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Chapter 21: (Warning: This chapter contains mature content. Skip this if you don’t like.)
Last Updated:
2024-11-24 23:33:09
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Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 22
She woke up the next morning to the gentle kiss of the man beside her. She glanced at the wall clock—it was only half past six in the morning, but he was already dressed.“Good morning, Sweetie,” he said warmly, making her smile.He seemed to be in a great mood today. Surely she wasn’t imagining the endearment. His aura was sweet, almost tender. She hoped it would last, that maybe, one of these days, Astin would finally agree to discuss their situation. She wanted him back. It was selfish—especially since he had Barbie now—but she had regretted her mistakes. Couldn’t fate grant her this one chance?“Good morning. Do you have work today?” she asked.He nodded and gently stroked her face, pinching her lower lip before planting a quick kiss. Thankfully, it didn’t deepen. Otherwise, they might have ended up back in bed.“You’re still on vacation, aren’t you?” She sat up, facing him.“I am, but they need me at headquarters. After this break, I’ll stay at HQ for good,” he said quietly.His
Last Updated : 2024-11-25Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 23
LAURA didn’t notice she had fallen asleep. She woke up in the early hours of the morning. All the exhaustion from the past two days seemed to have vanished. She finally managed to rest, even if just a little.The growling of her stomach prompted her to get up from bed. It was cramping already. She had probably gone past her hunger limit. She had been asleep for nine hours, but it seemed her energy had returned—though now she was starving.She glanced around, checking if anyone else was awake. Surely, everyone was asleep. The house was so quiet.She quickly headed to the kitchen and ate.After eating, she returned to her room and sat at her small study table.Her attention shifted to her phone when it vibrated. She grabbed it and checked who had sent a message.She looked at the wall clock. It was 12:20 a.m., and Darryl was still awake. Probably out partying, she thought.She quickly replied to him. There were already several notifications from their group chat, but she ignored them. D
Last Updated : 2024-11-26Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 24
Laura had just stepped out of the bathroom when Astin walked back in. Their eyes met briefly before she looked away. He headed straight to her bed while she sat at her vanity, drying her hair. Through her peripheral vision, she could see him watching her. His aura was different now. The anger seemed to have subsided. The harshness on his face was gone—and that made her vulnerable again. She silently scolded herself. So weak. She could hear his occasional sighs, each one deepening her confusion. Astin’s behavior baffled her. She and Darryl had done nothing wrong, yet Astin acted as if she belonged to him. And truthfully, a part of her wish she did. But not like this—not hidden away, not as an afterthought. Why couldn’t he just forgive her? She longed to move forward, to heal completely, like Mara, the taxi driver she once met. The constant ache was too much. This punishment felt unjust. Maybe Darryl was right—she didn’t deserve to be treated this way. But her heart refused to listen.
Last Updated : 2024-11-27Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 25
“No! I won’t allow it! Does Mom know about this, Ate? You even put the recruitment on pause! You thought I wouldn’t find out?” Andy angrily confronted her. She had discovered that she delayed recruiting a new manager for the Caramoan branch and wanted to take the role herself. Andy disagreed with her reasons. It had been a week since she asked HR to hold off. “Andy, please? Dad’s coming out soon. I want us to start fresh. I want to go back to Caramoan,” she pleaded. “Wow. As if anyone cares about Tito over there, you’ll probably just end up getting bullied. Have you even thought about that? Your dad needs a fresh start, and that’s here in Manila. No one knows him here, which makes things easier. You’re only going to struggle if you stay there. That’s why I’m not on board with this.” Without waiting for a response, Andy turned and walked back into her office. Her shoulders slumped, and she rubbed the back of her neck as she walked away. How could she persuade Andy? Should she com
Last Updated : 2024-11-28Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 26
Laura struggled to get through the next few hours. She felt unmoored as if she were drifting in a haze. It was the first time she’d ever consumed so much alcohol, and the consequences hit hard. Her head pounded relentlessly, her eyes stung with exhaustion, yet sleep was out of reach—work still demanded her attention. She was utterly drained. Dragging herself into Andy’s office, she summoned what little strength she had left to request an undertime. She looked at her drooping eyes and immediately agreed, arranging for the company driver to take her home. She barely got it into the car before fatigue pulled her into a deep sleep. When she arrived home, her aunt Kendra greeted her with a concerned look. Laura quickly explained that she wasn’t feeling well and asked to rest. Concerned, the woman later brought her some medicine. A glance in the mirror revealed her slightly swollen face and puffy eyes. Had she looked like this all day? The thought mortified her. As soon as the woman l
Last Updated : 2024-11-29Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 27
