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
As Alexander noticed her staring at him with something like hurt in her eyes, he knew he needed to say something—anything."It seems like you know me," he started, his voice a bit hoarse. "I guess I’m Alexander," he added, taking a quick look around to absorb his surroundings. Then it hit him—he was in a hospital. But why? What was he doing here?At that moment, the door to the room swung open, and Jake walked in. The instant he saw Alexander sitting up, his eyes widened in shock. He rushed over, grabbing hold of Alexander and inspecting him closely, not even noticing Marianne in the room."Damn it, man, you almost scared me to death!" Jake exclaimed with a sigh of relief. "Do you have any idea how long you’ve been out? You’ve been out cold for almost a month! Marianne and I have been worried sick." He smiled, but Alexander didn’t return it, simply staring at him with a puzzled expression. Slowly, Jake’s smile faded as confusion set in. He glanced over at Marianne, who simply shook he
"Marianne...""It's okay, Alex," she interrupted. "I was expecting this. It would have been stranger if you both didn’t have a child together."Alexander frowned, confused. Why wasn’t she trying to reason with him?Before he could respond, his phone rang. It was a video call from his mom. Without saying anything to Marianne, he answered the call and held the phone out toward her.Marianne looked at the screen, her eyes widening when she saw Mrs. Skarsgard’s face."Mom?" she whispered. Mrs. Skarsgard immediately brought her hands to her mouth in shock, tears welling in her eyes."My poor baby..." she sobbed. Marianne’s own eyes started to sting with tears at the sight."You didn’t even want to call me, huh? Have you really come to hate me that much?" Mrs. Skarsgard asked, and Marianne shook her head."I miss you, Mom. I miss you so much, I just... I just didn’t have the courage to face you yet..." Marianne’s voice softened, the words fading with emotion."You look so thin—are you eatin
When Elena arrived home, she led Hailey to her room, assisting her with a bath and helping her change into fresh clothes. Afterward, Elena stood up with the intention of preparing dinner. But just as she was about to leave, Hailey's small hands gently grasped her index finger."Mom..." Hailey called softly. Elena turned and knelt down to meet her gaze."What's the matter, sweetheart?" Elena asked in a soothing tone, gently brushing a strand of hair from Hailey's face."Is Dad really my dad?" Hailey asked quietly. Elena smiled warmly, cupping her daughter’s face and nodding reassuringly."Of course he is, honey. He’s just..." "Then why did he hurt you?" Hailey interrupted, her voice trembling as her eyes filled with tears. Elena noticed the tears and smiled again, tenderly touching Hailey’s neck before placing a soft kiss on her forehead."It doesn’t hurt, sweetie. And you shouldn’t blame your dad for it. He..." Elena paused, looking down at the child before gently sitting in front of
"Mhm... Jake..."Charlotte’s breathy moan pulled Jake out of the moment, and he broke the kiss, his mind snapping back to reality. He silently cursed himself, frustrated at how close he’d come to losing control.“No... this isn’t right. We can’t do this,” he murmured, his breathing still ragged as he tried to pull away. But Charlotte held onto him, shaking her head in quiet refusal.“I want you, Jake. I know you want this, too… don’t hold back… please.” She cradled his face in her hand, leaning in to kiss him again, but he turned his face away.He moved to stand up from the bed, but Charlotte pulled him back, this time straddling him. Without warning, she claimed his lips again, kissing it hungrily as her hips grinded yearningly on his hard member, igniting the desire he’d tried so hard to restrain.That was it—that was all it took for the last of his self-control to vanish.Jake grabbed one of her ass cheeks, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. Charlotte’s fingers worked quic
“Alex… you’re hurting me!” Elena gasped, her voice strained and shaky. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she struggled against his grip, but her efforts were in vain.Her face turned an alarming shade of red as she felt herself slipping towards unconsciousness—until a small, frightened voice broke through the tense silence.“Mommy!” Hailey cried, her eyes wide with fear and brimming with tears as she took in the upsetting scene.The sound jolted Alexander back to reality, and he immediately released Elena. She collapsed onto the floor, coughing as she struggled to catch her breath. Alexander stared at his own trembling hands, his chest tight with shock and shame at what he’d done.“Mommy!” Hailey’s voice was thick with worry as she rushed to Elena’s side.Elena forced a smile, steadying her breathing. “I'm okay,” she assured her, reaching out and gently stroking Hailey’s hair, though Hailey didn’t look convinced.Turning to Alexander with tear-filled eyes, Hailey spoke in a trembling
