"Let's get out of here, Lindsay, before anyone gets suspicious and asks us," Melisa said again.
"What about Josephine?" Lindsay asked worriedly. "Father will ask why we don't go back with her."
"Uh, I should have poisoned that bitch since she was born, like I did to her mother," Melisa growled. "If it wasn't for the nurse who suddenly came while I was injecting medicine into Farline's IV tube, I would have been able to poison the baby as well, not having to go through the trouble of trying to get rid of her like now."
"Mom, if we fail to get rid of Josephine, what will happen to us?" Lindsay whined. "My credit card bills are so inflated and I don't dare ask Dad to pay for them."
"Cut your shopping spree, you idiot! We have to get rid of that damn Josephine and take her share of the inheritance. Now, let's go! I hope the damned girl falls into a ravine on her way to escape or is run over by a car to death!"
Josephine cried hearing all the talk of the two people in the room. She covered her mouth tightly with her kimono sleeve so as not to make a sound. Not only did she find out that her stepmother and stepsisters were trying to get rid of her due to inheritance problems, but the most shocking thing was, she also found out that Melisa had killed her mother, moments after giving birth to herself into the world.
Josephine was told that Farline, her biological mother suffered from heart failure after giving birth and died because she was too weak. However, Melisa's words explained the real situation.
After a while, Josephine heard nothing more. It seems everyone has left. She looked out through the large bathroom window. This bathroom is located on the second floor, but there is a balcony that is limited by an iron fence on the front.
Josephine rushed into her clothes which were lying on the floor, slightly damp and cold, but it was better than just wearing a kimono. After all, her wallet and phone were in her trouser pocket.
Josephine tried to fiddle with the window to make it open, but it was very difficult. She saw a marble soap dish above the sink, very nice and heavy. Without thinking, she smashed a window with the soap dish, listening to see if anyone was listening.
Once she felt safe, she wrapped herself in her kimono and thrust herself against the window. Josephine's body is not petite, but she is smart and agile.
Some scraps of glass scratched her skin, but she didn't care.
Her attempt paid off and she hung from the balcony railing, estimating the distance she fell to the grassy ground below. Josephine didn't want to risk breaking a bone, so she managed to move herself by creeping slowly over the balcony railing and onto the floor of a balcony which door opened to the bedroom.
She exited through the room, walking carefully and silently, just in case someone was still in the villa. However, the villa was empty and only the remnants of the previous party were visible, messy everywhere.
The door to the villa was also unlocked and Josephine escaped by running as fast as she could down the dark street. She could remember directions well and an hour later after running without stopping, she breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the highway ahead.
Josephine walked to the small bus stop and waited for almost two hours before the bus bound for town came. It was light and the bus driver eyed Josephine suspiciously because of her disheveled appearance but then turned a deaf ear when Josephine paid for the bus with her debit card.
Josephine wasted no time, she knew her father's working hours, when he was in his office and she headed straight there to meet him.
Thomas Jade had just opened his laptop to check out a proposal to be discussed at a client meeting, when someone barged into his room. He was shocked, saw his daughter--Josephine, with disheveled clothes and pale face, followed by his secretary who seemed overwhelmed to prevent him from entering.
"What is this?" snapped Thomas, standing behind his desk. He looked at Josephine with a frown. "Josephine, what the hell is this?"
"I'm sorry sir, Miss Josephine forced her way in even though I said you couldn't be disturbed," Thomas' secretary said nervously.
Josephine approached her father and took his hand. "Dad, I have to tell you something, it's important, Dad, please?"
Thomas motioned for his secretary to come out. He waved Josephine's hand after her secretary left and closed the door.
"What's wrong? Where did you go last night? Do you know that you have troubled your mother and sister? They are looking for you and are very worried!" snapped Thomas.
"Dad, they threw the party to set me up. They drugged me and hired thugs to rape me! Not only that, they also intend to get rid of me so they can control my inheritance, Dad!" said Josephine quickly. "I ran away from the villa and I have to tell you this because I heard that Melisa poisoned my mother in childbirth so she--"
PLAKK!!!
Josephine held her burning cheeks and she staggered two steps back. Thomas glared at Josephine, anger very clear on his face. "Ungrateful child! How dare you slander the person who has cared for and loved you all these years? What do you mean by saying all that nonsense?"
