LANASeeing the handsome man before me, I understood why my mother had been so captivated by him. Even with age, his charm was undeniable.Now, I recognized where my own looks came from—both my parents were striking in their own ways.I pretended not to know him and asked, "Who are you?"The dragon tattoo on his neck didn’t seem crude; instead, it gave him a wild allure.He grinned and replied calmly, "Lionel, your father."I looked him straight in the eyes and retorted, "I’ve never met you. My mom has only ever introduced Bernardo as my father, so I don’t know you."He smiled, as if he had anticipated my resistance. Glancing at his wristwatch and then at the sky, he suggested, "Why don’t we go inside and talk? The sun will be up soon, and it’s not the best place to discuss what I need to tell you."Reluctantly, I agreed. "Alright."I opened my apartment door, and he stepped inside, taking his time to survey the space. I handed him a glass of water and said, "Please, have a seat."He
LANAHe sneered, "You are the reason I am like this."I gave him a confused look, wondering what he meant by saying I was the reason he was wounded, rather than explaining that he had tried to kiss me.I vehemently resisted, my hands outstretched as I tried to push him off. He held my hands firmly."Stop trying to resist," he said. "You are the reason Maximum's men hunted me down and almost killed me. I'm going to fuck you anyway. I'm about to die, and I wonder how he would react if he knew I gave his woman the best sex before I died."Hearing this, my heart thumped wildly. I swallowed the lump in my throat; those close to death fear nothing."Please, there's no reason for you to throw your life away," I pleaded. "If you let me take you to the hospital right now, you will survive."He looked at me as if I were an idiot and then sarcastically ridiculed, "Going to the hospital? You mean taking myself into the mortuary?"My eyes widened; I didn’t understand him at all.He reached for my
LANAI was surprised when he brought a glass of water to my lips. As I took a sip, he flashed a smile and said, "As my only child, it's understandable that we know each other well."After taking several gulps, I was satisfied. He took the empty glass and fed me. When I was full, he asked, "Where is your mother?"Before I could answer, the door opened and my mother walked in. I looked at her intently, and Lionel, noticing my gaze, turned to see her.A big smile appeared on his face as he called out, "Darling."My mother replied, "Yes, my honey."I lay back on the bed and said loudly enough for them both to hear, "I want to sleep."I shut my eyes, and soon drifted off. When I woke, my father was gone, leaving only my mother.She looked at me with an annoyed expression. "Lana, stop pretending and get discharged already. I'm fed up with spending days here."I was shocked. I thought I'd only been in the hospital for a day. Her mention of days shook me."How many days have I been here?" I a
LANAI expected her to hit me, but instead, she lowered her hand and tried to make peace. "Lana, can we move past this and build a better future? Dwelling on the past will only ruin our relationship. Can't you see that?"I grinned because I knew why she hadn't slapped me. She feared my father's reaction. She was only holding back because of him.I sneered, "Mother, why are you so afraid of the truth? You waited for my father because you knew he wouldn’t be a loser like your ex, Bernardo. You’re just greedy and selfish..."She cut me off, yelling, "Lana, that's enough!"Her eyes blazed with anger, and she was trembling with rage.I smiled, chuckling, "Are you angry? That's how you made me feel for years—angry, powerless, with nowhere to vent. I was filled with so much pain."She closed her eyes, trying to regain her composure. "I think you should stop, Lana. You've had your fun. Let's not make things uglier than they are."I gave her a hollow smile, ready to mock her again, but the doo
LANAMy mother looked at me with such intense hatred that I knew I'd struck a nerve.Even though I didn’t want to stay with my father, seeing how restless and angry she was made me reconsider.I had made my decision: I would stay.Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her emotions and, with an expressionless face, calmly said, "Get ready. Your dad has prepared a welcome home party for you."Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed for the door. That’s when I realized the root of her anger.She was furious that my father hadn’t organized a party to welcome her as he was doing for me.How petty and narrow-minded she was! I couldn’t help but burst into laughter."Mom, it seems my dad doesn’t love you the way you want to be loved," I mocked.This time, she didn’t retort. Instead, she opened the door and slammed it behind her.I felt a rush of satisfaction from having the upper hand. Years of feeling suppressed by her made fighting back feel like a release, a way to make her ex
LANACan my life get any more miserable? I stared at the cake that Granny Hart, my kind neighbor, had given me. I didn’t know how long I’d been sitting on the floor, lost in thought. She had taken pity on me, having witnessed countless birthdays go by without a single song or celebration. Damn it!Is my life really this messed up? Once again, my mom had deceived me, promising she would be home early to wish me a happy birthday. But here I was, all alone on what was supposed to be a special day—the day I turned eighteen. As I wallowed in my disappointment, the front door creaked open, the bell jingling softly. When I saw who it was, a wave of anger surged through me. My stepfather stood in the doorway, and he was no better than my mother. “Honey,” he called out, his smile unsettling. Hearing him say that made my heart race. He had never used that tone with me before. He was always strict and unreasonable, even resorting to violence. Just a few days ago, he had beaten up a boy fro
LANAHe parted my legs and positioned himself between them, his gaze locked onto mine. Opening his mouth, he said, "It will be a little painful at first, but you will feel good as we go on."My entire body tensed, but I could already feel his penis nudging at my opening, and I was dripping wet."Relax; you’re so wet," he said, pulling me tightly into his embrace.Before I could fully process what was happening, I felt intense pain between my legs. I tried to move, but he held me firmly, not allowing any space to escape."Relax; the pain will soon go away," he cautioned.As I closed my eyes, tears rolled down my cheeks. I didn’t know how long it took, but soon I began to feel a sensation I had never experienced before, and it felt incredible."Umm... oohhh," I moaned as he began to thrust in and out. I felt his fingers around my neck as he breathed into my ear, "You are so sweet, Lana. I can’t get enough of you."This drove me wild, and I grabbed onto the bedsheet, moaning even louder.
