"Nathan—" Arwena was about to stop his son, who was still excitedly looking at his father's pet inside the small glass enclosure. But Archie stopped her, shaking his head and giving her a meaningful look. Though confused, Arwena obeyed and stayed silent. What Archie was thinking was that if Arwena stopped the child, Nathan would surely argue back, insisting that he was telling the truth and not lying. That’s how Nathan was. He wouldn’t stop talking if he knew he was right. He’d prove it. And that’s what Archie wanted to avoid—Nathan knowing that he was gay would only make their ruse more obvious. Tandre would find out that Arwena and Archie were lying and just pretending. However, a part of Archie wanted that outcome. He wanted to tell Tandre the truth—that he and Arwena weren’t a couple and that he was gay. But because he was a good friend and had promised to keep the truth hidden no matter what, he would honor that promise. Besides, he didn’t want Arwena to get upset wi
Before the year ends, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who takes the time to read and support my works. Wishing all of us a joyful and prosperous New Year.
While Arwena and Tandre struggled to breathe in the tense situation, Nathan radiated joy. His smile never wavered.Arwena let out a sigh of relief. She knew Nathan was thrilled to recognize Archie as his father. Archie had always been a constant presence, showering Nathan with fatherly love. But Nathan's happiness now was different—pure and profound—a joy only Tandre could give him.Both Arwena and Tandre couldn’t tear their eyes away from their son. Even with his eyes closed, Nathan’s smile lingered, his happiness palpable. That joy eased their racing hearts.They exchanged glances, and almost instinctively, their lips curled into smiles. For the first time, their hearts felt at peace. At that moment, Arwena forgot the shame tied to her past with Tandre.“He’s asleep,” Arwena whispered, her voice barely audible.Tandre nodded, understanding her perfectly. His gaze remained fixed on Nathan, observing his son’s serene expression. Tandre should have left for the office hours ago, but he
Tandre wiped his lips after Janica’s kiss. It wasn’t disgust he felt—it was frustration. He simply didn’t want to be kissed by a woman he no longer loved.“Damn it,” Tandre muttered, shaking his head while staring at the closed door.“She hasn’t changed at all,” he said aloud, his voice filled with exasperation.He hadn’t expected Janica to remain this bold and obsessive. She was audacious, willing to do whatever it took to get what she wanted. She reminded him of Farah—using even her own body to achieve her dreams.A dry chuckle escaped him. Janica’s actions stirred memories of a past he’d worked hard to bury.What frustrated him most was her pretense of innocence. He had pushed her out of his life back then because of something unforgivable. Forgiving her wasn’t an option.If he had his way, he’d confront her about the past. He wished she’d leave him alone instead of acting as though nothing had happened. But digging up old wounds wouldn’t help anyone. For Nathan’s sake and for the p
Arwena quickly got into the car, her eyes locked on the woman approaching them. She had a strong feeling the woman was targeting her, and her bodyguards seemed to think the same. They hurried her into the car and immediately positioned themselves as a protective barrier.“Miss, what do you think you’re doing?!” A man shouted, grabbing the woman. His gaze, however, was fixed on the bodyguards. “Come on, let’s go home, miss. We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”The man tried to pull the agitated woman away from the car, but she resisted, pushing him off each time he reached for her. Each attempt to restrain her was met with a slap.Still, the man ignored her hits. “Miss, please!” he pleaded, clearly holding back to avoid hurting her.She broke free again, trying to rush back toward the car, but the man grabbed her once more.Arwena’s bodyguards observed the woman closely as she began screaming, hitting the man who was restraining her. Arwena glanced between her bodyguards and the woma
"Ms. Arwena!" the two bodyguards exclaimed in unison, their voices tinged with concern. Despite knowing their boss had likely escaped serious injury due to the car’s airbags, they couldn’t help but worry about her condition. "Are you okay, Ms. Arwena?" Fuentez asked, his voice soft but urgent. However, Arwena didn’t respond immediately. She sat there, frozen, her gaze distant as if lost in the whirlwind of her thoughts.Tears welled up in her eyes, and before she could stop them, the floodgates opened. She covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle the sobs, but it was futile. The anguish she’d been holding back overwhelmed her, and soon she was crying uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her cheeks, each drops a raw expression of the fear and anxiety she could no longer suppress.The bodyguards exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to do. Should they approach her, offering comfort, or should they allow her the space to grieve and release her emotions? They were deeply concerned for