LAURA arrived at the Del Franco residence almost simultaneously with Darryl. He seemed to have just gotten home from the office. He was the first person she saw, dressed in a business suit. “Hi,” he greeted as he stepped out of his car.“Hello,” she replied.“I heard you’re going back to the province. For good?” he asked.She nodded.“Whoah! Is it okay if I say I’ll miss you?” he said with a chuckle.“You already did,” she responded with a laugh. “Want to come along?” she asked after a moment, surprising him. He looked at her.“Where?”“ZL Lounge.”“Ah, okay. I’ll go with you.”She smiled at his response. No hesitation at all.When they entered, Asia was already prepared. They just waited for Darryl, who had to rush through a shower. They took one car, and Darryl drove it. She also received a call from Aubrey, who was on her way. They arrived just a minute before Aubrey did. Asia was surprised to meet Gael, who had driven Aubrey.“Gael! Oh my God! Long time no see, huh!” Asia exclai
Last Updated : 2024-11-30Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 28
A month had passed since Laura returned to Caramoan. Before BK’s birthday, her father was already released, giving her the courage to face the days ahead. She devoted all her attention to her father. He was one of the reasons she never gave up on life. Even without Astin in her life, her father remained, consistently showing her how much he loved her. Though her father still had a nurse, she took care of him during her free time, never leaving everything to the nurse. Since no one lived at her Aunt Kendra’s house, she stayed there when busy at the resort and unable to return to the center. Her father, however, stayed at their old house in the Poblacion, or centre of town. She couldn’t convince him to stay with her at the resort. Following her Aunt Kendra's suggestion, she hired someone to take care of the house and cook meals. With the generous salary she earned, she could easily afford it. Hazel’s work turnover went smoothly. She even extended her stay by a week to complete an au
Last Updated : 2024-11-30Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 29
Out of nervousness, she shut the sliding door. After closing it, she returned to her bed and leaned against the headboard. Her heart was racing, and it felt like her dream had been real. But that was impossible. No one would dare do such a thing to her, especially with soldiers and the Madrid staff around. She touched her lips, unable to sleep for hours, thinking about the dream. She tossed and turned in bed before getting up and heading to the door. A glass of milk might help. She went downstairs, made some milk, and drank it there. Afterward, she went back up and lay in bed again. She forced herself to sleep as she lay down. Her eyes were closed, but her mind was wide awake. After a while, drowsiness finally crept in. She glanced at the window and the sliding door to ensure they were closed. Moments later, sleep finally took over. She woke up to a knock from outside her room. She sat up abruptly—she had work today. Quickly, she opened the door to see who it was. It was her
Last Updated : 2024-12-01
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Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 52: Vulnerable
Déjà vu! Ira glanced around her surroundings—the hotel, cabins, and the other views. Everything seemed familiar. She felt like she had been here before. She blinked several times, but she was still standing there, in the same spot. She wasn’t dreaming. Her feet felt rooted to the ground, unable to move. She clutched her head when a sharp pain suddenly struck. Grasping the car door for support, she was thankful that her boss and his daughter had gone ahead. Otherwise, she would just add to their worries. She decided she would follow once she felt better. She was starting to notice a pattern—these headaches were becoming more frequent. Perhaps it was because of her amnesia. She had yet to meet the doctor who, as her husband Thunder claimed, was his cousin. When they returned to Manila, she promised herself she would consult a specialist. For years, she had suffered, unable to remember her past. The only one who gave her glimpses of her life before was Thunder. She turned her
Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 51: Deep Desire
The next day, Ira woke up early, but her husband woke up even earlier to prepare breakfast for her. She smiled sweetly at Thunder when he turned to look at her.“Good morning, my wife,” he greeted, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Good morning. Why don’t you go back to sleep? I can handle this,” she suggested. “I’m fine, honey. I wanted to cook for you,” he replied, returning to the stove to continue cooking. “Thank you so much, Thunder.”“Come on, it's my responsibility,” he said. “I know, but I really appreciate it.” Deep inside, guilt tugged at her. After breakfast, she took a shower. She had mentioned last night that someone would pick her up at six. Once she was dressed, she went to see her son. She hugged and kissed him repeatedly. She was going to miss the king of her life. She pinched his handsome face one last time, laughing when he swatted her hand, eyes still closed. Right at six, she heard a car honk outside. She recognized the vehicle immediately—it was her
Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 50: Confused
Ira splashed water on her face in the restroom, her thoughts in turmoil. She slapped her forehead and mouth repeatedly. She hadn't even shared that kind of intimacy with her husband since she regained consciousness three years ago—only cheek kisses. But now? She had gone too far, giving in to someone else—her boss, of all people! “Stupid!” she whispered harshly to herself. She was alone in the restroom at the moment. Hurriedly, she fixed her appearance, dabbing powder on her face and applying lipstick. Then she stepped out. When she exited, her eyes met her boss's briefly before she quickly averted her gaze and headed straight to her desk. Before he could come out of his office, Thor entered. Thor was the boss's first cousin. He glanced at Ira. “Hi, Ira! So, this is where you got transferred. No wonder I haven’t seen you lately.” “Good morning, Sir Thor. Yes, just this week,” she replied with a smile. Her smile faltered when she noticed her boss glancing between her and
Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 49: Deep Kiss
