"I think I am in love with you," he whispered. Kristin’s heart fluttered and melted like ice. She knew the alcohol was speaking for him, but she couldn’t help falling for his words. "You… are in love… with me?" she stammered. Richard smiled. He looked so cute when he smiled, but she knew it was only temporary, a result of the alcohol. He caressed her face again, and slowly his lips moved closer to hers. Kristin wondered what it would feel like to kiss a billionaire like Richard. As he leaned closer, she closed her eyes, her long natural lashes coming into view. Her heart pounded as she waited for Richard’s lips to meet hers, but just an inch away, Richard’s head fell onto her shoulder. Kristin opened her eyes and found Richard sleeping on her shoulder. She puffed out a breath, figuring out how to take him home. --- Kristin exhaled loudly after she dropped Richard on the bed. "Gosh! He’s heavy," she muttered to herself, stretching her body. She sat beside Richard,
Luke kissed Cecelia as they helped each other undress. He entered her, and as they made love, Cecelia moaned in pleasure, her eyes closed. “More of you… Lewis,” she moaned. Luke froze, then abruptly pulled out when he heard the name "Lewis." It was too late; Cecelia had already let it slip. “Who is Lewis?” Luke asked, his voice tight. “What are you talking about?” Cecelia replied, trying to feign ignorance. “Don’t play games with me, Cecelia! Who is Lewis? Are you cheating on me?” Luke's voice was laced with anger. “Of course not! Why would you think that? You know how much I love you, right?” “Then tell me who Lewis is!” Luke roared, his hand trembling as he barely restrained himself from slapping her. “It’s no one, Love. Please, believe me. I’d never cheat on you. I love you,” she pleaded, reaching out to touch him, but he jerked away from her. “Don’t make me angry, Cecelia. Tell me who he is!” he demanded, his voice a dangerous growl. Cecelia flinched. Luke was usually
Kristin and Luke stared at each other, trying to figure out if Richard had really said those words. Luke looked more surprised, as he had never seen Richard act so sweet before. He stepped closer to Richard and placed a hand on his forehead. "Are you sure you’re not sick?" Luke asked. Richard jerked his hand away. "Do I look like someone who's sick?" Luke nodded dramatically, like a character from one of those strange cartoons on TV. Kristin chuckled. "Are we leaving now, or do you want me to explain myself again?" Richard asked, directing the question to Kristin. She only nodded, while Luke leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "I got you a birthday present. Don’t open it until tomorrow." "Really? You did?" "Of course. You think I’d forget to give my buddy a birthday present?" Kristin chortled, and they did their usual fist bump, while Richard frowned, confused about what they were saying since he hadn’t heard the whisper. Feeling a twinge of jealousy over Kristin's
Waking up the following morning, Kristin couldn’t find Richard in the suite. She was still wondering where he had wandered off to so early when the large door opened. Three ladies, dressed in black skirts, white blouses, and bold ties, entered and immediately bowed to her. "Happy birthday, Ma," they greeted respectfully. Kristin was about to respond when a group of violinists also entered the suite. They were all professionals, wishing her a happy birthday with their violins. When they finished, they bowed to her again. "Ma, we will help you get ready for your birthday," one of the ladies said. "Just a second," Kristin replied nervously, smiling at them. It was her first time being addressed as "Ma" and being treated with such respect by people twice her age. She grabbed her phone and quickly stepped out onto the balcony to call Richard. "Happy birthday, Firefly," Richard said the moment he answered. Kristin smiled. "You did all of this?" she asked, twirling a strand o
"He's still alive?" Richard asked one of his employees, who had just reported the man's condition."Yes, but he's in a coma," the man in the fitted suit replied."He should be in a grave, not in a coma!" Richard roared, turning to leave, but Kristin stepped in his way."Move." His eyes burned with anger.Kristin no longer feared him. She had grown used to his cold, furious gaze. "You've done enough.""You think that was enough? That imbecile touched you!" Richard seethed, slamming his hand against the wall."I'm fine. He didn’t go further than grabbing my hair and hand.""That's exactly why he should die," Richard huffed, trying to leave again. But Kristin pulled him into a hug."Please, stay calm. I'm begging you. You've done enough. If I had just stayed in the suite like you told me, I wouldn’t have met him. What you did is enough. Please," Kristin pleaded, hugging him tighter.Richard exhaled deeply, his rage slowly dissipating. After a few minutes, he broke the hug and cupped her
Kristin sat comfortably on the couch, smiling as she watched a documentary about doctors on television. They were already back in Las Vegas for the opening of his new company. "You find that interesting?" Richard's voice came from behind her. Kristin turned and saw him standing there. "Yes." "That?" He furrowed his brows, clearly puzzled. If it wasn’t a documentary about business, he considered it boring. "Documentaries about doctors are fun to watch," Kristin grinned. "Why? You want to become a doctor?" he asked, now sitting beside her. "Yes. I used to be a medical student in the Philippines." "Used to be? So you didn’t graduate?" "I made a terrible mistake that almost ruined my life, so I dropped out a month after our freshman party." "What kind of mistake made you drop out of college?" Richard probed. "It’s something I can’t tell you, Mr. Grouchy. I feel so useless anytime I think about that day." "Then don’t tell me. Anything that makes you feel that way, I d
