Joan's POV
I sat down at the table, my eyes focused on my plate. I could feel Fredrick's eyes on me, but I refused to meet his gaze. I heard him clear his throat, and I knew he was about to say something. I braced myself, hoping it would be something neutral and not too personal."How are you feeling about school?" he asked, his voice sounding hesitant.I took a deep breath and forced myself to answer. "I'm fine," I said, my tone clipped.Our parents looked up from their breakfast, their eyes wide with surprise. "Wait, what?" my mother asked, her voice filled with confusion. "You two go to the same school?"I felt my cheeks flush, and I knew I was starting to turn red. "Yeah," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper."But how did that happen?" my stepfather asked, his brow furrowed. "Did you know about this?" he asked, turning to Fredrick."Yeah, we're in the same class," Fredrick responded, his voice still hesitant. "We didn't talk much at first, but we've been getting to know each other recently."My mother and father looked at each other, their expressions unreadable. I held my breath, waiting for their reaction. Would they be happy that we were getting along, or would they be upset that we had kept it from them?"Well, this is certainly a surprise," my mother said, her tone light. "I had no idea you two were classmates.After breakfast, my stepdad offered to drive us to school was we kindly refused. What would the reaction of our friends be, hearing that the nerd girl and the Playboy were living in the same house, the attention and drama wouldn't be what either of us would want.As we walked to school, I could feel the tension between us. Fredrick turned to me, his eyes serious. "We shouldn't tell anyone about this," he suggested, his voice low. "I don't want people to think we're related or anything. I just want us to be friends."I nodded, understanding his concern. "Of course," I replied. "I wouldn't want people to think that either.""You have a nice body though. From last night." He chuckled."Shush... What the fuck are you saying?" I was slightly embarrassed. "Someone might hear you," I added."No one is here." He smiled.We walked the rest of the way in silence, each lost in our thoughts. I couldn't help but wonder what this new development would mean for us. As we entered the school, I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. I knew that everyone would be curious about why I was with Fredrick, and I wasn't sure how to explain it. I could feel eyes on us as we walked down the hallway, and I tried to ignore them.We went to our first class, and as we sat down, I could feel everyone staring at us. I could hear the whispers, and I knew they were all wondering what was going on. I did my best to ignore them, but it was hard to focus on the lesson. During the closing hours of school, the senior class boys had a football match.Fredrick stepped onto the field, his team ready to play. The game began, the ball being kicked off by the opposing team. The players ran back and forth, the ball zipping between them. Fredrick was a blur of motion on the field, his speed and agility remarkable. The crowd was cheering loudly, the excitement building with every goal.The game went back and forth, each team putting up a fierce fight. The clock was ticking down, and the tension was palpable. The crowd was on the edge of their seats, the roar of the crowd growing louder and louder.It all came down to the final seconds of the game. The ball was in play, and the two teams scrambled for control. Fredrick was racing down the field, his eyes locked on the ball. He darted and weaved, his speed putting him ahead of the pack. He was close to the goal, the crowd holding their breath.And then, in a flash of movement, Fredrick took the shot. The ball sailed through the air, time seeming to slow down as it approached the goal. It hit the back of the net, and the crowd went wild. The buzzer sounded, and the game was over. Fredrick's team had won! Fredrick was mobbed by his teammates, the crowd erupting in cheers. He beamed with pride, soaking in the moment. As he made his way off the field, he spotted me in the crowd. Our eyes met, and I saw the excitement and joy in his eyes. I gave him a small smile, and he returned it with a grin of his own.Even though I hadn't been on the field with him, I felt like I had experienced the game with him. His passion and joy were contagious, and I couldn't help but be swept up in it.After the activities for the day, I went home alone because Frederick was having a meeting with his teammates. As I walked home alone, I felt a sense of relief. I was glad to be away from the prying eyes and the constant whispers. But at the same time, I felt a little bit lonely. I knew that Fredrick was doing something he loved, but I couldn't help but feel left out.As I approached my house, I saw my mom's car in the driveway. She must have come home early, I thought. I