After the lunch with Zach, his grandfather, and Aldridge, the browbeat, I was standing on the balcony along with Zach's grandfather. He was holding a glass filled with wine.He wanted to have a chat with me, and I couldn't help but wonder what we were going to talk about.The view of the ocean far away was breathtaking, along with the faraway land that seemed like a mountain. And from this distance, I could smell the salty sea air. I feel like I wanted to go to the sea, forgetting about the wedding that hurled itself into my life.My plan does not go as well, and my last bargain will not happen. The reaction of Grace scared me once she knew I was getting married to Zach. The person she was hopelessly in love with. Was it love? Or deeper feelings then."I know you are shocked at how soon the wedding is coming, Miss Verdan. If it's my decision, then it will be next week as soon as possible, but Elise talked about why not a month, and I decided to do two months," he began, and he sipped t
"Will you be staying in the city for that long?" my mother asked, her tone indicating her dissatisfaction. I had not intended to stay for a month, but Zach's accident changed my plans. "Zach had an accident and needed my help, Mom. His leg is broken," I confessed, tired of lying. My mother's expression of sadness gave way to shock and concern as she asked, "What happened to him?" I finished washing the sliced cabbage and turned off the faucet before answering, "Broken leg." My mother was at the stove, frying garlic and onions. When I approached the kitchen table and set the bowl down, she looked at me. “Why can't you tell him to stay here? How bad is it?” My mother took the chicken meat and put it in the pot. “Bad as it is, and he did not stay in the hospital as the doctor told him, stubborn he is!” “Zach hated hospitals; you should have known. Did you forget, sweetheart? The trauma it had given him?” I could not look at my mother, and I didn't know anything either. I should have
"Are you fine, Grandma?" That was my first question after answering the call. I was in the room, and I left Zach and my father without telling them why I left so soon. It seemed like a life-and-death situation. 'Yes, sweetie, there's nothing to worry about,’ Grandma said, but I still couldn't be reassured.‘Alexander called me. He has already told you both what we decided. Sorry if I didn't tell you ahead of time. I have something important to do.' "I thought it was another year, Grandma. I hoped for that, but it turns out that it will change," I said sullenly as I couldn't stop myself from letting out my feelings. ‘I forgot to tell you earlier that there is no certainty. Forgive me.' "What's the reason for such a change, Grandma? You know the reason why. Tell me," I said in a conversational voice. The line went silent for a moment, and I thought the call had been disconnected. 'Minds change, sweetie. That's why we see that it's better to make haste of it. Alexander only wants to
"I thought you were going to wait in the plaza?" I inquired as I approached Grace, who was smiling broadly."Lucia is unable to attend, and Evan is working at his part-time job. So I'm here to tell you that it will be moved next week, on Friday "Grace said. "Are you busy today?""Zach is here."Her lips formed an O, and her gaze darted to the open door, looking for Zach's presence."Why?" Grace inquired, was surprised, and gave me a skeptical look. Maybe she felt there was something going on between me and Zach."His leg is broken, and he has remained here. You know, my family is close to him "I replied. "He's on the couch. His doctor stated he needed six weeks to recover."Grace's expression became concerned. "That's too bad. How did it happen to him?""Accident happened," was all I could say because Zach didn't want anyone to know what had happened to him. "Why don't you stay a while? You're not too busy, are you?""No, perhaps I'm bothering Zach in particular. Is he resting?" She sa
I focused my attention on Zach, who was lying on the bed. He'd wrecked my alone time yet again.Mama had just left, and it was his third day in our home. Grace dropped by yesterday to say hi to Zach, and the two appear to be getting close.Zach used to bully Grace in high school; maybe people's behavior really changes. That's why reading Cairen's diary made me dislike Zach. But now I'm reconsidering, but I can't help but feel annoyed when he's annoying me."You're scowling," Zach replied with a smile."What else do you require?" I asked curiously.When he was here, I worked more and more. Almost all of his movements necessitated my assistance."Didn't you say I shouldn't move too much so that my leg can heal quickly? And I just do what you say," he explained, resting his head on his folded arm and looking at me innocently—handsomely innocently.I clenched my teeth and smiled vehemently. "You are correct, but that does not imply that you constantly seek my assistance. Do it if you can."
"Why would you ask for that?" My heart was beating fast, and I couldn't look at him. "Anything, and not that. A kiss is not a thing!” My excuse. "It's just a kiss, come on," he said like it was simple. I glared at him. "A kiss is not asking, and it's not just a kiss." "But you lose," he reasoned, and I swallowed hard. "What are you afraid of, a kiss? Have you not kissed before?” I pressed my lips so tight that his face was cherry red. And suddenly he laughed loudly, which I did not expect. "Look how blushing you are; you couldn't dare make a straight face to me. I am joking, Cairen,” he said between his laughs. Oh, goodness! "You are teasing me!" I said it loudly, and he was still laughing. I grabbed the king and threw it at him, hitting his chest. I didn't throw it hard, and it didn't seem to have any effect on him. The back of his hand was on his mouth as he couldn't stop laughing. My face got redder, and I stood up from kneeling. "It's not funny, Zach!" I was annoyed and lo
I was still thinking about what Giovanni's message. But I didn't respond. I'm at a loss for words to explain the message he gave. And there was no subsequent message from him again. I dropped my head down and hissed as I glanced at the dishes I washed. I've been sponging the glass in front of me.I thought doing this would help me not be bothered if I couldn't talk to Giovanni. What was he thinking when he sent that? I needed to know why! My teeth clenched. "You've been there for a while. Haven't you finished what you're doing?" Zach's question from behind me caught me off guard. "Do you have a problem? I've noticed the depth of your thoughts for a while now." I put the glass down and took another one. I haven't gotten through half of the dishes I have to clean. How many seconds have I been here? I cannot remember. "I don't have a problem," I replied to Zach, who took a mug from the drawer and placed it on the counter. He gripped the crutch tightly for balance. He turned his head
The cab stopped in front of the restaurant where I am going to meet Giovanni. I pushed the car's door and stared at the name of the restaurant. My eyes widened because it was owned by Del Fiore, Zach's father, as I searched about Giovanni before. It was one of the restaurants he manages.Why in this place? It's not a mere expensive restaurant but high class. Most of the diners here were elites and businesspeople. After I got off, I walked straight to the double glass door where a guard was standing. He was dressed in a black uniform with a gold chain in front. Is it a guard, it seems he was waiting for me."Name?" it asked me immediately after approaching."Cairen Verdan," I answered, and glanced inside through the glass. There were quite a fewer customers inside.He nodded at me and opened the door for me to enter. The cool air conditioning welcomed me with the smell of luxury I inhaled. It was not an ordinary restaurant, and I noticed some glances in my direction.A woman in a black
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.