“CONGRATULATIONS mommy and daddy!” Zayne cheerfully said to the two of them as fireworks continued to light up the sky around them. The two broke apart from their kiss at his voice and turned to Zayne with smiles on their faces. Zekiel then picked up the child. “Thank you, son,” Zekiel kissed the child’s cheek and glanced at Claire, whose tears still hadn’t stopped despite her smile. “Stop crying, My Life. I don’t want you to cry,” Zekiel said, wiping her cheeks before holding her hand. They then turned toward the fireworks to watch them together. Once the fireworks ended, they moved to another room where food had been prepared for them. Claire still couldn’t believe everything that was happening. At first, they couldn’t stand each other—especially her, since she was annoyed by his attitude—but now, he was her boyfriend, and they were going to have another child. “Is it beautiful, My Life?” Her gaze shifted to Zekiel as he took in the view. “So beautiful, Zekiel. I never
“It’s okay, Claire. I just wanted to ask if you could come here today. My sister Melodie d!ed a few days ago, and today is her burial. I was hoping you could make it since I know you two were close.” Claire froze at what she heard, her words momentarily stolen by the shock. Her knees weakened, and she sank into a nearby chair. She and Melodie had also been close friends—the three of them, along with Quinn—but ever since life got busy, they had drifted apart. “S-She’s gone?” Her tears began to fall. “Yes, she passed away in a car accident. We brought her back to the Philippines because this is where she’ll be buried.” Claire covered her mouth as she sobbed, the sound reaching Louise’s ears. “I know this hurts you too, Claire, so I wanted you to be here on my sister’s final day.” “I-I wish I could, Louise, but I won’t make it in time. I’m in Paris right now with Zekiel and Zayne,” Claire replied, still crying. Louise fell silent for a moment. “Oh… I see. Must be business-r
Zekiel followed Claire’s wishes, and they returned to the Philippines. As soon as they stepped off their private jet, Hero was already waiting for them, nervous about the news he had to deliver. “Uncle Hero!” Zayne greeted him cheerfully, running over and hugging the man. “Did you know, Uncle? Mommy and Daddy are together now!” the boy announced excitedly. Hero already knew about that—it was all over the world after so many people had seen them at the Eiffel Tower. He barely acknowledged Zayne, immediately turning his attention to Zekiel instead. “Sir, there’s big trouble! The board members are in an uproar. They already know about you and Ms. Venice!” Zekiel was shocked by the news and glanced at Claire, who looked just as stunned. “Let’s go to the company first,” Claire said decisively. Zekiel nodded, took her hand, and they immediately got into the car headed for Gray’s Company. Claire felt uneasy for no clear reason. She wanted to visit her friend’s burial site, but th
CLAIRE I’m here now at the place where Melodie was buried. I found out where it was because I asked Quinn. I tried to contact Louise, but I couldn’t reach her anymore. I think she’s upset because I wasn’t able to attend Melodie’s funeral. “Melody, I’m sorry I’m late.” I couldn’t hold back my tears because the three of us were really close friends. “You know, I told you that once my problems were settled, I’d bring you here so you could meet my family—especially Zekiel.” I wiped my tears and sat on the grass, then lit the candle I brought with me. I also placed the flowers I bought beside it. “Melodie, I just want to say I miss you so much. And then I find out you’re gone… why? Why did you leave us so suddenly? I can’t accept it." More tears streamed down my face, and I could barely hold them back, so I just let them fall. “Y-You know… I’m pregnant.” I bit my lip after saying it. I remember how she once said she wanted to see my future children. “It’s been a month—I’m a
