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LXXII : [Still Flashback] Too Close, Too Late
Last Updated:
2025-02-08 01:08:59
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His Son, Her Secret LXXIII : Present : Stay Away, Stay Close
Present The morning slipped through the gap in the curtains, refracting golden light into Max's room.I opened my eyes slowly, letting consciousness return to fill my heavy mind. My body still felt tired, not from lack of sleep but from the burden of thoughts that haunted me even in my dreams.Max was still asleep beside me. His face was peaceful, his lips slightly pursed like he were dreaming. His blanket was half uncovered, and one small hand was still hugging his favourite Superman doll.I gently stroked his hair, letting my fingers brush the fine black strands. My son. The only part of my life I never regretted.But everything leading up to this point? I can't say the same.I took a deep breath and looked out the window. The beach in front of the house was still quiet, and the waves were rolling in with a calm rhythm.I shouldn't feel like this.But as I sleep next to my son on what should be a peaceful morning, Aurora's words from five years ago come back to haunt me."You have
Last Updated : 2025-02-08His Son, Her Secret LXXIV : Max’s Cookie Chronicles
After lunch, I stood on the sill of the dividing wall that separated the kitchen and living room, staring at Pascha, who was putting the car keys into his pants pocket. He was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his hair was slightly messy, typical of him.Sitting on the living room floor arranging Lego toys, Max turned his head when he heard his Dad footsteps."Are you leaving, Daddy?" he asked innocently.Pascha paused for a moment, then lowered his body to Max's level. "Yes, sweetheart. Daddy have some work to do."Max nodded with understanding. "You won't be long, right?"Pascha smiles a little, ruffling Max's hair. "I'll be home as soon as I finish work, Maxie."Max looked thoughtful for a moment, then his face lit up like he had just remembered something. "It's okay, Daddy, you don't have to worry."Pascha raised an eyebrow. "Why I don’t need to worry?""Because Uncle Ben is coming! So I won't be bored." Max casually replied.I froze in place.Pas
Last Updated : 2025-02-09His Son, Her Secret LXXV : Max’s Favorite Person
Max was still sitting on the sofa with an unreceptive expression, his mouth continuing to chew his hard homemade cookies with extra effort.Beside him, Clara laughed without pity, eating my cookies with a look of complete satisfaction."Wow, Bel, these cookies are perfect," she said dramatically, chewing slowly, wanting to taunt Max further. "Soft, just the right amount of sweetness, and they don't require any extra effort to bite into."Max gave her a sharp look. "My cookies are good too!"Clara suppressed a smile, then took one from Max's pile of cookies, tapping it against the table with a loud 'tock' sound.Max widened his eyes, then glared at her. "That's just because they're too dense! If I dipped them in milk, they'd be even better!"I laughed while Clara pretended to think. "Hmm... well, I'll try."She reached for Max's glass of milk, dipped the cookies into the milk for two seconds, then took a bite.Silence.Max waited expectantly.Clara blinked. Then...She rolled her eyes
Last Updated : 2025-02-10His Son, Her Secret LXXVI : Lines We Cannot Cross
I stood in the kitchen, my fingers typing a message quickly on my phone before I could think twice.Don't come.I stare at the screen for a moment, then add,I don't want Max to see you and Ben fighting. He loves you both, and I don't want him to be sad.I hit the send button and let out a long sigh, leaning back against the kitchen counter.A few seconds passed.Two ticks. Read.But no reply.I snorted softly, putting the phone down on the table. Pascha was probably thinking, or maybe he just didn't care. That doesn't surprise me.In the living room, the sound of explosions from the Transformers movie echoed, followed by Max giving a small cheer. He sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes glued to the television screen, too engrossed in the giant robot battle scene.I rubbed my face, feeling a little tired despite not having done anything yet.Then, I heard footsteps.I knew who it was before I turned my head.Ben stopped in the kitchen doorway, leaning his broad shoulders against th
