"Mommy, where's Daddy? Is he coming here with us?"That's the very first question Ariah asked me as we arrived in San Rafael. We hadn't even rested yet, and she had just woken up.I avoided her gaze and started arranging our things in the cupboard there."He's uh… He needs to work, baby. Maybe he'll come another day." I bit my lower lip. This was the first time I had lied to her."Really? I thought he's not, huh. Should we wait for him here?" She asked again.I looked at Ariah, sitting on the bed while hugging that unicorn. She was still rubbing her eyes, seeming a bit sleepy."We'll wait for him here, sweetheart. Are you still sleepy?""Yes, Mommy.""Then sleep. I'll wake you up when it's time to eat, okay?"I waited for Ariah to fall asleep again in our room before I went out. Benj and Sarah were in the adjacent room.I gazed at the vast grounds of Caza de Fuente. It had been a long time since I left this place. I didn't know back then that the Fuente
I quickly ran back to Caza to find Benj. I was almost tripping over myself due to panic, as I felt a different kind of unease."Benj! Benjamin!" I shouted as I entered the house.Benj immediately came out of the kitchen, looking puzzled as he approached me."What the... What's wrong? Why were you shouting?""It's Arik... Arik, he's coming here...""And?""Something happened. He mentioned it while we were talking on the phone. Like... Like something happened while he was driving. He mentioned some people. I don't know! Let's go to him!" I rambled to him in panic, even though I didn't really know what was happening."Okay, Celeste, you need to calm down and tell me exactly what happened. Where is Arik? And who's chasing him?""I don't know! I just heard a commotion! It sounded like a collision, and then he yelled and cursed at them. It was all vague! I couldn't understand. Can we just go please? Maybe we'll run into him. He said he'll be here in a few minutes.
I never thought that this would happen to me. I've heard about scenarios like this before, especially among the wealthy, but I never imagined it could happen to me.Arik hid five years ago to escape from Yumi and her parents. She even wanted to become pregnant with his child so that he couldn't escape her and their only issue would be the marriage. How could she do that? She knows me. She knew that I'm Arik's current girlfriend when we met at Oliver's office, but she didn't say anything. She was so professional. And a bitch."I want to transfer my mom's case to another lawyer, Ols. Is that possible?"I heard him let out a sigh on the other end."Why so sudden? I thought everything was fine."I truly believed he already knew about this, but it seems he didn't. Well, Arik did tell me that only a few people knew about this because he disappeared even before their engagement became public."I don't want that woman to handle my mom's case anymore. I don't trust her."
"We just arrived here with Benj. Will you be fine there? How's Ariah doing?"Arik immediately called me as soon as I texted him that we had reached the city and were heading straight to the hospital.Mom was devastated, and we still couldn't talk to her properly. Benj was by her side, trying to comfort her, but she remained with Dad as we waited for him to wake up.Apparently, Mom was blaming herself for what had happened. She felt that if she hadn't insisted on going to the Percepta Tower earlier, this wouldn't have happened. Her decision to not accompany Dad also added to her guilt."She's fine. She and Sarah are eating at the hotel restaurant right now. She said she'll pray for her grandfather. How about you? How are you? How's your Mom and Dad?" Arik's concerned questions flowed.I sat beside Oliver outside Dad's room."She thinks it was her fault. We haven't been able to talk to her yet, Arik. Dad hasn't woken up.""Do you know what happened
"Both of us are suffering and grieving here! Both of us are waiting for our fathers to wake up, so don't direct all your resentment and anger at me! Mom has been missing for over a week now! I don't know where she is. I am fucking busy dealing with my own life right now, so leave me the fuck alone!" She yelled at me, her voice echoing through the hallway. I could feel her pain and anguish in her words, especially when tears welled up in her eyes, though she quickly wiped them away and let out a sarcastic laugh."Oh, how unfortunate this is..." She muttered, cursing multiple times."We are both suffering and grieving here for our fathers, but the funny thing here is the man fighting for his life right now is also your father..." She trailed off and looked at me with disgust."But you don't care even the slightest bit. Maybe these things happening to you now, Celeste Koa, are karma."That was the last thing Isabella said to me before she shut me off. I couldn't move for a
"You have no idea what I've done for your father, so you have no right to speak to me like that!" She yelled, full of resentment."You know, Celeste, you know just a fraction compared to the whole truth. You even reopened that cunning woman's case, huh? Why? Because of the evidence handed to you by the Riofloridas and the Fuentebellas?""It's because they're more believable than you! You were my dad's mistress! You did everything to remove Mommy from her position, and you took her place as the wife and queen of the Yuchengcos! You're too greedy. You're too hungry and thirsty for love and wealth because you've never experienced it, not once!" I exclaimed, painfully recovering from her slap.My teeth were gritted, and I cursed multiple times."You deliberately got pregnant by dad! You planned everything and succeeded! You and your best friend, William Johnsons, right? You kidnapped Mom, took her to Aomori, and killed her there, right? Tell me that the accusations against y
"They're still looking for her until now. She was no longer in the place where the accident happened. I'm sure she's hiding somewhere else," Aurora said as she talked to Kim and Oliver. "That fucking old woman.""How can she be implicated in what happened to Celeste? Arik is still in a coma. He's the only witness to what really happened, whether she was pushed by that old woman or not."I turned away from their direction. I didn't want to hear that. I can't bear to hear what they're saying. All that's on my mind right now is Arik's condition.My daughter Ariah is still upset because of what happened. She couldn't be with her dad for long since children aren't allowed in the ICU.She couldn't stop crying when she found out what happened to her dad. And it breaks my heart just thinking about it."Celeste," Oliver called me.I ignored him."Celeste, there's someone who wants to talk to you. I'll leave you two alone.""W-who?" I stuttered, still not looking at hi
To Aurora: Just for a little while. I just want to see him, Au. Please.From Aurora: Celeste, what you're saying isn't possible. Have you forgotten your last encounter with Arik? If we hadn't been there, he might have pushed you away.To Aurora: I won't show myself to him. I just want to see him. I miss him so much. Please.From Aurora: God, you're so stubborn. If Oliver finds out about this, he'll be mad at me.To Aurora: He won't find out.Aurora: Wait for me there!A few minutes passed before Aurora arrived. Fortunately, Oliver wasn't home, and everyone was already asleep. We quickly sneaked out towards the bar where Arik was. I took out my phone and typed there before showing it to Aurora.How did you know he's at the bar? Who's with him?"Someone from his staff told me. They all decided to go out, and he went along. Yumi is with him too," she said, causing me to freeze.My hands trembled. I felt like I couldn't speak even more.Yumi, the only woman he remembers for some unknown r