Money can buy you everything and so they say, but sometimes it doesn't require money to make someone happy. A simple gesture can make the heart flutter. It's the thought that usually counts and not the amount.
Edward was staring at the crystal figurine that Ella has given to him. He places it alongside the 1923 Cartier Sapphire and Diamond Bracelet that he bought from the gold souk. Even though he knew that the crystal figurine doesn't have any value, not even a dime compared to the bracelet, he couldn't throw it away.
Edward has grown deeply fond of Ella not because she reminded her of his childhood friend, and of all the students in the university, she is the only one to whom he can truly be himself. He doesn't have to be prim and proper or be a perfect gentleman. He doesn't have to pretend to be nice to be liked by everyone. Being friends with Ella is his escape from reality, but finding the mysterious woman is his top priority.
Edward made a dinner reservation at a French restaurant. It offers incredible food in an elegant setting. He came ten minutes early to the restaurant and waited for Martina to arrive. Edward is very punctual and doesn't want to make his date wait. For him, one way of showing that he values the person is if he values their time. After a few minutes, Martina arrives at the restaurant in an elegant white dress.
She is wearing a simple yet classy sleeveless dress with matching pearl earrings, necklace, and bracelet jewelry. Unlike Regina who is liberated and sophisticated, Martina has an angelic face and looks so innocent. She has the sweetest smile and is very refined.
Edward immediately stood up to properly greet her. He pulls the chair for her to sit on then gently pushes it back like a proper gentleman. Edward sat on the opposite side of the table in front of Martina. The waiter came to him and gave them the menu. He ordered a medium well-done steak while she ordered a green salad with French vinaigrette.
He watches Martina while she's eating her salad. She was demure and decent then he suddenly thought of Ella and the way she shamelessly eats her food. Ella is nothing like, Martina. Edward couldn't hold back himself and burst into a laugh while comparing both women in his head.
"I'm sorry is there something wrong?" she asked in confusion. Martina felt conscious of her manner thinking that Edward is laughing at her. "Is there something on my face?"
Edward covers his mouth trying to hide the wide smile from his face.
"No. It's nothing. I just remembered something earlier in the university," he said as an excuse. "How's your food? Did you like it?" he immediately changes the topic.
"It was nice and I enjoyed it," she said smiling.
"That's good to know," he simply replied.
"I've been meaning to ask you this question. Why did you decide to go on a date with me? You don't seem to find me interesting before," she directly said to him.
"Yeah, everything changes after the masquerade party that was held in my house," Edward said while seriously looking straight into Martina's brown eyes and waiting for her reaction.
Martina's face suddenly turns red, and she became uneasy. She lowered her head trying to dodge his stare.
"About my behavior that night, it was foolish of me to act inappropriately," she sheepishly said to him while tucking her hair behind her ear. "I m-may have had too m-much to drink and don't have much recollection of what exactly happened," she stutters while trying to explain.
A glimpse of hope is shown on Edward's face. He is starting to believe that Martina could be the one judging from her reaction. He needs to squeeze more information out of her to confirm that she is the mysterious girl he's been looking for.
"How about if we get out of here and continue our date somewhere private?" he said with a smirk on his face.
"What do you have in mind?" she said smiling thinking of the same thought as him.
"Let's go back to my house and walk through a memory lane to refresh your memories," he suggested.
"Are you sure? You might regret it."
All of sudden, her vibes change from innocent to naughty as she has transformed into a different person with a different personality.
Edward raises his hand and a waiter walk toward them. The waiter hands him a piece of paper on a small tray for him to sign. After he had signed the bill, they left together and drove over to Edward's house.
He took her to the same cellar where he took Regina. Edward offered Martina the same bottle of wine as the rest of them.
"I got a little crazy every time I drink," she warned him.
"A little crazy is good and I like to see that other side of you," he teases her.
"Don't blame me if I went overboard." She took a sip of the wine and seductively licks her upper lips then gently bites on her lower lips.
Edward grinned while watching Martina empty her glass. He continues to pour wine into her glass until they finished the whole bottle.
"Do you want more?" Edward asked her and when he was about to open the second bottle of wine Martina stops him and initiate a hungry kiss.
