Tala felt the tension turned a notch higher when Knoxx slowly entered the library. His eyes carry the same storm as they did yesterday. And she cannot help but worry about him getting angry again. He’s unreasonable and stupid when he is angry. And an angry arrogant prince is the least she needs right now.“What are you doing here?” tanong agad ni Knoxx kay Argus nang makalapit ito sa pwesto nilang dalawa. Sandali pa itong sumulyap sa kanya bago ibinalik ang tingin kay Argus.Hindi agad sumagot si Argus, nakipagtitigan lang kay Knoxx. Napilitan tuloy siyang mag-angat ng tingin dito. Defiance flashed in his eyes before he bowed his head a little and spoke. “I am here to guard the floor as instructed by the King, your highness.”Knoxx scoffed, his brows furrowed further. “There must be some mistake. I clearly instructed Viscount Romanos to not let you be anywhere near me or my family,” seryosong pahayag nito, ang matatalim na mga mata hindi inaalis kay Argus.Argus gave Knoxx a loop-sid
Tala was anxiously pacing inside her room. She had been doing that for a while now. She was waiting for Adela to come back and tell her something—anything about the situation outside the room she’s in.Nang sabihin ni Adela sa kanya na hindi siya pwedeng dumalo sa pormal na pagpapakilala kay Atlas bilang anak ni Knoxx, agad niyang hiniling na makausap si Knoxx. Kaya lang, ang sabi ni Adela, abala raw ito. Sa kung saan, hindi niya alam. And honestly, she’s too pissed off to care about anything that keeps Knoxx busy right now. He and Genevieve could both go to hell for all she cares!Frustrated, she sent a request to Princess Marciana, asking if she’s allowed to see her son. Even just for a bit. It has been more than 24 hours now since she had last seen her son. At hindi siya mapapalagay hanggang hindi ito nakikita man lang bago ito humarap sa mas maraming tao—all of whom are strangers. She’s not sure how her son would carry that pressure, moreso if he’s going to that important event t
Tala was instantly on her feet when she heard a curt nod on the door. Sandali pa silang nagkatinginan ni Adela bago nito tinungo ang pinto at binuksan."We are here to take the King's guest to the banquet," said the royal guard who was in full uniform, standing by the door. May kasama pa itong isa na nasa bandang likuran nito.The King's guest.She released a slow breath. It's going to be a long night, she thought. But there is nothing she wouldn't do for the sake of Atlas. And there's only one thing she must do to do that... endure.Pinanood niya ang mabilis na paglabas ni Adela sa silid, sandali itong nagpalinga-linga bago muling ibinalik ang tingin sa mga royal guards. Ilang sandali pa, nakipagdiskusyon na si Adela sa mga royal guards. She doesn't understand a thing about what they were talking about but based on Adela's tone she's sure she was arguing with the royal guards."No!" mataas ang boses na sabi ni Adela maya-maya."Adela, what's the matter?" tanong niya, hindi na nakatii
Agad na natigilan si Tala. She took a loud gasp and quickly looked back. There she saw the same man who announced the arrival of the King earlier, standing just a few steps away from her. The man was around his father’s age, has wavy hair and carries the same air of arrogance like the rest people there. There’s no doubt, the man was a noble too.He gazed at her for a while, before he smirked. “I know who you are. And I also know you’re not supposed to be here.” She balled her fists tighter, the man and his choice of words ticked her instantly. “I’m Viscount Romanos, Ms. Sandejas, the leader of the royal guards. Allow me to escort you back to your room before it’s too late.”She scoffed. “I am not going with you. I am here for my son. And I am not leaving until I see him,” pagmamatigas niya.“The King forbids you to see him.”“Really? The King invited me to be here as his very own guest.” Sandaling nagsalubong ang mga kilay nito. “That’s right, Viscount. The King himself wanted me to b
