"Daddy!"
The cheerful call immediately dispelled all the fog and storm in Ed's head, turning it into a sunny day with a rainbow.
"Hi!" Ed lifted his phone level with his face and saw that AJ was already lying down—ready. Ed was, too, but he had just woken up from a restless sleep. The time difference put them in opposite states.
"Daddy, when are you coming back? It's been a long time." AJ whined.
"Unfortunately, I still don't know. As far as I remember, this is only the fifth day I've been away. Didn't you pose the same question yesterday?" Ed smiled because he'd heard that question yesterday and the day before.
"Yes, but how much longer?" AJ grumbled in disappointment.
"As soon as possible, AJ. I've already promised, haven't I?" Ed coaxed.
"Now you go to sleep and don't trouble your mother." Ed gestured for AJ to lie down.
"Do you want me to read you a story today?" Ed asked.
"Yes! I want that!" AJ nodded enthusia
Ed immediately ended the call. He was momentarily panicked but then relieved. Liz asked who it was, but she didn't know the answer. Ed also remembered that he didn't mention Ruby's name much during the conversation."Who were you talking to?! Why did you ask her to take off her clothes?!" Liz stepped in, repeating her shout with a higher tone."Who let you in?" Ed asked. There were guards outside; Liz shouldn't have been able to enter so freely."I AM YOUR WIFE!" Liz screamed."Ck!" Ed was annoyed. The guard must have known who Liz was and let her in. He forgot to list Liz as someone who wasn't allowed in without permission."You still haven't answered me! Who was that woman?! Who did you ask to take off her clothes?" Liz tried to grab Ed's phone, but he easily deflected her, being highly alert."Whoever it was is none of your business." Ed replied flatly, walking past Liz. He chose to avoid her. He would never admit it, even if caught red-h
Esli pushed back the blanket, got out of bed, and patted the thigh of the person next to him. "I'm going," he said.A very blonde, closely cropped head appeared from under the blanket, rubbing his eyes. The purple eye shadow, still smeared from the night before, was now even more smudged by his touch."Hey, but I still want to stay here." The voice was deep and raspy—yet soft and coaxing, coming from lips painted the same shade of purple."You can stay, but you absolutely can't leave until I leave the hotel. Once I'm out of here, you can leave. At least by noon," Esli said, putting his clothes back on.He wore a suit and more, as he had come straight to the room last night after having dinner with some of his supporters: local businessmen and a prominent pastor from San Jose Del Castillo. He was solidifying his support for Guadalajara's southern region.The southern region had so far remained untouched by Esli, as his votes there were minimal
"Thank you for your presence. I won't give a lengthy speech, as I don't want to waste your valuable time."Esli began his speech with empathy. It was his trademark. He presented his vision and mission without holding back. He gave examples of the results he would deliver once elected.The attendees seated before him were a group of association heads, entrepreneurs, and pastors. They were not interested in the intricate details of his plans. As long as he could win their hearts, the southern area would be his. They held significant influence in the community.Esli emphasized renewal, especially in the southern areas with many slums. Development to transform the city's landscape sounded refreshing. But it wasn't just that; Esli also discussed economic progress and improving living standards, as is typical in campaigns.A short session ended with applause. Then he opened the floor for questions, not only from participants but also from journalists covering t
[A number of emerging pieces of evidence already suggest that the rumors circulating now are true. Several witnesses have come forward to reveal the fraud perpetrated by the company to seize the land. They clearly state that Esli Ramos, mayor of Gualadajara, is involved.Esli Ramos, who is currently favored in the upcoming mayoral election, is expected to face a slew of damaging scandals. So far, Señor Ramos has denied the allegations, but given the overwhelming evidence, we’ll wait to see if his statement changes.]Esli’s hand resting on his knee trembled, not out of fear but out of anger. His eyes remained fixed on the small screen mounted on the steering wheel. The news he had heard throughout the journey only highlighted how dire his situation had become.Since that day, when Rafael raised the question, the rumors have only spiraled out of control. Esli had already instructed Mendez to approach Rafael, but to no avail. Rafael steadfastly continued to voice the news.Suddenly, othe
Ed was at the garden. The area was the same as where he once held his wedding party.Not much had changed, apart from the replacement of a few dead plants and the bench that now serves as his seat. Directly beneath a tree, a long wooden bench faces the beach.Ed was waiting, and the person he was waiting for had arrived. Otiz approached and whispered to him.“Just tell them to come here,” said Ed as he crossed his legs. He didn’t stand to greet, instead tapping his fingers on the surface of the wooden bench.He was trying to calm himself and keep his emotions in check. Ed didn’t want his anger to escalate, as it would fuel his desire to kill. He must not kill, as Ruby had instructed.“Don Rosas.” Esli approached, his face filled with panic. His appearance was also disheveled; his tie was askew while his jacket hung open.“What do you want?” Ed asked with his gaze fixed on Esli, who was standing in front of him. He didn’t offer him a seat, deliberately making him uncomfortable.“Sorry.
