REINA The persistence never ceased to end even for a second. I was beginning to wonder if Bruce was actually pushing me to this because he had something to gain from all of these. I don't know what was hard about agreeing with me about not getting married to him. “I have my own life to live. I really appreciate the efforts you make but, after thinking about all this. I don't think this will benefit me.” Bruce took a deep breath and held my shoulder with his hands. His hands were so warm and I needed that to stay sane. My heart ached. Everything around me made me feel worse. Seeing my son call me “mother” only made things worse for me. I knew that I had failed him. I have failed everyone. How was he going to find a place in his heart to forgive his mother for doing such a wicked thing to him? I wondered what his mates told him when he went to school. I wonder if he was bullied by his classmates who have access to the internet. They would have seen his picture flying around o
REINANow I felt bad. It hurt me to think that I complain too much. My shoulders fell and I felt a rush of bad feeling grip me. “Sometimes, I just feel that you think that way. You may see me as a jobless guy who left his mansion to come and stay here. Isn't that right?” he asked.Bruce was beginning to overthink things. Was that normal? Was I giving off the energy that I was not comfortable with him by my side?“I know that I never told you to come here and that you came here on your own accord. I know that I am in my home and that this is my bed. But, I never complained for one day,” I said with an eerily calm voice.“I'm sorry then. I guess I was just thinking too much. You should go dress up. Maybe we need to go out,” he suggested. Was that all I do nowadays? Stay at home and go out to a place with less people?I am tired of this kind of life.“I don't know if that is a good idea. I think I will remain indoors.”“You need to go out and have fun at least. You don't have to go to
ETHANThe world did not crumble down nor did the world come to an end. It was a miracle. Sorry, I would call it a miracle that I was able to reach Ravenna after everything that happened.“You have been avoiding me. Haven't you?” I asked her over the phone.“Do you expect me not to? What do you want me to do for you?” She asked me and I was taken aback by her question.“What do you mean by that, Ravenna? You know why I am calling. Don't you?” She was trying to play games with me. She was trying to pretend that she had no idea of what I was talking about.I hate it when she makes me look like I was a fool.“I am at your office. I will see you since you have been disturbing me all these while. I would want to know what you want to tell me,” she said and the burden on my heart lightened.“You know what. It's about Ravenna.”“That's why I am here. Open your door.”After she told me to open the door, I heard a knock on the door that led to my office.“Come in.”Ravenna entered my office wi
ETHAN“Do I have to fulfill everything on your list before you give me the proof that the child is mine?”“Of course! Do you think that I'm a fool?” she smirked. “So, all you want is to be a board member so that you can show up at our meetings right? Fine. I accept. As long as you are not making decisions.”“I will also be allowed to receive the stipends those in the board get. You can't place me there without giving me anything. You know that right?” she asked.“I know. You will receive your stipends. Do you actually want to be in the board because of the money or you have your reasons?” I asked.There must be a solid reason behind all these. Ravenna was one person who knew how to tactfully plan something.“That is none of your business. Remember, I still own some shares in this company. Don't act like I have nothing here. And for the money. Hmmm…. it's part of it,” she replied and I was becoming worked up.“You don't brag in your name with what others did for you. I was the o
REINAThe short trip I had with Bruce was worth it.Bruce had literally come into my life to stay even though I have not given him a permanent answer. I loved him. My daily routine still remains the same.Waking up in my house, getting dragged out of the house by Bruce and all that.I woke up late and smile to myself as I roll over, thinking back to the way Bruce kept me awake up all night.He was the sweetest man ever. This sweet being wouldn’t stop telling me he loved me, and his touch was so reverent that I thought I would lose it if he does not stop.I looked over the pillow and I saw him sleeping like a child. My fingertips brushed over his pillow, and the smile that I wore on my face faded as I remembered the guilt that tormented me. The guilt of rejecting him and telling him that it was not time to get married.I didn't know if he was serious about us. But, he looked like he was. Staring at him, I thought of so many things. Have I in any way hurt him? I would not know be
REINAMy eyes showed that I was eager to know what he actually meant by all tWhat exactly was he talking about? What exactly does he mean? Can he just cut all these.“Okay…” “Long story short. I guess you were bored by all that long talk. The summary is that you look hot and sexy in the jeans. I totally love it and b would want to see you like this often,” he responded and I could feel mg head swelling with my cheeks heating furiously. “Thank you,” I finally let out after I had melted inside of me.“Have you worn them before? Somewhere?” he asked and I shook my head. “No. I… this is the first time I’ve worn them.”.“Wow. It really looks perfect on you.”His eyes twinkle as he glances at me, and I could not help but smile back at him “I’m glad it does,” I replied, accepting his compliment.I finally got a pop up message from the salon and it was a rather disappointing message. “We’re fully booked today,” the message read and I raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” I
