Monalisa's POVI peered at the young lady in the mirror who was staring back at me with a beautiful smile on her face and I was satisfied with what I saw. I picked my bag and clacked down to make myself a coffee before going to meet Kate, my best friend. It has been a while we saw and I can't wait to tell her everything that has happened in the past few days.Mum wasn't in the foyer nor that witch called Hana. Thank goodness! I sauntered over to the kitchen, made my warm coffee and gulped it all down. How I love it's flavor!I always start my day with this coffee and I kinda believe that helps to make my day a better one, kinda childish right? I know.Just as I was about walking out of the kitchen, I collided with someone. "Sorry" I muttered. I looked up and to my disappointment it was Hana. "Are you blind? Huh? " She snarled."Sorry. It wasn't a deliberate action""Just shut up! I know you did it on purpose to spite me, you don't have to pretend" At this moment, I think I have ha
Monalisa's POV Kate let out a belch as she gulped down the orange juice. "Sorry" She said with a chuckle. I shook my head as I beckoned on the waiter to clear the table. We had both devoured every bit of the pancake such that not even a bit was found on the disposable plates."Thank goodness you are fine. I was almost thinking that something bad has happened to you." Kate whined." Sorry..I was so occupied with the honeymoon. Moreover, I wanted to surprise you" " It's okay. When will you introduce your husband to me? I have always dreamt of sharing a handshake with Mr Alex and I didn't know that my dream was going to be a reality so soon" She chuckled.I shot her a hard stare. " Don't you dare speak about that Alex with so much enthusiasm ever again! I hate him. We both hate the rich remember?"" Yeah i know. But my mindset has changed after watching you interact freely with me amidst your current high status. You have become rich but that doesn't mean you are also bad right?"" Don
Monalisa's POVI hissed continuously as I walked to and fro the room with my eyes glued to my phone's screen. I and Alex had agreed to pay my mum a visit today but it's already past six in the evening and he is not yet back home. He is not even picking my calls.Mum has been discharged from the hospital three days ago but I couldn't go to visit her because I don't know how I would explain things to her without causing her health to deteriorate. But I believe it would be better if I go with Alex at least that would be a prove that I am truly married. I know mum, she would never believe that I got married to a rich man until she sees it for herself - she knows of how much I hated the rich.I dialed Alex number again and this time, it was switched off. No! Alex can't do this to me. I really want to see my mum, I have missed her a lot.I dialed his number again and I got the same response; switched off. At that moment, I felt tears well up in my eyes as I fell on the bed. How can Alex do
Monalisa's POVI rolled weakly on the bed. Jeez! My stomach hurts. Why does it feel like I haven't eaten for years? Oh! I almost forgot, I missed my dinner yesterday because of that jerk. I ignored my rumbling stomach and forced my self to go back to sleep but sleep wasn't forthcoming rather I got weaker and hungrier each passing second.Just then, I perceived something. Pancakes. No! My nose must be deceiving me. I turned my face to the other side of the bed and the aroma seized for a moment but resumed again, more stronger.This definitely isn't a dream. I forced my eyes open and to my surprise; Alex was seated beside me on the bed with a tray which contained some plates on his hand. The plates were covered so I couldn't decipher what was in it. But I am so certain that the aroma emitting from the tray is that of my pancakes."Good morning wifey" He chuckled. I shot him a hard stare. Why is he acting weird? "Guess what? I prepared a surprise for you" He continued and opened the p
Alexander's POVAfter watching Mona as I usually call her cry to sleep last night, I couldn't help but to feel guilty. I laid down on the couch to sleep but sleep was very far away from me.She really must have missed her mum and I totally understand that feeling. During my early years, mum and dad were the busy types. They hardly spent time with me and I was left alone in the caring hands of my grandmother who died few years ago.I was pampered by my grandmother and she made sure I got whatever I wanted. She would shout at my parents for scolding me and even threatened to close down one of the high school I attended because a teacher scolded me badly. After much drama, my grandma spared her because she was just newly employed and doesn't know the rules.Although my grandma did everything to make me happy, I still missed my parents; most especially my mum. I would always silently cry to sleep each night, hoping that a day would come when she would sing lullabies and cuddle me to sleep
Monalisa's POVAs I clacked down the stairs, I felt like a queen. Probably, because of the great feeling of having to wear a designer cloth for the first time or maybe, because of the look Alex has on his face which was totally fixed on me.I guess, this is what all those celebrity feel whenever they climb the stage and watch their crazy fans yell and clap in admiration.Alex kept on staring at me until I got to where he stood. Am I that beautiful? . I waved my right hand before his face, he blinked and cleared his throat."I know I am beautiful but that doesn't mean you should drool like that" I said, pouting my lip.He scoffed. " Beautiful my foot"I opened my mouth to fire back but shut up when he brought his phone close to his ear. "I have to hang up now. We will talk later, bye" He muttered into the phone and ended the call. Why did he end the call all of a sudden? I stretched forth my neck to see who the caller was but he was quick to dip the phone into his trouser pocket. Jer
