Ayana's heart raced as she struggled to compose herself, her cheeks burning with embarrassment at her own vulnerability. She felt exposed and laid bare before Adam in a way that left her feeling raw and exposed."I... I'm sorry," she stammered, unable to meet his gaze as she struggled to find the right words to say. "I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have."But before she could finish her sentence, Adam reached out to gently lift her chin, his touch sending a jolt of electricity coursing through her veins. Her breath caught in her throat. "Don't apologize," he said softly, his eyes searching hers with a depth of emotion that took her breath away. "You have nothing to be sorry for."Ayana's heart skipped a beat at his words, her mind reeling as she tried to process the intensity of the moment. She had never felt so exposed or so vulnerable, and yet there was a strange sense of liberation in it, a freedom that came from laying herself bare before him without reservation."Adam
“So, what can I offer you here? Are you hungry? I am a good cook only for my stomach, but I can compromise for the most extraordinary woman in the world,” Adam said as they pulled away from an embrace that had lasted for hours. The warmth had held them still, the fire radiating from their souls serving as a beacon to bask in.“Really? You will cook?” Ayana asked.“You want to try me?” Adam asked.Ayana chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well, I suppose I can't resist the offer of a meal cooked by the most extraordinary man in the world," she replied playfully.Adam grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You won't regret it, I promise," he said confidently, his tone brimming with self-assurance.As they made their way to the kitchen, Ayana couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement bubbling within her. She had always enjoyed cooking, and the prospect of sharing a meal with Adam filled her with anticipation."So, what's on the menu?" She asked, peering over Adam's shoul
But despite her initial apprehension, Ayana found herself feeling strangely at home in Adam's world, as if she had finally found a place where she truly belonged. His warmth and generosity had made her feel welcome from the moment she stepped foot in his house, and she knew that she was exactly where she was meant to be."It's all so beautiful," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you for sharing it with me."Adam's smile widened at her words, his eyes shining with affection. "It's my pleasure," he said, his voice warm with sincerity. "I'm just happy to have you here with me."And as they stood together by the pool, surrounded by the beauty of their surroundings, Ayana couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder wash over her. She had never imagined that she would find herself in such a place, with such an incredible man by her side.But as she looked into Adam's eyes, she knew that she was exactly where she was meant to be. In his arms, she had found a sense of bel
As they spent more time together, Ayana couldn't help but notice the whispers and sidelong glances that followed Adam wherever they went. His reputation as a ladies' man preceded him, with rumors swirling about his countless conquests and magnetic charm. But despite the warnings from her friends and the doubts that nag at the back of her mind, Ayana sensed a kindness and sincerity beneath Adam's rough exterior that drew her to him like a moth to a flame.She had seen the way he interacted with others and the genuine concern and compassion he showed towards those less fortunate than himself. He had a way of putting people at ease and making them feel seen and understood in a way that few others could. And though he often brushed off compliments and praise with a self-deprecating smile, Ayana could see the depth of his character shining through in every gesture and word.As they walked hand in hand through the bustling city streets, Ayana couldn't help but feel a sense of pride swell wi
“A side hustle?” Adam was thinking, but words came out louder than intended. “Why don’t you resume painting?” Ayana's eyes lit up at Adam's suggestion, a spark of excitement igniting within her at the thought of revisiting her passion for painting. "Painting," she repeated softly, the word rolling off her tongue like a long-forgotten dream. "Yeah, you're incredibly talented, Ayana," Adam said earnestly, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "I have seen some of your work, and it is truly remarkable. You have a gift." Ayana's cheeks flushed with pride at his words, a warm glow spreading through her chest. "Thank you, Adam," she said gratefully, her heart swelling with appreciation. "I used to love painting, but life got in the way, and I guess I just forgot how much joy it brought me." Adam reached out to gently squeeze her hand, his touch reassuring. "Well, maybe it is high time to rediscover that joy," he suggested with a smile. "You never know where it might lead." Ayana nod
As they arrived at Adam's house, the air between them crackled with anticipation, their desire for each other palpable and undeniable. Without a word, Adam swept Ayana into his arms, his lips finding hers in a searing kiss that left them both breathless.Ayana melted against him, her body responding instinctively to his touch as he carried her into the house. Every nerve in her body was alive with sensation, and her mind was clouded with a fierce hunger that only Adam could satisfy. The unger had not been tended to for years.As they stumbled through the door, their hands roamed over each other's bodies, desperate to feel every inch of skin beneath their fingertips. Clothes were shed in a frenzy of desire, discarded haphazardly on the floor as they stumbled towards the bedroom, consumed by the fire that burned between them.In the dim light of the bedroom, their bodies tangled together in a passionate embrace, their lips meeting in a feverish dance of desire. Ayana gasped as Adam's ha
