I became quite curious about Alex's siblings. He hadn't really mentioned how many of them there were, as it never occurred to me to delve into the details of his life. So, I decided to ask Addison, who was now sipping her juice while Chelsie and Claudette were engrossed in their conversation. "Addison, is it true that Alex has seven identical twins?" I asked, and she burst out laughing, spewing some of her juice, which startled the others. "What the hell, Addison!" Claudette exclaimed, standing up indignantly. Instead of apologizing, Addison continued to laugh loudly, drawing the attention of passersby and even the guys, who were now looking in our direction. "What's wrong with her?" Chelsie asked, looking at me with a puzzled expression. I was just asking a question. She slapped my arm playfully while still laughing. She looked like she was about to roll on the sand in amusement. We waited for her to calm down, but when she glanced in my direction again, she burst into laughter on
"Isabella?" We all turned towards the cabin door, and there stood Alex with the two guys who had been with Chelsie earlier. Seeing Alex made me anxious. I couldn't forget his face from the dream and what he had said. I stepped back when he approached me. Confusion flashed across his face when he saw me retreating, and even the girls seemed puzzled by my reaction. "Are you okay, Isabella?" I looked at all of them before finally locking eyes with Alex, who seemed equally bewildered. I calmed myself. It's just a dream, Isabela. Get a hold of yourself! "Can you all leave me alone for a while? I'm not feeling well," I said without looking at Alex, keeping my head down. Every time I saw him, that scene from the dream played fresh in my mind. They informed me they would leave, except for Alex, who remained quiet and kept staring at me. I lay down and turned to the side, not planning to engage with him right now. I felt the bed shift, and my heart raced, but I forced myself to stay calm
I was shocked, a mix of confusion washing over me. He smiled at me, but due to my surprise, I stumbled and couldn't react immediately. Who wouldn't be surprised? He had used Shena's brother's car, which had become familiar to me. "Oh my, daddy~~" We both turned to look at the three girls who had just come out of the gate. It was already late at night, but there was still enough light to see where we were standing. Some of our classmates also glanced at us, but they didn't stop. They were just intrigued. Rizonel bit her lip while her gaze lingered on Alex. Even the other two girls had their mouths hanging open, and if they were animated, their eyes would be filled with hearts. They delicately tuck their hair behind their ears, all at the same time. It's as if they're enamored with his good looks, acting a bit crazy. Even before, everyone was already impressed by him the first time I saw him, especially when Alex laughed. His voice was deep, and when he laughed, he looked even more h
When we arrived at the bar, Alex didn't let go of my hand, which made me feel uneasy. It became even more awkward as people around us couldn't help but steal glances, as if he didn't want anyone else to touch me but him. We walked until we reached a quieter area, and there, I saw the familiar figure of Shena's brother, along with several other men, who seemed to be a group of seven. I wasn't surprised when I spotted the other two men I had met in Hawaii. As we approached them, I felt the people's attention shift towards us, especially me, making it challenging for me to look directly at them. "Wow! Splendid beauty... Alone?" I was taken aback by the swift comment from one of them. He had a mischievous grin on his face, his focus squarely on the two of us. In his presence, I noticed that Alex's grip on me tightened, almost as if he were angry. "I'm not a ghost, Xavion. F*** you," he retorted sharply. Laughter erupted from the group at his choice of words, leaving me feeling bewild
When I arrived outside, Alex was waiting for me. He must have positioned Shena inside the car quite well. He stood by the bar's exit, his phone pressed to his left ear. He sensed my presence, so he turned to me and greeted me. He also put down his phone and pocketed it. "Silver took Shena," I stopped and faced him. "I thought she was going to dance earlier?" "Their parents called, so Silver had no choice. He didn't mention anything else. Maybe there's an emergency at home. I'll call and ask tomorrow." "Aren't you hungry?" He suddenly asked, not waiting for my response. He began walking toward a car parked at the side of the road. It stood out prominently from the others. "A little. Wait, Aventador?" I exclaimed as the design of his car suddenly became familiar. After my comment, he turned his gaze towards me. "Yes," he replied, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction. "It's a limited edition, you're right. Do you know a lot about cars?" I shrugged. "Not much, really. I saw th
[Read at your own risk] I've been smiling since earlier while I was chatting with Alex. I have a lot of questions for him, especially about his friends. I also catch him glancing at me from time to time, so to avoid feeling uncomfortable, I look for topics to talk about or ask him questions that he willingly answers. I had asked about the other three guys we were with, as they weren't in Hawaii, and Alex explained that they were Kuya Silver's friends. They all met when they were in London. Among the seven of them, Meir was the most pitiable because he got slapped by girls several times. Sylvie was mad at him because Meir and his brother, Oliver, were both known womanizers. Xavion, despite being a prankster, didn't pursue many girls. He was a bit picky and preferred being the one pursued rather than pursuing someone. He was quite popular with the ladies due to his good looks. The Japanese guy, Dalchi, already had a fiancee. Their marriage was arranged when they were young because Da
