Maxwell's povThe moment Amihan accepted to be my girlfriend was the happiest I have been in a long time. The thought of finally being with the woman that had swept me off my feet was overwhelming. I was happy that my mother had given me this task to protect the family's honor, and I also genuinely fell in love with someone I would always be in love with.Later that evening, Amihan grinned broadly as she lay there on the bed, her head resting on my chest, our clothes scattered all over the floor, and our empty wine glasses next to the bed.After our sex, I asked her to freshen up and when she came out she was pleasantly surprised to see that I had lit artificial candles in the bedroom and had scattered rose petals on the bed, I wanted nothing but to pleasure her and make her feel like the Queen she was. After giving her a glass of wine to help her unwind while I had a shower, we played an intense game of truth or dare using the previous set of cards, and as the game became more inte
Karl's povThe good news of Dalisay's pregnancy made my day; even if I've grown fond of her recently, I've always wanted to make certain of my position in her life, Although I am aware that Dalisay could eliminate me at any time if she discovers the truth, I will always have the advantage in favor of Anwil because of our child. From Dalisay and Luciana, the child will provide me with the shielding I need.Although I have started to let go of some of them recently due to Dalisay's actions, I am certain Luciana will never permit Dalisay to transfer the company to me because she is aware of my true ambitions and I know Luciana will never adjust; she knows me too well to accept me in any other way. However, I was curious about how Dalisay has adjusted to finally accepting me in her life. That's why I have to find a way to prevent Anwil from falling; otherwise, my long-term, hard-fought goals would be severely disrupted. I had to make sure I secured the cooperation of other companies, esp
Judith's pov"WOW!" I exclaimed simultaneously the moment my dad led me into his workroom where he spent time drawing and painting at his leisure. "This is how I keep myself occupied when I'm less busy," He said with a smile. "This is beautiful Dad," I said. “Your mom made me fall in love with Art. I thought my eyes would pop out from its socket the first time I entered her art gallery in your grandfather's house, and guess what? Even now I still feel the same way each time I walk through the door. I miss her so much and this is one way I have kept her close all these years,” My dad said with a deep sigh as he looked around the room. It was obvious that whatever it was my parents both shared was beautiful. I could tell his love for her was everything he wanted. “The studio is like a work of art itself. An architectural work of art,” I said and He beamed a smile at me. “Yeah. It was designed in memory of your mom, I made sure it looked exactly like the one in her father's house
Maxwell's pov.After breakfast that morning, I settled down on my couch and began to scroll through my gallery, particularly the collection I had made for special people. When I reached Amihan's picture, the one I had taken the day before during our private moment, a smile sprang out of my mouth. I laughed, "She looks more beautiful when she sleeps," as I zoomed in and out of the photos to capture every last detail.I put down my phone and let my thoughts drift back to yesterday, to our lovely moment together and the way we both solidified our relationship. I felt like a winner who had just taken home a trophy when I considered the possibility of us becoming a legal couple. When I checked my phone and saw that it was my mother on the line, I realized how wide my smile had been. Despite knowing a part of the reason she called, my heart didn't miss a beat this time."Hey Mom" I greeted in excitement. "Hey Max, it's been a while, how're you doing" she returned the gesture. "I'm okay
Amihan's POV,I smiled as I saw Maxwell approaching me. He had notified me about us spending time together on Saturday. I had suggested an Amusement park outing while he had wanted a game arcade.The two venues were not far from each other, we had an agreement that whoever arrived on time, would choose the venue to hang out. I had arrived two minutes earlier than him. "I know that's a smile of victory," He said as he walked towards me smiling. We hugged each other and walked into the park holding hands. "I can't remember the last time I visited an amusement park," I looked around. I was amazed at the sight of the enormous rides in the park. "It's been ages. the last time I visited one was in New York. It was a family outing, What about you? " He flashed a smile at me, "I can't remember, I loved playing video games as a kid, Besides, Amusement parks are for ladies, ""Says who? That's not true!!" I muttered and then laughed out. "Maybe I don't have a memory of ever visiting o
Judith's pov.Jake had a smile on his face as he watched me approach his table, where he was seated at the fancy restaurant for our date. Those smiles once rocked my world and somehow I felt my heart racing as I approached him. Nothing had changed about him, he was the same Jake I had fallen in love with."Hey, babe," He said as he stood up to kiss me. I noticed this and turned my cheek to him so that he ended up kissing my cheeks. Jake frowned as he pulled away. this was the first time I would be rejecting his advances, back then even when we had our splits, I still let him kiss me on the lips because I knew we would eventually get back together, but with Maxwell in the picture, I knew there was no hope for us.He returned to his seat after I had taken my seat. "You look beautiful as always," He said and I flashed him a smile. "Thank you," I replied with a smile and Jake reached for her hands from across the table."I love you so much, Judith and I've missed you," He said truthfull
