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Better? Worse?
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Maria First meeting.
Tell him. Don't tell him.He needs to know, this is the best time to do it.Do not tell him yet. Maybe you could swerve all of this and push it away when you talk to Andrew.But I should be the one to let him know first if Andrew beat me to it-He wouldn't. See him first then come back and report to Jackson. Can't you see how stressed he looks?He did look stressed, he was hiding his hurt behind his lively facade, he was an expert at that, being uneasy to read. Being happy and composed even when his world withered. Every time she thought to open up to him, something else always happened, something unexpected that sent her stumbling backward, like this one. He was already broken and he was probably trying his best to hold it together. Coming out to dump her trauma on him would do no good, not when he was preparing to meet his mother. Images of Mrs. Jones' reaction the previous night breezed into her mind again, in fast, and violent glimpses, and her hands began to shake. She had mess
Maria Bold.
Don't fret. Don't show fear, he has nothing on you. All he has are bits and pieces, just speculations. Nothing original. Do not let him get to you.The voice in her has chanted. If he had nothing on her, if all that he said didn't matter, why was she trembling? Why were his supposedly empty threats sending her thoughts to shatter? Why was it gnawing at her stability!?"Sit, mi Amor," he wasn't asking, he pointed to the chair before him. Maria eyed the chair, that voice kept chanting for her to walk out, for her to not lose to him but the part of her that feared the consequences far outweighed the unafraid fragments. She sat. Maria was good at hiding it. If she could hold it together a little more, her facade wouldn't slip. "Let's get down to discussing, shall we?" He smiled, biting his bottom lips as his eyes rummaged her entire body like it were a book he desperately needed to study. His looks were demeaning and awfully uncomfortable, she could feel herself choke up. How much more
Maria Christine.
Theo would always remain one of the best things that happened to him. After that conversation with him, Jackson felt his fear melt a little, maybe her trust could be redeemable and maybe she'd understand that he only did this to make things easier for her, even though he didn't think it through. Maybe she'd understand that he loved Maria and their relationship was true, everything was true. He felt sorry for her, he had based everything on a lie that nullified Genuity of his emotions. His fear had reduced but the nervousness didn't go away. Jackson entered the living room, that feeling of alienation still hung in the air, just as it had always done. In the corner of the room, she was seated with a book in her hand, she loved books. That was one of the reasons Jackson sometimes read too because it made him feel closer to her. He didn't announce his presence yet, it was comforting watching the little smile sit on her face as she tenderly flipped the pages. It was almost magical—how she
Maria Here goes...
After confronting Andrew today, Maria decided to tell Jackson. No matter how messy the truth came out, she had to make him understand, if Andrew reached him before she did, then everything was at stake, their relationship was at stake. Maria was seated on the couch, shaking her feet and gnawing at her fingernails as she waited for Jackson to be back. The anxiety was overwhelming and her every attempt to make a speech or a sample scenario in her head ended terribly. Was she confident? No.Was she having doubts? Yes, a whole lot of them. It wasn't the right time to table the matter, not with the situation with his mother, he was already disoriented, and as hard as he tried to hide it, she knew. Maria could only hope that things go well with Jackson and his mother, that at least, he'd feel a bit of happiness before she ruined it by mentioning Andrew.It was late evening already and he'd be home soon, he replied after she texted him earlier and gave her an estimated time at which he'd
Maria Shoot.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hold your seahorses! Before getting to the secret-revealy part, hehe. *inserts smug grin emoji* I'd like to include Harry's POV. That dude is ALWAYS plotting something! So, enjoy.Also, thank you so much for reading.~~Bewilderment was such a small word to describe how I felt as I watched her walk through the door, the memories of it plagued me, even though it was already hours later. I knew Maria was obstinate and strong but this — this one on a level I didn't quite understand. I had pictured, even before the meeting, how terrorized I was going to make her feel, how broken she'd be before as she begged to be forgiven because I remained her only chance at redemption. Without me, everything will break apart, I know it. I am what makes her complete, what defines her!How could she not see that? How blind was she to realize that this wasn't our home?! Everything and everyone were fleeting, they were merely a passage of time in our everlasting journey. No matter how many t
Maria Secret-reveal-y
This was the easiest her heart had gone in a while, her fears had begun to liven right before her eyes. She watched him stare confused at his screen as he asked that question. Maria was bummed. What did he say? Most importantly, what had Andrew done?"W-what? No, I mean yes, but that's- that's what I was trying to explain, it is messy...but why? Why do you ask?" His hands were shaking, and so was every other thing she'd laid on the line for this."There's a weird...picture of you and..." His stare grew more intent, "I don't understand what's going on, Maria..." He flashed the screen before her face, "there's something weird about this...I got an attachment from an email address and it contains pictures of you and Andrew...my double....there's also an audio file."Maria looked at the screen, one of the pictures was of her and Andrew at woodscreak, it was taken from behind her where she sat before him and his hand was on her hair. It must have been from the brief moment he tried to touc
