The poor personal assistant let out a weary sigh and began to drag his wobbly legs back into the company. He was extremely tired, but he had some unfinished business to deal with. ***No matter how Shawn tried to push that one thought aside, it just wouldn’t go away. That girl’s words… they kept ringing in his head like a pendulum clock.As he drove into the mansion, he gradually stopped the car a few feet away from the main door. His eyes swept over the screen as he checked for the time—the girl should be asleep by now. The CEO wished for her not to be home yet so he could lash out at her. Besides, she was the reason he was in a bitter mood—taking out all his anger on her would be justifiable.Shawn slid out of the driver’s seat as a guard had already opened the car door for him. He then took long strides inside the big house. The maids sank in curtsy as soon as they sighted him.‘It’s way too silent here.’ Ignoring their greetings, Shawn’s brows furrowed instead. ‘Isn’t she back
Mia was taken aback by the sudden outburst. Even Martha was extremely shocked. Despite all her efforts, was the boy still in love with this girl? She couldn’t help but wonder. But… Well, it wasn’t so easy for one to forget about their first love. Although, yes, she told Max that Mia was no longer staying with her in their room so that he could get mad at her… but not for him to get mad at the girl in this manner. This was more of a ‘caring mad’ than a ‘MAD mad’. This was a concern concealed in infuriation. He was supposed to get mad at Mia and think dirt of her… what was this? Martha secretly balled up her hand into a fist.“Huh… Hum-I” Mia stuttered miserably. “With whom are you staying?” Max’s voice was filled with urgency. He wanted to know real fast.Mia was dumbfounded. How would she tell—wait, this boy was not even in a position to question her. He was in no position to ask about what was going on in her life. They weren’t a couple anymore. Mia realized this all of a sudde
“Where have you been sleeping these past few days?!” Her father thundered angrily.Arnold Thompson was greatly enraged.Several minutes ago, he was in the middle of an important meeting at the company, when his phone suddenly began to vibrate in his pocket. It was a call from his wife, and the woman knew not to call him when he was at work, unless it was about something serious. He’d picked the call, only for his wife to tell him that their daughter had not been staying in the school dormitory for the past two days. He’d been so furious that he immediately adjourned the meeting and headed straight home.Mia was extremely shocked at the man’s question. How did her dad find out so quickly?“Oh, you’re surprised right? You disgraceful child!” Arnold spat out furiously. All this girl did was bring shame to him and his name! Every damn time!Barbara, who’d just recovered from the shock of her husband hitting the girl, hastily shuffled across the floor, to his side. Vivian was also at h
Why didn’t he?—why wouldn’t he? The poor girl sobbed silently.Madam Grace heard some movement upstairs and said to the girl: “Wipe your tears and run along now. If Master Arnold comes back downstairs and still meets you here, things will only get worse.” “Don’t worry, I’ll try my best to talk to him… I’ll see if he changes his mind.” But they both knew Arnold Thompson wouldn’t budge a bit. Once again, Mia was being kicked out of her house. Just that this time, she was being kicked out for good. There was no coming back.Well, Madam Grace was right; she had to leave. If her father were to come downstairs and still meet her in his house, things would be disastrous. He might have her locked up in jail—again. He did it before, he could do it again. The first time it happened, Mia was just fifteen years old. She and Vivian were still living in the house with their parents then. A huge sum of money had suddenly gone missing from their father’s room… When Arnold noticed this, he vowed
Shawn lowered his upper body and hunched over the girl in such a way that his head came to the same level as hers. He looked sternly into her eyes in an imposing manner. He didn’t give a fuck why she was drinking this late at night—it was not his business—but this was his house. Plus, who gave her the permission to touch his belongings? Why did she tamper with his cellar?All of a sudden, “ah!” Mia gasped. “Max? Is that you? Max!”With a swift movement of her hands, she dug her fingers in Shawn’s hair. “You son of a ——” She fisted his hair in each hand and pulled at it ferociously. Then she began to display. “Damn Max! Bad guy!”“After everything—after so many years, how dare you?!”“You piece of sh—!” Mia yelled at the top of her lungs. She jumped to her feet at once and dragged Shawn by the hair, all over the place. “Aish!” The pull at his hair was so painful that Shawn couldn’t help but yell furiously.His fine hair… “Someone, come get this girl off of me!” He writhed in pa
She looked up at the maid standing beside her and let out a small thankful smile.Then her eyes darted across the large room to the wall clock. All of a sudden, she let out a loud gasp.The time… She had slept in the dining room the whole night?! Who would have thought?… She thought she merely took a nap here. Shit! She jumped up from the chair like it was a hot pot of water. She glanced quickly at the maid and bowed thankfully before dashing up the stairs to prepare for school. If not for the kind maid, she’d have probably missed school today.After Mia was done dressing up, she headed back downstairs for breakfast. This time, she met Shawn already seated at the dining table.Her steps slowed down at the sight of him and she hesitated for a while before taking her seat opposite him.“Good morning.” She bobbed and muttered softly.The stoic man simply ignored her as always. But this time, she felt that he was colder than usual. Or was she just overthinking things? Mia shrugged menta