“Let’s hurry, guards. Don’t let my child follow me,” The guards nodded at me, and the car started moving. I saw Zayne running after me, struggling against the bodyguards’ grip, but he couldn’t come with us. My chest tightened with anxiety as I clutched it. Zekiel was fast asleep, shirtless. Fear crept in—what if Zekiel had lied to me? What if his overtime excuse was just a cover? But I believe in Zekiel. I believe in his love, so I’ll hold onto his promise that he’ll never leave me. When we arrived at the company, I immediately took the elevator—there were hardly any people left. As soon as I reached his office floor, I saw Hero sitting there, working on his computer. “Where’s Zekiel, Hero?” He looked up at me, his eyes widening before he quickly stood. “H-He’s still in a meeting, Claire.” My brows furrowed at his nervous stutter. “What meeting? I just need to give him this.” Hero rushed from behind his desk and tried to push me away. “Sir is still busy—“ I
ZEKIEL received powerful punches from Hero, which knocked him to the floor. “Oh my God, Hero, what the hell?!” Camille screamed, grabbing a blanket to cover her naked body. Hero ignored Zekiel’s state of undress and just kept punching him relentlessly. “Kiel, wake the hell up!” Hero shouted, but the man beneath him only smiled deliriously, as if in a daze. “What did you do to her, you bastard?! You’re gonna pay for this!” Camille’s eyes widened at Hero’s words. She quickly grabbed her clothes, hurriedly dressed, and ran out. “I-I didn’t do anything!” she stammered before bolting from the room. “Zekiel, wake up! Sht, what the hell did that woman give you?!” Hero growled, storming into the bathroom to grab cold water. He splashed it on Zekiel’s face, jolting him awake. The moment Zekiel’s eyes snapped open, Hero pinned him down and started punching him again. But then, Hero was suddenly thrown back when Zekiel retaliated with a punch of his own. “W-What the hll, Hero?!
When Zekiel and the others arrived at the scene where Claire’s car had crashed, they found the vehicle being pulled up—a car he immediately recognized as hers. “Where is my girlfriend?! How is she?!” he shouted, drawing the attention of the police officers nearby. “Sir, are you Zekiel?” one officer asked. Zekiel nodded in response. “These are her belongings. So far, her body hasn’t been found—we’re still searching,” the officer said. Zekiel’s anger flared at the officer’s words. “What body?! Venice isn’t dead yet!” he yelled, struggling against Hero’s hold as he nearly lunged at the officer. “Sir, no one could survive a fall from that steep a cliff,” another officer remarked, only fueling Zekiel’s fury. “Get out of my face! I want to speak to your superior! My girlfriend isn’t dead!” Zekiel screamed, tears streaming down his face. Another officer approached the two and whispered, “Don’t you know who he is? That’s Zekiel Gray—he could have you both fired.” The two officers
Meanwhile, Zayne was crying uncontrollably in his room after what he had learned from his father. He couldn’t accept the truth, but his sobs suddenly stopped when he remembered something. He quickly stood up, grabbed his cellphone, and opened the tracking device. “Mommy’s alive! Mommy’s alive!” His tears immediately dried up, and he jumped for joy when he saw a red dot on the screen—indicating his mother’s location. He was sure it wasn’t the ravine where they claimed she had disappeared. “Mommy isn’t dead! She’s somewhere, and I need to go to her so I can bring her home. Daddy’s already worried.” The child hastily grabbed a bag, packed some of his things, and took cash for his journey. He rushed down the stairs and hid in a corner when he saw someone approaching. He planned to pass through the maids’ quarters since that was always the open exit. The servants had a separate pathway from the main house. Once he confirmed no one was around, he sprinted toward the maids’ qua