Edward was surprised by her action and was not able to react. He forcibly parted his lips from her and gently pushes her away. "Is this the little crazy that you were talking about earlier?" he said panting and catching his breath.
Martina slaps Edward hard on his face and said in a very commanding tone. "Shut up and kiss me!"
Martina throws Edward on the wall. She raises his hand and pinned them on the wall. Martina is kissing him deep and hard, sucking the air out of his lungs as she devoured his whole being. She gently parted her lips from him, and Edward took his chance to speak.
"Martina, slow down."
Martina ignores his plead and slaps his face instead.
"Shut up!" she furiously said and glared at him. Then she kisses him again, but this time it's rougher and more intense.
Edward was dumbfounded by her behavior he did not expect that the angelic face and innocent-looking woman is a devil in disguise.
Martina releases herself from him and walks a few steps backward away from him. She unzipped her dress and let it slide down from her curvaceous body. Edward was stunned by Martina's lingerie underneath her white dress. She is wearing laced seductive lingerie that is far from her earlier personality. He couldn't believe that she could be so wild after having a few glasses of wine.
Martina walks towards him and hurled him close to her pressing her body on his body. She rubbed herself on his now erect dick. Edward can feel the wetness from her pussy as she continues to rub herself on him.
"I want you inside me," she softly whispered.
Martina turns around showing Edward her fine ass and slowly bends over. Edward took a moment to stare at Martina's voluptuous behind and her soaking wet pussy. He wanted to discontinue and stop everything because he is starting to have doubts and uncertainty about Martina's personality, but his body is betraying him. He couldn't resist what is served before his eyes.
"What's wrong? Don't be a scaredy-cat and do not disappoint me," she said in a very intimidating manner.
Edward doesn't want to be called a coward or be the talk of the town for being a pussy, so he positioned himself and entrenches his manhood inside her.
"It's just sex. A combination of biology and ego and it has nothing to do with love. I am doing this for my honor as a man," he said to himself.
Edward starts thrusting Martina at a slow pace. He grabs her hips pulling them closer to him as he increases the pace, pumping them faster and harder.
"Faster, daddy. Fuck me deeper and harder," Martina cries out loud moaning over and over.
"Did she just call me daddy? Damn, this woman has a daddy issue. What a psycho!" Edward thinks to himself.
"You want it rough? I'll show you what rough is all about," he said in a loud tone, tough and intimidating.
"Yes, daddy. Give it to me, daddy. I promise that I will behave," she quickly replied like a child being scolded.
Edward continues to pump himself inside her faster and harder. A loud noise echoes all over the cellar coming from their bodies smacking each other as her big ass hits his pelvis with every thrust. Martina continues to moan in ecstasy like she is losing her mind in so much lust and burning desire.
"Harder, deeper, daddy. I want you deep inside me," she begged him and wanting more.
"How much deeper does she want? Even my balls were already in!" Edward thinks to himself. in disbelief.
He thrust her harder with his well-endowed manhood and pushes himself deeper inside her.
"Spank me, daddy. Hit me hard," she's begging to be disciplined.
Edward is disgusted every time she is calling him daddy. He felt like she is physically present with him, but her mind is thinking and fantasizing about another man.
"Hit me, daddy!" Martina pleaded.
Edward never hits a woman in his lifetime, but this time he is making an exception due to insisting on demand. He spanks Martina's ass so hard, but she continues to plead for more. Edward has a reputation to keep, and he did not want to disappoint her, so he continues to spank her to fully satisfy her desires until...
"Holy crap!"
