“ You mentioned earlier that you needed a place to move in, right?” Estrella asked her friend who nodded in response. Later, she said, “ Why look for another place when you can just live here with me?”Alexandrine was hesitant before answering. Seeing how hesitant she was getting from answering her question, she said, “ You want to be independent, am I right?”“ I’m sorry, Estrella.” Alexandrine nodded as she admitted her friend was right. “ I don’t want to trouble you by living off you.”Estrella was a bit offended by her last statement. “ What do you mean, living off of me?”Alexandrine apologized for offending her as she didn’t mean it. She told Estrella that in order to make a fresh start for herself and her upcoming baby, she needed to face the world and she needed to do that alone. Estrella happened to get what she was saying and supported her decision for doing what was best for her and her baby.“ I’ll support you in your little endeavors. I’m your friend, after all.” She chuc
“ Johnson, what are you doing here?” Alexandrine asked the latter who didn’t say anything. He simply looked at her and caressed her face. She tried to break free but he was too strong for her.Staring at her, he said, “ Why don’t you guess the reason I’m here?”Johnson dragged her inside her house and locked it. Before Alexandrine had time to react to the situation, he kissed her crazily. Throughout the kiss, she smells the heavy smell of alcohol on him, deducting him to be drunk.With great difficulty, Alexandrine managed to break the kiss and slapped him hard. “ What do you think you’re doing, Johnson?” She shouted at him. Johnson simply looked at her without uttering a word. “ I’m not Tina, so stop behaving like an ass, or else, I’ll call the police on you.”“ You’ll call the police on me, huh?” Johnson forcibly grabbed her by the shoulders. “ Were you so in a hurry to divorce me so you could move in with your lover?” Johnson was blattering nonsense after nonsense. Alexandrine knew
As Johnson had yet to open the door to my bedroom, I sat on the sofa silently. What was he doing inside my bedroom anyway? What was he looking for? What did he come here to accomplish?Seated on the sofa thinking through all those questions, I seemed to be remembering a conversation I had with Estrella a few days ago.“ What will you do if he ever regrets?” Estrella asked me one morning all of a sudden. The way she formulated her question, I didn’t know who she was referring to until I asked her myself. “ Who shall regret?”“ Your ex-husband, duh!” She replied. “ Who else could I have been talking about but your ex-husband?”Looking at her, I didn’t know how to answer her. Her question to me was hypothetical and I was confused by the nature of my feelings. Despite how Johnson had treated me, I can’t deny that I still love him, so what would I do if he were to apologize to me and ask to start over? Would I be swayed into going back to him and starting our life afresh? What about Tina?
The following morning, after Alexandrine woke up, she remembered the eventful day she had yesterday with both Johnson and Tina making a ruckus. She thought of how difficult her life had always been and how now, she intended for it to change." I should have breakfast and start looking at job prospects." She muttered before standing up and heading into the bathroom to take a shower. The shower took approximately twenty to twenty-five minutes in total.After fully dressing up and eating breakfast, she started looking at job postings in the journal. The kind of job she was interested in when she graduated was being a wedding designer, but that dream of hers never took form due to Johnson and his sudden proposal to get married. She threw away her hopes, dreams, and aspirations into the trash just for him and now she was realizing how dumb it had been to give up everything just for a man without giving it a second thought." These pictures, these photos are only just memories with no deep
When I reached my company the following day, my secretary came into my office with some reports and a contract." Hello, Sir!" He greeted me before saying, " Here's today's schedule." He handed me the documents alongside the contract." What's this?" I asked, confused. I should have known what it was that was handed to me but as of recently, I wasn't paying that much attention to work as my focus wasn't there.The secretary looked at me and said in quite a serious tone. " You need to get your act together, Sir!" " This is the contract offer for the design company that contacted us for cooperation, remember?" As he said that, I seemed to remember something like that happening a few days ago." Was there anything else you needed to tell me?" I asked as he wasn’t leaving my office even after handling everything he needed to give me. " Well, the thing is, Ms. Tina is here and she's been waiting for you for a while now."" Tina's here?" I was a bit surprised to learn of this. Could she hav
I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing continuously. I was stunned when I saw a response from the design company I applied for." D. W. Corporation responded to me? I sat up straight on the bed to read the response to the job. The description of the job went like this, " Ms. Alexandrine Claire, we saw your designs and appreciated your creativity and passion. It's with immense pleasure that we accept your application and welcome you to D.W. Corporation. We'll be expecting you tomorrow to fill up all the necessary paperwork. Welcome once again!"I was delighted just reading the response alone. I couldn't believe that I got accepted into such a famous and renowned company. My life was going to turn around after this for sure, was what I was thinking as I read the components of the email sent to me by D.W. Corporation over and over again.The following morning, I headed straight to D. W. Corporation after having breakfast. I was welcomed by a middle-aged woman named Doriane who invite
