Novels by ruffatorres

**ONE YEAR LATER** Days had turned into weeks, weeks had turned into months, and the months had turned into a full year, but the bouquet of flowers, boxes of chocolates, and romantic letters never stopped coming. Not even for a single day in the entire year. With the amount of effort Grey had put into his courtship, it was hard not to soften and fall for him even more—especially when he visited home every single day to continue what he called “courtship service,” which included being a gardener, a car repairman, an electrician, a plumber, and sometimes a cleaner. I once told him it wasn't necessary for him to do anything like that since we are in modern times. Men no longer woo women and their families by doing house chores, but Grey was stubborn and wouldn’t stop. He told me it was his way of showing respect and dedication to me as his wife, so I allowed him to continue what he was doing and just enjoyed the moment while he was at it. After his ceaseless dedication, Grey's har

A few seconds later, the soft voice coming from the bed made Grey and me abruptly pull away from each other so we could look at the bed. We both saw our son looking at us. My heart jumped, and I immediately went to Dylan’s side and grabbed his hand.“Mama.” It was the first word that came from his lips. The sound of his voice made my heart swell with joy. Despite being away from me for years, he had never forgotten that I was his mother. I was so happy that tears welled in my eyes. From looking at me, Dylan’s eyes shifted to his father. He opened his small mouth and, in a soft voice, mumbled, “Papa.”Grey's throat moved as he swallowed hard. I could tell by the way he sucked in a deep breath that he was trying to contain his emotions. “Yes, my little boy, papa is here,” Grey replied, his voice thick with emotion as he spoke. Crossing the small distance between him and the bed, he gently pulled Dylan into his arms. He was trying his best not to burst into tears, but his eyes clearly sh

“For our children, Lily,” he replied, looking me straight in the eyes.For our children… Yeah, for Isabelle and Dylan… But was that enough reason for me to stay? I thought to myself, wanting to actually hear him say that he wanted me to stay with him because he loves me.Grey continued, “I know if you leave, you will take the children with you, and God only knows how long it will be before you return here so Dylan and Isabelle could be with me again. I know I could visit them anytime if you're in Europe, but it wouldn't be enough for me because I want to be with them all the time… I want them to have a complete family, which I never experienced in my life.” His eyes filled with even more emotion as he said those words.Even though I never experienced having an absentee father and an abusive stepmother raising me, I knew that it wasn't easy. To say it was hard was an understatement. Perhaps ‘hell’ would be the right word to describe the situation.Grey had the luxury that everyone want

The room was quiet and still, and for a moment, I thought I was alone. However, when I opened my eyes, I saw that my whole family was inside the room. The only one missing was my grandmother, Leilani, who I bet wasn’t allowed to leave the house considering the time of the night. Slowly, I got up from the sofa. As I did so, I cast a brief glance at the wall clock and was actually surprised to see that it was past three in the morning, which meant I had slept for a straight two hours. Feeling refreshed despite the short hours of sleep, I felt somewhat relaxed, and as the rollercoaster events of last night rushed into my thoughts, I realized how surreal it felt, as though what had happened was only a dream.My gaze surveyed the room, looking for Grey, but he was not inside Dylan’s room.“Lily,” my mom called after she finally noticed I was awake. Everyone in the room looked at me, and they all wore the same worried expression on their faces. I bit my lower lip at the sudden rush of guilt

Grey said nothing. I expected he would snap and lash out at me for keeping the truth from him all this time, but his silence was the reaction I didn't expect. The lack of reaction on his handsome face filled my chest with tension. I would rather see him angry and furious than see that blank expression on him.I held my breath, waiting for him to say something, but even after a minute passed, he didn't open his lips. The only sound I could hear was the hum of the monitor and the thunderous sound of my heartbeat as I prayed he would express how he felt.Please speak… Get mad at me… Lash out at me… Those were the words I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't let them escape my lips.The silence that seemed to go on forever was shattered when he finally opened his lips. “Why did you keep the truth from me, Lily?”His achingly soft voice left a sting in my heart. I bit my lower lip, folded my hands in my lap, and kept the tears from falling down my cheeks as I replied, “It was the best thing

The police finally arrived. Too tired to even move, I stayed in my place. I didn't know how long I'd been seated on the ground until I heard footfalls approaching behind me. Without looking back, I knew it was Grey. I just knew it was him.“Lily?” His soft voice confirmed my assumption, and he pulled to a stop beside me, kneeling on the ground. I raised my tear-streaked eyes to him and saw panic and fear shining through his hazel-green eyes.“Is Dylan alright?” The words barely emerged from his lips. He looked at me with a wretched expression on his face. That must have been the same look on my face when I first thought Dylan was gone.“He's still weak, but Dylan is alright, Grey,” I replied, warm tears flowing down my cheeks in abundance.Grey slumped beside me. The weight he seemed to carry heavily on his shoulders disappeared as he let go of the breath he wasn't aware he was still holding. His hands covered his face, and he stayed that way for a while.“Grey?” I called weakly, wond

