SARAHI stepped out of the car, my heels clicking sharply against the pavement, each step fueled by my growing irritation. Marco was right behind me, his footsteps steady, but I didn’t care to wait for him to catch up. My focus was locked on Isabella, standing there like she belonged, her arms folded across her chest, her face a mask of indifference. That blank, self-righteous expression of hers was as irritating as ever. She looked smug and untouchable, as if she hadn’t caused enough chaos already.“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended. “Here to cause another scene, Isabella?”She didn’t even flinch.I stopped a few feet away, my arms dropping to my sides as I glared at her. She just stood there, perfectly still, like a statue carved from ice, her silence deliberate and calculated. The audacity of it made my blood simmer.“I asked you a question,” I snapped, taking a step closer. “What are you doing here, Isabella?”Nothing. Not a word, not even a fl
SARAHIsabella’s words hit me like a brick. My head jerked back, and for a second, I could only stare at her, trying to process what I’d just heard. It couldn’t be true. It had to be a joke. A really bad, tasteless joke.“You’re joking,” I said, my voice sharp but shaky. “You’ve got to be joking. Pregnant? For Marco? Are you even hearing yourself?”Her smile didn’t waver. If anything, it grew wider, like she was enjoying every second of my disbelief. “Oh, Sarah,” she said, letting out a light laugh. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but no, I’m not joking.”I shook my head, still refusing to believe it. “Stop it. Just stop. You’re not pregnant, and if you are, it’s not for Marco. Do you even hear how ridiculous you sound?”Isabella tilted her head slightly, her expression oozing false sympathy. “I know this must be hard for you to accept, but denying it won’t change the truth.”The laugh that escaped me was bitter and sharp. “The truth?” I scoffed. “The only truth here is that you’ll say
SARAHI slammed the door behind me, leaning against it for a moment as I tried to catch my breath. My heart was racing, my chest tight with frustration. How had it come to this? Just this morning, Marco and I were fine—happy, even. And now, a woman stood at our door, claiming she was pregnant with his child. The thought made my stomach twist.I paced the room, running a hand through my hair. It didn’t make any sense. Marco had been different lately—better. He wasn’t the man he used to be. He’d been attentive, loving, even vulnerable at times. He was mine. I knew that. So how could Isabella show up with a claim like that?My mind replayed the entire ordeal. Isabella’s smug expression, the way she casually dropped her “news” like a bomb, as if she knew it would tear everything apart. The way she laughed at me, daring me to question her. And Marco—God, Marco. He just stood there, offering nothing but a weak denial.“Unbelievable,” I muttered to myself, clenching my fists at my sides.I c
SARAHIt had been a full day since Isabella’s dramatic arrival, and I was still holed up in my room. I muttered to myself as I tossed another pillow back onto the bed. I wasn’t exactly hiding—I just couldn’t stand the sight of her. Every time I thought about her waltzing in, acting all smug and self-assured, my blood boiled. And Marco… He hadn’t said much since, which only made things worse.I tried to shake off the frustration as I moved around, tidying up my room just to keep my hands busy. “Marco will deal with this,” I said under my breath, like a mantra. “He’ll send her packing today, and this nonsense will be over.”Still, a part of me couldn’t help but wonder how we’d gotten here. How did our lives go from peaceful—almost blissful—to this chaos? One day we were happy, planning our future, and the next, Isabella was barging in with her ridiculous claim.I sighed and headed into the bathroom. The cool splash of water on my face helped clear my mind a little, though not as much as
SARAH The bakery smelled of fresh bread and cinnamon, a comforting aroma that greeted me every morning. I enjoyed the simplicity of our life. Our bakery, though it was small and modest, it was our pride and joy. Papa, had poured his heart and soul into this place, and it was a decent addiction to our community. “Good morning, Mrs. Alvarez! The usual?” I asked, already reaching for a loaf of brown bread. “Good morning, Sarah. Yes, please,” she replied with a warm smile. Handing her the loaf, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride. Despite the financial struggles and the countless hours of hard work, I loved every moment spent here. My father and I shared a close bond, working side by side to keep our beloved bakery running. After Mrs. Alvarez left, I returned to kneading dough, humming softly to the tune playing on the radio. My father was in the back, preparing a new batch of new dough. The old Spanish tunes on the radio filled the space with nostalgia, reminding me of my mo
MARCOThe ride back to the estate was silent. My men knew better than to question me right now, not when I was deep in thought. “Sarah..” I muttered to myself. , seeing her action at the bakery, had been an unexpected surprise. I hadn’t planned on her—hadn’t planned on any of this, really. But sometimes, life throws curveballs. I leaned back in my seat, closing my eyes for a moment. Her face flashed before me: bold, fierce, and simply captivating. There was something about her that stirred something wild within me. I loved breaking the wills of stern girls, and Sarah just had “challenge” written all over her. When we finally pulled up to the estate, I got out of the car and motioned for my men to follow me into my office. Once we were all inside, I closed the door and turned to face them. “Change of plans,” I announced, my voice steady. “We’re not touching Santiago. Not yet, anyway.” Tony, my younger brother and second-in-command, looked confused. “But boss, I thought the plan was
