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XXII
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-01-06 15:54:47
Bab terkait
His Son, Her Secret XXIII
"I'm going home alone,""No," he replied curtly.I looked up, staring at him with a furrowed brow. "What do you mean by no?""I'll drive you," he said ice-cold like it was a non-negotiable decision."I can go home by myself. I've already booked a cab." I snorted, trying to contain my mounting frustration."Cancel it."I stared at him, incredulous. "You can't force me to accept your help."He crossed his arms over his chest, standing tall like a marble statue. "You just got out of the hospital. I won't let you go home alone.""And I don't need you to decide what I can or cannot do." I retorted in a sharp tone."You're stubborn," he said flatly."I'm stubborn? You're the one who doesn't know when to stop!""You don't know what you're doing," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What if you pass out in the middle of the road? What if something happens?""I'm fine!" I almost shouted, stepping closer to him. "I can take care of myself. I don't need you to watch my every move!"He didn't b
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-07His Son, Her Secret XXIV
I sat in the pantry room, stirring the coffee that was no longer hot. Jess, Mr. Grant's secretary, sat in front of me with raised eyebrows, looking at me like a big sister waiting for her little brother to admit something."So, you're considering moving out?" she asked finally.I shrugged, trying to look relaxed even though the anxiety inside me was mounting. "I don't know, Jess. I... feel like it's too much. I'm not sure I can keep doing this project, Romanov Corp, everything that comes with it."She didn't answer right away. Her sharp eyes scanned my face, searching for something I might not want to show."Belva," her voice softer. "You know this is no ordinary project. You're the one they're counting on to lead this. You can't just give up.""I'm not giving up," I quickly retorted. "I just feel... I need something new."She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over his chest. "I understand. But you also know this project wouldn't be what it is without you. Sure, they can repl
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-09His Son, Her Secret XXV
I'm standing in the center of the new office space where our team will work during the Lantum Mining project. The room is spacious, with a glass wall overlooking the busy city of San Francisco. The desks are set up and complete with the latest technological equipment provided by Romanov Corp.We got busy organizing the desks and computers, ensuring everything was ready to start work tomorrow. I took advantage of this time to get my mind away from the chaotic feelings.My phone vibrates. I take it out of my blazer pocket, and a message from Clara appears on the screen.Clara: Max just finished the 50-piece puzzle all by himself! The message is accompanied by a photo of Max smiling broadly on the living room floor in front of a large, completed dinosaur puzzle. His little face shone with a pride that couldn't be hidden.I couldn't help but smile.Me: That's great! Tell him that his Mommy is so proud of him.Clara replied quickly.Clara: he’ll be happy to hear it. When are you coming hom
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-10His Son, Her Secret XXVI
When I arrive home, the orange sky paints long shadows on the sand. The roar of the waves accompanies my steps to the back porch, where Max's laughter echoes happily. I pause, watching his small figure chase a ball with Clara along the beach.Clara waves to me, her brown hair a mess in the wind. Max looked up, his face beaming when he saw me."Mommy! Come, come, come!" he exclaimed, jumping up and down on the spot, calling me excitedly.I raised my hand, waving briefly before entering the house. The air inside the house was calmer, with the distinctive smell of sea salt mixed with the fragrant wood from the kitchen.I removed my shoes, placed them in the corner by the door, and headed for the bathroom. The warm water touched my skin, caressing it gently, erasing the traces of fatigue from a long day. But, although my body felt calm, my mind was caught up in the conversation with Pascha, which was still echoing. It was like a wound that hadn't healed completely—painful, disturbing and i