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Max was still standing between them, his innocent eyes staring left and right, clearly not understanding why the atmosphere around him had suddenly changed."Max," I looked down, making my voice as soft as possible, "why don't you come with Cece to the kitchen? It looks like she needs help preparing your favorite drink."Clara, who had been quietly observing, immediately caught my code. "Oh yes!" she chirped. "Maxie, I just bought your favorite strawberry syrup! Would you like to try making a special milkshake with me?"Max immediately beamed.Without thinking, he ran towards Clara, forgetting about the two stubborn men staring at each other behind him.I waited until the sound of Max's steps disappeared in the direction of the kitchen before exhaling softly and looking at the two men warily.Pascha just shrugged casually, like Ben's presence in the house was no big deal. "I just want to have dinner with my son."My son.He emphasized the word deliberately, his gaze never leaving Ben,
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The rain beats against the bedroom window in a steady beat. I sat on the edge of the bed, a storybook open in my hand, while Max snuggled under a blanket with a picture of his favorite Superman and his stuffed superman too . His brown hair was messy, and his cheeks flushed warm after a full day of play.But... this boy, as always, never ran out of energy.“Come on, Max,” I flipped through the book's pages. “It's getting late. You should go to bed. Mommy have to work tomorrow.”He just squirmed while hugging his doll. “But I'm not sleepy yet!” he protested. “I still want to talk about dinosaurs!”I let out a long sigh, looking at my little boy whose eyes still sparkled despite the late night. “You've been talking about dinosaurs all day, sweetie. Now, I know more about velociraptors than I've ever learned in my life.”Max giggles. “But you don't know this one yet, Mommy! You know what? That T-Rex can bite with eight thousand pounds of force! That's as strong as... hmmm...” he paused, t
Last Updated : 2025-02-13His Son, Her Secret LXXIX : One Step Too Close
I found Ben standing by the living room window, his phone pressed to his ear, his jaw set, and his eyes staring into the rainy night outside."I'll be home later," his voice was cold and measured but clearly laden with suppressed emotions. "Yes, I understand... I said I'd take care of it."I stopped in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt immediately, but his expression made my chest heavy. Ben looked... angry. No, more than that. Frustrated.He was silent for a few seconds, then snorted sharply. "Whatever. Do what you want."Click.The call ended.Ben lowered his phone, then rubbed his face roughly before putting his phone in his pocket.I took a step closer. "Who?"Ben turned his head briefly, his expression sharp, but his eyes softened slightly as soon as he saw me. "Papa."That one word was enough to make my body stiffen.Ben grunted, walked over to the sofa, and heavily flung himself down on it. "There's a problem at the office. He wants me back to Bogota now."I watched his mov
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"Why does the water get cold first and then become hot?""Because water takes time to change temperature.""Why does it take time?""Because the water pipe is long.""Why is the pipe long?"Pascha let out a long breath. "Max, please... focus on your bath.""Okay. But after this, you'll have to explain how the pipe can carry water.""Oh God...Max, come on, don't make this tough."I could imagine Pascha starting to rub his face in resignation. I knew precisely how complicated it was to bathe Max."But... if I take a bath, my brain will get wet and my intelligence will decrease!""Max..." Pascha started to sound like he was losing his temper. "That's not how the brain works."Max groaned. "But—""God, this kid..." I could hear the water gurgling as Pascha started the shower.Max's little squeal made me giggle. "Dad, this soap smells weird.""That's the soap Mommy uses.""Oh, then why does Mommy use weird soap?""It's not weird, Max. It's lavender.""What's lavender?""It's a flower.""Wh
Last Updated : 2025-02-15
