I WAS SIMPLY quiet on the drive home to his condo. I still can't get over what I discovered about them.If their marriage lasts, perhaps I can flee? Maybe I'll just hunt for an adoptable child to give him.But my mind was questioning whether that was the best decision. Another possibility is that he would inquire about the millions of pesos he handed me. I must have ended up in jail after giving birth. That must be Argo's goal, as he refuses to let me leave.While driving quietly, I cast a glimpse at him. His brows were always drawn together, as if he had no intention of raising them.Nonetheless, he was seductively gorgeous. I thought I could only see this face in telenovelas, but here he is, right next to me. This is comparable to Burak Ozcivit of Turkey and Richard Gomez of the Philippines. I would have squeezed and caressed him if I could.When he abruptly turned to face me, I blinked. My pulse was pounding so hard as we exchanged glances for a few seconds. I saw his jaw clench a
PartnerI DIDN'T sleep that night. I was thinking about what Argo and I had argued over. If he can't be mine, why doesn't he just let me do what I want? His entire concern here is the child, not me.But every time I think about it, a hurt appears in my heart. Is this just my role in his life? Will I vanish like a bubble when I finish giving him the child, like if he didn't recognize me?After all, who am I to bother him? I entered his life when he was preparing to create a family with Florisse. Maybe I'm forgetting that the bond he and Florisse share isn't a joke to be traded to a con artist like me.So, even if I give Argo a Son, he would undoubtedly find a way to reconnect with Florisse.Wait a minute! Why am I thinking about that? Among the many problems I have, the one I understand is regarding him and Florisse. I'm not even sure how to get pregnant. Argo and I could probably have a dozen children if I could become pregnant every night with my hand.I snorted and twisted and turne
LUNCH"Is Argo Greensmith of GS Hotel the owner of Greensmith University?" When Andra turned to look at me after looking up at Argo again, I nearly turned pale. "My name is Andra Jimenez." It's nice to finally meet you. "Thank you for looking after my friend, Natalia!" He even shook hands with Argo before inviting us to join the other guests.Andra introduced us to some of her guests, the most recent of which was a group of my college classmates."Natalia, are you there? You've changed drastically! You're not as tight as you used to be!" Albert is one of my classmates.I could only respond with a smile and turned to face my classmates. Prince appears to have his good wife next to him."Prince! It's good to see you again!"I didn't approach him because I knew his wife was nearby."How are you?""It's fine, this is my partner. It's Argo Greensmith." I take the risk of introducing myself to them.They smiled as they greeted Argo. When Argo extended his hand for a handshake, my other clas
COLDI returned home with a heaviness in my chest. I couldn't understand why I had to feel this way about Argo. This cannot be done because the plans will be ruined.I can't do what I want to do if I'm constantly crying. I still need to seduce Argo, and we have a child, so that I can get out of this situation.But how can I do that if I haven't begun anything yet? It's as if I'm giving up. Remember, Natalia, you are a con artist, and you have the ability to spin him around in your palm if you so desire. Nobody, no matter who, can bring you down because you were born to be a queen.Even though I doubt he'll return home early, I decided to take a shower and prepare dinner for the two of us. I went to my room and lay down after I finished cooking. I, too, had no appetite and preferred to spend my time on social media.I don't do this very often because I'm not interested in celebrities or politics. But, ever since I met Argo, I've wanted to follow him on social media, particularly Instag
Florrise"You're pale; are you all right?"When we entered the kitchen, Paul couldn't stop talking. I jumped back when he touched my cold hand. I didn't expect hearing from Argo to have such an impact on me."Is it true... F-Florisse will arrive tonight?"Over his shoulder, Paul cast a glance at me. He emptied the plates into the sink."Why can't you and Florisse communicate? I assumed you were fine because Argo and Florisse had already spoken to you."I frowned, puzzled by what he was saying."I mean, I think they agreed to wait until you give birth to the child before proceeding with the marriage," he added.I gripped the sink and bowed slightly. Because of the sharp pain in my heart, I couldn't stop biting my lips.I don't anticipate any new issues aside from Argo's ability to get me pregnant. My plans are going to be a shambles now that Florisse and Argo are getting along again."Natalia, you don't look well. Do you want to take a break?"I nodded reluctantly. He did not hesitate
ConfrontationI locked myself in the bathroom for a few minutes, possibly because my stomach flared up again. I don't want them to think I'm sick for attention if I go back and forth to the bathroom.So I grabbed the bathroom tissue that was on the shelf. I also looked in the medicine kit and luckily found some diatabs. I hid it in my pocket because Argo would be suspicious of my pregnancy if he found out I took medicine while pregnant.I don't want him to suspect me again, like when I drank the wine at the restaurant the last time. Only now did I have the opportunity to research pregnancy taboos. As a result, I'm being extra cautious now.Before leaving the bathroom, I almost rub my palm with soap and spray my entire body with air freshener. I peeked slightly and looked around for Argo, but he wasn't there.My steps were still slow enough that they wouldn't notice me, but when I heard Paul's voice call my name, I closed my eyes tightly.I took a step closer to them, still carrying th
