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Epilog
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2024-11-05 22:48:00Related chapters
A Touch of Madness Prolog
After dressing up for twenty minutes, I sat on the dining table chair to boost my confidence. The hope was still there, and I added 'not to fail' to the list this time. Hopefully, this wouldn't be like our first wedding anniversary, which failed in a way I didn't want to remember.I sighed, smiling broadly as I looked down at the tarts and pasta I'd made, the expensive wine I'd gotten from my father also standing pretty in the center of the table. Butterflies fluttered in my chest and down to my stomach as I waited for my husband to come home.Sebastian has been so busy lately. His title had risen to CEO after his father, my father-in-law, chose to spend a relaxing old age at home with his family and chose to control everything from the back screen as the founder and owner of their company and as the only son, Sebastian had to take on the responsibility of CEO. I know it wasn't easy for him because he had to be forced to take it on and then undergo conditions he didn't want to.One of
A Touch of Madness 1
Five years later.They say the storm will pass, and everything will be fine.I agree with that, but something is missing. The storm will likely pass, and it will be okay if we work for it. It will definitely happen if we solve problems and strive to be happy.I did, and there were so many things I had to deal with at a young age. My asshole ex-husband, the bitch who claimed to be my friend, getting divorced and then dealing with the after-effects of that attacking me brutally.It wasn't easy, and I wasn't the only one. Some women face more complicated problems than me, and they don't have anyone to help them. On the other hand, I was lucky, and that's why I never gave up on healing from my past. Forgiving and letting go was the first thing I did, and to do so, I had to keep busy; it was one of my ways to forget those cruel memories, and now, see, I've made it to this point.I found a purpose in my own life when my son was born, a child born without a father. Because of that four-year-
A Touch of Madness 2
"You're going to Milan?" Killian looked at me with a frown on his forehead. He sat before me, leaning back in the chair, folding his arms and looking at me judgmentally.I nodded, glancing back at the one showing Ace's learning progress report. Ace is in pre-kindergarten in preparation for his entry into the kindergarten school next year. So, as a mom, I've prepared him for many things. "My cousin, Regina, is getting married. I should come there." I said. "I can't be absent.""You know that your grandfather dislikes you a lot because of your divorce. You won't be able to escape his scolding and cursing. You could be kicked out again like five years ago," his heavy voice was full of factual statements.I closed my laptop and looked at him. "I'm sure I can handle it," I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "I'll stay at the hotel, and then come back here straight after the party is over." I continued. I didn't want to linger there either, especially when I realized the fact that my grandfa
A Touch of Madness 3
"Momma, what is marriage?""Marriage is uniting two people who love each other into a family.""Has you ever been married?" Ace asked innocently.I opened my mouth, wondering what to answer. But then I decided to be honest with him. "Yes. I was married. That's why you exist." I lightly pinched his full cheeks.His blue eyes looked up at me. "Momma married Poppa?" he tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. "But why didn't I ever meet Poppa?" it was a tricky question for a four-year-old. But I knew Ace was a bit more advanced than other kids his age."I told you that Poppa is at work." I said. "To buy you lots of toys and cars, and bring a lot of mony so you can pay your debt to Princess Belle." Princess Belle was the nickname he gave to my sister.Ace blinked his eyes a few times and then gave a slight nod, his eyes sparkling. "I will buy a lot of cars later. Colourful cars!" He exclaimed enthusiastically. "Why hasn't poppa seen me yet, Momma? I want a car!"I raised an eyebrow and
A Touch of Madness 4
Night had fallen, and I had replaced my previous dress with a black, leg-length, tight halter-style neckline. Ace was already asleep after my mom and I struggled to get him to sleep. He was cranky from being in a foreign country and whined about going home. I had to give him extra effort and do everything I could to get him to stop whining and sleep. Now that he was fast asleep, I rubbed his hair and face, which looked peaceful.Now, I'm really amazed about his resemblance to his father.In their sleep, it was apparent. Ace is like a clone of Sebastian. And it makes my heart ache.If things were different, I would... I would what? I don't know.I sighed softly and chased away all my evil thoughts to avoid messing up. Now, I had to do what my grandpa told me to do, or he would carry out his terrible threat. If only I had power, I would just protect Ace from him, but right now, I don't even have anything, so the weapon to protect him from Sanchez is to do whatever he wants. That's wise.
