"Dada," Ava said, pointing at Damien's photo behind me as I changed her diaper. "Yes, dada." I said back to her. "Dada, dadada," she repeated over and over getting up on her own to try and touch the framed picture that her little arms could not reach just yet. I stepped back and watched her, letting my eyes meet his in the picture as he stared into the camera with a slight smile while he held on to me who was nervous at our wedding. Pictures like these were all over the house and they often made me reminisce on all of our moments. Moving on to the huge framed photo from our vow renewal, the love was finally obvious with the way we grinned so wide in the frame. I was finally happy after staying in loveless marriage with all the chaos for as long as we did. If anyone asked about when we got married, I usually fought the urge to mention the vow renewal's date cause that was when it felt like I had actually gotten married for the first time. The wedding buzz I didn't feel the first tim

The news had hit like a storm. Kingston Corp had been taken over just two months after the founder's absence and by none other than his uncle, Gerald Kingston. The house was surrounded before I knew it throwing me off balance and scrambling around like a headless chicken as I tried to figure out how this was possible. The staff were gathered in the living room by the time I got downstairs. Speak of the devil and he appeared, the person behind all this chaos was seated right there doling orders to my staff. "Gerald?" I called just as the workers gave way for me to approach him. Mom was standing next to him, looking defeated. "Hello Ariana." He said with a mocking grin. "When did you get released from jail?" I asked, not there to exchange pleasantries. "Oh you mean after your husband threw me in without a trial?" "I have nothing to do with that." I stated calmly, eyes trained on his saggy face. "Right, of course. I've heard a lot about you both. My deepest condolences over his

Life had been a rollercoaster. I was merely taking it one day at a time, carrying the burden of the blows it had dealt me with. It was a Saturday morning, some weeks since we moved in and I was doing routine cleanups when I peered outside the window and saw a truck approach and stop right in front of the gate. I came out to find out why they were trespassing on my property. I stood on the lawn and watched for a few minutes only to figure out it was a moving truck that carried stuff that seemed very familiar to me. It was then I spotted Amy. "How did you find this place?" I asked fiercely as I marched outside seeing that the movers were already getting to work after throwing greetings that I did not bother to respond to. "Ma Rosa told me about it. Can I come in?" She was so calm and seemed unremorseful. The blithefulness of her tone irked me. "No you can't." I bit out. "Ariana I'm not your enemy. I singlehandedly made sure all your stuff was brought to you even when Uncle Gerald di

"What day is it?" I asked Ariana randomly as she rolled me around the hospital premises. I needed the fresh air after being trapped in that hospital room for so long. And while it took some time for my eyes to adjust to the brightness of the outdoors, I appreciated the opportunity to see daylight again."Friday. Why do you ask?" She said."Date?""October thirtieth." "How long was I out?" I questioned and looked up at her after she had been silent for a bit."About three months." She eventually responded."That's a long time." Three months of unconsciousness. It must have been so hard for her especially with the kids.She let out a sigh - one that reeked of exhaustion."Yeah," "How have you been?" I asked, genuinely concerned about her wellbeing."I've been okay." She said with a shrug."No really, Ariana tell me, how have you been holding up?""It's been tough," she swallowed. "But I've been good.""The family, no one has come to see me." I said as soon as I remembered. My ability t

I was panicking. How could I possibly be pregnant? How far along could I have been before finding out? Wait, I went through my whole first trimester with no idea that I was expecting? No symptoms, nothing? This did not make any sense. "Irma relax." He exhaled. "Damien, I can't. How can this be happening right now? Of all times!" I exclaimed. His response was a blank stare. "What do we do now?" I asked him helplessly, like he could magically come up with a solution. "There's nothing we can do about it. I'm sure it's already a developing foetus." I brushed my palms over my face, disregarding dermatologists' advice against touching our faces with unwashed hands. "We'll be fine." He said. "Why is this happening to me?" I sobbed. "Ariana you're pregnant, not blind or crippled." "So you're disregarding how I feel because you're the one on a wheelchair?" I felt aggravated by his nonchalance. "That's not what I'm saying." "Then what exactly are you saying?" "I can't walk! I can't w