Annabelle’s pov
As usual, he had his Prussian suit on and a handful of burly-looking bodyguards were behind him, looking like they were about to tear me apart soon. I managed a smile. "Uhm-- dad, I was just-----" His eyes darkened. "Dad? I don't know this lady from anywhere. Guards!" Five able bodied men surrounded me at once. "Throw this lady out of the building!" He ordered in a clear voice. I fell on my knees with a loud thud, tears already streaming down my eyes. “I know how much you hate me dad but please don't throw me away. I'm so sorry for not listening to you back then and I regret it now. But if you would just give me the chance to prove myself to you, I will do anything!" "What are you still waiting for? Throw her out!" He yelled at the bodyguards, his eyes burning with rage. A vague reminder of his face that same day he asked me never to show my face ever again, if I decide to marry the stranger I just met - Travis smith. "Sir Robert, please be lenient." Henry’s voice filtered in. A look of surprise registered on Dad's face as he trembled in his temper. "Oh, Henry, you better know your place here or you’ll loose your position as the CEO, this minute! She wants leniency? She wasn't thinking about that when she went against me and married a stranger? I trained her better than to be a foolish woman and to top it all, a total weakling!" He moved closer to Henry. "Listen, I have nothing to do with her! She's no daughter of mine! I made that clear before and she agreed to it. She's nothing but a useless child!" "But here she is, sir." Henry pressed. "Here she is, begging for your mercy again. Please, give her a chance to prove her worth again." "Oh?" He pursed his lips and faced me then. "Alright then, prove your worth by convincing Skyline Company, the biggest shipping conglomerate in American to partner with us! And you have one week!” As I stood from the floor, sniffling and staring at him, his next words had my eyes widening and my entire being filling with a new found determination. “Prove it to me that you're not a weakling of a daughter who falls at the feet of a man so easily over a flimsy excuse called love. No seed of Robert Spencer gets trampled upon so easily.” ******************** I rubbed my stiff neck as I arranged the paperwork into a file jacket. Dad had given me a small office in the company but it was only temporary. I hadn't slept well in three days, trying to get information about the Skyline company. I had to prove my worth to my father, I was done being that naive little girl treated like a puppet at the mercy of a pauper. I had to make Travis and his family pay for breaking my heart into a million shards. I had to show them what I was truly capable of. They had to know what hell would taste like. I had made different calls to the company and tried to convince them and make them see reasons why they should partner with us, but all of my efforts seemed to be going down the drain. Today was the last day of grace Dad gave me. There wasn't much time left. The door suddenly jerked open and I knew it was Dad even before I saw his face. I stood up immediately and bowed curtly. Henry was behind him with some board of directors. "Skyline company has sent their decision." Dad announced and my pulse quickened. His face and that of Henry and the board of directors looked bland, it was hard knowing whether or not the decision was positive until I heard him say. “I knew you could do it, as a matter of fact, I have been looking forward to this day!” Before I could blink, he pulled me to himself and hugged me tightly. When he pulled back after a while, all the harshness I saw from the first day down to the previous days I had been working my ass out just to make sure the company got the contract was no where to be found. “Da…d?” I managed to say. “I was mad at you Annabelle but that was a long time ago. The heavens know that I waited everyday for you to come back to your senses. For you to realize just how much I love you and mean the best for you.” “But a week ago you sa….” I started to protest but he cut in. “Surely you weren't expecting me to accept you back with arms wide open, were you? You hurt me and I needed you to know how badly you did. And also I needed you to know your worth, how powerful you can become even in the worst of situations.” My mouth hung open as I stared at him, I glanced at Henry and the board of directors and every one of them had a smile plastered on their faces, it felt like I was in a dream, like I was in some sort of a trance with me as a bride walking down the aisle. As I opened my mouth to speak, a fluid bubbled from my throat all the way to my mouth, I clamped my hand over my mouth as I swallowed