I was pacing back and forth in the room while I bit my lower lip. What should I do? Zach had told me last night that I was expected to attend the launch of the CZ record company next month.And he was expecting me to perform. My hand went cold, and I lost the ability to make excuses.What should I do? I'm not Cairen. I tried to call Grandma, but she wasn't answering my calls. I became more and more worried about why she didn't answer my texts or even my calls anymore.Then I stopped and looked at the full-body mirror. My face was very pale, and my heart was beating restlessly. I think I'm going to have a heart attack.What will I do? I looked at my suitcase on the side of the bed. What choice do I have? There are many reasons why I can't leave. Iffin.I hate you for making this hard for me. I sat on the bed with tears in my eyes and contacted Mikaella.She immediately answered my video call. I always saw her online; does she have nothing to do in life? "Hello, Mika, do you know how Gra
I was sipping my coffee, but the shock was still with me, and I didn't know what to say. Arrabella was pregnant, and I suddenly thought of what Mika told me. Could she be what Mika is talking about? Impossible, she was in Canada, and Haze was in South Korea. Maybe that's just a coincidence. Right, it's a coincidence. I nodded for myself. I watched Zach busy cooking our breakfast, although I noticed his deep thoughts. He doesn't want to talk about what happened to his sister. And Arrabella was too young to be a mother. She had not finished senior high school. I took the phone and messaged Arrabella that we should talk. She hasn't been online for a few days. There were also no posts on her timeline after he returned to Canada. It's strange to me because she always posts something about her life. "When did you know?" I asked just in case he would answer my question. He stopped for a moment to put the egg on the plate, and then turned off the stove. He placed the plate on the table b
I got up to get some juice and cookies before going back to the living room. He didn't answer my question about why he wanted to talk to Zach. "Have some," I said, placing what I brought on the table. Without a word, he took that juice and consumed half of it. He then wiped his eyes, hiding in his shade. I only realized that he was crying. "Haze, you can tell me." He lowered the glass and cleared his throat. "When will he come home?" "Next week, he will be with his brother now. What do you want to talk to him about?" I will be bothered if I don't get an answer from him. This cousin of mine was so mysterious. "You cut your hair. By the way, did your family know you were here?" He shook his head. I gasped. "Haze, did you run away because you didn't want to take responsibility for what you did?" I was annoyed. I would not tolerate him, even though we are cousins. "I'm not running away from my responsibility. Why am I here to ask your husband's favor in accepting my proposal for
My smile remained fixed on me as I approached the gate, and my phone buzzed inside my shoulder bag. I was sure Zach was calling me, and I wouldn't answer it even if he got annoyed. I was laughing maniacally inside my head like an evil antagonist that was up to no good. I hope he got irritated. Until I reach the second floor. I was surprised when I noticed the familiar woman approaching me. She was not one of the students, and she was wearing a beautiful casual dress. The sly smile was on her lips, which made me nervous as to why she was here. "What a coincidence seeing you here." Cheska said it with an amused expression. The way she looked at me was like she had something in her hand for me. I ignored her and was about to pass her, but she grabbed my arm. "Why run away, kitten?" she asked in an annoying tone. "What do you want?" I faced her, and I removed her hand from my arm. She widened her smile. "I don't want anything but revenge. I want to see your face before I pull the bo
I rested my head on the car seat. Grace and Lucia were asking who, and they insisted, but thankfully Zach came. "Are you feeling better?" he asked worriedly, as the car was moving away from the university. "Yes," I answered with a smile, although I was lying. My head was aching from the problem I had. I must talk to Cheska soberly, not with her anger toward me. "Evan explained that the woman slapped you due to a misunderstanding. Is that true?” I sensed anger in his tone. I can't tell him about Cheska. He will do something that will anger her even more. "Yes, and it's my fault." I glanced outside the window, not wanting him to notice that I was lying. He gripped the steering wheel hard. "Your fault? She had no right to slap you. Tell me, who is she?” I sighed. "Zach, no need. It's my fault, and I deserve it.” "You deserve it? Are you hearing yourself? She had no right to slap you so hard that you fainted. She needed to know her place,” Zach explained, his jaw clenching. "You d
I checked the time on my phone and then glanced out the window of the coffee shop. Almost ten minutes had passed since I arrived and I was still waiting for Cheska. Would she show up? Feeling anxious, I decided to send her a text, but there was no response even after five minutes. As I sat there, the two coffees I had ordered earlier were consumed, and the place was now almost full. The sound of chatter from the customers at the tables mixed with the noise of people waiting for their orders at the counter. Suddenly, the door opened, and I thought it was Cheska, but it was Evan. Our eyes met, and he smiled and nodded at me, so I smiled back. He went to the counter while I was praying that Cheska would not have come until Evan had left. Seconds passed, and it felt like an hour had passed. I also didn't expect Evan to come to my table. "Are you waiting for Zach?" he asked. "No, I'm just winding down while waiting for my class," I answered. "By the way, thank you, Evan, for not tellin
I didn't expect Arrabella and Haze to come here with Zach. And the house was noisy when they arrived. My plan to go home tomorrow didn't happen because Haze and Arrabella will be staying there for a week. Since there were only two rooms available, we decided to go home. Even though I still want to be with Arrabella. When I got home, I was sleepy, and I ate a lot for dinner. My stomach was full. I yawned, wiping the sleepy tears from my eyes as I opened the door. Zach stayed outside for a while. He was talking to his grandfather about the upcoming launch of the CZ Record Company. I don't want to think about the problems in my life, so I went to the kitchen to drink some water before I went upstairs. I was staring blankly at the window while drinking the water when my mind went to the problems I had in life. I said earlier not to think about it, and now I'm drowning in it. I sighed in frustration. "I've been noticing the depth of your mind for a while now. Do you have a problem?"
