CHAPTER 51TAYLORNighttime came way faster than I anticipated and I dreaded going back into that mansion to see Michael's family but I didn't have much of a choice.I had to do whatever Michael wanted without questioning it so if he wanted me to come along for a family dinner, then I would have to tag along.So when he returned from work, I knew it was time to get ready.I picked out the most expensive looking dress amongst the ones he got me and wore it. Then I styled my hair into waves and held it up in a high ponytail before I let my bangs down. With that, I did something simple on my face as makeup and put my shoes on before I grabbed my purse and joined Michael in the living room where he waited after changing into his clothes too.I could feel the heat of his gaze on me the closer I walked toward him and something about the look in his eyes made the thumping of my heart feel like my chest was about to explode.“I'm ready” I told him after making up my mind to face anyone who t
CHAPTER 52TAYLOR"You seem to be really happy being married to Michael” Blair began while smiling at me, her hands folded over her chest and u eyed her suspiciously because that couldn't be all she had to say to me.“Am I supposed to be sad?” I asked her and she chuckled before walking past me into the bathroom to rinse her hands in one of the sinks and she looked at me while the tap ran and the water poured over her hands.“You don't know Michael that well, Taylor. Right?” she asked me and I frowned because I had no idea what she was talking about. Why on earth would she ask me if I knew Michael that well. What exactly did she know?“I don't care about whatever you say, Blair. So keep them to yourself and stay away from me too” I replied and she laughed heartily like something hilarious just happened when nothing was in fact funny.“Oh really, Taylor? Is that what you think or what you're trying to make yourself believe? Because I don't think you actually don't care about what I wan
CHAPTER 53 TAYLOR Michael finally joined me in the living room and after bidding Mane goodbye, I grabbed my bag and together, we left for the parking lot to get into the car. Fernandez drove and when we arrived at the company, we headed straight to the conference room because we were quite late and the executives were all waiting already. Together with Michael, we both walked into the room and immediately they saw me, they all went quiet. I began to scan the hall with my eyes and I stopped walking when they fell on Carlos, Michael's brother. He occupied the chair which once belonged to Cassia and he too was watching with hawk eyes. He had a sly smile on his face and his eyes looked so devious that anyone could tell he was plotting something. I couldn't help but wonder what he was doing there and when I looked at Michael who stood beside me, he too was glaring at Carlos with wary eyes. It was obvious that we were both thinking the same thing. Michael began to walk toward his ch
CHAPTER 54 TAYLOR “You really want to know what I'm thinking about, huh?” I asked him while trying to look tough even though I was cowering In fear deep inside and he eyed my face. “You heard me the first time” he replied and I sighed while folding and unfolding my hands as anxiety rolled over me like a blanket. I was still contemplating on whether to actually ask him what was on my mind or to just lie about it. I was confused and scared of what his reaction would be once I let it out of my mouth. But then a thought occurred to me. I realized that there was no way I was going to get the answers I wanted so badly if I didn't ask the question that weighed down on my mind right then. So I decided to take the opportunity and ask him regardless of what would happen afterward. He asked for it so he was going to get it… even though I had no idea why he was so curious about what I thought. “I'm talking to you, Taylor” he pulled me out of my reverie and I sighed in defeat. Then I took a
CHAPTER 55 TAYLOR Walking into the penthouse, Michael got to the door and waited for me to walk in. Then he shut the door after me and just as he walked past me to head for his room, I called for him and he turned around to face me. “I'm going to make dinner after I change my clothes. Is there anything you'd like to eat?” I asked him and he shook his head. “Don't worry about dinner tonight, Taylor. I'm good” he turned down my offer to get him something to eat and I was the one who shook my head this time. “But you haven't had anything today. Even during lunch, you were away for a meeting” I said and he sighed. “I'll decide if I want to eat or not, Taylor. Drop it” he replied and with that, he walked away. Standing alone in the living room, I felt conflicted between listening to him or my guts. I knew he was starving. Maybe it was Carlos who spoiled his mood and made him lose appetite. Or maybe it was something else, I couldn't say. All I knew was that my parents or grandpa nev
CHAPTER 56 TAYLOR Two weeks passed by and I was doing the same thing everyday. I fed Mane, petted him when he wanted me to, made breakfast and dinner everyday for me and Michael and learnt from Alissa. She never stopped encouraging me throughout the two weeks that I spent learning from her. All she said to me were kind words, she was patient enough too and to impress her the more, I stayed up every night to learn more on my own for at least an hour with Mane’s company. Life didn't feel so bleak and lonely for me anymore and even though that unavoidable distance was still there between me and Michael, I was still glad to see him everyday because it made my day. Fernandez got busier with many jobs to do thanks to Carlos who chose to be a menace so I hardly saw him around compared to before. I couldn't help but wonder though what he'd found out about Carlos so far because I knew he was nothing but a pain in the ass that needed to be taken out of the way. The third week started and
