Lucas was certain he would never grow tired of that sight. Specifically, in the kitchen, where a woman was busy with cooking utensils and ingredients. Velia was preparing breakfast with a casual appearance. She was still wearing last night's nightgown and had only washed her face. It was strange, but it looked charming in Lucas' eyes. The stove went off. The sound of utensils ceased, and Velia turned her body to reach for a plate, her gaze meeting Lucas at the doorway. “Oh my, Luc.” Velia was startled, but Lucas grinned instead. He took a step forward, approaching Velia, who was repeatedly patting her chest. “I surprised you.” “W-were you there the whole time?” Velia asked. “What were you doing?” Lucas simply shrugged briefly in response. His focus shifted to the contents of the frying pan. He needed to confirm what Velia was cooking, although the aroma wafting through the air had already given him a clue. “You're making fried rice.” Velia nodded, and Lucas' remark reminded he
“So, it's true?” Lucas raised his face with both hands resting on the table. He looked at Vlora with a serious gaze. “Did Ricardo request Velia's return?” Vlora nodded. “Yes, Sir.” The questions continued in a chain. The truth only fueled more curiosity, and the strangeness grew stronger, causing Lucas to furrow his brow. Vlora remained silent, not saying anything as Lucas pondered several things in his mind. Calling Velia back was not enough. Ricardo even pressured the HR department to expedite the process. There was something I don’t know here. Lucas was certain that compassion was not one of Ricardo's traits. He would not forget the middle-aged man's anger when Velia bumped into him. The oddity became more apparent. Ricardo, who had wanted Velia to be fired the most, was now doing the opposite. So, what was it? Why was Ricardo insisting on calling Velia back? Questions kept popping up and filling Lucas' mind. He clenched his jaw in frustration at his lack of knowledge. “
Sharp-eyed Lucas aimed at Vlora. The secretary seemed slightly intimidated but held her ground when faced with the same question again. “Are you serious about what you said?” “I am serious, sir,” Vlora confidently replied. “I'm sure I didn't mishear.” Lucas did not say anything further. At least for the past two years, Vlora had proven that her words were never wrong. “Okay.” Vlora gave a brief nod before leaving Lucas' room. Silence quickly enveloped the room, albeit not for long. Lucas picked up his phone and dialed a number. Without much waiting, the call was answered. “Saturday?” It seemed that Lucas had a busy schedule for the coming Saturday. From accompanying Velia for shopping, having dinner with family, and meeting with colleagues. “Alright.” The call ended at the right time. The door opened again, but it was not Vlora who entered. Instead, it was Andreas who came in and immediately took a comfortable position on the sofa. “Good afternoon, Luc.” Lucas placed his ph
In the dim light of the bedside lamp, Lucas blinked his eyes. Awareness returned, and he came back to reality. It was a pleasant realization to wake up and find himself still with Velia. Lucas let out a long breath and slowly untangled himself from Velia's embrace. He carefully tried not to wake her prematurely. Velia looked peaceful and tired as she lay on his chest, holding him close. Lucas had to struggle to free himself from the intimate entanglement. He also wanted to avoid waking Velia before the right time. Velia was exhausted. Her serene face in deep sleep showed signs of weariness. Lucas planted a gentle kiss on Velia's forehead as a gesture of apology. Then, he slid out of bed, leaving Velia covered with the blanket, and reached for his phone on the nightstand. Instead of rushing, Lucas checked a couple of things first. There were emails and messages waiting for him. He quickly read through them before replying. After putting his phone back in its place, next to Velia's
On a bright Saturday morning, breakfast had just ended. Lucas wiped his mouth with a napkin as Velia cleared her empty plate and started tidying up the dining table. “It seems like we should get ready soon, Ve,” Lucas said. Velia, who had intended to get up with her dirty plate, paused. “Get ready?” she asked before something crossed her mind. “Are you serious about accompanying me shopping?” “Again and again,” Lucas sighed and shook his head. He finished a glass of water before continuing to speak. “Why do you often doubt my words, Ve? Have I ever done the opposite?” “No,” Velia shook her head with a smile. “It's just that I thought not many men like to accompany women while shopping.” “You always have my exceptions.” Velia was taken aback. Was there a blush on her cheeks? All she felt was warmth creeping there. “T-then...” Velia took a deep breath and stood up. This time, she would really tidy up the dining table. “...this dirty plate can wait for Diana's arrival.” The righ
Unlike usual, Lucas drove alone. There was no Will. Perhaps there were a few things he needed to take care of before visiting his parents' house. Lucas let out a long sigh. During the pause created by the traffic light, he glanced at the passenger seat. There was a brown envelope and a jewelry box placed there. A gloomy expression appeared on Lucas's face. A name crossed his mind, weighing heavily on his breath. Velia. A honk brought Lucas back to reality as the traffic light turned green. He immediately continued driving. Around 45 minutes later, Lucas arrived at his parents' house. Without getting out of the car right away, he briefly glanced at his watch. The timing was right. Lucas got out of the car and quickly entered the house with one assumption. There would not be much time to spend on trivial conversations. Not wanting to accuse, but Lucas could somewhat guess the intention behind the dinner. His instincts warned him accurately when his mother invited him to have dinn