The following day back on Campus... It was a normal lazy afternoon. A peaceful and quiet day to relax and rest after the tiring first half of morning class. The serenity of the campus was interrupted when Edward rushes to the school building and furiously looks for Joaquin. Everyone who crosses paths with him moves away or heads in the other direction and gives way as he walks through the hallway. They can feel his anger with every footstep that echoed sharply around the place like the booming heartbeat of a condemned prisoner. His piercing eyes were scanning every corner of the hallway until he finally sees his target. "I am so going to kill you!" Edward rushes towards Joaquin. He grabs Joaquin's collar and pulls him closer to him. Edward clenched his fist on Joaquin's shirt and glared at him with gritted teeth. "Hey, hey, calm down. What's going on?" Joaquin is looking at him with a feeling of confusion. He has no clue about Edward's rage. "First of all, It's not her!" Edwar
San Lorenzo province is one of the richest places not only in the country but in the world. Agriculture, mining, real estate, fashion, and energy dominate the provincial economy. The abundant province may look clean and green on the outside but in reality, the businessmen were being run by the dirty politicians who's been handled by the powerful syndicates.Fernando Cristobal owns the biggest law firm and a private and corporate investigation agency in the province. His family is one of the wealthiest families in the country. Fernando is not just an advocate for justice, but also a philanthropist. He gives his service pro bono to those poor people who can't afford to have an attorney. Little did he know that his good deeds will only lead to his downfall.He took a case of the poor farmers who are complaining about their land being taken away from them by a wealthy real-estate owner. The owner of the estate is Enrique Santibanez. He is also the
It was a bright and sunny Friday. The sun shone brilliantly with white and fluffy cotton candy clouds drifting across the clear blue sky. It was the perfect time to appreciate the wonderful weather, but everybody was busy shopping at the mall.Yes, they are all busy doing last-minute shopping and preparing for the upcoming Masquerade party that will be held on Saturday in the residence of Guadalupe Purification Banal. Some skip work and classes just to prepare for the said event.The masquerade ball is the most prestigious event in San Lorenzo and it was only held in October by the wealthiest families. There is no need for an invitation to attend. Everyone is invited regardless of their social status, and it is the best opportunity to meet people in the higher class. It's not common that everyday people in the lower class get to talk or even get close to people from the higher class.Business tycoons came to the pa
They say that beauty should not be based only on physical appearance but that what's important is the person's heart. In reality, inner beauty cannot captivate the heart not unless outer beauty attracts. That is why everybody tries their best to look at their finest at the masquerade ball. For one night everybody will transform from an ugly duckling into an elegant and sophisticated swan.Ella and her friends decided to meet at the Happily Ever After shop on Friday afternoon to prepare for the upcoming masquerade ball. The shop was owned by Salome's grandmother Dionisia. They got everything they needed in the shop. Dionisia closed the shop earlier than usual to focus on their preparation for the said event."Bitches, behold my special edition makeup palette!" Bruce proudly said and spread out his makeup set on the counter table.Bruce work as a make-up artist in the Forever Living funeral home. He is the best make-up art
"Hurry up bitches, move your fat asses. We are going to be late," Bruce excitedly called out to the ladies inside the shop. He anxiously waits in the vehicle that they are going to use to get to their destination.Ella and Salome's eyes widened in surprise when they come out of the shop. They couldn't believe what was in front of them."No way! I am not going to hop in there." Salome shook her head and wave her hands refusing to hop in the vehicle."Bruce, why did you bring a hearse as our service? You told us that we were going to ride a limousine and not a funeral car," Ella sounded disappointed.Bruce was in charge of their ride to the party and promised them a limousine, but brought a hearse instead."Don't be a bunch of ingrate bitches!" Bruce irritably exclaimed. "It took me days to convince my manager to lend me this car. It is long and black almost the same as a limousine
The wonders of cosmetics are the same as the filter application that is being used in enhancing images and restoring the youthful glow of the person. It is the same as the mask worn to hide your flaws and make yourself unidentifiable to others. Some say it helps the person to boost their self-confidence, while others say that it is their way of enhancing their natural beauty. Some people use makeup and pretended to be someone to be liked by the person they love."Ella is that you?"Ella turns around to face Edward. She was speechless and was not able to react to him. The color drained out of her face and her hands we clammy and cold. They both have a minute staring at each other and when Ella was about to open her mouth to say something, Edward immediately speaks..."I'm sorry miss. I have mistaken you for someone else. I thought that you were my friend," he shyly said to her. His face reddened as he feels embarras
It was past ten in the morning, the sun is high and bright, and the sunlight is warm and not harsh. The birds keep chirping from the window pane, and the breeze is cool in the autumn season. It's a typical day in the Hillside residence. The level of noise pollution in the Hillside is less compared to the other parts of San Lorenzo Province. Edward is sleeping like a log and wasted from the masquerade ball when his older brother Daniel slams the door as he barges into his room."Edward, wake up!" he sounded upset and picked up the pillow from the floor and threw it on Edward. "It's almost lunchtime. You're still sleeping and intoxicated. When will you ever grow up?" he badgered.Daniel swipes the curtains to expose the window letting the sunlight enters the room and beaming through Edward who is sound asleep cradling a pillow to his chest. Edward slowly opens his eyes and looks around his surroundings. Then he saw Daniel glaring at him.
