YSABELLE *TEN YEARS LATER* I was in tears seeing Ashley and Ashton dancing together in the middle of the living room. They looked cute together, no arguing, no fighting, no physical assault happened and I hope it will continue for the rest of the night– “Don't step on my feet?” “Your feet were just big. Make it smaller.” “Mommy!” “Okay, stop and go back to your chairs,” I said on the mic Everyone laughed at the scenario. There's no day that they won’t stop spewing nonsense at each other. I'm glad that the third child didn't have trouble tagging along when she came out from me. I looked around for Amara and saw her sitting on Ronan's lap. My little girl just turned nine last week and I felt like she was growing so fast. Just like the twins. It's their 18th birthday today and Ashley is simply celebrating her eighteenth year. Just us, family, relatives, and friends. We let Ashley decide on how she will celebrate her debut day and this is what she wanted. Just a
YSABELLE I was very nervous when I opened the door of the room but it vanished as soon as I saw the person we hadn't seen for ten years behind Ashley.“J-Jacob?”Ronan muttered silently behind me. “Ashton and I invited him, and finally, he agreed!” Ashley said without leaving a smile on her face.I gasp in disbelief. “I did, too! But he kept saying he's busy with his studies.”“I-I lied, Auntie.”My heart warmed, and finally, I could hear his deep and manly voice.“Wow… you're a grown-up now.”We only communicated through emails and messaging each other, but no video chatting. He never came whenever we invited him to visit us or visit him in Australia, but he refused to meet. He didn't want to video chat with us, and we respected his decision. The same goes for Ronan. I gaze at Ronan, who is silent and starstruck seeing his son– I mean, his son in the eyes of people around us. “Let's give them privacy,” I whispered to Ashley and pulled her downstairs.To prevent the public's and m
YSABELLE My fingers fidgeted at the handle of my handbag, patiently waiting for someone inside the visiting area. I glanced at my hand and saw sweat all over my palms.I'm not nervous or scared, but rather, I feel anxious every time I'm here in a correctional facility.Connor called me last night, wanting to see me. I was about to ignore him, but he begged. I'm not here because I pity him. I just want to see his condition in a bad way after ten years of not hearing anything about him.As far as I remember, the final verdict was thirty or forty years behind bars. And there is Paul, who received the worst sentence. The jury gave Paul a sentence of life in prison. Candice? She has the same verdict as Connor, but it was lessened five years ago because of her mental health.How ironic. The door opens and I meet Connor's lazy eyes. His hair grew long and messy, the same with his beard that I don't usually see. His white skin was now tanned and he looked skinnier than the last time I saw
YSABELLE Ronan walked up to me with a frown, but I knew he was not directly mad at me. He just knew where I had been and who I met a few hours ago. It's my fault for not informing him beforehand.“He asked my permission to see Jacob,” I said directly before clinging my arm around his and pulling him back inside the mansion.“And you agreed?”My brows furrowed. Seriously? He's asking me that.“Of course not. Why would I?” I said as I let his arm go and sat on the couch, tired from the long flight in Paris just to see Connor struggle with life in prison.I don't know why he thinks I agreed. Maybe he thought Connor still had a soft spot for me.“Why did he call you and not me?” He grumpily said as he looked stressed out about the thoughts.I shrugged nonchalantly. “Beats me.”He anxiously walks back and forth in front of me, which I find odd. Based on his actions, it seems like he doesn't want Connor to see Jacob.Connor has the right to see Jacob because he's the biological father if
YSABELLE “Ronan, find Jacob and Ashley.”“Why? Did something happen?” I could sense the worries in his tone, but it didn't take long.I sat on the bed while anxiously looking at the digital clock on top of the bedside table.“They didn't inform anyone here in the household where they were going.”He let out a deep sigh in the end as I heard something thud in his background. It's as if he just threw a folder in a heap of files.“Just wait for them to come home.”“But it's past nine–”“Belle, Ashley just became an adult. She's safe with Jacob. We will be alarmed if they don't come home when midnight hits.”I groaned as my feet couldn't stop moving because I was nervous. I stood up and walked back and forth while gazing back at the digital clock.“Why do you have to wait at midnight? I'm worried about the two. What if they got into an accident? Or are they stranded? Or–”“Belle.” His serious tone made my feet stop from panicking. “You're not like this before Jacob came. Are you suspecti
YSABELLE “Where the hell have you been?!”The three of them flinched in surprise at how I reacted to their sudden appearance. My pulse couldn't stop pounding even though it's obvious they're safe now.“We…” Ashley started but hesitated. “We took Amara from Aunt Jessica’s vacation home. She texted me that the sleepover was canceled.” She continued.“And we hang out in the arcade,” Amara said almost in a whisper, biting her lips anxiously.I firmly shut my eyes and massaged the back of my neck in relief. But frustration slowly delved into me that they couldn't even try to contact me or anything just to tell me where they were or what they were doing.They have a phone that costs thousands of dollars, so why didn't they use it for an important purpose? Was that only a flex and nothing else?Damn it!“W-We didn't notice the time and there's traffic on our way here. I'm sorry, Auntie.” I turned to them and met Jacob's apologetic eyes.I know it was not intentional, but since he's the old
YSABELLE I entered the dining room for breakfast. But I only find Ashton and Amara at the table, waiting for the food. Ronan was still in the shower when I came out to pick out the newspaper in the mailbox. But I don't know what's taking him so long upstairs.I sat on my respective chair.“Where's Ashley?”“Diet.” Ashton blankly said.I sighed deeply at how she always skipped meals because she was on a diet.“Ela, call her.”I don't want her to practice skipping meals. She once had been hospitalized for malnutrition, and yet, she still skips meals, disobeying her doctor's prescription. I was about to grab the bread when I noticed Amara taking out the veggies in her sandwich.“Have some veggies, Amara.”“Mom, it tastes so odd.” She said in disbelief.“Veggies are good for your health.”“But it tastes so odd.” I groaned in annoyance at how she was stubborn. “Just eat it, okay?”“I don't think so.”“Amara–”“Just eat it, or I will confiscate your Nintendo.” Ashton butted in with his p
YSABELLE “What did you just say, Ashton?” I tightly shut my eyes at how Ronan sounded. Rage and dismay lingered in his tone, and he was on the verge of scolding Ashton.“He's not your son. And obviously, he's not my real brother. So, why is he still in our family?”“Ashton,” I warned him to shut his mouth. He knows Ronan wouldn't like it if he brought up this topic again.“No, Mom. Why is he defending the son of the person who almost killed us? Do you think I didn't know about the past? I'm not blind and deaf.”I run my hands over my forehead, pushing back my hair in distress.“If I say he is your brother, then he is your brother,” Ronan growled.“Stop with that bullshit, Dad.”“ASHTON VOLKOV!”I flinched at Ronan’s outburst of fury.Why did it have to end up like this? I'm not looking at Ronan, scared to see his eyes shot on his own son. I hate it. I hate the fact that they are quarreling because of– “What? I'm your biological son, but it seems like you are more drawn to him tha