"Drink a little—it'll help," Sidney said softly, holding the water bottle closer to her.Maria looked at the water being offered, then took it from his hand, sipping it slowly. As she drank, Sidney's eyes never left her, studying her quietly.Neither of them spoke for the rest of the drive.When the car finally came to a stop, the driver announced, "We're here."Sidney turned to her. "I’ll walk you up."Maria didn’t object, and they stepped out into the cool night. The breeze was crisp, refreshing after the warmth of the villa, and they walked in silence. Maria moved at a leisurely pace ahead, while Sidney followed closely behind, his gaze fixed on her, growing more intense with each step.Suddenly, Maria stopped.Sidney halted too, watching her carefully, waiting for her next move. She turned to face him, a playful smile on her lips, her hands resting casually behind her back. "After going to Selena’s wedding today, I realized… maybe marriage isn’t so bad after all."Sidney’s heart b
Maria's entire body trembled, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar yet intoxicating sensations coursing through her. Her hands gripped the edge of the cabinet tightly, her toes curling involuntarily as Sidney's breath, hot and teasing, grazed her most sensitive spots. The stimulation was almost unbearable, pushing her to the edge.Outside, the wind picked up, causing the sheer curtains on the balcony to flutter in the breeze. The soft moonlight, once filtering gently through the window, was now obscured by drifting clouds, casting the room into a dim haze.A tear escaped the corner of Maria’s eye, her breathing rapid and uneven, her body quivering under Sidney's touch. After what felt like an eternity, her body finally surrendered, collapsing in his arms. Sidney stood and wrapped her in a protective embrace, his strong arms carrying her toward the bathroom."Did that feel good?" he whispered against her ear, his voice low and breathless, the heat of his words brushing against her skin.Mari
"I’m starving," Maria said as she pulled her hand away, breaking the tension that had built between them.Sidney nodded, his voice calm. "I’ve already made breakfast. Wash up, and it'll be ready.""Alright," she responded, tossing the covers aside and sliding out of bed.Her pale skin was adorned with faint traces of last night—bruises from his grip, tender marks where his lips had lingered. The sight told the story of their passion, but Maria didn’t seem to mind. She moved with ease, disappearing into the bathroom without a second thought.Sidney’s eyes followed her every movement, heat rising again in his chest. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay composed as the door shut behind her.Moments later, her voice called out, "Can you grab me a dress?"Sidney let out a breath, heading to her walk-in closet. As he stood in front of the endless rows of clothes, he paused. There were so many choices—elegant dresses, casual outfits. For a brief moment, he was lost in indecision.Fin
Since she had mentioned marriage, Sidney was determined to ask again. If she refused, he wouldn’t press further. Maria quietly observed him, then asked, "Sidney, are you really sure? I’m pretty unpredictable. One day, I might just get bored of you, and then we’ll have to get divorced."His eyes were full of sincerity as he responded, "I’ve thought it through. I want to marry you. I’ll do everything I can to make our marriage work and never let you feel tired of me. I want us to go the distance together."There was no denying the stir in her heart, especially when he was looking at her like that—like she was his entire world.Without thinking, Maria leaned in and kissed the corner of his lips. "You’re so sweet."Sidney’s hand found the back of her neck, deepening the kiss. When they finally pulled away, both of their breaths were a little uneven."Maria, marry me?""Okay," she replied without hesitation this time.The moment she said yes, she could practically see fireworks bursting i
Maria accepted the bouquet and took a sniff, the delicate fragrance lingering at the tip of her nose. Only then did Sidney pull out the marriage certificate, handing it to her."Doesn't it look better with the flowers? More ceremonial?" Hearing this, a deeper smile spread across Maria's lips. "You sure know a lot, huh?"Sidney replied, "I pay attention to you. I know you love taking pictures. If it were just the certificate, you'd find it too plain."Maria laughed and took the marriage certificate, adjusting the angle with the bouquet before starting to snap pictures.It didn’t take long before she was done. Handing the certificate back to Sidney, she got into the car without hesitation.Sidney carefully put the marriage certificate away, then got in the car and asked, "How about we grab a bite to celebrate?"Maria, still looking at her phone while selecting photos, said, "We just ate. I'm not hungry yet. Let’s go take wedding photos."Sidney chuckled at that. "Alright."By the time t
Maria thought Lucas must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed today. Since when was he so easygoing? Usually, it was a miracle if he didn’t work them to the ground, but today, he was offering her a break?This thought crossed her mind, and she voiced it aloud, "Boss, are you feeling alright today?"Lucas was speechless.Among his subordinates, only Maria dared speak to him like that, with no regard for formalities. But he couldn’t do anything about it—Maria was both highly capable and incredibly loyal.Lucas glanced at Aveline beside him, holding back his temper as he said, "Do you want the time off or not?""Of course I do!" Maria agreed without hesitation. Lucas was showing her some grace today, and she wasn't about to waste the opportunity."Just let me know once the date is set," Lucas replied calmly."Got it," Maria answered, then quickly ended the call....Lucas turned to Aveline and asked, "Is that enough sincerity for you?"Aveline shook her head. "Not quite."Lucas look
As the two of them stepped out of the bridal shop, a warm breeze blew past, carrying with it a hint of stifling heat. Maria squinted slightly, a faint smile lingering on her lips."Mary!" Suddenly, a voice called out from across the street.Maria's smile instantly vanished, replaced by a coldness in her eyes. On such a perfect day, someone just had to come and spoil it—what bad luck."Let’s go," she said, not bothering to glance at the person calling her. Instead, she gripped Sidney’s hand and walked toward the car parked nearby.Sidney sensed her shift in mood and asked, "What’s wrong?"Maria replied, "I’m tired. I just want to go home and rest."Sidney nodded, opening the car door for her. He then drove in the direction of her place."Mary!" Tracy called out several times, but Maria didn’t even look in her direction. Frustrated, Tracy hurried across the street only to be left standing in a cloud of exhaust as the car drove away, leaving her fuming."Ungrateful brat!" she muttered
As evening fell, Maria slowly woke up. A soft, muted glow filled the room, and for a moment, she felt a bit disoriented. Just then, she noticed an added weight on her. Looking down, she saw Sidney’s arm draped over her.Turning her head, she found him still asleep, his breathing calm and steady, his body pressed close to hers.In the dim light, Maria quietly watched him for a while, a soft smile gradually forming on her lips. She thought, perhaps her decision had been the right one after all. Marriage wasn’t so bad.She didn’t move, just lay there watching him for a few more moments. Though she couldn’t fall back asleep, she didn’t want to wake him either.As dusk settled in and the room darkened, Sidney began to stir. He turned over, but his arm remained around her."Are you awake?" Maria asked."Yeah," Sidney responded softly, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Hungry?"Maria replied, "A little. We’ve got dinner plans tonight. We can head straight there."Sidney nodded. "Alright."Maria