Maxwell's pov. I had just gotten into bed after having my bath when I received Judith's text message, apologizing for being unable to make our call last night and asking that we have it that evening. All I wanted was for everything to end before we ended up causing additional issues, so I swiftly answered her.I knew she was proud of us and wouldn't want to lose her because of the way Amihan had bravely introduced me to the guy at the amusement park. I needed to clear up this misconception and resolve the matter between us, so I didn't even wait a moment past the time she asked I should call, before calling Judith. I felt it was best that we resolved this now rather than waiting until it was too late.She was already on the phone and beaming broadly when the second ring went off."Hi!" Her gentle voice greeted my ears from the other end, from her tone I could tell she was excited."Hi dear," I returned the gesture without further thought, "How're you doing""Oh Max, you won't beli
Judith's POVI felt his sincerity when he asked us to take things slow, He probably was scared we'd miss out on the whole excitement of being in love if we rushed things, I knew returning sincerity was one thing we both needed to stay true to each other and make for a long-lasting relationship, So I decided to tell him about my date with Jake and all he needed to know, I wanted to be sincere with him and not hide anything from him."Maxwell," I called."Yes, I'm with you," he spoke as calmly as ever."I met Jake today," my heart was racing as I said that to him, I wasn't sure of what to expect, for a moment I was scared of him misinterpreting my intention, and reading meanings into it,I kept calm, as I eagerly waited for his response."Are you guys working on getting back together?" I sighed in relief at his gentle response, I could sense jealousy in his tone, and my joy knew no bounds, it was obvious Max loved me, I'm now sure of it,But he has always been reserved which I've c
Three years later, Amihan's Pov, Three years had passed, and everything had changed. I stood at the window, looking out at the world below, and a wave of mixed emotions washed over me. Nostalgia, regret, wistfulness, pride, hope. It was a complex stew of feelings, impossible to separate or label. I closed my eyes, letting the memories wash over me like a summer rain.As I thought about the journey that had brought me here, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. It had been a long road, full of twists and turns, but I was finally where I wanted to be. The funeral for Dalisay was a somber but beautiful affair, a fitting tribute to a life well-lived. As she was laid to rest, it felt like her soul was finally at peace.In the weeks and months that followed, Karl and Adams threw themselves into raising Bella. They loved her fiercely, determined to give her everything they could. And as she grew, she began to resemble her mother more and more, both in looks and in spirit. With little Bella by
Amihan's POV, I tried to sit up, but the pain in my head and stomach was excruciating. I could feel the grogginess of sleep slowly fading away, and I became aware of my surroundings. It was a hospital room, and the memory of the shooting came flooding back. "Mom," I said weakly, my voice hoarse from disuse. "Where is Dalisay?""Dalisay's getting the best care possible, honey," my mom said, her voice gentle and soothing. But even as she spoke, I couldn't help but sob. I felt so guilty, knowing that Dalisay had risked her life to save me."She's going to be okay," my mom said, rubbing my back comfortingly. "And you're going to be okay too. We're all going to get through this together."I wanted to believe her, but my emotions were still too raw. I couldn't stop crying. My gaze shifted to the corner of the room, and I saw Judith standing next to my father. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked like she had been crying. I felt a surge of anger well up inside of me."What is sh
Two weeks later, Judith's POV, The last two weeks had been a blur of pain and anguish. My best friend, Amihan, lay comatose in the hospital, clinging to life by a thread same as Dalisay. I blamed myself for everything that had happened. It was my selfish desire for Maxwell that had caused all of this. I had been so jealous of Amihan's relationship with him, that I had pushed her to move into the mansion, even though I knew it was dangerous. And now she was fighting for her life, while I was left with nothing but regret and guilt."Judith, you look exhausted," Amihan's mother said, her face filled with concern. "Why don't you go home and get some rest? You've been here at the hospital for days now."As soon as they had received news of Amihan's incident, her Foster parents had flown down from New York, arriving the next day. They had been at the hospital ever since, taking turns to stay with Amihan. She was right. I hadn't slept in days, and I was running on empty. But I didn't want