Was this really the guy she had been in love with all her life? Really? How absurd. And sad. Mia neither turned around, nor did she say anything in response to Max. She simply walked away like she had intended to, leaving Max standing all by himself in an awkward posture. Max felt a dull pain surge in his heart as he watched the girl’s retreating figure. Once upon a time, he loved her with all of his might. But as time went on, he realized he didn’t love her as much… and he loved Martha more than he loved Mia. He had to follow where his heart led him. But what was this pain he was currently feeling? Well, it had to be that he was simply being concerned about Mia, as a friend. Yeah. That was it, friendship feelings. ***Mia walked into her classroom with a heavy load on her chest. Max was the least person she ever expected to hear those hurtful words from. And he even made her recall yesterday’s sad event. Sigh. Well, even her own father didn’t believe her…Despondently, she remo
She prayed he wouldn’t fall in love with someone else and get married to the person before she met up with him. Her dreams would be crushed if that were to happen. Although Shawn was several years older than her, Vivian didn’t care at all. It was even better that way. Older men were more caring and loving than agemates. “I know, mummy. I’m trying my best.” Vivian blushed deeply as she responded to Barbara.“Very good, my baby. Keep working harder. Before you know it, you’ll graduate from school and become a successful actress in Beats Entertainments. Like you’ve always wanted.”“That way, it would be easier for you…” the older woman was grinning from ear to ear as she spoke.Barbara wanted nothing but the best for her daughter. And she was going to see to it that Vivian got nothing but the best.Back to the present day:“Awwwwwn.” Vivian squeaked happily as she clicked on the notification she had just received.Her dearly beloved had just posted an update and she so eagerly wanted to
Jennifer Mandez smiled, observing the girl's downcast expression as she joined her side. She gently took off her gloves and cradled Mia's cheeks in her palms."Be free with me, Mia. I'm your mother as well. I held that title before I resumed being Shawn's mother," she chuckled.She paused briefly before continuing, "I want you to forgive me for hurting you. I apologize sincerely. Now, I know better. You're a rare gem, and I wouldn't want Sunshine to be with anyone but you."Mia's eyes widened, "Does that mean we have your blessing to proceed…?"She nodded, grinning."Thank you, Mom!" The girl squeaked happily, and they embraced in a tight, warm hug.“Now, we have to start preparing for the wedding. The date’s just around the corner.”She nodded and they both returned back inside.Soon, the wedding day arrived. Despite the commonality of extravagant weddings among the wealthy, Shawn and Mia's celebration stood out for its simplicity. Only a select few family and friends were invited, a
Shawn's lips tightened. "I believe you," he paused, "however, it's not you that I was referring to; it's the person behind you."‘Huh?’ Amanda's tears ceased instantly, and she swiftly turned to look behind her, as did everyone else.Anderson.Confusion swept through the room."You sending provoking pictures to Yvonne, making her rush back to the country... I was initially going to let you be. However, things changed after discovering you were the one who instigated the accident three years ago. And then you completely crossed the line by sending me those absurd threat messages," Shawn's icy voice confronted Anderson.Anderson stood, clearly taken aback. He hadn't anticipated Shawn's discovery to be so soon. He usually covered his tracks meticulously…“Why? After all these years working for Grandfather, why engage in such actions?” Shawn's brows furrowed deeply.Anderson chuckled. There was nothing to hide anymore, so why not come out clean? “Exactly. I've toiled for the old geezer fo
Upon arriving home, Shawn tenderly lifted his wife and placed her in their bedroom; she had fallen asleep during the ride. Delicately, he undressed her and tucked her into bed, taking a moment to remove her makeup with beauty wipes.As he disposed of the used wipes, Mia's phone started ringing on the nightstand. Without hesitation, he picked it up and noticed that the caller ID was unknown. He answered the call and brought the phone to his ear."Mia, I apologize. It's all my fault. Please, let's reconcile and go back to how we used to be."Upon hearing those words from the caller, Shawn's brows furrowed in irritation. Without uttering a word, he promptly ended the call. 'Dimwit.' As he placed the phone back on the stand, his thumb inadvertently pressed the photos app and opened it.He perched on the edge of the bed, smiling as he scrolled through the pictures on the girl’s phone. Soon, he stumbled upon an unexpected image—none other than a picture of himself, Shawn Mandez. In it, he