A Touch of Madness 5
"Hey, where have you been?" Belle greeted me first after I walked into my hotel room. Her mouth dropped open when she looked me up and down and then she shook her head again. "You-"I brushed past her and entered the bedroom, saying, "The flies will come in if you don't shut your mouth." I cut her off and looked into Ace's room, but he wasn't there. I turned to Belle, who had her mouth shut but was blinking rapidly. "Where's Ace?""He went with Vito and Max to the mall. They're going to buy him ice cream." She replied. "Seriously, where have you been? You didn't come home last night, and now you come in your party clothes from last night, and without your shoes." She chuckled. "What have you become? Cinderella?""Is Ace whining? Is he crying?" I changed the subject.Belle shook her head. "He didn't. He was just looking for you and when I said you were still taking care of things, he asked for ice cream.""He had breakfast?""Mom made it," she replied. "Stop changing the subject. Answ
A Touch of Madness 6
"It's not good," Belle, sitting on the bed beside me, shook her head as she stared at her phone, a pen between her left fingers, and a paper in front of us with our cafe's revenue calculations. In front of us was a laptop lit up, showing our website, which was empty of visitors.I sighed, my head throbbing as I leaned against the headboard. "Yeah, I think we're going bankrupt."My sister disagreed. "Don't be such a pessimist." She said. "We have some things to fix and add." She tilted her head, thinking hard. "We can look for trending coffee flavors and modify them."' Joy, 'The café we built together was still busy, but not like the last or two week after another trend-setting café opened up a few blocks from our kafe. Plus, they seem to have come up with some interesting menus because it's only been two weeks since they've almost won over my loyal customers.I don't blame them. Maybe it's just because we're not up to date with current coffee trends. This wasn't a one-off, and normal
A Touch of Madness 7
I spent some time meeting some people from my college alumni who could help with my appeal for a fair outcome. Yes, I looked for more investors for my cafe, but it ended in uncertainty. It ended with me sitting in front of my computer and staring blankly at the park behind my cafe. Everything was completely abstract and chaotic. I didn't know the future or darkness I would face.I should have closed the café before everything went wrong because I was stalling for time, and I couldn't keep raking in my savings because I had Ace to support. It was his future savings, and I really had to give him the best.On the other hand, some people depended on me. Some people would lose their jobs if I closed the cafe, and there were my parents who would be disappointed in me. Now I'm really stuck.My head throbbed roughly. I massaged it and stopped when there was a knock on my door. I closed my eyes briefly and calmed myself before speaking, "Come in," I said.Elle, my sweetest employee, appeared a
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A Touch of Madness Epilog
Five years later.The sound of joyful laughter fills our warm living room. I rubbed my forehead, holding back a smile as I watched our twins, Athena and Azriel, run around yelling at each other. Both were still wearing the superhero costumes they got from Janet's birthday party, complete with fluttering red capes as they ran around the living room."Nana! Azzy! That's enough!" I called out, trying to be a bit chatty even though it was hard to hold back my laughter at their behaviour. "Stop chasing each other around the house. If you want to play superhero, do it in the garden!"Athena paused for a moment, looking at me with wide eyes full of innocence. But instead of obeying, the girl shook her head quickly, grinning as she turned to chase after her twin, who ran away. "I don't want to go outside! It's fun here!" she said, her cheerful laughter filling the room."Yes, but I will lose my sanity if you two keep shouting like this!" I tried to put on a angry face, but Azriel just jumped
A Touch of Madness 113 : War is Over
Sleepiness strikes hard because I haven't slept in two days. It’s crawls over my eyes, making them feel heavy, yet every time I close my eyes, flashes of horror always appear, stopping me from falling into a comfortable sleep. The clock on the wall ticked softly, breaking the silence of the night that felt too quiet. But suddenly, a rumbling sound came from outside. The sound of slamming doors and hurried footsteps. It gets closer, echoing up to my bedroom door, then...The door opened with a bang, and Killian walked in with a tense face. Without a word, he grabs my hand, gripping it roughly. "We're leaving now," he said coldly, his voice low but filled with a frightening haste."What happened?" I demanded, resisting his grip even though there was barely any strength in the resistance. "Don't ask too many questions," he said coldly as he dragged me out of the room, his steps quick, almost running.We walked down the creaking stairs through the narrow, dimly lit hallways. I tried to
A Touch of Madness 112
Isabella POV.I couldn't sleep. I couldn't close my eyes completely. I stared at the scenery behind the glass. I was expecting something. To someone to come and get me. Sebastian. I wish Sebastian were here.I hug my belly tightly, holding my babies. My chest feels tight, my heart beating wildly in the silence of the night that feels so foreign. Outside, the waves were constantly crashing against the cliff, making a sound that somehow made my body tense up even more. Beyond the windowpane, I could only see the dark, endless sea with no sign of life. Only my own shadow was faintly reflected, looking so fragile in the middle of this cold room.I rubbed my stomach lightly, trying to give warmth to my two unborn babies, hoping they could feel my false calm. "Everything will be okay," I whispered almost silently, more to calm myself than for them. But, I knew I needed to reassure them and tell them their mother would fight.My heart refused to calm down, pounding like it was rebelling