It was a usual lazy afternoon in biology class. While waiting for the instructor to arrive, students were busy doing assignments, others were scrolling on social media, and some were chatting with each other. Schadenfreude's laughter echoed throughout the whole science laboratory. Joaquin is truly a head-turner when it comes to being mischievous. He couldn't control himself and burst out laughing when Edward told him what happened at the masquerade ball and the time they went to his brother's house to retrieve the boob padding of the mystery woman."I can't believe that you have had quite an adventure in the past few days. I wish I could have been there to see it all." He laughed."Luckily, I survived the bombing." Edward tries so hard to control himself from laughing as he reminisces about the time Ella farted inside the car where they were both hiding from the security guard."Well, you should be thankful to Bumble Bee
Edward was frozen and stuck in place. His breathing is shallow and heavy. He had the feeling that his heart was stopping or skipping a beat. As he stared at nothingness, his eye went round with a blank expression. He couldn't believe what Salome had just told him, and he was keen to know whether she was telling the truth or joking. "Gone where?" he asked Salome, looking at her in disbelief. "Where is Ella?" he asked her once more. His eyes welled with tears. "What happened to her?" Edward has placed his trembling hands over Salome's shoulder and is shaking her back and forth while trying to get answers out of her. "She was happy and excited to go to this party when she came into the shop earlier. Then your brother visited her and spoke to her. The next thing we knew, she was preparing to travel abroad," Salome quickly replied. Edward was taken aback by what Salome just told him. He had no idea his brother would be involved in this. "My brother?" His voice was breaking. "Yes, he s
Days passed since the day Edward asked Ella to be his date at the masquerade ball; Ella couldn't get proper sleep, and she couldn't eat normally. She's been stressing so much about the invitation and is still deciding whether to accept it or not. Lucas became worried because he always sees his sister disoriented and spacing out. Ella was sometimes seen pacing back and forth, thinking to herself. But, unlike in the past, Lucas noticed that she was happier than she had ever been. Ella has a more radiant complexion and smiles more frequently. Her mood is upbeat and creative. She is more productive, and he would suspect she is in love if he didn't know her sister.Lucas had just finished making breakfast when he noticed Ella was still in her room. Ella usually wakes up early and waits at the kitchen counter before he finishes making breakfast, so her absence worried him. He went into her room, but when he tried to open the door, it was locked, which Ella never does.
It's been a long, excruciating week for Ella and Edward's family. As the sole heir to Margaux's fortune, Edward became preoccupied with his new duties and responsibilities. He had to go through numerous briefings and corporate meetings before meeting with the board members of the corporations and businesses that his grandmother used to own.On the other hand, Ella was busy with the cases filed against Luis for kidnapping, violence against women and children, physical injury, and attempted murder. Ella's family filed a forgery claim against Enrique Santibanez.When Enrique falsely accused Fernando Cristobal of corruption, he was investigated and his assets were frozen by the government. Enrique filed numerous cases against Fernando, but they were ineffective due to a lack of evidence against him. Enrique was able to tarnish Fernando's reputation due to his strong connections to corrupt officials at the time, which led to his depression. Ferna
Ella's vision was still fuzzy, and she still feels light-headed. She was not able to move on her own, and all she could hear was the sound of the siren coming from the ambulance and police cars. She heard people walking around in a hurry, and some were screaming as they were dragging the suspects to the police vehicles. She could feel the paramedics putting an oxygen mask on her face, carrying her to the stretcher, and placing her inside the ambulance.She was about to get up on the stretcher to see where Edward and Joaquin had gone when she felt a warm hand over her shoulder, gently pushing her back to the stretcher."Don't worry, Ella. You're in good hands." Edward spoke to her in hushed tones."Edward, I thought you'd leave me," Ella said worriedly, her eyes welling up with tears."I'm right here, but there's something I need to do, so I have to go for now," he explained calmly. "Your family is wa
