“Kingston.”
The two men exchanged pleasantries, their voices sounding suave and charismatic, except the expressions in their eyes were full of veiled animosity.
Adam’s body became rigid, a sure sign that he was trying to hold back.
I tapped his arm to let him know I was uncomfortable with the accidental bumping, knowing it could easily escalate into a heated confrontation and explode in our faces.
Instinctively, he covered my hand and patted it, silently reassuring me.
The action was not lost on my ex-husband’s keen eyes.
He pinned me with an accusing glare that I did not miss interpreting because I lived with the man for three months, and several months before that, I used to work as his secretary.
I have learned to analyze his expressions one by one, so I know every nuance, movement, or shift in his stance.
I lifted my chin and met hi
I had to hold a smirk at how slow he was in connecting the dots.For a mathematics genius like Caleb, who used to win international Math Olympiads for the country, the idea that he was sometimes slow in comprehending the obvious was preposterous.But he had always been like that. Caleb can easily solve mathematical equations but finds it hard to understand people well. His communication skills suck, too.But that was the least of my concerns.Not in the mood to enlighten him, I stepped to the side to dodge Caleb Kingston's tall frame blocking my path to resume walking. My action clearly conveyed that I have no intention of answering his question.
While I do not flaunt my connection to the Burkes of New York, I never hide the fact that I hailed from one of the richest families in the state with investments in banking, mining, and finance. Our family also owns an airline company, which my brother Adam oversees.I, on the other hand, run my own international publishing company, the sole publisher of the kiddie adventure series I was writing under a pen name.I took a deep breath when I realized what I put behind me when I applied as a secretary in Caleb’s company.It was an act of pure madness. A crazy, desperate act that landed me in this situation three years later.Having loved Caleb Kingston from afar, I responded to a want ad his company released to be close to him. I grabbed the opportunity upon seeing that it was my only pass and knowing my current status would not allow me the same privilege.Caleb and my brother Adam have been
The two shook their heads, declining my indirect invitation.“We left the others at the resort. And Tory was alone in the villa..” Tony reminded me. “Oh shoot!” I palmed my forehead when I realized I had forgotten about my best friend and quickly let the matter drop. “Will you take care of Tory for me?” Tony instantly grimaced. In the past, he and Tory used to bicker around each other. The presence of the other three assured me that Tory would be taken care of. The three would often diffuse any friction between the two.“We’ll go ahead. When your brother wakes up tomorrow, let him bring you to the resort so we can enjoy a few more days of sunshine and the beach before tackling our workloads on Monday.” Tony told me and gave me a buzz on the cheek. Cole did the same before jogging to the parking lot and their waiting car. I gave a little wave when the car’s engine started and stayed on the porch for a while, watching their car going farther until it rounded a bend and out of
The following weeks were hectic as I finally decided, after much deliberation, to hold a grand launch for the fourth installment of my book. It was not easy, but I figured it made good sense business-wise.Adam backed my decision one hundred percent.“You looked like h*ll! Did you not have a good night’s rest?” Adam commented when I joined him for breakfast that morning. I had a rough night because pregnancy symptoms started to act up, and I was up all night vomiting.I glared at him, but the allure of food was stronger. I salivated at the sight of the bacon served on a platter, and my stomach grumbled in protest.“Obviously, I didn’t.” I snarled before forking bacon from the serving platter.“Manners, young lady.”I rolled my eyes at him.“I used to smother you with my saliva, but
“Yeah!” I croaked while I clenched my fist, trying hard to control the little tremors that racked my body.I do not know if it was his presence or the accident that made me like this, but I feel so light-headed that at any moment, I would pass out.Caleb frowned when he looked at me. “You don’t look okay. Are you hurt anywhere?” he sounded concerned.I shut my eyes and took a deep breath.How many times in the past have I wished him to talk to me like this?“Caleb, she does not look good.”My body