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-11His Son, Her Secret XXVII
It was getting late, but Max and Clara's laughter filled the dining room, keeping the atmosphere warm. Nearly empty plates lay on the table while Max swung his legs, his face content after a dinner that was quite a lot for a little boy."I thought you said you didn't want to eat vegetables," Clara teased, pointing to the cabbage left on Max's plate."Mommy said I should try," Max replied, his voice full of defense. "And it was... not bad. Not great, but not bad either."Clara chuckled while I just shook my head with a faint smile. "Next time, you'll say you liked it," I replied lightly as I set the plates on the table.Max suddenly stood up, his eyes sparkling. "OKAY! After this, we can play cards again!""Gosh, this kid doesn't run out of energy," Clara said dramatically.But, just as I opened my mouth to reply, a knock on the front door broke our attention.Max jumped up from his chair towards the door. "I'll open it!""Max!" I called, but he had already disappeared behind the living
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-12His Son, Her Secret XXVIII
It's getting late, and the sound of Max laughing with Clara is in the background as I lie on the sofa, holding my phone with shaking hands. The screen light shines on my face as I type something into the social media search bar.Jacob Hernandes.I tapped on his profile icon, and the page opened, revealing photos featuring Jacob in various situations. There were photos of him in white suit in the hospital, at a medical conference, and some casual shots on the beach or at an expensive restaurant. But what caught my eye the most were his portraits with Pascha.There was a photo of them at a formal event, perhaps a charity gala or a business meeting. The two of them stood side by side, Jacob with his warm smile and Pascha with his signature cold expression. I swallowed, my heart beating a little faster. Seeing them together reminded me how close they were, and it was enough to make my head full of worry.Did Jacob really keep his promise?I returned to Jacob's homepage, trying to ignore th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-13His Son, Her Secret XXIX
That morning at Romanov Corp's new office, the atmosphere was quieter than usual. I sat in my team's workspace, focused on the final report of the initial phase of the Lantum Mining project. Diagrams and data were displayed on the large screen before me while my team was busy fiddling with their respective computers."We need to make sure the satellite data analysis is complete before the end of the week," I said, pointing at one of the charts that mapped out the mining area. "Ryan, make sure all the information from HymnosTech is integrated into our system before Friday."Ryan nodded from his desk, his fingers constantly moving over the keyboard. "Okay, boss."I turned my attention to Ivy, who was examining the design of the application interface that the operational team in the field would use. "How's the interface progressing?"Ivy looked up at me from her monitor, her smile broadening. "Fifty percent. I need to fine-tune a few minor features. I'm sure we can test it next week.""Go
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-14His Son, Her Secret XXX
"I... I'm fine," I answered, trying not to show my doubts. "I have a job that I love. That's enough, I guess.""You know, I've always admired you. From the first time Pascha introduced you to me, I knew you were an amazingly independent and smart woman. And I never doubted your potential, that you could stand on your own without Pascha by your side. You'll be fine."I looked at her in slight surprise. Those words, although spoken softly, felt like a blow. How could she still have such an opinion of me after everything?"But I left—""—that marriage," she cut in calmly. "I know. I understand. And even though it was painful for our family, I never blamed you, Belva. You had your reasons, and I believe that."I looked down, unable to contain the shame across my face. This woman, with all her power, with everything that had happened, still treated me better than my mother had ever treated me. It made me feel mixed, between grateful and weighed down by inexplicable guilt."I don't know what
