NINE MONTHS LATER
"What will you name her?"
"Billie-Jean" I caressed my bulging stomach softly. "Billie-Jean Sterling"
"Oh", Kord smiled at me. "Has she started kicking? Can I feel her?" He asked excitedly and stood up before I answered.
He knew I couldn't say no.
We both stayed still, waiting. "Say something to her" I urged.
He cleared his throat. "Hey sweetie, it's your Uncle, Kord, and I'm going to be your Godfather really soon. I promise to love you and shower you with gifts. You're going to love it with me, I came to say hi...oh!" He gasped.
"She kicked! I felt her kick! That was strong!" he exclaimed excitedly and clapped his hands with joy.
It made me laugh for the first time in months.
"I want her to know her father was a good man before he died. He defended me till the end," I said after our excitement had died down.
"Now that Vince is dead, how are you going to take care of her? Eva, how will you pay for a lawyer? You know Carrie isn't going to do that, the company is already going bankrupt, the bank might seize the house soon", Kord said, his face contorted with sadness.
"Where will you go?" I asked him instead, worried about him instead.
"I'll just move in with Eric, he's been asking me to since forever," he said.
"Mum is going to lose her mind" I pointed out.
"I don't give a flying fuck about Carrie", Kord cursed.
"Why do you never call her mum?" I smiled weakly.
"She's too evil. I don't like how she treats you and how she treated dad before he died. She is not my mother. She lost that title a long time ago", he said.
I held his hand. "You're a good brother Kord."
"You're the only sibling I trust and love. The other two are demons" he replied, and we both laughed.
My future instantly flashed before my eyes, so I said, "I need help Kord, I can't give birth to my baby in jail."
"Have you spoken to Tatiana?" he asked.
"She wants nothing to do with me, she just wants the baby", I held his hand. "She can't take her from me, I need to see my baby and hold her. I want to watch her grow, and I want to be with her every step of the way."
"Now how do you pay for a lawyer?" Kord instantly went back to being serious.
"I have my inheritance", I shrugged with a sigh.
"Oh girl, tell me about it", Kord squealed happily.
"My mother was an heiress. She left everything to me before she died" I began.
"I like that, how much are we talking about here?" He raised a questioning brow.
"Millions?… Billions? She's the daughter of Richie McClain" i revealed and Kord gasped.
"The Richard McClain?! Oh my God. Father cheated with an heiress worth billions? Youre a Trust Fund baby! That's… wow. If you were not in this stupid situation, we'd be flying jets by now." he continued with weak excitement.
"Kord..."
"I'm serious, does Carrie know about this?" he asked and I bit my lip.
"She's my legal guardian. She's supposed to give it to me once I turn eighteen. I'm 23 now, and she hasn't said anything about it" I said.
"You should ask her about it", Kord said, and I nodded.
"I will. I need it more now. Especially with Billie-Jean on the way" I rubbed my belly again.
"I can't wait to meet her, I'll be such a nice uncle. You promise I'm her godfather, right?"
"Of course"
"So, how do we get your funds?" Kord asked.
"I'll call my mother's bank. I still have the password she left for me" I said.
"Alright, will you be needing my help?"
"Not really, they should wire the money by morning" I said, a little too calm.
Kord nodded satisfactorily, and started to rummage through the bags he had brought. "I brought you enough supplies that'll last you till the next time I come. Wipes, food, snacks, books, games, I did sneak in money it's inside the milk" Kord whispered the last part and I smiled.
"You're silly"
"I'm not. I want you to be okay. Get whatever I forgot to bring. Don't forget to tell me what you'll need, so I'll bring them on my next visit. Also, I gave a little tip to the warden, you have time alone more often and no disturbance. I also..,."
I held his hand. "That's okay Kord, thank you very much" I sniffed and pushed my overgrown hair out of my face.
"Aww Eva, don't cry" Kord comforted me till I stopped crying.
Soon he carried his bag "Mum is throwing a lavish party tonight."
"Tonight? I thought you said the company was failing. How did she get the money?" I was surprised.
"No idea", Kord rolled his eyes.
"What is the party for?" I asked again.
"Don't know, don't care. It's just a ploy to reclaim her place in society", he made air quotes" those rich arrogant women", Kord muttered, and I chuckled.
"I had better not be late, or she'd be crazy. She's too eager to show us off today ", he stood up and gave me a kiss before bading me goodbye.
I was returned to my jail cell, till later in the evening when I went to make a call to the bank.
My world came crashing when the bank manager ended my call with "I'm sorry, we're unable to do anything at the moment."
