I sat on the sofa, staring at the suitcases that were already arranged near the door. I've finished packing all my things, Max's clothes, everything we need for this trip. But somehow, I still couldn't believe I had agreed to go.In front of me, Max was still in Pascha's arms, busy babbling endlessly about everything he wanted to do in the Alps. "I want to see cows with bells! And I want to ride the cable car! And then... and then I want to try the cheese with the holes! Daddy, did you know that cheese really has holes? I saw it in a cartoon, but I'm not sure it's real!"Pascha chuckled, stroking Max's hair. "It's real, Max. You can see and try it for yourself later."Max immediately gave a small cheer, his hands waving in excitement. "YES! I want to eat cheese on a mountain!"I sighed, leaning back against the sofa. I still felt weird about this decision. It was because this trip was never in my plans, and it was the fact that I would be spending time in the same place as Pascha for
Max tiptoed on my lap when the car stopped before the hangar, almost making me lose my balance."Daddy, come on! I want to see the plane!" he exclaimed, his hands gripping my shoulders firmly. “UP!"Pascha turned off the car engine and turned to Max. "You can get off by yourself, right?"Max glared like Pascha had just said the most absurd thing in the world. "No! I want to be carried!"Before I could say anything, Pascha exited the car, walked to our side, and opened the passenger door. Max immediately raised both hands without hesitation towards his father, urging him like a spoiled child."Come on, carry me now!"Pascha easily lifted Max's tiny body into his arms. "All right, Little Master. What else do you want?"Max looked up at Pascha with sparkling eyes, resting his chin on his father's shoulder. "I want you to be my tour guide. I want a tour on your plane.""Max, that's not a tour plane." I said.Max ignored me, still staring enthusiastically at Pascha. "Come on, I want to see
I was still in between consciousness and sleep when faint voices began to piercing my mind."Daddy, Daddy, look at Mommy. She's sleeping so peacefully," I heard Max whisper. "She's like a Sleeping Beauty."Pascha chuckled lowly. "That's true. But, you know what's more interesting?" he also whispered.Max was silent for a moment. "What?"I could feel them both looking at me."When she wakes up, she turns into a dragon."Max let out a small laugh. "You mean, Mommy's grumpy, daddy?""No," Pascha sighed dramatically, "it's worse. Mommy is a perfectionist. She can nag longer than you can talk about Transformers."Max snorted. "I never stop talking about Transformers.""Exactly."I wanted to glare and say that I could hear them, but my eyes felt too comfortable to open."Daddy, have you ever seen Mommy get really mad?""Hmm... a lot." He replied.Max chuckled, his voice getting farther away. "I think I know. Mommy will get mad if we don't wake her up.""Oh no, Maximus," Pascha whispered, hi
After a hearty lunch, Max couldn't keep still. He ran outside onto the wooden terrace that overlooked the vast and breathtaking view of the Alps."Daddy, look at that!" Max pointed to a small lake glistening in the afternoon sun. "Can we go down there? I want to touch the water!"Pascha, who stood beside him with his hands in his pants pockets, just smiled. "You know the water must be really cold, right?""But I can wear gloves!" Max insisted.I sat on a patio chair, enjoying the cool breeze that carried the scent of the pine forest. From here, the view was perfect. Mountains with snowy peaks looming in the distance, green valleys sprawling across the landscape, and small cabins scattered across the foothills. The clear blue sky was cloudless, making everything feel like a living painting.Max runs around the terrace, jumping between the wooden chairs and occasionally climbing onto the guardrail to peer further. Pascha stayed nearby, his eyes alert whenever Max got too excited.I let
My steps feel light as I walk through the snowy streets of central Moscow. The cold wind bites my face, but I don't care. I've decided to take some time for myself today.Pascha Romanov, my fiancé, is, as usual, buried under a mountain of work. Even with our wedding day only a month away, it feels like I'm spending more time with his shadowy figure than his authentic self.As I turned the corner, my eyes fell on a magnificent church with golden domes rising into the grey sky.St. Sophia's Church.I was transfixed. Although I grew up in Bogota, Colombia, surrounded by old churches with stunning architecture, none were as beautiful as this one. Its dome reflected the gloomy light of the winter sun like the building had a light of its own."This is it," I muttered involuntarily.With my heart pounding, I imagined myself standing under the dome, wearing a white dress, with Pascha by my side. A smile was painted on my face.Would Pascha have time to see this place with me? Or, as usual, wo
Five years later.The screen in front of me flickered, red lines dotting what should have been smooth coding. I sighed heavily, loosened the buttons at the end of my sleeves, and then folded them quickly.In a room full of monitors, a small server buzzed in the corner, filling the silence with a monotonous rhythm."I don't know what's going on," I muttered, the frustrated tone clearly audible.My hands moved quickly over the keyboard, trying to track down the problem hidden among the thousands of lines of code.A voice from behind made me turn my head. "Come on, Belva, you're the team leader. You're the genius here."Ryan, one of the programmers on my team, stood at the door with a coffee cup in his hand. His smile was half playful, half challenging."I'm a genius, not a wizard," I retorted without looking at him again. My fingers continued typing, finding and fixing errors that seemed to appear out of nowhere."Well then, maybe it's time you learned magic," he replied with a chuckle.