SARAHI laid on my bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the incident at the bakery. That guy who walked in—yeah, he was undeniably good-looking. The kind of looks that make you glance twice. But, ugh, that cocky attitude. I hated cocky guys. They always thought they could get whatever they wanted just because they flashed a smile or said the right things. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, snapping me out of my thoughts. I grabbed it and saw Nicole’s name flashing. “Hey, crazy girl!” I answered, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. “Hey, Sarah! Guess what tomorrow is?” Nicole’s voice was practically vibrating with excitement. “Hmm, let me think… your birthday?” I teased. “Bingo! And you know what that means—we’re hitting up the biggest club in town to celebrate!” I frowned, feeling a bit skeptical. “A club? You know I’m not really into that scene, Nic.” “Oh, come on! It’s my birthday! We have to do something big. Plus, you need a break. You’ve been all work and no play la
SARAH “You’re insane! You have no idea what you’re talking about!” I screamed, my voice barely audible over the throbbing music in the lounge. The air felt heavy with smoke and sweat, and my heart pounded in my chest. Marco’s smug expression didn’t waver. “You’ll see, Sarah. You’ll come around.” I couldn’t stand to be in the same room as him for another second. I spun around and pushed through the crowd. As I reached the door, Marcel stepped in front of me, concern written all over his face. “Hey, you alright?” I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak without breaking down. “I need to go,” I muttered, trying to sidestep him. “Sarah, what happened?” Marcel persisted, his brow furrowed. “I just… I need to leave,” I repeated, brushing past him. My steps quickened as I made my way through the club, the pulsating music and flashing lights becoming too much to bear. I felt like I was suffocating. I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text to Nicole: “Had to leave. Don’t worry abo
SARAHIt had been a full day since Isabella’s dramatic arrival, and I was still holed up in my room. I muttered to myself as I tossed another pillow back onto the bed. I wasn’t exactly hiding—I just couldn’t stand the sight of her. Every time I thought about her waltzing in, acting all smug and self-assured, my blood boiled. And Marco… He hadn’t said much since, which only made things worse.I tried to shake off the frustration as I moved around, tidying up my room just to keep my hands busy. “Marco will deal with this,” I said under my breath, like a mantra. “He’ll send her packing today, and this nonsense will be over.”Still, a part of me couldn’t help but wonder how we’d gotten here. How did our lives go from peaceful—almost blissful—to this chaos? One day we were happy, planning our future, and the next, Isabella was barging in with her ridiculous claim.I sighed and headed into the bathroom. The cool splash of water on my face helped clear my mind a little, though not as much as
SARAHI slammed the door behind me, leaning against it for a moment as I tried to catch my breath. My heart was racing, my chest tight with frustration. How had it come to this? Just this morning, Marco and I were fine—happy, even. And now, a woman stood at our door, claiming she was pregnant with his child. The thought made my stomach twist.I paced the room, running a hand through my hair. It didn’t make any sense. Marco had been different lately—better. He wasn’t the man he used to be. He’d been attentive, loving, even vulnerable at times. He was mine. I knew that. So how could Isabella show up with a claim like that?My mind replayed the entire ordeal. Isabella’s smug expression, the way she casually dropped her “news” like a bomb, as if she knew it would tear everything apart. The way she laughed at me, daring me to question her. And Marco—God, Marco. He just stood there, offering nothing but a weak denial.“Unbelievable,” I muttered to myself, clenching my fists at my sides.I c
SARAHIsabella’s words hit me like a brick. My head jerked back, and for a second, I could only stare at her, trying to process what I’d just heard. It couldn’t be true. It had to be a joke. A really bad, tasteless joke.“You’re joking,” I said, my voice sharp but shaky. “You’ve got to be joking. Pregnant? For Marco? Are you even hearing yourself?”Her smile didn’t waver. If anything, it grew wider, like she was enjoying every second of my disbelief. “Oh, Sarah,” she said, letting out a light laugh. “I know it’s a lot to take in, but no, I’m not joking.”I shook my head, still refusing to believe it. “Stop it. Just stop. You’re not pregnant, and if you are, it’s not for Marco. Do you even hear how ridiculous you sound?”Isabella tilted her head slightly, her expression oozing false sympathy. “I know this must be hard for you to accept, but denying it won’t change the truth.”The laugh that escaped me was bitter and sharp. “The truth?” I scoffed. “The only truth here is that you’ll say
