Hayley was annoyed by the persistent knocking on her door. She heaved herself out of bed, making her way toward the entrance. The fact that she wasn't expecting anyone that day only infuriated her. Irritation and annoyance were etched on her face, angry at whoever had come to disrupt her much-needed nap that Saturday afternoon. All Hayley wanted was some rest after a long and exhausting week. Was that too much to ask for?As Hayley swung open the door to get to the entrance, her anger only intensified upon seeing him standing there. Hayley was not only shocked but completely stunned.Leonardo smirked at her, his eyes slowly wandering over her body. Hayley was dressed in a short black dress that exposed her cleavage and slender legs. His hungry, seductive, and enthralling stare caused Hayley's skin to break out in goosebumps and her heart to flutter in a way she couldn't explain."Hello, mi reina," he purred in a husky voice, his gaze returning to hers.Hayley met his gaze weakly. "L-
Glancing at the time on her fancy wristwatch, Hayley's face contorted with worry as she lifted her head in the direction of her toddler's room. Hayley was running late for work, and Daisy's delay was causing her stress."Baby, where are you?!" Hayley called out, still gazing towards her room. "We're running late. Please come now."She waited, but there was no response, no sign of Daisy either.Letting out a sigh, Hayley impatiently made her way to her room. She found the door was open. And there Daisy was, sitting on her bed with her backpack on, her face wearing a very sad expression. Hayley walked up to her, crouching down in front of her."What's wrong, baby?" She asked, her voice filled with concern as she looked at Daisy. "What is it?"Daisy replied sadly, avoiding eye contact with her mom. "I don't want to go to school."This was surprising, considering how enthusiastic Daisy usually was on Mondays and when Hayley helped her get ready for school."Why not, baby? What's the mat
"I promise to treat you right. To protect and love you, mi reina. To..." "Mi reina?" Hayley interrupted, her voice trembling as she stared at him. His piercing grey eyes met hers, a sincere saying on his lips. "Yes, baby. You are now my queen, and I, your king."Leonardo bent down, trailing kisses on her bare feet. Hayley watched him, each touch from his lips sending shivers down her spine and igniting a tingling sensation throughout her body.Leonardo and she lay naked on the bed, the only thing he had on was the pendant she had just gifted him.Still showering her feet with kisses, he gradually traced his lips up her leg, savoring every moment as he moved closer to Hayley's thigh. He paused.Leonardo gazed up at her, their eyes meeting weakly."Do you want me, baby?" He asked, his gaze still locked on hers. Hayley's flashback was abruptly interrupted by Daisy's excited voice breaking through her reverie."Uncle Damian!"Hayley snapped back to reality and saw Leonardo standing out
Hayley stood back, her eyes widening, and her mouth opened in utter disbelief. She couldn't believe Leonardo stayed outside in the rain. The question of why lingered in her mind.Trying to gather her thoughts and figure out her next move, Hayley paused. Leaving him outside in such weather was not the ideal thing to do.Memories of how Leonardo had entered the rain the last time to rescue her after an encounter with her stepmother, Wendy, six years ago flooded back. Hayley remembered he fell ill for days after that night.Recalling his act of heroism that day, Hayley thought it was time to reciprocate the kindness. That would be his saving grace in this situation. Concluding, she exhaled.As her hand reached for the doorknob, hesitation crept into Hayley's mind. Was helping him the right thing to do after what he did to her five years ago? Her heart ached at the thought, but she pushed it aside, unwilling to let it sway her decision. She sighed again. Opening the door, Hayley met his
When Hayley caught sight of him, a gasp of shock escaped her lips. Her eyes were absentmindedly drawn to his well-chiseled abs, leaving her hooked to the spot.Hayley's gaze then hesitantly traveled downwards, but she quickly averted as her thoughts grew unruly.Her eyes returned to his piercing gaze, not wanting to be consumed by her lustful thoughts as she kept staring at him.Hayley's confusion was evident on her face as she demanded an explanation for his presence in her room."Why are you here?" Hayley heard herself ask inwardly, but outwardly she could barely form the words."There was no towel in the bathroom, mi reina," he replied as if reading her mind.Blinking back to reality, Hayley slowly regained her composure and her ability to speak. "You should have said so, instead of barging in as if this is your room," Hayley snapped, her annoyance clear in her tone.But Leonardo smirked mischievously, staring at her with a twinkle in his eye.Hayley's heart skipped a beat as he r
"Let's cuddle..."Hayley collapsed on his chest unexpectedly. She struggled to break free from his hold."No!" She adamantly refused. "Don't ever do this again!" She warned him sternly, getting away from him.Leonardo frowned sadly.Hayley's eyes snapped open as she recalled the response she had given Leonardo the previous night when he had asked her to cuddle. Though Hayley had been surprised and nearly wanted to give in, she eventually refused, reprimanding him. She had managed to escape him. The last thing Hayley wanted was for Leonardo to know he still had any effect on her whatsoever. Picking up her nightwear from her wardrobe, she had exited the room and went to the living room to wait.Hayley had patiently waited for the heavy rain to subside last night, but it never did as the minutes had grown into hours and hours into the next morning, thus she had ended up falling asleep on the couch in the living room, while Leonardo had slept in her bedroom that night. So much for she wo
