ELIJAH'S POV
"Sir I think you've had enough drinks for the night," the bar man said.
"Nonsense, I'm paying you for the drinks ain't I? Now do your job before I buy this place and fire you myself!" Elijah barked. His glass was empty, his white shirt rolled in the sleeves.
"But sir, you've had too much to drink. This is your fourth drink." The bartender asked worriedly.
"How dare you question me?! Do you know who you're talking to?!" I said, my speech was slurred and vision was blurry. Maybe I had a lot to drink after all.
After seeing that I was not going to get my drink, I turned and got off my seat to leave, clearly exasperated. I sobered up quickly when my eyes landed on the one man I never wanted to see in my entire life.
Harry styles!
I clenched my teeth, and formed my fists. I could feel my veins popping out from my head.
"Ah Elijah, I see you have not changed a bit," Harry said mockingly. He had a fitting suit, the same old stupid haircut and his bodyguard.
"I don't have time for your foolishness Harry," Elijah sneered.
"Oh please, you're still mad at me for that incident years ago? It's in the past. I'm back in town for more business," Harry said.
"Business? You almost got someone killed with your stupid technical inventions, it would be over my dead body if I ever got in partnership with you again!" I spat.
Instead of getting upset, Harry chuckled and walked towards the bartender.
"One margarita," he ordered.
He sat next to me and his guard kept his eye on me, I didn't flinch. This guy could not scare me, I'd clearly beat him to a pulp.
"A little bird told me you had your secretary arrested for attempted murder, your reputation as a strong business has been in the mud. I am just here to offer you help," he said.
(Scoffs) "Help- from you? I'm not that desperate. The way our friendship ended, so did everything else." I spat.
I jointed up from my seat and began to stroll away from the counter.
"The game has just begun Elijah, this is just the beginning," Harry muttered manacely.
I felt anger boil through my veins. I wanted to hit him so hard, but Laura's face popped up in my mind. She always calmed me down in such cases.
"Ah why do I keep thinking about that dreadful woman," I scolded myself as I got in the car and drove away.
Upon reaching the mansion, I walked in and Astrid received me with a hug and a cup of water.
"Don't touch me," I said. I took the glass of water and pushed her to the side and walked to my room.
The only thing on my mind was making Laura pay for what she did. The water tasted weird but I was too drunk to reason.
I heard the door creak open and Astrid stood there with a revealing dress, she had Laura's gown on, I couldn't help but see Laura in her, I felt anger rush through me but I couldn't do anything. She walked towards me and by this point, I began to feel dizzy and lightheaded, falling on my bed.
****
I woke up the next morning to see Astrid sleeping on the bed, her hand on my chest. My head stung, I had no memory of last night, everything was so blurry.
"What the hell! Astrid, what are you doing here?! Get out!" I jumped from the bed and covered myself with the sheets. I hoped nothing happened between us.
"You wanted me here," she sobbed.
"I did?! Did we do anything?" I asked, confused.
"Yes you did, I wouldn't have been here if you didn't call me here." She sobbed even more, grabbing her inhaler on the lampstand next to the bed. I couldn't help but feel pity for her, she was still fragile and I hurt her just like Laura did to her.
"Oh Elijah, don't be angry at me," she pleaded.
I groaned in frustration and hit the glass cup from the table on the wall, shattering it to pieces.
"Get out! I don't ever want to see you in my bed ever again," I scolded her. I couldn't show her I felt sorry for her, but at this point. I felt angry at myself because I shouldn't have been so wasted to the point I hardly remember anything.
I watched her walk out the room with a rob on, I felt sick to my stomach. The only woman I had laid in bed with and I was aware was Laura. That criminal and now, I messed up with Astrid.
LAURA'S POV
The jail cells smelled, I was locked in a single cell with no roommates. It had one tiny toilet that was barely flushable.
The guards would stand by the door like I am a hard core criminal, like I would escape. They treated me like an animal in this prison. I barely ate a thing, as days turned to weeks I got used to not receiving a meal. If Ms Ivy Reed had not sent some food secretly, I would starve.