the fluid trying to escape from my throat. What was happening? Why was my head suddenly reeling? "What's wrong with you, Anna?" I heard Henry’s voice faintly as he rushed towards me. All their voices became jumbled up in my brain and my vision went blurry. I tried to speak but no words were coming out of my mouth. Then, everything went blank! And when everything went back to normal, my eyes flustered open and that’s when I noticed that I was lying on a bed with a white sheet covering my body. When I struggled to sit up, I realized just how strange the room I was in was. But what was more strange was the way I felt. I felt funny. "You're awake.” I heard Henry’s voice, etched on his face was a worried expression that instantly quadrupled my fears. What was really happening? "What happened?" I mumbled, staring at him. "I don't know yet. The doctor has your report. I'll be waiting outside." “What doc…?” My voice trailed off when a man clad in a white coat with a stethoscope hanging around his neck, strutted into the room. My brows furrowed as i threw a dozen question at the said doctor, "What's wrong with me, doctor? Why am I here? Why do i feel different and nauseous?” "It's okay to feel different and nauseous, Mrs Annabelle,” he smiled at me, “Every expectant mother feels that way, so it's really nothing to get all worked up about. You're fine.” Expectant mother?! As I made to protest, he stalked closer to me and placed my hands on my belly. “It's because you're two weeks pregnant Mrs Annabelle Smith. Congratulations!”Annabelle's POV I felt like someone had shot a bullet straight at my heart. It was either I misheard or the doctor was joking. "Firstly, I'm now Miss Anabelle Spencer." I corrected with a scoff, "Lastly, you've got to be kidding me. There's no way I'm pregnant." The doctor smiled. "Really? But that would mean you are about to rewrite history because your test result shows here," he handed me a paper, "that you're pregnant!" My heart sank as I scanned through the test results. I really was pregnant and it was very obvious who the father was. Travis Smith – my now Ex-husband. No! There has to be another way! This can't be happening! I can't be pregnant for the monster who discarded me like trash. Just when everything was finally playing out beautifully for me, his bastard self was back again in the form of a child to ruin everything. Of all things, a child! "I want it out" I said in a calm voice and the doctor frowned. "Pardon?" "You heard me doctor, I want an abortion." "Says
Annabelle's POVHis eyes darted from my face to that of Jackson who was busy tugging at his pants. I could see the questions in his eyes. Oh God! I was avoiding this. He mustn't find out that Jackson was his son.I could almost hear his silent questions. Do you have a child? Are you married now? And it wasn't helping one bit.His gaze slowly trailed to my hands, probably looking for a ring.I jerked my hand away from his and pulled Jackson to myself.“If you'll ex–” my words trailed off when he crouched down to Jackson's level and gazed at him so softly, almost like he knew he was his son and I felt my heart squeeze in my chest. Does he know already?!He flashed Jack a smile. "Little boy, I and your momma were just having a decent conversation here."Jackson frowned. "Then you should use your mouth, not your hands. Why were you dragging her hands? I'm going to tell my grandpa!" He ran off.Travis trailed his eyes on me again and I struggled not to buckle under his intense gaze. I coul
Annabelle’s POVI smiled so widely inside of me, the terrifying look on their faces gave me so much joy that I felt victorious already, but no, I’m just getting started. “Pull up your smiles more, Anna.”Henry, who had walked up to the stage to take pictures with me, silently whispered behind my ears. I felt an ounce of happiness and an outer smile. The noise of the guests and cheers brought me back into the party, I was literally feeling every stung part of me back into a complete sense of freedom and euphoria.My father pulled my face and looked to my face,“You’ve made us all proud, Anna. And I’m especially proud of you.” He briefed before taking up the microphone again.“Thank you all so much, it’s been so many years without my daughter and it’s an utmost joy for me to see her back home and taking her place. Thank you all for celebrating this day with me. Enjoy and have fun!” My father hugged me once more and placed a soft kiss on my cheeks, I smiled wholeheartedly again, I have
