Because Evadne was once again alone in life, she decided to expand her business. She planned to open another branch of her coffee shop. She was just contemplating on the ideal location for it.She couldn’t rely on the sole branch of her coffee shop forever. Even if it’s not too big and just the right size, slightly smaller than the main branch.Evadne rubbed her temples. She felt dizzy again, even though she had eaten breakfast. She also went to bed early last night.From sitting on the sofa in her small living room, she moved to her kitchen and drank some water.When her cell phone, placed in the living room, rang, she hurriedly went there to answer the call.Her college friend, Galilena was calling. “You called?”“Evadne, it’s been a while. I wanted to invite you,” Galilena said on the other end.“Where?”“Party,” she replied shortly. “Isaac is throwing a party on Saturday night. I’ll text you the address. Come, okay? Don’t be absent.”Evadne hesitated. Will she go? She’s sure Orion
“I’m glad you came,” Galilena greeted Evadne with a wide smile as she arrived at the venue of the party. It was held at the pool area of a five-star hotel.Their friend, Isaac De Delta, was about to migrate to the US. Many of their college batchmates, who were also frequent attendees at parties and events, were present. Isaac’s personal friends were also there.Evadne breathed a sigh of relief when she didn’t see Camila or Orion at the party. If the two were present, it would surely ruin her mood, and she might not even continue with the party.“I might upset Isaac if I didn’t come,” Evadne said to her friend.“Let’s go, many are waiting for you,” Galilena urged Evadne to move.Why were many waiting for her? Was she too late?Most of their acquaintances were standing around, engaged in lively conversations. They were professionals in various fields, such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, and successful business owners.“Evadne,” Isaac said with delight as he saw her. He hugged her. “It’
“EVADNE, are you okay?” Galilena noticed that Evadne seemed a bit uneasy at that moment.Evadne’s silent plea was for Isaac not to bring Gavin to their spot.Well, his name suits him. Now she knows his name. But still, she doesn’t want to prolong whatever happened between them that night. She wants to put an end to it. One of the reasons she can’t go back to her coffee shop is because of that guy. She’s not ready to face him.“I’m okay,” she smiled at Galilena.Every woman around her, married or not, still talked about Gavin. How wealthy he is, how gorgeous and hot he is, and so on.Right, he’s hot. Literally.She shook her head slightly as memories of the heated encounter with Gavin crossed her mind again.Something happened between her and Orion, but what she experienced with Gavin, the notorious womanizer, was something she had never experienced with Orion. For some reason, it felt like she lost her virginity again when he first attempted to be intimate with her. A shiver ran down
Gavin observed Evadne closely. She still seemed oblivious. The doctor warned that if she didn’t wake up soon, she might continue sleeping and wake up only the next day.When Evadne suddenly lost consciousness earlier, Gavin didn’t hesitate to bring her to his penthouse, instructing his doctor to attend to her there. The doctor assured him that Evadne’s loss of consciousness was likely due to extreme stress, a nervous breakdown.Gavin shook his head as he recalled the people surrounding Evadne earlier. They seemed to have ganged up on her, almost bullying her to the point where she couldn’t defend herself.He couldn’t believe that Evadne had such a circle of friends. Or maybe those people just seized the opportunity to talk about Evadne? Which was it?Even Gavin did not expect to see Evadne at Isaac De Delta’s party. Isaac was throwing a farewell party as he was leaving the country, and Isaac wasn’t part of Gavin’s circle of friends. He only knew him in the business world.He thought h
Camila almost screamed when she saw Orion, who could barely walk properly. Orion’s clothes were stained with blood, and there was a cut on his left eyebrow, with traces of blood on his cheek. His right eye had a black eye, and his lips were swollen. His face was covered in bruises.“W-what happened to you?” Camila asked almost breathlessly. She moved to support Orion, who then pushed her hand away.“You,” Orion said with a firm and angry tone, besides being badly beaten, he seemed drunk.“W-what?”“Get out of my house!”Camila stood in shock at Orion’s outburst. “Y-you’re just drunk, Orion. Do you want coffee? Tell me. I’ll help you inside for now.”“You son of a b***h,” Orion started swearing. He entered his condo unit leaning on the wall and rejected Camila’s offered hand.Camila gasped as Orion abruptly knocked down items on a display cabinet he passed by. Since the display was fragile, everything broke when it hit the floor.Camila hurriedly closed the door of the condo unit, unsu
Evadne felt as though a mouse was chasing her heart, causing it to beat rapidly in her chest.“Are you planning to run away from me again?” Evadne nearly jumped at the sound of that smooth voice. What a bedroom kind of voice!She raised her eyes to Gavin’s face, who had just opened his eyes. “Good morning,” he greeted her, revealing a captivating smile while keeping his gaze fixed on her.Before she could appear foolish in front of Gavin, she raised her handcuffed hands slightly. “What does this mean? Why do you have to handcuff me?”“It’s simple. You might escape again, just like you did before.”Realizing that Gavin hadn’t forgotten about their past, Evadne discreetly swallowed.“Mister, whatever happened between us before was wrong. I was drunk and not in my right mind. Whatever I did, I’m sorry. I promise it won’t happen again, and I won’t bother you anymore. So, please, take off the handcuffs. I need to leave.”“You seem to have a habit of leaving in the morning,” Gavin remarked,