“Did you know before today that we are having twins?” Caleb asked once more. I could not believe my ears. Last time I checked, Caleb wanted to conduct a DNA test to prove his paternity. Now, he was taking responsibility and owning my kids as his. Strained silence followed right after. I was in no mood to respond. But my companion seemed oblivious to my mood or he was just plain thick-skinned, I could not decide because this was the first time something like this happened between us. “When is your next doctor’s visit?” I shook my head. Well, I have to give him points for persistence. But it brought my long-buried resentment to the surface. I lashed out. “Why? Are you coming along?” I asked, voice dripping in sarcasm. Caleb ignored the barb. He shifted his gaze from his driving to me. It was just a quick look, but I was not comfortable with the expression I saw on his face. “Yeah.”His admission threw me for a loop. “Are you pranking me or pissing me off?” I could not
Caleb's POV"Boss?" My assistant Marco straightened when I reached the table reserved for our company. He motioned to one of the chairs so I could sit, but I waved my hand to decline and shook my head no. I prefer standing while watching my ex-wife bask in her popularity. Marco joined me, standing at the back while my eyes kept glued on the stage, still reeling from the explosive news that threw me for a loop. The great J. W. Croix was my ex-wife. "Why didn't HR fact-check her records before hiring her three years ago? Why did it slip our attention that Cassy was related to the Burkes of New York." It only came to my attention recently that my ex-wife was the heiress to the Burke’s fortune, and now this!Marco pulled his eyes away from the stage and replied."We never hire people based on their family background, boss. We hire them based on their skill set and job fit."“Why did she keep it a secret?” I persisted. Marco shrugged his shoulders. “Sir, Mr. Kingston, only Cassy
Caleb’s POVAmanda pulled her body away from me, but before that, she left a lingering touch, tugging gently on the end of my necktie.I lifted my hand to grab the end of the necktie from Amanda’s grasp and stepped back, giving her a wide berth.Then, I looked at Cassy.She had her head bent down to the shattered glass on the floor.“I am sorry, Ms. Burke.” One of the crew staff for the night was crouched near her legs, expertly picking up the pieces of broken glass on the floor.“It’s alright. Sometimes, people miss and make mistakes. Don&rsquo
Sigh. Have you ever felt that you have to go but cannot make that first step? That is how I feel today. Cassy and Caleb’s story has ended, yet I feel sad at the thought of saying goodbye. I started this story December 2023, and since then, it has brought me so many firsts: * First book with more than 200 chapters, * First book with 200k+ words, * First book with a banner promotion, * First book with highest reads at 70.2k to date, and * First highest-grossing book. This book wouldn’t reach those milestones if it weren’t for you. So, on this page let me thank some of the people who left their marks in my book: First is my editor Lyra Pinter. Thank you for the patience, support and tips you provided to make this book where it is at the moment. Also for GoodNovel. This platform gave me the opportunity to reach out to more audience. Thank you for the gems Chi, Lean Cantara. Jennifer Gonzales, Lhyn, Susan, Yolly Villanueva, Maria Theresa Sant
Cassy POVCaleb spun me around in excitement, and I squealed in delight. When the children noticed what we were doing, they abandoned the toys scattered in the playpen to run toward us. “What’s happening?” Oakley asked.From the background, I could hear my mom tell her. “You and Joachim will have a baby brother or a sister soon.” “Oh!” Oakley sounded surprised.By this time, Caleb had already put me down, and I was watching the enraptured emotion on my little girl’s face. A grin worked its way to her face, making her more beautiful in my eyes. She took her brother’s hand excitedly. “We are going to have a baby! Yay! I am going to be a big sister!” Oakley and Joachim jumped at the news. They were clapping, and so were everyone around us. Even Rosalie Kingston Pierre looked at us with a wistful smile. Greg and James, Caleb’s friends, proposed a toast.“Congratulations on the baby!” They both shouted and tapped their glasses with spoons.It created tinkling sounds that gave off