A Touch of Madness 111
The broken glass on the floor scattered like the shattered remnants of my hope with each passing minute without Isabella by my side. I stared at Marc and Diaz with a sharp look to make them tremble. My chest was beating hard, each beat full of anger and fear that couldn't be suppressed."Useless," I hissed, my voice hoarse and low. They both looked down, not daring to raise their heads.Marc tried to speak, his voice sounding weak, like a child caught in the act. "We've checked the small ports, contacted everyone who might know their whereabouts—""But it came up empty, didn't it?" I cut in, hitting the table so hard that Marc jerked back. "My wife is missing somewhere, and you guys can only stand here like fools!"I looked at Diaz, who gulped, his eyes troubled as he looked at me. But I didn't give him a chance. Every second without news of Isabella made my blood boil. To think that she might be trapped in the hands of a bastard like Killian... my mind was filled with images of a t
A Touch of Madness 110
My head throbbed violently as the harsh sunlight pierced my eyelids. Heavily, I sat up, trying to understand where I was. Rough wooden walls and small windows with dull curtains emitted light all around me, making this room feel even more alien and rough. My heartbeat quickened, panic creeping up from my toes to my head. This was not a room on our private island, not a place I recognized. The walls were weathered, and the overpowering scent of sea salt pierced my nose, mixed with the damp, unfamiliar smell of wood.The memories swirl, fragment by fragment, starting to return, like pieces of a nightmare creeping in slowly.The silent night on the island, Killian's sudden grip, the thin, cold smile on his face, then the hallways of the house echoing with unfamiliar steps. My memory stops at the moment he pulls me towards the boat, waiting at the dock, as I struggle, trying to escape. But all my efforts were in vain. Killian's grip was like an iron shackle I couldn't break.I stood uns
A Touch of Madness 109
"I'll be back tomorrow morning before you wake up." Sebastian's voice sounded lazy from our connected call. "I have so many things to take care of. I promise we'll have a good time once I'm done with all this. But I feel bad leaving you alone there."I chuckled softly. "Yeah, that's okay. There's Janet here. I don't feel alone."He chuckled on the other end of the line, his low laugh almost drowned out by the slightly crackling signal. "Yeah, my cousin with her... unique personality," he continued, his voice trying to sound serious but instead sounding full of warmth. "She'll probably set your whole life in pink if you let her. Just make sure she doesn't end up redecorating our house or... suggesting weird names for our baby."I smiled, imagining Janet, who could vigorously transform the house into a sea of pink, complete with flashy accessories. It was like relentless energy ready to fill every corner of the room, chasing away any loneliness I might feel while Sebastian was away. "T
A Touch of Madness 108
"It looks like your Abuelo has other ambitions."Apparently, he seemed to welcome me not because I was his grandson's wife but because we had a son, and two more twins were about to come out to greet the world. It was like he welcomed a treasure and an asset rather than a great-grandchild. It made me wonder how Sebastian's father had grown up under pressure from his father and how Sebastian had grown up under pressure from his grandfather.I nestled comfortably on his chest. He sat on a lounge chair, his hands cradling my growing belly. In front of us is a beach and a vast ocean.It was a beautiful sight. Sebastian tightens his arms around me, his warmth contrasting with the sea breeze gently brushing against my skin. In front of the calm blue sea, I can feel everything, as well as the freedom that has been almost foreign since meeting his grandfather.Sebastian bowed his head, his lips touching my head gently. "I want our kids to have a choice," he whispers, his voice almost drowne
A Touch of Madness 107
Silence hung in the air as Sebastian's grandfather folded his arms, his eyes never leaving my face. With a small gesture, he nodded as if encouraging himself to continue the conversation that, perhaps, he had planned for so long."And... what about your son? Ace? Your father told me that he is a cheerful and smart boy." His voice was low, but his tone was unmistakable. Demanding an answer, he turned to Sebastian and to me.I let out a small sigh, trying to keep my smile genuine as I replied, "Ace is a wonderful boy. Smart, full of energy, and very curious." Talking about my son in front of someone who looked so critical felt strange, but I didn't want to show any doubt.Sebastian, who had been standing quietly beside me, shifted slightly. His arm slowly wrapped around my waist, signaling he wouldn't let me face this alone."Oh, really?" he looked at us, alternating between me and Sebastian. A faint light in his eyes showed interest, albeit with skepticism. "He must meet me one day. I
A Touch of Madness 106
The phone in my hand vibrated softly, displaying a name that instantly warmed my chest. Ace's face appeared on the screen with one touch, and his wide smile greeted me. His hair was a little messy, as usual, and his school uniform was already rumpled here and there. "Momma!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "I just got home from school!" Seeing his face is always like a breath of fresh air in the thick Mexico City air. I smiled softly, adjusting the position of my phone so I could see him better. "How was your day at school, baby?" Ace shrugged his little shoulders, his face glistening with childlike satisfaction. "Good! I learned about dinosaurs today. They're cool, Mom. I like T-Rex, but my friends say I look like a velociraptor." He chuckles, his cheeks slightly flushed with excitement. I chuckled softly my feelings had drifted to a lighter place with his laughter. "Oh? Velociraptor, huh? You're fast like them." "I'm smart too!" he added quickly, his face full of confidence. "
