Hello, everyone! We finally arrived at the present of this story. If you already forgot about it, you could read its Prologue again. ^^
RUE "Tysha?" I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Last night had been a blur of problems that I drank until I passed out and then I needed to attend a hasty board meeting this morning, so I was really deprived of sleep. Eventually, after making love with Tysha, I collapsed into bed with her, and exhaustion dragged me under. But now, as I reached out for her, the sheets were cold and empty where she should have been. Where was she? I swung my legs out of bed, scanning the room for any sign of her presence. Nothing. She wasn't there. Panic started to creep in as I stumbled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest. Where could she have gone? "Hey, baby?" I called out again, a frown creasing my brow. Straightening my clothes, I rose from the bed and scanned my office, hoping to catch a glimpse of her familiar form. Instead, my eyes landed on our signed contract resting on the table. My heart skipped a beat. That was her copy, I was sure of it. But why would she leave it behi
TYSHAMy dating history has always been a string of misfires. It's like I have a knack for picking the wrong guys every single time.Leaving Rue's office, I was a mess. Emotions surged, and by the time I stepped out of SlumberLux, tears were already streaming down my face. I sat down and covered my eyes with my palm as I burst into tears. I couldn't hold it back any longer.With my hand shielding my eyes, I let the tears flow freely. How could he do this to me? The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. He had ample opportunity to come clean, yet he chose silence.Why didn't he just tell me? It's like a betrayal right in the core of my being. Every plan we made, every dream we shared—it's all shattered now. The pain of it all felt like a physical blow, leaving me reeling with a mix of anger and hurt.How could I not have seen it coming? The pain was overwhelming, like a weight pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I trusted him, and he let me down in the worst possi
RUEPeople say when you meet your child, your heart will leap as if it knows you've met your own blood. I had heard that sentiment countless times. But as Henry ran up to me, his small arms wrapping around my legs, there was no such leap within me."Daddy!" His voice was filled with innocence and love, but I couldn't reciprocate it.We were in our mansion, surrounded by family—Leilani, his mother, my mother, sister, and grandfather. They were all here, brought together by my mother's invitation.As I stared down at Henry, who bore a striking resemblance to me, I felt a strange emptiness. Was it because of my problem with Tysha, or was it simply because he wasn't my biological son? The question lingered, casting a shadow over what should have been a moment of joy."Rue, hug your child," my mother's command cut through the air, but I remained stoic. The term "your child" felt foreign, unsettling even. I didn't like the implications it carried.Minutes passed, and still, I stood unmoving
RUE"Sir, here's the result of the investigations you asked me to do," Nick said as he placed brown envelopes on my table.I opened them one by one, and the first thing I saw were pictures of Bryse and Leilani in various coffee shops."It's confirmed that the parcel you received was from your nephew Bryse. He's also connected to Leilani," Nick reported. "They've been seen meeting each other multiple times. There's a strong possibility that your nephew orchestrated all of this."I gritted my teeth at the revelation. While I had suspected that my nephew might be involved, I hadn't anticipated the extent of his deception. It was hard to believe that he would go to such lengths just to sabotage my relationship with Tysha.I opened another envelope, and inside was the DNA test result of me and Henry. I had asked Nick to conduct the test secretly right after returning from confronting Tysha.As I read the statement that declared, "The probability of paternity is 0%," my heart sank."I also
TYSHA"Congrats on the success of your demo, Ma’am Tysha," my co-teacher, Rupert, said, handing me a simple bouquet of flowers. My eyes widened in surprise as I glanced in his direction, seeing his wide smile."What's this, Sir Rupert? There's no need for this," I said, feeling a bit shy as other teachers in the faculty room started to turn their heads toward us."That's for the success of your demo," Rupert reasoned out, his tone light with a hint of humor. "Don't you want it?"I smiled at his thoughtfulness. I had just finished my class demo for sixth-grade students, which happened to be Rupert's advisory class. And just as he said, it was a success."Thanks a lot. But you don't need to go to this effort next time. It must have cost you a lot," I said, feeling grateful but also concerned about the gesture's expense. However, he just shook his head."Don't worry about the price."We had been co-teachers for years now here at Mason Academy. I was hired and recruited by the owner slash
TYSHA"Granny! Pops!" My kids exclaimed with joy as we pulled up to my parents' house.It had been six yars, and they had long forgiven me. When I got pregnant, I thought they would be angry, but instead, they forgave me. It made everything better.Back then, I thought it was like a gift from God after finally ending things with the father of my kids.Even though things were fine between my parents and me, I stuck to my plan of living independently, with my family of course. But every now and then, I brought my kids to visit, just like today.My parents were already waiting on the porch when we arrived. As the kids ran to them, their smiles grew wide.Days really passed by so fast. Both of my parents already had white hair, and their wrinkles were very evident on their faces.“Aiden, Addison,” Papa said to them, effortlessly carrying both kids despite his age. “We missed you two. I prepared your favorite dish.”"Yehey!" Both of the kids clapped their hands, excited to be back.Then, P