Liz unwrapped her wet hair while her eyes stayed glued to her phone. She felt something strange, but it took a moment before she could figure out what made her phone feel off.Liz sat on the bed and grabbed her phone as soon as she realized what was wrong. Her phone was too quiet. It felt odd because, during her late shower and breakfast, no messages had come in. This wasn't normal.Liz's phone was rarely silent unless it was off. There was always some message from her friends or a call just to ask what was up or where she planned to go that day.Liz pulled down the notification screen and only saw messages piling up from her father and Mendez—messages she deliberately ignored, of course.She was avoiding her father because she knew he'd lecture her. Liz wasn't sure if Ed had reported to her father or not, but it was better to steer clear.Seeing the persistent messages and missed calls from her father and Mendez, Liz could guess that Ed migh
Liz shouted, "I'm having a terrible day, and you choose to do this now?! Do you even know who I am?!""I'm sorry, but it's the rule." The receptionist firmly held her ground."What rule?! I've stayed here countless times, and this has never happened before! You're just being disrespectful!" Liz put her hands on her hips, refusing to accept the situation.The receptionist remained steadfast. "We understand, Señora. But rules are rules. We're just doing our job. You can't stay here without proper payment...""YOU BASTARD!" Liz cursed. She wanted to catch up with her friends, but this issue was even more frustrating."THIS!" Liz threw her credit card at the receptionist's face."Take it, and don't expect me to ever come back here! I'll leave a terrible review for this hotel, and just wait! Everyone will know how awful your service is!" Liz yelled, pointing her finger."I'm sorry." The receptionist tried to remain polite as she ben
"Liz!" Liz was relieved when she saw that Ed himself had stepped into the police station—not Otiz or anyone else representing him."Just wait and see! You all will regret this!" Liz shouted triumphantly, pointing at the police officers standing not far from the cell. She believed they had treated her poorly, merely for not fulfilling her requests for extra blankets and pillows.Liz finally smiled after cursing and swearing at the officers who brought her in. She was elated to see that Ed finally cared. Liz wanted to rush toward Ed, but the bars held her back."You look quite healthy. Not at all what I imagined. I thought you'd be lying on the floor, almost dead. Miserable, at the very least," Ed remarked, scrutinizing her. Liz looked fine as she cursed."I'm miserable!" Liz hurriedly moved closer, trying to reach for Ed, but he stood just out of her reach. She seemed close enough to touch, but even after trying to slip her body between the bars, she
“Such chaos,” Liz lamented as she watched the crowd of rowdy children, who had become the main guests at her wedding.“Yeah, I didn’t expect it to get this wild either.” Ruby sat beside her, watching AJ hand out chocolate-covered strawberries to the other kids.He wasn’t alone—Claud, Val's second child, was helping him. They eventually grew close, even though their conversations were sometimes limited because Claud was more fluent in Italian than English. Still, they got along well enough.“How did it all start?” Ed frowned.“I don’t know.” Ruby was also unsure.“Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed when AJ asked.” Liz deeply regretted it.Somehow, AJ had convinced Liz to provide a chocolate fountain for her wedding, and it had become the source of chaos. The younger children were enjoying it, but soon chocolate stains appeared on the white tablecloths, as wel
"Do I have to? I already checked that document yesterday. Can’t you do it instead?" When Ed saw another email from Otiz, he complained.It was a financial report. Since Matteo had spread his investments in every direction—across more or less thirty companies—the financial reports Otiz received came from all directions, across different types of businesses. Ed hadn't anticipated this.Being an investor wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed. He still had to work.“You’re the one who has to check it. I’m just the middleman,” Otiz firmly refused.He could refuse because the request was made over the phone. Perhaps if they were face-to-face, Otiz would be more compliant. He was no longer blindly following Ed's orders, carefully sorting out what should and should not be done. He was only responsible for delivering financial reports, not reviewing them.Ed grumbled. He was quite used to reviewing company pa
"‘What do you want to show me?’ As she approached Ed, Ruby inquired.She left AJ's side; he was busy reading a story to his two younger siblings. Elena and Elisa sat quietly, either really listening or getting sleepy. It was already time for their afternoon nap."Read this," Ed shifted, making room for Ruby to sit beside him, and handed her a phone displaying an article in Spanish. Less than two hours had passed since the publication of this hot news story.Ruby didn’t pay attention to that, though, because she was immediately stunned by the headline.‘DEA ARRESTS MAJOR MEXICAN CARTEL AND EXPOSES BILLION-DOLLAR BUSINESS NETWORK’"What... you...?" Ruby turned pale and panicked, of course."Read it to the end," Ed said, pointing to the rest of the text that she had not yet seen.Ruby read quickly and frowned. There was no mention of Ed or Rosas anywhere. Only Reyes. Marco Reyes. He was the story's
