The house was enormous like Sir Alexander had, and the things screamed luxury. Many people were present, and it was the grandest party that I had ever attended. My arm was hooked on Zach who seemed to know all the people in here. They greeted us, and he named them while he greeted them back. And his Aunt Hera came towards us with her beautiful smile. "Happy to see you here," she said, and gave us a brief embrace. A young man was behind her in his closed tight lips as if he was forced to be here. Hera glanced at the young man. "Darling, why not greet your cousin and his wife?" Oh, her son. It was my first time seeing him. I did not see him among the attendees during the wedding. "Hey," he said to us, and left. That's it, and Hera was hiding the embarrassment of what her son did. Zach watched his cousin, and grinned. "He never changes, Auntie, the arrogant one. Don't worry, we understand his attitude." Hera smiled forcedly. "Thank you for understanding. You know him well. Aldridg
"Cheska!" Grace exclaimed in shock. She stood up to approach Cheska, who had a big smile set on her face and was staring at me. "What are you going to do with Ren?" Grace asked, pressing her lips together as if she were ready to defend me. Cheska looked at Grace. "I won't do anything. Why don't you ask her the truth about what she did to me seven years ago? Oh, you believe her lies and innocence.” She laughed. "Stop playing victim! You blame Ren for what you did, and you almost killed her before. It's unforgivable, but for what? Cairen forgive you!” Grace said. My eyes widened. Cheska nearly killed my twin? She scoffed and glared at me. "Why don't you tell the truth, Cairen?" Cheska's face was red, and she grinned again. "You're so innocent, like an angel, but the truth will come out soon, and all your lies! You will regret it." "What are you doing here, Cheska?" Immediately I looked at Zach, who had come to her, and grabbed her arm. I saw the anger in Zach's eyes, which made my
I rose from the bed and made my way towards the door, eager to escape the suffocating silence of the room. As I pushed the door open, my eyes were met with the sight of him - sitting on the couch, his gaze fixed on his phone screen. Despite the bed on the floor already being laid out, he still hadn't made a move to lie down. It was as if he was stuck in a perpetual state of restlessness, unable to shake off whatever thoughts were plaguing his mind. I drew closer, curiosity getting the better of me. As I approached, I caught the muttered expletives that escaped his lips before he flung his phone to the side of the couch. He scrubbed his palms across his face, a deep sigh escaping his lips. For a moment, he seemed to have forgotten my presence in the room. But then his head turned towards me, his expression one of surprise before it transformed into a smile. "You can't sleep?" he asked, the warmth in his voice a stark contrast to the frustration he had been displaying moments ago. I
"Stop scowling," Zach said, laughing, as I tried not to cry while slicing the onion. "I am not scowling, I was trying not to cry in here," I answered, and I bit my lower lip. Then sniffed. He was standing by my side and telling me what to do. I don't even know what we will cook. I just finished dividing the chicken into proportionate and boneless pieces. I stopped what I was doing when his thumb touched the lower side of my eye. "You are scowling but crying," he said, grinning. I was about to touch my face, but Zach stopped my hand from reaching. "That will make you cry even more, your hand has touched the onion." Then I realized my hand. He gently wiped my tears, and I couldn't breathe. I stared at him, seriously, at what he was doing. In this closeness, I want to reach his face and touch it. My heart was beating faster than my fluttery stomach. It's wrong, and I can't like him. No! He liked Cairen, and I can't be her. I stepped away from him, which he didn't expect, and I cont
Katana's attention shifted to Zach nearing us, and she quieted down and looked at me. Alice was gazing at me and at him with a look of trouble in her expression. while I was stuck in my stand. There is only one question that bothers me, and I am deafened by the pounding of my chest."Did he know?" Katana asked me weakly."Of course not, Kat," Alice answered."Zach," I said as soon as he approached. He was smiling at me and looking at my friends. "My friends, Katana Herbert and Alice Bloom," I said as I introduced them to him, who was beaming.The two were eying me with their smiles, like they were telling me something I didn't understand.Eyes telepathy?Zach extended his hand at Katana and then at Alice as he said, “Zach Archer Del Fiore. I am pleased to meet my wife's friend.""We are pleased to meet you too," said Katana and Alice, staring at him like it was their first time seeing a man."It's sad that your wife forgot to invite her best friend to your wedding," Katana remarked wit
It was fortunate that his phone rang, and he looked at who was calling. I noticed his face hardening and how he walked away from me, grabbing his phone before answering it. His grandfather called, and it seems important. For the time being, I sighed in relief, but he would ask the same question later. Iffin! It's Katana's fault if her voice isn't loud, Zach won't hear about it. What excuse do I have? I looked up at Katana and Alice talking to a group of men and women at the seashore not far from where I was. They were laughing, and Katana waved at me to come. The group turned in my direction, and what a coincidence! They were our high school classmates. My gaze was drawn to Zach, who was standing far away and still on the phone. The better I left here, the less likely it was that my classmates would insist on my joining them. I acted like I didn't see Katana's waving and walked towards our house. When I arrived at my room, I texted Katana, telling her not to say anything about our
After the class ended for that day, I received a message from Sir Alexander including the address where Zach was staying. I stopped, my eyes widening. It's far from here, and I need to take a three-hour trip. Then I continued walking, pulling the letter from my shoulder bag that Sir Alexander had handed me yesterday before leaving the mansion. Letter that I should give to the dean of the college of business. "Ren!" I heard Grace's voice behind me. And it's been a week since Evan has not joined Grace and Lucia. I understand why, when he knew about Grace and Aldridge's relationship, things changed, he stayed away, and I feel sorry for him. Sometimes we ran into each other, and he only smiled. I tried to talk to him, but he always makes excuses that he is busy. Grace was naive enough not to see what Evan was doing and only believed his lie that he was busy when, in fact, he was not. Except for me and Lucia, who knew why. I faced her with a smile on my face. Every day, I see her cheer
I watched him sleep on the couch after tending his wounded hand. My shirt had some smudges of blood after he hugged me. He was intoxicated and did not know what he was doing; he did not even feel the pain in his wound. A cut from the broken glass. Did he plan to kill himself by losing his blood? I sighed in frustration, and my gaze narrowed on him. He was sleeping on the side, sounding like a child, and still holding my hand. We would have talked unless he was sober, which he wasn't. How many alcoholic drinks did he consume? I brushed away the hair from his forehead, and he sniffed the alcohol, smoke, and vomit from him. I wrinkled my nose, and placed his hand on the side. Where did he put his things? Someone might think I murdered someone for wearing this shirt. I first cleaned the mess in the living room before looking at the kitchen, which was almost full of alcohol. Is he serious about consuming it all? Until when? I didn't see any food or anything to eat. I sighed, palming m
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.