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-15
Bab terbaru
His Son, Her Secret CLXXXII : Bleed on Your Own Time
I dragged Pascha’s body into the house as best as I could. His breathing was heavy in my ear, his footsteps shuffling behind me. When we reached the short two-step stairway into the living room, he collapsed a little, his knees buckling like all his strength had drained away."Shit, Pascha!" I cried out. "You can’t just sit here—"But he already had, dropping himself down onto the bottom step with a heavy breath, his shoulders slumping forward. Blood was still dripping slowly from the tear in his shirt, seeping down and staining the fabric.I panicked.I bolted into the kitchen, yanking open the big drawer where I always kept the first aid kit—because living with Max had taught me that surviving without antiseptics and bandages was basically suicide.I hurried back, dropping the kit onto the floor with a loud thud, my hands shaking as I pulled out medical gloves, a bottle of antiseptic, and some gauze."I need to call a doctor," I said frantically, cutting away the remains of his shir
His Son, Her Secret CLXXXI : aching laughter, restless monsters
"Why do humans even watch horror movies if they end up too scared to use the bathroom?" Max's voice rang out loud and clear, laced with heavy sarcasm."Because humans are stupid and sometimes like to create problems for themselves." Mischa added with an eerily calm tone, completely emotionless,I choked a little on my tea, trying not to laugh.At the dining table, Kyara and Aurora sat looking like zombies freshly risen from the grave. Kyara's hair was a mess, she was wearing my hoodie with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, while Aurora was still in my house dress, sleepily munching on breakfast. They were both sluggishly shoving pieces of toast into their mouths."Don’t tease Auntie Kyara and Auntie Aurora, Max," I warned him."But Mommy," Max protested, pointing at Kyara, "Auntie Kyara slept on the couch hugging my bike helmet! And she was mumbling in her sleep!""And she said 'don’t open that door, it’s a trap' three times," Mischa added flatly, staring at Kyara’s toast like it w
His Son, Her Secret CLXXX : Karma Never Knocks, It Breaks In
The dinner table was packed with small dishes. Lasagna, garlic bread, spinach salad, and a big bowl of mashed potatoes that Aurora had prepared with scientific precision. In the middle of it all, Max and Mischa sat side by side, both wearing plastic aprons with robots and unicorns on them.“So...,” Aurora muttered, “you have two kids now?”“It’s... an emergency situation.”Kyara, sitting beside Aurora, immediately jumped in. “Emergency? Emergency? From where I'm sitting, that mini-Russian has already claimed territory in your house.”Max, his mouth full of cheese, pointed at Mischa. "She's cool! She’s teaching me Russian! Now I can say ‘robot’ in a badass voice! Robot." Max said, with an accent that was... highly questionable.Mischa just kept chewing her bread, unfazed. Her gaze was blank yet sharp, like a tiny Wednesday Addams who had wandered into a happy family dinner."I don't need an invitation," Mischa said casually, shrugged. "I'm already here."Aurora raised an eyebrow. "You
His Son, Her Secret CLXXIX : We Never Go Out of Style
That morning, the sun hung low over the San Francisco skyline, casting a soft glow that danced across the glass walls of the headquarters. I stood in front of the final presentation slide for the Lantum Mining project, the hum of the air purifier quietly filling the room, and my heart beat in an unfamiliar rhythm: slow… but heavy.Around me, the tech team was assembling the final report and prepping the soft launch of our AI-based ground stability monitoring system, soon to be deployed at the last satellite mining site. On the screen, every indicator was green. All the data integration, tech synchronization, and final testing. Flawless.“This,” I said, clicking the last slide on the remote, “is our final milestone. We’re officially done.”There was a soft round of applause. Not wild. But enough. Because this wasn’t just about finishing a project, it was validation. Of our work, our choices, our resilience.And for a moment, I just stood there. Staring at the screen.Then the breath ca
His Son, Her Secret CLXXVIII : you drew stars, but never stayed to see them fall.
