Marcus POV
My expression soured instantly at the unexpected sight of her.
Why, of all times, did she pick this day to show up?
I am moving on.
“What are you doing here, Martina?” My voice came out harsh.
I did not intend for it to sound like that, but Martina's unexpected presence opened up old wounds.
It was like a dam had broken up inside me, and the deluge of emotion was uncontrollable.
I can’t fight it even if I want to.
I was fi
Marcus POVI heaved a sigh when I saw her at the same spot where I left her.My heart felt constricted when I looked at her.She looked pitiful - her hair swaying gently in the wind and her eyes staring off into space.Anger burgeoned inside me.I do not want to feel this.I shouldn’t be feeling this.I hated her.I pulled near her and opened the passenger side window.&ldqu
Marcus POVI rolled off her and stood up naked from the couch.Then, I picked up my ringing phone from the pocket of my dress pants.“Hello, Belle. I am sorry, something came up. Are you still at the restaurant? Okay, don’t leave. I will meet you there in a while.”From my peripheral view, I saw Martina sit up to pick up the pieces of her clothes I strewed around us, cradling them to her chest.The sight made me want to take a dig at her.I wanted to get a reaction out of spite.“I miss you,&
Marcus POVWhen I got down to the lobby, there was no sign of Martrina.I jogged to the parking area, but while doing so, my head kept turning around, and my eyes searched her figure to no avail.Realizing she had already left, I got in my car and drove to the restaurant where I was supposed to meet Belle.While driving, my brows furrowed. Until now, it has not sunk in my head that Martina showed up.Her haunched face haunted me. I know I hated her, but something about her expression made me want to reach out and comfort her.It was hard to maintain my stance.&nb
Martina POVIt was ten minutes to six. I half-run toward Marcus' apartment complex in a hurry. It was an upscale apartment building with a view of the harbor and quick access to downtown. I shrugged. What do I expect from someone as rich as Marcus?His taste is topnotch except for women because he chose me when he can have anyone he wants. At the thought, my expression soured. I remembered Marcus' expression when he talked on the phone. I was sure it was the same girl calling him when I was in his car. His caller ID says her name was Belle. I smirked.I was sure it was not his assistant, Belle. Call it a woman’s gut feeling. She was not a person related to his work. You don’t take calls from your assistant after having s*x with your ex-wife and tell her you miss her unless you are a total j*rk.The Marcus I remembered was not that kind of person. He was protective of his family and responsible. It was the reason I swallowed my pride and came to him after two years. He was the
Martina POVWe settled into some routine. Every day, I would come by at six am, and by lunchtime, I would have finished the household chores and left.On my second day, Marcus showed me the password to his unit so he would not have to get up from bed to open the door when I arrived.I was surprised because it was our wedding day.I didn’t know if he really kept the date all this time or if it was some ploy to get a rise out of me.When I glanced furtively at him the first time he showed me, his face did not have any expression. If he had forgotten or was simply faking it, beats me.
Martina POVAfter pocketing the small brown envelope Marcus handed me containing my salary for the week, I stared at his closed door, debating within myself.I shook my head and walked away, deciding to write a note to him instead, and stuck it to the fridge.The note says I am leaving for the day.I was hesitant to face him and bid him farewell after he slammed the door shut in my face.The note will suffice. It would just be for when he looks for me, which I highly doubt.Marcus steers clear from me.
Martina POVI took the twins to my room to br*astfeed them and played with them for a while While Marky s*cks on my n*pple, I brushed back the hair that fell on his forehead tenderly and frowned. He feels a little hot to the touch. Holding him close to my chest, I reached the bedside drawer to take out the thermometer.99.5 F. He had a normal temperature but he sure felt warm to the touch. I pressed my cheeks to his forehead when he finished breastfeeding—still the same - unusually warm to my touch. He was also fussy, totally unlike him. Macy wobbled toward me in her cute legs. I placed Marky on the bed to br*astfeed Macy next. While she was s*ckling, I also brushed my hand on her hair, noting she was not as warm to the touch as her brother. Macy released my n*pple and rewarded me with a toothy smile.“Ma. Ma,” she said, pointing to me. I gushed, overwhelmed by happiness. “Yes. I am your mama.” Then she pointed to herself and said, “Me. Si.” I laughed.My baby is trying h
Martina POV“Are you hearing yourself? You are going to give away your children? What kind of mother are you?” Marie hissed.She was shaking her head and looking at me like she did not know me anymore.Tears brimmed my eyes. “You think I am that cruel?”Marie remained silent.I felt like I had to fill the air to explain.“I think I was doing the best for all the people I love. I don’t deserve them.”Marie’s face contorted.&n
