Chapter 20.He had to send the other workers away so that he could meet his new secretary who go to be the woman he loved. This morning when they met, he had no idea that she was working at his company. If he knew, he would have brought her to work instead.“I see fate machinery getting to work here,” Paul Reyes clapped his hands. He sat on one of the empty sofas in the room. “Good morning, Isabella.”“Good morning, Mr. Reyes” she replied, tightening her grip on the file in her hands.“Should I excuse you two?” Paul asked with his eyes darting back and forth. From what he saw, none of them expected to see each other. This was going to be a beautiful romance story.“No, there is no need for that” Luciano answered. “Come and sit, Miss secretary” he teased.Isabella nodded, as she walked to the seat he offered her. She sat down and avoided his hot gaze. They were not just intimidating but alluring.“Good morning sir,” she spoke for the first time with her eyes on the floor.“Sir?” Luciano
Luciano left the office at eleven-forty. He did not want to keep the children. Plus, today was his first day at being a daddy. It would be sad if he messed up.He drove to school and waited for the bell to ring. As soon as he heard it, he got down from the car and went in search of his cousin first. She was new and had no friends. Who knows what type of trouble she would get herself into?It was different with Juan. He was born and brought up here. The boy was a lovely kid, and he may have many friends to talk to after classes.The school was noisy. There were many students rushing towards the gate. Some were chattering and shoving each other to pass. He managed to get through without a stain on his suit.Teresa’s class was closed to the gate so it was easy to reach her. When he got near, she was standing outside with her lunch box.Luciano sighed. He was worried about nothing. The big girl handled herself. After the death of her mother, Teresa became cold, just like her father. She ha
Isabella wrapped her hands around Juan. Her heart squeezed when she saw the scratch on his elbow. What did they do to her son? For how long has this been going on? Why didn’t he mention it to her?What if Luciano did not find out about it today? Juan would have continued to leave in fear. It would have affected her son’s mental health.“Is he Juan's father?” the principal asked again, interrupting her thought.Isabella looked at Luciano. He was a savior. Why would she deny him the opportunity of being a father to her son? Who could have done it better? Rodriguez? Or the mysterious father of Juan, who ran away from his responsibility?She could not get a good father for her son all these years because none of them were responsible enough. They were all assholes who wanted to fu*k her and had nothing to do with her son.It was different with Luciano. He protected both her and Juan. She was sure that if her family failed in their obligation, Luciano would not. He will always be there for
She had no idea when her hands wrapped around him tightly. His sweet scent filled her nose as she shut her eyes. It was the best feeling…a hug from a man who was willing to protect the ones she loved.Isabella felt his hands around her back. A naughty smile appeared on her face. She could feel the butterflies in her belly, responding to his warm touch.When she opened her eyes, they met with Teresa’s. A cold shiver ran down her spine. Quickly, she let go of him, breaking away from the hug.“I-I will go now” Isabella stuttered, with her eyes still on Teresa. She just embarrassed herself in front of the girl.“Bye” Luciano replied. He wondered what was wrong. A few seconds ago, she was happy in his arms. What could change her mood?He looked behind him and saw Teresa. The kid’s eyes were wide open and staring in his direction.“Dammit,” he cursed, clenching his fist. Juan did not look at them this whole time. But his cousin…she was a problem.Isabella’s car left the parking lot. When he
At Jimenez' mansion.“How do I find out the truth?” Isabella asked. Apart from the green eyes, there was nothing she could remember about Juan's father. The little image of him with the mask has disappeared. “I can’t approach any green-eyed man like we did in Suncity. It was embarrassing.”Manuela laughed. She could not hold it back. When the doctor confirmed Isabella’s pregnancy, they searched for Juan’s father on the streets. They were almost jailed by one of the men. “We are not doing that again. I think you should ask him some questions…can’t you remember the conversation you had with Juan's father?”“I did.”“Good, ask him if he has been to that club. Asked about the masked party and other things relating to that night,” Manuela gave her hints. If she was wrong Luciano, Isabella would never try to hit Juan’s father again.“What if he is not the one?” her face went dull. Isabella had lived in this pain for years. She felt like it had awakened again. “I will be devastated.”“Do you