Monalisa's POVMum's hug felt so warm. And that moment, all the memories I have spent with her began running back and It struck me so hard that I am not going to see her every day nor hug her until my heart's content."What is wrong Lisa? Why are you crying?" Mum asked and broke the hug. " I have missed you so much, mum" I cracked." I missed you too my child. It's so good to see you again" She smiled and used her hand to wipe my tears. I couldn't help but to smile."But why are you in the kitchen? I thought the doctor said you should take some rest" I scolded and made to call the maids but she stopped me."Why are you acting as if you care?" Mum snarled." Huh?" I exclaimed and turned to her shocked."You this spoilt brat! How could you not pay your sick mum a visit for almost a month. For a moment, I was scared that you have forgotten me and has run away with a rich man" " What? How could you think of such a thing mum?.. I didn't mean.. "" How could you be so good with predicting
Monalisa's POVWe both glanced at each other as we awaited mum's response. Alex looked so relaxed and I am sure he must be hoping for mum to say No to our marriage and probably, he would take advantage of the situation to push for a divorce.Or maybe he is not as bad as I think he is. I mean if he didn't come to my aid, I wouldn't have known how to tell mum about us. I might have even ended up hurting her but from the look of things, mum is still calm and it's all thanks to Alex."Do you love my daughter?" Mum suddenly asked."What?" I and Alex chorused."Alex, do you love my daughter?" Mum asked again, staring keenly at Alex.Alex glanced at me as I swallowed hard. What would his reply be?"I am deeply in love with your daughter and I don't think I will be able to live without her" Alex replied with his eyes still fixed on mine. I felt my heart beat increase. Why does his words sound so real? "It is so nice to hear this coming from your mouth". Mum said. "I and my daughter has a ver
LisaI grinned as I pressed the red button. Let’s see how Alex reacts to this.After that drunken night, I realized something—Alex still cares. Beneath his cold, guarded exterior, he’s hurting just as much as I am. But he’s afraid;afraid to confront his feelings, afraid to let go of his fears. If jealousy is his weakness, then I’ll use it. It’s the only way to make him confront his feelings.I just hope it works.Kate, who had been carefully painting her nails, suddenly stopped and turned to me, her brow furrowed.“What?” I asked, feigning innocence.She scoffed. “Seriously? You’re really going this far just to make Alex jealous?”“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, shifting uncomfortably.Kate slow-clapped, her smirk deepening. “Nice move, bestie. Really, top-tier manipulation. But what if he doesn’t come? What if he doesn’t even try to stop you?”That thought slammed into me like a freight train.What if he doesn’t come?. If Alex didn’t react, I would be doomed. St
AlexFor the first time in weeks, I felt light. Like a weight had been lifted off my chest, allowing me to breathe again.I had spent too long fighting what I knew deep down to be true, drowning in my own fears, and pushing away the only woman who had ever looked at me like I was more than just a broken man. But today, that changed.Today, I was going to tell Monalisa the truth.A smile tugged at my lips, and despite my best efforts to suppress it, I couldn’t. The realization that I loved her- truly, madly, and without reason had settled in my bones, warming me from the inside out.But of course, Kelvin had to ruin my moment of peace."Alright, spill," he said, dropping his phone with a loud thud. His narrowed eyes locked onto mine. "What’s with the smile?"I barely glanced at him. "What do you mean?"He scoffed. "Oh, come on, Alex. You’ve been sulking since Monalisa left, acting like life has no meaning. Now, out of nowhere, you're all smiles? Something’s up."I hesitated. Should I t
Lisa"Where am I?" My voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. My head throbbed as I rubbed my sleep-filled eyes."You’re home," Alex said, his voice tense, like he was holding something back.I blinked at him, trying to focus. His brows were furrowed so tightly it was as if his entire face was carved from stone. I reached up, smoothing the crease between them with my fingertip. "Why the long face?" I giggled, my voice laced with exhaustion. "You look like someone stole your food or something."He didn’t laugh. Instead, his jaw clenched and when he spoke, his voice was low, almost shaking. "How could you do this to yourself? Lisa, you’re pregnant. You shouldn’t be drinking."I scoffed, rolling onto my side. "It’s not like you care," I muttered. "What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be with her?""Don't," he snapped, his tone sharp enough to slice through the fog in my brain. "Don't say her name."I snorted, unimpressed. "Why not? Afraid of feeling guilty?"He exhaled heavily,
