I have finally finished setting the dining table up. I have prepared enough food to feed this street. I'm just so happy and moreover, today is Christmas Eve so why not?
On the table lays Pan-seared steak with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes, chicken parmesan with spaghetti and mariara sauce which are his favourites. I also made some of mine like Paella Valenciana and Chuletón de Buey. I can't wait for him to get here. He would absolutely love this.
By 11pm, my excitement starts to turn into worry about Jaxon. He told me he would be here latest by 10pm. This is one hour later and I doubt anything could be holding him up at the office.
I decide to wait some more before calling because there's no use in getting agitated. There are times when he comes home late because of traffic but normally, he would have sent me a text first.
After pacing around the living room for God knows how long, the clock strikes 12pm further increasing my fears.
Picking up my phone, I'm about to speed dial him when a new message comes in from an unknown number.
I open it and it's an image. Who could this be? The image loads and the sight in front of me makes my stomach drop in dread. No, this cannot be true. It must be a photoshopped picture right? But staring at it every passing second shows that the picture has not been photoshopped in any way.
Jaxon is in bed with his best friend. His arms are around her while her head is on his chest. Another message comes in right after: He is mine now.
A tear escapes from my eyes and I slide down the wall. I pull up my knees to my chest while squeezing my phone tightly in my hand willing whatever just happened to just be a bad dream.
I really thought he was different. I genuinely did. I really did. He lied to me. He told me over and over that she was just his childhood best friend and he has never felt anything for her. I believed him. I always knew she liked him more than a friend but I was scared because I knew he loved me. I was so wrong. I was wrong. He cheated on me.
Today is supposed to be one of the happiest days of our days together. I was so happy. I really wanted to tell him about my pregnancy. I know we are not married yet and this was totally unplanned but I knew from one of his conversations I overheard with his friend that he was planning to propose soon. So why would he do this to me? Was he hoping to eat his cake and have it?
No I won't let myself cry over a guy who doesn't give a damn about my feelings.
I wipe my face with the back of my hand. I stand up from the floor and quickly head inside the room. I take my suitcase from the top of the wardrobe and start filling it with all my things.
After packing all my clothes, toiletries and shoes, I order an Uber. I stand in front of the mirror and look at myself.
I place my hand on my tummy and tears start falling again. This time I don't stop them. I really really wanted to have a family with him. Yet, now that I have what I have always wished for, it's being taken away from me. I feel so bad that my child will grow up without a father just as I did.
It hurts me to know that history is repeating itself but this time my child's father did not die. He chose to betray me and my child.
I absolutely love him with everything in me but I won't compromise my happiness and share my man with anyone. He can marry her if he wants but I can't stay here knowing he has cheated on me. After everything we have been through together.
I look up at our pictures all around the room and with each one my heart shatters. A year. He has been my world for a year. We have been dating for a year. We did everything together. It was just about two months ago that he completed this house and told me that he built it for us. The instant he broke the news to me, I cried out in joy because no one has ever made plans that include me in it.
Ever since then, we have been a team. Each other's confidant, companion and partner.
We fought for our love. His family was against us especially his mum. She didn't approve of me because I don't come from a high class family. The first day I met her, I realized that people still thought like this. According to her, I don't deserve her precious son.
It has taken a lot of constant reassurance for me to not leave him. The constant humiliation by her almost killed my self esteem. The only thing that made me stay was the fact that Jaxon constantly stood up for me, for us.
He didn't allow his mother to go scot free each time. He always made everything right but this time, nothing, absolutely nothing can be done.
It has always be us against the world but now, it's I and my child against him. I won't be around to lose to him when he starts his lies.
My phone pings to notify me of the Uber's arrival. I text him and tell him that I'll be down soon.
I use my wet wipes to clean my face although it doesn't do much because my eyes are really puffy and red. I move my two suitcases to the living room to make it easier to carry.
After two trips to and fro, all my bags are in the boot of the car. Taking one last look at the house that has grown to be my home for one last time before he drives off.