Maria One sentence
But she loved me, right? Jackson questioned as he drove. Even though her intentions weren't exactly the best at the beginning, a part of her must love him, right? Jackson had been left stupefied, but even with the cloud of emotions, he still wanted her, to be with her. He felt stupid for defending her. It was his feelings at stake her, he had been used!Was that her plan all along? Was falling in love with her the exact thing she wanted? It was frightening to think about it that way, but the stories added up. Who better to approach if you want to be in a limelight than someone who was already in the limelight? The pain in his heart was physical—it ached, so bad. Every thought of her felt like a similar pierced through his chest. People could really be deceptive, people could really be liars and you'd swim in their lies without figuring it out, till the truth found its way out—like this.She must have known Andrew was trying to contact him, that was why she chose to open up. The per
Maria Re-
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm sorry I keep doing this, phew. So, I figured I should make this chapter Harry's. I have never done this but it's the only way I can truly voice his feelings. Thank you for reading! ~~I heard him the first time, but I wasn't sure if I heard right. Sister? Where was coming from? It was hard to comprehend, I was already bumped by the fact that she was around. No, she had been snooping around trying to find me, the security officials that patrol my area had shown the CCTV footage of an elderly lady loitering before my apartment, almost every day. She would have been arrested and interrogated, or worse if I hadn't confirmed known her— or so I think. I had been shocked beyond reason while watching that footage. I wasn't going crazy after all when I told Maria I saw her. Her presence had been a heavy weight sitting on my shoulder. Why was she back? It's been so long already, why now? Her presence in my life overall had been seasonal, a sight here, an absence there. I'v
Latest chapter
Maria The end.
*FINAL CHAPTER*"I found the pills, and- and I don't know what to say," she broke down and started to cry. "After all these while, you still take them? I thought you were done! I thought you were clean! God... it's been six months and you kept lying to me! You lied to me!"She watched him wince and he sought the right words to say. He crumbled before her. He looked like the ghost of his former self."Why do you keep going back? After rehab! After the therapy sessions, why do you keep going back!?" She yelled, frantic. Her terror was built up by the moment."Because no one understands!" He yelled back. "No matter how hard I try to be me, no matter how hard I try to stop, I keep finding my way back to it! I was clean! Till I wasn't. I tried! I tried and tried but there was nothing to help me get through it""But I am here-""No, not like that. I know but not that like that, okay?" He threw the cup on the table across the wall and grabbed his head, pulling and thugging at his hair, "Wha
Maria This part is done
Jackson- Jackson had been hit. She chanted in her head, it replayed over and over. The image of him struggling with Andrew, that was the last thing she remembered before the world fell into a threatening silence. Her eyes slowly opened to a blinding glow of light. She shut them back because they hurt. Maria tried again and opened her eyes slowly this time. It took a while to overpower the headache and realize that she was in a hospital, and next to her was Jackson, fast asleep with half his body on the bed and the lower half on the chair that was next to the bed.She would have shouted if her throat didn't feel clogged. Jackson was next to her. What had happened? It felt as though it's been months till she last saw him. Maria squirmed lightly, shaking the bed a little to wake him up. She needed to know what had happened. Everything felt like a threat."Jackson, Jackson," she called out slowly and when he didn't answer, she could feel her eyes begin to water, "Jackson, please wake up.
Maria Closer to the end
On his phone's screen was a picture of Maria unconscious and with a nasty injury on her head. He was still at Harry's when he received the picture. He had been shocked beyond word, and Harry had to squeeze the phone out of his hands to know the reason for his shock. The message came with an instruction of confidentiality and an address he was asked to come discreetly without company, if he did anything out of place, she would be badly hurt. If the shock hadn't been obvious on his face, Jackson would have thought going alone was the best option. He couldn't stand the thought of something bad happening to her. She had been through enough already. It's been long since Jackson experienced such crippling anxiety. It was as though every nerve in his body worked at a faster pace and then took a downward spiral at intervals. This was bad. It was really bad. He never should have left her, clearly, he underestimated Andrew. This has to be his doing, it wasn't traceable to anyone else. "Calm
Maria Square one
For the brief moment that her eyes pried open, she felt that she was in transit. A vehicle or whatever mode of transportation it was, after that she drifted into another deep sleep till hours later. Or had it been days? Maria wasn't quite sure. She woke up with a splitting headache and tried to recognize the environs she found herself in. She didn't. And in the process of that, her headache got worse. Had she been hit? There was a banging pain at the side of her head, it hurts so much it could kill and she reached for it, except her hands weren't moving. It took all she had to tilt her head and see that it had been tied to the side of the chair in which she sat. Maria couldn't understand what was going on, she tried to recall and in bits and pieces, her memories began to sum up something more reliable. In violent glimpses, she could remember how foolishly she had opened the door for someone who was supposed to be her pizza delivery guy, when she tried to remember what happened after
Maria I know.
