Mics answered the call. “Hello, Love?”I grinned at the endearment he used for Mics. So cheesy! I signaled Mics to respond. “Yes, Love?”We heard my brother sigh on the other line. “I'm sorry for earlier, for our argument. I didn’t mean it, I was just tired… and I miss you… I miss you so much, and I just want to see you.” Mics blushed at what my brother said, while I was grinning like crazy but also feeling giddy! His voice was so tender! Is this really my brother talking? “Hey. Love. Still there? Why aren’t you answering? Are you still mad at me?”I signaled Mics not to say anything. She nodded. “Love? I’m sorry, okay? Wait, it’s already lunchtime—have you eaten? Where’s Vi?” “Love, talk to me, please?” “Don't be like this, Love. It won't make me feel better. I can’t work properly when we're like this. I'm sorry, don’t be mad at me. Okay, how about this? I'll pick you up later for dinner. I’ll make it up to you. And I miss you so, so much.” The redness on Mics’
“You are so beautiful, Ms. Vivien. I only did a simple makeup look on you, but your beauty truly stands out.” I gave a sweet smile to the makeup artist assigned to me today. She was just doing a quick touch-up on my makeup before I headed out onto the runway. Today is the fashion show where I was invited by a very famous designer. I actually just found that out now. I'm here with my supportive boyfriend. I know he's sitting in the VIP section along with the other guests. I took a deep breath before walking backstage. Once I saw that my fellow model had returned, I held my head high and strutted onto the runway. A loud cheer erupted as soon as I stepped out. All the photographers turned their attention to me, scrambling to take shots. But I paid them no mind. I focused on my walk, wanting to bring life to the outfit I was wearing. I gave it my best. My face remained serious as I walked, and when I reached the end of the runway, my eyes immediately searched for Xander. It didn’t
There are people that you have to let go of even if you want to keep them. There are people who, even if they make you happy, you need to avoid. There are decisions that you have to make even if you're forced to. There are times when if you do the right thing, you will be the one who will suffer. And there are things that if you insist on in the end, you will still be the one who will be hurt. *********** “Mom, where is Uncle Vince? We've been waiting here for an hour, I'm tired.” I smiled while watching my child, who had a cute scowl on his handsome face. I removed my face mask since no one would probably notice me here, and everyone is busy, plus I am wearing a eyeglasses. It's a good thing I didn't say that we're going back to the Philippines, no media, my child and I are safe. We're here at NAIA waiting for my brother Vince. He volunteered to pick us up because he wants to see his nephew right away. Unfortunately, he texted that he's stuck in traffic a
Vivien “Oh my gosh! Until now, I still can't believe that we finally graduated! And of course, I can't believe our parents allowed us to go to a bar and celebrate it!” I laughed while Penelope hugged me and jumped. We were so happy, so much happy! Finally! All the hard work, stress, and sleepless nights had paid off. Penelope and I have been best friends since childhood. Our parents are also friends. Penelope is my partner in crime. We're open with each other. We help each other in everything. She's like a sister to me. “Congratulations to us, girl! We can finally breathe easy and get a good night's sleep.” We both laughed at what I said. “Yeah, right! The hell years are done! So, let's go to the bar and celebrate!” I laughed and let her pull me towards her car. Just earlier, we had our graduation, and our parents were with us. We were supposed to celebrate with them at an expensive restaurant, but my friend suggested that we change it up this time. During our pre
R18– Damn, I'm so drunk! I can feel the alcohol coursing through my body. I don't care about anything around me anymore; I'm just going with the flow. Then I felt someone dancing behind me. Because they were so close, I turned to face them and without warning, I put my hands around their neck. Shit, why did I suddenly feel this heat? I wanted to do something, but I couldn't understand it. Damn this alcohol! The man in front of me encircled his hands around my waist. He pulled me even closer to him, making sure I couldn't escape. Because of what he did, I could smell his scent – addictive, like I wanted to bite him. We danced as if there was no tomorrow. I also did a sexy dance in front of this stranger. I had no idea where my best friend was – maybe she was dancing with someone else or looking for a handsome guy. I knew she could handle herself and was used to this kind of situation. I was getting carried away with what was happening. I was enjoying it immensely and wa
Vivien I woke up with a pounding headache and a sore body. Damn, we were so drunk and wasted last night! Penelope got what she wanted. I looked around, and my eyes widened when I saw my dress on the chair beside the bed. I sat up, wincing as my head throbbed. Without thinking, I checked my body under the white comforter. My eyes widened even more when I realized I had nothing on! I gasped as I slowly remembered what happened last night. The man I danced with last night broke my defenses while I was drunk! Vivien, what foolishness possessed you? Shit! I won't get drunk anymore! I won't drink! I was protecting my virginity! nnnI winced again as I felt the pain between my thighs. What had that man done to cause this much pain? Despite the excruciating pain, I forced myself to get up. I grabbed my dress and panties from the chair and put them on. I also snatched my purse from the side table. I awkwardly walked out of the room. Where was the man who took my vi