SARAHI stepped out of the car, my heels clicking sharply against the pavement, each step fueled by my growing irritation. Marco was right behind me, his footsteps steady, but I didn’t care to wait for him to catch up. My focus was locked on Isabella, standing there like she belonged, her arms folded across her chest, her face a mask of indifference. That blank, self-righteous expression of hers was as irritating as ever. She looked smug and untouchable, as if she hadn’t caused enough chaos already.“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended. “Here to cause another scene, Isabella?”She didn’t even flinch.I stopped a few feet away, my arms dropping to my sides as I glared at her. She just stood there, perfectly still, like a statue carved from ice, her silence deliberate and calculated. The audacity of it made my blood simmer.“I asked you a question,” I snapped, taking a step closer. “What are you doing here, Isabella?”Nothing. Not a word, not even a fl
SARAHWhen Marco pulled into the parking lot, I practically jumped out of my seat, my excitement building. But as soon as we stepped out of the car and got a full view of the place, I froze.“Uh… Sarah,” Marco said, raising an eyebrow as he took in the massive neon sign above the entrance. “When you said chocolate spot, you didn’t mention this.”I followed his gaze, my cheeks heating up as I realized what he meant. “It’s… um… an amusement park? With chocolate?”He let out a sigh, shaking his head with a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Of course. I let you pick one venue, and somehow, we end up in a kid’s playground.”I pouted, crossing my arms. “It’s not just a kid’s playground. It’s… an experience.”Marco gave me a look, half-amused and half-exasperated. “An experience?”“Don’t act like you’re not intrigued,” I said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the entrance. “We’re already here, so we might as well have some fun.”He chuckled, letting me drag him along. “You’re
SARAHI stood in front of the mirror, tilting my head slightly as I adjusted my earrings. My fingers brushed against the delicate pearls, the cool texture grounding me as a soft sigh escaped my lips. Tonight felt different. It wasn’t like the other nights we’d spent together—those moments marked by tension. This felt lighter, simpler. No obligations. No commands. Just Marco and me, stepping into something normal for once.I took a step back to admire myself in the reflection, smoothing the fabric of my dress. It was a deep red, a color I didn’t wear often but felt right for tonight. The material hugged my body in all the right places, the neckline bold enough to make me feel confident but still subtle enough to stay within my comfort zone. I turned slightly, letting the hem swirl softly around my legs, and smiled.“Not bad,” I murmured, tilting my head again.My makeup was understated, but I’d been careful with every stroke. A soft blush warmed my cheeks, a touch of eyeliner made my e
SARAHI woke up feeling strangely disoriented. My body ached in ways I hadn’t anticipated, and as I stretched, I noticed the sheets tangled around me like a storm had passed through the bed. Blinking a few times to adjust to the soft light filtering through the curtains, I frowned. Why did the room feel so… off?My hands instinctively smoothed over the sheets, trying to piece together what had happened. It wasn’t until I turned my head and saw Marco sleeping beside me, his chest rising and falling steadily, that everything clicked into place.He was shirtless, his tanned skin illuminated softly by the morning light. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his expression was serene—almost unrecognizably peaceful compared to the intense, brooding man I was used to dealing with. For a moment, I froze, unable to process what I was seeing. Then, like a tidal wave, the memories from last night came crashing down.My face grew hot as I recalled the way he’d carried me to the room, his strong
SARAHI froze mid-step, my heart skipping a beat as I nearly collided with Marco. He stood in the hallway, his broad frame filling the space, and his face was a mixture of annoyance and something else I couldn’t quite place. Relief? Concern? Either way, I smiled automatically, my nerves kicking in.“You’re back early,” I said, my voice lighter than I felt. “What’s the occasion?”Marco’s eyes narrowed slightly as he crossed his arms. “I could ask you the same thing. What are you doing down here?”I blinked at him, playing innocent. “What do you mean? It’s just the kitchen.”“You know exactly what I mean, Sarah,” he said, his tone sharp but not unkind. “If you needed something, one of the staff could’ve brought it to you. There’s no reason for you to be walking around.”I frowned, the tension in my chest flaring. “Marco, I’m pregnant, not a log of wood. I needed to stretch my legs and take a break from staring at the four corners of that room. Besides,” I added with a shrug, “I wanted t
SARAHI got out of bed, unable to stand the restless feeling that had taken over. The silence of the room felt oppressive, and just lying there made my thoughts race even more. I stretched my arms above my head, rolling my shoulders to ease some of the tension. But it wasn’t enough. My muscles still felt stiff, my mind still a mess.I glanced down at my stomach and placed a hand there, exhaling slowly. “This is all for you,” I whispered softly, a mix of frustration and warmth flooding through me. Marco’s strictness made more sense now, even if it grated on my nerves. But did he think I was some fragile doll who’d shatter if I so much as left my bed? The thought made me snort quietly.I needed to do something, anything, to distract myself.My eyes landed on the pile of clothes in the corner. Folding them wasn’t exactly exciting, but it would keep my hands busy. I moved to the pile and started sorting through it. One shirt, then another. The steady rhythm of crease, fold, stack was almo