"Miss Díaz, you have been transferred to the Washington DC branch. Orders from the higher ups". My heart drops to my stomach in instant dread. Oh no. "Sir, is there nothing that can be done about it?" "Unfortunately, no. You have been a great addition to our team in this branch and I also hate to see you leave but nothing can be done". What could have caused this? I have been on my best behavior for the past two years. I even recently bagged a promotion last month and this? To make this even worse, December is on it's way and this means I won't be around family for Christmas. I'm sure I can find a way to make it work but what about him? I might run into him if I relocate back there? What if Hazel meets him accidentally? No I won't let that happen. I will do my best to keep her away from him. "Okay sir. When do I have to resume?". His smile turns into a grim one at my question which causes a frown on mine. "Well, according to your transfer papers, you have to re
The flight got delayed by an hour. While waiting for the hour to pass by, Hazel slept off on my lap. The night before, the manager had sent me our plane tickets which were booked for Saturday morning. 8am. Which meant that we had to be up really early. So I had to wake her up earlier than usual to get ready. Thankfully, after an hour of getting some work done to wile away time, they finally inform the passengers to get ready to go onboard. I pick her up in my arms and check in at customs. Soon we are inside the plane off to the one place that I ran away from. Whatever destiny this is, definitely hates me. That's for sure. I guess the only good thing that came out of all of this is the fact that the company gave us a first class ticket. I have never flown first class before. It's a pity that this wasn't a flight to a vacation. On the great side, I'm not spending a dime. So why not enjoy it? Hazel is beside me sleeping her ass off. That's good for me because I now have
I don't even know how I'm taking myself to work this morning. I could barely get any sleep last night. Both from jet lag and the image of my baby in the hospital. The results came in. She has a weak heart. Apparently it has always been weak but this is the first sign it has given since her birth. Since Sunday, which was yesterday, she's been admitted into the hospital. Even though the doctor had given me a heads up before the test confirmation, I really hoped it was wrong. I really prayed it was wrong. When he called me into his office in the night to share the news with me, I still couldn't believe it. Nothing could have prepared me for it. According to the doctor, it could either have been caused by hereditary or a complication while she was in the womb. My mind subconsciously drifts off to a memory of Jaxon telling me how about how his father died because of his weak heart. I knew at that moment the cause of the whole situation. This one might not be intentional o
Jaxon.My heart skips a beat. His green eyes stare into mine in shock. He still looks almost the same as two years ago. His face is not clean shaven anymore and now keeps a mustache. He looks good on him though. The urge to reach out and run my hands through his soft hair courses through my fingers. He steps forward and the memory of that day pops up in my mind. I step back, hitting the chair behind me by mistake, feeling hurt all over again. “Seems like you moved on pretty quick”. The accusatory tone and look in his eyes throws me off guard. Resentment and rage bubbles up in my heart as I look at him. I’m sure he had heard me talk about Hazel. He must not find out she’s his daughter. He might take her away from me. The nerve of the cheating bastard to talk to me like that. I don’t reply him and instead, sidestep him to leave the room. As I pass him, he tucks his hands into his pocket. On the outside, he looks calm and relaxed. But after knowing him for quite sometime
" Isabel, could you —?" Jaxon's voice floats down the hall from the kitchen, laced with a vulnerability I am not used to hearing from him. It used to be the other way around, where I would stay on his every word, his every command. Now, however? I am not sure what this version of him means.I can feel it in my chest, this heavy, scrupling kind of ache that refuses to dissipate, no matter how numerous times my brain reminds me that I really ought to be over this by now.I take a deep breath, push open the door to the living room, and make my way toward him. The soft snoring of Hazel in the coming room is the only sound that fills the silence. She's eventually asleep, one of those rare peaceful moments when she is not fighting the pain." Yeah?" I say without meeting his eyes, leaning against the doorway.Jaxon's eyes loiter on me a moment, his lips parted as if importing what to say." Can you. help with the medicine? I can not flash back how important to give her.His voice is conserva
" Isabel," Jaxon's voice crepitated, noiselessly hopeless, like he had not said my name in ages. He was standing by the kitchen counter when I walked by, his broad back stiff, eyes concentrated on something only he could see." Yeah?" I told myself not to look at him, but like every other time, I could do nothing differently. His being dragged at me, too strong, indeed when swearing on my honour not to move an inch towards him.Turning toward me, I could not help notice how his jaw strained; his fingers dragged at the edge of the counter hard enough that, from where he stood, it might be the reason he was still upright." We need to talk."I stepped outside, the door vocally clicking shut behind me. Hazel's room was down at the far end of the hall, and I'd just begun asking her how it had gone, but something in the air of this room was ladened. Too thick. Something hung suspended between them, staying." About what?" I did not want to make this easy for him. He had not exactly earned m