CHAPTER 57 TAYLOR Blair walked into the office at that moment and I froze when our eyes met. Ignoring my presence in the room, she looked away and walked toward the desk to meet Carlos and right in front of me and Michael, they shared a kiss. I was so close to asking out loud what she was doing there but I held myself back and watched their exchange in silence until Blair decided to speak. “I came to pick up my fiance only to see blisters on his face and I can also sense a lot of tension here. So tell me… what's going on here, Michael?” She asked and Michael looked at Carlos. “Your fiance was harassing my wife so I gave him a taste of my fist and I think he liked it” Michael told her and she immediately snapped her head toward Carlos with wide eyes. “You know I wouldn't do that, baby. She just wants to make me the bad guy” he said to her and she narrowed her eyes at him for a few seconds. “Are you sure, hun? Are you certain that you didn't try to harass her?” Blair asked him l
CHAPTER 58 TAYLOR We entered the car and I was quick to scoot away from Michael as he joined me in the backseat. I didn't look his way either and instead, rested my head against the window to look outside. The car felt suffocating having him beside me. I wanted to scream, run for as long as my feet could take me or even sob my anger and solitude out to let out the misery I was feeling but I couldn't do any of that. He was going to ask what was wrong and I wouldn't be able to tell him because if I did, I would look stupid and desperate for him and I didn't want that for myself. Not when he didn't see me that way. With a sigh, I scooted away from him even further. Then I started to roll the window down so I could feel the night breeze against my face but then Michael placed his hand over mine from behind me and I froze. Slowly, I turned to look back at him and he was watching me with questioning eyes. “I don't want the windows down. It's ventilated enough” he said and I rel
CHAPTER 63TAYLOR“It's just one night, Michael. You know you can't keep her locked inside forever right?” Selene tried to convince him as we had breakfast so he would let me tag along with her and her friends for the night.Quietly, I sat beside her while she drilled him with many other things I could do that was worse than hanging out with her but still, he remained adamant.“You said she could go with me yesterday! You said you'd allow it if we went with bodyguards!” She insisted and Michael sighed before getting up from where he sat.“I'm not changing my mind, Selene. Taylor isn't going with you” he replied before walking out of the kitchen and I looked at her once he was gone.“I told you. He wouldn't let me go” I said to her before getting up to pack up the empty dishes and she placed her hand on mine. I looked at her to see she had a determined look in her eyes and I wondered what else she had up her sleeve.“Trust me, Taylor? I'm going to convince him to let you come along. Wa
CHAPTER 62TAYLORSwitching on the lights as we walked into the penthouse, all I could think about was rushing off to my bed while Michael walked past me with Selenes's luggage in hand.“Follow me, Selene. I'll take you to your room” he said to her and she groaned while clutching onto her stomach.“I'm starving, Michael. I'd like to have dinner first and both of you are joining me” she said and he threw his head back tiredly before he placed the luggage on the floor and faced her.“Alright. Taylor can set something up for dinner. She's a great cook and you'll love her dishes” he replied and she looked at me with a smile.“You don't mind making dinner for me, Taylor. Right?” she asked and I shook my head.“Of course not. I'd be delighted to” I told her and she grinned while clapping excitedly. Then she waved at Michael before she followed me into the kitchen and together, we set up the dining table since she offered to help.Soon, we were done since I already made soup earlier and Mich
CHAPTER 61TAYLORThe air felt awkward between us as we stood side by side in the airport and waited for someone I'd never met before.Minutes passed and the crowd started to lessen with time. I was already starting to wonder if this so called cousin even got on the plane when I heard a voice yelling out Michael's name and I looked toward the direction to see a petite lady waving dramatically at us.“Come on, let's go. She's here” Michael told me, his voice carrying a hint of exhaustion and I nodded before following him while I gave his cousin a curious look.Compared to his hard exterior, she looked fun and easy going. Her wide smile and beaming eyes were enough to give that away but what she wore caught my interest too.I expected to see someone sophisticated. Probably dressed in a skirt and blazer like she was heading for a meeting but instead, she wore a blue jean jumper, her hair was held up in a braided ponytail and her nails dazzled with different colors of nail polish. She wa