"WHAT?! Why didn't you tell me sooner? Shit, that was so embarrassing!" Shena shouted angrily while we were inside the cafeteria. A few people turned to look in our direction because of her loud outburst. Her voice was shrill, and it could startle you like a pig being slaughtered. She called me early in the morning, but Alex answered because he woke up early for a work meeting, and he came home around noon, which surprised me. I woke up thinking someone had hugged me, and I almost punched him. When I realized I was in an unfamiliar room, I remembered I had stayed in his penthouse. What's even more embarrassing was that I had no underwear on! Out of embarrassment, I kicked him since he was touching my thighs while I had my back turned to him. He was wearing loose pants, and I almost hit something. I still remember the look of shock on his face when I did that. Who would go hysterical in that situation? I had no underwear, and there was a bump in his pants. He might have misunderstood
As I reached the gate, my phone rang with an unknown number, but I decided to answer it. "Hello? Who's this?" "I'm outside. Where are you?" I furrowed my brow and looked at the number again, but it was still unfamiliar. I held the phone back to my ear. "Who are you?" "What do you mean, who am I? I told you I'd pick you up because mom sent me." Mom? A pickup? As far as I know, I didn't receive any messages on my phone. "Sorry, I think you've got the wrong person. I'm not the one you're looking for." "What do you mean, wrong person, Isabella? I texted you this morning." I quickly checked my messages, and indeed, there was a text that had come through, buried under other messages from different SIM cards I had used. They were reminders to reload because they missed me. It seemed like they remembered me better than others. After reading the message, I realized it was Kuya Silver who had texted me. He was coming to pick me up because they were looking for me at their place. I used to
ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY I hurriedly exited the car upon hearing Dachiel's information. We went to the location where my child was allegedly taken. To my surprise, it wasn't what I expected. There were police surrounding the area, and it seemed we were late. Someone misled us, pointing to the wrong location, causing a delay. A call redirected my attention to the correct place. It appeared we were intentionally set up to create confusion. I felt desperate and fell into the trap. I quickly approached a police officer and asked what happened. They said that the location was indeed the site of a kidnapping case, but it was too late because the house had exploded. I asked them if they saw a three-year-old boy, but they said they found no one there and the bodies they found were mostly around 25 years old-- probably the kidnapper's henchmen who were caught in the explosion. I was disheartened by what I heard, but a call woke me up again and I found out that a child was rushed to a nearby hos
This is the last chapter of the book, and the next one will be the epilogue. I woke up to a knock on the bedroom door and realized I hadn't set my alarm. It's already ten o'clock! I rushed to the bathroom, but the knocking persisted, so I shouted, "I'm not done! I'll be ready in a few minutes!" After a quick shower, there was another knock, prompting me to yell again. Wrapped in a bathrobe, I opened the door, only to find Alexander there in a tight shirt and shorts. "Alex, why aren't you dressed yet?" I asked, eyeing his outfit. "I asked Architect Daiton to go ahead. We can follow later," he replied, looking down before locking eyes with me. "What do you want for breakfast? I'll cook." Opting for bacon, I told him I'd be down in a moment. I quickly changed into shorts and a spaghetti top, leaving my hair untied. As I descended, the aroma of food filled the air, making my stomach growl. Entering the kitchen, I was greeted by a sight—Alexander in a black apron, half-naked, sh
The bar exam takes place at one of the prestigious universities in the Philippines, and I just found out that the university is owned by Vuntier's parents. Vuntier, who is Alexander's business partner and a long-time friend. Despite having a board meeting, Alexander insisted on driving me to the university. His phone kept ringing during our journey. "You shouldn't have bothered to drive me. You have a board meeting today, and you're not even attending." "I can postpone the meeting. You're more important, and as the CEO, I can do that." I observed a change in him, being more open with me about small things. While we're not officially in a relationship, his actions often resemble that of a boyfriend. Architect Daiton, a friend, sent me a good luck message. Alexander noticed and seemed annoyed. "Good luck to him too," he muttered. Glancing at my phone again, he frowned. "Architect Daiton, huh? Is he the reason you've been smiling lately?" "He's just a friend, Alexander. Relax." He
"You like baked cookies?" I lazily glanced at Alexander, who was pacing in front of me with an eagerness that matched his words. He's cooking in my kitchen. Yes, inside my condo. I couldn't bring myself to kick him out because the more stubborn I am, the more stubborn he becomes. "Okay." His face lit up with a satisfied smile, and he headed towards the ingredients, already planning his culinary adventure. "Soup?" "Okay." I replied with a half-hearted nod, my eyes not leaving the random patterns on the floor. "What about lasagna?" "Okay." I mumbled, still lost in thought. "Your mom was right, you eat a lot when you're having a fever. That's unique." A teasing smile played on his lips as he observed my peculiar behavior. He approached me, a subtle charm in his every step, and gently placed the back of his hand on my forehead. "You're still hot, why don't you rest in your room? You've been here in the kitchen for a while." I just looked down, staring into space. "I want to eat.
