P E D R OGetting home the previous night, I regretted bringing up the poor man’s condition to Selena that I couldn't sleep a wink. My mind was troubled and I felt like the worst man on earth.Why did I do it? Why did I tell her that? Why did I have to bring up the man for my selfish reasons?I knew how much that man meant to Selena, and I never meant to use him as bait to get to Selena. It wasn't a lie that the man’s condition had gotten worse over the years, but it wasn't my place to break such information to Selena.After using all the money she got paid from cleaning my house, and the ones she got from her other job at the cafe to balance Edward's medical fee, I knew the man meant more than just a neighbour to her.When she left the city, I picked up the role she left behind and continued to pay the man a visit in her stead. It was then that I got to know that the man could not survive the sickness.In fact, not only that he won't survive it, but the poor man barely had little tim
S E L E N A “Are you okay now?” Pedro asked, he placed a palm on my lower back as he walked me out of the elevator.I nodded once, didn't know what reply to give to his question. I didn't know I would break down in tears like that back there, I wasn't expecting it. But watching Edward's body still on the bed with various machines beeping by his side made life flash through my eyes.I couldn't believe the once hyperactive Edward was the one lying motionless on the bed. It broke me to know he had been fighting for his life while I was away. I left when he needed me.“Thank you,” I mumbled, stretching the handkerchief back to Pedro. That was the second time he would be seeing me break down in tears since I returned, and I hate to think of how fragile he must be seeing me.“It’s okay.” he smiled, took the handkerchief from me and squeezed it in his free hand. His eyes not leaving mine and I was forced to make a low grunt.“What now? Is there something on my face?” I glared, and gently sh
C H R I S T O P H E R The house felt empty without Selena. She had left the house earlier, saying she was meeting a friend at the cafe where she used to work. I wanted to go with her, but she insisted that it was "girl stuff." I couldn't help but feel a bit lonely without her. The house seemed to echo with emptiness, and I couldn't help but wonder what Selena was doing and who she was meeting. Lying on the couch, a book covering my face, I couldn't find anything to do in the house. My little boy was upstairs, in his own world as he drew and painted in his sketchbook. The boredom was overwhelming, and the silence of the house was deafening. I closed my eyes, hoping to escape the monotony of the afternoon.That was until I heard distant footsteps.“Uncle,” Liam's tiny voice called out to me from upstairs, I flung my eyes open and tossed the book to the floor as I gently sat up on the couch.My gaze travelled up where the tiny voice was coming from, and I saw Liam rushing down the sta
P E D R OI reached out to pull a chair for Selena, offering her a seat with a polite smile. "Please, sit," I said. She took the seat, adjusting herself in it carefully. “Thank you.” she smiled, placing her purse on the table.I leaned forward and moved a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “What would you like to have with your coffee?” I whispered to her face, watching her face turn to a bright red.She cleared her throat and played with her nails. “Just coffee,” she said and I nodded once, leaving our table to get our coffee.There was no need to ask how she wanted her coffee - I knew that Selena liked hers black, with just a touch of sugar and a generous amount of milk. It was a small detail, but one that showed how well I knew her. As the barista prepared the coffee, I wondered if Selena would notice the little things I did to make her realise I never for once forgot about her.I walked back to our table and handed her coffee to her. With a mumbled “thank y
S E L E N A It seemed like the world had stopped spinning and everything went still. All I could hear at that moment was the beating of my own heart. As our lips locked. And his tongue fought for dominance.“Mmph.” a moan escaped my mouth as Pedro traced his finger on my arm. He had one hand pressed on my lower back, pulling my body to his, and another hand was on my arm, tracing an invisible line on my bare arm. Sending a jolt of electricity to my body.My head was screaming for me to stop the kiss, but my body seemed to not be cooperating with my head. My body wanted his touch. My body missed his touch, my body wanted him and of course, I wanted him too.“Baby,” Pedro moaned into my mouth, his hands dropped to either side of my waist. He gripped my ass and I gasped into his mouth.It felt like we were the only one in the world. My eyes were shut tight, so I couldn't care less about my surroundings.Pedro slid his hand under my shirt, moving his hand up to my back and stopped on my
S E L E N AOne thing I wasn't expecting to meet upon my return was Christopher, leaning against the door frame with a scowl on his face.“Hey?” I called out to him, grabbing his attention.He slowly raised his head to look in the direction where my voice was coming from. When our eyes met, I didn't want to admit but it seemed like the scowl deepened. He forced out a smile after watching me halt on my track, not attempting to move closer to him. “You’re back?” he asked, and I could swear there was anger in his tone.Nothing knowing if he was angry with me, or if he was just having a bad day. “Uhm,” I nodded, watching him closely.He peeled his back off the door frame and stood up straight. “How was it?” he asked, throwing his hand to his head to straighten his hair. “Did you enjoy your day with your friend?” he added, not looking at me.I didn't know how to reply. I would be damned if I say I didn't enjoy my day with Pedro, he was nothing but romantic throughout the drive. We even sh
