LUCAS'S MANSIONRiccardo's stood in front of Lucas's door and rang the bell. Soon the door was opened and it revealed Lucas' face."Riccardo. Come in." He ushered, stepping away from the door."Good evening" he greeted, making his way inside the house.Lucas replied with a slight nod. As they walked inside the living room, Riccardo saw Camille seated on the couch with a big bag in front of her."Camille. How are you doing?" He asked, walking closer towards her."Hey, Riccardo." She stood, and they both shared a short hug."What did you buy this time?" He asked staring at the bag in front of her."Facial products." She replied, seating back down on the couch.She brought one out and showed it to Riccardo."Wow." He muttered."I thought you liked fancy products?" He asked, now taking a seat beside her on the couch."Nope. I go for quality." She replied, as she twirled the Jar in the hands."So. How do you know it is?" He asked."One of my friends recommended it." She handed one to him.
"You don't have to be so sarcastic, Damien." Vanessa turned around to face him."I was sure that will grab your attention more." He took a step closer towards her and gave her a side hug which she returned."How have you been doing?" She asked, staring up at him as she took a step away from him."I'm Great. You?" He asked."Good. This is the contract deal from Mr Harris." She stated, turning back to take a bunch of files from Lily before handing it over to him."Wow. That was fast." He muttered, taking it from her."I guess that's all. I'll be heading to my office now." With that she walked off with Lily.Entering, her office it was already neat and well arranged. She settled down on the swivel chair in front the table. She placed her bag on the table.She turned on her system, they were a lot of pending works that needed approval. She quickly got down to her job with utmost concentration.Vanessa didn't know how much time passed because she was so engrossed in her work, until Lily wa
An Elegant, modern conference room with glass walls overlooking the city. The room was quiet, with only the soft hum of the air conditioning. Riccardo was already seated at the large table, reviewing some documents. Vanessa walked in, dressed sharply in a Fine black suit, her expression neutral as she walked in and takes a seat across from him.She had given Lily some extra tasks, so that she wouldn't come with her. Just Incase Riccardo decides to do anything unusual. She was not ready to tell anyone about her past with him. And she's grateful that they've never asked.Riccardo glanced up with a slight nod."Good to see you, Ms. Rodriguez, Thanks for coming."Vanessa let out a polite smile as if she was meeting a stranger. Well, to her, she was."Thank you. Let’s get started, shall we?"Riccardo paused for a moment with furrowed brows."Of course." He cleared his throat, choosing his words carefully. "I trust you’ve gone over the details of the merger proposal?"Vanessa nodded her h
Leila rushed towards Hayley as soon as she came back, her face lit up with excitement. "Oh my gosh, Hayley, guess what?" she exclaimed.Hayley dropped what she bought on the table before turning to face her friend, a curious smile on her lips. "What's up?"Leila leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a silent whisper. "Just take a wild guess.""Did that hot guy from the other day come by?" Hayley asked, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips.A grin spread across Leila's face as she remembered their encounter. "Nope, not him," she replied, trying to contain her excitement.Leila playfully nudged Hayley's arm. "Is he all you can think about?" she teased.Hayley laughed, feigning a scowl as she swatted Leila's hand away. "Maybe..." she admitted with a hint of a blush.Leila shook her head, a fond smile on her lips."Can't say I blame you," she conceded. "He did leave quite an impression."The two friends shared a knowing look, laughing together as they reminisced about their encoun
As Leila pushed open the front door of her cozy home with Hayley behind her, relief flooded her senses. The day had been long, filled with anticipation and nerves, but now she could finally relax in the comfort of her own space.Hayley went straight to the bedroom leaving Leila to talk to her granny.Her grandmother sat in her favorite armchair, a soft smile on her face as she glanced up from her book.The room was bathed in the warm glow of the lamp, casting a tranquil atmosphere that seemed to envelop them both."Hey, Granny," Leila greeted, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement and worry.Her grandmother's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she set her book aside. "What's got you all worked up, dear?"Leila took a deep breath, trying to contain her excitement. "A worker from the ROYALS came to our stall today," she began, her words tumbling out in a rush. "She said that her boss wants to talk about partnering with me" Her grandmother's smile widened, a flicker of pride and hope
Work went on very smoothly for Vanessa, she also finalized the deal with Riccardo and they sent the contract online. She was not ready to meet with him again. Hours passed by quickly and soon, it was time to wrap up her work for the day. Rising up from her chair, she picked up her jacket which she hanged on the chair earlier. After putting it on, she picked up her bag and walked out. She met Lily in front of her door, just about to knock. "Let's go." Together, they walked away from the building and towards their car. Settling inside the car. Diego began driving away, his gaze focused on the road before him. "Diego, stop by a Restaurant. We've been so busy that we barely had time to eat and talk like friends and not workers." She said. "That's right." Lily nodded. "Lily, you should book a reservation now." Diego glanced at her as he muttered. "Right." Lily replied, bringing out her Tablet. *** LEILA'S APARTMENT Leila pushed open the front door of her home, her footsteps he