" Alright; We'll celebrate the news of you finding a job another time." Estrella showed her understanding as she hung up the phone from her side.As I hugged the phone, I looked for a taxi to head to my parent's place. It took a while for me to find a taxi as the road was crowded for some reason. On my way to their place, I thought of what I was going to tell them. I hesitated whether I should tell them the whole truth or just half of the truth. The decision wasn't easy to make." Miss, we've arrived at your destination." I got out of the taxi and paid the driver for his services. As the driver drove away after getting his money, I slowly headed toward the door.Before I could knock on it to signal my presence, my father opened it for me. " Welcome home my dear daughter!" He greeted me gently and affectionately." Yes, I'm home, Father." I greeted him with the same courtesy he showed me. " How did you know I was at the door just now without me even needing to knock?" I asked.My fathe
“ It has to be a man that’ll make our Alexandrine happy throughout her life. Do you have someone in mind?”I was rather awkward about this situation but I couldn’t say anything and just observe. As if taken by impulsiveness, Johnson muttered, “ There’s no need for any of you to concern yourselves over Alexcandrine’s happiness because she already has someone in her life, someone that completes her.”I didn’t know what to think of Johnson’s interference, whether to be upset with him for meddling in my life or be grateful. Grandmother looked at me and asked joyfully, Did what Johnson said just now true? " Do you have a boyfriend?”I couldn’t say anything except nodding back at her. “ Congratulations, my dear, you deserve what’s best.” My parents threw suspicious stares at me. I knew what those stares meant but what could I do? I couldn’t tell Grandmother that she was mistaken and that I didn’t have anyone in my life currently.Besides, it was for the best that Johnson continued to believ
Right after leaving the police department, Johnson headed straight to his company and the first thing he did as he arrived was to conduct a meeting." What's the purpose of this meeting?" One of the major shareholders asked Johnson who retorted, " This meeting has been staged to discuss the company's future going forward." Discuss the company's future?" Another shareholder intervened. " What is there to discuss? We've practically lost everything. Let's file for bankruptcy already instead of delaying the inevitable any further!"Responding sternly to the claims, Johnson uttered, " The J Consortium won't be filing for bankruptcy any time soon."???Johnson could see how everyone in the conference room was confused about the situation. " We've found the one behind the incident and he's currently in custody."………Looking over at the public relations department, The CEO of the J Consortium uttered professionally, " Release a statement in which everything is explained fully and explana
" Mommy?"?" Mommy, you've come about!" Before Joseph could understand what was going on, Marina ran into the ward with tears dripping down her cheeks.It was only after his twin sister was no longer blocking the view that he was able to finally see and grasp the situation before him." Mommy, I've missed you so much." Marina shed tears of joy in her mother's embrace. " Sorry to have worried you, Princess!"…Marina kept wetting when Alexandrine heard a familiar voice at the door. " Mom!" Joseph shouted to which Alexandrine grinned happily at him.Opening her other arm for him, she invited him to join them. " What are you doing there at the door? Hop in, my little prince!"Mom!" Joseph ran into his mother's embrace and the three happily hugged.Johnson, who was running after his children, finally caught up to them. With his eyes and face lowered, he uttered, " Finally, I have caught up with you two. Do you realize just how much you've made me run?"From his position, he could very mu
While all of this was going on, Nathaniel and Tina were on the run for their lives as Johnson's bodyguards were searching for them everywhere." What are you doing bringing so many things with you?" Nathaniel asked the latter as she was dragging suitcases with her. In retortion to his question, Tina said in response, " We'll be on the run for a while, so we might as well bring along all that we can for safekeeping."Looking toward Nathaniel, she said," I suggest you do the same."Nathaniel stared at her for a while without a word. He slowly walked away, guiding them on the road. Tina followed right behind him with her suitcase.At one point on the road, Tina complained to Nathaniel. " Why are we walking on foot when we could take transportation?"Nathaniel stopped in his steps at the relevance of those words. " If you enjoy transportation so much, why don't you go in alone?"…" Before you go though, you might want to leave your luggage behind because I don't think you'll be needing t
