Am I really so out of touch with him? Have I neglected him? Is he angry with me because it’s been almost a month since we last met? Is that why I haven’t received any texts from him? I explained everything to him. “Hays, anyway, it’s good that you’re with me now. I don’t want to go to Daddy’s office; I’ll just see Vivian there.” My eyes widened. Vivian? My eyebrows furrowed. That’s my mommy’s name—what the? But calm down, Vivien; maybe it’s just a coincidence. There are many people named Vivian in the world. “It’s Aunt Vivian, Lor. She’s kind to you; she doesn’t show you anything bad, so respect her,” Xander said firmly. “Tsk, why do I feel like you’re on her side instead of mine? We don’t know, Alex; maybe that woman is just pretending to be nice to me.” “Lor, I can judge people well. And what Aunt Vivian shows you is genuine.” “Tsk, whatever. Anyway, how are you and your fake girlfriend? Have you met her yet?” I raised an eyebrow. Fake girl? What the heck?“She’s not my fa
“I said leave, Mr. Montenegro. I can’t face you now. I’m tired and hurt.” Pain and fear flickered in his eyes, and his earlier pallor hadn’t faded. It seems he’s been here for a while; he probably thought I’d come straight here. It’s a good thing I was called to the agency. “Are you really mad?” he asked softly. I couldn’t believe he was asking me that, and I almost laughed at his ridiculous question. Isn’t it obvious? What reaction does he want from me? To be happy because I found out something? Of course, I’m angry because I feel deceived, made to look foolish, and there’s also a woman with him whose relationship with him I don’t understand. But since my friend advised me, I’ll follow Annie’s advice. I’ll hear Xander’s side, even if it hurts me. At least I’ll let him explain; I won’t regret it in the end. “What kind of question is that, Xander?” I said coldly. My irritation and anger had intensified. “What do you think I’m feeling right now? Happy? You didn’t even text me s
**Vivien** The day went by quickly, and now Xander and I were heading to Bulacan. I had already said goodbye to Mom and my brother, and I even texted Dad, but he didn't reply at all. “Ready?”Xander asked as I came out of my room. He had been here for a while, too excited as if I were going to run away from him. I wanted to relax a bit; my work schedule for the past weeks had been hectic. I was piled up with tasks, but they said it would be more relaxed when I returned. Since the day we had a misunderstanding, Xander had become more clingy. He sent me quite a few texts each day, and he seemed to update me on everything he was doing. He was a bit excessive with the updates, but I just let him be; that’s what he wanted.“Yeah, let’s go?” He came closer to take my bag and then gave me a sweet kiss on the forehead. I smiled; he had gotten used to that routine. I walked out of the unit first, with Xander following me. We headed to the elevator together. While we waited for it to ope
After eating, I didn't dare glance at Xander. I also didn’t speak and just focused on my food. I felt so awkward because I could feel his teasing gaze on me. I was the one who did a bit of teasing, but it quickly backfired on me—karma worked fast. But that wasn’t really what I intended to happen earlier. Aling Pilar's son escorted me to my room, on Xander's orders. He said Xander was at the house under construction, checking to make sure everything was in order since it’s almost finished. We’re staying here in their hut; it's large, and Xander usually stays here. It has four rooms, and the master’s room is in the other room. When I entered the room, I was amazed as I looked around. From the outside, it looks like an ordinary hut, but once you’re inside, the ambiance is different—a mix of provincial and city vibes. The room I was brought to even had a small air conditioner and its own bathroom. The bed is double-sized, and the surroundings are very pleasant. I set my bag down by
**Vivien** The next morning, I woke up with pain in the middle of my thighs. Xander really kept his word about making the most of the night. It was already dawn when he finally got tired and gave up. After going for five rounds, how could you not be exhausted? I looked at the other side of the bed, and Xander wasn’t there. I listened for any sound coming from the bathroom, but there was none. That guy! After wearing me out and leaving my body aching, he’s not even here beside me? What was that—sex and run? Tsk, he should’ve waited for me to wake up first. What a way to start the morning. I winced as I got out of bed, hobbling over to my bag to get some clothes, and then headed straight to the bathroom. Good thing the bathroom has a heater, so I took a warm shower to ease the soreness in my body. I must’ve soaked in there for about an hour before deciding to get dressed and step out of the bathroom. As I came out, I was stunned and my eyes widened in surprise when I saw Xander
**Vivien** Tears welled up in my eyes as I turned to look at Penelope, who now had a visible expression of pity and sadness. She took my hand and held it tightly. “I'm here, okay? No matter what happens, I'm here for you. I won't leave you, Girl.” I glanced again at the stairs they had gone up. I hoped I was wrong, I hoped Dad wasn't deceiving us. Slowly, I pulled my hand away from Penelope, then, trembling, I picked up the envelope I had dropped on the table. Confused, I looked at Penelope again. “H-how did you know that Dad and Loraine would be here?” She sighed. “I had someone follow Loraine, so I know her movements. From the first time I saw that woman, I had