“It’s nice dancing with you once again, Knoxx,. Just like the old times,” Genevieve said as they sway to the happy music performed by the four-stringed quartet. Knoxx flashed his forced smile. “The pleasure is all mine, My Lady,” aniya, mabilis na sumulyap sa mesa kung saan naroon ang kanyang mga magulang at anak bago ipinagtuloy ang pakikipagsayaw sa kapareha. He secretly shook his head, willing the worries of the past 24 hours away and forcing himself to be there in the dancefloor… with Genevieve. But there’s nothing that he can do to keep those awful thoughts at bay. His worries and fears keep on drowning him, they all have since last night. Last night. Last night was one of the longest nights he had in his lifetime. It was supposed to be an ordinary night. He was already waiting for the shifting of the guards to get Tala when Genevieve’s attendants asked for him. Apparently, she had another nightmare about his family’s mysterious enemy. She was pretty shaken up that the doctor
“What’s this about?” the King asked as soon as he entered the private room near the hall where the party was taking place. Knoxx’s eyes instantly went to Lord Byron, who was only a few steps away from his uncle. Hindi nagtagal, sunod na pumasok sa silid ang kanyang mga magulang, with clear confusion written on their faces. “What’s this all about Knoxx?” his father asked, pinaglipat-lipat pa ang tingin sa kanya at sa hari. “Where is Atlas, mother?” he asked, dismissing his father’s question. “Why, with Ander of course,” his mother replied, still confused. “Just tell us what is happening, Knoxx. The party has not ended yet. It is rude for all of us, the hosts, to leave and let the guests be by themselves—“ “Lord Byron, please leave the room,” mabilis niyang putol sa mga sanay’ sasabihin pa ng ina. The courtier gave the king a confusing look. Subalit nang marahang tumango ang hari, tumalima rin ito sa utos niya. Paglapat na paglapat ng pinto sa pintuan, agad siyang nagsalita. “Tala
Tala groaned as pain registered on her head and arm as soon as she regained her senses. She fluttered her heavy eyes open only to be greeted by darkness and silence. She took in a deep breath and the air smelled heavily of trees, the damp earth and dust. Her clouded mind cannot process any reason why she was there. All she knew was that her head was throbbing and her right arm hurt!She tried moving, pushing herself to sit on wherever kind of ground she was laying at as quietly as possible. Nang tuluyan siyang makaupo, naghintay siya ng ilang sandali upang masanay ang kanyang mga mata sa dilim. And when her eyes did get used to the darkness, she realized she was in some kind of an old and dusty cabin.Her brows furrowed—trying to recall the last bit of memory she had before she ended up there. Then, her heart quickly hammered against her chest as soon as she recalled the moments before she lost consciousness.Wala sa sarili siyang napahawak sa kanyang leeg at pumikit. She was drugged
Knoxx was praying and cursing at the same time as he walked on the unfamiliar forest grounds. The last time he has been there was when he was still in gradeschool. He and his brother used to accompany their grandpa there when he hunts. After he almost fell on a horse during one of the hunting games, his mother forbade them to go anymore. Hence, he had never set his foot there for ages. He held the flashlight on his hand tighter, pointing it to a dark corner of the forest, kagaya rin ng iba pang mga kasama niya sa kanyang likuran na naroon upang hanapin si Tala. Initially, it was just him, Luis and Red, who were scouring that forest. However just a few minutes ago, Viscount Romanos’ private bodyguards arrived to help them with the search. The Viscount didn’t really warm up on him since he was younger. He had always been strict and disciplined in his ways. A man who knows no fun, that’s what he and his cousins used to call him. But now that he has extended his help for his cause, even
Tala slowly gave her reflection on the mirror a once over. On her was a black silk dress; an exquisite diamond necklace Knoxx had given her on their anniversary; and of course her favorite pumps produced by her very own brand, Stella. She tried, but she cannot help herself but smile. Why wouldn’t she, life has been so good to her for the past two years. After that heartfelt reunion she and Knoxx had at her parent’s house in Manila, she officially became Mrs. Stavropolous, again, that very same day. After her parents and the rest of her family came back from their quick tour at Asteri Island, that is. Hindi niya alam na sa buong panahon na asar na asar siya kay Knoxx dahil hindi ito nagpapakita sa kanya, pasimple na pala nitong hinahanda ang kasal nila with the help of her Auntie Sam and her parents. Yes, her parents did a great part on the display of ‘sea-of-roses’ inside their house. Her father proudly admitted that himself right after the wedding. Knoxx then had decided to move h
