"COFFEE for my hubs!"Michelle was wearing a sweet smile as she walked into Ethan’s home office. Her husband was speaking to someone over the phone while seated in his swiveling chair across from his desk. He was wearing a simple sleeveless white shirt and board shorts. It was his usual home attire, yet he looked oozing with charisma as always.What a sight, Michelle thought."Alright, I’ll approve that. You can inform the finance. Yes," Ethan spoke over the phone, but his eyes were already focused on Michelle. A hint of surprise could be seen in them based on how his brows shot up. "Okay, thanks. I’ll wait for your email. Bye now."Michelle crossed her arms against her chest after serving his coffee on his desk. Still with a smile, she narrowed her eyes and was fascinated as to how dedicated Ethan was when it came to his work. He was still working at home even though his doctor already gave him a clearance stating he was fit to work in the office for one reason: he wanted to spend mo
MICHELLE didn’t keep any happenings in their lives a secret and told Jose everything over their lunch. Jose was unable to believe that it happened all at once, but was thankful that she and Marsha were safe."Can you imagine what we’ve dealt with?" Michelle sighed as she shook her head."Trust me. I’m shocked," Jose uttered, and his gaze turned to Marsha. "I’m not sure what I’d do if something happened to Marsha. You should have called me back then."Michelle smiled. "My mind was haywire that time. It’s all in the past now."Jose’s gaze went to the wedding ring she was wearing."Looks like you really made up your mind," he said. "I thought you really didn’t want him back in your lives ever.""Don’t try to wound me." Michelle pouted her lips. "I was still hurt and in denial back then. You see, a person can do and say a lot of things when in pain.""Right." Jose nodded in agreement. "Rest assured that I’m happy for you, Senora. Though I’m hurt, I still hope you’ll give me a chance.""Jo
HE WALKED down the stairs after dealing with his secretary over a phone call.He was massaging the bridge of his nose when he smelled the aroma of good dishes that were coming from the dining area. He checked his wrist watch and figured out that it was already six o’clock in the evening. Michelle told him that her Italian friend would be coming over around six-thirty."Hi, Daddy!" Marsha greeted him, who then stood up from the couch in the living room and walked towards him. "Are you okay? You look tired."He held her hand and smiled. Marsha was really a bundle of joy. Even though he was tired of working the whole day, her voice was more than enough for him to feel recharged. It is true that a lot of things change when you have a child."I’m better now," he said as he crouched down to meet her level, and he caressed her little chin, which made her daughter smile. "What are you doing right there?"Marsha smiled widely. "I’m drawing so when Uncle Jose arrives, I can give it to him as a
"HEY, what’s going on here?"It was Michelle, who then joined them on the balcony.Silence enveloped the atmosphere. Ethan looked away and just sipped on his wineglass. Even though Jose got on his nerves, he didn’t want to cause any trouble. Michelle wouldn’t like it... He had to be the bigger person, even if Jose made him feel like less of a man just now."We’re just enjoying the view up here," Jose answered his wife with a smile.Ethan noticed the change in his tone, and he wasn’t blind not to figure out that the Italian man had feelings for his wife.Michelle stood beside him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. He looked at her, and noticed that she was smiling genuinely at him, as if to tell him she was proud that he kept her friend accompanied, without any knowledge that Jose had just mocked him seconds ago."Marsha is already asleep," she whispered.He smiled back and nodded at her. His wife looked amazing whenever she smiled. It was his constant pacifier. Even when he was en
“ARE YOU really not going to talk to me for the rest of my remaining days here?”Michelle sighed, crossing her arms as she sat on the high-steel chair next to Jose. The man looked very tipsy and still finished another shot glass of liquor when she did not answer his question.They were in a high-end bar in the city. She was about to go to bed when Jose sent her a text message asking for a little of her time so they could talk.Michelle had decided to ignore him after what happened at the dinner last night. The last thing she ever wanted to happen was for Ethan to feel that he wasn’t enough, and Jose did something that made her husband feel that way.She didn’t like it…Ethan didn’t deserve to feel that he was not enough and lacking…Her eyes looked around, and all she could see was the people who were having fun in the place. The mixed scent of cigarettes, alcohol, and even sex musk lingered in the air inside the bar. She couldn’t hear that much because of the upbeat music being playe
HE HAD lost control over his emotions.From that moment he saw her walking out of their house without telling him where she’d go, he started to suspect that she would meet her Italian friend.And his instinct wasn’t wrong.He just found himself sitting at the far table where he could see his wife and Jose talking on the bar counter.He hated to admit that he was jealous.He thought Michelle had understood his feelings and would never associate herself with her Italian friend, but then again, it didn’t happen.Ethan could feel his anger getting into his head as he drank a bottle of beer on the corner. His eyes were like those of a hawk. One wrong move and Jose would taste his madness.The two carried on their conversation. Every second felt like a ticking bomb for Ethan. He wanted to go in their direction and get his wife, but he didn’t want Michelle to feel like he was putting a leash on her neck. He knew he wasn’t like that.However, when Jose pushed his luck by kissing Michelle, Eth