Lucas was captivated. Wrapped in her office suit and formal attire, Velia remained enchanting. “You look beautiful,” he said. Velia looked at herself, either directly by lowering her gaze or by looking at her reflection in the mirror. “Isn't this too much?” Velia felt a bit awkward. It was somewhat uncomfortable to wear branded clothes to work. Her track record did not allow that to happen. What would people think? “I think it's not something worth discussing,” Lucas replied as he approached Velia. He turned his body and smiled. “You look perfect in this outfit.” The shirt, skirt, and shoes fit her body perfectly. It was not overdone, but rather impeccable. Lucas satisfied his eyes by capturing Velia's appearance that morning. He occasionally caressed her upper arm. “How about we have breakfast now? I don't think you want to be late on your first day back at work, right?” It took Velia and Lucas no more than twenty minutes to enjoy their breakfast. Shortly after, they went dow
Lucas’s chest roared. The tightness almost made it impossible for him to breathe. He tried to stay calm, but unfortunately, tranquility seemed to be forbidden for him now. “Bastard!” Lucas quickly loosened his tie. He hoped that the open space would provide more oxygen and suppress his emotions. But once again, he was mistaken. No use. The heat grew more intense, and it made Lucas growl even more. Lucas should not be emotional. Illogical turmoil was a vulnerable thing. It could obscure his clear and broad vision. Everything could become blurry. That was dangerous. Finally, he gave in. Lucas could not take any risks other than finding the right distraction. He needed to appease the thundering in his chest. He had to cool down the raging fire. Lucas grabbed his phone. Without thinking twice, he called Velia. Lucas's call was answered quickly. If one were to count, it probably took only two seconds. “Hello, Luc.” Lucas closed his eyes. Velia's gentle voice was like an oasis for t
Life never promises constant happiness. However, at the very least, destiny will provide reasons why everything should continue.In the turning of time. In the changing of days. Alongside the ever-rolling moon.One reason resurfaces. It appears, reinforcing the belief that this is how destiny works.There are times when tears well up. There are times when anger blinds the eyes and rebels.On the other hand, there is also laughter bursting forth. There is also joy overflowing, reminding us how priceless it all is.Precious. Like the morning sunlight that falls again and warms the smile within Lucas's embrace.Gavin Hernandez greeted them two months ago. He was born healthy, lacking nothing. Plump and now enjoying the routines created by Lucas.When the morning sun rises on weekends, Lucas spends time with Gavin. They enjoy moments filled with jokes and laughter that only they understand. It's as if they have their own language for ever
Love is never an easy thing. The beautiful tale of a princess and a prince living happily ever after is nothing more than a bedtime story. In reality, it's not as simple as expressing one's feelings and everything falling into place with joy.No, it's never that easy. Velia and Lucas have proven that. They were bound by a past that constantly tried to separate them. Resentment was deeply rooted in their hearts, ingrained in every breath they took, intertwining with their journey through life.They knew that suffering and anger would not easily fade away with a single apology. Realities and misunderstandings would forever remain as a chain of mysteries.Risk. A tremendous gamble. Velia and Lucas could have chosen to distance themselves as if they never knew each other. However, the love that grew between them had taken strong and deep roots in their hearts.There was no turning back. And even as they continued forward, destiny, with its whimsical ways, bro
“I'm pregnant.”Silence filled the room. The only sound that could be heard was Velia's whisper. She had been repeating the same words for a while now.Velia's mind drifted. Since returning from the hospital, she felt that the world had changed before her eyes. It felt different, leaving an indescribable sense of unfamiliarity.Everything felt empty. Everything felt uncertain.On the bed, Velia curled up, hugging her legs. Her head rested on her knees as the doctor's words echoed in her mind.“I'm pregnant.”A shocking reality was displayed right in front of her eyes. Velia could not deny the fact that there was now a life growing inside her womb, her and Lucas' child.“I'm pregnant.”Velia's breath caught in the onslaught of reality. The news came at a time when she had decided to leave everything behind. And one question arose.Is this the reason I needed?That questi
Diana looked helplessly at yesterday's untouched cooking. Nothing had changed at all. Even the position of the parsley garnish on the dish had not shifted.“I'm sorry.”Velia entered the kitchen and could guess what the middle-aged woman was thinking. She felt uncomfortable, but there was nothing she could do.“I don't have an appetite. Lately, I've been feeling tired and just want to rest.”“It's natural for your body to feel tired if you don't eat. You have to eat to stay healthy.”Velia smiled lazily. “Today, please cook chicken soup, Diana. I want to take it to the hospital.”“Alright, Miss.”While Diana started her task, Velia chose to sit at the kitchen island. There was a bowl of fruit that she could enjoy and a topic brought up by Diana.“Do you know that Neil got fired?”The fork stopped moving. Diana's question made Velia furrow her brow.
