"Gypsy, it's so obvious you're just trying to get attention from the boys in the Engineering Department. Aren't you even a little bit embarrassed? Almost all of them have been your exes!" Melisa, her best friend, ranted non-stop, never holding back.Gypsy just rolled her eyes, as if Melisa's words had any real power over her. So what if she managed to go through every guy in the department? What difference did it make to her?She knew that Melisa was just concerned. After all, with all the boyfriends she had, it was no surprise that people had started to call her a playgirl, a flirt, a tease—spreading hurtful rumors and disgusting descriptions of her. Tsk. They were just insecure, and that made her best friend even more worried.Melisa always confronted her, pointing out the things she did that affected her image at school. She couldn’t stand it when people talked behind Gypsy’s back, creating false stories and issues that weren’t even true. As her best friend, Melisa hated seeing her
"Don’t do this to me, Gypsy. What have I done wrong?" Mike’s voice trembled with desperation, his words cutting through the air like a dagger. His pain was palpable, a raw, unspoken plea that shook her to her core. But as she looked at him—hurt, vulnerable, and broken—her heart twisted with a mix of frustration and pity.Deep down, she knew what they had shared; there was a history between them, moments of laughter and connection that no one could ever take away. She could feel that he truly loved her, and yet, she didn’t feel the same way. What was once affection had turned into an empty space, a quiet void that swallowed every emotion she tried to muster.It was time. Time to let him go."Stop torturing yourself, Mike. You haven’t done anything wrong," she whispered, her voice soft but firm. "This is my decision. Please… just let me go."Her heart ached as she said the words. She wasn’t a monster. She wasn’t heartless. But breaking up with Mike without a clear reason gnawed at her, e
Melissa and Gypsy spent hours getting ready for the party, but they made sure to arrive fashionably late. They deliberately timed their entrance to make a statement, intending to steal the spotlight the moment they walked in. They wanted to make an unforgettable impression, and they knew that everyone’s eyes would be on them as soon as they entered the venue. Especially Gypsy, who had carefully prepared for the evening, hoping that everything would go just as planned.And that’s exactly what happened. The moment they stepped inside, all eyes were on them. The handsome guests, friends of Melissa’s older brother, immediately looked them over with keen interest, taking in the sight of the two beautiful women who had just arrived.Gypsy had no idea that the party the Ichari family was throwing would be more grandiose than she had imagined. The guest list was impressive, the kind of high-caliber crowd that could make anyone feel out of place if you are not rich and successful enough."Gyps,
The rumors were spreading like wildfire. People were astounded, shocked by the confirmation from Gypsy’s mother that her daughter was indeed involved with none other than Drake Mortel, a man admired and respected by everyone. Drake Mortel was no ordinary person. He was a successful businessman who hailed from a prominent family—one that commanded attention and respect. His list of accomplishments was endless. He had toppled countless rival companies, acquired massive estates, controlled powerful industries, and made billion-dollar investments. His name was synonymous with success, and his reputation glittered like gold. No wonder he was the talk of the town.Many had tried to gain influence over him, but Drake Mortel was a man who eluded even the most persistent. He was a mystery. No one could say with certainty whether he was a young bachelor or an older widower. To the public, Drake was a riddle wrapped in enigma. People only knew of his wealth, power, and remarkable achievements—nev
She left her father in the living room and walked straight to her room. Her mind was consumed with thoughts about what favor her father might ask of her. It couldn't be anything too bad or harmful, could it? She knew her father loved her deeply. He would never let anything hurt her. Whatever it was, she trusted it was for her own good.But despite her thoughts, a sense of unease lingered. She felt disconnected, like she couldn’t focus. She couldn’t even decide what to wear. It was already eight in the evening, and Rona had texted, saying they were already at the party. She was the only one missing. With little hesitation, she quickly dressed and rushed out the door, stepping into her car and speeding towards the bar.When she arrived at the address Rona sent, it was nothing like she expected. The bar was secluded, almost empty. Doubts crept into her mind. Is this really the place? Did I get the address wrong? She checked again, but no, this wasn’t it. The thought of being lost in an un
"Gypsy, please come with us," Rona begged over the phone, her voice full of excitement. She had become close to Gypsy and her squad, and they were all eager to see her again."You know I'm so tired," Gypsy replied, trying to resist."No more excuses," Rona insisted, her tone firm. "You've been stressed and tired for so long. It's the weekend! It's time to refresh yourself. You've been hiding away for a whole month. You need to enjoy life too, especially when you have the time!"It had been a month since she decided to take a break from her old lifestyle—a month without alcohol, parties, or boys. She was proud of herself for this new record."Rona, I really can’t," Gypsy replied, her feet itching to go but her resolve holding strong. She had promised herself she would change. She didn’t want to disappoint the Mortel’s, especially Drake."I said no more excuses!" Rona’s voice cracked with frustration. She was growing impatient with Gypsy's constant rejections. And with that, Rona hung u