Two black vans speed down a deserted road. It was already nighttime, and they were the only ones there. The end of the road was in sight—a black iron gate.“Ram it!”A shout rang out, and the vans didn’t slow down. The passengers inside, all dressed in black, held on tight as a deafening crash echoed.The gate fell, bent, but opened. The two vans barged through and stopped right in front of the brightly lit house.“Get in and kill everyone!”Another shout, and the people inside the vans scrambled out, storming into the beachside house. Some were carrying firearms; others were wielding clubs.However, as they entered, everyone froze. No one came to greet them. The house was supposed to be full of guards, which was why they had come in numbers—ready for a confrontation.In reality, what greeted them was silence. Not a single person appeared, even though the house was brightly lit.“
"AJ, don't make Abuela tired!" Ruby reprimanded AJ for running away with something, while Mia pursued him.But it was impossible to make AJ stop, especially since his younger siblings were laughing joyfully at his antics. Elisa and Elena had just learned to walk, and they happily followed him around.AJ couldn't stop when he had such an audience. Mia seemed to be scolding him, but everyone knew Mia could never really be upset at AJ.Ruby had to step in, followed by Ed to watch over Elisa and Elena. Although falling on the sand wouldn't hurt, the beach had sharp rocks that could scrape them."Mommy! They should chase me! Don't pick them up!" AJ didn’t want his little sisters to be carried away and stop the fun."Alright," Ruby said, intending to supervise them closely."How about we take a vacation?" Ed abruptly proposed the idea, having just finished reading a message on his phone."Hm?" Ruby was surprised. There had been no suc
"Here."Ed gave Otiz a handkerchief to wipe away his tears. If it had been just a few, he would have let Otiz cry—and wiped the tears with the sleeve of his jacket.The problem was that Otiz couldn’t stop crying. He had already been emotional when Ed stood beside him at the altar, and it got worse when he saw Lori walking down the aisle, escorted by flowers. It was all too beautiful and dazzling for his eyes.“Sorry,” Otiz stammered, wiping the remaining tears from his face.“What are you apologizing for? At a wedding, shedding tears is not considered inappropriate. You're just too happy. No one will blame you.” Ed gently patted Otiz’s shoulder and then turned his gaze forward.Of course, Lori was the focus of the event. Her choice of dress was perfect, blending seamlessly with the entire garden decor. Flowers, ribbons, music, and all the other elements were carefully and precisely chosen—now showcasi
Ed tapped his finger on the glass in his hand. His eyes were fixed on a single point—Marco Reyes.The man was speaking with Otiz. Nothing important. Marco was just making small talk, and Otiz was doing the same—being polite, answering Marco's questions about his law firm's progress. Ed actually needed to speak to both of them, but he chose to start with Marco first.Ed just needed to gesture with his chin, and Otiz understood immediately. He excused himself, making up a reason, and left Marco alone."I need to talk to you," Ed said as he approached."Oh? What is it?" Marco immediately followed Ed, moving to the quiet side yard. The other guests filled the living room."I want you to handle the shipment to Ecuador and Brazil next week."Marco looked as if he had choked. This was incredibly surprising. Ed had never let him touch the South American market before. Ed had always handled it himself. Marco had only been managing North A
"Mommy, I want to try! You be Elena, and I'll be Elisa."AJ reached out his hand, asking for the milk bottle from Ruby. He wanted to try feeding the babies—and he chose Elisa.Usually, Tita was around to help Ruby, but today Tita was busy, so Ruby had been on her own since earlier."You can, but please be careful, okay? Don’t let her choke, and don’t squeeze." Ruby guided AJ's hand to hold the bottle filled with pre-warmed breast milk, helping him apply just the right pressure so it wouldn't press too hard against Elisa's lips."Wow! Look, Mommy! She's drinking!" AJ exclaimed happily, eyes sparkling with joy. This was the first time he was directly involved—doing something for his little sister. AJ usually watched, but at first he was afraid to hold the babies. He would look in awe but wouldn’t dare touch them.“See? It’s not a big deal, right? You don’t have to be scared anymore.”&l
From their disheveled appearance, it was clear that Liz and Asher had either just rushed out of a room or possibly run over here. One thing was certain: as soon as they heard the news about Ruby, they had hurried over."Where? Ruby... You're pale. Why... It shouldn't be happening now."Just like Lori, Liz was out of breath as she approached Ruby, panicking. The news had shocked everyone. Liz had already planned to stay in Puerto Vallarta next week to be there for Ruby when she gave birth.Of course, Liz no longer lived at Ed’s house. She had managed to buy her own apartment.“I’m fine, and they’re fine too. But the nurse hasn’t brought them here yet. Calm down… breathe.”Ruby was already able to speak clearly and now had to calm Liz down. She was the one lying down, barely conscious, yet had to reassure everyone else."Are you really okay? No problems? Any complications?" Liz touched Ruby’s bo