“I didn't know you were an orphan, Ms. Heart.” Alexander spoke with a frown scrunching his forehead.She wasn't the type to easily open up with anyone but there was something about Alexander that made her feel she could trust him with her secrets. “I discovered I was adopted just recently.” A sigh escaped from her lips. “Mom had been furious because I'd done something she didn't like and she spilled the truth at the spur of the moment.”“That must have been so devastating…” He lowered the wine glass on the table and sighed, “I can't imagine growing up and suddenly learning that my father and mother were not my biological parents. It will make me question my whole life and wonder where my real parents have been all this time.”“Exactly,” Ember replied. She was surprised how well he summed up what she felt in just a few sentences. “You said it so well, Mr. Lockhart.”“I assume you came to the orphanage to find information about your parents?”Ember nodded her head. “I'm surprised how wel

Ember swallowed the lump in her throat. Her eyes momentarily closed as she suddenly became aware of emotions surging inside her. She couldn't explain what she felt but she was certain of one thing, she was jealous even though she didn't have the right to. She is just Icen's secretary and yet, she couldn't stop how she felt after seeing him with another woman.Telling herself to stop being jealous is like preventing herself from breathing.With difficulty, she forced her eyes open and that's when she saw the woman released Icen from her tight grasp and looked up to him. “I love you, Clayton.” She mumbled under her breath with tears in her bright green eyes.Who was this woman? She couldn't help but ask herself. Slowly, the woman leaned closer to lay a kiss on his lips but before she could even witness their lips touch, Ember immediately left the room.As she closed the door behind her, she became aware of the ache in her chest. She had never reacted like this way before to any man, n

For a fleeting moment, Ember almost believed Elizabeth. But after seeing her crocodile tears, she realized her mother was lying. Call it instinct or intuition, she knew she was keeping secrets to herself and no matter what she's not sharing it to anyone.Her mother was doing it on purpose — for her own personal gain.Elizabeth had crushed her last hopes in ever finding her biological parents. Now that the only person who knows about her just told her a straight out lie, it would be difficult to ever trust her again, thinking everything she says was nowhere near the truth.Ember was desperate but she couldn't force mother because once Elizabeth made up her mind, she always stood by her decisions.She's back to square one, and she didn't even know who to ask so she could find out about her past. If only her adoptive father was alive, things would be much easier for her. When he was still alive, only her father treated her well. Though Ember was not his favorite child, he expressed how he

“I know you would return, Amira.” The words reverberated on Ember's mind, sending unexplainable shivers down her spine. She wasn't Amira, but still, her heart lurched forward as if her name had just been called. As though her arms have minds of their own, she hugged Sister Anne back with equal warmth, feeling that for the first time in her life, she felt like she found her way back home.Ember was certain she and Sister Anne had never had the chance to meet before. Yet, she was caught off guard by the strong and undeniable connection she had with the old woman as though she'd once played a big role in her life.Upon letting her go, Sister Ann framed her cheeks with her thin and wrinkly fingers. “I waited for you for twenty-years… I couldn't believe you're finally here….” She murmured under her breath with tears in her eyes. “I know I'm not wrong for making that decision two decades ago.”“Do you know who I am?” Ember looked at Sister Anne with hope in her eyes. Could this be perhaps th

ST. ANNE'S ORPHANAGE. The words were written in bold, capital letters in front of an expansive three story white building.Ember wasn't sure if it was the same St. Anne's orphanage her mother was talking about, but it was the only orphanage with the same name that has been built for more than forty years. To add to that, it was also the only orphanage named St. Anne in the city.She decided to visit the place where she came from to find out more about her past, hoping to uncover some clues that would lead her to her biological parents, if she has any. She felt excitement and fear rush inside her as she walked towards the colossal gate, wondering what secrets the orphanage held for her.Taking a deep breath, she pressed the buzzer once. The sound echoed through the silent building, but no one was coming, and she wondered if it was past visiting hours that is why no one was answering.She pressed the buzzer again just to make sure whoever was inside would hear it and after a few secon

ANDERSON INVESTIGATION TOWERAce Alexander Lockhart strode past the door of a plush office and made a beeline straight to the chic wooden table while holding a neatly folded torn newspaper page in his hand. Kathryne Anderson, owner of the thriving investigation company was seated on her swivel chair, eyebrows furrowed in intense concentration while reading a file in her hand.Perhaps she was so occupied that she didn't notice him until he placed the newspaper on top of her table to capture her attention and spoke in his authoritative voice. “I want you to know everything about this girl.” Kathryne abruptly raised her head in annoyance. Her smooth forehead scrunching into an inelegant frown, making her arched eyebrows to almost meet halfway. “Don't you know how to knock, Mr. Lockhart?” She snapped. By how her nose flared, he could tell how annoyed she was at him. “Could you go back to where you came from? It seemed, you forgot to pick your manners there.”Unaffected, he nonchalantly

