The Calm Before the Storm

Chantel gently cradled Vincent in her arms, feeling his small body relax against hers, while Henry, with a similar tenderness, carried Vivian in his arms. The four of them made their way towards the garden, where a blanket was laid out on the grass, complete with a couple of bottles of wine for them to enjoy. They placed the kids down on the soft cloth, their laughter filling the air as they played together. Henry and Chantel, too, shared in the moment, their spirits lifted by the carefree atmosphere and the warmth of the children's innocence.

Chantel smiled as she watched the kids, a sense of contentment washing over her. "You know, it's a good thing that we are having fun together after all the long drama we've been through," she remarked, her voice reflecting a mix of relief and joy.

Henry poured wine into their glasses, the red liquid catching the light in the late afternoon sun. He raised his glass toward her, his expression filled with warmth and anticipation. "Toast to a happy life," he said, his voice steady. "I can't wait to make you my wife and make the kids legally mine."

Just as their glasses clinked, a figure appeared in the distance—Andrew. He had just gotten out of his car and was walking briskly toward the gates of Henry's estate. When he spotted Henry and Chantel, seated together with the children, his expression darkened. A deep, seething anger rose in his chest as he watched Henry lovingly interact with the kids. His hands clenched into fists as he realized that he could no longer even carry his own children in his arms, a feeling of helplessness consuming him. He stood frozen in front of the gate, watching the family scene unfold before him, but neither Chantel nor Henry noticed him lurking in the distance.

Claire, sitting in the back seat of the car with her mother, asked the driver to stop in front of Henry's gate, her gaze fixing on Andrew's figure standing there. Her mother, sensing something unusual, wondered aloud why Claire had requested the car to stop.

With a swift motion, Claire lowered the window and peered outside. As soon as she saw Andrew, her heart sank. Why was he standing there, in front of Henry's gate? She couldn't make sense of it. Instinctively, she reached for the car door, intent on confronting him. But her mother, sensing her intentions, quickly grabbed her hand.

"Where are you going? And why did you ask the driver to stop here?" her mother asked, her tone a mix of concern and confusion.

Claire yanked her hand free. "Mum! I'll be right back," she said sharply, already pushing open the door and stepping out of the car.

Her mother called after her, "I'll come with you."

"No, mum, you can't come with me. Stay in the car. I'll be right back," Claire insisted, closing the door behind her as she made her way toward Andrew's position.

She moved cautiously, hoping not to be seen, yet unable to resist looking over at the garden. What she saw made her heart twist with jealousy. There, in the lush expanse of the garden, Henry and Chantel were laughing and playing with the children, their chemistry unmistakable. The moment Henry leaned in to kiss Chantel, a surge of anger rushed through Claire. Her hands trembled as she clenched them into fists. The sight of them together, so happy and carefree, was too much for her to bear.

She wanted to storm into the garden and drag Chantel away, remove her from Henry's life once and for all. But Claire knew she had to be patient. If she rushed things now, she might lose Henry's trust completely, and that was something she wasn't willing to risk. Instead, she stood there, her emotions swirling, her jealousy burning deep within.

"Soon, Chantel," she muttered under her breath. "I'll destroy you and get you out of Henry's life. I promise you that."

With those words, she turned and walked back toward the car, her steps heavy with frustration. She climbed into the backseat, closing the door behind her with a soft thud. Her face was a mask of anger and disappointment. Her mother, ever perceptive, immediately noticed the shift in Claire's mood.

"What happened?" her mother asked, concern lining her voice. "Why are you angry? Why do you look so sad?"

Claire forced a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Nothing, mum. I'm fine."

But her mother wasn't convinced. "No, you're not. What's going on?"

Before Claire could respond, Andrew, who had been standing outside Henry's gates, turned and left, heading back to his car. As he drove away, his anger simmering beneath the surface, Claire's mother could only watch in silence. She wasn't sure what had transpired, but she knew it was something that would only add to their already complicated situation.

Meanwhile, in Henry's garden, Chantel had grown quiet, her thoughts drifting away. She watched the children play, but her mind wasn't there with them. Instead, her thoughts returned to her childhood, to the time when she had lost her mother. A wave of sadness swept over her, and she felt the familiar ache in her heart—the ache of growing up without the love and care of her parents. Her mother had died when she was just a child, and even now, she couldn't shake the emptiness that lingered in her life. It was as if a piece of her had always been missing.

Henry, ever observant, noticed the change in her demeanor. He gently placed his hand on hers, a comforting gesture meant to offer support. "What's wrong?" he asked softly. "Why are you crying?"

Chantel blinked away the tears that had gathered in her eyes, quickly wiping them away with the back of her hand. "I'm just… I'm just sad," she said, her voice tinged with sorrow. "I never had the love of my parents. My mum died so young, and even my dad… he never showed me any love either. Isn't it sad?" 

Henry's heart ached for her, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly. "It's okay. I promise everything will be fine. You're not alone anymore."

She sniffled, trying to hold back more tears. "I just wish I could have had the love of my parents, you know? I remember when my mum died. I was only five, and I came home from school one day to find my dad telling me she had slumped and was rushed to the hospital. Two days later, she was gone. I couldn't understand it then, but now I do. And then, after she passed, Claire and her mum came into the picture. My dad's second family. It broke my heart to know he had been cheating on my mum for so long."

Henry's brow furrowed as he processed her words. "So, you think Claire's mother might have had something to do with your mother's death?"

Chantel hesitated, her mind racing. "I don't know for sure, but the way they showed up so suddenly, it seems suspicious. It's almost like they were waiting for her to be out of the picture. And Claire, she's always trying to separate me from my dad, always getting in the way. It's like she's been planning this all along."

"We'll get to the bottom of it," Henry said firmly, pulling her into a comforting embrace. "I promise you, we'll figure this out together."

Meanwhile, Andrew had arrived home, his mind still clouded with anger. As he entered the house, he immediately noticed that Claire and her mother were nowhere to be found. He rushed upstairs to Claire's room, only to find that she had already packed up and left. Panicking, he went to her mother's room and discovered that she, too, had packed up and gone. Frustrated, he stormed back downstairs and stopped one of his maids.

"Where is Claire?" he demanded.

"Ma'am Claire and her mum packed out earlier today," the maid replied, her voice timid.

"Good riddance," Andrew muttered, his anger bubbling over. He dismissed the maid and reached for his phone, dialing the number of his secretary, Sharon. 

Sharon, who was out at a nightclub, was caught off guard when her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Andrew. Quickly excusing herself from her boyfriend, she stepped outside to take the call.

"Sharon! I need you to come to my house right now," Andrew's voice came through the line, stern and urgent.

Sharon raised an eyebrow, surprised by the late hour. "What about your wife?"

"She's already left," Andrew replied, his tone flat.

Sharon saw an opportunity here, a chance to get closer to Andrew, and her mind raced with possibilities. "I'll be there soon," she said, ending the call with a smile before turning to face her boyfriend. But as she did, she saw the look of surprise in his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. Had he overheard her conversation?