Feran glanced at everyone before he sighed, shutting his eyes close and thought for about twenty seconds before flicking them open. "But…no, grandfather. I can't…" "There's nothing impossible for you, Feran. I've tested your capabilities and you've passed all the tests I set for you. Now is the time. I'll inaugurate you as the heir of the Anderson conglomerate in three days time. And that's final," Feran's grandfather said and for a moment, Feran thought about everything again and went speechless. His grandfather continued. "They will be a great party for the inauguration. It would be one in a kind,so get ready for that party, Feran. Prepare an eloquent speech for the guests and I'm sure I won't regret this decision." "But why all of a sudden, grandfather? Why want to publicize me as the new heir of the business? Why soon?"Feran asked, dazed. "It's simply because I don't have time," Feran's grandfather said and a silence invaded which lasted for about a minute. "Feran, son,you…"Zi
Zita sighed as Zoey stared on at her, she could sense the impatience with her due to the silence that had lasted for almost a minute between then after she had closed the door. She spun and exhaled. "It's all my fault, Zoey. It's truly my fault. I never treated Feran like a son and I regret it. Zoey, I damn regret it. I rarely stood up for my son let alone supported him. I always succumbed to what my father-in-law wanted and I hid behind Leo's shadow because I never wanted to go against him. I was scared of going against him. My dear got the better of me and turned me into an insensitive person,worst of all, an inconsiderate mother to Feran. But I blame no one other than myself. Feran is acting cold towards me and I deserve it. I turned him to act differently towards me." Zita paused and sighed again. She flicked away the drops of tears that dropped down the corner of her eyes and sniffed as she whirled to face Zoey. She continued. "Back then, when Feran was a kid, did you know he lov
A smile sprawled on Feran's face some seconds later after he heard what his Aunt said, to her disbelief. Zoey swallowed a lump and further said'"We are all leaving tomorrow evening. We'll be staying at the family house in spring villa." "Good news. I'll get my things ready the next morning or probably tonight so I won't have to hurry up tomorrow before we leave," Feran said. He felt suddenly excited by the news and didn't realize when he grinned until Zoey gave him a surprised expression and he fake-coughed."You're feeling enthusiastic now? Strange.""Come on, Aunt. I just had a shower and I always feel good after a nice shower. Don't worry and just leave so I can make a few minutes' call and join you all for dinner soon.""But you said you won't be joining us for dinner earlier when I first walked in and now…""Hey, Aunt, I suddenly want to have dinner downstairs with everyone and you especially since I get to see you two times in less than ten minutes," Feran joked and giggled.
After ma'am Miguel has gone off sight, Frank's sister arose to speak. "Do any of you suspect that Feran is something more than just a 'by chance- CEO of a notable company?""Everyone stared surprised at her until Mark chuckled and arose to say something."Dear Aunt. I can't believe you're thinking like this or shouldn't I just confirm this before I come to a conclusion." Mark gave a brief pause and narrowed his eyes at his Aunt. "Are you actually thinking that good-for-nothing…""He is a C.E.O, mark, and I don't think you're that stupid to have forgotten that," Laura interrupted harshly with the aim of provoking her brother whom she felt was showing less concern about everything that has been happening maybe because he thinks he wasn't going to be affected by the situations cropping up. Mark glared at Laura and slowly held up his clenched fist. "You better don't interrupt me when I'm speaking again, Laura. I won't tolerate you disrespecting me so casually, got it?" He warned Laura
All through the drive to the famous unisex clothing store Zoey and Zita had decided they'd go with Feran to get some outfits, Feran didn't utter a word to his mother, hurting her a bit with his intention of uncomfortable sighs. When the car came to a halt in front of the colossal clothing store, they all got down and Zita walked over to the guards who had accompanied them and had arrived there before them. "Sir, should I go in and clear the store for you all convenience?" The guard who had sat in the front seat of the limousine,Anderson's assistant chief guard, asked Feran. Feran looked around with narrowed eyes and shook his head. He opened his mouth to uday something but his mother cut him in. "Hey, don't you know your job? How is it going to be convenient for us and especially my son to shop there in the midst of ill-mannered, unrefined and uncouth people? Go in and get them to evacuate the store as soon as possible. '' Zita smiled at Feran who hissed. The guard attempted to qui
Laura couldn't believe what her mother has just said but Mitchel has something else in mind. Mitchel took another quick look at Feran who was doing a good job in pretending like he didn't know them. "Mother, we need to go," Laura said. "I don't have a good feeling about us shopping here now…" "Why?Because your ex husband is here? You know it's pathetic," Mitchel said, almost yelling. "Mother, you know I already didn't like us coming to shop here. So what're you talking about?" "Just forget it and let's go up and pick some outfits for the party tomorrow, okay?" Laura glanced up and met Feran tucking his phone into his suit jacket pocket and he walked away after glancing at something above his shoulder. "You see, he's gone. I learnt that the men's section is on the fourth floor. So you don't need to worry about bumping into him," Mitchel said. "Mother, he didn't go to the men's section. It's that way, right?" Laura asked, pointing at the staircase up by their right. "It's the way
