CHRISTOPHER My muscles clenched and unclenched, over and over again, as I watched the car that had dropped Selena off drive away. My hand gripped the doorknob so tightly that I could feel the tension in my body transferring to the poor knob. It was as if I was pouring all of my emotions into the metal in my hand. It was the only thing keeping me from running after the car and punching whoever was in the car in the face.Although I couldn't be sure, I had a sinking feeling that the driver was none other than Pedro Lopez, Selena's ex-lover and the father of her child. The very same man that she'd never really gotten over, and whose child had grown to love me. My mind raced with thoughts of what this meant, and how it would affect my relationship with Selena.Would Selena still want to be with me, knowing that her ex was back in the picture? Or would she choose to go back to him and leave me behind? I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that was settling over me.I let out a heavy sigh
SELENAChristopher had asked me to check on Liam, but I found myself going to my room instead. I wasn't sure I could face my son in the state I was in. Everything that had happened downstairs was still swirling in my mind. My heart was racing, my thoughts a jumble of confusion and fear. I couldn't believe what had happened between Christopher and me. It felt like a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from."I hurt him," I whispered to myself, my hand covering my face as the tears continued to fall. I had been crying ever since I stepped onto the stairs, and I couldn't seem to stop. It felt like the dam had broken, and I couldn't hold back the flood of emotion that had been building up inside me. I felt so guilty, so ashamed of what I had done. I had never meant to hurt Christopher, but now it seemed like I had done just that."I hurt him by lying to him," a voice inside me said, its tone filled with bitterness and self-loathing. And, as much as I hated to admit it, I knew that voice w
SELENAI stood beside Edward's hospital bed, watching him sleep peacefully without any of the usual tubes and machines connected to his body. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm as he breathed, and I found myself smiling through my tears. It was a relief to see him like this, after all he had been through. I wiped away my tears and tried to compose myself, but I couldn't stop the steady stream of tears that continued to roll down my cheeks. I wiped my palms on my shirt, then reached out and pulled the blanket up to Edward's chest. I rested my hand on his chest, feeling the slow, steady rhythm of his heartbeat. And then I lost it, the tears falling faster and faster until I was sobbing uncontrollably. "It's not fair that your heart is going to stop beating in a few months, right?” I whispered, biting my hand to keep from sobbing. I had promised Edward that I would stay strong for him, but I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. I didn't want him to wake up and see me cryin
SELENA"Selena," I heard my name called again, and slowly turned around. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped when I saw who it was. She stood before me, a bright smile on her face, her eyes shining with joy. It was like seeing a ghost, my hands going numb and my purse slipping to the floor as I took a step forward. I shook my head in disbelief, as if I could somehow erase the sight in front of me. It was impossible, yet here she was, smiling at me as if nothing had changed. And I realised she was real."Mitchell!" I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth to stop the scream that threatened to escape. I couldn't believe I was actually saying her name out loud again, after all this time. After what happened. I felt like I was in a dream, one that I never wanted to wake up from.Mitchell's head nodded slowly, a single tear rolling down her cheek as she rushed toward me. She closed the space between us, her eyes locked on mine as she pulled me into a tight embrace. I could feel her heart pound
SELENAI didn't know I had been holding back my breath until I watched Mitchell walk through the door. I released a sigh of relief. Honestly, I had little to no faith that she would come back, but seeing her making her way through the door made my face lit up with a smile.“Hey,” I smiled, waving my hand as she walked up to me. I wondered if the wave was necessary but I couldn't compromise my happiness to see her.Mitchell returned the smile, her lips curved to one side as she stretched out her hand for me. “Here, have it.” she beamed, handing me one of the two coffee cups in her hands.I took the cup from her and held it with both hands. “Thank you.” Mitchell nodded her head, taking her seat beside me on the long bench. She took a sip from her coffee, sighing as she moved her gaze up to the sky.The question burst out of my mouth before I could stop it. I had been dying to ask her what had happened, why she had disappeared, and now I couldn't contain myself any longer. I had to know
PEDRO“I wonder how it's going.” Roy sighed, tapping his fingers lazily on the files on the table.I tugged at my glasses and peeled it off my face. “You should know better than anyone that nothing is going to happen.” I shook my head and picked up my phone to check if I had any unopened messages from Mitchell. But there was none.His hand paused an inch from the file, and he averted his gaze from the file to me, flashing me a deadly glare from across the couch where he was sitting. “You’re only saying this because you're not the one that was threatened with his life if anything should happen to her.” he scoffed, grabbed his glass of whiskey and gulped it down his throat.I dropped my phone back on the table and groaned out. “Man, take it easy, would you?” I honestly didn't understand why he would be panicking if I let Mitchell work at the hospital. He wanted her to live a free life but wouldn't do anything about it.“If I'm not taking it easy, will I be sitting here going through th
SELENA‘Oops, my first day at work is no fun at all.’ I chuckled, remembering Mitchell's whining after she realized that the patient she was assigned to was still sleeping and wouldn't wake up until the time she needed to get back home.“God. I miss her.” I smiled, got out of the cab and shook my head, not believing any of what happened back there at the hospital.Meeting Mitchell was still like a dream to me. A dream I never wanted to wake up from. And the fact that the patient she was assigned to was no other person but Edward made it feel surreal. ‘Let’s meet tomorrow if you have a chance. I will text you the location.’ I lowered my gaze to my phone, and seeing her name in my contact list made my smile widen.She had given me her number and invited me to meet her at the coffee shop before she went to work. I was excited at the prospect of seeing her again. Then, my mind drifted off to what happened the last time I visited the coffee shop made my smile widen. I moved my hand to my
SELENAThe car pulled to a stop outside the hospital, and for a moment, we just sat there, not moving. Christopher's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. The silence was deafening, and I wasn't sure how to break it. I didn't want to make things worse, but I couldn't stand the stillness any longer."Are you angry with me?" I asked, my voice trembling. My eyes welled up with tears as I stared at my trembling fingers, unable to look him in the eye. I was afraid of what he might say.He sighed heavily, running his fingers over the steering wheel. "I wish I could be angry with you, Selena," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "But I can't. I just can't." He shook his head, his frustration evident. I felt like my heart was breaking, hearing those words. I didn't know what to say, or what to do."I'm sorry," I said, my voice small and vulnerable. It was a phrase I had uttered so many times in the past few days, that it felt like a broken record. But this time, it felt dif
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