LOGINLEILA POV It was almost midnight. All the party guests had left, except for the five of us. I still hadn't spotted Michael anywhere after he got that call. The others assured me he had probably left to meet whoever was on the phone. I decided to stop worrying and help clean up Frank's place. I had tried calling Michael several times, but his phone was switched off. The more I thought about it, the more my unease grew. Nelly emerged from the kitchen looking agitated, her face pale. "Tony, I need you to drive me to Raquel's place." Her voice was tight, stressed. "Why? What's the problem?" Frank set down the plates he was holding. "I don't know. I just have a weird feeling. Something is wrong with Raquel." She wrung her hands together. "Baby, relax. Just call her." Tony moved to stand beside her, massaging her shoulders. "I have been calling her for the past hour. It keeps going to voicemail." Her voice cracked. "Keep trying," Kiera suggested. "No. I need to see her. I'm not ge
MICHAEL POV Two weeks had passed since Frank came over to invite us to his housewarming party. He had just won a major road construction contract, and he wanted to celebrate with everyone. Laila could barely contain her excitement at the prospect of seeing him again. She had spent an unreasonable amount of time in front of the mirror, fussing over every detail of her appearance. I was already dressed and waiting for her downstairs when she finally descended. "Hey, baby. How do I look?" She twirled in a black straight dress adorned with glittering designs. "You look fantastic." The compliment came easily. "Thanks. And you don't look bad yourself." She smiled, smoothing down my collar. "Shall we go now?" She nodded, and we headed out. We arrived at Frank's place about forty-five minutes later. The house was buzzing with music, guests milling about, drinks flowing freely. Laila spotted Frank and immediately engulfed him in a hug. I left them to catch up while I moved through the
MICHAEL POV "Laila, go upstairs and relax. Michael, follow me."My father's voice left no room for argument. Laila flinched at his tone. When I reached for her hand, she pulled away and headed upstairs without a backward glance.I followed my father to his study. The door clicked shut behind us, and the silence that followed was heavy, expectant."Michael, can you explain what happened downstairs?" He settled into his chair, his eyebrows raised."Dad, it's nothing. Just women and their usual nagging." I kept my voice calm, dismissive.He wasn't buying it. "You know women don't just nag for no reason, son. What pregnancy was she talking about?"I shifted in my seat, avoiding his gaze. "She jumped to conclusions. That's all."He chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "No. I was there. I heard that part clearly."I ran a hand through my hair, searching for an escape. There wasn't one. "Okay, fine. I visited a pregnant friend, and she started accusing me of being the father."His eyes n
LEILA POV I had been calling Michael's phone since I woke up. Every single call went straight to voicemail. Where the hell was he? Panic was starting to set in. I didn't know where he was, and I had no one to call. No one who would know. No one who would tell me the truth. I pulled on a simple straight dress and headed downstairs, planning to wait for him while I ate lunch. Maybe food would settle my nerves. Maybe he would walk through the door any minute with a reasonable explanation. "Good afternoon, dear." I turned. Dr. Yeboah was heading toward me, a warm smile on his face. His presence was comforting, even if my anxiety refused to fade. "Good afternoon, sir." I managed a smile, though it felt thin, stretched. "How was your night?" He pulled back one of the dining chairs and sat down. "It was okay, sir." I picked at my food, pushing it around my plate more than eating it. He studied me for a moment. "You look worried. What's the problem?" "Let me help you with that, sir
RAQUEL POV I had completely forgotten about Eugene's presence in the house when Michael showed up. That was the problem—I couldn't think straight whenever Michael was near. My mind scattered. My resolve crumbled. Every time. When Eugene appeared beside me, confusion written all over his face, an idea sparked. Desperate times called for desperate measures. I took purposeful steps toward him, rose on my toes, and pressed my lips to his. Then I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close. "Play along," I whispered against his ear I turned to face Michael, still wrapped in Eugene's embrace. The sight of Michael's clenched fists, his tight jaw, told me everything I needed to know. He was furious. "Honey, meet Michael. My ex-husband's son." I gestured with a sweet smile. "Michael, meet Eugene. My fiancé." Eugene stiffened. I squeezed his hand gently, silently pleading. "Nice to meet you, sir." Eugene extended his hand. Michael didn't take it. "Is everything alright he
MICHEAL POV"What the hell, Nelly? What was that for?" I gently pushed her away, breaking the kiss.She looked down, her demeanor suddenly shy. "I don't know. I felt like kissing you."I studied her, unconvinced. "Nelly, I know you were trying to hide something out there from me." She still wouldn't meet my eyes. "I know you're not someone who kisses a guy and starts acting shy. There's more to this."She fidgeted, guilt written all over her face."What are you hiding? Spill it." I took hold of her jaw, forcing her to look up."Michael, I have been waiting to taste your lips against mine. This was the perfect opportunity, okay?" A glint of determination flashed in her eyes.I shook my head. "Nelly, if that were true, you would have kissed me in front of others. That's how crazy you are." I caught the smile tugging at her lips."Michael, believe me. That's the truth." Her voice was almost convincing."Fine. Then I'm telling Tony." I pulled out my phone."Michael, wait!" Panic replaced
"Nelly, can you believe he came home with lipstick stain on his collar?" The words tasted bitter as I spoke them into the phone, pacing the bedroom where my husband's open suitcase lay like a gaping wound. "Again? What was the excuse this time?" Nelly's tone held that familiar mix of sympathy and
I surfaced from sleep feeling disoriented. Something cool and damp rested on my forehead. Blinking, I found Keira sitting beside my bed, her expression one of mild concern as she adjusted a wet towel. "What's going on?" My voice was a dry croak. "You're burning up. I think you have a fever," she
I watched my husband wordlessly begin to dress. The silence was heavier than any shouted accusation. My mind had gone frighteningly blank, paralyzed by a terror that rooted me to the spot. Was this the end? The room grew stiflingly hot, the air too thick to breathe. I felt submerged, drowning in the
His playful warning gave way to a deep, reclaiming passion. With a rough, eager pull, he tugged my skirt down over my hips, leaving me exposed. Before I could even gasp, his mouth was on me, his breath hot through the thin barrier of my lace panties. His tongue traced a slow, torturous path that mad