"I don't know if you've noticed but I'm simply running out of patience at this point. What's your last request?" I had broken out in a terribke sweat as her very presence annoyed the hell out of me.She wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she would get to any extent to take Reina down and that infuriated me to say the least."Ethan, talk to me like that one more time and I swear to every God under the heavens that I would leave and you can forget about knowing if he's your son or not. You can just live with the thought, besides, you've denied 2 of my request so I'd like to ask a question before telling you the last." Her poise was annoying, her confidence was graceful and I wondered if this was the same Ravenna I had married.This woman was literally a monster and there was absolutely nothing anyone would tell me to think otherwise."Go on." I shrugged my shoulders, not sparing her a glance as I looked at the rough files that were scattered around my table."Why are you so obsess
"You won't humiliate me like this, you have a lot to loose. I have to remind you that." The securities I called for had already come in and were on the verge of dragging her away."I do, don't I?" I tilted my head and she looked at me like I was on the verge of loosing my mind. I signalled to the securities and they dragged her up."Take your hands off me, you sleezy little bunch of idiots." She yelled and stood up on her own, then walked out.On getting to the door, she turned and glared at me, "You're going to regret this a lot." She was right, I am already regretting this but i wouldn't let her trample on my pride. She could do that in secret when we were both together but taking it to the public, in front of the board members was where she misstepped and crossed the line."Gentlemen, I think with this we have reached a perfect agreement that there's no new board member," They nodded and I shrugged my shoulders indefinitely whilst standing up immediately. "If that would be all, t
EthanI could not sit still. Not after everything that has been happening.My fingers drummed against the edge of the hotel desk as my eyes looked towards the door for the hundredth time. I had double-checked the lock, slid the chain in place, and even propped a chair under the handle. But it was not enough. Not when I knew someone was following me.All these things felt like deja vu because something like this has happened to me before I moved to the country my family is in. Why was all these messing up with my life? “They have been watching us. There are cameras in the house.” I remembered Reina's words. And now this being tailed by a black car, the creeping feeling that every step I took was being tracked. I ran my hands through my hair and each strand was damp with sweat. I felt trapped and powerless, and it was eating me alive.My phone buzzed on the desk. I snatched it up, my heart pounding, hoping it was Reina. It was not.It was Carl. He never backed down even when I told
Reina I was scared to death, unaware of what to do. Ethan had been yelling at me that I should call the cops. “Call the cops now! Reina!” I wish I could. My hands were shaking and I could not dial the number correctly. When I was able to call the cops, the line operator answered and I heard a faint knock at the back door. My breath caught in my throat.“Reina?” Ethan’s voice came in again. I knew he heard the noise. “They are at the back door,” I whispered with tears streaming down my face. I could not believe that I would be crying this minute. See what we have gotten ourselves into. “Get out of there,” he said. “Now.”“I can’t. It's not that easy,” I said, my voice barely audible.“Then hide,” he said. “Go somewhere safe and stay there until the police arrive. I’m on my way, Reina. I promise.”On your way? Oh, Ethan. I know that you haven't booked a flight yet even though you pleaded with me that you will book the next available flight. I hung up and bolted toward the pantr
ReinaThe house has always been this quiet in the past few days. The kind of quiet that made every creak of the floorboards and every faint rustle outside feel like something heavy. I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the unknown number on my phone screen. My hands were trembling as I read the message again.“You’re in over your head, Mrs. Reina. Tell your husband to back off and leave Japan or you will both regret it.I had seen my fair share of threats in my career. The angry competitors, disgruntled clients, jealous rivals but this was different and more dangerous. I knew Ethan was in danger. I knew I was in danger. But what chilled me to the bone was the realization that whoever sent this message didn’t just know about us, they were watching us. They had their eyes on us. I felt like I was suffocating, the walls of the house closing in around me. I needed air. I needed to breathe. I ran outside so that I wouldn't faint and the cool night breeze kept on hitting my face as I