LANAI knew my mom too well. The moment she landed that first slap, I could tell she was gearing up to follow through on her threat to break the landlord's head. That would surely send us into the streets—and straight to the police station.I stopped in my tracks and sprinted over, my heart pounding with dread.“I don’t hit women, that—” the landlord was saying when my mom turned around, grabbing a heavy object.Without hesitation, he turned on his heel and fled. He must have heard the stories about her and her knack for getting into fights.The neighborhood was terrified of her fiery temper and sharp tongue. People often wondered how my stepfather, Bernardo, had managed to put up with her for all these years. But I knew the answer: he had been completely subdued, his own temper extinguished after realizing that my mom never held back when she went off the rails.I paused just short of the door, exhaling in relief. But when I caught sight of the object my mom had seized, my stomach dro
LANAMy mother looked at me with such intense hatred that I knew I'd struck a nerve.Even though I didn’t want to stay with my father, seeing how restless and angry she was made me reconsider.I had made my decision: I would stay.Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her emotions and, with an expressionless face, calmly said, "Get ready. Your dad has prepared a welcome home party for you."Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed for the door. That’s when I realized the root of her anger.She was furious that my father hadn’t organized a party to welcome her as he was doing for me.How petty and narrow-minded she was! I couldn’t help but burst into laughter."Mom, it seems my dad doesn’t love you the way you want to be loved," I mocked.This time, she didn’t retort. Instead, she opened the door and slammed it behind her.I felt a rush of satisfaction from having the upper hand. Years of feeling suppressed by her made fighting back feel like a release, a way to make her ex
LANAI expected her to hit me, but instead, she lowered her hand and tried to make peace. "Lana, can we move past this and build a better future? Dwelling on the past will only ruin our relationship. Can't you see that?"I grinned because I knew why she hadn't slapped me. She feared my father's reaction. She was only holding back because of him.I sneered, "Mother, why are you so afraid of the truth? You waited for my father because you knew he wouldn’t be a loser like your ex, Bernardo. You’re just greedy and selfish..."She cut me off, yelling, "Lana, that's enough!"Her eyes blazed with anger, and she was trembling with rage.I smiled, chuckling, "Are you angry? That's how you made me feel for years—angry, powerless, with nowhere to vent. I was filled with so much pain."She closed her eyes, trying to regain her composure. "I think you should stop, Lana. You've had your fun. Let's not make things uglier than they are."I gave her a hollow smile, ready to mock her again, but the doo
LANAI was surprised when he brought a glass of water to my lips. As I took a sip, he flashed a smile and said, "As my only child, it's understandable that we know each other well."After taking several gulps, I was satisfied. He took the empty glass and fed me. When I was full, he asked, "Where is your mother?"Before I could answer, the door opened and my mother walked in. I looked at her intently, and Lionel, noticing my gaze, turned to see her.A big smile appeared on his face as he called out, "Darling."My mother replied, "Yes, my honey."I lay back on the bed and said loudly enough for them both to hear, "I want to sleep."I shut my eyes, and soon drifted off. When I woke, my father was gone, leaving only my mother.She looked at me with an annoyed expression. "Lana, stop pretending and get discharged already. I'm fed up with spending days here."I was shocked. I thought I'd only been in the hospital for a day. Her mention of days shook me."How many days have I been here?" I a
LANAHe sneered, "You are the reason I am like this."I gave him a confused look, wondering what he meant by saying I was the reason he was wounded, rather than explaining that he had tried to kiss me.I vehemently resisted, my hands outstretched as I tried to push him off. He held my hands firmly."Stop trying to resist," he said. "You are the reason Maximum's men hunted me down and almost killed me. I'm going to fuck you anyway. I'm about to die, and I wonder how he would react if he knew I gave his woman the best sex before I died."Hearing this, my heart thumped wildly. I swallowed the lump in my throat; those close to death fear nothing."Please, there's no reason for you to throw your life away," I pleaded. "If you let me take you to the hospital right now, you will survive."He looked at me as if I were an idiot and then sarcastically ridiculed, "Going to the hospital? You mean taking myself into the mortuary?"My eyes widened; I didn’t understand him at all.He reached for my