"C- Clara, what, what are you doing here?" Hayley bolted up from her seat, her eyes still widened in disbelief as she walked over to Clara. Clara's sudden appearance caught Hayley off guard.Clara was miffed as she turned her gaze to Hayley who was now standing before her, blocking her view from seeing Leonardo. "What do you mean, what am I doing, Nina? Am I no longer allowed to come into your house? Have you taken me for a stranger now?" Clara questioned, clearly annoyed.Hayley exhaled nervously, realizing she shouldn't have asked her that. "I'm sorry. I mean..." She trailed off."Hello Clara," Leonardo greeted from where he sat, his deep voice resonating in amusement, causing anger to stir within Hayley at his thoughtlessness. Had it been she knew, she could have left him in the rain. His nonchalance to the difficult situation he kept putting her in only infuriated her and fueled her anger and hatred towards him. "What is he doing here? I don't understand." Clara voiced out, obvi
Tick, tick, tick, the ticking sound of the fancy wall clock was the only thing that could be heard in the serene office. Gazing at the stack of documents piled up on her desk, Hayley Forbes let out a weary sigh. She was to finish up all of them within the next six hours. She had procrastinated for too long and it was now time to tackle them.Feeling overwhelmed, Hayley threw her head back on the chair, not knowing where to start. Her thoughts swirled in her mind, she was anxious. Not because of the workload currently on her desk, but because of her conversation with Leonardo earlier that morning. "I want you back. Let's become a family again.""For how long do you intend to keep lying to them?"His words echoed repeatedly in Hayley's mind, causing her discomfort as she was unable to make sense of the images on the screen of the computer in front of her.Her vision began to blur, touring her into oblivion as she pondered on Leonardo's words over and over again. Hayley and Adrian had
ONE MONTH LATER.[Court in Session.]"With this compelling evidence provided, I find it incumbent that you both witness the insides of a prison cell for fifty years, Mrs. Wendy Forbes and Miss Lillian Lopez. You both are hereby sentenced to fifty years in prison, for the crimes of attempted murder and kidnapping. Sentence to be executed immediately," The prosecutor and judge delivered the verdict, her tone unwavering. She was a ruthless prosecutor, one who had zero tolerance for convicts. As the prosecutor, Alexa McKanne made to return to her seat, she halted in her tracks as a shrill noise pierced through the courtroom."Nooo!!" Lilian emitted a heart-wrenching cry, her sharp voice reverberating throughout the courtroom and catching the attention of everyone present.The gathering erupted in murmurs, prompting the judge to call for silence.Meanwhile, Hayley, who was seated next to Leonardo across from Lillian and Wendy, caught Lillian's glare filled with contempt. Despite the palpab
A brief wave of disbelief washed over Leonardo as he stared at Hayley in astonishment. "What?" he blurted out absentmindedly, a hint of excitement seeping into his voice.Hayley felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she observed his reaction, realizing this was the first time she had seen his response to her pregnancy news."Are you serious, baby?" Leonardo asked, his eagerness palpable as his gaze shifted to Hayley's abdomen, contemplating whether she was teasing him or if she truly meant it.A genuine smile spread across Hayley's face as she rolled her eyes at his question. "Yeah, duh...""Mi reina!" Leonardo exclaimed, a surge of pure excitement bubbling within him. He could hardly fathom it. His joy was boundless as he reached for Hayley's hand, holding it gently.Hayley reveled in his excitement, her eyes filled with affection as he began to speak."Hayley Forbes..."She interrupted him, shaking her head playfully. "No, it’s Nina or Hazel now. I can't go by that name anymore, Leona
Hayley hurried with overwhelming joy and excitement toward Leonardo's room, with Daisy beside her. Her elation was palpable as she realized that Leonardo was awake; she could hardly contain her eagerness to see him. At the same time, Leonardo engaged in conversation with his brother, Lorenzo, who had remained by his side since the women had departed an hour earlier following his awakening. Leonardo had undoubtedly been taken aback to see his family upon waking. However, his initial surprise gradually shifted to confusion when he noticed the absence of both his woman and daughter. However, they had reassured him that Hayley had stepped out briefly and would return shortly, while Daisy was in another room with Rosalie and Emily. With this information, his anxious heart began to settle as he accepted their reassuring words. After a further thirty minutes had elapsed without Hayley's return, Leonardo's concern began to intensify. Unable to contain himself, he called out to Lorenzo, who
