Author’s POV Lucian remarked, “I want you to break the news of my divorce to your news channel.”“What? What kind of request is that?” Said his companion.“Just trust me. I have a plan, “Lucian replied.The unexpected request surprised Lucian’s acquaintance, who was perplexed as to why Lucian would wish to make his divorce public. But knowing Lucian’s cunning ways, he chose to listen to him out.“Lucian, this is very strange.”His friend questioned skeptically, “Why would you want to make your divorce public? “I need to set up a smokescreen or a distraction. I want Amelia and David to think their plan worked by revealing my contract marriage since they believe they have won. They will be caught off guard if I publicly announce my divorce. They won’t understand my actual motives.”His companion scowled, still uncertain of the strategy. “But won’t this further harm your reputation?”Nodding, Lucian.“In a word, yeah. I’m prepared to make the sacrifice, though. They’ll stop thinking
Author's POV“Anne, wherever you are, I want you to know that I love you and I’ll always love you,” Lucian added. “And I love you too, my love,” Lucian heard a familiar voice say.Lucian turned to look in the direction in which the voice had come. He didn’t see anyone there. All of a sudden, a heavily pregnant Anne walked into the hall. All eyes and attention were turned to her. Lucian, amongst all people, was surprised to see her.“Anne?” He said, to be sure he was hallucinating.“Lucian,” Anne said.“Your friends told me that you travelled outbid the country and I looked everywhere for you but I couldn’t find you,” Lucian said, his eyes tearing up.“Yes I went to the airport that day and I even entered the plane but it didn’t feel right. I felt uncomfortable watching the people I loved the most be in pains. So I left the airport and stayed with Kiama. I was at her house the day you came to look for me. I’m sorry I caused you so much pain,” Anne said, tears freely flowing down her c
Author's POVA few minutes later, Kiama came back to Lucian, her face mixed with surprise and delight.“Lucian, you won’t believe who that was on the phone,” she cried.Lucian arched his brow. “Whose was it? It was Anne’s mother, Rachel,” said Kiama.Lucian’s mouth dropped open in shock.“Anne’s biological mother? I believed that her mom died when Anne was still a baby.”Kiama gave a nod..“Someone called me some days back. I wanted to ignore it because I thought it was a scammer trying to scam me.”Lucian was looking at her eagerly and surprised too.“I finally decided to pick the call and found out that it was Rachel, Anne’s mother. She has been trying to contact Anne for years and had been alive all these years.”Things were being spoken that Lucian couldn’t believe.“Does Anne know about this?” Lucian asked“Obviously she doesn’t. I don’t know how she’s going to take the news,” Kiama said. “Have you told Daisy and Gemma?” Lucian asked.“I haven’t said anything to them either. I
Author’s POVAnne looked between her best friend, Kiama and her husband, Lucian curiously. She looked at Gemma and Daisy giving them a sign to tell her whether they knew what was going on. The two signaled her back that they knew nothing of what was going on.“Go ahead you two, you’re scaring me with the looks of your faces,” she finally said to Lucian and Kiama said Kiama took a deep breath before speaking,“A of days ago, someone called me telling me she was your mother…”Anne burst in to a fit of uncontrolled laughter. When she saw that Kiama wasn’t laughing back, she stopped and said,“Kiama, I don’t believe that as a lawyer, you’d fall for scammers. Everyone in this room knows how I lost my mother when I was pretty little so whoever called you must want to scam you or something.”Kiama looked at Lucian who then encouraged her to keep going.“The day you and the babies moved back home, I went to meet this person. Although she looked older than the picture you used to show us but
Author’s POVAs Anne and Rachel hugged, the café, which had been bustling with conversation from customers, descended into a quiet solemnity. The touching reunion they were seeing caused strangers at surrounding tables to exchange glances and quiet grins. The busy world outside temporarily vanished, and the reunion of a mother and her long-lost daughter became the only thing that mattered.While holding one other, Anne and Rachel sobbed freely, their emotions overflowing with love, remorse, and the years wasted due to their separation. It was a pivotal moment of tremendous healing, bridging an uncertain past with the possibility of a connected future.Rachel stared at Anne with a mix of happiness and grief as her eyes, still wet with tears, glistened. She said softly, “My dear Anne, you’ve grown into such a remarkable woman,” her voice full with sentiment.Despite her shaking voice, Anne was able to force a tiny smile through her tears. “I never expected to run into you again.
Author’s POV“Mrs. Baker, please may I have a word with you?” Lucian asked Anne’s mother one evening.Anne was in the babies’ room, giving them their evening baths and that was why Lucian had the opportunity to get to talk with her mother, Rachel. “Is anything the problem?” Rachel looked at him, worry etched on her face.“No, I just wanted to speak to you about something really important,” Lucian said.“Go ahead, I’m listening,” Rachel said.“The first day you came into this house, you asked about how Anne and I met and I don’t think I have given you an answer yet,” Lucian started.“Oh, I was curious then but I don't think it's necessary now. I see that you’re a good man and my daughter deserves you and you deserve her too. You both are just too good for each other so I don't think I want to know that story anymore,” Rachel said.“There is something I want to ask of you but I cannot ask it if I do not tell you the history between your daughter and I or how we started,” Lucian sa
Author’s POVWith her pulse thumping with wonder and excitement, Anne stood there in her magnificent red dress among the rose petals under the fairy lights. With his eyes fixed on hers and his breath deep in his belly, Lucian took a big inhale.“From the minute we met at that clubhouse, Anne…,” he started.“… my life took a turn I could never have imagined. Although we started with a contract, I soon understood that what we had was much more than that.”Anne listened closely to Lucian’s passionate comments as her eyes started to well up with tears.“I can’t deny the fact that over the last few months, you filled my love with so much joy, peace, and love and even gave me the two best gifts no one else could have ever given me, our daughters, Marie and Madeline,” he added.This time around the tears that welled up in Anne’s eyes were now flowing freely down her cheeks. She could not control her tears as she listened to everything Lucian was saying.“You filled my empty life with warmth.
Author’s POVAs Anne and Lucian passionately kissed, cementing their vows of love and devotion, the cheers and acclaim of their friends and family filled the room. The delight on their faces was contagious, making everyone in the room happy at the amazing time they were in.Following the ceremony, Anne and Lucian made their official entrance down the aisle while holding hands. The garden estate served as a gorgeous setting for their first moments as husband and wife, while the sun bathed them in a warm, golden glow.As they made their way to the reception area, their excitement didn’t stop brimming over. The guests came after, ready to join the newlyweds in celebrating this grand occasion. The aroma of delectable cuisine filled the room, and tables were tastefully decorated with flowers and candles.A flurry of applause and cheers from their loved ones welcomed Anne and Lucian as they walked into the reception. The live band played a tender song, and the newlyweds performed their firs