a bad feeling. That's why I told you I'd find out more about her. And I wasn't wrong. Inside that envelope is everything, Girl—the truth and the lies they've been hiding from you for so long.”My hands trembled even more as I looked at the envelope. “That's also why I didn't reach out to you for a month. I wanted to b
I chose a simple pair of denim shorts, paired with a black shirt and black slide flip-flops. I also wore a white cap to somewhat cover my still swollen eyes. I dressed simply to avoid drawing attention. I grabbed my car keys, phone, and wallet before heading out of the room. Penelope was right, Chad's coffee shop was close to my condo. We both got out of the car, and I gave a slight smile—just seeing the outside, it already looked great. I wondered how much better it would be inside. “Let's go.” Penelope smiled as she walked up to me, linking her arm with mine before pulling me inside. The interior and ambiance of the shop were indeed beautiful. As soon as you walk in, the aroma of coffee greets you. Coffee lovers like Penelope and me would surely love this place, and I bet their coffee is great. Penelope wouldn’t have brought me here otherwise, even though Chad owned the shop. There were only a few people inside. Penelope led me to the front to sit there. She was confident si
Vivien I stayed silent until we reached my unit. I walked weakly to the bedroom, wanting to lie down first. My headache had worsened, and I needed to rest before going to our house to confront Dad. I felt like I had exhausted all my energy talking to Loraine. I was near the bedroom door when Penelope called out to me. “Girl, wait.” I weakly looked at her. “Why, girl? I want to rest first. For sure Dad isn't home yet, so let's leave here in the afternoon. Is that okay?” I said softly. My headache was really bad. Penelope looked concerned and came closer to me. “I was actually going to ask if you were okay. You look pale, probably because of what happened earlier. Uh, while you're resting, I'll cook us lunch. I'll wake you up when I'm done. I'm making sinigang na buto-buto so you can have some broth; you need that to regain your strength. Go ahead and get inside, don’t think about anything else for now.” I nodded. I suddenly craved the sourness of Penelope's sinigang. “Alright,
When the car stopped, I started to feel nervous. I put on my mask and blazer before entering the hospital. I went straight to the front desk to ask where Loraine's room was. They kindly told me the directions. I started walking and took the elevator. 5th floor, room 206B. It was a private room.When I got out of the elevator, I turned right and immediately saw the room. It wasn’t hard to find because the name was on the wall next to the door.Patient name: Loraine Herrera.I smiled. Herrera, huh? I stared at the door for a few seconds before deciding to turn the doorknob. Luckily, it wasn’t locked.As I entered, I kept a casual expression on my face. The people I didn’t want to see were there, and they were all looking at me. Vanessa raised an eyebrow while staring at me. Dad was just staring emotionlessly. Xander stood up in shock and greeted me. Meanwhile, Xander’s parents quietly observed.I looked at Loraine, clearly tired and sleep-deprived. She seemed okay, though? Tsk. “Baby,
The next day, I woke up again in Xander's arms, a smile forming on my lips. Last night, after a hot kiss, we returned to the room to rest. We didn’t do anything out of the ordinary.I hugged him until he woke up, and we had a short conversation while still holding each other. Then we both got up to start the day. He wasn’t going to work again today; he said he’d be watching over our son. Just like yesterday, we happily had our breakfast together. “Bye, Mom! See you later! I love you.” “Bye, Baby, I love you too. See you later.” I kissed him on the cheek before turning to Xander. “Bye, I’ll just text you later.” I stepped a little closer to him to give him a kiss on the lips. “Alright. I love you.” “I love you too. Be careful on your way home. Text me when you get to the condo, okay?”"Yes, ma’am!" Both Xander and Alexis said as they saluted me. I chuckled and shook my head before getting out of the car. I didn’t let them out because we’d be the center of attention again.When I e
It turns out we’re doing a sexy photoshoot today. I wasn’t informed—I thought it would just be a regular one.After getting my makeup and styling done, I went straight to the set to start the shoot.The photoshoot began, and I struck fierce poses since it was a sexy concept. I followed all the photographer’s instructions, making sure every pose was perfect so we wouldn’t have to redo anything. I didn’t want to waste time.The makeup artist met me afterward to retouch my makeup. Then, I changed into another sexy dress for the next shoot.I sent Xander a text, letting him know I had just one more shoot left and they could pick me up at the agency. Then I went back to continue the session.A wide smile spread across my face as soon as the shoot was over. I immediately headed to the dressing room to grab my things and change. I couldn’t wait to see my boys—I missed them so much.As I entered the room, I walked straight ahead, unable to wipe the smile off my face despite feeling tired. J