At exactly ten in the morning, she sat at Romel's former desk—the boss's previous secretary. Quickly, she reviewed the report Lesha handed her and set it aside. She planned to forward it to the boss later. She also replied to pending emails in Romel's inbox. She checked the boss's schedule to see if there were any meetings in the afternoon. There were none. Grabbing the signed folders, she stood up and informed Lesha that she would deliver them to their respective departments. She walked briskly, already familiar with which floors to visit. Her eyes stayed fixed on the folders as she walked, scanning which ones to prioritize. She winced in pain when she bumped into something broad and solid. Not something—someone. And to make things worse, she stepped on the person’s shoe. Her eyes widened in shock when she recognized who it was. It was her boss! “Careful!”“Sorry,” she quickly apologized, crouching down to clean his shoe, but he pulled it away. “I didn't ask you to clean it. I
Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 48: His Secretary
“Ma’am, I was told you were calling for me?” Her boss stopped what she was doing and smiled at her before looking up. “Ah, yes, Miss Santillan. From now on, you’ll be my brother’s secretary. Romel will be gone for two months. My brother has a short temper, but he’s also kind. I’m sure he’ll warm up to you. Just be yourself, Ira. I suppose you’ve already heard from the reporters around here about what happened in his life?” She chuckled lightly at her statement. Ira couldn’t help but laugh as well. On her first day at work, the story had already been shared with her by the person sitting next to her. Her boss’s eldest brother, Mr. Astin, became a widower at a young age. Even she found it hard to believe. She felt sad knowing that, according to some of her coworkers during lunch breaks, he and his late wife deeply loved each other. She admired the love story of her boss’s brother. For eight years, they were separated because he joined the military—also reportedly due to his wi
Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 47: New Life
“Is it heavy?” Ira asked her husband with concern. They were going down the mountain after gathering coconuts and cassava. “I can handle it, my wife. Of course, I’m good at it,” Thunder, her husband, replied with a smile. She paused for a moment. Even now, she still felt awkward about what he called her. She didn’t know why. There were still so many unanswered questions in her mind. She felt pity as she noticed him grimacing while carrying the sack filled with coconuts and cassava, which they planned to use for making cassava cake. It was their son King’s favorite. She wanted to try making it herself. Someone in their area sold it, and their son loved it. She wanted to learn so she could prepare it for King’s birthday. Their place was far from the town center, so if they bought some, it might spoil during the trip. The nearest big market was several barangays away. “Thunder…” she called her husband as they reached the flat part of the trail. He no longer seemed to struggle, un
Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 46: Pain (CFL- Book 2)
“How is she, Kuya? Why hasn’t she woken up yet?” Thunder asked his twin. Ace sighed deeply before answering. “She’s okay now. The operation was successful, and her vital signs were stable. She’ll wake up soon. But I’m worried she might curse us for what we did,” Ace replied. Ace was a doctor at a prestigious hospital in Manila. He had returned home because his youngest brother, Thunder, requested it. Thunder, on the other hand, was a simple farmer. He chose this life because of his late wife. Thunder almost cursed his wealth, blaming it for the loss of his wife. He lost the will to return to Manila because of what happened. He even harboured resentment toward their parents. Only Ace remained his pillar of support through the years. Ace was the only one who understood him. Both brothers turned to look when the woman, bedridden for five days, suddenly spoke. “I-I need w-water…” the woman said weakly. Thunder quickly fetched water while Ace checked her condition. Carefully,
Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 45: Farewell (CEO's FIRST LOVE- Book 2)
LAURA glanced outside. It was already noon. Good thing there was no work at the office today. She immediately searched for her husband with her eyes. It was Sunday. She suddenly felt sad, remembering that today was his departure for Mexico with Gael. It was her husband’s new business, and Gael was his partner. She smiled when she saw him on the couch inside their room. She pulled the blanket off herself and approached her husband, who was busy with his laptop. He was reviewing the presentations he’d present to their new investors in Mexico. Her husband was startled when she hugged him from behind. “My dear husband,” she said sweetly. “Morning, Sweetie!” he replied, though his eyes remained on the laptop screen. “Morning, too. Can’t I come with you to Mexico? Gael’s bringing Aubrey, after all,” she said, pretending to be sad to make him pity her.“If only it were possible, Sweetie. But no one will be left to watch over Kiarra. Mama isn’t here, and neither is Andy,” her husband
Soldier's First Love (English) - ZL Lounge Series 01 Chapter 44: End of Book 1
After the short program at the reception hall, the newlyweds left immediately for the airport. Their flight to Hawaii was scheduled for today. It was a double-purpose trip—honeymoon and business. Astin needed to attend to some matters at a branch of Hotel De Astin, as Andy was busy with the hotel expansion in Malaysia. With no other choice, Astin decided to have their honeymoon in Hawaii instead of Europe. He still had a month-long leave and would also work while in Hawaii.He shook his head at the thought. But if he finished his work early, he planned to take his wife to Greece afterwards. Astin glanced at his wife, who was sound asleep. He sat on the single couch, observing her. She looked exhausted. She had been sleeping for over three hours. They were using Sebastian’s private plane and were currently in a private room. They had seats outside as well, where his “nosy companions” were—Lexxie, DK, Ian, Darriel, and Callen, who all had companions. Except for Callen, Asia wasn’t a