After walking out of the family dinner, Edward locked himself in one of the rooms to prevent a family member from barging in. He knew that some of his family members would try to persuade him to return to the family meeting or persuade him to consider marrying Lydia. Even though he wanted to leave the mansion and go home, his grandmother Margaux wouldn't let him and instead requested a private audience with him after dinner.Edward lay on the bed and rested. He was about to fall asleep when he received a call from an unexpected person."Edward, Ella has been kidnapped!" Lucas said, crying. His voice had a fearful tone to it.Edward felt a twinge of melancholy and perplexity. He tried to process and assess what he had just heard from Lucas, hoping it was a joke."What happened? Who took her?" Edward inquired worriedly."A group of men took her to the hospital, and they are all arm
Ella's eyes widened, and she stared at Joaquin in disbelief. As Ella's anger overpowered her, rage pulsed through her veins and quickened her blood. Ella gave Joaquin a knuckle punch as if her hand had a mind of its own."Ouch! Ella, that hurts." Joaquin cried out."I'm not gay, douchebag!" She said it with gritted teeth and a clenched jaw. "Edward mistook me for a boy!""Thank Goodness!" Joaquin breathed a sigh of relief. "For a brief moment, I thought you were gay. I can't imagine how Edward would react if he found out." Joaquin burst out laughing."I'm not kidding, dumbass! We were young back then, and I was wearing my brother's clothes, plus my hair was too short; that's why I can't blame him for mistaking me for a boy," Ella explained to Joaquin."You were still wearing baggy man's clothes," Joaquin said while looking at her. "But, at the very least, your hair is long, you h
Ella felt confused and disoriented when she woke up. She slowly opened her eyes, squinting to sharpen the blurry images in front of her. She scanned her surroundings and noticed dull gray walls with a pungent smell of disinfectant. Her heart races and her breathing becomes shallow when he learns where she is.Ella attempted to stand, but she immediately felt dizzy, and her head feels heavy. She was suffering from a severe headache and had no choice but to go back to bed. Before she even had a panic attack, her mother entered the room."Ella, baby, I'm here." Lucita rushed over to Ella and embraced her. Lucita helped Ella back to bed and wrapped a blanket around her. "Hush now, my baby; mommy's here, and I'm not going anywhere," she softly speaks.After a few moments, Lucas entered the room with a bag containing Ella's clothes and other necessities. He set the bag on the couch, walked over to Ella, and sat beside her bed.
Daniel's men immediately placed Edward, Joaquin, and Luis in custody. They were taken to one of the headquarters near the plaza. Edward and Joaquin were placed in the same room, and Luis was in a separate room. Joaquin was sitting on one of the couches, while Edward was agitatedly walking around the room and pacing back and forth. They are waiting for Daniel to punish them.Edward wasn't afraid of Daniel's wrath; he was anxious to get out of the isolation room because he was worried about Ella. He knew that Lydia was still out there, and he is afraid that something bad will happen to Ella if Lydia and her run into each other."Dude, please relax. Have a seat and calm down." Joaquin tries to comfort Edward."How do you stay calm in this situation?" Edward exclaimed, looking at him in disbelief. "Ella was still out there by herself. Who knew what Lydia would do to her if they crossed paths?" He said it hysterically.
Ella had a bad mood on Tuesday morning. She is tired from not getting enough sleep the night before. Her eyelids were drooping. Her limbs were cumbersome. Her head is heavy, as is her spirit. She couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of having normal eyesight and a normal life ever since she learned that there is a cure for her eyes.Her mind is filled with what-if scenarios. Like the idea of being with Edward when he realized she was the woman he'd been looking for and the thought of not being bullied because of her thick glasses. She hadn't decided whether to accept Joaquin's offer to help her with the cost of her surgery until today. Her desire to be beautiful has been at odds with her ego and pride.Ella was busy handing out goody bags to people passing through the plaza's entrance gate when she was tapped on the shoulder. She was startled and screamed at the top of her lungs, nearly dropping the sack of goody bags she was holding