"I'm too lazy to stir my spoon in my coffee while looking at my laptop. I've been working for months now, and I can say I spend more time reviewing submissions from the Planning department than preparing for the upcoming bar exam. A knock halted my activity, and moments later, my secretary entered. Different from Dad's secretary who worked in the adjacent building, I handled his businesses related to hotels and resorts nationwide. The latest project involved constructing a five-star hotel in Singapore, and this was my first time overseeing such a venture. It necessitated guidance from an expert in hotel design. ‘Good afternoon, ma'am. Mr. Montgomery has arrived.” Secretary Beischiel stepped aside, and in came Alexander with a man, presumably the skilled architect he mentioned, for our Singapore project. “Good afternoon, Ms. Dasmond,” the architect politely greeted, extending his hand. “He’s Architect Daiton, he will be with us, helping with the overall design of the hotel.” I stood
"ISABELLA Heyes, Magna cum laude!" I stood proudly, hearing the applause of everyone. As I walked across the stage, I noticed some students awkwardly glancing at me. For almost a year, I've been trying to find my purpose, attempting to move on from the past, but some things are just too difficult to let go. After receiving my diploma, I gave a speech to my batchmates. The cameras captured my every move, and I knew this would make headlines again. Most of my activities were already in the news, so I preferred staying at home or in my condo to enjoy solitude. Despite not being the valedictorian, they still asked me to give a speech. I didn't mind, considering the valedictorian also spoke. "Oh, why does our Disney princess look sad?" I shot a look at Dad for his remarks, but later, I smiled and hugged him along with Mommy Emely, Dad's new wife who just arrived from Europe. "Congratulations, my daughter! We're very proud of you!" They embraced me warmly, and I couldn't help but notic
I calmly got out of the car, carrying various types of flowers. The breeze greeted me before I gazed at the place where I wanted to go. It's been years and this is the first time I have visited him. I didn't know where he was buried because I didn't know anything about him, except for his first name. I calmed myself before placing the basket full of flowers in front of it and looked at the familiar photo in front. Tears welled up in my eyes when I saw his face, smiling. "How are you? Are you happy wherever you are now?" Suddenly, the wind blew around me as if it was hugging me. "I miss you.. I hope you watch over us from there." I wiped the tears and stepped back. I have to hurry because an important person is coming here today. I hid myself, it's only right to see who will approach the grave. The surroundings were getting dark, so it was dark where I was positioned now. I used the veil to cover my face and waited for the exact time. At 6:30, I could hear footsteps slowly approac
He quickly unhooked my bra, thanks to its thin fabric. He placed his palm on my left breast and started massaging it. He played with my nipple using his thumb while our kisses continued uninterrupted until we ran out of breath, and that's when he pulled away. "Do you want here? Or in the shower?" he mischievously answered. "I go anywhere. I can even go to the balcony to see those below," he raised his eyebrows. I slapped him. "Just kidding, I don't want us to get caught because we're live here." "Then—" I screamed as he lifted me and headed straight to the shower room. With no clothes on, my chest was against his face as he continued to lift me. When he finally put me inside the shower room, he quickly kissed me, pressing my back against the wall. He aggressively kissed me down to my neck while my hand reached for the shower, wetting our entire bodies. He's busy playing with my breasts while I'm gripping his hair, and I pulled it because he was entering his two fingers into my wom
I took off my bathrobe and stepped into the water, enjoying the warmth of the Jacuzzi in the late evening. Even though Alex and I didn't talk much earlier, he bid farewell as he needed to meet Lavinia. Despite wanting to stop him, I couldn't interfere as Alex mentioned Lavinia's desire to speak with me personally. After learning about Alex's departure, I had plans to call Dad. Despite the time difference with Switzerland, I timed it carefully to catch him during his extra hours. He was on a business trip to Korea, and I needed to express my frustration. "Dad." "How's Switzerland?" "I hate you, Dad." My words hung in the air, and he fell silent. "Why did you do that? You should have told me." "I'm sorry, anak. That's the only way for you to be safe, especially when I heard that your guard died." "You mean the guard who was just watching over me?" "Yes. To prevent Alexander's father from intervening, I had to inform Xander about your situation. I also learned that Xander was close