With heavy sobs, I called Kord.
"Hey girl..."
"My inheritance!" I exclaimed, crying heavily.
"What happened to…"
"It's gone!" My shoulders heaved with sobs.
"Jesus! I think I know how Carrie threw this party."
******
"You were there that night. I heard you. You know I didn't kill my husband. I loved Vince" I said to Kaitlyn.
I had been mad with anger the past few days, so my hands were in handcuffs. I was unable to lunge for me.
"Relax Eva, the court will decide that. I just came to pay a visit", Kaitlyn rolled her eyes.
"You are heartless and..."
"Hold on, I need to fix my lipstick" she raised a hand to stop me.
But when she touched her bag my heart skipped a beat.
"Kaitlyn, that's the new edition of the Chanel bag" the wheels in my head were turning.
"Yeah, it's pretty, isn't it?" She beamed with a smile.
"And it's limited" I continued.
"Mhmm, lucky me. I was able to get my hands on this pretty thing", she caressed the bag.
"You don't have that kind of money", I accused "The family was running bankrupt."
Kaitlyn froze and looked around.
"Kingsley killed Vince" I pressed. "And both of you stole his money, framed me for it and left me here to rot. I'm carrying his child. What happened to your conscience...?"
"Shut up!" She snapped. "Who's going to believe you?" Kaitlyn stood up angrily.
"I came here to pay you and your baby a visit, but you have ruined it with your wide leaking mouth. Now I'm upset, and I'll leave", she snapped at me.
"And oh, mum has full ownership of your bag collection now. Murderers deserve nothing" she said, and walked away without looking back, her high heels clanking loudly.
Kord came to visit me later that evening.
"I heard Kingsley telling Tatiana the baby is not Vince's". Kord looked tired and haggard like me.
This was also affecting him.
"What? That's not true. We were married, he was my husband." I was tearing up.
"Well, you know he was…. Crippled. They're just idiots, don't pay attention to them" he said and tried to hold my hand, but I pulled away.
"I never cheated on Vince. With the way he made me work, there was barely any time to even process that thought." I wiped my tears angrily. "And we had sex!"
"I know honey, I know..."
"It's been months Kord, they're not giving me a trial"
"Eva…"
"What? I don't even have a lawyer!"
"Eva" Kord's hand rested on mine, his big palm covered mine, but I pushed it away.
"There's nothing we can do, Tatiana is doing everything to make sure you end up in jail…"
"I didn't kill him Kord, you know that!" My voice was going up. I felt pain in my stomach.
"Your prints were all over him and the murder weapon," Kord says.
"That's not true! I heard him and Kingsley fighting …. And I… I went inside and he…." I broke down sobbing.
"Kingsley is dating Michelle" Kord dropped another bombshell.
I froze "No!"
"They're on vacation," he continued, and I was blinded with rage.
"He has no right to be happy after what he did to me and Vince! When I get out of here, I will make him suffer, I swear...." I paused mid-sentence when I felt liquid run down my legs.
"My water just broke" I said, and the heartbreak I felt doubled. "No"
Now is not the time please. I can't give birth to my daughter in jail, I prayed.
But it was time. Billie-Jean was more than ready to come out.
Tatiana showed up with some midwives an hour later, and soon I was pushing my baby out with tears, and an angry Tatiana was looking on.
"Don't let them take my baby away please!" I squeezed Kord's hand. He was the only one there to support me.
"Eva, I can't do…"
"Koooord! If anything happens to my baby, I'll never forgive you", I screamed and pushed, cursing the people who put me in this horrible situation without my husband.
"You can do this honey, I'm right here", Kord held on to me. I could see his tears falling too.
"I will be back for all of them" I wailed.
"Push Eva, push!" He encouraged me.
"I will make them payyyy!!!"
"Push!"
"Ahhhhh" I screamed. "i will never forgive them. They stole everything from me, and they're trying to take my baby" my tears increased, and I pushed harder.
"I can see the crown, she's close."
"Shut that girl up and get that baby out of her!" Tatiana groaned.
"We might need to take her to the theater," a midwife said.
"Why?"
"She's having a hemorrhage" she replied, and I was almost too happy to welcome death and escape this pain.
Tatiana grabbed one of the women by the shirt. " I paid you millions of dollars to do this and shut your mouth. That baby is the heir to the Sterling fortune. She will keep our legacy alive. I don't care what happens to that wretch, give me the baby or I'll wreak havoc on you and your family."
Tatiana was heartless like the rest of my family.
"I will make all of you pay!!!!" I screamed for the last time before I slowly ebbed into a bottomless void.