.Hayley returned to the hospital after delivering the lawsuit documents to the wardress at Wendy's prison. Approximately an hour prior, the prosecutor, Alexa, who was overseeing Hayley's case, had provided her with the papers following their meeting. Hayley then drove to the prison, where Wendy and Lillian were incarcerated, and handed the documents to the wardress, choosing not to visit any of them. That was the least of her concerns; her only interest in seeing them was during the court proceedings, where the judge would render his final decision. With a sigh of frustration, Hayley pulled herself back to the present as she made a right turn onto the highway, heading towards the hospital. She recalled that the love of her life remained unconscious when she left earlier, and a wave of anxiety washed over her as she wondered if he had awakened from the coma. Thoughts of Leonardo tightened around her heart, causing her anguish. Hayley eventually regained composure as she caught sight
Wendy collapsed on the ground, her head buried in her palms as she absorbed the news of Alison's sudden accident. It hit her like a thunderbolt, shattering her heart into pieces. Her daughter had been involved in an accident and according to what the wardress had mentioned, Alison had also fallen in a coma after the incident. Wendy swallowed, her face flooded with tears. Her heart ached painfully as she grappled with the reality. How could this be? How did this happen? She felt a pang of guilt constrict her heart tightly, knowing she was mostly responsible for the unfortunate circumstance that had befallen her daughter. If she hadn't gotten herself in trouble in the first place, none of this would have happened. With that, her cries intensified as she remained on the ground. "I'm very sorry, ma'am," The wardress tried to sympathize, her tone laden with pity. But that did little to console Wendy, whose thoughts were all over the place. Meanwhile, Lillian had also been shocked upon he
"What are you saying? He has a guardian! You can't take that action."Lillian's heart raced with anxiety as she absorbed the unsettling information relayed to her over the phone. Despite her efforts to maintain her composure, her hand trembled slightly as it pressed the receiver to her ear. Beads of sweat began to form on her temples, and her anger flared as the caller finished her statement.Her grip on the phone tightened, and Lillian shot back, her frustration palpable. "What do you mean by that? You can't do that! He has a mother! I am his mother!"She fell silent as the caller replied, a response that clearly unsettled her. Lillian started again. "Listen, you cannot do this to me. Ethan is my son. I’ll be out of here very soon. Just be patient, please." Lillian pleaded, a tear streaming down her cheek that she quickly brushed away.She listened closely to the caller's words until the line beeped, indicating the call had ended.Her heart shattered, and fresh tears flowed down her
Hayley headed out of the hospital as soon as she received the news about Freya's capture. Right after Lillian was apprehended, she had instructed an officer of the law to discreetly conduct a search for Freya, ensuring that she returned to the city in one piece so she could serve her fair punishment for her actions. Hayley was quite surprised by the speed of the development, however, that was the least of her concerns at that moment. A blend of satisfaction and annoyance brimmed within her as she headed out to the awaiting car, parked in the hospital lot. She had nearly forgotten Emily was trailing behind her until Emily's voice sailed into her ears, pulling Hayley from her thoughts. "Where are you going, Hayley? Who was it on the phone?" Emily pressed, her tone filled with concern. Realizing she hadn't shared the news with her, Hayley stopped midway and turned to Emily in an attempt to placate her confusion. "I'll be right back, Em. I need you to stay behind and watch my mother a
Hayley made her way to the restroom section of the hospital and leaned against the door once she stepped inside. Her heart raced, stirred by memories of her confrontation with Clara.Painful tears stung her eyes despite her efforts to remain composed and resolute. She felt she didn't deserve to cry. If anyone ought to shed tears, it should be Clara, not herself. She hadn't done anything wrong.With this resolve, Hayley sniffled back her emotions, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand before heading towards the sink to wash her face. She stared at her reflection in the mirror afterward, her chest heaving. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled before further questioning herself if she had been too harsh on Clara or if she truly deserved what she got from her. Her thoughts were disrupted as the door to the bathroom swung open, startling Hayley. Without moving an inch, Hayley caught a glimpse of the person who had just walked in through the mirror and saw it was Emily."Hey, ar
Meanwhile, Clara watched in silence as she absorbed the affectionate scene unfolding before her. Occasionally, her gaze would trail from the newfound couple to Hayley, who watched with enthusiasm and joy. Clara felt her heart pricked painfully, once again remembering that she and Hayley were no longer friends. And it was all her fault. She literally betrayed Hayley. Abandoned her when she needed her the most and turned her back to her in her times of trial and peril. She wondered if Hayley was ever going to forgive her for her actions.Sure, she had only acted out because she didn't like the way Hayley's deception affected Adrian. But recognizing Hayley's other predicament with Wendy and Lillian, she had now come to understand why Hayley had lied to them about her identity in the first place. She was obviously running from something and just didn't want to get entangled with her past again. It was unfortunate that Leonardo had just shown up to thwart those plans of Hayley.Reflecting