situation turned out? And you went on to rub salt on her wound! How could you be so selfish hurting the people who care about you and not mending your ways? Do you have no conscience? Are your feelings that special? Are you that special? This self pity show ends right now! You will clean up and go apologize to my mother and you will mean it! If not, those two ps will be nothingpared to what I''ll do and you know I mean that!"


    With that said, she left his apartment. He stood there in a daze as her words reyed in his mind. He had really be selfish. Look at the way he treated his Grandma. She did not deserve that. He didn''t waste a second and started cleaning his apartment that was littered with empty beer bottles and snack wrappers. He made his bed, took a shower, shaved his stubble and changed into new clothes.


    He was ready to go to apologise to his grandma. He would do it a million times if need be until she forgives him. He opened the door to get out when he came face to face with Mona who had her hand raised ready to knock.


    "Mona...."


    "Were you going somewhere?" She asked.


    He took in her disheveled appearance especially her eyes that were puffy and nose red. Guilt gnawed at him as Nora''s words echoed in his mind. Here was another person he was hurting because of his selfishness.


    "Come in. I was going to see you afterwards anyway", he moved aside to let her in.


    "You were?" She turned to him with hopeful eyes and went on to hug him. "I knew it was just a phase. You''ll be okay, Ian. We''ll be okay. For as long as it takes, I''ll wait for you."


    "Mona", he broke the embrace and took her hands. His guilt grew when he saw the panic in her eyes. "Let''s sit down."


    He guided them to a sofa. Her heart could not stop thumping hard in anxiousness. She had a feeling she would not like whatever he was going to say.


    "Mona", he gently caressed her cheek. "I''ve been so unfair to you. All those words I said to youst time, I didn''t mean to hurt you. I was just in a bad ce."<sub> </sub>


    "I know", she sniffled.


    "And I''ve been selfish. My selfishness has caused me to hurt you and you don''t deserve that. I''m sorry it took me a while to realize how much I''ve really hurt you."


    "It''s okay-"


    "No, it''s not. And I should stop doing that. I''ll stop doing that from now on. Mona, you deserve so much better than this."


    "Ian-" she broke out into a sob as she shook her head knowing where he was going with his speech. To her surprise, tears fell down his cheeks.


    "I don''t deserve you. You''re smart, beautiful, and such a sweet person. I know this about you but what we have has messed you up. I''ve messed you up. I can''t keep doing that to you. Maybe not now, but you''ll find someone who will cherish you for who you are. Someone who is a million times more of a man than I ever was to you. I''m really sorry that I hurt you Mona. This time, we really should go our separate way-"


    "I love you", she blurted out catching him off guard. She cupped his cheeks with tears falling from her eyes. "I love you Ian, and this is just a phase. You''ll get through this, I know. Just give it time."


    "I can''t. I can''t do this to you Mona. I don''t want to be that selfish again."


    She broke down further and cried. Her hands slowly fell from his face as she cried. The sight broke Ian''s heart. To a certain degree, he liked her but not as much as she liked him. He cupped her face and pressed his lips to her forehead.


    "I''m sorry", he whispered. "I''ll see you around."


    He got up and left for his grandma''s. He hoped Mona would be okay. But little did he know, that was thest time he would see her, leaving her in his apartment to cry.


    Back to the present.....


    She was gone. The baby was gone too. He shouldn''t have pursued something that was destroying them both. And he especially regretted that day, when he called her over and had unprotected sex when he was left hot and bothered by Amy. He shouldn''t have used her like that.... everything he did only hurt her ... And she was no longer there for him to apologize and make things right.....


    "You shouldn''t have done that", Demi repeated. "You don''t know how much it hurt her."


    "At least I told her the truth, but you..... You know she left me a letter and she had a lot to say about what you did."


    Demi''s hands clenched and shook from anger. She wanted someone tosh out on, to shift the me but who knew, her best friend had loved this boy so much she had spilled the beans before she died.... Guilt kept eating at her... Nothing could stay hidden forever....

 Chapter 186 Demis Truth...

    "I just- I just- I just wanted her to love me", she slumped to the floor as angry tears fell down her cheeks. "All I did...."


    ...was give in to her feelings. She could remember it like it happened yesterday when Mona found her doing her homework in her room. The girl was balling her eyes out saying Ian had called it quits.


    She dropped her books and left her table and walked over to Mona. She pulled the girl into an embrace and Mona cried her heart out. Her reality was too bitter to face.


    It seemed nothing would change Ian''s mind. As for Demi, she was relieved yet angry at the same time. She rubbed soothing circles on her back as the girl cried. When she quieted down, she broke the embrace and cupped Mona''s cheeks. She pulled on her sleeves to use them to wipe Mona''s tears.


    Mona sniffled, looking like a baby in her best friend''s arms. Demi suddenly got lost in her eyes. Mona raised her brows in question only to get a smack of Demi''s lips on hers as a response.


    She blinked once, twice, and remained frozen, unsure of how to react. Then, she got back to her senses and pushed her away.


    "What are you doing?" Mona furrowed her brows in confusion.


    "Trying to make you feel better", she answered. Her heart was pounding hard against her chest. She knew how awkward the situation had gotten.


    Mona eyed her with an open mouth, still shocked and confused. Demi took a step forward, leaving a few inches of space between them.


    "Trust me", she whispered as she used one hand to cup the nape of her neck and capture her lips with hers.


    She didn''t move. Mona had never kissed a girl before no less ever dreamt of kissing her best friend yet here she was. It was weird but it didn''t feel too bad. Her eyes slowly came to a close as her lips moved in sync with Demi''s. Thetter felt her stomach flip when Mona rxed into the kiss.


    She didn''t waste a second and slipped her hand under Mona''s dress and into her panties. Mona gasped into the kiss when Demi''s fingers started rubbing her folds. She moved them to her bed and helped hery down as she broke the kiss.


    "I''ll make you feel better", she repeated with a whisper with her gaze locked on Mona''s as she removed the girl''s panties.


    Mona only watched. It all felt surreal. With no objection, Demi knelt down on the floor to spread Mona''s thighs and brought her mouth to her crotch to finally fulfill her fantasies...


    And fulfill them she did. But when she woketer that night, she was alone and naked in bed. There was no sign of Mona anywhere. She let out a self depricatingugh as reality pped her hard in the face.


    Why would she force something that was never meant to be? Although she had sex with Mona and thetter actively responded, it didn''t mean she reciprocated her feelings. After all she had just broken up with Ian. She cried herself to sleep not knowing that was thest she would see of Mona...


    Demi sobbed hard when she recalled all this. All that was left was pain and guilt in her heart. She at least wished it was because of Ian that Mona took her life.


    "I-I didn''t know she would kill herself because of that! I just wanted her to look at me for once!!!" She shouted.


    Ian left her for his bedroom. He took something from a drawer and went back to the living room. He got down on one knee and handed it to Demi. Her shaking hands received it. It was Mona''s letter.


    "She didn''t kill herself. Mona wouldn''t end her life so easily. You should know that by now", he said.


    Demi read the letter. It wasn''t a suicidal letter, it was just Mona telling Ian she would use a letter to write to him because she was afraid she would be tempted to call him if she used her phone to text.


    She confessed her guilt of sleeping with Demi and said to call it even since he was still hang up on Amy. She expressed her want of them possibly getting back together in the future when they''re all grown and mature.


    Demi let out a chuckle in relief and hugged the letter. She felt the guilt wash away immediately.


    "You made it sound like I was the cause of her death. And the way you''ve been looking at me since the funeral", she said with a clear voice, not bothering to wipe her tears as she looked at him.


    "You slept with her", he deadpanned.


    <o>,m "And that bothers you? That''s riching from you", she scoffed.</o>


    "Whatever. Anyway, this letter proves that she was not suicidal. If she knew she was...", Ian run a hand on his face and sighed in frustration.


    He could not get the pregnancy out of his mind. A lot of ''what ifs'' echoed in his mind. She could see the conflict in his features as she looked at him.<sub> </sub>


    "Although it was ruled out as suicide, I still want to get to the bottom of things. I know Mona got the stuff from you, where did you get them from?"


    "That''s not what killed her. I mean the stuff you guys usually used."


    "Still, she must have gotten those ones from the same supplier. Who are they?" He now spoke with a hardened tone.


    "It''s not them", Demi averted her gaze from him and looked into space.


    "How would you know?"


    "Because I went there as soon as I heard about her!" She gave him a sharp look for hisck of trust.


    That night....


    "You must be really stupid if you think you can waltze in here like it''s your home!" Pedro growled with a sharp re directed at her.


    Demi was being held by two of his men, one on each side, as they stood in his office. Enzo was putting away some paperwork from the desk while four bulky men exited the room. They must have been in the middle of something important. She looked down at her feet that had flip flops on, she was wearing pajamas, her hair disheveled and face stricken with eyeliner stained tears.


    "What did you sell to her?" She cried.


    "Sell what to who?" Enzo countered as he walked to the sofa.


    "What did you sell to my best friend? She must have gotten them from you! You killed her!" She screamed with eyes full of resentment as her chest rose and fell.


    "Ah! Your friend. She did stop by but I refused to sell her anything. A depressed minor plus drugs equals disaster", Enzo responded.


    "Plus what happens to the customer afterwards is none of our business", Pedro answered as he settled on the edge of the desk and lit up a cigarette. He dragged and puffed out a smoke in rxation.


    "How do I know you''re not making this up? I could easily snitch on you", she countered with a little bravery.


    "You''d need to be alive to do that", Pedro replied leisurely.


    "Hermosa", Enzo called out with a frown.


    Pedro sighed and nodded at his men. They left her side and went on to retrieve the footage proving them innocent. They really had not sold the drugs to Mona. But Pedro and Enzo were their only suppliers. So where did she get them from? What happened that day?


    "Satisfied? Now leave! Don''t evere barging in here or I won''t hesitate to put a bullet through your little head", Pedro warned in deadly growl before he turned to his men. "Tira!"


    (Trantion: throw her out!)


    Present time.....


    "She must have found a rotten supplier", she said.


    "Stay away from these kinds of people. I don''t need to tell you how dangerous they are", he advised.


    "That''s my business", she said in annoyance. She didn''t need him telling her what to do. She still hated his guts.


    "Whatever", he said as he stood up and went to get a beer from his fridge.


    His mind was gued with thoughts as was Demi''s. Who could have done such a thing to Mona? Unbeknownst to her, someone had been watching from the shadows on that night she was kicked out by Pedro and Enzo''s men. The girl they had sold those drugs to had died.


    "Shit."

 Chapter 187 Amys Jealousy

    Steam rose from a pot of soup. A hand stirred the contents with a wooden spoon. Amy felt her mouth water when the pleasant aroma wafted to her nose. She was currently sitting on a stool around the kitchen counter supervising Zach''s cooking.


    "Sweetheart,e taste this", he slightly turned to look at her when he spoke.


    She snapped out of her reverie when he spoke and immediately moved to him. Even in an apron and just from his back alone, she could not help but drool over him. He was definitely the type to look good even in rugs.


    Zach smiled at her when she stood next to him. She had tied her hair in a messy bun and wore a stretchy jumpsuit with house slippers. The only makeup she had on was a coat of mascara and lip moisturizer. She was just effortlessly beautiful....


    He took a spoon and scooped up a small amount. He blew on it before bringing it to her lips. She had a taste and deliberately slowly released the spoon in a sucking motion as she looked up at him through hershes. She moaned whilst nodding, genuinely enjoying the taste before she slowly licked her lips.


    "Fuck", he muttered feeling his junior react. He could not help but picture what sinful things those plump lips could do.


    "What?" She asked, throwing him an innocent gaze with a bat of hershes.


    "Me too", he whispered in a husky voice.


    He cupped her chin and imed her lips in a rough kiss. She responded with the same amount of passion as she hooked her arms around his neck.


    She moaned into the kiss as their tongues fought for dominance. He grabbed the back of her head, slightly dipping it back as he deepened the kiss. His other hand went to smack her ass before giving it a rough squeeze.


    "Mm!" She moaned in surprise against his mouth.


    Amy was heavily pregnant, this was the biggest she had ever been, the changes her body had undergone could easily lower her self esteem. But it was because Zach made her feel beautiful every day that she had the confidence to seduce him. She could tell that he genuinely found her attractive from the way he looked at her and treated her.


    "Ugh! Get a room!" Xavier grumbled from the kitchen entrance.


    Amy broke the kiss breathing heavily as she buried her face in Zach''s chest. Thetter red at his brother as he embraced his embarrassed woman.


    He leaned in, bringing his lips to her ears to whisper, "This is not over." Zach was pleased when he saw her cheeks and ears color red before he looked up at his brother. "What are you doing here?"


    "To have dinner", he deadpanned. He took in the displeasure on Zach''s face. "Don''t tell me you were thinking of cancelling just now?"


    "Not a bad idea. Go home."


    He stopped speaking when Amy released herself to smack his arm. He smiled when he saw her blushing face and her now swollen lips. He rubbed a thumb on them before pecking them earning a re from her. She wasn''tining when they were making out just now.... This woman. With a shake of his head, he continued tending to the soup.


    "Don''t listen to him. How are you doing today?" She directed her attention to Xavier.


    "With you around, I won''t. And I''m good, you look amazing! How are you and the little one?" He nodded at her stomach.


    "Thank you. And we''re doing great", she smiled while rubbing herrge belly with both hands. She looked over his shoulder, "Is it just you?"


    "Yes, Nicole went out with her friends."


    She nodded at his response. She was not sure but she could have detected relief in his tone. Oh well. George appeared right behind Xavier and swung an arm over his shoulder.


    "Everyone''s here", George acknowledged.


    "Don''t you have a date tonight?" Xavier teased as he walked over to the fridge and scanned for a snack.


    George groaned in annoyance and grumbled, "I was hoping I''d eat before I go."


    Amy chuckled, "Are they that bad?"


    "Like any other guy, George prefers to find a woman on his own", Xaviermented from the fridge.


    "Ooh! Xavier", she whisper shouted making him turn around. She pointed at a container that had cheesy bacon and veggie rice slices. He took it and met her halfway to give her.


    "Thank you", she said while receiving the container before going back to stand beside Zach.<sub> </sub>


    "You''re wee", Xavier answered.


    "You should sit down", Zach whispered with evident worry over her.


    "I''m fine", she assured him with a rub of her hand on his arm making him smile.


    "We''re still here, just saying!" Xavier shouted interrupting the whisperings between the couple before he started piling toppings on a torti he found in the fridge.


    "You''re wee to leave", Zach countered.


    "Okay you two!" she scolded. "George you were going to say something", she turned to him, taking her first bite of the slice.


    "Right! I''m not exactly enthusiastic about meeting a stranger expecting something to magically start from there." He visibly cringed as he walked in to get a beer from the fridge leaving Xavier still looking through it.


    "How''s that any different from searching for someone yourself?" She asked while feeding a bite to Zach and wiped the corners of his mouth with her finger.


    Her question had earned the attention of the two. Xavier fell into thought as he chewed on his first bite. So she continued with her opinion.


    "You''re meeting someone for the first time in hopes of something special starting between you, aren''t all meetings between people like that? The only difference is you go out in the field and personally look for that one person and you''ll have to meet a lot of people before finding that one. Whilst in this case, Mom has just brought the field to you. It''s the term ''blinddate'' and the fact that someone''s helping that makes you dread these meetings", Amy said with a shrug.


    "Now that''s a different way to look at it", Xaviermented making Zach nod in agreement.


    "True", George agreed. He felt Amy''s words made sense.


    "Who knows? You might find someone if you genuinely put an effort into this knowing you''re a busy man", she took another bite.


    "Mm. Give it a chance", Zach agreed before he opened his mouth to be fed by Amy.


    "You''re one to talk", Xavier scoffed and immediately froze, regretting the slip of his tongue.


    p Amy looked around and George suddenly found the Budweiserbel interesting. She looked at Zach and he had stopped stirring but had his brows furrowed instead.</anda>


    "Were you set up on a blind date?" She asked, carefully eyeing his face. The thought of her man being in thepany of another woman arose a certain bitterness in her heart.


    "It wasn''t a blind date per se..." He started, unsure of how to exin.


    "Wow!" Amy''s jealousy reared its ugly head as she crossed her arms against her chest in clear displeasure. "I thought I was the only one for you. Isn''t that what you said?"


    Xavier and George sniggered. They never pictured Zach to be the type to utter such words. Their amusement was wiped away by his dangerous re. He cupped Amy''s chin making her look at him.


    "And it''s true. But it was a set up I never entertained."


    Her features softened as she could see the honesty in his eyes. And she didn''t think she could doubt his words about her being the only one in his life. The emotions in his eyes when he looked at her spoke volumes.


    "I believe you", she whispered and gave him a soft smile.


    "Ah! Too easy! Too easy!" Xavier shook his head in disappointment.


    The couple ignored him and shared a kiss before Zach resumed cooking and Amy eating.


    "You know, that would have never happened if you hadn''t used the voice changer on him! Mom thought he was gay", Xavier chuckled in amusement only for a shocked gasp to resound in the kitchen.


    They all turned to find Victoria standing with her mouth wide open in shock. She looked at Xavier then at Amy.


    "What did I hear just now?"

 Chapter 188 Victorias Announcement

    "Uh... Mom", Xavier swallowed a hard lump. He was on a roll bbing things left and right.


    Amy was thrown into a case of nerves and internal panic. She wasn''t prepared for such a situation but now that she was faced with it, she felt honesty was the right path to take. She was not up for making up things, it was tiring. She looked to Zach who gave her an encouraging nod before he took her hand in his.


    "That was really you?" She asked in clear disbelief.


    Amy swallowed a hard lump and nodded, "Yes."


    "How?" She asked immediately.


    "I used a voice changer. It was my way of pushing him away by then", she exined.


    Silence. Victoria looked around and saw their serious faces. It seemed they all knew, of course, the boys were close. But,


    "And none of you thought to tell me?" She looked at the three men and they dropped their heads in shame. "Amy, is this really true? It was you the whole time?"


    "Yes."


    Silence fell upon the room. Victoria let the truth sink in. So, it really was Amy? Thetter knew how upset the woman was and could not help but feel nervous. What would she think of her now?


    Victoria startedughing. All four looked at her strangely. Was she so angry to the point ofughing? She went to Xavier and smacked him as sheughed.


    "Mom! You can hit George or Zach too!" He moved away and rubbed his shoulder.


    Victoria let out a huge sigh in relief and wiped her tears. "I was feeling guilty for nothing!"


    "Guilty?" Xavier asked.


    "Yes, I thought Zach had fallen for another man and left him for Amy. And when I saw how kind Amy is, I decided to let things be but I was walking on eggshells around her trying not to bring up their awkward past. And I felt bad for that poor man Zach had won over only to be dropped by him again!"


    Everyone: "..."


    "You should have told me sooner!" She smacked Xavier again who cried out in pain.


    "Mom, it''s all my fault. I''m really sorry", Amy said with remorse and a sincere heart. She walked to meet her halfway.


    "A", Victoria was moved as well. She took Amy''s hands in hers and patted them with one. "It''s okay dear. It''s okay. You have one heck of a story to tell your kids about how you got together."


    Amy exchanged a nce with Zach and they both smiled. That sounded so pleasant to their ears. Victoria cooed when she saw their little exchange. It''s always been Amy that Zach was in love with. This is all she ever wished for: Zach settling down with a good person.


    "Ah! Speaking of kids, I got the baby a cute little onesie on my way back from the golf club", she said excitedly.


    "Ooh! Let me see!" Amy was excited as well. She pecked Zach''s lips before following the older woman out of the kitchen.


    "Mom! It must be hard to not brag about Zach and Amy especially to Kris!" Xavier said.


    Victoria stopped, looking cool as she said, "Xavie, not everything is apetition. But, if we consider this as one, I already won."


    George and Xavier chuckled at her proud demeanor while Zach shook his head. Even Amy, who had learned about Victoria and Kris''s rtionship, could not help butugh. Victoria was about to move when she stopped again.


    "Don''t you have a date tonight?" She raised her brows at George.


    "Oh! I''ll leave in a bit", he answered.


    "Alright! Enjoy! If she''s not to your liking, let me know. I''ve got a few more girls", she promised.


    George''s smile stiffened. Where was she getting all those women? Xavier shook his head at George, feeling sorry and envious at the same time.


    "You guys should help Zach with cooking. We only got started on the soup", Amy said.


    "I came here to have dinner and not to make it!" Xavier grumbled.<sub> </sub>


    "On that note, I''ll be on my way", George said as he stood up.


    Amy left the two to argue while she and Victoria disappeared out of the kitchen walking arm in arm. Victoria led her upstairs on the third floor where hers and Zach''s rooms were. They walked past it down the corridor and reached the first room to the left.


    Amy gasped when she opened it. This had been turned into their baby''s room. They had temporarily settled on creamwhite walls until they learn of the gender. There was a little bed, a rocking chair, bathroom, a section for keeping toys, a mini yground, and a massive wardrobe. But this was not what Amy was shocked with, it was the sea of shopping bags on the floor.


    "I thought you said you bought a onesie?" She said, mentally counting twenty bags or more.


    "Yes. Let me....", Victoria moved about looking through the bags.


    Amy watched on as she stood with a hand on her hip and the other caressing her belly. Victoria grew embarrassed not remembering which shopping bag it was.


    "It''s somewhere in here but I promise, it''s so cute I just had to buy it! And the rest, well...."


    Amy chuckled and nodded in understanding. "Thank you Mom. I''ll have Margaret get these washed and set up."


    "Great! We should have space", she went to check in wadrobe as the doors slid open. Then something caught her eye. "New clothes? Oh? I didn''t know Js make baby clothes too."


    "It was a special request", Amy said with a smile.


    "Ah!" Victoria nodded.


    With her son''s influence, she was sure that request was easy to ept. After all, he had brought more exposure to their brand at the g when he wore their suit. Amy smiled, she didn''t know what conclusions the older woman was making.


    They returned to the living room and chatted until dinner was ready. While they settled down on the table, Henry''s steady footsteps echoed as he approached. They all turned to look at him when he walked in.


    "Oh? I thought you''d be out with your friends", he said to Victoria.


    "I was then I stopped by and thought to have dinner. What are you doing here?" She countered.


    "Same thing", he answered.


    Zach gave up the head seat and sat next to Amy while Henry reced him with Victoria immediately next to him, followed by Xavier. George had actually left for his date. He exchanged greetings with the couple and exchanged a nod with Xavier.


    "Xavier", Amy called out earning his attention. She gave him thumbs up making him give a proud nod.


    Amy started with the soup and hummed. "Babe, the soup is amazing."


    "Thank you", he said with a smile.


    "Zach made this?" Henry pointed at the soup with a worried expression. "Is it edible?"


    Zach threw him a re making him chuckle in amusement. Amy smiled, "I promise, you won''t regret."


    "I''ll take your word for it."


    And so they ate. In no time, the tes were cleared. The table was cleared for dessert to be served. Victoria smiled at the three men.


    "Just reminded me of the old days, when you guys would finish my cooking within minutes and your tes would be clear like there was never food there in the first ce", she let out a soft chuckle.


    Amy was amused by this. She looked around the table to find Zach and Henry maintain an impassive expression while Xavier busied himself with his phone, hiding the guilt on his face. These crooks!


    "Thank you", Victoria said when the dessert was served. Then she cleared her throat. "Since we''re all gathered here, I have an important announcement to make."


    That statement got the attention of the four. Amy didn''t stop eating as she looked at her, she couldn''t help help herself. Victoria looked around nervously before getting a ss of wine to down it before letting out a deep breath.


    "I''ll be going out with someone. As in romantically."

 Chapter 189 She Got Him Where She Wanted

    Silence. It was like she had dropped a bomb on the table leaving everyone too shocked to respond. Even Amy froze with a mini fork in her mouth. She blinked, feeling like she was being rude and resumed eating.


    "No", Henry said. His expression had hardened. Amy had never seen him like this.


    "What do you mean ''no''?" She countered.


    "We''re married. You can''t do that."


    "Are we?" She raised her brows at him.


    "Victoria-"


    "You can''t tell her what to do Henry", Xavier growled with the same hardened expression.


    Amy felt he strongly resembled his father right in this moment. She looked down to see Zach''s hand tightly clenched into a fist. She ced her hand on top of it and he unclenced it toce his fingers with hers.


    "Stay out of this!" Henry growled.


    "Both of you stay out of this!" Victoria shouted at the two before briefly looking at Zach. "I made this announcement to let you know and not seek for your opinions! I don''t need them. So if you see me around with a young man-"


    "He''s young?" Henry and Xavier abruptly stood up from their seats, in shock.


    "Oh! My God!" She held her head and shook it. She stood up and walked over to Amy''s side and exchanged kisses with her. "I am sorry about this, have a good night you two."


    She caressed her stomach before walking out of the room. Xavier and Henry red at each other before they stormed out as well with not so much as a word. Zach impatiently rapped his fingers with his free hand on the table before he came to a stop and fell in thought with furrrowed brows.


    "Too troublesome", he sighed.


    ***


    As they were left alone, they decided to retire to their room. Amy looked over at Zach worriedly through her dressing table mirror. He was sat on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, hands sped, and head hanging low.


    She knew no family was perfect and that Victoria''s personal decisions had nothing to do with her but the sight before her bothered her. She hated it, seeing him like that. Sensing her gaze, he looked up and gave her a small smile.


    She stood up from the stool with a silent groan and began a slow sashay towards him with a deliberate sway of her hips.


    "Zachery Frost, may I have your attention?" She asked in a low seductive tone.


    He sat up straight and his smile grew wide as he watched his very pregnant and sexy wife-to-be.


    "You have it, Miss Harper", he answered.


    She almost swooned from his sexy deep and husky voice but forced herself to keep it together. She stood in between his legs and rested her palms on his shoulders. She leaned forward and brought her lips to his ear.


    "I believe we have unfinished business", she purred.


    Without giving him a chance to respond, she imed his lips with hers. She cupped both his cheeks and deepened the kiss. Zach could feel the desire and he responded with the same amount of passion. But he could also feel the soothingfort she offered to his heart. It''s like she was kissing his worries away.


    She broke the kiss and locked his gaze with hers. Her hands traveled down to his shirt and slowly unbuttoned them to thest one before helping him out of it. She bit her lip, almost drooling at the sexy sight of his well sculpted chest. She traced her fingers on his wide chest, down to his abdominals and traced the outline of his crotch. His breathing had be erratic from her burning touch.<sub> </sub>


    "I''ming for you", she whispered whilst looking at his crotch.


    He chuckled, amused at her speaking to his dick and at the same time catching the double meaning of her words. She also smiled for making himugh before briefly iming his lips again.


    Then she trailed her kiss going from his jaw, his neck, his chest, she kissed his right nipple and gave it a lick. He hissed at the electrifying pleasure. She did the same for his other nipple then run her tongue on his abs.


    He groaned. She burned him everywhere with her touching and licking. Her hands started to work on his belt buckle when he stopped her. She raised her brows at him when he stood up.


    "Sit."


    She obeyed and watched him unbuckle it with hungry eyes. He stepped out of his trousers and with impatience, she took his mightiness out of his boxers in her soft hand. He was huge, long and veiny fitting right in her palm till the tips of her middle finger and thumb touched. Zach''s brows furrowed and he hissed as precum oozed out of his tip just from her touch.


    She licked her lips and before taking the tip into her mouth and releasing it with a pop. He groaned with his eyes closed when he felt her warm mouth take a few inches more of him. She released him and traced her wet tongue from his tip, going along his length, to the base and going around to lick him back up to his tip.


    "Amy", he moaned as heced his fingers into her hair.


    He looked down to watch her open her mouth and take him in, lips wrapped around his length before she released him with a slow sucking motion. She watched him through her eyesshes as she repeated the same motion with her tongue ying around with his tip before she released him with a pop.


    "Fuck!" He hissed. She had barely gotten started and he could feel how close he was getting already.


    She took him in and bobbed her head while stroking his remaining length. Then she gripped his hips, digging her fingers into his skin as she drove him down to her throat and she hummed a moan.


    The vibration on his tip that touched the base of her throat made him make a noise from the back of his throat. She released him unable to reach his base and stroked him as she breathed heavily before taking him in her mouth again. She bobbed her head up and down again and deepthroated him again this time trying to get a few inches more in her. Zach bit his lip hard, groaning at the erotic sight of her luscious lips sped around his length as he tightened his grip on her hair.


    With a gasp, she released him to catch her breath as she stroked him. She cursed herself for wearing a jumpsuit as she felt her sex ache from getting turned on from pleasuring him. She so badly wanted to touch herself.


    "Mmmm", she moaned as she licked the base of his length before taking his balls in her mouth.


    Game over! She got him where she wanted. She had now mastered the little tricks that drove him on the edge.


    "Argh! Amy!"


    He warned with a tight grip of her hair but she didn''t listen and juggled them with her tongue and increased her stroking speed on his length.


    "Amy!"


    She moaned as she twirled her tongue on them and sucked them. The sound of her hands stroking his shaft just made her more wet and her unattended sex ache even more.


    "Baby, hmmmmmn! I hate for you to stop..... Hmmmmmm.... But I need to be inside you!" He said with much difficulty and lots of desperation.


    She released his balls and took his girth in her mouth onest time before she released him. She licked her lips, still stroking him and batted her eyshes giving him an innocent look.


    "You naughty girl." He cupped her chin, watching her with eyes full of lust and she gave him a sweet smile. "Did you enjoy yourself?"


    "So much", she said and moved her mouth to lick him only to be stopped by him.


    "Uh-uh! Behave. Now it''s my turn."

 Chapter 190 What It Means To Be Zachs Wife

    He helped her up, turned her around, giving her back to him before he unzipped her jumpsuit and slipped it off her down to her feet. She stepped out of it and he stood back up. She was wearing no bra and he cupped them with his hands from behind, molding them and feeling their fullness in his fingers.


    "Mmm!" She moaned as she leaned back against his chest feeling the electrifying pleasure when he pinched and tweaked her nipples.


    He kissed her shoulder and spun her around before leaning down toher chest to take a hardened nipple in his mouth.


    "Ah!" She threw her head back, enjoying the feel of his warm mouth and wet tongue on her peak.


    He closed his eyes, basking in the pleasure of sucking her titties. The other one was at the mercy of his hand. Sheced fingers into his hair drawing him closer, wanting more. He moved to take the other nipple as he hooked an arm around her waist and slipped the other hand between her legs. He set her panties to the side and coated his fingers with her juices.


    "So wet."


    "Argh!" She cried out in surprise when he slipped in three fingers at once. "Zachery!"


    "Hmmmm", he hummed against her nipple, licking and sucking as he moved his fingers in and out of her.


    He flicked her bud in the middle of his ministrations inciting pleasure filled cries from her as she held onto him tightly. She could feel her legs almost give out and he felt her walls tighten on him. He slowed down and pulled his fingers out at the same time he let go of her nipple.


    "Why?...."


    "I''ll give you something better", he brought his fingers to her mouth and she sucked them under his watch.


    He sat her down, pushing her to lie on the bed. She licked her lips when she saw him stroke his length. Then she looked up at him, eyes full of lust.


    "I want to ride you", she whispered.


    He smirked, "As you wish.


    He discarded her panties andy on the bed with her sitting on top. He watched as she lifted herself and grabbed his girth before slowly sinking on it.


    "Ah!" They both breathed out a sigh.


    She pressed her palms on his chest and rocked her hips back and forth. The movement incited pleasure filled moans from both of them.


    He grabbed hold of her bouncing tits and yed with them. She threw her head back with her eyes closed in pleasure. She alternated her movements, going up and down, around, and tracing different shapes with her waist.


    "Shit! Amy!" He hissed at the pleasure.


    He could never get used to the way she whined on him, it always drove him insane. She suddenly stopped, and bent forward and he pushed himself up to kiss her. He grabbed the back of her hair now letting it fall freely as his tongue intertwined with hers. Breaking the kiss, she slipped out of him and turned with a groan.


    "Don''tugh", she whined. Her movements were bing difficulttely.


    "You have no idea how sexy you are, baby", he said.


    "Mmm", she moaned softly when she drove him inside her again and resumed riding.


    She now had her back to him, her hair swaying with her movement, and her butt pressed to his abdomen.


    "Ah!" She cried when she felt a smack on her ass before he squeezed the softness. She quickened her grinding. She felt a tag on her hair followed by Zach responding to her with his thrusts.


    "Come here", he sat up and hooked an arm under hers wrapping it around her beforeying them both down on the bed.


    He brought up her legs so her feet rested on his thighs and held her underneath her knees with his hands spreading her thighs wider. Her head rested on his shoulder.


    "How''s this?" He whispered and groaned in her ear when he slowly thrust into her.


    "Great", she answered with a gasp and let out a shaky breath. She knew he was about to serve her some hard fucking.


    A deep and low chuckle resounded beside her ear. "I''m asking about yourfort baby."


    "Yes. I''mfortable."


    "Good. Hold on tight."


    He resumed the slow thrust. She could feel him rub against her walls as he pushed through to hit her depth. His thrusts were slow yet deep. He moved out and hit her with a powerful stroke.<sub> </sub>


    "Argh!" She cried, clutching the sheets tightly with one hand and the other holding the base of her belly. Her breathing grew even more erratic. "More!"


    He moved out and hit her again, a growl reverberating in his chest from the pleasure. His powerful thrusts came in more frequently causing her breasts to jiggle and the lewd sound of their skin pping to echo in the room.


    "Harder!" She screamed.


    Sloshy sounds resounded each time he moved in and out of her wetness. She cried out his name, making incoherent sounds as he growled and groaned beside her ear each time he pounded into her.


    "More- ah!" She shrieked when she felt him pinch her clit.


    She lifted her head only to fall back down. He furiously rubbed her clit and pinched it as he pounded her mercilessly. She had difficulty in maintaining her feet on his thighs. She could feel her legs giving out.


    "Zachery!" She warned.


    He responded with a sexy growl as he sped up. He had been holding on for too long from since she gave him that mind blowing blow job. His release was very near. He continued to y with her nub.


    She failed to close her legs against his strong arm and her toes curled from the immense pleasure. The pressure was quickly building up and she felt like she was being taken to a new high. He pinched her nub again.


    "Zache- argh!" She cried out as she milked his length with her juices.


    He didn''t stop and only quickened his pace gathering momentum to shoot his load with a powerful thrust and a grunt. She felt the familiar warm liquid inside her.


    "Argh! Amy", he breathed out as he slowed his movements, still pushing in and out of her.


    He finally came to a stop and stayed still. They were breathing heavily, calming down from such an amazing climax. Quieting his breathing, he heard Amy''s odd one and knew why.


    "Cramps?" He asked worriedly and she nodded as she worked on her breathing.


    He gently got them toy on their side and then caressed her stomach, rubbing soothing circles on her.


    "How about I run us a hot bath and we can rx?" He whispered beside her ear.


    "Sounds good", she said.


    He kissed her cheek, and slipped out of her before getting up. He took a sheet and covered her before disappearing into the bathroom. Amy focused on her breathing. She hated this part so much. Not long, he came back and carefully picked her up bridal style.


    "Am I not heavy?" She asked from the crook of his neck.


    "You''ve no idea", he teased earning a smack from her on his shoulder.


    He chuckled in amusement. She knew he was lying otherwise his steps would not be as steady. He walked as though he wasn''t carrying anything. He kicked the door shut after he got in and settled them in the tub.


    He sat leaning against the tub while she sat between his legs, leaning against his chest. He kissed her neck and rubbed her belly. The water rxed her aching muscles. His wood poked against her back.


    "Still not satisfied?" She asked in amusement.


    "You know I can never get enough of you", he confessed making her giggle. "How are you feeling?"


    "Better", she answered in honesty. She briefly fell quiet and asked, "How are you feeling?"


    "Great", he answered.


    She rxed in his arms as they fell infortable silence. But it wasn''tfortable for Amy, the issue earlier still bothered her and she was curious about a lot of things. However, she chose to let him tell her when he''s ready.


    He lifted her left hand exposing her beautiful engagement ring to both of them. "Do you know what this means?"


    "That I''m your fianc¨¦?" She asked, unsure.


    "That also means you''re going to be my wife. And being my wife means you''re entitled to know every little thing about me. I don''t n to hide anything from you", he exined.


    Amy smiled to herself. He could read her mind. She gathered courage as she was about to learn the family''s secret.

 Chapter 191 Learning About Zachs Life And Family

    "What''s going on with everyone?" She asked. "And why do you guys address your dad by his name?"


    "It''s a long story", he warned as he picked up her other hand and yed with her fingers.


    She nodded at him, giving him a go ahead. He hummed in thought before he settled on where to start.


    "My Dad hasn''t always been present in our lives for as long as I can remember. He tried, but juggling between running thepany, being an agent, and having a family wasn''t as easy. We never knew who he was and thought he was just busy with business matters. But he tried, he was close to us but more with Xavier.


    "Later on, things changed for the worst. A partner of his, a woman, made things difficult for my mother because of her crush on him. She took advantage of the fact that Mom didn''t know about his other life and taunted her.


    "When he found out what she had done, he reported her for unprofessionalism and had his assignment changed to a field agent with a team. She was sent to one of their branches around the world. He exined to my mother the truth and showed her the evidence, risking his job because of the FD-291."


    "FD-291?" Amy''s brows furrowed in confusion.


    "It''s simr to an N.D.A for FBI employees."


    "He really wanted to save his marriage?" Amy asked with a soft smile. It was believable especially when she saw the love in Henry''s eyes whenever he looked at Victoria.


    "Mm. He''s not sure if she forgave him but she stayed with him though the damage had been done. I learned the truth when I got enrolled as an agent and he told me everything. Of course, I punched him for it although I understood."


    Amy chuckled at this. She could picture an angry but younger version of Zach punching his father. He also chuckled.


    "Has it always been your dream to be an agent?" She was curious about this.


    "I..... don''t know if it was a dream but I was drawn to it, especially the danger thates with it", he said and realization dawned on him. "It must be one of the reasons I''m attracted to you."


    "Because of the current situation?" Her interest had been piqued.


    "Not that, you''re a danger to this", he patted his chest making herugh.


    "Cheesy", shemented.


    "It still made you blush", he said before pecking her cheek before resuming his story telling.


    "So at that time, Xavier had taken over thepany while I worked under Dad''s team before I was given my own team. I got used to addressing him as Hot Head or Henry. He liked it. As for Xavier, it''s simply hatred.


    "He had witnessed how badly hurt mom was. It made him grow overprotective of her while the experience brought out a lot of mom''s insecurities. His hatred and her insecurities grew when he would frequently leave for missions. That was when I had taken over thepany."


    "And you? How did that affect you?" She could not help but ask in worry.<sub> </sub>


    He briefly fell quiet and sighed before he answered. "Seeing how she acted unbothered to a lot of things: Dad''s inability to bnce things out, the torment on her and their marriage...."


    It made him develop indifference to a lot of things. Just like his mother never showed it to people how she truly felt about certain matters, Zach developed the same habit. He had really picked up his mother''s mannerisms. Amy guessed this. And the fact that for such an effect to take on them, this must have happened for years. Also, it didn''t make sense to her for Henry to leave his family when he should be with them instead.


    Though she found it amazing how different and great Zach turned out especially when he''s with her. Or could he be masking his true feelings and letting her see what he wanted? This thought worried her.


    "After everything, I decided I didn''t want to lead a life like that. A life that makes my family miserable. Instead, I would be there, love them, and protect them with all that I can."


    Which exins why he was obesessed with finding her and never letting go. She had be his family. She and the baby. She caressed her belly at this thought as her heart melted. She was learning a lot about Zach and he was being real with her.


    "What about Xavier?"


    "Dad tried to set things right but Xavier hadpletely shut him out. Having known the truth, I thought to step in and be the mediator. Unfortunately, something happened to Xavier."


    "Something that made you leave the FBI?" She guessed.


    "Mm. Something I wish to never repeat itself", he said with a tone full of venom.


    She frowned as her heart ached from detecting the hurt and anger in his tone. It must have been a life changing experience for the boys.


    "What happened to him?"


    Zach rested his chin on her shoulder and let out a sigh. Then he began retelling Xavier''s dark past. Amy gasped in shock as she listened and Zach tightened his hold on her.


    Although he was retelling something unpleasant, he was calm and collected because her presence did that to him. She gave him a sense offort and so much peace. Something he didn''t know he was missing until she came into his life.


    "Seeing Xavier now, I would never have guessed he went through something so horrible...", She shook her head in disbelief. "And you, you must have had a hard time too."


    "We survived it", he said with a soft chuckle.


    She sighed. He spoke like it was all in the past but she could tell it still bothered him. And now this new Victoria situation.


    "How do you feel about your mom''s announcement?" She asked.


    He briefly fell quiet then spoke. "Honestly, I don''t like it but that won''t be a problem for long."


    She turned her head to look at him after detecting the mischief in his tone. And sure enough, his lips lifted into a smirk.

 Chapter 192 Nicoles Guilt

    At Crystal pce


    "I can never get used to how beautiful this ce is", a woman sighed as she threw herself on Nicole''s couch and looked around the apartment in admiration.


    "Me neither! I still can''t believe that I actually own this ce now like whaaaaaat!" She squealed as she passed a ss of wine at her friend.


    "I want a ce too! Like I would die with no regrets if I owned an apartment here!" She said still admiring the ce.


    "Well, Ne, too bad you''re not a close friend to The Mrs. Victoria Frost nor are you a girlfriend to Xavier Frost otherwise...", She gave a mischievous smile and sipped on her drink.


    Ne gasped as realization dawned on her before she broke out into augh. Nicole joined her inughing before the two clinked their sses and sipped on the sweetness of red wine.


    "Speaking of which", Ne started as she stirried the contents in her ss. "It''s been three months Nicole, three."


    "I know", she said nonchntly.


    "Nicole", she warned with a danger in her tone.


    "I said I know", she answered with clear annoyance before sipping on her wine.


    Ne held the ss to her lips and stared at her friend with brows furrowed. She could smell something fishy from the way Nicole carried herself. Thetter was drowning in her own thoughts. She knew what Ne''s reminder was. Her heart dropped to her stomach making it to twist in an unpleasant manner.


    "Nicole, you do remember, don''t you?" Ne asked while carefully eyeing her; looking for any slip ups.


    Nicole chuckled, it was full of self mockery. Hurt and anger reflected in her eyes as she stared into space. "How could I forget?"


    "Good", Ne rxed.


    Nicole smiled then looked at her best friend who returned her with one. "Don''t worry, we''re good."


    "Then when do we start?"


    "We already started", she answered.


    "No."


    "Isn''t it too soon?" She asked with a worried expression.


    She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Too soon? Too soon? There''s no such thing as too soon. What is this? Are you in love with him or something?"


    Nicole fell quiet and simply took a sip of her wine. She could feel Ne''s eyes boring a hole on the side of her face as she refused to look at her. Afraid she would see something in her eyes that neither of them wanted. Tension was building up between the two as Ne awaited an answer.


    Suddenly, Nicole''s phone rung. Her brows went up in surprise. Shouldn''t he be at the family dinner she bailed on? What could be the reason he called? Ne peeked over and chuckled when she saw the caller I.D.


    "Ssh!" Nicole held up a finger, silencing her before answering the call. "Hey... Yeah, I''m up... Yes..... Alright, sure."


    "What?" Ne asked after Nicole ended the call.


    "He''s downstairs, he just got here", she said.<sub> </sub>


    "And that''s my cue to leave."


    She emptied her ss and set it on the coffee table. Nicole did the same and walked her to the door. They exchanged a hug before Ne went her way. Nicole went back in to clear the wine and sses, changed clothes into something more seductive, and waited for Xavier''s arrival.


    In the hallway, the doors to an elevator swung open. Xavier stepped out with an impassive expression, suppressing his annoyance. He had just had a terrible evening thanks to his mother. He knocked on Nicole''s door and she opened it within seconds.


    While the two shared a kiss in greeting, someone was watching from the shadows. The two disappeared into the house and closed the door. Ne appeared from the corridor she was hiding.


    Her eyes shed with murderous intent as she peeled her eyes on the closed the door. She scoffed when she heard the moansing in from the room.


    "This needs to end", she said before walking away in silent rage.


    ***


    "Wake up sleepy head....."


    A soft voice traveled through Xavier''s ears. His brows furrowed before he slowly opened his eyes. He squinted his eyes at the blurry vision that greeted his eyes. He closed and opened them, this time they cleared. Nicole was staring down at him with a smile ying on her face. She was dressed in a jumpsuit and hair tied in a ponytail.


    There was a fresh coat of make up on her face, a simple look thatplimented her grey eyes. It was those bewitching eyes that Xavier was especially drawn to.


    "Good morning", he said in a groggy voice.


    "You''ll bete for work, get up."


    She held his arm and groaned as she helped him sit up. The sheets were still messy from their previous night''s lovemaking. He sighed and run a hand on his face remembering his mom''s announcement.


    "Go shower, I''ll go make us breakfast", she patted his arm before getting up.


    He sighed as he watched her walk out of the room. He got out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom.


    The walls had great sound proofing, you could not hear what was happening in ces like the bedroom or bathroom. So while he showered, she made breakfast. A call came through on her phone while she was in the midst of cooking.


    Not too long after, Xavier exited the bedroom in the previous night''s clothes. He could now hear Nicole speaking in hushed tones. As he got closer, the words got clearee from the kitchen as he walked there.


    "Yes.... Not yet.... Yes..... No... No... Don''t worry about a thing..... Yes..... Tonight


    ." She spun around when she heard noises from behind her and gasped, almost dropping her phone, looking surprised.


    There was clear guilt in her eyes as she juggled the phone in her hand before catching it in a tight grip. Xavier paused from making a cup of coffee and raised his brows at her. She seemed shaken for a minute.


    "Let me call you back", she abruptly ended the call as she looked at him.


    "Who was that?" He asked, carefully eyeing her with his hand holding his mug.


    She gulped. One question crossed her mind: How much of that conversation did he hear?

 Chapter 193 Making Her Realize Her Mistake

    "Nicole? Do you have ns tonight?" He asked with a careful watch on her face.


    "We do", she quickly responded, at the same time regainingposure.


    "We..... do?" His brows furrowed in confusion as he racked his brain for when they had made any ns.


    "Yes. There''s a new restaurant I thought we''d go. You were so downst night I thought it would cheer you up", she smiled as she walked towards him. She pecked his lips when she reached him.


    He slowly nodded away. Maybe he might use the distraction,and it was quite thoughtful of her. His lips lifted into a small smile. "Thank you."


    "So, what happenedst night?" She looked at him curiously.


    He let out a huge sigh, "Mom has started seeing someone."


    She fell quiet and stared at him in disbelief. An amusedugh erupted from her lips only to cup her mouth to stop herself when he showed no sign of amusement.


    "Oh! My God! You''re serious?" She asked to which he nodded. "Come on. Victoria is a not a child. I''m sure she knows what she''s doing. It''s nothing for you to sulk about."


    Xavier bit his lower lip with his brows furrowed as though he had fallen in thought. She carefully watched his face waiting for a response. She could not sympathize. Well, not everyone could understand, he presumed.


    "Where are we going and what time tonight?" He changed the subject.


    "Ah! It''s at Ren¨¦e''s and I booked us for seven", she said in clear excitement.


    He nodded in response before he resumed making his coffee. After breakfast, they went their different ways with each taking their cars. Xavier changed into his spare suit when he got to his office. He slumped in his seat, still disturbed by Victoria''s decision.


    He looked at the pile of work waiting for him. He could not focus. There was a sense of betrayal he felt because of his mother. Maybe if he looked for someone who sympathized with how he felt, he could get the load off his chest and get to work. Without a second thought, he made way to his brother''s office.


    "Yes, I just got here", Zach said into his phone as George held the door for him for his office. "Yes..... Make sure you take care of yourself... Mm. I''ll see you at lunch.... I love you too. Bye."


    "You guys are practically married", Xavier said with a shake of his head as he walked towards the liquor cab.


    <o>,m "You''re okay, man?" George asked.</o>


    "Nope", he popped the P and poured himself a drink before walking towards the floor to ceiling window.


    George sighed, knowing the full scope of the situation. He dropped some files on Zach''s desk and left the room. Xavier sighed turning it into a groan after taking his first sip.


    "Aren''t you bothered?" He started.


    "By what?" Zach asked while reading through a file.


    "You know." He fell quiet and took another sip before looking down at the busy roads. "I just can''t seem to understand or ept this."


    "Siding with Dad, that''s new", he said in amusement.


    "I''m not siding with him, it''s just wrong!" He said a little louder as he looked at his brother.


    "Then who would it feel right with? Becausest time I checked, you didn''t want her to be with Henry."


    "This is not about him", he huffed. How was he not getting the point? And why did he seem unbothered when he clearly wasst night? "I''m just bothered about who this new person is. And she''s still legally married which makes it more wrong."


    A knock was heard and Zach permitted the person toe in. George walked into the office with a tablet in his hand. He carried himself with uncertainty as he looked between Xavier and Zach. Xavier found that to be odd. He watched on with furrowed brows as he sipped on his drink. George soon reached Zach''s desk and extended the tablet in his direction.


    "This is the info you asked-"


    The tablet was snatched out of his hand before he could finish speaking. Xavier moved back, creating distance between them as he quickly read through the file. He scoffed in disbelief and raised the tablet at Zach.


    "What is the meaning of this?" His displeasure was evident.


    George looked at Zach who dismissed him with a wave of a hand. He nodded and left. Xavier looked at his brother with an expression showing betrayal yet at the same time confusion.<sub> </sub>


    Staring back at Zach in Xavier''s hand, was a picture of a certain young man with Victoria their mother looking cosy as they chatted over coffee at a caf¨¦. Zach leaned back in his seat with brows furrowed and impatiently rapped his fingers against the desk.


    "Well?" Xavier demanded.


    Zach opened up his palms, in a gesture silently saying: it''s just as you see it. Xavier scoffed in disbelief and let our a humorless chuckle.


    "You had George look into it", he stated.


    Zach rxed back into his seat and resumed working. Xavier felt a little ted at this discovery, at least, he was not the only one bothered. He didn''t know why Zach was acting unbothered earlier, maybe it''s his ego. He looked back at the tablet and read through the man''s biography.


    "Noah Meanwell, doctor at....", He started to read the rest under his breath but his eyes could not help but fall on the pictures especially the one of Noah and Victoria. His face contorted in annoyance. "Unbelievable! This is the guy mom''s seeing?"


    He moved and settled on a seat in front of Zach''s desk and sped his hands after putting down the tablet. "So, what''s the n?"


    "What n?" Zach''s brows went up without looking at him.


    "Come on! You must have something! I want in!"


    Zach paused then looked up to find Xavier looking at him in anticipation. He really wanted to ruin his mom''s new love affair. Too bad, he was about to burst his bubble.


    "I was simply curious to know who the guy is and if he''s good enough-"


    "Of course he''s not good enough! Look at him! All he has to his name is his career and- hang on!" His brows furrowed as he picked up the tablet and stared hard at Noah''s picture. "I know this guy."


    "Acquaintance?"


    "No. I''ve seen him some- No way!" He dropped the tablet on the table and quickly fished out his phone. Zach watched him scroll through it in urgency. He gasped and quickly stuffed a picture of a half naked man in his face.


    "Xavier!" Zach growled in annoyance as he covered his face with his forearm at the same time pushed away Xavier''s hand.


    "The face and not the body", he rified. "Look again."


    "No need. Why do you have that?"


    "He was one of the candidates mom sent as my potentials when she asked me to- anyway, it''s him. Unbelievable. But seriously, what do we do about this?"


    "Nothing, it''s her decision. If it''s a mistake, she''ll soon realize it", he said as he got back to work.


    Xavier sighed and soon left after finishing his drink. He knew what Zach said was true but the matter gnawed at his insides. He could not get his mind to focus on work because of a certain thing. In the file, there wasn''t just Dr. Noah Meanwell''s biography, there was also a detail about a certain ce he would be taking Victoria out tonight including the time.


    Zach said she would soon realize the mistake she''s making. What if he made her realize it sooner than sooner? Without a second thought, he picked up his phone and dialed for Nicole.


    "Hey... I''m sorry but let''s take a raincheck", he scratched the back of his head feeling uneasy. He hoped she would not make a big deal out of it.


    "Why? I already booked us a ce", she whined.


    "I know, and I''m sorry but something important came up. I promise I''ll make it up to you."


    "What could be more important than having a date with your girlfriend?"


    He fell quiet. Remembering how she didn''t take him seriously early on, he was sure he would sound ten times more ridiculous if he told her his true intentions for tonight. And he couldn''t lie to her either, he didn''t see the point to do so.


    "I.... can''t really exin it but I promise it''s important. Please, Nicole. I''ll make it up to you, whatever you want. I promise."


    She briefly fell quiet, deliberating the request then sighed. "Fine."


    "Thank you. I''ll talk to youter! Bye!" He didn''t wait for another word from her and quickly hang up.


    That Noah guy will go as quickly as he came.

 Chapter 194 Victoria Was Ready For It All

    "Wee, sir", Edmund said as he held the door open for Zach.


    "Thank you, where''s my wife?" Zach straighten his jacket while walking into the house.


    "Asleep in the sunroom."


    He took quick steps as he unbuttoned his suit jacket. He weaved his way through the mansion on his way to the West wing. He arrived at a small building that extended at the back of the West wing.


    It was made of ss roof and walls. It was decorated with simple furniture, a firece that was in the middle of the room that was currently not lit, and some potted nts upying some corners both on the roof and floors of the room. In the midst of it all,y Amy on one long sofa with her head resting on a pillow.


    She was sleeping on her side with one hand supporting her head under the pillow and the other on top of her belly, some hair had fallen on her face, her pink lips were slightly parted, and a soft snore resounded from her. The sun shone on her beautiful face. Zach quietly walked over and got down on one knee.


    With a dotting gaze, he tucked away the hairs from her face and caressed her cheek. She let out a sigh and leaned into the touch. He looked around and there was no sign of herptop. She must havee over to rx. He looked back at her to find her brows furrowed. Her head shook from left to right like she was in a struggle. She was having a nightmare.


    "Amy? Amy? Wake up. Wake up. It''s just a dream. Wake up", he gently shook her, trying not to rm her.


    "My baby!" She woke with a start, breathing heavily.


    Then she saw Zach''s worried face and she covered her face with her hands. He leaned forward and hugged her where shey.


    "It''s okay", he said quietly. She sniffled and let him hold her. "It''s okay. It was just a dream."


    After a while, she calmed down and pulled back to look at him. He helped her sit up before he settled right beside her and pulled her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head when she leaned into his chest.


    ? "You okay?"


    "Yeah. I''m fine", she answered quietly.


    "What were you dreaming about?" He could not help his curiosity especially when he heard her say ''my baby''. That was not the first time he had heard that. Thest time that happened was when they ended up reuniting at the hospital.


    "I.... It''s.... I was alone in the delivery room and Gwen took the baby away. It''s not the first time I''ve had this dream. It''s- it''s-"


    "It''s not going to happen", he assured her, trying to keep her worries at ease. "I won''t let that happen. You will be surrounded only by the people you love and most importantly, I''ll be there. I won''t leave your side. No one will take our baby away."


    "Promise?" She frowned in worry.


    "You have my word."


    "I trust you."


    He kissed the top of her head again and they fell intofortable silence. They could hear the sound of the birds chirping from this side of the house. And the view was spectacr with a carpet of green grass stretching out from the building, a footpath made of small white rocks, and trees stood in alternate spots.<sub> </sub>


    "Did Henry note in today?" He asked.


    "He did. He left early saying he had something to do", she answered.


    "Got any work done?"


    "A little bit. Babe?" She called out to which he hummed in response. "I''m hungry."


    "I''ll check with the kitchen", he said while fishing out his phone with one hand. "Shall we eat here?"


    "Yeah. It''s a romantic little spot", she said with a smile.


    Unfortunately, that statement broke his heart. If not for the situation, he would love to dine with her at fine ces. But that would mean giving her the job of masking their tracks. He didn''t want to do that. That''s why he had proposed in their room though he would have loved it to be elsewhere.


    "I promise, I''ll take you out on proper dates once this is over."


    She sat up and looked up at him, giving him her beautiful smile as she cupped his cheeks. "And I look forward to it. But right now, I''m notining because every moment with you feels like a date."


    He chuckled with a shake of his head and pecked her lips before dialing the house line. With the message passed on, their food was soon brought to the sunroom where the couple devoured it.


    Later that night, Victoria was seen standing in front of the mirror checking for ws in her outfit. She couldn''t call either of her sons to seek their opinion when it was clear they did not approve of Noah. She also felt some type of way as she was going out with someone in Xavier''s age group. It just felt...... Odd?


    With a deep breath and onest look at her red bodycon dress, she exited the house. A car was parked right outside the gate and she recognized the Volkswagen to be Noah''s. He got out of the drivers side and walked to her in a suit. His steps slowed down and he felt his throat go dry seeing her.


    "You look..... You look beautiful", he said, stopping right in front of her.


    "Thank you", she said with a smile. "And you cleaned up nicely."


    "Th-Thanks....Wow", he breathed out a smile. He still could not believe that such a beautiful woman was giving him her time. It was really happening. Victoria chuckled when she saw him like that.


    "It''s only the first night", she said.


    "I know. More reason I''m nervous. How about you? Are you ready?" He asked curiously. She seemed more calm and collected.


    "As I''ll ever be", she answered with a smile.


    If not tonight, then when else? Whatever woulde their way, she was sure it would, she was ready for it all. She knew what she was getting into more than anyone else did. Nervousness coarses through her body. She sincerely hoped this would work out as she dreamed it to.

 Chapter 195 A Close Call

    "Noah?" She nudged him, feeling ufortable at his dazed expression.


    "Ah! Sorry. Get in. Get in", he moved to get the door for her.


    Victoria smiled when she saw his reddened ears as she got into the car. He quickly jogged to his side after helping her in and drove off. They hardly conversed as they were both nervous though for different reasons. They would start small talk and quickly fall quiet drifting to their thoughts.


    When they arrived, he jogged over to her side and got the door for her before handing the keys to the valet. She looked up at the name of the restaurant: Ren¨¦e. His hand fell on the small of her back making her feel butterflies at the same time self conscious. An older woman with a younger man, she didn''t want to know what others thought of her.


    While the couple settled into a V.I.P booth, a certain man in a navy blue suit and dark shades walked in and found a table. He got settled a few tables away from Victoria and Noah but where he got a clear view in the dimly lit restaurant. It gave such a romantic vibe he hated it.


    "May I take your order, sir?" A waitress came over, blushing at Xavier''s beauty.


    "The first meal on the first page", he said absentmindedly, keeping his gaze peeled on the couple.


    He could not believe his mother. She was really doing this. The waitress left in disappointment. The first page consisted of meals that were a couple set. The restaurant had be famous for such affordable but sumptuous meal sets. He must have a date tonight. The good ones were always taken.


    Xavier watched as the couple were served their meals and they happily ate. Noah was being such a gentleman, paying attention to all of Victoria''s needs. This just annoyed Xavier even more, he was sure Noah had bad intentions especially knowing the name Victoria carried: Frost.


    "Here you go, sir", she said while setting the table.


    "Thank you", he said without looking at her.


    Meanwhile, a ck sophisticated car pulled up at the entrance. The person threw their car keys over the shoulder at the valet as they stormed their way in. Their anger was evident on their face as they quickened their footsteps.


    "Excuse me! Do you have a reserva-"


    "Out of my way!" They barked making the attendant freeze on the spot. They stopped to look around and zeroed in on their target and quickly walked over.


    "I''ll call security if you don''t cooperate", the attendant held their arm only to be shrugged off.


    They watched in fear as the person practically run to the table and tapped on their target''s shoulder who turned to look at them. The attendant and security stopped when they saw who they were here for.


    "So this was what was important?" They asked in anger.


    "Nicole, I..... How did you know I was here?" Xavier asked in shock.


    "The question is what are you doing here? You cancelled on me only for you toe to the same restaurant I suggested wee to just to dine with some cheap whore?" She roared.<sub> </sub>


    He quickly stood up and confusionced on his features. He looked at the table and saw the meal had been served as though he was having it with someone. He shook his head and tried to hold her arms.


    "I promise it''s not like that. I''m not here with anyone", he answered calmly, looking over his shoulder hoping the couple would not catch onto themotion as the rest had done.


    "Then who are you here for and why?" She looked over his shoulder to see what he was constantly looking at with that worried expression. "Who are you hiding?"


    "No one! Keep your voice down!" He whsiper shouted in frustration. "I''m not hiding anyone. I''m here because I''m spying on my mother."


    "Bullshit! I need to see for mys-"


    "No!" He held her back when she moved. "You''ll expose me if you do."


    "Let me go if you''ve got nothing to hide!" She struggled to loosen his grip on her arm.


    "Can you calm down and listen to me?" He spoke into her ear through gritted teeth whilst keeping a watch on his mother.


    "Let me go", she growled back.


    "Why won''t you believe me?" He asked in clear desperation.


    She scoffed and roughly pulled her arm out of his hold. "Believe you? Have you met yourself? If you were me, would you believe you knowing your history?"


    He opened his mouth to speak but mmed it shut. There it was, the bitter truth pping him in the face. The closest onlookers watched curiously as they overheard her statement, giving him judging gazes. He looked down then back at her, she could see the hurt in his eyes. Attacking him where it hurt most was a low blow but the words had already escaped her mouth as she breathed out in rage. Seeing as he was not answering, she moved to go to the direction he had been anxiously ncing at.


    "Nicole", he held her back once more.


    "Let me go!"


    As the couple argued, someone walked into the restaurant and was just getting shown to their table when they quickly made a u-turn upon seeing the couple and left. Xavier saw the familiar back but refocused on calming down his girlfriend. She was proving difficult and with the attention they were drawing, he flung her over his shoulder and walked out leaving a fat tip on the table.


    "Put me down this instant! Put me down!" Nicole shrieked.


    His car was brought up, he threw her inside and quickly jogged over to his side and drove off into the night. A bodyguard of Xavier''s appeared from the shadows and came to the valet as soon and drove her car home. That person who had disappeared earlier watched the couple leave in the dark from their car that was parked a few feet away from Ren¨¦e''s. They patted their chest and breathed out a sigh of relief.


    "That was close", Henry said to himself.

 Chapter 196 Karma Is A Bitch

    A white Porsche pulled up in front of a certain five star restaurant. George''s long legs appeared as he alighted from the car. He passed the keys to the valet and walked into the restaurant. He did the button on his jacket belonging to the ck suit he wore as he took leisurely strides in.


    "Good evening, sir. Did you make a reservation?" The female attendant asked.


    "George Stewart", he answered as he straughtened his jacket.


    He looked extra handsome tonight. He had gotten rid of his sses and turned extra heads than normal. Unbothered by the whisperings and admiration, he followed the attendant and was led to a table where ady sat. Some women have envious looks when they realized she was his date. The woman stood up and stretched out her hand.


    "Stacy Campbell", she said with a pleasant smile.


    "George Stewart", he shook her hand before gesturing for her to seat. "Please."


    They both sat and a waiter came over to take their order. George skimmed through the menu as did thedy.


    "How about I order for us?" She asked.


    "Sure", he said, seeming amused as he closed his menu. He watched her list out what they would have before the waiter disappeared. She knew what she wanted and she was straightforward.


    "So, you werete", she started.


    "Yes, sorry. I meant to apologise for that, I had a few things to take care of", he said.


    She smiled, "It must be hard working in such a big corporation."


    The corners of his lips lifted in amusement. He was about to respond when the waiter served them their order. They thanked him and started to prepare to devour their meal.


    "Every job has it''s challenges", he said while setting a napkin on hisp. "And what is it that you do?"


    "I''m an editor at First News", she answered whilst doing the same. "Bon appetit!"


    "Thank you. You too."


    ''Not bad'', George mused as he cut through his steak before forking a bite. Now that he''s really giving it a chance, the blind date was looking up much better than he expected.


    Brte with hazel brown eyes, milky white skin, wearing a red bodycon dress that wasn''t too revealing butplimented her beauty. Trust Victoria to find a good girl for him. He smiled to himself at this thought.


    "I understand that you''re an executive assistant so does that mean you work for both brothers?"


    "I guess it depends", he said.


    If Zach was absent, like when he went to West Vige for Amy, George had to answer to Xavier in his absence. He was about to exin when she asked another question with evident curiosity.


    "So..... what''s it like, working under Xavier?" She hadpletely deserted her meal and looked at him with curious eyes. Elbows rested on the table and her chin on top of her intertwined fingers.


    "Xavier?"


    "Yes, what''s he like?" She could barely suppress her excitement.


    George''s brows furrowed as he picked up a napkin and wiped the corners of his mouth. His appetite had gone South. The girl waited for a response in anticipation, unable to read the room. Suddenly his phone rung from his jacket pocket. He didn''t bother excusing himself and answered.


    "Hey.... Where?.... Okay." He ended the call and willed an impassive expression as he looked at her as he put the phone back. "Something urgent has juste up. I need to leave."


    "So soon? We haven''t had a proper chat", sheined.


    "Hm. Sorry I''ll have to leave you alone. I''ll take care of the bill, enjoy yourself."


    He hastily left like his pants were on fire. She watched with her mouth open in shock and shifted in her sit, grumbling to herself. He didn''t even look sorry nor set a second date. Was she too obvious that she was digging info on Xavier?


    About twenty minutester, George arrived at high ss appartmenr building. He took the elevator leading to the sixtieth floor where Xavier''s penthouse was. He soon arrived at the luxurious four bedroomed penthouse. He punched the door code and walked himself in going to the bar.<sub> </sub>


    There he found Xavier sitting on the stool of his bar with a bottle of Scotch and a bowl of snacks on the counter. George removed his jacket and hanged it on the counter, poured himself a drink and settled on a stool beside Xavier.


    "I would have called Zach, but you know..." He started quietly.


    He was in low spirits and in desperate need ofpany. He knew he couldn''t call Zach for obvious reasons and George understood him.


    "How was the date?"


    "Saved me actually. I met a fan of yours", he said making Xavier chuckle before he sipped on his drink. "Want her number?"


    "I don''t think I can deal with any more women", he downed his drink and poured himself some more.


    "Did you guys have a fight?" George asked curiously before sipping on his drink.


    "Fight?" He let out a humorless chuckle when he remembered Nicole''s words. "Karma is a bitch."


    "What''s going on?"


    "My past is making her insecure, that''s what."


    "Hasn''t she seen how much you''ve changed because of her? You don''t give any other women any time of your day except for her. Anyone can see this", he pointed out something everyone could see.


    "Well, I don''t have to do anything. If a woman looks at me, it''s a problem. Today, was worse."


    "That''s stupid. So are you ming yourself? Is that what this is?"


    How could he not? He believed every word she said was true. That question she asked: knowing his history, would he believe him? He sighed and sipped on his drink. George also sighed.


    It seemed he would be spending the night there. He too, he needed a drink. His luck was running out on finding a woman for himself. Life has never been easy. The two men simultaneously sipped on their drinks.


    The next day, they made it to the office despite the terrible hangover. Xavier''s spirits were still low but he got on with the day. Besides him, also in low spirits was Henry. He arrived at Zach''s an hour early than usual. He had breakfast with the couple and soon got to work with Amy while Zach left for work.


    As she had liked the sun room, they were currently sitting there. She sat with her legs stretched out on one sofa while Henry sat on another. She kept her eyes peeled on herptop that was running a certain program that was rted to their project. She internally sighed when she saw Henry zoned out with papers in one hand and a tablet in another.


    "Madam", a maid called out earning their attention.


    Amy watched as the girl served her juice and a te of vegetable nuggets while Henry was served a beer and roasted nuts.


    "Thank you Rita", she said earning a smile from the girl before she left. She dipped her first nugget into a cream dip and chewed on it while watching Henry take a swig on his beer. "Are you okay?"


    He thought back to the argument he had with Victoria the previous night. She allowed him to live with her but she gave him no say in her decision. He simply couldn''t get through to her. He gave Amy a sad smile at this thought. "I''m sure Zach told you about my issues with everyone."


    "I''m sorry", she said feeling embarrassed.


    "No, you''re part of the family now. As embarrassing as it is, you can''t be kept in the dark", he took another swig then sighed as he looked at the bottle with a forlorn expression. "I guess karma is a bitch."


    Amy chose to keep quiet though she felt sorry for him. In truth, there was nothing she could say about the matter and simply watch on the sidelines. Wanting to distract him, she decided to change the subject.


    "Anything on the list I gave you?"


    "Yes", he put down the beer and tapped on the tablet a few times before giving it to her. "I was supposed to give this to you yesterday but it slipped my mind. See if anything means something to you."


    She quietly went over the information scrolling through the page until her eyes fell on something. An amused chuckle resounded from her lips making Henry look up at her with brows raised.


    "Found something?"


    "Oh! Yeah", she said with a happy smile stretching on her lips. "We finally got something."

 Chapter 197 Howells And Frosts Family Drama

    At Frost Corporation


    The curtains had been pulled open, letting thete afternoon sun illuminate Zach''s office. He was seated on his leather chair, a tablet in his hand and brows furrowed. His shirt sleeves had been rolled up to his elbows and he sat sideways, enjoying the feel of the warm sun. He adjusted his sses as he read through the file.


    He heard the doors pulled open and a familiar click of heels greeted his ears. Only one person could waltz into his office unannounced like that. Amusement shone in his eyes though he kept reading.


    "Mother", he acknowledged.


    "Hey. Are you busy?" Victoria asked as she walked towards his desk.


    "I should be asking you", he said.


    She scoffed. "I don''t need this from you. I thought you knew better."


    "It''s because I know better that I''m telling you I don''t approve of what you''re doing", he said as he looked up at her.


    The two fell in silence. She got his message loud and clear. A tired sigh escaped her lips as she sat opposite him. "Zach, not today. There''s something important I need us to discuss."


    "What is it?"


    "It''s about Amy", she said almost immediately.


    Zach felt his heart skip a bit at the mention of her name. He found himself sitting up straight and grow more alert. What could have happened?


    A good twenty minutester, she exited his office leaving him in thought after what she said. Xavier wasing from a meeting and was walking to his office when he saw her familiar figure. He immediately ran after her as she got into the elevator.


    "Mom!"


    "Shoot!" She muttered when she saw him run towards her. She repeatedly pressed for the doors to close. She was not ready to deal with the drama that was Xavier.


    "No! Mom-"


    She stuck out her tongue at him as the doors closed in his face. He groaned in frustration and moved to hit the elevator but stopped himself. Why was she here anyway? His head whipped in the direction of Zach''s office. He hastily made his way there and forgot to knock as he strode in. He was about to speak when he saw the serious expression his brother carried.


    "Did something happen? I just saw mom. What did she want?"


    Zach finally looked up at him before resuming his work. "You can call her."


    "She blocked me", he said with gritted teeth in bitterness.


    "You know where she lives."


    "Dad''s there", he grumbled.


    Zach looked up at him then fell into a chuckle with a shake of his head. Not in the mood to be Zach''s source of amusement, he stormed out in evident annoyance. Why did he belong to such a family?????


    Meanwhile, Victoria was driven to a certain vineyard. Thedies had agreed to meet up there for wine tasting after hearing of how great the wine was there. They were already waiting for her inside the building and she was led over to the table they had settled.


    It had a vintage feel to it from the decorations to the dimly lit room. It gave off a romantic and rxed vibe. They exchanged kisses before she settled down.


    "It''s so beautiful here", Victoria marveled.


    "I hear they have horses too. We can ride them when touring the vineyard", Stephanie answered.


    "But I''m not prepared", she whined as she gestured at her dress and looked around to see she was not the only one. Now that she noticed, "Where''s Kris?"


    "Bathroom", Reba answered.


    "You should try this wine. I swear it feels like it''s making love to you!" Adide said while raising her hand for the waiter.


    "Addie!" Reba said with a chuckle as the rest did.


    "You know it''s true", Adide argued.


    Victoria shook her head in amusement as she sat back. The waiter served her the wine before he left. She took a sip and immediately sat up straight looking at the drink in surprise.


    "Told ya!" She said with a wink.<sub> </sub>


    "You''rete", Kris said in clear displeasure when she arrived as she sat down.


    "Right. Sorry, I had to stop by Zach''s office for something", she smiled mysteriously piquing curiosity from thedies.


    "What? What is it? I''m sure it''s something good!" Becky pushed in eagerness.


    "You''ll find out soon!" She answered with a smile.


    "Oh! But I think I already found out", Kris said with a smirk ying on her lips. Victoria had a bad feeling about what was about toe out of that mouth. "You''ve been quite busytely, Torrie."


    "With what?" Her brows furrowed showing her annoyance.


    "You tell me, justst night you were at Ren¨¦e''s having dinner", she said with a nonchnt attitude though openly provoking her. Victoria''s face, had indeed, grown ugly from that statement.


    "Were you with your husband? Are you guys working things out?" Stephanie asked in curiosity.


    "Her husband?" Kris let out a humorless chuckle. "Oh! But he looked too young to be the Henry we know."


    The threedies gasped and looked at Victoria who had kept quiet. She was ring at Kris. How on Earth did she find out aboutst night? And Kris was not done.


    "And it turns out your son had followed you there where he had a fight with his girlfriend. Oh! And your husband followed you too but he left immediately! Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Your family is such a mess! I''m worried about you, Torrie."


    "Torrie, what''s going on? Are you alright?" Reba asked with evident worry.


    "Is this true? Torrie, I would support you but not when you''re still married. No matter the reason, it''s not right", Stephanie said as Adide nodded in agreement.


    Kris seemed pleased when she saw the look on Victoria''s face. It felt good to have the upper hand this time. Zach may be at the top, but if the Frost family was a mess, wouldn''t people say the Howells were better inparison? At least they have their shi-


    Victoria suddenlyughed with clear amusement. "You''re worried about my family, who''s going to worry about yours? Definitely not me."


    "What are you talking about?" Kris asked, annoyed as she carefully eyed her.


    Victoria leaned forward, rested her elbows on the table and sped her hands together. "You epted so many deals from the hype of your son''s engagement news, how''s that going? You sure you have the finances for it?"


    "We''re doing just fine", she huffed out immediately and avoided eye contact from the rest. How did she know all this?


    "Really? Isn''t the situation so bad your stressing about it is stressing everyone out to the point of your daughter-inw losing her hair. By the way, that''s not a way to treat a daughter-inw, can''t the girl eat when she wants to? Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!" She shook her head giving her a look of disapproval.


    If Victoria knew this much, who knows how much the story had spread? There was no point in denying it. This infuriated Kris but she fought to keep it together.


    "You can tell me how to treat a daughter-inw when you have one", she sneered.


    "Who says I don''t?" She threw her a mock smile.


    "I wouldn''t count Nicole as a daughter-inw. She might just as well be using Xavier for his name and money."


    "At least he has money", she countered with evident pride making Kris''s face turn uglier.


    "Our family is doing just fine! At least I''m not going around sleeping with a man child whilst my family is a mess", she scoffed and rolled her eyes.


    "You''re so focused on the surface when you don''t even know what''s underneath", she shook her head.


    "What? Is there more to this than-"


    Ugggggghhhhh!" Stephanie slumped back in her seat. "Enough you two!" She looked between Kris who looked snobbish with her arms crossed against her chest and Victoria who leisurely sipped on her wine. "Can''t we hang out without having any of this? Is it fun?"


    "Tell her, she started it", Victoria grumbled while throwing a re at Kris.


    "You-"


    "Okay!" Reba stepped in. "We came here for the wine tasting and not to be updated on your family drama. I personally came here to escape mine so do me that favor, alright?"


    "I enjoy it!" Adide said with a shrug before sipping on her wine.

 Chapter 198 The Irreversible Had Already Been Done

    "Now slowly bring your feet together and breath in through the stretch", the A.I yoga instructor''s female voice echoed through the speakers.


    Amy worked on her breathing as she pressed her feet together. She was in the sunroom, seated on a yoga mat, wearing ck yoga pants with it''s sports bra that exposed her cleavage as well as her big belly. Her eyes were closed as she did the stretch.


    "Now press your right palm to the floor and...."


    She lost focus when she smelled a familiar scent around her. And she smiled when she felt the person sit behind her, legs stretched out on either side of her and arms wrapped around her waist. Zach had only discarded his tie and jacket before joining her. He had just arrived from work and immediately went to look for her.


    "Hey baby", he said with a kiss on her shoulder.


    "I''m sweaty", she grumbled.


    "And I missed you", he trailed feathery kisses on her neck making her giggle and lean into his embrace. She turned her head, with a tilt of her neck and gave him a brief kiss.


    "How was your day?" She asked, resuming her stretching now with his help.


    "It was good! Mom stopped by the office."


    "Oh? Yeah? She called to check on me and the baby but, how is she?" Amy had not seen the woman since dinner. She could have sounded fine on the phone though not the case because of the situation. This worried Amy.


    "She''s fine. How about Dad?" He caressed her stomach when shepletely stopped her movements, basking in his embrace and the warmth of the setting sun.


    "He was here. Oh! We finally had a break through", she said excitedly.


    "Oh! Yeah?" He chuckled, very pleased seeing her so happy.


    "Mm-hm! I honestly hope this will work out for the better!"


    "It will. Besides, I have your back."


    "You have my back", she agreed making them both smile.


    They fell infortable silence with only the yoga instructor''s voice booming through the speakers. He rested his chin on her shoulder and took hold of her left hand. He brought it to his mouth and pressed a gentle kiss on it before bringing it down. Amy looked at their hands.


    "I can''t wait", she whispered referring to their future together.


    "Me neither."


    In West vige


    Ste''s car pulled up in her driveway. Nora got out from the driver''s side while Ste opened to step out on the passenger side.


    "Mom!" Nora scolded as she quickly run over to her side. "Couldn''t you wait?"


    "Such a drama queen", sheined.


    Nora moved past her and got her crutches to which Ste epted and used them to walk. Nora gathered their stuff and a few groceries they had gotten along the way from the hospital. Ste was standing by the door as she saw this and sighed.


    "When are you going back to work?"


    "Work? No need, I resigned", she said as she kicked the car door close and somehow managed to lock it.


    Ste''s mouth fell open as she watched in disbelief her daughter walking towards her. Nora was about to unlock the house door when she caught her mom''s shocked yet worried expression.


    "What?" She said after a chuckle.


    "Did you resign just to take care of me? Nora!" She nagged.


    "Oh! No! Don''t worry, my reasons have nothing to do with your injury", she assured her with a smile. "It''s personal."


    "Then why? You loved your job", She needed to understand this as it was so sudden. She carefully watched Nora''s face and saw her cheeks and ears colored red with a small smile ying on her lips. Realization quickly dawned on her and she smacked her shoulder. "You! You-"


    "Moooom!" She quickly unlocked the door and run inside the house escaping the beatings as she giggled.<sub> </sub>


    "Why do I have you as a child? What on Earth will I do with you?!" Ste roared from the door before she walked into the house. How could this child be so delusional?!


    "Love me moreeee!" Nora shouted with a giggle that quickly ended. "What are you doing here?"


    Detecting the snappiness in her tone, Ste quickened her movements following Nora. In the living room stood thetter ring at a figure sitting on the sofa. The person was none other than Lily.


    "What a rude way to greet your Aunt", she scoffed and rolled her eyes.


    "How did you get in?" Nora asked.


    p "You should know breaking into a house is a piece of cake to people like me", she said with an easy-going attitude.</anda>


    "Thank you for admitting to your crime-"


    "Quit the games, Nora. I''m here to talk to your mother", she turned her attention to Ste. "Some serious business."


    "Go and put that away", Ste said to Nora when she caught the seriousness in Lily''s tone.


    A grumpy Nora did so after throwing a re at Lily. Ste moved to settle on the sofa. She had made such remarkable improvement with her recovery. With a groan, she sat. Lily cautiously looked in the direction Nora left before moving to sit next to Ste.


    "Things are about to shake up", she started in a hushed tone, referring to the underworld.


    "Leave, if that''s what you came to tell me", she nodded towards the door.


    "Are you you really never going toe back? I promise you, I feel there will be a change and you might not want to miss the fun."


    "Why would you ask something so obvious?"


    "But that is all in the past. Besides you did a good-"


    "I vowed to never return and n to keep it. Now-"


    "I received a call", she cut in hurriedly before she was kicked out. "Guess who it was from?" She said in a sing-songy way.


    Ste eyed her with a weary look wondering what that meant. Could it be....? No! Why would Amy contact someone who indirectly put her in harm''s way? Was something really up? The sound of a phone ringing snapped her out of her reverie to find Nora walking towards her.


    "Your phone", Nora said as she walked towards them.


    "Who is it?" Ste asked. Nora pursed her lips suppressing a smile as her cheeks colored red. She extended her hand towards her mother showing her the caller ID.


    "Oh!" Ste''s brows went up as she was a little shocked while taking the phone. It was unexpected. Lily watched on curiously at Ste''s obvious nervousness. Thetter cleared her throat and swiped her phone to answer. "Hello?"


    At Enzo''s and Pedro''s


    "WHO WAS IT? WHO WAS IT?" Pedro roared at the top of his voice.


    Enzo sat on the sofa with his legs crossed and arms folded against his chest. His face was void of emotions as he stared into space. The oom was mess with broken ss, papers and overturned furniture from Pedro''s rage. He turned to face the about fifteen men who stood in the room with their heads hanged. "Don''t you have mouths to speak? WHO WAS IT????"


    Silence. He took a deep breath and calmly walked to his table. He took a glock from one of the drawers and loaded it with bullets.


    "Ten seconds", his voice was now calm butced with venom.


    It sent a chill down their spine. Enzo sighed. He understood the reason for his anger. Pedro moved from the desk and stood in front of the men. He was about to aim for the trembling men when one of them threw himself at Pedro''s feet.


    "Please forgive me", he said with a shaky voice.


    "Forgiveness?" He scoffed. "That word doesn''t exist in my dictionary."


    The sound of the gunshot echoed in the room followed by the thud of the man''s body falling to the ground. Pedro watched as a pool of blood spilled from his head. Even if he had done so, the irreversible had already been done and this drove him insane.


    "ARRRGGGHHHH!!!"

 Chapter 199 Nicole Had Done Her Job

    Xavier spun in his chair as he shuffled his phone in his hand. He stopped to unlock it and saw Nicole''s contact details. It had been a few days since they had their fight at the restaurant. She had not made an effort to even talk to him. He thought the time apart was enough for her to calm down.


    A part of him didn''t want to deal with her, but if he didn''t set things right, it would bother him even more. He let out a breath and without a second thought, he dialed her number. It rung for a while before she answered. He was greeted with silence. He looked at the disy and saw the seconds running.


    "Nicole?" He called out after pressing the phone back to his ear.


    "Yes", she replied in a t tone.


    "We need to talk. Are you home?" he said.


    "Let''s meet outside. I''ll send you the address", she said then hang up.


    His brows went up as he stared at his phone. She must still be upset. He scratched the back of his head and sighed. His phone chimed and he got up to go to the given address. He threw on his jacket and left his office.


    He met Zach on his way to their private lift. The two men stood side by side. Xavier let out a deep breath as he shuffled his hands into his pockets. He was gued by thoughts of how his rtionship was going and could not help butpare to Zach''s. He looked at thetter curiously.


    "How are things going with Amy?"


    "Perfect", he answered.


    "You guys don''t fight?"


    Fighting with Amy? Does he have it in him to do so? More importantly, is there a reason to? Even if there were, she would have the upper hand. He can''t win over her. She would kill him with those looks before they could fight. Gosh! She is so beautiful! How did he get so lucky?


    "Ugh!" Xavier groaned in annoyance when he saw Zach barely biting back a bashful smile on his face while his ears colored red. "I''m asking the wrong person."


    "Whats going on?" He asked after regainingposure.


    Xavier let out a tired sigh. "I don''t know man."


    Zach sped Xavier''s shoulder with his hand earning his gaze. "You know you can talk to me."


    "I know", Xavier nodded, his eyes reflecting the trust he had in his brother.


    A ding sound was heard before the doors swung open on the first floor. The two brothers bid each other farewell before going their separate ways. Xavier was driven to the restaurant whose location Nicole had sent. It was a fifteen minute drive from Frost Corporation.


    He was led to a private booth where he sat waiting for her. A knock was heard and a waiter came in.


    "Good evening sir. What can I get you?" The young man politely asked.


    "Water, for now. I''ll order once my date arrives", he said.


    With that, the waiter excused himself and went to get him the water. Xavier looked at the time, close to ten minutes had passed since their agreed time to meet. He looked at his phone and there was no message from her. He wanted to call but decided against it in case it makes her more upset.


    He sipped on his water and took out his phone to go through some emails to pass the time. He decided to personally reply to most of them after giving a careful read. His eyes nced at the time on the disy.


    Forty five minutes had passed so easily. Could something have happened? He went to his call log and was about to dial for her when a knock was heard the door swung. An attendant showed Nicole in and she settled opposite him.


    Xavier felt himself grow nervous as he looked at her. She was wearing a ck bodycon dress with shades, probably trying to avoid eye contact with him.


    "Hi", he started more quietly.


    "What is it?" She answered in the same tone except more curt.


    "Do you want anything-"


    "I thought you wanted to talk. Talk."<sub> </sub>


    He sighed, "Nicole, what happened the other day, it''s really not what you think. I told you about my mother seeing someone and I followed her there after finding out about their date."


    "You canceled our date to spy on your mother. You expect me to believe that?" She scoffed. "How stupid do you think I am Xavier?"


    "I didn''t say you are but it''s the truth", he said. Her expression didn''t change even behind the sses. There was no sign of her believing him. He sighed at this. "Nicole, I really wish you could believe me."


    "Believe you? With your past? Are you kidding me?" She clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes though he couldn''t see.


    He briefly fell quiet then suddenly chuckled. "My past? Why did you agree to be with me if my past made you so insecure?"


    She turned her head to the side with a snobbish expression as she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms against her chest.


    "Deep down you know that there hasn''t been any other woman but you ever since we got together", he said with seriousness but sheughed, amused by his words. He grew annoyed but suppressed it as he continued. "You know me, you know my past, if I didn''t give two shits about you we wouldn''t be here today nor would we be having this conversation."


    "You must be so proud", she said with a mocking smile.


    "Nicole", he warned


    "What?" She challenged.


    He looked at her, clearly stunned by how much she had changed. Or was she always like this that he was just blinded by the sex and his obsession over her? Xavier surprised himself. He never associated her with the word love like Zach easily did with Amy. What was it exactly that had drawn him to this woman in the first ce?


    His phone chimed and he looked at the message received. He stuffed back into his pocket and got up.


    "Where are you going?" She asked.


    "To attend to more important matters. This conversation is not going anywhere. I''m done here", he said as he moved.


    "Answer my question!" She snapped. "Are you going to meet somebody? Another whore you picked up?"


    Xavier didn''t answer and moved to the door. He turned the knob to open it when she said words that made him stop in his tracks.


    "If you leave right now, it''s over between us", she warned in a deadly tone.


    She''s really doing this? Or is it the anger talking? He did not need this. To Xavier, the conversation had long been over so he turned a deaf ear and took a step out of the booth.


    "Xavier! I''m warning you! Don''t walk away!" She shouted but he walked on. He was d the booths were on floor more private than the rest of the restaurant. But it didn''t mean people couldn''t hear them. He needed to leave before the other day''s scene repeats itself. "Fine! It''s over!"


    He turned around to face her. She was now standing by the door. "Are you sure about that?"


    "Hundred percent!" She said with a lot of arrogance.


    "Don''t regret this!" He warned before quickly taking his leave.


    Nicole''s chest rose and fell as she watched him walk away in hurried steps. She went back in and mmed the door hard to slide down to the floor as tears fell down her cheeks. Sobs resounded in the room as she clutched her chest in pain. She pounded her chest with a fist as she cried her heart out.


    After some minutes, she wiped her tears as she sniffled and regainedposure. She took out her phone and took deep breaths before dialing for Ne''s number. She picked up on the first ring, clear to have expected the call.


    "It''s done", she said.


    "You did well. But are you alright? Should Ie and pick you up?"


    "No. I''ll be fine", she willed a little brave tone but Ne picked up on it.


    She knew how down Nicole must be. But most importantly, Nicole had done her job. Things had finallye to an end with Xavier. It was over.

 Chapter 200 Kicked Out Together

    Meanwhile, Xavier quickly drove off once he took his keys from the valet. After he had arrived earlier, he sent his driver away when Nicole took her time to arrive. He didn''t know what time they would be done.


    He put on his seatbelt as he drove away from the restaurant. He connected his phone to the car''s Bluetooth and dialed for his P.I (Private Investigator) a press of a button on his steering wheel. He had asked for him to monitor the two''s movements as well as dig up more information on Noah.


    "Where are they?" He asked.


    "They just left your mother''s ce and I''m tailing them right now", the P.I answered.


    "Keep me updated", he said before ending the call.


    He mmed his hand on the wheel. Could tonight be any worse? He just suffered a breakup and now his mother was out dating whilst legally married? Did she lose her mind or something?


    And this Noah guy, did he really have no bad intentions against his mother? He was about to find out since he would catch them offguard. He would like to see how Noah would snake his way out of the situation. Xavier would surely catch his true self in the act. He smirked at this thought as he stepped on the elerator.


    Following the directions the P.I gave him, they finally met on the road. Noah''s car was a few cars away from the P.I''s. Xavier shed his lights at him signaling his take over before proceeding to follow the couple.


    The sun had already set and darkness started to fall on the city. The roads were busy with cars and pedestrians trying to get home from work. He was unbothered by this as his focus was on Noah''s car. After close to an hour of driving through the crazy traffic, they arrived at some cinema.


    He waited for them to get in before he did the same. He got himself the movie ticket they would be watching.


    "Toy Story 2?" His brows furrowed as he looked at the ticket before looking at the retreating back of Noah. He scoffed, "Is he serious?"


    But he still followed after them into the Hall showing the movie. Victoria and Noah had bought snacks and drinks while he bought some popcorn to pass the time. He would attack them after the movie or if Noah tries anything on her.


    He found himself a seat, three lines from the back. A lot of kids with their parents had turned up tonight. They spoke in hushed tones as they awaited for the movie to start. Xavier spotted the couple sitting rows down from him. He got a clear view. Perfect.


    He set down his popcorn to his right and settled in his seat. The lights went off and the movie started. Someone came in on the same row and whispered apologies as they made their way to their seat which was right next to Xavier.


    "Sorry", they whispered to Xavier as they settled down.


    "It''s okay", Xavier whispered back.


    Hold on..... That voice. They both abruptly looked at each other and whisper shouted at the same time.


    "Dad?"


    "Xavier?"


    "Sshhhh!" A child sitting in front of them red at the two before looking up ahead.


    "Fuck!" Xavier grumbled in a whisper.


    A gasp was heard and he found the previous child''s parent ring at him.


    "Sorry, that was not for him or you", he hastily exined in a whisper.


    She shook her head before looking up ahead. The two men sat side by side grumpily. Of all people, he had to run into his father? What a terrible luck! He just had to run into his son while spying on his wife! And what is this Noah guy up to anyway?


    Bump!<sub> </sub>


    "Ow?!" They whisper shouted in unison.


    They both red at each other while one rubbed his forehead and the other his temple.


    "Ssshhhhhhh!" The same parent shushed them with a re before looking up ahead.


    "Tch! Look what you''ve done! What are you doing here?" Xavier continued to whisper shout.


    "I should be asking you that! I thought you were okay with that?" He nodded his head in Victoria''s direction.


    "I never said I was. No man is good enough for my mother and you''re no exception", he snarled.


    "Well, I have every right to be here because she''s my wife", he bit back.


    "Oh! She''s suddenly your wife after someone else wants to take your spot?" He let out humorless chuckle with a scoff.


    "Shut your mouth! You don''t know anything."


    "Oh! I know just enough to-"


    "Pssst! You two!"


    p A light was suddenly reflected onto their faces. A security man was using a shlight to identify them. When they both looked his way, he gestured with a finger in ae hither motion. The father and son pair red at each other before getting up from their seats and following the man.</anda>


    "He started it", Xavier said once they were out of the hall.


    "Whatever!" The man replied as he walked away.


    "Great!" Xavier grumbled as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. He looked at Henry who was also standing there in clear annoyance. "What are you doing? Go home!"


    "Boy! Don''t forget that it''s your father you''re speaking to!" Henry warned in a dangerous tone.


    That just fueled Xavier''s rage. He was about to speak when a soft chuckle full of amusement resounded from behind them followed by the clicking of heels. They turned around and both their faces revealed shock.


    "And what do we have here?"


    "Mom."


    "Victoria."


    "Who knew I''d live long enough to see this day?" She looked between the two grown men who had been kicked out together. Noah stood a foot behind her as he watched her cross her arms against her chest. Her face now turned icy as she looked at her son and husband.


    "Somebody better start talking", she said with impatience.


    "Well...." They both started at the same time and shared a look, unsure of how they were going to exin themselves to the angry woman.

 Chapter 201 Henry The Pervert

    "Well then, I''ll see you around", she said, turning to Noah so they could leave.


    "Wait!" Xavier shouted.


    "Where are you going?" Henry asked immediately after him.


    Victoria stopped in her tracks and looked at both of them. She scoffed, "Why? Do you n on following us again?"


    "Mom, he''s not right for you."


    "We''re still married Victoria, stop this!"


    "Leave me alone, will you? You both should know by now that you don''t have a say in this", she said after letting out a tired sigh. It was clear she did not want to deal with them. "Come on Noah."


    The two turned to leave and moved on. Xavier and Henry had their brows furrowed as they watched this scene in displeasure. The father and son pair exchanged a look and an understanding passed between them as they nodded at each other.


    "I''m sorry about that, Noah. Where shou- aaaaarrrrrggghh!" She shrieked when she felt her body leave the ground to be carried in a position that let her directly see the floor. She recognized Henry''s ass shaking in those tight jeans. He had flung her over his shoulder and was walking away.


    "Help me! I''m being kidnapped! Help!" Victoria screamed earning the attention of her shadow bodyguards who appeared within seconds. "Hel- argh!"


    Smack!


    "Henry you pervert!" She shrieked when she felt a familiar sting on her ass. "Put me down! I''ll get a backache from this."


    "Don''t worry, I have a cure for that", he said with a sly chuckle.


    "You''re not getting any of this!" She snapped.


    Bodyguards: "..."


    "We''ll see about that", he said while dismissing the men with a wave of his hand.


    Xavier wished he could dig a hole and hide because of his parents. They weren''t acting their age at all. He was so embarrassed he had momentarily forgotten about his grudge against Henry. He muttered a curse under his breath.


    Noah panicked when he saw this and moved to intervene when Xavier appeared in his path, blocking him. A sly grin stretched on his lips as he looked down on him.


    "You and I, we need to have a little chat", he said in a low tone.


    "Out of my way. Victoria agreed to this", he moved to go around Xavier when the bodyguards appeared again. They were a terrifying sight as they faced him, ready to pounce on him should he take another step towards Victoria.


    "That''s Mrs. Frost to you", Xavier corrected. "Quite brave of you to mess with my mother, a married woman."


    He took off his jacket and a bodyguard came to his side to hold it for him. Then he went to undo his cufflinks and rolled up his shirt to his elbows. Noah swallowed a hard lump as he watched Xavier expose his thick forearms. There was no doubt he worked out. It would practically take one punch to knock him out.


    "Wai- wait! Wait! I''ll tell you everything!" He shouted.


    <o>,m Xavier smirked as he continued to roll up his sleeves. He was right. Noah did have a hidden agenda. "Tell me what?"</o>


    "It was a set up!"


    The response he got was the sound of Xavier''s knuckles cracking. Noah swallowed another hard lump and could feel perspiration start to form on his forehead. Xavier''s expression had already hardened at this point, he looked so scary.


    "A set up?"


    "Yes! This whole thing was a set up by-" he let out a pain filled grunt when Xavier''s hard fist made contact with his nose before he copsed to the ground. "-your mother."


    Xavier heard him speak but he thought he misheard thest part. He stopped himself fromnding another punch as he processed Noah''s words. He was in shock.<sub> </sub>


    "What did you just say?"


    "It was a set up by your mother", he repeated in a strained voice.


    A show? His mother orchestrated this whole show? All this while? Noah could see from the ground hey that the news greatly shocked Xavier. He was sure he had so many questions but he needed to get his broken nose attended.


    "You can ask her the actual reasons but she said it''s for you and your father. I''m telling the truth man! I like Vic- Mrs. Frost but I would never go as far as ruining a marriage for personal gains. I have morals as a person", he said.


    However, all Xavier picked up on was Noah''s first sentence. He was deeply shocked by the revtion. "Did you say it''s because of me and Henry?"


    "If that''s your father then yes, you and him. Look, I need to get my nose checked..."


    Xavier nodded away absentmindedly letting the man walk away whilst holding his nose. Xavier''s brows furrowed, he was confused, angry, and felt a great sense of betrayal. What was his mother trying to achieve? If this was some trick to rile them up, then she seeded seeing how they both went to spy on her. But why?


    With that, Xavier left the cinema. His steps were hurried and he looked lost. Tonight was too much for him, first the breakup and now, this. In his confused state, he took his car and drove off.


    When he got to his destination, he got down from his car and got into the house. He could hear a faint sounding from the living room. The News channel was on. But that didn''t concern him, he was still confused. He loosened his tie as he walked and soon walked into the living room.


    "Xavier?" Amy called out in surprise taking in his state. Worry overtook her features. She was currently lying on the sofa with pillows supporting her while resting her head on Zach''sp.


    He threw himself on a sofa and rested his elbows on on his knees. He took his head into his hands and run them through his hair. Amy looked up at Zach and an understanding passed between them. She groaned as he help her sit up.


    "I''ll go up first", she whispered.


    "I''ll join you shortly", he whispered back and pecked her lips.


    With a groan, she got up from the sofa and pulled on her robe to fix it. She looked at Xavier and chose to leave the room without saying anything. Zach took the remote and turned off the UST projector.


    "Mom..... She nned all this....", He said whilst still looking down then looked up showing his hurt and confusion. Although Zach looked like his usual self, calm, collected and impassive, Xavier could see something else as realization dawned on him. "You knew?"


    "I took a wild guess", he admitted.


    "You should have said something!" Xavier shook his head in disbelief.


    Zach briefly fell quiet before he spoke up. "I think it''s best if you talk to her and find out why she did this. Think about it, why would she go to this extent?"


    "You don''t know?" He asked and Zach chose to remain mum.


    It was Xavier''s turn to fall quiet. That question had been gnawing at him. He could make a guess but he believed his mother would not go as far, she knew better than to do so.


    He wanted answers but Henry probably had kept her preupied. He didn''t need to be told after what he witnessed and, he knew his parents. But that doesn''t mean he liked the idea of Henry waltzing back into his life.


    "Can I sleep here?" He asked to which Zach gestured with his hand silently giving him a go ahead.


    The two men stood up and moved to take stairs to retire for the night. They walked side by side as they ascended.


    "Nicole and I are over", he broke the silence.


    Zach patted his shoulder consolingly. "How do you feel?"


    "I''m more bothered by Mom''s drama than Nicole", he shrugged.


    "You''re fine", Zach said, he could easily tell. He had seen Xavier at his worst and this was nothing hence Zach''s conclusion. After all, it also had to do with a woman.


    The two went to their respective rooms. Xavier simply sat on the edge of the bed in thought assuming the earlier sitting position he had in the living room. One thought crossed his mind: he would learn the truth tomorrow.

 Chapter 202 Xavier Learns The Truth

    Sunlight streamed into Victoria''s bedroom. She let out a soft sigh before waking up. Her eyes were greeted by the naked torso of her sleeping husband. He looked peaceful as a soft snore resounded from him. She took in his features. He still had a great body except a little pot belly had developed. She red at his white goatee. She hated that on him.


    "Just say the word if you want to go another around", he said with a groggy voice in his sleepy state.


    "Taking me against my will again?" She grumbled as she pulled the sheets tight against her naked body.


    He chuckled as he pulled her in his arms. "Is it still against your will when you keep asking for more?"


    Victoria felt her face grow hot but she pushed him away and got out of bed, pulling the sheets with her. Henry chuckled when he heard the sound of the bathroom door locking after her. He rxed back in bed, staring at the ceiling as he reminisced the previous night''s hot memories. He really missed this wife of his.


    About half an hourter, Henry and Victoria were in the kitchen with Henry making breakfast while Victoria watched him. They had both freshened up, separately, Victoria had made sure of it.


    Bam! They whipped their heads towards the sound of a door being mmed closed. Soon, approaching footsteps echoed and they were graced by their youngest son''s presence. Xavier scoffed when he saw this scene as she stood by the entrance with his hands stuffed into his trouser pockets.


    "Why aren''t you at work?" Victoria frowned.


    "Would I be after the stunt you pulled?" He questioned, silencing her. He looked between the two, "So that''s it? You''re just going to pretend like those years of torment never happened and suddenly resume being married?"


    "Xavier", Henry warnes from where he stood.


    "Your father and I will work out our issues-"


    "Really? Really?" He let our a humorless chuckle and shook his head.


    What was happening to the females in his life? One dumped him because of his past and the otherpletely disregarded all his care and effort to make her happy despite the mess that was her marriage. It''s like all those times he had made himself his mother''s supporting pir were in vain after seeing this. Victoria could see this and she walked towards as guilt overwhelmed her.


    "Xavier", she touch his arm.


    "Don''t touch me", he growled as he shrugged her off.


    "Don''t talk to your mother like that", Henry snapped in displeasure when he saw how hurt Victoria was.


    "You don''t get to-"


    "Stop it! Both of you!" She snapped and looked between the father and son. "It''s because you two are like this that I did what I did. For once, I wanted you to feel how frustrating it is to be caught in between your drama", she said in a tired voice. For something that has been going on for years, this hatred Xavier had against his father exhausted her. And she was tired of Henry doing nothing about it.


    "He''s your father, listen to him!"


    "He''s not ready", Henry protested.


    "He is. I''m his mother, this much I know. Talk to him! If not, I''ll have one less son and no husband."


    With that said, she left the house and mmed the door on her way out. Silence enveleoped the atmosphere. Xavier refused to look at Henry. He was curious about what they had just said now but he didn''t want to talk to Henry.<sub> </sub>


    Thetter stood there awkwardly. He was okay with Xavier hating him, as long as it kept his mind off that thing. But maybe he had dragged the matter for far too long.


    "Xavier..."


    "I''m not going to listen to your excuses for cheating on mom", he cut him in.


    "You''ll only hear facts", Henry promised. "And I never cheated on your mom."


    His response was a scoff. Seeing that Xavier had no ns to leave because of his curiosity, he used that chance to turn his scowl into a look of disbelief when he recounted the truth of the matter.


    "You''re lying", Xavier denied after hearing the story.


    "Give me a minute", Henry excused himself.


    Xavier shook his head. He refused to believe that was the truth. His dad, an FBI agent? And that woman, was his partner before she was sent away? Does that mean he had been hating an innocent man all this while? That he had ruined his chance of having a good rtionship with his Dad? That Henry tolerated it all despite knowing he was Innocent? It can''t be true. He''s making things up.


    Henry returned with a tablet in his hand. He tapped on it a few times before showing it to Xavier. He had opened a document for him to see.


    "This is a copy of my FD-291. Besides that, you''re probably aware of Amy''s hidden identity. I know who she really is and we''re working together", he exined.


    "That project", he said in realization as he looked at the document he was not even supposed to see.


    "Yes. The people after Amy are the same ones I''ve been after. It''s why I went to Italy five years ago after they made a second appearance."


    "There was a first?" Xavier looked up in shock. "Does Amy know this?"


    "Of course she knows. That happened years ago. I know it''s not the same leader but we''ll soon find out their connection with the first. Anyway, that''s the truth. I never cheated on your mother and this is my real identity."


    Xavier fell quiet, digesting everything he had just heard. If the FD-291 document wasn''t proof enough, then mentioning Amy''s case was it. Victoria didn''t knowz so there was no reason for Henry to know unless he was involved. Xavier couldn''t refute this.


    It was now he realized that he had grown more calm than how he was earlier. Somewhere along the lines, his anger had dissipated. But one thing bothered him.


    "Why didn''t you tell me? I understand about the confidentiality of your work but why would you willingly take my hatred? You could have still tried to sit me down and make me realize the truth", he said, bothered by this fact.


    "I wanted to tell you, Zach was going to help. But Irene happened", Henry reminded with evident bitterness and sadness.


    Xavier felt his heart tighten at the mention of that name. All those terrible memories quickly flooded in with just that one word. He clenched the fist of hand that was not holding the tablet as his expression grew hard and dark. That name, he never wanted to hear it again. Henry sighed when he saw this and it broke his heart.


    "I didn''t want you to die, son."

 Chapter 203 Xaviers Past 1

    Six years ago....


    One beautiful summer day, a twenty two year old Xavier, a newly appointed C.E.O of Frost Corporation had a meeting with a client in one high end restaurant. At that time, Zach had taken a temporary leave of absence from his position as Chairman because of his enrollment in the FBI.


    Should he seed in bing team captain, he wouldpletely step down from his position and focus on the new job. Zach knew Xavier would handle thepany matters alright, and used this time period to groom him and have him get used to such a weighty responsibility. Of course, Xavier didn''t mind. He liked that his brother had his own thing going on.


    So on that day, as he walked into a restaurant, his encounter with Irene felt like something picked out straight from a movie. She was a waitress and was not watching where she was going with a tray of drinks when she bumped into none other than Xavier, spilling the drinks on his expensive suit.


    "I''m-I''m so sorry, sir", she said with a hint of panic as she took napkins to wipe the juice stains off him.


    Xavier was mad for a second until he took in her features. Raven ck hair, chocte brown eyes, perk nose and thin pink lips. Beautiful, was all he could think in that moment. Then he saw the way her hands shook as she dabbed napkins on him.


    "It''s okay", he said.


    "No. No. I''m really sorry. I don''t have money topensate you but if you take your clothes, I''ll handwash this for you and return it to you", she promised.


    The panic was still there in her eyes. So Xavier stepped forward and leaned in closer to her ear to whisper. "We just met and you''re asking me to strip for you, quite bold of you Irene."


    She gasped softly and shuddered from his effect. Xavier smirked when he saw her ears color red. He learned her name from her name tag. Hurried footsteps could be heard approaching.


    "Irene!"


    Somedy came shouting from the kitchen making the girl to timidly step back from Xavier. She was the restaurant manager and saw the spilled drinks on the floor and Xavier and Irene together. Putting two and two together, she grew extremely angry.


    "You must be the manager", Xavier said with aid back attitude.


    "Yes. I am so sorry for this. I''ll have her-"


    "I should be the one to apologise", Xavier cut in, earning a surprised look from the manager.


    "Excuse me?"


    "I wasn''t watching where I was going and bumped into her. I''m sorry, Irene", he said with a grip on her arm before letting it go.


    She was shocked from how he turned things around but also taken by how her name rolled off his tongue and the way he held her gaze when he spoke to her. It awoke the sleeping butterflies in her stomach.


    "I''llpensate you for the drinks once I''m done with my business, for now, excuse me", he told the manager before giving Irene onest look then walked away.


    Although Xavier attended that meeting, his eyes never left the beautiful woman. She was so innocent and so.... She just excited him. Thus, from that day, he became a regr at the restaurant and pestered her into bing friends with him though her timid self had turned him down a few times because she was intimidated by his status.


    Xavier assured her it was fine a couple of times until she agreed. But friends they became. Friends who would get lost in each other''s eyes dreaming about ripping each other''s clothes off just with one nce exchanged. The sexual attraction was there but they remained ''friends''.


    Of course, the friendship didn''tst until Xavier actually ripped her clothes off in the back of his car one time and both finally fulfilled their fantasies.


    "Where were you?" The manager scowled when she saw Irenee into the restaurant a little disheveled.


    "I had to make a delivery", she lied with her head down, and caught Xavier''s car leaving the restaurant premises from the corner of her eye.


    The manager looked her up and down before walking away. Irene smiled to herself, thinking back to her little tryst, she could not help but blush. And that was the beginning for the many more that came. He woulde to steal her away from work and spend time with her. It wasn''t just sex, they actually got to know each other.


    "Are you sure you''re okay with that?" She asked, while eyeing him carefully.


    "Five years difference, not a big deal to me. I like being with you, Irene. Age doesn''t matter", he said. "So, once you''re done with school, what''s the next step?"<sub> </sub>


    "Getting a real job?" She said with a chuckle. "Waiting on tables won''t get me anywhere. I feel like.... I feel like I''m stuck whilst everyone else is on the move. I also want to get a good job, buy an apartment, a car.... Just afortable life, you know?"


    Xavier fell in thought. He could not help but feel his life had been too easy. He was already a C.E.O at twenty and here is someone working hard just to get a regr job. This is why he valued his work, he had learned to appreciate what he had. With this in mind, he helped her out with some things like getting her the apartment she wanted and a car. She jumped into his arms all excited when she saw this and repaid him the best way she knew he liked: with her body.


    "Thank you", she said, staring at him with aplex gaze as theyy in bed naked.


    "You''re wee", he kissed the top of her head and rxed, basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking.


    Their rtionship grew stronger, he frequented his visits at her ce, sometimes slept over and just enjoyed herpany. But as the days went by, something happened.


    She disappeared for more than a week without a word to him. There was nowhere else he could look except for her apartment and the restaurant. It threw him into a mess not knowing where had gone. That was the first time he had been apart from her for that long and without knowing why.


    One day, he received her call whilst he was at work telling him she was back home and he quickly rushed over.


    "Irene!" He rushed to bring her into his arms. He took a good look at her and she looked like she had lost a ton of weight overnight. "What happened to you?"


    She let out a nervous chuckle and held his hands that had cupped her cheeks. "I scared you, didn''t I?"


    "What do you think? What happened to you?" He asked, getting a little agitated.


    "I had to run an errand."


    "An errand? For a whole week? Your phone wasn''t working and I couldn''t find you anywhere. What kind of an errand were you running?" He was highly suspicious of this.


    She closed her eyes and sighed. He thought she was fighting back tears but it was anger she was suppressing. She opened her eyes and they had cleared while his silently demanded for answers.


    "Fuck me, Xavier. I want you to fuck me", she whispered, expressing her need and want.


    He was a little thrown off by the change of subject but she didn''t give him time to think as she kissed him and helped him strip out of his clothes. He melted under her touch and sumbed to his desires. Two hours of fuckingter, theyy in her bed silently. There were so many questions he wanted answers to but he wouldn''t push her. But there was something else he noticed.


    "Did something happen to your car? I didn''t see it on my way in", he started quietly. She fell silent. "Irene?"


    "I..... I-I sold it", she said quietly.


    Xavier fell quiet, not sure how to process the news. "What? Why?"


    "I-I needed the money... for school."


    "Why didn''t you tell me? I could have helped you", he frowned at this.


    "I''m sorry."


    "Next time you need help, don''t hesitate to ask me. That''s what I''m here for." He felt her nod against his chest. "And promise me something."


    "What?" She looked up at him.


    "That you won''t disappear again. I don''t think I can live without you", he confessed.


    She kissed him in response,pletely unaware of the weight of his words or how deeply he had fallen for her. Because seven months from that day, Zach and Henry just happened to walk in on Xavier who was copsed in a pool of a blood and a gun in his hand. His life was slipping away....


    "Xavier!"

 Chapter 204 Xaviers Past 2

    "My son! My son! Xavier! Oh Xavier! My son!" Victoria felt immense pain in her chest as she cried. It felt like something was tightly sping a strong hand on her heart.


    "He''s going to be okay", Henry tried tofort her. His eyes were bloodshot red from fighting back tears.


    "My son! My baby! Henry my baby!" She started hitting her chest as she sobbed.


    "Keep it together Victoria. Xavier will pull through. He''s a Frost! He''s strong! He''ll be okay!" He restrained her hands and pulled her into an embrace, burying her face in his chest as she cried her heart out.


    Her wails echoed through the waiting room where they sat. Henry may have sounded strong but internally, he was a whole different case. His heart broke for his wife and for his son who was currently undergoing surgery.


    He indulged himself in self me. Because he was away, the father and son had grown distant and now look. Something he never imagined had happened to his son. If only he had been there.... if only.....


    Zach stood a few feet away from his parents on a call. "Two hours!" He barked furiously and ended the call.


    He wanted answers by the end of Xavier''s operation. He sounded fine when he called him earlier telling him he wasing over. He was finally going to get Henry to tell Xavier the truth but that happened. He needed to know who hurt his brother. It wasn''t suicide, Zach ruled out. A shot in the head was more likely if he was than the chest injury Xavier sustained. Something or someone happened.


    Two hourster, the doctor came out from the operation. Henry and Victoria sprung to their feet and Zach joined them to meet him.


    "How''s our son?" Henry asked.


    "Please tell me he''s okay", Victoria pleaded with a tear stained face in anxiousness.


    "For now, he''s out of danger. The bullet hit dangerously close to his heart''s vena cava...."


    Zach felt his phone vibrate from his hand. He moved a few feet away from them to attend to the call.


    "George", he acknowledged.


    "I''ve just sent you a video file containing a security footage from Xavier''s ce", he answered.


    "Thank you."


    He ended the call and downloaded the file immediately. There in the video, he saw Xavier open the door for a woman he recognized to be Irene, Xavier''s girlfriend. This was the woman Xavier bragged to be the love of his life. But Zach could tell that the atmosphere between the two wasn''t all that merry in that moment.


    The two moved to the livingroom and sat down to talk. As it was a soundless video, he forwarded the scene to a few minutester. Now they were standing and arguing. Xavier''s face was red from anger as he screamed a her and she screamed back with tears rolling down her face. Suddenly Irene pulled out a gun and pointed it to her temple.


    Xavier marched over to her side and took hold of her hand along with the gun and pointed it to the middle of his chest. Zach could now read Xavier''s lips screaming:


    ''Shoot me! Shoot me!''


    When did things get so bad between the two? And why? Zach continued to watch as the crying Irene pulled the gun away with Xavier''s hand still intact but he overpowered her and pressed it back to his chest. She pulled it back and in that moment, Xavier''s chest jerked a little and he stumbled backwards before he fell. His shirt was soon soaked in blood.


    Irene was momentarily shocked before she bolted out of the room leaving him to his demise. Zach''s expression darkened at this point; he had never felt so angry in his life than in that moment. Therey his brother helplessly, his life ebbing away... And where the hell was security??? He stopped the video and locked his phone before joining his parents.


    "... the ICU and we''ll observe him until he''spletely out of danger."


    "Can we see him?" She asked. She would only feel relieved if she saw him herself.


    "Yes, but two of you at a time", the doctor said.


    Henry and Victoria looked at each other then at Zach. Henry was about to suggest that the mother and son go in first when Zach spoke up.


    "I have something to take care of, I''ll see him when I get back."


    From the coldness in his tone and the murderous aura he emitted, they knew he was going out to get justice for his brother. Victoria sniffled as she wiped her tears.<sub> </sub>


    "Then see him first before you go, we''ll go in after you", Victoria suggested.


    So that''s what he did. He had been adorned in protective clothes from the hospital covering his head, hands and body when visiting Xavier. He clenched his fist when he felt his eyes sting from watching his brother lying on the bed, supported by machines, looking vulnerable. This wasn''t the vibrant Xavier that he knew. His steps were heavy as he moved to his side.


    He leaned down to whisper beside his ear. "I''ll get to the bottom of this. I promise."


    A tear slid down his nose and fell on the pillow beside Xavier''s ear. Zach patted Xavier''s arm before standing up to leave. As soon as he stepped out, his parents reced him and rushed to his side while Zach went on to get justice for his brother, and that he did.


    But the damage had been done. Later on, when Xavier came to and gained a little strength, his parents walked in on him trying to jump out of the window of his room. He had been moved to one of the V.I.P rooms of the hospital which upied the top most floor.


    "Xavier!" Victoria shrieked in fear at the same time the bodyguards swamped in to restrain him.


    "Let go! Let go! Let me die!" He groaned as he struggled in their hold.


    Victoria shrunk into Henry''s embrace scared by his sudden actions and she sobbed. "My son! What''s happening to my son? Henry?"


    "Let me die! I don''t want to live! I don''t want to live anymore! Let go!" He screamed at the two men on his sides but they didn''t budge.


    Pak! Xavier''s face swung to the side when Henry suddenly came up to him andnded a hard punch on his face.


    "Get hold of yourself! Look at your mother! Look at what you''re doing to her!" He screamed in his face. "You fool! How dare you? You''re doing this because of a woman who doesn''t deserve you but look at what you''re doing to the woman who loves you more than life itself? The woman who considers you a blessing and you want to what?"


    Henry''s chest heaved up and down from an adrenaline rush out of being angry with his son. Xavier had quieted down and stopped struggling at this point. Seeing that his words were getting through him, Henry continued in a more calm tone.


    "You don''t have the slightest idea of how much your mother has been crying because of you. She even has nightmares afraid that something else will happen to you. All these years you''ve been a great support system to her, but now you want to take that away from her? Then who''s going to pick up from that while I''m not around?"


    Victoria''s sobs were now soft but they still got to Xavier. And that broke his heart. He took in everything his father said, until realization dawned on him.


    "What did you just say?" He began with a low tone before slowly looking up at his father. "You''re leaving?"


    He looked between his parents and one looked guilty and the other shocked by the news. Xavier''s anger began to boil.


    "Are you going back to that woman?"


    "Xavier-" Victoria tried to interrupt to exin only for Xavier to snap at Henry.


    "You stand there shamelessly preaching to me about what''s right and wrong but this is what you n on doing?"


    Before Henry knew it, a fist came flying in his face.....


    Present time....


    "You made me hate you..."


    "If it could drive your focus on looking after your mother and not having suicidal thoughts", Henry concluded for him.


    The two fell silent, as Xavier let the truth sink in. So what would there rtionship be like now that he knows the truth? Xavier looked at his father and saw the love reflected in his eyes, he had always looked at him like that while he returned it with hate. Guilt overwhelmed him.


    "I... I need. ."


    "Sure", Henry patted him on the shoulder. Xavier nodded and left his side.

 Chapter 205 A Date With Amy

    "Oh! My gosh! I wonder who the luckydy is", a young woman whispered to her friend.


    "I know right! He''s so hot! Look at that perfect jawline. I could lick icecream off of it!" She whispered back with evident hunger in her eyes.


    "I want to lick all-"


    They both gasped when the said man suddenly looked their way. Finishing up with their task, they hurried over to him and handed over a bouquet of hundred red roses covered in a ck paper wrap and tied with a gold ribbon. Pleased with the arrangement, he took out his ck card and used it to pay before he left.


    The shop manager walked in as he was leaving and caught a glimpse of him. Her mouth fell open as she walked to join her assistants. The girls rushed over and squealed in excitement.


    "I know right!"


    "Don''t you wish we could have more customers like him?"


    They were lovestruck after being graced by such otherworldly beauty! That''s a face one could never forget.


    "He-He came to our shop? Personally?" The manager was shocked as she watched the cars driving away. The girls grew curious seeing her reaction.


    "Do you know him?"


    "Who wouldn''t especially with that face? You know Xavier Frost, don''t you?"


    "Of course! Who doesn''t know the sex god?" Of the girls answered making all of them giggle.


    "That''s his brother", the manager answered.


    "His brother? As in Zach Frost? The Zach Frost?"


    The manager shook her head seeing as they did not believe her. "Xavier posts him once in a while on his Instagram page."


    "Oh! My god! I need to see this."


    Meanwhile, Xavier ignored the follow request notifications on his phone as he sat in his office. He downed the remaining alcohol in his ss and made to pour some more when his phone rung.


    "What are you doing tomorrow?" Zach''s voice resounded over the phone.


    "Uh....." For the first time in history, he was nk. He had no girlfriend and was definitely not in the mood to go to the club. But it was Saturday. "Nothing.... I guess?"


    "Great."


    "Why? What''s up?"


    "I''ll need to get away from Amy tomorrow."


    Xavier sat up at this in rm. "Why? Did something happen? I thought you said things were perfect."


    Zach let out an amused chuckle. "And they still are. I have a reason. Be ready."


    "Okay."


    With that, the call ended. Zach had a pleased smile as he looked at the bouquet of red roses in his hands. He felt his heart thud in anticipation as his convoy drove into thepound. Edmund was already waiting by the entrance as the car came to a stop.


    He opened the back door and received Zach''s briefcase as Zach stepped out to walk into the house. "Is it done?"


    "Yes, sir."


    "Good. Where is she?"


    "In your room", Edmund answered from behind him to which Zach nodded.


    While Edmund went to leave the briefcase in Zach''s study, thetter went to his room. He could not help the smile as he anticipated her reaction. Letting out a deep breath, he knocked on their door.


    "I''ming", Amy answered.


    She took her sweet time walking to the door before opening the door only to be greeted by the bouquet of roses. Her eyes lit up as she smiled in pleasant surprise and looked up at person offering them.


    "Hello beautiful", Zach said with a smile. The highlight of his day: Amy''s happy smile.


    "Babe... This.... They''re so beautiful. Thank you", she said while taking them. She felt her heart melt from this gesture as she sniffed them. She looked back up and cupped his cheek, bringing his face down to hers and captured his lips into a brief kiss.


    "Thank you", she whispered, a little teary eyed.


    "You''re wee. Now, would you be so kind as to grace me with your presence on tonight''s date?" He caressed her cheek gently.


    "A date?" She gasped in surprise.


    "Mm. But... We''ll dine here."<sub> </sub>


    "That''s fine", she said almost immediately. It didn''t matter as long she was with him and Zach understood this from the way she looked at him.


    "Okay. Let''s go."


    "No! Let me change. Give me five minutes- no ten- mmmm", she moaned when he gripped the back of her head and indulged her in a kiss.


    Shepletely rxed as his tongue glided against hers in a passionate dance. She clutched his jacket with her free hand as she felt her desires awoken by this. He reluctantly broke the kiss and run a thumb over her now swollen parted lips. The desire in him had been awokened as well.


    "Take your time", he whispered to which she nodded. She was about to walk away when she remembered the flowers. "Where do you want them?"


    "In our room."


    Zach nodded and had Edmund have the task taken care of only after she exited the bedroom. She had added a light makeup with a bold red lip topliment the red maternity dress she was putting on and a matching purse. Her hair was tied up into a ponytail to expose the moon pendant ne that graced her neck.


    "Wow!" Zach slowly looked her up, down and then back up. She never ceases to amaze him. "You look beautiful", he said with a kiss on her lips.


    "Thank you", she blushed.


    "And this lipstick", he cupped her chin and drove his hungry gaze on her luscious lips.


    She giggled, understanding the secret message he conveyed. Not wanting to rip her clothes off right then, he took her hand and led her to the sunroom.


    It had be her favorite spot and she said it was romantic. So he had the lights dimmed to give off a romantic vibe, decorated the ce with candles and simple flower arrangements. The previous furniture had been reced by a table and chairs. He had practically turned it into a mini restaurant. When did he even arrange for all this?


    "You like it?" He asked though already knowing her answer.


    "I love it!"


    He helped her into her seat before he went to sit opposite her. Looking at him in the dimly lit room, he looked extra handsome in his Moss green suit. His chiseled features stood out and she felt so lucky to be dining with such a fine specimen.


    "What?" He asked with a smile.


    "You''re so handsome", she said, looking lovestruck.


    "Thank you", he said and cleared his throat. She giggled when she saw his ears turn red as he could barely suppress a smile.


    Not wanting to be teased, he snapped a finger and different men and women in ck and white suits walked in with different dishes. They were not the Frost staff, she figured.


    "I hear Ren¨¦e''s is good and I thought we''d try their food", he said as they watched the food being served.


    Amy''s eyes grew wide in excitement. There was so much food to choose from! And looking up at him, she could not believe he had brought the restaurant to her. This man was doing a lot for her. The Ren¨¦e staff moved away to give the couple their privacy.


    Amy was tearing up at this point and Zach moved to crouch before her and wiped her tears.


    "Thank you", she said with a sniffle. "This is.... This..."


    He shook his head. "I know I haven''t properly wooed you but I''ll try harder."


    "Why would you when...?" She raised her hand showing him the ring as reminder.


    "Even if it seems meaningless, I still want to do it for you if it will bring this beautiful smile on your face", he said making her let out a soft giggle.


    "It''s not meaningless. It''s amazing. It''s perfect. This is perfect." She was referring to their rtionship. She looked into his eyes that were full of love for her and her heart thumped in excitement. "I love you."


    "I love you too."


    He captured her lips again. They slowly molded against each other. Her hands started to run over his torso, to his neck and then through his hair. The kiss was bing heated and he broke it before he could lose control.


    "Let''s eat", he said.


    "Mm-hm."


    The had their meal silently except the moaning sounds she made when she genuinely enjoyed the food. She was doing it deliberately, he knew.


    "Amy", he warned as he picked up a ss of wine.


    "Hm?" She looked at him innocently.


    "Behave."


    She blinked her innocent eyes at him earning an amused chuckle from him. He shook his head and sipped on his drink. He meant it when he said she''s a danger to his heart. He could only desperately wish the dinner would soon be over. If not for her pregnancy and appetite, he would end their date right away.


    And finally, he cleaned up his te. Amy was still devouring her dessert. She took thest spoonful and looked from her te as she chewed. She swallowed it when she caught his heated gaze.


    "Done with your dessert?" He asked to which she gave a vigorous nod. "Good. It''s'' time for mine."

 Chapter 206 Dont Tempt Me Woman

    "Mmm... Mmmm", Amy moaned with her eyes closed.


    She was lying naked on the bed close to the edge. Zach had ced a pillow under her head and another under back to support her. He had crouched down at the foot of the bed, holding her legs apart with her thighs as he devoured her womanhood.


    Smooching sounds could be heard as he sucked on her sex. He had his eyes closed enjoying the unique taste of hers and the feel of her womanhood against his warm mouth.


    "Aaaaaah! That feels so good", she moaned with a clutch of the sheets with her hands.


    She suddenly felt coldness when he let go. He stood up, still holding her legs wide apart and used one hand to guide his already hard shaft against her opening. He teased her p*ssy lips with his tip.


    "Mmmmm..... Zachery", she whined.


    He wanted to tease her but he had suffered enough especially since dinner. He pushed in burying himself deep inside her.


    "Aaaaah!" They both sighed with pleasure at contact.


    He started to thrust his hips, moving in and out of her. He maintained a slow pace, going in deep and sensuously. Her big mounds jiggled with his movements; the erotic sight only made his member grow hard and bigger. He knew he wouldn''tst long. The silent room echoed with his groans and her moans apanied with the sound of their skin pping.


    "Zachery", she warned.


    To her displeasure, he stopped moving and pulled out. She frowned and her lower lip stuck out in a cute pout.


    "Don''t worry, we''re not done yet", he said with a chuckle.


    He crawled on top of the bed and helped her move up the bed. Shey on her side and took one nipple in his mouth.


    "Mmmm", he hummed as he suckled on her erect peak.


    "Mmm", She moaned in pleasure as she fisted his hair pulling him closer to her.


    He adjusted his body and used one hand to drive his dick inside her warmth earning a moan from her. He slowly let go of her nipple and moved up, with his member still inside her, and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.


    He started to move slowly again but going in very deep. He groaned against her mouth as he thrust into her. She held her belly with one hand as she tried to kiss him back.


    She could hardly concentrate on the kiss as he moved in and out of her. He was having the same problem as they both broke the kiss. With one hand supporting him, he used the other toce his fingers with hers.


    "So good", she said a little breathlessly.


    "I know", he said.


    Zach discovered another favorite thing in that moment: the way Amy''s face contorted in pleasure. His heart swelled with pride and emotion knowing he was inciting such feelings. So he drove in deeper with a pleasure filled groan.


    "Zachery!" She warned as her walls clenched around his girth.


    He imed her lips and continued to drive into her. Her cry came out muffled when came on his length. He let go of her mouth and let her catch her breath as he still moved into her


    "Aaaaah!" He grunted and shot his load into her.


    Their gazes were still locked as they both caught their breath. He didn''t go rough with her in fear of repeating what happenedst time and it just gave them more pleasure. Zach gave her a brief kiss before he pulled out of her.


    He pulled the duvet and covered their naked bodies. He kissed her shoulder and rested his head on the pillow with his arms around her.


    "Any cramps?" He asked.


    "Just a little, but bearable", she answered in honesty.


    "I''m d", he said and kissed the back of her head. "We forgot to warn cupcake today", he said, making herugh.


    As he mentioned their child''s nickname, a thought came to mind. "Have you thought of baby names?"


    "I like Liam. Liam Frost", she said, thinking of a baby boy.


    "I like it. What if it''s a girl?" He asked and she hummed in thought. It seemed she had only thought of a boys'' names. "What about Rose?"


    "Rose", she tasted it. "Roserie Frost."


    "Roserie?"


    "Zachery. Roserie", she answered.


    "Then we should change the boy''s name to have a little bit of yours too."


    p "Maybe for the other kids will have."</anda>


    "Others?" He was pleasantly surprised by this.<sub> </sub>


    "Yes. Didn''t you want a big family? Besides, I don''t think I''ll ever get tired of your", she cleared her throat, not wanting to say the word.


    Heughed and nted kisses on her neck making her giggle as she blushed. They calmed down from theirugh and he let out a contented sigh.


    "Let''s go to sleep", he said.


    "Already? No round two?" She gasped feigning surprise.


    "Don''t tempt me woman."


    She giggled before they said their goodnights. Soon their breathing evened out as they fell in a deep slumber. The next morning, she was awoken by noiseing from downstairs.


    "Zachery? What''s that noise?" She asked with her eyes still closed.


    "Mmm.... It''s for you", he answered mischievously.


    That drove away the sleep and she turned to find an already awake Zach. He pecked her lips in greeting.


    "Let''s shower together", he said to which she nodded.


    They spent thirty good minutes and he helped her scrub. When they got out, he toweled down her wet body and helped her apply lotion. He went to pick out a set of lingerie for her to wear.


    "Not the underwear", she whined. "It''s too troublesome."