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The cold Siberian wind hit my face as we walked through the lush forest."So, who has hunted before?" Igor asked."Me," Pascha replied without hesitation, patting the hunting rifle on his shoulder. With his thick, dark brown fur jacket and confident expression, he seemed to want to look like a conqueror of nature.Trisha rolled her eyes. "Oh, of course. The King of the Romanov Forest."Pascha glared. "I once shot a deer from two hundred meters away.""You mean twenty meters?" Trisha scoffed."Two hundred, Trish," Pascha snorted. "That's enough distance to get a good shot."Trisha leaned closer to me and whispered loudly. "He must have been dreaming at the time."I chuckled while Pascha glared at his sister. Igor let out a long sigh, clearly used to their dynamic."I hunted once," I said, hoping not to sound too nervous. "With my grandfather in Colombia. But we used arrows.""Arrows?" Pascha raised an eyebrow, looking impressed. "Didn't know you had it in you."I lifted my chin haughti
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Night descended quickly over Siberia, bringing with it the creeping cold. The night wind struck the wooden walls of the cabin, rustling and whispering in a low, soothing tone. The fire in the hearth still burned, its flames dancing in golden-orange shadows across the rough wooden walls.I lay on the rough yet surprisingly soft wooden cot, a thick blanket wrapped tightly around me. Trisha lay next to me, curled up with her face hidden beneath the covers. Her breathing had evened out, signaling that she had fallen into a deep sleep after today’s long journey.But I couldn’t sleep. Maybe it was the sound of the wind howling outside or perhaps it was the swirl of thoughts racing through my mind. I glanced toward Pascha and Igor, who were sitting on the other side of the room. They were near the hearth, which was slowly dying down, talking in low tones that I could only partly make out. Their Russian flowed quickly and smoothly, sounding more like murmurs than distinct words.Pascha turned
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The sky was starting to darken as we walked back to the cabin. The Siberian night air pierced our skin, even though the sun hadn't fully set yet. Trisha and I walked side by side, a bit behind Pascha and Igor, who were leading the way with their long strides.Trisha slipped her hand into my arm, trying to warm herself. "You know, I'm kind of jealous of you," she muttered suddenly.I turned to her, frowning. "Jealous? Jealous about what?"She shrugged, her eyes still fixed on her brother ahead of us. "Pascha loves you in a way that's... hard to explain. It's like the world stops when he's with you."I looked away, trying to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks. "I know he loves me, but... the future is unpredictable, right?"Trisha laughed softly, her voice like a gentle breeze slipping through the pine trees. "That's true. But I know Pascha. He'll never love anyone the way he loves you. He might be a little annoying and clingy, but trust me, he won't just let you go."I bit my lip, tr
His Son, Her Secret CXLIX : Wildflowers & Wilderness Hearts [Flashback]
Igor walked ahead with a light step, as if he didn’t feel the weight at all, while I, Pascha, and Trisha followed behind, gasping for breath. The trail was rocky and slippery, with tree roots jutting out from the ground. Towering pine trees lined both sides, their shadows stretching under the afternoon sun.“I... hate... you... Igor...” Trisha panted, dragging her feet, clearly exhausted.Pascha raised an eyebrow, glancing at his brother. “Are you sure this is the right trail? We’ve been walking for over an hour!”Igor just looked back with a half-mocking smile. “You’re too spoiled. This is the easiest route.”I wiped the sweat from my forehead and took a deep breath. “The easiest route? Are you serious?”Suddenly, the rumble of a helicopter sounded above. I looked up and saw a sleek black helicopter flying low, following the trail. The window was open, and I could see Natalia waving cheerfully while Alexandr sat comfortably inside, probably enjoying the view from above without having
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The Romanov family's private jet was way bigger than I had imagined. The interior felt like a floating penthouse, complete with white leather sofas, thick cream-colored carpets, and large windows offering an endless view of the blue sky. There was a spacious seating area with a polished wooden table and a minibar filled with crystal glasses and high-end liquor bottles.I sat on one of the sofas near the window while Trisha sat beside me, hugging a pillow with a grumpy face. From the other end of the room, I could hear Pascha and Igor’s muffled voices, seemingly arguing about something I couldn't quite grasp."I can't believe we're actually going to Siberia," Trisha grumbled, burying her face in the pillow. "I packed summer clothes, cute dresses, and now we're going to end up in the middle of a forest with wolves and—what was it again? Taiga man?"I chuckled, resisting the urge to tease her more. "You could still wear those dresses in the woods. Maybe the bears would appreciate your fa
