“MA’AM, are you okay?” NoraLee couldn’t help but ask Evadne when she approached her at the side of the counter.
Evadne didn’t realize she was already in a daze. She regained her composure and smiled at NoraLee. “I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Go ahead, do what you need to do.”
NoraLee nodded. “Alright.”
Evadne decided to go back to her office and contemplate for a moment. However, she couldn’t take a single step before hearing the sound of the door chime in her coffee shop. It was an indication that a new customer had arrived.
Evadne furrowed her brow slightly as she stared at the tall and well-built man who seemed to steal the spotlight with his height and physical charm. He looked like a model for a famous clothing brand, donning a black coat. He wore black shades, but his striking handsomeness couldn’t be concealed. He felt familiar to her, but she couldn’t recall where she had seen him.
As he approached the counter and removed his shades from his eyes, Evadne finally recognized the man, the same one who accidentally spilled coffee on because of her.
“Good morning, Sir,” NoraLee greeted him.
“Good morning,” he replied with a friendly smile to the cashier before shifting his gaze to Evadne.
Why did she suddenly want to avoid his gaze? She mentally composed herself and gave him a hesitant smile.
“Remember your promise to me,” he reminded her with a smile.
NoraLee looked at her with curiosity. “Um, yes, of course,” she agreed while turning to NoraLee. “NoraLee, please assist our customer.”
“I want you to make my coffee,” the man said to Evadne.
She was about to decline, but they did have an agreement. In the end, she nodded. “Alright. I’ll just serve it, Sir.”
“Thanks.” He smiled at her once more before walking away.
Only then did she realize that she had been holding her breath.
“Ma’am, what was your promise to that Mister?” NoraLee couldn’t help but inquire.
She took a deep breath before facing her. “Just remember his face. You do remember him, right? I spilled hot coffee on him. In exchange for my mistake, he asked for one year of free coffee at this shop.”
“One year?” NoraLee repeated in disbelief while Evadne attended to their customer.
“Yes. Let it go. We won’t incur a loss from him.”
“He really asked for it? With his looks, it seems like he could buy this entire shop along with my soul.”
She smiled at NoraLee’s last statement. “I still owe him. Next time, if I’m not around, you won’t need to charge him. Okay?”
“You said so.”
After preparing a black coffee for the newly arrived man, she brought it over to him. She still remembered the type of coffee he ordered last time.
“Here’s your coffee, Sir,” she said before carefully placing it in front of him.
“Thanks.”
Once again, she found herself captivated by the smile that graced his lips, making him even more handsome.
Evadne, get away from that man, she whispered to herself in her thoughts.
“Enjoy your coffee,” she said before deciding to step away from him.
What’s with him? Why does it seem like he has a magnetic pull on her? That’s how the man appeared to her. When she looked outside their coffee shop, she noticed a luxurious blue Ferrari parked in front of her shop. It wasn’t there earlier.
Was that car owned by their male customer?
As she reached the counter, she couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the man who was busy sipping his hot coffee.
“He’s so handsome, Ma’am, isn’t he? His level of attractiveness is different from all the good-looking customers who come to your coffee shop.” NoraLee let out a dreamy sigh.
She playfully tapped NoraLee’s cheek with a smile. “Focus on your work.”
Evadne, you should also focus on your plans, she thought to herself.
Oh yes, she was contemplating whether she should take a break from working at the coffee shop and be a housewife for Orion for a while. She could promote NoraLee to be the manager since she could rely on her for everything, especially when she’s not around.
“NoraLee,” she interrupted her thoughts.
“Yes, Ma’am?”
“I have something to discuss with you tomorrow.”
NoraLee nodded. “Sure.”
With a smile on her lips, she patted NoraLee on the shoulder. “I’ll be in my office,” she said before continuing her way to her office.
This time, it was the man she had made coffee for who caught her eye as he looked at her. He sighed deeply as she disappeared from his view.
Upon reaching her office, Evadne sent a text message to her husband. However, she received no reply from him at all.
Back then, whenever she texted him, he would reply immediately, even when he was at work. He would always find a way to make time for her because he loved her so much.
“Do you still love me, Orion?” she whispered, her eyes welling up with tears.
During those moments, she couldn’t help but wallow in self-pity. A lot had changed with her husband. She was saddened by that fact. He was always angry with her, worse than a woman going through her monthly period.
Did she deserve this?
Did she deserve to be treated this way by her husband?
“Where is your promise, Orion?” Tears finally streamed down her cheeks.
