Alex stood before the door, his heart throbbing hard against his rib cage, his mind racing at a million miles an hour. In his hand was a folder containing legal documents filled with proof of his secret court wedding with Rosy. He knew what was inside that folder could destroy his mother's expectations and worst of the heartbreaking consequence if she go through it. It might forever ruin his relationship with her.He clenched it tightly in his grip, trying to gain strength from it's firm, undeniable proof. Today, he was going to confess his secret to his mom —he had married Rosy in a court, and was now a happily married wedded man.He wasn't sure of how his mother would react; their relationship had always been noisy and strained. She had done everything in her power to govern him from a young age, moulding him into her version of ‘the perfect son’. Since he could recall, he had always try his best to be the dutiful son to her.However, Alex had reached the end of his limit —and Rosy
And now, standing at this crossroads in his life, he had never been more certain of what he believed in, and whom he loved. Alex had determined to let go off being her puppet even if it means rebelling against her; he wouldn't mind!Alex knew that he had to take charge of his own fate and make his own decisions, even if it meant defying the expectations of others. With newfound determination, he stepped forward into his future, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.His eyes never leaving his mother's, he replied quietly but with emphasis, "I don't care if you disown me or you did not, I love Rosy and she loves me. We're going to make a life together, irrespective of your opinion. Don't think of this as your failure that I married out of your choice. Instead, consider it as my first in reality independent decision as an adult, some thing to be proud of.""Who told you you can make choices for yourself, Alex?" She asked almost thundering, her eyes spitting invincible fire. "I spe
••TWO MONTHS LATER••It was a Tuesday morning, and the bright morning sun shone brightly through the streets of States. Alex, now ranking amongst the top five successful business men, was known for his precision, had make sure to spend extra ten minutes preparing for today's work and to look good than usual as well. He'd landed a contract as a new lead supplier of office material for a large trading firm and needed to make a good impression. As he cautiously straightened his black tie one more time, his right lingered on the reflection in the room mirror hung before him.The businessman admired himself, all smiles, and felt a jolt of excitement. Today would be a start of new chapter in his life, a day filled with larger budget and even loftier aspiration —the weather was unusually good that morning, so he could promise himself that. Within that same room of his, also beaming in anticipation was his wife, Rosy. A true vision of femininity, she bore an image that bought compassion to
Still that same day after Alex had left for work, it was warm as the sunlight reflects brightly as it shines, adding more beauty to the streets of States. However, it did not last too long as the climate suddenly changed. Soon enough, the supposed warm and fine weather was abruptly changed as it rain slightly, the atmosphere suddenly turning cold and fuzzy. On that cold, colorless Tuesday afternoon, heavy with the weight of imminent decision, Alex sat in the conference room of his office alongside with his diligent staff members. He fidgeted continuously, struggling to focus on the words bouncing around the room as his mind was filled with the echoes of the conversation he had had with his wife, Rosy only few hours earlier.Alex and Rosy had weathered many storms over the dozen months they had been together. Through tremendous hardship and joys, they had managed to remain steadfast in their love for each other; being each others source of strength. “...And, since we now share the sa
Lisa exited the conference room, her mind buzzing with the ideas that had been discussed during the meeting with her executives. As she exit the entrance of the conference room, she saw a familiar figure standing outside with his both hands buried in his pants pockets, his back to her. She was surprised to see Andy there, as she knew he had a surgery scheduled at the hospital."Andy?" Lisa called out in surprise, approaching him. "Is that you?"Startled, Andy turned around, his face lighting up at the sight of Lisa. "Hey, Lisa!" He uttered, a sly smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Do I look fake? Ever come across my doppelganger before?"Lisa scoffs, already used to his nonstop teasing. "Maybe your doppelganger would make a better person than you." She enunciated, barely smiling at him. "I can't wait to meet him."Andy held his chest dramatically, feigning a hurtful expression. "Ouch, that hurts a little, Lisa!" He frowned with a slight groan but Lisa only shrugged in reply. "H
In the sterile environment of the hospital waiting room, surrounded by hushed murmur and the faint scent of disinfectant, Andy sat beside Lisa, fearfully comforting his Cousin and fondling her palm as he awaits the doctor's assessment.A million question plagued his mind, each one darker and more troubling than the last. Has she suddenly developed a food allergy? Was it something more sinister? Those were his unsettled thoughts as he held Lisa's trembling hand, during his best to ease her worry while his head pounded with dread. Soon enough, a doctor emerged from an examination room, a small professional smile on his face —wide enough to ease the cousins at the moment. "It's nothing serious but just a simple case of pregnancy, Mr. Andy." He announced, relieving much of the anxiety that had gripped Andy.Well, his relieved anxiety only lasted few seconds as he rethinks the doctor's simple words. "What pregnancy...?" His eyes widened at the thought of his Cousin being pregnant. Why wou
