Annabelle didn't know how she had managed to divert the children's attention to something else as the silence became unbearable. But she succeeded in waving away the question. For now.

"How does that sound darlings?" She grinned widely. Too widely.

"An evening with Barney?" Sandra asked with wide excited eyes.

"Perfect!" Samuel cried in excitement.

"Thought so too." She said, the grin still on her face.

She glanced at David and he was looking at her so intensely that her breath caught and she had to look away.

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"I'm sorry."

She turned to look at him but his gaze were on the kids who were having a fun time with the Barney character.

"For what?" She asked.

"For not being there for you and the kids when I was supposed to." He said.

She looked away. "It's not your fault. You didn't know."

"If I had..."

"David," she cut in. "They're all in the past and should not be revisited. Let's just focus on the now and the future."

He sighed then turned to look at her. "We need to talk. About us."

Her heart began to pound heavily at his words but she took a deep breath to reduce her tension.

"There's nothing to talk about." She said firmly. "The kids are our only priority and the reason why we are even standing this close to each other right now. You have chosen your future," she turned to look at him. "And I have chosen mine."

"And your future is Dominic Samuels I suppose?" He asked drily.

She looked at him sharply. "Just as Chanel is yours."

"Are you in any way trying to get back at me for what happened in the past?"

She scoffed. "That would be low of me."

"You can't marry Samuels." He said huskily.

"Excuse me?" She looked at him in disbelief. "I am an adult and I have the right to marry whoever I choose."

"That person should not be Samuels." He said firmly.

"Oh yeah?" She spat. I don't remember me being your younger sister so why do you even care?"

"Well because...I don't want him that close to my children."

Of course. It was only because of his kids.

"What a flimsy excuse." She said in disappointment. "Well, I'm sorry but you have to accept the fact that the kids would be close with whoever I marry, be it Dominic or anyone else."

She turned away and fixed her gaze on the children, aware of his angry stare on her.

***

They all arrived home after a long night but the children were still bubbly and bright eyed so they decided to see a movie together over some pop corn.

David's phone rang and he glanced at the caller and sighed. Annabelle sneaked a side glance at his phone and saw that it was Chanel.

"Hello..." he answered. "...I just got into the house..." he sighed. "I can't, maybe tomorrow? I need to be..." he sighed deeply. "This isn't necessary... Fine, I'll be there shortly."

She watched him talk to the kids, telling them he had to run a quick errand and would be back soon.

He barely told her he would be back soon and left the house as anger and jealousy surged through her.

She hated that she was feeling that way but couldn't help it.

"It isn't about being jealous!" She said angrily as she paced in her room after putting the kids to bed with the help of the housekeeper. "It's about him disrespecting our kids!"

Keep telling yourself that. Her inner voice mocked.

She groaned and flopped on the bed. She shouldn't have come here. She would have just let him bond with the twins without her being here. She shouldn't have come!

It was only that the kids also needed her here.

"We are leaving as early as possible tomorrow." She decided firmly.

***

She knew when he came in since he had to go past her room before getting to the master bedroom.

Sleep had refused to come and she had tossed and turned until she heard the light sound of his footsteps.

At least he didn't spend the night with her but that still doesn't justify leaving her...leaving the kids to go see that.. that...

He paused by her door and she stilled. Her heartbeat picking up it's pace and she waited for him to open the door.

But he just stood at the other side of the door. Like he was contemplating. Then he finally walked away from the door and she released the breath she was holding, scolding herself for feeling disappointed that he hadn't come into her room.

She was supposed to be angry at him!

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Early the next morning before breakfast, she already packed her and the children's things without telling them so they could leave immediately after breakfast.

She definitely was not going to stay with the kids till evening as they had initially agreed.

She came downstairs and passed by the gym.

Don't look, Annabelle. Don't you dare look.

She groaned as her body refused to listened to her mind then went closer to peep into the gym room.

Shirtless sinews and sleek muscles glistened with trickles of sweat as he raised and lowered the lift.

Her body reacted immediately. There was no sexier picture than the one before her right now.

She should be used to seeing him shirtless as she was once his wife but every time she saw him like this, she couldn't help but stare.

"Mummy?"

She jumped as she heard her son's voice.

"Oh sweetheart..."

"Were you peeping just now?" He asked innocently.

"Peeping?" She laughed nervously but quietly. "Of course not! Why would I do that?"

The little boy shrugged. "Thought I saw you peeping. Good morning mum."

"Good morning my sweet." She smiled. "And why are you up this early?"

"Dad had said he would work out this morning so I came to watch him." He replied.

"Aww, how cute. Even though you my boy, should still be asleep."

