Sienna was deep in conversation with her son, hoping to lift her mood and keep her mind occupied with something other than Alexander. He didn’t care about her, so she was determined not to care about him either. She had managed to do it for the past five years, and she believed she could do it again."So, tell me, there was a test today, right? How did it go?" she asked with a smile as Emilio puffed out his cheeks in mock disappointment."Mom, seriously? That’s not even supposed to be a question. I’m disappointed in you," Emilio teased, pouting playfully, which made Sienna smile even more. She already knew he had aced it, being the top student in his class."It must be hard pretending you don’t miss him, huh?" Emilio said, catching her off guard. Before Sienna could fully process his words, Emilio glanced up and noticed Michael approaching. He smiled and waved at him, having just now seen him for the first time that day. Maybe he hadn’t noticed Michael earlier because his mom was acti
Mrs. Skarsgard followed her son into his room. Alexander was already shirtless when she entered, and his face was a picture of frustration. He was annoyed that his mother had pretended not to know who he was referring to as "wife" earlier."You should stop barging into my room like that. What if I were naked?" he snapped, his irritation clear. His mother responded with a hard smack to his head."Look who’s talking. Do you remember when you used to run around naked? I threatened to cut off those ‘balls’ if you didn’t stop. I’m sure the maids have seen more than enough of your toothpick" she said, rolling her eyes. Alexander blinked in surprise."Toothpick? Really?" he asked incredulously, grabbing a shirt from his wardrobe. His mother shrugged and settled onto the couch, ready to continue their earlier conversation."But Xander, did you get remarried? You left to find Marianne and promised not to leave until you did. Now you’re telling me you’re married? What’s going on?" she asked. Al
It felt as though the blood in Sienna’s veins had dried up. For a moment, she lost all sense of reality—her mind shut down, unable to process what she’d just heard. Her son meant everything to her. How could she possibly go on living if her precious child was missing? Still struggling to clear her thoughts, her phone rang again. Her hands trembled as she answered, seeing it was Jayson calling. The moment she picked up, she broke into sobs. "Sienna, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?" he asked, his voice full of worry, but she was unable to form words through her tears. "You're scaring me, Sienna. What happened?" he pressed, sounding even more anxious. "Jayson… Emilio… Emilio’s not at school," she finally choked out between sobs. Her voice wavered, every word stifled by the overwhelming grief catching in her throat. “What do you mean?" he asked, his heart pounding, hoping he had misunderstood her. But when she confirmed it with louder cries, his stomach dropped. “What?!” Jayson ex
Sienna lay on her bed, silent tears falling after what seemed like an eternity of emptiness. Her heart was heavy, weighed down by the anguish of a mother separated from her child. She felt utterly lost, unable to find any comfort. The night stretched on endlessly, and she knew that sleep would not come easily.In the quiet stillness, she rose from the bed and wandered into the kitchen for a glass of water. She didn’t return to her room. Instead, she made her way to her son Emilio’s bedroom, standing in the doorway for a long time. The room felt empty, yet she imagined him there, smiling at her, telling her everything would be okay.“You need to come back to me, Emilio,” she whispered, a faint smile flickering across her tear-streaked face as though she could hear his voice reassuring her.Unable to stay there any longer, Sienna walked back to the living room. She glanced at the clock—it was already 2 a.m. She hadn’t even closed her eyes, let alone slept. How could any mother sleep in
The drive was marked by an uneasy silence that made Jayson uncomfortable. He knew he should give her space to process her thoughts, but he also didn’t want her to be consumed by her worries."Are you alright?" Jayson asked gently. She nodded in response but didn’t say anything. The ensuing silence made him feel like he was forcing the conversation, which he didn’t like. Deciding it might be best to stay quiet, he let her be. Marianne, noticing his change in demeanor, looked over at him."I’m feeling better now, although I didn’t get much sleep. I managed to rest after I had something to eat," she said. Jayson nodded in understanding."And...""Are you wondering if Alex stayed the night at my place?" Marianne inquired. Jayson hesitated for a moment before answering.“That wasn’t exactly what I meant to ask,” he said softly, causing her to chuckle quietly."Well, he did. I couldn’t send him away at 2 a.m., so he ended up sleeping in the sitting room," she explained. Jayson smiled, noddi
The hospital room was quiet, except for the steady hum of the machines and the occasional beep from the heart monitor. The cold, sterile light filled the space, making everything seem distant and surreal—especially to Marianne, who felt her breath catch in her throat. Dr. Reynolds stood over the bed, working quickly to keep the patient alive. His hands moved with skill, but there was a tension in his face. He knew how critical the situation was. “We're losing him!” a nurse exclaimed, her voice trembling with fear as the heart monitor's beeping grew irregular. “Increase the dopamine!” Dr. Reynolds commanded urgently. “We need to get his blood pressure up!” His movements were precise, but there was a trace of desperation in his voice. He couldn't afford to lose this patient—not if there was anything he could do to stop it. In the corner of the room, Marianne stood with her hands tightly clasped, her knuckles white. Jayson stood beside her, powerless to help, watching her in silenc
When Jake arrived at the mansion, he found Grandma Emma anxiously pacing, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. The moment she saw him, she rushed over and gave him a swift smack on the back before holding her phone up for him to see."Twenty missed calls! Where on earth was your phone?" she scolded."Calm down," Jake muttered, rolling his eyes. He knew she was worried something had happened to him, and despite her nagging, he appreciated her concern. It had always been like this with her—fierce, protective, and relentless. As she opened her mouth to scold him further for his attitude, her attention shifted to the boy he was carrying."Whose child is this?" she asked, moving around him to get a better look. When she saw the boy’s face, she gasped, quickly covering her mouth so as not to wake him. "Why does he look so much like Alexander?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Is he...?" She trailed off, her eyes wide with shock, waiting for Jake to confirm her suspicion. But Jak
Marianne gazed at Jayson, stunned into silence by his confession. She had never truly believed he had real feelings for her. In the past, he’d shown her kindness and affection, but she had always convinced herself it was for show, a way to maintain appearances in public. Now, hearing him say it out loud, she was caught off guard. Could she ever return his feelings? Jayson had always been there for her through thick and thin, enduring so much just to ensure her well-being. She felt a pang of guilt, knowing deep down that she was being selfish. If Alexander hadn’t come back into her life, maybe, just maybe, she could have fallen for Jayson. After all, he was a genuinely good man. "I..." "You can’t love me, can you?" Jayson interrupted, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Why is it always Alexander?" he asked, the frustration in his tone unmistakable. "Have you ever given your heart a real chance? It doesn’t have to be me—just anyone else?" This time, Marianne wanted to respond, b