frowned, confused when my stepdad informed me that she had gone out and he was alone at home."She left without her car?" I asked, my voice laced with concern. "Where did she go?" I asked my stepdad.My stepdad shrugged, looking just as puzzled as I was. "I'm not sure," he replied. "She didn't say anything to me. I figured she went out with friends or something."I nodded, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it was weird.I was exhausted and stinky from the football match cheering, I needed to freshen up. I pulled off my school uniform and went into the bathtub and ran a cold bath. After the bath, I came out of my bathroom into the bedroom and I saw my stepdad standing there.I quickly rushed and covered my nakedness with a towel. "What the fuck are you doing here? Go away!" I yelled but he still stood there, his eyes blazing like they wanted to devour me."I like what I see, my son won't enjoy you alone, I want you." He replied, walking closer to me.In a penthouse far from the world's trouble, Joan and Fred had just gotten the best news yet: she was pregnant with their second child after their first child, Janet.Their happiness was boundless; it was a miracle yet again. Fred held onto Joan’s waist, swimming her in the living room as they danced to the song made by the trees that surrounded them, while Janet clung to their feet, dancing around with them.It’s been three years since they had problems that were out of the ordinary—three years of utter bliss and love at their peak. And there were no enemies at their doorstep; they were so far from world trouble that they had forgotten what it felt like to be hated.After the gunshot at Joan’s wedding, Sophia shot herself and died at the reception. The wedding made news about how the billionaire's daughter shot her ex-boyfriend on his wedding day.Everyone criticised them for making her lose her own life; they trolled her for being his stepsister until they found out what really warr
Joan’s POV“You can take a look now,” the makeup artist said, turning the drafting chair so I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was left speechless, and she placed the veil on my head, making my heart jitter.It looked so beautiful. I looked this beautiful, and it was a surprise to me at my wedding that I wouldn’t see my reflection till the final touch, just staring at the final touch.“Do you like it?” She said, patting my cheek with a makeup brush.“It’s perfect"“Well, I hope the groom is more shocked than you because you look stunned," she said, and with a fine touch, she kissed my forehead.It was my wedding day, and I had been up since 5 a.m., but it was worth it; the look was perfect.Few hours from now, Fred and I would be arriving in the church to exchange our vows before the reception, and even after so much planning, I still felt a knot in my belly, my heart pounding and my hands itching to be held by him.I imagined what he would look like and what his reaction woul
TWO YEARS LATERJoan’s POVThe weather seemed so cold today. I stretched my hands to feel his body, but it's nowhere to be found—not even close enough after rolling to the edge of the bed.“Baby,” I whispered, yet nothing at all"Babe, where are you?"Yet it was all so quiet. I waited a little; maybe he went to the bathroom. Looking at the side of the bed, it’s just 6 a.m. in the morning, so he either went for a run or would be back soon, so I waited, but it clocked nine and I was still on the bed.It’s a Saturday, and not just like every Saturday, it’s my birthday. I had expected him to wake me up with kisses and maybe good morning sex, but no, he chose to go out instead. I felt so disappointed in him.Picking up my phone I called him, but his phone was ringing, and he wasn’t answering. Fred was a sucker for his smartphone; he only slept two inches away from it every night, so I could swear that he saw my calls and heard all my endless voice messages, and he chose to ignore them.It
Fredericks POV“Never!”Dad turned immediately, shooting the first person who was unfortunate enough to be at the mercy of the pistol.George….“No!"Rushing towards him, I yanked the gun from his hands and pointed it at him.“Frederick, don’t shoot him; he can’t run anywhere now." George, who had just been shot in the arm, said he was bleeding on the floor and had now been carried away by the paramedics.Then I stared back at this embarrassment of a father. He held a smug look on his face as she stared deadpan at me.“You don’t have what it takes to pull the trigger; you think having balls like a man makes you any stronger; no, it doesn't; do your worst; you are just like me anyway.""Never; I am nothing like you; I never will be." I yelled, forbidding whatever he said. I had fought too much to remove that thought from my mind. I didn’t waste money on so much therapy just so he could look me in the eye and call me a replica.I was nothing like my father—nothing at all.“Fight it all
