Your mole… it’s beautiful.” The man drawled huskily, his hand encircling the mole on the woman’s breast.

Their naked bodies were entangled under the sheets. Was it the alcohol they had both taken or they just couldn’t seem to have enough of each other?

Without warning, the man resumed thrusting in and out of the woman, his palm never leaving the breast that had a mole on it. Soon, he came in her. She did too.

Lovett had never climaxed before in her two years of marriage, not until now. And it was with a stranger.

After their breathtaking exercise, the two strangers lay entangled in bed, fast asleep.

Four hours later…

Lovett winced as her eyes slowly opened. She blinked for a couple of seconds in order to get familiar with the darkness surrounding her.

As dark as it was, she knew she wasn’t in her matrimonial room, on her matrimonial bed. Where, then, was she?

Her heart immediately skipped a beat. She slowly pulled up the duvet and her eyes trailed down to her body. She was naked.

She prayed silently for the case not to be what she was thinking. Her eyes darted over to her side, and unfortunately, a man was there, in bed. Right in bed, beside her!

Lovett felt her head pound miserably as she hastily flung off the duvet and dressed up.

Just how did she get there?! Last thing she remembered was having a drink with her husband.

Ken, Lovett’s husband, had driven them to a bar to celebrate his becoming the CEO of Power Group. And as much as Lovett refused to drink anything, Ken just wouldn’t have it. So, he had begged her to take just a sip. Then another. And another. Until Lovett downed the cup empty.

Ken had excused himself to use the bathroom. And that was the last Lovett remembered. Everything after that, blurrrrr.

Tears glistening in her eyes, Lovett glanced at the man’s body one last time and made her way out of the room.

What could have gotten into her? How could that have happened? With what ears would people listen to her that she’d mistakenly slept with someone who wasn’t her husband?

As she headed to the bar area of the hotel, she wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

“Please, have you seen my husband?” She asked the waitress.

The lady recognized Lovett, so she smiled, “your husband left a while ago. He was looking for you and thought you’d gone home, so he left.”

Lovett’s heart skipped a beat as she forced out a small smile.

She bid the waitress goodbye and exited the hotel.

It was just two in the morning, so the road was almost empty and there were no taxis.  However, after walking quite a distance away from the hotel, she finally found one.

As soon as the taxi moved, Lovett burst into hot tears, not caring about the driver’s presence in the vehicle.

When they reached her home, she wiped her puffy face and paid the driver.

Before leaving, the driver offered, “it’s going to be alright, ma’am. No matter what it is you’re going through, it’ll be alright.” and then zoomed off.

Lovett stood frozen on a spot, fresh tears brimming in her eyes. Alright? Her matter was far from alright. How was she going to tell her husband that she cheated on him? How?

She considered calling her sister but… why disturb her with her life problems? How was she even going to tell her?

After standing in the cold for about thirty minutes, Lovett began to drag her heavy feet inside.

She used her fingerprint to open the door, and silently, she entered and closed it behind her.

Ken would probably still be awake, worrying about her whereabouts.

With every step she took closer to her matrimonial bedroom, Lovett’s heart thumped louder and louder.

However, she knew she had to face the consequences of her action. Inhaling deeply, she reached for the doorknob

“I told you it was going to work. She’s probably still getting pounded by the gigolo. I paid him well for it.” Ken’s laughter filled the air.

Instinctively, Lovett’s hand froze in the air. Brows furrowing, she retracted her hand.

The door was slightly ajar, such that she could see her husband, who was currently lying on the bed.

“I hope this is enough assurance that you’re the one my heart belongs to and not Lovett. Once she gets back, I know she’ll want to form righteousness by confessing to me that cheated but I’ll shove divorce papers in her face and send her packing immediately. That ugly whore!” Ken spat.

“Hmn. Now I believe that you indeed married her for money.” Lovett had never been so stunned in her entire life.

Her husband was currently on a video call with a woman. And that woman… that woman… Although Lovett could barely see the woman’s face, she recognized her voice.

“Hmn. It’s your grandfather’s fault. If only he can be a tad bit nice to you too.” Ken sighed irritably.