Harry left a while after bouncing on and off their discussion, they discussed how factual the situation may be and possible ways of finding out the truth. All of which Maria heard. Was pretending she did not hear all this lying? She had to speak to Jackson about it, but somehow she couldn't find the right way to. She appeared in the living room with her happiest smile and liveliest gaze, it was sickening. The shock, the thoughts. It ate at her at an unbelievable pace."Good morning, sunshine," Jackson said at the sight of her, his smile was faltering, and so was his facade. "I was just about to find you an audition for the sleeping beauty two, did you sleep well?"Of course, he was going to hide all of it behind humor. Was she beginning to get mad at him for not telling her the truth immediately? How long does he plan to hide it? Again, at the back of her mind, she felt as though she had no right to react. "I think I'd be a better Cinderella or Moana." She responded and gave him a b
Maria Found?
Things were going well, or they should be considering neither of them has brought up the issue with Andrew. It was due to be handled and Jackson had the perfect plan, but that could wait. Their relationship is what needed fixing. They didn't go back to the penthouse yet and everything was going okay, except for the never-ending apologies Maria offered and her 'do you still love me?" at frequent intervals. After what happened, Jackson was sure he could never stop loving her even when he tried, and her feelings were more obvious now after whatever discussion she'd had with his mother.Everything should be fine. They were back on track, and slowly and steadily, they'd be able to put their differences behind them. And of course, he was going to help her with her career, once the storm was over, he'd assist her in any way he could. She deserved to have her dreams fulfilled. It was morning and the coffee makers around him somehow only listened to Maria, so he has to sit and wait for her to
Maria oh, wow.
Strange coincidence. It's not like I knew someone else who lived in Spain and bore the name 'Maria.' Strange coincidence, really. Why did it make me feel so uneasy? I watched her as she unburdened, every word left her mouth as though it took a part of her with it. It wasn't the best sight.She continued. "I didn't have any family members or relatives, and it was impossible to get to the USA, I was under scrutiny at the time. They didn't let me go and Alfred didn't have my best interests at heart. After I had Maria, the evidence grew incriminating and I'd rather know where my child was than have them take her away from me. So I tried to escape, or I did, for a brief moment. The only place I could think of was the orphanage and I dropped her there," her voice cracked and she began to tear up again. "I dropped my daughter inside the orphanage and fled because I was too scared, too ashamed to be seen as the irresponsible mother. It was rainy that night...and I stayed, hoping someone s
Maria Explain.
*HARRY*It hasn't exactly been the best day for me, especially with the conflicting emotions, especially when I saw Maria this morning, I thought I was over her. I thought it would hurt less but every piece of advice I gave Jackson was half-minded. Being selfless was hard. I was doing the exact opposite of what I had threatened to do, it was funny how in between a split second I dropped from wanting their relationship in ruins into wanting them to work. Emotions were the most unstable thing I know.There was so much paperwork to be attended to and Higgins wasn't exactly helpful, not with the stunt that Jackson had pulled, everywhere and everyone was in chaos, it still seemed as though Sean was shrinking, it must be the stress. Maybe I was too, but how could I tell? Managing a personality such as Jackson's was a six-man work, and I had to handle it all alone.Enough of these thoughts, I cautioned in my head. I was driving and half the time, the road seemed blurry and I've had other dri
Maria Resolution
He beat her. That son of a bitch. That good for nothing laid in his hands her. The anger that Jackson thought had dissipated was beginning to take form — hard and fast. It sounded like the most absurd thing he has heard all year long. The woman he loves experienced the same thing as his mother whom he had been so naive, too small to lend a helping hand. It was beyond anger—what he felt, it was rage, a good amount of it directed at himself. Why hadn't he noticed? When he saw how shaken up she was by his presence, why didn't he think of all this? He had been bummed when she opened up about everything, it was impossible to voice her struggles adequately but she did a good job at it. It made him wonder what he'd have done if he had woken up and found himself in an orphanage with a couple of other kids, all ordinary. Would he have tried to be different like she did? Even when she fought for her dreams, she still suffered for them at the hands of someone like Andrew. He didn't know
