DAYS had gone by. Helios pretended to be involved in his relationship with Chloe. He accompanied Chloe on all of her errands, including the selection of cakes, decorations, and clothing.Helios could see Chloe’s joy in her eyes. They’re inexplicable, but he knew it was everything the woman had ever desired.Helios initially assumed that Chloe would understand his feelings for Zoe. He assumed she would not object, but in the end... Chloe pushed through the engagement with his father’s help.Helios was well aware that the wedding would benefit their mafia clan. Chloe’s brother is also a member of a mafia organization and one of its top leaders. His father intends to unite with their family in order to strengthen their power and become more daring.Chloe knows nothing about the mafia, and that will remain the case.Helios preferred that their engagement be kept private. However, Chloe and his father are opposed to the idea, but after he explains the potential threat, they agree. As promi
"GOOD morning, pretty momma," Cindy greeted with glee soon as she entered the café the next day. "How's your sleep, momma?" she added.Zoe let out a soft chuckle and gestured a quiet sign. "Your voice is too loud. What if Mr. Reynolds will hear—""Oh, come on, popcorn. Let him hear it. Anyway, highway, when will you tell to your mom? It's been days," Cindy asked as she tied her hair in a bun.Zoe sighed and put the last fill of the straw. "Tonight," she replied.Cindy's eyes widened, and she even clapped her hands. "Perfect. Do you want it over dinner or after dinner?""Just after I go to bed," Zoe answered, making Cindy frown and roll her eyes."Geez, you're so cheap. It calls a celebration, and I'm sure Aunt Iris will be glad to have a grandchild."Zoe shook her head. "I don't know. I am not sure."Cindy waved her hand and smiled. "Come on. Aunt Iris is just like Aunt Millie. They're both kind and awesome oldies," she said, making Zoe smile and feel sudden ease in her heart. Zoe no
AFTER working at the café, Calyx and Cindy left together, making Zoe alone. She decided to grab some snacks at the nearby convenience store. She was craving potato chips. Although her OB reminded her not to eat too much junk food or carbonated drinks.She pushed the door as she enters the store and get the snacks she needs and after that, she paid for them on the counter.She walked slowly as she takes the way toward their apartment. She looked up at the sky and glimpse how the stars winked at her. She smiled while she sways the plastic of the things she bought and then focus her gaze on the road after a few moments. She took a deep breath to calm her thoughts.Until now, she didn’t own a phone. She wanted to buy but her pregnancy came. She decided to put her savings into her baby.Zoe halted when she saw a black range rover that stopped beside her. Then suddenly she felt a tint of fear in her heart. She was about to walk again when the car’s door opened and she gasped in surprise wh
CINDY couldn't even tell when they arrived at Calyx's pad due to the speed of his car. She had just found herself undressed and in a plush velvet bed.She exclaimed in shock when Calyx climbed on top of her.The man focused his attention on her.Cindy perceived lust and a hint of love as if he had been experiencing them for some time."You can stop me"“No. I want you," she responded, causing her eyes to widen.‘Did I actually say those?’ She pondered.The sight of his familiar smirk caused her heart to beat rapidly as if she were in a race.‘Oh no! I shouldn't feel this way. Is this the result of the alcoholic beverage I consumed at the bar?’ She reflected. They both drank bottles of beer before they both decided to went into Calyx’s pad.Why did she experience both lust and a foreign emotion that she is unfamiliar with for the nth time?She felt a thousand electric bolts jolt her body when Calyx's lips touched hers.She murmured "Hmm" between their kisses.Cindy did her best to ret
CINDY woke up in the middle of the night when she felt her throat dry. ‘Geez, why all of a sudden?’ she pondered. She felt delighted because Calyx had brought her to his home.She stretched her arms upward and sighed deeply as she walked towards the door. She’s just wearing her loose white shirt and her cotton shorts.When she stepped outside the room, her vision was greeted by the dim hallway. Silence filled in, and only the shuffles of her footsteps could be heard.The whole house is in a night of deep sleep now.She walked silently towards the kitchen and didn’t bother to open the main light as the light from the moon passed through the window.She opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. She was about to close it when a force stopped it, making her jerk back. However, she bumped into a hard…“Watch out,” said the deep yet husky voice.The familiar feeling registered inside her. Her heart started to beat fast, wanting to get out of her chest. Shivers went above her head, ma
“CONGRATS, dude!” When Grant approaches Helios, who was in the midst of a conversation with some investors who had come to the engagement, he greets him loudly.Upon hearing this, a frown formed on Helios’s forehead. Chloe accidentally brushed his shoulder while she was responding to his question, “What are you doing here?”Chloe reprimanded her by saying, “Babe, you are being so unkind to your cousin.”Because of the way Chloe’s voice sounded at this very moment, Grant had the urge to throw up.Grant brought his lips together and gave a smirk that was barely perceptible. “Yeah. Helios, you are such a jerk. Anyway, Chloe, would it be possible for me to borrow your future husband for just a second?” he inquired.Chloe gave a radiant grin and gave a confident nod. She responded by saying, “Of course, I am aware that you will not take him away from me.”Grant let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Of course not….” He mocked Chloe while flipping his imaginary hair and adding, “—he’s not my type.”