I was looking in the mirror, wearing a tangerine yellow dress that I had made late at night after my online class with sunflower embroidery designs in fine black at the edges and a square neckline with a half sleeve. It fits so well in my body—not too tight nor too loose. I just came home from the salon for my hair color maintenance. The launch was tonight, and I have mixed feelings. I hope it went well. I was about to put on the wedges when there was a knock on my bedroom door. Grace and Lucia were here, I think Zach picked them up. I opened the door with a smile, revealing to me that Grace and Lucia were wearing dresses, and it looked like they were ready. They're so beautiful with Grace's braided hair and Lucia's wavy hair. "Look at you, Ren, it hurts my eyes," Lucia jokes, acting like she was seeing a blinding light. Grace turned me around. "Gosh! Ren, you are so beautiful, and I love your dress. Where did you buy that?" "Secret," I answered, smiling. "I'm sure her hubby bo
Zach and I stood there in the crowded room, surrounded by the people we loved, when Grandfather Alexander made the announcement, we had all been waiting for. "I'm cancer-free," he said with a small smile, his eyes flickering with relief and gratitude.Tears prickled in my eyes as I watched him, unable to believe that after more than a year of confinement in the hospital, he had finally overcome the disease that had plagued him for so long. Although he still struggled to stand properly, his physical tests were gradually improving, thanks to the tireless work of his therapists.But then, the room erupted with another shout, and I turned to see Haze leaping onto the table, a wild grin spread across his face. "It's a boy!" he screamed; his arms flung wide in jubilation. "I'm having a son!"Zach's hand tightened around mine, pulling me closer to him as we shared in the joy of the moment. He beamed at Haze; his pride evident in his every movement. He kissed my forehead, his joy overflowing.
I couldn't help but wonder what was preventing him from advancing. Was he getting increasingly irked with the current ambiance in the hallway, now that I was present? He approached me, causing me to feel a flutter of nerves. I wasn't sure if I should flee or stand my ground and watch him come closer. "Casslie, it's been a long time," he said, speaking slowly as I cautiously met his gaze. "I had no idea you were here in the Philippines too." "I've been here for over a week now," I responded succinctly, and he studied me intently. Of course, Casslie! Iffin you! He's probably just visiting his grandfather! What else would he be doing here? "I was on my way there now," he answered, and I gazed at him thoughtfully. I informed him that I would be heading back to Grandpa Alexander's room to say farewell. We made our way to his room in silence, with my mind focused on the jumbled thoughts swirling in my head, and Zach simply observing the flowers he had placed on Grandpa Alexander's tabl
I couldn't help but inhale deeply as I listened to her words. My heart felt heavy as I struggled to process everything she was saying. "H-how is he doing, Bella?" I finally asked, my voice filled with concern. "He's okay... I think," she said with a shrug as she leaned back into her chair. "He never opens up to me about his problems. He keeps everything to himself and refuses to share what's going on in his head. Every time I ask him, he just says that he's got it under control. I know deep down he's still struggling with what happened to our grandfather, especially now that his condition has worsened." "I heard about it from our grandmother," I said softly. She smiled at me and I felt a wave of comfort wash over me. "No matter what mistakes our grandfather may have made, Casslie, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him. You have no idea how long he's been waiting for you to come back and visit him. He's been beating himself up for causing you and your brother pain. He
Due to my question, she gasped. It wasn't just her who was surprised because even Grandma was startled by my question. "Che-Cheska?" "Just answer, Cairen," I said without hesitation, swallowing her fear. Based on her face, it seemed she didn't know how to answer my question. "Is that result yours or were you blackmailed by Cheska before?" "It's mine," she replied confidently, taking a deep breath. "The baby died when I gave birth to her. I wasn't even able to hold or see her before they took her away to Grandma." I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at Grandma who was now silent. She looked at me when she noticed my gaze on her. "I wasn't able to show her to Cairen because the doctors on duty then forbade me to," Grandma answered, looking down. I know Cairen didn't want to remember the death of her first child, so she didn't question it anymore. Sadness and tears were also evident on her face, so instead of asking questions, she just remained quiet. We continued to wander around th
