I remember the day like it happened yesterday when I met Mrs Carter for the first time. She looked vicious, poisonous… And, dangerous. Her aura was uncomfortable for anyone. She focused on her son after the death of his wife and son. When my mother attempted to explain to her, Amy is gone. The outburst of Emmeline Carter still haunts me.

“And yet, your respected husband can kill someone else family.” Mrs Carter gave me an evil smile. “A son in exchange for a son. That is the agreement.”

“Mother? We will find another way. We can.........” I was about to cry.

“There's no other way. We have already signed the contract. I wasn't aware of another daughter. Good for us. We mention a daughter without any name. You can step in to fulfil that vacant place or else your family will pay a huge amount, that includes your father to be in jail as well.” Mrs Carter said to me.

“At least, wait until she gets 18. After marriage......” Mother interrupted.

“I am not marrying anybody.” I cried.

“Then don't marry. We just want an heir. Be his surrogate. Or...... You can sleep with.........”

“No one will come to my bed.” A drunk male voice yelled.

That furious male voice was coated with the layer of disgust. I looked around everywhere, but the owner of that voice was didn't appear.

“Willa and Malcolm is not coming back. They are a religious family. That's why.....” Mrs Carter was looking to the stairs behind me.

I turned to see a drunk man. He is the one who lost his wife and child that day. He's James Carter. He used to look good on the cover of a magazine. Those shiny green eyes looked dead now. His clean-shaven face has stubble now. He looks almost like a homeless person now.

“I don't care what type of family they are. I want that man behind the bars. I want him to suffer.” He announced. “He will suffer.”

“We can discuss it later.” Mrs Carter's voice softened now. Poor mother. “James, don't drink now.”

He scoffed and left with the bottle of unknown liquor in his both hands.

“The agreement has been signed. If you prefer not to marry him, then give him a son and get out of his life.” Mrs Carter advised me.

“No marriage, no son.” My mother declared.

“I want my grandson. I will convince my son for marriage if that's what you want, but I want a grandson as soon as possible. Her age is not an issue. I can talk to my lawyer. Everything is possible.”

“When is the marriage?” My mother looked crushed.

“You are selling me. I will not marry him. He's a decade older than me.”

“Dear, please try......”

“I don't want to try anything.” I was impatient. “Marriage means we have to spend the rest of life together till death do us apart.”

Mrs Carter clapped. “Bring her here for a check-up. I want to be sure if she's Virgin and fertile.” She looked satisfied. “You both are dismissed.”

As I look back into the time and analyzed in my leisure time, I realise I have a controlling Mother and I never realised it. It was normal for me as I grew up in that environment. She wanted Amy to stop seeing Ryan Harrison, so when Mrs Carter gave the condition of 'A son in exchange for a son', Mother jumped in.

I wonder what was going on in Katherine Kepner's mind when she agreed and signed the agreement. Occasionally, I attempt to justify her actions with the excuse that Ryan Harrison was a habitual cheater and had a commitment issue, so a mother's heart searched for a stable man. But was James a stable man?

The answer is no.

Even though James is ready to service his sentence for domestic violence, I can't actually press charges against him. I still debate if giving me the Carter empire was intentional or not… his plan or not, but now, I am stuck with James. He has given me the freedom to seek comfort in the arms of Theo, but For me, marriage has been a sacred institution. I have seen my parents loving each other… They were meant for each other. So, I am not going to violate this marriage. But am I going to be the wife of James Carter forever?

I have no idea.

Currently, we don't bring up the status of our marriage. James brings Jamie into my room and sleeps with him, next to me. I can see through his acts… What he is setting out to do, but I haven't acknowledged it yet. Since I am so busy.

I have my little business to run. We don't have many customers… But they are loyal. As we have few buyers, we have maintained data on their regular demands. It was Evan's idea. A remarkable idea. And, I am so glad that we have Evan with us. The accountant turns out to be an expert. He is still doing the job part-time, but we are afraid of what would happen if our business boomed.

“I don't wike her,” Jamie lisp. His voice got my full attention and I finally look at him and Annie, arguing while Jace is attempting to separate them, by pulling the chubby arms of 2 and a half years old Jamie. I can't believe we have spent so many months without any problems.

“Jamie.....” I called him. “What, you don't like it?”

“Aani….” He pointed at Annie and gave me a look, 'get rid of her'.

“What you want me to do then?” I tried to control my laugh and acted seriously.

“Tho her.” He chirped.

“She's your sister… Silly.” Jace sounded bored.

“Tho him.” Pointing at Jace, Jamie demanded to throw his brother as well.

“You are a baddie.” Annie stick her tongue and run inside. I know her destination. She's running to her father… Who is behaving like a jobless person. He never leaves the house and does chores like a househusband. His company is run by hired CEOs, and I have divided the shares into two parts… One for my kids, maybe for the future, and the other is for Jessica. I can't keep her rightful inheritance.

