ACEIA'S POVAlison was trying to reach for the doll, so she dropped the toy that she was holding. I saw Hudson, who's in the same store too, and I didn't know what he was doing there. He was about to walk out when he saw my daughter struggling to reach the doll.He stopped for a bit to stare at Alison before handing her the doll she wanted. He also picked up the toy that Alison dropped and handed it to her."Fuck," I whispered and hurriedly ran closer to it.Hudson bent down so he could look at my daughter up close. He just stared at her while Alison was thinking about whether she should get the doll or not."Alison Haven!" I called in panic.Hudson and Alison looked at me. Alison was smiling, but Hudson was serious. His dark eyes pierced into me. It was like he was telling me something. I already knew what was running through his mind."Iook, mommy, he also has green eyes like me!" Alison said happily."Yeah, he is, sweetheart. Let's go," I stammered before grabbing her hand to pull h
ACEIA'S POVI didn't look at Hudson; I just waited for him to go near the table. I'm not ready to face him after what happened in the mall."Hudson, son. I'm glad you came," Mr. Hendric said, and then he gestured his hand towards me. "I was talking to Aceia; if you want, you can join us here—""I'm sorry, Mr. Hendric, but I need to talk to some associates; it's needed since I'm taking over the business," I said, then immediately stood up from my seat.I didn't wait for Mr. Hendric to answer; I just walked without any destination in mind. I just wanted to avoid Hudson.When I saw the mini bar that was in the left corner of the venue, I immediately went there to drink to clear my thoughts.———HUDSON'S POVI saw Aceia drinking a bottle of pina colada. I wondered why this woman was drinking, because, as far as I knew, Aceia doesn't drink. To find out, I decided to approach her."It seems like you just lied to my father to avoid me," I said, but it seems Aceia didn't hear anything, so I sn
ACEIA'S POVI immediately ran out of the room so that I could go home already, and when I found the door out of the house, I immediately turned it open, but I stopped when suddenly someone spoke."Where do you think you're going?" The nostalgic owner of that voice stopped me. I immediately turned to face him. I gasped when l saw Hudson only wearing an apron and khaki shorts.With a taunting look on Hudson's face, he asked, "enjoying the view?"Because of what I heard, I immediately averted my eyes and said, "In your dreams, anyway, why am I here at your house?""I brought you here because you were drunk last night," Hudson said, as if it were nothing."You should just drop me off at my parents house. You don't have to take me here." Hudson didn't answer my question; instead, he handed me something."Here, drink it to get rid of your headache, and also take a bath because you stink already. I have prepared your clothes in your room. You can use it," Hudson said in an authoritative voice
ACEIA'S POV"I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to peek at you. I didn't know it was an adjoining room," I explained quickly, but Hudson didn't seem to hear anything and just stared at my face. Its eyes are scrutinizing. "You didn't tell me that you renovated the house..."It's a big deal, right? I mean, because we both see each other's bodies when we are still married?"Nothing changes about you, Ace; you still have beautiful lips. You are incredibly beautiful." It seemed that Hudson was not in his own manner as he stared at my lips.I tried to break free from Hudson's grip, but his arms were like steel. He seems to have no intention of letting me go. My whole system was in a panic because of our body contact, and now my nervousness was increasing because of what he was saying."I want to know something, Aceia," he said, focusing his gaze on my eyes."Do you miss me?" My eyes widened at Hudson's question. His face is too thick to ask such a question. "Do you miss me touching your body be
HUDSON'S POVI was busy reading some reports because I went back to Spain to see my son. That's why, when I came back to New York, I had a lot of work to do.My secretary sent me an email. It was my schedule for the day. And I forgot that I have a meeting with Mr. Christenson at exactly 3:00 PM. I looked at my wrist watch, then I saw that it was 2:30 PM, so I immediately got my coat that was on the stand.When I was driving, my phone rang, so I answered it without looking at the caller ID: "Vasco speaking, who's this?""Mr. Vasco. Mr. Christenson changed the place where you were going to meet. He says you can meet him at their house." His secretary said,"Okay." I didn't wait for my secretary to answer. I just ended the call and then did a u-turn.It didn't take long before I arrived at Christenson's household. I parked my car and then walked towards the house.I was in the middle of walking in the living room when I heard a shout. So I immediately went to where the shout came from, an
HUDSON'S POVI looked at Clark, who shook his head in disbelief. "It couldn't be." I sat up as I remembered Aceia's reaction when we saw each other at the mall with Alison. "She hid her pregnancy at me…"I shook my head and laughed and cried like a madman. I didn't know how to feel."So, Alison is really your daughter?" Sanchez asked, confused."Do you know how many times I've asked for that?" I laughed and asked Clark and Sanchez, who were just looking at me, "So, for five years my daughter didn't have a father on her side? Why is this happening to me? Two of my kids grow up without a father." I washed my face with both hands. "Do you know that feeling of being useless? I didn't give the love that my daughter deserves."I stood up in so much frustration. I needed to let it out. I clenched my fist and punched the wall near me. Pain sipped through my knuckles, but I didn't stop. I punched the wall until I couldn't raise my hand anymore. I rubbed my tear-filled eyes. I was crying in so m
ACEIA'S POVIt's been five days since the accident happened. So I decided to introduce Alison to her dad. My heart was beating rapidly.Alison is doing fine; all of her tests were good. All she needs to do is take a rest. I didn't tell Alison that her father was already by her side. But as the days passed, I could see in Hudson's face that she wanted to hug and introduce himself to our daughter, so maybe it's time."Alison," I called nervously. "Would you believe me when I tell you that Daddy is here?"Alison's smile immediately disappeared, and she was confused by what I said. She blinked and looked around. Seeing nothing, she looked back at me, not speaking."Do you want to meet him?" I caressed his face."Of course, Mommy," she said in a soft voice. She sounded excited, too. I just don't know what her real reaction will be when she knows that Hudson is her father.Alison was sitting on her bed, holding her teddy bear. I let out a sigh of relief before I spoke."You may come in," I s
ACEIA'S POVIt's been one month, and we can be discharged from the hospital today. I'm glad that we can finally go home. Hudson takes care of everything.Hudson didn't let us go home until the doctor said that it was safe to go. Hudson was so anxious that he really wanted to talk to our doctor so that he could be aware."Daddy, I'm excited to show you my awards and medals. Mommy says you are smart, so I give my best to have my achievements so that if we meet, I can have something to show you so that you will be proud of me," Alison said while Hudson was feeding her food."That's my girl. But baby, you don't have to have a medal so that I can be proud of you. I'm already proud because you're my daughter."Hudson softly caressed Alison's hair, then looked at Knoxx, who happened to be there to visit me and my daughter."Hey, bud, can you contact Wilson for me? Please tell him that he needs to fill my refrigerator in my house with food and then buy me another refrigerator for other food li
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