Albert strolled down the hallway, a rare smile tugging at his lips after a quick meeting with the family doctor. But he came to a sudden halt when he spotted Annabel up ahead. His smile deepened. He made his way toward her, slow and deliberate, until he stood just inches away.Annabel looked up, her brows slightly furrowed. “Do you need something, sir?” she asked, her tone even, though there was a trace of curiosity in her eyes.Albert tilted his head, lips quirking in amusement. “You know, it’s not really fair,” he said, mock-pouting. “You call Andrew by his name, but I get stuck with ‘sir’? Why’s that?”A flicker of a smile crossed Annabel’s face. She dropped her gaze, then lifted it again shyly. “Albert.”He grinned. “That’s what I like to hear.”They held each other’s gaze for a moment—quiet, tentative, almost tender.It had been two months since Annabel’s pregnancy was announced. In that time, she’d found comfort in Andrew’s steady presence. Their bond had grown stronger, more na
The tension in the Torres mansion thickened with every passing day. It hung in the air like smoke—stifling, bitter, impossible to ignore. Mrs. Torres couldn’t hide her disdain any longer. Annabel’s continued presence in the house was an open wound she refused to let heal. Pregnant or not, all Mrs. Torres saw was a threat—an intruder deliberately tearing her family apart. As soon as she entered the kitchen, her sharp eyes locked onto the housekeeper. “Why are you still fussing around with all this?” she snapped at Mrs. Jones, who was stacking clean plates with trembling fingers. “I’ve been waiting for my coffee. What’s the delay?” “I—I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ll get it right away,” Mrs. Jones replied, her voice laced with apology and the faintest tremor of fear. “That’s not what I asked,” Mrs. Torres said, her tone now colder, more cutting. “Why the delay?” Mrs. Jones hesitated, wringing her hands. “It’s just… since Annabel hasn’t been able to do her chores, I’ve had to cover for h
Author’s POVAnnabel’s fists trembled at her sides, knuckles whitening with fury as she closed the distance between herself and Esme. The tension between them crackled like a live wire. Esme, unfazed by Annabel’s rage, met her gaze with a strange calmness. Her voice, though quiet, carried an unsettling certainty.“Yes… I got you guys drunk,” she confessed. “And I’m sorry.”The words had barely left her mouth when Annabel’s hand flew through the air, landing a sharp, stinging slap across Esme’s cheek. The crack echoed in the room, startling Andrew, who flinched in disbelief.Esme winced, her head turning with the force of the blow. Her hand rose slowly to cradle her cheek, her expression unreadable.“You’re a beast,” Annabel spat, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and betrayal. “You’re not even worthy of being called human.” Her breathing grew heavy, and her eyes burned with unshed tears. “What did I ever do to you, Esme?” Her voice broke, wounded and raw. “What could I possibly h
Author’s POV“No!” Annabel’s voice rang out, sharp with fury. Her eyes blazed as she stood her ground. “I will never give up my child.”Across the room, Mrs. Torres scoffed, folding her arms tightly. “We don’t need her child,” she said coldly, her voice dripping with disdain. “She can get an abortion. Tracy and Albert are getting married soon—they can have a child, a real one, not from some worthless girl.”Juliet’s fists clenched at her sides. Her jaw tightened. “Watch your mouth,” she snapped, stepping forward. “I don’t care how old you are—I will slap you if you speak like that again.”Mrs. Torres blinked, taken aback by Juliet’s boldness. “You see that? That one’s already disrespecting me!” she shrieked, turning to her husband. “I don’t want them here. They need to leave.”Andrew moved closer to Annabel, his expression softening as he gently took her hand. “No one is taking your child from you,” he said firmly. “It’s yours. And he will be protected.”Then he turned to his father,
Author’s POVThe room fell into a tense, suffocating silence. Mrs. Torres stood frozen, her eyes wide with disbelief, the weight of Andrew’s words crashing down on her like a tidal wave.“What did you just say?” she asked again, her voice trembling, laced with stunned disbelief. Annabel swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she stepped closer to Juliet, seeking silent comfort beside her.“What the fuck are you saying to me?” Mrs. Torres’ voice rose, her tone now edged with fury, barely restrained.Andrew’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t back down. “You heard me, Mum. Albert and I… we’re both responsible for her pregnancy.”It was like the floor beneath her feet gave way. Mrs. Torres staggered back a step, pressing a hand to her chest as if trying to hold her heart in place. Her sons moved instinctively toward her, but she threw a hand up, stopping them cold.“Don’t come close to me,” she warned sharply, regaining her posture with visible effort. Her gaze darted between the three of them
Author’s POV“Annabel, you need to calm down,” Juliet said gently, concern tightening her voice. “Panicking won’t solve anything.”Annabel clawed her fingers through her hair over and over again, her movements frantic and uneven. A broken laugh escaped her lips—sharp and hollow—as tears spilled from her eyes. She suddenly turned to Juliet and laughed again, louder this time, as if something inside her had snapped.“I’m pregnant, Juliet,” she whispered, her voice thick with anguish. “I’m pregnant… do you hear me?” Her tone escalated into a scream. “It’s over for me. My life is over.”She dropped to her knees, collapsing like her bones had lost the will to hold her. Juliet rushed forward, trying to lift her, but Annabel resisted, remaining curled on the floor like a shattered version of herself.“Annabel, please,” Juliet pleaded, tears now running freely down her cheeks.At last, Annabel let Juliet help her up. Her face was pale, her lips trembling.“Look at me,” Juliet said, gently tak