Ariel Smith pushed open the door to the hotel room, her expression alight with anticipation. To her delight, she found her son wide awake and gazing out at the starry night sky.
With a radiant grin, Ariel announced her arrival, setting down the numerous shopping bags she had been carrying. “Couldn’t bear to sleep without me, huh?” she teased, gliding over to Trevor and planting a quick kiss on his cheek.
At this, the little boy finally turned his attention towards his mother. “Are you really that happy to live with that man?” he asked, his face contorting into a grimace.
Ariel pursed her lips and crouched down in front of her son. “Yes, Trevor. I’m reclaiming what is rightfully mine,” she replied, her tone determined.
Trevor’s face displayed a flicker of confusion as he probed further, “But didn’t you say he hurt you terribly in the past? That’s why you raised me all by yourself. Now you’re willing to go back to someone who caused you so much pain?” There was a hint of hostility in his voice.
“You talk too much, Trevor,” Ariel snapped, rising back to her feet. “I might have shared too much with you and now you think you can speak to me however you wish.”
Trevor smiled knowingly and turned his gaze back to the window. “That’s the mother I know, not the one pretending to be sweet. It doesn’t suit you, please,” he retorted sharply.
Ariel was left momentarily speechless, taken aback by her son’s boldness. However, she knew they needed to clear the air before they started living with Nelson the next day. “Trevor, you need to cooperate with me…” she began, but her son cut her off.
“Why do you keep repeating this? I already promised to cooperate. Isn’t that why you took me away from the orphanage home?” he said, his tone tinged with annoyance. With that, he turned around and climbed into bed.
“Goodnight,” he added curtly, signaling the end of the conversation.
As the young boy concealed himself beneath the bed linens, he allowed the salty tears to flow freely down his cheeks. “I despise her immensely,” he choked out each word softly.
Meanwhile, Ariel’s lips curved into a wide grin. She was delighted to hear her son giving her his word. It signified that her plan would be a success. She would have Nelson wrapped around her fingers once again.
**********
A taxi pulled to a halt in front of a grand academy, with several students bustling about and several flashy cars entering the school premises. Ethan’s eyes observed them with pleasure, but his chest couldn’t help but heave nervously.
“Are you going to stare all day?” Hannah’s voice interrupted his thinking.
“I’m quite anxious, Hannah,” Ethan admitted, turning his head to look at Hannah beside him in the backseat.
“Come on, Ethan. You’ve got this. And I’ve got your back, just like Lani. You’ll be fine,” Hannah reassured with a beautiful smile.
“Are you sure, Hannah? What if I can’t catch up quickly? Will they dislike me?” Ethan expressed his concern, and Hannah’s smile widened.
“They’ll definitely like you, bro. I mean, with your handsome looks, come on, I’m sure all the girls will go crazy for you as soon as you step into that place,” she teased, playfully nudging him.
Ethan blushed shyly.
“So, you have nothing to worry about. Now hurry inside,” Hannah urged.
“Have a good day, Hannah,” Ethan said as he got off the taxi.
“Enjoy your day at school, my dear,” Hannah said and watched him until he disappeared into the school.
Smiling to herself, she instructed the taxi driver to start driving away.
Ethan walked slowly, taking in every single thing in the vast school compound. The most captivating feature was how the school’s name, ‘Harmony Hall Academy,’ was sculpted with the grass. It was truly eye-catching.
Beaming, Ethan was already in love with the school.
Without delay, he made his way to the headmaster’s office to procure the required learning materials and also familiarize himself with his designated classroom.
Meanwhile, a taxi screeched to a halt in front of Nelson’s grand villa. With a mischievous smile, Ariel stepped out of the cab first, allowing Trevor to follow as she retrieved their bags from the trunk.
The cab drove off and Ariel led Trevor towards the massive gate, with him trailing behind at a slow pace. As she approached the gate, she took out her cellphone and called Nelson, who answered after the third ring.
“We’re outside now, love,” she spoke sweetly into the phone. However, there was no response as the line disconnected immediately.
This infuriated her and she redirected her anger towards her son. “If you caused any problems in there, Trevor, I won’t hesitate to take you back to the orphanage. Understood?” she hissed silently, her voice laced with frustration.
But little Trevor remained unaffected, his hands wrapped around his chest as he replied, “I didn’t want to be here either. I’d rather you take me back to where you took me from.”
Ariel’s rage intensified as she pointed a warning finger at him. “Stop being foolish, Trevor. This is your home now and you should forget about the orphanage. Your father can’t find out, do you understand?”
Without a word, Trevor averted his gaze and just then, the gate opened with a beep, revealing Leilani and Nelson, their hands intertwined as if they were about to walk down the aisle.
Ariel’s heart flooded with anger as she tightened her grip on her cellphone.
She wondered if this was Nelson’s plan, to flaunt his marriage in her face. It hurt her deeply but she couldn’t back down now. They could play this game.
“How long do you plan to remain stationed there?” The disgruntled tone of Nelson’s voice shook her from her reverie, prompting her to quickly plaster on a smile.
She carried their two bags, gesturing for her son to proceed ahead while she trailed behind.
“Good day,” she greeted with a mushy smile, arriving at the spot where Nelson and Leilani stood.
Nelson’s face lit up with a charming aura as he looked at Leilani, before saying tenderly, “Let me introduce Ariel, my dear. She is the mother of my child, as I have mentioned before.”
But before Nelson could even fully complete his sentence, Ariel interjected.
“Would you mind allowing me to make the introduction myself, my dear Nelson?” Ariel said with a self-assured smile, taking a step forward and facing Leilani.
“I am Ariel,” she declared with a cocky grin. “Not only am I the mother of his child, but also the only woman he has ever loved in his entire life.”
A sly grin tugged at Leilani’s lips as she responded with an enormous smile, waving at Ariel with the hand that had with their wedding ring.
“Oh, it is truly a pleasure to finally meet you, Ariel. I am Leilani Carter, Nelson Carter’s lawful and devoted wife, and the only woman he is passionately in love with, both now and forever.”
Leilani’s words mirrored the same energy as Ariel’s, causing her to catch a glimpse of the murderous glare Ariel shot in her direction at that moment. But that only fueled Leilani’s triumphant smirk.
In her mind, she mused that this would be far more interesting and thrilling than she had initially anticipated.