After some digging, they found out that a pap had overheard her heated exchange with Dominic the previous night.

The idiot had been hiding behind a huge pillar undetected. He had come into the balcony when he heard the commotion and knew that what he found would make an extremely juicy and viral topic.

"It's not your fault my dear, stop blaming yourself." Ingrid consoled.

"How could I have exposed my kids to such kind of publicity?" She lamented. "You know these vultures mother, they won't let us have a moment of peace from now on."

"Everything will be fine Ann." Ingrid soothed. "But you have to stop blaming yourself first."

She paused. "Do you think he'd have heard?"

"He should have." Ingrid replied. She rubbed Annabelle's arms soothingly. "And whatever happens from now, know that you will never be alone. The children and I will always be here for you."

She nodded, accepting her mother's embrace. "Thank you."

***

"Has he called you yet?" Ingrid asked after they had finished lunch and the children gone upstairs.

Annabelle nodded, aware that Ingrid was talking about Dominic. "Yes he has but I haven't taken any of his calls. I'm just not ready to talk about last night yet. I know I hurt him with my words but he pushed me."

"Whenever you're ready dear." Ingrid said. "But it's a good thing you stood up for yourself. That'll make him think twice if he ever considers talking to you like that again. Atta girl!"

They both laughed.

❤️💎❤️

Annabelle closed her laptop and was set to go for lunch with Dominic.

Dominic had deeply apologized for all he had said to her on the night of the charity event. He had blamed it on alcohol and jealousy and she knew that the two mixed together could cause havoc.

She forgave him and had apologized to him too for speaking the way she had to him and he asked her to lunch on that Monday afternoon if she had really forgiven him.

She grabbed her bag and was about to leave when her secretary slowly walked into her office looking flushed.

"Madam." She said, scratching her head nervously.

"What is it Darlene?" Annabelle asked as she paused. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine madam, perfect!" She grinned stupidly.

Annabelle looked at her in amusement. "Out with it."

"Uh madam, someone is here to see you." She said.

"And who might that be?"

"Wellll," she said nervously. "He didn't really give me his name but I know who is."

"Out with it Darlene, I don't have all day." Annabelle said tiredly.

"Yes madam." The secretary scratched her hair again. "Uh..."

"Thank you very much Darlene, I'll take it from here." His deep voice filled the office as he walked in.

Annabelle stiffened. She missed the apologetic look on the secretary's face as she left the office.

He was looking dashing as usual in a dark suit that screamed 'Armani.'

She maintained a confident stance. "What do you want?"

"Don't pretend you do not know why I'm here." He said coldly, a scowl on his face.

"Pray tell, because I don't!" She snapped.

He just stared at her, his eyes blazing with anger but she stood her ground.

"Is it true?" He asked in a dangerously low voice.

"Is what true?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Annabelle." He growled.

"You have no right to come to my office and speak to me in that manner." She snapped.

"Don't get me angrier, woman." He said in a calm but scathing manner. "Is. It. True?"

"Well it's not!" She exclaimed. "My children are not yours!"

"Liar!" He said savagely. "What I won't tolerate from you right now are your lies."

"How dare you..."

"You will tell me..."

"You of all people should know that the media spill lies sometimes." She cut in.

"And you also know that they speak the truth sometimes." He said, his eyes piercing hers. "The reason why I didn't come earlier was because I wanted to confirm that it's really true and I did. So spill, young lady."

"I have nothing else to say to you." She maintained. "I already told you that my kids are not your blood! Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lunch date."

She made to walk past him but he grabbed her arm.

"The hell you are!" He growled. "You are going nowhere until you tell me the truth."

"Let go of me!" Her eyes blazed. "How dare you?"

"You will tell me the truth, woman." He said. "And I do not want to repeat myself."

Her angry eyes held his. "I am not scared of you."

"You should." He said simply still holding her arm tightly.

She winced. "You're hurting me, you jerk!"

He released his hold on her immediately.

"Well?"

"You can't force me to say only what you want to hear!" She exclaimed.

"Goddammit woman, you're testing my patience." He snapped angrily and let go of her arm, then turned away from her and took deep breaths.

He turned back to her. "This is the last time I'll ask you this. Are the kids really mine? And do not lie to me anymore, Annabelle."

"Why do you care?" She snapped.

"Because I have the right to know!" He snapped back. "No child of mine will be raised in another man's house."

"And no child of mine will be raised by another woman."

He raised a brow. "It's true then?"

"Well yes! It's true!" She exclaimed angrily. "I said it! Happy? Or should we go for a paternity test?"

He took a step back. "They're really mine." He whispered to himself.

Then he looked at her in anger.

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

Yes I was. Maybe not at this time or like this, but I would have told you eventually.

"No." She said instead. "I never would have told you."

"How could you be so heartless?" He growled.

"You have no right to judge me!" She exclaimed.

"You were prepared to raise my own children with another man without at least even letting me know?"

"You didn't deserve to know!" She spat. "You wouldn't have heard it from me. The stupid Media had to go poke nose."

His face contorted with anger that could scare anyone. Anyone but her.

"You will hear from me soon." He said in a dangerously low voice, then turned and walked out of her office.

She screamed in anger and flung her bag to the wall.

"The nerve of him to come here and judge me like he is a saint!"

❤️💎❤️

Two days later...

"...Mummy! Uncle Dom said he's going to take us out for some ice cream again."

Samuel said excitedly.

"Oh lord, not again." Annabelle face palmed. "They've had too much of that this week Dominic."

"Mum!" Sandra scolded. "How many times will I tell you that Ice cweam is never too much?"

Annabelle raised her hand in surrender. "Sorry madam, you did. But I still insist that it's too much." She turned to Dominic. "Even their grandma got them a big bowl just this afternoon."

Dominic chuckled. "Okay mother hen, we'll get something else then."

Annabelle's phone immediately rang and she glanced at the caller and stiffened.

"Are you okay?" Dominic asked, watching her.

She nodded. "Yes. Excuse me. I need to take this."

She walked to the dining room. "Hello?"

"I hope you are at your house? I'm on my way there." David's voice came on the line.

"What? What are you..." Before she could finish, he already hung up. "Ahhhh!"

Dominic rushed into the dining room.

"Are you alright?"

She shook her head again. "David is on his way here."