The tears flowed freely from Joan's eyes as she walked down the stairs. While walking away, she heard the dialing tone of her mother-in-law's phone and she already predicted what was about to happen. But she didn't care anymore. She had it with them and everything they represented.
For three years she had endured this sham of a marriage where she was starved of everything marriage was supposed to be about. Three good years of her life wasted on a man she foolishly loved and married oblivious to the fact that he was only pretending to feel the same way about her.But no more. She was done. whatever wants to happen should happen. She doesn't care anymore.On reaching the foot of the stairs, she halted as her eyes settled on her luggage. Wiping her eyes with the back of her palm, she grabbed onto the boxes and bags and moved them all to the guest room without hesitation. Just as she dropped the last bag, she heard her phone ringing and she fished for it.Her upper and lower teeth pressed hard against each other as she checked who the caller was and realized it was her father - the very same man who was the originator of her misfortune, and the reason she couldn't find the courage to get herself out of it all these years.In annoyance, she ended the call and immediately dialed Grace’s number."Joan?" Grace called her name the moment she picked up the call."I'm on my way to your place. Please keep the door open." Joan spoke."It's late, Joan. What's going on? Should I come to pick you up?""No. Don't bother. I'll take a taxi. I'll be fine." Immediately after saying this, Joan ended the call, switched off her phone, and threw it into her handbag.She picked up a small bag and threw a few of her belongings which included her work uniform and toiletries inside. Once satisfied, she stepped out of the guest room with the bags, and headed toward the main door.Getting to the sitting room, she met the three devils who decided to ruin her night. They looked like they were deliberating on something, and at that point, she didn't care what it was. They all stopped speaking when she arrived at the sitting room, moving their confused gazes in her direction.Without sparing them another glance, she approached the door."What are you doing? Where do you think you're going by this time?" Richard's voice reached her ears, but she gave no response."I'm talking to you, Joan. If you step out of this house, just know that this marriage is over." Richard threatened, and this time, Joan halted her steps right before the door."You should let her do what she wants. She is an adult, after all." Belinda chipped in, giving a nonchalant shrug, while Mrs. Charles only watched with contentment glimmering in her eyes.She had waited for this day so long that she could barely believe it was happening right before her eyes. The only pest in her family would finally be thrown out. It was like a dream come true.After hearing Richard's threat, Joan drew in a deep breath, and let it out slowly to calm herself down a little. A small smile appeared on her face as she turned around to face her tormentors."This marriage is over if I step out?" She scoffed, keeping her fiery gaze on Richard. "You got it all wrong. This marriage ended a long time ago, and you just signed and stamped it by deciding to rub your infidelity in my face. Bringing a total stranger into our home and bed broke the last string binding us together. So I wonder what you are talking about.""Hey, watch your tongue. Who are you calling a stranger? I was in Richard's life before you came into the picture and tore us apart. If anyone is a stranger here, it's you." Belinda fired back, triggered by Joan's words.It took a significant amount of self-control for Joan to ignore Belinda's words, ignore Richard and his mother, and actually turn again toward the door."You seem to be forgetting that you and your entire family are dependent on us. You are about to make the biggest mistake of your life." Richard reminded her."No mistake is bigger than this marriage." As soon as Joan said this, she pulled the door open and walked out of the house, ignoring Richard who kept calling her name.She flagged down a taxi and jumped into it without a second thought, turning a deaf ear to everyone and everything around and behind her.As soon as she arrived at Grace's house, she met her friend standing outside with worry etched deeply in her features. A sigh of relief escaped Grace's lips on sighting her."What is going on? You left me worried. I was about to drive down to your place." Grace complained, eyeing Joan as the latter approached her."I'm sorry," Joan apologized, her voice and words breaking as all the pent-up frustration, anger and pain suddenly floated up to the surface."What the hell, Jo, what happened?" Grace opened the door for her to enter the house, her worry escalating seeing her friend in that condition.Joan walked into the house without answering the question, and as soon as she sat down on the sofa, she broke down in tears.Grace quickly locked the door and rushed to Joan's side."Girl, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Did someone die?" She asked and was shocked when Joan nodded her head to the question."Somebody died? Who?" Grace asked, her eyes stretching in alarm."Richard, his mother, Belinda, my marriage, everything that keeps me sane, I'm losing my mind…" Joan listed, sobbing intensely.Confusion registered on Grace's face, but she refrained from asking any more questions or saying anything further. At first, when Joan began the list, she was shocked to hear that Richard died. But as the list went on, she knew something else must be the case.Plopping down beside Joan, she pulled the latter into her arms, comforting her in silence.It took a while, but Joan eventually stopped crying, only gasping occasionally as a result of the outpouring of her intense emotions."I think I am now ready to take your offer. I want to leave this country. I'm done. I've had enough." Joan revealed."You know I'll do anything for you. I'll call my travel agent right now and they will begin to process the documents as soon as tomorrow... But first, tell me everything that happened." Grace spoke, never withdrawing her comforting hug even for a second.Grace opened her eyes the next morning to find that Joan was gone from the bedroom. Although her house was a three-bedroom detached bungalow, she insisted that Joan sleept in her room because of the state of her mind last night. But alarm bells began to ring in her head the moment she looked around after waking up and did not find Joan in bed or the room."Joan?" Grace jumped out of bed, half running to the sitting room, hoping the one she sought would be there. To her relief, Joan was there. However, to her utmost dismay and confusion, the girl was seated at the bar, downing alcohol so early in the morning, dressed in her scrub."What are you doing?" Grace collected the bottle and glass from her, giving her a concerned look. Her eyes were all red and swollen, and her beautiful friend looked like a shadow of her former self. "Don't do this to yourself, Jo. And what are you wearing?""What? I'm dressed for work." Joan responded, her speech slurring slightly. However, Grace noticed i
