Chapter 20A maid?Elara Winterfell.“Do you know those people?” Tanya asked as she eyed Rowan's bodyguards that sat not far from the counter where we stood.The day was sunny, and we had an influx of customers today. The peach floors had been totally scrubbed to look shiny, as well as the few tables and chairs that the customers sat waiting for their orders. Rowan's bodyguards sat in one of them, staring straight at me, a fierce and hard expression on his face.“Just a little.” I whispered back to Tanya.“Well, what do they want? They are scaring me, plus other customers here…" She whispered back in the lowest undertone she could muster. I almost couldn't hear her.“I don't know.” I lied through my teeth.I knew why they were here. They came looking for me. I should be used to it by now. Anytime they showed up unceremoniously in front of me, it meant that Rowan wanted to see me. I knew I was going to face this in due time, but how was I going to explain to him that I didn't have a su
Chapter 19Another Issue.Rowan Nightshade.I pinched the space between my eyebrows, my hands shaking in anger.“What do you mean by she disappeared last night? As a ghost?” It felt like my brain was about to explode at the incompetent staff I had employed.“We've been reviewing the footage, sir.” His voice was shaky. “It shows her leaving the room last night, but the children were not with her.”“What? What do you mean?”The air conditioning in my office seemed to get even colder as my knuckles turned white.“We think the friend who visited her last night took the children, while…"I banged my fist against the table before cutting him off. “I don't want to hear it! Find her and bring her to my house in the next one hour!”“Your…" His voice trailed off. “Your house?” The voice was laced with shock. “Sir… We can arrange a hotel or something…"“Did I stutter?”I could hear a loud gulp from the other end of the call. “No sir. You made yourself absolutely clear!”“Good!” And with that, I
Chapter 18To Safety.Elara Winterfell.It was late at night. Things had quietened in the hospital. I heard slow footsteps making its way towards my ward, and I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep.The door was pushed open, and the perfume that filled my nose made my eyes fly open. I was going to kill her for daring to show her face here!“You witch!” I snarled as I jumped from my bed, wincing in pain as the surgery wounds hadn't healed yet. I rushed towards her. “You paid them to kill my children didn't you?”Isabel faked a confused expression on her face. “I don't know what you're talking about.”“Don't lie to me, you witch!" I shouted back as I came closer to her, my legs were still weak as I didn't have that much balance. "You said you were going to hurt them, you said …"Isabel suddenly pushed me away, and I found my body flying towards the sofa.“I didn't do anything, Elara.” Her voice was calm, and she turned to me with a small smile on her face. A smile that made her look
Chapter 17 Hospital Sabotage.Elara Winterfell.*Six Months Later*I felt something slippery pool down my legs as I stood behind the counter of the bakery, about to hand over some croissants to the customer who was in front of me.My eyes flew wide in surprise as I looked down. Had my water broken? And, as if to answer my question, a sharp and intense pressure washed over my lower abdomen and I could feel my eyesight getting blurry. The pain was so immense that it radiated to my back and thighs. The packaged croissant slipped from my hand on to the counter as I rushed to hold it for support.“Are you okay, ma'am? You don't look too good.” The customer, a nice old lady that was a regular, asked calmly.My head was spinning, and the room suddenly became very hot. The doctor had told me that I wouldn't be giving birth this early. I still had two more weeks to go. My body was covered with sweat as I struggled to breathe through the pain.“Oh my God!” Tanya almost screamed as she rushed
Chapter 16Her Threat.Elara Winterfell.Four weeks had passed and the threatening messages from Connor did not stop.“Hello?” I picked up the call, barely hiding my annoyance. “What do you want again?”“La Vira hotels…" His voice was tight as he spoke into the phone. “Be there before 10am.”“Connor, you are married now! I can't come to see you in a hotel!” I replied hurriedly.What was his problem?“Then, tell me where you are and I will come see you.”If Connor said this four weeks ago, I would have happily divulged all information just to explain to him what really happened. But, there was little to no evidence of the events that happened that night. I recalled trying to explain things to him after our last encounter in the hospital, but he outrightly called me a 'whore'! He believed that I was trying to frame Isabel.“I'm not interested in seeing you, Connor. Have a pleasant day.” I was about to cut the call when he said something that made my fingers hang in the air.“When was th