LANASeeing the handsome man before me, I understood why my mother had been so captivated by him. Even with age, his charm was undeniable.Now, I recognized where my own looks came from—both my parents were striking in their own ways.I pretended not to know him and asked, "Who are you?"The dragon tattoo on his neck didn’t seem crude; instead, it gave him a wild allure.He grinned and replied calmly, "Lionel, your father."I looked him straight in the eyes and retorted, "I’ve never met you. My mom has only ever introduced Bernardo as my father, so I don’t know you."He smiled, as if he had anticipated my resistance. Glancing at his wristwatch and then at the sky, he suggested, "Why don’t we go inside and talk? The sun will be up soon, and it’s not the best place to discuss what I need to tell you."Reluctantly, I agreed. "Alright."I opened my apartment door, and he stepped inside, taking his time to survey the space. I handed him a glass of water and said, "Please, have a seat."He
LANAI stepped out of the taxi and walked up to Pedro, folding my arms as I asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"Pedro flashed me a warm smile and replied cheekily, "I wanted to check on my future girlfriend and see how she’s doing."Realizing he wasn’t being serious, I shook my head and said, "Stop daydreaming; Maximum and I will never break up."He spread his arms and retorted nonchalantly, "You never can tell."Then he turned and walked away without looking back. I furrowed my eyebrows, watching him leave. I didn’t know what Pedro had been hinting at lately, but I was starting to feel wary.I went inside my apartment and lay down on the bed, quickly drifting off to sleep. When I woke up, I felt as if I were being watched. I sat up and turned to see Maximum sitting in the chair.I jumped up from the bed, exclaiming, "Babe!"I ran into his arms. He wrapped his arms around me, and I curled my legs around his waist, burying my head in the crook of his neck, inhaling his familiar sc
LANAI was taken aback, unsure of who might show up at my door besides the driver and my mom, who already knew I was back in New York. I didn't have any friends here; Bernardo had made sure of that.Another knock echoed, and curiosity got the better of me. I opened the door, and my eyes widened in disbelief."Pedro!" I exclaimed, my voice a mix of shock and surprise.He flashed a grin and replied, "Lana, you didn’t mention you were coming back! If I hadn’t been keeping tabs on you, I wouldn’t have known."I stood there, speechless. Pedro was the most stubborn person I had ever met, and his determination was something to behold."Can I come in?" he asked, noticing I hadn’t invited him inside.I shook my head firmly. "Of course not."I closed the door slightly but stood in front of it with my arms crossed, demanding, "Why are you here?"He grinned, his expression shifting to seriousness. "To see you, of course."I had anticipated that response, so I shot back, "Now that you’ve seen me,
LANAI smiled sweetly at him, my heart heavy with emotion."I'm going to miss you even more," I said, my voice thick with tears. We embraced tightly, and I didn’t even notice when my eyes began to redden, warm tears spilling down my cheeks.The thought of spending days without him felt unbearable; I had grown so accustomed to his presence.He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. "I will come for you, baby," he promised.After we left the swimming pool, we shared a quiet dinner together. Once we finished, I headed up to my room while he stepped out.Sleep eluded me. I lay in bed, eyes wide open, tossing and turning, unable to find comfort.Just then, my phone rang. Without glancing at the screen, I answered, "Hello?"To my surprise, it was my mother on the other end. "Lana, when do you say you’re coming to New York tomorrow?"I replied, my impatience bubbling over, "I’ll be on my way to New York in the morning.""Well, I already bought a flig—"I cut her off, hanging up and tossing my
LANAAt that moment, my heart was filled with joy. I smiled and embraced him tightly, holding him close.He kissed my forehead, and we held each other for ten whole minutes before we reluctantly parted.After dinner, we were in our bedroom when Maximum brought up the topic."Have you made up your mind?" he asked.I turned to him on the bed, my arm around his neck. "I will return, but I have one condition."He looked into my eyes and asked, "What is that, baby?"I replied, "I don’t want to live under the same roof as the man who abandoned my mother when she was pregnant and who just reappeared, expecting us to welcome him with open arms."I expected him to disagree, so I was surprised when he readily agreed without hesitation. "I agree."Looking at his handsome face, I couldn’t help myself. I leaned in and kissed him, and he wrapped his arm around my back, deepening the kiss.I straightened up and tugged at my shirt collar. He helped me out of it, and we tossed it aside. I returned the