"Why now?" I asked, the tone of my voice sharp enough to cut, as I turned to the letter in Jaxon's hands."Why would your family suddenly come forward after all this time?Jaxon tossed in his seat, the knuckles pale on either edge of the paper. The dimness of the living room lights did nothing to disguise the tenseness etched across his features. He had been silent for too long, and that easiness was not anywhere in sight."I do not know," he said gruffly, looking up at me for a brief second before lowering his eyes back to the letter again. "But I suppose it has something to do with my father. He has been trying to bury everything for years, Isabel. And this," he shook the letter slightly, "this is the first sign that something's been dug up."I felt my pulse quicken."Your father?" The name felt heavy on my tongue."You’ve indeed now mentioned him ahead, Jaxon."He sighed, the weight of years of silence acting to eventually catch up and hunker his shoulders. "Yeah, I know, it's complica
"Why did you lie to me, Jaxon?" The words felt like they were being ripped from my throat. I could not stop them, indeed, if I wanted to.Jaxon stood there, his hands gripped into fists by his sides, his gaze steady but tense—the weight of my question lugging at him. He opened his mouth and also closed it, like he searched for words but got lost in the sea of all he would hide."I in no way meant to hurt you, Isabel." His voice cracked, the crack a fist to the gut. It was not the cool, confident, self-assured man I knew. This was a raw, broken man who'd been carrying his secrets for far too long. And for the first time in a veritable long time, I could see how deeply those secrets had scarred him."You do not understand, do you? You've been living in a bubble of lies, and I have been right then, trusting you, allowing everything to be fine." I rubbed my forehead, trying to keep my countenance, but the anger—oh, the anger—kept washing up."I. I wanted to tell you, Isabel. I swear I did. B
Two more snows had fallen. The members of the international class noticed that ever since Maureen returned from the final round, the atmosphere between her and their "boss" seemed to have subtly changed. Before the final round, they seemed inseparable, obviously lovebirds. After the finals, who knows what happened? Or if it's just their imagination, but Maureen appeared to care more about their "boss," almost like an eagle protecting a chick. For instance, their class advisor, Teacher Logan. Because of Liam, Teacher Logan hadn't received a performance bonus in three years, and his resentment was more than justified. Finally, after Maureen transferred into their class this semester, the number of incidents involving Liam dramatically decreased. Teacher Logan thought he could relax a bit, but the last school celebration performance was unexpectedly changed by Liam! The school leaders were furious. Now, this month's bonus was gone again! Teacher Logan was so enraged with Liam th
The two hadn't had their fill over there, so they decided to cook some noodles when they got back. "I'm actually a little angry." Maureen stirred the noodles in the pot with a long pair of spoons, her tone still choked with emotion. She avoided looking at Liam, her eyes lowered on the boiling water and the tumbling noodles in the pot, her eyes rimmed red, "I asked you before, about the wound on your neck, you told me that the instant noodle glass bowl exploded! Do you have no heart, no feelings?" Maureen couldn't help but drop her Spoon. She should have realized it long ago, she had been living there for so long, and she had never seen Liam eat instant noodles - his refrigerator was completely empty, not a single instant noodle or glass bowl, what noodles was he supposedly making?! Liam was always lying to her! Seeing Maureen crying all the way back in the cold wind, her eyes swollen to the size of walnuts, Liam felt deeply distressed. He lightly patted Maureen's back, trying t
Maureen was the first to take a bath. After Liam entered the bathroom, Maureen wandered around the apartment in her fluffy pajamas, bored out of her mind. Being in love is such a fascinating thing. Before, besides studying, she found dramas and games enjoyable. Yet, after falling in love, when he was not by her side even for a moment, she got bored no matter what she did. Nothing was as fun as spending time with Liam. She wanted to do everything with him, whether it was watching dramas or eating. Just one glance from him, and her feelings could experience the dramatic waves, drowning in the deep ocean, the best bite of a summer watermelon, or the tartest segment of an orange. The spacious apartment changed gradually after Maureen moved in. Maureen was like an invader, painting the previously icy and quiet apartment with colors everywhere. She was afraid of the cold, so Liam always had the heater on, causing the previous bone-chilling feeling to disappear. She was afraid of t