**Chapter 25.“I am sorry to interrupt, but you shouldn’t be arguing like children”, Luciano told them. He walked to where his grandmother was and kissed her cheeks. “You are right. It is time for me to settle down and give you grandchildren...” he paused and looked at his mother. She was heartbroken. “But my mom isn’t wrong, granny. Give me a little time. For the first time in a long while, my heart is finally beating for someone.”Grandmother’s face lit when he said that. She turned to his side. “Is it Isabella? The one you hugged this afternoon?”His brows knitted in confusion. Just did she just say? Luciano swallowed hard and asked “how did you know about that?”Mrs. Julio laughed “Teresa told us what happened at school. She did not leave any details out. Grandmother was also there.”“I was there too”, Paul's mother added. It sounded stupid hearing it from Teresa.Luciano's hands balled into fists. Why will children get on his nerves today? First, the boys at school, then his lit
Luciano Reyes kept to his word. The next morning, he came and picked up both mother and son. He dropped Juan at school and Isabella at the office.At the office, he had a lot of meetings, so they barely saw each other.Isabella picked Juan from the school because of Luciano's tight schedule. He dismissed her to go home and prepared for a family dinner.Here she was in front of the mirror staring at the blue gown she wore.“A family dinner?” Manuela was surprised. She selected the dress Isabella was wearing. However, she did not understand why the Reyes would invite her over to their place.“Yes Manulita” Isabella answered as she turned and glared into the mirror again. It was surprising, yet she found herself preparing to go and meet the Reyes. “They asked me to bring Juan along.”Manuela's jaw dropped. Why will they want that? Something was wrong, but she couldn’t point it out. There was more to this sudden invitation.However, she won’t be able to stop Isabella. It was her only chan
The car stopped in front of a huge black gate. Some cowboys stood guarding it. Isabella took a deep breath and hoped that no one would recognize her as a Jimenez. If they do, her mom will be informed as well. Beside her, sat Juan, who was excited about the evening. He never stopped talking about Luciano and the things he promised to do for him that weekend.One of the cowboys approached her car. He studied the plate number carefully before coming to her window.“Miss Isabella?” the man asked, bending a little to see if she was the one.“Yes, good evening” she answered with her heart thumping within her ribs. How did he know she was the one?“Welcome ma” he flashed a smile and moved back. A signal was sent to the others at the gate, and it was opened for her.Isabella took a deep breath and hit the brake. She drove right into the mansion. There were so many trees and flowers on the way. The buildings were far from the car and all she could see were cowboys moving up and down.“Wow…” Jua
Chapter 75.“Mother, you tricked my son” Isabella reminded her mom when she got downstairs. By now, Juan had already finished two slices of pizza. His grandmother poured juice into a glass and gave it to him.“I didn’t, your son fell for my pizza,” Mrs. Jimenez told her. She ran her hand through his hair and kissed him. “You will always be my favorite.”'Not after you find out he is a Marquez', Isabella muttered to herself. She was already dressed. Manulita had a few calls to make upstairs. As for Juan, he gave her the double work. She had to change his outfit.“Juan, come here,” Isabella called and when he came, she whispered “your daddy is waiting. Can we go and change your clothes?”“Yeah,” Juan jumped. However, he did not drop the piece of pizza in his hand. He bit it and rushed to where his grandma was and handed it over to her. He ran back to his mom and they went upstairs.Quickly, she changed his clothes and they headed out.The driver was asked to stay behind. Isabella did no
Chapter 64.She still wore her night dress. Her eyes barely opened as she asked the question. Her face looked more like it had received several slaps while asleep. “Who is Juan's father? She asked again.Isabella froze. Her lips parted, but no word came out. For a second, she thought her heart would come out through her mouth. It was beating faster than a drum. She felt her pulse quicken. If it dared to stop, it would be the end of her.Over the years, she managed to hide the truth from Mrs. Jimenez and everyone in Santa Marta. It was going to be hell for her and Juan if the truth came out. How will she face her mom? Will the poor woman be able to bear the news? What if she gets another heart attack after knowing the truth?“Eh… We were talking about Rodriguez, aunt” Manuela lied. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Her palms were also sweaty. She shivered at the thought of Mrs. Jimenez found out the truth. The old woman may never forgive her daughter for it.“Rodriguez?” Mrs Ji
After dinner, Isabella took Juan to his room. It was a small room filled with the wallpaper of captain man. He also drew his dreamed family. He always wanted a dad to be presented in his life, and she knew the boy was right. He deserves a father.“Mom, where you scared today?” Juan asked as they sat on the bed beside each other. His mom looked at him with tears in her eyes. She had no idea what to say to him.“I-I was scared at some point. But your mom is strong. Do you know that?” Isabella said, fighting the tears.“Well… I got scared too, mom” he told her. “Grandma said it’s okay. Everyone gets scared at some point in life, and it doesn’t matter. We are all fine now.”Isabella was speechless. She didn’t know when the hot tears rolled down her cheeks. Her boy has grown so big with a good sense as well. She knew exactly what he was trying to do. He wanted to make her feel better just the way his godmother, Manuela, would do.Juan saw the tears rolling down his mom’s cheeks. He wondere