Morning light seeps through the thin curtains in the living room. The smell of fresh coffee and toast filled the air, mixing with the sound of Max's laughter echoing in the kitchen. I sat at the small table with my laptop, typing fast to finish the report before the official work hours started.Max came running towards me, carrying a small backpack with his favourite superhero print. "Mommy, I'm ready!" he exclaims, his voice cheerful. His brown hair was a little messy, but his blue eyes sparkled with excitement.I smiled slightly, looking away from the screen. "Are you sure you didn't forget anything? Your hat, sunscreen, snacks, or lunch?"Max shook his head vigorously, swinging his backpack in the style of a hero about to save the world. "Om Ben said he'd bring everything!""And I never forget anything," Ben appeared in the kitchen doorway with two lunchboxes in his hands. His white shirt was neatly folded up to his elbows, and his usual easy smile graced his face. "Trust me, Siste
The ride to the party site felt like a scene from an all-too-real nightmare.Max sat in the back, humming his favourite song, oblivious to the tension that filled the air ahead. Ben drove calmly, occasionally glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.I was silent, looking out the window. The usually bustling streets of San Francisco felt empty, and my mind drifted away. I couldn't resist the call.I was very aware. Our family : The Moguel family is one of the most powerful in Latin America and the United States. Grandpa had me by the neck, and my neck would snap if I ignored his ultimatum.Max.Max was everything. Max was my life, and I wouldn't let anyone touch him.When we arrived at the large building with white marble pillars, my stomach felt like it was being churned. Guests dressed in luxurious outfits were seen entering gracefully. The sound of laughter and clinking glasses could be heard faintly in the distance."Are you ready?" asked Ben, turning his body to look at me afte
After a hearty lunch, Max couldn't keep still. He ran outside onto the wooden terrace that overlooked the vast and breathtaking view of the Alps."Daddy, look at that!" Max pointed to a small lake glistening in the afternoon sun. "Can we go down there? I want to touch the water!"Pascha, who stood beside him with his hands in his pants pockets, just smiled. "You know the water must be really cold, right?""But I can wear gloves!" Max insisted.I sat on a patio chair, enjoying the cool breeze that carried the scent of the pine forest. From here, the view was perfect. Mountains with snowy peaks looming in the distance, green valleys sprawling across the landscape, and small cabins scattered across the foothills. The clear blue sky was cloudless, making everything feel like a living painting.Max runs around the terrace, jumping between the wooden chairs and occasionally climbing onto the guardrail to peer further. Pascha stayed nearby, his eyes alert whenever Max got too excited.I let
I was still in between consciousness and sleep when faint voices began to piercing my mind."Daddy, Daddy, look at Mommy. She's sleeping so peacefully," I heard Max whisper. "She's like a Sleeping Beauty."Pascha chuckled lowly. "That's true. But, you know what's more interesting?" he also whispered.Max was silent for a moment. "What?"I could feel them both looking at me."When she wakes up, she turns into a dragon."Max let out a small laugh. "You mean, Mommy's grumpy, daddy?""No," Pascha sighed dramatically, "it's worse. Mommy is a perfectionist. She can nag longer than you can talk about Transformers."Max snorted. "I never stop talking about Transformers.""Exactly."I wanted to glare and say that I could hear them, but my eyes felt too comfortable to open."Daddy, have you ever seen Mommy get really mad?""Hmm... a lot." He replied.Max chuckled, his voice getting farther away. "I think I know. Mommy will get mad if we don't wake her up.""Oh no, Maximus," Pascha whispered, hi
Max tiptoed on my lap when the car stopped before the hangar, almost making me lose my balance."Daddy, come on! I want to see the plane!" he exclaimed, his hands gripping my shoulders firmly. “UP!"Pascha turned off the car engine and turned to Max. "You can get off by yourself, right?"Max glared like Pascha had just said the most absurd thing in the world. "No! I want to be carried!"Before I could say anything, Pascha exited the car, walked to our side, and opened the passenger door. Max immediately raised both hands without hesitation towards his father, urging him like a spoiled child."Come on, carry me now!"Pascha easily lifted Max's tiny body into his arms. "All right, Little Master. What else do you want?"Max looked up at Pascha with sparkling eyes, resting his chin on his father's shoulder. "I want you to be my tour guide. I want a tour on your plane.""Max, that's not a tour plane." I said.Max ignored me, still staring enthusiastically at Pascha. "Come on, I want to see
I sat on the sofa, staring at the suitcases that were already arranged near the door. I've finished packing all my things, Max's clothes, everything we need for this trip. But somehow, I still couldn't believe I had agreed to go.In front of me, Max was still in Pascha's arms, busy babbling endlessly about everything he wanted to do in the Alps. "I want to see cows with bells! And I want to ride the cable car! And then... and then I want to try the cheese with the holes! Daddy, did you know that cheese really has holes? I saw it in a cartoon, but I'm not sure it's real!"Pascha chuckled, stroking Max's hair. "It's real, Max. You can see and try it for yourself later."Max immediately gave a small cheer, his hands waving in excitement. "YES! I want to eat cheese on a mountain!"I sighed, leaning back against the sofa. I still felt weird about this decision. It was because this trip was never in my plans, and it was the fact that I would be spending time in the same place as Pascha for
