ACEIA'S POV"H-Hudson," I stammered out the word. I felt very nervous at the visible expression on Hudson's face. His expression was harsh, and he was trying to hide his anger.Hudson's mouth opened slightly, his chest heaving as he slowly released what seemed to be a very heavy breath from his mouth and looked away from me.His jaw moved aggressively before looking back at me."Beatrice is..." He paused, struggling to get the sentences out."Beatrice is looking for you. But if you were busy, I'd just tell her." His voice was harsh, but his expression says that he's in pain. I don't know if I would believe that he's hurt or what, but when he took a step back before turning his back on us, I immediately stood up from where I was sitting."Hudson!" I called out his name, causing him to stop in his tracks, but he didn't look back."Let me explain; it's not what you think." My voice trembled, my knees were trembling violently beneath my skirt, and my heartbeat was so strong that it seemed
ACEIA'S POVIt was 1 a.m. in the morning when Hudson arrived. From the second floor of the house, I saw the arrival of his car. Yes! I have waited for him since he left. I can't sleep without the presence of my husband. I don't know why, but I just couldn't stand without talking to him. I was so worried! I felt a mixture of regret and fear running through him.I hurried downstairs to open the door. I knew Hudson had the key, but I wanted to meet him. I wanted to say sorry. I want us to get along.My heart pounded rapidly inside the rib cage as I descended the stairs.I ran to the door and opened it, and Hudson almost froze in his tracks when he saw me open the door. Hudson was already there, and he looked like he was about to open the door as well. He also seemed surprised when he was interrupted.The Lanai light was on, so I could clearly see his face. There is also a part of the house where the dim light is on until morning, so even if the light in the living room is not turned on,
ACEIA'S POV"Beatrice!" I called her name when I saw her waiting in the living room, and I sat facing her, one thigh on the couch, and placed the throw pillow on top of my thigh."Hudson is not here; he's in his office.""I came for you.""Why?" Beatrice pointed her index finger at my forehead and pushed my head."What nonsense did you do again?""Nonsense? I'm being too nice.""What did you do yesterday?" I winced slightly. I already knew what she was referring to."He told you?""He didn't mean to, but you know me, I wouldn't stop asking until you would not answer me honestly, so he told me. You hurt him, Ace.""Do you think he was hurt, or did I just step on his ego?""Both. Aceia, he tried to be a good husband. He hasn't even been able to look at another woman since you got married, so I hope you will appreciate it. Give the man a chance."I didn't say a word. I see Hudson's effort to make me feel comfortable in life. For our marriage to work."Do you love Aidan?""I don't know,"
ACEIA'S POVIt's Sunday. Family day. Members were gathered in Christenson House. Since me and Hudson got married, we always attend family parties because our parents want us to.My aunt Talia and uncle Paul also attended the party together with Crimson, their adopted daughter. Who was already married and has two children.I was surprised when I saw Clent at the family day. He rarely attended this kind of party, and I guess his parents forced him to since it was my request because I really missed him."Should we expect a child from you and Hudson, Aceia?" I looked at Crimson when I heard what she said. We are currently at the dining table, having lunch."Does it have a due date?" My cousin rolled her eyes at me. Crimson was sitting next to her child, and she was feeding him.My cousin's eldest son is five years old, a boy, and the youngest is one year old, a girl."Your cousin is right, Ace; should we expect?" My mom asks in a second emotion."Mom, you should tease Clent about that mat
ACEIA'S POVIt was lunchtime when I left to meet Aidan at a restaurant. When I arrived at the restaurant where Aidan and I planned to meet, the man was already there. I heaved a deep breath because now it's time to end things between me and Aidan.I planned to not see him again and never talk to him. I want Hudson to trust me. I want to give him the assurance that I will never do things that will hurt him. I don't know why, but I don't want to hurt Hudson. I feel like I want to protect him in any way.While walking towards the table, my bodyguards were with me. I wanted to leave alone, but they didn't want to let me.But I asked them to leave when I sat down at the table where Aidan was sitting, and I thanked God that they really left and waited for me outside."How did you two get married? What really happened?" Aidan asked as I sat facing him at the table."Because something happened to me. I was involved in a scandal, and in order for me to clean my name, I had to marry Hudson. My
ACEIA'S POVAfter what happened earlier, I went home. I expected that Hudson was at home, but he wasn't there. Night came, but he never came home. I was restless. I call Knoxx and ask if he knows where Hudson is. He said he was at The Bar with Wilson and Clark, so I immediately went to that bar."Can you all go away? I am so fucking tired of you following me." I was hostile towards the bodyguards who were always tailing me. I was even more frustrated with what they did."Sorry, ma'am, we're just following what Mr. Christenson orders." I blew air out of my mouth violently and entered the bar.I looked around the dark club as I walked until I saw Wilson and Clark. There were three women at their table. Wilson secured his arms around a woman's waist. While Clark is just having a formal conversation with a girl—oh wait! It's Celine. Claire Carpio's bff.Where's Hudson? I walk toward their table. I was about to get Wilson and Clark's attention when a woman in a champagne dress caught my at