Crimson gently wrapped his arms around my waist as I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. It had been an hour since we left Isabela's room, but her confession still lingered in my mind.Part of me wished I had never learned the truth, but another part of me was grateful for the closure it brought."I wish I had been with my grandmother in her final moments so she could have shared the truth with me instead of my cousin. I wish I could have told her that I don't blame her; that despite her mistake, she remains the kindest person I know. I believe she wouldn't have done anything unless she was pushed to her limit.”I raised my head to look at him. Witnessing the frown on his forehead, I smoothed it away with my fingers until it vanished."I have my own regrets too," I whispered, feeling a tightness in my throat from the flood of emotions. "I wish I had discovered the truth sooner, so I didn't chase after it blindly. And I wish I could have reunited Grandpa with the woman he l

It was supposed to be a happy day for my family to enjoy. Unfortunately, some things are beyond one's control. After we returned home from the picnic, Crimson received a call.I watched as his handsome face twisted with worry, the color draining from his features as he met my gaze.“Is everything alright? Who called you just now? What happened?” The words spilled from my lips one after another.I tried to restrain my thoughts so they wouldn't wander to terrifying conclusions, but they did anyway. It was hard not to think that something bad had happened while watching his reaction.“There's an emergency at home… Isabela was rushed to the hospital.” Worry rang painfully in his tone.Crimson cared deeply for his cousin, and the news of her being rushed to the hospital was a blow he had never expected.Fear and worry gripped me as well, knowing how important Isabela was to him.We immediately rushed back to the hotel and dropped Cleo in Sapphire's care since we couldn't bring her to the h

I stared at the ring on my finger, feeling overwhelmed with emotions. I had dreamed of this moment a thousand times before, but it was far more beautiful and magical than I could have ever imagined.“Do you like it? I could have given you a much more beautiful ring. However, I got too excited and bought this one instead because I was at a loss as to which design you would like.”“You're kidding, right? This ring is so gorgeous! Why wouldn’t I like it?”Crimson's face lit up at my words. At that moment, he looked so damn cute that I couldn't resist pinching his cheeks.“I’m glad you like it. I was a bit hesitant to give it at first because the design is simple and not as extravagant as some of the other rings out there.”“It’s perfect.”He pulled me into a tight hug, his arms wrapped around me protectively. “I love you so much, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I'll wait for you until you're ready to marry me.”I hugged him back, knowing that this moment would for

My eyes swept the room, but it seemed the one I was looking for wasn't present among them.Sighing, I turned to look at my brother, David. He was saying something, but I wasn't paying attention, so I missed most of his words.“Liz, are you with me?”Color rose to my cheeks. “I beg your pardon?”He cleared his throat. “I'm asking if you're looking for someone. You've been spaced out for a while now. Are you waiting for a secret admirer or something?” He teased me.I rolled my eyes heavenward. "Oh, stop it. I'm just enjoying the party.”When the dance ended, David walked to the side, leaving me alone in the middle of the room, confused.The orchestra stopped, and the room was engulfed in total silence.Suddenly, the man who had been occupying my thoughts emerged from the crowd. He walked with the elegance of a king and seemed to own the crowd as he passed by.My breath hitched in my throat. Am I imagining things? I asked myself, watching him close the distance between us.He stopped rig

I sat by Crimson's bedside in the hospital, holding his hand tightly as he lay unconscious after his operation. I knew he was strong, but the thought of losing him was too much to bear. My phone rang, breaking the silence of the room. It was Sapphire, my stepsister. “I need you to come to the police station. The officers want to talk to you to get your statement." "I'll be right there," I sighed. My eyes went to Crimson, and I fought back the tears. “I have to go,” I told him, pressing my lips to his forehead. When I arrived at the police station, Sapphire was sitting in a small room, surrounded by police officers. She looked pale, perhaps because she had lost too much blood. But she seemed okay, and that was all that mattered. Chief Dallas spotted me. He stood up and gestured for me to follow. In a separate room, he interrogated me about what happened in the warehouse. I provided him with a detailed account. The interrogation lasted an hour, and when it finally ended, I coul

Please leave. I wanted to say those words to him, but I couldn't speak.The door opened, and Crimson entered the room.“Let her go, Mark!”The man Crimson called Mark grabbed the gun from his hip holster and pointed it at me. “Give me your gun.”When Crimson didn’t even budge, Mark pressed the muzzle of the gun against my head. The cold, hard metal dug into my skin. I was terrified he would accidentally pull the trigger."I said give me your gun or her brains will splatter on the floor," he threatened.I gently shook my head, signaling Crimson never to let go of his gun. We both knew that once he relinquished his only weapon, it would be our end."I'm sorry, Liz. I need to do this to protect you," he told me. Slowly, he lowered the gun to the floor."Kick the gun away."Crimson ground his teeth together and did what Mark ordered. He kicked the gun, and it slid near Sapphire's still body.Indescribable fear seized me as I watched Mark raise the gun and point it toward Crimson's head.