“Let’s talk about business later. I want our conversation today to be about us. Hmm?”She smiled at Gavin. “No problem with me.”When his lips descended to hers, she didn’t hesitate to respond to his kiss. They were alone, and she didn’t see anyone else. So, she thought it was safe to respond to the kiss of the man she loved.***Does many in Evadne’s circle of ex-friends know Gavin well because his name is also famous as a member of the UHB Leisure Club?Now she pieced together that information. She was already familiar with the UHB Leisure Club; she had heard about it before. However, she couldn’t pay much attention to it or join in the hype because she preferred to focus on her business. And when Orion came into her life, that’s when her world mostly revolved.She felt even more overwhelmed by Gavin’s status in life. He was surrounded by friends who were also billionaires. Gavin practically had a golden spoon in his mouth.She sighed as she watched Gavin approach her. They were in
Evadne was the first to wake up that afternoon. The handsome face of Gavin was the first thing she saw. The sight of his attractiveness was truly captivating.She wanted to caress his cheek, but she hesitated, fearing he might wake up from his slumber.Earlier, she had doubts about what her boyfriend might want to do before they went to sleep. Her mind wandered because of his undressing earlier. However, none of the sensuality she imagined happened. They just slept. He didn’t take advantage of the situation. It seemed like he had no intention of christening the place they were in. Or maybe he was just holding back?She smiled at her thoughts.Gavin was still embracing her while lying on his side facing her. She closed her eyes again and snuggled closer to his body. She felt him pulling her even closer. A smile played on her lips.She didn’t intend to go back to sleep. But for some reason, she fell asleep again. When she woke up again, Gavin was no longer beside her.She got up as if
“SWEETIE…”From the dessert she was savoring, Evadne looked up at Gavin. They were at Restaurant’s Side that night, having just finished dinner. Evadne was casually finishing her dessert.“Hmmm?” she replied with her mouth still full.“Do you want to come with me tomorrow?”“Where?”“The UHB Leisure Club is organizing a tree planting activity in The High Line, still within the Malibu area. Do you want to join? For us, it’s mandatory because that’s Arturo’s order.”Tree planting? She wanted to give it a try. If he’s going tomorrow, she doesn’t want to be left behind either. With a smile on her face, she nodded in agreement. “Sure. I also want to plant trees.”“We need to plant more trees to save Mother Earth,” Gavin said with a sigh. “I’ve been too busy lately, and I haven’t been aware of environmental issues. That’s why Arturo encourages all members to have our employees participate in tree planting activities all over the Country. Especially in mountain areas prone to landslides or d
“Wait, sweetie,” Gavin interrupted Evadne, who was about to dig the soil again using a dibble.“Why?” she asked, puzzled.They were currently planting mahogany trees in that part of The High Line, which was still under the jurisdiction of Malibu. They brought various types of trees with them, including lanzones, rambutan, and mango.“You have sweat,” Gavin said, wiping Evadne’s forehead with the face towel he brought.“Thank you,” she said, smiling. Gavin was undeniably sweet and caring.They woke up early that morning despite their playful antics in bed the previous night. She remembered his prank from last night. He said it would only be one round, but it ended up being two.“Still good?”She nodded. “Absolutely. Even if we plant one hundred more trees, no problem.”That was already their sixth tree. Four more remained. Once those were planted, they could request more to plant. She enjoyed what she was doing, and Evadne knew that Gavin and the others, especially her boyfriend, enjoy
“Did he notice that I didn’t finish my food?” Evadne whispered to Gavin. There was anxiety in her chest because of that call from Arturo Roberto.“I don’t think so,” Gavin reassured Evadne before helping her stand. “Arturo won’t stop bothering us until we get closer to the front,” Gavin whispered to her. “Just relax,” he gently reminded her.The nervousness in Evadne’s chest persisted. No matter how much she tried to relax, the anxiety remained.Evadne couldn’t decide whether to smile at Arturo when they approached the very serious owner of UHB Leisure Club.“Is there a problem? Are the trees we planted not enough?” Gavin joked with Arturo, just to break the ice.“Yeah. One hundred fifty is the limit for each person.”Arturo’s seriousness made it unclear to Evadne if he was joking or not.“Ah, okay. We’ll come back later,” Gavin replied.“Anyways,” Arturo continued, addressing someone in particular, “not everyone here knows your girlfriend. Maybe you can introduce her on your own? Sin