I refused to budge and gave him a hard stare. Argo frowned and gradually let go of my arms."You only have the right to my child, but you don't own me, remember?" I squeezed my arm hard, then turned away with a smile on my lips.What's the matter with him, he hasn't even touched me and now he wants to possess me?But I was taken aback when he suddenly turned around and faced me, so I backed away. He also drew my back so close to him that I almost fell into his wide chest.Argo gave me a scowl. If I didn't look away, our faces would have almost touched."I own you, Natalia. Maybe you're forgetting that you should be in jail right now rubbing bars if it weren't for me." His voice is deep and resonant.I inhale his hot, fragrant breath, which saps my energy. I might have fallen if it hadn't been for his hand supporting my back.I tried to swallow but couldn't get it past my throat. Because I'm so nervous, I can't even move.Argo's gaze follows my nose all the way down to my lips. My body
I got up early the next day to prepare breakfast for the guests. Paul and Christof fell asleep here, while George took Barbara and Gellie.Paul caught up with me in the kitchen while I was still singing."Morning! How is your sleep going?""It's all right. I awoke to the wonderful aroma of your cooking."When I placed the cooked bacon, hotdog, egg, and tomato on the table, I smiled."Coffee?""It's me, maybe it's bothering you too much, what do you drink in the morning?" he asked, turning to face the coffee machine.The truth is that I drink coffee every morning. I'm purging milk every morning because I'm pretending to be pregnant. I even drink it in my room on occasion, especially when Argo is not present."I only have milk, you see. I'll get it ready "I said this as I returned to the stove to continue cooking the rice."Are you really that difficult to cook?"I looked over at Paul, who had already returned to the table and taken a seat in one of the chairs. He looks so hot in his sa
I wore a simple peach dress that fell just above my knees. I paired it with wedge heels that were just the right height. Perfect for walking on soft sand. It wouldn't be a problem if I had to take them off. I let my wet hair hang loose and grabbed my sling bag. "Finally, you're done getting ready, let's go?" Andra said, standing up from the sofa. I glanced at Marco, who nodded at me. As we walked down the building, Andra kept talking to Argo. I looked at Marco, and he looked down at me with a soft smile. "I know what you're thinking, attorney." I shook my head and smiled back at him. "Where do you want to go after this?" I looked back at him. I think he just agreed to Andra's request for a double date. "Hmm... Where else, but where there's food!" A grin spread across my lips. "Good..." He even stroked my head, making me smile. . . . We went straight to Argo's yacht, which made my heart beat faster. It was the same yacht we were on when I pretended to be pregnan
Sunset I couldn't sleep that night. The scene with Argo in his suite kept replaying in my mind. I bit my lip hard and couldn't help but hug my pillow tightly. A smile crept onto my lips. I slowly rubbed my lower lip where Argo had kissed it earlier. But the smile quickly faded when I remembered what Don Patricio had said to me. I had brought so much shame to their family. I don't think they'll ever forgive me for the deception I committed. I sighed. If he really meant those words to me, then why is he with Andra? "Nonsense..." You need to guard your heart, Natalia. The situation is different now. Argo knows your secret, that you're not really pregnant. More importantly, you haven't been absolved of the sins you committed against the Greensmith family. So, while you still have time, stay away from Argo. I closed my eyes tightly. Although I hadn't made a concrete decision, I chose to sleep on my worries. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a better solution to everything. But
"Thank you for the delicious dinner. Next time I visit, I'll bring you my specialty, sinigang!" "I'll be looking forward to that, hija. I'm sorry I can't walk you down. My bodyguards are here to escort you." "No, it's okay. I'm fine. Besides, it's still early. My hotel is just a few steps away." I shook my head repeatedly. He couldn't do anything as I walked away from his suite. I waved to him, and he went inside. I turned to continue walking but stopped in my tracks. My heart skipped a beat as I looked deeply into his dark eyes. He was leaning against the closed door, arms crossed over his chest. I swallowed and continued walking with my head held high. I was about to ignore him, but he spoke. "I didn't know your taste in men had dropped so low? You'll sleep with anyone as long as they have money?" I stopped walking and turned to face him. Argo smirked while looking down at me. "What did you say?" I narrowed my eyes at him. He straightened up and put his hands in