Speechless! This word best describes what I was feeling right now. Do you know that you were amazing readers? Yes, you who stayed with me until this page. When I first started writing this story, I had so many trepidations. I did not think I would be able to pull this through. First, it has a little similarity to my previous novel, Billionaire Ex Wants Me Back, but my editor believed so much in my draft that she encouraged me to consider doing this. (My heartfelt thanks to Lyra Pinter, who had been a constant source of support.)My feeling of uncertainty magnified when I received so many attacks when the story was first published. Too many detractors lashed out at my characters that I had a hard time concentrating.I know what I wanted to do, but the first people who were vocal about the story did not give me enough encouragement. They did not give my characters a chance to redeem themselves as the story progresses. Fear grips me everytime I face the blank screen of my computer
Briana’s POVThe soul always knows how to heal itself. I had often heard that phrase before but it was never more gratingly obvious til now. After I volunteered to be Charles and Jenna’s surrogate, I had not counted on the pain the act would invariably inflict on me. At the start, it was all too easy. For 40 weeks, I would be carrying their baby in my womb, and that was it. Jenna and Charles will have that baby they desperately wanted. Of course, Noah and I submitted to counseling before I did this, but I never expected that when the time came that I had to turn over baby Amira to her parents, it would hit me so hard. I had not counted on how my self-sacrifice would backfire on me. It hurts so much. I was so heartbroken when I realized that Amira would no longer be a part of my life. Noah took me to several sessions of counseling, and with his support, I was able to get past the hurt and accept that Amira was not mine.The rest of the family helped. My brothers hovered over me
Hello my loves, Jenna and Charles’ story was one of the most painful stories I had written so far. It was because I had to dig up long-forgotten events in my life.But I had to do it for you to be able to understand the motives behind Jenna and Charles’ actions and the pain they invariably inflicted on each other. Jenna and Charles were both non confrontational. They keep things in stride and hope for the best, but sometimes even with the best intentions, our pain could not lay hidden for too long. It needed to be addressed and voiced out, not because you wanted to lash out at your partner or give them the same pain they were giving you.Sometimes, our silence is our cry for help. Or it was a way to protect ourselves. We retreated into the inner recesses of our soul to find solace and comfort because the people we expected to comfort and provide solace for us could not hear our cry for help.But all’s well that ends well. Am glad for those people who had requested me to do a story
Charles POVOne year later…I was standing behind the french windows of the room I was occupying at the Rosewood Hotel, eyes looking outside toward my wife.This past year was a crazy one.Just as Briana predicted, Jenna and I barely had time for ourselves. The kids were growing, and they were beautiful to watch.Jenna’s laugh made its way to where I was.As I watched Jenna play with our children, I could not help comparing her to a rose in bloom.I could not help feeling proud of the changes in her.&nb
Charles POVWe placed our babies in a customized baby carrier that could fit the four of them, and Jenna and I walked out of the suite that had been our temporary home for the past month.At the lobby, we looked like we were on a parade with our nannies in tow and bodyguards, but that’s a small price to pay for the security and safety of my family.“Jenna! Charles!” Beth called out to us.We stopped when we neared her.“Where are your kids?” I asked after she and Jenna hugged each other.I learned this past month that Beth chose to be a stay-at-home m
Charles POVThe next day, our other two babies were born one after the other.Jenna and I were also there to witness everything and become part of our children’s birth.Jenna’s eyes were puffy when she held our two other newborns in her arms. She had been crying nonstop since yesterday because it still had not sunk in that she was a mom of four babies.When we visited Briana, she and Jenna had a long talk.Briana was smiling, but I could see that she was at a loss when it was time to take the baby away from her.I realized that this ordeal put a lot of strain on
Charles POVThe phone in the delivery room rang, and a nurse went to answer it.“Dr. Martin, it’s delivery room 2.” She said from across the room, allowing us to hear.Dr. Martin went to answer it. Her face was serious when she placed the phone back in its cradle.Then, she turned her head back to her medical team.“Are you still up for another delivery?” She asked her team.Their high spirits rubbed off on Jenna and me. We were smiling when they shouted, of course.
Charles POVIt was a crazy day.We were having a meeting when I heard that Briana had been rushed to the hospital.“Brie is having our baby,” I told my brothers and friend after I dropped the call.It was Jenna. She, Noah, and Biana were already in the hospital because Briana's water broke.My face contorted as emotions I could not name assailed.A mix of fear, excitement, nervousness, worry, and happiness barraged me.Briana, my baby sister, was going to deliver my and Jenna's baby right now. 
Jenna POVThe days quickly passed by.Though we did not talk about it, it seemed as if Charles and I were in tacit agreement to take things slow concerning our careers and concentrate more on each other.We go out of town and do things we had never done before as a couple.It was marvelous.“It’s good that you spend more time with each other because I tell you, once the four babies arrive, you won’t get even a wink of sleep,” Briana told me when I came to her house that afternoon to catch up and to check on her.It’s the baby’s