Fredericks POVAnother round of sex, a little kiss on the chin, some I love you and love you too, and she was good to go. I had just dropped Joan off at her school when I was driving back home.It’s been tough. So tough, but with all that had happened, at least I came out strong. The money from the inheritance was big enough to get me a house on the other side of the city, and I am currently building a car repair store. I had this undyinfnpassing for carsIt has always been my dream to own something like this, and somehow the universe came up to me at my lowest, gave me a fortune, and set me on the right path, which I took with the help of mom and Joan. I couldn’t be any happier, and even if I could, I knew it wouldn’t be different from this feeling I had inside.The feeling of utter bliss and no confusion, the calmness needed to pursue a dream I always wanted, the family support, and everyone else needed to get the perfect kickstart.And with time, I have come to understand that fami
Joan’s POVAfter mom's surgery, we were to go home and probably come to pay her regular visit, but that wasn’t the only good thing that had happened.Fred and I left the hospital and went back home, just to hear West crying. It was concerning, given the fact that Lisa should be consoling him, but he was banging on the door and crying bitterly when Fred and I pulled up at the house.“Hey baby, I am coming,” I said, rising towards the door and hitting on it so Lisa would open the door. I hoped she didn’t vent her anger on the little child who did absolutely nothing to cause her this much misery, but it seemed she wasn’t going to open the door, so Fred called her, endlessly hoping she would open the door but still doing the same thing.“Did she lock us out for good? You gave her the house, didn’t you?”“Yes, but is it not too quick to throw us out? I mean, I have things in there too." We started off by calling her name and banging on it even more. But it's still the same thing.“Move asi
Joan’s POVThe headaches, the gut feeling that made me want to sleep for a whole three days, and this crippling depression that I felt at the corner of my eyes made me feel like throwing up, but I didn’t drink beer; there was no throwing up here.I was just made to suffer the hangover coupled with this level of sadness that came over me the moment I opened my eyes. It's already morning, like most of the morning we had in this house. I wasn’t prepared to stand; I just wanted to survive the day while doing absolutely nothing.But it was mom's surgery; she needed me there. At least I can’t stay here or let Fred go all alone; it’s suicide, but seeing his face would be the end of me. I don’t want to know if he woke up well this morning or barely slept last night. I didn’t want to have the slightest affect shown towards me by him.I just wanted him out.But then again.Hospital..Mom…So I stood from my bed, then sluggishly carried my body to the bathroom. I was wrecked of sweat and liquor,
Joan’s POV“What?”“Yes, so just so you know, before you start blaming me for everything that has happened, I saw your message in the damn hospital. Get your head straight for once in your life, would you?"“Is mom okay? Where is she? What happened to my mother?" I yelled, pulling his collar. If anything were to happen to mom, I wouldn’t survive past today, and I made him know that with the way I reacted.“She’s fine, just a little seizure, and the surgery commences tomorrow, so we have to be there tomorrow unfailingly in the morning, and here you are, blaming me for taking time to see our mother; you are just, ahh, what will I do with you?”“Don’t talk to me like that; how would I have known?" I whined, feeling the pain of guilt down my chest; the liquor I had taken quenched, and my little uproar of courage died. I found myself wanting to cry again, but my eyes were tired, and if they had a mind of their own, I bet they would purge out of the socket. I had cried way too much today, b
Joan’s POVInside mom's room was the same as Jones's too, which this couple had defied; the broken vase was no longer there, so either Fred or his mother had cleared it because I wouldn’t, and not just that, I hope she hasn’t dented my mother's property because she was looking for something to steal; I won’t be quiet if that was what she was looking for.I would expose her to the world, and she would be dragged into it for the rest of her life. They could torment me all they wanted, but never my mother; she was too good to be despised continuously.Eagerly ruffling through everywhere till I finally saw a key similar to what she had explained, relief flushed over me.“Finally!”The tag and the address were just tagged at the side, and from the looks of it, wherever this warehouse was, it would take me an hour to get there, but since it was the only way I could find happiness on a day like this,.Why not?Shoving it in my pocket, I walked out of the room. I made my way out of the room j