A week later Sinjin had been delaying introducing Eds to his parents because he knew exactly how it would go. His mother was someone who only cared about her own feelings and often disregarded those of others. He feared she might say something hurtful to Eds. While he wished he could prevent this, he couldn't marry Eds without his parents' blessing. So, with a heavy heart, he invited her to have lunch with his family, and she agreed, knowing that meeting his parents as his fiancée was inevitable. She wore her Sunday best: a sleeveless white floral print knee-length dress and black flats, her hair styled in a loose bun with wavy tendrils framing her face.Sande had helped her choose the outfit. It was classy, making her feel appropriately dressed, and her purse was a limited edition designer piece. She hoped to impress his parents, but based on their attitude towards her months ago, she knew that if she wasn't from a wealthy family, they wouldn't be interested in getting to know her.
Two days laterSinjin allowed himself space and time to calm down before confronting his parents about what happened with Eds. He understood that if he had returned to the estate to speak with his mother immediately, he might have said things to her that he could never take back.He would have hurt his mother's feelings and then resented himself for it, given how much he loved her despite her behavior. After all, she was his mother and the woman for whom he had become wealthy.Eds had refused to see him or answer his calls. While he didn't blame her for pulling away, he wished she would let him know how she was faring. Despite sending her numerous texts, he never received a response from her.He decided to check on her at work, but when he didn't see her behind the counter serving coffee, he went into the shop to inquire about her from one of the staff. The response from the barista, who was obviously new, pissed him off."What do you mean she no longer works here?" he demanded irrita
Sinjin watched as his parents' and sister's faces turned deathly pale at his words. After all, who wouldn't react that way? He had just announced that he was going to bequeath all of his wealth to strangers, leaving his family with absolutely nothing."You can't be serious," Brendan said. "Why would you do such a thing? We're your family, and they're strangers to you.""No, Edselyn is going to be my wife. She will no longer be a stranger but part of my family," Sinjin countered, arching a brow. "Isn't that what marriage is all about?” “You loved Mom enough to lie about her family background to your parents, so why can't I do the same?” he snorted, waving his hand dismissively. “Don't mind me, I'm just following in your footsteps after all.""Did my father tell you the truth before he died?" Brendan asked."I overheard Mom talking to someone about it, so I asked your favorite sister, Aunt Sasha," Sinjin replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Mom and Aunt Sasha were friends, so it was easy
Three days later Sinjin went for a run on the beach to clear his head and returned home just as the sun started rising to take a shower. He was going to pick up the boys, and he had decided he wouldn't wait for them to meet him downstairs. He was going to see Eds, whether she wanted him to or not.He had just stepped out of the shower and tied a towel around his waist when he heard his phone ringing in the bedroom. Grabbing another towel to dry his hair, he padded into the room, walked over to the table where his phone was charging, removed the cord, and accepted the call."Hey, short stuff," he greeted Sande, smiling."Sinjin," Sande breathed, inhaling deeply, "I don't know how to say this."Sande hardly ever sounded anxious, and the only time he'd heard her like this was when Eds was in the hospital. Has something happened to Eds and the boys? Tossing the towel he was holding onto the bed, he rushed to his walk-in closet to dress, setting his phone down on the ottoman after putting
"I want to apologize to you on behalf of my mother," Sinjin said. "It made me very upset, so I can imagine how it must have made you feel.""It's fine," Eds smiled. "She was just protecting her son.""No, she wasn't," Sinjin replied. "She was only protecting her own interests."Eds stared at him in surprise. "I thought all sons love their mothers to death despite how bad they are?" she inquired."I do love my mother, but I get irritated by her behavior and tell her. I don't overlook everything she does," Sinjin said. "That's why I waited two days to confront her about the way she treated you. It was heartless.""I bet she hates me even more now," Eds chuckled dryly."She doesn't hate you; she's just upset that she won't be able to make you her puppet," Sinjin said. "If I'd done what she wanted and married one of the ladies on her list, it would have been hell for me.""Why?""Because she would have been married to my mother and not me. She'd have done everything to please my mother, e
Sinjin was in a meeting with the marketing team when a knock sounded at the door, prompting him to call for the person to come in. He was surprised to see Adella rush in, looking less sophisticated than usual. He almost smiled but restrained himself."Miss Simmons," he said, rising to his feet and checking his wristwatch. "It's 10 am on a busy Monday morning.""I know, sir, and I'm very sorry for coming in this late," she apologized, wincing. "I... I had a late night and overslept.""I also had a late night, but you don't see me coming into work just now," he replied."I'm sorry, sir," she said, bowing her head."Let it not happen again," he warned."Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," she muttered, hurrying out of the room."Where were we, gentlemen?" Sinjin returned to his seat, smiling at the marketing team.Thirty minutes later, Adella returned to his office, looking much better than she had earlier. His lips curved into a half smile."Now you don't look like a homeless person," he remarke