I called Jamie, but he ignored me, running after Annie. Now, there will be a verbal sibling war to get the attention of papa Carter.

“Are you ok?” Jace walked towards me, with concern. Having Jace as a child is extraordinary. Now, I realise why parents are proud of their kids. Jace has a magical power to handle his siblings. He is even good friends with me.

“I have never been better.” I hugged him, hearing his calm heart. He is alive, in my arms, healthy. Thank God.

“I don't like her.” Cherish grumbled.

“I don't wike her,” Jamie repeated.

“So she is the one who taught you this.” James entered with Annie on his shoulder. He walked towards me and kissed my left cheek. He is touchy, lovey-dovey, like we are a normal couple. I haven't talked to him yet about couple's counselling because he is busy with his therapy for alcohol addiction. Despite his clear memory of Mrs Carter giving his alcohol, he thinks it's Norma's idea, as James was the crucial knot for the relationship of Marvin and Emma. Stable James, the second, could discover Norma's plan.

“She's your grandmother, and you will not misbehave with her. She needs our help.” I said with a motherly authorities tone. I have already a few mistakes. I breastfed Jamie a few times, and after getting from the hospital 6 months back, when Jamie refused to take any food and demanded milk from me was the time, I realize my job as parents is not only to love them but also to teach them independence… Life. So, that was the last day, for the sweet Anna and I have been trying my best to do as mothers and also making sure, not imposing anything that makes them uncomfortable… Like, Jamie gets scared as soon as Mrs Carter comes. He probably doesn't remember her, but his subconscious mind knows Mrs Carter yelled at him.

“I never misbehave with her.” Cherish defended herself. “I just don't talk to her.”

“Then, stop glaring at her,” I demanded.

“Nana is my best friend.” Annie chirped. “Is she coming to meet me?”

“Nana is coming.” Jace sounded supercharged.

“Even pops is coming too.” James behaved excited and sat Annie on the kitchen counter. “Dan is coming too.”

“And, Norma?” Cherish questioned with hope.

Looking at our eldest daughter, James shook his head and confirmed the absence of Norma. We haven't told Cherish about what Norma did, and we are thankful that Norma didn't ruin our little left relationship with Cherish. She simply said she did something bad, terrible. And, we all, as a family, need time to accept that. Cherish was devastated in her absence, but Norma always leaves a voicemail for her as a good morning message. We all hear it. She's developing a pure relationship with Cherish, where she is not trying to corrupt anything.

“I don't wike her.” Annie copied Jamie, clearly talking about Norma. And we laughed at Annie.

“Nana.....” Annie and Jace run to their grandmother, who is a little scared. She is aware of her multiple personality disorder, and it helped a lot. Finally, she's cooperating with everyone and working on herself but only in presence of Marvin, and a female psychiatrist.

Marvin has done an outstanding job. He retired and uses his full time to take care of Mrs Carter. Even Mrs Carter has done a decent job in 6 months. A considerable progress, I could say.

Hugging the Twins, Mrs Carter relaxed. “We are my other favourites.”

“I don't wike her,” Jamie mumbled behind James, which caused us to burst into a laugh. This toddler is always around his grandmother but acts like he dislikes her and hides behind James. “I don't wike her, ” repeating, Jamie confirmed that he loves this statement.

“Even I don't wike her.” Mrs Carter re...ed and showed the lotus which she brought with her... A sign of rebirth.

“She looks better.” Trina approached me and together, we watched Mrs Carter playing with kids with Susan and David by their side.

“She's working on it.” I busied myself setting the plates for kids.

“Why did you trust her?” Trina's question caught me off guard. “Mrs Carter….” she added. And, I didn't think about this until now.

I stopped my job and looked at the old lady, laughing, and then I see Marvin joining them.

Why did I trust her?

“Maybe because I know how it feels to be alone. When you have everybody, but nobody is there for you.”

“I think, you always knew that Norma is a vicious lady, that's why you never listened to her,” Trina said.

I frowned.

“She told you to leave, James, but you didn't listen. I think this bothered her. Everything happened just like she wanted, but you challenged her. She claims she loves you and James, and then she proceeded with her stupid plan of brainwashing you. Her words are empty, and she knew that your feeling for James are strong, and you will not leave.” she said.

“Do you think I should give James a chance?”

“You already gave him a chance.” She laughed, but it sounded a sarcasm. “You can always press a charge against him, but you didn't. He promised, he will not fight back. You said, it's bad for the company's image, and I am not arguing with you with that, but my question is..... Is he treating you good?”

I nodded.

“Is he talking to his mistress?”

“No.”

“And what about Theo?”

“I don't want him in my life,” I spoke with the speed of bullets.

“Which means you want James in your life.”

.