Jayson exited the office, feeling a growing sense of anticipation. His destination was the restaurant where Sienna worked, and he had plans to surprise her with an evening out together, something they hadn’t done in a long time. His work had consumed most of his time lately, but tonight was meant to be different. When he arrived, confusion filled his mind as he spotted Michael locking the restaurant’s doors. It was only 6 p.m., far too early for the place to be closing. Furrowing his brow, Jayson approached Michael.“Hey, Michael,” Jayson greeted as he reached him. “Where’s Sienna?”Michael hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. He recalled someone arriving earlier and telling Sienna to check on someone who was ill. After a brief pause, Michael explained, “Someone came by earlier, said someone was sick. Ma'am Sienna left to check on them, and she asked me to close up the restaurant.”Jayson nodded thoughtfully. Though the explanation was plausible, an unsettling feeli
“Do best friends kiss each other?” he asked suddenly, catching her off guard. Sienna blinked, startled by his innocent but pointed question..She wasn't prepared for such a conversation, especially not with her five-year-old. For a moment, she tried to deflect with a brief laugh, unsure of how to respond. "What do you mean by kiss?" she asked, hoping to buy some time.Emilio frowned slightly, his curiosity unrelenting. "Well, you've never kissed Dad. Does that mean you don't like him and like your best friend instead?" His question was simple, but it hit Sienna with the force of a wave. She wasn’t ready to explain the complexities of her past relationships, especially not now.Gently stroking his hair, Sienna attempted to change the subject. "Baby, it's late. You should get some sleep, okay? You need to be ready for school tomorrow.""But tomorrow is Saturday," Emilio reminded her, his innocent persistence making her smile tighten."Right," she said, forcing a chuckle, but she could s
Without breaking the eye contact, she used her other hand to gently pry his hand away. " I'm sorry, I can't" she whispered, her voice filled with resolve. Sienna made a conscious decision to ignore Alexander this time. Her loyalty belonged to Jayson, the person who had been there for her when she had no one else. Now, he needed her, and there was no way she would stay behind just to please Alexander. She gently took her son's hand and led him out of the house without looking back. As they left, Emilio waved at Alexander, who forced a smile in return. Alexander watched them go, feeling a sense of emptiness as Sienna left without even asking if he could drop her off. He sank into his couch, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. He had been enjoying Sienna's company again, allowing himself to foolishly hope that they might return to how things used to be. But deep down, he knew he was being selfish for wanting that. Outside, Sienna’s thoughts were a whirlwind of worry and guilt. Why had
The moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the room as Sienna made a difficult decision. She knew staying beside Jayson tonight wouldn’t hurt—after all, he had always been there for her during her darkest times. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering on him, wondering what kind of pain he was hiding. But the question would have to wait until tomorrow. She smiled gently, and nodded. Instead of retreating to another room, she carefully settled on the bed next to Jayson, pulling her son close between them. The warmth of their presence surrounded her, offering a sense of comfort and safety.Jayson couldn’t help but smile when he realized Sienna was sharing the same bed with him. To him, it felt as if they were already married. A wishful thought crept into his mind—what if this wasn’t the last time they slept together? Should he feign sickness occasionally to get more of her attention? Yet, he quickly dismissed the idea, knowing she might not always h
Alexander inhaled deeply, his breath shaky as he prepared to face what he had come for. He had troubled Marianne enough already; his constant presence in her life might be suffocating her, and he could feel the strain it was causing him as well. Perhaps giving her some space would also ease his pain, though he wasn't sure if he could actually let go.After getting what he came for, he headed towards his car, the weight of his emotions pressed heavily on him, making every step toward the car feel like an uphill climb. He briefly stopped walking as he met someone he wasn't familiar with resting casually on his car. He started to walk again to his car, attempting to enter when the person spoke up.“It must be hard” the person remarked. Already in a sour mood, Alexander chose to ignore the comment, slipping into his car and driving away without a word. Watching him leave, Vincent chuckled, clearly entertained by Alexander’s reaction.“He hasn’t changed at all,” Vincent murmured to himself
Vincent watched Marianne closely as she bustled around the kitchen, preparing a meal for him. It was clear that she felt a sense of obligation since she had nothing to offer him except a meal. When she finally set the plate in front of him and took a seat opposite, she smiled warmly, visibly pleased to see him."You look so happy to see me," Vincent remarked, taking a bite of the food she had prepared. There was a playful tone in his voice, and he couldn’t help but notice her genuine warmth.Marianne’s smile broadened. "Of course, I’ve been wanting to thank you for a long time. But I heard you traveled even before the final exams," she explained, her voice carrying a hint of regret for the lost time.Vincent’s gaze remained fixed on her as he asked, "Does that mean you missed me all this while?" His question was teasing, yet there was an underlying sincerity as he stirred his food absentmindedly."Of course," Marianne admitted, her eyes sparkling with honesty. "I even waited for you d