"Dad, this isn't bullshit," Josephine said almost screaming. She was very surprised because of Thomas's attitude. "They're really mean, Dad. I've said many times that behind your back they used to be mean to me, but--"
"You and your mother are the same," Thomas snapped in a booming voice. "Always trying to badmouth Melisa and Lindsay!"
Josephine stared at Thomas with wide eyes. She couldn't understand why her father turned things around and blamed her.
"Dad, you and Melisa had an affair when my mother was pregnant with me. It's only natural that at that time my mother hated Melisa and Lindsay, the children of your affair!"
"Get out of here Josephine! I don't want to see or hear you. I'm very busy and an important client is arriving soon. Go and settle down at home. Apologize to Melisa and Lindsay. They were looking for you all night."
In that instant, Josephine knew that she was alone and her father was completely unreliable. She stared at Thomas with fiery eyes.
Thomas picked up the phone, told his secretary to call security to escort Josephine out. Without waiting for Thomas to finish speaking, Josephine came out of her father's room. She will go and stay away from everyone, because no one can be trusted.
-Two months later-
"This can't be happened!" Josephine sighed, standing at the edge of the largest hospital building in Metronine City. She couldn't help shivering. Who would have thought that she was pregnant with triplets after just a one night stand!
She wanted to cry at how real the ultrasound picture in her hand was, which showed three dots the size of green peas in her womb, but she also wanted to laugh at the jokes her life was going on.
Even, she had no idea who the father of her children is. No job, no deposit. How could she raise the baby?
Should she give up? Josephine thought, touching her stomach.
After a long while, she made up her mind.
"You will accompany Mommy to move on with life. We will fight together and reclaim our lives from the hands of those bad people. But before that, let's get out of here, triplets. For our safety and for the time being we'll hide, just for a while."
Josephine stood up, stared at the night sky above her head, closed her eyes for a moment while rubbing her stomach, then walked quickly out of the hospital courtyard.
Josephine has been away from Metronine for six years, since that night at the villa. Her father--Thomas Jade didn't seem to care at all and made no effort to look for her.Thomas has always hated Josephine who closely resembles his ex-wife--Josephine's deceased mother and the influence of his new wife, Melisa and their daughter, Lindsay, is very strong.It would be even more depressing if they knew that Josephine had a child with a man she didn't even remember and didn't even know who he was.Josephine is sure that they will make life even more difficult for her and her children. She didn't want that to happen.However, the call in the morning changed her mind.She turned off the TV and picked it up. She saw the caller ID: Dr. Wayne from St. Willen Hospital. She felt a surge of hope and fear. She had been waiting for this call for weeks.She quickly walked to the garden, away from her daughter Flower's hearing range, then pressing the answer button.Dr. Wayne delivered the bad news th
"Really? Mommy, you're willing to have a blind date?” Josephine's children were surprised because Josephine never agreed to see any man in Canada before, though many people wanted to introduce some elites to her.Josephine planned to refuse Anna's offer, but she had already made a decision in her heart. Flower's illness can’t be delay anymore, Josephine needed to find out if that man, Flower’s father, was willing to save Flower's life.This man might be her father.After finishing lunch, Anna took Josephine and the triplets to the apartment she had searched for Josephine earlier.Before she left, she told Josephine, "Joy, tomorrow afternoon, come to this restaurant," Anna said while showing the address of a restaurant. "You just tell the restaurant manager, the order is in the name of Carlos.""Carlos?""Yes. His name is Carlos Nazaren. He is the chief financial officer of the Genesis group, a conglomerate that includes the 10 largest and most prestigious companies in the world and is
Josephine wasn't sure whether the man who was lying on his hands and bleeding profusely had fainted or not, for he didn't move. Josephine moved closer to check on him. However, he had to help the man because with so much blood being wasted, the man's life might be in danger. Josephine crouched in front of the man's chest to see where the wound was coming from, but suddenly the man's hand moved quickly and caught Josephine's wrist in a fast and strong grip. "Hey!" cried Josephine in surprise. The man closed his eyes, but it was clear he wasn't passed out or sleeping. "Don't touch me," the man hissed in a strangely hoarse voice. Looks like he's in pain. "You are bleeding profusely, sir, if left untreated, your life will be in danger," said Josephine patiently. "Let me help you.""No! I say stay away from me, or I'll kill you in a second!" The man hissed angrily.Josephine saw a gunshot wound in the left side of his chest, slightly further to the side from where his heart was. "Al