P E D R O‘Please man, can you come over to my place? I think I'm losing my damn mind.’Roy’s tired grunt played over and over again in my head as I pulled over in his apartment.Honestly, I thought it was about my father and the sudden proposal of marrying Louisa. We hadn't heard from my father himself that he had partnered with Santos’, but we might be right since my father couldn't care less about the mother of his child. Since he could divorce his wife just for his business, I didn't think there was a thing my father could not do when it came to money and deals.“I just hope he hasn't pulled any trick yet because I swear, he would read dirty secrets of his company in the paper.” I gritted my teeth as I alighted from my car.Walking towards the house, I tried to shut down the thought of Selena and the heartfelt kiss that we shared and focus on the situation on the ground, but I couldn't. How could I not think of Selena when even the slightest thing about her brought a smile to my f
P E D R OI closed the door behind me and I wasn't so surprised to see Roy still pacing back and forth.“Hey?” I called out to him, walking towards him in the living room.Roy stopped pacing and turned to face me. His eyes were red and I assumed he must have been crying. Honestly, I felt sorry for the two of them, but I felt like the situation would have been avoided only if he had listened to his wife more, instead of being overly protective of her.“How’s she?” I rubbed his eyes and that when when I noticed the dark circles around his eyes. “How’s my wife?”“She’s okay. Everything has been settled.” I said, plunging into the seat.“God thank you!” Roy smiled and dropped to the couch next to him. “I was scared, brother.” he cried and I sat down there, watching him display whatever he wanted to display.“Thank you, Pedro, I honestly wouldn't have known what to do without you.” he wiped his eyes with his hand, staring at me with a glare of gratitude.“Stop glaring.” I groaned and threw
SELENA "Selena, repeat after me," the officiant said, his voice clear and steady. My eyes darted from the diamond ring in my hand to the beaming face of Pedro, who never seemed to stop smiling. “I, Selena Leah Empress, take you, Pedro Joshua Lopez…” “I, Selena Leah Empress, take you, Pedro Joshua Lopez…” the words felt so foreign on my lips. “To be my husband, through the good times and bad. Through successes and struggles…” A lone tear rolled down my eyes as I stared at the ring on my finger. “To be my husband, through the good times and bad. Through successes and struggles…” my lips parted in a smile. I didn't realized he meant it when he was asking about marriage the previous night. It's happening. I would be officially married to Pedro Lopez, in a matter of minutes. I would be married to the first and the only man I had ever been in love with. “Through richer and poorer, and in sickness and health, I will treasure you for as long as we both shall live.” As I recited the vo
PEDRO‘Liam... Selena's baby boy, Liam. He's my son, and they're coming home with me. I'm coming back to the city with my family.’I remembered my words to Roy, my best friend over the phone when I packed little Liam's bags earlier. I still couldn't believe it that the sweet little boy was mine. Selena had a son for me. She loved me, she cherished what we had years ago and decided to keep my baby.“Hey, good to see you too.” I grinned, then stepped out of the car to fetch my son from the backseat."Hey there, Papa Liam," Roy taunted, walking out of my apartment with two glasses of booze in his hands."How did you get in?" I asked, cradling my son gently on my shoulder as I reached for the glass of booze from Roy's hand. He seemed more interested in looking at my son than handing me the drink."I still can't believe we're both fathers now," Roy chuckled, raising his glass in a toast. I clinked my glass against his, and for a moment, it all felt like a dream."Cheers to fatherhood," I
SELENA“I’m going to miss you.” Margaret whispered into my ear as she hugged me tightly to herself.I never would have thought a day would come where I would be saying goodbye to the Andre. They were like a family to me, not until moment ago when I returned to the Villa and Christopher asked me to pack up and leave with Pedro.I had thought it was all a joke until Pedro told me that was why he came; because Christopher asked him to come get me out of his life.“Don’t blame yourself for his recent attitude, I swear, I also have my own share of his sudden change of character.” Margaret further said as she squeezed my shoulders gently.I didn't know what to say to this. Everything happened so fast and I couldn't believe I wasn't the one to be blame.“He used to be good to me, at least I'm going to hold on to that.” I smiled as I pulled away from Margaret.I looked around, making sure I wasn't forgetting anything. It felt awkward to think that I was been chased out of the Villa because I