TYSHA“Am I late?” That was what came out of Charles' mouth as soon as he stopped his car in front of me. He rolled down his window and smiled. Today was Mason Academy’s Family Day. I thought Charles would be late because of his work but even before my kids and I went to the school, I already received a message from him saying he was already on his way. This was one of the things I like about him. When he promised something, he would really do it. I smiled back at Charles. “Just in time,” I replied as I handed him the extra red shirt I got for him. “Here. Wear this.”Since it was Family Day, it was a must for a family to wear the same color of shirt. For first grade students and parents, our color was red. Charles stepped out of his car and shamelessly removed his shirt in front of me, making me catch a glimpse of his toned physique. My eyes widened a bit because I didn't expect him to be that bold. When I looked up to see his face, I saw he was stopping himself to smirk. It ser
RUEThe night after discovering that Tysha was one of the teachers at Mason Academy, where Henry wanted to study, I found myself hesitating to proceed with enrolling my son in that school. The thought of having any connection to her again, after everything she put me through, made me uneasy."Are you sure you really want to transfer to this school?" I asked Henry repeatedly as we arrived at Mason Academy for enrollment.I wanted nothing more than to give my son the best education possible, even if it meant enrolling him in the most prestigious school. But I needed to be sure that it was what he truly wanted. His happiness and comfort were my top priorities, and I was prepared to make any necessary arrangements to ensure his well-being."Yes, Dad. I'm fine with here as long as my best friend is here," Henry replied, his words finalizing his decision.Damn. I guess his decision was final and I couldn't argue with that.We stepped out of the car and entered the bustling school grounds, f
TYSHAAm I really going to be the billionaire’s wife? Everything still felt surreal. When Rue finally got down on one knee and popped the question, I swear my heart skipped a beat. For a moment, I was frozen, not quite believing what was happening. It was like time stood still as I processed the moment.At first, I'll admit, I had my doubts. I mean, after I talked to his grandfather, that was when I realized that I answered his call and that he heard everything I said. Like gosh! What if he no longer proposed to me after I declined his grandfather’s offer to marry him? God knew how I barely had a sleep the night after that realization of mine. Although what I meant by my refusal was… I didn’t wanna marry Rue for money, I still felt scared that if ever he, indeed, heard our conversation, he would think I didn’t want to marry him in general. No. That was the complete opposite of what I was feeling. If I were to settle down, to build a life with someone, it would be with him.Marria
RUEI used to doubt love. I used to think that it was just a distraction, something that got in the way of real goals and messed with your head. Growing up, I saw too many relationships fall apart and people getting hurt, including my family. So, I promised myself I wouldn't let that happen to me. Focus on work, keep emotions in check—that was my rule.Then I met Tysha on that one special night in Eventide Cabaret.Everything changed. She wasn't like anyone else I'd ever known. There was something about her that drew me in. At first, I fought it. I told myself it was just a phase and that I'd get over it. But the more time I spent with her, the more I realized she wasn't a distraction. She was exactly what I needed—she set fire to my sleeping lust.“Every time I walk you to your room, it leads to lovemaking,” I whispered in between our kisses. Right after she accepted my not-so-spontaneous proposal, she pulled me into her room to continue our kissing session.“Next time, you won’t
RUE“I won’t marry Rue.”I couldn’t believe what I just heard. Tysha’s words echoed in my mind, bouncing around like they were trying to make sense but failing miserably.When she accidentally answered my call, I didn’t hang up, especially when I heard my grandfather’s voice talking to her. I was mad at Grandpa for offering Tysha money to marry me, but I stayed silent because I wanted to hear her answer. I never expected her answer would break me.“Our relationship is not a transaction, Mr. Colterzon. Just so you know. While I appreciate your concern for our future, marrying him should come from our hearts, not a financial incentive,” I heard Tysha continue. “So, no. I won’t marry him for money.”After that, I ended the call before she even noticed I was listening to her conversation with my grandfather.I felt a mix of emotions. I was angry at my grandfather for interfering, for thinking that money could solve everything. But Tysha’s words cut deeper. She didn’t want to marry me, eve