    Her frequent bathroom breaks made her want to avoid the trouble of pulling up and down her underwear whenever she goes to pee. Zach''s lips lifted as he understood her concern.


    "I know, but you''ll need it today", he said.


    She looked at him suspiciously earning a smile from him. "Today? What''s going on?"


    "Do you trust me?" He asked as he kneeled before her. She smiled and nodded as he helped her into her underwear.


    She let go of the towel that was covering her body and put on her bra. He went to her side of the wardrobe and picked out an outfit for her. She could not help but feel giddy. Last night was enough and now this. What did he do this time?


    "I''ll go wear some makeup", she said and he nodded before pecking her lips.


    While he dressed up, Amy did another simple look with nude lips this time. She did not want to overdo nor do too little. She looked in the mirror and was pleased by the oue. He walked out in jeans and a dress shirt with shades on and a trench coat on his arm.


    "Let''s go", he said as he helped her up from the stool.


    Amy felt her heart beat from nervousness as they walked to the door. He stopped just when he was about to open it. She raised her brows at him in question.


    "I''ll be out of the house all day today and we may not have a chance to talk either", he said.


    "Why?" She could not help but feel nervous. He gestured at the door and she opened it. She walked out first and he followed before they reached the stair railing.


    "SURPRISE!!!!!" People shouted from the foot of the stairs.


    Amy held her chest as she was taken aback. She gasped when she saw a ck banner held up against the wall with big gold letters printed reading: AMY''S BABY SHOWER.


    She looked at Zach as tears welled up in her eyes. So the reason he would be out was because she would be in the middle of her baby shower. When did he n all this? How could he be so good to her?


    Her heart swelled from strong love for this man and warmth. This is all she ever felt ever since she got together with him. Her lower lip quivered as she was about to break down in tears. He cupped her chin and pressed his lips to hers.


    "Aww!" The women down below cooed when they saw this scene.


    Amy broke the kiss and chuckled as Zach helped her wipe her tears. She sniffled before looking down to the foot of the stairs and something caught her eye among the women. She closed her eyes and opened them again, not believing what she was seeing. She want dreaming.


    Zach smiled, sticking to her side as he helped her down the stairs. Tears streamed down her face as she couldn''t believe what she was seeing. The women parted and let the person Amy was seeing to pass through.


    The person groaned at they walked up the stairs with the help of crutches. Amy''s let out a sob as she took in their pained expression.


    "Stop right there. I''lle to you", she sniffled as she cried.


    "No, dear", they insisted as they walked up.


    "Listen to her", Zach said in a gentle tone as he looked at the other crying woman.


    "Please Ste", Amy pleaded.


    Yes, Ste was there. Was she there just for the baby shower or were they finally reuniting?

 Chapter 207 Victorias Bragging

    The two women sobbed when they finally embraced each other. Zach took hold of Ste''s crutches as he watched his wife reunite with her dear friend. Amy''s heart swelled with emotions holding the older woman in her embrace.


    Ste broke the hug and cupped Amy''s cheeks, giving her a teary yet gentle gaze. " Look at you. Gosh!"


    Amy chuckled with a sob before she sighed softly. There it was, Ste''s familiar warm and soft touch that made her feel like a child in this older woman''s presence. Seeing her like this, Ste could not help but pull her into another hug and she rubbed soothing circles on her back.


    "I''ve missed you", Amy said with a sob.


    "I''ve missed you too. So much", Ste admitted too. She broke the embrace and wiped away Amy''s tears while thetter did that to her as well.


    "She''s all you could see", a familiar voiceined.


    Amy grew alert and she looked behind Ste to find Richard standing next to Henry behind the women. And the women, Amy didn''t know them. But now''s not the time.


    "Richard!" Amy''s eyes brimmed with fresh tears threatening to fall. Then she looked at Ste. She couldn''t run to him with Ste and she felt bad for leaving her there.


    "Go on. I''ll help her", Zach said to which she nodded. "Just don''t run."


    Amy nodded away and descended the stairs while Zach helped Ste with the crutches. Victoria was amazed by the rtionship Amy had with Ste and Richard. She made her friends move aside to let the girl. Richard also met Amy halfway and he pulled her into an embrace.


    "Aw. There we are. How could you leave without telling this old man?" Richard scolded in a yful tone.


    "I''m sorry", Amy sobbed.


    "It''s okay, kiddo. It''s okay."


    He had missed the girl as well. They broke the embrace and Amy finally took in the strange faces besides Victoria, Zach, Ste, and Henry who gave her a side hug in greeting. The women were of different ages probably in their forties and fifties. They were four, three of them looked at her in awe while one could not keep her mouth shut out of shock. Amy looked at Victoria who chuckled awkwardly.


    "These are my friends Steph, Adide, Becky and Kris", Victoria introduced the ssy women.


    "Ah! Pardon my rudeness. It''s nice to meet you all. I''ve heard so much about you", Amy have them a polite smile as Zach walked to her side.


    "It''s nice to meet you too", Steph said earning a hum in agreement from Becky.


    "When Torrie said she had a beautiful daughter-inw, I didn''t think you''d be as beautiful!" Adide said in honesty.


    Amy gave her a smile before her gaze fell on Kris. She could not help but feel awkward with Kris who couldn''t snap out of her shock. Adide was sensible enough to help shut her mouth with a push of her chin upwards before giving Amy an apologetic smile.


    "I don''t mean to be rude but aren''t you leaving? It''s women only", Victoria nagged.


    "Fine", Henry answered as he threw her a heated gaze. She averted hers and looked anywhere but at him. She was too embarrassed to act lovie dovie in front of everyone. She especially didn''t want the kids to know she''s been sleeping with her husband. Henry smirked when he saw this.<sub> </sub>


    "Later kiddo", Richard said to Amy before kissing his wife goodbye.


    Zach, obviously picked up onVictoria and Henry''s little secret but maintained a neutral expression. Amy looked up at him and whispered, "Can I speak to you?"


    "Mm. Excuse us", he said before taking her hand and leaving the women behind.


    "Wow! This! My brain still can''t process this!" Becky said.


    "How could you hide a daughter-inw and a grandchild on the way from us? Wow!" Steph was equally shocked.


    "And this! Zach is engaged! Victoria this is too big of news to hide from us!" Adideined.


    Earlier when Amy greeted them, they had to keep their cool otherwise they still did not believe it even when Victoria told them toe to Zach''s for her daughter-inw''s baby shower. Ste smiled in amusement when she saw Victoria''s bashful smile. Thetter went to hook her arm around hers.


    "You guys are forgetting my very beautiful inw", Victoria bragged.


    "She''s Amy''s mother?" Becky asked.


    "Of course! Can''t you tell from the good looks?" Victoria answered.


    "But she addressed her with her name", Adide spoke.


    "Zach and Xavier do that to us too sometimes", she said, smoothing things over.


    "Unbelievable", Kris muttered in disbelief.


    "Oh? You can still talk. I was starting to think you lost your voice", Victoria taunted, there wasughter in her tone. "Don''t be rude to my daughter-inw, it''s her day. I don''t want her stressing out especially with her condition".


    Kris scoffed and rolled her eyes, "whatever! Who said anything? And when is this party getting started anyway?"


    Victoria had a smug smile when she saw this and the rest just shook their heads. Meanwhile, Amy and Zach had gone to the kitchen to have their mini talk. They stopped by the kitchen ind and stood facing each other. Zach could not help but worry hoping he had not messed up with this. She was obviously happy about Ste and Richard being here but what about the baby shower itself?


    "When did you n this?" She started.


    "Mm.... Was thatst week when Mom visited my office? She reminded me that you need a baby shower and she was right. Just because of our situation doesn''t mean we have topletely stop enjoying certain things. And don''t worry, Ste and Richard''s visit won''tpromise our situation. I made sure-"


    She suddenly hugged him, catching him off guard. He was temporarily shocked before he returned her hug. He kissed the top of her head before resting his chin on top of her head.


    "Thank you", she whispered. "For everything."

 Chapter 208 Zach Fulfilled Amys Wish

    "I love seeing you happy", Zach said as he patted her head.


    "Do you really have to go?" She pulled away to look up at him whilst in his embrace. "You can stay."


    "I''d love that but you heard mom. Plus I''m sure you and Ste have a lot to catch up on", he said with a gentle smile to which she nodded. He held her gaze, admiring each other as he caressed her cheek before he imed her lips with his.


    It was a brief kiss that he broke and pecked her before he had to leave. He escorted her to the living room where everyone else was before leaving. Of course, he didn''t forget pecking her lips before he left.


    "Wow! This is a side of Zach I never thought I would see!" Becky said with a shake of her head.


    "Wasn''t he seeing a man? What happened to the poor fe?" Kris asked, giving Amy a judging gaze.


    "It was all a misunderstanding. Amy used a voice changer as a prank on him! Really? Would Zach look anywhere else after this?" Victoria gestured at Amy''s face who grew embarrassed. "Dear, we prepared a little something."


    She took a box and went to Amy''s side. Opening it, there was a tiara which she ced on Amy''s head before taking out a white sash that had cks words printed saying: SOON TO BE MOM. Ste, who was sitting next to Amy, smiled when she saw this on her. She could not help the affection in her eyes as she watched Victoria help Amy into the sash and appreciated how it looked before going back to stand in the middle of the living room.


    "First, let me thank you guys foring so early. We''ve prepared a few activities but first, let''s start with food. We need to feed that baby", Victoria said giving Amy a knowing smile.


    "Thank you mom", Amy said with a smile. Yes, she was famished.


    "You''re wee dear", Victoria said before going to sit beside Kris.


    There were so many vacant seats but she deliberately chose that one, annoying the other woman who scoffed at her. The maids came in to serve them food before leaving the women. Ste leaned in clearly amused by Kris and Victoria.


    "What''s with those two?" She could not help but ask.


    "Well..... Would you believe me if I told you they''re best friends?" Amy said with an amused smile.


    "What? That doesn''t seem to be the case", Steughed along with Amy.


    Becky and Steph were awestruck when they saw Amyugh. "She''s so pretty."


    "As expected of Zach. I''m already envious of the beautiful grandchild Victoria is about to have", Becky answered.


    "She literally beat Kris in everything. All that''s left is a wedding. I wonder what type of wedding these two will throw", Steph answered.


    "They''re as good as married. Look at Kris, she''s hardly keeping it together", Adide added making the two women giggle.


    Meanwhile, Ste and Amy''sughs died down as the older woman gently stroked Amy''s hair. Amy could see the affection in her eyes and her lips lifted.


    "I was so worried about you after you left", Ste sighed. Amy was about to speak when Ste shook her head. "No, I understand you. I''m really d you''re safe. I knew we would see each other again but not this soon. I can only thank Zach for calling me here."<sub> </sub>


    Yes, the call Ste received the day Lily visited was from Zach where they discussed arrangements to get them here without falling on the enemy''s radar. Ste was the happiest with that news. She would finally be able to see Amy and her heart calmed down after seeing the girl safe and sound.


    "I''m happy you''re here", Amy confessed. At least there was someone she veryfortable with.


    "I know the answer to this but I can''t help but ask, is he treating you well? Zach I mean", she asked with a smile.


    A happy smile stretched on Amy''s lips and her eyes sparkled as she thought of Zach. "He is. He''s so good to me."


    "That''s good. What about the sex?"


    Amy gasped and looked at the women to see if they heard. "Ste!" She whiaper shouted.


    Steughed when she saw Amy''s reddened face. "Is it wrong to know? He needs to be good to you in all areas."


    "You haven''t changed", Amy shooked her head.


    "Well you''re lucky. Richard and I haven''t done it since the ident. Oh! How I miss his-"


    "Too much! I don''t want to know!" Amy shook her head. This woman can never change.


    Ste gave a heartyugh seeing Amy who was embarrassed. This is why she always loved to tease Amy: this reaction. It was priceless. Amy alsoughed as looked at Ste. As embarrassing as it is, she loved Ste like this.


    "I''ve really missed you Ste", she said with a sigh.


    "I have too, dear. So much."


    "I wish... I wish you could stay." She guessed the visit was a one time thing specifically for her baby shower.


    Ste gave her a smile and said, "Well, Zach made your wishe true."


    <o>,m "What?" Surprise was evident on Amy''s features.</o>


    Ste took hold of Amy''s hand and her gaze was a gentle one as she said, "I know you have a wonderful mother-inw but every girl needs their mother during this important time. I may not be your biological mother and may not do as much for you, but I wish to be there when you bring this little one into the world."


    "You mean that?" Amy''s eyes shone with tears as her heart filled with warmth from Ste''s words.


    "Of course dear. I''m not going anywhere. I''ll be here."


    Amy could not believe this. When Zach promised that she''ll only have people who love her beside her during this important time, he meant it and fulfilled his words. How lucky was she to have such a man in her life?

 Chapter 209 Name That Tune With A Dirty Twist

    "Give me a siiiiiiiiiiiign! Hit me baby one more time!" Steph and Becky sung in unison. "Baby one more time by Britney Spears!"


    "Correct!" Amy ruled out.


    "Yes!" They high-fived each other while the other teams groaned in annoyance.


    "Let''s listen to the next song", Amy said as she held a card to her chest.


    The women fell silent as Edmund yed the song. The room had been beautifully decorated with a white, ck and gold theme. On one corner, there was a mountain of gifts, some big and some small. Amy felt giddy wondering what they got her.


    Edmund stopped the song after ying it for ten seconds. They were currently in the middle of the game called ''name that tune''. Aption of songs had been created with each song having the word baby in it. The women were divided into teams of twoprising of Becky and Steph, Victoria and Kris, and Adide and Ste. As Amy was the judge she had the answers to the songs on the card she held.


    "I know this song!" Kris mumbled as she racked her brain for answers.


    "Me too! Me too!" Victoria answered.


    "Uh..." Steph started.


    "Give us a chance! You guys won the first two times already!" Kris said in annoyance.


    "Can you y it one more time?" Victoria gave Edmund a pitiful look. He looked at Amy who nodded away.


    "Whispered something in your ear.."


    "Oh!" Victoria and Kris shouted at the same time and sung together. "It was a perverted thing to say, but I said it anyway. . Made you smile and look away..... Nothing''s gonna hurt you baby!"


    "By cigarettes after sex!" Victoria shouted from her sit and did a mini happy dance.


    "Correct", Amy said with augh. "Next song please."


    Edmund yed the intro and Becky immediately jumped into it. "Just say you feel the way I feel, I''m feeling sexual so we should be sexual..."


    "Sexual by Neiked!" Steph answered.


    "Aren''t the songs a bit suggestive?" Adide voiced her thought.


    "You''re only saying that because you haven''t scored a point", Becky stuck her tongue out at her.


    "Actually, I''ve noticed it too. I won''t be surprised if sexual healing made it to the list", Kris said with a shake of her head.


    Amy looked down at the list and let out a soft gasp. Victoria immediately stood up to go and check the list. Her face contorted in annoyance when she saw the songs. They were either about missing someone or doing dirty things to or with them.


    "This is name that tune with a dirty twist", Steph shook her head in amusement.


    "If you had let us in on this, we would have helped you n", Kris sneered.


    "I didn''t prepare this list", Victoria said through gritted teeth.


    "We don''t know that. But seriously, what type of message are you trying to give to your grandchild?" Kris continued to mock.<sub> </sub>


    "At least I have a grandchild", Victoria said as she left the living with a phone pressed to her ear leaving Kris who had on an ugly expression and looked like she wanted to break something.


    Adide noticed Ste''s jaw drop at Victoria''s jab and she patted the top of her hand in constion. "Trust me. It gets worse."


    Amy shook her head, she still wondered how the two maintained a friendship even when they were always onto each other''s throats. She decided not to butt as she had learned that it was how they were. Meanwhile, Victoria stopped in the corridor as she attended to her call.


    "Miss me already?" Henry''s charmingugh resounded from the other end.


    "What did you do to the song list?" She hissed in annoyance.


    "I''m sure I gave you the shdrive. Did you misce it?" He asked, confused.


    "That''s not it! I have it but they are all..... suggestive songs!" She was both embarrassed and upset with him.


    "Well, I had you in mind when Ipiled the list", he confessed. After all, she had made that request whilst they were in bed calming down from their little tryst. He felt that she shouldn''t me him. With the timing, it''s all he could think about.


    "Henry!" She whisper shouted with gritted teeth before exhaling deeply. "I asked you to make aption of songs with the word baby in it."


    "And I did!"


    "For the baby shower!"


    ? "Oh." He fell quiet now realizing why his wife was upset. "You didn''t y them yet, did you?"


    "Ugh!" She terminated the call. Would she be calling him if that was the case? She should have known better than to ask for his help. She did some breathing exercises, calming herself down before walking back into the living room.


    "I have to apologise for that", she said to everyone especially Amy, who shook her head silently saying it''s okay. "So, why don''t we move on to the giving of gifts part. Afterwards, we''ll rx with a little spa treatment."


    "Ooooooooh!"


    Thedies grew excited at this. Amy put away the food she was eating and wiped her mouth with a napkin. She felt giddy and anticipated the gifts she was to receive.


    "Let me go first", Adide said excitedly as she stood up to get her gift.


    All the women had their turns giving her gifts. Adide gave her four nightlights, one with a cloud shape, pine shape, puppy face, and a heart shape. Steph gave her a set of clothes containing a bib, onesie, shorts, a little shirt, socks, gloves, and a matching beanie. Becky gave her a ying mat and a baby bouncer.


    Kris gave her two gift cards, one for a baby store and the other for a famous shopping mall where Amy could spoil herself to new clothes. Victoria gave a box containing all baby feeding necessities from bottles, mini tes, spoons, forks, and a bib as well. Amy was surprised that she went all minimal until the older woman leaned in to her ear.


    "The rest is on its way", she whispered, making Amyugh.


    "Thank you", she said with augh.


    Next was Ste who, with Edmund''s help, gave her a huge box. Unwrapping it, there was so much. Her eyes sparkled as she fell speechless and more curious.


    "This is from the book club and I", Ste said when she saw Amy''s curious gaze.


    The book club. She had left without much a word to them and yet they did this for her. A tear fell on her cheek which she quickly wiped away. Now what did they get for her?

 Chapter 210 Xaviers Peace

    There was a baby bathtub with bathing essories, two thick nkets, baby clothes of different colors and cute designs with matching little gloves and shoes, baby carrier, a diaper bag, and a set of pajamas for herself, the baby, and Zach. Amy exhaled softly and blinked back tears as she marveled at the gifts. She had no words.


    "Wow!" She whispered and sniffled.


    "Thedies wrote little messages inside you can readter on", Ste said to which Amy nodded.


    "Thank you so much. All of you, I really appreciate all of this", Amy said. Thedies nodded and acknowledged her appreciation.


    "You''re in a book club?" Becky asked with interest as Edmund had maids put the gifts away.


    "Yes, back in West Vige", Ste answered.


    "You''re from West Vige?" Kris asked, trying not to frown at this.


    "Really? But Amy you have a bit of a New Yorker''s ent, I thought you were from here", Adidemented.


    "Maybe because I''ve lived here since my days at NYU, but I''m from West Vige. Born and raised", Amy answered making the otherdies nod.


    Two people were shocked by this. Kris could not believe that a man as might as Zach settled for a country bumpkin as his wife. This did not sit right with her. Who knows, maybe she trapped him with the child and he had no choice but to leave his lover and settle with her? But she couldn''t voice this out after all Victoria had already warned her.


    Ste was shocked by this revtion but she concealed it. As someone who could tell when Amy lies saw that the girl was telling the truth. But howe she never knew her knowing how long she has lived there?


    Edmund went on to whisper to Victoria.


    "The cake''s ready."


    "Bring it to the room we''ll be having a spa. It will be a good surprise!" She almost squealed in excitement as he nodded before leaving. She sped her hands together when she turned to thedies. "Time for our spa treatment!"


    Thedies whooped as they were guided to different rooms to change into white fluffy robes before they were shown to a room that had been arranged for their spa. Although Amy was enjoying herself, she could not help but wonder what her man was up to as she walked there. They really had not spoken for a few hours.


    At Xavier''s ce


    "You should talk to him", George said to Xavier with a sip of his drink.


    They were in his game room and bar. George was sat on a stool at the bar as he watched Zach aim for his shot on the pool table. Xavier stood to the side with a ss in one hand and his stick in the other as he awaited his turn.


    "I know but it feels...."


    "Awkward because you feel guilty?" George concluded.


    "Exactly", Xavier answered before sipping on his drink.


    "He knows that", Zach said and took his shot, sending four balls into their respective holes at the same time. He stood up straight and stepped asidez giving Xavier some space. "I''m sure he doesn''t expect things to go back to normal right away."


    "What he said", George agreed. "Telling you everything is a big step. It just shows he wants to fix things with you. Think of how lucky you are."


    Xavier stood with his gaze on the pool table. But deep down, he was digesting everything the two said. Zach felt his phone vibrate from his pocket and a smile crept onto his lips when he saw the ID ''wifey'' with a heart. He moved a few feet away from them as he answered.<sub> </sub>


    "Hey baby", he answered in a softly.


    "What are you up to?" Amy asked.


    "Pool with the boys. How is it going over there?"


    "Fun but with a little drama", she said making him chuckle. He could already guess who was in the center of the drama. "I miss you", she whispered.


    Zach felt his heart thump at that confession. And being honest, "I miss you too. I can''t wait to get back home to you."


    She gave a soft chuckle at his words and felt her heart swell with warmth.


    "How''s our little cupcake?" He asked.


    "Great. We''re having fun together. As soon as I had some cake, my stomach turned into a ser field", she said making them both chuckle.


    "But when you''re tired, get some rest. You don''t have to sit through the whole party", he reminded.


    "Mm. I won''t. How''s Xavier doing?"


    Zach looked at the man in question and exhaled softly. "He''s alright, picking up the pieces. Things should be falling into ce from now on."


    "He needs that. He''s been through a lot", Amymented sincerely.


    Amy knew Zach desperately wished Xavier would finally have peace in his life. The man had been through a lot where he stood. She also shared the same wish. Unfortunately, someone had a different thought.


    At Crystal Pce in Nicole''s room, Ne struggled to keep hold of her drunk friend. Nicole had trashed the ce as she cried her heart out with a bottle of wine in one hand.


    "Let me go!!" Nicole cried.


    "Damn it! Get a hold of yourself! You might do something you''ll regret", Ne cautioned with a groan as she pulled her back to her bedroom.


    "I need to see him. I can''t live without him!" She stopped struggling and turned to face her friend with a tear stained face. "What happened between you two, it''s all in the past. He was good to me."


    Ne let out an exhausted sigh. "You know the type of man that he is. And he hasn''t called or done anything to get you back. He''s probably moved on."


    "You don''t know that. You don''t know him like I do. I-"


    "Nicole. Nicole", she held her shoulders, earning her attention. "Nicole, how many times did you start unnecessary fights with Xavier? How many times did he leave you hanging like this? He always came back, didn''t he? But now, he hasn''t called nore to visit you even if it''s to use getting his stuff as an excuse. Don''t you think, if he really wanted this, he would have been here already?"


    Nicole fell silent at this. Taking this opportunity, Ne took the bottle of wine and moved to ce on a table in the room only for her to hear the sound of the door mming close. Nicole had escaped.


    She shook her head and looked at the door with a frown. "She''s going to regret this."

 Chapter 211 Cupcake Wont Let Mommy Sleep

    "Look at you. Your cheeks might hurt if you''ll keep smiling like that", Richard said in amusement with a shake of his head. Ste giggle from the dressing table she was at. "Are you that happy?"


    "Of course. I can''t believe we''re really here and Amy is here too."


    "You know someone else who would have been happy too? Nora! She says she''s disowning you for leaving her behind", Richard said as he put his phone on his nightstand.


    Ste got up from the stool and limped towards him. As it was a short distance to the bed, she preferred not using the crutches as some sort of exercise though she was slightly in pain. She scoffed when she heard her daughter''s message.


    "And risk her ruining Amy''s marriage with her weird fantasies? You do know she quit her job because of her? She should be job hunting instead of sulking about this."


    Richardughed when he heard this. "Didn''t you do the same by following me around to my trips?"


    "You were not a married man", she pointed out with a groan as she got under the covers. "So, how do you find this ce?"


    "It''s great. But Henry and I just went back to his ce to catch a game."


    "Men! Well, my day was fun and there was drama. Especially with the musicption."


    "Oh! That was Henry''s message to his wife. He''s trying to win her back. He didn''t know it was for the baby shower", he chuckled in amusement.


    "Really?" Her eyes lit up and her gossip mode was activated. "What''s their story?"


    "Why would I ask that?" He asked with a frown.


    "Ugh! You''re no fun!" She sulked as she leaned back on the headboard. Then something came to mind in that moment as they were talking about the baby shower. "Amy mentioned something interesting today. She''s actually from West vige. Born and raised."


    "I thought you said she''s an orphan?" Richard''s interest was piqued.


    "She is. She came here for her college education. But if she''s from West Vige, it could only mean she grew up in Good Hope orphanage."


    "That''s the only orphanage we have. How..... How old is she?"


    "Twenty three", Ste answered. "And- and she had previously told me that someone left her at the gates and no one knows who...."


    Richard fell quiet. His brows were furrowed as he fell into a contemtive gaze. Ste grew worried. She could practically read his mind after she broke this news. Now that they were talking about it, she also dared to have the same thought.


    "Richard.....", She started with fear and uncertainty. "The timing... It''s..... It can''t be, right?"


    "Could be just a coincidence. Amy is not the first child to have such a back story. Let''s not think too much about it."


    He didn''t want his wife to have hope only for it to be extinguished. He knew she wanted to alleviate her guilt but he wanted to believe it was all really a coincidence.


    Sometimes he wishes his wife could leave the past where it belongs, in the past. But she was too good a person to do that. Meanwhile, the person being discussed was running her mouth to her husband about the wonderful day she had.


    "It was crazy. At some point I thought those two would actually fight!" She was seated in bed talking to Zach who was dressing up in the walk-in wardrobe after a shower.


    "They never do", Zachmented.


    "They are an odd bunch. Anyway, so thedies from the book club sent me gifts too. And they wrote messages wishing me the best and all. But what got me was Emma who summarized thetest scandals in her little card", Amy chuckled at this. "Somehow, she always brought thetest stories to the table."


    "Was it a book club or a gossip club?" Zach asked as he walked back in.


    Amy was about to answer when she caught sight of his naked torso. She felt her throat go dry seeing him walk to the bed in his boxers. Now that she thought about the pajama set she received, would he even wear them when he was used to sleeping half naked?


    "My eyes are up here", he teased.


    "I wasn''t- I wasn''t looking at.... that", she stuttered as she looked away with a heated face.


    Zach chuckled in amusement as he got under the covers. "You still can''t say it''s name?"


    "It''s embarrassing", Amy grumbled.<sub> </sub>


    "But it''s not embarrassing when you put it in your mouth?" He arched a brow.


    "Oh! My gosh! Good night!" She wished she could quickly get under the covers but it was currently impossible.


    Zachughed in amusement when he saw this. He helped her arrange the pillows before kissing her goodnight. She sung for cupcake with him rubbing her stomach before they retired for the night. From her breathing, he could tell she was still awake. He could only sleep once she falls asleep. Unfortunately, that never came.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked, worried.


    "Cupcake is very active, I can''t sleep", she whined.


    "Just how much cake did you have?" He asked as he sat up. She red at him. Did he really not know whose side he was supposed to be on? Guessing her line of thought, he changed his tactic.


    "I''m talking to cupcake", he looked down at her belly and caressed it, where he felt a kick. "Don''t you want mommy to sleep?"


    Little cupcake had been active since the afternoon. Amy may or may not have gotten carried away with eating the cake that now her child had been showing her the consequences.


    "You really can''t sleep?" He asked.


    "Not with all the movement", Amy whined.


    Zach felt sorry for her. If he could switch ces with her, he could. This was not the first time cupcake moved around or three a kick or two at night but she slept through it. But now, for some reason, Amy could not sleep with cupcake being active too. Then he thought of something.


    "How about a movie? Maybe it will help", he suggested.


    "Really?" She hoped to fall asleep soon.


    "Mm. Is there something you want to watch?" He asked as he got a remote and pressed a button to activate their UST projector.


    "Mmmm...... Pride and Prejudice!" She remembered it after Ste talked about their book club earlier. "I''ve never watched it."


    Zach felt like facepalming himself. He remembered her telling him about this and he had nned to watch it with her one day. Now that they''re together, there''s a lot he forgot to do. Amy noticed the frown on his face and touched his arm earning his attention.


    "Everything okay?" She asked.


    "Mm. Nothing to worry about", he assured her with a kiss before looking for the movie.


    As the movie started, Zach stacked up pillows against the headboard and let her lean on it as they both sat watching it. She leaned into his embrace as she watched the movie.


    "Snacks would be perfect right now", she said in a small voice.


    "Do you want to remain awake all night?" Zach scolded.


    "No, sir."


    He kissed the top of her head. "Good girl."


    One movie turned into two. Cupcake had long calmed down but the two had lost their sleep. They simply enjoyed being in each other''spany as they watched the movie. Zach especially enjoyed thements Amy made in between the movies. She had turned into a movie critic and would point out things that didn''t make sense.


    It was veryte into the night that they finally fell asleep. That led to them sleeping in when the next day arrived. Even Zach skipped his training with his men. Amy was also enjoying the sleep when their phones started to ring, one after the other.


    ? The ringing was an irritating sound to Amy that she grumbled in her sleep. "Zachery.."


    "I''ve got it", he answered with a groan, reaching out to his nightstand.


    The call ended just when he had picked up the phone. Sleep quickly disappeared when he saw more than ten missed calls from Xavier and George. He suddenly started to have a bad feeling when George called again.


    "George", he acknowledged.


    "Sir, it''s Xavier. Something happened."

 Chapter 212 Airing Their Dirty Laundry

    The morning sun illuminated on Nicole''s face. She groaned and winced as she squeezed her eyes shut even more.


    "Wake up", Ne called out as she finished drawing the curtains open.


    Nicole turned on her side and opened her eyes to see her best friend walking towards her. Ne had her brows furrowed as she watched Nicole slowly sit up. Thetter groaned as she held the back of her head.


    "Ugh! What happened?" Nicole groaned at the pounding ache of her head.


    Ne got her a ss of water and pushed painkillers into her hand. She shook her head as she said, "I guess you don''t remember."


    "Why? Did I do something?" She asked hastily as she put away the half empty ss. Ne shook her head refusing to speak but Nicole only grew more curious. "Tell me. What happened?"


    "Just don''t ask. Be d you don''t remember", Ne steeled her expression.


    "Ne."


    "You went to Xavier''s ce."


    "And? Did I do something?" She asked fearfully. A bad feeling started to bloom in her heart.


    "You made a ruckus begging him to take you back and that you were wrong but then you had a big fight, it got really messy. I know you want to work things out with him but he''s moved on and you showing up at his ce just irritated him. He said girls like you need to know your ce and he''d be d to show you."


    "Girls like me?" Tears were streaming down her face as she listened to this. She was in disbelief. "What does that mean?"


    "Nicole, Xavier is the jerk we''ve always known him to be. It''s just unfortunate you fell for his charms", Ne sighed at this as her face fell into a troubled expression. "I shouldn''t have put you up to this. Now look at the mess you''re in."


    Nicole cried silent tears. Her heart ached learning of the previous night''s happenings. Was Xavier really like this? Or did she just choose to be blind because she genuinely thought he had really fallen for her?


    Ne wiped her tears and cupped her cheeks. "Go and bath. I''ll make you something to eat and we can stay in and do nothing all day. Go on."


    She helped her out of bed and Nicole went to shower. Ne went to the living room and turned on the television as she walked to the kitchen to get breakfast started. The morning news had started as she hummed to a tune, looking through the fridge.


    Nicole felt exhausted as she stood in the shower letting the hot water ease her aching muscles. She could not believe things had progressed to this. She knew she wasn''t that great to Xavier on purpose but she didn''t think he would hate her to that extend.


    "Aaaaaarrrrrgggghhh!"


    She snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of Ne''s shriek. She quickly turned off the shower and threw on a towel before rushing to the kitchen.


    "What happened?" Nicole''s heart was pounding hard as she looked at a horrified Ne. Thetter could only point at the television as words failed her. Following her line of sight, Nicole gasped when she saw what was on.


    "That''s.... That''s.... Is this..... Is this what he meant by showing me my ce? By exposing such a photo of us?" Nicole managed to find her voice. The news was about a certain C.E.O of a certain corporation also known as the sex god and his now ex-girlfriend''s sex photos leaked to the media.


    "Isn''t that the hotel he took you to when you reunited at the airport? It can''t be... Do you think he nned this? How many more of these pictures do you think he has?" The anger on Ne''s face evidently grew from this thought.<sub> </sub>


    The photo trending on the news was of Xavier taking her from behind with her breasts pressed to the window. Their faces were blurred but just from the build, anyone who knew them could tell it was them.


    "That''s not.... He wouldn''t have done this..."


    "Nicole!" Ne shouted in frustration. "The proof is right there! What more do you want? He doesn''t want you! If he''s willing to go as far as airing your dirtyundry for the world to see, then I don''t know!"


    Nicole feel silent as the weight of ne''s words sunk in, taking her heart along with them. She suddenly left for her bedroom. She quickly threw on her clothes and rushed out of the house. Ne slummed the kitchen count.


    "There she goes again", she sighed before following her out.


    At Xavier''s ce


    "Let go if you don''t want to lose your jobs! Let go!" Xavier screaming in obvious rage.


    He was being restrained by his bodyguards from going out of the house. The news had obviously reached him and he was furious.


    "Please sir, cooperate with us", his bodyguards'' team lead pleaded with him.


    "I said let go! I need to see that bitch! She needs to know her ce! Let go!"


    "Xavier!" George hurried in and stopped where he was. "Your identies have not been confirmed. If you go out there, you will be giving them the answer and making things worse."


    Xavier scoffed as he stopped struggling. "Not confirmed? Anyone can guess that the news is about me! Fuck!" He released himself from the men and paced around the room. He run his hand through his hair in frustration. "Was breaking up with me not enough? What the hell does she want? What kind of luck is this? What on Earth have I done to deserve all this?"


    George felt bad when he saw Xavier slump ok the chair. His phone suddenly vibrated and immediately answered when he saw it was Zach.


    "Sir."


    "Have you taken any measures from our side?" He asked in a cold tone. George could tell the man was angry.


    "Not yet. I''m still waiting to hear orders from you, sir."


    "Okay. Is Xavier with you? Pass the phone to him."


    ? George did as told and Xavier received it. He had felt his energy deplete from being thrown into such a situation.


    "This is not something you should get riled up about", Zach stated as a matter of fact. He sounded calm and collected.


    "But..."


    "You have nothing to worry about. Come home."

 Chapter 213 Henry Decided To Live An Honest Life

    Xavier was quick on his feet as he went to his room to pack his clothes. Ding! His phone chimed from his pocket. He ignored the notifications until it started ringing. When he saw the caller ID, he let out a chuckle and shook his head in disbelief.


    ''She dares to call me? After what she''s done? She''s really calling me'', he mused with a humorless chuckle.


    The phone was taken away from his hand. Xavier watched George shut it down before stuffing it into his pocket. Xavier exhaled sharply.


    "Thanks man." That call was taunting him to answer and chaos would have easily been unleashed.


    George patted his shoulder in response. "Ready?"


    "Mm-hm."


    The two men left the house with their bodyguards protecting them. Reporters had already crowded outside his gate premises shouting and clicking their cameras to get an interview from Xavier. All they got were three ck SUVs driving out of the mansion.


    At Zach''s house


    Amy and Ste were in the kitchen making breakfast. Although Ste had not gotten the news, she had sensed that something was wrong and curiosity was gnawing at her. Amy let out a soft chuckle when she sensed this.


    "What?" Ste asked from where she was seated.


    "Ask away", Amy said from where she stood.


    The two were preparing an English breakfast though most of the work was done by Amy. Unlike Ste, she could move around while Ste opted to prep the ingredients and ting each time Amy was done preparing something.


    "Is it alright if I know?" Ste asked.


    Amy nodded. The whole world knew about it so it was pointless to keep Ste in the dark as she would eventually find out anyway.


    "Zachery''s brother has been pulled into a scandal", Amy said.


    "Is it this one?" Ste held up her phone and showed Amy the picture who nodded. "Wow!"


    "I know. He''s quite upset", Amy said with a sigh. She turned from the stove and stretched out her hand towards Ste. "Can you pass...."


    Amy saw Ste moving her fingers on the screen in a zoom in and out motion. "Ste!"


    "I just want to see the tattoo on his chest", Ste said in defense as she reluctantly put down her phone.


    "Sure. Sure."


    "No, seriously. I was really looking at the tattoo", Ste said. "Come and have a look."


    Amy huffed out a breath before walking over to stand next to Ste. She stood with her hand on her waist as she looked at Xavier''s tattoo.


    "It''s interesting, isn''t it?" Ste zoomed in admiring the ck ink that had spread from his shoulder to his left breast.


    Someone cleared their throat making the two women almost jump out of their shoes. Amy spun around and saw Zach standing at the door with his arms crossed against his chest and his brows furrowed in displeasure.


    "Babe..... I swear I-I was only looking at his tattoo", Amy stuttered. Zach only exhaled softly, there was no change in his demeanor. Amy panicked as she continued to exin herself. "I really was just looking at his chest tattoo... I didn''t see anything else."


    "Just stop talking dear. Even I don''t believe you", Ste quietly said as she put away the phone. Amy''s jaw dropped as she looked at the woman in evident betrayal.


    "His chest tattoo?" Zach asked with an evident frown and Amy nodded vigorously.


    "That''s all I saw, I promise."


    Zach fell quiet and Amy carefully watched his contemtive gaze. Ste felt bad for Amy, she had gotten her in trouble. Amy, not wanting to be the focus anymore, decided to change the subject. "How''s the analysis going?"


    "Slow but we should get something", he said as he walked over to her side.


    "I could-"


    "No." He would not give her the chance. Not in this life. Amy nodded, not wanting to push his buttons. "You shoulde and sit down, let the kitchen finish up."


    "We''re almost done here. Don''t worry", Amy said.


    Edmund appeared at the kitchen door. "Sir, Masters Xavier and George are here."


    Zach nodded and Amy went on to speak. "Edmund, get the girls to set the table."


    "Yes, ma''am", he said politely before leaving.<sub> </sub>


    Zach waited for Amy and Ste to finish up before he left for the dining with them. Zach gave his brother a side hug and a strong pat on his shoulder. He exchanged a strong hand shake with George before they all sat down. Amy and Ste had prepared a lot of food.


    "You must be Ste and Richard. I''m sorry we had to meet like this", Xavier apologized.


    "Don''t worry, dear. Just eat your food, gain enough strength to get through this", Ste said gently and Richard nodded in agreement.


    "Thank you", Xavier rxed.


    He was relieved that they were not judging him. And Ste''s maternal instincts had kicked in when she saw how disturbed he was. She served more food on his te and gave him a warm smile in response to Xavier''s grateful one. She did the same to everyone as Henry and Victoria walked in. Thetter went to Xavier''s side and hugged him.


    "Are you alright?" She asked worriedly.


    "I will be", he answered.


    Henry went to give him a strong pat on his shoulder while Victoria went to sit next to Ste and he sat next to his wife. The couple exchanged greetings with everyone while the maids served them their breakfast. While they silently ate, Victoria felt a hand caress her thigh.


    "Stop it", she hissed in a whisper.


    "I''m not doing anything", Henry denied though he continued to do so.


    "Do you want us to get caught?" She snapped as she peeled his hand away.


    "Is everything okay?" Xavier asked looking at them along with everyone.


    Zach felt a headacheing on but he simply decided to focus on his meal. Xavier saw how weirdly his parents were behaving and Victoria was not wearing her usual frown whenever Henry was around. He thought it was because of Richard and Ste but seeing them like this told him a different story.


    "Yeah, everything is fine. It''s no-"


    "We had sex!" Henry blurted out making Ste and Amy choke on their food. Victoria gasped from her husband''s bluntness and he was not done. "Three times this morning."


    "Aish!" Victoria burried her heated face in her hands before looking at Henry with a re.


    "I''ll never hide things from my family again. I decided to live an honest life so there you have it", Henry said proudly.


    "Don''t you think.... you''re being too honest?" Victoria said through gritted teeth and he simply shrugged before sipping on his coffee.


    "Xavier...Zach..." Victoria started with a worries look. Their response was a raise of their hands showing they didn''t want to have anything to do with their drama.


    Zach passed a ss of water to his wife to help her calm down and she gratefully took it. Amy could never get used to these adult''s bluntness while Zach''s expression was impassive as though he had not witnessed this shocking moment.


    The rest of the breakfast went silently and the family decided to rest in the living room. George received a message and after reading it, he turned on the TV. Everyone watched as Nicole''s crying face appeared on the screen.


    "Isn''t that your ce?" Victoria asked, finding the background familiar.


    "It is", Xavier responded in annoyance. If not for Zach, he would have been pulled into that scene.


    Nicole: "All I did was love him, that''s the only crime Imitted. And all rtionships have their ups and downs. Some fight through them while others end. And ours was no exception. When things ended, I thought we still had a chance but I didn''t know he would do this? Why did you chase after me if it was supposed to be a one night affair? Why make me fall for you if this is all I meant to you? Why would you do this to me? Why-"


    Zach took the remote and turned off the news. Everyone in the Frost family was angry. Victoria scoffed when she saw this.


    "Is this who she really is? All my son did was be good to her! Why is she turning things around when she was the one that exposed that picture of them", Victoria huffed out a breath in annoyance as she crossed her arms against her chest.


    "We need to fix this before it impacts our stock prices", George said as he looked between Xavier and Zach.


    "Where does your shoulder tattoo end?" Zach suddenly asked Xavier. Amy looked at her man and now understood the gaze he gave her earlier in the kitchen.


    Everyone: "..."


    "My tattoo?" Xavier''s brows rose in confusion.


    "Some people may have noticed something", he gave Xavier meaningful gaze at the same not exposing his wife and mother inw.


    "Uh... Right here", he pointed at his area close to his cor bone.


    "Huh? Not till here?" Ste exposed herself by pointing at her left breast but quickly realized her mistake. She wished she could swallow her words as Richard threw her re. "I was only looking out for him."


    p "Uh-huh."</anda>


    Amy and Zach looked at each other before looking at Xavier. Everyone slowly started to catch onto Zach''s words. Could it really be...? Is it possible that Zach was saying the man in the picture was actually not Xavier....? But the picture.... What is the truth behind this scandal?

 Chapter 214 The Truth About The Scandal 1

    A pleased smile crept up on Ne''s lips as she scrolled through her phone. They were back at Nicole''s ce, thetter was seated on one couchpletely lost in thought.


    "Nicole, check First News Media page. Thement section below your article is crazy!" She said with augh.


    Silence. Neughed again as she entertained herself. Realizing she got no response, she decided to look up only to realize Nicole had spaced out. Her face pulled into a frown when she saw this. She stood to go and sit next to her. Nicole snapped out of her thoughts when she felt the slight dip of the sofa.


    "What''s going on?" Ne nodded at her.


    Nicole briefly fell quiet before answering with a sigh. "It.... It just feels unreal. I never thought I would ever be in this situation."


    "Having regrets?" Ne raised her brows at her.


    "No. No", she quickly denied with a wave of her hands. "Look, I know I was hang up on Xavier but this situation has just made me realize that we were never meant to be. Him and I... we value different things."


    "Good. I''m d this has served as an eye-opener for you. But, as much as it''s a nasty situation to be caught in, you''re actually helping quite a lot of people."


    Nicole was surprised and her interest was piqued. "How?"


    Ne took her phone to show her. "First News Media published an article based on the interview you had. Many girls who have been wronged by Xavier are leavingmentsmending how brave you are for speaking up and not shying away from the rich and mighty."


    Nicole took the phone and was rendered speechless as she scrolled through thements. Many of them were indeed of Xavier''s past one nighters. Women who wanted more after sleeping with him and he not giving in to that. Nicole felt bitterness in her heart seeing the many ''victims'' of the sex god known as Xavier.


    Still, she couldn''t believe it. She had gone to Xavier''s seeking for answers as to why he would do such a thing but instead, she came face to face with the media. She had her little emotional outburst right there hence the now circting video. Ne was pleased to see this.


    Ding!


    ID star*****: Don''t waste your energy here. Go to Frost Corp web page. That''s where the real sh*t is at.


    Ne took the phone and didn''t waste a second to go there. Both the girls'' jaws dropped open.


    ID dog*****: Xavier! Exin yourself!


    ID soul*****: Such a person without morals should not be in such a high position! Xavier resign!


    ID tan****: Tag the human rightsmission! They should serve justice to Nicole.


    ID E****: Justice for Nicole!!


    "Wow", Ne mumbled.


    The issue had blown up to this extend. Nicole was just feeling touched when some negativements crept up onto the section too.


    ID sash****: Xavier has never mistreated a woman before. I believe there''s a reasonable exnation behind all this ruckus.


    ID oni*****: Xavier is usually in the spotlight and you''ve seen how he treats his mother. So why would he do something that would degrade a woman? You guys haven''t heard the other side of the story and are already making noise!


    ID bigtit*****: Are you sure it''s not Nicole who leaked the picture? And her tits are not that great! Nicole, Xavier ALLOWED you to be with him. Don''t be full of yourself and try to drag down a good man like him.<sub> </sub>


    "What are they even saying? They don''t know anything!" Nicole shouted in rage as she made to snatch the phone to reply to Xavier''s supporters.


    "No!" Ne held the phone far from her. "Don''t. You''ll only make yourself look bad. Remember, you already have supporters, let them do that for you."


    They had just finished speaking when Frost Corporation made an announcement on their forum:


    "Tomorrow at 9a.m, there will be a press conference held at the corporation''s hotel. We invite Miss Nicole Oswell to be present so that she may get all the answers she seeks. Thank you."


    Straight to the point. Nicole felt a nervous twist in her stomach when she read this as her heart thudded anxiously. She looked at Ne who gave her a hug.


    "It''s going to be okay. You have nothing to worry about. I''ll be with you, every step of the way", she promised to which Nicole nodded. Ne looked outside and saw the sun setting. "It''s gettingte, do you want me to stay?"


    "No", Nicole answered while breaking the embrace. "I''ll be fine. Go on now."


    Ne assured her once more that things will be okay before taking her leave. Once she was out of the door, a smug smile stretched on her lips. She looked back at the door and scoffed before taking her leave.


    She took a cab right outside Crystal pce and drove home. The announcement F.C made unfazed her. They focused on Nicole alone. And she had taken a gamble to expose herself during Nicole''s interview. Seeing as nobody, Xavier to be specific, reached out to her, that means he didn''t remember her and no one knew she had a hand in this. A dirty little hand.


    When she got home, her messy apartment awaited her. She had not had time to clean it before she got stuck at Nicole''s. She sighed when she saw the mess.


    "No", she muttered as she decided to ignore the mess, go shower and rx in bed. Little did she know that this mess, served as an advantage to a certain someone.


    The next day arrived


    Nicole was dressed in a ck pant suit matched with a white shirt and ck stilettos. Ne was dressed in ck dress that fell to her mid- thighs with sandal heels. Both girls wore their hair up with Nicole using that as an advantage to expose her eyes that had grown puffy from crying.


    They arrived together at the hotel. Reporters were at the entrance taking pictures of the two girls. They walked hand in hand as they were shown to the conference room chosen.


    Other reporters were already inside waiting for the people to arrive. The girls had arrived at nine on the dot and we''re shown to a table were they sat together. They acted unfazed as cameras flushed and shattered in their faces.


    Frost Corporation had announced the press conference would start at 9, yet they were nowhere in sight. Murmurs began to echo in the room as ten minutes went by. Ten minutes became fifteen, twenty, thirty.


    "Where are they? Is it because they have no way to get out of this that they are stalling?"


    "Where is Xavier? Someone call the staff tomunicate with him!"


    "We have better things to do!"


    Better things to do? Everyonw knew how false this was. The current story was the better thing to do than what they had. Forty five minutester, and the doors swung open.


    Ne and Nicole held their breaths as they awaited to see the man himself only to see... A middle aged man in a ck suit walking in with a team of bodyguards. He was escorted to the front and he quickly went to the podium.


    "You''ve made us wait for forty five minutes! You think we don''t have anything better to do?" Some reporter from the front shouted.


    The man''s brows furrowed in displeasure. He looked to the bodyguards as he pointed at the reporter. "This gentleman has better things to do than the rest of us. Kindly show him out."

 Chapter 215 The Truth About The Scandal 2

    "Wait- I need the story. Wait!" The reporter''s cries fell on deaf ears as two bodyguards carried him out.


    "Anyone else who shares his sentiments, please feel free, the door is open", he gestured at the two wooden doors with his hand. The murmurs quickly quieted down. And the man exhaled softly as he looked at the audience with a sharp gaze.


    "My name is Chris Gnash. I am one of the legal representatives of Frost Corporation. First of all, I would like to thank you for your patience. I had an urgent matter that needed my attention and thus dyed me. I apologise for this."


    He moved from the podium and gave a polite bow to the press before going back. He fixed his mic and proceeded to speak. "On behalf of Frost Corporation, I would like to wee you all to our press conference where we might not necessarily answer all of Miss Oswell''s questions, but she''ll still get answers. And you brought your friend along, good."


    No one noticed as guilt shed on Ne''s face before it quickly disappeared as one reporter raised his hand up. "Is Xavier Frost not joining us?"


    "I''ll take questions right after", he said, shutting him up. Everyone felt the man was not to be trifled with seeing how he dealt with the other reporter.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, were here today to address the issue that''s been in talks. I won''t bother recounting the events but I''ll get straight to the point. Yes, Mr. Frost and Miss Nicole were in a rtionship for three months."


    Nicole nodded at this in confirmation. Typing sounds were heard as the reporters jotted down the details.


    "Yes, a photo was leaked to the media of Miss Nicole caught in an intimate position. But I''m here to tell you that the release of the photo had nothing to do with Mr. Frost."


    "Lies!" Nicole shouted as she abruptly stood up from her seat! She looked at the man with an using gaze.


    "Miss Oswell, this is my time to speak and not yours. Please respect yourself. And my profession does not allow me to speak things without substance or evidence."


    So that means there was evidence? What is the truth behind this scandal? Nicole reluctantly sat back down before Chris continued.


    "We saw the photo and we had professionals analyze it. It turns out, it is genuine. There was no sign of it being tampered with except the blurring of the faces. When we recovered it, this was the result."


    The technicians pulled up the photo showing the faces of the people in the picture. However,


    "Yes. This hardly rifies anything because as you can see, the man is looking away from the camera almost as if... on purpose."


    Murmurs burst in the quiet room. Chris looked at Nicole and saw conflict on her features. What was he implying?


    "I didn''t cheat on Xavier!" She burst out.


    "Miss Oswell!" He shouted making her shut up. "As I was saying, we wanted to find out who this mysterious person ruining Mr. Frost''s reputation like this! The footage you''re about to see will answer you."<sub> </sub>


    Everyone was silent as a CCTV footage was pulled up and yed. There in front of Crystal pce is Nicole seen running out and Ne hot on her heels. Thetter had a bottle in her hand and she hit the back of Nicole''s head with it, rendering her unconscious.


    A man with a tall build, blond hair and muscr like Xavier, came over to carry the unconscious Nicole. Another footage shows Ne along with the man carrying Nicole entering the hotel. Another footage showed Ne walking back out and the video ends there.


    "I have to apologize, the footage you''re about to see is not suitable for the underaged. Please be mindful when broadcasting this!" Chris cautioned them before they resumed ying a video.


    Right in the video is the man pausing as Xavier screwing Nicole against the window. They both looked like they were enjoying this. But what puzzled almost everyone was how the video was taken. Another video yed showing Ne at a caf¨¦ opposite the hotel with a controller. She was controlling a drone. The video came to an end with everyone left to piece things together.


    "I believe you have your answers. Are there any questions?" Chris asked.


    Silence. Everyone was too shocked and frozen to speak. Satisfied with their reaction, he decided to end the press conference.


    "Well then, that ends our Press conference. Thank you for sparing your time to listen to our side. All those that defamed Mr. Frost shall be hearing from our team, from those posting nastyments online to you Miss Ne Campbell. That is all. Thank you."


    As soon as he stepped down from the podium, Nicole had been snapped out of her trance and finally reacted. Rage was evident on her features as she jumped on Ne!


    "You bitch! You set me up!" She screeched as she tore at her.


    "No! I can exin!" Ne tried only to be silenced with Nicole''s hits.


    "What''s there to exin? How! Could! You! Do! This! To me!" She tore Ne''s dress exposing her naked tits to the world!


    "Nicole! Don''t do this", Ne cried but it fell on deaf ears!


    Nicole stopped and scoffed at her, "You exposed my nudity to the world, well today you will have a taste of your own medicine!"


    "Wait-"


    Sound of material being torn echoed in the room along with people''s murmurs and snapping of pictures. Nicole was full rage and adrenaline as she mercilessly hit her and tore away her clothes. All her humiliation, everything..... Oh she was mad! The reporters wanted to break the fight but Chris signaled his bodyguards to reatrain them and let the women humiliate each other. Seeing as Chris was sort of free with less bodyguards surrounding him, a reporter took a chance and stepped forward to ask a curious question.


    "Why did Xavier Frost not show up today?"


    Chris scoffed, "Mr. Frost is a busy man. He can not be bothered to deal with such trivial matters."

 Chapter 216 A Sad Truth

    The day had been long especially for Xavier. The table echoed with cutlery as the whole family ate in silence. The issue was finally over but everyone worried about how Xavier had been affected. The man was eating but his thoughts had wondered off. He let out a sigh and snapped out of his reverie. The food was no longer appealing to him.


    "Excuse me", he said while dropping his fork back on the te.


    Before anyone could give a response, Xavier had already stood up to go away from the table. Victoria sighed with worry when she saw thia. Hurried footsteps approached the table.


    "Excuse Master Xavier", Edmund called out, earning his attention. He appeared troubled before he spoke. "Sir..... Miss Oswell is causing quite a ruckus outside the gate. She''s demanding to see you."


    "How dare she?" Victoria mmed the table angrily.


    Xavier scoffed. "You interrupted a family dinner for something like this? And where does she think this ce is to act like that?"


    "My apologies, sir", Edmund gave a polite bow and went on his way as Xavier did his.


    He had understood Xavier''s message. Knowing she was no longer someone the family was friendly with, he could deal with Nicole as he seemed fit. Ste shook her head, the woman was too troublesome. Zach watched his brother''s retreating back. He may have seemed unfazed but Zach knew, this had affected Xavier more than he let on.


    Zach felt a soft handnd on top of his and give it a gentle squeeze. He looked at his wife''s sympathizing gaze and gave a small smile as he caressed her hand with his thumb. Amy was also worried.


    Meanwhile, Xavier had just gotten in to his room when his phone started ringing. Ignoring it, he went on to lie down on the bed. He sighed as he rested a hand on his head. The phone stopped ringing and immediately started again. He brought up his phone and stared at the caller ID.


    He caressed the power button as he fell in thought. He didn''t want to have anything to do with Nicole, that was clear, but he needed to tell her off; for good. With a swipe of a finger, he answered.


    "Xavier!" She cried out before he could say a word. "I''m outside your brother''s ce. These people won''t allow me in. Tell them to let me in ore out so we can talk."


    "Did you forget whose ce this is?" He questioned with no sign of warmth in his tone making her briefly go silent. And why would he go out? He would be a fool to meet her whilst in the middle of the scandal. He didn''t want another misleading article to be published about him. It was bas enough he was implicated.


    "Xavier we need to talk", she pleaded.


    "What''s there to talk about?" He arched his brow as though she could see him.


    "Ne put me up to this! I should have known that you turned her down because of me! And she drugged me and-and let that man have his way with me.... She hated us being together. I should have known that she wanted you for herself. I shouldn''t have mistreated you! I should have been good to you! I should have never listened to her!"


    "In the end, it was still a choice you made", he voiced his disappointment.


    "Xavier..... I....."


    "So it''s not clear to you that you''re equally responsible for the ending of our rtionship?"<sub> </sub>


    "I''m sorry", she whispered as she broke into a sob. "It won''t happen again! I won''t let anything elsee between us. Please Xavier. Don''t let this be the end of us. Please. I can''t live without you", she pleaded in between her cries. "Please don''t do this.


    "Nicole", he started with an exhausted voice. His tone was heavy with emotion as he threw her a question that threw her off. "ming your friend is one thing, but isn''t it my past that bothers you the most?"


    She fell quiet and realized that when she said those hurtful words to him, he had seen how sincere she was with that statement. So why get back into a rtionship when his past will just fuel her insecurities?


    He terminated the call, blocked her and deleted the contact. He threw the phone beside him and exhaled deeply as he closed his eyes. On the other hand, Nicole retreated home with a strong resolve that she could still get back with him. He just needed time to recover from this mess.


    Little did she know, Xavier hadpletely erased her from his life, just like that. A knock was heard before the door was pushed open. He opened his eyes to see Zach leaning against one side of the door frame with his hands stuffed in his pockets.


    "You heard everything?" Xavier asked as he sat up.


    Zach nodded, not bothering to deny his guilt. "How are you?"


    He sighed, "It''s exhausting.... It doesn''t feel too great to be in the limelight for such a reason. On one hand I feel sorry for her but at the same time I feel relieved that I no longer have anything to do with her."


    "I guess now you got your answer."


    Xavier briefly fell quiet until he understood Zach''s statement. "I never loved her", he said in realization. He shook his head and chuckled, "It''s sad."


    "Don''t be in a hurry to look. Your time wille", he advised.


    Xavier nodded before he proceeded to speak. "Thank you..... man, for everything."


    Zach shook his head in response. "I came to tell you that you should take some time off from work."


    "No.... I''ll go."


    "I wasn''t asking. Take some time off. As long as you need. Alright?" His tone was authoritative but Xavier knew this was our of care.


    "Okay. Thanks man."


    Zach nodded and turned to leave when he stopped to say one more thing. "Hey, you''ll be okay."

 Chapter 217 Zach And Amy Think Alike

    Xavier trusted those words as he nodded before the two said their good nights. Hey back down in bed unwinding from the day''s activities. Two days felt like an eternity ever since that photo was leaked. Ne was good. She had fooled him too. He shook his head at this.


    The days that followed seems as if the world had quieted down after the scandal had been resolved. Chris dealt with Ne along with the man she had hired. He made sure to inform Xavier of this.


    The said man had been indoors. Though he took time off from work, it didn''t mean he couldn''t work from home. Victoria and Henry had returned to their home. Amy continued with her job of monitoring things. That''s all that she could currently do rted to the case.


    "Amy?" Richard called our after a knock.


    She turned her head to look at him. She was in the sunroom on her usual seat with herputer on herp. Whilst monitoring, she also dealt with jobs that clients had thrown her way to pass the time.


    "Hey", she smiled. He subconsciously looked over at herptop screen to see a program she was running. He tilted his head and furrowed his brows in confusion. She chuckled softly. "Work."


    "Nora told me about you but now that I''m seeing this in action...." He whistled in admiration as he walked over and she giggled. "So I guess you had a hand in helping out with the issue?"


    "Nope", she grumbled aint.


    "Oh? But everything was done so quickly and efficiently."


    "Zachery had his people handle that. Apparently, he didn''t want me to look at other men", she huffed.


    Richard broke into an amused chuckle when he saw the cute pout on her face. Another manlyugh echoed from behind them as Xavier walked.


    "Yeah. That sounds like him", Xavier said with augh.


    Amy feigned an expression as though she had been wronged. It was only work and she would be helping her brother-inw but Zach refused. It was bad enough she took a peak of the man''s shoulder when he didn''t even bother to look at the picture itself.


    "Alright, kiddo. No need to sulk. Hmmmm", he looked at the time on his wrist watch. "I have to leave. Ste should be ready by now."


    "You''re leaving?" Xavier''s brows lifted in surprise. He looked at Amy worriedly before looking back at Richard. "So soon?"


    Richard chuckled, "We''re still around. Zach actually helped us book an appointment with a physiotherapist for Ste''s hip. Ste asked me to xome get you to walk us out but... You won''t be getting up from there anytime soon now, will you?"


    Amy gave a sheepish smile as a response. Richard nodded as he bent down to kiss the top of her head, "I''lle up with something."


    "You''re the best", Amy said with a happy smile.


    "Later kiddo. I''ll see youter Xavier", he said as he walked out and they waved at him.


    Xavier stretched out his legs on the sofa to lie down and enjoy the warmth of the sun with his eyes closed. Amy exhaled softly when she saw his serene expression. She had barely seen him around the house the past few days. Zach had assured her that he would be alright, but you never know.


    "I thought Zach doesn''t want you looking at other men", he drawled.<sub> </sub>


    "I wasn''t looking", she guiltily drove her gaze back to herptop.


    "You can ask", he said, all the joking in his tone gone.


    "How are you doing?" She asked.


    "Can I ask you something instead?" He opened his eyes and sat up to face her. "I want your opinion as a woman."


    Amy nodded and put away herptop. "Sure."


    "Mmmmmm... What was your opinion about me when this issue blew up? Especially concerning my past."


    "Your past?" She was confused.


    "Being a one-nighter", he rified.


    "Oh. What about that?" She asked, still confused.


    "Did you not start to see me... differently?" He asked with care. He knew there were a lot of hatefulments made although Chris had resolved it all.


    "Being honest", she started with a serious face, making him nervous. "All I see is a man who had not yet found what he was looking for and when he thought he did, he was disappointed."


    "Really?" He was not convinced by her statement. It was almost as if she was trying to make him feel better.


    "Xavier, I''m very picky about the people I let into my life. If there was something I didn''t like about you, you would know. I may be quiet but I speak when I need to. ..... I think I should rephrase my question. What are you worried about?"


    "Nicole..... She said something about not trusting me because of my past.... It''s been.... bothering me", he forced a small smile. "I may not have wanted something serious in the past, but when I saw how the love between you and my brother grew, it made me want something like that for me too. And yes, I thought I found it with Nicole but....."


    "Thw nasty drama that came with Nicole does not determine the end of your love life. Zachery and I..... You know our story..... It all just happened. Sometimes..... Love finds you when you''re not even looking. What you need right now is not to worry over this, but a break. Like a breather. From all of this."


    He nodded then chuckled, "You and Zach think the same way."


    "Really?" Amy chuckled as she found this amusing.


    She had advised something a little simr to what Zach said a few days back. They were really on the same page on certain matters and he admired this about them.


    He sighed and rxed back in his seat. He indeed needed the break. Even though he was working from home, his mind could not help but drift off to Nicole''s hurtful words. But what Amy just said, he wanted to trust her. However, with his luck with love... would he ever find that ONE?

 Chapter 218 Stellas Fear Of Amys Involvement

    "You might feel pain around your pelvic region. This is normal. Just take deep breaths and rx into the stretch", theputerized yoga instructor''s voice echoed through the speakers in the gym.


    Amy did as told, letting out a deep breath and rxed with her eyes closed. The seconds ticked by as she remained in that position. She was seated upright on a chair, her right ankle resting on her left knee, and her hands raised.


    "Well done. That''s it for today. Remember to drink lots of water and...."


    Amy let out a sigh as she used her hands to put her leg down. She took a water bottle beside the foot of the chair and gulped down a good amount. A maid who was standing by the door went to turn off the sound system before going to help Any up.


    "It''s okay", Amy said with a groan as she slowly stood up.


    The girl followed her behind. Zach had instructed, through Edmund, that Amy should not be left alone especially during this time. Someone should always be with her, just in case.


    When they reached her room, the girl remained at the door while Amy went on to shower and change into a floral sundress leaving her blond hair to fall freely. She felt hungry after her exercise session and took the stairs going down to find something in the kitchen.


    The front door mmed close. Her face lit up when she saw Richard and Ste walking in.


    "Wee back", Amy said to them when she reached the foot of the stairs.


    "Thanks kiddo", Richard answered while his wife nodded before taking the stairs, going up to their room.


    Amy''s brows rose at Richard in question. "Everything okay? Did something happen at the hospital?"


    He sighed and shook his head. Ste''s heels echoed as she ascended the stairs in her crutches. When she reached their room, she set them aside and changed into somefortable clothes before getting under the sheets.


    Thinking back to what happened at the hospital, she sighed feeling embarrassed. She pulled up the sheets and decided to sleep it off. But her phone started ring. She groaned as she reached for it from her night stand. Without even looking, she swiped to answer and ce to her ear.


    "Hello?" Her voice was hoarse but it was still audible.


    "I''d rather see your face than your ear my dear Mrs. Thornton", Nora''s sweet voice resounded from the phone.


    "Huh?" Ste retracted the phone and soon faced the camera to see her daughter''s beautiful face. "Oh."


    "What''s wrong with your voice?" Nora asked worriedly. Ste was silent, unable to bring herself to speak. But of course, Nora guessed it and hardly suppressed augh as she asked, "Did you cry again during your physiotherapy? This time seems a little worse."


    "Is this why you called?" Ste''s annoyance was disyed by her face.


    "Of course not", she deepened her voice mimicking Ste''s.


    "I''ll hang up!"


    "Alright! Alright! I''m sorry!" She said in betweenughter and calmed herself down before continuing to speak in seriousness. "Lily was here."


    Ste sat up at this as she grew alert. She felt her heart skip a bit and a nervous twist in her stomach. "What did she want?"


    "She said it''s aboutst time."<sub> </sub>


    Ste rolled her eyes and sighed. "Tell her I''m not interested."


    "Mm. Oh! And she asked where you were? I told her you were referred to a city hospital for treatment. I did good, didn''t I?" She had a sweet smile on as she sought for praises and Ste nodded at this. A glint of mischief shed in Nora''s eyes as she took the opportunity to make a special request. "So..... I was wondering..... Since I did so well...."


    "It better not be about Amy", she warned with a deadly re.


    "Mooooom!" She whined. "I just need to see her...."


    "How can I stand by and let you ruin her rtionship?"


    "I wouldn''t be ruining it, I''d be fixing it. Don''t deprive them of what they need: ME!" She emphasized with a pat of her chest.


    Ste didn''t waste a second and ended the video call. "Just whose child is she?" She grumbled in annoyance. A knock was heard and she answered after clearing her throat. "Yes?"


    A maid opened the door from the outside giving way to the heavily pregnant Amy. Thetter had a tray in her hand with a bowl of soup. Amy smiled at Ste who was watching her while putting away her phone.


    "I made a little something for you. Chicken noodle soup", Amy said as she set it down on the night stand.


    "Oh dear! You shouldn''t have", Ste frowned while Amy shook her head in response. "Thank you."


    "No. Give it try. Careful, it''s hot", she reminded as she sat down on the edge of the bed.


    Ste picked up the tray and set it on herp, twirled a bite, blew on it and had a taste. She hummed in appreciation as she brought the bowl to her mouth and sipped on the soup. Amy was happy to see this. For someone who was a better cook than her to react this way, it made her heart swell with pride.


    Amy watched the older woman''s expression. Although she was enjoying it, her face soon turned into a troubled expression. Amy could guess it was not the soup. Then...


    "You don''t have to be embarrassed. Physiotherapy is never not painful", she sympathized.


    Ste awkwardly chuckled softly as she twirled another bite. "It''s not that.....", She smacked her lips and looked up at Amy. Thetter could now see that the older woman was curious about something, and probably debating whether to ask or not.


    "Was there something you wanted to know?" Amy gently asked.


    "Well..... Hmmmmm.... Dear, you remember my cousin Lily?" Ste started and Amy nodded right away. The former exhaled softly as she rested the fork in her bowl. "Well. She said something about a changeing into..... you know? You don''t.... happen to have a hand in that now, do you?"


    "Uh..... I''m not sure to what extend but I would be lying if I say no."


    "Amy", Ste frowned at this. "I don''t know what your story is but you shouldn''t get involved with that kind of..... world. It''s dirty, disgusting, and most of all dangerous. Think of yourself, your future with Zach, and the baby", Ste caressed Amy''s stomach. Though she was looking at the baby bump, Ste had spaced out as though she was recalling a far away memory. "Those people..... They have no regard and show no mercy to such innocence."


    p Amy looked down at her belly before looking at Ste''s face. Thetter''s brows had knitted together in displeasure. This got Amy curious with one question in mind that she decided to voice out. She swallowed a hard lump, knowing she would be touching on a sensitive subject.</anda>


    "What happened..... for you to leave?"

 Chapter 219 Stella Tells Her Past

    Amy bit her lower lip as she carefully watched Ste. Her heart was thudding a little too fast. Did she make a mistake? Should she have not asked? Seeing Ste like this, Amy figured it must have been a horrifying incident that pushed her to leave her home.


    "You don''t have to tell me...", Amy said. Even if she was curious, she was not one to force matters. If Ste was ufortable, that was fine. ''After all..... it has nothing to do with me'', she mused.


    "No dear", Ste shook her head. "But, you might see me differently after this...."


    She had fallen silent because Richard had told her to leave the matter. But even so, she could not help but hope this involved Amy. But, she was afraid of how Amy would react to this but was also curious. A glimmer of hope started to bloom in her heart and that helped her will courage and confidence to retell her past.


    "Was it when Alex was seven or eight..... Richard and I were still in New Jersey by then. As you know, he was truck driver and so he moved around a lot while I was a stay at home mom. He didn''t know I was part of the wolves gang. So while he was away, I''d look after Alex and if I had a job, I would leave her with my mom. Not so great of me as a wife and mother but I just loved the way things were. Everything was perfect, except for my secret, but things were good. That was until the one job we were given. A deal with the dark waters."


    Amy''s heart dropped to her stomach when she heard the name. These guys have really been in the business for a long time. Her attention did not waver as she continued to listen.


    "The King had personallye to the U.S to set up distribution links for their ''products''. In this line of business, one side tends to always have the upper hand so negotiations went on for a few days. During that time, I saw a girl on The King''s side, a teenager about sixteen or seventeen years old. Brte, big and piercing blue eyes, very skinny, but heavily pregnant. She wore a maternity dress but nothing too fancy.


    "I wondered what the girl was doing with such people. Was she the King''s mistress? But she was not treated like one, more like a dog but he kept her by his side still. I was curious. And you know how I get when I''m curious."


    Amy chuckled with her on this. They both knew that Ste would not sleep a wink until she satisfied her curiosity.


    "So, without alerting anyone, I followed the Dark Waters on one night. They had left furiously as they still had not reached an agreement with us. We were quite a big deal by then. I wanted to talk to her, hear her story, maybe help her escape. Before I could reach her, they had boarded their cars and left.


    "Of course, I followed them on my motorbike. It was a very cold night so I threw on a lot of warm clothes. I tailes them from a distance, making sure I blend in with thete night traffic so they don''t detect me.


    "At some point, they took a detour along a road that was surrounded by deserted buildings. I made sure to kill the lights as I followed. They drove for a while until they suddenly stopped. I hid too and waited.


    "Their cars had hidden whatever it is they were doing so I waited. I could feel it in my heart that something was wrong but I just stood there. I had witnessed a lot of bad things but never this. Because when they left, that''s when I learned how cruel humans can be."


    There were tears in her eyes threatening to fall and she wiped them with her hands. Amy had a foreboding feeling. She knew the Dark waters were cruel. Her stomach made an unpleasant twist as she wondered what on Earth they did to that girl. She stood up to get Ste a box of tissues and passed it to her.


    "Thank you", she sniffled and Amy nodded as she paced around the room. "You''ve been sitting for too long."


    "Mm. I need to stretch a little", she said.


    Ste nodded and wiped her tears. She cleared her throat and proceeded with the story. "I waited until all the cars had left and made sure no one else was in aight, before I rushed over."<sub> </sub>


    She shook her head. "A baby. A new born baby girl with a jacket carelessly thrown on top of it was left to die. The girl had given birth and she had been taken with them leaving her child behind. I tore at my shirt and tied up her cut umbilical cord and quickly wrapped her in my jacket.


    "I rushed home, not knowing what to do. I thought no one was watching me but Lily was. It took a lot of convincing for her to help me. That night, Richard found us nursing the baby and I had toe clean. We knew how dangerous it was for us especially with the child.


    "So we went to West Vige, a ce he was already going and we dropped the baby in front of Good Hope orphanage. In fear that it would be tied back to us, we didn''t leave a clue as to who we were or the baby''s story. We just hoped the little one will be safe. When I went back, I learned that the deal had passed. With Richard finding our about my secret life and knowing we would be working with these cruel people, I decided to leave.


    "Lily thought I would die the moment they found out what I did. So she set her eyes on Richard. I used that as a cover for us to leave New Jersey and go to West vige. Although I couldn''t visit the child, staying in the same cityforted my guilty heart. Twenty three yearster, guilt still eats at me."


    Amy stopped and looked at her in shock. "Did you say twenty three years?"


    "Yes dear, twenty three."


    ***


    Amy sighed as she turned in bed to find afortable position as she adjusted the pillows. She hasn''t been able to sleep a wink after hearing Ste''s story. Zach who couldn''t sleep because of Amy, opened his eyes as he pulled her to him.


    "What''s wrong? You haven''t been yourself since I came back", he asked gently.


    "It''s.... It''s something Ste said today", her brows were knitted in confusion.


    "Do you want to talk about it?" He started caressing her hair.


    "It''s a long story", she warned.


    "I''m all ears."


    This she recounted everything the older woman had told her, pouring all her concerns to him. "The number of years could be a coincidence. And I didn''t bother looking much into my background because I thought I was just one of those cases of an abandoned child."


    "Should we look into it again?" He asked.


    "We could.... I''m curious. But what if.....", Amy''s heart was thudding in anxiousness as she voiced this worry. "What if it turns out I''m rted to the Dark Waters?"

 Chapter 220 Xaviers Announcement

    Zach exhaled softly as he took in his appearance through the mirror. He was wearing an ashy gray suit with a white shirt. As he fixed his cufflinks, he could not help but think about the conversation he had with Amy the night before. His brows furrowed, he didn''t want it to get her hopes up only to get disappointed.


    One thing he learned, Amy valued family and the fact that she was separated from her mother..... Zach''s expression grew dark when he thought of the Dark Waters; they needed to be dealt with. He sighed, realizing he had zoned out for too long. He went to his disy cab to pick a tie before going out of the wardrobe.


    He frowned when he saw Amy sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard with a duvet covering her from her belly going down. She also had spaced out, probably lost in thought too. She snapped out of her reverie when she saw him sit opposite her on the edge of the bed.


    He peeled the duvet away to reveal her stomach. With his hands on either side of it, he kissed the top as he spoke to his child.


    "Cupcake, how can I go to work when you and your mommy are like this, hm?" His tone and expression was gentle. Amy reached her hand out to his hair and caressed it.


    "We''re fine", she answered. He wanted to express his doubt when he felt a kick against his right palm. A smile bloomed on his face as she chuckled. "See?"


    He kissed her belly again before sitting up a little straight and gave her his tie. She hooked it around his neck and began to tie the knots. He was watching her concentrative face, it was intriguing to see her so focused.


    "What?" She asked while looking up into his eyes.


    He cupped her chin and caressed it with his thumb. "Are you still worried about what we talked aboutst night?"


    She briefly fell silent then nodded. "To be honest, I''m afraid of what we''ll find. Am I that child or is it someone else? If it''s me, will I like the truth or.... will I regret ever looking into it?" She sighed as she fixed his tie before hooking her arms around his neck. "I can''t help but wonder what happened to my mother that is if I''m that child. How am I connected to an organization that trying to destroy me? What ever it is that we''re going to find, it''s going to define who I am. And I''m afraid of that."


    Zach frowned when he saw the fresh tears brimming in her eyes. He cupped her cheeks and used his thumbs to wipe the fallen tears. "What we''ll find will give you a picture of your beginning, but it won''t define who you are. Who you are is defined by what you''ve be today. And that''s because of the path you paved for yourself despite the hardships that life threw your way. You became Amy Jennifer Harper, the strong, smart, beautiful, and kind woman I love, my wife to be and mother of my kids. There''s nothing to be afraid of. I''m with you every step of the way. Whether the truth is good or ugly, we''ll face it together. I promise."


    "I trust you", she sniffled softly. "And I love you too."


    Zach circled his arms around her waist and sealed his promise with a kiss on her lips. She inhaled his scent and felt herself rx against him. She nibbled on his lip and he thrust out his tongue to meet hers.


    She felt the passion, thefort, and the security he offered as he kissed her and held her in his arms. Yes, only in Zach''s arms did Amy truly feel secured and unfraid. He had be her pir. A support so strong she couldn''t ask for more.


    "Mm!" She groaned in surprise when she felt a strong kick against her rib.


    They both broke the kiss as Zach looked down to find her rubbing her side. "Looks like someone''s jealous."


    "Take it out on your dad and not me", Amy grumbled as she looked at her stomach.


    "You''re the one who kissed me. I''m innocent", he smirked.


    "Really?"


    "Mm. You were practically doing everything, I thought you were about to rip my clothes off you little beast!"


    "Beast? Me? If anything you''re the beast between us", she crossed her arms against her chest, unknowingly pushing up her breasts as she red at him.


    Zach cursed in his mind when he saw the milky white mounds and with much difficulty, drove his gaze to her face. "I didn''t know that. Would you like to...", He leaned back and rested his palms on the bed, giving her ess to his body. "...demonstrate what exactly a beast like me does?" He wiggled his brows at her with a yful smile on his lips.


    "You just want to getid", she shook her head at his shamelessness and he gave a shrug, not denying her usation. "Go to work, I''m not in the mood."


    "Really?" He arched a brow in challenge.<sub> </sub>


    "Yes, really." She was failing to keep a serious face. She was smiling like a fool as she peeled away the duvet to get out of bed.


    "Let''s see if you''ll still ''not be in the mood'' once I touch you." Her movements were slower and he used that as an advantage and cages her between the headboard and himself whilst they were seated.


    "Arrgghh! Zachery!" She shrieked when she felt his wet kisses shower hee neck before he nibbled on her soft spot.


    "Wrong name", he growled as he sucked on that spot and gave her feathery kisses that made herugh from feeling ticklish.


    "Wait! Aaarrgghh! Stoooop!" She said in betweenughter.


    He briefly stopped only to whisper in her ear in his husky voice. "Come on... I just want to eat your sweet, sweet, p*ssy. That''s all."


    She stilled feeling her body grow hot. Zach moved to peck her lips as he took off his jacket. He neatly ced it on her night stand, loosened his tie, undid his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves, before going under the sheets. Amy was holding her breath when she felt his hands spread her legs wide. The sound of a fabric ripping was heard and she gasped at this.


    "Aaahhh!" She moaned and shuddered when she felt two fingers enter her wet hole and slip out to rub her folds.


    "Thought you said you were not in the mood?" He drawled with an amused chuckle.


    "Shut up and- mmmm!" She closed her eyes in pleasure when she felt his wet and warm tongueunch against her at the same time he thrust in his fingers.


    ***


    Ste, Richard, George and Xavier were already at the table as the couple walked towards them hand in hand. Zach waited for Amy to bathe before they both came out for breakfast.


    Ste had on an amused smile when she saw Zach lean down to whisper something in Amy''s ear and thetter break out into augh and smack his arm. She was embarrassed by whatever it is he said. Ste felt relieved when she saw Amy like this.


    "Good morning", Ste greeted happily.


    "Good morning", Zach and Amy answered at the same time. He helped her into her seat before settling down beside her. They exchanged greetings with the rest as food was served for them.


    "It''s a good morning, isn''t it dear?" Ste winked at Amy whose face grew red from embarrassment.


    George and Xavier sniggered seeing Zach fight his embarrassed by trying to keep a straight face.


    "Ste", Richard scolded.


    "What? We''re all adults here", she shrugged as she continued to eat.


    Xavier cleared his throat. "Um.... I have something to say. It''s important."


    Everyone looked at him as he had gained their attention. He cleared his throat once more and then spoke. "I''d like to thank you all for everything you guys did for me. I''m really grateful for everything."


    Everyone nodded at this but Zach. He was curious to know where he was going with his speech.


    "But I can''t stay here any longer. I''m leaving.... the city."

 Chapter 221 A New Job For George

    "Xavier..." Amy started with a hint of panic. "That''s not what I meant when I-"


    She felt guilty because had suggested he take a break. She didn''t realize that he would go as far as leaving the city. What will Zach think of her? That she drove away his brother? Would he understand her intentions?


    "I know what you meant sis", Xavier cut her in. "And you too Zach."


    Amy looked at her fianc¨¦. So he suggested the same thing? Is that what Xavier meant by she and Zach think alike? But still.... He was leaving. That did nothing to ease her guilty heart. She felt Zach take her hand in his and caress the top of it with his thumb. It was like he could hear her thoughts and he was calming her down. And so she did, and continued to listen to Xavier.


    "My absence is only temporary. I''ll be working from home as I''m doing now, I''ll onlye in when it''s important. I just need a change in scenery that''s all", he exined. "I''ve thought about doing this many times but now seems like the right time. And there''s nothing holding me back."


    Zach slowly nodded as he came to a decision and finally agreed. "Alright."


    "Don''t leave all the work for me", George joked.


    "You''d hunt me down for it", Xavier countered as both menughed. George gave him a strong pat on the back and Xavier returned one to him.


    He looked at Amy who still had a frown on her face. He could tell she felt bad for him. So he decided to lighten up the mood.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t miss the birth of my..... The little one. This uncle will be around", he patted his chest.


    "You better. Who else is going to take pictures?" Amy grumbled as she looked away to blink back her tears and fanned her face. Zach frowned when he saw her being emotional.


    "Exactly! Xavier agreed with a smile. He felt bad for making her cry and Zach''s re told him to undo the mess so he decided to throw a little joke. "You know, I thought of running away but I figured you''d find me before I even get there."


    Amyughed at this, no longer feeling bad. Zach snapped his fingers and held out his hand. Edmund was quick to fetch a box of tissues and give it to his boss.


    "Thank you", Amy said when Zach gave her a tissue. Ste and Richard said nothing as they felt it had nothing to do with them. But they pitied the young man still.


    "Where?" Zach asked.


    "Albany."


    Zach nodded. He really had thought this through. It was still in New York and he could easily drive down to visit everyone.


    "When are you leaving?" George asked as everyone resumed eating.


    "Tonight."


    "So soon?" Ste blurted out.


    "Yeah", he said with an awkward chuckle. "I don''t want to give Mom a chance to change my mind."


    "Good luck to that", George said with a shake of his head.


    "Well, take care of yourself dear", Ste said.


    "I will. I''m sorry this all-"


    "Don''t worry Xavier", Richard said with a shake of his head. "We all need this every once in a while. Do what you feel is best for you. But yes, take care of yourself.<sub> </sub>


    "Thank you. I will."


    The family continued to eat with a little chatter warming up the atmosphere. Amy followed Zach to the door where they had a little talk.


    "Are you okay?" She asked him with a worries expression.


    "Don''t worry about me. He needs this", Zach said.


    He may not have shown it but Amy knew he was worried about his little brother. But he was right, Xavier had been through too much in that environment. He indeed needed a change of scenario.


    "Will you be okay?" He asked while tucking away stray strands and caressed her soft cheek. He was referring to the issue that has her down. "Or do I need to make you feel better again?"


    Amy smacked him as she blushed knowing what he meant. "I''m fine. You have nothing to worry about."


    Zach chuckled in amusement when he saw her like this. He could never get enough of making her blush like this. Amy forced herself to recover from her embarrassment as she gave him a serious reminder.


    "Don''t forget."


    "I know."


    George was just walking out when he saw the couple talking. He wanted to simply wave at them and continue on his way when Zach called him over. He took in their expressions as he walked to meet them. Both of them had serious expressions. Did something happen?


    "Sir", George acknowledged, sensing the importance of the meeting.


    "There''s someone I need you to look into", Zach said with furrowed brows.


    "Who?"


    "Me", Amy answered.


    George was confused at this. Didn''t they already do that and she had put up a literal roadblock preventing them from gaining ess to her information. But more importantly, why would he have to look into someone who is already here? And if Amy can''t find it, how can he?


    "My past is not so simple. I may have missed something so I need your help on this. Zach said you''re the best at this", Amy said with a sweet smile.


    George felt his heart swell in pride when he heard this. Unfortunately, he felt a headacheing from this. Looking into someone as mighty as A.J will not be easy.


    "So that means we''ll be working together?" He confirmed.


    "Yes. This is really important you see", she emphasized with worry.


    George slowly nodded before it turned into one of resolve. "So, where do we start?"


    Amy felt nervous when he asked. It was a reminder that they were really going to embark on this journey of finding out who she is. The truth..... Who knows what it would mean for her. Zach gave her aforting gaze when he saw her grow nervous. She exhaled softly, driving away the nervousness. .....where to start? One person came to mind.


    "Joane Harper."

 Chapter 222 New Information About The King

    "It won''t bake any faster if you''ll keep checking it like that", Ste sighed with a shake of her head.


    Amy sighed as she closed the oven doors and went back to her seat around the counter. "It smells so goooooood!"


    "Thising from someone who didn''t like walnut pie before?" Ste chuckled in amusement.


    Amy gasped as her eyes grew wide in shock. "How did you know?"


    "Your face made it quite obvious when I gave you the pie and that night you to ask for more, that''s how I knew there was a little one inside you", Ste chuckled at the fond memory.


    "I still can''t believe I did that! The urge to have it was so strong and before I knew it, I was at your door unable to leave", she shook her head in disbelief.


    "Pregnancy does that to you." Ste recovered from herugh and was about to bring up a thought she was curious about when Amy''s phone rung.


    "Excuse me", she said before answering the call. She had a smile on as she spoke, "And here I thought you forgot about me.*"


    "I''m sorryyyy, I''ve been quite busy on my end. How are you? How was the baby shower?" Suzy apologized.


    "So you knew about it...? Where''s my gift?"


    "On its way, with me and Trevor."


    "Oh! The little prince ising over?" Amy was surprised and happy about this. She wondered if the young man would give up if he sees her with Zach.


    "Mm.... that''s what I wanted to talk about. I''m wrapping up a few things on my end so I can stay with you for as long as I can but I can''t leave Trevor here alone."


    "Of course." Amy understood this well.


    "So, is it possible to amodate us both? I didn''t want to just show up without letting you know."


    "I understand. Let me talk to Zach first."


    "Of course. You''ll let me know, yeah?"


    "Mm. Give me five minutes."


    Amy ended the call and pressed the number one. She had put him on speed dial. Right on the first ring, the man''s deep and attractive voice resounded in her ear.


    "Baby", Zach acknowledged. Amy heard a flip of paper followed by the sound of typing and guessed he was busy so she decided to keep it short.


    "I received a call from Suzy. She was wondering if we can amodate both herself and her son."


    "How do you feel about that?"


    "I''m okay with it but I wanted to hear your thoughts."


    Zach chuckled, not out of amusement but he was pleased with her. "Let''s do that then."<sub> </sub>


    "Okay. Babe we''re making walnut pie", she said with a little excitement as she nced at the oven.


    "Keep some for me."


    "Of course. I''ll let you go now. I love you."


    "I love you too. Bye."


    Amy had a smile when the call came to an end and she typed on her phone a message to Suzy. Ste waited till the girl finished and gave a warm smile.


    "There are not many men like Zach on this Earth. I''m still amazed by all the kindness the man has and it all revolves around you. He really loves you."


    "I''m a lucky girl", she smiled and blushed as she said this.


    "You''re both great people", Stemented. Despite having more than others, the girl was not snobby but rather giving and protective of those important to her. Zach was the same. With this in mind, she had a question whose answer she was curious about.


    "Did you talk to Zach about what I told you yesterday? How do you.... feel about it?"


    Although she was relieved that Amy looked fine, she still wanted to know her thoughts on the issue. Maybe, just maybe, they shared the same thought.


    Amy rested her arms on the counter and rested her chin in one hand. "There are some things that test my confidence and courage, this is one of them."


    "You also think that child could be you?" Ste asked fearfully but with a going of hope shining in her eyes.


    "Yes..... and no. This could either mean I''m rted to the Dark Waters or my beginning will remain a mystery." A cold glint shed in her eyes when she said their name. She had grown to detest these people not just because of what she was put through, but because of their cruelty.


    "You- you sound like you know them? Don''t tell me-"


    "Yes", Amy confirmed. "They''re who we''re dealing with. The King is working with a woman named Gwen here in the U.S."


    "The King? There''s another King?" Ste was shocked at this.


    "Yes. But I don''t know how the two are rted."


    Amy and Henry were still trying to figure this out. There was so much mystery surrounding the King''s true identity although she had a clue. No, she knew who it was.


    "Oh! There''s a rtionship alright", Ste shook her head at this. She still could not believe that another ''King'' had arisen among the dark waters. ''This was inevitable'', she mused.


    "What do you mean?" Amy asked with urgency.


    "The King..... He had a child five or six years old at that time. Or I could be wrong. I had heard about him taking his own flesh and blood wherever he went and saw it with my own eyes when they were making a deal with our side. Now I know that he was actually grooming that child", Ste shook her head. She was disgusted by the old man who was the Dark Waters'' former ruler.


    How could an innocent child be subjected to such a vile world? Even though Ste was a former night wolves organization member, never in a million years did she ever want Alex or Nora to experience that. It is why she and Richard had kept her old life a secret.


    "The former King is the current King''s father....", Amy said in realization as her expression darkened as the picture of the King was vividly painted in her mins. How cunning..... Talk about a perfectionist in hiding in in sight.

 Chapter 223 The New Neighborhood

    "Are you really going to let him do this?" Victoria sobbed as she watched Xavier throw another bag in his trunk. "Henry!" She punched his arm.


    The man just stood and let his wife hit him. He could only wrap his arms around her. When Xavier told them he was leaving the city, she thought he was joking especially when he said he would be leaving tonight.


    "Is that thest one?" Xavier asked his butler.


    "Yes, sir."


    He nodded and let him close the trunk while he turned to his parents. He sighed when he saw his mother''s pitiful and tear stained face. He walked over and pulled her into a hug.


    "You should have given me time to prepare myself", she sobbed into his chest.


    "It''s because I knew you would be like this that I didn''t tell you. Stop crying", he said while patting her back.


    "Where are you moving to?" She sniffled.


    "I''ll tell you once I''m ready to have you ove- Ow! Mom! Mom! Dad!"


    Henry peeled his wife away from their son. She was upset by his statement and started beating him up for it. How could he not want his own mother to know where he was moving to?


    "Let the boy be", Henry said whileforting his wife.


    Victoria sighed as she looked at him. Her little boy had grown so quickly. He had be her pir and protector when things were hard for her. She had grown ustomed to having him around, gossiping with him and going ces with him. She now realized how resolved he was. Nothing could change Xavier''s mind. She released herself from her husband and hugged him once more, minus the punching.


    "I''ll miss you", he said to her.


    "Call me every day", she whined.


    "Mom", he warned.


    "Six times a week", she negotiated.


    Xavier onlyughed as he released her. "I''ll call you."


    He exchanged a handshake with his father followed by a manly hug that included a strong pat on the shoulder. Xavier took onest look at his parents before walking to the back seat. His driver was already seated in front.


    "What do I do with this ce?" Victoria asked as she watched him get into the car.


    He looked at the ce that had terrible memories for him. Besides Nicole, he had lived there through the whole Irene ideal. He had created a cycle where he was trapped between working, being a one-nighter and being his mom''s pir. He knew he needed to leave but Xavier had not fully broken away from his past. Now, now was the time.


    "Whatever you want", he said before sliding into the car.


    The driver turned on the ignition and the engine roared to life. He rolled down the window to reveal his parents who stood watching him. Victoria sighed as her eyes stung with tears while she nestled in her husband''s embrace. Xavier smiled and waved at them before turning to his driver.


    "Let''s go."


    "Yes, sir."


    "Call us when you get there!" Victoria shouted as the car drove off. "He''ll be alright, won''t he?"


    "Of course. He''s a Frost", Henry responded with strong conviction.<sub> </sub>


    Xavier rolled up the window and didn''t look back. His mother may not have noticed but this big step was emotional for him too. He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. It would be a while before they got there.


    He rxed into his seat and sat with his hands crossed against his chest. At some point, he fell asleep. It had been a long day of him packing and wrapping up a few things at work. He had decided to take a week off to tour his new neighborhood and get ustomed to the new environment. Xavier startled awake when he felt the car stop.


    He looked outside and saw they were at a cross section stopped at the traffic lights. They were already in Albany. This part of the area was quite different from the high ss neighborhood he was used to. And there was less traffic.


    A few people were crossing the road in a front of them all looking like they were quite in a hurry. An old man being helped by a young man, a woman who he guesses could be around his mother''s age looking through her bag and walking at the same time, some teenagers chatting away as they walked, and a young woman walking while holding the hand of a little boy.


    He saw her dimple as she smiled. He was intrigued by it but she looked away, down at the boy before he could get a full view of her beautiful face. Realizing he had actually leaned forward to stare at the beauty, he eased back into the seat. The lights soon turned green and they got a move on.


    Soon, the driver found himself with his jaw dropped when they arrived at his ce. "Sir.....", He started while looking around before turning to the smiling Xavier. "Are you sure about this?"


    It was a one bedroomed apartment, small living room with adjoined kitchen, one bath and toilet. It was a beautiful little ce but there was nothing fancy or luxurious about this ce. It was too..... simple.


    "Of course", Xavier replied with confidence.


    The driver was worried. Would someone who grew up in luxury suddenly get used to this drastic change?


    "Then take this at least", he extended his hand towards him but Xavier shook his head saying no.


    "Thank you for driving me out here. But I''ll be fine. Now go on."


    "But sir....."


    "Go on."


    The man left the apartmentplex and drove off. He had taken the car and the apartment was ..... well? How was Xavier going to survive this? Back at Xavier''s he had just answered a call from his brother and set the phone down on the counter in the kitchen as he looked for something to eat.


    "How is it?" Zach''s voice resounded over the phone.


    "Perfect!" He had found a can of beer in the fridge and started to drink the sour stuff.


    "Good. Well, I wish you all the best."


    "It''s not like I''m going to war", Xavier shook his head. He exhaled softly as he took in his new home. Some sort of excitement started to bubble within him as he thought of the new life ahead and the new experiences that woulde with it. "You were right. I think I''m going to be okay."


    Meanwhile, someone else was not doing that well. A knock was heard at their door and she groaned in pain an intense headache. Empty bottles of alcohol had littered the ce. The knock grew louder and she forced herself to get up.


    "Bad idea!" She quickly cupped her mouth when she felt the vomit rise from her stomach and rushed to the bathroom and threw up.


    She had been drowning herself in alcohol ever since the breakup with Xavier. She was still giving him time to recover from the drama that happened between them. The toilet stunk with her vomit and she did not hear the door open. She flushed down the contents and rinsed her mouth before walking out of her room.


    When she reached the living room, she halted in her steps, regrettinging out. The people before her were ones she had been avoiding.


    "Miss Oswell, since you couldn''t meet us. We came to meet you. Finally. There''s no escape", one man said in a formal suit and gave her a stiff smile.


    Nicole felt nauseous but pushed that away as worry overtook her features. Her disheveled appearance and the state of her room wellplimented how shitty her life had be in such a short time.


    "Please", she begged as her eyes welled up with tears. "Give me a little more time."

 Chapter 224 Not As Peaceful As It Seems

    "We''re going for a walk!" Amy shouted to Ste who was in the kitchen.


    "Alright dear!" Ste shouted as she busied herself in the kitchen. She felt ufortable letting others cook for her and decided to make a little something for everyone while Zach and Amy went out for a walk.


    The two walked hand in hand going around the property. As the sun was setting, the sprinklers had been turned on to water thendscape. But as they walked further, the sprinklers were turned off leaving thendscape looking green and beautiful apanied by the setting sun. The soft breeze brushed through their hair and Zach frowned at this. He stopped to fix her coat before they resumed walking.


    "Oh!" Amy stopped when one side of her slip-on came off.


    Zach went to get and knelt down to help her put it back on. "You should have worn outdoor shoes."


    "But these are morefortable", she whined, not wanting to be scolded. "Besides, they''re matching my dress."


    Zach stood up and sighed. She gave him a sweet smile. "I love you."


    "Our baby better take after me", he said with a shake his head before they resumed walking.


    "Wait", she made him stop and frowned at him. "What about me?"


    Zach let out a tired sigh as he pulled her along. Amy was not having it.


    "What''s wrong with me Mister?" Amy out her foot down, refusing to move until she gets an answer.


    Zach chuckled as he hooked a finger under her chin. "We can''t have a baby that''s too sexy now, can we?"


    Amy narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion before her expression turned into a pompous one as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Well, it''s true that one can''t be too sexy but somehow, I always pull it off."


    Zachughed as they resumed walking. Their pace was unhurried because of Amy. "Were you always like this or was I just blinded by love?"


    "Why? Having regrets?" She arched a brow at him.


    "How can I?" He deliberately lowered his voice as he stopped to cup her cheek. "Over this sexiness."


    Amy giggled as he leaned in to kiss her lips. He gently brushed his lips against hers, awakening the butterflies in her stomach. He stole one more quick kiss from her and she did the same to him making them both smile at each other before they resumed walking.


    "Did you talk to Xavier today?" She started as she looked down at they linked hands before looking up at him.


    "Not since yesterday, no."


    "Is he settled?"


    "Mm. He should be."


    Amy sighed as she stared at the beautiful horizon. "I hope he can finally find what his heart desires."<sub> </sub>


    The man in question was just leaving his apartment. He had put on a hoodie matching his jeans and shoes with nothing but his phone on him. His wardrobe hadpletely changed from what it used to be. It was no longer bright and colorful, but simple yet stylish.


    He took in the beautiful scenery of the town he had settled in. There were more apartments than shops where he had settled so he had to walk a distance to get to the shops. This allowed him to appreciate the view of the Hudson River although from afar.


    He cursed under his breath, remembering that he forgot his camera back in his room. He sighed in content as he appreciated the greenndscape. He closed his eyes to breath in the clean air when a breeze blew a paper that stuck to his face.


    He peeled it away from his face and was about to throw it away when something caught his eye.


    "Huh?" He stopped to have a look. Three photos of three beautiful women, looking to be at least in their early twenties had been printed on the paper.


    ? "Missing?" He muttered under his breath. Is the area not as peaceful as it seems? He looked around his surrounding then back at the paper.


    He continued to read the details as he walked on. As the sun sunk in and darkness started to creep in, he finally reached the business part of the area. He easily identify a mini Mart and walked in. All he needed were a few things to fill up his fridge.


    He took a cart and pushed it around, filling it in with his selected gooda ticking off everything on his shopping list. It wasn''t long before the found everything he needed and went to the till.


    "Good evening sir", the cashier greeted him with a coquettish smile she took in his handsomeness.


    Xavier nodded as he started loading his purchases on the till when he caught sight of that person again. Just like the day before, he only caught a glimpse of the side profile of her face as she exited the ss doors. But this time, he saw her beautiful long legs d in mid thigh shorts and her busty chest covered in an oversized shirt. The little boy was no longer with her.


    ''She looks too young to be a mom'', he mused. ''No, don''t judge.''


    "Sir?" The cashier called out to earn his attention.


    "Oh!" He had long finished loading his goods and they had been bagged. All that was left was for him to pay for them.


    He gave the girl his card and started the payment process. As his receipt was printed out, his attention was drawn to the poster behind the girl. It was the same one he came across on his way to the mart.


    "Excuse me, do you know what happened to those three?" Xavier could not help his curiosity. The girl tried not to swoon from his attractive deep voice and could not help but blush.


    "No one really knows", the girl said quietly as she fought to be serious. "They left town four months ago saying they''re going to the big city and no one has seen or heard from them since then."


    "Oh." His brows furrowed as he looked at them once more. It was unfortunate that such a fate had befallen them. Who knew how aggrieved their families were from this?


    "Thank you", he said while collecting his bags.


    "You''re wee. Pleasee again!" She could not help herself.


    Xavier''s lips slightly lifted as he left the shop. With the news of the missing girls, he could not help but look at the town differently. He knew not every ce was crime free but three girls missing at once? What happened to them?

 Chapter 225 About Damn Time

    At Greco Pharmaceuticals


    There seemed to be some sort ofmotion at theb. Medical personnel were running around, pushing beds and getting medical equipment beside each bed.


    Up in the observatory, Gwen stood with her hands sped behind her back as she oversaw the whole process. She could not help but feel nervous. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could go wrong.


    "Peter?" She called from over her shoulder.


    "We''re almost ready", he answered immediately.


    "How long does it take to establish a connection with the King?" She barked at him.


    "Not long, but we need to be ready the same time as theb. We can''t afford to waste his time", he answered.


    "Hm!" She returned her gaze down below.


    The doctor overseeing the experiments was just in time to ensure everything had been set up when he looked up to meet her gaze. He gave a symbol number three at Peter and thetter nodded.


    "Boss", Peter called to Gwen.


    She turned around to face the LED monitor that had been set up in the observatory. She put on her best smile only to be face with a ck screen. Her face contorted in annoyance.


    "What is the meaning of this?" She hissed at Peter.


    The man was about to check when a deep voice resounded from the dark screen. "Why? Not pleased with my appearance."


    Gwen gasped in shock and fear as she immediately grew polite. "I dare not. We''re ready."


    "Alright. Get started", the King said with impatience.


    Gwen turned around and signed the doctor to get started. The doctor said something to a nurse who also nodded before moving to open the door on that floor. Four gaunt looking women in hospital gowns were ushered into the room. Their hair was unhealthily thin, they had dark circles under their eyes and they looked like they could easily be blown away with a gentle breeze.


    When Peter saw the women, his clenched his fists tightly as he fought his feelings. His gaze remained peeled on their t stomachs. Unbeknownst to anyone, he was filled with guilt and a lot of rage.


    "Those are our test subjects", Gwen said politely.


    "Oh! Yeah, I wouldn''t have guessed that."


    Detecting the sarcasm, Gwen decided to shut her mouth and only speak when necessary. The women were made to lie down on the beds. Eight nurses were assigned to the women, two looking after one. One nurse connected an ECGs to their patient to monitor their heart rates and another connected a catheter on each of their wrists. The doctor did a physical on each patient before he could start running the actual test.


    "I gave you three months toplete this and you took four."


    Gwen swallowed a hard lump. There was no need toplete that statement. There was no room for mistakes, only perfection. She felt an immense pressure weighing on her shoulders in that moment.


    The doctor walked to the sound system in theb and turned on the mic. "All the test subjects are ready. We''re beginning the tests."


    He nodded at the nurses who took a bottle of drugs and used a syringe to draw it out. They shot out the air before injecting the women through the catheter.<sub> </sub>


    The women took deep breaths to rx. Two of them looked at each other and have each other small smiles of encouragement before looking up at the ceiling. Gwen''s heart pounded a mile a minute as she held her breath while Peter forced himself to mask his emotions.


    A minute passed. Two minutes became five. Unlike thest time where the subject started reacting right away, this looked promising. Gwen started to rx. Her lips quirked from trying not to spread into a big smile.


    Beep! Beep! Beep!


    Two patients started convulsing one following the other! The medical team were quick to rush to their side and restrain them.


    "What''s happening? Annie?" One of the women looked at her friend who was neglected as she convulsed. "Aaahhhh!"


    She started howling in pain as she held her stomach. The other woman started reacting the same way as she held her stomach. The other twodies grunted a cough of blood whilst more blood pooled from between their legs staining the sheets. Their bodies stilled as a long line apanied with a long beep showed on their ECGs.


    The nurses disconnected the machines from the deceased and waited on the side as the other two women howled in pain.


    "Please! Help us! Ahhhhhh!" Cold sweat broke out on their foreheads as their faces contorted in pain.


    "Their Blood pressure is increasing drastically. This could be dangerous", one nurse said.


    "Wait", the doctor said as he observed.


    "Please!" The women cried for mercy.


    Blood pooled from between their legs and they soon lost consciousness. Their blood pressure started to drop till it became stable. The doctor nodded at these results. At this point, the nurses new to bring in scanners.


    The doctor tore away the women''s gowns to reveal their naked upper body. He smeared gel on the first woman''s stomach and scanned her womb.


    "Have that printed", he told one nurse before moving to the other patient to do the same.


    The results were soon brought to Gwen and she turned to show them to the screen.


    "Two fails and two sesses."


    Gwen and Peter gulped at this. They both hoped, especially Peter, that they wouldn''t have to go through that ordeal again. It was a bitter sweet experience for both of them.


    "You made two samples?"


    "Yes, sir."


    Silence. They didn''t want to be stuck manually creating the tests again. Gwen''s felt her heart was in her throat. She wished he could just get on with his decision. The pressure she felt earlier was still there. Finally, the King decided to put them out of their misery.


    "Good. Begin with the preparations."


    Gwen felt herself rx as she looked at Peter and gave him a sly smirk. It was about damn time!

 Chapter 226 Offending Gwen

    "Finally!" Gwen burst into her office with a huge smile on her face. She let out a contented sigh as she threw herself on her leather spinning chair.


    Herugh resounded in the big office as she apun around and stopped to oversee the busy city. Peter had been following her in and closed the door behind him before he went to stand before her desk. Even though he had not been in a good mood earlier, seeing he like this made him feel good too. Her smile was contagious to him as he felt his lips lift into a smile.


    "Congrattions boss!" He said.


    "Thank you! Ah! I feel like I can finally breath!" She chuckled to herself.


    Peter was amused by this. He never thought he would ever live to see the day his boss was ever intimidated by someone. But he would be a hypocrite to criticize her because he too felt the pressure back there.


    Gwen turned around and smacked the table. "What are our finances looking like?"


    "We can make enough for all our distribution channels." He had long prepared for this moment and he had done his research. So he knew all the answers to her questions.


    Gwen smirked as she swung her chair side to side. "That adalimumab is not so bad. It actually came in handy."


    (A/N: pronunciation: Ada-lee-myu-mab)


    They had made enough from the adalimumab to fund the development of this new drug. It helped them throughout their ups and downs from their first failure to their current sess.


    The king couldn''t carelessly fund them, it would be too suspicious if more funds than what was needed for the production of the adalimumab moved from Italy to America. They were already on the feds'' radar, they would be fools to attract any more unwanted attention.


    "New product, more money", she said with a chuckle. "There hasn''t been anything like this on the market. No one will be able to resist it at all."


    "We will make enough for the big supply", Peter agreed.


    "Yes", Gwen agreed as she rested her elbows on her armrest and brought her fingers together. She smirked. "Everything is finally falling into ce. I thought Amy was a big threat but she was just a small fly all this while."


    "Uh....." Peter started with uneasiness. "She''s still working with the feds. She could be nning something."


    "Bullshit! If she was nning something, she could have done so at the corporate g. She had the opportunity but of course, she couldn''t. If she failed then, do you think she can now?" She stood up from her seat and walked around her desk.


    She sat on the edge of it, her thick thighs in her pencil skirt were more prominent and Peter couldn''t help but look. She smirked as she crossed her arms against her chest deliberately pushing up her breasts.


    "Peter", she gently called out forcing him to look up at her face. She was barely suppressing a smile. "We have been careful all this while. The feds failed to make a move on us because they have nothing to prove their allegations. Amy is no different. If she had something on us, she would have long destroyed us. I hate to admit this but you know how capable she is."


    "Boss, I don''t mean to be negative but don''t you feel she could set a trap for us?" He was genuinely worried about this.


    "Peter", she patted his cheek and chuckled in amusement. She treated him like he was a little child. Well, these were moments he felt like one to her. "Peter, do you know how you can tell if something is a trap? When everything is going too perfectly. Think of the ups and downs we have experienced to get here. I don''t know about you but none of that feels like things were going too perfectly. Today is a great example for that. Amy won''t do anything to us. My years of being loyal to the Dark waters can''t just go to waste so easily. No."


    Peter felt an unpleasant shiver down his spine when he saw her face morph into a cold expression. There was anger and murderous intent that shed in her eyes. Peter had only worked with them for five years, who knows what Gwen had experienced while working with them for who knows how long.<sub> </sub>


    "Boss", he decided to feed his curiosity after what she said. "Why did you join the Dark waters?"


    Her already cold expression turned more ugly. The next thing he knew, her hand came flying to his face. He closed his eyes bracing himself.


    Pak!


    At the Wrights home


    "What happened to your face?" Peter''s wife tried to touch his face that had a red hand print on his left cheek. Worry was etched on her features as she took in her husband''s bruised face. She had rushed to the door to meet him but did not expect to see such a scene.


    He dodged her touch and hissed in pain as he touched his bruised lip. He walked into the house with her hot on his heels. "It''s nothing."


    "What''s nothing? Look at your face."


    "Leave it Shauna", he grumbled as he walked into the bedroom.


    "Who did this to you?" She closed the door behind them and crossed her arms against her chest. She didn''t want the kids to overhear them otherwise it would scare them.


    Peter threw his bag on the bed and loosened his tie and sighed, knowing his wife would not let go of the issue. With his back to his wife, he decided to give her the truth.


    "I made a mistake and my boss hit me", he said quietly.


    "What?" She rushed to his side and forced him to face her worried self. "How could she do that? Aren''t we past the age where bosses hit their employees. Bosses shouldn''t even do that in the first ce! You''re not her child!"


    Peter shut her up by pulling her into his embrace. He rested his chin on her shoulder and breathed in her scent. It rxed him. "It''s because you''re like this, I feel better already. You make it so easy to forget everything."


    Shauna sighed as she hugged him back. She felt her husband was pitiful. He was doing a lot for their family and neverined. She felt she was so lucky to have a such a man in her life. Although she was a housewife, she felt looking after their home was not enough to show how grateful she was to the life Peter had built for them.


    "Let me go freshen up", he said while breaking the embrace.


    "Yeah, you stink", she joked making them both chuckle.


    "You still love me", he said with a smirk and soon regretted when he felt the pain.


    "Sorry", she whispered with half smile and half frown.


    Peter was smiling until he turned his back on her, walking into the bathroom. Once he locked the door behind him, he looked at his unsmiling face through the mirror. That p Gwen gave him didn''t just hurt him, it insulted him. He felt more hurt when he remembered those women who died during the tests. But, it was done.

 Chapter 227 Peters Wish

    He stripped out of his clothes and showered the day''s problems away. Once he was done, he remembered to use the medicine from the first aid kit to treat his bruised lip before stepping out in his towel. But the scene that awaited him was nothing he expected to walk into.


    The light in the room had been dimmed to give off a romantic vibe. Romantic music softly yed as Shauna sashayed towards him. She was wearing a ckce bra that barely covered her tits, ace crotchless thong,ce stockings that went up to her mid thighs and ss heels that beautifullyplimented her long legs. She looked like a goddess with her hair down and with a swing of her hips as she closed in on him.


    "I know it''s been quite stressful on youtely", she started, referring to the past few months he had been busy with work. Peter just watched as she leaned forward to whisper in his ear.


    "Let me make you feel better. And don''t worry about the kids, they''re not here", she pulled back and smiled at him. "It''s just you and me. Come."


    "Um..." He started, unsure of how to react. She thought he was overwhelmed by her taking the lead when it''s mostly him who does when they be intimate.


    "Sshh...." She held up a finger to his lips and dragged to the bed to start kissing his bare chest. His breathing had already be erratic and she became enthusiastic with her ministrations.


    "Mmm.... I''ve missed you so much Peter!" She moaned as she slowly got down on her knees at the same time tried to loosen his towel.


    Suddenly, her hands were held together, stopping her. She looked up and Peter helped her up with his hands still holding hers. He looked troubled as he drew in a breath, struggling not to feel awkward with what he was about to do.


    "Shauna..... I...."


    She gave him a sad smile. "Not in the mood?"


    "Yes... I mean no. I''m just, I''m just stressed out. There''s a lot going on at work. I just.... How about....-?"


    "We do this some other time?" She finished for him. She released her hands from his hold as she looked down so he doesn''t see the hurt in her eyes. "I understand. You''re tired."


    "Shauna...", He started but unsure of what to say.


    "It''s okay, Peter", she forced a chuckle.


    "No, listen", he tried to reach out to her but she dodged his touch.


    His heart broke as he watched the woman just silently walk away. She kept her back straight as she walked though it was embarrassing for her. She kept her hands resting on her sides, not lifting them so as not to wipe the falling tears. She couldn''t let him see that. She knew how much he was doing for the family so something like this shouldn''t bother her but it still hurt.


    She disappeared into the walk-in wardrobe and soon appeared in a robe, the heels were gone and she had clothes in her hands.


    "I''ll go warm up your food", she said without looking at him before mming the door behind her.


    Peter sat down on the bed and sighed. He leaned forward and held his head in his hands. If she knew the real reason he had turned her down....<sub> </sub>


    He ruffled his hair in frustration and cursed under his breath. All this was because of Gwen and what she did to him.... Look at what it was doing to his marriage.


    Shauna was silently crying as she changed into her home clothes in the living room. She sniffled as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand and did one breathing exercises to stop herself from crying further before going to warm up the food.


    The next day


    Peter looked at his sleeping wife. She hardly said a word to him the night before. The house had been quiet as she had sent the kids for a sleepover at their neighbor''s. All that effort was to make him feel good about himself but he turned her down just like that. Guilt was eating away at the man.


    He wisheding clean was easy but he knew that the moment he does, he would lose everything: his wife, his kids, this life he had built. It boosted his pride knowing a man like him who came from nothing had built this life, not many could achieve what he had. A good job, beautiful wife, kids and home. No, he couldn''t lose this.


    "Good morning", Shauna whispered when she opened her eyes.


    "Good morning", he whispered back. "Shauna.... I''m sorry aboutst night. I know how much that hurt your feelings. I''m really sorry."


    She pushed herself into his arms. "I was hurt but I understand. Peter, I appreciate everything you do for our family. We''re great as a family, you know. But our marriage, we haven''t..... We do it once every few months. I don''t know about you but I''m not satisfied. I don''t want toe off as needy but you have needs that need to be satisfied and I do too. We should do that for each other at least."


    "I know.... I feel bad about that too."


    "Then let''s work on this", she said as she sat up and faced him. "The boys are not as young anymore, we can work out a n."


    "Sounds good. Let''s do that but after my business trip."


    "You''re going away? Where? Why am I learning about this now?" Surprise and hurt was etched on her fingers.


    "I was going to tell youst night. We won a deal and we''ll be busy with the production and distribution. I''ll be gone for a while but I''m not sure how long. But I''ll tell you when I''ll leave."


    "Ask your boss to give you a holiday after this! You work too hard for thepany", she frowned.


    "Mm. I will. So, you''re not mad at me anymore?" He hooked a finger under her chin.


    "Who says I''m not mad?" She grumbled though fighting the urge to smile.


    Heunched tickles on her making herugh. Soon, they both left the bed with him showering and getting ready for work while she made him breakfast. The kids were still at the sleepover so it was just the two of them.


    Peter felt like he could finally breath a sigh of relief. He didn''t like how things were the previous night. This cheery and easy going Shauna was the woman he loved. He desperately wished that things could be like this. If only.....

 Chapter 228 [Bonus Chapter]Nightmare Turned Into Reality

    "No gadgets at the table", Shauna scolded as she walked into the house.


    The man knew better than to bring electrical devices to the table but he still dared to go there with a tablet in his hand. He was busy reading a file whose meeting he had to prepare for. Two good days had passed since the embarrassing incident for Shauna.


    "I''m not Kaden", he grumbled.


    "Well you were acting like him", she took it away from him and set it aside. "Now sit down and eat", she said as she sat beside him.


    "Are the boys gone?" He asked as he drizzled maple syrup on his pancakes.


    "Mm."


    She was justing from escorting them to the bus stop when she walked in on him walking and reading at the same time. They ate their meal with a little discussion about how their kids were doing in school. Peter was in a hurry to go to work so as soon as he finished eating, he pecked her lips and practically run out of the house.


    She sighed seeing her busy husband leave. With the house all to herself, what could she possibly do? She went to the bathroom to shower first. When she got out of the shower, she could not help but stare at her naked self through the mirror.


    Was there something wrong with her body? Did she change too much over the years? Howe Peter didn''t even get hard after he saw her the other day? Those kinds of outfits always put him in the mood no matter how dog tired he was. Her breasts were still firm, she had fought to have a t tummy from her exercises, and a nice little butt. She touched herself as she examined these body parts.


    Looking at herself like that, it awakened the months and months of suppressed desires. That fire she ignited two nights ago, it needed to be put out. With that resolve, she reached for cab under the sink and found a secretpartment. Her pink vibrator was calling out to her and she took it without hesitation.


    She chuckled as she examined the long and thick thing. Peter would be mad if he found out she was using this thing to satisfy her needs instead of his c*ck. But what could she do this situation like any other times they didn''t do it? This would just have to remain her dirty little secret.


    "Ah!" The sound of her surprised moan was heard from the bathroom overpowering the vibration sound.


    An hourter, she was out of the bedroom looking satiated and in fresh new clothes. She saw the tes from breakfast she had not cleaned and sighed. She went to collect the tes when her gaze fell on Peter''s iPad.


    "How could he forget this?" She muttered as she left the tes.


    Ding!


    She picked up her phone from the table and saw not juts a message from her neighbor but missed calls and a message from Peter.


    Peter: Tried to call you. I''m a bit busy but could you bring me the tablet? It''s important.


    She dialed for her neighbor as she took her car keys and the tablet. "Hey... I''m sorry, but I''ll have to take raincheck. Something just came up.... But once I''m done I''ll check if you''re still up for shopping... Thank you!"


    She rushed out of the house into the car and was soon on the road. She wanted to call him but decided against it since he was busy and opted for a text.<sub> </sub>


    Shauna: Sorry. Be there in a few.


    She finally reached Greco. Thest time she was there was two years ago with Peter because they had to stop by his office on their way to a function. Otherwise, she had no reason to visit except now she did.


    Seeing the tall building and the employees in formal attires, it overwhelmed her but she powered on and walked with confidence to the receptionist.


    "How may I help you?" The receptionist smiled at her.


    "I''m Shauna Wright, Peter Wright''s wife."


    "Oh! Go on right up. Can you find your way?"


    "Of course. Thank you."


    Shauna took the elevator going to the top most floor of the building. Peter''s office was on the same floor as Gwen''s. Shauna tapped her foot nervously as she felt a twist in her stomach from nervousness. She exhaled deeply to calm down.


    Ding! The doors swung open and she stepped out. There was a cubicle for whom Shauna guessed was either Peter''s secretary or Gwen''s. But it was empty. Since she had been allowed up, she decided to go to his office.


    "Oh!" She muttered under her breath in surprise when she saw Gwen walk towards the same direction she had taken. She knew the woman from pictures in a magazine from their sess in producing Adalimumab.


    Although she wasn''t pleased with how she hit her husband, she was still going to be polite and greet her. She quickened her footsteps to catch up but Gwen was quick on her heels as she disappeared into Peter''s office.


    It took a few seconds for her to get to the door. She would have just walked in but since his boss was in, she decided to knock. However, her hand froze mid air.


    "Come on! You want this!"


    "Give it to me!!!"


    "Ahhh! Yessssss! Like that!"


    "Oh! Yes! Oh! Faster!"


    The lewd sound of their skin pping reached her ears. Her hand remained raised with her first clenched. She felt her stomach twist and churn as a sickening feeling bloomed inside her. She didn''t have the strength to do anything except to run to the bathroom before she threw up on herself.


    Little did Peter know, that the little happiness he had been holding onto for dear life, everything he deemed perfect; he had just lost it that instant. It was true what they said, things as precious as trust took a long time and a lot of effort to build but one swift blow easily sends them crumbling down. Peter''s wish would never be realized as his nightmare had just be his reality.

 Chapter 229 He Finally Met Her

    Bleugh!


    Remembering the the earlier scenario and the sound of skin pping echoing from Peter''s office, Shauna felt her guts churn and she threw up everything she ate that morning.


    She coughed when she felt her throat burn. All her strength had disappeared along with her sanity when she heard those things. She shed the toilet and went to the sink to rinse her mouth and wash her hands.


    A Greco employee walked in and frowned when she saw Shauna''s dishelved appearance. "Who are you?"


    Shauna didn''t care as she left for home. She just needed to get out of that nightmare of a ce..


    She didn''t know how she drove home. She felt numb and was like a robot automatically doing things that she had grown ustomed to. She went to the dining room where the dirty tes still awaited her and she sat down staring into space.


    She remained like that unmoving, still not epting what she had witnessed was her reality. Her brain still could not process that horid scene. Though she didn''t see anything, her mind had already painted a picture from what she heard.


    This was supposed to be the same boss he wasining about the day before. Could it actually have been a lover''s quarrel? Did he turn her down the other daybecauseof her? What about the other times? How long had this been going on for?


    So all those times he had missed his time with their boys, the times she embarrassed herself by trying to spice things up in bed, he used work and fatigue as an excuse because of her? She should have known! How else was he relieving himself when she relied on a vibrator? It was Gwen!All along it was her.....


    Her phone started to ring. Her numb face gave a slightly surprised reaction before she answered.


    "Hey, I got my tablet thank you. Why did you leave it at the reception instead ofing up?"


    She fell silent, unable to speak because of the tears that had started rolling down her face.


    "Shauna?"


    "I''m here", her tone was quiet and he didn''t detect anything wrong with her.


    "Okay! I won''t be able toe home tonight. The trip has suddenly been moved to today. I''ll be leaving with my boss this afternoon. I''m sorry, I know it''s short notice."


    "Okay."


    "I''ll call you when I get there. Tell the boys sorry for me. I love you, bye!"


    She didn''t respond and simply ended the call. She folded her arms on the table and buried her head in them. Her shoulders shook as her silent sobs became louder.


    The pent up emotions she had suppressed spilled out through her hot tears. How could Peter do this to her? To their family? She mmed the table with a fist as she cried her heart out.


    Meanwhile, Xavier, who was no longer suffering a heartbreak was enjoying the beautiful green scenery that was Albany. He had remembered to take his camera and took beautiful shots of Hudson River.


    "Hmmm", he hummed in approval as he appreciated the shot he took. He walked with his camera in one hand and the other hand stuffed into his pocket enjoying his self directed tour.<sub> </sub>


    He reached a bridge that crossed over the river. He kept to the pedestrian side as he slowly walked.He stopped when he saw ducks swimming in the river. He took a couple of pictures of them since they were moving.


    He checked the shots that looked good and deleted the ones he was not pleased with.


    Ring!


    "Look out!" A man on a bicycle from in front of him shouted.


    Xavier quickly moved to the side to avoid the man who had lost control of his brakes. He watched as the man dragged his feet on the ground to stop his bike on the slopey bridge.


    "Sorry man!" The man shouted over the sound of his dragging shoes.


    "It''s okay!" Xavier shook his head and was about to leave when tripped over himself and lost control of his camera that was falling into the river. "Oh! Shit!"


    Without a second thought, he climbed over the rail and jumped in to save his camera. He was so quick with his actions that he didn''t hear anyone behind him shout after him.


    "No! Don''t!"


    Ssh! Xavier disappeared under the water. Another ssh was soon heard but Xavier didn''t hear anything as he swam to save his camera. He smiled to himself when he found it. He was about to swim up when something hit his head rendering him unconscious.


    His hazel brown eyes ttered open after ten minutes of being unconscious. His vision was a blur and he could hear a sound but it was distant. A face came into view as his senses started to clear.


    Chocte brown hair that was wet, big and beautiful green eyes with specs of blue and yellow in them, naturally thick brown brows but with a beautifully shaped, rosy cheeks, pink plump lips and a fare skin. This person.... seemed familiar! But from where? And what happened?


    "Hey! Can you hear me?" Her voice was now clear. He now noticed that when she spoke, her dimples would show.


    Dimples. She''s that girl he had been seeing around town! Never in a million years did he ever think they would meet like this. Seeing her from up close, his heart could not help but misbehave.


    "Are you alright? I think we should go to the hospital!" She was about to get up when he held her down with a sp of his hand around her wrist. Her brows went up in question.


    "What''s your name?" He managed to say quietly.


    She was taken aback by the sexy rumble of his deep voice but maintained an impassive expression. Why is he asking her name? "Lorraine.... Lorraine May."


    What Xavier did next caught her off guard too. Heughed as he stared at the sky, revealing his beautiful smile in the process. While she wondered what was wrong with him, he had one thought.


    ''Shit!''

 Chapter 230 Xavier Found A Girl

    "Are you sure you''re okay?" Lorraine was uncertain seeing how he was behaving strangely.


    He had just regained consciousness but all he did was ask her name and startughing. Did she miss something? Well, Xavier knew something Lorraine didn''t. And the truth of it was so unbelievable he could onlyugh.


    Lorraine was startled when he suddenly sat, bridging the space between them and leaving a few inches between his face and hers. Her eyes were so intriguing and beautiful, he and never seen something like that. She looked down unable to take his stare.


    "I''m fine. Thank you", he said sincerely.


    She stood up and he followed suit after picking up his camera. He looked at her wet clothes, his gaze lingered on her chest before he took in the rest of her outfit. An oversized shirt and shorts again, was it her style? There was no sign of makeup on her face. He didn''t think it was washed off by the water. She''s a natural beauty, he concluded.


    "Is it still working?" She referred to his camera as they started walking along the beach.


    He looked at it and saw it was still disying the picture of ducks he had been looking at earlier. He pressed a few buttons and nodded. "Still alive."


    "It''s water proof", she realized and he hummed in response.


    He run a hand through his wet hair and finally felt an ache at the back of his head. It was now he remembered that he had actually fallen unconscious earlier.


    "Did something hit me?" He asked, giving her a curious gaze.


    "Uh.... Y-you hit a rock", she replied hastily, looking everywhere but in his direction.


    A rock? But he was about to swim up to reach the surface so how? Unless he was swimming up legs first or..... a rock magically appeared above him. ''So strange'', he mused.


    Lorraine on the other hand, was drowning in guilt. When she jumped in to save him, it could have been a seaweed or some water nt that touched her arm that made her fall into panic thinking it was a water snake. She thrashed around to get it off and ended up kicking him in the head hard.


    "Well then", Xavier said when they reached the tarmac at the same time she said, "This way."


    "Huh?" He was confused.


    "My ce. It''s this way", she gestured in the opposite direction of where his home was.


    He didn''t want to have anything to do with females but for some reason, he didn''t have the heart to say no to her. Lorraine stood there waiting for his response. She had her reasons for not wanting to leave him out of her sight. Xavier responded by cing the camera in her hands before he started unbuttoning his wet shirt.


    "What are you doing?" She whisper shouted in panic, as she looked around to make sure no one would pass by them.


    He quietly removed his shirt and put it over her shoulders. It was big enough to cover her fully and satisfied with this, he took the camera back and started to walk ahead in the direction she had pointed.


    She was confused until she looked down at her chest. Her hard nipples had been protesting against the wet fabric of her shirt. So he saw all of that just now?


    "I don''t know my way around", he said, as though he was oblivious to her embarrassment.


    "Right! Right!" She hurried on and clutched the shirt to shield her chest further.


    So what would they be doing at her ce? Coffee. That''s what she served him after offering him her shirt and shorts to change into. Xavier was seated on a stool by the kitchen counter enjoying the hot stuff warming up his insides. He looked around her ce.


    It wasn''t so different from his ce, except there were two bedrooms. One for the boy he figured. Looking around, there were a lot of pictures of them together. The kid resembled her quite strongly. One picture on the fridge got his attention.


    She was in a security uniform kneeling beside the little boy as they both smiled at the camera. Lorraine walked back in after hanging their clothes on the liner to find Xavier staring at a picture on their fridge.


    "You''re a security officer?" He asked.


    "Airport immigration officer to be specific", she said with evident pride as she walked over to make her coffee.


    "Nice!" He found her to be cool. But why would she live in a ce like this? Don''t they get paid a lot? Since he didn''t know, he decided not to dwell on the matter.


    When she was done making her coffee, she opened a drawer to get a small and round table mat. As she closed it, something caught his eye.<sub> </sub>


    "You''re the one distributing those?"


    She opened it to look at the thick stash of flyers that had the missing girls'' pictures on them and closed it. She went to settle opposite him and held the mug to warm her hands.


    "Yes."


    "Are you rted to them?" He was curious after detecting the graveness in her tone.


    She sipped on her coffee and briefly fell quiet as her face reflected the sad memory she recalled. "We''ve been best friends since high school."


    "I''m sorry", he truly felt bad for her. What more their families?


    "Don''t say that", she said with a chuckle though her eyes shone with tears. It was something sad to see for Xavier. "They''re still out there. We''ll find them."


    He nodded. They could only hope for the best. They silently sipped on their coffee again and a curious thought came to her.


    "How did you... Did you see this somewhere?"


    "One of the marts, I had to buy something. What exactly happened if you don''t mind me asking? It''s... strange that they just disappeared after leaving for the city."


    He had been curious about this. Was there some sort of evil he was unaware of in the Albany? Then a beauty like Lorraine was not safe either.


    "They.... They told me that they had signed up for a clinical trial on some medicine a big pharmaceuticalpany had newly developed. Things in this part of the town are not so easy so I want surprised that they jumped on this opportunity. It was easy and quick money. Lots of money. I almost quit my job to join them when I heard this", she chuckled at the silly memory. "But I couldn''t leave Oliver alone."


    "Oliver?"


    "My brother", she pointed at the picture on the fridge.


    He nodded in understanding. "So they''re still in the city?"


    "With my job, I would know if they left or were smuggled out. I''ve been keeping a look out and my colleagues have been helpful too. Nothing can get past me."


    She was Officer May after all. These were moments she was proud of her job although there was a limit to how much she could do. That''s why it was frustratingly taking a long time to find her friends. However, unbeknownst to her, the wheels in Xavier''s head were spinning. Clinical trial. Big pharmaceuticalpany. Drugs. It can''t be?


    At Zach and Amy''s


    Thetter was doing yoga with Ste keeping herpany when her phone chimed. As it was connected to the sound system, it made quite a loud noise. The maide assigned to her was quick to pass the phone to her.


