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Arian My brows furrow in confusion as I pull the pillow under my head closer with my arm and it grunts. The pillow seems hard and warm with a beating heart and I am left to wonder if I'm dreaming. The pillow under my head stirs and I freeze forcing my eyes open then I slowly lift my head and my jaw drops open when I realize that my pillow is Mr Cruz. He's lying on his back with one arm under his pillow, another around my shoulder while one of my legs is thrown over two of his which are crossed at the ankles. I squeak in surprise and quickly remove my leg and slowly slide away from him but I'm not quiet enough as his eyes flutter open and our gazes lock. My cheeks heat up in embarrassment, hoping he couldn't tell that I'd snuggled closer to him during the night seeking his warmth but the sleepy smile on his face tells me he knows. "Good morning." His voice comes out husky from sleep. "Good morning Mr Cruz." I mutter. "Did you sleep well?" He asks. "I did." I nod. "Thank you...
Gabriel "Mr Cruz..." Kim's mouth drops open when she sees me walk out of the elevator dressed casually. "Um... Good morning sir.""Morning Kim." I grin."Did you lose all your suits sir?" She questions.I chuckle and shake my head. "Kary and her nanny were surprised to see me like this too." I tell her. "I just woke up and decided not to dress formally all throughout this week.""Oh. You look very dashing sir." She smiles, giving me a thumbs up. "I think all the single ladies at work will go crazy seeing you like this.""All the single ladies." I echo. "Excluding you?""I'm taken." She lifts her left hand to show me her ring.My mouth drops open in shock and I move closer to her to examine her engagement ring. It's a 10 carat princess cut diamond ring and I'm impressed by her fiancé's generosity. I know she's been looking for love for years now so I'm very happy that she's finally found someone who'd stay."This is great news!" I exclaim. "We need to celebrate. When did this happen?"
Arian I'm busy dusting and cleaning the library when the door opens and Rachel fills the doorway with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. I don't know why she doesn't like me but I don't have the inclination to ask her what her problem with me is because I think it's very immature of her to dislike me when she doesn't know me."You have a visitor." She informs me in a haughty voice."Who is it?" I ask, looking surprised. "Someone you're not worthy of being visited by." She hisses.I drop the duster on the table and walk over to her. I've had enough of her attitude and I'm not going to stand for it any more."Do you have a problem with me?" I question. "You've been acting like I'm the enemy since I got here and I've been nothing but nice to you." "I don't need your niceness." She retorts. "It's probably just a ploy to get with Mr Cruz. I know the likes of you Ariana." She gets in my face. "You pretend to be all meek and submissive but you're actually a home breaker. You w
Gabriel I don't why I feel like there is more to what Arian didn't tell about Giancarlo's visit yesterday and I can't let it go. It's probably the reason why I'm driving to his school to see him instead of driving to work. I get to his school just in time and I catch him kissing a random girl in the parking lot by his car which makes me wince.I wonder where he got his playboy attitude from because dad wasn't a playboy and I certainly steered clear of girls all throughout my time in school. Hopefully, he'll grow out of this phase and be a responsible man in future. I slam the door of my car shut and make my way to him, stop a few feet away from him and clear my throat loudly to get his attention.He pulls back from the girl and whirl around to see who'd interrupted his kissing fest but the words that were about to come out of his mouth die in his throat when he realizes it's his big brother."Gabriel?" He squints at me, hoping he's only hallucinating then he shakes his head to clear
ArianRachel immediately falls to her knees and grabs hold of his leg which irritates me but he still gently extricates himself from her and steps back. She had the nerve to insinuate that he favored me over everyone of them which isn't all true."You have twenty minutes to pack your things and leave. I never want to see you again." He inform her. "Don't you even think of going to my father's house to look for a job there. If I find you there... you're dead. Do you understand me?""I'm so sorry sir. I don't know what came over me." She sobs."Nineteen minutes." He reminds her and storms off down the hallway. "Arian!""Coming sir." I respond and immediately run after him. I follow him into his office and shut the door behind me but I don't make a move to go in any further as I can see how pissed off he is. I know he's not a violent person but after living with someone with a volatile temper for ten long years - I think I have every right to be scared.I watch him pace to and fro in fro
Gabriel "You don't believe her, do you?" Arian asks me. "I mean... Abigail is a gossip but she doesn't look like someone who'd intentionally try to hurt you."I turn to look at Arian in surprise. I open my mouth to speak but words fail me and I shut it. Abigail started working for me the same time Lucille came to live here with me after she told me she was pregnant and during that time, I'd never seen her be anything but extremely rude to all my employees - especially Abigail who she considered a clumsy oaf - so how she became Lucille's informant is a mystery to me."She didn't.... Lucille hated her." I finally find my voice. "Abigail was so clumsy... Lucille told me to fire her but I didn't. How could she have...?" My voice trails off."Maybe Abigail's chatterbox nature gave her away? I mean, she probably knew Theresa would never be unfaithful to you and Kelly... Kelly was here at the time, right?" She inquired."Rachel was the last person I hired. I was looking for a nanny for Kary