Tala's heart instantly hitched, turning around as quick as she could. And there she saw him, under the bright morning sun, just a few steps away from her, the prince who’ve swept her off her feet since their crazy wedding night, Prince Knoxx Iossif Stefanos Stavropolous. She quickly gave him a once over and he never disappoints! Her prince is as handsome as ever. He grinned, making her eyes roll in fake annoyance. Agad siyang namaywang. “Why are you here? And where are the people of this house? What did you to my parents, Knoxx? And Atlas, where is my son?!” sunod-sunod niyang tanong sa mataas na tinig. Knoxx gave her a heart-stopping smile, making her want to rush to him for a hug. But she stilled herself. She must not let logic falter now. They must talk. They must. “You don’t have to worry, mi bella. Everyone’s safe. And regarding your question, I came here to explain—“ “I already know everything. Everything,” she said, cutting his words. He paused and stared at her for a whil
“Arise, shine, Star Princess!” anang pamilyar na tinig ng Mommy ni Tala na siyang nagpagising sa kanya. She gently opened her eyes and the warmth of the morning sun coming through the big windows of her bedroom greeted her. Pasimple siyang nag-inat at umayos ng pagkakahiga sa kama. She saw her mother arranging another bouquet of pink Ecuadorian roses on the vase on top of the bureau inside her room. “Another one?” she asked, gently pushing herself to sit on her bed. Her mother smiled. “Yes, princess. Your husband doesn’t miss a day,” anang kanyang ina bago muling ipinagpatuloy ang pag-aayos sa mga bulaklak. Husband. She still can't believe that the arrogant prince made her go through all the tears and heartaches for nothing. Knoxx is still her husband or so her father had told her. These days, her parents are openly discussing about Knoxx, especially her Dad. And she is more than relieved to know that despite his absence, Knoxx is slowly making his way through her parents' hearts.
Knoxx heaved a sigh as he stared at his phone, recalling the brief conversation he just had with Tala. Talagang ayaw pa rin talaga siya nitong kausapin. Well, with his wife’s temper he knew that the whole ‘getting-back-together’ plan he had in mind would surely be a feat. But that doesn’t mean he is giving up. He’s just… being considerate given Tala’s condition.Olivia had given her last night an earful of dos and don’t’s when it comes to dealing with pregnant women. At totoong nakinig siya. He clearly remembered how his bratty princess of a cousin reminded him over and over again that pregnant women must always have things their way. And that’s what he just did. Hopefully, that by giving in with Tala’s wishes for now, lumamig na rin ang ulo nito sa kanya at tuluyan na siyang kausapin pagbalik niya sa Pilipinas.Pagbalik niya sa Pilipinas.He sighed and put his phone back to his pocket. Pagkatapos niyon ay pinagmasdan niya ang royal ring sa kanyang palasingsingan. His Majesty gave it
“Yes, Genevieve seduced me and I gave in. I allowed her to fool me and get the better of me. I-I’m sorry,” said King George, still lying down on his hospital bed. Makahulugang nagkatinginan sina Ares at Knoxx, sharing the same gleam of anger in their eyes towards their enemies who had made them suffer for years. Kararating lang nila mula sa Pilipinas at doon sila sa ospital dumiretsong magkapatid. At first Knoxx was conflicted to leave Manila. Bakit hindi, inaayos pa niya ang gusot sa kanila ni Tala tapos aalis siya? If it wasn’t for his mother’s persuasion to go home, baka nagpa-iwan na siya. But he’s glad he did go home. Because if he didn’t, he would’ve missed the clan’s meeting and his Uncle George’s confession. Yesterday, they were informed that his Uncle George had already opened his eyes. But the doctors didn’t allow any member of their family to talk to him just yet. They had to make sure that the King’s condition is stable and that he is ready to receive visitors. It took a