    "Thank you", Amy breathed out heavily as she unlocked it with her fingerprint to read the messages.


    Xavier: Could you check this for me? Their names are Savanna White, Nadia White and Annie Macbeth. They have been missing for over three months.....


    He went to brief her on everything that Lorraine said in a long paragraph. Amy was patient enough to read it all. Attached to the message was a picture of the flyer.


    Xavier: I don''t know if it''s connected to your case and I dontt want to give you false hope. But I hoped you could look into it. I just found it strange. Clinical trials are normal but their family and friends haven''t heard from them for that long. They''re worried.


    Amy smirked when she saw thest message he sent and sheposed a reply.


    Amy: ''Family and Friends'' must be very beautiful too.


    Xavier: I don''t know what you''re talking about.


    Amy: You''ll have your answer by tonight.

 Chapter 231 Looking At The Bigger Picture

    Ste was amused by the smiles and chuckle Amy let out. The maid helped her get up with a lot of breaks and groans in between.


    "Thank you", Amy said breathlessly.


    "No madam."


    "Were you talking to Zach?" Ste asked as the two left the gym.


    "Xavier, actually."


    "Oh?"


    "I think he found a girl", Amy said excitedly.


    "It''s been four days. Oh! He''s good! What''s she like?" Ste could not help her curiosity.


    "He didn''t say. But he''s given me a job. I''ll be a little busy..."


    "Go on. I''ll take care of dinner."


    With that, Amy went to shower and change intofortable clothes before getting under the sheets whilst seated. She rested herptop on her duvet covered belly as she got to work.


    She had names and their pictures. So she ran a face recognition analysis on each of the girls. Results showed all the information, age, education background, residential background, social media ounts, email ounts and their phone numbers. What she wanted was their phone numbers.


    She run a program to find out which phone service they used and used that to track whenst they were connected to thework. When Zach arrived, he went straight to the kitchen when he heard the clutter of tes and pots. He thought Amy and Ste were there but he only saw thetter who was in the kitchen and his fianc¨¦ nowhere in sight.


    "She''s in your room busy working on something", Ste said with a smile knowing what his silent question was.


    "Thank you. How are you this evening?" He greeted.


    "Good. And you? How was your day?"


    He hummed in response. "What about Richard?"


    "Sports highlights", she said with an annoyed face. That''s all her husband ever did.


    Zach chuckled when he heard this. The old man loved sports more than Henry did. Ste was envious of Victoria because of this fact. Zach was about to head up when Ste stopped him.


    She piled up on a te some healthy snacks and gave them to him. "Give them to Amy. It will be a while before dinner is ready."


    After all, the girl had been gone for some hours now. "Thank you. Ask the kitchen for assistance. Don''t do everything yourself."


    He didn''t want her to stress herself especially when she was recovering. Ste understood this and gave a grateful smile. "Thank you dear but I''m fine. Go on, Amy must be hungry.


    And true to Ste''s words, Amy was indeed busy working on something. The woman had the audacity to rest herptop on top of their child. But he would let her be. As long as she wasfortable.<sub> </sub>


    She was so engrossed in whatever she was doing that she didn''t hear him walk in but she could feel his presence. It was one nobody could ignore. He took off his jacket and hooked it ok his arm and walked over.


    "Hey", he said greeting her with a kiss on her lips when he reached her side.


    "Wee back. Guess what babe?" She said with a smile though her eyes were glued to the monitor. Not waiting for a response, she gave him her phone.


    "For you", he gave her the te of snacks as he unlocked her phone with his own fingerprint.


    "Thank you."


    As Amy munched on her food, Zach silently read the exchange between Xavier and Amy. It exined the excitement on her face. He shook his head and ced the phone down and pecked her lips.


    "Enjoy", he said and she hummed in response as he disappeared into the bathroom to freshen up.


    Theirst connection to the service was three months ago and thus it took a while to track down the exact location the disconnection happened. Still, she tracked it down to an area that she now discovered either had no security cameras or they were busted.


    She tapped a finger on her chin as she looked at the results. She was looking at the areas topography and three red dots shed on a certain spot showing where the connection hadst been lost.


    This can''t be it. ''There is something I''m not seeing here...'' she mused. But what?


    The more she stared at it, the more it put a strain on her eyes. It was tiring but Amy was not one to give up until she found what she was looking for. There was no such thing as a dead end until she dered it a deadend. What is she not seeing from the screen?


    A knock was heard and Zach who was out of the shower went to answer it. He stepped out and disappeared for a few minutes. Amy was too focused on her task to dwell on why he went out.


    ''What if.....?'' she entertained her thought and typed amand, testing out her thought. She zoomed out of the area to see ''the bigger picture''.


    "Aha!" Her eyes lit up and she startedughing like a little maniac.


    All she did was look at the area in whole and not just focus on that location she had tracked and vo! Guess which pharmaceuticalpany was a few miles from that location she had tracked?


    Amy: I''m afraid this has to do with our enemy. I''ll exinter.


    She quickly dialed for Henry''s number after sending that text to Xavier. The man answered on the third ring. "Hot Head, we need to be ready..... I have a feeling these guys are about to make a move..... I''ll send you a little something to your work email."


    She ended the call and did so. Zach, who had left the room, came back in with their dinner. Since she was busy, they would have it in their room. Seeing the smile on her face only meant one thing.


    "Sess?"


    "Yup! Ah! The answer was right in my face! All I di-"


    "Amy?" He grew worried when she suddenly stopped talking suddenly held her stomach and her excitement quickly die down to be reced with panic and confusion. Panic overtook him too as he quickly rushed to her side and set the tes on her nightstand. "What''s wrong?"


    "I... I think my water just broke."

 Chapter 232 Amy Has Gone Into Labor

    "Edmund!"


    "Sir!" The man rushed from the foot of the stairs and went up until he reached the door of Zach and Amy''s room. He leaned his ear an inch away from the door to listen better as he could not just barge in. "Sir."


    "Tell Skull to arrange for Dr. Glynne to get here! It''s an emergency! Call Ste toe upstairs and call my mom too!"


    "Is that all sir?" He asked after Zach went silent.


    "Move!" He barked from inside.


    "Right away!"


    He rushed back downstairs and used the houseline to dial for bodyguards'' apartment and delivered the message. From then, he called Victoria.


    "Madam, master asked for your presence", he said politely though urgently.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "I think it''s the madam, something could be up."


    Victoria didn''t even respond and simply hang up. Her grandchild wasing, she rushed to make preparations knowing she would be at Zach''s for a while. Next, Edmund went to look for Ste. The woman was having dinner with her husband as Zach and Amy had not joined them.


    "Edmund?" She frowned when she saw his worried expression.


    "The master called for you into his room. I think it has to do with the madam-"


    Ste dropped her meal and left her crutches as she limped her way up stairs. Her heart was beating out of her chest as random thoughts gued her mind. What could have happened to Amy? Has she gone intobor already? Richard was also quickly following behind her. He was also worried.


    When she reached their door, she knocked once and quickly entered. She got her answer when she saw Zach seated with his back to her, holding Amy''s hands, who was seated against the headboard, as they did breathing exercises. Amy looked like she was struggling with the exercises but she fought through.


    "Oooooooooh!" She breathed out with her eyes closed and brows furrowed.


    "Oh! Dear!" Ste rushed over to her side. Amy opened her eyes and couldn''t even afford to smile because of the pain. "When did the contractions start?"


    "Just now. This is the first one", Zach answered.


    "Okay. We need to time them. It will help her while we wait for Dr. Glynne to arrive and she''ll want to know how far apart they are", Ste exined.


    Amy looked at Richard who gave her a sympathetic smile. He had seen how painful this had been for his wife, so he knew how bad it was for Amy. The poor girl.


    "Alright. We should move to the room", Zach said as he stood to carry her.


    "No need for that. The contractions just started, she can still walk. Richard, help them", Richard wanted to move but was stopped by Zach''s scary expression.


    He was like a wolf protecting his pack from the enemy. The man clearly disapproved of Ste''s suggestion since Amy was in pain. He felt Amy squeeze his hand and his expression softened. She obviously knew what was going on in his head.


    "She''s right. Listen to her", she whispered to him. He remained unmoving, not convinced at all. "I''ll tell you when it bes unbearable."


    "Fine."


    Richard finally got a move on and assisted Zach in helping Amy onto her feet. Zach held her hands as she shuffled her feet into her house slippers. She gave him a small smile, assuring him she was fine only for him to frown. He held the back of her neck and kissed her forehead.


    "Babe, I packed a few things. They''re in the wardrobe", she told him.<sub> </sub>


    He nodded and went to get the bags she prepared. Richard rubbed her arm infort.


    "You''ll be alright kiddo. This will be over before you know it", he promised her to which Amy nodded.


    "Ste, I''d like to ask for a favor."


    "Yes, dear?"


    "Edmund!" Zach shouted as he stepped out of the wardrobe with two duffel bags and a diaper bag.


    Edmund''s footsteps could be heard rushing up to the room. Zach went to the door and handed him the bags.


    "Get these to the delivery room and have the wheelchair on standby."


    "Yes, sir."


    While Edmund left, Zach went to Amy''s side and helped her walk. Richard now remembered to get Ste''s crutches before she put too much pressure on her leg. Victoria arrived with Henry carrying some bags. Zach had already guessed that they would stay over for a while.


    The walk to the delivery room was not as bad for Amy. She had not experienced any contractions until an hourter. And that was in time when Suzy arrived.


    With her were a few nurses and a pediatrician too. They were directed to the delivery room where Amy was walking around the room. Ste had advised her to walk around. Zach was beside her as he held her when she stopped to breathe through the pain.


    Suzy walked in on Amy standing with one hand against the wall while the other clultched her dress as she was trying to crouch though failing from the pain and heaviness of her pregnancy. This was such a torture to Zach. His woman was in pain and all he could do was hold her.


    "We should sit down", he suggested. She shook her head in response as she inhaled and exhaled slowly.


    "Amy, Mr. Frost", Suzy greeted. "Mr. and Mrs Thornton, Mr. and Mrs Frost. Trevor, say hello."


    The boy appeared behind her and greeted his elders politely. Zach inwardly frowned when he saw the child. Everyone exchanged greetings with Suzy and the medical team before she turned to thetter. "Get started."


    "Trevor?" Richard called out.


    "Yes, sir?" He answered.


    "Come with me. Let''s leave your mom to do her job", he said.


    "Mm. We''ll be right out", Henry agreed.


    The nurses got a move on as they needed to set things up in preparation for the delivery. While they did so, she walked over to Amy who has just recovered from the contractions.


    "Hey. How many contractions so far?"


    "This is the second one in an hour or more", Zach answered.


    "Isn''t it a bit early?" Amy was worried that she had a few weeks to go but the baby came early.


    "Not really. Some babies are born between 36 and 38 weeks. It''s normal, you have nothing to worry about. And you guys have been doing a great job with this pregnancy, so don''t worry yourself, alright?"


    "Okay", she said, putting her trust in Suzy. Zach nodded, he too was worried but Suzy''s answer put his heart at ease. All he could worry about now was Amy.


    "Great. Let''s get you changed and into bed."

 Chapter 233 Amy Made Zach A Father

    Everyone else was sent out and Amy was left at the mercy of the medical personnel. They helped her change into a hospital gown and into bed which had been set in a nted position so she could remain seated. Zach, Ste and Victoria came back in when they were connecting Amy to the IV. They had been given protective clothes to wear as well.


    A fetal monitor belt was wrapped around her waist to monitor her contractions and the baby''s heartbeat. A blood pressure cuff was also put on her arm. Her blood was drawn to run some tests.


    "We need ab for this", a nurse told Suzy who looked to Zach.


    "I''ll get Skull to handle this. How soon do you want this?" Victoria asked.


    "As soon as possible", Suzy answered before Victoria left with the sample.


    "Is she not getting any epidural?" Ste asked a curious question when she saw that nothing else was injected into Amy. Zach and Amy looked at Suzy at the same time.


    "Right. It all depends on them. Although you''re in the clear for natural birth, we could use epidural injection to lessen the pain. Of course, it has its own risks on natural birth. But it''s more effective on Caesarian birth. So.... I don''t know. Which method would you like?"


    "Which would you rmend?" Amy asked.


    "Natural, no epidural", she answered.


    "Are you sure?" Zach was worried. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an iron fist whenever she underwent the pain.


    "Yes."


    "I''ve told Xavier. He''ll be here soon", Victoria said as she walked in.


    "Great."


    Soon, the blood work results arrived and Suzy was pleased by how good Amy''s numbers looked. She started monitoring Amy''s cervical dtion. Amy felt like the wholebor process was going on for eternity. She wanted to get it over and done with. She especially wished for this when the contractions started to frequent. At this point, she started crying.


    "You''re doing great", Zach coaxed her with much difficult as he couldn''t stand seeing her in pain. Still, he refused to leave her sight.


    "It''s okay, dear. You''ll be okay", Ste rubbed soothing circles on her back as she stood on Amy''s other side.


    "Oh god!" Amy writhed on the bed as tears rolled down her cheeks.


    Zach''s brows were furrowed as he wiped her tears while she sniffled. He didn''t mind the pain she inflicted by squeezing his hands that were holding hers. She had never experienced pain like that before. She wished she could rip off her stomach right in that instant.


    "Zach, do you want to wait outside?" Victoria asked, worried when she saw that he too was having a hard time. But he shook his head. He would not leave Amy alone.


    "Is she not ready yet?" Zach asked with impatience. He also wished for this to be over.


    It had been hours, he lost count but knew it was veryte into the night. Suzy shook her head no. She didn''t need to check to know that Amy''s cervix was not there yet.


    "I''m sorry", Zach apologized to Amy. But she shook her head in response, unable to verbally answer.


    Meanwhile, Xavier had finally arrived. Edmund had showed him to where everyone was. Richard and Henry were seated in the lounge close to the delivery room.


    "You took long", Henry observed.


    "I..... had something on. Why? Is the little one here yet? Boy or girl?" He asked excitedly getting his camera ready.


    "Not yet", Henry showed no sign of fatigue thoughte it was. Richard however, was a whole different case as he yawned for the millionth time.


    "Whose?" Xavier finally noticed the kid sleeping on the sofa next to Richard.<sub> </sub>


    "Dr. Glynne''s son", Richard said with a tired yawn as he stretched out his limbs.


    "You might want to sit down. I think they''ll be there for a while", Henry pointed to a seat.


    Xavier silently sat down as he waited. He shot a curious gaze at the corridor leading to the delivery room. Ste and Victoria were taking turnsforting Amy. Zach only left her side when he needed to use the restroom otherwise he was glued to her side, whispering words to encourage them both. It was really hard for them especially Amy. The night was slowly disappearing to be reced by morning.


    "Ahhhhh!" She gave out a heart breaking cry and groaned in pain. "Zachery! Oh god! Oh!"


    "Susan!" Zach barked, unable to hold himself anymore.


    "It''s okay Jen", she turned a deaf ear to Zach''s outburst. She had learned to be unfazed to such situations. She peaked under the sheets and a smile bloomed on her lips. "She''s ready. Now Jen I need you to push at the same time you feel the contractions. I know it''s painful but you can do this. You''ll push when I tell you to."


    The medical team was quick assist Suzy while Ste and Victoria stood to the side, the former removing strands of hair from Amy''s face and thetter holding her hand while Zach held the other.


    "You can do this baby", he told her.


    "Now. Push!"


    Amy grunted out in pain as she did so with all the strength she could gather. Nevermind that she was in a vulnerable state, her focus was to get it over and done with. Her forehead perspired as she fell back on the bed whilst crying.


    "You''re doing great baby", Zach encouraged.


    "Alright... Push!"


    She lifted her upper body with gritted teeth and gave a hard push and copsed back on the bed. Her chest rose and fell as she sobbed.


    "We''re right with you dear and you''re doing an amazing job", Ste said as she wiped Amy''s forehead.


    "Keep going Amy. You''re almost there", Victoria chirped in.


    "Jen. I need one big push. Can you do that for me?" She didn''t even wait for an answer as she looked at monitor and shouted. "Push!"


    Amy took two deep breaths andunched her upper body forward as hard as she could. "Aarrrggghhhhhhh!"


    She felt the baby being pulled out of her and her cry was drowned out by the sound of their crying baby. She breathed a sigh of relief and copsed on the bed. Zach pressed his lips against her forehead immediately.


    The umbilical cord was quickly mped and their baby was ced on Amy''s chest. Amy and Zach looked at the child and happy smiles graced their features.


    "Congrattions! You''re parents to a beautiful princess", Suzy said with a chuckle.


    Ste and Victoria had tears in their eyes as they held each other while watching the new parents greet their daughter. Amy who was already crying sniffled as she gazed affectionately at her daughter who was also crying.


    Zach ced his pinky close to the little ones hand and she grabbed it in a firm grip. He felt his eyes water from strong emotions and used his thumb and index finger to wipe his tears. He was finally a father. Amy had made him a father.


    Amy looked at him with a smile and he pressed his lips against hers. Amy felt her inside churn as she could feel the strong emotions he was conveying.


    "Thank you", he whispered and pecked her lips again. "Thank you."


    Amy smiled before they both looked down at their daughter. It was as though their minds were in sync as they both said.


    "Wee to the world, Roserie."

 Chapter 234 Zachs Little Photocopy

    The expression on Amy''s face was peaceful as shey in bed. She had been moved from the hospital bed, where she had given birth, to a normal king sized bed. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times as she tried to find her bearings. The sound of the bathroom door opening caught her attention. It was a dejavu moment for her. There was Zach.


    The moment they made eye contact, he tookrge strides towards her and she sat up too. He sat down and pulled her into an embrace. She didn''t need to ask to know yesterday was too much for him. She breathed in his scent and rxed in his- scent? ''oh my god!'' she shrieked internally in horror


    "Babe...", She tried pushing him away but he just held her tighter. "Let go first."


    "No."


    "But I..."


    "Amy, you just enjured close to twelve hours ofbour, gave birth to a beautiful baby, our daughter; do you really think I would care about whether you showered or not?"


    That shut her up and she let him hold her. But his sentence reminded her of something important. "Where is she? Is she okay?"


    Zach broke the embrace and looked at her lovingly. "She''s fine. The pediatrician was looking after her while you were asleep."


    She slowly nodded and voiced out something she had not thought of. "What about registration? Her birth certificate?"


    "I took care of it", he assured her. Amy visibly rxed but Zach could tell there was want and need in her eyes. This time around, it was for their daughter. She wanted to see their princess. He took his phone and dialed a number.


    "She''s awake", he said before he hang up.


    They didn''t wait long until Suzy came back in with Ste and Victoria and thetter holding the baby. Amy''s eyes turned misty when she the bundled up little one. She spread out her arms and Victoria carefully ced the baby in her hold. Probably smelling her mom''s familiar scent, Roserie started crying again.


    "Aww!" Ste cooed.


    "You should feed her", Victoria whispered.


    Although they had seen more of her while she was giving birth, she still felt embarrassed to breastfeed whilst in their presence.


    "Did you pack a scarf somewhere?" Ste asked while looking around for her bags.


    "Yes. In the brown bag", she answered while rocking the baby. "Sshhh it''s okay. It''s okay. Sshhh...."


    Zach was still mesmerized by the beautiful baby they had. A beautiful baby girl. She had been dressed in a cute little matching outfit from the beanie, and sweater..... Amy couldn''t see the rest because of the nkets wrapped around her. She could easily guess the outfit was Ste''s idea. The woman loved colorful clothes.


    "Besides that", Suzy started as she went to Amy''s side. "You can adjust this and feed her, at the same time not expose much of you."


    She adjusted the hospital gown for her and true to her words, Amy started to breastfeed the child who immediately quieted down. Suzy helped to adjust Roserie''s position at the same showing Amy how to properly carry the child whole feeding her.


    "Here", Ste helped to cover them with the scarf. "And when she''s done, hold her like this to burp her."


    "The bib", Victoria reminded.


    "Oh yes! In case she throws up while you''re burping her, put this on her and use a nnel to cover your shoulder."


    "Alright. Thank you", Amy smiled.


    Ste looked at her and her eyes turned misty. She patted Amy''s cheek like always. "I''m so proud of you dear. Both of you."


    "You can''t start crying again", Victoria grumbled as she wiped her own tears. She stood up and walked over. "What would you like to eat dear?"


    "I could eat anything right now", Amy said with a chuckle. She had gone intobor in the evening of the day before, and now it was already afternoon of the next day. She was famished.


    "We''ll make everything for you", Ste said as she left with Victoria.


    "We''ll need to wrap your stomach in a slimming belt", Suzy started.


    "I need to bath first though."


    Suzy nodded and briefly went to the bathroom beforeing back out. Seeing how the couple was so focused on watching their feeding child, she also decided to give them some privacy. Amy removed the scarf as it was now just the three of them.


    Zach tucked stray strands of Amy''s hair behind her ear. Roserie opened her eyes briefly and closed them again while making suckling sounds.


    "She has Xavier''s eyes", Zachmented as he caressed Roserie''s little face.


    "But she''s your photocopy", Amy said in amusement and then frowned.<sub> </sub>


    "How can you tell? She just looks like a baby to me", Zach couldn''t see it.


    "She has your hair, look at these eyebrows, this nose, these lips, they are definitely not mine", Amyined and then she gasped. "How could she have perfect eyshes when she''s so tiny?"


    "Are you..... jealous of your own daughter?"


    "That''s not the issue right now! Is there anything of me that she inherited?" She looked at him with a pout.


    Zach directed his gaze to his daughter who had her eyes close. He tucked in the nkets around her tiny face to make her morefortable. "Don''t listen to your mommy. You''re perfect just the way you are-"


    "You''re happy that your wish came true", Amy red at him.


    Zach chuckled as he continued to talk to Roserie. "And mommy''s perfect too. Let''s give her time to ept that. Alright?"


    Roserie opened her eyes and cutely blinked at them. Amy''s grumbling stopped and they both looked at their daughter with loving gazes. She made a noise whilst still suckling and looking at her parents.


    Amy chuckled, "You were so hungry, weren''t you? Mommy is sorry cupcake."


    "You wereining about her not taking after you. She definitely has your appetite."


    "You''re lucky my hands are full", she warned him.


    "I know", he said with a smirk.


    Amy and Zach watched as Roserie ate. She closed her eyes for a while and briefly opened them only to close them again. After what seemed like forever, she let go of her mother''s nipple.


    "I''ll burp her, go ahead and shower." He knew how ufortable she was.


    Amy helped him cover his shoulder and put the bib on Roserie. She left him walking around the room while burping her as she went on to bath. She was surprised seeing everything had been set up for her. It must have been Suzy. She didn''t take too long when she heard the sound of Roserie crying. When she stepped out, Zach was seated on the bed while rocking her and cooing her. The girl was slowly quieting down as Zach calmed her down.


    "It''s okay. It''s okay. Daddy is here. It''s okay", he said gently.


    Amy could not help but smile when she saw this beautiful scene. The man had assumed the fatherly role quite perfectly. She quitely walked towards the door. A maid was just outside.


    "Tell Dr. Glynne I''m ready."


    "Yes ma''am."


    She came in with another nurse. Zach stood to the side, rocking Roserie to sleep as he watched the women. Amy was made to lie on the bed and the nurse put the belt on her under Suzy''s supervision.


    "That''s tight", Amy groaned as she sat up and fixed her dress when she was done.


    "It will be ufortable now but as time goes, it won''t be. And if you can''t do it yourself, ask your husband to help you", the nurse advised.


    "Change this", Suzy tapped the IV bag and the nurse got to work.


    A knock was heard and Amy permitted the person in as she was getting under the covers. The person she had been looking for finally showed himself along with George.


    "Congrattions!" Xavier shouted and George pped his hands-


    "Sshhh!" Zach gave them a fierce re before his expression turned gentle as he looked down at his daughter.


    Amy chuckled when she saw this and spoke quietly. "How are you guys? It feels like I haven''t seen you in forever."


    George and Xavier went to stand beside the bed. George nodded. "I''m good."


    "Me too."


    Amy gave a knowing smile at Xavier. There was a question she wanted to ask but opted to keep quiet.


    "Is there something I''m missing?" George asked curiously.


    "There''s a new development in our case and it''s thanks to him", she nodded at him.


    George gave him a curious look while Xavier only smiled. He would not deny or admit anything. But when he thought back to the reason he arrivedte after receiving news of Amy, he could not help but smile to himself.

 Chapter 235 A Report On Joanne Harper

    "Oh my god! Rx!" Victoria let out a heavy sigh.


    "It''s scary!" Xavier protested making Richard and Henryugh.


    "Everyone else did it, you can too! This is the only chance you have to hold her before Zach wakes up. Cooperate!" Victoria nagged. Zach was apanying Amy in napping.


    "But she''s so... tiny!" He grimaced at this. She ignored his protests and ced the child in his hold.


    Victoria went to sit down next to Henry. She trusted he would figure it out on his own. What kind of uncle can''t even hold his niece?


    George walked in and stopped; a smirk stretched on his lips and Xavier knew he was up to no good. He shook his head no but George walked on to where Xavier was seated and took his camera. He chuckled as he held it up to his face in readiness to take a shot. "You look like you''re constipated."


    "Oh my God! Breath!" Victoria shouted at Xavier.


    "Don''t you dare!" Xavier said through gritted teeth.


    Snap! He looked at the picture and chuckled, "We should have this framed."


    Xavier red at him but he responded with a smirk.


    "Henry", Victoria scolded. Xavier rxed thinking his mother was taking his side when she quickly stood up and run to George excitedly. "Let me see!"


    The two broke outughing and his face turned ugly. George and Victoria got into it as they looked at more pictures he took.


    "Ooooooh! When did you take this?" She asked in amazement. George showed him a picture of Zach and Amy sleeping. He was spooning his wife as they slept.


    "Ah! Not too long ago", he answered.


    "How did Zach not know?" Victoria was amazed at this. Even George was puzzled seeing the serenity on his face captured in the picture.


    "He knew. Look at the next picture", he said. And just as Xavier said, there was a picture of Zach who, though had his eyes closed, his brows were furrowed.


    "Oh yeah. This is more like him", Victoria nodded. She knew her son was a light sleeper so there was no way he would t have known someone was in the room.


    The two continued to look at the pictures as Xavier was left in the same position holding his niece. Suddenly, his phone started to ring.


    "Whose phone is that? Henry?" Victoria red around the room as Roserie made sounds like she was about to cry. She was startled by the loud sound.


    "It''s mine. I need to get it", Xavier said. Richard went over to carry her and Xavier finally rxed as he took his phone.


    "Was it not a call?" Victoria asked curiously.


    "I set an rm", he said.


    "What for?"


    He only smiled as he typed away on his phone. Victoria only shook her head as she turned to the two older men.


    "Will you guys be alright? I need to check on Ste."


    The other woman had been in the kitchen making a little of everything for dinner. Suzy and Trevor were keeping herpany as they were familiar with each other. Victoria originally agreed to look after Roserie but now being alone with the men, she felt it better to be with the women. And the grandfathers could not stop dotting on their little grandchild. They did not get tired of carrying Roserie around.


    "We''ll be alright", Henry answered as he looked at Richard who nodded.


    Victoria went to Richard and took the baby to kiss her little forehead before giving her back to him and going her way. George, unable to hold his curiousity, went to sit next to Xavier.


    "What?" Xavier asked without looking up from his phone.


    "Are you going to talk or should I find out myself?"


    "It''s nothing", Xavier said with seriousness and only for a smile to stretch on his lips a secondter.


    "''Nothing'' must be really hot."


    "Smoking."


    Xavier paused and looked up from his phone as he realized his slip up. He turned to George to defend himself when the former suddenly received a call. He patted Xavier''s shoulder with a smirk ying on his lips before excusing himself to answer the call.


    Xavier focused back on his phone. He rubbed his thumb on his lower lip as he contemted on whether to send the message or not. He knew he needed to put her at ease.....<sub> </sub>


    But why did he have to put her at ease? She was the one who misunderstood his actions when he jumped into the river. His heart started to beat wildly when an image of Lorraine shed in his mind.


    But what if she she''s just another Nicole or worse? He didn''t know anything about her yet he wanted to do something he swore he would never do after the Nicole fiasco: entertain a woman. Yet here he was. Why was he being like this? It''s because.....


    ''No. No way'', he mused. It was absurd, too absurd he found it funny.


    Meanwhile, George went from the corridor he was to the now known as recovery room where Zach and Amy were sleeping after his call. He lightly pped his phone on his palm as he walked over. He gave a soft knock and waited. A few secondster, Zach opened the door and closed it behind him.


    "I just received word on Joanne Harper. I need to go to West Vige as soon as possible", he said as he gave Zach his phone.


    Zach''s brows furrowed when he saw the information and he slowly nodded, showing his approval.


    "Are you going to tell Amy?" He asked carefully.


    Zach fell silent. He knew how important this person was to Amy. He could vividly remember that night how her face lit up when she talk about the woman after he suggested that they look into her background.


    shback....


    "Although we were treated the same, she secretly paid a little more attention to me. She had gone as far as naming me after all I was a child who had no name or background.


    "She was the librarian at the orphanage and allowed me to secretly y online games there. All the tournaments I had won, she kept them a secret for me and helped me grow into the person that I am. She handled my finances. Of course, I knew she would take a little bit for herself but it was the secrecy I appreciated the most.


    "I was drawn to her. I started to wish she was my mother but she told me it was because I was just pitiful. It stung, but I still liked her and she still helped me. When I left for NYU, she told me to never return because of how much I had suffered there."


    Zach chuckled in amusement as he realized something. "But when things went wrong, you went back to the one ce your enemies thought you would not deliberately go to since they had your information?"


    Amy chuckled too. "You know me so well."


    "Mmmm.... So you think Joanne might know something about you?" He guessed why she suggested the woman.


    "I don''t know..... But I would like to think so. When I look back to the way she treated me.... She deliberately made me look like I was not a special case while secretly helping me be A.J. I overlooked it then but now that I know I might be connected to the Dark Waters, there could be something I''m missing. No, I''m sure there is something."


    End of shback...


    "I''ll handle that", Zach said to George.


    Just then, the sound of Roserie crying greeted his ears. He gave the phone back and walked ahead to the lounge. George left knowing he had Zach''s approval.


    "Try singing to her", Richard said from where he was seated.


    "Like what?" Henry asked as he rocked Roserie in his arms while pacing around the room.


    As Richard was wracking his brain, Zach suddenly appeared and gestured with his hands to hand over the crying child. Henry did so and everyone fell in shock when Zach started to hum as he rocked her while wiping her tears and going back to the room.


    Everyone: "..."


    "What did I just see?" Xavier asked as he recovered from shock.


    "What song was that?" Henry asked.


    "I choose you by Sara Barailles", Xavier answered with a show of his phone. "I used a song tracker."


    When Zach reached the room, Amy was already sitting on the bed. She had woken up immediately Zach left the bed. Hearing her daughter quiet down her sobs because of Zach''s humming, her heart melted right away. Roserie was crying but not as much as before.


    "I think she''s hungry", he said as he handed her over to her mother.


    "A. There you go", Amy wiped her tears and started feeding her.


    She looked at her child and fixed her beanie that had moved. She wiped more tears that fell as she fed. Finally, the tears stopped rolling and Amy looked at Zach. He had on a serious expression more than usual. He was rapping his fingers on the spot beside where he was seated.


    "Did something happen?" She asked curiously. He looked at her, debating whether to tell her or not. "You can tell me."


    "A..... report came in on Joanne", he started, unsure whether to deliver the grave news.


    "What.... What happened to her?" There was evident fear in her tone but she still wanted to know.


    "We just found out that she has cancer and only has a few days to live."

 Chapter 236 Time Will Tell

    "I.... I", Amy''s brows furrowed in confusion. The news was too shocking for her. It was too sudden for her. She was snapped out of her state when Roserie let go of her nipple and started crying.


    "Give her to me", he held out his hands and she did.


    She fixed her dress. Zach knew she needed a minute to process the news. So he worked on calming down their daughter and stayed beside her. She needed the support.


    "How did I... How did I not know about this? Although she refused to keep contact, I still.... Oh my gosh! I-"


    "Amy", Zach warned her and reminded her at the same time.


    "I know, I can''t me myself for things I have no control over but this... This is so sudden... I just...." Tears were already rolling down her cheeks.


    Zach had two crying girls seeking his attention. Amy wiped her own tears and forced herself to calm down before she took Roserie from him.


    Breastfeeding her did not calm her down and Amy''s tears were still falling. He moved to sit leaning against the headboard and pushed her back to lean against him so he could embrace them both.


    "I''m sorry baby. I know this is hard for you", He whispered, kissed the back of her head then rested his chin on her shoulder.


    Amy closed her eyes and tears escaped as they rolled down her cheeks. She sniffled and looked down to make sure she was feeding Roserie properly before leaning back into Zach.


    "I need to see her", she whispered.


    "Let''s wait to hear from George", he whispered back.


    "Okay."


    She rxed in his embrace. It was now she realized that the little one had stopped crying and was focusing on feeding. She wiped her little year stained face. So it wasn''t just her, Zach had the ability to calm her down too. She felt his lips press against her soft spot between her neck and shoulder. Amy felt a tingle and arched her back as her body was still sensitive.


    "What was that for?" She asked softly.


    "No reason", he said as he looked over her shoulder, down at their baby. "But I have to say that we made such a good looking kid."


    Amy chuckled at this. "You know you''re justplimenting yourself."


    "There''s no harm in self love", he answered with pride.


    She turned her head to look at him. "Were you always like this or was I just blinded by love?"


    Zach chuckled before he hooked a finger under her chin and imed her lips. He enjoyed the softness of hers as they brushed against his. For Amy, it felt like an eternity had passed since they shared a kiss but a third wheeler just had to interrupt. Roserie broke into sobs as she started crying again.


    Zach chuckled as Amy hardly fought augh in disbelief. "Oh my gosh! Even when you''re out of my stomach."


    "I like her. We''re keeping her", Zach said with a happy smile.


    Amy was about to respond when a knock was heard. Zach covered her up with a scarf before permitting the person in. Suzy walked in with Trevor who had an unhappy expression.


    "I thought I would never see this little prince", Amy chuckled shifted in her seat, adjusting the scarf.


    "Say hello", Suzy patted him on his back as she went to Amy.


    "Hello."


    "What''s wrong with you?" Amy asked curiously.


    Trevor furrowed his brows in displeasure before walking over to them. He stood with his arms folded against his chest. "I thought you were going to leave him for me."


    Amy and Suzy gave an awkwardugh especially when Zach gave Amy an using gaze. "Mmmm.... That''s currently an impossible thing for me to do. So, tell me what you want? I''llpensate."


    "How can youpensate for my broken heart?" He grumbled as he went to a sofa in the room and sluggishly threw himself there. "I don''t need money, I need love...."


    He gave her a pitiful look before looking away. Amy''s jaw dropped. "You sure he''s twelve?"


    "Turning thirteen", Trevor corrected, giving her that nce again before looking away.


    "Don''t pay attention to this drama queen. Some patients introduced Stephen to some telenovs and now they''re both hooked", she shook her head.


    "Why didn''t you bring Stephen with you?" Amy asked while giving her a teasing smile.


    "This- This is work, not some vacation", she tucked strands of hair behind her ears exposing her blushing face. Suzy cleared her throat. "How are you feeling?"


    "We''ve caught up on some sleep but I''m still weak."<sub> </sub>


    "Mm. How about this little one?" Suzy smiled as looked at Roserie who was still feeding. "She has such an appetite."


    "So far, so good. Do you want to have a look at her?"


    "No need. But I have this friend of mine, a pediatrician, she works here in the city. Really good. You can give her a call and she''ll privately attend to Roserie", she took out a card from her purse and Zach received it. He nodded in response.


    "Thank you Suzy", Amy said. "For everything."


    Suzy waved a hand of dismissal. "No. What are friends for? We came to check on you and say hello. We''ll leave you guys alone. Come on Trevor!"


    The boy got up and said his goodbye whilst still sulking before he left with his mother. Amy shook her head and turned her head to find her big boy frowning. "What?"


    "You didn''t tell me we were bringing a grown man in our house", Zach used.


    "What man?" Amy was confused.


    "Dr. Glynne''s son."


    Amy broke out into augh only to stop when she realized how serious he was. Her jaw fell open in disbelief. "Are you serious right now? He''s twelve!"


    "Yet it didn''t stop you from telling him that you would leave me for him."


    "Wow." She removed the scarf, released Roserie and fixed her dress.


    Zach took the child from her as heined. "Who knew your mother was like this? Looks like it''s going to be you and me."


    "Is that you letting me go to another- mmm!"


    Zach silenced her with his lips inciting a surprised moan from her. He was only holding her chin and used the other hand to hold Roserie. She moved to be morefortable as she held onto him with her hands locked behind his neck. They slowly broke the kiss when her phone started to ring.


    "Never. That''s my answer." His aura changed to one of dominance and sexiness. Amy wondered how he managed to pull that off. Well, it shouldn''t be a wonder. He was Zach Frost. "Understood?"


    "Yes."


    He pecked her lips again before helping her get the phone that was on the night stand next to him. An amused smile stretched on her lips as she showed him the caller ID. He too was amused though he didn''t give much of a reaction but she saw it in his eyes. She swiped to answer and pressed the phone to her ear.


    "You said to call when there''s news from that side?" Pedro''s familiar voice resounded on the other end in his grumpiness.


    "I guess there is", Amy said in amusement.


    "We''re due to receive the new product in a week''s time. Everyone is getting ready for this", he exined.


    <o>,m "Good. Keep me posted."</o>


    "Don''t be mistaken. You''re not my superior to talk to me like that. I hope you remember that I''m only doing this because of our deal", Pedro snarled. He hated how Amy was in control of him and his group and the whole situation.


    "Hmmm.... I never implied that I was. At the same time, I have the upper hand. So what does that make me?" She smirked when she said this.


    Zach felt his heart swell with pride when he saw her not cower in front of guys like Pedro. But who was she? A.J, his wife and mother of his child.


    "I''m not doing this to establish who''s in power and who isn''t, if that''s how you feel, deal with it. Your inferiorityplex has nothing to do with me. You don''t like the situation, I won''t force you to like it. The least you can do is do this for that child who died. Isn''t it because of your men''s greediness that she lost her life like that?"


    Amy heard something crumble from the other end. She didn''t need to guess who pissed off he was to be brought into this situation. When the first clinic trial failed, the men who were asked to dispose of the failed drug got a little greedy and thought to make some quick money.


    It wasn''t just Pedro''s men, some other groups had gotten hold of the failed drug. Mona just happened to be that spoiled rich killed willing to spend a ridiculous amount of money on drugs to get high.


    Unfortunately, she got the wrong drugs. It was only her death that was heard of in rtion to the drug. Who knows what had happened to the others who got a hold of the drug? Their Faye was obvious, but what happened to them? Time would tell. Pedro killed the man who sold her the drugs so it doesn''t lead back to his group.


    "Since you know what those people are selling, why don''t you do some good for humanity?" Amy concluded before hanging up.


    As much as Pedro hated the situation, that was indeed the least he could do. And he could not afford to do anything funny. He knew her identity and he knew what she had done to Viper that B ss assassin.


    Amy looked at Zach and smiled. He had overhead the conversation just now. He could not help but feel proud of her.


    "We''re almost there", she said.


    "Almost there", Zach agreed.

 Chapter 237 Xavier Realized His Truth

    Back in Albany


    Little Oliver watched as his sister picked on her food as azy smile stretched on her lips. Her eyes glimmered with a new found happiness. But what could have made her so happy? The sound of a fork dropping on the te snapped her out of her reverie.


    Lorraine realized that she had dropped her fork while day dreaming about a certain someone.


    "I''ll go get another one", she said, embarrassed as she got up.


    "I''mte", Oliver said as he got up from his seat.


    "Alright then. Let me just get my bag", she said, changing her mind and direction.


    "Lorrie, you know you don''t have to walk me to school. I''m eleven, I can take care of myself", he protested.


    "Oliver, you know it''s not safe until I say it''s safe", she gave him a disapproving gaze.


    "But nothing has happened so far", he protested.


    Lorraine only looked at him without saying a word. Nothing happening so far means something was going to happen soon. She also was frustrated but she hoped he would understand. Oliver also thought if she understood why he was like that, them she might ease off on the restrictions.


    "My friends make fun of me at school that my sister still walks me to school. It''s.... embarrassing." He looked down in shame.


    Lorraine sighed and went to kneel before him so they were on the same eye level. She held his shoulders and her eyes were gentle. "I know. I understand how you feel. But just give me a little more time to sort this out. Then you can walk home with your friends or ride the bus if you wish. But for now, can you just put up with me apanying you for a little while? Please?"


    He briefly fell quiet digesting what she just said. He nodded in agreement. Her exnation had gotten to him. She smiled as she pulled on his jumper cor and fixed it.


    "Let me get my bag", she said as she stood up and he hummed in response.


    Soon, the siblings left the little apartment and as usual, Lorraine walked him to school. She felt bad when she saw him look down as his friends looked at him when she left him at the entrance. All this was because of a certain someone. She clenched her fist so tight her nails dug into her skin and left marks.


    She took the subway to work and when she arrived, she changed into her uniform and assumed her post releasing her colleague who had just finished his night shift.


    All throughout the day, her thoughts were on her phone. She kept checking it and no notification that she desired to give her attention to.


    "It''s not month end yet", her colleague joked.


    "I know", she replied with a chuckle as she stuffed her phone back into her pocket.


    "Is there something wrong with your phone?" He asked


    "No."


    "Are you expecting something?"


    "Something like that", she said with a chuckle and resumed her duties to end the conversation.


    Although sheughed, she could not help but be consumed in worry. Did something happen? Or was she anticipating too much? Was he just busy since he said it''s a family emergency? Or was she misreading his actions? She thought back to two days ago.


    shback....


    "You''re leaving?" She asked in surprise and there was worry on her face as she watched him stand up from the stool.


    Xavier smirked when he saw her reaction as he leaned forward barely leaving inches of space between them. "Why? Are you worried about me?"


    She was flustered as her face grew hot from embarrassment and their closeness. She didn''t want him to think that she was still mistakening him for being suicidal. Her heart was pounding wildly against her chest. How did things between them escte so quickly when just a few hours ago they were strangers?


    "Um.... Uh...."


    "Don''t worry, it''s just a family emergency. If you''re still worried about me, we can exchange numbers and I''ll update you on my well-being."


    "Ah..." She chuckled awkwardly, looking down as she leaned back, creating distance between them. "That''s not what I was driving at."


    She didn''t want him to think she was vying for his number or that she was one of those girls.


    "I insist", Xavier said as he unlocked his phone and gave it to her.


    She gave him her number and he saved it right in front of her before he left. As he left, he gave her onest look that sent her heartbeat into overdrive. What had she just gotten herself into?


    End of shback....


    Lorraine sighed. The sun had set and she was walking home after getting off the subway. She was on her way to pick up Oliver from the after-ss activities when her phone rung. She almost jumped on the spot when she saw the caller ID. He was finally calling. She cleared her throat a couple of times before answering.


    "Hello?" She said quietly as she slowed down her walking pace.


    "Lorraine", he answered. Her stomach flipped when she heard how her name rolled off his tongue with his deep voice. "Are youing from work?"


    "Yes", she answered immediately as she looked around. Could he see her? Where was he? Was he around? "Why?"


    "I can tell from the noise. How..... How was it?"<sub> </sub>


    Lorraine felt herself blush. "It was alright. Have you settled the family emergency?"


    "Hmmm..... about that. I called to tell you that I might have to stay here for a while. Something else came up."


    "Oh", she felt herself grow visibly disappointed. "That''s good."


    "It''s good?"


    "Um...."


    "Sorry. I have to go."


    He quickly hang up before she could say anything else. That was.... a blow. Why did she expect too much from him? The man had just been disappointed by a woman after years of not settling down? Even she wouldn''t want to jump into another rtionship. And with her current situation... It was not ideal for her to have such foolish ideas.


    "Oliver!" A teacher called and the young man took his bag and left to meet his sister.


    "Hey", she greeted him.


    "Hi sis."


    "How was school? Did they give you a hard time again? Maybe we should talk to your teacher about this?"


    "No need. School was fine."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Mm."


    They walked hand in hand as they made their way home. Oliver noticed that she was quiet than usual. Usually she told him the ridiculous stories from work but now she had fallen quiet. And she was hardly focusing if not for his tag on her arm.


    "What?" She asked with brows raised.


    "Are you alright? Did..... something happen?" He asked fearfully.


    "No.. oh no! Nothing happened. Don''t worry", she said hurriedly when she realized her quietness had scared him.


    "Are you sure?"


    "I promise you. Nothing happened. Do you remember I promised that nothing will happen to us? Do you still trust me on that?"


    "Yes. I trust you."


    "Good. So don''t worry yourself. Now, what do you want for dinner?"


    He went on rambling about what he wanted when subconsciously she thought back to Xavier''s call. Why did he hang up like that? Is it really the end for them?


    Meanwhile, Xavier had hang up after hearing a knock outside his room door. He went to get the door to find Zach standing there.


    "Weren''t you on a call?" Zach asked as he walked in when Xavier moved aside letting him pass.


    "Hm. Something up?" He asked as he closed the door behind them.


    "I need to talk to you about something", he said as they both settled down in the lounge area.


    "What''s up?"


    "Hmmm..... I know you left the city to unwind from the drama but we need you here", Zach said with a grave expression.


    "Oh! I know about that. George spoke to me before he left. I know you can''t leave Amy alone right now so I''ll man things at thepany. No worries."


    "Thank you." Zach was relieved that he understood. But something else bothered him that he could not help but ask. "What about.." he nodded towards the outside.. "Albany?"


    Xavier chuckled when he realized that he was talking about Loraine. "Amy can''t keep a secret?"


    "Not from me. No", Zach said with a smirk. "If anything, she''s excited for you."


    Xavier chuckled awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, she shouldn''t be too excited. It could be nothing."


    "Nothing....", Zach rapped his fingers on the armrest of his sofa. He looked at Xavier with a contemtive gaze. The man had said one thing but his eyes said something else. "Did you tell her you''ll be here a while?"


    "Yes."


    Zach nodded before turning to leave. He didn''t say anything and left Xavier to realize it on his own. If it was nothing, would he have bothered to exin himself? Yes, although it was too soon, the man had fallen in love..... HARD!


    Xavier groaned as he buried his face in his hands when he realized his truth. "I''m in trouble."

 Chapter 238 Meeting Joanne Harper

    A ck metallic gate whose paint was peeling away exposing the rusted metal was what greeted George''s eyes when he arrived at Good Hope Orphanage. He dressed down, wearing jeans and simple shirt with sneakers. Yet his good looks made him stand out especially now that he was not wearing his sses.


    As the gate was left open, he walked in. The sound of kids ying greeted his ears. Seeing as they were nowhere in sight, it meant they were at the back of the building he was facing. Someone walked out of the building, a young woman adorned in a ck and white habit.


    "Hello, wee to Good Hope orphanage", she gave him a polite smile.


    "Thank you. My name is George Stewart", he introduced himself, offering her his hand which she shook.


    "Yes, Mr. Stewart. What can I do for you?" She asked letting go of his hand.


    "I was looking for Sister Joanne Harper", he said while looking around before refocusing his gaze on her.


    She frowned at the mention of this. "Sister Harper has never mentioned any ''George Stewart'' to me?"


    "Of course. She may not know me but she surely knows Amy Harper", he said with a smile.


    And that name was all it took to lead him to the library. The woman who apparently had cancer and a few days to live was sitting behind her desk looking through some information on her desktop. She was an elderly woman, probably in herte sixties going to her seventies. She also wore the habit. The sister who was with George rushed to her side with worry.


    "I told you to stay in bed", she protested as she helped her up from the seat.


    "Ugh! That''s for the weak. Besides there''s so much to do here", Joanne responded before she coughed into her handkerchief. She caught sight of the unfamiliar figure and pointed at him while coughing.


    "Oh! That''s George Stewart. He must be a friend of Amy."


    Joanne''s face paled more than it already was when she heard that name. She quickly recovered and pretended as if she didn''t hear anything nor the fact that he was standing there.


    She released herself from the young sister and pushed herself to walk away. The sister gave George an apologetic look and he shook his head before following the older woman. The young sister only sighed before leaving the library.


    "Sister Harper", George called after her as he followed.


    The woman stubbornly refused to answer as she walked to the storage room. George was hot on her heels and was soon beside her.


    "Sister Harper, I''m George Stewart. I can say..... I''m now of family to Amy. You know her, I''m sure."


    She remained mum as she nced up at the books. She started pushing some books together, creating space on the shelves. George quickly took over this task.


    "I''m helping her look into her background. She believes that you might know something. Please help us. This is really important to her."


    "Hm."


    She went to sit down as George continued with the task. She drew in breath and started to cough again into her handkerchief. George could tell that she was in a lot of pain. He kept quiet as he continued making space. When she had recovered, he continued to speak.


    "Amy values you so much and she knows you''ve been protecting her all this while. She just wants to know the truth. Please."


    "Sister Harperrrrrrrr!" A woman shouted and the sound of her footsteps approaching was heard.


    George found the sound to be irritating and Joanne sighed too. That trouble maker was back again. They both looked to the door and there appeared a woman with short ck hair, she had piercings on her nose, lip and more on her ears. She was dressed in a shirt and jeans, not so different from George but her busty chest and figure easily showed.


    "Oh!" She stopped at the door. She had been wheeling in boxes of books when she saw Joanne with George. "I didn''t realize you were with someone."


    "Put them up", Joanne grumbled.


    She nodded and said to George, "Hello."<sub> </sub>


    George nodded in acknowledgement. He wasn''t too impressed with the girl''s outward appearance. He felt it was a waste of her good looks. But he reminded himself not to judge; everyone was entitled to look as they pleased. He can''t judge appearances, his own appearance could be appalling to someone else.


    The girl started getting the books from the cart and loading them onto the shelves. Since George had been helping earlier, he felt to continue with the help as he felt awkward just standing there.


    As the girl ced a few books at a time on the shelf, she caught sight of him moving his hands and knew he was about to help.


    "You don-" she lost bnce in the midst of turning to speak to him and cing the books at the same time and was about to fall when- "Argh!"


    Time froze. There she was about to fall ok him with her hands up still holding the books and George, he had broken her fall by grabbing... her boobs....


    Everyone: "..."


    Silence.... No one moved. They were all too shocked to react. She quickly recovered and stood up straight, releasing herself from him.


    "You should watch where you''re touching!" She shrieked as her face turned red.


    George rfelt like his hands were burning from remembering how soft and squishy her boobs felt in his hands.


    ''Pervert..'' a voice echoed in his head. He cleared his throat and used his middle finger to swipe it up the bridge of his nose only to remember he was not wearing sses. He cleared his throat again and decided to stuff his hands into his pocket.


    "Who is this weirdo?" She questioned Joanne.


    "Excuse me?" His brows furrowed in annoyance.


    "Nora!" Joanne scolded in a hoarse voice.


    "He just... Grabbed my.... Yeish!" She eyed him up and down in disgust. "Pervert!"


    "Excuse me!" His expression was growing uglier at the usations. The very truthful usations.


    "Nora, just put the books up and leave", Joanne said in a tired voice.


    "I''ll leave him to do the rest. I can''t be in the same space as him. Who knows? He might grab my ass next!"


    George subconsciously looked at the body part mentioned and she shrieked in horror.


    "He actually looked! Oh my God! I''m out of here!" She run out before he could say another word.


    George felt wronged as he looked at Joanne and waved his hands signing ''no''. "I''m not a pervert. I promise!"


    "Just put the books up", Joanne said tiredly as she started to cough again.


    George quietly did as told. His heart was heavy hearing her cough so painfully. It did not sit well with him that she still forced herself to work despite the pain. Time passed slowly as he stacked up the books. She would cough and recover, and let out heavy sighs. When he was unloading thest box, she finally spoke.


    "Why is she looking into her past again?"


    George was momentarily shocked that she started to speak and quickly rposed himself. "There are certain people she believes she might be rted to."


    "Bad people?" She asked, making him stop to turn around and face her.


    "Yes. Why? Do you know something?"

 Chapter 239 Not An Easy Task

    Joanne shook her head and coughed again. George furrowed his brows as her cough sounded like someone was roughly scraping her throat. How painful that must have been for the older woman. She cleared her throat and folded the handkerchief.


    "Get me some water", she said in a hoarse voice.


    He went out of the storage room, remembering he had seen a jug of water by the front desk where they had found her. He got hold of it and a ss to pour some water when he got back to her side. She gratefully took it and drunk. She exhaled softly and held onto the ss.


    "Some more?" He asked, ready to pour.


    "No. Thank you." She stayed quiet, looking as though she was trying to find her bearings before speaking up. "She shouldn''t look into that. Let sleeping dogs lie."


    "But this is important to her. These people.... They already know who she is."


    He hoped that would convince her to talk hoping that truth would frighten her but instead she nodded. "I know."


    "How?"


    Was she the one who gave Amy''s information to the enemy in the first ce? Is that how they knew everything about her? How else because Amy always knew when someone was looking into her yet the Dark Waters already had her information? Ste had separated her from them that night and that was sessful for some years so how? Was Joanne the snitch?


    "I have kept quiet specifically to protect her. And I will do so until the day I die. That child.... I can''t hand her over to those people. I can''t. I won''t."


    George was quiet and quickly got rid of his earlier thoughts. He sighed. "Look, I understand how important she is to you. Amy knows this all too well. You helped her be who she is today. If this information wasn''t as crucial, she wouldn''t look into it. Please. Help her. You''re the only one who can."


    Joanne let out a tired sigh. "Even if I say anything, it won''t be of much help. It''s best if she remains in the dark. Some things are best left uncovered. Let her remain ignorant. You go back too. You don''t know who''s watching."


    "But-"


    She fell into a fit of coughing. This time was much worse as she held the handkerchief over her mouth. George saw the cloth soak into a red substance and he quickly rushed to her side.


    "Sister Harper!" He held her as she coughed.


    Some blood fell on her fingers and she was slowly slipping into unconsciousness.


    "Help!" He shouted as he looked at the entrance and back at the woman.


    He moved to properly hold her in his arms and took out his phone to dial for 911. The sisters were rmed when they saw an ambnce arrive at the orphanage. The young sister from earlier rushed to the library along with the paramedics. Joanne was soon dragged out on a stretcher with George trailing behind them.


    "Only one family member can ride with us", one of the paramedics said as they pushed Joanne inside.


    "Go on. I''ll follow", George said to the sister.


    "Thank you", she said and quickly got in.


    She looked like she was about to cry from seeing the older woman like that. They were soon on the road and George was right behind them. He used the car Bluetooth to dial for Zach''s number.


    "I just came from meeting Joanne", George reported.<sub> </sub>


    "Did something happen?" Zach asked, probably picking up on the sound of the siren in the background.


    "She copsed after coughing blood. She''s being rushed to the hospital and I''m right behind them."


    "Okay. Take care of her."


    "Yes, sir."


    The call came to an end. George thought Zach would quickly ask if he got any information from her but it seemed he had put Joanne''s health first. Anyone who was important to Amy automatically became important to him too. This is one of the reasons he admired the man. It wasn''t always business for him, Zach had a heart.


    George stepped on the pedal increasing his speed as he followed closely behind the speeding ambnce. When they got there, Joanne was rushed to the E.R instead of the O.R.


    "If it''s a matter of money, I can pay for it. Just please help her", George said to the doctor.


    "It''s not a matter of paying for the best treatment for her. We can''t operate on her as she''s in the critical stage, we''ll lose her if wey hands on her. All we can do is stabilize her for now", he said with a grave tone.


    The young sister broke down in tears at the news. It seemed they were losing her much quicker than they wanted. George swallowed a hard lump. It felt like dejavu, being thrown into this helpless moment.


    "I still want the best care offered to her", he said with resolution.


    The doctor nodded, and Joanne was moved to a V.I.P room. In just an hour of meeting her, she looked like she had lost ten years of her life already. The ECG beeped, showing the steady readings of her heart beat. The young sister was seated on a stool beside her bed, holding the woman''s frail hand.


    She sniffled and looked back at George who had zoned out at looking at the sleeping Joanne. "Thank you, for everything you''re doing."


    George shoon his head.


    "I''m Alice by the way. Alice Moon."


    "George. Right, I told you already", he said with a small smile.


    She smiled back before looking at Joanne. She sighed. "She''s been through a lot."


    "Do you know why she kept this a secret for so long?" He was curious about this.


    "Same reason she doesn''t want Amy digging up her past."


    "Do you know anything?" He knew the answer but still asked.


    And he was not surprised when she shook her head no. He sighed, this was not going to be easy task. She was willing to take the secret to her grave. This would be the first time he would not have results from his search. He took this a lot more personal maybe because he was doing this for family.


    "Have you..... Have you been in this situation before?" She asked him curiously and he raised his brows at her in question. "I saw the way you were earlier.... It seemed like you were taking it too personal for someone who is a stranger to you."

 Chapter 240 [Bonus Chapter]An Insult Or Encouragement?

    George fell quiet. Had it been a little too obvious that he was indeed taking things personal? That it wasn''t just for Amy''s sake but more for his heart that had be uneasy from the moment he witnessed Joanne''s sickness? His anxiety and his involvement, did it really seem personal?


    A small smile stretched on his lips. He thought he was keeping things together, but it seemed he was wrong.


    <o>,m "Something like that", he answered and quickly changed the subject. He was notfortable with revisiting his past with aplete stranger. Do you want coffee? I''ll go get some."</o>


    "Sure."


    He gave one more nce at Joanne. Although an oxygen mask had been ced to aid her in breathing, it only worried him more. He knew the situation but could not help but wonder.... She should be alright, right? With that, he turned to leave the room. Alice sighed when she saw his lonely back. What could he have gone through?


    George had on a heavy expression as he exited the room. He was like a robot going to take the elevator going down to the first floor. He had spaced out but seemed to find his way easily. He let out a heavy sigh, snapping out of his thoughts.


    Ding! The elevator doors swung open and he walked around the first floor looking for a vending machine. He finally found it in some part of the hospital that was also a lounge area. People were seated there chatting away. Some were visitors, others were patients with their guardians who hade out for some fresh air.


    His good looks earned the attention of some but his mind was elsewhere. He ced some money inside the machine and pressed for the drinks to be released.


    Scenes from twenty years ago shed in his mind. His mother on the hospital bed, his father nowhere in sight, the feeling of helplessness from being unable to get her the best treatment; to his luck, Victoria and the family arrived to help but it was toote.


    He sighed, snapping out of the painful memory as he picked up the two drinks and moved to walk back to the elevator.


    "Help! Help! Help us!" A woman shouted as she rushed to the E.R with a little girl in her hands.


    George was about to move when he saw a familiar silhouette. His brows went up and he subconsciously found himself following.


    The woman was led to a spare bed and she let down the girl. She looked just fine from the outside but with the way the woman was freaking out, something bad must have happened.


    "What happened?" A doctor asked as he moved to examine the girl.


    "She got a jelly bean stuck in her ear", she exined while breathing heavily. She was obviously nervous.


    "How did that happen?"


    "We were ying how many jelly beans can you fit in your ear!"


    "Stacy!" The woman whisper shouted in horror from being snitched on.


    "You didn''t say that I can''t tell the doctor", Stacy said innocently with a shrug.


    The doctor gave the older woman a disapproving look before looking back at Stacy. "And how many did you fit in there?"


    "One!" Stacy held up her finger.


    "Well, we''ll get that out in no time. But jelly beans are meant to be eaten and not put in here. Don''t do that again no matter who tells you to", he said while giving the woman a dirty look before looking back at Stacy. "Alright?"


    "Yes doctor!"


    "And you can''t eat too many of them either otherwise your teeth will go bad. You don''t want that now, do you?"


    "No."<sub> </sub>


    "Good girl. Now let''s get this out."


    "Wow!" A deep voice spoke from behind them. There was no sign of amusement in their tone.


    The woman turned around to find George looking at her with a disapproving look. He shooked his head at her. She recognized him from meeting him at the library.


    "Did you follow me here?" Nora eyed him as her lips curled in annoyance.


    "Sorry sweetheart but you''re not that special", George countered.


    "Then what are you doing here?" Her brows were furrowed as she looked him up and down.


    "Hello!" Stacy shouted from behind them.


    "Hello", George waved at her and smiled at her cuteness. Would Roserie grow up to be as cute as well? There was no doubt and he couldn''t wait for that moment.


    "I got a jelly bean stuck in my ear", she shouted with a huge smile on her face.


    "Are we telling everyone Stacy?" Nora said through gritted teeth.


    "You didn''t say I can''t tell anyone else", Stacy shrugged innocently.


    Nora let out a tired sigh before looking back at George who was staring at Stacy in amusement.


    "Excuse me, keep those perverted eyes on me and not my niece", she warned him. Was she insulting him or encouraging him to only keep his eyes on her? But more importantly:


    "She''s your niece?"


    "Why do you sound so relieved?" She frowned at him.


    George stopped only to realize how obviously relieved he was. Why though? She didn''t give him a chance to respond.


    "There''s nothing to see here. Move along!" She said and pulled the curtain closed, shielding his view.


    George was still standing there. Why was he obviously relieved that she was not her daughter? And more importantly, why did he walk over when it had nothing to do with him? They were strangers! B


    He couldn help but think that Nora looked so familiar. Had he met her before besides earlier that day? He had a sharp memory so he would know if he met her anywhere else? Especially with those unforgettable looks and fashion choice.


    Either way, one thing was for sure: he didn''t like this woman at all.


    ''Annoying'', he mused.


    It was not sure if he meant himself, her or just the situation as he walked back to the elevator. He had Joanne to look after and not stop to get insulted by some woman! And she shouldn''t feel herself. She was not his type!


    ''Who said anything about types? Annoying!''


    He was so focused on being annoyed that he had not realized the encounter had taken his mind off his mom''s issue from earlier....

 Chapter 241 Amys Insecurities

    Amy was seated on a sofa with Roserie in her arms. The little one was sleeping soundly. Her mother was overseeing maids packing the few things they had brought down to the room. She looked around, Zach had really kept to his word.


    She had the people she loved with her, and Roserie came into this world with both parents present. She looked down at the sleeping child, Amy felt bad for the thoughts she had early on during her pregnancy.


    She had thought keeping Roserie a secret from Zach or giving her away to Zach when things are bad was the best but she forgot she would be robbing Roserie of having a family, something Amy always craved.


    And she would have missed out on Zach and everything she loved about him. Now all that''s left was to get rid of the danger so she can watch her daughter grow without any worry. She sighed at this.


    "Madam, everything is ready", a maid said to her politely.


    "Alright, thank you", Amy said as she got up.


    Zach walked in while stuffing his phone into his pocket. He went to help her with Roserie and took Amy''s hand into his.


    "I haven''t seen the two grandmas", Amymented. Zach shrugged in response.


    "I just talked to George", he changed the subject.


    "Everything okay?" She asked with evident worry in her eyes.


    He looked at her with worry over her as he shook his head. "They''re at the hospital right now. Although things are bad, she''s getting the best treatment."


    "Thank you", she gave him a small smile and he nodded. "When she''s awake, I need to see her."


    Zach nodded as he understood. With the baby, she could not travel down there so it was obvious there would be a video call. He felt his heart grow heavy as he looked at Amy. Nothing about Amy was simple, from her background to her enemies. He wished he could take it all away and simplify things for her. But not for long.


    "Ready?" He stopped to ask her when they reached their bedroom door.


    "Did you.... do something to our room?" She was now smiling with a hint of anticipation shining in her eyes.


    "Just a few changes since we have a new addition", he gestured at their daughter with his head. "I can''t risk you worrying over her."


    Amy was all smiles as she stood on her tip toes and brought his head down to im his lips. She briefly pressed against them before releasing them to whisper in his face. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee", he whispered back with a smile. He loved to see her happy.


    Amy exhaled a deep breath then opened the door. She gasped when she saw a small section adorned in baby pink theme. Since their room was so big, it was easy to make room for Roserie. Her bed was brought in, a mini wardrobe for her diapers, clothes, shoes, and nkets. Some fluffy toys and a changing table.


    "Everything we need is here except for her bath supplies. Since Mom and Ste are helping out, I can''t have theming in here", he exined.


    After all, their bedroom was sacred ground. Amy nodded in agreement. "This is perfect. Thank you."<sub> </sub>


    "Do you want me to run you a bath?" He asked.


    "Should I run you a bath? You''ve been doing too much for me", she said.


    "Wait here", he said and turned to leave the room. Not long after, he came back empty handed.


    "Where''s Roserie?"


    "With Dad and Richard", he answered as he walked to her with quick steps. "We only have fifteen minutes tops."


    "What are you doing?" She asked in a panic when he started to pull down her off shoulder summer dress from the cor.


    "Undressing you. We''re bathing together", he exined.


    "I..... Zachery, go ahead. I''ll go in after you."


    "Why?" His brows were furrowed in displeasure.


    She fell quiet, unable to exin her insecurities. She had been heavily pregnant until two days ago. She was not confident enough to face him with her new body. She nned to get her confidence back by losing weight and she had not even started. Showering with him now.... she didn''t want to know what his reaction would be once he sees her naked.


    "Amy", he cupped her chin and made her look at him. All her fears and insecurities, he could tell just from looking into her eyes.


    "Do you think my love for you centers around your physical appearance? Is that what you think of me?" He asked gently.


    "No... It''s just.. I''m not.... I...."


    "It''s okay. Amy", he moved closer as he cupped the nape of her neck. "I understand how you feel. You don''t have to exin yourself to me. But, when I said that I would never let you go, I''ll be with you and be there for you, I meant every word. I know you don''t feel so confident right now and that''s okay. I want you to remember that the woman I fell in love with is not just this", he gestured at her body with a point of his finger. "But this." He tapped at her chest. "I love you Amy, slim and curvy, pregnant, and milf. I love all of you."


    Amy buried herself in his chest as she felt her eyes grow teary. "You''re too good to me."


    "You''re too good for me", he rested his chin on her head. He suddenly let go and scooped her in his arms earning a surprised yelp from her. "Roserie won''t be asleep for long."


    "True", she agreed with a smile as he walked to the bathroom.


    When he ced her down, she didn''t freeze or stop him from undressing her. She had her eyes closed when he undid the waist trainer. She was so embarrassed. She suddenly felt his lips press against hers and she opened her eyes when he let go.


    He was also undressed as he took her hand, leading them to the shower. They stopped right under the head and he looked down at her. He hooked a finger under her chin making her look at him.


    Her insecurities were bare for him to see. However, when she searched his eyes, there was nothing but love in them. Why was she so worried in the first ce? The way Zach looked at her, it changed, with more love shining in his eyes. No one needed to tell her she was his world as was he to her.

 Chapter 242 Congratulatory Gift Party

    He pressed for the shower to start as he grabbed the nape of her neck pulling her into a fiery kiss. She reciprocated the same amount of passion he offered, moaning and groaning into the kiss.


    His hands caressed her wet body, enjoying the curves and the softness. Amy could feel how excited he was with her despite her new body. Her insecurities were washed away with the kiss. They broke the kiss to catch their breaths and began washing each other.


    "Zachery", Amy spoke from over her shoulder as the man helped her wash.


    "Yes, baby."


    "Don''t you think you''re spending too much time there?" Her brows were raised.


    "You mean here?" He asked, squeezing her soap covered boobs. He brought his lips to her ear to whisper huskily, "I have to be thorough. We can''t miss a spot now, can we?"


    "I think I should bath myself", she said trying to release herself from him.


    "How can I let a patient do that?" He asked while pulling her back. "Just stand here and look pretty while I do the rest, alright?"


    Amy shook her head at him. This man would jump on any opportunity to grop her. So he gro- he bathed her and himself. They did not indulge in any sexual activity except for his groping. Amy was yet to heal, and he wanted both of them to experience pleasure when the timees and not just one of them.


    In less than twenty minutes, they were out and were getting dressed. Amy took her bottle of body lotion when he took it from her.


    "Let me", he said.


    "Zachery."


    "I promise I won''t do anything to you."


    After not doing anything besides kissing and touching her, they finally got dressed. They walked out of the room hand in hand and we''re headed to the living room where everyone was. Amy had been sleeping and resting for the past two days that she didn''t want to stay in bed any longer during the day.


    "Surprise!"


    Amy gasped as Zach caught her in his arms when she stepped back in surprise. The living room had been beautifully decorated in a baby pink theme from balloons, pillows, and a banner.


    "What''s this?" She asked, looking at the whole family including Suzy and Trevor except for George who wasn''t there.


    "A congrattory party! We haven''t given you gifts yet", Victoria said.


    Of course. She would do this and Ste would obviously be in support. Xavier was seated with Roserie in his arms while Henry and Richard watched as Ste and Victoria approached the new parents.


    "Come! Come! I can''t wait for you to see the gifts!" Ste said with obvious excitement.


    Zach and Amy shared a sofa before Victoria brought a box to them. "This is from Ste and I."


    Amy gasped in astonishment when she saw the knit wear, beanie, gloves, boots, jersey with the words grandma''s favorite knitted on them, and a baby nket.


    "Do you know how fun it was when we discovered that we both could knit? So", Victoria gave Ste a happy smile.


    They wanted to do something together and this was the result. Amy was so touched as she caressed their hard work.


    "This is so beautiful, thank you", she gave them a grateful smile.


    "Thank you", Zach said.<sub> </sub>


    "And this is from Xavier", Ste brought a box to them.


    Zach unwrapped it to find a book. It was a memory book. Amy felt tears form and quickly escape when she opened the first page.


    There was Roserie''s sonogram, the one Amy had received when she found out she was pregnant. He must have got with Zach''s help. The next page was of her and Zach standing on the stair case while she was pregnant.


    The next page was of Roserie when she was born. Xavier must have taken the picture while Amy was asleep and right next to it was a picture of her and Zach sleeping.


    "I left the pages nk so you could fill them in. It''s not much but.."


    "Thank you", she sniffled. "Wow."


    Zach pulled her into an embrace as he rubbed her arm.


    "Thank you man."


    Trevorr and Suzy gave her a new baby carrier and some toys asthey were unsure of what to get while Richard and Henry got Roserie two new onesies. One had a kid ying withputers printed on it while the other was a Manchester United onesie.


    "Is it always ser for you both?" Ste shook her head at them.


    "But it''s cute", Amy said with a smile.


    "She likes it", Henry said in defense.


    "Anywayyyyyy! What did you get her?" Victoria asked Zach excitedly.


    He fell quiet before fishing out a ck file from behind him and gave it to Amy. Her jaw dropped when she saw the first page and no words came out of her mouth as she looked at him in disbelief.


    Ste and Victoria were curious as they went to have a look and they two fell in shock.


    "You gave her a hospital as a gift?" Victoria voiced out both hers and Ste''s shock rendering everyone else speechless.


    "I''m building one", he corrected.


    "Oh my God! It doesn''t end there. Dr. Glynne will be the managing director", Ste finally found her voice.


    "What?" It was Suzy''s turn to be even more shocked.


    "When it''spleted that it. Dr. Glynne, would you ept the offer in two years?" He asked.


    "You''re serious? Trevor is he serious? Am I dreaming? Anyone?" Suzy didn''t have the words.


    Zach ignored everyone and simply pulled the shocked Amy into a hug. He had long thought of this when he purchased the hospital equipment in preparation for Roserie''s birth. And Dr. Glynne had done so much for them that this was his way of thanking her.


    As for Amy, he knew she valued security and stability. Still, this was nothingpared to how he felt about hering into his life and making a family with him. He''ll always be grateful for this.


    "I love you", he whispered in her ear before resting his chin atop of her head.


    "I... I love you too."

 Chapter 243 Good To Be Back...

    Everyone seemed to be having fun over drinks and snacks. Roserie was still sleeping in her uncle''s arms. Victoria could not believe he had actually grown ustomed to carrying the little one. Amy leaned in to whisper something to Zach and his brows furrowed.


    He slowly helped her stand up and everyone''s attention was on them. "She needs to rest."


    "I''ll bring her up when she needs to feed", Victoria said.


    Amy nodded and went on up with Zach. As soon as they got into their room, he helped her under the sheets. He watched her furrow her brows as she closed her eyes while he tucked her in.


    "Should I call Dr. Glynne?" He asked worriedly.


    She was about to answer when they heard a knock. "If it''s her, let her in."


    Zach nodded as he walked to the door. And just as Amy guessed, Suzy was standing at the door worriedly. Zach stood to the side, letting the doctor into their sacred ground. She quickly rushed to Amy''s side.


    "Hey Jen", she said softly. "Tell me what''s wrong?"


    "Just the stomachache", Amy tried not to groan in pain when she said this.


    "How''s the bleeding?" Suzy asked looking at Zach.


    His brows furrowed. He had checked when they showered together but he was not sure what answer she was looking for.


    "Still the same", Amy answered. She still could not get over how Zach washed her despite her state.


    "Besides that, how do you feel?"


    She shook her head saying no and squeezed her eyes shut. Suzy sighed and looked at her worriedly. "Did you take your meds?"


    She shook her head in response and Zach moved to get her a ss of water. Suzy took some painkillers and had Amy take them with the water. As Suzy tended to her, Zach''s phone started to ring. He walked to the window and stood watching the women while he answered the phone.


    "George."


    "Sir, Sister Harper is awake if Amy is ready to speak to her", George said quietly.


    He had received a text from Zach early on giving him that instruction. Thetter knew how much Amy wanted to see and talk to the older woman, however, the situation was not looking too great on their end. Suzy was helping her back into bed after taking the medication.


    "Now''s not a good time. How is she?" Zach asked.


    George briefly fell silent deliberating what was the best response to give. "Stable."


    Zach''s expression turned grave at this. He had never been caught in such a dilemma. But of course, Amy came first before everything else. So without a second thought:


    "I''ll check in with youter when Amy''s feeling better", he said before ending the call.


    As he walked back to the bed, another knock was heard followed by the sound of a little human crying. Amy slowly sat up and Zach sighed at this. He went to get the door for her and received Roserie from Victoria.


    "Is Amy alright?" She asked.


    "Mm."


    He didn''t want to go on exining everything with the crying child and the mother who was in pain waiting on him. Victoria got the message and left. Suzy stood to the side as Amy received Roserie and started breastfeeding her.


    She was in too much pain to even think of a scarf in that moment. She sat with her head resting on the headboard whilst feeding her daughter. Zach was bothered by this. Motherhood was definitely not an easy thing. He could tell she was trying not to cry lest it startles Roserie again but the tears escaped from her eyes.


    The man went to his wife and wiped her tears. Suzy could not help but feel envious at this. She had her elderly mother to help her at the time she gave birth to Trevor otherwise she had to power through everything alone. How lucky was Amy to have such a man in her life. But now, she too had a good and caring man. Her phone chimed.


    ''Speak of the devil'', she mused before excusing herself.


    "Can you get me two nkets? I want her to lie next to me", Amy said to Zach.


    She figured there was no need to trouble anyone from taking and bringing Roserie up again. And she wanted to spend some time with the little one despite the pain she was in.


    Once Amy was done feeding her, she burped her before putting her down on the spot next to hers andy down. Zach sat on the other side as he watched his wife and child sleep. He took a tablet from the night stand and decided to look at some work though his attention was on them.


    Meanwhile, Xavier had excused himself from the grown-ups and went to his room to also get some work done. But he too had something else weighing on his mind. Lorraine.


    Why had she not texted him after that call? Was there something he was missing? He could have sworn that the girl liked him to some degree so why the silence? Was she ying some game to trap him like the other women have?


    He sighed at this as his finger hovered on her contact. Before he knew it, he had identally pressed the call icon.


    "Shit. Shit. Shit...." He wanted to terminate the call but it had already started ringing.


    It would look odd if he just ended the call as soon as it started ringing. And if he did and she calls back, he would have no excuse for doing that. So it''s best he just calls. His heart was thumping wildly as the call rung. He expected her to answer on the first ring but it went on ringing.<sub> </sub>


    He was started to get worried when the call was answered. Instead of Lorraine''s familiar voice, he got a different voice.


    "Hello...?" It sounded like a young boy. Xavier racked his brain on who it could be until he quickly figured it could be her brother Oliver.


    "Hi, Oliver right?" Xavier asked gently.


    "Yes."


    "Is Lorraine around? I was looking for her."


    "Uh... She..... She went out... To get us dinner", he said.


    "Oh. She must have forgotten her phone then", he said almost to himself.


    Oliver was silent before he spoke. "Was there something you needed?"


    "Um.... Just tell her to call me when she gets back, alright?"


    "Alright."


    The two went silent, not knowing what else to say when Oliver hang up for both of them. Xavier didn''t think much of it and resumed working. Meanwhile, Oliver had a worried expression as she looked at the phone.


    "Did you end the call?" Lorraine asked with a pain filled groan.


    Oliver looked up from the phone. There lying on her bed was Lorraine. Her face was badly bruised with a split lip and a swollen left eye. Although she was wearing clothes, Oliver knew there were more brusises underneath.


    "Yeah", he responded quietly. "Who is he?"


    "A friend."


    "Can he.... Can he help us?" He asked with clenched fists. He hated that he was too young to protect his sister but Xavier sounded like a reliable person.


    "We''ll be alright", she groaned in pain. "Can you make yourself dinner?"


    "Uh-huh. I''ll make some for you too", he said as he got up.


    "No. Just make some for yourself. I''ll sleep it off."


    "I''ll sleep here too."


    Lorraine could only stay quiet in agreement. She knew how scared he was. She sighed. She felt bad for her little brother that he had to experience this.


    ''Just a little while more...'', she promised as she watched his retreating back. ''It will all be over. I promise.''


    At JFK


    "Ah!" A man stretched out his arms and twisted his back left and right.


    He had just had a long flight and had justnded. He closed his eyes and took a deep inhale of the air.


    "New York City", he sighed in content. "It''s good to be back."


    A beautiful brte walked to his side and hooked an arm around his own. He looked down and smiled at her. There were men surrounding them in ck suits. The onlookers could tell they were their bodyguards. But who were they?


    "I don''t know what you like about this ce Dn", the woman said inint.


    "Didn''t you like it when you came here?" He asked with a doting gaze.


    "Never liked it", Esmeralda shrugged.


    Aldo''s expression turned ugly as he forced himself to look away from the lovie dovie scene. He hated how powerless he felt in their presence and so even if he didn''t like it, there was nothing he could do about it.


    "I''ll be sure to change that", Dn smirked before capturing her lips in a heated kiss.


    "Mmmmmm", Esmeralda moaned into the kiss as Dn groped her body.


    She had learned to pay no mind to any audience they were bringing on themselves. Besides, the bodyguards had the duty to shield them. She broke the kiss to catch her breath.


    "We have plenty enough time for that", she reminded.


    "I know", he pecked her lips again before a sinister smile spread on his lips as he looked towards the exit. "But first....."

 Chapter 244 A Report To The King

    "You know, you can go back and sleep where you''re lodging, I''ll look after her", sister moon said to George.


    "Yes....", Joanne agreed slowly behind the oxygen mask. "Go on.... It''s not like I''ll run away."


    George stood up from the sofa and walked to the bed. His lips were pressed in a thin line as he sped his hand on the bed rail. "I know. But I still want to stay here."


    "I know you''ve done a lot for us and I''m extremely grateful for that but you''re still a stranger", Sister moon expressed her worry in order to get rid of George.


    George fell quiet, not knowing how to refute that very truthful im. Joanne felt sorry for the young man as she realized something. "Does... Amy know about me? Did she ask you to stay with me? You don''t have to do that."


    "She knows but she didn''t ask me that. I just.... want to stay here, if that''s alright."


    Joanne saw how difficult it was for him to admit that to them. She saw the worry on his face and suddenly sympathized with him. She had the urge to let him do as he pleased thinking it will make him feel better from whatever it is that is weighing on his mind.


    "Alright", she said in agreement.


    Sister Moon was rmed with this but seeing how the older woman had spoken, she did not dare to disapprove. Slowly, the older woman fell asleep and it was just Sister Moon and George.


    Thetter went back to his seat and took out his phone to look at a few things. Sister Moon sighed at the sight of the stubborn and left the stool to join him in the sitting area. When she sat, George looked up to find her frowning at him.


    "Look", she started in a quiet voice. "Why is the information so important you have to bother a sick person like this?"


    His brows furrowed in displeasure as he put away his phone. The only time he bothered her was before she was hospitalized but after that, he had done nothing but seeking the best medical attention for her. So he was displeased by her wording as she made him out to look inconsiderate.


    "Excuse me?"


    "What''s your rtionship with Amy? Why does she need this information?"


    George let out a soft yet amused chuckle making her grow annoyed. He shook his head. "You sound like you know everything."


    "I obviously don''t."


    "Then why the questions?" He countered with an arch of his brow.


    "I''m worried about Sister Harper." She looked like she wanted to snap him in half from annoyance.


    "Hmm."


    She watched him with impatience but George didn''t let out another word after that as he resumed looking at his phone. She grew annoyed at this and stood up, leaving him and Joanne alone. George was too annoyed to entertain the pissed off youngdy. A sigh echoed in the room and he reflexively looked towards Joanne.


    "No wonder you''re single", Joanne started slowly.


    How could she sleep with the hushed little argument going on? George stood from his seat and walked to the stool and sat there.


    "She''s not my type, just so you know", he said jokingly.


    "I bet that''s what you say about every girl youe across", she scoffed.


    He looked down in embarrassment as guilt washed over him. Not too long ago, he had thought the same thing about Nora. Her pretty face shed in his mind and the softness of her....


    George shifted in his seat ufortably and awkwardly cleared his throat. Joanne, who was oblivious to the young man''s feelings sighed as she brought herself to ask a curious question.


    "How''s Amy doing?"


    "Would you like to talk to her?"


    "I told you, you never know who''s watching", she said with a serious gaze directed at him.


    George sighed and nodded to himself in understanding. But seeing the look in her eyes, it was obvious she wanted to see the girl. Years of longing and affection, he could see it all and yearned to make her wishe true.


    "Let me at least check if she can talk right now", he said.


    "Why? Did something happen to her?" She asked worriedly.


    George gave her a small smile. "You''ll find out soon."


    He sent a text to Zach asking if Amy feeling better enough to speak to Joanne. To the older woman''s luck, a video call came through and as soon as George answered and held the phone to her face, Joanne saw Amy''s crying face.


    Thest time she saw her was when she was a teenager but now she was a grown woman and a little chubby.


    "A.... Look at you. Still a cry baby", Joanne said slowly with a smile as tears rolled down her cheeks.


    "How could... How could you do this to me? How could you hide this from me? Were you going to stay away from me until.... ?" She couldn''t even finish her sentence as she sobbed.


    "Forgive this olddy", she said, referring to herself. She sighed, wishing she wipe away Amy''s tears like she did when thetter when she was young. "Did something happen? Mr. Stewart had to check if you''re okay to speak to me?"<sub> </sub>


    Amy wiped her tears as she smiled. "I gave birth... two days ago."


    "Oh", Joanne was astonished at this wonderful news.


    "To a daughter", Amy said with a chuckle.


    ? "That''s wonderful. I bet she''s as beautiful as you are."


    Amy chuckled. "She''s her dad''s photocopy."


    "Oh? You''re married?" Her surprise was evident on her features.


    "Engaged", she said with a show of her ring. "How could I get married without you knowing?" Her eyes started to well up with fresh tears.


    Joanne felt her warm at her words but she felt bad at the same time. "I''m sorry Amy."


    Amy sighed at this. "How could you hide this from me? I could have helped you, no questions asked."


    "We can''t fight God''s time. My journey ising to an end, I''ve epted this already."


    Amy further broke down in tears. Despite the nomunication policy Joanne maintained over the years when she left for NYU, the older woman was still important to Amy. Although she refused to be her mother, she was still a mother figure to Amy after all the love and care she secretly showed her at the orphanage.


    "Where''s your husband that he''s letting his woman cry?" She joked.


    As though summoned, Zach appeared in the frame beside Amy with Roserie in his arms. Joanne smiled at seeing the beautiful family. She felt herself breath a sigh of relief. It seemed Amy had finally found the family she had been craving. All the familial love she couldn''t receive she would now be able to give and receive.


    "This is my husband Zach and our daughter, Roserie", Amy introduced with a happy and proud smile.


    "Hello Sister Harper", Zach greeted politely.


    "Hello. So beautiful, I''m proud of you little Jennifer", she said with tears in her eyes.


    As the three caught up, a report had been brought to the King back in the city. Aldo was the one who received it when his phone rung.


    His hand squeezed tightly around his device as anger washed over his form. He had the job to deliver the message to his masters. With heavy steps, he forced himself to the door of Dn and Esmeralda''s room. His ears were greeted by the lewd sounds of the two wrestling in the sheets. He knocked twice and stood there.


    "Aarrgghh!"


    The sound of their grunt echoed from behind the door. It suddenly quieted down. Aldo wanted to knock again when the door swung open. Standing before him was Dn in an untied robe, the man didn''t bother to cover his big secret. Aldo caught sight of the thing that was inside of and pleasing his former betrothed. He felt his blood boil but he suppressed his rage and brought his gaze back to Dn''s face who was smirking.


    "We just received word", he said, giving a tablet to Dn


    Dn read the info and broke into an amusedugh. "I see."


    He gave back the tablet and shut the door behind him. Esmeralda had a shy smile on and blushed as she admired her lover''s well sculpted body. He took off the robe and got under the sheets beside her.


    "Guess who''s looking into her background?" He asked in sing-songy way.


    "She''s what?" Esmeralda sat up in rm and looked at him.


    Dn was momentarily distracted by her breasts and forced himself to look at her face as he brought her down back into his arms. "Calm down."


    He reached for a cigarette and lighter from the drawer. He lit up and drew in a smoke and exhaled before passing it to her. Esmeralda repeated the process and felt herself calm down as she exhaled the smoke.


    "Do you think she caught on?" She passed it back to him and snuggled even closer.


    "Hmm..." He hummed in thought as he drew in a smoke the puffed it out. "Want some more?"


    "I''m good", she said.


    He rested a hand behind his head and used the other to hold his cigarette at the same time caress her naked back in a sensual manner. He stared up at the ceiling and sighed. Esmeralda could hear his calm heartbeat. It seems he was not as bothered by the news.


    "Why else would she be looking into her past?" Esmeralda was evidently annoyed by this.


    "Then it means she doesn''t know about that", Dn pointed out as he had figured it out.


    "You''re right. Nobody knows except for us", she sighed in relief.


    Dn could tell how irritated Esmeralda was with Amy. The woman had long posed as a threat to their business. With her digging into her past, she had had be a thorn. A thorn to be permanently cut off.


    "That little bastard."

 Chapter 245 Xaviers Resolve

    Lorraine sighed as she contoured her nose. Her face was still swollen although it had significantly gone down than it was some days back. However, the bruising was still there two. She looked at her face through the mirror and sighed. She could still see the bruising although she had done her best to cover everything.


    She went out of the bathroom and found Oliver at the counter having his breakfast. She pulled on her shirt to straighten it and walked over. He looked at her when he sensed her presence.


    "How do I look?" She asked, nervously.


    "It''s..... Alright."


    "It''s still obvious, isn''t it?" She asked with a crease of her forehead.


    "Maybe because I know. But you look good", he assured her.


    She nodded and exhaled deeply before walking over to have her breakfast. Once they were done, he walked her to school per usual before going to work. As her colleague got ready to leave, she went to the locker room to change into her uniform.


    Her phone started to ring. She stopped to have a look and her brows furrowed in annoyance as she declined the call. Almost immediately, the person called again and she declined once more by a press of the power button.


    "Ooooh. Look at you", A colleague greeted as they walked in.


    Lorraine''s phone started ringing and without looking, she declined the call and stuffed the device into her pocket.


    "Hey", she greeted with a smile.


    "Wow! You look amazing! Do you have a date or something?" She marveled at Lorraine''s beautiful face.


    "No such thing", Lorraine said with a chuckle.


    "Really? You look great", she said with a smile.


    As they were done changing, they went out of the lockerooms and went to their stations to release their colleagues. She felt her phone vibrate and she slipped her hand into her pocket and declined the call. This person was so persistent. And annoying.


    Unbeknownst to her, thest two calls she had declined caused a certain someone to furrow his brows in worry and confusion. Xavier stared at his phone. Is she ignoring him? She neerv returned his call and now she was declining his calls? Did something happen?


    A knock was heard and he permitted the person toe into his office. He was currently sitting behind his desk with a mountain of work keeping himpany.


    "Sir, they''re ready for you", the secretary said.


    He simply nodded and got up to throw on his jacket before following her out. Yes, he had work to do. He shouldn''t worry about some woman he met once. He had more pressing matters to attend to.


    However, throughout the meeting he attended, he hardly concentrated. His kind kept drifting to Lorraine. He thought back to the call. Oliver didn''t sound alright.... He originally thought the kid was nervous because he was speaking to a stranger but what if..... What if.....


    "Wee back Master Xavier", Edmund greeted.


    The day had ended with Xavier thinking about Lorraine. He nodded in acknowledgement and went straight to the bar to pour himself a drink. He felt a had on his shoulder before he took in Zach getting a ss of his own.


    "Hey man", Xavier greeted as he passed him the liquor bottle.


    "Mm. How was work?" He asked as he put down the bottle and sipped from his ss.


    "It''s work. The wife and kid?" He asked with a smirk knowing how pleased Zach would be hearing him address Amy as the wife. Zach took a moment to put a fist to his mouth and he yawned. Xavier chuckled when he saw this. "She''s keeping you guys up at night?"


    "Your turn wille", he said as he sipped on his drink.


    Both men sighed and fell quiet. Xavier decided to ask a curious question. "How did you know Amy was the one?"<sub> </sub>


    "Someone''s p*ssywhipped", Zach said with a scoff as he sipped on his drink.


    "Look who''s talking", Xavier scoffed as well.


    Zach fell quiet as he twirled a finger around the mouth of his ss. How did he know? "When I realized the torment of staying away from her. I always want her beside me."


    "Not just sexually but emotionally too", Xavier concluded and Zach nodded. "You never had doubts about her?"


    "Doubts?" He stopped to think. The only doubts he ever had was the possibility of finding her with the clues he found on her whereabouts. But actual doubts about her being the love of his life? "None."


    "I''ll be back", Xavier said as he took his jacket and left Zach''s side.


    Richard and Henry were just walking in when they saw the young man leave in a haste. They went to the bar and joined Zach for a drink.


    "What''s with him?" Henry asked, nodding to Xavier''s direction.


    Zach didn''t respond as he sipped as he yawned again. Richard chuckled as he patted Zach on the shoulder.


    "The beauty of fatherhood. Don''t drink too much", Richard advised.


    "Mm", Henry agreed. "How about a game?"


    "Let''s see what''s on", Richard agreed.


    Although Zach wasn''t a big fan of the game like the two men, he still found it entertaining so he didn''t decline their offer. Amy was sleeping, Roserie was with her grandmas, so why not use this time to rx?


    Meanwhile, Xavier sped up on his way to Lorraine''s. He didn''t know why or how but he suddenly made a resolve to see her. If she was the one, he would at least try. His previously failed rtionship did not define the failure of his love life. He took Amy''s words to heart.


    His heart thudded in anxiousness as he saw the familiar silhouettes of the young woman and little boy approaching their apartment building. He stopped in front of them and quickly jumped out of the car.


    "Lorraine", he called out as he walked towards them and she turned around.


    "Xavier? What are you... What are you doing here?" She asked, evidently surprised. Oliver now put a face to the voice he had spoken to a few days ago.


    "Hi", he said to Oliver when he got closer, standing a few feet away from them.


    "Hello", Oliver greeted politely.


    "Hi", he now turned his attention to Lorraine.


    "Hi."


    He was about to ask why she''s been avoiding him when he really took in her face. His brows furrowed in displeasure as he took a step forward to touch her face and examine it.


    "What?" She dodged his touch and stepped back.


    This just aroused Xavier''s suspicion even more. "Did something happen?"


    "What happened to your face?"

 Chapter 246 A Sudden Encounter

    Oliver felt his sister squeeze his hand that she was holding. She was obviously nervous especially since Xavier didn''t bother mincing his words. A million questions run through Lorraine''s mind.


    Had the makeup melted? How much could he see? No, she had checked a couple of times to make sure the bruises were covered. So what gave it away? Could it be.... the swelling? What excuse can she give? As though the heavens were on her side, she cooked up a quick lie right then.


    "Oh! I ate something that I didn''t know I was allergic to", she said quickly. He arched a brow at her, obviously not believing her. In panic, she decided to change the subject. "It''ste. What are you doing here?"


    "To see you."


    She was taken aback by his honesty and forwardness. "Why?"


    "Can''t I?" He countered.


    "You-You can."


    "Good. Then I''ll see you this weekend. Go on up. It''ste", he nodded at her.


    Just like that. She looked at him like he was weird but he realized unmoving, with his calm demeanor not changing. She couldn''t read his expression but their were someplex emotions shing through his eyes as he watched her. She left with Oliver and went on up. He waited until he saw the lights of the top most apartmente on.


    Ten minutester, he pulled out of the driveway and drove back home. That face... He had seen that kind of face before.. with Irene. Quite a few times. It only meant one thing: Lorraine was beaten up. But by who? What was her story? Was she another Irene waiting to happen? Why was he drawn to such women? Would it end tragically for him again?


    Meanwhile, George was having vhis own issues. Sister Moon''s attitude hadpletely changed because of his insistence to stay. She was not pleased with him but she decided to remain quiet.


    "Is that how you should treat someone who''s helping?" Joanne asked with clear disapproval.


    "He''s bothering you while you''re sick. I don''t like it", she said with a cross of her arms against her chest.


    "He''s bothering me?" Joanne almostughed but was too weak.


    She looked at the young man who was slicing apples and putting them in the juice maker. It was harder for Joanne to eat hard foods and so juices were more on the safer side. A nasal cann had reced the oxygen mask to aid her in eating. A knock was heard and sister Moon decided to get the door.


    "Nora", she said happily and stepped aside. "Come in."


    "Thank you. Sister Harrrrrrperrrr!" Nora said in a sing-songy way as she walked in only to stop when she saw George. She had a bouquet of flowers in hand.


    "He''s here?" She asked in surprise.


    George mistook it for annoyance as he ignored her and went to help adjust Joanne''s bed so she could be in a sitting position.


    "Have some juice", he put a straw inside.


    She opened her mouth as he helped her drink it. She felt like a mother being taken cared of by her son except George had been nothing but a stranger, until now. She knew there was a story behind his acts but she did bother questioning him and simply indulged him.


    "Thank you George. It''s good", she said with a smile.


    "You should have some more", he said with a frown at the little that she had had.


    "Set it aside", she said to him before looking at Nora who was intrigued by the exchange. "Are you just going to stand there?"


    Nora got a move on and walked forward. "I got these for you."<sub> </sub>


    "Thank you. Uh...." Joanne was about to ask Sister Moon to receive them when George moved quicker.


    "Let me", he said and she gave them to him.


    Their fingers touched as she gave him the flowers and she sucked in a breath feeling a little spark from the touch. George only looked at her and went to ce the flowers in a vase.


    "I''ll be right back", Sister Moon excused herself and Joanne nodded.


    "How are you?" Nora snapped out of her reverie as she sat down on the stool to chat with Joanne.


    "I''m taking one day at a time. And how are you?"


    "I''m alright. My goodness! How could you be working in your condition?"


    "No one else is willing to put up with you", Joanne countered with a little smirk earning a grown from Nora. The woman let out a soft chuckle. "You still have books to donate?"


    "Yes, a lot more. By the way", she leaned in to whisper as she pointed at George who was disappearing behind a door in that room. "Who is he?"


    "Why? Do you like him?" Joanne asked with a yful smile.


    "Sister Harper!" She whisper shouted. "Besides, he''s not my type. But seriously, who is he? Your long lost rtive?"


    "He''s just a friend", Joanne said simply.


    Seeing as how the woman was not going to further exin, Nora decided to change the subject and chatted about. Despite her weak state, the older woman found herselfughing about. It was a whileter that Sister Moon returned to the room.


    "Good you''re here. Let me go to the bathroom real quick, I''m pressed!" Nora said as she stood up. Both womenughed at Nora''s moving in ce. "Which one is it?"


    "That one", sister Moon pointed at a door and Nora rushed there.


    "By the way, where is George?" Joanne asked.


    "How would I know?" Sister Moon answered in annoyance.


    Joanne ignored her attitude and pressed on. "You didn''t see him outside?"


    "No."


    Meanwhile, Nora felt relieved when she entered the bathroom. As soon as she kicked the door, she pulled up the hem of her dress all the way to her waist exposing her milky thighs and ckce panties only to freeze.


    Right beside the chamber, stood George holding his thing and it seemed he was done peeing. Her eyes fell on the massive thing and she felt her throat go dry. The two snapped back to reality taking in this sudden encounter...


    "Oh! My god!"


    "Aarrggghhh!"

 Chapter 247 Calling Home

    "That was Nora", Joanne was rmed by the screaming as she looked towards the bathroom door.


    "I''ll check on her", Alice said as she got up from the stool.


    Her steps were full of haste as she walked to the door. She grabbed the door handle and twisted it open but it didn''t budge. She knocked instead. "Nora? Are you alright in there?"


    Silence. Alice looked at Joanne worriedly before knocking once more. "Nora?"


    "I''m fine. I saw an insect.... Don''t mind me. I''ll be right out", she finally answered.


    "Are you sure you''re alright?" Alice was still worried even after getting the response.


    "Yes. I''m fine!"


    "Okay." Alice looked at Joanne and shrugged before walking back to the seat.


    Was it really an insect? It sounded more serious. Meanwhile, Nora had found herself pressed against the wall and George''s strong body pressed against hers. She was lost in his eyes as they stood with their faces barely a breath away from each other.


    She blinked once and finally snapped out of her trance. She pushed him and pulled down her dress. George also fixed his trousers and finally faced her. If George had not moved to her side to silence her, they would both be exposed. But she was embarrassed hence why she was ring at him and breathing hard in fury. She marched towards him and jabbed his chest with a finger.


    "You pervert! You''d jump on any opportunity, wouldn''t you?" She whisper shouted at him.


    "Pervert?" He shouted back in the same tone as he swiftly grabbed her hand. "It was you who walked in on me not the other way."


    "Oh please! You were practically waiting for me toe in here", she looked at him in disdain.


    George took a step forward and she subconsciously took one back. "Do you really think you''re that special?"


    "Then are you? Well, I got news for you, you''re not my type."


    "Well then, what is your type?" He moved even closer to her.


    Silence. They stared at each other. George could not believe he had just asked that question. Nora could not believe how hot he was just now when he asked. She found herself blushing under his watch and he could not peel his gaze away from her. She closed her eyes and shook her head, snapping out of the ridiculous situation.


    "None of your business, how do we get out of here?" She asked when she opened her eyes.


    "Same way you got it in", he said with a smirk.


    Her brows went up in shock. Was he looking for them both to be embarrassed? She was not going to subject herself to such embarrassment. George, however, could practically guess her thoughts as he smirked.


    A few minutester, Joanne and Alice heard the sound of a shing toilet and soon Nora exited the toilet. She smiled at the two women as she walked over.


    "You alright?" Alice asked.


    "Yes."


    Alice was about to speak when the other door opened. It was the door to the rooms bathroom. George stepped out with wet hair but the same clothes.


    "I was wondering where you were", Joanne said with a smile. "You dont have clothes to change into?"<sub> </sub>


    "They''re at the hotel. I''ll go get themter", he said.


    Nora still could not believe he had pulled such a stunt to save them both. They were at the top most floor but he managed to get out of the toilet window and slip into the bathroom using it''s window. What was his identity? Who is this George guy?


    She felt her heart skip a beat when he gave her a quick nce before settling in the lounge. He took out his phone and started looking at it. No one saw the smile that was on Joanne''s face as she looked at the two young people.


    The next day


    Gwen woke up bright and early and got ready for work. She paid extra attention to her appearance. She looked alluring in her pantsuit with matching heels and a bold red lipstick. She and Peter were spending most of their time at the factory where they were producing the new drug. But today was very special. Because.....


    Peter paced around his room whilst holding his phone to his ear. He had dialed for home, specifically Shauna''s line, but it had been ringing non-stop. Did something happen? She always picked up on the second or third ring.


    "Dad?"


    "Kaden? Where''s your mom?" He asked as soon as he recognized his other son''s voice.


    "She''s in the bathroom."


    "Oh. Are you guys ready for school?"


    <o>,m "Yes, mom is dropping us off", Kyle answered this time. Peter now realized that he had been put on speaker.</o>


    "What are you boys doing with my phone?" Shauna''s voice echoed in the background.


    "It''s Dad", Kyle said.


    Peter patiently waited although he was in a hurry. Shauna was taking forever to answer. He had no clue that she was debating whether to take the call or hang up.


    "Hello."


    "Hey, are you alright? You haven''t been responding to my text messages. Is everything okay?" He asked sweetly. He has been updating her on work and she never responded.


    "I''ve been busy."


    He nodded to himself in understanding. Things could get hectic for her especially with two boys she needed to prepare for school. But what about the other times the kids were not there? He could also tell she was not in a good mood so he decided not to provoke her.


    "I just wanted to tell you that our big boss is personally visiting the factory today. The next few days will be more hectic, I may not be as avable", he said in an apologetic tone.


    "Okay."


    Peter expected her to say something else but Shauna was silent. If he did something, she would have said something to him. He refused to believe that she had been ignoring him because it wasn''t like her. Could she be sick?


    Even when she was, she always had something to say but this time... It was him doing the talking. And on calls like these, she would pick up on his nervousness and she would calm him down.


    "I miss you."

 Chapter 248 The King Is Visiting

    Shauna had heard the desperation in his tone. She knew the sole reason her had called her after exining the situation on his end. The messages, she had read. But he didn''t know that they were akin to niddles pricking her heart repeatedly because that scene she heard had been mentally tormenting her. She had lost sleep because of it. It hurt even more when she looked at her innocent boys.


    How could Peter do this to their family? And he what? Missed her? Does that mean he regretted his actions? She did not trust her heartand could feel her eyes sting with tears. So she did what she thought was best in that moment.


    "We miss you too Daddy!" The boys said in unison.


    "Come back soon!" Kyle shouted.


    "Dad, my next game is in three weeks. You will be there, right?" Kaden asked.


    "Of course! How can I miss it?" He said with a chuckle. "Boys.... Is your mom busy?"


    "She kicked us out to dress up. We''rete", Kyle answered.


    Peter found himself breathing a sigh of relief. But why didn''t she answer his ''I miss you''. Did she not hear it? What could have put her in such a bad mood? Did he do anything wrong? What''s wrong with Shauna? He thought bcak to the times she always gets moody and soon guessed the answer. She must be on her period or something! He made a mental note to send choctes and Flowers.


    "You boys behave yourselves, alright? Listen to your mommy."


    "Yes, sir!" They answered in unison.


    Peter heard the sound of the door opening from the phone. It could be Shauna.


    "Go get your bags, we''re leaving", Shauna said to the two. Peter was about to speak when:


    "Peter", Gwen called out from behind him in reminder.


    He looked at her then back at the phone to end the conversation and call with his family when the call was terminated from their end. He felt odd by that action. Something didn''t feel right.


    He shrugged and moved to join Gwen. He straightened his suit when he reached her side. She pulled him closer with a grab of his jacket cor and started fixing his tie.


    "We can''t have any mistakes happening today. The King is visiting", she pressed the tie knot to choke him as her gaze turned cold. "Don''t embarrass me."


    She knew how nervous he got whenever in the presence of someone powerful. She did not want a repeat of what happened at the corporate g in the presence of Zach.


    "Yes, boss", he wheezed. She released him and he coughed and loosened his tie to breath in more air.


    "Let''s go."


    He followed after her. When they got to the factory, they were givenb coats, protective helmets and masks. They went outside the factory and waited. Some higher ups of Greco were present, standing behind Gwen and Peter as they awaited the big boss.


    Peter wiped his sweat palms against his trousers. Gwen sighed behind the mask knowing the man was nervous. He leaned in to her ear.<sub> </sub>


    "Why does he have to visit the site?" He was curious about this. Gwen could easily get the job done herself without his supervision.


    "It''s a big job and a big deal to the King", she answered simply.


    It made sense that he would personally oversee the production of this drug. This project must be important to the King. But why? Peter was about to speak again when they caught sight of a convoy of five ck Mercedes Benz. The cars pulled up in front of them.


    Bodyguards from the other cars dropped down and rushed to the car in the middle. One bodyguard opened one side and the another the other side. Gwen first saw shiny ck shoes, long legs d in ck suit trousers, a lean body in matching ck jacket and a beautiful masculine face with blue hair neatlybed back. She was mesmerized by Dn''s beauty and he was so.... young.


    Not only that, Esmeralda had dropped down from the other side and quickly went to Dn''s side. The man pecked her lips.


    ''No wonder she was acting like a brat'', Gwen mused. Aldo was right, she should be careful with how she speaks to her.


    "Beautiful", Dn marveled at the beauty of the building''s background. It had been constructed in the countryside surrounded by dry grass field.


    "Wee, sir", Gwen said politely. "We''ve been expecting you."


    Peter watched Dn give a sly smirk in response. He furrowed his brows, just where had he seen this face before? He could have sworn Dn was familiar. Where? He definitely could not forget such a face.


    Dn caught him staring and he left Esmeralda''s side and walked over to him. He chuckled as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.


    "Peter Wright.... So it was you that almost killed me?" Dn patted his shoulder.


    Peter flinched in fear. "Sir?"


    "So quick to forget? Yet it was easy to dispatch men to go after me at the airport", he shook his head and clicked his tongue in disapproval.


    He gasped in shock and realization. Does that mean he went after the wrong man? But he was sure Dn was Amy''s assistant! If he had so much as harmed him, he would have offended the King! Still, going after him was offensive enough.


    "Please forgive me!" He quickly got down on his knees.


    Dn leisurely put his hand back into his pocket and walked back to Esmeralda. "No need to be dramatic. If not for you, I would not have been sent where I needed to be. Home."


    He captured Esmeralda''s lips in a slow passionate kiss. Gwen felt her blood boil at Peter''s mistake. Without even trying, he was already embarrassing her. She clenched her hands in fists. The couple broke the kiss and Dn used his thumb to wipe the lipstick stain on Esmeralda''s lower lip.


    "Please forgive me sir!" Peter repeated from where he knelt.


    Dn acted like he didn''t hear anything and looked at Gwen with brows raised. "Shall we?"

 Chapter 249 Peters Doubts

    Dn and Esmeralda were shown to the core of the factory where a mass production of the new drug was taking ce. The factory manager personally have his higher ups a tour and exined the processes.


    In the middle of the tour, Esmeralda whispered something to Dn and he nodded. "I told you not to wear those shoes."


    She frowned as she looked at her heels and gave him a cute pout. His lips lifted into a small smile. "We''ll stop here."


    Before anyone could say anything, he scooped her into his arms and walked out with their team of bodyguards surrounding them. Everyone else escorted them out until their convoy left the factory.


    Gwen red at Peter. "Follow me."


    He gulped knowing he was in trouble as he followed after her. An office was lent to them and Peter hang his head low as Gwen stood with her back to him.


    "I asked you for one thing, one thing Peter", she said through gritted teeth, barely keeping herposure.


    He looked up as heined at her. "But Boss, how would I have known that he was-"


    He clummed his mouth shut when Gwen suddenly turned around with a fierce re directed at him. Seeing as she wasn''t throwing anything at him, he willed a little courage to go on speaking.


    "That person gave us all the information on Amy Harper including that of her assistant." The information was made avable thanks to that person''s help although it came at a high price. Peter looked aggrieved as he repeated his earlier question. "How would I have known that he had disguised himself as Amy''s assistant when no one has truly seen the King?"


    Gwen fell quiet at this as she had fallen into thought. "Exactly. Why would he disguise himself as Amy''s assistant? Of all people."


    Peter also fell quiet before he gasped in shock. "You don''t think-?"


    "No. Get rid of that thought immediately!" she barked at him.


    Peter nodded though he had his doubts. Although Dn''s aura sent him shaking in his knees, there was just something unsettling about him. Maybe because he was the King? He looked at Gwen, he was not sure what was going on in her mind. But since she said to drop it, then drop it he shall. Gwen, on the other hand, just did not want to risk offending the King.


    At Frost Corporation


    It was a little after five in the evening. Xavier was standing behind his desk with a file in his hand. He was reading through it while his assistant waited from the other side. He was getting ready to go home when she came in with a file. Hisndline rung.


    "This is Xavier", he answered as he continued to read the file.


    "Sir, I''ve sent the information to your email", a man said.


    "Whose?"


    "Lorraine May."


    He stopped and fell quiet. His heart started to thud harder against his chest. His brows furrowed as he nodded. "Alright."


    He ended the call and finished signing off the document before giving his assistant the file. While she exited his office, he threw on his jacket and got ready to go home. As he was driven home, his thumb hovered over the email he had received on Lorraine''s information.


    With one tap of the finger, he could easily find out what her deal is. If it was bad, he could easily back off and if it was good, he could proceed pursuing her. But why couldn''t he bring himself to look at her information? Just one tap... One tap....<sub> </sub>


    And one tap indeed... He ended up deleting the file. Instead, he went to her inbox and sent her a message.


    Xavier: I''ll have a few things to deal with on Saturday morning, so let''s meet in the afternoon instead. Both you and Oliver.


    He tapped his foot on the floor as he waited for her reply. Looking at the time, she should be getting off work. He had deliberately included Oliver so he doesn''t scare her off with his intentions. Her reply came a few minutester.


    Lorraine: Alright. You''ll let me know.


    He smiled to himself as he rxed in his seat and watched the outside view whiz by. Little did he know, that his message had sent Lorraine into a panic.


    "What''s wrong?" Oliver asked when he noticed her quietness again.


    They were walking home after she had picked him up. Her lips lifted a little and she sighed. She stopped them to face each other as she squatted down.


    "So", she exhaled deeply before holding his gaze. "Do you remember that friend of mine who visited us?"


    "Xavier?"


    "Yes, Xavier. Remember he said we''d meet on the weekend. He wants you there too. How do you feel about that?" She searched his eyes.


    "Is that okay?" He asked worriedly.


    "It should be okay", she said. She may have been trying to assure him but she was also trying to assure herself.


    "Okay."


    She nodded as she stood back up and they resumed walking. Her nerves only got worse. She wished for the weekend toe and go quickly. She was not sure what a day with Xavier would be like. She was not sure of anything. Would her bruises and the swelling be gone by then? More importantly, those people won''t be back, will they?


    In a blink of an eye, it was finally Saturday. Oliver had long gotten ready and dressed up in a casual outfit while his sister....


    "Are you not done yet?" He shouted after knocking on the bathroom door.


    "Not yet!" She shouted back.


    She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She had not yet showered and was still in her pajamas. She had all morning to prepare but here she was.


    "Can''t he just cancel?" She whined to herself and groaned as she sunk to the floor.


    She really did not want to go out. As much as she found Xavier attractive, she did not want to get involved with him for obvious reasons. She heard knocking again.


    "What if we just-" she opened the door thinking it was Oliver only to freeze as her eyes bulged in shock. "Xavier?"

 Chapter 250 A Call Of Confirmation

    "Hi", he smiled at her.


    He was about to speak again when he took in her bare face. The swelling was gone but the bruises were evident upon closer inspection. He suddenly felt his insides churn with anger wondering how painful it must have been for her and which monsterid thier dirty hands on her. She gasped when she realized he could see it all and closed the door in his face.


    Xavier: "..."


    "I''ll be right with you", she shouted from the other end.


    He soon heard the sound of the shower going off. He went back to the living room and sat down. Oliver watched this whole exchange. The two males embraced the awkward silence and stared at each other.


    "How strong are you?" Oliver asked suddenly.


    Xavier''s brows shot up as he was not sure what exactly the young man was implying. And whatever response he gave, wouldn''t it be considered bragging? Still, he didn''t know how to answer that question. "Uh..."


    "Do you like my sister?" He asked another question.


    Xavier found no reason to hide his true feelings with the young one as he was curious to know what was his line of thought. "Yes."


    "So you want her to be your girlfriend?"


    Xavier looked at the boy. He was not the least bit embarrassed talking about such things. What happened to kids these days? In his time, he could not even utter the word girlfriend but seeing the seriousness on Oliver''s face, he realized that times had changed.


    "She can''t date you", he said. Xavier felt defeated by this and quickly detected sadness in his tone.


    "Why not?" Xavier was curious.


    Unfortunately, Oliver knew to keep quiet as the bathroom door opened. Xavier knew the boy would not say anymore even if he pressed him to. He was too loyal to his sister it seemed.


    As he had decided when he deleted that file, he would learn the truth from the horse''s mouth. That meant patience on his part. Something he hardly ever exercised.


    He looked to the bathroom door to see Lorraine step out looking beautiful in a simple dress. Her bruises had been covered up and the makeup perfectly enhanced her beauty.


    She wore her hair down, with simple jewelry and matching ballet shoes. As she walked towards the boys, she could not help but grow nervous when Xavier stood up.


    "Wow", he seemed to be thrown into a trance as he watched her.


    That only made her more nervous as she wondered the millions of questions he had concerning the bruises he saw earlier.


    "You look beautiful", he said without peeling his gaze off of her.


    "Thank you. You don''t look bad yourself", she said and awkwardly cleared her throat.


    "Are you ready?" He asked.


    "Where are we going?" Oliver asked before Lorraine could.


    The young man found himself holding back an excited scream when they reached the amusement park. He had not had the chance to enjoy this luxury because of their situation. It was not safe until Lorraine said so. So before he could take a step forward, he looked at his sister. Lorraine looked at Xavier worriedly.


    "It''s okay, you can rx", he assured her.<sub> </sub>


    Lorraine was worried but she did not want to be rude. And seeing the excitement on Oliver''s face, she could not deny him.


    "Go on", she said with a chuckle and he ran off immediately.


    "Ready to have some fun?" Xavier asked with a wiggle of his brows.


    "I should have worn trousers", sheined knowing the many rides that awaited them.


    "No, you look perfect."


    Lorraine felt her stomach flip and blush under his heated gaze. She looked down and walked ahead of him, not wanting him to see her blush. He smiled to himself as he followed her.


    The three had fun at the park. They still had energy for a movie at a cinema in Albany after having dinner. By the time he had dropped them off, it was veryte into the night. He walked them to the door before going back to his car.


    As he drove home, he could not help but notice a certain car that had been on their tail since early after. Now, they were following him. He scoffed as he dialed for Skull''s number.


    "Master Xavier?"


    "I''ming home but someone is tailing me", he said this while looking at the tinted car through the rearview mirror.


    "How do you want this to be dealt with?"


    "Hmmm....."


    While Xavier was dealing with his little stalker, Zach and Amy were fast asleep. They jumped on any opportunity to do so because Roserie was more of a night owl. They were barely getting any sleep. Zach worried about Amy who was yet to recover. As though the child was reading his mind, she started to cry.


    "Oh", Amy groaned as she woke up.


    "I''ve got her. Go to sleep", Zach said as he peeled the sheets away.


    He didn''t bother turning on the lights and walked to her crib. He picked her up and started rocking her as he walked around the room shushing her. As much as Amy wanted to sleep, she could not with Roserie crying like that.


    She was about to force herself to get out of bed when her phone rung. She and Zach exchanged a look and he moved to the bathroom. Nobody outside their family and trust needed to know about Roserie''s existence. Not yet at least.


    "Pedro", Amy acknowledged in a clear voice.


    "Just thought I would let you know, it''s been confirmed; just as I told you."


    "Okay."


    "But... I thought I should warn you too. I''m not sure how credible this information is but it seems the King is personally overseeing this project. Are you sure about what you''re about to do?"


    Amy was shocked by this but did not show it as she continued in the same calm voice. "Just do your part and everything will be alright."


    With that, she hang up. The King is here... It seems they would be meeting sooner than she thought.

 Chapter 251 Georges Little Discovery

    "Done yet?" Amy asked as she walked into the room from the bathroom.


    "One more", Zach answered as he covered Roserie inyers of nkets.


    She had just changed her diaper and had gone into the bathroom to get rid of it. Zach picked her up as Amy joined him to go downstairs for breakfast.


    "Is she asleep?" Amy asked from beside him.


    "She''s awake", Zach answered after ncing down at Roserie.


    "She''s quiet", Amymented as she looked over and soon found out why. "Oh."


    The little one had ced her some of her fingers in her mouth. Amy removed them and traced her index finger around Roserie''s mouth. She opened her little mouth a little too eagerly.


    "She''s hungry", Zachmented with a chuckle.


    "Again", Amyined. The child never stopped feeding. As soon as Amy removed her finger, Roserie started crying.


    She took the crying baby from her father and patted her little bottom as she shushed her. They were now approaching the dining room. The maids were serving the older couples and Suzy and Trevor on the table while thetter chatted about among themselves.


    "Edmund, set our breakfast in the living room", Zach said.


    "Good morning", Victoria sung as she walked over to Amy to kiss her granddaughter on the forehead. "A... What''s wrong with my grand baby?"


    "She''s hungry", Amy said.


    "Go on and feed her. And you need to eat too", Victoria said.


    "I''ll check on you afterwards", Suzy said.


    "Me too", Ste said.


    "Edmund", Victoria started as she walked back to her seat. "Do you know if Xavier already left for work? The girls are almost done here."


    "Master Xavier didn''te homest night", he answered politely.


    "Did he say why?" She was now frowning as she sat down.


    "He didn''t call the house", he said.


    This got her worried even more. She looked to Zach who had his brows furrowed too. "I''ll call him."


    They left for the living room. Amy finally sat down to feed Roserie who stopped crying as soon as she was given her food. Zach was sat next to her and took out his phone to dial for his brother.


    "Thought you''d call", Xavier answered in amusement.


    "What happened?"


    "I''ll be staying here in Albany for a while. There are a few things I need to sort out. And don''t worry about work, I''ve got that sorted out", he said more calmly.


    "You sure?" Zach guessed it was serious. And whatever it is, it had to do with Lorraine.


    "Yes. Don''t worry. How''s Amy?"


    Zach didn''t respond and put him on speaker instead. He brought the phone closer to Amy so she could speak.


    "Hey Xavier", she said softly as she looked back down at Roserie.


    "How are you doing today? And how''s my niece?"


    "We''re doing alright. So how was your date?" She asked in a sing-songy way with a smile.


    "Do you guys ever hide anything from each other?" He grumbled knowing he had only told Zach about his whereabouts from the day before.


    "Nope", they answered in unison and smiled at each other. Zach pecked her lips twice making her giggle.


    "I''m still here", Xavierined. Then he cleared his throat. "By the way, is this a good time to ask you about that stuff I asked?"


    "Yeah, about that", she started. The maids had long set their meal on the coffee table and it was just her and Zach. Thetter started to serve them their food as she took over holding the phone whilst feeding Roserie.


    "I can''t guarantee whether those girls are dead or alive, but I''m ny percent sure that Greco took them for the clinical trials", she said.


    Zach cut a piece of bread garlic bread and brought it to her lips. She bit into it and he wiped the corners of her mouth before throwing the rest of the piece in his mouth.


    "Shoot. But if they are alive....."


    "Xavier, I''m going to be honest with you. These people are dangerous. They definitely would not like having any loose ends. Whether experimenting on these girls was sessful or not, I don''t think they''ll see the light of day at the end."


    Xavier was quiet as he digested this bitter truth. He felt bad for Lorraine who had been tirelessly working to find them. Of all people, it had to be the Dark Waters.<sub> </sub>


    "Hey, I could be wrong. We''ll know when it''s time", she said as Zach fed her again. From his silence, she could guess Xavier''s line of thought.


    "Okay."


    "Hang up if you''re done", Zach said with seriousness. He didn''t want her talking and eating at the same time. She was already feeding their daughter.


    "Geez. Bye sis! Kiss Roserie for me."


    "Will do. Bye."


    Amy shook her head as Zach put away the phone. She found his antics quite amusing yet charming. She thought he would stop feeding her since she was no longer on the phone but she was wrong. He continued with his job.


    "You''re enjoying this too much", hemented.


    "I''m being fed by a hot guy, of course I should enjoy it", she said before opening her mouth for him to feed her.


    He looked at her and shook his head. This woman sure loved being spoiled by him and he was notining. Her phone chimed and he got it for her.


    George: Joanne is insisting on being discharged.


    Amy frowned at this. She could already picture how stubborn the woman was as she knew her to be. So she used her free hand and gave a response.


    Amy: Let her do as she pleases.


    Back in West Vige


    George sighed when he saw Amy''s response. Even Alice could not convince the woman otherwise. Thetter was tired of being confined to a hospital bed. She would rather be back at the orphanage.


    "I''ll go process your discharge papers", he said with evident disapproval.


    "Thank you dear", Joanne said sweetly.


    This just made Alice dislike him more. She would rather have Joanne stay in hospital than back at the orphanage. In no time, they left the hospital. George drove them using his car as they sat at the back. He could not help but throw worried nces at the older woman up until they reached the orphanage.


    "You can go back now", Alice said as she helped Joanne out of the car.


    "Sister Moon is right", Joanne agreed when she saw George was about to disagree. His disappointment was clear on his features with her agreement. "Go home and rest. You cane back tomorrow to check on me. I know you haven''t been sleeping well and it must have been hard staying in one room with two women."


    "I''ll check on you tonight", he promised and Joanne nodded. He looked at Alice who immediately looked away.


    Ignoring her, he helped bring in their luggage. Some sisters came to receive them and help George. When he saw she was settled in, he left the orphanage on his way back to the hotel he was staying at.


    He took a road that led him to pass by the construction site and saw iting along much quicker. It reminded him of the work he had left behind. He sighed and his stomach growled. Since he was already in town, he decided to stop by the supermarket and get a few things.


    He stopped by the biggest supermarket in West Vige and parked there. He took a cart and pushed it to the food section. He was still debating whether to cook or get frozen food.


    "Come ooooon. She''s totally checking you out, go for her", a woman whispered from behind the shelf George was. He stopped to pick up a can of beans, that voice... it sounded familiar.


    "Leave me alone", a young man grumbled.


    "How long are you going to be hang up on Emily? She has a man and a whole baby now", she grumbled.


    "Look who''s talking", the young man scoffed.


    "Hey, this isn''t about me", she sounded annoyed.


    George found himself scoffing in amusement as he walked on. She was giving advice that she herself needed, what a funny woman.


    "Then go for her", the young man said.


    "She''s not my type. I like the ones...."


    George couldn''t hear anything else and found himself walking to that isle to find the woman describing in a whisper and with her hands the type of women she was into. The young man moved away as he was clearly embarrassed while sheughed. George finally got a good look at her and stopped in shock.


    "Nora...?"


    "You...", She was also shocked from where she stood with a cart full of groceries. She recovered and grew annoyed. "Are you stalking me?"


    The young man beside her was Ian, still in his bangs that shielded his eyes. He stopped to give a curious look at his aunt''s ''stalker''. George wasn''t bothered by this. He was shocked by one thing and found himself disappointed.


    "You''re into women?" He asked with brows raised.


    Nora found herselfughing seeing his expression. She walked over to him and looked him straight in the eye as her eyes shone in amusement.


    "I like.... a little bit of both", she whispered in his face seductively and looked at his chest to trace a finger before looking up at him. "Why?"


    One word came to his mind in that moment: shit.

 Chapter 252 Annoying To Seductress...

    George looked at the young woman dressed in a shirt and jeans. She was looking up at him with daring eyes. Her pretty little mouth knew nothing but be provocative towards him. Even in this moment she had just confessed her sexuality to him, he wanted nothing more than to pin her against the shelf and kiss the daylights out of her.


    Nora saw how his eyes darkened in that moment. Was she mistaken or was that desire in his eyes? Her treacherous little heart started to thud faster in anticipation. What will he do?


    Ian and Nora: "..."


    That was their reaction when George made a u-turn with his cart and walked away without a word. Nora couldn''t close her mouth from shock while Ian recovered.


    "He''s more sensible than I thought", Ianmented as he took over the cart and pushed it.


    "Did he just.....? Wait, what''s that supposed to mean?" She red at him as she followed.


    "He knows better than to fall for your little charms. And what man would go for a woman who''s into both?"


    "What''s wrong with that?" She crossed her arms against her chest in defense though he couldn''t see.


    "You being you, he''ll have to worry about you hitting on both men and women."


    "Hey..." She wanted to deny it but found herself tongue tied.


    Ian smiled to himself as he pushed the cart to the till. Nora paid for the goods while he bagged them. She nonchntly looked around the shop trying not to be obvious as she looked for George.


    "Aunt Nora...", Ian called out earning her attention.


    "Oh. Let''s go", she said as she helped him with the bags.


    The ss doors slid open as the two stepped out. A soft breeze rustled through their hair as they walked to their car. As Ian had the keys, he unlocked the car and they began loading the bags. He made sure to separate his from hers. Nora frowned at this.


    "Come oooooon", she grumbled.


    "No."


    "It''s boring to eat alone. Just tonight, please?"


    "Then go to Mom''s", he said as he took the bags in her hands and put them in the car.


    "She''s still mad at me because of Stacy. Come on Ian. We always have fun together. I''m your cool aunt! Come ooooon!" She whined at him with pleading eyes.


    "But you''ve always stayed alone. Why is it boring all of a sudden?"


    "Pleeeeeeease."


    "Alright then", a different voice answered.


    Nora and Ian turned to the source of the voice to find George standing a few feet away from them. He waved a foot underneath his car and the boot slowly spring open. He loaded his groceries in and left the boot to close again. He was parked right beside them.


    "Excuse me?" Nora was confused as she watched him walk over with his hands in his pockets.


    "You want someone to stay with you. I''ll do it", he said. His attitude was easygoing andid back.


    "Why would you?" She raised her brows and crossed her arms against her chest.


    "Why would I?" He repeated in amusement and let out a chuckle as he bridged the distance between them. Nora suddenly felt like she had thrown herself into a trap as she watched a sly smirk stretch on his lips. "What you said earlier, wasn''t that you daring me to do something about it?"


    "Did I?" Nora feigned ignorance at this.


    George leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Aren''t you curious about how this will turn out?"


    "You''re seriously going to live with a stranger?" Ian got their attention with his question.


    "Don''t worry, he can''t do anything to me", Nora tried to assure him.


    "I meant him", Ian said to George. "I know you so I''m worried about him."


    "Wow!" She rolled her eyes at him while George broke into an amused chuckle. "You''re supposed to worry about me and not him."


    "So, are we doing this or not?" George asked.


    "Her groceries?"


    "No need. I have enough for two. By the way, here", George took his business card and gave it to Ian. "Don''t make it a habit of giving your aunt away to a stranger."


    "Stranger? Doesn''t matter. You can''t hurt our family and get away with it. I''m genuinely worried about you but, that''s your choice", Ian said with a shrug as he shut the boot. "Well, goodnight then."


    Ian now knew about his grandma''s background and trusted no one would harm a hair on their head. If anything, George should be the one worried about himself. Nora watched with an open moith as Ian walked to the car and drove off in Ste''s car. s, it was just her and George.


    As nervous as she was, she tried to maintain her cool. She gave him a nce and walked to the passenger side. "Won''t you get the door for me?"<sub> </sub>


    George chuckled and walked over. He unlocked the car and got the door for her. She gave him a small smile and gracefully got in.


    George got into the other side and drove off. Nora input her Ste''s ce''s location on his GPS. However, she now noticed that the direction he took was not one of where she lived.


    "Where are we going?" She asked calmly though she was nervous on the inside.


    "To get my things", he said, giving her a nce before focusing back on driving.


    "You''re actually serious."


    "Weren''t you?"


    Nora chose to keep quiet and watched the outside view. When they got to the hotel, she chose to stay in the car while he went on to get his things. Nora felt nervous. What had she gotten herself into? Earlier she was disappointed that he wasn''t showing any interest in her but now that he is, and with how quickly things were moving.....? Was something wrong with her?


    "Normal people don''t do this", she said to herself and exhaled deeply from nervousness.


    She turned her head and saw George walking over whole dragging his luggage. Suddenly, he looked so hot and manly. Her heart could not help but thump in excitement. The back seat door opened and he put his luggage before going into to take the driver''s side. He smiled at her before starting off.


    Nora looked outside the window and kept quiet throughout the whole ride. This time, she recognized the way home from the route he took. After a long and quiet car ride, he finally parked in Ste''s driveway. He was surprised when he recognized the house opposite. That''s where Amy used to live.


    "Lead the way", he said as he carried the bag of groceries and dragged his bag.


    She cleared her throat and unlocked the door. She rubbed her palms together nervously as he followed her in. She took the groceries from him and set them on the counter in the kitchen.


    "It''s not much..." She gestured at the ce.


    "It''s beautiful, homey", he said as he looked around. His eyes fell on the protraits on tbe wall and recognized the faces.


    ''No wonder she looked familiar..... I wonder what they''ll think about this'', he mused.


    "So, where''s our room?" He asked.


    "Our room?" Her eyes widened while her face grew red and hot.


    "Mm. Our room. You''re not chickening out, are you?" He arched his brow.


    Nora chuckled and rolled her eyes. She walked over to him and looked him dead in the eye. "Listen here mister, whatever this is, it''s going to move at my pace. We''re at my ce, my rules. Don''t get any wild ideas."


    "Wild ideas", he smiled. Nora found herself mesmerized by his smile but fought to remain unfazed. "Alright, where''s my room?"


    "Second door to your left."


    George nodded and walked away. Once he shut the door behind him, Nora exhaled deeply as she caught her breath and patted her chest. She didn''t realize when she had held her breath and now here she was.


    George could not believe the situation he was in as well. One moment he and Nora were strangers and here they were, living under the same roof. How did she go from annoying to a little seductress? Seducing him, he who had considered her to not be his type?


    His phone vibrated from his pocket. He smiled as he swiped to answer.


    "Hey man", he greeted.


    "Did youpletely forget about me?" Xavier teased.