Arian "Ari, where are Rachel and Abigail?" Kary questions as I get her ready for bed. "I didn't see them when I got back from school and they didn't bring in dinner. Kelly and Aunt Theresa did all the work." "They're gone." I reply. I don't think sugarcoating my words would do anything for her. The girl is super smart and she'd catch on in no time that I'd lied to her about their departure. "Gone? Gone where?" She frowns. "Back to their homes. They no longer work here." I answer. "Why? Did they do something to upset daddy?" "Yes. Daddy forgave them but he couldn't let them continue working here." I tell her. "You miss them?" "No." She shakes her head. "I never did like Rachel. She wasn't mean to me or anything but I've caught her one too many times checking out daddy. I think she liked him." "What?" "There was one time last year, I was passing by in the hallway to my room and I saw that daddy's bedroom door was opened so I thought that maybe Aunt Theresa left it open by mistak
Gabriel The next day I know it's considered rude to stare at someone for so long but I can't help myself. I've been staring at Arian for the past ten minutes without her noticing as she's busy talking animatedly to Kary at the breakfast table. My breakfast is right in front of me but I can't seem to look away from her, long enough to eat and I have to get going soon due to traffic and all that.I let out a sigh, almost wishing my fairy godmother can appear to change everything in my life; I'd never meet Lucille and Arian would be my wife and the mother of my children. Two boys and two girls - they don't have to be twins - my boys would look like me and my girls like her. "Mr Cruz!" Arian's loud voice jolts me out of my thoughts, startling me but I quickly compose myself and flash her a smile."You were saying something?" I ask."Aren't you hungry?" She inquires."I am. Why do you ask?" I pick up my fork."You've barely touched your food." She jerks her head in the direction of the
Arian Six months later Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today in the sight of God to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Not to be entered lightly, holy matrimony should be entered into, solemnly and with reverence and honor." The priest begins in Italian. "Into this holy agreement, these two persons come together to be joined. If any person or people here can show cause as to why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace." Gabriel and I turn at the same time to look behind us but no one speaks up and we face the priest again. Majority of the people here probably don't understand what he's saying so we're good to go. "Do you, Gabriel Emerson Cruz, take Arian Katerina Macavinta to be your lawful wedded wife and live together in the estate of holy matrimony? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or for worse as long as you both shall live?" The pri
Gabriel Two years later Dear Gabriel, Two decades ago, I was a little girl who had been abandoned by her beloved father and I'd thought myself unworthy of anyone's love but you saw me, took your time to get to know me and at the end of that day, I went back to the orphanage with the knowledge that I was worthy of being loved by someone. Months ago, I thought I was returning home to get far away from the clutches of my ex husband and I vowed never to get involved with any man but I met you and you turned my life upside down. You made me happier than I'd ever been in years and for that, I'll be forever grateful to you. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I am the girl you'd been waiting for and I didn't even realize it until you told me about your story. I'm sorry for leaving you and your daughter after I promised not to go, but I hope you can understand why I have to. Rafael is finally dead and I'm free from him forever, thanks to your father. I need to find myself again. I need t
Gabriel Arian probably thinks I'm out of my mind for challenging her ex husband to a fight. He's a dangerous man who has no qualms about killing someone in cold blood but I don't care. He made her life miserable for ten long years and even after being incarcerated in prison, he was still tormenting her in her dreams but it has to stop now. She was his and now she's mine and I will make sure I win this fight, then take pleasure in blowing his brains out with his own fucking gun. I have the upper hand in this fight and I don't give him an inch, throwing punches after punches making him bleed but he also doesn't give me an inch either as he throws a sucker punch that almost knocks me out. My ears ring from the punch and my vision becomes blurry but I shake myself out of it and attack him again and we end up rolling around on the floor trying to get the best of each other. My attention becomes divided as I see Lucille pick up one of the guns from the floor, turn off the safety and