It was barely an hour past noon and Alex was already preparing to leave his office, thereby closing for the day. He had Kiel cancel all of his schedule for that day, leaving most of his clients hanging —well for that day, he did not mind, his wife's happiness comes first as he already planned out the best surprise for her. He needed to prove to her and show her how much he loves her and was willing to do anything for her, believing she's also possessing the same mindset as his. Most definitely, she would since she's now his wife.With a dreamy smile on his face that doesn't seem like it would be fading away from his face anytime soon, he threw his blazer over his shoulders, humming some incoherent words understand his breath happily.As he wear his blazer, he couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to love and be loved in return. The warm sun that was reflecting and the gentle breeze in the air seemed to be a mirror of the warmth and joy he felt in his heart. Today was go
Alex arrived home mid afternoon, the drive from his lawyer's office to his house was barely an hour. As he parked his car at the garage, he couldn't help but smile proudly at himself as he imagined the wide and appreciative smile his wife would offer him.Alex stepped wearily into the familiar warmth of their home, his eyes reflecting a glimmer of unwavering determination laced within the weariness. Across the room, Rosy sat immersed in the pages of a book, her lips curving into a welcoming smile as Alex's arrival interrupted the calm and almost deserted atmosphere of their living room."Hey, Rosy, I'm home!" Alex's voice reverberated with a mixture of exhaustion and quiet resolve, a obvious indication of the weight he carried from the day's endeavors.Rosy lifted her gaze from the pages, allowing her smile to brighten her features as she engaged in their customary exchange of pleasantries. "Welcome back, darling. How was your day?" Her words danced with feigned nonchalance, masking t
As she sat, deep in thought, a sudden buzz broke her concentration. A notification appeared on her phone, with a message from her former fiancé, David."Why is he sending me a message out of the blue?" She muttered within herself as she unlocked her phone to read the message, feeling a mixture of anxiety and curiosity. She read the message, and her breath caught in her throat.Sarah stared at the message sent to her, her curiosity suddenly turned into a mixture of anger and sadness. It reads, 'I can't believe you are such a gold digger, Sarah! This was your plan all along? To ditch me, leave me in disgrace at the altar, and go after the president because he's loaded, isn't he?'Sarah gritted her teeth in fury as she read the message further. 'You are such a cheap slut, but I promise you, Sarah, that I won't go down without a fight! Be on your best guard because tonight, I'm giving you the biggest surprise of your life...!'David's words cut through her like a knife, the fact that he go
Sarah, a name now acknowledged and recognized in the journal of the nation's political context, stood as the center of an exceptional sight, surrounded by glaring lights, loud and noisy voices, and examining eyes from the press, reflecting a model of the public.Amidst the lights and noisy surroundings, the press that managed to get close to her probed her with questions, their eyes gleaming with excitement. She was their new prey - the fact that she was the first Lady made things more interesting for them.For the first time since her marriage with the president, she had only stepped out for a moment to look around and probably get used to her new environment but things did not turn out as she thought would be.As though the press was keeping a close watch on her and monitoring her movement - maybe someone had tipped them off her whereabouts, they hovered around her like flies, trapping her down in the same spot.Microphones and other instruments used by the press were pointed in her
As Sarah stood at the altar to exchange marital vows with the president, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. It was as if time had slowed down, and everything around her was moving in slow motion.The guests, the priest, the groom - they all seemed to be moving at a fraction of the speed she was used to. Everything felt surreal as if she was in a dream. But she knew this was real. This was her wedding day - another wedding she was holding in that same week she ditched the first one.The priest's words drifted through the air as if they were carried by the wind. "Do you, Sarah, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do you part?"As the words of the vow hung in the air, Sarah felt her heart skip a beat. It was like everything had stopped, and it was just her and the president in the world. She looked into his eyes, a