Minutes had turned into hours as they lay intertwined, saving the beauty of the moment. Then Ayana’s eyes drifted to the clock on the wall, the time mocking her.“Shieet! What the...” she cursed, peeling herself off from Adam’s tight and warm embrace as she raced out of bed. She was about to hike out, but the stinging sensation between her legs stopped her without mercy. “Ouch!” she cried, and Adam rushed to her rescue.He enveloped her in his arms again, his heart racing inside with worry and shock. “Hey! What’s up?” He asked, brushing strands of hair from her face and forcing her to look up to him.“Lyana. I need to get to her school at this minute. It is past time!” She said it in apprehension."Hey, don't worry," Adam said softly, his voice a soothing balm to Ayana's frazzled nerves. "I took care of it. I sent Daniel to pick up Lyana from school. She will be here soon."Ayana's eyes widened in surprise and gratitude at Adam's thoughtfulness. "You did?" she exclaimed, a rush of rel
“You are such a bad gossipmonger, Daniel,” Adam said, and Ayana looked at the two men as they faught. “I know why you won’t snoop around. Don’t you have things to do? I am sure my company is not dormant.”Daniel crossed her hands over his chest. “Of course it isn’t, man. But you do all the work, right? I brought you more documents to verify and approve. They are in the car, and that is the only work that I have—to get them for you. And by the way, tomorrow is the weekend, in case it has slipped out of your mind.”“I don’t even know what I pay you for. Get lost from here.” Adam said and turned, meaning to end the conversation, but Daniel spoke again, stopping him.“Well, that is what I have been telling you for years, boss. You just pay me so that you can hide behind my face. You only pay me because you want people to only see the ugly side of you and not the good one. But I think that is changing now,” Daniel said with a quizzical glance at Ayana. There was more to that glance. “Shoul
“Hey! “ Lian spoke with her signature smile, of course. “Why don’t we first stop by calling it a sin? Let us just say that it was casual sex done for the wrong reasons and at the wrong place. But all in all, we were adults, and we both proved a point that day. Of course, it hurts, just a little, because you did not offer exactly what I wanted. But if anything, Adam, I want you to know that I wouldn’t waste a chance with you even now if I had it. I am not ashamed to be on the list of, you know, all of those you have been with.” She then looked at me. “I am sorry to say this too, but at least I got to taste the famous Adam Stone De’Leon!” She smiles, and I think I am beginning to love her smile now. Eyes roll! “You are lucky, Ayana. You both are lucky to have each other. And this is where I wanted to be—to have you look at me the way you are looking at her, with so much love and adoration. Your eyes speak submission every minute they brush her. Even a fool can tell you love her so much.
“What, son?” His father asks.“The merger that you seek with the De’Marios will happen.” Excuse me, what? I snap at him, and I was just to give him a piece of my mind, but a gentle squeaaze of my hand sealed my lips, opting to trust him, hoping that he knows that these bunch of heartless fools do not deserve to benefit even just one bit from me. “But not on the grounds of my marriage to Ayana!”Fantastic! Bingo! God, I so love this man!Eyes flickered on each other for a long moment of screaming silence, until my father had to break the lull. Desperate old man! “What are you talking about, son? You know you are really growing desperate by the day here. And now, we have damages to pay to the Adrianos for what Grace did. Things are weighing down on us, Adam! So, what do you suggest? Anything that will help at all. We will abide!”So, Adriano, are you asking for compensation for the damage that Grace’s actions caused? Well, they seem to be the experts in not letting any opportunity slide
After a long, unnerving moment, the door opens again and freezes on our spot as our house is swamped with people.Yeah!People!And I am not talking about two or three people here, no! This weird woman is the weirdest of all because, how did she pull all these?And yeah, before I forget, I am not talking about just any other people. Not some ordinary people. Naah!We are talking of the De’Leons, Adam’s father and mother; the De’Marios, my parents; and this skinny witch who used to be my sister. And these other people, whom I presume are Lina’s parents,.Forget everyone. Lina and her parents have a score to settle with Adam, and so do the De'Leons, who have the right to be in their son’s house. But these black souls, these people that God gave me as a family? How dare they have the guts to set their feet here, huh? The nerve! The temerity! I mean, after all they have done to me? And this little brat of a witch, after insulting Adam like he was the greatest sinner the world has ever had