“Y-You’re right, okay okay! Thank you, Louise! I wouldn’t know what to do if everything you said actually happens.” “Don’t forget, I’m always here, Claire. I’m your friend, and I’m ready to stand by you. Alright, bye now, Claire—my meeting starts in five minutes.” “Okay, Louise, thank you. Take care there!” After that call, she went straight to Zoey’s room and saw that the twins were already asleep, while Zekiel was waiting for her. “Why did you take so long?” the young man greeted her. “Louise called to check up on me.” Zekiel frowned at her words. “Louise? I blocked that guy—how was he still able to call you?” Claire’s ears perked up at what Zekiel said, remembering Louise mentioning he couldn’t reach her. “You! You’re the reason Louise couldn’t contact me right away!” Claire whispered sharply, almost shouting, making Zekiel freeze. “M-Me? What did I do?” he stammered, seeing the pain in her eyes. “Louise told me he couldn’t reach me, so he couldn’t tell me sooner
“WHY did you tell him?!” Claire said with wide eyes, whispering to her friends. “S-Sorry, Claire. We had no choice at that time,” Quinn replied. “Besides, it was your brother who came up with that plan, not me!” Claire could only sigh at Bea’s words, unable to look at Zekiel. “Wait, your brother? But isn’t that Timothy? He didn’t say anything back then.” Bea glanced at her friend, realizing that even she didn’t know the full truth about Claire’s past. “Why don’t you ask Timothy? I’m sure he knows something since he’s acquainted with Claire’s brother, Clark.” Quinn shot her boyfriend a sharp look. “A-Ahh, well… it’s a long story,” Timothy awkwardly laughed at his girlfriend. “Hey, my life,” Zekiel called out, causing Claire and her friends to freeze. “I think we should head out now. Let’s go, guys,” Bea said, pulling them away. “Wait, you all still have a lot of explaining to do!” Hero called after them, leaving the two standing by the door. Zekiel approached Claire
“Wait, Bea, I have a question,” Zekiel said, making everyone turn to him—even Claire waited for what he was about to say. “What is it?” “Did you have anything to do with why Mom and Dad showed up at my meeting with the board members back when Camille and I almost got married?” Suddenly, Claire remembered that incident—the very reason she had to go to Gray’s Company in the first place, because of the arranged marriage between Zekiel and Camille. “Ah, about that… Quinn was the one who made that decision, Claire, not me!” Claire frowned at the sudden shift in Bea’s expression, especially since she was looking at her when it was Zekiel who had asked the question, not her. “Why am I being dragged into this?” she asked, glancing between the two friends. “What do you mean you? It was Bea!” Claire only got more confused by what was happening—until the men approached them and Timothy spoke up. “They both said you were the owner of Cs Boutique.” (Flashback) “This is a huge mes
CLAIRE I couldn’t move from where I stood because of what I heard. Suddenly, the words of Kuya Clark and Timothy flashed through my mind. “How did that person get in here?! Don’t you have security?!” Zekiel’s voice rose, and I didn’t stop him because even I was furious about their negligence. “I’m really sorry, Mr. Gray, but this is a hospital. Anyone can enter, and we didn’t expect something like this to happen.” The doctor was right—we shouldn’t blame anyone because, first of all, no one wanted this. Who would’ve thought our daughter would be in danger? “Z-Zekiel, that’s enough. The doctor’s right. All we need to do now is find out who did this,” I said, tightening my grip on his hand, which made him sigh. He stared at me for a long moment before forcing a smile. This was one of the changes in him that I liked—he’d become humbler for me, unlike before when he was so prideful and quick to yell. “Okay, fine. Give me the footage, Doc. We’ll handle it.” The doctor nodd
“Wow! Zekiel said you’d all go out once Zoey recovers,” Bea suddenly said, saving them all and allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief. “Is that so? I hope our daughter wakes up soon,” Claire said sadly, looking at Zekiel. “M-Mommy…” They were startled by the weak voice, but it was loud enough for them to hear. When they turned toward the source, they saw Zoey was awake. “Zoey!” Claire immediately approached the child and asked how she was feeling. “Z-Zoey! You’re awake! How do you feel? How are you, sweetheart?” Claire asked rapidly. “I-I’m okay, Mommy… I’m thirsty…” “She wants water! Call the doctor, hurry!” Claire said frantically. Zekiel moved quickly and handed Claire the water. “Hey, calm down, okay? You’re panicking too much,” the man said to the woman, holding her hand that was clutching the glass of water. Claire finally snapped back to reality and seemed to relax. “Our daughter is fine, take it easy,” Zekiel added with a smile, making her unable to re