Arian "She has a gun." The voice in my head whispers fearfully. "She has a fucking gun!" I feel the cold sweat that has broken out on my face and I have trouble breathing. I hate guns, hate seeing them because I've had to live with gun-toting, knife-toting men like Rafael and his men for ten years. I'd prayed to God to keep me away from guns when I came to this country, but I'd ended up taking a bullet for this man in front of me and now his ex wife wants to exact revenge on him. Gabriel moves to stand in front of me, shielding me from his ex wife's murderous glare, all the while trying to placate her to drop the gun so they could talk calmly about this, but his words fall on deaf ears. "Did you think I was joking when I told you that I'd kill you and the woman you choose to leave me for?" She asks. "How stupid of you to think I'd just accept defeat like that, Gabriel Cruz! You're mine and no one else's." I don't know why Mrs Cruz and her daughter aren't here to see a certifiable
Gabriel I leave my car running, the automatic gear in Park and the door open as I race up the steps to Lucille's front door and I press the doorbell incessantly until the housekeeper appears to open the door for me. I don't give her the chance to say anything as I march into the house and head straight for the living room. She calls my name but I don't answer until I walk into the living room and my steps falter when I come face to face with my wife - soon to be ex wife - having sex with an unknown guy on the sofa. "Mr Cruz!" Helen stops beside me but she turns her back quickly, unlike me, as Lucille and the guy break apart. "What the hell, Gabe?!" She snaps. "I'm so sorry, ma'am. I tried to stop him but he barged in before I could." Helen apologizes. Lucille picks up her discarded dress from the floor and puts it on as the guy hastily dresses up but he doesn't quite finish and hurries out of the living room with his shirt and shoes. Good for him that he had the good sense t
Gabriel Six weeks later Walking out of the High Court with the knowledge that in a few weeks, I'll be a single guy once again has me grinning from ear to ear. The judge had listened to both sides of our story and even as Lucille had laid it thick on her tears for the judge to rule in her favor... He hadn't and had declared our marriage irretrievable, but it hadn't been his final decision and that was good enough for me. I'd wanted Arian inside the court with me but she'd refused to go in, saying it reminded her of her own divorce and I'd not pressed her. Seeing her waiting for me on the steps of the building makes me very happy and my smile widens when she looks up and sees me. "How did it go?" She asks. "I'll be a single guy in a few weeks." I reply. "I don't know why he didn't just give a decree absolute instead of a decree nisi. It's all good, though, because I have finally beaten Lucille at her own game. She won't be Mrs Cruz for much longer." "It's fast." She remarks. "Min
Lucille Gabriel has finally done it. He wants to get rid of me so he can have a good life with that bitch and my stupid daughter who wouldn't know a good mother from a bad one even if it hit her in the face. She has forgotten that it's because of me, because of my love for her father that she's alive today, but I'm going to let it slide with her because she's just a little girl.I'm sure Gabriel has been feeding her lies about me, which was the reason why she'd not wanted me at the party. One thing Gabriel Cruz doesn't know is that inasmuch as I love him, my love could easily turn to hatred and I did promise to never let him be happy with any other woman. If killing him or her would ensure the end of their budding relationship, then so be it. I'm game."Are you really letting him go?" Samantha settles down on the single wingback chair with a drink in her hand. "It's unlike you.""I'm making him think he has won, Sam." I send her a smirk. "He may win the case in court and we'll get d
Arian"This is so surreal." I mutter. My head is resting on Gabriel's chest after our intense love making. It was better than the previous times. Although, it could be because we'd both gone two months without it and we'd been so starved for one another. All I know is that I'm not so sure I can say no to this man anymore."It is, isn't it?" I can hear the smile in his voice. "Being here with you, like this again. I feel like I'm dreaming.""Then, we're both having the same dream." I chuckle."I love you, Arian." He bends his head to plant a kiss on my hair. "It feels really good to let it out now.""Will you be okay with me saying I like you?" I ask in a tentative voice. "I can't go any further than that.""I'm more than okay with it." He squeezes my shoulder. "Half bread is better than nothing.""Do you think... Kary will hate me if I tell her I don't think I can be her mother? I mean, legally?" I look up at him. "What do you think?""I think she'll love you either way, Arian." He re
Gabriel "I'll go away." Lucille says. "I just came to say goodbye to you."Kary's gaze slides to mine in excitement, as if she's already guessed why her mother is saying that. "Does this mean... She won't be in our lives anymore?""Yes, baby." I nod. "We're finally getting a divorce.""Yay!" She claps her hands excitedly. "Thank you, daddy!" She wraps her small arms around my neck."I guess this is my cue to leave." Lucille's voice cracks with emotion as she finally realizes that even her daughter doesn't want her around. "Goodbye... Kareena. Can I hug you?"Kary literally recoils from her, burying her face in my neck. I stroke her back to calm her down and gesture for Lucille to leave. Thankfully, she listens to me and walks away."Is she gone?" Kary asks."Yes, baby." I reply. "You won't see her again if you don't want to.""I don't want to see her again." She reaches for Arian and I hand her over to Arian. "I love you, Arian. I want you to be my mother."Arian's wide eyed gaze sli