ACEIA'S POVI woke up in the morning and immediately looked at the left side of the bed. The bed was ironed, and there was no sign that Hudson had slept there. Hudson never came home. Again, it was as if something was squeezing my heart. I was completely overwhelmed by extreme sadness. I fell asleep early. I could feel my eyelids swelling because I cried all night.The door of the walk-in closet opened, and Mother Carmelita came out with my small suitcase."You're awake, Senorita Aceia. What else are you bringing?" My brows crumpled, running my hands through my face."Why? What are you talking about?""Señor Hudson, tell me to fix your things. What else are you going to bring besides your clothes so I can put them here?""Why? Where are we going? Did he come home? What time did he come home?" I bombarded the old woman with questions."He went home this morning. He didn't say where you were going. He just told me to fix your things."Then the door opened. My heart seemed to do somersau
ACEIA'S POVHudson and I haven't seen each other for FIVE DAYS. Sometimes he calls me, but not too often. I was currently in the living room talking to Kathrina, Hudson's cousin. I remember how I was jealous of her when I didn't know that she was Hudson's cousin. The man told her to visit me at my parents house. It is strange that she did not know that Hudson went to Spain."Why didn't that man tell me that he's in Spain? And why didn't he take you with him? I heard his mom wants you to go to Spain." When she and Hudson got married, I didn't see his mother again, only his father. Maybe his mom doesn't want to come to New York and chooses to stay in Spain.Hudson's father came back and forth to New York because he was busy expanding their business with the help of my family and Hudson. His dad wants to be hands-on with their company, even though he already handed it to Hudson."Maybe he goes back to Spain because his dad needs his help with their company there. That's why he didn't tak
HUDSON'S POVIt began when my parents decided I should attend a math camp, assuring me it would be a joyful experience while they were away. Little did they know that it would become the catalyst for a traumatic event, pushing my life to the edge of death.As Sunday afternoon descended, we meticulously packed our belongings, getting ready to head home. The facilitator signaled the end, prompting us to board the bus. The journey commenced serenely, and I immersed myself in a book, oblivious to the impending disruption.Suddenly, the bus screeched to a halt, shattering the tranquility. My eyes darted outside, revealing an eerie silence only disturbed by the entrance of an armed stranger.Chaos erupted as the man discharged his weapon, sending children into fits of panic. Fear gripped me too, yet I chose to remain silent.Soon, we found ourselves at the mercy of these assailants. Tears flowed from frightened children yearning to return home. Amid the gunfire, a rescue mission unfolded, c
ACEIA'S POVWith all that had happened, I felt like I needed to find closure because of the overwhelming weight that was on my shoulders. I understood that knowing the truth was essential if I was going to embrace a happy future.After receiving confirmation that my daughter was safe, I set off to visit my parents. There were secrets hanging in the air, and it was time to face the ghosts of the past. As I walked up to the door, the air crackled with expectation, and I felt a mixture of resolution and nervousness in my veins.As I sat across from my father, a guy with many life experiences and unspoken stories, I forced myself to go deeper into our family's past. It was as though the walls were listening closely to everything I said, and the weight of unspoken truths echoed throughout the room.For an instant, my father wavered, a trace of regret visible in his eyes. Subsequently, he started to reveal a story of love and sorrow in a voice that carried the weight of decades. He added, "M
ACEIA'S POVHudson and I ran across the sterile hallway, our footsteps hitting the chilly hospital walls like cries for help. The fluorescent lights pulsed harshly overhead, creating eerie shadows that reflected the turmoil in our hearts. Seated on the emergency bed, our daughter was a delicate figure among the difficult chaos of life-threatening medical situations.My vision became blurry as we approached the surgical room. Hudson, who was equally upset, desperately tried to hold onto our hand to help steady ourselves in the emotional storm. The sobs of a pained mother resonated with the far-off wails of sirens outside.The door to the operating room flew open, showing a surgeon whose face reflected the seriousness of the situation. As I talked, my voice quivered, and the words came out of my mouth like thin whispers in the storm.My eyes gleamed with worry as I asked, "Is she... is she going to be okay?" but the surgeon's grave expression offered no instant comfort.The surgeon gave