“Ano pang tinatanga mo d’yan? I told you to leave, haven’t I?” gigil na singhal ni Tala kay Knoxx. She really cannot believe he’s inside her room right now, and lying on the bed with her, her very own bed! Nasa baba lang ito kanina a, kasama sina President Tuazon at Ares. Paanong naroon na ito agad sa kwarto niya? Pinaakyat na lang ba ito ng mga kaanak niya nang gano’n-gano’n lang? Imposible. Her Dad hated Knoxx’s guts noon pa. And she’s sure her father, hated Knoxx all the more after everything that has happened between her and her ex-husband. So how in the world was he there inside her room—comfortably sitting on her bed looking more handsome than she remembered? She tried to get her wits straight as she questioned herself. But all she could ever think were all the awful—morbid even- thoughts on how Knoxx ended up inside her room. She groaned inwardly as panic and anger instantly rose in her chest.Pagdating talaga kay Knoxx, ni minsan, hindi umayos ang huwisyo niya. Tumikhim si
The dinner was filled with formal talks about business, leading a country and current events. The topics were of his interest but when Atlas finished his food, Knoxx excused himself to spend more time with his son.They were by the receiving room, playing a race game on his son’s IPAD when Joshua approached him again, asking him to step inside the library. Agad siyang nagpaalam kay Atlas at nagsimulang maglakad pabalik sa library. He glanced at Ares who was walking towards the lanai with the rest of the Sandejas family and President Tuazon. His brother grinned at him and gave him a thumbs up. For what, he does not have any idea. Pagdating sa loob ng library, agad na nagsalita ang Daddy ni Tala. “There are three things you must know before we move forward from here. First, I hate you. That won't change even after a million years. Second, I still think you don’t deserve my daughter nor my grandson. Understand?” “I understand, Sir. And the third?” Sandali siyang tinitigan ni Joshua.
Knoxx had been in many difficult meetings and negotiations his entire life. He had been exposed to such since he was younger for he’s been born a leader, one who's supposed to see beyond the mist—composed, level-headed, sure with just about everything. But right there, in front of Tala’s parents, Knoxx felt like he has just been thrown in the water when he doesn’t know how to swim. Nangangapa siya at halos hindi niya alam ang sasabihin. If he’d be honest, his knees were shaking like a fckin leaf. Well, he should be. Noong huli niyang makaharap ang mga magulang ni Tala, nangako siya na iingatan niya ang mag-ina niya. And the events that had led them into that situation clearly proved, he had not been taking care of his family like he promised. He doesn’t even want to lie either or appear to be all righteous in the midst of the chaos. Because at that point, he knew, alam na ng mga magulang ni Tala ang mga nangyari rito sa pananatili nito sa Maritria. He cannot deny any of it. So he wan
“I dont’t know what got into your head and created trouble inside the hospital. Sa pagkakaalam ko, malinaw ang pagkakasabi ko kay Quint na galit sa inyo ang mga Sandejas,” sermon sa kanila ni Kylie habang ginagamot nito ang sugat ni Ares. Naroon sila sa isa sa mga treatment room sa emergency ward. A different doctor, a resident he presumed, was attending to Knoxx and dressing his wounds. “Bakit ako ang pinapagalitan mo? It was all Knoxx’s fault! I had warned him dozens of times—Ouch! Dammit! That’s hurts, Dr. dela Vega!” reklamo ng kapatid niya, panay ang ngiwi habang patuloy si Kylie sa pagdampi ng antiseptic sa sugatang mukha nito. “And it will hurt more if you’d continue complaining, Prince Ares!” gigil na sagot ni Kylie, patuloy sa pagdiin ng bulak sa mukha ng kapatid niya. Ares complained again, louder this time. Knoxx huffed. Why can’t his brother keep quiet? Hindi ba nito nahahalata na sa bawat reklamo nito, siya ring pagdiin ni Kylie sa mga sugat nito? Quint’s cousin surel