“HOLY s**t! Oh, f**k!” Orion could barely catch his breath as Camila continued to pleasure him.Orion was sitting on the bed with his back leaning against the soft headrest. He held both his hands on Camila’s head as she moved up and down, pleasuring him. Sucking his manhood with the tip of her tongue.“Is it good?” Camila seductively asked Orion, who could only nod in response.“Continue,” he begged.Camila bit her lower lip and then licked the tip of Orion’s throbbing manhood.“Tell me first, Orion. Who’s better in bed, me or your wife?”“You, of course. She doesn’t do this for me. She’s so boring in bed. You’re more exciting than she is.”Camila’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction before she resumed her actions. She was clearly delighted with Orion’s response.They were both naked, paying no attention to their surroundings as Camila continued her oral efforts on Orion. Orion’s eyes nearly rolled back in pleasure as Camila deep-throated him.“I-I’m cumming.”“Oh, yeah, c*m inside my m
It’s been a long time since Evadne and Orion had any intimate moments, so on that particular night, she even wore her most discreet lingerie, a gift from her bridal shower attendees.She also spritzed on her expensive perfume, adding to her efforts to seduce her husband for the evening. But when she laid next to him in bed, he just closed his eyes. She gently caressed Orion’s chest. He was used to sleeping naked, and wearing only underwear on the body.“Hon,” she said sweetly, trying to wake him up. “Hon,” she called again.After a while, Orion opened his eyes, squinting as he gazed at her. He removed her hand from his chest and turned to face away from her.“H-hon, please. Let’s try tonight.”“Let me sleep, Evadne. I’m not in the mood, and I have no desire.”“Look at me,” she insisted. “Don’t you find me sexy?”Seemingly running out of patience, Orion turned to face her. “There, you’re sexy. You have big boobs, a sexy body to die for... but will that body give me a child?” Orion shoo
“EXCUSE me, Ma’am Evadne,” NoraLee apologized as she poked her head through the slightly ajar door.Evadne gestured for her to come inside. “Come in, NoraLee,” she said.NoraLee bit her lower lip as she entered and approached her.“Is there a problem outside?”“Uh, yes, Ma’am Evadne.”“Did something break in our coffee maker?”She shook her head. “N-no, it’s not that. Everything is fine. Nothing’s broken. It’s just that Sir Handsome is outside. He’s claiming his free coffee now. He said he wants you to make it for him.”Evadne sighed. She had just arrived not too long ago. After visiting her parents at the cemetery, she had come straight to the coffee shop.“You should have told him I’m not here.” She had just arrived a little while ago from church. “I tried to make up an excuse, but he said he saw you coming into the coffee shop earlier. So, I couldn’t come up with any more excuses. I’m sorry.”She sighed again. With a heavy heart, she lowered her hand, which had been massaging her
Evadne closed her eyes tightly, hoping that what she was witnessing would change. But it didn’t. It remained the same.Her husband, Orion, was currently on top of the woman she reluctantly allowed to stay in their house out of pity, as she had nowhere else to go. None other than Camila, who was moaning with each successive movement of her husband in her delicacy.Evadne felt like her soul was escaping from what she was witnessing. It wasn’t just a dream. No matter how she blinked, her vision remained the same.She felt her chest about to explode from the intense anger and heartbreak.It was happening right on their marital bed. And what hurt even more? She trusted Camila not to do anything foolish. But what was she doing behind her back? She couldn’t accept that truth.Before Evadne could fully explode in anger, she quickly grabbed her cell phone from her shoulder bag. Quietly and carefully, she recorded a video of her husband and Camila. She zoomed in on the camera to clearly capture
Evadne was almost hoarse from screaming, but she continued just to release the pain in her chest. She was hurt inside and out, as if her sanity was on the verge of breaking. Almost to the point where she contemplated ending Orion and Evadne in her thoughts.“You’re such an idiot, Orion. You’re shameless! Why did you do this to me?!!!” Evadne’s knees were almost giving in, but she remained standing, screaming. “What you did to me, Orion, is unforgivable. I thought... I thought your feelings for me were genuine? But why did you deceive me?! Huh?! Why?” She weakened her voice, eventually collapsing on the grass. There, she cried even louder.The memories of catching her husband in the act with another woman in their own bedroom were like a dagger repeatedly stabbing her heart. A memory where she generously let the woman stay in their home.Now, she found herself in The High Line, overlooking a beautiful view from New York. But that breathtaking view was not why she went there.She ended
Evadne’s emotions were welling up again, tears threatening to spill.“Y-you,” she couldn’t help but blurt out as she eyed the man thoughtfully. “W-what are you doing here?”“This is my favorite camping spot, especially when I’m in Manhattan. I was surprised to see you here too. I even thought you were someone else until I caught your attention. When you turned around, that’s when I recognized you.” He sighed.“Did you hear what I said?” she asked, tears welling up again.Nodding, he lowered his face and quickly caught the tears falling from her eyes with a tissue. It was embarrassing to have someone witness her misery. She bit her lower lip.“It’s okay, Miss Coffee Shop Owner. I don’t mind. You better eat first. It’s late.”“My stomach can only handle water,” she said, allowing the tears to flow freely down her cheeks. The tissue in her hand was already damp.Evadne, there’s nothing you can do if that man saw you like this. The important thing is, you’re not close, and he doesn’t know
“Is there no more beer?” Evadne asked Gavin, extending one hand towards him.Gavin lowered Evadne’s hand. “No more. You finished it all.”“What about me? You also drink,” Evadne said, rubbing her forehead. The six cans of beer she had earlier seemed to be taking effect. He only had ten beers with him when he thought of going there to camp.Who would have thought he would fine a woman in a place where he often set up his tent to escape the noise and chaos of the city?Not many people go there, and usually, he doesn’t encounter anyone. Unlike now. There was someone there whom he never thought he would see.He didn’t plan to go home that night to Buffalo in New York, where his penthouse was located. So, he proceeded to set up his tent earlier while a woman was screaming and crying. Crying her heart out. He didn’t want to interfere, so he let her be. It seemed like she didn’t notice him anyway.He had just finished setting up his tent a while ago, and the woman was still not done venting
Evadne’s eyes fluttered open, awakening to a blurry world. Her consciousness abruptly returned, and the sun had yet to fully burst into the sky. However, there was enough light from outside for Evadne to see her surroundings.She was slightly puzzled by what her eyes beheld. She found herself inside a tent.A tent?!She quickly scanned her surroundings until her gaze settled on what was behind her.Her eyes widened when she saw a man there. Especially when she took a closer look at the man.“What—”Gradually, the events from yesterday replayed in Evadne’s memory. She spent the day in The High Line, Manhattan. She even had a few beers. And... and...Her lips parted as the memories of what transpired between her and the man last night flooded back. Evidence of their intimacy lingered under the blanket during those moments.“Evadne! What have you done?!” she screamed in her mind.Before the man woke up, Evadne carefully got up, located her scattered clothes, and meticulously dressed her
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