The Billionaire’s Recalimed Love

As I stepped out of the car, I instinctively rubbed my hands on my belly, "Maverick is gonna be ecstatic" I thought while smiling. The news I had to share with my husband was too wonderful to keep to myself any longer. My heart was still pounding from excitement after the hospital visit. The doctor’s confirmation of my pregnancy had turned my world upside down in the most beautiful way. Jolie, Maverick’s childhood sweetheart’s presence in our lives has made our relationship shaky lately. I quite don’t understand how she was allowed back into the lives of the Blackwood family when she is the very person that broke my husband’s heart years ago. But I guess it’s because Maverick pitied her and her failed marriage. Although I can’t lie, that pity he has towards her hurts and makes me feel cast out sometimes. I hurried up the stairs to the front door, the coolness of the evening air contrasting sharply with the warmth spreading through me. But before I could reach the door, I heard raised voices inside, loud and angry. I paused, my hand resting on the doorknob as I strained to listen to what was going on before I entered. It was Jolie's voice I recognized first, high and shrill with anger. Just hearing her voice made my blood boil. "You don’t understand, Blackwood! You heard it all wrong ." I heard Jolie say. "How dare you plot against my family, after we took you in! I overheard everything, Jolie. You and your accomplice are planning to take over the company. You’re out of your depth, girl!" Mr. Blackwood retorted in a gravely angry tone. Panic spurred me into action. I flung the door open and rushed inside. The scene that greeted me made my heart skip a beat. Jolie and Oldman Blackwood were at the edge of the stairs, locked in a furious struggle. Jolie's face was contorted with rage, her hands pushing against Blackwood's chest. The old man must have overheard her secret and she was determined to bury him with it. "Stop!" I shouted, my voice barely audible over their raised voices. But they were too far gone to notice me. Just as I reached them, Jolie gave one final shove. Time seemed to slow as Oldman Blackwood staggered backward. I ran up to get a hold of him, but it was too late. He staggered on the edge for a heartbeat before toppling over, crashing down the stairs with a sickening thud. I watched in horror as he landed at the bottom, his head hitting the ground with a dreadful SMACK! For a moment, everything was silent. The world seemed to hold its breath. Then, with a stifled cry, I hurried down the stairs, dropping to my knees beside him. "Mr. Blackwood! Can you hear me?", This can't be happening. Not Mr Blackwood, he is the only one in the family who has always had my back, my only ally. Now here he lay in a pool of his blood. I called out his name several times but he didn’t respond. His eyes were closed, a thin trickle of blood seeping from a gash on his forehead. I glanced up at Jolie, who was standing at the top of the stairs, her face pale and stricken. "What have you done?" I shouted at the top of my voice, "Jolie, what have you done?" She shook her head, her eyes wide with shock and something else—regret, maybe. "I... I didn’t mean to," she stammered. "... I just wanted him to stop." "Call an ambulance!" I ordered, forcing myself to stay calm. "Now!" Jolie snapped out of her daze. She searched around for her phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed 112. I turned my attention back to Blackwood, checking for any signs of life. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? And what was I going to tell Maverick now? As I pressed my fingers to his neck, desperately seeking a pulse, I heard the distant hum of a car pulling up the driveway. Maverick was home. Jolie's eyes darted to the window, and in an instant, she transformed. She raked her nails down her cheeks, leaving angry red welts that quickly began to bleed. Then, before I could stop her, I saw her puff up her chest then she slammed her head into the wall with a loud thud. The sound of Maverick's footsteps reached us just as Jolie staggered back, a crazed look in her eyes. "Maverick!" she cried, running down the stairs, fake tears streaming down her face. "Ophelia... she pushed him! And then she... she did this to me when I tried to stop her!" "What?" Maverick's eyes widened in disbelief, darting between Jolie, me, and the unconscious form of Blackwood. "What have you done, Ophelia!?" "No! Maverick, you have to believe me," I pleaded, my heart sinking as I saw the doubt in his eyes. "Jolie’s lying. Blackwood overheard her plotting to take over the company. They were fighting and she pushed him. I tried to stop it. I would never—" But my words felt hollow, even to my ears, as Jolie sobbed convincingly in Maverick's arms. The ambulance arrived moments later, and the paramedics quickly took Blackwood to the hospital. Despite their best efforts, he died from his injuries that night. The days that followed were a blur of interrogations and accusations. Jolie's story spread quickly, and no matter how much I defended my innocence, it seemed everyone was ready to believe her version of events. I wasn't even invited to the burial. I'm the least of people they have to suspect to have caused harm to Blackwood. During the times when Maverick wouldn't even spare me a look, it was Mr. Blackwood who was there for me. He felt responsible for my well-being because he was the very person that brought me into this house. This marriage to be precise. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I recollected the first day that I met Mr. Blackwood. He had almost run his car over for me when I was forced out into the streets by that one pathetic dude. It was during my final college days when I desperately needed money to pay the rest of my fees. I had agreed to hook up with someone in exchange for money, but he refused to give me a dime and threw me out on the streets. Oldman Blackwood was generous enough to listen to my life story and offer me a scholarship in exchange to marry and warm the heart of his cold and distant grandson Maverick. The first day, I set my eyes on Maverick, I fell in love with him. I took it upon myself to warm his heart and I had nearly succeeded when Jolie resurfaced, stealing away the very attention it took me years to gain. Ever since she returned to live with us in the same home, she's been possessive of Maverick, causing arguments and fights between us. I guess she's finally succeeded in getting Maverick to hate me.