Sarah had never seen him before which made her curiosity piqued, her gaze on the parcel he stretched out to her. Though she was tempted to take the parcel from him, she still hesitated as though she was contemplating taking the parcel from him.His unusual warm smile spread wider, urging her to take it from him. Seeing how much she was hesitating, he squatted down to her height, opened her palms, and placed the parcel on them."For you..." He uttered, still wearing his unusual warm smile. His voice was calm but far from the regular manly voice Sarah had heard."What's in the parcel?" She asked, directing her gaze from the man to the parcel in her palms before raising her gaze to meet the man's. "-and why are you giving it to me?""I can read the curiosity in your eyes, lady." He responded quietly, maintaining his calm tone. "Why don't you feed your curiosity by checking it out yourself?"Sarah said nothing in reply and did as the man had suggested. She opened the parcel and couldn't be
Alone on the serene and deserted beach, Sarah sat on the sandy shore, the waves crashing against the beach as if echoing her inner turmoil. The sunset on the horizon in its warm hue of orange failed to bring comfort to the despair that hung over her like a chute.Her eyes were red and swollen, heavy with the weight of sorrow and betrayal. Tears painted her face, the hurt as vast as the sea itself and heavy as a lead. Yet underneath the sorrow was an underlying sense of trepidation - a thought that wasn't born out of hope but out of fear of continuing to live.Sarah ought to be grateful that she found out about them before the knot was tied between herself and David - how worse would it be if things started to unfold after her wedding?Sarah stood up abruptly and walked closer to the beach, shutting other thoughts off her head and mind. She stared intensely into the raging waves of the waster as thoughts of suicide attempts swirled in her mind, tempting her to end the painful game she f
Divorce is okay.Starting over is okay.Moving on is okay.Being alone is okay.But, what is not okay is staying somewhere "YOU'RE NOT VALUED AND APPRECIATED!"Sarah is betrothed to her highschool lover. A man whom she has dreamt a million dreams to grow into an old age with.What happens on the eve of their wedding day. A betrayal of infidelity struck her path.But the question remains; Will it save her marriage, destroys it or rather changes her fate for a greater good?You and I needs to find out!.....................The sun rose over the town, casting a warm glow on the streets. It was a partially sunny day, and the sky was clear as well. The air was crisp and cool, and the birds were singing happily in the trees.The streets were quiet, and there was a peaceful stillness in the air. It was the perfect morning for a walk in the park, or for sitting under a gazebo with a cup of coffee. The world seemed to be at peace, and everything was just as it should be. It was a morning to be
Gerald was pushed aggressively back into the prison, and the warder locked the gate immediately, throwing the keys into his pocket. Gerald hissed in pain as he forcefully hit his knee on the cold floor, bruising it in the process.“I wonder how long you are going to last here with the nonchalant attitude you are putting on, man!” The warder scowled disapprovingly at him, resting lazily on the gaze. “You won't even last three months here —you will be lucky if you do.”Gerald's eyes widened in shock. Three months…? That's a whole lot of time to be detained in a prison, how is he supposed to cope in this kind of surrounding for that long period of time without even knowing his offense? The thought of spending three months locked up in a cell was terrifying as it made his stomach dropped.It was hard to imagine being stuck in such a small space for so long, with nothing to do and no one to talk to. Gerald tried to think of ways to pass the time, but his mind kept returning to the same thou
Gerald's eyes blazed in fury as he banged his hands dangerously on the table, separating them from each other. “I rather remain in this hole than be at your mercy or listen to your petty orders! You can't make me do your bidding!” He growled at her.“Tsk, tsk!” Aunt Elsie twitched her nose in disappointment, unmoved by his rage or threats. “Then what would happen to Lisa? I told you; that your reaction and obedience will determine Lisa's fate, didn't I?”“What are you going to do to Lisa?” Gerald demanded, his heart beating against his rib cage. He couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her. “Tell me what you want, and I'll do it. Just don't hurt her.”Aunt Elsie's lips stretched into a thin smile, she was loving the desperation in Gerald's eyes —he's the perfect pawn in the game. “I'm glad to see that you're willing to cooperate.” She said, satisfaction evident in her tone. “You're a smart man, Gerald, I think we can work well together.”Gerald hated the way she was talkin
Aunt Elsie smiled broadly, she was right about him. Only someone like him will be needed —he had managed to read her perfectly without getting close to her. She was impressed, and that will only make her want him more.“I don't bargain, yeah…" She uttered, admitting to his words. “—but I'm ready to do so, if it'll please you.”“What do you mean by that?” he asked, his curiosity piqued. “Why would you change your usual tactics just to please me? What do you want from me?”Aunt Elsie's smile widened, she was glad he didn't bite her head off this time —instead, she loved the curiosity in his eyes; that was what she wanted from him anyway, not otherwise.“I've found myself smitten with you, Gerald.” She replied, her voice taking a different turn. “And I would do anything to get what I want from you —I'm not afraid of bargaining this time because I know what I want, and I want it badly.”Gerald was no in for her twist and turns, he wanted her to say whatever thing she's got for him and let