I pursed my lips. “Tara, I will be here for you and the child,” Hendrick said. “What about your mom and dad? You left them for me?” Hendrick shook his head. “No, they came with me.” I remember that General Rossini and Eloise were Astranians. “Do they know the reason you left the military and went here?” I asked with wide eyes.“Yes they do,” Hendrick nodded his head with a smile. ***At night, I was in bed, and my mom came into my room. “Mom?” My mom sat on the side of the bed and I slid my body in the middle of the bed to give her space to sit. She got into the bed and she leaned on the headboard. “Don’t be afraid to accept the man, he truly loves you.” I looked up at her and said, protesting, “But mom.”“Sh… listen to me. It’s very important.” mom said and had me lay my head on her chest.“When I was young I had a boyfriend who came from a powerful family.” Mom paused for a while and sighed.“But his mother told me to leave him and I agreed. However, after agreeing to hi

“Mm” I pounded his chest with my fists but Andrei seemed not to feel it. “You are disgusting!” I said as my palm connected with his face after letting go of my lips. His head turned sideways because I hit his face hard. He looked at me with teary eyes. “Can’t we come back to the way we used to be?” My heart clenched seeing the pain in his eyes. “Don’t you love me anymore, Tara?” I took a profound breath. He has to know. It’s immoral to continue in this relationship. “Andrei, Kristoff Kanovski is my father and he is your uncle. We are cousins. We are in an incestuous relationship. It’s immoral.” It was hard to say it, but it is the truth and we both need to be freed from this. “Let’s go, they are waiting for us in the living room,” Andrei moved out of the bathroom and I walked behind him. “What happened to your face, son?” I heard Suzanna.“Your son misbehaved so he reaped what he sowed,” Trevor said, chuckling.There was no available seat in the living room and was already

Jordan was at the door. “We are all waiting for you at the dining room,” he said and gave me a mischievous grin. I forgot, it’s Saturday today. When I came to Astrana, we all gathered together at the dining table at lunch time on Saturdays. Jordan was right as everybody was seated on their chair at the dining table when we came down. “Sorry for making you wait,” I said as Andrei drew a seat for me. “It’s alright,” Trevor answered, smiling at me. The sparkle in his eyes was more brilliant at this time. Is this because he was seeing his best friend in me? Suzanna told me that my biological dad was his best friend. One by one I looked at the faces of people I love as we were having lunch. My heart was filled with gratitude that I was blessed by God to have been surrounded by people I love and love me too. ***The day before we were leaving, I was hugging Andrei from behind as he was shaving his face. “Babe, we are leaving tomorrow night and I haven’t visited Hendrick in the hosp

I was like a cat on a tin roof waiting for my “great grandpa” which I was going to meet for the first time. “Don’t be nervous, babe. They can’t hurt you,” Andrei reassured me as he kissed the crown of my head and stroked my large belly. “Dad and mom, will be here, shortly,” as soon as he said that we heard hurried steps coming from the entrance of the mansion. Suzanna smiled at me reassuringly as she walked towards us. “All will be fine, darling,” Suzanna said as she stroked my back. Trevor layed a box and a file on the coffee table before me.“The box was what your grandma left for your father, while the file was your father's legal documents.” I looked up at Andrei and his smile gave me the needed strength for me to look into the box. One by one, I took out the content of the box. I took out the diary and read it. March 5[I was disowned and disinherited by my family because I chose to marry Lincoln Reinsterd. But it was worthwhile because we love each other.]June 1[All of

Andrea Wilkin’s POV The garden was filled with laughter as my kids, my siblings' kids and cousins' kids were running about the garden. Today is my dad’s sixtieth birthday. My siblings and I organized this surprise birthday party for him. “Are they coming?” My brother Austin asked while cradling his third child. “Yes, mom sent me a text an hour ago that they’re preparing,” I replied. “Kirsten is blessed to have you, Austin,” I said, smiling. Austin and Nicholas are like our dad, they are hands on dad. My phone rang as Austin was about to respond. Before I answered the call, I signaled at everyone to keep quiet and they cooperated, not wanting to ruin the surprise. “Mom?” I whispered. “Andrea, your dad is asking me where we are going and the reason we are going out. What should I tell him?” I chuckled. It’s really hard for mom because dad could see through her. It’s really hard to surprise him. “Just tell him that you wanted to have a date with him,” I suggested.