Chapter 15A Wedding.Rowan Nightshade.“Is that all there is to this?” Daniel leaned against one of the bookshelves that lined against the wall, one leg crossing over the other.“What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes slightly drooping from the exhaustion that threatened to eat me up.“I mean this Elara woman!” He said with a little annoyance.I knew what he was talking about, but I just felt like he was reading too much into things.“What about her?” I asked again, and I could see his knuckles turn white in anger at my frustrating response.“Look…" He pushed himself away from the wall and took cautious steps towards the sofa I was sitting on, “If Connor finds out…"“If Connor finds out what?” My eyes darkened immediately and my jaw tightened in anger. “What does it matter to him?”“He is your best friend, Rowan…"“I don't remember having a best friend!” I replied coldly, glaring at him.Daniel smirked, his eyes lighting in a cunning way. “That hurts me to hear, Ro. What are we, then? W
Chapter 14A Mistake.Elara Winterfell.I sat across Dr. Colton who had asked me to come to the hospital for a check-up. His office was warmly painted which calmed my anxiety.“How have you been feeling, ma'am?” He asked with a fatherly expression on his face.“Elara.” I said, and noting the confusion on his face, I clarified what I meant. “I mean, please, call me Elara. 'Ma'am' makes me feel old.” I chuckled awkwardly.His smile deepened even further and he nodded. “Okay, Elara. How are you doing?”“I'm fine. I'm okay.” I nodded to him.“No pain or discomfort anywhere?” He probed further, his voice was smooth and calm, blending with the quiet room.“No. None.” I shook my head.“No spotting or bleeding?”“No. None.”“What about morning sickness? How often do you get them? Have you been repulsed by any of your favorite foods recently?”“Uh…" I paused to think, and when nothing came to mind, I shook my head again. “I haven't felt any morning sickness, nor have I been repulsed by any foo
Chapter 13The Two Truths.Rowan Nightshade.The office was quiet like every other day, until Catherine stepped in with a stack of folders in her hands.“Hello, sir" She said professionally as she walked into the office. “Here are the files that I have worked on. It has been completed, and all that is needed is your approval before I send it to the required departments of all the companies we own.”I nodded to her and pointed to the corner of my table. She understood the sign and dropped the documents there. I didn't need to speak much, in fact, I barely ever spoke.“Sir…" She drew my attention again, and I nodded for her to continue. “Your friends just arrived. Should I let them in?”“Who and who?”“Daniel Russo and Dean Salvatore.” She said.I tried to hold down the growing irritation in me as their names were mentioned.“Let them in.” I said calmly, even when I knew I was going to regret this.“Whoooooo!” Daniel's voice was the first irritating voice to reach my ears. “Hey, man!”I
Chapter 12Finding The FatherElara Winterfell.“Where are you going, ma'am?” The cab driver asked me as I settled into the cab.“Um…” I paused for a few seconds while taking out the card in my pocket. “I will be going to the Nightshade hotel on the ninth street, three miles after Skyline Avenue.”The man glanced at me from the rear mirror, and I could guess what was on his mind. What would someone like me be looking for in such a place, I didn't even look properly dressed to enter the hotel?“That would cost…”“I know.” I gave him a steady gaze and relaxed back into my seat.I had been able to find a nice and little one-room apartment that was going to be my home until— I don't even know when, but it was manageable. Though situated in the slums of the state, it was livable, and I could survive that way without spending too much. All I needed right now was to lie low until everything blew over before I could go job hunting again. For now, the little money I was loaned, I was going to