I find myself staring into nothingness. The events of the previous night are the only thing on my mind. My eyes are swollen, and the weight of my dark circles is a testament to the endless tears. It's only been a day since my classes started, but I'm still at our home in town. Mama hasn't discussed my situation yet, but I sense her suspicions, especially considering the incident outside is now a topic of discussion. They discovered my visitor's wealth and influence because their faces are plastered everywhere. Even Oliver's argument outside the house was caught on camera, so I know this will go viral. I haven't checked my social media yet, but I anticipate what's coming. The media will scrutinize the two about why they're here and why they're at the house of the market vendor's child. It's ironic that a billionaire like Alex, Lavinia's fiancé, will become viral for being with another woman. My head is buried in my folded arms on my bed. I've lost track of time, but I know it's been
SUDDENLY, there was a knock on the door, prompting us to fall into silence. It opened, revealing Mom and Dad. The siblings exchanged glances and stood up. "We'll leave for now, Isabella," Sylvie bid farewell, approaching my parents. Dad gave a brief smile, but Mom showed no reaction and sat in front of me. I shrugged at Dad and offered a polite smile. "Are you feeling anything, dear? Dizziness?" Dad inquired. Mom came closer and took a seat in front of me. I shook my head at Dad and managed a small smile. "I'm okay," I replied. "The doctor mentioned that your memory is starting to retrieve, which is why you lost consciousness. Certain words might trigger your memory," Dad explained. I chose to listen without speaking. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, anak. We didn't want to shock you. I thought your last meeting with Alexander in Baguio would be the end of it, so I didn't want you to get involved." "But I could have prevented it if you told me earlier," I said. "I'm already
We started to descend from the van, and as I surveyed my surroundings, my gaze eventually landed on the front of a luxurious hotel. Bodyguards welcomed us again, accompanied by a woman who seemed to be around Mama's age. They greeted us, speaking in Italian, and Dad responded. Another group approached us, and I was taken aback when I recognized a familiar face. The person didn't glance at me and kept looking straight ahead. Four other men in black accompanied her, and when the woman spoke to them, the four positioned themselves beside me. "They will be the ones who will guard you starting today, Isabella," she said, looking at the two men with colorful hair. Both of them were foreigners. "These two have been guarding you for a long time, while these two are new, but I'm sure they will watch over you well." I looked at one of the last men Dad pointed to. He gave me a faint smile, and my expression turned to surprise when I looked back at Dad, who now seemed to understand my reaction.
In an instant, it felt like time had stopped as the man vanished from my sight. His presence triggered a surge of memories from the past. I dug through my mind, recalling details: his fondness for black, the eyeliner that brought life to his eyes, and the dark lips resembling charcoal. Even in formal attire, I couldn't help but notice his peculiar appearance. "Gothic?" I couldn't hide my reaction as I abruptly stood from my seat. "Isabella? Are you okay?" Sylvie asked upon noticing my response. Oliver also gave me a concerned look. I glanced at them but couldn't shake off the image of the man from earlier. In my memory, he had a tattoo on his arm - similar to the one on the back of his palm. I remembered that moment when he held Alexander's child before I lost consciousness. "I'll go to the comfort room, Sylvie," I excused myself, trying to contain the uneasiness in my chest. "Do you want me to come with you?" Sylvie quickly offered, showing her concern. I shook my head slightly
After my last class, I immediately decided to go home. Surprisingly, someone picked me up at the university. Not wanting to discuss it, I instructed the driver to drop me off just a few kilometers from the gate to avoid drawing attention to the expensive car. Upon reaching my apartment, Shena greeted me inside, engrossed in watching TV with a lineup of junk food on the center table. "I thought you were going home?" I asked. "Wow, you want me to leave already? I'm here to accompany you; I thought you might do something drastic, so I'm here to keep an eye on you," she retorted. Placing my belongings on the couch, I checked my small refrigerator. With Shena around, she had filled it for me. I chose a Vitamilk and drank it in one go. "I already have bodyguards, Shena, and now you want to add yourself. I can't afford to pay you," I joked. "You have bodyguards, but I haven't seen any here. Where are they guarding you?" Shena inquired. Sitting next to her, I grabbed some junk fo
I'm currently sitting, waiting for Alex to finish his phone call. After he hugged me, he swiftly left his office, leaving me behind. He returned half an hour later, still avoiding eye contact, as he sat in front of me while pretending to be engrossed in his laptop. "I already called the Matchmaking service," he stated. I raised my gaze to him, but he quickly looked away, focusing on his open laptop that served as a barrier between us. I remained silent, unsure if I was the one he was addressing. "You didn't sign the contract, right?" I looked at his direction. "Huh?" I stammered. "Let's continue the contract. Or do you want me to request another contract to sign? Do you still want this or not?" I wanted to smirk. He was the one who ruined everything, yet now he's acting like I have a choice. "Okay." He frowned. "I'm giving you a choice, Isabella. Don't just say okay." He said irritably. This man is difficult to deal with. One moment he doesn't want this, and the next, he's givi
All of my classmates celebrated finishing our last exam this semester, but I can't help but worry as days pass without Alex calling. Will our plans still push through? Time with him is running out. After the exam, I left the building exhausted. I decided to rest, having gone several nights with little sleep due to distracting thoughts of Alex. Luckily, I managed to answer the exam questions despite the distractions. I had to walk several kilometers before reaching my car, as my driver was a bit too far. Along the way, I stopped by street food stalls, checking my phone for messages, but none from Alex or even Shena. I wondered about Shena's exam. Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm forcefully in a dark alley. I resisted and managed to step on the person's foot with my heeled school shoes. He groaned in pain, and I quickly ran, heart pounding with fear. "Wait!" he shouted, pursuing me, but I increased the distance. Unexpectedly, I bumped into someone and fell backward, feeling intense p
I followed Alex, reluctantly holding my hand in his grip, which had been clasped for quite some time, making my hand sweaty. Despite my discomfort, he refused to let go. We reached his private jet, even more luxurious than my dad's, the intricate design visible even in the night. "Careful with your steps," he cautioned as we entered. Though two steps apart, he guided me inside, and no matter how hard I tried to pull away, I'd only end up hurting myself. "I'm tired, and I don't even have my things. I'm still in my uniform. I want to shower; I feel sticky," I complained when we finally made it inside. "Nothing to worry about. Your belongings are here. I've arranged everything in the room," he assured. I shot him a look. "Seems like you've planned this well." I replied sarcastically, heading straight to the couch, with him following closely. "I've been planning this for days. If you hadn't been so stubborn, I could have explained our destination properly," he sighed, sitting in front