As I sat at the dinner table with my parents, Papa posed the question that caught me off guard, "Do you want to visit him, daughter?" The mere mention of Zach sent my mind spiraling and a warm flush rose to my cheeks. "I don't want to see him anymore, Pa," I answered, unable to hide the bitterness in my voice. Mama and Papa exchanged a concerned look, aware of the tension between Zach and I. "God knows how much I hate him..." "His grandfather, daughter," Papa corrected me gently, a hint of amusement in his voice as Mama let out a small laugh. "We were asking if you wanted to visit him in the hospital, daughter." My words had made me feel ashamed, and I struggled to meet my parents' gaze. "There's no reason for me to visit him anymore," I replied softly, before returning to my meal in silence. The thought of Zach lingered in my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder about his whereabouts. But I didn't dare bring him up in conversation, as it seemed to be the only topic my parents wan
After much contemplation for two weeks, I finally made the decision to return to the Philippines. The thought of it weighed heavily on my mind, but once the decision was made, I felt confident in it. Blake had promised to visit me whenever he had a vacation or gigs in the country, and Alice and Katana had also pledged to accompany me. With their support, I felt motivated to search for a suitable place for us to stay, just like we had in the past. As soon as I stepped off the plane, I was greeted with a loud, joyful cry of "Casslie, my child!" from Mama, who then enveloped me in a warm, tight embrace. We held each other tightly as we reunited at the terminal. Grace, Lucia, and Evan were also there to greet me, but Aldridge was nowhere in sight. Despite this, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. "I told you, it's you that I saw at Forçe last time," Grace said before she smiled at me and hugged me, which I returned. Even though our relationship wasn't good the las
The desire for silence was overwhelming. All I wanted was to escape to a tranquil place with Blake, where we could just be together without any distractions. But ever since Zach reappeared in my life, something had shifted. My decision to retreat from the world was no longer so simple. Despite everything that had happened, I still loved Zach. The guilt I felt towards Blake was overwhelming, as if I had been using him to forget the past. Had I really been so callous as to use him as a distraction? Lost in thought, I looked up to see a familiar face not far from me. Grace. She was beaming with happiness, chatting animatedly with the man beside her - Aldridge. It was hard not to feel a twinge of envy as I watched them from afar. As I watched the couple, I couldn't help but feel a sense of longing mixed with regret. It was evident from their smiles and the way they looked at each other that they were genuinely happy together. But the happiness that I felt radiating from them only served
To be truthful, I was uncertain. For the past few months, Zach had become an integral part of my life. I had learned countless valuable lessons from him, and whether I acknowledged it or not, my feelings for him still lingered. I tried to conceal my emotions, but it seemed like my actions always betrayed me and revealed my true feelings towards him. I had spent two consecutive days with my parents in my condo unit. We passed the time by binge-watching N*****x shows and honing our cooking skills. Despite my slow progress, my mother never gave up on teaching me. "It's not bad anymore," my mother praised as she took a bite of my dish. questions about Blake from my parents had finally ceased. I was at ease, not having to worry about what to say if they were to inquire about him again. However, this also left me with a sense of unease as I wasn't sure how to answer them should they ever bring him up again. Days passed, and my life resumed its normal routine. But with each passing day, the
After the nurse in the nearest hospital treated my wound, we left. I was walking side by side with Zach towards the parking lot. I didn't say anything when he told me that he missed me. He hates me, why should he say that? "Thank you. But you don't have to take me," I said and looked at my phone with the cab to see when it would arrive. "We need to talk," he said, and looked at my bloodied shirt. "And you need to change your shirt." I looked at him seriously. "What are we going to talk about? Oh, you are planning to ruin my reputation after what I have done." He sighed wearily. "Not about that. Let's talk in a quieter place, not here. In the restaurant.” Even if I am stubborn with him although he was more stubborn than me and he was good at persistent. "Okay," I agreed. I didn't know which restaurant we were going to but it was far away from the mall. Until he stopped at a restaurant I had never been to. He didn't come out and stayed where he was sitting which made me wonder.