chapter 1

STELLA

“Honey, are you done with brushing your teeth?” I ask while parking Zoey’s clothes in a suitcase

“almost done mama” she yells back from the bathroom. I close the suitcase and start heading to the bathroom to check on her when she walks in the bedroom,

 “am all done now” she says opening her mouth so I can see her teeth

“good, now let me tack you in, we have a long day tomorrow” zoey quickly gets on the bed, I carefully tack her in and kiss her forehead

“goodnight kiddo”

“goodnight mama, I love you” I switch off the light and about to head to  my room when she calls me back, “what is it honey?” I ask turning to look at her.

“can I sleep with you tonight?” I go to her bed and open my arms making her jump on me

“of course you can sleep with me anytime you want, you are my little angel” I carry zoey and quickly go to my room,

“mama, you said we are going to see grandma and grandpa, will my daddy be there as well?” zoey’s innocent question instantly makes me upset but I manage to compose myself and smile at her

“daddy is somewhere far honey, you can’t met him now but you will when you grow up” my response makes zoey sad, I pull her in for a hug

“now don’t think much about your dad’ I kiss her hair and sang her a song until she falls asleep. When i am certain zoey was asleep, I quickly reach for my phone and call mom.

A day back, mom had called me for the first time in five years informing me of my grandma’s death and how her last wish was for me to attend her funereal , I was hesitant considering how dad had disowned and kicked me out when he found out I was pregnant, I tried to come up with an excuse, has much as I loved grandma and wanted to attend her funeral, I didn’t want Dad to subject zoey to insults.

“stella” mom calls immediately she answers

“is dad still angry with me?” I ask

“honey, you know how your dad is, am sure he misses you a lot, he just doesn’t know how he can make amends for what he did” suddenly, I feel overwhelmed with emotions, even though I promised myself not to cry about this anymore, I am unable to stop the tears threatening to fall down my face,

“you talk as if dad is the only person who wronged me, you act as if you care about me but mom, you stayed five years without reaching out to me, five years mom, you cut me out and now….”

“there is no day I didn’t think or pray for you to be okay, I couldn’t reach out to you because your dad forbid us”

“that’s bullshit mom, if you really cared about me, you would have found a way to contact me, just admit that you too disowned me the day dad did” being a mother myself, I cant understand how mom never reached out to me, I know for a fact I can move mountains for zoey

“honey, am so sorry, I really am” I immediately hang up the call as I break down, I go to the bathroom and sit on the cold floor, talking to mom wasn’t a good idea, the hurt and resentment I felt towards my family comes rushing in again, my heart hurts, I decide I will go to grandma’s funeral so I can look them all in the eyes one last time because I know once I came back here, I wasn’t going to go back home no matter who dies next time.

When I feel a little better, I go to bed, I kiss my little girl accepting the fact she is the only family I have. I then remember the conversation I had with her, I get my phone and type a name on the search engine, Benji Edwards, the person I hated most.

 Various photos and information pop up about Benji, looking at his face, I feel like am looking at Ben making me feel guity just like any other time I thought of him. a tear makes its way to my face. Even after five years, I still love Ben. looking at Benji’s face, I feel so much hate for him, he was the reason my Ben died and I would never forgive him for that. Strolling through his information, I find out that he is Now among the youngest billionaies of new York since two years ago, I don’t get surprised as I know how much of a workaholic he is. I also find out he is engaged to a super model, I don’t pay attention to that and look through the photos until I find one of his daughter’s photo. Daisy was now grown at seven years old, she was as beautiful as her mom whom I knew all too well before her death.

Benji and Susan had been childhood lovers, they married immediately after graduating and began their family, unfortunately, Susan died when daisy was born. I can still remember how devastated Benji was, Ben and I tried everything we could to cheer him, we even helped taking care of Daisy.

Over these five years, I had thought of various ways to ruin Benji but nothing I thought of seemed enough. With a deep sign, I eventually put the phone away and try to get some sleep.

The next morning, I dress Zoey up and we take off. A few hours later, we finally reach new York, when we get outside the airport, am surprised to find a man holding a poster with my names, I walk over to the him’

“excuse me, who sent you to pick me up?” I ask

“mr Edwards ma’am” the audacity of that man, how did he even know I was coming?

“call your boss and tell him am not a charity case, I can find my way ho…” I pause as I realize I almost called this place home, this was no longer home for me.

“I will find myself to a hotel” has the man makes a call, I carry Zoey and walk away

“mama, do you know that man?” for a five year old, Zoey is a curious little girl

“I don’t know him honey”, i reply to her. in a slit second, someone unexpectedly snatches Zoey out of my hands causing me to fall, when I look to the person, I realize it is the man with the poster,

“what the hell do you think you are doing, you want to kidnap my daughter in broad day light?” I move closer to the man trying to get the now crying Zoey from him but the man pulls out a gun and points it at me

“ma’am, lets not cause a commotion, am simply doing my job.” The man says his gun still pointed at me

“I don’t know what Benji asked you to do but please give me back my child” I plead, I hate seeing Zoey cry

“I will give her back to you if promise you wont run off until Mr Edwards comes”, hearing that Benji is coming, I quickly nod “I promise” the man hands Zoey to me,

“stop crying now baby, I got you” I say trying to calm her down…

Three cars pull up in front of us, the one in front has two men dressed in a suit similar to the one the poster man is wearing, one of them opens the door of the car in the middle and Benji walks out,

Seeing his face, I am yet again reminded of Ben, I hate the fact that the person I hate the most has the face of the man I loved.

Dressed in a black tuxedo and black glasses on, Benji makes his way towards us. When he reaches were we are standing, he takes off his glasses revealing where his focus is, he looks at me then at Zoey

“who is this” he askes his eyes inspecting Zoey keenly

“mama, am scared” Zoey suddenly says her grip on me tightening

“you have a child?” Benji appears to be surprised while I try to compose myself even though I am panicking, how did I not think of this when I decided to come to new York.

“who is the father of this child stella?” he questions yet again this time looking directly at me..