“Forgive me, Evadne,” Galilena apologized to Evadne.They met at a restaurant. Initially, Evadne had no intention of meeting any of her ex-friends, but Galilena pleaded earnestly. Galilena gathered the courage to face her, feeling embarrassed because she had also believed Camila’s accusations.“I didn’t intend to backstab you. Camila created a group chat,” Galilena confessed. “She added all of us and revealed what happened between you and Orion. I had no idea she was saying the opposite. I’m really sorry. I never thought she could take Orion away from you.”Evadne sighed. “Don’t worry, Galilena. I don’t regret losing Orion in my life. Because I don’t deserve someone like him. He’s too selfish, only thinking about himself.”“What Camila did was awful,” said Galilena shaking her head. “She really managed to steal someone else’s husband.”“Legally, Orion and I aren’t really married. He convinced me of that. So, when I tried to get a new ID, he always gave excuses to postpone it. Turns ou
How could this man show his face in her shop?She returned her gaze to Gavin, who was now engrossed in sipping his coffee. When she looked up again, Orion’s eyes were focused on her. Their gazes met.Now that she faced him again, she could only feel resentment in her heart. The love she once felt was gone.It’s true that not all exes can be revisited. Because Orion she couldn’t even bear to see herself or stomach the thought of going back to him. The man who wasted her back then. The one who believed in a lie.But there were Orion’s eyes, clearly showing sadness as he looked at her. Was he regretting it? In her mind, she sarcastically chuckled.Tss. Now you regret it, Orion Ashford. Are you sorry for choosing that woman? You two are a perfect match. Both worthless. You, a worthless man. And Camila, a worthless friend.“Evadne,” Orion said as he walked towards where she and Gavin were.When Gavin heard that voice, he looked at Evadne. But he didn’t bother turning to acknowledge Orion;
Evadne had just completed a laboratory test at a hospital. She was just waiting for the result that she would read to the doctor who would look at her again. Because that’s one of the procedures he had to do to check if she was okay? Urine and blood were taken from her earlier.They said that the result would go straight to the private office of the doctor who would look at her, so she was waiting outside that office. There was a queue at the bank that’s why she was just sitting there.Gavin didn’t know that she was going to a hospital today for a check-up. She was also nervous about the result.“Miss Whitlock?” the nurse called to her as she stepped out of the door she opened.Evadne slightly raised her hand. “That’s me,” she said before standing up when the nurse signaled that she could go inside.First, she took a deep breath. She quickly made the sign of the cross before finally entering the private office of the doctor who was going to see her.Evadne felt a nervousness in her ch
She secretly swallowed. “I’m happy here, Gavin. You don’t need to see it with your own eyes.”“Just let me if what you’re saying is really true.”“Do you doubt me?”“It’s not like that. I just want to make sure.”“I’m okay. We’re okay...” she and your children.“You’re not married yet.”Evadne couldn’t immediately respond to Gavin’s statement. Was she going to confess?“Is it really necessary for two people to be married before being together?” she reasoned.Gavin sighed. “If he really loves you, he’ll marry you. What if I decide to take you back, can he do anything? You’re not married yet.”Was he serious? Was he ready to take her back from someone else if she had someone else?“The conversation’s going off track, Gavin,” she scolded. She stood up and approached the grilled food he ordered. “Can I have some? I’m hungry,” she said before taking some. She also took another stick and handed it to Gavin.“No wonder the barbecue at that grill tastes so good because you’re the owner,” he
Gavin squeezed his eyes shut, his head resting on his knees. His heart felt like it was being wrung dry as he listened to the fading hum of the motorboat. He hadn’t expected to see Evadne in that place. So, the moment he heard her familiar voice—while he was searching for firewood on the island for the bonfire he had planned for later that night—he dropped the wood he was carrying and ran toward her faster than a lightning strike. His heart thudded loudly in his chest upon seeing Evadne. She was really right in front of him earlier. But just like that... they were parted for good.And he couldn’t accept that part. That their past was finally severed. Suddenly, the surroundings seemed even more colorless and bleak. It’s as if his mind deliberately reminded him of the happy memories he shared with Evadne back then. When they were still okay. Now, he had to come to terms with the fact that it’s really over. That Evadne, who was once a part of his life, wouldn’t be coming back. Deep in
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