But how did she tell the man she was married to that it wasn’t just the detective’s kidnapping theory that had the nerves knotting in her stomach? It was the prospect of going home with a husband who was, for all intents and purposes, a stranger to her. Alexus acknowledged that he was treading a fine line as he steered the Bugatti down the street and toward his house alone because he had left Timothy to watch after Rafaella. And now that he was bringing Rafaella home, the thin line he had been walking since he decided to keep their separation from Rafaella a secret appeared to get even lighter. He gave Libby instructions to arrange her possessions in his bedroom, the items Timothy had picked up from the hotel where they had checked in, and the majority of her clothing and necessities out of the house she had lived in, which he had repurchased from the man who was responsible for all the unfortunate events in the Jones family that led to her father's suicide. It appeared that she had
"Was this where I reside?"Alexus quickly brought his focus back to Rafaella. She regarded the house with wide eyes as though seeing it for the first time. He quickly reminded himself that she had witnessed it for the first time by giving himself a mental kick.She probably didn't remember the house if she didn't remember him.Alexus told her, "This is where we reside," feeling a twinge of guilt at the half-truth."It's adorable."He informed her, "That's what you said the first time I brought you here." That much was true. She didn't even tell him her impression of the house before her accident, but he saw enough appreciation in her eyes when he brought her to talk about their separation. "The gardens are so beautiful," he heard her say as if she was in a dreamy world.From the wheelchair where she was seated, she looked around the vastness of the place. And she closed her eyes when she felt the cool breeze on her cheeks. She felt her mood lighten.Alexus was silent, with his eyes st
"What might be critical?" Rafaella questioned hastily. She was eyeing Alexus. "Rafa, let's do it for the good of everyone. If somebody tries to break in, we have people around to deal with them." "Are you saying there's a risk to us?" "No, although it's best to use caution," said Alexus. Rafaella was ready to speak when Mrs. Wood returned, giving Alexus a bottle of water and a pill. "Rafa, do you need anything?" "No, I'm okay. I appreciate you asking." She responded, grinning at the senior lady. Her worries eventually vanished when she realized they were all referring to her by her given name, which was shortened for them. Most of all, she sensed Alexus's gratitude for her health. Timothy continued, "Same with us," before facing Alexus. Just tell me when you're prepared." "Yes, bring them to my study. I'll be right back with you." He turned to face her after rising. "You can rest in our room after I bring you there. You appear exhausted." He smiled and extended his h
Alexus continued to walk with heavy steps down the hallway towards his study room when he saw Timothy, who seemed to have just returned from his destination. He immediately noticed his broad smile."Why are you having that dog sneer on your face?" He commented coldly. "What's funny? Cut that crap."Timothy's laughter echoed in the hallway."Foul day, huh? I thought you would stay in your bedroom for a while," he said. Still having that wide grin. "You know, kind of reconciliation."His eyebrows quirked," And you have a foul imagination. There's no such thing.""Oh. So how did you convince her to share your bedroom?""The half-truth," he replied with sadness in his eyes. "It's the only way I could think of. With all the chaos, I was thankful she confronted me about our failed divorce before things worsened.""Yep. You're just lucky, man," Timothy agreed. "I guess this is your chance to put things in order. Just imagine having those smart kids which you didn't know about. And bitching wh
"The old man's name is Mateo Lombardi, an old Italian man, a friend of my wife's father. Rafa's father owed that older man a lot of money, and he wanted Rafa as the payment. The Jones family lived across from our residence. Our fathers were friends. When my father was murdered, I became closer to their family, and Rafa's father was like a father figure to me at the age of 14. So when I learned about his dilemma, I offered to marry his daughter Rafa at that time, barely 18. And after that, her father committed suicide." Gwen gasped,” Sorry for the interruption,” she said while her two companions were quietly seated and eagerly listening. "The woman in that picture was my girlfriend then, who knew nothing at first that I married Rafa. Eventually, when she found out, she accepted it since my motive was to save her." "So, how did you live together as a couple?" Gwen asked impatiently. "We didn't live as a couple. She continued living her life with her family and continued her schooling
Sighing, she looked at the wall of window glass panels where she could see the sky. Not a cloud to be seen. It was a clear crystal with a blue atmosphere that made her think about how her mind had pictured how crystal clear it was, with no memory of anything. She thought she should be content with being alive and married to a helpful and gorgeous man.Making the best of it, Rafaella looked at him as he slowly brought her casted leg to the bathtub's rim. "All right, now what?""I'm fixing your leg in the bathtub so the water won't wet your injured knee. Rest your head in the bathtub rim so I can wash your hair."After a while, she could hear the water flow from the faucet on her left.She slowly felt the warm water going up to her stomach."I'll be back," Alexus said, and she heard his footsteps slowly vanish. She was left alone for a while. Her hand slowly played with the hot water, which she gently splashed on her arms and shoulders. She felt relief and closed her eyes.She could hear