“I know, right? He’s not my grandpa. He’s always treated me unfairly compared to that stupid girl. Tsk.”

A tear streamed down Lovett’s cheek at once.

The woman who had just finished speaking was none other than her step sister, Ashley.

“I don’t need her anymore. I have more than enough money now. I’ll take care of you and my angel.” Ken uttered proudly.

“Hmn. She looks so much like you. And acts like you too. So annoying.” Ashley whined, causing Ken to erupt into another round of laughter.

“That’s how it should be. She’s my daughter, after all.”

Lovett’s breathing shuddered uncontrollably upon hearing her husband’s last sentence.

Right now, she was feeling as if she was having a nightmare. A very cold one. And she wanted so badly to be woken up from it.

She pinched her wrist hard, however, the pain she felt from it made her realize she wasn’t having a nightmare. This was reality. Her reality.

Her niece… was her husband’s daughter.

Howwwwww?!

“I can’t wait to have the both of you in my arms. My damsels.”

“Same here.” Ashley paused briefly. “However, are you sure she’s currently not pregnant with your child? I don’t want any issue later on…”

“Trust me, she isn’t. I never touched her. Not even once, my love. She disgusts me, you know?”

Upon hearing Ken, Ashley beamed with joy.

Lovett’s heart wrung in pain. He just lied. They’d been having sex in their marriage—although, not frequently. However, she never conceived, so there was no proof, which was due to the fact that her husband always used protection each time they had something to do together.

"The money we have now is yours. I want to have my own money, only then will I see myself man enough to father and raise a child. I feel guilty and less manly." Ken would always say.

However, now, Lovett knew that her husband had been lying pathetically to her all these while.

But how could those two do this to her?

Unable to take the pain anymore, Lovett subconsciously pushed the door open and entered the bedroom.

Upon seeing her, Ken was shocked to the bone.

“Lo-Lovett?” He jumped off the bed at once.

“Lovett, I was looking for you…”

Lovett. He’d only always called her Lovett, but she’s heard him refer to her sister as ‘my love’ just now.

“How could you do this to me?” Lovett whispered in pain.

“You set me up with a gigolo? You married me for my grandfather’s wealth? You love my sister, and Amy is your daughter? So, you’ve been cheating on me with Ashley?”

“It’s not what you think.” Ken hurriedly reached forward to grab Lovett’s hand, but she immediately flinched backward.

“I disgust you… Really?"

"For how long were you eavesdropping?" Ken's eyebrows furrowed.

This prompted a scoff from Lovett. "Is that what matters right now? You, scumbag!"

Ken's teeth clenched at the cuss. "That's enough! Yes, I don't love you—I never loved you. It's your sister I love. She was the one I wanted but you threw yourself at me. You were so pitiful—you were even the one who proposed in the relationship, so I was forced to marry you. Would it have been polite to turn you down in front of everyone?"

Lovett was even more stunned by her husband's direct outburst. He had never spoken to her that way before. Just who was the man standing in front of her?

Amy was currently four years old… So, he had been cheating on her with Ashley since before their marriage. And she’d had no idea. Not the slightest.

Without further ado, Ken reached for a brown file on the bed and shoved it in her face.

"That's the divorce papers. I'll break it to the news media that you were the one who divorced me so as to save your face. I don't need to give you alimony, you already have more than enough. However, I'll be a gentleman and still do the needful. You can't have this house. This will be me and my family's home. Amy really loves the place." As Ken spoke, each word of his stung Lovett like poison. Her chest continued heaving heavily.

Ashley, who had been watching and listening as the event unfolded, decided to break her silence, "just as Ken said, Lovett, it would have been improper if he had rejected your proposal back then. And about him and me, it just happened. We fell in love.”

“Find a place in your heart to forget all that happened, okay? Just take it as your fate. Don't let what happened ruin our bond. I'll still continue to love you like before. You're my dear sister, after all."

Dear sister... Lovett scoffed. 'Did she just say dear sister? Which sister would do this to her sister?'