PEOPLE can tell that a new day has begun when they look up in the morning and see a pale blue sky with white clouds floating in it, the breeze blowing the leaves beside the road, and the birds jumping back and forth from the tree.Zoe was ready to open the café again when Cindy rushed towards their main door.“What’s wrong, Cindy?” Aunt Millie asked who was getting ready for their work. Cindy flashed a smile. “Work again, Aunt?” Millie frowned but nodded after. “Of course; why?” Cindy shook her head. “Nothing, Aunt. Anyway, I’m here to pick Zoe, Aunt Iris,” she stated when Zoe’s mother came out from the kitchen.Iris smiled. “I know, dear…” she glanced at her wristwatch, “—you two are late for ten minutes in opening the café,” she added.Cindy let out a soft chuckle. “Zoe got a morning sick—” she didn’t finish her words when Zoe covered her mouth.“We need to go, mom, aunt. See you later,” Zoe said as she pulled Cindy outside their apartment.Soon as they stepped meters away from t
“DON'T start, Helios. I’m pregnant,” Zoe uttered immediately, making Helios press his lips together.He was just teasing her and taking chances. “Since you’re here, help me tell my mother about my pregnancy,” she continued.Helios’s forehead creased. “Why you didn’t tell her? Why do you need—”“Are you dumb?” she arched her brow and pierced her eyes into Helios’s. “Fine, I’m a coward. But if you don’t want to, then DON’T,” she emphasizes the word: don’t.Helios slightly shook his head and let out a soft chuckle. “Don’t worry,” he reached for Zoe’s left hand, “let’s face her together. Let’s go?”Zoe bit her lower lip. She finds him more handsome when he’s showing care. She nodded. “Wait here, and I open the door—”“No need, Helios,” she cut off the hum of Helios’s words.Helios nodded and let go of her hand.Zoe could still feel the morning sickness, but she was trying to fight it. Also, she has cravings, but they are not that bold.Helios wore his sunglasses soon as he stepped out o
ZOE’S POVStanding in the hallway, in front of the open door… is Helios. He was holding our daughter’s hand.Is my third eye open as well? I did the sign of a cross and closed my eyes. Lord, God, I may badly want to see him, but this shocked me. I opened my eyes, and he was still there.I also heard the seemingly suppressed laughter of those with me inside.He smiled at me, which made my heart thumps so fast that I could even overhear it. Astonishment registered on my face. Confused…What is this?"Mommy, daddy!" Hela shouted.I looked down at the bouquet of roses that he was holding. It has assorted colors.What’s going on? I turned my gaze to my parents to find an answer. But they just nodded.I backed away when Helios started to walk inward. Our daughter was still next to him, smiling. Helios’s face remains calm as he slowly walks toward me.He stopped a few inches away from me."Baby," his soft voice almost feels so unreal.I shook my head. My vision started to blur again. My hear
ZOE’S POVWhen we got inside the hospital, and inside Helios’s room, I fell on the floor, crying incessantly. They were all inside Helios’s room. Helios is already covered with a white blanket. The apparatuses are also gone.I no longer knew who had pulled me up and led me near him.He gave up!He didn't fight for me... for us.God never answered my prayers.Why?Why do I have to feel this agony?Why do I have to experience this epic romance? I thought things like this would just be in a movie.I immediately hugged his corpse.Corpse?No. I didn’t know what to feel as I hugged his body. Why didn’t he fight for me… for us? Why did he let this happen? Did he not miss us? He promised me. He’s a fighter, but why?“Why?! I screamed. “Why did you leave us? Why did you let go?! You promised that you were going to marry me. You’re being unfair! You’re leaving me alone again while I deliver our child. I want… I also wanted to you—"“Zoe, calm down. Breathe, sweetie. Slowly… Something might hap
ZOE’S POVSIX MONTHS.Six months had passed swiftly, but Helios was still not waking up. There’s still no progress. And I almost wanted to give up, but I knew he was trying to fight. He’s trying to come back for me… for us. And every single thought of losing him almost tears me apart.How many medications have been injected into him? I lost count.I pray every day, especially when I’m on his side, holding his hand, pressing it, and talking to him. I know there’s still hope. And I believe a miracle could exist.Our daughter turned one about a month ago. We celebrated it inside his room, trying to lighten the atmosphere that day, but even if we tried hard, we all knew we couldn’t. We can’t be happy, seeing Helios lying on this hospital bed, apparatuses plunged into some parts of his body and sleeping so sound that it gives a false alarm—that he will let go at any moment.Damn it! May God forgives me. Many people out there wanted to take themselves for useless things. Why should it be hi
“WHAT a cute family?!” shouted Bill and laughed. “Do you think things will be easy just like that? I’m not a fool, Helios. If I die, I will drag you down. And I’m going to take this building down. Now, let’s play, finding the bombs,” he said and grinned.“Helios...”Helios kissed Zoe on her forehead, “Everything’s going to be fine. Let’s get you out,” he said. “Don’t let them escape. Take all of them out of this building!”They were about to leave when Amanda screamed. Her sister’s attention was on Beige. Helios turned to them.“Sir, the bomb in him is activated,” one of the assassins said.“I told you. I’m not a fool, Helios!” shouted Bill, who the two men were holding.Her eyes widened as she trembled because of fear. The timer is only one minute and twenty seconds. Her eyes were enveloped by tears again, as she was afraid of what she was seeing. But Helios led her out. Her chest was heavy as she left the place.“Helios, where’s Sam and Cindy,” she asked between her sobs.“Grant to
