Raymond sat in a bar, his eyes fixed on the tumbler glass in his hand as if trying to spot something in his scotch whisky. Opposite him sat Jared, whose attention was glued to his phone, grinning from ear to ear.Raymond gulped down his drink, catching a glance at his friend's excitement."What's so special about your phone, man?" Raymond asked, refilling his glass. "You haven’t touched your drink since we got here.""You know what distracts a man," Jared said without lifting his eyes from his phone. "She’s unlike the others I’ve met before.""A woman?" Raymond asked. "We came here to chill after a long time, and you're distracted by a woman? She must be special.""More than special. She’s like a little demon in an angelic body," Jared said, replying to a message. "She’s arrogant and bad-mouthed, but I love the way she defends herself. It makes me laugh. She’s a nice girl, though.""This is the first time I’m hearing you talk about a woman like that. Who is she? Do I know her?""Her n
“Hi, Mom," Melissa waved at her mother, smiling awkwardly."What did he say?" Her mother asked in a clipped tone."What… what are you talking about?" Melissa's voice trembled."Don't play dumb with me!" Her mother snapped, jerking up. She fixed Melissa with a venomous glare. "You're pregnant for that bastard, aren't you?"Melissa's heart dropped. How did her mother find out? "Who told you that? I'm not pregnant," she tried to deny, but it was futile."You seem to have forgotten who your mother is. Did he take responsibility for the baby?" Her tone was laced with anger and disappointment.Melissa scratched the back of her neck. "He said… he didn't," she stuttered, retreating to the door."That asshole!" Her mother groaned between gritted teeth. "We're aborting that bastard. Get ready," she added, turning to go upstairs."I can't, Mom," Melissa flitted to her mother's front. "This is my child. I can't terminate my baby, please.""Then get ready to f
Raymond waited for the doctor as she examined Eureka, who was still unconscious. “What’s wrong with her, doctor?” he asked, his tone filled with worry.“We’re still evaluating your wife’s condition, but she appears to be stable for now. We’re running some tests to determine the cause of her loss of consciousness. I’ll provide more information once we have the results,” the doctor explained, turning her attention to Raymond.“Can you tell me more about what happened before she was brought in? Was she experiencing any symptoms or discomfort beforehand?” she added.“I’m not sure. We were chatting fine before she fainted,” Raymond said, but before the doctor could continue, his phone rang.“Excuse me,” he said, stepping aside to answer. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Raymond’s tone grew anxious. “What? I’m coming over. Just stay calm, okay?”Without a second glance, he dashed out of the hospital, leaving Eureka alone. The doctor called after him, but he ignored
Eureka stepped into the master bedroom and saw Raymond buttoning his dress shirt in front of the mirror. She had slept in the guest room after their fight. Her cheeks were red, and her eyes puffy from crying. She moved to his side.“Good morning,” she greeted, but he ignored her.“I want to tell you something,” she said.Raymond turned and gave her a once-over. “I also have something to tell you.”“You first,” she said, leaning her hips against the vanity table.“I want a divorce.”His voice was calm, but the weight of his words struck Eureka like lightning. She was about to announce her pregnancy, only to hear that he wanted a divorce. She stood frozen in place.“Okay…” she said slowly, urging him to continue.“How shameless can you be, Eureka? You’ve been sleeping with Harvey behind my back!” he growled, throwing some pictures at her. They showed Eureka and Harvey in seemingly intimate positions.Eureka sighed, placing the pictures on the table.
Raymond marched into Harvey's house. His father’s words had hit him hard, leaving him no choice but to look for Eureka. He never expected her to leave. He thought she would beg him, but her reaction had shocked him to the core. “Where’s my wife?” Raymond demanded, grabbing Harvey, who had just opened the door. “Where is she?” “You’re an idiot for asking me such a stupid question,” Harvey retorted, pushing him back. “What gave you the nerve to barge into my house, demanding Eureka?” “For the last time, Harvey, where is my wife?” Raymond growled, his eyes narrowing at Harvey, who stood unfazed. “Use the door,” Harvey replied calmly, trying not to escalate things per Eureka’s wishes. As he turned to walk back to the living room, Raymond cocked his gun. “Tell me where she is, or I’ll blow your head off.” “You really want to know where she is?” Harvey spun around, struggling to contain his anger. “She left the country because of your foolishness.” Raymond stumbled back, unable
It had been over two months since Melissa was disowned by her mother. Life hadn't been kind to her. She had also been kicked out of the hotel. Her mother refused to listen to her unless she agreed to abort the baby, but Melissa was unwilling. She couldn’t bring herself to do it.“I won’t kill my baby, Mom," Melissa had told her the last time she visited. “I don’t care what the world throws at me, but I’ll stand by my child. I promise to make you proud by becoming the woman you always wanted me to be. Even if you never accept me back, I owe you that. I love you," she said and walked out of the house.She thought she had friends to turn to until they proved they were never truly her friends. “You were with me because of my wealth?" Melissa cried when Linda refused her entry into her house with shallow excuses.“It’s ridiculous you’re only realizing that now," Linda scoffed. “You have no place with us anymore, Lisa. You’re no longer the famous Rachel de Leon’s daughter. You’re a nobody n