ACEIA'S POVWhen the man finally tore my top off, I forced myself to get away from him, even though it was difficult to do. I scooted away, trying to get away, but my legs were yanked back with force.Tears were flowing down my cheeks as I looked at Alison, who was still crying. "No, please. Don't do this," I begged.Marthina spoke, casually playing with the gun in her hand while still sitting in front of me, interrupting the terrifying image. "You know, when I was young..."Captivated by her words, I turned to face her. She related the heartbreaking story of how my father abandoned them when she was a young girl, leaving her mother hopeless. She stated, "I never had a happy childhood because your father took that away from me. When he left, my mother fell into madness, unable to care for me. I had to work to survive," before suddenly pressing the trigger, deafening Alison with her cry.I tried again, desperate to get out of the man's grasp, but I was quite conscious that all that was
ACEIA'S POVMy head was hammering when I woke up, like a relentless hammer, causing unbearable pain. The agony in my brain was getting closer to breaking, so I tried to get up and looked around as it did.Alison and I ended up sitting on the ground, tied, and surrounded by rusting, run-down cars in an abandoned car factory.I had no idea where we were.I had flashbacks to Alison, and I went for ice cream, but they were cut short as Marthina barged in holding a gun.After being made to sign a document and given a numbing agent, our bodies passed out. As we awoke, the terrible truth of our imprisonment became apparent.There was one thing we knew for sure: Marthina had planned our kidnapping. Her intentions were still unclear, but she acted with malice in her eyes.Turning to the sound of Alison’s soft sobs, I took a deep breath to compose myself, resisting the urge to succumb to fear.The uncertainty of impending help gnawed at me. All I could hope for was that Hudson was actively searc
ACEIA'S POVIt had been a full week since the intenseencounter with Marthina. I didn't talk to my father after that. I purposefully chose to keep this distance because I needed time to gather my thoughts and reflect before bringing up the hard topic. Even though I really should be talking to my dad and making sure Marthina and Alexander are telling the truth, I take comfort in these quiet times, letting my ideas settle before facing the storm that is coming.This self-imposed break from face-to-face interaction is making my internal turmoil even more confusing. My logical mind begs me to speak with my father immediately in order to get clarification and closure. It is full of longing for pure clarity, wanting to remove any doubt from Marthina's charges and Alexander's remarks. However, the soft murmurs of my heart beg me to take my time, to temper the urgency with a measured resolution, so that feelings don't overshadow any revelations that may come to light.There is a constant feeli
ACEIA'S POVMy mind was jumbled with doubts as I looked at the man in front of us. His manner was sincere, yet there was a persistent suspicion that persisted in the back of my mind. Was he trustworthy? Are we to believe all he said? My eyes studied his facial expressions, searching for any hints while she considered these questions.I questioned whether there was a process for figuring out what defines authenticity or a guide that explained how to deal with the complexities of trust. As the silence lingered between them, I thought about the importance of every word that was said. Was there a clue in his eyes—a slight change in the way he held himself—that would expose the truth?As I kept talking to myself, I fought with the problem of making choices based solely on beliefs. What actions should I take to make sure I'm not misled if I decide to trust? I felt the weight of the situation pressing down on me, forcing me to choose between being sincere and lying. I realized that the way fo
ACEIA'S POV I woke up to a fairly normal workday with very little on my schedule. Driven by the need to give priority to the things that really mattered, I made an unusual decision. Choosing to stay at home, I made the most of my unexpected free day by spending it with my kid. As we explored the simple pleasures of reading aloud, making cookies, and playing games,Following our different adventures, Alison fell into sleepiness and went to bed. Driven, it seemed, by an ongoing restlessness, I sat in the soft light of my laptop, expecting to lose myself in the routine work of checking files.A distant memory emerged as the room filled with the quiet hum of the laptop: a USB card placed in my bags. After getting it back, I started looking for files in its small memory. But somewhere among the things in my bag, I found a strange calling card—something to remember from the mysterious stranger who had passed me by the day before.The card was silently inviting me to inquire as it settled in
ACEIA'S POVI used to have so much wonderful family time, but the burden of running the family business left me exhausted, and my daughter Alison would sulk even on the weekends. I was determined to stop this cycle, so I made the decision to finish work early today and give my scheduled time for bonding with her and Hudson top priority.“Ma’am, you have a board meeting in 30 minutes, followed by a lunch meeting with Mr. Perales. I've arranged a restaurant reservation for that,” my secretary informed me, her voice cutting through the endless stack of reports I was sifting through."Okay, just let me know when it's time for lunch," I replied, my focus still immersed in the sea of paperwork that demanded my attention.While I was signing documents, my secretary gently reminded me that the board members were still waiting. He nodded, and I got up, gathered up my coat, and made my way to the boardroom, wondering aloud if Marthina, who had always been concerned about the company, would be am