    "I''ve been busy. What are you up to?"


    "I''m back in Albany. I have a lot to do", he said .


    "What happened?"


    "I don''t want to bother you about it. I know you''re already busy."


    Xavier knew that if he dared to tell George about everything, he would be worried. Thest time Xavier involved himself with a woman with a background simr to Lorraine''s, Irene to be specific, he ended up with a bullet in his chest. But does that mean things were different this time? Even when he wanted to back off, he found himself wanting to help her even more. He could not help but feel drawn to her.


    "Xavier?" George called out worriedly.


    "It''s nothing to worry about. I have everything under control."


    "You sure?"


    "Mm. What''s new with you?"


    George stopped to chuckle when he heard the question. What''s new? How will he tell he was living with Ste''s daughter and all because he was attracted to her? Very attracted? He looked to the door wondering what she was doing out there. Still, he could not help but smile.


    "I met someone."

 Chapter 253 What Xavier Wanted....

    Amy let out a contented sigh as she watched Roserie sleep in her little bed. Although she knew she needed to get a move on as they didn''t know how soon she would wake up, she could not help but stare at the little one. It felt surreal, that she had actually birthed another human. A little person who will soon be calling her mom.


    "Wow", she mouthed before her lips curved up into a happy smile.


    Her phone vibrated in her hand notifying her of a new message. She had already kissed Roserie goodnight and would not do it again, lest it wakes her. So, she simply left for her bed instead. As soon as she got under the covers, she chuckled when she saw the message.


    Xavier: Guess who finally found someone? Starts with a G.


    "Oooooooh", she said with a smile as she typed a response.


    Amy: Spill


    Zach walked in on this scene from their wardrobe. His brows subconsciously rose wondering who was making her smile like that. He walked past their bed and went to Roserie''s to check on the little one. He also resisted the urge to kiss her forehead again knowing it might wake her up.


    With that, he walked to their bed. Standing at the foot, he took off his shirt revealing his well sculpted chest. To his displeasure, Amy never looked up once. Her eyes were glued to her phone. He narrowed his eyes at her when he saw her smiling while typing.


    Then he moved on to remove his sweats leaving him in his boxers. He neatly folded the clothes and ced them on his nightstand before getting into bed. To his surprise and displeasure, the woman was still seated on her side texting away leaving him alone and cold. Who could she be texting sote at night?


    "Oh! My gosh", she said with augh as she read a text before proceeding to respond.


    She didn''t see Zach take his own phone and type something before putting it away. Almost instantly, her smile morphed into a jaw dropped shock. She looked at the man beside her in disbelief.


    "Babe. "


    "Finally remembered that you have a ''babe''?" He air quoted thest word as he raised his brows at her.


    She bit her bottom lip, trying not tough at him at the same time confused. "Is that why you threatened to ''train'' with Xavier if he doesn''t stop texting me? How did you even know he was texting me?"


    Zach shrugged, not wanting to admit anything. He knew George wouldn''t dare do something like that and it beingte meant Xavier had some juice to share. Amy didn''t show it but she could never resist a good gossip.


    "Are you that.... rough when you''re training someone?"


    Zach looked at her, he could see the genuine curiosity in her eyes. "Do you want to try?"


    "Yeah? I mean I think it could help me lose the baby fat and the extra weight I gained."


    His lips lifted into a smile as he pulled her into his arms. "Let''s do that then."


    She smiled and rxed in his arms. "Thank you babe. And oh, please me gentle with me."


    He chuckled as he caressed her head and lowered his already deep voice. "When have I not been gentle with her?"


    She smacked his chest and chuckled as a dirty thought came to mind. She could vividly remember when he was not gentle with her, it made her blush. Zach kissed the top of her head. They fell silent and enjoyed each other''s warmth when he felt a finger trace lines on his chest. He chuckled knowing what it meant.


    "What is it?" He asked.


    "Don''t you want to know what Xavier told me?" She desperately wanted to share the gist.


    He chuckled, "That George found someone?"


    She gasped and immediately forced herself up to look at him in shock. "How did you know?"


    "He told me", he said with a smile, enjoying her expression. "You won''t believe who she is?"


    "Who? Who? Tell me", she asked a little too eagerly and desperately.


    He chuckled and brought her head down to his chest where it belongs. "Go to sleep."


    "Baaaaaabe", she whined as she got back up. She pouted and blinked cutely. "Tell me, mm?"


    "You don''t want to wait till he tells everyone himself?" He are arched his brow.


    "I can wait", she nodded. "But, are you okay with keeping stuff from me when we agreed not to?"


    "Amy", he bit back a smile.


    "Okay. Your choice", she said in resignation andy back down. "You''ve started it."


    He knew she was being dramatic but he decided to tell anyway. So he quickly leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Nora Thornton."


    She took a second to register the name quickly got back up and stared at him in shock with eyes wide. "Ste''s daughter?"<sub> </sub>


    "Mm-hm."


    "Wow. Wow. That''s something I never sawing... Wow."


    "Yeah. Now let''s go to sleep, we need it for the few days toe", he said as he gently helped her back down and kissed the top of her head.


    "Wow", she was still in shock.


    Back in Albany


    Xavier was seated in his bed as he read through a file. He had long stopped texting Amy and resumed looking at the information he had gathered. It was on the men who had followed him. He would not have looked into them if they didn''t follow him that time. He at least needed to know who his new enemy was.


    "But what''s the connection?" He mused as his thoughts wandered off to Lorraine.


    The thought of them being behind her bruises made his blood boil. But that only meant they were dangerous....


    The next day


    "Got your everything?" Lorraine asked her brother.


    "Yes."


    "Did you close your window?"


    "All done."


    She nodded and looked around the house then let out a sigh. She took his hand and left after locking up. Stepping out of the building, they were both shocked to see Xavier leaning against his car with his hands stuffed in his trouser pockets.


    "Xavier?" She was evidently surprised. She anxiously looked around before looking back at him. "What are you doing here?"


    He smiled as he stood up straight and walked towards them. "To take him to school and you to work. Hey buddy?"


    "Hi", Oliver smiled, loving the idea.


    "No..... You..." She looked around worriedly, hoping no one was watching them. "You shouldn''t...."


    "Why? Am I making you ufortable?" He raised his brows and finally stopped before them.


    "No, its... Look, we don''t want to trouble you and we can manage just fine-"


    "Trust me, it''s no trouble. Besides, we''re going in the same direction. Please don''t turn me down."


    She was troubled by the situation and he could tell. She bit her lower lip as she contemted. She looked at the excited Oliver and at Xavier''s pleading eyes. Guilt was eating at her insides. However, the more she dyed, the higher the chance of those people catching on.


    "Alright."


    "Yes!" Oliver could not help himself before Xavier high-fived him.


    "Let''s go", Xavier moved to ce his hand on the small of her back.


    She tensed up at his touch but forced herself to calm down though her heart was racing so fast. Oliver jumped at the back seat while Xavier got the door for her for the front seat before walking to his side. He was wearing a navy blue suit and looked so handsome with his blonde hairbed back.


    He looked at her and smiled. He suddenly leaned in and she watched him with wide eyes as she leaned back till she hit the door. He stared at her for a few seconds before pulling on her seatbelt and securing it for her. He smiled when he saw her cheeks blush.


    "You too buddy", he said to Oliver as he moved back to his seat.


    "Already done", he patted the seatbelt.


    "Good", he said without taking his eyes off Lorraine.


    He finally changed the gear to drive and the left. It was when he moved his gaze to the road did she finally let out a breath she was holding. He heart was beating so hard she was sure the fabric of her dress especially on her chest was moving too.


    Despite the butterflies he incited, she could not help but worry. His actions would definitely draw the attention of those people. She hated to think what they would do to him. After all, the same fate had befallen her.


    Little did she know, Xavier wanted exactly just that. His gaze turned frosty as he spotted through the rearview mirror a certain ck car tailing them.....


    ''Good. Very good....''

 Chapter 254 Stellas Outburst

    In West Vige....


    Nora sleptfortably in her bed. Sleep had never felt so sweet in her life. She slowly opened her eyes and sighed in content at the sunlight illuminating the room behind the white curtains. There was no irritating rm to wake her up nor was her mother around to nag her. She sighed again. Life was so good.


    Pang!


    She sat up immediately. ''What''s that noise?'' She mused as she got out of bed and walked out of her room not forgetting her phone.


    Her heart was racing so quickly as followed the source of the sound. She picked up a baseball bat in the corridor as she braved herself to confront the intruder.


    "You unlucky bas-" she swung the bat but immediately froze.


    "Nora?" George turned around with brows raised as he looked at her standing with a bat raised above her head.


    "Uh....", She threw away the bat, not minding where itnded and shed him a smile and wave. "Hi."


    "Hi", he looked at the direction where the bat was thrown before looking at her. "Did you think I was an intruder?"


    "Ha!" She let out an awkward chuckle. "No? Why would I? Of course I remembered that you were here", she chuckled while looking everywhere but at him.


    "Uh-huh."


    She cleared her throat and walked over. "What''s for breakfast?"


    He looked at her chest, and his brows slightly rose before he looked back at her face. "I made a little bit of everything, pancakes, bacon, eggs-"


    He stopped talking when her phone started to ring. Her eyes grew wide in horror when she saw the caller ID and she quickly signaled him with a press of her index finger to her lips.


    "Mo-"


    "NORA THORNTON!!!!!" Ste roared that Nora had to bring her phone away from her ear. "WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE IM HEARING ABOUT YOU SO EARLY IN THE MORNING? GOD HELP ME I DON''T STRANGLE YOU THE MOMENT I SEE YOU WHEN I''M BACK!"


    ''You''re so dead Ian'', Nora mused with a grumble. It was very easy for her to guess why Ste was mad.


    She brought it back to her ear and cleared her throat. "Mom, calm down."


    "CALM DOWN? YOU''RE PLAYING HOUSE WITH A COMPLETE STRANGER IN MY HOME AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN?"


    "I''m not doing any of that. You know me", she started in a sweet voice to cate her mother.


    "KNOW YOU? OH! I KNOW YOU VERY WELL AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A MAN IN THAT HOUSE! YOU''RE MAKING ME SHOUT WHILE MY GRANDCHILD IS ASLEEP! MY GOSH!


    Nora sighed into the phone and held her forehead. "Mom", She looked at George, embarrassed and brought her gaze down. She was sure he could hear her mom''s screaming. "Mom, I''ve met him a few times and he''s not a terrible person."


    "THAT''S WHAT WE THINK AND SAY ABOUT KIDNAPPERS, SERIAL KILLERS, PSYCHOPA-"


    "Mooom", she whined, not knowing how to defend herself.<sub> </sub>


    Ste had every right to freak out. Even she would not allow her child to do such madness no matter how old they are. She was about to speak when George took the phone away. That threw her into more panic fearing he would only make matters worse.


    But the man was oddily calm. He had been watching from the get-go. He had nned to officially exin the situation when things look up between him and Nora but it seemed that time arrived sooner.


    He did not like how she was shouldering the me and trying to make him look good to her mom would only make things worse; evidently. And he didn''t like seeing her so troubled, it bothered him. So his solution was to expose himself hoping it would alleviate the situation.


    "Mrs. Thornton, it''s me", he said.


    "It''s you? So I''m supposed to dream to know? Who are you?"


    "Is it him?" Richard who had been silent throughout the whole outburst finally spoke. "Let me talk to him."


    He too wanted to know the brave son of a gun that entertained his crazy daughter''s idea. George could hear how pissed off he was. His nerves kicked in at this point. Who would he rather deal with.


    "I''ll talk to him first, I''m also curious to know who it is", she responded. Her tone was full of venom that it made George even more nervous. But he was secretly d it wasn''t Richard. He wouldn''t know how to deal with him.


    "It''s me, George", he repeated calmly.


    "George? I only know one Geor-", she fell quiet finally recognizing the voice. The anger quickly dissipated to be reced with shock. "George?"


    "George?" Richard also voiced his surprise.


    "Yes, it''s me", he responded politely.


    Nora was as shocked knowing the man knew her mother. She started to grow suspicious of him and questioned everything about him and their encounter. Was it a set up?


    "George. How?" Ste was buffled.


    "Well, while I''m here on an errand Amy sent me, I was fortunate enough to run into your daughter and she kindly offered me a ce to stay", he exined with lots of sugarcoating.


    "Nora..... Did that?" There was doubt in her tone. Even the said person knew her mom would easily doubt her. Unless....


    "Ah! I''m sure she did. Nora can''t resist beautiful things", she said with a click of her tongue when realization dawned on her. That actually made more sense.


    "Mom", she snatched the phone andined as she was embarrassed.


    George put the call on speaker so they could both speak to her.


    "It''s trueee. But George", her tone was full of worry now.


    "Yes?"


    She fell quiet. The two didn''t know the intense mental debate the woman was having. She could warn him of the trouble maker Nora could be or she could sacrifice him so the she could get over her silly crush and fantasies that could ruin Amy''s family. The girl had a child but Nora was still hang up on her. Maybe George would be the perfect solution.


    "Nothing, good luck", she said and immediately hang up.

 Chapter 255 [Bonus Chapter]Im Free...

    George furrowed his brows. This was starting to bother him. How bad was this Nora? First it was Ian worrying about him and now, the way Ste said her ''good luck''..... Was there something that he didn''t know besides the fact that she was bisexual?


    Thetter did not entertain his worries and quickly dialed for Ian. He answered on the second ring.


    "Nephew", she said through gritted teeth.


    "Yes, Aunt Nora", he answered, feigning innocence.


    "How did Mom find out about my guest?" She said with a squeeze of her hand around her phone. George left to continue cooking and let her deal with him.


    "Ah... That? It must have been Stacy. I should have known when she suddenly asked what''s new with you", he said with a click of his tongue.


    "Ian."


    "I know, I didn''t expect this of her. I have to get ready for work. Bye."


    "IAN!!!"


    But the boy knew to hang up before she burst out in her fit of anger. She looked at George who was distracted while cooking. She followed his line of sight to see him openly admiring her milky white mounds that he could see through her nightie.


    "Argh!" She shrieked as she run back to her room. "PERVERT!"


    He chuckled when he watched her ass jiggle in her redce underwear as she run.


    ''My very own walking temptation'', he mused as he felt his little brother react. Every worry about her flew out of the window in that moment.


    In Albany


    Two dayster


    Per usual, Lorraine had got herself and her brother ready for the day. But what she was not prepared for was seeing Xavier, again, waiting for them by his car. Oliver quickly left her side and run to the back seat after greeting Xavier. She frowned when she saw this and walked to the man.


    "You really shouldn''t do this", she said in clear disapproval.


    "There is really no trouble. Besides, I like spending time with you", he said with a gentle gaze on her.


    She looked down, unable to look him in the eyes. She was still frowning though her heart and stomach expressed the tter. "Xavier, you can''t... It''s not.... It''s..... You shouldn''t. Please."


    He cupped her right cheek and made her look at him. Her beautiful greens got lost into his hazel brown orbs. She felt like he was hypnotizing her. Not wanting her to look anywhere but into his eyes. There was worry in those eyes. Worry for her.


    "Is there something bothering you?" He asked so gently.


    Her mouth fell open. The words were right at the tip of her tongue: ''there are bad guys after me and once they see you with me, you won''t be spared. I''m worried they''ll hurt you.'' She wanted to voice it all but her courage in that moment was the size of an ant. Xavier could guess how she was feeling from looking at her face. He decided not to force matters.


    "It''s okay. Just let me drop you off. I''ll feel at ease when I do", he said. She raised her brows in shock at this. The corners of his lips slightly lifted as he caressed her cheek with his thumb. "Yes, I worry about you."<sub> </sub>


    Lorraine found herself being escorted to the car. Oliver shook his head when he saw his sister wavering. The little man desperately wished Xavier could be the person to help and protect her. He felt bad that she had to shoulder everything because she was older while he couldn''t do anything except let her protect him.


    Xavier finally settled in his seat. He looked at her and was about to lean forward when she quickly pulled on her seatbelt. He chuckled as he pressed start and drove off.


    "Xavier, can I ask you something?" Oliver started.


    "Sure", he answered as he looked at him through the mirror before looking back ahead.


    "Do you like watching games?"


    "Of course. Do you want to watch one with me?"


    "Um... Not exactly. We have a game in two weeks and....."


    "Of course", he answered with no hesitation then looked at Lorraine. "If your sister is okay with it."


    They both looked at her with expectant gazes. It looked like their hopes and dreams would be crashed if she turned them down. However, she was still worried about their current situation. It was great Oliver was warming up to Xavier, a man to look up to, but still.....


    To her luck, her phone ringing saved her from the situation. However, she fell frozen, unable to answer. Oliver grew worried when he saw her react that way. She always ignored calls from that person.


    "Is it-"


    "Savannah", She cut Oliver off and said in disbelief.


    Xavier was curious about this person seeing her react that way. But why did this name sound so familiar? Where had he heard this name before?


    "Savannah?" Oliver voiced his shock. "She''s back?"


    ''She''s back? Savannah.... Savannah.... Oh! Savannah! Hold on!'' Xavier mused before he looked at the caller ID then back at Lorraine''s face that had tears rolling down her cheeks.


    "Savannah White?" He asked in confirmation the same time she decided to answer the call.


    "Savannah!!!" She answered a little hastily with her heart thumping hard.


    She wished it was not a dream. Her friend, who had been missing for months, was finally calling her. Gosh! It better not be a prank. However, the other end was silent. She looked at the phone before bringing it back to her ear when she saw the seconds still running.


    "Savannah?" She called out again. Xavier was beginning to worry now.


    "Lorraine", Savannah responded and broke down into heart breaking sobs that triggered Lorraine''s cries.


    "Savannah! Oh thank God! Where are you? I''lle to you right now! Is everyone with you? Is everyone okay? Seriously, tell me where you are!"


    The girl only cried in response. Where could she even begin? She had a lot to say but one thing she just had to utter, "I''m finally free."

 Chapter 256 The Hospital Visit

    She was finally free? What did this mean? Does that mean someone has been holding her hostage this whole time? What could have happened to those girls? Lorraine sighed as she closed her eyes, she could not begin to imagine the horror they went through. And she would only know once she sees them. Time never felt so slow than in that moment.


    She snapped her eyes open and turned to Xavier. She opened her mouth to tell him to drive faster but remembered they still had to drop off Oliver. To her relief, he stopped the car at the school entrance.


    "I''ll take him", he said when he saw her reach for her seatbelt.


    "See youter Lorrie", Oliver said as he got down from the car.


    "Stay safe, alright?" She said worriedly and a little anxious.


    "Mm. Bye! Say hie to Savannah", he said before shutting the door.


    She watched as Xavier apanied the young man. Whatever they were talking about seemed to make Oliverugh. She had forgotten in that moment that this could draw unwanted attention on Xavier. Her mind was too preupied with thoughts on Savannah.


    "Ready?" Xavier asked when he came back.


    She nodded, barely holding herself together. Granting her wish, he floored it. She felt nauseous, not sure if it was from his driving or from the fact that they were getting closer to where Savannah was.


    Finally, they arrived. She jumped out of the car and rushed into the tall building that was the city hospital. Xavier was following right behind her and stopped at the reception where they found a nurse looking through some files.


    "Yes, may I help you?" He asked.


    "I''m looking for Savannah White. She''s my friend. She has been admitted into this hospital." She willed herself to be calm but silent tears still rolled down her cheeks.


    "Savannah white....", He said while looking down from her pitiful state to theputer where he searched for the said girl''s records. His lips slightly lifted when he found the name and looked back up at her. "Fifth floor, third room to your right."


    "Thank you!"


    Xavier had the job of keeping up with the sprinting Lorraine into the elevator. Once they got in, she tapped her foot from anxiousness and impatience. It felt like the longest elevator ride she had ever been on. Her eyes were glued to the numbers that were ascending.


    ''Can''t it go any faster?'' she mused.


    She let out a soft gasp when she felt arge warm hand take her small one. She looked right beside her and Xavier gave her a warm smile. He had been watching her and grew worried about her. She recovered from her little shock when a ding sound went off followed by the sliding open of the doors.


    "Uh.... It''s....", She looked at the opened doors then back at their joining hands,pletely flustered by the intimate gesture.


    "Oh.... Yeah", he let go of her hand then gestured with his own at the door. "After you."


    There was a little frown on her face but she suppressed it and walked on. The warmth of his hand still burned on hers. She missed it already. She wished he could keep holding it. She wanted to say it but her courage had grown smaller than the size of an ant. And she felt embarrassed for wanting such.


    ''What''s wrong with you?'' she scolded herself when she felt her face grow hot.<sub> </sub>


    "Lorraine", he called out as he held her wrist and pulled her back.


    She faced with him wide and surprised eyes. Did he change his mind? What is it? Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he pointed at the door next to them.


    "Oh gosh!" She gasped. She was so lost in thought she had passed by Savannah''s room.


    Xavier smiled at this as he let go of her hand. "Go in, I''ll be out here waiting for you."


    "I might be a while, why don''t youe in with me?"


    "I''ll meet herter on, for now just go in. I won''t go anywhere, I promise", he assured her.


    Reluctantly, she agreed and walked in. Xavier sat down on one of the chairs in the corridor. He deliberately wanted them to have their moment during their emotional reunion and besides, he had questions that needed to be answered. There was only one person who could. With that, he dialed their number. It rung for a while, he was about to terminate the call worried that it was a bad time when the call was answered.


    "Xavier", Amy''s soft voice resounded from the other end.


    "Hey sis, sorry. Is this a bad time? I didn''t wake you and Roserie, did I?" He asked worriedly.


    "No, she''s awake and with her Dad. I was away from my phone that''s why I didn''t pick up sooner."


    "Okay, good. But you guys are alright?"


    "Yes, we''re alright. And you?"


    "I''m fine." He sucked in a breath and shifted the weight between his two feet. Amy could sense the hesitation but she patiently waited for him to speak. "Sis, Lorraine got a call from Savannah White. We''re actually here at the hospital...."


    "Ah..... They finally met", there was a smile in her tone.


    "So it was you guys?" His brows went up. He was more relieved than surprised. He would have been worried if it was any other person.


    "Mmm.... More of Dad. How is she?"


    "I haven''t seen her. Lorraine has gone in, I''m outside."


    "Mm.... Right", her tone was quiet. She let out a soft sigh. "It''s sad that the others didn''t make it."


    "Who?" He was momentarily buffled until realization dawned on him. He turned his gaze to the door with a worried expression thinking of the pain Lorraine is about to be put through. "Oh no."


    And sure enough, he heard the sound of cries. From the voices, he could tell it wasn''t just Lorraine, but also some other people in the room. Probably, Savannah''s family. Xavier felt his heart ache just from hearing those cries, especially Lorraine''s. What on Earth happened?

 Chapter 257 The Dark Waters Are Going Down

    Two nights ago


    "We should try it. It would be great fun!" Ste said while cutting through her chicken before forking it.


    "Sorry, but I don''t take pleasure in plunging myself to death", Victoria argued as she forked a bite.


    "How is bungee jumping plunging..?" Ste sighed helplessly before turning to Amy looking a little hopeful. "How about you dear? Will you do it with me?"


    "Uh...", Amy could feel the temperature drop because of the man beside her. Despite the excitement, she furrowed her brows and cleared her throat. "Bungee jumping....? That..... doesn''t sound interesting at all. I definitely don''t want to do it."


    Richard let out a small chuckle as he served himself more chicken. "That was very convincing."


    "Mm-hm", Henry agreed with augh and a shake of his head.


    Roserie, who was sleeping in a crib set beside her father made some noises. Zach turned to rock her back to sleep. Amy took this chance and mouthed to Ste.


    "I''m in!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement inciting the same reaction from the older woman.


    "No, you''re not", Zach said making Amy and Ste freeze.


    "Later", she mouthed and the older woman agreed enthusiastically.


    "Amy", he warned before slowly turning back to his meal.


    "I didn''t do anything", she defended herself almost immediately. He looked at her with an arched brow and she threw him a sweet smile. "I love you."


    He only cupped her chin with his gaze on her lips before letting go and directing his focus back on his meal. Amy was such a distraction without even trying.


    Henry cleared his throat. "I need to talk to the both of you after this."


    While Zach grew suspicious because of his father''s seriousness, Amy did not think much about it. After dinner, the three went to Zach''s study. The couple shared a seat whilst Henry settled opposite them. His brows were furrowed in seriousness and he exuded a dangerous aura as he sat with his elbows resting on his knees and fingers intertwined.


    "We just got word that they''ll make a move tomorrow afternoon", Henry said, looking between the couple. "We''re ready for them."


    Amy felt like her heartunch into a race of racing a mile a minute. This is it! It was finally happening! It is finallying to an end! Oh! But her stomach knotted into a nervous twist. Sensing her uneasiness, Zach wrapped one arm around her and took her hand in his other and rubbed his thumb on top of it.


    "You have someone with Amy''s skill set?" He asked with seriousness.


    Amy looked at him. It seemed he didn''t want her taking part in the operation even if she worked remotely. Thinking like Zach, she realized that he would rather have her rest.


    "Of course", Henry answered, seeming offended. "We''re the FBI!"


    Zach arched his brow. Amy felt herself grow embarrassed because of him. He was obviously implying that there was no one like her. She knew it could be true and was indifferent to that opinion but when it was Zach saying or implying it, well.


    "But if you need my help in any way, please let me know", she told Henry.


    "When it''s absolutely necessary", Zach cut in when Henry was about to speak.


    "I know that!" He responded begrudgingly. "Do you think you''re the only one who has a wife to worry about?"


    Amy grew more embarrassed with this as she tried to suppress her smile. The man holding her was content with her reaction and that she didn''t disagree with his suggestion.


    Henry sighed as he leaned back in his seat. His face fell into a serious expression as he thought of tomorrow night. Now that things were good between him and Victoria, he now had the hard job of saying his goodbye before leaving for the job. This life style.... Is it really worth it?


    The next day in the afternoon, Victoria found herself crying in his arms as the man bid his family farewell. He sighed before nting a kiss on her head. He looked up at Zach and Amy with a sad look in his eyes. "Take care of your mother."


    Both nodded at this making him smile. Victoria pulled away and pressed her lips to his. "You need toe back."<sub> </sub>


    "That''s a promise", he smiled and kissed her too. Then he moved to Ste who was carrying Roserie. She gave her to him. "Grandpa will be back soon", he said and kissed her little forehead.


    He gave her back to Ste and bid his family goodbye with hugs and more kisses for Victoria. A subordinate rushed to open the back door of a tinted ck S.U.V. He gave onest look at his family before entering the car.


    Amy moved to Victoria and embraced her as they watched the car disappear out of thepound. As she was in low spirits, Victoria retired to her room. She could only hope that her husband would be safe. Ste and Richard followed suit, especially because they didn''t want Roserie being exposed to the cold.


    Amy was also full of worries, she too, could only hope Henry would be safe. She felt an arm around her and pull her close to the familiar warmth of Zach''s. He kissed her temple and held her in a hug.


    "He''ll be okay", he assured her.


    At the familiar sound of their daughter crying, they went inside. Meanwhile, Victoriay in bed with tears trickling down her nose to fall on her pillow. As much as Henry annoyed her sometimes, this time she desperately wished she had glued herself to him. She sighed and sniffled. A knock was heard.


    "Come in", she sat up and wiped her tears. She smiled when she saw Amy walk in with Roserie in her arms and Ste carrying a tray of refreshments and snacks.


    "We came tofort grandma", she said with a smile as she sat down on the bed.


    "That''s so sweet of you", Victoria said with a chuckle.


    "Here you go", she handed over the child. "But she hasn''t burped yet."


    The little one burped as soon as she was in her grandma''s arms making the three womenugh.


    "She didn''t throw up?" Amy asked worriedly.


    "No, she''s fine", she confirmed before receiving a ss from Ste. She sniffed it then eyed her suspiciously. "Is there alcohol in this?"


    "I''d be lying if I said no", Ste gave her a sheepish grin making Amy shake her head. "And a non-alcoholic one for you."


    "Thank you", Amy received hers.


    The three easily fell into conversation passing the time and took turns tending to baby Roserie. It was a little after sunset that Victoria felt her phone vibrate. Ste was carrying Roserie so she freely checked the message contents.


    Henry: Miss me?


    She fell quiet. It seemed like a casual text but this time around, she realized the meaning. Once she found these messages from him annoying especially when he sent them out of the blue, but now she realized that he always sent them right before he begins his operation. She was always on his mind before every mission. She quickly wiped a stray tear that fell on her cheek.


    Victoria: I''ll be waiting for you.


    Amy ced a hand on top of Victoria''s infort. The older woman put away the phone and let out a sad smile.


    "I''m fine dear." She looked at her phone and exhaled a breath. "I think... the mission has just started."


    They started after sunset? Didn''t Henry say Greco will make a move in the afternoon? Did something happen in the afternoon or was Amy just overthinking?


    In that very moment, Henry was seated at the back seat with warmth in his eyes as he looked at his wife''s message.


    "Let''s move!" Hemanded.


    "Yes, sir."


    The eight car convoy of S.U.Vs drove off from FBI H.Q. Henry had two subordinates in front and one with him at the back. The one seated beside him could not help but voice his worry and suspicion.


    "Can we really trust this?"


    Everyone in the car was quiet and curious to know their boss'' thoughts. Henry broke into an amused chuckle as he rxed against his seat, crossing his arms against his chest and closed his eyes. The men visibly rxed but their eyes shone with determination: The dark waters are going down!

 Chapter 258 A Delay Was Inevitable

    Late in the afternoon at Greco''s factory


    A young man in white protective gear watched impatiently as the floor numbers'' in the elevator ascended. A ding sound went off when his ride came to a stop and the doors slid open.


    He didn''t waste a second and run out of the lift. His running changed into a walk with hurried footsteps until he reached an office door with thebel ''MANAGER'' at the top and he knocked on it.


    "Come in!" An older man responded from inside.


    He strode in immediately and remembered to close the door behind him. The manager stood up from his desk whilst signing a document.


    "Charlie! Everything set?" He asked as he put down the pen and shut the file.


    "Yes, sir. You need to inspect", Charlie replied politely.


    The manager let out augh in amusement as he went around his desk to join the young man. "I''m sure you did a great job. But let''s check anyway."


    They walked side by side exchanging small talk as they went to take the elevator down to the first floor. The manager was pleased to see delivery trucks full of cartons loaded in the trailers.


    They stopped at one truck and he picked up a box to examine it. "This is perfect", he said. "These are ready to be delivered."


    "Yes, sir."


    The manager ced the box back only to hear a jingle sound. He looked at Charlie with brows furrowed in confusion before taking the box back. He shook it a little and more carefully only to hear the same sound.


    "Knife! Can someone bring me a knife?" He shouted. His expression had changed into a serious one the young man nervous. One of the workers brought a knife and the manager carefully tore through the package.


    "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" he shouted both in fury and horror.


    "Sir?"


    "WHAT KIND OF PACKAGING IS THIS?!" He raged and lifted a tiny ss bottle of the drug. "DO I NEED TO TEACH YOU HOW AND WHY YOU NEED TO SECURE BREAKABLES? HOW MANY OF THESE ARE LIKE THIS?"


    "All-All the boxes, sir", he answered quietly.


    "In this truck?"


    "All of them, sir."


    He opened this mouth to speak but only shook his head in disappointment. "NO TRUCK LEAVES THIS PLACE UNTIL YOU SECURE ALL THE PRODUCTS! UNLOAD THE BOXES!"


    He mumbled to himself as he walked away to his office. They were already against time and now they had to dy. Hopefully, the higher-ups would understand this problem. This was not even supposed to happen! Should he really have personally supervised? Or were the men just overwhelmed by this special order?


    "Damn it...", He said to himself as he threw himself on his chair in his office.


    He picked up some work to continue where he left off but his mind was on the goods downstairs. Making up his mind, he stood from his seat and walked out.


    "There''s no room for any other mistake. I''ll personally see to it!" He grumbled in annoyance and went to take the elevator back down.


    When he arrived, Charlie was supervising and actively taking part in the packaging making sure the bottles were properly cushioned and secured in the boxes. The manager was so immersed overseeing the work that he did not hear the sound of approaching footsteps.<sub> </sub>


    It was when the workers started looking over his shoulder that the manager turned around and saw his visitors. His expression quickly turned grave.


    "Madam", he acknowledged Gwen after taking off his hat and bowed politely. "Wee."


    "This shouldn''t be here by now", she said while walking towards him and looking at her wrist watch.


    Peter was right behind her with a few bodyguards apanying them. The manager wiped his sweaty palms against his worksuit trouser. "Madam, we-"


    She stopped a few feet away from him and gave him a condescending gaze. "Were you or were you not given a deadline?"


    "Yes, b-"


    "Were you not made aware that the goods were supposed to leave at exactly 2 this afternoon?"


    "We were. But a dy was inevitable. I forgot to instruct that the goods be secure since they are breakables", he hurriedly exined.


    Gwen fell quiet and finally took in the scene. Her brows furrowed in displeasure. "Did you not know that they were breakables in the first ce or...?"


    Seeing how she looked at him with suspicious eyes and obvious displeasure, he dropped his gaze to the floor. The young man from earlier felt guilty gnawing at him. His boss was shouldering his fault.


    Gwen took out phone and walked a distance away from them. Peter watched as she made a phone call. Judging from her stiffened bodynguage, he could guess who she was talking to.


    She caught him staring and he looked away immediately. Despite their little secret, Gwen still scared him. Would their rtionship ever evolve into something.... better? Or was that wishful thinking on his part?


    Bang! Shocked and horror filled gasps echoed in the factory as the sound of a gunshot went off. Following it, was thud sound of a body dropping down on the floor.


    "Oh my gosh!"


    "Oh my god!"


    Peter turned with eyes wide in horror to the former source only to see Gwen drop down her hand that was holding a gun and when he turned to thetter source, the manager was lying dead in his own pool of blood. Everyone except the bodyguards were horrified and froze in fear.


    "Who''s the supervisor of this factory?" She leisurely asked as she walked over. She got no response or reaction which made her sigh and roll her eyes. "I don''t like to repeat myself."


    "M-m-me. I-I-I am the supervisor", Charlie stumbled forward, feeling his legs almost give out.


    "Congrattions, you just got promoted and you know what that means!"


    Charlie''s face turned even more pale not just from the horrific sight a few feet away from him but also the obvious threat in Gwen''s voice. He forcefully swallowed a hard lump and fought not to wipe away the cold sweat on his forehead.


    "One hour!" She said and turned to leave. "Clean that up", she told her bodyguards.


    "Madam!" Charlie shouted in a trembling voice. "We need to carefully secure the products, it might take us longer than an hour."


    She stopped in her tracks and everyone felt their hearts stop. Charlie started to regret speaking up but it was the truth. He watched as her index finger tap on her gun as she slowly turned around....

 Chapter 259 Peter Falls Into Panic

    "And that''s my problem....., how?" She countered and he mmed his mouth shut.


    She resumed walking with Peter behind her while the bodyguards cleaned up the mess that was the factory manager. Charlie was still rooted to the same spot fighting not to cry at the devastating sight. Was he even doing the right thing?


    "Two hours!" Gwen shouted over her shouod before taking the lift to the top floor.


    Peter waited until they reached the manager''s office and settle down so he could ask his curious question. Gwen looked around for a liquor cab and finally found one to pour herself a ss.


    "Was that..... really necessary? If.... If anything, I think he was just doing his job", he carefully eyed Gwen who threw herself on the spinning chair with a sigh.


    "I shouldn''t exin things to you", she said exhaustedly before taking a sip.


    She was about to take another when she caught his curious gaze. Peter could act like a child sometimes. It was surprising that he had not understood the reason behind her actions. She sighed and rolled her eyes.


    "Is it notmon sense to secure breakables if they''re being transported?" She looked at him with raised brows but didn''t give him the opportunity to answer. "So why, with such a big order, would the factory manager ''forget'' to give this instruction? It''s more believable to give an order to not secure them so there is a dy in the distribution. A deliberate move."


    "A deliberate move? But no one knows about this", he still did not get it. He knew how secretive this distribution was.


    "No one?" She arched an amused brow at him.


    "Amy?"


    "Come on! Look at this ce. It''s impossible for her to know." Gwen thought with Amy being on the run and the factory being in such a secluded ce and no security cameras, phones, and inte avable, Amy was practically blind.


    "Then the F.B.I?"


    "Bingo! Unfortunately, they haven''t stopped sniffing around. It''s very possible they have or had a spy among us."


    If the manager was the spy, then it''s been taken care of but if the spy is out there, she''d like to see them make any stupid moves. She smirked at this before downing the hard contents in her ss. Seeing her like that, Peter did not want to burst her bubble that it''s possible that Amy knew since she was now working with the F.B.I.


    But things seemed to be under control. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel. As expected, if things are personally run by the King, there''s no room for mistakes. There''s nothing the FBI or Amy could do.


    ''I wonder what will be the end of her when the King finds her'', he mused. A knocked snapped him out of his thoughts and he stood to go get the door.


    "Boss, we found something on the manager''s body", a bodyguard said after he walked in.


    Gwen turned to have a look to find it was a hidden camera as well as an SD card. She chuckled when she saw Peter''s expression. His face was practically saying ''you were right!''


    "Destroy it!" She said and turned away to get another ss.


    "Yes boss!"


    Peter closed the door after the man left. He found a sofa and settled on it. Gwen was focused on drinking, while he had no clue what to do. He took out his phone and unlocked toe face to face with the picture of his wife as his screensaver.


    "When are you leaving her?" She asked from where she sat. She caught a glimpse of it from the corner of her eye.


    "Leave her?" He was genuinely surprised by this.


    She let out a chuckle, "Which sane woman would stay after finding out everything you did with me?"


    "Did you tell her?" Panic reflected through his eyes and demeanor.<sub> </sub>


    "Calm down! Of course I didn''t."


    He visibly calmed down and resumed looking at his phone screen. She just yed at his biggest fear: Shauna finding out about his dirty secret. That would shatter his world, it would be the end of him!


    Gwen watched him with eyes full of mockery. Who was he fooling? She was d she was not emotionally drawn to such a weak man. She would hate to be in Shauna''s shoes. She didn''t need to tell her for Shauna to find out about them.....


    ''Should I tell him... or not? Hm, I almost... feel sorry for him'', she thought in amusement.


    But if Shauna were to stay with him despite everything..... Marriage is a scam! She''d murder someone''s son before he can even do the things Peter has done!


    As the two tended to their thoughts, two hours easily passed and a knock was heard right on the dot. Peter was the one to get the door. He stepped aside to let Charlie in. Gwen looked up form her ss with brows raised in question.


    "Everything is ready", Charlie said politely and in evident fear.


    "About time."


    <o>,m She finished her drink before they exited the office. Charlie was following right behind them. Being surrounded by the bodyguards almost made his soul jump out of his body one too many times.</o>


    The ride was quiet and he was not sure if he preferred it that way. But it was better than being randomly shot to death. He won''t get shot too, now will he?


    ''Dear god'', he mused inwardly and started counting his blessings and saying his possiblyst prayer.


    When they got there, she nodded in satisfaction at the job well done. Charlie felt a little relieved at this but still mustered courage to ask.


    "Would you like to inspect, madam?"


    "No need. Send them out!"


    One by one, they shut close the trailers and the trucks drove off. She took out her phone and dialed for her boss.


    "It''s done", she ended the call and continued to watch on as the trucks disappeared into the distance.


    The sun was now setting, Gwen felt some sense of relief and yet worry at the same time. She''s done her part, it was now time for the King to show his power.


    Bang! Sound of gunshots were suddenly heard, shocking everyone. Peter looked at Gwen only to find she was equally rmed.


    "Get down! We''re under attack!" One of the bodyguards shouted as he shielded the two.


    "Who-?" She was cut off by another gun shot and being shuffled to safety by her bodyguard.


    "FBI!"


    "FBI!"


    "You''re all surrounded!"


    "Shit", Peter whispered in panic! This is it! This is the end for them! What will he tell Shauna? Kaden and Kyle! There''s no way to get out of this!


    "We''re doomed!" He whispered, almost wanting to cry. Meanwhile, Gwen could only smirk.

 Chapter 260 The Kings Little Puppet

    "Ahhhhhh!"


    "Move it!"


    "I''m innocent! Let me go!"


    "Please don''t hurt us! We''re just innocent factory workers!"


    "You''ll have plenty of time to talkter on, move it!"


    The team captain turned away from the chaos that was the screaming and crying of the factory workers during the arrest. He had a firm hold on his rifle and one hand pressed against his earpiece.


    "Gwen and Peter Wright are here", he reported while staring in the direction he believed they fled before looking around the building. "Only them."


    "Of course. You have them?" Hot head''s familiar voice echoed in his ear.


    "My men are after them. There''s no way for them to escape", he assured him.


    "Rider, make sure of it."


    "Yes, sir. But one thing, the trucks, I think they used a different, no secret route than one we came in through", he said with obvious regret.


    His instructions were to capture anyone of the four running the show. Henry gave him enough manpower to take down the factory but not cease the trucks. It could only mean he had that worked out too.


    "Do what you need to, leave that for us!"


    A little smirk yed on his ck mask covered mouth before terminating the connection. He reconnected to his men in the building as he walked towards Gwen and Peter''s direction.


    "Where are they?" He asked as he marched forward with obvious determination.


    Meanwhile, Gwen and Peter were still shielded by their bodyguards sheltering in one of the ground floor offices, waiting to make an escape.


    "Boss, Mr. Wright, we will get you out of here", one the bodyguards whispered to them in urgency.


    He was worried the situation that seemed to be hopeless was making them anxious as shown by Peter earlier. The others had gone off to find that escape route. Unexpectedly, instead of snapping at them, Gwen threw him an easy smile that invited an unsettling feeling from the pit of his stomach, and Peter felt the same when he saw Gwen like that.


    "Is there a n?" Peter whispered in her face in anxiousness. "It would be great to share knowing..." He gestured at their situation.


    "What n Peter?" She asked in amusement.


    He could feel his blood start to boil. And hearing the screams from the factory workers was a harsh p of reality on his face and only fueled his anger. He took a deep breath but barely suppressed his rage as he whisper shouted at her.


    "In case you haven''t noticed, there are FBI agents currently hunting us like we''re wild dogs. Now if there''s a n to help us all escape, I would very much appreciate it if you shared it with us."<sub> </sub>


    "Oooooh feisty and bossy! I like it when you''re like-"


    He caught her wrist before she could caress his face before letting go. Gwen could see the resentment and anger in his eyes and if he could, he would have snapped her neck and kill her already.


    "Once we get out of here, we''re done! Over! I''ll go back to my wife and kids-"


    "Tch! If there''s anything to go back to", she said with a scoff and mocking eyes.


    It took him a second to understand her words and his eyes grew wide in horror. "what''s that supposed to mean?"


    She only gave him a bored expression and he was not having it. He meant to grab her arm but she pped it away. "Don''t forget who you''re working for!"


    There was anger and something else in her eyes that he could not quite understand yet he found himself shrinking back in fear. The bodyguards silently sighed in relief that their whisper shouting hade to an end lest it draw attention on them.


    "Speak", one of the bodyguards said while pressing some fingers to his earpiece. Peter curiously watched with a little hope that it would be good news. "Alright. Boss, we need to move, fast!"


    Peter could hear the sound of his heart beat ringing loud in his ears and his own heavy breathing. Fear drove him to do the thing that naturally came to him without a second thought.


    "Sir, I can''t work like this", the leading bodyguardined in a whisper with a groan, speaking spoke over his shoulder to the heavy yet fearful Peter who had his arms and legs wrapped him like a ko.


    "I won''t die today", he responded with a firm shake of his head as he tightened his hold on the buff man. "I won''t go to jail."


    Gwen rolled her eyes and sighed, "And that''s what''s going to happen if you don''t get down from him."


    His response was another shake of his head driving Gwen more frustrated. "Peter!"


    He shook his head once more making Gwen wish she could snap his neck right in the moment. But somewhere in her cold heart, she had a soft spot for the weakling of a man. So she nodded at another bodyguard. Before he knew it, Peter caught his yelp in time when he was yanked by the cor and thrown onto the other bodyguard''s shoulder.


    "This is an insult to my dignity!" He grumbled quietly though showing no signs of getting down.


    "Ugh", Gwenmented with an eye roll as she took off her heels.


    The lead bodyguard quietly sighed in relief when he saw no sign of them bickering and signalled them to move. Peter kept his gaze to the floor unable to look at anyone.


    "Stay close, and very, very quiet", the leader whispered over his shoulder to Gwen and everyone behind him as the moved.


    "Well, well, well", a mocking chuckle in a deep voice resounded.


    They were soon surrounded by men in ckbat uniforms. The sound of guns being shuffled quickly rose the tension among the now two groups. Peter was long dropped to his feet for the bodyguard to join his colleagues in shielding him and Gwen with the backs to them and guns pointed at the FBI.


    "If it isn''t the King''s little puppet."

 Chapter 261 To Overlook The Obvious

    Rider chuckled with his hands on his waist as he walked over in her direction.


    Gwen was quick to side step a bodyguard in front of her, snatch his gun and step forward standing her ground to aim at Rider''s forehead. Her face was stone cold having taken offense to hisment.


    "Well if you know who I represent, then you should know that that attitude will only send you running back to Hothead with your tail tucked between your legs like the little mutt of his you are." She chuckled in less than amusement when she saw his attitude quickly get reced by a cold one. He was now in front of her and she boldly kissed the tip of her gun at his forehead. "That is..... if I my mood is good enough to spare the useless excuse you call your existence."


    Being offended was one thing, but she expected him to flinch or show a hint of fear with her pointing the gun to his head, yet the man didn''t budge. He slowly nodded, digesting everything she said.


    "Hmm, now there''s a famous saying that goes: it''s important to know when you''ve been beaten", he nodded at his men for her to have a look. "And your other men have been caught already. Think about it, less crimes being added to your list means paperwork for me; it''s a win-win. How''s that instead?"


    While she took in the armed men in uniform that had outnumbered them, Peter had long fallen mute from the fear he was facing. His life literally was in Gwen''s hands. What would she do? Peter and the bodyguards all wondered the same thing.


    "I''ll take that", the team lead took the gun from her like it was candy from a baby and turned his back to walk away. "Arrest them."


    He heard the men act on hismand ad he walked going to the entrance where they had parked their cars. He had barely taken ten steps away from them and disappeared into a corridor with no one in sight to watch his legs give out and he slumped to the floor.


    "Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" He squeezed his eyes shut while his one shaking hand felt the rapid beating of his heart. "That was- ooooooooh shit!" He secured a connection with Henry.


    "Give me some good news!" Henry''s voice was full of urgency as it echoed in his ears.


    "I almost peed myself! My hands won''t stop shaking!" He looked at the one holding Gwen''s gun and the free one. He dropped the gun, afraid his fingers would slip. "I can''t believe I just did that!"


    "You''re afraid of Gwen? Then you wouldn''t want to face the King right now!" A colleague answered in dread.


    "Why?" He sat up, getting his attention caught by the remark. "What''s happening over there?"


    Boom!


    The sound was so sudden and so loud it almost made Rider''s soul jump out of his body only to be followed by deadly silence. His heart now started beating twice the times than when he had been scared by his exchange with Gwen.


    "Hello? Sir?"


    Silence.


    "Can anyone hear me?" He found his strength and stood up onto his two feet, anxiety eating away at him as each second ticked by.


    Silence.


    "Hello? What''s going on over there? anybody say something?"


    "Sir?" A colleague called out seeming disturbed and in disbelief.


    "Oh! Thank God! What happened?" Rider asked anxiously.


    "He''s.... He''s dead..... isn''t he?" The colleague continued.


    "He''s insane...", Another one responded in the same tone.


    "Who''s dead? Who''s insane? Can someone say something? What''s going on over there?!!!" Rider wished he could teleport to the scene to get answers.


    In that moment, the other agents were loading up everyone they had caught in the different vans. However, no one saw the sky smile ying on her lips....


    Early on.....


    When Hot Head had dispatched his team to take down the Dark Waters and their little scheme, he split the team into two with him leading one and the other by Rider. Their source had alerted them that The King was not there, the goods had left and Gwen and her team would soon be leaving the factory.


    "Although the goods are set for distribution, I have a feeling that at least one of these will lead us to him", Hot Head mused.<sub> </sub>


    "Would he be that stupid?" A colleague asked.


    "Wouldn''t he want us to overlook the obvious?" Hothead arched an amused brow at him.


    He nodded though he seemed skeptical about it. Why did everything feel a bit........ too easy? Uneasiness was slowly seeping into his bones. But duty called, he brushed away the thoughts and let the adrenaline rush take over!


    "Reporting to Hot Head, ten identical trucks have been sighted on the xxxx road."


    "We''re on our way and I need that road cleared. No civilians on site!" He barked!


    He did not need to repeat hismand because everything he said whenmunication was secure, it was automatically transmitted to his other men in the other cars.


    The five ck SUVs were all seen switchingnes and making a u-turn before increasing their speed going to their new destination. The civiins around the area watched in awe at this scene until the cars disappeared.


    "Whoa!" One colleague said under his breath when the trucks came into sight as they gained up on them.They had taken up the space in the fournes, all driving at the same speed


    One colleague sucked in a breath as confusion settled on his face. "Is it... just me or are they..... slowing down?"


    "What is this f*cker upto?" One of them grunted in displeasure.


    Henry''s brows were furrowed, he too was annoyed and confused. However, his face quickly turned expressionless. "Men, this is the King we''re dealing with."


    Everyone got the message: Anything could happen. Instead of getting too close, they also slowed down and maintained a safe distance.


    "Alright men- argh!" He quickly removed his earpiece like it was on fire.


    "Sir?"


    "What is that ringing sound?" He looked at the thing in irritation.


    "What ringing sound?" One of them asked mirroring everyone else''s confusion. He leaned closer to Henry and hooked the little thing into his ear. "I don''t hear anything."


    "What?" Henry took it and hooked it back on. Total silence. The man confused. "Did you all really not hear any ringing sound?"


    "No."


    "No."


    "I think.... I may have heard a signal disruption but I didn''t think much of it."


    The others agreed. Henry''s brows furrowed in displeasure. What''s going on?


    "Sir, the others are waiting for your orders."


    An unsettling feeling crept into his guts but he brushed it off. Aren''t all missions nerve-wracking? However, that sound and signal disruption..... He needed to make sure everyone was on board and nothing changed.


    "All teams report."


    Silence. They all looked at each other before looking at the other SUVs.


    "All teams report", he repeated. "Team-"


    "Don''t bother Hot Head, it''s just you and me!"

 Chapter 262 More Fun And Lively

    That deep taunting voiceughing in his ear, it could only be one person. Henry furrowed his brows in annoyance before he willed his expression into a cold one. Knowing his men were watching him, he tapped an index finger on his arm rest in Morse code:


    ''I''ve been had. Tell the others to stand down and wait for mymand.''


    While they secretly passed the message, he decided to entertain their unwee ''guest''. He had never hated technology more than in that moment. He grounded his teeth and red at the trucks ahead, making up an image of the King and him throwing daggers at him.


    The said personughed in amusement. "No need to be so serious. Your men can talk all they want. I just wanted my alone time with you. That way it''s more..... intimate."


    "Well, I like pussy", He countered.


    "I can''t me you there Henry with a woman like Victoria!" He whistled, probably imagining the beauty of the man''s wife.


    Henry felt his blood boil, having the urge to crush something. His anger masked the anxiety that had started to build up at the mention of his dear wife. What did this guy know about his family and just how much?


    "Listen to me you little shit, if you darey a hand on my-"


    "Hey, if anything women are on top of my ''to-do'' list. Get it, because I like to do them?" He eagerly waited for Henry''s response but the man was not the least bit amused. "Learn to take a joke. Such a bore!" He huffed in annoyance. "Anyway, Ie in peace."


    He was taken aback. The Kinges in peace? "If you''re looking to strike a deal-"


    "Nothing of that sort. I give you my word! After all, we share a past!"


    "A past?" He scoffed. "Where I took down your father? Trust me, I''ll easily repeat that part of history, piece of cake."


    "I am different", he said through gritted teeth.


    Henry smirked, realizing something: he had jabbed at an old wound. Interesting....


    "The apple does not fall far from the tree", he taunted.


    "I SAID I AM NOT MY FATHER! I AM NOT MY FATHER!"


    "Hm", was all Henry said as the other end of the line was nothing but silent except for the heavy breathing. He had really provoked him. Yet it made one wonder, what did his father do to incite such a hatred in him?


    He started to think if his estranged rtionship with Xavier. The man was d they had patched things up but he could not help the pity he was starting to feel for the young man. But wait, feelings aside, this was the King he was dealing with. A twisted human being capable and who had done atrocious things that one could not even imagine.<sub> </sub>


    "I am not... my father", he said now regainingposure with what Henry figured was great difficulty. "That.... weakling", he continued with disgust then briefly fell silent before continuing in a much calmer voice.


    "Don''t ruin my mood, I did say Ie in peace. Aren''t you curious about what I want to do today? I''m too excited, let me cut to the chase", he let out a sharp breath and excitement quickly reced the bittter feelings. "I''m here to help you aplish your mission!"


    Henry fell quiet, unable to digest the nonsense spewed. "What?"


    "Yes, me helping you catch me", he said with obvious pride.


    "You want to help me.... catch you?"


    Even his men could not believe their ears when he voiced out his doubts.


    "Yes! Let''s make this a little more fun and lively."


    "I have no time for your games, we either do this the eas-"


    "Easy way: I hand myself in or the ''hard way'', you hunt me down even though you''ll never seed? Come on Hot Head, don''t be such a bore! Let''s switch things up a bit! You love a good challenge, don''t you? Now", his tone changed to a serious one. "You want those trucks in front of you and you want me as well, the good news is: as long as you follow those trucks, they will lead you to me. Easy."


    "What''s the catch?"


    "Do you even have to ask? Me! You want to take me down, don''t you? I''m not saying you''ll seed but still" He chuckled, making Henry suppress the urge to roll his eyes. "You can at least try, for my amusement at least! So what do you say?"


    Henry grunted in annoyance. If he could he could teleport to where the annoying twat was and just- just, ''ughhhhhhhh!'' he mused.


    The King let out a goodugh, pleased with the reaction he brought out of the older man. "I''ll take that as a yes. So, as I was saying, those trucks, besides their drivers, some of them are empty, some have people in them, and some have the goods. All you need to do is guess how many of them contain what I''ve just mentioned. Failure to do so... this is my favorite part: ka-boom!"


    "Ugh!" He took out his earpiece when he heard the annoyingugh that followed. He turned to look at his men who were anxious to hear his orders.


    "Here, sir", one agent handed over his earpiece gear. Since he was in the car, he did not need it but Henry would if he needed to convey a message to the other teams andmunicate with others outside their mission.


    "All teams, let me have your attention. I need you to maintain a safe distance from the trucks and I need the S.W.A.T team and the medics on standby. The King wants to y a game", he shifted in his seat, facing the trucks ahead. His attitude wasid back but there was a twisted look almost pissed off expression on his face when he hooked back on his earpiece in his other ear. "Let''s y."


    He sniggered, "Good."

 Chapter 263 Ace

    "Ten trucks, some are empty, some have people, and some have the drugs and you want me to guess how many contain each of those things?" He repeated in a bored tone and for his men to hear what game the King had pulled them in.


    "And your men can help you guess. But you can only have three tri-"


    "How do I know you''re not bullshitting me? I could guess right and you could trick me." His men nodded at this, there was no way they would trust the King.


    "Ouch! I did say Ie in peace, trust me a little, will you? Okay, maybe not at all", he chuckled. "Anyhow, I did say you only have three tries. Each time you fail, I will choose a truck to blow up, it could be any truck. And afterpletely failing, don''t think about following the rest. If you know how I work, you should know there''s absolutely nothing that can make mepromise my safety, nothing."


    "And if I get it right?" He tested inciting a bewilderedugh from the young man! The sound was quite irritating to the older man.


    "Can''t take a joke but he can actually make one, I knew there was a reason I liked you. Good one", he continued tough.


    "And if I pass?"


    "Henry! You''re killing me here!" He continued tough in good humor.


    "And if I seed?" He persisted through gritted teeth, annoyed by theck of seriousness in the young man. Well, he hadn''t exactly been serious since he hacked him.


    He sighed as though all energy had been drained from his body. "Gosh! You were actually serious, alright! If you pass, you''ll have it your way."


    "Hm."


    "Now! Tick tock Henry, Victoria is waiting for you. Two minutes for the first try. Tick tock!"


    Henry removed the earpiece connecting him to the King and decided to have a discussion with his men.


    "You heard the man, ten trucks: some empty, some with hostages, and some with the drugs. We need to guess how many are carrying what."


    "Loaded trucks move slower than empty ones", onemented from another car.


    "We don''t know how many people there are, but knowing the goods are in small bottles, could humans be more heavy than the drugs?" Another mused.


    "And the trucks are moving at the same speed, it would be hard to identify which is which."


    Henry grunted in annoyance hearing his men''s reasonings and let out a sharp breath. "I need a visual on the road we''re on and what''s up ahead. Everyone try to make ad good guesses as possible, there are lives on the line. And someone connect me to ''Ace''!"


    "''Ace'' can''t really help us especially when they''re off site", another reasoned.


    "I said get he-him on the line!" He barked.


    "But won''t it alert the King if we try to secure a connection with ''Ace''? He did hack your line through our system?" He continued to reason.<sub> </sub>


    Henry lowered his voice red up ahead knowing his subordinate could not see him, sounding so menacing as he said, "Don''t make me repeat myself."


    Someone from a team in one of the cars got to work using theirputer and began typing away, securing a connection with their ''Ace''. The others helped observe the trucks as the seconds ticked by. They had a spent a full minute discussing the problem at hand and Henry giving orders and now one more minute remained.


    Henry, as the rest of his men, wondered what happened to the good old days where they would devise a n and simply take down their enemies with good old guns and theirbat skills. But now, they were forced to solve a riddle! A freaking riddle!


    "Sir, the connection is secur-" The agent''s voice echoed in Henry''s earpiece only to be cut off by a deep voice speaking unhurriedly, sending a terrible chill down the men''s spines. The older man knew who it was without a thought.


    "You better have a good reason for doing this!"


    Henry groaned mentally. He did not have the energy to deal with this henpecked husband also his son known as Zach. They had 25 seconds to go to give their answer.


    "I need our Ace", He went straight to the point.


    There was silence for three good seconds that felt like an eternity to him. Another deep voice but sounding more approachable than the first echoed in their ears and they visibly felt at ease.


    "What do you need?" Amy answered.


    "I''ve been had, through my earpiece", he exined.


    "Got it!"


    Henry could practically hear the smile in her tone. And the thing about the King knowing they had her on board, he could care less whether the man now knew they were working with Amy. Plus with her skills, he did not bother to worry.While he let her do her thing, Rider now connected to report.


    "Give me some good news!" Henry''s voice was full of urgency. Dealing with the King was taking a toll on him.


    As the conversation with Rider progressed with him voicing his fears and the other men responding with theirs because of the situation they were thrown in, Henry was watching the seconds on his digital wrist watch tick by. He hooked his other earpiece back on and removed the other.


    "Do you really have to do this?" His thoughts were on the lives that could be lost.


    "Isn''t this fun?" He chuckled, letting his shortugh die down and turned serious. "Time! I need an answer."


    Who could even make such guesses? The man was looking for an excuse to blow things up! Yet if Henry does not give an answer, people might die! What does he do? He didn''t even have enough time to properly observe the trucks to at least make a guess. He should say something! Anything!


    The man was oblivious to how nervously he was clenching his fist. "Uh-"


    Boom!


    One truck down....

 Chapter 264 Henrys Thoughts And Fears

    Screeech!


    The SUVs swerved and stopped at a distance when the explosion went off! Everyone was too stunned to respond to Rider''s screaming in their ears.


    "First attempt failed, round two begins now. Because I like you , I''ll give you... five minutes. Oh! And work a little faster this time!"


    Silence. Henry was too stunned to respond. He had long zoned out soon after that explosion went off. The people in that truck.... Why did it feel like he was inside it like the bomb had taken him as well?


    His thoughts were gued by the vivid picture of his beautiful Victoria, his eldest son who had finally settled down and given him a beautiful daughter and grandchild, his other son whom he had now just reconciled with and, his new extended family: Richard and Ste. This...


    What if he had lost his life just now? Victoria, his poor wife. He should be making it up to her now rather than cutting short the life that he owes her. He promised to grow old with her, he wants to watch his kids and grandkids continue to grow.... At this point, he....


    "Sir!" His subordinate shook him.


    He angrily took out the earpiece and made to punch the dashboard when he now took in the scene. His chest rose and fell from breathing heavily as he watched the blown up truck in shambles that was in mes and thick ck smoke dissipating into the air. The medics had arrived and the rescue team was on site... And through the smoke, he saw in the distance....


    No one noticed that seconds before the truck blew up, the other trucks had sped up to avoid the explosion. The casualties.... They watched a body being carried on a stretcher in a white cloth from head to toe that was now staining with his blood.


    "He''s.... He''s dead..... isn''t he?" One of his subordinates stuttured in shock.


    "He''s insane...", Another one responded in the same tone referring to the King.


    "Who''s dead? Who''s insane? Can someone say something? What''s going on over there?!!!" Rider screamed in their ears.


    "Rider, we''ll talk to youter. Shit... Shit is too crazy over here!"


    "I''m sending backup!" He said before terminating the connection.


    A man from the rescue team rushed to his side and knocked on his window. His driver rolled down the window.


    "The truck was empty, that''s the only...." He didn''t finish reporting as he watched Henry watch the body being lifted into the ambnce.


    "Thank you. We may not sessfully prevent the next one so stay close", he ordered.


    "Yes, sir."


    He moved away from the window. Although Henry''s order was delivered almost emotionlessly, still, the man could see the regret and anger in his eyes. Henry''s insides were boiling with rage as he hooked on the other earpiece tomunicate to his men.


    He shivered, barely containing his emotions. He briefly closed his eyes and will a strong mental fortitude for him to remain calm. When he opened his eyes, a murderous intent brewed in his eyes as he red up ahead.


    "Let''s move!"


    The cars rounded up and sped to catch up to the trucks that had now gone back to the original speed of not moving too fast.


    "Status update on the other thing I asked for."


    Their geographical location was brought up on the screen for everyone to see.


    "There''s an intersectioning up ahead", a subordinatemented making Henry raise an amused brow.


    "If they make any sort of turn, it will be easier to spot the trucks that are heavy from the light ones."


    "At least now we know there''s one less empty one."<sub> </sub>


    "Still, it would be a lot easier if we knew which direction they were going, but we''re practically blind."


    And very vulnerable. Seeing Henry''sck of response and how serious he was, the men fell quiet after raising their concerns and opinions. As their leader, they too observed the trucks whilst secretly hoping for the trucks to at least make a turn. The older man was seriously observing the trucks, counting down the miles, as well as, the minutes.


    Three minutes and twenty five seconds to go.....


    And they were drawing closer to the intersection.... Any moment now...


    All they need is a turn, then they''ll see which truck trailer leans more to the side of the turn they''ll make indicating heavy goods on board, and which truck is driven more carefully for breakables on board. With this logic, the men held their breaths as they drew closer to the intersection...


    Let them make a turn, let them turn.....


    "Fuck!" Someone whispered in annoyance.


    The men''s faces were heavy with disappointment. Now.... They could only make guesses.... Henry watched the seconds ticking...


    65 seconds remaining...


    "I think.... There are seven trucks of drugs, one with people and one empty...."


    His colleagues looked at him with brows raised.


    "Why don''t you try making guesses?" He argued.


    "I think he originally had three trucks that were empty to blow up each time we were wrong, now we have two left, three with hostages that he will probably traffic, and four with drugs", another one from a different car guessed.


    Everyone fell quiet. That made... a lot of sense. It sounded like something the King would do. No one could top that. Even Henry found himself leaning towards that guess....


    10 seconds.....


    He put back on the other earpiece to connect to the King when he found the said person excitedly counting down the seconds...


    "6"


    "5"


    "4"


    "3"


    "2 and ...."


    "Two empty ones, three with hostages and four with drugs!" He barely breathed quickly spewing the guess.


    Silence.


    His heart lodged at his throat. The men dared not to breath as they awaited for the answer. Was he right? Does this mean it was finally over? Please be right! They could not watch any more innocent lives being taken right before their eyes.


    "Hmm.....", The king mused out loud. "Two empty ones, three with people and four with the goodies....?"

 Chapter 265 A Miracle...

    Henry found himself clenching his fists again. Could he just get this over and done with?


    "So close...tsk! Tsk! Tsk!" He mocked.


    "No! Wai-!"


    This time he saw other trucks pick up speed leaving one behind before-


    Boom!


    Screech!


    They swerved and didn''t stop as they continued on after the trucks, one by one, avoiding the burning car. The rescue team was quick to get to work. Henry looked back through the rearview mirror at what seemed like more bodies being retrieved before angrily mming his fist against the dashboard.


    "STOP THIS! LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST!" He screamed.


    "Yes, they were lost", the King agreed practicallyzily infuriating Henry even more.


    "I swear to God, if, no, when I catch you-"


    "Yes, and you can only do that if you get it right. Last chance, three minutes." He dismissed him.


    "Three minutes", Henry repeated through gritted teeth and mmed the dashboard once more.


    "Sir, fifteen casualties have been reported so far", a subordinate reported.


    Silence. The King, he had no regard for human life. It was his way or no way at all. It was a game to him and it didn''t matter to him if any lives were lost but to Henry and the agents, they mattered. This whole thing was just a game...


    Two minutes and six seconds.....


    By some miracle, can they put an end to this? Not even Amy could help them in this situation.... A miracle, all they need is some miracle.....


    One minute, thirty nine seconds.....


    Thinking of the lives lost, they now observed the trucks with vigor. Nothing can be too perfect. There has to be a w in this little game... There is always one... They just need to find it...


    Fifty eight seconds.....


    Some looked at the monitor, the next intersection was way too far. They heard Henry mention three minutes, it would be toote before they reach that point. And it didn''t guarantee that the trucks would make any turn. A miracle, please....


    Seventeen seconds.....


    Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!


    "What the hell?" One subordinate voiced his confusion as he stared up ahead.


    Sounds of car horns going off almost at the same time. Amotion was slowly brewing up ahead and some craned their necks to have a better look at the cause.


    "This better not be another one of his tricks...", One of them mused.


    The trucks shuffled around switchingnes until the cause of themotion appeared on one of thenes, in the color midnight ck, with loud music sting off from inside and it''s horn going off unceasingly. It was a Lykan Hypersport driving, no, speeding towards them.


    "Well, shit", an agent in Henry''s carmented, very much infatuated. It was not everyday one would see such a sexy thang roaming the streets!


    "I thought I said to clear this route of any civiins!" Henry barked as their car swerved to avoid the eye catching sports car that had what they made out to be unruly teenage boys or spoiled rich kids going joy riding.


    "You did....." Someone answered dreamily, ignoring Henry''s unhappy state.


    The men watched the car whiz by and disappear behind them wishing they were the ones behind the wheel. However, Henry''s driver found something that caught his sight.


    The ''unruly youngsters'' looked awfully familiar especially the one driving. That face.... "Boss-?"


    "Time!" The king''sughing voice irritatingly echoed in his ear to remind him of his current reality.<sub> </sub>


    "Five with drugs, two with people and one empty!" Henry quickly shouted.


    Silence.


    Not again!


    "Say that again", he replied a bit more quietly.


    Was he in disbelief? Was Henry right? Suddenly feeling confident, he replied with more energy in his tone. "Five with drugs, two with people and one empty."


    Silence.


    "How?" He asked, shocked and in disbelief. "How!"


    "I''ll take it I''m right?" Henry smirked, bringing relief to all his men. "Now own up to your end of the deal."


    "No! There''s no way!" He screamed. "HOW?"


    "Should I give you time as well?" He mocked, enjoying how the tables have turned! "When I said I could easily repeat history, you should''ve trusted me on that because-"


    Screeeeeeeeech!


    "What are you doing?" Henry''s mockery turned into anger as he looked ahead.


    The trucks suddenly stopped in the middle of the road making them stop too. The interesting part is that the trucks stopped in an arc, forming a barrier to Henry and his men.


    "I know that A.J would not have helped you figure that out but by some miracle, you did! Congrattions, but Henry, when I said I would not let anythingpromise my safety, I meant it even if that''s you getting lucky in my own game. Rules have changed!"


    "No-"


    Three trucks started to drive up ahead leaving the five behind. "If you follow those three, I will blow up these ones remaining. Since you got it right, you should know that more lives depend on you. You can choose victory or at least save these ones. Choice is yours!"


    "Arrrrrgggggh!" Henry flung out his earpiece when the familiar ringing sound echoed in his ear at the same time one of the SUVs decided to pursue the fleeing trucks.


    "No! Stand dow-!"


    One of the stopped trucks suddenly sped up right at the SUV crashing into it, causing it to violently turn around, and now mmed into once more from the back with another loud crashing sound!


    Bang!


    "Oh shit!" The driver in Henry''s car shouted.


    While the truck hade to a stop with a bad dent on its Bo, the SUV was yet toe to a stop from the impact and it had left the agents in front conscious with the driver''s head resting on the horn.


    Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!


    "Move!" Henry shouted with his eyes on the SUV that was pushed and now moving in their direction.


    The driver changed gears to reverse out of the way but everything had happened in a matter of seconds and in a blink of an eye, it crashed into their car with a loud bang!


    It pushed Henry''s team''s car backwards into the side of the road with a loud screech until the kissing cars came to a stop.


    Between the badly dented bos with smoke oozing out and shattered windscreen, Henry''s now messy haired head could be seen leaning against the dashboard with blood dripping from his head.....


    He blinked, finding himself unable to move from his position. Everything felt hazy. His body felt heavy, unable to move a muscle.


    He took in the crash and hot tears mixed with blood rolled down the side of his face onto the dashboard. One beautiful and smiling face vividly shed in his mind and his heart hurt as he failed to fight the darkness he was slowly sumbing to.....


    "Victoria..."

 Chapter 266 Being The Bigger Person

    Present time...


    "The corpses of the girls who died during the failed experiments were in the truck that was blown up. I think it was a tactic to get rid of any physical evidence of the illegal trials", Amy said with a grave tone. "If not for Dad, Savannah and the other survivors would also....."


    "Whoa", Xavier managed to say.


    Both felt sick to the stomach just thinking of how twisted the King was. The girls had been through so much and had lost their lives from it, yet he had to burn them up still. Their families and loved ones had been robbed off the opportunity to see them for thest time, say their goodbyes....


    Lorraine''s and Savannah''s pitiful cries reached his ears. He could not begin to imagine the horror thetter went through. What if Lorraine had also tagged along? That means she would...


    He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath to brush off the horrid thoughts that only brought heartache to him. Then something else came to mind and he snapped his eyes open....


    "Dad, is he alright?" He asked with urgency. From what she had told him, it sounded like a pretty dangerous mission.


    "Um..... About that...."


    The hesitation in her tone only meant one thing yet a million things raced in his mind. And the worst case scenario cemented in his mind and his anxiety shot to the roof. He was not ready to lose him..... ''i can''t lose him.....''


    "What happened? Did something happen to him? Tell me he''s alright!!"


    "Yes, something did happen but-"


    Amy''s mouth dropped open as she stared at the now terminated call. If he could just listen to the rest of her what she had to say...


    "Everything alright?" Zach asked.


    She turned around from the window she was standing and took in her man, seated on the bed, knees up and little Roseriefortable on hisp making soft baby noise. She walked over to join him.


    "Yeah, that was Xavier. I think he''sing home", she said as she climbed onto the the bed and moved with her knees to reach his side.


    "Hm...."


    She kissed the little one''s forehead and gently caressed it with her thumb before wrapping her arm around Zach''s neck to pull him in for a peck. He smiled when she released him and caressed his cheek with her soft hand.


    "Are you alright?" She asked while searching his eyes.


    The mission took a toll on them especially with Henry being in the front line and now that he was..... Zach could not help but feel grateful for Amy. Wouldn''t anyone overlook that and think he''s good just because he''s stoic most of the time?


    Looking at her, he found himselffortable enough to be vulnerable. Although this wasn''t the first time asking him this since yesterday, he still gave an honest answer.


    "I think I''m getting over it. It gave me such a big scare. I''m d you were here with me Amy. Thank you", he whispered thest part as he leaned in to rest his forehead against hers.


    Amy found herself smiling as she whispered back. "You''re wee."


    The both turned to Roserie when she cooed in what sounded like aint. They adoringly looked at their daughter''s tiny face, the two could not get over the beautiful little life they had created.


    "She behaves whenever she''s with you", Amy''s jealous reared its ugly head.


    More than half of the time she carried the child, she was either feeding, napping or crying but with Zach, it was a whole different case.


    "I think she''s picking favorites", Zach smirked, obviously pleased.


    "Wait until we have a son." Amy was feeling smug until she saw the re the man threw her and startedughing at him. "What?"


    "I''m not okay with you entertaining thoughts of other men."<sub> </sub>


    "Other men? I literally said a son, our son?" She chuckled and shook her head in disbelief.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Yes!" Zach answered.


    "Sir, Mr. Hutchinson is here and Madam, Miss Susan requested for your presence. She''s in the sunroom."


    "Alright, thank you Edmund!" Amy responded as she moved to get out of bed.


    "You''re just leaving?"


    She stopped to raise her brows in question at the man. Was she missing something?


    "We''ve clearly upset each other; well one more than the other and you''re just going to leave? Don''t you think we should reconcile?" Zach fought to keep a straight face when he saw Amy throwing him a skeptical look. He knew he was stretching it but still, "With a kiss?"


    She narrowed her eyes at him. She could see right through his shamelesness. Yet, he did not stop there. He willed a self-righteous look and continued, "I''m not just doing this for selfish gains but it''s a way to teach our daughter that it''s okay to initiate a reconciliation even when you''re the wronged party; to be the bigger person."


    ''Wow! This man....'' she mused.


    If she refused, she would be painting herself as the ''bad guy'' that her man was now using her to be. Therefore, she had no choice but to go back to his side and ''reconcile''.


    Some good minutester, the two were now downstairs. The man pecked her now swollen lips once more, inciting a beautiful blush to her rosy cheeks before he went on to meet his guest with baby Roserie sleeping in his arms.


    Mr. Hutchinson was looking around the living room with his hands sped behind his broad back. He adorned himself in jeans and matching t-shirt with sunsses resting atop his head. He turned around when he felt a presence and a huge smile stretched across his lips.


    "Boss!" He greeted as he walked over to Zach.


    Zach was the least bit amused and extended a free hand out to him. "Last I checked, the mission was over yesterday."


    "You don''t know that", he responded while fishing something from his trouser pocket.


    "Rider..." Zach warned.


    "Fine!" He begrudgingly handed over the car keys. "Maybe I had a little bit of fun with it... Oh! Oh! I didnte here with right away so it doesn''t lead back to you. I was protecting you, for old time''s sake."


    "Mm-hm", Zach gestured for him to take a seat as did he. "How are the other others?"


    "They''ll live. Their injuries are not as serious. It was boss who.....", He sighed and his brows knitted into a frown. "How is he?"


    Zach pursed his lips and gave a slight nod before he carefully adjusted Roserie in his arms. He dared not to do anything that would wake her up and then she starts crying. He tried to make sure that Amy would get as many breaks as possible. He just loved doing this for her and spending time with his daughter. His and Amy''s daughter..... This reality brought butterflies in his stomach!


    "You know, someone would think you''re actually the dad", Rider chuckled after observing the warmth and adoration in Zach''s mannerism towards the little one. "Where''s her dad?"


    "You''re looking at him", he deadpanned though his gaze remained adoringly fixed on Roserie.


    Rider gasped and dramatically dropped his jaw from the shock. He stopped himself fromughing out loud because Roserie was sleeping and the deadly re Zach shot him.


    "You''re actually serious?" His eyes were the size of saucers in shock. "You mean the kid is not Xavier''s?"


    "This is a baby I had with my fianc¨¦", Zach unhurriedly exined.


    "You have a fianc¨¦? A woman?"

 Chapter 267 Cutting Her Visit Short

    Atchoo!


    "What a way to make an entrance", Suzy teased making Amyugh.


    "You made me walk all the way here", sheined as she rubbed her nose while walking into the sunroom. She found herself a seat and settled on a sofa opposite Suzy''s.


    "What are friends for?" She threw her a yful smirk making Amy re at her. "Soooo.... there''s something important I wanted to discuss with you..."


    Amy sat up more straight and focused her full attention on her. "I''m listening."


    "So, I wanted to thank you for letting use over to be a part of a very important moment with you. Honestly speaking, I''m really, really honored and you''re such a greatpany, a great friend. And I''m also grateful for how your fianc?? has been so good to Trevor and I", she poured her feelings with a hand on her chest.


    "Hey, it''s the least we could do. We should be thanking you instead", Amy eyes shone with sincerity.


    "No, no. And stop, I don''t start this conversation so we go on embarrassing each other with ttering words", she said making them both chuckle. She let our a soft breath before continuing. "Jen, as much as I''d like to prolong our stay, I think it''s best we cut our visit short. Trevor misses home and his friends and....."


    "Trevor?" Amy''s brows went up.


    "Yes. He says he''s not having fun. It would be wrong to force him to stay here with me... You know kids", Her let out an awkwardugh.


    "Trevor? That Trevor?" She pointed at a figure running around in a cleanly cut green grass field.


    The boy was cheering andughing with some of Zach''s young bodyguards. It looked like they were ying baseball and evidently having fun with it. Suzy followed Amy''s sight and her face grew hot red with embarrassment..


    "Okay I miss Steven!" She blurted out, embarrassment thrown out the window.


    "You could have just said that", Amy said with a shrug and a smile. "Do you want me to have Zach arrange a ride for you? Give the man a surprise, I''m sure he misses you as much."


    "You had me on ride", she threw her a sheepish smile.


    "Oooh!" Amy winked.


    "Not like thaaaat!" She fanned her blushing face until she gasped. "Oh my gosh! Jen, you''re leaking", she said worriedly.


    Amy looked down at the wet patch with a frown. "Ugh! Come on."


    "Why don''t you get a breast pad? Otherwise, you might end up changing like a million times a day."


    "I did and I''m wearing one right now", sheined as she looked inside her bra.


    "Go feed the child. You don''t want them-"


    "DAD!" A masculine yet anxious voice shouted from somewhere in the house startling Suzy.


    "That must be Xavier", Amymented as both women stood up.


    "Because of Henry."


    "Mm."


    As they left the sunroom together, with Amy covering her chest, they heard the rushing footsteps echo in the mansion. Amy could only imagine how anxious he must have been feeling and anxious he was.<sub> </sub>


    Thedies met Zach who was walking to the sunroom to find Amy whole shushing a hungry Roserie. Zach noticed the hands on her chest and her face grow red from embarrassment but remained quiet.


    "I''ll go check on the patient", Suzy excused herself.


    Amy grew more embarrassed when she removed her hands to receive the crying baby. He shielded her as she lifted her shirt to feed the child.


    "You''re okay", he said with a peck to her forehead. She calmed down, feeling less embarrassed. He walked her back to their room with his arm around her waist.


    "Your friend left already?" She asked noticing him apany her instead.


    "Mm. He had to report back to HQ for some paperwork."


    She nodded as she stared at the feeding child in her arms and moved her shirt up and away from Roserie''s tiny nose. They moved at a slow pace because of her.


    Meanwhile, Xavier wished his legs could more faster than he was running. The West wing had never felt so far than in that moment but he kept running. He felt his heart almost lodge in his throat when he started to approach the guest room Edmund said his father was in.


    He stopped to take a deep breath with his eyes closed. He did a few of those to get himself to calm down. When he opened them, his hand was shaking as he made to grab the door handle. He took one more deep breath, turned the handle and pushed his way in.


    "Dad- Dad?" His brows rose as he froze at the door.


    "Hey kid", Henry smiled.


    Xavier stopped to take in the older man. He had gauze going around his forehead all the way to the back of his head. Half of his face was swollen and another gauze was wrapped around his left hand covering his palm. The man was injured yet instead of being in bed, there was....


    "Hey. Mom, why are you in bed instead of Dad? He''s the one who''s clearly hurt. Did something else happen?" He asked in one breath.


    "She passed out when she saw me like this", he exined.


    "And I tried to nurse him but he keeps saying he''s fine. You know how your father is", Victoriained as she adjusted the sheets that covered her.


    "You know how your mother is", Henry countered.


    "Dad, are you really alright?" Xavier asked with a half frown and half hopeful expression.


    "I''m fine", he gave a light shrug and smile at the worry in his youngest'' eyes. Xavier visibly rxed and began to walk to his parents.


    "You''re in pain", Suzymented as she walked in. Henry made a nonmittal sound and waved his free hand to brush her off when he saw Xavier start to worry again. "But we''re observing him for any effects of a blunt force trauma. Otherwise, don''t worry too much."


    "Thank you", Xavier smiled after breathing a sigh of relief.


    Both parents took in their son and saw how disheveled he looked. Victoria was touched and could only imagine how worried he was. Xavier must really love his father.


    "You didn''t leave during something important, did you?" Henrymented with a frown.


    "Don''t worry about it", he said with a smile.


    Despite that, his mind could not help but drift off to the thought of Lorraine.... Would she find his arrangements a bit too much? It wasn''t too much now, was it? Was it?

 Chapter 268 Xavier Just Had To Get His Way

    "I shouldn''t have let them separate us..... I...", Savannah''s tears rolled uncontrobly as she painfully sobbed in Lorraine''s arms. "Nadia..... Nadia.... She''s gone because of me..."


    "No", Lorraine disagreed with a shake of her head.


    "Me... Because of me..... Nadia.... Annie... I should have protected her.... I should have helped her." Her heart ached when she remembered watching her friend go through a painful death right next to her and how those people treated them like animals.


    They never helped even when she begged them to in her helpless state. What pained her more was the fact that her sister, Nadia must have died pitifully and helpless as Annie did. She must have felt alone and thest thing she saw must have been those cold hearted scientists! Savannah cried harder at this.


    "Stop ming yourself", Lorraine sniffled. "There was nothing you could have done about it."


    Savannah could only cry through the self me and regret, and buried herself in thefort of her best friend. The two girls cried for a while until they calmed down but remained in each other''s arms. Lorraine was the first to break the embrace to wipe her friend''s tear stained face.


    "Your mom is....." She started, making a guess on why the older woman was not present.


    "She left earlier to make funeral arrangements for Nadia", she sniffled as another tear slid down her cheek.


    "Okay", Lorraine answered with a sigh. It must have been hard for her to leave her one hospitalized daughter to take care of the needs of her deceased one.... Life could be so unfair....


    They fell quiet, with the only sound of the clock ticking and their sniffles being the only loud thing in the room. The ugly reality was settling in; it felt unreal to both of them. Savannah sniffled once more before she wiped her a tear from her cheek.


    "Can I get you some water?"


    "Sure, I could use some", she gave a small smile.


    Lorraine moved to the night stand to pour a ss each for them both. Only when they drunk did they realized how parched up crying had left them.


    "Thank you", Savannah returned the now empty ss.


    "You''re wee." She moved to put them away.


    "I thought you would be here with Oliver. Did you leave him somewhere?" Curiosity was evident on her face.


    "He''s at school, they haven''t closed yet."


    "Okay. Oh! And you? What about work?"


    Lorraine gasped in horror at this reminder and quickly took out her phone. "Oh my gosh! One sec." She nervously chewed on her lip when she ce the phone to her ear after dialing a number. "Hi, how are-.... Oh?....... Oh. Thank you....."


    Savannah saw how her friend went from panic to rxing and this got her curious. "What happened?"


    "My..... My friend actually reported my reason for absence for me", she pointed to the door with her thumb and bit her lip to suppress her blush.


    Savannah''s curiosity grew as indicated by the rising of her brows. "A friend? Is he here?"


    "Yeah, we came here together", she stood up and started walking towards the door remembering that he said he would give them the space they needed. She stopped to turn around when she realized something that embarrassed her. "And I never said it was a ''he''."


    "You didn''t have to", Savannah gave her a small smirk.


    Lorraine felt butterflies in her stomach do some hardcore summersaults just thinking about the way Xavier''s presence makes her feel. Her mind took her back to when he held her hand during the elevator ride....


    She stopped at the door her feet unable to move forward from nerves. She was only going to introduce her new friend to her best friend but why did it feel she was about to introduce her boyfriend? Boyfriend.....<sub> </sub>


    "Gosh", she whispered to herself when her stomach twisted into a knot.


    "Yeah, take your time", Savannahmented.


    "Shut up!" She responded embarrassingly and quickly opened the door only to find....


    "Hello ma''am", a big guy in a ck suit and dark shades greeted her with a polite nod.


    "Hi.....", She looked around in confusion before looking back at the bouncer. "You are...?"


    "Luke. Mr. Frost asked us to look after you while he attends to an emergency", he exined.


    "''Us?''"


    As soon as she said that, nine more men with simr built and same outfits appeared from the corridor to reveal and introduce themselves to her.


    "This....." As perplexed as she was, she understood why he did so but, "You''re too many..... Even if it''s just for me."


    She didn''t want to draw any more attention however, Luke misunderstood herint for something else. "Don''t worry ma''am, another team is looking after your brother."


    "And by team, you mean ten more of you...?" Her jaw dropped when he nodded in affirmative. Without wasting a second, she took out her phone and dialed the culprit''s number. She remembered a bit toote that he had left for an emergency and was about to terminate the already ringing call when he answered.


    "Lorraine."


    Nevermind how sexy his phone voice sounded when he said her name but she remembered to stay upset. "This is too much Xavier."


    "I wouldn''t feel at ease if I left you alone."


    "But still, they''re..... alot", she whispered as she looked down, avoiding their eyes as sheined about them to their boss.


    "Just..... Pretend that they''re not there", he coaxed her like that would be easy. "Your voice sound flu-ish. You cried a lot, didn''t you?"


    "Well....." She felt embarrassed and blushed at his attentiveness.


    "You should drink lots of fluids. I''ll get Like to get you some and for everyone too."


    "Um-"


    "Food. I bet you both won''t have an appetite but you still need to eat to get through this. I''ll have Luke get that for you, just let him know how many you are."


    "Xav-"


    "I have to go. There''s something I need to take care of urgently here, but I''ll talk to youter. Bye!"


    Loraine''s jaw dropped whilst Xavier on the other hand, had a smirk ying on his lips. He knew she was about to say no to both of his ''suggestions''. He just had to get his way. He sent the order to Luke through a text before going back into the guest room where his parents were.


    "No Henry", Victoria frowned at him. "You''re hurt."

 Chapter 269 Henrys Favorite Little Person

    "Come on darling, I''m fine! Besides it''s only for a few minutes", he begged.


    "If those men show up, you''ll be tempted to go back to work. I''m not having it!" She folded her arms against her chest.


    "Trust me, I won''t", he said, a little more seriously than usual and his face a little grim.


    "What do you mean by that?" Her frown deepened when she noticed this. Was there something she was unaware of?


    "What''s going on?" Xavier asked as he walked over.


    "Your mom won''t let my boys visit me", he shrugged. "One of them came and failed to see me."


    "Happy wife, happy husband", Richard reminded as he walked in behind Xavier to sit on a sofa.


    "Victoria, you can be there with him when they visit. She can be there with you, right?" Ste questioned as she sat down next to her husband, giving the look that said his answer could only be ''yes''.


    Henry''s mouth fell ajar seeing both women giving him the same look. He could feel them slowly reeling the word ''yes'' from his mouth even when he strongly wanted to say the opposite. And if he dyed any further, they would know his real answer even if he says what they want him to say....


    "N.... There''s my favorite little person! Is she awake?" He looked expectantly at Amy who was carrying Roserie.


    Zach mentally shook his head at his father who was openly using Roserie as an escape. "You can''t carry her when you''re hurt."


    "I have one good hand, there''s so much I can do with it", he said proudly and stared at his fingers which he gave a slight wiggle.


    "Henry, there''s a child in the room", Victoria nagged.


    "So?" He looked at her confused.


    "Nothing", she looked away and down to hide her burning red face but Ste and Suzy caught on and silently chuckled.


    "Bring her over let me see her", he said excitedly.


    Zach took her from Amy and went over while she followed to sit on the edge of the bed. Henry''s eyes were full of warmth as he stared at the tiny face of his granddaughter in her father''s string arms. Suddenly, his eyes wetted and tears escaped to trickle down his cheeks.


    "Dad?" Zach and Xavier called out at the same time worriedly.


    "Henry, are you alright?" Victoria asked worriedly and started to get off the bed to go to his side.


    "I''m fine", he sniffled and used his good hand to wipe the tears. "Don''t worry...", He sighed.


    So much had happened the day before. The mission had reminded him of how dangerous his work his and that he would have missed out on the beautiful life that was his family.....


    "I... have an announcement to make", he said as he caressed the little one''s chubby cheeks.


    He nodded, signaling Zach to go sit with Amy, which he did. Henry looked around the room, taking in each and everyone, forgetting that he was making some of them nervous, and nodded to himself,ing to a decision.


    "I''ll leave", Suzy nervously said as she stood up.


    "Don''t worry Dr. Glynne. It''s not confidential, please sit", he gestured with his hand and she did as told. He let out a sharp breath. "Well, I''m retiring from my job."


    Silence.<sub> </sub>


    He looked around, most were stunned by the statement except for Zach who remained calm.


    "Oh Henry", Victoria was the first to break the ice as her face pulled into a frown.


    "What will you do instead?" Richard asked curiously.


    "What else? Look after my family. Oh!" He chuckled when Xavier suddenly hugged him as he remained seated. He patted his arm and Xavier gave a small smile when he released him.


    "Suzy, are you sure he didn''t hurt anything else?" Victoria asked worriedly. She knew how much her husband loved his work.


    "I said I''m fine, right Dr. Glynne?"


    "Are you sure? What else could have made you make this decision?" She persisted with worry.


    "You." He smiled seeing how stunned she was. He took her hand in his and continued, "I have made some stupid decisions in the past but they were all for you, and this one is no different."


    "Aw", she smiled with tears in her eyes when he kissed the back of her hand.


    "On that note, I would also like to talk to Zach and Amy."


    The three excused themselves to go into another room leaving Roserie with Ste. The two could practically guess what he wanted to talk about.


    "It''s nothing serious, I just wanted to update you on what happened yesterday", he gestured at the sofa opposite his for them to sit. "So, there are a few things that I thought you should know. The new King is more dangerous than we thought he was. He''s more insane than his father was. The things we witnessed yesterday..." He shook his head. "I..... I need your help. Actually, I don''t know."


    "What''s wrong?" Zach probed.


    "He knows about our family." Amy''s heart dropped but she calmy continued to listen. "I don''t know how much he knows but when he mentioned your mother..."


    "Is that why you''re retiring?" Zach asked, at the same time took Amy''s hand. He knew she must be freaking out inside despite her calm facade.


    "No. Overall, everything that happened yesterday brought me to this decision. It was the first time that I didn''t know how a mission would end. I''m truly grateful that Rider listened in on our conversation and thought fast to create the diversion we needed."


    When he came speeding in between the vehicles, the trucks were forced to move aside to avoid the ''unruly teenager''. Henry used that chance to observe the movement of the trucks and make a wild guess. A wild guess that prevented more casualties and put an end to the mission.... Even if the culprit was still on the loose.


    Zach nodded in agreement, he really owed it to that friend of his, well old colleague. And now he understood his father''s sudden retirement. He too would have made the same decision for his family. He kissed the back of Amy''s hand with this thought.


    "Ah!" Henry''s eyes lit up when something came to mind. "How did it go, when I asked for your help? Anything you found useful?"


    "Hmm.... I was hoping I would be able to track his location while he had hacked info your system but he was clever to conceal it. He was my student after all...." She responded.


    Henry''s brows slightly furrowed when he noticed her expression as she delivered this news. "So you got nothing?"


    She chose to remain mum. Suspicious..... This got Henry even more curious. He was about to speak when Zach beat him to it.


    "Updates on Gwen and Peter?" He changed the subject.


    "ording to Rider''s email, she''s not speaking probably because of the King''s backing and her loyalty to him. She probably trusts he''ll get her out too", he said with clear annoyance.


    Zach''s lips lifted into a smirk, "She''ll break."

 Chapter 270 Amys Guilt

    "I''m going to miss you", Suzy whined in Amy''s ear as the two exchanged a hug.


    "Me tooooooo", Amy whined back.


    They both sighed as they broke the embrace and then smiled at each other. Amy hasn''t always been a people''s person but when she gets close friends, moments like these were bittersweet.


    She looked beside Suzy where Trevor stood. The mother and son had already their goodbyes to everyone and we''re being escorted out by Zach and Amy. As they had arrived, they were leaving through Zach''s private helicopter.


    Amy''s brows went up in amusement when she caught Trevor staring at her with an expression that looked like he was contemting theplexities of life.


    "What''s going on in that mind of yours?" She asked with a smile.


    "Miss Harper?" He started.


    Zach frowned at this term of address. He found himself growing upset at the ''Darkwaters and the King'' situation. If not for them, Amy would probably already be his wife and she would be addressed as Mrs. Frost. Right now, he could only be patient.....


    "Yes, Trevor?"


    He gestured for her to bend down so she was to his level to which she obliged. His mother and Zach got curious about this; what secret were they about to share? Trevor made sure to look at Zach from behind Amy as he spewed his thoughts.


    "Are you sure about him?" He ''whispered'' loud enough for the said person to hear.


    "Trevor!" Suzy immediately pulled him away from Amy when she saw Zach''s brows furrow.


    "You think you can take on a woman with a baby?" Amy chuckled.


    "Of course!" His chest puffed up with confidence. "We can work something out."


    "Stop engaging him Jen!" Suzy grumbled at her friend who wasughing from amusement.


    "But she''s too good for him!" He stubbornly continued.


    "That''s it! We''ll be on our way. Jen, Mr. Frost; thank you so much for everything."


    She spoke as she dragged along with her the boy by his cor. The pilot started the incredible machine when he saw the mother and son walking to the helipad. Suzy stopped in her tracks as she remembered something.


    "I hope you won''t forget the doctor''s orders", she gave the two a meaningful look.


    Zach nodded with a stoic expression on his face while Amy''s face grew red from embarrassment. There was something about the forbidden fruit that just made it even more desirable. Of course, it would be right for them to adhere Suzy''s advice. She just birthed a whole human being.


    "No funny business", Suzy teased Amy.


    "Call me when you get home!" Amy shouted as she waved, changing the subject.


    "Oh, I will!" She wiggled her brows with a yful smile on her lips.<sub> </sub>


    Amy gave her a hateful look before she broke into a smile. The two waved at each other once more before they continued on to the helicopter.


    Amy and Zach waited for them to get in. They fastened their seatbelts and put on their headphones. As the door was being shut, Trevor sneaked in a wink at Amy earning a horrified gasp from his mother followed by a smack to his head and then she mouthing an apology to the chuckling Amy.


    "Sorry", Amy said with a giggle to Zach.


    "Can''t hate him. He''ll be a good businessman", he mused.


    The helicopter flew off to West Vige and the couple started to walk back in with his arm around Amy''s waist.


    "How did youe to that conclusion?" She nced at him curiously.


    "He has a good eye for the rarities."


    It took a second for Amy to catch onto hispliment which made her giggle whilst blushing. "My gosh!"


    A few hourster, dinner was served. With the exception of George''s absence, it was a full house filled withughter and Roserie''sining of how tired she was.


    After dinner, Zach and Amy retired to their room. While the man took a shower, Amy sat at the edge of their bed feeding and singing to her daughter in a hushed tone.


    "Tell the world..... that we finally got it..... alright... I choooooooooose.... You....."


    She rocked her and patted her little nnel covered bottom. She watched as Roserie slowly sumbed to sleep and slowly stop feeding. She fixed her top and carefully walked over to her little bed to tuck her in for the night. Yet, this was the tricky part.


    The girl could easily wake up as soon as she detected the loss of her mother''s warmth and touch. Amy continued to pat her, however, she got lost in thought as she stared at Roserie''s sleeping face. Sadness reflected in the woman''s eyes; there was more: guilt.


    She let out a soft gasp when she felt a strong arm wrap around her. Zach frowned seeing how out of it she had been. He took both of her hands and hooked them around his neck before he gently scooped her up into his arms bridal style. They were both quiet as he led them to their bed where he gentlyid her down then followed to lie down next to her.


    "What''s going on in that pretty little head of yours?" He whispered as he helped her use his arm as a cushion and hooked the other around her waist, drawing her closer. "You''re not thinking about Trevor''s offer, are you?"


    "No", she chuckled.


    Zach''s brows furrowed when he now clearly saw the sadness in her eyes. He felt a constriction in his heart at this sight. "What''s wrong?"


    She bit her lower lip and released it to let a deep sigh with her gaze down. She looked up into his eyes and whispered back. "I''m worried.... about us."


    A hot tear slid down the bridge of her nose falling onto the pillow. She fixed her gaze at his chest as she quickly wiped away her tears. Zach remained quiet to let her continue.


    "I''m upset with myself. I got us into this mess. What Dad said about the King knowing about our family was like a huge reality check, more like a huge p to my face. This is not an ideal situation to raise our daughter, not an ideal situation for you or anyone else in this family. Because of me", she sniffled as her voice broke. She cleared her throat to suppress a sob. "Because of me, everyone will have to be on their toes, constantly watching their backs in case that maniac makes a move on them."


    "Let me stop you there", he hooked a finger under her chin to make her face him. He helped her wipe her tears. "Amy, if we have to point fingers as to who''s to me for this whole situation, it''s the dark waters for preying on you. Remember, we don''t know how much they know about us. Dad has been fighting them for years now so it''s a given they''d know about his family. But about our connection? I wouldn''t put my money on it."

 Chapter 271 Amys Frustration; Zachs Amusement

    "That doesn''t make it any better."


    "I know, but I believe that''s the reality otherwise I''m sure they would have pounced on the opportunity to use Roserie against us should they have known about us. For now, even if they know about our family, they can''t do anything about it if it doesn''t benefit them. Right now, we''re not very useful to them", he joked.


    She broke into augh making him smile. He preferred this side of her than when she was sad. She took in his words and found herself nodding in agreement. Everything he said made sense. Zach pulled her in, burying her face into his chest.


    "We''ll get through this before you know it", he promised with a kiss atop her head before he rested his chin on it.


    "I trust that. I trust you", she said whilst getting cozy in his embrace. "Babe?"


    "Hm?"


    She lifted her head to look into his blues that gave her butterflies when he looked at her as he is now. "Thank you. Now I know why people say ''you''re my rock'' to their partners, because you really are to me. Thank you."


    "It''s my pleasure.... and honor", he said with a smile. He grabbed the nape of her neck and pressed his lips against hers, brushing them slowly like waves crashing against the shore.


    "Mm..." She grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer.


    Zach slipped his tongue inside her mouth to greet hers. Amy felt a pleasant twist in her stomach and she curled her toes, moaning into the kiss.


    Her temperature was quickly rising.... His tongue sensuously imed it''s territory in her warm mouth,tasting and sucking. She felt a fire of raw desire ignite within her threatening to burn down all reasoning and self restraint.


    It was just a kiss and he wasn''t even touching her yet she was this tur- her eyes flew open and she pulled away, creating distance between them.


    Zach''s brows went up in question while she touched her now swollen lips and breathing heavily.


    "I.... I....." Her face was burning from embarrassment.


    "What''s wrong?" His voice came out hoarse as he fixed his worried gaze on her. It was unlike her to do that.


    "Nothing." Amy felt her cheeks and ears burn under his gaze.


    "You can tell me", he reached out to cup her cheek.


    "Mm", she sighed, practically melting into his touch only to pull away secondster like she was on fire. She grew nervous at his obvious shock and felt apologetic towards him. "I-I-I just need a bath."


    Without wasting a second, she left the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. She could feel Zach''s eyes following her every move. Boy, was she d she was not a boy otherwise her little secret would be very ''hard'' to ignore...


    Zach''s kisses turn her on and she should be ustomed to that, she thought, but not as much as this.... Her body was now sensitive...


    "Gosh!" She grumbled in a whisper in frustration, as she took deep breaths and continued to fan herself.


    She took a couple of deep breaths more to calm down before taking a bath to cool her heated body. Once the water hit her body, she rxed. She was a lot better once she was out and in fresh clothes. Zach was now seated on the edge of the bed but currently attending to a phone call.


    "Mm-hm.... Mm.... Okay. We''ll call you tomorrow then... George?..... I have a task for you..... It''s time for the prodigal son toe back home..."


    He ended the call and looked up to find Amy staring at him. His lips lifted when he took her in.


    "How''s Joanne? Is she alright?" Worry had quickly overtook her features as she walked towards him.


    "Mm. One day at a time", he said. "I told him we''ll call her tomorrow."


    "That sounds good, thank you."


    He nodded in response. She internally sighed. Another reason she hated the ''King-situation''. She desperately wished she could be with the older woman in these difficult times.


    "Don''t worry yourself too much", he gently reminded her.<sub> </sub>


    She nodded as she stood in between his legs and hooked her hands behind his neck while his wrapped around her waist. She yed with his hair as she got lost in thought thinking of Joanne.


    "Is this alright?" He asked making her look down with brows raised in confusion. "I don''t want you going for another shower when you just got-"


    She gasped in shock and smacked his shoulder. She made to release herself from him but he only pulled her onto hisp while heughed.


    "Let me gooo", she whined, while her face burned in embarrassment.


    "Never", heced his fingers with her and she rxed in his hold. "And being so horny is nothing to be ashamed off."


    "That''s it. I''m going to bed", she stood up to walk away but he beat her to it by carrying her instead. "Hm! Why are you so strong?"


    "Is that aint?" He arched a sexy brow at her.


    Amy''s eyes sparkled as she wore a happy smile. "No."


    At the FBI HQ


    Peter rested hisced hands on the table in the interrogation room. The man looked like he had lost ten years of his life and that was only his second night in custody.


    Fear and worry had long settled in his mind and he kept chewing on his nails from nervousness. Ever since he had been brought in, no one hade to meet him.


    He sat up straight when he heard the sound of the door open from behind him.


    "No mayo, no onions! Yes, thanks man!" Rider shouted.


    He shut the door and leisurely walked in with a tablet in his hand. With each step he took, Peter''s heart pounded even harder and his foot tapped the floor even faster.


    Rider ced the device on the table and with a groan, sat himself down like a boss. One leg crossed over the other, elbows resting on the arms rests and fingertips touching.


    Silence.


    Peter didn''t know where to look and could feel his face perspire from Rider''s strong gaze. He internally rehearsed his answers for when the question will begin.


    Five long minutester: silence. He looked down at the tablet to find all the information on him, from his parents'' names, his school, his wife, and his boys, Kaden and Kyle. That reminder served as a trigger: he needed to get out of the mess!


    "I''m innocent!" He blurted out making Rider''s lips stretch into an amused smile. "I swear! I was just in the wrong ce at the wrong time. I don''t know any of those people."


    "Peter", Rider continued smiling.


    "I promise. They- They actually kidnapped me to use me as a bargain their way out of the factory with you guys raiding the ce. You must believe me!" He almost cried as he begged.


    "And you must think I''m stupid", he scoffed.


    "I swear I''m innocent! Why won''t you believe me?"


    "She dumped everything on you", he leaned back into his seat.


    "GWEN WOULDN''T DO THAT AFTER EVERYTHING WE''VE-"


    Rider raised his brows in amusement. He smiled when Peter realized the hole he had dug for himself especially after iming he didn''t know Gwen andpany.


    "Sit down Mr. Wright", he picked up the tablet and looked up at him with a happy grin. "I believe we have a lot to talk about."

 Chapter 272 Feeling A Little Chatty

    Rider walked out of Peter''s interrogation room after what felt like an eternity. His expression was unreadable, his mind was on Gwen and that''s where he was going.


    "Yo Rider!" A colleague waved a takeaway bag. "Got your stuff!"


    "No mayo and onions?" He confirmed.


    "Just like you asked", he nodded.


    "Cool, I''ll have itter though. I need to deal with this first", he showed him his tablet. The agent nodded before sitting down then plopping his crossed legs atop the desk.


    Rider whistled a happy tune as he walked. His head was in the game, ready to tear apart these two. He had just turned a corner on his way to Gwen''s interrogation room when he spun around and walked back. His friend gave him a questioning gaze.


    "I might as well eat it while it''s fresh", he said as he put down the tablet on his friend''s desk and sat on the edge.


    His friend chuckled, "Coffee?"


    "Thanks man", he epted the cup and breathed in the pleasant aroma and rxed.


    "How did it go in there?" He nodded towards the interrogation room before taking a huge bite of his sandwich.


    "I barely said anything and the guy almost shit his pants in there", he chuckled in amusement before his face fell as he looked at his half eaten sandwich. "This is not a good idea."


    "Why?" His friend was puzzled.


    "Skull face, are you forgetting who I''ll be speaking to next?" He gave him a side nce whilst sipping on his coffee.


    "Bro, she can''t be that bad", skull face chuckled in amusement.


    Rider looked around making sure the coast is clear before leaning in with his lips quivering to stop him fromughing. "You should''ve seen me after I disarmed her!"


    "Oh yeah?" He chuckled.


    The two went back and forth on Gwen''s intimidating nature as they shared their meal. After a good twenty minutes, Rider went on his way to the interrogation room with a full stomach. It took about two turns to reach the room door. He exhaled sharply before twisting the knob open.


    Gwen was seated with her back to him. Her posture was straight. Unlike Peter who showed he was aware of his presence, she remained unmoving as though she didn''t hear him walk in. Again, unlike Peter, her hands were cuffed to the table.


    Rider went around the table to sit down, facing her. She looked just the same from when she was arrested till date. He would expect her to have dark circles under her or at least a sign of fatigue but none of that showed.


    Her lips slightly lifted but there was no mystery in her eyes. Her gaze gave him an ufortable twist in his stomach. She felt pleased when she saw him disguise the feeling with curiosly looking at her information like he had not done so already.


    "Gwen Cancino, 39 years old, born and bred in America." He put down the tablet and chuckled like he was amused by something. "Still not nning on talking?"


    She lifted her cuffed hands. "This is not necessary unless....." , She leaned forward and held his gaze with hers. "You''re afraid of me."


    "Feeling a little chatty today?" He arched an amused brow.


    ? "Well?" She gestured at her hands with her eyes.


    Rider let out a goodugh from her words. "If you knew what I know, you''d understand why that''s very necessary."


    She studied his face, he was genuinely amused and there was nothing else he let on. Would he really be telling the truth? That stirred what she believed was a drop of fear but she too concealed that.


    "Well, what exactly is it that you do know?" Her lips stretched into a smile.


    "We''ve already gone over this but let me refresh your memory. You conducted experiments on innocent people in the name of clinical trials killing a... Well, let''s just say you have a lot of blood on your hands. You attempted to get rid of their bodies and nned to release these illegal and very deadly substances to the underworld."


    "You know, the more I hear that the more I realize what a headache cooking all that up is. It sounds like something you''d see in a movie; unrealistic!" She shrugged.


    "Those trucks came from your factory."


    "What trucks? For as long as I was inspecting that ce, we didn''t send out any trucks. Our adalimumab was sent out to our customers about two days ago, all legal processes were observed", she smiled.


    "Those bodies-"


    "My gosh! Aren''t you tired of retelling that fairytale?" She shrugged and shook her head at the same time.<sub> </sub>


    "Funny, it''s actually your reality", he countered.


    "Really now? Hmmmm, but I didn''t do it. Why won''t you believe me?" She gave him a cheeky smile.


    He returned her smile but there was no amusement in them. "Because that''s obviously bullshit. This could be yourst chance Gwen."


    "Forcing me to admit to a crime I did notmit? I heard guys like you shouldn''t do that to people", she clicked her tongue in disappointment.


    "It''s not exactly forcing when I have a witness, a strong one for that matter", he smirked.


    "Witness?" Her brows shot up. "What witness?"


    Rider''s smirk turned into an amused smile and he quietly watched her with his arms folded against his chest. She wracked her brain, what possible witness could have sold her out? Can it be Amy? Is it possible she witnessed everything and waited for this moment! There is no way the girl would be that careless especially with the King openly showing his backing towards them. Then.....


    "Peter?"


    "I guess you know him a little too well. Ignore him for this long and it gets him shaking in his boots he practically spewed every little detail about you guys", he said with seriousness. "I wouldn''t y dumb right now if I were you. Believe me Gwen, you won''t like what prison does to women with beautiful features such as you."


    She fell quiet. Her heart was thumping quite wildly in that moment. Seeing how serious he was, she could not tell if he was lying or not. However, she had been in nerve wracking situations before that she had learned to not let fear mess with her reasoning. Her mind went to work; there was indeed a chance Peter would rat her out but would that really be Peter''s choice?


    "Peter?"


    "Mm."


    Rider''s chest swelled with pride when he saw her wavering but he tried not to show it. He was about to add more heat but she beat him to it with a smile.


    "Well then, use whatever it is that you''ve got. You have my full cooperation", she leaned back in her seat. She didn''t bother hiding her smug expression in that moment.


    A minuteter, a fuming Rider mmed shut behind him the door. Gwen had seen through his trap and that hurt his ego. The woman chuckled to herself.


    Peter? Rat her out? It''s more believable if he tells her he pleaded innocence and imed he didn''t know them. Rat her out?


    "Please", she said under her breath and chuckled.


    Gwen knew that all the allegations against her were simply ''circumstantial''. There was nothing to prove that she was the mastermind behind everything. And she could easily im that she was simply visiting the factory site as expected of a C.E.O.


    As for the secretb, she trusted that the King was protecting it. She was too good of an asset to their organization so she trusted that he would not throw her under the bus. Not after all these years....


    Rider grumpily walked to his cubicle. Gwen and Peter were being an annoying duo whilst their goons only imed to have been doing their job: which was protecting their bosses. They didn''t have much to work with....


    Was he that desperate to get a confession out of her? He should have known when the same trick didn''t work on the sidekick, what more the boss?


    "Ugh!" He kicked his desk in frustration.


    "Easy there buddy!" Skullface warned when he saw Rider''s desktop shake from the impact.


    Ding!


    "Sounds like an email", Skullface told the sulking Rider.


    He stayed unmoving still sulking over his, yet again, failed interrogation. But work was work. He ran a hand down his face and let out a heavy sigh. With an annoyed expression on his face, he used his mouse to click on the newly arrived email...


    "No shit!" He said in disbelief.


    Skullface''s curiosity peaked from the change in emotions in his friend. He quickly went to join him.


    In that moment, back in West Vige....


    George had a seriously expression on as he spoke over the phone. "Boss, the prodigal son has returned....."


    "Good", Zach replied.


    However, it wasn''t just the ''the prodigal son'' email with documents and video files that was sitting in Rider''sputer. There was another email simr to that one with Gwen''s name on it....

 Chapter 273 From Fear To Flirting

    Rider was overwhelmed by the data staring him hard in his face. His heart ttered from the uneasiness the two emails brought to him. He leaned back in his seat wiping his lips with his thumb.


    "Shit...." He fell quiet only to let out an unamused chuckle secondster.


    "You got that right", skullface agreed. "What are the odds of you getting just what you need the exact moment you thought you were going nowhere?"


    "Shit man. I don''t like this", Rider grumbled, practically annoyed.


    Skullface understood that Rider was not one happily entertain free things. It always felt like, as he liked to put it, too easy. The man liked a challenge. He enjoyed the thrill of cracking a case with some hard earned evidence. But skullface also understood how frustrated he was with Gwen and Peter.


    "Call R.J", He said to him.


    Even if Rider didn''t like the situation, he still needed to check with the P.A.C.U (public ess center unit). He let out a heavy sigh before doing as advised by his friend. He picked up thendline and dialed for R.J''s line on speaker. On the very first ring, the call was answered.


    "R.J, it''s me Rider", he started.


    "Sup!"


    "So I got these two emails from your side?" He moved the cursor between the two emails while skullface watched and listened from the side.


    "Oh yeah? The prodigal son and Gwen Cancino? I have to say, I saw a little bit of what''s inside and shit, you guys caught a big one! That woman won''t be seeing the light of day anytime soon", he chuckled clearly excited.


    Rider still did not feel good about things despite his colleague''s excitement. "Who sent these?"


    "The tippers would like to remain anonymous", he said, sounding like he was reciting protocol.


    "So they''re two different people?" Skullface spoke up, a little surprised.


    "Is that skullface? Hey man! And yeah. Two different people but this was sent almost at the same time, like barely... seconds apart. I''d like to believe it was coincidental but it almost feels deliberate."


    The two men exchanged a look. Instead of feeling confident, they started to feel off. They were going nowhere with this so they decided to end the call. They quietly looked at the temptation sitting in Rider''s emails.


    "Are you going to use it?" Skullface broke the ice.


    "Hm...." He spun his chair from side to side, still undecided.


    "Are you going to at least have a look?" He pushed.


    "Who''s side are you on?" He stopped moving to look at him with an arched brow.<sub> </sub>


    "It''s not about who''s side I''m on. Those two know that they''re wasting our time here because the real culprit is still out there. They know that he might as well protect them and against our wishes, we might see them walking out of here freely to do more damage than good. Rider, this is the big break that we all needed, you, me, and especially our boss, hothead who was injured because of these people. So are you really going to let your ego get in the way of Justice especially after this has been carefully analyzed? No pressure, but it''s your call."


    Hot head had put Rider in charge of the case while he was away. Rider''s let out an awkward chuckle. "Damn bro, calm down."


    "Sorry, Gina and I have been attending a couple''s therapy. This week is about expressing ourselves", he exin with a faint blush on his cheeks.


    "Clearly", he looked away, still feeling awkward about the lecture.


    He looked back at hisputer. Even though he felt awkward, Skullface''s words made a lot of sense. It was not something he would entertain but a lot depended on his decision.


    So without letting any other doubts bloom, he pushed his seat forward and clicked open. Skullface leaned forward to have a better view of the new evidence and both men found themselves repeating Rider''s words from early on....


    "No shit...."


    Meanwhile, Gwen was still sitting with her back ramrod straight. The woman had gone through far much worse so being detained like this.....


    She let out an amused chuckle as she looked at the cuffs, it was nothing. Although she was teasing Rider early on about the handcuffs, it was meaningless to her.


    ''You''vee a long way'', she mused.


    Her mind took her back to when she had been introduced to the old King. The image of hisughing face..... All the shit she had been through because of this organization.... She subconsciously closed her eyes to block the memory. Her past? That was one ce she did not want to visit. Some things were indeed beat left untouched, and buried away to never be discovered.


    But still, all of that amounted to the present her. She liked the ce she was at, not at the FBI HQ but as a boss. There was no one to look down on her on this side of the world. She visibly rxed with this thought. Her eyes opened when she heard the door behind her open.


    "Gwen, Gwen, Gwen", Rider sang as he shut the door behind him and proceeded to walk to his seat with his tablet in hand. "We need to stop meeting like this."


    "Hadn''t had enough of me yet?" She arched a brow at him. "''cause you looked like it earlier."


    "Oh! No, you totally misunderstood that."


    Rider smiled to himself. Skullface would be in shock if he witnessed the little flirting between the two when the man was clearly afraid of the woman early on....


    She leaned forward with her chin resting on top of herced fingers and she narrowed her eyes, suddenly bringing out the seductive side of her. "It''s not umon for younger men to hit on me but sweetheart, I don''t like your type", she gave him a sweet smile.


    "Of course, you like the ones that you could put on a leash like a little puppy. Like Peter?" He nodded towards the door.


    Gwen''s smile faded and she slightly cocked her head to the side. That''s something only she and Peter know about... Something unpleasant started to twist in her stomach....

 Chapter 274 Screw Her Over

    "How is it in here? Comfortable?" His lips were lifted into a smirk.


    "Why are you back?" She countered.


    "Ouch! I was hoping for a little forey but alright, I''ll give it to you", he raised his hands in surrender. He picked up the tablet and typed on it a few times. He sighed as he leaned back in his seat; showing hisid back attitude.


    "Gwen Cancino, 39, and very much Italian. I knew there was something off about your ''american ent''. Sounds a bit forced, you can be yourself with me. This is a safe ce", he threw her a sweet smile.


    That unpleasant feeling started to grow. He had only revealed that she was not American, and her wheels had already started to turn no matter how hard she tried to contain herself.


    She scoffed, "And I thought my surname was a dead giveaway. I''m an Italian who became an American citizen. So what?"


    "That, I do not have a problem with. What I have an issue with is how you obtained that citizenship and the naughty things you did", he chuckled then shook his head.


    "I won''t admit to what I haven''t done. And a little reminder, I''ll walk out of here when my 48 hours is over. Now, I know you like me but wouldn''t you rather be out there catching real criminals?" She could barely hold a smile as his presence was starting to truly annoy her.


    "I wouldn''t want to be anywhere else but here", he smiled letting his words sink in. His smiled quickly disappeared and his seriousode switched on automatically. "Gwen, pleading guilty to your wrongs makes a difference in your ruling. This is yourst chance."


    She sat back and moved to fold her arms against her chest but stopped when the cuffs and the table restrained her. But she still had on an icy expression as she stared deep into his soul. And that was all he needed.


    He ced the tablet on the table and made the screen to face her. "Right here is proof that your forged documents to obtain your citizenship in here because of your rtionship with the dark waters."


    He showed her the documentsparing a real document and a forged one. Strike one.


    He swiped right. "Whilst putting up a front of a college student, you were actually a sex trafficker. No question as to who you were helping then. These are pictures of you actively participating in enticing the girls, making a deal with the traffickers, getting paid after they''re sold off."


    He swiped picture after picture that Gwen helped to traffic and her facial features became hard with each swipe that Rider made. Strike two.


    "Five yearster, you''re a C.E.O of a fully functioning and one of the leading pharmaceuticalpanies in New York City. Of course, the sex trafficking money would not be enough so we both know where exactly the funding came from. And that is where your dirty little secret with Peter began", he swiped to show her a picture of the two culprits caught in the act on her office desk.


    Her face was red and she fought to remain calm and collected in her seat but it felt like Rider had thrown her into a storm of bullets with each evidence shown.<sub> </sub>


    "But I''m not interested in that. What I''m interested in is this", he swiped to the next page and Gwen''s face fell, all color drained from it. He tapped on the video to y it. She quietly watched it, her throat felt dry, her heart was thumping hard as her eyes remained glued on the video. "Still feel like I''m forcing you to admit to something you didn''t do?"


    Staring right into her face was a video of her and Peter, overseeing one of the experiments they conducted in their secretb. Rider felt his heart ache when he saw a girl die a painful death from the experiment. It was Nadia White, Savannah''s sister....


    Rider shook his head and swiped once more, and there was another video. Again, it was him and Peter. Another experiment was being conducted... Two girls died, and one survived. It was Savannah....


    The relieved expression on their faces when they realized their experiment had be sessful, ignoring the two dead girls..... Gwen wished it was all a dream, but Rider was not done with her. Strike 3.


    "Killinges easy to you, doesn''t it?" He was disgusted sitting across from such a person but work is work, he needed to get it done. He looked away after swiping and tapping on the next video.


    This time, it was at the factory. Again, it was her and Peter along with the bodyguards. It was when she was angry at the factory manager concerning the dy in sending off the trucks. She didnt waste a second to take a gun and put a bullet through the man''s head.....


    "How...." She could not even finish her sentence.


    The factory was in a secluded area and there were no cameras or any other devices allowed so how.....?


    ''A spy. But who.....?'' she mused.


    Rider retracted the tablet and started to type on it while he let her be in shock.


    "Oh, we''re not done yet", He opened the prodigal son file and with a few taps, found the evidence he was looking for. "During the met g fo God knows what reason, you issued a kidnapping of three men and attempted to kill them through arson. Mr. Alex Morria, Mr. Christopher Jones, and Mr. Daniel Corden."


    "Attempted?" Her eyes widened in shock, it felt like her brain had short circuited.


    "I won''t tell you how or where they are, but they are ready to testify against you and everything they know as well as the factory workers." He showed her pictures of her interrogating the badly beaten up men, watching as her men poured gas all over the ce, walked out with her men, and stood afar as they watched the building burn down, and then leaving. "Of course, our people made sure that none of this was fabricated..."


    They didn''t die..... They didn''t die..... Everything..... Everything is pointing to her and Peter, especially her... This wasn''t.... This can''t be how it will end for.... Who would screw her over like this? Only one person knows this about her, especially staging her as the culprit... Only one person.... Only one..... King.


    Gwen mmed her head on the table and pulled on her hair. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

 Chapter 275 One Hell Of A Night

    Skullface could not help but break into augh as he watched Gwen''s break down through the one-way mirror and listened in from the live footage. Rider was barely containing his excited emotions. The man was on cloud nine after putting down the King''s little puppet.


    "It''s time", Skullface spoke into his earpiece.


    Rider''s business with Gwen was done and he left her to embrace even if it was with tears, snot, messy hair, and wondering eyes like a crazy person. The woman still could not cope with the obvious betrayal.


    Two agents arrived just as Rider was getting out of the room. They had been summoned by Skullface.


    "Give her a minute", Rider instructed.


    "Yes, sir."


    He knew that she had taken the betrayal quite badly. Maybe it was the human in him that made him feel just a tiny drop of pity on the woman.


    He walked around to join his friend who had been watching from the moment he went in with the new evidence. Both men sighed at the sight of Gwen.


    "She''s broken", skullfacemented.


    "I think they had broken her for her to be who she is today. I''ve seen blind loyalty but this? And all those killings yet no ounce of remorse bro?" He shook his head. "No."


    He vividly remembered how emotionless her eyes were when she took out the manager, when she burned the three men alive, and when those women lost their lives during the failed experiments. To Gwen, lives did not matter. It made one wonder what she had experienced with the Dark Waters to be this cold and heartless being.


    "Mm", skullface agreed.


    They quietly watched as the agents took the crying Gwen out of the room. Why was it suddenly sad to watch the woman in that state?


    "One down, one to go", Rider said, with enthusiasm back in his system.


    "He might decide to stick to his ''wrong ce at the wrong time'' story", he chuckled.


    "How big of a fool does he think we are?" Rider clicked his tongue in annoyance as he walked off. "Five minutes."


    "And I''ll watch every second of it", Skullface chuckled.


    As a ''thank you'', he patted the shoulders of the two men who were recording Gwen''s interrogation before following his buddy. He wanted to see Peter''s reaction when Rider hits him with the truth; he would not miss it for the world. The duo had really been a headache.


    "Peter Wright", Rider acknowledged as he walked in.


    "I thought we were done for the night?" Peter was genuinely confused by the second visit.


    "Ooh! Shall I take it you''re not happy to see me? Are you hiding something from me Peter?" He gave him a questioning gaze with a slight smile ying at his lips.


    "Ay! No! Not at all!" He forced an awkwardugh and put his ego aside to brown-nose.


    He would do so if that''s all it took to get him out of there and back home with his wife. He really did mean it when he said things were done between him and Gwen.


    "Why would I not be happy to see you, sir? And I''m not hiding anything. You know, being detained can take a toll on you, so it might seem like I''m not happy, but I am. Truthfully."


    Rider tried not to wince at the cringe words expressed towards him. Peter was no better, he looked like he wanted to barf but kept it all down along with his pride. He remained quiet, as much as he was curious about the second visit, he would not rush the man so he doesn''t question his motives again. He was really behaving.


    Rider smiled, impressed by the acting. He unlocked his tablet and typed a few things on it. "So there''s been a new development...", He started with his gaze peeled on his tablet.<sub> </sub>


    "Oh?" He answered in high pitch out of nervousness and awkwardly cleared his throat to regain hisposure. "Oh."


    "There are so many interesting things I learned tonight, but what I especially found interesting helped me understand your behavior", he finally looked up.


    "What-?" He cleared his throat. "What behavior?" He cleared his throat again.


    "Should I get you some water?" He willed on a concerned look.


    "I''m fine. What behavior?" His heart was thumping a mile a minute. He was perspiring on his face, palms, armpit and anywhere he could from nervousness. What made it worse was that Rider was in no hurry to reveal the little secret. "Sir?"


    "About the experiments, the factory manager; and then acting like you didn''t know them. I totally understand you Peter."


    "I''m sorry, I''m not following", he tried to lean back in his seat to look unfazed but it was too obvious. He didn''t like where Rider was going with his speech.


    "Ohe on Peter. You lied that you didn''t know Gwen and her people but in truth it wasn''t just to get you out of here, but you were protecting them too." Rider''s face was now stone cold and if he could smother the man into ashes with just his eyes, oh he would.


    "You''ve got me wro-"


    His mouth fell open when Rider pulled up a picture of him pounding Gwen who was lying on her office desk, legs held wide open and both of them in their naked glory, faces red, sweaty, and contorted in pleasure.


    "Peter, Peter, Peter", he shook his head in both disappointment and disgust.


    "It''s not what you think", he started in disbelief that this cat, was out of the bag.


    "Mr. Wright-"


    "IT WASN''T LIKE THAT!" He abruptly stood up, pushing his chair in the process. "I NEVER LIKED HER! I THOUGHT SHE DID BUT SHE MANIPULATED ME INTO SLEEPING WITH HER BUT NEVER LET ME CUM IN HER BECAUSE SHE WANTED MY SPERMS FOR THE EXPERIMENTS! THAT''S ALL IT WAS! I NEVER PROTECTED HER! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I WAS BEING HELD AGAINST MY WILL? WHY WON''T YOU BELIEVE ME?"


    "Damn", Skullfacemented from the other.


    "Wow", Rider feltpletely awkward. It was not a turn he expected. "Well, that does not matter anymore. We have evidence of you being an aplice to some of her crimes especially those rted to the experiment. Gwen has been locked up and-"


    "I''m innocent in all this", he pleaded.


    Rider stood up to look him right in the eye as he said hisst words. "That''s probably what you convinced yourself to believe. The evidence is right here."


    "Please", he got down on his knees. He knew his end had arrived sooner than he wished. Tears had started to form in the man''s eyes.


    "And one more thing", Rider looked down at him, unforgiving. "You weren''t protecting your family by concealing this, you were hurting them more than you will ever imagine."


    That very statement was a trigger to make him realize that he had actually lost the very things he was afraid of losing: his family. When Rider mentioned protecting them, his mind went to Gwen while the former meant his family. Since when did they be thest thing on his mind whenever faced with a hard decision?


    "Take him away", Rider said to the gentlemen that had been assigned the task.


    "Well done", Skullface patted him on the back as they walked back to their cubicles. "One hell of a night."


    "One hell of a night", Rider agreed.

 Chapter 276 A Simple: Wow

    The next day


    "Are you not going back to work?" Victoria red at her youngest. "How long do you n on staying here?"


    "I''m working from home and I''m staying until Dad is okay", Xavier said with a shrug.


    "Son, that''s really sweet but bro, go back to work. And what about that girl you''re seeing?" He nodded at him.


    "You''re seeing someone?" Victoria''s annoyance turned into pleasant surprise.


    "Yeah, I thought we all knew?" Ste said as she walked in with a tray of refreshments and snacks. The woman was always making something for everyone to munch on.


    "Wow", Xavier started dryly. "I know you found out from Amy, but how did Dad know and mom not?"


    "Well", Ste started as she set down the tray on a coffee table. "I thought we were keeping it on the hush-hush so I told Richard."


    "And Richard told me but I''m not a big gossiper like your mom is", Henry justified himself making both women gasped in shock.


    "Richard! You''re always going on about how I have a loose mouth. Now look at you", Ste shook her head while giving him judging eyes.


    "Henry! And you think it''s okay to keep such crucial information from me?" She red at her husband.


    Both men sighed heavily as they chose to keep quiet. Nothing they''ll say will make the situation any better.


    "And you, Ste, I''m so disappointed in you", Victoria shook her head. "I thought you would at least have the decency to gossip with me first before your husband."


    Ste was left tongue tied while Xavier left the room to the elders. "Toxic, so toxic."


    As he walked back to his room, he took out his phone and dialed for George. They had not spoken in a moment.


    "Hey man!" George answered on the third ring.


    "How''s it going over there?" He stuffed one hand in his pocket as he walked making some of the maids in the house swoon at the sight of him.


    "Great!"


    "Oooooh?"


    "Shut up! How''s it going over there?" George chuckled. "How''s the old man?"


    "He''s alright. Mom''s still acting like a patient while he''s still proving he''s alright by taking care of her. Weird couple", he shook his head at the absurdity.


    "Well, that''s love, weird or not."


    Xavier found himself nodding in agreement. His parents hade so far with bumps along the way so whatever it is they were doing now, weird or not as long as it was working for them, he would genuinely be happy for them.


    "How is it going with your love interest?" George asked curiously.


    "So..... I assigned ten bodyguards for her and ten for her brother", he scratched his chin feeling uneasy about George''s reaction.


    "Dude", he warned.


    "I know she''s holding back because of that issue, I just want to fix that. Killing two birds with one stone."


    George sensed Xavier''s sincerity in his statement. That''s just it about the man, no matter how many times he''s been hurt but once he loves, he loves. He could only give him one advice.


    "Don''t get hurt."


    Xavier could onlyugh a self deprecating at that. There was no way of telling with these things....


    As the two boys caught up, Zach and Amy were in the sunroom enjoying the peace and quiet thates with their daughter sleeping. Amy was seated with her head resting on his shoulder.


    She had long started to nod off to sleep while Zach simply closed his eyes, keeping his ears peeled for his little one who was sleeping in her crib. Unfortunately, her napping hade to an end.


    "I''ll get her", Zach said when he heard Amy let out a low groan.


    She untangled herself from him and he left to check on the little one. Amy watched through barely open eyes her man being the sweet father to the little girl. It excited the butterflies in her stomach.


    "Nope", Zach spoke to himself after checking her diaper. Then he checked if she was too heated up. "Nope."<sub> </sub>


    A vibration sound was heard amongst Roserie''s cries. Amy was now fully awake and searched for the source of the sound. Sitting under a cushion was Zach''s ringing.