Edselyn whirled around, staring at the shop in shock. She knew without asking Sinjin any questions why he'd brought her here. She remembered his words about opening a bakery for her, even if she wanted it the next day, and how she had refused his help. She should have known that he would do this anyway, whether she wanted him to or not."This is... amazing," Sande gushed, walking out of the staff lounge. "Did you rent this place, Sinjin?""No, this property belongs to me now," he replied. "But I'm willing to give it to Edselyn on a long lease term. Say... two years.""Really?" Eds stared at him in surprise. "You'll lease it to me?""Until you decide to accept it as yours, yes," he answered. "It's in my name.""Wow," Sande whistled appreciatively. "You're absolutely amazing, Sinjin.""Thank you, short stuff," he grinned. "What do you think, Edselyn? Do you like it? The boys can come over after school and you can all go home together.""That's a great idea," Sande agreed. "They won't ev
Sinjin let out a sigh and rotated his neck to ease the tension, then continued going through the financial reports the CFO had emailed him. His eyes were bleary behind his glasses, causing him to rub them and sigh again.He leaned his head against the headrest, wondering if Eds was asleep or if she was also busy thinking about work. Now that she had her shop, he bet she'd want to get everything ready by the New Year and wouldn't even think about their upcoming wedding.He was already considering expanding his walk-in closet to accommodate her clothes and shoes. He thought about getting a wider bed, though he wasn't sure it would be possible since his bed was already king-size.He'd also need Sande's input on the things Eds liked so he could add them to the house and make it feel like home for her. He jolted in his seat when his phone rang and, seeing it was Eds calling, smiled and accepted the call."I was just thinking of you," he said. "And now you're calling me.""Hey," she chuckle
Two weeks later Sinjin stepped out of his car and shut the door, glancing at his father's house with a shake of his head before rounding the vehicle and making his way inside. The butler, Fred, had passed away months ago, and they hadn’t bothered to hire a replacement.Kyle had died in a car accident while fleeing from the police, and Lucas was arrested at the airport just as he was about to escape the country. Taron, his boss, along with the entire gang, had been sent to prison. Mallucia had found a wealthy French man to latch onto, and Sinjin ensured that Adella paid for hurting Eds by exiling her to Africa.He and Eds named their boys Emilio and Emeliano, and their daughters Annabelle and Phoebe.Striding down the hallway, he opened the door to the living room and stepped inside, shutting it behind him. His parents and sister were seated, watching his press conference, and he was relieved to find them all together.“Sinjin!” Camilla gasped, rising to her feet. “Oh, my baby!” She
Sande blinked once, twice, and then a third time, staring at Sinjin in disbelief. The man in front of her had blue eyes and dark hair, resembling her best friend's husband, yet Sande was uncertain if she was hallucinating."Dad?" the boys chorused, shock evident on their faces. An audience had gathered, all equally astonished at the sight of a supposedly dead man alive."Hi, boys. Missed me?" Sinjin grinned."Dad!" they exclaimed, rushing to hug him before Sande could intervene. They burst into tears as he enveloped them in his arms.Onlookers recorded the miraculous scene, still struggling to comprehend what they were witnessing. Sande approached Sinjin, stopping a few feet away. She noticed the faded bruises on his face and a small scar near his hairline that hadn't been there months ago."You're Sinjin Santillan?" she asked, needing confirmation."Hey, short stuff. You look good," he replied. "Married life suits you.""What's my middle name?" she pressed."Phoebe," Sinjin answered
Two weeks later Eds was sitting in the family room, watching TV with her boys, when Mrs. Bale entered to announce Camilla's arrival. She quickly instructed the boys to go upstairs, and they hurried off just as Camilla walked in with Emma by her side.Eds knew they were angry at her for refusing to attend Sinjin’s funeral, but she didn’t care. What bothered her more was the smug smile plastered on Emma’s face, leaving her uneasy as to why Emma looked so pleased."Hello," Eds greeted awkwardly. "Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything?""There’s no need for that," Camilla said coldly. "I’m here to take possession of my son’s house. I want you and your boys out of here in the next two hours."Eds stared at her in shock. "Excuse me? What right do you think you have to do that? This is my husband’s house, and you can’t just throw us out.""You insolent brat," Camilla hissed. "Your husband? Did you ever love my son, or were you just pretending all along?""I don’t need to prove my love