"What are you doing?!" asked Josephine angrily. She pushed Nicholas hard while holding onto her blouse, which had its top two buttons unbuttoned, exposing a chest with smooth skin underneath. Josephine's face was bright red and her eyes flashed with anger. Her lips felt hot from Nicholas' sudden kiss. For a moment Josephine was lost in thought, for the touch of Nicholas' lips on hers felt so warm and snug, as if it were something she naturally did. However, when consciousness overtook Josephine again, she reflexively pushed Nicholas and slapped him. Not a very hard slap because Josephine's hands were shaking too much, but enough to make Nicholas let go. "I was just trying to remind you," Nicholas said coldly. The wound in his chest throbbed at Josephine's prodding."Remind me of what? You must be delirious because of that wound of yours," snorted Josephine irritably. "If it weren't for you being injured, I would have knocked you unconscious for what you did earlier!"Seeing Josep
Carlos shook his head. Nicholas lay on the bed in the VVIP ward in Orchid room on eight floor, which was actually more akin to the most expensive suite in a five-star hotel than a hospital ward. After all, Nicholas was the director of the Sparrow Clinic and he had a special room to treat and rest when sick. The Orchid ward is his special room in Sparrow Clinic."What are you doing here bro? You slacking off while I do a boring interview?" joked Carlos while patting Nicholas's thigh. His maternal cousin smiled faintly. "Playing around a bit with Stefano and his guys in the morning," Nicholas answered. Carlos snorted in annoyance. "Don't be kidding, Nic. If anything happens to you, I dare not imagine what will happen to Genesis and it is certain that, for the next few decades at least, this country will face a full-blown economic crisis. Look, the bullet almost missed your heart, Nic! Come on, you are a great mafia leader, but you are not immortal." Nicholas couldn't help but laugh
"How can you compare my mother to a stranger woman you just met yesterday and met again today," said Nicholas in a sharp tone. "My mother is not a woman anyone can compare to. She is special and always will be." Carlos stood up from his seat and patted Nicholas's shoulder gently. "It's like that to me too, brother. She is very special and incomparable. However, I think you should meet and come face to face with Josephine Jade, for you to understand what I mean that she reminds me of your mother." Nicholas didn't answer, just closed his eyes and ignored his cousin. Carlos smiled knowingly and left the room with slow steps. Nicholas had always been sensitive when it came to talking about his mother--Ingrid Adams or Inggrid Ferm if she used her maiden name. He worshiped his mother, who was only with him until he was ten years old, then died at the age of 37 because of cancer of the lymph nodes that had been eating away at her body for a long time. "I will send the files of the prosp
Josephine remained motionless, trying not even to hear her breathing. She stood at the end of a short corridor after the entrance and opened onto the interior of her apartment.Sitting on a chair in the corner of the open living room, Rain was busy fiddling with a math game on the computer.On the kitchen floor, Sky was busy observing several types and sizes of pipes, with a wooden ruler in his right hand and a pencil tucked into his ear.In the living room, on the carpet, Flower and Anna were assembling various toy furniture into a playhouse and chatting as two neighbors were planning a tea party with the dolls lined up on the sofa.The tired and restless feelings in Josephine's heart vanished like smoke in the rain, seeing the most beautiful sight before her eyes. She doesn't want to blink and record every second of it in a special memory, to play it back in memory when she feels sad or faces difficulties.After several minutes passed, without anyone noticing her presence because ev
For a moment, Josephine thought she had a problem with her ears. She looked at the man in front of him with a confused look."W-what? What do you say?" asked Josephine nervously."Unbutton me," Nicholas repeated calmly. "These buttons of my shirt. Help me take my shirt off."After being momentarily stunned, Josephine retreated further back into her seat and resentfully glared at the man in front of her."What do you mean? You intend to harass me?" Josephine said annoyed.She tried to open the luxury car door, but it was locked. Josephine felt fear creep into her heart. She thought, was her action to help the man in front of her before was a mistake?The man lay bloodied on an abandoned construction site, shot and even several people were still chasing him when Josephine was trying to help him.However, now the man was in front of her, driving a luxury car that Josephine definitely wouldn't be able to afford despite having worked as a nurse for fifty years, wearing an expensive suit, s