    "Babe, your phone", she said as she got up.


    "Huh?" He was too immersed in attending to Roserie he barely registered her words.


    She reached his side and ced a hand on his shoulder as she looked down at the crying baby. "I''ll get her. Rider is calling."


    Zach received the phone and swiped to answer when he remembered something. "I think she might be hungry, everything else looks good. Amy nodded and picked her up to see if the little one wanted to snack. Zach rxed when he saw his daughter feeding and then drove his attention back to the answered call. "Rider?"


    "Told you he had a fianc¨¦ and daughter", Rider whispered in the background.


    "I still can''t believe it", Skullface answered.


    "Boys", Zach warned.


    "Sir!" They answered in unison, now remembering that they had put him on speaker.


    "Dude, you can''t scare me like that when you''re no longer my boss", Riderined.


    "Why did you call me?" Zach went straight to the point. He would rather be helping Amy than entertain the two.


    "Oh. We can''t call Boss because ofdy boss so we thought you''d help us pass the message. Gwen and Peter have been locked away. We received two anonymous tips full of hardcore evidence the other day, they helped us convict them of their crimes", Rider exined.


    "Two?" Zach''s brows shot up.


    "Yes, and they arrived almost at the same and just when we needed them. It felt weird, almost like trap, especially the other one that had every little detail about Gwen Cancino."


    "Hmm." He started to slowly pace around the sunroom.


    "Yeah, it was very weird and we confirmed that R.J and the team had analyzed the data. Still, it felt weird but it made sense when we saw the signature at the veryst word." Rider paused for dramatic effect but Zach never entertained them. He waited for him to continue and he knew that if he didn''t conclude the report, Zach would explode. "A.J."


    "A.J?" He repeated, looking at Amy who had automatically looked up from her baby.


    "Yes, who else would be capable of find such secret yet crucial information?" Rider questioned, practically saying ''duh''.


    "Mm. Is that all?" Zach asked.


    "Yes, sir."


    "I''ll pass your message", he said before he hang up. Amy was still staring at him after hearing her pseudonym. He started to walk towards her. "So it wasn''t just the ''prodigal son'' email that made it to HQ, but another email with every little detail about Gwen in sent by..?"


    "Me?" Her brows went up in surprise and he nodded as he sat down next to her. "Can he send to us?"


    "It wouldn''t make sense for A.J to ask for the very thing she sent, would it? And it would vite protocol if he did", Zach added.


    "Okay", she said as she picked up her phone with one hand.


    With a few taps, her phone system changed into a dark theme with something Zach recognized to bemand prompt but he knew if wasn''t.


    "What''s his number?" She asked and he took out his phone to read it out loud to her.


    She continued to type with her thumb, insertingmands. In about two minutes, she had used his number to obtain his personal information, used that to search the FBI information system to find Rider''s email and vo! The two emails were staring right at their faces.


    "There are certain words we can''t use in front of our daughter so I''ll say a simple: wow!" Hemented making her giggle.


    They quietly went through the email that had her name on it. Zach''s expression remained neutral but the gossiper in Amy could not help her shock when they reached the Gwen and Peter affair part. Scrolling to thest page, as Rider said it, it was signed A.J. She also analyzed the document and there was no foul y detected.


    "So it actually turns that I really did send it to them", she said whist looking at her phone.


    "Mm-hm", Zach agreed.


    To the FBI''s, it would make sense that she sent it since she had been working with them to catch these people. But these two knew she had nothing to do with that email. If she knew all that, why wait until now?


    It was obvious who had done so, the question is: why?

 Chapter 277 More Good Than Harm

    Amy watched Zach pace around the sun room. His brows were furrowed, he had fallen deep in thought. He moved around with his hands deep into his pockets.


    Amy did not peel her eyes away from him for one second. She felt Roserie stop feeding and she fixed her blouse before helping the baby to burp. Zach stopped too and he locked his eyes on her. She knew something was brewing in that mind of his but did not know what.


    "Why don''t we talk to Dad?" She suggested. "And see what he says about this."


    He took his phone immediately and made to dial. If a woman gives a suggestion in the form of a question, she''s practically telling you to do it. Zach found himself smiling at this thought; he was always ready to do Amy''s bidding.


    "What?" She asked with a growing smile when she saw his.


    Uurp!


    "A, good job cupcake", Amy said softly to her daughter while rubbing her little back. "Mommy is proud of you."


    Zach''s smile grew at this but Henry had answered. "Dad, can you meet us in the sunroom?"


    He walked over to join them. Zach leaned in to check her back and leaned back with a frown. Amy put away the beeb and to cover her up more when she noticed something.


    "You threw up?" She cooed, when she noticed the white residue at the corner of Roserie''s mouth. "What....-?"


    Zach had engulfed them both to reach around her back. "She got some on your back."


    "If it''s too much I can change", she said, inhaling his enticing masculine woodys scent.


    "It''s a little drop unless you''re ufortable with that, I can go get something for you to change into", he said as he wiped it off with a baby wipe.


    "No, that''s alright."


    "Aaah", Roserie cooed softly.


    "Aaah", Amy mimicked her.


    Zach moved back to put away the wipe. She had also finished covering Roserie in warmth. She chuckled to herself making Zach raise his brows in amusement.


    "I''m starting to grow into beingfortable with making baby noises", she confessed.


    "It feels awkward", hemented.


    "Yeah.... It was easier when she was inside me and I would just talk to her", she smiled at the fond memory.


    "Two more kids down the line and we''ll be pros at this", he assured her with a smile as he held out his hands to carry the little one.<sub> </sub>


    "Oh? We''re down to three?" She chuckled as she handed over the child to her father. "What are on Earth are we going to do with all this space?"


    "Not after watching all the pain I put you through." He talked as he adjusted her in his arms then finally looked into the eyes of the love of his life. He lowered his voice seductively as he held her gaze. "Besides, I want to enjoy....."


    He let his eyes finish his sentence as they slowly took in every inch of her silhouette from top to bottom. A smirk yed on his lips whenever his eyesnded on his favorite spots before his gaze went back to her eyes.


    Amy looked away from that heated gaze and fanned her hot and red face with her hands. Zach''s ego swelled from this sight.


    "I cane back", Henry said at the door when he witnessed Amy''s blushing face and her fanning it.


    "No, no", Amy shifted in her seat, trying to suppress her embarrassment. "Come on, in."


    "I''m not walking into anything....?" He started and she firmly shook her reddened face. Henry sighed at this. "Two kids with your mother and I know you shouldn''t try anything with her right now."


    "It''s hard not to", Zach said, unreserved. Amy let out a soft gasp and smacked his muscr arm making him chuckle.


    "So..." Henry started. He knew they had probably called him to update him on case. Zach nodded at Amy giving her the go-ahead to exin everything.


    "They finally got Gwen and Peter. Two emails were sent in as tip-offs for the case."


    "Oh?" Henry''s curiosity was peaked as he leaned forward, showing his interest.


    "One was from Zachery. During the corporate g, we knew that George''s break in at Greco''s will cause Gwen to act irrationally or at least send a message to her enemies and she did."


    "She''s the one who burnt those three men alive?" He didn''t even act surprised.


    "Yes. Zachery had his eyes on her and just as we predicted, she did. He made sure evidence against her was collected that night and moved fast enough to have the men rescued. He had them moved to Switzend where they have been recovering from the burns and of course, we concealed their tracks. With that in, two of the men are flying back in to testify against her. The other one is worse off than the two."


    Henry whistled in amazement. He knew Zach and Amy were a great team but thispletely amazed him. He could probably guess that they would have used this to shake things up with Gwen. No one else knew of this matter so the hoped she would break thinking it was the King throwing her under the bus. It was a gamble they were willing to make.....


    "And the other email?" He asked.


    "Have a look", she made to get up to give him her phone but he walked over to get it.


    The older man sat down and quietly went through the contents. Just like Zach, his expression was neutral as he saw the shocking contents. A few minutester and he was done. There was a hint of shock on his face as he raised his brows at her.


    "This.... wasn''t you?" He cocked his head to the side, guessing the answer. Amy shook her head and instantly his expression grew icy cold. He was evidently pissed off and he scoffed he thought hard of the situation. "He''s doing you more good than harm."

 Chapter 278 Practically Asking To Be Tasked

    "Mm", Zach agreed making her look at the two men curiously.


    "There still is a bounty on your head. Taking care of one assassin doesn''t mean all the others stopped trying to find you", Henry exined.


    ''Ah! The bounty...'', she mused. Thanks to her masking skills, she had put that at the back of her mind but now she was reminded of its existence. From the corner of her eye she saw Zach''s lips lift into a smirk. He probably thought of something. What could it be?


    "Well, I''m d that''s over with. One down, one to go", Henry said. "Oh! One thing I forgot about is Greco. We need to cut off any possibilities of the King finding Gwen''s recement."


    "We couldpletely destroy it", Zach answered while looking at Amy. "Or we could give it a new owner?"


    "You mean....?" Henry pointed at the two.


    "Mm. I was quite impressed with its performance", Zachmented, remembering what he learnt from the information George had found out for him concerning thepany. "Besides that, we''ll practically be blocking any new possibilities for the King."


    "Hmmm", Henry yed the gauze around his injured hand. "With Gwen''s arrest and thepany''s search and seizure, I doubt if anyone will want to work with apany holding such a reputation."


    "Not if it has Frost''s name on it", Amy said subconsciously as she was lost in thought. She snapped out of her thoughts and found the two men smiling proudly because of herment. "Besides that, we really need to block any possibilities of escape for the King. I have a strong feeling that those trucks won''t be staying in this country for long."


    "I already got that taken care of." Henry let out a sigh as he leaned back in his seat. "Once this is over, I can finally rx."


    ? ''And we can finally get married'', Both Amy and Zach mused as they looked at each other and then broke into a smile.


    "Ugh", Henry shook his head at the silent exchange and stood up He walked over to Zach and peered over to find the little one awake. "Keep an eye on your parents."


    Amy let out a soft gasp as she grew embarrassed by Henry''s words as the man left the room. "What exactly does he think we''ll do? We''re not.... animals."


    "Well, he''s right to worry. I miss making you screa-"


    Amy gasped and her eyes widened in shock as she quickly cupped Zach''s mouth. While he watched in amusement, she red at him. "You said it yourself, there are certain things we can''t say around Roserie."


    He pecked her palm and used a free hand to take hers andce their fingers. Amy''s re dissipated but instead felt giddy at the ttering feel of his lips against her palm.


    "You''re right. But she deserves to know how passionate how parents were when making her", he said with a smirk. "Who else will she learn about these matters if not from us?"


    "Zachery", Amy crossed her arms against her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. "Is it really for Roserie''s knowledge or does a certain someone just want to recreate that night?"


    The man had a huge smile on his face in response and she could not help her embarrassed smile as she shook her head in disbelief. "Don''t answer that."


    Somewhere in town


    Two naked silhouettesy in a King sized bed with legs intertwined and not bothering to cover their privates. The room was dimlitted and heavy with smoke. The smell of cigarettes and sex lingered the air.


    Esmeralda blew out a smoke and readjusted her head on Dn''s bare chest. The man had one hand squeezing and kneading her bare bottom and used the other to take the cigarette from her as it was his turn.


    "You think Gwen will rat us out? I''m sure she knows it''s us" Esmeralda started tracing her finger on his abs.


    "I wouldn''t worry about her", he said with smokeing out with each word.


    "Should we just have someone finish her off in prison?" She suggested. Dn was silent for a second before he chuckled in amusement. She lifted up her head to face him showing her frown. "I never liked her."<sub> </sub>


    He held her chin and looked deep into her eyes. "The only thing I want in your hands is my cock, not someone''s blood."


    She rolled her eyes at him and surrendered back onto his chest with her blushing face. Dn was amused by this as he put away the cigarette. He brought her leg that was between his and ced it on the other side and pulled her up on top of him so she was straddling him whilst lying down.


    He started tracing a finger along her spine. "Don''t worry about her. And she''s been a long time asset, you never know when we might need her despite this."


    She nodded in agreement but her frown did not go away. "When do we leave?"


    "Tired of New York?" She nodded and his hands travelled down to her butt. "Don''t you like the memories we''re making here?"


    "I''ll happily be with you anywhere in the world but here. We have a baggage to take care of and I don''t like feeling like I''m on the edge. I love my freedom", sheined.


    "I understand", he tucked some strands of hair behind her ear. "Now that we''ve given the FBI something to keep them busy, we can leave."


    "Tomorrow?" Her eyes lit up.


    "If that''s your wish", he nodded. "Now, before tomorrowes, there''s something I haven''t quite finished doing...."


    Esmeralda bit her lower lip, smiling when she felt his strong hands lift her her butt cheeks to expose her little cave. She shivered when he traced two fingers to find her opening and felt her wetness. He took hold of his girth and guided it into her.


    "Mmm..." she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his hardened length sliding into her. He thrusted his hips to go on into her depth-


    Knock! Knock!


    "Ugh!" Dn groaned. He had a sense of dejavu. This was the second time in his life he got interrupted right in this moment.


    "Ignore them", she whined.


    "I hate to say this but it could be important", he said whilst slipping himself out.


    She rolled off of him andy on her side. As usual, he went to get the door without any clothes on. Esmeralda couldn''t get her eyes off his sexy ass. Dn swung the door half open, shielding her from the outsider''s view.


    "Aldo", Dn acknowledged with displeasure.


    Aldo tried to contain his anger. A naked Dn only meant one thing and it to ked him off. "You called for me."


    "Did I?" He arched his brow.


    "Otherwise, I wouldn''t be standing here", he countered, then remembered who he was talking to. "Sir."


    Dn watched him quietly. The only reason he could think of was he was overwhelmed with jelousy and came to interrupt them. However, he did not get mad at this, he smirked instead. "You''re right, I did call you here."


    Aldo''s brows shot up. Esmeralda is ready to leave and Aldo was practically asking to be tasked away when he came to interrupt so..... why not?


    "I have a task for you..."

 Chapter 279 News About Greco

    "BREAKING NEWS! GRECO PHARMACEUTICALS UNDER INVESTIGATION ON CONDUCTING CLINICAL TRIALS THAT KILLED AT LEAST 30 PEOPLE"


    "C.E.O GWEN CANCINO AND ASSISTANT PETER WRIGHT FOUND TO BE THE FACILITATORS OF THE CLINICAL TRIALS THAT KILLED AT LEAST 30 PEOPLE"


    "C.E.O GWEN CANCINO MIGHT BE FACING MULTIPLE LIFE SENTENCES WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE"


    ? "C.E.O GWEN CANCINO CAUGHT IN A LOVE AFFAIR WITH VERY MARRIED ASSISTANT PETER WRIGHT WHILST RUNNING THIS SHOW THAT TOOK THE LIVES OF MANY"


    "C.E.O GWEN CANCINO IS ALSO BEING TRIED FOR THE ATTEMPTED MURDER, WITH ARSON, OF MISTERS ALEX MORRIS, CHRISTOPHER JONES, AND DANIEL CORDEN"


    News anchor 1 shook his head with a frowning expression, "Can it get any worse than this for what now used to be one of the leading pharmaceuticalpanies in New York City?"


    News anchor 2 let out a heavy sigh before she proceeded to report. "Well, it seems thepany has hit an all time low with their shares selling at... a dor fifty?"


    "A dor fifty? Is anyone buying?"


    "Given the circumstances, there have been no reports of anyone buying them; as expected. At this point, anyone can tell what the future of Greco pharmaceuticals is. It''s a shame really."


    "A real shame", he answered.


    In West Vige


    Pedro turned off the television and put the remote down on his desk. He slowly spun his chair from side to side with his crossed legs propped up onto his desk. Enzo, was seated on the couch and now with the TV off, turned to look at his lover smoking his almost burned out cigarette.


    Pedro broke out in an unamusedugh and put out his cigarette on the ash tray. "This woman..."


    "It''s a good thing we agreed to work with her otherwise... I don''t want to think about what could have been..." Enzo shook his head, an attempt to brush off the horrid thoughts. "Good thing we also had a back up."


    "Mm", Pedro agreed. With Greco being taken down, most businesses in Pedro and Enzo''s line of work suffered a huge financial setback.


    With the trust they built with Greco and the Dark waters, they had full trust they would get the goods that would repay them at least more times than what they had invested. The two men were d that they were in the know of what''s toe and prepared a contingency n to keep them going.


    However, that wasn''t the only thing that was on Enzo''s mind. "That girl..... The truth about her death will now be brought to light."


    Pedro stopped spinning his chair when he detected the worry in Enzo''s voice and looked at thetter. "What are you worried about?"


    "It might lead to us-"


    "That had nothing to do with us", he stood and walked to join him on the sofa. "Hermosa, it''s the drugs that killed the girl, and those drugs never made it to us as far as I''m concerned."<sub> </sub>


    Enzo sighed, he could not help but be a worrywart. How could things be so simple? He also wanted to remain strong like Pedro but he could not help his anxious thoughts.


    "But she died, here, in West Vige. What if they investigate how the drugs made it here? We would definitely be among the top suspects. We''ve got so much baggage, this could be the end for us. What if we ask Mrs. Stanford for help in return for what we did for her?"


    "We''re not asking that woman for help. And what makes you think she''ll willingly help us?" He sneered.


    "Because we helped her?" He repeated with a ''duh'' face.


    Pedro let out, easing his frustration, and held him by the shoulders whilst facing him. "Hermosa, I know you''re worried but the answer is still no."


    "But-"


    "Let me finish", he cut in, earning a frustrated sigh from Enzo. "If ites down to investigating all the ''channels'' linked to the Dark waters and the girl''s death, asking that woman for help will practically tell everyone that we were the whistleblowers. You know that it won''t just be the end of our business, but our lives too."


    Enzo deted against the sofa and rested a hand on his forehead, looking at the ceiling with frustration weighing on his facial features. Pedro was right. In their line of work, nobody liked snitches.


    "I was starting to like this ce", Enzo said, his tone heavy with regret. He gave Pedro a side eye and thetter understood.


    "Me too", he agreed quietly. He also sat back and took Enzo''s hand to intertwine their fingers. Only the sound of the aircon echoed in the quiet room.


    The next morning


    Cold drops of water dripped from George''s head down to his ripped body. He fasted a towel around his waist as he stepped out of the shower in his room. He took another to wipe his hair as he hummed to a tune.


    Ring! He stopped to leave his towel resting on his head when he heard his phone ring. He walked to his nightstand to pick it up when he saw the caller ID. His brows slightly rose. This person...


    Did something happen? They agreed to call him only when something happened. Only one way to find out.


    "Mr. Stewart", the man on the other end greeted with enthusiasm. "It''s Daniel Corden."


    "Mr. Corden", George acknowledged. He wiped water that dripped down his temple using the towel. "How are you doing?"


    "I''m fine. We''re both fine", he let out a sigh, almost as though in relief. "We just wanted to let you know that we''ve been summoned to testify against Miss Cancino. Mr. Stewart, the boys and I just wanted to expressed our deepest gratitude to you and the big boss.


    "That night... That night", he choked on a sob and cleared his throat to regainposure. "We really thought that was it for us. We never thought belonging to Greco''s rivalpanies would cost us our lives over an incident that had nothing to do with us..... If not for you sirs.... Thank you. Thank you so much. Just like the big boss said, justice for us will be served. Please be sure to express our gratitude towards him for saving us and keeping his promise. And thank you Mr. Stewart, we wouldn''t be here if not for you."

 Chapter 280 Fighting A Lost Battle

    George was short for words. He had simply carried out a task Zach had given him. It was something that had grown to be his second nature despite the danger. But to be openly thanked for it..... The man felt his heart warm from the other man''s sincere words.


    "I..... I appreciate that and I''ll pass your message. But I should thank you too, for being brave. Knowing what they did to you, it won''t be easy to face them. Thank you for your bravity."


    "Not at all, sir", Mr. Corden answered with a sniffle. "We are still with our families because of you. Thank you."


    The two talked a bit more with George checking on the other men before the call ended. He passed the message to Zach before he began to dress up.


    George left his room in good spirits and started to roll up his shirt sleeves as he walked to the kitchen. He had thrown on a smart casual outfit. He was mentally debating what to make for breakfast when...


    The man stopped in his tracks and froze with his mouth open. Looking through the fridge was someone whose perfectly tanned long and straight legs were exposed to him, ink building up on one thigh disappearing into the tight fitting mini body con that hugged her ass.


    His eyes watched the ass slowly turn, then moved up the t stomach, the huge mounds and the pretty face that belonged to that hot body.


    "Good morning", Nora''s lips stretched into a wicked smile as she closed the fridge to face him.


    "Mor-" he cleared away his hoarse voice. "Good morning." He started to walk towards her, displeasure showing through his frown. "Going somewhere?"


    "Mm-hm", she answered in good spirits and opened the fridge once more to give him the ingredients of what she wanted him to make. "Work."


    "In that?" His brows shot up as he received a tray of sausages.


    "Yes, in this", she ignored his snappy tone and gave him a challenging gaze. "Problem?"


    George fell quiet and watched her quietly before proceeding to start making their meal. What was she ying at? She was always in tomboy outfits, that was more of her, so what was with the change?


    And she usually shied away from his advances so what was with this bold move? She said she''s going to work, is there someone she wants to impress? Didn''t they have a mutual agreement to explore what''s between them?


    Nora''s brows turned up when he served her and went to seat at the faaaaaaar end of the counter, deliberately putting distance between them. He did not even spare her a nce nor a word and simply ate his food.


    ''Men!'' she mused in frustration as she forked a bite. Women are much easier to get along with. ''Dont stress yourself over this! But why''s his food so freaking good?''


    With his head down and focused on the food, he did not see the daggers she threw at him with her sharp re! In no time, she was done eat and went to dump her tes in the dish washer.


    ''Two can y at that game!'' she mused in irritation as she took a leather jacket and her purse and stormed off.


    She had just opened the door when it was mmed shut. Too shocked to register anything she found herself being flung over the shoulder.


    Yelp!


    "I just ate you maniac! I could throw up!" She shouted whilst checking out his jean d sexy ass.


    He quietly switched to carrying her bridal style. Better. Now she couldfortably be pissed off and cross her arms against her chest and look away from him.


    As he walked through the hallway, realization started to dawn on her. This.... He''s going to her room.....<sub> </sub>


    "George....", She started quietly, trying to suppress her..... Giddiness?


    He ignored her and managed to open her door and close it behind them with a kick. Nora was caught between trying to escape and seeing what he was going to do to her. Her heart was thumping loud enough he could probably hear it.


    It beat even harder when hey her on the bed and caged her underneath him with arms resting on either side of her face. He didn''t say a word and simply stated into her eyes. She did not know what was going on in his mind but that look made her clutch the sheets tighter than she realized.


    "What are you doing?" She carefully searched his eyes.


    Silence. Instead of feeling awkward, she liked the way he was looking at her. But that quickly changed when his frown took over and he got off her.


    "Excuse me?" She called after him in annoyance. He ignored her still and walked on. What''s wrong with him? She sat up and watched him. "What are you doing? I''m talking to you!"


    "Getting you proper work clothes", he snapped back as he opened her wardrobe.


    "Ha!" She stood on her knees close and crossed her arms against her chest. "What''s wrong with what I''m wearing?"


    "Everything", he countered while rummaging through her clothes.


    "I can wear whatever I want."


    "Indeed you can unless I have a problem with it. And I", he turned around with highwaist sweats and matching crop top. "Have every problem with that."


    She mmed her mouth shut and watched him walk towards her. He now stood in front of her, his figure towering over her and put the clothes beside her.


    "Yeah, I''m not wearing that", she stood her ground.


    "Nora", he warned.


    "I''m not the one who has a problem with this outfit", she countered, before a sly smile yed on her lips.


    She possibly couldn''t mean... To answer his silent question, she let her arms fall onto her sides and moved close to the edge of the bed, bridging the gap between them. She wants him.... to change her...


    ''This woman.....'' he mused.


    He should''ve never underestimated the shameless Nora.


    Given the greenlight, he started with removing her jacket. His eyes locked on hers.


    His hands now moved to the Hem of her dress. She shuddered when she felt his fingertips ze her skin before they started lifting her dress.


    Both held their breaths as the material was slowly moved up, revealing more of her luscious thighs. Up, and up. Her ckce underwear came into view.


    George felt like he was fighting a losing battle; his fingers were inches away from the forbidden fruit between her legs. The urge to explore was just too strong to ignore...

 Chapter 281 [Bonus Chapter] Nothing Simple About Women

    Against his dark wishes, he proceeded to undress her, ignoring his urges. Her smooth t stomach came into view. Going up, another mountain of temptation was revealed. Two smooth and milky mountains. His junior protested to how he hadn''t jumped into this meal before him.


    ''Oh'', she mused disappointedly when he didn''t take too long to finish discarding her dress. But when she saw the way he was looking at her body.... He took the top and helped into it.


    "If you''re not okay with this....", She said, referring to her lingerie.


    "It''s good", he answered in a hoarse voice and made to clear his throat.


    "You sure?" she arched a brow only for him to pull her to him. Her chest was now pressing against his and hand rested dangerously above her ass.


    "What are you ying at?" He locked his gaze on her, afraid to look anywhere else.


    "ying? Me?" She feigned ignorance.


    "Nora, are you sure it''s okay to expose yourself to this ''pervert''?" He countered. After all, that is what she had called him.


    "You don''te across as one", she answered with a smile earning an arched brow from him. She pushed herself off of him and sat down to ce one foot on his chest. "Chop! Chop! We''ll both bete at this point."


    Twenty minutester


    "You can never understand women bro!" George shouted and shook his head in disbelief as he drove.


    Xavier''sugh echoed in the car. Never in a million years did he think he would ever get this sort ofint from his brother. "What happened?"


    "Xav..... I don''t know. One minute she''s...." Innocent. "And the next she''s....." The greatest temptation to ever walk into his life.


    He still could not fathom how he helped her into those pants instead of tearing them off her. As they left, he used the excuse of having ''something to take care of'' before he left. Luckily, she didn''t ask questions though he felt she knew what he would be taking care of... in the shower.


    "What did she do?" Xavier pressed. His curiosity had soared through the roof.


    "I still don''t know what the motive was behind her actions", he shook his head.


    "Are you going to tell me or not?" Xavier was growing annoyed.


    "It''splicated", He answered tiredly.


    "Nothing about women is simple. There''s yet to be a man who fully understands a woman and what goes on in their heads", he said and a honk sound went off on his end.


    "Mm", he agreed. "Aren''t youte for work?" He said whilst checking his wrist watch.


    "I''m going back to Albany to check on Lorraine before I drive back to work", he answered.


    "That''s a lot of driving", George murmured.


    "And you?"


    "I''m going to the orphanage. With how things have changed, we don''t know what those guys might do. Besides that, she''s not doing too well", he added. His heart grew heavy just thinking about the older woman. She was a total stranger not too long ago but he had somehow grown attached to her.<sub> </sub>


    "Shit. Does sis know?"


    "Mm. They''ll be calling in to check on her today."


    Meanwhile, Nora spun her chair at the front desk in the library with a smile that failed to fall from her lips. The woman had never felt more liberated and more in control than then.


    That was the whole point of her little trick this morning. Yes, George made her nervous and shy but she still wanted to fluster him too, to prove she had not fully lost herself because of him. Also, to know that she still has her temptress skills in her.


    "I don''t want to know", Ian said when he reached her desk, looking at her silly smile.


    "It''s not for kids to know anyway", she bragged.


    "Whatever. I just got off the phone with Mona''s Dad", he started. Nora''s smile was reced with a serious expression as she stood up and paid attention to her nephew who had a heavy expression on his face. "They finally found out what killed her. She''s one of the victims of the Greco case."


    "Did she participate in one of the experiments?" Nora asked, puzzled.


    "Not that I know of. Somehow the drug was in her possession and you know? I don''t know", he said.


    Nora took him in. He had lost some weight. Losing Mona took a toll on the young man. He may not have loved her that way but she was still someone who was a major part of his life. It took her death to make him realize what a precious human being she was.


    Nora sighed at this sad sight and went around her desk. Ian stood with his hands balled into fists and hiding his face full of regret. Before he knew it, Nora pulled him into aforting hug and he hugged her back. The two silently stood like statues forced together.


    "Is it just me or is this weird for you too?" He asked.


    "Oh thank God! Thought I would have to stick it out till the end", she breathed a sigh of relief as she released him.


    "We didn''tst a minute", hemented.


    "Showing affection shouldn''t be weird among family", she said, like it was a wise saying.


    "True. But it felt like I''m hugging a dude. No offense", he quickly added.


    "Same", she said after waving off the offense.


    "But you like dudes", he looked at her, surprised. "I feel sorry for the guy. I dread the day he''s fully going to be hit with the Nora effect."


    "Shut up. He''s different." That silly smile settled back on her lips. Ian shook his head, this was the same look she had when Amy was around. He could not trust his Aunt. Nora sighed when her mind went back to news about Mona. "I hope they''ll get to the bottom of things. For her parents'' sake at least."


    "They will", he agreed. "It''s only right that they do."


    And as Ian said it, the authorities were working fast onto the case. Learning about this was Aldo who was at the airport back in the city wearing a ck outfit with a ck cap to hide his face. He stood among the busy crowd that was going in and out of the J.F.K airport. Nobody noticed the man''s face contort into annoyance and... fear.


    "Fuck", he mumbled under his breath as he stared at the possibly the biggest problem the King would be facing. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."

 Chapter 282 Clipped The Wings Of The King

    Aldo''s mind was reeling. What he saw at the airport.... He had expected it but not for the situation to reach that extent. He didn''t waste a second and dispeared among the crowd, out of the airport and to their hideout. He was alert and kept on the lookout in case anyone followed them.


    Upon recognizing the ck range Rover, the guards at the vi automatically opened the gate for him. Armed guards patrolled around the vi while technicians kept an eye out through CCTV. He went on to park his car before walking into the house.


    His subordinates were sure to give him a polite nod in greeting as he passed them. He looked pissed off, as he usually did, and their thought was quick to go to their big boss who had snatched his woman. They knew he was yet to get over a gem like Esmeralda. Little did they know it had to do with his trip to their airport.


    "Aaaah! Mmmm!"


    His blood boiled when he heard Esmeralda''s moaning. He could hear them from the hallway. How did they always have the appetite to have sex or was it Dn deliberately taunting him? He picked up his pace and balled his hand into a fist only to give their room door a hard knock.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Ugh!" Dn groaned in annoyance from the other end. Aldo patiently waited and secondster, Dn swung the door open. At least this time, the man remembered to cover his private bits with a robe which he was still tying. "Something about your timing..... It feels deliberate."


    ''I could say the same about you'', he mused in irritation but chose to keep that thought to himself.


    "I came to report on the task you sent me on", he answered, ignoring Dn''s displeasure.


    Dn''s expression turned serious and he gave him his full attention. "What''s the situation?"


    "We can''t leave. They''ve issued a search and a travel ban on you and Esmaralda", he said.


    "WHAT?" she screamed from inside. Dn watched her throw on a robe and rush to the door, opening it wide to amodate them both.


    "Calm down", Dn put his arm around.


    "I can''t calm down! We''re literally being hunted down like some... some ... criminals!" She screamed in panic.


    "But darling, we are", he pointed out jokingly.


    "Now''s not the time Dn", she snapped.


    "Alright. We''ll use disguises, it''s very easy to tweak the system and get an easy pass", he said. He had learned from the best after all.


    "That won''t be possible", Aldo said, with regret.


    "Why?" Dn''s brows furrowed.


    "They somehow created all the possible disguises you coulde up with and used those to help with your search", Also exined. "The pictures are all over the airport and sources of media."


    "A.J", Dn snarled, knowing full well who was capable of going to that extend.


    "Noooooo. Dn this is not what you promised me", Esmeralda started sobbing in fear. "I''ve never been in this situation. I-I-Iwant to go home! I''ve never been a fugitive before. I want to go home!"<sub> </sub>


    "We''re not... Don''t....", He sighed and pulled her into his chest. He turned back to Aldo as another serious thought ured to him. "How many men can you gather that can get the goods back to Italy whole we figure a way out of this ce?"


    "That''s.....", Aldo cocked his head to the side with an annoyed expression. "....also impossible."


    Dn closed his eyes and let out a deep breath before opening them to reveal a cold shimmer in them. "Why?"


    "My face is also on the wanted list", he exined with a grave expression.


    "How did they get your face?" Esmeralda looked up at him shocked, eyes wide, with her tear stained face.


    "I''m not too sure, I would like to think the corporate g since they have yours too", he gently exined to her. Something shed in Dn''s eyes in that moment that the two failed to catch.


    Aldo sighed as he continued, "They are on the look out for anyone smuggling those goods. I think with the information they got after seizing Greco, they know what to look for. Security is tight at the airport. Anyone found smuggling these drugs will..... well", he let them make their own conclusion.


    He remembered how the immigration officers had tightened security, making a thorough search whilst the authorities kept an eye out for anyone suspicious. He could only thank the heavens that he was able to escape the airport despite being on the wanted list.


    "Oh my gosh!" Esmeralda continued to cry. A strong feeling of doom bubbled up inside her. It was the end, she felt it deep inside her bones.


    "It''s going to be okay", Dn whispered to her and kissed the top of her head.


    She pulled away and faced him with a crying face. "Don''t just tell me that, fix this!"


    Dn sighed as she stormed back inside. Aldo just stood, watching the man who suddenly had a smile on his face. He recognized it to be the ''we''re fucked'' smile.... He walked back inside and closed the door behind him.


    Esmeralda was blowing her nose with a tissue with half her face buried into the sheets. She watched him walk to the floor to ceiling window and take in the outside view.


    "What do we do now?" She sat up to face his broad back.


    "We wait", he answered without looking at her.


    "For how long?" She pressed on. "We can''t just sit here and wait to be caught."


    "If A.J can''t find us, no one will", he said monotoned.


    "Dn...." Her eyes shimmered with fresh tears.


    He could hear the desperation and anxiousness in her tone but he ignored her. As he gazed outside, realization had dawned on him.


    The roles had been reversed; they were now being forced into hiding. How long that wouldst was only a matter of time. Still, taking in the situation made him let out a chuckle.


    ''A.J..... You actually clipped the wings of the King.... ''

 Chapter 283 Relief Or Sadness?

    The streets of New York echoed with the sound of wailing with sirens. The police cars were a curious site as they cruised through the busy roads. Despite this, people barely have a nce to try to see who was being transported by them. If only they knew that it was the two people whose stories had shaken up the city.


    "They''re here!" A few reporters shouted at the same time when they saw the police cars round up. They all swarmed like bees towards the cars and got their cameras ready.


    "Gwen! Gwen!"


    "How do you feel about the allegations made against you?"


    "Please say something!"


    "Make way", an officer snapped as they pushed their way out of the sea of reporters. Gwen had her head hanging low, avoiding the cameras as she was escorted in with her hands cuffed.


    Pak!


    An egg was thrown onto her head leaving the slimy substance to trickle down her face. Some friends and families of the victims had also gathered outside the court. "Murderer!"


    "Murderer! You must die!"


    "Death penalty for Gwen Cancino!"


    "You bitch! You deserve to die!"


    More eggs and flour were thrown at her as the people wrung curses at her! The officers didn''t bother stopping them or covering her but simply dragged her in to escape the drama.


    "Peter Wright!"


    "Peter Wright!"


    "Make ament on your affair with Gwen that has been revealed to the world!"


    Peter''s face that was hanging low turned paper sheet white at that question. Everything else was a blur and the noise drowned out. He did not hear the curses or feel the food stuffs being thrown at him. His mind was clouded by one thought: the affair was out in the open.


    ''Shauna'', he cried out in his thoughts.


    His heart started pounded hard as he was brought into the court room. There, he walked into a scene of the audience being restrained by the officers from pouncing on Gwen.


    "Order in court!"


    "Murderer! Bring back my sister!"


    "My cousin! Bring her back to me!"


    "Order!"


    "Murderer!"


    Peter paaid no attention to that and looked around to confirm his worst fear: his family being there. Yet...


    No sight of Shauna and the boys. He looked around carefully, scanning each and every face including Gwen''s disheveled appearance, yet, nothing.<sub> </sub>


    Should he be relieved that they were not here to witness this low and embarrassing moment he brought on himself? Or should he be sad that he was alone during this shit moment?


    Back in Albany


    "Twenty bodyguards is too much. And no bodyguards would very much be preferable", Lorraine argued as she red at the man who stood a few feet away from her.


    "We''ve already had this discussion Lorraine and I''m not changing my mind", Xavier said with ease as he wiped the washed tes and put them away.


    They had just had theirte lunch. Lorraine was working the night shift for her friend who had covered up for her while she was away. Xavier had driven all the way from work just to share this meal with her.


    "Do you... Do you know what my situation is?" She looked at him uneasily and afraid. Did he look her up? What does he know? Her heart started thumping a mile a minute in anxiousness.


    Xavier stopped and walked towards her and used a free hand to hold her shoulder. "I''m still waiting for you to tell me. But from the cars and people that follow you, I''m smart enough to know that the situation is bad."


    "Yet you''re still here...", She muttered in disbelief. "Why?"


    "Why not?" He asked with a smile as he cupped her cheek and caressed it with his thumb. "How''s your friend Savannah?"


    "She''s... She''s hanging in there. We had a burial ceremony for the girls the day before yesterday", her voice grew muffled from being led into Xavier''sforting embrace.


    She did not even realize that tears had started falling down her cheeks or howfortable she easily stayed in his arms in that moment. It felt so natural for both of them but Lorraine''s mind was still on the painful situation. "It feels like it was just yesterday when we were all together still figuring out life but today...."


    Xavier patted her head as she quietly sobbed in his arms. His heart grew heavy at this sound. It felt like someone was hurting him instead just from hearing her cries.


    She let out a long sigh to stop her sobbing. "Savvy has been summoned as a witness being one of the survivors. She has to retell the horrors they all faced..... Gosh. But she''s so strong."


    "Then she''ll be just fine. Besides, she has you", he stated.


    "I won''t always be there with her during the hearings. Things are hectic at work. They''re still trying to catch the others involved in this case. Actually", she chuckled and sniffled. Her tone had grown lighter and Xavier detected the excitement in it. "A.J personally called requesting that we do our utmost best to catch these guys."


    "A.J?" Xavier''s brows shot up, shocked because Amy went to such an extent when the authorities could have handled that.


    "Yeah. He said that it might take longer than we might like it, but we should be persistent. We cannot afford a slip up because of our cking."


    "He?" Another shocking revtion as she released herself from him. So Amy wasn''t just messing with his brother that time but she actually alters her voice as part of her disguise?


    "Mm. He must be the hottest man to ever walk on this Earth judging from his voice", Lorraine answered with a dreamy expression.


    "The hottest man ever?" He repeated earning a cheeky smile from Lorraine.


    He knew what his sister-inw looked like but why did the thought of her being his love rival stir an unpleasant feeling within him? Couldn''t she use a less appealing voice instead? And what was with the personal reque-


    Xavier felt his brain shut down when he felt something soft briefly press against the corners of his lips. Lorraine''s face burned red and she looked down with a silly smile ying on her lips. The next four words she uttered made a massive bomb go off in Xavier''s head.


    "You-You''re it for me."

 Chapter 284 Lorraines Weakness

    Xavier was beyond stunned. He knew her to be timid in the matters of the heart because of her situation but this brave confession? What could this mean? He wanted to wait until everything is settled and both parties feel hundred percent about each other yet now?


    There was no doubt he liked Lorraine and her confession just now threw those dys out the window. This was a sign that he should-


    "I-I-I-I mean I find you really attractive", she stuttered and dropped her gaze to the floor, feeling embarrassed. "That''s all."


    Xavier let out an awkward chuckle and resumed doing the dishes. He felt a slight pinch in his heart despite thepliment.


    Why was he in such a rush to jump into a rtionship with her? It didn''t make sense to him to be this drawn to her that quickly. That was the case with Nicole and look how that ended.


    Or was he subconsciously using her as a rebound after Nicole did him dirty? Lorraine is a good girl. She deserved better if that was really all that he was actually doing.


    "I have to go", he said whilst wiping the water off his hands.


    Lorraine looked up to find that his expression was not looking good. He could barely look at her in the eye. Her heart sunk to her stomach, what had she done? Did she offend him with thepliment? Maybe all he wanted was friendship and herpliment hinted otherwise?


    "I have appointments this afternoon." As soon as he said that, his phone started vibrating from his pocket.


    "Oh." She followed him out after he took his jacket with him.


    They took the stairs in silence with her following behind him. Her palms had grown sweaty from rewinding the scene just now and his expression.


    "I uh....", He stopped to turn around and face her when they reached outside. She almost bumped into him if not for the distance between them. "Will you be okay?"


    Her heart skipped a beat at the worry in his eyes and the gentleness in his tone. "Xavier, ten bodyguards are too many."


    He watched her quietly. Seems it really bothered her, he should understand though. So he nodded. "So how many do you want?"


    "I would say none but I know you wouldn''t agree to that." A small smile crept up his lips when she said that. "Two. One for me and one for Oliver."


    "Nicole-"


    "They won''t do anything to me", she said. ''For now. Not afterst time'', she mused. She looked at him, hoping he would give in.


    "Okay."


    "Thank you."


    She wanted to say more but words got stuck in her throat. Xavier too stood quietly as they locked their gazes on each other. He had made it clear that he needed to leave but his feet stayed glued on the spot.


    The case was the same for Lorraine. She bit her lower lip nervously drawing his attention to it. He watched her release those plump lips slowly leaving them a wet and luscious sight. His throat run dry, thirsty and hungry for something only she could give; and it would start with her li-


    "I better get going", he said, taking a step back and fighting to be rational.


    "Yeah", she answered, forcing a smile to mask her disappointment.


    "Yeah."


    With onest look, he got in the car and disappeared before he could act on his desires. He sped off, not wanting to spend another torturous second around this temptation that was Lorraine.


    Thetter could only turn back to her apartment with a heavy heart. Was he in that of a hurry to escape her? Hurtful. They were just friends, but why did it feel like she just got dumped? She took in a deep breath and exhaled to steady her emotions.


    She went on to her room to do a few touch ups on her outfit and makeup before leaving. When she got downstairs, just as she had asked, there was one bodyguard shadowing her who made his presence known to her. Relieved, she hailed a cab and went on to Savannah''s ce.


    "Hey sweetheart", Savannah''s mom greeted.


    "Hey", Lorraine smiled at the woman who was busy in the kitchen producing mouth watering aromas from whatever she was cooking. "Smells good. Savvy?"


    "She''s in her room. Lunch will be ready in ten", she reminded.


    "Alright."


    She took the hallway leading to Savannah''s room. With a soft knock, her friend permitted her to enter. She was seated in front of the mirror doing her makeup. Lorraine settled into her bed and watched on.


    "Hey", Savannah smiled at her through the mirror as she applied concealer under her eyes.


    "Hey, yourself", She took a pillow and hugged it.


    Savannah blended the product lifting up the area around her eyes. She took her setting powder to apply it when she saw Lorraine quietly looking at her. She chuckled, "Lorrie, I promise I''m not going to disappear again. So stop looking at me like that."


    "No, it''s not that. And thank you, I don''t have it in me to lose you again", she confessed with a sad smile.


    "Then what''s going on in that head of yours?" She spun around to face her, leaving the powder to bake.


    "Nothing", she shrugged.


    "Nothing is something", she said standing up to walk to her and sit cross-legged facing her. "And something is nothing meaning nothing is-"


    "Yes. Yes. I get", she stopped her. She looked at her friend and let out a heavy sigh. Who else would she talk to if not her best friend? "I scared off my.... friend."


    "Your ''friend-friend''? The one you ''like-like''?" She teased but Lorraine nodded still. "What? Did you go all ''Officer May'' mode on him?"


    "No.... It''s not even that. Where do I even start?" She sighed again and with Savannah''s anticipating gaze, she exined everything. How they met, how he just got out of a rtionship, all he''s been doing for her, and not one detail was missed out.


    "You''ve fallen for him", Savannahmented.


    She let out a small smile. "He makes it very easy."


    "He sounds like a nice guy from what you''ve told me."


    "Too nice", she sighed again whilst looking down, trying to fight the hot tears.


    "And I don''t know if you scared him, nopliment should. There could be something else going on."


    "I don''t know", she bit her lower lip, still reying Xavier''s reaction in her head.


    "But if he reciprocated your feelings, then what? Because if I know you very well, you won''t act on your feelings because of..... you know?"


    There was nothing more true than those words. She may be brave in some aspects but when it came to Xavier, she had found herself being weak. Hold on...


    Xavier is her..... weakness?

 Chapter 285 Life After The Scandal

    "Lorraine, for all the years I''ve known you, all I ever wanted was for you to be happy. You were forced to grow up too quickly and be a mom and dad for your brother. And now because of her, the one time you find someone who genuinely aroused your interest, you can''t even enjoy that."


    Lorraine''s face was stained with the tears she failed to hold back hearing her friend''s concern. She wiped them with the back of her hand as she chuckled in self-pity. "Well, that''s life."


    Savannah pulled her in for a hug and patted her back infort. Lorraine was frustrated with life and herself for wanting something she shouldn''t, no, wouldn''t have because of her shitty situation.


    Despite allowing him to offer her protection, she still did not want to get him mixed up in her situation. It would be wrong of her to expose that man to them. She''s been dealing with them all these years, why should that change now? Gosh, she shouldn''t even like him.


    "Girls!" Savannah''s mom shouted.


    "Shoot! I forgot to tell you lunch was ready in ten", she said as they broke the embrace and gave her ring friend a sheepish smile.


    "Five more minutes!" Savannah shouted whilst still ring at Lorraine. "I was baking my face!"


    The woman was quiet for some seconds, trying to make sense of what her daughter just said. "Okay?"


    Savannah rushed back to the mirror to finish up her work. Lorraine''s face was dry of tears but her eyes still showed. "Is there anything else happening besides the checkup?"


    "Yeah, I''m also meeting my shrink today and I hear he''s a sexy piece of meat." She turned her face side to side, admiring how good she looked.


    "Savvy?"


    "What? I''m traumatized soul. I need all the love I can get", she shrugged then threw her a yful wink.


    Lorraine sighed. She may say it so casually but she knew how broken she really was inside. She smiled it off before the two went to have lunch.


    After their meal, she apanied the mother and daughter pair to the hospital. She stayed with them until it was time for her work.


    The airport was hectic with the security upgraded. Some people were growing annoyed and impatient with the thorough search the officers wear undertaking.


    They did not want to miss anything that couldpromise the authorities'' hard work concerning the case that the city was following: Greco and it''s C.E.O Gwen Cancino.


    "For fuck''s sake! You''ve been going on about this for hours now! Some of us have a ne to catch!" A man roared.


    "Sir, please mind your tone. And this is only standard procedure!" An officer answered.


    "You can''t punish the rest of us because of what some dumbfuck did! I need to get on that ne! Out of my way!" He started shoving the people ahead of him.


    "Hey!" Some people groaned from themotion he was causing.


    "Sir, we will not hesitate to arrest you-"


    "On what grounds! If I miss that flight, it will be you I will be suing! Out of my way! Move!" He kept on pushing when he felt someone tapping him on the shoulder. "What?" He stopped moving to look at the person and themotion stopped.


    "Sir, I can assure that that ne won''t leave this airport without it''s passengers. You know the situation we''re facing and if you didn''t want to face these dys, you should''ve booked an early flight."


    "You-"


    "I''m not done speaking. Everyone here had their own busy schedules and we''re all trying to do our jobs. So I''ll kindly ask for your cooperation, if you''re clean, you''ll be on your way. But since you''re in such a hurry, how about I help you instead?"


    "Finally! Someone who gets it!" He sneered at the officer who he had quarrelled with early on. He looked back at the new officer and she wasn''t too bad to look at. He knew that uniform was not doing justice to her beauty and natural curves. "What''s your name sweetheart?"


    She smiled as she led him aside from the cue. He was too focused on her he didn''t see the pitiful look everyone gave him. "First name is Lorraine,st name May. Officer May."


    He froze as she led him by hand. He had heard about people who hid the illegal stuff in their bodies by ingesting them but they never escape her and she always collected the goods whether they were inside or outside their bodies. Just thinking about what he kept in his a**hole....


    "Shit." He released himself from her grip and made for a run. The man had barely taken a step when his face made a hard contact with the ground after he took a hard kick go his shin. "Argh!"


    "It''s people like you that make me enjoy my job", Lorraine snarled as she arrested him.


    Anyone else who hadints knew to shut up. The Feds were working their hardest on the Greco case to avoid any loose ends, all they could was cooperate.


    They knew this from keeping up with the ongoing trial. It was not broadcasted on television to protect the victims but those involved in the case were free to makements when interviewers by the media who waited outside the court. Besides that, there was another thing that people were keeping up with.


    "It''s such a relief to see him out and about going on about his life after that dreadful scandal", an E! News female anchormented at a picture of Xavier disyed on screen.


    "Yes, and I would like to say, no, I think the experience changed him", a female anchormented. "He has not been spotted with any woman."


    "I think so too. You know, such experiences make you evaluate certain aspects about your life. But we can all agree that Xavier deserves a woman or man... to love him right", a male anchormented making the twodies guffaw at his shamelessness. "So whilst we''re still on the topic", he looked directly at the camera with a flirtitious smile. "Xavier, call me."


    Nicole groaned as she turned off the TV with the remote. She rested her head at the back of her sofa and blew out an exhausted breath.


    Her apartment strongly represented how shitty her life had been after the scandal. Nopany wanted to hire her since Xavier was no longer there to support her now expensive life style and she didn''t want to change that.


    At the end of the year, she has toe up with a new amount for the lease of her apartment if she wanted to stay. She was months away but still, just thinking about it stressed her out. And she missed the man, the way he spoiled her, the way he worshipped her body when he-


    Ding! Dong!


    Snapping out her thoughts, she whipped her head to the door. No one visuties her so it could be one person. She forced herself up and walked towards the door.


    "Your pizza", the delivery man said as soon as she opened the door.


    "One sec", she said as she walked back into the room.


    The young man was surprised by who door he was standing on. He took in her loose short shorts and her crop top as she walked to her room. Could it be her? With one hand, he took out his phone and search for a hidden folder that was encrypted with a password.


    After unlocking, vo! There was the screenshot of a picture of Nicole''s naked form pressed against the floor to ceiling ss window whilst being rammed from behind by the ''Xavier'' impersonator.


    The young man had a spy smile growing on his lips as he looked back up at the direction Nicole had disappeared to.

 Chapter 286 Xaviers Thoughts And Feelings

    "Oliver?" Lorraine gave him a warning look as she stood at the door.


    "I''m almost done." He was still seated around the kitchen counter scribbling in his school book.


    "Don''t make me regret sending you to Savvy''s instead of the academy", she said in a tired voice before she yawned.


    "You know, I can walk to school alone. You look tired." He stood up and packed his book in his bag. The look she gave him was did not call for a verbal response. "Okay. Let''s go."


    The two walked hand in hand going to his school. Oliver once again noticed that his sister was being quiet and he knew it wasn''t the fatigue.


    "What''s wrong?" He looked up at her but she did not hear him. "Lorrie?" He shook their joined hands.


    "Huh? Did you say something?"


    "Are we seeing Xavier this weekend?" He asked with anticipation glistening in his eyes.


    "Uh.... I don''t know."


    "Can you ask him?"


    She had not heard from him since the day before and she was too scared to initiate a conversation with him. Even just thinking about their situation now made her stomach make an unpleasant twist. She subconsciously squeezed Oliver''s hand in the process.


    "Let''s not disturb him if he''s busy", she said in dismissal.


    ''Grownups are soplicated'', he mused.


    The man in question was in his office buried in mountain of work signing off documents, reading through files, and making calls. A knock was heard and he hummed in response, permitting the person to enter.


    "Sir, they''re ready for you", his secretary said.


    He didn''t respond and simply closed his tasks and went to attend the meeting. He got so immersed in work he didn''t realize how time had flown by and it was time to go home.


    "Are you sleeping here again, sir?" his secretary peeked through the door. Xavier looked up from hisputer with brows raised in subtle shock. "You''ve never been one to arrive earlier than me. With all due respect."


    "Hm. Well, I''m going home. You little show off", he added making them both chuckle as he tidied up.


    They took the elevator together going to the ground floor where the parking lot was.


    "Goodnight, sir", she greeted as they went separate ways.


    "Goodnight", he answered as he walked to his car.


    He slid in the back and took his tablet to read through files. The engine roared to life and they started off. His chauffeur did not dare make noise as the man attended to work.


    Xavier remembered something when he thought back to the conversation he had with his secretary. Where was he going to sleep? Albany means he would see her, and he was not ready to see her until he figured out his thoughts and feelings.


    "Drop me off at Zach''s", he told the man.


    "Alright, sir."


    He resumed looked at his work but only found himself reading the same line five times. He put away the tablet.


    The very woman he was avoiding for her sake was guing his mind now that he was not physically at work. He didn''t want to be an asshole by causing a heartbreak where there shouldn''t but damn he missed her so much.


    "Xavie?" Victoria greeted in surprise when the door was opened for her just as she was about to go outside. He smiled and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "What are you doing here?"


    "I''m wondering the same about you", he said with a teasing smile as he stepped inside.


    "You!" She said with a smack to his arm.


    "Ow! Mom, I think you dislocated my shoulder!" He whined, feigning a hurt expression.


    "Is that right? Let me fix that for you!" She gritted her teeth whilst beckoning him to go to her.


    "No, I''m good!" He ran away before she could reach him.


    She scoffed as she watched her grown son run away. He dared tease her about overstaying their wee at Zach''s ce, but her grandbaby was barely a month old. How could she bare to go back to her huge and very empty home whilst everyone else was here?


    "Did I hear Xavier''s voice?" Ste appeared from behind her, pointing over her shoulder in the direction she heard him.


    "Yeah. He might be spending the night", she said with a shrug.


    "I better tell the kitchen to include him when making dinner", she turned to go into the direction of the kitchen.


    "They always make more than enough. It should be alright", she stopped her.


    "You''re right." Ste happily walked to her and joined her at the door. "Shall we?"


    "Mm-hm."


    Whilst the two grandpas spent their leisurely time on beer and ser, the two women decided to go for a walk and chat away whilst enjoying the evening''s fresh air. It was also a way for Ste to exercise her leg although she does more than enough of that with carrying Roserie around.


    When dinner was served, the family enjoyed their meal apanied with light conversation and of course someughs. Xavier disguised the downturn of his mood through being cheeky and loud at dinner. He didn''t want anyone to worry and they were his problems to deal with.


    But once he was alone, his thoughts robbed him of some good sleep. That''s why the next day he dove straight into work, meeting after meeting, appointment after appointment, and endless documents that required his attention.


    Lorraine was constantly on his mind and the more he thought about her, the more guilt gnawed at him. And now, fear. Fear to love again, to love so soon.


    As days went by, with Xavier throwing himself in that cycle, Victoria started to pick up on his mood. He was cheery at home but she knew when he was genuinely happy and when he was trying to conceal his true feelings. They met again as the two women were about to go for their walk and he wasing back in.


    "Good evening", he greeted them with a hug and kiss on the cheek.


    "Wee back dear", Ste responded.


    "Xavie", Victoria held his arm with worry etched on her features. "Are you alright?"


    He gave her a small smile and nodded. "Mm. Just tired. I''ll see you at dinner."


    With that he disappeared into the house. Uneasiness bubbled up inside his mother''s heart. She moved to go after him and find out when Ste held her back, shaking her head no.


    "But-"


    "I know you''re worried but let him be. Maybe this is all he needs, us letting him deal with whatever it is."


    Victoria sighed, "Why do I feel like it has to do with the new girl?"


    "Ooh! Now I want to know", the gossiper in Ste reared its ugly head, however, she restrained herself. "But we should still leave him be."


    "Ugh. Sometimes I forget that he''s all grown and not my little boy anymore", she sighed again as the two went out of the house.


    "I''ve never seen you worry about Zach like that", Stemented earning a look from Victoria that screamed ''really?''. Ste nodded, "I know what you mean. We all have that one child we just are always reassured about. For me, it''s Alex. But Nora..."


    "Oh", Victoria chuckled based on the stories she''s heard about the girl. "How are things with her and George?"


    "Actually, I don''t know. I should check on him. That poor boy", she shook her head as she looked for his contact in her phone making Victoriaugh even more.

 Chapter 287 Why Cant Life Be Simple And Beautiful

    Xavier sighed as he looked at the work on hisputer. He did not feel like going to work because of how overworked he made himself there. And doing so didn''t mean he stopped thinking about her, it only got worse.


    He needed a change of scenery, somewhere that brings about a calm and peace to prevent any distractions while he worked. The sunroom. Basking in nature and the sun woukd be something refreshing to expose himself to.


    "Oh!" He stopped in his tracks when he saw Amy and Roserie lying on the long sofa. "Sorry sis", he whispered.


    "It''s okay. We''re both awake actually", Amy said, inviting him back in.


    "No, I''ll leave you guys. I hear this has be like a sanctuary, a no-go zone when you''re in here", he said as he walked to the sofa opposite and set up hisptop.


    Amy chuckled, "It''s true that we like to have our naps here but it''s still free for anyone who wants toe in."


    "Cool", he smiled before looking back down at hisptop.


    "Ah! I feel like we''ll be disturbing you", she said whilst getting up.


    "No. You''re alright. You guys can stay", he assured her with a nod and shey back down. "Where''s Zach?"


    "Attending to a few calls", she said whilst caressing Roserie''s face and he hummed in response. "How''s Albany?"


    "It''s fine", he answered. He looked up to find her smiling and he gave her a sad one. "What?"


    "You tell me", she nodded at him.


    He looked back down and went about typing only to stop secondster; letting out a heavy sigh before he closed the device. His smile was gone and his true emotion showed: sadness. "I''m questioning myself whether it''s right for me to actually be with her."


    "Why''s that?" Roserie made aining almost crying noise and Amy subconsciously started patting her tofort her.


    "My breakup with Nicole is still fresh, I don''t know if I genuinely have feelings for Lorraine or I''m just using her as a rebound", his brows furrowed at this.


    "Hm."


    "Yeah. It''s fu- messed up", he quickly corrected himself making Amy chuckle. "I don''t want to start something that I can''t finish. I don''t have it in me to break her heart. She deserves better than that."


    "I think I have the answer. I could tell you but I think you should figure that out yourself", she said with a smile.


    "Helpful", he grumbled and yfully shot her a re.


    "Don''t scold my wife", Zach walked in with a tray of refreshments. Amy smiled while Xavier rolled his eyes.


    Zach set them down on the coffee table and leaned down to peck Roserie on her forehead and then pecked Amy''s lips. Once. Twice. Thrice. Amy giggled as he stole kisses from her. Xavier could only sigh. Why can''t his life be that simple and beautiful?


    Back in Albany


    "Still no word from him?" Savannah offered a canned drink to Lorraine as she sat down next to her. They were in the waiting room at the hospital.


    "I think I can ept that I''ll never hear from him again", she replied with a sad smile as she opened her drink.


    "Hey, it''s only been, what? A week? No. Four or five days? Let''s not jump to conclusions. Besides, his bodyguards are still around, yes?"


    "Maybe it could be out of.... Pity?"


    "Lorraine", she warned, getting annoyed with her self deprecating behavior.


    "What? He may not know the facts about my situation but he has an idea. Maybe he''s afraid to take away the one thing that''s keeping us safe just for pity''s sake."


    "Stop it! My gosh, if it''s about this guy, you''re not the tough cookie that everyone knows you to be", she pulled her in for a side hug. "Stop doing this to yourself. I''d tell you to call him but I already know the answer to that."


    Both girls sighed. Lorraine looked around at the medical personnel and patients moving around, going about their business.


    "How many more times do you have to do this?" She frowned.


    This was the third check since being discharged and she was yet to attend the court hearing as a witness. All she wanted was for her best friend to have less stress yet more hospital visits fueled just that.


    "I know, I''m sick ofing to this ce", Savannah grumbled as she also looked around.


    "When''s your next therapy sesh?" Lorraine asked.


    "Thursday. Another thing I''m dreading. I think I''ll spend more time crying than shooting my shot. Again", she let out a dramatic sigh.


    "I think that''s how it''s supposed to be", Lorraine giggled.


    "Savannah White?" A nurse called out, carrying a file in her hand, earning their attention. "The doctor will see you now."


    "Alright", she blew out a shaky breath.


    "Should Ie with?" Lorraine grew worried seeing how nervous her friend was.


    "No, I''m fine. Plus, it shouldn''t take too long."


    Lorraine gave her a hug and an encouraging look before Savannah followed after the nurse. Savannah felt her heart pound against her chest making things worse for her nervous self. Her palms were growing sweaty and wiped them against her trousers.


    The nurse knocked at the doctor''s door before letting themselves in. The doctor was looking at a hisputer monitor when Savannah was brought in. The nurse excused herself giving them the privacy they needed.


    "Savannah White", he looked away from the monitor to smile at her. "How are you?"


    "Good", she smiled back.


    "Good. Tired of the hospital visits?" He teased, guessing her thoughts.


    "A little", she demonstrated showing a tiny gap between her thumb and index finger.


    "I understand. There''s a reason for that and I''ll exin. I just need you to mentally prepare yourself, it''s a lot as you know your case is special."


    She nodded at his words, sitting up straighter and her expression showing her seriousness and attentiveness despite the nervous wreck she was inside. He also nodded to himself and turned serious.


    "So, the feds have been trying to figure out not just the drugponents but also its purpose and effects. They put the best scientists on the job because the doctor who was working on you during....", He silently hinted at the experiments and continued. "He didn''t exactly understand what he was working on except for results. So that''s why it took so long and so many tests to get to the bottom line."


    Savannah''s hands balled into fists almost drawing blood against her soft palms once reminded of the horrid experience. Although the man was also facing the consequences of breaking thew, she still wanted to physically vent her anger and frustrations on him for everything.


    "Now, I have the results", his serious expression turned into grave one with eyes full of sadness and sympathy. Her heart started to beat much faster than before but she forced herself to remain calm. He did tell her to prepare herself. "Savannah, you will not....."


    Her brain shut down the moment she heard the next words. It''s like a deadly bomb exploded in her head, no, her entire being. She felt empty, numb, suddenly cold, and as if her body was not hers.


    "Savvy!" She was shook out of her trance to find Lorraine kneeling before her and shaking her by the shoulders. Lorraine frowned seeing the state she was in. She gently cupped her cheeks with worry reflecting in her eyes. "What''s wrong?"


    What''s wrong? What''s wrong? What did the doctor say was wrong? The girl broke out in a heart breaking sob as hot tears streamed down her face.


    "Lorrie- Lorraine", she sobbed making Lorraine tear up as well.


    "I''m here." She tried to wipe her tears but they kept falling. She felt a constriction in her heart at this heartbreaking sight. She sniffled, "Talk to me."


    "Lorraine, I can''t- I can''t", her dropped as she cried out. She hit her own thighs with her fists not believing that something so unfair had happened to her.


    "Savvy please. Tell me what''s wrong", she sobbed softly.


    "I can''t..... I can''t have kids."


    Lorraine''s jaw and heart dropped at the same time. She too felt like an explosion went off in her head and all over body. She lost all the strength to hold her friend as she just stayed there, kneeling before her.


    "They destroyed me!" Savannah started hitting her stomach when she remembered the blood that pooled between her legs as well as the other girls. So that was it but what was the point?


    "They destroyed me!!!"

 Chapter 288 The End Is Quite Obvious...

    "After Days and what seemed to be attempts to reduce her sentence by rebutting some of the ims, Gwen Cancino has finally pleaded guilty for all charges. Giving us the report, live from the courthouse, is Nancy Paltrow. Nancy."


    The male news E! News Anchor nodded at her and a footage of Nancy outside the courthouse appeared on screen.


    "Yes Callum, it is just as you said. Gwen Cancino has finally pleaded guilty for all the ims imed against her."


    "Nancy, what may have caused the change? Because from what I understand, she was trying to reduce her sentence as much as she could."


    Nancy nodded before proceeding to answer. She had a heavy expression when she heard the question.


    "Well, our sources tell us that more overwhelming evidence was presented today. The FBI along with some scientists figured out the true purpose of the drug and I am deeply, deeply disturbed to say this", she took a deep breath, her face unable to hide the anger and disappointment. Even though she wasn''t one of the victims, she felt the blow as well. "It was revealed today in court that the drug''s purpose was not only meant for abortion but sterility all at once. One of the surviving victims testified today, very brave-"


    "You mean, sorry to interrupt you Nancy, you mean the surving women who underwent these trials have been robbed of their gift of motherhood?" Callum could not conceal his shock either.


    While he let that sink in, there was suddenmotion right behind Nancy. Gwen was being escorted out of the courthouse. An enraged crowd had gathered there ready to viciously tear them apart verbally and physically.


    "BURN IN HELL!!!!!"


    "PETER YOU SCUM! DIE! DIE!"


    "YOU DEMON!"


    "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR FELLOW WOMEN? YOU''RE DISGUSTING!!"


    "DEATH PENALTY FOR GWEN! DIE! DIEEEEEEEE!"


    "YOU''RE DISGUSTING GWEN CANCINO! BURN IN FUCKING HELL!"


    Peter had his head hanging low as he was dragged to the van. His insides were in turmoil knowing what awaited him. The verdict was yet to be announced because there were a lot of charges to take into consideration and that called for a just ruling. The end was quite obvious.


    On the other hand, Gwen walked unapologetically with her head held high. She refused to be affected by thements made on her. She refused to ever be seen as weak, not again. Yet, that only infuriated the people more.


    And to make things worse, she did not give any exnation as to why she did that to those girls. The smart people knew she was just someone''s puppet. However, she was not remaining quiet for loyalty''s sake, though after being thrown under the bus, she just did not care anymore.


    "CURSE YOUR WOMB!"


    "CURSE ANY CHILD THAT COMES FROM YOUR WOMB!"


    Gwen stopped as she was about to enter the van. She was unfazed by the manyments but this curse.... The officer could not read through her frosty expression. He looked back to see security barely holding down the angry crowd.


    "Move it", he shoved her in.


    Victoria turned off the television, no longer interested in watching the news. She leaned back in her seat on the couch and sighed heavily. She heavily empathized with the girls who went through such horrors only to be left scarred for life.


    Ste walked in with Roserie in her arms. She had gone up to change her diaper before joining her friend. "What did they say was the motive?"<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "They- cover her ears", Victoria warned and Ste shielded her grandbaby. Victoria continued with a whisper. "Forced abortion and sterilization. All at once."


    Ste gasped in shock as she carefully sat down. She adjusted Roserie in her arms in afortable position before continuing to dive into the shocking news. "Are you serious? That''s, that''s evil."


    "I know. Being such a reputablepany, I bet they didn''t know the true purpose of the trials", Victoria shook her head.


    "These people are disgusting", Ste hissed. "How could they do that to innocent people?"


    Victoria only let out a heavy sigh. She nced down at Roserie who stuck out her tongue releasing some milked mixed saliva at the corner of her little mouth. Victoria instinctively took her beeb to wipe the mess.


    "They''ll never experience this precious gift", she said with sadness in her eyes as she looked at her granddaughter.


    Ste responded with a heavy sigh. She could not wrap her head around the whole thing. How could they make such a drug? Her mind wandered off to a certain someone and she could not help but feel angry...


    "Lily, exin!" Ste hissed into her phone as soon as the call was answered. She had closed herself in her room to make that call.


    "You''re going to have to be more specific than that", Lily deadpanned.


    "Were you guys that desperate for money that you would buy... that?!" She grunted out thest word in frustration.


    "Thest time I checked, you were no longer part of the gang", she chuckled.


    "Lily! I swear to God!"


    "Alright!! Look, it''s not about being desperate. Everyone is so focused on what happened to the girls, I''m not agreeing with tricking them and shit, but really, there are people who who would genuinely want that ..... good."


    Ste gasped in disbelief. "Which sane woman would want to both abort and destroy their chances of ever having a child?"


    "Ste, a child is a gift, yes. But you don''t know everyone''s story. Sometimes the situation calls for it."


    Ste fell silent at this. What Lilly said made sense but she still felt angry for the innocent girls and lives lost. Nothing good came out of associating with the Dark Waters, it''s why she left in the first ce.


    "You guys should cut all ties with those people", Ste warned.


    "Well, you don''t need to tell me twice. We''re literally scrambling for the next best thing, something to survive on since you know..."


    "Things are that bad?" Ste''s brows rose.


    "Yup. It''s practically a war here. What''s even worse is everyone knows who caused this so they''re caught between trying to survive and seeking revenge." Lilly continued to warn her in a whisper, "A little birdie told me that they''ll destory her and everything else connected to her once they find her."


    Ste''s legs gave away as she slumped onto the edge of the bed while her heart sunk knowing who was now the topic of discussion. Fear glistened in her orbs and wore down her facial expression.


    ''This cannot be happening.....''

 Chapter 289 Amys Baggage

    The older woman did not waste a second and rushed to find Amy. She dashed out of her room in haste and made for Amy''s bedroom.


    Early on, Amy had retired to her bedroom to get some work done since the two older women wanted to spend some time with Roserie so Ste knew where to find her. When she reached her door, she raised her shaking hand to give it a knock.


    "Dear?" She called out.


    "Coming", Amy replied instantly.


    As she heard the soft sound of her footsteps, she could not help but wipe her sweaty palms against her dress. A minuteter, Amy opened the door to greet the woman with a smile.


    "Is everything okay?" She immediately took in her worried expression and quickly gave her a once over. She seemed fine and her heart spiked in that moment thinking it''s her daughter. "Where''s Roserie? Is she okay?"


    "Calm down, dear", Ste pulled back Amy who was ready to go downstairs. "She''s fine. She''s with Victoria."


    Amy visibly calmed down with a sigh of relief. But she resumed being worried when Ste''s expression didn''t change. "What''s going on?" She asked softly.


    "Dear", Ste spoke quietly but still unable to suppress her worry as she held onto Amy''s hands. "There''s something I need to ask you." Amy nodded as a go ahead and Ste took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Did you have something to do with Greco''s downfall?"


    "Uh... I may have had a hand. Why?" She looked at her curiously and also surprised by the topic.


    "Oh dear!" Ste felt like crying in that moment as her frown deepened. "They''reing for you."


    "Who is?" Amy''s demeanor was calm and collected but her heart rate had spiked with Ste''s warning.


    "I can''t be specific because I''m not too sure but all I know is your actions have upset a lot of people. I''m not saying bringing the truth to light was wrong but things are really bad in that... world", she closed her eyes and tried to steady. She opened them to disy her worry and whispered, "Some people are out to get their revenge on you. My goodness! How did they even know it was you? Or was it your n to do that?"


    Amy felt bad seeing Ste''s hopeful gaze as she shook her head no. Ste''s expression worsened with that.


    "Then how did they find out? Maybe someone else is after you? Nevermind that, is there some sort of n? What can I do to help? I can''t let anything happen to you."


    Amy could not help her smile as she wiped Ste''s tears and the love in her eyes. Thetter was buffled by how calm the girl was in that moment. She could not tell what Amy was thinking or feeling. Amy gave the older woman''s hand a gentle squeeze.


    "Thank you for telling me this", she said with a warm smile and tucked away some stray locks of Ste''s hair. "Don''t worry too much."


    "But dear..." Ste almost whined. Her worry doubled in that moment.


    Amy chuckled and pulled her into a hug. "Don''t make me worry about you, alright?"


    "I have some connections. It''s been a while since I was in the game but I promise you, I can get you anything you need. Just say the word", Ste promised.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "I can''t let you do that. You left that side of the world for a reason and it would be wrong of me to throw you back into the mix", Amy shook her head.


    "But dear-"


    "I understand that you love me but what daughter would do that to her mother?" Amy asked softly. Both women''s eyes instantly sparkled with fresh tears embracing this special moment.


    Amy hugged her once more untill they both calmed down before she sent the older woman away. Her lips were pressed in a straight line as she had immediately fallen into thought the moment she got back in her room.


    She picked up herptop and finished her task of upgrading a client''s system then left the device to continue with the job while shey in bed pondering on the current situation. Things had gotten so bad. Putting her name behind Greco''s downfall had eventually done her more damage than good.


    Zach walked into the room whilst on a work call. He too had been remotely handling work matters from home, refusing to leave his fianc¨¦ and new baby alone. He wanted to be especially helpful to Amy during this time when she had just given birth.


    "Alright", he ended the call when he noticed her absentmindedness. She had not acknowledged his presence. Was something wrong?


    Amy only realized Zach was in the room when he was inches away from the bed. She automatically smiled as he joined her. "Hey."


    He put herptop away andy half on the bed and half on top of her. She locked her hands behind his neck making him smile.


    "What''s on your mind?" He gently asked.


    "Mm.....", She started ying with his hair as she exined everything Ste told her.


    Despite the amazing distraction that was her fingers in his hair, he still fought to pay attention as the matter at hand was important. And just like she, his expression was calm when he learned of the situation.


    "I see", he said in thought then broke into a smile as he looked into her eyes. "You''ve managed to piss off the underworld?"


    "So much baggage. Do you still love me?" She chuckled.


    "I can''t help myself", he admitted with a helpless smile. Amy pouted her lips and pecked his a few times but he was quick to take control, briefly pressing his against hers before letting go.


    She softly brushed her nose against his as she whispered, "What do we do?"


    "We give them what they want", he whispered back, pecking her lips again. He pulled back to give her a meaningful look. "You know what this means, don''t you?"


    She exhaled a deep breath when she felt her nerves needed to be calmed down and gave a firm nod. She knew exactly what he meant.


    "Mm."

 Chapter 290 Danger

    Somewhere in the outskirts where the King''s Vi was, Dn sat in his spinning leather chair with legs crossed and propped on top of the table in his office. For the first time in a while, the man had full clothes on.


    His gaze was fixed on the outside, lost in thought while the cigarette in his hand burned out. He was brought back to reality when he heard Esmeralda''s excited squeal and the sound of her heels. She was running. The woman burst through the door still running and had on a huge smile on her face.


    "Oh my gooooosh! Guess what?" She sat her butt dwn on the edge of the desk right next to Dn''s legs. He raised his brows at her in question. Ignoring hisck of enthusiasm, she proceeded to spill the beans. "Guess who pissed off the underworld and is now, more than ever, everyone''s target thanks to your little trick with Greco?"


    "A.J?" His expression was full of shock and displeasure but she was too excited and missed it.


    "Uh-huh!" She nodded vigorously whilst staring into space. "I''m no saint but I think there is a god out there for me! I am so sure about this."


    "We can''t let anything happen to her", Dn growled as he removed his legs from the table and got onto his feet.


    Her smile and excitement froze right then. "Excuse me?"


    "You heard me."


    "Wait a minute", she held up a finger at him and took a moment to take a deep breath and recollect herself. "Are you, I might have misheard you, but are you in any way suggesting that we protect the very same person who has been behind the shit situation we''re in right now? The very same person who wants nothing more than to see us destroyed??" She narrowed her eyes at him, nose ring, and breathing hard from anger despite the miserable attempt to remain calm.


    "Esmeralda, I don''t like the situation we''re in either but if getting out of here means protecting the very same person who wants to destroy us then so be it", he spat back.


    "No, no, no, no, no", she moved away from him, confused by his words as she started to pace around the room.


    Dn took a breath to calm down. He knew he would not be able to get through to her if he too was angry. "She''s our ticket out of here. The only one who can-"


    "NO!" she spun to face him, breathing heavily from raw anger. From where he stood, Dn could see the pure hatred she had for Amy. But he still needed to make her see reason.


    "Esmeralda-"


    "I said NO! The only way I will be caught in the same room with that woman is when her head is brought to me on a silver tter otherwise, figure out SOMETHING ELSE!"


    She stormed out of the room mumbling about how absurd Dn''s suggestion was. He too found himself in a dilemma. They were in a bind. Amy had sessfully trapped them and she was the key to undoing this whole situation. Esmeralda just didn''t see that, she refused to see that.


    ''Why are women soplicated?'' he mused in irritation. Now he had to think of an impossible solution for their impossible situation.


    "FUCK!"


    Meanwhile, At Frost Corporation


    Xavier was also having his own share of frustration and also, all because of a woman. He had seen thetest news concerning Greco. He knew the witness being talked about was Lorraine''s friend, Savannah. Both girls must be devastated, especially Lorraine.


    He gave a long side nce at his phone that rested on his desk. Should he check on her? Would he be able to just check on her? What if it''s seen as an attempt to lead her on? Can he handle breaking her heart?


    But after ghosting her with not so much as an exnation, will she respond to any of his calls or texts? He still had not figured out what his feelings towards her actually mean. He didn''t want her to just be a rebound. So checking on her, would that make things better or worse?


    "Sir?" His secretary knocked and peeked in through the door earning his attention. "They''re ready for you."<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    Yeah, he should stay away from her as he''s been doing until he figures things out. With that thought, he nodded both at his thoughts and his secretary.


    "Thank you", he said as he stood up to put on his jacket that he had hung over his chair.


    He followed her out and proceeded to attend his meeting. It was a repeat of his now new habit of trying to keep Lorraine out of his mind: drowning himself in work.


    Much to his disapproval, the day was over before he knew it. His secretary helped him close up before they went their separate ways in the underground garage.


    It was a quiet ride home, his chauffeur stole a few nces at the man who had his gaze peeled outside. What happened to the the jolly and hyper man he knew to be his boss? What was upying that mind of his for him to look so.... gloomy?


    "Stop the car", Xavier quietly ordered.


    "Sir?" He had heard him, but still wanted to be sure. Xavier met his gaze through the rear view mirror and that''s when he did as told.


    "Will you be alright from here?" Xavier asked whilst unhooking his seatbelt.


    "Yes, sir." He had been asked to stop close to the Subway station so it was convenient for him.


    Both men jumped out of the car and Xavier collected the keys from him. "I''ll see you tomorrow, then."


    "Yes. Have a goodnight, sir."


    Xavier smiled and saluted him before he drove off. He thought he was being too rational and avoiding Lorraine was not doing him any good. And he felt he owed Lorraine an exnation, at least, despite not having fully figured things out. And he just, he just wanted to see her. So with that, he floored it all the way to Albany.


    Darkness was slowly creeping in. As he drove closer to her apartment, his heart thumped a bit faster. Nervousness coursed through his veins. But there was no turning back.


    "You can do this", he whispered to himself as he stopped the car. He blew out a breath, attempting to calm himself. "You can do this."


    He got out and took their stairs heading to the top floor. He was so immersed in his worries that he did not the unfamiliar ck van with no number te that had also parked in front of the building.


    "Shit. What do I say?" He mumbled under his breath nervously. "Lorraine, I know I''ve been such a di- no, Oliver will probably be there. Can''t use badnguage. First, I have to say hie, then- will she even let me in? Shit. How was I supposed to start-"


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The sound of banging on the door caught his attention and his pace came to a slow as he grew alert. A sleazy yet masculine voice followed. "Open up! I know you''re in there!"


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    "You know what happens when you keep me waiting Lorraine, OPEN UP!!!"


    Xavier walked into a scene of muscr man yet with a small built and height than him, adorned in a ck suit standing a few feet from Lorraine''s door. Ten different sized men were standing with him with one doing the banging for him. One word came to Xavier''s mind: danger.

 Chapter 291 The Wolf And The Sheep

    One of the men heard Xavier''s footsteps as he came to a stop. He turned around and there in his expensive Armani suit, stood the beautiful yet masculine man named Xavier Frost.


    "Who are you?" The man arrogantly nodded at Xavier, throwing him a nasty look and gaining everyone''s attention.


    Xavier quietly stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets. "I should be asking you. This isn''t your home."


    "I do the asking around here", the boss moved from the door and moved to stand in front of everyone to entertain Xavier. "But you know the story about the wolf and the sheep. I''m the wolf and you''re the sheep."


    Xavier let out an unamused chuckle and showed no sign of moving from where he stood. "Right."


    "Boy, you don''t know who you''re messing with. That cocky attitude and that pretty face of yours, I''ll take care of it. You won''t be able to recognize yourself after tonight."


    "You should be afraid", someone shouted.


    The threats did not get out much of a reaction from Xavier. Him being calm and collected irritated the boss. He extended a hand and one of his men handed him a torch. He used it to have a look at the arrogant bastard who refused to heed his warning when realization dawned on him.


    "Ah. You''re the guy who''s been sticking onto dear Lorraine like a leech, looking into me while providing her with an insane amount of bodyguards", he shrugged with a smile.


    "A man''s got to do what a man''s got to do", Xavier shrugged.


    "A man. He said he''s a man", the boss startedughing. He looked at his men and the ten broke into forcedughs. He soon raised a hand and closed it into a fist, silencing them.


    His expression grew cold as he fixed his sinister gaze on Xavier. He stood legs apart and hands sped behind him and smirked, "I''ve been looking forward to this meeting. Xavier Frost, you''re done for. And once I''m done with you, guess who''s next?"


    The evening wind blew threw Xavier''s blond hair. The threat still lingered in the air, sending a chill to the men who listened to their boss dere it. They could imagine Xavier shaking in his-


    "Who?"


    "Who what?"


    "Look, I''ve had a long day at work, not really in the mood for guess work right now so out with it already, who''s next?" Xavier rubbed the back of his neck hand before returning it back in the warmth of his pocket.


    All: "..."


    "Are you serious? Isn''t it obvious that it''s Lorraine?" The boss answered and looked back at his men who were equally confused. "What''s with this guy? You guys got it, right?"


    "Yeah, totally." Some hummed in agreement. The boss looked back at Xavier who was now nodding in understanding.


    "Lorraine, huh?..." He slowly stopped nodding then his calm demeanor quickly changed into a cold one. "Yeah, that''s not happening."


    The boss chuckled as he started walking to towards him. He took off his jacket then his tie handing it to his subordinate who was quick to rush to his side. He leisurely rolled up his shirt sleeves as his chuckle was reced by unamused expression. "Mr. Frost, in case I didn''t make myself clear, that isn''t exactly up to you now, is it?"


    He stretched out his hand to the side and a subordinate ced a metallic bat in his hold. It''s coldness shimmered in the light of the moon. Without wasting a second, he run and swung the bat at Xavier.


    "Ha!"


    Xavier was quick on his feet and jumped out of the way and away from the man. The men startedughing seeing him escape the hit.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "I thought he was all that."


    "Boss only needs five minutes."


    "At least he''ll put him out of his misery much quicker."


    The boss felt smug from thements but pretended he didn''t hear them and ran after Xavier to swing another hit. Surprisingly, Xavier didn''t run. Was he influenced by the men''sments? Either way, it only means-


    Shocked gasps echoed among the men followed by their boss'' struggle filled grunt. Xavier caught his wrist in an iron grip.


    "Arrggghhh", the man grunted through gritted teeth and his body shook, trying to channel all his energy and strength, and enduring the pain from the grip.


    He blew out a breath and swung the other fist in Xavier''s face but the man easily deted it and twisted the other arm.


    "Arrrrrrrrgggghh!" The boss cried hearing the sound of his bones crackling and the bat falling to the ground with a nk sound. "Please, please, plea-"


    A hard fist to the mouth shut him up. And another. Another. Another. Xavier was ruthless with the punches until his hand was covered in blood. He let go of the bleeding man who could barely stand straight and kicked him away.


    Silence.


    They thought their boss needed five minutes but Xavier K''Oed him in less than two. He observed his bloodied hand and frowned. Was he really defending himself or was there just a lot of pent up emotions he needed to let out?


    "Get him!"


    Xavier looked up and all the ten run after him. It was not a fair fight but if he could use this to blow off some steam, then who was he toin!


    ''Okay, the movies exaggerate this shit!'' he mused as he defended himself against the ten.


    Before he knew it, a couple of them where yanked off of him and we''re brutally beaten by none other than, his shadow bodyguards.


    If not for the guy who was on the lookout when his boss was attacking Xavier, they would have missed out on the whole show. Five minutester, eleven men including their bossy on on the ground groaning in pain.


    "Whew!" Xavier blew out a breath, feeling out of breath and gave his men a wolfish grin. "What took you so long?"


    "Sorry boss- boss?" He pointed at Xavier''s abdomen. "I think that''s yours...."


    He looked down to see the white shirt soaked in blood. The sight made him feel queazy and his heart started to beat wildly. Was the blood really his? He pressed a hand to the spot that seemed to be more soaked and his worst fear was confirmed: he had been stabbed.


    "Shit. Call the police", he shook his head in attempt to clear off the dizziness.


    "Sir, we need to get you to the hospital first", the two men were quick to his side.


    Xavier looked down and he seemed to be bleeding much more which contributed to his dizziness. "Ugh..... don''t tell my broth...."

 Chapter 292 Thinking Is Hard...

    Bright white ceiling and blinding lights. Xavier winced and squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again.


    "SIR! YOU''RE AWAKE!" His bodyguard was quick to his side.


    "Don, I was stabbed and not... I can hear just fine", he pulled himself up to sit and immediately groaned from the pain.


    "You remember?" Don asked as he adjusted his bed to make his bossfortable.


    Xavier was more focused on the wound. He could vividly remember the ghastly sight that was of his blood soaked shirt. The sight of blood has been a sight he could not stand for a long time now, especially his own, and especially after he was shot... He felt the bandage on the left of his abdomen underneath the hospital gown.


    "Luckily, the stab wasn''t too deep, so no vital organs were hit and you didn''t lose a lot of blood", Don exined as he watched Xavier cover himself.


    "What happened to those men?" He looked at his hand. His knuckles were bruised and he felt the sting.


    "In police custody. We filed a report that they attacked you when you made a surprise visit to your girlfriend and they have to wait until you''re conscious to make a statement", Don exined. "And we emphasized on your high social status and asked to keep things on the DL so it doesn''t affect Frost Corp."


    Xavier''s lips lifted into a smirk. He was never a fan of the rich abusing their power but not in this moment: he loved it.


    "Do you know why they attacked?"


    This thought had been lingering in his mind from the moment he saw them banging on Lorraine''s door. She had assured him that they wouldn''t attack her anytime soon and he knew she wasn''t just saying that to send his men away.


    "Here." Don handed him a tablet and watched Xavier''s expression turn icy cold as he read through the contents.


    "Bastards", he growled as his hand balled into a fist.


    The sound of his door opening caught the two men''s attention. Who would enter his room like they owned the ce? Well, it was not the doctor.


    "Sis?" Xavier''s brows shot up at the sight of Amy. And right behind her was none other than her man, Zach. Xavier shot a deadly re at his bodyguard.


    "Sorry sir."


    Between Xavier and Zach, they feared thetter. And this situation only called for honesty even if it meant going against their boss''s orders. The two bodyguards excused themselves leaving the three alone with Xavier shooting a sheepish grin on his face at Zach''s serious one.


    "Xavier", Amy rushed to give him a hug and observe him. "Are you alright? What happened?"


    "Things got a little out of hand while I was ying hero", he answered with a nervous chuckle. "But I''m fine."


    Amy had a frown on her face seeing him look so pale. She sighed, not convinced by his words. Zach now joined her side. She took a hold of his hand andced their fingers.


    Amy understood that Zach could not stand seeing his brother hurt like this, especially when there was a woman involved. When he learned that Xavier had been rushed to the hospital after being stabbed and wanted it to be kept a secret, he was both scared and furious. He almost lost him before and didn''t want a repeat...


    "Darling", Amy whispered as she nudged his arm. Both men still were not saying a word to each other. "We brought you a change of clothes, Zachery said hospital gowns make you ufortable."


    "Thank you", Xavier received the bag and took out a set of his PJs. He didn''t make a sound as he got down from the bed and left for the bathroom. But the pained expression did not go unmissed.


    "Babe", Amy whispered again as they watched Xavier disappear into the bathroom.<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "He''s fine", Zach whispered back only to be met by Amy''s re. "Sit."


    He helped her onto a sofa before following his brother. He knocked once before joining him. Xavier was shocked to see him but happy nheless.


    "Couldn''t say no to Amy?" He teased. He had been struggling to find a way to pull up his pajama trousers underneath the hospital gown.


    "Not a chance", Zach answered as he took over.


    "She couldn''t see anything wrong with two men alone in the bathroo-"


    "Not funny Xav", he warned.


    Xavier chuckled and let his brother help him. He could tell that Zach was still upset with the whole situation. Zach could feel Xavier''s eyes practically boring a hole onto the side of his face. Being angry would not solve anything, he needed to understand Xavier.


    "Is she worth it?" Zach asked, finally buttoning up the shirt and gave him a stern look. "You barely know her."


    "You''re one to talk", he smirked, referring to the Amy situation. Zach desperately wished he could wipe that smirk away with a punch and Xavier chuckled, guessing his thoughts before he turned serious. "Look, I know you don''t want me to get hurt and I know to never deliberately put myself in harm''s way but tonight, it was crazy."


    "You didn''t think before you could act?" He got the door for them, letting Xavier walk out first.


    "That only seems to happen with Lorraine in the picture", he admitted. "Thinking is hard."


    Amy chuckled from where she sat when she heard Xavier''s response. The atmosphere had improved between the two brothers and she felt relieved at this sight.


    "It''s still not safe for you guys to move around, right?" Xavier asked with a frown as he took the tablet and handed it to Zach who stood next to Amy''s sofa. "What about Roserie?"


    "We couldn''t just sit at home when we heard you got hurt", Amy answered as Zach read through the info.


    "What about the folks? What did you tell them?" He groaned as he got back in bed.


    "That we''re attending to an emergency", she answered, her face scrunching up from empathizing with his pain.


    "You should get treated at home", Zachmented whilst scrolling a finger on the tablet.


    Xavier chuckled, "Home? Zach you don''t know game. Then getting this would just be pointless", he pointed at his wound.


    "Oh, he has game. Why do you think I''m so crazy about him?" Amy looked up at her man, practically swooning. Zach looked down at her with a smirk and gave her a sexy wink making her blush.


    "See?" Amy bragged. Zach smiled at Amy''s antics.


    "Did youe here to check on me or flirt in front of me?" He grumbled.


    "Oh", she looked up at Zach, ignoring Xavier''sint. "He''s expecting someone."


    Zach didn''t give much of a reaction as he caught on to Xavier''s n before they heard some sort ofmotioning from outside. The three looked at the door and Zach instinctively used himself as a shield for Amy even though they had security.

 Chapter 293 Getting Even

    There were a lot of footsteps heard and it sounded like their security was barely restraining whoever it was. Bam! The door swung open and in rushed Lorraine. The bodyguards gave apologetic looks to their superiors before closing the door.


    Her sole focus was on Xavier. He was all she could see. She had lost all reasoning when she heard he got hurt. And seeing him look ghastly pale in bed...


    Xavier''s heart was beating at the speed of light. She was finally here standing a foot away from his bed. He was seeing her after what felt like forever. But he had ghosted her and now.... How will she react?


    "Oh my God", she whispered before breaking into a sob. She shielded her crying face with her hands.


    Zach watched with his brows knitted while Amy had her jaw dropped. She could not believe her eyes. Xavier, on the other hand, did not know what to do. Can he hug her? Would that be too much? Can he hold her hand? Would she let him? If he just sits there, won''t he look like a dooche?


    "How could you do this to me?" She looked at him while sobbing and punched his shoulder.


    "Lorraine-"


    "You made me feel things then disappeared on me and then you get stabbed because of me! Why are you confusing me?" she punched his shoulder once more.


    "Lorraine", he caught her fist when she was about to hit him again.


    She leaned into him and sobbed against his shoulder. He took that as a cue to hug andfort her. The girl took her time until she had bawled her frustrations out on him. When she pulled away, all she could see was worry in his eyes.


    "I''m sorry", he whispered.


    Zach chose to put down the tablet on the coffee table in that moment making a soft noise that caught both their attention.


    "Oh my gosh!" Lorraine almost jumped out of her shoes taking in her audience.


    Xavier red at his brother who was the least bothered. "Lorraine, that''s my brother, Zach and my sister-inw, Amy."


    "Hi", she greeted awkwardly. How did she not see the two of them earlier? And Zach Frost has a wife? She looked at both their hands and saw an engagement ring on Amy''s finger.


    ''Savannah will surely get brain damage from this'', she mused.


    "Officer May, I never thought I would see this side of you", Amy said with an amused smile.


    "You know me?"


    "Uh.....", Amy chuckled nervously when she realized her slip up and received a re from Xavier. "Xavier has told me so much about you."


    "Oh. All good things, I hope?"


    "All good things", Amy smiled. Lorraine smiled back, oddily feeling at ease with Amy. She could not shake off the feeling of familiarity although she had just met her.


    "You guys were just about to leave, weren''t you?" Xavier forced a smile, hinting with his eyes that he needed some alone time with Lorraine.


    "So soon?"


    "Yes, we''re new parents. We can''t leave our cupcake alone for too long", Amy said whilst getting up taking Zach''s hand. She walked over and extended a hand to Lorraine. "But it''s nice to finally meet you. I hope to see you soon."<novelnext>  </novelnext>


    "Likewise", she smiled, shaking her hand.


    Zach''s handshake came and went as fast as a lightning. The two said their goodbyes and left them alone. Lorraine was left in a shocked state.


    Not only did Zach have a beautiful fianc?? but he also had a child with her..... Nobody knew about this so despite Amy telling her, it means she had to keep it a secret as well.....


    "Lorraine", he gently called out, earning her attention. "We need to talk."


    ''Shit! Why did I say all those things earlier?'' she scolded herself, wishing she could hide under a rock. But she remembered him getting hurt, she needed some answers of her own. So she sat on the chair close to his bed.


    ''I don''t even know what I look like right now'', she mused in irritation and tucked some loose strands behinds her ears, hoping to look presentable before looking up at him. Xavier was awestruck with how beautiful she looked especially with her green orbs staring at him like that.


    "What happened.... tonight?" She broke the silence.


    "I was.. I came to see you but walked in on them", he chuckled softly.


    "You should''ve walked away. They''re dangerous people and now you''ve fallen on their radar too", she frowned.


    She knew how much those people could practically be a leech, sucking the life out of you. As exhausting as it was, she still put up with them because of Oliver and not just that woman.


    "Don''t worry, they won''t being around anymore."


    "Did you pay off the debt?? Xavier-"


    "Lorraine, calm down. I didn''t do that knowing you wouldn''t exactly approve of that and besides, I didn''t have to. Someone did that already."


    "Okay", she nodded, calming down from her panic. "Wait, who paid them off?"


    "The one who rightfully owes them", he said. Her jaw dropped, she knew who he was talking about. "And I was going to wait for you to tell me everything on your own but after tonight, I could not help but do some digging. It seems she paid them off not too long ago. I don''t understand why they came back but my guess is they just wanted to exploit you since you were probably in the dark about the payment."


    Those phone calls she had been rejecting, was that what she was trying to tell her? So, the beating fromst time, harassing her and leaving them to live in fear, for apparently failing to make a payment and now Xavier getting stabbed too...


    "Where are they?" Her expression had turned deadly in an instant. All she could think about was getting even with them. She needed to give them a taste of their own medicine.


    "In police custody. Where are you going?" He was rmed by her standing up.


    "I just remembered that I have something to take care of." She pulled up her hair and tied it in a high pony tail.


    "We''re not done talking."


    "Don''t worry, I''lle back to hear all your reasons for ghosting me and besides, I need to take care of you", she gave him a small smile which wasn''t exactly a smile and it sent chills down his spine.


    ''I should have gone home with Zach'', he mused as he watched her leave.

 Chapter 294 The Call She Had Been Avoiding

    Lorraine was fuming! She had gone into the ''Officer May'' mode. They had the audacity to y her and to hurt someone because of greed! She was disgusted! The girl built a million scenarios she would pay them back and all of them involving her physically hurting them.


    Should she castrate each and every one of them? Break their hands that hit her with their famous metal bat? Or crush their legs so they''ll never be able to walk to make someone''s life miserable? m their faces into a-


    Something vibrating snapped her out of her thoughts. It was her phone. It had been vibrating for a while she just didn''t feel it. She fished it out of her trouser pocket and was about to slide a finger to answer only to be taken aback by the number.


    She stopped in her tracks. She was outside the hospital on her way to catch a cab but this.... This was a call she had been avoiding but now. Oh she desperately wanted to ignore but she needed the truth!


    "Finally! She picked up!" A crispy yet older female voice resounded in clear amusement as soon as Lorraine answered.


    As annoying the woman was to her, she still gritted her teeth and got straight to the point. "You can''t help but cause more trouble for me even while you''re in prison?"


    "Why I''m fine thanks for asking", she deadpanned. Lorraine rolled her eyes in annoyance and let out a frustrated sigh. "Oh and this ce, it''s be my second home."


    "Clearly but do you have any idea what you put me through? No, forget me. What you put Oliver through? Do you?" The hurt and the pain all came out through her anger. Her eyes stung with frustrated tears.


    "Sweetheart, I know I haven''t exactly been a great mother to both of you so I did the right thing. For my babies", she cooed thest three words like she was talking to a child.


    "BULLSHIT!" Lorraine screamed but quickly became conscious of her surroundings. She didn''t want her outburst to rm anyone and most importantly did not want to give this woman the pleasure of hearing how frustrated she was. She moved away to a more secluded ce and spoke quietly as she walked. "Stephanie, I cannot put up with your bullshit anymore. Oliver cannot continue to live like this. He needs to grow up in a normal environment like a normal child."


    "Do you seriously believe that I did not pay everything off? Lorraine."


    "Paying off is not the issue, how you did is! You cannot continue borrowing money from who knows where and leaving me to deal with the aftermath! The constant harassment, the-"


    "I promise I didn''t know they would resort to such underhanded means."


    "Gee, it must have been hard to guess especially knowing the type of people they are", she deadpanned. Stephanie grew quiet at the obvious truth her daughter had just stated. Lorraine closed her eyes and exhaled to calm her inner turmoil. "How much is it this time? What did you do?"


    "Lorraine, uh, my time is up. I have to go."


    "No! Stephanie! Steph-" The call had been terminated and there was dead silence.


    The fear of the unknown was slowly creeping up on her and along with it came frustration. Who will she have to deal with this time? Will their lives ever return to normal? What if this new person is worse than these guys and actually hurt Oliver?


    These thoughts gued her mind as she walked. There were so many what ifs and all of them only fueled her worries. Why was she handed such a miserable fate?


    Lorraine''s life had never been peaceful and she desperately wished for that to be undone. It was like she was under water for too long and desperately needed a breather. A breather...


    She had no idea how she ended up at Xavier''s room door. She still needed to pay back those goons but her legs remained glued on the spot. She had somehow wandered back to Xavier. Before she could think, she opened his door to find him still in the sitting position.


    The moment Xavier saw her facial expression, he opened his arms wide. Lorraine automatically walked over and cried in his arms, for the second time that night.


    "Thanks", she pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed, facing him.


    He wiped her tear stained cheeks with his thumb. His expression and tone of voice was full of worry. "Do you want to talk about it?"


    "I..... I got a call from Stephanie, my mother."


    He nodded. "She confirmed?"


    "Was there anything else you found out concerning the debt payment? I don''t trust her."


    "I don''t think I got any of that, check in that tablet", he nodded at the device on the coffee table.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She walked over to retrieve it and gave it to him to unlock it. They read through the information together and found nothing. Xavier now understood Lorraine''s worry. Did this mean new loan sharks to deal with? Could they be worse than the previous ones?


    "I know someone who can find out", he said.


    "Please."


    He didn''t waste a second and took his phone from the night stand and called. "Hey, can you look into Stephanie.... May?" He looked at Lorraine and she nodded confirming the surname.


    "Stephanie May", Zach''s voice resounded in Xavier''s ear. He had seen that name in the report early on.


    "Yeah, we need to know what she''s done, if there''s a new enemy or not."


    "Okay."


    Lorraine watched with expectant eyes as Xavier put away his phone. He nodded at her assuring her that it will be done. She wanted to breath a sigh of relief but would relief evere to her? She felt a warm hand take hold of hers and looked up to meet Xavier''s kind eyes.


    "Everything will be okay. Whatever you need, I''ll be here for you. I promise." All he wanted was to see her happy and vowed to keep his word.


    "Thank you", she gave him an appreciative smile. Her eyes fell on the tablet and reminded her of her earlier mission. "Um, what do you n on doing with Nico and his boys?"


    "Well, for now, they will remain in custody until I regain consciousness and we''ll file a case for assault."


    "They might get off on easy bail. They have the money."


    "Not when the Frost name is on the line", he smirked. "And there are so many charities in need of a good funding."


    She smiled at his idea. "That''s nice."


    "You have something else in mind?" His brows shot up.


    "Oliver and I have lived in fear for too long, I want them to have a taste of their own medicine", she shrugged. "I''m not that kind."


    "I think.... I can make happen."


    The two smiled at each other, feeling thrilled about what was toe. Meanwhile, Zach and Amy were still on their way home. He put away his phone and resumed holding her in his arms as they were driven home.


    "Stephanie May.... Lorraine May....", Zach mused as he yed with Amy''s hair.


    "Don''t like her?" Amy sat up and looked at him curiously.


    "What do you know about her?"


    "Mm... I''ve worked with her team at least once or twice in the past. She''s got good work ethics and is trustworthy. But I don''t know her personally."


    "Mm..." He nodded. Amy was still giving him a curious gaze so he decided to exin himself. "Miss May''s mother, Stephanie, had incurred a huge debt right before she went to jail leaving her kids to deal with that. The loan sharks were the ones that stabbed Xavier tonight."


    Amy cupped his cheek infort and sympathized with the man''s worry. "You don''t want this to be a repeat of the Irene case?"


    He only looked at her, his eyes confirming her guess. She sighed and moved to hug him. She understood himpletely. As much as she liked Lorraine because of their professional rtionship, she was not in the ce to back her up especially when she didn''t know the girl personally. In that moment, there was nothing to alleviate her man''s worries.

 Chapter 295 Taking The Heat

    Zach buried his face in the crook of her neck and enjoying her softness and the way she yed with his hair. The two didn''t even realize they were pulling up until they heard a familiar crying sound. They pulled apart but not exactly separating from each other and peeled their gazes to the house door.


    Amy''s heart was beating wildly and just hearing her child cry like that made her heart constrict in pain. Now it was Zach''s turn tofort but he knew she would only calm down once the baby was in her arms. When the car came to a stop, she didn''t wait for the bodyguard to get their door and jumped out, rushing into the house.


    "There, there, there. It''s okay sweetheart", Ste cooed at the crying baby as she walked around the living room.


    Henry and Richard were seated with miserable looks on their faces. They wanted to watch a game so badly but they had been forced to help the women with the crying baby.


    "Let me try again", Victoria stood to help her friend until she heard the door and the sound of rushing footsteps. "Are they back?"


    "Mommy is here! Stop crying, stop crying baby. Shh! Ssh!" Ste cooed but Roserie cried even louder.


    Amy rushed over and took the crying baby whose face was red and tear stained. "How long has she been crying for?" She asked as she rocked her and patted her bottom.


    "Fifteen, twenty minutes? I don''t know..", Ste could care less about that as she was upset with the young woman. "Where did you go that was so important you had to leave like that? Roserie is still young and will constantly need your attention. Amy, I know you''re not someone who would neglect what''s important but this was quite irresponsible of you."


    "Both of you", Victoria added when Zach walked in. "What was the emergency?"


    "Xavier got stabbed, he''s in the hospital-"


    "Oh my god!" Victoria and Ste shouted at the same time, eyes wide in shock before he could finish his sentence. The two men were quickly on their feet, joining the women.


    "I''ll go up", Amy said quietly to Zach and he nodded away. The guilt on her face because of their crying daughter was a heartbreaking sight for him.


    "What happened?"


    "Is he alright?"


    "Which hospital was he taken to?"


    "Why didn''t you say this sooner?"


    "You two!" Henry shut them up to let Zach speak.


    "My son''s hurt!" Victoria red at her husband through tears but Henry ignored her. Seeing Zach being calm and collected meant he should not worry too much.


    "I''ll leave the exining to him but he''s fine. The wound isn''t too deep."


    "But he''s all alone and probably scared after tonight. Why do these things happen to Xavie?" She started to sob.


    Zach held her by the shoulders. "Believe me, he''s fine. And someone''s with him."


    She took a deep breath and calmed down. Now, she understood why Henry was calm as well. "But it doesn''t change the fact that you shouldn''t have left with Amy like that? You could''ve gone alone or taken your dad with you."


    Henry gave Zach a look, silently agreeing with his wife. Was there something else to it? Because he knew that Zach and the word irresponsible never came in the same sentence. The same was true about Amy, Henry figured from what he''d learned about her.


    "He won''t want visitors tonight so call him instead." He ignored both his parents and left, following Amy upstairs.


    As Henry watched Zach''s retreating figure, he could not help but resolve to get to the bottom of things. Zach''s steps were hurrried, wanting to help Amy in case she was struggling to calm down their daughter. They were in on this together.<novelnext></novelnext>


    When he walked in, he was greeted by the sight of Amy sitting on the bed leaning against the headboard and Roserie whining while feeding. The little one sniffled as she continued to feed. Amy caressed her little face as she whisper sung her bedtime song to her infort. Zach walked over to the duo and sat in front of her.


    "How is she?" He whispered as he looked down at her.


    "She''s still upset but she''s okay."


    "And you?" He looked her in the eyes with pure worry. "Are you alright?"


    She only gave him a small smile. The guilt was still there and that worsened the guilt in him. "Amy-"


    "Don''t", she cupped his cheek and shook her head. The guilt in her eyes was reced with a warm gaze as she looked at him. "Don''t do that. Please."


    He knew what she meant but he could not help himself especially after witnessing her take the heat early on downstairs. He took her hand and kissed her palm. She smiled seeing his guilty expression lessen. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead only for Roserie to make noise.


    "Daddy is sorry princess", he kissed her little forehead twice but she whined some more whilst still feeding. "I am so sorry."


    "Yeah, I don''t think we''ll be forgiven that easily", Amy mused with a chuckle. She had gotten the same response after apologising countless times and settled to just sooth her with her touch and singing.


    "This temper.... I wonder who she''s taking after", he asked looking up at her.


    "Zachery", she red at him. "You''re lucky my hands are full."


    "See?"


    "You take credit for every good thing about her. I''m upset", she whined.


    "Alright. I''m sorry", he smiled.


    "No, you''re not", she made to smack his arm but he easily caught her hand before she could hit him.


    Her frustrated expression made himugh as he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles twice. "I''m sorry. Hm?"


    She was about to respond when a beeping warning sound resounded from her phone that sat on her nightstand. Her yful expression changed into a serious one and Zach grew curious.


    "Someone is doing something they shouldn''t", she mused while Zach retrieved the device for her. She unlocked it and type away with her free hand.


    "Gutsy", hemented when he saw the name she pulled up within seconds. He had seen it on the list Amy retrieved containing gang names affiliated to the dark waters.


    "Desperate", she put away her phone and shook her head. They were digging through her information, the little she had left, working to find her the master at masking her ways.


    For the first time, Zach found the situation amusing. Finding Amy was the most frustrating path to ever walk on You can only find her if she lets you.


    Greco got close only because she had fallen into their trap. Right now, it was no longer a mystery how they made that happen but now, the situation was diff- another warning sound. She picked up her phone and her brows slightly rose after she retrieved their info.


    "Ste was right, they areing for me. Another group", she showed the phone to Zach. "Now or ...."


    He looked up from the phone and shook his head. "We wait."

 Chapter 296 I Want To Be With You...

    The previous day had been quite eventful it was almost unreal, almost like a dream. Getting stabbed and Amy and Zach visiting him when they should be lying low. Xavier opened his eyes to be greeted by a familiar white ceiling. He was still in the hospital.


    So it was real. He definitely got stabbed judging from the throbbing pain on his abdomen, he winced trying not to move around. And he definitely put away Nico and his men. That also means seeing Lorraine was not a dream.


    But where is she? He looked around and there was no sign of the girl. Did she leave? Before he could think, he had already started sliding off the bed despite the pain.


    "Oh my gosh!" Lorraine eximed in shock the moment she opened the door to walk in. "Why didn''t you wait for me to help you?"


    He gave her a pained smile and sat still, waiting for her toe to his side. She took quick steps to reach his side and wrapped an arm around his waist. She looked up at him, "What do you need?"


    "Toilet."


    She froze. Toilet? Does she have to be there while he''s.....? Will she see his thing? Does she have to ho-?


    "If you want me to show you, just ask", he countered, guessing her thoughts.


    "Excuse me?"


    He leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "You just need to show me yours too."


    She gasped and released herself from him. Her face was burning red hot and she mastered a pissed off expression. "Oh my God! What are you, a teenager?"


    "Instead of guessing what it looks like-"


    "Hold it right there Mister, whatever this is", she pointed at him then herself. "We haven''t reached that level."


    "Then let''s talk about it once I get back from the bathroom, maybe some things might change", he offered. Seeing that she wasn''t denying things, he continued, "unfortunately, you won''t have to be there to see it."


    "It''s not unfortunate. Go already", she huffed.


    "Definitely still the shy Lorraine I know, but not soft anymore. Hmmm...." He dragged the IV along with him before he disappeared into the bathroom.


    He smiled to himself, he was so foolish to stay away from her seeing as how he was enjoying these moments with her. Now he just needed to rehearse what he wanted to say the day before.


    After a good ten minutes he did not realize had gone by, he exited the bathroom to find Lorraine standing by his bedside. He recognized how tense she looked, probably nervous about the talk they''re about to have. So was he, but he decided to break the ice.


    "Are you sure it''s not unfortunate that you didn''t get to see my di..."


    "Xavie!"


    Someone called his name, but it wasn''t Lorraine. He looked towards the door and saw two familiar figures. "Mom!"


    "You foolish foolish boy!" Victoria rushed towards him in years and started to examine him. "Where did you get hurt? Who did this to you?"


    "How could you hide this from your mother?" Ste frowned. "It stressed her out, she barely got any sleep. Look at her."


    "Her skin looks too good for someone who ''barely'' got any sleep. Did she put you up to this?"


    "You!" Victoria smacked his arm as she red at him.


    "Ow! Mom! One injury is enough and, not in front of Lorraine", he hissed.


    "That''s Lorraine?" She whisper shouted before giving the girl a snobby side eye, not wanting to talk to her. "What''s she doing here?"


    "She''s taking care of me."


    "Don''t expect me to like her just because she''s doing the needful", she grumbled.


    "And she''s pretty too", Ste added.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Xavier tried not to smile, he knew his mom was already impressed but she was putting up a front. "Lorraine, this is my mom Victoria, and my other mother, Ste. She''s Amy''s mom. But they''re both leaving."


    "Xavie..." Victoria protested as he spun her around, trying to usher her to the door.


    "Who let you twoe here anyway?"


    "That''s not important."


    "Mom, you should be home, taking care of Dad not doing this. Ste, I thought you were the sensible one."


    "I am. That''s why I had to apany her."


    "Not that you were curious about ''other things''?" He arched a brow. She knew by ''other things'' he meant Lorraine. She looked anywhere but at him, hating that he saw through her. These women. "I bet Zach, Richard and Dad don''t know you left the house."


    Silence. Seeing how frozen they were, he had hit the nail on the head. Both women turned to face him with a pleading gaze. "You wouldn''t?"


    "Leave."


    "Call me at least every hour to update me on how you''re doing", Victoria pleaded.


    "Once a day is all you''ll get."


    "What a jerk", she grumbled and looked over at Lorraine with a snobbish nce. "Take care of him for me."


    "Of course", she answered politely.


    Both women gave him a hug each before they left. Lorraine managed to catch a smile from Ste before thetter closed the door behind her. Lorraine could finally let out the breath she was holding.


    "Wow... That was...."


    "My family."


    "Interesting.... was what I was going to say", she smiled.


    "Could you help me into bed?"


    "You seemed to have the strength to push your mom out of the room just now."


    "I may have reopened my wound in the process."


    She was not sure whether to believe him but minutester after he convinced her to get the doctor, she stood in disbelief seeing the blood on his wound get cleaned up. She looked away when the doctor redid a few stitches.


    "Finish up. This must have been painful", the doctormented as he put away his tools and took off his gloves.


    Xavier only smiled as a nurse handled the task given. Lorraine turned around to find him looking at her.


    "Mr. Frost, please refrain from any strenuous work. We don''t want a repeat of this or any scarring."


    "Of course. Thank you doctor."


    The doctor and his team left the room leaving the two alone. "You look pale."


    "I''m not exactly fond of seeing blood on my body", he said with a soft chuckle.


    "Why did you do that? Why don''t you want your family around when you''re hurt?"


    "I needed to convince them that I was fine, you saw how my mom was. And secondly, there are two main reasons why but I''ll only tell you one: I want to be with you."

 Chapter 297 A Little Show And Tell

    She gave him a weary look, she could understand him and at the same time not. He patted the spot next to him, gesturing that she sit. She fixed the sheet covering him before sitting down.


    "When we first met, the moment I set my eyes on you, I felt a sudden pull towards you. Was it love at first sight? I don''t know, especially after the messy rtionship I had just gotten out of. All I know is I''ve been drawn to you since day one.


    "Still, I found myself doing things for you, not out of pity but because I genuinely wanted to undo anything that hurt you and just see you happy and safe. But that day, before I disappeared on you, I realized something.


    "That you had developed feelings for me. It''s not a bad thing, but I had a problem with myself. I did not fully understand whether my feelings were genuine or you were...


    "A rebound?"


    He nodded. "I didn''t want it to be that, I didn''t want to hurt you, that''s why, like a coward, I stayed away to figure out what my feelings meant. But that", he let out a sad chuckle, "only made things worse for me. I couldn''t stop thinking about you, everything I do, you were constantly in the back of my head, something I could not ignore no matter what. That''s why I decided to visit you, to at least exin myself."


    "Hm. We''re both adults, you could have talked to me about this."


    "I was afraid you''dpletely push me away especially with the situation."


    She let out a long tired sigh as she stared at the door. "We made thisplicated for the both of us."


    "I want to make a preposition", he started, earning her attention back. "I want us to give this a go and slowly figure things out together. What I know right now is I do have feelings for you and you''re very special to me that I want to do right by you. But we''re still getting to know each other, so let''s take it slow and see where this goes."


    "Take things slow?" Her brows rose though a happy smile yed on her lips.


    "Yeah. We could kiss", he smiled seeing her smile grow wider. "We could touch but no sex."


    Lorraine felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her head. "No sex?"


    Xavier could hardly hold back augh seeing her shocked face. "Not until marriage, no."


    "No sex till marriage? Weren''t you the one who was talking about seeing each other''s.." she cleared her throat awkwardly.


    "There''s no harm in a little show and tell."


    Lorraine''s shock turned into a beautifulugh as she tried not to picture a literal show and tell of their privates. She shook her head and turned serious when everything he said sunk in, "We''re taking things slow into marriage?"


    "If you''re up for the long road. I''m not ying around, not with you. So", he took her hand looking at her with nothing but adoration. "What do you say?"


    She looked him in the eyes and whispered, "I say you seal it with a kiss."


    He didn''t need to be asked twice. This would be the first time he would taste the lips that belonged to the woman who had been haunting his thoughtstely. He gently grabbed the nape of her neck and pulled her closer, aligning their lips and finally capturing hers in a passionate kiss.


    Her soft lips brushed gently against his. She grabbed his pajama shirt with her shaking hands and her stomach did summersaults from excitement. She could feel Xavier''s heart pound so hard against his chest.<novelnext></novelnext>


    She moved closer, narrowing the gap between them to inches and hooking her arms around his neck and his around her waist. Xavier licked her bottom lip and she opened her warmth, inviting him in.


    The moment his tongue met hers, it was like a wild set of emotions exploded within them, something they had never experienced with anyone else. The kiss became so addictive neither believed they would ever get enough of not want that he gave a sexy groan against her mouth.


    "Mmm..." She moaned in pleasure as her tongue danced with his. They soon broke the kiss, feeling out of breath from the passionate exchange. He wiped her now swollen lips.


    "I want to do that again", he whispered breathlessly.


    "Me too." Soon as she said it, they connected their lips again.


    Meanwhile, at Zach and Amy''s ce


    There was something about sleeping in that made the covers feel warmer and leaving bed a heartless act, something that shouldn''t be done. Amy had these feelings after finally getting some sleep after Roserie kept them up most of the night.


    As much as she wanted to sleep in, just remembering that she was responsible for a little human being for almost everything made her abandon those thoughts with a little bitterness. She breathed out a sigh and ttered her eyelids open only to be greeted with a heart melting sight.


    Zach was seated on his side of the bed, his long legs d in sweat pants crossed and resting on top of the covers, a tablet in one hand and his reading sses on as he kept his eyes peeled on the device.


    He was shirtless, but that was not the only heart melting part. Roserie was lying on her dad''s chest fast sleep and covered in her mini nket to keep her warm and he used his free hand to hold her. Waking up to the sight of two of her favorite people, Amy felt a warmth bubble inside her.


    Sensing the stare, he looked down at his woman and gave her a smile and she returned it with azy one. He pouted his lips, asking for a good morning kiss. Amy chuckled softly as she pulled herself up and pecked his lips before kissing her daughter.


    "Good morning", he whispered.


    "Mm-hm", she answered with her lips sealed in a smile.


    "Come on", he coaxed, knowing why she was not speaking.


    "Mm-mm!" She shook her head and escaped him to brush her teeth leaving him chuckling to himself.


    Zach resumed reading the material and subconsciously patted Roserie whenever she made a noise. As immersed as he was in work, he still picked up on the sound of running water from the bathroom.


    Twenty minutester, Amy was out in a wool bodycon dress with ir arms, a plunging neckline that beautifully carved her cleavage, the dress fell slightly above her knees, she wore fluffy flops to match it, and tied her hair up in a ponytail.


    "Were you showering?" He asked, openly admiring his beautiful fianc??.


    "Mm." She looked at him only to be met by his resentful gaze like she had just denied him of his favorite toy. She chuckled at his antics and went for the roomndline while he resumed with his work. The call was answered on the second ring. "Edmund, could you bring our breakfast to our room?... Thank you."


    She had just taken a few steps away from the phone when it rung again. "Yes?.. oh good morning Ste....... We''re fine and you?... We''re not- my god Ste", she whisper shouted, stealing a nce at her Zach before continuing to whisper shout into the phone. "Zachery is working..... Yes. Really!..... Oh my gosh! Bye."

 Chapter 298 Dont Forget Her Other Baby

    "What''s up?" He asked curiously seeing how quickly she hang up.


    "Nothing." She could barely maintain eye contact and her cheeks and ears grew red.


    That only made him curious and feeling amused but he let her be and resumed working. Amy moved to Roserie''s side of the room and started to pick out her outfit for the morning along with diapers and went on to change her beddings. A knock was heard and she moved to get it. Edmund stood with a cart containing their breakfast.


    "Good morning, madam?"


    "Good morning Edmund", she smiled. "Right over there, please."


    He nodded and wheeled it in to the sitting area. He set up their meal on the ss coffee table close to a two-seater sofa.


    "Leave the cart here. I''ll bring them once we''re done."


    "No, madam. Just ring me up and I''lle back to get them."


    "Then juste back after thirty minutes, we will be done then."


    "Alright, madam." With that, the man excused himself.


    Finally done with sorting out Roserie''s beddings, she went to Zach to get the girl. He carefully handed her over and threw on a shirt that matched his sweats while Amy put down their daughter in her crib. She joined him on the sofa and started to fix both of them a te while he fixed them each a cup coffee.


    "Thank you", they said in unison, exchanging a te with a cup.


    They devoured their meal but appreciated the silence more because their room had been anything but silent since their daughter arrived.


    After clearing their tes, they sat back, feeling rxed in the peace and quiet. Zach pulled her closer, plopped her legs onto his thighs and rested his hand on her thigh.


    "So...", She started tracing shapes on his chest with her finger.


    "What''s up?" He could read her like a book.


    "There''s something I wanted to talk to you about", she looked up at him and he was giving his undivided attention to her. "I think.... You should return to work", she eyed him carefully as she spoke.


    "No."


    "No, listen", she cupped his cheek, looking at him with nothing but affection. "I know you want to be there and help me with Roserie right now, but you have other responsibilities that also need your attention. Besides, I''ll have all the help I need while you''re away. You''re doing an amazing job babe, too good that Roserie already has a favorite parent."


    Zach chuckled at the look of resentment she gave him. But he could see her reason, there were a lot of obvious reasons why he needed to resume work. Still more, he could not help his worry after their new changes with the Dark Waters situation.


    "I don''t want to leave you alone", he whispered.


    Amy felt a pang in her heart. Such words reminded her that she was his weakness. She was sure he knew he was hers. She moved closer and hooked her arms around his neck. "I know that I''m safe with you even if we''re not physically together and you''ll make sure of it. Please?"


    "Fine."


    "Thank you", she pecked his lips.


    "So", he started in a low voice. "What did Ste say earlier?"


    "An important reminder", she replied, red with embarrassment just in time with Edmund knocking on their door. "Come in."


    The butler wheeled the empty cart to load up the dishes. Amy moved her gaze from Edmund who carefully handled his current task to her man.<novelnext></novelnext>


    The man was still waiting for further exnation. He thought she had used Edmund as an escape but that all changed when she leaned in to his ear and whispered something that caused a change in his demeanor. "Edmund."


    "Sir?" He stopped to listen to his master.


    "I''ll rece them if you break any. Hurry up."


    "Sorry, sir."


    The man moved quickly and was sure to wipe the table before excusing himself. Once the door was closed, Zach pulled Amy onto hisp so she was straddling him.


    "So", he started.


    "So.. in my own words not Ste''s, it''s very possible for couples to grow apart when they be new parents because the attention goes one way. I can take care of my baby but I shouldn''t forget my other baby also needs to be taken care of."


    "Wise words", he agreed. "But you shouldn''t feel obliged to do that right now. Three weeks more weeks and we''ll be able to do whatever we want."


    "I''m not talking about that right now. There other ways to please you."


    He chuckled, amused by how embarrassed she was by the topic. "Baby, I can wait."


    She slowly run her hand down from the middle of his chest to his crotch area where his reaction contradicted his answer. Pleased, she threw him a smirk. "You sure?"


    "I give up", he said, sounding like she forced his hand.


    "Hardly put up a fight there, don''t you think?" she chuckled.


    "Do as you please, after all it''s yours." He leaned back and put his hands up, ''surrendering'' himself.


    "Hm", she scoffed as she undid her ponytail, letting her hair fall. "Don''t try to enjoy this then."


    "Now you''re asking for the impossible."


    "Thought so." She pulled him closer by the shirt and imed his lips. He eagerly responded to her kiss and pressed her soft body to his hard one. Amy felt his member poking her through his sweats and that was her cue.


    She pulled up his shirt and gave his abs a long and sensual hot lick making him groan in pleasure. She slid down between his legs and got on her knees.


    "Wait." He reached for a pillow and ced it on the floor so she could kneel on it.


    He was about to be pleasured but she also needed to befortable. She hooked a finger each on the side of his sweats'' waistband.


    He lifted himself to help her pull it down and there, it sprung out from it''s confinement, long, thick, veiny and ready for action. Zach hissed like he had been burned when her soft hand curled around the base of his shaft.


    "Hmm", she hummed and smiled in approval when precum oozed out from the tip.


    Without wasting a second, she took as much as she could in her mouth, going down on it till the it hit the back of her throat.


    "Ooh baby", he groaned and moaned from the pleasure. He held her hair, keeping it away from the erotic sight of his member trapped between her plump luscious lips.


    "Mmm", in a sucking motion, she slowly released his meat while seductively watching him through hershes. Yeah, Zach knew he was done for.


    "Fuck."

 Chapter 299 Staying On The Same Page

    At the King''s Vi


    Dn was lost in thought and frustration as he run on a treadmill. Things had remained on a stand still ever since his disagreement with Esmeralda.


    The woman had refused to see reason even when it was something beneficial to them. How else were they going to get back home? They couldn''t evene up with proper disguises because Amy had taken her time toe up with possible ones they could take on and those were still in cirction. And neither of their men could leave.


    No matter how Dn saw it Amy was the key. Only she could undo the crappy situation. He ruffled his hair in frustration unable toe up with another solution.


    He felt a hand on his arm and when he saw Esmeralda standing beside him with a cute pout, he responded with a pissed off expression. Not having it, she turned off the treadmill so he could talk to her. He shot her an annoyed look but didn''t leave.


    "I don''t like this, you''ve barely spoken to me and haven''t touched me in forever."


    "It''s barely been a week Esmeralda", he shook his head and got off the treadmill. He took a towel to wipe off the sweat.


    She walked over and stopped in front of him. "Dn, I know you''re trying so hard for us because neither of us like this situation but why is SHE our only solution right now?"


    He stopped wiping, taking on the chance to help her see things from his perspective. "Who was the one who got us in this situation?"


    "Her."


    "Who is the one currently making things hard for us?"


    "Her."


    "So think about this, if we could get her before anyone else can, we can use her to get us out of here."


    "And what makes you think she''ll willingly do our bidding?"


    "Who says she''ll have a choice?"


    Esmeralda fell quiet, deliberating the issue at hand. She meant it when she said she hated to fight with him and this was only the first, she hoped to be thest. With their situation, it was important that they stay on the same page.


    And despite demanding that he find another solution, she had also wracked her brains thinking of one only toe up with nothing. At least Dn had an idea but she could not help her worry. "Dn, she''s too risky. This could easily bite us in the asster on."


    "I understand, but would you rather stay here, like this, feeling like a prisoner, no freedom whatsoever?"


    She fell quiet again because the answer to that question was quite obvious. "You think you can find her? As much as I hate her, A.J is a master at hiding. And right now with the underworld after her, I''m sure she''s made some reinforcements, that including hiding where no one can ever find her."


    "Exactly!" He answered a little too enthusiastically that she raised her brows in confusion. "From what I''ve learned from her, the best ce to hide is in in sight. Think of the hotel incident in the Bahamas, the airport incident where I literally slipped through Gwen''s men''s grip while I was still ying Amy''s assistant, and I have a hunch that seeing how Viper was looking for her in West Vige and suddenly ended up in the hands of the FBI here, it only means she was hiding in the one ce no one expected her to hide, her hometown."


    "Hiding where it''s too obvious for you not to go but you actually do?" She now pieced it together and he pointed in a gesture, nodding that she got it. "But she could have moved after that."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Very possible but the situation won''t be any different now, she''ll hide where no one least expects her, in in sight."


    "That''s all great but where would we even start at to look for her?"


    "Let''s start with what we know. Who is she working with?"


    "The FBI."


    "Exactly. Something tells me that they must have struck some sort of deal, especially with hot head. There is no connection between the two but they''re suddenly working together. And the way she quickly came to his aidst time, you saw how she tried to find me."


    "It could simply be a job, you said you guys have worked with the government before."


    "No", he shook his head, something brewing in his mind. "There''s something. There''s definitely something."


    She didn''t know when, but she had already started to see things from Dn''s point of view. She was so trusting of the man. Snapping out of his thoughts, he continued, "So, if we''re to go with my n, we start there."


    He looked at her, waiting for her response after breaking things down for her. He hoped she would agree otherwise he would lose it because that would mean they would be stuck in this hell hole for a looooooong time.


    "Okay."


    "Really?" Relief washed over his form with that one word.


    "Yes", she rolled her eyes and barely suppressed her smile seeing his mood change.


    "Great! We need to have our people tailing anyone around Hot head. We could find something. While I''ll work behind the scenes, doing what I do best", he smirked.


    "One more thing", she held her hand up to pause his excitement. "Once we''re done with her, I want to put a bullet through her head. I want her dead. No loose ends. Plus, I really, really, really hate that bitch. She''s so..... ugh."


    Something shifted in his eyes but it was so subtle she missed it as she was so consumed with expressing her hatred for Amy. "Do whatever you want."


    "Yes!" She jumped him in excitement, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Now let''s get this sweat off you."


    He chuckled and smacked her bottom as he made his way to the showers. "You missed this, didn''t you?"


    "I swear I was starting to have withdraw symptoms."


    "Don''t worry, I''m all yours.

 Chapter 300 A Fitting Compensation

    "This is injustice! Get us out of here!" Nico shouted in rage, banging the metal bars in the process. He had been locked up together with his men since the Xavier incident.


    "Shut the fuck up!" A man being held in another cell shouted in annoyance.


    "You shut the fuck up!"


    Bang! Bang! An officer hit his baton against one of the metal bars, walking towards Nico''s cell. "Both of you shut it! This is not a bar!"


    Nico grew more enraged from being talked down. He was used to being the top dog. He flung his arms, trying to reach for the officer''s cor. Thetter sidestepped him. "Now that''s just going to get you more charges, behave."


    "I said get us out of here", Nico spoke through gritted teeth. "It''s been two freaking days!"


    "You should''ve thought twice before assaulting such a reputable public figure."


    "This is abuse of our rights. I want mywyer! I have a right to awyer", he growled and looked over at his men. "Why am I the only one doing this? Do you like it here? Help me out here!"


    "Grin! Someone for you here!" Another officer shouted.


    Officer Grin left Nico''s side and went to meet the said person. Not a momentter he was back. Nico watched the man take out some keys and opened the doors for them.


    "You should''ve done that sooner", Nico scoffed.


    Officer Grin only chuckled. "Come with me."


    He led the group, some limping, some bruised up ck and blue, some still swollen from the beatings. Nico didn''t look any better and only made it worse when he wore a smug smile as he followed the officer.


    A man in a business suit standing with another officer had his eyes trained on Nico and his group. Officer Grin walked over to the man. "This is them. Boys, meet Chris Gnash, Frost Corporation''s legal representative."


    "Whom do I speak with?" Chris looked among the badly beat up men.


    "Me", Nico puffed up his chest in pride trying to match up to the big man.


    "Do you want to ask for yourwyer or are youfortable speaking with me?" Chris asked.


    "Think you''re all that?" Nico scoffed and pulled a chair and sat down facing the man. He looked over at Officer Grin, "Get him a seat. I didn''t think the almighty Xavier Frost would actually hide behind you. Unbelievable."