Back a few hours earlier, Johnson was at the hospital when his phone suddenly started ringing. Looking at the screen, his face brimmed with joy when he saw his love's name flash through the screen.As he was attempting to attend the call, he heard Tina's sarcastic voice on the other side stating, " You've always been curious about this jade necklace's origin, didn't you?"…" If you must know Alexandrine Claire, the one who saved Johnson back then, years ago was none other than yourself."Johnson was stunned by the revelation. " What is this woman talking about?" " How could Alexandrine be the girl from back then?" Johnson subconsciously thought as the narration continued." When you fell down the cliff, I claimed your necklace as mine." She huffed before adding sarcastically, " While you begged for Johnson's love, I didn't have to do anything to gain his love."As Tina continued narrating that tragic day, Johnson's head started to seriously hurt. The hurt brought back memories that w
" So this is what happened?"Still, in the abyss of her long-lost memories, Alexandrine subconsciously thought as she was unconscious, " So that means, I was the girl who saved Johnson long ago! I remembered everything as clear as day."" Due to me falling down the cliff, our history was changed and Johnson undoubtedly believed Tina was the girl who saved him."" She took advantage of my absence to take a place that wasn't hers in Johnson's heart. The reason why Johnson never looked my way was simply because he was keeping his promise to me."Recalling Johnson's promise once more, she subconsciously thought, " Although he forgot all about me, he didn't forget his oath. It's just that he got the wrong girl all along. Now that I've recalled my forgotten memories, I need to make sure Johnson knows the one who saved him that day was me all along and not Tina as he was led to believe all those years ago.Gathering her strength and energy, Alexandrine managed to break free from her unconsci
" Why do you look so shocked upon learning the truth about that necklace?" Tina glaringly revealed to her nemesis that she was the little girl who had saved Johnson Santos all those years ago and not her as she presumably led him to believe all those years ago.During the silence, Alexandrine subconsciously wondered, “ What is Tina talking about?” “ The one who saved Johnson years ago was me! How is that possible?”The next thing Alexandrine knew, Tina was joyfully clapping her hands and when she was done clapping, she said, “ I must thank you, Alexandrine Claire.”…“ If not thanks to your necklace, how would I have been able to foul Johnson for so long?” She smirked joyfully before adding, “ Had you not left your necklace out that day, I wouldn’t have been able to take your place in Johnson’s heart, so thank you so much, Alexandrine Claire.” She laughed hysterically at the end of her sentence.Alexandrine was too stunned by Tina’s craziness to ask any questions whatsoever. All she d
" What would you want me to do for you to prove my fidelity to you?" She asked and pondering on the matter some more, he uttered unconvinced, " No, this might not be a good idea, go away!"Tina hung on to his hand and said in retortion, " If you don't tell me the task you have for me, how will you know for sure that I'll fail without even giving me a chance to prove myself?"Pondering on her words for a while, Nathaniel uttered convinced, " Alright, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself but if you don't meet my expectations,-------------" Before he could conclude his statement properly, Tina cut him short and stated confidently, " I'll meet your expectations, you can be sure of that."" You won't find a better partner in crime than me. Besides, I'm used to getting everything I desire for myself and that's not about to change anytime soon." She ended her statement in a stern tone.Nathaniel chuckled maliciously, " I like the confidence you are harboring and so I decided to give you
“ Who would want to team up with you?” Alexandrine glared at her former friend and supporter with extreme coldness. “ What? Why are you looking at me like that?”“ Did you seriously think I’d allow you to use ema as a peon once more?” Nathaniel didn’t dare answer. Alexandrine wasn’t done telling him his four truths. “ You mentioned just now that whatever was happening was due to me standing by Johnson’s side, correct?”“ If that wasn’t truly my fault, then answer me this, would you?” Nathaniel flinched at the sound of that. “ Was it also my fault to befriend you and offer you my unconditional trust?” Once more, he was stuck and couldn’t answer her questions.“ Why won’t you answer me, Nathaniel?” She shouted as she added, “ Why won’t you admit once and for all that meeting you and letting you evade my life as you did was nothing but a mistake?”“ After all, had I not met you, I wouldn’t be in this situation and would certainly not have been used as a vulgar peon with no consideration
The moment Alexandrine awoke after a few hours, she realized she was bound in an abandoned clothing factory. “ Once again, I was bound to something. When will all of this ever stop?” She subconsciously thought before hearing noises not far away from where she was bound.In a daze, she heard Tina and Nathaniel in conversation with one another. She could hear what they were talking about. “ Why have you kept her alive instead of killing her?” Tina was the first to speak and she was followed by Nathaniel who muttered in response, “ This isn’t as easy as you think it is, okay?”“ What’s not easy to do?” She retorted coldly, “ Instead of playing this game with me, why don’t you admit before me the real reason why you’re adamant about killing her?”…“ Why don’t you admit before me that you’re still infatuated with her and that’s the reason why you don’t want her dead?” Alexandrine kept listening in on their conversation and subconsciously thought, “ Those two have been working together all