'Well I'm awake now." He shrugged again. "Sandy's still sleeping though. I'm going to meet dad now. And I won't tell him you were peeping." He laughed and ran inside the gym.

"Oh you little..." She face palmed and quickly left with a smile.

After checking on Sandy, she went into her room to have a short sleep while the boys got busy downstairs.

Some time later, after freshening up, she secured the ropes of her nightwear as she watched herself in the mirror. Her full cleavage picked out from the low cut neckline of her nightwear and a thought suddenly occurred to her.

She drew the nightwear lower exposing more skin and more cleavage and her nipples outlined on the sheer lacy fabric as they poked at it.

She smirked. "Let's show him what he's been missing."

She temporarily pulled the nightie cover over the seductive one then headed downstairs to join the others for breakfast.

After greeting him and the kids, she sat facing him, then loosened the ropes of the nightwear cover as she pretended it was only to make her tummy more comfortable while eating.

And she caught him staring...but pretended not to as she attended to the children giving him a better view.

She brought her eyes back to him and was filled with satisfaction at the raw desire in his eyes. His eyes giving the message that if not for the children, he would have ripped the nightwear off her, ravish every inch of her body and sink himself deep inside her until she begged for mercy.

Her body reacted to the pure lust in his eyes and she forced herself to calm the surge of desire that threatened to overwhelm her.

She was supposed to be in charge! She focused on the kids instead and was grateful for their endless chatter.

After they finished breakfast, his gaze hardly wavering no matter how he tried to conceal and control it, she announced nonchalantly that the kids should come upstairs with her so they'd prepare to leave.

Everyone looked at her with surprise.

"But mum, yesterday you said we were going to stay till evening today." Sandy whined.

"Yeah." Sammy agreed.

"Sorry darlings but mummy has something to do at the office this morning so we have to leave okay?"

She smiled brightly at them but they didn't return the smile.

"But you never go the office on Sundays." Sammy replied.

"What's going on Annabelle?" He finally asked with a frown.

"There are things that need to be sorted out at the office so we can't stay longer."

He stared at her searchingly for some seconds then called on the housekeeper.

"Take the children upstairs please." He told her as she came in then he told the kids he was going to join them upstairs shortly and that seemed to lift their mood as they willingly left the dinning room with Mercy.

"What's the meaning of this?" He asked.

"Meaning of what?" She snapped.

"We agreed y'all were going to stay till evening."

"Well I changed my mind." She said. "We're leaving this morning."

"Why?" He asked.

"There are...things I need to do."

"Whatever it is can wait till evening or tomorrow." He said firmly. "Even the children were surprised at this sudden development."

"Well you didn't think of them when you left to go see your... so called fiancée last night." She snapped then got up to leave the dining room but he caught her hand and stood up dragging her out of the dinning room to the second living room.

"Let go of me..." She struggled to break free from his grasp but he held on.

He shut the door before releasing her. "Now tell me what on earth your problem is."

"I wish to leave this morning with my kids!" She snapped angrily.

"Who also happen to be my children!" He snapped back getting angry. "What the f*ck is wrong with you?"

"I am not spending another day here with you!" She made to storm past him but he grabbed her waist and slammed his lips on hers drawing her into a demanding and passionate kiss.

She struggled against him but he held on tight and continued to seduce her with his lips until she gave in and kissed him back with equal intensity.

His hands went round her waist as he pulled her tightly to his body like he couldn't get enough of her softness, grabbing her breast and playing with her nipples while his lips never left hers.

She moaned against his mouth as he continued his sweet assault on her lips and body with her hands wrapped tightly around his neck.

In one quick action, he pulled the nightie off her body and they settled on the floor, a pool around her feet as his eyes feasted on her naked body.

"Belle...F*ck..."

He swiftly lifted her off the floor and went down with her on the nearest lounge, taking his shirt off as his mouth found one of her nipples earning a sweet moan from her.

He pressed his erection onto her thighs, his hand going to the area in between her legs and stroked her core.

"Oh god...David..."

He earned more of her moans as kept on working with his fingers and mouth and soon after, her body jerked in a powerful orgasm as she screamed his name.

At that point, he was so hard that he felt his pants could burst open from it.

Her hand found his erection and he sucked in a harsh breath from the sensation but he caught her hand, halting her and she looked at him in confusion.

"Damn it woman, I always find it so f*cking hard to resist you." He whispered and slightly raised his body from hers.

No, no, no, no, please!... She screamed inside.

"But I wouldn't want us to do something you might regret later." He said softly and made to cover her.

"David I...I..."

He took a deep breath. "Marry me again, Annabelle."

She froze and her eyes widened in shock. "What?"

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