I began feeling sick a month after I was jailed, nobody cared about me. When I discovered that I was pregnant, it came as a shock to me. I had no doctor to monitor my pregnancy but the morning sickness, the nausea and cramps were enough for me to know I was pregnant.
Elijah constantly tormented me, now I was pregnant with his baby. Giving birth in jail is the last thing I ever expected in my life.
Each day that passed, my hatred for Elijah grew. I could see my belly grow, my uniforms could barely fit. No one bothered to give me a larger size, after all I was a criminal in their eyes.
I would ration the good whenever it came, the only thing I wanted was to give birth to a healthy baby.
Ms Ivy never paid a visit, no one was allowed to visit or communicate with me, she had no idea about the baby.
The guards would beat me most times for doing absolutely nothing, I'd be forced to go in the fields with other inmates to do hard work. Neither I nor my baby was spared.
Nine months passed and I was heavily pregnant, by this point, I was tired, angry and exhausted.
When contractions started, I felt a throbbing pain down my spine. My legs felt locked in, I couldn't walk or move. The pain got worse and I let out a blood curdling scream.
"Help! I am in labour!" I screamed.
The female guards walked in and started laughing at me.
"You're probably faking it. You'll get a beating for that"
"Help please, I am not faking it!" I cried out.
They mocked and laughed at me, I couldn't help but sob loudly. I had to be strong for my baby, I couldn't let anything happen to my baby.
As each contraction came, I knew the baby was near and when it was time to push. I pushed with all my strength.
After the guards saw the baby's head come out, she panicked and called in the doctor.
The doctor came in and wrapped my baby, just as I thought it was over. I felt another sharp pain strike through my back, I couldn't help but scream even louder.
"Oh my Goodness, there is another baby coming. Laura, whatever you do, be strong and push when I tell you to." The doctor said, The process was a painful one, and my legs were numb from the pain.
I delivered the second baby and smiled. I couldn't believe I managed to deliver a girl and a boy, Elijah's copy except the boy had my blond hair and blue eyes.
"I think I'll name you, Jimmy and Luna." I said with a smile plastered on my face.
I let out a breath before laying my head down, holding my twins on my chest as the doctor cleaned my insides.
A moment didn't pass and I saw a figure I could never forget, it was Astrid and she had no belly bump.
"Wasn't she pregnant?" I thought to myself, remembering the pregnancy results I saw in her purse that day.
"What are you doing here, you witch!" I screamed at her.
"Calm down Laura, I am here to take what's mine." She said, trailing her eyes down at my twins nonchalantly.
My heart sunk low in my chest. "You can't take them, please!"
"Laura we both know these little brats can't be raised in this filthy place. I'm doing you a favour, besides They are Elija's flesh and blood," Astrid muttered manacely, surrending her hands in the air.
I felt tears roll down my cheeks uncontrollably. I knew I could not raise them here, they did not deserve this life. As I heard my babies' cries so did my heart bleed for them.
The guards took both babies and gave them to Astrid. I felt like I lost a battle, I felt like changing my mind, taking them in my arms but I couldn't. I could only surrender my two babies.
I took one last look at my babies and scanned my surroundings, I held my head high not showing any emotion at all, this was not a place for my babies.
"So what's it going to be Laura, you know you have no choice. I am your saviour!" She spat.
The guards stood there snickering, I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach.
The doctor looked me straight in the eyes, it felt like she was begging me to think about what's best for my twins.
"Laura the baby will need medical check ups, proper nutrition. You need to let them go with her because even though they are healthy, they still need proper nutrition." The doctor said,
I stood up, barely able to walk and handed the twins to Astrid. She had a grin on her face and I felt like smacking it off.
"I will come back for them, and I'll get my revenge. Mark my words Astrid. If anything happens to either one of them, I'll have your head." I spat.
She trembled in fear before turning her heels and left with everybody else, leaving me in the smelly jail cell. The blood stains still on the floor, a clear reminder of what I've just lost.
I felt my heart numb, no tears rolled down and I was more than angry. I needed my vengeance, my peace away from Elijah.
I watched as Astrid happily walked away with the only source of happiness that kept me going in this filthy place.