TYSHA“You wouldn’t be able to drive us home?” I asked Rue on the other line. I had just finished all my classes for the day when he called.“No. We just had an emergency meeting at the company. But I’ll send Fred,” he offered, but I immediately refused.“No need. I can drive us myself.”“Okay. Just tell the kids I’ll visit them later,” Rue said before ending the call.As I continued gathering my things to leave the faculty room, one of my co-teachers approached me with a curious look.Tysha, someone’s looking for you,” my co-teacher whispered, nodding toward the entrance. I glanced up from my stack of papers, my heart doing a little flip. Who could it be? A parent? Another teacher? “Huh? Really?” I tried to sound nonchalant, but my pulse quickened. The school day had been ordinary so far, and I wasn’t prepared for any surprises.“Yes. He’s waiting in the parking lot, with lots of convoys,” my co-teacher grinned, clearly enjoying my confusion. With my co-teacher's grin, the first
TYSHARue wanted to introduce our kids to his mother and grandfather and the thought of it made my stomach churn with anxiety. Like, gosh!I couldn't help but overthink the whole situation. His grandfather had always hated me, ever since I was with Bryse. He did everything in his power to separate us before. And now, after all this time, I was terrified that his hatred for me would extend to our children.What if Rue’s grandfather took one look at them and saw nothing but a reminder of my past mistakes? What if he couldn't see them for the wonderful kids they are and only saw my flaws? The idea of my kids being judged or rejected because of my history was unbearable.I kept imagining different scenarios, each worse than the last. Would his grandfather's anger flare up the moment he laid eyes on them? Would he blame them for the messy past I had with his family? I could almost see the disapproval in his eyes, and feel the tension in the room.Rue seemed confident that things would be f
TYSHA“This is their picture?” Rue asked as I handed him the photo album, filled with pictures of our kids. After they had fallen asleep, he had suddenly asked to see some photos of them. Luckily, I had been making albums of their milestones.“Yeah, right after they were born,” I said proudly, sitting beside him on the couch and joining him in looking at the pictures.Rue carefully stared at each photo, his eyes filled with a mix of wonder and regret, as if trying to relive the moments he had missed. Each image seemed to pull him deeper into a past he wasn't part of, yet desperately wished he had been.He traced a finger over a picture of their first birthday, his expression softening. “Who was with you?” Rue asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.“My parents,” I answered simply, trying to decipher what was going through his mind.“Just them?” He glanced at me, seeking confirmation.“Yes. Just them.”“How about Charles?” he asked.I thought he might be jealous, but when I l
RUEIn a short amount of time, I became super attached to the twins. Every day without them felt like a lost chance to be their real father. That's why I found myself constantly at Tysha's house, trying to make up for lost time.I longed to bond with them, to be a presence in their lives that they could rely on. It wasn't easy, knowing that I missed out on so much, but I was determined to do better.I held out the hairbrush when my daughter Addison came out of the bathroom. Her hair was damp and clinging to her small shoulders.As usual, I was in their house again, wanting to spend more time with my children."Can I brush your hair?" I asked, hoping she'd say yes.“Okay, Daddy.” Addison nodded, a shy smile on her face, and took a seat on the stool in front of me.I took a deep breath, aware of the importance of this gesture, and of the trust she was placing in me.As I began to brush, I was careful, mindful of every stroke."Am I doing this right?" I asked, watching her reaction in th
TYSHAOkay. If I was having fun earlier about how Rue shut Celeste’s bitchy mouth, I was no longer enjoying it now.“Is it true, Tysha? You’re dating Mr. Colterzon? The billionaire?!” asked one of my coworkers. “Err…” I stammered, unable to find the right words immediately.First of all, I didn’t feel the need to tell the truth to them. Second, to be honest, I didn’t really know the answer to that. Am I dating Rue again? We used to date but does co-parenting with him count as dating?“How about Charles, Ma’am Tysha? Did you two break up already?” Another question was thrown at me. It was Rupert who asked this time. The faculty room had turned into chaos the moment I walked in after finishing my classes.Even though Celeste kept her mouth shut after what Rue said to her, the news still spread like wildfire. Fortunately, before I had to say something, Madeline came into the faculty room. "Everyone," she addressed the room sternly, "what's all this commotion? Where is your professio
TYSHASince Rue had insisted on driving us to school, and I couldn’t help but feel a little bit nervous. I’m sure it would spark a new rumor about me and gosh! But yeah, I must comply. This would be nothing compared to the six years I’ve taken away from him.As I told my kids about what their father planned on doing, Aiden and Addison were already perched by the window, their noses pressed against the glass, waiting for their father.Then it arrived. Rue’s car glided to a stop in front of our house, sleek and attention-seeking because of its vibes that were screaming ‘wealth.’ It was the kind of luxury car you’d see in magazines. But what can I say? The father of my kids is a billionaire so…“It’s Daddy!” Aiden and Addison said in chorus as their eyes grew wide with wonder. They rushed out the door, their school bags forgotten for a moment, as they circled the car with open-mouthed awe.I watched them.“Good morning, buds! Ready for school?” Rue greeted them with the same enthusiasm a