Chapter 2

“No!” Eliana screamed, shoving Joan's hand away. “I want Kim to feed me.”

“Stop it!” Joan snapped, her face squeezed into a frown. Eliana flinched, shocked at her mother's sudden change toward her.

“Joan,” Kimberly snapped, rushing to Eliana's side and placing the girl's head gently on her chest.

“She's just a child and she's sick. You don't yell at a sick child…..”

“Don't tell me how to raise my child,” Joan's voice dropped to a hiss.

Kimberly exchanged a shock and angry glance at Keon, who immediately knew he had to intervene.

“Babe, Kim is just trying to help you….”

“And I don't need her help!” Joan said with anger. “She should leave me to take care of my child the way I want.”

Kimberly rose from the bed, picked up her bag and turned to the door, but stopped when Eliana let out a loud cry.

“I want her to stay, daddy,” Eliana's voice cracked, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Keon exhaled. He reached out for Joan's hand, locking eyes with her. “Kim means no harm, she wants the best for Eliana like you do. My love, please let her stay with Eliana till she gets better.”

Joan jerked her hand free. “So, I don't know how to take care of my child anymore?”

“I didn't say that, Joan,” Keon rose from the chair, closing the distance between them.

“You know how much Eliana loves to be around Kim, that can hasten her healing process.” His palm settled on her waist, “Please, my love.”

Kimberly's fist tightened around her bag strap. She stared at Keon's hand on Joan's waist, her jaw clenched.

“Fine,” Joan said and stepped back from him.

“I need to go home,” without saying goodbye, she shoved the ward door open and slammed it behind her.

“I don't like how you held her waist,” Kimberly said immediately after Joan left the room.

“Kim, you need to stay calm. Joan is seen as my wife and she thinks she's my wife as well, I need to treat her as such. Remember, my mother must not know I married you.” Keon said, his eyes fixed on hers. Kimberly's lips pressed together and she gave a reluctant nod.

In the house, Joan collapsed into the bed, tears dropping down onto the fabric. She had cried her eyes out even while driving home, yet the tears wouldn't stop flowing.

“I need to move out of here,” she whispered to herself. She wanted to stand up to pick her phone when her foot struck a small container and it tipped, scattering across the floor.

As she bent to gather the spilled pills from the tile, Keon's multiple betrayal flashed across her mind.

‘What if these aren't vitamins like he claimed?’ She quickly took a picture of the pills and sent it to her nurse friend.

“That's contraceptives, why are you using it?” Her friend’s reply popped up in seconds.

Joan's heart skipped, her phone almost slipped from her fingers.

Keon had been the reason she didn't get pregnant.

Three years of marriage and she could count the number of times Keon had been intimate with her. She had been the one who had initiated and begged Keon before he could come close to her, and he would always ensure she used a pill afterward, telling her they were just ladies vitamins.

“This is wickedness.” Joan's lips trembled as a tear rolled down her cheek.

After she gathered her strength, she walked into the bathroom, washed her red eyes, applied makeup to cover her dark circles and changed her dress. She was ready to go see a realtor.

In an hour, she was in Mr. Stephen’s office, and had already chosen the mansion she wanted for herself.

“How do I make payment?” She asked.

“Please, go to the finance desk and make your payment, Ms Evans,” Mr. Stephen said with a smile, sliding a paper toward her.

Joan nodded and headed to the finance desk. She slid her card across the counter and payment was made with all the money in there that she had saved from Keon's gift to her. She wasn't ready for anyone to know she was the heir of the Langley family yet, so she left the black card in her bag. That black card was one of her inheritances.

After she signed all the necessary documents, she walked out of the office with one of the agents to go see the house.

Her eyes were just on the road, they barely saw anything as her mind had drifted again. The blare of a horn jolted her back and her eyes snapped up. She had hit the rear of a car.

“Oh my goodness!” She exclaimed, rushing out of the car.

“What have you done, you poor thing,” the driver stormed out, charging toward Joan.

“You have to fix this,” the driver shouted, his face red.

“I’m sorry,” Joan stammered.

The chaos made cars stop. Some drivers rolled down windows to intervene, some held their phones out to make content of the scene.

A young lady, probably in her late thirties walked toward them. Her gaze locked on Joan and her eyes widened.

“Ms. Joan Langley,” she called out, her voice cutting through the noise. Everyone exchanged shocked glances.

Murmurs filled the air. How could a woman dressed like this, driving a worn Camry be called Ms. Langley?

“Don't be foolish, woman,” the driver snapped at the young lady, jabbing a finger in her direction. “I know the whole Langley family. They don't have a daughter.”

The young lady hissed at him and turned back to Joan with a soft smile. “I'm Mira, the head housekeeper of the Langley family. Your family wants to see you.”

“Se…e me?” Joan's voice trailed off, the words barely a whisper.

'How did she know me so fast? What's going on?'

“Yes ma'am,” Mira replied with a slight bow. The murmur in the crowd grew louder.

She stepped closer to Joan, lowering her voice so no one else could hear. “Attorney Mitchell came to the mansion today and showed your picture to everyone in the house. Your stepmother couldn't wait to see you.”

“I'm glad I helped her find you.” She added, her smile widened.

“Please, your family wants you. Let's go to your father’s house.” She said it again.

“My father's house?” Joan's heart skipped.