Vivien “Sweety, wake up. We're here.” I groggily straightened up and looked at Mommy. “You seem really tired, dear. I've been trying to wake you up. Come on, get ready and follow me. Your grandparents are waiting inside,” Mommy said. I nodded to Mommy before she went down first. I peeked out the window. Wow! I've missed it here in Bulacan! Yesterday, Alexander dropped me off, but just outside the subdivision. I didn't want him to drop me right in front of our house, fearing Mommy might be surprised. She might think I went to a bar with Penelope and suddenly got a boyfriend. Upon arriving at the house, Mommy warmly welcomed me. She mentioned that we were going to Bulacan because Grandpa was sick, probably from climbing the mountain too much. They insisted that we stay here for a week. It wasn't a problem for me since it's a break for me. I also texted Penelope to follow here. Only Mommy, Kuya Vince, and I came to Bulacan. Daddy stayed in Manila for some paperwork, As I st
My face frowned as I followed him. He just pulled me towards their hut where people were busy making rice cakes. I still can't believe that my grandmother's rice fields and his grandmother's are right next to each other. Our world is so small. Now, he was busy talking on his cellphone, and I occupied myself by taking pictures. I marveled at the process of making rice cakes and sweet preserves, so I snapped some photos. and posted it on Instagram with a simple caption, 'Yummy.' Then, I casually scrolled through my feed, liking posts from people I know. I furrowed my brows when I saw someone followed me. Xander happened to sit beside me. “Follow me back,” he commanded, looking at my phone. I quickly moved it away from him and gave him an annoyed look. Does he even know the word 'privacy'? Tsk. I reluctantly followed his order to avoid any further hassle. I also texted my brother not to look for me because I pretended to roam around. I hurriedly texted Penelope, urging her to c
“You are so beautiful, Ms. Vivien. I only did a simple makeup look on you, but your beauty truly stands out.” I gave a sweet smile to the makeup artist assigned to me today. She was just doing a quick touch-up on my makeup before I headed out onto the runway. Today is the fashion show where I was invited by a very famous designer. I actually just found that out now. I'm here with my supportive boyfriend. I know he's sitting in the VIP section along with the other guests. I took a deep breath before walking backstage. Once I saw that my fellow model had returned, I held my head high and strutted onto the runway. A loud cheer erupted as soon as I stepped out. All the photographers turned their attention to me, scrambling to take shots. But I paid them no mind. I focused on my walk, wanting to bring life to the outfit I was wearing. I gave it my best. My face remained serious as I walked, and when I reached the end of the runway, my eyes immediately searched for Xander. It didn’t
Mics answered the call. “Hello, Love?”I grinned at the endearment he used for Mics. So cheesy! I signaled Mics to respond. “Yes, Love?”We heard my brother sigh on the other line. “I'm sorry for earlier, for our argument. I didn’t mean it, I was just tired… and I miss you… I miss you so much, and I just want to see you.” Mics blushed at what my brother said, while I was grinning like crazy but also feeling giddy! His voice was so tender! Is this really my brother talking? “Hey. Love. Still there? Why aren’t you answering? Are you still mad at me?”I signaled Mics not to say anything. She nodded. “Love? I’m sorry, okay? Wait, it’s already lunchtime—have you eaten? Where’s Vi?” “Love, talk to me, please?” “Don't be like this, Love. It won't make me feel better. I can’t work properly when we're like this. I'm sorry, don’t be mad at me. Okay, how about this? I'll pick you up later for dinner. I’ll make it up to you. And I miss you so, so much.” The redness on Mics’
My brother is really something else. Unbelievable… Geez! How did we not notice? They’re really good at hiding things. “Oh my gosh! You’ve been together for almost a year? Why did you hide it from us?” I asked in shock. Mics just gave me an embarrassed smile. “I don’t know why your brother doesn’t want to tell all of you. It’s hard to keep it a secret, you know. I don’t get what’s up with him.”Oh, so it was my brilliant brother who decided to keep it from us, huh? “Argh! I can’t believe he hid it from us! And we didn’t even notice. I had no idea my brother had a talent for acting.”I slumped back in my chair, crossing my arms. I’m not okay—I got played by my own brother! “I’m sorry, Vivi. Honestly, I wanted to tell you, but he didn’t want me to. That’s something we argue about sometimes.” I could see in Mics' eyes that she was telling the truth. She wanted to admit it to me, but my brother ruined it. He probably didn’t want us teasing him. “It’s okay. If I hadn’t caug
I dragged Xander along until we reached the front of the elevator. He remained silent while waiting for the elevator to open. I sighed before taking my phone out of my bag. I don’t think I’ll go to the office today. I’ll just text Mics and let her handle things for now. There aren’t any meetings scheduled anyway. Xander is tired. I want to take care of him. After texting Mics, I put my phone back in my bag and looked up. “Hey, you okay? Have you eaten?”I asked gently. He lifted his gaze and gave me a small smile. “Honestly, I haven't eaten since last night. I have no appetite. I miss you and Alexis. I can't leave because your dad doesn’t want to go home. He told me to stay and watch over Loraine. If you hadn’t come to me, I might still be there right now.” His voice was tired. He ran his fingers through his messy hair, let out a deep sigh, and spoke again. “She did it again. She tried to take her own life—just so I’d notice her and take her back. I'm tired of this, Daw
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