Chasing the Shrew

Children

Amelia was listening to the news as she made breakfast for her children. She nearly dropped her knife when she heard the fiasco at Roger Inc. Suddenly, her phone vibrated and she looked down to see a text. Swiping to unlock she read:

How do you like my engagement present? :)

Amelia smiled and resumed smoothing peanut butter and avocado on sourdough bread. She always thought the Rogers were untouchable. Maybe he could save her and her children from Dustin.

“Children!!! Come eat!”

There was a thunder of footsteps and her two babies popped out followed closely by DS. They all sat down and started eating; like little birds. Amelia shook her head.

“DS, are you sure you will be okay taking the kids to school?”

“Yeah, I am just dropping them off. I need to go buy something and it’s on my way. You should take some time to relax.”

Peter smiled at his mom, his mouth full of peanut butter and avocado, “Mm…mommy. We want to go with uncle today.”

The kids had noticed their mother’s distress the day before and wanted her to take a break. They roped DS in to help out around the house. He didn’t know how to do much but he was eager to do what he could.

When they all left, Amelia sat down and turned on her laptop. Checking her emails she looked for correspondence from the realtor or Stephen regarding the sale of the villa. With all the recent events she was eager to cut all ties with Dustin. Someone would argue she should give up all the money Dustin gave her, but why? Does pride feed and clothe you? No, it does nothing but make a loser worse off. She was going to take every single cent off the table if it meant her children would be well-fed and have a stable life. Having the extra money meant she didn’t have to look for work while she cared for her children. It’s hard to be a single parent and work at the same time.

With all the interest income she stashed a good portion away for her children’s education and any remaining after living expenses, she donated to orphanages and poor houses. She wanted to give others the help she never received growing up.

Amelia blinked back tears; she hated Dustin but she lived on the money he tossed her way. She sighed. F*ck him.

“Don’t think about him, Amelia,” she chided herself, “think of the children. Everything is always for the children.”

She shut herself off from her emotions and resumed working.

***

Gloria went to the Roger headquarters to discuss the Foller family with Dustin. She was almost overrun by the cameramen and reporters at the front. Frustrated, she had her bodyguards shove a path for her. She strutted into the office amid the camera flashes like a model down the catwalk. Pulling off her sunglasses when she was inside she eyed the disarray and clicked her tongue. What would the Roger family do without her?

She walked into the private elevator and went to the top floor where Dustin worked. Upon exiting, she didn’t even bother waiting for the secretary to announce her and just walked into Dustin’s office. The moment she walked in she was greeted with the words “my children”.

She stood rooted on the spot, her eyes turned red with fury, “What children!?”

Dustin and his lawyer turned to the open door. His mother’s shrill shriek could have woken the dead. Gloria marched in and glared at Dustin, “What are you guys talking about?”, she hissed.

Dustin narrowed his eyes, “Mother, why are you here?”

“Tell me whose children are you talking about!?”

Dustin sighed, he didn’t want to bring this up with his family until it was a done deal. Knowing his parents, they would likely try to stop him from claiming his children but now that she got wind of it, his mother would stop at nothing to uncover it. He had to hold his ground if he wanted his children and Amelia back.

“Amelia had my children six years ago before she got divorced. I intend to bring them back to the Roger family.”

Gloria was about to rage when she noticed the lawyer was still in the room. She gathered herself and sat down, “Are you certain they are yours? Remember how loose that woman was? I wouldn’t be surprised if she slept around.”

Dustin’s mouth drew into a tight line. If she wasn’t his mother he would have lashed out. Instead, he just gritted out, “Yes, the timing is correct and they look like me.”

Gloria gasped, “They!? How many?”

“Amelia had twins, a boy and a girl.”

Gloria squinted, her mind racing. Is that stupid b***h a pig!? She gave birth to a litter of runts. She rubbed her temples in deep thought. She wanted Dustin to marry Fiona to tie the families together but if Dustin had children the Follers wouldn’t stand for such a slight. She needed to test the waters…

“Why bring them back? That woman wanted to break ties with you. You should move on, son.”

Dustin leaned forward and looked Gloria straight in the eyes, “Those are my children; I will have them back. Amelia is the mother of my children so I intend to remarry her.”

Gloria held her tongue. If she pushed too far he would become suspicious and have her tailed making things harder for her. She smiled and decided to take a step back, “You know mother always supports you. If you intend to acknowledge the children, you should bring them home soon so we can have them properly educated.”

Dustin nodded in agreement. Gloria stood up stating she had another appointment; she didn’t have time to dawdle. She had to act quickly.

If Dustin wasn’t distracted by so many things, he would have thought it odd that his mother barged in without a reason.

***

In her car, Gloria raised the partition for privacy. She quickly placed a call. The moment it connected she spoke, “Get someone on the stupid wench’s litter from six years ago. There is a boy and a girl, about five years old. I want you to stage a kidnap that went wrong and have them killed. I don’t care how you do it but it needs to be fast. Money is not an issue.”

She hung up and looked out the window. The underground contact she kept on her payroll was the best of the best; ruthless and efficient. As long as he was paid, he would get the job done. Killing the hussy could come later, she had to eliminate the children first before Dustin registered them as his. If the children are dead, perhaps Dustin will lose interest in that wench once again. She’d be damned to let that hussy back into the Roger family. Perhaps the hussy would die from heartbreak if her children were to die tragically?

Gloria looked at her reflection in the window and smiled. “You are so smart and beautiful,” she cooed. Throwing her head back, she laughed fantasizing about gruesome images and the sounds of a wailing mother.