Saturday. She didn’t have work for her OJT, so she was free for the day. She was unbothered, with nothing to do but watch Kdramas on N*****x. As she watched, tears filled her eyes. She felt so sorry for the main character because her boyfriend was always deceiving her. The girl in the show seemed to always get hurt, no matter how much she loved him. And in that moment, a thought crossed her mind: I hope I never experience being betrayed like that. She couldn’t even begin to imagine herself in that kind of situation.As she sat outside on the veranda, lost in thought, she suddenly heard a car pull up—one that was all too familiar to her. It was Drake’s car. Her heart skipped a beat. Without a second thought, she hurriedly tried to fix herself up. She couldn’t help but check herself in the mirror over and over again, not satisfied with just looking decent. She even applied lip gloss. She knew she was beautiful, but she needed to look even better. She had to be more than just average if s
When she arrived home, she went straight to the bathroom. Her stomach had been hurting for a while, but she'd been holding it in.Her stomach was sensitive, so she was very careful with what she ate. But today, she made an exception. Drake had offered her the food, and she didn’t want to disappoint him. She didn’t want to turn him down, but now, she was paying the price. She threw up everything she ate, and the pain didn’t go away. Exhausted, she took some medicine, and the relief was immediate."You have every right to say no to Drake, your health comes first," Melissa lectured her when she called to share the details of what happened during their date."Besh, I just did it because I wanted to impress him," she laughed on the other end of the line."You're being ridiculous. It's not you who should impress him; he should be the one trying to impress you. Don't forget that’s one of your mottos," Melissa continued.She understood. But Drake was different. She wanted him more than he seem
Gypsy couldn’t hold back the flood of tears as she stood beside Drake, her heart pounding with a mix of anguish and hope. Every drop that slid down her cheeks carried the weight of fear—the terror of losing the one person who meant everything to her"I love you too, Drake," she whispered, her voice trembling, thick with sorrow and devotion. As Drake pulled her into his embrace, the world around them seemed to blur, as if nothing else existed beyond the warmth of his arms.Her chest tightened as her gaze traveled over his bruises, the angry red gashes painting his skin—cruel reminders of the accident that had nearly taken him from her. The mere thought of losing him made her breath hitch in her throat."Drake, we have to get you to a hospital," she urged, desperation lacing her tone. She needed to know he was going to be okay. She couldn’t bear another second of uncertainty.Around them, the gathered witnesses shared in her pain. The sight of their once unshakable Gypsy, the girl who h
Tomorrow, Gypsy would be leaving for the States. The weight of that reality pressed down on her like an unbearable storm, suffocating in its finality. She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the open suitcase in front of her, her fingers trembling as she folded each piece of clothing. The fabric felt foreign in her hands, as if they belonged to a version of herself that no longer existed. She was bringing so little, yet it still felt like too much—too many remnants of a life she had to leave behind, too many reminders of what was lost.As she zipped up the suitcase, the silence in the room became deafening. It was a silence thick with unspoken pain, filled with ghosts of laughter, whispered promises, and a love that once felt unbreakable. Her chest tightened, and though she tried to hold it in, the tears came anyway. Hot, unstoppable, searing against her cheeks. She let them fall. She had to.And then there was him.Drake.His name was a whisper in her mind, a bittersweet ache that
Drake had no choice but to return to the office, yet hope still burned within him. Despite everything that had happened, he refused to believe that all was lost. There had to be a way—some path that would lead him back to Gypsy. He could feel her slipping away, distancing herself from him more and more with each passing day, but he wasn’t ready to let go. Not yet. Not without a fight.The thought of never seeing her again, of never having another chance to make things right, gnawed at his soul. He couldn’t allow their story to end this way. With desperation simmering in his chest, he reached for his phone and dialed a familiar number.After a few rings, Mrs. Cameron, Gypsy’s mother, answered."Yes, Drake? What’s the problem?" Her voice carried a weight, a quiet sadness that spoke of a mother’s deep understanding."I wanted to discuss the arranged marriage," he said, his throat tightening. He had never imagined this conversation would be so difficult, yet here he was, forcing the words