Unknown to Joan, the person lying on the bed was no ordinary being. The very moment she stepped into the room, a terrifying black wolf roused from its deep sleep.Lazer, the black wolf, opened it fiery red eyes to search for the one who's wonderful and addictive scent had woken him up but all he could see was black. That was when he remembered that they had been in a terrible accident earlier, an event that knocked them out completely.Unable to resist the scent of the person that just walked in, Lazer spoke. "Roman, wake up."His call succeeded in waking Roman — his human — up. However, Roman only woke up in the subconscious, not physically."Can't you smell that?" Lazer asked, getting overly excited unlike his usual self. "I told you she was the one last night but you were doubting me. Now she's so close and I can barely stay still. Do you believe me now?" Lazer added in a half complaining tone.Last night, this very scent had wafted across their nostrils while they were at a restau
Meanwhile, in the second emergency ward, Grace met someone she didn't expect to see in their hospital — Mr. Trevor Baliante, the king of the business world. She, and every other person conversant with the business world new him to be the CEO of the biggest multi billion dollar company in the country and the hottest, most sought-after bachelor.It was not news that Mr Trevor was single to stupor and was not ready to mingle yet. However, his hot physic and otherworldly facial beauty made ladies gush whenever they set eyes on him. Grace was not an exception. Only, in her case, she told herself he was out of her reach seeing how he avoided women. For this reason, she made no real effort to get noticed by him.Seeing him there, Grace didn't need anyone to explain what Amira meant when she said high profile people were involved in the car crash. What she didn't understand was why they were brought to their small hospital when there were bigger and better equipped ones around.Dropping all
Grace couldn't believe her ears after everything Joan told her. It was not even up to an hour since they arrived at the hospital and so much has happened already. So much that they both knew trouble was already close to their doorsteps. At the close of their shift, Grace, determined to help her friend escape the mess she had created for herself, led her to the travel agency to complete all the necessary documentation needed for Joan to leave the country as soon as possible. While they were there, Joan couldn't sit still. She was physically trembling and her mind was a mess. She was yet to deal with one trouble and here she was trying to get out of another. She couldn't tell if this was just ill luck or if she was being punished for something she did in her past life. "Relax, Jo. This shouldn't take too long." Grace tried to calm her down, seeing how she was up on her feet and pacing about again for the fourth time since they arrived."I can't. What if he wakes up and comes looking
At the sight of the latest addition to the number of people in the house, a well-known kind of fear and curiosity hit everyone. There were a few people in the country that nobody dares to mess with or get into trouble with. One of the most feared ones was Trevor Baliante. Ironically, he was the most harmless looking one, and the biggest investor in the Brandon's business.No one knows how he does it, but all who got into trouble with him had somehow ended up badly, and the police had never found Trevor wanting. He, also, was one of the few businessmen allowed to have heavily armed guards for no apparent reason.So seeing him in their presence at that time and in that manner, signified nothing but trouble. Their fear was justified.Joan and Grace were worst hit. With their hearts pounding in their chests and their eyes stretching as if they were about to pop, they exchanged glances, knowing that what they fear the most had finally caught up to them. Joan willed herself to calm down,
For a brief moment, Joan forgot all of her troubles as her eyes feasted on the unbelievably handsome being that just walked into the house and was standing by the doorway with his mesmerizing blue eyes fixated on her. Nothing could have prepared her for that sight. This was the same man from the hospital, she could tell. But how was he now looking a hundred times better than he did a few hours ago? It couldn't be the clothes. He was dressed too simply to attribute the changes to his attire. Moreover, the change didn't only affect his physical looks. The aura surrounding him was strong, intimidating yet alluring, and dark.She didn't know how she knew these things because they were things she wouldn't notice about a person on a normal day. But she noticed and felt all of it as soon as her eyes met with Roman’s. The bubble burst when she heard his voice and his words. He had the kind of voice that makes it easy for one to obey his every command, but his words sent a wave of confusion
“What?! Five minutes? That's too short—”“Your time starts now.” Roman cut her off, and Joan was about to protest again when her father's voice broke through.“Who's this man, Joan, and what business do you have with him?”“And who's asking?” Roman asked, turning away from Joan to face Mr. Elvin.“I am her father.” He answered.“Her father? The one ordering her to kneel and apologize to her oppressors?” Roman probed “How did you know about that?” Joan asked, surprised because they had not arrived when her father told her to do that.“Sweetheart, he wasn't whispering when he said it. I was right outside the door.” “What I say to my daughter and how I correct her shouldn't concern you. She is my daughter, not yours.” Mr. Elvin said.“Is she?” Roman asked, narrowing his eyes as he took slow steps toward the man. “Tell me, Mr. Elvin Connor, is she really your daughter? Because I see not even the tiniest bit of resemblance.” Roman uttered, catching sight of the shock that registered on M
It all felt like a dream and everything happened so fast – the joining, the exchange of rings which Roman surprisingly provided, the signing of the marriage certificates. Everyone was left dumbfounded at the speed at which a marriage was conducted and concluded. Although the groom looked like he was having his best day, the bride still looked confused as if she still wasn't sure she wasn't dreaming all of it. Now sitting in the back seat of one of the luxury cars driving away from the house she once called home, she let out a loud sigh, then turned her head to stare at the man who turned her entire world upside down in less than thirty minutes.He was seated comfortably beside her, his eyes closed and his head thrown back against the headrest. He looked so peaceful and possessed more than everything she desired in a man.Strange as it was, in only a few minutes, he had made her feel better than Richard had made her feel in three years, but she still couldn't get rid of that nagging