A Love Trap

The rumors going around didn't matter to Belinda. After all, there was usually very little truth in them. As long as her daughter said that Andrew was a good man, she would continue to believe it.

There was seldom a dearth of 'topics' when it came to conversations amongst women. They could talk about anything under the sun, unlike men who often found themselves lost for words.

Ashley and Belinda strolled from one end of the garden to the other, immersed in their conversation.

Ashley glanced at her watch, breaking herself away from their discussion for a moment. It was a force of habit for Ashley. She always knew instinctively when it was time for her children to get back from school. She slowly led Belinda and herself into the living room to welcome her children who would be arriving shortly.

Her three children were at the door in a matter of seconds just as she had expected. Dany was leading the trio with Fabio and Richard trailing tiredly behind him.

The first thing Fabio always did when he got back home was to look for his mother.

Earlier it had been only Fabio and Richard in the house. But now, they could spend more time with their mom.

The moment Fabio and Dany saw Ashley sitting on the sofa, they dashed towards her cheerfully, with their arms outstretched for a hug. "Mommy!" they squealed excitedly.

"I am so happy that you two are back home! I've missed you, my darlings!"

She held the two kids in a tight bear hug and placed a gentle kiss on their foreheads.

Looking at the three children running excitedly into the living room, Belinda and Martin were stunned.

Were they all Ashley's children?

All three of them were adorable and Ashley's parents got the feeling that they'd all grow up to be beautiful someday.

Jeremy had met Fabio before, so he knew that Fabio was a carbon copy of Andrew. The similarity in their features was almost uncanny.

"Hi, Uncle Jeremy!"

said Fabio in a sweet voice when he saw Jeremy.

"Jeremy is my brother. So that makes him your uncle, do you understand?"

Ashley rubbed Fabio's head and then turned to her other children with kind eyes.

"Ok! We got it, mom!"

Fabio, Richard and Dany spoke in unison.

"Good kids!"

Jeremy felt a mixture of pride and joy brimming in his heart as he looked at his nephews and niece.

hadn't brought any gifts for

kids the next time I

Martin, who were seated on the couch. Then she said to her children, "These are my parents. Or in other words,

at Belinda and Martin, and then they turned to Ashley. They arched their eyebrows in

the couch

be impossible to their

had grown up believing that Cynthia and Zen were their only grandparents. During the four years they spent in N country, they had not known another truth. So it

out loud. She shushed

on now. Greet your grandparents," she said

"Hello, grandpa and grandma."

did as their mother had told them. They

she laid her eyes on

name is Fabio, grandma. This is my brother Richard and that

with the authority of a leader

darling young boy!

Belinda anxiously. She wanted to hold her grandchild in her arms more than anything in

at Ashley subconsciously. He always did that when he wasn't sure what

Ashley nodded reassuringly.

grandma. You

to Belinda's lap. She quickly wrapped him in

from his body. It was the scent of childhood. His body felt tiny and warm in her arms. She felt

watched them from afar but

about Ashley's past.

Andrew's wife. So it was

with her family members. Chant felt delighted for her from the bottom

had begun to grow rather sullen, was brimming with a newfound energy.

scene that

was all she'd ever

whole day with

returned home, he was

room, basking in each other's company. It seemed to him like the set of a sitcom he liked to watch. It

was about to step in, but he

at Jeremy coldly. He couldn't

still here?' he wondered, barely managing to keep this thought from showing on

off. He could feel a cold stare upon him and turned

hold a grudge against

stare with a

"You're here!"