"Yes, your mom is right. You two can sleep here, but your mommy needs to heal first. That means, while she can't walk yet because of her leg, you two are off limits to sleep here for now." "Alright, Daddy. But soon, we go swimming..." Lucy answered. "Later, you can go to the swimming pool with Uncle Tim and Libby." The kids jumped in unison. "We must leave Mommy here so she can rest, and I have something to settle. Let's ask Libby to prepare something for you." The twins nodded in unison. They were holding each hand of their father after planting a kiss on their mother's cheek. "Bye, Mommy." Rafaella was by herself. Even though she could not recall the two kids, she was ecstatic to see them and spend time with them. Seeing the sadness in their eyes when leaving her a while ago broke her heart. She had planned to do that once she would be well enough to walk alone. She took a deep breath and stared at her casted knee. She must wait a little longer to remove the cast surround
"I'm finished with the guests, Tim. Take care of them and make sure the kids are OK." "Right away," Timothy said. They might have information to share with you about that situation, so I'll also speak to our three other guests. "That's good. "Alexus silently nodded. When Timothy emerged, he asked Rafaella, Feeling better now?" "Yes, a little bit." "Hang on. I'm about to jump into bed." He turned to the other side of the bed, lowered his feet, and climbed onto the bed while her eyes silently followed him. He sat down on the edge of the bed and drew her very close. Rafaella's face was buried in his neck, and her head rested on his right shoulder. He told her, "You've got something to say. Would you mind explaining what you're doing on the balcony?" She said in a low, collected voice, "Just getting some fresh air. And I had no idea someone was standing behind the large trees, staring at the balcony. I believe he was staring at me." Alexus was stunned at what she said and was
When they reached their bedroom, he grabbed her arm roughly, yanking her out behind him. And the moment the bedroom door shut behind them, he pushed her back against it. Her clutch bag hit the floor. His mouth covered hers, missing her taste. They were gentle at first, slowly stripping each other out of their clothes as they got to know each other's bodies again. It wasn't as if it had been ages since they had one another, but it had been long enough. Two weeks were long enough for him. Damn, he'd missed his sunshine. "God, it's been a long time..." he rasped. " As she pressed her body into his. He deepened the kiss, tasting her lips, then parting them with his own. His tongue drove between her lips. She moaned as their tongues mingled, then lifted her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. He moved one hand between her legs, and his touch immobilized her as he slid his fingers back and forth along the smooth seam of her center and circled them gently over her clit. S
Alexus couldn't sleep that night when Rafaella confessed her intention to join the syndicate as a victim. And he worked with Gerald to ensure his wife's safety. Gerald agreed since his team would also be there to get the syndicate's mastermind. While contemplating the critical mission Rafaella wished to do as an auction bride victim. Alexus could not help but sigh frequently. He found it hard to imagine his wife performing such an undercover role. It worsens the pain in his stomach more than the medication she gave him. But there he was, in front of her, smelling of flowers and wanting to reach out and touch her tender flesh. With their twins playing in the kitchen and the three agents keeping an eye on them, he was close enough to kiss her but didn't dare. Not until they had a chance to converse. She pulled a few soft drinks out of the fridge and handed one to him before following him into the living room she'd decorated with a few colorful accents from Milan before she had a
Rafaella was ecstatic as she watched her mother with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face as she hugged her only sibling, Cindy. Despite having concerns about what would come next in their lives now that the authorities had apprehended Colleen, Jasper, and their gang, she felt blessed despite these misgivings. It was a joyful moment since Rafaella's only sister had returned. She felt so much happiness in those moments. And even her mother could not hide the happiness and security of her will to see her two daughters together again. She quietly studied the profile of Cindy sharing her mother's happiness and tears while Gerald extended his hand to hold her mother's hand and kissed it. What a sweet man, she thought with a smile, but it vanished from her lips as she met her husband's facade, somewhat scowling. She strolled to join him, seated in one of the chairs with Ruslan and Leo nearby. "What is ailing you?" She asked in a whisper. "Nothing," his evasive reply and avoidi