THE text messages she sent to Ethan went unanswered.Michelle knew he had seen them, but he chose to ignore them because of one thing: he was still mad at her. When Ethan went home that night, he didn’t bother making eye contact with her. She was invincible to him. He could only see Marsha in that one big mansion. She’d lie if she tell it didn’t hurt her, but Michelle understood why Ethan acted that way.He didn’t sleep in their bedroom again. The “cold war” between them made her unable to sleep from her usual sleep time. She tossed and turned around the bed, missing him so badly and wanting to talk to him properly but she was taking Megan’s advice—letting his man cool down.She received text messages from Jose. The man was apologizing for what happened in the bar, telling her he didn’t mean to make Ethan angry. He also apologized for kissing her, and promise that he’d never do that again. But the damage was already done, and she was in a situation she never wished to happen.The next
HE felt damn guilty…Damn guilty because he didn’t speak with her for the two days now and made her feel like her presence didn’t bother him even a little. But it wasn’t the truth.Whenever his wife lowered her head every time they would cross path at home, he would find himself staring at her. He’d feel how terrible he had long for her but his anger got the best in him and continued to be cold at her. He just couldn’t forget what happened in the bar and how her Italian friend kissed her.He was damn jealous.Damn mad too, thinking that if Michelle had stayed at home, it would not have happened.That morning when he left for work, his chest felt heavy. He missed his wife… so damn much that sleeping in his home office for another night would become his death.He needed to do something to clear the misunderstanding between them.Two days were enough.He tried to focus his mind at work, telling himself that he’d make up to her after work when he heard a knock on his office door. Seconds
"THE VICTIMS were sent to the hospital for proper treatment," the cops told her the moment she arrived in the area where the accident happened. Michelle could not stop crying and asked the policeman which hospital her husband had been brought to, driving immediately as soon as she got the answer she needed. She dialed Megan’s phone number and informed her best friend about the name of the hospital so she could follow because she knew that Andrew also needed her. When she arrived in the hospital, she felt nothing but the dreadful feeling coursing through her. She wanted to compose herself, but her mind was already haywire because of all the worry she had for her husband. It felt like the rest of the world stopped revolving, and all she did was run and run... "Two victims of a car accident were sent to this hospital. Where are they?" she managed to ask the front desk officer. "How are you related to the victims, Ma’am?" "I am the wife of one of them," she answered, taking a deep bre
MICHELLE walked down the stairs with Marcus in her arms. She just finished breastfeeding him and now wanted to hang out with the people in the garden.The Steinfields, her father, and Megan were all out there, preparing for the New Year’s Eve that they would celebrate that night. They all came together to welcome another New Year, and she could not be more thankful that these people came to their house to join them for another chapter of their lives."Look at that little pumpkin. He has gotten bigger, Mich," Gregory commented and immediately took his grandson from her arms.Michelle giggled. "That baby loves to sleep and eat every single time.""He looks definitely like you when you were a baby.""I believe he definitely looks like Ethan. See those marble gray eyes, Dad?"Gregory chuckled. "Well, eyes won’t lie, I guess.""Of course, Dad."She could not help but smile seeing her father try to make Marcus giggle by making faces. It was such an adorable sight, and she felt honored to wi
SHE glanced around the men's boutique, her curious eyes efficiently trying to find good clothes or anything she could give Ethan as a gift for their year-end party. Ethan already had anything; name it and anyone would find it in his vast walk-in closet. That being said, Michelle was having difficulty deciding on the best gift she could give him—that one thing that would make him smile and surprise him."There are so many designer shoes at that corner. But I don’t know which one is good for Andrew," Megan stated, and it was followed with a sigh of defeat. "God, why is it so hard to find gifts for men?"Michelle laughed a bit. She could relate, as she was having difficulty choosing too. It just so happened that they both married men who had everything, so every year they’d end up cracking their heads trying to get them nice gifts."Are you able to choose anything?" Megan curiously asked her.She shook her head, pouting her lips. "Not yet. I don’t think work suits would be a good gift. H