Lovett was drained of all energy, she had nothing left to say. The divorce papers' file in hand, she turned around and dragged her feet out of the house. The house that was once her home. That she was always eager to go back to. It now seemed uninvitingly foreign to her.

Lovett's lips quivered uncontrollably as hot tears streamed down her face. She clung hard to the file as a cold wind hit her face.

Flagging down a taxi, she headed straight to the one place she could go to. Her grandfather's mansion.

***

"Don't fight it. Just die silently. There's no one here to save you. Your stupid little granddaughter isn't here to save you, old man." Dianne whispered softly in the ear of an elderly man lying on the bed.

He seemed to be gasping for breath. However, upon hearing his daughter-in-law's voice, his body slowly stilled and a tear rolled from his eye onto the pillow.

The corner of Dianne's mouth lifted in a smirk, "you should have been nice to my daughter and me. Maybe I would have been easy on you. Sigh. Do you know how much energy and dedication it took me till this very night? I had to be poisoning you slowly in order not to raise suspicions.

And right now, I'm enjoying the fruit of my labor. But I have to give it to you. You lasted longer than you should. You should have been dead a month ago but you dragged on until now. You just never give up easily."

She paused briefly, "oh, I can't wait to see the look on Lovett's face when she sees your corpse."

Chairman Larson remained still as he felt life being sucked out of him. The only regret he had was that, after his demise, his precious granddaughter would have no one to rely on. She’d be left all alone in the midst of wolves.

Slowly, he closed his eyes, giving in to death.

Seeing that the old man had finally given up a ghost, Dianne turned to face Chris, “let the word out.”

***

Immediately Lovett reached the Larson family’s residence, she rushed inside at once. All she wanted right now, was to throw herself in her grandfather’s warm embrace and cry.

He’d comfort her, then find a solution to her problem. He always did. Found solutions to her problems.

As soon as she entered the house, she was met with an unexpected scene. In the mansion’s main lounge, seated a few people whom she recognized. Her Uncle Josh and his family, her step-aunty, Gabriella, her step mother, and few other extended family members.

They were all wearing a somber expression on their faces.

Confusion written all over her face, Lovett shuffled her feet over to her stepmother’s side. Regardless of what may have transpired between herself and Ashley, Dianne had always been a very good mother to her. Most of the time, she took Lovett’s side over her daughter’s whenever there was an issue between both girls.

Lovett was sure Dianne would take her side this time, too, by the time she listened to the entire story.

“What’s going on?” Sniffling, Lovett settled on the couch, right beside her stepmother.

Upon seeing her, the tears Dianne had been trying so hard to keep in check all these while, spilled down her face.

“Oh, my poor thing.” She hugged Lovett tightly like her life depended on it.

Lovett was deeply confused. She stroked the woman’s back comfortingly, her eyes darting around the room. There was one person missing. Her grandfather. Was the old man fast asleep? Was that why he was absent from the gathering?

Besides, what could be the reason for this early morning meeting? It wasn’t even dawn yet.

Josh Larson cleared his throat and stood up on his feet. Lovett watched keenly as the rest of the people present also did the same and approached her one after the other.

“We’ll take our leave now and come back when the day’s clear for a better discussion.” Josh’s words were directed at Dianne who simply nodded her head in between sobs.

He then turned to face Lovett and patted her on the shoulder, “be strong, Lovett.”

With that said, he exited the mansion.

The rest of the family also, one after the other, offered Dianne and Lovett comforting words, and took their leave.

Soon, it was Dianne and Lovett remaining in the living room.

“Mom, what’s the matter? Can you explain to me what’s going on?” Lovett inquired in a soft voice.

Dianne wiped her tears and turned to face the lady, “grandfather… Grandfather passed away at midnight.”

‘What?’ Lovett couldn’t believe her ears.

For several seconds, she remained frozen on the chair.

After a while, she said, “you’re joking, right?” her words coming out in a whisper.

Dianne simply nodded her head in confirmation. “I guess he got tired of hanging by a thread.”