Cassy POVDuring the party, I could feel that something was bothering Caleb. It's not that I was suspecting him of anything. It was more like I was just puzzled at the antsy behavior. From time to time, he would leave me to talk on the phone, and my lips formed a straight line in displeasure. I am sure it was business, but can’t he postpone business for a while to enjoy the children’s party?“You look lonely, babe. Where is your husband?” Reynold approached me when he noticed I was standing alone in the corner, watching the event while my husband was out of sight. Caleb just stepped out of the room, purportedly to answer Gordon’s call, and it is honestly pi*sing me off. I shrugged my shoulders and looked murderous. The day began magnificently. Caleb and I rose before dawn and tiptoed our way to the twins' bedroom to spruce it up with birthday decor. We wanted to surprise the twins, and we did!The smile on their faces was priceless. Caleb and I could not contain our tears whe
Caleb POVWe started milling around, stopping by some tables to talk to some parents. From the happiness wreathed on the children’s faces, I could see that everyone was having a good time. My two best friends arrived, and I immediately snaked an arm around Cassy’s waist when I noticed Greg smiling at her. I still hadn’t forgotten what he told me before - that he had a crush on my wife. Cassy was surprised but did not remove my arms around her waist while we talked to my best friends. This alone made me shoot Greg a gloating look. If I didn’t need them for my proposal later, I wouldn’t have invited them, especially Greg, but they are the only people I could rely on.A crowd gathered around us, and my two best friends entertained them, allowing Cassy and I to extricate ourselves from the circle to welcome Adam and Cassy’s friends as they trickled in one by one. Martin Crest, Cole Higgs, and John Collins came in one after the other, bearing boxes of gifts for the twins. When Joach
Caleb POVWarmth filled my heart as I listened to Oakley divulge their wish for everyone to hear.My chest felt stuffy when I learned that their wish was me.Even though they did not know me or had no idea about me, my kids longed for me like I longed for them the past years.“I am happy, too,” I responded before grabbing them to kiss the top of their heads.Oakley climbed into my lap. Her little hand started caressing my face.“Thank you, Daddy! I love you!” Oakley declared.My shoulders started to shake. I don’t know what I did before to deserve these children, but I was so happy.“I love you, too, Oakley. You, Mommy and Joachim, are Daddy’s treasures.” I admitted and realized that my voice sounded guttural, even to my ears.I looked at Cassy and saw her smiling through her tears.I don’t think I will ever
Cassy POVDays passed by quickly, and before we knew it, it was already the kids' birthday.“Shhh!”Caleb said when I giggled because, for the first time, it was us barging in on them, not the other way around.The kids were still sleeping soundly.Oakley slept with her arms spread wide. She had kicked off her blanket to the foot of her bed.On the other bed, Joachim slept on his side, facing the wall.“I could not believe they were four years old.” I gushed.Caleb walked to the bed holding the cake we ordered at Felicity&rsq
Cassy POVUnfortunately, thechildren’splan to spend the weekend with their grandparents did not materialize because Mom and Dad told me they were leaving the next day.“Why? Thekids’birthday is only days away?”I could not hide the disappointment in my voice.The children look forward to having the family on their big day. They
Cassy POVI watched my parents, and the happiness radiating on their faces was enough to put a smile on my face.“Now, we can eat,” Oakley interjected.Her declaration broke my embracing parents apart.“Sorry, my little darling!” Mom said awkwardly, chucking Oakley on the chin.Oakley giggled and ran to the dinner table with Joachim in tow.The elder Burkes followed them and helped them with their seats while Caleb and I looked on with smiles painted on our faces.Then, I nudged him. “Tell me, how did Dad manage to order the flower arrangement this fast?&rd
Cassy POVThe children giggled, but they didn’t protest. They wallowed in the attention Mom gave them.“Come on, grandma, let’s eat,” Oakley said after a while. She scooted to the edge of the bed, her feet dangling.Dad took her little hands to hold her while she slid down the bed and her feet connected to the floor.“Wax, let’s go!” Oakley turned around and beckoned for her brother to do the same.Joachim followed Oakley. Dad helped him, too.They both ran to the door, trying to open it. They both jumped, hands touching the knob, but since they were not tall enough, they could not turn the knob open.