While I was organizing my things in my room, I heard James knock on my door. I had decided not to go to work today, as we agreed earlier.“Kate, Mom’s flight has been moved to tomorrow. Don’t forget. I’ll knock on your door when it’s time to pick them up. Let’s leave a bit early because I need to stop by the flower shop,” James said softly.Since Mr. Abdullah humiliated me in front of my staff and our customers yesterday, James’s attitude toward me had shifted. He’d been unusually kind and had stopped teasing me.“Alright, James. That’s good to know. I’ll prepare her favorite dishes. I’ll head to the supermarket later to buy some prawns and crabs,” I replied.I was surprised when James handed me a red box.“I passed by Mubarakiya earlier and checked out some gold shops. I saw this, and I thought it would suit you. (When I opened it, I saw a necklace with an infinity pendant.) We can also take Mom there later since she loves jewelry,” James said.“James, thank you, but I can’t accept t
KATE POV “PAKKK” a loud sound of slap will hear in the echoing silence in our house . I gave a couple of slaps for my long time boyfriend/fiance Michael as I suprised my family from my return to the country after more than 2 years of serving in Dubai as a Showroom Supervisor for the largest supplier of baking items and ingredients for bake shops across the Middle East. "FVCK Michael!” I pounded my fists on his chest in anger, throwing my suitcase at him “Why Charlotte? of all the women you could have gotten pregnant, why my sister?" I sobbed scolding Michael “You too are shameless" I screamed in anger, and I could feel the relentless tears streaming down my cheeks; in the intensity of my rage, I mercilessly hit Michael with the paper bag of gifts I had intended for him. "Bullsh*t ! 5 years Michael, you waisted 5 years of our relationship" I yelled at him with a blade eye look. Now I understand, that's the reason why everyone around me was silent and no one spoke when I suddenl
BORACAY PHILIPPINES KATE: Thumping Beats Defeaning music greeted me as I made my way to a beachfront bar here in Boracay Philippines. My feet brought me here after learning about my sister Charlotte's pregnancy with my fiance Michael. I freely swayed my hips on the loud beat of the music, accompanying the sexy dance moves. Without shame, I dance at the pole on the middle on the stagel. I ignored the cheers and looks from the crowd, caught up in my own flirty dance that attracted the attention of the men around me. Dressed only in a thin lace covering my white two piece, my body was on full display as the wind swept along the beach while I moved. I had completely lost for everything. I was on vacation to have fun, and I wouldn't let the betrayal of those I trusted ruin it. And worst, knowing that it was my sister who's my fiance cheated with. "FVCK this life" I shouted on myself. I tossed my head back, joining the cheers of those many guys celebrating with me. Who cares wh
“Ofcourse i will notice! Your group is the loudest in the crowd, so everyone really turns to look at your way.” I said to him as a way to brush it off. “Okay, Miss, you said it! (He replied to me with a smile) By the way, I’m James?! Can I know your name?!” he said to me. “As I said, I want to be alone, so please you and your friends leave me alone. I’m full of stress today. So if it’s okay, look for the other girl that will agree on your trip, you won’t get anything from me,” I told him. I took another shot of tequila and look at him. “Miss, we’re not betting on you; you saw, right? My friends already left! Okay, let’s do this: just let me stay here with you and drink, and whoever does something inappropriate first will pay for everything.(He said to me) “Waiter!” (he called the waiter, who immediately came to us.) “You’re the witness. If I do something bad to this beautiful woman, call the police right away, and charge all our orders for tonight to me. Here’s my card and ID.