I was driving with one hand, the other resting under my chin. Kyara sat in the passenger seat, wearing oversized sunglasses that looked like they belonged to a celebrity fresh off a Vogue shoot.“I still can’t believe it,” she said. “She’s pregnant, Bell. And you… you just—” She twisted toward me and let out a strangled noise of pure frustration. “—offered yourself up like a sandwich he dropped five years ago!”I clenched my jaw. “Ky…”“No, seriously.” Her voice was low and sharp. “He slept with Mikaela when you were about to marry him, then you got pregnant, and now Mikaela is pregnant and you slept with him again. I’m sorry, but this isn’t a soap opera anymore. This is Shakespearean tragedy with WiFi.”I gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I know. I… know.”But knowing wasn’t enough. Not when the shame crawled from the back of my neck to my cheeks, hot like a slap from the reality I’d refused to face. I ran a hand over my face, fingers trembling slightly.“Shit,” I muttered. “I fee
His Son, Her Secret CLXXVII : The Morning After Never Ends
Glass shelves, matte-black drawers, and a line of clothing racks stretched from one end of the room to the other. Filled with suits, shirts, and, oddly, rows of women’s clothes.I pulled open the third drawer, just like he said.And there it was.A pale gray knit sweater, wide-necked and slightly stretched around the collar from too much wear. I took a quiet breath as my fingers brushed the fabric. I knew this sweater.It used to be my emergency jacket when New York suddenly turned cold in Pascha’s penthouse. Back when we were still living together after graduation, before everything turned to rubble. It was the sweater I wore while eating instant ramen at 2 a.m., waiting on the couch for him to get home late from Romanov HQ, watching criminal series he never quite understood.I shut the drawer slowly, my breath trembling in silence. Then I glanced at the clothing rack beside it.Dresses. Blouses. Sweaters. Trousers. Silk pajamas. All… in sizes that, in a way far too strange, fit me e
His Son, Her Secret CLXXVI : I Know Better. I Just Don’t Do Better.
Morning sunlight slipped through the gap in the thin linen curtains, fluttering gently in the sea breeze.Warm. Soft. Peaceful.Too damn peaceful.My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing my brain registered was the ceiling—too high... and way too unfamiliar.Pascha’s mansion.I froze.My body tensed as I realized the warmth wrapped around my waist from behind wasn’t a blanket. It was an arm.Long. Strong. Bare.Wrapped around me like a gate I couldn’t break through.“Fuck,” I breathed out, almost like a prayer caught in my throat.A long sigh escaped my lips as I tried to piece things together. Didn’t take long. My head throbbed faintly. My neck still felt kissed. My legs still tangled in the mess of last night.Damn it.“Fuck me,” I whispered again.“Already did, Pchelka. More than once.”I jolted and half turned. “Pascha!”His eyes were still closed, face half-buried in the pillow, but a smug smile tugged at his lips.One of his arms was still draped around my waist, pulling me
His Son, Her Secret CLXXV : Lips Red, Knees Weak, Soul Gone [21+]
The cold air brushed against my skin as Pascha pulled the fabric of my T-shirt, which was roughly uncovered until it pooled under my chin. My breath caught. I didn't have time to be embarrassed, let alone protest, because his eyes were already smouldering like a hungry animal spotting prey.“Shit.” His voice was hoarse, guttural like he was choking himself with desire.And then...Heat.His tongue swipes over my nipples in slow motion, too conscious, too deliberate, like he wants to memorize every earthquake he triggers in my body. I squirm, my back arching without realizing it, hands gripping his short hair. Whether to pull him away or to bring him closer, I don't even know."Pascha...” his name came out as a moan, broken by the vibrations he left behind every time his lips sucked, every time his teeth pressed with sweet menace.He growled, the vibrations flowing straight from his mouth to my chest, to my spine, to the rest of my body. His one hand gripped my hip, holding me immobile
His Son, Her Secret CLXXIV : Out of My Hands
Jullian hadn’t even made it fully to his feet when Pascha’s second punch slammed into his face. The sound was thick, flesh meeting bone, followed by Jullian’s groan as he crashed back down into the sand, his hand flying to his cheek, already red and starting to bruise.“Don’t you ever touch her again,” Pascha growled, his chest heaving, and I didn’t recognize this man at all.I threw myself between them, shoving at Pascha’s chest with both hands. But his body was like stone.“Stop! ARE YOU INSANE?!” I screamed, my voice caught somewhere between panic and rage.He didn’t answer. His eyes stayed locked on Jullian, who was now sitting up, propping himself on one arm, breathing hard.“He touched you,” Pascha shouted at me.“YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!” I snapped, standing in front of Jullian now. “You don’t get to decide when you’re my son’s father, and when you’re—whatever the hell you think you are!”Pascha finally turned to me.His eyes were burning.I swallowed hard. “You can’t just show up an
