"Yes. I really wanted to have a baby with you. I realized that when the first time Phoenix called me mommy," my chest tightened. "We've had it three times, but I still can't feel that I'm pregnant." I turned to Hudson, who was looking at me. "Are you sure you're not infertile?"The man's eyebrows met. "Me? Are you saying that I'm barren? Aceia, I'm a healthy male. I'm not barren!" He sounded horrified."Don't yell at me!" I rolled my eyes at him. "It's annoying. Why haven't I gotten pregnant yet?"I was startled when Hudson put his hand inside my clothes and rubbed my belly. "Take a pregnancy test to be sure. Because I'm sure I'm not sick."I frowned. "I was fertile when something happened to us." My snout grew longer. "Hudson, well, are you sure you're not infertile?""I'm sure." He suddenly was on top of me and planted a kiss on my lips. "I'm not barren, Aceia. Why are you even asking me that kind of question? Well, you, aren't you barren?"She glared at him. "I'm not barren. Asshol
ACEIA'S POVI was happy when me and Hudson got out of his car. We just returned to Spain from Isla Plaza. We both had smiles on our faces as we walked, holding each other's hands, towards Vasco's mansion.I know that I should return to New York because of my business. Beatrice told me that she's going to Germany because of her fashion runway. Even though I don't want to go back to New York, I don't have a choice, so basically, I only have two days to stay in Spain before I go back to New York.Instead of three days, me and Hudson spent a week at Isla Plaza. We hardly left the cabin that we occupied because we would rather cuddle than go outside. We made love all day and all night. We only stopped when we were sleeping, resting, and eating. It was the best week of my entire life.But my smile immediately disappeared when Marthina opened the door.Bad vibes immediately welcomed me. I wanted to slap the woman when she looked and smiled at Hudson.We shouldn't go back here because I know
ACEIA'S POVI turned to Hudson as he hugged me around the waist and pulled me closer."Don't walk away from me, my love," Hudson whispered in a sleepy voice.I secretly smiled at what he said. "I don't want to go away, but it's time for dinner, Hudson. We're going to eat. Wake up now."Hudson grunted. "Let's stay in bed, please. One more round and I'll be good."I pinched the young man's arm. "No. It's dinner; we need to eat."After Hudson's meeting, he went back home, and I was happy when he woke me up by touching me. We eventually ended up making love until we were tired.Hudson opened his sleepy eyes. "I'm sleepy.""Hudson, I'm hungry," I said with emphasis, then I got up first. "Get up, Hudson," I said as I walked to the bathroom. "It's dinner time."When I entered the bathroom, I immediately took a warm shower. After finishing, I immediately came out with only a towel covering my body."My love, you're turning me on again," said Hudson, who walked closer to me, then hugged me aro
ACEIA'S POVWhen I arrived in New York, I immediately went to our house."Welcome home," Beatrice said when she saw me entering the house.When we were away, Beatrice was living at our house because I told her to take care of my cats."I thought you were leaving," I said when I saw her wearing casual clothes, like she was not in a hurry."Yes, I am, but I didn't know that you'd arrive earlier than I expected, so I rescheduled it to be tomorrow."I rolled my eyes and didn't talk anymore. "I'll be in my room, sleeping."Beatrice didn't talk and just continued sipping her coffee.I fell down on the soft bed and took out my cellphone from the pouch I was carrying.I texted Hudson.'I'm home. How's the company? Stay safe.'When I sent the message, I waited a few minutes for Hudson's reply, but nothing came. Because of my tiredness, I didn't know I fell asleep waiting for his reply.When I woke up the next day, the first thing I looked at was my cellphone, but there was still no reply from
ACEIA'S POVI felt so numb. I can't feel anything other than my heart being torn into pieces.I already expected that I would be hurt because of Hudson, because I know what is happening right now is complicated, but I never thought that I would be in this kind of pain. My chest was tightening as if it were being stepped on and pierced with thousands of needles."Ace! Ace!"I turned away when I heard my name being called.When I saw that it was Aidan, I tried to smile but failed. "Hey, what are you doing here?"I didn't expect to see Aidan at that moment, but he became my client when he needed clothes for the events he was part of. I remember that we had a meeting; that's why he was here.Aidan immediately grabbed me by both shoulders as he approached me. "Are you okay? What happened?" Aidan asked me with worry in his face. "Talk to me, Aceia.""I think... I'm in pain," I whispered, then looked into the young man's eyes. "It seems like something is breaking my heart while I'm talking n
ACEIA'S POV The moment the plane landed in Spain, I immediately went to Vasco's mansion. I know what I'm going to do will have a huge impact on me, but I don't care less. I need to do this for myself.I should have done this before. I know my place, and I shouldn't let this happen. And now I'm making these things up. I don't want to run from my problem anymore.When I arrived at Vasco's mansion, I didn't mind the house helpers greeting me. I immediately went to Hudson's room to look for him and talk.I slowly pushed the door open, and I was surprised to see Hudson in bed with Marthina.My heart shattered as I stood there watching my husband in bed with his ex-wife. It was as if a million knives pierced my heart at what I'd witnessed.Tears rolled down my cheeks. But I immediately dried them. I don't want to look pathetic, even though it hurts so much.My world was just crushed when I saw them. I did everything to understand. I accepted him even when I knew he had a son with his ex-wi
ACEIA'S POVI'm lying in bed while silently crying. No sound came out of my mouth, but my tears flowed one after another.A day has passed since what happened. But it still hurts me. My parents asked me about what happened to me because I didn't go out in my room. They tried to talk to me, but I didn't talk to them because I was so focused on the pain I was feeling.From the bed where I was lying, I heard my mother's voice outside of the room. After what happened, I went back to our house. It was obvious in their eyes that they were worried about me, but I didn't talk to them. I just stayed in my room to cry my heart out.And after many hours, I had no more tears to shed. My eyes were sore, and all the emotions I could feel were finally gone.I felt emotionless, even lifeless. As my heart felt so much pain, it became numb, and I could no longer feel anything."Ace, honey. Please talk to mommy. I'm worried about you," my mother said while still knocking on my door.I can't face anyone
ACEIA'S POVAfter I found out that I'm pregnant, I already decided to leave and hide. It wasn't easy for me, but I needed to do it in order to move forward. My marriage hurt me, but I can't let it affect me, specifically since I am pregnant.Even though what happened to us is an agony in my heart, it still leaves me with a beautiful result, and that is my baby, our baby. I never planned to tell Hudson since I know he has his own family. I don't want my child to feel like an outcast, so maybe keeping it a secret is the best decision.Keeping a secret means keeping it from everyone. I never told my parents about my pregnancy. The moment I left New York, I cut off my communication with them.I decided to start my life in Germany. I raised my child with the help of Aidan and Beatrice. Both of them were there when I was pregnant; they became my partners in my pregnancy journey.It had been five long years since the tumultuous end of my marriage. Life had settled into a peaceful rhythm, and
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