It felt like Tandre and Arwena’s souls had flown away when they heard the loud slam of the door. Their bodies both went cold, and Arwena slowly shifted away from Tandre.Meanwhile, Tandre leaned back into the seat in slow motion, rubbing his thigh. He didn’t know what to say—should he apologize or pretend he wasn’t affected?Arwena found herself rubbing her neck and biting her lip, unsure where to look or what to say.She felt embarrassed. Not only had their bodyguards seen them, but despite her attempts to push Tandre away, when he pressed against her, it felt like she was magnetized to him. Everything she had tried to will into her mind seemed to fade away.“Ted is here,” Tandre said hoarsely. He didn’t have a cough, but his throat itched, prompting him to clear it repeatedly. He almost wanted to scratch the back of his throat.Arwena merely nodded. She, too, felt something lodged in her throat.“Wait here,” Tandre said before stepping out of the car.Tandre immediately searched for
Tandre fell silent for a moment, though his finger remained pointed at Archie. He studied his brother’s face, trying to discern whether he was joking or not.“Do you really love Arwena or not?” Tandre asked, frustration evident in his voice.He kept his eyes fixed on Archie, tracking his every move.Archie let out a faint laugh before locking eyes with his annoyed brother. He could tell Tandre felt like he was being toyed with—no boyfriend would tolerate or stay calm about another man kissing his girlfriend.“Isn’t it obvious?” Archie replied, feigning irritation at what Tandre had done to Arwena.“I know the connection you share with her. Even now, you still want her. Maybe you even still love her,” he added, his tone serious.Tandre scratched the side of his head and looked away, avoiding Archie’s gaze.“And don’t deny it,” Archie pressed. “You used to flaunt it proudly. You boasted about her to me. Besides, I’m a man, Tandre.” Archie emphasized the word man despite the protests of h
After Arche and Louie's wedding, Tandre and Arwena quickly returned to the country, knowing that in just a few months, their little bundle of joy would arrive. The excitement and anticipation of meeting their baby girl filled their days.Finally, the long-awaited day had come—the day Baby Natalia would be born.Inside the hospital, the family gathered outside the labor room. The atmosphere was tense with excitement, worry, and impatience. Everyone was eager to see Baby Natalia and to make sure Arwena was safe.Tandre, however, was the most restless of them all. He paced back and forth in the hallway, running his hands through his hair and glancing at the labor room door every few seconds. His heart raced with joy and worry, unsure of what to expect.Minutes felt like hours as they waited. Tandre tried to calm himself, but his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. “Will Arwena be okay? What if something goes wrong?” he thought, his palms sweaty and his breathing uneven. He wanted to be str
Four months after Tandre and Arwena's wedding, Archie and Louie decided to get married. Despite being family-centered and private, their wedding day was filled with deep emotion and beauty, but it was not without its challenges and moments of tension. Although it is a joyous celebration for them, it comes with society's judgment and harsh opinions that, at times, overshadow the happiness they are trying to embrace.Archie and Louie have been together for months, sharing a bond so strong that no amount of prejudice or criticism can tear them apart. But, like any same-sex couple in a world that isn't always accepting, their love is met with judgment from the people around them. From family members to strangers, their relationships face obstacles that are impossible to ignore.For Louie, the pressure was too much. Growing up in a family that still held traditional values, he heard whispers and hurtful words. Some family members, including some distant relatives, could not understand why
Two months after Tandre’s romantic proposal at the gazebo of Hotel Denovan—a place that once bore witness to one of the saddest chapters in Danreve’s life when Arwena rejected his marriage proposal—things took a different turn.Danreve had knelt, holding a ring in his hand, as the sky lit up with fireworks he had prepared for the woman he cherished most. He had promised himself to replace all of Arwena’s painful memories with joy.The proposal fulfilled one of Arwena’s long-held dreams. Danreve put in great effort to decorate the gazebo with small lights that look like fireflies, along with red and white roses, symbolizing pure and genuine love.Arwena’s heart overflowed with happiness at Danreve’s grand gesture. She hadn’t expected him to go to such lengths. Although she once resented him for forcing her to sign a marriage contract, that was in the past. Danreve had kept all his promises to her, never falling short as a husband and a father to Nathan and the baby in her womb.For Arw
Archie sighed repeatedly, his gaze following Louie as he retrieved an umbrella from the car. His heart stirred with a mixture of longing and frustration. He liked Louie, deeply, but he had learned to keep his feelings at bay. He had stopped flirting with him, knowing full well where it would lead—only to heartache.Louie was a real man, strong and genuine. Even though Archie couldn't help but notice the small signs that Louie might feel something for him too, he was afraid to take the risk. He knew that someday, Louie would find a woman who could give him the love he truly deserved, a woman who could fulfill the needs he had as a man.And so, Archie had learned to keep his emotions in check. Every time Louie came into his presence, his heart would thunder in his chest, but he had forced himself to accept that Louie was nothing more than his assistant and friend. Nothing more."Sir Archie..." Louie called out, his voice snapping Archie from his thoughts as Louie ran toward him, umbrell