I'd been standing in front of my locker for a while, but it felt like my feet weren't even touching the ground. My whole body was numb from the beating I received earlier while facing Argo. No matter how much I tried to ignore what I was feeling, the pain it brought just kept getting deeper. "I think those two are a couple. They went down to the beach together earlier, and take note, they only booked one suite." I let out a sigh after hearing that from my colleagues. They were definitely talking about Argo and Andra. "They seem like a good match, unlike some people out there who pretend to be decent. Turns out they're just gold diggers." I heaved a deep sigh again and closed my locker. I didn't have the energy to argue with their snide remarks. I'd just let them talk until their mouths were tired. I was leaving the restaurant when I noticed Mr. Falcon's bodyguard waiting in the lobby. He approached me when he saw me. "Mr. President wants you in his suite," he told me. I
Betrayal Instead of returning to the counter and continuing work, I went straight to the comfort room. I entered the last cubicle and sat down, holding her head. "Damn it, Natalia. Why didn't you think that Argo was the business partner Andra was talking about? Was it just a coincidence that she brought me here? Or maybe she knew we were already separated?" She was confused and couldn't think straight. Should she go back there, or would it be better to just go home? She let out a sigh before finally getting up. "Why do I have to hide and run from him? It's all over between us and I have nothing to hide anymore. So if I see him and Andra, I shouldn't be affected anymore." But why did her heart ache when she saw them together earlier? She could feel her heart being torn apart and butchered many times. She blinked as she noticed a tear rolling down her cheek. She didn't expect the scene earlier to have such a big impact on her. "I know Andra since college days. It's unlik
I almost collapsed onto the soft bed when I got inside my room, I was too tired to even change clothes. Then, my cell phone rang. I quickly pulled it out of my bag and answered the call. "Natalia, how are you?" Andra's sweet voice greeted me. "I'm fine, I just got home from work," I replied. "I heard there was an event there earlier, and I also heard that you did a great job." My cheeks immediately flushed red. I didn't expect that news to reach her. "It wasn't that great, I just got a few good tips. You know, I used my charm on the customers!" I bragged. "Good to hear that, anyways it's getting late. I just wanted to check on you. Our business partner is coming a bit early tomorrow, we're scheduled to go there tomorrow." I immediately got up, a wide smile on my face. "Really, I'm excited to see you!" I noticed she paused for a moment before answering. "I requested Ms. Punzala to take care of us tomorrow. We plan to stay at the hotel for about a week because we're opening a
Restaurant I was excited to go to work the next day because I knew I would be busy all day because of the wedding that would be held at the YF Building. Actually, the caterers were the ones in charge of the gathering, but because the wedding was so crowded, even though we were supposed to accommodate only 200 people, it seemed like it increased by 50 because of the number of guests who arrived. This building is also known to be popular, they want to experience the royal beauty of the entire hotel. "Did you see Mr. Falcon go down to the lobby?" I asked Shiela when I went to the restaurant at noon. "I didn't notice. But I think not, I'm sure our colleagues will look for you to serve there," she said. I nodded at her and was lost in deep thought. Was he okay? Our separation last night was good, right? I couldn't help but ask myself. "You, you seem to be getting close to Mr. Falcon." She teased me. I flinched at her and rolled my eyes before leaving the restaurant. I knew sh
"You're the topic on the other shift. They say you're stealing the old man from the other waitresses so you can get the big tips." I shook my head and smiled at her before closing my locker. "Mr. Falcon seems nice, he even invited me for coffee today." Her eyes widened at me, she also covered her mouth. "Don't make it sound like that, I just see him like a father figure." "Oh, come on! I've heard that before. Don't get me started!" She poked my side, making me furrow my brow. "You're crazy, your mind is dirty!" "Just keep me updated, okay?" I didn't bother to respond to her and left the establishment. I found Mr. Falcon talking to some of his bodyguards in the parking lot. He immediately turned to me when one of them whispered to him. I smiled at him and walked towards him. "Let's go?" One of the bodyguards opened the door of his car. Although I was embarrassed, I bowed my head and got in. The old man went around to the other side of the car and sat next to me. My heart r
The Encounter My work was busy in the following days. However, we were always swamped with customers, especially when there were events at the hotel where the restaurant was located. Most of the guests would end up here, especially when there were gatherings or tourists arriving at the hotel. Like today, there was a wedding in the conference room, and the wedding was scheduled for tomorrow, so the guests were here today. I could barely feel my feet because they were numb from standing for so long. It would be good if I was wearing flats, but I had to wear heels that were a bit high to look more presentable and decent. The male waiters were the ones carrying trays when they had a lot of items, so I had no problem with that. "Ugh, this day is tiring, imagine it's only noon but my beauty is already gone!" Shiela complained as she sat next to me at the back. It was break time, so I took advantage of the food and the sitting time because I knew there would be a rush of guests l