Gavin struggles to reciprocate Evadne’s kiss. However, before Evadne lost her composure, she tried to break free from Gavin’s kiss, unable to deny the pleasure it brought.Yet, she didn’t want to appear too easy in front of him. They didn’t know each other well enough to give in so quickly.Yes, she was deeply touched by his words earlier. But she was afraid of easily trusting someone after what she had been through.Evadne was still catching her breath as she pulled away from Gavin’s lips.“I’m single now, yes. B-but I’m not the type of woman who easily moves on. I’m not easy to get,” she firmly tells Gavin.“Hey, I didn’t say you’re easy to get. Or even think that. I’m just making you remember everything between us.”“There’s no ‘us,’” she emphasized.“Don’t tell me,” Gavin said, undeterred by her sternness. There’s a small smile on his lips. “Are you still mourning your past relationship?”Relationship... she almost laughs at the term he used.“Mister, I’ve buried everything in the
As Gavin laid Evadne on the soft bed, her breath caught as she felt the firm presence of Gavin’s hardness against her thigh. The hem of her dress was lifted, allowing her to sense its rigidity. Adding to that, he was only wearing boxer shorts. The thin fabric intensified the sensation.Evadne’s softness increased as Gavin continued to explore her lips without relenting.Does he miss her so much? Because, with every kiss, it seemed like there was no tomorrow.Yes, it was just one night that connected them. But it was right; it was unforgettable. Despite her attempts to forget, it lingered in her mind.When their lips finally parted, Gavin gazed at her intently as they both caught their breaths.“Am I dreaming?” he murmured.“Hmmm,” she replied. “You’re just dreaming, Gavin. Go back to sleep.”“Brat,” he said with a smile, kissing her lips again.For the fourth time, their lips met in a lingering kiss.After a few moments, Gavin’s hand, unrestrained, began to roam. He lifted the hem of
Evadne mind was still conflicted—should she go back to Maine with Uncle Varenzo, or should she grant Gavin’s request for time to talk?Why was it so hard to decide?“Girl?” Varenzo called to her. He must have sensed that something was wrong because he approached her, ready to pull her away from Gavin.But why did it hurt to think of leaving white sand island without even talking to him? A part of her wanted to hear his side—why had he suddenly grown cold toward her back then?Was it worth listening to what he had to say?In the end, Evadne made a decision. She looked at Varenzo. “Can you just wait at the boat, Uncle Varenzo.”“Are you sure you don’t want to go home yet?”She nodded, and he respected her choice. She watched as Uncle Varenzo walked away. In her mind, she counted to five before finally turning to face Gavin.She could see the relief on his handsome face, as if her willingness to talk had allowed him to breathe easier.“Ten minutes, Gavin,” she told him.“Can’t we make it
Evadne wanted to pinch her cheek to see if what she was seeing was real or just part of her imagination. Would the face she was seeing completely change the moment she blinked? Even her breathing momentarily halted. She couldn’t believe what her eyes were seeing. In the end, she couldn’t help but blink. But upon doing so, what she was seeing didn’t change. The man approaching her still had the same appearance. Like her, he couldn’t believe seeing her.When she recovered from her surprise, she managed to step back slightly away from Gavin, who was now approaching her. That voice was familiar. Even after five years, she could still recognize it so quickly. She secretly swallowed. “I’ve placed your order for the barbecue in your tent,” she said, trying not to let him see how affected she was by seeing him again in person. Why was it like that? Why was there a part of her that was excited to see him? Shouldn’t she be angry with him? Just as she was about to quickly turn away, he gr
“WHAT’S WRONG? Your face looks sad again, Darling,” Catalina glanced at her husband, Gabriel, as he approached her.She sighed. “Gavin just arrived from somewhere. I don’t think our plan to set him up with Rosalin will be successful. Your son seems completely disinterested in Friend Dina’s daughter.”Gabriel embraced her and gently rubbed her shoulder. “I told you, you should talk to our son first. Maybe he has someone else in mind, which is why he’s not interested in Rosalin.”“Gabriel, our son is already thirty-seven. Do you want him to wait until we're dead before he thinks about having a family? Everything we have now will go to waste if there’s no one to pass it down to. We’re getting older. All I want is to see our son have a family of his own, a wife to stand by his side.”“When there were many girls linked to our son, you advised him to stay away from them and not get entangled. Now that he’s avoiding girls, you’re pushing for him to get married.”“How was I supposed to know i