Raymond sat behind his office desk, going through some files when the door creaked open. He looked up at the intruder, who turned out to be Jared. Jared moved closer, his face long and shoulders sagging. Without a word, he sank into the chair opposite Raymond and removed his sunglasses."What's up?" Raymond asked, resuming his work."I thought you said she was a call girl," Jared said, his voice tinged with disappointment as he fixed Raymond with a sharp stare. He had been investigating what Raymond had told him about Melissa after she slapped him for calling her a prostitute."We're supposed to be friends, man. How could you say something like that? And to think I believed you—it makes me an idiot.""What are you talking about?" Raymond asked, his tone calm as he put the files into a drawer. "What did I tell you to do?" He leaned forward, interlacing his fingers on the desk as he met Jared's stern gaze."You told me Melissa was a slut," Jared said, his voice tightening as he struggle
Melissa crouched in the living room, cleaning the center table while humming a song. “I wish I knew how to sing like Eureka," she mocked herself, laughing.“Melissa?" Mrs. Cargill called, entering the living room.“Yes," Melissa replied, turning to face her.“I’m going out. The cook said she won’t be back today either. Can you fix dinner before I return?" Mrs. Cargill asked, adjusting the hem of her dress.“Cook?" Melissa exclaimed, surprised.“Why? You don’t know how to cook?"Melissa looked away, fidgeting. “Um, I… yes, ma’am.”"Yes, you don’t know how to cook?” Mrs. Cargill’s tone made Melissa’s stomach twist."No, that’s not what I mean. I mean I can cook well. What should I cook?” She lied."Fix spaghetti Bolognese. Don’t use red pepper flakes—use black pepper instead. Can you do that?"“Perfectly, Mrs. Cargill," Melissa replied with an awkward smile, scratching the back of her neck.“Alright. See you when I get back," Mrs. Cargill said as she walked out.The moment she left, Mel
Raymond sat on the couch in the living room, his laptop resting on his lap as his fingers moved effortlessly over the keyboard, his eyes fixed on the screen. The doorbell rang, pulling his attention to the door. One of his servants went to answer it. “Who is it?” Raymond asked in a deep tone. Then, Eureka entered, walking with such grace that it captivated him. His heart skipped a beat as she stood by the entrance, her eyes piercing his with an indifference he couldn’t read. “Eureka?” he called in disbelief. She hadn’t visited him since she arrived in the States. “Hi, Raymond,” she waved like a princess in a fairytale. As she moved closer, an inexplicable feeling settled within him. Her tone was different, unlike what he had gotten used to. She sounded friendlier, more familiar than Miss Bennett. “How have you been?” she asked, sitting beside him. “I wasn’t expecting you,” he said, closing his laptop. “You love surprising me with visits, so I decided to return the favor to
“Where are you taking me?” the woman cried, struggling against Eureka’s men as they dragged her toward the car. “You have no right, Eureka! Tell them to let me go!”The men shoved her into the car, trapping her between them. Eureka stood by the door, her gaze cold and piercing. The woman had caused her too much pain. “You deserve a more comfortable home, stepmother,” Eureka smirked, then the door slammed shut. She watched the car drive away before stepping into her own and speeding off.“To everyone who hurt and abandoned me, be prepared. To those who died before tasting their own medicine, I hope you rot in hell,” Eureka whispered under her breath, her eyes filling with tears. “These will be the last tears I shed because of you all. And to my dearest mom, even though you changed at the last minute, I still love you. Rest in perfect peace, Mom,” she sobbed as tears rolled down her cheeks, blurring her vision.Suddenly, a car swerved into her path. She slammed the brakes, jerking forwa
Eureka recoiled as the woman staggered to her feet, dropping her cigarette butt to the floor."Eu... Eureka?" the woman stuttered, her voice barely above a whisper. A chill of fear trailed down her spine as she curled against the wall, feeling overwhelmed and lost.Eureka’s eyes shifted from the woman to the framed picture on the wall. There was something about the man in the image that drew her in. Her heart skipped a beat, a wave of nostalgia washing over her. Disjointed memories and streams of disconnected words flooded her mind, making her head throb painfully. Her bag slipped from her hand, landing on the floor with a soft thud. Her body trembled, her heart pounding as she fought to compose herself. But she couldn’t. She wailed, clutching her head as if trying to keep it from exploding.“What’s wrong?” Mara asked, trying to hold Eureka, who sank to the floor, unable to support herself any longer.“Get... get her out of my house!” the woman snarled. “I don’t want to see her,” she
“Everything feels so wrong now, Dad,” Aveline whined, holding her phone to her ear. “I’ve spent over a month in this house, yet nothing has changed. I can’t go to the office, I can’t get close to Kaiden, and worst of all, nobody even knows I’m her daughter. What’s the point of all this if everything is working against me?”“I understand how you feel, dear. You’ll be out of there soon. Just give me more time,” her father said.“What time, Dad? I want to come home tomorrow. They’re driving me crazy in this house! Besides, it’s my birthday. What am I supposed to tell my friends? What will you say happened to me?” she grumbled, stamping her foot.“You didn’t inform me before getting involved with that witch, so why do you need my help now? I’m sick of living a lie. I can’t pretend anymore. If you don’t do something by tomorrow, you’ll wake up and find me right at the door,” she snapped and hung up. Turning around, she gasped, stumbling back as she saw Eureka standing behind her.“M…Mom?”