"Mrs. Santillan, are you alright?" Dr. Carmichael inquired, her brows knitting together with concern as Eds stared back at her, silent and unmoving."I can't be pregnant," Eds blurted out suddenly, her voice tinged with panic. "I can't be pregnant."Dr. Carmichael hesitated. "I thought... it might be good news for you, considering... after your husband's passing."Eds’ eyes narrowed. "If you were in my shoes, would you be happy?""Maybe... just a little," Dr. Carmichael admitted softly. "A part of me would find comfort, knowing his baby was growing inside me. Whether boy or girl, I’d have something of him to hold onto." She paused, her voice turning solemn. "I understand, Mrs. Santillan. I lost my husband and unborn daughter on the same day. There were moments I didn’t want to go on."Eds looked at her with surprise. "How did you manage?""With the help of my friends and family, I found my way back. I returned to being a doctor, and though the pain never fully goes away, it gets bett
A month later Breaking News: Global Shockwaves as Sinjin Santillan's Jet Crashes into Ocean: Tragic Incident Stuns the WorldAnchor: "Good evening. This is Starline News, and I'm Jayce Hammond. Our top story tonight: 'Global Shockwaves as Sinjin Santillan's Jet Crashes into Ocean: Tragic Incident Stuns the World.' We now go live to June Littleton for the latest updates."June Littleton: "Thank you, Jayce. I'm June Littleton reporting for Starline News. In a devastating turn of events today, the world has been left in shock following the crash of a private jet owned by the renowned entrepreneur Sinjin Santillan. The aircraft, en route from Los Angeles to Tokyo, went down in the ocean under still-unknown circumstances, sending shockwaves across the globe.June Littleton: "Santillan, widely known for his influential role in various industries, was on board the jet when the incident occurred. Preliminary reports suggest that the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control shortly befo
Kyle's eyes widened when he checked the intercom and saw Simon standing alone at the door. His heart sank slightly, as the boys weren't with him. He hurriedly unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway."Where are the boys?" Kyle demanded, his voice edged with irritation. "It's my turn to have them."Simon stood firm, holding up an envelope. "The boys are sick. Mrs. Santillan sent me to give you this."Kyle snatched the envelope, ripping it open. His brow furrowed as he unfolded the paper—a court-issued restraining order. His blood boiled."What the hell is this?!" Kyle spat, thrusting the paper toward Simon. "She can’t stop me from seeing my sons!"At that moment, the elevator doors slid open, revealing Sinjin. He strolled toward them, catching the tail end of Kyle’s outburst."Maybe she can’t stop you," Sinjin remarked coolly, bending to pick up the discarded paper. "But the court can. And it just did."Kyle's face reddened, his fists clenched. "You bastard! This was your plan a
Tristan unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his shoulders, his eyes dropping when he noticed the horrified expression on Eds' face. To his surprise, instead of recoiling, she grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet and dragging both him and his brother out of the room."Sinjin!" Eds called urgently as she hurried down the stairs. "Sinjin!"Sinjin emerged from his home office, his curiosity piqued by the alarm in Eds' voice. His eyes widened in shock as he noticed the bruises marking the boys' bodies, who were beside her, trailing closely."What on earth... How did this happen?" Sinjin crouched down, his voice filled with concern. "Who did this to you?" he asked the boys."No one," they replied in unison."That's all they keep telling me," Eds said, frustration lacing her words. "I called Kyle, and he said Troy was being bullied at school, but I didn’t believe him. Then I told Tristan to take off his shirt, and look! Their bruises are identical." She gestured at the boys as she expl
Over the following weeks, Kyle made every effort to get the boys to call him "dad," but they stubbornly stuck to using his name, which frustrated him. His attempt to eliminate Sinjin had failed, and each time he passed by Eds' shop, he was irritated by the sight of her laughing with Sinjin.What truly set him off was seeing them dancing and singing together in her shop, with customers cheering them on and recording the moment to post online. The video quickly went viral, amassing ten million views in just 24 hours.It was the same video that Troy and Tristan were watching on their phones, the volume loud and disruptive, while Kyle tried to concentrate on work. It grated on his nerves."Turn it off," he demanded."What?" Tristan asked, confused."I said, turn the damn thing off!" Kyle snapped."We're watching it," Troy responded, his tone defiant.Kyle shot up from his seat at the kitchen counter, marched over to the boys in the living room, and ripped the phones from their hands, hurl
A week later Kyle walked into Haven's Brew and Bakery during his lunch break and was pleased to find it empty. He had noticed that the busiest times were in the morning and occasionally when school let out, so he made it a point to come during lunch when Eds was usually free.He spotted Madison behind the display case, placing a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies and muffins, and greeted her with a smile."Hi," he said."Hi, Kyle," Madison replied. "Here to see the boss?""Yeah. Is she in?" Kyle asked.Just then, a squeal from Eds' office caught his attention. He was about to rush behind the counter to check what was wrong when Eds burst out of the office, laughing and trying to evade someone."No, stop!" she called out, still laughing.Kyle was puzzled about who she was with, but his confusion turned to shock when he saw Sinjin approaching with his hands raised in a peace gesture. Kyle couldn't believe his eyes—a blind man walking as if he could see."Santillan?" Kyle called out,