After an exhausting morning of playing around, we decided to leave the room. I still had to go to the office today—I couldn’t afford to skip work because of all the tasks waiting for me. Plus, I needed to stop by the agency later for a shoot.When we stepped out, breakfast was already prepared. As soon as we sat down, Xander took charge of serving food onto Alexis’ plate and mine. Alexis was absolutely thrilled that his dad was the one taking care of him today.“You’re going to work today?” Xander asked as we ate.“Yeah, I have to. I’ve got a pile of tasks at the office, and I have a shoot later at the agency.”He nodded thoughtfully.“Alright. I won’t go to Batangas today. I’ll postpone it until tomorrow. I’ll stay here to bond with our son. I’ll take care of him today, and we’ll drop you off and pick you up from work. Is that okay with you, son?”He turned to our son with a smile. Alexis eagerly nodded in agreement.“Yes, Dad! That’s a great idea! Let’s pick up Mom later. She’ll p
When I was done, I walked to the living room to call my husband and son, who were playing PS5.“Boys, stop playing now. Dinner is ready.”They both turned to me, nodded, and put down their controllers.Cute.Holding hands, they walked toward me. Xander gave me a gentle kiss on the forehead before wrapping an arm around me and guiding me to the dining area.“Wow! My favorite! Mom, did you cook this?”I nodded with a smile before serving Alexis some rice and caldereta. Then I filled Xander’s plate with rice, adding caldereta on one side and chop suey on the other.“Thank you, baby.”I simply smiled in response and served myself some rice. Manang Fe and Len watched us happily from the side.The dinner table was filled with laughter and stories. I mostly just listened as Xander and Manang Fe quickly bonded.After eating, I offered to clear the table and wash the dishes. I told Manang Fe to rest since her back suddenly started aching. Alexis went to clean herself up, leaving just Xander
“Yes, Dad! That's it! They'll catch you, Dad! Hurry up!”I paused what I was doing and turned to look at my son and husband when I heard Alexis's cheerful voice. A sweet smile spread across my lips as I saw them. I leaned back in my chair and watched them. I felt so light, so happy. I never imagined things would turn out this way. I’m lucky Xander understood the reasons behind my actions back then, even though I was partially at fault. He chose not to dwell on it. What matters to him is that we're whole again now.We’re still in my office. After the serious conversation earlier, I decided to work for a bit before we head to my condo. Yes, Xander wanted to stay at my condo too. Our son is overjoyed, and seeing him so happy fills me with contentment. I didn’t object—Xander and Alexis need time together to make up for the years they missed. Plus, it’s safer. Loraine won’t be able to barge in unexpectedly, thanks to the tight security there.Grandma has already gone home, but she was thr
Alexis' eyes widened as he looked at his father, his lips slightly parted. Xander, on the other hand, gazed softly at his son, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. I noticed the tears threatening to fall, and even I couldn’t help but feel emotional.“Is he really my daddy, mommy? Is that why you were holding hands earlier?” he asked softly, not looking at me. His shimmering eyes remained fixed on his father.“Yes, baby. He is your father. Go ahead, approach him,” I gently encouraged. Alexis obeyed and slowly walked toward Xander. Xander lifted his trembling hands, ready to embrace him.When Alexis got close, he immediately threw his arms around his father.“D-Daddy…”I clutched my chest, overwhelmed with emotion. Even if my son hadn’t expressed it in words, I knew he longed for his father—wanted to meet and know him. Though he never asked, I could see it in his eyes.“Son…” They embraced tightly. Tears streamed down my face, just as they did Xander’s, as he hugged and kissed our son’s
Vanessa approached her daughter before angrily turning to me.“How dare you insult us! You’re really getting back at us, aren’t you?! You took Xander from Loraine as revenge!”I smirked and shook my head. Talking to them was mentally draining.“Why? Are you hurt, Vanessa? Because it’s the truth? You took my dad, and Loraine took Xander from me. I’m just taking back what’s mine. There’s nothing wrong with what I did. And you? What are you even fighting for? How many times do I have to repeat myself, huh? Destiny is simply exposing your true colors! And you, Loraine, forcing yourself on someone who doesn’t love you? What a pity!”I said sarcastically. Vanessa and Lorraine were both fuming with anger. It was painful, but it was the truth. They just needed to accept it.“I will never let you take Xander away from me! He’s mine! We’re getting married!” Loraine screamed defiantly.“There’s nothing that belongs to you, Lorraine. From the start, he was never yours. He’s mine. You just interfe
“Be strong. Fight for the love that has been taken away from you. You two deserve to be happy. But you still need to be careful. Loraine is in love with you, Xander, and that woman won’t give up easily. Don’t let her hurt my daughter.”Both Xander and I nodded, aware of what Loraine could really do. She’s a crazy bitch! She ruined things between Xander and me before, which is why we broke up. And now that I know the truth and Xander and I have made up, I will take back what was mine. Xander is mine. From the very beginning, he was always meant to be mine.So she can’t tell me that I stole Xander because from the start, she was the one who took him. I won’t stay silent anymore. I won’t give in or adjust. This time, it's all about me.“Yes, Tita, Dawn and I are aware of what Loraine might do, and don’t worry, I’ll do everything to protect her,” Xander said.“Alright, that’s all I wanted to hear. I’m just here to support both of you.”Both Xander and I smiled at Mommy. She’s so kind and