    Officer Grin shook his head at Nico''s arrogance but still got a chair for Chris. Thetter barely showed an expression towards Nico''s jab. He thanked the officer for the chair and sat down facing Nico. Officer Grin went around to his desk to mediate the discussion.


    "So", Nico started before anyone else could speak. "What mumble jumble do you have for me? Come to settle? I''m not exactly a cheap person."


    "Mr. Frost recognized your love, no, appreciation for money. He definitely knew a fatpensation would be fitting", Chris said.


    "Of course. So how much are we talking about here?"


    "S200, 000 to cover medical fees as well aspensation." Chris took out an A4 envelop and tore through it to bring out the forms.


    Nico whistled, eyes wide from shock and his men burst into whispers. This is what they get for being assaulted by such a person of a high status. It was easy money. Too easy. The pain is worth it. He got his girl, they get the money.


    "He wants to keep this underwraps", Chris added as he passed the document to Nico.


    "Of course, of course", Nico nodded enthusiastically and in understanding. He looked over at Officer Grin, "Pen! Good thing my good hand is still working", he chuckled, barely suppressing his excitement as he twisted his wrist around.


    Chris only looked at him while Officer Grin passed him the pen. Nico didn''t bother to read through the document and went to the very bottom where he saw Xavier had already signed and decided to sign next to it.


    "Don''t you want to read that first?" A subordinate asked from behind him.


    "Shut up! What do you know?" He snapped and happily put a dot at the end of his signature. He looked up at Chris and broke into a happy grin as he passed over the document.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Thank you", Chris put the document away. "So, we were thinking of payment in two instalments. Would that be alright with you?"


    "Of course, of course." He nodded away but still not understanding why such a rich man would pay in two instalments.


    "These are the bank details", Chris passed him a paper with the necessary information.


    "Good, good, good."


    "Alright, then. So when will you make the first payment?"


    "Huh?" He liked at Chris dumbfounded but thetter only gave him a nk stare. "Why am I..... Am I... AM I THE ONE MAKING PAYMENTS?"


    "The document states that you will bepensating Mr. Frost for assault charges, medical expenses and emotional damages for the traumatic event. You just signed it."


    Nico stood so quickly like his seat had just caught fire. He looked at Chris wide eyed as though the man had suddenly grown two heads. "But- But- But- $200,000 is a lot of money! He did this to all of us, look at how miserable we look. That monster did this to us. And I''m not the one who stabbed him!" He turned to his men. "Who did it? Speak now! I''m not about to pay for your crimes!"


    "How could one man go against ten? The fact that he''s in the hospital says a lot about your situation. And you''repensating him as agroup, it''s fair", Officer Grin shrugged. He wanted the matter to be done and over with because he was tired of Nico.


    "BUT THAT''S DAYLIGHT ROBBERY!"


    Chris broke out in an unamused chuckle. He rxed in his seat and unbuttoned his suit jacket. "Daylight robbery? If it''s daylight robbery you im it is then I''m open to talking about that. Let me just remind you that I''m not only representing Mr. Frost, but Miss Lorraine May is under my care as well."


    Nico froze. This man had definitely done his homework. Now he was being forced to pay at least three times more than what he extorted from Lorraine.


    "Boss, I told you to read it..." Someone said quietly.


    "SHUT UP!" Nico pulled his hair while breathing heavily from rage. They yed him. He had just been beaten at his own game.


    "Please juste to some sort of agreement or you might be sharing a cell with the likes of him", Officer Grin nodded at a TV mounted on the wall.


    One of Nico''s subordinates looked up at the screen only to see Peter and Gwen''s pictures ced side by side and the headlines reading: ''A SATISFYING VERDICT! JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS!''


    At the courthouse, people were cheering for the verdict while others still expressed their anger against the two. At the moment, Peter was being escorted back to prison, his now new home. The man could not stop the tears that fell down his face.


    He didn''t care about the circumstances, but what pained him was the fact that he had lost the one thing that was dear to him: his family. He would not be able to see his boys grow up or grow old with Shauna like he had promised her to.


    Another thing that left him feeling perplexed was the fact that from the beginning of the trial to the end, his wife had not shown her face not once. Should he be mad or relieved?


    Bang! Bang! "Get out!" An officer shouted.


    Peter and other prisoners being escorted stepped out of the van to realize they had finally arrived. He felt his heart lodge in his throat. He desperately wished he could run away in that moment.


    "Move it!" A prisoner behind him pushed him forward.


    Like the previous times, the older prisoners howled at their new inmates, banging the metal bars and screaming profanities at them. Peter had still not gotten used to this intimidating environment.


    Reaching his cell, the prison guard buzzed him in before leaving for her duty. He didn''t make eye contact with his inmates and simply curled up in a corner. The undeniable truth heavily weighed on his mind: he was doomed for life.


    "Hey man", someone shook Peter. He knelt before him with a concerned expression on his face. "You alright?"


    Peter only let out a sigh, not knowing how to answer that simple question. The guy was clean shaven and had short curly brown hair. "You trial just ended today?"


    "How do you know?"

 Chapter 301 The B*Tch To The Powerful

    "You''re making it quite obvious", he chuckled. "Look man, whatever the case, this is a ce where the weak are always preyed on. Get your shit together. Everyone is frustrated with the time they''re doing here and guess who they''ll be taking their frustration out on?"


    Peter let the words sink in, and finally nodded in agreement. He would be here a while, this was not the ce to be weak. That''s what he had been on the outside, it was finally time that things changed. "Thank you....?"


    "Carlos", he extended his hand giving him a a smile. He had a friendly and warm aura about him.


    "Peter", he shook his hand. "Again, thank you."


    "You alright. You''ve probably had a long day, go freshen up, clear your head, and I don''t know. Just get your shit together."


    "Yeah, I do need to shower. But.....", He looked around the room at his inmates a little weary.


    "I''ll keep a look out for you. Come on", he nodded towards the door.


    Peter didn''t know what else to say or do except to feel grateful. All this time he was being held in custody, he felt like a mouse trapped among predators. A friend was what he needed in this shit situation and Carlos was just what he needed. Prison life may not be so hard after all...


    The two walked to the shower room. There were ten shower cubicles and each separated by a thick ss wall but had no door for obvious reasons.


    "Do your thing man."


    "Thank you", Peter gave him a grateful smile before proceeding to do so.


    He entered one cubicle and took off his uniform, hanging it on the wall before starting the shower. The hot water easesd his tense muscles and seemed to wash the stress away.


    He closed his eyes to enjoy the serene moment when the water suddenly stopped. He opened his eyes only to find arge hand on the handle. He turned around to find himself facing six muscr and shamelessly naked men.


    Peter knew there was nothing friendly about their visit especially when they cracked their knuckles.


    "What-"


    A hard punch to his abdomen shut him up. More hard punches and kicksnded on his face, arms, legs, ribs, and everywhere else. He groaned in pain taking the hits. Is this how his life would end?


    "Alright boys, that''s enough", a voice spoke from behind them.


    A voice Peter had now grown to recognize. Carlos. Instead of calling out to him, Peter could only cough out blood.


    "I said rough him but not like this", he Petergave an apologetic smile. Peter''s insides churn from disgust. Carlos nodded at his men.


    The six pulled Peter to his feet, forced his legs apart and bent him over.


    "No", he groaned in a husky and weak voice struggling in the hold of the strong men. "Please."


    "Sshh..." Carlos run a hand down Peter''s spine and gave his buttcheeks a good smack. "Just rx."


    "Please." Tears fell down Peter''s bloody face.


    "I like you so this will be over before you know it", Carlos spit onto his fingers to massage Peter''s a**crack. He then chuckled, "But I can''t say the same about these guys."


    "Wait!" Peter''s eyeballs grew the size of saucers from panic and shock. "Plea-aaarrrgggghhh!"


    He screamed in pain at the sudden invasion at the same time Carlos grunted in pleasure. Was this his fate, to be the bitch of anyone more powerful than him?


    Peter didn''t know how long itsted nor how he was taken back to their cell. He didn''t even eat that night. He felt numb, not wanting to feel or think....


    While Carlos and his men slept peacefully through the night, Peter just nkly stared at the wall all until morning. The prisoners were buzzed open for their morning routine, but Peter remained unmoving until he felt someone roughly shaking him.


    "Can you not hear me? I said get a move on, you have a visitor!" The prison guard screamed in his ear.


    A visitor? Who could possibly visit him? He got out of bed and was handcuffed before following the guard. As he limped on, the stares he got were enough to let him know that everyone knew what happened to him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    He kept his head hanging low. He was soon led to a room that had a round table and two chairs. On one of the chairs was a person whose back he could recognize even in a ck business suit.


    "Shauna...." He whispered to himself but she heard him and turned around.


    All those dead feelings were revived. Maybe there was still hope that he could turn the situation around and not lose his family.


    She was taken a back by the swelling and bruising of him. A part of her felt a pang of pain seeing him in such a state but a tight grip on her handbag gave her a reality check.


    The guard stationed himself on one corner of the room and watched as Peter limped towards her to peck her on the cheek.


    "Shauna-" she leaned away with a cold expression, dodging his kiss. He nodded to himself, understanding that her anger was justified. He moved to the other chair and faced her with forced enthusiasm. "How are you? How are the boys? Are they okay?"


    "Fine."


    Her coldness was like a sharp knife stabbing deep into the core of his heart but he still went on. "Great. I didn''t- I didn''t see you at any of the trials."


    She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Did you seriously expect me to be there? You and that mistress of yours... " She shook her head.


    "Listen Shauna, it''s not what everyone says it was. Gwen is a scary woman! She threatened me into doing those things! She used me-"


    Shauna broke into a humorlessugh cutting him off. Seeing her like that only triggered his fear of losing her, but he needed to be hopeful. "Shauna. You don''t know how scary that woman is!"


    "Oh I know how scary she is, I was following the trial!" She hissed through gritted teeth. "But you know what''s scarier? Is a man who is still making excuses for his actions! Do you know what that has done to the boys? To me? The disrespect and humiliation you''ve brought on us! I gave you all my love, gave up my career to raise our beautiful kids, the perfect family as you often liked to call it, and what did you give me in return? Literally pissing and shitting in my face."


    "Shauna-"


    "She used you? She forced you? Well your moans and groans while you were balls deep inside of her said otherwise. Yes, I walked in on your little affair, I may not have seen it but I definitely heard enough." She forced her self toe off strongwhile she spoke but the tears and sadness in her eyes said otherwise.


    "You got it all wrong. I never actually fucked her. She never allowed me to enter her-"


    "Ha!" Shauna shouted and broke into a heartbreakingugh.


    Tears fell uncontrobly and sheughed it off, shaking her head in disbelief. Was this really the man she had married? The man she bragged about to people? How was she blind to all this? The joke was on her.... she really felt it was...


    Peter could only silently watch with a guilt and a pitiful expression.


    She sniffled and wiped her tears away. She opened her bag and took out a brown A4 envelope. She took out documents and a pen and pushed them towards him. He silently read the paper and looked at her in shock.


    "These are divorce papers", he eximed in shock and realization.


    "You didn''t think I would remain married to you after all this?" She arched a brow at him.


    "No. Shauna. Think this through. Think of the boys... I can''t lose you guys! I can''t lose you!"


    "You should have thought of that before that woman to forced you to ''not'' stick your d*ck inside her!" She said while standing up.


    "Shauna, don''t do this", he stood up, pleading with her.


    "You''ll be hearing from mywyers." With that said, she walked away.


    "Shauna!"


    She stopped, hearing the desperation in his voice. All those years of being married and this was how it was ending. She was tempted to cave, but the damage was done.


    "Goodbye Peter." With that, she walked out of the room and out of his life.

 Chapter 302 Something More

    "Promise you won''t skip your lunch", Amy mumbled into Zach''s chest.


    They stood in an embrace at the house entrance. She breathed in his scent to calm her nerves. They had done this before, bit why was his return to work so nerve wracking?


    "Promise you''ll call me if anything happens", he responded.


    She looked up from his embrace and pushed herself up on her tiptoes to press her lips against his. She sighed into the kiss then broke away, their lips still zing.


    "I love you", she whispered.


    "I love you." He pecked her again before they broke their embrace. He pulled on her woolen cardigan over her chest then cupped her cheek to caress it. Gomez, one of his bodyguards was already holding the door open for him. "Go inside."


    She nodded and moved to peck him again before going inside. It was then that he got in the car and left with his entourage. The warm and affection Zach was gone to be reced with the aloof and intimidating Boss everyone knew.


    He took out his tablet and felt a headacheing on just thinking of getting back to work physically. He had never used his vacation days so being with Amy and his daughter, was one deserved and rxing vacation. Still, as much as he hated the work, there was a part of him that enjoyed it as well.


    "Sir?" Gomez started from the front passenger seat.


    "I know", Zach answered without looking up from the tablet, his concentration unwavering.


    Back at the house, Amy walked to the dining room with sagging shoulders. Ste shook her head when she saw the young woman walk in.


    "Has he left?" Ste asked.


    "Yeah", Amy nodded. She heard approaching footsteps and turned to see a familiar face with ashy gray hair. "Raphy?"


    "Madam, may I?" He nodded towards the corridor. Amy nodded and followed him.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be with your boss?" She asked, he was always part of Zach''s team wherever he went.


    "Yes, well", he grinned. "Boss assigned me to be your personal bodyguard. I may look smaller than the guys but I''m just as good as the re-"


    Amy chuckled, "I don''t doubt Zachery''s decisions." And the fact that the man personally trained them and with them, she had zero doubts and a 1000% confidence. However, she still frowned and crossed her arms against her chest, "But I don''t know if your help will be necessary, I won''t be going anywhere."


    "He said you''d say that but I needed to remind you that when the timees..."


    Amy smiled to herselfand then nodded in agreement. They left the corridor and she went back to the dining room walking over to Richard who was holding Roserie.


    "It''s cupcake''s bath time", she said with a smile.


    He handed her over. "Go on to your mommy."


    "Bring her back once you''re done", Henry reminded. "The three of us have a game to catch."


    "What are you doing to a three weeks old baby?" Victoria disapproved with a shake of her head. "Amy don''t listen to them."


    "Dear, have you bathed already? You might need help with Roserie if you haven''t," Ste asked.


    "No, I did with Za- when, when Zacherie was-" she shut up when she saw the smug look Ste was giving her. She shook her head at the woman and Victoria chuckled, finding the situation funny.


    Amy''s phone chimed. Bncing Roserie in one arm, she fished out her phone from her cardigan pocket. She silently read it and subconsciously hummed.


    "Is everything alright?" Ste asked.


    "Yes. Just George", she answered while putting her phone away.


    "Oh! George! Goodness, I haven''t spoken to him in forever!" Ste eximed. "I hope he doesn''t think we abandoned him."


    Amy excused herself while the elderly couples continued on with their breakfast. Victoria looked at Ste wide eyed in confusion. "Now why would he think that?"


    "Nora", Ste replied.


    "Hey", Victoria shook her head along with Richard. "Let me call him."<novelnext></novelnext>


    In West Vige


    The man in talks was standing in front of a wardrobe, rummaging through some clothes. He looked serious, brows knitted together, and deeply concetrated on the task at hand. He felt his phone vibrate from his trouser pocket.


    "Aunt Victoria", he answered with a happy smile.


    "How are you? Don''t you miss home? Don''t you miss me?"


    He chuckled, "I''m fine, and yes, and yes I miss you. How''s everyone there?"


    "Good. We''re alright. Uh, Ste wants to talk to you."


    "George dear", Ste''s voice boomed into the phone. "How are you? I hope you don''t think that I abandoned you, yeah? I know Nora can be a handful."


    "No, don''t worry", he chuckled.


    He was only looking through her wardrobe trying to find a decent outfit to ce on her bed before shees out of the shower, lest she throws him into another temptation which she attempted to with every opportunity.


    Ste let out a heavy such, "George, if she''s in the room just say ''the weather is great''."


    "Ste!" A couple of voices were heard in the background.


    "If you need help, just say ''its a good day for- Stay out of this Richard!"


    "Ste, I promise it''s nothing....." He started with a chuckle only for his voice to falter when he heard the bathroom door open. There she was, hair wet, a white towel wrapped around her body but still exposing those beautiful long legs.


    "George? George? Say something dear!"


    "I''ll call you back." He quickly ended the call and put it away.


    Nora had an amused smile seeing how dazed he was. She cleared her throat, "This is a rare moment, you and me in my room, at the same time. nning on running away again?"


    He took some cks, a turtle neck and a denim jacket from her wardrobe and walked to ce them on her bed. "Run away?"


    "Acting tough now, are we?" She arched a brow.


    "Dress up, then we can talk in the kitchen."


    "Aren''t we talking right now?" She started walking towards him. "I won''t do anything to you."


    "Nora", he warned. She continued on, unhurried and clearly enjoying the moment.


    Another step and she yelped when George suddenly picked her up and threw her on the bed. Before she could react, he pulled on her sheets and rolled her and wrapped her in it, locking her in.


    "This better not be your kink!" She red at him. She wiggled around to free herself to no avail. "I''m not feeling this!"


    "You wanted to continue our talk", he said as he stood at the foot of the bed. When he noticed her wet hair, he went to get another towel and ced it under her head before resuming at his original spot. "So."


    "So, first, this was unnecessary. Second, what''s going on with you? You''ve practically run away from all my advances which I didn''t expect you to because the who point of us living together and starting whatever this was us sleeping together. Am I wrong?"


    "How I wish you were wrong", he mumbled.


    "Huh?"


    "Is it going to be once, twice, or many more times after the first time? We never agreed on that." He probed and she could only answer with silence, not knowing what to say as it had never crossed her mind. Having lokbg thought about the matter, he decided to be honest. "I''m not doing this if it''s a one time thing. It won''t waste my time on something so meaningless."


    It took her a second to process his words before her jaw dropped. "So you want something more than sex?"


    "A rtionship."

 Chapter 303 Alices Last Warning

    "That''s... sudden. Besides, you don''t know me that well."


    "I n to."


    She fell quiet. George quietly watched her as she had fallen in thought. He walked over and leaned forward, but leaving a healthy gap between their faces as he untucked the piece of the sheet keeping her restrained. "Take your time to think about this and let me know."


    Nora watched him leave and reminded unmoving, still baffled. "What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?"


    George set up their tes at the counter in the kitchen. He sat, looking at his phone, going through messages and important emails. He had left Amy a message that he would be visiting Joanne and she had responded agreeing to a phone call.


    A very punctual George was growing impatient when Nora finally came out and joined him. She sat down opposite him and he put his phone away before they started filling their tes. He could feel her eyes on him, watching his every move.


    "This is not some tactic to get the upper hand in this, is it?" She narrowed her eyes at him.


    "Me asking for a rtionship means you have the upper hand. My happiness will depend on your decision", he answered, still focusing on his meal.


    "You think you''ll be happy? With me of all people?"


    He looked up from his meal and locked on her doubtful gaze. "You frustrate me, but there''s something about you that keeps me intrigued."


    She leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms against her chest and clearly not believing him. "Is this a prank? Did my mom put you up to this? It''s not funny!"


    "You turned this into apetition that''s why you''re having a hard time trusting me", he pointed out.


    "The whole point of this was us sleeping together."


    "Since you''re stuck on the sleeping together part, when I impress you with a good fuck, will you give this a shot?" He raised his brows at her.


    "''When you impress me'', a bit cocky, don''t you think?"


    "It''s called confidence", he shrugged. "So?"


    She felt her face turn red. Was she that irresistible to him? When did he develop all these feelings? Why was he suddenly doing this? It was confusing her!


    Nora didn''t give him an answer and George respected that. He could see that her thoughts were scrambled. It was a new development and one that was sudden.


    He was put in a good mood with their conversation, still she was yet to decide whether to give them a go or not? The thought was a little nerve wracking for him. He always preferred to always be in the know.


    Snapping him out of his thoughts, was the view of the supermarket. He found a parking spot and went in. There were a few things he wanted to get for Joanne especially food stuffs.


    Lately, her appetite had dwindled and she was refusing chewy foods. So he bought a lot of ingredients to make different soups and porridges for her.


    He sighed at the thought of seeing her health ebb away every day. He felt his heart break at this thought. He checked out the goods and went on his way.


    When the orphanage came into view, he suppressed the negative feelings. The gates were opened for him and he drove in. He followed a path that led to her private quarters that was an extension of the library.


    "Oh, George", the older woman greeted in a weak hoarse voice. Her speech had be slower and weaker but George showed no signs of minding that change. She was sitting on her bed with pillows stacked behind her.


    "Morning Joanne", he smiled and went to put away the groceries beforeing back to her. "How are you today?"


    "Hm", she willed a smile. "So,e to get your ass beat, again?"


    "Such vulgar wordsing from such a sweet soul."


    "There''s nothing vulgar about the word ass. Do you know how many cuss words I can cook up on the spot only for me to filter them?" she said making him chuckle. "Kids do that to you."


    "Was Amy like that?" He asked curiously.


    "No, she''s always been the quiet kind. Books andputers were her friends. That''s why she was my favorite", she smiled at the fond memory. "I think she''s the reason why the library became my favorite ce. It was always the two of us in this huge space."


    "Well, she hasn''t changed, the being quiet part. Before I forget, I told her I would call. So how about, while I make something for our chess rematch, you guys get talking."


    "Sounds good, but you''re really okay with losing again?" She mocked.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "I won''t go easy on you today", he said while dialing Amy''s number and handing the device over to the woman. "That''s a promise."


    "Uh-huh." She pressed the phone to her ear in time with Amy answering the phone. "Jennifer."


    George disappeared into the kitchen to get cooking. Although the orphanage provided her with meals, he knew there was little she ate which is why he took the initiative to take extra care of her. Joanne appreciated this but Sister Alice Moon still felt differently about it, especially George''s presence.


    Instead of making something for the morning only, he made some for the afternoon and evening so they only needed to heat them up.


    By the time he was done, it was when he realized that the ce had grown quiet. He found Joannefortably sleeping on her bed and his phone ced on the nightstand. He took it and took a seat in the room.


    As he started to look through his phone, he heard footsteps approaching. The door opened and George looked up to find Alice standing there. She let out a tired and annoyed sigh before turning to leave. Feeling irritated, he followed her out.


    "When will you stop?" She suddenly turned around when they were both outside the library.


    He stopped a few feet away from her. "What is your problem?"


    "You, are my problem!" She pointed at him. "Leave us alone."


    "Why?" He asked, brows furrowed and hands stuffed in his pockets. He was growing annoyed by the minute. "Joanne is happy with my visits and help."


    "That''s Sister Harper to you. And what will people think when they see a man constantly visiting a woman''s home and spendin-"


    George broke into an unamusedugh. He could not believe her rant and she looked so serious too. Alice only grew offended by his reaction.


    "This is myst warning. Leave."


    With that said, she left taking long strides and her face unable to hide her displeasure. George watched her retreating figure. He suddenly felt the hairs on the back of his necke to a stand still when a fresh breeze blew through his hair. As he stared at the direction Alice went in, a lot was brewing in his mind and when this happened, there was one person to call.


    "George", Zach answered.


    "I think they''re up to something", he said quietly.


    "You don''t need to tell me twice", Zach answered.


    George''s lips lifted. How was Zach always in the know and staying ahead of these things? Through and through, George was impressed with the man.


    "Are you safe?"


    "I''ve got everything under control here", George said whilst looking around the area.


    The two men talked for a bit more before they ended their conversation. George remained where he stood, casually looking around whilst enjoying the afternoon breeze before he went back in.


    Hearing the door open, Joanne woke up from her sleep. "How long was I out?"


    "Long enough for me to finish cooking everything", he smiled at her and the sped his hand in excitement. "Are you up for our rematch?"


    "You must really have a thing for losing", she shook her head. "It''s toxic."


    He moved to help her sit up so she wasfortable. "You can mock me now. But we''ll see who''ll have thestugh."


    Despite his promation, he still was unable to beat the older woman no matter how many times he tried. The game took themte into the night till she had to chase him away so she could rest.


    He left the ce in good spirits humming to songs ying in his car radio. But when he arrived home and saw the lights on, his heart started to do summersaults knowing what awaited him: Nora''s answer.


    His nerves only got worse when he walked in on her standing in the living room, all her yfulness gone and nothing but seriousness on her face. She had not changed out of her earlier clothes.


    "Hi, did you just get home?" He asked while closing the door behind him.


    "No", she answered. "We need to talk."

 Chapter 304 Noras Answer

    George desperately wanted to run away just hearing that phrase but his legs moved forward when she gestured for them to sit on the sofa. His heart was beating wildly, does he really have to go through this? He could guess her answerprised of two letters.


    "So, I wanted to get this out of the way. Will you please listen to everything I have to say?" She asked.


    Everything? He groaned internally but nodded instead.


    "Earlier, what you said to me, I feel that it was a bit too sudden, practically out of the blue. I tried to find reasons why you could have asked that of me but only came up with one. Now, don''t take this the wrong way or be offended but it''s how I see things: I think your time spent with Sister Harper may have influenced that decision. "


    "You think I made that decision having the mindset of ''life is too short'' because of her?" He confirmed.


    She nodded. "So my answer is no."


    He also nodded. Silence ensued between them, it was so heavy, almost suffocating. She watched him closely, something clearly brewing in his mind. Was she too cold with her rejection? Can she take what he would say next in response to her rejection?


    Nora''s heart thumped harder when he stood up. Expecting him to say his piece, he left the living room with not so much as a word.


    Her jaw dropped, not believing him at all She stood up and followed after him. Without knocking, she let herself into his room to find clothes on his bed and him rummaging through his wardrobe. George was a tidy person so this only meant: he''s leaving!


    "Are you serious right now?" She charged on, angry with him.


    "What?" He nced in her direction seeing that she was walking towards him and continued with what he was doing.


    "That''s it?" She stopped, ring at his side profile.


    "What are you going on about?" He nced at her, clearly confused by her being upset. Shouldn''t it be him who should be upset? He was the one who got rejected.


    "I just rejected you and then you do.... this?" She gestured at his actions with both her hands.


    "I need to."


    "Ha!" She scoffed and folded her arms against her chest. "You''re the type to run away from your problems instead of facing them."


    "What are you talking about? I came to freshen up."


    "So you''re not leaving?" She tried not to hide her relief but failed.


    "The only person that''s leaving right now is you because I need to shower", he soun her around, showing her the door before he started going to the bathroom.


    "You didn''t answer my question", she moved around and blocked his path. The clothes on his bed were undeniable evidence that he''s leaving.


    "Why does it matter to you whether I leave or not? You just rejected me", he pointed out leaving her tongue tied. He maneuvered around her and disappeared into the bathroom.


    Bang!<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Damn it Nora!" He quickly took a towel to cover his lower body that only had boxers on.


    "Well you should''ve tried to convince me otherwise", she marched in, still upset and stood at a good distance.


    George let out a tired sigh, what will he do with this woman? But seeing the mist in her eyes, he could not help but exin himself. "Listen, I only hoped that whatever this is between us could develop into something more. That''s all I wanted for the both of us but the timing is against me right now, so seeing that''s how you felt although it feels like it isn''t anymore, I don''t know, I couldn''t convince you otherwise. I don''t know what it is but I don''t want to have just meaningless sex with you. I think you''re more special than that, crazy or not."


    Silence. She was looking at him but did not know what her look meant? Did he upset her even more? What was he doing wrong again? Is she going to reject him again? Once was enough. Or is this about him leaving? She seemed more upset about that idea. Or is he wrong? Really, what''s bothering her?


    "And I''m not leaving. I n on doingundry once I''m out...." He added awkwardly.


    That sentence brought her back to wherever her mind took her to. She marched towards him, bridging the gap. "Forget thatundry, you''ll be doing something else tonight."


    Before he could properly register her words, she grabbed his face and brought his lips to hers. Soft. Very soft. It took a second for George to realize she was kissing him.


    He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as he hungrily reciprocated the act. His arms moved to her thighs and she jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms locked around his neck. His towel fell in the process that they didn''t even notice.


    He moved around, trying to concentrate on the kiss and finding a spot to set her down. The counter, he moved till her bum rested on it. He grabbed her by the throat with enough pressure not to hurt her and broke the kiss.


    "This...." He started in between breathing hard. "You know what this means?"


    "Do you really want to have this talk right now?" She was getting agitated. She would rather do other things than talk.


    "It''s important for we do. Nora, I meant what I said. Every word."


    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, clearing her head. She opened her eyes, staring into his soul. "I know. And this is my answer."


    George smiled in relief. Nora was so caught up with the gorgeous smile she had never seen before that she could not help but smile as well. "So are we doing this or what?"


    "Someone''s impatient", he shook his head.


    "Well, if my actions were not a hint enough for y-"


    He shut her up with his lips, taking advantage of the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. She moaned against his mouth and shuddered when she felt his hands slip under her blouse, zing against her skin then give her breasts a good squeeze.


    "Mmm!" She moaned, trying to squeeze her legs shut but failed with him standing between her.


    In between the kiss, he helped her out of the blouse, tossing it to the floor and she didn''t waste a second to undo her bra where it joined the blouse, setting her mounds free. He watched in awe, mesmerized by their beauty, with nipples erect.


    "Wow", he whispered.

 Chapter 305 Almost Every Mans Weakness Is Their Woman

    He had seen her in her bra but seeing them like this and in her most vulnerable state; what a sight! Could Nora be anymore perfect than this? She blushed under his watch and her chest rose and fell from breathing so hard.


    He captured her lips again before he started trailing kisses along her neck, corbone , going down until she felt his warm mouthtch onto her nipple.


    "Ahh", she arched her back, curling her toes from the numbing sensation of him sucking her nipple. His other hand kept the other mound upied, kneading it and pinching the nipple.


    "George", she moaned, pulling him closer.


    He switched to the other breast, giving it equal attention. Nora''s sex throbbed from the pleasure and she pushed him towards her with her legs, wanting to feel something to ease the throbbing. George groaned, finding pleasure and getting turned on more by her actions.


    "George!" She moaned out in a cry as she thrust her hips forward, dry humping him. "George!"


    He knew what she needed, so he pulled away to get rid of her trousers and underwear altogether. He got rid of his boxers then picked her up, turning around to give his back to the mirror while she could see herself in their intimate position. She blushed at the image.


    With one hand, he took hold of his shaft and started to look for her entrance with his tip and rubbing her folds in the process.


    "Ahh!" She closed her eyes, digging her nails into his skin from the numbing yet pleasuring feel his tip was bringing to her.


    His tip was fully coated with her juices and she only got wetter. "Open your eyes. I want you to see how beautiful you look right now."


    "George!" She moaned, getting agitated. She needed relief and his teasing was not helping.


    With a grunt, he pushed himself into her, burying himself into her depths.


    "Ahh!" They both groaned and sighed from the pleasure of finally joining their bodies. She opened her eyes, looking deep into his lust filled orbs.


    He pulled out to thrust into her again when he stopped, realizing something in annoyance. "Shit! I forgot-"


    "Don''t worry!" She replied urgently, guessing his worry.


    "Perfect!" He didn''t waste a second thrust into her again, this time deeper.


    "Ahh!" She moaned softly, watching how his back muscles flexed as he dove into her and feeling her breasts rub against his rock hard body with each thrust. Her nails dug deeper into his skin, holding on for dear life and she knew those would leave marks.


    The moment had finally arrived. It felt so perfect probably because they were on the same page. Could their lives get any more perfect than this?


    At the King''s Vi<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Oh my god!" Esmeralda eximed, startled as she held a hand to her chest, making Dn chuckle in amusement.


    He was sat behind his office desk, his long legs stretched underneath as he stared at a couple of pictures in his tablet. Esmeralda was sitting on hisp staring at the same pictures while Aldo stood in front of them silently watching while making his report.


    "I sent out some of our men on the job and so far, that''s everything and everyone we managed to get on Hot Head''s closest people", Aldo exined the pictures the two were looking at.


    There was a picture of Zach''s convoy still on the road and one of him as he walked into hispany entrance. The moment was captured as though he was deliberately staring at the camera. His intimidating aura could be seen through his eyes that seemed to stare into one''s soul.


    "Who is he?" She asked, clearly ufortable.


    "Zach Frost, Chairman of Frost Corporation and Hot Head''s eldest son", Aldo answered. "He has a tight security and there''s little information about him avable. He stays away from the public eye so no one knows much about him. But the case is different when ites to his brother Xavier. He was recently involved in a scandal with a love interest that made the headlines and now, he is currently in the hospital, recovering from a stab wound. However, Hot Head''s wife is nowhere to be seen."


    "His weakness, he''s probably hiding her. Almost every man''s weakness is their woman. Am I your weakness baby?" Esmeralda pouted cutely and batted her eyshes at Dnmaking him chuckle.


    This was a scene Aldo did not want to be present for. Suppressing his displeasure, he interrupted the moment. "Um, we found something else that you might find interesting."


    He extended a hand towards them and the device was handed to him. After a few swipes, he found a picture and gave the tablet back to them.


    "And who is this?" She asked,pletely unfazed by the brown haired young man. Quite good looking, she thought.


    "We finally managed to get a shot of the one looking after Joanne Harper", Aldo exined.


    "He''s A.J''s investigator?" Esmeralda was taken aback. Thest time Aldo only gave worded information, specifically Alice''s message so they had not yet put a face to the name. Did this A.J woman have a thing for working with good looking men only?


    "He''s been very careful", Aldo went on.


    "Of course", Dn agreed. One wouldn''t be Amy''s person if it was that easy to get information on them. "You guys deserve a raise."


    "That''s not all. He has another identity, his actual identity that you might find.... interesting?" Aldo took the tablet from them and retrieved the information along with pictures.


    Esmeralda''s jaw dropped while Dn immediately broke into an amusedugh. She swiped through the pictures, one after the other. How did she miss this? They were pictures of George with Zach at the Corporate g. Dn''sugh died down as he resumed looking at the pictures.


    "The right hand man to Frost Corporation''s Chairman intercepted Peter''s n at the airport during my ''escape'' and now he''s personally doing A.J''s bidding", he shook his head, deep in thought. "This could either be a coincidence or.....?"


    Esmeralda gasped in shock, realization dawning on her when she put two and two together. "Oh my God!"

 Chapter 306 Screw A.J! Screw Zach Frost!

    "No, this isn''t right", Esmeralda grumbled with a deep frown on her face.


    "Put that away woman! You''ve been going at it for hours", Dnined from behind her. It waste into the night and the two were in bed. He was trying to sleep but Esmeralda had different ns.


    "But it''s just... Have a look", she turned to him and showed him the device she was holding.


    "You edited A.J and George''s picture into one frame?" His mouth hang open, shocked that that''s what she wanted to show him.


    "I wanted to see what they look like together. Ugh! I don''t like her but if I were her, I would have gone for the big boss", she said with a dreamy expression.


    "Zach Frost?" He arched a brow at her.


    "Of course, he''s very impressive in any way you could think of but he''s one of those men who do not bother with matters of the heart, not wanting to devote themselves to a woman in the name of love", she shook her head, clearly disappointed. "So if she couldn''t get a man like him, then she''s not as impressive as everyone thinks she is."


    "Don''t make fun of your friend''s choices", Dn said with brows furrowed.


    "Correction, she''s not my friend", she raised a finger at him.


    "And when did you find out all this about Zach? If he''s that amazing, might as well leave me for him", he scoffed and turned his back on her.


    "Babyyyy, it''s not like that", she immediately put the tablet away and climbed on top of him. "Why would I want a robot of a man when I have all this?" She run a finger down the middle of his chest in a seductive move.


    "Doesn''t mean he''s not ''impressive in any way I can think of''?" He continued to grumble in annoyance.


    "Forget about him! You''re the only one that I want, screw A.J! Screw Zach Frost! He''ll die single anyway!"


    Before he could say anything else, she sealed his lips with hers, ending the discussion. Meanwhile, the person in question who was apparently going to die single, was carefully putting down his sleeping daughter.


    Amy was seated in bed, watching them. Completing the mission, he walked back to bed where he joined her. He took a tablet from the nightstand before pulling her in his arms.


    "It''s just as we thought", he said, swiping through the device.


    "These are good", shemented at the pictures and how clear they were. They belonged to the supposedly discreet men who followed Zach to work and took pictures of him that were reported to the King. "Found anything on them?"


    He shook his head. "Nothing. Seems all the men working under the Dark waters are ''non existent''."


    "Of course, they can''t afford loose ends", she replied. "Is George okay?"


    "He''s safe."


    They both fell quiet and Amy was now doing the swiping, looking through the pictures. Zach''s men were really good to capture shots of the people who were following their boss. She could not help but be more impressed with the man.


    "I have a hunch", he started earning her attention. "These men remain non existent just in the real world."


    Her eyes widened in realization. "You think the case is different in the underworld?"


    "Mm. These are not regr people, they must have aliases and those aliases must have information on them. Or someone might know something about them. That something, can be used against them. Just like Viper."


    "Ooooh!" Amy was pumping with excitement as she peeled herself from him to get herptop. Curiousity was growing like a huge appetite that needed to be satisfied.


    "And where do you think you''re going?" He pulled her back into his arms, this time around, on top of him. She gave him a sheepish smile knowing he saw through her. "Can''t that wait till tomorrow?"


    She smiled and blushed, as he tucked away some strands of hair from her face. "But it won''t take long."


    "Not curious to know how bad my day was without you?" He argued.


    "Really? I couldn''t tell over the ten times we spoke over the phone today", she gave him a judging gaze. "Ten times Zachery, ten times."


    "Who called the other more?" He countered.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Who called the other first? Asking how the weather was", she shook her head at him.


    "One needs to keep up with the weather in preparation for the unknown", he justified himself.


    "So I''m your weather girl now?" She narrowed her eyes at him.


    "How''s that for a forey idea?" He wiggled his brows at her, smiling and she dropped her head on his chest,ughing.


    But thatugh soon died down when a warning beeping sound was hearding from Amy''s phone. She lifted herself off of him to get it and resumed her original position.


    "Same ones?" He asked as he watched her tap away o?¡À her phone.


    "Nope. Two new ones. They must be getting really frustrated with me", she mumbled.


    "So that''s six of eight?" He confirmed. That was the number belonging to gangs who wereing for Amy after the Greco downfall.


    "Mm", she answered, putting her phone on his nightstand.


    "Seems like you''ll be busy starting tomorrow?" His lips lifted into an amused smile.


    "My hands have been itching for this", she giggled, wiggling her fingers. However, she still could not help her worry, after all, her task involved dealing with people who were not one''s regr Joe. "This will work, right?"


    "It should", he said with confidence, as he caressed her face. "But if it doesn''t, we have a n B. You have me."


    "I have you", she repeated, trusting himpletely.


    She knew that was a promise he would fulfill no matter what it takes and she too would do all she can. As they looked into each other''s eyes, a secret understanding passed between them. So, she leaned forward and sealed it off with a kiss.


    The next morning, the couple was up bright and early. Roserie was still sleeping while her parents remained busy in the room, one sorting out her outfit for the morning and the other on his phone whilst dressing up.


    "What did the doctor say?" Zach spoke into the Bluetooth headset whilst fixing his cufflinks. ".... Okay... Of course you''re not... I''ll leave you to tell that to Mom..... No, Xavier.... No. And I sent you an email... Yes. Sure."


    He tapped on the headset to terminate the call. He picked up his tie to put it on when Amy came forward and took over. "Looking good this morning Mr. Frost."


    "Thank you. My wife made sure of it", he replied, referring to her picking out his outfit. She smiled as he pulled her closer, locking his arms around her waist. "Xavier will be discharged tomorrow."


    "Is he going to stay with Lorraine while he recovers?" It was more of a guess than a question on Amy''s part.


    "Mm-hm."


    Amy shook her head, her brother-inw was a fool in love and she could not help but wonder if he had realized it yet. Speaking of the fool, he was still in bed but looking through his phone after the phone call with his brother.


    There it was, the long awaited email sitting in his inbox but he was not in a hurry to open it. He patiently waited for the person whom it concerned more. Lorraine walked back into the room from the bathroom after freshening up. She broke into a shy smile when her eyes met his.


    "Did I wake you?" She asked while walking towards him.


    He shook his head and raised his phone in her line of sight. "There''s something here for you?"


    Her brows rose in confusion. "For me?"


    "You might want to sit down for this."


    "Why?" She now stood beside him at the edge of the bed giving him curious eyes. "What is it?"


    "It''s uh.....", He studied her face, picking on little sign of nervousness from the way she looked at him. "It''s information on your mom, everything you wanted to know."

 Chapter 307 Stephanie Mays News

    "I need to go", she said, not meeting his eyes.


    "Lorraine, first of all, calm down", he said, eyeing her carefully.


    "She can''t keep doing this to Oliver and I, you understand this, don''t you?" Her eyes now shimmered with fresh tears as she looked at him.


    Xavier fell quiet, not that he did not know how to respond to that, but because he agreed with that thought. Whatever words he wanted to say next were stuck in his throat the moment her eyes met his. He could only feel his heart break at that sight.


    Seeing that he understood, she left the room without another word. Emotions were bubbling up, waiting to spill over. The elevator ride felt like it took forever just to get to the first floor. She practically sprinted out when the doors swung open.


    Screech!


    A ck range Rover stopped by the hospital entrance right when she had exited. The driver got out and jogged over to open the back door for her. She stopped and subconsciously looked up the building to see Xavier watching her through his window. He nodded at her and she did too before getting in.


    As much as she wished she could fly to the women penitentiary, a part of her was relieved that she had time to gather her thoughts. After what seemed like forever, they finally arrived.


    She was searched and made to fill in her details before being allowed in. She found other people already in the phone room speaking to their loved ones behind the ss wall. They looked so happy. She could not remember the time when such emotions were exchanged between herself and her mother.


    Her attention was caught by the said woman being brought into the room. Lorraine''s mouth fell slightly open when she saw her mother''s face. Part of it was swollen, she had a busted lip, a bruised eye and her knuckles had bruises as well. She threw herself on her chair and both of them picked up their phones at the same time.


    "You know, I was starting to wonder if I ever mothered an illigitiment daughter who now wants to know about me", Stephanie started, not minding her bruised lip.


    "You would know", Lorraine deadpanned.


    "Of course, but I was just too shocked when they said my daughter is visiting me", she chuckled in amusement and immediately stopped, hissing in pain. "Try not to make mommyugh today."


    "What happened to you?" She was more concerned with what new trouble she had caused besides what brought her there.


    "A friendly exchange between two inmates", she answered casually. "Nothing for you to worry about."


    "The only thing I''m worried about is what you''ve done this time", she said through gritted.


    Stephanie let out a tired sigh and leaned back in her seat looking at her angry daughter. "Youing here only means you found out everything."


    "You can''t keep doing this! Especially when you''re..." She nced at the prison guard, choosing to be careful with her words before ring at her mother. "Here!"


    "Hey, I won that money fair and square and if it''s wrong to use it to ensure my children''s safety, then sue me."


    "You forget that ying with such people will only hurt Oliver and I. It''s us who have to deal with the aftermath." She leaned forward and whispered shouted into the phone. "Those people are dangerous. Do you have the slightest idea of what they''re capable of?"


    "You looked into them?" Stephanie was shocked but displeased with her daughter''s actions.


    Drugs and gang activities she could not scream out to her mother. But seeing her reaction meant she knew! No doubt. "You''ve practically signed a death sentence for Oliver and I. Why are you so irresponsible?"


    "Youngdy, you do not talk to me like that, understood?" She jabbed a finger at the ss wall as she spoke. "And how dare you look into someone''s private information? That''s rude!"


    Lorraine deted against her seat. She was mentally exhausted with their conversation. Her mother''s gambling problem has been a constant cause of stress for her.


    She won the money fair and square? That was another gamble done. Winning such a crazy amount of money from such a dangerous person and in prison for that matter? Stephanie read through Lorraine''s emotions judging from her facial expression and thought she was making a big deal out of nothing.


    "What are you so worried about?" She asked, switching the phone to the other side.


    "For the millionth time, Oliver and I! Your children!"


    "My God! Did you not hear me when I said I did this for your safety? Nothing will happen to you", she groaned in annoyance, also growing tired with the conversation.


    "You dont know that!"


    "Oh sweetheart, I know."


    Silence. She sounded so sure of herself. Lorraine felt anxiousness start to creep in from the beating of her heart as she deliberated on Stephanie''s words. Realization dawned on her. "What did you do?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Stephanie''s lips lifted as she delivered the news. "Let''s just say you have a new parent..... a step-mommy."


    Stephanie could not stop the smirk on her lips as she was escorted out leaving a shocked Lorraine. However, that smirk was quickly wiped away the moment she saw the culprit responsible for the bruises on her face as well as some on her body walking in her direction. Their cold expression brought vivid memories from how ruthlessly they beat her.


    As the distance between them reduced, Stephanie balled her hands into fists not wanting to show how her hands were shaking from fear. She kept her gaze to the floor and subconsciously moved to the side.


    ''As you should'', Gwen mused as she walked past Stephanie.


    Back at Zach and Amy''s


    "Set aside Madam''s share and let me know when it''s ready", Edmund instructed the mainds in the kitchen.


    "Yes sir."


    "Good morning Edmund", Ste walked in, stretching her arms as she did.


    "Good morning to you Mrs. Thornton", he greeted politely.


    "Is someone not joining us for breakfast?" She asked curiously as she moved around the kitchen looking for something to do. The maids were used to Ste''spany and her love for cooking.


    "Master left early for work and he also instructed to deliver Madam''s meals to their room. She is not to be disturbed today unless we''re delivering the meals", he exined.


    "Is Amy alright?" She mumbled, frowning at the news.


    She left the kitchen to satisfy her curiosity. She took the stairs as quickly as her legs could carry her. She knocked on their door a little anxious and hoping everything was alright.


    "One sec", Amy answered from inside.


    A good minuteter, she answered the door with Roserie in her arms. She smiled at the woman, "Ste. Good morning."


    "Are you alright dear? I hear you won''t be joining us for breakfast and I got worried."


    "Oh yeah. I might not join you for the other meals too. I have an important task to do today", she replied. Seeing Ste still confused, she added, "It''s work rted."


    "Alright dear. Then, you might need help with Roserie. Victoria and I will look after her for you", she offered.


    "That would be great but I think we''ll be alright. I can''t be away from myputer but I can easily attend to her if she''s with me."


    "Are you sure dear? It''s really no trouble for us."


    "I know. I know. But I promise we''ll be okay. Have a girl''s day, I owe you more than that but have a break from her today."


    "Alright", she sighed. She had grown used to having the little one around. "But call us if anything."


    "Yes, I''ll do that."


    Ste kissed the little one and left Amy''s side. Thetter closed the door behind her and got in bed. She ced theputer on herp with Roserie in her arms. She looked down at the little one. "Ready to work with Mommy?"


    Roserie smacked her little lips and cooed in her mother''s arms. Amy''s phone started to ring from Zach''s side of the bed. She smiled seeing the caller ID.


    "Hey baby", Zach''s deep voice resounded into her phone.


    "Hey. Called to ask about the weather again?" She chuckled. "Shouldn''t you be in a meeting right now?"


    "I checked the weather app in my phone", he chuckled softly picturing Amy roll her eyes at him which she was doing. "And the meeting starts in five. How about you? Have you started?"


    "I started as soon as you left", she answered, ncing at herputer where she was running a program.


    Zach hummed into the phone and said the exact words Amy had in mind, "It''s time to shake things up."

 Chapter 308 An Uninterrupted Long Day

    In Mn Italy


    The sun had long risen over the beautiful city. Among the sea of curious tourists venturing around the ce, the streets also spotted people leaving their businesses and work ces rushing to their desired food spots. It was lunch hour for most but there were others who could not leave their workces whenever they wanted to.


    "Grazie, bueno giornata!"


    (Trantion: Thank you, have a great day)


    These polite words echoed over a team of employees adorned in a formal work outfit and seated behind their desks in front ofputers and eyes peeled on their devices.


    They had on headphones as they attended to the different phone callsing in. There was no time to rx, when one call ends, anotheres in. Among the sea of ongoing conversation and callsing in, one phone call was answered.


    "BNL, you''re speaking to Giulia, how may I help you?" A woman politely answered.


    "Good afternoon", a masculine deep voice with a strong Italian ent resounded in her earphones. "I''ve just been told that money was transferred into my ount but I haven''t received any notification."


    "One moment please", she replied and began typing away on herputer. "I need your ount number."


    "It''s ITXXXXXXXXXXX", he responded.


    She silently typed away as he detected the number. "Mr. Aldo Torre?"


    "That''s me", he answered.


    Her brows knitted in confusion and she hummed. "When was this transaction made?"


    "About an hour ago. Why? Is there a problem?" His voice was nowced with concern.


    "I''m afraid there hasn''t been such a transaction."


    "What? Are you sure it''s not awork problem?" Hisposure was starting to break.


    She mentally sighed, afraid she knew where their conversation was going. "There is no record of that in our system."


    "That''s impossible! Stavo pando con il ragazzo proprio ora!!!" He screamed into the phone. "We signed things off not too long ago and that''s a lot of money we''re talking about."


    (Trantion: I was talking to the guy just now!)


    "I''m sorry sir, the only transaction record showing right now is one from five months ago-"


    "No, no, no, there must be some sort of mistake. This guy is trust worthy. Actually, we both use this very same bank. You should be able to find his information if I give you his details."


    "Sir."


    "Please. Questo ¨¨ il pane quotidiano del mio dipendente", he pleaded.


    (Trantion: This is my employees'' bread and butter)


    Already exhausted from the work, she could not help but give in to get it over and done with. The desperation in his tone was the icing on the cake.


    "What is their ount number?" She asked.


    "It''s uh.... I wrote it down", he quickly replied. She could hear the scrambling sounding from his background. She patiently waited and within seconds he retrieved it and detected it to her while she typed. "His name is Gabriel Russo", he added.


    And withouting as a surprise, an error sign showed up as soon as she pressed enter. "The ount number does not exist. I''m sorry sir."


    "No, no, no, no. Check again!" He pleaded. "Or his name."


    "There is no one going by that name with that ount, I''m sorry sir. It''s possible that you may have been scammed by this person."


    "No, no, no, no, no."


    She shook her head at the sound of the panic in his tone. "Sir, try to calm down. Find yourself a goodwyer, I''m sure they can help you recover your losses. This is all the help I can offer."


    The only response she got was of him choking on a heartbreaking sob before the call was quickly terminated.


    Another person that fell victim to a con artists. She had dealt with clients who had called victim to such crimes but till date it was still hard to be indifferent to these cases. Hearing Mr. Aldo Torre break down like that means it was a lot of money for someone who is as wealthy as he is....


    Meanwhile, ''Aldo Torre'' had indeed abruptly ended the call in a panic to tend to the one whose sobs was heard over the call.


    "I''m sorry cupcake, mommy didn''t mean to scare you!" Amy carried her in an upright position, cing her against her chest and patting her bottom.


    She had be a little enthusiastic and passionate in her acting whilst butchering the little Italian she had learned off from Google. Roserie cried in her mother''s embrace still startled by her mother''s shouting when a knock was heard.


    "Madam, it''s me!" Edmund shouted.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Come in!" Amy answered as she pushed away herptop to get out of bed and start pacing around.


    "Your breakfast madam", Edmund wheeled in the cart.


    "Thank you Edmund. Ssh, ssh! It''s okay cupcake, it''s okay", she continued to pat her bottom.


    Edmund set up her meal before excusing himself. Amy went back to bed to get herptop then settled in the sitting area, cing the device on the coffee table. Seeing her daughter still crying, she cradled her, positioning her to feed her.


    Now given her food, Roserie quieted down. Amy wiped the hot tears that trickled down the sides of her little face. She looked back up at herptop and a little smile formed on her face. With her free hand, she started to eat whilst monitoring herptop.


    Months ago, when she had sent Dn to Italy to spy on the Dark waters, he had conveniently sent her information on the King''s second inmand, Aldo.


    There was not much to the man, not a lot to work with. However, there was still something she would get through impersonating him.


    That fake ount number she provided, it''s true, it was fake. And although that''s what it was, but to Amy, it meant something else entirely the moment Giulia pressed enter...


    The girl was worried about people getting scammed but what she really should have been aware of was hackers like Amy. A notification sound went off from herptop.


    "I''m in", she muttered and smiled in triumph.


    She looked down to see Roserie fast asleep. She fixed her blouse and carefully set her down before she went about eating whilst working on her task. She worked fast with her fingers and her eyes following every movement.


    Later, when Roserie woke up with a cry,hungry and seeking her mother''s attention, Amy used the opportunity to stretch her legs, feeding the little one while pacing around, still with her focus on theputer.


    Before she knew it, Edmund was knocking anding in again with her afternoon meal. She burped and put Roserie to sleep, ate and resumed work.


    The day was busy for the young woman and thankfully nobody else interrupted her. She was so focused on working and attending to Roserie that she did not notice the sun set and darkness start to creep in.


    She was seated cross-legged, baby in her arms, feeding her daughter while her eyes remained fixed on theputer, not wanting to miss a thing when her bedroom door swung open. Even that, she did not hear.


    Zach knew this as he walked into the room. It was when he got closer that she realized his presence. She looked up from the device and smiled at him. He pecked her lips before looking down at herputer.


    "Still?" He asked.


    "I''m almost done", she answered, covering herself up when Roserie stopped feeding.


    "Has she bathed?" He asked, referring to Roserie.


    "Not yet", she replied, focusing her gaze back to the monitor.


    He quietly picked her up, burping her while Amy pulled the device close to her and rxed. Not long after that, from the corner of her eye, she saw Zach preparing to bath their daughter.


    ''3,2,1'', Amy mused and right then, Roserie started crying as soon as her tiny feet made contact with the warm water.


    "You''re enjoying this", Zachined at Amy.


    "Who wouldn''t?" She teased.


    He red at her before resuming his current task. It usually took a while to calm Roserie down even after she was all dressed up, that''s how much she hated bathing.


    Amy was d she was not dealing with that. She fixed her gaze back to theputer, the important moment had finally arrived. She threw in a few moremands and executed them all. Finally.


    ..., 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%,...


    Zach was done with Roserie and ready to freshen up. He went to Amy''s side, handing over the little one. "Go to your-",


    "Ssh!" She cut him off with a re.


    Zach took a peek to see what was so important when he followed Amy''s gaze on the ck screen which was fixed on a string of a percentage of numbers going up at what she thought was a snail''s pace.


    67, 68, 69, 70,....


    "Darling-"


    "Ssh!"


    84, 85, 86, 87, ....


    Zach watched her with concern, he wanted to remind her to breath but he could barely get a word in. He was starting to regret suggesting this idea to her.


    97, 98, 99,.....

 Chapter 309 Putting An End To The Silly Game

    Why is it stuck on 99? She wanted to refresh the page but held her fingers in a fist, afraid to disrupt the process.


    ''Come ooooooooon!'' she growled internally.


    If it failed, it means going through today once more and she did not have it in her to do that again. She was screaming for a hot bath and a good night''s rest.


    ''Come ooooooon!'' she mused, wishing she could telepathically influence the process.


    100%.


    "Ahhhh!" She breathed out a sigh and chuckled excitedly. "Yes!"


    "Congrattions", Zach patted her on the shoulder.


    "Thank you", she smiled and took roserie from Zach, holding her up to shower her little face with kisses while giggling. Roserie blinked a few times and her mouth moved to what seemed to be a smile, feeling ticklish from her mother''s actions. She breathed another sigh in relief, hugging her daughter and looked up at her man, "Were you going to wash up?"


    "Care to join?" He teased.


    "You''ll have to bathe me", she shot backzily with a cute pout.


    He smirked, how could he say no to that? He took Roserie and went out to hand her over to her grandparents who had missed her all day. They were more than happy to spend time with her.


    Zach jogged back to his room to find Amy working on herputer. "Aren''t you done?"


    "Just one more thing", she answered. He moved to sit beside her and understood the moment he saw the screen. "I have Pedro to thank for this but he''s such a... ugh."


    Despite his attitude towards her when working with him which was aplete 180 of what he was like when teaching ptes, she appreciated the information he gave on list of gangs affiliated with the Dark waters, theirs included.


    There was no physical way to find Amy, she knew how frustrating it was for them with the situation these people were in. Therefore she conveniently dropped a little more information under her bounty info. And they all tried essing and digging deeper into it.


    What they didn''t know was it was a little system bug she had created that would nt itself in theirputers and help Amy easily ess their devices they moment they dove into it. She was sure their technicians were glued to theputers trying everything to find her technically.


    "I''m taking control of all theirputers", she exined to Zach.


    "Just like you did with my team during the Parton incident?" He questioned with an amused smile.


    "Well", she smiled, not denying it. "I''ll admit that I loved watching you that day, when you recognized me."


    "You were watching me?" His brows went up, failing to stop himself from smiling.


    "How could I not?" She paused to look at him, blushing at her own words before proceeding with the task.


    Zach shook his head, smiling at herpliment of him when a thought suddenly urred to him. "Were you anywhere near thepany that day?"


    "Right across the street", she answered.


    His jaw slightly dropped. "Do you know that I started looking for you the moment I opened my eyes in that hotel?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Amy paused and looked at him, it was her turn to be shocked. It was really love at first sight for them both, and not just lust. "I..... I wanted to go to you but I..... I didn''t know if... And then there was the issue of these guys."


    So many what ifs went through their heads. But thinking back to how their rtionship had developed over time, it was unique and beautiful, neither would have it any other way. Amy looked back at theputer, confirming that she had left them in panic.


    While they tried to regain control and call for their masters, she put the device down and wrapped her arms around Zach''s neck pressing her lips to his in a passionate kiss.


    He carried her to the bathroom and got them under the shower. She asked to be washed, he very much obliged, taking his time and stealing a few more kisses from her.


    Twenty good minutester, they were both out with Zach wearing a towel around his waist and Amy over her body. While he dried his hair, she went back to herptop.


    That was enough time to gain everyone''s attention. On her now ck screen which relftected what everyone else she had hacked into, the gangs, could see, she began to type a simple message that would literally shake things up.


    HELLO EVERYONE,


    WERE YOU LOOKING FOR ME?


    Dn''s eyes flew open in that very moment as though waking up from a nightmare. He had fallen asleep, definitely had a nightmare but could not even remember what it was about. Whatever it was, it was bad.


    He looked over the other side of the bed and Esmeralda was nowhere in sight. He got out of bed, not bothering to turn on the lights. The bathroom was empty so he decided to check outside the room. He was not sure where to start when he heard a rhythmic tapping sound followed by her long sigh.


    He followed the sound and found her in his office whose door was left open. "What are you doing up?"


    "Hey", she answered absentmindedly, sitting behind his desk, tablet in hand, focused on whatever it was that was there and fingers rapping against the desk.


    He walked over behind the chair to have a look only to instantly grow annoyed at the sight. "Are you still doing this? You left me in bed to do this?"


    She swiped a finger through the pictures. "I promise, it''s not what it looks like."


    "It''s exactly what it looks like", he countered.


    "No", she put the device down and stood up to face him. "It''s literally not like that. I was wondering, was your next step in getting A.J to lure her in?"


    "Yes?" He gave her a sceptical gaze.


    "Perfect. I have an idea", she picked up the device and started swiping through the pictures. "These are all the people who we have ced tags on. What if we used one of them to lure her?"


    "A kidnap? George is the obvious choice" he pointed out.


    She shook her head. "Not a kidnap. That''s too easy and too predictable."


    "We kill them", she whispered with a murderous glint shing in her eyes matching the cold expression on her face. Dn''s face stiffened at those three words whilst she continued to swipe through the pictures.


    She continued, "One of these people has to die. It will send a message to our dear Amy that we mean business. It''s time to put an to this silly game, it''s been going on for too long."

 Chapter 310 Not Underestimating His Enemys Strength

    The next day started off with Roserie being a little fussy first thing in the morning. Her parents took turns attending to her and getting ready for the day.


    When the little family of three were done, they left their room with Zach carrying his daughter against his chest while Amy carried his jacket over her arm. Edmund fetched his boss''s bag from his study and was already awaiting them at the dining table.


    "Aww look at you!" Stemented seeing Amyugh at something Zach said as the two approached the dining table.


    "Something is different", Victoria agreed. "Did something good happen? Care to share?"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about", Amy replied with a smile while carefully handing over Zach''s jacket to Edmund.


    "No early morning meeting?" Henry asked Zach with his eyes peeled on his device.


    "No."


    Amy took Roserie from him before they all began to eat. The sound of cutlery echoed around the table. Henry was reading the current news on his device while Richard was simply looking at the sports highlights. Victoria sighed at this and decided to start a topic that has been worrying her.


    "Zach, do you know when your brother will be discharged? That boy is not telling me anything", sheined.


    "Today. But don''t go see him or anywhere else for that matter", he replied.


    She opened her mouth to speak only to feel her husband''s hand on her thigh. He slightly shook his head at her. Ste looked at Amy who gave her an apologetic look and silently understood, things were not exactly great outside.


    Zach finished sooner than everyone. Leaving Roserie with Ste, Amy walked Zach out of the house. They sealed their farewell with a kiss before he went to work, after she had gotten back into the house.


    After the previous night, a lot weighed on Zach''s mind. There were situations were he could predict the oue hence he would not be nervous or taken aback butst night, he could not help feeling uneasy.


    "Sir, they''re onto us again", Gomez reported, gaining Zach''s attention. His tone grew grave as he reported the next finding. "This time around, it''s not just cameras they brought along."


    Zach briefly fell quiet. From his report, anyone could guess that those guys were going to war. Gomez expected the obvious answer from his boys and they were all ready. Zach''s phone vibrated from his pocket.


    "Xav", he answered.


    "The boys tell me I have some unwanted friends lurking around", he said quietly but Zach could tell he was pissed off. "And it seems it''s nothing friendly. I''ve got a girl and a kid to look after man."


    "Have you left the hospital yet?"


    "No. We leave in an hour or two. I don''t want to turn this ce info a blood bath." It''s something he was dreading to do but if it means protecting Lorraine, so be it.


    "Lose them andy low. Don''t do anything." With that, he ended the phone call. "That goes for you too Gomez."


    "Yes, sir."


    They''re up to something, something bad. That''s what anyone desperate is willing to do just to have their way. And that something bad will likely happen to his family.


    His hand clenched into a hard fist from anger. They dared to threaten the livelihood of his family. He would like to see them as much as touch a hair on either of his family, well, not on his watch.


    His family''s wellbeing came first but Amy''s link to them being a secret was equally a priority. He wanted to send reinforcements to his brothers but that would be a dead giveaway.


    These people were watching their every move like a hawk. Therefore, that move would start a war where George and Joanne are. He could not have that.


    However, he knew and had confidence in the strength of his men protecting all of them. But that did not mean he should underestimate his enemy''s. He immediately dialed George''s number who picked up on the second ring.


    "Prepare for anything", he ordered.


    "Alright, sir", he responded affirmatively.


    At the hospital<novelnext></novelnext>


    After the phone call with his brother, Xavier''s mood had turned icy. If he was this pissed off by the development, he could only imagine how Zach was feeling. These thoughts lingered as he paced around the same spot.


    Since that was the situation, he decided to act on his brother''s words. He took out his phone and busied himself. Over the sound of the showering from the bathroom, a knock was heard.


    "Yes", he answered.


    Don walked into the room after being permitted. sping his hands in front, he assumed a polite yet respectful stance. "Sir."


    "Enjoy", he answered without taking his eyes off the device. Don lips lifted into a smirk as he took his leave just as Lorraine walked in.


    Xavier looked up to see her smile at him and he gave her a small one as he extended a hand to her. She walked over to take it only for him to wrap his arms around her waist.


    "Hey", she smiled up at him.


    "Hey", he started, his seriousness being made evident in his tone. "There''s something I want to talk to you about."


    "Sure. I''m listening", She looked at his worriedly.


    "Hmm", he hummed, deliberating how to break the news to her. He run his fingers through her hair before resting his hand back around her waist. "I need you to move in with me."


    "Huh? Aren''t we.... ?"


    "I know, we''re taking things slow and that hasn''t changed. But there''s a situation that calls for it so it''s important you and Oliver stay as close to me as possible", he exined.


    "What situation...", she started, unsure. "..if I may ask?"


    "It''s.... a long story. I''ll tell you about itter on."


    A strong smell of danger reeked from his words, that''s all she could conclude from her head. Seeing the worry in her eyes just fueled his guilt right then.


    "I''m sorry, Lorraine. I know this was thest thing you wanted for you and Oliver", he breathed out a sigh, guilt overwhelming him for pulling her into this. "I''ll look for another ce for you and Oliver with maximum protection and I''ll go back-"


    "I didn''t say no to moving in with you", she interjected, offended that he was already making another decision.


    "What?"


    "You stuck with me during my problem, why shouldn''t I with you?" She looked at him when he broke into a smile in relief. "Plus if we were to live apart, I don''t know how long that will be for; I''m not exactly fond of that idea. So we''re in this together."


    "Are you sure? Lorraine, this is a big decision", he reminded.


    She hooked her arms around his neck, locking them as she looked into his browns. "I feel like this is an opportunity to trust you and learn to rely on each other. You embraced everything that came with me, I don''t want to run away from everything thates with you."


    He just looked at her, amazed. Those words confirmed it for him that they had just started something so strong and so great, probably for a life time. He could not help his smile as he pecked her lips twice before hugging her. "Thank you Lorraine, so much. You don''t know how much this means to me."


    She smiled whilst basking in his warm embrace. "So where is it we''re moving to?"


    "My ce, in Albany. Nobody knows about it especially when I''ve hardly lived there."


    "Okay, let''s do that."


    "I have to warn you though, it''s a two bedroomed apartment. And you can''t exactly share a room with Oliver."


    "Not my problem. You''re the one who wanted to take things sloooooooooow up until marriage", she taunted.


    "I should have thought this through", he sighed, resting his chin on top of her head. "I''m screwed."

 Chapter 311 A Little Reminder For Nico

    "$200,000! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Nico screamed.


    They were back at their base, an abandoned building that had soot stains from probably a fire the building had caught long ago. Some of the men had started a fire, hurdling around its warmth, others yed cards, while others just rested.


    Getting no response, he turned around to take in the scene and grew even more pissed. "You scumbags! Am I talking to myself?"


    "Boss", someone started to whine. "Why are youining about this when we all know you have enough to afford it?"


    "WHAT?" He ground his teeth, dangerously ring at his subordinate.


    "You have the money", someone else answered.


    "I WAS DUPED!" This was what riled up Nico the most.


    "But that''s what you do", someone mumbled but unfortunately was heard by Nico who hurled him up by a grab of his shirt.


    "Say that one more time", he growled into his face.


    "Boss-"


    "Say it!" Before his subordinate could get any other word out, hended a hard punch on his face sending him tumbling to the floor.


    He rushed over and kicked him onto his stomach his growls of frustration outsounding the pain filled groans of the man on the floor. He gave him onest kick before turning around to look at his horrified men.


    "Anybody else got something to say? Huh?!!" He red at them.


    "You''re one scumbag! Beating a man for speaking the truth?" A deep sinister voice echoed from behind them followed by the sound of his unhurried approaching footsteps.


    Nico and his men looked over including the one who had just gotten a beating. One of the men barely concealed a shocked gasp as he immediately recognized the face belonging to the voice. Why, it was none other than Don, Xavier''s shadow bodyguard.


    He smirked as he sped his hands behind his back with simply two men following behind him. He walked past Nico going to the fire where the men gave him space so he could sit. He spread out his hands to warm them against the fire.


    "Who are you?" Nico grounded his teeth, feeling pissed at the intrusion. This was his turf, no one could and should disrespect him on his ground.


    "Why don''t you refresh his memory for me? Or was he already passed out when we arrived?"


    "What is this f*cker talking about?" He demanded in annoyance. Don nodded at the man who gave away his seat to him to do the needful who quickly did so in a whisper to his boss.


    Nico balled his hands into fists, barely suppressing his rage at the man who was acting like he owned the ce. "Why are you here?"


    "How do you often respond to that when your clients ask you that?" Don looked up at him, sizing him up before looking back at the fire.


    Everyone now understood the reason for their visit. Some of the men who knew how ruthless these men''s beatings were made to leave only to be frozen in ce with literally just a step in their direction by Don''s aplices.


    "It''s not yet time for me to pay", Nico protested, feeling unfair by the encounter.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Well", Don stood up and stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets. "Signing something doesn''t necessarily guarantee the payment will be on time or made at all. Besides, we just want to get this over and done with. You understand this, don''t you?"


    "No! This is not right! Uphold your end of the deal!" Nico growled. He looked around at his men, silently signaling them to get ready for an attack.


    "Do you?" Don shot back. "We''re just here to remind you how urgent this matter is.... Plus we were bored. I promise, we will be out of here in no time. Boys!"


    Not long after Don said that, the sound of pain filled cries echoed from the abandoned building. Minutester, Don and his men walked out with not a spec of dust or so much as a hair out of ce on their heads. He dialed for Xavier''s number.


    "Boss, it''s done", he reported.


    "Don''t be shy to visit your friends as often", he replied.


    "Uh..... I don''t think they''ll appreciate any of our visits from now on." He looked behind at the building before getting into their car. "And I won''t be surprised if there won''t be any more group meetings or they change location."


    "We can''t let that happen, now can we?" Xavier chuckled in amusement before he ended the call.


    He looked over at Lorraine who had her gaze peeled on the outside. They had just been discharged and we''re heading to their new ce.


    He could not wrap his head around how everything was moving quickly for them despite the decision to take things slow. But it''s Lorraine, he wouldn''t have it any other way.


    "What?" She turned to look at him. "I could feel you looking at me."


    "Can''t I appreciate what''s mine?" He countered, pulling her to him. "That was Don, he paid Nico a visit and gave him a friendly reminder to pay."


    "I bet he didn''t like that", she shook her head though smiling in amusement.


    "Not one bit, but it''s his type of business. He should understand this better", he replied.


    She silently agreed. Nico was really having a taste of his own medicine. If he''s to stay in that business, she hoped this experience would change him.


    He can''t keep belittling people and taking advantage of the innocent. Pushing that thought away, she remembered to make an important request to Xavier.


    "Can we stop by my ce? There are a few things I need to get for myself and Oliver."


    "Ah, about that. I took care of that already."


    "You had people take our clothes for us?" Her brows shot up at him.


    "No, I could not risk anyone going back to your ce so I bought a whole new wardrobe for you online", he exined.


    She nodded in understanding only for a few secondster the truth to finally sink leaving her shocked and embarrassed. "Everything?"

 Chapter 312 What Started As A Bad Day....

    Everything meant not just new clothes but bras and undies. At this point, he had practically seen everything. How else was he making a selection of what to buy without imagining how she would look in them.


    Xavier fought an amused smile watching the wheels in her head turn and her face grow red from embarrassment which she concealed with anger.


    "Are you serious?"


    He must be messing with her, right? This is just a joke to get her all riled up for nothing, right? To her dismay, he wasn''t.


    He looked down at her chest and responded with a whisper, "Not sure about the underwear but I''m 100% sure I got your bra size right."


    "Please! How would you know?"


    "Remember how we first met?" He asked, referring to how her top stuck to her body after she had ''rescued'' him from the river. He leaned into her ear and whispered, "That''s how I know. And they''re allce, we might have that ''show and tell'' sooner than we anticipated."


    "What a pervert", she grumbled at him and moved back to her seat. She was growing more red with his words.


    "Come on", he extended a hand to pull her back but she pped it away making himugh.


    He should have left that task to her. Now he practically knows everything she wears, especially on the inside. How embarrassing!


    At Frost Corporation


    The big boss himself was buried in a mountain of work. He walked into his office after a three hour long meeting, undoing his suit jacket to throw over his chair. As soon as he sat down, his secretary knocked once and he permitted her to enter.


    "Here are the minutes, sir", she ced the file on his desk and he simply gave her a firm nod.


    His phone started to ring, seeing the caller ID, warmth flooded the cold man''s features. "Darling", he acknowledged. "You''re alright? Do you need anything?" he chuckled at whatever response she gave him. "Good..... No, not yet... Are you happy that your man is probably starving to death?.... Oh", he looked up, surprised by what he heard only to find his secretary still standing in front of him, watching the little exchange with barely suppressed bitterness. "One sec baby." He now focused on his secretary with a re. "Can I help you?"


    She felt a sharp pang in her heart from seeing how sweet, soft spoken and warm he was to whoever it was and now being all cold and heartless to her. Months had passed and she had barely seen himtely but she could not get over the fine man! Why couldn''t it be her?


    "One of your men brought a parcel ten minutes ago and insisted he would deliver it to you himself", she replied politely.


    "Let him in."


    She excused herself after that. Even if she could not have Zach Frost, the pay was worth the stay despite the heart break. There was nothing to brag about anymore.


    "Baby, you didn''t have to", he said, feeling giddy when he saw Skull bring in his lunch box Amy had personally prepared. The phone call turned into a video call and she kept himpany as he ate also letting him see their daughter.


    "How is she? Cupcake, are you letting your mommy rest? Did you get some rest after I left?" He knew how tired she was from the previous day and they had woken up bright and early go get ready.


    "Not really, I don''t feel sleepy but I will when I do", she replied. "And she''s fine. How''s the food?"


    "It''s perfect. But I think it would be more perfect if we were eating together", he confessed.


    Amy broke into a smile. "Well you have to make do with eating alone for now."


    "For now", he agreed.


    Feeling energized from eating Amy''s cooking and hers and his daughter''spany to add it it, the day didn''t seem too long and work seemed lighter. It all served as a motivating factor for him to work faster than he normally did wanting to get back to his family.


    Soon, the golden hue of the sun setting reflected in his office. Only the sound of his typing could be heard and flipping of papers. One more thing to work on and he would be on his way.


    What started as a bad day ending into a good one thanks to his wife was just about to change into having a bad ending with a phone call he was about to receive. His brows went up seeing the caller ID. That ominous feeling returned as he stared at the call before he answered it.


    His face hardened when the news was delivered to him. What started as a bad day still ended as a bad day. He dropped everything else and picked up his jacket and bag and left the premises. His men knew him to always have a frosty expression but they could feel something was different. Something bad had happened.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Hurry up", Gomez quietlymanded the driver.


    The driver did as told flooring it yet stole a nce at his boss in the back. He was seated with eyes on the outside, looking like he could burn anything in his path with just his eyes. What was he angry about?


    To Zach''s relief, they finally arrived at his home after breaking a few trafficws. Edmund was ready to get the door for him when he himself flung open the door.


    "Welco-"


    "Where''s Amy?"


    "She''s in the sun room-" Before he could finish speaking, Zach was already running into the house. What could have happened? Everyone had the same question seeing their boss run like a mad man.


    "Ste you actually did that!" Victoriaughed.


    "I''m not even surprised!" Amyughed along.


    "What did you want me to do? Alex was throwing a tantrum, Nora was crying her eyes out, Richard was nowhere to be seen, I was losing my mind and my rifle was just... It shut them up anyway", she concluded with a shrug.


    "Do they remember that?" Amy asked.


    "Alex has asked me about the hole in the ceiling too many times, I don''t know if it''s to taunt me or she simply doesn''t remember", she shrugged.


    "Oh my gosh. But I understand you, kids will drive you mad", Victoria agreed. "I had once dropped Xavier on the floor head first when he was just five months old. I startedughing at him instead offorting him."


    "Oh my gosh!" Amy looked at the woman horrified.


    "Did you.....?" Ste was unsure but held up two fingers to her lips and Victoria nodded with an embarrassed smile.


    "Noooo!" Amy stared at the woman in disbelief. "Are you serious? Did you take him to the hospital?"


    "In that state, Amy?" Ste questioned the obvious leaving Amy''s jaw to drop even lower.


    "Kids do that to you dear", she replied and Ste strongly agreed.


    Amy knew Ste was crazy but she did not expect that from Victoria. Should she trust these women with her kid? Guessing what she was thinking, the two women startedughing their hearts out.


    The sound of hurried strong footsteps caught their attention.They looked to the door and Zach appeared right then. His eyes were on Amy, she could see theplex emotions reflecting in them.


    Her heart started to pound so quickly in that moment. Zach had never looked at her that way. He always made her nervous but this was bad nervous.


    "Please excuse us", she whispered to the two women.


    "Take her with you", Zach added, referring to Roserie.


    As the women left, she stood up to face him and he began to walk towards her. As he got closer, that''s when she clearly saw what he was expressing through his eyes: sadness.


    "What''s wrong?" She pulled him by his arms so she could bury herself in his embrace.


    He wrapped his arms around her and whispered a truth that shattered her world. He was quick to catch her when all the strength in her body vanished along with the dreadful message.


    He felt her shake her head against him and the sound of her whimper made his heart ache. His eyes stung from the tears that he held back. "I''m sorry."

 Chapter 313 Good News For The King

    "I wonder what happened", Victoria whispered to Ste whilst in the corridor.


    They stood a few feet away from the door leading to the sunroom. Getting no response, she looked at Ste who had nothing but worry on her face.


    They both got startled from the sound of Amy''s sobs that now echoed from the room. Without a second thought, Ste took a step forward to go to her only to be held back by Victoria.


    "But-" she started. Victoria shook her head saying no.


    Much to her dislike, Victoria led them away giving the two the privacy they requested and not to rm Roserie who was fast asleep.


    Meanwhile, Zach and Amy were now on the sofa. He had embraced her while she straddled him, crying her eyes out as he pet her head.


    He remained silent, letting her cry out the pain. No amount of words could alleviate the pain. All he could do was simply hold her and let her cry.


    "She....", She sobbed and clutched his suit jacket tight where her hot tears fell. "How could she...."


    She slightly pulled away to look at him. "Is this a joke? I speak to her, I spoke to her..... Today.... I-I-I asked how she was feeling. Zachery I swear I-" she closed her eyes letting the tears fall, her mouth quivering, her mind and brain unable to properly coordinate her thoughts with her mouth.


    The slowed speech, how weak she had been soundingtely and the jokes she had been throwing, the way both of them got carried away reminiscing about the past. All of that kept reying in her mind. The strict woman that had a soft spot for her in heart, Joanne, was gone.


    Zach could only wipe Amy''s tears with his thumb but more fell. His silence only made her cry even more, it confirmed that the news about her death was real. Joanne was gone. Forever.


    Her sobs soon quieted down to be whimpers apanied with sniffles. He stood up, carrying her in his arms. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and silently let her tears fall on him.


    The rest of the house automatically became somber seeing the master and mistress of the house in such a mood. Zach went to their room and carefullyy her on the bed.


    As he pulled the sheets to cover her body, he saw a tear escape from her closed eyes and then fall into her pillow. He leaned forward and kissed her temple. As he walked away, he heard her stiffle her sobs probably hoping he wouldn''t hear her but he did.


    He disappeared into the bathroom and undressed to get into the shower. He stood under the cold water and let out a heavy breath. Joanne Harper, a woman who was part of Amy''s past and part of the reason of who Amy is.


    He will never personally thank her for protecting the woman he now calls his own, the mother of his child. His heart ached thinking of how lost and lonely Amy must feel after losing such an important person. He run a hand through his hair, frustrated, angry, and heart broken.


    Not wanting to stay away from for too long, he quickly washed up and left to dress up. Amy was still in the same position he had left her. Tears were no longer falling, but her eyes remained closed. He decided to use the opportunity to exin the situation to the family.


    "Zach, what''s going on?" Victoria asked as soon as he got out of their room.


    "Let''s go downstairs", he said. He didn''t want anyone disturbing Amy.


    He took Roserie from her and led the two older women downstairs. Henry and Richard were already waiting at the foot of the stairs thus he decided to break the news right then.


    "What''s going on?" Henry repeated his wife''s question.


    "Joanne Harper passed away this evening", he replied.


    "Oh dear!" Victoria gasped.


    "Oh gosh!" Ste cupped her mouth and she too gave way to tears. Richard wrapped his arms around her.


    They were not friends with the older woman but they new her because of how their library helped their orphanage. And knowing how important Joanne was to Amy, it only made Ste''s heart ache more and cry more.


    "George called to let me know", he added.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Henry sighed and patted Zach on the shoulder. Thetter looked at the two women. "Mom, Ste, I need your help in looking after Roserie tonight. Amy''s not in a good shape."


    "Of course. Of course. You don''t need to ask", Victoria answered without hesitation.


    "Of course dear", Ste agreed. "Amy.... Poor child. Take good care of her. She''ll need you the most right now."


    He nodded. He didn''t need to be told twice. Speaking of which, he needed to get back to her. As though reading his thought, Victoria gestured for him to hand over his daughter.


    "Excuse me, sir", Edmund announced his presence, getting his master''s attention. Zach handed over his daughter before giving Edmund attention. He spoke quietly already guessing the reason for the somber mood. "Dinner is ready, should I bring up yours and Madam''s to your room?"


    "Mm." Zach kissed his daughter''s forehead before leaving everyone for Amy.


    With each step he took going upstairs, it felt heavy and so was the weight of his heart. He quietly opened the door and left it slightly ajar so Edmund shouldn''t bother knocking whening in.


    He quietly got under the covers and carefully turned Amy over, pulling her into his arms. She pulled him closer with a clutch of his shirt and started sobbing softly.


    "She left me... She left me.... How could she leave me?.... Did she want to stay away from me that much?..... Am I that unpleasant-"


    "Amy, you know that''s not true." He knew she did not mean any of the things she was saying but he still felt the need to assure her.


    "Then how could she.... How could she leave me? She wanted me to keep my distance but since I didn''t listen to her, she decided to leave me... Forever", she choked on her sobs.


    Zach only pulled her closer. He closed his eyes, fighting back the tears. Every word she said was like a constant stab to his heart. The more she cried, the more he felt like someone was slicingyers andyers of his heart.


    The sound of soft footsteps made him open his eyes. He watched Edmund quietly set the table for them before excusing himself. Zach was in no hurry to get her to eat. He waited for her to calm down before letting her know.


    "Baby, dinner is ready", he whispered.


    "I don''t want to", she replied in the same tone with a sniffle.


    "I know, but you need to. You''ll need to be strong when sending her off."


    She brought her head up, resting it on his pillow so she could look at him with a brows raised. He wiped away her tear stained face and gave her a nod to the silent question she was giving him.


    At the King''s Vi


    "Oh my gosh! Just when we were debating on who to take out and that, bless her soul, croaked. How convenient!" Esmeralda gaffawed at the news of Joanne''s death. "The heavens are finally on our side baby!"


    "That''s enough", Dn growled. She had been like this ever since they got the news he was now fed up. Even Aldo who stood in the room could not help his inner grimace at Esmeralda''s attitude.


    "Baby, be happy! This is good news for us!" She moved around his desk and situated herself on hispfortably.


    "You''re right about one thing, it is good news for us. I can bet all my money that A.J will be there, she can''t miss this", he replied. "We wanted to get her before anyone else could, we''ll use this chance."


    She snapped her fingers. "Agreed."


    Dn looked over at Aldo with a frosty expression. "Get ready, we have a package to secure."

 Chapter 314 A.J Is Far From Mysterious In Real Life

    In West Vige


    The very next day, the weather was gloomy with gray clouds hovering over small crowd gathered at the mortuary awaiting to see what was now the painful reality: Joanne Harper was no more.


    Mournful cries echoed among the sisters as they watched the pallbearers carryJoanne''s coffin to the herse. Close friends and family were there for support in this difficult time as they held each other and cried on.


    Sister Alice Moon was being supported by two people as she wept. She had grown weak from the crying and the pain of such a loss. Their words offort could not get through to her ears because nothing could undo or soothe what she was going through.


    Still, she was grateful grateful for the support everyone present was giving. She had this thought whilst subconsciously only for her gaze to fall upon a familiar face. Her eyes widened a little from shock and fear when they made eye contact but he held a finger to his lips, silencing her.


    ''What''s Aldo doing here? What could he possibly want? Did they actually kill Sister Harper? Is he here to make sure that the job wad done? What have I done?''


    The girl was overwhelmed with guilt but it was masked by the tears that had stained her face. Aldo turned his back to the pallbearers who were now lifting the coffin into the back of the herse.


    "Well?" Dn''s voice resounded in his earpiece.


    "He''s not here", Aldo answered. "Neither is she."


    "I guess George won''t be making an appearance today", Dn mused before he broke into an amusedugh.


    "Well, they''re going to the chapel right now for the funeral service so we''ll keep a lookout over there."


    "You better", Dn replied dryly, quite annoyed.


    "But is this... Is this alright?" He asked whilst looking at the picture of Amy Dn had given them. "Don''t you want toe up with possible disguises she might pull off?"


    "A.J might be mysterious in the digital world but she''s far from that in real life. She''ll do the predictable things you don''t expect her to. Keep an eye out."


    Aldo no longer questioned him. Being the said person''s assistant he must know her pretty well. He hated Dn and listening to him but he would grit his teeth and do so now.


    He knew how much this mission meant to Esmeralda. With that thought, he rounded up his boys and went on their way to the chapel.


    A convoy of cars followed behind the herse as they followed it to the orphanage chapel. Seeing the number of cars trailing behind, onlookers could only conclude that someone important must have passed on.


    The road had be one way with traffic lights holding off cars and pedestrians from all other sides except those on the roading from the mortuary.


    People were beginning to grow frustrated and start to make callints because they had a life and things to get to, it was abnormal to be held for that long especially on all intersections at the same time!


    It was only when the convoy passed did the lights turn green allowing everyone to go on their way. It was a sight and experience that gave bystanders goosebumps. Just who was this important person?


    "F*ck me", Aldo grumbled seeing the number of cars that had parked inside and outside the orphanage. Looking for Amy and George would now be akin to looking for a niddle in a haystack.


    They knew how influential Joanne was to those who prayed at their Church, the parents that adopted kids and the ones adopted who, some, were now adults like Amy.


    They wanted to conduct the ceremony strictly by invite but knowing the lives tbe older woman had touched, it was nowhere near possible.


    "We''re here at the chapel, status report", he spoke into his earpiece.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "We''ve been looking through the guests but it''s hard to keep up because more keeping in", a subordinate''s voice resounded in his earpiece. "We narrowed the search down to a women with shoulder length brte hair and blue eyes but there are so many women like that, it''s very easy to confuse them all."


    "Then narrow it down to anyone falling in the age range of 23 or 24, it will make your search easier. Don''t limit it down to just blue eyed brtes, anyone is a target", he ordered before looking back at the men in the car with him. "Let''s move."


    Seeing as it was a ck attire asion, Aldo and his boys blended right in. He nodded at the leader of the team he left to search the chapel while they were at the mortuary. He went on his way looking around the different guests who conversed whilst waiting for the herse.


    Going by his own order, he filtered out the women and looked around to match the description he had given. The problem is he didn''t know how tall Amy was..... Did it matter at this point?


    There were so many girls short, tall, medium, chubby, petite, brte, redhead, blonde, ck haired, neatly dressed, shabby dressed, crying, chatting about...


    "Emily!"


    A woman''s high pitched voice brought him out of his thoughts. She was a middle aged woman. He looked over to see the Emily she was calling out to only to find the two hugging and Emily burying her face in the older woman''s shoulder. This Emily girl was on the thicker side looking at how big and sticking out her ass was.


    ''Damn'', he mused, eyes glued on her butter.


    "Watch it!" A man grumbled at Aldo after bumping shoulders.


    Aldo barely gave the man a nce and continued to look at Emily. He could only move on if she was in the clear and that ass....


    So he stood at a distance, and watched the women break their embrace only for him to make an interesting discovery. Emily was wearing a ck face mask leaving her eyes exposed. Why? What is she hiding? And most importantly, she had shoulder length brown hair.


    ''Those are huge....'', he mused, taking in her chest. He looked down at her body, she had a bit of a belly fat but her figure was outstanding giving that hour ss shape in that ck bodycon dress.


    "Adrianne", Emily smiled behind her mask. "How are you?"


    "I''m alright dear, just.....", She sighed and shrugged, referring to the sad asion.


    "I know", she replied and blinked back sad tears. She looked around and expressed her shock. "I didn''t think there would be this many people here."


    "One way or another, Joanne touched many lives." The two silently agreed ad they took in the scene. The convoy was yet to arrive leaving the guests to their business. Adrianne decided to change the subject. "Did you bring your son here?"


    "Yes, he''s with his Dad.....", Emily looked around and easily caught sight of the duo.


    Aldo followed her line of sight to see a man shorter at least a few inches shorter than him and Emily as well, carrying a baby in his arms. The man smiled at the two women as he joined them.


    "Adrianne, this is my husband, Raphael Stanford."


    The two shook hands in greeting and Emily continued with the introduction. "And this is our little angel, Raphy, named after his Dad."


    "A", Adrianne peeked over the properly covered baby. "He''s so beautiful!"


    Useless! Aldo felt he was wasting his time and moved to walk away when something stopped him. He looked back at Emily... Those brown eyes he just noticed, and that brown hair.... Why does she look so familiar?


    Curiosity started to gnaw on his insides..... She looked so familiar, too much he could not ignore.... Could it be....? That mask on her face, he needed it gone. An image formed in his head and he was so sure it would match whatever was underneath it.... That mask....

 Chapter 315 The Three Words Aldo Wanted To Hear

    "Ladies and Gentlemen, please be seated. We would like to begin the ceremony", A man announced in a somber tone.


    Adrianne, Emily and Raphael made their way to their seats along with the other guests. Mournful cries resounded as the coffin was wheeled in. Adrianne gave Emily''s hand a tight squeeze who was silently crying. She had the strong urge to stand and follow the pallbearers wanting to see if it was all just a prank...


    "Here", Raphy whispered in her ear.


    She looked over and he was offering a white handkerchief. She was about to say no when she saw the initials Z.F sown in ck at the corner of the cloth. She took it and it''s just as she thought, it had Zach''s scent on, bringing her a sense of calm. She was not alone.


    The service went on for what felt like an eternity to Aldo. As full as the chapel was, he thought it would make it easier to conduct their search with the guests seated in one ce.


    It was more challenging now especially with the women now looking the same in his eyes. Still, his gaze could not help but revert back to this Emily girl.... If she could just take off that mask....


    "Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the orphanage, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support in this difficult time. We know how much Sister Harper meant to each and everyone of us but we would just like to inform you that the burial has been arranged to amodate only the closest family and friends....."


    The speaker concluded his speech and announcements before they could disperse. For Aldo and his men, it was now or never. They needed to move fast.


    He found himself following after Emily andpany. He had not yet cleared her. Married with a baby or not, she was a target and he needed to satisfy his curiosity.


    He could see Emily was oblivious to him being on her tail especially with the crowd surrounding them as they walked to their respective cars.


    That mask was like a missing piece of the puzzle in his head. looking ahead, she was within arms reach from him. So how will he do this? Bump into her? Pretend she''s an old friend? identally-


    "Reporting to Sparrow!" A subordinate''s voice echoed in his ear. "We just spotted a woman with a matching description to our search."


    "What?" Aldo stopped in his tracks, taken aback by the finding.


    "We found A.J!"


    Threw words he had been waiting to hear all day. He looked up ahead and the Emily woman had disappeared among the sea of guests leaving the orphanage. Screw curiosity! He had bigger fish to fry.


    "Where?" He barked, making a u-turn to wherever his men were.


    "Get her!" The subordinate screamed before reporting to Aldo.


    He too got a move on. Amy was running away, there was no way he would let her slip out of his fingers. For once, he believed Dn. A.J was indeed predictable.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''She''s not as clever as I thought'', he mused whilst running to the scene.


    He saw his men disappearing into one of the street alleys outside the oprhanage. He caught a glimpse of a figure in tight pants, ankle boots, and a hoodie all in ck taking a corner. How was she outrunning these idiots!


    "Get the car ready at xxxx!" He screamed whilst increasing his running pace.


    She can outrun them but he was a whole different case. For Esmeralda! That''s all he could think to fuel his speed. For Esmeralda!


    Bam! Something soft mmed into him as soon as he took the corner. Standing his ground, he watched the same figure he saw falling back onto their butt.


    There she was, piercing blue eyes, her skin had grown more white like she had not seen the sun in what seemed like forever, pink plump lips that were an inviting sight... The sweat that had carpeted her forehead just gave him dirty, dirty thoughts...


    She was beautiful! The pictures did not do her justice. And to his amusement, her fall made her hoodie fall off revealing her ponytailed long BLOND HAIR! So much for trusting Dn''s words, he was right to give a different order to his men.


    "And where do you think you''re going?" He asked in a sinister tone in his Italian ent when Amy quickly got up from the floor looking around for an escape only to realize she was surrounded by his men.


    At least ten men surrounded her. She the sound of a car screeching to a halt and it was right behind Aldo. More scary looking men poured out. Aldo chuckled to himself in amusement seeing her mask what he expected to be obvious panic.


    "You know", he began to walk towards her leisurely. "You''re not as smart as the world gives you credit for."


    Amy balled her hands into fists when she felt him stand ufortably behind her deliberately rubbing his crotch against her butt and zed his lips against her ear as he whispered. "You''re just a dumb blonde. Hot and dumb. If you were not so important to our mission, God knows the vulgar things I would do to you in this ally..... Probably turn you into my personal pet."


    Silence. Any felt her skin crawl just by his close proximity and the words he spouted in her ear.


    "Say something baby!" he chuckled to himself. Amy was so beautiful, and her getup just gave off a bad girl vibe. She was so hot it drove the thought of Esmeralda out of his head. Maybe he could strike a deal with the King to let him keep her. "We can have a little fun right here right now before we go back."


    His menughed at his taunting remarks and while he expected a reaction from her, she remainedposed, giving nothing away, not even a word. She made him feel like a dog barking at a tree, useless, unappealing, unwanted...


    It annoyed him, reminding him of how Esmeralda looked at him now with Dn in the picture. That thought cleared his mind and he moved away from her giving a nod to one of his men.


    Bang!


    Amy grunted in pain when she next felt her consciousness slip away as soon as a metal club hit the back of her head and she copsed to the ground. Thest image she saw was of Aldoughing as the world turned into darkness...

 Chapter 316 Meeting The King 1

    Amy started to regain consciousness with a pulsating ache originating from the back of her head. A ringing sound buzzed in her ears. She squeezed shut her already closed eyes to get rid of the irritating sound that only worsened the pain.


    She softly groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. She could barely make out what was before her, it was all a blur.


    "Zachery", she tried to call out in panic but it only came out as a whisper.


    She closed her eyes again and forced herself tried not to panic. She gave herself a moment to do so. From the position she was in, she felt she was sitting on a chair with her hands tied down at the back.


    She tried to move her feet but they were numb, unable to move from probably sitting down for too long. ''How long was I out?'' she mused.


    The ringing faded away and she could now pick up on the sound of skin making hard contact with another.


    Thud!


    The sound was so loud it also startled her. She gave another shot to opening her eyes, slowly and she came face to face with a blurry sight of her tights covered thighs. She closed and opened her eyes twice more before her vision finally cleared.


    She looked up and winced at the bright light that made her feel like the veins in her head were about to explode from the pain. But she could make out what was before her and it reminded her of the situation she was in: she had been taken by the King''s men.


    "Sir", someone whispered to Dn who turned to him and pointed at Amy for him.


    "Ah! A.J! Finally!" He let out a dramatic sigh of relief and collected a tissue from one of his subordinates and proceeded to wipe his bloodied knuckles. "I was starting to worry if your head injury was serious and I do apologise for that. I told them to bring you in I just didn''t specify how. My bad. But worry not, I took care of the idiot."


    Amy now followed the sight of a badly beaten man being dragged out of the room by his leg by another man. The action left a trail of blood on the marble floor. Marble. She looked around and to her surprise, she wasn''t in a dungeon.


    Rather, she was in a beautiful room she could possibly conclude to be an off. She was ced in the middle yet sideways where she was able to see the men at the door.


    Aldo sneaked a smirk at her but she ignored him and continued to look around. Dn walked past her to his desk where he got a spare chair. Behind that desk was none other than Esmeralda who was busy tapping away on her phone.


    "Wee to our humble abode", he said as he sat down, crossing his legs one over the other. He took a minute to look at her and then chuckled to himself. "A.J, A.J, A.J. You''re finally here. You look... different. How''s your head?"


    "Nobody cares", Esmeralda grumbled.


    "I''m just trying to make our guestfortable sweetheart", he replied with a chuckle.


    "She doesn''t need to be", she responded dryly.


    He sighed to himself and looked at her. "Won''t you say hi?"


    She slowly looked up and her brown eyes locked with Amy''s blue ones. Thetter could see the mirth reflecting in them as Esmeralda replied, "Don''t we need her alive?"


    Amy''s lips slightly lifted in amusement with thatment. Esmeralda grew offended by this but she suppressed her rage for the sake of going back home.


    "Alright, alright. A.J, you probably guessed why you''re here", Dn said, getting her attention.<novelnext></novelnext>


    Her blue eyes seemed to pierce through his soul when she looked into his. It brought about an ufortable feeling.


    "Now, why would I do that?" Amy asked calmly in her soft voice. For someone in a dangerous situation, she gave away no hint of fear or panic.


    "You created this mess, undo it", he replied with a nod at her.


    "Again, why?" She asked.


    "You and the FBI set up road blocks both virtually and physically which unfortunately", he let out a self deprecatingugh then ?dded through gritted teeth from frustration. "I cannot get rid off!"


    "Aaaaaah", Amy rxed in her seat feigning realization dawning on her and gave him an amused smile. "So the student never became the master."


    "You little!" Heunched at her enclosing a tight grip around her slender neck.


    Amy struggled from the pressure, her eyes welled up with tears as his grip lessened the amount of air she was desperate for. With his grip on her slender neck tightening, her faced turned red and the veins along her temples became more prominent.


    Esmeralda stole a nce at the scene and resumed looking back at her phone with no care whatsoever. Dn red and growled into Amy''s face in warning, "I would think twice before acting out if I were you."


    He roughly released her and left her to gasp for air, taking in deep breaths. Her hot tears trickled down her face whose color now slowly returned. Her hands itched to rub her throat where she was sure his hand prints were visible.


    "You need me", she coughed and shook her head in attempt to get rid of the lingering ufortable feeling before she looked at him. She regained herposure and calm, "How do you know I won''t be setting you up to get caught instead?"


    "Ah....." He let out an amused chuckle which turned into augh. He looked at the men before looking back at her as though she was ridiculous. "A.J, are you really this stupid? Gosh!" He shook his head whilstughing and let out a big sigh after regaining hisposure.


    "In case that", he opened his hand and demonstrated at her the choking action he did recently, "wasn''t a clue enough, well, I''ll spell it out for you: if you don''t do as we say, you die. It''s as simple as that."


    "Do it", she challenged him.


    "What?" His amusement was squashed with those two words.


    "Kill me", she repeated.


    Dn''s facial expression spoke volumes. There was a big difference between being bold and actually being stupid. Did Amy actually have a death wish? She let out a soft chuckle, amused by his reaction.


    "Can''t do it when you''re actually given the chance?" she mocked. She leaned forward and whispered in his face, "Why? Was it not part of the script?"


    Dn''s brows furrowed expressing the emotion all the men present in the room felt: confusion. She leaned back and turned to look at Esmeralda who was watching them with not so much as an expression on her face.


    Amy''s expression turned cold while her eyes reflected mockery directed at the woman. "Are you just going to sit there and let your little side piece run this show?..... Sister."

 Chapter 317 Meeting The King 2

    Jaws dropped by Amy''s term of address directed at Esmeralda, everyone but Dn was shocked by the revtion. Amy and Esmeralda were sisters!


    Esmeralda''s expression remained the same but not long after she started tough like she had just heard the greatest joke on Earth.


    She stood up from her seat, her movements unhurried as she walked over to the pair. She ced a hand on Dn''s shoulder and he looked up. She was no longerughing but her gaze remained peeled on Amy. "I''ll take over from here."


    Dn quietly left the seat for her to rece him. He stood a few feet away to watch the show unfold.


    Esmeralda''s aura seemed to have taken a dramatic change because she no longer came off as a fragile yet nagging girlfriend, but she looked like she run the ce. Well, she did, she always has.


    Looking at their side profiles, one could now see the little simrities from the shape of their jawline, the high cheek bones and the shape of their plump lips.


    "The King", Amy said with a smile that never reached her eyes.


    The men felt like their minds would explode. It took bringing in Amy to learn of this new revtion: Esmeralda was the King. Dn, who was not so much as surprised, was just a cover.


    He had figured that out when they were in Italy the night she visited him and of course, she confirmed it. When she was still dating Aldo, Dn did catch her eye back at the club.


    When Aldo tried to go after him, she protected him using the perfect diversion and threw Aldo off by letting Dn assume the role. She never intended to reveal her identity but her actions only made it obvious to the smart Dn who became her lover was happy to assume the role for her sake.


    "You found out", she chuckled with not so much amusement. "No surprise there."


    "Aren''t you tired of wearing those contacts?" Amy nodded at her brown eyes.


    Brown eyes, Aldo thought back to the funeral. The Emily girl had brown eyes like Esmeralda and that was the face that came to mind when he saw the girl, the striking simrity.


    Was that Amy instead? The what about the actual Amy whom they caught in the alley? How did she do that?


    "The old man just had to have strong blue eyed genes. How I hated the weak and sorry excuse of a man he was. My favorite memory of him was when I watched the life in his eyes fade away after I put a bullet between them", she shuddered in pleasure and giggled at the distant memory. "He was willing to give up on everything, this empire, just because Hot Head was onto him! I had never hated anyone with so much passion as I did him, as I do you. Your F*CKING FACE THAT LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE HIM ESPECIALLY THOSE BLUE EYES!"


    Amy only looked at her in her calmposure. She had long realized it that the reason why Greco and Gwen had her info was because Esmeralda had been keeping tabs on her, she had known her from long time ago.


    "You''re no fool A.J that''s why it was easy for you to figure out who I am but guess what? I''m no fool either", she stated. "The great A.J, master at hiding actually showed up when I needed her...... Now, there''s a lot of things wrong with this."


    Amy''s lips curved up, "Well, your men caught me, I''m sure there were no bugs found on me. What''s there not to trust about my being here?"


    "Noooooo, you''re up to something", she eyed her carefully with obvious suspicion. "The same way we anticipated your move at the funeral, I''m sure you anticipated ours. This cannot be a coincidence."


    "Your trust issues are none of my concern. Take it or leave it."


    Esmeralda watched the girl before her and her lips spasmed from annoyance. Countless times she had expressed how much she hated Amy and the situation before her only fueled that feeling. A deadly glint shed in her eyes.


    "My first kill was a man who raised me from when I was just a day old to grooming me to be a leader of this empire, I won''t think twice about killing you. Trust me."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Amy felt a chill run down her spine from the warning, she needed to trade carefully from now on. Esmeralda suddenly let outugh. "Not a family reunion you were hoping for, right?"


    "I never hoped for one", Amy countered.


    "Still, I''ll give you something better one", she said with a mischievous smile earning a furrow of the brows from Amy. "Something that will leave you with no choice but to do as I say."


    As calm as Amy looked, her heart started to thud wildly against her chest. The only thing that came to mind was an image of Zach and her daughter Roserie.


    For them, she would walk through fire if it means their safety. Esmeralda easily knew pretty much everything about her life and it would be no surprise if she knew about her new family even without her engagement ring on her finger.


    Her heart beat faster as Esmeralda leaned in to taunt her in a whisper.


    ''Please not them, please not my babies, please, please, please'', she chanted internally in panic but still fought to remain calm.


    "Your mother."


    Amy''s brows involuntarily shot up from those two words and shock reflected in her eyes. Not Zach or Roserie....., but her mother. Thest person she would have ever thought of. Amy was genuinely shocked.


    Satisfied with her reaction, she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms against her chest. "Don''t look so shocked! Yes we kept her alive after father made her get rid of you and I took extra care of her, I''m not a monster you know! Just so you know, she used to visit the ditch we left you in until I made her stop. It became annoying!"


    Amy did not know what or how to feel. Her mother. What Ste told her was actually the truth about her birth. But who was that young girl? Where is she? What does she look like now?


    As though guessing her thoughts, Esmeralda continued to jab at her. "Curious about where she is or what became of her? I''ll give you all of that information in exchange for safely getting me out of this country."


    Amy took a moment to digest everything before replying, "How do I know you''re not bluffing?"


    "Well, you just don''t, do you?" She chuckled. "Or in your words: ''take it or leave it''."


    Amy fell quiet taking in everything. Esmeralda tapped her fingers against her arm impatiently. "Tick tock baby sister, we need to be out of here as soon as possible."


    "I''ll do it!" She responded almost immediately with clear annoyance spelled on her face.


    Esmeralda figured the turn of events must have ruined whatever ns she had whilsting to them. That''s how things were supposed to be. She was and has always been in control. It was her turf, Amy had no say or power over it.


    "Great!" She sped her hands together in excitement. As she stood up, she could not help but scrunch her nose. "There''s a funny smelling from you."


    Amy only grounded her teeth from the pain of her breasts being full and bing ufortably hard. Her pads served as a barrier from her leaking but now she felt nothing but pain. She had been away from her cupcake for too long.


    Esmeralda didn''t think of it much and beckoned at Aldo with a finger. "Untie her."

 Chapter 318 Doing Everyone A Favor

    The King''s office had fallen silent with only the sound of Amy''s typing being heard. Aldo and at least three of his men wandered around the room keeping a lookout for anything.


    They were holding A.J as hostage, a very important figure in the digital world. An ally to the United States government, the FBI, many prestigious organizations, and high profile personnels. Anyone of them could easilye to her rescue.


    "Ah....", Esmeralda started from the seat behind the desk. She was back to scrolling in her phone. "My men tell me a few people tried to follow after them. Is that the help you hired to protect you? Well, too bad, these guys wouldn''t be the King''s men if they cannot throw off any Jill and Jack."


    She looked at Amy who was still seated in the same chair she had woken up onto and now held aputer on herp. Her gaze was focused on the screen. She didn''t bother to answer the other woman''s taunts.


    "But seriously, what was your n? Humor me at least", she continued in a taunting tone.


    Silence. Esmeralda grew annoyed and looked at Dn who was hovering around Amy to make sure she was doing her job. "Is she doing her job at all? A.J exin what you''re doing?"


    Amy let out a tired sigh. "I''m trying toe up with new faces that you can wear."


    "Now why did you have to do something so unnecessarily in the first ce?" She shook her head at her. "All of this trouble would have been avoided, most of all, there would be no need for you and to cross paths either."


    "I like to work in silence", Amy said without looking up. It was hard enough to focus with her chest problem, she did not need unnecessary yapping to irritate her more.


    Esmeralda stood up from her seat and walked over, Dn moved aside and let her have a look. Just as Amy imed, she was indeed running a program that woulde up with new disguises. She looked at Dn and smirked, "I thought you''d be all excited to see A.J working in person."


    "Meh." He was casual in his demeanor as he stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets.


    She giggled, "Why? Didn''t you go under her wing because she was your idol?"


    "But that didn''t stop him from betraying me because he found a new interesting toy", Amy responded cooly before he could. As much as she wanted silence, she still wanted to taunt them. "Does she know about your little adventures? Going back to Italy", she scoffed. "That will just be a new yground for Dn."


    "Baby, baby, don''t listen to her", Dn coaxed the now fuming girl. "That was the old me, I promise. And didn''t you just say you wanted silence?"


    She could feel them both ring at the back of her head but her response was silence. Esmeralda really could not stand the sight of Amy, if she didn''t need her now, she would have long put a bullet through her head the moment she was brought, just because. Her gaze fell back to the screen and a thought came to her.


    "Did you say you''re creating new disguises for us?"


    "As you can see", Amy deadpanned.


    "What about our goods? What are you going to do about that?" Those were as precious as gold to her but she also understood that the authorities would take anyone caught smuggling them.


    "I never agreed to any of that", she replied cooly only to feel her hair yanked from the back of her head inciting a pain filled groan from her. "Ah!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    Esmeralda''s angry face hovered over her as she barked through gritted teeth. "I don''t have to spell it out for you, now do I?"


    "That''s something out of my control", Amy groaned from the pain and difort around her neck.


    "You did this! How is it out of your control???!!!"


    "Baby", Dn gently pulled her away from Amy who now felt her temples throb from the pain. He got in between the women and proceeded to question Amy in a less hostile manner. "Why is it out of your control? You''re working with the FBI."


    Amy was growing tired of the situation. She nced at the monitor before looking back at the duo. "The FBI are aware that locking Gwen away was not the end of it, they know about you and your supposed goods thanks to the little stunt you pulled on Hot Head-"


    "You little!" Esmeralda stepped forward with her hand clenched into a fist ready to hit.


    "Esmeralda!" Dn was quick to stop her and restrain her.


    "You want to leave, I can do that for you but nothing about the drugs", Amy continued. "And after the damage you did here, the lives lost, getting away with it is not enough, you still want to do more? What is wrong with you?"


    "What do you know? What would you know? Huh?" She barked in Dn''s arms. "That drug was especially made to get rid of all the impurities in this world! Bastards like you!"


    Amy halted in her movements and turned to look at the couple, one looking deadly serious while the other ring at her and fuming with rage.


    "Do you know what damage an existence such as yours does to a family? Do you have any idea? A family goes from a hundred then down to a zero. My mother was broken and father couldn''t understand that. On top of that he refused to get rid of you. It took her killing herself that he now understood how useless and unnecessary your existence was. I''m doing everyone a favor!"


    Amy did not know how to feel from all that, hurt was evident as well as confusion. "Then why am I still alive? You''ve been keeping tabs on me."


    "He did! He betrayed me! Why else do you think I killed him? You think it was as simple as just him wanting to surrender because hot head was onto him? HE DIDN''T LEARN!" she screamed and now tears trickled down her cheeks. "AFTER WHAT HE PUT MY MOTHER THROUGH, HE STILL KEPT TABS ON HIS BASTARD DAUGHTER!" she breathed heavily as she red at Amy. "I let you be because he paid for it with his life and I was d to live my life without ever crossing paths with you but noooooooooo you just had to interfere with my business. So I''ll say this once, little sister, those drugs better make it out of here with me. I''m not asking."


    She walked over to the floor to ceiling window leaving a confused Amy staring at her back. She crossed her arms over and gazed at the view of the city that was a good distance away from the vi. She took a deep breath and exhaled.


    Dn looked between thedies. He could have gone tofort her but someone needed to watch over Amy so she doesn''t try anything funny. They could not risk it.


    Amy took a moment before she snapped out from the confusion which had just grown by a mile. She understood Esmeralda''s feelings towards her but what about her father. What could she make of it all?


    "Get back to work", Dn ordered.

 Chapter 319 A Realization Not A Question

    The men, especially Aldo felt the revtions were a lot. Still, he felt it was a shame for how the sisters'' fate yed out. If only Amy was part of the organization, maybe his love story would have a different ending.


    The oblivious Amy resumed doing her assigned task with Dn''s hawk eye keeping a close watch. She was not far from finishing up. She looked at the time and realized she had been gone for close to four hours.


    ''Zachery'', she mused with worry. She could only imagine how he was feeling with her absence. And her baby Roserie... Gosh!


    Would she be able to see them again? She will, won''t she? Her eyes stung with tears from the possible thought of never seeing them again.


    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She resumed working. She was so consumed with worry it was now she realized there was one moremand to execute toplete the task at hand. She typed it in and pressed enter.


    Somewhere in the city outskirts


    Darkness was slowly creeping in sending the daylight away. Two ck SUVs sat parked on the side of an empty road one after the other.


    It was mysterious and gave off a dangerous vibe especially considering they had parked in the middle of nowhere with nothing but grass fields on either side of the road. The mood was much worse inside the cars especially the one parked at the back.


    The light from aputer lit up the front seat where the Skull and George who pushed up his eye sses sat. Both men felt suffocated from the silence but neither could speak or breath too loudly especially with the sleeping lion right behind them.


    Ding!


    George quickly reacted to the sound of Amy''sputer chiming. His face lit up from excitement. "Boss! It''s done!"


    Zach, who was seated at the back opened his blue eyes. As calm as he looked, his heart started to thud a little faster when he heard the notification.


    "Oh, we''re not too far from it", George mused out loud and passed theputer to Zach.


    Ding!


    "That must be the second one", George concluded from the sound.


    "Take care of it", he instructed. "Skull, let''s move."


    As George received the device, he could not help but conclude Zach looked more angry than before. There was only one reason: he had been separated from his wife for too long, it was time to bring her home.


    Back at the vi


    "The disguises are done, get the printer ready", Dn ordered one of the men who quickly scurried out of the room.


    It came as no surprise seeing how quickly Amy worked, she lived up to her reputation. She created new faces for them, built a whole backstory, IDs, travel documents, and everything they would need. She didn''t create any for her other men considering she didn''t know what they looked like and only targeted Dn and Esmeralda.


    "And our goods?" Esmeralda turned around, her face showing she had calmed down but still displeased by the whole thing. "Don''t give me that look, at the end of the day, you and I will have what we want."


    "I can''t think of any possible way you can get out of this undetected", Amy confessed


    Dn silently agreed, even he had been thinking of ways but still came up with nothing. The men brought in the 3D printer and started to work on there bosses'' disguises.


    "You know", she started to walk over. "Sweet old Joanne did say you only ever wanted family from the time you were a kid, I understand that, which is why I''m about to give you just that. But just remember, it''s very easy for me to take that away too."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "There is a way", Amy blurted out.


    "I''m listening", her lips curved up, very pleased.


    "Turn yourselves in."


    "Turn ourselves in", she mused seeming in thought. She went to Dn and took his Glock and moved to point it to Amy''s temple. She leaned forward ad spoke close to her ear. "Let''s try again. What about my goods?"


    "Listen to me", Amy raised her hands up instinctively and forced a hard swallow in anxiousness feeling the cold metal pressed against her. "Turn yourselves in but your country has toy im on your case to try you back in Italy. The U.S government will surrender you that means free transport not just for you but your goods as well. But strike a deal with someone powerful to get you out once you get there. There are many corrupt officials who would do anything to conceal their faults or you can use your army to break you free once yound there."


    "Hmm....", she fell in thought. It was a sound idea but she was not exactly fond of turning herself in. It was a risky option. "Is this your n to turn me in?"


    "You asked me to think of a way."


    "Noooooo", she removed the gun and went to sit across her. "I don''t trust you."


    "I''m not in a position to lie right now."


    "Bullshit. You''re a sly little thing, just like your mother."


    A mother she had never been raised by? Amy who was already having a headache felt it bing worse. She nced at herputer then quickly back at Esmeralda.


    "What was that?"


    "What was what?"


    "Why did you look at yourputer?"


    Amy was feeling exhausted with the question and was about to answer with another question when the door swung open. They all looked over to see one of the subordinates rush to whisper something in Aldo''s ears.


    Thetter''s eyes grew wide in shock and made to report to Dn when he remembered the change in hierarchy. He changed his way and went over to Esmeralda and made the report!


    "WHAT!!!" she stood from her sit like it was on fire.


    "What''s wrong?" Dn quickly asked.


    "The- The- Our hideouts in Italy are under attack. All the clubs where our men are; the groups who lost out with Greco''s downfall are attacking us! How did they even know the exact location of our bases? Weren''t they after A.J? When did the target change to us? Why are they attacking us when it''s Gwen or A.J they should be going after!"


    A million questions run through her mind. Well, there goes the n to use their army to rescue them when they get home if they would''ve gone with it.


    All the groups attacking them all at once? And it wasn''t just any organization they were attacking, it was the Dark Waters, the King''s organization. A group that has been governing them and practically held power over them over the years.


    Was there a new power in the circle? Who was it? Who would do this to them? She looked down at Amy whose lips curved up. She was quickly ovee with rage she pointed the gun at her once more.


    "You did this!" It was a realization, and not a question.

 Chapter 320 Amy Belonged In Zachs Arms

    "Esmeralda, stop it!" Dn stood between them, shielding Amy from her.


    "No! She did this! I''m sure of it! So this was your n all along, huh? Everything you said was just a trap afterall! I''m done with you!" She shuffled her gun but Dn stood in her way. "Move!"


    "Put it away!"


    "Move! She dared to mess with me! Move Dn!" She tried to maneuver around him but he blocked her way nheless. The men just watched on, not understanding their squabble.


    "BEFORE HER YOU HAVE TO GET THROUGH ME!"


    Silence. She was stunned by the new development, not just with the words he uttered to her but how angry he looked.


    "Dn..?" She uttered in disbelief. All the strength she had to shout and try to kill Amypletely vanished. "Dn?"


    "I won''t let you", he spoke more calmly but he still shot her a deadly re.


    With the change of events, Aldo was quick to realize the truth of the situation. Filled with rage not just from betrayal but using his ex love whom he never really got over, he moved to attack Dn.


    "STAY OUT OF THIS!" she screamed making him stop in ce. Hurt reflected in her eyes as she looked at Dn who was blocking her, but she looked over at the person to me. "You did this."


    "I did." Amy slowly got up from her seat, trying not to wince from the pain. "The things people would do for money. Offer them two or three times more than they lost and this is the result."


    When she hacked into Aldo''s ount through his bank, she traced the main deposits he receiveding from about two different bank ounts namely Karalea Incardona and Nicoletta Gallini. Was it a coincidence that the first letters put together spelled K.I.N.G?


    When Zach mentioned that they give the gangs what they want, he meant money. They had made significant losses from doing business with the dark waters and with the me being put on Amy, they were out for blood out of frustration knowing they could not go after the King especially with how secretive the person was.


    So Amy baited them with the King''s money and only offeredpensate if they could take down the King''s organization, mainly the army. With a deposit intact, they went to Italy and waited for Amy to reveal their hideouts'' locations.


    On herputer, she had set a program that was ready to receive anymand she sent to it that would be interpreted as a location for where she was and where the hideouts in Italy are. Herputer would automatically send it to the gangs''puter technicians to get the job done. And now, she was reading the results.


    "You bought them out?" She scoffed. Just how rich was this girl to spend such money on that many groups?


    "Yes, but not with my money", Amy smirked. "I''m not that rich. But someone else is....." She gave her a meaningful look.


    "You!" She growled and tightened her grip on the Glock and pointed it at Amy and pulled the trigger.


    "No!"


    Dn and Aldo screamed at the same time with the former jumping on Amy and tackling her to the ground, protecting her while Aldo did the same with Esmeralda causing the bullet to miss Amy and hit the ss window behind her shuttering it to pieces.


    Amy closed her eyes tight feeling her head hurt more from making hard contact with the floor. The next moment, she felt Dn yanked off of her and she was carried off the ground in strong mascr arm and then ced down.


    She opened her eyes to realize she was hiding under the desk and then came face-to-face with a man who had a ck mask on and a ck cap, matching his ck ensemble.


    "Dn?" She asked with worry.


    "You dare to worry about another man in my presence?" He growled quietly.


    "Zachery", she whined, not up for his games.


    "He''s fine." He took his gun and ced it in her hands then locked his gaze on her, making a silent promise. "Five minutes."


    That was all he needed. He spotted Aldo fleeing the scene. He ran after him and quickly appeared in front of him like a ghost. From the corner of his eye he saw Esmeralda disappearing into the hallway, escaping.


    Taking advantage of the distraction, he took another gun he had with him and pointed it at Zach who immediately kicked it out from his hand sending the weapon sliding far from them.


    Aldo hissed as he shook he twisted his wrist. Zach kicked the gun along with his hand. Not wasting a second, he pulled out a knife and swung it aiming at his face only for the same hand to be caught in an iron grip.


    "Arrrrggghhh!" He grunted in pain as his bones cracked from being twisted until the object dropped from his hand. Was he being delusional or was the man before him actually stronger than him?


    ''I told Amy five minutes'', he mused as he kicked Aldo in the stomach sending him flying until he crashed against the wall and sloppily slid down.


    Aldo was not a worthy opponent to waste his time on. The person in question groaned as he got up, not giving up. Someone needed to protect Esmeralda, that someone would be him.<novelnext></novelnext>


    ''I must not lose this-''


    Zach grabbed him by the cor and hit him in the face, then his throat causing the man to cough out in a choke and immediately at the back of his head, knocking him out.


    "Boss, we''re done here", Skull reported from behind him.


    Zach left Aldo''s side knowing Skull would take care of him and walked back into the office where George was keeping a watch over the passed out men and Dn who was seated on one of the sofas with his head hanging low.


    Zach went around to the desk and crouched down to Amy''s level. He pulled her into his arms where she belonged.


    The girl groaned in pain at his tight hug. He pulled away to get a good look at her to now see how deathly pale she was.


    "What did they do to you?" He growled.


    "Nothing I can''t handle", she whispered.


    "Amy."


    "I''ve been away from Roserie for too long", she gave him a weak smile. He red at her and she confessed to getting hit at the back of her head.


    "Who was it?" He was ready to kill in that moment as he carried her bridal style.


    "I dealt with him already", Dn responded, after overhearing their conversation.


    The sound of the sirens now caught their attention getting closer and closer to the vi. They took the stairs, vacating the ce. Amy noticed so many men lying on the floor unconscious as Zach moved.


    By the time they reached the entrance, she was sure she saw over twenty in the house. To her surprise, there were more in the same state within thepound. She counted Zach''s men, he brought only six and seven in total including himself.


    "Madam", Raphy called out. "We''re d you''re alright."


    She smiled a him and that''s when she noticed he was holding Esmeralda with Gomez on the other side. The girl looked angry when their gazes met but it quickly directed to Dn with hurt reflecting in her eyes.


    "All this time.....", She quietly said. She refused to shed the tears that threatened to fall, not for him who couldn''t even look her in the eyes.


    Against Zach''s wishes, Amy got down from his arms and walked over to her. "About my mother, were you telling the truth?"


    She sneered at her. "I don''t need to tell you shit!"


    "I know where she is", Dn cut in.


    "DYLAN!" she screamed at him.


    The red and blue colors of the siren red against their faces as the FBI''s SUVs came to a stop disrupting their conversation. Quickly stepping out of the first car was a face Zach quickly recognized.


    "I see you had all the fun", hemented on the unconscious men.


    "Rider", Zach acknowledged as he proceeded to put Amy in the car and gave her his jacket so she was warm.


    "Is that her?" Rider rushed over to have a look at Amy. He squeezed his face in between Zach acting as a barrier between him and Amy. "Gosh! I still can''t believe it! His beautiful fianc¨¦ and baby mama is actually THE A.J! Wow!"


    Amy chuckled at thement and Zach cut him short. "I need to get her to the hospital. If there''s anything you need to know, you can speak to Dn."


    "Of course, of course", he moved out if the way.


    Zach rounded up his men and he got into the back with Amy. She allowed him to pull her on hisp and wrap his arms around her. However her gaze was on Dn, a little frown settled on her face when she saw the look of longing on him as he watched Esmeralda being shoved into one of the cars.


    "He''ll be okay", Zach assured her, guessing what was on her mind.


    "I hope so."

 Chapter 321 Amy Had To Let Herself Fall Into Their Trap

    The next day


    It was still in the early morning hours. Zach and Amy spent the night at the hospital. He was seated on a chair beside her bed, holding her right hand in both of his, watching her sleep while her left handy on top of the covers and hooked to a drip.


    While he was still in his ck on ckbat outfit, Amy had changed into afortable hospital gown. Partly was because of the tests the doctors run on her to examine her head injury and any possible injuries she may have sustained whilst unconscious. Zach did not want to overlook any possibilities.


    She had gone into enemy territory, he couldn''t trust that she woulde back unscathed. On their way to the hospital, she had asked for her ring and now it was back where it belonged. A soft knock resounded from the door.


    The four older members of his family poured in with Victoria carrying a sleeping Roserie. Both women had nothing but worry written on their faces seeing Amy in that state. He held a finger to his lips signaling them to be quiet before he received a duffel bag from Ste.


    "What happened?" Victoria was the first to ask.


    "Is she alright?" Ste followed.


    "What did the doctors say?" Victoria added.


    "She seems fine but we''re yet to hear from the doctors", he replied. He moved to check on his daughter. "How is she?"


    "She''s fine although we had to give her something to put her to sleep", Victoria responded. She grimaced thinking of how fussy the little one grew the previous night.


    "Zach", Henry called out quietly and then nodded towards the door.


    The two men excused themselves and stood right outside the doors. The bodyguards moved a few feet away to give them privacy.


    "What happened? One minute you''re attending the funeral and now this?" He probed. "What exactly happened?"


    Zach let out an exasperated sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. The n was indeed for him and Amy to simply attend the funeral because of what Joanne meant to her.


    "We went after the King", he replied. "We got her."


    "What?"


    "Amy and I, we didn''t want to give these people any opportunity or time to find out anything more they coukd possibly use against us seeing how they were onto our family and what they already knew about Amy", he exined.


    "Roserie", Henry figured.


    Zach nodded, "We couldn''t risk that. Yesterday was the perfect opportunity. The only problem was Amy had to let herself fall into their trap."


    "Zach, that was dangerous", Henry said in disapproval.


    "Believe me, I know", he let out another sigh. Anything could have happened to her and he especially felt that fear when his men lost Amy when they tried to go after Aldo andpany. It was like a part of him was gone with her, he didn''t feel himself, she was out of his reach, out of sight, and the situation was out of control.


    "So what exactly happened?" Henry wanted in on the details. He knew the two were smart despite the danger.


    "Nora stood in as a body double and lured the King''s men away after the service and gave Amy enough time to change into a simr outfit as her."


    "Nora? Ste''s daughter?"


    "Yes." Amy could not do such a strenuous exercise especially in her condition which is why Nora came through. Zach continued, "She led them into a few alleys leading to one we had dropped off Amy, they switched and she got taken. But we lost them when we tried to go after them."


    Henry saw how dark Zach''s expression grew when he said that, it must have been a painful moment for him. His boy had lost Amy once, now that they had found happiness despite everything, he could only imagine how devastating it was for him in that moment.


    "Did she really have to go through all that? Couldn''t you nt a tracker on one of them or something?" Henry hated the danger Amy was in.


    Zach thought back to when he bumped into Aldo who was keeping a watch on Amy. He wanted to nt it but, "Too risky. And these people are very cautious, I don''t think they would risk anyone giving away their location. Besides that, we had to make it look like she had fallen into their trap. That way they would let their guard down probably thinking she was alone and defenseless.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "And only Amy could do that. She knew why she was taken and she wanted to use that as a cover to send us her location as well as retrieve the locations of their base and hideouts in Italy from their system. Dn could have done that for her too but that would mean his death before we got to them."


    Henry shook his head after Zach''s exnation. Amy risked her life and Zach risked losing Amy just to end this war. But seeing the way Zach was glued to her when they walked into them just now, Henry knew that would be thest time he would let his fianc?? walk right into danger even if it was for the greater good.


    He gave a strong pat on his son''s shoulder,forting him for the long night they had andmending him at the same time. Zach''s lips slightly lifted knowing what the gesture meant. The door slid open from behind them to reveal Richard stepping out.


    "Is Amy awake?" Zach asked.


    "Mm. Sorry, those two just can''t keep it down", Richard apologized.


    Zach shook his head. As much as he wanted Amy to rest, he would let it be if she didn''tin.


    "I better check in on her", Henry moved to go in when Richard stopped him.


    "You can''t go in yet. They said they need to help Amy with something", he exined.


    They all exchanged a strange look, unsure of what the issue was but shrugged it off. However, Roserie''s cry resounded from within at the same time he spotted a familiar figure of Susan Glynne rushing towards them.


    "Dr. Glynne", Richard greeted in recognition as she stopped to stand before them.


    "Good morning Mr. Thornton, Mr. Frost, and Mr. Frost", she greeted with a smile.


    "Thank you foring through Dr. Glynne", Zach said with gratefulness.


    "Nooooo. Amy?"


    "She''s inside. I''m sure you could go in", Zach said letting her pass through.


    Susan knocked first announcing her arrival before going in. She found Amy wearing a breast pump bra, trying to pump milk from one side at the same time trying to feed a fussy Roserie who just couldn''t take her food.


    "Ssshhh, I''m here, mommy''s here", Amy spoke as she adjusted her daughter in her arms. "Roserie....."


    Amy had her brows furrowed, growing frustrated by the little one''s outburst and the pain from the boob Roserie refused to take. She took a deep breath suppressing her feelings to focus more on her daughter while Suzy exchanged greetings with the two olderdies.


    "It''s okay cupcake. It''s okay, I''m sorry. Mommy is sorry. Don''t cry ssshhh don''t cry", she tried again and this now Roserie started to feed.


    Her muffled cries slowly quieted as she finally started to focus on feeding. Amy breathed out a sigh in relief before she used her free hand to start pumping the other side.


    "I can''t even be mad at you", Suzyined making Amy give her a helpless smile. "How are you feeling?"


    "d that you''re not mad at me", she replied with a cheeky smile.


    "Is Trevor with you?" Ste asked with curiosity.


    "No, he''s staying with my boyfriend Stephen." As soon as she said that, Amy''s mouth fell into an amused ''O''. She ignored her with a bashful smile ying on her lips and continued to exin, "This little one''s dad asked for me to be present as your doctor especially since you just gave birth."


    "Thank you and I''m sorry we had to trouble you."


    "It''s no trouble", she brushed it off with a wave of a hand. She was about to continue speaking when another knock was heard.


    "Amy, the doctor is here", Zach announced.

 Chapter 322 Who Is Amy?

    Victoria helped her removed the bottle she had filled up and put it away while Ste helped to cover her up whilst making sure she and Roserie werefortable. Victoria now helped the doctor and his team in as Zach spoke to him.


    "Aaah! The little princess is here?" He greeted with a warm smile.


    "Yes", Amy smiled.


    "Great! How are you feeling today?" He continued to ask.


    "I''m not my usual best but I feel much better, thank you."


    "Splendid. And you must be Dr. Glynne", he shook hands with her.


    "Yes, we spoke over the phone", Susan replied.


    "Yes. So Amy, I have your results. From the tests we runst night, there''s nothing rming showing. But we would like to observe you a little more just to be on the safe side."


    "How long will that be?" Zach asked.


    "A day or two, not more than that. If nothing else shows up, you''ll be on your way home. You might experience a mild case of Blunt Force trauma but nothing more."