CHRISTOPHER “Is that really a good idea?” my hands clenched and my shoulders heaved as I walked down the hallway. My heart broke into a million pieces as the thought of giving Selena up flooded my brain. “I own her. I fucking own her. She's living the life she wants all thanks to me.” a single sweat rolled down my temple as I took the hallway that led to my room. I couldn't help but feel like an actual loser as I saw my mother, standing in front of my door. Her back was on me, but I could already tell what she was imagining. I hated to be seen as a loser. Selena of all people should have known better than anyone. I had always strived to win whatever I set my hands on. My mother might have sensed my presence. She made to turn and I halted on my track, making sure to put as much distance between us as possible. “Chris…” she gasped, her face held worry but I knew better than anyone not to read much into her expression. She didn't care. She used to care for me but that was in the
PEDROMy hands clenched to my sides as I recalled how my father explained the incident to me. Maybe if my father hadn't told me, I wouldn't have to be in a close wall to have to tell Selena.She deserved to know the truth behind her parents’ death. Even if it would cost me my future with her, she still deserved to know.That was the promised I made to Edward. If I wanted to earn her trust, and want her to tell me her secret I should tell her mine. Letting her know she could trust me.“My mother was engaged in money laundering which my father, nor any other person known of. She was very careful not to let it get out, even to my father. My father would never support that act so she kept it a secret.” I stared at Selena, it was a surprise she wasn't throwing a fist. She only sat down and let me talk.“Your father was my father's driver, my father admired him a lot. I believed your mother worked for my mother, I never knew what her work was but I knew she worked for my mother. Your father
SELENA"You need to go," I said, struggling to free myself from his embrace. I grabbed his hand, my intention to guide him to the car, but he suddenly grabbed my elbows, his grip firm as he held me in place. His eyes searched my face, pleading with me to stay still.I could feel myself melting under the gaze of his deep purple eyes. I longed to be wrapped in his arms, just like he'd done so many times before. But I couldn't give in to that desire. I had to get him out of here, before Christopher arrived."Please, you have to go," I pleaded, my voice breaking as I rested my head on his chest. I tried to control my breathing, to calm my racing heart, before pulling away. "It would be... It would be bad if Chrissy found you here." I couldn't say the words. I couldn't tell him he was in danger. Not like this.The last thing I wanted was to tarnish Christopher's reputation, to damage his good name and possibly his career. I cared about him too much to do anything to hurt him, no matter how
PEDRO“Tomorrow is the boy's birthday. Come to the address I mailed to you, Selena has something to say to you.” Christopher Andre’s voice erupted from the other end.I stared at my phone in shock, making sure I wasn't imaging things. But it was real, he was really calling me.“You… you know who this is, right?” I stuttered, pinching myself to keep myself from crashing to the floor.“Just do what I said.” he groaned and the call went off before I could get my thought straight.Christopher Andre was really the one who called me. After he walked out of the conference hall that night, I bet my life on it that he would never let her see me again.I was right, he terminated the contract the following day and that prove my assumption right. They never come back to the company. He took Selena away and I was so sure he would never let me see her again.“But this?” I stared at the phone, still doubting if the person who had just called was truly who I thought it was.“Why is he having a change
SELENAI watched from the corner as the maids dressed my son in a crisp white tuxedo. His hair was carefully curled, with a few soft strands falling across his forehead.His smile was blinding. I chuckled from my I stood, watching him pouted his round lips at his nanny.“I want to go to uncle.” he whined, shaking his head to mess up with his hair.Huh? I gulped down nothing before moving away from the door.“Uncle is not here yet.” I cleared my throat once I got behind them, grabbing their attention. “Uncle went to get you a gift.”That seemed to got to him. His purple eyes widened, a glint of pure joy shone brighter in his eyes.“Really?” he asked in his sweet little voice, turning on his seat to stare at me. “What’s the gift?”I shook my head, kneeling beside him and took his hand in mine. “It is a surprise gift uncle is planning. Of course, mommy don't know what it is.” I smiled, squeezing his hand.He pouted and nodded slowly. “What about mommy?” he asked, his lips parted, exposin
PEDRO"I'll take a look around, and let you know if it meets my expectations," I said to the realtor, who gave a slow nod of agreement.Turning away from me, he looked around the living room, before turning back to face me. "If you don't like this one, I can find you another one in any location you'd like," he said, flashing a smile that was missing two front teeth."It's fine, I'm sure I'll like this one," I said, waving him off and turning my attention to the stairs."I'm at your service, Mr. Lopez," he said, a broad smile spreading across his face. He offered his hand for a handshake, and I took it, feeling a little more at ease.“Alright.” I retrieved my hand and turned away from him.As his footsteps faded away and the door clicked shut behind him, I exhaled the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding."This is insane," I said aloud, chuckling mirthlessly as I took in the apartment that had once been home to Selena and baby Liam. A week ago, they had been living here, but now t