THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS

"He betrayed our love, Cheryl. The moment he handed me those divorce papers to sign, he completely terminated whatever relationship we ever shared," Kathleen said in an agonizing voice.

"But you never signed it, so legally, you are still tied to him as his wife and there is nothing you can do about it until you are properly divorced which I doubt Shawn will agree to now."

"He will sign it in the long run,"Kathleen declared deviantly.

"You think so?" Cheryl asked, her tone seemed to suggest that Kathleen was only deceiving herself.

"Do you know that you surprise me at times Janice? Ask me how."

"How?" Kathleen obediently repeated.

"You are such a kind hearted person and easily let go of things. Even Spider who was out to kill you without batting an eyelid got a second chance. Why don’t you give Shawn a second chance too?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Spider was not a relative and never understood me. He was only acting under someone’s threat just like you proved in court, remember?" Kathleen countered.

Cheryl shook her head in despair. "I was the one that defended Spider in court and knew there were loopholes in the case but the incompetent lawyer hired by the Beazells could not spot it," she revealed.

"We both know Spider would have chosen to confide in the police about the threat from Mrs Beazell when she forced him to assassinate you or even warned you but he chose not to do any of those."

Kathleen looked on blankly as Cheryl continued to speak.

"The same way you knew he had other options but didn’t use it, yet you let him go, why not apply the same in Shawn’s case who also acted on the spur of the moment?"

"Moreover Shawn didn’t do anything, it was his mother that sent you parking in Shawn’s absence from what you told me, except you didn’t tell me the whole truth."

Kathleen massaged her temple as she listened to Cheryl. She was at a loss for words not knowing how to take in Cheryl’s analogy and make her understand her plight.

When she saw Kathleen’s desperate effort to hold on to what was obviously tormenting and denying her the happiness she deserved, Cheryl was heartbroken.

So she decided to make use of her last trump card.

"You two look so good together and I can tell that behind that cold facade is a kind passionate wife who misses her lover."

"I also know you value the ties and warmth of family a lot."

If she could win the argument by appealing to her conscience, why not give it a try.

"How do you think Shawn and the children will feel when they find out you have denied them this right, considering what you had to go through alone when you thought you had no family to call your own in the past?"

"But they have a family who loves them dearly," Kathleen said, unlike her that had just a mother whom she later found out she shared no relation with.

"You are right," agreed Cheryl, "but a father’s love is quite different from a mother’s love, and also from other relatives," Cheryl pointed out. "Think about this my friend and make hay while the sun shines."

"How much did he give you to intercede for him?" Kathleen asked jokingly but she was actually giving Cheryl’s pleas some thoughts.

’Why can’t I forgive Shawn?’ Even she couldn’t understand why.

"He gave me what you couldn’t. Now hurry up and go and meet my brother-in-law," Cheryl teased, pushing Kathleen to the door.

"Brother in-law indeed," smirked Kathleen.

Meanwhile at the Wyatt’s villa, Elvis and Eleanor had just returned from school.

"Mom is not back yet?" Eleanor flung her backpack on one of the chairs.

"Your mom has so many things to attend to today and will be back in the evening," responded Mrs Carr.

"Go and freshen up first so you can have your food." She said and went to the kitchen to inform the chef to set the table.

"Yes Mrs Carr," the children chorused and were already heading upstairs when Elvis noticed Eleanor’s backpack still on the chair.

"Eleanor, aren’t you forgetting something?"

"No, I am not." She followed Elvis’s gaze and saw her backpack. "Oh, brother, can you help me with it? I’m so tired and can’t carry it upstairs," she begged.

"It’s just a few steps Eleanor, don’t be lazy. Besides I have mine to carry," Elvis scolded.

"Please, please, please brother," she begged, putting her two small hands together in front of her while batting her eyes cutely in the process.

"Alright, I’ll help you."

"Thank you brother, you are the best. I love you the most."

"Spare me your drama, Eleanor. Is there anyone you don’t love the most whenever they do what you want?" Elvis exposed her but he still had a doting smile on his face as he picked up Eleanor’s backpack from the chair.

"Look brother. Mummy is in the news," she yelled excitedly as a sudden breaking news segment captured her attention.

"Really?" Elvis’s eyes darted to the large television set showing their mother in the embrace of a man they’ve never seen before.

The shock on their faces was palpable.

Eleanor gasped and looked at Elvis, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Elvis, who is that... who is that handsome uncle holding mom so close to himself? I’ve never seen her with any man before."

Elvis, equally astonished, leaned forward to get a closer look. His heart skipped a beat as he noticed the striking resemblance between the man in the news and himself.

They shared the same chiseled features, the same enigmatic look, and a familiar glint in their blue eyes, even the way they carried themselves with poise and dignity was the same. He had never seen anyone look so similar to him like that.

Why he was still processing that, Eleanor stuttering with surprise, whispered, "Elvis, that man, he looks so much like you. It’s like...I don’t know, like he could be related to us."