Luciano arrived just in time for Paul's funeral, his heart heavy with grief but filled with determination to honor his cousin, his brother, in the best way he could.The sun was hidden behind clouds, casting a grey light over the crowd gathered at the cemetery. The entire town had come to pay their respects. Friends and family, dressed in black, stood together, whispering condolences and recalling fond memories of Paul.Even friends from abroad had flown in, further testament to how much Paul had meant to so many people.Luciano looked around at the faces of the people, some who had known Paul since childhood, others who had only crossed paths with him later in life.They all shared the same somber expression, united by the loss of a man they admired and loved. The air was thick with sorrow, but there was also a quiet reverence, a collective determination to honor Paul in the way he deserved.The ceremony was simple but heartfelt. A local priest led a brief prayer, offering words of co
The air was thick with tension as Luciano drove away from the villa, leaving the preparations for Paul’s funeral behind.The road ahead blurred in his vision, but his mind was clear. Today was the day of Paul’s funeral, a painful farewell to the cousin who had been like a brother to him.But there was one more matter that needed to be settled before he could say goodbye properly. He was heading to the prison yard, where Rodriguez was awaiting execution. The day of reckoning had arrived.Luciano gripped the steering wheel tighter as he approached the prison gates. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting long shadows across the barren landscape.He could feel the weight of what was about to happen, but there was a sense of grim satisfaction in knowing that justice would finally be served.Rodriguez’s death would never bring Paul back, but it would close a chapter that had been filled with betrayal and pain.As the guards escorted him through the sterile halls of the prison, Luciano k
*****The afternoon sun poured softly through the windows as Manuela, Isabella, and Luciano sat around the dining table, their faces marked by a quiet sadness.The house felt different since Paul’s passing, quieter, as if even the walls were mourning his absence.The weight of his death still hung heavy in the air, but today they needed to focus on something else—Paul’s upcoming funeral.“We have to make it special,” Manuela said, her voice barely above a whisper. She had been crying on and off for days, her heart still breaking at the thought of losing Paul so suddenly. “He deserves the best, after everything.”Luciano sat silently for a moment, staring down at his hands. It was still hard for him to think about Paul without feeling a sharp pain in his chest. His cousin had been more than family; he had been a brother, a friend, and a source of strength. “He does,” Luciano finally agreed, his voice thick with emotion. “I want his funeral to reflect how much he meant to all of us. He w
**Two weeks had passed since the accident, and Juan was finally ready to leave the hospital. The doctors had been impressed by his recovery, considering how serious the injuries had been.Now, the hospital room was filled with a sense of relief and anticipation. Isabella and Luciano sat by Juan’s bedside, the weight of everything that had happened slowly lifting, replaced by the joy of seeing their son healthy again.Juan, now more energetic, sat up in bed, swinging his legs back and forth as he played with a toy car Luciano had brought him the day before.His eyes darted between his parents, excitement bubbling beneath the surface. He was finally going home, and for the first time in his young life, he fully understood that Luciano was his father.The bond between them had grown stronger in the days since the truth came out. Juan, who had always been attached to Luciano, now clung to him even more.“Are we leaving soon?” Juan asked, his voice full of hope.Isabella smiled, gently str
Luciano sat in the dimly lit living room, his mind spinning as he tried to process the news.The revelation that Rodriguez had conspired to kill him, along with Dora, his so-called lover, was beyond anything he could have imagined.Manuela and Isabella sat nearby, equally shaken, as the weight of everything they had just learned hung heavily in the air.The silence between them was thick, filled with disbelief and the echo of unanswered questions.They had never once suspected Rodriguez or Dora of being capable of such malice. Rodriguez, yes—he was a volatile man, full of jealousy and bitterness—but Dora? Sweet, quiet Dora, who had always seemed so devoted to Luciano? It didn’t make sense.“I still can’t believe it,” Manuela whispered, her voice barely audible. “I never liked Rodriguez, but I didn’t think he would go this far.”Luciano’s face was tense, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He had been sitting in the same spot for hours, staring off into space, trying to make sense of eve
****The tense silence in the hospital waiting room was shattered when Rodriguez stormed in, his face twisted in anger.Dora trailed behind him, a smug look on her face as she watched the tension rise. He had just heard about the accident, and without bothering to gather all the facts, he immediately set his sights on Isabella."This is all your fault!" Rodriguez bellowed, pointing an accusing finger at her. "How could you be so careless, Isabella? You were supposed to take care of him, and now look what’s happened to my son!"Isabella's heart pounded in her chest as the words hit her. She had been struggling with guilt and worry ever since the accident, but hearing Rodriguez hurl those accusations at her in front of everyone felt like a slap in the face.Luciano, who had been sitting beside her, clenched his fists but said nothing. He knew better than to escalate the situation with Rodriguez, but his silent fury was evident.Isabella stood up, her eyes blazing with a mixture of anger