LisaI swallowed hard as camera flashes exploded around me, the chaotic voices of reporters blending into a deafening roar. Their aggressive questions cut through the thick air, but I barely registered them. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt suffocated. Strong hands, ones I didn’t recall summoning, kept the press at bay, shielding me from the frenzy."Is it true that you and Alexander aren't together anymore?""We noticed renovations at your shopping mall. Are you repurposing it?"My throat tightened. Alex’s parents hadn’t just handed me major shares in their company, they had bulldozed my shopping mall and erected something bigger.I hesitated before stepping closer, knowing that the only way to get rid of them was to give them something. “Firstly,” I started, keeping my voice steady, “my shopping mall will remain. I’m simply adding a confectionery section. As for Alex and me…” I exhaled. “We are still together.”Silence. Then, a hand shot up. A woman with perfectly curled blo
MonaLisa “How do I look, Kate? Do you think they’ll believe me?” I asked for the third time, adjusting the disheveled strands of my hair in the mirror.Kate hesitated, her lips pursed as she studied my reflection. Then she smirked. “If I didn’t live with you and hadn’t seen firsthand how you prance around like a woman without a care in the world, I would actually feel sorry for you right now.”I arched a brow. “Really?”She folded her arms, feigning deep thought. “Mhm. You look like a woman who just escaped from a psychiatric hospital. So yeah, I think they’ll fall for your drama.”A slow grin spread across my lips. “Finally.”I turned back to the mirror for one last glance, and for a second, even I barely recognized myself. After watching hours of makeup disguise tutorials, I had managed to perfect the art of looking like a woman drowning in despair. The smudged mascara and the streaks of smeared eyeliner created the illusion of swollen, tear-ravaged eyes. My tangled hair, barely he
AlexI dragged my feet into my room, each step heavier than the last, and slumped onto the cold, hard floor. Monalisa is gone.Isn’t this what I always wanted? To be free? To finally breathe without the weight of a marriage I never truly surrendered to? No more obligations. No more expectations. Then why does my chest feel like it’s caving in? Why does my heart ache as if she took a part of me with her?. I clenched my fists, inhaling sharply. I hate this feeling.I ran a hand through my hair, gripping the strands, trying to keep myself together. My thoughts were spiraling, threatening to consume me, but before I could sink further, a knock sounded at the door."Come in," I hoarsed.The door creaked open, and there she stood- Nanny Dora. In her hands, a silver tray balanced a crystal glass and a bottle of whiskey. Exactly what I needed.She walked toward the nightstand, but I stopped her before she could place it down."Bring it here," I muttered.She hesitated, her gaze scanning my d
AlexI dragged my feet into my room and slumped on the floor. Monalisa is gone. Isn't this what I have always wanted?. To be a free man. Completely free from the annoying entanglement called marriage. But then, why do I feel sad that she is gone. Why does my heart hurt. Ugh. I hate this feeling.I ran my hand through my head, struggling to keep my loose emotions together. I heard a knock on the door. "Come in" I quickly replied and the door cracked open to reveal exactly what I needed at this moment - alcohol. With the tray which contained the bottle and glass cup in her hands, Nanny Dora headed towards the side table at the end of the bed."Bring it here" I stopped her.She hesitated as she turned to glance at me, probably wondering if it was right for me to be seated on the floor. I don't care right now. I just want to get rid of the emptiness. I let out a sigh as she placed the tray before me, on the floor. "Thank you." She made to leave but paused and turned to me. "Just got a
AlexI exhaled deeply as I finally brought the car before my huge mansion. I stepped down and rushed towards the main door, hoping that monalisa doesn't hurt herself . Jeez. What just happened. The automatic door pulled open and I rushed in, I was quick enough to halt or I would have collided with Lisa who was hurrying towards the door, rolling her pink travelling bag along."What is going on Lisa?. Why are you with a bag?" I asked, confused. "I'm obviously leaving your life so that you can have all the freedom to go back into the arms of your most beloved Lena " She growled and made to leave but I blocked her." What are you saying Mona?. You can't leave me just like that " I countered. " I know you are angry right now but it would be better we talk it over than making such a haste decision to leave "" Talk over?. Look Alex. There is nothing to discuss here. You have chosen who you want to be with and I'm sick and tired of being a sideline. I'm sick and tired of hoping for a relat
AlexI was trying to get clothes for Mona when I got a text message from Lena. She has arranged an apology surprise package for Lisa and would want me to check it out before inviting Mona over. Mona has been moody since their fight, I just hope this surprise will lighten up her mood again and probably, they will become friends.It was a few minutes drive and I finally got to Silverado's hotel. I got out of my car and walked into the large building. The moment I stepped in, the receptionist seemed to be waiting for my arrival as she quickly got to me and escorted me to the room."Come in." Lena's voice came as the young lady knocked on the door.I muttered a thank you to the receptionist before stepping in. I closed the door and turned to see Lena seated on the bed with no sight of any surprise package. "Hi, Alex" Lena chuckled as she stood up from the bed and walked towards me. She was dressed in a red gown which had a side slit, revealing her laps."I thought you said you prepared a