CHAPTER 60TAYLORI was making dinner but I was absent minded. I just stared into space while stirring the pot of soup before me until it began to boil and still, I didn't realize I was supposed to turn the burner off already.“Taylor! What are you thinking?” Michael's scornful voice suddenly filtered through my empty thoughts and I flinched as he came up from behind me and turned the burner off.The soup splashed and little of it got onto my hand and I winced in pain while holding onto my hand in pain.“I… I wasn't…” I had no idea what to say while I struggled to endure the pain from the burn and he grabbed my hand before pulling me to the dining table.“Sit!” He ordered before forcing me down onto a chair and I watched him rummage through the kitchen for the first aid box until he found it. Then he returned to me and sat beside me before pulling my hand toward him again.“You have been acting differently these days, Taylor, because you have never zoned out like this. What's the matt
CHAPTER 59MICHAELTaylor felt distant and different. At first, I assumed it was because of how I spoke to her in front of Blair and Carlos and I thought it would be like the usual… it was only going to be a matter of time before she would let go of the anger.It was like within the time that I asked her to leave my office until when Blair and Carlos left, she had built up a wall around her and her eyes looked so unreadable. It was like she was unrecognizable.I couldn't forget when I walked into the office where she learnt with Miss Blackwood to get her so we could leave. The look she had in her eyes was so foreign. She didn't smile or give any reaction as she saw me but still, I assumed she was just merely pissed at me. But then, her body language began to say otherwise. The way she kept a steady distance between me and her as we walked to the car, the way she scooted away from me inside the car and didn't look my way at least once until I spoke to her throughout the drive, and ho
CHAPTER 58 TAYLOR We entered the car and I was quick to scoot away from Michael as he joined me in the backseat. I didn't look his way either and instead, rested my head against the window to look outside. The car felt suffocating having him beside me. I wanted to scream, run for as long as my feet could take me or even sob my anger and solitude out to let out the misery I was feeling but I couldn't do any of that. He was going to ask what was wrong and I wouldn't be able to tell him because if I did, I would look stupid and desperate for him and I didn't want that for myself. Not when he didn't see me that way. With a sigh, I scooted away from him even further. Then I started to roll the window down so I could feel the night breeze against my face but then Michael placed his hand over mine from behind me and I froze. Slowly, I turned to look back at him and he was watching me with questioning eyes. “I don't want the windows down. It's ventilated enough” he said and I rel
CHAPTER 57 TAYLOR Blair walked into the office at that moment and I froze when our eyes met. Ignoring my presence in the room, she looked away and walked toward the desk to meet Carlos and right in front of me and Michael, they shared a kiss. I was so close to asking out loud what she was doing there but I held myself back and watched their exchange in silence until Blair decided to speak. “I came to pick up my fiance only to see blisters on his face and I can also sense a lot of tension here. So tell me… what's going on here, Michael?” She asked and Michael looked at Carlos. “Your fiance was harassing my wife so I gave him a taste of my fist and I think he liked it” Michael told her and she immediately snapped her head toward Carlos with wide eyes. “You know I wouldn't do that, baby. She just wants to make me the bad guy” he said to her and she narrowed her eyes at him for a few seconds. “Are you sure, hun? Are you certain that you didn't try to harass her?” Blair asked him l
CHAPTER 56 TAYLOR Two weeks passed by and I was doing the same thing everyday. I fed Mane, petted him when he wanted me to, made breakfast and dinner everyday for me and Michael and learnt from Alissa. She never stopped encouraging me throughout the two weeks that I spent learning from her. All she said to me were kind words, she was patient enough too and to impress her the more, I stayed up every night to learn more on my own for at least an hour with Mane’s company. Life didn't feel so bleak and lonely for me anymore and even though that unavoidable distance was still there between me and Michael, I was still glad to see him everyday because it made my day. Fernandez got busier with many jobs to do thanks to Carlos who chose to be a menace so I hardly saw him around compared to before. I couldn't help but wonder though what he'd found out about Carlos so far because I knew he was nothing but a pain in the ass that needed to be taken out of the way. The third week started and
CHAPTER 55 TAYLOR Walking into the penthouse, Michael got to the door and waited for me to walk in. Then he shut the door after me and just as he walked past me to head for his room, I called for him and he turned around to face me. “I'm going to make dinner after I change my clothes. Is there anything you'd like to eat?” I asked him and he shook his head. “Don't worry about dinner tonight, Taylor. I'm good” he turned down my offer to get him something to eat and I was the one who shook my head this time. “But you haven't had anything today. Even during lunch, you were away for a meeting” I said and he sighed. “I'll decide if I want to eat or not, Taylor. Drop it” he replied and with that, he walked away. Standing alone in the living room, I felt conflicted between listening to him or my guts. I knew he was starving. Maybe it was Carlos who spoiled his mood and made him lose appetite. Or maybe it was something else, I couldn't say. All I knew was that my parents or grandpa nev