“Is Lucas inside?”Vlora nodded in response to the man who suddenly appeared in front of her. He seemed hurried, with a racing breath. Not as relaxed as usual.“Okay. Thank you.”It was none other than Andreas. He looked relieved with the nod Vlora gave him. Some of his worries eased, but he had to meet Lucas immediately.Andreas started to walk away, but something made him stop in his tracks. He turned around with one hand raised in the air. Then he spoke.“Oh, before I forget. After I'm done with Lucas, you have something to discuss with me.”Vlora's eyes widened. Unfortunately, she could not express her objections as Andreas had already walked away.Andreas opened the door. He entered and was met with Lucas's listless gaze. Lucas looked miserable, but he reassured himself. At least it was a sign that Lucas was still alive.“How are you?” Andreas asked without beating around the
Lucas did not budge at all. He sat still in the living room, enduring the uncertainty, waiting with a fixed gaze directed towards the door.It would open soon. Velia would come home.It was nearly nine o'clock at night. Lucas had been waiting for almost six hours. However, that meant nothing to him. He could wait longer if it concerned Velia.Lucas took a deep breath. For the umpteenth time, he tried to suppress the urge to forcefully bring Velia back from the hospital.Damn jealousy. Lucas truly wanted Velia to come home right at that moment.A glimmer of sanity managed to warn Lucas. Their situation and Velia didn't need to be aggravated by further conflict. Everything that had deteriorated could become even worse. Forcing Velia would only pour gasoline on the flames.Lucas tried to stay calm. He tried to be more patient.Velia would surely come back to me. She would definitely come home. She'll be home soon. I just nee
Velia screamed. Her eyes closed, and in the explosion of her heart, she rebelled. She wanted to break free, but the embrace held her tightly.“Why did you stop me, Luc?! I can't bear to live anymore!”Lucas could see the truth in Velia's words. His clear eyes were more than enough to convey the pain. There were too many wounds and tears there. She had surpassed her limits to endure.“Let me go, Luc! Let go!”He would not. Lucas tightened his embrace, disregarding Velia's resistance. He let her continue shedding tears and delivering punches. It did not matter; he would accept it all. Whatever Velia did, however much she wanted to, he would accept it.“I just want to die, Luc. I can't take it anymore. Please, let me die.”“No. I beg you,” Lucas pleaded in a hoarse voice. All his sadness was palpable, and he begged desperately. “Don't do that.”Velia did not care. Lucas's pleas
Lucas could only tightly hold Velia's fingers. He remained motionless, staring at her pale face while attentively listening to the doctor's words.“She's just in shock. There's nothing to worry about. Her condition will improve after sufficient rest.”At least there was something to relieve Lucas. The worries and panic that arose from Velia's fainting gradually faded away.“Thank you, Doctor.”The doctor nodded. “Excuse me.”“Let me walk you out,” Vlora said as she accompanied the doctor's departure. They left, leaving Lucas overwhelmed with guilt.Lucas cursed himself endlessly. He continued to blame himself for all the realities and past events that had occurred.Indeed, everything that had happened was caused by Lucas' feelings for Velia, which could not be prevented.Lucas loved Velia deeply. Ironically, it was that love that became the root of all the misfortunes that befell
Velia had just finished a late lunch. The sun had descended to welcome the afternoon, and the lingering pain made her almost sleep throughout the day. The ache persisted. Velia's steps were somewhat unsteady as she intended to return to her room. She walked slowly and found Lucas's presence. “Why are you home already when it's not yet office hours?” Velia furrowed her brow and looked at Lucas, puzzled. His appearance was disheveled. No black suit, part of his shirt was out of his pants, shirt sleeves haphazardly rolled up to the elbows, and a loosely tied tie around his collar. “Luc!” Velia's readiness was caught in her throat. Lucas's messy appearance was nothing compared to the bandage on his forehead. Velia approached Lucas. Her hand rose and grabbed his face in panic. A clear look of concern radiated from her eyes. “What happened, Luc? What happened to you?” Velia asked, searching and worrying if there were other injuries.