Ophelia angrily switched off the TV, frustrated by the news that played on the screen. "I can’t believe our plan got ruined!" she exclaimed, stamping her foot, her face flushed with anger. Lewis was fuming. Yet again, his plan to destroy Richard had failed. Instead of the media focusing on Richard's reaction to the jangling scandal, they were all talking about his kissing scene with Kristin. It was plastered across every TV channel and newspaper, and to his fury, teenagers were making viral videos out of the public display between Kristin and Richard. "Are you even sure Richard is terrified by jangling sounds?" Ophelia asked after a moment of silence. Lewis shot her a piercing glare, his eyes burning with anger. "Didn’t you see his reaction when he heard the jangling sounds? Everyone almost knew he was scared. But then Kristin ruined it all by kissing him. If she hadn’t made that first move, the whole media would be talking about Richard Hernandez’s weakness right now," Lewis sa
Lewis couldn’t believe his ears when Richard denied him. He had thought that Richard will offer help to him after everything he had done for him. "Stop joking, Richard. I’m your best friend," Lewis said, trying to hug him, but Richard’s forceful push sent him to the ground. "I don’t know you!" Richard’s cold voice responded. He took Julio’s hand and said, "Let’s go, Dad. I don’t know him." Richard walked into the shopping mall without sparing Lewis a glance. Lewis was shocked by Richard’s treatment of him, but he hoped that Richard might change his mind. Every day, he waited at the shopping mall for him. Sometimes Richard would come to the mall, sometimes he wouldn’t, and when he did, he always denied knowing Lewis. Richard would always ignored and deny Lewis, who was bullied by older street kids. Richard never showed him any mercy; every time he saw Lewis, he would always say, "I don’t know you." This continued until Lewis caught Natalie’s attention, who is now his wife. Nat
Romina quickly rushed to Kathryn and separated her from Richard. "I'm sorry for..." Romina paused when she recognized Richard as the same man Kristin was married to. "You?" she muttered, unable to hide her surprise. She had to admit he looked even better in person than in the photos. "You know me?" Richard furrowed his brows, unable to place where he might have seen Romina, after all, he had never met her before. "Richard!" Gladys approached him. "Ma'am Gladys?" Richard uttered, surprised to see Kristin’s mother in Las Vegas. He quickly noticed the man standing next to her was likely Kristin's father. But why were they here? Without taking her eyes off Richard, Gladys called out to Romina. "Romina." "Yes, Auntie?" Romina responded. "Take Kathryn outside and wait until I call for you," Gladys instructed, still staring at Richard. Romina was about to take Kathryn’s hand, but the girl rushed to Richard and hugged him tightly. "No! I don’t want to leave. I want to stay with him!"
Luke kept searching for Kristin, trying to figure out where she might have gone. He couldn’t think of a place because Kristin hadn’t spent much time in Vegas. He didn’t want to call her because he knew she was in a state where she wouldn’t answer the phone. An idea struck him, and hoping she might be there, Luke rushed to the airport—and he was right. Kristin was standing at the entrance, unsure whether she should go in. She had nothing with her. "Kristin!" Luke called out, rushing to her. She looked at him with watery eyes. "Going back to Glenwood isn’t the best option," Luke said, shaking his head. "I don’t want to go back," she replied in a tearful voice. "Then what are you doing here?" Kristin swallowed the painful lump in her throat. "I wanted to go back, but I keep restraining myself. How can I still be in love with a man who raised his hand on me? I can still believe he slap me, Luke. I tried to understand him, knowing he’s cold and has a temper, but I never thought h
Kristin’s eyes widened in shock and pain as she stumbled back, her hand flying to her cheek where he had struck her. The weight of his actions hung heavily in the room, and the silence that followed was filled with an unspoken understanding of the gravity of what had just happened. Richard's face reflected pure shock as he realized what he had done. He had slapped Kristin. He had slapped the woman his heart was falling for. He wasn’t a woman beater, but he had raised his hand against the one person who lit up his world. "Firefly," he called, his voice thick with regret. For the second time, he had let his anger take control, but this time it was worse because he had struck her. "Firefly," he tried to reach out to her, but she shrank back, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry. I... I... didn’t mean to," he pleaded. He hadn’t intended to hurt Kristin, but when his anger took over, he lost control. Kristin didn’t say a word, her cheek stinging from the slap. If someone ha