"What's wrong with him?" Zoey asked no one in particular and her gaze caught Laura watching Feran leave the floor as some guards followed him behind."Do you have any idea why he left? He seemed a bit upset," Zita said to Zoey.Zoey nodded and chuckled in disbelief."I know. His ex-wife is here," Zoey said and motioned at Laura and her mother standing some meters away across them. Zita stared at Laura and her mother and slowly clenched her fists as she felt unexplainable vexation.Laura shifted her gaze back to Feran's mother and Aunt and was surprised to see his mother staring at her with fumes. Laura's lips parted in raw anxiety and she wrapped her hand around the back of her, darting her gaze to her mother behind her, her eyes quivering."Mother, can you see the way she's staring at me?" Laura asked in a whisper and her mother lifted her brows up. Laura glanced above her shoulder at Feran's mother and Mitchel stared at Zita who was now staring at them with Feran's Aunt."They are b
When Laura arrived home with her mother, she walked into the house first and collapsed on the sofa, not noticing her father, Frank who was actually seated opposite her, lost in deep thoughts. Mitchel walked in some seconds later with a gloom and Frank confirmed in his mind that something had gone wrong. He gave his wife a questioning stare when she crashed next to him on the couch and she sighed, staring at Laura."What happened?" Frank asked. No one gave an immediate answer which doubled his puzzlement. His worries suddenly increased when Laura spoke up."It's all your fault, mother. It's really your fault," Laura had said, almost yelling as she tried to fight back her tears. Frank brows furrowed and he darted his eyes to his wife whose lips had parted."Hey, dear, what are you talking about? How is it my fault?" Mitchel asked with a gentle voice which shocked her husband a bit. Frank, without knowing the whole details yet about what Laura was talking about knew that his wife is prob
Laura couldn't believe what Elijah had asked for. His eyes were gloomy and filled with the intention to kill, and she knew that this was not going to end well. Having the kind of feeling of somewhat fear in her, her heart throbbed furiously, as the words sank deep and her head absorbed the thought of what he just said. How come he still wanted to kill Feran? She didn't understand what the hell he was talking about. Her eyes twitched as she heard the words, and her heart couldn't take it fully. "I'm not going to do what you say, Elijah. I can't believe you still want to take Feran down. What the hell are you doing? I know you don't know what you are doing, or maybe you don't know the repercussions of it. You should stop having those sinister thoughts in your head, Elijah, or you might end up killing your already black soul," she said. "You know, I only spent a year in jail and did you know what I was thinking all those while? Feran. I was thinking of how to destroy him. I think
"Elijah has escaped. I'm sure he's going to think of hurting one of us," Zoey said, getting scared. "No, Aunt. He won't hurt any of us," Feran said. He quickly called Fernando, who had taken Lovisa and his son, Frazier, to the mall. He ordered him to get them back home safely and ended the call after telling him to tighten the security of the house when he returns. Zita eyed Laura. "I'm sure you know that he was going to escape, right?" "You can't be trusted, Laura. You're a sly woman!" Zoey's accused. "No, Mrs. Anderson. I had no idea. And you don't have to worry. Feran is here. I won't think of joining hands with Elijah to cause harm to any of you because you all are genuinely good," Laura said. "I know my presence is not that appreciated here so I would like to take my leave so you guys can celebrate the girl's birthday well." "Sorry about the accusations, Laura," Jeana said. "Can't you stay for a while?" "I would have loved to but I need to head somewhere else urgently, I'm s
Laura was speechless for a while after Mary revealed who sent the flowers. Unlike her mother who was obviously In a rage, Laura found it so nice of Feran and Jeana to send her flowers."Give me the card," Laura asked, stretching out her hand to Mary."Laura, you shouldn't…" Mitchel paused and glared at Mary as she gave the card to Laura.Laura smiled and read the message on the card.'Hello, Laura, we are saying a big congratulations on your safe delivery. Though it's a bit late, try to overlook the time you got these flowers and rather accept it with our sincere joy for you. Hope your child is doing well. Do take care of yourself. Our regards to your child. Your well-wishers…. Jeana and Feran.'A drop of tears rolled down Laura's cheek and Mitchel was surprised when she lifted up her head, Laura chuckled and sniffed."I can't believe they would wish me well and send flowers to me. This is really great.""What's wrong with you, Laura?" Mitchel asked, jerking up to her feet. "What's go