There's a small step at the entrance where shoes are changed. Liam leans on the shoe cabinet to stand up, and Mr. Boris carries his wheelchair in. Liam hops up on one foot. He glances at Maureen, trying to hop in a nonchalant and handsome manner. But how cool and handsome could he possibly look hopping around on a single foot? Liam feels a bit embarrassed, murmuring discontented, "Who decided to put this step here?" Maureen watches from the side, her heart pounding. She subconsciously raises her hand to help him, fearing a second injury due to a slippery tiled floor. However, Liam, who seems to intentionally show off his skills, or something like that, refuses her help and smoothly completes a series of movements. Maureen: "Once he's up, Mr. Boris quickly pushes the wheelchair behind him. He holds onto the handles, sits back down in the wheelchair, raises one plastered leg, and with great effort, positions his plastered foot correctly. He then raises his handsome eyebrows a
The next day, Teacher Logan specifically noticed that it was again Maureen who was pushing Liam's wheelchair into the classroom. The group of boys in the class were extremely envious, while Liam coolly tucked his hands into his pockets, raised his chin, and wore noise-canceling headphones around his neck. He looked both arrogant and pleased. Liam wished he could show off Maureen to the entire world. Teacher Logan, on the other hand, was extremely frustrated. Right after the class, Teacher Logan asked Maureen to his office with a stern face. "Has someone been bullying you in the class recently?" Maureen was taken aback,?" No." Teacher Logan sighed deeply and said, "Maureen, you can tell me if someone is bullying you. I will back you up." Maureen thought for a moment and really couldn't think of anyone who could bully her. In fact, when she transferred to the international class, she had made the most important decision to stick with Liam. This could be the so-called stra
The three of them came out of KFC, it was so blistering cold that Liam put Maureen's hand into his own pocket. Niel, with his sharp eyes, suddenly called out to Maureen and pointed in a direction with his milk tea in hand, he said: "Am I seeing things, or is that Bianca? Is she dating someone now?" Bianca's contract with the talent agency, Maureen heard about it too. For the past month, Maureen had barely seen Bianca in school. She seemed to have disappeared completely from her sight, someone she used to bump into every few days on the streets. The main reason was that even though the controversy of the true and false heiress was over, Bianca still faced some stares. If it wasn't for the sake of graduation, Bianca wouldn't want to attend school at all. She spent most of her time in society, working. So, seeing Bianca again out of the blue at the school gate was quite a surprise for Maureen. She followed the direction Niel pointed and glanced over. Outside Secondary School wa
"Sir," The butler came in with a phone in hand. "The hospital replied they are willing to sell, but," Under Augustin’s gaze, he swallowed hard before continuing. "The price is three times higher than what we previously sold it for." "Three times?!" Victoria widened her eyes in surprise, her voice sharp. "This is downright robbery!!" Augustin’s eyes darkened, his face looking extremely unsightly. "Did they specify why the increase in price?" "They said someone is willing to purchase at a high price, which led to the price hike." The butler nodded affirmatively. "So, do you still want to buy it?" Augustin pressed his lips together. Before he could even speak, Victoria on the side grabbed the opportunity to interject. "We cannot buy it,” There was a hint of anger on her slightly chubby face. "Augustine, we can't be the scapegoats." "What do you know?" Augustin looked at her with deep, mysterious eyes, his voice icy. "In a few days, it will be grandpa Luther's birthday ban
The house was dead quiet. The type of quiet that feels too still, as if everything were holding its breath. The letter had left its mark, but I tried to shove it away. We'd already been through enough, and I refused to let something like this get the better of us. Jaxon was right; it was only a prank. Nothing more.Already Hazel had gone to bed, which left Jaxon and me still sitting in the living room trying to process it all. I was holding our son, this tiny little ball of a boy cuddled into my side, his soft, light breath a reminder of the fragility but beauty life had become. And in this uneventful drive home, at least, I felt normal settle over us.Jaxon sat across from me, his eyes scanning the letter again, as if willing it to change. He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “It doesn’t make sense. Who would want to hurt us now?”I shrugged, glancing down at our baby’s sleeping face. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s someone who never really let go.”He let out a deep sigh. "
Laughter and murmurs of quiet conversation filled the house. It was so still, so right with the world. I had never felt this relaxed in my life. I was seated on the couch, Hazel perched on the arm beside me, as we watched Jaxon bounce our son in his arms. He looked so natural with the baby, like he had done this all his life. And in many ways, he had-just never with a child of his own. But that didn't matter. We were here, together; our little family was complete."Did you see the way he smiled?" Hazel laughed. "He's definitely a charmer. Takes after his dad."Jaxon was smirking, rocking the baby gently. "I think he is more like his mom. Look at those big eyes."I grinned, knowing full well what he meant. The baby had my eyes, sure, but he also got my stubbornness. I could tell that already.But before I could answer, there came a soft knock on the door. I turned, wondering who it could be. It was still early, and I wasn't expecting anyone. Jaxon stood up, a bit too quick, and I caugh