Lovett’s eyes gradually moistened and the rate at which her heart beat accelerated rapidly. She chose to not believe her stepmother’s words, so, without warning, she sprang up on her feet and rushed upstairs to her grandfather’s bedroom.

When she reached the door, her hand hesitated on the doorknob before twisting it and opening the door.

When she entered, Lovett’s heart skipped many beats. The more she inched closer to the bed, the more her heart shattered. Her old man’s lifeless body laid on the bed… And she needed no further confirmation than the one she was seeing right now.

She sank to the floor at once and poured her eyes’ content out. For several minutes, Lovett continued weeping. And when there were no more tears left to cry, she remained seated on the floor, completely still.

Dianne, who had been watching Lovett from the doorway, had a smug expression on her face. However, when she proceeded to enter the room, it disappeared completely.

She squatted low in front of Lovett and held her tightly in her embrace, “it’s okay, darling. You still have me. I’m going nowhere—I’ll be right here whenever you need me.”

After some time, Dianne gently pulled Lovett up and guided her out of the bedroom to the lounge area.

“Prepare a cup of coffee for the lady.” Dianne ordered the maid closest to them as she and Lovett settled on a couch.

The both of them remained silent as they waited for the coffee. And when it arrived, Lovett collected the cup from the maid before handing it over to Lovett.

Lovett didn’t have the strength to do anything right now, so she simply took a sip and placed the cup of coffee on the stool beside her.

“If you look on the bright side, my darling, you’ll see that it’s a good thing Father left us. His life’s been hanging by a thread for so long. Don’t worry, like I said earlier, I’ll be here whenever you need me.” Lovett paused, “why did you come home alone this early? Did someone notify you of the news?”

Upon hearing the woman’s question, Lovett’s heart sank further. She had completely forgotten the reason why she was there. How wouldn’t she, when the matter was nothing compared to the death of her grandfather?

“It’s nothing…”

Dianne eyed Lovett skeptically, “talk to me. What is the matter?”

Heaving a weary sigh, Lovett confessed, “Ken doesn’t love me. Apparently, he’s been seeing Ashley behind my back. And…” Her voice wavered as she swallowed uneasily.

“And?” Dianne’s head cocked to the side.

“Amy is Ken’s daughter and he’s leaving me to be with Ashley.”

Dianne gasped.

“Are you being serious right now? That’s really bad! How could Ashely do that to you, you poor thing?” She asked, wide-eyed.

Lovett looked down at her fingers, forcing back the tears threatening to escape her eyes.

She’d cried a bucket within the past couple of hours, she had developed a migraine.

“However, Lovett, you’ll have to forget about what happened, huh? Just take it as your fate.” She paused, “You see, to be quite candid, Ken and Ashley fell in love. You just maneuvered your way into the picture. If you remember clearly, you were the one who proposed to him on your grandfather’s seventieth birthday. He couldn’t have turned you down in front of everyone. And as for Amy, my beautiful granddaughter… Ashley got pregnant with her before you and Ken married—it couldn’t be helped.

She couldn’t have possibly undergone abortion, right? That would have been risky. Just forget about everything, huh? It’s all in the past now. If anything, you’re the one who should apologize for keeping those two lovebirds apart until now. Just sign the divorce papers, okay?”

Lovett blinked rapidly and pinched her lap to be sure she wasn’t dreaming right now. Was this the same Dianne? She seemed so different right now.

And wait, what?

“You knew about everything all along?” When she found her voice, it was low and hoarse.

Dianne chortled, “of course, darling. Ashley is my daughter.”

Lovett blinked some more, refusing to believe what she was hearing.

“You knew… all these while, and you never said a word to me.”

Dianne was silent for a while, her face straight. However, when she couldn’t hold back anymore, she burst into a round of laughter that lasted almost a minute.

Catching her breath, she asked, “what were you expecting, child? To choose you over MY daughter?”

She scoffed. “You think all those times I chose you over her, I was doing so from the bottom of my heart? Listen, no mother would ever do that to her child. I just had to pretend every time because of your lousy grandfather—who never even gave my daughter and I any face till he died this midnight.”