Gypsy had so many plans for the day, yet she put everything on hold. She even asked their housemaid to accompany her to the grocery store to buy the necessary ingredients. Today, she wanted to cook for Drake. She knew how hectic his schedule was at the office, and she thought it would be best to bring him food when she visited. The meals she had prepared weren’t just ordinary dishes—they were special recipes crafted with love and devotion. She had even spent hours learning how to perfect his favorite adobo through YouTube tutorials.With a heart full of excitement, she got ready, packed the homemade meal into a lunchbox, and set off.As soon as she stepped into the towering building of Drake’s company, she felt a surge of confidence. The security guard and several employees who recognized her greeted her warmly. She responded with a sweet smile, her heart swelling with happiness. Today, she felt exceptionally beautiful, and the world seemed to reflect that feeling right back at her.Ho
[Veronica's PoV]"Gypsy."Veronica turned sharply at the sound of the name. As the day of mourning continued, the funeral was finally reaching its conclusion. This was the last time they would see Mrs. Mortel, the final farewell before she was laid to rest forever. The air was thick with grief, but Veronica had something else on her mind.She knew Gypsy was jealous of her—jealous because she had been by Drake’s side throughout this ordeal. Gypsy didn’t know that she and Drake were cousins, and judging by the way she kept glaring at her, it was obvious what she was thinking. She probably assumed that there was something romantic between them. Veronica smirked. If that was what Gypsy wanted to believe, then so be it.As Gypsy walked away after saying her goodbyes to her mother, Veronica took a step forward, calling out, "Wait."Gypsy hesitated but eventually turned around, her expression unreadable."You’re Gypsy, right? I’m Veronica" Veronica asked directly, watching the way Gypsy’s eye
Gypsy knew that Drake was busy, but this was important—she was leaving for the States soon. She called him again, hoping he would finally agree, but his response remained the same. He turned her down once more. A lump formed in her throat as disappointment settled deep in her chest. Was he avoiding her? She had invited him to dinner several times, wanting to tell him something in person, but each time, he refused. This was the first time he had ever rejected her, and it stung more than she expected.More than that, it took him hours to respond to her calls and messages, as if she were no longer a priority. Was he growing tired of chasing her? Was he no longer the man who used to move heaven and earth just to be with her? Gypsy had finally gathered the courage to open up about her feelings, but it seemed like it was too late. Maybe Drake had already lost interest in her.Yet, deep inside, she was sure he still loved her. She could feel it. She held onto that belief, convincing herself t
"Ate Gypsy!" Natalia's cheerful voice rang out as she spotted her. Natalia, Vincent’s younger sister, had grown close to her over time. Gypsy had just arrived at the gathering—a welcome party for Vincent."Glad to see you, Ate Gypsy!" Natalie, another one of Vincent’s sisters, greeted her with a warm smile. Before she could respond, they guided her toward a table, insisting that she sit with them.But calling it a party was a bit of an exaggeration. It was more of an intimate family dinner, a gathering meant to celebrate Vincent’s return. Gypsy had long been a familiar presence in Vincent’s household. His family had always been welcoming, treating her like she was one of their own—a second family.Her eyes wandered to the feast spread across the table. "Wow, there’s so much food! And these are all my favorites!" she exclaimed, delighted yet puzzled. It was as if the menu had been designed with her in mind."You know, Tita, these are all my favorites," she pointed out playfully, looking
Gypsy stepped into his house, immediately fanning herself. "I feel hot. Do you not have an air conditioner here?" she asked, her voice laced with discomfort.Drake turned on the air conditioning, setting it to full blast, but it seemed to have little effect. Gypsy still looked flushed, beads of sweat forming on her temples. She shrugged off the jacket he had given her earlier, and to his horror, she looked like she was about to take off even more."Wait! What are you doing?" he stopped her just as she reached for the hem of her blouse."Are you blind? I'm undressing.""But you're in my room."She let out a teasing laugh, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, please. This isn’t the first time we’ve been in the same room without clothes on. Did you forget?"Of course, he didn’t forget. It haunted him, replayed in his mind more times than he’d care to admit. As she stepped closer, he could feel the heat radiating off her. Even in her drunken state, she was undeniably intoxicating. She wrapped
Drake stirred awake as the golden rays of the morning sun streamed through the bedroom window. The warmth of the light fell upon his face, rousing him from his deep slumber. As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he turned his head to the side and found Gypsy lying beside him, still fast asleep. Her breathing was soft and even, her bare shoulders rising and falling gently beneath the sheets. For a fleeting moment, he simply watched her, memorizing every delicate feature of her face. Then, unable to resist, he leaned in, intending to place a gentle kiss on her lips.But just as he was about to close the distance between them, her eyelids fluttered open.“Good morning,” he greeted, quickly pulling away.Gypsy didn’t respond. Instead, without a word, she threw back the covers and began gathering her scattered clothes from the floor. The silence between them was deafening as she slipped into her dress, her movements brisk and detached.“Where’s my bag?” she asked, her voice devoid of emot