NEXT MORNINGThe loud ringing of the doorbell echoed through the silent walls of Leila's house. With heavy steps, she approached the door, wondering who was knocking so early in the morning.As she opened the door, her heartbeat accelerated at the sight of two uniformed police officers standing on her doorstep, their expressions grim and Cold."Leila Winston?" one of the officers asked, his voice hard and unfriendly.Leila nodded, her throat tightening with apprehension as she struggled to find her voice."That's me," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper."We're here to place you under arrest," the other officer stated bluntly, his words like a hammer blow to Leila's fragile composure.Tears stung at the corners of her eyes as she watched the officers approach, their hands reaching for the handcuffs that hung from their belts. She wanted to protest, to scream out, but the words caught in her throat, suffocated by the weight of despair that threatened to consume her.She knew
When Afternoon reached, Vanessa went with Diego to pick up her kids from school. She left them in Emily's care after calling Xavier on the phone and allowing her kids to speak with him.He didn't stay long during his last visit because he had a lot of pending shoots. He just squeezed out time to come see Vanessa and her kids that night. Which she was grateful for. Now she was on her way back to the office. She still had a lot of work to do, and it might drag on till evening or night.The following days, she had to meet with her clients. Most of the people she met at the party were willing to Partner with them. It was just three weeks since Vanessa came back and she was already making a name for herself in the Business world of America.Even Riccardo had not failed to hear about it. He had not gotten the chance to meet with her since the party, since their deal was already finalized. He didn't want to barge Into her office just to see her face without having anything important to do or
Dressed in a blue floral gown, Juliet stood on the balcony, letting the morning breeze brush against her face. The scent of blooming flowers mixed with the faint aroma of fresh coffee from the kitchen below. She leaned on the railing, her fingers tracing its cold, smooth surface as she gazed at the quiet street below. The world seemed peaceful, yet her thoughts were far from calm.A soft noise behind her made her turn slightly, but before she could react, a light tap on her shoulder made her jump. She spun around, her hand flying to her chest. Romeo was dressed in a cooperate outfit, obviously getting ready for the day's job."Oh my gosh, Romeo! Stop sneaking up on me like that!" she exclaimed, her voice breathy from the scare.Romeo smirked, his brown eyes twinkling with amusement. "You should have gotten used to it by now," he said, crossing his arms casually.Juliet rolled her eyes and let out an annoyed groan. "Whatever," she muttered, brushing her hair out of her face. She straig
Thirty minutes later, Leila sat on the couch in the living room, flipping through channels on the TV. A light comedy show played in the background, but she wasn’t really paying attention. Her mind kept wandering to Lucas and how his day might have gone. She glanced at the clock on the wall, wondering when he’d get home.Just then, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught her attention. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly stood up, smoothing down her top and brushing invisible dust off her pants. She wanted to look put together when he walked in, even though she knew Lucas didn’t care much about appearances.As the familiar sound of the car door shutting reached her ears, Leila moved to the front door. She opened it just as Lucas approached, his steps steady and his suit jacket draped over one arm.“Good evening,” she greeted him warmly, her smile lighting up her face.“Evening, Leila,” Lucas replied with a soft smile of his own, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to he
Vanessa decided to step out of her hotel room after ensuring her tasks for the day were completed. She took a deep breath, smoothing down the hem of her blouse as she walked toward the door. It was quiet in the hallway, the faint hum of the hotel’s central air conditioning the only sound. Vanessa twisted the doorknob and opened the door, only to find Diego standing there, his tall figure a calm but imposing presence.“Diego,” she said softly, her voice steady. She wasn’t surprised to see him; his unwavering dedication to her safety had become a comforting constant.“Ma’am,” Diego acknowledged, giving her a small nod. His sharp eyes scanned the hallway even as he stood still, his stance radiating readiness.“Thank you,” Vanessa said, her words carrying more weight than she let on. She knew Diego wouldn’t take any chances after everything that had happened. His vigilance meant more to her than she could express.Diego’s lips twitched into the barest hint of a smile. “Just doing my job.”
Vanessa walked down the hallway, her hand lightly brushing against the wall as she made her way to Ethan and Emma’s room. The house was calm, with only the faint hum of the air conditioner breaking the silence.Stopping at their door, she pushed it open carefully, making sure not to make much noise. The soft morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, lighting up the room in a warm glow. Ethan was already sitting up in bed, his hair messy, while Emma was still asleep, clutching her stuffed bunny close.“Morning, Mommy,” Ethan mumbled, rubbing his eyes and yawning.“Good morning, sweetheart,” Vanessa whispered as she stepped inside. She reached over to smooth his hair down, her fingers running gently through the tangles. “Did you sleep okay?”He nodded with another yawn. “Yeah. Is it time for breakfast?”“Almost,” Vanessa said with a smile. She glanced over at Emma, who stirred a little under the covers but stayed asleep. “Why don’t you get dressed first? I made something special.”
