Previously called 'Older Brothers'.. If you have already read that, then continue on to the second alternate version available at the end of first part in this book.

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Nervous, Acacia paced her room. Her heart was pounding badly in her chest. She was frightened for what was to come.

DING! DONG!

Her movements froze. But she shuddered as a drop of sweat trickled its way down her neck.

It was the time! But it felt too soon.

Her heels clicked loudly on the floor as she forced her legs to run downstairs. She was out of breath when she finally made it to the end of stairs.

Eyes that were filled with tears and showcasing fear, darted across the silent living room.

Slowly, she moved again.

Her shaky hand wrapped around the cold knob and almost delicately, she twisted it.

The door opened and finally, relief flooded in her veins when she was pulled into the embrace of that familiar warmth. Her heart and soul had ached for this, thus she hugged him back tightly and wept silently.

"Oh David."

Her lover kissed her forehead, bringing a smile on her lips. The small action almost made her melt there.

"Everyone is sleeping, right?"

"Y-yes." She answered, letting out a shaky breath.

"T-the pills worked great."

David nodded and he grabbed her trembling hand in his.

"Everything is gonna be alright now." He comforted her and glanced around their empty surroundings.

"I didn't p-pack anything. I-I finally h-have you, D-david. I-I don't d-desire for anything e-else." Her voice sounded like a broken radio. But David was extremely happy to hear these words that he did not care about anything else.

"I love you, Acacia." He confessed again. Acacia smiled and shared the same words. Then she turned around and said to her old life.

"Alexander, I hope you rot in hell! And, I curse that your sons suffer the same fate too!" David was not a little shocked at Acacia's words.

He kept quiet and led her out of the front door.

Alexander stared at them, his whole drunk appearance still managed to scream evil.

"Enjoy, Acacia. Some of your last days of freedom." He chuckled, his eyes turned to look at his oldest son who stood by his side as silent as a calm ocean.

"Do you want to punish her, William?" Alexander whispered.

William did not bothered to reply and walked away from there.

SLAM!

The loud sound of the door being slammed shut, echoed in the silent hallways.

Alexander just only laughed cruelly.

Acacia's heart was hollow.

She remembered her old life where she was mistreated and used every second. First, Alexander snatched every person she had ever loved in her life and then forced her to marry him.

He was a monster, cruel and a selfish bastard.

The hatred in her chest began to intensify since the moment she found out her first pregnancy. She hated her own children and she was incapable of providing them any maternal love.

So she left. She left behind those painful memories and that haunting past. She vowed to never look back.

Her new life was now 'her husband David'. She felt like that same bird who was all set to fly freely in a new and hardly found freedom.

After so many years, her big fake smile was replaced by a real smile in the presence of this same man, she gave her heart to.

"How do you like 'our' home?" David asked and wrapped his arms around her waist. Acacia nodded happily, tears kept rolling down her cheeks. She was not in the state of replying. She knew that if she opened her mouth to speak, she would definitely sob out due to her happiness.

It all seemed like some dream. A beautiful dream!

A dream that she always desired to have. Joy finally knocked on the door.

Acacia's heart swelled when his lips made connect with hers. Once again, she waited for this dream to shatter and feel a hard slap of reality. But it never came.

Her dream was real! She whispered silently and kissed her husband back with the same passion and hunger.

A WEEK LATER:

"No David! This can't be happening." Acacia cried slowly feeling the beautiful dream that shatter painfully.

"I can't be fucking pregnant!" She yelled loudly in anger.

"Calm down Cia!" David tried to comfort her but she wasn't listening.

"This can't happen! Oh God!"

She could not just hold the damn of waterfall in her eyes and sobbed pathetically and loudly at her cruel fate.

"Please Calm down Cia, my love. Take a deep breath." David tried to calm her down but Acacia wasn't having it.

"You can't understand David! Another monster is growing inside me...... I need abortion." She deadpanned.

"I am sorry Acacia. But it's not possible. There are some complications." David informed her but much to his shock, she chuckled humorously.

"I don't care about any other consequences. I will kill myself if there is no other way!"

"I won't allow you Acacia! I don't want to lose you. Please.."

"I don't want to lose you too, David! You are my first love, my life, my everything. I wanted nothing but to die when Alexander forced me to marry him. But after this long wait, we are finally together. But this child will ruin everything again." She rambled with tears bleached red cheeks.

"Nothing bad will happen, Acacia! Have some faith in God." David whispered in a soothing tone and embraced her tightly close to his chest.

"I can't b-breathe David!" Acacia whimpered. Her lungs refused to take oxygen and soon her consciousness faded into nothing.

8 MONTHS LATER:

"Congratulations Acacia." David smiled and tried to hand the small baby to her but she refused.

"Please! I don't want to touch him." She croaked.

"Not a him, Acacia! She's a her." Acacia froze when her husband's words rang in her ears.

Her head snapped towards the baby in his hands who was wrapped in a baby pink colour blanket.

"W-what? A g-girl?" Warning bells rang in her mind.

After giving birth to seven boys, she never even imagined that this time there would be a girl.

A few moments of silence later, she snapped out of her shocked state and hesitantly opened her arms to take the baby.

The baby immediately clinged to her mother and let out a small whimper.

"She's so tiny, David." Acacia swallowed thickly. Her hands were shaking a little.

"What should we name her?" She asked. Her eyes filled with different emotions.

"Eleanora." David whispered unconsciously. Acacia smiled and nodded.

"My little Nora!" A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Nora means light. Indeed she will be the light of our life." He smiled lovingly down at the small babygirl.

"You are right, David! We have to keep my babygirl protected! If Alexander found out about her; h-he will ruin her too." Acacia said. David shook his head and placed a small kiss on Acacia's forehead.

"Not yours, but ours babygirl. I consider Nora as my own daughter. Not by blood but by heart. If I have to die protecting her so I will do gladly." He said to Acacia before looking down at Eleanora.

"You deserve a better world and I promise, I will provide you every happiness of this world. Daddy will forever protect you, my little angel." David promised and held her tiny fist in his big, warm hand.

Thank you so much for reading.