A month later, Feran got a call from one of the companies manager. He received some bad news that one of the company workers had stolen an important journal. "What's wrong?" Jeana asked after they had breakfast. She saw the look on his face despite him telling her that all was well, she still didn't believe him."I'll go to work now." Feran arose from the couch and went to the bathroom to ease himself, when he came out, he saw Jeana dressed up."Are you going somewhere?" He asked. She gave him a strange look and nodded."Your sisters will be visiting soon. You don't need to go over there to see them." He thought she wanted to go pay her sisters a visit."I am not going to pay anyone a visit. I'm coming along with you, Feran," she said."Excuse me?""Yes?""What did you just say?""You heard me right, Feran. Let's go to work." Feran took.his office bag."No. You are going no where with me," Feran refused."What is wrong with you, Feran?""You are pregnant, Jeana. You shouldn't be work
Silence filled the room after Laura had left. One after the other, they all came forward to apologize to Jeana."Jeana, dear. I'm sorry I didn't even utter a word when you left," Greg said. "Please forgive me.""No, Uncle Greg. You did nothing wrong." Jeana shook her head."We all didn't bother to check things from your perspective but kept quiet after Zita humiliated you and asked you to leave," Zoey said and sighed. "Jeana, I'm sorry. I'm the worst person to you.""Come on, Aunt. You're my best person," Jeana flattered."Laura had good timing but her future is ill-timed now. That sly woman should never have anyone to call 'love'. She doesn't deserve anyone's love," Anna said."You all don't need to apologize, please. I'm the one expected to apologize. I didn't even get to apologize properly to you all before leaving the house. I'm sorry I deceived you all. Honestly, I didn't want to do that before. I wasn't going to keep the truth from you all for long. I wanted to tell you all befo
Laura couldn't bring herself to admonish herself nor could she believe that Feran had any evidence of her. She felt he was lying and was just trying to mess with her mind to force her to spill out the truth."What are you talking about, Feran?" She asked when she found her voice. She glanced at everyone and fixed her gaze on Zita whose stern look was pushing her to quiver but she clenched her fists, lifting up her chin and shaking her head. "F…Feran is saying something which I can't understand. Feran, stop it, okay?" She pointed at Feran. He held her finger and pulled it down.He took out a report from an envelope and held it up to her face. "This is your original pregnancy test." He gave the report to Zita."Laura is actually five months pregnant now. She lied that she was six months pregnant and brought a made-up pregnancy report."Zita went through the report and gave it to Zita who went through it and passed it onto the other family members."Lie! You're lying, Feran! You want to
Feran was in his office when Fernando walked in to give him some new information."Sir, I've been keeping an eye on Jeana as you said," Fernando informed."How's she doing?""She and her sisters are struggling to live.""What?" Feran arose, mystified. "It's been two months since we parted ways and she hasn't bothered to call or come to me for help.""I know her well not to have another misconception about her. Sir, Jeana is a woman of self-respect and values. I'm sure she doesn't want to have anything to do with you again so as to not cause any problems."Feran sighed and sat down. "What has she been doing to sustain herself and her sisters?""She's been working in a cafe as a waitress for over a month now. Her immediate younger sister, Kayla, also started working a part-time job.""What else do you have about her?""I don't think she's in a good shape. She looks tired sometimes when I see her.""Maybe I'll pay her a visit soon.""Sir, you've got some businessmen to meet in the next t
When Laura entered the car to head back to the Anderson house, her phone beeped. It was a message from an unknown number. She guessed who the sender was before opening the message.'Meet me now in the jailhouse,' that was the message. Laura tossed her phone to the seat and locked her fingers."Elijah," she muttered.The driver tilted his head and asked her."Ma'am, did you say something?""Hm, no. Start driving," Laura said. While he was driving back to the Anderson house, she thought of a way to get him to stop the car and leave so she could go to see Elijah. She didn't want the driver to take her there because she knows for sure that Feran was going to know about it and would find out that she came to visit Elijah, and if that happens, he might start thinking there's a connection between her and him and start doubting her.She didn't want any of that to happen. She thought harder when the driver was just ten minutes away from the house and finally sneered when she got an idea.She s
Anita was surprised and so excited that she kept stealing glances at Feran while he was driving. She couldn't believe he was taking her out for the first time. She wondered if his mother had asked him to.When she got a hunch that Feran's mother, Zita, must have asked him to look after her well and make her happy, she smiled broadly at Feran who returned her smile with a fake half smile that seemed genuine to Anita.While Feran kept driving, then it hit Anita. She glanced at him and saw he had a smile on his face. She was amazed and wondered if he had any other intention. 'No, he wouldn't be thinking of dumping me elsewhere, would he?' she thought, and glancing at Feran, chills went down her spines. She recalled how her family treated him. The times he was maltreated by her family, all flashed in her mind and her lips parted when she recalled when he promised them that he was going to get revenge and make them pay."Feran, where are you taking me to?" She asked suddenly, panting. Fe