Before Adrian shattered the awkward silence that had settled over them the moment Leonardo walked in earlier; he couldn't help but notice the expression on Hayley's face when she saw Leonardo. It was a mix of surprise and anxiousness. He also witnessed the way their eyes had been locked on each other for a brief moment, their surroundings fading before them as if they were engaged in a silent battle of emotions. Adrian couldn't shake the feeling that there was a deeper connection between them, although he wasn't certain. And this fazed him.After all, Hayley had previously claimed that she didn't know Leonardo personally and had denied him as her ex-husband at the time he had assumed he was. But now, Adrian felt something wasn't adding as this wasn't the first time he had seen them being awkward around each other. It didn't seem to stem from Hayley's animosity towards Leonardo, but rather something else entirely. Something he couldn't comprehend. Nonetheless, he hesitated to jump to
Surprise and confusion were etched across Adrian's face as he redirected his gaze to Leonardo after a moment, asking, fazed. "Daughter? You have a child, man?" Adrian's brows were creased as he met Leonardo's expressionless gaze. Leonardo remained quiet, just staring at Adrian, and from his perspective, he could see the anxiousness and confusion that emanated from him. As much as he wanted to tell and boast about his daughter, Daisy to him, he knew Hayley wouldn't be pleased. He couldn't risk jeopardizing the newfound relationship he now had with her. Hence...After a moment, Leonardo let out a laugh, much to Adrian's confusion. What was wrong with this man? He couldn't help but ask inwardly. Leonardo laughed incredulously for a moment before finally saying amidst laughs. "I got you there, man. You should've seen your face!" He said, laughing even more.Adrian was still confused as he stared at Leonardo fazed. But he couldn't deny the anxiety that was slowly starting to dwindle fro
Later that evening, just a few minutes past 6 pm, Adrian found himself seated behind the bar counter in his home, a bottle of bourbon and a glass with the remnants of his drink settled before him. He appeared lost in thought for a while, his gaze fixed on the glass.After a moment of contemplation, he eventually lifted the glass and chugged down the remaining liquid. A heavy sigh escaped him as he set the glass back down, staring at it in surprise as a realization began to dawn on him. Though he wasn't typically a heavy drinker, he had recently found himself reaching for the bottle more often these days. Perhaps it was a reflection of his growing loneliness. And that had his mind wandering away in no time.As he continued pondering his thoughts, his mind drifted to the events of the day, particularly his earlier suspicion that Hayley and Leonardo might share a deeper connection from what he witnessed. A scoff of disbelief escaped him as he shook his head incredulously. He chastised hi
"Congratulations, SCA Nina, you've officially been enrolled in the program," Adrian declared with enthusiasm as he crossed the desk to greet Hayley, presenting her with a bouquet of flowers. Hayley had just entered his office to share the exciting news she received in her email the previous night, but it seemed Adrian already knew about it.Hayley couldn't help the smile that graced her features as she accepted the gift from him, expressing her gratitude in awe. "Aw, thank you, Adrian." Her eyes trailed down and she noticed the flowers weren't the usual roses he normally brought her.Seeing her astonishment, Adrian added as if anticipating her thoughts. "You mentioned on our last date that you do not fancy roses, remember?" He reminded her, his tone gentle. Hayley finally recalled she had mentioned something like that before. She lifted her gaze to his. Her smile deepened as she replied. "Thank you, Adrian. Thank you for remembering,"Adrian returned her smile, staring into her ocean
The serene evening saw Leonardo driving towards Hayley's residence once again. However, this time, he was free from feelings of nervousness or anxiety; instead, he was filled with gratitude and excitement as things were beginning to flourish in his newfound relationship with Hayley and, of course, their daughter. Although Hayley hadn't mentioned it yet, Leonardo sensed that she had forgiven him, and that realization filled him with elation and a sense of pride. However, he had made a promise to himself to continue proving his commitment to positive change so he could clear Hayley's skepticism once and for all. He was determined to genuinely receive Hayley's love again. He missed her terribly. With that in mind, he made a left turn on the road, his insides bubbling with anticipation.Just two days prior, Daisy had requested for Leonardo to move in with them, but Hayley had turned down her request. Although the toddler was initially disappointed and sad, they ultimately agreed that Leo
"Hello?" Hayley called out for the third time, but once again, silence greeted her from the other end. She felt perplexed initially, but that feeling soon transformed. A mix of irritation and annoyance began to stir within Hayley as she realized it wasn't Emily on the line; rather, it was a robocall. This was the only logical explanation for this, as no sane person would call her with the intent of keeping her in silence. With that thought in mind, Hayley let out a frustrated hiss and quickly tapped on the hang-up button. She huffed in annoyance, her frown deepening as several thoughts raced through her mind. However, she didn't consider the possibility that the strange call might have stemmed from someone she knew.Hayley exhaled a deep breath, still feeling annoyed and irritated, but ultimately, she calmed herself, deciding to move on and return to the living room.Leonardo, who had been waiting patiently for her, turned his attention as he heard footsteps approaching. He observed
As the days rolled by, Hayley recognized her feelings for Leonardo were only intensifying, and she found herself falling in love with him all over again. Well, this resurgence of affection was because Leonardo had been behaving really kindly and responsibly towards her and their daughter ever since their significant reconciliation. On the other hand, Leonardo was now meticulously mindful of his actions, determined to preserve the fragile relationship he had built with them, and not lose Hayley again. He felt genuinely happy being a part of their lives now and just couldn't wait to introduce them to his family. However, he was taking a slow and cautious walk towards achieving this aspiration as he was aware it was still too early to put such a request to Hayley, especially since they had yet to officially rekindle their romance. While things seemed to be improving now, a part of Hayley was still reluctant to fully commit to Leonardo, still scarred and haunted by his past actions. She
It was just a few minutes past 6 pm, two hours since his lunch date with Hayley. Adrian cleared his desk, preparing to leave the office.As he drove home, he couldn't help but ponder his lunch conversation with Hayley. Surely, the outcome of the date had taken him by surprise. He felt a deep sense of sadness and disappointment, having faced yet another rejection from her. Was he not good enough? He questioned himself worriedly. 'Hey come on. Looks or personality wasn't the reason why she had rejected you. She's just dealing with some personal stuff at the moment. Relax.' His inner voice reassured him.He let out a heavy sigh, wishing he could believe that was true and that there were no other reasons for Hayley's rejection. He couldn't bear the idea of her being with someone else. He loved her too much to let her slip away so easily. As he navigated the road, a plaguing consideration abruptly crossed his mind. What if his earlier suspicions about Hayley and Leonardo were actually tr