Carine couldn't make sense of what her friend was saying, but she didn't want to risk saying anything that might upset Sophia. It wasn’t the idea of visiting Jayson that concerned her—what worried her was the possibility that Jayson might already be in a relationship."How about we visit him together for his thirty-second birthday? It's only a few months away," Carine suggested. Sophia stopped, gave her a thoughtful look, and then nodded. "I could make 'myself' his birthday present," she said, grinning as thoughts of what she could do at Jayson's party filled her mind."Thanks, cupcake, that’s a brilliant idea," Sophia winked at Carine before getting to her feet. It had been a long day, and she needed some time to unwind.****Alexander exhaled deeply as he removed his glasses, rubbing his temples in an attempt to ease his tiredness. He glanced over at Jake’s desk, noticing his friend still immersed in work, showing no signs of taking a break. Alexander, on the other hand, felt comp
After landing in Silverton, Alexander found the car he had arranged waiting for him. As he settled into the back seat, he instructed the driver to head to Marianne's house. When they arrived, Alexander stepped out while his driver, Paul, stayed behind in the car. He had asked Paul to pick him up from the airport without notifying his mother—he wanted to surprise her after so many years away.Entering the house, he spotted Mrs. Corelle sitting on the couch, her glasses perched on her nose as she skimmed through the newspaper. She looked as beautiful as ever, and Alexander couldn’t help but notice how much Marianne had inherited from her. He quietly approached and sat beside her, waiting for her to notice him. When she finally lifted her gaze from the newspaper, her eyes widened in surprise."Oh my goodness, Alexander!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. It had been so long since she last saw him, and she had missed him deeply. But her excitement quickly gave way to confu
The room grew heavy with silence after Dylan’s revelation. Then, as if a dam had broken, gasps and murmurs filled the broadcast. Comments flooded the live chat, scrolling faster than anyone could read, as viewers tried to process what they’d just heard. At Dylan's agency, Brian sat up straighter on the couch, his eyes glued to the screen. His brows furrowed for a moment before lifting in disbelief. The shock on his face quickly turned to amusement as the chat filled with disbelief and speculation about the dating news. "Boyfriend?" Brian muttered to himself, his voice tinged with confusion. He tilted his head, trying to make sense of it. The comments kept rolling in, shifting attention away from the purpose of the broadcast entirely. Instead of the scandal, the public had become fixated on Michael and Dylan’s relationship. "Are they saying Dylan is dating Michael?" Brian scoffed, a sharp laugh escaping him. "That’s absurd. Who’s going to believe that crap?" His laughter grew l
The moment Alexander got the news, he called Michael. His voice was tense, filled with urgency. "Michael, where's your mother staying?" Michael sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. Emilio, seated nearby, watched him intently, his small face scrunched with worry. "I'll text you the address" Michael said, trying to keep his voice steady, though his frustration was evident. "I’ll handle things on my end. Just... stay focused. I’ll text you once I’ve sorted something out." The call ended, leaving Michael staring at his phone. Emilio’s big eyes tracked every move, and Michael gave him a faint smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Before he could speak to Emilio, Michael decided to call his coach, Mr. Smith after he had sent the address to Alexander. As the line connected, he braced himself for the inevitable anger. Everyone else had already lashed out at him... would his coach be any different? But Mr. Smith’s voice was calm. "Michael, Come over to the compa
"I’ll die at this rate if we don’t… you know… 'do something'" he whispered, his voice dropping lower, his lips brushing dangerously close to hers. Marianne froze, her pulse racing at his audacity. Wasn’t it too soon for this? They hadn’t properly reconciled—at least, not in her mind. Or was she the only one unaware that they had?Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn’t pull away."Alex," she warned, her tone sharp, yet betraying the flutter of uncertainty in her chest.But Alexander closed the gap, capturing her lips in a soft, lingering kiss. For a moment, Marianne stayed perfectly still, her mind racing. Then, against her better judgment, she found herself responding, her resolve melting away like ice under the warmth of his touch. When he pulled back, his eyes searched hers, vulnerability etched into every line of his face. "Stay with me," he whispered, his voice barely audible. Marianne sighed, torn between her emotions and her instincts. She reached for the blanket, tu