BILL came out from an old room and laughed as he pointed a gun at Helios.“Hello, Helios,” he said demonically.The man stopped a few meters from where Helios was. “So, Helios… let’s start some convo, shall we? How are you, my brother?” asked Bill as the muzzle of the gun still aimed at Helios.On the other hand, Helios remained calm that even if he wanted to blow Bill’s head off, he couldn’t because his loved ones were inside.“I’m not your brother,” he replied emphatically.The man laughed. He put down his gun, and his men pointed theirs at Helios.Zoe wiggles and tries to speak even though Helios can’t understand them. Helios glanced at her, and pity registered in the young man’s eyes. And his heart pounded fast when he saw his daughter lying on a wooden table, sleeping as Bea patted her.“Do you like what you see, Helios?” asked Bill.Helios turned to Bill. “No. Let’s end this. Let them go, and you can have me. I’m the only one you need, right?” he said and gritted his teeth.Bill
“I’m begging, Bill. Please, let us go. And please, let me hold my daughter,” Zoe pleaded.Her heart was almost broken because of the constant crying of her daughter, who Bea was holding. They give her milk in the bottle, but her daughter is still dependent on her—she’s breastfeeding the child.How cruel will they be?“B-Bea, please, let me hold my daughter! Let me go!” Her voice was cracked, trying to hold back her tears. “Let me go… let me go,” she said, almost whispering.Bill just laughed while he could see her suffering. What a demon!“That’s right. Feel my wrath, Zoe—Helios’s kryptonite that can serve to be the source of his death,” he said and devilishly laughed along with her daughter’s loud cries.“L-Let me hold my daughter…” she said weakly. She felt dory for her daughter, who won’t stop crying.She doesn’t know where they are. They were immediately blindfolded when they saw the driver on their way to Batangas. When those demons removed their blindfolds, they saw tall trees.
HELIOS went out early to visit Grant’s twin brother, but those guards outside Gunner’s room were already dead when they arrived. They didn’t see any gunshots because all his men were drugged to death, and Gunner was missing.“Damn that, Bill!” Grant murmured as he punched the wall.Ali approached him and touched his left shoulder. “Calm down, Grant. Don’t let your rage eat you.”“How the shits I can calm down? He took Gun—he took my brother!”Helios then let Ali calm his cousin. He massages his temple. Bill is getting on his nerves.“He already found out that we knew his plan and Gunner’s betrayal! And I’m sure he’ll kill Gun! That psychopath will think that Gunner talked about his plans to us. Fuck!”"We need to go back," said Helios."Where to?" asked Calyx.“At home,” Helios replied and twitched the doorknob, and went out of the room. He pulled out his cell phone and called someone to remove the corpses inside the room before the police could see them.When he hung up, his phone ra
THE NEXT day, Helios and his friends leave early. Cindy and Sam decided then that they would stay for a while.“You didn’t come down last night, huh, Zoe? What did you do inside the room?” asked Cindy, carrying her daughter. After bathing her daughter and dressing her, Cindy immediately took the little girl.“Yeah. You left us with those jerks downstairs,” Sam complained while busy tying her shoelaces.Zoe was delighted that Sam could get along and erased the awkwardness.Zoe just shook her head and returned things to her daughter’s bag. “We just talked,” she replied.“Really? Just talking… no touching?” asked Cindy.She rolled her eyes and shook her head.“Ah, that’s why there are hickeys on the top of your left chest and neck?” asked Sam and grinned.“Oh. My. Gosh! Is that hickeys?” uttered Cindy and laughed along with Sam.At that time, she wants to be swallowed by the ground. When she finished, she acted as if she was not affected by the teasing from her friends.“We will be going
IT WAS ten o’clock in the evening when Helios got home. Zoe’s friend is still in the house, and both decided to do a sleepover. Hela Selene was already asleep upstairs. She’s with their maid named Bea.Helios went home not alone. He’s with this guy named Ali, together with Grant and Calyx. She smiled when she saw the reaction of her friend, Cindy. Cindy spits the water she’s drinking when she sees Calyx.They were busy watching when the men arrived. Cindy is at the edge where she back faces the main door—she didn’t expect the arrival of Calyx.Helios approached her and kissed her on the forehead. “Where’s Hela?” he asked.She was about to answer when Cindy and Sam started to tease her. They’ve repeatedly been saying the words, ‘long table’. At the same time, Helios's companions began to whistle.She shook her head and smiled. Then she looked at Helios again. “She’s already asleep. What took you so long?”Helios sat down beside her, and he put his arm around her. He leaned the back of