This was the first time Cecelia had seen Luke talking to another woman, and she felt a pang of jealousy. "She is my wife. I have something to attend to," Luke said, walking past Cecelia. He didn’t want to talk to her because he was still angry with her; he couldn’t get off the fact that he mentioned another man’s name while making love with her. "Really, Luke? I came here to see you, and you’re just going to walk out on me?" Cecelia asked loudly, but Luke didn’t spare her a glance. "Just give him some time," Kristin said, helping Luke with his response. Cecelia wanted to react but saw it as a good opportunity to get to know Kristin and befriend her to extort money from Lewis. She was unaware that Lewis was hospitalized. "Thanks. I’m Cecelia," she said with a fake smile. "I’m Kristin," Kristin said, genuinely smiling at her. "I’m not cheating on Luke. The movie happened to be my favorite, and that’s why I mentioned the character’s name." Kristin only smiled; wondering if she w
Gladys added more adobos to Kathryn’s plate, and she grinned with her missing teeth. "How long has Kristin been in Las Vegas?" Romina asked. "Going on two months now. You know the only blue-collar job here is farming. She barely graduated from school, and we couldn’t afford to pay our debts. Kristin took it upon herself to make a living, which is why she went to Las Vegas. You both are best friends, aren’t you on talking terms?" Gladys asked. "No, we haven’t. I’ve been too busy working as a nurse in Singapore, and the little time I have, I take care of Kathryn. When she calls, I’m busy, and the time difference makes it impossible for us to talk," Romina explained. "And your mom?" "Still not on speaking terms. She was the first person I informed about my return, but she didn’t seem to care. I came back because of Kathryn." "Why? Is everything okay with her?" Gladys asked worriedly, her eyes on Kathryn, who was eating. Romina sighed and began to speak. "She’s been having nightmar
"Kristin got pregnant after a one-night stand with a man on the night of her freshman party at her new college in the Philippines. She is now a single mom with a six-year-old daughter," Parker revealed. Ophelia chortled at Parker’s words, unable to believe that Kristin is a single mother. "Are you serious? Kristin is a single mother?" Ophelia asked skeptically. "Yes, she is. Here’s proof that she has a daughter who is six years old." Parker handed her a document. Without hesitation, Ophelia took the document and began to review it, a creepy smile spreading across her face. "This is her daughter?" Ophelia asked, pulling out a picture of a cute little girl from the envelope. "Yes. Her name is Kathryn Santiago, but for now, she is not in Glenwood with Kristin’s parents." "Then where is she?" Ophelia inquired. "According to my research, she is staying with Kristin’s best friend in Singapore. Her best friend’s name is Romina, and she works as a nurse there while taking care of Kris
Kristin grinned at Richard’s words and quickly got out of bed. “Where are you going?” Richard asked as she headed for the door. “I’ll be back,” she said with a smile. Kristin left the room and returned holding a nylon bag with a ball anklet sealed inside. “That’s the gift you got from the department store, right? I thought you said you’d gotten rid of it?” Richard’s eyes were on her. “I didn’t literally throw it away; I just disposed of it from you,” she smiled. "Why are you showing it to me?" he asked calmly. "I just want to know if you've really conquered your fear of jangling sounds." "Firefly, you can’t—" "I promise to get rid of it if you’re still triggered by it," Kristin said, raising her right hand as if making an oath. Richard looked at her but didn’t say a word. "Should I?" Kristin asked, attempting to unseal the ball anklet. Richard stared at the ball anklet and slowly nodded. He usually avoids letting jangling sounds reach his ears, but now he wants to face his
Lewis grabbed Kristin’s hair forcefully, and she screamed, trying to break free from his strong grip. “Aren’t you going to save your wife? I already have her wrapped around my fingers,” Lewis mocked Richard, showing off his loose tooth and looking like a cartoon villain. Richard tried to stand, but the sound from the ball anklet made him fall back to the ground. “Let me go! Mr. Grouchy!” Kristin’s voice cracked as she tried her best to break free from Lewis’s grasp. Her heart ached seeing Richard in such a pitiful state. He couldn’t move, and Ophelia’s torment with the ball anklet only intensified his distress. “Come on, Richard! Show us what you’ve got! You always act so dominant and powerful, but you’re just an ordinary man afraid of a mere jangling sound. Get on your feet!” Ophelia taunted. “You evil wretch! Stop being evil!” Kristin screamed, but her world almost crumbled when Lewis pressed a knife to her neck. Kristin stopped breathing, and to make it worse, Richard was st
After a pleasant chat with Julio, Kristin sat patiently, waiting for Richard to come pick her up as promised. A man approached her in Julio’s living room and bowed. “Richard sent me to you.” “Why? Is he not coming to get me?” she asked. “He’s busy at the hotel with Luke. That’s why he wants me to take you home,” the man said with a smile. “I’ll just inform Mr. Julio that I’m leaving.” “No need for that. I’ll tell him when he comes out of the bathroom.” Ophelia appeared out of nowhere, and Kristin stared at her. “What are you still waiting for? Your presence sickens me, so leave,” Ophelia raged. With no other option, Kristin left with the man, a smirk forming on Ophelia’s lips. She called Lewis, and he picked up immediately. “He’s taking Kristin to you. I’ll join you shortly,” she said before ending the call with another smirk. “Where’s Kristin?” Julio’s voice asked, startling her. She took a deep breath and replied, “She left with Richard.” “He didn’t bother to say goodby