Vanessa and Loraine stood up, We all turned to look at them. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what kind of scene this was. “Dad, we’ll go out and get the food,” Loraine said politely and sweetly. Tss. “No, sit down, Loraine. There’s staff to get our food,” Dad replied. Of course, since we’re in the VIP section, we can just ask the staff to bring us food, but you could also go out and get whatever you want yourself, so you can pick exactly what you like.“I know, Dad. What I meant was, we’ll accompany the staff to point out the food we want to be sent here, and so we can choose.” Tss.“Oh, okay. Vivian, what food do you want?” Dad asked Mom. I cleared my throat before glancing at Kuya. He nodded, understanding what I was trying to say.“It’s okay, Dad. Kuya will pick and get our food. He knows what Mom and I like better, right Kuya?” I said, smiling at him. “Yeah, I’ll take care of it.” Kuya stood up and started walking out, followed closely by the mother and daughter duo. Psh. I knew
I raised my eyebrow. Why is he looking at me like that? He quickly approached us and slapped me without saying a word.Mom gasped.“Louis!” Mom shouted.“Dad! Why did you slap Vivien?!” Kuya said angrily as he stepped in front of me.I was shocked by Dad's action. I turned my face to the side from the force of the slap, feeling a bit dizzy. What was that slap for? What did I do?“I know you hate your sister! But I never thought you could do this to her! Did you give her the pasta you were eating because you knew she was allergic to seafood?! I didn’t know you would end up like this, Vivien!” he shouted furiously.I couldn’t believe what Dad was saying; he was accusing me! I trembled and felt incredibly hurt.“Do you hear what you’re saying, Louis?! How would Vivien know that Loraine is allergic to seafood?! You slapped your own daughter based on a false accusation?! How dare you!” Mom shouted back angrily.“Then why did she give the pasta she was eating to Loraine willingly? We haven'
I gasped when he turned me to face him.I was shocked to see him in tears, his eyes filled with pain and pleading.I covered my mouth as he suddenly knelt, gently took my hand, and kissed it softly while crying. “I'm begging you, Dawn. Please…” His eyes were speaking to me as he looked at me, while I, in disbelief, stared back at him as he knelt before me.My tears began to fall again. Why does it hurt so much? I could clearly see the pain in his eyes, his suffering and pleading. Why, Xander? You're only making things more confusing.But this is wrong. No, I shouldn’t be swayed by what I see. It would be best if I went away.Our baby's life is more important than the two of us. If I stay here, the problem may get worse, and I might not be able to handle the stress.With trembling hands, I slowly pulled my hand away from him before shaking my head. “I'm sorry, Xander. I have to do this. I have a strong reason for leaving. Forget me and go back to Loraine. She needs you now... Goodbye
In life, you’ll realize that there’s a reason why you meet certain people. Some come into your life to use you, some to break you, and others to hurt you.Even if they used you, broke you, and hurt you, at least in the end, you learned something.—**PRESENT**Jeez, how much longer for my order? I really want to leave this place. I’ve been sweating nervously for a while. It seems Xander didn’t order takeout; he’s eating here! Gosh, he chose to dine in.Of all the fast-food places here, why did he have to pick this one? So annoying! What a lovely way to kick off my return to the Philippines.I remember when I left seven years ago, Annie and I left together. I thought my boss wouldn’t let me go, but he understood my situation. Annie even volunteered to come with me, no matter what.Two weeks later, Penelope joined us in California. She told me Xander had been pestering her constantly, pressuring her to reveal my location. He wouldn’t leave her alone and even went to Batangas and Bulacan
What happened? How did Loraine become a Herrera? Why didn’t I know about this? Why didn’t Kuya or Penelope mention it to me? Since when has that woman been using our last name?And so, she’s still with Xander, huh? I smiled bitterly. After all these years, they ended up together in the end. They’re getting married, and that woman’s even an actress now? Tsk.The elevator doors opened, and the two women stepped out. I sighed, leaning back against the wall. I’ve just returned to the Philippines, and already I’m hearing all sorts of things. Well, I had been cut off from everything that happened for the past seven years because I asked Penelope not to tell me anything. So, it’s no surprise I’m shocked by what I’m hearing now.As the elevator reached my floor, I straightened up and quickly exited. I shouldn’t dwell on what I overheard; we each have our own lives now. When I reached my unit door, I entered my passcode and stepped inside. I’d link my fingerprint tomorrow.I set down some of t
I couldn’t believe what Penelope had said. She looked at me with uncertainty.Xander was here earlier? Jeez! Thank goodness I spent three hours at the agency! Otherwise, we might have run into each other. “Good thing you came here only now; I didn’t know you had already returned, so I didn’t get a chance to let you know,” Penelope said softly. I sighed; it would have been my fault if we had met.I hadn’t told Penelope that I had come back suddenly.“It’s okay; let’s just be grateful we didn’t run into each other. Fate is still kind to me. So, changing the subject, why are you in such a bad mood?” She exhaled before returning to her seat and picking up the design she had been looking at earlier.“Well, I’m not satisfied with the design. I feel like something’s missing, but I don’t know what,” she said, staring at her design. I approached her to check out her interior design.“What do you think, girl? What else is missing or wrong here? I can’t think straight,” she said, pouting as she
After I talked to Penelope, Alexis woke up just in time. Thankfully, she didn't wake up earlier when I was talking to her aunt.When she saw the snack I made, her eyes lit up, and she smiled as she sat down. I could only shake my head. I got a small plate and filled it with baked mac and a piece of garlic bread.Before I sat down, I went to check on Manang Fe in the guest room to invite them for snacks. I had also let them rest after lunch since there was nothing else to do, and my priority was to watch over Alexis. When I'm not around, Manang Fe cooks for them while Len keeps an eye on Alexis.We all ate snacks together, and at first, Manang Fe and Len didn't want to join us. They said we should finish first, but I’m not used to that. I consider Manang Fe family; she's like a second mother to me.She happily shared stories about Alexis, saying she’s a kind, respectful, and obedient child. Alexis doesn’t misbehave, and she knows when it’s time to bathe and sleep in the afternoon with
I ignored the whispers and walked confidently toward Mom’s table. Why are my family, Dad's family, and Xander's family all at the same table? Is this some kind of mini-reunion? Tsk.I glanced at the other table where Penelope stood, smiling, with Chad next to her, also smiling.As I approached the table, Mom greeted me with a tight hug.“You're back! When did you get back? I miss you, sweetie…” Mom whispered, almost in tears. I hugged her back tightly. I missed her so much too.“I just got home the other day, Mommy. I was supposed to visit you at your office, but I found out you were in Cebu, so I didn’t go.”“Yes, I just got back from Cebu this afternoon. Come, let’s sit down.” Mom helped me, but before we reached the table, my best friend intercepted me.“Aunt, can I borrow BFF for a moment? I just need to chat for a bit, just a quick one, hehe. Is that okay?” Mommy chuckled softly.“Alright, you two. Just be sure to come back to the table, okay?” Both Penelope and I nodded before
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