Vanessa rubbed her temples as she walked down the hallway towards her bedroom. The week's exhaustion weighed heavily on her shoulders. It wasn’t just work or the endless tasks waiting for her, it felt like the universe was piling one problem on top of another, daring her to collapse. But she refused to let it win. Not tonight. She would push through, like she has always done.Once inside her room, she kicked off her shoes and sank onto the edge of her bed, the mattress dipping under her weight. The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast a warm light on the familiar space. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and hesitated for a moment, her thumb hovering over Riccardo’s name in her messages. They’d already discussed the case earlier, but something gnawed at her. She needed to be sure he was on it.Taking a deep breath, she typed out a short message.'Just checking in on the case. Have there been any updates?' She typed.Her finger tapped send before she could second-guess herself. Th
Vanessa guided Ethan and Emma towards their room. The twins were tired but reluctant to call it a day, dragging their feet with playful resistance.“Mommy, just a few more minutes?” Ethan pleaded, clutching his well-loved stuffed lion tightly against his chest.Vanessa crouched to his level, brushing a strand of his messy hair out of his eyes. “You’ve had such a busy day, Ethan. Your body needs sleep so you can grow big and strong.”Emma, holding her blanket like a cape, sighed dramatically as she climbed onto the bed. “But Uncle Riccardo’s still here,” she mumbled, pouting.From the doorway, Riccardo’s warm chuckle filled the room. He leaned casually against the frame, his dark eyes soft as he watched them. “Even I have to go home and sleep, Emma. But I’ll see you both tomorrow, okay?”Ethan squinted at him, his voice sleepy but hopeful. “Promise?”“I promise,” Riccardo replied with a small nod.Vanessa pulled the covers up over her children, tucking them in snugly. She kissed Ethan’
Vanessa stirred the pot of pasta sauce, the aroma of tomatoes and garlic filling the small kitchen. She glanced at the table where the kids’ plates were already set, each one decorated with colorful napkins to keep things cheerful. She’d decided to make something simple but comforting, a meal everyone could enjoy together.Behind her, Emma and Ethan were busy with their coloring books, occasionally arguing over which colors to use. Riccardo sat on the couch, watching them with a relaxed expression, his tie loosened slightly.Vanessa stepped out of the kitchen and called out, “Riccardo, could you keep an eye on the kids? I need to make a quick call.”He nodded. “Of course.”Vanessa smiled gratefully and slipped into the bedroom to grab her phone. She scrolled through her contacts and tapped on Emily’s name first. Riccardo had repaired her phone for her earlier and given it back to her.The phone rang twice before Emily picked up. “Ms. Rodriguez?”“Emily, how are you? Are you nearby?”“
Vanessa leaned back on the couch, holding her warm coffee mug in both hands. She watched Emma and Ethan as they worked together on their growing tower of blocks. Every so often, Emma would giggle, and Ethan would nod seriously, as if they were building something truly important.“Careful, Em,” Ethan said, his voice full of concentration. “We can’t let it fall.”Emma stuck her tongue out slightly as she placed another block on top. “I’m being careful!”Riccardo chuckled softly beside Vanessa. “They make a good team.”“They really do,” Vanessa said, smiling at her kids.Emma looked over her shoulder. “Mommy, look! It’s taller than Ethan now!”Vanessa leaned forward to get a better look. “Wow! That’s impressive. You two did such a great job.”“Can we keep building?” Ethan asked, his eyes bright with excitement.“As long as you don’t knock it over,” Vanessa said. “You don’t want all that hard work to go to waste.”“We won’t!” Emma promised, turning back to the tower with renewed focus.Va
Vanessa watched her kids play on the couch before deciding it was time to start the day properly. She stood, clapping her hands softly to get their attention, and she did.“Alright, you two,” she said with a warm smile. “It’s time for a bath.”Emma and Ethan looked up, their faces lighting up.“Are there going to be bubbles?” Emma asked, bouncing in her seat.“Of course,” Vanessa said, reaching for their hands. “Come on, let’s go.” Vanessa said, her face full of smiles.She led them into the large bathroom and turned on the faucet, adjusting the water until it was just right. As the tub began filling, she added bubble bath. The water quickly foamed, and the kids cheered.Ethan leaned over the tub, poking at the bubbles with a grin. “So many bubbles!” He grinned, excited.Vanessa laughed. “Alright, no splashing yet. Let’s get you both undressed first.” She smiled.After helping them out of their pajamas, she lifted them one by one into the tub. They immediately started playing with the