Chapter 116

Zayden

The days passed so slowly. I had carried such a heavy weight on my shoulders till this very moment.

How did I survive these last twelve months in solitude and without Lillian?

I spent my time being on good behaviour and obeying every single instruction the officers gave.

Don't get me wrong, life in prison isn't something you should wish for. And it also isn't for the weak.

There had been about two to three suicide cases each month. What kept me going was the thought that I had a wife and daughter to go home to, unlike my roommate, who had no one outside these walls.

I don't know how he managed to crack jokes each day and interact with other inmates but his outspokenness gave me some solace. At least I got the chance to get my mind off my predicament and enjoy some good company.

I did learn a thing or two from the people here. Half the population of Inmantes claimed to have been wrongly accused. I believed it because the guilty ones bragged about their crimes every chance they got so they could earn some respect and fear from others.

My roommate was also the one who told me the government grants parole every year to five prisoners who seemed fit to be back into society.

And the criteria to meet for parole is to be of best behaviour and not cause any trouble.

That was the only reason I maintained my cool and why I did whatever shit I was told to.

I needed to get out of here fast, I'm missing Lillian too much and our daughter.

" I missed all her firsts." I crooked out as I cuddled Laura in my arms.

" No, you didn't."Lilian ran her hands around my shoulders. I even missed her touch, nothing had been the same without her.

Seeing her now was like I could finally breathe.

" She hasn't taken her first step yet. She's only grown one tooth, so you've not missed much." She added.

I swallowed the painful lump in my throat." I'm going to miss her first  birthday."

I had done the maths myself and she'll be one in a few months.

" No, you're not because we are going to celebrate her birthday right here together." She said.

My heart warmed up; I think I'm getting softer these days, and I've been showing too many emotions more often.

Laura started tugging at my shirt, trying to lift herself up. I took in her features so I could remember what she looked like once I was back in my cell.

" She's fat...why does she have small breasts? You're feeding her too much."  I squeezed her cheeks, they looked like balloons.

Lillian chuckled." She's a baby and babies are fat or have chubby cheeks."

I wrinkled my brows." I don't want her to be fat once she grows up because she's going to be a model. She needs the right figure."

Lilian rolled her eyes, and that second, I contemplated telling her about the parole but stopped myself.

What if I don't get selected? Five is a small number and the selection was going to be thorough. I don't want to get her hopes up because we haven't been informed about anything concerning the selection yet. I wasn't even sure if I was eligible.

It's already 12 months; normally, the selection for this year should begin right now, but I don't know why there were delays.

I just want to get out and be with my family.

" I brought this for you." Lillian gasped, bringing out a photo album from her bag.

She took Laura from me so I could take a good look at the album. I flipped through real quick and a smile appeared on my lips.

I looked over at her and she winked at me. I leaned in to whisper in her ears." I can't jack off to this, Lilly. I have roommates."

Her eye widened, and then her cheeks turned red." That was not the purpose of the photos."

I crooked a brow. forgetting to lower my voice, I spoke loudly." Then why else would you give me your nudes."

Oliver cleared his throat and I finally acknowledged his presence." Oh, you're here too?"

He shrugged." Yes, I am,  in case you hadn't noticed."

We stared at each other for a few seconds before I moved forward to give him a hug.

" Thanks, bro, for everything."

He rolled his eyes." You should get that parole and come back to being CEO....the workload is killing me." He whispered in my ears before letting go.

I gave him a questioning gaze. How did he know about the parole?

He shrugged again." I know a lot of things, Zay."

I returned back to my seat and picked up my daughter just as the officer came to inform me that I had fifteen minutes left.

"Oliver, have you seen Aiden?" I asked.

I had thought about him a few times. He was my brother, after all. I hated him before, but the source of that hatred was now gone, and I was worried about how he would take the revelation of our father.

Oliver shook his head." I haven't gone to visit him."

I cursed." you mean to tell me that not one of you and gone to visit my brother?"

" I did go once, but he refused to see me, so I left," Lillian added.

I sighed. Aiden must be feeling too guilty to face anyone, but it had been a year, and he must have been lonely.

I had tried finding ways to see him, but we were kept in different wings, and his area was more secluded than mine.

" Please, pay him a visit at least once and tell him that......" I paused, swallowing the words that almost escaped my lips.

" You know what I'll tell him myself if I ever get the chance to ....just go see him once in a while. I don't want him to be lonely." I told Oliver.

They all stared at me like I just spoke gibberish.

" What?" I crooked a brow.

" You used to hate each other, why the hell do you sound like you miss him or care about him?" Lilian was the one who asked.

I huffed out a breath." He's my brother, I'm just worried about him."

"Okay, but the Zayden I know, barely gives a shit about his existence," Jade added.

I rolled my eyes." A lot of things had happened. Things have changed."

Lillian rested her hand on my shoulders." I'll go see him, don't worry."

I nodded at her, placing a kiss on her temple.

" How's Sage doing?"

The colour in Oliver's eyes drained." She's...she's holding up."

" And the baby?"

The table turned silent, with their faces downcast. I knew immediately that something had happened.

" What happened to the baby?"

Oliver sighed deeply." She had a miscarriage or rather stillbirth."

The news hit me hard, I felt pity for sage. If she hadn't been stupid and clouded by jealousy then she would have made a good friend.

Lillian tapped my arm, and I leaned in for her to whisper in my ears.

Jade rolled her eyes." What are you two whispering about again."

A smirk appeared on my face as I scrutinized the hall. There was a restroom at the far end of the hall and an officer standing at the entrance.

I raised a brow at Lillian, and she nodded, a cocky smile on her lips." Let's go then."

I handed Laura over to Jade and we took our leave.

" Where the hell are you two going?"

We didn't respond and just walked briskly towards the officer standing at the entrance to the bathroom.

He blocked our path the moment we got close enough.

" Please get this off, I need to use the bathroom," I told him, putting on my best facial feature that I had mastered over the months.

He eyed us." You want to use the bathroom with a lady?"

I looked over at Lillian." She's my wife...is there anything wrong with that."

His hands came up to his pouch." This restroom is for visitors, not inmates."

I nearly rolled my eyes, I don't have time for this." Look, I haven't had sex in a year, and neither have I seen my wife for that long. This is the only time I can do this."

The officer's ears turned red." You...you want to do what now?"

I groaned just as Lillian stepped forward.

She pressed something in his palm real quick, flashing him a smile." Just tell whoever comes that it's occupied and cover up your ears."

She's gotten better at bribing, a bad trait she learnt from me.

The officer nodded, shoving whatever she gave him into her pocket and then he uncuffed me and let us through.

My blood thrummed in anticipation, don't blame me. The moment she made the suggestion, blood rushed to my dick.

I'm just a man who hasn't had a pussy in twelve months.