After Gavin finished his breakfast, the next thing he did was to take a shower. He had no intention of staying in that big house. Especially since it seemed like Rosalin was just waiting for the right moment to corner him. That’s how he felt. That’s why earlier, when he had breakfast, he chose to eat by the seaside. While his parents were sitting facing the sea.“Where are you going?” Rosalin asked curiously when she saw him coming out of his cramped room. He was wearing dark shades and even had an umbrella. It was obvious he was going somewhere.“Just around,” he replied curtly.“Do you want me to give you a tour of the island?” she invited him further.He shook his head. “I want to be alone,” he said before he walked past her. She caught him with a glance.He breathed a sigh of relief because he didn’t see his parents at the beachfront. That’s where he planned to take a walk. He noticed that the shoreline stretched straight from their beach mansion. It seemed like a pleasant walk.T
The children were sound asleep, but Evadne’s mind was wide awake at that moment. Glancing at the wall clock in their room, it was already eleven o’clock at night.She carefully got up and went to the kitchen to warm some milk. Perhaps that would help her fall asleep quickly. After preparing it, she sat on a chair by the dining table and drank her milk.For five years, despite being alone in raising her children, she managed and strived to keep going.“Mom, someone is bothering us at school. They said we don’t have a dad,” Evadne remembered Elisa telling her yesterday.One of her worries was when the time came that someone would bully her children for not having a father. So, yesterday, she went to the Day Care Center to speak with the teacher of her three children. She informed the teacher that her children were being bullied, and the teacher spoke to the mother of the child bullying them. The bully’s mother apologized to Evadne, and the child also apologized to her three children.H
That question kept haunting Gavin repeatedly. He still feels the pain every time he thinks that Isaac might take Evadne away forever from him.He let out a heavy sigh as he gazed into the distance, standing by the pool area of his penthouse.“I’m sorry, Gavin. But the truth is, I don’t know where Evadne is right now. I have no news about her. Neither do our other friends. After the sale of her coffee shop, three years ago, she vanished without a trace. I’ve tried contacting her through email, but there’s no reply.”“Isaac, you’re my only hope,” he pleaded. Hoping that Isaac would take pity on him and grant his wish.“Even if you offer me all your billions, Gavin, you won’t get anything from me. And even if I find out where Evadne is now, I won’t tell you. And if you try to find her yourself, let’s make it a race. Because if I find her first, I won’t let her see you. I’ll pursue my own interests with the woman who matters to me. May the best man win,” Isaac said, flashing a mischievous
“MR. WRIGHT?” Gavin was called by his lunch meeting companion at that moment in a VIP room of an expensive restaurant. Samuel, seated beside Gavin, cleared his throat.“Pardon?” he said, snapping back to attention.“As I was saying...” the meeting continues. How many times has he felt adrift during these close-door meetings? It’s been five years, but it feels like just yesterday.“You’re scheduled to visit UHB Leisure Club next day, Sir Gavin,” Samuel informed him as they walked out of the restaurant. The meeting had concluded smoothly.“Okay.”Samuel sighed again. Even he couldn’t help but feel sorry for Gavin because his world seemed to revolve solely around work. He no longer had time for joy or relaxation like he used to. How could he be happy when it feels like half of his heart is still missing? Gavin, too, seemed imprisoned in the past, a past without proper closure.And he knew deep down that he had no one to blame but himself for everything he was going through. Five years
Gavin remained unfazed as Samuel shut down the laptop in front of him in his Study Room.“I don’t think this is healthy, Sir. I’m sorry, but soon your parents will find out about your actions here in New York.”Gavin blinked his eyes and finally looked at Samuel. “Don’t you dare, Samuel.”Samuel sighed. “Sir Gavin, when you’re not buried in work, this is what you’re watching. You’re only torturing yourself more with what you’re doing.”He ignored what Samuel said. “Any news about her?”Samuel shook his head, knowing immediately who he was referring to. “Still nothing. Her name hasn’t shown up anywhere. Not in the bank, NBI, or anywhere a private investigator could easily detect.”“Maybe we need to hire someone better than him?”“I think you’ve already hired all the best private investigators. But still, nothing has happened. I know I’m not in a position to meddle in your personal life, but I’m the one who’s having a hard time with what you’re doing. Sir Gavin, it’s been five years. Ar
The moment Evadne snapped out of her shock, she shoved Orion with all her strength and slapped him so hard that his face nearly turned to the side.“Are you completely out of your mind, Orion? How could you?!” she freaked out.“I-I’m sorry.”“Do you think anything will change? Nothing!” she yelled.She quickly entered the open door and immediately closed and locked it. She trembled with anger at what Orion had done to her. She wiped her lips with her hand. Just wiping her lips wasn’t enough. She went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.Her heart pounded with anger at Orion’s audacity. As she left the bathroom, she headed to the kitchen to drink some water. She took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart.Orion was left helpless when Evadne slammed the door shut on him. He was surprised by the force of the slap she delivered to his cheek.He whimpered before touching his injured cheek.He felt like he would go crazy if he couldn’t see or talk to Evadne. So, he found