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Lunch at the Romanov household felt more like a grand family feast than just an ordinary meal. The long dining table was covered with mouth-watering dishes—thick black bread with butter, deep purple-red borscht, salads with diced beets and potatoes, and large platters of roasted meat, their savory aroma filling the room. Everything was arranged neatly on a spotless white tablecloth, with crystal glasses gleaming under the luxurious chandelier.I sat next to Pascha, who looked more relaxed than usual, while Igor sat across from me, chewing his food with the focus of a soldier on a covert mission. At the head of the table sat Alexandr, moving his fork with graceful precision, observing the scene with sharp yet affectionate eyes. Natalia was beside him, her slender fingers delicately stirring her soup as she smiled softly.However, the peaceful lunch almost immediately unraveled when Trisha started talking.“I’m telling you, we have to go to the Riviera! Beaches, cocktails, yacht parties
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In front of the massive entrance, with towering marble pillars, stood two figures who immediately captured my attention. A tall, broad-shouldered man with dark hair that was starting to gray at the temples, his face stern with sharp, chiseled lines.My chest and throat tightened instantly. Pascha’s parents. Alexandr Romanov and Natalia Romanova.Their names carried a weight of history, almost legendary in the realms of international business and politics. Just one glance at them, and I could feel the power and dominance radiating from their composed presence. A sudden wave of tension washed over me, and I found myself clutching the hem of my skirt.“Relax,” Pascha whispered beside me, his large hand reaching out to pat my thigh reassuringly. “They’re not as bad as you think.”I shot him a suspicious look. “Not as bad?” I echoed quietly. “Did you forget all those stories about their strict discipline and rigid rules?”Pascha shrugged nonchalantly. “They’re softer when it comes to guest
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The sight of the Romanov family's private airport froze me in place. A warm summer breeze brushed against my face, but it was nothing compared to the gleaming private jet shining under the sun. The jet's sleek black paint bore the Romanov family emblem on the tail—an elegant symbol with gold accents that screamed power and luxury."Wow," I whispered, probably for the fifth time in the past ten minutes. My eyes couldn't tear away from every detail of the jet, the aerodynamic lines, the dominating grandeur, and the bold, graceful lettering of the family name etched on the side.Standing beside me with his hands casually tucked into his black pants pockets, Pascha let out an amused snort at my repeated reaction."It's just a plane, Bee," he said nonchalantly, as if the magnificent thing was just a toy.I glanced at him, giving him a pointed look. "Just a plane?" I echoed in disbelief. "It's bigger than my apartment!"He shrugged without a hint of guilt. "You haven't seen the inside yet."
His Son, Her Secret CXLIV : Moscow Sounds Like Trouble (So Do You) [Flashback]
"I missed you," he whispered, his deep, raspy voice vibrating the air between us. I bit my lower lip, trying hard not to smile. "Then stop making me mad." "I can’t promise that," he replied with a mischievous smirk before leaning down to gently kiss my forehead. I closed my eyes, letting out a long sigh. Pascha always had this infuriating yet comforting way of making me both angry and at peace at the same time—a combination that was both annoying and heartwarming. The night stretched on, and we kept talking, laughter and complaints blending into a long, seemingly endless conversation. Slowly, my eyelids grew heavy.I inched closer to Pascha, letting his arm wrap around me as his warmth surrounded me in a rare feeling of comfort. :::: For the first time in weeks, I felt genuinely at peace. The morning in Cambridge was chilly, even with the sun hanging low in the sky. Dew still clung to the apartment windows, leaving blurry wet streaks. I stood in my small kitchen, staring at a s