CHAPTER 7 ANABELLE’S POV The next morning, all employees were back to work and getting things going. The contract skyline company had signed was what I had to work on. I picked up my phone to give Henry a call. He hasn’t shown up since I entered the company’s compound. My phone rang and after a few seconds, I could hear his voice over the phone. “Hey!” “Hey? Look at you. I can’t find you anywhere around the company.” “I’ve been in the company for hours now, in your father’s office to be precise.” “Oh! I think I’ll need your attention here also.” I could feel his faint smile over the phone as he responded. “No problem, I will be there soon.” Henry showed up in my office after some minutes. I looked at the man in a fitted white suit, his purple tie knotted and down his neck, he walked gently and found himself a chair for us to have a better conversation. “You called me.” “Here, take a look.” I turned the desktop to him, and after he took a glance, Henry paused and looked
Chapter 8Annabelle’s POV "You did well, sweetheart." My father tapped my head and gave me a bit of his every second courage as he did the last time "Thank you, Dad." I must have truly made him happy by coming back, and my presence is more like an energy rising. I walked round the chair in his office and went to the cushion in the office, rested and closed my eyes. "Let's have dinner when we're home. I'll invite Henry also." "Alright dad, I'll be home to prepare something for us. We still have three hours before dinner" "Are you going to sleep there?" I turned my face to him to see my weary eyes that said I can't drive and I need to close my eyes for a few minutes. He didn't take long to understand, he breathed in deeply and sat on his chair. I turned my face back and slept. I must have slept for an hour or more. Henry knocked and my eyes were opened. "I'm leaving for home, your Dad asked to call you downstairs." I realized my Dad wasn't even in the office anymore. "Go
Annabelle’s POV"More celebrations sir." Henry said, waving at my father who didn't bother to look back and went out of our sight in a minute. I let out a laugh and hugged Henry. "Told you, you'll do great." I gave a smile as a response. "Such beautiful work. I'll take my leave now." Got a message from Henry, he congratulated me once more. He was home, the message was a short video, with him smiling and wishing me more luck. I was busy smiling at my phone, and I remembered my father had asked me to show up. I ran upstairs and found out he wasn't asleep already. -------------The Next Day.Dressing up for work again, I left the house before my father this time. The progress last night and I couldn't wait to get the message from Skyline myself. I hurried to my office and I got so many messages except Skyline's. One of which Travis was part of. "Travis?" I muttered, surprised he had the aptitude to text me again. I ignored the message at first until he showed up at the office again
Annabelle's POV"Jackson? What are you doing here?" my little boy was walking gently like an easy god. His appearance was quite different from what I have always seen. His eyes looked Piercy like he was looking for something to bounce on and pinch it effortlessly."Mum!" His voice sounded so pleasing that I caught him in my embrace. his beautiful voice I’ve heard for less, since the party ended and now he is in the company, roaming around the office area. He might have passed by those securities, or did father bring him in? "I was looking for grandpa. He told me to wait outside that door but he disappeared and I couldn't find him anymore, so I wanted to see if he was around anyway.""Oh! you shouldn't be walking around like this, look at your hair." I fixed his rough looking hair,"You both have met each other.""Dad, you brought Jackson to the office?""Yeah, he missed his mother he could not see before going to bed.""Grandpa is right, I miss you mum.""That's sweet of you, baby. D
Chapter 11 Annabelle’s POV I was impatient to know what contradicted between Henry and Travis even though I refused to show up at the meeting. I walked down to Henry's office to ease the suspense I was experiencing. "Hey, how did it go?" I asked, flashing him an innocent smile just to hide my curiosity. "It didn't go well." He responded in a lower tone. "Why?" "Travis was so disappointed that you weren't there, he was not active so I canceled the meeting and reschedule it. There is no way I would be talking to myself." He narrated out of frustration, there was a frown registered on his face. I smiled as the words pleased my soul. "Sorry about that." "Thank you, I know you are happy but don't laugh here." He warned, that made me burst into laughter. He gave me a bombastic side eye, so I walked out of his office immediately. The last thing I would do is to have a meeting with him, it is evident enough that he wants me to get involved and I’m not ready to. I headed straight to