Emilio lay on the couch, his chest rising and falling steadily as he slept. Michael walked out of the bathroom after his shower, his gaze falling on the boy. Seeing him asleep, he let out a soft sigh. "He hasn’t taken his medicine yet," he muttered, reaching for his phone. Concerned, he dialed his doctor, though it was late, and he doubted the doctor could make it. "Hello," Michael said as soon as the call connected. "Hey, Michael. Are you feeling weak again?" came the doctor’s groggy voice. "There’s a kid here I need you to check on," Michael explained. "I don’t know if it’s too late for you to come over, but—" "It 'is' late, Michael. It’s almost midnight," the doctor interrupted. Michael sighed heavily. "But he’s only six years old, and I’m worried." He ran a hand through his hair, his voice tinged with frustration. "Alright," the doctor relented. "Go to him, feel his temperature, and tell me what it’s like." Michael complied, placing a hand on Emilio’s forehe
"Cheers to internet chaos," Brian muttered, his voice low and smug.The figure chuckled briefly before smirking. "I’ll be on my way now. Just so you know, one call is all it takes for me to forward this to my trusted friend—a reporter," they said, their tone dripping with confidence. Brian nodded in agreement. With that, the figure retreated to their car and drove off."Michael, Michael, Michael," Brian said, shaking his head with mock pity. "Let’s see how you’re going to overcome this."He stepped inside, locking the door behind him, and dropped onto the couch. A moment later, he erupted into loud, maniacal laughter, filling the empty room with the sound of his triumph.*******Sophia paced back and forth in her room, her phone gripped tightly in her hand. The weight of her plan pressed heavily on her chest. For some reason, doubt had begun to creep in. Was it too obvious that she was behind this? Would Jayson figure it out so easily?But what could she do now? The damage was already
The car was masked by the rain, unnoticed by anyone else. The person in the car chuckled softly to themselves, their satisfaction evident. "Perfect," they muttered, staring at the taken photos before lowering their phone. "This will come in handy."The car sped off into the rain-soaked night afterwards, leaving behind an air of mystery and an impending sense of trouble. ***Inside the house, Michael gently placed Emilio on the couch, undressing him, quickly wrapping him in a warm blanket. Emilio’s body was still trembling, his eyes fluttering as he fought to stay conscious. Michael knelt beside him, his face a mixture of concern and guilt. "Why did you come here, Emilio? What were you thinking?" He muttered."I... I wanted to see you," Emilio whispered, his voice barely audible. "I called... but you didn’t pick up..." Michael closed his eyes briefly, his heart aching at the boy’s words. He placed a hand gently on Emilio’s forehead, feeling the chill that had seeped into his bo
Alexander and Jake climbed into the car, and Jake started the engine. Alexander leaned back in his seat, pulling out his phone."We should check the CCTV footage first," Alexander suggested, his voice steady but urgent.Jake nodded, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "We need to move fast. If she’s been taken, time isn’t on our side."Within minutes, they arrived at a nearby surveillance hub. The staff at the facility recognized Alexander immediately, offering no resistance as he demanded access to the camera footage of the surrounding area. Alexander and Jake sat in front of the monitors as the technician rewound the footage. They scanned the screens intently, their eyes darting across the feed. It didn’t take long before they spotted it...a black car pulling up near Marianne moments before she vanished. "There," Alexander said, pointing at the screen. The technician froze the frame, zooming in on the license plate. "Can you trace that vehicle?" Jake asked.The technici
"What do we do next," the message read.Sophia leaned back in her seat, her fingers lightly tapping against the screen, her mind so wide. Whatever was unfolding, she was in no rush. She would wait until Jayson decided to do the right thing.*****Jayson stepped outside and his eyes began scanning the quiet street. He had hoped to find Marianne outside, but the stillness only deepened his unease. Something felt wrong. She had left not so long, he was supposed to see her here, but standing here, the emptiness around him made it harder to breathe. Where was she?Before he could take another step, he almost bumped into someone. His gaze snapped upward to meet Alexander’s eyes.The tension between them was immediate, and Jayson’s brows furrowed. "What are you doing here?" Jayson asked, his voice colder than intended. Alexander raised a brow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "You think I’d come because it’s your birthday? Why? You think you're special or something?"His tone was mocking
"if you think i’m lying, dare him to deny it," she challenged, her gaze locking on jayson. her smile widened as she saw his fists clench tightly. Marianne, seated nearby, glanced at him with a quiet concern. Her gentle gaze seemed to soften his anger for a fleeting moment. Catching her eyes on him, Jayson let out a faint, forced smile. "I’ll be back," he said quietly, his voice calm despite the storm raging inside him. Marianne nodded, and he gently placed Emilio beside her before turning toward Sophia. Sophia’s face was a mask of composure, but her fiery gaze betrayed her intentions. As Jayson approached, he hesitated for a moment before reaching out to pull her aside. But before he could, Sophia shifted her eyes to meet his, her grip tightening on her phone. "You wouldn’t like what I’m about to do, Jayson," she said, her voice low and biting, audible only to him. "Are you just going to let me tell everyone or admit that I’m your girlfriend?" Her words hung in the air like a