HE brushed his fingertips over the soft angles of his wife’s face and could not help but adore every feature she had. It was his morning routine whenever he got to wake up first in the morning, and he would find his wife still sleeping soundly next to him.Needless to say, he’d become easily addicted to her and to this kind of morning with her. Her strawberry scent that kept him enticed every single day, her soft skin that kept him warm at nights, her laughter and soft touches that kept him sated and content, and her presence that made his world colorfulHe had no idea that a man like him, who had amnesia, could be in love so hard; madly and deeply. However, he wanted to treasure that moment at all costs. This kind of beauty in his life needed to be protected and kept.Michelle’s forehead formed a knot as she lifted her head. A soft moan escaped her closed mouth, which made him smile. Seconds later, she slowly opened her eyes and met his intent gaze."Good morning," he murmured under
"YOU’RE making me crave for sex," Ethan said, kissing her neck and sucking her skin sensually.Michelle’s lips parted. She was in deep pleasure, and whenever Ethan would say things like that, a big lustful part of her was getting more aroused.Her hands traveled around his firm back. She touched the muscles he had there. A moan escaped her lips when Ethan bit her neck firmly, making her dig her nails over her bare skin. She bit her lower lip and shut her eyes, but when Ethan claimed her lips again, everything went so fuzzy.It didn’t take long before the man was able to strip her naked. The cold air brushed against her skin, making her shiver. But when Ethan pulled up to stare at—admire—her naked body, she felt the scorching heat go to her. He looked at her as if she were a piece of beautiful art. The gleaming desire to take her was evident in his marble gray eyes, and the smile of contentment that curled in his lips gave her more confidence."You’re beautiful, Mich..." Ethan said bre
The ring of her cell phone jolted her awake. With a forehead crease, Michelle rose up and quickly turned off the alarm on her cell phone. It was already 6 o’clock in the morning. She hadn’t been able to sleep for at least six hours, but she had to get up and follow the "mom on call" schedule to better take care of her little sunshine—none other than Eionn Marcus.It had been what? A month had passed when she gave birth to their second child, and Michelle could still feel the excitement getting through her whenever she would walk into the nursery room, open the curtained windows to let the sunlight lighten up the entire solemn place, and wake up her little one by planting kisses on his fluffy cheeks.It had been her morning routine. She was strictly following the "mom on call" schedule because it wasn’t only giving her much time to bond with her baby but also making sure that Marcus’ health was always a top priority."Good morning, my little sunshine..." she greeted her baby with a hea
THE CAR was filled with her whimpers, cries and screams. Her nails dug over the leather seat in the passenger seat. She was lying down there, making a few deep breaths to relax herself but the great amount of pain consuming her entire body was making her ballistic and a mess.Beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. Her legs and belly were both getting numb as the minutes passed by. Ethan was driving the car so fast, completely alarmed by her situation. He was panicking so much, and so even she was in great pain, she reminded him to drive carefully as she didn’t want them to get into some road accident.“Oh, my God...” she murmured, crying. “I think I’m going to die. He’s coming out. Faster, Ethan!”“Uhm, you just told me to slow down a bit,” Ethan said nervously.“Fuck. I swear this will be the last time you’d be able to impregnate me!” she screamed on the top of her lungs and made a push before she took a few deep breaths again. “I really swear to God—““Calm down, Mich! We’re on
AFTER A MONTH, "WILL you be fine without us?" Michelle looked at her father. At first, she thought that the old man was teasing her, seeing how he curled his lips downward, but she realized that he was actually worried, seeing the worry in his eyes. Still smiling, she took a deep breath and softened her expression as she looked at her father, who she hadn't realized had become more frail as time passed. She was so busy with her life that she wasn’t able to watch out for her father. Distracted by what life had thrown her way, she didn’t notice that her father was really getting older. "I’m going to be fine." She checked over her shoulder and found Ethan, who was fixing a chandelier’s light bulb in the living room. "Ethan will be here, so you shouldn’t worry that much. I hope you and Marsha would enjoy hanging out." Her old man laughed heartily, shaking his head. He and Marsha would go to the school where they enrolled the little girl. It was going to be Marsha’s first day in her ne
"GOSH, you have to calm down, Mich!" Megan said.Michelle shook her head, pacing back and forth in the living room. Her mother-in-law called an hour ago, saying that they would send Ethan back home. Selene did not mention whether the result of the surgery turned out well or not, so she could not calm down a bit even though the people around her were telling her to do so.Megan and Andrew came to visit as they were excited to find out how the surgery went. All of them were in the living room, waiting for her husband to arrive. Holding her pregnant belly, she didn’t stop walking around, getting very impatient as she wanted to know how the surgery turned out for Ethan."I don’t understand why Mom didn’t tell me how it went," she said and stopped in front of them, biting her fingernails. "Do you think it went bad and that’s why she couldn’t tell me?""We can’t assume, Mich," her father said, sipping on his coffee."Your Dad is right. We can’t assume unless we see it personally," Andrew ad