Max was still busy playing with his expensive robots on the dining room. I started tidying up the dirty dishes.I tied my hair up carelessly, then picked up the empty glass in front of Pascha, who was still sitting on the dining table chair, busy with his phone."Mommy, I want to stay here again!" he said, like he’s afraid I would force him to go home."Oh? Not going home?"Max shook his head vigorously, holding up his Transformers robot excitedly. "I still want to play with my robots!"I narrowed my eyes. "And you don’t want playing with Mommy?"Max bit his lip, seeming to consider something, then finally said, "But you have to work. I want to play!""Okay, then." I snorted, crossing my arms over my chest. "But if you don't shower by afternoon, I'll drag you home, Maxime."He immediately wrinkled his nose. "Don't call me Maxime! You know I like Maximus better!"I chuckled, then ruffled his hair before turning to leave.My house was next door, so leaving him here all day was no big de
The exhaustion struck so hard that I felt like my body no longer belonged to me. Every muscle in my body was so relaxed that every inch of my skin could still feel the residual warmth that had just filled the space between us.I drowned in the sensation, letting sleepiness pull me deeper and deeper into a formless world where the only thing that existed was the warmth surrounding me.There was a big, solid body behind me, his burly arms curled around my waist, locking me in an embrace that felt more secure than it should. His chest rose and fell in a deep rhythm, his breath warm against my nape.Pascha.I squirmed slightly, not to move away, but to better acclimatize myself to his body. Unconsciously, I leaned closer, letting my back rest tightly against his chest, letting his arms tighten their embrace around me.I don't know how long I slept so soundly. There was only warm darkness, and I could only realize that my body was drowning in contentment and exhaustion, letting time pass w
His hands crept to my waist, and then, swiftly, he lifted me. My feet slipped off the floor, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.My breath catches, but he doesn't allow me to pull away. His kiss deepened, his tongue exploring my mouth. I can feel every muscle in his body tense, holding my weight easily as if I were nothing more than a feather. My dangling legs were now held by him, his large hands wrapped around my thighs, pulling me even closer. My body is pressed against his, and I can feel every curve, every heat radiating from him. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. There is only him. There is only this. My fingers slipping into his still slightly wet hair. The world around me seemed to disappear. The rain was still pouring outside, the cold night air, and even the sound of my little heart screaming to stop vanished. All that was left was him and the heat that continued to burn between us. I'm falling deeper into something I shouldn't feel, into someone I shouldn't touch.
I stood by my bedroom window, arms crossed over my chest, staring out with furrowed brows. It was raining heavily outside.Pascha's house stood firmly next to mine, its bright lights indicating its owner were inside.But still...This feeling didn't go away.I bit my lip, looking at the phone screen for the umpteenth time. There was no reply. No incoming calls. I've sent more than one message all day.I waited, hoping he would answer one with a short sentence like 'Max is fine' or 'You worry too much'.But so far?Just silence.And I hated it.Clara appeared in the doorway, running a hand through her hair, which was still damp from her shower."Are you sure you won't just call him?" she said, leaning against the door frame.I grunted, tapped my fingertips against my phone, and finally pressed the call button reluctantly.The dial tone sounded.Once.Twice.Three times.I tapped my nails on the table, waiting for Pascha's distinctive voice to answer from the other side. But...There wa
I walked out of the meeting room. The glass doors automatically closed behind me, letting the faint sounds of my team's conversation fade away as I moved away.The meeting had just finished, and for the first time since this project began, I felt that the big wheels we were pushing were slowly starting to move. Romanov Corporation and Lantum Mining have finally agreed on the specifications for the artificial intelligence-based automation system we will implement at their main mine. Next week, the first phase of testing will begin.I let out a long breath. With all the complex technology, predictive systems, and real-time analytics my team and I had built, this project was the result of months of hard work. And now, everything was finally coming together.My fingers automatically opened my phone. When the screen lights up, my first reflex is to open the messaging app.Me: How's Max? Have you found the Autobot he wants?I sent the message to Pascha and stared at the screen, waiting. The