    "May I see her chart?" Suzy asked politely and the doctor obliged while he continued to exin the symptoms of BFT that they should look out for. Suzy nodded along in agreement.


    "But if it gets any worse than what I''ve mentioned, please visit us as soon as possible", he concluded. "Any questions?"


    "Um", Suzy started. "May I request one more test to be done? An ESR. I just want to know what the numbers are especially since she gave birth not too long ago."


    "Of course. Of course. The nurse will help you with that as well as delivering the results."


    "Thank you. Jen, they''ll want to get your blood sample for this", Suzy exined and Amy obliged.


    A nurse came up to her and did as asked before the doctor and his team left the room. Zach now turned to the older couples, "I think you should go home now."


    "Zach, how will you manage without us. You have two people to take care of", Victoria disagreed.


    "Don''t worry mom, I promise we''ll be fine. Besides, we have Suzy with us", Amy said.


    "Tell us if you need anything else", Victoria said making Ste nod in agreement. They finally took their leave leaving the three adults and baby.


    "Is she asleep?" He walked over to take a peek.


    "No, she''s wide awake and still feeding", she answered while softly caressing her little face. Zach kissed the top of Amy''s head before disappearing into the bathroom. Susan sat herself on a seat next to Amy''s bed which reminded Amy of an important topic. "Boyfriend, huh?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Stop", Suzy broke into an embarrassed smile.


    "It was bound to happen, I mean look at you. He would be a fool not to", Amymented with a smile.


    "Thank you but that won''t stop me from asking what exactly happened to you? Do you know how worried I was when your man sent for me", she frowned.


    Amy did not exactly want to go into details but decided to exin in a way that she would understand still. "You know the circumstances around my being with him and giving birth to this one were so secretive?"


    "Yes?"


    "There was a special reason for that, a bad one, well let''s just say we took care of thatst night which led to me being here", she exined putting it simply. However it only fueled Suzy''s curiosity on one thing.


    "Zach I know who he is but you, you don''t seem like a regr Joe", shemented with narrowed eyes making Amy smile. "Who are you?"


    "This is embarrassing and I''ve never done this before but for you", she extended her free hand for a hand shake. "Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Amy Jennifer Harper I am a technician but, I am also know as A.J the hacker."


    "As if", Susan''s lips curled downwards, giving Amy the look that says ''I don''t believe you''."I know A.J is a man", she replied.


    "You know?" Amy''s brows shot up.


    "Yeah. He saved some ne passengers from terrorists some years back, Trevor and I were on that ne and he became a fan of A.J that day. That''s something I can never forget", she shuddered at the memory. "And I heard from the flight attendants saying it was A.J and they referred to him as a ''he''. So Jen, it''s okay if you don''t want to disclose your real identity, I have a wild guess as to who you could be, but I''ll leave things be."


    Now Amy was left curious to know what Suzy thought if not what she had truthfully already told her to be. Her curiosity could not be satisfied as a nurse knocked and came into the room with the test results.


    "Thank you", Suzy said looking at the paper before sending the nurse away.


    Zach walked out of the bathroom in a set of fresh new clothes. He had finally taken a shower after the long night they had. He saw the frown on Suzy''s face and could sense it was something bad.


    "How bad is it?" Amy probbed.


    "Bad", she replied as she walked back to her seat. "I''m not happy with the numbers. Your stress levels are way too high. I''ll say this as your doctor not a friend, it doesn''t matter what your job demands of you but right now you needplete bed rest, away from the stress, no strenuous exercises, just rest. You''re barely a month in after giving birth but don''t forget the amount of stress that put on your body. Give your body all the time it needs to heal. I repeat, no strenuous exercise or anything else until I say so, understood?"


    "Of course", Amy replied.


    Suzy looked over at Zach who nodded before he went to carry his daughter. He had missed the little one. He settled in the sitting area, attending to his daughter whoy on his chest whilst getting some work done.


    He deliberately left the two women to y catch up knowing they hardly saw each other. Suzy was a great help to the couple during the day, assisting them where needed until evening fell where Zach had someone send her home to rest.

 Chapter 323 Ill Stand By You

    The two had their dinner, Amy took her prescribed medicine before getting ready for bed. Shey on her side singing and patting a sleepy Roserie whoy next to her.


    "So has the situation been resolved?" Xavier''s voice resound in Zach''s earpiece as thetter wheeled a cart of now empty tes out of their room.


    "Mm. Everything is now in the hands of the authority", Zach replied. A bodyguard took the cart and Zach walked back in, closing the door behind him before going to the sitting area, giving Amy the privacy and quiet she needs.


    Xavier let out a sigh. "Are you sure there isn''t any other reason for us to stay in hiding?"


    "You sound like you want one desperately", Zach pointed out, seeing through his brother''s ns.


    "Of course not!" He replied a bit took quickly. "Why would I? How''s Amy?"


    He looked over at his woman who was still singing to their daughter. A smile subconsciously crept up onto his lips. "She''s fine. She''s putting Roserie to sleep."


    "Sweet. I would visit you guys....."


    "I know, you''re hurt and still in hiding", Zach cut in.


    "Bro! You were the one who told me!" He protested.


    "Goodnight Xavier", he hang up and got up to join Amy.


    "Goodnight cupcake, mommy loves you", she whispered then gently kissed her forehead.


    Zach slid into bed from behind her watching the little one sleeping peacefully beside them. Amy slowly stopped patting her before she again, slowly and carefully turned to lie on her back so she could have a good look at her man. The corners of her lips lifted when she met his gaze and cupped his cheek gently.


    "What''s up?" He whispered.


    "Was that Xavier?" she whispered back and he nodded in response. "How is he?"


    "He sounds fine, too fine if you ask me", he replied making Amy smile. "Heined abouting out of hiding so soon."


    "No surprise there. He''s a hopeless romantic", Amy shook her head. She breathed out a contented sigh as she looked at him. "Thank you."


    "What for?" He tucked some locks from her face and looked at her with nothing but love in his eyes.


    "For trusting me. Yesterday", she started. "I know it was not easy. Letting me walk into enemy territory and doing what I did, it''s not an idea even I would be okay with if the roles were reversed. But you trusted me for the sake of our family despite everything. And I thank you for that, from the bottom of my heart."


    "Amy, if there was any other way that didn''t involve you meeting them, I would dly take that option. But it doesn''t mean that I''m not proud of you, that was very brave of you."


    "That''s because I love you and our family. I would do it again if it means keeping you safe", she replied with sincerity.


    "I know baby and I love you too, but how about you let me worry about protecting our family from now on? That''s all I ask. I can''t risk losing either of you", he pulled her into is chest in an embrace.


    "I trust you", she replied, hugging him back. They briefly stayed like that before he pulled away looking at her with furrowed brows. "What''s wrong?"


    "There''s one problem I discovered today", he started making Amy raise her brows in question. "I''m starting to question your friendship with Dr. Glynne."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Suzy?" Amy''s brows could not go any higher.


    "I think she has something against me."


    "Suzy?" Amy tried to think of anything that would imply that but she came up short. The woman had been nothing but kind to them and she''s the same woman Zach called in because of her so...? "What makes you think that?"


    Zach let out a sigh, "Why is it that every time you face a medical problem her only solution for both of us is a sex ban?"


    "Oh my God!" Amy pinched her be.. "Wow! I knew thisin woulde up at some point but I just didn''t think..... Wow. Zachery."


    "No seriously, think about it. Did you see the way she looked at me earlier?"


    "She wanted to make sure you understood", Amy defended her.


    "But why me? It''s not like I didn''t hear anything she said. That woman..... I can''t trust her anymore. We should change doctors."


    "Zachery, stop being dramatic."


    "I''m being dramatic?" He arched a brow at her before his face showed the offense he had taken.


    She ced a finger on his lips and whispered once more, "We''re being so loud, we forgot about her."


    They both turned to look at Roserie to find her wide awake who blinked a few times. Amy was grateful that the little one didn''t cry despite all the noise.


    She suddenly turned her gaze to her parents who gave her beautiful smiles. Roserie broke into a gummy smile only for a secondter to stop and close her eyes going back to sleep leaving the two adults with their jaws dropped.


    "I should have taken a picture", Zach mused in a whisper still in disbelief at how cute his daughter''s gummy smile is. "Was she dreaming?"


    "No wait", Amy had another thought and her face lit up at a possibility. "Do you think she can finally see us?"


    They both looked at each other. Was it a coincidence or did Roserie actually smile after looking at her parents? As Itaking a good look at them? They both broke into excited smiles, it took one little act from Roserie to give them this special reminder: everything will be okay from now on.


    But Zach had another thought he needed to discuss with Amy that he was curious about. "Baby, there''s something else we need to discuss."


    "Not about the sex ban?" She arched her brow.


    "Well, that''s still open for discussion", he said with a smile. "But it''s something else. What Dn said, about your mom."


    He watched Amy''s eyes express a mixture of emotions, the dominant one being confusion. He continued to prob, "Do you want to meet her?"


    "Honestly", she let out a tired sigh just thinking about it. "I don''t know if I''m ready for that. I don''t if she knows about me. I don''t know... I don''t know. After all this time... The only mother figure I''ve known in my life was Joanne despite everything... I don''t know."


    "It''s okay", he pulled her into his chest once more and kissed her temple. "I just wanted to know your thoughts. Take time to organize your thoughts and feelings on the matter. When you decide, whatever it is, I''ll stand by you no matter what."


    "Thank you Zachery." Amy felt so lucky to have such a man in her life. No words could properly describe the many emotions she felt towards him. She breathed in his scent and let herself rx, her mother..... Gosh.

 Chapter 324 Zach Is Better Than That

    The next day


    Amy and Zach had woke up bright and early, taking turns to freshen up whilst attending to Roserie. Amy had changed into a satin trouser pajama set and threw on a long cardigan on top while Zach wore jeans and a shirt.


    "What are you looking for?" Zach asked from the sitting area, tablet in hand. He had been going through some work when he got distracted with Amy''s turning and fussing.


    "My scrunch, have you seen it?"


    "Behind you, second drawer."


    "Thanks babe."


    "Mm-hm."


    She half got out of bed to retrieve it before resuming her sitting cross-legged beside her sleeping daughter. As soon as she started to gather her hair in a ponytail, the catheter quickly changed her mind. Frustrated. She really wanted her hair out of the way.


    "What do you need?" He asked and her response was a wave of the scrunch. He put down the tablet and walked over to stand behind her. He first started gathering the hair in his hands. Feeling the gentle pull, Amy raised the scrunch up to him. He looked conflicted as he looked between the scrunch and the hair. "Hmm..."


    "Babe, do you know how to do it?"


    "I was just about to ask", he confessed.


    "Okay, um.....", She looked around and her eyes fell on the sheets. She gathered a handful in one hand. "So pretend this is my hair."


    "Mm."


    "Gather it in one hand, then wear the scrunch around the fingers of your other hand like this. Pass my hair to this hand and loop it through the scrunch, twist it, then loop again, then another twist and loop. That''s it."


    "Sounds easy", he nodded to himself before collecting the scrunch. Amy felt him gather her hair and she rxed against his actions. "I love it when you wear your hair down, you look really beautiful. Why do you want to tie it up?"


    "Thank you babe, but I just want it out of the way. Wait, so do I look ugly with it up?"


    "No, you''re very beautiful Amy, hair down or up, I''m just letting you know my preference", he replied.


    She blushed at hispliment. "Okay, noted. Then how about hair color, you''ve seen me in brown hair and now blond, which do you prefer?"


    "Both."


    "You''re not just saying that, are you?"


    "I''m serious. Darling, one more time."


    She was wondering what until she saw the scrunch brought down. She bit back her lower lip not tough but she could not me him, it was his first time. So, she exined to him once more. Seeing as he got it, he gave it another go.


    "I know you wanted tough", heined making her chuckle. "So, do you remember us talking about acquiring Greco?"


    "Yes."


    "So, that''s in the process right now but I had another thought I wanted to discuss with you. I was thinking of shutting it down temporarily."


    "Okay?"


    "Mm. I want to renovate the secretb to be an extension of an underground parking lot. We''ll change a few other things of course but that was the main focus." He had sessfully tied it up and sat down to continue having their conversation.


    "Sounds good. How long will you keep it shut down?"


    "Well, up until your hospital is up and running. This one will be the main supply for medicine to it."


    She nodded. That will give people enough time to recover from the Greco incident. And if Zach were to start operating thepany now, it would look like he was using it''s current tainted fame as a marketing technique. He was better than that, Amy understood this.


    "About that, I want to help, I know it''s a lot to invest in a hospital."


    "No, it''s my gift to you. I''ve got it covered", he said with a smile.


    "But-"


    "But if, not when, but if I ever go broke, I''ll have you to look after us."


    "Fine", she chuckled pulling him by the shirt to give him a kiss. "And thank you for tying my hair."


    "You''re wee." She gave him another kiss when his phone started to vibrate from his pocket. He broke the kiss, giving her onest peck before answering the phone. "Rider... I''ll call you back."<novelnext></novelnext>


    "What''s wrong?" She asked, seeing his serious expression.


    "Dn wants to visit you."


    "Oh." He was thest person she expected to see so soon. But thinking of how the journey has been, her expression could not help but darken. "Okay. Let him."


    As promised, he called back his friend and informed him. A knock was heard and in strutted Suzy being followed by on of Zach''s men carrying a basket. "Good morning love birds."


    "Hey Suzy", Amy greeted with a smile.


    "Hey. Mr. Frost", Suzy acknowledged.


    "Dr. Glynne", Zach replied with a cold demeanor. Amy gave him a warning look and he softened a little.


    "Am I missing something?" Suzy had cleared caught onto the silentmunication.


    "No, no. How are you? Is that for me?" She pointed at the basket she came in with.


    "I''m fine. Mrs. Thornton made this for you."


    "That''s sweet of her." She got out of bed to help set things up on the table dragging her IV stand along with her.


    "You''re doing much better today, I see", she mused, seeing Amy walk about.


    "Yeah, a bit dizzy but nothing I can''t handle", Amy sat down on a sofa and started to set the table along with Suzy. Thetter narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she looked at her friend who caught her stare. "What?"


    "You''re not...... putting on an act just because of what I said yesterday, are you?"


    "What are you..? Oh my gosh", Amy stopped to pinch her be when realization dawned on her. Zach''s lips lifted into a smirk, his eyes practically screaming ''I told you so''. Amy ignored him and looked at her friend with an exasperated expression.


    "I''ll just remind you that it''s a doctor''s order not that I''m imposing anything", as she finished speaking, she looked back at Zach.


    "I am not doing this right now, food is here, I''m hungry. I don''t have the energy for this", Amy ranted making the two watch her in amusement.


    The three proceeded to have breakfast with light conversation going around, well, it was more of the twodies talking. The doctor came in to check on Amy along with the nurse who administered medication to her. He did a physical, examining her to see if there were any new signs.


    "I''m happy to say that you''re making progress", he said with a confident smile. "We''ll observe you for the rest of the day, if nothing changes then you can leave tomorrow morning."


    "I like the sound of that", Amy smiled, very pleased by the news.


    "Good. I''m sure Dr. Glynne already told you but plenty of rest, no strenuous exercises of any sort until you''re in the clear", he reminded.


    "Understood", Amy nodded.


    "Great, then I''ll leave you lot. Mr. Frost, Dr. Glynne", he greeted once more before taking his leave.


    After watching him leave, Suzy decided to speak up. "Well, I don''t mean to be a dooche but it seems like I won''t be needed here anymore."


    "Thank you for everything Suzy. We literally pulled you away from work", Amy gave her an apologetic look.


    "Nonsense. What are friends for. I''m just d he was easy to work with, from the time I spoke to him on the phone to now", she replied.


    Suzy knew how stubborn certain doctors would be when it came down to receiving input or sharing information with another doctor. They usually felt their authority was being questioned. And faced with a high profile patient like Amy, they would feel entitled. But this doctor was none of those.


    "I''ll have a ride arranged for you", Zach spoke. "Thank you foring through."


    "Yes, thank you Suzy, for everything", Amy said with sincerity.


    "Gosh guys, stop thanking me. We''re friends!"


    She stayed for a little longer chatting away with her friend and carrying Roserie when the little one woke up. When it was time to leave, the two friends exchanged a bear hug with Amy making her promise to call when she gets back home safely in West Vige. Not long after Suzy left, another knock was heard.


    "I''ll get it", Amy said seeing Zach was upied with Roserie.


    She was still in high spirits from Suzy''s visit only for all of that to be wiped away when she opened the door. Three men stood at the door, two at the back she did not recognize but got an idea as to who they were seeing the one in front giving her a big smile.


    "Boss!"


    "Dn."

 Chapter 325 Dylans Visit

    The room had fallen into a silence with an exception of Zach, who had walked over to the floor to ceiling window. He examined the weather, the sun was out, he could see the tree shake from a gentle breeze. With Roserie in his arms he moved to get a baby nket that will keep her warm and a bottle.


    "That''s enough staring", he said, warning Dn who jolted in his seat in a startle.


    "Uh..", he awkwardly cleared his throat. He had done nothing but stare at Zach''s woman from the moment he sat down. Amy''s cid expression melted into a smile when Zach got closer.


    "We''re going for a walk." He leaned in and pecked her lips.


    "Okay", she smiled at him and gave a soft caress to Roserie''s head. She watched the two walk out before her attention fell back on Dn.


    "I still can''t get over this!" Dn finally spoke up. "You were a woman this whole time! Couldn''t you give me a hint about your identity? I''m your assistant!!!"


    Amy rolled her eyes as he continued to ramble, "Seriously though! You had me fooled along with the world! But this is also nice, you''re just an ordinary woman like everyone else, you have a whole life, a not so bad looking fianc??, seeing the two of you I''m sure you made a beautiful bab-"


    "He''s very good looking", she cut in, correcting him.


    "Don''t I know that?" He scoffed at her bragging. "It would be a bad look for me if I admitted that."


    Amy let out a sigh and her expression now morphed into one of worry. "Are you okay?"


    "Of course. Don''t I look it? A few stressful hours have done nothing to my good looks", he smirked.


    "Dn."


    "Boss", he buried his face in his hands and let out a long sigh. "Boss." The worry in her tone strung the emotional chords he was desperately trying to suppress. "Boss, don''t be like that. Be angry instead. Scold me like you always did."


    Amy face''s furrowed deeper into a frown as she watched him move his hands in a motion she figured was him wiping his tears. He sniffled the looked up at her and gave her a wry smile. "I know, I know I should have stuck to the n which was to simply gather Intel as quietly as possible and leave. I know."


    But even he doesn''t know what got over him the moment he saw Esmeralda frequenting the club in Italy and worse when his eyes locked with hers. It was not like with any of the women he had met who he dined and dashed with. He did everything to get her attention until he did.


    He felt drawn towards her, the pull was so strong he nted himself as a spy against Amy''s wishes. He could vividly remember as he arrogantly told her ''It''s part of the n'' but that n bit him back in the ass.


    The more time he spent with Esmeralda, the more he constantly had to remind himself that she was just one of them. But after the many firsts he helped her experience, she had be so special to him despite everything. And she was the only woman he had spent as long as he did with her and who matched his sexual energy.


    Dn let out a self deprecatingugh, shaking his head at those, now, painful memories. The look of betrayal she gave him when she was being taken away was strongly imprinted in his head.


    "Sleeping with the enemy..... It''s underrated. It fucks with you here", he tapped a finger against his temple. "But, I''m d my moralpass never wavered and thank you for not giving up on me."


    "You''re a good man Dn, I''ve known that from day one", She gave him a small smile.


    "You''re just saying that", he replied but she shook her head no in response. He crossed a leg over a knee and leaned back in his seat with a contemtive gaze. "Boss, I''m not trying to back her up nor am I saying that what Esmeralda did was good."


    "Do I want to hear this?" She arched a brow at him, clearly uninterested in the change in topic.


    "No, no, hear me out. It''s just that, I think she''s a lonely person. She lost her mother at such a young age because of her father, the same man exposed her to such a vile environment. Even I wouldn''t be the same after growing up in such a ce. But, despite all of that, she preserved your life."


    "Dn?" She arched a brow at him with an icy expression.


    "Despite all the obvious hate she has for you, there''s a part of her I strongly believe cared about you, even if it''s tiny. She had too many chances to, uh, you know, kill you, but she didn''t. She knew you were innocent and probably believed you were as lonely thanks to the family drama your father created."<novelnext></novelnext>


    Father. The word sounded foreign and distant to Amy. She had always craved for family and wanted to know about her own but little did she know she came from such a dysfunctional one.


    But everything she had been through was a blessing in disguise, despite her ws, she at least turned out to be a decent human. And that family she wanted, she got it in the form of Zach, Roserie, and everyone else in her life right now.


    "I probably know the answer to this but did she put you up to this?"


    "No, I''m just telling it like it is. Well, that''s how I saw things."


    "You''re not trying to get me to go see her?"


    "No", he shook his head. "That''s all up to you", he replied.


    The two fell silent once more, with each one left to their thoughts. Such aplicated situation. Dn ran his fingers through his hair, exhausted by everything.


    "As much as I''ve escaped prison thanks to you despite my stupidity", he said referring to nting himself as a spy. "Sadly, I still feel like I''m stuck in one right now. Boss, I''ll understand if you no longer want me to work with you."


    "Of course, I won''t be working with you", Amy agreed right away and his facepletely fell. Because he thought with hisher regions and not his head, he had lost the privilege of working with his idol. A job that came with benefits only one could dream of. "Not when you''re like this."


    "Boss!" He gasped in shock.


    "Take time off and sort yourself out. Whether to continue working with me will be up to you. Let me know your decision after your break", she continued. Amy was not petty enough to hold this experience against him, he was only human, or maybe she had a soft spot for him.


    "Boss this is not like you", Dn whined. She was being too nice, too, too nice. "Will my expenses be covered?"


    "I said go take a break and not traumatize innocent women with your baby d*ck!" She reprimanded.


    He broke into a wide grin. "That''s the boss I know."


    Amy smiled, finally feeling rxed only for Dn to feel his world stop and the thud of his heart echo in his ears.


    "You heard what he said, that''s enough staring", she repeated Zach''s words. She knew what those reddened ears of his meant.


    He snapped out of his reverie to break intoughter when realization dawned on him. It was something to do with Esmeralda that he could not help but toment on. "So it was the big boss, huh?"


    "Huh?"


    "I need to take my leave, I can''t keep those guys waiting for too long", he said standing up. "But boss, about my expenses...."


    "No." She smirked seeing his deted expression. "Where will you go?"


    He shrugged. "I don''t know."


    Amy had a feeling she would not be seeing him for a long time. He was more hurt than he led on. Esmeralda left such a huge print on his heart, something he brought on himself, but one can''t help how they feel or control who they fall in love with. With onest smile at each other, one consoling and the other saying ''I''ll be okay'', Dn finally left.


    Amy was left with a lot to think about. Could everything Dn said about Esmeralda be actually true. Yes, she did a lot of terrible things but when it came down to Amy....?

 Chapter 326 Being Honest With Lorraine

    "You can get a snack but not too much", Lorraine walked into the apartment after Oliver with grocery bags in hand. "Dinner will be ready very soon."


    "Okay", he answered as he walked to his room. He smiled at Xavier who ruffled his hair as he walked past him. He pulled away to fix his hair while grinning. "Xavier!"


    "Hey buddy", Xavier answered with a smileas he went on his way to the kitchen to greet his girlfriend.


    "Hey", Lorraine''s eyes lit when she saw him join her in the kitchen.


    He had a happy smile on his face as he went to her side, pulling her to him and he pressed his lips against hers in a breath taking kiss. She broke the kiss, her cheeks coloring red from the exchange.


    "What''s all this?" He spoke quietly, looking down at the bags. He fished out a bottle of wine and arched a brow at her. "Are we celebrating something?"


    "Yes!" She recovered from her blush and her eyes sparkled with excitement. "They finally closed an important case today."


    "Oh?" His brows rose, unsure whether to prob or just take the information she gave him.


    She started putting the groceries into the fridge as she exined oblivious to Xavier''s frown to when she detached herself from him. "The past few weeks have been hectic because we had to keep an eye out for some bad guys. The masterminds behind Savvy''s case. That''s finally over. They were caught."


    Xavier''s face paled. He knew exactly what that case was about. Guilt gnawed at him. She no longer needed to stay in hiding with him. If he told her the truth... He should tell her the truth.


    "Xavier?" She turned to face him from the fridge, seeing as he was quiet.


    "That''s great", he threw her a smile. Her brows slightly furrowed, not believing him. He moved to her, hands around her waist. "You must be tired. Why don''t you go freshen up and I''ll take care of this?"


    "Are you sure?" She lifted his shirt and leaned forward to examine his bandaid covered wound. "How are you feeling today?"


    "I''m fine. Go on." He held her by the shoulders, bringing her up and gave her a reassuring smile.


    "Fine. But I''ll be right out to start cooking", she said. She gave him a warning look and he raised his hands in surrender, promising to not do what he shouldn''t let doctor''s orders.


    She rushed to their room and quickly freshened up to changed into shorts and a huge t-shirt. As she walked in the corridors going to the kitchen, she could hear him helping her brother with his homework in his room. Lorraine could not help her happy smile as she moved to make a hearty meal. Maybe because she was in such a good mood, her cooking turned out even more excellent.


    "Boys! Dinner is ready!" She shouted in the corridor before going back to set the ind counter.


    The two came back out arguing about something before they joined her around the counter with Xavier sitting next to her. Light conversation went around as they ate.


    Xavier clinked his wine ss that had grape juice against Oliver''s while Lorraine happily enjoyed the wine. When dinner was over, the boys cleaned up and the three watched a TV show for a bit before calling it a night.


    "I think that beef stroganoff is officially my favorite meal", Xaviermented whilst sliding into bed.


    "Oh yeah?" She grinned letting him pull her closer into his arms. She half rested on him afraid to hurt him.


    "Mm", he replied whilst ying with her hair that fell to her back. "Aren''t you hot?" He asked referring to the oversized shirt and knee length shorts. "Do you always wear this to sleep?"


    "Not really", she answered quietly.


    "Then why?" He frowned.


    "We agreed to take things slow, didn''t we?" She countered.


    Her question made him realize her fear and he could not help but chuckle. "Yes, we''ll take things slow but that doesn''t mean you should lose yourself. Now, go change."


    "Are you sure?" She lifted herself to face him.


    "Positive."


    He regretted those words as soon as she stepped back into the room. She had a strapped silky night gown that fell barely below her bottom slightly exposing a matching underwear. He traced her creamy cleavage down to her thighs with his heated gaze, his mind creating an image of his head trapped between-


    "I''ll go change!" She announced, feeling conscious of his gaze.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "No!" He protested a little too loudly almost startling her. He cleared his throat, suppressing his desires in the process. "No. No. Come here."


    She joined him in bed, a little hesitant with his watch on her. She pulled up the duvet to cover herself making him lift his gaze up to hers. "Maybe I should put a pillow barrier."


    "Lorraine", heined with furrowed brows.


    "You keep staring", she pointed out, feeling embarrassed.


    "I can''t help it, you''re so sexy", he confessed making her cheeks color even more. "I promise, I won''t go back on my word. Well, I''ll try."


    She decided to put a little faith in and leaned into him. He only groaned feeling how soft the little clothing made her feel against him. Lorraine moved her leg to ce it between his only for it to brush against his friend down south that was a little a excited. He groaned again at the contact and it just fueled her blushing. Shoukd she move her leg or should she pretend she can''t feel anything? But it''s something very hard to ignore just by the feel-


    "So", she started. Hoping to distract both of them. "Earlier, when I told you about work, you didn''t look as happy."


    "Oh." He closed his eyes, took a deeo breath as silently as possible and opened them again, it was hard to ignore the torture he was under. "It wasn''t that I wasn''t happy about the news but... "


    "But?" She lifted her head to face him with a frown yet curious eyes. Seeing her look at him like that, he decided toe clean. He didn''t want to be dishonest with her. It would be a terrible start to their rtionship.


    "The case you were handling has a lot to do with why we went into hiding", he started.


    "Huh?"


    "You were working with the FBI to catch a woman and Dn, A.J''s assistant?"


    "How did you know that? How''s that connected to our situation?"


    He almost smiled hearing her use the word ''our'' but went on to answer her. "My Dad was working on that case along with my brother who was once FBI and sister-inw who is A.J."


    Her mouth dropped for a few seconds before she startedughing, finding him ridiculous. He remained serious which wiped away herughter. "You''re serious? But A.J is a man. Isn''t A.J a man? Your sister-inw is THE A.J?"


    "It''s part of her disguise", he replied. He gave her a minute, letting the information sink in.


    She could not wrap her head around it. How was that fragile looking yet beautiful woman such a big person? And hearing him speak of his family like that, they were all impressive people yet she was just a nobody..... She suddenly felt inferior just thinking about it.... And then it hit her:


    "So what does that have to do with us?" She asked.


    "With the case over, it means we no longer have to remain in hiding. We don''t have to... live together anymore....", He said more quietly.


    She stared at him, reading his thoughts andsmiled in realization. "You don''t want that."


    "Do you?" He asked, though her smile was telling.


    "I love our situation, this ce. When you brought us here, it instantly felt like home. I love that I cane back to two of my favorite boys and make them a meal that we''ll all enjoy. I love the fact that my day now ends with me in your arms. What''s not to love about that?" She whispered with a happy smile tugging at her lips.


    He cupped her cheek and brushed his lips against hers, thrust his tongue inside her warm mouth, dancing in rhythm with hers. She moaned against him as he roamed his hands on her soft body and gave her panty covered butt a nice squeeze.


    "So it''s a yes to moving in with me?" He confirmed as both of them caught their breaths and she nodded in response. "I might do things that will annoy you."


    "That won''t change how I feel about you", she responded. "And me?"


    "Never." With that firm reply, he sealed their agreement with another kiss excited for what their future held.


    "Amy is actually A.J?" she abruptly broke the kiss, still surprised yet now excited.


    "Go to sleep", he pressed her head to his chest. This better not be a problem for him.

 Chapter 327 I Chose You

    "Wee back", Ste greeted Amy with a hug, her face pulled into a frown. "You scared me dear."


    "I''m fine", Amy replied. She was released to be engulfed in another hug from Victoria.


    "Hey kiddo", Richard had his turn to hug her. "Don''t scare us like that."


    Amy only chuckled as she basked in his embrace before Henry pulled her into one. He whispered into her ear. "That was very brave of you. I''m proud of you."


    Amy chuckled, "Thank you."


    "But don''t do it again", he warned making Amy chuckle further and nod into the hug.


    Edmund rushed past the family with maids carrying their bags going to the couple''s room. He was busy instructing them to be careful especially with Roserie''s bag.


    "What did the doctors say?" Victoria asked.


    "He said she''s in the clear but she still needs lots of rest", Zach answered.


    "Mm", Victoria and Ste agreed, humming in unison.


    "Okay, go up and rest", Richard suggested.


    "Have you guys eaten? Shall I make something for you?" Ste asked.


    "Maybe just a snack", Amy replied.


    "Is she asleep? Let me take her", Victoria held out her arms. She had missed her grandchild so much.


    Zach handed over the little one before taking Amy''s hand and going up to their room. Amy took a deep breath in as soon as she stepped into their room, she was back home. It felt like forever for her.


    "Shower?" He asked and she nodded. They went in immediately not trusting how long they had until Roserie was brought up.


    Not long after, they changed into somefortable clothes. Amy quickly got in bed and sighed in rxation. She stayed with her eyes closed basking in thefort that was their bed.


    "You missed this", hemented as hey next to her.


    "So much", she replied, opening her eyes and gave him a smile.


    But it wasn''t the brightest smile he was used to. He furrowed his brows at this. "What''s going on with you? Is what Dn said still bothering you?"


    She moved to lie on top of him, resting her head on his chest. Zach happily amodated her, wrapping his arms around her. "I don''t know what to do."


    "Is the fact that she''s not a good person making it harder for you?" He probbed, guessing her thoughts.


    "I think it is." She briefly fell quiet before letting out a sad chuckle. "But we don''t choose our family, do we?"


    "I chose you", he replied making her lift her head to look at him with a smile.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You did", she agreed before moving up to kiss his lips gingerly. When she broke the kiss, he gently tucked away the strands of her hair. He watched her eyes as determination slowly surfaced in them. "I want... I don''t want to have regrets."


    "I''ll make the call."


    The Next day


    Amy let out a deep breath, trying to calm down her nerves while security used waved a wand all over her. Thedy put away the wand and went in to pat her down. Amy''s lips spasmed feeling how thorough and diligent the securitydy was doing her job.


    "Sorry, it''s basic protocol", Rider apologized with a sheepish smile which Amy returned with a small one.


    "Alright", thedy said, stepping away from her. "We just need your fingerprint and eye scanned and we''ll do a quick mouth swab and you''ll be good to go."


    Amy gave Rider an usatory re, there was nothing basic about this security protocol. He gave her another sheepish grin. Once she fulfilled all of the requirements, she was finally led in with Rider.


    She wore sweats with a matching hoodie, her hair worn up in a low ponytail and a ck cap. Rider could not help but steal a few nces at her. She could feel his eyes on her as she busied away on her phone.


    He raised a finger to his ear to have a listen. "Yes I am, why?" As he listened further, he slowly looked up at the cameras before returning his gaze to her with his jaw dropped. "There seems to be some sort of interruption? Mainly on this floor?"


    Amy put away her phone and her lips rose in amusement. He shook his head and replied into his earpiece. "Yes, everything is alright here but keep trying until you get the feed back."


    He disconnected themunication and continued, "Do you hate leaving traces that much? I can assure you, it''s safe here. But then again, you don''t know who''s watching especially after shaking things up in the underworld."


    She chuckled, "Didn''t you just say it''s safe here?"


    "I promise it is."


    She only chuckled and walked in silence alongside him. They finally arrived in front of an interrogation room. Amy almost got a scare seeing Esmeralda staring at her with souless eyes through the one way mirror. She had on a numb expression, sitting with cuffed hands resting on the table, and very rxed in her seat.


    "She''s been like that ever since we brought her in. Spooky, isn''t it?" Ridermented.


    Amy quietly stared back, her heart was thumping a little too fast despite her calm demeanor. Seeing as he was ready, she looked up at him but he nodded before she could speak.


    "I know. He told me", he said while nodding.


    She gave him a grateful smile. Zach had put in a request for her that her conversation with Esmeralda be confidential with only him (Rider, if he wanted) to be the only one listening in.


    "Go on", he said. He sat down to put on headphones while she walked to the door. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Finally feeling ready, she twisted the knob and walked in.


    Esmeralda''s gaze went to her and her souless eyes lit up without her expression changing. The two locked eyes, none giving away how they truly felt. She quietly watched Amy walk over and take a seat in front of her.


    Silence. A pair of piercing blues stared into another. Tension between the two was so thick even Rider could not breath too loudly though he was outside.


    "Wow", he muttered as he looked between the two.

 Chapter 328 Getting Even

    Seconds slowly turned into minutes as they ticked by. Amy crossed a leg over her knee, and rested herced fingers on herp. Esmeralda''s brows slightly shot up.


    "So it''s more serious than I thought, huh?" shemented with amusement. Amy followed her gaze to find her staring at her engagement ring. Esmeralda scoffed and continued, "Was the assistant your choice or is the big boss actually asexual?"


    "Huh?" Amy''s brows furrowed in confusion.


    She let out an exasperated sigh. "What are you doing here? You should know by now that I''m not exactly fond of you."


    "I want answers", Amy replied cooly.


    Esmeralda''s lips curved up as she looked behind Amy, towards the mirror. "Is this the best you could do?"


    Rider shifted in his seat ufortably and muttered, "How the fuck does she do that?"


    "I won''t be asking those type of questions", Amy said, making her earn her attention once more. "Why didn''t you kill me?"


    It was Esmeralda''s turn to furrow her brows in confusion. Amy continued using Dn''s words, "You had so many chances."


    The confusion was soon reced with augh. An amused one as though she had heard the greatest joke on the. Amy was annoyed with the reaction but sat there calmly, watching her.


    "Gosh, you almost killed me with that joke", Esmeralda wiped an invisible tear from her eye as she calmed down before her expression turned icy. "I should''ve put a bullet through your head then I wouldn''t be sitting through this bullshit right now."


    "What about the other times? You knew everything about me including where I was", she leaned forward and plopped her elbows on the table, resting her chin on herced fingers. She narrowed her eyes at Esmeralda, "That''s what I''m curious about. Even without the Greco incident, you could''ve easily killed me, yet you didn''t."


    Esmeralda fell quiet, she had on a bored expression as she watched Amy ramble on. Couldn''t they find better ways to torture her than this?


    "You care about me. You saw yourself in me, the chance you probably wanted to live a life different from this instead you gave it to me. Isn''t that why you made sure Joanne kept her lips sealed about my past? Or....", Amy carefully watched her expression as she uttered the next words. "Was it guilt?"


    Sure enough, Esmeralda''s hand clenched into a fist as she looked away. Did she hit the nail on the head? Amy was no mind reader but that action was confirming a lot of her suspicions.


    On the other hand, Esmeralda''s mind had taken her down memoryne. She could remember it like it was yesterday. Her four year old selfing back from a business deal with her father. She could not fully remember the conversations around the situation except that their cars stopped, two of her father''s men drag out his very pregnant little mistress who was crying.


    The three returned with the now bloodied girl passed out but a new sound reached her ears. A sound that had haunted her for years: the sound of a baby crying. It wasing from a ditch beside their cars before they drove off.


    She may have been young but she had a vague idea of what happened. And as the years went by, her suspicions were confirmed when the young mistress kept visiting that ditch whenever they were in the U.S.


    Esmeralda was left haunted with the baby''s cries. Was it guilt? She was not sure how she truly felt towards the little one yet it still gued her thoughts. Whatever it was, she alleviated it with killing her father fueled by his betrayal for having a soft spot for Amy.


    She looked at Amy in front of her, who was fully grown. She could not allow herself to feel anything else, otherwise she would be left with the guilt of killing her own father. She couldn''t have either. All the hate she had reflected in her eyes as she looked at Amy.


    "Get out."


    Amy leaned back in her seat instead, shaking her head with an opposite emotion reflecting in her eyes. "I honestly believe that things would have been different between us."


    "What the fuck do you actually know? What do you know, huh? Are you really this naive?" Esmeralda looked at her with mirth.


    "You had a choice", she countered.


    "A choice?" Sheughed an unamusedugh. "A choice? Do you have any idea what type of life I lived? While a normal day to you was reading books and ying with your friends, my normal day was watching someone get their fingers cut off because they leaked information, someone getting castrated for God knows what, being shot in the head for saying the wrong thing, my mother killing herself because of my father! That''s what a normal day looked like, and what? I HAD A CHOICE? WHAT OTHER CHOICE WOULD I HAVE WHEN THAT''S ALL I''VE EVER KNOWN?"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Nobody chooses the circumstances they are born in", Amy started calmly although she was horrified by Esmeralda''s ourburst. "But we still make a choice whether to amodate those circumstances or change, as hard as it may be."


    Esmeralda scoffed but Amy pushed on. "You had that choice Esmeralda! You could have let the empire go down along with your father, you could have walked away and try, try to live a different life than what you knew. BUT YOU CHOSE THIS! YOU CHOSE TO STAY ON THIS PATH!" Amy was now riled up, shouting on top of her lungs.


    "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? JUST LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screeched so loud that Rider had to take off his headphones.


    It was now Amy''s turn tough, hers was a sadugh as a sad tear fell down her cheek. Esmeralda was breathing heavily as she watched her wipe away the fallen tear but more fell.


    "Sad", she smiled through the tears.


    "I don''t need your sympathy", she spat.


    "Believe me, if there''s anyone who deserves sympathy it''s me, for wishing things to have been different between us", she sniffled and wiped away her tears with her hoodie sleeve. Esmeralda scoffed before Amy looked up, holding her gaze as she continued. "I''m sorry."


    Esmeralda''s face showed how caught off guard she was along with Rider who was listening in. That took a whole 180! Where was she going with this?


    "I''m sorry for the hurt my existence caused you, I''m sorry for everything you''ve been through. I''m being honest when I say I wish things were different, I do not condone our father''s actions but I still..."she sighed. "And thank you, in your own twisted way, you still acted like a big sister to me by protecting me, keeping me alive. Because of that, I''ve gained a lot more that I''m grateful for."


    Who knows how many enemies the King had? If anyone found out Amy was his daughter, though legitimate, who knew what would have be of her especially if Amy tried to dig up her past? That''s why she was grateful to Esmeralda. Her thoughts went to Zach and Roserie and everyone in her life in that. She was really grateful for their existence in her life.


    "What''s the point of saying this now when you''ve practically sentenced me to death?" She raised her cuffed hands. Who knows what her enemies had in store for her once she sets foot in the prison walls?


    "As far as I''m concerned, the new King died during an altercation between ''him'' and the FBI with the help of A.J."


    So no one would know her true identity unless she revealed it herself. Realizing what Amy had done for her, she could not help but be annoyed. "Should I be grateful?"


    "No, it means we''re even. How you live from now onwards is entirely up to you."


    In other words, she had another choice to make. The two stared at each other. Even without words being said, they knew it was thest time they would see each other. Despite the bad blood andplications that came with their past, there was still some sort connection between them.


    Without another word, Amy left the room and not look back. She felt much lighter and relieved after her ''little talk'' with her sister. Well, not anymore. Esmeralda was getting what she wished for: never again crossing paths with Amy.


    Rider left agents to attend to Esmeralda as he apanied Amy. He didn''t say a word and simply left her to her thoughts. Zach had given him a heads up but he didn''t think things would be this intense. As it seems, Amy really needed this.


    "Rider! Can you hear me?" Someone screamed in his ear.


    "Rider here!" He responded with urgency hearing the tone of their voice. Amy snapped out of her thoughts hearing him speak like that.


    "Be on the lookout! We have a suspect on the loose!"


    He quickly pulled Amy behind him in a protective stance, looking around only for a secondter Amy to be yanked from his hold. He spun around to find her being held hostage by none other than Aldo, holding a gun to her head.


    "Rider!" His colleague shouted.


    "No shit", he replied with a wry smile.


    Aldo gestured with his gun at Rider''s earpiece whoplied by removing it. "Hands where I can see them. Both of you."

 Chapter 329 Aldo Never Learns

    "And your gun", he added, speaking to Rider.


    "My hands are up", heined.


    "Don''t get smart with me agent, toss it to the side! Now!" He barked with a re.


    He did as told, kicking it further away from them under Aldo''s watch before a satisfied grin settled on his lips. Rider sighed, "Release her, and deal with me instead."


    "Shut up! I make the demands here, not you!"


    "Buddy, believe me, you''re sentencing us to an early death if there''s a single scratch on her. Release her", he tried again.


    Rider only pressed the Glock against Amy''s temple who let out a shaky breath at the cold feel of the gun. "SHUT UP! Now listen, if you want me to let her go, get Esmeralda and I out of this shit hole of a country."


    "Interpol will be onto you. Everyone knows what you lot have been up to all these years", he replied.


    "If you know what we''re capable of then you should know better", he countered.


    "It''s not possible", Rider deadpanned.


    "Just get it done or I''m shooting her and guess who will be next!" He pressed it harder against her. Aldo was raging mad! He could not ept that this would be the end of him and Esmeralda especially after the stunt Amy and Dn pulled on them. He could only imagine how heartbroken his love was. If he got them out of there, he would nurse her heart and they would start afresh, somewhere where this sick reality will not follow them.


    "Broooo, that gun! Easy! Easy!" He shouted with evident fear seeing Amy close her eyes and swallow a hard lump. He suddenly stepped forward. "Shoot me instead."


    "Stay where you are!"


    "I said shoot me! Shoot me!"


    "Didn''t you hear me?" Aldo barked, pointing the gun between Rider and Amy. "You''ve probably guessed how I got this gun and I''m not afraid to use it on you and find someone more useful!"


    "I can''t do what you asked, no one can! So just shoot me instead", he took another step forward.


    "Take another step, I dare you! Don''t test me", he warned, tightening his hold on Amy.


    "And I told you to let her go", he warned.


    "Rider", Amy pleaded quietly. He was being careless. Aldo was in a state where he could do anything to get out of there. Killing Rider would be a piece of cake.


    "Gosh, if you weren''t my enemy", he grumbled beside Amy''s ear leaving her feeling disgusted. She knew what he meant by those words.


    Rider stopped and suddenly chuckled seeming amused as he looked over Aldo''s shoulder. "Of course, you wouldn''t let here here alone." No wonder Amy showed no sign of fear.


    "What are you-?" Aldo turned to look but only granted when in a sh something hard harshly hit his back causing him to stumble forward along with Amy at the same time his gun went off. Amy was pulled away from his hold before he could react to see who dared to kick him in the back.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Who-?" He was cut off by a punchnding on his jaw. He felt a sharp pain on his wrist causing his gun to drop.


    ''Zach Frost?'' he mused in his thoughts as he gained momentum to fight back. But why is the energy he''s giving off so familiar?


    "You just don''t learn, do you?" Zach questioned with a calm demeanor though he was pissed off, very pissed off.


    Aldo went on the offense not caring to register what those words meant. He threw punches and kicks at all the possible openings but Zach easily deted them and the roles changed in under a minute.


    One ruthless punch after the other, Aldo was forced to retreat but Zach did not stop, he had no ns to. It was in this moment he realized who he was up against. The first time, Zach had gone easy on him, and now he was just pissed off. Zach grabbed him by the cor and continued to make Aldo''s bloodied face even more messier.


    "We still need him alive!" Rider shouted at Zach as he looked over his shoulder.


    Thetter gave onest punch that left Aldo slumped on the floor before he walked over to Amy who was being shielded by Rider. She left his side to wrap her arms around Zach. He kept his bloodied hand away and held her with the clean one. "Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine. Are you okay?" She asked worriedly, examining his face.


    Rider''s lips spasmed. "I''m the one who got shot but hey, don''t mind me."


    They finally looked at him to see blood dripping from his right arm just when other agents poured in. The others apprehended Aldo while others attended to Rider.


    "Oh my gosh!" Amy gasped in horror.


    "He''ll live", Zach deadpanned as he received a towel to wipe his hand.


    He shot Zach a hateful look and gave a kind smile to a worried Amy, "Don''t worry about me. Just make sure I''m one of the V.I.Ps at your wedding. Now get out of here, we have a mess to clean up."


    Zach returned the towel before ushering a dazed Amy out of the chaotic scene. Rider watched the two take a corner out of the corridor they were on when a colleague reported into his ear.


    "We finally have a visual. We still don''t know what it was but whatever it is, seems like it fixed itself", the colleague said.


    Rider chuckled, "Yeah, no shit."


    Zach and Amy made it into the underground parking lot. They got into the car they had arrived in. Zach removed herptop on his seat where the feed from inside the building where they were was showing and put it away. He was about to hook his seatbelt on when he noticed Amy remain dazed.


    "Baby", he held her shoulders causing her to look at him. "You''re safe, alright? Everything is okay now. I''m here."


    She snapped out of it and looked him in his worried eyes. She shook her head, "it''s not that. I....."


    "What''s wrong? Are you worried about Rider?" He narrowed his eyes at her but still proceeded to calm what he thought were her worries. "He''s been through worse, that was nothing. I promise. He''ll be okay."


    "No, no, no", she said quickly, confusing him further. She broke into a beautiful smile cupping his cheeks as she finally said, "Babe, we have a wedding to n."

 Chapter 330 Wedding News And Plans

    "Really? Are you guys serious?" Victoria questioned with obvious glee looking between Amy and Zach.


    "Yes", Amy responded with a smile as she blushed.


    "I''m so happy for you", she pulled her into a hug.


    "Me too! Congrattions dear", Ste joined in on the hug.


    "Thank you."


    "Don''t you want to wait until Roserie is a year or two so she can be-"


    "No", Zach replied firmly, interrupting whatever his father was saying. Richard gave Zach a knowing smile as he patted him on the shoulder.


    "Wow, just when we were about to take our leave but look, you just gave us another reason to extend our stay", Victoria''s face lit up with a smile. "This is going to be amazing!"


    "You don''t need to stay here to n their-" Henry grunted when his wife harshly elbowed him.


    "Dad''s right", Zach agreed. "You can help Amy with the wedding ns without living here. Both of you."


    Victoria''s smile quickly turned into a frown. "Are you kicking us out?"


    "Yes", he replied without batting an eyelid.


    "It''s about time", Henry nodded, ignoring his wife''s re.


    "Amy still needs help with the baby", Ste tried, not wanting to be separated from the girls.


    "You heard the man", Richard interjected as he shifted Roserie onto his other shoulder, patting her back too.


    "But she''s still recovering", Ste whined earning a disapproving gaze from her husband.


    "Don''t worry", Amy looked between the twodies. "We''re hours away from each other, we can get together anytime. And besides, I can''t rely on your help forever. I need to learn to adjust to my new life plus I''m not doing this alone. I have Zachery. And I know you''ll both be one call away."


    "Now that''s a nice way to put it", Victoria pouted with a sigh before shooting a re at her son.


    Roserie started to cry from Richard''s arms before he immediately handed her over to Amy.


    "Wait, how long do we have until the wedding?" Ste asked.


    "We were thinking in three months", Amy replied whileforting her daughter. "When she''s a little older."


    "Will that be enough to invite everyone? Gosh I have so many people to reach out to! My gosh! Some of them won''t even be in town-"


    "Mom", Zach cut in. "Amy and I want something small and private."


    Ste and Victoria''s jaws dropped dramatically. Thetter looked like someone had emptied a bucket of cold water on her head. Something small and intimate? Being her very impressive children''s wedding, of course she wanted to go all out!


    And she knew it would not only make the news, it would shake the world. What''s more, she felt giddy just at the thought of seeing Kris''s face after witnessing how majestic the wedding of the great chairman of Frost Corporation will be. An obvious victory is it would be! And they what, want something small and private?<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You might give your mother a heart attack at this point", Henry said with a shake of his head.


    "Work out a list of those you want to invite, I''ll have a look when you''re done", he replied before taking Amy''s hand. "She''s had a long day, I''ll take them up to rest."


    "Sure", Henry nodded away, giving way to the couple. They all watched as the trio made way to their room.


    Victoria finally snapped out of her trance as a sour realization dawned on her. "Did that punk just treat me like an employee?"


    Meanwhile, when the couple reached their room, Amy went toy on the bed beside her daughter while Zach left to freshen up. Roserie curiously stared at her mother who made funny faces at her. Little by little, gummy smile bloomed from her small mouth,sting much longer than the first time.


    "A, my little cupcake is so cuuuute", Amy gushed over her, kissing her chubby cheeks in the process. Roserie cooed in response and Amy imitated her sound.


    Zach came outter, changed into fresh new clothes and could not help but smile as he walked over. Amy had a happy smile on her face. "She smiled again, but I think it''s still new to her."


    "Mm", he agreed and moved to join them when he caught Roserie''s gaze following m and taking in his face. "Hello princess."


    Another gummy smile when she recognized his voice and face making him smile proudly. Amy felt like she could melt in that moment. "Oh my gosh! I can''t take this! Can we make another one?"


    She paused, realizing what she said and looked at her man who was now staring at her with a heated gaze. "Don''t tempt me woman."


    Amy gave him a bashful smile, blushing before looking back at her daughter. He reached out to caress her cheek causing her to look at him. "Are you okay? I know today was a lot."


    Her smile slowly faltered knowing what he meant. He may have listened in on their conversation but he was still worried. It broke his heart when he saw her cry over their broken rtionship. Her situation with Esmeralda was really affected.


    "It was, but I think I needed it, especially after what Dn said. It''s just sad, really", she added. He nodded in understanding before she broke into a smile, a genuine one. "Thank you, for being there for me. I can''t imagine ever going through this alone. It''s a little more bearable with you."


    "I''ll always be here for you, always", he promised. She lifted herself and pressed her lips against his epting and sealing the promise.


    "And about that woman", Amy continued after breaking the kiss. "I still don''t know if I should meet her."


    "You''re not ready to?"


    "I don''t know if it''s a matter of being ready or not. Esmeralda was one thing, but she is a whole other case. I don''t know what good wille from us meeting now." She had on a sad smile as she looked down, stroking Roserie''s cheek. "Plus she''s a smart woman, she must have figured out who I was when Esmeralda leaked my information to them."


    Zach fell into thought. Was Amy right? If she was, does that mean that woman tried to kill her despite knowing her true identity? That thought alone helped him understand Amy''s reasoning and he could not help the anger that bubbled up inside him.


    What he wanted to know was, what on Earth was that woman thinking and doing to a child she had supposedly longed for over the years?


    At the women''s penitentiary


    Some of the women had gathered in the TV room watching the current news trending: History repeats itself: The Mastermind behind the Greco case known as the The King dies during an altercation with the FBI. All this was possible thanks to the nation''s new found hero: A.J.


    Stephanie May looked over her shoulder to sneer at Gwen who was leaning against the door frame. She was still resentful for giving her the ck eye. Gwen watched the news intently. When the anchor moved on to the next hot news, she shot a threatening re at Stephanie that made her cower in fear before turning to leave.


    Gwen''s lips suddenly curved up as she muttered under her breath, "A.J...."

 Chapter 331 Too Busy Playing House

    In West Vige


    Nora, who was fast asleep, was just beginning to wake up. The bright light seeping in through the curtains were enough to alert her that it waste in the morning knowing she had sleptte too. Her lips curved up and she moaned feeling feathery kisses being nted at the back of her neck all the way to shoulder de.


    "Still not enough?" She murmured with her eyes closed.


    "This is your fault for depriving me of my needs for the past few days", George answered, still nting kisses before he suddenly stopped. "You still haven''t given me my answer."


    She sighed internally, "Amy needed help, we both know that."


    "There''s nothing wrong with helping someone but putting your life in danger is an entirely different issue", he countered.


    They had fought about this especially Nora''s impulsive decision to be Amy''s stand in at the funeral. He had never been so scared of losing her than in that moment and when he tried to express his displeasure and for her to promise to not be so reckless anymore, she took it as him trying to control her and their whole thing blew up. They had slept in different rooms and she gave him a silent treatment on top of that, practically living as strangers.


    "You also know that it was urgent", she pointed. They didn''t have time.


    "We could have still found someone", he argued. Are they fighting again? George breathed out a frustrated sigh. "I want you to understand that I''m not trying to control you", he continued, more calmly. "Heck! You can do whatever you want, that''s one of the reasons I like about you, you''re a free spirit. But all I''m saying is I''m worried. I''ll be worried if you do something like that. You''re too important to me."


    She let out a sigh, fighting with him was so exhausting for her. She did not enjoy it one bit and after rekindling things the day before, she was not about to ruin it again. Plus, he was right, and his concern only melted her heart.


    "Fine, I promise not to do anything as reckless", she said, looking over her shoulder at him. "I don''t want to fight about this ever again."


    His lips lifted into a proud smirk as he turned her over so shey on her back. "Why? Don''t you like the oue?" He asked, as he situated himself between her legs.


    "Well..... Oh!" She moaned out when he swiftly entered her.


    She wrapped her legs around him, drawing him closer as he dove into her in deep sensual strokes. Seeing her face contort in pleasure aroused him even more as he picked up his pace. His hands roamed her body, feeling and gropping as he pounded into her leaving her a moaning mess.


    Bang!


    They both froze at the sound and stayed quiet. She looked up at him, a hint of fear reflecting in her eyes. "What was that?"


    She asked at the same he asked, "Are you expecting someone?"


    She shook her head no, "Did you lock the doorsst night?"


    "I did", he replied, still trying to listen.


    What followed was the sound of something being dragged across the floor that increased her fear. He immediately slipped out and got off her.


    "I''ll go have a look. Stay here." He threw on his boxers and jeans as soon as he got off the bed and walked to the door.


    Of course, she wasn''t having it. As scared as she was, she still wanted to know who had the guts to break into her parents'' house. She reached George''s shirt thaty on top of the sheets and threw it on. She quickly did so as he opened the door quietly only for him to freeze a secondter.


    "Oooooooooooh! Richard I was right!" Ste said, openly admiring his well sculpted chest.


    "Mom?" Nora whisper-yelled recognizing the voice. She pulled down the shirt and jumped out of bed, running to George''s side before mming the door close.


    "That was my mom", she whisper-yelled in panic.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "That was your mom", he repeated.


    A million things went through her mind before she eyed and gasped in shock. "You didn''t zip up."


    He wrung a couple of curses realizing Ste had not only seen him shirtless, but she saw his boxers that peeked through his unzipped trousers. The possibly good impression she had of him must have flown out of the window and Richard, no man would be too fond of another man screwing his daughter. This was not how he wanted to exin his rtionship with Nora.


    "We''re waiting!" Ste said in a sing-songy way.


    The two quickly dressed up whatever they could find and soon joined the two adults in the living room. They sat opposite each other. George''s back was unusually straight, he dared not go rx in his seat under Richard''s re. Ste could not help her gleeful expression while Nora went from embarrassed to annoyed.


    "Why are you back?" She started, breaking the silence, ignoring the re that George was discreetly sending her.


    "What do you mean by that? It''s our house", she countered with distaste. This daughter of hers.


    "I mean it''s too soon. Weren''t you helping Amy and recovering from your surgery?" She said with her own case of displeasure.


    "Do you have any idea how long we''ve been gone?" she shook her head. "Why? Were you having fun ying house?"


    "I can''t exactly deny it", she replied nonchntly.


    "I''m sure of it", she clicked her tongue in disapproval. "You couldn''t care to at least hide the evidence."


    Nora did not understand what she meant until she followed her line of sight. Her eyes widened before she quickly picked up ace bra and thongying carelessly on the floor. She stuffed them behind her back, embarrassed that her dad saw that too. George was worse off, wishing the ground could swallow him right then especially when Richard''s re intensified.


    "I was wondering how far you''ve gotten but I''ve just got my answer", she chuckled in amusement.


    "Ste", Richard warned, not finding the situation amusing.


    She smacked his thigh, "And loosen up, will you. Can''t you see your attitude is intimidating George? The poor boy hasn''t spoken a word since. George dear", she turned to him smiling. "Rx."


    George dared not to nod or do so under Richard''s re. Thetter got a pleading gaze from his daughter but he ignored her and turned to George. "Let''s talk outside."


    Without waiting for a response, he got up and walked out. George was quickly to follow him. Ste only sighed as she watched him close the door behind him.


    "But seriously, isn''t it too soon? And couldn''t you call?" Nora continued toin.


    "Roserie is now a month old, Amy wants to learn how to manage without us", she exined, suppressing the annoyance her daughter was causing her. "And speaking of Amy, she and Zach will be getting married in three months. Gosh we have a lot to prepare for! Do thedies still meet for our group discussions?"


    "Rarely. I don''t know, I''m hardly there these days", she shrugged.


    "Yeah, too busy ying house", Ste have her an using gaze. "And it''s 11 in the morning, jeez!"


    "What can I say? The man knows how to hit it right", she said with a smile, reminiscing how he works her body right when a thought that wiped away her smile suddenly hit her. "Wait, if you guys are back here. Does that mean George has to go back?"


    Ste could not answer that though the answer was quite obvious. She watched her daughter intently. Was she that head over heels over George so badly? Her eyes could tell. Wow.


    Is this the end of Nora wanting both Zach and Amy and finally locking down on George? Nora, who was sad, grew confused when she saw the smile that curved up on her mother''s lips.

 Chapter 332 Stella Knows Nora Best

    The two men came back in and both looked serious though Nora could sense that George was not as tense as before. Ste sped her hands together. "Anyone hungry? It''s almost lunch time."


    "I''ll make us something", George volunteered. "What do you feel like eating?"


    "I''ll help", Nora quickly stood up to join him when Richard cleared his throat a bit too loudly. She rolled her eyes, "Dad, we''re literally going to cook."


    The two went on to cook and the four had their dinner. After the long journey back home, Ste took an afternoon nap while Richard stayed in the living room watching a match as well as the two love birds. Of course, he exchanged a few words with the young man over light conversation.


    When evening came, Ste insisted on cooking iming she had missed her kitchen. The four ate infortable silence, well some werefortable.


    "Mom, I think I missed you", Nora moaned savouring the delicious food in her mouth. Ste clicked her tongue at the cheeky girl before breaking into a smile.


    "This is delicious Ste, thank you", George added with genuinity.


    "Silly, call me mom", she said with a smile. "Go on have some more, there''s plenty to go around."


    After the delicious meal, Nora helped George clean up and do the dishes. Richard was watching them, especially his daughter who was blushing at whatever he was saying to her. How could Nora change this much?


    Richard cleared his throat once more, gaining their attention. "You two will be sleeping in separate rooms."


    "Dad!" Nora protested at the unfairness.


    "Richard, stop treating them like they''re teenagers. They''re adults! They know what they''re doing!" Ste voiced out.


    "No. We''ll sleep in seperate rooms", Georgeplied, ignoring the betrayed expression Nora was giving him. "I wouldn''t dare disrespect you, sir."


    Richard nodded in satisfaction before turning back to the TV. Nora pouted at her man who nodded at her, saying it''s okay. Richard waited for everyone to go to bed before he left the living room for bed. There will be no messing around under his nose! Well, so he thought!


    Late into the night, George turned for the nth time to find afortable position to sleep when he heard the creaking sound of a door opening. He opened his eyes to see his door being opened and judging from the silhouette, he immediately knew who it was. She locked the door behind her as silently as possible before walking over to him.


    "What are you doing?" He asked quietly as she got under the covers and directlyy on top of him.


    "I can''t sleep", she whispered as he subconsciously wrapped his arms around her waist.


    "You can''t sleep here though. You heard what your father said", he reminded her as he stroked her hair with his fingers.


    She lifted her head and threw him a smirk before she whispered, "Doesn''t that make you want to do ''stuff'' with me?"


    "Stop it."


    "Why?" She whined. "You know Dad was just being a typical Dad. Don''t take his words so seriously."


    "Well, I do and I respect him for it", he countered seriously.


    "I promise I''ll be quiet", she tempted with a whisper and rocked her hips against him. "It''ll be our little secret."<novelnext></novelnext>


    George groaned and tightened his grip on her to stop her movement that had long awakened his desires and he knew she felt it. "Behave", he warned in a cold tone causing her to tense up before he added yfully, "Or I''ll scream."


    She smacked his chest and barely silenced her chuckle. He smiled and caressed her cheek loving before whispering. "Nora, believe me, I''ve thought more ways to destroy your little cunt tonight and I want to, but I also respect your father. Because you''re that important to me."


    Her heart melted and she leaned him and gave him a sweet kiss. He breathed out a sigh of relief and changed the subject, "So why can''t you sleep? Is something wrong?"


    Her smile wore off as she stared at him with a seriousness. It was a matter that had been gnawing at her. She didn''t want toe off as clingy but at the same time, she wanted peace of mind. His answers would determine that.


    "Do you have to go back?" She asked quietly.


    He detected the worry in her tone and tugged at his heart strings. "I have to."


    His reply only incited visible sadness in her. He could clearly read her expression even in the dimly lit room. He continued, "But that won''t change anything between us. Actually, I''m working on something that could possibly lead me to being in West Vige more."


    "Okay", she nodded in understanding. "I can also visit you, like back at your ce. I mean, can I?"


    "I would love that more than anything", he replied.


    Their conversation flowed through thete night and neither cared what the time was until both grew tired and fell asleep in the same position. Both felt at peace in each other''s arms, that was where they belonged.


    "Nora", someone whispered and shook her shoulder gently. She groaned softly in response but the person persisted. "Nora, wake up."


    She lifted her head from George''s chest and rubbed her eyes to get rid of the sleep only to find her mother''s face hovering over her. "Mom?"


    "Go back to your room. You don''t want your father finding you both here", she warned in a whisper.


    "What time is it?" She lifted herself from George and made to get off him.


    "Three. Gosh! You''re lucky I set an rm for this", Ste muttered and shook her head.


    "Mom!" All the sleeppletely disappeared from her eyes and stared at Ste incredulously.


    "Exactly, I''m your mother. I knew you would pull this stunt. I didn''t want you to get this good man in trouble with your father", she gave Nora a disapproving gaze.


    "Well, if you must know, nothing happened. We just talked and slept", she replied with a smile.


    "Really? Nothing at all?" Ste was baffled. The girl was in a huge shirt and God knows what was under it or none at all. How could nothing happen?


    Nora ignored the disappointment in Ste''s tone and pulled the covers over her man carefully to keep him warm. "Yes, and it just made me respect him more. And I think I just might fall in love with him", she whispered thest part and nted a kiss onto his forehead before she left his side, walking out.


    Ste didn''t need to hear it. The actions said otherwise and it brought a smile onto her face before she too walked out of the room. Neither of the women caught the smile that stretched on George''s lips.

 Chapter 333 Book Club Reunion

    The next day


    "Ahhhhhhhh!" Excited squeals were heard from the conference room of the library.


    Ste was surrounded by her friends and they all engulfed her in warm hugs and happy smiles. Adrianne tried not to tear up seeing her good friend back in town and walking on her two feet.


    "Feels like it''s been forever!" Anastasiained.


    "I know", Ste drawled with tears glistening in her eyes. "How has the book club been? Did you guys make progress? How far are you into the book?"


    "We couldn''t get anything done without Dorothy bringing you up", Adrianne replied earning a shocked gasp from the said person.


    "What do you mean by that?" Dorothy looked more embarrassed than offended.


    "Don''t even deny it! You grew more gray hair from stressing about her", Adrianne added shamelessly causing the older woman''s face to grow ugly while the rest of the group broke into snickers.


    "Yup, that officially reced gossip time, and speaking of which, I have a loooooooot to tell you guys now that we''re all together", Emma announced excitedly, practically itching to spill the tea.


    "Before that!" Meredith held up her hand. "How''s Emily? And how''s the baby?"


    "That reminds me", Ste held up her finger and took out her phone and face timed the girl. Everyone watched in anticipation as Ste ced the phone on the table. Emma quickly went to stand beside Ste and everyone followed.


    "Ste?" Amy answered after the third ring and her face came into view before surprise etched onto her features.


    "Emily!!!!" Emma shouted along with everyone.


    "Oh my gosh!" Amy cupped her face and tears fell from her eyes earning a bunch of ''Aw''s from thedies. "I''ve missed youdies."


    "We''ve missed you too!"


    "How are you?"


    "How''s the baby?!"


    "Where is she?"


    "You don''t look too well!"


    "Is someone there to help you?"


    "Where''s your man?"


    "Is he good to you?"


    So many questions at once, Amy chuckled through a sob and wiped away her tears with her hands. "I''m fine and the baby is fine. She''s gone for a walk with her Dad."


    "Isn''t she a month old?" Anastasia asked, looking puzzled.


    "She doesn''t mean a literal walk, and it''s the Dad doing the walking", Dorothy shook her head.


    Amy smiled, "Yes, Zachery made it a thing to take her outside for some fresh air and sunlight."


    "Aw!"


    "And what a story you guys have going on!" Emma cut in with a shake of her head. "Sounds like something from a novel really! How could you run away from a rich man after your heart? Did you not think you were good enough? Look at you! Where''s your confidence girl?!"


    Amy''s lips twitched, it being the first time she heard the story Ste spun on thedies and the older woman grew red realizing she had forgotten to let her in on it.


    Amy only smiled, "Thank you Emma." She the remembered something important, "And I know you got my messages through Ste but I still wanted to thank you for the amazing baby shower gifts. Zachery and I love them, they''re so cute on Roserie! Thank you!"<novelnext></novelnext>


    "You''re wee", they chorused while giving her smiles.


    "Roserie Frost! It has a nice ring to it", Dorothymented earning approving hums.


    "Thank you. And I would have loved to have youdies over-"


    "Don''t sweat it Amy", Adrianne cut in. "We''re just d you and the baby are okay."


    "I can never get used to that name", Emma grumbled quietly but everyone heard her making most of themugh.


    Another story that Ste made up, that Amy was too sick during herst trimester hence she didn''t hold a baby shower. In truth, it was because of the situation then especially having a bounty on her head that Zach chose to take Ste.


    As risky as that was, it was easier to bring her along with the excuse of treating her hip injury at a better hospital plus he knew what the woman meant to Amy. Thus they could not risk anyone else or Amy''s saftey even if she was the master at hiding.


    She gave them a grateful smile. "But, I doubt Ste has had the chance to tell you yet, I''m getting married-"


    "Ahhhhhhhhh!" Emma and Anastasia squealed in excitement earningughs from the rest.


    "And I''d love for you all to be there", Amy concluded with a chuckle.


    "And speaking of getting married, did you guys hear what happened to Aaron Frankfurt and Tracy Hellman?" Emma suddenly cut the excitement short earning everyone''s attention. Amy could not contain her smile, it was just like Emma to have a story for everything but she listened still, also curious.


    "The highschool sweethearts? Weren''t they nning their wedding when I left?" Ste probbed.


    "They were and oh my gosh! You should have seen how beautiful the town hall looked on their day and gosh! Her dress! I want to have a vow renewal in that dress!" Emma beamed.


    "The story Emma!" Adrianne nudged in annoyance.


    "Right, so everything was perfect until the priest asked if there was anyone you know, to object. Guess who raised their hand?"


    "Aaron? I never thought he would have the heart to cheat, he looked so in love with her", Dorothy shook her head.


    "Nope! Tracy did and eloped with his mother, leaving the poor man at the alter!" She concluded.


    "WHAT?" Their jaws dropped in utter shock.


    "Yup. He was so convinced she was in love with him but who knew she had a steamy affair going on with his mother of all people?" Emma shook her head.


    "When did they find time to develop such a rtionship? As far as I know, Aaron and Tracy were joined to the hip", Ste mused.


    "Maybe it was when Aaron''s mom was helping her with the wedding!" Anastasia chirped in.


    "They must have realized their feelings then and grew closer", Meredith said with an amused smile ying on her lips.


    "Stealing kisses and getting naughty when he wasn''t looking", Emma said with a chuckle.


    "Oooh! I can picture them using cake tasting or dress hunting as an excuse only to....", Adrianne gasped and shook her head at the image she created in her head. "That is both hot and disturbing."


    Bang!


    The sound of something metallic clunking against the floor caught their attention and they saw Amy look away from the camera. But the girl had an uneasy expression directed at whoever was in the room.


    "Y-you-you''re back", she stuttered while looking at him and swallowed a hard lump. "From your walk."


    "Mm-hm", Zach replied, theck of amusement in his deep voice caused a deafening silence on both sides.


    "Oops!" Emma abruptly terminated the connection.

 Chapter 334 Asking For A Step Only To Be Given A Mile

    At Frost Corporation


    The sun shine through the open floor to ceiling windows. Zach was back in his office, buried in a mountain of work as though he had not dealt with some while he was home. He had a concentrative face as he read through a file, sses resting on the bridge of his nose, before he removed them to cross-check with whatever was on hisputer. The man was in his own world, so focused he had practically eliminated the noiseing from the streets of the city. But he was not too gone to not hear the knock that resounded from his door.


    "Come in", he answered, eyes still glued to hisputer. He heard the door close and from his peripheral view, saw the person walking in. He was about to ignore when he saw what was in their hands and a smile quickly made it''s way to his lips.


    "Where do I put this, sir?" Gomez asked and Zach pointed at the coffee table. He did as told before exiting the office. Immediately, Zach called his fianc??.


    "That was quick, did you get your lunch?" Amy answered on the second ring.


    "Mm", he answered, getting up from his seat to go have a look. "I just did. Thank you."


    "Eat it while it''s hot", she reminded.


    "Yes ma''am. How are you? And Roserie?"


    "We''re fine. She just fell asleep. How''s the food babe? Did you try it?" She egged on.


    He chuckled and sat down to try it and of course, it was mouth watering until he realized something. "Did you make this yourself?"


    "Why? Is it bad? I swear it tastes just fine!" She said in a panic.


    "No, it''s tastes good. But darling, did you forget the doctor''s orders", he gently reminded.


    "Babe I can''t even do anything, not even look at myputer until I''m in the clear!" She whined. "And if I''ve gone against his orders, in my defense, I wanted to make my man something to eat on his first day at work. It''s justified."


    Zach chuckled at her cuteness, "What will I do with you?"


    "You''ll just know what in two weeks", she whispered huskily.


    Taking the hint, he dropped his fork and leaned back in his seat, rubbing a thumb on his lower lip before he too replied in that seductive tone. "Hmmm, you miss it, don''t you?"


    "I do", she replied shyly. He could almost picture the blush on her cheeks in that moment.


    "Since we''re already ignoring doctor''s orders, should Ie home and break some more rules?"


    "Zachery!" She whined in a muffled voice. She was probably pressing her face in a pillow or something.


    "What do you miss the most?" He probbed after a chuckle.


    "You know..... it."


    "Tell me. What''s it?" He had on a smile wondering what her response would be.


    "Your warrior!" She said after mastering up courage immediately making himugh.


    "Baby, is it so hard for you to say? Is dick too hard for you?" His lips curved up at the double entendre and he heard her groan. "How about wood?" She groaned again in protest but he went on suggesting names she could use much to her dismay.


    "Tool."


    "Member."


    "Manhood."


    "Shaft."


    "Or my personal favorite, cock."


    "Zachery!" She would probably die from embarrassment and his shamelessness.


    "Or we can settle for what it''s actually called, penis", he finished in all seriousness.


    "I hate you right now", she said exasperatedly, sounding annoyed.


    "And I love you and that tight little pu-" A knock interrupted him before he continued quietly. "You know where I was going with that. I have to go baby, someone''s here."


    "Give that person a raise!" She said almost breathlessly making himugh. He didn''t know she was fanning herself from his teasing but he knew how red she must have been. "I love you."


    "I love you too." They said their goodbyes before he permitted the person to enter as he resumed eating. He looked up to see George walking over to join him on one of the sofas. "When did youe back?"


    "This morning", George replied as he took a seat.


    Like Zach, he had a suit on looking all formal, the only difference was Zach had hang his jacket over his seat, rolled up his shirt sleeves and loosened his tie. George gave him an odd look seeing him continue to eat.


    "I need to eat while it''s hot. Wife''s orders", he exined. George nodded with an amused smile and as much as the food looked good, he knew Zach wouldn''t share. It was from Amy after all. "How are things?" He asked after taking a sip of his water.


    It sounded like a normal question between friends trying to catch up but George could tell from his tone that he meant something far from that. "The Thorntons are safe, we did a clean sweep of the area for any lingering threats and found nothing. I''ve assigned men to still keep a lookout."


    Still, with the King no longer in the picture, who knew what danger still lurked around the Thornton''s. And it had only been so long since the King was taken down. Zach didn''t want to rule out any possibilities. It was better to be safe than sorry.


    Zach nodded, "Good."


    "There''s something else I want to talk to you about", George continued after a second of silence.


    Zach wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin having finally cleared his containers clean. He neatly closed the kids, put them away before he washed down his meal with water and finally rxed in his seat, like a boss. Now that he had his full attention, George suddenly grew nervous in Zach''s powerful presence. With thetter''s arch of a brow, he could only man up and bring up the issue.


    "I wanted to request that you grant me the permission to oversee the hotel construction in West Vige as your P.A", he said in one breath.


    "No."


    George was baffled. Maybe he should''ve taken the honest route and simply say he wants to be close to his girlfriend. But this would be a good idea because it would mean he would taken on Zach''s job to visit. It''s literally taking one thing off his list, but he said no?


    "You can''t do that as my P.A", Zach continued. He reached for a leather covered folder from a cab beside him and gave it to him. "I know it''s a job you wanted to have but I always felt you''re worth a lot more than that. You''re good at anything you get your hands on. So how about a change in job position?"


    George''s face was full of shock as he read through the contents. "You''re appointing me as the manager of the hotel?"


    In other words, the C.E.O. Zach simply nodded. "You do a lot for not just thepany but for me as well. We''re practically family and I know I abuse you a little, it''s time I paid you back. This is nothingpared to what you do for me but it''s the least I can do for you."


    George''s mouth remained hanging, he had no words to say. Zach''s lips lifted into a smile as he stood up and stretched out his hand. "Congrattions."


    George dumbfoundedly stood up and shook it, but still unable to fullyprehend what just happened. He was appointed C.E.O of the new hotel. He asked for a step, Zach gave him a mile and a whole lot more.


    "Th-Thank you. I don''t know what to say Zach. I mean sir. Shit! Sorry!! I don''t know what to say man!"


    "You will be d to know that the board supported this decision. All that''s left is your inauguration. I have faith in you and I expect nothing less than the best from you."


    "I won''t disappoint, that I promise", George vowed with a determined look in his eyes.


    Zach''s lips had a smile on feeling satisfied with George''s response. Thetter felt it was surreal. He looked back at the details in the folder, everything was there. All that was needed was his signature. A rhythmic knock was heard before the door swung open that finally snapped George out of his trance.


    "Brothers of mine!"

 Chapter 335 He Had Plans For Her And So Did She

    Xavier held his arms out wide, dramatically announcing his arrival as he walked in silky peach PJs and a long overcoat on top. He looked at their shaking hands now pulling away. "Oh? Are we celebrating something?"


    "What are you doing here?" Zach stuffed his hands into his pockets.


    "Lorraine''s at work, Oliver''s at school. I was bored", he grumbled before sniffing around. "Something smells good in here."


    "Come back to work", Zach ordered, ignoring hisst observation. "Starting tomorrow."


    "I''m injured", heined, pointing at his abdomen. Yet he had the energy to pop by when he could be nursing his injury, Zach shot him a deadly re. Pretending as if he didn''t see, Xavier went to George''s side to smack him on the shoulder. "George my man, I haven''t seen you in a minute."


    "Ah. Good you''re both here, Amy and I are getting married in three months. Get ready."


    "Ooh", he quickly left George''s side who looked pleasantly surprised by the news and went to his older brother. "Who''s your best man? Can I be your best man? Let me be your best man!"


    "You will as long as youe back to work tomorrow", Zach replied nonchntly making George snort at Xavier''s defeated expression.


    "How are things with Nora?" Xavier quickly changed the subject, giving George a sly grin but thetter only panicked and wished he could him up with a punch.


    Zach didn''t know about the progress in his love life. Would he figure out that she was the main reason he wanted to be in West Vige more? He got his answer when he saw Zach''s smirk.


    "Take your gossiping out of here. I have work to do", he said, walking back to his seat. "And Xavier, visit your mother."


    "Sure, see you around", he said sing-songy way.


    "Tomorrow", Zach corrected in a dismissive tone.


    Xavier knew that his freedom was now over, there was no arguing with his brother. Feeling satisfied from his lunch and phone conversation with Amy, Zach had energy to work a little faster so he could go back home and be with his family. Amy must be bored out of her mind, he needed to keep herpany.


    Time seemed to move slow with him constantly checking. As soon as it hit 16:45, he left his office, done for the day and finished with all his tasks. He dismissed his secretary as he walked to his private lift.


    Momentster, he finally arrived at home. Edmund took his briefcase from him. Zach was getting used to the quietness of the home with everyone back at their ces. He took the stairs to his room only to find it vacant. No sign of Amy or the baby. But the wrinkle of the sheets told him she had been there. He decided to freshen up before going out to look for them.


    "Edmund!" He called out, exiting his room after changing.


    "Sir!" He answered and quickly went up to meet his master.


    "Where are they?"


    "In the sunroom, sir."


    He nodded and went on his way. He run his fingers through his hair leaving it an attractive mess as he walked on. After that phone call he just couldn''t wait to see Amy. But as he got closer, he steps slowed when he heard an unfamiliar sound. A groan of pleasure of a woman. And that did not belong to Amy. His brows furrowed, feeling disturbed by the discovery.


    "Ooh! Where have you been all my life?"


    That voice. Wasn''t it....? Amy giggled, it almost came out stiffled.


    "Seriously, you have some magic fingers", she let out a loud sigh of content. "Not even Henry can give me this amount of pleasure."


    "Oh my gosh! Mom!" Amy let out a stiffledugh followed by Victoria''s own. "Okay stop! I need to focus!"


    "Fine, fine! But gosh, we''ll literally be the talk of town on your wedding day! If Ste was here, we would let her join in!" Victoria continued and Amy hummed in agreement.


    Zach''s brows furrowed at this point and his expression had darkened. He tookrge strides to see for himself what in the actual hell was going- only for him to stop. Both women had heard him walk in and they both whipped their heads towards the door. Amy''s eyes lit up and she quickly run to him and stood on her tip toes to smack a wee back kiss on his lips.


    "What''s going on?" He subconsciously wrapped his arms around her waist but looked at her face. "What''s this?"


    "Face mask", she replied stiffly, leaning away so he doesn''t touch her face.


    "Amy had this suggestion that we do a glow up challenge for the wedding", she picked up a mirror and observed her glowing face. "This charcoal mask really does wonders. What do you think Zach? Doesn''t my skin look great?"


    Zach looked at his mother''s glowing face and without the two knowing, he had rxed. Did that little gossip he overheard actually mess with him just now? He shook his head.


    "Babe?" Amy nudged him gently.


    "Looks good", he replied.


    "Right?" Victoria agreed with a huge smile on her face. "And can I stay for dinner! I''ve missed you lot."


    "No."


    Amy couldn''t re at him because of the facemask while Victoria did for the both of them. This son of hers.


    "Xavier will visit you."


    "Really?" Her face lit up as she quickly gathered her belongings. "I better get going then! What should I make for my baby! Why didn''t you tell me this sooner? Amy, thank you for this! We''ll talk!"


    She gave her an air kiss before disappearing out the door. Amy mouthed a ''wow'' before looking at Zach''s whose lips curved up. "She has no favorites", Amy said in amusement.


    "Clearly", he replied.


    "Can you watch Roserie while I take this off?" She pointed at her mask.


    He hummed in response and kissed her lips whilst gropping her soft ass. She moaned into the kiss wishing she coulld respond more eagerly. He released her and gave it a hard smack earning a yelp from her.


    She could see the raw desire in his eyes. He may have been the one doing the teasing earlier but that conversation had affected them both. That two weeks now painfully felt like twenty years toe. He had ns for her, and so did she...

 Chapter 336 Victorias Invite

    Bang! The sound startled both Oliver and Xavier in their seats for the millionth time that evening. Lorraine shot a deadly re at the man before turning her back to start prepping the ingredients for their dinner. She had mmed every one of the ingredients onto the counter disying how angry she was.


    "What did you do?" Oliver whispered in Xavier''s direction. He had long abandoned his homework thanks to his sister''s distracting actions.


    He leaned in to whisper back, "I swear it''s not that big of a deal-"


    "So I''m overreacting?" She spun around, hands on her waist, looking like she ready to blow up.


    "You''re on your own", Oliver announced and quickly left for his room.


    "Traitor!" Xavier red afted the little man before turning to his woman with a sweet smile. He walked over to her side. "Lorraine-"


    She stopped and crossed her arms against her chest, facing him with an unamused expression. He sighed and held her arms. "Lorraine, I''m sorry I didn''t tell you but I was so bored. I had to get some fresh air."


    "You know that''s not why I''m upset."


    "I know, I know. I should''ve discussed my returning to work with you before deciding on it. I know you''re worried about me."


    "Xavier, you still have the stitches on you. This is when you should be extra careful. How can you think of going back to work right now?"


    He cupped the sides of her faces and drew closer to her, burying her face into his chest. "You have nothing to worry about. I''ll be extra careful. I promise."


    "Is this about keeping up appearances so your family doesn''t worry about you?"


    "No. That was a one time thing because I wanted to spend some time with you", he confessed with a sheepish smile.


    Her countenance melted at that. "But you''re still not okay. You can work from home."


    "I can''t stay home another second! I''m gonna lose it!" He cried out dramatically making her chuckle and shake her head. His mouth fell into an O clearly pleased that she was no longer upset with him.


    She was about to speak when his phone started ringing. He slightly pulled away while still holding her to answer the call. "Mom?"


    "Did you tell her? What did she say? Why haven''t I heard from you? She''s not denying you from seeing your family, is she?" Victoria shot at him as soon as he answered.


    "I wouldn''t be surprised after the little stunt you pulled at the hospital", he replied nonchntly.


    "WHAT?!"


    "I''ll call you back", he quickly hang up and looked down at the expectant woman. He let out a long sigh. "I called my Mom earlier and she wants to have us over for dinner over the weekend."


    She was silent for a second before nodding away. "Okay."


    "If you''re not ready, we can wait", he gently reminded.


    "No, I''m sure. This was bound to happen. We''ll go. Oliver as well, right?"


    "Yes, I told them about him too." His phone started to ring again and shook his head when he saw the woman calling him again. "I was going to call you back."


    "I forgot to mention that it''s not just dinner, it''s a sleepover", Victoria said.


    "What?"


    "Everyone has agreed, it''s just you two."


    "Zach too?" Xavier''s brows rose from the little shock. Lorraine could only watch him intently, curious about the new development in their ns.


    Meanwhile, at Zach and Amy''s, thetter was seated on a sofa in their room with her legs up so she could rest Roserie against herp. The little one held onto her mother''s fingers while thetter yed with her while Zach was freshening up after a long day at work. Amy''s phone started to ring and used one hand to answer.


    "Hey", she held up her phone and smiled at the camera.


    "Busy?" Susan was wrapped in a nket with a container of icecream in hand as she responded.


    "No. Just ying with Roserie. Say hie to auntie!" She brought the phone to Roserie and spoke in a baby voice. "Say hie auntie."


    "Hey Roserie. You look so cute today! Aw!" Susan spoke in awe making Amy chuckle before she brought up the phone again.


    "What''s up? Is it not movie time yet?" Amy asked with curious eyes.


    "Movie night is cancelled. I kicked them out", Susan replied grumpily.


    "What?"


    "We had a fight, that''s what."


    "With both of them?"


    Susan sighed. "We bought a nt, a potted one. It was a question of which was the best spot to ce it where it could get just enough sunlight. We had different opinions, I got upset, Stephen just had to say that I was overreacting and that I''ve been too sensitive over the past few days. And guess what that punk I endured 13 hours ofbor for actually said, ''yeah mom, you need to chill''", she angrily scooped a spoonful of ice cream and shoved it in her mouth.


    "Wow", Amy said quietly yet amused though she could guess why. "Monthlies?"


    Susan nodded with a pitiful expression and let out an exasperated sigh. "I know my mood is crazy right now but they didn''t have to point it out. So annoying!"


    Amy only sighed. "So where did they go? Do you know?"


    "Probably at my ce. My keys are missing."


    "You kicked Stephen out of his own ce along with your son?" Amy could only smirk, clearly amused.


    "I don''t want to think about that right now. Let''s talk about something else", she grumbled.


    "Okay, um, well Zachery and I are getting married."


    "Did you settle on a date?"


    "Not yet, but it''s in three months time."


    "He just can''t wait to wife you up, now can he?"


    "If it were up to me, we''d do it tomorrow", Zach passed behind Amy going to retrieve his tablet from his desk to look at a few things.


    "Hello to you too, Mr. Frost", Susan greeted.


    "Dr. Glynne", he acknowledged while scrolling through the device.


    "So what''s stopping you?" She probbed.


    "And rob his mom the joy of nning our wedding? Not a chance", Amy said with a smile before her phone started to ring. "Speak of the devil, let me call you back Suzy."


    "Sure."


    She terminated the video call and answered the voice call. "Hey Mom."


    "Amy dear, is Zach with you?" Victoria asked a quietly as though being cautious.


    "Right here", he answered. The two heard the older woman probably curse under her breath.


    "What''s going on?" Amy asked, trying not tough.


    "I want to have the boys over for the weekend with youdies. Everyone''s agreed, it''s just you two", she said in one breath.


    "This is a tactic you''re using to get everyone on board", Zach pointed out.


    "Tch! No!"


    "Xav texted me", he deadpanned.


    "That snitch! Well yes! Because you have always been busy for these kind of things. Sue me!"


    "Don''t worry mom, we''ll be there", Amy replied a little too excited.


    "Great!"


    The call ended and Amy raised Roserie to smack a kiss on her cheek earning a soft coo from her. She got up and walked over to Zach. She took away his tablet and reced it with Roserie.


    "Make sure your daddy is not working while I n for the weekend", she patted Roserie''s little back before rushing off.


    Zach only sighed but did as told. He didn''t look at any work and simply spent time with his daughter. Amy had disappeared out of their room. What he thought would take twenty minutes tops, quickly turned into an hour and was now approaching a two our mark.


    He put a sleeping Roserie in her crib before walking out. He could hear Amy''s hum and soft singing from the hallways. He followed the voice and found her in Roserie''s room, inside her walk-in closet and looking through outfits. Tired of waiting, he went over and flung her over his shoulder earning a yelp from her.


    "I''m not done", she whined in protest.


    "You have all of tomorrow", he countered.


    "Wait", she asked, making him stop. She straighted her form and slid into him so she could wrap her legs around his waist and hands locked behind his neck. The move only pleased him as he smiled when they came face to face.


    "What?" She asked with a smile.


    "Nothing", he still could not stop smiling. Entering their room, he kicked the door behind them. "You''re too excited for this weekend."


    "Of course! I get to see the ce you grew up in", she could not help her giddiness.


    He chuckled as hey them down with him on top of her, "There''s nothing special about it."


    "It''s part of you, it''s where you came from. So of course it''s special", she said in all seriousness. He dipped his head and imed her lips showing the affection he felt just from her words. "And of course, your embarrassing childhood pictures."


    "Ugh", he groaned, burying his face in the crook of her neck while sheughed.

 Chapter 337 Victoria Could Not Be Happier

    Saturday afternoon could not arrive sooner. Victoria was over the moon to have three of her boys with their women over for the weekend. They agreed to arrive at lunch since Nora would arrive that same day from West Vige.


    "Mmm, don''t add any spices in this one. George can''t stomach spicy foods", she reminded her cook.


    "Yes ma''am", the woman nodded.


    Victoria looked through and tasted every delicacy that was prepared. Henry came down the stairs following the pleasant aroma that caused his stomach to grumble.


    "No", she said with a sternness. She already knew what he wanted.


    "What time are they supposed to be here? I''m dying here", heined.


    "Anytime now. Be patient."


    "Isn''t there something I can eat while we wait?" He opened the fridge to look for something edible.


    "No. We''ll all eat at the same time", she closed the fridge and ushered him out of the kitchen.


    "This is abuse", he muttered while being pushed.


    She was about to bite back when the door bell echoed within the house. An excited gasp escaped her lips as both of them stopped and looked towards the hallway leading to the front door. They heard the sound of the door opening and closing before approaching footsteps followed.


    "And who is this beauty before me?" Xavier started as soon as he saw his mother making the woman blush. "Who is this Greek goddess reincarnate? Mom, everytime I see you it''s like time is moving backwards for you! Your skin looks amazing! You look absolutely beautiful!"


    "Right?" Her face lit up as she cupped the sides of it. "Amy and I are on a glowup challenge!"


    "Can I even kiss you on the cheek? I don''t want to taint this amazing artwork", he said. Victoria broke into a big bashful smile, punching his arm when he came closer to hug her while Henry rolled his eyes at the cheesy remarks.


    Lorraine''s lips spasmed and she exchanged a look with Oliver who was holding her hand. This amused Henry and he stepped forward.


    "You must be Lorraine. I''m Henry, this one''s father", he feigned bitterness making herugh as he extended his hand towards her.


    "Hello Henry", she released her hand from Xavier''s to shake Henry''s while smiling.


    "And this must be Oliver", Henry turned to the little man.


    "You don''t look like Xavier", Olivermented while shaking his hand. Lorraine gasped and nudged while Xavier and Henry chuckled at the kid''s honesty.


    "But I look like her, don''t I?" Xavier put his arm around his mother.


    "Yeah, but she''s prettier", he said in honesty.


    "A, I like him already", Victoria responded with glee and bent down to extended her hand to him. "Oliver, is it?"


    He nodded in response as he shook her hand. She gave him a beautiful smile. "Quite a handsome little man you are."


    "Th-Thank you." A crimson color graced his cheeks and this pleased the older woman. She gently patted his cheek before standing upright to greet his sister.


    "Lorraine", she shook her hand and offered her another smile. "Wee home."


    "Thank you", she could barely suppress her nervousness shaking the woman''s hand. "You have a beautiful home."


    "Thank you. You must be hungry-"


    "I am so sure you did that on purpose", a woman''s voice could be heard from the hallway earning everyone''s attention.


    "You won''t need it anyway", George''s smug reply was heard next.


    "Ooooooh I see. I see", her reply was that of disapproval before the two emerged at the living room where everyone was. She gasped and rushed forward, "Victoria! Mom said you were a beauty but isn''t this too much? Are you sure you''re real?"


    Lorraine watched at Victoria break into augh as a girl wearing skinny jeans and a shirt that exposed her arms that had some tattoos on them rush to hug the older woman.


    "You''re just like your mother described", Victoriaughed.


    "Disappointed?" She pulled away and raised a brow at her with a smirk.


    "Not one bit", she shook her head.


    "And you must be Henry", she gave him a side hug.


    "How are you so sure? I could be Xavier", Henry joked.


    "This beer belly is not fooling anyone", Nora patted his stomach earning augh from Xavier and Victoria.


    "Richard did say I would not like you", Henry grumbled giving her a dirty look.


    "I like her", Xavier said in amusement.


    "Xavier", acknowledged, earning a nod from him. "Oliver, right?" She asked and he nodded too before she turned her attention on Lorraine. Before thetter could think, Nora engulfed her in a big hug. "And you must be Lorraine! I''m Nora."


    "Aunt Victoria", George greeted the woman with a hug. Realizing that Nora was still hugging Lorraine, he pulled her away. "Okay, that''s enough. Sorry."


    "No", Lorraine shook her head at George who was ignoring Nora''s re.


    "George", Henry silentlyined about Nora only for him to respond with a sheepish smile. He sighed before looking down at his wrist watch. "Geez! Can we start eating already?"


    "Excuse me madam", a man announced, earning their attention. "The table has been set."


    "Thank you Will", Victoria said before turning to everyone. "I guess we can get started."


    Henry paired up with Oliver, walking ahead of everyone, Victoria with the girls while Nora chatted between the two, and Xavier followed behind along with George.


    "You''re two pr opposites", Xaviermented quietly. "You got your hands full."


    "And a lot more", George agreed before a smile bloomed on his face.


    Henry settled at the head seat with Oliver to his immediate right while Victoria to his left. Nora sat next to her with George beside her while next to Oliver was Xavier followed by Lorraine. The food was filled with mouth watering delicacies ready to be devoured. The pleasant aroma was killing Henry who joked about it with Oliver.


    "Help yourselves", Victoria announced before everyone started serving themselves.


    "This is amazing", Lorraine genuinelymented on the taste.


    "Thank you", Victoria smiled. "I''m d it''s to your liking."


    "You guys started without us, I''m hurt", Amy joked, announcing their presence. She was walking hand in hand with Zach while he carried Roserie in the other.


    "Oh my gosh!" Nora gasped seeing the trio.


    "I need my camera!" Xavier looked around frantically.


    "You agreed to this?" George asked in shock.


    "What''s wrong with this?" Zach bit back, ring at him. He was about to sit when Victoria stretched out her arms, asking for her granddaughter. Zach did as asked before going to settle at the end of the table.


    Zach wore blue jeans, a white shirt and a ck leather jacket with matching sneakers; Amy wore the exact same thing with her hair up in a ponytail and light makeup on with matching sandal heels, while little Roserie was in blue tights, a white top and a little ck jacket. It was a cute sight of the family of three.


    "This is so cute! You''re matching with your parents! Don''t you look so cute! So cute!" Victoria cooed at the little one who gave her a brief gummy smile.


    "Oooh! She smiled!" Henry eximed with a huge smile mirroring Victoria''s excited one.


    "But you guys look amazing. Was this your idea?" She asked, referring to the matching outfits.


    Amy nodded enthusiastically while Zach responded for her, "She''s been excited about this since you called."


    "Xavie take a picture of themter on", Victoria said.


    "Of course! Of course", he nodded enthusiastically.


    "I want a baby", Nora whispered a bit too loudly in George''s ear making him choke on his saliva.


    Everyoneughed at the two while Amy left Zach''s side to hug and kiss the old man on the cheek then Victoria before greeting everyone.


    "We haven''t seen each other in a while and all I get is a hello?" Norained.


    "Alex told me to tell her if you cause any trouble", Amy said with a smirk as she sat down next to Zach.


    "Your wife is bullying my girlfriend", Georgeined when Nora groaned in annoyance.


    "Is she?" Zach arched a brow in challenge.


    Amy turned to Lorraine with a smile. "It''s good to see you again Lorraine."


    "You too. You look amazing", sheplimented genuinely.


    "Thank you, so do you", she replied before she and Zach helped themselves. Victoria could not help her smile as she looked around the table. She had her sons, her daughters-inw and her grandbaby, all under one roof. She could not be happier.

 Chapter 338 Not Too Much Fun

    The lunch was had with light conversation going and Nora''s remarks either making themugh or grimace. But George was unfazed by it, the man was smitten like there was no tomorrow.


    "Do you boys want to give the girls a tour of the ce?" Victoria said while craddling Roserie.


    "What about that thing I asked for?" Amy asked.


    Victoria smirked, "Don''t worry, it''s waiting for you."


    Zach narrowed his eyes at Amy and it took him a second to realize what it was especially when her excitement grew. "We''re not doing a tour. Let''s go out for some fresh air."


    "Do that, I''ll find my way around", she said while getting up.


    "What''s going on?" Xavier looked between the two, one looking amused and the other annoyed.


    "Where''s Zach''s room?" She asked.


    "No-"


    "Left wing, second door on the right", Xavier answered quickly ignoring his brother.


    "I owe you Xavier", Amy announced as she quickly left for the stairs.


    "You''ll pay for this", Zach shot as he followed after Amy.


    "Zach, it''s not your brother''s fault that Amy wants to see your baby pictures", Victoria shouted with augh.


    "Oh! Is that what this is about?" Xavierughed, now understanding his brother''s annoyance.


    "Girls, I prepared a simr gift for you in the boys'' rooms", Victoria said. George and Xavier''s smiles were quickly wiped off while the two girls grew excited.


    Meanwhile, Amy had made it to the top of the stairs when she heard approaching footsteps. She squealed as she started running.


    "Amy", Zach warned as he walked faster. "Stop running."


    He didn''t want to chase her seeing as she was in heels but Amy misunderstood him. "There''s no stopping me."


    She turned to see he was closing in on her but lucky she had found his room, she quickly rushed inside and found the album resting on the bed. As soon as she took it, the door closed behind her. But she quickly opened it and found herself shocked and amused.


    "Is this why you didn''t want me to see this?" She could barely suppress her chuckle when it was suddenly snatched out of her hands. "Babe,e on."


    "You''ve seen enough", he said, raising the book up, out of her reach.


    "It''s just you in a tutu, a wig and makeup", she said jumping up to reach for it. "Is that how you knew which lipsticks to buy for me?"


    He stopped moving, ring at her but she jumped him, sending them both falling onto the bed. She was giggling as she snatched it out of his hands. He didn''t fight her but simply held her as she looked her fill.


    "Just so you know, mom forced me to dress up like that", he said.


    "But this huge smile you have on says otherwise", she pointed at his five year old self with two front teeth missing refuting his lie. "Babe, I''ve never seen you this happy or smile like this, not even with me."


    "Amy", he warned.


    "Alright, alright", she chuckled as she flipped through the pages. "I was worried about Roserie''s tea parties but you''ll fit right in."


    "Amy."


    "Okay, I''ve stopped", she giggled. "I''m sorry."


    "You''re not."


    "I''m not."


    She quietly flipped through the pages, seeing Zach transition from a toddler and into a young adult. She found herself giggling at some pictures and there were some she asked about that he exined the events behind them. It was the sound of Roserie''s crying that caught their attention before Victoria''s knock resounded.


    "Will you get that?" She asked and he shook his head. She just couldn''t get enough of seeing his pictures.


    He untangled himself from her and got the door. He received the crying baby and started calming her in his hold.


    "Satisfied?" Victoria shouted over at Amy.


    "So much", Amy sat up and nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you."


    "Anytime.... When you''ve rested,e downstairs. I want to chat with you girls", she said.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Let me just feed her, I''ll be right with you."


    Victoria excused herself and let the couple alone. Roserie calmed down as soon as she started feeding while Zach went to their wardrobe to put up their clothes. He could not help his smile when he saw what Amy packed for the three of them.


    Not long after, they left their room and went their separate ways. Amy joining thedies with Roserie in her arms. She found thedies still seated around the dining table with Nora being the chatter box she is.


    "Dear, you might want to leave Roserie with her Dad", Victoria said.


    "Why? What are we doing?"


    "Karaoke", Nora wiggled her brows with a goofy smile that immediately lit up Amy''s features. She took out her phone and dialed for Zach. "Babe, do you mind watching Roserie?.... Thank you. Meet me in the hallway."


    She excused herself and rushed to him in. His lips curved up seeing him walk towards him causing her to smile too.


    "We''re going to do a little karaoke." She handed Roserie over to him.


    "Have fun. But not too much, be careful", he reminded.


    "Mm", she adjusted Roserie''s flunnel to cover her up before standing on her tip toes to peck Zach''s lips.


    He watched her run back before he resumed his walk to join the boys. He could hear the chatter andughter going on in the lounge as he approached.


    "Amy! Amy! Wait up!" Xavier called out while running.


    Zach felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around only for Xavier to gasp and then purse his lips to suppress his smile. "Sorry, I thought you were Amy."


    "Really?" He red, clearly unamused. He was sure he had seen her run in the opposite direction.


    "You can''t me me! You guys have matching outfits and all!" He countered, nose ring at his obvious lie.


    "Seems you need another visit to the E.R. I can arrange for a permanent stay", he warned with a deadly tone.


    "Hey, don''t be like that", he swung an arm over his shoulder and gave him a sheepish grin. "It was an honest mistake."


    Henry appeared in the hallway from the lounge. "Where''s Amy?"


    "Right here", Xavier pointed at Zach who did not waste a second to kick his shin sending bhim hopping on one leg. "Ow!"


    "Is everything okay?" Zach assessed his father''s serious face.


    "Rider called, he was trying to reach you too", he said. Zach fished out his phone and saw he had put on vibration. He made it a habit whenever he was around Roserie in case she fell asleep. "I have a message for her."


    "Who wants to go first?" Victoria asked looking around at the other three.


    "Why don''t you go first?" Amy suggested.


    "I don''t know what to choose", she replied while going through the list.


    "Let me go first", Nora said. Thedies had on uneasy expressions which made her roll her eyes. "Don''t give me that look."


    There were wholesome songs that Nora skimmed through. ''Can''t help falling in love'', ''Uptown girl''. All of them were songs everyone was sure Nora would not choose and it was true, but what they didn''t anticipate was the choice she made.


    "How do we feel about Wham''s wake me up?" She asked with a smug smile.


    "Ooooooh! It''s been a while since I heard this song! Need a partner?" Victoria quickly joined her.


    "That''s the spirit!" Nora shouted before she started singing while Victoria worked on the ad lib to spice up the song.


    "You put the boom-boom into my heart (ooh-ooh)


    You send my soul sky-high


    When your lovin'' starts


    Jitterbug into my brain (yeah-yeah)


    Goes a bang-bang-bang


    ''Til my feet do the same"


    They kicked off their shoes to be morefortable as they bounced around to the upbeat song. Amy took a tambourine and shook it ording to the beat while jumping up and down. Lorraine found huge clown sses in different bright colors that covered half of her face when she out them and went around helping the others into theirs.

 Chapter 339 A Requested Visit

    "Did they say why?" Zach asked quietly as they weaved through the hallways, heading to the karaoke room.


    Henry shook his head no. "Just that Amy needs to go in."


    His brows furrowed. He was worried about how Amy would take the sudden request. As they walked on, the walls vibrated from the beat of the song being yed. At this point, he was d he left Roserie with Xavier.


    "How''s your mother tolerating such noise? She makes it a point to remind me every day that she likes her peace and quiet", Henry mused when he heard an excited scream.


    "You can be loud when you''re watching football", Zachmented.


    "Have you ever watched a game without making a sound?" He arched a brow.


    "Never."


    Henry mouthed the word ''psycho''. He would die of frustration if he didn''t voice out his thoughts at the game. He was one to take every game and every move yed by his team very personal. And Zach never did any of that? He shook his head and silently resumed walking beside him. Reaching the door, they didn''t bother knocking and opened it to a scene that left Henry''s jaw dropped to the floor.


    Victoria was holding an imaginary concert, singing on top of her lungs, Nora was throwing punches in the air and cramping tothe music, Lorraine incorporated mummy kicks, jumping and ring her arms in all soughts of directions, while Amy was on top of the sofa, shaking her head side to side flipping her now loosened hair in the process and moving her body while shaking the tambourine as well.


    "Wake me up before you go-go


    Don''t leave me hanging on like a yo-yo


    Wake me up before you go-go


    I don''t wanna miss it when you hit that high


    Wake me up before you go-go


    ''Cause I''m not nning on going solo


    Wake me up before you go-go, ah


    Take me dancing toniiiiiiiight


    I wanna hit that hiiiiiiiiiigh, yeah, yeah!"


    Lorraine did a spin only toe face to face with the two men standing at the door. She quickly stopped and run to turn off the music.


    "What the hell-?" Nora started annoyed when she turned and saw why.


    Amy abruptly stopped along with the music but the action left her dizzy. She was about to fall off when strong arms quickly caught her. She stabilized herself with her hands on his shoulders to see a displeased Zach.


    "Thank you babe", she giggled while breathing hard.


    "What''s going on?" Victoria asked.


    "Is everything okay? Where''s Roserie?" Amy asked in worry.


    "She''s fine. I left her with Xavier", he replied.


    Victoria startedughing. "How did that happen?"


    "Why?" Nora asked curiously.


    "Only a month ago Xavier couldn''t hold the little one for the life of him. He would freeze and even stop breathing. Apparently he was afraid any movement would break her", Victoria exined making the girlsugh.


    "I can totally see that happening", Lorrainemented with augh.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "What about George? How is he around babies?" Nora probbed.


    "He''s a natural", Victoria replied.


    "You don''t say", Nora rubbed her palms together with a devious look on her face. Henry shook his head, he will never get used to Nora''s antics.


    "We need to talk", Zach spoke, his eyes glued on Amy''s.


    She nodded and he helped her down the sofa, she looked around for her shoes she was toozy to actively start looking for them. Zach quietly led her out when she left his side and run to Victoria to grab her face and smack a kiss on on her cheek.


    "You''re the best!" She giggled making Victoriaugh, taking back everyone else watching.


    "Are you drunk?" Lorraine voiced out her curiosity before she could think.


    "No! Just excited! I''ll see you girls in a bit", she shouted before rejoining Zach.


    "Oh, I''d love to see drunk Amy", Nora smug smiled. She could only think how much fun she would have with her.


    "Not a chance", Zach replied before they disappeared out of the room. She just kissed his mother. It meant nothing, but still!! Why did he have to overhear that piece of gossip? Now it was messing with him though it shouldn''t!


    As they walked, Amy was smiling the whole time as she fanned herself. Zach had a scowl on his face as he looked down at her. She raised her brows at him when he suddenly picked her up.


    "Will!" He shouted.


    "Sir?" The man came rushing towards them.


    "Get her some house slippers."


    Amy smiled to herself at his thoughtfulness and pecked his lips. "Thank you."


    "I thought I said not to have too much fun", he scolded. She was still not in the clear with her head injury.


    "Is that why you''re upset?" She pursed her lips to suppreyher amused smile.


    He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "No, it''s because I thought I was the only one who could make you sweat like that."


    Amy''s eyes grew wide and her face reddened. How could he say such a thing to her in his father''s presence? What she didn''t realize was that Henry thought her face reddened from sweating it out during the crazy dancing he walked in on.


    "Zachery", she scolded. She was burning with embarrassment but, it was his turn to have augh.


    When they arrived into the study, Will brought the slippers for her and quickly left so the three could have their discussion.


    "So, what''s going on? Is everything okay?" She asked as she put them on before looking at Henry.


    "Rider called me, someone''s requested your presence", he answered.


    "Who....?" She egged him on with a look.


    "Gwen Cancino", Zach replied. His brows furrowed further when he said her name.


    A million questions run through her mind but one stuck out that she could not help but voice it. "Why would Gwen want to see me?"


    "Amy", Zach called out gently, snapping her out of her thoughts. "You don''t have to."


    As much as it brought about an anxious feeling, her stomach flipping at the thought, she shook her head no. This was bound to happen as much as she didn''t want it to. "No, I want to hear what Gwen has to say."

 Chapter 340 Learning Xaviers Past

    Xavier hissed and groaned, his face contorting into a pained expression. He took a couple of deep breaths, trying to ignore the stinging sensation and working up the courage to continue with that he was doing. He heard a surprised gasp from within the room.


    "Why didn''t you wait for me?" Lorraineined seeing him sit over the edge of the bed and reeling from the pain of removing the old bandage from his injury to start dressing it. She had juste out of the bathroom, already dressed in her night wear, ready to call it a night.


    "I wanted to get this over and done with. Plus, I didn''t want to bother you", he muttered only to receive a re from her as she rushed to his side. "Sorry."


    He held up his shirt and let her take over. She blew on it trying to ease the pain while removing the bandage. Although she was focused on the task at hand, she could not help but steal nces at the middle of his chest that he had exposed while holding up his shirt then quickly looked back down. He suddenly chuckled.


    "What?" She asked quietly, now cleaning up and gently dabbing medication.


    "I still can''t believe those three showed up in a matching set of PJs for Game time", he continued with a chuckle before he flinched from the pain.


    "Sorry. Amy said she nned for matching outfits for them for the rest of the weekend", Lorraine could not help her smile. "I think it''s cute."


    "That''s just it. Zach doesn''t do cute. You''ve seen the ice block he usually is", he joked.


    "Yeah, but he''s not like that with Amy. Love does that to you. All done", she had now finished sting a new bandage on the injury.


    "Love", he said quietly.


    He was staring into space when he said this, already fallen deep into thoughts. What a bumpy ride it had been for him trying to find what his brother easily found.


    Why was it all so difficult for him? He felt a warm hand on his cheek, snapping him out of his thoughts before Lorraine pressed her lips onto his. She did not deepen it, it was a simple kiss, yet it came with warmth andfort. There was also another feeling that came with the simple kiss but he couldn''t put his finger on it.


    "Aren''t you curious?" He asked when she broke the kiss.


    "My best guess is it has to do with your past?" She cocked her head to the side.


    He smiled gently, caressing her cheek as he spoke "And you don''t want to know about my past?"


    "It''s the past for a reason. Our present is all that matters to me", she stated. She could guess he probably had ghosts, something he didn''t wish to revisit. He sighed in relief when he heard that until the next words she uttered. "But there''s one thing I''m curious about. The scar on your chest."


    An unamusedugh left his lips. It was more like he was mocking himself. She didn''t want to know his past, but that was his past. Sensing his silence, she got the message. "It''s okay. You don''t have to tell-"


    "I was shot."


    Lorraine''s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach and she froze in his hold. Judging from the graveness in his tone, it was definitely a horrific past. But two questions quickly popped into her head: who would do such a thing to him? And why?


    "By my ex."


    "Xavier..."


    "It''s okay."


    He brought her up andy them on the bed side by side. He held onto her tightly, trying tofort himself while he recounted his past with Irene. His tone was quiet into thete night but she could hear the frustration as he spoke.


    "She showed up after six months of disappearing on me. Despite that, a part of me wanted to hold on", he let out an unamused chuckle. "But that quickly changed when the first thing she did was demand for money, a ridiculous amount of money. No apology, no exnation, she simply wanted money. I got mad and that''s when we started arguing, shouting at the top of our lungs. She wanted the money, she felt entitled, while I wanted answers.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Seeing as she wasn''t getting anywhere, she took out a gun and threatened to kill herself. She said she would rather die than walk out empty handed on our rtionship but I forced her to point it to my chest. If anyone deserved to die, it was me, she had bled me dry, she had killed me emotionally, she might as well have done so physically. So I told her, no, demanded she shoot me."


    He exhaled deeply and pulled her closer, steadying himself before he got to the dreadful part. "There was a bit of a struggle for the gun, but I easily overpowered her, challenging her to shoot me. I remember these to be thest words I said to her ''if you want, tell that scumbag to grow a pair and face me instead of sending his little wife''.


    "She stopped for a second, probably stunned that I found out about her being married, that she colluded with her husband to use me and run me dry. During the six months she disappeared, I did some digging and I found out. But I didn''t want to confront her, because that would confirm my reality. Ignorance is bliss, right? I hoped she woulde back, and she did only to crash the fake reality I had built.


    "I couldn''t read her emotion after that because the next thing I remember is falling to the ground after taking a hit. But what was more painful was watching her abandon me there. If not for Zach, I wouldn''t be here right now. I owe my life to him and a lot more to my family. I was a mess after that but they were there for me through and through."


    Lorraine was already in tears, feeling angry and sad for him at the same time. All he did was love, and a bullet to his chest was what he got in return. She was silently grateful to his family for saving him. What a dark time it was for the man.


    "Was she caught? Is she serving her sentence for- for- ..... for doing that to you?" Lorraine could hardly contain her anger as she asked this and sniffled too.


    He lifted her head to wipe her tears. "Zach got rid of her and her family. It''s like they never existed. They''re probably somewhere in the world paying for their sins."


    "Good. How could she take someone''s life so lightly? All you did was love her! Was it too much for her to do the same? Didn''t she have an ounce of a conscious or humanity in her???? I swear to God-!"


    She was interrupted by Xavier''s intense gaze watching her as she ranted on while breathing heavily in anger. "What?"


    He chuckled and shook his head, "Nothing."


    She sighed deeply and cupped his cheek, "You''re amazing. For giving love a chance despite the countless times you''ve been disappointed. You deserve a lot more than that, someone to love you right. Although I''m inexperienced, I want to give you just that and hopefully I''ll do it right."


    He pulled her into his embrace to feel her warmth against him. "You''re doing a lot more than you think. I don''t think I''ll ever meet someone like you and I don''t intent to find out. I know it''s too early but I strongly believe you''re all that I need."


    Being with Lorraine was so simple, Xavier didn''t feel like he needed to try extra hard. Without realizing, she made the matters of the heart simple for him. It was afortable ce for him, a ce he felt started to feel like home. The two basked in each other''s warmth andfort when realization hit.


    "Wait, is this... Is this your first rtionship?" He pulled away to have a good look at her.


    "Is that.... Is that a problem?" Her face heated up and she avoided his gaze.


    "Quite the opposite", he smiled.


    "But I may not know certain things", she started, unsure and bearing her insecurities to him.


    "And that''s okay. That will make it even more special. It maye as a surprise but I also don''t know everything but I''m going to try and do everything right by you."


    She returned his smile before he pressed his lips to hers. Lorraine was so innocent, just thinking of her untouched body that was pressed to him right now. He hugged her and groaned in the crook of her neck. "Uggghhhhh! This is going to be hard!"


    "Aren''t you already?" She questioned cheekily.


    "Oh! You got jokes Lorraine. Very funny", he countered in annoyance while sheughed.


    Xavier had been through a lot. She may not know much about love but she meant it when she said she''d try. She could only hope, this would be a start of a worriless journey of their future.....

 Chapter 341 Breakfast With The Family

    The next day


    The Frost mansion was quiet with the sound of birds chirping into the early morning. A sleepy Victoria caught on the cluttering sound from the kitchen as she made her way down there. Expecting to see the kitchen staff, she found someone whose back she easily recognized because of the pajamas she wore the previous night.


    "Amy?" Victoria took in the sight of the woman, prepping her ingredients for the sumptuous breakfast she nned to make.


    "Good morning, slept well?" Amy smiled brightly at her.


    "I did dear, thank you. What about you? Why are you up so early? Your friends are sleeping in."


    "Well, someone decided to wake up at 3 a.m and fell asleep an our ago, to wake up again for a diaper change thirty minutester. Now she''s sleeping peacefully with her Daddy", she said grumpily.


    "That''s motherhood for you", Victoria chuckled. "But we have people for this."


    "I know, but I thought it would be nice to make something for you all", she smiled a warm one.


    "Fine. I''ll help you", Victoria moved to wash her hands on the sink when she saw Amy''s expression freeze into a horrified one. "Geez! I''ll only help with cutting anything that needs cutting. I won''t go anywhere near that stove, I promise."


    "I didn''t say anything", she replied cheekily.


    "That expression said it all", she shot a re at her while Amy giggled from amusement.


    Victoria let out a sigh that made Amy stopughing and raise her brows in question. "Is it about the cooking or is there something else.....?"


    She pursed her lips with brows furrowed, seeming to be troubled in thought. She sighed again, "Dear.... What do you think of that girl?"


    "Who? Lorraine?" Amy questioned earning a nod from the older woman. "In what way?"


    "In general. Do you think she''s a good person?" She asked a little more quietly.


    "Um", Amy stopped what she was doing to give her full attention and give an honest answer. "I know her professionally, but not personally. But so far, she seems alright."


    "That''s just it. They all seem nice at the beginning. I''m worried about Xavier dear. It hasn''t been long since he walked away from the disaster that was Nicole. I couldn''t even see her for the monster she was. My boy hasn''t had the best luck with love. He''s been hurt too much. His past actions should not be exused but I let him be for that reason."


    Amy walked over and took Victoria''s hands in hers in a gesture offort. She gave her a kind smile. "Mom, I understand your worries and concerns. It''s only right for you to feel this way and it''s okay. Unfortunately, you can''t shield Xavier from any possible heartbreaks but still, I think he grew stronger from those experiences despite how terrible they were. And we can''t let the past cause us to be prejudiced against any possible loves he may find."


    Victoria let out a heavy sigh. She knew Amy was right but she could not help her worry over her son. The two broke apart when they heard approaching footsteps.


    "Morning", Lorraine walked in with a bright smile. If she overhead them, she didnt show it.


    "Morning Lorraine. I made coffee, help yourselves", Amy said, smiling at both women.


    "Perfect! Just the way I like to start my day", she gave a grateful smile to her before making one for herself and Victoria. She sniffed the pleasant aroma before taking a sip that quickly woke her up. "So, how can I help?"


    "Help yourself to whatever you can make", Amy replied.


    "Wow", Victoria said dryly with obvious bitterness. "Your attitude took a whole 180 when she offered to help but not me! Now she knows that I can''t cook thanks to your unfairness."


    Lorraine looked uneasily between the two women. But Amy pursed her lips, trying not tough. "Mom, if you hadn''t said a word, she would have thought I was not letting you cook simply because you''re my mother-inw."


    "I just exposed myself, haven''t I?" She smiled sheepishly making Amy shake her head.


    Lorraine internally sighed in relief and smiled. "I would never have guessed because Xavier is good at it. I assumed he learned from home."


    "He''s self taught", Victoria replied proudly.


    "Impressive! I guess Zach too", she stated, instead of asking, having no doubts.


    "Uhh....." Victoria looked at Amy awkwardly who chuckled.


    "Zachery is good at many things but cooking is not one of them", Amy said with a smile.


    "You make up for it in that department", Lorraine replied, smiling.


    "Exactly", Amy shot her a yful wink.


    Nora walked in and went straight to Victoria''s side to give her a back hug and smack a fat kiss on the woman''s cheek making herugh. "Someone''s having a good morning."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Some good morning sex does that to you", Nora replied cooly.


    "Nora!" Amy gasped before she startedughing along with Lorraine.


    "Dirty! Dirty! Get off! Get off!" Victoria shrugged off aughing Nora who went to make her coffee before joining the girls. With more hands at work, breakfast was soon ready. "Leave that, I''ll have someone set the table for us."


    "Alright, I''ll go wash up then", Lorraine said.


    "Me too", Amy agreed while Nora nodded along.


    They all left for their respective rooms. Amy could hear Zach''s voice before she even opened the door. When she did, she picked up on Roserie''s soft cooing.


    "Mommy''s here", Zach announced and turned her around so she could look at Amy.


    The little one instead looked at her surrounding, finding the ceiling interesting. It was only when Amy chuckled and got closer that Roserie dropped her gaze on her. Amy bent down to kiss her on the lips.


    "Good morning cupcake. Did you have a good nap with Daddy?" She asked softly.


    "She was awake barely ten minutes after you left", Zach replied. "We''ve been awake since then?"


    "She didn''t cry?" Amy was shocked at this.


    "No, she just wanted to y", Zach said with a smile.


    "Wow. Our little cupcake is growing up, aren''t you? Aren''t you?" Amy cooed lightly rubbing her nose against her daughter''s earning gummy smile that melted her core. "Okay, I smell. I need to shower."


    She pecked his lips before disappearing into the bathroom. She discarded her clothing, left her ring on the counter before surrendering herself to the hot water that instantly rxed her. She hummed to a tune as she did so. Suddenly, the bathroom door opened and she turned to find Zach walking in.


    "Where''s Roserie?" She asked, seeing as he was undressing too.


    "With Henry", he answered.


    He held her gaze as he stripped out of his PJs. He knew what he was doing to her judging from the way her eyes followed his every movement. He soon bridged the distance between them and grabbed the nape of her neck, pushing her against the wall to nt his hungry warm mouth onto hers.


    Amy breathed heavily into the kiss. His tongue fought hers for dominance but when he twirled and sucked on hers, shepletely surrendered herself to him.


    His strong arms were firmly wrapped around her, holding her in ce at the same time letting her feel his thickness, hard and ready for her between them. He broke the kiss to let her breath only to assault her neck with hot kisses, nibbling on her sweet spot.


    "Ahh", she buried one hand in his thick hair, drawing him closer to get more and the other traveled down south. Zach took in a sharp breath when he felt her fingers wrap around his girth....


    A good thirty minutester, they were out of their room in another matching set of clothes. At some point, when they were out of the shower, Amy went to get Roserie to bathe her. The whole family now gathered outside to have their breakfast outdoors.


    "This is amazingdies", Xavier gave them thumbs up.


    "Yeah. It''s so good", George agreed.


    "Great job", Zach said to Amy in particr. He was shamelessly being biased.


    "Geez", Henry shook his head at Zach who could care less while Amy smiled sheepishly.


    "Your Dad says you''re leaving early?" Victoria said looking at Amy and Zach.


    "Yes, there''s something we need to take care of", Zach replied.


    "It''s not you trying to go back to work, is it?" Victoria narrowed her eyes at him.


    "No, it''s mine", Amy said with an apologetic smile.


    "Oh then that''s fine! But we have to meet up during the week to discuss your wedding", Victoria reminded.


    "A phone call would be-" Zach muttered under his breath only to feel Amy''s fist hit his thigh under the table.


    "Of course", she replied with a smile before giving a silent warning with her eyes to Zach.


    Geez! If not for the book clubdies, he would not be this paranoid. Yes, she knew how much that story had messed with him without him admitting it. She sighed quietly, that was one problem, the other yet bigger one was one she would face that afternoon: Gwen.

 Chapter 342 Meeting Gwen

    The sound of the buzzer went off before the heavy metal doors opened for her. Amy had arrived at the Women''s penitentiary and was being escorted by a guard. She saw some of the prisoners basking in the sun, others lifting weights, some ying sports, and some openly gawked at her.


    They were gruff looking, not bothering to hide their expressions that disyed their intentions with her. They looked like they were ready to pounce on her. But that''s not what made her shiver in her boots. She was about to meet the woman who brought her in this world.


    This sudden meeting, could she have made the wrong conclusion about Gwen despite the wrongs she had done to the world? Esmeralda did say the woman would visit the ditch she abandoned her..... But she knew her from Esmeralda''s revtion. Or was she afraid to approach her because of the King? So many possibilities. Amy wiped her sweaty palms against her trousers.


    She averted her gaze and faced forward, speeding up to match her pace with the guard''s. Maybe because the higher ups were notified of her visit, they prepared a special room for the two. She was let in to find Gwen sitting with her back to her.


    At the sound of her walking in, Gwen''s chains extending from the cuffs on her hands and feet jingled when she turned to see Amy walking in in a ck on ck outfit from her top, trousers, to heeled boots.


    Amy went to sit on a chair a few feet away from Gwen. Even without looking at her, she could feel Gwen''s gaze take in every inch of her.


    Amy looked around, it seemed they had created space in someone''s office for them judging from the office set and book shelf on the other end of the room. There was no table between them to prevent any foul y. There were two cameras situated at the top corners of the room surveiling the meeting. To stop her shaking leg, she crossed it over the other and leaned back, taking a dominant stance.


    Gwen also leaned back and fixed her gaze on her face. "I would not have recognized anywhere if you weren''t sitting in front me. Where did all this weighte from? How could you let yourself go like this? Did all that running stress you out to the point-"


    "My weight gain is none of your concern-"


    "You act like you''re not bothered but I know better, I can see right through you", she said withughter in her tone. Amy uncrossed her leg ready to leave when Gwen got the message, chains jingling when she raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Quite the temper you have. No surprise where you got it from."


    Amy crossed her legs then her arms. She didn''t bother hiding how irritated she was by Gwen''s jabs. "Get to the point."


    "Daughter", Gwen said it like she was testing it. "Never thought I''d see you again."


    "Between abandoning me and trying to kill me, yeah, this possibility was very unlikely", Amy replied curtly.


    "Ohe on, don''t take it personal", she nonchntly dismissed her with a wave. That response confirmed the hurtful truth she had originally concluded about Gwen, but she did not let it show. She didn''t want to give the woman the satisfaction.


    "Seems you took being the King''s minion a little too seriously. And at the expense of my life", Amy scoffed and felt pleased seeing Gwen''s face harden at her jab. She continued, "There''s something that you want, something you believe I can give you. What is it?"


    "Straight to the point, I like that. I swear to God, if you didn''t have that bastard''s face, I would have liked you, maybe just a little", she gestured with a show of her thumb and index finger. Her expression quickly changed into an icy one. "I want the King dead."


    "You''re already serving for multiple life sentences", Amy''s brows furrowed in confusion at this.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Exactly. What''s one more? This punishment is unfair. I cannot go down like this! But that will only change with the King dead. Believe me, I would have loved to do it myself."


    "And what makes you think I''ll do it?" Her eyes narrowed. The nerve this woman!


    Gwen leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees and fingersced, assuming business mode like she was about to convince a potential investor to make an investment. "Come on. We''ve both been wronged by the same person. Think of how Dn betrayed you after all that you had been through. Think of the danger he put you through, the bounty hunt; all those years with you meant nothing to him. More importantly, whose father forced me to abandon you? His! Don''t you feel wronged by this??? They deprived you of your time with me!"


    ''His father?'' Amy mused. Does Gwen not know who the real King is? But she had been with the organization for so long. It could only mean thete King must have done a great job disguising Esmeralda''s real identity to those closest to him, not even Gwen knew the child was a girl and right in front of her.


    "That doesn''t exin why I have to do you a favor. It''s my problem to deal with, not yours", Amy pointed out.


    "Well it''s the least you could do for me for bringing you into this world!!! AND YOU RUINED THINGS FOR ME!!" she snapped, sitting back up to face her with a deadly re.


    "Excuse me??"


    "I could have gotten rid of you when I found out I was having you! You were as a result of that monster''s filthy touch! I still have nightmares of him-", she stopped herself, closing her eyes to steady herself before she could throw up. Her eyes and tone were more vicious now. "I carried you for nine freaking months! Even when I abandoned you, I longed for you but Iter convinced myself that it was good I got rid of any traces of that man. But nooooooo, fate yed a cruel joke on me! Yearster you are delivered right to my door step and ruining my ns.


    "Do you have any idea what I had been through because of the dark Waters? Everything they did to me made me this way! So I nned to overthrow them! The sess of that operation would allow me to gain control of all links here in the states and I would use that power to take Italy down. But noooooo, those very same people I wanted to overthrow threw me under the bus! And it''s all because of you! YOU!! YOU!!"


    Gwen stood up tounch at her and Amy was quick to get out of her seat and away from her. The chains restrained her, she could only get a few inches close but no more to reach Amy. She was wing the air trying to reach for her and bearing her teeth in an angry growl. A siren went off probably signaling the guards that Gwen was out of control.


    "KILL HIM! KILL HIM! I GAVE BIRTH TO YOU! THAT''S THE LEAST YOU CAN DO FOR ME YOU UNGRATEFUL B*TCH! I CAN''T GO DOWN LIKE THIS!!! NOOOOOO!!!!"


    The guards came pouring in and restrained a screaming Gwen! There was raw hatred and anger etched in her features as she screamed at Amy. She was forced out of the room, leaving a stunned Amy. A guard came to Amy''s side. Thetter didn''t know how her legs carried her out of the room and finally out of the penitentiary.


    Zach saw how absent-minded his girl was when she came in to join him at the back of his SUV. Without a word, she took a sleeping Roserie from him and held her tightly in her arms. He saw the tears on the verge of falling as she hugged her baby and this sight broke his heart.


    "Drive", he ordered. And they took off.


    The silent tears fell. Zach wanted to hold her in his arms but he knew, she needed Roserie''sfort. So he stayed on his side and let her silently cry her eyes out. From time to time, she would sniffle and wipe her tears, but she didn''t let go of the little one.

 Chapter 343 A Promise From A Mother To A Daughter

    Zach watched as Amy took the stairs. She went to Roserie''s room. He followed and found the door slightly ajar. She was feeding her on a rocking chair and watched her little face intently. Whatever happened, there was no doubt it hurt her feelings. She was right to not want to meet her in the first ce. If only he had stopped her.


    "My beautiful girl." He heard Amy speak softly to Roserie who was looking at her mother while feeding.


    "My little cupcake", Amy put her index finger in her little hand and she held it tightly. "You''re the best thing that happened to your Daddy and I, especially to me. You''re a blessing to me. Thank you for sticking with me when things were rough. You may not know this but you were my source of strength Roserie, every step of the way. But you betrayed me when you met your dad and made him your favorite."


    She chuckled softly along with Zach. She knew he was close by to make sure she was okay. She sniffled, now realizing that she had started crying again.