"My queen," Tandre whispered as he wrapped his arms around her, his lips pressing a soft kiss to the back of her neck. His voice was tender and full of affection, and his touch made her heart skip a beat.She had been on the verge of drifting off to sleep, the peaceful lull of the night calling to her, but how could she refuse her husband, who had just returned from work and seemed determined to work his magic on her?“You smell so good, my queen,” he murmured, his voice warm and inviting, just as she turned to face him.His gaze was intense and inviting, and he bit his lower lip, his eyes dark with desire.Without thinking, her hands instinctively found their way to the back of his neck, drawing him closer. His eyes sparkled even brighter, and his smile deepened in response.She couldn’t help but feel as though she was being drawn in by the way he looked at her. His eyes spoke volumes of his love for her, conveying that she was the most beautiful woman in the world—his world.“You’re
"My queen," Tandre softly called to his wife, a gentle affection in his voice. Arwena immediately smiled, her heart warming at the sound of his words. He had been watching her for a while, patiently waiting for her to finish what she was doing. And now, with her task finally completed, he couldn't resist approaching her. Arwena shook her head with a knowing smile, fully aware of the silent longing that had been building in her husband. She knew he was eager to be close to her. He wanted to embrace her, to kiss her, but because of the warning she'd given him—that she wouldn’t join the Denovan Jewelry launch—he had held back. "Are you done?" he asked softly, his hand resting gently on her shoulder, caressing it with tenderness. Arwena responded with a sweet smile and a playful sparkle in her eyes. How could she not smile? Tandre's intentions were as clear as day. He wanted something more. He wanted to kiss her, and she could see it in the way he bit his lower lip, his gaze never le
After a deafening gunshot that made Arwena squeeze her eyes shut tightly, a series of explosions reverberated through the conference room, causing her breath to catch in her chest. Time seemed to slow as the violent sounds echoed in her ears. She was crying, but no sound came out—her mouth was open, but her voice had abandoned her. Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and her lips quivered as her body shook with the shock. Tandre, on the other hand, held her firmly, pressing her against him as if to shield her from the chaos. He held his breath too, certain that it was the end for them. He had accepted that it was their last day together. They remained locked in that embrace, a tense silence stretching between them, until the frantic shouting of police officers and the bomb squad’s urgent commands filled the conference room. The sharp contrast between the quiet aftermath of the explosions and the chaos of the responders was disorienting. Farah, caught completely off guard by th
“No, Wena! Don’t go in—” Tandre shouted, his voice desperate, but his plea was abruptly cut off when the cold barrel of a gun was shoved against his forehead.“Shut up!” Farah snapped, her voice trembling with rage as her finger twitched dangerously on the trigger. “You’ve been pushing me too far, Tandre! I’ve had enough of you!”“Don’t do this, Farah, please!” Tandre pleaded, his tone raw with sincerity, his eyes locking onto hers. “I’m begging you. I’ll do anything—just leave Arwena out of this.”Even as he faced the weapon aimed at him, not once did Tandre fear for his own life. His only concern was for Arwena. The mere thought of her being harmed made his chest tighten with a suffocating pain.Janica clenched her fists at his words, the weight of them stabbing into her like a cruel dagger. Hearing the man she loved beg for another woman crushed her heart, each word twisting the knife deeper.“I said shut up!” Farah’s eyes blazed with fury, her voice rising. “No amount of begging wi
“F-Farah!” Janica exclaimed, her voice trembling as though she had been jolted awake from a deep sleep by the gunshot that echoed in the room. Her lips quivered, and her wide, panicked eyes fell on the man lying lifeless and bloodied on the floor. “What the…” Her voice trailed off as she clamped her hands over her ears, trying to block out the deafening chaos. Her gaze darted around the room, searching for an explanation. Her breath hitched as her eyes landed on Tandre, crouched on the floor, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. The veins in his arms bulged, a silent testament to his barely contained fury. She wanted to scream, to lash out at Farah for her brutality. The man Farah had mercilessly shot was innocent, unrelated to their petty grievances and unending hatred. “How…?” Janica’s voice cracked as the words faltered. Shaking her head in disbelief, her eyes welled with tears. Her gaze lingered on the bloodstained hole in Tandre’s suit, and her trembl