Veronica observed, sipping her cocktail, "Ah, so you two are acquainted." She taunted Martha, "Give this cocktail a try; after all, you seem to enjoy coveting what doesn't belong to you."Martha, a hint of fear in her voice, responded quickly, "Um, I don't know him."Veronica clicked her tongue in irritation, shaking her head at Martha's facade. How could she have been so blind to see the girl’s true color all these while?Everyone eyed the person who had just stepped in with confused expressions on their faces. The boy seemed to be around their age, however, he wasn’t familiar at all. He didn't bear the hallmarks of someone from their high school."Who's he?""No idea.""Recognize him?""Not at all."Veronica smiled, reassuring them, "Relax, everyone. You're about to meet him now."Martha's heart raced, fear escalating within her.Veronica turned to the newcomer, asking, "Tell us who you are and what brings you here."The guy's eyes shifted, locking onto Martha. "I'm Jason, Martha's
"Vicky Lewis!" Gasps echoed through the room as all eyes fixated on the newcomer.Mia was also taken aback to see her. She hadn't crossed paths with Vicky since she was expelled from high school, making tonight's encounter unexpected. Instinctively, an uneasy feeling settled within her.Was she here to bully her?However, Mia wasn't alone in her discomfort. Another individual seemed to be grappling with an even stronger sense of unease in response to Vicky's presence.'Why is she here? How did she manage to appear?' Martha gnawed on her lip, nearly drawing blood.After the girl's family faced bankruptcy and her father was incarcerated, Martha believed it spelled the end for Vicky Lewis.Despite Vicky’s persistent calls and attempts to connect, she remained indifferent, never acknowledging her.Long ago, she'd blocked her contact when her incessant calls became irritating. She wasn't responsible for her father's corruption or having a baby mama. She hadn't urged her to bully Mia to the
Upon entering the venue, a chorus of admiration erupted as Martha made her presence known.“You're as dazzling as ever, Martha.”“Your skin is positively radiant.”“Share your beauty secrets with us.”In a chic caramel knee-length dress beautified with subtle floral patterns, paired with classic silver heels, she exuded elegance. A silver necklace firmly adorned on her neck added a touch of poise, creating a simple yet tasteful look for the one-month school reunion.Martha waved her hand dismissively, cheeks turning a rosy hue as she blushed at the compliments pouring in. “Oh, come on, you guys. Enough about me. You all look fantastic yourselves,” she chuckled, taking her seat."Ah, I know. Max is treating her well.""Trueeee!" The collective cooing echoed.Martha simply giggled. "He'll be joining us shortly also.""Thank goodness that Mia girl didn't succeed back then," remarked one of Martha's ex-classmates, and the rest nodded in agreement.Martha's expression dropped upon hearing
"I'll leave now, and never cross your path again."Shawn stood in silence, observing the girl. Without warning, he marched towards the mini lounge, retrieving a lighter from the center table.Returning to Mia, he set ablaze the documents held in his grasp before one could comprehend what was about to happen.Mia let out an immediate shriek, her eyes widening in sheer horror. "What are you—?""You are mistaken. We're eternally linked—bound forever," Shawn calmly muttered as ashes drifted to the floor.Mia blinked rapidly at him."With that resolved, let's head downstairs for dinner. It’s late," he said, changing from his robe into more casual attire.Mia remained rooted in place, her heart burdened and fatigued. "But I don't belong here... your betro—""That's not your concern, Little One. We're married. Legally married. Are you willing to discard that for a meaningless contract?"She frowned at his words.Shawn's mouth twitched as he took her hand, guiding her downstairs to the dining
Three years prior,As an intern, Charlotte found herself working late into the night on this particular day. Upon completing her tasks at B.Y TV building, she headed out. As she walked down the road, a young man approached her."Miss, Master Davis would like to see you. Please, come with me."Upon hearing this, Charlotte felt a mix of surprise and anticipation.The Davis family had consistently opposed her relationship with Damien, and the reasons remained a mystery to her. Perhaps, they were here to reconcile with her. That was her initial assumption.She promptly followed the man to the car, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she got in."Uncle, Aunt," she bowed politely.Master Davis and his wife cast disdainful glances at the girl.“The reason we summoned you today is straightforward,” Madam Davis spoke. “Sever ties with our son. We don't want you for him.”Upon hearing the woman's heart-wrenching words, a wave of sadness engulfed Charlotte. "Wh-why? Did I do something wron
Stella and her younger siblings were bewildered to see Madam Mandez. She was meant to be deceased—three years prior, they attended her burial ceremony. How was it possible for her to stand before them now?Their astonishment outweighed any excitement, rendering them unable to leap towards her in joy at the unexpected reunion after several years. Was she a ghost?"Master Davis, Madam Davis," Jennifer greeted with a subtle smile, gesturing for the visitors to take their seats.Madam Davis closed the gap between them, taking Jennifer's hands in hers and patting them comfortingly. "It must have been challenging for you these past few years. Are you alright?"She and her husband had learnt that the woman didn’t die in the accident and had been in a coma all these while, only waking up recently…Jennifer Mandez nodded, "I'm fine, thank you, Natasha. Please, take your seat."Madam Davis nodded and then took her seat beside her husband.“It’s good to see you're doing well. However, we've come