“You got my information from my parents? How? When? Why?” I ask.She steadies herself. “It wasn’t intentional. It just so happened that you both were the reason why some dark secret that was kept in the dark for years was leaked out. Our families, the Adrianos, the De’Leons, and the De’Marios had to meet because that was a breach of contract!” She speaks.I get everything about the dark secret and the urgency for the two families to meet, and I can also understand that tabgle. But breach of contract? What was all about that?“Breach…” I throw Adam a glare to ask for clarity, but he seems clueless and lost like I am, so I decide to ease both our curiosities. “Breach of contract? What contract?”“Yes,” she says, throwing Adam a glance, and she speaks, looking at him as if the words were only meant for him. Wasn’t I the one who asked the damn question here? “Our families, the De’Leon’s and the Adriano’s, after settling for compensation and agreeing to bury all that had happened, signed a
“Hey! I am harmless, you know!” The lady, Lina, speaks, and she even has the bravery to smile at me while my hand freely retreats from the mission of shaking her hand.She had no choice but to drop hers in letdown.She is harmless.The woman that supposedly Adam raped years ago is smiling right in my face, and I should not be worried. She is harmless. Harmless, huh?What is this?Why did she come here?“I know who you are,” I murmur, hoping that we don’t have a problem here, but how stupid of me to think, no, to actually hope for that? Why would he come here if there wasn’t fire in the mountain? “Wha…what are you doing here?” I ask.As Adam composes himself and approaches, his trembling hand clasping my waist reveals the struggle within him. It's not merely a physical tremor, but a manifestation of the turmoil in his soul. I sense the weight of his past bearing down on him, an unwelcome guest crashing into the delicate balance he's been striving to maintain.In his touch, I feel the e
The chirping of the early morning birds calls me out of my peaceful sleep. I peel my eyes, and they almost impair with a striking, sharp pain as they collide with the savage rays of the morning sun. I shut them for a minute, but when I don’t feel those strong arms around me, I peel them open in a flash, turning around. Empty space! That explains why the widow's curtains are open, permeating the savage sunrays. He woke up before me. That has never been him. I always wake up enveloped in his arms every single day of the six months that we have been together. What changed? Is it because of that question from last night? This marriage issue? After he asked me that, and after I failed to come up with a straight answer, I just laid my head on his chest and snuggled into his warm embrace. He understood the memo, which meant I was not ready for that kind of conversation. And he respected it, just like he has always done. He pulled me closer and tighter, and we drifted off to sleep. Did I
“Goodnight, mommy,” Angel says after I tuck her to bed, or rather, we tuck her to bed. Me and Adam. She turns to him and says disrespectfully, "Goodnight, Uncle Adam. You two are the best." Some“Alright. Goodnight princess. Have sweet dreams, and your mommy and I love you so very much,” Adam says, kissing her on the forehead before standing up as the sweet little girl closes her eyes.My sweet little angel. My gift is straight from heaven. What can I give God to thank him for bringing her into my life? She is my pride! My joy.“Shall we?” Adam asks, holding my hand, and I don’t waste time. I follow him behind, leaving Lyana’s room as we stroll across to his master's room. Or just simply, our room. This has become our room, just as his house has become my house. We are better off being called a family. A married couple. Because this is what all this depicts. I forgot about my house a long time ago. All that is left is for me to pick up my belongings and settle here for good. Yes, here
Ayana's anger flared, fueled by the woman's bitter accusations. "What I meant was," she retorted, her voice trembling with fury, "I did not know that Robert had a wife. And no, I have never entertained this fool ever since he came back from nowhere, and I never will. For me, he is nothing but some fresh vomit that I can never take back, no matter what."Her words cut through the tension like a knife, carrying a raw honesty that left no room for doubt. Ayana's resolve was unwavering as she stood her ground, refusing to let the woman's scornful words diminish her self-worth."And as you said," Ayana continued, her voice rising with conviction, "I am with my man. A man worth being called a man, and not some trash!"With each word, Ayana reclaimed her power, asserting her worth and dignity in the face of adversity. She refused to be defined by the actions of others, standing tall in her truth and righteousness.Robert's once confident demeanor faltered as Ayana's words pierced through his
All eyes turned towards the unexpected newcomer, a tired and heavily pregnant woman standing before them. Ayana's heart skipped a beat as she took in the sight—the woman's weary expression, the telltale swell of her abdomen—indicating she was carrying a child.As confusion clouded Ayana's mind, she searched for answers in the woman's gaze. There was a sense of familiarity—a haunting resemblance to Robert—that sent a chill down Ayana's spine. Could this woman be Robert's wife?What puzzled her was why Robert had suddenly reappeared after six years, pursuing her and their daughter, especially if he had a wife—a pregnant wife, no less.The revelation left Ayana grappling with a myriad of emotions—bewilderment, frustration, and a gnawing sense of unease. She couldn't comprehend why Robert would resurface after all this time, stirring up chaos and turmoil in their lives.The realization hit Ayana like a ton of bricks, her mind reeling at the implications. If this woman was indeed Robert's