Eureka returned home, dragging her feet against the floor as if they were in shackles. Her heart was heavy. She had never regretted anything in her life as much as she regretted sending Kailani away. Kailani’s face loomed over hers, her teary eyes pleading for her to listen. The memory haunted her, making her heart skip beats. Tears brimmed at the edge of her eyes, and she fought to keep them from falling.“Mom?” Aveline called, meeting Eureka on the staircase. “Did he refuse to come along?” she asked.“I want to be left alone,” Eureka muttered, walking away. She could barely contain her emotions. Her conscience stabbed at her like a dagger to the heart. Aveline watched as Eureka trudged upstairs, burdened as if the weight of the world had been dropped on her shoulders.As she entered her room and closed the door, she let herself collapse into her own little world. Her emotions shattered her. Her bag slipped from her hands, and she dropped onto the stool, allowing the relentless tears
Eureka burst into the house, her bag slipping from her hand at the sight of her servants gathered in the living room, trying to revive Aveline, who was slumped on the couch.“What happened to her?” Eureka rasped, dropping down and cradling Aveline’s head in her lap. Hearing her mother’s voice, Aveline opened her eyes, her chest heaving, heat coursing through her body.“Mom?” she muttered, trying to steady her breathing.“I’m here, sweetheart. What happened to you?” Tears rolled down Eureka’s cheeks, fear coursing through her veins.Aveline sat up with Eureka’s support, her hand clawing at her chest. “She… she tried to…” She pointed a shaky finger at Kailani, who stood with a worried expression, rubbing her clammy hands on her skirt.“She poisoned… my food,” Aveline gasped. Kailani staggered back, her eyes widening in shock. “She wanted to kill me, Mom.”“Kailani?” Eureka’s voice was barely audible as she looked at Kailani, who was already trembling. “What… wh
Kailani sat on a swing in the backyard, staring at the lush, kaleidoscopic flowers. The wind was a soothing sensation against her tender skin. A soft, sorrowful smile spread across her face as her eyes wandered into the wilderness.“I wish you were here, Dad,” she muttered to herself, her tone filled with longing. “You would have been preparing for my birthday party by now. I miss our moments together—our laughter, our bond, and the way you loved me. Maybe Mom wouldn’t have turned out this way if you hadn’t left.” Tears rolled down her sunken cheeks. “I wish we could talk right now. I don’t know how long I can hold this secret in my heart. Miss Bennett is a good woman; she deserves to know the truth. Am I being selfish for not telling her she’s harboring the wrong child? Is it wrong to prioritize my own safety over the family that took me in? What if Aveline is up to something? What if she wants to harm Kaiden and his mom? Will I be able to forgive myself if anything happens to them?
“You need to calm down, Kaiden!” Kailani called after him as he stormed out of the car, leaving his backpack behind. She grabbed it and hurried after him. “Don’t do anything stupid. Just listen to me, please.”Kaiden didn’t listen. His loud, thumping heartbeat drowned out her words. He burst into the house, slamming the door so hard that Kailani jerked back as it nearly hit her face.“Aveline!” Kaiden shouted, his voice ringing through the house and alerting everyone. Even Eureka, who had been taking a nap, jolted awake. Everyone rushed out to see what was happening—except Aveline. She knew what she had done, so she stayed in her room.“Son? What is it?” Eureka asked, her heart racing at the thought of something bad happening to him.“Where is that psycho you brought into this house?” he demanded, his hands trembling with anger. “Aveline!” he shouted again. “If I come up there, you’ll regret stepping foot into this house. Come out right now!”“Relax, son. You’re boiling. Tell me what
Eureka stood on the balcony, different thoughts running through her mind. She was wondering how to settle the disputes between her children. Last night, Aveline had cried to her, saying she was tired of Kaiden hating her and that it would be better to return to her father, who loved her more than anyone else. Eureka had promised to make things right between her and Kaiden, but she didn’t know how. Kaiden had always been a stubborn, adamant child. Once he made up his mind, he never changed it, and she had learned to give in to him. An old woman once told her that twins were complicated beings and that if she didn’t learn to live by their rules, she should prepare for the worst. She had never fully understood the woman’s words. Kailani stepped out of the house, staring at Eureka with pity in her eyes. She hesitated before moving closer and touching Eureka’s shoulder, causing her to jolt slightly. “Sorry, ma’am,” Kailani apologized quickly, stepping back. “It’s okay. Do you need an