Three days have passed since Rafaella was saved from the hands of Colleen, who kidnapped her as a ransom for Alexus to sign their divorce papers, but Alexus disagreed. Instead, he saved Rafaella from the hands of Jasper, who wanted to take advantage of her physically. They found out that Colleen was still in the clinic because she was high on substances when she was arrested, along with Jasper and some staff who hid in an abandoned farm that used to belong to one of her friends. And according to the investigation at the said location, the FBI group led by Gerald obtained two boxes of substance and some informative documents they did not divulge publicly. Alexus's stomach ache had also healed due to taking diet pills which Rafaella used as an accessory not to have intimacy with his ex-girlfriend, which he claimed was adequate but not good for his health as he felt deteriorating and weakling. So, the incident became a joke among the group. Rafaella felt even happier because t
Rafaella leaned her head against his shoulder and asked, "Can we just go to the woods?" He echoed in her ear, "I told you we couldn't. The woods are the worst area to flee to because doing so would be a suicide mission, and I also want her off my back. And that is to see her off to prison." Rafaella frowned at his remark, but she didn't need convincing—literally or figuratively—because she sensed she was about to enter a minefield. The area was eerie. She wanted to get back to her children to ensure no one was there to snap them away. That's why she was impatient in being in this place when she wanted to be home. She was never like this with her covert mission, but she had no idea this was how people with kidnapped family members felt in restless turmoil. Suppose there was compensation for being in this abandoned area, that was to be with Alexus. Having him beside her could make her forget her restlessness for at least a while. "Do you have a plan while we're hiding here?"
With a look of fear and determination, Rafaella struggled to untie her hands. Despite her fear, she hurriedly untied the duct tape holding both hands together when Colleen screamed and threatened her husband. She's just an unbelievable freak," she shook her head and thought. How could she get Alexus's feelings if she kept threatening him? She knew it would not work with Alexus. Was she that desperate to get his attention or something else? She figured out before that she might be desperate for lack of cash. And he thought Alexus was his only hope to help him. Rafaella got off the bed and sat on the floor. She looked around the room, wondering how she could get out of the room she was in. As fear registered in her brain, she tried to figure out how many of Colleen's men were so that she could estimate and know where they were located in that farmhouse. She remembered earlier that he didn't see anyone standing outside the house when they arrived, so she guessed that Colleen's men w
Rafaella awoke to heart-pounding panic. She finally managed to blink her eyes open as her senses slowly woke up. She realized she was in the back seat of the SUV. Suddenly, her forehead collided with the back of the driver's seat."Damn, that was close. Stupid animal crossing the road" said the man's stern voice in front of the steering wheel.She twisted wildly on her right side when she became aware of heavy breathing and found herself beside a man bent over as if he was sleeping inside the SUV.Instinctively, she grabbed for the door handle."Nice, try, but you shouldn't," snarled the voice beside her and grabbed her hair.She swallowed hard as she looked at him. Even in the dark of the backseat, she couldn't even see his eyes ultimately, but she knew. She'd seen the murder in his eyes earlier. When the time came for her to die, she knew he would kill her himself and relish the process. He would have killed her by now if it had been up to him. It wasn't up to him, though.Rafaella
Oh, I can't breathe. That thought quickly crossed her mind when Rafaella woke up. Her eyes widened as she struggled to get enough air into her lungs. Something covered her mouth and nose. And her heart beat faster as she glanced around the unfamiliar small room with a foul smell. She could hardly move as her hands were tied up behind her. She closed her eyes again and thought about what had happened last and how she ended up in a dark, unfamiliar place. The last thing she remembers was someone hitting her on the head when she came out of the comfort room of the cottage that belonged to Gwen. She rested her head against the bed's headboard and closed her eyes again as many images played through her mind. She remembered Alexus and their children. Oh, what's going on? Her thoughts were jumbled. I shouldn't freak out. She told herself that she needed to think clearly. as she leaned back, starting to remember what had happened. She remembered having amnesia, but now she could re
Rafaella stared at the laptop on her desk for the hundredth time facing the window. She had been checking Colleen's latest media update but found nothing, and she considered the fugitive woman not using her real identity. But she found out that someone was also digging into her records since many articles popped up that were not there two months ago. The publications claimed that Colleen had been institutionalized at a for-profit facility. Later reports mentioned her disappearance from the public eye. She wanted a calm life without being involved in the commercial matters of her family. What the hell kind of person lives like that? Rafaella asked. She looked at the Grant Pharmaceutical company's finances while still in shock. It combined with another profitable medical business while experiencing a decline in profits. Rafaella shook her head as she processed the new information. Given the business's financial stability, making money would have been tough when she last remembered