I put my arm around James shoulder while he rested his arms on my hip. We stumbled towards the rooms at the resort I visited. We entered various rooms, and we even stumbled upon a couple having sex because they haven't properly closed their door. We both burst into laughter until one of his friends, the Mayor, opened the door for us. I was so drunk that I was even hiccupping as I spoke. We had a brief momet of fun and started writing on a piece of paper. I didn't even know what it was; all I knew was that both James and I singed it, along with his assistant Daniel and William, who also drunk like us, took something out of his bag, Everyhting is too blurry for me. He sealed the paper we signed and left, saying he would drop it in the mailbox at the reception of the hotel. We continued laughing as he left, and we bid goodby to Jame's friend, the Mayor, because I didn't want to disturb whatever plans he had with the two women who were busy kissing right infront of us. James and I left
THE NEXT MORNING IN JAMES’S HOTEL ROOMI was startled awake by the the nonstop ring from my cellphone. I clutched my head, feeling as if it were splitting from the intense pain, I was shocked when I turned to my side and saw a man next to me. I immediately glanced at my body, which was hidden beneath the comforter, and sighed in relief when I saw that I was still clothed.“Ohhhh Kate, what kind of stupidity did you get into last night?!” I whispered to myself as I lightly hit my head. To be honest, I couldn’t remember anything from last night. I had no idea how I ended up in this man’s room. The last thing I remembered was being alone at the Beach Front Bar, drowning myself in alcohol.I moved slowly and got out of bed. I didn’t want to make any noise so I wouldn’t wake the man beside me. I didn’t want him to see me, especially since I didn’t even know who he was. I glanced at him again, seeing him deep in sleep. One by one, I picked up my sandals and small bag and quietly left the VI
George: The next day, Mom was still furious with Kate. She kept shouting throughout the house because Kate wasn’t answering her messages or calls. “Damn that Kate! She still won’t answer my calls. She hasn’t sent any allowance for us this month, and now she suddenly comes home. How are we supposed to pay the bills? Talk to your daughter, Arthur,” Mom. “Call her, George. Maybe she’ll answer your call! We have so many bills to pay, and she didn’t even leave a little money,” Dad said. “Yeah, but you told Kate you didn’t need her money, even though she’s the one being cheated on,” I whispered to them. “What are you saying, George?” Mom asked me. “I said, what am I supposed to say if Kate answers?!” I replied. “Make up an excuse; tell her about Charlotte’s tuition. That’s another thing—it can’t be delayed just because we’re in this situation. Hayyyy, damn it,” Mom said angrily.
The next morning, my phone rang unexpectedly—it was Kate on the other end, speaking in a low voice. I could barely hear her, but I immediately told her what had happened to Mom. “Kaye, Mom was rushed to the hospital,” I said. “What happened to her?” she asked, sounding worried. “She’s been really upset with you since yesterday. She said she’s been calling, but you weren’t answering,” I replied, feeling anxious. I could hear Kate sigh. “Then earlier, she had a heart attack. She turned pale and eventually fainted. I’m about to head to the hospital now to meet Papa there,” I added. “Please come home, Kaye. I’m sorry, but Mom and Dad don’t have any money for the hospital bills, and Mom was still worrying about the electric bill earlier. She said it might get disconnected.” “What? But I sent them money recently! Why would we get disconnected?” she asked, sounding frustrated. “I don’t know, Kate. Mom said you didn’t send the allowance this month. Kate, please come home,” I begged her.
While I was organizing my things in my room, I heard James knock on my door. I had decided not to go to work today, as we agreed earlier.“Kate, Mom’s flight has been moved to tomorrow. Don’t forget. I’ll knock on your door when it’s time to pick them up. Let’s leave a bit early because I need to stop by the flower shop,” James said softly.Since Mr. Abdullah humiliated me in front of my staff and our customers yesterday, James’s attitude toward me had shifted. He’d been unusually kind and had stopped teasing me.“Alright, James. That’s good to know. I’ll prepare her favorite dishes. I’ll head to the supermarket later to buy some prawns and crabs,” I replied.I was surprised when James handed me a red box.“I passed by Mubarakiya earlier and checked out some gold shops. I saw this, and I thought it would suit you. (When I opened it, I saw a necklace with an infinity pendant.) We can also take Mom there later since she loves jewelry,” James said.“James, thank you, but I can’t accept t
KATE ANDRES:While driving to the office, I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten to discuss with James. I didn’t get the chance to ask what his plans for the villa if I ended up accepting the offer in going to Italy. The visa situation looked promising since I’d be going there on a working visa, which would also grant me all the privileges to visit Schengen countries. I also wanted to bring my brother George with me if things worked out. I didn’t want him stuck in the toxic environment he’s in with Mom. This could be a great opportunity for him—a chance to build a better life, especially since it’s in Europe.When I arrived at the showroom, Mr. Abdullah, one of the top management staff, was already waiting for me. Rona approached me as soon as I stepped into the shop.“Ma’am, Mr. Abdullah has been in the office for a while now with Ms. Rhea and Saed. He’s been furious, cursing a lot earlier. It was embarrassing because there were so many customers, and he kept yelling. Ms. Rh
