TYSHA“Good day, everyone. My name is Henry Colterzon. Nice to meet you all,” Henry uttered in front of my class. There was a hint of shyness in his voice but that was understandable since he was a newbie. I was pretty sure he would get used to his classmates after some time. All of my other students smiled at him, warmly welcoming him. “Okay then, Henry. Sit beside him please.” I ordered him to sit beside his best friend who was also a new transferee here in Mason Academy. It immediately put a genuine happiness on Henry’s face. Then, I started our Math class. Henry was a great student but there were some things he seemed to lack knowledge about. Maybe, it was because the curriculum here at Mason Academy was different from the school he came from. “Call dismissed. See you again tomorrow,” I announced after I gathered all the papers from my last class for the day. They all stood and greeted me back. “Thank you, Ma’am Tysha!” My students said altogether. I smiled at them before
RUEThe shock on Charles' face earlier was priceless. It was as if he had seen a ghost that was going to take revenge on him. I’d like to see more of that. I’d like to be the one haunting them. So, I purposely followed their car. Since luck seemed to be on my side, they seemed to plan on having lunch in a fancy restaurant near Mason Academy. Henry invited his best friend to come with us. Our original plan was to eat outside. Coincidentally, Tysha's family planned on doing so too. So, to annoy them further, I tailed them. Damn. The satisfaction I felt when Tysha started choking on her food after seeing me being assisted by the restaurant’s staff was the best. It seemed like she didn't expect she would see me here too. Charles extended a glass of water to her.As we settled in at the adjacent table to Tysha's family, Henry also noticed their presence.“Dad, look. It’s Ma’am Tysha,” Henry exclaimed, pointing at them.“Yeah,” I acknowledged.He then asked for my approval.“Should I g
TYSHA“Charles.” I halted on my way out of the restroom when I saw Charles waiting outside.I just excused myself for a moment to do a bathroom break and I didn’t expect him to follow me. “You left the kids?” I asked him. "I just wanted to talk to you alone," he replied, his tone serious, capturing my full attention.Frowning slightly, I asked, "What's going on?" His uncharacteristically somber expression was concerning, devoid of its usual lightheartedness.“Did you know that Addison already met Rue?” he asked. Oh… that? To be honest, I didn’t expect that too. God knew how my heart raced so fast when I saw my daughter waving at her real father. It scared me that they would know the truth even before I told them myself. Even before I was ready to tell them everything. “No,” I answered to Charles’ question. “That’s why I was shocked to the core when I saw her waving at Rue.” Relief washed over his face, and I could sense his tension easing. Perhaps he had feared that I had dis
TYSHA"Ma'am Tysha."Rue and I were interrupted by the sound of someone calling my name. It was my co-teacher, Rupert, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as I already had a suspicion about who the flowers were for."Sir Rupert," I greeted him back as he approached, stopping right beside Rue and me. With a knowing look, he handed me the flowers."Here. Happy Mother's Day," he said with a smile.Among my colleagues, Rupert was the only one who never forgot to give me flowers on special occasions. And it wasn't lost on anyone that he only did it for me. Speculation among our other co-teachers was rife, with many suspecting there might be something more between us. To be honest, I couldn't help but entertain the thought myself. It was hard not to, considering the obvious attention he paid to me.Not wanting to be impolite, I graciously accepted Rupert's gift."Thank you so much. These flowers are beautiful," I expressed my gratitude as I held
TYSHA"Why are you with those two punks?" Charles's question, laced with irritation, grated on my nerves. I took a deep breath, trying to maintain my composure as I addressed him.I wanted today to be calm and enjoyable, especially since it was Mother's Day—a day meant for a mother like me. However, the tension and drama from earlier were already giving me a headache."I didn't appreciate the way you acted, Charles, especially in front of my colleague," I stated calmly, hoping to reason with him.But Charles remained steadfast in his stance. "What? I'm just marking my territory," he argued. "He needs to know that you're off-limits now."His words only added to my frustration. I didn't need Charles to assert his dominance like some territorial animal. I needed understanding and respect, especially on a day meant to celebrate motherhood.As Charles's arrogance persisted in his tone, I chose to remain silent. It felt like talking would only lead to further frustration, as his mind seemed
RUE My blood was boiling beyond measure. If only I hadn't mastered controlling my emotions, I might have rearranged Charles' face on the spot. The sight of so many guys surrounding Tysha was a sickening eyesore, especially knowing that the one who could lay claim to her was my ex-friend. It could have been me, you know? Truth be told, I had actually intended to greet her, but my plans were dashed to pieces by those assholes who showed up. Another thing that grated on my nerves was the flowers those guys gave Tysha, and her reaction to them. First, there was the bouquet from her co-teacher, who happened to be Henry's Social Science teacher. “"These flowers are beautiful,” she said? What a damn lie. That was the ugliest bouquet I’ve ever seen in my entire life," I muttered to myself as I drove back to my company. I shook my head, recalling the bland bouquet Charles had given her. It didn't hold a candle to the ones I used to surprise her with. Did Tysha lower her standards again?
TYSHA“Who’s that from?”Suspicion was evident in Charles' tone when he asked me about the huge bouquet I was holding aside from the one he gave me. Given the way he reacted earlier when Rupert gave me a bouquet, I was sure he would be even mad once he found out this was from Rue. So, to avoid any argument, I lied. “I-I think it’s from Madeline,” I stammered, noticing Charles's furrowed brows.“Really? She’d make that kind of effort?” Until now, there was still a hint of suspicion with the way he talked. Not to appear nervous, I chuckled. “Of course, she always does,” I uttered. “You know we’re super close, right?” Charles examined the bouquet. He let his finger slip on the cellophane that was wrapping hundreds of red roses. Then he stared at the single note that was on it. "Why didn’t she write her name on this note?" he questioned, eyeing the note that came with the bouquet. All it said was "Happy Mother’s Day.""I’m worried my colleagues might tease me again. They might thin
TYSHAAfter Fred made my life harder, I went back to the faculty room because I had no choice but to wait for Rue. Fortunately, when I checked my kids, their teacher told me that they would overtime in their PE subject. I would still have time to talk to Rue. I told Rue to go to my department’s faculty room as soon as possible. While waiting for him, I took the time to prepare myself.I don’t know but when it comes to him, no matter how expert I am in my field, he still makes me nervous. I just learned how to hide it better. When someone knocked on the faculty room’s door, I sat straight, expecting it was Rue already. As expected, after three distinct knocks, the door creaked open, and Rue strode into the room. Instantly, all eyes turned towards him, including Celeste's, whose table was positioned opposite mine. Her jaw dropped in disbelief at the sight of Rue, mirroring the stunned expressions of everyone else present. I wasn't exaggerating when I described their reactions. Thei
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