“Daddy?” Alexander called in disbelief, turning to look at Elena with a questioning gaze. "What is the meaning of all this, Elena?"He glanced briefly at the little girl, squatting down before her and gently patting her hair, a smile tugging at his lips. She was truly the same age as Emilio, but it made no sense that Elena had been pregnant with him and had even given birth to his child without him knowing.Elena shrugged. “I just wanted my daughter to finally meet her father. It’s always been one of her wishes.” She smiled, looking at Hailey, who was beaming.Alexander’s gaze shifted from the little girl to Elena, his frown deepening. “What are you talking about?”“I knew you’d act this way.” Elena began, rummaging through her bag before pulling out a piece of paper. “This proves that Hailey is your daughter.” She tossed the paper at Alexander’s face.Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd as guests exchanged disappointed looks with Alexander.“How could Alexander do something l
Marianne returned home alone since Jayson had taken Emilio out for a bit. She wanted to get ready.It was her birthday, and though she didn’t have any extravagant plans, she still wanted to make an effort. She’d likely spend the evening with her son or maybe with Alexander. Tonight, she intended to look her absolute best, revealing a side of her beauty she usually kept hidden. Her goal was to leave Alexander breathless, to make him regret ever leaving and wish he’d come back sooner.After a relaxing bath, she carefully selected a beautiful outfit and applied a light touch of makeup—just enough to enhance her natural features, as she wasn’t one for heavy makeup.When she finished, she took a moment to look at herself in the mirror and chuckled softly.“Look at the beauty Alex let go of five years ago… He must have been blind,” she murmured, with a smile.She picked up her phone and dialed Jayson’s number, wanting to make sure Emilio was dressed up for the evening, too.The phone rang,
“Mom will listen to you, all right?” Marianne whispered as she wrapped her son in a warm hug, gently running her fingers through his hair. She was determined to follow his instincts. Beyond wanting to make him happy by fulfilling his wish, she trusted that Emilio wouldn’t say such a thing unless he truly meant it. “Don’t worry, he won’t work here,” Marianne reassured Emilio before pulling away from the hug. She cupped his face tenderly, bringing it close to hers before planting a kiss on his forehead. "Does that make you happy now?" she added. He nodded, blinking away the tears that had gathered in his eyes. Marianne stood up and approached Jayson and Donovan, a small, apologetic smile playing on her lips. Donovan watched her expectantly as he waited for her to speak. “Van, I’m really sorry, but I can’t—” “You’re not giving me the job because a kid said so?” Donovan interrupted, his expression sincere but filled with disbelief. Marianne felt a spark of annoyance at the way he re
"I bet you're missing Michael, Jake, and Alex," Vincent said as he walked into the restaurant with Charlotte, catching Marianne’s attention.It had been nearly a month since they all left. Alexander had accompanied Jake to China for a business meeting as promised, while Michael had been busy with his music career, reaching out only when his schedule allowed."Charlotte, you're here," Marianne said warmly, waving as Charlotte returned a faint smile and searched for a seat. Marianne moved to the counter to grab a drink for her."I'm afraid all I can offer right now is milk," Marianne said apologetically. Charlotte waved it off with a smile, indicating it was fine. Marianne sat down across from her, watching in silence as Charlotte took a sip."So..." Marianne began, hesitating. "Are you still not over Jake?" The question made Charlotte choke on her drink, causing her to cough. Marianne quickly leaned forward, gently patting her back."You noticed that too?" Vincent interjected, and Mari
After dropping Marianne off at her apartment, Alexander, who initially planned to head straight to Jake’s, decided instead to make a stop at the hospital where he had taken a test earlier that day.Once there, he exchanged a polite greeting with the doctor and collected the physical copy of his results. Without saying a word or listening to what the doctor had to say, he left the hospital and returned to his car, now heading to Jake's house.Arriving at Jake’s, he keyed in the access code and stepped inside. He spotted Grandma Emma preparing to head to bed and offered her a warm goodnight.“Xander…” Grandma Emma called out, just as Alexander was about to enter Jake’s room. He paused and walked over to hear what she wanted to share.“Aren’t you going to be honest with Jake? You’re close friends, but the two of you couldn’t be more different. He never takes anything seriously,” she said.“Grandma, you know how Jake is. He hates being pushed into things. If you don’t pressure him, he’ll