THE NEXT DAY AFTER MY DINNER DATE WITH JAY KATE’S POV The first thing I did this morning was call James to talk about what Mr. Ismail mentioned to me. I was confused by his sudden decision, especially why he paid for two years’ worth of the Villa we were staying in if he was planning to move me to Europe. Was James just wasting money? But then I remembered, this was nothing to James Santiago. With all the income he makes from the showroom and his other businesses, it’s not surprising that he’d let go of the fully paid villa so easily. “Yes Kate, you miss me? That fast, really?” he teased me. “James, what is this I’m hearing from Mr. Ismail about me transferring branches again?” I asked him irritably. “Relax, Kate! I’m just doing you a favor. It’s not a joke to be offered a COO position. And it’s in Europe, Kate. It’s a great opportunity for you,” he answered arrogantly. “James, I didn’t ask for this
KATE’S POV HR DEPARTMENT KATE AND MR. ISMAIL’S CONVERSATION I received an email from Mr. Ismail asking me to come to the Head Office for a proposal. I didn’t ask what it was about just yet. When I arrived at the Head Office, Mr. Ismail was already waiting for me at the front desk. Ever since he found out about James and me, his attitude toward me had changed. He became more approachable, and every request I made was granted right away. After all, how could he refuse when the wife of the owner made a request? This was one of the privileges I enjoyed in the setup James and I had. Despite everything, there were benefits to my agreement with James. I agreed to pretend to be his wife for two years in exchange for 10 million and the freedom to be free from the legalities of our marriage. I accepted because I felt I had no other choice. James constantly threatened that he wouldn’t sign our annulment and would strip me of everythin
KATE AND JAY’S CONVERSATION A few days after returning to Kuwait, Jay visited me at the showroom. I was surprised when he arrived holding a bouquet of roses. My Filipino staff couldn’t help but smile widely—after all, they knew Jay well since he frequently visited me at work. He also loved bringing small gifts from his base to win over my staff, especially when he was looking for me. Despite feeling a pang of regret knowing that this charade of mine would only last for two more years, I couldn’t help but smile. I knew that when this ended, I’d also have to distance myself from James’ parents, who had treated me with such care and value as both a child and a person. Still, I couldn’t ignore the fact that Jay had been consistent in his efforts to win me over—from my time in Dubai to now in Kuwait. “Hi, brat! Welcome back!” Jay greeted me. “Thank you, Jay. You didn’t have to do that!” I replied shyly.
AFTER ONE MONTH BACK TO KUWAIT Mommy Samantha and Daddy Eddie hugged me tightly. My one-month vacation in the Philippines flew by so fast. Even though I didn’t get to see my real family, I felt like my days in the Philippines weren’t enough because I truly enjoyed bonding with James’ parents. It wasn’t because I wanted to be with James, but because I experienced what it felt like to be cared for by parents—something I never felt with Mama and Papa. I knew I would miss their care and affection when I returned to Kuwait. At first, I had doubts about going to the Philippines with James, fearing his parents wouldn’t like me or that they might be snobbish because of their wealth, while I was just an ordinary employee working for their son’s business in Kuwait. But I was completely wrong. Everything I had worried about was the exact opposite of what happened. To make things easier, James and I told his parents everything about me—exce
AFTER TWO WEEKS BACK IN THE PHILIPPINES Time flies so quickly. It feels like just yesterday we arrived in the Philippines, but now two weeks have already passed. I’ve grown fond of James’s parents, especially his mom. She visits us almost every day, always bringing home-cooked meals for me. They constantly joke about wanting us to hurry up and give them a grandchild, which makes me smile every time the topic comes up. Sometimes I wonder if James is adopted because his personality is so far from theirs. His parents treat me like their own daughter, doing things for me that my own parents never did. Every time I talk to my mom, the only thing she ever mentions is my remittances. When I think about the two-year contract James and I have, I can’t help but feel sad. When our arrangement ends, so will the warmth and kindness his parents show me. For the first time, I’ve felt what it’s like to have parents who genuinely care ab
KATE’S POV I jolted awake when I saw James lying beside me on my bed, sleeping soundly while we were wrapped in each other’s arms. He stirred slightly as I pulled away, breaking the embrace. Memories of last night came rushing back—how we ended up sleeping next to each other, the foolish things I did, and the anger I felt before I left the house, especially after hearing from Nikka what my parents had done behind my back. If I hadn’t come home, I wouldn’t have known that I no longer had my condo because they meddled with it again. Nikka even told me how furious my parents were with me for keeping the condo a secret. I stared at James’s peaceful face as he slept. I remembered how he took care of me last night and how he didn’t take advantage of me while I was drunk. I was grateful to discover that, deep down, he had a kind heart. A small smile crept onto my face as I watched him, but then he suddenly wrapped his arms around me again, pulling me back down
JAMES’ POV I turned away from Kate and started walking out of her room. Once again, she teased me. She flaunted herself in front of me, and I didn’t understand why I didn’t take the bait. Kate is incredibly sexy and beautiful. She has a well-proportioned figure—ample breasts, a flat stomach, and wide hips. Her face is angelic and naive-looking. If she were any other woman, I probably would’ve given in by now. “Isn’t this what you want? You’re just like every other man! You’re horrible!” she snapped at me. “Kate, enough!” I said calmly. “Get some rest; you’re really drunk!” I had no choice but to return to her room and hand her a loose shirt I found in her closet. Thankfully, she didn’t argue and put it on right away. She even laughed and teased me while taking off her bra and waving it in front of me. I turned away until she was fully dressed. I helped her lie down on her bed, and she collapsed onto it carele