Surprisingly, no one informed me that there's a private event happening in my tower, which is rented by the Montecarlos. Arik and Hannah, along with Hannah's biological parents and other friends, are in a different hall, far from where we are, but we can clearly see them from where we are situated.
This makes me want to ask them to leave, especially because Ariah might see them, especially her father."Nobody told me, Mom. I thought this entire floor was closed because I informed the staff early. Why didn't anyone tell me that they would be coming here today?" I asked my mom in annoyance.I immediately called her the moment I saw the Montercarlos, especially the irritating face of Hannah. It would be fine if it were just them, but Arik is here! I don't want Ariah to see him with another woman and ask about it. I can't lie to her! And I don't want to hurt her by telling the truth!I glanced at Ariah while I heard what Mommy was saying. I noticed that Aurora and KiArik:Do you really mean it?I've been staring at that text from Arik for a few minutes now, and I still can't figure out what he's referring to.It was already 12 AM, and we were still here at the tower's bar lounge. Rusty fulfilled his promise to stay in one of the suites, but he insisted on paying for it. Oliver followed suit, along with Mom and Dad, but it's just us who are still awake and drinking."Why don't you ask? Reply to him," Kim suggested to me.Aurora's expression immediately contradicted. She took a shot and cursed."And what? Be foolish again? Of course! It's obvious what Arik is referring to—what you told him earlier, that you don't want to see him again," she said.I put away my phone and let it be.That text has been there since earlier. Around ten o'clock. I thought there might be another text because I didn't reply, but there was none. I guess Aurora was right. That's what he meant."What
Arik's dark expression didn't change. Instead, he stared at me even more deeply and intensely. It was as if I had done something terribly wrong to him, and he was angry now."I didn't leave your tower. Just them," he said, referring to the Montecarlos.I sarcastically laughed. "Together with your girlfriend? How rude of you to let her leave first and you're still here until now.""She's not my girlfriend, Celeste," he said firmly, and his aura grew even darker. "Hannah is still my sister."My mouth hung open. I wanted to tell him that I saw how he let Hannah kiss him that night, but I didn't let those words escape my lips.I told him I was done here. I'm done letting him know that I'm hurting. He should've known in the first place because that was his first priority back then. Now it seems like he doesn't see it anymore, even if I scream it in his ears.I averted my gaze from him. The image of him letting Hannah kiss him while holding her waist keeps re
"I'll have our things and my child's belongings picked up from your house later. I'm just letting you know to avoid mistaking the one going there for a thief," I said while keeping my gaze fixed on my laptop. I don't want to see him.I was surprised to find him in my office that morning. Pau didn't know what was going on, so she let him stay there."You don't need to do that, Celeste. Can we discuss this again?" He pleaded. His voice still sounded hoarse. It seemed like he was unwell.I glanced at him. His nose was runny, and his eyes were red and puffy. He's clearly sick."I can't talk right now, Arik. Don't you have a job? Don't you run your own company? Because I do, and I have plenty." I said firmly and stood up.I walked over to the shelf to look for the book I needed. Suddenly, frustration was overwhelming me again. Besides not finding that book, I couldn't understand my own feelings.And I knew that in searching for that book, I was venting my ir
"Are you the family of Mr. Rioflorida?" the doctor asked, her voice gentle but tinged with professional gravity.I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "Yes, I'm his partner, Celeste. This is Lucas, a close friend."The doctor explained that Arik had been taken for a battery of tests, including scans and blood work, to determine the cause of his sudden collapse. She reassured us that the medical team was doing everything they could to diagnose and treat him.However, she couldn't provide any concrete answers just yet, and that uncertainty gnawed at me like a relentless monster."Ms. Celeste," the doctor inquired, her eyes fixed on what seemed to be an iPad, where she reviewed Arik's tests and medical records. "I've seen his medical records, and he has amnesia, correct?""Yes, doctor. Is there a problem? He had an accident recently, and that's why he's experiencing amnesia," I replied, feeling a heavy knot of anxiety in my chest."I can tell," she resp
The evening was bathed in an aura of heightened anticipation as I meticulously prepared for the grand gala night at one of our family's magnificent towers, the Uptown Oasis.It was an event where various business ventures were to be unveiled, and only the crème de la crème of society had received coveted invitations.By my side was Arik, my handsome date, equally engrossed in his preparations. The theme of the night was a masquerade, and we were both resplendent in our enigmatic disguises."You've been quiet for a while. Is something bothering you?" Arik asked as we were in the middle of our journey toward the venue.I cleared my throat and briefly set aside the text I received from Victoria Yuchengco last night."I've just been thinking. Are you really serious about buying a new property? Did you already put your house on the market?" I changed the subject between the two of us.I knew that we still needed to discuss everything that had h
Upon arriving at the 28th floor, I was greeted by an eerie emptiness. I stepped out into the lavish penthouse corridor. The extravagance of the place only fueled my anger.I made my way down the ornate hallway, the echo of my footsteps on the polished marble floor reverberating in my ears.I saw a woman standing in front of the Grand Fountain in the middle. I was so sure it was her because there were no other people here except for the two of us. I immediately approached her. Victoria, her black gown and mask concealing her identity.She had been waiting for me, standing beside the elegant water feature. My heart was heavy with anger and resentment as I approached her.The memories of that traumatic day when I had almost fallen off the cliff and was saved by Arik had haunted me for so long. I had believed all this time that Victoria was the one responsible for my ordeal."Victoria," I said, my voice trembling with emotion.
My mouth hung open, and I felt even dizzier with the new information. It suddenly brought to mind the events of the past few months: Arik's increasing forgetfulness, his changing moods.Were those the symptoms? Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't anyone inform me?"Poor Celeste, but don't worry about him anymore. I'll take good care of him once you're gone," she said and released me roughly, turning to the two men who seemed to be preparing something from a bag."Hurry up, attach it!"I had no choice but to watch in silence, paralyzed by the unfolding events. Soon after, my heart pounded wildly when one of the men approached, and I was quickly in his grasp."No, no. What's that? What are you going to do?" Desperation laced my voice."I thought you were smart. This is the one thing you don't know? That's a bomb, Celeste. You're going to explode here later on," Hannah said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders.
The cold sweat on my brow bore witness to my escalating fear, and I desperately tried to make sense of the bomb's mechanism, but the enigmatic wires and blinking lights left me paralyzed with frustration. It was like deciphering a cruel puzzle with a merciless countdown.As I heard Arik struggle with the unyielding door from the outside, the helplessness of my situation gnawed at me like an insatiable beast. My emotions churned within me like a tempest, a turbulent storm.First came denial—I couldn't believe this was happening, couldn't believe I was about to meet my end in this forsaken place.Anguish and anger surged through me as I came to terms with the cruel fate that had befallen us. The bomb was a malevolent specter, and I longed to cry out at the world for the injustice of it all. Why us? Why now?And then, like a lightning strike, the unalterable truth hit me: I might never see my daughter again. Her innocent smile, her laughter, the feel o