“Are you even listening to me, Claire?!” “Yes, Kuya! Geez! I’m just thinking—if what you’re saying is true, then I believe it’s time for me to act.” Timothy frowned at Claire’s words. “Act? I didn’t tell you so you could take action, Claire! What’s wrong with you?” The young woman turned to look at him. “If I don’t act, then what? Should I just let my family suffer? Kuya, they’re after me, so I should be the one to end this.” Timothy stared at his friend in disbelief, seeing the seriousness in her expression. He hadn’t expected that along with the return of her memories, her stubbornness would come back too. “I won’t allow that. I’ll tell your brother about this.” Claire’s eyes widened at his words. “N-No! I was just kidding! I won’t do it, Kuya!” “You can’t fool me.” Timothy turned away, but Claire quickly grabbed his arm to stop him. “Kuya, come on! Kuya Clark told me Mom died because of those people!” Timothy froze and turned back to her. He saw tears streaming do
Kaithy glanced at her child’s words and saw a handsome man who looked exactly like the twin. “Mom, Auntie, this is Kuya Zekiel. The father of our children and my boyfriend.” Zekiel was shocked by Claire’s words, especially when she reached out her hand to him. Without thinking, he took it and let her pull him closer. Meanwhile, Nanay Lucing broke her embrace with her grandchild and turned her gaze to Zekiel. “So you’re Zekiel,” she said seriously, making Zekiel smile. Even though he was surprised by the sudden introduction, his heart swelled with happiness. “Hello, I’m sorry I wasn’t there to take care of your daughter. But whatever happened in the past, let’s forget it—what matters now is the present,” Zekiel said with a smile. However, none of them knew someone was listening from the doorway. “Forget the past? In your dreams, Gray,” the person muttered through gritted teeth, slowly closing the door. Zekiel glanced at the now-closed door, and if looks could kill, it would
”WHERE is your brother?” Claire looked at Bea because of her question, which also made the others glance at her. “Ah, he already left. He’s going back home.” “To Paris?” Zekiel suddenly cut in, making Claire look at him. “Y-Yes,” Their brows furrowed at Claire’s response, and she immediately went to Zoey to attend to her. Bea, Dylan, and Hero exchanged looks at the girl’s action and just shrugged. They didn’t want any more commotion. “WHERE is my grandchild?!” Claire jolted awake upon hearing a loud voice and saw Nanay Lucing along with Quinn, Kaithy, and Timothy. “Nanay Lucing!” She quickly stood up and hugged her. “Zoey’s fine now. She’s had surgery, and the doctor said she’ll recover fully.” “Thank goodness! We were so worried!” Timothy’s mother said before approaching Zoey to check on her more closely. “Why didn’t you tell us, Claire? We would’ve understood. Why did you keep it a secret?” Claire fell silent at that, and Timothy stepped closer. “You have a
I was pulled away from hugging Kuya (older brother) because of that, and I looked at him. He had a smile on his lips and wiped the tears on my cheeks. “If Mama were here, she would say the same thing—let them be, Claire.” Because of what Kuya said, I turned to the doctor and nodded. “Go ahead, Doc. And please… save our child.” After I said that, I felt Zekiel hold my hand. He smiled at me, then looked at the doctor. “Operate on our child,” Zekiel said before turning back to me and squeezing my hand. So this is what it feels like to have someone beside you in times of sorrow… It feels so comforting. “The operation was successful.” I immediately hugged Zekiel and Zayne when the doctor delivered the news as he stepped out of the operating room. “M-Mommy… D-Daddy, my twin is safe now!” Zayne said happily, making me smile as I could no longer hold back my tears. I was overjoyed that Zoey’s operation had a successful outcome. I glanced at Zekiel when he held my hand, smi