Karl's POV,"We have to be fast with whatever we have to do, because Chloe or Susan whichever you want to call her, is a crazy woman and wouldn't hesitate to do anything, her words shouldn't be taken lightly," I said to them who had been listening to me without interruption with my eyes wide open, I swallowed hard in an attempt to quell my panic that had gotten a grip of my heart,I was scared as I spoke which made my voice shake, I was scared if revealing the truth about my status with Chloe, the fear of making Luciana and Dalisay find out that I had been lying to them about my first wife made me pick my words with care."So, what are we going to do now? Because as long as I'm concerned, everyone of you here are suspect, and I'm going to get you all arrested." Maxwell responded unflinchingly, without any iota of panic in him, his expression was grimly as he spoke making everyone shift uneasily on their spot, except Luciana who had been sitting quietly with her fingers resting on her
Dalisay's POV,"Then who did?" he demanded, slamming his hand down on the desk, sending the files scattered across its surface into disarray. His eyes blazed with anger, and his frustration was palpable. "Who was the last person to see her? I need answers, and I need them now!"As I rolled my eyes in thought, a sudden realization hit me. It dawned on me that my mother could be behind Amihan's disappearance. My eyes widened in horror, and I bit my lip, trying to keep my composure. I knew that if I let my emotions get the best of me, this man would see through my facade. "Please calm down, we'll get to the bottom of...""I can't calm down!" he shouted, cutting me off in mid-sentence. His breathing was labored, and his eyes flashed with anger. The look on his face was terrifying, and I felt my heart skip a beat. He looked like a man possessed, and I knew that I had to tread carefully. Fear gripped me as I tried to find the right words to say. I knew that I had to diffuse the situation,
Maxwell's POV,My heart skipped a beat as I saw Amihan's name flash across my phone's screen. I hurriedly picked up the call, but the noise of the airport around me made it difficult to hear what she was saying. She sounded upset, her voice urgent and panicked. I tried to make out what she was saying, but it was impossible. I needed to find a quiet place to take the call.I began to look around for a secluded spot, but the airport was crowded and bustling with activity. Everywhere I looked, people were rushing around, their voices blending together into a cacophony of sound. I had been planning to move to the United Kingdom and start over, but Amihan's call had given me pause. "Babe," I said, my voice quivering as I answered the phone. "I'm sorry. Are you there?""I'm here," she said, her voice trembling. "Please...help me." And then, the line went dead.My heart sank, and I felt a wave of panic wash over me. What had happened? What could she need help with? I tried to call her back
Amihan's POV, "Bella, please wait!" I heard Adam's voice calling after me as I ran from the mansion, but I ignored him. I didn't want to talk to anyone, I just wanted to be alone. "Leave me alone!" I shouted, not even bothering to turn around. I just kept running, my feet carrying me further and further away from the pain and the betrayal.My heart thumped as I hurried away from the mansion, its weight pressing against my chest as if to crush me. Each step I took reverberated in my head, a pulsing reminder of the hurt that lay ahead. As memories of the betrayal that followed my misplaced trust flooded back, they threatened to drown me in despair. The images of the accident that had almost claimed my life ten years ago flashed before my eyes, a maelstrom of chaos and pain. I threw myself into the car, slamming the door shut as if to keep out the demons that pursued me. I could barely breathe, my chest rising and falling in rapid, panicked breaths. I knew I had to get away, to put
Karl's POV,"Where do you think you're going, sneaking off like that?" Luciana's voice rang out behind me, causing me to freeze in my tracks. She was sitting comfortably, cigarette in hand, a smirk on her lips. I felt like a deer caught in headlights, and I knew I had to think of something quickly."You're... here," I managed to stammer out, trying to regain my composure and collect my thoughts."I was just... I was just getting some fresh air," I stammered, my voice trembling with nerves. "Of course I'm here," she replied, a mocking smile playing on her lips. Her gaze was fixed intently on me, as if she were sizing me up, her eyes boring into mine. "I've always been here, and my eyes have always been on you."I felt myself flush under her gaze, feeling like a bug under a microscope. I knew I had to say something, anything, to break the silence that was hanging heavy in the air. But I couldn't think of a single thing to say."You have something urgent to take care of?" she asked, rais
Judith's POV,Despite the shame and pain coursing through my body, I climbed into my car and slammed the door shut. I had no destination in mind, I just wanted to get away. As I sat there, I realized that my hands were shaking and that my entire body was trembling.In a desperate attempt to relieve the pressure building within me, I let out a primal scream. But it did nothing to soothe the turmoil inside me. At that moment, I realized that Maxwell's mother was to blame for much of the mess I was in. She had played a part in orchestrating the events that had led to this moment, and she needed to take responsibility for her actions.The more I thought about it, the more I became convinced that the only way out of this situation was to confront her directly.With shaking hands, I rummaged through my bag for my phone. As soon as I found it, I dialed Maxwell's mother's number. The phone rang and rang, and just when I was about to give up hope, she answered. Her voice was cold and uninvitin