登入HAZEL"Say something," My mother whispered.Her shrill voice pierced the silence between us as I just sat there, taking it all in before shaking my head in disbelief. "Hazel." She stood to walk across the room to me but I pulled away from Beth."I don't..." I stuttered."I don't know what to say. I don't know what to feel." My eyes watered as they locked with hers. "I'm shocked and I guess I'm a little disappointed—""I know you're angry too and you have every right to be." Beth said and a hard lump slipped down my throat. "I'm not angry, Mum but I’m hurt. I'm hurt and I'm terrified. I can't believe you're here.""I can't believe you've been here all this time.""Hazel." The tears stung the back of her throat where her words emerged from and we both stood apart from each other like strangers. "I'm here now." She stretched her hands."Why!""Why now did you decide that it was time—was it because of Agnes?" I asked. "Or was it the article that showed I bore your grandkids for a billiona
NICHOLAS.PRESENT DAY."150 million dollars!"I swept my hand through my hair as I retired behind my desk. My advisor, Harry was speechless and so was I for the first few seconds."Where the fuck am I going to get that amount of money?" I asked."Even the inheritance doesn’t cover it—this means we have to hold off on any plans we have for this building and the future of Pearsons," I added and he heaved a deep sigh. "It's going to require more than that, Nicholas." He said "150 million dollars means we might have to sell the company." His words rammed through my chest like a sword and I arose from the chair. "That's not an option, Harry." I clenched my jaw.I grabbed his jacket, sliding my arms through the sleeves before facing him squarely. "I might have to remind you that we don't have many options." Harry muttered. A hard lump slipped down my throat."I'll find someone I can talk to.""Buy us some time, I mean I could get across to them—" "Get across to the mob?" He interrupted m
ELIZABETH. STILL THIRTY YEARS AGO.The night was long.So long that when Agnes opened her eyes, she realized it was just a little past midnight. She turned to her side to find me holding onto my child. I pressed her against my chest and placed soft, gentle kisses all over Hazel's face. When she looked at me, she chuckled.And I did too because I don't think I'd ever been as happy as I was in that moment."I thought you were sleeping." I said from across the room and Agnes stood up from the bed. "Actually, I was hoping that you were not." I added and a crinkle appeared between her eyes. "What happened?" Agnes could tell that something was off. I heaved a deep breath and looked at my daughter in my hands, her face was pale red and she was asleep. She'd been asleep for the last few hours yet wrapped in a blanket.Peaceful.Not a lot of them were."I think I know what I want to do." I then lifted her gaze back to Agnes as she sat into the bed. "But first, I need you to promise me that y
ELIZABETH.THIRTY YEARS AGO."You have brought nothing but shame to this family!"Dean was outraged as his eyes wandered over me. I stood in the far left corner of the living room with my hands held tightly together and my chin facing the ground. There were shrill murmurs that echoed in the household and Agnes was the first to step forward."That's enough." She pulled my hands but Dean struck her away. "You stay out of this, unless you want to be sent packing as well." He threw her a death glare and she let go of me as I sobbed. My hands slid over my bulging stomach as I avoided his terrorizing eyes. Dean inched closer and grazed my chin with his cold, callous fingers. "You are carrying a child for a man who's yet to be married—a man who you knew was engaged. Now, what is society going to say about you?" He questioned."What are they going to say about us?" He gritted his teeth, turning my face harshly away. "Dean!" My mother called his name with a scared expression across her face.
ELIZABETH.THIRTY YEARS AGO."I met someone."Agnes arose to lean against my bed. I grabbed a fistful of the duvet in my hands as my eyes met my sister's. I twirled my hair and my cheeks had gone red just thinking of Harold. He was perfect and unlike anyone I had ever been with."I left you for one night," Agnes rolled her eyes and we shared a chuckle. I stood up from my own bed, sauntering right into Agnes’s own and tucking myself beneath the sheets. "He's gorgeous, he's funny and sweet. He’s gentle and when we kissed, it was the first time I felt these butterflies.""Like the ones in the books." I gleamed and by the way she looked at me, Agnes could tell I was already gone. That I was completely swooned by this man I had only just met. My descriptions weren't bad, in fact they were nearly perfect but Agnes had a crinkle come between a cautious gaze."What is it?" I tugged on her arm."I just want you to be careful, you know." She whispered but I blew raspberry while rolling my eyes
ELIZABETH.THIRTY YEARS AGO."May God give to us and all whom we love his comfort and his peace, his light and his joy, in this world and the next; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon us, and remain with us this day and forever" "Amen" There was a loud chorus from the congregation.There were also flowers everywhere, of many colors but most of which were black. Black was everywhere, filling the air with grief and loss. There were a bunch of long, sad faces which looked upon the open casket as it was lowered into the ground.I couldn't watch most of my father's funeral and so I clenched my sister's palms. "Agnes is it over yet?" I asked. Agnes was the strongest of the two of us—holding her shoulders high enough for my chin. She cleared her throat and then muttered a response."It's over now." She whispered."He's not with us anymore" At her words, I lifted my gaze to meet Agnes’s moist eyes. "So what happens now?" I looked at our mother
HAZEL."Giselle loves the new designs!" Evelyn said from across the room with relief in her voice. She'd just gotten off the call with Giselle after resubmitting some of her more authentic designs. She told me how their last meeting went and I watched how hard she worked her ass off these last few
HAZEL. "Is it Elijah's baby?" There wasn't a single thought or question that didn't pass through that hadn't passed through my mind. I was just twenty-two, already with a failed marriage and now a fatherless child. "Are you certain the doctor tested well?" Evelyn asked. I held the phone against m
HAZEL. I clinked the bottom of my glass against the table. I sniffed through my nostrils with tears dried on my cheeks. The club lights strobed and the music thundered in my chest. "You know you should put yourself out there" Evelyn's voice pressed against my ears as she reached for yet another
HAZEL. The door creaked open and Evelyn walked in. She stood right behind me and her hands held the ends of my flowing white dress "You look so beautiful, Hazel." She said and I turned to face her. My face was flushed and drained of every color. "I'm scared," I didn't know when I blurted out. A