    "Baby girl, you''re so precious to me. And I am so happy, so happy that I have the privilege to watch you grow into whoever you want to be cupcake. And remember, even though I have birth to you, you''re your own person. You don''t owe mommy anything so whatever you do, whoever you''ll be, mommy is going to be your biggest cheerleader every step of the way despite my imperfections.Every step princess, I''ll be there. That''s a promise", she whispered thest part.


    Amy made a vow, not to use her child/ren as objects to fulfill any selfish desires just because she gave birth to them. She would give them what she never had, a family and what she got from Joanne, a good support system.


    Zach closed his eyes and felt a clenching around his heart. He was so close to letting tears fall from listening in but that quickly changed into anger. He walked a few feet away and dialed for Rider''s number.


    "Hey man!" Rider answered cheerily.


    "The next time someone requests to meet my wife through you, dont. do. it. Because then, I will make you and that person a living example of why you shouldn''t mess with my family and I''ll be waiting at the gates of hell to finish you offpletely!" He growled into the phone.


    "B-B-Bro, I don''t know what happened, but I swear we took necessary measures so she wouldn''t hurt A.J physically", he cried out, stumbling upon his words.


    "Does hurting someone only mean it''s physical?" he countered.


    That rendered Rider speechless. Gwen must have done some great damage go anger Zach like this. "I''m so sorry man. I''m really sorry. But if it makes you feel better, she got a death sentence days ago. She will be executed weeks from now."


    "Death sentence?" He scoffed. "Isn''t that too easy?"


    "Do you mean they should let her live?"


    Zach didn''t bother to answer and simply terminated the call. What better way to torment Gwen that let her live through theck of satisfaction of having her way. She does not deserve the easy way. Not after hearing the emotional exchange between Amy and Roserie: the promise from a mother to a daughter. He would protect that promise with his life.


    Days went by. Although Amy seemed a little cheery, Zach knew that her meeting Gwen had done some damage to the girl. She had poured her heart to him, exining the exchange between her and the woman.


    Amy didn''t want to care what the woman said and tried to push the hurtfulness at the back of her head, but it just wouldn''t go away. Was it because she subconsciously ced some sort of importance on the woman because she birthed her?


    "Aaaaah", Roserie cooed and scrunched her nose, earning Amy''s attention.


    "You''re right. I shouldn''t think about it, right? Right?" She smiled making Roserie smile too. She looked at the wall clock in the sun room and gasped. "Look at the time! Let''s go and make dinner."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    She picked her up along with a carrier and went down to the kitchen. The maids were quick to assist Amy and follow her instructions where necessary. By the time the clock hit six on the dot, dinner was ready and Zach was walking in. She walked out to the hallway to greet him with a kiss.


    "Hello beautiful", he said after she broke the kiss making her smile. "And hello princess. So I''ll take this", he took roserie from her. "And you''ll take this."


    Amy gasped and received the bouquet of freshly arranged flowers. She breathed in the sweet aroma. "Babe, this is so sweet. Thank you. But what''s the asion?"


    "Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman", he said simply.


    "Thank you", she stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips on his one more time. "Edmund!"


    "Yes madam!"


    "Have someone set these up in the sunroom. I think they will look perfect there."


    "Right away, ma''am."


    He collected the bouquet and did as asked while she apanied Zach to their room for him to freshen up. Soon, they had dinner and Zach put Roserie to sleep in her bed. Amy was on herputer in bed waiting for him. She put it away when he joined her and he pulled her flush against him.


    "I took a day off tomorrow", he said quietly, stroking her hair as he spoke.


    "Oh? What''s the asion?" She gotfortable, resting her head on his hard chest.


    "I want us to visit your mom", he said and instantly felt her still so he quickly added. "Your real mom. We only sent her off, but we never visited her like we promised her."


    Amy now realized who he was talking about and rxed but she lifted her head to look at him. "You want to visit Joanne?"


    "You should introduce me before we get married. And I think, it will do you some good. I know Gwen did some damage even though you''re trying not to show it, but I feel this visit is what you need."


    The next day, they started off on their way to West Vige where thete Joanne Harper wasid to rest. Zach did a clean sweep of the area for any lurking danger. The ride was mostly silent with Roserie''s cries echoing from time to time.


    The fresh air and smooth ride came to an end when they got to the dusty road leading up to the cemetery. They all rolled up their windows but when Amy looked ahead, her heart started to race from anxiousness and she could feel her emotions threatening to spill.


    Zach held her hand throughout the ride, giving her support knowing how hard this would be. When they finally arrived, Amy''s legs were shaking in her stilettos as she got down from the car. She walked over to Zach''s side who was carrying Roserie in on hand and took hers in the other. A bodyguard gave her flowers for Joanne.


    It was still in the early morning hours so the sun was not too hot. But a soft breeze blew in the eery ce. They walked for quiet a distance before they arrived at Joanne''s grave. With shaking hands, she ced the bouquet onto the mound and fell to her knees, giving way to tears. Zach stood behind her and on guard while letting her cry her heart out.

 Chapter 344 Visiting Joanne

    All those years of her time with Joanne came flooding down in her memory. The time Joanne kept herpany in the library when she read books or used theputer, when the woman would grow frustrated and scold her when she was up to no good, the fights they had when she was a teenager, and the big and warm hugs the older woman gave when Amy achieved something. Joanne had been a constant pir in her life. But all that came to an end when Amy left the orphanage at the woman''s order.


    She sighed unable to control the falling tears. "I''m sorry. I''m very sorry. I wish I wasn''t so obedient to actually stay away from you when you told me to. I would have done all I could to protect you, but you''ve done that for me instead, all these years.


    "I always whined for a good family to adopt me. That must have hurt you, right? Because you were already one to me and yed an important role without me realizing it: a mother. It took me this long to realize that I didn''t have to be born from you to be yours, I was yours when you took me in, nursed me, protected me, and gave me yourst name.


    "The other day, days ago actually, I met my birth mother. It wasn''t what I expected but I shouldn''t have been surprised either. I should have been satisfied with having you as a mother but curiosity got the best of me. The only time I didn''t listen to you and this happened.


    "You must think what an ignorant daughter you have. But it only made me appreciate you more yet you''re already gone. I wish..... I wish....", she looked up to blink back the tears and let out a long sigh. "I''ve learned so much from you, the love and wisdom you imparted which I thought was nagging, I want to do the same for my daughter, Roserie. And I''ll make sure she knows about you and will remember you too."


    She sniffled and wiped away her tears. "I brought her and your son-inw. We''re getting married and I would have loved more than anything for you to be there. You always wanted me to be happy and I wish you could''ve seen how much this man with me makes that happen. But I know, I know you''ll be watching. I love you so much."


    Zach cleared his throat. "I promise I''ll love them and protect them with my life. I promise you that. Please, continued to rest easy."


    He gave a soight bow of respect then extended his hand to Amy which she took and got up. With her hand in his, they left after giving the ce onest look. While walking back, they saw a figure walking their way in ck and flowers in their hand. They both stopped when they were a few feet away from each other.


    "I never gave her a proper fairwell, and I-I-I thought of her today-"


    Zach patted George''s shoulder infort. He knew how thetter had also grown attached to Joanne. Amy gave his arm a squeeze and they left, giving George the privacy he needs. The family of three returned to their home. Amy and Roserie took a nap in the sunroom while Zach attended to work matters in his home office.


    The day slowly went by and the sun set being reced by the darkness. The lights in the sunroom automatically turned on. Amy must have been so exhausted emotionally that she was still sleeping. However, Roserie''s sharp cry startled her awake.


    "I''m here cupcake", she mumbled while getting up to have a look at her.


    All the sleep left in her disappeared seeing Roserie''sbored breathing before she would cry out again. Something was wrong. This cry was very different from her normal cries, she could tell. One would think Roserie was in some sort of pain. Amy ced a hand on her little forehead and gasped at how she was burning up.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "ZACHERY!!!!" she screamed as she started undressing her to examine her little body. "ZACHERY! oh my God!"


    Tears were already streaming down her face as she panicked which only fueled Roserie''s cries. She had only wet her diaper but her body was burning up. She changed her whilst trying to shush her to calm her down.


    "Ssh! It''s okay cupcake. It''s okay. ZACHE-"


    "What''s wrong?" The man came running to her side. He had not heard her the first time but Edmund had picked up on the sounds and reported to him.


    "I don''t- I don''t know. She-She''s burning up and there''s something wrong with her breathing", she cried to him while covering her up to keep her warm. "We were both sleeping and-and, I woke up when she started crying. I think I may have hurt her."


    "You didn''t." Amy was the most careful around Roserie. Hurting her was out of the question. There must be something else that went wrong.


    "Then what''s wrong with her?" Amy cried out in frustration.


    "EDMUND! I NEED THE CAR READY!!!" Zach shouted as he looked around the room, looking for what they might need to take.


    "It''s waiting for you, sir!" He had guessed it was an emergency from the cries he heard.


    He sat beside her and pulled them against him with one arm dialed for the Pediatrician who had been attending to Roserie rmended by Suzy. "Dr. Sherwood, my wife and I will be arriving at the hospital in ten. Our daughter is sick."


    "Noooo, Roserie! Roserie!!! Roserie!!"Amy cried out seeing her lips start to turn blue. "Breath baby! Breath!" She blew air in her face and patted her back.


    The little one had stopped crying and went under a no breathing spell at the same time. Zach didn''t waste a second and gathered them, taking them to the hospital. His wife had a breakdown earlier and now his daughter was practically fighting for her little life. When did things go so wrong?

 Chapter 345 Medical Checkup

    Three weekster


    In West Vige


    "Roserie!!!" Suzy squealed as she took her from Amy and hugged her.


    Amy smiled seeing her daughter''s gummy smile while Suzy made funny faces and sounds at her. Zach closed the door behind them and the two settled on the seats in front of Suzy''s desk. Thetter went to her seat and sat Roserie on herp.


    "How''s this little one feeling?" Suzy asked while bouncing her in herp.


    "She''s fine now. The flu''s gone", Amy said.


    "Okay good", she carried her up to face her. "How could you fall sick? Don''t fall sick, okay? Okay? Stay healthy so mommy doesn''t worry, okay?"


    "The most stressful time of my life", Amy groaned, leaning on Suzy''s desk. Zach rubbed her lower back infort and she shot him a grateful smile.


    "I knoooow. But now that I''m looking at you, were you eating at all?" Suzy''s brows furrowed in disapproval at Amy''s dramatic weight loss and thetter simply gave her a sad smile. "Gosh, you being stressed out meant Mr. Frost was stressed out too."


    "Suzy, when will you stop addressing him so formally? I address Stephen as Stephen, why can''t you do the same with Zachery?"


    "Uhhh.....", Suzy looked at her friend''s fiance''s unfriendly face. "I think being formal is morefortable."


    "Agreed", Zach replied.


    "What do you mean agreed?" She red at her man who gave her a small smile.


    "On that note Mr. Frost, hold on to this little princess, I need to examine your fianc??", Suzy announced.


    Momentster, Amy was lying on the hospital bed in Suzy''s office while Zach waited for them outside. She didn''t bother changing into a hospital gown seeing as she was in a dress.


    "So, how are you?" Suzy started.


    "You know it''s still weird having a conversation while you''re down there", Amyined.


    "I''m just doing my job", she shrugged. "What''s going on with you Jen? You sound fine over the phone but seeing you right now is telling a whole different story."


    It was just like Suzy to hit the nail on the head. Amy was taken back to the time Suzy examined her when she first learned of her pregnancy. Time went by and they''re still good friends. Coupled with her problems, she felt the tears well up from this.


    "Is there a guide book on how to be a good mother?" She chuckled through a sob before tears fell down the sides of her temples.


    "Aw Jen", Suzy frowned at this.


    "Feels like I''m failing at this", she covered her face and quietly cried.


    Suzy removed hertex gloves and pulled down Amy''s legs as she was done. Now she could give her full focus on her friend. "Is this about Roserie falling sick?"


    "You should''ve been there Suzy, it was scary. She had stopped breathing at some point and- and...."


    "Jen, let me stop you right there. Take a deep breath and calm down so you can listen to me", she instructed and Amy did so. She wiped away her tears and looked at her friend, who now continued. "It would have been a lot easier if she could inly tell you what''s wrong with her, right? But Roserie is just a baby. She doesn''t know how to react to and express most things except cry. She''s learning this process, and so are you. Both of you are new to this.


    "Nobody is a pro at understanding a baby so they can be the best parent. I''m in a medical field but when Trevor fell sick for the first time, I was no better than you. Heck I was probably worse. Every mother is like this so you''re not alone.


    "What our babies need in that time is their parent, their mommy. And you were present, and I''m sure you did everything you could to help her. When you were admitted at the hospital, I didn''t have to ask to know you didn''t sleep a wink that night, trying to see if she was okay."


    "I still can''t. I feel the need to constantly check on her to see if she is okay", she responded.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "See? What kind of a mother would be such a worrywort? The best kind. So stop beating yourself up", she reasoned, making Amy sigh. "But Jen, as much as it''s okay and understandable to be like this, you''re hurting your other baby because of this."


    "Am I pregnant???" She whispershouted in horror.


    "No silly, I mean Zach", she chuckled.


    Amy nodded and breathed out a sigh in relief when she realized something. "You just addressed him informally."


    "Only when he''s not around and I''m trying to get a point across here. If you''re like this, how do you think he''s feeling? Take a good look at him and see."


    Amy thought of this. She thought she was keeping things together but not with Zach''s perception. If she can''t sleep, neither can he. And if she''s stressed out? Hence thement Suzy made earlier. Geez! Even Suzy had seen it, how could she be so blind?


    "This won''t do. You need to start exercising, you''ve already lost a ton of weight, but do it to get rid of your mom pooch and for your mental health."


    "Wait, so I''m good?"


    "Mm-hm. But don''t go too crazy with the exercises."


    "I''ll do ptes, I''m not one for active exercises like aerobics", she shuddered at the thought before she got up to dress up and then stay seated as they conversed.


    "Lazy ass", Suzy shook her head in disapproval.


    "Unlike those who don''t exercise at all, I think I''m good", she smirked at Suzy who shot her a deadly re.


    "Whatever, have you visited the other hospital already for your head injury?"


    "Oh yeah, days ago. I''m in the clear. Zachery made sure they don''t miss a thing when they examined me."


    "Gosh, that man loves you."


    "He does", she broke into a smile at this thought. "And thank you, Suzy for everything."


    She shook her head with a smile. Zach was brought in and Suzy had a little chat with the couple while ying with Roserie. Seeing how Amy was after their talk, Suzy felt relief wash over her. Things would now be better for the two, she was sure.


    "By the way, have you done your research?" Amy asked. "Do you know what you want?"


    Upon hearing that question, she froze in her seat before faking a shocked gasp. "Gosh! Look at the time, shouldn''t you be on your way? The Thornton''s must be dying to see you lot", she stood to usher them out.


    "Suzy", Amy red at her, crossing her arms against her chest. "We have two months left! What kind of maid of honor are you?"


    "I''m sorryyyyy! With the crazy work schedule, I forgot. I''ll take a week off and we can dress hunt together. I promise", she said, giving her her best smile.


    "You better", Amy pouted before breaking into a smile. "We should be on our way."


    The two exchanged goodbye hugs, promising to call each other. Roserie was returned back into her father''s arms. "Mr. Frost."


    "Dr. Glynne."


    Amy shook her head at this and walked out with her man leaving Suzyughing. As thetter had said, the family of three did n to stop by the Thorntons before returning to the big city. It was meant to be a short visit with a little chit chat over coffee and snacks with Richard, Ste and maybe Nora. But what she didn''t expect was.....


    "SURPRI-!"

 Chapter 346 Meeting The Ladies Of The Book Club

    "Geez! I told you not to do that, now look what you''ve done!" Steined while shushing Roserie who cried from being startled.


    "Ladies", Amy greeted after regaining herposure but got no response. Most of them had their jaw dropped not because of Amy but the god-like man behind her.


    "Amy", Adrianne moved forward and gave her a bear hug.


    She wanted to do the same with thedies but none of them made a move, still in a trance. She smiled awkwardly, "okay."


    The couple settled on a double seated sofa. This was the most quiet the book club had been, no, the only time they were rendered speechless. Amy felt awkward that she run into them without being prepared, their trip was short after all, while Adrianne felt embarrassed by association seeing how her friends were reacting to Amy''s fianc¨¦. It''s like none of them wanted to breath too loudly or it would either offend the man before them or it would all end up just being an illusion.


    "How was your triping here? Wasn''t Roserie fussy?" Adrianne asked, trying to break the silence.


    "It was alright. She was asleep most of the time", Amy replied.


    "Great. Great, great, great", she nodded. They fell quiet again. Roserie had stopped crying and what followed were cluttering soundsing from the kitchen. Adrianne felt she would soon suffocate with the strange atmosphere and quickly made an escape. "I think Ste needs help, I''m going to help. Ste you need help?"


    "No, I''m good!"


    Even so, Adrianne was already running in the kitchen''s direction. She could not stay a minute longer. Amy saw right through her and wished she could make a run for it too, but she could not leave Zach alone. She needed to break the ice, so she smiled at them.


    "Ladies, this is my fianc¨¦, Zachery Frost", Amy introduced, taking his hand in hers. "Babe, this is everyone." She introduced them one by one to him. "And that was Adrianne, I sat with her at the funeral. Remember her?"


    He nodded in response and gave a curt, "Hello."


    "My gosh! What''s with the mood? Did somebody die?" Ste asked, walking in with a calm baby in hand while Adrianne brought in a tray of refreshments.


    "I''m saying! What''s with you lot? Dorothy? Didn''t you say you''d have a lot to say once you see Amy?" Adrianne smirked in her direction while putting the tray down. "Amy, Mr. Frost, help yourself."


    "Thank you." She turned to Zach whispering something and he responded in the same manner. The women watched the exchange in awe. Secondster, she helped herself to a drink. "Where''s everyone?"


    "Nora is manning the library with Ian, and Richard must be on his way from picking up Stacy from school", she replied.


    "Alex is out of town?" She guessed and she got a hum in response. Amy got a taste of her drink when the front door sprung open and in came running little Stacy. Zach was quick to take her ss away before Stacyunched herself into Amy''s arms in a hug.


    "Aunt Amy!!!"


    "Stacy?" Amy pulled away to have a good look at her. The little one''s excited face quickly turned into a cry and tears trickled down her cheeks. Amy pulled her into a proper hug and patted her head. "Aww."


    "You leeeeeeeft", she sobbed into the embrace.


    "I''m so sorry sweetheart, I won''t do it again, I promise." Amy let her cry her heart out while Richard dropped her school bag on the kitchen counter before rejoining the group.


    The room was still quiet with just the sound of Stacy crying. It was such a heart warming scene seeing how the little one had grown attached to Amy over her short stay and never forgot her.


    "If I didn''t see the cars outside, I would''ve thought they had left already. What''s with the silence?" He asked, standing next to his wife''s seat. Ste scoffed in response, still bewildered by thedies''s reaction. Minutes had passed and they still had not warmed up to the couple.


    Stacy soon stopped crying and Amy wiped her tears. It was then she took in the man who was sitting next to Amy staring at their exchange. She shrinked into Amy''s embrace and whispered, "Who is he?"


    Amy smiled when she realized who she was asking about. "You haven''t met Roserie yet."


    Stacy shook her head. "But grandma showed me her pictures."


    "Okay, well that''s her Daddy", Amy said gently.


    She gasped and whispered all too loudly in Amy''s ear. "He''s so handsome!"


    "He is, isn''t he?" Amy chuckled. "Why don''t you say hi?"


    She extended her little hand in his direction but still in Amy''s embrace. Zach''s countenance softened at this and he shook it in greeting. "Hi Stacy."


    "Hi!" She quickly retracted her hand and shrunk back in Amy''s hold to hide. Making Zach and Amy smile at this.


    Thud! Everyone turned to the source of the sound only to start freaking out the next second.


    "Emma! Emma!"


    "What''s going on?"


    "I think she fainted!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Someone bring some water!"


    "Emma!"


    "This brat, is it her first time seeing a gorgeous smile?! How could she faint like that!"


    Everyone after hearing Dorothy''s rant: "..."


    A ss of water was brought in and Adrianne sshed good amounts on her face. Not long after, the girl finally came to. Richard signaled for Zach to follow him out, giving the women the space they needed. Thedies helped Emma sit up in her seat.


    "Are you okay?" Amy worriedly asked.


    "You scared us! Dorrothy was going on about you fainting because you saw Mr. Frost smile", Anastasia shook her head.


    Emma anxiously looked where Zach and Amy had been sitting, but thedies surrounding her obstructed her view. Adrianne shook her head, "He''s out with Richard. So what, was Dorothy right?"


    Emma sighed in resignation against her seat, averting her gaze from Amy while sheined. "I can handle one gorgeous smile, but not two side by side. My brain couldn''t process what I was seeing."


    "Hey, you''re not serious, are you?" Amy smiled thinking she was pulling her leg only to realize she wasn''t. Thedies went back to their seats while Stacy sat next to Amy.


    "You can''t me the girl. It''s bad enough when he''s not smiling but when he did.....", Dorothy sighed. "Are you sure he''s human?"


    "He can''t be human! Have you seen a man with godlike proportions?" Meredithined. "Look at how tall and mascr he is. He''s as tall as a basketball yer."


    "I think he''s taller than most of them", Anastasia corrected.


    "You''re talking about his proportions, all it took was one look at his blue eyes and I couldn''t remember how to speak!"


    "Speak? I had to constantly remind myself to breath!"


    "Those eyes froze us in time and space! Oh my God, he would totally pull of Thor the god of Thunder if he had long hair and blonde", Emma said excitedly.


    "Look at you, already recovered from your fainting spell", Ste gave her an using gaze.


    "Oh I can definitely see it! The shape of their bunda is the same", Dorothy gestured with her hands as though holding something squishy.


    "What''s a bunda?" Stacy turned to Amy with curious eyes.


    "Yeah, what''s a bunda?" Adrianne asked too. Emma leaned in and whispered something making her gasp in realization. "Dorothy that is inappropriate!"


    "Nothing about this meeting is appropriate!" Emma replied with a shake of her head.


    "Ladies!" Amy shouted, growing frustrated by the minute by theirments. "That''s my man you''re talking about!"


    "Exactly, your man! Seriously Emily, couldn''t you find someone more..... basic?" Dorothy now started her attack on Amy, who had her jaw dropped. "You embarrassed us by bringing in someone who could shut us up with just his looks."


    "You embarrassed yourselves. Stop ming her", Ste cut in, annoyed.


    "You''re acting like that because you''re used to him but I don''t think that would be the case had this been your first time meeting him", Dorothy countered.


    "At least I wouldn''t be openly drooling over him you old hag! You''re old enough to be his mother goodness''s sake!"


    "So you agree that he''s drool worthy?" She replied cheekily.


    "Mind your words from now. There are kids in the room", Ste warned.


    "Whatever. But seriously, how could you run away from this fine specimen of a man?? I cannot wrap my head around this", Dorothy gave her a disapproving gaze.


    "Leave them alone!" Ste shouted.


    "Noooo, Dorothy has a point", Anastasia cut in. "I understood Emilypletely, but that was before I saw him. Now I don''t understand at all. Look at him!"


    "Anastasia, you''re awfully in a chatty mood today", Ste warned with a re causing the girl to shut her mouth.


    "Don''t me the girl! It''s Emily''s fault that we couldn''t even spare a moment to look at this beauuuuuuuutiful baby! May I see her?" Dorothy''s annoyed countenance turned into a happy one, as she sought Amy''s permission.


    She nodded and they all stood to gather around Ste and admire the little one. She sneezed and thedies ''awed'' in unison at how cute it was. Stacy was not left behind as she also was curious to see Roserie. Thinking back to how the meeting went, Amy could not help her amused smile. She had really missed thedies!!!

 Chapter 347 Celebrating...

    "Is everything okay?" Zach looked at Amy who was lost in thought after fiddling with her phone. She had been doing that from the time they left West Vige. Even when he spoke, she had not heard him so he nudged her gently. "Darling?"


    "Hm?" She answered, a bit startled.


    He frowned at this. "If you need to get some work done, I can watch Roserie."


    Amy''s jaw dropped. "But-"


    "I know you''re not taking any work right now but I also know you enjoy your work, so go ahead, this will give me a chance to spend more time with her."


    "When we get home then, I need myptop", she said. Zach simply nodded, not questioning why she needed herptop when she could get most things done even on her phone. Before he could suspicious, she distracted him with a kiss. "Thank you."


    The rest of the ride home was filled with the sound of Roserie''s soft coos. Amy smiled and was secretly happy seeing her daughter very awake in her daddy''s arms. When they got home, Edmund was there to delegate what needed to be carried inside by the staff.


    "Edmund, a word", Amy said.


    "Yes, madam", he rushed to her side.


    "There are a few dinner changes I need to make especially the time", she started.


    Zach gave them a nce before going up the stairs with Roserie against his shoulder. Not long after, Amy joined him. He was standing by his desk scrolling through his tablet with one hand.


    "Babe, why don''t you wash up first while I watch her?"


    "Okay."


    He passed Roserie to her before going into the bathroom. The little one smiled when her mom''s smiling face came into view. "Why don''t you bath as well so you can have a gooooooood rest? Tired, aren''t you? Tired! Tired!"


    Amy kissed her chubby cheeks before going ahead to prepare her bath. As if on cue, she started wailing as soon as her little foot touched the warm water.


    "Roserie", Amy said while cing her in the water to started cleaning her. "Mommy just wants you clean, be patient cupcake."


    But her words fell on deaf ears as her crying went an octave higher. Zach was not even worried when he heard the crying, he knew the drama queen his daughter was being during bath time.


    Amy was done bathing her, just as he stepped out of the bathroom in a towel. He disappeared into the walk-in wardrobe while she took the crying princess to change her into her little PJs. She only stopped crying when her mom started feeding her.


    Amy looked at the tears that fell on the side of her face and shook her head while wiping them. Roserie must hate bathing with a passion. Zach came out dressed infortable clothes and cleaned up after Amy. He took his tablet and sat on the bed watching Amy who was seated at the edge of the bed.


    Amy didn''t sit there for long the little one let go of her nipple, fast asleep. She was tired from the long trip her parents took to West Vige. Amy quietly stood and went to put her down in her crib after fixing her clothes. She covered her up to keep her warm and nced at her sleeping face once more before walking away.


    "I''ll be downstairs", Amy whispered after collecting herptop.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Why don''t you freshen up first?" He whispered back.


    "I''ll feel better if I do that when I''m done", she replied and he nodded. "I''ll call you when dinner is ready."


    She pecked his lips before leaving the room. Zach decided to get his own work done in the meantime. He couldn''t leave the room since he was watching Roserie. There were project files to look into and deals to respond to. Manypanies wanted to coborate with Frost Corporation both local and overseas hence his email was quite flooded with those.


    Even so, he wasn''t as distracted to not pick up on any sounds Roserie made in her sleep. He walked over to check on her and made sure she wasfortable. A soft knock resounded at the door. He didn''t respond and simply walked over to get the door.


    "Madam said dinner will be a while so...", Edmund presented a te of snacks and a beverage to go with it.


    "Thank you", the corners of his lips lifted as he received them before dismissing his Butler.


    He smiled as he settled back down in bed. He concluded that she was taking care of him while she worked so they could eat together when she was done. Taking a forkful of the snack, his brows shot up from amazement. Did it taste even better because it came with Amy''s thoughtfulness?


    An hour or moreter, Roserie was in a deep slumber, asionally whining in her sleep while Zach was immersed in work. He didn''t even notice the time go by until Amy walked into the room. He looked at the time. It must have a big task for her take this long.


    "Done?" He wanted to confirm. She had been gone too long and he was starting to miss her.


    She nodded with a smile as she put away herptop. "I''ll be out in five."


    He nodded and proceed to wrap up on what he was working on while she washed up. Ten minutester, instead, she was in a strapped satin champagne colored dress that fell to her knees. She wore a coat of mascare on hershes and lipgloss to give her lips a little shine. Her hair was in a low ponytail with strands left hanging to frame her face. She noticed Zach take her in as she walked towards him.


    "What?" She asked while extending her hand towards him.


    "You look beautiful", he muttered in owe as he took her hand and got out of bed.


    "Thank you." She surprised him by pressing her lips against his, she pecked him a couple times more, leaving him wanting more yet stunned with a question in his eyes. "Let me get the monitor."


    She briefly left his side to get it before taking his hand again. Zach was watching her every move with curiosity but she only smiled. He finally got his answer when they arrived at the dining room where the lights had been turned off but instead, tall candles sat on the middle of the table lighting up the ce with a romantic vibe.


    The table had also been set with white tes and gold cutlery as well as a beautiful flower arrangement set in a ss vase. He had a happy smile on his face seeing this and Amy''s excitement grew from his reaction. She left his side to get his chair so he could sit.


    "No." He got her chair for her instead and let her sit before settling down at the head seat.


    Even if she was spoiling him, he would still be a gentleman. Edmund arrived then and poured him a ss of red wine and a non-alcoholic beverage for Amy in a simr ss before excusing himself. Amy raised her ss and he mimicked her.


    "What are we celebrating?" He asked.


    Amy could not stop smiling and said with nothing but love in her eyes as she looked at him, "You."

 Chapter 348 Desert Will Not Be Served

    "Me?" He arched a brow.


    "You''re an amazing man Zachery Frost. I don''t know what I did to deserve you and I appreciate you", she clinked her ss against his and drunk to that. He did too, watching her as he took a long sip.


    "As much as I''m ttered, I''m also worried. What''s going on baby?" He asked, taking her hand in his.


    "I mean it. You''re amazing." She cupped his cheek with the other hand and gently caressed it. Her eyes watered seeing him watch her intently with worry in his eyes. She breathed out a sigh before continuing. "I know, I haven''t been the best version of metely but you''ve been nothing but supportive and loving through and through. You didn''t question my feelings of worthlessness instead, you remained a strong pir of support. Actually, you''ve always been like that for as long as I''ve known you. And I really appreciate that. I love you for that. It makes me want to be a better person, a better mother for our daughter and our future kids, a better partner, and in two months, a better wife."


    He reached out to wipe a fallen tear with his thumb. Amy''s heartfelt confession melted his core. "You many not know this but you''re perfect for me, Amy. Your strengths and your ws are what make you you and I love all of you. And as for me, I''m not perfect but I also strive to be a better partner, a better father for our kids, and soon husband for you. I may disappoint you but I promise I''ll always work on me and on us, for us. So this it to celebrate us, not just me."


    Amy chuckled and sniffled as he raised his ss as did she and clinked in a toast. But instead of drinking to that, he crushed his lips against hers sealing their promises with a passionate kiss.


    "Gosh, I said I wouldn''t cry", sheined as he wiped her cheeks clean of tears. Just then, Edmund walked in with other maids to serve them the dishes.


    "When did you n all this?" He asked, curiously. "Weren''t you working?"


    "Madam personally prepared everything as soon as you got back. She barely required any assistance. She insisted on doing things herself", he said while uncovering the lids to reveal the meals.


    "I''m not sure if you''re reporting me or bragging in my stead", Amy smiled awkwardly.


    "Oh I''m bragging madam", he admitted. He was helping her impress Zach.


    "You''re dismissed", Zach said. It may have seemed cold but hearing the friendly tone in his voice, Edmund knew he had seeded in his task and the man wanted to be alone with his beloved.


    "Thank you, sir. Enjoy your meal, sir, madam."


    Once the butler left the room, Zach finally marveled at the sumptuous meal Amy had prepared for them. She served them both and forked out a bite from his te and onto his mouth. He let her feed her, enjoying her pampering him and goodness, he could easily melt with the amazing vors that exploded in his mouth.


    "How is it?" She asked expectantly. He nodded enthusiastically as he was not done chewing until he swallowed. "It''s very good. But I think it will taste even better if you feed me one more time."


    She shook her head smiling at his shamelessness and still, she fed him. He nodded once more, sighing into the amazing taste. Finally, he let her eat. They both enjoyed the meal infortable silence.


    "She hasn''t cried yet", Amy noted once she was done eating, now looking at the baby monitor.


    "Don''t", he warned. Else she might cry. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles, earning a smile from her. From the angle she sat, the candlelight did little to diminish her beauty. If anything, he looked even more beautiful. He easily got mesmerized by her.


    "Babe, do you dance?" She asked suddenly, snapping him out of his trance.


    "Of course, I''m a man of many talents", he replied smugly.


    "Cooking isn''t one of them", she took a jab at his ego while looking through her phone before the song ''Stick with you'''' by Pussycat dolls started to echo in the quiet room.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Why yes, I can''t be too perfect baby", he stood up, her hand still in his and drew her to him.


    They stood a few feet away from the table and started to quietly sway to the song. Amy stood on her tiptoes to peek over his shoulder with her hands locked around his neck. Zach tightened his hold on her waist and took a whiff of her floral scent. The warmth of her body embracing his. She fit perfectly in his arms. Everything was perfect.


    Edmund was walking in with the maids to clear the table but quickly made a u-turn to give the couple the privacy they needed. Zach buried his face in the crook of her neck when she started to y with his hair. It was a gentle yet loving gesture. With the new position, she decided to softly sing along to the chorus after the bridge to him.


    "Nobody gonna love me better


    I must stick with you forever


    Nobody gonna take me higher


    I must stick with you


    You know how to appreciate me


    I must stick with you, my baby


    Nobody ever made me feel this way


    I must stick with you"


    She continued onto the chorus. Zach squeezed hef against him, feeling her singing pull at his heartstrings. She pulled away to look at his face with him giving her such a loving gaze. "All my life, I''ve done nothing but run and hide. We were apart for so long because of that. But right now, I can be a little brave to face the world because I know I have you. So, no more running or hiding. Instead, I''m going to stick with you and go wherever you go till the ends of time."


    "If anyone needs to run and hide, it will be our enemies, not us. It will be you and me for the rest of our lives. I can''t imagine being with anyone else but you", he took her hand and ced it on his chest. "My heart has been stuck with you from the day I met you."


    Amy felt her eyes well up with tears, touched by his words. If anything, she felt the same towards him. Why else would she be so drawn to him?


    "I love you Zachery", she whispered in his face, her eyes confirming her words.


    "I love you Amy."


    He cupped her cheek and crushed his lips against hers. Words were not enough to express how deeply they felt for each other. The innocent kiss quickly changed into an urgent one full of need and want. The deep and dangerous passion he''s suppressed for the past few months was threatening to unleash itself. There have been too many things he has wanted to do to Amy.


    Bang!


    Edmund looked at the empty dining room and up the stairs before speaking to the maids. "The desert will not be served. Clean this up."

 Chapter 349 Theres Always Another Day...

    Meanwhile, the sound of Zach kicking the door closed startled Amy for her to now realize they were already in their room and he was leading them to the bed. Her heart pounded from anticipation but knowing who else was in the room, Zach gestured with a finger to his lips for them to be quiet to which she nodded.


    He gentlyid her on the sheets still on top of her and imed her lips once more. His tongue danced with hers, twisting and sucking each other until she was out of breath. Her breathing was ragged when he moved to her neck. She gasped and arched her back when he bit her soft spot. He held her up and undid her zip.


    Heid her back down and pulled down the top of the dress. The hunger in his eyes grew when he saw the two mounds he has been dying to-


    "Aaaah!" Roserie''s cries came crushing on their mood like a bucket of ice cold water.


    Zach sighed onto Amy''s chest but his breath hardened her nipples. Amy was equally frustrated but hearing her daughter cry meant forgoing her current needs. "I''ll be quick. We''re not done."


    "Far from it", he replied. He got off her and let her slide out of bed to attend to their daughter. She fixed her dress as she walked over but not bothering to zip up so he got a glimpse of her smooth back. It only fueled his hunger.


    "What''s wrong cupcake?" Amy asked worriedly as she picked her up. "Mommy''s here."


    She didn''t feed her and shushed her tofort her. There were times when Roserie would wake up not to feed but simply seekingfort from her parents. The little one''s cries slowly quieted down and she soon fell back asleep. Amy ced her back in her bed, watched her for a few seconds before going back to her man.


    He was now sitting on the edge of the bed shirtless. She smiled at the sight before her. She climbed onto hisp straddling him and pushed him down. The desire could not be extinguished with one interruption from Roserie.


    "Mmm", she moaned against his mouth before biting down on his lower lip.


    He swung his arm to smack her soft ass but stopped himself quick enough and gave it a strong squeeze. He pushed the hem to her waist so his hands could dig into herce d panty covered ass. Amy felt the ache down there and she pushed herself onto him making him groan. Zach was no better and quickly flipped them over. He broke the kiss in urgency and knelt between her legs.


    He took one leg of hers, raising it so he could trail kisses fron the back of her thighs going down and down... Amy clutched the sheets.


    "So wet", he mused when he finally came face to face with her wet panties. He pressed his lips against that spot and inhaled the intoxicating scent of her flower.


    Amy felt a jolt of electricity as soon as his lips made contact with hers and her toes curled fron the effect. She felt a finger slide thece material to the side and his warm breath fanning against it. She grew even more wet and her bud-


    "Aaaah!" A soft cry resounded once more.


    They both froze and realizing what it was, Amy took a pillow and screamed into it in frustration. Zach took a deep calming breath and let go of Amy. "I''ll get her."


    Zach got off the bed and as soon as he got close, he knew why his daughter cried. He picked her up, took a spare diaper and left for the bathroom. Momentster, he came back with her in his arms andforting her. Feeling clean andfortable, Roserie now fell back asleep. Zach put her down and covered her up to keep her warm.


    ''Sweetheart, please stay asleep until tomorrow. I need to getid'', he pleaded in his heart while looking at her.


    He just hoped Amy had not grown fed up with the interruptions but no, far from it. He realized this when he walked back to the bed to find her lying on her stomach, one hand covering her cleavage, her chin resting on the other, hair a loose sexy mess, and a mischievous smile ying on her lip. When he looked at the rest of her body, the only clothing on her was herce underwear. And she swung her legs up and down on the bed.


    "Hey you", she purred softly.


    A pleased smirk stretched on his lips "Naught, naughty girl."


    "Where are you going?" She asked, seeing him going around tbe bed.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Where I left off", he said before she felt him settle at her legs. He pushed her into a kneeling position so her ass was up. He hooked a finger and traced it down her pantline so his finger zed against her wet lips. "You didn''t think to get rid of this?"


    "Thought I''d- I''d- I-", she stumbled on her words feeling tortured by his simple action. Zach pushed it to the side andtched his mouth onto her moist lips. "Aaah- mmmmm!" She muffled her loud moan with the sheets, a part of her remembering to be quiet.


    He gave it a slow yet torturous lick and sucked on her lips, watching them stretch to him as he let go. He took a pillow and passed it to her. As much as he liked hearing her screams of pleasure, he couldn''t risk another interruption. While Amy settled the pillow below her face, he pulled down her underwear to her knees.


    He held onto her hips before diving into her moistened core. She felt his tongue twist in between her folds and sucked on them. She cried into the pillow when he pried at her opening with his tongue.


    "Zachery", she cried out muffled.


    He twisted his tongue and went to suck on her swollen bud. Amy''s fingers dug deeper into the pillow she was moaning into. He had only just began yet he was already driving the sanity out of her. She subconsciously started to m herself into his face only for him to bite down on her bud.


    "Aaarrrrgghh!" She cried into the pillow only for both of them to freeze once more.


    "Aaaah!" Roserie startled them with a louder cry than before.


    "Whyyy!" Amy whined into the pillow.


    "Don''t we have something to put her to sleep?" Zach grumbled earning a dangerous re from Amy. He raised his hands up in surrender. "I''ll check on her."


    He smacked her bare bottom before leaving the bed earning a pleasant moan from her. But his daughter''s cries were quite rming so he tookrge strides towards her. Amy could hear him trying tofort her hoping it would not take as long. But Roserie''s cries until he found the problem.


    "She''s hungry", he announced. "Do we have any milk?"


    "I didn''t pump any this evening, I''ll be right there." Amy got out of bed, pulling her underwear along the way. She went in the wardrobe to throw on a robe before going back out to take the crying girl from her daddy. "We should''ve ended with the dinner."


    "We''ll skip the dinner and jump right into action", he replied.


    "Agreed", she said with a nod. Roserie grew fussy in her mother''s arms, stuffing her crying face in to her Amy''s chest, looking for her food.


    "It''s okay cupcake, mommy''s here", Amy cooed as she moved to sit down on the sofa so she could properly feed her. Her cries ceased as soon as she started to feed a little enthusiastically. Amy wiped her tears as she watched her. "You must be really hungry."


    Zach grabbed Amy''s chin to make her look at him so he pecked her lips before he went to wait for her on the bed. Roserie made whining noises as she fed, probablyining to her mother. Thetter took her little hand and yed with it. Amy loved the feel of Roserie''s little hand sping hard around her fingers.


    While the mother and daughter had their moment, minutes quickly ticked by in the silent room. It became too silent for Zach that he had to check on the two. As soon as he got out of bed, a sigh escaped his lips before the corners of his lips went up.


    Amy was fast asleep on the sofa as well as Roserie though she still fed in her sleep. Amy must have been very tired from the long trip to preparing their special dinner. He looked at the time and it was well after ten, quitete. He went over to pry the little one away from her mother, fixed her robe, before going to put Roserie in her bed.


    He the went into the wardrobe to get Amy her nightwear then help her into it before carrying her to bed. He removed his trousers then got in next to her and pulled her to him, she rxed in his embrace deep into sleep. He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes.


    ''There''s always another day'', he mused as he turned off the lights and tried to get some sleep.

 Chapter 350 Zachs Solution...

    At least that''s what he thought. Usually, hisck of sleep would be due to Amy being unable to sleep or Roserie keeping them up, but not now. The earlier image of Amy lying on the bed almost naked waiting for him haunted his mind. It started to awaken the beast he had suppressed during the previous interruptions. Holding her so close was not helping with his hard-on.


    He moved to his side and squeezed his eyes shut but she was all he could see. His eyes opened while he was lost in thought and looked over at her silhouette...


    ''No! She''s tired. Let''s let her sleep'', he scolded himself with a shake of his head.


    But his eyes still wandered off to her melons that were squeezed together underneath her satin nightdress as she slept on her side...


    ''No! Get a hold of yourself Zach!'' He mmed a pillow on his face and groaned in frustration.


    Those dangerous hips that mmed her ass in his face... the sound of her moans, how wet she was for him.... He let out a defeated sigh as he slowly removed his pillow and looked over at her face with now a determined look: he wanted her.


    "Amy", he whispered in her ear, gently shaking her but she didnt stir. He shook her again, "Baby."


    "Mm?" She finally responded, barely able to open her eyes.


    He gently pushed to make her lie on her back and situated himself between her legs while keeping his weight off her. That action woke her up to see what he was doing.


    "Babe-"


    He cupped her mouth with hisrge hand to silence her. Her brows went up at this, wondering what was going on. "I''m sorry I woke you but, I need you."


    She could hear the want and need in his voice that she didn''t waste a second and nodded. He peeled away his hand and crushed his cool lips against herspletely driving away the sleep that was left in her eyes. She held onto him and kissed him with the same amount of passion.


    He groaned when she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him down to her. As soon his mouth left hers, his hand reced it. She breathed heavily under it after he gave her a breath taking kiss.


    His mouth went to her neck and she melted at his assault while he hooked a finger on her nightie''s straps and pulled them down, one at a time exposing her chest to him.


    His mouth watered at the sight of her hardened peaks and he took one. She took in a sharp breath, arching her back and moaned against his hand feeling his warm tongue y with her nipple. He sucked on it, flicked it with his tongue before biting down hard on it.


    She pulled him closer with her legs, feeling her sex ache from the action. She needed him as much as he needed her. She removed his hand from her mouth and led it down to her underwear and made him trace her core. He stopped, he had gotten the message, she was very wet.


    He let go of her nipple and sat up to help her out of the nightie. Feeling too impatient, he tore her underwear leaving her bare for him. Although the room was dim, she still felt insecure about a particr spot. She ced a hand on her stomach. She had had a heavy pregnancy and now her stomach was paying for it despite the weight loss.


    Of course, Zach noticed this. He removed her hand and nted loving kisses on it. He practically worshipped that skin. For him, it was a beautiful reminder of the priceless gift Amy had given him, his daughter. Without any words, she understood the message he was conveying but they had more pressing matters so she pulled him to her.


    She imed his mouth with hers while pulling down his boxers. In between the kisses, he discarded it in the sheets and took hold of his length and guided it to her entrance.


    Amy''s heart was beating a mile a minute feeling him against her. He rubbed his tip against her core, coating himself with her juices. She got distracted by the action she sloppily kissed him and felt herself grow even wetter. He briefly stopped the kiss and mmed into her.


    "Mm!" She whimpered, stiffening in his hold and he stilled.


    "You okay?" He whispered with worry in his tone. Why did it hurt? Was it because it had been a while since she took him in? Zach watched her facial expression closely growing more worried the longer she took to respond. "We can stop."


    "No, I''m good. It''s been a while... I think", she concluded in a whisper.


    "You sure?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Yes", she assured him.


    He took another second to study her still worried, but she smiled at him and gave him an encouraging nod. He cupped her cheek and imed her lips, brushing against them slowly while she wrapped her arms around his neck. She rxed against him and finally he moved out and slowly thrust into her.


    "Mm", she moaned at the stinging pleasure that came with his thickness stretching her.


    "Hmm", he groaned against her feeling how tight she was, the way her warm walls felt every time his length brushed against her with every thrust.


    The dull ache slowly melted away and was reced with pure pleasure. She too thrust her hips to meet his thrusts that were now picking up pace. His mouth left hers to be repalced by his hand to muffle her moans.


    "Mmmmmmm", she eagerly met his thrusts with her own, giving him equal pleasure.


    Her breasts jiggled underneath him the deeper he drove into her. Her muffled moans and the sound of his balls mming against her echoed underneath the sheets. She had her eyes closed from the pleasure but opened them to find him watching her.


    The raw desire reflected in his blue orbs, the way he grunted and breathed heavily; she was turned on even more. He thought she would shy away but she held his gaze, the pleasure he gave her and the pleasure she gave him; she was right there with him taking what he was giving, every inch of him.


    "I know", he whispered with a groan. He could feel everything she was feeling.


    She felt him grow bigger inside her. He momentarily stopped and raised her legs so each rested on his shoulders. He resumed cupping her mouth and mmed harder into her.


    "Arrrggh!" She screamed against his hand and scratched his back. His thrusts drove his rode deeper into her in the new position. He snuck a hand to her bud and gave it a hard pinch between the knuckles of his fingers.


    "Zachery!"


    "Fuck, Amy!" He growled, feeling her walls tightly clench around his length.


    Heeding the warning, he focused on that spot, drilling her much faster like a mad man while ying with her bottom lips and bud. Amy''s toes curled and she clutched the sheets, afraid to lose her sanity from the immense pleasure.


    "Zach- Mmm!" Her facetorted into pleasure before she milked his length with her juices. He continued to move in and out of her until she felt him stiffen.


    "Amy!" He grunted out her name and shot his seed inside her.


    He let her legs down and apart and copsed on top of her, removing his hand from her mouth. Their bodies glistened from sweat and they breathed heavily against each other, basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking.


    Momentster, Amy had calmed down from her high with a huge smile on her face. She leaned into his ear and whispered, "That was amazing."


    "Yeah", he lifted his head to look at hef. He too was smiling, "Well, we''re not done."


    "I can''t promise I''ll be quiet", she gave him a sheepish smile.


    A mischievous smirk that sent a shiver down her spine stretched on his lips, "I have a solution for that."


    He slipped out of her and got off the bed to disappear into their wardrobe. Amy couldn''t take her eyes off his well carved body. Her face grew red when he walked back in and her eyes remained glued on his member that hardened again on her watch.


    "Eyes up here sweetheart", he spoke quietly in a sexy husky voice when he stopped right in front of her. Her lust filled eyes went from hisher regions going up to widen when she saw what he was holding along with a devilish smirk on his face.....

 Chapter 351 Hanging Out At The Golf Club

    ?


    At Frost Corporation


    Zach was seated in a meeting with an open file resting on the table in front of him. A bunch of executives sat with him following along as a presentation was made to the chairman himself.


    Even with the A.C turned down, the presentor could not help bust swrat buckets in the intimidating presence of the big man himself. Thetter had on a stoic expression, not bothering to look at the material but stared down at the presentor.


    "After calcting everything as well as a contingency fee, the budget for this project came down to two thousand, three million- No. Three hundred million- No." Sweat trickled down the sides of his face, nervous from how he stumbled upon the numbers.


    He was even more nervous when Zach gave him a sharp gaze. His colleagues gave him pitiful looks. How could he mess up such an important presentation? He nced at the screen and back at Zach, stuttering from nervousness. "I-I-I mean, three million, two thou- two hundred- Three million-"


    A knock was heard and Zach permitted the person to enter. One of his bodyguards came in to whisper something in his ear. Zach looked at the presentor. "That''s enough. We''ll stop here."


    "Thank you, sir", he practically bowed, relief washing over him.


    "I need the file on my desk in five minutes and a full presentation in my office in two hours. Dismissed."


    He left as soon as he said those words leaving the rest with their jaws dropped. He thanked him too soon. He coukd barely stand with everyone around, how coukd he handle a one-on-one?


    Zach found Gomez standing by his door carrying a three tier lunch box. One of his men got the door for him and in went Gomez after Zach to set up the meal on the coffee table. He set it down before excusing himself. Zach sat down as he fished out his phone and dialed for Amy.


    "Darling", he greeted with a smile.


    "I guess you got your lunch?" She replied


    "Yes, thank you." He rxed in his seat and undid his tie with one hand. "Are you done pretending to be mad at me?"


    "Pretending? After what you didst night?" She scoffed.


    "Baby, I only tied you up and gagged you because you couldn''t keep quiet", he said with an easy smile. "You said it yourself."


    "Only? Only? Zachery!" She wanted to raise her voice at him, but she whisper shouted instead. He thought she was embarrassed.


    He chuckled and whispered huskily into the phone, "Come on baby, you liked it. You were sooo wet. Don''t you remember the sound we made everytime I-"


    Amy interrupted him with all too loud awkward clearing of her throat which made him chuckle. "And my back paid for it when I untied you during-"


    "You''re wee babe", she replied lovingly, deliberately cutting in. He could picture how red her face was at the moment. "Make sure you eat everything."


    "Yes ma''am", he answered. He was not going to further embarrass her. However, he picked up on the noise in her background. "Where are you?"


    "Uhh....."


    "Dear, hurry with the call. She looks like she''s about to cry", Victoria''s voice echoed over the phone.


    "Is that mom? Where are you?" The smile on his face had long been gone.


    "Uh..... babe", She cleared her throat to suppress the panic in her voice. "We met up, we were both lonely-"


    "You were lonely? Even afterst night?" He narrowed his eyes, not bothering to hide the danger in his tone. "And I''m so sure you weren''t able to walk this morning or were you pretending? My performance must have been very poor."


    "No. No. No", she whisper shouted, quickly trying to cate him. "You were amazingst night, a beast in fact, you practically destroyed my....", she cleared her throat awkwardly. "I''m so d we don''t have to do a lot of walking otherwise it''s so hard to pretend to walk properly."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Why are you out? You should''ve stayed home", he deadpanned.


    "Because I had nothing else to do during the day, mom invited me out to the golf club to hang out with her friends. I promise you have nothing to worry about."


    "Amy dear", Victoria called out while shushing a now crying Roserie.


    "Babe, I gotta go. I''ll see you soon. I love you."


    "I love you too. Bye", she heard him say before she hang up. She rushed back to the round table ofdies having coffee with pastries. She had to ignore the obvious ache between her legs, oh! She could win an oscar for the performance she was giving.


    "So, is it true?" Kris looked at Amy who was sitting down and trying her hardest not to groan in pain. She took her daughter in her arms before turning her attention on Kris who had an obnoxious expression and giving a side eye at Victoria. "I can''t trust anything your mother-inw says."


    "What is?" Amy asked while patting Roserie''s back infort.


    "Is it true that J''s is designing your dress and Zach''s tux?" Adide asked.


    "I''m not surprised. They must have some sort of connection through Zach. Remember he wore their suit at the Corporate g", Stephanie said.


    "That was the corporate g. This is a whole wedding. Even my son could not afford to have them do it for him and his fianc¨¦. Amy, you can be honest. Say the truth and shame the devil", Kris nodded at Victoria when she said devil.


    Amy exchanged looks with Victoria who was trying to suppress the guilt on her face. Victoria and Kris will never stoppeting. Although the older woman lied, Amy still wanted to save face.


    Besides, getting J''s to design and make their clothes would be a piece of cake, she was after all, the owner. Although it was something J''s never did, there was a first time for everything. So she put on a beautiful smile and nodded.


    "Yes, J''s will be making our clothes."


    Thedies gasped and Kris'' expression turned sour. Victoria''s expression turned smug as she nodded along, "That''s right, she just shamed the devil."


    "Are you calling me a devil?" Kris snarled.


    "Oh my god, you? The devil? More like his sister!" Victoria bit back.


    "Victoria!" Kris stood tounch at the woman but was held back by the otherdies.


    "Stop it you two!" Stephanie red at between them.


    "She''s the one who insulted me first in front of my daughter-inw and granddaughter", Victoriained.


    "Should I do it behind your back then?" Kris shouted back.


    "Steph, let them fight it out. Its about time. Maybe it will put an end to the ridiculous arguments", Adide said leisurely.


    Kris was let alone but she did not make any move towards the other woman. She sat down and continued to sip on her coffee while Victoria forked a snack. Amy shook her head along with the other women as they watched the two.


    The otherdies started a new topic of discussion and the two soonmented on, forgetting their earlier fight. The atmosphere had be peaceful once more until it was time to go home. As Amy and Victoria came in the same car, they left together.


    "Can you drop me off at Zach''s?" Amy said to Victoria who was ying with Roserie.


    "You heard her", she shouted to the driver before turning to her with an uneasy expression. "Amy, about J''s..."

 Chapter 352 Understanding Victoria And Kris Relationship

    ?


    "Don''t worry, I''ll talk to him", Amy reassured her.


    "Thank you dear. I really didn''t mean to put you into a tight spot. It''s just that Kris drives me crazy and before I could think, that came out. I''m sorry Amy."


    Amy shook her head. "But, I don''t understand your rtionship. Why are you friends with her? It seems like you can''t stand each other most of the time."


    "Ah, well, Kris and I have been like that for as long as I can remember. We may get on each other''s nerves but doesn''t mean I hate her. She''s someone who keeps me in check, she tells it like it is as annoying as it sometimes. But, she''s the first one toe running to me when I''m in trouble out of all the girls. The banter distracts me from my problems, it sort offorts me. I am the same with her."


    Victoria thought back to when she passed out when she thought Zach had a man in his life and the times when things were hard with Henry. Kris had always been there. They had a love-hate rtionship but love seemed to overpower the other. Amy smiled when she understood this. They soon arrived at Frost corporation and dropped off Amy.


    Raphy got down from the front and escorted Amy while he carried Roserie''s baby bag. People on the first floor could not help but wonder who this beautiful woman was carrying what they could make was a beautiful baby girl.


    She wore a burnt orange long sleeved dressed with a snatched waist and a flowy skirt with sandal high heels that entuated her long legs. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, slightly swaying when she walked. Suddenly, eight bodyguards appeared and surrounded Amy.


    "Madam", the leader greeted with a slight bow. Amy smiled in recognition and let them lead her. The onlookers did not hear the exchange but they saw how they behaved around her. She followed them to a private lift.


    "No way! Is that-?"


    "What nonsense are you talking about? That can''t be the Chairman''s woman!"


    "Exactly, as far as I''m concerned, the Chairman is not a rtionship guy."


    "You''re making those conclusions based on what? Just because he''s a private person doesn''t mean he doesn''t have a private life."


    "Please, that might as well be Xavier''s woman."


    "So why would the Chairman''s bodyguards personally escort her?"


    Everyone: "..."


    "I got to see this!"


    "Don''t you guys have a meeting?"


    "It can wait!"


    The group run to an elevator and pressed for the top floor. If only they had wings to quickly fly to Zach''s floor and see for themselves whether the woman with the baby was Zach''s or Xavier''s.


    Meanwhile, the bodyguards made sure Amy arrived at Zach''s floor safely. Originally, Zach''s secretary was going to ignore the team of bodyguards thinking they came for their boss until she saw a fairdy right in their midst..... With her jaw dropped, she stood with a million questions in her head concerning tge woman''s identity. She could make a guess but she didn''t want to believe it..... There''s no way....<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The men parted as soon as they reached the door which was instantly opened from the inside revealing a smiling Zach. It was now that she saw the baby that Zach collected from the woman...


    "There''s my princess!! Daddy missed you!" He kissed Roserie''s chubby cheeks before letting her face him. She gave her daddy a gummy smile making him smile more happily while Amy chuckled. He leaned in and kissed her lips in greeting. "Hello beautiful."


    "You must not get a lot of female visitors", she replied while wiping her lip gloss from his lips.


    Zach looked at his shocked secretary then at his employees who came to spy on him. Thetter froze when he saw them but were unable to move. He looked back at Amy and smirked while leading her in with his hand on her waist. "Is that aint?"


    "Far from it. Thank you Raphy", she took the baby bag and disappeared into Zach''s office with thetter. As soon as the door was closed behind them, Amy''s walking changed from poised to awkward and limping as she followed him to the lounge. She saw Zach purse his lips trying not tough and she red at him. "Not a word. This is all your fault."


    "I''m sorry", he said with a chuckle.


    "I said not a word", she said through gritted teeth and took a deep breath as she sunk on the sofa beside him.


    "You know what will make it better?" He arched a sexy brow.


    "I don''t want to know", she continued to re but he ignored her and responded cheekily, "It will hurt less if we''ll do it more often."


    "Zachery", she warned.


    "I''ll stop", he gave her a charming smile before redirecting his gaze at his daughter.


    "So....", She started. "We have a new development in our wedding clothes."


    "Mm."


    "What do you think about J''s making your tux and my dress?" she asked, curious to hear his thoughts.


    "What happened to buying? Wasn''t that the original n?" He could not help his curiosity. He was sure she had made ns with Suzy and the two older women to find a dress for her whereas finding a suit for Zach would be a piece of cake. There were too many fashion houses that would want him to buy from them. Amy was about to reply when a knock was heard. Both of them looked to the door when George walked in.


    "Amy", he acknowledged pleasantly surprised by her visit as he closed the door behind him. "I thought it would be you when I heard the rumors."


    "Hey", she waved with a smile.


    He returned it with his kind one before looking at Zach with a troubled expression. "We have a problem."


    Zach waved him over to join them at the lounge. George sat down opposite them before passing a tablet to him where a report awaited him. "It''s about Xavier. Nicole is pregnant and she ims it''s his."

 Chapter 353 A Little Detour To Crystal Palace

    ?


    "Where''s Xavier?" Zach asked while Amy looked at the contents on the device with furrowed brows.


    "He rushed out to meet Lorraine as soon as he saw the news trending", he replied.


    "And it''s everywhere", Amy mused out loud as she browsed through the tablet. "Every news about outlet."


    "He didn''t know about this?" Zach guessed, his brows furrowing deeper from annoyance.


    "No", George said after shaking his head.


    He nced at Amy who leaned back in the sofa now multitasking between her phone and the tablet George brought. Thetter looked at Zach whose expression seemed to be unreadable as he had fallen deep in thought.


    "She deliberately did not want to keep this quiet", Zach mused with irritation.


    "After the bacsh she facedst time", Amy nced at him before looking back at the two devices. "She needed the support. And she wants five-" she chuckled before continuing. "$500, 000."


    "A year?" Zach asked.


    "Month", George answered. "Every month. She believes she deserves that much especially since she''s carrying Frost bloodline. What do we do about this?" George looked between them with an expression that made him look like he was seeking wisdom from two superior beings.


    At JFK international airport


    "Are you okay?" A middle aged man asked with a furrow of his brows. "You rarely leave work early and you look very pale. Why don''t we take you to the hospital? Maybe you caught something."


    "It''s just a headache. I should be fine by tomorrow", Lorraine forced a smile at her supervisor.


    "Get that checked out if it persists", he said sternly.


    "Thank you, sir."


    She excused herself and went to the lockers to change out of her uniform. Her mind had been hazy from when she saw the headlines from the billboards and the inte.


    She grew numb from the shock but didn''t realize she had grown pale until her supervisor pointed it out. One thought echoed in her mind: home. She needed to go home.


    As soon as she stepped out of fbe building, she looked around for a taxi when her sightnded on a familiar figure wearing a grave expression as he stood beside his car. It seemed he was about to run inside to look for her.


    She subconsciously clutched her bag hard as she held his gaze. Xavier could see the pain in her eyes and panic started to build up thinking she would walk away or run. Instead, she quietly walked to the passenger side and got in. Should he be relieved or worried?


    He didn''t waste a second and went to the driver''s side and drove to their ce. The ride was silent, he did not dare to say a word afraid of her reaction and she too was silently relieved that he didn''t say a word.


    Should he dare, she didn''t think she was strong enough to suppress her emotions. It was hard enough to hold back her tears. After many agonizing minutes, they finally got home. She didn''t wait for him to get the door and quickly went inside.


    "Lorraine!" He called out in urgency and jogged after her.


    She tookrge strides and disappeared into the elevator. He was a second slower as the doors closed right in his face but it was enough to catch a glimpse of her crying face.


    He took the stairs going up to their floor, panic coursing through his veins. He run, taking two steps or three at a time. She was going to leave him..... She was leaving..... She can''t..... He grew more panicked with those thoughts intensifying.


    He finally reached their floor and rushed to kick the door open. He first went to look in their room and to his relief, he found her. She had just opened their wardrobe and he run to her, hugging her from the back.


    "Lorraine!" She stiffened in his hold when she felt him around her. He was breathing heavily and his eyes stung from unshed tears. She struggled to free hersekf but his restraint only grew stronger. "Lorraine. Please. Please."


    She felt her strength seep away with his pleas. Lucky he was holding her or she woukd copse onto the floor. The cries she suppressed finally came out into heartbreaking sobs as she leaned her head against him. He turned her around to embrace her.


    She punched his chest and tried to free herself but he held onto her and wrapped his arms around her. She cried into his chest, each cry trying to lessen the pain in her heart. They stayed like that until they both ended up on the floor, leaning against the wardrobe but she was still in his arms.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "I''m sorry, I''m so sorry, I''m really sorry Lorraine", he tucked away some stray strands of hers before cupping her chin so she could face him.


    She sniffled as a tear trickled down her cheek. "How long have you known about this?"


    "I promise you I just learned about this from the news. I never kept in contact with her after the breakup", he spoke with earnesty.


    She sighed, seeing the truth in his eyes. She sobbed softly, "This hurts, so much. It hurts so much Xavier."


    "I know. I don''t- I''m really sorry Lorraine. And I know it''s selfish of me to ask you this but please don''t leave me. I can''t live without you", he pleaded. "Please."


    She there was a hard lump lodged in her throat apanied by the pain in her heart. She subconsciously closed her eyes when he reached out to wipe her tears away. Somehow..... His touch was lessening the pain... She realized something in that moment. And Lorraine was not one to hide her thoughts unless otherwise.


    "As much as this hurts, the thought of being apart from you is more painful", she admitted. He gasped out in relief and collected her in his arms very happy. "But, I''ll need time." He pulled away and sadness was evident in his eyes as she continued. "It''s just a lot right now."


    He opened his mouth to speak when his phone started ringing. He fished it out from his trouser pocket and his brows slightly furrowed when he saw Zach''s name shing on his screen. A feeling of dread arose within him, but he knew he couldn''t avoid him so he answered putting him on speaker.


    "Zach", he answered with a hoarse voice. "Now''s not a good time-"


    "It''s me!" Amy shouted from the other end, catching his and Lorraine''s attention. "Real quick, when was thest time you slept with this girl?"


    "Amy", he said through gritted teeth seeing Lorraine tense up. "I have more important things to deal with."


    "I know. But believe me, this is also important", she said calmly.


    Lorraine''s face had contorted into an angry. She didn''t want to sit there and listen in but Xavier held onto her as ge wracked his brain. "Uhh..... Weeks before the breakup. Why?"


    "Huh", she replied dryly and muttered something under her breath. "I''ll call you back."


    She abruptly ended the call leaving Xavier and Lorraine exchanged a puzzled look. Meanwhile, sharing the same feeling was George who sat opposite the couple back at Frost Corporation.


    "Babe, how about a little detour to my old ce on our way home?" She asked with a smile.


    "Aren''t we dealing with Xavier''s issue?" George asked.


    "Let''s do it", Zach replied to Amy,pletely ignoring George.


    "Why were you asking about the timeline? Did you find something odd about it? You know, Nicole hasn''t revealed how many months she is. Can any of you say something?" He was growing frustrated from the suspense while watching them getting ready to leave.


    "We''ll call you", Zach replied whilst adjusting Roserie in his arms.


    "After some digging. I can''t go around running my mouth without checking facts", Amy replied and tried not to groan in pain as she stood up.


    She walked over to the other sofa where hers and Roserie''s bags were. George''s brows furrowed and gave a questioning gaze at Zach whilst pointing at Amy, finding her walking weird.


    "Get out", Zach said with a sharp re before walking fishing out his phone and dialing a number. "We''re leaving in five."


    Seeing then busy, George showed himself out of the office. Soon, Zach and Amy left for Crystal pce. Paparazzi were already crowded in front of the building when they arrived. Although Zach''s team could ensure that they pass without being photographed or questioned, it would still raise questions seeing him ther.


    Worse yet, there would be misunderstandings knowing the Frosts were powerful and Nicole was weakpared to them. So they parked in the underground parking lot where Crystal pce''s manager awaited them.


    "Jim", Amy greeted with a smile and walked over to shake his hand.


    "Madam. Wee back."

 Chapter 354 A Tip

    ?


    "Babe, this is Jim Fernworth, he manages the ce. Jim, this is my fianc¨¦, Zachery", she introduced him as soon as he was by her side.


    "It''s nice to meet you, sir", He extended his hand and shook Zach''s in a strong and firm handshake and thetter nodded in response. Jim felt Zach looked awfully familiar but he didn''t voice it out with the man''s intimidating aura.


    "And this is our daughter Roserie", Amy added.


    "Your daughter madam?" He gasped, finally rxing at the mention of the baby. A happy smile graced the man''s face. "Congrattions madam, sir!"


    "Thank you, Jim", she smiled before turning to Raphy who carried Roserie''s and her bag. "I''ll take those. And don''t worry."


    "We shouldn''t be out here for too long", Zach spoke.


    "Of course! Of course! This way", he gestured for them to follow. Just like Zach, Amy and the senior staff of Crystal Pce had a private lift of their own where Jim led the two. As intimidating as Zach was, he could not help but feel they made a beautiful couple. "I made sure that your ce is kept clean while you were away. But I didn''t have them restock your fridge and thought you''d prefer to do it yourself."


    "Don''t worry about that", Amy waved in dismissal. "We won''t be staying for long."


    "What a shame. But it is wonderful to see you after almost a year..... Oh madam, does that mean you''ve moved?"


    Amy nodded, "I have no reason to stay here."


    "Alright, then shall I put it up on the market? You know this ce is in high demand."


    "Yes, but just not yet. You might have two ces avable", she had a mysterious gaze directed at the doors. Jim was about to ask what she meant when the ding sound went off and the doors slid open. They walked to her door in silence then she slid up the door handle and started to input her password. "There''s something that I need."


    She opened the door and he rushed to hold it open for them. Zach let her walk in first, he followed before Jim joined them after closing the door behind him. He looked at Amy curiously waiting for her to finish. "I need the security footages of the seventh floor dating back to four months ago."


    "Was there something wrong madam?" He was starting to grow anxious in case he had missed something. Her sudden visit did not make it any better.


    The corners of her lips simply curved up and he knew he won''t get answer. So he excused himself to carry out the given task. She turned to set down the bags and found Zach looking around the ce while Roserie quietly took in the new environment.


    He didn''t know if it was Amy''s choice of colors or decoration, but it made him feel cosy and veryfortable. Hearing the door close behind him, he turned around to find Amy seated on the sofa with her shoes off.


    "Do you want to redecorate our ce?" He asked while walking over.


    "Why? Is there something wrong with it?"


    "It doesn''t have your touch like this ce or your other ce in West Vige", he exined as he sat beside her so she was facing him.


    "But that will be a drastic change and I already love how it is. You sure about this?" She took Roserie from him and decided to feed her. The little princess ced her tiny chubby hand on her mother''s boob and stretched her little legs in short kicks, enjoying the treat.


    "Mm, I love this. This is so you. It feels more.... homey", he whispered thest part as he leaned in and kissed her smiling lips. Roserie stretched a little too hard the hitnded on Zach''s arm making the two to pull apart. "Now this was intentional", he grumbled yfully ring at Roserie and her brows knitted at him, showing a re of her own.


    "Oooooooh! Seems like you met your match", Amyughed at her daughter mimicking her father''s expression only secondster for her to rx her little face and resume feeding happily.


    "I''m speechless", he shook his head. "Nobody has dared to re back at me when I did."


    A knock was heard interrupting Amy''sugh. "If that''s Jim, he should have a drive with him. Can you get it for me?"


    "Mm. We need to have a serious talkter on", he warned Roserie.


    "Jeez!" Amy shook her head in disbelief as she watched him go to the door. In less than a minute, he returned with a harddrive in hand. "I have an adapter and a cable in my bag."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    She handed him her phone and he set them up for her. She already dug up information on Nicole''s apartment number and so she focused her search on the footage whose camera angle was closest to her door.


    There seemed to be nothing unusual as they watched. For the first few weeks, there was almost no activity. Nicole never left her ce only once in a while to restock on certain groceries.


    ''It must have been after the drama'', Amy mused. She looked down and realized Roserie was slowly falling asleep while feeding.


    Something changed as they continued to watch. It had suddenly be a constant that she could not help butment, "She must like their pizza."


    Zach didn''tment but watched on with furrowed brows. But there was something odd about the pizza deliveries the more they watched as the weeks progressed.


    They exchanged a knowing look. She looked down at Roserie who was fast asleep and gave her to Zach. She fixed her dress and worked on her phone with the new found information. She then showed him the information and gave him a knowing smile, "We might be here a while. How about some pizza?"


    "Only if you promise to make me a proper meal when we get home", he bargained.


    "Anything for you baby", she gently patted his cheek. She had a happy smile ying on her lips as she called to ce an order. "Hello... Hi, I''m fine thank you.... Onerge Chicken Fajita and onerge double pepperoni..... Um, no need.... Yes, Amy Harpers. I am at Crystal Pce...."


    She went on to give her details before ending the call. She looked at Zach who had been patting Roserie''s back to help her burp. "Has she burped yet? I''ll go put her down inside."


    "Not yet. And don''t worry, I''ll put her down", he said.


    Burp! The sound came as soon as he spoke. Amy checked to see if she threw up on his shoulder and sighed in relief when there was no sign of milk vomit. He stood up and left for her room to put her down.


    Meanwhile, she resumed looking into Nicole''s movements to pass time. Before she knew it, the door bell went off and she quietly got up to answer it.


    A shocked gasp escaped her lips when she saw who was at her door. It was a delivery boy with their pizza. He felt his ego swell seeing a woman as beautiful as Amy being flustered by his good looks. She recollected herself as soon and smiled, "That was fast."


    "I hope I wasn''t too fast for you", the young man winked at her. She didn''t respond at his flirtatious remark. "Here''s your pizza."


    "Thank you. One sec", she collected the boxes and went back in, leaving the door open. He heard the ruffling and shufflinging from inside but he patiently waited. "Um...."


    "Stainer", he answered, taking a step into her ce to find her rummaging through her handbag.


    "Stainer, I don''t have any cash on me. Are you on Venmo?" She turned to look at him.


    "No nees Miss. This is all part of my job",he replied politely.


    "No, no. I want to. You have no idea what kind of day I had, I''m a new mom, and everything has just been so crazy. I didn''t want to cook and I thought I''d have to wait a long time but you came through so quickly", she said in one breath and sighed. "I''m just really grateful."


    "Sure", he said, smiling at her. Amy breathed out a sigh of relief. He gave her his details and watched as she worked on her phone. "Are you new here?"


    "No, I was living here about a year ago until I moved in with my fianc¨¦", she replied absentmindedly.


    Yet, she was back here and no ''fianc¨¦'' in sight. He could jot believe a beautiful woman was ignored like any other woman after having a baby. And for a milf, her body was.... He pursed his lips to stop the smirk that was threatening to stretch on his lips. His phone chimed and he checked.


    "Got it, thank you", he shed her his best heart stopping smile.


    "Thank you Stainer", she walked him to the door. He gave her onest look before walking away and her closing the door.


    "Very grateful to that boy, aren''t you?"

 Chapter 355 After This...

    ?


    She jumped at the sound of Zach''s threatening toneing from behind her. A big smile broke on her lips as she run to him and swung her arms around his neck. "What did you think of my acting? I could win a grammy! I was good, wasn''t I? Right?"


    "Is their pizza any good? Not sure if I want to eat it anymore", he said in clear annoyance as they walked back to the sofa.


    "Zachery, are you really jealous? Of him? He has nothing on you, I promise you that", she assured him before starting to work on her phone.


    "That much I know. It''s your little act on him that I was not okay with", he grumbled. Anyone could see how she seduced the young man with her damsel in distress act.


    Amy dropped her phone on the table and turned to him in realization. "Is that what you like? A little acting as forey?"


    He only watched her, not giving a verbal answer. A seductive smile tugged at her lips as she climbed hisp to straddle him and pulled on his tie to loosen it. "Tell me, Mr. Frost. Is that a kink of yours?"


    She nted a kiss on his neck, trailing it up to his ear and licked his earlobe. He groaned and shifted in his seat and smacked her ass in response earning a yelp from her. With his arms around her waist, he drew her in and she felt his excitement confined in his trousers. He whispered in her ear, "Everything about you is my kink, like a fantasy made into a reality."


    Amy''s phone chimed and she slightly pulled away from him to retrieve it. Of course, she didn''t miss the lustful gaze he had on watching her. Looking at her phone, she scoffed.


    "He fell for the oldest trick in the book. He just made this all too easy for me", she said while typing away with a smile on her face.


    "You enjoy this", hemented, seeing how happy she was.


    "I''m practically living my dream, and more", she put her phone down to leave it to work and hooked her arms around him once more. She toned down her voice into a coquettish one, "Now..... You were saying about me being your fantasy....."


    Zach chuckled and shook his head before grabbing the back of hers and captured her lips in a heated kiss. He leaned forward and took off his jacket, she stopped to help him out of his tie so they could befortable before connecting their lips once more.


    "Ahh", she moaned, when he unzipped her dress, unhooked her bra and threw it away. Heunched his mouth on her hardened peak and yed with the other. "Zachery", she moaned when he did his signature bite onto her before licking the pain away.


    He did the same to the other side when she cupped his face to give him a kiss. His tongue chased and twisted around hers, sucking it as welk as her lips. She was sure they were swollen as she undid his shirt buttons and started to kiss and lick his smooth contours.


    "Hmmm", he groaned against her, feeling her soft lips and wet tongue on him as she ground herself against him. He threw his head back, feeling tortured by her ministrations as he grew bigger.


    Amy was so into her actions when he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her away from him. The desire and frustration was etched on the man''s face. Before she could ask, his hands disappeared under her dress and he grunted as he tugged at something before a tearing sound was heard. She gasped seeing remnants of herce underwear now joining her bra on the floor. Her s*x ached and pooled with her wetness, getting turned on even more by his actions.


    She helped him undo his belt and he lifted himself to pull down his trousers along with his boxers and kicked them off. His c*ck sprung free from confinement, hard, thick and ready, oozing with precum. It twitched between them.


    "Guide me inside you", he said in a hoarse voice.


    Hearing themand, she wrapped her fair hand on him and lifted herself. Zach held her soft butt cheeks and spread them apart before she sunk onto him.


    "Ahhh", they both gasped when he was fully into her.


    She let out a shaky breath before she started riding him. She ground herself on him, front and back, then rotating her hips to take him in deeper. Zach removed her dress as she rode him so he could grip her bare ass. She moaned as she looked down at where their teo bodies joined to be one.


    "Fuck baby", he hissed when her walls clenched around him in a tight grip.


    "Oohhh", she fell back, holding onto his arms as her hair touched the floor, lost in pleasure. He started to thrust into her as he watched her spread her legs wider leaving the job to him. His member grew bigger inside her as he took in the erotic view of her jiggling breasts and her glistening sex where his cock moved in and out of her.


    Using one hand to hold her, he stopped rocking his hips and used the other to flick her swollen bud.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Argh!" Her toes curled when she felt a jolt of electricity course through her body causing her to abruptly sit up. He grabbed the back of her neck and brought her in for kiss whilst still ying with her nub.


    "Mmff! Mmff!" She moaned and breathed deeply through the kiss.


    She started rocking herself against him at a faster pace to match the movement of his fingers. Her hold on his shoulders tightened. His grunts, her erratic breathing, the pleasure intensified between them. Her buttnded on hisp in a pping sound as she rode up and down on his length.


    Smack!


    "Arrrrrrgh! Zachery!!" she cried out from the pleasure inciting stinging sensation.


    "Ohhh baby", he groaned when her walls clenched on him tightly while rubbing the spot he hit her. She was about to move when he smacked her again and she squeezed him tighter making him growl. She released him and her juices dripped down his length.


    He held her buttcheeks to hold her up and started to thrust into her at azy pace. "So fucking wet", he said, sliding in and out of her with ease. "Hold on tight for me."


    m!


    "Arrrgh!" She cried from the hard thrust that sent her melons bouncing and tightened her hold on his shoulders.


    He pulled out to thrust into her again with the same force apanied with a grunt. Again, and again, his thrusts grew more aggressive, more powerful, herher regions stung but she felt pleasure with how deep he was hitting. He caught one of her bouncing peaks into his mouth and sucked on it. Her once sturdy sofa now creaked from their movements.


    "Ahhhhhhh! Ah! Zacheryyyyyyyyy!" She warned him in a cry, getting close to her climax. Her cries were so loud it was possible they could easily bounce out of the sound proof walls. But they were too drowned out in pleasure to care.


    He growled into her nipple as she clenched her walls around his thickness before she cried out, milking herself on his length. He let go of her nipple and rested her back on hisp. He slipped out of her and ced her on the sofa so she was lying on her back. Her phone chimed in that moment and she reached for it in her hazy state.


    "We.... We need to call.... Xavier", she said in between short breaths. "I found some-Ahh!" She squealed feeling his mouth on her sex that was still sensitive from her release.


    She looked down to find he had gotten rid of his shirt. His muscles flexed as he held her legs apart eating her out. She breathed in heavily watching him with lust filled eyes.


    He licked her off then came up to her, lips glistening with saliva and her juices. He held her hands by her wrists above her head, getting rid of the phone entirely.


    "After this", he grunted and entered her with another hard thrust.


    Down at Nicole''s


    She shifted in bed to be morefortable in her sitting position and cleaned out the pasta dish on her te. She ced it on her night stand where an envelope sat. She adjusted adjusted the pillow behind her and pulled on the sheets to keep herself warm.


    She took the envelope and took out the contents. She set aside the pregnancy results and took the sonogram photo looking at her little bean. Her expression softened as she ced a hand on her belly gently caressing it.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure you and I will be okay. Because of you, I feel brave enough to not let anyone trample down on us", she promised.


    She continued to study the picture and already started to imagine what their future held. Her baby''s first birthday, first day of school, highschool, college,.... And all of this assured and happening as they swam in money.... Speak of the devil, her phone rung and her lips curled into a sneer.


    "Took you long enough", she started. "And before you say anything, yes, I am actually pregnant and it''s yours Xavier."

 Chapter 356 Meeting Nicole 1

    "And you thought it best to let the media know before me?" He spoke, annoyance dropping from his tone.


    "Can you me me? You blocked me as well as your mom, and when I went to your ce, I heard you don''t live there anymore. I''m not even allowed anywhere near your brother''s ce. So yes, this was the best idea", she snapped at him.


    She heard him let out a frustrated sigh. He had nothing to refute her ims and she smirked at this. "Let''s meet tomorrow. I''ll send you the address."


    She hang up he could say anything else. Xavier ruffled his hair in frustration. She was a literal thorn in the flesh especially when things were going well for him right now. His phone chimed and two pictures arrived from Nicole. One, of her pregnancy results and the other, of the sonogram. The message that followed was of where they were to meet the next day.


    Xavier pulled on his hair in frustration and was about to hurl his phone against the floor when Lorraine quickly grabbed his arm stopping him.


    "Calm down. Calm down", she rubbed his back in a soothing motion. "What did she want?"


    "She''s got me right where she wants. She.... She wants to meet tomorrow", he watched her reaction as he said so.


    "Do you want me to go with you?" She asked with genuineness.


    "Lorraine-" he was cut off by the sound of his phone ringing again. He let out an exhausted sigh seeing his Mother''s caller ID shing on the screen. "Mom."


    "Xavie, is this all true?" Her voice was more quiet than usual. His response was silence and she sighed. "Xavier, I love you so much, you know that right?"


    "Mm."


    "So believe me when I say everything is going to be okay. It doesn''t feel like it now but it will. But one thing Xavie, you need to end things with Lorraine."


    "Mom-" his face pulled into a deeper frown.


    "I know how much you like her but you can''t do this to that poor girl. She''s such a kind soul, give her the chance to find happiness elsewhere. This will just hurt both of you-"


    "Mom, let me call you back tomorrow", he hang up right after that.


    Nicole''s curious gaze bore into him but he averted it and slumped onto the edge of their bed. She could not lie and say she didn''t hear anything his mother said. Their room was too quiet, she could pick up on what Victoria said. It tugged at her heartstrings in a painful pull.


    She felt hot tears threaten to fall but she quickly blinked them back. Snapping her out of it was the sound of his phone dropping to the ground. She bent down to oick it up the ssme time he tried to but she was quicker.


    "Did she send you these?" Lorraine asked in confirmation at the pictures.


    He nodded. She looked at the baby''s picture and felt a pang in her heart. She had dreamt of starting a family one day and with how things had been going, she hoped it would be with Xavier. But that dream was quickly set in mes by their new reality. As she wallowed in this, her mind took her back to Amy''s call.


    "Did Amy call you back?" She asked him after remembering.


    "No.....", The pain in his eyes quickly disappeared and something shed in his eyes. "No."


    He quickly stood up and took back his phone. He immediatelyy dialed her number. It started to ring only for the call to be declined. Nicole watched in anxiousness as his brows furrowed. He dialed again and the call was declined once more. He tried again and only for the receuver to tell him the phone was switched off.


    "Fuck!" He grumbled in annoyance. His eyes fell on the pictures of the sonogram and results. Amy''s question echoed in his mind the more he stared at the pictures. Did Amy''s phone call mean anything earlier? She did say it was important. Was there something he was missing?


    He blinked and snapped out of his thoughts when he took in Lorraine''s worried and puffy face, all of this because of him. He had made her cry yet she was still by his side. His heart ached as he caressed her cheek gently, "Let''s go to sleep."


    The next day<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Amy furrowed her brows from the bright light and opened them. She was greeted by the sight of the coffee table and other sofas. Hers and Zach''s clothesy scattered on the floor reminding her of the previous night''s events. Her face flushed red as she looked down to find a sheet covering her naked body and Zach''s hand holding her titty. He was sleeping behind her, spooning her.


    Roserie slept alone. Speaking of which, she needed to check on her. She was about to move when his other hand pulled her against him and a moan escaped her lips. She gasped in shock and slipped a hand inside right to the base of her butt and felt his thick cock that was buried inside her.


    "Babe", she called in a whisper, her face as red as a tomato as she looked over her shoulder.


    "Hmm", he answered, holding her waist and giving her azy thrust.


    "Ohh", she shuddered and fought to remain sane. "Zachery, I need to get up and check on Roserie."


    "She''s sleeping", he answered, still with his eyes closed. "One more round before she wakes up."


    "You''re using her as an excuse again?" Her tone was usatory.


    "I couldn''t sleep, what did you want me to do?" He grumbled.


    "Four times?"


    He chuckled remembering how he would wake up to Roserie''s cries, he would attend to her using the feeding bottle or if she needed a diaper change or just beforted to sleep. When he returned to the living room, he would im his sleep was gone thanks to that. And he opted to fuck Amy again and again instead of staying up and waiting for sleep toe.


    "You''re a beast", she shook her head.


    "I''m sorry", he said, holding her tight and turning them over so hey on his back and Amy on top of him, with her back against his chest.


    "Zachery", she whined when he lifted her leg and rested it atop the sofa so her legs were spread wide apart. "You know I haven''t returned Xavier''s calls."


    "After this, I promise", he said in low growl against her ear.


    "That''s what you sai- Ahh! Ah! Ah!" She was interrupted by his thrusts, pushing himself deep into her then out.


    His hands were hooked under her knees to keep her from closing her legs as he grunted into her ear with each thrust. She threw her head back, relishing the pleasure that her man was giving her early in the morning. She was walking funny the day before thanks to him and at this point, she was sure she would not be able to lift a limb.


    Meanwhile, Lorraine could not contain the gloomy expression on her face as she gazed out of the tinted car window. Xavier kept his gaze on the road, his face void of any emotions. The two managed to keep the issue from Oliver so the young man was oblivious to the happenings that put a strain on their rtionship.


    Lorraine snapped out of her trance when the car came to a stop. She turned to look at him and guessing what he was about to say, she shook her head frantically.


    "I''m not staying in the car. I came here...", She swallowed back a sob as her tears now stained her face.


    Click! Click! Click!


    The entertainment news reporters tried their hardest to get a clear shot of the couple in the car. They watched as Xavier pressed his lips against hers. He pulled away and hugged her, shielding her face.


    "I''m sorry for putting you through this. It will never happen again, I promise."


    She only sniffled in his embrace. He pulled away wiped her tears and took shades from the glovepartment and put them on her then a scarf from a bag in the back seat and put it over head then tied it under her chin. Giving her onest look, he got down. The reporters swammed around him and followed as he went to her side to get the door for her.


    "Keep your head down", he whispered and hooked his arm over her leading her inside.

 Chapter 357 Meeting Nicole 2

    ?


    As if the reporters outside were not enough, people had their phones out and some reporters managed to sneak inside as the couple walked in. A waiter easily recognized him and showed them to a table that was right in the middle of the restaurant. A spot where they were left vulnerable to the public eye.


    ''How convenient'', he mused as he settled down beside Lorraine. He took her hand in his and gave it a good squeeze.


    "Oh my god! That''s Xavier Frost! Who''s that beside him?"


    "Should be his girlfriend? But damn, I wouldn''t want to be her."


    "Why is she still with him? Anyone would be crazy to stay with such a man!"


    "It must be his money!"


    "Or she''s just obsessed with his d*ck! He is after all, the sex god!"


    "Don''t just me the girl, Xavier is cruel and selfish for keeping her despite the situation! He can''t have them both!"


    As much as the people around them talked, the two made no sign of making a move. They stayed seated, not saying a word, but still holding hands. As hurtful as the talks were, they put on a facade of remaining unfazed. He only loved when his phone vibrated and he answered the call.


    "What the hell are you thinking?" Victoria''s angry outburst echoed in his ear. "Do you n on humiliating that poor girl with you? Get out from there!"


    As much as he loved his mother, he could not deal with her right then. It was then he noticed the time, they had been waiting for Nicole for close to twenty minutes. He had a feeling she was doing ut deliberately, so he was not going to give her the satisfaction of calling to check how far she was. And so, they waited another twenty minutes and that''s when thedy of the hour showed up.


    Xavier''s jaw ticked as he watched her saunter in wearing a designer loose fitting dress to amodate her current condition. He only noticed she wasn''t alone when a young man slightly young than him sat next to her.


    "I would apologize for beingte but I did it on purpose. Tell me, how does it feel to be kept waiting?" she smirked, plopping her elbows on the table.


    The waiters did not bothering to ask for an order and simply watched. Their meeting was practically an indirect marketing technique for their restaurant!


    "Did you hire a bodyguard just for this?" Xavier spat with a raised brow, ignoring her snarkiness.


    "Bodyguard? Oh no! This is my brother", she said with a smile patting his shoulder.


    "You''re an only child", he deadpanned with furrowed brows.


    "Don''t mistaken me with one of your conquests. Speaking of which, is this your new ything? You must be thick-skinned to stick around, but I get it. His dick game is good after all", Nicole shot a taunting smile at Lorraine.


    Xavier used one hand to restrain Lorraine who was evidently pissed and was mid standing up. His face turned stone cold as he threatened Nicole, "You will watch what you say. She''s not someone who you can speak so carelessly about."


    "And she''s not someone you can threaten", Nicole''s brother bit back.


    "You", Xavier turned his death re to him. "Will not speak to me unless to."


    "I''m not your little bitch, she''s sitting right next to you", he sneered only for a secondter for him to grunt in pain as his face violently swung to the side and shocked gasps echoed in the restaurant followed by cameras shing. "Fuck!"


    "Xavier!" Nicole gasped, standing and rushed to her brother''s side to examine him.


    "I cannot hit you", Xavier pointed at Nicole then turned to her brother with an icy re. "But I definitely can hit you. Don''t provoke any more than you already have."


    "That was caught on camera", he sneered in a warning while wiping his bruised lip.


    "Sue me", Xavier answered leisurely as he sat back down.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Xavier this woman is ruining the purpose of this meeting. Make her leave!" Nicole shouted, abruptly standing up.


    "She came with me, she leaves with me", Xavier seemedid back as heced his fingers with Lorraine''s before his demeanor turned icy. "Now sit the fuck down, if not, leave."


    She huffed out an annoyed breath and sat back down, obviously displeased with how he was siding with Lorraine who had not uttered a word. He should sympathize with her since she was pregnant and not Lorraine. She red at her but Xavier''s question snapped her out of it.


    "Nicole, why am I here? This could have all been dealt with privately and it would save you a lot", he said.


    "Me?" She chuckled and leaned in to whisper. "Our breakup could have been dealt with privately but you chose to publicly humiliate me. So take this as pay back and you won''t try anything funny with the public''s eye on you."


    Xavier''s eyes narrowed. Did she quickly forget who had started that in the first ce? This woman! Nicole smirked and proceeded to list her demands. "I am carrying an heir to the Frost empire so it''s only right that you take responsibility and support and fulfill my demands. You will get rid of this, this woman beside you and reunite with me. I want my baby to grow up into aplete family so that means we have to get married, preferably as soon as possible, before the baby is born. I''m sure the Frosts provide shares as a trust fund for their children, my baby should not be an exception. I want-"


    Xavier broke out into an unamusedugh cutting her off and shook his head before he turned serious. "No."


    "Xavier?!" She hissed.


    "I will do no such thing. Keep dreaming!"


    "I don''t get why you are so hang up on him", Nicole''s brother started. "He''s a no good motherfucker who only thinks with his-"


    He was cut off by another hard punch that sent him falling off his chair and to the floor. Nicole gasped and quickly rushed to him. "Stainer!" She cried out and red at the source.


    "I was going to sit here and not say a word since he''s doing so well, but I just can''t stand anyone, I mean anyone insulting my man", Lorraine said a calm voice but there was anger in her tone too.


    Nicole red at Xavier, "Xavier are you just going to watch?"


    "I have no control over her reaction, I guess it all depends on how you both conduct yourselves", he smirked.


    "Ugh", Stainer cupped his nose that was dripping with blood as Nicole helped him back in their seats. "I think it''s broken."


    "If this is how you react in public I wonder what you would have done to us in private? After all, you''re more rich and powerful than us! All I want is for you to take responsibility for your actions! What did my brother do to deserve this??!!!"


    "You wanted to have a meeting with Xavier, my expectations of you were not that high but I at least thought you would be civil. Is insulting him necessary?" Lorraine red at the two.


    Murmurs now echoed in the restaurant as well as online for those streaming the meet up. They were apalled by Xavier''s actions mainly using him for abuse of his authority and greatly sympathized with Nicole. Lorraine was also on the receiving end of hateful reactions when she made it worse by what she said next.


    "You''re lucky I don''t hit women", Stainer growled but soon grunted in pain. Speaking was now proving difficult.


    "You''re lucky I hit men", she bit back making Xavier smirk. Wait, he was a man too.... and her hits were definitely strong. Before he could say anything, she turned to Nicole looking at her stomach. "How far long are you with your pregnancy?"


    "What''s it to you?" Nicole asked as she fixed her dress so it remained baggy. She sneered, "Do you n on taking my baby away and raising it with him?"


    "The only baby she will be raising is the one I will personally put in her womb and raise it in our matrimonial home." His tone was firm and dismissive, leaving no room for argument but Nicole was not having it.


    "What about me? Did you not hear what I said earlier?"


    "You didn''t answer her question", he interjected, leaning back in his seat. He shook his head, "You must have thought me to be a fool Lorraine. You thought by causing all this ruckus and sending pictures of your sonogram and pregnancy test would be enough to rope me into your little web of lies. And doing this in such a public setting. I did warn you that it would bite you back."

 Chapter 358 Meeting Nicole 3

    ?


    Nicole''s jaw dropped and a hint of panic shed in her eyes. She concealed it and was about to speak when Xavier extended his palm sideways. A man among the customers walked up to their table and ced a file in Xavier''s hand before walking away.


    "You have no idea what a headache you caused but thanks to the pictures you sent, I did some digging. You can''t me me for myck of trust especially knowing the cunning person you are." He threw the file on the table and papers with information as well as her baby''s sonogram and pregnancy test fell out.


    "I must admit, you almost had me, but when I did a little research", heughed. "Oh Nicole. That sonogram shows that the baby in your womb is only two months old. Now that made me wonder, how is that mine when you and I stopped being intimate at least a week or so before we broke up? And yet, since that time, it has been almost four months."


    "X-X-Xavier-" she stuttered as she picked up the papers with shaking hands.


    "And of course, before you say anything else, those results are credible, it''s the same hospital you got tested at and you can ask them. There was no abuse of authority involved, I simply exercised my right as the supposed baby''s father, but of course, we now know that''s not the case."


    "Xavier, Xavier", she left her seat and knelt before him. She was close to breaking down as she pleaded with him and that sent everyone into shock! How the tables have turned! Does she mot learn?


    Xavier looked at her then Stainer who faced away, reeling in pain from the broken nose but visibly beating himself up for the failed n. Xavier looked back at Nicole then scoffed, "First it was your best friend, now it''s your brother you worked with to make a fool out of me. After years of getting less than I deserved in rtionships, I finally found my happiness, my love, my home." He looked at Lorraine with a gentle gaze and who stared back withplicated gaze. He kissed the back of her hand.


    "Xavier. Xavier please", tears streamed down her face as she pleaded with him.


    "I think I let you off too easy the first time. This time, you almost cost me something so precious. You''ll pay for this", he promised.


    "No, please, think of my baby. It needs me, please", she pleaded.


    "Fuck thus!" Stainer abruptly stood up and made to leave. He had only taken one step when he was quickly surrounded by three huge scary looking men. The leader shook his head no with a sly smirk ying on his lips.


    "I am innocent in all this, it was all her!!" He shouted at Xavier.


    Ping!


    Xavier''s phone chimed, followed by Lorraine''s, then everyone else''s chimed in that moment. People murmured wondering how they could all have received a notification right then.


    "It''s a video."


    "y it!"


    Lewd sounds echoed in the room especially since most of them yed it at the same time. Nicole felt the judgemental gazes directed at her and she quickly reached for her phone and her eyes grew wide in horror. It was like dejavu! There she was, bent over her desk in her apartment, stark naked and her ''brother'' pounding into her from behind.


    "What did you do?" She looked to him. His face spelled confusion and she got up from the floor and grabbed his cor in anger. "Why is there a video of us circting?"


    She showed it to him and he grew shocked and horrified. "I-I only had those on my phone. But I didn''t do this!"


    "Those? There''s more? How could you do this Stainer???" She cried and hit his chest with her clenched fist.


    "They''re in an encrypted folder only I know the password."


    "Then how do you exin this Stainer?"


    "I''ve been hacked! Someone hacked my phone!"


    Xavier stood up taking Lorraine with him and led her out of the restaurant. Nicole saw Xavier leaving and rushed to him only for another set of bodyguards to block her path. Videos of them were being taken and the paparazzi fed off their predicament.


    "Stop taking pictures!" She shouted while shielding her face with her hands.


    "Stop it! I''ll break your fucking cameras!" Stained shouted in rage.


    Yet, that did not stop anyone. Nicole watched Xavier pull out of the parking lot and she slumped to the floor. It was all over for her.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Meanwhile, the car ride home was silent. But the atmosphere was different from early on. The two felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off their shoulders. Lorraine was so lost in thought when suddenly Xavier stopped on the side of the road.


    As soon as she turned to him, he grabbed her face and nted his lips on hers. He licked her lips seeking entrance and she granted him. His tonguepped against hers, stealing every breath of hers until she could not handle it anymore.


    He broke into a big smile as he rested his forehead against hers. She was smiling too as she caught her breath when realization dawned on her and she pulled away and started hitting his arms.


    "Ow! Ow!" He whined while trying not tough.


    "How could you! How could you?! Do you know how hard it was to not show my surprise? You could have given me a heads-up that you found all that out!"


    Lorraine had insisted on going with him because she saw how frustrated he was with the whole situation. Nicole was treating Xavier like a fool, humiliating him like he meant nothing. She could not stand for it, she knew how pathetic it looked, but she at least wanted to stay by his side. Was she stupid or had she really falled for this guy thag badly?


    Xavier caught her wrists and pulled her into his chest. He breathed in her scent and rxed, "Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for sticking by my side. I almost lost you and I couldn''t just sit and watch. I didn''t tell you because I was afraid of giving you false hope and I only learned of the results this morning on our way since the doctor was busy. I am so sorry Lorraine, and thank you."


    She hugged him back andced her fingers in his hair, massaging his scalp. After all the drama, everything now felt peaceful. That''s one of the things that Lorraine made him feel, peace.


    He closed his eyes to bask in that feeling. The two stayed like that for a moment when a thought ured to him. Something Stainer said clicked in his mind. He released Nicole and dialed for Amy''s number.


    "Xavier", Amy answered more softly. She sounded exhausted.


    "I guess someone kept you up at night", he mused.


    "Huh?"


    "Roserie. She kept you up, didn''t she?"


    "Oh-Oh! Yeah", she cleared her throat awkwardly. "I''m sorry I didn''t get back to you sooner. I guess you didn''t need my help after all."


    "No, yesterday''s phone call was a big push. That''s what made me realize the truth that was staring at me right in my face. Thank you for that", he said with sincerity.


    She chuckled, "You''re wee. We''re family."


    "But then again sis", he started. "Did you have to send their video to everyone?"


    "Oh that! I meant to send to just the four of you but I picked on the different IP addresses around you and haha! My fingers slipped."


    "That''s enough, she needs to rest", Zach said, taking over the phone. "You did well."


    He hang up right then making Xavier re at the device. He looked up to find Lorraine who had her jaw dropped and realization soon dawned on her. "She''s really A.J?"


    Xavier chuckled at how cute she looked and was about to respond when his phone rung again. His lips curled up seeing his mom''s caller ID before he answered.


    "Xavie-" Victoria''s sobs echoed between them as he had put her on speaker as well. "Xavie, I''m so proud of you. I''m so proud of you. Your father stopped me from going after you but we watched it online. I''m so proud of you baby."


    She sobbed some more making Xavier smile. Most of the time, it had been Zach who cleaned up after him but watching him put his foot down and not fall into the trap Nicole set for him, she could not help but feel proud. All of this because of Lorraine, he didn''t want to lose her.


    "And about Lorraine", she sighed. "I don''t know what to say...."


    "I''m never letting her go", Xavier said, making a silent promise to the said person with the meaningful gaze he gave her. She smiled in response.


    "Oh! You don''t have to tell me twice....", Victoria chuckled then sniffled. "Bring her over. I''ll have lunch prepared for both of you."

 Chapter 359 The End 1

    ?


    Hurried footsteps were heard of people moving in urgency. Some were running, others speedwalked, some were shouting at each othermunicating on what needs to be done. A woman wearing a pair of blush pink stilettos with a royal blue dress arrived at the scene.


    "Mrs. Frost, you''re here!" She smiled at Victoria.


    "Oooh! Annaliese, this is exactly what we wanted", Victoria smiled in approval.


    "You just couldn''t wait now, could you?" Henry spoke from behind her. He wore a well fitted navy blue suit with a blush pink tie to match his wife.


    "Of course! It''s a Frost wedding! I want nothing but perfection!" She said proudly making Annaliese smile. She leaned in and pointed at the alter, "By the way, that looks a bit crooked, can you have someone fix it?"


    "Victoria, let her do her job", Henry held her arms from the back and looked at Annaliese. "You said it yourself, it''s a Frost wedding. She knows what to do."


    Annaliese felt a shiver run down her spine and cold sweat start to break on her forehead. As if the pressure wasn''t already there, Henry just made it worse. He took his wife and walked away. Victoria''s phone started to ring from her purse. She took it out and put it on speaker.


    "Mom! I''m freaking out! Everything is moving too fast! We literally have 33 minutes before we start off. Oh my god!" He cried out in panic.


    Victoria sighed hearing her son. "Deep breaths honey. Deep breaths. You''re okay. Breath with me. Breath in-"


    Henry snatched the phone and growled into it in annoyance. "Xavier, how many times have you attended public events to freakout now?"


    "This is different!" He cried out in frustration making Henry''s lips to twitch.


    Victoria snatched back her phone and red at her husband. "Stop judging him. You were no better when we were getting married. Your father had to stop you from jumping into a taxi outside the church because you were afraid of walking down the aisle."


    "The attention is overwhelming", he grambled at being exposed.


    "Jeez Dad, some hypocrite you are", Xavier said in disapproval.


    "Whatever, stop freaking out and help calm your brother''s nerves instead. I''m sure he needs it more than you. We will be busy weing the guests. Don''t call us back", Henry hang up right after.


    On the other hand, Xavier let out a frustrated groan seeing thr terminated call. Following his mother''s advice, he took a couple deep breaths and walked out of the bathroom. He pulled on his ck suit jacket and walked over to the lounge area of the hotel room they stayed at.


    George, who was in a simr suit, was standing by the window with his back turned to him. He nced over his shoulder at Xavier who saw himughing and smiling, it was obviously Nora he was talking to.


    He walked over to join Zach in the lounge area who sat with his leg crossed over the other in elegance. He had his eyes closed, fingers rapping against the armrests.


    He was in a ck suit as well but it was a little different with a touch of blush pink outlining his cor and a hint of velvet on his zer. It was a signature from J''s. He sat with his bowtie undone, hairbed back to fully expose his beautifully chiseled facial features. He seemed to not care of the happenings around him.


    Xavier went to seat on a sofa next to his brother. Thetter opened both his eyes to be greeted with Xavier''s very nervous side profile. Stephen joined them with three sses and a bottle of scotch in hand. He poured them a ss each and gave one to Zach.


    "Xavier", Stephen called out.


    "Huh?" He looked over with wide eyes before looking down at the ss being offered to him. He shook his head, "I can''t take that."


    "Trust me, it will help you", Stephen said.


    He received it, Stephen raised his ss for a toast only to find Xavier gulping down the burning liquid. He smirked and clinked sses with an amused Zach before sipping on their drinks in silence.


    Xavier examined the now empty ss. "Can I have some more of this?"


    "No, you can''t have more than I gave you."


    It took a second for Xavier to realize what Stephen meant. "Did you- Did you put something in this?"


    "You were freaking out", Stephen confessed.


    "Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Why am I getting more freaked out? What did you do? Zach man, I''m sorry but I feel like I might fuck up as your best man. I-"


    "Nervous or not, you will still y your role", Zach interjected with brows furrowed.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Zach-"


    "Xavier", Zach stood up and held the back of his neck firmly. He made sure to hold his gaze before he continued, "This is the most important day of my life and I need you."


    The fear in his eyes was quickly reced with determination as he abruptly stood up. Zach needed him. "I''ll-I''ll make you proud. And I''m proud of you man!" Xavier pulled him into a hug and they gave each other strong pats on the back. They broke it off and he looked between the two.


    "Hey, I think the meds are doing it''s thing. I''m getting calmer."


    Zach looked over at Stephen with a questioning gaze only to receive a smirk. Zach smirked back and concealed it by sipping on his drink, he understood the little trick Stephen yed.


    "How are you guys so calm about this? I can''t be the only one freaking out. I bet Amy is freaking out too."


    Hearing her name, it tugged on Zach''s heartstrings. He could only imagine how beautiful she would look. He couldn''t wait to see her. It''s why he got ready so quickly in the first ce.


    The said person was at another hotel getting her hair and makeup done in a robe. The girls were already in their dresses just getting touch ups. Suzy marveled at how beautiful her friend looked in that moment.


    "I can feel your eyes on me", Amy said with hers closed as the makeup artist worked on her eyeshadow.


    "You don''t seem nervous", Suzy mused.


    "It hasn''t hit me yet", she said in honesty. She heard Roserie whine from the back and Ste shushing her. "Ste, if she throws up on herself, I prepared a spare dress for her."


    "Got it dear", she answered with a smile and looked over at the mirror in front of Amy and gasped. "My goodness, Zach might have a heart attack when he sees you. You look so beautiful dear."


    "Thank you", Amy blushed.


    "All done! Now let''s get you in your dress", the stylist said to Amy.


    She admired their handiwork, her hair had been styled in curls that were tied beautifully at the back leaving a few strands to frame her face and her makeup consisted of a light smokey eyes with nude lips glossed over. She had a satisfied smile on her face before she followed them into the bedroom of the room.


    Everyone anxiously waited for her to appear. A good ten minutester, the two stylists walked out first with huge smiles before gesturing with their hands in the direction Amy was to walk through. Gasps echoed when Amy walked out.


    She wore a pure white satin dress with a length that kissed the floor, the dress was snatched from the top to her hips to entuate her amazing figure, it was also adorned withce to show a decent amount of skin that went all the way to her wrists, and tiny diamonds to add a bling to it. On top of her head sat a crown covered by a cathedral length veil that extended longer than her dress'' tail.


    "What do you think?" She lifted the veil from her face to look at everyone when she caught sight of Roserie''s gummy smile. Amy smiled as she walked over. She dropped the veil only to lift it again only to earn another excited gummy smile with a throaty noise.


    "A!" Everyone cooed at Roserie who was in Ste''s arms, amused by her mother ying peek-a-boo with her.


    Amy was all smiles when she repeated her actions and earned an excited squeal from her while iling her little arms. Amy went closer and picked her up so she could give her chubby cheeks kisses.


    "You look so beautiful dear", Ste''s voice cracked as she was on the verge of crying.


    Suzy put her thumbs up while her eyes watered, threatening to release the tears. Amy smiled at her closest friend.


    "You look beautiful Amy", Lorraine said earning a ''thanks'' from Amy.


    "Yeah. Zach will probably want to rip it off when he-"


    "Nora!" Ste scolded before she looked back at Amy. "Give her to me."


    "It''s time!" Richard announced as he walked in and he stopped to take in how beautiful Amy looked. He walked over and kissed her forehead. "You look beautiful, kid."


    "Thank you, Richard."


    He smiled, "Now let''s get you married."

 Chapter 360 The End 2

    ?


    Amy, who was previously calm, was now nervous at Richard''s reminder. That was all that upied her thoughts as they drove to the church. She hardly responded to anyone, a little too nervous as they drew closer.


    At the church


    It was now time for the boys to enter. Stephen was the first, followed by George, then Xavier. Thedies of the book club gave each other a knowing look seeing the pretty boys.


    "This boy was just pretending", Henry mused in irritation seeing how calm Xavier was. He earned a nudge from his wife as she was too focused on taking pictures of him.


    "It is now time for the groom to enter."


    The ce went quiet when Zach stepped forward and walked down the aisle with each stride taken with confidence. The man was already handsome and on this day he just looked even more godly.


    Right after him, the girls walked in with all smiles and stood where assigned. He stepped off the alter and gasps were heard when they saw him smile. A baby''s coo was heard and everyone saw Roserie smiling upon recognizing her smiling father.


    "Hello princess", he picked up the little one from Ste and kissed her chucbby cheeks.


    "Aw."


    "Their behaviors are so simr", Lorraine whispered to Nora.


    "I''m convinced, I want one of those", Nora responded and gave George a knowing look that sent shivers donw his spine. Suzy only chuckled. Roserie started to cry when Zach gave her back to Ste.


    "Gosh Zach", Victoria shook her head at the crying child. She walked over to Ste. "Give her to me, I haven''t seen her all morning."


    The officiant waited for Victoria to go back to her seat and Zach resume his spot before announcing,"It is now time for the bride to enter."


    Out of habit, Zach pulled on his jacket to straighten it and blew out a deep breath keeping his gaze peeled on the doors.


    Right outside, Amy was taking a couple deep breaths to calm her nerves. Richard patted her manicured hand that was hooked in his arm.


    "It will be okay", he assured her with a smile which she returned with hers. "Ready?"


    Not trusting her own words, she gave him a strong nod and the doors opened. Gasps echoed the moment the beautiful girl took a step forward. Thedies from the book club came with their families, thedies from the golf club as well, Alex sat with Stacy and Ian, Rider and some other members of the FBI, Henry and Victoria feeding Roserie, and Ste. There were others Amy did not know but she guessed were important guests of the Frosts''. But none of these mattered to her.


    She looked up at the alter and everything in the background except for one man. There he was, the man she loved more than life itself, her rock. She was finally going to be his, and him, hers. A single tear fell on one side, followed by another on the other.


    It was close to a year ago that she was kidnapped and thrown into a hotel room together with this man. What started as a forced passionate night, only ended with each of them leaving a strong permanent print in each other''s hearts.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Zach felt a tear slide down his cheek too when he saw Amy walking down. Her ethereal beauty made him feel like heaven wasing to him instead. Almost a year ago he would''ve found it hard to believe that this day woulde.


    Her reputation for being a master at hiding still stands, it made him wonder how on earth he could be so lucky to stumble upon the gem that is Amy. Before her, all he was a working man and a protector of his family. But ever since she came into his life, he learned to be a littlw selfish and focused on his feelings and what he wanted, and that was Amy.


    It was only one night but that had changed his life forever. She may have disappeared from the world, but not from Zach''s heart. A lot of persistence, with a hint of fate''s mercy on them, and a little blessing in the form of their daughter Roserie along the way whom they loved more than anything inthe world, they were finally bing one as man and wife.


    "Who gives this woman?"


    "I, her father", Richard answered proudly before turning to Zach and whispered, "Take good care of her."


    Zach nodded before Richard exchanged a cheek to cheek kiss with Amy before taking a seat next to his wife. Zach took Amy''s hand and led her to the alter. She raised her hand and gently wiped away his tears.


    "Can I?" He asked, afraid to ruin her makeup. She chuckled and nodded away. "You look beautiful."


    "You too", she whispered and sniffled. "I didn''t think you''d cry."


    "I could not help it especially when I started to think about how we started till we got here", he answered honestly and her eyes widened.


    "I was- I was thinking about the same thing", she admitted making his brows shoot up.


    How were they so in sync? Was it really true about people who were deeply in love, soul mates? They both broke into smiles and Zach caressed her cheek under the veil lovingly. He was about to start a new chapter in his life, going down the path of forever, and he wouldn''t do it with any other person but the woman before him, Amy Jennifer Harper.


    "I love you", he breathed out, his honest heart reflecting in his gaze.


    "I love you too."


    Amy was no different from him. Her gaze mesmerized him on the spot. His gaze fell to her luscious lips that parted for him. He started to lean in and her eyes ttered close until they heard an awkward clearing of a throat from in front of them.


    The officiant cleared his throat once more under Zach''s re, "Sorry, but we haven''t gotten to that part yet."


    The audienceughed, amused at the couple that hadpletely gotten lost in their own world. Amy''s face heated up as she smiled, feeling embarrassed, "Sorry."


    "Sorry", Zach apologized. He took her hands and cleared his throat making her sh her beautiful smile once again.


    The priest nodded and started to speak, "Dear beloved, we are gathering here today..."

 Chapter 361 Epilogue 1

    ?


    At Frost Corporation


    Zach was seated behind his desk, sses resting on the bridge of his nose watching as his long fingers moved to sign off a file. A feeling of satisfaction swelled in his chest as he closed the leather file and he handed it to his secretary.


    "Send a message to the department heads that everyone should wrap up their work in two hours and go home."


    "Sir?" Her eyes grew saucers at the order.


    "Start your weekend early", he said and he got up.


    He took his jacket, shrugged it on and left. His bodyguards were already by his side as they escorted him to his car. The entourage left Frost Corporation''s parking lot. The four cars emerged on the busy roads of New York. It was even busier as it was during lunch hour.


    Zach sat with his elbow resting against the door, chin resting on his fist hand where his wedding band shone under the bright sunlight that seeped through the tinted windows. He kept his gaze outside, face looking cold, no one knew what was going through his head.


    After a good thirty minutes of driving and dodging traffic, they finally arrived at their destination. Gomez got the door for Zach and the man stepped out. He walked past a young man leading out a toddler who was going off telling his mother about his day.


    Excited squeals could be heard from kids in the yground and he subconsciously looked over. Not seeing who he was looking for, he entered the building. The noise only got louder he couldn''t even hear his own thoughts. As he walked further in the hallway, he heard something that caught his attention.


    "Roserie! Get your bag, your Dad is here!" A female teacher shouted before giving him an acknowledging nod that Zach returned as he stopped right outside the ss.


    "Daddyyyy!" Roserie came running with her brte pigtails swinging, arms wide and a big smile on her face with two front teeth missing.


    Zach automatically went down on his knees and scooped her up in his arms before standing up. "Hey Princess."


    "Bye Miss Chainey", Roserie waved at her teacher.


    "Bye Roserie, see you on Monday", Miss Chainey smiled at the little one.


    "How was your day Daddy?" She asked with inquisitive eyes.


    Zach''s lips lifted into a smile, "It was good, and how was yours?"


    "It was fine. I had to forgive Eric today. Hi Gomez!" She smiled at the man who held the door for them.


    "Young Miss Roserie", Gomez gave the cute little one a smile.


    "What do you mean you had to forgive Eric? Did he do something?" Zach asked while putting away her bag and leaving her on hisp before the car started to move.


    "Well, it''s actually Mommy''s fault", she replied innocently.


    Zach''s brows furrowed, "How?"


    "Mommy.... Mommy..." She started, she willed a pitiful expression, lower protruding in a pout and it quivered, and her dry eyes now showed signs of tears.


    Zach saw through her but he yed along and started to pat her back and probbed gently, "What did mommy do?"


    "Mommy- Mommy told Miss Chainey to make sure I finish my carrots and Eric started calling me a rabbit and made funny faces at me so I started crying and Miss Chainey asked me to forgive him so I told him he looked like a blobfish when she was not looking and he started crying-"


    "A blobfish?"


    "I had to forgive him", she whined in protest. "Uncle Xavie said an eye for an eye."


    An annoyed groan reverberated from his chest and he mentally noted to have a talk with Xavierter on. She frowned and looked up at him, "Did I do something wrong?"


    "Roserie, if someone bullies you at school, you tell your teacher, or your mommy and I."


    "So I should not stand up for myself?" She asked looking confused.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "No sweetheart, I''m not saying that you shouldn''t....", he groaned mentally. How does he exin without contradicting himself? Damn that Xavier! "Let''s talk about this when we get home."


    "Okay!" She said happily when her eyes lit up. "Daddy I want to show you something!"


    He hummed in response. Without leaving him, she stretched her little arms trying to reach for her bag that was on the other end. Zach chuckled, "Should I let you go?"


    "No, I''ll get it." She didn''t want to leave his arms. Those were her safe heaven.


    "Let me get it for you", he offered and she thanked him happily.


    As soon as he handed it to her, she rummaged through the bag and fished out a neatly rolled paper. "Miss Chainey said we should draw our family. So I drew everyone."


    "Wow, this is amazing princess!" He gazed at her with proud smile. She had draw stick figures with a little meat and differentiated the crayons used to draw their skin to their hair, clothes and shoes. He truly believed that his daughter was talented.


    "Thank you!" She smiled up at him before she started pointed who was who from the center. "This is you and Mommy, then me, and Liam. I made him stand."


    "That''s okay. He''ll be doing that soon anyway", he replied.


    "Then this is Grandpa and Grandma, Uncle Xavie, Aunt Lorrie, Oliver, Uncle Georgie, Aunt Nora, Grand paw paw , Grammie, Aunt Alex, Ian, Stacy, Uncle Stephen, Aunt Suzy, and Trevor. And this is Grannie", she pointed at a sun that shone above everyone on the paper. "Mommy says she watches over us."


    "She does", Zach agreed with a smile. Amy never failed to tell Roserie about Joanne and the stories from her childhood. "Why don''t you show this to Mommy when you get home? I bet she''ll love it."


    "Really?" Her eyes lit up.


    "Mm."


    Speaking of Amy, he wondered what the beauty that was his wife was doing. His heart started to thud from excitement as they drew closer to home. Roserie went on to talk about her day to her father up until they reached home.


    "Young Miss Roserie", Edmund greeted with a smile as he held the door for them and collected Zach''s bag.


    "Hi Grandpa Eddie!"


    "Wee back, sir."


    "Mm. Where''s my wife?" He asked while handing Roserie her backpack.


    "In the gym, sir."


    Zach squated down to Roserie''s level, "Why don''t you go up with Danielle and change and I''ll go find your mommy?"


    "Okay!"


    Zach watched as Roserie run to Danielle who was already waiting before going upstairs to her room. The little one run her mouth probably filling her nanny in on her day Zach turned and left to find his wife. What was she doing in the gym during lunch hour of all times?


    He went to the West wing and weaved through the hallways until he heard the faint sound of music echoing. Amy always yed music whenever she did her ptes. Not expecting anything less, he pushed open the double doors and felt his breath hitch.


    Amy stretched in a child''s pose and lifted herself up in a downward dog position. Zach was greeted with the image of her plump ass facing him. She went down in the original position and finished with thetter. He adjusted his trousers before locking the doors behind him.


    Slowly she rolled up and stood sideways, giving Zach the view of her side profile, hair worn in a ponytail, her voluptuous breasts being confined within a sports bra, her tiny and t waist. She had gotten rid of her mom pooch thanks to ptes and Zach''s intense workout. Her plump ass d in tights sat atop her sexy long legs, and finishing with sports shoes.


    "Hello husband", she nced at him while lifting her front leg, raising it to her chest and stretching it.


    "Wifey", he acknowledged as he walked over.

 Chapter 362 Epilogue 2

    ?


    She put down her leg and slowly sunk into a split. She raised her arms above her head and stretched, pushing out her chest in the process. "How was your morning?"


    "Splendid. What are you doing?" He tucked his hands into his trouser pocket, not bothering to hide the visible tent that was as a result of her actions.


    "Working out", she answered with a smile before tucking her legs underneath her and sitting on her heels.


    "Just that?" He asked and she hummed in response. She leaned back and sat back up only toe face to face with her husband''s crotch. "Because it seems it''s a lot more than that."


    She looked at his evident arousal before looking up at him with an innocent smile. "You''ve got it all wrong."


    She stood up when he started to back her up till her back hit the wall. He smirked, "Really? Why can''t I believe you wifey? If I put my hand inside your..."


    He carefully watched her and a hint of lust reflected in her eyes. If anything, she looked like she wanted him to touch her. And he did. He slipped his hand inside her tights and she gasped when he thrusted two fingers into her wet cave.


    "Hmmm", he arched a brow at her wetness. Her face grew even redder but she bit her lower lip to contain her moans while clutching his suit jacket. He slipped out his hands and licked off her juices under her watch.


    One at a time, Zach lifted her legs to his waist so she wrapped them around him. "The cameras are conveniently not working right now when they were in the morning."


    "Coincidence."


    He grabbed the tights material on her crotch and easily tore it apart exposing her glistening sex. He hummed at the discovery as he started undoing his trousers and letting them fall to his feet. "No panties."


    "Coincidence." Her eyes were on his thick member that was confined against his boxers.


    He hooked a finger under her chin and made her look at him while he took his cock out. "Is it?"


    "Ye- Ohh!"


    He mmed into her, not caring to hear the end of her little lie. He held her thighs and pounded into her cave, it''s wetness coating him with each thrust. She cried out her moans into his ear while he grunted in hers everytime he mmed into her.


    In the East Wing


    "I''m done!" Roserie came out running with a towel wrapped around her body. Danielle examined the little droplets of water on her face whereas parts of her body werepletely dry.


    "No. You''ve been in there for two minutes. Unless you want me to get your mother, you''ll go back in there and have a proper bath", Danielle said strictly. "Or do you want me to bathe you?"


    "Nooooo!" She quickly run back and did as told. The little one still dreaded the process of bathing although she didn''t mind the water.


    A good thirty minutester, she was out. Danielle gave a smile of approval. As she helped her dress up, she saw a her trunk sitting close to the door. "What''s that for?"


    "I''m not sure. I think your mommy would know. One hand in, and the other."


    "Where''s mommy?"


    "Probably in the gym. Why? Do you miss her?" She teased.


    "Liam is crying", she replied. Danielle sat still and listened before she gasped. "Goodness, you''re right."


    She run with Roserie right behind her and went to the room next door to retrieve the crying child. She took a bottle to feed him but he turned away while hot tears run down his face.


    "Why don''t you to the kitchen for a snack and I''ll go get your mommy?"


    "Okay", she stood on her tip toes and patted his bottom like she had seen her mother do. "It''s okay Liam. Don''t cry."


    Danielle sent her away and she beelined to the gym. She could hear the music and gave a hard knock hoping to be heard. To her luck, Amy heard her the first time.


    "Wh- What is it?" Amy shouted breathlessly.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Madam, Liam is awake!"


    "A-And?"


    "He''s refusing the bottle!"


    "Okay! I''ll be right therrrrrrreeee!"


    Danielle had an odd expression. She knew ptes lookee simple but they were hard exercises that needed a lot of resilience. It sounded like she was doing an intense workout!


    Twenty minutester, the family of four were now seated at the table. Zach at the head, Roserie to his right, and Amy joined them to his left with Liam in her arms. They both had changed intofortable clothes. Zach red at his little boy who was speaking babynguage in Amy''s arms.


    "Don''t you think it''s high time you stopped breastfeeding him?" He started.


    "Zachery", Amy said tiredly at his obvious jealous.


    "How can he refuse a bottle? I think he does it on purpose."


    "Only you think that. Babies are different. Just because Roserie could take a bottle doesn''t mean Liam should too. Plus you know I can''t stop feeding him, he''s only six months old!"


    "You don''t know that", he grumbled.


    "Daddy Liam is six months old. Mommy told me!"


    "And finish your broli youngdy, stop ying with it", Amy scolded.


    "Daddy", she looked at Zach pitifully.


    "Oh!" He seemed to remember and cleared this throat before turning to Amy who was already looking at him. "Darling, I had a little talk with Roserie today. Our daughter was not happy with how you told her teacher to make sure she finishes her vegetables. Darling, remember Roserie is a big girl, at five she''s already Liam''s big sister, so she doesn''t want you reminding her to finish her veggies. She can do that without you meddling! Right princess?"


    She nodded vigorously at her father''s words. He smiled, "Prove it to her that you can do it!"


    Roserie forked the remaining broli and cleaned her te. Her cheeks were puffy as she chewed. Amy tried not tough as her cunning husband smirked. "Wow. You''re really a big girl. I won''t meddle anymore. Right, cupcake, go clean up. We have to leave in a few."


    She waited to swallow first before asking with curious eyes, "Are we going somewhere?"


    "Yes, Daddy is taking us somewhere for the weekend."


    "Where are we going?" She asked excitedly.


    "It''s a surprise for your mother", he replied with a smile and loving gaze directed at his wife.


    A few hourster, an excited Roserie soon found herself running around apound where a huge mansion sat. It was not as big as their home but still, and it house a lot of ss.


    "Slow down cupcake", Amy shouted at Roserie who was running in front of them.


    She run back to her parents excitedly, "Are we at the beach?"


    "So it seems", Amy said with a smile. Zach walked them to the door and he took out the keys and gave them to Amy, "Happy anniversary."


    Amy gasped realizing what he meant and she leaned in to kiss him. "Thank you babe, but this is, this is so much more than what I got you."


    "Believe me, there''s something more precious than this that you got me. Now open the door, the kids might get cold", he adjusted the sleeping boy in his arms. Amy didn''t know what he meant but opened it only to-


    "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!"

 Chapter 363 [Bonus ] Epilogue 3: They Would Not Do Forever With Anyone But The Other

    ?


    Amy jumped back to be caught by Zach. The whole family was there and they apuded at the couple. One by one they gave the couple hugs and kisses.


    "Aww don''t cry", Suzy wiped away her best friend''s tears.


    "Happy anniversary man!" Xavier came to give a manly hug to Zach.


    "A blobfish, really?" Zach replied with a re.


    It took for a second for Xavier to realize and startedughing. "Roserie did you call someone a blobfish?"


    "Did you call someone a blobfish?" Amy gasped a little shocked.


    "Uncle Xavie said to stand up for myself", Roserie exined proudly and Lorraine tiredly shook her head. Xavier would never grow up.


    "You or me?" Amy asked through gritted teeth.


    "Give him here", Henry gestured to receive Liam who was now awake from Zach.


    "Bro, calm down", Xavier retreated at Zach''s re before he started running. Zach followed and Roserie was right behind them finding the chase fun.


    The rest interacted with each other, asking how their flight was, how their individual work was going; simply catching up on their busy lifestyles.


    Ste and Victoria soon sent them away to wash up so they could finish the talks over dinner. Henry and Richard sat together talking about ser as usual, Zach, Stephen, George, and Xavier sat together conversing over a beer, Trevor, Oliver and Ian sat togetherpeting in a video game, Ste and Victoria together, and the youngerdies together. The atmosphere was harmonious as they enjoyed their dinner.


    "So how was your first day at work?" Amy nced at Suzy''s three month old daughter who was in her father''s arms.


    "Terrible! I couldn''t stop thinking about Lilly!" She whined. "I''m so d I have those two to help while I''m away."


    "You can extend your leave. No one will question you, you''re the director after all", Amy tempted although she was serious.


    "I have to lead by example", she said with a shake of a head.


    "And how''s Lorraine doing today?" Amy looked at her with a smile.


    Lorraine sighed and rubbed the sides of her big belly. "I''m tired."


    "Soon you''ll miss that one being inside you", Nora said with a shake of her head looking at her four month old son in Victoria''s arms.


    "Now you know", Alex stuck her tongue out at her sister.


    She made the two womenugh. Amy heard a bunch of ''oohs'' and looked over to find Roserie showing her grandmas the family portrait she drew with Stacy peering over curiously. Amy, however, was interested in what Roserie had on her te.


    "Roserie?"


    "Yes mommy!" She looked up at her.


    "Come here. And bring your te too."


    She rounded the table and walked to her mother''s side. Amy took her fork. "I wanted to try this. Aren''t you going to finish this?"


    "I was going to after showing grammies the picture", she said. Amy nodded away and moved to fork another bite, "One more bite cupcake."


    "Mommy that''s too big...", She started to whine and turned to Ste. "Grammie, mommy is finishing my pieee."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "It''s okay sweetheart. I have some more for you, alright?" She said making the little one nod. She looked at Amy who gave a grateful smile and shook her head. "The way you''re eating that pie you''d think you''re pregnant."


    "Very funny. I wanted some walnut pie because it looked good", she replied.


    "Don''t you only like it when you''re pregnant? Otherwise you can''t stand the smell when you''re not", Victoria mused.


    Amy chuckled, "No, I can''t be pregnant already. I just had Liam. Plus I''m breastfeeding."


    "You can get pregnant while breastfeeding", Suzy said.


    "Still, I can''t.....", Amy''s brows furrowed as she tried to process something. "I can''t be pregnant. I took a test days ago and Zachery said I''m noo..."


    The table went silent and Amy turned a deadly re at her husband. Stephen coughed awkwardly as he discreetly told his friend, "I told you toe clean."


    Amy put down the te and turned to her daughter who was still beside her. "Roserie, get Daddy!"


    Zach quickly rose to his feet with Liam in his arms and took off to the beach that had LED lights to brighten the sand filled ground. Roserie squealed as she run after her father. Right behind her was Amy.


    "Darling, you can''t run in your condition!" He shouted over his shoulder while Liam was giggling.


    "A condition you hid from me? Is this the supposed ''more precious anniversary gift'' you were talking about?"


    "Surprise!"


    Roserie caught up to his short hurried strides and she wrapped herself around his leg like a ko. Zach tried to move and shake her off but that just made her giggle.


    "Mommy I got him!"


    "You little betrayer", Zach growled yfully which made both kidsugh. He stopped and waited for Amy to catch up.


    "A baby Zachery?" She crossed her arms and red at him. "How long were you nning on hiding this from me?"


    "Mommy are you having another baby?" Roserie asked.


    "Yes", Amy picked her and ced her on her hip.


    "Are they twins? Can I have twins? Sofie has twin baby sisters and it''s so cool", she gushed.


    "You heard the kid. Twins", Zach said earning a re from Amy.


    "Don''t push it", she warned and looked at Roserie. "Twins or not, you''ll be a big sister to two younger siblings now."


    Amy let out a shaky breath feeling overwhelmed by the new reality. Zach cupped her cheek and caressed it. "Everything will be okay. I''ll be with you every step of the way."


    And she believed him. From the moment they crossed paths, he had been there. What was one more kid with him and forever toe? It was Zach, she would not do it with anyone else but him, and him her. He pulled her closer and sealed the promise with a kiss.


    "E Daddy!"


    Liam followed his sister by whining in protest. The family of four broke intoughter as Zach and Amy tickled their kids in front of the view of the night sea. Family, Amy never thought she would finally have her own and yet, here she was. Their future was uncertain but at least they had each other to love and protect.


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