ReinaThe sun was just beginning to set when I heard the sharp knock on the door. It was unusual. I wasn’t expecting anyone.I froze, my mind immediately flashing back to Leonard’s warnings and Detective Daniels’ advice to stay vigilant. For a moment, I considered not answering, but the knock came again, louder this time.“Reina, it’s me,” a familiar voice called out.Leonard.My stomach churned as I tiptoed to the peephole. Sure enough, there he was, standing in a crisp black suit, his expression unreadable.I opened the door just enough to see him. “What are you doing here?” I asked sharply.“We need to talk,” Leonard said, his voice calm but urgent.“We have nothing to talk about,” I replied, starting to close the door.He pushed it open slightly, his hand on the frame. “Please, Reina. This is important. It’s about Ethan.”That made me pause. I didn’t trust Leonard as far as I could throw him, but the mention of Ethan pulled at my resolve. Reluctantly, I stepped aside and let him i
EthanI stood by the window in my hotel room, staring at the city lights shining brightly against the night sky.The streets below were alive with honking cars and I could hear laughter, and the distant thrum of music right here in my room. Yet inside this room, the silence I felt indifferent. I felt something that I could not quite shake off. The events of the last two days replayed in my mind like a broken record. The redhead, the alcohol, the shame. And Carl, my so-called friend who had managed to vanish when I needed him most.I clenched my fists, anger bubbling under the surface. “You are an idiot, Ethan,” I muttered to myself. “An absolute idiot.”My phone buzzed on the bedside table, snapping me out of my thoughts. I reached for it, half-expecting Reina’s name to light up the screen. But it wasn’t her.It was Carl. “Come on dude. Let me be.”I hated the way I was dwelling on all of these. I had work to do and I haven't been able to do anything yet. For a moment, I conside
ReinaThe dinner with Leonard didn't go as expected. As usual, he was cutting through corners. If he knew that I had submitted his name to the cops, maybe he would have given me more information. I was left to rack my brain over this. This was something that was meant to be the detectives work but I have not gotten any report from them. I wanted to call them to ask if they are making any progress but I guess I should just wait for some time. I sat at my desk, staring at my computer screen. The article I had been reading earlier blurred before my eyes. Leonard's words from the night before were still looping in my head. How would I get him to tell me all I need to know?Ethan was in Japan and some unknown people see plotting to kill him. Getting anything from Leonard seemed impossible especially when I knew that he was more interested in my body. But, I can't give in him or anyone. I was w married woman and I had a child. "They see Ethan as a threat,” I repeated as I thought alou
EthanThe cold shower did little to wash away the guilt clinging to my skin. I stood there, water pouring over me, hoping the icy sting would calm the storm in my chest. But it didn’t.I was haunted by memories and all I could see and hear and feel were The redhead’s laughter, her touch, the softness of her lips. it all kept on haunting leaving a relentless echo in my mind.“You are a fool, Ethan,” I muttered, slamming my fist against the tiled wall. “A bloody fool. How could you do such a thing?”I turned off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a towel. My reflection in the fogged-up mirror stared back at me. I looked like a total stranger. A stranger with bloodshot eyes and a fucked up face. This was not me. This was not the man I promised Reina I would be.Reina. My sweet wife. Her face swam before my eyes and I could still see her bright smile, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed. What would she think of me now? Would she even look at me the same way if she knew what
ReinaThe clock on my desk kept ticking loudly and I wondered if it was because I was paying attention to even the little things that I was able to hear it. On a normal day, I would care less about a clock. The sound of the clock was made louder by the silence that engulfed the house. At first, I was sketching a few designs that I was going to put up for sale in the online market but my attention became divided when I remembered that there was something I had to do quickly. tapped my pen against the edge of my notebook, staring at the half-written page in front of me. Research on Leonard had consumed my thoughts for the past two days, but the deeper I dug, the murkier things became.Something about him didn’t sit right with me.I sighed, pushing the notebook aside and reaching for my phone. My messages with Ethan stared back at me, our recent exchange still fresh.“Hey. Busy morning. I will call you tonight. Miss you.”His words these days had been reassuring, but something felt of
EthanI woke up to the sound of a door closing softly, followed by the faint click of heels on the floor. My head throbbed, pounding restlessly that made even the dim morning light coming through the curtains feel unbearable. Letting out a soft groan I tried to sit up, but the heaviness in my limbs kept me pinned to the bed.And then it hit me. I was naked. In her. By this time. I blinked, looking down to see the rumpled sheets tangled around my naked body. My stomach twisted as I began to remember what happened last night. The memories kept flooding back and I could not move. Her red hair glowed under the blue lights. Her laughter. Her hands. Her lips.Oh, my God! What have I done?The door clicked shut, and I turned just in time to catch a glimpse of her fiery hair as she disappeared down the hallway. She didn’t say goodbye. She didn’t even look back.I sat up quickly, clutching the sheets as if they could shield and protect me from the shame threatening to consume me. My cl