SELENA"I think we should send Liam to school when we get back home," Christopher said, his smile warm as he entwined his fingers with mine. "What do you think?" We walked out of the conference room after the meeting.Pedro still didn't show up for the meeting, and now that I knew why, I refused to let it bother me. I pushed the thought of him out of my head and focused all my attention on the meeting. I wasn't going to let him distract me. He could go do whatever he wanted for all I cared."I think that's the right call," I said, brushing my thumb across his hand. "I don't need to hide Liam from the public anymore. Pedro has already met him." I couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation, biting my lip to contain my amusement. A few years ago, I'd thought so highly of Pedro Lopez, and now I realized he didn't care about me or my opinion of him. It was oddly liberating."I want him to have the same opportunities as his peers," I said, breathing a sigh of relief as we s
SELENA"Did he know?" Edward asked, his voice trembling with emotion. I could tell he was trying to keep it together, but the exhaustion was starting to take its toll. I knew I had to tread carefully, but I also knew he wouldn't let the conversation go."No," I shook my head, my palms clammy with sweat. "He met Liam, but I never told him that Liam is his son." I swallowed hard, realizing that talking about this with Edward wasn't as difficult as I'd thought it would be. I felt a sense of relief, knowing that I'd finally shared the truth with someone who cared about me. Someone that I looked up to like a father.Edward sighed heavily, closing his eyes as if he were gathering his thoughts. When he opened them again, there was a new intensity in his gaze. "Why didn't you tell him?" he asked, his tone quiet but direct. It was the same look my father always gave me when he knew something was bothering me. It was a look that demanded honesty, and I knew I had to answer."When I found out I
PEDROI had never regretted anything more in my life than agreeing with my father to let Louisa stay with me. It was one thing to agree to marry her to protect my mother's secret, which my father had threatened to expose if I didn't. But it was another thing entirely to actually let her into my home. The whole situation was like a bad dream that I couldn't wake up from.I knew that avoiding Selena was causing her pain, but I couldn't bring myself to face her. Every time I saw Louisa, I felt like I was betraying Selena all over again. I hated myself for the way I was treating her, but I didn't know what else to do. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and I didn't know how to make it right.The door to my office creaked open, and without even turning to look, I knew it was Roy. I could hear his footsteps crossing the room, stopping only when he was right beside me. The air was heavy with tension, and I could feel his gaze burning into my back. I took a deep breath, trying to s
SELENADays had passed since I'd last seen Pedro, but he still lingered in my mind. His thoughts and his face were imprinted on my mind, refusing to fade. I couldn't escape the memories of him, the moments we'd shared, and the feelings he'd stirred in me. It was as if he was always there, just out of reach.I had been debating whether or not to meet with Pedro, to give him a chance to explain. But after taking Liam to see Edward, and hearing the man say that Liam looked so much like his father, I couldn't bring myself to face Pedro. I was overwhelmed with the implications of Edward's words, and I didn't know what to do. I was lost, confused, and afraid.Afraid I might take on Edward's advice and tell Pedro everything."Let's forget about Pedro and focus on something else," I said out loud, hoping to redirect my thoughts. But it was no use.Pedro was all I could think about. His face, his smile, the way he looked at me, it was all there, in my mind, refusing to go away. I tried to push
PEDRO The past few days had been a blur of work, a welcome distraction from my chaotic thoughts. With Roy away at a business conference, I had plenty of projects to keep me busy. The constant stream of tasks had been a relief, preventing my mind from dwelling on the troubling events around me. It had been a relief not to have Louisa constantly demanding things from me. But I hadn't seen Selena since my visit to the hospital, when I'd unexpectedly run into her there with Edward. I was still mulling over my thoughts about Selena and Edward when my phone beeped, indicating a new email. I picked it up and checked the notification, my heart sinking as I read the message on the screen. It was from the hospital, and the contents of the email made my blood run cold. "Edward!" I cried out, my hand flying to my mouth to stifle the sob that escaped my lips. I bit my lower lip to keep from crying out in grief, but I could feel my body shaking. I had made the hospital send me updates about Edw
SELENAIt took days before the hospital released Edward's body to us, we made the necessary arrangements after and laid him to rest at the cemetery. It was a small, intimate gathering - just me, Christopher, Tony, and a few other neighbors who had been close to Edward. No family members of his showed up, and I found myself wondering if he had any family at all. The absence of loved ones was a poignant reminder of how much we had come to care for Edward, and how much he had come to mean to us.The reality of Edward's passing didn't truly hit me until hours after the burial. As the last of the well-wishers trickled away, it was just me and Christopher left, standing in silence beside the grave. The gravity of the loss was tangible, and the feeling of emptiness was overwhelming. I knew that I would never again see Edward's warm smile or hear his laughter. It was a sobering moment, and one that would stay with me for a long time."Are you doing okay?" Christopher asked, gently placing h
PEDROEdward: I hope you can tell her what you just told me. I hope you can find the courage to tell her everything. I hope you can stop blaming yourself for what happened. I know her - she has a golden heart and she will forgive you, not because of what happened, but because you kept the secret from her. I hope you can do it soon because she has a secret too - a golden one - and she's keeping it from you. I hope the two of you can find happiness.Tears well up my eyes and I slowly blinked them away. Had I known those were the last words of Edward to me, I wouldn't have left his side that day. I felt like shit. I felt like a fucking bastard. I felt disgusted with myself as I drove to Edward's apartment.“Fuck!” I banged my fist on the steering wheel, hoping I would drive a little faster so I could meet Selena. I went to the hospital but I was told Edward's body had been taken. After making sure Mitchell was okay, I left to look for Selena but she wasn't at her apartment.My gut told
SELENA Christopher poured me a drink and nudged the glass towards me. "Come on, have a drink," he said, with a gentle smile. I was taken aback - I'd never expected him to offer me alcohol again, not after my embarrassing display once at a business gathering."Thank you," I said, snorting with amusement. I picked up the glass and downed the drink in one gulp.The alcohol hit me hard, leaving a warm, sweet taste on my tongue. It tasted like honey mixed with herbal tea, and the rich flavor lingered for a moment before fading. It was exactly what I needed."Where’s Liam?" I asked, glancing around the cozy living room of Edward's apartment, but not seeing any sign of my baby.Christopher moved closer, refilling my glass as he spoke. "He fell asleep while you were washing up, so I took him to the bedroom. He's fine, don't worry," he said, taking a large gulp of his own drink. I nodded, feeling a little reassured.As much as I wanted to drown my sorrows in alcohol, I knew it would be irres