"Momma," the young boy called out to her.
Rochelle's heart melted. In all the years she knew her sister, she had never known that Raya had a child. It stunned her.
One more reason to feel guilty about the choice she made. She not only stripped a wife from her husband but also took a mother away from her child.
She wrapped her hand around the boy and lowered her body to level with his height. Rochelle embraced the boy in a loving hug, she couldn't think of what else to do.
"Momma, I wanted to come to see you several times. But papa said no," the boy complained to her. "He said that you were sick. Are you okay, Momma?"
Rochelle's eyes moistened once again. She had no idea what to say, the boy's mother was not okay. Raya was gone, far away from the world to a place where he could never reach her again.
It was killing her, how many lives had changed because of her? Many hearts would break if the truth ever came out that she wasn't her sister. The burden and guilt were the prices she was paying for the wish she made.
"I'm fine," she responded.
She broke the hug, she wanted to assure the boy that everything was fine but before she could do that. Someone grabbed the boy out of her hands and created distance between them.
"Let me make one thing clear to you, Raya. Reyan is my son too and I don't appreciate you brainwashing him," the woman said.
Rochelle looked at her with confusion in her eyes. The situation she found herself in surprised her. She had no of telling who the woman was or how they could share custody of the child.
"I need to see Ander," she let out not interested in arguing with the woman. Since she didn't know what her story was with Raya, she didn't want to get into that and say something inappropriate.
"Ander, won't always be there to save you. Sooner or later he will get tired and cast you aside like garbage," the girl let out. "What is a woman who can't have a child, if not garbage," the woman added.
Rochelle stopped in her tracks. She grabbed the hems of her dress and fought hard not to look back. It was news to her that her sister couldn't have a child.
Regret washed over her. Had she not been the selfish, self-centered girl that she was then her sister would have been her best friend. Raya would have been in a position to tell her about her problems and she would have tried to help.
But instead, she sucked the oxygen out of every room that her sister was in intill she killed her.
"Tasha," the head maid shouted. "May I remind you that you are just the surrogate? You can't speak to miss like that," she scolded.
Rochelle turned around and stared at the woman. The girl was her sister's surrogate and yet they dared to insult her. She might not be Raya but the girl assumed she was so in a way, the woman was insulting her dead sister.
She felt sorry for Raya. Having to deal with such a woman must not have been easy, and being reminded that she couldn't have a child must have been hard to endure every day.
As she stared at Tasha, she had a weird feeling. Her eyes stared at the woman but she couldn't see her. Her mind was fading away.
"I might not be able to conceive but at least I can keep a man," she uttered and matched back to where Tasha was standing.
Pap! Pap!
She landed two tight slaps on the girl's cheek. Glaring at her, she pulled the little boy to her and cupped Tasha's chin.
"He is my son and Ander is my husband. You can desire them all you want but if you try to lay your hand on either of them, I will end you," she uttered firmly. "Mine, only mine," she repeated to her.
She pushed Tasha away gently and carried the boy in her arms. "You better hope that you are with a child soon, else you won't be of importance to me," She said with a devilish smile playing on her lips. "If you no longer had a purpose to me, I won't hesitate to oust you," she threatened.
She walked away in confidence. The nanny smiled, it wasn't like her mistress to let anyone step on her. It surprised her when she saw Rochelle walk away and let Tasha step all over but after seeing the comeback.
It was clear that her madam had gotten better. And was back to rule the house with an iron fist.
Tasha remained rooted on the ground, gritting her teeth in anger. She was annoyed by the scene that played out.
"I will get Ander and Reyan. They will be my perfect family, very soon Raya," she whispered in anger.